Grace Book Club: May 23, 2023
The Cross of Renewal
Marian Vavra shared The Cross of Renewal ©2001, her straw sanctuary cross, for Easter as it symbolizes Grace’s Re-Lent theme. Designed for inclusion in an English art book on Swiss Straw Work published in 2003, she used layers of creation and renewal imagery to honor generations of stewards of the land created by God: people who instinctively trusted in the never-ending circle of creation: birth, life, death, and rebirth.
In The Cross of Renewal, this truth is represented by a straw appliquéd circle: an eternal circle where God enfolds his people, his creations, with communion and endless love. The spiral cross visually resembles a DNA strand, our most basic genetic code. The Trinity is represented by the three ovals of colored mosaic straw edged with plaited straw. Mirrored shapes are worked in crimson red straw edged with a decorative straw thread where the red color is congruous with the red thread of the back circle, representing sacrifice. And the slightly chaotic, undefined movement of the center work beckons one to discover the order that lies beyond. The cross is finished with a profusion of straw thread flowers using a variety of colors and Swiss techniques. Marian dyed straw, spun straw into thread to make many flowers and edgings, and opened and flattened straw for appliqué work which covers the circle. She used Kansas wheat harvested in 1998 from Dwight and Mary Cowan’s and Matthew and Laura Voth’s farms.
Her Prayer
Creator of all, you encircle us with your love, grace, and peace.
Thank you for the mysteries of nature:
Birth, life, death, and rebirth, for we are sustained by this cycle…
Amen
April Yellow Bags: Covenant Presbyterian Food Pantry
Helping 40 Families with Yellow Bag Contributions
This month’s Yellow Bag collection goes to the Covenant Presbyterian Church Food Pantry. The Pantry helps around 40 families and is a lifeline for those families to meet their monthly food needs. Non-perishable foods such as canned vegetables and fruits, cereals, peanut butter, canned meats, and other items fill the gap for nourishing foods for these families. Your contributions to their food ministry are very much appreciated by Covenant Presbyterian. Thank You, Grace Congregation. Also, if you have one or more yellow bags in your home or car, please make sure to return them so others can use them for their donations throughout the year.
Easter Sunday: April 9
We gather on Easter Sunday, April 9, to celebrate Christ’s victory over death.
9:00 am Worship in the Great Room.
10:00 am Easter Egg Hunt on the south lawn. Gather on the steps by door.
10:00-11:00 am Come and go Continental breakfast in the Great Room.
11:00 am Worship in the sanctuary.
Both worship services include communion and are streamed online. Join us on this joyful and holy day!
The Good Neighbor Team: 2023
The Good Neighbor team is ready for a third season of service!
The Good Neighbor Team is a hands-on team that partners with the Code Enforcement Office of the city and county. This office looks for volunteers to complete physical labor at the homes of people who are at risk of fines for code violations. Many of these people do not have the financial or physical means to complete the projects. Projects include yard cleanup, demolishing a broken shed, and lawn mowing.
Our team aims to complete one project monthly in the late spring through early fall. Work days are usually on Saturdays. Bill Vavra and Bruce Gealy lead this team. If you want to learn more or join the team, contact Teresa Stange in the church office, teresa@mygpc.org or 316-684-5215.
No specific skills are required to join this team, only a willingness to do manual labor and a desire to serve our neighbors.