Nametags

Good News!  You don’t know everyone at Grace.

This is good news because it means that new members and visitors are always entering into our community.  In an effort to show hospitality to those who are new, and in an effort to create space for community, you’re invited to wear a name tag.

For the next five Sundays, name tag stations are located at the North and East doors when you enter the building. Make and wear a name tag as you come inside. There is also a signup sheet at each door. If you would like to purchase a permanent name tag for $5, add your name to the list.

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Thank you, Elders, Deacons, and Trustees! Welcome New Officers!

In January, we ordain and install new officers, which means we say goodbye to men and women who have served faithfully.  From the Session we bid farewell to Cindy Dethloff, Jerry Juhnke, Janet Rhoads, and Anne Woolsey.

Leaving the Deacons are Clayton Jamison, Kathleen Kennedy, Jim Steele, and Jean Oser. Completing terms on the Board of Trustees are Betsy Bloxham, Jim Grannis, and Tom Rhoads.

We say thank you to Bob Ross who completes another year serving as our church treasurer, and we say thank you to Evon Russell who completes a year of serving as our clerk of Session.

Our congregation is grateful for the time and dedication of these people.  Please express thanks to them when you see them.

The new officers who begin serving in January are:

Session/Elders: Darcy Eads, Dave McIntire, Mac Smith, Blake Ullmann, and Ginny Vincent

Deacons: Don Awtrey, Arleigh McCormick, Jo Wilkinson, and Casey Woodburn

Board of Trustees: Darwin Eads, Brian White, and Bill Woolf

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Bus Tickets and Morning Worship: January 12

Each month Grace distributes bus tickets to people in our community.  This happens on the 15th of the month, or if the 15th is a weekend we meet the Friday before.  Volunteers and those receiving tickets begin to gather around 6:30 am in the Grace Alcove. Guests are greeted with smiles, coffee, water, and a place to sit. Tickets are distributed at 7:50 am.

We invite all guests to a brief worship service with communion in the Great Room at 7:35 am.

We can always use volunteers to help with set-up, clean-up, and ticket distribution.  Want to help?  Contact Kirk Anderson, kirk@mygpc.org or 684-5215.

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Yellow Bag Sundays: January 2018

Each month on the first Sunday you’re encouraged to take home a re-usable yellow grocery bag, put some non-perishable items in it, and bring it back the next week, or soon thereafter.  In January, our donations go to the Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church food pantry.  Consider bringing canned fruit or soup.

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Giving to Grace in 2017

The recent changes to the tax codes might mean something to you. Accelerating your charitable gifts to 2017 may have greater tax benefit than in future years due to an increase in the standardized deduction and lower future tax rates.

The major change that may impact your contributions is the standard deduction in 2018. The deduction for a person filing single will be $12,000, and the deduction for those filing married is $24,000. Deductions in 2018 for those taxpayers that itemize, including charitable giving, will be applied to a lower tax rate than the 2017 tax year. Due to these changes, accelerating your gifts prior to January 1, 2018, may maximize your tax benefit for charitable gifts.

Note that checks must be delivered or postmarked on or by December 31, 2017 to claim a charitable contributions deduction in 2017, even if the check is predated to 2017 or was actually written in 2017. Checks that are written, mailed, and postmarked in 2017 will be shown as a deduction in 2017 even though they are not received by the church until 2018. You may also go online to give before the end of the year by going here. In addition, be sure to wait to file your tax return until after you’ve received your statement from the church to ensure that all your contributions are deductible.

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