Dear Grace Community,

This Sunday marks the return to in person worship at Grace.  Streaming is still available for those who prefer to worship at home, and this option remains available.

I know that many of you are eager to return, and others of you want to, but are not yet ready.  Being the body of Christ is important, in whatever form it takes.  In the last six months we’ve learned to be the church in new ways.  We’ve realized how much we don’t need physical space to be church, and that community can be built when we’re not together.  At the same time, we’ve missed being together, and we’ve lost things by being apart. Tom Long addressed this in his article, “On returning to our places of worship,” in the August 24, 2020, Presbyterian Outlook.

“We cherish the places where we worship, not out of some misplaced wistfulness but because our sanctuaries are sacramental places…People have prayed there. Vows have been made, the gospel has been heard, hymns have been sung, marriage promises have been spoken, funerals have been held, sins have been confessed and forgiven there.”

For those of us are in the building in the coming weeks, there is joy in returning, and for those who remain with us through online worship, we long for the day when the conditions allow you to return.  In this time between, the onus is on all of us to continue to reach out to one another, to continue to strengthen the bonds of Christian fellowship through calls, letters, prayers, and porch visits.  It may be even more important now.

You’ll see in the links below information about what to expect on Sunday.  Please read it over before coming to worship.  There is also a link about nametags for Sundays. (Some of us may have a little trouble remembering names after being apart for so long.)

In Christ,
Catherine

Links

• OJ Watson Park September 20
• What to Expect When We Return to Grace
• Promise and Purpose: Sundays September 13 – October 4
• Nametags!
• Good Neighbor Experiment
• Yellow Bag Sundays
• Music Task Force
• Sunday Morning Schedule

Nominating Team
Even in a pandemic the work of the church continues.  Do you know someone called to leadership in the church?  If so, nominate them!  We’re looking for elders, deacons, trustees, and Jacob’s Learning Ladder board members.  Please send nominations to the nominating team chair, Darcy Eads deads@cox.net

Worship and Connection Opportunities:

Sunday Morning Worship on September 13 at 10 am

• Worship via Facebook Live at 10 am or watch our services at mygpc.org You do not need a Facebook account to watch. Go here>
• Catherine Neelly Burton preaches.
• Sermon Scripture: Genesis 2:4b-7, 15-17; 3:1-8
• Download Bulletin>

Evening Prayer Service: Sunday, September 13 at 7 pm

• In the Grace Parking Lot
• Bring a chair and a mask and join us for a 30-minute outdoor prayer service.

Memorial Services

• A memorial service for Gale Meek is Monday September 14 at 10 am at Grace

When you return to Grace for worship, be sure to wear a nametag!  We’ve installed a new board at the church where you can leave nametags so you don’t have to worry about remembering them each week.

Do you need a nametag?  If so, write your name on the board, and next week when you come back, there will be a nametag there for you.  Or you may email Teresa@mygpc.org, and she’ll get one ready for you.

We are excited to return to in person worship on September 13, and it is important to note that the Sunday morning experience is different than it was March 8, the last time we were here. For four weeks, Sunday School is at 9 am, and worship at 10 am. Sunday School is in these locations:

• Room 106/Nursery – Infants – 2 years old
• Room 101 – Children ages 3 – 1^st Grade
• Room 206 (Excavation Station) – Children ages 2^nd – 6 Grade
• Teen Center (Basement) – Youth ages 7^th – 12^th Grace
• Fellowship Hall – Adults
• Room 208 (Steamers) – Adults

The following guidelines apply to all Sundays moving forward.

• The main doors to the church will be open – no one needs to touch door handles.
• You may be asked to give your name as you come in. This list is internal only and allows us to contact worshipers if we learn that someone who was present tests positive for Covid-19.
• You’ll find hand sanitizer and masks at each entry. Please bring your own mask if you have one. The expectation is that all wear masks unless prevented from doing so by a medical condition.
• The coffee bar is closed.
• We will have a place to give offering after the service, but no offering plates or bags will be used in worship.
• There is no passing of the peace.
• Windows will be open to help with air circulation.
• Ushers will seat and dismiss the congregation.
• The seating is socially distanced so limited by space.
• A custodian is on duty to clean surfaces throughout the morning.

We encourage those of you in high risk categories to remain at home for online worship. Please stay home if you have any symptoms of illness.

Your Board of Trustees wants to thank you for your financial support for Grace during this time when we haven’t been able to meet in person. Your contributions allowed the church to continue to minister to our community. Let us fill you in on the many activities conducted at Grace over the past five months. We would also like to highlight the ongoing need for consistent, pledged giving to our Operations, Mission and Capital Campaign.  Additionally, we would like to hear from you concerning any health or unemployment issues you may have, or know of, as a result of this pandemic.

During the Covid 19 enforced shutdown of Sunday Services your church has continued to operate daily:

• Pre-school (Jacob’s Learning Ladder) has held classes daily with a smaller enrollment.
• The Office is staffed daily.
• Extensive planning each week for streaming Sunday Services with continuous improvements in presentation.
• Ongoing cleaning and maintenance.
• Conducting monthly virtual meetings of Session, Trustees, Deacons, and other Boards.
• Distribution of Mission funds.
• Maintaining all staff, teachers and other employees during this difficult period.
• Preparing for and upgrading facilities for the return of the Congregation.

• A list of facility improvements is attached.

As we move through this very unusual period and work towards a resumption of “church as normal” we need your continued financial support. To help level overall giving and to make it easier for all of you…we suggest an automated Giving Plan:

• By using the online giving portal of Grace Church, which can be accessed by going to “mygpc.org” where you will find this giving app on the front page of our website. You can contact Martin with any questions.
• Set up a monthly distribution from your bank or financial institution.

Finally, as we have not been meeting regularly on Sunday, it is difficult to stay in contact with many of you. Therefore, we hope you will let us know if you, or anyone in the congregation is hurting because of the Covid virus or an unanticipated layoff. Please contact either Catherine or Martin with this information.

Best wishes and thanks as we work together to further His Kingdom.

Yours in Christ,

The Trustees of Grace Presbyterian Church

Facilities improvements and upgrades completed and in progress:

• Retrofit all fluorescent fixtures in the basement and first floor with LEDs.
• Repaired fencing on both south and west parking lots.
• Completed renovation of the Parlor and Kitchenette.
• Repaired the ceiling in the upstairs Bell Room (Room 202).
• Finished major additions and upgrades to the Jacob’s Learning Ladder facilities and significantly modified one room to handle an increase in 4 year old children.
• Made preparations for, and selected vendor to replace all carpet on the downstairs hallways.
• Scheduled upgrade of one of the downstairs bathrooms to accommodate family use.