Children’s Ministry: October 2017

The word is out.  Messy Church is something altogether wonderful.  A few months ago the staff and children’s ministry team began asking the question:  “What would it look like if the entire church got behind Children’s Ministry?”  We discovered that the question did not have one answer but many.

We kicked off the school year with a faithful families’ unit where families learned how to incorporate their faith in their own home more readily.  We offer a youth and mental health workshop followed up with another Love and Logic parenting unit coming in November to pair with our children’s Sunday School classes.

The surprise blessing in all of this planning, however, was the launch of Messy Church.  Messy Church is a worship service that happens once a month for families with children who are eight years of age and under. We are reaching out to Jacobs Learning Ladder families and other families in the neighborhood.  We are allowing families special time to worship together, create together and eat together. This is only possible because the entire church is gathering around this ministry and the call to empower families to worship Jesus every day.

If you would like to know more about Messy Church or donate art supplies or time toward the service please see the bulletin board by the coffee bar or contact Jennifer at jennifer@mygpc.org. I hope that you come and see for yourself how beautiful a mess can be.

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Providing Room and Rooms for Ministry

Special gifts and capital campaigns are important ways that we share in the ministries of Grace Presbyterian Church. And it’s exciting to see things like construction projects, new projection equipment and pew cushions and chancel lighting and electronic pianos. But for our building to be part of the Wichita community, we also must take care of the less glamorous but important maintenance aspects of this facility. Five years ago, Trustees and Session committed to including a Long-Term Maintenance component in the budget every year. Because of the faithful contributions of the people of Grace, this fund is an ongoing underwritten part of our annual budget, and we have built up monies to be used for inevitable repairs.

It may not be an exciting part of our budget. And the money spent from this Long-Term Maintenance Fund may not always be visible, but funding things like heating and air conditioning systems, roof repairs, replacement flooring, and parking lot maintenance allows us to continue to be a facility that is inviting on Sunday and available for many uses during the week. The most recent example of the importance of having these funds available is the resealing and repainting of our parking lots. We don’t have to dodge potholes; our parking spaces are clearly marked, and we added three additional handicapped spaces to our east lot. When you see these “new” parking lots, know that your ongoing support of the regular Operating Budget of Grace means we can continue to maintain the building and grounds. We are committed to be a place that sustains and nourishes God’s ministries to our community here at 5002 East Douglas. You make this happen!

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Clean Up Buckets and Hygiene Kits: We need your help!

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When a natural disaster hits the United States, the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) responds in multiple ways. One response is with Clean Up Buckets and Hygiene Kits. After Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, it’s time to re-stock the PDA warehouse.  The Presbytery of Southern Kansas is collecting buckets and kits and will send them all to the PDA warehouse in Arkansas in November.

How can you help?  Put together a bucket or kit, and bring it to Grace by Sunday, November 12.  Please put together an entire bucket or kit, not a partial.  Feel free to get together with friends to make it happen.

Questions?  Contact Catherine Neelly Burton, Catherine@mygpc.org

Clean-Up Bucket List

  • One five-gallon bucket with resealable lid (If bucket has been used, clean well but do not use if it held chemicals of any kind.)
  • Four scouring pads
  • Seven sponges, including one large
  • One scrub brush
  • Eighteen reusable cleaning towels (e.g. Easy Wipes)
  • One 50 oz or two 25 oz bottles of liquid disinfectant dish soap
  • One 12-16 oz bottle of household cleaner that can be mixed with water (no spray bottles)
  • One package of 48-50 clothespins
  • Clothesline, two 50 ft or one 100 ft
  • Five dust masks
  • Two pairs non-surgical latex gloves
  • One pair work gloves, cotton with leather palm or all leather
  • 24-28 heavy duty or contractor type 30-45 gallon trash bags on a roll and removed from carton
  • One 6-9 oz bottle of non-aerosol insect repellent

All cleaning items must be new – all liquid items must be capped and securely tightened. Place all items into the bucket, making sure they are packed securely to avoid damage during shipment. Snap the lid on tight and seal with packing tape.

Hygiene Kits

  • One hand towel measuring approximately 15”x28” to 16”x32” (no fingertip, bath, dish towel or micro-fiber)
  • One washcloth
  • One wide-tooth comb removed from the package
  • One fingernail or toenail clipper removed from the package
  • One bath-size bar of soap in the wrapper
  • One toothbrush in the package
  • Ten standard size Band-Aids

All items need to fit inside a one-gallon plastic zipper closure bag. Remove the excess air from the bag and seal. Do NOT add any extra items or toothpaste. Extended expiration date toothpaste is added to the kit before its final journey.

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Red Cross Blood Drive: November 12

  • Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood.
  • One pint of blood (the approximate amount given in a donation) can be used to help up to three people.
  • About 1/3 of the US population is eligible to give blood.
  • Five million patients in the US need blood every year.

On November 12, we host a Red Cross Blood drive at Grace from 8 am – 1 pm. Sign up to donate by calling the office at 684-5215, emailing Catherine Neelly Burton at Catherine@mygpc.org  or by going here:

You may use the “rapid pass” and save time on the day of your donation.  Go to redcrossblood.org/RapidPass to finish the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online before coming to your appointment.

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Sunday Morning Discipleship: October 15

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Children and Youth

  • Children ages 0-Pre-K

A nursery is available all morning from 8:50 – 12:15.  From 10 – 10:45 Colissa Fry leads a Sunday School lesson for these children.

  • Kindergarten – 2nd Grade

Kindergarten – 2nd grade meets in room B10 (in the basement) also known as the ‘Foundation Station.’

  • 3rd – 5th Grades

3rd, 4th, and 5th graders meet in Tower Room (on the 2nd floor).

  • Youth

6-8th graders meet in the Youth Center (downstairs)

9-12th graders meet in the Youth Center (downstairs)

Adult

Faithful Families – Meets in Room 103

This follow up class for adults who participated in the three weeks of “Faithful Families” gives us the chance to talk about how it worked to incorporate (or try to incorporate) the practices of prayer, scripture and worship at home.  Did something work well? We’d love to hear.  Was something unrealistic or a disaster?  Maybe someone else has a better solution.

Bible 101 – Meets in Room 101

Do you want to know more about the Bible but don’t know where to start?  All fall we offer a Bible 101 class.  Each small unit (4 weeks for the second unit) provides an entrance into scripture.  If you’ve studied the Bible before you’ll enjoy the refresher. 

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash
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