GRACE NOTES
January 12 - 19, 2020
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Dear Grace Family,
We are so grateful for the ways you have shown your love this Christmas season. Your gifts of time, treats, and treasure surely helped to make the season as festive as it could be. We are touched that you thought of us in this time. Know that you remain on our minds and hearts always. We give thanks for the opportunity to serve Christ with you in this new year, whatever it may bring!
Peace in Christ, Pastors and Staff of Grace
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Grace continues offering in-person worship opportunities, including two worship services in the Sanctuary, while online worship services continue.
We appreciate your patience as we continue to discern a faithful, safe approach to in-person worship!
We are glad to share opportunities for Holy Communion in the coming weeks.
For those who attend the in-person worship services, Communion will now be offered outside on the porch as everyone departs.
For those who are not yet attending worship in-person, Grace's pastors will be offering dedicated times to visit and provide the sacrament (outdoors only). Click on the following links to schedule some time for a pastor to visit you.
Click here for the weekly options, offered at 11am on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the coming months.
Click here for the 'flex' time slots, and a pastor will be in contact with you to schedule a time that works for everyone.
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Click here to signup for in-person worship on January 17 at 8:30.
Click here to signup for in-person worship on January 17 at 11:00.
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Click the video image for
the Baptism of Our Lord Worship Service Video from January 10.
Click here for the worship guide.
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Click the video image for the Children's Sermon
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We invite you to "like", comment on, and share these videos! |
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Each Sunday we continue to worship together online. These services are posted on the Grace Facebook page and on our website.
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Sundays with Grace
Our Sunday morning worship and fellowship opportunities are going strong!
Facebook Premiere worship begins at 11am
Facebook Live Coffee Hour starts at noon
We look forward to being with you online this Sunday!
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WORSHIP ASSISTANT VIDEOS CONTINUE
We have been blessed to see one another in worship through our online worship assistants!
If you are interested in providing a worship assistant video, please click here to sign up for Sunday, January 17. Pr. Gregg will contact you with the details you'll need.
Thanks to all who have helped lead us in worship so far and all those who will be leading us in the weeks to come!
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At-home Sunday school for children and youth is taking a pause during January. We plan to restart in February. Pr. Rachel and the Learning Committee will be in touch with families with details in a few weeks. |
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THANK YOU FOR GIVING!
In 2020, many things did not go as planned, but you were faithful to the commitments you made to our ministry at Grace!
As we close the books on 2020, we have covered all missional spending plan expenses AND still an abundance remains.
At our Annual Congregation Meeting in November, we approved an exciting plan for this surplus, and we look forward to sharing in the coming weeks more details as we put this abundance to good use for God's glory.
Thank you again for your abundant generosity!
We'll also be sharing outcomes of our 2020 ministry goals,
so keep an eye out for those stories soon!
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2020 GIVING STATEMENTS - Giving statements for 2020 are complete. Hard copies are being mailed to members who do not have an email address on file. Otherwise, members should have received an email with a link to their statement. However, if you have a Comporium email account, there is a strong possibility that the email is in your junk or spam file; please check. If you have not received such a link or have trouble accessing your report, please contact Financial Secretary, Bob Stonebraker at 803.980.1834 or stonebraker946@gmail.com.
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This year, the Outreach Committee is launching our updated grant program, the Outreach Partnership Grant. Grace has long supported giving to the needs of the community, as well as connecting with our neighbors, because we believe we are called to serve our neighbors, following the example of Jesus.
This Partnership Grant program will enable us to do just that, as well as to have a greater and more intentional impact on and with our community. Through this program, we intend to partner financially and experientially with local non-profit organizations which serve to assist those in need in greater Rock Hill and York County area.
Each year, Grace will make Partnership Grants to local non-profit aid organizations. As part of this partnership, a member of Grace’s Outreach Committee will work with each recipient organization to facilitate a partnership plan for that year, centering on ways that Grace can learn about, connect with, pray for, support, and work alongside the organization, its staff, and its clients. It is our hope that through this partnership, we will all grow in community.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS!
There will be many ways to be a partner with these organizations throughout the year, but first, we have to find our partners. The Outreach Committee invites you to submit the names of local non-profit aid organizations that might benefit from our partnership and funding, especially at this time. We will be collecting names through January, and in February, we will begin contacting organizations to invite them to apply for a Partnership Grants.
To submit an organization's name, please click HERE.
For more information, please contact Pr. Rachel or any member of the Outreach Committee.
Thank you for helping us begin this Partnership Program!
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2020 ANNUAL REPORTS due by January 31. ALL COMMITTEE CHAIRS, please submit your report by January 31. Contact the church office with any questions or if you need a form.
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Stewardship Commitments & Celebration
100 households have made their commitment for 2021,
with a total of $471,464 already committed for ministry!
THANK YOU!
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We have just surpassed the number of commitments made last year!
Thank you! If you'd like to help us make this number even bigger, we'd love for you to join us in commitment!
2021 has started, and you can still make your commitment for this year of ministry! You can mail your Commitment Card to Grace,
or use the electronic form here to send it in.
Every commitment matters.
Every offering is a vital part of fulfilling our ministry at Grace.
The generosity of our congregation is truly a blessing!
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The City of Rock Hill Community Relations Council is offering a free event to celebrate MLK Day on January 18 at 9:00 am. Click on the image for details.
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Newest SC Synod Assistant to the Bishop Called
SC Synod Bishop Ginny Aebischer is delighted to announce that the South Carolina Synod Council has called Pastor Emily Edenfield to serve as Assistant to the Bishop. Click here to read more about Pastor Emily.
We are invited to pray for Pastor Emily, her family, and her former congregation of Wittenberg in our prayers as they all move through this time of transition as she takes on this exciting new role. We give thanks to the Holy Spirit for moving in this way!
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Click on the video to see ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton's statement regarding Epiphany and the events at the US Capitol on January 6th.
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As the United States struggles to contain COVID-19, concerns are growing regarding its long term impact on mental health and those individuals in long-term/assisted living care facilities.
Click on the image to continue reading the article written by Julie Elder.
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UPDATE on Grace's Scouting Programs
Click on the image to read an update on Grace's Scouting programs.
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Taking Faith Home carries the previous Sunday's themes throughout the week.
These devotions include daily Scripture readings, prayers, hymn suggestions, milestones, conversation starters, service opportunities, and at-home rituals.
Click here for the week of January 10
Click here for the week of January 17
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Men's Bible Study
Join us for a Men's Book Study on Sunday mornings at 9:30am via Zoom.
We are studying "Unafraid " by Adam Hamilton. Each week we are led by a different member of our group of 'Men-in-Training'. Those interested in participating should contact Pr. Gregg to get added to the Realm group where the meeting link is posted. There's always room for one more!
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Our Daily Bread Devotionals |
If you would like us to mail you a copy of the December, January, February devotional, please email the church office.
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Offering Our Gifts to God
Part of our worship is offering our gifts to God. While we are apart, it is still faithful to offer our gifts. You can give in several ways:
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Give online by clicking here (and you have the option to offset the cost of giving online)
- Set up giving though your bank
- Mail your offering to the church office.
Thank you for continued faithful giving!
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Gifts & Talents Pictures
Our worship has been enhanced by your photos of projects, experiences, and joys - thank you for sharing!
We would love to see more of what you're doing - please send photos to our Video Editor, Craig Allen by clicking here.
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Paul Malina a Graduate Music degree student at Winthrop is looking for a room / apartment to rent. Please click here for more information. |
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Click the image for
our current
Grace Prayer List
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Click the image for
our current
Memorials & Honor Gifts
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Click the image
for our
January Birthdays
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2021 Offering Envelopes
We do not plan on mailing envelopes to those of you who have been using online giving and/or having your banks send checks directly to Grace rather than using your envelopes. When “normal” Sunday services return, if you want to restart using weekly envelopes, just let us know and we will issue you a 2021 set. In the meantime, many thanks for your faithful giving through these difficult times.
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Can We Help?
This pandemic has affected each of us, but may have affected us in different ways. If you are in need of help (of any kind), please reach out to the pastors.
We can find connections to resources and/or support together.
We want to walk with you.
Please call or email us.
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December Giving and Expenses
December Received $60,025
December Expenses $54,706
Budgeted to Spend $50,852
YTD Received $676,062
YTD Expenses $555,010
YTD Budgeted to Spend $610,224
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Stay connected! Click on the links below! |
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In-person activities at
Grace Lutheran Church are suspended until further notice.
At this time, please do not come
to the church building.
We are praying for the health and well-being of our community and world.
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GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH
426 Oakland Avenue
Rock Hill, SC 29730
(740) 312-5774 (Pastor Gregg’s cell)
(864) 230-3816 (Pastor Rachel’s cell)
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
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