GRACE NOTES
December 22 - 29, 2020
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This Christmas Eve, we will offer four in-person worship opportunities, enabling us to worship in a reasonably safe way. These services will be similar to our Sunday in-person worship service (spoken, masked, distanced seating).
We will also have an online service available beginning at noon that day, with all of our favorite Christmas Eve songs! We encourage those worshiping at home to have a candle ready for Silent Night and to join in as we sing praises distantly this year.
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Click here to signup for in-person Christmas Eve worship at 11:00 am.
Click here to signup for in-person Christmas Eve worship at 2:00 pm.
Click here to signup for in-person Christmas Eve worship at 4:00 pm.
Click here to signup for in-person Christmas Eve worship at 7:00 pm.
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Lessons and Carols Service, Sunday, December 27th
Next Sunday, December 27th, our worship service will be
entirely online.
The service will be available on YouTube and Facebook as usual.
We will NOT hold in-person services next Sunday.
In-person worship services will resume on January 3rd, 2021.
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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 excited to share new 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 the video image for the Children's Sermon from this past Sunday
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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!
*We will NOT have FB Live Coffee Hour on Dec 27th, but will be back on Jan 3rd!
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WORSHIP ASSISTANT VIDEOS CONTINUE
We have been blessed to see one another in worship through our online worship assistants! Thanks to make quick responders who volunteered to lead us on Christmas Eve and December 3rd!
We still need help for the first Sunday of 2021! If you are interested in providing a worship assistant video, please click here to sign up for Sunday, January 3, and 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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Grace's Annual Christmas Concert
Click the video image to watch this year's performance.
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Young Youth & Youth Christmas Party Zooms
On December 13th, 9 Young Youth & 9 Youth joined Pr. Rachel & Pr. Gregg for an online Christmas Party! Each person got a kit delivered ahead of time full of party surprises.
They all had a great time
drinking hot chocolate and eating popcorn while playing trivia, racing to build snowmen,
pulling crackers and telling jokes,
playing bingo with jelly bean markers,
making ornaments,
sharing holiday traditions,
and opening a present!
It was wonderful to have fun and celebrate the season together!
Click HERE to see pictures of the games, ornaments, and fun.
Info about spring plans for Young Youth and Youth will be out in early January.
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Stewardship Commitments & Celebration
91 households
have made their commitment for 2021, with a total of
$456,494
already committed for ministry!
THANK YOU!
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There is still time to be part of the celebration!
If you have not yet had the chance, please join us in committing to
ministry in 2021 by mailing your Commitment Card to Grace,
or using the electronic form here to send it in.
Some have asked if they should turn in a card if they are giving automatically, or if their giving will remain the same - YES, please!
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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We are so grateful for your ongoing giving to Grace in 2020! Thank you for continuing to faithfully offer your gifts back to God and God's work here at Grace. Our ministries are continuing to adapt and find ways forward, thanks to your support.
At the end of 2020, financial gifts exceeding our 2020 expenses will be a surplus. At our Congregation Meeting in November, we voted to designate that surplus in the percentages you see above. We are excited about the additional ministry we will be able to carry out this year because of your generosity! Thank you!
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What's Happening with Hospitality? |
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Painting Progress: We are down to the FINAL ROOM to be painted!
We are so grateful to everyone who has participated in this project.
We are taking a pause for the last 2 weeks of 2020, but we'll be back at it in January, putting the final touches on these projects!
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Updates on our 'Equipping Ourselves for Hospitality' Goal for 2020
Click here to see updates and photos of some of our projects!
Your continued generosity this year has paved the way for us to complete these projects, knowing we have the financial and faith-filled support we need to make our Hospitality goal a reality! Thank you!
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Click on the video image for a
message from ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton.
This week Bishop Eaton lights the fourth and final candle of her Advent Wreath and shares a prayer with us.
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The Stewardship Committee apprecites and recognizes people and groups within Grace that continue to Equip Grace for Today, Tomorrow, and the Next 100 Years! Click on the image to read November's Caught You Caring.
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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 December 20
Click here for Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
Click here for the week of December 27
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Offering Our Gifts to God - Monetary Offering
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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2021 Offering Envelopes
To save money we do not plan on mailing envelopes to those of you who, during this pandemic, 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, some of you probably will want to restart using weekly envelopes. If so, 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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Men's Bible Study
Join us for a Men's Book Study on Sunday mornings at 9:30am via Zoom - note the new starting time!
Beginning Sunday, November 8, we will be studying "Unafraid " by Adam Hamilton. Each week we are led by a different member of our group of 'Men-in-Training' and the conversation has been meaningful. 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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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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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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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
December Birthdays
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Click the image
for our
January Birthdays
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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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November Giving and Expenses
November Received $68,261
November Expenses $51,459
Budgeted to Spend $50,852
YTD Received $616,038
YTD Expenses $500,305
YTD Budgeted to Spend $559,372
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END OF YEAR GIVING - As the year comes to a close, we look back on the wonderful ministry we have done together in 2020, and we give thanks for the financial gifts that were given to make this ministry happen. Your continued faithful support of our ministry will enable us to finish this year’s work strong and position us well to begin next year’s ministry in January.
Please remember that for financial donations to be counted towards 2020 tax deductions, they must be received in 2020. Grace will make its final 2020 deposit on Thursday, Dec. 31, so please have your giving to the church office by 5pm on Wednesday, December 30 if you would like to make it count for this fiscal year. Thank you!
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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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