GRATEFUL: A Stewardship Note
Grace Presbyterian Church is GRATEFUL for your generosity and commitment financially. We are all blessed to be a part of God’s vision because you are a good financial steward. And we know God has more in store for us.
If you missed Stewardship Dedication Sunday, you can still turn in your 2024 Pledge Card. Fill out your card and put it in the offering plate or bag. If you have misplaced your card, there are extra cards available on your table or at the end of the pew by the center aisle. Thank you for all you do to support and grow the ministries to which God calls us. Grace needs your help to make a difference in Wichita and the world.
A Stewardship Moment: Easter Sunday
By: Hope Juhnke
A child walking down the hallway of the origin of it all. Caressing the petals of brilliantly colored flowers, hoping to find just the right one. She cuts the bottom of her bright blue flower and ensures her sister knows how to put it on the cross. The seven-year-old believes the cross touches the sky and that perhaps God may be at the top of it. A silly thought, for the cross, is less than ten feet tall, but a beautiful one nonetheless. This tradition of placing flowers on the cross and taking a quick family photo may seem trivial, but it is one of my favorite times of the year. I hope I may be able to continue growing memories, like flowers, in this tradition for the years to come. A staple of Easter and a beautiful way to show stewardship, we are extremely grateful for financial gifts going towards this beautiful tradition that children may enjoy in the years to come!
GRATEFUL: A Stewardship Note
Grace Presbyterian Church is GRATEFUL for your generosity and commitment financially. We are all blessed to be a part of God’s vision because you are a good financial steward. And we know God has more in store for us.
Last week, you received your 2024 pledge card in the mail. Prayerfully consider what God calls you to share, fill out the card, and send or bring it back to church on October 29, Commitment Sunday. Know how truly GRATEFUL we are that you have made Grace a priority with all your gifts.
A Stewardship Moment: Online Church
As part of this year’s stewardship program, we are highlighting different ministries made possible by people giving their time, talents, and/or treasure. Last week, we highlighted our 9 am Music Ministry. Today, I want to talk about Online Church.
Who knew Grace would rocket into the 21st Century technologically with an online worship presence? COVID changed a lot of things, and this ministry was launched out of necessity to reach the congregation, but maybe it was part of God’s plan to expose Grace to others. Generous donations by you all made the decision to pursue this ministry easier. Equipment was ordered and put into place. Then, people stepped up to offer their time and willingness to learn how to use the equipment to improve the live streaming each week. Personally, I have tuned in on Sundays when we are out of town, recovering from an illness or surgery, and most recently during my own isolation with COVID. My girls – who have moved to Charleston, South Carolina – watch on Sundays to feel connected to their church while they set about finding one of their own in their new state. People who have moved from Wichita tune in and still support Grace from afar with their treasure. This ministry connects people to the familiar and brings new people to Grace as potential members.
We all know technology is ever-changing and evolving, so we can’t sit back and hope that this ministry is “done” and won’t need funding and people to keep up with it. I would hate to lose our online presence. It would feel like taking a step back. Our church and the people who make up this body of Christ are a testimony to what being a Christian is like in 2023. We are not perfect people, but we continue to strive to be better. We lift one another up in prayer, celebrate each other, and worship our God with reverence. Our example is now out of our stone building and available for the world to see. I hope we can continue to grow in this ministry.
– Jody Webster
Stewardship: Music Ministry: A Testimonial
Enjoy this testimonial from Mitchell Probst, the guitarist in the 9 a.m. Praise Band.
I’ve been at Grace for five years, and it has truly been an honor. When I started at Grace, my faith was wavering, and I had a fairly negative attitude about churches based on bad experiences at my church while growing up. The church where I grew up always seemed to lean towards fear as a motivator. I was shamed for reading the bible too much as a child and having too many questions for my church leaders. It made me an agnostic/atheist for years and left a bitter taste in my mouth.
After being at Grace for years, I’ve witnessed a community of caring and compassion that I never saw before. I have seen that at Grace, leading comes more from a place of hope, realism, and differing perspectives during sermons. Grace is not judgmental. Grace accepts people as they are without shame and asks for joy and concern from others. This is something that I didn’t think existed. I think Grace is the kind of church that Jesus and his disciples would approve of. I have seen the people at Grace genuinely give back to the community and help others. Grace has given me hope, strengthened my faith, and been a place of great stability for me personally for years. I feel blessed playing in the band every week for the people accepting me as I am.
If Grace was unable to have a praise band where I could play, I could go elsewhere. I have been offered a job playing for another church twice, and I came close to taking the job once. However, it just didn’t sit right with me. It felt like a business decision, whereas Grace is more about the people and community interests first and foremost, just as the Bible tells us it should be. How can a church be holy when it sees money as a top priority? Grace does not do this. Grace values the mission beyond just making money. It helps me see the righteousness of what a church can be. I can express myself through the music when I am able to write my own parts, arrange music with the band, and make the songs our own. Without the support of Grace, we wouldn’t be able to express ourselves in a way that is fulfilling and fun.
Grace Presbyterian Church is GRATEFUL for your generosity and commitment financially. We are all blessed to be a part of God’s vision because you are a good financial steward. And we know God has more in store for us.
Watch your mailbox. This week, you receive your 2024 pledge card in the mail. Prayerfully consider what God calls you to share, fill out the card, and send or bring it back to church on October 29, Commitment Sunday. Know how truly GRATEFUL we are that you have made Grace a priority with all your gifts.
A Stewardship Moment: The Youth Ministry
As part of this year’s stewardship program, we are highlighting different ministries made possible by people giving of their time, talents, and/or treasure. Last week, we highlighted the Bus Ticket Ministry. Today, we highlight the Youth Ministry with a testimonial from Delaney Shaw.
“The youth group at Grace has always been a huge part of my life. I was so excited when I was old enough to join it and start going every Wednesday. It allowed me to have fun with a group of people I never had to worry about judging me and provided a safe place where I was always comfortable. Playing games and having dinner before doing a Bible study and lesson was good for letting off steam from stress at school and life. It also allowed time to talk with friends who went to different schools. I met so many new people through the youth group and, having grown up in Grace, invited new people into it. Seeing friends discover God and what He’s done was eye opening in the sense that not everyone grows up in the church and knows Bible stories the way I did.
If Grace didn’t have a youth group, many young people would never have the opportunity to find such a safe and welcoming space. People from every walk of life and orientation have always been welcomed and appreciated in our group. Through my years as a member of the youth group, I made some of my best friends and met the most unique and beautiful souls. I always look forward to coming back and seeing the youth and helping out with anything I can.”
-Delaney Shaw