grace

Grace Updates: June 20, 2020

Dear Grace Community,

This week my Saturday letter to you comes as a letter from the Grace session regarding our return to in-person worship.  You may find it here >
In Christ,
Catherine

Links:
The Grace 2-Week Challenge
PCUSA General Assembly
Virtual Vacation Bible School Videos
Music Ministry at Grace
Giving the Basics
Grace Yard Signs

Church Directory Pick-up
If you did not pick up your church directory before we shut down, you are welcome to come by and get it.  Call the church to let us know, and we’ll have it outside the volunteer office with your name on it.

Sunday, June 21 at 10 am: Worship
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: https://www.facebook.com/mygpc.org

Sermon scripture: Acts 9:1-19
Amy Baumgartner preaches.
Hymns (lyrics will be on the screen): Hymn #1 Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!; Hymn #321 The Church’s One Foundation

Monday, June 22 at 8 – 8:15 am: Morning Prayer
Start the day on Zoom with prayer with Catherine Neelly Burton.
Join by computer/tablet/smartphone: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88448822243
Join by phone: 1 346 248 7799
Meeting ID: 884 4882 2243

Tuesday June 23 at 2 pm: Parables: Tell Me the Stories of Jesus with Martin Burch
Join our Executive Pastor, Dr. Martin Burch, in a parable study.  This week the class looks at Luke 8:4-15, the parable of the sower, and at the question, “Why Parables?”
Join by computer/tablet/smartphone: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89632777854
Join by phone:  1 346 248 7799
Meeting ID: 896 3277 7854

Wednesday, June 24
If you have a youth in your family who wants to connect, contact Kirk@mygpc.org
This week the youth continue a book/Bible study using the Bible and Rob Bell’s book What Is the Bible? The book costs $6.  Contact Kirk with questions.

Thursday, June 25 at 7:30 pm: Grace Music Ministry
Join the Grace Music Ministry for an offering of music from members of the Grace Community.  This is on Facebook.   You do not need a Facebook account to watch.  Go here: https://www.facebook.com/mygpc.org

From the Pastor's Desk

From the Pastor’s Desk: June 20

June 17, 2020

Dear Grace Community,

At its June 15 meeting, the Session voted to begin in-person worship on July 5. We look forward to again gathering at Grace. The worship services also will be live-streamed in real time and available online. Sunday School will not meet.

While we are excited about this return, it is important to note that the Sunday morning experience will be different than it was March 8, the last time we were here. The dangers of Covid-19 are real, and it’s important that we observe the requested safety measures. While many things will be different, we know some things will be the same:

  • We get to greet (at an appropriate distance) the church community.
  • We hear music, some live and some recorded.
  • There will be scripture, prayer, and the word proclaimed.
  • We share one another’s joys and bear each other’s burdens.
  • God’s name will be praised.

On July 5, we worship with One Service at 10 am in the Great Room. Starting on July 12, we have two services: one at 9 am in the Great Room and one at 11 am in the sanctuary. The following guidelines apply to all Sundays moving forward. The Session also emphasizes that we may return to on-line only worship at a future date because of the virus.

What to expect when you come to worship at Grace:

  • 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.
  • There will be 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.
  • There will be no paper distributed and no hymnals or Bibles used.
  • 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.
  • There is no congregational singing.
  • For the month of July there is no nursery available. Children of all ages are welcome in worship – noise and all!
  • 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. If we are not able to accommodate crowds, we will have to turn away people.
  • A custodian will be 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.

In Christ,

Catherine Neelly Burton, Senior Pastor

The Grace Session:

Sandy Blaylock                       Dennis Buteyn                        Darcy Eads

Pam Head                               Fred Heismeyer                       Dave McIntire

Betsy Ross                              Elyse Scholl                            Ginny Vincent

Joe Wangombe                        Alisa Watkins

 

PCUSA General Assembly (and Catherine Neelly Burton)

Dear Grace Community,

Last fall the presbytery of Southern Kansas elected me to serve as a commissioner to the 224th PCUSA General Assembly.  The Assembly starts on Friday, June 19.  It was to be held in Baltimore, MD, but is now online with a much-reduced docket.  Most items we were to study and vote on have been postponed to the 225th Assembly in 2022.

You may follow the assembly here:. There is a place to watch the livestream of the Assembly on the website, and there is plenty to read.

The action on Friday begins at 6:00 pm Central time and includes the election of co-moderators.  There are three sets of candidates.  I went to seminary with one woman who is running.  She is capable and likable, but I’ll listen to them all before making a decision.

After Friday night we have a break and reconvene at 10 am on Friday, June 26, and again on Saturday, June 27.  I’ve been to several online training sessions to prepare, and I understand that some of the items moved to 2022 may get pulled back into this assembly, so these could be short days or very long.

While I am interested in the business of the church, I primarily volunteered to serve as the commissioner because I enjoy the energy and excitement of learning from people in person.  I love the conversations that happen at events like this where I’m able to hear about the ways God is working in so many places.  This is what I’ll miss about this virtual assembly.  I am hopeful that the technology works, and that we are able to be a positive witness to Jesus Christ through the PCUSA.

I ask for your prayers as I begin this endeavor.

In Christ,

Catherine

 

 

 

2-Week Challenge

Dear Grace Community,

For the last two Sundays I’ve spoken about the tension and unrest in our country and community around race and racism.  I acknowledge my failure to challenge us to talk more about this until now.  Yes, we’ve had conversations in groups, and we’ve studied things in groups, but on the whole, we haven’t talked about race and racism.  As your pastor, I haven’t pushed this because it’s hard and uncomfortable.

I was also misguided by my desire to keep peace.  I was reminded recently that while the church should never be partisan, it’s impossible not to be political.  Political doesn’t mean a party.  It means that we exist in the public realm, as did Jesus.  Ignoring this isn’t keeping peace; it’s avoiding what’s happening in our world.

I’m writing now because this moment calls for it.  I believe that our church must engage with the pain in the world.  We need to have hard conversations, not because we’re a racist church, but because racism exists, and until we name it and learn more, we can’t be effective in being part of good change.  There is no singular conversation to be had, and there is no one solution.  I wish it were that simple!

Instead, I write to challenge you to start this work with me as a congregation.  Your Christian Discipleship Team has put together a 2-Week Challenge for you.[1]  Below you see a list of resources and a description of them.  We challenge you to pick resources from this list and read/watch/listen over the next two weeks.  Pick four things each week.

You will not connect with everything on this list.  Some things may make you uncomfortable; they make me uncomfortable.  This list is a starting point, a collection of resources curated by your Christian Discipleship team, and it is no way exhaustive nor perfect.

We are in an uncomfortable time, and if we don’t engage and educate ourselves, we miss an opportunity.  If you choose to take this challenge, please register so that we can encourage one another.

In Christ,

Catherine

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2-Week Challenge Chart

DOWNLOAD CHART >

[1] This idea comes from Eddie Moore’s 21-Day Challenge and variations of it that many churches are doing right now.

Grace Presbyterian Church

Grace Updates: June 13

Dear Grace Community,

This week my Saturday letter to you comes as a letter and challenge, which you can read here: blog to letter and 14 day challenge.

This Sunday we again gather online at 10 am for worship.  Thank you for your support of the blood drive last week; we exceeded our goal!

Let us know how you are.  Email the church staff or call us to check in and share.  We miss you and pray for you.

In Christ,
Catherine

Links

Music Ministry at Grace

Grace Book Club

Giving the Basics

Grace Yard Signs

Vacation Bible School 2020

Church Directory Pick-up

If you did not pick up your church directory before we shut down, you are welcome to come by and get it.  Call the church to let us know, and we’ll have it outside the volunteer office with your name on it.

Sunday, June 14 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: https://www.facebook.com/mygpc.org

Sermon scripture: Lamentations 1:1-6

Catherine Neelly Burton preaches.

Hymns (lyrics are on the screen): Hymn #35 Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty, Hymn #839 Blessed Assurance

June 15 – 18 Vacation Bible School

Go to mygpc.org each day to see the latest VBS offerings!

Include link to VIDEO from Thursday

Monday, June 15 at 8 – 8:15 am: Morning Prayer

Start the day on Zoom with prayer with Catherine Neelly Burton.

Join by computer/tablet/smartphone: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81322815846

Join by phone:  1 346 248 7799

Meeting ID: 813 2281 5846

Tuesday, June 16 at 6:30 pm

The Grace Book Club meets to discuss Native by Kaitlin Curtice. Contact Melissa Buteyn with questions, englishteachmb@gmail.com

This month the Book Club meets through Google Video Conferencing: https://calendar.google.com/event?action=TEMPLATE&tmeid=M2VmOW5mYWRqMWtzbzZxZW9uZzczajBubGcgZW5nbGlzaHRlYWNobWJAbQ&tmsrc=englishteachmb%40gmail.com

You don’t need a Google Account to participate in Meet video meetings. However, if you don’t have a Google Account, the meeting organizer or someone from the organization must grant you access to the meeting.

Tip: If you are not signed into a Google or Gmail account, you cannot join using your mobile device.

Join a video meeting with a meeting link

  1. Open the chat message or email with the meeting link > click the meeting link.
  2. Click Ask to join.
  3. When someone in the meeting gives you access, you’ll join it.

Wednesday, June 17

If you have a youth in your family who wants to connect, contact Kirk@mygpc.org

This week the youth continue a book/Bible study using the Bible and Rob Bell’s book What is the Bible? The book costs $6.  Contact Kirk with questions.