yellow bags

Yellow Bags: June 2022

Each month we invite you to participate in ‘yellow bag’ giving. This month our yellow bag donations go to the food pantry at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Wichita.

All non-perishable items are welcome, and these would be particularly helpful: canned fruit, applesauce, sugar, tuna, mayonnaise or miracle whip, ranch dressing, and ketchup. Take home a yellow bag when you’re in the building and bring it back with your donations.

Please remember to be aware not to donate open food packages, long out-of-date items, or items that do not have a long shelf life. Thank you to everyone who participates in this much needed mission of Grace.

chapel on the hill cross

Women’s Retreat: May 2022

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” – Matthew 11:28-30 Message Translation

On Thursday, May 19, nine women from Grace loaded up in a van for a trip to the Mo-Ranch Women’s Conference. My mom flew from Georgia and met us there.  Mo-Ranch is a Presbyterian Conference Center of the Synod of the Sun and is located in Hunt, Texas.

We spent Thursday night in Lawton, Oklahoma, and arrived at Mo on Friday afternoon in time to get registered and into our house before dinner.  The key verse for the weekend was Matthew 11:28-30 that is above.

moranch

Our keynote speaker, who spoke Friday night and Saturday morning, was Sarah Bessey.  She is an author and frequent conference speaker.  Shelli Latham, the president of the Omaha Presbyterian Seminary foundation, was our worship leader.  She preached on Saturday night and Sunday morning.  Both women presented thoughtful and powerful messages.

On Saturday, in addition to keynote and worship, we enjoyed workshops and free time.  Many from our group napped during the free time and a few ventured down to the Guadalupe River to swim and canoe.  Lots of us enjoyed walking along the river during the weekend.

Sunday morning came with one more chance to attend a workshop (or take a walk) and closing worship.  We loaded up the van after worship and made the long drive back to Wichita.  While taxing to be in a van for so long, spirits remained high.  The group was grateful for the prayers of the congregation and the gift of resources that made this possible.

Thanks,
Catherine NB

From the Pastor's Desk

From the Pastor’s Desk: May 2022

Dear Grace Community,

Earlier this year our Session, at my encouragement, committed to a staffing study for our church.  We then contracted with Ministry Architects to make this study happen.  Each year as we make a budget, we do so with uncertainty about whether we can maintain our staff and offer a modest cost of living increase to our employees.  We make it work, but then we start to worry about ‘next year.’

Grace is much different than it was 12 years ago when I came here.  (Yes, it really was August of 2010 when I moved here.)  And like most churches, we are different than we were before the pandemic.  In recognition of all of this, I would like to have a set of outside eyes help us evaluate what does and doesn’t make sense for us in our staffing, particularly related to long term financial sustainability.

We are not in a crisis, nor do we need to cut staff right now, and I do not want us to get to a place where we make decisions out of fear.  Instead, working with Ministry Architects allows us to take a step back and think about where we are and where we are called.  That way we can make decisions based out of planning and not panic.

Mike Crain, our Ministry Architects’ consultant, is on site June 13 and 14.  He meets with staff and groups like the Session.  His report will come with proposals for ways we might move forward, but how we move forward is up to us. The Session and I will share with you as we move forward, and we are grateful for your prayers and encourage your questions.

In Christ,

Catherine

holy fire

Holy Fire: Worship

This June and early July our worship focuses on texts where God is present in the fire.

We begin with Pentecost on June 5. In this story from Acts 2, the Holy Spirit is poured out on the early church and what appear to be tongues of fire rest above the heads of the people.

On June 12, we look at John 21 where the resurrected Jesus cooks fish over a fire and feeds the disciples. June 19 takes us to Exodus where we stay for two weeks. On June 19, we look at Exodus 3, Moses and the Burning Bush. Then on June 26, we go to Exodus 13 where God goes before the Israelites as a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.

The final Sunday of our series is July 3.  On that day we look at the story of Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace from Daniel 3.