Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 24, and is different this year for our congregation. We will not gather in the building together.  Instead, there are opportunities to worship together online and an opportunity to gather on the front lawn.  Read more below.

Online Worship:

• We will pre-record worship from the Great Room and Sanctuary. Those services are on the Grace website by 8 am on December 24, and you may watch and worship anytime. Go here>
• The same services premiere on Facebook at 5 pm and 8 pm, and you may tune in to watch and worship. Through this venue you are able to comment along with others watching.  Go here>
  

Outdoor Worship: 6:30 pm

• We  have a brief service of song and scripture on the front lawn at Douglas and Bleckley. Wear a mask and bring a light to hold up and join us as we sing a couple of hymns, and hear the Christmas story from scripture. The service is about 20 minutes.

Christmas Eve Candles and Glow Sticks

• A favorite tradition is ending worship with either a glow stick (in the Great Room) or candles (in the sanctuary). This year you may come by the church and pick-up Christmas Eve candles and glow sticks.  They are available in the church Narthex Monday, December 21, through Wednesday, December 23, from 7 am – 6 pm and on Thursday, December 24, from noon – 2 pm.

Our congregation says “Thank You” to Ben Rivers and Kelsey Wise.  Ben and Kelsey served as interim music ministry coordinators this fall.  They coordinated music, musicians, rehearsals, and quarantines.  Through it all they were kind, and fun, and delightful to work with.  Their good work this fall means that Tyler Morris (our new Director of Music Ministry) comes into a music program that is ready for him and in good shape.

The Grace Session met on Monday, November 30 and unanimously voted to remain with online only worship through Sunday, January 3, 2021.  Sunday services air on Facebook Live at 11 am and are posted to our website, mygpc.org.

The Christmas Eve services are available on our website the morning of December 24, so you may watch them anytime.  If you prefer to watch with the community, they premiere live at 5 pm and 8 pm on Facebook.  The 5 pm service is in the Great Room, and 8 pm is in the sanctuary.

Worship Schedule

Date                Scripture                      Ways to Worship

December 6     From Luke 1:5-25        Worship at 11 am on Facebook or later at mypgc.org. The Lord’s Supper is celebrated.

December 13   Luke 1:26-38               Worship at 11 am on Facebook or later at mypgc.org.

December 14   Silent Night Service    Worship at 6:30 pm on Facebook or later at mypgc.org. The Lord’s Supper is celebrated.

December 20   from Luke 1:39-56      Worship at 11 am on Facebook or later at mypgc.org

December 24   Christmas Eve             Great Room Service – Worship at mygpc.org anytime, starting Christmas Eve morning, or at 5:00 pm on Facebook.

December 24   Christmas Eve             Sanctuary Service – Worship at mygpc.org anytime starting Christmas Eve morning, or at 8:00 pm on Facebook.

There is a congregational meeting to elect officers.  The meeting begins on December 6 following the worship service. Catherine Neelly Burton will call the meeting to order, and it will begin like any other meeting, except the congregation won’t be present.  After the slate of officers is moved we go to recess.  Every member of the congregation will be mailed a ballot with the slate.  After voting please return the ballot to Grace by mail or by drop off.  The meeting will re-convene on December 20.  All ballots must be in by December 16.

The nominated officers and classes are:

Session: Bronwen Burch (2021), Laurie Haury (2023), Carolyn Shaw (2023), Strom Sloan (2023), Bill Vavra (2023)

Deacons: Sophia Randle (2021), Janet Rhoads (2023), Anne Woolsey (2023)

Board of Trustees: Joyce Heismeyer (2023), Bill Wynne (2023)

Jacob’s Learning Ladder: Trish Gealy (2023)

Nominating Team (all one year terms): Melissa Buteyn, Lib Hooper, Clayton Jamison, DeDe Juhnke