Upcoming Events at Grace Church that you sure don’t want to miss!

Grace UMC Family Martial Arts Classes begin Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.

Classes will continue every Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. This class is designed for all skill levels and ability levels and is open to all people ages 8 and up. We use a Christian approach to martial arts, with time set aside for prayer and devotion, and we believe in a respectful, open relationship between instructor and student. We encourage everyone to put their body in motion, in direct proportion to their ability. We strive to teach those with any kind of physical limitation to enjoy martial arts around that limitation. Come and see what this new and exciting class is all about! Taught by Sherry Sollars, NIDAN. Cost is $25 per month for the first family member, $10 for each additional family member. All proceeds will be used for equipment and the remainder used as donations to this church, The Well, and other Christian charities.

 

UMW Strawberry Festival June 11, 2011 at 4:30 p.m.

Come enjoy some wonderful, ripe, fresh strawberries with a delicious meal prepared by our own United Methodist Women. Bring a friend or neighbor! The menu will be their famous chicken casserole, hot dogs Cole slaw, dinner roll, potato chips, angel food cake, ice cream, tea and lemonade. Come enjoy the fellowship and help support local and global missions.  Items are priced a la carte.

 

Piano and Cello Recital

Grace Church’s own Jane Morse, piano, and Kurt Harrison, cello will be performing a concert on Sunday, June 12th at 2:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. For all who had the privilege of hearing them perform in the May 15th service together, you know this concert will be a real treat! For those of you who did not, it is well worth your time to come and hear their magnificent music!

Be The Church Sunday

Here is the article from the Record Herald on Grace Church’s Be The Church Sunday, May 1st, 2011. 

Church puts ­faith in action
Ryan Carter
Assistant Editor
"Be The Church" Sunday on May 1 allowed the congregation of Grace United Methodist Church to live out its faith through action by helping the people of this community.
"The United Methodist Church this weekend is doing a program called 'Change The World' where churches are going into their communities and making a concerted effort to help those communities," Rev. Ron Dodds of Grace United said on Thursday. "We did this last year and we wanted to go ahead and do it again this year. It worked better for us to do it on our own timing so we decided on the first Sunday after Easter."
It began with a card and cookie shower as the members of the Card and Cookie Ministry Team wrote cards of encouragement and baked homemade cookies to give to people in nursing homes and those who are unable to leave their homes. Members of the Visitation Group went to nursing homes to visit and provided the cookies and cards to those they encountered.
This group also offered a short worship service and everyone enjoyed a sing-along of the old favorite hymns. They visited some of the elderly who live at home but can't leave very often
"They offered a human touch and expression of Christ's love to some people who may not have felt that touch in quite some time," said Dawn Ward, the communications coordinator for the church.
The Prayer Group visited Fayette County Memorial Hospital with the cookies and encouragement cards. They prayed with the families of patients and the patients themselves, offering comfort and support.
"The random acts of kindness and the prayers that were offered seemed to really impact people in a positive way," said Dodds.
Other members of the Prayer Group went to two gas stations and prayed with people if they desired and also gave them money for gas.
"One woman who was approached had $20 in her hand," said Ward. "When asked if she would accept $20 for gas, she said the money in her hand was the last $20 she had until she was paid next week. She would have to spend it all on gas. Now she could use it for other things she and her family needed to get through until payday. A few people declined the offer of gas money as they wanted it to go to someone more in need."
Dodds was impressed by those who decided to decline the gas money and "pay it forward" to those who had a greater need.
"I think that speaks well of our community in many ways," he said.
The Clean Up Group headed out in the rain and picked trash up off the city streets and also cleaned Christman Park. This group, consisting of the youth and pastors of Grace United Methodist Church along with other members of the congregation, wanted to show how much they care about the city and other areas of the community.
A Lunch Crew made brown bag lunches for the participants of the programs at The Well and for the people who came back to enjoy a free lunch offered at the church.
A children's workshop was offered at The Well at Sunnyside and coaches offered a free baseball clinic on hitting, catching and throwing, and the fundamentals of baseball. Participants were offered a free bat and helmet to take home to continue to practice the skills they learned that morning.
"Bicycle enthusiasts performed minor bicycle repair," said Ward. "They adjusted chains, replaced or patched tires, adjusted seats and handlebars, and oiled other moving parts. The line of children ready for bike repair stretched around the corner. In addition, a Sandbox Crew drove out to people's homes and filled their children's sandboxes with new, clean sand for the summer.
"The people of Grace United Methodist Church thoroughly enjoyed putting faith in action as they made Christ evident in their words and deeds that day," Ward said. "Rooted in the teachings of John Wesley, Methodism's founder, who firmly believed that personal faith and social action were essential to Christianity, this was the second Be The Church day offered, with many more to follow."
Approximately 160 members of the Grace United congregation participated.
"The great thing is that people who participated felt like they received more than the people they were helping," said Dodds. "And that's what we're trying to focus in on here....think more of others and think about how we can change our community and our world that we're a part of. It's not just by sitting in this beautiful building. We want to be a church that engages and is a part of the community."
Grace United Methodist Church is located at the corner of East Market and North North streets, across from the new fire and police station. In addition to numerous mission and service opportunities offered here in Fayette County and around the world, Grace Church offers two Sunday worship services - a casual service that is led by the people of the church at 8:15 a.m. and a more traditional service led by Dodds at 10:30 a.m.
In addition, a new contemporary worship service with a praise band will begin this fall. Sunday school for all ages is offered at 9:15 a.m. and youth groups and activities take place on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. for grades 3-5 and Sundays from 5-8:30 p.m. for grades 6-12.

Graduation Sunday

This Sunday, May 22nd is Graduation Sunday at Grace Church!  Youth and their families can enjoy a delicious breakfast at 9:15 a.m. in Fellowship Hall.  We will celebrate our High School and College Graduates in the 10:30 service. 

 

 There will be a lunch immediately following the 10:30 a.m. worship service to benefit the Grace Church Relay for Life Team.  Come and enjoy a delicious hot meal while supporting the fundraising efforts to cure cancer!

 

  Vacation Bible School will be July 10th – 14th from 6 – 8 p.m.  there will be a planning meeting on Sunday, May 22nd at 12:15 after supporting the Relay for Life Team Luncheon.  Join us to make this the best VBS yet!

“State of the Church” Update

On Sunday, May 15th immediately following the 10:30 a.m. worship service, there will be a free luncheon for the entire congregation.  As you enjoy your delicious meal prepared by the Meet and Eat with the Pastors Team and the Baskets of Love Teams, you will be able to hear a “State of This Church” Update given by Pastor Ron, the Board of Directors, and Lay Leadership.  A question and answer period will follow.  This is an excellent opportunity to get up to speed on all the changes and renovations here at Grace Church.  A free will offering will be accepted to offset the cost of the meal, and to help support the continuing renovations of the Children’s Ministry wing. 

 

 

YOUTH GROUP FIELD TRIP!

Jr. and Sr. High Youth Groups will be going Ice Skating on Sunday May 15th at the Chiller in Dayton.  Please meet in the parking lot at the church and be ready to leave by 3:00 p.m.   Return around 8:00 p.m. 

A Mother’s Day Tribute

Mothers of the Bible.

EVE   If you start on the subject of motherhood, you have to start with Eve. Eve was the very first mother on earth. Eve is effectively the original mother. She had no one to turn to when she wondered how a fever and rash could be soothed, or if it was OK to give an infant strawberries, or other such things that most of us can turn to our mother and ask when we are worried and unsure. Eve was the first to experience the joys of motherhood – the wet kisses, the first steps, sharing the joys of discovery with her children. Eve also experienced the first heartbreak as a mother, when she was the first to have to bury a child. Eve made her mistakes, but she had to live with them.

SARAH    Sarah is a great reminder that God does not require your life to be perfect, and He also does not promise that your life will be perfect. Sarah was waiting for the child that would bless all families of the Earth. But this child didn’t come on her time schedule. So Sarah took matters into her own hands, and messed things up royally. And why did God continue to see His plan to fruition through Sarah? Because God, unlike man, does not just see who you are today, He sees who He has destined you to become. Sarah laughed, but God delivered. Sarah is very much like us today.

BATHSHEBA    Bathsheba is a woman who is used by King David, as an object of his affection and a desire of his whim. However she is strong throughout King David’s weakness of character. She is the one who coolly calls him to be responsible for his actions. Bathsheba then bears the tragedy of David’s sins, through the loss of her first husband and the loss of her infant. However, she later has a son whom she petitions successfully to become the heir, King Solomon. Bathsheba never let her situation define her, she subtlety defined her situation, and the fate of her children.

JOCHEBED    Jochebed had to make the ultimate choice. She was pregnant at a time when she knew that if she gave birth to a son, that he would be killed. Her pregnancy surely was filled with terror. Once she gave birth, she loved her son greatly, but knew his fate. Instead, she put him in a basket and sailed him down the river, leaving him at great risk. And likely the whole time, she prayed for God to protect her baby, asking for a miracle. And through her faith, her son was given back to her when she was hired as a nurse-maid. Little did she know of the miracle God would deliver through her son Moses.

MARY    Mary, mother of Jesus, is the ultimate mother of the Bible. She felt all that a mother can feel. The anticipation of birth – Mary even had to endure this through the doubtful eyes of those around her. She most likely felt completely and wholly unworthy of the honor bestowed on her. But she offered all she had, for the mercy of God’s plan. She then did all the work of motherhood – the late night feedings, the diaper changing, the endless laundry. She also experienced the joys of motherhood as Jesus grew and learned from her and the world around them. And then it was all torn from her, as she lived the pain and suffering and death of her first born son.  But Mary lived on, for herself, for her love of God, and for her other children and grandchildren.

Motherhood, then and now, is at times an exhausting job.  It is truly, however, an honorable one, established and blessed by God.  All mothers feel the same emotions, share the same workload, experience the joys and sorrows of each of our children, as we shape them and build them to be servants of the Lord, here on Earth.  And we can take inspiration from these five women, who illustrate for us the strength and love and faith needed to navigate motherhood.  Happy Mother’s Day!

Be The Church Sunday 2011

Thanks to everyone who made Be The Church Sunday a success!