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February 24, 2017
Grace & Peace to You Grace Church!
I hope that you’ve all been enjoying the beautiful spring-like days that we’ve had the last week. I’m sure they won’t last, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t make the most of them now.
I want to update you on something the Trustees and the Church Council have decided. One of the strengths of the Grace Community is that we enjoy being together; from Grace Café on Sundays to SOS to Golden Years, from Youth Group to VBS, we enjoy the gift of what the Bible calls, “kononia” or what we call “fellowship.
One thing I’ve learned in my life is that space communicates.
We have beautiful long 8-foot tables that we use each week to facilitate many of things that I mentioned above, yet one of the challenges of an 8-foot table is that people are unevenly spaced and sometimes, especially in a loud room, it can be hard to communicate.
After some discussion with the Church Council, it was decided we would purchase ten 60-inch round tables for each Grace campus that will sit from 7-8 people. When you sit at a round table, everyone is equally spaced apart when they are across from each other, and it makes communication much easier. These tables will be the primary gathering points for things like the Grace Café, and we will even see how they work with other dinners and the like.
This DOES NOT MEAN that we are getting rid of our 8-foot tables. No, we will keep them and store what we do not need to have up at the present time. They are necessary for our classrooms, extra seating as needed, and for things like serving lines.
While this is a “change,” and, yes, it is an “expenditure,” we believe that because of our vision, mission, and values as a church--one of which is being “relational”--this investment is consistent with what we are trying to accomplish here at Grace. We hope you will come to appreciate them as a means to facilitating fellowship here at Grace.
This week, Pastor Jeff and I will be wrapping up our series on Revelation. We hope that you have enjoyed this challenging series. I know that Jeff and I have enjoyed the rigorous biblical study that it’s taken to put this series together. Many of you have asked for copies of the messages. While we can make CDs for those who would like them, let me remind you that you can also find any weekend message on our website at www.baycitygracechurch.org. Simply scroll down on the main page and at the bottom you’ll see the most recent messages. You can find archived messages under the “MORE” tab, then click on “teachings” in the drop down menu.
As we begin Lent this next week with Ash Wednesday, we’ll launch a new series of messages that will take us to Easter called “The Prayers of Jesus.” Beginning with the Lord’s Prayer, we will look at some of the important and powerful prayers of Jesus.
I look forward to seeing you when the tribe gathers on Sunday!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Eric |
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Pathway Points
Stepping Up for Jesus
Monica Lebsack, Creative Ministries Director
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Last week, I introduced Lent as a time of introspection and reflection in preparation for Easter. We as Christians use this time to focus on our need for a Savior—our sinful natures, His perfection; our stubborn grip on earthly things, His patient pursuit of us anyway. One of the ways that we can do that is by using a devotional to guide our Bible reading, thoughts, and prayers. (Hint, hint…pick one up at the Welcome Center on Sunday.)
One thing you’ll notice about all the devotionals that are for Lent is they all start on Ash Wednesday. We’ll get to the “Ash” part in a moment, but why Wednesday? Well, Lent is 40 days long, so if you count backwards from Easter (not counting Sundays which are “mini-Easters” where we celebrate the resurrection each week) you land on a Wednesday. The 40 days represents the time that Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by the devil before he began his earthly ministry.
Now for the “Ash” part. “In the Bible, sprinkling oneself with ashes was traditionally a sign of one's sorrow for having committed sins.” (Ash Wednesday) As the pastor makes the sign of the cross on your forehead with ashes, he’ll say something like “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” and “Repent, and believe the gospel.” The first is a reminder of our mortality and the reason for it, Adam and Eve’s sin and expulsion from the Garden. The second is a reminder that we can never make things right on our own, but through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, He has done so for us. (Why ashes?)
Join me each week as we dig a little deeper into this holiday season and what Easter really means. Also, be on the lookout for Lenten Devotionals coming this Sunday to a Welcome Center near you!
Stepping up with you in His strength!
 Monica
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Final Message in our Current Series
@ both Campuses:
REVELATION
"God Wins"
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New series starting March 5 at both campuses: The Prayers of Jesus
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(Requests will stay on the prayer list for 1 week. If you have a repeating request, please check the box on your Relationship Card, and your request will remain on the list for 4 weeks.)
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Levi's Table
February 27
6:30-8p
Uptown Grill
3 E. Main St., Bay City
in the uptown development
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Calling all youth (grades 6-12) to a fun time at the waterpark! Featuring Brian Pruitt, All American football player & motivational speaker, and Daren Streblow, stand-up comedian. Check with your Youth Leader for more information.
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Lenten Devotionals will be available at the Welcome Center starting this Sunday. Be sure to pick one up!
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Do you have old picture calendars or greeting cards that you're not using? Allen Marker is looking to take them off your hands! He uses them to decorate the luminaries for Relay for Life. (Please, no Christmas.)
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We have all been touched by the conditions and effects of mental illness. On Tuesday, February 28 beginning at 7:00 p.m., UMW offers an open presentation and question/answer period where we will gain an overview of the types of mental illness, treatments, self-care and the care and advocacy for others. We welcome Jim Yanacek representing the National Alliance on Mental Illness (please visit www.NAMI.org).
Also on February 28, our Lenten Call to Prayer and Self-Denial devotion will feature Maternal and Child Health. Awareness and prayer leads to action and understanding! All are invited.
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 Grace Church is assembling a team for the Bay County Relay for Life Event on May 20th. Please contact Rick Thibo if you’re interested in participating in this worthy cause to help the fight against cancer.
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The New Membership Class will be held Sunday, March 26, 12:30p, at West Campus. Join us for lunch and discussion about Grace Church.
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