Grace United Methodist Church - Clover...
Transcript of Grace United Methodist Church - Clover...
Grace United Methodist Church
11222 Leopard Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78410 (361) 242-3333 www.ccgrace.org
WE’RE ON FACEBOOK, TOO!
October 13, 2011 OFFICE HOURS Monday thru Thursday: 9:00a – 5:00p Fridays: 9:00a – 12:00p CONTACT US [email protected] 361-242-3333 extension Pastors: Stan Whites 205 [email protected] Home 933-0702 / 290-1762 Mark Montgomery 204 [email protected] Home 288-2007 / Cell 726-9332 Director of Adult Ministry: Patti Gideon 201 [email protected] Director of Youth Ministry: Kathy Rios 203 [email protected] Director of Children’s Ministry: Kandi Tumlinson 206 [email protected] Church Administrator/Finance: Pat Pike 221 [email protected] Administrative Assistants: Sandy Callis 200 [email protected] Cathy Roznovsky 202 [email protected] Director of Music Ministry: Anita Schulz 208 [email protected] Pianist: Mary Anne Christian [email protected] Praise Band Director: Kirk Tumlinson [email protected]
Wesley Counselor Rick Sanchez 361-442-3670 [email protected]
A Word from Pastor Stan Whites
Hi Folks,
Fall is upon us, which once again opens us to countless opportunities to
experience and share the amazing blessings of this life God has so
graciously provided. Just last night the pumpkins arrived to fill our
“Pumpkin Patch” This weekend our “Harvest Fair” will open its doors to
the community and beyond. And the next few weeks will have us packing
and preparing to make our move to Northwest Boulevard.
The fall season in the church can be wonderfully chaotic. However, it is
my prayer that we will be intentional in slowing down enough to recognize
and participate in two momentous events that will impact God’s ministry
here at Grace for years to come: our “Living the Vision” campaign, and the
transition to our new campus.
These next few weeks, we will each be asked and challenged to
prayerfully consider “what does God want to do through me” as we seek to
make plans for 2012 and pay down our existing debt, in order to move
forward with life-changing ministries. Many times we see these efforts as a
financial drive. But finances are just one part of a holistic covenant of
prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness that we make in becoming a
part of this body of faith.
Our transition from Leopard Street to Northwest Boulevard will be an
extensive endeavor that will invite us to live out the “characteristics of our
faith” or “fruit of the Spirit” as a witness and foundation to who we are and
what God calls us to be. [love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)] I, personally,
am very excited to journey with each of you through the next few months.
It will be a glorious and once-in-a-life-time event.
Included in this newsletter are some important dates and information
about the logistics of relocating. It’s
our hope and intention that you are
provided with as much information as
you need to prepare for the move.
It is also my hope that each of us
are spending time in prayer, allowing
God to make our hearts ready; not
just to participate, but to live into the
vision God has for Grace.
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Important Dates and Information The church office will be open on a limited basis
the week of Oct. 31st – Nov. 4th to facilitate
basic church needs and respond to ministry
events. Our offices will fully close the week of
Nov. 7th - 11th to allow our staff and pastors the
time to pack up and make the transition, as well.
Daytime Activities: Barring
unforeseen difficulties, Grace UMC
will close its “daytime” ministries
for a two-week period beginning
Oct. 31st.
Evening Events: “Nighttime”
ministries will continue on a
reduced schedule, allowing for
programs that still choose to meet
with limited resources available to
them: classroom, tables, chairs, and
a television.
All ministries and programs except
Sunday morning worship, will be
suspended Thursday, Nov. 10th
through Sunday, Nov. 13th .
The church will be open and available for all its ministry programs in the new facility on November 14th.
Oct. 30
All Saints Sunday
31
Nov. 1
2 3 4 5
6
7 8 9 10 11 12
13
SPECIAL GRATITUDE
SERVICE 10:00 A.M.
No Sunday School
14 15 16 17 18 19
REUNION UNDER
THE TENT
14521 NW Blvd.
20
Full Sunday Worship and
Sunday School Resume
21 22 23 24 25 26
Sunday Mornings at the New Campus
Welcoming & Hospitality: A beverage bar will be stocked in the “mall” with coffee, tea and water. This will be
hosted by and coordinated within the Welcoming Team.
Sunday School Classrooms: Much thought and prayer has gone into the placement of all adult Sunday school
classes. In a spirit of cooperation and gratitude, you are invited to study the floor plan provided today and to
begin now envisioning your small group filling the space. Scheduled tours are available upon request.
Food and Fellowship: All adult Sunday school classes are encouraged to utilize the cabinet and counter space
available in each room to provide food and beverage for an atmosphere of hospitality and nurture within your
small group. The kitchen will not be available during the Sunday school hour.
Coffee Hour: The individual classroom “Food and Fellowship” will replace the public “coffee hour”.
No Daytime Programs
No Daytime Programs / Offices Closed
Trustees begin moving tables/chairs.
All Daytime and Evening Programs Resume
CLEANING BUCKETS RE-PURPOSED 3:30 p.m., Sunday, October 16th
We will gather Sunday, October 16th at 3:30 p.m. in the
Fellowship Hall and we need all hands on deck. As the
buckets are completed we will put them in a trailer so
they can be delivered to Bastrop soon after. We will
also have ice cream afterwards to celebrate!
A Church-Wide Invitation To
The D.O.W. Group October Outing October 22nd, 2011
Pickle Smith Pickle Factory & Blackland Museum We plan to eat at the Back Street Café afterward. We’ll
be leaving the Grace Church west parking lot at 8:30
a.m. All are welcome! ~Doers Of the Word!
The Next Grace Church Blood Drive Sunday, Oct. 23rd 8:30a – 1:00p
All donors are required to show a Photo I.D. and will
receive two vouchers for an Ice Rays Game, a T-shirt,
and a Sonic coupon. Remember: You should eat a good
breakfast before donating. If you haven’t eaten in four
to six hours before going to the Blood Mobile, you may
be deferred.
Island In The Son UMC presents
Methodists Got Talent! $10 per person, Saturday, November 5
5:30 p.m. Dinner / 7:00 p.m. Talent Program Island in the Son UMC is located on Mustang Island,
between Newport Pass road and Beach Access road #3,
on the west (Laguna) side of Highway 361. If you have
talent you’d like to share in our show, contact Lynn
Houston 361-462-4464 before October 25th.
Prayer Shawl Ministry: K1G2 Our prayer shawl ministry (Knit 1, Give 2) will be
taking a short break due to the move to the new facility
and the holidays after that. We will meet again in
January, so watch your newsletter and bulletins for the
date and time. Meanwhile, keep praying and creating.
If you know of a need, contact the office or Gale
Bridgeman 726-6595.
All Saints Sunday, October 30, 2011 On Sunday, October 30
th, at both worship services, we will be celebrating All Saints’ Sunday. It is a time
for the church family to remember loved ones who have died, and a special occasion to remember those in
our congregation whose stories are still fresh in our minds and hearts. Healing comes slowly and is not
under our “command” but sharing our grief divides it, and moves us closer to a sense of God’s peace.
Plan now to be in worship and join us in lighting a candle and saying a prayer for the following members
on that day: John Elswick, Dolly Gribble, J.I. Hall, Emily Moore, Jack Moore, Ray Myers, and W.E.
“Spider” Webb.
Adding The Final Touch! While finishing touches are made on the structure of the new campus, other
details are being tended to by dedicated members coordinating everything
from inviting seating for the mall to blinds for windows. Display boards are
now in the glassway. Each board provides a picture of these unbudgeted
items and individual “gift” tickets for specified dollar donations. If you feel
so moved to contribute towards any of these major items, simply remove a
ticket, write a check for the amount and turn it in to the church office or
place it in the collection plate.
ELECTRONIC GIVING IS NOW AVAILABLE Grace United Methodist Church is
pleased to announce the introduction of an electronic option for making regular
offerings. Contributions can now be debited automatically from your checking or
savings account (or processed using your debit card). Our new electronic giving
program offers convenience for you and much-needed donation consistency for our
congregation.
If you are currently giving on a weekly basis, you will no longer need to write out 52 checks a year, or
prepare 52 envelopes. And, when travel, illness or other circumstances prevent you from attending
services, this program will allow your weekly offerings to continue on an uninterrupted basis.
An authorization form is included in this newsletter, and will soon be available online. In addition, we’ll
provide “Frequently Asked Questions” in future publications.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
5:30-8pm
Grace United Methodist Church
At our NEW location!
14521 Northwest Boulevard
FMI: 242-3333 Decorate your vehicle and bring some goodies to share
Crafts, games and treats
Prizes for best costumes and best decorated vehicles
Families/groups attending the event to “treat” children will park in the designated parking lot with their
trunks/pick-up beds accessible. If you prefer to give something other than candy, consider stickers,
pencils, fruit, or bookmarks.
Grace Church member
Mary Tom Hefte will
journey to Russia in
November as part of a
continuing education
seminar team organized
by the chair of the Russia
Initiative of our own
SWTX
Conference. While there,
Mary Tom will meet with
Russian pastor and
DS Rev. Vera Agapova
and others in the
Novgorod District (both
pastors and lay leaders) to
guide them in creating in-
house devotional guides
designed in the “Upper Room”
format. She’ll also share with them the
experience of Christ-centered prayer, or “Centering
Prayer”, that encourages periods of silence in response to the
written or spoken Word of God.
Mary Tom's group is the fourth SWTX team to provide these seminars. Several years ago, over 100
Russian Methodist pastors, along with the Bishop in Moscow, developed a list of topics to supplement their
education following graduation from the Russian Methodist Seminary. While all the Russian pastors are
ordained, they depend on active partnerships with US Methodist churches for additional education
opportunities as well as supplemental financial support.
Since 1994, other SWTX conference teams have traveled to Vologda, Russia, the home of Good News
UMC and Rev. Vera, to help with VBS programs at the church's camp facility, fellowship family nights at the
church and other means of sharing our lives in Christ. Others have focused on medical education. Many
Russian-American friendships have developed which will last a lifetime.
In the last 7 years since the VBS programs began, attendance at children's Sunday school has increased by
400%, while active church members look for ways to reach into the community in Vologda. Local orphanages
are a big part of their outreach.
The Russia Initiative receives funding only through extra giving from churches and individuals, not from
apportionments. If you would like to help with needed church facilities repairs, VBS camps, salary support, or
seminary scholarships, please send a gift (check) payable to: SWTX Conference Treasurer, 16400 Huebner
Rd, San Antonio TX 78248. Note on check memo line: Russia Initiative #2038. For
additional information about future trips and teams, contact Cindy Stone, Chair, Russia Initiative, 512/476-
6688 or [email protected].
Please keep Mary Tom and her teammates in your prayers.
Why Grace?
Sunday, October 23rd 1:30 p.m., in Room 143
What does it mean to be a Christian?
What does it mean to be a member?
If I join the church, what will it expect from me?
What can I expect from the church? How do I get involved?
If you’ve wrestled with any of these questions, join Pastors Stan and Mark as they
address the four “why’s” of God’s grace:
“Why Grace?”
“Why the Church?”
“Why The United Methodist Church?” and
“Why Grace United Methodist Church?”
If you have been thinking about joining the church, or just want learn more
about it, join us for a time of discovery. We will gather Sunday, October 23rd
at 1:30 p.m. in room 143. Reserve your seat by checking the box on today’s
communication card, or by calling Pastor Mark at 242-3333, ext. 204,
or e-mailing him at [email protected] .
“We agree with the doctrine, submit to the Discipline and
Social Principles, and will endeavor to give of our prayers,
presence, gifts, service, and witness. Now let’s say the
sermons start to run long; what is our recourse?”
GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
11222 Leopard Street, Corpus Christi, Texas 78410
Address Service Requested
THIS SATURDAY! 10A – 4P
The Pumpkin Patch & Harvest Fair
The Harvest Fair!
Homemade/Handmade Crafts
Jewelry, Quits, Yard Art Crosses, Bird Houses
United Methodist Women’s Annual Bake Sale
Barbecue Served 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Chicken Beans
Spanish Rice Bread
$7 plate*
The Pumpkin Patch!
Monday – Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sundays 12noon - 6pm
Story Time
Among the Pumpkins happens weekdays
9am - 2pm. Call Sandy Callis
to schedule your group 242-3333
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX PERMIT NO. 690
Save the Date! Saturday, December 3rd
Church-Wide Prayer Vigil