GRACE CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)
NEWSLETTER — AUGUST 2010
MESSAGE FROM OUR MINISTER
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The month of July was as busy a month as I can remember in a long time. I am very grateful to be a whole family again with Nancy and Marjie. I am also grateful for my Grace family; the move would have been a nightmare without you.
Below is a list of things we're currently working on and need your assistance in implementing:
Young Family Summit: On Saturday July 31, 2010, the elders of Grace hosted a young family summit. Food and discussion were in great supply. An overview of that discussion will be distributed soon so you may know what was brought up by the young families of Grace.
Sunday School: Moving the family is not the only move we are facing. The months ahead I believe will begin moving Grace toward the future and your help is needed! Lori Amason and I are planning the curriculum for Sunday School through 5th grade. Nancy Morgan and Lynn Griffith are planning curriculum for Chi Rho (6th-8th grades). Amber Churchill and Melinda and Adam Kayton are continuing to work with the CYF group. Fred Blake will be teaching the fall Adult Sunday School. I will be organizing a new class for young adults.
In order for us to have continuous quality Christian education for everyone at Grace, we need volunteers to work with the above people so they too may enjoy Sunday School in appropriate classes. It is my hope we can rotate Sunday School teachers on a reasonable and regular schedule so no one is asked to teach all the time. No one is too old to teach! Please let Lori or me know if you can help.
Worship and Wonder: Jackye Frederick has done a great service for a very long time. We need two or more people who would be willing to learn and lead Worship and Wonder. Jackye will train and rotate with any and all newcomers! Let's help Jackye rest in a pew during worship for a while!
Faith Based Sex Education: Next, a curriculum for faith based sex education has been selected. "Good Sex 2.0 : A Whole-Person Approach To Teenage Sexuality and God" by Jim Hancock and Kara Powell. It is our intention to offer this class first to our youth, and then the youth of the community (as space is available). There will be a class for our 6th through 8th graders and a class for our 9th through 12th graders. I am working closely with Amber Churchill and the Kaytons to make these classes available in the fall. Keep watching as more information comes out.
Founders Day Celebration: On October 9th and 10th we will be celebrating 13 years of Grace Christian Church (DOC). I will be calling on many of you to help plan this event in the next few days. The intent of this event is to celebrate the past as we move into the future. Anyone who is interested in helping to plan this event, please contact me at 218-2529.
Worship: Helena is filled with many unchurched young families and we need to find ways to reach them. Some of our young families have suggested (and are interested in) a contemporary worship service. I am currently exploring the options we might have in order to add a contemporary worship service to our schedule. This, of course, would be in addition to our current traditional worship service. I am asking for any in our Grace family who are interested in this to contact me at 218-2529.
T.A.S.T.E.: Take a Student to Eat! This is a region wide effort to stay connected with our college students. The date set is September 12, 2010. Let's take a student to eat!!
Refinance: The effort to refinance our loan is underway after a successful debt reduction pledge drive. Pledges of $103,000 were given. Over $16,000 has already been received. October will bring us a new mortgage that will decrease our monthly obligation by approximately $2,000.00.
Peace and blessings,
Pastor Tommy
CWF FASHION SHOW
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FASHION SHOW TICKETS WILL BE SOLD BEFORE AND AFTER WORSHIP
FOR THE NEXT 2 SUNDAYS (AUGUST 8TH & 15TH).
THIS MONTH AT GRACE
HOMEMADE! Thanks to Becky Wall, we are now having homemade Communion Bread for the celebrating of the Lord's Supper each Sunday.
COFFEE TIME: Thanks to the efforts of Lou Knight and the various Mission Families, we are having homemade cookies, coffee and tea in the Fellowship Hall after Worship. It is a great time to speak to each other without having to rush somewhere. Come and join the fellowship.
NEXT MISSION COUNCIL MEETING: August 15th after worship.
Our Monthly Churchwide Luncheon will be on August 15th after worship instead of August 8th. (Sponsored by CWF)
CMF NEWS
CMF is organizing the outside work & mowing schedule for the 2010 calendar year. We are looking for 2-4 men to be at Grace every week on either Thursday, Friday, or Saturday to maintain the property. These 2-4 man work parties will rotate every 4-6 weeks depending on the total number of volunteers. Please put your name in the hat so that we can make this happen and keep Grace as beautiful on the outside as the Mission Families are keeping it on the inside. Please contact Scott Blake (motorscot@hotmail.com) or David McDonald (mcdonaldd@jcc.co.jefferson.al.us) if you would like to sign up.
Next CMF meeting is September 5th at 8:00 a.m.
CWF NEWS
A FASHION SHOW will be held on Saturday, August 21st at Grace. See the announcement above for more details.
Ceramic Classes are being offered to church members and the wider community each Saturday from 10 AM – 12 PM at the home of Pam Knight. These classes are sponsored by CWF Group 2 and our church will be the recipient of net proceeds. If you are interested in attending, please call Pam at 428-1092. Wednesday evening ceramic classes are on hiatus for the summer.
YOUTH EVENTS
- August 13th-14th — Back to School Lock-in @ First Church in Birmingham
- August 20th-21st — Back to School Lock-in @ the Community Center in White Hall, AL
Audio recordings of Tommy's sermons are now available on our website. If a sermon is recorded on Sunday, it is usually available to download by noon the following day. You can also subscribe via podcast.
CONTRIBUTIONS NEEDED
Ronald McDonald House: CWF GROUP 2 is in need of paper products for our Quarterly Drive for the Ronald McDonald House. A "green box" is located adjacent to the nursery for your donations.
Youth Recycling Program: The Youth Group is recycling aluminum cans but we need your help. Surprisingly enough, we do not drink great amounts of soda. So we need your help! The money raised from recycling will go towards the Youth Group's general fund. If you are interested in helping, please contact Adam or Melinda Kayton or Amber Churchill. Thanks!
PLEASE SUPPORT SCOUTING FOR FOOD: CWF GROUP 1 is supporting the scouts by collecting canned and dry goods as an ongoing project. There is a container in the Narthex for your contributions to this effort, and a second box is in the Fellowship Hall next to the copy machine room. The food will be delivered to the Salvation Army.
The Alabama-Northwest Florida newsletter will be distributed electronically in 2010. Please go to the regional website at www.alnwfldisciples.org, click on the register button in the top left corner, and fill in the blanks to register. This will allow you to receive regular updates from the Region that will keep you informed on all of the latest news and events in and around the Region.
| COMMUNION & CHURCH CLEANING RESPONSIBILITIES FOR AUGUST: | THE LIGHT |
| COMMUNION & CHURCH CLEANING RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SEPTEMBER: | GRACEFULL SERVANTS |
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS
| Aug. 1 | Don Morlan | |
| Aug. 4 | Sherry Glenn | |
| Aug. 6 | Ian Thomas Edwards | |
| Aug. 9 | Paula Bentley | |
| Aug. 9 | Kenley Herrington | |
| Aug. 9 | Michelle Saindon | |
| Aug. 9 | Miranda Thompson | |
| Aug. 10 | Debbie Hill | |
| Aug. 11 | Sandra Pilkinton | |
| Aug. 12 | Peggy Harris | |
| Aug. 12 | Madelyn Mahoney | |
| Aug. 13 | Vanessa Collier | |
| Aug. 13 | Claire Dillard | |
| Aug. 13 | Melissa Kallaher | |
| Aug. 13 | Coleen Morlan | |
| Aug. 13 | Jonah Sturdivant | |
| Aug. 14 | Christie Caldwell | |
| Aug. 14 | Jennifer Griffin | |
| Aug. 14 | Kathy Owens | |
| Aug. 15 | King Knight | |
| Aug. 15 | Nicole Kurtts | |
| Aug. 15 | Eddy Parsons | |
| Aug. 15 | Adam Sturdivant | |
| Aug. 17 | Drew Parsons | |
| Aug. 17 | Pattie Trapp | |
| Aug. 18 | Peewee Hutchinson | |
| Aug. 18 | David Landrum | |
| Aug. 19 | Brett Frederick | |
| Aug. 19 | Toni Redding | |
| Aug. 20 | Davis Cummings | |
| Aug. 20 | Tiffany Hogue | |
| Aug. 21 | Leanne Bowen | |
| Aug. 21 | Samantha Pearce | |
| Aug. 22 | Devin Gaga Patrick | |
| Aug. 22 | Christine Goodwin | |
| Aug. 23 | Caroline Murrell | |
| Aug. 23 | Daniel Sturdivant | |
| Aug. 24 | James Herrington | |
| Aug. 24 | Alna Mathers | |
| Aug. 25 | Joan Bishop | |
| Aug. 25 | Charlotte Bowman | |
| Aug. 25 | Bebe Graham | |
| Aug. 25 | Jack Roop | |
| Aug. 26 | Michael Hill | |
| Aug. 26 | Kayleigh Anne Reid | |
| Aug. 26 | Lee Ann Schwarz | |
| Aug. 28 | Tyler Marks | |
| Aug. 29 | John Dowdy | |
| Aug. 31 | Robby Griffin |