November 1, 2020 – All Saint’s Sunday
We remember the following
Grace Members today who have passed away since the last All Saints Sunday:
- Gretchen Scothorn Cooley
- Frances Carol Robinson
- Harold Nichols
- Alice Ann “Dot” Cooley
- Claudine Taylor
How do we give thanks in a pandemic? Here we are in what I often call, "Gratitude Month," and we are beset with stories of illness and death like we have never seen before. So many are sick and dying right now all around the world, but especially in our own nation. As I write this hospitals in Utah are considering the rationing of health care so many are sick with COVID-19. Who could of imagined this a year ago? And here it is the month of thanksgiving. This is an intense time in our lives, a time we will not forget.
Paul's words to the Thessalonian Christians are often disruptive. I've been asked about this passage now and then in my years as a pastor: "Give thanks in all circumstances? How can we do that?" How can we do this?
We begin where we are. We look around us. Take your pulse. Are you living? Breathing? Give thanks. How about our family members? Despite the struggles they are facing are they living and loving you each day? I am so, so blessed to be married to Lisa! Give thanks.
As I sit and write these words at home I can see out our dining room window. The trees are changing their color and birds are at the feeder. The sun in shining brightly on the leaves bringing out their color. Earlier today I was driving and could see more color in our part of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Give thanks.
Yesterday Michael and Melissa stopped by in a surprise visit. They were on their way back to
Waynesboro from
Pennsylvania. We had a brief socially distanced visit with our masks on. They
are happy, busy, and full of life and love. Give thanks.
A year ago I was facing surgery, chemo, immunotherapy, and what else I did not know. A year later the surgery and the chemo are over and I had "a massive response" (Dr. Ingram's words) to the treatments. The immunotherapy is using my immune system to keep the cancer at bay and I am tolerating it very well compared to the chemo. Give thanks.
In this past year I have had so many answered prayers, so much love and support, so many acts of kindness and friendship, so many (!) cards, so much care and food. And I received cards and gifts for Pastor Appreciation Month, too. Thank you for the gifts this year. Give thanks.
While we are not meeting together in person we still meet each Sunday to hear the Word. We continue to pray for one another when there is an illness or crisis. We are continuing in our mission in various ways. Twice since the pandemic began we have collected food items for
Bright Futures so that
hungry children can have food. Ryan provides us with lovely and inspiring music
each week. We are still learning how to be church during this time. The longing
we have to see one another is a gift. Ann Wisecarver has played the chimes
since March of this year for everyone to hear in Middletown. She has done this
almost every Sunday. You can even find these on YouTube under
her name. She's done this with some help from Emma!" Give thanks.
Most of all Christ is Lord! He is with us as our Emmanuel. He remains the Good Shepherd of the sheep (that's you and me!). We still have his words in the Gospels. They shape and challenge us and tell us the truth. I've been reading a Psalm a day for eight months. They have helped me so very much during the last year. The Spirit is with us to guide, comfort, and give us power. The God of hope gives us courage to live the life he has called us to live. Give thanks!
Grace + peace,
Clay+
A word about Grace finances from our Treasurer
Thank you to everyone who
has faithfully given during this difficult time. While all expenses and
apportionments continue to be paid in full, undesignated offerings to the
General Fund have decreased dramatically the last two months.
September offerings totaled $8,860 while October offerings were $9,310. Expenses during September and October were $13,400 and $14,690 respectively. For the year our undesignated offerings have totaled $129,477 while expenses have totaled $136,000. We have a reserve of funds available to cover expenses, however the decrease is concerning. Expenses of the church continue even though we are not holding services.
Please keep the church and church leaders in your prayers and give as you are able and led by the Holy Spirit. Please contact me if you have questions or would like to discuss the church finances in detail.
Carolyn Bell,
Treasurer
Youth collected breakfast items for Bright Futures
Thankful for Charlie Higgs
and all of our youth and mentors for helping last Saturday to gather donations
of breakfast items for Bright Futures! They will help feed hungry students in
Frederick County and Winchester City. Thank you to all the church members who
donated these items for our mission project! I’m sorry not all our youth’s
photos that helped are here! We appreciate all that came! You are a blessing to
our community.
Thank you to one of our youth group members, Avery, for helping me deliver the huge load of breakfast items for Bright Futures. Between our church and my Alpha Rho teacher sorority, we gave them seven tubs of items including apple sauce, granola bars, Pop tarts, fruit cups, baby food, and several bags of coats. Bright Futures is currently feeding 800 students a week!
Lisa Knick
Volunteers
Needed for CCAP. Can you help?
Thank you so much to the volunteers that helped with our first CCAP pumpkin patch. We had great turn out and the children were adorable picking out their little pumpkins.
We have a few needs some are very urgent we are looking for some help with.
We have a driver on Fridays who picks up store donations from 8am until about 11:30am. He needs a helper. Someone who can go with him every Friday and help load and unload. Please let me know if you can assist with this.
Other needs description of duties:
Pantry: Assist in food distributions, packing food boxes, stocking shelves, etc as needed.
Accepting Donations: Sit in the warehouse and accept and inspect incoming donations as well as provide receipts.
Sorting: Sort clothing into correct sizing bins to be moved to clothing house.
Translators: Translate for organization, must speak Spanish and English.
*Please feel free to share with anyone. *please scroll down to the bottom of this message to view the flyer for our donation needs for Thanksgiving holiday food boxes.
Please reach out to me if you can assist, Crystal Pruitt, CCAP Volunteer Coordinator
A letter from Bishop Sharma Lewis
As I type
this letter, I write it with an urgency to call the entire conference to join
me and the Call to Action Work Group for Racial Justice and Reconciliation for
a three-day period of “Prayer and Fasting for the Healing of the Nation” from
October 31-November 2, 2020 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
I encourage everyone to commit to fasting and praying during these three days that we might be more aware of Christ’s presence in our personal lives, the Commonwealth, and the nation. Prayer is essential to sustain our faith and fasting calls us to refocus our attention and listen for God.
The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
We can no longer pretend and turn a blind eye that our nation is in the midst of trouble. We are witnessing the tension between party lines coupled with our anger that governs our speech. We are fighting two pandemics—COVID-19 and systemic racism— that have taken the lives of individuals and forced us into a world of pain and suffering.
How are we as Christians called to act in this unprecedented time? How are we as Christians called to live out our civic duties? I believe God is calling us to a time for deeper soul searching, reflection, and repentance that leads us to daily prayer and fasting. Our United Methodist Church Social Principles state, “we hold governments responsible for the protection of the rights of people to free and fair elections.” I encourage all of you in the Commonwealth to exercise your right to vote as we seek God’s direction for our country.
In the designated 12-hour period, I encourage you to pray, fast, and spend time with God. You may choose a total, water, partial or juice fast. Please fast only if your health allows it at this time. If you can’t restrict your food or liquid intake abstain from something else – like social media, watching television, fast foods, desserts, etc.
If you have reservations or want more information about fasting, the attached document describes the significant components in understanding the spiritual discipline of fasting.
I pray as an annual conference we will experience the power and presence of God in an extraordinary way as we commit ourselves from October 31 to November 2, 2020 to pray for the healing of the nation.
Peace and Blessings, Bishop Sharma D. Lewis
