Blogs - Grace PC

Weekly Blog

Adult Christian Formation: Growth

Posted on Sep 13, 2024 by Michelle Rutherford in Christian Formation | 15

Regardless of my age, September feels like a new school year and a chance to realign my practices. Every year I ask myself this question:

What are you doing RIGHT NOW to grow your faith?

My biggest “growth spurts” as a Jesus-follower have come as I learned side by side with other people and one of the things I cherish most about Grace is how MANY opportunities I have discovered over the years to do just that. This fall, I am grooving on Pastor Tracey’s Blue Angels group (The Screwtape Letters) and digging into 1&2 Samuel with the Koinonia Sunday School class.

How about you?

Are you participating in a weekly Sunday School class at 10am in one of the 5 adult classrooms or working with one of the 6 classrooms of children/teens?

Have you considered one of the 6 weekly adult bible studies offered during the week? Or perhaps the men’s bi-weekly Saturday morning group or the monthly Women’s Tuesday Evening study works better for you?

Your schedule is unpredictable? What about a short -term study? Pastor Tracey is leading a 6-week study “The Path to Forgiveness” on Monday evenings starting September 30. There is a 5-week book study on Zoom beginning November 11 entitled “The Welcoming Congregation.”

Maybe you are looking for a spiritual energy boost? What about one of the many special conferences offered at Mo-Ranch in the Texas Hill Country or Camp Gilmont in nearby Gilmer, TX? Both of those Presbyterian camps are much loved by your pew-mates as the “thin places” where they have encountered God more clearly.

A North Texas Presbyterian Pilgrimage weekend retreat has ignited or rekindled the faith of dozens (hundreds?) of Grace members over the years. Are you available to participate or staff at one of the next retreats on October 18-20 or March 7-9?

So. Many. Options.

It’s September. What are you doing RIGHT NOW to grow your faith?

Sep '24

Mission: Clothes Closet

Posted on Sep 7, 2024 by Bill Burnett in Mission Blog | 7

Sep '24

A Ministry Shared With Many Others

One of the great strengths of Presbyterians is that our churches are connected to each other so we can partner in our ministries. A good example is our Clothes Closet led by Jeanne Peck. The clothing you donate at Grace is delivered to First Presbyterian in Plano to be used by their Family Clothes Closet Ministry. There, on Thursday afternoons, these and other donated clothes are sorted for the best future uses. Your donated clothes may be given to people in need at First Presbyterian’s Family Clothes Closet on Wednesdays from 10 to noon or distributed using their trailer to support Streetside Showers on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. They may be distributed by Hope Restored Missions to their clients or provided by First Presbyterian to people seeking shelter on cold nights at the Plano Overnight Warming Station (POWS). Some donations may be picked up by Grace Bridge and resold with the benefits going to local food banks and others that cannot be reused may end up as rags sold by the Salvation Army.

If you would like to support this ministry please donate clothing at our Clothes Closet drop-off inside the west church entrance. (Men’s clothing is always needed, especially jackets, coats, and men’s casual pants with 30-36 inch waists). Or, donate money for the purchase of new underwear. (We will get your donation to First Presbyterian or you can give it to them directly).

If you feel like rolling up your sleeves to get actively involved, volunteers are always needed to sort donations or help distribute them. Please contact Bill Burnett and he will get you in touch with Ted McKown at First Presbyterian who will find a spot for you to help.

Aug '24

Officer Nominations

Posted on Aug 23, 2024 by David Hurwich in Polity | 20

Aug '24

Democratic Process

When there’s heat in the air, that can only mean one thing- time to start the process of finding next year’s officer crop!

Why do we elect officers in the Presbyterian faith?

For 2 reasons:

To be the hands and feet of Christ- these are our Deacons. We are commanded by God to care for one another, nurture one another, and be a friend to everyone that walks through our doors. Deacons have the wonderful qualities of:
- Strong faith
- Warm sympathies
- Empathy
- Caring

To lay out God’s vision of the church, and listen to God on where we need to strategically go- these are our Elders. The true work of the church, and really, any organization, lies in the work of committees. Yes..I know- you just ran out of the room screaming. But- #truth! It really is where the foundations are built, and the work actually gets done. Elders have the wonderful qualities of:
- Wisdom and maturity of faith
- Skills in servant leadership (each Elder chairs a committee that is their responsibility)
- Compassionate spirit

The process of electing officers is one of the most democratic processes we have available to a congregation to participate in. The congregation gets to nominate who they think would fit the qualities above, and then it’s up to the ONC (Officer Nominating Committee), to discern those with the best gifts to fill the rolls that are open.

And who serves on the ONC? Why- members of the congregation! Doesn’t get more democratic than that! So- members are indeed choosing members to do God’s work. Not the pastors, not Grace Presbytery, but…salt of the earth members.

Who are we looking for?

7 Deacons to fill a 3 year commitment
1 Deacon to fill a 1 year commitment
1 Elder to serve over the Finance Committee (3 year commitment)
1 Elder to serve over the Mission Committee (3 year commitment)
1 Elder to serve over the Personnel Committee (3 year commitment)
1 Elder to serve over the Young Adults ministry (3 year commitment)

Looking forward to who God is calling as the next leaders of GPC!

David Hurwich

Chair, ONC

Aug '24

Mission: Food Insecurity

Posted on Aug 9, 2024 by Kris Turner in Mission Blog | 6

Aug '24

Minnie’s Food Pantry

Did you know that one in eight Texans experience food insecurity? According to Feeding Texas website, which gives us that statistic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. The USDA also explains hunger is different. “Hunger is a personal, physical sensation of discomfort, while food insecurity is a lack of available financial resources for food at the level of the household.”

How does Grace PC help with this problem? By donating our time and other resources in helping agencies such as Minnie’s Food Pantry located in Plano. Many Grace members have volunteered to load boxes of food into vehicles, pack boxes, unfold and tape boxes, sort cans of food, and help in the boutique. Whatever the staff at Minnie’s needs us to do we do it. Our next date to help at Minnie’s is September 7^th.

Minnie’s also has need for toiletry bags, cereal, peanut butter, and Spaghetti’ O’s. Watch for announcements for our gathering of these items in the future. And check out this link to learn more about Minnie’s Food Pantry and how it began. https://minniesfoodpantry.org/

The Outreach Program

In October, mission committee will host a food packing event with The Outreach Program, formally known as Numana. We currently have a plan to pack 18,900 meals to send to Haiti. Floyd Hammer and Kathy Hamilton co-founded The Outreach Program. It does more than food, according to their website, they are involved in medical care, clean water, and education. Kathy and Floyd have received awards from President Barack Obama and President George W. Bush. Check out their website to learn about what the awards were for and what else this busy organization is doing. outreachprogram.org

For information on Minnie’s Food Pantry or The Outreach Program contact Helen Blacklock

The Little Food Pantry

Grace’s own Little Food Pantry (LFP) helps our neighbors closer to home who are food insecure. Thank you all for bringing food to restock the LFP.

Well, I hope you learned a little about food insecurity and consider making space to volunteer in any or all these projects.

Helen Blacklock

Jul '24

Mission: Special Offerings

Posted on Jul 19, 2024 by Bill Urech in Mission Blog | 11

Jul '24

In the Presbyterian Church USA there are 4 times a year we have special offerings. At Grace the administration of the offerings goes through the Mission Committee. In this blog I’ll talk about what these offerings are and how we have distributed the funds in the last year. In general, the total for each offering is between $1,000 and $2,000. For offerings that allow discretion in allocation, the committee decides the split.

The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. The Offering distributes gifts equally to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The Assistance Program provides critical financial support to church workers and their families. Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide education and leadership development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage. This has been a Presbyterian commitment for nearly 140 years.

Mission always sends the offering to PCUSA, marked as “Joy” offering

Typically received during the season of Lent, each gift to One Great Hour of Sharing supports efforts to relieve hunger through the Presbyterian Hunger Program, promote development through the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People, and assist in areas of disaster through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.

Mission sent this offering to the Presbyterian Hunger Program.

A gift to the Pentecost Offering helps the church encourage, develop, and support its young people, and also address the needs of at-risk children. 40% of the Pentecost offering can be retained by individual congregations wanting to make an impact in the lives of young people within their own community. The remaining 60% is used to support children-at-risk, youth, and young adults through ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency.

This year the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s 60% was split between the “Young Adult” and “Educate a Child” programs. The balance is being held by Grace, In 2023, Mission used the balance to help support efforts at Beaty Elementary.

Collected in the Fall, a gift to the Peace & Global Witness Offering enables the church to promote the Peace of Christ by addressing systems of conflict and injustice across the world. Individual congregations are encouraged to utilize up to 25% of this Offering to connect with the global witness of Christ’s peace. Mid councils retain an additional 25% for ministries of peace and reconciliation. The remaining 50% is used by the Presbyterian Mission Agency to advocate for peace and justice in cultures of violence, including our own, through collaborative projects of education and Christian witness.

In 2023 Mission sent 50% of the offering to the Presbyterian Mission Agency. 25% went to our synod’s Solar under the Sun program and the local 25% was used to support Grace’s refugee work.

If you wish to donate to these causes keep an ear out during the year for when they are announced, You can also designate them by emailing John Moody.

Jul '24

Pastors: Meeting the Needs of Neighbors in our Community

Posted on Jul 12, 2024 by Wilson Nicholson in Pastor | 15

Jul '24

I know that many of you are on our campus on days other than Sunday for various gatherings, committee meetings, and bible studies. However, I thought it would be interesting to share what it’s like when we receive visitors from outside of our church community throughout the week.

During certain times of year, it is not unusual for us to have one or two neighbors (sometimes more) ring the doorbell or make a phone call asking for assistance and prayer. Whenever that happens, one of the members of our administrative staff will direct that individual to one of the pastors. Generally, it begins with a conversation. I like to learn about who they are and where they’ve been, listen to what’s on their hearts, ask them questions about what they need and how we can help, and offer whatever encouragement I can in the process. We receive all sorts of visitors from all kinds of different ages and backgrounds. You almost wouldn’t believe some of the unusual situations I’ve come across during my time at Grace. I’ve met people with advanced degrees sleeping in their cars and without homes; young adults who’ve run away from stable homes who are lost and confused; frustrated people because their former employer let them go in a way that they felt was unjust. You really never know who and what you are going to encounter when someone walks through the door or makes a call. Of course, I try to help them. Usually, it’s as simple as walking with them to the Little Free Pantry and giving them one of our DART passes or gas cards that we keep on hand. Sometimes it’s a little more complicated, like finding another organization that offers social services that are best equipped to meet their needs.

Whatever the person’s situation might be, there is one commonality that I’ve found to be profoundly powerful in every single meeting: when I pray with our neighbors and remind them that they are a beloved child of God. I don’t always have the right words to say, and it might not solve all of their particular problems that day, but it lightens the burden a little. It doesn’t put an end to the very real crises they are facing, but it reminds our new friends that they aren’t walking alone. It might not give folks everything they need, but it provides a glimpse of hope into God’s coming Kingdom. And though you might not be there with me while I’m actively engaged in these conversations, I feel the encouragement of our community behind me when they happen.

I couldn’t do what I do without each one of you. We live in a hurting world that can at times look quite bleak and it is a blessing to be a part of a community that cares about being a shining light in the midst of darkness. So, thanks to each one of you for empowering me to do what I do.

Peace,
Wilson

Jul '24

Mission: My First Mission Trip…

Posted on Jul 5, 2024 by Fred Alves in Mission Blog | 15

Jul '24

I remember my first mission trip with GPC in 2015. It was a group of men, some from the church, some not, going to Tijuana, MX, to build small houses for families in need in cooperation with a local organization.

It is not the type of work I normally do for my job, and I must admit that hauling 70lb shingles packs to the roof was a little harder than I thought.

But the family’s tears of joy when we handed them the keys to their new house made it all more than worth it. They had waited and saved for years to make this dream come true, and with our help, they did it. The satisfaction of being part of it is something I cannot describe. You must experience it.

See, this is the thing with Missions. In the end, you feel like you have much more than you give. You realize that helping others makes you feel really good. And it should not be a surprise; after all, this is the purpose for which God made us.

Plus, it helps you understand other people’s situations and gives you a new appreciation for all you have in your life—the good and the bad. Not everybody, however, has the time and inclination for this type of work, which involves building houses in Baja California. And that’s okay. There are many other ways to serve in Missions.

This is why when the Missions Committee analyses ideas for new mission initiatives, two things are considered:

First is the impact of the new initiative in the community it will serve
Second is what opportunities it creates for our members to serve and develop this aspect of their spiritual life.

Some missions, like the one I just described, involve spending a whole week immersed in service work and, often, in another culture. Some will require you to go inside the walls of a prison and meet with inmates, like the one described in the previous entry of this blog. They are very rewarding, but they also demand quite a big commitment.

Other opportunities, however, take up only a few hours of your time, like our Annual Meal Packing event. Our Quarterly Blood Drives will take around 15 minutes. Signing up for the Prayer Banner of the “Residents Encounter Christ” mission or restocking the Little Free Pantry even less than that! Whatever your time availability, physical abilities, or inclinations, there is always an opportunity for you
to serve and grow as a Christian.

Check the weekly newsletter, connection cards, church calendar and the frequent Mission for Minutes that are part of
our services and join one mission project. I am very sure you will get hooked like I was.

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give
you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe
you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of
mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:44-45)”

Fred Alves

Jun '24

Mission: Prison Ministry

Posted on Jun 29, 2024 by Clark Carradine in Mission Blog | 12

Jun '24

A few weekends ago, Mike Shaw and I took a mission trip, but we didn’t go build any houses and we didn’t go renovate any churches. We instead went to the prison in Winnsboro, Texas- the Clyde Johnston unit- and built relationships with the men in white.

I sat at a table with six men in white, who called themselves The Sons of Light, and I listened as they told me their stories of their journey to Christ, from addiction to redemption. I heard stories of forgiveness, repentance, redemption and restoration. The Holy Spirit was a palpable presence in that room for three days. I was moved to fervently pray with two men for their reconciliation with their families.

I want to thank the Mission committee of the church for their support of the Residents Encounter Christ mission in Winnsboro, and I especially want to thank everybody who signed up for a space on the prayer chain, and who signed the posters encouraging the men in their walk. It is important to the men there to know that they have not been forgotten by the people on the outside.

I will be going back to the prison in October of this year. I invite anybody who wants to join me in this walk to sign up for a slot on the prayer chain and to sign the poster of encouragement for these men. If you want, you can come join me, sit at a table, listen to their stories and let the men know in a very real way that Christ still loves them.

–Clark Carradine

Jun '24

Mission: PCHAS

Posted on Jun 21, 2024 by Portia Stephens in Mission Blog | 8

Jun '24

PCHAS (Presbyterian Children’s Homes & Services): This is a wonderful organization that the Mission Committee at Grace has graciously supported for many years. PCHAS provides Christ-centered care and support to children and families in need through foster care, adoption, and transitional care for young adults, as well as services to families in crisis who are suffering due to poverty, abuse, neglect, or homelessness helping them stay together. PCHAS began in 1903 when the women of First Presbyterian Church of Dallas rented a home and created an orphanage to care for the four children of Leontine Hector Blaney, a young mother dying of tuberculosis. In 1905, the ministry bought property and moved to Itasca, Texas where it still operates today as PCHAS’ Itasca Foster Care Village. Throughout the years, PCHAS has expanded to other parts of Texas, as well as states of Missouri and Louisiana, serving about 4,500 children a year.

Over the past few years, Grace members have attended the PCHAS Fall Luncheon, donated back-to-school clothing for 31 kids, provided Easter lunch for 13 single-parents and their 19 children, delivered Christmas dinners to Itasca Foster Care Village in Waxahachie for nine transitional students in college, and donated annual monetary gifts. Our most-recent project for PCHAS was a book drive collecting 200 age/grade appropriate books so the kids could keep their minds sharp with summer reading.

I am your PCHAS Ambassador serving on the Grace Mission Committee, and I would love to hear your ideas for future projects to support the kids and families of PCHAS. Follow PCHAS on Facebook PCHAS Facebook to see how they are changing lives, and for more information about PCHAS programs, please visit PCHAS.org. If you would like to get involved with PCHAS or have ideas of how we at Grace can help these lovely kids and families, email me at Grace PCHAS.

Portia Stephens

Jun '24

Mission: Welcome Grace

Posted on Jun 9, 2024 by Bill Urech in Mission Blog | 14

Jun '24

Welcome to the Grace PC mission blog. The long term goal of this blog is to talk about the different aspects of mission work at GPC. In this inaugural post I’m going to outline who is “mission” at Grace and how we decide what to pursue.

At Grace every member is a part of mission – or can be. Practically, and since we are Presbyterian, we have a Mission committee. The committee is currently composed of 8 members, one of whom is the Mission elder, plus an associate pastor and a member of the finance committee (Mission represents about 10% of the GPC budget). We meet the 2^nd Tuesday of every month and any are welcome to join the meetings.

The current committee:

Bill Urech – Elder/Moderator	Portia Stephens
Fred Alves	Bill Burnett
Helen Blacklock	Bryan Haworth
Diana Sparacin	Janice McQuary
Wilson Nicholson – Assoc Pastor	John Davis – Finance

Mission’s goal is to work towards all aspect of the GPC Vision 2030. Historically, we have worked within the guidelines of the 4 Hs (Homelessness, Hunger, Helping Hands and H2O). This is why we have Minnie’s workdays, host refugees, serve at Austin Street Center, install water systems in Guatemala. Vision 2030 will drive how we execute the 4Hs.

So, how do we decide what to do? At the monthly meeting we talk about what we’ve done recently, what is upcoming and what we could do that’s new. The criteria for new ideas are if it falls within our Vision and if it can give opportunity for Grace members to participate in some way. Also, Mission has a long history of taking walk-ins. Meaning, you can show up at a committee meeting with a mission idea and pitch it to us. If it’s a hit then several things can happen. Mission will help you publicize it and/or provide funding. We will ask you to lead it! Don’t be timid. In the past year this is how adoption of Beaty Elementary and funding for the Prison ministry started.

To keep up with what Mission is doing look to the “Mission Updates” section of the weekly newsletter, check your connection card or visit us on the second Tuesday of the month at 7pm in MB4.

Blessings to all,
Bill Urech (Mission Elder)

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