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Dear Friends,
Get A Load Of These UMC Stats.
We see membership growing worldwide... but shrinking in the U.S.
Worldwide professing and baptized membership grew over 20% in the last 13 years from 11.35 million to 13.75 million.
U.S. membership fell 19% over the last 31 years. It continues to shrink... rates seem to be accelerating.
What are we doing wrong?
Giving in 2005 came to 5.9 billion dollars... the 15th straight year of growth even after adjusting for inflation.
Members volunteer their time to more than 600,000 leadership positions in church schools.
138,000 helped in mission groups.
We're doing some things well.
Let us pray for guidance and help on those we do poorly!
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WORSHIP
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8:15 Worship in the Chapel with Holy Communion
9:25 a.m. Service in the Sanctuary
Communion Sunday
Scripture Lesson: Luke 10:38-42
Sermon - Pastor Steve...
Let Your Soul Catch Up
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ADDED GRACE
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Added Grace Does Broadway!
Tuesday, May 6th, in Fellowship Hall at 11:30 A.M. Added Grace takes on Broadway.
That is, you'll relive the memories and excitement of those magnificent
Broadway hits... as Marleta Newberg and her piano take you down
memory Lane.
$5.00 gets you Hazel Hodge's lunch.
Suzanne Davis hosts the meeting. Call Peggy Hobbs NOW at 452-4394 to make your reservation.
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| Pastor Chris attends General Conference |
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Pastor
Chris will be attending General Conference in Dallas next week.
Dr. Ben
Witherington III, professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury
Theological Seminary and recent guest preacher/lecturer at Grace
offeres this definition of General Conference.
"Once
every four years, representative clergy and laity of every United
Methodist Annual Conference meet to discuss and enact important
legislation that thereafter represents the official stance of the
United Methodist Church on issues as varied as theology, ethics, church
polity, ordination, and a host of other topics.
Unlike many other
hierarchial denominations, neither ministers nor bishops can speak
officially for the UMC.
The General Conference is the official voice of
the church, and it only speaks once every four years. Thereafter it is
up to the Judicial Council to interpret and apply the official
positions and disciplines of our church.
We have what can only be
called a frenzy of democracy for two weeks as we debate and settle
legislative matters, and thereafter it is a matter of implementation
until the next General Conference four years hence."
Pastor Chris will be updating his blog daily next week with his experiences at General Conference.
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NEW EMAIL ADDRESS?
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If
you have a new email address, please let us know.
We'll update your
account and make sure that you are current... that you continue to receive the
Grace UMC email newsletter without interruption.
Thanks!
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KNOW OF A GRACE HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE GRADUATE? TELL TJ
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Please let TJ know A.S.A.P. if you are aware of a high school or college graduate from Grace Church.
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NEW CHILDREN'S ENSEMBLE
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GRACEFUL ARTS CHILDREN
- A
New Children's Ensemble has started rehearsals on Sunday Evenings at
6:00pm.
They plan a special song to honor the Families of the church
on Mother's Day, May 11, 2008 during the 9:25am service.
Children ages
4-6 will have an opportunity to sing this special song. Children 7-11
will accompany the singing choir with handbells, chimes and percussion
instruments.
If you would like your children to participate, please
plan to have them at rehearsals Sunday evenings at 6:00pm.
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GROWING CHRISTIANS LEARN TO WALK LIKE JESUS
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 Beginning Sunday, April 27, Growing Christians will begin a new series led
by a popular Bible teacher, Ray Vander Laan.
In the series "Walk As Jesus
Walked", the class will discover the passion of our early Christian brothers and
sisters - a consuming desire to be like the Rabbi, every day.
Topics will
include: The Passion of Elijah, Learning to Walk like Jesus, An Unlikely
Disciple, Why Christians Suffer, and Don't Forget Us.
The study is part
of the "Faith Lessons: That the World May Know" produced by Focus on the
Family. Growing Christians Class meets off the Northwest Balcony.
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MOTHER / DAUGHTER BANQUET
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Bobbie Sox, Poodle Skirts, Juke Boxes, Elvis, Cars with Fins, and Sock Hops. That was the Fabulous Fifties.
Ladies, join us on May 13th at 6:30pm for "Rockin With Mom" and enjoy an evening of fun and fellowship Fifties-style!
Tickets will be sold April 27th, May 4th and May 11th. The cost is $7.00 for ladies and $3.00 for little ladies.
Be there or be square!
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VBS - JUNE 22-26 AT MAIN ST. UMC
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The time is 5:30 - 8:00pm.
The Kokomo United Methodist Cluster made up of Grace, Alto, Main St., St. Lukes and Trinity are working together this summer to welcome your children and others in our community into God's Big Backyard.
VBS can't happen without you. There are volunteer regisration forms at the Welcome Center. We need help in every area: snacks, teacher, leaders, games, set up, decorations, etc.
Children's Registration Forms are also available at the Welcome Center to sign up your kids today.
Return forms to Amanda Kelly or the Church Office A.S.A.P.
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| CHECK OUT THE NEW FH CABINET |
After
the Fellowship Hall remodelling project was completed, it was
determined that there was a need for more storeage, but it had to be
storeage with attention paid to the aesthetics of the room.
Bill White
was commissioned to come up with a unit that would serve both
requirements.
He produced a beautiful and well-crafted cabinet. A big
thanks to Bill for all his hard work!
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ANOTHER BATHROOM REMODEL AT GRACE
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Say
bye bye to the old bathrooms.
Grace is remodelling the remaining 6
bathrooms starting April 21st.
And the people said, "AMEN!"
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HELP THE SICK IN AFRICA
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Put 4 "Medical Vans" Into Dr. Dennis Markes' Hands.
Operation classroom received a donation of 4 SUV's. But they need to get to the Kissy Clinic in Africa.
The 4 vehicles will then be made into medical vans for use by the clinic.
Both the North and the South Conferences joined together for this project. Shipping costs $7,000... $1,700 per vehicle.
Join "The Wheels on the Vans Go to Africa" campaign. Just put your donation in an envelope marked... "Vans to Africa" any Sunday in April... or give it to Cindy in the office.
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HELP NEEDED IN THESE AREAS
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Crisis Child Care needs
more
help to assist at least once a month for 4 hours. Beginning May
5th the center will no longer run on Mondays but will be open from
8:00 A.M. to noon on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and Thursday
afternoon from 1:00 - 5:00 P.M.(if needed).Contact Jeff Newton at
Kokomo Urban Outreach 765-461-9618 or Lisa Sawyer 765-863-3500Web Site Team needs help. If you are interested in writing articles and updating to www.kokomograce.org;
if you have a feel for the design of websites and the kinds of
information that will be helpful in speaking to our community about
Grace Church, and the ways we seek to follow Jesus, then contact one of
our team: Tim Garner, Val Harris, Randy Manning, Chris Hedges or
Lee Flasche.
Master Teacher Tutoring is in need of Tutors, Substitute Tutors, Story Tellers and Snack Providers. Please call Dianne Waggaman at 459-4524 and let her know that you are willing to help.United Methodist Women need Pencil sharpeners for Church World Service. Contact Betty Corn @ 457-0044.The Shopping Cart:
A container for collection of the following items will be in the
Mulberry St. entrance during the remodelling project. Your support of
these local ministries is greatly appreciated. Open Arms: Feminine products and condiments Kokomo Urban Outreach: Volunteers
to mentor Kokomo elementary students, Canned Soup, Easter
Baskets, Candy and Small Toys, and Peanut Butter Nesting Doves: Newborn Diapers and Grocery Cards CAM: Toothpaste, Shampoo, TP, and Deodorant. |
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Your Editors for Experience Grace This Week:
- This Week - Ralph Cory
- Next Week- Val Harris
- Jan Wall
- Karin Pinto
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