Don’t forget to join us for our Christmas Eve Candlight Service at 7pm. Join us as we celebrate the birth of our King and Redeemer. This is a family friendly event. You may view the bulletin here.

See you there!

This week at GPC, we’ve been preparing for the Miles-Baum wedding, and we are so excited and grateful for what God has been doing in and through them. Congratulations Luke and Caroline!

Because of the changes made the sanctuary set up, we will reset a little differently. Change affords us an opportunity to step out of the routine and re-engage thoughtfully. So, it’ll look different on Aug 1 at 9:30, if you have thoughts as to your experience, please let one of the Session members know.

Regarding Sunday, we continue our study of Ecclesiastes, and we’ll look at verse 5:10-20. In these verses, the Teacher, shows us another snare to joyful living. Specifically, we will look at: the most dangerous snare, the entrapped heart, and how one is freed. As to our worship, here’s the  Bulletin 08 01 10 for you to prepare.

Additionally, there’s a lot coming up this week. For those who signed up for tickets to the Dash game on Weds night, you may pick up your tickets from Carla. Friday evening there will be a lock-in for GraceKids, see Carla for details. Regarding upcoming events, you may check our church calendar here.

Firstly, we want to wish Mr. and Mrs. Matt and Anna Norman congratulations on the wedding yesterday. We love you both.

Next, this Sunday we’ll be wrapping up our series on John and the “I am” sayings of Jesus in John’s Gospel. This being the second Sunday, we will also have our mission’s minute. Pat Abbott, missionary to Uganda and member of World Harvest Mission’s Budibugyo Team will be our guest.

Following the worship service the Missions Committee will be hosting a lunch as a fundraiser for summer teams and to raise support for those attending the MTW’s fall missions conference. Please join us.

There’s a couple of things going on at GPC this weekend.

Firstly the Men’s Breakfast is Saturday, March 6 from 8 am til 9:15 in the Fellowship Hall. Nothing goes better with pancakes than community and fellowship.

Secondly, this Saturday is the rescheduled date of our Winter Work Day. We’ll be working on things inside the building: repairs, organizing, and cleaning up from the winter which, we are hopeful, is behind us. We’ll meet around 9:15 and be finished by Noon. Hope to see you there! Aside from pancakes, there’s nothing like working alongside one another for building community.

Lastly, our Sunday sermon series on Who is Jesus? continues with John 11:17-44, “I am the resurrection and the life.” You can view this Sunday’s bulletin, here.

Wednesday, February 17 is Ash Wednesday. We’re hosting a service from 6:30-7:30 pm which is for all ages. We hope you’ll take the time to join us. This Lenten Service will preempt our usual Wednesday Night Schedule which, of course will return next week with our monthly primary age club, JAM (Jesus and Me) from 6:30-7:30pm

If you haven’t considered how you might celebrate Lent, Gene Edward Veith is hosting an interesting discussion over at his blog, Cranach. And Pastor Randy has posted a few thoughts over at Twentystone.

Just a reminder, Rooted in Grace is this weekend (Friday: 7-9pm and Saturday: 9am-Noon). If you haven’t signed up, there’s still time. Just call the church office.

Incidentally, “Lent” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for “spring”. “Spring”…are you ready yet?

Just a couple of reminders about events going on this week at GPC.

Due to the inclement weather predicted this weekend, we’ve canceled the Men’s Breakfast on Saturday morning and have rescheduled Saturday’s workday.

The men will still be gathering on Friday morning from 6-7 am to pray for one another and the needs of GPC.

And if you’d like to take a look at what’s planned for Sunday, here’s the bulletin.

Well, it looks as if the question is not whether we’ll have snow, but whether we’ll have 5 or 12 inches of it. Wow. At any rate, weather shows us that life is subject to disruption and that we’re not as in control of our circumstances as we’d like. Plans are already changing for the weekend, and as things continue to develop, please check back here or our facebook fan page for the latest news.

Regarding Sunday worship and Sunday School, we will have any changes posted on this page, on the church office answering machine, and local t.v. stations.

The first change of scheduled events this weekend is that Rooted in Grace has been rescheduled for February 19-20. Please sign up in the foyer or let Pastor Randy know if you’re interested.

Enjoy the winter weather.

December 26 is St. Stephen’s Day — the traditional feast day in honor of St. Stephen who was stoned by the mob in the presence and with the approval (so Luke notes) of Paul. You can read about it in Acts 7. In honor of Stephen, here’s a poem by C.S. Lewis.

“Stephen to Lazarus”
But was I the first martyr, who
Gave up no more than life, while you,
Already free among the dead,
Your rags stripped off, your fetters shed,
Surrendered what all other men
Irrevocably keep, and when
Your battered ship at anchor lay
Seemingly safe in the dark bay
No ripple stirs, obediently
Put out a second time to sea
Well knowing that your death (in vain
Died once) must all be died again?

Also, remember our Sunday-after Christmas Brunch in the Fellowship Hall at 9:30 am. Bring something to share!

Join us for a service of Lessons and Carols TONIGHT at 7pm.

And if you’re are around this weekend, we conclude our Advent and Life of David Series with Isaiah 9:2-7. Also, in lieu of Sunday School, we will gather for a Christmas Brunch from 9:30-10:15am. Bring something to share if you’re able and join us around the table as we enjoy the good company of friends, new friends, and family.

This Christmas Season we are reducing the scheduling of our normal weekly meetings in favor of opening up space and time for a purposeful and thoughtful celebration of Christmas. At a time of year when largess and leisure should be the normal experience, we are more often frenzied harassed. This is a far cry from how we should experience “glad tidings of great joy.”

One opportunity to lean into the Christmas Season is to host a Neighborhood Christmas Party. These parties are designed and planned to help you to meet and reach out to your neighbors. If you are interested in hosting a party or in learning more about them, GPC is hosting a training and informational meeting on Sunday, November 22nd at 2pm at the church building. Hope to see you there.