Category Archives: Fellowship and Events

Stories that Grow

This Sunday at Grace Kernersville, we will be looking at the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Parables are stories that get inside us, and as we reflect upon them and seek to apply them, they grow. On its face, the parable seems to be a story in which Jesus’ questions ensnares a lawyer in the his own examination. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” and “Who is my neighbor?” In addition, of all of Jesus’ parables, the Parable of the Good Samaritan (aside from the Prodigal Son) is likely the most familiar of all. On the one hand, ones familiarity with the parable makes it harder to listen to. On the other hand, that same familiarity continues to tangle us up in Jesus’ questions, and in our sheepish guilt, we respond to the parable, “desiring to justify” one’s self. All that being said, let’s listen and let the parables work. The end result for those who lean in is such good news.

During the worship service on Sunday, Rooted in Christ will be offered for 3rd through 6th graders. Rooted in Christ is a monthly gathering in which students are learning about how the coming of Jesus Christ was foretold in the Old Testament, and they are making Jesse Tree ornaments which they will keep for themselves and for the church. Here’s what some of those ornaments looked like this past Advent and Christmas.

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Lastly, the Kernersville Christian Minister’s Fellowship is participating in a Martin Luther King Jr Day celebration service hosted by Main Street UMC at 5pm on Sunday, January 19. Grace Kernersville will be taking Sunday Night Fellowship off so that people may attend the service. You may read more HERE

Artwork by Maximilien Luce  (1858–1941), Le bon samaritain, oil on canvas, signed ‘Luce’ (lower right); signed again and dated ‘Luce 1896’ (on the stretcher)

Sowing Words

This Sunday at Grace, we will begin a new series which will take us through Ordinary Time and Lent and up to Easter. As we move through late winter and spring, we return to the gospels as we have over the past several years. This year our focus will be on the parables found in the middle of Luke’s gospel. To get us started we will be looking at Luke 8 and the Parable of the Sower and the Seed.  Though outside of the section we will be focussing on, it provides a good introduction to the parables and serves as a bridge from Epiphany to Ordinary Time.

The Parable of the Sower includes some statements which for some may be troubling. In Luke 8:9,10 we read, “And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’” The troubling part is that the parables’ purpose seems to be to obscure and hide the plain declaration of the coming of the Kingdom of God and its King. However, the irony is that every person who reads, hears, or is told about Luke 8 is invited into the inner circle of the twelve disciples in order to hear its meaning — if only we will listen.

Over the next two months, let’s lean in and listen to the stories which Jesus tells. Let us listen carefully to his words and let them, like seeds, find a place in our heart so that they may grow and bear fruit.

And speaking of fruit, another endeavor which I hope will bear fruit begins.

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Friday evening kicks off a project led by the Almond Tree Artist Collective. Former GPC worship leader, Michael Kuehn, is leading an endeavor for artists and makers who would like to have a focussed project in which to work towards and/or collaborate over the next year based on Psalm 139. You can hear all about it on Friday night at 6:30pm at the church building where you’re invited to learn more about the project. If you have questions, please reach out to me or Michael Kuehn. More info is provided via the link to the Facebook event page above.

Lastly, lots of gatherings and opportunities begin over the next week too. Don’t forget…

GriefShare begins Monday, Jan 13 at 6:30. You may read more HERE.

Ladies Bible Studies are getting underway next week. See the opportunities below.
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Missions Conference: Heart for the Harvest

Grace Pres’ annual missions conference is coming up quick! We have three days of learning, serving, and exploring other cultures.
 
Friday, Feb 9, 6:30-9pm: Missions Dinner — Come for the food, stay for the fellowship! Barbecue pork dinner followed by, desserts, songs, and stories from the field. Come hear from Jonathan Spangler (Vision Trust), Leah & Daryl Burnette (World Venture, Mozambique), Serge, UK, Bruno Godson (Shining in Togo via Vision Trust, Togo), & Scott & Rebecca (nee Angle) Brand. Some of these missionaries will be joining us in person and others via video.
 
Saturday, Feb 10 @10am-noon: Service Project — When natural disasters strike, Mission to North America (MNA) steps in with disaster relief. One way they serve is by helping in the cleanup effort, and to do so they must have Flood Buckets filled and ready to go. We will be assembling Flood Buckets to deliver to MNA’s headquarters. Assembly will happen in the youth room at Grace. There also will be a concurrent children’s program for 3yo-5th grade, although upper elementary students may choose to help with bucket assembly.
Grace Pres will be purchasing all the specific items for this project because the inventory for each bucket is very precise. If you would like to contribute funds towards this expense, $70 covers filling a bucket. Feel free to give what you can.
 
Sunday, Feb 11 — THREE events back to back!
Sunday School at 9:30am: We will be hearing from a couple about their work in a sensitive location. Brunch will be provided.
Worship at 10:30am: Jeremy Sink will be preaching.
Lunch after service: With food comes fellowship! There will be questions that you’ve thought of over the course of the weekend; use this time to ask the speakers your specific questions. Sandwich lunch provided.