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.

We are very excited to visit with our friends at Robinwood and celebrate our annual Thanksgiving Dinner together on Sunday, November 15 in their great room from 5 -7 pm.

If you have food items to contribute, please bring them by the kitchen at Robinwood by 3pm. Guests, servers, and hosts need to arrive by 4:45 pm.

Quick quiz. Why is Reformation Sunday, the Sunday following October 31?

Stumped? Reformation Day is also known as Halloween or All Hallows Eve or Hallow’s evening which is the eve of All Saints Day. On All Hallows Eve, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the door of the Wittenburg Church.

The first of his Thesis was: “When Our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said, “Repent”, He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” This concept shows the heart of the gospel–that faith and repentance is an ongoing calling for the Christian rather than a the first step to becoming a Christian.

In honor of Reformation Day and Martin Luther’s bold stand for the gospel and the purifying fire which followed, GPC will host a Reformation Party at the building Sunday evening at 6:30 at the building. Join us for shmores and music. Maybe we’ll even watch a movie

This weekend, October 24 and 25, is our annual missions conference, Open Doors. We have a number of events planned for all ages. Come and hear what God is doing as we rejoice and are glad in his salvation.

The weekend’s achedule will flow as follows:

Saturday, October 24 from 6:00-8:30

6:00-7:00 pm Dinner Theatre. in the Sanctuary for adults and youth 6th grade and up. Our own Grace Players wills present, “The Ledge”. Children will have their own meal and activities during the evening session.

7:00-8:30 pm Worship, Listen, and Pray. During the second half of the evening, we’ll hear from missionaries which GPC has been supporting over the past year.

Sunday, October 25 from 9:30-Noon

9:30-10:15 am We will have a combined Sunday School for ages Kindergarten through adult in the sanctuary.

10:30-Noon We will worship and hear from our missionaries. Our morning concludes with celebrating the Lord’s Supper and rejoicing in his salvation.

You may download our Sunday worship bulletin here. See you then!