GRACE NOTES MARCH 2018

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1 GRACE NOTES (con nued from last month) MARCH 2018 Another part of the challenge for a church like ours is that our prac ces no doubt seem strange to some who might see us from the outside. Holy Week, for some, might be the ul mate example of such strangeness. Our church will, on Palm Sunday (March 25), celebrate with a processional of palms, the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, the event that ini ated the final week of his earthly ministry (or so everybody thought at one point). Later that week, the final supper Jesus took with his disciples will be marked with a supper church in Fellowship Hall on Thursday the 29th, in which we (like the disciples) will sit down to a meal and also partake of communion in con nuity with our earliest sisters and brothers in the faith. (We are hoping to be joined by some of our brothers and sisters from Covenant Presbyterian Church.) The following day, Good Friday, the choir will lead us in a Tenebrae service at noon. (For those who are interested, or who cannot a end the noon service, Covenant will host a Tenebrae service at 7:00 p.m.) Finally our celebra on of Jesus s resurrec on on Easter Sunday morning brings to a climax the remembrance of what many call the most significant week in the life of the church. This kind of thing doesn t sell, some would say. You can be quite sure that there are plenty of churches, probably including some in Gainesville, that won t touch Maundy Thursday or Good Friday with a ten-foot pole; some may already be having Easter services that Friday night. Those certainly aren t happy events, it s true. But perhaps, in a culture that has so long been bombarded with demands to be upbeat and relentlessly cheery, facing the full story of Jesus s final week, crucifixion included, is exactly what some are seeking a er all. As the kids from Margery Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland have been showing us, shallowness and triviality are not the end-all and be-all of youth. Young adults who have had enough of peppy faith actually do turn to churches with hymns and liturgy and everything (those of you who read Rachel Held Evans s Searching For Sunday last fall might remember that story). So it s not hopeless; they are out there. How, then, do we connect with them? (con nued next month)

2 Page 2 The Anna Circle will meet on Tuesday, March 13th at 10:00 am in the library. April Riley and Karen Russ will be the hostesses and Karen Russ will lead our study of Lesson 8 Mary of Bethany - Risky Acts of Love in the Ten Women of the Bible" by Max Lucado. Please bring your study book and your Bible. All women of the church are welcome. Please come and enjoy the fellowship. 2 - Karen Jennings 3 - Billie Jean Jones 4 - Phyllis Piazza Jo Beaty 15 - Ken Richardson 17 - Jo Bartz Mickey Wallace 18 - Mickey Kientz 20 - Hazel Williamson Kevin Youngblood 22 - Laura Raizada John Russ 25 - Vernon Mize 29 - Cammarron Morgan 31 - Grace Gillespie Please call the church office at , if your special day is NOT listed or is NOT correct. We have received a donation of $52.59 from Amazon Smile for the months of October, November, and December Thank You! Please continue to shop at Amazon Smile and designate Grace as your charity. StartWithaSmile at smile.amazon.com/ch/ for your shopping and Amazon donates to Grace Presbyterian Church of Gainesville, FL.

3 WORSHIP & MUSIC COMMITTEE Page 3 Reverend Dan Graham will be our pulpit supply on March 4, 2018 Communion will be by tray service on March 4, 2018 Guest speaker will be here on March 18, 2018 Palm Sunday is March 25 and * Eco Palms will be distributed to the congregation Maundy Thursday service is March 29th at 6 PM with fellowship dinner and communion in Fellowship Hall. Covenant Presbyterian Church will join us Good Friday service is at Grace at noon on March 30th. A Tenebrae service by the choir will be presented Evening service on March 30th at Covenant Presbyterian Easter Sunday is April 1, The new Paschal candle will be lit. The candle was graciously given by Bill and Ann Preston in honor of CD and Myra Weaver Committee will meet after worship hour on March 18, 2018 ECO PALMS The Eco Palms waved on Palm Sunday are a Fair Trade Palm that promotes social justice. Gatherers receive a higher price for their fair trade palms improving their income. At least half of the farmers in Central Peten of Guatemala earn additional income from harvesting fronds and more than a quarter of household heads support themselves exclusively by collecting fronds. * The Eco palms provide income to forest communities and are sustainably harvested and managed - protecting the palms and the forest they need for shade. *ecopalms.org website PASCHAL CANDLE A new Paschal candle will be lit on Easter, April 1, Bill and Ann Preston graciously donated the new Christ candle in honor of CD and Myra Weaver. Reverend Weaver expertly hand forged the candle pedestal that holds the Paschal candle. A hand forged procedure is where the metal is heated red hot and forged into shape by striking with a hammer against an anvil. The pedestal was presented to Grace Congregation by the Weaver s son, Stephen Weaver, and it was dedicated on Easter Sunday May the light of Christ be with us when we leave this sanctuary!

4 Those signed up for Fellowship Hour in March are: 3/4-3/11 - Woodward 3/18 - Cutler & Niblack 3/25 - Birthdays & Anniversaries - Ferguson & Nunnery The Fellowship Hosting schedule for 2018 is posted in Fellowship Hall. Please sign up to host a Sunday or several Sundays throughout the upcoming year. Page 4 NEW PICTORIAL DIRECTORY We are putting together a new pictorial directory. We need every one to closely review the contact information we now have on ile for you. We will be contacting everyone either in person, by or by telephone to con irm your information. We will also need you to either sit for a photograph or provide us with your favorite recent picture of yourself/your family as soon as possible. If you don t need a picture taken, please get your picture to either Lois Butler or Debbie Harris. The 2018 FLOWER CALENDAR is up in the Narthex. Please sign up for a date you would like to provide flowers for the sanctuary. The cost is $ Those signed up for March are: 3/4 - Woodward 3/11 - Preston 3/18-3/25 - Pastoral Care Two elders volunteer to be available to church members and friends who may need assistance. If Reverend Freeman is unavailable or the church office is closed, these elders are on-call to help. Elders on Call For March are: WT Chesnut (352) Varian Osteen (352)

5 February Session Meeting Highlights February 12th Page 5 George Dekle, a real estate broker who lives in the neighborhood, spoke to us about the need for a new fire sta on in the neighborhood. He told us that Greg Stetz owns the en re block that our church office sits on except for our lot and building. Mr Stetz is s ll interested in purchasing our property and selling the en re block to the city for a new fire sta on. The session is taking this offer under considera on. The Session is recommending that pledge money for Montgomery s capital campaign NOT be sent at this me STEWARDSHIP & FINANCE Adjustments were made to the 2018 budget due to an increase in pledges and a decrease in building insurance CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Adult Sunday school is studying Proverbs - Ecclesiastes will be studied next Children s Sunday school a er worship during the fellowship hour WORSHIP Will purchase new liquid candles and holders for the sanctuary from the Nunn bequest Pat Roth was recognized on January 21 Two pianos were tuned and a dehumidifier was placed in the piano in the choir room Ash Wednesday service will be held on February 14 th at 7:00 pm Daniel Graham will be the supply preacher on March 4 th Communion will be held on March 4, 2018 by tray service Eco Palms ordered for Palm Sunday 3/25 Maundy Thursday Service 3/29 dinner and communion Good Friday Service 3/30 at noon - Tenebrae service by the choir Easter Service 4/1 Paschal Candle will be lit Lily order form available in bulle n and Grace Notes CONGREGATIONAL LIFE & OUTREACH Working on new pictorial directory Congrega onal Dinner was a success MISSION All 2018 Mission projects were approved The following distribu ons will be made from the Nunn bequest: $520 to Family Promise for 2 beds $480 to St Francis House one- me dona on 85 cans of soup were collected on Super Bowl of Caring Sunday Future blood drives will be held at Parkview Bap st Church Family Promise week is March Checking into financial needs of Acorn Clinic St Francis House newsle er will be put on the bulle n board in the Fellowship Hall PROPERTY & OPERATIONS FLAPDAN office is complete and Kathy Broyard has moved in A/C unit in church office has been repaired but needs to be replaced Inves ga ng security cameras

6 Page 6 LPG, Living, Praying, Giving We learn to PLAY by playing; we learn to LIVE by living; we learn to PRAY by praying; we learn to GIVE by giving. This project is a food and household item collection. For the month of March we will be collecting pasta. Please join us in praying for those who have immediate concerns: Martha Turby ill; Julie Woodward s brother, Dennis Schwab; Lois Butler s sister, Holly Durst; Doug & Jo Bartz; Wally Kirk; April Riley s sister, Libby Jones; Nancy Niblack; Pat Roth and family; Gail Rawlins, Kathy Franks sister; and Judy Wingate. Also pray for those with longer term needs: Harriet Brask, Evelyn Caldwell, Mickey Kientz, Pauline Kirk, Anette McGee, Phyllis Piazza, Laura Raizada, Dick Ramer, Betty Squires, Mabel Che-Tuma s niece - Shekina, our military, irst responders and our church. If there are other people or concerns that you would like to add to this list, please contact Karen by phone, or of ice@gpconline.org. Vernon Mize accepting an award for Grace Presbyterian Church at the Life South Annual Banquet. Grace saved 72 lives in All future blood drives will be held a Parkview Baptist Church. Please make sure to tell them that you are donating for Grace. Our next blood drive is April 14.

7 The following Committee Members Were Approved at the February Session Meeting Administration & Personnel Lois Butler, Chair All committee chairs Ex Officio Members Treasurer Christian Education Varian Osteen, Chair Ex Officio Member Congregational Life & Outreach Debbie Harris, Chair Lois Butler Sherry Crane Kathy Franks Vernon Mize Barbara Nunnery Julie Woodward Ex Officio Member Finance & Stewardship Lois Butler, Co-Chair WT Chesnut, Co-Chair Nancy Niblack Mary Williamson Don Woodward Ex Officio Members Treasurer Property & Operations Clint Collins, Co-Chair Carl Crane, Co-Chair Sherry Crane Bill Preston Ex Officio Member Mission Anette McGee, Co-Chair Julie Woodward, Co-Chair Lois Butler Sherry Crane Kathy Franks Vernon Mize Nancy Niblack April Riley Ex Officio Member Worship & Music Karen Russ, Chair Julia Freeman Lois Ferguson Barbara Nunnery Ann Preston April Riley John Russ Don & Julie Woodward Ex Officio Members Karen Jennings Pat Roth Jennifer Wingate Page 7 MEN S NOON LUNCH & FELLOWSHIP The men of the church are invited to meet each Wednesday from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in the library for fellowship. Please bring your own brown bag lunch, beverages will be provided.

8 Liturgy Passages for March 3/4 3rd Sunday in Lent Exodus 20:1-17 Psalm 19 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 John 2: /11 4th Sunday in Lent Numbers 21:4-9 Psalm 107:1-3, Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3: /18 5th Sunday in Lent Jerimiah 3l:31-34 Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 119:9-16 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12: /25 Palm Sunday Palms: Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16 Psalm 118:1-2, Passion: Isaiah 50:4-9a Psalm 31:9-16 Philippians 2:5-11 Mark 14:1-15:47 or Mark 15:1-39 (40-47) 3/26 Monday of Holy Week Isaiah 42:1-9 Psalm 36:5-11 Hebrews 9:11-15 John 12:1-11 3/27 Tuesday of Holy Week Isaiah 49:1-7 Psalm 71: Corinthians 1:18-31 John 12: /28 Wednesday of Holy Week Isaiah 50:4-9a Psalm 70 Hebrews 12:1-3 John 13: /29 Maundy Thursday Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10), Psalm 116:1-2, Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-17, 31b-35 3/30 Good Friday Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Psalm 22 Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 John 18:1-19:42 3/31 Great Vigil of Easter Page 8 Genesis 1:1-2:4a Psalm 136:1-9, Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13 Psalm 46 Genesis 22:1-18 Psalm 16 Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 Exodus 15:1b-13, Isaiah 55:1-11; 12:2-6 Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 Psalm 19, 42 and 43 Ezekiel 36:24-28 Ezekiel 37:1-14 Psalm 143 Zephaniah 3:14-20 Psalm 98 Romans 6:3-11 Psalm 114 Mark 16:1-8

9 1:00 - Korean Service 6:30 Rev - Freeman Choir Rehearsal vacation 11:00 - Worship Service 7:00 pm - Square Dance Group 6:30 pm - Barbergators 6:00 pm - Girl Scouts 7:00 - Evening Service at Covenant Presbyterian 25 Palm Sunday 10:00 - Adult Sunday School 12 noon - Men s Lunch 6:00 - Maundy Thursday Service & Fellowship Dinner 12:00 noon - Good Friday Service at Grace Rev. Freeman s Day Off :00 - Adult Sunday School 11:00 - Worship Service Guest Pastor Worship & Music Committee Meeting 1:00 - Korean Service Family Promise Week 7:00 pm - Square Dance Group 6:30 pm - Barbergators 6:30 - Choir Rehearsal 6:00 pm - Girl Scouts 12 noon - Men s Lunch 6:30 pm - Gainesville Harmony Rev. Freeman s Days Off :00 - Korean Service 11:00 - Worship Service 7:00 pm - Square Dance Group 6:30 pm - Barbergators 6:30 - Choir Rehearsal 6:30 pm - Gainesville Harmony 6:00 pm - Girl Scouts Rev. Freeman s Days Off 11 10:00 - Adult Sunday School 6:00 pm - Session 10:00 am - Anna Circle 12 noon - Men s Lunch Rev. Freeman on Vacation 6:30 pm - Barbergators 4 10:00 - Adult Sunday 5 School 11:00 - Worship Service Communion 7:00 pm - Square Dance Guest Pastor-Dan Graham Group 1:00 - Korean Service 6:00 pm - Girl Scouts 6:30 - Choir Rehearsal 6:30 pm - Gainesville Harmony Rev. Freeman s Days Off 12 noon - Men s Lunch Rev. Freeman s Rev. Day Freeman Off on Vacation AA (Out to Lunch Bunch) meets M-F at noon AA (Every Step We Take) meets every evening at 7 pm 6:30 pm - Gainesville Harmony Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Page 9 MARCH 2018

10 JANUARY Grace Presbyterian Church 3146 NW 13th Street Gainesville, FL Phone: Fax: W E RE ON THE WEB: GPCO NLINE. ORG The finance committee would like to keep the congregation informed as to our General Fund income and expenses and our pass through donations. If you have any questions, contact Lois Butler at or treasurer@gpconline.org. January Income $ 31, Expenses $ 10, Pass through donations: January Two Cents a Meal $ Good Sam $