Dear Grace Family: With a new school year underway I see more traffic and activity around the church and in the Merritt Island community. I am grateful for the signs of life and activity all around us, even if it requires extra patience when driving. If you are in the process of adjusting to a new schedule because of school starting, I pray that you can give yourself and those around you extra grace as we all adjust.
This Sunday, August 30, we will offer communion at our in-person service and we will consecrate the communion elements in the online service. If you worship online, plan to have some bread and juice or water available so that we can share communion together as part of the online service.
The scripture passages for Sunday are Romans 12: 9-12 and Matthew 16: 21-28. The message is entitled “Living Like Jesus: Plain Talk During a Pandemic.” Our District Superintendent, Rev. Dionne Hammond, will be sharing the message, as she plans to do for every fifth Sunday service during the year.
If you have not yet signed up for the Wednesday book study that I am leading via Zoom starting September 9 at 6:30pm, just email Pat Harrison at path.gumc@gmail.com and she will add you to the list and I will send you a Zoom link. The book we are studying is Adam Hamilton’s book entitled “Unafraid: Living with Hope and Courage in Uncertain Times.” You can purchase the book on Amazon or through Cokesbury.
Finally, as part of your outreach ministry this week, please share on Facebook or through email an invitation to at least two friends to watch our online service. We can share the gospel every day, even from the comfort of our homes. May God’s blessings and joy be with you each day this week! Pastor Steve Hart