Dear Grace Family: This week, we received word from our conference leadership that our United Methodist churches are allowed to hold in-person worship services beginning on June 21. Our team here at Grace is working diligently on safety plans for when we resume in-person worship. Please pray for all of those involved in this process, as it is challenging.  We will release…

Dear Grace Family: As we enter the Memorial Day weekend, I imagine that many of us have loved ones, friends, and acquaintances who died in military service. It is a time to appreciate and to honor their sacrifice. As Jesus taught, “…greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13. We honor…

Dear Grace Family: What is a good thing that you have learned about yourself or your family as a result of this pandemic? We have all learned many challenging and unpleasant things, but it is important to ask ourselves about the good things. I have learned that I benefit greatly from more consistent time with my family and more consistent time alone.…

Dear Grace Family: I would never have anticipated when 2020 began that we would not have public worship on Mother’s Day weekend. While circumstances are not as we would prefer, I am grateful that, as far as I am aware, no members of Grace have tested positive for covid-19. We continue to pray for God’s daily guidance in making the best decisions…

Dear Grace Family: Being separated from our routine community life offers an opportunity to reflect upon what our community means to us. Despite the distinctly American emphasis upon individualism and personal freedom, human beings were made to live in community with each other. We need time alone, but too much isolation is not healthy for any of us. Personally, I miss many…

Dear Grace Family: I miss you all! This has been a strange several weeks. While I am grateful for the technology that makes online worship possible, it is not the same as worshipping in person. God willing, we will return to some form of in-person worship before the end of May.  In the meanwhile, I am excited to share that we will close…

Dear Grace Family:Here we are in the heart of another holy week. But this one is unlike any other that we have experienced. We are confined to our homes. We may be fearful regarding our health and the health of our loved ones. We may be fearful about our economic futures. Yet in the midst of these concerns, we have the opportunity…

Dear Grace Family: In 1966, Robert Kennedy delivered a speech in which he quoted a curse which says, “May he live in interesting times.” Kennedy went on to say that while life then was interesting and dangerous and uncertain, it was also the most creative of any time in history. Times of crisis call upon all of us to be creative in…

Dear Grace Family: As we continue our journey through COVID-19 and its effects on everyone, it is important that we all develop routine prayer practices. You may have specific, personal prayer needs to share. Please send those to Pat Harrison at path.gumc@gmail.com. Pat will forward those requests to me and Pastor Beth and our prayer team. If you have a need that…

Dear Grace Community: Have you ever struggled to forgive someone who has hurt you? I think we all have, and sometimes we may struggle for years to let go of the hurt and the pain in order to offer true forgiveness. This Sunday, as we continue our Lenten sermon series, we will explore what it means to embrace the uncertainty of forgiveness.…