Dear Grace Family: This Sunday, October 25, is reformation Sunday on the church calendar. What I appreciate most about the Reformation is that the movement gave birth to the concept of the “priesthood of all believers.” This concept reminds us that all Christians are ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This gives us all both freedom and responsibility. We are free…

Dear Grace Family: Hopefully you all received word that our pumpkin delivery will be delayed, but we anticipate that the pumpkins will be here by the middle of next week. We look forward to the opportunity to bless the community with the tradition of the patch, and we ask everyone to follow all the safety rules so that we minimize COVID risks.…

This coming Sunday, October 4, is recognized on our church calendar as “World Communion Sunday.” This is one of my favorite Sundays of the year. It began in 1936 in the Presbyterian Church and was adopted by what is now the National Council of Churches in 1940. As an article from Ministry Matters explains, “World Communion Sunday is a time for remembering…

Dear Grace Family: I had the privilege of a little time away this past weekend,  and I am so grateful for our great worship team doing excellent work in my absence. But I am not surprised, because they do excellent work every week. We are blessed with some great talent here at Grace, and I thank God for each one. From Pastor…

Hello Grace Family! I am so grateful to all of you as you continue to volunteer around the church in support of the many mission and ministries of Grace. You are truly building bridges between Christ and our community in so many ways. This past week saw several new beginnings. MOPS had their first meeting on campus since mid-March and seeing all…

Dear Grace Family: I really appreciate the fact that so many of you have returned your pledge cards for 2021. It is a wonderful thing to have a significant amount of funds pledged to help us plan the budget for the coming year.  If you have not yet turned in your 2021 pledge card, please do so by September 27, 2020. While…

Dear Grace Family: As we approach Labor Day weekend, it is my prayer that we all make the effort to stay connected with our friends and family. Many people who normally travel on holiday weekends may not do so this year, but there are still ways to be social by phone or letter or the various forms of electronic communication. Loneliness and…

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…

We are fast approaching the first day of school and this year it has been fraught with turmoil as parents and teachers are worried about attending classes in person. I invite everyone to keep our schools, school administration, teachers, parents, and students in your prayers as we begin this year in a different way. Some of our students will continue to do virtual…

Dear Grace Family and Friends: As we approach the opening of our public schools for a new year, we will see more traffic and more people out of their homes. I pray that all of us can exercise extra patience and that we can express gratitude for each pleasant encounter. The isolation of the past few months has been difficult for many…