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…

Dear Grace Family and Friends: This has been a crazy week indeed! It started with a hurricane warning last weekend. We canceled in-person worship because of the warning. While there were no weather problems on Merritt Island, there was a car that hit a power source near the church, causing the church campus to lose power. The power was off from Monday…

Dear Grace Family: As we end the month of July, I pray for our school personnel, parents and students who are preparing for a new school year. It will be different from previous years because of the pandemic, and I know there is a great deal of anxiety. May our words and actions serve as a source of comfort for those who…

Dear Grace Family: Has someone ever quoted a scripture verse to you when you were having a hard time and the verse was not particularly helpful? I know that I have had this experience. Sometimes well-meaning friends and family members do not know what to say when we are struggling, so quoting a familiar Bible verse is an easy response.   This Sunday,…

Dear Grace Community: We continue each day to be aware of our need for the peace that can only come from God’s Holy Spirit. This week has been challenging for our community with the county trying to set plans to reopen the schools amid continuing spikes in covid cases.  This Sunday, July 19, my message will be based upon Genesis 28: 10-22…

Dear Grace Family: I pray that you are able to enjoy celebrating the July 4th holiday in a safe manner. It will be different than previous years because of the challenges of the pandemic, but thankfully we have the technology that helps us stay connected with family and friends. Thank you all for your ongoing prayers for the church and community. I…

Dear Grace Family: Thank you all for your compliance with our procedures for in-person worship and for the use of the church facilities. Everything has gone well so far. I hope that those of you who are in any high-risk category will continue to worship online at home, particularly as we see spikes in covid-19 cases in Florida. For those who choose…

Dear Grace Family: This Sunday’s message will be based upon six short verses of scripture, Matthew 10: 34-39. The passage includes Jesus’ saying that “whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” The message is entitled “The Promised Land and the Sword of Jesus.”   In our current environment, one way that we take up…

Dear Grace Family: First of all, thank you so much for your faithfulness over the past three months! Many of you have been very generous with your giving, and your staff and the community appreciate it very much. I am also very grateful for our team of folks who work each week to put together our online service. Tom Black, Nick Barth,…