GRACE This Week

It’s very interesting to watch the huge amounts of snow melt. Yesterday, I saw the edge of my grass for the first time and heard birds singing. I know we still have some winter ahead of us, but I confess that it was good for my soul.  I burst into an impromptu second verse of a favorite hymn:

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love

Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Great is Thy Faithfulness indeed. The seasons change but God’s faithfulness never does.

 PRAY FOR TEXAS

I had a long conversation with my former Peachtree colleague Bryan Dunagan yesterday. Bryan is the Senior Pastor at our sister ECO Church – Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas Texas. As you know, Texas experienced an incredible storm that took out water and power for millions. Bryan shared that though the initial emergency brought on by the water and power loss has ended, the damage left behind is significant. The demand on families who were struggling before the storm, is now crushing. Many lost their apartments or homes through fire or water damage. Bryan told me they can’t keep up with the demand to help families – including getting people into temporary housing. I also talked to Alf Halvorson, your former pastor, who as you know is serving another sister ECO Church, Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas. They too, are busy meeting the needs of those who have been impacted by the weather.

I invite you to pray for Texas and these churches. Also, if you would like to make a gift to a disaster relief offering to partner with Highland Park and Memorial Drive as they meet specific needs and love Dallas and Houston in Jesus’ name, CLICK HERE.

We point to God’s faithfulness when we pray and give and live our lives pointing people to Him.

SUNDAY

On Sunday, we continue in our I Believe Series, with “I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord”. Kyra Thomas, our Pastoral Fellow, will be preaching — her first sermon! I am excited for her and excited for you to hear her. As you may already know, Kyra is in seminary at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary pursuing her MDiv and is in the ECO ordination process. She is a very gifted young leader and is leading our GRACE Young Adult Ministry. Also, on Sunday, we will baptize one of our newest GRACE little ones.

MISSION OPPORTUNITY: Connect with our Local Partners

This Thursday evening, March 4, from 5 – 6:15 pm, I want to invite you to join our local partners- New Bethany Ministries, Northeast Community Center, Bethlehem Emergency Services and Victory House for “Mission Possible: A Conversation with our Local Mission Partners”. On the zoom call, we will learn how our local partners are ministering and serving during the pandemic and how we can connect and join them in their work. CLICK HERE to receive the Zoom link.

 CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

Just a reminder that the Session has called a meeting of the congregation/corporation for the purpose of electing officers, receiving the annual report, and hearing an update from the building committee. The meeting will be Sunday, March 7 immediately following the 11 am worship service. You may attend in-person (please register online) or via zoom. The zoom link will be available next week.

We will do our annual “reading of the names” of those who have graduated to the Church Triumphant as a part of Sunday morning worship on April 11th in all services.

Great is our God’s faithfulness!

Dr. Marnie Crumpler
Senior Pastor