ETHOMASVILLE. OM 115 UNITY STREET, … · 6/6/2020 · homeless people have been clothed, a garden...
Transcript of ETHOMASVILLE. OM 115 UNITY STREET, … · 6/6/2020 · homeless people have been clothed, a garden...
WWW.GRACETHOMASVILLE.COM 115 UNITY STREET, THOMASVILLE, NC 27360 [email protected] Issue No. 50 June 2020
Dear people of God at Grace Lutheran Church,
As a pastor, like in many professions I’m sure during this time, I’m feeling tired and worn out from different media, officials, and random people all offering different perspectives on what to do right now. The Church especially has been mentioned as something that should re-open and I have found this comment to be especially troubling because if we think of the Church as a building, we have failed.
The Church as a building was never the point to Jesus and the early Church which we have been reading about in Acts during the Easter Season. Throughout the Gospels, you can find Jesus teaching on the characteristics of the Kingdom people as they reflect the character of God in the world. The Church was never about brick and mortar. It was always greater than that. It was about a way of being in the world, that was decidedly different from people who did not follow Jesus or Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus tells Peter he is the rock of the Church. He affirms His disciple Peter’s faith and character and says that he will be the foundation of the Kingdom community as it grows.
Jesus isn’t hiring Peter—a fisherman by trade—as an architect to design a building with a steeple. He only notes Peter’s devotion and tells him to continue the Kingdom work Jesus already begun. Jesus calls Peter to steward the people of God: no building campaign, no weekly services just sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the world and providing meaningful relationships with one another.
We have never been closed. Each week the Gospel has been spread. Sure, you haven’t heard it in your favorite pew - but the same message you heard at home was heard by your neighbor in Australia.
Each week over a hundred people have been fed by our sandwich ministry, our local hospital has felt our support and love, homeless people have been clothed, a garden has been planted, and hungry people have been fed, relationships with one another have been nourished by phone, email, and Facebook.
If anything during this time I find that our congregation has opened, opened to people who don’t usually get to come to church, in increased mailings to our shut-ins and weekly meal deliveries. Opened to expand the love we have for our neighbors in new ways of gathering items for those in need and providing connection to those who are lonely. Our congre-gation has opened to new ideas and new ways of working together.
Yes, church looks different, but it has been far from closed over the past couple of months. Because you can’t close the Church because the Church as my favorite camp song points out, “the Church it is the people living out their lives! Called, enlightened, sanctified for the work of Jesus Christ! We are the church! The body of our Lord! We are all God’s children and we have been restored!” (Jay Beech, The Church Song)
May you remember that you - yes you! - are the church the hands and feet of Jesus in the world sharing God’s love, even though it may look a little different right now. God’s peace be with you!
Pastor Cassie
GRACE OFFICE HOURS:
Monday —Thursday
9:00 AM — 1:00 PM
LUTHERAN CHURCH
Rev. Cassie McIntosh Overcash,
Pastor
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Sandwich Ministry During Covid-19
In the, late 1980’s Lynn Fitzgerald invited Raymond Payne to share his story at one of our potluck
lunches one Sunday. He graciously accepted the invitation and shared his life story which for
many years consisted of homelessness, drug addiction and even incarceration. His sharing about
the difficulties of finding food, especially on Sundays, while homeless is how our Sandwich Minis-
try started. He said that while many soup kitchens provided food during the weekdays, most did
not operate on Sundays. So, he himself had started a sandwich ministry (Rabbit Quarter Minis-
try) in which he delivered sandwiches on Sunday to areas on the outskirts of High Point where
the homeless gathered. When we expressed our interest in getting involved, he and his wife
took and me and another member of Grace out to the areas around Martin Luther King drive and
other areas where meals were needed. He even went with us on the firsts few trips to deliver
the sandwich bags. Our sandwich ministry has grown and changed over the years from the seed
planted by a once homeless Raymond Payne.
Raymond also shared how while imprisoned he came to know the Grace of Jesus and vowed to
give back to society once he had served his time. And he has done just that and continues to do
so today. He also has not been homeless since.
Our Sandwich ministry has continued since this meeting and has grown, expanded and adapted
even during COVID-19. Our Sandwich ministry is serving the Thomasville Inn, one of the worst
places in Thomasville as you probably hear about and see on the news. Our sandwich ministry
stepped up and continued to feed hungry people in Thomasville even during this epidemic
providing hot meals while supporting a local business, Rosa Mae’s; canned goods; and familiar
faces. Not only did our sandwich ministry feed the hungry during this time but they also expand-
ed their reach to feed those on our shut-in lists and those with medical needs making them more
vulnerable during this time providing a hot Sunday meal for them.
Thanks be to God for our sandwich ministry who shows love to our neighbors by providing food
to all who hunger.
If you would like to contribute to this ministry, it would be greatly appreciated. This ministry is
funded totally by contributions. You are also welcome to volunteer and help the Sandwich Minis-
try feed our community!
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For the foreseeable future we will be worshipping in the parking lot Sunday Mornings at 10 AM. All are welcome!
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The Vine is a community garden ministry of Lutherans in Davidson County. The first garden is housed at St. Luke’s in
Tryo and we hope to expand this if this year is successful!
The garden has been planted but we need everyone’s help to upkeep this project. You can sign up to help water, weed,
or eventually harvest here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4dacac2fa1f58-thevine
Or talk to your Pastor about ways you can help!
Chaplain Colleen Danson at Thomasville Hospital is looking
for cards for residents on the 4th floor of the Thomasville
Hospital (geriatric psych) and the staff that works with them.
Messages of encouragement, prayer, upbeat happy words
will be greatly appreciated! There are 42 residents and 15
staff that work directly with these residents. Because of
HIPAA we can't share their names so you may address them:
"dear friend or dear neighbor." There will be a box in the
coffee area one labeled 4th floor staff and one labeled 4th
floor residents for you to drop off your cards.
A Card Writing Ministry
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We are still providing meaningful opportunities like pastoral care by phone, facetime, and videos for you to stay connected
to our church from home. We know these are hard times, we know we are all experiencing financial hardship, but we all
know that we will need our church to be gathering together after this is over. For that to be able to happen we need you to
continue to give to your church, to honor your pledge if possible. If you are staying at home you can mail your offering in
we are keeping the office open as long as we are able. You can drop your offering by the office and pick up a church to-go
kit. Your continued giving is making a difference to many people in our community as we continue to support the Sand-
wich Ministry and CCM. The need right now is high and growing as people are not able to work. If you are in need of help,
please reach out to your church family!
We are also happy to announce that you can give online through the NC Synod site and they will send the funds to us.
Here are the instructions:
Use this link: https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=96379
North Carolina synod's website has a pull-down menu (three lines in the upper right-hand corner) where you can find the
option to donate. Phones and laptops display differently, but you'll find the donate icon somewhere. Michael Denise, our
synod's financial officer said we could donate there, and they would get the money to our congregations.
Here's how you do it:
Indicate the amount you want to donate. Select "where needed most" and in the memo line, type the name of your church.
The rest is just like any other online transaction.
PLEASE NOTE:
1. There are loads of Grace congregations. You HAVE TO INCLUDE OUR CITY.
2. You are limited by the number of characters you can type in the memo box. Get creative, so they know our city and
congregation.
3. If you are worried about your transaction or have questions about online giving in this way contact
[email protected]. There is no card fee for these gifts.
4. It will prompt you to either create an account or continue as a guest, either is fine.
A Note From the Finance Committee
By now you should have received your giving statements for the first quarter of 2020. If you haven’t received a statement
or if you have any questions, please call or email the church office.
In order to meet our 2020 budget we need to receive $4031. in regular giving each week.
For the first quarter, January-March, 2020 we needed to take in $52,403 in regular and loose offering to meet our budget.
We actually received $49,467.80 which leaves us $2,935.20 short for the first quarter of 2020. All of March bills have been
paid and we had a balance of $12,919. in available funds as of March 31st.
Deposits for April totaled $10,735.00. Some of those funds are earmarked for other categories such as Pay it Forward and
memorials. We needed to receive $16,124. in regular and loose offering to meet budgeted needs, so you can see we’re
quite a bit short for the month.
Thanks to all of you for your continued love and support to Grace during these difficult times.
Ways to continue supporting our congregation during this time
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2020 Graduates!
Rachel Wood
Rachel writes, “I plan to attend NC State with a major in human biology, and the Life
Sciences First Years program along with being a member WISE (Women in Science
and Engineering).”
“All of my favorite memories have come from competing in swim at Draughn High
School. Going to States my junior year was definitely the most fun experience I had
in swim. We bonded even more so a a team and enjoyed a lot of good food from
Cary, NC, including snacks from our ‘grocery run.’ A cool fact would be I’ve played
violin for ten years.”
Rachel Wood is the granddaughter of Pat Wood.
Hannah Coltrane is the daughter of Chad and Tami Coltrane and granddaughter of Mike and Jane
Hill, will graduate from Southwest Guilford High School. Hannah is a member of the National Honor
Society and a varsity cheerleader. Hannah plans to attend Appalachian State University and major in
nursing. Her future plans are to be a neonatal nurse.
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Tausha Marie Kirk will receive her high school diploma from Yadkin
Valley Career Academy on May 29, 2020. She completed her high
school classes in December 2020 and simultaneously graduated
from Davidson County Community College with her CNA certificate.
She will continue classes at DCCC in the fall for nursing.
Cindi Hill graduated from UNCG. She’s continuing her education
there to get her Masters and doing a summer internship with
Victory Junction.
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Happy Birthday! 4 Bob Herman 9 Bill Yandell Martha Musselman 11 Melissa Woller 15 Margie Venable 16 Elton Miller 19 Del Price Jim Gainey 21 Genelda Price 24 Imogene Beck 30 Jeanette Putman Loretta Wise Lynn Fitzgerald
Happy Anniversary!
2 Scott and Deborah Beaver
8 Chris and Jaime Moore
14 Mark and PaulaSue Okken
21 Bill and Rachel Armentrout
30 David and Sandra Armfield
You’re going to need these!
CONGREGATIONAL BEACH RETREAT!
Join us for worship on the beach, fellowship, and fun! Call or email the Church Office!
Want to build relationships and get away for a few days? Join
your Grace Lutheran family at the beach August 7-9th at The
Agape’ Kure Beach Faith Center located right on the beach!
Cost is $50 per person per night for lodging and we will need to
organize meals which may be an additional cost.
We need two more people to go
to meet the facility minimum!
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WWW.GRACETVILLE.ORG • THOMASVILLE, N.C. • (336) 476-4114 • [email protected] ISSUE NO. 50• JUNE 2020
Lutheran
Church GRACE 115 Unity Street
Thomasville, NC 27360