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Foolish Child
This past Sunday was Palm Sunday and Sunday at The Masters golf tournament. It was a memorable Sunday on both fronts. We remembered the truth that The Master road into Jerusalem on His way to the most unprecedented and costly victory in the history of the world. Additionally, Tiger Woods completed what many are calling the most impressive comeback story in the history of sports by winning his fifth green jacket at Augusta National.
However, as I write this message, I am reminded that we are likely to move on, now that Sunday has come and gone. In other words, we will move on to the next Sunday or the next golf tournament or the next event. We seem to have difficulty savoring the special moments in our lives. Consider the last time that you paused long enough to revel in a picturesque sunset or a flower in bloom. When did you last sit down with people you love and have a meaningful conversation? Time is precious, yet it seems to me that we often squander it.
I am in the middle of a 30-day spiritual discipline focused on gratitude. Each evening I spend a few minutes reflecting on one new thing each day for which I am grateful. I have been amazed by how life-giving this has been for me. Rather than spending my time thinking about what went wrong in the day, I am thinking about all of the things and people for which and for whom I am grateful. I encourage you to try it for 30 days and see how it impacts your life and attitude.
I am reminded of the story about the donkey, the Monday after Palm Sunday:
The donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride. He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. “I’ll show myself to them,” he thought. But they didn’t notice him. They went on drawing their water and paid him no mind.
“Throw your garments down,” he said crossly. “Don’t you know who I am?” They just looked at him in amazement. Someone slapped him across the tail and ordered him to move. “Miserable heathens!” he muttered to himself. “I’ll just go to the market where the good people are, they will remember me.” But the same thing happened, no one paid any attention to the donkey as he strutted down the main street in front of the market place. “The palm branches! Where are the palm branches?” he shouted. “Yesterday, you threw palm branches!” Hurt and confused, the donkey returned home to his mother.
“Foolish child,” she said gently. “Don’t you realize that without Him, you are just an ordinary donkey?” (Wayne Rice)
Do you ever feel like a “foolish child?” Perhaps a little more gratitude in our lives will help our attitude. As we approach Easter Sunday, may we remember that He takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary. I hope you will join us at Grace for one of our three services – I look forward to seeing you.
I am grateful for you!
Peace, Trey |
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Holy Week and Easter Schedule
Maundy Thursday, April 18
7 p.m., Sanctuary
Contemporary Worship
Good Friday, April 19
7 p.m., Sanctuary
The Seven Last Words, a Sacred Cantata by Theodore Dubois
7 p.m., The Founders’ Chapel
Grace en Español
Easter Sunday, April 21:
6:30 a.m. Sunrise Worship, the Courtyard
9 a.m. Contemporary Worship, Sanctuary
11:15 a.m.Traditional Worship, Sanctuary
11:15 a.m. Grace en Español, The Founders’ Chapel
7:15-11 a.m. Continental breakfast, Massey-Tucker Fellowship Hall
10:15-11 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt for Children, Grace Athletic Fields
On Easter Sunday, we invite you to bring flowers for our Easter cross in the courtyard. Sunday school classes will NOT meet on Easter Sunday, but will resume on April 28. Child care for children Kindergarten and under will be available beginning at 6:15 a.m. |
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Vote for Grace In "Best of Westchase" contest
Grace has been nominated in the Best Charity/Non-Profit category of the "Best of Westchase" contest! Please take a few minutes to cast your vote and share with others who can vote for us as well. Voting is open until April 25. Vote HERE. |
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Officer Nominations
Now Being Accepted
Nominations for deacons and elders to serve a three-year term beginning late fall 2019 are now being accepted. Please complete nomination forms online at gpch.org/officer. Forms are also available in the Narthex and may be turned in at the Welcome Center by May 7. |
Out Of Town This Sunday? Watch Us On Facebook Live Each Week!
We love gathering together each Sunday as a Grace family! But, if you are unable to join us for worship, there are two ways to join us online: on our homepage or live on our Facebook page. |
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Now You Can Give
On the Go!
In less time than it takes to write a check, you can now make contributions using your smartphone at church or anytime. Mobile giving is a quick, easy, and convenient way to support the ministries and missions of Grace.
Online giving is easy to set up, and you can make a one-time gift or automatic recurring contributions with your designated bank account or credit card. You are also able to view your complete giving history.
Using your smartphone’s camera or code reader app, you can scan this QR code to go straight to the secure Grace online giving webpage. Follow the prompts to create or login to your giving profile, and in just a few clicks, your contribution is made. |
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VBS 2019
Registration Open
June 10-13, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
We're ready to LEVEL UP! "How are YOU gonna play the game?" will be our challenge to more than 500 kids and 300 volunteers as they travel through video game-themed stations. Through crafts, snacks, games, and Backyard Bible Adventures, we'll study how Daniel and his friends played for the Kingdom of God. And each morning will begin and end in the ultimate power-up: worshiping in the Sanctuary. For more information and to register a child or to volunteer, visit gpch.org/vbs/. |
Sisterhood Dinner
April 28, 5-7 p.m., home of Cathy Finck
All High School girls and their friends are invited to The Sisterhood Dinner at Cathy Finck’s house. We’ll eat some delicious food, play a super fun game, and listen to a testimony! For more information, please contact Angie Williamson (awilliamson@gpch.org; 713-703-5083). Register HERE. |
Volunteers Needed
Did we mention that more than 300 teen and adult volunteers are needed to make VBS possible? Want in on all the game action? For more information about volunteer opportunities, visit gpch.org/vbs/. |
Preteen Movie Night
May 3, 6-9 p.m.
Massey-Tucker 201
Children’s Ministries invites all 4th and 5th graders to a Preteen Movie Night! Come check out the Middle School Ministries space, play some games, watch a movie, and EAT (dinner and snacks!). The cost is $10, and registration is open HERE. For more information, contact Lisa Ann Henkel (lhenkel@gpch.org; 713-267-5015). |
Summer Sports Camps Job Opportunity
Triumph Sports is looking for high school and college students who love Jesus, love working with kids, and love having fun to work at its summer sports camps. Applicants must be 16 or older. High school students earn $10/hour, and college students earn $12/hour as coaches. College graduates can be head coaches and earn $20/hour. Apply online at www.TriumphSports.com. Triumph will offer a camp after each morning of VBS in June as well as operate the PNO event in April. For more information, contact Lisa Ann Henkel (lhenkel@gpch.org; 713-267-5015). |
Phases:
Parent Conversations April 28, 10:15 a.m. in The Backyard (inside the Learning Center building)
Join Family Ministries staff as we tackle the parenting issues you’re facing right now and share ways to keep your family focused on God’s love. For more information, contact Lisa Ann Henkel (lhenkel@gpch.org; 713-267-5015). |
Student Ministries
Summer Mission Trips
Registration is open for all of our Student Ministries summer mission trips. Information and registration links may be found HERE. |
Easter Egg Hunt
April 21, 10:15 a.m.
Grace Athletic Field
Children’s Ministries invites all children Fifth Grade and younger to our Egg Hunt! We will have three areas sectioned off and will stagger the hunt times so you can enjoy each age group:
- 10:20 a.m. Under Twos
- 10:30 a.m. Twos through Preschool
- 10:40 a.m. Kindergarten through Fifth Grade
Bring your own basket to collect eggs in or we can provide an egg carton for you. Afterwards, each child will trade in the eggs collected for a bag of Easter treats. For more information, contact Lisa Ann Henkel (lhenkel@gpch.org;713-267-5015). |
May Encore Trip: Butler Longhorn Museum and Kemah Boardwalk Tour
May 8, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Think of Texas, and you think of Longhorns: ponderous cattle with horns as wide as a man is tall. From the western art of Charles M. Russell to the University of Texas mascot, the Longhorn is synonymous with Texas and its long ranching history. Yet few Texans or visitors to this state realize that at the beginning of the 20th century, Longhorns were on the verge of extinction. Today, the Longhorn is alive and well thanks to the efforts of six pioneer breeders and a few far-sighted federal employees, who refused to allow these animals to become extinct. The Butler Longhorn Museum tells the story of this amazing comeback, and in doing so, tells a compelling chapter in the story of the American West. Following the museum tour, we will enjoy lunch at a place of your choosing and then enjoy shopping on the famous Kemah Boardwalk until 3 p.m. The cost of the museum tour is $10. To register, contact Becky Morris (bmorris@gpch.org; 713-267-5091). |
June Encore Trip: Alley Theatre, Ken Ludwig's
"The Three Musketeers"
June 30, 1:30 - 5 p.m.
All for one and one for all! A swashbuckling romp of romance, danger, and comedy, perfectly suited for the whole family. Alexandre Dumas’ timeless tale springs to life as the young D’Artagnan, joined by his sister Sabine, discovers honor amid intrigue and high-stakes adventure when he meets the famous Three Musketeers. En garde for this action- and humor-packed summer hit. The cost is $25. Payment is due by Sunday June 9. To register, contact Becky Morris (bmorris@gpch.org; 713-267-5091). |
Student Ministries
Project Home
May 11, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Grace Student Ministries will partner with West Houston Assistance Ministries (WHAM) for their community Food Fair. We will help pack boxes of food from WHAM’s food pantry. Later that morning we will pass out the food boxes to families in need of assistance. We will meet at WHAM at 9 a.m. Food Fair will end no later than 2 p.m. (time varies depending on the number of families). Pick up and drop off at WHAM, located at 10501 Meadowglen Lane. Please make sure to eat a big breakfast before arriving at WHAM. Bring a sack lunch to eat and water bottle for during our time at WHAM. Wear closed toe shoes and long pants. Register HERE. |
College Ministry
The Bridges Sunday School class coordinates our college ministry events throughout the year. If you have college-aged children, please contact Carey Dow (careydow@me.com; 713-822-3981) to make sure that we have their contact information so that we can let them know when events are planned. |
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Church-Wide Bake Sale
Sunday, May 5
Massey-Tucker Fellowship Hall Lobby
Mark your calendars for a church-wide bake sale hosted by the Women of Grace on Sunday, May 5. This bake sale will fund scholarships for female students at Grace Girls’ High School in Kenya. Please donate homemade cakes, cookies, and pastries. All donations may be brought to the Heritage Room on Saturday, May 4, by 3 p.m. For more information, contact Diana Peper at 713-291-0325. |
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Why Stephen Ministry?
We have many needs for care in our congregation and community: people experiencing divorce, grief, a terminal illness, loss of a job, relocation, an empty nest, retirement, hospitalization, loneliness, and many other stresses or challenges. Often people with needs suffer silently or do not request or receive the level of care they really need. With a limited number of pastors for a congregation the size of Grace Presbyterian, you can quickly see why it would be impossible for our pastors to meet every need of every single person. Stephen Ministry expands the care Grace Presbyterian Church can offer by equipping and organizing members to provide Christian care. This gives us a larger pool of people with the gifts, skills, and calling to bring Christ’s love and care to those who most need it. And this one-on-one care is completely confidential. If you or someone you know is going through a difficult time, contact Denise Phelps or Susan Jernigan at 713-582-3332.
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Become a Mentor & Impact the Life of a Middle School Student Forever!
For the past seven years, Grace Presbyterian Church has partnered with Paul Revere Middle School to provide adults the opportunity to mentor students. Mentoring, at its core, guarantees students that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with daily challenges, and reminds students that they matter. Research confirms that mentoring has a powerful positive effect on students personally, academically, and on their future dreams. Signing up involves three easy steps: filling out an application, completing a background check, and having a placement conversation. For more information or to speak to a member of the leadership team, please click HERE .
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Brookwood Will Be Blooming at Grace
Sunday, May 19
Join us in the courtyard to celebrate God’s work through the citizens of Brookwood! The Horticulture enterprise grows approximately 300,000 plants a year across 47 greenhouses, employing nearly 100 citizens every single day. Check out what’s new for spring and bring color and life to your yard! Plants will be available for purchase. |
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Looking Ahead in 2019… SAVE the DATE!
April 18, Maundy Thursday Service
April 19, Good Friday Service
April 21, Easter Services
April 27, Parents' Night Out
April 28, Phases: Parent Conversations
May 3, Preteen Movie Night
May 5, Women of Grace Bake Sale
May 19, Brookwood Plant Sale at Grace
June 9, One Worship Service at 10 a.m.
June 10-13, Vacation Bible School
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