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New Grace Weekly Format
This week, you will notice Grace Weekly has a new format to make it easier to read on all devices! Each week, we will begin with our video message followed by our new feature “The Top 3.” These will be the three new announcements you definitely need to know about. At the end of those entries, we will format all the other announcements under each of our strategy areas.
Not sure where to look for the announcements you want? Gather entries feature information about worship services, giving opportunities, and leadership. Connect entries focus on ministry events and classes for Adults, Children and Students. Finally Bless entries offer ways for members to serve our communities and organizations that can help them like Friends of Westchase, Stephen Ministers, and Clothed by Faith.
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Regathering
We are beyond excited to invite you back to campus in safe, incremental ways! While we currently remain in Phase 1 of our Regathering Plan, we have revised it to accommodate both large and small group gatherings.
First, we welcome you to use the campus to meet for adult small groups, Bible studies, and ministry-oriented gatherings. At this time during Phase 1, we are opening the campus for adult gatherings only. We have identified two large group spaces:
- the Sanctuary — for groups of 100 or less, and
- the Chapel — for groups of 50 or less, in the evening.
We have also identified about a dozen rooms appropriate for small groups of 10 or less for adult gatherings. You can reserve rooms by contacting our receptionist, Sandra Babcock. She will be happy to work with you to identify an available time and room for groups of adults.
Second, we are thrilled to have rescheduled our outdoor evening worship service for Sunday, August 23 at 6:30 p.m. It will be a great evening together! We will give you more details next week. As we have done previously, should the situation change significantly in the next week, we may be forced to make changes to keep the congregation safe.
Third, we have heard your feedback about how formational and meaningful the Mid-Week Worship services were for you. So, good news! We hope you’ll join us for the Virtual Mid-Week Worship on September 2 at 7:30 p.m. You can find the link to that service on our website on Wednesday.
As a reminder, we are using two metrics that can be found on the Texas Medical Center website HERE that guide our plan for in-person worship services. The metrics include:
- a 14 day decline in the number of new cases
- and a 10% or lower positivity rate of testing
We are tentatively planning to resume in-person worship on September 13, provided these targets are satisfied. More details about this will be featured in next week’s Grace Weekly.
For more information about returning to our campus, please click HERE for a detailed look at our phased plan for regathering.
Finally, our Grace family has not been immune to the virus. As we plan and prepare to regather for in-person worship, we ask you to join together to pray over the impact of COVID-19 on those in our community, nation, and around the world.
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Updated Grace Family Communications
Here are the ways we will keep you updated regularly:
- Transition Webpage: Each week, our Leadership and Session will keep you updated HERE. If you have questions that are not answered on our transition webpage, you may always email us HERE. You may email our active Elders HERE. You also may email our active Deacons HERE.
- Grace Weekly Videos from Grace Leadership: Each week, via a video message, a member of our staff or Session will share timely, updated information about the life and ministry of Grace Church.
- Weekly Updates from the Session: Each Friday, we will post brief updates from our elders and Transition Team on the Transition webpage HERE. Additionally, you may email our elders HERE.
- Kitchen Table Talks over Zoom: Thanks to those of you who were able to join us for one of our Kitchen Table Talks on Sunday, Aug. 2 or Wednesday, Aug. 5! We will have more of these in August, so stay tuned!
- Social Media: We will keep you updated over our social media accounts, too. Please follow us on Facebook HERE. Our Instagram account is: @gpchouston.
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Session Meetings
Our Session meets once a month, usually the third Tuesday. Members are welcome as guests to Session meetings. During this season, the Session is meeting by Zoom. As a guest you will be recognized at the beginning of the meeting and provided opportunities to share when applicable. There may be time during the meeting when the Session will go into executive session and attendance will be limited to session members and specifically invited participants. During this time, you will be asked to leave the meeting.
Please click HERE if you would like to join the zoom meeting. Should you want to join by phone, please use this number: 346-248-7799 (Meeting ID: 896 6442 0177).
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Remember, click on each button below to read all the respective Gather, Connect, Bless announcements.
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