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Spring Broken
I just love this time of year because there exists an instant conversation starter: What are you doing for Spring Break?
Just this single question provides an opportunity to dialogue with a group or individual. The response may be that they do not have any plans for the week, or they may share, in great detail, the exciting adventure that awaits them. Either way, that one question is an entry point for a brief walk with another through conversation.
As I think about the reality that I am not traveling anywhere this week - I wonder, am I on “Spring Broken?” Thankfully, my Spring Break plans, or lack thereof, have no bearing on my salvation. However, there is some truth to the brokenness.
The word says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7: 24-25)!
Given our brokenness, there exists a need for healing and wholeness. I am convinced that because Jesus traveled to the cross on our behalf, we must do all we can do to travel to Him, daily. Additionally, the beautiful thing about a transforming relationship with Jesus is that it is both personal and corporate. Therefore, it occurs to me that there is another question we should ask those around us: What are you doing this Sunday?
We should be intentional in our trips to the foot of the cross and also to our trips to the church to gather together to worship and celebrate the Lord. What a wonderful opportunity to include others! This spring, why not invite a person or a group of people to join you in worship on a Sunday morning at Grace?
Below is something that may help in your conversations - it has been compiled in order to make it possible for everyone to attend church this Sunday - it is a special “No Excuse Sunday.”
- Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, “Sunday is my only day to sleep in.”
- There will be a special section with lounge chairs for those who feel that our pews are too hard.
- There will be hard hats available for those who say the roof would cave in if ever they came to church.
- Blankets will be furnished for those who say the church is too cold, and fans for those who say it is too hot.
- Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present.
- Doctors and nurses will be in attendance for those who plan to be sick on Sunday.
- The Sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who never have seen the church without them.
I hope you have a safe and refreshing Spring Break. I look forward to seeing you at Grace, Sunday.
Peace, Trey |
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Celebrate the Ministry of The Rev. Chad Erb
We invite you to celebrate the ministry of The Rev. Chad Erb at a drop-in reception on Sunday, March 17, 10:15-11 a.m. and 12:15-12:45 p.m in the Church Library. As the Grace family, we look forward to sharing our love and appreciation with Chad and his family, as well as surrounding them in prayer for their next journey. |
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Student Missions Sunday, One Worship Service on Sunday, March 31
On Sunday, March 31, we will celebrate and worship together with one service in the Sanctuary at 10:00 a.m. This special day will highlight Student Missions with worship, a silent auction, church-wide lunch, and Sporting Clay Tournament. Throughout the day, you’ll see students serving as greeters and ushers, assisting in worship, playing in the band, and so much more. You’ll also have the opportunity to hear all about what God is doing in Student Ministries and our exciting plans for our mission opportunities in 2019. For more information, please click HERE. |
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Stewardship 2019
Recently, we celebrated our Stewardship Commitment Sunday! If you have not turned in your pledge card, it’s not too late! You may mail it to the church office, bring it to worship on Sunday, or pledge online at www.gpch.org/gratitude. God’s grace is powerfully at work here. There are new members, new conversions, new ministry opportunities all rising up from God’s grace at work in and through people like you. What a privilege it is to be able to respond. Thank you for committing your time, talents and treasures to the mission and ministry at Grace. |
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Lily Dedications
Every Easter the Grace Sanctuary is filled with lilies given in honor or in memory of someone. Dedications may be made through April 14. The cost is $10. You may purchase a lily online at: gpch.org/lily. |
Join the Choir Family
Now is the perfect time to join the choir family. No experience necessary, and you’ll have the BEST seat in the house every Sunday! For more information, contact Stephanie Clarke (sclarke@gpch.org; 713-267-5031). |
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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Holy Week and Easter Schedule
Maundy Thursday, April 18
7 p.m., Sanctuary
(Child care is available by reservation; contact dkay@gpch.org before the April 12 deadline.)
Good Friday, April 19
7 p.m., Sanctuary
(Child care is available by reservation; contact dkay@gpch.org before the April 12 deadline.)
Easter Sunday, April 21:
6:30 a.m. Sunrise worship, the Courtyard
7:15-11 a.m. Continental breakfast, Massey-Tucker Fellowship Hall
9 a.m. Contemporary worship, Sanctuary
10:15-11 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt for Children, Grace Athletic Fields
11:15 a.m.Traditional worship, Sanctuary
11:15 a.m. Grace en Español, The Founders’ Chapel |
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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Here's What We're Learning in
The TreeHouse
March 17
Basic Truth: God made me.
Key Question: Who made you?
Bottom Line: God made me.
Memory Verse: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” • Psalm 139:14
Bible Story Focus: God made me to respect myself.
Respect Myself. • 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 16:13-14 |
Auction Donations
Needed for Student
Missions Sunday
March 31
Do you have tickets to the Astros? Do you own a fabulous vacation home? Do you have great taste in jewelry? Donate to our Student Missions Sunday Silent Auction where donations will help raise funds for Student Ministries Missions and other student programs throughout the year. Donations and donation forms may be dropped off to Angie Williamson in the Student Ministries offices and are due by Sunday, March 17. For more information about Student Missions Sunday, please click HERE. |
Middle School
Spring Retreat
April 5-7
We are excited to head back to one of our favorite spots in Texas with some of our favorite people, Camp Cho-Yeh! Come join us as we hang out with friends and make new ones. We will eat WAY too many snacks, play games, have awesome worship, and dive into God's Word together. Space is limited so sign up today!
We will meet at Grace on Friday, April 5, at 5 p.m. We will eat Chick-Fil-A for dinner, load up the buses and head out to Cho-Yeh. We will return on Sunday, April 7 at noon. The cost is $100. For more information, contact Reed Brentlinger (rbrentlinger@gpch.org; 713-267-5076). Register HERE. |
McKechnie Scholarships
The Grace Presbyterian Church Endowment Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the fourth year of scholarship awards from the Grace Church’s endowment funds. In 2018, the board awarded scholarships to four students attending Grace School and 25 students attending 14 different US colleges and universities. The funds for these scholarships come from the General Endowment Fund for Grace Church and the David G. McKechnie Scholarship Fund. The scholarships are funded from the income produced by these two Endowment Funds, so funds available are totally dependent on the income produced from the two fund balances. The application for 2019 scholarships is available HERE.
If you want to make a gift to the Grace Church General Endowment Fund to assist in building the capacity of the endowment to fund these scholarships and other needs of Grace Church outside of the annual operating budget, you may contact Hardie Morgan at the church office. The McKechnie Scholarship Fund is closed to new gifts, so all new gifts will need to be made to the General Endowment Fund. |
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 for 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. Grace will host a Triumph camp after each morning of VBS in June. For more information, contact Lisa Ann Henkel (lhenkel@gpch.org; 713-267-5015). |
Register Now for April Parents' Night Out
Saturday, April 27, 5-9 p.m.
We’ve invited Triumph Sports to create their All-Start Sports and Games Tournament for our next PNO event. Elementary age kids will play games, learn memory verses, and hear a Bible Lesson during the pizza dinner. The program includes games like Capture the Flag, Kickball, and Dodgeball in several different forms. Kids will learn or improve skills like throwing, catching, dodging, as well as basic strategy. The schedule is fast-paced and includes 10-12 different games as well as a closing ceremonies. The emphasis is on FUN, not athletic ability, and kids will be grouped together with others from their age group.
Note that for this PNO: PreK Fours will be in a Sunday School classroom with Grace Childcare Workers.They will have centers, snacks, crafts, and a video. We will still place babies through PreK Threes in the nursery. If you have questions, please email Lisa Ann Henkel at (lhenkel@gpch.org; 713-267-5015). The deadline for registration is noon on April 19. Register HERE. |
Here's What We're Learning in
The Backyard
March 17
Bible Story: Dare You to Move (Timothy) • 1 Timothy 4:12 (supporting: Acts 14–17; 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:10)
Bottom Line: God made me to make a difference.
Memory Verse: “How you made me is amazing and wonderful. I praise you for that. What you have done is wonderful. I know that very well.” • Psalm 139:14, NIrV
Life App: Individuality—Discovering who you are meant to be
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Save the Date! VBS 2019
June 10-13, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
This year our theme is LEVEL UP!... How are YOU gonna play the game? Mark your calendars now for the best week of the summer! |
World Water Day 5K & Open House
Grace Student Ministries will partner for the third year in a row with Living Water International for the World Water Day 5K. This year the race will raise money to share safe water with the people of Plaine du Nord, Haiti, the same place our church will be sending another team with Living Water this month.
The 5K Run/Walk: Meet us at 7:30 a.m. at Living Water International. The race starts at 8 a.m. This will be a chip-timed race with awards for the top three participants in each age group (14 and under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60 and over). Stay after your run/walk to enjoy the Open House and tour the Living Water International office, meet the staff, and hear the stories of thirsty people whose lives you’ve forever changed! This activity will be fun for the whole family. Guests are welcome to stop by anytime between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Details and registration can be found HERE. Contact Lindsey McDonald (lmcdonald@gpch.org; 713-267-5067) to let us know you are participating or with any questions/comments. |
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. |
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. |
Sisterhood March Dinner
March 24, 5-7 p.m., home of Cathy Finck (8710 Cedarspur Drive)
All High School girls and their friends are invited to The Sisterhood Dinner at Cathy Finck’s house. For more information, please contact Angie Williamson (awilliamson@gpch.org; 713-703-5083). Register HERE |
Encore April Day Trip:
The Wild West in the Back Yard – New Dubina
Wednesday, April 3
9:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
It is a rite of passage for many Texans to retire to a home on the range. But unlike other wannabe cowboys, Jimmy Helms, a retired Houston dentist wasn’t content with just a herd of cattle and a stocked fish pond. He built his own old Western town that recalls the days of lawmen and gunslingers on the ranch. He now has well over 20 buildings to explore. Come join us and return to the Wild West! The cost of the tour and lunch is $15. Seating is limited. For more information, 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 be helping to create 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 number of families). Pick up and drop off at WHAM, located at 10501 Meadowglen Ln. 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. |
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Powerful Tools for Caregivers
Beginning April 30, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Are you or someone you know a caregiver for a loved one? Powerful Tools helps caregivers develop skills and confidence to better care for themselves while caring for others. It is a six-week series led by trained facilitators using a standardized curriculum. The weekly topics range from reducing your stress to communicating in challenging situation and mastering caregiving decisions. Caregivers learn the skills needed to reduce stress, communicate more effectively, practice self-care, reduce guilt, anger and depression, make tough decisions, and much more. The workshop begins April 30 at 10 a.m. to 12: p.m. for six weeks. There is a charge of $25 for the workbook, no charge for the course (scholarships are available). To register, please contact Becky Morris (bmorris@gpch.org; 713-267-5091).
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Houston Food Bank
Saturday, April 13 from 8 a.m.-noon, Portwall Warehouse
Bless our neighbors across Houston while in fellowship with Grace at the Houston Food Bank. For more information and to register, please contact Paul Mancillas (paulmancillas@gmail.com; 832-260-8329). |
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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, Kenya. Please donate homemade cakes, cookies, and pastries. All donations may be brought to the Heritage Room on Saturday, May 4. |
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Looking Ahead in 2019… SAVE the DATE!
March 23, World Water Day 5K and Living Water Open
March 31, McKechnie Scholarship Deadline
March 31, Student Missions Sunday
April 5-7, Middle School Retreat
April 18, Maundy Thursday Service
April 19, Good Friday Service
April 21, Easter Services
April 27, Parents' Night Out
June 10-13, Vacation Bible School
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