“I need”  - Example:  I need a washing machine.

“I am willing to” - Example: I am willing to mow lawns 1 day a week.             

This board is a “free” service.  No money should be exchanged. Everything must be 100% free. This is another great way to re-cycle and re-use the items we have or no longer need. Please contact Holly Boersma with any questions at rhboersma98(at)yahoo.com or 214-6804.

Free childcare will be provided. Please be sure to invite your friends!  For more information, visit www.townhallforhope.com.

Tree Planting—Janet Jackson will be sharing details soon for this community service project for the City of Piqua. Tentative date is May 16; plan now to join a planting team.

Wrapper Recycle!  Save your energy/granola bar wrappers AND juice pouch containers (Like Capri Sun & Kool aid). We will soon have containers at the church to deposit them for recycling. The wrapper or pouch must have a shiny foil lining. Each wrapper or juice pouch earns .02 cents for either Troy Christian School or Sidney Christian School. Check out the Terracycle.net web site for more info!

We usually think of those words from Isaiah 11 as they were written—referring to Jesus, our King, who came as a helpless baby. Last month at Grace Church, a little child had a BIG idea; indeed a solution to a green dilemma! Church housekeeping staff Darrell and Joanne Kress had brought their young grandson, Tytus Kress to church to help clean. As they were making their rounds they came across a very large trash bag full of shredded paper. Hesitant to just toss it in with the rest of the trash, they wondered aloud what could be done with it.

Little Tytus, age 3, was quick to respond: “Mamaw, what about the pet stores? They always use the paper in the animal cages.” Bingo! After a few phone calls the Kress family was able to deliver all of the shredded paper to two area pet stores who gratefully accepted every bit of it!

I was so thrilled to hear of this (thanks to church secretary Brenda Windle) that I just had to share it. The earth is the Lord’s; we are the caretakers tending the garden for His glory and for those who come after us….our children!

Thank you Tytus, for creatively leading us in the effort of being good caretakers of God’s earth! Let’s all follow his lead in reducing waste and thinking of creative ways of reusing resources whenever possible.

A sign up calendar will be available outside the chapel.

Reserve a time for yourself, or perhaps your family, or with a friend and come and pray. You will find a journal to write in your prayer requests or joys in the chapel. Also, there are various reading materials and prayer materials in the chapel bookcase. Feel free to light the candles and reflect on your life and your relationship with Christ and what you desire to change. Come to Easter prepared to celebrate Christ’s resurrection. Come having experienced the fullness of Lent.

 “Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and relents from punishing.”

-Joel 2:13

Sunday School Care Ministry

Children’s Ministry Missions/Outreach

Student Ministry Hospitality

Media and Sound Trustees

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In 2009, also be watching for a new prayer ministry to begin. Please see me if you’re a person who is passionate about prayer.

Finally, let’s remember that we have many neighbors who are visiting the Bethany Food Pantry and soup kitchen on a regular basis now. There is a continuous need for food. Please bring food as often as you’re able and leave it in the cabinets in the welcome area.

Also, let’s remember children who do not have food through weekends. The Munch Bunch Ministry continues to take our contributions of non-perishable, single serve items that we can pack into a lunch sack for children to take home on Friday and eat through the weekend.

On behalf of the Bethany Center and Munch Bunch Ministry, thank you for your kindness and generosity in serving our neighbors and friends in need.

Some years ago, a few days before Christmas, I was spending an afternoon with Micah, the five-year-old son of a friend. Our conversation, naturally, gravitated to the topic of Christmas so I asked him, “Micah, what are you going to give for Christmas?” He was startled by the question and answered, “Give? I
can’t give anything.” “Why?” I asked. “I don’t have any money. I can’t buy any presents,” he replied.

I asked him if he knew what he would buy for his family if he had the money. His answers were simple; a watch for Daddy, a necklace for Mommy, and toys for his big sister. I suggested that he draw pictures of each of those items, then
he and I could place the pictures in boxes, wrap them and he would have presents to give.

Micah enthusiastically and joyfully set to work. He was so thorough he even remembered to draw a gift for his sister’s favorite doll, who was also a member of the family. After wrapping the presents, I placed them in a small shopping bag and suggested he hide them in his room where no one could find them. The excitement on his face was contagious as he said, “This is going to be the BEST
Christmas.” On Christmas morning, before opening any gifts, Micah distributed his presents to each member of his very surprised family.

The ability to give to those we love is one of God’s great gifts to us. As I  remember Micah’s excitement I wonder if God the Father had the same excitement when Jesus was born. God was providing us with a gift of love and, by extension, a reason for giving. May this Christmas be a celebration of giving for each of you beloved people of Grace Church.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”
Isaiah 9:6

The Family of Grace offered the course with instructors Ryan and Elizabeth
Cool this fall. For the individuals who took the recent journey through Financial Peace University, the investment of time has more than paid off.

“We’re more structured now with our finances than we were before,” says Joe Vincent with his wife Holly. “Now we’re on the same page and we know where the money is going because we have a plan.”

Jon and Stephenie Rohrbach agree. “We communicate a lot more now about our
finances,” Stephenie says. “This course also helped us get out of debt. We sold Jon’s truck, which was financed, and we paid off three credit cards!”

Course facilitators Elizabeth and Ryan Cool were encouraged by the progress made each week by participants and recognized their milestones by inviting them to cut up credit cards as they paid them off and closed out accounts.
“It was fun to meet with this group each week to see them share success stories and learn new ways of communicating about finances,” says Elizabeth. “This course encourages couples to be open to communicating about money and bringing them toward one common goal.”

More than 500,000 people have taken this course, developed by nationally-renowned financial guru Dave Ramsey. On average, participating families pay off $5,300 and save $2,700 during the 13-week period that they attend this class.
No one could summarize the spirit of the course better than Marcia Niswonger, who attended the session with her husband Gary. “Financial security provides spiritual security,” she explains. “It’s about being in tune with God and abiding by what He tells us to do with money.”

The Family of Grace is planning a second Financial Peace University course. Financial Peace University class will begin again on Thursday, February 5 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. in the Conference Room and will continue for 13 weeks.

The cost is $109 per family, which includes course materials and CDs, childcare during the classes, and a lifetime membership to Ramsey’s online resources.  We will be having two identical free preview sessions in the Conference Room on Thursday, January 29 at 6:30 PM and Sunday, February 1 at 12:10 PM (lunch provided).

If you are interested in learning more, stay tuned to Sunday morning announcements  or contact Ryan and Elizabeth Cool at coolr@thefamilyofgrace.com or call the church office at 773-8232.