Hello, Grace!

As mentioned on Sunday, we are halfway through Lent. As John Wesley would encourage folks to ask one another, how is it with your soul? When we engage with the work of self-examination, after getting past the surface level, things can get messy. Whether we uncover parts of ourselves we’ve forgotten or have intentionally buried away, it can be easy to get to this point and say, “you know what, never mind, I’m not ready for this.” I’ve been there before. Our Lenten journey is not one that is intended to bring about shame when we look at ourselves. Take courage to see the challenges in our soul not as points of guilt, but opportunities to empty and confess. It can be a simple prayer, for example:
“Lord, I’ve held onto this for too long, help me release it.”
“God I know that this is holding me back from loving you and my neighbor well, lead me to a better way.”
“This does not reflect you, and it doesn’t reflect my identity as a beloved child, remind me of who I am in you.”Just because it’s hard work doesn’t mean it’s bad work. Be grounded in scripture, in prayer, and in community as you journey. Please also remember to seek the help of professionals when needed. As your pastor I’m always willing to pray with you, listen, and offer spiritual advice, and I am ALSO an advocate of caring for mental and physical health well. If you need resources for any of those parts of your journey, please reach out. Continued blessings to all of you as we navigate the road from the wilderness to glory!

3 Things to Know

1. Palms, Pancakes, Pictures!Join us on Palm Sunday for worship at 10am, then stick around for a pancake breakfast, an Easter-themed photo booth, and an egg hunt for the kiddos. Invite your friends, family, neighbors, coworkers (whoever you can think of) to join us, and you can use this link to share on Facebook. A free will offering will be taken during breakfast, with funds going towards restoring the roof of Grace UMC. If you are able to help with pancakes, serving, or clean up, please sign up at the Connection Center or contact Pastor Taylor.

2. Holy Week Worship Schedule

At the conclusion of our Lenten journey, we walk through Holy Week, a time where our focus moves away from self examination to encounter the deep love of God through Jesus’ serving and sacrifice. There will be no Wednesday night supper or worship on April 1st, but we will have worship on Friday April 3rd at 6pm. We will  remember the Last Supper with Holy Communion, and reflect upon the sacrifice of Christ for us all. While schedules get busy, consider making plans for this important moment in the life of the church.

3. Donuts

Now’s a great time to make sure you get your donut order in for the next bake, which is on Wednesday, March 18! If you can help with donuts, contact Lori Burkhardt. Help is needed anytime from 6 am until around 10 am, and there’s a job for everyone. Help support this important ministry of Grace! Worship This Week Wednesday Evening- In the middle of John’s gospel, we get the story of Lazarus dying and being raised. There’s more to it than a powerful miracle, and we’ll talk about it. Sunday Morning- We will continue our sermon series, “From Wilderness to Glory,” looking at John 15:9–17, Jesus among friends. John Roberts will invite us to consider that our friends are more than just those we’re close with, and this powerful moment in Jesus teaching still speaks to us today. The choir will share a special song, Written in Red, and we will share together in Holy Communion. Join us in-person or online at 10:00 am! Prayer Requests

• *New* Carol A. asks prayers for Mary in the loss of her husband.
• Sharon (Aunt of Rachel B.) is dealing with multiple health problems
• Candace asks prayers for her dad who found out he has stage 3 cancer, and it’s too big to remove.
• Elloise B. asks for prayers for her grandma, who fell off a stepladder and hurt her shoulder.
• Holly E. and her brother. He’s been dealing with alcohol addiction, and Holly is his current caregiver. Prayers for both for recovery, endurance, and rest.
• Kayte (daughter of Jean and Russ W.) is scheduled for surgery on her back coming up. Hoping for pain relief.
• Abe and Dale in their roles as caregivers.
• Pete for his health.
• Jackson/Manning family following as they continue to rebuild following a house fire.
• Emma (member of Grace Youth) has been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, a thyroid issue. Prayers as they discern treatment moving forward.
• Saleem who is battling stage 3 cancer and on his second round of chemotherapy treatments.
• Ashley (relative of Sandy S.) had a tumor found in her brain last week. They are trying to figure out the steps.
• Kris (sister of Kay H.), who is struggling with an autoimmune disease and flare-ups. Comfort, relief and the right meds.
• Annett (family of Jodi M.) is dealing with some health issues.
• Therese asks prayers for Jeffery’s life struggles and mental illness, for those who sit in sadness and depression, Kari and her struggles with her son, Mary Jo (sister), and her grandchildren.
• Nancy Q. asks for prayers for Hannah and Mike. They were married last June, and now Hannah has cancer and Mike has lost his job.
• Jaron, for his recovery and health issues.
• Patrick (Nephew of Carol A.), who is dealing with addiction.
• Megan (Niece of Anne and John R.) is dealing with cancer recurrence.
• Xavier from Grace Kids asks us to continue to pray for the family and friends of Adam A.
• Trisha R. for continued healing and support.
• Cheryl G. during her battle with cancer.