YOUR CHURCH prepared and gave out 150 turkey baskets. Warren Easton, Ben Franklin and the Rotarians teamed up with us. The laundry baskets of food were so over flowing with Thanksgiving bounty that people could not carry them. That’s called a good problem. I love good problems.
At your church every week…
On Monday, every visitor who leaves an address gets a handwritten note thanking them for visiting from Margaret. Sheila, Brenda and Wendy change the Sanctuary colors. That evening, Dan leads a meditation class, and Toni teaches Disciple One Bible Study.
On Tuesday, men in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s meet to read and reflect openly about God, who we are and want to be; a few hours later mentally ill adults sit in the lobby of First Grace waiting to receive their medicines from a nurse; then, Karen and Ryan put together our emergency food bags, then THE BIG MEAL–George Lewis, Dan Thelan and Gayle Waylett lead a crew of Jean and Jerry, Flor, John, Barbara, Laurie, Carolyn, Gayle2, Ryan, Karen, Bob, Regina, Cheryl, Bob, Ron, Bongo, Jerry Lee Lewis on keys, Era, and many, many others…they prepare and serve a meal on white table clothes, real plates and silverware, and LIVE music; Then at night, the pastor leads his studies on spiritual disciplines; THEN 70+ Spanish speakers learn English.
On Wednesday Ron teaches Disciple Bible Study Two; Marice leads the Spanish Choir Rehearsal, THEN, Minister Jackson leads the Adult choir rehearsal.
THEN hundreds gather for Congreso– The Congress of Day laborers.
On Thursday Al-anon meets, the language classes meet again, various other meetings, sometimes the Church Council and Trustees Meet, and once a year we team-up with our neighbors to bless our neighbors with 150 Thanksgiving Baskets…
On Friday— the pastor buys donuts and random folks show up to put together the bulletin…sometimes the Drama Ministry puts on FIVE one act plays written by FIVE different people, with FIVE different directors and FIVE different casts on ONE night…and once in a while there is a talent show with a fire dance…
Five Days a week children and young adults on the autism spectrum move around First Grace like they own the place, their two clinics are upstairs; and immigrant children get legal help from Project Ishmael…
Seven Days a week an Intentional Christian Community of folks live in our church helping with several ministries, and women with their children live at Hagar’s House and put their lives back together again, with our church standing at their side. How long can they stay in our beautiful, supportive home? AS LONG AS THEY NEED TO.
I am sure I missed about 100 other ministries happening during the week, but we know God knows…
THEN…COME SUNDAY…children go to Sunday school to learn about a guy who got swallowed by a BIG FISH, a poor peasant girl who said yes to God in a mean world-and raised the Christ…Adults go to Kahlida and Dan’s Class or Adria’s Class to learn the ways of Christian life together. THEN…we worship-we joyfully give thanks. So much to give thanks for…
See you Sunday when we will give thanks for our life together and make our tithes/pledges and Capital Campaign commitments with GREAT thanksgiving. We have so many good problems. WOW. Thank you, God. Thank You.
See you Sunday,