Every Fall, Grace Church shifts into a higher gear. Despite COVID-19, Fall 2021 is no exception. Some ministries may look a little different than they have in the past, and some are still on hold until groups are able to meet in person. Ministry at Grace still moves forward at speed and your ideas, creativity, energy, and prayers are needed in all areas. We invite you to read brief descriptions of the ministry areas and contact the team leaders if you have any interest in joining them in their work.
Before you do, though, did you know that Children’s Sunday School is back at Grace? Children ages 4–9, and sometimes their younger or older siblings and friends, have been meeting during church time in the back of the manse. Check out this video from the summer!
Our GROW team is dedicated to the growth and organizing of fellowship and engagement among adults and children to encourage faith formation. Some things that fall under this category are: Sunday School, VBS, Zoom Daily Devotions, women’s and men’s ministries, Wired Word Happy Hour, Bible studies, and so on. We welcome anyone who is interested in engaging, volunteering, or helping to organize any one (or number) of these activities. Please contact Heather Kennedy (hsdkennedy@gmail.com) to inquire about any GROW activities you would like to be a part of.
The REACH committee is composed of three teams:
- Finance and Stewardship: Responsible for keeping track of income and expenses, budgeting of income to cover all of our programs and staff, and financial management of our property.
- Property: Responsible for the actual work of maintaining, repairing, and improving the three buildings and the landscape of our property; also for dealing with emergencies such as fallen trees and flooding.
- Communications: Responsible for the Grace Upon Grace newsletter, internet and social media outreach, the gracemontclair.org website, and the technology used for services in the sanctuary and on the internet.
As you can see there is something for anyone who would like to volunteer; no experience is required, just a willing heart
Contact Yvonne Luengo (yvonneluengo@gmail.com) if you are interested in finance and stewardship and Liz Rice (liz.j.rice@gmail.com) if you are interested in communications.
ACT is the service arm of our church, providing support to missionaries abroad as well as to local service organizations. Our global outreach includes missions in Austria, Madagascar, Spain, and Puerto Rico. On a national level, several of our missionaries are involved in ministering to college students through Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. On the local community level, ACT oversees our church’s involvement with Family Promise of Essex County and MESH. Additional projects that fall under ACT’s purview are the monthly food collection and the seasonal Operation Christmas Child.
CARE
The CARE Ministry is composed of four outreach ministries. Volunteers are always welcome in any of these ministries. Please contact the coordinator if you have any questions.
- Mercy Ministry (Janet Prevette / jprevette41@gmail.com): Personal visits to the homebound or those in nursing homes have continued even during this pandemic.
- Meals Ministry (Emy Kamihara / emkamihara@gmail.com): This ministry provides meals to those recovering from surgery or experiencing a long-term illness and has been the most active ministry during the pandemic. A volunteer cooks a meal or provides takeout for a member of the Grace family and delivers it.
- Prayer Ministry (Allyson Roe / allysonroe148@gmail.com): The present restrictions of COVID have affected the Prayer Ministry and put it on hold as there is no in-person activity after the Sunday worship service. But you can still pray by following the prayer lists in “This Week at Grace” and the weekly worship bulletin. You can also submit prayer requests to the church office, to Pastor Robin, or to Pastor Margo.
- Hospitality Ministry (open): This ministry organizes all church meal events such as brunches or suppers. Presently, that ministry needs a coordinator and volunteers. Contact Emy Kamihara (emkamihara@gmail.com) or Pat Walsh (clerk@gracemontclair.org) for more information on the Hospitality MInistry.
Worship is central to the ministry of Grace Presbyterian Church. The Grace community participates in the life of the church mainly through attending the worship services or viewing them online. The EXALT team is responsible for our worship. Elders Marie Nyland (moderator) and Liz Moulthrop work with Music Director Donald Du Laney, Pastor Robin Miller Currás, Pastor Associate Margo Walter, and Gwen Blackman to plan the weekly services and services for Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Christmas Eve, and other important liturgical days. The team also plans communion services throughout the year. If you find yourself saying “Amen” when the preacher makes an important point or tapping your toes to the rhythm of the worship music, there’s a place for you on the EXALT team. To find out more, contact Marie Nyland (marienyland62@gmail.com) or Liz Moulthrop (elizabeth.moulthrop@gmail.com).