Welcome to the Spring 2024 issue of Grace upon Grace! This spring, Grace Presbyterian Church held a Gospel Music Celebration for the first time since 2019. Under the leadership of Music Director David Malyszko and Guest Conductor Vinroy D. Brown, Jr., choir members from Grace Presbyterian Church and Union Congregational Church joined with instrumentalists to present a worship service filled with God-praising, spirit-lifting music. For this issue of Grace upon Grace we invited Grace and UCC folks to reflect on Gospel music and the Gospel Music Celebration and how they have touched their lives, and we invite you to read their reflections. We also invite you, dear reader, to let us know how Gospel music has touched you. Send a message to storiesofgracepc@gracemontclair.org and we will publish it online.
Although the Gospel Music Celebration is best enjoyed as a live, in-person event, we are also thankful that we have recordings available that let us revisit some past highlights, courtesy of Gwen Leggett Blackman, and a recording of the 2024 Gospel Music Celebration (click here to view), courtesy of Union Congregational Church. Enjoy, and thank you for reading Grace upon Grace!
The larger Grace Church family continues to send us their Stories of Grace and so we continue to feature those stories here as well. Finally, we include some news and events that we think might be of interest.
Reflections on Gospel Music and Other Matters
- “Remembering a Gospel Service” by Emy Kamihara
- “A Foretaste” by Pastor Robin
- “Palm Sunday Crosses” by Emily Rishel
- “Gospel Music Returns to Grace!! (But Did It Ever Really Leave?)” by Julie Daidone
- “The Grace of the Gospel Choir” by Gwen Leggett Blackman
- “Celebrating the Gospel” pencil drawing by Henry Gerstman
- “Reflections on Gospel Music” by Pat Walsh
- Links to Grace Church Gospel Music Videos
News and Events
- Spring 2024 Pastoral Nominating Committee Update
- Rafters and Purlins and Planks, Oh My!
- Cross Walk and Easter Egg Hunt
- Ken Meyer April 2024 Update
Stories of Grace
Days after Grace Presbyterian Church’s building caught fire and our world was turned upside down, Pastor Robin, Victor Peterson, and April Sliwak (once a member, always a good friend of Grace) were together at the church telling and listening to one another’s stories of Grace. This conversation gave birth to the idea of asking people to tell their stories, then sharing those stories available with the church community.
- What Is in a Name?
- A Memory
- ReOpening Dorz
- The Stone Church
- Passion Play, April 1992
- A Christmas Eve Wedding
- We Knew Every Corner
- Grace Church Was the Most Beautiful Church
- Wreckage Over Worship
- We Will Ring the Bell Again
- A Story of Grace
- Grace Found Here
- The Gospel Story in Stained Glass
- Church Windows
- Grace Church Amazing Ministry
- Comments related to the fire from social media and other sources
- “A New Thing” by Emy Kamihara
- “A Prayer on Behalf of Grace” from Noroton Presbyterian Church
About Grace upon Grace
Past Issues of Grace upon Grace
- Summer 2020: Grace Responds to COVID-19
- Fall 2020: Social Justice
- Advent 2020: Waiting in Hope
- Spring 2021: Rising
- Summer 2021: Open Doors
- Fall 2021: A Time for Everything
- Advent 2021: Journey
- Spring 2022: Sorrow and Loss
- Summer 2022: Discernment and Growth
- Fall 2022: Storytelling
- Spring 2023: Kindness
- Summer 2023
- Fall 2023
- Winter 2024–2024