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Deny, Defend, and Depose.

Those words were written on the bullets a young man used to assassinate the CEO of United Health Care.

In the span of a week, the shooter has become a folk hero, and the CEO, a vanquished villain.

There was a shooter look-alike contest in New York. Online merch with those 3 D’s has been flying off the shelves. The McDonald’s where the suspect was apprehended has been flooded with one-star reviews for turning him in.

I’m saddened to think about how some of us are drawn to celebrating the murder of this man while preparing for Christmas at the same time. Something about that doesn’t seem right.

IN THIS ISSUE…
December 15th Worship, Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve Volunteers Needed, Grace Mission Focus, Zaheer Popo Recital, Poinsettia Deadline, Angel Tree, December 29th Worship, Burger Boys, Women’s Connection, This Week at Grace, Church Office Closed, In Loving Memory, In Need of Prayer?

The videos of the 9am traditional and 10:15 modern services are posted – cued up to the beginnings of the sermons. Catch the messages from Pastors Barry and Mitch, or rewind to watch the entire service:

Advent is in full swing at Grace, and we have a full weekend of activities. Tomorrow is the Living Nativity and it looks like the weather will cooperate.

It’s Christmas Party time!

Some people love ’em, and some people hate ’em, but if you find yourself invited to one (or lots) of these gatherings, here are four common mistakes to avoid:

IN THIS ISSUE…

December 8th Worship, Christmas Eve, Grace Mission Focus, Organ Recital, First Friday Fellowship, Living Nativity, Poinsettias, Angel Tree, Choir Cantata, Women’s Connection, Silver Set Lunch, The Burger Boys, This Week at Grace, Information Deadlines, Prayers for Grace, In Need of Prayer?

The videos of the 9am traditional and 10:15 modern services are posted – cued up to the beginnings of the sermons. Catch the messages from Pastors Barry and Mitch, or rewind to watch the entire service:

Angel House advent missions focus, Blue Christmas service Dec 1, Living Nativity Dec 7, Grace Angel Tree, Silver Set Lunch Dec 8

I see people stifled by the constraints of church, stuck in a hierarchy, locked into misplaced priorities and outdated traditions. Don’t even get me started on harsh, guilt-based churches that squelch critical thinking and acceptance of others.

Please enjoy this issue of the Y.E.S. Spotlight newsletter. Here are the birthdays and anniversaries, along with the most recent news for December.

IN THIS ISSUE…

December 1st Worship, Blue Christmas, Grace Kids, First Friday Fellowship, Living Nativity, Poinsettias, Angel Tree, Women’s Connection, Silver Set Lunch, The Clothing Closet, Blood Drive Update, This Week at Grace, Office Closed, Information Deadlines, In Need of Prayer?

The videos of the 9am traditional and 10:15 modern services are posted – cued up to the beginnings of the sermons. Catch the messages from Pastors Barry and Mitch, or rewind to watch the entire service:

Thanksgiving worship & office hours, angel tree, hanging of the greens, living nativity, and blue Christmas worship

I had a birthday, so that probably started it.

I woke up that morning, and instead of filling my mind with current events, I did something I rarely do. I asked Alexa to play me some music. Chopin, specifically.

Why don’t I do this more? It was gentle, and complex, and beautiful. The next piece began, and I was stunned.

I had played this.

Nov. 24th Worship, Blue Christmas, Living Nativity, Women’s Connection, Chicken & Pickle Event, As the Page Turns, Hanging of the Greens, Silver Set Lunch, The Clothing Closet, This Week at Grace, Office Closed, Prayers for Grace, In Need of Prayer?

The videos of the 9am traditional and 10:15 modern services are posted – cued up to the beginnings of the sermons. Catch the messages from Pastors Barry and Mitch, or […]

I think we can all admit that we don’t always feel thankful. Sometimes life knocks the wind out of us, and we just struggle to breathe, let alone say thank you, God. Yet, that may be the most important time in our life to find gratitude. Gratitude is a doorway to God’s grace which in turn is a doorway back to gratitude. Or as Anne Lamott writes, “The movement of grace toward gratitude brings us from the package of self-obsessed madness to a spiritual awakening. Gratitude is peace.”

This Sunday in worship we will take a deeper dive into the power of prayer and living lives of thanksgiving.

Check out the newly update Grace Youth (GUMY) Page! We have lots of new info up regarding this year’s mission trips, confirmation, and upcoming holidays off dates. Grace UM Church […]

Lord, I’m tired.

Lately I’ve poured out so much energy just trying to stay on the path. Trying to heed your warnings. Trying to live my beliefs. I’ve really invested myself in your Kingdom. But I’ll be honest. If anything, it feels farther away.

So, this week, when I think of the phrase “take care”, I’m going to take it to heart. I’m going to take care of myself.

IN THIS ISSUE…

Nov. 17th Worship, Grace Bilger’s Artworks, Charge Conference, OCO Concert, The Burger Boys, Clothing Closet, Blood Drive, This Week at Grace, Blue Christmas, In Loving Memory, Living Nativity, Women’s Connections, In Need of Prayer?, Hanging of the Greens

As I sat at the prayer breakfast, I could not help but think about our next sermon series on prayer. Ann Lamont wrote a book a few years ago called “Help, Thanks, Wow!” Her premise is that all of our prayers fall into one of these three categories. For the next three weeks, we are going to explore what these prayers look like and how we can live them out. I invite you to come with an open spirit as we learn together.

Grace Gear Christmas Store Special Order

You asked for more options, so here you go!

Hoodies, polos, long-sleeve and more. Lots of colors and styles, all at cost, and with the Grace logo.

If you haven’t voted yet, hop to it!

For the rest of us, now we wait for the results.

I don’t know about you, but my anxiety has been through the roof. Instead of a regular devotion, I decided the healthiest thing for me to do today is try to laugh. Laughter is a great antidote to anxiety.

So… here are 12 things from around the web that made me giggle today.

Grace Bilger played an important role in Grace UMC history, and several of her paintings used to adorn walls around our building.

The Museum of Deaf History, Arts, and Culture, 455 E. Park Street Olathe, is offering several Grace Bilger original paintings for sale.

Grace and her husband Charles were long-time members at Olathe 1st UMC. Grace taught art at Kansas School for the Deaf where Charles was a long-time teacher and coach. Grace was hearing and Charles was Deaf. They are the reason our church began interpreting worship services into American Sign Language.

IN THIS ISSUE…

Nov. 10th Worship, Grace Bilger’s Artworks, Trunk or Treat Video, OCO Concert, Grace Gear, Church Office Closed, Charge Conference, This Week at Grace, Blood Drive, Living Nativity, In Need of Prayer?, Women’s Connections

In the United Methodist Church, we designate the first Sunday after Halloween as All Saints Sunday to lift up and remember the members of our church who have died in the past year. We will read 25 names in worship this Sunday.

Here’s the November YES Spotlight Newsletter!

Here. This is a magic piece of chalk. Now, draw a circle.

There’s only one stipulation. Everyone inside the circle is your responsibility, and everyone outside is not so much.

What size would your circle be?

I’ll admit it. I’m addicted to instant gratification. I like fast food, short lines, and one-day Amazon delivery. I have a hard and fast rule–if the hold music goes through its little song and starts to repeat–I hang up.

Waiting is not my thing. Reference.com tells me that Americans spend 27 billion hours waiting in line every year. That can’t be right, can it?

What a waste. At least for me. Other people don’t seem as bothered, willing to take their “own sweet time” getting things done. Something about “living in the moment”, and this silly idea called “patience”. Grrr.

The purchasing of the current Grace property on Ridgeview, and the building of the church!

I know a place. A lovely, terrible place.

Here are 7 quick facts about it:

It sits on a hill formed by layers of ancient cities, called a “tell.”

It began as a village around 7000 BCE and became a fortified Canaanite city by 3000 BCE.

In 1479 BCE, Egypt conquered the Canaanite Kings in history’s first recorded military conflict.

For centuries, Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and Romans all fought over this land, situated on a strategic trade route.

The Bible mentions King Solomon fortifying it, and battles there involving Kings Ahab and Jeroboam II.

In World War One, British general Allenby’s surprise attack there led to the fall of the Ottoman empire.

The city? Its name is “Har Megiddo”.

You may know it by another name: Armageddon.

Grace is celebrating 25 years in the Ridgeview Building (1999-2024). A few years before building at this location, First UMC and Hope UMC joined churches to form Grace UMC – meeting in the building that became Center of Grace when we moved here. Here’s a recounting of that era from the pastors of First and Hope themselves, Gary Schrag and Fritz Clark.

Here’s my latest idea for a voicemail announcement:

“Sorry I missed you. I am temporarily out of my mind.
I’ll get back to you when I return.”

Or how about this, for an auto email reply:

“I am currently beside myself.
One or both of us will reply eventually.”

You ever feel this way? Like there’s so MUCH going on inside that you feel like you’re going to burst?

This is a tale of one guy, and two relationships:

Remember David and Jonathan? In 1 Samuel these guys become the closest of friends. Chapter 18 even tells us that “Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.” It’s a profound story of friendship and honor.

Remember David and Bathsheba? A very different story. David simply saw a woman, thought she was hot, and with no other considerations claimed her for himself. He treated her as a commodity. There was no love, and no honor.

How could the same guy treat two people so very differently?

The October YES Spotlight Newsletter for Grace senior adults is here!

Check out the GUMY (Grace Youth) page for info regarding the Words to Live By youth group series, Fall Youth Serve Days, and the trip to the Louisburg Cider Mill! Grace UM Church, Olathe Kansas

Registration for the new Fall 2024 study groups at Grace is here!

Diets, exercise, even daily devotional time–they’re all habits I’ve tried to adopt, and then drifted away from. It’s not that I’m a quitter, per se, but when it comes to self-improvement, I seem to be all over the place. Do I lack “stick-to-it-ive-ness”? Do I treat “discipline” as a dirty word?

Pastors and laity are trained to link arms to create a culture of care that is available to all members of the church and not just a selected few who might be in small groups or more well known. Trusted volunteers become Congregational Care Ministers or CCMs. This method of care is also recognized as a means for self-care for pastors as they share the daily load of ministry. 

Enjoy this recap of the missions work done by our preteens in 2024.

James helps us to know what the source of conflict is, the dangers of unhealthy conflict, and how to navigate conflict when it comes.

This is the link to the sermon Pastor Wes is preaching about on April 7.

September 10 we gathered for the blessing of the backpacks, animals, cars – with food truck treats, ministries info, and underwear donation for Center of Grace!

Do you want to engage in Bible study but maybe you don’t have the time to come for a class? Check out this new podcast. Listen to weekly episodes on […]