Our January Worship Series… “Telling the Story”
Stories are powerful. Long after stories happen, they continue to form us as we retell them. Stories shape communities. They hold us up during difficult times and they paint a picture of what could be. God has told a great story and continues to invite us into this ongoing story. Please join us in worship…and invite others…for this three-part worship series to take us into the new year. January 4/5: The Greatest Story | Acts 17:22-34 From Netflix to social media, from books to magazines, from myths and legends and movies, stories fill our imagination and time. We may, too often, compare our stories with others and feel unimportant or “less-than”. The good news is you are connected to the greatest story ever told. January 11/12: The Whole Story | 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Part of our redemption comes from telling our whole story. By telling the whole story, we are able to see how, through God’s grace, even the greatest of sinners are redeemed. January 18/19: God in Your Story | Genesis 28:10-19a God still speaks. God is not silent. God has not forgotten the story God started with you. When we may feel somewhat “alone”, if we’ll just practice looking a bit closer, we might notice that God was, is, and WILL be in our story. Who might l benefit from hearing your story…and feel welcomed into God’s story? January 25/26: Guest Preacher |
PASTOR JIM SHIRBROUN
Jim is the spouse of one (Beverly), the parent of three (Mark, Greg and David), the parent-in-law of one (Jenny) and Grandpa of two (Elliot & Callen...Mark and Jenny sons).
Jim received his Bachelor’s degree (in Animal Science and Ag. Journalism) from Iowa State in 1980 and graduated from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in 1985 with a Masters of Divinity degree. He has served the following United Methodist congregations: Immanuel (Des Moines), First (Ankeny), St. Paul's (Cedar Rapids) and Collegiate/Wesley (Ames). Jim loves to cook (beyond the thousands of omelets he's prepared for students in the last 20 years). He has been collecting and researching antique horse bridle bits since he was a teenager and has one in his collection which is 3,000 years old. Jim claims his hobby is semi-biblical, citing James 1:26 and 3:3. |
Vision 2032 with Bishop Laurie
This past fall Bishop Laurie Haller held workshops throughout the state entitled Vision 2032:
All In — A Visioning Session with Bishop Laurie. Participants were invited to share dialogue on how to build a future together.
The Vision 2032 sessions were broken up into three sections: Visioning, Context and Framing. In the Vision section, Bishop Laurie shared her hope for the United Methodist Church in 2032
It’s now time for part 2 and Bishop Laurie is coming to Grace for one of the sessions to share specific recommendations related to budget and staffing for the future and receive your input.
The event will happen on the morning of Jan. 18. from 10;30 am to 11:30 am at Grace United Methodist Church.
This past fall Bishop Laurie Haller held workshops throughout the state entitled Vision 2032:
All In — A Visioning Session with Bishop Laurie. Participants were invited to share dialogue on how to build a future together.
The Vision 2032 sessions were broken up into three sections: Visioning, Context and Framing. In the Vision section, Bishop Laurie shared her hope for the United Methodist Church in 2032
It’s now time for part 2 and Bishop Laurie is coming to Grace for one of the sessions to share specific recommendations related to budget and staffing for the future and receive your input.
The event will happen on the morning of Jan. 18. from 10;30 am to 11:30 am at Grace United Methodist Church.
Sunday Morning Book Club
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It’s a new year, which means it’s time for a new book for our Sunday Morning Book Club.
That new book is Adam Hamilton’s “Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White”. We’ll begin digging into this book on Sunday, Jan. 5 at 8:45 a.m. in our large conference room, west end of the main floor. Everyone is invited to join us, whether you’ve been part of our “Book Club” before, or not. The books are available NOW in the church office.
Here’s what the publisher has to say about “Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White”: “The book invites the reader to climb down from the barricades of the culture and political wars, and discover a Christian faith capable of bringing people together.
Everyone agrees that America is polarized, with ever-hardening positions held by people less and less willing to listen to one another. No one agrees on what to do about it.
One solution that hasn’t yet been tried, says Adam Hamilton, is for thinking persons of faith to model for the rest of the country a richer, more thoughtful conversation on the political, moral, and religious issues that divide us. Hamilton rejects the easy assumptions and sloppy analysis of black and white thinking, seeking instead the truth that resides on all sides of the issues, and offering a faithful and compassionate way forward.”
That new book is Adam Hamilton’s “Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White”. We’ll begin digging into this book on Sunday, Jan. 5 at 8:45 a.m. in our large conference room, west end of the main floor. Everyone is invited to join us, whether you’ve been part of our “Book Club” before, or not. The books are available NOW in the church office.
Here’s what the publisher has to say about “Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White”: “The book invites the reader to climb down from the barricades of the culture and political wars, and discover a Christian faith capable of bringing people together.
Everyone agrees that America is polarized, with ever-hardening positions held by people less and less willing to listen to one another. No one agrees on what to do about it.
One solution that hasn’t yet been tried, says Adam Hamilton, is for thinking persons of faith to model for the rest of the country a richer, more thoughtful conversation on the political, moral, and religious issues that divide us. Hamilton rejects the easy assumptions and sloppy analysis of black and white thinking, seeking instead the truth that resides on all sides of the issues, and offering a faithful and compassionate way forward.”
Konversation
Our discussion group called “Konversations” turns one year old this month! We’re celebrating by incorporating some exciting new topics for all of January. We’ll gather, as usual, every Sunday at 11:15 in the large conference room on the west end of the main floor. After briefly unpacking the worship experience we just shared, we move into our topic which, each Sunday in January, will be listening to a panel of 3 or 4 Grace members briefly share their journeys of faith. This sharing/listening/conversing will echo and enhance our January worship series “Telling the Story” |
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