Happy New Year! What will 2023 bring? Hopefully, many kinds of blessings for all of us.
As I look forward to my second six months as your pastor, I’m grateful and happy to be part of Grace Church. So far we’ve been getting to know each other; enjoyed excellent music; invested time and effort in programs for children, youth, and families; been generous to both the church budget and mission projects (thank you!). This is a church filled with faithful and faith-filled people, and I have seen this in a variety of ways.
So what does 2023 look like? Time will tell. But I expect three things: (1) we will continue to invest our time, effort, and resources in all the things I listed above – because these things make for a healthy and joyful church; (2) we will review our organization and committees with an eye for renewal – because there is good work to be done, and good people to do it… and this works best when we pay attention to how we work together, so that we’re all rowing in the same direction and at the same pace; and (3) we will be thinking, talking, and praying about the future. I am interested in all the ways the Grace Church can succeed in the coming years – by continuing what works, by seeking new opportunities to serve Sioux City, and by inviting new people to join us in this important work.
Of all the things we can do with our lives, being part of a faithful and faith-filled community like Grace Church makes a difference for us and for the world around us. What we find here is love from God and for each other. And this changes and blesses us in every way.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor John
As I look forward to my second six months as your pastor, I’m grateful and happy to be part of Grace Church. So far we’ve been getting to know each other; enjoyed excellent music; invested time and effort in programs for children, youth, and families; been generous to both the church budget and mission projects (thank you!). This is a church filled with faithful and faith-filled people, and I have seen this in a variety of ways.
So what does 2023 look like? Time will tell. But I expect three things: (1) we will continue to invest our time, effort, and resources in all the things I listed above – because these things make for a healthy and joyful church; (2) we will review our organization and committees with an eye for renewal – because there is good work to be done, and good people to do it… and this works best when we pay attention to how we work together, so that we’re all rowing in the same direction and at the same pace; and (3) we will be thinking, talking, and praying about the future. I am interested in all the ways the Grace Church can succeed in the coming years – by continuing what works, by seeking new opportunities to serve Sioux City, and by inviting new people to join us in this important work.
Of all the things we can do with our lives, being part of a faithful and faith-filled community like Grace Church makes a difference for us and for the world around us. What we find here is love from God and for each other. And this changes and blesses us in every way.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor John
Pastor’s Bible Study
In the new year Pastor John will be starting two new groups that will read through the Gospel of Mark. These are designed to complement our worship series, Beloved Son, which begins January 8th. No prior Bible reading experience is needed, and you won’t even need to bring a Bible – all materials are pro-vided.
The first group will meet on Sunday mornings following worship at 11:15am – 12:15 pm. It will convene in the large conference room upstairs at church. The second group will meet on Mondays from 2:15 – 3:15 pm. It will gather at The Pointe at Sunrise Retirement Community (5501 Gordon Dr. East) in the 3rd floor Conference room. This is intended primarily for those living there, but others are welcome too.
Beloved Son: Meeting Jesus in Mark’s Gospel
From Jesus’ Baptism to Resurrection, the Gospel of Mark tells a story about God’s Son, who teaches, heals, casts out evil, feeds, and confronts the powerful – all to reveal something he calls The Kingdom of God. From January 8 (Baptism of the Lord) through April 9 (Easter) we’ll be reading a series of stories from Mark in worship. We’ll be learning what it means for him to be called God’s Beloved Son, and what it means for us to live as he did – loved by God so we can serve the world around us in Jesus’ name.
The first group will meet on Sunday mornings following worship at 11:15am – 12:15 pm. It will convene in the large conference room upstairs at church. The second group will meet on Mondays from 2:15 – 3:15 pm. It will gather at The Pointe at Sunrise Retirement Community (5501 Gordon Dr. East) in the 3rd floor Conference room. This is intended primarily for those living there, but others are welcome too.
Beloved Son: Meeting Jesus in Mark’s Gospel
From Jesus’ Baptism to Resurrection, the Gospel of Mark tells a story about God’s Son, who teaches, heals, casts out evil, feeds, and confronts the powerful – all to reveal something he calls The Kingdom of God. From January 8 (Baptism of the Lord) through April 9 (Easter) we’ll be reading a series of stories from Mark in worship. We’ll be learning what it means for him to be called God’s Beloved Son, and what it means for us to live as he did – loved by God so we can serve the world around us in Jesus’ name.