from the pastor

July 7, 2002

The coffee is dripping in the kitchen. The windows and doors of the house are open. And I am writing this letter fast in order to spend a couple minutes on the back patio before church starts. It is a pleasant and peaceful morning, and my back yard beckons my presence before the day gets too involved.

I am still feeling the residue of cheer from all the folks who came by our open house on July 4. We had 70 people come by to share in fellowship, food, and celebration for Alison’s graduation and our national birthday. Alison is just now making Urbana her permanent home as she prepares to go to Chicago to DePaul University, and the open house was a wonderful welcome for her. I want to thank all the people who brought food, flowers, and supplies to help out for the event. And I especially want to thank Marsha Johnston and Jill King for helping to organize the food and the people. Folks at Grace Church are fairly gentle and easy to please--but when 70 show up in an afternoon--more than a little organization is required! Marsha and Jill were a great help.

Barb Wood and Bob deJong helped lead the congregation last Sunday while I was away on the church camping trip. Dr. Daniel Henderson preached. Dan is the director of the Illinois Great Rivers Pastoral Care Center. In other words, a good deal of his time is spent counseling United Methodist pastors and their families. The camping trip at Turkey Run State Park was a good time had by all, I think. I camped next to the Christmans and we spent the weekend borrowing from each other what we had forgotten. I’m already looking forward to next year’s trip.

Three big events are unfolding in the church this month. The youth will be traveling to Goldsboro, North Carolina July 20-28 for a mission trip. It looks now like we will have 13 or 14 kids and 5 adults. The Saturdays and Sundays of that trip will be travel days to and from the location. Four of the weekdays will be for work. And one of the days will be a recreation day at the ocean. The group will meet Wednesday evening at 8:30 for planning and team building.

Vacation Bible School this year will be July 15-19. It is titled, THE PHILO ROAD KIDS FAIR AT GRACE CHURCH. Our goal is to have 100 kids from the church and neighborhood and 50 adults from the church engaging in this extravaganza of food, fellowship, learning, recreation, crafts, and animals. Call the church office if you haven’t signed up yet to help in some way. Grace Church was started in order to minister to the children of Urbana. This summer we are RECLAIMING THIS HERITAGE in a big way. We are especially in need of people to help recruit and register children.

Finally, our garage behind the church is getting a new look. New siding and roof shingles will be installed this week. See Doug Bauling if you can volunteer some of your time to complete that job. --Mike

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