WWW.GRACETHOMASVILLE.COM 115 UNITY STREET, THOMASVILLE, NC 27360 tvillegrace@gmail.com Issue No. 50 June 2020

Dear people of God at Grace Lutheran Church,

As a pastor, like in many professions I’m sure during this time, I’m feeling tired and worn out from different media, officials, and random people all offering different perspectives on what to do right now. The Church especially has been mentioned as something that should re-open and I have found this comment to be especially troubling because if we think of the Church as a building, we have failed.

The Church as a building was never the point to Jesus and the early Church which we have been reading about in Acts during the Easter Season. Throughout the Gospels, you can find Jesus teaching on the characteristics of the Kingdom people as they reflect the character of God in the world. The Church was never about brick and mortar. It was always greater than that. It was about a way of being in the world, that was decidedly different from people who did not follow Jesus or Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus tells Peter he is the rock of the Church. He affirms His disciple Peter’s faith and character and says that he will be the foundation of the Kingdom community as it grows.

Jesus isn’t hiring Peter—a fisherman by trade—as an architect to design a building with a steeple. He only notes Peter’s devotion and tells him to continue the Kingdom work Jesus already begun. Jesus calls Peter to steward the people of God: no building campaign, no weekly services just sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the world and providing meaningful relationships with one another.

We have never been closed. Each week the Gospel has been spread. Sure, you haven’t heard it in your favorite pew - but the same message you heard at home was heard by your neighbor in Australia.

Each week over a hundred people have been fed by our sandwich ministry, our local hospital has felt our support and love, homeless people have been clothed, a garden has been planted, and hungry people have been fed, relationships with one another have been nourished by phone, email, and Facebook.

If anything during this time I find that our congregation has opened, opened to people who don’t usually get to come to church, in increased mailings to our shut-ins and weekly meal deliveries. Opened to expand the love we have for our neighbors in new ways of gathering items for those in need and providing connection to those who are lonely. Our congre-gation has opened to new ideas and new ways of working together.

Yes, church looks different, but it has been far from closed over the past couple of months. Because you can’t close the Church because the Church as my favorite camp song points out, “the Church it is the people living out their lives! Called, enlightened, sanctified for the work of Jesus Christ! We are the church! The body of our Lord! We are all God’s children and we have been restored!” (Jay Beech, The Church Song)

May you remember that you - yes you! - are the church the hands and feet of Jesus in the world sharing God’s love, even though it may look a little different right now. God’s peace be with you!

Pastor Cassie

GRACE OFFICE HOURS:

Monday —Thursday

9:00 AM — 1:00 PM

LUTHERAN CHURCH

Rev. Cassie McIntosh Overcash,

Pastor

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Sandwich Ministry During Covid-19

In the, late 1980’s Lynn Fitzgerald invited Raymond Payne to share his story at one of our potluck

lunches one Sunday. He graciously accepted the invitation and shared his life story which for

many years consisted of homelessness, drug addiction and even incarceration. His sharing about

the difficulties of finding food, especially on Sundays, while homeless is how our Sandwich Minis-

try started. He said that while many soup kitchens provided food during the weekdays, most did

not operate on Sundays. So, he himself had started a sandwich ministry (Rabbit Quarter Minis-

try) in which he delivered sandwiches on Sunday to areas on the outskirts of High Point where

the homeless gathered. When we expressed our interest in getting involved, he and his wife

took and me and another member of Grace out to the areas around Martin Luther King drive and

other areas where meals were needed. He even went with us on the firsts few trips to deliver

the sandwich bags. Our sandwich ministry has grown and changed over the years from the seed

planted by a once homeless Raymond Payne.

Raymond also shared how while imprisoned he came to know the Grace of Jesus and vowed to

give back to society once he had served his time. And he has done just that and continues to do

so today. He also has not been homeless since.

Our Sandwich ministry has continued since this meeting and has grown, expanded and adapted

even during COVID-19. Our Sandwich ministry is serving the Thomasville Inn, one of the worst

places in Thomasville as you probably hear about and see on the news. Our sandwich ministry

stepped up and continued to feed hungry people in Thomasville even during this epidemic

providing hot meals while supporting a local business, Rosa Mae’s; canned goods; and familiar

faces. Not only did our sandwich ministry feed the hungry during this time but they also expand-

ed their reach to feed those on our shut-in lists and those with medical needs making them more

vulnerable during this time providing a hot Sunday meal for them.

Thanks be to God for our sandwich ministry who shows love to our neighbors by providing food

to all who hunger.

If you would like to contribute to this ministry, it would be greatly appreciated. This ministry is

funded totally by contributions. You are also welcome to volunteer and help the Sandwich Minis-

try feed our community!

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For the foreseeable future we will be worshipping in the parking lot Sunday Mornings at 10 AM. All are welcome!

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The Vine is a community garden ministry of Lutherans in Davidson County. The first garden is housed at St. Luke’s in

Tryo and we hope to expand this if this year is successful!

The garden has been planted but we need everyone’s help to upkeep this project. You can sign up to help water, weed,

or eventually harvest here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4dacac2fa1f58-thevine

Or talk to your Pastor about ways you can help!

Chaplain Colleen Danson at Thomasville Hospital is looking

for cards for residents on the 4th floor of the Thomasville

Hospital (geriatric psych) and the staff that works with them.

Messages of encouragement, prayer, upbeat happy words

will be greatly appreciated! There are 42 residents and 15

staff that work directly with these residents. Because of

HIPAA we can't share their names so you may address them:

"dear friend or dear neighbor." There will be a box in the

coffee area one labeled 4th floor staff and one labeled 4th

floor residents for you to drop off your cards.

A Card Writing Ministry

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We are still providing meaningful opportunities like pastoral care by phone, facetime, and videos for you to stay connected

to our church from home. We know these are hard times, we know we are all experiencing financial hardship, but we all

know that we will need our church to be gathering together after this is over. For that to be able to happen we need you to

continue to give to your church, to honor your pledge if possible. If you are staying at home you can mail your offering in

we are keeping the office open as long as we are able. You can drop your offering by the office and pick up a church to-go

kit. Your continued giving is making a difference to many people in our community as we continue to support the Sand-

wich Ministry and CCM. The need right now is high and growing as people are not able to work. If you are in need of help,

please reach out to your church family!

We are also happy to announce that you can give online through the NC Synod site and they will send the funds to us.

Here are the instructions:

Use this link: https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=96379

North Carolina synod's website has a pull-down menu (three lines in the upper right-hand corner) where you can find the

option to donate. Phones and laptops display differently, but you'll find the donate icon somewhere. Michael Denise, our

synod's financial officer said we could donate there, and they would get the money to our congregations.

Here's how you do it:

Indicate the amount you want to donate. Select "where needed most" and in the memo line, type the name of your church.

The rest is just like any other online transaction.

PLEASE NOTE:

1. There are loads of Grace congregations. You HAVE TO INCLUDE OUR CITY.

2. You are limited by the number of characters you can type in the memo box. Get creative, so they know our city and

congregation.

3. If you are worried about your transaction or have questions about online giving in this way contact

mdenise@nclutheran.org. There is no card fee for these gifts.

4. It will prompt you to either create an account or continue as a guest, either is fine.

A Note From the Finance Committee

By now you should have received your giving statements for the first quarter of 2020. If you haven’t received a statement

or if you have any questions, please call or email the church office.

In order to meet our 2020 budget we need to receive $4031. in regular giving each week.

For the first quarter, January-March, 2020 we needed to take in $52,403 in regular and loose offering to meet our budget.

We actually received $49,467.80 which leaves us $2,935.20 short for the first quarter of 2020. All of March bills have been

paid and we had a balance of $12,919. in available funds as of March 31st.

Deposits for April totaled $10,735.00. Some of those funds are earmarked for other categories such as Pay it Forward and

memorials. We needed to receive $16,124. in regular and loose offering to meet budgeted needs, so you can see we’re

quite a bit short for the month.

Thanks to all of you for your continued love and support to Grace during these difficult times.

Ways to continue supporting our congregation during this time

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2020 Graduates!

Rachel Wood

Rachel writes, “I plan to attend NC State with a major in human biology, and the Life

Sciences First Years program along with being a member WISE (Women in Science

and Engineering).”

“All of my favorite memories have come from competing in swim at Draughn High

School. Going to States my junior year was definitely the most fun experience I had

in swim. We bonded even more so a a team and enjoyed a lot of good food from

Cary, NC, including snacks from our ‘grocery run.’ A cool fact would be I’ve played

violin for ten years.”

Rachel Wood is the granddaughter of Pat Wood.

Hannah Coltrane is the daughter of Chad and Tami Coltrane and granddaughter of Mike and Jane

Hill, will graduate from Southwest Guilford High School. Hannah is a member of the National Honor

Society and a varsity cheerleader. Hannah plans to attend Appalachian State University and major in

nursing. Her future plans are to be a neonatal nurse.

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Tausha Marie Kirk will receive her high school diploma from Yadkin

Valley Career Academy on May 29, 2020. She completed her high

school classes in December 2020 and simultaneously graduated

from Davidson County Community College with her CNA certificate.

She will continue classes at DCCC in the fall for nursing.

Cindi Hill graduated from UNCG. She’s continuing her education

there to get her Masters and doing a summer internship with

Victory Junction.

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Happy Birthday! 4 Bob Herman 9 Bill Yandell Martha Musselman 11 Melissa Woller 15 Margie Venable 16 Elton Miller 19 Del Price Jim Gainey 21 Genelda Price 24 Imogene Beck 30 Jeanette Putman Loretta Wise Lynn Fitzgerald

Happy Anniversary!

2 Scott and Deborah Beaver

8 Chris and Jaime Moore

14 Mark and PaulaSue Okken

21 Bill and Rachel Armentrout

30 David and Sandra Armfield

You’re going to need these!

CONGREGATIONAL BEACH RETREAT!

Join us for worship on the beach, fellowship, and fun! Call or email the Church Office!

Want to build relationships and get away for a few days? Join

your Grace Lutheran family at the beach August 7-9th at The

Agape’ Kure Beach Faith Center located right on the beach!

Cost is $50 per person per night for lodging and we will need to

organize meals which may be an additional cost.

We need two more people to go

to meet the facility minimum!

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WWW.GRACETVILLE.ORG • THOMASVILLE, N.C. • (336) 476-4114 • TVILLEGRACE@GMAIL.COM ISSUE NO. 50• JUNE 2020

Lutheran

Church GRACE 115 Unity Street

Thomasville, NC 27360