Grace United Methodist Church 8 Carrera Street St. Augustine, FL 32084

“In GOD we trust!”

Staff: Revs. David & Carolyn Williamson, Co-Lead Pastors

Peggy Namie, Office Administrator Nataliya Birmingham, Church Treasurer Mike Sanflippo, Music Director Barbara Polomsky, Organist Maddy Dittmer, Contemporary Music Leader Martha Yamnitz, Children’s Ministry Director Cindy Graham, Nursery Attendant Coordinator Austin Davis, Sound Technician

Bob Rusin, Property Maintenance Manager Barbara McColskey, Deaf Interpreter

Our Mission Offering for the month of APRIL is: GUMC Youth Ministry (more information inside the newsletter)

Please mark your envelope “Mission Offering for the month of April” when giving.

Grace Notes & the monthly calendar are sent out via email unless you request otherwise. Printed copies of Grace Notes & the monthly calendar are available at the church

or via mail (upon request). You may also view the newsletter at gracestaugustine.org.

APRIL 2019

This month we are moving through the second half of the 40-day season of Lent. As we began the journey we challenged everyone to practice prayer a little bit every day. We believed this would lead us toward a deeper, stronger relationship with God. 136 people are taking this challenge and receiving daily reflections on prayer written by different members of our congregation, plus a prompt for practicing prayer every day. Thomas Merton has written, “If you want a life of prayer, the way to get it is by praying . . . You start where you are and you deepen what you already have.” We call this a “journey” that we are on because we travel together with Christ who is the one who teaches us to pray. And here’s the thing, this isn’t a train that has left the station leaving those behind who didn’t get on. This is a caravan that builds momentum as more and more people join the move-ment. It is not too late to begin praying with intentional effort. It is not too late to join this movement of God in our church. You can sign up to receive the daily prayer reflections by sending me an email at david@gracestaugustine.org or calling the church office. Just to inspire you today, here are some excerpts from some of the reflections on prayer that have gone out from some of our church members.

“Over this Lenten season, I will be devoting time each day to read the gospels and pray on ways to be a true servant of our Lord, our God. I truly hope that my journey is fruitful.” ~ Pat Biroc “Prayer has been a part of my life as long as I can remember. I grew up in the church and prayer has always been there. I don't have a set time or place or way. During the past several years while taking care of my husband, I often found myself praying while driving or just sitting by my husband’s side. I miss him so much now. I find that praying helps me know that God hears me, and is with me and gives me peace.” ~ Nancy Watkins “I believe that meeting with the Prayer Circle over the years has taught me the value of prayer. Over the years the women have taught me how to pray and given me the confidence to pray.” ~ Mildred Thomas “During the seven months that I was recovering [from a serious accident], I had a lot of time to think about what had happened. I learned that prayer is a powerful thing. I learned that it was ok to pray for yourself. I learned that God had listened to all of the prayers and that I was going to be okay.” ~ Gary Hare “My best prayer time is just before I go to sleep at night. I begin by thanking God for all the many things he has done for me. And then thanking Him for all the wonderful people He has put in my life along the way. Following that is a prayer for all those who are sick physically, mentally, and especially spiritually.” ~ Elaine Edwards May God richly bless you as you pray! Pastors David and Carolyn Williamson

New Member Orientation Class In April...Mark your Calendar!

If you are interested in becoming a member of our Grace United Methodist Church Family, please plan to join us for one of the upcoming New Member Orientation Classes scheduled for Sundays: April 7th or June 2nd or November 10th at 12:15 pm (lunch will be provided). Please let us know that you are planning to attend by noting your intentions on the Registration Pad or emailing to office@gracestaugustine.org or calling the office 904-829-8272. After attending this you are encouraged to attend the Disciple’s Path Course (see below).

Disciple’s Path

Once you join our Grace United Methodist Church family , you are strongly encouraged to attend the Disciple’s Path Class starting the week after the New Member Orientation Class (April 14th or June 9th or November 17th) This is a six week gathering in the Wesley Room on Sundays from 12:15 pm –1:30 pm focused on the basic habits and prac-tices of following Jesus. A workbook is included to guide reflections during the week, forming the basis for discussion with others in the group on Sunday. The experience is ideal for those looking to make new connections with others on the disci-ples path and ready to begin (or begin again) the commitment of being Jesus’ disciple. If you plan to attend, please contact Peggy Namie office@gracestaugustine.org 904-829-8272 to ensure that we have enough materials on hand.

Mission for the Month of APRIL The Mission of the Month for April is our youth ministry. Our youth are a vital part of Grace and helping to fulfill our mission to be a church for all generations, making disciples of next generations for the transformation of the world. Our youth meet regularly on Wednesday evenings for fellowship and discipleship. They do service projects throughout the year such as dis-tributing manna bags downtown to the homeless, helping to lead Vacation Bible School and going on mission out of town each summer. Grace is currently looking to hire a full time youth ministry director to disciple our youth and grow our minis-try. The youth have been working for the last several months on renovating the youth room on the second floor. The project should be finished in April and they look forward to hosting an “Open House” for the church to come and see-look for a date soon. Thank you for your support of our youth ministry.

GUMC Hosting...

Mark Your Calendars NOW...

Volunteer Opportunities at Grace We need people for the following positions 1. Sunday school teachers (preschool or kindergarten) 2. Run the slideshow in church either service 3. Vice chair Leadership Committee 4. Members for the Stewardship Committee If you are interested please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Bonnie Brock bbrock6390@gmail.com or call text 904 4368733. If you need more information about the role you would play I will get you in touch with the team leader to discuss if this is the right position for you. Thank you in advance for your commitment in serving. And thanks to all the current volunteers who help this church run smoothly and who have answered the call to serve. May God bless you.

Sunday, April 14th—Palm Sunday, Cantata ONLY ONE worship service 10 am Sunday, April 14th—April 20th—Holy Week: Thursday, April 18th—Maundy Thursday service at 7 pm Friday, April 19th—Good Friday service: at Shores UMC at Noon at First UMC with Campus to City Wesley 7 pm Wednesday, April 17th Children’s Holy Week Art Show & Dinner 5:30 pm—7 pm, FH Sunday, April 21st—Easter Sunday Services at: 7:45 am, 9:15 am, 11 am

Circle Of Concern

Please pray for: all unspoken prayer requests, Grace United Methodist Church, all branches of Law Enforcement & First Responders, all Military, Kathy Parker, David Hall, Phyllis Reed Adzima, Sue Amole, Family of JJ Ruhsam, John & Carolyn Zielinski, Walden Schmidt, Phyllis Green, Margaret Henegar, Family of Lewis Qualman Allegro: Betty Fleming Bayview: Elaine Frenzke Bayview—The Pavilion: Elaine Edwards, Bruce Partner, Carol Sinks Brookdale: Lovie Fox Brooks at Bartram Crossing Rehab: Linda Evans Moultrie Creek Nursing & Rehab Center: Maria Schineller The Ponce: Mary Lou Brusaw Westminster Woods: Midge Berger In The Military: Joel Prevatt, US Air Force, Maj. Will Bermeo, Lt. Christopher Bordino-US Navy, Jacob Bradley, M Sgt. Kat Brumfield-US Air Force, Brandon Burnette-US Army, Nicholas Callahan, Brandon W. Clark, ISC Ray LeMieux, SSgt. Miles Massey/USAF-OSI, Brian Riggenbach, MAC Albert J. Spiess, Master Sgt. Justin Smarr, CTR Mark Spurling, Jr., Jason Strohmetz, Thessalomica Vila-Navy, Tom Wetmore, John Young, Jr., Haley Parks St. John, USAF, Adam Martinez-US Navy, Brian Sousa, Ashley St. Johns, USAF PLEASE NOTE If you have a friend or a loved one in the military, please send in their picture and their rank to be placed on the bulletin board in the Breezeway Hallway. You may drop off at the Office Monday—Friday 9 a.m.—3 p.m. or mail or email to office@gracestaugustine.org

The Stephen Ministry Corner—

“My Stephen Minister did a wonderful job of creating a warm, caring space for me to process my emotions and work through my issues.” (A Former Care Receiver) Let me tell you about a caring visit that stands out in my mind? It was a few months into our relationship, and I’d begun to trust my Stephen Minister with some of my most difficult issues. As we were walking around a track, with the wind blowing in my face, I suddenly realized that she was literally walking right beside me as I journeyed through my pain. I’d been struggling with some spiritual wounds that were pretty intense and needed healing— things I didn’t want to share with family and friends. But on that visit, as my Stephen Minister walked next to me, I felt safe and comfortable. So I shared my deepest hurts with her—some really painful things that I feared she might judge me for and that made me won-der if God could possibly love me. After I told her those things, I was really nervous and dreading her response. I was worried that she would think I was an awful person. But instead, she put her arm around me and said, “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” And that was a turning point for me. To go from fear of judgment to a positive affirmation of care, empathy—and even sorrow for what I’d been through—it was so meaningful. That’s when I began to feel God’s love again. To learn more about our Stephen Ministry program, please contact any of the following: Sue Amole 904-553-8536, Roger Carlson 240-483-7183, Marie Russo 804-712-3712, or Stan Russo 804-243-1814.

Your Stephen Leadership Team Sue Amole (904-553-8536; samole2013@gmail.com)

Roger Carlson (240-483-7183; revrogerj@yahoo.com) Marie Russo (804-712-3712; mqrusso71@gmail.com) Stan Russo (804-243-1814; stanrusso46@gmail.com)

Bible Tales For Tots The Bible Tales for Tots meet Fridays at 10:30 am—11:30 am. This is a great space for children to release some energy and socialize. Bible Tales for Tots is directed towards ages 0-3 but we can accommodate elementary ages as well. This is a great opportunity for parents to come out and enjoy an hour of conversation. Questions? Contact Jessica Kroeger at mrsjkroeger@gmail.com or 904-540-6183.

Monday Men’s Discipleship Group

Every Monday at 7 am—8:15 am at the Maple Street Biscuit Company located across the street from Grace UMC on Cordova. This group is open to all men who want companions on the way of following Jesus. Contact Pat Cummings for more information ylpcummings@gmail.com .

Companions in Christ—A Way of Grace Group Begins This Month

Please prayerfully consider joining a new Companions in Christ 10 week small group this April. The content focuses on central stories in the Gospel of John and how each character received grace when encountering Jesus. The format includes individual reading and reflection (about 30 minutes a day), and a weekly gathering to share and deepen insights. A natural outcome is a community of close fellowship with one another. Wednesday morning women’s group starts April 3rd at 10:00 in the Wesley Room. To sign up or for more information contact Anne Bishop (annebshp@gmail.com), Debra Gibson (dgg0613@yahoo.com) or Monika Mayr (monikamayr1@yahoo.com.) Tuesday evening group open to all starts April 9 at 6:30 at Mary Cummings' house. To sign up or for more information contact Mary Cummings (marydcummings@gmail.com)

Estate Planning and Planned Giving Seminar Estate and legacy planning are not one of life’s most popular tasks, but it is one of the most important ways to show your love for your family. Do your children and/or grandchildren have properly designated guardians? Has funding to raise and educate your children or grandchildren been adequately provided and designated? Estate planning provides all of this and allows you to properly prepare for the health care that you want in your final days. Are you using the best tax advantaged ways to fund these intentions? You support your church and charities during your life, why not provide one last gift after you are gone? What are the best ways to provide legacy gifts to these organizations from your estate? How long has it been since you updated your estate plan? How have the recent tax law changes effected your planning? Please plan to attend an Estate Planning and Planned Giving Seminar presented by Grace Church on May 1, 2019 at 5:30. Local attorney Sean Kelley from Kelley & Kelley will be presenting information that is important to everyone. There is no cost to attend this seminar! You don’t get offers like this very often. Child care will be provided. Please contact Rich Bevilacqua at rich.bevilacqua@gmail.com to register.

Cantata—Palm Sunday, April 14th

ONLY ONE Worship Service

10 am

If your name is not listed in the birthdays or anniver-saries and it should be, please contact Peggy Namie in the church office via phone 904-829-8272 or email office@gracestaugustine.org . Thank you!

APRIL Birthdays 1st: Tom Ringwood 4th: Lydia Hazen • Debbie Herbert 5th: Macia Norman • Bridget Yunker 7th: Joyce Lundgren 10th: Judy Bechtold • Erlinda Braun • Gary Hare • Mary Rieder 11th: Jeff Haddock • Tom Howell 12th: Nora Psula 13th: Marshia Hewitt • Anita Madigan 15th: Caroline Earnshaw • Karen Maguire • Fred Ruch 16th: Audrey Jarrard 17th: Jan Ruch 18th: Roger Carlson • Nancy Soper 20th:Ken Atkins • Alex Hales 22nd: Harriet Conkey • Robin Osgood 25th: Jack Bailey 26th: Jill Holder 27th: Drew Fitzgerald • Vee Markel • Tica Walley 29th: Eddie Joyce Geyer • Art Holden 30th: John Kaiser

APRIL Anniversaries

1st: Tom & Linda Ringwood 15th: Richard & Debra Gibson 25th: Sterling & Penny Colee 30th: John & Joan Kaiser

Altar Flowers The 2019 Altar Flower sign-up calendar is located to the right of the sanctuary as you enter from the street.

Sign-up for the date/s that are meaningful to you: birthdays, anniversaries, in memory of, in honor of,

in appreciation of , or just because you want to add to the beauty of the sanctuary on a Sunday morning.

You are welcome to take the flowers after the 11 am service or if you leave them, the Care Team will divide and distribute them to our Homebound members. The altar flowers are $30 total for the two arrangements. Make the check out to GUMC. In the memo line write altar flow-ers and the date that you have signed up for. Please fill out a form located below the calendar and place it, along with payment, in the offering plate or turn into the Office.

APRIL Altar Flowers

7th — Charles & Lydia Hazen 14th — Bob & Audrey Jarrard 21st — Sam & Carrie Dean 28th — Louise Brown

Check Signers Needed

Check signers are needed. All that is required of you is to come in once a week on Thursdays at 1 pm to sign checks. If you are available and interested, please contact: Pam Noble gracefinancialsecretary@gmail.com or Nataliya Birmingham finance@gracestaugustine.org

GUMC Housekeeping—Your Cooperation Is Requested and Greatly Appreciated! ►Do NOT leave plates, food, or drink lying around anywhere in the building! We do not want to entice unwanted critters! ►When using a room, you are asked to return the room to the way it was before you used it! If you move furniture...return it to its proper place before leaving. ►If you use kitchen items, please wash, dry, and replace them before you leave. Also, garbage that is collected as a result of your event/meeting, needs to be taken outside to the exterior garbage cans. This helps to keep bugs and critters out of our building! ►If you use the nursery, please remove dirty diapers and throw them away in the exterior garbage cans before you leave. We have a cleaning crew that comes in on Thursday... By doing your small part, it enables the building to be presentable at ALL times for various groups that meet during the week. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter!

Helpful Hints from Peggy Namie, Office Administrator ►When in need of materials being ordered, please contact Peggy two weeks prior to the date that it is needed. This will enable an order to be placed and received prior to the time that it is to be used. Some times it is out of stock or may take longer to be delivered due to unforeseen circumstances. ►DEADLINES...deadlines are set in place for a reason! Deadlines allow me time to pull together and finalize for proofing, before going to print and dispersing in a timely manner! Deadlines, for the most part remain the same year round with very few, if any, exceptions! So much of what I do is dependent upon receiving information from others. If you are late, that might delay my being able to give to others information that they need! Your being late can have a domino effect! ►If you are in need of copies for a meeting, do not wait until the last minute to request them. The copier may be in use or it may not be working and therefore copies may not be able to be made by the time that you need them. Sundays are my day to worship...please do not approach me with work related items on that day! I am in the office five days a week to receive work related requests and questions! There are some staff that Sunday is their workday, however that is not the case for me! Thank you for your respect and cooperation!

APRIL Communion Servers Richard MacMullen, Shirley MacMullen, Donna Ruhsam, Harry Ruhsam

APRIL Ushers 7:45 am Sanford Ray, Vickie Ray 9:15 am Jack Amole, Anne Bishop, Larry Bishop, Karen Mathis, Betty Power, Tom Power 11 am April 7th: Gary Hare, Shirley Hare, Caleb Jarrard, Paul Merritt, Carol Vander Wal April 14th: Claude Caviness, Richard Gibson, Connie Long, Margaret Mosca, Linda Ringwood, Tom Ringwood April 21st: Richard Gibson, Caleb Jarrard, Lynn Miller, Richard MacMullen, Shirley MacMullen April 28th: Richard Gibson, Darlene Hiebert, Jim Hiebert, Art Holden, Chris Larocque, Paula Merritt

Vacation Bible School Sign-Up board is coming soon—keep a lookout for it so you can get signed up to help us this summer. There will also be a

registration table and donation board for needed items. We are looking forward to another fun VBS at Grace the week of June 10th!

Dining With Dignity The APRIL Dining with Dignity will be held on Friday, APRIL 19th at 6 pm in the Fellowship Hall. You are invited to come help do any of the following: set-up, prepare, serve, and clean up after the meal. If you are interested, contact Mike Osgood, 904-377-2686, dcs0823@bellsouth.net .

North East District Calendar of Events for APRIL ► Spring Lay Servant Training at Palm Coast UMC, April 5th—6th April 5th, 6:30 pm—9 pm and April 6th, 8:30 am—5 pm ALSO: ► Annual Conference 2019 @ Florida Southern College “On Mission Together” June 5th/Wednesday 10 am — June 8th/Saturday 12:30 pm

Meetings In APRIL · Trustees Meeting— Monday, April 8th, 7 pm, Room #2 · SPRC Meeting— Tuesday, April 30th, 6:30 pm, Room #2 · Finance Committee Meeting—Wednesday, April 10th, 11 am, Room #2 · Church Council Meeting—NOT meeting in April Mark Your Calendar Now · Estate Planning and Planned Giving Seminar— Wednesday, May 1st, 5:30pm

ALL meetings at the church are open for anyone to attend. For SPRC meetings, please call the church office in advance.

Funeral Meal Coordinator & Volunteers Are Needed! The position of Funeral Meal Coordinator is now vacant and needs to be filled. After many years of service, Paula Namie has decided that it is time to relinquish the reins to someone else. Please contact Peggy Namie in the Office 904-829-8272 or office@gracestaugustine.org if you are interested in taking this over. Paula has given to Peggy some helpful tips that have been used over the years : how to gauge quantity needed, what works well, set-ups, etc. You are more than welcome to do what works best for you or you can continue to order ready made trays that need only to be set out.

Easter Flowers Give the “Gift of Easter Flowers” as a gift in memorial or in honor of a loved one. Your minimum donation of $10

will provide Geraniums and Calla Lilies to decorate the church for Easter Sunday. Place your donation in a pew

envelope and write the name of the person that you are remembering/honoring on the envelope. All the names will

be listed in the Easter bulletin. All donors may take their flowers after the last service on Easter Sunday. All dona-

tions for Easter Flowers must be received by April 14.

We have 12 Geraniums (6 white & 6 purple) and 13 Calla Lilies (white). Please specify which plant you would like.

Support Betty Griffin House Donate at the Holy Week Art Show

During the kids Unto Others mission class, we have been working on getting the word out about a way to help support the Betty Griffin House. We hope you have seen our posters around church, but in case you haven’t, we are collecting items currently needed at the shelter. We are asking that you bring your donated items to the Holy Week Art Show and place them in the collection bin provided. We are collecting food, personal care items, kids items, and household utility items.

For more information, email Martha at

marthayamnitz@gmail.com

Children’s Ministry Weekly Schedule

Sunday—Sunday School 9:15am & 11:00 am,

Unto Others 10:30-11:00 am

Wednesday—Kids of Grace 5:00-6:30 pm

Friday—Bible Tales for Tots 10:30- 11:30 am

Find Us Online! Get information on the times, ages of children involved, and other important information at the Children’s Ministry

page on our church website. www.gracestaugustine.org/#/ministries/children

Stay up to date on any announcements or special events along with great pictures and stories from our kids at our Chil-dren’s Ministry Facebook Page. www.facebook.com/GraceMethodistChildrensMinistry/

Holy Week Art Show Wednesday April 17th

5:00-7:00 On Wednesday, April 17th, Grace United Methodist Church Kids will be presenting a Holy Week Art Show along with a delicious dinner. The kids will be accepting donations at this event to help pay the tuition for Summer Camp at the Warren Willis Methodist Camp in Leesburg, Florida. We hope to raise enough money to pay

at least half of each camper’s tuition. Kids at Grace Methodist that have completed 3rd grade or higher can attend this amazing week-long camp full of activities, small group learning and high energy worship. The kids would LOVE for you to invite a friend, family member, or neighbor to join you so we can “Pack the House” as they share their artwork . The Sunday kids and the Wednesday kids have been creating artwork each week that goes along with the part of the Easter story they were learning. We can’t wait to share our wonderful artistic

creations with you! Come anytime between 5:00 & 7:00 to view the masterpieces and enjoy dinner.

Reporting For The Month Of FEBRUARY-

Children’s Ministries $ 1,107.50 Youth Room Renovation $ 2,000 In FEBRUARY: Dining With Dignity served :

Mission Offerings: YTD

Spring of Life Cuba $

Transportation $

Youth Mission Trip $

Rise Against Hunger $

Florida Conference $

Panua (Inua) $

FL UM Children’s Home $ 800

Young Life Capernaum $ 195

CCW $

Warren Willis Summer Camp $

St. Francis House $ 100

CareFest $

Grace Student Singers Scholarships $ 1, 010

Office Hours: ALL GUMC offices will be closed on Monday, April 22nd

The office hours for Grace United Methodist Church are: Main Office: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8 am—3 pm Tuesday, Thursday 9 am—3 pm/Peggy Namie—Office Administrator office@gracestaugustine.org Finance Office: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 9 am—4 pm/Nataliya Birmingham—Church Treasurer finance@gracestaugustine.org

Deadlines For Church Publications:

→Weekly Bulletin Submissions ARE DUE BY 2 pm THE WEDNESDAY PRIOR TO THE BULLETIN THAT THE INFORMATION IS TO BE INCLUDED IN: April 7th bulletin—submissions are due by 2 pm Wednesday, April 3rd April 14th bulletin—submissions are due by 2 pm Wednesday, April 10th April 21st bulletin—submissions are due by 2 pm Wednesday, April 17th April 28th bulletin—submissions are due by 2 pm Wednesday, April 24th May 5th bulletin—submissions are due by 2 pm Wednesday, May 1st

→Newsletter Submissions FOR THE MAY ISSUE OF GRACE NOTES ARE DUE BY 2 pm on Friday, April 19th NO LATE SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED!

Thank you!

Did You Know You Can Give To Grace UMC Online Or By Text? Visit the church website gracestaugustine.org and click “Give Online.” Or you can text an amount to 904-717-4772 and then follow the instructions to designate your contribution to the general, capital or missions budgets. This is one way you can stay consistent with your commitment to financially support the ministries of Grace Church. With online and text giving you can still give even if you are out of town or on vacation. Thank you!

Women of Grace Our next meeting will be on Thursday, April 11th at 10:00 am. We hope to see you as we meet in fellowship. We will have a special speaker. This missionary works in India. His story is unique and well worth hearing. A light snack will be provided. Please bring a favorite Bible verse to share. We are sharing Bible verses on index cards to use for Prayer Cards between meetings. We still volunteer for making desserts each month for Dining with Dignity (the third Friday of the month) and serving for Fellowship Time (the second Sunday of the month) . We have created a directory for our group use. See you! Mildred Thomas

Community Conversations—Understanding Conversations Community Conversations meet at Grace on Tuesdays from 12:00 - 1:15 pm serve our

community as a grace-filled, transformational table for moving closer to one another in the face of things that divide us. Lately we have been talking about the impact of race and learning ways we can be agents of reconciliation. There have been between 20-25 people at the gatherings including city leadership, concerned community residents, plus members of Grace and several other churches including St. Paul AME, Living Water Fellowship, and First UMC. The conversation is always open to new participants. This is a significant way in which Grace Church is both sharing the gospel of Jesus and being used of God to transform the world.

Pancakes and Palms Join us for breakfast on Palm Sunday. We will be serving pancakes and bacon starting at 8:30 am. There is only one service that day at 10 am where our choir will be sharing their Cantata. Come early and fellowship!