Grace

Youth and Parents: We leave Saturday, August 9 at 10am and return on Sunday, August 10 at noon. There is a lot more information coming your way: check the website or talk with Jesse or Pastor Ryan for all the information.

Yes, we thought Lisa, Ayak and Richard were coming in July, but the whole family (including John) was required to get DNA samples before visas were issued – at $750. each!! That is done and John has been told the final interview will be scheduled end of August. Please pray that this process is expedited. Both John and his daughter Ayak are US citizens and John has followed the rules carefully. Also pray for relief for John from lingering neck pain from an injury last year.

PS – Also remember in prayer the many Sudanese who have been approved but are not being granted visas because of tightening immigration policies. John was eager for me to realize that he just has to wait, but many others have little hope.

We help support our local food pantry in the summer with a school supplies drive. They can use things such as: loose leaf notebook paper, spiral notebooks, 2-pocket folders, pens, pencils, markers, crayons, etc. All cash donations will be used to purchase additional school supplies. There will be a box for your donations just inside the front doors of the building.

Thursday, June 17th, starting at 10am at the church. We will meet with the Senior Share group, grab lunch and end with bowling. Parents can pick up the youth at Waveland Bowl, 3700 N Western Ave at 4:30 pm. $5 suggested donation for each student.

A spiritual storytelling group for those over 50. New members are welcome! Come share with others your life stories and how God has been present in your life journey. Our next meeting will be Thursday, July 17, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in the church basement. We will continue to meet every third Thursday of the month through November. If you are interested, contact Renee Roeschley for more details at 773-283-4273.

This Sunday all children will remain in worship for the entire service as we look at joy. The service will be intentionally multi-generational with activities geared to all ages of children. We hope this will be an engaging time for the entire Grace community.

Offering envelopes for the Watchcare Fund are in the bulletin Sunday. They are for any gift you wish to give to help people in and around our church with emergency funds. If you want to designate your gift for a specific person and need, please note it on the envelope. Make your check out to: Grace Evangelical Covenant Church. Put Watchcare Fund on memo line. Thank you.

Join us next Sunday, July 13, to enjoy God’s creation, sit with scripture, and listen to the Lord. We’ll depart immediately following worship and car pool to the Botanic Gardens (www.chicago-botanic.org). Bring a sack lunch, your Bible (and a journal, if you’d like). We will meet at 12:15 in the picnic area between the parking lot and the garden entrance. At 1 p.m., we will enter the gardens for individual or small group prayer time. Guided helps will be available for those who need them. Admission is free. Parking is $15/car. We will return to the church around 4 p.m.

July 17 at 10am we will be joining the Senior Share Group. After that we will grab lunch, go bowling, and be done by 4pm. $5 per youth, suggested donation for the day.

We are in need of Sunday school volunteers for the following dates: July 6 and 20 and August 3 and 31. Sign up on the bulletin board downstairs or talk with Pastor Ryan.