SEPT 3 - Holy Communion

SEPT 4 - Labor Day

SEPT 5 - Graceful Diners at Fadi's in Sugar Land, 6:30PM

SEPT 6 - Sr. Bus Trip to the Houston Food Bank

SEPT 7, 14,21,28 - Thursday Night (new day) Fellowship at Grace UCC. 6:30PM

SEPT 10 - RALLY DAY, Baptism, Potluck luncheon after worship.

SEPT 10 - National Grandparent Day

SEPT 13 - CCSC Gala

SEPT 15- Oct 15 Hispanic Heritage Month

SEPT 19 - Men of Grace at Live Oak Grill 6:30PM

SEPT 22 - First Day of Autumn

Sr. Bus Trip

Time to get ready for our next Grace UCC/Silver Sneakers bus trip. This time we're going on September 6th, Wednesday, to the Houston Food Bank and then out to lunch and shopping at The Post. I think you'll find both amazing and interesting. Both places will be totally inside so you won't suffer from what may still be extreme heat, although we all hope it will be a little cooler by then. If you would like to join me please respond to this email as soon as possible since I will only have 26 seats. Otherwise that is not necessary to respond unless you want to be taken off my email list.  

Therefore, please board the bus in the L. A. Fitness parking lot, 1555 Eldridge Pkwy., between 9:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday, September 6th, so we can leave there by 9:30 a.m. The only expense will be your lunch. I will accept $1 each to help pay the bus driver's lunch, but that is not obligatory.

Here is a link to both places for you to check out beforehand:

https://www.houstonfoodbank.org/about-us/

https://www.posthtx.com/

Blessed with Work

In the movie Return to Me, Grace works for her grandfather, Marty, in his restaurant, and the two live upstairs. After closing time one night, Grace looks through the apartment window and sees Marty cleaning tables. She yells down to ask if he wants help, and he replies, “No, dear, that’s okay. I’m blessed with work.”

Here’s a man well past retirement age laboring extra hours after his staff has clocked out. Marty simply continues to delight in his work, despite the late hour.

Although this snippet had little to do with the movie’s plot, I’ve always remembered Marty’s words. But I don’t think I’ve ever claimed to be “blessed with work.” By contrast, I often sigh as I’m dealing with messes or long to-do lists. I can get so caught up in tasks that I overlook the incredible people around me. I miss out on the blessing — the joy — of work.

Ecclesiastes 5:19 (NLT) says, “To enjoy your work … is indeed a gift from God.” In what ways are you “blessed with work”?

—Janna Firestone

Labor Day laughs

Take a break and enjoy this work-related humor!

• My first job was in an orange juice factory. I got canned because I couldn’t concentrate.
• When I couldn’t hack it as a lumberjack, I got the ax.
• I wasn’t suited to being a tailor.
• Working in the muffler factory was too exhausting.
• I was a banker … until I lost interest.
• I realized there was no future in being a historian. 
• Any way I sliced it, I couldn’t cut the mustard at the deli.
• I studied to become a doctor but had no patients.
• My job at the coffee shop was always the same old grind. 
• When I worked as a plumber, the tasks were too draining.
• I was hired at a gym but wasn’t fit for the job.
• Finally, I got a job at a bakery; I kneaded dough!

Gilliw R 06, Lenelle J 08,

Henna M 015, Anna L 16, John H 17, Marilyn R 20

Karen P 22, Stephen L 25, Jay P 28,

Grace UCC Fellowship Night Returns on a New Night

Join us this and every Thursday for a time of Fellowship - a simple meal, singing, Bible Study, prayer time and fun at Grace UCC beginning at 6:30PM. We will do our best to Zoom the meeting if you cannot come in person. Hope to see you Thursday!

The Value of Solid Relationships

“Most of life’s great moments — the ones that resonate in our hearts and minds — involve other people,” writes John C. Maxwell in Today Matters. “Rarely do we experience these times alone. And even when we do, our first inclination is to share them with others.”

Maxwell then poses this challenge: “Think back to the most important experiences of your life, the highest highs, the greatest victories, the most daunting obstacles overcome. How many happened to you alone? I bet there are very few. When you understand that being connected to others is one of life’s greatest joys, you realize that life’s best comes when you initiate and invest in solid relationships.”

Clerical Comments

You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever. Psalm 30:11,12

For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26b.

When it was announced that our conference camp, Slumber Falls, was to be sold, one could almost hear a great cry of mourning echo throughout the congregations of those whose lives had been touched by the mission and ministry of the camp for the past sixty plus years. Considering how several other conferences had sold their camps in the past few years, it was not unheard of for camps to be sold to generate funds for their conference. Like many mainline denominations, the United Church of Christ has been declining in membership for the past several decades. This decline has meant fewer youth attending church camp, but it has also meant shrinking budgets for many local churches, associations, and conferences. Once the decision was made to sell the camp, there was a hope that it would be sold to a group known as the Friends of Slumber Falls that was comprised of those who had strong connections to the camp and hoped to continue the camp’s mission of Outdoor Christian Education. However, at the annual meeting of the conference this past May, a majority of delegates voted to sell the camp to a different buyer with no connections to the conference. Those who treasured the camp that created countless friendships, deepened spiritual awareness, and developed leadership skills, were heartbroken and felt the camp was gone forever. The loss of this sacred place was painful.

People have referred to our United Church of Christ as “the church of the comma” because of a national campaign that quoted Gracie Allen’s words, “Never place a period, where God has placed a comma.” We believe that God is Still Speaking. This belief became a reality this past week as the people that contracted to buy Slumber Falls Camp assigned the purchase contract to the Friends of Slumber Falls! Our mourning has turned to dancing and our sackcloth has been replaced with joy! What was impossible has become possible. Thanks to the grace of God, the generosity and kindness of those who held the contract, the donors, the benefactor, and the tireless dedication, work, and commitment of those who helped make this possible, the ministry and mission of the camp will continue. Our praise to God will not be silent. Truly, joy comes in the morning, praise be to our Still Speaking God! I look forward to being with you this Sunday in worship as we give thanks to our Awesome God who makes the impossible possible!

Yours in Christ, Pastor David

Friends of Slumber Falls officially announced they have purchased Slumber Falls Camp. They posted a video announcement on Facebook from the Slumber Falls Camp account.

Here is the link: https://fb.watch/mO9tHJbrQV/?mibextid=v7YzmG

Please Remember in Prayer

Members: Pastor Lina A, Laura B and Family, Perla F, Mae Delle J, Ayshea L, Pastor Tim, Jay P, Marilyn R, Tatiana R, Jessie S, Martin W, Cynthia W.

Friends: Leah B (Laura B), Pamela C and family, Barbara & Milas D (Juli K), Rick J (Laura B), Billy P (Sonny P), Dick S, Gary and Esther (Juli K)

OCTOBER

NEWSLETTER

Please send all articles for the June newsletter by Monday, 9/16/2023, to graceucchouston@sbcglobal.net

Contact Information

Grace United Church of Christ

8515 Brookwulf Dr., 

Houston, TX 77072-3838 

281-575-7866 

Website: 

graceucchouston@sbcglobal.net

Instruments of Connection

Following Jesus involves much more than attending worship, as Pastor Stan Purdum points out in a sermon titled “The Hug”:



“The spiritual life, in addition to some outwardly religious and inwardly devotional acts, also includes such mundane activities as sending thank-you notes for gifts received, returning phone calls, greeting fellow worshipers Sunday after Sunday, surprising our spouse with a spontaneous act of appreciation, helping out at funeral dinners, seeking common ground during disagreements, listening to our children, working at not being a grouch, visiting friends and relatives and, perhaps, even sending an electronic hug. All those things are instruments of connection. The spiritual aspect is the intentionality behind them.”

Please visit the church website at

www.graceucchouston

Sunday reflections are posted each week

Join the Men of Grace for a fellowship dinner Tuesday, September 19, 6:30PM at Live Oak Grill

Located at 12935 Dairy Ashford Rd, Sugar Land, TX 77478

Have you been to our denominational website lately? Click this link or go to www.ucc.org

United Church of Christ