November 23, 2024
Happy Saturday Afternoon Grace Vineyard Family and Friends,
I just read through the names of the people who are about to get a text message with a link to this Weekly Update email. It was a quick read-through, cuz there are a lot of names, but I tried to take a moment to think about you and say a quick prayer of blessing as I read the names. My motivation was Thanksgiving. We are entering into Thanksgiving week, and perhaps what I am most thankful for are the people in my life. You make life rich in so many ways. As we get ready to enter this special holiday week, I hope you all are also pausing to give thanks for the many blessings in your life, especially those people who have been given to us as brothers and sisters in our spiritual family.
An Eternal Perspective When Facing Injustice
I’ve been studying a pretty challenging section of 1 Peter in chapters 2 and 3 this week. Peter picks up the topic of unjust suffering again, and this time points us to Jesus as our example for how we should respond. Here’s part of what he writes:
1 Peter 2:20-24
… if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
When life just isn’t fair, when we face injustice, how can we respond? This is what I plan on talking about tomorrow when we open the Word together. As usual, I anticipate that the Holy Spirit will speak to our individual hearts like He usually does. I hope you can be with us. If you can’t be with us in person, here’s the link for the Zoom channel: Zoom Meeting ID 153 112 432, Passcode 684814, and here’s where you would go for the Facebook Live channel: facebook.com/gracevcf. And if you’d like the video and audio links for last week’s message, here you go:
The YouTube version…
And the Gracetalks.org version…
Loving Our Neighbors at Thanksgiving
The big event this week is Thanksgiving at Fireside Park on Friday at 11am.
Our friends from Convicted For Christ are loving our unsheltered neighbors in a practical way for Thanksgiving, and all of us are invited to participate. Brandi will be in the lobby after church with information and a signup sheet. Together, we will be putting on a Thanksgiving Feast on Friday, November 29th, at 11am at Fireside park. There are lots of ways to get involved, including cooking Turkeys (that will be provided for you if necessary). So, definitely find Brandi Mitchell this Sunday for all the info you need.
Ladies Christmas Luncheon December 14
Women of Grace, you are invited to celebrate Christmas with a beautiful luncheon beginning at 11am. Margy Hill will be our speaker. The menu is soup, salad and dessert. If you’d like to bring a soup or dessert or host a table, please sign up in the lobby. Tickets are $15. For more information, please call Jeannie Isbell 760.419.1887.
The Importance of Year-End Giving
As we enter the final weeks of the year (counting tomorrow there are 6 Sundays left in 2024), I want to remind you of the importance of year-end giving for nonprofit organizations like Grace Vineyard. I think most of the world understands the emphasis – that’s why we have national events like “Giving Tuesday” coming up on December 3rd. Like all nonprofit organizations we rely entirely on the donations of the people who believe in what we do and and are committed to partner with us with their finances. And while the electric bills, and insurance bills, and mortgage, and payroll, etc. show up faithfully every month, donations tend to fluctuate throughout the year. So, nonprofit organizations hope to see a substantial jump in donations at the end of each year so that they have reserve funds for the coming year. That’s been our experience in 2024 – our reserves are all but depleted. And our benevolence fund is completely depleted. Next month, is Christmas, and we are going to be getting requests from single moms and others in financial difficulty to help them buy Christmas presents for their kids. Some will also be asking for help buying food or paying rent or putting gas in their cars. While it’s always important that those of you called to Grace Vineyard as your home church continue the practice of tithing, I want to ask you to think and pray about giving an extra donation or two in these final weeks of the year, both for our reserve fund and our benevolence fund. It’s needed, and will be greatly appreciated! As an encouragement to each of us, here’s a beautiful blessing for generous givers from the apostle Paul:
2 Corinthians 9:6-13
…and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:
“He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
I hope that builds up your joy and faith as much as it does mine! See you in the morning.
With love and blessings to each of you,
Ron Ohst
Tithes and Offerings Online
THANKS for taking ownership in the life and ministry of Grace Vineyard! And thanks to all of you who are stepping into a lifestyle of generosity with your tithes and offerings. It really does take all of us doing our part with the income God has entrusted to us for His church. If you’d like to give your tithe or offering online, click the donate button below. If you are giving above your tithe for a specific fund such as benevolence, building, or missions, please specify that in the “add a note to your donation” section. Thank You!