The Response
South Carolina
JUNE 2015
Governor Nikki Haley is calling all churches in South
Carolina to gather for a day of prayer and to see the
name of Jesus exalted.
The Response South Carolina will take place at the
North Charleston Coliseum from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. on Saturday, June 13, and this is to be a day of
united prayer and fasting for South Carolina and our
nation.
Please go to http://theresponsesc.com to learn more
and to let us know you will be joining us together,
praying to God in unity and repentance, acknowledging our need for His presence and mercy, asking Him
for the wisdom and strength we need to bring hope,
revival, and renewal to the people and communities of
South Carolina. Together with God and each other,
we can do this!
A great big “thank you” to the pastor, Michael
Jennings, and all the crew that blessed me so in the
home repairs you all did for me on Saturday, May 9.
You gave up your precious time and day – the day
before Mother’s Day – in the heat to bless me. I didn’t know how I was going to get this work done, so
you will never know how humbling that was for me.
You all did such a beautiful job.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I pray God’s
blessings upon all of you. God is SO good!
In Christ,
Martha Miles
Again, we’ll be hosting a Seeds of Hope
Farmer ’s Market
each Saturday in our
picnic shelter, beginning June 6 and
ending the last
Saturday of August,
from 8:00 a.m. until
noon each week.
This market enables
our Grace neighbors
and surrounding
communities to purchase fresh produce at prices comparable to supermarkets. In addition, qualified
seniors may obtain free produce with vouchers disbursed by us through the S.C. Department of Social
Services.
Through this outreach program, an area family farmer
is able to bring his produce to market. Our farmer
continues to be Oscar Stevens from Saluda County.
We will need volunteers from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. and
from 10:00 a.m. to noon, to serve as cashiers and to
bag the produce.
We will have sign-up sheets in the narthex if you
would like to help. It’s fun and easy, and a great way
to meet and greet our neighbors, and invite them to
worship with Grace!
W
e are gearing up for Vacation Bible School and
looking for volunteers!! The dates are June
21-26!! Please join us in all the fun, even if you can
only commit to
one night!!!
Dinner will be
served each night
from 5:00 to
5:45, and VBS
will run from
6:00 to 8:30!
Page 2
June 2015
Uganda Update
The Apostle Paul put it this way: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ, always giving thanks.”
I want to thank each and every one of you that have shared your love and support by
giving to the Uganda Mission trip. Our goal is now reachable. A special thanks to the UMW for their outpouring of support.
There is still time left for those who have waited or maybe just have been undecided. We will be collecting
through the second week of July.
Please continue to pray for the mission team as we prepare ourselves to be servants.
Remember – God is good, all the time.
Pastor Walt
June 2015
UMW Happenings!!
Spiritual Growth Retreat at Lake Junaluska…
“Fill My Cup, Lord” was the theme for the Spiritual
Growth Retreat held at the beautiful Lake Junaluska,
N.C., Methodist Retreat Conference Center. Yvette
Richards, National President of the United Methodist
Women organization and member of the 2012-2016
General Board of Global Ministries, is a very busy
and proud United Methodist Woman who truly delivered messages that filled our hearts with love and the
desire to go and share her message with others. Our
unit purchased CDs of her messages and songs to be
played during our July meeting. Watch for details of
the meeting’s date and time in the bulletin in the very
near future. I am very proud to share that the Song
Leader for our retreat was our GREAT Music Director
Elizabeth Nance-Coker. She did an excellent job! I
heard nothing but positive comments from ladies
attending the conference on how uplifting and heartwarming her selections of music were for this event.
The theme song, “Fill My Cup, Lord,” is still being
heard in my head. This was a truly a “SPIRITUAL
GROWTH RETREAT.” Our cup was filled with
love, hope and renewed faith to lead us in putting our
Love in Action and supporting our missions. Thank
you, Elizabeth, for sharing your skills and talents with
the Conference. We are so very proud that you are a
part of the Grace Family!
Health Kits – Church Women United Project…
Ernestine Stone and Sandra Love attended the Church
Women United Friendship on May 1 at St John
Episcopal Church. There were a total of 2,077 health
kits from churches around Columbia. Thank you so
much to our UMW and Grace members for providing
and donating 22 of these kits. Thank you very much
for your donations.
Fourteen social service agencies in four counties
(Aiken, Lexington, Newberry, Richland) received the
kits: Children’s Garden, Cooperative Ministry,
Epworth Children’s Home, Free Medical Clinic,
Lexington Interfaith Community Services, the
Nurturing Center, Palmetto Place Children’s
Emergency Shelter, Providence Home of Columbia,
St. Lawrence Place / Trinity Housing Corporation,
Telamon Corporation, Transitions, the Women’s
Page 3
Shelter, Christ Gate, and Southside Residential Care
Center.
Vacation Bible School…
The UMW will provide supper for VBS attendees on
Monday, June 22. We are excited and working on a
menu that hopefully will be perfect for the evening.
We are planning subs with chips, cookies and drinks.
Join us the week of June 21-26, 2015, for a great
week of Vacation Bible School.
Upcoming Events…
June 7 – Book Club Meeting & Salad Lunch –
immediately following 11:00 a.m. service
(Category: Nurturing in Community)
June 17 – UMW Meeting – 7:00 p.m. –
Scrapbooking
July 15 – UMW Meeting – 7:00 p.m. – Watch Video
from Spiritual Growth Retreat
The following items are needed by
Sharing God’s Love:
Jelly; Grits; Tea; Sugar; Flour; Oatmeal; Cereal;
Canned Fruit; Pasta Sauce; Canned Tomatoes;
Canned Meats (tuna, salmon & ham); Deodorant;
Toothpaste & Toothbrushes; Toilet Paper;
Shampoo; Bar Soap; Feminine Products; Laundry
Detergent; Dish Detergent; Backpacks; Children’s
Shoes, Underwear, Socks & Clothing; Towels;
Wash Cloths; Bed Linens; Dishes; Pots & Pans;
Used but Working Household Appliances
Page 4
15 Susan Addis
17 George Fox III
David Abstance IV
18 Richard Love
19 David Abstance III
20 Violet Casper
JUNE
21 Rebecca Coker
1 Dan Drociuk
23 Charlene Kearse
4 Nathan Coker
3
5 Janet McKissick 24 Kim Lott
6
7 Kathy Jennings 27 Margaret
MacDougall
8
Shara Merritt
Tod Pash
10
Jennifer Smith
9 Ashley Buzzard 28 Jeff Doidge
John Chiles
12
10 Trey Merritt
JULY
12 Salena Doidge
1 Jayne McDaniel 13
13 Casey Smith
14
Jim Graham
14 David Rotholz
June 2015
JUNE
22 Dennis Coker & Elizabeth
4 Benjamin & Ashley Buzzard
Nance-Coker
6 Walt & Cindy Ballenger
24 Don Boyd & Heather
7 Stephen & Julie Leskoske
Boyd-Ross
9 Don & Nicole Williamson
26 Ivan & Becky Bumgarner
11 Richard & Sandra Love
29 Sam & Alice Jones
14 Bill & Carol Cranford
JULY
16 Clay & Kay Nelson
6 David & Rita Pardue
8 Jack & Betty Walters
16 Steven Casper
Keenan Johnson
19 Ronnie & Beth Williams
Nicole Williamson 18 Hannah Mount
23 Wade & Billie Thompson
Jeremiah Smoak
Judith Dolce
27 David & Julie Rotholz
19 Marshall Casey
Ashleigh Pash
30 Michael & Kathy Jennings
George Fox
Alexander Winston
21 Barbara Bargery 26 Nancy Ross
Alice Jones
Noah Abstance
24 Robert Anderson 28 Bryson Bumgarner
20 Tim Coker
Kristen Leskoske
Joy Drennen
31 Alex Adams
Kathy Hardee
Toni Simpson
Ray Merritt
20 Violet Casper 25 Connie Derrick
Kathy Murphy
Celebrating Our Faithfulness to Ministry & Mission
By Our Presence & Participation (as of May 17)
Worship Service Average: 112
Goal:
175
Sunday School Average:
44
Goal:
70
By Our Financial Support (as of May 17)
Operating Income:
$ 5,791.00
Operating Received:
$ 139,555.00
Transfer from
Capital Fund
$ 15,513.00
Expenses:
$ 147,088.00
Over / (Under):
($ 7,980.00)
Weekly Amount
Needed to Meet
Expenses:
GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
410 HARBISON BOULEVARD
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA 29212
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
$ 7,469.00
PRESORTED
STANDARD
US POSTAGE
PAID
IRMO, SC
PERMIT #73