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Greetings GraceLife!

Let’s once again start with scripture as reflected in last Sunday’s message.  The message Pastor Joe delivered was based on His Word from 1 Samuel 31, titled “When Hope Dies”.  This sermon is #32 in the series “A Sinner in Love with God”, examining what we can learn from the life of David.  In this chapter of 1 Samuel, we learn of the Philistines’ utter defeat of Israel, the death of Saul and his sons, the fleeing of Israelites from their homes, and the occupation of their cities by the Philistines.  On the surface, it seems that God had abandoned His covenant with Israel and all had been lost. Yet, on closer reflection, we are brought to understand that God’s covenant plan is not defeated but will prevail exactly as He created it to be.  We can be so encouraged that his plans for Israel and for us are not dependent on our faithfulness or performance; He is our sovereign God Who is in complete control!!   Please listen or re-listen to this message in its entirety through our website (select “Messages”) to learn more about this passage and what guidance it provides to us. 

Also, this past Sunday, our Monthly Prayer Meeting at Mt Beneva was focused on praise and petition for our nation as we approach this Saturday’s Independence Day celebration!  We thanked God for His Hand in this country’s founding and prayed for wisdom for our leadership at all governing levels.  We hope you will include a special observance of our Independence Day this weekend.  You may even want to visit our Sarasota National Cemetery as a way to honor those who served in our country’s  military to protect and defend our nation!  

Here is a quick look at events coming up this week and a look ahead as well.  

June 30th – Tuesday evening Adult Bible Study at MB, 7-8pm, Gym 201B/C.  Tonight we continue our study of Judges. Please join us tonight!  

July 1st (Wednesday)

  • Sisters in Prayer at MB, 7pm, Fellowship Corner; no meeting of BLAZE Youth, but new Student Ministry schedule coming!  
  • Our Women’s home-based Bible Study, “Captivating”, will NOT meet this week, but will resume on July 8th.  See Connie Daidone for details.   

July 2nd (Thursday)

  • Ladies’ Bible Study, led by Beth Lawson, continues its new series “Women of the Old Testament”, from 10:15am - noon, MB Gym classroom 201B/C!
  • Small Group Strategy meeting, MB Auditorium/Sanctuary, 6:30pm.
  • Deep End Dinner/Bible Study at ML, 7pm. 

July 3rd (Friday) – Jeff Lawson/Mike Hamel will lead a 4-week “Foundations” fellowship gathering on July 3rd, 17th, 24th, and 31st at MB, Room 106, at 6-7pm.  

July 4th (Saturday) – Happy Independence Day!!!!  Our Saturday Men’s Bible Study at MB will NOT meet this week due to the holiday. 

July 5th  (Sunday) at MB  Please note:  No First Sunday Luncheon due to the holiday.  

  • 8:15 – 8:30am – prayer time with our leadership in Room 106
  • 9am worship service in Auditorium/Sanctuary
  • 10:30am worship service in Auditorium/Sanctuary
  • 10:15 – 11:30am -- Adult Christian Education (CE) class in the Gym classrooms; BLAZE Youth classes in the Gym Loft
  • 10:45 – 11:30am -- GL Kids -- infant-5th grade classes
  • 4-5pm – BLAZE Youth in the Gym Loft  

Reminder!  If you attend our 9am worship service, we hope you’ll consider joining our Adult Christian Education (CE) class held in Gym classroom 201B/C from 10:15 - 11:30am.  Jeff Lawson and Mike Hamel lead this class of “Biblical Love”.  Come learn with us!    

Looking a little further ahead…!   

July 14th (Tuesday) – Leadership Development series begins!  As our new Director of Connections, Gil Jones is offering a 4-week course/series to guide our GraceLife family to better serve both God and each other.  Do you feel called to serve but don’t know how to do so?  Gil is available between Sunday morning services in our Lobby (“Center Post”) to discuss and answer your questions!  The course will be held in Mt Beneva’s Auditorium/Sanctuary, from 6:30-8pm.  You may sign up online at: https://gracelife-sarasota.churchcenter.com/groups/unique/leadership-development

July 16th (Thursday) and July 18th (Saturday) – Day4Hope (D4H) – We need volunteers to support this event, both in the planning leading up to July 18th as well as the “day of”.  Please reach out to Cean Cerny or speak with someone at the Connection Center if you’ll be able to help.  You can sign up to help through the following link: https://gracelife-sarasota.churchcenter.com/registrations/signups/3677122 or sign up in the Lobby at MB.  Please note:  both the July 16th packing event (starting at 10am) and the July 18th distribution event (9am - 1pm) will be held at Light of the World Church, 3809 Chapel Drive, Sarasota, FL, 34234.  

July 20th-24th (M-F) – Vacation Bible School!  This summer, we will be offering an exciting VBS to GLKids AND children of Living Hope Church!  Of course, we need YOUR help!  Volunteer sign-up sheets are now available in our MB Lobby, along with a flyer providing more details about this wonderful opportunity to serve.  (Sign-ups are also available online – see link below.)  Volunteers are needed from 8am - 1pm.  

August 2nd (Sunday) – Our Next First Sunday Luncheon!  Be sure to mark your calendars and plan to join us in the MB Gym after the10:30am worship service!

August 9th (Sunday) – Our Next Baptisms!  We are excited to bring you another opportunity to make a public profession of your decision to accept Jesus as Lord of your life!  Sign-ups are available through our website or by visiting our Connection Center on Sunday mornings. Preparation for your baptism will include meeting with GL leadership, so please sign up early so that we may begin the process with you!  Online sign-ups are available at https://gracelife-sarasota.churchcenter.com/registrations/signups/3564623

Stewardship Thoughts 

Stewardship from a Christian perspective calls people to protect, cultivate, and serve; devastation represents what can happen when that responsibility is ignored, abused, or treated as ownership instead of trust.  Certainly there were many examples from Saul’s tragic life of his failures to honor and obey God in serving God’s people as their king.  Devastation for him and for Israel ultimately followed.  However, we are encouraged to know that God’s covenantal plan did not waiver with Saul’s failures and will not waiver with our failures.  

Ministry Spotlight

Christian ministry often becomes most visible during times of loss, disaster, grief, war, poverty, illness, or personal collapse.  In this sense, ministry means serving, comforting, rebuilding, feeding, counseling, praying with, and standing alongside people affected by devastation, following God’s response to your prayerful petition for guidance and thanking Him for His covenant faithfulness.  

Blaze Youth Student Ministry

Students in grade 6-12 are invited to join us in the Loft (upstairs MB Gym) during our weekly meeting times.

  • Sunday mornings 10:15-11:30am
  • Sunday evenings 4-5pm

Other Group Prayer Opportunities

In addition to our Weekly Prayer Meetings on Sunday mornings and Monthly Prayer Meetings, we also have a prayer chain here at GraceLife, a way for many to pray for the needs of those in our GraceLife family.  

  • How do I request prayer for myself or others?  You may submit your requests for prayer through our Connect Cards (paper or QR Code), email, note, text, or verbal request to our leadership or member of our Admin Team, or to Cindy Lanoue-Foster or to me (Dreama).  We’ll then post your prayer request for distribution to those who have indicated their desire to be part of our prayer chain.  

  • How do I become part of the prayer chain?  Just indicate to a member of our Admin Team that you’d like to be part of the prayer chain OR sign up at the lobby’s sign-up table and we’ll make that happen.  Prayer is powerful and we are privileged to pray for one another.

In addition to seeking volunteers for upcoming events, we also have on-going needs for volunteers in the following ministries…

  • Hospitality Ministry – Volunteers are needed for the hospitality team! This may include presenting coffee/donuts for our 9am or 10:30am worship services, or helping with the First Sunday Luncheon, especially clean-up.  Please respond to this email if you are interested in helping prepare/serve food for our fellowship times!  

  • Children’s Ministry – We are so blessed that our Children’s Ministry continues to welcome more and more children to GraceLife!  That means that more and more volunteers are also needed for Sunday mornings! We’re looking for volunteers with servant hearts to help care for our youngest members of the GraceLife family. If you’re interested in serving in our Children’s Ministry, please stop by the Connection Center or contact Jackie. 

  • Greeters and Connection Center – We are seeking more volunteers to serve as Greeters and at the Connection Center for both the 9am and 10:30am Sunday morning worship services.  Whether it’s a first-time visitor to GraceLife or a member of our GraceLife family, we want each person who enters our Lord’s house on Sunday morning to be warmly welcomed, to be assisted as needed, and to be, frankly, surprised at the evidence of abundant love at GraceLife.  If you are interested in serving in this way, please stop by the Connection Center and let us know.  

More about our Sunday Mornings at Mount Beneva

  • Parking – Please let us know of any parking issues you may have.  
  • Lobby
    • Greeters are available to welcome and assist you.  Also, visit the Connection Center with questions, or for sign-ups, books, t-shirts and more!  
    • Nametag requests continue to be processed. Nametags can be located in the drawers by the sitting area.  
    • Coffee, snacks and pastries are provided for your enjoyment and are refreshed throughout the morning by our hospitality team. Please enjoy your food in the lobby and bring only lidded beverages into the auditorium/ sanctuary.  Thank you!
  • Open prayer time with our leadership is available to you, Room 106, 8:15 – 8:30am.
  • Worship services are held in the auditorium/sanctuary at 9 and 10:30 am. 
  • Christian Education classes are held from 10:15-11:30am for Adults in the Gym classrooms and our BLAZE Youth in the Loft;  and from 10:45-11:30am for Children in the children’s wing in the main building.  Our Adult CE classes have been merged into one (Better Together!) and are continuing the “Biblical Love” study.  The merged class meets in Gym classroom 201B/C.  Jeff Lawson and Mike Hamel share in teaching the class.

Connect Cards can be found in the auditorium/sanctuary and at the Connection Center.  Use these to provide contact information, request contact from us, or ask for prayer.  

Reminder

We’ve received some questions about how to give your tithes and offerings to GraceLife, so we wanted to review some options available.  

You may give cash or check during our Sunday morning worship services when the collection baskets are passed.  If you are giving cash and want us to have a record of your gift, please place the cash in one of our giving envelopes (available at the Connection Center) and include your name on the envelope.  If you are giving by check, please make your check out to GraceLife Sarasota.  

If you’d like to give electronically, you may do so in several ways:  

  • you could arrange for “bill pay” through your bank (typically this is done without fees), or
  • you can use the “Give” selection from our GraceLife app or website.  In both those cases, you will be redirected to “Tithely” which is the software used to process your gift.  You will need to identify a payment source (credit card, for example) and choose whether or not your gift will include a small processing fee. You can elect not to cover the fee – your choice. 

Any of these electronic options offers you the ability to specify a one-time gift or recurring payment.  

Please know that we appreciate your giving and want to make it as convenient for you as possible.  If you have questions, please contact Randy Coryell or Dan Deems.