September 21 is National Back-to-Church Sunday.  Over 3,500 invitations have been printed and will be mailed out in the first part of September, inviting people to Grace Church.  In addition to the mailed invitations, we have extras available in the church lobbies for you to take and invite friends personally to try out Grace Church.

We understand we may not have anyone come to Grace as a result of this mailing, but our goal is more than just inviting new families.  Our goal is that everyone in our county would know we exist as a church.  It never fails to surprise me when I meet people who live in St. Paul who don’t even know we exist as an organization.  This mailing is intended to help combat this.  So while we may not experience growth as a result of this, we must remember that’s not our job in the first place.  1 Corinthians 3:7 says, “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”  We’re trusting God will use this for His glory, and we know the outcome is in His hands.  However, while the outcome is in God’s hands, there are some things we need from you in anticipation of guests coming.

  1. We need you to pray. Pray that people would read the invitation and would be open to God’s leading in their hearts.
  2. We are planning to have our typical 3rd Sunday potluck. Here is our plan since our guests will come unprepared for this:  we would like everyone who is staying for the potluck to bring two dishes; it could be a main dish and a side dish, or a main dish and a dessert, or a side dish and a dessert, but please bring two dishes.  If the number of guests is greater than anticipated, we will order pizzas to ensure we have enough food for the potluck.  If you would be willing to help pay for any necessary pizzas, please let us know.
  3. We will need help converting the church sanctuary to a “cafeteria” while still making our guests feel welcome. Tables and chairs will need set up quickly after Sunday School.  Food will need set out.  Visitors will need to be greeted. You will receive direction after the service on what needs to be done, so please don’t hesitate to jump in and help where needed.  FYI: The deaconesses are in charge of the meal setup, so go to them with any questions concerning the meal.  The elders are in charge of the sanctuary setup, so go to them with any questions on the room arrangement.
  4. We will need all of you to treat this like a blind date you are trying to impress. J We don’t know who will walk through the door.  We don’t know what they will look or act like.  What we do know is that God loves them, and we should too.  If you see someone you don’t recognize sitting by themselves, go sit with them.  Ask them questions and get to know them.  Here are some sample questions you may consider in no special order:
  • What brings you to Grace Church today?
  • How long have you been in the area?
  • If you moved here, what brought you to the area?
  • Where did you grow up?
  • What do you like about St. Paul and/or Howard County?
  • What do you like to do in your free time?
  • What are you looking for in a church?
  • What are your dreams for the future?

Open-ended questions (questions that can’t be answered by replying “yes” or “no”) like this can help get the conversation started, and you can trust God to help you carry it along.

  1. Remember to leave this in God’s hands. Things won’t go perfectly.  You may feel like you said something you shouldn’t have, or not said something you should have.  That’s called being human.  Trust me, we do the same thing.  What we have learned is that God can and does work through our mistakes, so trust Him for the outcome.

If you have any questions about this event, do not hesitate to ask the elders.

See you on the 21st!

Grace Church Elders:  Daniel Bear, Thomas Holmes, Ryan Phillips, Brian Smith