Grace Congregational UCC, Rutland, VT

Jan. 31 ~ Spiritual Growth Evening: Immigration

The Spiritual Growth Committee invites YOU to share in an evening of discovery and civil discourse about IMMIGRATION: Mexican Migrants in VT and Central American Asylum Seekers on our Southern Border.

When: January 31, 2019, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Where: Grace Church Fellowship Hall

We are located on the corner of Court and West. For parking, enter our lot from
West Street. Street parking is also available on Court Street.

The handicap entrance may be accessed through the north side portico of Grace Church via the parking lot. The elevator is located in the central part of the building.

About: The Spiritual Growth Committee invites YOU to share in an evening of discovery and civil discourse about IMMIGRATION: Mexican Migrants in VT and Central American Asylum Seekers on our Southern Border. Please bring a potluck dish to share at this night of discussion. Child care is also provided to families who wish to attend.

Questions to think about:

Do Mexican Migrants in VT and Central American Asylum Seekers on our Southern Border have anything in common? What do they have to do with our faith and spiritual growth?

You will also have the opportunity to make a donation to the border ministry.
VT UCC minister, Marjorie MacNeill, will be traveling to border towns of in Arizona.

With the funds, she will be purchasing and donating needed supplies for several programs & churches doing amazing and difficult work with the people who have made their way across the Mexico-US border.

She hopes to also provide help to a network of churches and shelters in Tucson who have been offering welcome and assistance to those families with children released from detention. With no resources, these families were dropped off at the Tucson bus station. One of our UCC congregations there recently offered welcome, rest, food, encouragement, support, and needed supplies to over 500 mothers, fathers, and children as they made arrangements to get to families/sponsors across the country.

More assistance is still needed to offer such hospitality and friendship in the city. She’ll also be visiting and bringing needed supplies to a Presbyterian mission on the border in Douglas, AZ and to the border/food-shelf ministry at The Good Shepherd UCC in Sahuarita, AZ near Green Valley. If you have been wanting to offer direct help for such ministry at the border, they would be grateful for financial donations and would handle them faithfully and carefully.

Rutland Meals Challenge Packaging Event

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!!!

When: Saturday, January 19, from 9:30-3:30

Where: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
6 Church Hill Road, Rutland, VT 05701

About:
Rutland Meals Challenge Packaging Event
Since 2013, the Rutland Meals Challenge has added many meals to the local emergency food system. We have provided meals to a dozen local food shelves, including the Community Cupboard of Rutland and the Vermont Food Bank. This year they would like to add 35,000 servings to that total, and need over 200 people to make this event a success! There are opportunities for set-up, breakdown, packaging shifts, box builders, carton hauling & stacking, and movers & shakers (who refill the food bins as we work).

Each volunteer must sign up individually, even if part of a team. There will be several shifts: 9:30-11a.m.; 11-12:30 p.m.; 12:30-2 p.m.; 2-3:30 p.m.

Fast-paced, easy, fun, creating goodwill, and friendships for people of all ages. If you are interested contact Tracy at Grace Church Office or sign up directly by visiting: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4baeac22abf94-rutland3

Follow the Challenge on Facebook: @vtmealschallenge

Youth Group – Jan. Calendar

Sunday, January 6
Join us before worship for pancakes and then for the Epiphany Hymn Sing at 4 p.m. and Tree Burning at Ashcroft-Billings Farm at 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 13
Come join us for a “normal” night as we begin preparations for Youth Sunday!

Saturday, January 19
Rutland Meals Project – The Rutland Meals Challenge packaging event will be held on Saturday, January 19. Since 2013, the Rutland Meals Challenge has added many meals to the local emergency food system. We have provided meals to a dozen local food shelves,
including the Community Cupboard of Rutland and the Vermont Food Bank. This year they would like to add 35,000 servings to that total, and need over 200 people to make this event a success! There are opportunities for set-up, breakdown, packaging shifts, box builders, carton hauling & stacking, and movers & shakers (who refill the food bins as we work). Each volunteer must sign up individually, even if part of a team. There will be several shifts: 9:30-11a.m.; 11-12:30 p.m.; 12:30-2 p.m.; 2-3:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 20 to Monday, January 21
Lock in! See Tracy for details.

Sunday, January 27
Welcome Table Dinner and Youth Sunday planning! We will gather at 3 p.m. to continue our work on Youth Sunday, then move up to Fellowship Hall to help in serving the dinner at 5 p.m.