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Grace UM Church Staff Members
Pastor: Rev. Dr. John D. Miller

Director of Lay Ministries:  Barb Dittman

Secretary: Brittany Adams

Finance Secretary: Eva Palmer
Custodian: Bill Lamberton
Organist: Joseph Emanuele

Grace Worship Services

Services are available on YouTube and our website www.graceoilcity.org

https://www.graceoilcity.org/worship-service-recordings.html

Sunday 5/26/2024 Sunday School @ 9:30 AM

Sunday 5/26/2024 Service @ 10:45 AM

Rev. Dr. John D. Miller

Trinity Sunday;

Peace with Justice Sunday


Sermon: Click On The Icon
Scripture: John 3:1-17  (NRSV)

Ushers: Tom Peebles and Judy Guyton

Greeter: Judy Cochran

* Hymns:

      Let All the World in Every Corner Sing #93

            “Glory be to the Father”   #70

Sunday School for Adults: New Space

You are invited to the 9:30 Adult Sunday School Class which will now meet in a more convenient space: the former Kindergarten room in the hallway off the sanctuary and just beyond the “Pastor’s Office.”


Looking Ahead


May 26th              Sunday Worship Service

Graduate recognition after Sunday service


Towne Towers Gathering: Delayed

Due to a conflict in schedules, our monthly gathering with folks at Towne Towers is delayed until Thursday, March 30th at 2:00 pm. Keep that date open, volunteer to join with other Grace folks, or volunteer to bake cookies.  Let Barb Dittman, Director of Lay Ministries, know how you can help.


WORSHIP TIME CHANGE: June 2nd at 10:00 a.m.

Worship will return to the traditional summer schedule on Sunday, June 2nd, to 10:00 a.m.  Keep this in mind, or else you’ll arrive in time for the Benediction.


June 2              Grace UM Church will recognize graduates of any degree or certificate program on Sunday, June 2nd during 10:00 a.m. worship. 


June 2                 We will celebrate Holy Communion during the worship service on. 

Trinity Sunday

From the Discipleship Ministries website of the UMC, we are reminded that we are grounded in the historical doctrine of the Trinity, most often verbalized when we recite “The Apostles Creed.”

“The Articles of Religion” state that the Godhead is “three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” The word “Trinity” does not appear in the New Testament, but we do see evidence of the three persons of the Trinity throughout. Jesus spoke of God as a father or parent. Jesus said that he would send the Holy Spirit to help us. These passages illustrate the relationship and work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Ponder how you have experienced God through one, or all, of the expressions of Trinity.

PREPARING FOR SUNDAY'S MESSAGE

Come and Worship!

 "Click On The Icon": May 26

Trinity Sunday;

Peace with Justice Sunday 



Worship and Message – Click on the Icon

The scripture passage is John 3:1-17, the “Nic at Night” secret meeting with Jesus.  If you can imagine the key images in this passage as “icons’ that you can click on for more information, you’ll begin to see how expansive and radical the gospel message of Jesus is to Nicodemus and to us.  

Click on the icon for “Birth.”  Subsections might include “The amniotic universe.”  You might find a section on “Born to See” or another titled “Flesh, Spirit, and Wind.” 

There is an icon for “Wooden Working.”  At least 2 pictures are included.  One wooden walking stick has a figure that looks similar to the “caduceus” of the medical community; the other is a large wooden “crucifix.”  How can both represent healing?

Click on the icon for “World.”  Do you find sections on love and condemn?


So many ways to look into Christ’s gospel offered by John.  I’ll look forward to seeing you in worship, or being seen by you, at 10:45 Sunday. (REMINDER:  The next Sunday, June 2nd, we start worship at 10:00.)

Rev. Dr. John D. Miller

United Methodist Student Day: May 26th 

A special offering opportunity to support United Methodist Student Day will be this Sunday, May 26th.  Special bulletin inserts and offering envelopes will be provided. United Methodist Student Day calls the church to support students as they prepare for life in uniting faith with knowledge. The special offering provides scholarships for qualified United Methodist applicants. 

Baby Bottle Boomerang: Fill A Bottle

The Life Center in Franklin provides a ministry of life changing services to meet the physical and spiritual needs of women and men facing an unplanned pregnancy. Pick up and fill up a baby bottle with coins and bills from now until Father’s Day.  Bottles are available in the Grace UMC sanctuary or the office.   More information is available at “herlifecenter.com.” 


Pick your bottle: Mother's Day, May 12, 2024 

Return your bottle: Father's Day, June 16, 2024

From The Pastor's Desk:

Towne Towers Gathering: Delayed

Due to a conflict in schedules, our monthly gathering with folks at Towne Towers is delayed until Thursday, March 30th at 2:00 pm. Keep that date open, volunteer to join with other Grace folks, or volunteer to bake cookies.  Let Barb Dittman, Director of Lay Ministries, know how you can help.


WORSHIP TIME CHANGE: June 2nd at 10:00 a.m.

Worship will return to the traditional summer schedule on Sunday, June 2nd, to 10:00 a.m.  Keep this in mind, or else you’ll arrive in time for the Benediction.


Recognition of Graduates: June 2nd

Grace UM Church will recognize graduates of any degree or certificate program on Sunday, June 2nd during 10:00 a.m. worship.  Currently, we have received only notice of Charlie Motter’s graduation from Oil City HS.  If you know of others, please contact the church office ASAP.


Holy Communion:

We will celebrate Holy Communion during the worship service on June 2nd.  Remember: worship starts at 10:00 a.m.


An Invitation to Join

If you have even considered becoming a member of Grace UMC, and wonder what that entails, call the church office, 814-677-3013, or email me at jdmiller@graceoilcity.org.

Put on your Calendar

              May 26  Trinity Sunday and Memorial Day weekend

Peace with Justice Sunday


              June 2   WORSHIP TIME CHANGE to 10:00 a.m.

                             Holy Communion

                             Graduate Recognition


              June 16   Worship leader and preacher: Barb Dittman

                             Father’s Day

              

June 16   Father’s Day:  Return full Baby Bottles to support the Life Center ministry

June 18   Towne Towers get together:  Join in the visiting and new relationships.

June 20   Secret Prayer Partners “Reveal;” Lunch at the Millers in Rockland.  Watch for details.

June 30   Casual Sunday and Farewell Picnic:  

Dress for a picnic after worship – a good time for all.

Memorial Day: May 27th 

Though the origins are in dispute in the years following our (un)Civil War, Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. As you encounter veterans, thank them for their service.  To members of the Grace UMC community who served, thank you, and may God bless you.

I urge all to pray for the future of our country, indeed world, to see peace, justice and unity.



Barbara Dittman, Director of Lay Ministries


Contact BarB at Grace UM

814-677-3013 Ext. 104

Office hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs. - 9:00 - 1:00

BarB's Blurbs!


Celebrations and Get-togethers - On Thursday, May 30th, we are going to have another get-together with our Towne Tower friends.  Please note the change of day, from Tuesday to Thursday.  The time is 2:00-3:30.  The theme is "Patriotic Red, White, and Blue."  A sign-up sheet is on the table at the back of the sanctuary.  If you can bring 1 dozen cookies, that would be great!  Please wear red, white, and/or blue.


On Tuesday, June 18th, another time with our Towne Tower friends is being planned!  The theme will be determined soon.


On Thursday, June 20th, a get-together for secret prayer partners to reveal their identity is being planned!  The location is John and Diane Miller's home!  The time and food will be decided soon.


On Sunday, June 30th, there will be a casual church service with lunch to follow the service.


Some packets of notecards with the church's picture on them were recently purchased.  They are available for people to use to send messages to their family and friends!  If you would like to make a contribution to defray the cost of these notecards, please do so!  Thank You!


This is Memorial Day weekend! Memorial Day-a day to remember those who died serving our country-America! They left a legacy for us! Do we have a legacy? Could it be for life and living, learning from the past, living in the present, and building for the future? Let’s have a legacy with God’s help-wisdom in each decision, joy in each commitment, peace in all relationships, and love in everything! Be a living legacy!


Love you all!   Have a son-filled weekend!   BarB

HOPE 21: “A clothing boutique ministry”


Operating Day: Mondays 6:00pm-8:00pm

*Please save your old plastic grocery bags and bring them in to the church to be used for bagging clothing.


Still excepting donations of clothing and accessories such as shoes, boots, scarves, hats, belts, gloves, coats, professional clothing, dance wear, uniforms, socks, jewelry, 

and school/work bags.

Quilting and Fellowship

The Merry Quilters are stitching on Mondays from 10:00am until 3:00pm in the lounge/library next to Grace Hall.   Both experienced quilters and and any who would like to become a quilter are invited to join us.  Visitors welcome, too!  Access to the lounge is currently through the room outside the ladies restroom on the ground floor.  Bring a bag lunch if you’d like to join us for lunch at noon.  Questions?  

Call Cindy Fultz, 814-673-5058. 

A Quarter for your Meter

Your thoughts may be worth only a penny, but your presence at the church during weekdays is worth much more.  Oil City has metered the parking lot behind the church.  Plus, they issue tickets for parking violations. 

Here is the church offer.  On the secretary’s desk is a small bowl with change for the meter.  If short of change, step in, grab a coin, and help the Oil City Parking Authority a dime or quarter at a time, rather than $5.00 as a first-time violator (who was caught).  You are loved and worth every penny, dime or quarter. 

Prayers of Joy and Concern

Cork and Carol Nelms health concerns

Carla Wheeler healing recovering from a fall.

Matt Henderson who is struggling with ALS.

Sally Bowser at home recovering from heart issues.

Jim Whaley – medical tests

Kathy Flockerzi cancer treatments.

Anita Eberle is home but still recovering.

Adrianna – HS student at crossroads.

Medical/Health concerns:

Rev David, Vickie Fisher, Jason Cox, Josh Keebler, Dorothy Heckathrone, Don and Sherry Emick, DeAnna Mahle, Josie McMullen, Gracie Singleton, Linda Stine’s niece, David Miller, Blaine Beers, Chip & Peggy Nunemaker, Amy Dykins.

Kate Shaffer as she progresses through cancer treatment.

Marcia Hannan, sister of Rita Hale, for return of cancer.

Ginny Taylor.

May prayer emphasis will be praying over families and pastors.

The ministry of Grace Church in our community and around the world.

Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi

District Superintendent Rev. Deborah Ackley-Killian