2026 WINTER GRACE READS
Wednesdays, January 14-February 4
Forum Room, 10:30am
The Scandinavian Guide to Happiness
Join us this season as we journey through making time for things that really matter in life. Find balance and happiness daily, the Scandinavian way. We will read about basic principles that will help you see how to have a happy life without buying anything, changing yourself, or making any other drastic changes. All are welcome to join! Copies of books are availble online or at your local bookstore. For a little more information on the book and timeline of reading, click HERE.
HOLY CHOW
February through May 2026
All are welcome to participate in Grace’s Holy Chow experience! In Holy Chow, we take the list of all who sign up for a season, create small groups (5-8 people,) and those groups gather around shared meals in homes at least three times over the course of the season. Each group has a “Host” who gets the group started and coordinates scheduling.
There will be an option of creating some of the Holy Chow groups to be “kid-friendly” so that families with children can be more easily involved. Would you be willing to be in a group that has kids in it too? Just mark “YES” on the sign up sheet. Have kids you would like to bring to at least one of the dinners? Mark that on the sign-up sheet along with their ages and we’ll take it from there.
These groups are open to ALL and are a great way to get to know more Grace folks outside of Sunday mornings. Please sign up in the Commons or contact the Church Office by January 26. This Holy Chow season will run from February through May.
HOLLAND COMMUNITY THEATRE EVENT
Friday, February 13
Holland Community Theatre, 50 W. 9th St.
Mom’s Gift by Phil Olson
Join us for an uplifting night at the Holland Community Theatre, Friday, February 13, 7:30pm to see Mom’s Gift by Phil Olson. Preceding the show at 6:00 pm will be a hor’s d’oeuvres gathering hosted by Paul & Lyn Trap at 212 River Ave, 5th Floor gathering room. Tickets are $17. A signup sheet is posted in the Commons or let the Church Office know.
Friday, February 20-Sunday, February, 22
St. Gregory’s Abbey, Three Rivers, MI
Parishioner John Gork along with Eric Nisja from St Paul’s, Muskegon are coordinating this third annual Men’s Retreat to St Gregory’s. The monks and worship life of the Abbey provide the primary structure for this experience as they gather for and invite us into prayer of “the hours.” Grace clergy work with John and Eric to plan the other fellowship and prayer as well as the individual and shared group reflections that make up the weekend. One of the monks will also meet with the Grace group for conversation and to share about about their life and work at the Abbey.
Participants stay in a house at the Abbey and space is limited, so we need to begin to get a sense of who’s interested! Please email or call the Church Office, John Gork, Rev. Jen, or Rev. Christopher if you’d like to sign up and/or are curious to know more. Cost is $40 with support available. Carpooling will be available and other details will follow as a group comes together.
The Grace Creation Care team has been busy this fall! They have been imagining a new mission and vision, applying for a grant, as well as planning several of their ongoing programs and activities. To read more about all of their doings and to see what is coming up in January, click HERE!
Sunday Programs Begin for Children & Youth
Godly Play meets every Sunday starting at 10:15am in the room across from the Commons. All children are encouraged to participate and will join the service at the time of receiving communion. See Rev. Christopher if you have questions.
Children are also welcome and encouraged to participate in our services of worship and the fellowship that follows, with Pew Pals available for them to use during the service.
The nursery space in the lower level is also staffed and available for kids ages 4 and under.
If you have questions, ideas, or contributions regarding resources and Grace’s Outreach and Social Justice Ministries, you can always reach out to Elizabeth Brubaker and/or Rev. Christopher Roe.
ANNUAL WARMTH DRIVE
November 23 through December 21
This season Grace will be gathering items and supporting ministries that keep bodies warm – inside and out. We will be collecting items for Community Action House’s, Refresh: Hygiene and Hope ministry, hosted by First United Methodist Church. Items needed are: canisters of hot chocolate, bags of coffee, and boxes of tea as well as adult-sized gloves, mittens (waterproof, durable preferred), hats, socks, coats and snow pants (waterproof, durable preferred,) washable blankets, emergency thermal blankets, and hand warmers (regular and 72 hr.) Please bring donations to the Commons or Church Office through December 20th and we will get these gifts to people in need! Read more about Refresh ministry here.
We’re also raising awareness and inviting participation in First United Methodist’s Warming Center which opens overnight during extreme cold, November through March. FUMC provides trained Lead Coordinators, and they’re reaching out to the greater community to help serve as needed on nights that will be broken up into three shifts. For those who are interested in serving at the Warming Center, please contact Jan at moreshelterholland@gmail.com.
Vestry 2025
Executive Committee:
Karen Bylsma, Sr. Warden & Personnel Committee
Abby Van Beek, Jr. Warden, Fellowship, & Formation
Dave Masselink, Treasurer
Holly Anderson, Clerk
Alan Babbitt, Streaming & Communications
Ned Goodman, Building & Grounds, Endowment Board
Allen Gradnigo, Endowment Board
Ed Hansen, Creation Care
Julia Hopkins, Formation
Sally Reinink, Buildings & Grounds
Carolyn Stich, Outreach and Social Justice
Joanie Smith, Congregational Care
Laurie Van Ark, Fellowship
Kelli Van Dyke, Worship
This year’s pledge drive is underway! As we reach toward our goal, every gift given in support of the mission and ministry of Grace Church makes a difference. When we offer ourselves and our gifts and allow the Spirit to work on us and through us for the sake of this world which God so loves, light shines! Together, we become grace. Through worship, fellowship, programs of formation, outreach, fellowship, and congregational care, light shines among us and out into a world desperate for signs of hope. Your presence, your prayers, and the gifts you offer make all of that possible.
Pledges make up over seventy percent of Grace’s operating budget with other revenue coming from special holiday offerings, non-pledge giving, and the annual planned draws from both the Heiberg Bequest and the Grace Endowment Fund. Hitting our pledge goal for 2026 will allow Grace to maintain our current ministries and facilities, sustain a strong staff, support the growth we’re experiencing, and continue to reach out and give beyond ourselves with hope and with love.
Pledge cards be can be submitted electronically here. Hard copies have also been mailed out to some and are available to all in the Church Commons and Office. Those can be returned to the Office or placed in an offertory plate on Sunday mornings. Vestry asks that pledges be submitted as soon as possible to help us prepare for the new year. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions. We are grateful for every gift.
With gratitude and hope,
Rev. Jen
The Rev. Jennifer Adams, Rector