Ministries and Outreach
Holy Eucharist (Rite 2) at 9:00 a. m. on Sundays defines the basic life of Grace Church. Also, during the week following every other Sunday worship services, a lay volunteer will visit homebound parishioners to conduct a short prayer service and administer consecrated bread and wine.
Volunteers conduct Sunday school in the nursery for young children until the Offertory when they are brought into the sanctuary for the remainder of the service.
Our energetic congregation knows how to do wonderful parties and special events. The annual ECW Ladies Tea remains a sold-out event that is open to parishioners and non-parishioners alike. Other favorite activities include Mass in the Grass (this year’s Mass was officiated by our Diocesan Bishop, Jeffery Lee), the Tailgate Party, the Caroling Party and the Cookie and Pie Sales. These events draw many parishioners and their families and friends to our church.
As part of the Diocesan Thrive Program, we are in our fourth year of Kids’ Club, an enthusiastic youth ministry developed internally by Grace Church to provide religious instruction during the school year to pre-school through middle school children from our parish and our community. Kids’ Club is a once a month evening event with food, singing, biblical stories, arts and crafts and group games. The Rector and parish volunteers plan and supervise all Kids’ Club activities.
Another vital child-centered ministry is Vacation Bible School (VBS) during a week in July. In this ministry we and our Rector partner with five other dynamic churches in Sterling to serve over 100 children. We six partnering churches celebrate the end of VBS with a joint outdoor Communion service at Sterling’s outdoor Grandon Civic Center.
Finally, Grace parishioners participate in the ecumenical work of the Loaves and Fishes food kitchen sponsored by The First United Methodist Church in Sterling.