Grace Notes 2025-08-27
If you have never participated in a Bible Study, and likewise have read very little of the Scriptures, you are not alone! This is true for many folks, even among those who have attended church services all their lives.
Not being well acquainted with the Bible is why many are reluctant to join a Bible Study. After all, who wants to be exposed for what they don’t know. Similarly, it is not unusual to be clueless in how to begin and go about reading the Bible. Without a guide, it is not an easy book to read!
Of course, there is a remedy for all this. And a good place to start is with your Pastor. That is what I am here for! I can help you. Talk with me. I can reassure you that you are not alone, or that your situation is unique. I can learn from you how to best guide you.
If you have never been to a Bible Study, or worse, if you tried once and had a bad experience, we can discuss this. I would like to relieve you of the notion that one must be scholarly to attend and contribute. I could learn from you any reservations you might have so that we can avoid putting you on the spot in a way that makes you uncomfortable. I can share examples of past participants that mostly just observed when they started.
In the Bible Studies at Gift of Grace we employ lots of humor and share lots of laughs. We make room for small talk. And then when we read and discuss a portion of the Bible you would witness lots of questions, suggestions, and insights. We build a sense of trust and community, and appreciation for each other. Fresh eyes on a text, even if for the first time, often brings a fresh perspective.
I deeply desire that all of you would participate in a Bible Study and adopt a plan for daily spending time in Scripture. There is no time like the present to get started in what might be the most important spiritual investment of your life! Talk to me about it.
Since You Asked
What is the purpose and meaning of our Votive Prayer Candles?
To “light a candle for someone” means that you will say a prayer for them. The candle symbolizes your prayers. When we light a candle it is a sign of attentiveness and that we are being purposeful in offering intercessory prayer. It is an important act in which we are involved! To be in prayer is to be spiritually awake and vigilant. And as the candle continues to burn it symbolizes our ongoing prayers. It is a sign to others that prayers are being offered. In such an atmosphere, indeed the darkness gives way to light.