Abounding Grace in Tucson ...

Quilting...

2012-01-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? It's already the last half of January! We've barely taken down the Christmas tree and all the trimmings and before you know it the Easter season will be upon us. Ash Wednesday falls on February 22 this year. That's only a month away. But we'll have more about that later...

Let's chat about one of the ministries flowing through Abounding Grace: QUILTING!

For many years now a dedicated group of women have joined together on Thursday mornings to work on quilts for charity. These simple quilts are assembled with mostly donated fabrics and lots of love. Sometimes lightweight blankets are used as filling but most of the batting is purchased as are threads, pins, and needles (hand sewing & machine). From 9am to 11:30am, this group meets to cut fabric into squares for making tops, match tops to bottoms, cut batting to fit, pin layers together, hand tie the layers together, machine stitch the edging and finally iron on the labels before a quilt is ready to be given away. The quilt tops are usually done by volunteers that take the squares of material and work at home during the week. Some even take material home and cut the squares. Last year just under 100 quilts were made and donated to charity!

If this is something that you'd think you would like to participate in, come join us some Thursday morning in the church Fellowship Hall. We have plenty of room around the tables and no experience is necessary! Oh, and did I mention that right in the middle, about 10am, we stop for a coffee (or tea) break and there's always some little sweet treat to go along. See you there!

Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

It's a new year and a new look for our blog! So don't mind the dust while we are under-construction and keep checking in to see what's happening. In the meantime, God's Blessings on you All!

Advent is upon us...

2011-12-02T19:35:00.001-07:00

December is here and the Advent season is well underway. If you missed last weeks soup supper followed by a special Advent service, don't worry, there's another one coming right up!

Join us for fellowship and a hot bowl of soup in the Fellowship Hall at 6pm on Wednesday 12/7. Then stick around as we move to the Sanctuary at 7pm for some music, some prayer and some visitors right out of the Bible. It'll get your Christmas spirit movin'on the right track!

What's new!?!

2011-07-12T12:05:00.000-07:00

Well, nothing much right now... but check back soon! Grace Anne Love is sharpening her pencil and getting ready to share some new stories and happenings here at Abounding Grace. If there is something in particular you would like Grace Anne to address, just drop a note for her consideration. In the meantime... Count your Blessings everyday and remember that God is only a prayer away!

HAPPY 2011!

2011-01-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

The Christmas holidays are almost over. It's been quiet at the church this past week. The tree and lights are still up in the Sanctuary so this Sunday will be your last chance to see them before they're packed away until next December.

And with a new year, come new resolutions. I don't usually make any because they are just so darn hard to keep, but this year I'd like to begin a new one. One I know I can keep throughout the coming year and, with God's help, for many years to follow.

I'm proclaiming 2011 to be the year of Optimism!

A whole year of good thoughts. None of those "I'm sad and I want everyone to know it" thoughts. Just cheerful, happy, uplifting thoughts! "When you smile the whole world smiles with you" thoughts!

So, why not join me? Smile at everyone you meet. You may be surprised at the results, especially if it's been a while since smiled for no reason at all. Those that know you may just wonder what you've been up to! Don't keep them guessing. Tell them because "it's a beautiful day" or "God loves me" or even "a little church mouse told me to". Whatever you decide to say, spread the cheer, and then... tell them to pass it on.

Peace be with you!
Grace Anne Love

Company's coming!

2010-12-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

It's been many months since I last updated my blog. But I'm back now and with your encouragement (and God's help) I'll continue with my stories of happenings at and through Abounding Grace!

The most important thing is Tonight is the First night we have company seeking shelter out of the cold and wet winter weather. My first thought as I typed this was of Mary and Joseph so many, many years ago looking for shelter for the night far away in another place. But that story is for another time! Anyway, tonight at Abounding Grace our guests will be just 6 men needing a safe, warm place to sleep. With the help of our friends at the Salvation Army, these men will be transported to our Fellowship Hall. There they will each help gather a cot, blankets, & pillow to arrange a sleeping area in one end of that great room. Near the kitchen tables & chairs are set for a hot meal to warm our travelers. Volunteers from our church or from Fountain of Life, bring or prepare the dinner on site. Hot coffee, tea or cocoa is available. A prayer before the meal is expected and when asked, one of our guests are usually more than happy to lead the grace! After serving dinner, our helpers then grab a plate and join our guests for a bit of table conversation and to make our new friends feel at home. When the table is cleared it's time for more chatting and a movie is started. Some of our guests are so tired, they can't wait to curl up in the blankets and fall right to sleep. A couple of church volunteers stay the night to make sure all is well and be there if any assistance is needed. In the morning, our guests are greeted with a hot breakfast delivered or prepare by other volunteers. Everyone helps to put away the bedding and soon it's time for the Salvation Army van to arrive and pick up our new friends. But before they leave each man will receive a sack lunch prepared with love by... you guessed it, MORE volunteers! Some times we have more volunteers than guests! That's okay though, because didn't Jesus ask us to love even the poor, the homeless, and the lost. By opening our doors to offer food and shelter to those in need of even a smidgen of His love may be just what they need to give them hope. Together we plant a small seed of faith. Then step back and let God work his miracles.

Peace be with you!
Grace Anne Love

Love Offering Dolls: Gracie & Gregory

2010-05-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

There's a group of busy people bringing joy to the hearts of others. And what could put a smile on a face faster than a doll???

Dolls have been given to children for centuries; cuddled, collected and cherished. They have been created out of various kinds of materials. Carved out of wood, molded from clay or sewn from scraps of fabric. They were stuffed with sweet grasses, sand, or left over bits of yarn. All were created with ... love...

For almost two years now, a dear lady named Cheryl has guided several others at Abounding Grace in the cutting out, sewing, stuffing and decorating of a easy 2 piece pattern to make soft, comforting dolls to be given away to anybody wanting one. That's right - giving away. Simple dolls made of soft fabrics, stuffed with batting and lots of love are formed with the hands of many different volunteers. Some cut out patterns, other folks sew the two pieces together, different people may add the batting, while still others paint the faces and decorations on every doll. Each little doll is handled by one or more individuals and given just a bit more love to pass on to the next person that receives it. They're called Love Offering Dolls!

And just who receives these Love Dolls? Why anybody who wants one! They have been given to local fire & police departments to give comfort to a child in a traumatic situation. Dolls have found their way into the VA hospital and other medical centers to give hope to those who are ill. Some have gone to assisted living centers and brought smiles to those who need a helping hand in their daily lives. Still more have travel out of Tucson, out of Arizona, and even out of the USA to deliver their message of Love.

Hundreds of dolls have gone out and more are continually being created. Requests keep coming in for more dolls. So if you would like to help with this Love Offering Doll ministry, just contact me and I'll send your message on to Cheryl.

And in case you forgot... I'm Grace Anne Love

Soup Supper: Are you being Served?

2010-03-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

There's been a lot happening in the Fellowship Hall lately. On Wednesday nights a group of hungry people are gathering around 6 p.m. I say they're hungry because some of them bring in these delicious smelling soups to share with all the others.

Everyone is having a great time talking and laughing and eating... they call it fellowship. It's been going on for the past 2 weeks now and the variety of soups is mind boggling! Most everyone tries more than one soup and they have so much that no one goes away hungry.

In fact, there's usually plenty of soup and bread leftover. Then faster than a mouse with a broom looming over his head, they clean up the kitchen, put away the tables and chairs and head over to the Sanctuary to have more time together.

Once there, they sing songs, listen to a bible reading and Pastor Keith tells us all a great story. If you haven't listened to Pastor Keith tell stories, you don't know what you're missing!

Why he tells a story about this man called Jonah and how Jonah tried to run away from God! How anyone could think they can hide from God is just... just... just.... so unbelievable! Well, you can check that story out yourself in the Bible. Better yet, come by Wednesday night at 6 p.m. for a bowl of piping hot soup and then stay to listen as Pastor Keith tells us more of Jonah's adventure. It's one whale of a fish story! Until next time...

God Bless you with His Abounding Love!

Grace Anne Love

WELCOME!

2010-02-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

I'd like to tell you a little bit about my home. I live at Abounding Grace Church in Tucson, Arizona. Right on S Kolb just north of Golf Links. There's a small congregation of people that gather and worship here every Sunday morning. That's not so unusual for a people belonging to a larger group called the ELCA or Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. And that group belongs to an even bigger bunch called Christians or Followers of Christ... I'll talk more about those people later. Today, I'd like to tell you about my home at Abounding Grace.

As I started to say, that group of people that meet here every Sunday morning, are quite a cheerful bunch. They're always talking and singing and hugging and they really seem to like getting together. I especially like to listen to the music. Sometimes they sing those old familiar church hymns and other times it's a song that may have roots in another country. Occasionally they may struggle through a song that's not so familiar to them but they catch on quickly and soon their voices are filling the room with wonderful music. That guy Neil, he's their Music Director, is totally awesome on the piano and the organ. I mean, have you ever seen how many keys and foot pedals that are on a church organ? I don't know how he does it and can still sing at the same time! And if he can't be there, there's always some other talented person filling in for him so there's never a Sunday without music.

Well, that's all for now. I'm getting tired of jumping from key to key. But I want to invite you to write to me with any questions, comments, suggestions, or stories that you may have about Abounding Grace and the people who come through the doors. This is a G rated site and for now I'll let your comments post without delay. If any inappropriate material is received, I'll have to change the settings and review each comment before it can be posted which may result in your view being delayed a few days.

So may God bless you as you go through your daily routine and come back to visit often as I'll be adding more to this site soon.

And who am I? Why I'm

Grace Anne Love