Grace Avenue UMC

The Grace Of Quiet

Our very own Rev. Billy Echols-Richter is the author of today’s “Notes for a New Day” daily devotion which is distributed by the North Texas Conference. Please check it out as you start your day.

If you would like to subscribe to recieve this daily devotion in your email box, there is a link to do that.

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The first time I observed General Conference in person was in 1988 in Saint Louis, MO. The General Conference of the United Methodist Church is the official decision-making body for our denomination. At the 1988 General Conference many wonderful proposals regarding ministry were adopted including a new hymnal for the United Methodist Church. Also proposed at that General Conference, was the removal of discriminatory language that said: “homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.” This proposal was defeated and the language, that was put in place in 1972, remained a part of our official policy in the United Methodist Church. It was painful to watch those who were so adversely affected by this ongoing decision of General Conference to deny their personhood. I met many of them for the first time, and did not completely understand their story, but empathized with their pain of being shut out. It seemed very clear that the exclusion of these persons violated our first General Rule as Methodists: “Do No Harm”. I remember after the language removal proposal was defeated; a group of people began singing. Through their grieving tears they sang: “We are gentle, angry people, and we are singing, singing for our lives.” That scene has haunted me as a follower of Christ ever since.

This week, however, was a true turning point for the United Methodist Church. In Charlotte NC, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church has been meeting. The Conference took official action to remove all the harmful language from our Book of Discipline and Book of Resolutions related to LGBTQ+ persons. Some of it had been in place for 52 years and has been further weaponized throughout the decades that followed. To read a significant article on the “incompatibility” clause click the link below. With the closing of the General Conference today, prohibitions against same-gender weddings and ordination of qualified LGBTQ+ persons are gone. Other rules related to the punishment of clergy who contextually serve people in the LGBTQ+ community are gone as well. We at Grace Avenue are now aligned with official policies of the United Methodist Church related to our LGBTQ+ siblings.

On Wednesday night of this week, I heard a different kind of singing. Following the decisions made this week at General Conference, delegates, observers, and even a couple of Bishops gathered at First United Methodist Church of Charlotte to have a good old-fashioned Methodist hymn sing. It was led by our dear friend, Mark Miller. Mark is a prolific composer and songwriter. That night, he led an amazing time of singing including the song every United Methodist should know: “Draw the Circle Wide”. This time the tears were streaming down my face.

Also in the hymn sing Wednesday night, Mark recalled writing a song with Lindy Thompson. He then led the group in singing a song they wrote for the 20th anniversary of Grace Avenue United Methodist Church. The song is called: “Home By Another Road.” For me, it speaks perfectly about the new day dawning for the United Methodist Church. The Chorus says:

Join me now, the road is wide
All God’s people, side by side
Where justice will shine
And love abide
We’re headed back home
By another road
Yes, we’re headed back home
By another road.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King once said: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice".
Friends, our beloved United Methodist Church is headed back home by another road.

With you on Grace Avenue,
Rev. Billy Echols-Richter
Pastor

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Streetlight - May 3, 2024 Summer Lunch, General Conference, Summer Camps   3521 Main Street | Frisco, TX 75034 | 972.335.2882 | www.GraceAvenue.org May 3, 2024 Summer Lunch Program May 28-August 2, 2024 (Mon-Fri) I’ts almost t

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A message from Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. as we are, once again, faced with gun violence in a local school. As always we pray for all involved. May our prayers turn into compassionate action, advocacy for change, and the peace we deeply desire.

As Earth Day 2024 comes to an end, consider how you might learn from all of creation...inlcuding plant life. Join us for this Studay starting this Sunay at 9:15am.

Spiritual Lessons from Plants
Sundays at 9:15am
April 28 - May 12 | Led by Laura Byrd

Have you ever wondered if plants are alive? As it turns out, they do have a form of intelligence that is quite different from human intelligence and connection. Join Laura as she teaches lessons that can be learned from the plant kingdom, drawing on the life experience of indigenous scientist, Robin Wall Kimmerer and Scripture. Together we will learn how other living beings - asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass - offer us spiritual gifts and lessons, and have from the beginning of life, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices. Register at the link.

https://www.graceavenue.org/ministries/adult/adult-discipleship/

Happy Earth Day from Grace Avenue’s Creation Care Ministries!

The rain moved out and we had a great picnic to kick off our 25th Anniversary Celebrations!

This Sunday we kick off our 25th Anniversary celebrations with a good old-fashioned church picnic. If you have ever been a part of Grace Avenue (or would like to be a part in the future!) we would love to see you there!

Bring your chairs, blankets, drinks, and side dishes. We will have hamburgers and hot dogs. See you on Sunday at Frisco Commons!

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Streetlight - April 19, 2024 It's Picnic Time!!   3521 Main Street | Frisco, TX 75034 | 972.335.2882 | www.GraceAvenue.org April 19, 2024 25th Aniversary All Church Picnic April 21st from 4:00-7:00 pm Frisco Commons Park (8000 M

This Sunday at the All-Church Picnic we will be playing songs from the past 25 years! I guess once we get to 2024 we'll just have a listening party to some new album that came out today. We're also pleased to announce that Travis [and] Taylor will be in attendance! ...Travis Taylor will be there. Get it? I'll show myself out. 😁

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Exciting Appointment News for Grace Avenue United Methodist Church Welcome and Congratulations Exciting Appointment News for Grace Avenue United Methodist Church Bishop Ruben Saenz, Jr. of the North Texas Annual Conference is finalizing appointments for the coming ye

Thank you to all who attended our Grace Avenue UMC and Grace Chapel women’s retreat this weekend. We worked to free ourselves of the expectations of perfection. We laughed, prayed, worshiped, dropped a few plates, and created something beautiful together!

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Streetlight - April 12, 2024 All Chruch Picnic, EDGE, Connect and More!   3521 Main Street | Frisco, TX 75034 | 972.335.2882 | www.GraceAvenue.org April 12, 2024 25th Aniversary All Church Picnic April 21st from 4:00-7:00 pm Fris