SAVE THE DATE! On October 29^th, we will have our Fall Festival from 4-7pm!  This year’s theme will be a fall fun carnival! We hope you will come and join us for this fun event full of games, activities, and hotdogs! We will need volunteers to make this happen so if you’re willing to help, sign up using this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040D4BAAAD23A75-44476882-fall. We would love to have volunteers that don't have little ones so that the parents can participate with their families! We also need donations of candy! We will have a box at the welcome desk for candy to be dropped off.

DADS NIGHTS! Come together with other dads for an evening of laughs and fellowship. RSVP TO Pastor Brandi . Upcoming dates: 9/29, 11/24.

FAMILIES! Save the date for a fall event on October 22nd!! We will be heading offsite to Lohstroh Farms after our 11am service! We have the barn space reserved where we can gather for lunch. You can bring food for your family or grab lunch there as well. Afterwards, there are many activity options for your family to enjoy. Please RSVP to BrandiB@gcumc.org.

SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS UPDATE! We just want to give a quick update for Sunday school classes available on Sunday mornings. 

At 9:30am, we have a joint class for school agers/preteens in our FLC space. 

At 11am, we break them into multiple groups: 

   We have a nursery room for 3 and under. 

   We have a preschool/Kindergarten class. 

   We have our school agers class. 

   We have our preteen class for 5^th & 6^th graders, and;

   We have our middle school class where 7^th and older can go. 

All of these classes begin after the worship in our contemporary services end.  

MERGE!

Merge is our mid-week family programming. It begins at 6:30pm on Wednesday evenings and takes place in our Family Life Center (FLC). Sign up to attend so that we are certain to have enough supplies for the evening! 

 We ask that you sign up, if possible, as this helps us have enough materials and prepare for the evening: Click HERE  

               On the signup, there are also opportunities to serve, whether it is providing snack, helping with the preteens or sharing the message with the kids.  We would love for you to share your gifts with our families!

PRETEENS (5th-6th)!!

NEW EVENT! We have an event just for you: SuperStart! This event will take place April 12^th & 13^th, but we need to order tickets in October.  So, we ask that you RSVP by October 1st to reserve your spot now!  SuperStart is a high-energy, intentionally crafted weekend event for preteens to hear the gospel, learn Biblical truths, and be called to a life of Kingdom Work. 

SAVE THE DATE: October 27th - Fall Bonfire – PLEASE RSVP BY OCT. 22^ND TO PASTOR BRANDI! BrandiB@gcumc.org.

HEY TEENS (7th-12^th grade)! Teens meet on Sunday evenings, starting at 6pm for a time of dinner, worship, message and a service opportunity. 

Questions on any of the above or to RSVP for events, contact Pastor Brandi 

If you'd like to visit our Children/Family/Teens page, go here .

LET’S SHOWER PASTOR LIZZY WITH LOVE! Pastor Lizzy is expecting Baby #3 and we would like to shower her with love. Would you consider gifting diapers or a gift care for her family? You can get it to Pastor Brandi for deliver if that’s easiest! 

EXCITING CHURCH UPDATE! This past Sunday, we added a middle school class and nursery opportunity at the 11am hour. As part of our intern program, we had two interns dream about updating the Sunday school room spaces for preteen and middle school. We have painted using funds from the garage sale and repurposed cabinets, tables, etc., from around the church for these spaces. We received a tv/tv mount donation from a church member who was moving which we utilized in one of the rooms. We have been using resources the best we can to make these things happen. Next up, we will be working on re-doing our youth room! The kids are very excited to get into these spaces, but we want to do a little more for them. We would love for you to pray about sponsoring an item or making a donation towards these updates!

#1 - Matching new chairs for both rooms.

#2 - Vinyl Sign for Middle School room.

#3 - Lighted Sign for Preteen room.

#4 - Good quality matching Bible sets for both rooms.

#5 - Potential nursery supplies. (We haven't had nursery since 2020!)

CALLING ALL MOMS! We are looking at moms retreat January 12th-14th! If you would be interested in attending, we will need a confirmation and deposit by October 1st! This will help us in securing the location and finalizing details as we need a total number of attendees.

PUPPET MINISTRY STARTING BACK! Join us on September 7th at 6:30 pm in Fellowship Hall downstairs. Youth and adults are welcome! Contact Jo Baumgartner with any questions, mrsb2185@gmail.com.

NEW MEMBERS CLASS! Maybe you’ve been worshiping with us for a while and you’d like to learn more about The Purple Door Church and *officially* make it home! We have a New Members Class coming up on Sept. 24^th, 12:30pm. Facilitated by our pastors, you will learn more about our church and its ministries, as well as the Methodist denomination. Lunch provided. RSVP by contacting Sandy at our church office HERE  or 614/875-5612.

NEW CHURCH DIRECTORY***IT’S COMING! IT’S COMING!*** Save the dates of October 24th through the 28th and November 2nd through the 4th. You have asked for it and it is coming. We will have a table set up in the Great Hall on Sept. 10, 17, and 24th for sign ups OR you can sign up online at Universal Church Directories HERE , Church Code: OH2702, password: photos.

4^TH ANNUAL RENEW CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN CAREGIVERS – Sept. 23^rd, Riverside Church, 2701 Zollinger Road, Columbus, OH 43221. For women who are the primary caregivers for a family member with a disability (including serious illness or disease). The conference will include: worship, fellowship with other caregivers, an encouraging message, fun activities and more! For more info., you can email: renewforme@gmail.com. 

ST. MARK’S CULTURAL FIESTA! Mark your calendars for an intriguing day of cultural diversity at our St. Mark’s Campus. Our annual Cultural Fiesta will be Oct. 1^st, with a bi-lingual service starting at noon, followed by a fiesta where you can experience the food, culture and dress of the diversity that surrounds us! For more info., contact Pastor Lizzy, LizzyO@gcumc.org. 

GOLDEN AGERS LUNCHEON – Sept. 29^th, 11am. Those 75+ are welcome to join us for our annual Golden Agers Luncheon! Must RSVP to the church office, 614/875-5612.

CHOIR! Our Traditional Choir is always accepting new members! Rehearsals every Wednesday @ 7pm in our sanctuary. All are welcome! Questions? Contact Julie .

REAL TALK, REAL SUPPORT – We have begun a new peer-led support group for parents and caregivers of children with mental health struggles. It’s easy to feel lost and alone when your child is struggling with their mental health, and the instinct as a parent is to withdraw and suppress your own feelings. Organizers, Sheri and Chris Dunagan, have been touched by these challenging circumstances themselves and find peace, strength and empowerment in the company of other parents dealing with the same kind of struggles. Grounded in lived experiences, REAL TALK provides a safe, authentic space for sharing hard truths, exploring real feelings and celebrating successes. This group meets the 4th Tuesday of Every Month @6:30pm in the Fireside Room. For questions, contact Sheri Dunagan.

EMMAUS WALK OCT. 5-8^th – Our church will be hosting an Emmaus Walk Oct. 5-8^th. If you’d like to sponsor a Pilgrim or if you would like to attend the walk, go HERE .

GET INVOLVED! We love being able to serve our families and our community and we have SO many opportunities to plug in at The Purple Door Church. We are fully open and have all of our activities available to our congregation and community! There are plenty of places for you to serve – WE NEED YOU and want to encourage you to check out list of opportunities – go to our website: https://www.purpledoorchurch.com/opportunities-to-serve.

A LOOK AT WHAT WE NEED: It truly takes the hands and feet of ALL of us to do our part to make this church run day in and day out! We have some AMAZING volunteers who make this place exceptional and a place to call HOME. Here is a look at where we could use some help:

TECH TEAM (both Traditional and Contemporary - Contact Traci Wurschmidt 

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS – Contact Pastor Brandi 

MONEY COUNTERS – Contact Kelli Newhouse 

LANDSCAPE TEAM – Help keep our grounds looking glorious! Kids are welcome! Contact Sandy

HOSPITALITY TEAMS – Contact Pastor Brandi, or sign up here .

WE NEED CHURCH OFFICE HELPERS - We need volunteers to work in the church office. You mainly will be answering the phones and other small jobs that might need to be done. If you are available, we need several spots to be filled on a regular basis: the second and fourth Tuesday in the afternoon from 9am-noon and the first and second Wednesday afternoon, 12-4pm. Also, we always need substitutes to fill in spots for our regular volunteers. If interested, please contact Peg Addington  or 614/270-1639.

LEADERSHIP TEAM MEET-N-GREET: Throughout the next several months, members of our Leadership Team and their families, will be in the Great Hall on certain Sundays just to get to know you! Please stop by and say hello so that we can continue to make connections to one another.

HOBBIES/COLLECTIONS – Do you have a hobby you’d love to share or display for our congregation? Wanted -  volunteers to display in our church display case. Do you have a collection, artwork or themes you’d like to share in the display case? Please call Sandy Reddig at 614/875-5613 or email her HERE .

PRAYER:

PRAYER BOX – Did you know we have a Prayer Box located in our parking lot? It is a little purple mailbox located in the front of our parking lot facing Columbus Street. Our Prayer Chain is committed to praying for the people of this church and our city. If you have a prayer request, you can drop it in that box at any time. Prayer requests are collected weekly and prayed over by our committed prayer team.

PRAYER TEAM - Prayer is powerful and an amazing gift from God. We have the opportunity to talk directly to our Creator and the ability to pray on the behalf of others. Our prayer team started meeting this past Monday and we will continue to meet every week on Mondays at 9am. During our time together, we will be praying over our Sunday morning prayer requests, needs of the church, our community and nation. We will be prayer walking the church as well. If you are interested in joining, please contact Clarence Dinnen.

BIBLE STUDIES, SMALL GROUPS

*RIGHT NOW MEDIA - Just a reminder that Right Now Media is available to all of our members as you think about your relationship with God in this upcoming year. Right Now Media is a database FULL of online Bible studies and social groups for individuals, families, children and groups. We often use this media resource in our Bible studies and small groups throughout the year. It’s a GREAT resource for you or for your family to be able to plug in to God’s Word and in the times we use it in our own church group setting. If you’d like to take advantage of this FREE online resource, contact Pastor Brandi to get set up. She just needs your email address. Your faith journey isn’t one you were ever meant to take alone. God made us for community!

         *TUESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY CONTINUES: VITAL SIGNS, 6pm, HOSPITALITY ROOM

             Facilitated by Pastor Brian, a Bible study that aligns with our Sunday morning sermons. 

         *WOMEN’S SATURDAY MORNINGS, 8AM, VIA ZOOM

            IN THE WAIT - 6 WEEK SERIES ON WAITING. 

         Our lives often weave seamlessly in and out of these seasons. Breakthroughs, families, jobs, graduations, homes, and health may all be things you are desperately waiting for. Waits can be exciting, a little scary, moderately annoying, or painfully unbearable. We can all probably relate to a wait, whether now or in the past, that has been all-consuming, that takes our thoughts hostage and doesn’t allow us to think of anything else. Our prayer for this devotional is that we would be reminded of this important truth: God can use seasons of waiting for our growth and His glory.” In the Wait is a six–week study diving into the topic of what it means to wait on the Lord. It offers real stories of hope, biblical application, and action steps to make life happen even in the midst of waiting. The heart of this book is to encourage women in seasons of wait, to not give up, and to fight for full reliance on the Lord. in this study, you will learn • how to listen to God’s voice in this season • how to persevere when the waiting seems impossible • how to find community • how to discover joy during hardships • how to claim victory over your waiting season • how to have gratitude in the midst of it all.

            MONDAY NIGHT STUDY, 7PM, VIA ZOOM, THE BEAUTIFUL WORD
           BOOK OF ROMANS BY JADA EDWARDS

               Watch trailer HERE 

                    The Gospel is Our Lens for Life Paul’s letter to the Romans uncovers God’s heart and plan for the salvation of mankind, the gospel (Romans 1:16, 17). Sadly, too many Christians have lost sight of what the good news actually is and how to put it into action. Because we don’t truly understand the grace we have received, we are stingy in giving grace. We believe that we’re basically good, evangelism is just for the pastor, and unity is only marginally important among Christians. We have redefined the gospel to something that’s convenient, but never uncomfortable. In this eight-session video Bible study, Bible teacher Jada Edwards brings the clarity that we need for what the gospel is and how we live it out. Romans is a deep dive into doctrine, not for knowledge’s sake, but for life change. Jada explores Paul’s articulation of our faith and what it looks like in practice: how we love people, how we make decisions, how we submit to authority, how we live in community, and how we foster unity. 

The Beautiful Word Bible Study Series helps you connect God's Word to your daily life through vibrant video teaching, group discussion, and deep personal study that includes verse-by-verse reading, Scripture memory, coloring pages, and encouragement to receive your own beautiful Word from God. In each study, a central theme—a beautiful word—threads throughout the book, helping you connect and apply each book of the Bible to your daily life today, and forever. Jada Edwards serves as the Women’s Pastor and Director of Creative Services at One Community Church in Plano, Texas. She is the teacher in Galatians: Accepted and Free in the Beautiful Word Bible Study series, a contributing teacher in the Known by Name Bible study series, and author of the book Captive Mind. She and her husband, Conway, have a son, Joah, and a daughter, Chloe.

           THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
     Beginning September 7th at 10am. We will meet every Thursday morning and this year, we are studying the Book of Revelation. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come and check it out. We have a great group of fun and caring ladies, but gentlemen are certainly welcome too!

To get plugged in with any of our Bible studies or small groups, contact Pastor Brandi .

WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE REFUGE! 

Through the end of September, the missions teams will be collecting donations for The Refuge. The Refuge is a leading faith-based, non-profit addiction recovery ministry founded in Ohio in 1999, and their mission is to change the lives of men affected by addiction through a relationship with Christ. Our goal is to take men from active addiction to becoming responsible men of God, who go on to serve as lights to their families and communities, and we do so through The Refuge Residential Addiction Recovery Programs.  To learn more, visit their site here .

Here is a list of supplies we use everyday:

  Work Gloves

  Work Socks

  Sporting Equipment, new or gently used (Volleyballs, Basketballs, Wiffle Balls and Bats, Footballs, Kickballs, Ping-Pong Balls and Paddles, Pool Cues) 

  Art Supplies, for Art Therapy and Family Days (Color Pencils, Markers, Sketch Pads, Poster Board, Crafts Materials, Glue, Paint Supplies, Brushes, Paint)

  Christian Books, new or used

  Christian & Popular Movies, nothing beyond PG-13

  Twin Sheet Sets

  Pillows

  18-Gallon Plastic Storage Totes

  Towels

  Washcloths

  Shampoo

  Razors

  Shaving Cream

  22oz Framing Hammers

MISSION TRIPS

 INTERNATIONAL MISSION TRIP:

Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico.

We are serving with Hands and Feet Ministries on March 23-30, 2024. 

https://youtu.be/5BRgn4mswzk

Be part of this trip PRAYING for them and if you want to sponsor a kid or adult, please contact Pastor Lizzy  .

CURRENT FUNDRAISERS:

SHOP AT KROGER AND GIVE BACK! Did you know that you can make a financial contribution to our Missions Task Force JUST by shopping at Kroger? It’s simple! All you have to do is link your Kroger Shopping Card to Grove City United Methodist Church.

Go to Kroger.com and log into your digital account (or create a digital account, if not already created).

Scroll down to “Community Rewards” and click. From there, you can select our organization by either scrolling or searching for “Grove City United Methodist Church.” Make sure our name matches our organization number, which is XY804. Enroll. Easy as that! Kroger will make donations to the organization based upon spending of those whose cards are connected to that organization.

Any questions regarding enrollment need to be directed to Kroger individually.

WHO DOESN’T LOVE ROOSTERS? Roosters gave us a donation of rooster cards to help us out with our upcoming mission trips! We have them available for $5! You will get 10% off at any roosters through the rest of the year. Please email Pastor Brandi  to get yours!

FREE STORE:

****************PURPLE DOOR FREE STORE NEEDS KID’S CLOTHES!********************

BOY SIZES ARE IN GREAT NEED ESPECIALLY YOUNG MEN 6-20 AND SMALL MEDIUM SIZES

As the summer is going and the back to school is so close, we are in desperate need of girls’ clothing, size 10 and up.

We are also in need of toiletries: shampoo, toothpaste, and soap.

Monetary donations are also welcome.

******PLEASE NOTE: WE ONLY ACCEPT CLOTHING. WE DO NOT ACCEPT APPLIANCES, TOYS, OR FURNITURE.

CAFÉ:

The time slots to volunteer in the café are: 7:30, 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30am.

A sign-up sheet will be on the Mission Counter in the café area. If you’d like more info. or to volunteer, contact Pastor Lizzy,  . 

Refreshments are available in the café upon donation and all proceeds will go to further Missions projects throughout the year.

COMMUNITY MEALS!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THIS MINISTRY.

DON’T FORGET, OUR COMMUNITY MEAL IS THE SECOND SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH, 4:30-5:30PM, and is for our congregation, as well as for the City of Grove City!  

What is the “COMMUNITY MEAL?” It’s a time for us as the Purple Door Church to come together, to fellowship with one another as it is a meal for our congregation, as well as come together with our community and serve them. It’s a time for us to gather and share God’s Love with others.

     What can I do to HELP? There are several ways you can help. 

1.    Preparation - prepare the meal, put to-go bags together, wrap plasticware and cut desserts.

2.  Set up - put up tables & chairs and set the tables

3.  Serve - kitchen servers, table servers and drink servers

4. Tear down - clean up dining room, clean up kitchen, put away leftovers, etc.

5.  Bake - desserts of all kinds are needed (cakes, pies, cookies, etc.)

If you have any questions, please reach out to Angie Russell  or 614/270-1743, or contact Pastor Lizzy .