The Christmas season is approaching, and Grace is making plans to celebrate the Good News of Jesus' birth with the Grace family and community. Here's a quick look at what is coming up in just a few weeks:

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30
First Sunday in Advent worship service, in the Sanctuary, at 9:30 a.m.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7
Second Sunday in Advent worship service with Communion, in the Sanctuary, at 9:30 a.m.

Blue Christmas Worship Service, at 5 p.m., in the Founders' Chapel
A special holiday worship service designed for those for whom the holidays might be difficult.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14
Grace Kids Music Worship, at 9:30 a.m., in the Sanctuary
Grace Kids Music children take over the Sunday morning worship service and remind us of the true meaning of Christmas as we discover that "Unto Us: A King Is Born." Join us!

Christmas for the City
Join us for our 11th Annual Christmas for the City, as we bring the Grace family together for this special day of serving. This is always a special, intergenerational gathering to serve and love the city of Houston. After worship, we'll enjoy our traditional BBQ lunch before heading out to serve our partners Sleep in Heavenly Peace and Kids' Meals.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21
Third Sunday in Advent worship service, featuring Lessons & Carols, in the Sanctuary, at 9:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24
Christmas Eve Worship Services

10:30 a.m.: Jammies and Jingle Bells for kids and their families, in the Sanctuary

3 p.m.: Candlelight and Communion worship service, in the Founders' Chapel

5 p.m.: Candlelight and Communion worship service, in the Sanctuary

7 p.m.: Grace en Español worship service, in the Founders' Chapel

SUNDAY, JANUARY 4
Open House at Pastor Julia's, 1-3 p.m., 1602 Beaconshire Road
Pastor Julia is welcoming everyone into the new year at her annual open house. Drop by at any time for some coffee, cookies, and conversation and start 2026 with a smile!

In celebration of the Advent season, please consider dedicating a poinsettia flower to remember or honor someone you love. Dedications will be accepted through Sunday, December 14 and may be made online HERE. 

Poinsettias you have dedicated will be available to pick up after the 5 p.m. service on Christmas Eve, or on Monday, December 29 and Tuesday, December 30, between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.  

A Note from Pastor Julia

I hope this finds you well and blessed and seeing God’s richest mercies in your life. We are so grateful for all that the Lord did in and through us last year, and we are excited to see how God will move in the year ahead. In September, we kicked off our ministry year with a vibrant ministry fair, where we learned each ministry area is committed to being EQUIPPED to share the Gospel where we live, work, and play. We started our Bible in a Year plan, to develop a thirst for Scripture and create habits in our daily lives to deepen our relationship with God. As we abide in His Word, we will look at how our next step, and our response to God’s call and generosity in our lives, can lead to blessings throughout our community and around the world.

We have seen God’s hands at work this year throughout the Westchase community as we SERVED though mentoring, working in the community garden and gathering back-to-school needs in our partnership schools. We built 65 beds for those without a place to sleep as a part of our annual Christmas for the City serve day. We joined with thousands in the community to WORSHIP at a beautiful Easter Camden Park celebration! We have seen every generation come together for WORSHIP at the Young Adults Worship Night, Activate for our students, VBS, Grace 812 and our Sunday services. Bible studies are flourishing TOGETHER with Christ-centered teaching and genuine community. God continues to bless His church and lives are being transformed.

You may make your pledge online HERE. Together, we will have the chance to respond to God’s call as an act of worship in the coming weeks, as we each submit our pledge cards either by mail, online, or in person. Our church family will dedicate these offerings on Sunday, November 9, during worship. I hope you will be there for the celebration, as we use these gifts to continue Christ’s work within our city and around the world.

If you would like to see more about the 2026 budget, more detailed information is available HERE. 

In His Grip,
Julia Leeth, Senior Pastor

Prayer Candles

To prepare our hearts for the coming season of generosity, please pick up a candle with a prayer prompt (also available online HERE) to help guide you as you pray and listen for how God is inviting you to respond. I invite you to add this prayer practice into your daily reading time to hear how God is calling you to respond with your time, talent, treasure, relationships, and truth. As you pray and reflect on what it means for your next right step in response to God’s goodness, ask yourself:

• Are you worshiping wholeheartedly every Sunday, embracing this time as a community of believers who come together to glorify God and form disciples?

• Are you being equipped through one of our Equipping Hour groups and committed to reading God’s word daily so that you can share the gospel and your everyday lives?

• Are you serving where God has called you in our church, city, and around the world as an outpouring of love for others, because of Christ’s love for us?

• Are you being formed together within a group such as a discipleship group or Bible study to strengthen your relationships in Christian community and grow in your faith?  

Make A Joyful Noise with the Grace Chancel Choir!
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; Come before him with joyful songs. --Psalm 100

You've seen the choir up on the chancel during Sunday worship, you've even sung along from the pews, but have you ever thought about joining in? Now is your chance! This fall, we are opening up the choir and inviting members of the congregation to join us in a limited number of rehearsals and on selected Sundays for worship. Singing is at the heart of our weekly worship; everyone has a voice to share, and we want to hear yours! This offering is your chance to meet those in the music ministry at Grace, experience the joy of coming together and singing in community, and serve the congregation in worship. All ages and ability levels are welcome to participate; no previous singing experience is necessary!

You are invited to join us for any and all of the following:
• Wednesday, October 15, 8-9 p.m.: rehearsal in the Choir Room

• Sunday, October 19, 8:45-10:45 a.m.: Sunday Service

• Wednesday, October 29, 8-9 p.m.: rehearsal in the Choir Room

• Sunday, November 2, 8:45-10:45 a.m.: Sunday Service

Learn more HERE.

As we begin this new year, we are presented with another opportunity to live differently, sharing our lives and the gospel just as Jesus did.

While we often say, “together we take the next right step,” the “together” part is truly meaningful. When we share our lives and God’s blessings, we accomplish more than we could alone. Going before the Lord as part of The 5:10:5 Plan, a few families felt a specific calling from the Lord, and discerned a desire not only to give generously to the work God is doing here at Grace, but also to invite others to join them in this effort.

These families have pledged to provide a match up to $300,000 for all operating fund gifts given to Grace in excess of our current 2025 target of $2,800,000. You can find more details about this generous gift below:.

•Our current expected operating collection for 2025 is $2,800,000 which was also our approximate collection in 2024.

•Once the actual collected 2025 revenue reaches this goal of $2,800,000, any additional giving beyond that amount will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $300,000.

•This matching opportunity aligns with The 5:10:5 Plan. As individuals or families contribute more than they did the previous year, those additional dollars will move us closer towards earning the match. This ensures that your contribution will go farther, as it will help earn the match.

•We will track our progress towards earning the match based on our actual collections through the year.

You are encouraged to prayerfully consider God’s continued movement in your life. If you’ve never given before, perhaps this is the moment to take your first step. If you are already giving, we are deeply grateful for your ongoing generosity. And as we all have the opportunity to respond to the 5:10:5 invitation in our giving this year, to prayerfully increase our year over year giving by 5%, and to invite new people to join us, let’s do so knowing that we are together in our efforts. You may make your pledge or adjust your current pledge online HERE.

We will be looking at where the 12 Steps are found in the Bible, while seeing applications to and for everyone of any time or demographic. 

What is Grace812?
We are a community of people with a desire to establish a meaningful relationship with God, gathering to share a meal and conversation about our spiritual journey and learning how to live the life God intended for each of us!

What is Grace812 about?
Grace812 is church done differently! All of us, at one time or another, have been faced with challenging life events. In these times, Grace812 is here to help us recover from trials as we trudge through the journey to a deeper life. Our help is because of THE GIFT of Grace from God. Our foundation is built upon THE TRUTH, the teachings of Jesus in the eight Beatitudes from the Bible. THE PATH is an intentional discipleship road map allowing us to live life fully.

When is Grace812?
Every Tuesday evening at Grace, in MT101

5:45 p.m. Doors open and community meal
6:20 p.m. Contemplative service
7:30 p.m. Step Bible study, recovery meetings, small groups, and Bible studies. 

You are welcome for ANY part of the night!
If you would like to help prepare a meal for the evening, we would be delighted if you would sign up HERE!

For more information, drop us an email or call 281-800-8555.