Elizabeth Blondia | July 15, 2026 

Over the past several weeks, you should have received a call or email from a member of Grace Church’s vestry. Our hope was simple: to share, person to person, that you are deeply loved, and to listen. We wanted to hear how Grace has nurtured your faith, where you have found joy and belonging, and where you long for us to grow. I hope those conversations were meaningful, and that you felt both heard and cherished.

In those conversations, I heard words that filled me with gratitude: “Grace is warm and welcoming.” “Grace was a lifesaver when we first arrived in Traverse City.” “I appreciate the care we show one another and the ways we serve our community.” Alongside these blessings came honest reflections from those who feel there are ways Grace has yet to meet their spiritual needs. I am equally grateful for those voices. Love is deepened by honesty, and a faithful community grows when it has the courage to listen with open hearts.

Gathering these perspectives is important as Grace’s leadership seeks to become a church where every person—whether they have worshiped here for decades, have only recently found their way through our doors, or are still discovering where they belong—is spiritually fed.

On July 26 at 10 am, we are having a unity service, followed by a congregational photo and a quarterly meeting in which the vestry and staff will be sharing how we hope to include more people in leadership roles, and to give everyone the opportunity to minister in ways that fit their schedules and passions. Our hope is that by participating in one or two of Grace’s many ministries and activities, you will experience the joy, peace, and contentment that come from being an active part of our church family. 

My favorite hymn in our hymnal is I Am the Bread of Life (Hymn 335) – Every time we sing it, I am moved to tears by its promise of comfort, hope, and resurrection:

And I will raise them up,
And I will raise them up,
And I will raise them up on the last day.

Those words remind us that Christ not only feeds us but also calls us to become bread for one another—to offer welcome, encouragement, compassion, and hope to all who seek Him.

Your vestry and clergy remain committed to living into that calling: to nurture the people of Grace Church, to serve our neighbors with open hands and hearts, and to continue listening to what God might be saying to us. If you would like to continue the conversation, please know that any member of the vestry or clergy would be honored to hear from you, and we look forward to seeing you on July 26.