Spotlight on Grace

We heard a few weeks ago from the students who went to NYC this year. What an experience they had. Pastor Ray takes a minute to give us a little more detail to the trip. You'll be impressed with what God showed these students and that might give you the inspiration to look into how we can help further to give more students a great adventure into God in 2029!

We've all been waiting to see whom God would send to fill the position of Executive Pastor. Well, our wait is over! Today we take a moment to meet and learn a bit about Pastor Justin Schultz.

As we conclude our series on Making the Bible Your Own, we are joined by Rev. Dave Smith. He shares some stories about his upbringing that have opened his relationship with Jesus and the Word. Laugh along with our conversation as he shares his stories.

Continuing our series on Making the Bible Your Own. Rev. Sue Purvis discusses life events the drew her to scripture that she uses as her own. And some of the methods she uses to make them readily visible and accessible to refresh her mind and spirit as often as needed.

We are continuing our series on Making the Bible Your Own. Joining us is Rev. Kevin Ulmet to discuss using the scripture to help us put our actions to match our beliefs.

Gentlemen, Rev. Ulmet also offers a Zoom Contextual Bible Study Wednesday mornings from 7-8 (Central). Please email pastorprch@aol.com to be added to the invite list. They use the scripture of the day from the Uversion app.

We're excited to begin this series about Making the Bible Your Own (Sub-Title-Become the Bible). We explore ways to read, understand and grow in our bible reading and understanding. This 4-part series brings some of our retired Pastors forth to discuss from their many years of experience and personal stories of how they have grown in their Bible study. Joins us for these great discussions.

Pastor Lauren Lain takes a minute from her busy VBS week to sit with us and share some of what goes into planning and making it through VBS week.

Host Mark Bocci and Pastor Tonya Marks were so encouraged to talk with one of our students, Easton Johns. Easton is in love with Jesus and loves to share his faith with everyone he meets! God is using Easton in big ways for the Kingdom! With students like this, the church is in good hands!

Host Mark Bocci and Pastor Tonya Marks enjoyed a wonderful conversation with Kenneth and Jolene Thompson about their service to veterans' families through the American Legion. Thank you, Kenneth and Jolene!

Randy and Lucinda Neff are relatively new to our church. We were blessed to get to know this couple in this conversation of how God has been working in their lives. We believe you'll find this couple delightful and will want to get to know them better from here.

We wrap up our series on Worship Music with Brooksie Smith and John Wiggs - both lifetime Nazarenes, public school educators, worship leaders, and lovers of Jesus!

Susan Blankenship and Allison Winnie have joined our conversation about worship music and ministry. They both have extensive backgrounds with music. You'd recognize both of these women for their wonderful vocal graces in our choir and as worship team leaders.

In this episode we continue our conversation about worship music with Ken McArthur (Violin) and Mike Harris (Bass and vocals). This is an enjoyable conversation about their perspective and history serving in the music ministry.

Host Mark Bocci and Pastor Tonya Marks kick-off a Worship series in which they talk with several of our Grace Church musicians who share how music plays a role in their worship of God. Pastor Michelle and Kristina share some "insider info" and what music means to them!

Send questions or comments to tonya@columbiagrace.org.

Pastor Tonya Marks helps our new host, Mark Bocci, warm up to the mic as he shares some of his ideas for Spotlight on Grace!

Thank you, Ber, for your work and willingness to share about what "end times" means and how Jesus calls us to live in this time between the times! We are a people of hope knowing who God is, what He has done and will do!

Friends, be encouraged! God's plans are good and we get to be a part of his work!

Suggested Resources:

The Bible Project: Heaven and Earth video

The Second Coming: A Wesleyan Approach, Editor: H. Ray Dunning

Surprised By Hope by N.T. Wright

Heaven by Randy Alcorn

BEMA Podcast (Marty Solomon) Season 4

Thank you, Karen, for sharing all that God has brought you through and tangible ways you have chosen to trust him in all things!

You can't outgive God! Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks talk with Rev. Amber Arnold about tithing, giving, and God's faithfulness.

Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks had a great time as Mark Bocci shared his testimony of God's work in his life!

Also, we have a very special announcement at the end!

Join some of the church staff for a little Christmas trivia, then Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks talk about how we can learn to think the Messiah way as we watch Christmas movies this season, and beyond!

Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks talk with Sylina Cannon about trusting God when he changes, interrupts, or adjusts "your" plans because we know that He is working for our good in "all the things". Two great words of wisdom are: Look for God in "the thing" and practice trusting God.

Thank you, Sylina, for sharing some of what God has been up to in your life and your witness to his faithfulness!

Brodrick has a heart for Christian Leadership and explains our call to live out who God created us to be in this world! Listen in to find out what P.I.G.S. means and how our wholeness can shout for God!

Our very own "hostess with the mostest" (on the Podcast and in Reall Life), Ber Bolton, shares very practical and helpful steps for starting and leading small groups of all ages! Whether you're thinking about stepping up to lead a group (D Group, Sunday School Class, Bible study, etc.) or have been leading for a while, this is a great encouragement! Feel free to reach out to Pastor Tonya if you're interested in knowing more!

The love of Jesus oozes from our friend, Stacie Finley, and people are drawn to Jesus because of her love, fun, and wisdom! What a privilege to share with Stacie about her love for the Lord and others and how God is using her to make a difference in this world for the Kingdom!

Grief finds us all, so how do we find joy in the midst of pain, loss, and sadness? Jeannie Adams shares the ways that trusting the Lord and walking with others gives her joy day-by-day!

How you spend your life matters and you get to make the plan...do it on purpose! Ber Bolton is a natural at this and we're so thankful she's willing to share such practical advice to make life and ministry more productive, effective, and enjoyable!

Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks chat with Pastor Matt about discipleship multiplication! Pastor Matt encourages every follower of Jesus to "make heroes" by inviting people to walk alongside us as we follow Jesus, and to train them up to be leaders and disciples who continue to equip leaders and disciples.

Thanks to Jodi Meade for sharing about "Seeing God in All Things" and the reminder that if we can't trust him with the small things, we will never have faith to trust him in the hard things. Build that faith muscle day-by-day...get into his Word, listen for his voice, trust and obey!

The love of Jesus shines bright in the life of Donna Snyder! Listen in to hear how God has been faithful to her and helped her grow in grace through many trials of life! No matter what, she has a song of praise in her heart!

Do your grandkids know that you love Jesus? Have they heard how you accepted Jesus as your savior? Do they know that you pray for them?

Rev. Dave Smith shares with Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks about the importance of intentionally investing in your grandchildren's lives in order to pass on a legacy of faith.

He will be leading a Sunday School class for grandparents at Grace Church beginning Sunday, August 10, in Room 3 at 10:45AM.

What a blessing to talk with Doug and Eleanor Anderson as they shared about God's grace in their lives, the people who have mentored and encouraged them in the Lord, and God's faithfulness!

Jodi lives and loves with trust in God and his grace! What a wonderful reminder that if we're trusting God with our eternity, we can definitely trust him in the small things!

Thank you, Butch, for stopping by to share some of what God has done for you with Pastor Tonya and our Grace Church Family! We appreciate your reminders to get into the Word and to trust God's leading and timing!

Pastor Matt was in the office recently and had time to have a fun conversation with Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks! We'll get to sit under his preaching soon, so these were just conversational "get to know you" kinds of questions to help us learn more about him and his family!

We are so excited to welcome Pastor Matt, Charly, Ellie, and Carter to Columbia Grace on July 13!

We are excited to welcome Sophie Hale as our children's ministry intern this summer! Sophie has a big heart for Jesus and the church! We think you'll love getting to know her and we are blessed to get to be a part of her vocational ministry journey!

Board Member Dave Webb shares where we are in the Pastoral Transition and shares about important events in the next week or so.

Please submit any questions for the Pastoral Meet and Greet to tonya@columbiagrace.org or davewebb987@gmail.com.

Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks talk about how addictions can come from many different places and control our lives. We need God's help to overcome! As the people of God, our role is to come alongside for prayer and encouragement! If you find yourself dependent on substances or other things in life, please reach out for help!

Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks welcome Jenna Boren, Nurse Practitioner and SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner), to the podcast to talk about abuse and sexual assault. Statistics show that these cases happen in "the church" as much as in the world. There are resources available for those who have been assaulted. If you or someone you know if living in a cycle of abuse, please reach out!

Thanks to everyone who participated in our "Nazarene Missional Church Survey"! Pastor BJ Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks share the results on this bonus episode!

Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks continue the tough topics discussion. This time on Prejudice. What is prejudice? How do we become aware of our own biases? We can ask God to search our hearts and to give us a heart for others that looks like His!

Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks continue the Elephants in the Sanctuary series with a discussion on materialism. Do we have stuff or does our stuff have us? It is important to commit all that we have to the Lord, including our motives and desires. He is faithful to lead us as we follow him!

Host Ber Bolton leads us through a discussion on opening up and talking about important topics. It all starts with hospitality and creating an environment where people feel welcome and safe sharing their lives and stories. From there, we can have important and life changing conversations!

Special guests Rev. Jeff Sexton and Rev. Derek Mitchell joined Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks for this episode to talk about District stuff like Assembly, Ordination, and more! The older episode we referenced was S2E17, if you want to check that one out, too!

Thanks to Pam Moore, our church board secretary, and Pastor BJ Bolton for joining Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks to share our first pastoral transition update! The board met with Dr. Dwight Gunter, our District Superintendent, on Monday, February 17, 2025. Church, our first call is to pray! Dr. Gunter will lead the church board through a process to find our next pastor and there is power in prayer as we all seek the Lord for his wisdom, discernment, and guidance.

Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks recap Pastor BJ Bolton's sermon on Stewardship of Time. When we live as stewards of the time God has given us, we can enjoy a life on mission for His glory!

Pastor Jason Caddy talks with Host Ber Bolton, Pastor BJ Bolton, and Pastor Tonya Marks about his new ministry as District Superintendent of North Carolina. Pastor Jason shares about following the Lord's leading and peace that passes understanding in the midst of change. The panel also discusses what the Grace Church family can anticipate in the coming days as the pastoral search begins. God's grace is sufficient!

Host Ber Bolton, Pastor BJ Bolton, and Pastor Tonya Marks had a jolly time talking Christmas songs, movies, and more! Listen in and see how many points you can score! Merry Christmas! Jesus is the reason for every season!

Pastor Michelle Noel chats with Host Ber Bolton and Pastor Tonya Marks about the purpose and structure of the Blue Christmas service coming on December 22, 2024. The holidays can feel heavy for so many reasons. This service is an opportunity to remember, reflect, and go out in hope.