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WORSHIP HOURS 9:00A.M. CHURCH AND SUNDAY SCHOOL PASTOR - TONI ROSS |
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WORSHIP HOURS 9:00A.M. CHURCH AND SUNDAY SCHOOL PASTOR - TONI ROSS |
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Grace is a small but mighty church offering smiles, hugs, and the love of the Lord. We are excited to be planning for our upcoming 100 Year Anniversary Celebration to be held June 25, 2006 from 2:30 - 4:30. Some of our current activities include collecting for the Souper Bowl (it's amazing how much we collect for this great cause!), Wednesday evening Bible Study at 6:30, and Kids in the Kitchen (the youth cook breakfast for the adults). Please join us Sundays at 9:00a.m. Come as you are (we are very relaxed and informal). Children's Sunday School is available during service. We have lots of love for you! |
| Pastors Howard and Toni Ross serve the Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish as Part Time Local Pastors. Pastor Toni fills her 3/4 time position as primary pastor for both the East Moline Grace and Hampton congregations. Along with her normal pastoral functions, she leads a Parish-wide Bible study and helps with a senior high group focusing on Bible study and missions. As a 1/4 time pastor, Pastor Howard is primarily responsible for the Parish's "Starting Point" multi-media worship. Both Toni and Howard have served in churches for many years, having held positions of responsibility and authority in both church and secular organizations. As certified lay speakers, they had filled the pulpit both individually and as a team before accepting the call to pastoral ministry. When the Parish began in 1998, they served as Lay Missioners, providing the ministry needed without benefit of ordination or appointment. They moved to Part Time Local Pastors in 2001, receiving an official appointment to the Parish by the Bishop of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference. Toni and Howard continue in tandem, serving as partners in pastoral ministry, assisting and supporting each other's congregations and the Parish as a whole. While serving as a pastor, Howard also serves the community of East Moline as the chemist at the municipal water plant, giving a new meaning to the phrase "by water and the Spirit." Toni's gifts in personal communication and discernment have been put to service in many different positions, most importantly as mom to their two children. These dual roles give them a unique perspective, with insights into the secular life of their parishioners, while understanding the challenges and burdens of their peers in the clergy. |
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Roger Land has had a connection to Grace United Methodist Church for a number of years. His parents, Mary Lou and Richard Land, were members before he joined. Mary Lou still plays a vital role in the church. Roger was born in Keokuk, Iowa (his dad’s home town) in 1946. The family moved to Atalissa, Iowa, where his parents owned a bakery. They then moved to Carbon Cliff where Roger started school. The family moved to East Moline where he continued in school, graduating from United Township High School in 1964. During his high school years, Roger worked at the Eagle Food Center in East Moline (where Derby Tech Computers is now). He went on to take some college courses at Blackhawk College. After that, he worked at International Harvester in East Moline for a short time. Two sisters make up the rest of Roger’s family: Kathy Harker and Linda Jordan. They both live in the local area. Roger joined the military in 1966. He attended basic training and advanced infantry training at Fort Sill, OK. Roger then moved to Schaffenberg, Germany, where he served 2 years with the 1st/4th Infantry during the Vietnam era. Roger served the remainder of his military career with the 2nd/62nd Artillery in Lawton, OK. Roger moved back to the Silvis area in 1969. It was at that time he joined his dad in the home building business. Together with his dad, they built over 200 homes in the Quad Cities and surrounding area. In 1971, Roger married Julie Tate. He adopted her two boys and then was blessed with his daughter, Missy. John Land, the eldest, lives in Las Vegas, NV; Dan Land, lives in Bettendorf and will soon be married (July 2007); and Missy Garcia, lives in Hampton. Roger has seven grandchildren and one great-grandson. Roger and Julie later divorced. Roger wears many hats in the Church. He served on the SPRC committee and council board to help form the Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish. As of this day, he is still on both the Parish and church administrative boards as Grace’s representative. He also is Grace’s representative to the Illinois Great Rivers Conference for the past 11 years, certified advanced lay speaker, lay leader, liturgist, Chairman of Church Building and Location Committee for the Spoon River District, Chairman, Kids in the Kitchen, Co-chair for the 100th anniversary celebration for Grace in 2006, and Co-Chair for the Souper Bowl campaign. Roger played an integral part in forming the first contemporary worship service in the Parish (Saturday at Six) and is very active in the Starting Point service. In the past, he has taught both youth and adult Sunday schools. Roger and his daughter, Missy, sometimes work as a team delivering sermons at different churches. Roger enjoys collecting and reading trivia books, including the locally published series by The Dispatch and the book on East Moline. He also loves studying the Bible, attending many Bible studies including Disciple I, II, III, and IV. He has been a coin collector since he was 4 years old and still maintains his collection today. Roger has a varied collection of both music and movie DVDs. He enjoys music by both Christian artists and The Rolling Stones, among others. He also enjoys traveling both to Colorado to view the majestic Rockies and wildlife and local “day” trips with friends and family. Roger and Mary Vroman will soon be married at Grace Church and have their reception at Hampton Fellowship Hall. Roger will be attending the Men’s Walk to Emmaus in early April 2007. In the future, he looks forward to working with the different churches, helping develop future lay speakers and leading people to Christ. |
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Wednesdays at 6:30p.m. at Grace We are discussing the "Read Through the New Testament in a Year." All are welcome to come and discuss what we've read. The spiritual discipline of reading and reflecting on scripture is vital for any Christian who wants to grow in his/her relationship with Jesus Christ. Yet, many find it difficult to cultivate this as a regular habit. During the coming year, you are invited to join others from our church on a journey through the New Testament. If you read just one chapter of the New Testament five days each week, you will have read the whole New Testament by the end of the year. May this journey through the New Testament be a wonderful time of growth for you and for our church. |
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