Thoughtfulness Makes All the Difference

 “Life is not so short but that there is always 

time enough for courtesy.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

  Okay, it was a full-blown “Oops!” Yet, I don’t believe I was really to blame. Besides, it’s not my practice to yell at cute girls when a wedding is taking place. The cute girl was (I hope you guessed this) Jane. It was right outside the Mercantile Hall where my office is in the basement. I’d just parked and Jane was coming out of Trendsetters after having her hair cut. I saw her and yelled across the street, “Hey Cutie, want to go to lunch?”
  I believe it was a Wednesday afternoon. I happened to look over my shoulder and fifteen feet away from me in the courtyard of Mercantile Hall with everyone facing me and the officiant with his back to me, a wedding was taking place. Oops! I’ve since encouraged the Mercantile to have weddings face the opposite direction so that the officiant is the only one seeing what’s taking place on the street, especially if men are loudly flirting with their wives. It was an innocent mistake and I am trying to be more careful.
  Being considerate makes a big difference in relationships. It’s easy though, the longer you’re married, to forget basic thoughtfulness. The same thing can happen in a church family. Periodically, we need reminders to help make it better for everyone. Let me suggest a few…
  Come a little early and linger a bit afterwards. Currently, we’re studying the One Another statements in the New Testament. It’s hard to live these out when you rush in, come late, or rush out. We designed our Charis Coffee Café to encourage conversations with others. So whether you sit in the Café or take your coffee in the gym, please engage in conversation with others. Use it as an opportunity to converse with those you either don’t know or don’t know well. Use it as an opportunity to pray that the Lord will use the service to work in your heart and the hearts of others. Pray for those involved in leading the worship, the AV Team, greeters, ushers, etc. Pray for me as I share God’s Word, that the message will be clear and God will use it in lives. After the service take time to interact with those around you and see how they are doing. If they’re struggling with something or need encouragement, encourage them or pray with them.
  If the 1^st service is still taking place and you arrive before it’s finished, please refrain from loud conversations while waiting. For security reasons, we now have an usher in the Café during each service. Though they’re sitting there, they’re seeking to listen and participate in the service. Then, sometimes someone is not feeling well or a parent with a young child will sit out there to listen to the service so their child won’t disturb others in the congregation. Please be thoughtful of them so they can listen to the service, even if you arrive early. Also, when the five-minute countdown begins for the service, come into the service. For some reason, every church struggles with a “foyer crowd,” i.e. those who come to worship but never quite end up coming into the worship service. We can set an example for others by being actively involved in worship as soon as we’re able and not linger in the cafe once the countdown has begun.  
  Consider leaving your phone in your car. Unless you use a Bible app to look up Scripture, ask yourself, “Do I really need my phone in the service?” Be unleashed from the technological tether! If you find that you’re tempted to check social media, leave it in the car. At least, have it silenced. And is there really a reason for a young person to have a phone at church? Parents pay for a phone so they can get in touch with them BUT if you’re sitting in the service with them…
  Leave the back rows for families with children or late arrivals. For some reason in American culture, we want to sit in the front row at sporting events or concerts but in the back one at church. Does that make sense? It will help you listen better and those on the platform communicate better if people sit toward the front. Families with kids know that kids often act like kids, so they sit toward the back to avoid disturbing others. Then, sometimes someone is delayed or new to the church and arrives late. At Grace, we want to be thoughtful of newcomers and not make them do the “walk of shame” to sit at the front because those are the only seats left.
  If it will be a blessing or encourage someone say it BUT if it really doesn’t need to be said… The One Another commands urge us to encourage, greet and pray for each other. Each Sunday, please look for opportunities to minister to others, and to touch their lives.
  Yet we know we’re all sinners saved by grace and human. We make mistakes. You’ll find them in printed materials or with a musical note or who knows? Some have difficulty not pointing them out. Please don’t. Unless it truly makes a difference, like someone is in danger or it’s serious, let it go.
  Also about the only heated discussion at Grace should be between Bears and Packer fans. At Grace. we simply do not talk about politics. No one is going to heaven because of who they voted for. Politics divide and alienate. We want to build bridges, not put up any cultural barriers to the gospel.  
  Leave your space ready for whoever is following you. We have two services. Before you leave, please pick up papers around you, straighten Bibles and the pen in the chair pocket. If you’re having a group activity, please make sure tables and chairs are put back, counters wiped and trashcans emptied. Our building is used nearly 24/7. Please be sure things are ready for those coming after you. Pick up trash in the parking lot or in the landscaping or even on the floor of the bathroom. Take a paper towel and wipe up the water on the bathroom counter. Someone is always coming after us. Let’s leave it ready for them.
  Come anticipating worshiping our Savior together! Sunday is the only time our church family sings together, prays together, studies God’s Word together, and focuses on eternity together. Each Sunday let’s pray and seek to have a bigger view of our awesome God and the real world, eternity! 

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Who are YOU Imitating?

     

“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.”   Herman Melville

Harvard psychiatrist, William Betcher, in his book, Intimate Play: Creating Romance in Everyday Life shares the life of one married couple.
  “Jean has a tendency to be bossy, a trait she picked up from her dad, Harold. She can’t help telling people how to do things. When her old boyfriend would confront her on her bossiness, she would inevitably get defensive and argumentative, even though deep down she knew it was true. One of the first things she noticed in her relationship with John, to whom she is now married, was that he handled the situation quite differently.
  She can still remember the first time she tried to tell him how to go about something: John was helping her cook a meal…peeling the carrots. Jean decided that he was doing the job all wrong and started to tell him how he should do it. John turned to her and leaned back against the counter with a sort of whimsical, knowing look on his face, and said, “Yes, Harold.” He drew the words out and said them in an exaggerated, joking way. Jean thought this lighthearted reference to the origin of her bossiness was very funny. Instead of getting defensive, she…began to imitate her father all the more—putting on his accent to look out over a pair of eyeglasses as her father often did…
  Since then. John’s expression, “Yes, Harold,” has become a signal to Jean that she is tending to become bossy, a characteristic that has greatly decreased since it has been addressed in a non-threatening way.”
  Unbeknownst to her at the time, Jean was imitating her father. We all do that, usually without even knowing it. Sometimes when I meet someone’s Dad or Mom, I can see where their adult child learned certain behaviors or mannerisms. For example, my Dad was very outgoing. It’s a trait that nearly all of his five children have. Shyness is not part of our makeup.
  As you read the Gospels, you’ll find Jesus instructs us with “Follow Me” 13 times. Obviously, He’s not talking about His literal path or footsteps. Jesus is saying follow His life, imitate Him.
  Following Jesus is not limited to passively believing in Him. It’s by observing through Scripture how He thought, how He responded to various situations of His life, and then intently and attentively by the power of the Holy Spirit, imitate His example – behavior, thinking, values, speech, etc.. Only then will we be able to live like Jesus, living out His life and godliness. Following Jesus and growing to be like Him is a lifetime pursuit. It takes patience and perseverance on our part along with lots of faith in Him and His never-failing grace.
  All of us are following someone. All of us are imitating someone. So who are you following? Who are you imitating? How can we discover that?
  Check what you see. How do you look at the world? Do you see this life the way that Jesus does? Jesus took time to notice people. He had a habit of it. One of the remarkable things about Jesus is that He could be surrounded by a crowd and yet single someone out who needed special attention.
  What do we see? Opportunities to promote ourselves. Have you ever been talking to someone who’s climbing the ladder of popularity and they’re looking beyond you to see if they notice someone with more power or influence? Jesus saw the ones that far too many of us would overlook.
  Are you in the habit of noticing people? I hope I don’t miss seeing people because I’m checking my phone or off in my own self-focus. One day we will have to give an account to God and explain why we didn’t notice people who were there because we were busy noticing people who were not there. Let’s keep our eyes open so we really notice people.
  Check what you hear. One of my favorite parables is the one of the Good Shepherd (John 10 & Luke 15). What I love about the story in Luke 15 is that the shepherd leaves the 99 sheep to search for the one lost sheep. I know that at one time I was that lost sheep. I believe the Shepherd listened before he looked. He listened to the bleats and cries of the lost lamb. Jesus lived out James 1:19, “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak.”
  Too many of us if we stopped to listen would only hear our own voices because we’re always talking. We’re sharing our views, opinions and perspectives. Often we’re pontificating like we’re the authority. Listening is a lost art. Our world is very noisy. To truly listen, you must focus.
  Have you ever thought about this? Jesus is the greatest listener. It’s why we pray. We’re confident that He listens. How about us? Are we listeners?
  Check your history. What does your calendar show about who you are following and what you value? How do you spend your time? Who do you socialize with? Who are your friends?
  How about your purchase history? What does the way that you use your money say about who and what you are following?
  What about your internet history? If you looked at your recent posts, what did you want to share with the world? What did you take an interest in?
  Most of us can easily analyze what we care about most just by pulling up our calendars, social feeds or credit card statements. They make a powerful statement about who and what we are following.
  Acts 4:13 continually challenges my heart and life. It tells a lot about who you’re following and imitating. Peter and John were being interrogated by the Jewish leaders and they made a powerful observation: they knew they had been with Jesus. Even their enemies knew who they were following and who they were imitating.
  We wonder why Christians have so little influence in today’s world. Acts 4:13 has the answer. Because you can be around Jesus and yet not be with Him. It’s more than knowledge or a few prayers. It’s more than religion as a hobby. Those early Christians turned the world upside down because they had a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. They weren’t imitating some Harold. They were imitating Jesus Christ. He was their everything. All of us imitate someone. Who are you imitating? Who are you following? 

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

When Church is a Family

 

“I believe that one major reason that the church of Jesus Christ in the United States is very close to being in sheer chaos today is because so many people think themselves as individuals rather than as part of the body of Christ.  Christianity is not ‘every man for himself;’  it’s every man together for Christ.”  Wayne Mack 

  Today we’re beginning a new sermon series that will take us through the end of September: One Another – Doing Church Life Together. Personally, I’m very excited about this series. One of the distinctives of the early church that’s God’s plan for us even today is strong relationships. Please pray that this will not be a “sermon series” or just “a bunch of good talks.” God wants us to apply His truth. It’s why we’ve nearly begged you to either be part of a group or even lead one to work through this series at a deeper level. We’re even providing all of the discussion questions for you.
  This dovetails with one of my great burdens for our church and one of my continual prayers. Consistently, I pray that the Lord will give us three things at Grace: 1) A passionate love for Jesus Christ. 2) A passionate love for each other. 3) A passionate love for our community.
  The majority of American Christians have a “consumer” understanding of the church, not a biblical one. They attend church to find what’s in it for them. It’s something to attend for an hour a week to “shop” spiritually. They don’t have deep relationships, nor is there deep commitment. Such thinking is foreign to what Scripture teaches about church relationships.
  Of all the metaphors used to describe the local church, one that stands out above the rest is family. In fact, it’s so much of the essence of the church that it can’t even properly be called a metaphor. Metaphors describe what the church is like or similar to—light, flock, field, building—but family is not metaphorical; it’s a literal description of the phenomena we know as church. That’s because the church is not like family; it is family.
  God is literally our Father, Jesus is literally our elder brother, and we are literally brothers and sisters in Christ. Family is the primary way the early church identified themselves. This is seen by the fact that the word disciple, so prevalent in the early part of the New Testament, disappears after the book of Acts. It’s replaced by the terms brother and sister for the rest of the Bible. Family dominates the self-understanding of the early church. When the apostolic writers wanted to address an entire congregation, they frequently called them “brothers and sisters.” The people in the seats around us are, in fact, our family.
  Acknowledging our spiritual sibling relationships isn’t an intellectual exercise; it’s a profound truth that should stir deep emotions and overflow in tangible ways. Because they are family, we learn their names (3 John 15) and find out their interests. We display “family affection” (Romans 12:10). There are no cliques, favoritism or partiality (James 2:1-9). In innumerable ways, we seek to say: you are my brothers and sisters, and I love you.
  Throughout the New Testament, God commands us to have mutual care in the local church. The epistles, in particular, tell us what it means to be brothers and sisters and teach us “how one ought to behave in the household of God” (1 Timothy 3:15). With their various “one another” commands, these New Testament letters remind us that life in God’s family will reorient our allegiance—not only on Sunday but every hour of every day.
  Consumers attend church looking for what they will receive. Those with a biblical understanding of the church look for what they can give to it of time, money, and themselves. The church is not a man-made society that we can participate in—or opt out of—according to our level of comfort. The PTA, the HOA, or the library book club don’t obligate us to personal sacrifice when things get tough. Family does. And because God’s people are our family, we will hold our own preferences and priorities loosely. We set aside our social status, age group, ethnicity, and politics for the family. We open our hearts and doors. We pull up another chair at mealtime and add another name to our prayer list. We will give them our groceries,  furniture, and smiles. We will share their grief and trials and disappointments. We will continually look for ways to show love. 
  As a result, we will expect to have less money and less free time than we would have on our own. We will expect to have added sorrow. We will also expect to have great joy. 
  One of my favorite stories is told by a Vacation Bible School teacher with a second-grade class. A new student came into her class one day, a little boy, but he had a physical challenge; he only had one arm. The teacher wished she’d had a chance to coach the kids about accepting this boy and not treating him any differently. But the children did great. At first, they  stared a little bit. The teacher just didn’t want anyone to embarrass him in any way. Yet at the end of the class, she forgot herself, and said, “Kids, let’s close the class today by doing that little exercise: ‘This is the church, this is the steeple, open the doors and see all the people.”  Then she looked down and noticed the child missing an arm, and she realized she’d done to him what she hoped none of the kids would do. And right then one of the girls in the class reached out her right hand and put it in the boy’s left hand and she said, “Come on, Davy, let’s build a church together.” 
  That’s what a biblical church does. It builds the church together. It understands spiritual family. It brings people together who apart from God’s grace would never come together. It unites us around Jesus’ cross and submits to the Spirit to build a family a lost world can’t comprehend. And it’s all for His glory! It’s what the New Testament is teaching us as it continually shares passage after passage of the “one anothers.” 

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

What would Jesus say about illegal immigrants?

 

“My mother left Cuba to come to the United States by herself. 
She was an eight year old undocumented immigrant.” Bobby Cannavale

 

  Currently, there’s a bill before Congress on immigration called The Dignity Act that has bipartisan support. Will it finally take positive steps forward to solve our immigration, legal and illegal, problem? I hope so. Yet, it’s been nearly 40 years (1986) since Congress passed any reforms in our immigration laws, but the problem has only grown worse.
  Christians are first and foremost citizens of heaven. It’s wrong when Christ-followers mime the political position of their political party yet are ignorant of biblical truth. When we align our positions on ethical issues with politics rather than Scripture, it’s idolatry.
  What does the Bible teach? Christians are to be merciful toward immigrants. “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:33-34). Jesus echoed that same truth in Matthew 25:35. As citizens of God’s Kingdom, Christians should seek to influence the nation that they’re earthly citizens of to have a compassionate immigration policy.
  So what should we do about illegal immigration? It’s very complex and no one has all of the answers, yet believers must have God’s Word as their resource for working through issues like these. Also, other than Native Americans, we’re all immigrants and must be committed to finding safe, reasonable ways for others to come to America, particularly those facing religious persecution or political oppression.
  While the political focus is on illegal immigration and our borders, I believe we should be first focused on those who are already here. God is not the God of fear. It’s morally wrong that we have those living among us who live in fear of being pulled over for a minor infraction because it might mean deportation. It’s estimated that there over 11 million illegal immigrants in the States. It’s twice the population of Wisconsin. Some 20% were brought in as children. For example, I have a friend brought to the States as a baby yet has worked for years here. My friend doesn’t have a birth certificate so has tremendous difficulty applying for citizenship.  
  Scripture has two virtues that help us develop a biblical worldview of illegal immigration: Justice and Mercy. The Bible teaches that God ordains government to secure justice for those under its jurisdiction, in part by making and enforcing laws, including immigration laws. The Bible repeatedly emphasizes that Christians must exhibit mercy. While government should enforce immigration laws, justice never justifies harshness. All immigrants are Imago Dei. It’s offensive to God to treat immigrants (legal or illegal) as subhuman. And who among us wouldn’t risk illegally immigrating to protect our children? Let me suggest some considerations to help us develop a biblical perspective.   
  There should be a means of deportation for criminals. It’s a known fact that Drug Cartels take advantage of our lax approach to illegal immigration to import illegal drugs. Illegal immigrants who break major laws like drug trafficking, sex trafficking or violent crimes or who have a criminal record for serious crimes in their nation of origin should be deported.
  There should be simple, multiple paths to legal status or citizenship. It shouldn’t cost thousands for an illegal currently living here to secure citizenship. Yes, they should have to work a certain amount of time once they’ve applied for citizenship and can’t remain if unwilling to work. Documentation like birth certificates should be simplified or even waived depending on circumstances. Birth certificates in the U.S. weren’t common until after World War II. Imagine what it’s like in 3^rd world countries? Dreamers are often victims in their documentation situation and shouldn’t be penalized for decisions made by others which they had no input in.
  There should be incentives for selected immigrants. Imagine how impoverished our country would be if Albert Einstein hadn’t been allowed to flee to America to escape the Nazis. Or Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State under presidents Nixon and Ford. Kissinger’s Jewish family fled Germany in response to rising Nazism. Artists like Gloria Estefan are here because her parents fled Communist Cuba.
  We have a doctor and engineer shortage. Those who will benefit our country should be given incentives to come and become citizens.
  There should be a system in place, not amnesty for those who entered illegally. We should not simply grant amnesty to those who’ve broken the law. If undocumented immigrants wish to gain legal status, we should allow it, but it’s unjust to place them ahead of those already pursuing the progress legally. Undocumented immigrants should first undergo criminal background checks and pay some back taxes for previously undocumented income. Going to “the back of the line” doesn’t mean that they’d be deported, but they should only receive provisional documentation while waiting to either receive their green card or citizenship. And there should be a deadline to apply for legal status so undocumented immigrants will come forward in a timely manner.
  Alexis de Tocqueville believed America’s greatness was birthed by her moral goodness, especially the moral fiber of her people and government. If we want America to be great, we must do our part to help her be morally good. God has called us to a higher calling than partisan politics – we are to be salt and light for His glory. While there are no simple answers, as citizens of heaven we must encourage a commitment to justice and mercy. 

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

The Story of Us

 “Staying married, therefore, is not mainly about staying in love. It is about keeping covenant. ‘Till death do us part’ or ‘As long as we both shall live’ is a sacred covenant promise – the same kind Jesus made with His bride when He died for her.”  John Piper 

I never imagined on a hot summer day on July 2, 1983, that Jane and I would someday be married for forty years. Please understand. We meant our vows, “till death do us part,” yet when you’re in your twenties, imagining what life and marriage will be like in your sixties is a bit like dreaming about space travel.
  We don’t have a perfect marriage and have had our share of marital storms. We know full well that we’re both sinners and desperately in need of God’s grace and will be to our last breath. There are some things though that we’ve learned in four decades together. Maybe they will help you in your own marital journey.
  A healthy marriage has two hosts. Jane and I dated once in college and then found each other again after she had graduated and was teaching in the Chicago suburbs. I’d left college and was saving money to return and finish by doing commercial roofing…in Chicago. We reconnected and like most couples, we bent over backwards for each other. We were perfect hosts, working to continually please the other because that’s what a host does.
  But when you’re a guest at a hotel, you don’t make the bed or hang up wet towels. Marriages deteriorate when spouses become guests, not hosts. They expect to be served rather than to serve. Hosts even talk differently to guests than guests do to hosts. Don’t hate me…but I don’t like cats yet I wouldn’t talk to a stray cat the way that some spouses speak to each other.
  Opposites attract and that’s a blessing. Jane is from Michigan, I’m from Atlanta. She grew up in the country and had a mile-long driveway. I grew up in the city. Jane is an extrovert and loves meeting new people. I’m an introvert and can feel drained by being with people. Jane loves a very planned life and schedule. I’m spontaneous and am more of a “go with the flow” type. Jane is time oriented and rarely late. I’m event-oriented, which simply means that I don’t move on to the next thing until the present one is done. I think that the last time that I was early was for our wedding. Yet, rather than these becoming sources of irritation, they’ve become what Scripture calls “iron sharpening iron,” helping us both grow.
  What originally attracted you is still there. If most couples would take a step back, they’d find that what irritates them about their spouse is about five or ten percent of the marriage. 90% though is fantastic! But what do they focus on – that small percentage. And frequently what drives them crazy are the very things that originally attracted them. For example, one of the things that attracted me to Jane is that she is so kind. I’m embarrassed to admit that when I was in business, I was nicknamed “the butt kicker.” Yet I’m not sure I’ve seen Jane angry more than five times in forty years and none of them (amazingly so) were at me. Jane was originally attracted to my assertiveness but there were times that my assertiveness embarrassed her. Thankfully we’ve both grown in grace, yet those same traits are still there. Instead of being annoyances, they’ve become traits of gratitude.
  If you fight, keep it clean. Periodically, a couple will tell you that they never fight. Mark it down – they’re either lying, very boring, or highly medicated. Disagreements and fights help us grow. But in forty years the word “divorce” has never been used by either of us, even as a joke. My mentor, Dad Cummins, taught us that. Dad married us and did our pre-marital counseling. Most of us fight like our parents did instead of biblically. They were our greatest teachers of what marriage was like for the first years of life. My Dad was a rageaholic, interestingly, so was his Dad. Jane and I have learned to keep it toned down. It’s hard to get very angry when you talk softly. You must also avoid becoming “historical.” In the midst of the conflict, it’s tempting to bring up past grievances that have nothing to do with the present issue for extra ammo. Then, keeping it private is vital. Other than our children, very few know that we’ve had any disagreements. But some couples take pleasure in airing their dirty laundry, looking for allies. They do pay back when they have an audience to shame their mate. God’s Word commands us to not “let the sun go down on our anger” (Ephesians 4:26). A healthy marriage keeps it cleaned up. That means it’s wrong to hold grudges or pull off some ongoing silent treatment.
  Have a united front. Too often when a couple is having issues, they think that the solution is to have a baby. It’s not. Children are the great dividers. Because we tend to believe the way that we were raised is the best one, children learn early to play Mom and Dad against each other. Parents will disagree on parenting styles, just do it privately, not in front of your children. The same is true with marital disagreements, like in-laws or holidays. Stay united and keep disagreements private.  
  When you draw closer to the God of love, you’ll draw closer to each other. Do you know what the percentage of divorce is for a couple who prays together? Less than 10%. That’s one reason the Bible teaches that Christians must marry Christians. You can’t pray together if you don’t have the same Heavenly Father. A personal devotional life is essential to a healthy marriage. As we individually spend time in God’s Word and in prayer, we love God more. In love, He corrects us, which is often in how we’ve wronged someone, frequently our spouse. Think of it as a triangle with God at the peak and you and your spouse at the far angles. As you move closer to God, you’re moving closer to each other.
  There’s a lot more. The bottom line is that both Jane and I believe that based on Scripture believers should have the happiest and most fulfilled marriages. That’s because we have resources lost folk don’t have – the Holy Spirit indwelling us, God’s Word guiding us and a local church family encouraging us! Forty years ago we said, “till death do us part.” We meant it and we’d do it all over again, yet it’s all by God’s grace!!

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.