Let those who seek the Lord give praise!
May your hearts live forever!
~Psalm 22:26b
Pastor’s Thoughts:
As you may have read here or in other Grace places, Bishop Daniel Beaudoin has designated 2024 as a Year of Rest for the Northwestern Ohio Synod. The idea is that we focus on the concept of rest, considering how and why it is important for us as the people of God. The concept of holy rest or Sabbath comes from the scripture, when God commanded the people to take some times to worship, to rest, and to re-create from all of life’s activities.
At the recent Prayer Breakfast, we explored seven types of rest together. These include physical rest, mental rest, emotional rest, sensory rest, creative rest, social rest, and spiritual rest. I plan to share something about each of these over the next weeks, beginning with “sensory rest.”
If your life is at all like mine, you might find yourself overstimulated by all the sounds and sights of life; from screen time including work, social media and entertainment) to text message alerts and computer alerts … from ring tones to TVs and car radios. As I write this, one neighbor is trimming the lawn and the other is fighting with a chain saw! it seems there is never a moment that is free from some kind of sensory input, and that can become wearying.
Technology is a gift. It can help us stay connected. It can help us learn,. It can help us do everyday tasks. But screen time can strain our eyes. Social media can raise our blood pressure. The amount of information on the Internet about any given topic can be tough to sift through and process. The perceived demand to reply to every message or email can feel like a burden.
How can we rest from the sensory overload that can wear us out? For me, it has become necessary to take time every morning free of as much as I can step away from. I sit in our dark family room, and leave my phone where it is and focus on my breathing and my sense of my body. There are still sounds and sights of course; the birds are waking up and our two dogs are rustling around. But those moments have become a needed rest for me, when I can give intentional attention to things which might otherwise go unnoticed. When I don’t do this, I find myself more stressed by the demands of the beeps, dings, and other “noise” of the day.
Can you find a few quiet moments each day, free from the demands of the “noisy” world? Can you listen for God in these moments and rest in the knowledge that you are profoundly loved?
In Christ,
Pastor Brenda
Please join us – Sunday Fellowship Time
In Fellowship Hall
April 28th – Cindy Wood and Sherry Hammond
May 5th – Sue Wagner and Brenda Holderman
May12th Mother’s Day – Muffins for Mom
If anyone is willing to donate a dozen muffins,
please let Sue Wagner know at Suegrade@aol.com
or 419.475.8972.
Healthy People! Healthy Parish!
A big thank you to all who donated blood last Thursday! We were able to collect 15 units which can go to help 45 people! We had 2 new donors!
Please hold the date for the next blood drive – the Interfaith Blood Drive – -Saturday June 29th from 8-200pm!
You can schedule on the Red Cross web site or Gretchen will be able to schedule starting on April 30th.
This is the 35th Anniversary for the Interfaith Blood Drive which is the largest and longest running Blood Drive in the United States!!
Adult Class—Death and Dying:
For our Adult Class topic, we are discussing death and dying. Our society teaches us not to avoid discussing this in-depth, but it is something that we should all confront and ponder in conjunction with our faith. Our faith gives us a powerful perspective through which to view and discuss the reality of death.
We began our discussions and learning with an introductory session on Wednesday, 3 April (6:00 p.m.) and Sunday, 7 April (8:15 a.m.). Both class options use the same materials each week. The class is anticipated to run through 15/19 May.
We will discuss the concept of death (both from a physical perspective and a Christian perspective), the grieving process, how to plan our funerals (both at the church and the funeral home), and the importance of Advance Directives (Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare and Living Wills).
The Readings for Sunday April 28, 2024
Acts 8:26-40
Psalm 22:25-31
1 John 4:7-21
John 15:1-8
Moving With Angela
(aka-Boom Muscle)
Where:
Grace Lutheran Church Gym (Entrance back of parking lot)
4441 Monroe St. (near Secor)
Cost: FREE
When:
1st and 3rd Saturday each month
Class Includes:
Aerobics, hand weights, core, balance and stretching
Anyone 18 or older is welcome
This class is not associated with Silver Sneakers
This is a general exercise class and is neither a HITT or Chair Class
Some hand weights and small plastic balls are available
but you may wish to bring your own
Any questions, call Deb at 419.346.8995
Meditation
by Vicar Dave
Life can look very different depending on your perspective. When I worked at the prison, I frequently saw things in a very different way than I do now. Prison is a very dark place and it’s easy when you’re there, either as an employee or as an inmate, to become skeptical of most everything you hear and everyone you meet. That place can weigh heavily on you. But even there, you can see a glimmer of light from time to time. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Think about the story of Elijah. When Queen Jezebel wanted to have him killed, he became afraid and went and hid. He even asked God to kill him. I guess he figured that a death at God’s hand would be more merciful than what Jezebel had planned for him. And this was right after Elijah had witnessed miracles performed by God when Elijah had prayed for them. From his perspective, he was doomed if Jezebel got her hands on him. From God’s perspective, however, all He had to do was send an angel to be with and to feed him. This gave Elijah the courage to continue on.
Not so long ago, I was working with a victim of domestic violence. From her point of view, despite the fact that the abuse had been going on for some time and had been escalating, she still thought of her partner as someone who loved her. She thought that all he needed was treatment of some sort. In her mind, he only hurt her when he’d been drinking. From my perspective, I saw a man who wanted to assert power and control over those around him.
Sometimes, people do things that we might consider incomprehensible. For example, the way some folks without much money spend what little they have. Before we condemn someone for acting in what we think is a foolish manner, we should try to look at things from their point of view. It’s important as we try to help others that we not judge their actions or opinions. My Grandmother once told me that I should never judge a man until I’ve walked a mile in his shoes.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
2024
JULY 8 – 12
5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
3 YRS – ADULT
Each fun night will begin with a light supper together.
The ADULTS will attend a fun Bible Study with Pastor Brenda.
The KIDS will dive into exploring BREAKER ROCK BEACH – and learn about God’s rock-solid truth in a world of shifting sands.
Everyone will meet up again later in the evening for crafts,
games, music, and worship!
Our final night of VBS will be an outdoor ‘bonfire” where we will roast hotdogs, have s’mores, play games, and “sing around the campfire”!
Make sure you mark your calendars!
Keep watching for more updates and ways to register!
All are welcome to join in the fun!
Prayer Corner
By Grace Prayer Team
Praying for Peace
Peace starts within us – we cannot bring to the world what we do not have to offer.
Often we look at the outside world and find it in a state of seeming chaos and disorder. We feel compelled to transform the situation from one of turmoil into one of peace, yet we are often disappointed in our best attempts to do so. One reason for this is we cannot bring to the world or others what we do not have to offer. Peace starts in our minds and hearts, not outside of ourselves, and until the roots of peace are firmly in ourselves, we cannot fully share it with others. Once we have found peace within, we can share it with our family, our community, and the whole world.
What is peace?
Peace is a state of tranquility, calmness, and freedom from disturbance. It can refer to both inner peace, a sense of mental and emotional well-being, and external peace, which is the absence of conflict or war. Peace can symbolize harmony, balance, and a lack of tension or strife. It’s often associated with contentment, serenity, and a sense of unity with oneself and others.
Where can we find peace?
The Bible has many verses relating to peace;
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
But, if we read the verses that come before verses 6-7, we will see that verses 4-5 tell us to: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
And reading the verses after verses 6-7, we see verses 8-9 tell us: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Along with clinging onto the promise of peace which “transcends all understanding”, there are action steps that could help you attain that peace: they can seem so simple but can be so hard when you are going through difficult times – but persevere!
- Rejoice in the Lord
- Give thanks
- Pray
- Think about good things
Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
~Psalm 118:24
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