I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

~Philippians 4:13

 

 

 

Behind the scenes at Grace …. By Gretchen

  1. With all the rain it still looks like May around the church campus – everything is still green and needs to be mowed! Usually by this time the grass is brown and crunchy.
  2. A belated thank you to Rick Wood for weeding and cleaning up the courtyard!!!
  3. Don’t forget to check the community board for good recipes and please post your favorites. The zucchini are here and this year they are numerous, so people are looking for yummy recipes that use A LOT of zucchinis!
  4. The squirrels must have an extra sense that this is fall in spite of green grass as they are gathering oak branches and hauling them up to make nests in the oak trees. Unfortunately, they often bite off more than they can handle and the rest drop to the ground.
  5. The roof must still be too warm as we have not heard the squirrels run across it yet.
  6. With kids returning to school and lunches needing to be packed please remember to bring in food for our food collection on Mondays or it can be dropped off in box across from office.
  7. Our Ketchup group will be meeting at the normal time of 11:00 am on Monday August 23. Come for fellowship, a devotion, treats, and program.
  8. As of this printing we will be resuming Fellowship time the second Sunday in September. Thanks to Sue Wagner again for coordinating this ministry. Volunteers are still needed so please contact her. Treats can be purchased or can be home made. It is a great way to catch up with each other!
  9. Remember: Grace is not the building but the people of Grace!

 

 

Committee to use during any future outdoor service, could you please contact Mary Schneider at 419.262.0730 or at msschneider353@gmail.com?  Thank you.  It would be very much appreciated.

Hello Grace Family!

Words alone cannot thank you enough for supporting the youth and helping them find hope as they walk further along their faith path. You are a part of their journey, too!

Our Mission Trip to Tennessee was amazing once again! We partnered with Memorial and Providence Lutheran and had 10 people embark on our excellent adventure. We worked with Team Effort and met our team leader, Lydia. Together we worked at Mr. Tommy’s house where we took a large tarp off of his roof and rolled on Cool Seal to keep the water out. We also worked on the skirting around his trailer and replaced some wood on his ramp and porch. We were not able to meet Mr. Tommy, because he had a stroke and was in a care facility, but we were able to help his dog by giving her a bath, trimming her nails, feeding her and showing her lots of love.  

We also went to Miss Linda’s house again this year and we helped her by planting flowers, painting a wicker chair, hanging a stained glass picture and painting her shed. She told one of the girls that she thinks of us as her grandchildren since she and her husband were never able to have children of their own.

While other camp volunteers had a day of fun, we went to Debbie’s parents’ house and built a fire pit, took out timbers and put in new pavers, put in new stone and put in a flag pole.

We also did some other fun things and went bowling, did a high ropes course, played laser tag and video games, went to CiCi’s pizza, did some shopping and went to a Smokies baseball game. Since we stayed a few days extra, we stayed in a cabin for those nights and played pool, went in the hot tub and just spent time together.

We talked about meekness, reverence, sacrifice and trust and how the simple stories of the Bible really tie to many important things in today’s world and in our own lives. One other important lesson included how we can compare our problems to water and ice. When ice is formed it expands and takes up more room than the  water. If we don’t take our problems to God, they might expand and be bigger than the original problem. Let’s remember to take our problems to God, before they get bigger!

Unfortunately, Milena found out at the last minute that she was unable to attend the trip with us. (It was not Covid related and she is feeling better now, but we certainly missed her!) Hopefully she could feel the many prayers we said for her while we were away!

Thank you again for supporting our youth program!!!

Debbie and Wendy

 

A Great Need!

What is there a shortage of in the United States besides lumber, rain out west and car computer chips?

If you guessed blood, you are correct! There is still an ongoing nationwide shortage of blood and we (you) have the opportunity to help. One unit of blood can be used to help 3 people – that is significant.

Grace is hosting a Blood Drive on Friday October 15th from 2:00 – 7:30 pm.

Please spend a couple of hours to help others!

Youth age 16 and up, and weigh at least 110 pounds can donate. What a great way for kids to give back and it does not require a weekly commitment. This is also a way for them to show community involvement and they can put that down on school applications and resume’s etc.  The Red Cross also has some scholarship opportunities.

If you donated a single unit at the Interfaith Drive in June, you could donate in October. If you donated a Power Red (2 units) in April, you could donate again in October.

Starting an iron rich diet now will help to maintain or increase your Hemoglobin.

You may register on the redcrossblood.org web site or if any questions contact Gretchen Hiatt 419-944-5166 or gretchensue1205@gamil.com

Let’s fill up those slots and make a difference in 3 people’s lives!!!!

 

School is Back!

Another sign of Fall besides the squirrels making nests is the big yellow buses and blinking lights.

Sharing the road with those big yellow buses:

  • If you are behind the bus allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more room when the yellow lights start flashing!
  • Flashing yellow and red lights, and a stop arm extended, traffic must stop. It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.
  • The area 10 feet around a school bus are the most dangerous for children: stop far enough back to allow them to enter and exit the bus.
  • Be alert as kids are often unpredictable and tend to ignore hazards and take risks.

 

What about the kids walking?

According to the National Safety Council most children who lose their lives in are 4-7 years of age.

To keep kids that are walking safe:

  • Don’t block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing people to go out and around which could put them in the path of traffic.
  • In a school zone when yellow flashers are blinking, slow down to posted speed and stop to let people cross the crosswalk or the intersection.
  • Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard holding up a stop sign.
  • Don’t honk or rev your engine to scare a person, even if you have the right of way.
  • Never pass a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian.
  • If you are using your windshield wipers and live in Ohio your headlights (not parking lights) are to be on. Think of this as another safety tip with kids returning to school.

 

What You Do Defines You.

~Author Unknown

Remember that life is not measured by the number of breaths that we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

 ~Vicki Corona

 

 

This is the day the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

~Psalm 118:24