February 25, 2024 Newsletter

For dominion belongs to the Lord,
                               who rules over the nations.

                                                ~Psalm 22:28

Pastor’s Thoughts:

      I have a yearly Lenten tradition. I choose one of the 66 books of the Bible that I want to re-read. Then I put the names of the other 65 books (on slips of paper I have had for 28 years) into a bag and draw one at random to read. This year I chose Ezra to read and drew Job. 

I started reading Ezra on Ash Wednesday, and it has been fascinating. In this book of the Old Testament, God has commanded the people to re-build the Temple in Jerusalem, which had been destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BCE. As you might imagine, this rebuild was an enormous project, and required the prayers and resources of the people of God.

The people joined the effort with gusto, offering their prayers and resources in great measure. The people had been in exile for years, and re-building the Temple not only offered them the chance to honor God, it also offered them the comfort of having a renewed sense of who they were.

It is difficult for us to imagine how they must have been feeling. We have not been driven into exile by an opposing force, nor have we seen our house of worship destroyed. But we have seen the Church change in our lifetime; from worship changes to decreasing attendance and diminishing numbers of people who state that they have a church home. Our church building stands strong, but we may feel as if the foundations of the Temple—and the faith—are crumbling, as we see the shifts in our culture and our world.

How will we respond? It seems to me that the people of God at the time of Ezra had the right idea. If we start with prayer, we can share our fears and hopes with God, and open ourselves to hear and discern what the best path forward might be. We offer our resources—the very best of what we have, including our money and our time—so that we can continue to gather to hear the Word and be fed by the Meal and to leave our worship committed to Bless the World: Be God’s Grace in every part of our lives.

The wonderful thing about re-reading the scriptures is that I am always reminded of God’s abiding presence with us. God’s people often face hardship, but God abides. God’s people sin and fall away, but God abides. And God loves us so much, that God’s send the Son to die for us. 

No matter how the world changes, God will abide. May we take inspiration from our ancestors in the faith, who trusted in God’s love and gave so much of what they had to make him known.

In Christ,

Pastor Brenda

Lent at Grace

Leading up to Holy Week the following services will be held at Grace during Lent:

Wednesdays, Feb. 28; March 6, 13, and 20
11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Mid-week Lenten Services
11 a.m. services will be followed by a simple meal.

7 p.m. services will be preceded by a potluck at 6

The 11 a.m. services will have the theme of “Lament”.

The 7 p.m. services the Holden Evening Service will be sung and

the meditations will consist of dialogues between Jesus and Satan.

These services will prepare participants for the events in

Jesus’ life that occur during Holy Week.

Children’s Room 10 Sunday School News

Sunday was Be Kind Day for the group and we spent time making Valentine

cards for parents and siblings and talking about behaviors that are kind,

those that are not kind, and about making good decisions.

We have been learning about Jesus and his disciples and took home a footprint imprinted “Follow Me” to be reminded that, like His disciples, we are called to follow Jesus, also.                                                             

Earlier our group had signed cards to be sent to our senior members for Valentine’s Day along with some get well cards.  THAT WAS FUN!!

Our time Sunday concluded with Be Kind corn hole game for some giggles.

Miss Connie

The Readings for Sunday February 25, 2024

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

Psalm 22:23-31

Romans 4:13-25

Mark 8:31-38

March Birthdays

March 3               Jeanne Nahm

March 5               Mallory Moore

March 9               Carolyn Keister

March 11              James Dahms

March 12              Mike Earl

March 22              Doris Stone

March 23             R.J. Kondalski

March 24             Gus Merz

March 27            Janelle Rife

March 29            David Petitjean

March 29           Mary Schneider

March 31           Wendy McCall

Prayer Breakfast RE-SCHEDULED

The prayer breakfast originally scheduled for 17 February has been rescheduled to Saturday, 9 March 2024. A new sign-up sheet will be posted beginning 25 February. Please be sure to sign up by 3 March if you plan to attend!

Anniversary Committee:

Grace Lutheran Church will celebrate our125th Anniversary on Sunday, 7 September 2025. We still need people to be a part of our 125th Anniversary  Committee. This will be a general committee that will do some beginning planning. Other sub committees will then we formed. Please speak to Mary Schneider or Pastor Brenda if you would like to be a part of this.

Meditation

By Vicar Dave

I read a story recently about a dog named Myles, who go himself stuck in a pond that was partially covered in ice. The dog was barking and crying in the middle of the night so much that a neighbor looked to see what was going on. The neighbor saw the dog and called 911 and that’s when the Williamsburg Fire Department got involved. Fortunately, they had just finished their annual ice rescue training, so it was fresh in their minds. One of the firefighters got suited up in the appropriate gear and eventually they were able to pull the rescuer and the dog to safety. Eventually, the dog’s owners were identified, and Myles was returned to them.

I tell this story as an illustration of people doing kind things for others who will most probably never be able to do anything for them. Clearly, Myles is not able to pay them back, and at the time of his greatest need, the firefighters had no idea who he belonged to. They simply saw one of God’s creatures in need of assistance and   decided to help.

The New Testament has plenty of stories of Jesus helping others without hope or  expectation of payment. There are countless times he’s healed the sick, or driven demons out of people in some of the worst conditions. It seems clear to me, from the stories that He told, that Jesus wanted us to do the same. One that pops right into my mind is the parable that we’ve come to call the good Samaritan. The hero in the story didn’t know the man in need, he just took care of him because that was what was needed. He didn’t even leave any contact information with those he left him with, so that he could be repaid. He just gave him some money to pay for the man’s expenses and went about his way.

Wouldn’t it be nice if more people saw someone or something in need and just acted to help? Not just for people, but for our fellow creatures and our planet as well. Afterall, God’s loves all of His creation and He’s entrusted it to our care. Caring for others, just because they need us to, is one of the ways we can try to reflect the love that God has shown to us.

Please join us – Sunday Fellowship Time

In Fellowship Hall

February 25 – Sue Wagner and Sue Melchert

March 3 – Grace Peterson and Mary Schneider

Church Council Highlights:

A reminder to all; Church Council minutes are available for anyone to view. They are in a notebook in the Counting room. 

1. We will have a blessing of pets on October 13, 2024 – more information to come. 
2. We will have an Easter breakfast after the 9:30 service on Easter morning. There will be a free-will offering that will be given to the youth for their New Orleans trip.
3. Council approved to join the Multi-Faith Council – more to come soon. 

Behind the scenes at Grace …..by Gretchen

1. The treasure trove is growing! The treasures are the items for the Youth Rummage Sale! We do have a place to put boxes and bags in the library. Please hold larger items until after the Election on March 19^th and please check that the storage room in Brenner is empty.The Election Board places the voting machines in the storage room and when they are picked up we will be able to take larger items.
2. The Wood Chuck must have been right about only 6 more weeks of winter as the daffodils are poking through the ground by Brenner Hall!
3. Don’t forget as you are shopping to buy nonperishable food for the Food Collection for Aldersgate and the Blessing Box.
4. This Saturday the 24th is Burrito Blessing 419 Day! Come and join the Construction Crew! We build starting at 10:00am and give out from 11-12.
5. Personal Needs is always thankful for donations of personal care items. There is a collection box in the Graceful Giving Room across from Classroom 3 .
6. We had a hugemongous flock of Robins this last week – did you know that some migrate 3,000 miles – no wonder they needed the fermented crab apples!
7. Remember: Grace is not the building but the PEOPLE carrying out GOD’S MISSION!!

Healthy People! Healthy Parish!

Mouth and Heart!  

Did you know that how we treat our mouth and teeth can have an effect on the heart?

There is actual research that has been done that shows brushing your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Gum disease and cavities can provide a grand entrance for bacteria to enter the blood stream and head not only for the heart but other vital body parts. When bacteria reach the heart, they can result in illness such as endocarditis (An infection on the inner lining of the heart) and other conditions such as atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) and even stroke have been linked to the inflammation caused by the bacteria that come from the mouth.

There is also research that has found that certain heart valve infections can be associated with poor oral health.

So, what is gum disease?

Symptoms and Warning Signs!

• Your gums are red, swollen and sore to the touch.
• Your gums bleed when you eat brush or floss.
• You see pus or other signs of infection around the gums or teeth.
• Your gums look like they are pulling away from your teeth.
• You frequently have bad breath or notice a bad taste in your mouth.
• Or some of your teeth are loose or feel if they are moving away from the other teeth .

Even if you do not have gum disease that you can see poor oral hygiene and accumulated plaque (also known as biofilm) can increase your risk for gum disease!

How to prevent it!

• Brushing your teeth twice a day with a soft bristle brush. Medium and hard bristles can wear down the hard shell of the teeth.
• Brush for 2 minutes using a fluoride toothpaste. The average time most people spend brushing is 45 seconds!
• Don’t brush too hard. Brushing harder does not remove leftover food. A gentle brushing is all that is needed. Too much pressure can wear down the hard outer shell on teeth and damage gums.
• Store your toothbrush upright and let it air dry. Don’t keep them in a closed container as that gives germs more of an opportunity to grow.
• Change toothbrushes every 3 months as the toothbrush can become a source of bacteria.
• Floss daily. Floss before brushing!

See your dentist every 6 months!

Brushing 101!!

1. Place the toothbrush at a 45 – degree angle to the gums.
2. Then gently move the brush back and forth in short (tooth-wide) strokes.
3. Next, brush the outer surfaces ,the inner surfaces and the chewing surfaces.
4. Finally, to clean the inside surfaces of the teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up and down strokes across the teeth.
5. At the end – brush your tongue to remove bacteria.

I have heart disease so what  do I need to make sure my dentist know?

1. What kind of heart disease do I have – a heart attack, high blood pressure, angina (chest pain) and any heart surgeries or procedures like a cardioversion.
2. If I am taking anticoagulants (blood thinner) medication and even let the dentist know if you are taking aspirin
3. Some medications taken for heart disease can make your mouth drier like diuretics

I have had a stroke so what do I need to let my dentist know?

1. If I am taking any anticoagulant (blood thinner) medication and even aspirin.
2. If I am having trouble flossing or brushing my teeth as my arm has been affected, there are some alternatives.
3. I don’t have as much saliva and my mouth is very dry.

Make sure your dentist has the name and phone number of your doctors so they may contact them with any questions.

Gratitude!

Research has shown that gratitude is good for our bodies!

Benefits:

Stronger immune systems!

Less bothered by aches and pains!

Lower blood pressure!

Lower risk of heart attacks!

Take better care of your health!

Sleep longer and better!

So how is your gratitude meter???

This is the day the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

~Psalm 118:24