Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing;
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.
~Psalm 30:12
The church office is closed Monday July 5 for the holiday.
Sponsor a child for VBS!
Would you like to sponsor a child for VBS? It is only $5 per child! The offering goes to offset the cost of materials and supplies used.
Please label your donation “Sponsor a VBS child” and drop in the offering plate – or give to the office.
Thank you! Peace be with you!
Food for Toledo Update
We continue to collect food on Monday mornings from 9 a.m. – noon at the entrance to Brenner Hall. Due to the national holiday on July 5 we will take a break but will resume food collection on July 12. Food can always be dropped off outside of the church office. Besides peanut butter and jelly and cereal, other items needed are cans of pasta meals (think Spaghetti O’s or Chef Boyardee products) and boxes of macaroni and cheese. If you would have any questions regarding Food for Toledo, please contact Mary Schneider at 419.262.0730.
July 18 Contemporary Team Outdoor Service
At 10:30 a.m. on July 18 Grace will hold an outdoor Contemporary Team service. There will be only one service on July 18 and Communion will be offered. Though chairs will be provided, please feel free to bring a lawn chair to enjoy the music. After the service, the election of our 2021/2022 Church council will take place followed by lunch. Uplifting music, church business, fellowship, and food – a great time at Grace!
Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness
~Desmond TuTu
There is no one Giant Step that does it. It’s lots of little steps.
~Peter Cohen
2021 VBS Mission Offering
This year as we use VBS to build our faith with the help of Jesus, we will also be giving our VBS offering to help Habitat for Humanity build homes for families in our neighborhoods right here in Toledo! Strong families make for strong communities, and Grace VBS is proud to continue our history of support for Habitat, by designating our 2021 Mission Offering to our local Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity Chapter.
We will be taking a “Noisy Offering” during worship on Sunday July 11th, and Sunday July 18th, as well as during the Children’s Program on Thursday evening. You may also offer your gifts by writing a check to Grace Lutheran Church and prominently labeling it Habitat for Humanity and dropping in the regular offering or sending it to the office. Help us build our faith as we help build solid futures for families in our city.
VBS Co-directors, Connie and Ron
Behind the scenes at Grace….by Gretchen
- No more backups and we are not talking traffic or bathrooms! Our gutters have been cleaned! The over abundance of maple propellers made for some wonderful waterfalls!
- The geraniums in front of the church and by the office door are gorgeous. Not only are they loving the sun and rain – Connie Thomas’s vitamin juice is not hurting.
- Can you hear the building construction??? That is getting ready for VBS in less then 2 weeks so it may be louder as it gets closer.
- A large red tail hawk was spotted in the parking lot this last Sunday night. Perhaps the moles saw it and went back to our neighbor’s (sorry Jean B.) yard.
- Monday is still our food gathering day. The cost of food has gone up and there are still people in need especially with kids home. If you can please add a little extra to your grocery cart. Mary Schneider is here on Monday’s from 9:00am – noon and there is also the container across from the office.
- Do you have a favorite recipe using fresh fruit and veggies you would like to share? Or would like a new recipe? Add your favorite recipe to the Community Board across from the office or take a copy of one that is already posted.
- Remember: Grace is not the building but the people carrying out God’s work!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
To all who signed up to donate blood. Even if you were unable to donate, we greatly appreciate you trying! The need is still huge. We had a total of 72 units collected over the 2 days – this can help as many as 216 lives (potential to help 3 people per unit) – that is a significant WOW! With people having elective surgeries that were delayed due to Covid, emergency surgeries, the increase in number of shootings, and trauma of car and motorcycle accidents there is still a great need.
Grace will be hosting another blood drive at the end of September or beginning of October. If you donated this last weekend, you will be able to donate again at this time. If you have never donated and would like to please think about doing at this time. It involves a short period of time – maybe 2 hours and is a great way to give back. Kids over the age of 16 that weigh 110 pounds are also capable of donating. This is a great way to start a long commitment to giving back that is not a big-time commitment.
Watch for more information on the date!!
Did You Know July is?
July 3 is National Eat Beans Day! Hmm may be the noise of fireworks on the next day mask the sound of the body’s response to all those beans? Beans are very healthy in spite of the somewhat interesting side effect. Beans are one of the most nutrient dense foods around. They have all sorts of minerals and vitamins as well as lots of fiber and are a good source of protein. So, eat those beans and then go out and watch the fireworks and everyone will think the noise is from the fireworks!
July 3 – August 8 is Air Conditioner Appreciation Day! With this kind of weather, we truly do appreciate air conditioning. When it is this humid it is important to stay well hydrated and in a cool area. If you can, avoid going out in the heat of the day which is usually 10:00am – 4:00pm. Do your walking, running and biking early and late in the day and take a water bottle. Let someone know your exercise path and be aware of the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and sun stroke.
Congregational Meeting July 18
Election of Council members for 2021 – 2022
and an update from the Call Committee.
UV Light (Ultraviolet Light) – Otherwise known as Sunlight!
After our long winter and the rainy days we have had, the sun feels great, but it can also be dangerous to our skin and eyes.
The sun puts out radiation known as UV-A and UV-B rays. Both are damaging to the skin and eyes.
Unprotected sun exposure can:
- Cause eye damage
- Suppress the immune system
- Cause premature aging of the skin
- Cause skin cancer
To decrease your risk of sun damage
- Cover up. Wear a hat (preferably wide brim) and other shade-protective clothing. A long-sleeved shirt, pants, hats and sunglasses.
- Stay in the shade. Sun’s glare is most intense during the middle of the day. Staying in the shade between 10:00am -4:00pm would be great for protecting your skin. The sun can still cause damage on cloudy days and even in the winter if not protected.
- Choose the right sunscreen. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) new regulations for sunscreen labeling recommends your sunscreen have a sun protector factor (SPF) of at least 15 and should protect against both UV-A and UV-B rays. So, check the label closely when buying sunscreen!
- Use the right amount of sunscreen. According to the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention, most people apply only 25-50 % of the recommended amount of sunscreen. When out in the sun, it’s important that you apply at least 1 ounce (a palmful) of sunscreen every 2 hours. You should apply it more often if swimming or sweating even if the label says it is waterproof.
Enjoy the sun but remember to protect your eyes and skin!
This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
~Psalm 118:24
Recent Comments