March 17, 2024 Newsletter

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
                                                       and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit. 

                                                                                                         ~Psalm 5:12

Pastor’s thoughts:

      Perhaps you have had this experience: Life is busy, hectic even…packed with   daily cares and concerns. You hardly have a chance to catch your breath, much less find time to relax. You hardly have a moment to listen to the voices of the ones you love and see often, much less to listen to the voice of God. But suddenly…in the midst of all that frantic activity, God finds a way to break through. It can happen when God speaks through a stunning sunrise. It can happen in worship, when a hymn or a piece of scripture strikes just the right chord at just the right time. It can happen through another person, when God works through that person; speaking to you through their words or actions.

 My days, and yours as well, I know, can become quite busy, often filled with activity upon activity. I sometimes don’t have time to catch my breath, much less to hear God’s still, quiet voice speak to me. Each year during this reflective and contemplative season of the church year, I remember an experience I had many years ago while serving my first congregation, when one day in Lent, God gave me a wonderful gift.

I visited the nursing home to see a member. She had recently been ill, and I found her lying still in bed: a far cry from her usual active and alert self. We spoke for a while, and as I often do, I asked if we could have a prayer together. She agreed, and reached to take my hands. No sooner had I opened my mouth to speak when she  began to pray. I stopped and listened to her pray – something I think that most pastors are not accustomed to since we so often are the ones to offer prayers.

She began her prayer by thanking God for the beautiful day. She thanked him for her church and for Jesus, and finally, she prayed for me, asking that God watch over me and care for me. She asked God to let me know just how much he loves me—enough that he sent Jesus into the world.

I was speechless…and I was moved. God had found a way to make me pause and listen, working through this gentle woman to make his own voice heard. I was moved – not just by her concern for me, but by God’s concern for me, which was made apparent again to me by her prayer. Here at Grace, I am moved by the people wo take time to pray with me and those who lead worship just before our worship time begins. It is another way to hear the voice of God through others.

We are now nearly five weeks into the season of Lent. It is the time of the church year when we are called to examine ourselves, our lives, and our relationship with God and with others.

Perhaps God also intends for us to use this time to listen. Perhaps this is the time to take time each day out of the busy-ness to allow God to speak to us. This is the perfect opportunity to be diligent and disciplined about our time with our Creator.

Since that day at the nursing home, I have become more intentional in my time with God and more careful to listen to how he might be speaking to me. I invite you to do the same. Stop…pray…listen…and be uplifted and reminded once again of the power and the promise of the cross.

In Christ,

Pastor Brenda

Grace Member Stewardship Response

The Lord’s Challenge       $4,231 (Congregation’s approved budget for Weekly Offerings)

Our Response       $3,638 (Average weekly offerings year to date)

Through February, Grace’s offerings are $593 less per week than what is needed to support Grace’s Ministry and Mission plan for 2024 as approved by you, the members of Grace. These figures are for budgeted giving

by Grace’s members as this shows how you are supporting Grace’s ministry.

Year to date we have been blessed with offerings totaling $29,103 yet $36,667 is needed to support our Ministry and Mission plans. 

Operation Christmas Child 2024 Collection

Month of March

Please help us with this SO VERY worthwhile effort by donating bars of soap (Ivory is preferred) during the month of March.

Your donated items can be placed in the container marked Operation Christmas Child in the Grace Giving Room.  Thank you to all for your continued support for this world-wide evangelistic ministry.

Grace Lutheran Operation Christmas Child Ministry   

Please join us – Sunday Fellowship Time

In Fellowship Hall

March 17th – Brenda Holderman and Gail Livingood

March 24 – Praise Team

March 31 – Easter Sunday – breakfast between services – more information to follow

The Readings for Sunday March 17, 2024

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Psalm 51:1-12

Hebrews 5:5-10

John 12:20-33

Meditation for the Fifth Sunday in Lent

By Vicar Dave

I had a discussion once with a friend of mine over the commonly used phrase of sending our thoughts and prayers whenever there is a disaster. This was after one of the far too many school shootings we’ve experienced in this country. He treated the notion of saying “my thoughts and prayers are with you” as being a load of essentially nothing. I took the other side of the argument, saying that it means a lot.

Sometimes, when people are hurting, praying for them means more than others might imagine. I think about my niece, who recently had surgery for stage four cancer. I’ve been praying for her a lot. I don’t expect God to cure her cancer, but He might. The point of my prayers, however, is that God would be with her and comfort her as she goes through this difficult time. I am unable to do anything more concrete because she’s in Germany, so all I can offer is my prayers for her, her husband and her mother (my sister).

The point my friend was trying to make is that something more concrete needed to be done to make sure things like this don’t happen in the future. I agree with him. Thoughts and prayers should be the beginning during this epidemic of gun violence which has been plaguing our communities for far too long now. But thoughts and prayers are a beginning. When communities pray together, it offers an opportunity for healing. It can also act as a catalyst, inspiring people to action.

When there is a famine or some other natural disaster in the world, we often hold a prayer vigil, or declare a day of prayer. Then, many of us make donations to   organizations, like the Luther Disaster Response fund. Or perhaps we donate blood to be dedicated to assisting those people in the area the disaster struck.

I’ve often heard people complain that when a mass shooting occurs, not long afterwards, legislation is proposed to try to curb this violence. They’ll say things like “you’re trying to politicize this tragedy” or the like. But really, it’s a normal, healthy response to want to stop the bloodshed. Perhaps it was prayer that motivated someone to want to act.

When tragedy strikes, be it personal or community wide, lets continue to offer our thoughts and prayers. Let’s also follow it up with an offer of help, if we are able, or some other action to prevent the tragedy’s reoccurrence.

Good Friday Meditative Art Experience at the Toledo Museum of Art:

Please join Pastor Chris Hanley (Glenwood Lutheran, Toledo) and Pastor  Brenda on Good Friday, 29 March, at 2:00 p.m. at the Toledo Museum of Art for a meditative and reflective art experience. We will consider some artwork together and consider how the art might illuminate our faith, as well as how our faith might illumine the artwork.

We will meet in the lobby by the museum cafe. If you are a museum member, you may park in the lot for free. If you are not a member, there is a $10 fee to park there. You may also park at Glenwood Lutheran Church (in the back lot) at no charge and walk to the Museum.

Please sign up on the sheet in the back of the nave by 24 March.

Adult Class—Death and Dying:

For our next Adult Class topic, we will discuss 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 will begin 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 will 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).

Talent and Treats: Friday, 12 April at 7:00 p.m.

What is your hidden talent? Can you sing? Juggle? Tell jokes? Play the guitar? Here is your chance to show them off! On Friday, 12 April, we will gather for Talent and Treats, which is a fundraiser for the youth and their trip to the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans this summer. Admission is $10 and will include desserts and the show!

There will be a sign-up sheet in the back of the nave (big church) beginning on 3 March for those wishing to share their talents. We envision the “acts” being about 3-5 minutes in length. You can also speak to Pastor to sign up or to ask questions about the event.

Easter Sunday Prayer Vigil

Good Friday  – Easter Sunday

Please join the Grace Prayer Team for an Easter Prayer Vigil from Friday, March 29th at 8:00 pm through Saturday, March 30th at 12:30 am EASTER
MORNING March 31st.

• A sign-up sheet will be available on Sunday, March 17th.
• A person can sign up for one 30-minute time or one hour time.
• A person may sign up to pray more than one or two times.
• A person may sign up to pray at Grace or at home.
• A special area will be set up in the Nave for prayer at Grace. 
•  

We hope to offer live prayer via FB at certain times throughout the Vigil.

For security purposes, special arrangements are being made for those wishing to pray at Grace. 

If you have signed up to pray at Grace, you will be contacted by Nancy Lockard with special instructions for getting into Grace to pray. 

Special resources will be available for prayer

whether a person is praying at Grace or

home on Sunday, March 17th. 

Behind the scenes at Grace ….by Gretchen

1. The sun shining on the fountain is beautiful. It is even more interesting watching who grabs the peanuts Cathy puts out. It is a toss up between the squirrels and the blue jays. The chipmunks are done hibernating so they are also joining the feeding frenzy!
2. Just a reminder – please label food items in the refrigerators. If it is not going to be used in the short term, please take it home or throw it away. We have had some more compost growing in the refrigerators again.  We have some unmarked ice cream in the Fellowship Hall fridge that is from the dark ages.
3. The Library is still the place to put Rummage Sale items. After election day next week and the voting machines have been picked up, we will have space in the back storage room.
4. Fellowship between services is always wonderful! We are planning more “extensive” treats for Fellowship between services on Easter! Come “fly in”  or “hop in” for treats!

5.Remember :Grace is not the building but the people of Grace carrying out God’s Mission !

Healthy People! Healthy Parish!  

March 15-21 is Poison Prevention Week!

Your grandchild got into your purse and ate pills out of that little sandwich bag!

You drank cleaner instead of soda!

Someone told you that mushroom under the bushes was safe to eat but then you found out it was the other bush!

You took the dog’s flea pill not the Tylenol!

Yikes -what can you do???

Call the Poison Control Line – 1-800-222-1222 ASAP! This phone has a medical  person available 24 hours a day to help answer questions and provide information on what to do.

Put this number on your cell phone! Have it posted in the kitchen and the bathroom and even the garage.

Kids and Medications!

Many medications look like candy. Even laundry pods can look like candy!

Chewable and dissolvable medications like vitamins and antiacids look like gum, mints and Sweet tarts or smarties.

Gummy vitamins and Supplements containing THC/Cannabis look like gummy bears and fruit snacks.

Chocolate laxatives often look and taste like real chocolate.

Bright red decongestant pills often look like cinnamon candy or red M&M’s.

Oblong pills or capsules look like Mike and Ike’s, jellybeans, TicTacs ,and even Good and Plenty.

This is why it is important to store medications in a safe place and in their original container. Putting pills in a sandwich bag not only look inviting to kids but can make it difficult for someone to determine what they are if you are unable to, and often   damages the medication by crushing it and some medications should be taken in their whole form.

Spring is also the time for the appearance of those beautiful mushrooms!

-Only experts can tell the difference between safe and poisonous mushrooms

-Poisonous mushrooms called “death caps’ often grow in yards and parks

-Eating even a few bites of certain mushrooms can cause liver damage

– Mushrooms are also dangerous to pets

Weeds!! Bugs!!!!

Pesticides and weed killers can be taken in through the skin or inhaled. Even   leather shoes and gloves may not offer full protection. Pesticides can be extremely poisonous. Stay away from areas that have been sprayed for until the spray has dried or at least for one hour.

Wear protective clothing when using bug spray (strong chemical bug spray not OFF)  or other spray chemicals. Put on a long sleeve shirt, long pants, socks, shoes and gloves. Remove and wash clothing after using it.

If you splash pesticides onto skin ,rinse with running water for 15-20 minutes. If it splashed on clothing take off clothing before rinsing skin.

Many garden chemicals are poisonous to children and adults and pets. They are harmful if swallowed or inhaled.

*** Read all directions for use and make sure you discard the containers as directed.

Another reminder!! Turn on the lights!

Get your glasses!

Read the label!

Did you know that Easter Lilies are extremely poisonous for cats!! Just cats not dogs! Eating Easter lilies can cause kidney failure and death in a cat!

The Language of Flowers or floriography !

Daffodil: respect

Tulip: red, declaration of love

Easter Lily: rebirth purity, resurrection

Live Life In Full Bloom!

Lent at Grace

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

Wednesday,  March 20
11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Mid-week Lenten Service
11 a.m. service will be followed by a simple meal.

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

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

The 7 p.m. service 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.

The deadline for turning in articles for the newsletter is 10:00 a.m. Monday morning OR when the newsletter is full. 8 pages is the maximum we can send in the mail.  Thank you!

This is the day the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

~Psalm 118:24