May 9, 2021 Newsletter

Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands;

Lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.

~Psalm 98.4

The Jeff Erdmann Memorial Pasta Dinner looked very different this year. Of course, we especially missed having our good friend Jeff with us and he was close in our hearts all day. Since we weren’t able to meet in person, we did a drive through pasta dinner. Many people came to help with this memorable event. We had people from the youth committee, parents and youth from Memorial, Providence and Grace working together. A special thank you to Ruth and Ken McKenzie, Lisa Erdmann, Chris Holderman, Sue Melchert, Biaggi’s, Thrivent, and Fast Signs for their contributions.  Thank you to everyone who supported our dinner. We are very thankful for you! The money we raised will go to help the youth with our mission trip to Tennessee this summer where we will be working with Team Effort once again. We will also be helping Miss Linda on our free day. Thank you for helping us serve others and be the hands and feet of God.

Wendy and Debbie

Food for Toledo Update

by Mary Schneider

For the period of April 13 – April 26 174 pounds of food was collected for the  Aldersgate United Methodist Church’s food pantry. Thank you to everyone who has donated food to this important cause. The need is there. I will be at the entrance to Brenner Hall on Monday mornings from 9 a.m. – noon or food can be dropped off in the bin outside of the church office. Cereal, Minute Rice, and sugar-free drink mix (Crystal Light or generic brand) are immediate needs, but all  donations are gratefully accepted.

 

 

Behind the scenes at Grace… by Gretchen

1. It is snowing white and pink petals with all the rain. In spite of the tree dandruff (snow) and the cold temperatures last week the crab apples and dogwoods are beautiful.
2. Our rabbit menagerie along with the squirrels have been coming up to the glass windows to check out what we have for them. Somehow last week Adam and Eve and Martha obtained some butter pecan cookies???? And we thought kids went crazy with a sugar high … they were racing across the yard – up and down the trees and across the roof – hmm no more cookies for squirrels.
3. The noise and smells coming from Brenner Kitchen this last Saturday were mouthwatering. Congratulations to the youth group on a great pasta dinner.
4. The rain this week is making the grass look even greener and the single azalea bush in the garden outside the office and the lone grape hyacinth in the front garden are even a deeper color.
5. A nearby church member has been graced by a large number of mole tunnels – it sounds like her yard is much tastier than the church.
6. Don’t forget Saturday June 26^th and Sunday June 27^th are the dates for the next Blood Drive! This is also the Interfaith Blood Drive. In the evening on Sunday the 27^th there will be a virtual Celebration of Life – watch for upcoming details!
7. Remember: Grace is not the building but the people of Grace.

KROGER COMMUNITY REWARD PROGRAM

 You can earn money for Grace Lutheran Church by shopping at Kroger. All you need is a Kroger card and to sign up. There are two ways to enroll. You can call 800-576-4377 or go to Kroger.com and select Kroger Community Rewards and follow the directions. You can get a Kroger card at your local Kroger or by calling the above number.

To make it even more convenient Outreach will offer assistance between services on May 2^nd and 9^th. Someone will also be available at the Monday food drop on May 3^rd and 10^th. If you have any questions please contact  Jeanne Harmon at jkh401941@gmail.com or call 419-787-1653.

 

What Got Left Out of the Sermon

Another of a series of pieces intended to reassure worshipers that, no matter how long the pastor droned on, it could have been worse.

 From the Gospel appointed for May 2, 2021:

^“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

Did Jesus really say that?  It sounds more like something from Walt Disney: “When you wish upon a star, makes no diff’rence who you are.  Anything your heart desires will come to you,” or “No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.”

John says that Jesus said it.  There are a couple of catches, though.  (Aren’t there always?)

The first isn’t obvious in the English translation, but the “you” is plural.  The “you” refers to all those who are branches, united to the vine that is Jesus.  It’s the church.  So, that means if I, one person, wish for other people in the church to be shown, publicly, to be embarrassingly wrong about an issue dear to my heart, it doesn’t qualify.  If I wish for all the dogwood trees on the church grounds to be removed and replaced with redbud trees, say, and I ask for it, and I ask for everyone who opposes my idea to get shingles, Jesus is not going to make it happen.

The second catch is that “If”: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you …”  Sometimes, the church cannot be said to be abiding in Jesus, and his words are not abiding in us.  When, say, we withhold love from those who don’t take us seriously enough to suit us, or who disagree with us, or whose minds wander when we try to explain why we’re right, we are not loving them as Jesus has loved us.  Loving each other as he has loved us is what he commands us to do.

When we live in him, and his words live in us, what we wish will, sooner or later, be for God’s will to be done.  And what we ask will come down to “Your will be done.”  And it will be done for us.  God’s will is often delayed, but it will not be permanently thwarted.  Thanks be to God!

~Submitted by Pastor Howard

 

We can’t just hope for a better day; we have to work for a better day. (Dolly Parton)

My definition of success is only one thing: joy. If you don’t have joy,  you don’t have success (Deepak Chopa)

 

Bone Building Continued!

Answers to last weeks quiz

1. What food has the highest amount of Calcium? Well, the Parish Nurse was thinking Vitamin D so the answer is supposed to be the highest amount of      Vitamin D and that is EEL!!! High levels of Calcium can vary but are most often dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese.
2. Regular yogurt typically has more calcium then Greek. Watch to see how to figure out Calcium amounts below.
3. Osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are often confused. Osteoarthritis is a disease that affects the cartilage and the joints.

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the actual structure of bone.

So what the heck is a T-score?

 A T-score is the measurement of results of a Bone Mineral Density (BMD) or Dexa Scan. A bone mineral density test measures how much calcium and other types of minerals are in certain bones. The test will help determine if osteoporosis is present and predict the risk for fractures. The test can tell if low bone density is  present before a bone is broken.

There are different types of Bone Mineral Density (BMD) tests but most often is a central DEXA or what many people refer to as a DEXA Scan.

The following are the usual recommendations for people who should have a Bone Mineral Density Test or DEXA?

1. All women age 65 or older
2. Younger women who are at risk for osteoporosis.
3. Men age 70 or older.
4. Men age 50-69 with risk factors.
5. Women and men over the age of 50 who have had a fragility fracture.
6. Adults taking certain medications that are known to cause bone loss.

How to prepare for the test?

 There is no preparation except if you are pregnant, please tell your doctor.

How does the test feel?

 The scan is painless. You can wear regular clothing. They will ask you to take off your shoes.

How is the test done?

 You will lie down on an examination table. A wedge pillow may be put under your knees so that they are bent, and the pillow helps to support your knees. The area to be measured is the hips and spine so the machine will go back and forth over your hips and low back. You may hear a clicking noise. The test will take approximately 30 minutes.

 What do the results mean?

 A DEXA scan result is measured in T-Scores, which compares your bone density with that of a healthy young woman. A negative number means your bones are thinner than the standard. The more negative number the higher the risk of a bone fracture.

Normal T-score: -1.0 or higher

Beginning bone loss or osteopenia: -1 to -2.5

Osteoporosis: a score below -2.5

It is recommended that people with osteopenia and osteoporosis have a DEXA scan every 2 years to see if the treatment they are receiving is working.

Calcium in foods …

 Calcium and Vitamin D along with other minerals and vitamins are important in  keeping our bodies in top notch shape and we are never too young or too old to improve our nutrition.

Typical calcium requirements – these are the usual but check with your doctor to make sure this is what you need. If you have a history of kidney stones that are calcium based, you may have to adjust how much calcium you take in, so it is important to check with your doctor.

How to figure calcium in foods.

1. Look at the label to find out how much is a serving – is it ½ cup, a cup, a tablespoon.
2. Look on the label for Calcium %. Drop the % sign and add a 0. So, if the label says Calcium 20% -you will drop the % sign and add a 0 which is then 200 mg of Calcium per serving.
3. If you decide to double or triple the serving – say you drink 2 cups or 3 cups of milk, then you multiply the mg. of Calcium. Example – 200 mg of Calcium in 1 cup but you drank 2 cups so 200mg.x2 =400 mg of Calcium.

The usual recommendations of  dietary (what is in food) Calcium are:

Men age 51-71 need 1000 mg of Calcium a day. After age 70 1200 mg of Calcium a day.

Women age 51 or older need 1200 mg of Calcium a day.

*** Don’t forget to check with your doctor that this is the correct amount of  Calcium for you to eat.

Quiz

 Smoking and drinking help increase the risk of osteoporosis? (true or false)

1. Skim milk and regular milk have the same amount of Calcium? (true or false)
2. Name 2 risk factors for osteoporosis.

 

 

 

 

This is the day the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

~Psalm 118:24