O Lord our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
~Psalm 8:9
Pastor’s Thoughts:
I have always been something of a news junkie. Ever since I was a little girl; I have been interested in what is happening in my community, country, and world. We are all more connected than we sometimes think, and it has been important to me to be informed about the things that affect us as humans, as citizens, and as the children of God.
But I find the news challenging these days. It is distressing to read about violence in our local community, in our country, and around the world. It is difficult (and aggravating) to read or listen to the vitriol that politicians fling at each other and various groups of people. Polarization among those who follow one politician or another seems to lead to an inability to listen to one another—and thus, to more vitriol and anger. Economic news is up and down and can be stressful. Reading about poverty, hunger, and homelessness hurts my heart. All of it can feel overwhelming and can cause me to wonder, “What can be done? How can I help? How can things ever change? What is our role as people of faith in addressing so much need and pain? Where is the Good News among the world’s news?”
Indeed, our prayers for guidance, help, and inspiration are important. We need to turn to the scripture and to our understanding of it as a place to begin our discernment. We need to worship together to lift our voices to God as we seek guidance and support.
But it is also vital that we, as the people of God, are willing enough and brave enough to talk together about the things that matter. If we don’t, only the loudest and most strident voices will be heard, and those voices are quite often not the ones that point us to mercy, compassion, justice, and love—even if they speak from a religious perspective.
I am grateful for the people who have been gathering on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings in the Adult Class to talk about how we can engage in difficult conversations as the people of God. I hope that these conversations can plant seeds for other discussions where we can be brave and share what we believe about God and where we see connections between our beliefs and the news of the world in which we live. If we are indeed, as Jesus tells us, the salt of the earth, these conversations can be important ways to show our faith and our willingness to engage in our world in meaningful and significant ways.
The Good News of God in Jesus has much to say about the world in which we live. And it offers us hope and joy as we proclaim Jesus in a world that so needs to hear this Good News.
In Christ,
Pastor Brenda
The Readings for Sunday October 6, 2024
Genesis 2:18-24
Psalm 8
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
Mark 10:2-16
Please join us – Sunday Fellowship Time
In Fellowship Hall
October 6 – Choir
October 13 – Sue Wagner and Sue Melchert
Meditation
by Vicar Dave
Social media has become a part of everyday life for most of us. Emails, text messages, Facebook and TikTok can all be good ways to keep up with goings on in our community and the world, but they can also be a problem. Go for a walk in the park and you’re sure to see lots of folks staring at their phones instead of enjoying the beauty of their surroundings. Being addicted to technology is a very real thing. The light generated by our screens can keep us awake, cause insomnia, and even damage our eyes. The anonymity of the internet also allows some people to say some thing online that they wouldn’t say to someone’s face. Online bullying can be vicious and can lead to victims developing anxiety and depression.
People can also fall prey some pretty bad actors online as well. There are many people waiting to find ways to get your personal information and steal your identity. At work, we’re constantly being warned about criminals trying to hack our computers so they can hold our systems hostage and extort money from us. From online predators to con-artists, the internet can be a very dangerous place.
But social media can also be very useful and uplifting. Our church uses it to communicate with the congregation and to send God’s message out to people that we might not reach otherwise. When someone’s out of town or sick and unable to come to church on Sunday, they can stream our services, either while it’s going on or later, if they so choose. Some organizations put out a daily devotional for other to read online. Luther Seminary, for example, has one they call “God Pause”. It’s a helpful way to take a few minutes out of our day to reflect on all God has done for us.
Like everything else in this world, social media, when used properly, is a very good thing. I hope and pray that we can all find ways to use it, like all the gifts that God has given us, to benefit our neighbors and for our continued well being.
As we move into the month of October, we ask for contributions of small notebooks, coloring books, pads of paper, and small books to add to the boxes we will be packing for Operation Christmas Child. Please place your donations in the collection box in the Grace Giving Room. Thank you.
Our gift-packed boxes are then sent to children all over the world to share the love and knowledge of Christ with them as we are charged by scripture to do.
National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes is November 18 – November 25 this year and will include our Packing Party here at Grace and then time to move those boxes to children throughout the world.
Thank you to all who support this ministry to children providing items for packing and /or being part of the packing team.
Grace Operation Christmas Child Ministry Team
Photo by Bob
Sunday, September 29 we welcomed three new members through Holy Baptism.
Behind the scenes at Grace ….by Gretchen
- This last Saturday was Burrito Blessing 419! Wow the construction crew made 196 Burritos!! We had people lined up in front of the church early. Not only did we have Burritos there was fresh veggies and even pumpkins! The weather held off so was a great day! Next Burrito Day is Saturday October 26 – come and be part of the build!
- Thanks to all who have been dropping off blankets! We will be putting them out for Burrito Blessing, and a bunch will be taken to Tent City downtown. This year Tent City will be held October 18-20. We also keep some at Grace if there is a need. So as the weather cools and you are going through your blankets and quilts and find some you really don’t need or like consider bringing to Grace.
- We have had a few “science projects” in the refrigerators. Please take leftovers with you, or discard. If you would like to leave for another group please mark as such and let the person know. Those green and brown mounds also give off a lovely odor and attract critters if left out. At this printing our critter population is a zero!
- The fall bug (not 6- or 8-legged kind) but the cold and flu season is just around the corner. There is hand sanitizer located in various locations as well as masks when you enter the church .Please use if needed.
- Remember: Grace is not the building but the people carrying out God’s Mission!!!
Community Garden
Something wonderful is beginning to “grow” in the yard on the South side of Brenner Hall!
Girl Scout Troop 11667 out of Gesu is building a “Community Garden”. This was started as a service project for the troop. They have researched, planned, and have begun constructing the garden boxes. In a couple of weeks, you will see two 4 x 4 garden boxes filled with compost and soil. They will be utilizing the rain barrel that has been in the courtyard. There is a possibility of adding additional boxes for growing, and the Girl Scouts will manage the gardens.
The produce grown will be shared with Burrito Blessings and Personal Needs.
Thank you to Girl Scout Troop 11667 for this blessing!
Healthy People! Healthy Parish!
Disasters!
They are awful and can affect small and large groups of people. During and after a disaster many things are needed – food, clothes, housing ,electricity, gas for cars and maybe even a car. Many of us help by supporting the ELCA Disaster Relief and the Red Cross. But did you know there is another way to support people in disasters that involves maybe an hour and half of your time and no money??? If you guessed donate blood you are on track. There have been injuries with Hurricane Helene and often injuries require surgery or even with out surgery require blood. It is not known how many blood donor sites or actual Red Cross buildings are damaged or gone.
We know that when we have people donate blood at Grace that the blood has gone numerous places other than Toledo where there is a need. Just check out the “Blood On The Move” board by the big church.
Our Fall Blood Drive is scheduled for Tuesday November 12 from 12-6. We have open appointments. Come and give – you can help as many as 3 people!
You can sign up on the Red Cross website or give Gretchen Hiatt a call and she will help get you scheduled. Email gretchensue1205@gmail.com
Yep, it is popcorn! The start of fall, warm fires, inside movies, Halloween and what is better than a big bowl of popcorn!
Popcorn really is a good food snack – it is high in fiber, is considered a whole grain so has some antioxidant properties and “naked” is low calorie (93 calories for 3 cups of air popped corn)!!!
American men (note men) eat more than 70 quarts of popcorn a year! Americans overall eat 17 BILLION quarts a year! The Pop Corn capital is Pulaski County in Indiana!
Popcorn really is a great snack until we start adding all the butter and salt then it goes downhill. So, try it without butter and watch the salt! How about a light coating of cheese – would add some protein and calcium?? Try some other seasonings and maybe a little of the fake butter seasoning.
As we are getting close to Halloween, we start making it a super sweet treat which is not so great for calories and our teeth! So, enjoy for the season but watch the amount and brush teeth more often.
The world’s largest popcorn ball weighed 2000 pounds !
Do you have musophobia???? Pastor Brenda does! (see below for answer)
Darkness! No Moon! Yikes!
Our days are shorter, and the darkness is longer! Just a few things to think about!
- Are your outside lights working? A motion detector light works great for seeing to get in and out of the house and to see what 4-legged critter is in your garbage!
- Wet leaves can be like walking on ice so watch your steps
- Carry your charged up cell phone when going outside – not only if you need to call someone in an emergency but most have a light on them
- If you run, walk, or bike in the morning or evening wear reflective clothing. Put something reflective on your 4-legged friend when walking.
- If you walk or run carry a light so that you can see the uneven pavement. If you bike check that all your lights are working before you venture out.
- Earbuds are great until you can’t hear the biker or scooter behind you.
- Carry identification with you just in case.
- Turn on your headlights – parking lights are for parking not driving!
- There is often more fog in the fall so be aware and use fog lights if you have. Turning on your bright lights just reflects off the fog making it harder to see. It also makes it harder to see deer and other animals.
- Make sure your defrosters are working. It is really early but do you have the ice scraper ready???
Stay safe in the Fall!!!
Musophobia – fear of rodents!!!
This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
~Psalm 118:24
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