The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
~Psalm 145:8
Bless the World: Be God’s Grace!
Behind the scenes at Grace …..by Gretchen
- The acorns are falling – our family of squirrels is not eating them fast enough so please be careful when walking up to the office area and by Brenner Hall as the sidewalks have numerous acorns and caps.
- Don’t forget there is a form – bright green – outside the office for items that need attention. Please complete it and give it to the office or put it in the mail slot on the office door.
- Fall is here and so are the chilly nights. As you get into the closet for those warm blankets, hats and gloves check to see if there are any that you don’t really care for, don’t fit or you just don’t want anymore. Pease donate. Socks, mittens, gloves, hats and sweatshirts will be put in the Blessing box as it gets colder. Tent city is coming up in October and we are trying to beat last year’s blanket collection (last year we had 47) . Tent City also welcomes coats. Items for the Blessing Box can be placed in the marked container in the Graceful Giving Room across from Classroom 3. Items for Tent City can be left outside Gretchen’s door (Parish Nurse) or give her a call (419-944-5166) to pick them up.
- It is close to the end of the month. Please remember to label food items in the refrigerators and freezers with the group name, date opened. A sweep will be made of the refrigerators and freezers next week – anything beyond “best use date”, expired, mystery packages or looks like something from another planet or century will be relocated to the dumpster or Gretchen’s birds. Any questions see Gretchen.
- As you cruise through the church don’t forget to look at the Community Bulletin Boards. There really is some interesting stuff on them (including the occasional interesting picture of the Pastor). There are also times that members of the congregation may need some help in their yard or house – there are forms located outside the office to fill out to request assistance. These can be posted on the bulletin board. This is another reason for checking as you may be the perfect person(s) to help!
- As we are inside more you may be starting to clean more. The Youth Group’s trip next year will be the grand gathering of youth from the United States and beyond. This will be a more expensive trip as it will be held in New Orleans in July. So, the Rummage Sale in April needs to be a hugeamongous sale! If you already have things for the rummage sale, we are clearing off some shelves in the basement across from the office. The shelves are labeled, and we need to push items way back in. If it is larger items let Wendy and Debbie know as we will have to be creative in storage.
- Remember: Grace is not the building but the people of Grace carrying out God’s mission.
Meditation on Matthew 20:1-16
By Vicar Dave
In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we talk a lot about salvation, grace and forgiveness being a gift from God, which is given freely and which we have done nothing to earn. In fact, we often say that we can do nothing to earn it. But do we really mean it? Do we mean it just for us? Just for some folks? Is the gift of God’s grace not available to some people?
I think we, as Christians, not just Lutherans, tend to figure that God’s gifts of freedom from the consequences of sin, i.e. death and separation from God, are only available to those who share our views. Sometimes, we might limit this to just the people in our denomination of the Christian faith. “Us Lutherans, we got it right. But those (insert any other denomination here), well they’re just lost.” Then we might tend to think that God’s grace cannot reach them where they are. If we want to be generous, we might say that God’s grace can reach all Christians. But then we run into the question of how we define who a Christian is. Does it include anyone who calls on the name of Jesus? Does it include people like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who most of probably don’t know what they teach? Is God’s gift of salvation given to those who think that we must earn it by passing through some sort of purgatory or by the use of indulgences?
I’m asking a lot of questions to which I think you know how I’d answer them. God’s love for His creation is infinite. So is His gift of grace and salvation. It is available to everyone. We humans have a tendency to try to limit what God can do. To force Him into some sort of box that fits with our conception of how God ought to be. Like the workers in today’s Gospel, we like to think that we are somehow more deserving of God’s love. We forget sometimes that God, like the landowner, can choose to give His gifts of love to whomever He pleases in whatever measure He pleases. If that were not so, then how would it be divided equitably? None of us deserve His forgiveness. Not the most perfect Christian, as if there is such a person, nor the Atheist who doesn’t even believe in God. Not the most devout believer nor the vilest offender. God’s gifts of salvation, grace and forgiveness of sins is available to all!
To God be the glory!
The Readings for Sunday September 24, 2023
Jonah 3:10–4:11
Psalm 145:1-8
Philippians 1:21-30
Matthew 20:1-16
Reminder!
Committee chairs and Group leaders – the building is used for many meetings and gatherings. If you are having a meeting, please check the church calendar and then let the office know when and in what room you’d like to have your meeting so it can be put on the calendar.
Thank you!
Sunday Fellowship Time
September 24th – Grace Peterson and Debbie Downs
Operation Christmas Child
In the month of September we are asking for donations of pencil sharpeners. They can be dropped off in the Giving Grace Room or to the office during the week.
The sermon this morning: “Jesus walks on water.” The sermon tonight: “Searching for Jesus”
For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
The Gospel according to Luck.
Tom knew he had moved to a heavily Christian town when he was watching the Star Wars Trilogy at the local movie theater. Each time the phrase “May the force be with you”, was heard from the screen, those in the audience replied, “And also with you.”
The senior pastor and his youth pastor found a great fishing spot created by a tree downed in a recent storm. Before they began to fish, they made a large sign and attached it to the back of the pastor’s truck: “The end is near! Stop! Make a U-turn before it’s too late!” When a car drove by, the pastors pointed at the sign and shouted at the driver, all to no avail. The driver slowed down and shouted back, “You religious types drive me nuts. Mind your own business!” A moment later there was a large splash. The senior pastor looked at his friend and asked, “Oh no, do you think we should have just written ‘Bridge Out’ on the sign?”
Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and the deterioration of some of the older ones.
Searching for a new look? Have your faith lifted here!!
Dear God,
I heard about how Jesus turned water into wine. You know, my mother can turn water into Kool-Aid.
Andrew, age 6
ATTENTION SUNDAY SCHOOL PARENTS & GRANDPARENTS
On Sunday, October 1, 2023 there will be a special church service. I am planning to have Sunday School class as usual with the children dismissing to be present in service for the close that Sunday.
If you would rather have your child(ren) present for the service on October 1, that is your choice to make.
Connie Thomas
Sunday School teacher
Healthy People! Healthy Parish!
The bugs are coming! The bugs are coming!
No, we are not talking about ants or centipedes or things with legs – we are talking about the FLU!!!!!
The CDC (Center for Disease Control) is already reporting cases. September and October are the recommended months to get your Flu vaccine. Anyone 6 months and older are strongly recommended to get vaccinated. If you have cardiac, respiratory or other medical problems such as diabetes it is even more important to “shoo the flu”.
Getting the flu shot may not totally prevent the flu but the severity may be less. This is important with those who have medical problems.
Fighting the Bugs!
Along the same lines of keeping healthy it is National Clean Hands Week (yes, we are beginning to believe there is a week to celebrate everything!) . We all became experts at Hand Washing during Covid, but many have not been so great at this as time has gone on. It is still very important especially with the Flu season around the corner and the increase in reported Covid cases. A simple round of singing or humming Happy Birthday X2 while using soap is sufficient to help get rid of the germs.
And there is really a correct way to wash your hands – the quick dash with a tiny drop of soap and a flash through the water is not effective in getting rid of the bugs!
Recipe for removing up to 99.9% of germs we get on your hands during daily activities:
- Wet hands with clean water
- Apply soap
- Rub hands together vigorously and scrub all surfaces – top and backs of hands and around all fingers and the thumb
- Scrub for 2 rounds of Happy Birthday (equals 20 seconds)
- Rinse with clean water
- Dry hands
When do you wash your hands ?
When are you supposed to ?
- Before ,during and after preparing food.
- Before eating
- After using the toilet
- After changing a diaper or cleaning up after a child who has used the toilet
- After blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing
- After touching an animal, animal feed or cleaning up after the animal
- After touching garbage
- Before and after treating a cut or wound
- Before and after caring for someone who is sick
Hand Sanitizer is a back up to use if unable to get to soap and water. But check that yours has not expired and that it contains at least 50% alcohol.
Did You Know?
A ripe tomato is red and has 4 chambers – just like the heart. Tomatoes are truly heart healthy food. They are loaded with lycopene, an antioxidant which protects cells and helps to prevent heart disease, potassium which can help lower high blood pressure, niacin which can help to lower high cholesterol, vitamin B6 and folate for healthy blood vessel walls.
Tomatoes are plentiful right now, are reasonably priced, actually taste good and come in many sizes and shapes.
So grab some tomatoes for a healthy snack!
Amazing Grace Sunday October 1
Not only will we be celebrating Grace Lutheran Church on October 1 at a 10:30 a.m. service, but we will also be recognizing the 250th anniversary of the famous hymn, “Amazing Grace”. This anniversary will be recognized with the singing of the traditional hymn, the Praise Team will lead us in the singing of their rendition, and the choir will sing a rendition of the hymn. And finally, we will hear the song, “Amazing Grace” on bagpipes.
After the service, the church known as Grace will be celebrated with a fellowship hour in Brenner Hall. Everyone is encouraged to invite family and friends to this special service to celebrate Grace and the hymn “Amazing Grace” and to remember His amazing grace.
We are reopening the nursery during the 9:30am service!
Volunteers are needed to staff the nursery each week.
Please reach out to Janet Moore if interested 419-346-6355 or janet28rn@hotmail.com.
This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
~Psalm 118:24
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