| Grace Notes Email Newsletter |
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No Confirmation Tonight
Please remember that we do not have seventh or eighth grade confirmation this evening. Classes resume next Wednesday, April 26.
Your Grace Lutheran Church Staff
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This Week's Message: "With Gasps and Uttering"
We should never think that the resurrection of Jesus was a small event to his followers. Jesus' disciples were not expecting his resurrection and they had a very difficult time accepting that it was true. That's not necessarily what we would consider to have happened. This week I am preaching on the well-known story of "Doubting Thomas" in John 20 and talking about how Jesus' resurrection hit his unprepared followers. This life-changing event transformed them. It also gives power and hope to those of us who were not there to witness it ourselves.
Pastor Paul
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Spring Clean Up Is May 6
Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 6 at 9:00 am. We will be having an outdoor spring clean up day! We have many jobs big & small to tackle that morning. Anyone & everyone is welcome! Please bring shovels, wheel barrows, gloves, etc. to make the day easier.
Please sign up on the sheet in the gathering space to help us get our church property ready for the spring & summer events.
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Thursday Evening Bible Study
We will finish up our study of the Prophet Hosea this week. Over the past number of weeks, we have had an involved look at the harsh words of the Lord proclaimed by this devoted prophet who denounced the many sins of God's people. There will be no class on April 24 because of the church council meeting.
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Help Needed!
We are looking for a well-organized individual to help us keep track of and coordinate maintenance projects for the Grace building. This would not include any responsibility for doing the maintenance/repair work - only communicating with the appropriate individuals and making sure the project is completed.
If you feel this may be a way for you to contribute to Grace & would like to be considered for this position, please reach out to Council President Kerry Feutz at kfeutz@live.com or 262-339-6279.
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Women of the Congregation - Save the Date - May 22
Mark your calendar for Monday, May 22 for the Women's Salad Supper.
We will gather at 5:30 pm& have our delicious meal at 6:00 pm.
Following our meal, our speaker will be Samantha Bulgerin. She will be speaking on the History of Personal Photography.
Please sign up & let us know you are coming on the sheet in the gathering space. If you have any questions, please contact Laurie Gosselin at lagosselin@aol.com.
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Lunch Bunch
Please join us on Thursday, April 20th, 11:30 a.m., at Coffeeville Company Restaurant, Main Street, Jackson.
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Your Gift Can Help Our Youth!
You have received the letter about our special "Youth Matter" appeal to raise additional funds to help with youth events such as Confirmation Camp, confirmation retreats and the high school Boundary Waters and mission trips. Please consider donating to help with all these important youth ministry opportunities for our young people. You can turn in your gift during the special offering on Sunday, April 30. Gifts of any size are appreciated and will help our young people grow in faith.
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Sunday School Survey
Calling all Sunday School families...we need your feedback! Whether your children attend Sunday School every week or once in a while, the Christian Education Committee values your opinion. Families with 3K-5th grade students, please take five minutes to complete our Sunday School survey. You can fill it out online at
https://goo.gl/forms/ksCLD3JqJ7BucrlZ2 . Thanks for your input!
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Sunday School Kids to Play & Sing in Church
It was wonderful to see our 3K-5K kids sing for the congregation on Palm Sunday! The 3K-5K children will also share the colored bells in church on April 30. Our 1st-5th grade students will sing for the congregation on May 7. Similar to Palm Sunday, they will play and sing at the end of the first service and the beginning of the second service. For more details and the words to the lyrics for the 1st-5th grade song, please see the April Education Newsletter online:
http://www.gracegrafton.com/christian-education.html.
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Such Beautiful Music!
Our thanks to all our Grace musicians who made such meaningful and beautiful music at our Holy Week services. Their musical talents, given in service to our Lord, made all our worship services special.
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Circle of Empowerment Fundraiser
Save the Date - July 15th at Grace Lutheran Church. 5pm - Beer/Wine and Fellowship; 6:30pm - Dinner; 7:15pm Presentation by Meg. More information to follow.
Spring is just around the corner and it will be time to plant your gardens soon. Consider planting a little extra for the food pantry. This fall we will be having a collection of garden foods to donate to the Food Pantry in Port Washington. So plan ahead to have a little leftover to donate.
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One Spot Available for Boundary Waters Trip
We had a cancellation so we currently have one spot open for our July Boundary Waters high school trip. This is a wonderful way to grow in your faith, have a lot of fun and experience the beauty of God's creation. Talk to Pastor Paul if your teen is interested.
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JYG Outdoor Game Day on April 23
We're hoping to take advantage of some nice spring weather and playing a bunch of games outside on Sunday, April 23. Our JYG kids love to play games! We're meeting for lunch after the 10:30 a.m. service and then having activities until 3:00. If the weather doesn't cooperate we will have games inside. Sign up to be part of the fun.
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RNT Event On May 17
On May 17th AT 1:00 we will tour the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA), 205 Veterans Avenue, West Bend.
Photographer, Tom Banberger, is the featured artist. Cost of the tour is $12.00 per person due at the time of the tour. This cost includes a one year membership to the Museum and a 10% discount in the gift shop. After the tour, which lasts about 45 minutes, we will proceed to Dublin's Restaurant in West Bend for lunch (or an early dinner). If you prefer to just attend the meal at Dublin's Restaurant you are welcome to do that. Please RSVP to Diane Kiesow at
mrmrsprg8@wi.rr.com by April 26th.
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Adult Forum Speaker
Please join us to hear and meet a special guest Sunday morning April 30th. Ken Kops, a Wisconsin native and a former 20-year resident of our area has been working with Iraqi and Syrian refugees on the front lines in Jordan. In his 4 trips to the Middle East in this past year, he's spent considerable time meeting and talking with the very real people who have escaped war - most with only the clothes on their backs. Ken volunteers with Manara International Ministries in Amman, Jordan bringing the very essentials of life to our brothers and sisters in Christ - food, water, medicine, clothing, hygiene materials, bedding, housing etc - much that we can often take for granted daily in the U.S.
In addition, Ken will fill us in on Manara's efforts to train Iraqi and Syrian refugees, so that might have an opportunity to recapture their dignity - and support themselves. He will be bringing with him items for sale made by the women learning daily in the Manara Training Center - teaching sewing and embroidery.
Finally, Ken will be speaking on the persecution of Christians all over the Middle East, how the Church has come together to meet this challenge - and some conclusions that may surprise you. He will also share with us the important role we Christians can play. Your questions will be welcome...sharing them in advance will be helpful to even more complete answers. Please join us between services from 9:15 to 10:15 Sunday morning April 30th. And feel free to bring a guest.
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24 Hour Famine Lock-In
Our young people in grades 5-8 are encouraged to be part of the Famine lock-in the weekend of May 6-7. To illustrate our theme and to learn more about how we can fight hunger participants will go 24 hours without eating. They will also raise money to battle hunger, go grocery shopping to learn what food costs and participate in a food collection drive in the neighborhoods around church. Let Pastor Paul or Erica Dimmett know if your child wants to be part of this important activity. Friends are welcome to join us.
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Help Support the 24 Hour Famine Goal!
On May 6th and 7th, Grace Youth will be participating in the 24 Hour Famine! They would like to raise $1000.00 for the ELCA World Hunger Program. Please help them reach this goal by donating to the "Grace Youth 24 Hour Famine" GoFundMe account. Please use the link below to make your donation.
If you have any questions, please contact erica@gracegrafton.com.
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Kids For Christ (KFC) Meeting on May 7th
"Minute to Win It" Games!
We are planning some fast-paced fun at our last KFC meeting (before summer break), May 7th, after second service till 1:30 p.m. Join us
for some Little Caesar's pizza, Crazy Bread and soda for lunch. Then, we'll break into teams to play some exciting "Minute to Win It" games for little prizes, possibly outside if the weather is nice. And, ice cream for dessert!
Just sign up on the easel in the Gathering Space and/or email Erica Dimmett at ericadimmett@gmail.com. Let's end this KFC year the right way - with good food, friends & fun!
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It Has Returned!!! Handstamped Card Sale
It has been a couple of years since the last sale but this year there will be a Handstamped Card Sale again but this time to benefit Family Promise.
Get your list ready for cards that you send out throughout the year and come and stock up. There may not be as many as before but as a new twist, there will be some cards that you can order just in case I haven't made enough! Prices will be $4.00 each or three for $10.00. Cash preferred but checks made out to Grace Lutheran, memo Family Promise are accepted. The variety of cards includes: sympathy, wedding, baby, graduation, Mother's and
Father's Day cards as well as birthday, confirmation and thank you. Also blank cards used for any occasion. Come support this worthy cause!!!
The sales will be on Thursday, April 27 & Sunday, April 30 before & after the services.
Questions can be directed to Kathy Kehoe at 262-227-0239.
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Calling All Thrivent Financial Members!
Are you a Thrivent Financial Member? Did you know that Thrivent Members have the opportunity to sponsor up to two Thrivent Action Teams per year that provide the team with $250 in seed money from Thrivent? At Grace, we've used Thrivent Action Team grants to sponsor events such as the Youth Group food stand at the Craft Fair, the Youth Group Lent Meal and more. If you're a Thrivent Member and would be willing to sponsor an action team (it's a quick and easy process and we can walk you through it), please let the office know (office@gracegrafton.com). We'll add you to the Thrivent Member list and contact you if we are looking for a Thrivent Action Team grant to support a project or event. Thank you in advance for your support!
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Missing Anything?
Are you missing a hat, sweatshirt, sparkly headband, reading glasses or a pair of pants? We might have what you're looking for! Check out our new Lost & Found bin in the coat room next to the conference room. In the future, any lost items can be placed in there for their owner to re-discover.
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Order a Copy of the Church Play "Choices" Now!
Copies of the church play "Choices" are available to order. The price per DVD is $15.00. Please make your check out to Grace Lutheran Church. If you would like to order a copy, please email Lisa Bernd at di@gracegrafton.com.
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Save the Date for Vacation Bible School
If the cold is causing you to start planning your summer vacation, make sure to save the date of this year's Vacation Bible School. We'll be Discovering our Strength in God at VBS Hero Central August 7-11. Registration and volunteer information will be available in May, but mark your calendars now. It's sure to be a super time!
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Staff Schedules
With the new staff now set in place, it's a good time to let everyone know our normal schedules. Of course things can change, so it's always a good idea to make an appointment or call ahead, but these are generally when we are in the office with the exception of visits or other outside work duties.
The office is open Monday thru Friday from 9-12 and 1-4.
Pastor Paul: Tuesday-Friday
Pastor Heidi: Tuesday-Thursday
Lisa Bernd: Monday-Wednesday
Ed Borkenhagen: Tuesday-Friday
Erica Dimmett: Tuesday, Wednesday from 3-Confirmation, Friday morning
Katie Eippert: Tuesday & Thursday (8-5)
A pastor is always available in emergencies. Our cell phone numbers are always on the church voicemail recording- 377-4770. Please don't hesitate to call us if you need us. That is what we're here for.
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Mt. Meru Coffee is now available for purchase in the Gathering Space
Several varieties of coffee are now available for immediate purchase. Please complete the order form, include cash or check made payable to the Mt. Meru Coffee Project and deposit in the box provided. If you do not find the type of coffee you need, please complete an order form as the coffee will be restocked monthly. Regular, decaf, or flavored coffee sells for $10.00/12 oz. bag. Drip and perk grinds as well as whole bean and single-serve cups are available.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE COFFEE!
It is important that we remember the Mt. Meru Coffee Project is not just about the coffee, but also about our relationship with the farm families of the Meru Diocese. Every time we purchase a package of Mt. Meru Coffee we help to bring economic and social justice to the people of the Meru Diocese in Tanzania.
WHAT IS THE MT. MERU COFFEE PROJECT?
The Coffee Project is one element of the ministry partnership between the Greater Milwaukee Synod ELCA and the Diocese of Meru ELCT. Growing out of this partnership which was formed in 1996, the Coffee Project was initiated in 2000 and imported its first coffee in 2002. The Project creates a direct justice-based link between the coffee farmers of Northern Tanzania and the coffee consumers of the USA, building on fair trade practices.
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Check out AmazonSmile to Support
Grace
While
Shopping!
If you're buying gifts through Amazon's website, please consider doing it through AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at
http://smile.amazon.com
, you'll find the exact same prices, selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. You can choose from nearly one million organizations to support- please consider supporting Grace Lutheran!
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| Don't forget...One Can Plan Our ongoing mission is collecting nonperishable goods for Ozaukee Family Sharing and All People's Church in Milwaukee. Please bring one nonperishable food item when you come to worship and place it in the yellow barrel. The yellow barrel is located in the corner of the Gathering Area under the Outreach Opportunity Bulletin Board. |
| The Good News is on the Website There is a lot going on at Grace this month. You can read all about it in this months Good News. Follow the link:
http://www.gracegrafton.com/uploads/2/6/4/1/26411638/goodnews_currentmonth.pdf |
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Responsibility List
Responsibilities for Sunday, April 23
At the 8:00 a.m. service:
Paul Singer is the assisting minister, Scott Steffen is the reader, Dan Ernst's team is ushering, Morgan Becker is the greeter, Alissa Burgos is in the nursery, Joe Brown is training Alex Kamenick in the multimedia room, Melissa Schmidt is the communion assistant, Linda Borkenhagen has communion set up, Erica Dimmett has coffee hour & Steve & Karen Janssen are at the Welcome Desk.
At the 10:30 a.m. service:
Diana Koppa is the reader, Ashley Acevedo is the acolyte, Melanie Arndt's team is ushering, Donna & John Posphical & James Newell are the greeters, Mara Schwartz with Ellie Salzman are in the nursery, Greg Schwartz is training James Newell in the multimedia room, Katie Eippert & VOLUNTEER are the communion assistants, Michelle Acevedo has communion cleanup & Rick & Nora Koenig are at the Welcome Desk.
Responsibilities for April 30
At the 8:00 a.m. service:
Joan Tuttle is the assisting minister, Christy Loeffler is the reader, Jerry Plyer's team is ushering, Jan Johnson is the greeter, Allison DeVillers is in the nursery, John Bernd is training Chris Utecht in the multimedia room, Jan Ernst is the communion assistant, Lisa Bernd has communion set up, Julie & Anita Bednarczyk have coffee hour & Janet Sladky at the Welcome Desk.
At the 10:30 a.m. service:
Katy Koppa is the reader, Ethan Wise is the acolyte, The Steinhoff Family team is ushering, Rick & Nora Koenig & James Newell are the greeters, Diana Koppa & Sheridan Gosselin are in the nursery, Owen Wolff is training Darlyne Holle in the multimedia room, Katie Eippert & Sandy Luettgen are the communion assistants, Lori Mathias has communion cleanup & Pat Murack is at the Welcome Desk.
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