This is a quick weekly reminder of what is happening at Grace
in worship and in ways to connect and serve.
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On April 28, 2018, I completed my first (possibly my only) marathon. The picture is of my parents (and brother on the phone) congratulating me at the finish line. On their poster, my parents wrote Acts 20:24 "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."
Their message was clear even if the verse was taken out of context: finish the race!, complete what you have set out to do, remember where you started and remember your hard work and training, you can do it! If any of you have ever trained for a marathon, it isn't the first 20 miles that get you. Most marathon training schedules will get you up to that mileage in your running. They figure once you've reached that milestone, what is 6.1 more. At that point you can put your body on autopilot and finish. Even the first 25 miles are okay. The last mile though, that mile was my hardest. I knew I wasn't going to stop, but my body hurt in ways I didn't think that it could. I needed the reminder to think back on where I had come from and realize where I was then and get the job done.
I thought about the little girl who struggled to run even one mile in elementary and middle school. The teenager who didn't like gym class because she didn't think she was good at sports. I thought about the long distance achievements I made in the swimming pool, personal records I had broken, letters I had received. I thought of the time I convinced my best friend, a 5 ft. cross country athlete, to teach me to love running like she did, and night after night before or after play rehearsal we ran together. How many pairs of running shoes had I gone through? I thought of the sacrifices I made the year I decided I was going to run my marathon, the early morning runs, the middle of winter outdoor training sessions, the early bedtimes, and weekends of long and lonely runs on the trails, the discipline that had brought me to this point. And I was grateful. Seeing where I had come from and where I had gone fueled that last mile and propelled me across the finish line.
I think about Israelites wandering in the desert after being freed from slavery in Egypt, did they take time out of their wandering to give thanks for where they had been, grateful for where they were now? Did they notice how far they had come or were they stuck wishing they could go back to the way things were in Egypt? Numbers 11:4-6 tells us the Israelites grumbled saying, "In Egypt we could eat all we wanted...we are starving out here, and the only food we have is manna." They didn't realize the freedom they had been given. They weren't celebrating how far they had come. I also think of the early Christian community, specifically the church leaders at Ephesus Paul was speaking to in the Act's text above. He is leaving them to continue his ministry elsewhere and they are grieving the transition. And Paul reminds them their ministry continues as well, remember how far you have come, remember God is with you, and finish the race, completing the task that is to share the Good News of Jesus and God's grace!
Now, I am not suggesting our finish line is near, living in the reality of the pandemic will continue, not to mention race relations and political tensions will all continue. The Israelites did after all wander for 40 years in that desert. I am not saying it will be that long for us either. But praying that we might look back to where we were a year ago. Give thanks for how far we have come and complete the task God has given us, to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed! This Sunday we will sing one of my favorite hymns, We've Come This Far By Faith" The lyrics are so fitting for us today: We've come this far by faith/ leaning on the Lord, trusting in his holy word / He's never failed us yet. As we continue in our world might we remember where we have been, how far we have come, that God is with us, and we have a job to do. We must keep wandering -wear masks, get vaccinated, support each other, serve our community all in the name of Jesus and the unconditional grace we receive!
Blessings,
Pastor Maria Markman
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Worship
Online Worship is now being recorded at our Saturday evening service. Online Worship will not be posted until late on Saturday nights. It will be available here for you to join us online on Sunday morning.
For In-person Worship, we are no longer asking for people to sign up for a worship service. We do ask you to stay home if you are sick and to follow all of our COVID-19 protective guidelines, including wearing masks indoors and social distancing. Thank you!
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Youth Mission Trip Fundraiser
The youth are selling $25 dollar Green Valley Garden Center gift cards to raise money for their Christikon camp adventure in Montana this summer! The gift cards never expire or lose value. We will not be selling cards after worship but you can call Kris Miller in the office to arrange for a pickup. The sale ends May 10th. Questions? Contact Kris Miller or Kristi Larson at Kristil@graceandover.org.
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Graceful Seniors Tuesday
Graceful Seniors is meeting next Tuesday, May 11, 8:30-10:00 am for breakfast, fellowship, and our story study. We are collecting a free will offering for coffee and donuts as well as other Graceful Senior funds. Please bring your story packet and the stories you have authored. Due to a funeral at the same time as our gathering, we will be in the fellowship hall the entire time.
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OK@Play will be meeting outside IN PERSON in May!! Yahoo!!
We are planning a picnic gathering to simply socialize in person and eat together outside. Here are the details:
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Thursday, May 13th, from 6:30-8:00 pm on the Grace lawn and/or parking lot.
- Adjust the image above, as we will still require masks (except while you are eating) and social distancing per our guidelines.
- Bring your own food and drink for what you wish to eat.
- Bring your own lawn chair and roasting fork for marshmallows.
- We hope to use the church fire pit to enjoy S'mores. Ann will be bringing supplies for making the S’mores and Joe J will be bringing for Gluten Free S’mores.
- In case of rain, we will meet the following Thursday, May 20th.
Any questions, please contact Mary Jo Trapp, Deb Stang, or Ann Lange.
Hope to see you in person on Thursday, May 13th!!
Ann Lange
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OUR FAMILY TABLE IS GETTING BIGGER!
Serving again on Sunday,
May 16th
12:30-1:30 PM
The news about Family Table is spreading, and the number of our guests is up from 14 last August to 54 last month! What a joy and privilege to provide a meal for those in need! Grace will be serving another Family Table “take-out” meal on May 16th. There are plenty of opportunities for you to help, whether it’s making a pot of your homemade chili, a batch of cornbread, or donating bottled water or bags of shredded cabbage! We also need assistance packing meals and bringing the meals out to our guests in the parking lot. If you can help, please sign up!
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We also want to extend an invitation to Grace members to identify any neighbors or friends who might be in need of these meals, but who are unable, for whatever reason, to pick up the meals themselves. If you would like to reserve a few meals and are willing to deliver them to the people you’ve identified, please contact Lynda Wilde at lrwilde@comcast.net and we’ll be sure to have extras on hand.
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Mental Health Awareness Weekend
May 15th & 16th
We will be having our Mental Health Awareness Weekend May 15th & 16th. We will have information available on different programs in the Narthex. Our worship services will also be surrounding Mental Health.
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Prepare and Enrich Marriage Day Retreat
Saturday, May 22, 2021 10:00-2:00
(we will break for lunch) in the fellowship hall.
It is important married couples do things together to keep their marriages alive and healthy. Prayer, good communication and fun as well as dedicated time together for ongoing growth and understanding are all necessary tools. Join Pastor Maria for a day marriage retreat.
Total Event Cost: $45.00
$35.00 for Couples Assessment (details below)
$10.00 for lunch. Lunch will be provided by Nelson's Deli in Spring Lake Park.
When you register for the event, you will need to provide your email address and the address of your spouse. After you have registered, you will each receive an email with a link to the prepare and enrich couples assessment. Pastor Maria is a certified Prepare and Enrich Facilitator. The Prepare and Enrich assessment and curriculum has been #1 in marriage assessments for over 35 years. Your assessment should be taken on your own (not together). The assessment takes about 20 minutes. Whoever logs into the assessment first will be asked to pay the assessment fee of $35. Only one of you will need to pay this fee. This fee is paid through Prepare and Enrich and not on through Grace or Realm. I hope you consider taking the assessment and joining us for our day retreat. You must take the assessment prior to our retreat to attend so please sign up today!
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Vision Board Elections
The following candidates are presented by the Grace Lutheran Church Nominating Committee to be elected for the open Vision Board positions to serve 3 year terms. The 2021 Vision Board Elections will be held during the 2021 May Congregational Meeting, which will be held on May 22nd and 23rd. Please pray for each of the following candidates:
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Carl Chandler
My wife Steph and I have been members of Grace since 2007. We have two children, Audrey (11) and Logan (10). We found our home at Grace, while searching for a church close to home and help us grow our spiritually. Grace has welcomed us with open arms. I’m a Service Center Manager for FedEx Freight and have been with them for 20 years. We love to volunteer at FMSC and plan on more doing more as the pandemic allows. Thanks for your consideration!
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Bill Hentges
Hello, my name is Bill Hentges and I, along with my wife Denise and daughter Katie (21), have lived in Andover since 1998 and have been members of Grace for over 20 years. I have also served as a member of the Grace ushering team for most of this time. I have been an independent businessman, running a small business for over 30 years and have worked on various industry, municipal and state agency planning and code development and training committees over the years. I believe this experience has helped me develop skills that would be valuable as a member of the Grace Vision Board. As a member of Grace, I have always been proud of the outreach and services Grace has provided not just for our own members but to the community, as a whole, along with the international missions and ministries it has sponsored and supported. If I am elected to serve on the Vision Board I will do my best to ensure our continued commitment to these values. Thank you for your consideration. Bill Hentges
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Stacy Surratt
Hi, my name is Stacy Surratt and I have been a member of Grace since 2007. I live in Andover with my husband James and my two children, my daughter, Olivia (16) and my son, Christopher (15) and our dog, Watson. I am a Health Systems Business Specialist for Boehringer Ingelheim where I call on hospitals and clinics in the Minneapolis metro area, helping healthcare professionals treat diabetes, COPD and heart failure. I love serving my community and the people at Grace Lutheran Church. I currently serve as the co-lead for the Grace4Rakai Ministry Team since the team was established in the summer of 2015. I was blessed to actually go to Rakai, Uganda in the summer of 2016 and experienced first-hand how our church is positively impacting vulnerable women and children in Africa. I was also on the Grace2Haiti team for several years and went to Haiti 2x with the Grace team as part of their mission trips. I also am very involved with the Children’s Ministry at Grace for the past 14 years. I currently am a Sunday School teacher and serve as the leader for the Children’s Ministry Team. I also have served as a leader on many children’s events over the years including VBS, “Egg-stravaganza”, “Trunk or Treat” as well as many other annual events offered each year. I am also actively involved in Women’s Ministry here at Grace. I have served on their leadership team for many years and currently have led the Women’s Retreat team for the past 8 years. I have also been on the Call Committee and several Nominating Committees over the years when hiring church staff. Me and my family love to serve together and volunteer at ACBC food shelf and FMSC on a regular basis. I would be honored to serve Grace as a Vision Board member. Thank you for your consideration. Stacy Surratt
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Anna Welle
My name is Anna Welle, and I have been a member of Grace since 2009. I have lived in Andover for fifteen years, and I have two children. Jameson (14) is currently in catechism, and Mackenzie (11) will be joining catechism in the fall. We came to Grace not only because of the welcoming environment, but also because of the wonderful children’s ministry and youth programs. In my professional life, I am a Vice President leading the Federal income tax function in the corporate tax department at Ameriprise Financial. I also serve as Treasurer for the Andover Girls’ Traveling Basketball Association. I have served in a variety of ways over the years at Grace, from assisting with SONday School to ushering to baking communion bread. I currently serve on the Abandoned Children’s Ministry, and I have been to Haiti twice on mission trips. I have formed wonderful friendships with people I have met at Grace. I want what is best for our church, so that others may also experience that type of connection. I want to see our church continue to thrive and grow. I would be honored to serve on the Vision Board, and I appreciate your consideration.
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Red Cross Blood Drive
Red Cross blood drive at Grace Tuesday, May 25, 1:00pm-6:00pm. Blood donations are especially needed around holidays. Please go to www.redcross.org to make an appointment to donate. Your blood donation will save a life.
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Grace's Opportunities for Giving |
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Meals for a Family in Need
Meals are still needed for the Potter’s as Carroll recovers from COVID-19 and a terrible fall and subsequent surgery. If you can help, please sign up for a specific date and drop off the meal by 3pm the day you have chosen. Thanks for ministering to them. It is greatly appreciated!
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Noisy Offerings
ROBIN’S NEST SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Noisy Offerings collected May 1st-15th will go to the Robin’s Nest Scholarship Fund that helps pay tuition for students in Haiti to attend sewing classes. On a mission trip several years ago, Harold Zupon and the Haiti team had noticed there was a need to have uniforms made for children to go to school and for teaching sewing skills to older students, providing them with both an income and a career option. This scholarship fund was initiated to help meet this need. Thank you for giving generously!
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Give Electronically through GraceRealm |
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Consider electronic giving on GraceRealm. It’s a convenient way to give consistently throughout the year. If you have any questions, contact Frances or Marie in the Church Office or Click on the GraceRealm link below.
If you are wondering where your giving is for the year, please log in to GraceRealm. Find Giving on the tool bar. Then select My Giving History.
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Prayers of the Church
For all who call upon your healing name: Sonja Hawn, Mary Hockemeyer, Emily Austvold, Justin Richards, Stephanie Fernandez, Pam Overson, Jake, Tom Boshart, Gladys Heys, Carroll Potter, John Malecha, Christopher Sluis, Julie Swedberg, LaDonna Lilyquist, Charlotte Montei, Lynn Zirkle, Elsie Weisenberge, Linda Christiansen, Judi Wold , and Ralph & Colleen Wernimont.
Draw near to all who grieve especially for Phil & Shannan Gautschi & family as they mourn the death of their grandmother, Kathleen Quigley and all who are grieving.
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June Grace Notes Deadline is
May 23rd
Please have your for the June Grace Notes Newsletter articles in word formatting sent into Marie at mariek@graceandover.org by 5pm on May 23rd.
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Virtual Connections
During this time of high COVID-19 cases, we encourage you to connect with Grace and others! If you are looking for ministries and groups to connect with please visit our web site at www.graceandover.org and click on Church Online to see opportunities to connect.
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