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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People of Grace,
We are beginning a new effort to expand the writers and “sharers” of devotions posted on our Grace website and Facebook page every Monday and Wednesday. I say “sharers” because devotions do not have to be written; they can also be videotaped or also largely the work of another author that caught your attention. If you read something that touches you, please send it to me. It would be great if you include what resonated with you.
These devotions do not need to be long. Sharing stories and devotions is a powerful way to connect with others and with God. Like a bottle of hot sauce, you can choose the level of vulnerability. However, the late Rachel Held Evans reminded us of the power of vulnerability, “I am writing because sometimes we are closer to the truth in our vulnerability than in our safe certainties.”
If you have any questions or if you are interested in submitting a devotion, please contact me. Devotions should be emailed to me by noon Friday (MariaM@graceandover.org). In the month of May, we are looking for individuals willing to share about the role of the arts and creativity in their lives from a spiritual and / or mental health perspective. I have included an example below of prayer written by author Micha Boyett with a brief reflection by Grace member Nancy Jenkins. Please consider sharing your story or devotion with us! Read this week's devotion by member Maydelle Fennick by clicking here.
Pastor Maria
A Prayer Against Efficiency by Micha Boyett in the book “A Rhythm of Prayer” by Sarah Bessey
Oh God beyond time, beyond the number line, the hourglass. Beyond moons that wax and wane and waves that push and pull along our fragile ground. Oh God beyond the days and weeks and months. God uncontained by our twenty-four hours, free of our borders and yet still within them. God who is here. God of the meetings, the emails, the PTA, the neck ache, the child crying over homework, the car leaking oil, the head lice, and the sheets to wash. Oh God of the groceries and the knife against the butcher block moving slow across the cucumber. God of the sun’s path across a sky we cannot reach. God of midday, God of afternoons and the laughter of children, the clap of a ball on concrete. God of evening color and the muted spread of lights in the clouds as the night leaks in. God in the hand I hold, God of the one I love. God beyond time, we come to you pulled by the bullet points in our calendars, by the titles we keep beside our names, by the goals we’ve charted and the accomplishments we list to define our value. You see each image we upload to our pocket screens: altered, filtered, and pinned to virtual walls. You, God, touch our distortions and soothe the edges of our efficiency, and only you can make us real. God beyond the boxes that we built to contain our lives, the hours we track and tally. God outside of time, yet here: Come to us relieve our ragged breaths, show our steps, and relax the red lines that spike in our brains. Tell us what is true. Show us how time rolls like calm water, let us cup it quiet in our hands. God, teach us to pause in this moment, to tuck ourselves into the curve of your slow arm, that we may know the miracle of now, the gift of this moment you beside and beyond us, welcoming us outside of all we measure, and standing with us in it. May we see the goodness of our still hours and days, sunrises, sunsets, and the darkness where our rest is found. Order us, that we may stand within time holding your hand. That we may know we are enough, not because of what we make of these hours, but because within these hours – with you – we are being made.
Commentary / Response by Nancy Jenkins to “A Prayer Against Efficiency”. How long and how often have I built my life and my day’s work around being efficient? I find myself quietly yet desperately needing this prayer. Most of the elements of this prayer resonate with me but specifically the phrases “God beyond time” and “God beyond the boxes we built to contain our lives.” Can I absorb or take in these two phrases? Can I pray them back to God? What words, phrases, or concepts in this prayer catch your attention?
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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 asking for people to sign up for a worship service (see links below). We ask you to stay home if you are sick and to follow all of our COVID-19 protective guidelines. Thank you!
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OK@PLAY is proud to present via ZOOM:
SUNday FUNday On A THURSDAY!!!!!
Thursday, April 8th 6:30-8:00 pm
TONIGHT!!!!!!
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Zoom on in for 90 minutes of laughter, tears, and fountains of fun!
COMEDY CLUB will include jokes, riddles, funny stories, a glance at gag gifts, and a super attempt at playing Scattegories as a group! (COMEDY CLUB during COVID-19 would be more fun without the COVID-19, but we aren’t in charge of that!)
Please bring riddles, jokes (even those with a bit of Dad humor), hilarious stories (fact or fiction), funny gifts, etc. to the event. Everyone will have a chance to be a COMEDY CLUB comedian for a few minutes! See you in April!
Questions? Contact Vickie Mead 763.712.0496 or Deb Stang 763.427.3252
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Graceful Seniors
Join Pastor Maria at Grace Tuesday April 13th for breakfast and fellowship 8:30-9:00 am and a study 9:00-10:00 am.
By clicking on the button below you will have access to the study we will be using on Tuesday. If you want a printed copy you may come to the Grace Office to pick on up during business hours. The completed packet for this season of Graceful Seniors will be handed out on Tuesday.
Suggested donation for Tuesday is $2 for donuts and coffee, additional money will be used for funeral flowers and cards.
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FAMILY TABLE
Sunday, April 18th
12:30-1:30 PM
Grace will be serving another Family Table “take-out” meal on April 18th. If you’d like to help by providing a food item, packing meals, or bringing the meals out to our guests in the parking lot, please sign up using this link.
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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Continuing our Conversations
on Race
Join Adult Ed, Wednesday April 21st at 7 PM on ZOOM. We will be continuing our Conversations on Race. At this session in particular, Pastor Maria and members of our Adult Education Team will facilitate a conversation on what the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), our churchwide governing body, has to say on the topic of racial justice. Please read the ELCA statement below to prepare for our conversation.
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May is National Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health 101 – Sunday, April 25th,
1:00-2:30 PM in the Sanctuary
Most of us experience ups and downs related to our mental health, just as we do our physical health. What’s “normal?” When is it time to seek help? This presentation will help address such questions as:
· What’s the difference between feeling “anxious” and having an “anxiety disorder?”
· How do I know if a loved one is just feeling “down” or is truly “depressed?”
· What signs or symptoms should tell me that I (or a loved one) needs help?
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Suicide Prevention (QPR) – Sunday, May 2nd,
1:00-2:30 PM in the sanctuary
QPR – Question, Persuade, and Refer – are the three steps anyone can take to help prevent a suicide. Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. QPR is the most widely taught “gatekeeper training” program in the United States. (Gatekeeper training teaches people to identify individuals who are showing signs of suicide risk and help them get the services they need.) This 90-minute class is for anyone over the age of 16 who wants to learn best practices in suicide prevention.
We hope you’ll consider joining us for one or both of these important presentations. A link to registration will be included in Grace-at-a-Glance as we get closer to the events.
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Building Task Force
The Building Task force has continued to meet. We have made a recommendation to Vision Board for hiring an architect. Once that decision is finalized we will be gathering more information from you about your needs for our facility as well as your dreams about ways to expand our ministry. Please feel free to share information and learn more from our website.
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Grace's Opportunities for Giving |
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Looking for Grace Leaders
The Nominating Committee for the Vision Board is looking for Grace Members that are interested in serving a three year term on the Vision Board. The election will take place the end of May at Grace’s Congregational Meeting.
If you are interested in serving Grace Lutheran in a leadership position, you should prayerfully consider serving on the Vision Board. Please contact the church office or any of the members of the nominating committee if you are interested by Wednesday, April 14th. Members of the nominating committee are: Pastor Joanna Mitchell, Scott Lien, Carla Renner, Tracie Russell, Dave Trapp, Anne Weikle. If you have questions about serving on the Vision Board please contact Carla Renner or Dave Trapp
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Become a Voting Member of Grace at the
Minneapolis Area Synod Assembly
Are you interested in learning about the larger church and the ways in which we as the Minneapolis Area Synod learn and work together? Consider being one of the voting members from Grace at the Minneapolis Area Synod Assembly. The synod assembly will take place on Zoom Friday, April 23rd from 6-9pm and Saturday April 24th, from 9am -1pm.
If you are interested please contact Pastor Joanna Mitchell or Pastor Maria Markman.
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Noisy Offerings
For the month of April, Noisy Offerings will be used to support Hope 4 Youth and scholarships for our Golden Rule Daycare families who are having financial difficulties. We are grateful, as always, for your compassion and generosity in caring for our neighbors!
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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
We pray for those who are hungry, anxious, oppressed, despairing, or sick especially; Stephanie Fernandez, Paul & Michaelle, Pam Overson, Jake, Tom Boshart, Tara Kunshire, Gladys Heys, Pat Scheuer, Carroll Potter, John Malecha, Christopher Sluis, Julie Swedberg, LaDonna Lilyquist, Charlotte Montei, Lynn Zirkle, Elsie Weisenberger, Linda Christiansen, Judi Wold, and Ralph & Colleen Wernimont.
We celebrate with Eric & Candace Mahowald the birth of their twins, we give thanks for all of our celebrations, for moments of joy and laughter and ways in which we find delight in each other and in your creation.
We pray for all who grieve especially for Mary Danielson & family and June Gritti, mourning the death of Loren Gritti; Chris Pace and the DeVries family as they mourn the death of Chris’ mother, Barb DeVries; the family of our previous long time custodian, Marv Camerer upon his death; and all who are grieving and continue to grieve. Refresh us with the promise that you will destroy death and that with all the saints, we will be made alive forever in Christ.
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May Grace Notes Deadline
Please have your articles in by Friday, April 23rd at 5pm. Articles should be in Word format and emailed to Marie Kolar at mariek@graceandover.org.
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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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