Pastor's Message

Inside and Outside of Grace

The people of Grace were busy last weekend. If you don't follow us on social media, you might have missed it, or if you didn't come to the Love of Grace Bazaar or join us on Sunday morning, It's been a long time getting back to ministry as usual at Grace, but last weekend was the first time since the pandemic that we have taken youth down to Okoboji Recharge Retreat and that we have held our Bazaar. Both of these events are ways that we as a community grow together and also see beyond ourselves.

I will admit that I missed the Love of Grace Bazaar because I was spending time with our youth. I heard that there was a steady flow all day and that people were received with hospitality, care and overall the Bazaar was a tremendous success. Thanks be to God! And thanks to our tremendous team for their leadership, and commitment to our neighbors. The Love of Grace Bazaar is one of the ways we invite our neighbors into our space, and can form relations and also live into the hospitality and love God invites us to share with all people. Following the bazaar each year, we also take the opportunity to highlight the ministries that Grace shares with the people of Rakai Uganda. Thank you to the Grace 4 Rakai team and especially Scott and Lisa Christensen for sharing their stories and pictures of their travels.

As you can see from some of the photo, we had a wonderful crew down at the Recharge Retreat. 13 of our 6th-8th grade youth spent the weekend together. I am grateful to Todd Newlin for his willingness to drive and chaperone along with me. I have a few highlights from the retreat, the first was listening to our youth bond in the van ride. They laughed and wrote mad libs, they fought over music (because they didn't have their own electronic devises) and found ways to enjoy a 3 hour drive in the dark. My second highlight, was seeing the way our youth interacted with others at Okoboji. They made friends, played hard and really made the weekend a delight. Finally, on Sunday morning our youth helped lead worship. This is something that our youth do on Wednesday night and you could tell that they were comfortable getting up in front of people and leading others in bible readings, confessions and skits. I was so proud.

This past weekend was filled with God's Spirit! God's Spirit leading us in relationship and love. As I look at these photos, I give thanks for all of the people who have supported the ministries of Grace over this past year. For their dedication, their gift of time and resources especially financial support that allows us to keep growing in faith.

This upcoming weekend is Commitment Sunday. Please spend some time in prayer, considering how God is inviting you to generously support the ministries of Grace in this upcoming year. If you are not currently giving financially to Grace, could you consider taking your first step? If you are, are you able to increase your giving, or maintain it? I give thanks for your ongoing support. I will be joining you all in prayer, and also making my own commitment because I have seen God at work in all of you and inside and outside of Grace.

Blessings,

Pastor Joanna Mitchell

Commitment Sunday

We invite you to bring your commitment card this Sunday and join us in making financial promises to the future ministries of Grace. These commitment cards help us budget and to make sound financial decisions for our ministry. 

God thank you for your abundant love and generosity. Guide us as your people to follow your example of care and compassion for others and our world. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Wednesday Night Schedule of Events:

5:15-5:45pm-Family Pizza- Fellowship Hall

5:45-6pm-Children's Choir Rehearsal-Nap Room

6-7pm Kids Night Out-Nap Room

6:00-6:30pm-Catechism Large Group- Fellowship Hall

6:30-7pm-Catechism Small Group

6-6:50pm-"Inspired" Adult Book Study-Room 105/107

7:00pm-Worship-Sanctuary

Worship Times

-Sundays at 8:45am Traditional

-Sundays at 10:30am Contemporary

-Wednesdays at 7pm Contemporary

During the advent season, we will be using the Holden Evening Prayer for our Wednesday evening worship service.  Come and worship with us and share this beautiful service as we once again wait in hope for the birth of Jesus. 

We know this is a congregational favorite normally used during Lent.  We are currently looking at other options for our Lenten Wednesday services, so come and enjoy this beautiful setting of the Evening Prayer during Advent! Wednesdays at 7:00pm.

Christmas Camp-Out

Sunday, November 27th

Fellowship Hall

4:00-6:00 PM

A family event, all ages are invited. Gather around the "campfire," friends! It’s time to celebrate the season with a fun camping trip. The best part is . . . you don't have to go anywhere! Bring the great outdoors to you with a cozy, indoor Christmas Campout. Twinkling lights, pop-up tents, camp-themed snacks, fun crafts, and exciting activities help families spend time together learning about the gift of Jesus. No need to sign up! We can't wait to see you there!

If you have made an advent wreath in the past and want to make one again, this event is for you. We will have kits available to pick up and we are making advent wreaths during this event only! If you want to come for your advent wreath supplies, you are invited.

Family Table

Sunday, November 20th

12:30-1:30pm

Imagine coming home and finding no food to prepare dinner for your family. Imagine being alone and never having friends to share a meal with. Imagine how you would feel and what you would do. Family Table is an outreach program sponsored by several churches in the area including Grace. It is an opportunity for us to help our neighbors, if even for only one meal. On the 3rd Sunday of each month, we are privileged to put together meals for our guests. As gas prices rise and inflation goes up, we see our numbers ticking up also. And for the first time since COVID, we have opened our doors so friends can grab their meal and share good conversation. If you are looking for a way to help, please check out the Sign Up Genius link. The calendar is posted thru December so you can do some planning. We know summer is a tough time, but imagine if you had no food on your table? Come help us help others! You are such an important part of our outreach programs! If you have questions, you can contact Lynda Wilde at lrwilde@comcast.net or call/text 612.418.6444.

OK @ Play Event:

An Evening of Christmas Carols

Fri, Dec 16 @ 8:00PM — 10:00PM 

Heart of the City Music Factory,

2665 4th Ave, Anoka, MN

Join us for an evening of singing traditional Christmas carols, led by Dan & Sandy Adler and a group of local singers. This is a participative night, so feel free to sing along! Seating is general admission and doors open at 7:30 PM. Concessions will be available for sale during the concert. The Music Factory is located on the 2nd floor of the WWI era Old Milk Factory on the Rum River in Anoka. It is not a wheelchair accessible building, and there are some stairs to climb.

Register and pay for Advanced tickets by Wednesday, November 23, 2022 on REALM or drop off your $15 at the church office. Arrangements are being made to be seated together. A free-will offering will also be received to help with their on-going ministry. Contact Vickie Meade at 763-712-0496 or vmeade714@gmail.com with any questions.

Cost includes three meals, two nights lodging, fellowship and connection! 

Sand Creek Thanksgiving Baskets

The Sand Creek ministry team is putting together Thanksgiving Food Baskets. The team will be needing 10 frozen turkeys between 12-14 pounds to be delivered to the church by November 20th. Packing and delivery of the baskets will be on the morning of Nov 22nd.

The Grace Giving Tree 

Offering Grace upon Grace Families 

The Grace Giving Tree (TGGT) assists individuals and families in need, who worship at Grace Lutheran, through donations. It is the intent to help relieve the financial strain on individuals and families through intentional support, confidentiality, and grace.  

Over the past several years, we have been able to bless numerous children, youth, and adults who are struggling to provide for themselves and their families. We are opening the application process for the 2022 Holiday Season. 

This is a completely confidential program. The only person who will know the recipients is Annie (Andrea) Fitzl. Other Grace staff and volunteers will only know TGGT family confidential codes. 

If you need help during the holidays this year, please complete the application and return no later than Sunday, November 20th. (Note you need to complete the Information Sheet for EACH person.) 

If you prefer to receive a printed copy to fill out, please email Annie at andreafitzl@hotmail.com or call/text 715-225-9957. 

Wish List for the Holidays at Stepping Stone

Stepping Stone Emergency Housing in Anoka is also under construction! They are very excited to be remodeling their second floor to get all the residents back into their building and out of temporary hotels, to spread their residents out more to be safer from Covid and other viruses that have impacted them so very much in the past two years.

Because of this remodel effort, their traditional Santa Shoppe will not happen quite the same this year. However, we want to be sure the residents have the merriest of holidays! They have a group of Santa’s helpers sewing up a storm so each resident will have a handmade gift bag for their Christmas gifts. What we need is your help with is filling the 66 bags with gift cards and a few special items. We ask that all items collected are new and unwrapped. Your donations make their Holidays a little brighter!

Pick and choose from the list as you wish. Bring your items back to Grace and put them in the tote labeled for “Stepping Stone Homeless Holiday Gifts” by the weekend of December 11.

I will then get all items to Stepping Stone for their packing into the handmade gift bags.

Specific Items Requested (NEW AND UNWRAPPED PLEASE)

• $25 gift cards to Walmart or Target (plastic, not electronic)
• The following personal feminine/manly items ($10 or less per item):
• Jewelry/watch
• Wallet/purse
• Manicure set
• Nice facial moisturizer/lotion/foot crème
• Lip balm/Chapstick
• Donate at SteppingStoneEH.org and indicate “Holiday Gifts” and then Stepping Stone will use your donation to purchase items for the residents.

Thank you for your loving and generous gifts to those in need within our community! If you have any questions, please contact Ann Lange at 763-438-5623. 

Noisy Offerings gathered in November will go to Hope 4 Youth and Stepping Stone Emergency Housing.

Thank you from

Love of Grace Bazaar Team

The Love of Grace Bazaar Team would like to express our sincere thanks to all the donators of the food (hamburger, soup, pies, buns, condiments, beverages, paper/plastic supplies), for all the very hard working volunteers (with set up and take down especially, vendor assistance, kitchen help, greeters, cashiers), and for all the crafts, bake sale items, jams, lefse, etc. in the Emporium Room with Low Jackson’s leadership. It takes a village to make this bazaar a success and you all pulled through to accomplish this. We have not had the bazaar the past two years due to COVID, and we were able to go above and beyond in our proceeds from 2018 and 2019! Most of the proceeds will be going outside our church to selected outreach ministries and within to our Grace youth for scholarships for mission trips and summer camps. God has blessed us abundantly and we are so very grateful to each and every one of you that helped!

I would also like to especially thank the Bazaar Team of Kathy Dahlgren, Lynda Wilde, David Kolar, Renee Miller, Tracie Russell, Jamie Zupon, Karen Fisher, and Joel Anderson for their dedication the past 6 months for their help in planning and leadership that you provided so well.

Thank you!

Ann Lange and the Love of Grace Bazaar Team 

Members of Grace,

On behalf of the Grace4Rakai Ministry Team, let me extend you a big THANK YOU for the celebration we had this past week, lifting up the many ACT Ministries Grace supports over in Rakai, Uganda! We are thankful for the support we received through donations toward the Science Lab at the new ACT High School, product sales for the Hope Again Women, and we also sponsored a few new children. For me personally, it was also a great opportunity to meet with so many of our dedicated sponsors at Grace who love and generously support their children over in Rakai. We are all truly making a profound difference in the lives of children at the ACT schools, and in the community at large in Rakai! 

Since last weekend, several people have approached Lisa and me about seeing more pictures and videos that we took while we were in Rakai in October. While the memories are still vivid, we’d like to do just that! Please grab a cup of coffee and join us this next Sunday morning in Fellowship Hall for a very informal conversation from 9:45 – 10:30 AM. We have some especially cool videos of the children at the ACT Schools! Hope to see you there!

Blessings,

Scott Christensen/Grace4Rakai Ministry Team

Prayers of the Church 

Pray especially for: Richard Breyette, Avery Mattke, Leah Hadler, Shannan Gautschi, John Ketz, Gloria Kroeger, Rick O’Leary & Karen, Dylan Stanger, Terry Kalmi, Lisa Kalmi, Luke Bastian, Elaine Brown, Kristi Riley, Rose Spielman, Johnnie Tillery, Lisa Ritt, and Shirley Jacobson.

Those in need of long-term prayer: Marty Lukaszewski, Clint Trousil, Lois Vadner, Diane Rosky, Harland Johnson, Shirley Fystrom, Kathy Beckman, Jason Beckman, Alison Husak, Juleen Klawiter, Carroll Potter, John Malecha, Stephanie and Samantha Fernandez, Julie Swedberg, Linda Christiansen, Judi Wold, and Ralph & Colleen Wernimont.

Comfort the grieving, especially Time & Julie Trude mourning the death of Julie’s mother, Patricia Walstad, Sally McPhillips & family mourning the death of Sally’s mother, Charlotte Montei; Gary & Rose Spielman mourning the death of Rose’s mother, Martha Wilde 

Administrator's Corner

Attention Ministry Leaders:

Hello Ministry Leaders! We cannot believe another year of outstanding ministry has come and gone! Thank you for your leadership! As you know, each year we draft and publish an annual report that reflects what God and Grace have done throughout the past year. It is our hope that all of our ministries might have an article that celebrates what ministry was done and was provided but also looks toward the future and the hopes the ministry will fulfill in the coming year. I’m hoping you are willing to contribute to our report. Please email me back answering 1) yes or no to writing, and 2) if you would like help. Hard deadlines for articles and pictures is Thursday, December 15th. Please email to francesf@graceandover.org at your earliest convenience so we can start the layout. Let us know if you have any questions!

Blessings,

Frances

December Grace Notes Article Deadline is Nov. 21st!!

If you would like to have an article in the December Grace Notes (in homes the first week of December) please have your article in Word format into Marie Kolar at mariek@graceandover.org by 5pm, Monday, Nov. 21st.