Grace Lutheran Church & Preschool

Newsletter - June, 2023

Greetings Grace Family,

The summer solstice falls on June 21 this year and the longest day of the year marks the beginning of summer. It may feel like summer will never arrive based on a very long fall and winter and a spring that was not very springy. But, summer will come with or without hotter weather. The flipping of the calendar from May to June and the change of season has me thinking about the seasons of the church. 

The day of Pentecost, which just happened on May 28, marks the end of six months of seasonal changes in the church calendar. I would not say it is fast paced but there are six seasons that begin at the end of what is called “Ordinary Time” in Church parlance. This year it spans from June 1 until November 29, or about six months of the year. 

I have always found it odd that it is called ‘Ordinary Time’ for a variety of reasons. More on that later. Once we are through the longest season of the Church year, Advent begins. It is followed by, of course, Christmas. Then comes Epiphany and the time after Epiphany followed by Lent, the Three Day (otherwise known as the Triduum) and Easter which lasts 50 days. 

There is a rhythm to the various seasons and the order in which the come, coinciding with the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. Advent is the time of anticipation for the birth of the Savior of the world (Christmas). We ponder what the Incarnation means for us and the world as we discover with the Wise Men who the child born in Bethlehem is and will become (Epiphany). Lent has both a sense of anticipation and sel-reflection in light of the death of the One Who Came to Save Us. Easter is the time for halleluiahs and rejoicing with the heavens at the defeat of sin and death, God’s grace manifest in an empty tomb. The 50 days coincide with the amount of time it is believed that Jesus spent on earth after His resurrection and completing His earthly life with His ascension. 

The seasons, to a large degree, and their respective themes mirror the rhythm of our lives though not necessarily in the same order. The dash between the date of our birth and the date of our death is representative of a life filled with happy times, sad times, times of reflection and anticipation, what we call ‘seasons of life’. For a more detailed list of those seasons read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. We also experience what can be called ‘ordinary times’ when things are well, pretty ordinary. Perhaps that is what those who labeled the seasons of the Church had in mind when they named the time after Pentecost as ordinary?

The main reason why I find the very mundane label for our longest season is I do not see anything ordinary about the mystical body of Christ otherwise known as the Church. For almost 2,000 years the Church (not the buildings but the people of God) have borne witness to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus in ways that are anything but ordinary. If you know the story from the Gospels you know that at Jesus’ ascension he instructed His followers to go, not to a specific location, but to take His love and the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Since that time billions have come to believe in Jesus. I would call that extraordinary.

And that is really what ‘Ordinary Time’ is all about. It is about being the witnesses. It is about the going. It is about the work of the Church, not just what we do on Sunday but what we do out in the world as individuals and as the Body of Christ. We need time for the various seasons of anticipation, discovery, contemplation, rejoicing and lament that are a part of the seasons of the Church. We have six months of mostly time for self, but there should be an equal amount of time spent being the selfless witnesses we are called to be. It is an amazing balance and mix that is divinely designed to help us maximize our witness.

Perhaps it should be called ‘Extraordinary Time.” 

Yours in Christ,

Pr Steve

May, 2023 - Council Report

• The Chili Cook-Off is scheduled for Sunday, May 21 after worship.  Lindi Otte has agreed to be in charge of this event.

• Year-to-Date Grace’s budget deficit is $4449.  This has been attributed to envelope offering not reaching budget projections.

• The lock on the front door of the Fellowship Hall has been repaired for a cost of $280.

• An updated membership directory is in its final stages of review.

• Blessing Bags and items for the bags will be collected in June.  Johna will be making a sample bag available soon.

In His Service

Brenda Noriega, Council President

The ACTION Food Pantry continues to serve numerous families a week, including single parents, the working poor, senior citizens, disabled, unemployed persons and the homeless. On Saturday, May 13, ACTION volunteers working with USPS Letter Carriers collected over 20,000 pounds of non-perishable food!

The Food Pantry buys their eggs in bulk - this costs less, but to distribute this important protein source to their clients they need egg cartons. Please leave your paper or plastic cartons in the narthex for collection. For the month of June, the pantry is also requesting donations of canned proteins - Spam, beef stew, canned tuna and salmon, and canned chicken.

The Southwest California Synod Assembly will be held Friday, June 2 and Saturday, June 3 at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks and will be streamed on the synod YouTube channel.

June 4, 2023

The Holy Trinity

Genesis 1:1--2:4a

Psalm 8

2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Matthew 28:16-20

Click here for readings

Sunday, June 11, 2023

2nd Sunday after Pentecost

Hosea 5:15--6:6

Psalm 50:7-15

Romans 4:13-25

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

Click here for readings

Sunday, June 18, 2023

3rd Sunday after Pentecost

Exodus 19:2-8a

Psalm 100

Romans 5:1-8

Matthew 9:35—10:8 [9-23]

Click here for readings

Sunday, June 25, 2023

4th Sunday after Pentecost

Jeremiah 20:7-13

Psalm 69:7-10 [11-15] 16-18

Romans 6:1b-11

Matthew 10:24-39

Click here for readings

Please see the online calendar here for the latest updates

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry – Psalm 34:15 

Please pray for those with medical needs, including:  Marie O'Malley, Judith Tury, Cindy Skolaski, Keith McHugh, Elena Navarette, Tina Pike, Nancy Klotzche, Larry Weidner, Linda Schober, Barry Gustaferro, Debbie Gonzales, Yolanda Weidner, Candy Turner, Cheryl Miller, Joan Pelleren, Shelly Ruiz, Elizabeth Ordonez, Patty VanRaalte, Elva Maldonado, Cathy Plante, Felix Noriega, Holly Masters, Gen Alley, Ray, Audrey Fuller, Karen Putnam, Arlen Heyne, Gil and Yolanda Erro, Linda Dalton, Charlene Lisberg and Debbie, Rick Turner, Herb Westerfield, Noa Buhler, Rose Marie Quesada, Deanna Kellogg, Jaxon Turner, Art James, Robert Larsen, Trina Clay, Connie Brown, the Davidson Family, Jamie Wilcots, Joan and Lee Juneau, Kari Watson, Mike Spangler, Pam Elparin, Ed McGee, Sarah Encabo, and victims of COVID-19.



Please pray for others in need of prayer, including: the family of Richard Howard, the family of Esther Papp, Barbara and the family of Roger Melendrez, the family of Robert Boomsma, the family of Walter Hoke, the family of Virginia Allen, Jeffrey Saltonstall, Timothy Morgan, the family and friends of Marie Dabbs, Rocio Orozco, and our Grace neighbors.

Please pray for the men and women currently serving in the military, who are bravely protecting us and our country, including: Andrew Ranabarger (Marine Corps), and Christian Van Allen (Navy), and Phillip Beserra (Air Force).

Please pray for all victims of natural disasters.

Please pray for those who are being faced with grief, and all who know violence and hate.

Please pray for our Grace Lutheran Church Congregation and partners in ministry.

Please pray for the teachers and children of our preschool and infant care program, and for the teachers and students of Ben Lomond Elementary School, our school districts, and all schools, that they and their families will be safe.

Please pray for hospital staff, all medical personnel and first responders, those in essential services, and the leaders of our world, state, country, and local governments.

Please pray for the ACTION Food Pantry, the clients that they serve, and all those in need.

Pastor | The Rev. Steve Otte

Director of Worship & Music | Jeffrey Saltonstall

Preschool Director | Christy Arreguin

Custodian | Laureen Alvarez

Parish Administrator | Samantha Henderson