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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Dear Grace Friends,
In her book "Dare to Lead," Brené Brown invites her readers to discover their core values. To do this she has list of values that people hold and invites a person to circle ones that are true for you. Then she gives the difficult task of narrowing it down to only two. Two?! Doesn't that seem impossible? I have way more than 2 core values! And yet, she says ultimately we should be able to have two values that are non-negotiable in who we are and how we act in the world. If you are curious to discover your own core values click here to see her list.
I have done her exercise a few times and always land with similar overlapping values. My core values are learning and inclusion/belonging/community (see how I manipulated to have more than 2?). Our family did a similar values exercise a few years ago. I was shocked to discover the values that I thought I had instilled in my own children, were not necessary the central ones for them, and in some instances the values I held were at the bottom of their list. This experience made me recognize the diversity of values we have not only as a family, but as a community and the strength that different perspectives offer us in learning from each other so that we grow (see how I worked learning into that?).
Our Lenten Worship Series is focused on our Christian Identity and discerning the values that we hold as a community of faith. I have spent time listening to you and then attempting to capture what I have heard into values that we hold.
Grace Lutheran Church is a community that is:
· Christ-Centered
· Accepting of Everyone
· Compassionate
· Connected
· Empowered to share God’s love
This list has already changed since I originally shared it. People have helped me see things we were missing or helped reword things to be more truthful. It is still a work in progress.
During Lent we are invited to a time of prayer and contemplation, a time to think and reflect about God and what God has given us through the gift and love of Jesus. I believe it is also a time for us to reflect on who we are and how to live out our faith, and our core values seem like a good place to start. I hope you will join the conversation. Are these the right values for Grace? Do they describe how we are currently living and working in the community? Will they guide us forward in the best way to live out our Christian identity? I hope you will join us for Lenten Worship either online or in-person (see below) and I hope you will consider being a part of a small group to discuss and explore our values.
The staff has put together this devotion to use as a guide in our small group discussion or for you to use on your own or with your family. I hope that it will lead you in prayer and contemplation. I hope that you will share your thoughts with me and members of our staff. I hope that you will wonder and question how God is leading us at this time and place, and how we might continue to bear witness to God’s love and live out our values.
Pastor Joanna Mitchell
P.S. We have printed devotions at the church for you to pick up at your convenience or during worship.
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Lenten Wednesdays Worship
(Weds. 2/24, 3/3, 3/10, 3/17, 3/24 & 3/31)
Worship: 1pm, 6pm and 7:15pm
With small groups in-person, and on Zoom.
For Lent this year we are looking at the values we hold as a congregation at Grace. Each week, we will talk about what these values mean for us and how to live them out as people of faith. We hope that you will join a small group discussion following worship. Join an in-person group or a zoom small group.
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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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LIVE FROM RAKAI!
All-Congregational Event – Sunday, February 21st
9:30 AM in the Sanctuary AND via Zoom!
We hope you’ll join us for this wonderful and unique opportunity to hear directly from Richard Mutaawe, LIVE from Rakai, Uganda! In an interview conducted by Ann Hill of African Children Today, Richard will provide an update on our sponsored children, the initiatives underway in Rakai, and the challenges they are facing as a result of COVID-19. There will be an opportunity to ask questions, and we wouldn’t be surprised to hear from one or two of our sponsored kids! This event is not only for those who sponsor children in Rakai – EVERYONE is welcome! Please note: the Sunday morning Zoom Prayer Gathering that usually meets at 9:30 am will meet at 11:30 am that day.
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The Power of Love
The Women's Retreat Team is hosting another "Social Devotions"
in the month of February.
Sunday, February 21st
7:00-7:45pm
There is no need to RSVP just click the zoom link, join in, enjoy seeing our Grace Women, and hearing how God can impact our lives!
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Adult Education
Adult Education (the group formerly known as “SALT”) – Recently the Adult Education team re-affirmed their vision and purpose: to provide opportunities for God to transform hearts and minds. The team will work with the Associate Pastor of Faith Formation to offer classes, small groups, speakers, and various events. The emphasis in 2021 will be on social justice: expanding our understanding, awareness, and comfort zones, reaching beyond our own culture.
For the month of February and in honor of Black History Month we have written tribute to theologian Howard Thurman.
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Join a small group during Lent to discuss our Lenten Theme of Christian Identity and our values of being a community that is:
- Christ-centered
- Accepting of Everyone
- Connected
- Compassionate
- Empowered to share God's love.
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Grace's Opportunities for Giving |
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Noisy Offerings
From February 16th-28th, Noisy Offerings will be directed to Grace 4 Rakai – specifically for educational scholarships and for supplies for the pharmacy that was recently built.
Thank you for being generous!
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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 those in need. Free those who struggle with shame or guilt. Bring clarity to those whose judgment is clouded by fear. Comfort those who grieve, and heal the sick especially those at the Allina Clinic in Buffalo and all throughout MN, knowing they are a close knit, connected community, ease their suffering and bring them healing. We also pray for Ralph Wernimont, Jake, Dave, Chris, Mike Burckhard, Roger Bergman, Donald Bemis, Eric & Candace Mahowald and their soon to be born twins, John Malecha, Christopher Sluis, Julie Swedberg, Marge Davidson, Arden Kirkendall, Deb Corey, LaDonna Lilyquist, Lynda Wilde, Deb Stang, BJ Scott, Charlotte Montei, Elsie Weisenberger, Linda Christiansen, Carroll Potter, Judi Wold, and Colleen Wernimont.) We pray for all those suffering from COVID-19 throughout the world, and we pray that the end of COVID-19 would be near. Lord, hear our prayer.
God of promise, grant comfort, peace, and the hope of Christ’s resurrection to all who grieve. We pray especially today for Bob & Diane Leverentz & family, Mike & Julie McGowan & family and Kathie Klatt and family upon the death of their mother, Kay Reavely; Rick & Linda Breyette mourning the death of Rick’s sister, Charlene; Curt and Karen Olson mourning the death of Curt’s sister Holly Olson; Scott, Heather, Olivia and Henry Lien and family mourning the death of Scott’s dad, Richard Lien; Kathy Rongere and Carl & Steph Chandler & family mourning the death of George Rongere; and Marcie, Maiya, Kaylee & Jaeden Haggerty mourning the death of their husband and father, Pat Haggerty. Lord, hear our prayer.
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Administrator’s Corner
Did you know you don’t need to have online giving to have an account on GraceRealm? Yep! GraceRealm is much more than that. Everyone in our church gets a unique profile. Your profile contains everything you want people in our church to know about you. Your profile also enables you to join a small group, RSVP to events, track your giving, update your contact information, change family details, set notification preferences, or replace that outdated family photo. (You can have your individual photo AND a family photo uploaded on your profile!) Your information is your information. Your privacy is important to us so if you need assistance re-setting any defaults, please call us. On GraceRealm you have complete control over who can see your contact and personal information. Contact information is never public or searchable on the Internet. Any information you elect to make visible to your church family is always protected behind a login. Authorized staff will always have access to your profile information. You and certain authorized staff may update your profile information; in some cases, your group leader may update your contact information if you have made it visible to group leaders. For safety reasons, sharing contact and personal information for children under 18 is limited. Parents determine whether or not to display their child’s name in the church directory. Children under 13 may not participate and will not be able to sign in. Don’t forget to download the App and stay warm!!!!
Blessings,
Frances Fernandez
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March Grace Notes Articles Deadline
All articles for the MARCH edition of Grace Notes are due by 5pm on Friday, February 19th. The March Grace Notes will in homes the first week of March. Please have the articles in Word formatting 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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