Staying Connected
Hey there members and friends of Grace

Hope you all are enjoying the start of a new week. Can't believe we're finishing up February this week. With Twin's Spring Training starting up last week it's got me dreaming of summer and all that is to come.

This weekend however it was still time to embrace winter and the fun that can bring us. Last week my good friend Dave contacted me and asked if I wanted to join him and our friend Tim ice fishing. My friend works for the parks service and said he was at this a pond near Watertown MN this summer as we has with a team of folks working on taking apart a beaver dam. He said while there he saw all sorts of fish there. Bluegills, Perch, Bass and Northern Pike. I don't get out ice fishing a lot but when I do I love it. I don't have any equipment for it so I had to borrow from Dave and Tim. I told them I'd drive there and would provide lunch out on the lake.

We set out to the lake Saturday morning and had about a half mile hike down a state trail to the lake. We go set up started drilling holes (once we finally were able to get the auger going) set up some tip ups and started fishing. There were know fish to be found though. Well some fish.... a couple baby bluegills that floated up through the hole when we drilled it. We think the pond wasn't quite providing enough oxygen to keep them alive. We did find one alive bullhead that came up one of the holes gasping for air.

As I think about the day fishing I'm still thankful for the whole thing. I'm thankful that I got to spend some quality time with some friends on the ice. Telling old stories, eating some chili for lunch that we made on the camp stove on the middle of the lake and watching my friend Tim's kids run around in the snow. In away the day wasn't about fishing at all. It was about time spent with friends. Over the last year when it's been so hard to get together with other people it was nice to be able to spend that time outside safely with others.

I hope everyone has a great week
 
Peace
 
Ben
Lent at Grace
Our Lenten Series "Faithful Feelings" begin this week. We will have in person worship here at Grace and we will also be live streaming the service on Facebook and YouTube at 6:00pm. This week we will be looking at the feeling Hopeless.

Week 2 - Anger
Week 3 - Doubt
Week 4 - Grief
Week 5 - Peace
As we continue our Lenten journey this week we can take time to really focus on the world around us. Below is a great activity for families to do together. Print out the picture below and hang it on your fridge. Each day during lent there is something you can do as a family. This map has a focus on times of fasting, prayer and giving as we follow our way together to the cross.
Easter Egg Decorating
at Grace
Palm Sunday March 28th after worship
All families are welcome to join whether you have kids or not.
Families will be spread out through fellowship hall to ensure social distancing.
Masks will be requited during event.
A short devotion will go along with the fun.

Sign up below so we can have your spot ready!
Easter Breakfast To-Go
Toilet Paper Needed
For Connections
***UPDATE***

Our stack is continuing to grow. Thank you so much to everyone that has brought in some toilet paper so far.

We will continue to build the pile for 2 more Sundays before we start taking it down to the connections shelter.
Connections is in need of another donation item that I think our Grace family will be able to help them out. In talking with Jason Glaser, they could use toilet paper donations. We have started a pile of it in the narthex here at Grace and we would love to see how large we could make it. With the great success, we had with the quarter drive and the continued commitment with service meals at connection I know we can gather a lot of toilet paper to donate. Stop in any time and add to the pile started in the narthex. After some time we will get it delivered to the shelter.
Looking Ahead in 2021
Start marking your calendar. We're moving full speed ahead with things and we're excited to announce some opportunities for fellowship, leaning and service this next year. We are optimistic that life will return to a more normal form and these events will be able to move forward how we hope.
2021 Vacation Bible School
"King of Me"
June 7th - 11th
We are planning an in-person Vacation Bible School (VBS) this summer. We will be holding here at Grace the week after schools get out the week of June 9th. The theme for the week is "King of Me." We will explore some of the characters from the Old Testament and how God is bigger than some of the obstacles that were put in their way and how God is the kind of all those things. When we feel alone God is with us. This week will be full of fun worship, crafts and activities as well. This will be fully run by Grace so we will be looking for volunteers to help during the week. If you have time available or an older child at home that you want to get out of the house to help please let Ben know (DSG@gracemankato.org) and he'd love to have some help. He will take help during the days with programing, food, childcare before and after or even planning the VBS if you are feel very adventurous.


All kids are welcomed to attend. They don't have to be a member of Grace
Children ages Kindergarten - 6th Grade are invited.
Programing will run from 8:30 - 3:00 Monday - Thursday and 8:30 - noon on Friday. Early drop off and late pick up will be available to families that need it.
Meals will be provided Monday - Thursday
Suggested Donation of $35 to cover cost of food and craft supplies

Click below to sign up.
2021 Youth Summer Service Trip
North Shore MN
June 13th - 18th
The summer of 2021 was supposed to be the next ELCA National Youth Gathering that happens every three year. That has been postponed to July of 2022 and will be in Minneapolis as planned. That means we will be doing a youth service trip this summer instead. With still some uncertainty of what that can look like we are planning this ourselves and will be traveling to the north shore based around Duluth. Service opportunities are still being worked out along with lodging but we are confident we will be able to offer a safe and fun trip for youth that have completed 7th - 12th Grade. You can register by clicking the link below. If you have any questions about this trip you can reach out to Ben at DSG@gracemankato.org.
Feeding Connections
Grace is serving dinner at Connections Shelter the second and forth Sunday of every month. If you would like to sign up to help out for any of the next times we're serving you can find a sign up below. You can also reach out to Ben through the church office or at DSG@gracemankato.org.
There are other opportunities to be able to serve at Connections. Below is a link to their sign up to be able to be greeters at the shelter. If your family would also like to take on a meal on your own to make and serve there are opportunities to sign up and do that.
Children
While we are not yet meeting in person for children PreK - 6th Grade we do want to make weekly lessons available online. You can access the weekly lessons we would be doing by clicking the links below. There are great activities that can be done as a family together.
Confirmation
Right now as schools have moved to distance learning we have decided that the safest and most effective way to continue to meet with our confirmation students will be to temporarily move the the program virtual. We will be using Zoom to connect with the students just as we did last spring. As soon as it is safe to once again meet in person, we'll be excited to have the youth back here at Grace Wednesday nights.

For more details about events or would like to get involved please reach out to Ben or Pastor John and we will be sure to get you in the loop on everything you need to know.

February/March Confirmation Schedule
  • February 24th - Meet with Mentors
  • March 3rd - Meet with Mentors
  • March 10th - Meet with Mentors
  • March 17th - Meet with Mentors
  • March 24th - Meet with Mentors
  • March 31st - No Confirmation. Holy Week.
High School
High School students are invited to join Ben in the Youth Room(Formally knows as the children's chapel) after worship throughout lent for time to of discussing and fellowship. We'll be diving deeper in the feelings discussed during worship each week.
If anybody has questions about youth and family ministry opportunities or would like to help leading any activities please reach out to Ben. You can call directly any time at 507-524-3254 or send an email to DSG@gracemankato.org
Zoom Thursday Night
Bible Study
Thursday February 25th, 2021

All Are Welcome!
As a community of Christ, we share in each other's joys and pains. Before we dive into the word each week we share our joys and pains with each other using the Rose Analogy.

  • We look for the Rose in our lives - A highlight, success, small win or something positive that is happening.

  • We look for a Thorn in our lives - A challenge you are experiencing or something you can use more support with.

  • And we look for the Bud in our lives - A new Idea that has bloomed or something you are looking forward to knowing more about or experiencing


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This Week

"Stars in the Night"

This week we will be looking at the story of Jesus walking on the water from
Matthew 14:22-36

We are continuing to look at teaching videos by Mike Donehey that go along with songs from his band Tenth Avenue North. You can view the teaching video along with the song "Stars in the Night" below.
Teaching Video
Stars in the Night Lyric Video
Questions to think about going into the study are:

When has there been a time you have lost your focus on God?

What has helped guide you through life?

When you look to the sky and see the stars what do you think about?
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Thursday Bible Study

Zoom Meeting ID 857 5766 8823

Time 8:00 pm Thursday
Every week will have the same meeting ID
Worshiping Together Virtually
Our Facebook live stream is a great way to gather with others(although virtually)as we are all part of this assembly as we gather as the one body of Christ to chat, share a greeting of peace and worship together. A live stream of our worship is broadcasted every Sunday morning at 10:00 and is 50-60 minutes long.

If you do not have Facebook worship is will still be available on KTOE Sunday mornings at 10:00 and the rebroadcast on KTV Tuesday at 1:00 pm and again Wednesday at 7:15 pm. Past worships can also be found on YouTube and our Website. Our goal is that everyone will still have an opportunity to worship with us at Grace.

All the past worship services can be found by going to
February 21at 2021 Worship
In-Person Worship
We acknowledge that the risks of this pandemic are not over, and if you are unsure about being in the building, we encourage you to stay home and worship with us from a distance. If you enjoy worshipping from home, we encourage you to continue to do just that. We are opening our doors again but we encourage people to do what is best for your family right now. We want to offer the opportunity for everyone to connect with their faith in ways that are meaningful and meet you where you are. For now, we are glad you can be here with us, whether you are watching live on Facebook, listening on KTOE radio, following along on YouTube or KTV in Mankato. Even after we return to holding worship in our building, we will continue to provide these means of participating with us from a distance including a livestream on Facebook. 

However you participate, now and in the future, we believe you are a part of this assembly, gathered as the one body of Christ to worship and celebrate our life of faith together.
Christ in our Home
Devotional
Christ In Our Home are still available here at Grace. You can stop in and pick on up anytime during church office hours.

You can access a digital copy by clicking HERE
Fair Trade Coffee
Fair Trade coffee and other items are for sale here at Grace. Current selection of products on hand here at Grace are pictured below. Items available are Coffee, Tea, Hot Cocoa Powder, Chocolate bars, backing cocoa and olive oil. Items are located near the narthex and can be bought during church office hours and Sunday mornings.
All Fair Trade/Organic Coffee - $7.00/Bag

Individual Coffee packets - 60¢ each
Makes 10-12 cups

All Tea - $3.00

Hot Cocoa - $6.00

Large Chocolate Bars - $2.50

Baking Cocoa - $6.00

Olive Oil - $13.50
Find more information about Mankato Fair Trade Products and their Mission by clicking the link below
Serving the Community

Echo Food Shelf - Echo is still looking for volunteers to commit to one 2-4 hour shift/week. You can email echofoodshelf@yahoo.com to get involved.

CADA House - Committee Against Domestic Abuse, Inc. (CADA) is a nonprofit victim advocacy and emergency shelter organization based in Mankato, Minnesota. CADA’s mission is to provide safety and support to victims of domestic and sexual violence through education, advocacy, and shelter.
You can check out the latest Newsletter for CADA by Clicking HERE
Pray Together
Lord God,

We pray for those that are lonely. Those that are isolated that you may bring them peace as we continue to have to connect with others in different and uncomfortable ways. You are a God that provides and we ask that we can see all those ways you provide for us.
Amen
Check out this Video!
Light up the Sky by The Afters
Amazon Smile
Many of us has been spending more time shopping online. When shopping with amazon there is an easy way to help raise a donation go to Grace. When shopping through a web browser you can follow the link below and it's easy to set up. It's also super easy to get set up on a mobile device through the Amazon App. When signed into your account in the app in settings there is a section called "Programs and Features" in that sections you can click on AmazonSmile. I that section you can select your charity. You can search Grace Lutheran Church Mankato or type 41-6006451.

When you #StartWithaSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Grace Lutheran Church. Bookmark the link   http://smile.amazon.com/ch/41-6006451  and support us every time you shop.

You still get the same prices and you can still use your Prime account, but when you start by using this link above, Amazon will donate a portion of the price back to Grace.

Thanks for supporting Grace.
Need Help w/ Zoom?
Zoom is a great tool for connecting with family or our Thursday night bible study here with Grace. If you have been waiting to try to use Zoom because it can be a bit confusing at time we invite you to get a hold of Ben here at Grace. Ben is far from an expert with all that zoom can do but can defiantly help enough to get things set up on your device and test things out to see how they work. You can call the office to get a hold of Ben or send an email at DSG@gracemankato.org to set up a time.
Contact Us
Pastor
Rev. John Odegard - pastor@gracemankato.org

Director of Spiritual Growth

Parish Administrator
Rich Krause - parish@gracemankato.org

Office Specialist
Joan Hertel - office@gracemankato.org

Interim Organist and Music Director
Chuck Hoogland - music@gracemankato.org

Worship and Media Technology Coordinator

Maintenance and Grounds
Jordin Johnson - grounds@gracemankato.org
Grace Lutheran Church Office Hours

Monday - Thursday 10:00a.m - 5:00p.m
Friday 10:00a.m - noon
Is there news you're wanting to have included in future staying connected newsletters? Reach out to Ben with the details and he'll be sure to included in an upcoming newsletter. New newsletters are emailed out every Monday and can also be found on Facebook or the Webpage under the At Home Resources tab.