This is a quick reminder of what is happening at Grace this week in Worship and in ways to connect and serve in the next seven days. |
|
A Note From Pastor Joanna Mitchell |
|
Dear Grace Friends,
What a blessing it was to get away last week. It truly was sabbath time. We visited friends in Michigan who cooked for us, planned day trips, and allowed us time to rest. I am so grateful!
During the pandemic it has seemed as if we are all searching for answers. Answers about what to do this fall for our kids, our families and yes, our church. In this search we often find ourselves dissatisfied with the information provided or perhaps even with the decisions that might be made for us. I believe that my own searching is directly correlated with my desire to control what is happening and then I must admit to myself that I am not actually in control of a lot that is happening.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells us: Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be open (Matthew 7:7). I think for many of us we have been “asking,” “seeking” and at least for me I am not finding what I expected. I am finding uncertainty. I am finding news that I don’t always like. I am finding a very disruptive life and world. But if I am honest, when I am seeking and asking, I am also experiencing God. God’s presence might not take away the anxiety of the day, but God’s Spirit has faithfully rested upon me. I almost wonder if God is whispering to us that we aren’t asking for the right things or asking the right questions. Perhaps, God is not promising anything we ask for but inviting us to come to God with our problems. Maybe God is not promising that we will find what we sought, but instead we will discover a peace that passes understanding. Perhaps when we quit asking for our demands, we will find and discover that the door to our relationship with God was never closed in the first place, it’s always been wide open.
One morning on my trip, my friend Maureen and I took a trip to the blueberry patch. The sun was strong, and the blueberries were ripe. We had buckets to fill and plenty to pick. Midway through our picking adventure, I decided I didn’t need to pick any more blueberries, I was satisfied; so, I lay down in the field enjoying the sun and the day. Maureen teased me about not pulling my weight and then took a fabulous photo of me on the ground with our bucket of blueberries. I went to the blueberry patch looking for blueberries, but what I found there was rest, laughter, and sunshine. I discovered an opportunity to lay down my agenda and to rest in the open door of God’s love that surrounded me in that moment. Perhaps you too are invited to lay down your bucket, or agenda or expectations of the day and instead rest in the fullness of God’s abundant love that fills our buckets not with blueberries of course, but with the life-giving power of God’s Spirit.
Pastor Joanna Mitchell
|
|
Give Family Promise in
Anoka County a "Like"!
Grace Lutheran has been partnering with Family Promise in Anoka County. By partnering with Family Promise we can engage our congregation in a meaningful ministry within our own community. We can open our doors to welcome families experiencing homelessness, offer hospitality and comfort, and support these families as they find stability. Even though we are not able to host families on-site right now, this is still a very important ministry and one that will be even more necessary as our economy recovers from this awful virus. We invite you to “like and follow” on Facebook, Family Promise in Anoka County, and help support the work they do helping our neighbors by keeping children and families together. We want to help Family Promise in Anoka County gain 100 new “likes” on Facebook by the end of August so they can receive a donation from a generous donor.
|
|
B.Y.O.L.C. (Bring your own lawn chair) for Parking Lot Worship on Saturday at 5 pm or Sunday at
9 am at Grace Lutheran
We invite you to leave your car for Parking Lot Worship! The first two rows of the parking lot are reserved for people to sit in their lawn chairs while assuring social distancing (6 feet or more apart).
Young families are invited to sit on the grass and use the sidewalk to keep their kids physically distanced and safe. We have chalk for your kids to use during worship.
In case of rain, we encourage you to stay in your cars.
Parking:
If you are going to get out of your car for outdoor worship, we ask that you park in the back of the parking lot or in the dental office, so that those in their cars can have a better view of worship. If you need to park closer and still want to get out of your car, please use the parking for people with disabilities, or speak to a parking attendant who will direct you on where to park.
Following worship there will be a chance to mingle outside with each other. We do ask if you decide to converse with people after worship that you please wear a mask.
Staying in your car:
If you would like to stay in your car, you are invited to do so and tune in on the radio on 91.7. Parking lot attendants will park you behind our lawn chairs to give you the best possible view.
Future Sundays:
We will be having Communion on 1st and 3rd Sundays of the Month. Also each week, we are trying new things and experimenting to improve our worshiping experience. We recognize that there will be things that go well and parts that need to be changed. Thank you for your input and patience.
We are planning on offering our first indoor, in-person worship on August 30th probably at 10:30am (pending COVID levels). We will continue to offer our outdoor/parking lot worship. There will be a sign-up and other details coming soon.
Outdoor Worship, Saturday August 15th at 5:00 pm:
Join us for outdoor worship this Saturday night. We will gather on the lawn in front of the church. Please bring a blanket or a chair to sit on. We will use speakers for you to hear. We will not be broadcasting Saturday Night Worship on the radio.
Please note that we will not have Saturday night worship at Grace on August 22nd because of Pastor Maria's ordination.
Please wear masks and abide by social distancing recommendations if you plan to mingle with others.
|
|
Maria Markman's Ordination Service
You're invited to Maria Markman's ordination service into the ministry of Word and Sacrament. Her service will be held August 22, 2020 at 2 PM on Bockman Hall lawn at Luther Seminary in Saint Paul. For map and directions follow this link: https://www.luthersem.edu/campus/map/.
You are invited to wear RED, the color of the celebration. We will be following pandemic safety protocols: worshiping outdoors, wearing masks and social distancing enforced. Please B.Y.O.L.C. (Bring Your Own Lawn Chair) and join us for this celebration!
Maria Markman will be installed as Associate Pastor at Grace Lutheran on September 27, 2020
|
|
Bible Study
Join us for Thursday Morning Zoom Bible Study at 10 am with Pastor Joanna (or the Sunday preacher).
Join us on Thursday mornings at 10 am for a bible study. Bring your bibles, yourselves and your questions. If you don’t have a bible, bring your phone or your computer and we will navigate through bible gateway to help you find the scripture.
The Sunday scriptures that we will be studying over the next couple of weeks:
Aug. 13th: Lamentations 3:1-3,17-32; 5:1-3, 18-22
Aug. 20th: Text TBD
Aug. 27th: Text TBD
Sept. 3rd: Genesis 2:4b-7, 15-17
Join Zoom Meeting by clicking the link below.
|
|
FAMILY TABLE “DRIVE UP”
This Sunday, August 16 – 5:30 PM!
If you’re in need of a hot, nutritious, complimentary meal on Sunday, you’re invited to drive up to the doors of Grace (Kids’ Entry) beginning at 5:30 PM. Stay in your car, and we’ll bring the meal(s) to you! We’ll be serving until 6:30 or until food runs out, whichever comes first. And since this is our first attempt at a Family Table “Drive Up” and we have no idea how many to plan for (we’ve decided to prepare 50 meals), you might want to consider coming closer to 5:30 than 6:30! If a “meal to go” would help someone you know, please pass the word along!
|
|
God’s Work, Our Hands
There are a lot of uncertainties in life! But one thing we do know: God’s call is always to love and serve our neighbors! With that in mind, Grace will celebrate “God’s Work, Our Hands” on Sunday, September 20th! We anticipate that this event - for kids age 3 to 103, will be primarily outdoors, although we believe we can have limited indoor activities geared to very small groups.
We are in need of people to do some creative brainstorming and help plan the event - and no prior experience is necessary! If you’re willing to help, please contact Debbie Jorgens via email (debbiej@graceandover.org) or phone (763-370-9902).
Thank you for considering this opportunity to serve!
|
|
Youth Events Throughout August!
Throughout August, we have events planned for High School Students (completed 9th through 12th grade) and middle school students (completed 5th grade through 8th grade).
We hope that families that are comfortable gathering in small groups will be able to join us! All events will be held outdoors with various safety precautions listed on our website and on the event registration. If you have any questions, concerns or have any special needs please contact Kristi Larson at KristiL@graceandover.org. Check out what we have planned below!
|
|
Our “Conversations on Race” Continue!
Our “Conversations on Race” will continue on Wednesday evenings from 7-8:30 pm during the months of August and September. If you didn’t participate in any of our initial “Conversations on Race” or you missed some of the meetings, please don’t let that stop you from joining us.
For our discussion in August, we will be discussing a podcast by Brene Brown with Austin Channing Brown on August 19th and a movie (TBD) in September. Links to join the zoom meetings can be found on the Grace website or below.
Please contact Pastor Joanna Mitchell with any questions.
|
|
Family Event: Bike Ride at Bunker Hills Regional Park
Mark your calendars for the Grace Lutheran Children’s Ministry Family Bike Ride on August 15, 2020 1:00-3:00 PM at Bunker Hills Regional Park.
There are two entrances to Bunker Hills Regional Park. We will not be at the Bunker Beach entrance, but rather the Bunker Hills Regional Park Activity Center Entrance
Your whole family is invited to attend. Come when you can, stay while you can, leave when you must. We will observe proper social distancing protocols.
|
|
Noisy Offerings
All Noisy Offerings received throughout the month of August will be given to the ACBC Food Shelf in Anoka. While donations of food are appreciated, financial contributions are especially important right now because this allows ACBC to be more strategic in what they purchase. We’ve also learned that ACBC has an outreach program which currently delivers groceries on a monthly basis to approximately 70 low-income people. The cost is roughly $25.00 per person (for food, delivery, and administrative costs). The need is great, as in addition to those who are currently being served by this program, there are another 30 people on a waiting list.
Thank you for continuing to contribute your Noisy Offerings! You are making a tangible difference in the lives of people in need!
|
|
SUPPLY DRIVE FOR HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Happening now through Friday, August 21st!
Since opening their doors to help the people of south Minneapolis in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church has seen a very consistent need for specific items. Among them are diapers,* baby wipes, and bar soap/body wash. Our goal is to collect 50 of each of these items by Friday, August 21st. It may seem like a lofty goal, but if anyone can accomplish it, the people of Grace can!
You can drop off your donations at Grace - on the table just inside the doors - and we’ll get them to Holy Trinity. And please donate only the items listed here. Thank you!!
* While diapers of all sizes are appreciated, there’s a particular need for size 6 and pull-up’s.
|
|
Prayers
God of mercy, be with those who are affected by mental illness, and lift their depression and anxiety. Bring restoration to those who struggle in body, mind and spirit. Today we pray especially for a family and their son struggling with mental health issues, =Stephanie Smith, Jessica, Dotty White, Mike Hendricks (Tom Weaver’s brother in law), Elsie Weisenberger, Max Carlson, Shannan Gautschi, Arden Kirkendall, John Malecha, Jack Zirkle, Carroll Potter, Joe Bailey, Julie Swedberg, Christopher Sluis, Kathy Lovik, Judi Wold, and Zachary Elsenpeter. Lord hear our prayers.
God of comfort, we pray for those who are grieving the loss of loved ones. Today we pray especially for Jim & Maydelle Fennick upon the death of Jim’s sister, Wilda Hogg; Bill, Kate, Joseph & Grace Morphew upon the death of Bill’s Grandfather, Robert Woodward. Surround them with your love and comfort them with the promise of the resurrection. Lord hear our prayer.
|
|
New Virtual Service Availability
Throughout everything we will continue to provide worship online. We will begin streaming worship this week through Grace's YouTube account. Worship will be live at 5:00 pm on Saturday night and at 9:00 am on Sunday morning. It will also be saved so if you are not able to join us at that time you can worship later through Grace's YouTube channel.
|
|
Devotions
The staff at Grace Lutheran are providing regular devotions through our website and Facebook page.
If you would like to write a devotion to share with the community at Grace please contact Pastor Joanna Mitchell at joannam@graceandover.org Thank you!
|
|
Consider electronic giving on GraceLink. 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 GraceLink logo below.
If you are wondering where your giving is for the year, please log in to GraceLink. Find Giving on the tool bar. Then select My Giving History.
|
|
To minimize the spread of COVID-19 and out of love and concern for our church family and community, all worship services, program organizations and activities are cancelled until further notice. |
|
Links to Grace Lutheran's YouTube Channel |
|
Virtual Worship will be posted online at:
www.graceandover.org
We hope that you will join us at a time that works best for you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
