This is a quick weekly reminder of what is happening at Grace
in worship and in ways to connect and serve.
Change in our worship policies:
We are no longer requiring vaccinated people to wear masks.
We ask those who are not vaccinated to please continue to wear masks for the protection of our children and those who are immune-compromised.
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Friends of Grace,
What do you think of when you hear the words science, wonder, recycling, God’s grace and handiwork, summer, adults and kids, and mini corndogs… well, I will tell you what I think of: Vacation Bible School 2021! I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our volunteers, parents, and congregational donors for making this year’s Vacation Bible School one to remember.
Throughout our week together we wondered about our own unique stories, the gifts and talents God has given us (to serve others), what we can learn from others, and how we can spend time with God! Each night kids were invited to make crafts, play games, do experiments, and rotate through activity stations -digging for dinosaurs in kinetic sand, building boats, robots, and rockets out of recyclables, and folding and flying paper airplanes. Kids moved through their activities living our theme verse Ephesians 2:10: “We are God’s handiwork, created in Jesus Christ to do good work which God prepared for us in advance to do."
As I was sitting in a centering prayer practice last week, and as I centered in the presence of God. I thought, isn’t that the same message our kids were learning in VBS? In our final VBS skit of the week our scientist Dr. Roberts, mathematician Taylor Maxima, and engineer Dr. Bell are about to turn on the robot they had been building all week, the Wonderbot. When Taylor says, “My nerves can’t handle this! What if it doesn’t work? Are we going to need to start over completely? I don’t know what I’ll do if Wonderbot is a failure. Do you think this is how God felt before creating everything? Wait, how can we possibly compare this to God creating the universe?!”
Dr. Roberts reassures him that God is in control and then she finds a sticky note on her desk that reminds them to spend time with God. They think about spending time with God and list all of the ways they can spend time with God through worship, prayer, and reading their Bibles. They immediately begin to schedule God into their day. Dr. Roberts reminds them and us that the objective is not to fit God into our schedule. It is about making God the center of our schedule. God doesn’t want us to stop everything we are doing but God wants everything we do to be motivated by our love for God!
I loved watching our kids live this out last week! I loved seeing our congregation support them in this learning in many and various ways. And I would love to see it continue in our future together at Grace. How might we keep God centered in all that we do? Returning to more normalcy is strange. Getting to see our children again (and for some after a year of being a part) was wonderful. But it took preparation and getting used to for us and for our kids. We didn't do things the same way they had been done before. And it was great! But we needed each other. I heard more than once how nice and intimate our VBS felt this year. Volunteers and children really bonded in part because of how many showed up and part because of who showed up, but mostly because they showed up! What a WONDERful week, here are some pictures to prove it!
Blessings,
Pastor Maria Markman
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Summer Worship Hours
5:00 pm on Saturdays*
8:30 am on Sundays
10:00 am on Sundays
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*Outdoor Worship Our Saturday night worship will be outside in the courtyard at 5pm. Please bring your own lawn chair. All are welcome to attend. We will have chalk for kids. In case of rain or high heat indices, worship will move inside.
Saturday Evening Worship Discussion:Stick around after worship on Saturday June 26th and July 10th to discuss our worship together. Pastor Joanna wants to hear from you and get your feedback about our worship schedule and preferences. If you have any questions, please contact her @ Joannam@graceandover.org.
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Fellowship is Back!!!
We are starting Fellowship after worship on Sundays. Goodies and coffee will be available in the Narthex after worship. We ask that you gather outside to gather, socialize and get to know each other. If you or your group would like to host a fellowship on Sunday, please contact Kris Miller at the church office.
We do not require reservations or masks for vaccinated people at in-person worship. If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, please feel free to do so. We do ask if you are not feeling well or ill please stay home. If you are in the church during Golden Rule Day Care hours please wear a mask in the common areas that are used by the children for their protection.
We will continue to live stream worship services for those who do not feel comfortable coming to worship or those who are out of the area.
**Please note on July 3rd there will not be a 5pm Saturday worship due to the holiday weekend.**
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Grace 4 Rakai
Dear friends,
As Americans, our lives have been impacted by COVID-19 in any number of ways from fighting the virus to receiving the vaccination. We’re now relieved to see our friends and families, and return to some normalcy.
This is not the scenario in most of the world, and certainly not in Rakai, Uganda where COVID-19 is on the rise, with four different variants present. In just one school, 900 of 1000 children tested positive for COVID-19, including all of the teachers. Hospitals are overwhelmed with no beds or oxygen. Richard told me today that Uganda has no vaccinations and none arriving anytime soon.
Will you make a donation today to help others survive the COVID-19 pandemic just as you did? Due to the generosity of several donors, every dollar donated will be matched up to $12,500! By providing food and masks, you’ll reassure the isolated people of Rakai that they are not alone.
Last week, the government shut down the country for the next 42 days. Orders to stay home. No markets to buy food. No transportation. Prohibited from going to gardens and farms to get produce. Stopped from going to clinics for medical care.
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African Children Today has a primary school for 1500 students in Rakai - last week we had 500 children at school, who had returned after the last COVID-19 lockdown was lifted. The school is now empty. The children begged to stay at school knowing a quality education is their hope for a better future. Instead, many return to a home where a family of four shares a small piece of sugar cane as their meal.
Our goal: provide 1,000 families with flour, rice, beans, masks and soap for the 42 day shutdown at the cost $75 per family of six. Will you make a donation at
African Children Today.org or send a check today to African Children Today P.O. Box 390123, Edina, MN, 55439. 100% of your donation will go to the purchase of these necessities - we have no administrative fees or overhead. And every dollar will be matched up to $12,500.
“Where you live should not determine whether you live, or whether you die.” - Bono
With deep gratitude,
Ann Underbrink Hill, President
AfricanChildrenToday.org
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The Family Promise Book Sale
THIS WEEKEND!!!!!
Thursday, June 24th-8am to 4pm
Friday, June 25th-8am to 4pm
Saturday, June 26th-8am to 4pm
Come by and pick up your summer reading books! All proceeds go to Family Promise in Anoka. The book sale will be at Gayle Pascholl's at 451 139th Ln NW, Andover, MN 55304
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Hello OK@Play Friends!
TONIGHT!!!
Thanks to Vickie Mead and the Stang’s for the concert options! We’ve made our decision and Save The Date!
Thursday, June 24th
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Magic 70’s Sunshine Band (an ultimate tribute to the 70’s)
The Draw Park & Amphitheater
7401 Ramsey Parkway
Ramsey, MN
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This is free, no RSVP needed. Bring your own chair, maybe a beverage, and bug spray. Whatever you feel you will need.
Will I see everyone up doing the hip hop with the music?! See you there!
Questions? Contact Ann Lange, Mary Jo Trapp, or Deb Stang
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8 Weeks of Centering Prayer
Beginning July 1st
at 9am-10am
"Be Still and Know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
Many of us have hectic and hurried lives. Sometimes the cares of life can feel extremely heavy. One way of releasing the burdens and better recognizing our priorities is to be intentional about spending time with our Creator in silent prayer. Centering Prayer is a prayer practice where one chooses to quiet the mind and simply be in the presence of God. If you have been curious to learn more about Centering Prayer or might benefit from support in your practice, please consider joining us this summer. We are planning to meet in person in the worship center at 9:00am-10:00am on Thursday mornings from July 1st to August 19th. Please contact Anne Weikle at weikle3@msn.com with questions or to indicate you will be joining us. You can also call the church office. While it is not necessary to sign up, it would be helpful to know about how many people are coming. You can attend all 8 weeks or just once, what ever fits your schedule. This will be a time for beginners as well as people who have been practicing for a long time.
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Community Booth at
Andover Family Fun Fest
Friday, July 9th
from 5pm to 8pm
Saturday, July 10th
from 10am to 8pm
Grace will be having a community booth at Andover Family Fun Fest. If you would like to help our community learn about all Grace Lutheran has to offer, feel free to contact Pastor Joanna Mitchell at joannam@graceandover.org.
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Come and join the fun!
On Tuesday, July 13th from 6:30-8:00pm
The Grace 4 Rakai ministry team is teaming up with Grace Quilters 2 to tie quilts for our precious children in Rakai. No experience needed. Anyone who can tie a knot can help. We will be spreading out in the Fellowship Hall so we can safely work together. No RSVP needed. Any questions to Jan Margotto margotto@msn.com or 763-434-4617.
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Food Truck and Friendship Event
Join us for food and friendship and fun! Activities for the evening will include yard games (bring some from home to share), bounce house, 9 square in the air, and more!
- Where: Grace Lutheran Church Parking Lot and Lawn
- When: Wednesday, July 14th
- Time: 6:00-8:00PM
- Food Trucks:
- Crepe and Cake- The #1 French crepe, cake and chocolate food truck in Minnesota!
- Rustic Chef- a delicious rotating menu of American fare!
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If you would like to help out during this fun event and the next event in August, click here to sign up! It will be lots of fun and friendship! |
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Prayer Shawl Ministry at Grace
July 14th at 12:30pm
at Mansetti's on Round Lake Bvld.
Did you know, Grace's Prayer Shawl Ministry just donated 22 prayer shawls to Mercy Hospital for cancer patients! New knitters are ALWAYS welcome. Prayer Shawl Ministry meets once a month for lunch, fellowship and talk about some yarn. If you are interested please RSVP to Bev at 763-427-4122
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Grace's Opportunities for Giving |
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Noisy Offerings
Noisy Offering for June 16th-30th will be directed to Grace 4 Rakai. Here are the photos of a typical family in Rakai. One of the boys has recently been sponsored and so their lives will improve, but for many of the children in the ACT school this is what they are returning to. I am touched by the last photo - Richard said this little girl cried when she learned the school was closing again and begged him to let her stay. He told me that she couldn't have walked more slowly as she left.
I just read that oxygen has run out in Uganda as cases increased by 2,800% in the past month, with the hardest hit age group from 30 to 39 and the second hardest hit from 20 to 29. Please keep praying! If you have given toward the purchase of basic necessities for these families, thank you! If you have not, please consider a generous donation today. (Your gift will still be matched so every dollar becomes two!) I have never seen Richard and Johnson as worried and burdened as they are right now.
Thank you for caring for the children of Rakai - I am privileged to be on this journey with you.
Ann
Prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving to all who have already contributed to our Grace 4 Rakai families.
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Meals Needed
Carroll Potter has had it tough for over a year, beginning in April 2020 when she was hospitalized with COVID-19. Then 4 months ago, she fell at home and broke her arm and shoulder and has been at the Homestead Care Center recuperating after surgery. She is now back home, but weak. They are in need of some help with meals. Meals can be dropped off at Grace for Steve to pick up.
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May All Be Fed Food Shelf at Grace
The food shelf is in need of the following items:
Cream of Chicken Soup Cake Mixes and Frostings
Cream of Mushroom Soup Brownie Mixes
Chili Beans Jello
Kidney Beans Pudding
Boxed Potatoes Tuna & Hamburger Helper
Please bring your items to church whenever it is convenient. Please no expired items or glass containers.
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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 all who call upon your healing name: Don Jorgenson, Mary North, Cheryl Veit, John Malecha, Ron Clarstrom, John Denney, Linda Breyette, Christine, Margi Anderson, Colleen Ishee, Conner Collins, Norman Bute, Ken Howard, Adam Howard, Ralph Wernimont, Stephanie Fernandez, Samantha Fernandez, Carroll Potter, Christopher Sluis, Julie Swedberg, LaDonna Lilyquist, Charlotte Montei, Lynn Zirkle, Elsie Weisenberger, Linda Christiansen, Judi Wold, and Colleen Wernimont
We also pray for those who have experienced the death of a loved one, especially Pat Van Auken (Maga) and Stephen & Johnna Hirt & family upon the death of Elisha Shoars
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