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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Just a little note on these two photos. This is from my mom's birthday this year in August. The top one is later in the timeline. My sister and I bought my mom a sparkler candle for her birthday. In the photo below, you can see the delight and laughter for most of us, and extreme concern from my sister. It was quite the candle. Above you can see the joy and laughter. Today this is what I am remembering with thanksgiving. |
Wordle, Life Cycles, Commitments and Celebrations
I'm going to warn you not to read this message if you haven't done the wordle for today and you want to because I am going to tell you the answer. I woke up this morning with my phone buzzing. Thursdays are my day to sleep in. The rest of the week is go, go, go... but after years of late Wednesday nights, I have grown accustom to a late Thursday start. "Why are so many people texting me?" I wondered. Only to see a huge "Happy Birthday!" text from friends, and loved ones. It made me and my heart smile. That's right. It's my birthday.
I like to do the wordle first thing in the morning and I counted out the letters in the word birth- 5. A good first guess. Nope. My guesses went as follows: BIRTH (1) READY (2) PROOF (3) WORM (4) MOURN (5). Got it! Mourn. From birth to mourn seems about right today.
This is life. Filled with new life, filled with death and everything in between. Days when we are ready for what is coming. Days we demand proof. Days where the rain and muck are messy and hard. Days when we mourn. Now I sound like the writer of Ecclesiastes. There is a time and a season for everything. We quote this because it is true.
And yet... while there is a time and a season for everything. The truth is multiple things can be happening at the same time. While, I am mourning and walking alongside my mom, I can also be filled with gratitude and hope. I can be overwhelmed by kindness and love and in fact I am. I can feel the presence of God not just in the suffering, but in the care, and in the generous outpouring of love and commitment from all of you.
I don't know if I can think of a season of my life so far that has been so filled with emotions in such bountiful ways. As we move into this weekend, a weekend that has been sent for our commitment weekend to use the second guess of my wordle- I feel READY. I believe we as a congregation are READY for what happens next. READY to share the message and hope of the Gospel with the world around us. READY to move into the next phase of our ministry. READY to stretch, to grow, to be reunited in faith and to extend our arms in outreach and service.
I hope that you will join us this weekend to celebrate (not my birthday), but who we are at Grace. As we bring forward our commitment cards this weekend we will celebrate God's commitment and love to us and celebrate the possibilities in front of us. I cannot wait to celebrate with you! See you this weekend!
Pastor Joanna Mitchell
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Commitment Weekend
March 5th & 6th
Commitment Weekend is this weekend, March 5th & 6th at all Worship services.
"The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood...Generous inside and out. We all live off God's generous abundance, gift after gift." John 1
We believe God is leading us to a time of transformation inside and out as we invest in our church so that we might better minister to our congregation and serve our community!
Bring your filled out Commitment Cards that you have been pondering and praying about for the past five weeks, and joyfully place them in the basket during Worship this weekend.
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Transforming Inside & Out Sanctuary
Have you noticed some changes each week to the front of the sanctuary? We are TRANSFORMING our generosity campaign neighborhood image into a whole 3D city! Each week, youth have been transforming boxes into houses and buildings and now we’ve added some pictures of the people of Grace! Who has such talents? While there have been several youth working at it, Lauren Russell has used her incredible artistic abilities to put the finishing touches on these mini pieces of art. Come up front each week to see our little city is transform!
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Worship
-Wednesdays at 7:30pm Lenten Worship with Holden Evening Prayer and the Study of the Shema.
-Saturdays at 5:00pm Contemporary
-Sundays at 8:45am Traditional
-Sundays at 10:30am Contemporary
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We do not require masks but wearing masks is a personal choice for all attending in-person worship. If you are unvaccinated we strongly recommend masks. We do ask if you are not feeling well or ill please stay home. 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. |
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Fellowship
Fellowship is after Worship on Sundays. Coffee, water and treats will be available in the Narthex after worship.
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Lent Worship Times
Wednesday Lenten Suppers - March 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th & April 6th - 5:45pm
Wednesday Lenten Worship - March 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th & April 6th - 1:00pm & 7:30pm
Join us this Lent for a time of education and a time of worship and learning. Wednesday evenings have opportunities for people of all ages. 6:30pm-7:30pm.
- Kids night out will meet in the preschool daycare classrooms during Lent
- Catechism will be exploring the Shema
- Adults are invited to a time of study in room 105/107
Join us for Worship at 7:30pm where we will be using Holden Evening Prayer and learning the Shema together through the Bible Project.
Lenten Devotion Opportunity
If you are looking for a way to dive deeper this Lent and add a daily devotion, we have a wonderful opportunity for you. John Anderson, one of our members and a bible study leader has written a daily Lenten Devotion. We hope you will enjoy his words, reflections and images that allow us to see and experience the presence of God among us. Click here for access to the overall devotion. Click here to read today's.
Holy Week Worship Times
Maundy Thursday Worship - April 14th - 1:00pm & 7:00pm
Good Friday Worship - April 15th - 1:00pm & 7:00pm
Easter Vigil Worship - April 16th - 5:00pm
Easter Sunday Worship Times
Sunday, April 17th -7:00am*, 8:45am & 10:30am (*Please note the change from last week's Grace at a Glance and March's GraceNotes)
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CALLING ALL SINGERS!
TWO UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES
Lent and Easter are both filled with wonderful music, and I would invite any and all to join us for these seasons!
Good Friday will be a service of music and readings. The choir will be providing most of the music, and we would love for anyone who wants to participate to join us. The music will focus on a them of introspection and the reverence of that most holy time before Easter morning.
Rehearsal schedule will be as follows: (6:45-7:30pm each week), with the service taking place at 7:00pm on Friday April 15th
Tuesday March 15th
Tuesday March 22th
Tuesday March 29th
Tuesday April 5th
Tuesday April 12th
Easter Sunday the Choir will be singing at the 8:45am service.
I would LOVE to have a BIG group of singers for Easter this year. If you are interested in singing, but don’t want to make a huge commitment, this is your chance! There is one song to learn, and one service to sing! If you’ve thought about getting your feet wet with choir before, THIS is your chance!
The rehearsal schedule for Easter will be:
Tuesday March 29th, 7:30-8pm
Tuesday April 5th, 7:30-8pm
Tuesday April 12th: 7:30-8pm
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Feed My Starving Children Packing of Meals
Thursday, March 17th
There are reserved 25 slots for us at Feed My Starving Children in Coon Rapids for Thursday, March 17th (Yes, St. Patrick’s Day!); 2:00-3:45pm and 4:30-6:15pm. You may register directly on line at www.fmsc.org; you can call the office or click on the time slot below to register.
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEEKEND
GRACE WOMEN'S RETREAT
at Luther Point Bible Camp
Grantsburg, WI
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The women’s retreat was a HUGE success. 28 women enjoyed worshiping through songs, devotions, connection activities and a service project. Thank you to the people of Grace and Thrivent for the donations. Thank you for your generosity! We were able to make 124 toiletry bags, 32 kitchen kits, and made and wrote out 124 cards for the residents at the farmstead. Through these service projects we are blessing four different non-profit ministries serving people in need in our community!
It is our hope that if you were unable to attend this past weekend, we are planning a Women's half day retreat in spring or early summer! We hope more amazing women will be able to join us for that time of connection and faith!
-Michelle Beeskow and the Women's Retreat team!
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Grace's Opportunities for Giving |
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“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15).
A Note from Rev, Daniel Rift, Director, ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Response Fund
Friends,
Since last week, the news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has filled news reports and social media feeds. Heartbreaking images of people saying goodbye to loved ones and lining up at the borders to leave the country are occupying our screens. Prayers and calls for peace are coming from around the world as we watch this crisis unfold.
Civilians fleeing the violence are heading toward Ukraine’s western districts and such neighboring countries as Poland, Moldova, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary. Ukrainian men of military age (18-60) are required to stay in the country, so most of those fleeing the violence are women and children. According to one report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 500,000 people are seeking refuge in neighboring countries including Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Moldova. There are major humanitarian concerns for both internally displaced people and refugees. Many of these Ukrainians fleeing their homes need shelter and such basic necessities as food, water and toiletries. Care for people also includes pastoral and psychological support to address the trauma they’ve endured.
Our prayers abound for the loss and devastation experienced in Ukraine and Eastern Europe.
Noisy Offering collected from March 1st to 15th will be going to ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Response Fund.
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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
Nancy Coughlin, Baby Sawyer, RD Nelson, Rick Burnham, Kathy Beckman, John Cairl, Pat Cairl, Betty Thompson, Scott Christensen, and those in need of long-term prayers. Margret Olson, Harland Johnson, Jason Beckman, Lu Henning, Jeffrey Kintzler, Alison Husak, Juleen Klawiter, Carroll Potter, Clint Trousil, Luke Galland, John Malecha, Stephanie and Samantha Fernandez, Christopher Sluis, Julie Swedberg, LaDonna Lilyquist, Charlotte Montei, Elsie Weisenberger, Linda Christiansen, Judi Wold, Ralph & Colleen Wernimont. We also pray for those who have experienced the death of a loved one, especially Stephen & Johnna Hirt & family upon the death of Stephen’s Dad, the Reverend Lee Hirt, Quentin & Michelle Busitzky & family upon the death of Quentin’s Uncle, Glen.
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