Pastor's Message

Fall Is In The Air

Fall is in the air! My walk this morning was brisk and lovely. The leaves are changing and the energy is high. I love fall: the colors, the activities, and all of the people returning. We had an amazing Rally Sunday in large part because you showed up. Thank you to the leadership of our Vision Board for the incredible event. Thank you to all who participated in our ministry fair. Thank you for being vulnerable and welcoming people you don't know yet.

Have you found your place at Grace? If not, I invited you to come tonight, Wednesday. There is something for everyone. Come have pizza and conversation. Come learn about the bible. Come and sing. Come and find community and connection. Come grow with us!  

I am looking forward to seeing you!

Pastor Joanna Mitchell

Wednesday Nights Kick Off

Grace's Wednesday Night Kick Off is Sept. 14th with Family Pizza, Catechism, Adult Book Study, Kids Night Out, Children's Choir Practice and Worship! All are welcome! 

The Schedule of Events:

5:15-5:45pm-Family Pizza- Fellowship Hall

5:45-6pm-Children's Choir Rehearsal-Nap Room

6-7pm Kids Night Out-Nap Room

6:00-6:30pm-Catechism Large Group- Fellowship Hall

6:30-7pm-Catechism Small Group

6-6:50pm-"Inspired" Adult Book Study-Room 105/107

7:00pm-Worship-Sanctuary

SPECIAL WORSHIP TIME

This Weekend, Sept. 18th, ONLY!

There will be just one worship at 9:00am!

Please join us!

Worship Times

-Sundays at 8:45am Traditional

-Sundays at 10:30am Contemporary

-Wednesdays at 7pm Contemporary

September 18th is quickly approaching. Please sign-up today for your preferred service event. What to expect on GWOH Sunday: Worship at 9:00 am. At the close of our worship service, we will divide into teams and go out into the community. Between 12pm and 12:30pm we will gather back at Grace Lutheran church for a celebration meal. Team leaders will help guide people on what to do at any given service site. Kids are welcome and encouraged to participate with their families. Please wear your Grace Lutheran or Gods Work. Our Hands. T-shirts! Sign up by clicking the button below for any of the following Job Descriptions: 

Sunday Meal Preparation and serving: Grace Lutheran Church

Team Leader - Lynda Wilde

To have a meal ready for people after they have finished their service project, we will be preparing the meal on Sunday from 10-noon. Gather in the kitchen at Grace Lutheran and help cut fruit and prep for our lunch. 

Music for Seniors Outside at the Farmstead: Team Leader - David Phelps

Go to one of our local nursing homes and visit and/or sing with some of the residents. Spend time learning about their life and sharing a time of fellowship.   

Free Car Wash: Team Leader - Scott Lien and Boy Scouts

Gather in the Grace parking lot to offer a free carwash. Any free will donations will also be gathered to give to the Boy Scouts. Hoses and towels will be provided. Be ready to get wet! If you have buckets and soap, sponges and extra towel, please bring them along.   

Sand Creek Elementary 

12156 Olive St NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448

Team Leader - Ann Lange

Ann will be leading a group in service projects at Sand Creek Elementary. 

A project list will be determined prior to the event. Feel free to reach out to Ann Lange.

Stepping Stone Emergency Housing by Anoka Hospital: 3300 N 4th Ave #14,

Anoka, MN 55303

Volunteers needed 3-4

Team Leader - AP Hopper

Volunteers are needed to sort clothes. This will be an indoor project at Stepping Stone

Yard Clean up at Neighbors’ yards

Team Leaders - Scott Christensen & Neil Hawkinson

Prepare people’s yards for fall by pulling out weeds, cutting down shrubs, and removing unwanted branches and debris. Please bring gloves. Lawn bags, and other supplies will be provided.

Onsite Projects in Grace Lutheran Fellowship Hall/Classrooms:

• Painting Beatitudes Art Project with watercolors in Fellowship Hall (Kids & Adults are welcome and encouraged to join us) Kelsey Russell – Team Leader
• Tying quilts - Grace for Rakai: Team Leaders - Low Jackson & Jan Margotto
• Rolling Bandages for the Global Health/Hospice Kits: Leader- Scott Lien
• Assemble care packages for families with small children Hope 4 Youth: Team Leader - Jan Anderson
• Card making for families at Family Promise: Team Leader - Gayle Pacholl Create cards with stamps and other materials to send cheer and well wishes.

Hope 4 Youth Donations Needed

Hope 4 Youth now includes 50 young families. To help meet their needs we are asking for the following donations that can be placed in the container in the narthex marked HOPE 4 Youth. We plan to package bags of support on Sept. 18, God’s Work, Our Hands Day. The following items are needed: Diapers, Baby wipes, Baby powder/lotion, Story or coloring books, Crayons, Simple puzzles, New toys, Baby bottles, Pacifiers, Bibs, Baby body wash. Thank you for your generosity. If you have questions or would like to join our team, contact Jan Anderson at 763-712-7415 or jmanders79@gmail.com.

W.O.W. (Women on Wednesdays)

Please join us in our journey as we study God’s word and connect with other women each week in this fun-loving and encouraging environment!

WOW meets Wednesday mornings from 9:30am to 11:15am.

All are welcome! Please consider inviting family and friends, even those who are not members at Grace. WOW follows the Anoka-Hennepin SD 11 student schedule (ex. no school, no WOW). Childcare is provided for a small fee.

Family Table

Imagine coming home and finding no food to prepare dinner for your family. Imagine being alone and never having friends to share a meal with. Imagine how you would feel and what you would do. Family Table is an outreach program sponsored by several churches in the area including Grace. It is an opportunity for us to help our neighbors, if even for only one meal. On the 3^rd Sunday of each month, we are privileged to put together meals for our guests. As gas prices rise and inflation goes up, we see our numbers ticking up also. And for the first time since COVID, we have opened our doors so friends can grab their meal and share good conversation. If you are looking for a way to help, please check out the Sign Up Genius link. The calendar is posted thru December so you can do some planning. We know summer is a tough time, but imagine if you had no food on your table? Come help us help others! You are such an important part of our outreach programs! If you have questions, you can contact Lynda Wilde at lrwilde@comcast.net or call/text 612.418.6444.

According to a study by the Ramsey Solutions research team, 40% of Americans say their financial situation has caused them to lose sleep in the past month. If that’s you, it’s time to make a change. Take the first step and take back control of your finances by signing up.

Join the class at Grace Lutheran Church starting September 18, 2022 at 6:30pm. Sign up and start your 14-day free trial of Financial Peace at fpu.com/1152048.

Grace4Rakai Luncheon

The Grace4Rakai Ministry Team would like to invite EVERYONE to the Celebration Luncheon on Sunday September 25th after the 10:30am service in the Fellowship Hall. Everyone is invited – from ACT child sponsors to those who just want to know more about our wonderful Ministry Team and what we are doing in Rakai, Uganda.

This will be a time to gather as a church community to do 3 things:

• SHARE stories, pictures and updates of our outreach ministries in Rakai, Uganda
• CELEBRATE how God is doing “immeasurably more” in and thru us as a congregation at Grace Lutheran Church
• DREAM about future possibilities for African Children Today (ACT)

We will begin our Celebration Luncheon at 11:30am (after the 10:30 service concludes) in the Fellowship Hall where everyone is welcome. We will begin with a free pasta and dessert lunch followed by a time of sharing stories, pictures, celebrating the partnership with ACT and the Grace4Rakai Ministry Team and discuss opportunities and dreams for the future. The Team will provide the meal free of charge, so please simply come and enjoy the day of celebrating all the ways God’s Grace is stretching across the ocean from our faith community to the people in Uganda.

If you currently sponsor a child(ren) in Rakai, we welcome you to bring and share stories, letters and pictures of your sponsored child(ren) to the luncheon. If you have any questions regarding what our Ministry Team does or would like to sponsor a child yourself, please attend this luncheon – it is for you!

Contact Stacy Surratt at stacysurratt@yahoo.com or Scott Christensen at scottc@nuaire.com – Co-leaders of the Grace4Rakai Ministry Team – if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday September 25^th!

New Church Directory Coming Soon!

Mark your calendars and plan to have your family photo taken for our new Church Directory. Photography dates are October 27, 28 & 29 as well as November 17, 18 & 19. More information coming soon about how to set up your photography appointment. Thanks to Deb Stang and Deb Corey, who have agreed to be our Volunteer Directory Coordinators.

Feed My Starving Children

We have reserved space at FMSC on Saturday, November 5th from 9:00am-10:45am.  Please join us in this November Tradition of Grace Lutheran Church!  Click on the link below or call the office at 763-421-6520.

Calling all Youth! (And Adults!) 

Did you know that our nursery is up and running? We take care of little ones during worship in our fun and colorful nursery. So, if you are interested in working with little ones on Sunday mornings this is for you! We are currently looking for fun, energetic youth to be part of our Grace Nursery Crew! Our shifts are Sundays 8:30am – 9:45am and/or 10:15am – 11:45am. This is a paid position at $12.00/hour! If interested please see / contact Molly Schroeder (mollys@graceandover.org)

Noisy Offerings from September 1st to September 15th will be going towards our Pastor's Discretionary Fund. This fund is used for emergency rent, emergency housing, and other needs for our congregation and community. Noisy Offerings from Sept. 16th to 30th will be going to Tapestry Ministry.

Prayers of the Church

Please pray for: Judy Leibold, Cy Solberg, Fred Montei, Mavis Roeloff, Kelsey Lewis & her baby Leena Mae born prematurely, Doug Sand, Dick & Lu Henning, Jan Galvin, Gina Trousil, Phil Knutson, Marty Lukaszewski, Lois Vadner, Diane Rosky, Shannan Gautschi, Harland Johnson, Shirley Fystrom, Kathy Beckman, Jason Beckman, Alison Husak, Juleen Klawiter, Carroll Potter, Clint Trousil, John Malecha, Stephanie and Samantha Fernandez, Julie Swedberg, Charlotte Montei, Linda Christiansen, Judi Wold, and Colleen Wernimont

We pray especially for Donna & John Druley upon the tragic death of their daughter, Elizabeth.

October Grace Notes Article Deadline

If you would like to have an article in the October Grace Notes (in homes the weekend of the 1st) please have your article in Word format into Marie Kolar at mariek@graceandover.org by 5pm, Wednesday, Sept. 21st.