Interim Grace Notes for March 25, 2022

Bridge of Hope Needs Volunteers

LIFT Board Member Traci Zoller is taking the lead in keeping LIFT's Bridge of Hope food bank operational since the compensated coordinator stepped down. We received the following email message from Traci:

Since the Bridge of Hope coordinator stepped down LIFT has been utilizing volunteers to keep the current hours. Currently the Bridge of Hope food bank is open on Mondays 5pm-6:30pm and Thursdays 10am-11:30am.

Volunteers show up 15-30 minutes early to set up, and stay a little later to put the food up. Lately there has only been one volunteer serving in the food bank on both days of the week. This volunteer has plans to go out of town for a while starting Tuesday, March 29th. In order for Lift to keep the food bank hours the same and open in general, we need at least eight new volunteers to sign up for one shift a month.

This is a ministry that has grown a lot in the last year and one that is vital to serving the community of Fremont. I am asking you to consider giving your time to serve at least once a month either on Monday nights or Thursday mornings. If we do not find enough volunteers the food bank hours and times may be subject to change which will gravely impact the ministry and those it serves.

Lift is looking to hire a new coordinator but in the meantime we need your help. I have attached a volunteer training sheet so that anyone wanting to serve will know all the responsibilities.

The "attached volunteer training sheet" that Traci mentioned above can be viewed HERE.

Our MIdweek Lenten Series: Continuing in the Covenant of our Baptism

The third of five midweek Lenten worship services featuring the musical setting Holden Evening Prayer and focusing on the five promises that we make in the Affirmation of Baptism service was held Wednesday at 6:30 pm. Our schedule and themes for the remaining services is:

• March 30 - To serve all people, following the example of Jesus
• April 6 - To strive for justice and peace in all the earth

Maureen and Pastor Henry will bring the messages for these last two services. Also, a reminder of the other Wednesday opportunities for observing Lent at Grace which include:

• Fellowship supper in the dining room at 5:30 pm
• Prayer service with Holy Communion at noon

Updates from Pastor Lanny and her Sister in Ukraine

• March 22 - Please don't forget Ukraine
• March 22 - Day 27 of the Invasion
• March 23 - Day 28 of the Invasion -- A message from "AH-Nuld".
• March 23 - Day 29 of the Invasion
• March 23 - A new lamb on the farm doing a "happy dance!"
• March 24 - "From my sister in Ukraine."

April Newsletter

Hardcopy of the April issue of Grace and Truth will arrive in your mailbox shortly. The online version was linked in today's issue of Just Three Things, and can also be viewed HERE.

Stewardship Team Submits First Story

For the past several months I have been reporting on the Stewardship Team's participation in a "Storytelling and Communications'' Track sponsored by GSB Fundraising, the firm that is collaborating with NWOS to provide insight and training to improve congregational stewardship. In our January Zoom session, our leader, Mitzi, taught us how to evaluate our communications, with the focus on improving our "deposits'' as opposed to "withdrawals". In our February Zoom, Mitzi taught us how to interview congregation members to learn how their association with Grace has changed their lives. Then she directed us how to organize and write a story based on this interview.

Beth Muffler agreed to be the first person that we (I) interviewed to hear her story. Using Mitzi's guidelines and prompts, I wrote this story about Beth. I have included Mitzi's prompts, so you can see how the story was constructed. We will add a picture of Beth at the top, and publish this story in a dedicated email and in the May Grace and Truth. The goal will be to write one story each month, so we need members willing to share their story. And if you'd prefer to be an interviewer and story writer, we will need those, as well. How about you?

Mitzi says that if we publish these stories, we will greatly increase the level of our "deposits."

Osterholm Update

Dr. Michael Osterholm, founder and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, continues to deliver solid scientific analysis of the Covid-19 pandemic in his weekly podcasts. The latest episode, posted on Thursday, March 24, is entitled "A Familiar Uncertainty." In this episode, Dr. Osterholm and host Chris Dall discuss the state of the pandemic in the US, Europe, and the Western Pacific region; vaccines in children under the age of 5; and the new data on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. You can listen to or download this episode HERE.

Interim Grace Notes for March 18, 2022

Call Committee Update

I received the following Call Committee Update from Committee chair Kristen Lindsay:

Greetings from the Call Committee! To begin, I'd like to ask you to reflect on this prayer that we recited as part of a devotion at our last meeting:

Gracious accompanying God, the One in whom we live and move and have our being, give us a vision of the times of our lives, the new situations in which we live out our faith in Jesus. May we ask anew what it means to be the Church in our time, in our place. And as we work to call a new pastor to our congregations, may we welcome - according to your spirit - the one you are sending to us to lead us into the new days ahead. Amen.

All in God's time. It's often difficult for many of us to "put on our patient pants" and pray and wait for an outcome. Especially when the outcome is so important. Rest assured that we all have a part to play in the preparation for this next chapter in the life of our faith community. As the Call Committee has met, explored our role, and charted out our first-round candidate questions, we have had great conversations and reviewed your comments / suggestions that were collected via survey - and in-person at the cottage meetings held last year - and reflected in the Ministry Site Profile. As you may recall, the Ministry Site Profile is like a reverse job description. It provides a detailed description of our congregation and our community. A small announcement about our search for a Senior Pastor is posted on the ELCA website for potential candidates to see. It is live and viewable right this second for potential candidates to ponder a potential match with our congregation. Their next step would be to contact the synod level Call Process Facilitator to express interest in us. Our next synod recommended step is to host a practice candidate Zoom interview. And that step is scheduled for Thursday, March 24, 2022. Whenever a candidate presents him - or her - self, the committee is ready to rock and roll!

In addition to the Call Committee members' role, you also have a critical part to play. We need your prayers to help lift up the committee's efforts, and propel us toward a positive conclusion. We also want to encourage you to ask questions if you are curious. Find any one of us and we'll update you on progress. When we are matched with a pastoral candidate to interview, of course we will need to practice confidentiality. Keep in mind they may still be shepherding another faith community as they prepare for their potential transition. But we can certainly answer process questions and assure you that things are moving in the right direction.

So please continue to pray. Pray for the candidate that could - this very moment - be discerning a change in their life trajectory. Pray for our committee as we dedicate time and effort to this valuable process. And pray for each other as we continue forward as a congregation focused on growing in faith and sharing the light of Christ.

Thank you!

Kristen will bring a personal greeting and update to the 10:00 service this weekend. Maureen will do this on Saturday, and Ed at 7:45.

Our Midweek Lenten Series: Continuing in the Covenant of our Baptism

The second of five midweek Lenten worship services featuring the musical setting Holden Evening Prayer and focusing on the the five promises that we make in the Affirmation of Baptism service was held Wednesday at 6:30 pm. The focus for the first service was the promise "To hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper." Those attending the service were given post-it notes and Sharpies to write down a word, phrase, or picture which expressed what this looks like in each of their lives. These notes were then collected by the ushers (our confirmation yout) and posted on an easel at the front of the worship are. Our schedule and themes for the remaining services is:

• March 23 - To proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed
• March 30 - To serve all people, following the example of Jesus
• April 6 - To strive for justice and peace in all the earth

Also, a reminder of the other Wednesday opportunities for observing Lent at Grace which include:

• Fellowship supper in the dining room at 5:30 pm
• Prayer service with Holy Communion at noon

Updates from Pastor Lanny

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I have mentioned Pastor Lanny Westphal, one of my interim ministry colleagues based in Wisconsin and his sister, Diane. She has been living in Ukraine and teaching in an international school since 2014. She is now married to a Ukrainian, Yurii, and they live together on a farm outside of Kyiv. Lanny has shared several of her public posts on Facebook. You can view and read them HERE and HERE and HERE. A post with photos of war damage from the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine can be viewed HERE.

Care Center Visits

I visited Grace members at Valley View on Wednesday. They are all doing reasonably well, including Amy L., who is there for rehab following knee surgery. Husband Gus was there with her, so was good to see him again and offer Holy Communion.

Dramatic Readings for Good Friday Planned

Our Good Friday observance will include Good Friday Worship beginning at 6:30 pm. This service will feature a dramatic reading of The Passion of Our Lord according to John, utilizing three readers. The service will also include a sermon, the Bidding Prayer, and at the close of the service the Procession of the Cross and The Solemn Reproaches.

Kent Watkins has volunteered to do a dramatic reading that he adapted from the novel Ben-Hur by Lew Wallace, which describes the crucifixion of our Lord (remember the scene from the movie?). Our tentative plan is to record this dramatic monologue, upload it to Facebook, and schedule it to go live at noon on Good Friday, available on demand after that. Thanks, Kent, for your willingness to share your dramatic gifts!

Seeds Monthly

Seeds Monthly is published by the ELCA as a resource for congregations. The current issue can be found HERE.

ELCA Worship News

ELCA Worship News is published monthly. The current issue is available HERE.

Osterholm Update

Dr. Michael Osterholm, founder and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, continues to deliver solid scientific analysis of the Covid-19 pandemic in his weekly podcasts. The latest episode, posted on Thursday, March 17, is entitled "Expect the Unexpected" In this episode, Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss the rise in cases in Europe and the Western Pacific Region and what that could mean for the United States. Dr. Osterholm also provides insight on the COVID situation in Ukraine and answers a COVID query on if and when a fourth dose of vaccine will be needed. You can listen to or download this episode HERE.

Intgerim Grace Notes for March 11, 2022

Update from Pastor Lanny

In last week's Update I mentioned Pastor Lanny Westphal, one of my interim ministry colleagues based in Wisconsin. His sister, Diane, has been teaching in an international school living on a farm outside of Kyiv, Ukraine since 2014, and is now married to Ukrainian Yurii. Lanny has shared several of her public posts on Facebook:

March 9

This has been a long day. We heard how Yurii’s sister and nephew had to be evacuated from Irpin on a bus with bullets flying around, then to sleep on the floor of the subway wagon with no cushions, no privacy and no fresh air. There were just so many to be evacuated that there were not enough supplies and space. I am so glad we can offer them our home, but I worry that our area could be a target soon. Please don’t not forget Ukraine and do what you can for a very peaceful people. Our tiny lamb did not make it through the night, and the mama had trouble giving milk today to the bigger one. I massaged her udders forever and I think some milk is coming now. Yurii went to a sheep farm and got raw milk. But there are no bottles in the stores so I used a syringe to feed the darling. It has been a day!

March 10

Good news first. Lyosha and Nastya are safely in Frankfurt with family. They got there last night. Baby sheep survived the night and after a morning udder massage and hot towels, mama sheep gave milk from both teats! We are hopeful now. Yurii’s sister and nephew continue to regain their health and composure after Russia invaded their city and they evacuated with nothing. Bad news. Russia is still invading Ukraine and people are losing their lives and their homes. Last night they bombed a maternity and children’s hospital in a city already under siege. Please take some time today to do something to help Ukraine. Together we will end this war.

Our MIdweek Lenten Series: Continuing in the Covenant of our Baptism

The first of five midweek Lenten worship services featuring the musical setting Holden Evening Prayer and focusing on the the five promises that we make in the Affirmation of Baptism service was held Wednesday at 6:30 pm. The focus for the first service was the promise "To live among God's faithful people." Those attending the service were given post-it notes and Sharpies to write down a word, phrase, or picture which expressed what this looks like in each of their lives. These notes were then collected by the ushers (our confirmation yout) and posted on an easel at the front of the worship are. A photo of the collected responses cam be viewed HERE There were about 45 persons in attendance at the service. Our schedule and themes for the remaining services is:

• March 16 - To hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper
• March 23 - To proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed
• March 30 - To serve all people, following the example of Jesus
• April 6 - To strive for justice and peace in all the earth

Also, a reminder of the other Wednesday opportunities for observing Lent at Grace which include:

• Fellowship supper in the dining room at 5:30 pm
• Prayer service with Holy Communion at noon

Stewardship Team Zoom

The Stewardship Team met on Tuesday afternoon at 1, starting out by a Zoom consultation with Mitzi, the GSB Fundraising associate who has been leading the Communications and Storytelling Track that our team has been participating in. Mitzi gave us helpful feedback regarding our newsletter, including ways that we can improve what Mitzi call "deposits" as opposed to "withdrawals." A big way that we can increase deposits is for us to write and publish "impact" stories from congregation members. Our February 28 session with Mitzi focused on how to interview members and write their stories. This is our assignment for the rest of this month, before our next Zoom session with Mitzi on March 28.

Boundaries Training

Every three years, ELCA rostered leaders are expected to participate in what's called Boundaries Training. These trainings have become common in recent years, as denominations take to heart the age-old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Boundaries establish limits. One of the great dangers facing pastors and congregations is that the role of pastor can be without limits. In an unhealthy congregation there are few boundaries between pastor and church. The pastor's identity may be completely tied up with the congregation, and the congregation may feel that it has complete control over the pastor's time and life. Boundaries are especially important with regard to what many pastors identify as their one of their most important concerns -- their families.

Other boundaries include when a pastor should or shouldn't accept invitations to officiate for pastoral events in congregations where they are no longer the called pastor. The rise of social media in recent years creates an entirely different set of boundaries that leaders need to recognize and observe. Pastors are encouraged and expected to practice diligent boundary keeping, and attend synod sponsored workshops that help them to identify the large number of areas where boundary keeping is essential.

I attended a synod sponsored Zoom based boundaries workshop on Thursday from 9:30 am - 2:00 pm.

Synod Interim Pastors

Thursday was a very Zoomy day, because after attending the Synod Boundaries Traing from 9:30 - 2, I then joined the Zoom for Synod Transitional Leaders from 3:30 - 4:30 pm. There are 15-20 persons who usually attend this meeting, representing the many congregations in the synod which are in transition between called leaders. We welcomed a new member to the group, Pastor Jeff, who is serving as interim in a Toledo congregation. Pastor Jeff has come to us via the Episcopal Church, one of the several denominations that we have full fellowship with, which means we can regularly exchange pastors and commune in each other's congregations. You can learn more what full communion means and the denominations we have this relationship with HERE.

Osterholm Update

Dr. Michael Osterholm, founder and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, continues to deliver solid scientific analysis of the Covid-19 pandemic in his weekly podcasts. The latest episode, posted on Thursday, March 10, is entitled "The Next Normal" In this episode, Dr. Osterholm discusses the Roadmap for Living with COVID-19 and what our next normal could look like, the state of the pandemic in China, the United States, and around the world, and ways that immunocompromised people can protect themselves in indoor settings. You can listen to or download this episode HERE.

Interim Grace Notes for March 4, 2022

Stewardship Team Learns How to Write CAGA Stories

The Stewardship Team, which has been participating since January in GSB Fundraising's "Storytelling and Communications" learning track, attended their February meeting this past Monday afternoon via Zoom.

While last month our focus was on how to improve our printed and online communications, this month we began to learn how to interview members for writing what our leader, Mitzi, calls CAGA stories (Change, Agent of Change, Gift, Ask). The purpose of writing this kind of story is to increase what Mitzi called "deposits" as opposed to "withdrawals." Mitzi observes that too often congregations focus on "withdrawals" in the form of asking for contributions, often with hints of desperation, without including "deposits," which are communications which communicate the value that the organization provides for its members/associates.

Mitzi pointed out that too often, congregations, when interviewing and writing stories about members, provide what's called a "resume" story, which enumerates the many activities in which the member has participated in the congregation's life and perhaps their accomplishments in their lives outside the congregation. The purpose of a CAGA story is to tell how the organzation has been an "agent of change" in the congregation member's life.

So Mitzi encouraged us to ask and listen for that change, and how the congregation contributed to that change, whether it was a person (pastor or other member), program (e.g. SLAM), or a system of activities and relationship building in the congregation. Question to get at the Agent of Change might include "What made you come and stay here," or "What are the things that are different for you now."

Our homework for this month (until our next Zoom on March 28) is to write several stories using the guidelines provided by Mitzi. If you feel you have a story to share, or know of someone who may, let us know! Thanks!

Ash Wednesday and Lent

Our Ash Wednesday observance got underway at noon with a prayer service with ashes and Holy Communion at Grace, and LIFT leaders providing drive through ashes at Hayes United Methodist Church from noon to 5:00 pm. Pastor Matt and I did the first hour, Maureen did the second, Pastor Paul did the third, Mary Carmed did the fourth, and Pastor Josh did the fifth hour. Although not backed up like Wendy's drive through at noon, there was a steady stream of vehicles -- I'm going to guess 25-30 cars altogether, with many cars having more than one occupant. So I'd say we had a productive and meaningful Ash Wednesday and beginning to our Lenten observance.

We had about 35 for our reconvened Wednesday night supper on Ash Wednesday, and don't know the exact numbers but at least 75 for Ash Wednesday worship at 6:30.

Lent continues with mid-week worship for the next five Wednesdays, with prayer service at noon, supper at 5:30, and worship at 6:30 using Holden Evening Prayer. I posted last week regarding our midweek theme and schedule, which you can view HERE.

Mission and Vision 101 with Jennie Wolf Smith

About 35 leaders and members of Northwestern Ohio Synod congregation, including four from Grace, joined a Zoom meeting on Thursday night led by GSB Fundraising consultant Jennie Wolf Smith to discuss the basics of MIssion and Vision for our congregations. Here are some bullet points of what we learned:

• Mission Planning clarifies congregational mission ministry efforts through
  • Identity. As a congregation we must know who we are and what we value.
  • Action. Once we know our identity, we can map out where we're going
• Vision answers the following questions:
  • Whare are you heading?
  • What's the destination?
  • What kind of world are you working to create?
• Mission is the method or means by which you'll work to reach your vision
• Goals and Objectives are the specific stps you plan to take to make progress along the way
• Good Mission Planning facilitates better Stewardship, as leaders and congregation are united in how to allocate congregational resources
• A good Mission Statement
  • Tells what we do, not who we are
  • Is short, simple and memorable
  • Integrate with everything the congregation does

Grace's Mission Statement is to “Present the Light of Christ." We were encouraged to ask the following questions regarding our statement:

• Does this sound like us?
• What does it mean?
• How might visitors recognize this in us?

I know that Grace did a thorough Mission Planning document in 2015. It may be helpful to also take another look at this document with possible updates and revisions.

Pastor Lanny's Sister in Ukraine

I know that we have all been following the horrible news out of Ukraine with the Russian invasion and continued brutal assault on this nation's people. I have been receiving updates and information from one of my interim ministry colleagues, Pr. Lanny Westphal, whose home base is in Wisconsin. His sister, Diane, went to Ukraine in 2014 to teach in an international school. While there she met and married a Ukrainian man, and now lives a few miles outside of Kiev. Lanny reports that they are still OK, and don't plan to leave. Pr. Lanny linked a story from the Concordia Language Village (adult program of Concordia Moorhead, MN) regarding Diane and her husband Yurii. You can read that story HERE.

Confirmation Update

The Confirmation program has been busy lately, meeting last Sunday, and again this Sunday, due to scheduling issues with the LIFT Board, which meets during the same time frame. Last week, Heather presented a lesson on the the structure of our congregations, our synod, and our ELCA. This weekend, I will lead one of two sessions on the Lord's Prayer. We are on course to a service of Confirmation at Grace on Pentecost, June 5, 2022.

Latest Osterholm Update

Dr. Michael Osterholm, founder and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, continues to deliver solid scientific analysis of the Covid-19 pandemic in his weekly podcasts. The latest episode, posted on Thursday, March 3, is entitled "What the Word Needs." In this episode, Dr. Osterholm discusses the new CDC guidance, provides an update on the trajectory of the pandemic nationally and internationally, discusses new data on vaccine efficacy in 5- to 11-year-olds, examines new research on the origins of SARS-CoV-2, and answers a COVID Query about Ukraine. You can listen to or download this episode HERE.