Stewardship Team Learns Editing
On Monday afternoon the Stewardship Team joined the third of five monthly Zoom meetings led by Mitzie from GSB Fundraising, who is teaching us how to write and edit members' stories that describe how our congregation has made a difference in their lives. The focus of the latest session was on editing for clarity and effectiveness. Our goal is to publish one story per month via email, newsletter, and Facebook. Do you have a story to tell of how Grace has made a difference in your life? Let us know! We'd love for you to tell us your story!
Bridge of Hope Update
Last week I posted a message from Traci Zoller regarding the volunteer help that is needed at Bridge of Hope. This week she sent an update, copied below:
Hello to all and Happy Monday!!
I just wanted to share a quick note and link to the sign up genius Pastor Paul had previously shared. I will be out of town beginning March 31st and will also be returning to work when I return so if no one signs up to cover these hours, I'm worried the BoH food pantry will not be open. I also wanted to make an easy "cheat sheet" for the basics of helping with the BoH Food Pantry. There are other emails and a paper copy with further details but for the simplicity of knowing what is involved in volunteering, I thought I would share what I know. The pantry is open on Mondays from 5-6:30 pm and Thursdays from 10-11:30 am.
Basically what I do is:
- Arrive between 15-30 minutes before opening
- Go to the kitchen and get a wheeled cart. Check shelves inside the doors to see if there are new food donations.
- Get the key from the office.
- Unlock the pantry and look over items on the shelf to see what is needed. Put more perishable items from storage bins onto the shelves. Refill from the cabinets as supplies are available.
- Put out the sign-in sheet and flip on the lights. It's that simple!!!! When you are done, return items to storage bins and close up shop.
Most people have been there before and know how to sign in. If they haven't or it's been over a year, there is a notebook with blank forms for them to sign back up. Also in the notebook there are more in depth instructions as to all of the details but I wanted to share the basics. Pastor Joshua suggested that perhaps each church could sign up to cover the pantry one week each month and between the LIFT churches, we could cover the open hours. It is a commitment of approximately 5 hours per week. If you have any further questions, feel free to email or call me at 419-355-4223 and if I don't have the answers, I will find out!
Also, as far as I know, they are still looking to hire someone to take over Ashley's previous position. This would entail keeping records, turning in receipts, and getting supplies from different sources. If you are interested in that position, please contact Pastor Joshua by calling Hayes United Methodist Church @ 419-334-2605.
Attached is the sign up link or let me know when you could help out and we will try to put together a schedule. Sign Up Link
Thank you for your consideration!!! This is definitely one way to Serve and Reach Out to our Community!!!
In last week's email, Traci linked to the Bridge of Hope Volunteer Guide, which you can view HERE.
LIFT Notes
You can read the latest issue of LIFT Notes HERE.
2024 ELCA Youth Gathering
The host city for the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering has been announced. Clue: The Gathering was held in this city in 1997, 2009, and 2012. To find out the name of where Grace youth will be going in July 2024, go HERE.
Bishop Daniel's Weekly Email message
Dear Friends in Christ,
“How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?” (Psalm 89:46a).
Psalm 89 brings to a close Book III of the Psalms. It is a royal psalm that begins and ends in praise. In the middle of Psalm 89 there is both a deep resolve to affirm the promises of God and a deep cry to affirm the seemingly absence of God. Affirmation and absence are part of the human condition. And while it is easy to affirm the presence of God in moments of joy and celebration, how do we account for the seemingly silence of God? How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?”
Where is God as war rages among the people of Ukraine? Where is God in the world’s mounting refugee crisis? Where is God when a friend’s routine gallbladder surgery turns up Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer? Where is God when the world grows dark and silent as Jesus the Messiah lingers unto death on a cross?
If I was preaching a sermon, I would answer those questions with the promise of resurrection, new life, and new creation. I have always believed that God makes all things new, and I still do.
But I also think there is some wisdom in lingering with the questions of God’s silence. In lingering in places that offer no easy and trite answers. In lingering with Jesus on the cross. So, let’s just leave it there for now. As we continue to linger a bit longer in this Season of Lent.
LOMO News
In her message for our Lenten Worship on Wednesday, Maureen recounted the experience of Pastor Joel washing the feet of the confirmation youth during a retreat at Camp Mowana. This brought memories of many retreats that I attended with my youth from St. Peter Norwalk. I'm guessing that you know this, but ICYMI, in 2019 Camp Mowana was sold and became a public preserve, owned and managed by the Richland County Park District. With declining numbers of children and youth attending summer camp and retreats, Lutheran Outdoor Ministries in Ohio (LOMO) now only owns and operates two camps: LMC (Lutheran Memorial Camp), about 45 minutes north of Columbus, and Camp Luther, on Lake Erie near Conneaut, Ohio. LMC is LOMO's youth and children's program center, and Luther primarily hosts family camp. LOMO also operates Outreach, which brings summer camp to your church for a week-long day camp utilizing LOMO camp staff. LOMO publishes a monthly e-newsletter. You can read the April issue **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 24, is entitled "This Virus Isn't Done With Us." In this episode, Dr. Osterholm assesses the state of the pandemic in the US and around the world, provides insight on the new FDA guidelines on fourth doses and monoclonal antibodies, and answers a COVID query about cases and deaths in Africa. You can listen to or download this episode HERE.
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