Interim Grace Notes for July 8, 2022

VBS Set to Go on Monday

Our LIFT VBS is ready to go beginning Monday evening, 6:00 - 7:30 pm, and continuing every evening through Thursday, concluding with Thursday evening worship. VBS will be at St. John's this year, and we're thankful to Heather and Sue Lawrence for spending lots of time in preparation and planning. You can register a child or yourself to volunteer HERE.

LIFT Zoom to Plan for July 25 Visioning and Planning Meeting

On Wednesday, I joined a Zoom meeting with LIFT Leaders along with Deacon Sherry Krieger, Pr. Sarah Schaag, and Cala Gilson from synod staff to gather input for planning a visioning and planning meeting for LIFT on Monday, July 25, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at St. John's. This meeeting is for anyone and everyone from all our LIFT congregations, especially Council members and staff who want to see LIFT move forward with creative vision of being church to together.

LIFT Backpack Planning Meeting on Sunday at Noon

LIFT is embarking on a new ministry called "Backpack Buddies." Pastor Paul explained the program in a May 26 email to LIFT Board and Leaders:

We were approached about a service opportunity in partnership with local schools that really falls into what we were talking about at our last meeting in terms of outreach in the community. One of the school social workers asked LIFT to provide a weekly backpack program at Lutz Elementary. Currently Victory Church partners with Croghan Elementary and the Alliance Church does the program at Otis. It involves sending a backpack home every other weekend with some healthy snacks and food that kids can prepare on their own. School staff identifies 10-15 students with food insecurity issues at home. We would provide backpacks and food, assemble them and deliver them to the school. School staff would distribute them to students.

I think this is a very doable project that folks in our congregations could rally behind. It addresses several of our Mission Priorities (Hearing the needs, Present in the community) and is something hands-on that people could get involved with. Right now, there is $700 in the LIFT Away Hunger account and $569 in undesignated Thrivent Choice funds. If we get a $250 Thrivent Action grant, that would give us a good start before asking congregation members for in-kind donations.

The ELCA has a document about starting these backpack programs that has some helpful information. I'm attaching it HERE.

After many affirmative responses from LIFT members and associates, we have forged ahead on this project, with Pastor Paul taking the lead in getting us organized. If you would like to help with the planning of this program, we will have an organizational meeting this Sunday, July 10, at 12 noon at St. Mark.

A New Picture Church Directory?

Picture church directories have long been a staple of congregational life. Most of the congregations I have served have published one or more directories during my tenure as their pastor, and also provide a literal pictorial snapshot of the congregation when created.

Problem is, they quickly become dated. The last directory created at Grace was in 2014. Even though faces have changed, it has still been a helpful tool for me to learn names and faces. Another problem, Church Directory companies are less willing to provide significant photo times without a large membership to photograph and sell portraits. I learned this at St. John's Bellevue, when a directory company was willing to come and photograph on two evenings during the week. Our solution at St. John's was to have a professional photographer who is a member of the congregation to do our photography. We were then able to put the directory online, and upload photos to our management software database.

I think that Grace is due for a new directory -- it would certainly be a gift for your new pastor in learning names and faces. Perhaps something you can discuss at Monday's council meeting.

Will Be Late for Council on Monday

I'm directly involved with leadership at VBS this year (I'm leading the Bible Story skits at the beginning), so won't be able to attend Executive, and will miss the first part of Council. I'll join you as soon as I'm done at VBS.

ELCA Global Links

You can read the latest on ELCA Global Mission activities HERE.