Interim Grace Notes for February 24, 2023

A Good Week of Continuing Education

My week of Recreation and Revelation went well. The "Recreation" part meant four days on the slopes of Winter Park ski area, ascending to 11,200 feet from the base level of 9,000'. I spent three of the four days skiing with Steve Delzer, my bishop during my 2015 interim in Minnesota in the Southeastern Minnesota Synod.

The "Revelation" part involved four presentations each by Drs. Ryan Bonfiglio and Kelly Sherman-Conroy. Dr. Ryan provided solid teaching on Sabbath "as divine gift—a disruptive and daring invitation to experiment with meaningful play, restorative rest, sensual holiness, communal feasting, and social justice." If you want to take a look at some of the concepts Dr. Ryan shared, take a look at his PowerPoint, which you can view HERE.

Dr. Kelly brought a Native American perspective to her presentations, as she is a proud member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. These are the native people who inhabited the land homesteaded by great-grandparents in Eastern South Dakota. She led us in a Native "Smudging Ceremony" using sage, and became the Confession and Forgiveness for our Thursday worship. You can read more about Kelly HERE.

A Close Encounter with Covid-19

By Friday evening's plane ride home, I was beginning to feel not so good. I awoke on Saturday feeling worse, but, nevertheless, drove to Fremont to conduct the Saturday service, which I did with great difficulty. When I got home after the service, I took a Covid rapid-test, which came back positive. Maureen filled in for me on Sunday morning, and also for Ash Wednesday. Mary Carmen took my noon-1pm shift for drive-through ashes.

My Primary-Care physician wrote me a prescription for Paxlovid, the series of drugs that helps relieve Covid-19 symptoms. It is taken twice a day for five days. I'll finish my course on Saturday morning.

Current CDC Recommendations when testing positive for Covid-19 include:

• Stay home for 5 days from symptom onset and isolate from others in your home.
• End home-isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications
• Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public.

I plan to conduct worship on Saturday, February 25, and be available to preach on Sunday, February 26. I will wear an N-95 mask, and not otherwise interact with others during worship.

Meeting with Jennie Wolf Smith on Tuesday, February 21

After arranging a meeting with Jennie Wolf Smith to help provide Grace direction with their recent bequest, I had to sit it out with my positive Covid-19 test. I received the following message from Jennie, who reported on the meeting:

A quick note to say the conversation at Grace went well yesterday. You'll see an email coming through soon to connect Grace with Sonja Markwart, the ELCA regional gift planner for NW Ohio. I think Sonja will be a good resource for considering the appropriate vehicle(s) to park the bequest funds for short and long term. I strongly encouraged the group to establish a gift acceptance policy for future gifts so such decisions are already made. Sonja will be helpful in this regard, too.

I also offered to Al that Sonja would be able to review the Endowment and Memorial policies and suggest tune-ups to help both run effectively.

The group was very open to Stewardship for All Seasons. I should have starting dates ready to share with you at the beginning of March.

And I offered to put together a proposal for a new strategic planning process. The question of how to use this gift to strengthen the ministry and congregation of Grace will take some intentional time to unearth. The group agreed this is the right next step. I'll aim to have that proposal to you in the coming days.

I have made an email connection with Sonja. She says she is traveling in the area March 6-7, so we are arranging a phone call to discuss details. I'll keep you informed about that.

As promised, Jennie sent a proposal from GSB for Grace to create a strategic plan. I will forward this to Executive Committee, and if anyone else wants to see it, let me know and I'll send it over.

Midweek Lent Series "Amazing Grace" Begins Wednesday

Join us for our Amazing Grace Lenten series based on the beloved song that celebrates its 250th anniversary this year. In this week’s service, we will see God’s amazing grace at work in the life of the prophet Isaiah, who proclaimed to God’s people the salvation that was to come through the Suffering Servant. Our call in Lent is to speak that same message of salvation found in the suffering and death of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. Supper is served beginning at 5:30 pm, and worship begins at 6:30 pm.

Interim Grace Notes for February 10, 2023

Congregation Picture Directory Update

We are making progress on the directory. This past week, Heather cropped all the portraits that Dave took of us last fall, as well as the ones that have been submitted. Cropping ensures that we see more of the beautiful faces, and less of the blah background. I met with Linda and we discussed the options that are available to us to put this directory together in a way that it can easily be created and distributed, both in hard copy format in a book, and digitally online in pdf format. Stay tuned, be patient, we'll get it done, we promise!

Backpack Buddies Update

This week we received this message from Pr. Paul about LIFT's Backpack Buddies program:

Backpack Buddies: Thank you for your generosity! The support of this new ministry was overwhelming. Our team has menus and inventory prepared through the end of the school year for our weekend hunger project with Lutz Elementary. No more in-kind food donations are needed until the Fall. See you in August! In the meantime, please consider donating to other important ministries, including Bridge of Hope. Thank you!

Bishop Daniel's February 7, 2023 Email

Be sure to read Bishop Daniel's latest email, in which he shares a beautiful story written by Pr. Sarah Schaaf, on synod staff as Director of Community Engagement, of her dear grandmother, followed by a Jesus story centered on Mary and Elizabeth. The email is an introduction to our synod's theme for 2023: "The Year of Story." Bishop Daniel identifies three objectives to this year's theme:

1. To help you experience the connection between God’s story and our stories.
2. To help you become aware of the Holy Spirit at work in your life.
3. To help you learn and share the Jesus story.

You can read the rest of Bishop Daniel's email HERE.

Fremont Native Co-Chairs Ecumenical Talks

Rev. Patricia Lull, a Fremont native and daughter of St. John's Lutheran, and currently Bishop of the St. Paul Synod of the ELCA, is co-chair of the 13th round of ecumenical talks between the ELCA and the Roman Catholic Church. Round 13 will be dedicated to a "mutual exploration and learning about holy orders/office of ministry as understood in the Catholic and (ELCA) Lutheran traditions, with special attention to the distinctive role of episcope in each tradition." It is good for us to know that our church, the ELCA, "is committed to visible unity among Christians as well as mutual understanding and cooperation for the common good between Christians and people of other religions and worldviews." You can read more about what our ELCA is currently doing ecumenically HERE

LIFT Leaders Met Wednesday

LIFT Leaders met for their First Wednesday meeting this week. One of the issues we are addressing is the communication piece, which is always a challenge, because even when we do our best to communicate, many still don't get the message. Pastor Paul put together a schedule grid listing all the activities from all the LIFT congregations, and also posted a 4-minute video to the LIFT Facebook Page. He also put together a "monthly" LIFT newsletter, which you can view HERE. You can also read the latest issue of weekly LIFT Notes HERE. We also shared our plans for Lent, and reviewed our plan to distribute drive-thru ashes on Ash Wednesday from noon until 5pm in the Grace west parking lot.

Zion Huron Saying Goodbye to Pastor Kris

Pastor Kristine Schroeder, who has been pastor at Zion Huron since 2018, will preach her final sermon this Sunday. Pastor Kris was called to Zion at the same time her husband, Bill, was called as pastor to St. Paul's in Sandusky, a congregation which has recently closed. This adds another congregation in our Eastern Conference which is or will be in the call process. Here are the congregations in process:

Interviewing
Grace, Fremont (Mary Satterfield, Call Facilitator)
St. John, Bellevue (Mary Boals, Call Facilitator)
Trinity, Sandusky

In Transition Process and Study
Zion, Sandusky
Zion, Huron

Synod Transitional Leaders Meet

Synod Transitional Leaders meet monthly via Zoom -- since there are many congregations in our synod in transition, and since the meeting also includes some Call Process Facilitators, this Zoom gets rather large. We had 18 in attendance at this month's meeting this past Thursday.

Bishop Daniel's February 7, 2023 Email

Dear Friends in Christ, “And Mary sang, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,’ (Luke 1:46-48)

We encourage you to download, gather with a group of friends, and experience our newly released Bible Study on the Story of Jesus. We have 3 objectives in mind for 2023 the Year of Story:   To help you experience the connection between God’s story and our stories. To help you become aware of the Holy Spirit at work in your life.   To help you learn and share the Jesus story.   In the opening reflection entitled, Someone to Sing To, Pastor Sarah Schaaf shares a story of her dear grandmother, followed by a Jesus story centered on Mary and Elizabeth. “Beep, Beep, Beep. The school bus would back into our lane. I was the last stop on the winding bus route that led up into the hills of West Virginia. Ksssss. The bus door would release and set me free, but I would never go home. It was as if my feet had a mind of their own. I would come to the gravel crossroad between our family’s houses, and I would say to myself, "Just go home Sarah”, but I never did. I instead would turn and walk up the hill to my grandmother’s house. I never knocked on the door. She knew I was coming. She had heard the  bus in the lane and was already in the kitchen, her head buried in the refrigerator. I would open the door and hear her call out to me, “Maria”. (My grandmother was the only one who called me Maria. My middle name is Marie.) Soon there would be something to eat on her small kitchen table and my grandmother would take her place across from me. “How was your day?” she would ask. Out it would pour. All of it: the sagas of the day, the laughs, the complicated relationships, the joys, the fears, the questions about who I was and who I was becoming and what I should do next. Before long the bus would reappear in our lane beeping. Then my brother and cousins would make their way to my grandmother’s table until we were all crammed around it, but for a while I had her all to myself. And with that the blessing of learning how to give voice to my story, in the presence of someone who loved me.   Years later, we would discover that we had all been calling our grandmother on our drives home. At different hours, from different states, after doing very different work, we would get into our cars and instinctively dial her number to tell her about our day. She would always answer as if she had been expecting the call. “I knew it was you” she would say. And with that blessing, our stories would pour out”.   In the Magnificat, Mary doesn’t sing for the angel Gabriel, or Joseph her betrothed, or her friends and family in Nazareth. Mary goes, “with haste” to the Judean hill country, to the home of Elizabeth, her cousin who is also pregnant. At the sound of Mary’s voice, John leaps in Elizabeth’s womb and she is filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth’s blessing ushers in Mary’s Song.   Pastor Sarah concludes these two opening stories by asking, “Who do you go to when you need to share big news?” and then goes onto to draw us deeper into the Story of Jesus, the Story of Mary, the Story of Elizabeth, and eventually our own stories.

The Story of Jesus: NWOS Bible Study

A Few Comings and Goings

On Sunday morning, I was blessed to help teach catechism class and lead worship with Pastor Ed Hunker and the people of God at Bethlehem, Attica. On Tuesday February 7, I will be gathering with the Synod Staff in the morning and with the Conference Deans in the afternoon.   On Wednesday evening February 8, Deacon Sherry Krieger and I will be meeting with Pastor Matthew Musteric and the leaders of St. Luke’s, Curtice, and St. Peter, Blackberry Corners. On Sunday morning, February 12, Deacon Sherry Krieger and I will be gathering with Pastor Marcus Lohrmann and the people of God at Community of Christ, Whitehouse for a time of learning and worship.

2023: The Year of Story Memory Verse “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The Story of Jesus Bible Study

2023 Daily Bible Reading Guide

NWOS Highlights

Grace Between the Lines

My Current Learning Book: The State of Religion and Young People: “Mental Health, What Faith Leaders Need to Know” by Springtide Research Institute   Audio Book: Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness by Steve Magness Podcasts: The Bible Project A Bit of Optimism: A Podcast with Simon Sinek Apps: Pray as You Go Centering Prayer

Bless you, Bishop Daniel G. Beaudoin Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Interim Grace Notes for February 3, 2023

Some Bumps in the Annual Meeting Road

Our Annual Meeting of the Congregation went OK last Sunday, although we encountered a few bumps in the road. Because of additional discussion about several matters, the meeting extended into the 10am worship time. The timing of these meetings is always a challenge, but the need to hear the concerns of the congregation members and address them should always be a priority. We are constitutionally tied to holding the meeting on "the fifth Sunday of the year," with Council determining the time and location. Perhaps we should consider a meeting after 10am worship. The sanctuary setting was challenging for me to hear what was being said, so perhaps a meeting in the Dining Hall would work better.

A note regarding the request at the meeting to amend the constitution to say the pastor is not a voting member of council. In the former LCA, congregation constitutions specifically stated that pastors are voting members of Council, and indeed can even serve as President of Council. Many ALC constitutions (likely Grace included) specifically stated that the pastor was not a voting member. The Model Constitution for the ELCA says that the pastor is a voting member of Council, (C12.01.) as does the amended Grace Constitution, which brought it in line with the Model Constitution. However, it is not a required element, and can be amended by the congregation.

One further note regarding amendments to the constitution: There is a very specific process for submitting amendments to the Congregation Constitution and presenting them to and getting them approved by the congregation. I encourage you to review Chapter 16 of the Grace Constitution which you can view HERE.

Stewardship and Worship Teams Met

First Wednesday recently has meant Stewardship at 11 and Worship at 1. Our meetings were small this month, as some members are out of town or home with health issues. At our Stewardship Meeting, we focused on continuing our Grace Stories interviews and reports to publish in a special email and in Grace and Truth. Don't be surprised if a member of the Stewardship Team approaches you and asks if you'd be willing to tell us your story. We're looking specifically for how Grace has played a role in your life of faith. In Worship, we did some planning for Ash Wednesday and Mid-week Lent. Ash Wednesday is on February 22, and Mid-week Lent worship on the following five Wednesdays. Schedule for each week will be the same: Supper at 5:30 in the Dining Room, and Worship in the Sanctuary at 6:30. Our theme for the five Midweek is "Amazing Grace," in honor of the 250th anniversary of the writing of the well known and loved hymn, “Amazing Grace.” Our worship series will tie the words of this beloved hymn to our lives today as Christ’s disciples. Each week, a person in the Bible who experienced the amazing grace of God will help us to realize that though we once were lost in sin, we now have been found by Jesus, and though we once were blind to God’s mercy, we now can see his love at work in us through our Savior’s death and resurrection. Here's the weekly schedule:

• March 1 - Isaiah of Babylon
• March 8 - The Prodigal Son
• March 15 - The Man Born Blind
• March 22 - The Woman at the Well
• March 29 - Paul

Recreation and Revelation February 12-17

Just a reminder that I will be attending a continuing education event at Winter Park Mountain Lodge in Winter Park, Colorado from Sunday through Friday, February 12 - 17. The them for our time together is "Sabbath as Rest and Resistance. Here's a description that registrants received, summarizing the sessions planned by our presenters, Dr.s. Kelly Sherman-Conroy and Ryan Bonfiglio:

This set of presentations will explore the purpose, place, and practice of Sabbath in faith formation and pastoral leadership. In doing so, we will come to understand the ancient practice of Sabbath keeping as more than just a good idea for managing busyness or taking time off. Rather, we will explore Sabbath as divine gift—a disruptive and daring invitation to experiment with meaningful play, restorative rest, sensual holiness, communal feasting, and social justice. Topics addressed in this series include: popular misconceptions about the Sabbath; the historical and theological context of the Sabbath commandment in the Old Testament; the subsequent interpretation of the Sabbath in the New Testament and Christian theology; the relationship between Sabbath keeping and social justice; the role of Sabbath in our spiritual formation; and principles for being a 24/6 pastor. Special emphasis will be place on practical ways in which we can cultivate Sabbath keeping in our everyday lives and church leadership.

You can read more about this event HERE.

Pastor Meetings This Week

I attended two pastor meetings this week, an in person meeting on Thursday morning, and a Zoom meeting on Thursday afternoon. On Thursday morning, Eastern Conference pastors met at the Vita Coffee Shop in downtown Sandusky. This was the largest gathering of Eastern Conference Rostered Leaders in a long time. There were seven of us present from Norwalk, Castalia, Sandusky, Fremont, and Gibsonburg. It was good to touch base with each other as we shared our plans for the season of Lent. In the afternoon I met via Zoom with other Lutheran interim pastors from around the country, a total of 12 in attendance. We identify any issues we may be dealing with in our settings, and offer each other advice and support.

Links for You

• Synod Council Highlights
• ELCA Global Links
• LIFT Notes
• LIFT Info Handout for February
• LIFT Calendar for February
• Bishop Daniel's January 31 Email

Bishop Daniel January 31, 2023 Email

 

Dear Friends in Christ, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8)

Road to Emmaus art by Chinese-American artist Dr. He Qi In Acts 1:8, Jesus calls His disciples to be witnesses. To be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, to witness… To tell… To share… the Story of Jesus to the ends of the earth. Welcome to 2023: The Year of Story. Our focus this year will be on learning and telling the Story of Jesus. A story that many of us have been learning and telling our entire lives. The Gospel Story of Jesus matters, though many of our neighbors here at home and around the world, have not experienced the Good News of Jesus. Those of us who know and live the Story of Jesus have a great opportunity before us to lovingly share the Story of Jesus. We are the followers of a crucified and risen Lord, and the work we are called to do is always centered in Jesus. And we are centered in Jesus to be sent into the world. The mission of the Northwestern Ohio Synod captures both our call to be centered in the Gospel and our call to be sent into the world. “Sent by the Crucified and Risen Jesus to Make Disciples, Equip Leaders, Strengthen Parishes, and Nurture New Communities for the Renewal of Northwestern Ohio and the World”. Click here to access our newly released 6-session Bible Study on the Story of Jesus. Download the study, open (or turn on) your Bible, gather with a group of friends, get outside the four walls of the congregation, to learn and share the Jesus story, to learn and share your story, and to learn and share the story of your community. But be careful. Be very, very careful, because the Story of Jesus has the power to transform us from who we are, into the people and communities that God longs for us to be.

The Story of Jesus: NWOS Bible Study

A Few Comings and Goings

On Sunday morning, I was blessed to worship with Pastor Rob Spicer and Visitation Pastor Jim Budke, and the people of God at St. Mark’s, Bowling Green From Tuesday – Thursday, January 31-February 2, I will be taking a few days away for a Winter Spiritual Retreat. On Thursday (evening) – Friday, February 2-3, I will be participating in the Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University Board Meeting. On Sunday morning, February 5, I will be gathering with Pastor Ed Hunker at Bethlehem, Attica, to help teach catechism class and lead worship.

2023: The Year of Story Memory Verse “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The Story of Jesus Bible Study

2023 Daily Bible Reading Guide

NWOS Highlights

Grace Between the Lines

My Current Learning Book: : Science of Running: Analyze Your Technique, Prevent Injury, Revolutionize Your Training by Chris Napier (currently available on Kindle for $1.99) Audio Book: The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin Podcasts: Akimbo: A Podcast from Seth Godin Bible Project Apps: Pray as You Go Centering Prayer

Bless you, Bishop Daniel G. Beaudoin Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany