LIFT Congregations Volunteers Pack Food
On Friday, June 23, a score and more volunteers from LIFT congregations Gathered at Storage America, the Old K-Mart store, to pack food through the program Children's Hunger Alliance. Quoting from a Facebook post which reported on the project:
"So many awesome friends and LIFT Fremont church members joined together to pack meals to feed hungry children in Ohio!! Teamwork makes the Dream Work! Thank you to all of those who were able to get away on a Friday morning for a great cause!"
You can view the above mentioned Facebook post, which contains lots of photographic "evidence" HERE.
Hearts and Hands and Voices Academy Ready To Go
Leaders for a special week of music for LIFT kids met last week to plan for our week of choir, bells, chimes, drums and snacks June 26 - 29 from 9:00 am until 12:15 pm. It's coming together, and we're hoping to have a t least 20 kids participate. You can view the information post on the Grace Facebook page HERE. The page includes a link to a Google Form for registration. Share freely!
Pledges for 40 New ELW Hymnals Have Been Received
In last week's Grace Notes I included information about our plans to raise funds to replace the 1978 green Lutheran Book of Worship with Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW). I prepared an information page for the July Grace & Truth, which includes an invitation for members to purchase one or more ELW's, and a form at the bottom of the page to complete and return to the church office. I have also put this form into a Google Form, which you can view, complete and submit HERE. Linda has created a "New Hymnal" fund, which will also be an option for online giving through Vanco, our online giving portal, the link to which is included on the Google Form. So far we have received pledges for 40 hymnals towards our goal of 300.
Council Installation This Weekend
Council Members: Just a reminder that this weekend there will be a brief service of installation during the service both on Saturday 4pm and Sunday 10am. We will do this after the Prayer of the Day. Welcome 2023-2024 Council members:
- Connie Amor - Secretary
- Sarah Auen
- Ceceila Boucher
- John Burmeister
- Dave Cooper - Vice-President
- Rae Ann Cooper
- Annette Fisher
- Ruthann House - Treasurer
- Greg Jess
- Jerry Moses - President
- Judy Overmyer
We also extend our thanks and appreciation to our outgoing Council members: Ed Muffler, Beth Muffler and Tanya Schling. Well done good and faithiful servants!
Baptism and Reception of New Members
Sunday 9:00 am worship will feature a unique service of baptism, affirmation of faith, and reception of members by transfer. Ryan and Amy Chalfin and little tyke Liam will be received - Ryan and Liam by baptism, and Amy by affirmation of faith, as she was baptized and confirmed in another Christian congregation. Stev and Vi Ohms have transferred their membership from another Lutheran congregation, and will join the Chalfins at the front for a Baptism/Affirmation of Faith/Reception of Members from Other Lutheran Congregations service. There will be a brief reception in the courtyard following the service, so I hope that many of you will be able to welcome and introduce yourselves to them.
Park Tour Continues
On Wednesday I joined the Park Tour at Connor Park. Pastor Paul was there representing LIFT, and Sue Lawrence represented St. John's. There were three Grace families, and several other families and individuals in attendance at the playground at the back of the park. We debated whether to stay there, or move to the front where there were more people present for a ball game. The back location gave one family a chance to try out a new kite, and proximity to a path for a hike. Next week the tour makes a second stop at Birchard Park.
Constitution Task Force Continues Work
The Grace constitution task force (John Avers, Linda Baumer, and I) met again this past Wednesday to continue our work on updating the Grace constitution. Since most of the chapters are required chapters which cannot be changed, we are working with the chapters which we can write to fit our own unique situation. We still have the ELCA Model Constitution which provides helpful wording as well as different options. Our work at this month's meeting was on Chapter 10, Congregation Meeting. Here is the wording for the first paragraph that we agreed upon:
C10.01. This congregation shall have at least one regular meeting per year. The regular meeting(s) of the congregation shall be held at the time(s) specified in the bylaws. Consistent with the laws of the State of Ohio, the bylaws shall designate one regular meeting per year as the annual meeting of this congregation.
C10.01.01. This congregation shall have two regular meetings per year, in November and April. The April meeting shall be the annual meeting of this congregation.
C10.01.02 The primary agenda for the November meeting shall be the adoption of the congregation budget for the coming fiscal year, beginning on January 1. The primary agenda for the April meeting will be the election of Congregation Council members and other elected positions called for by this constitution and bylaws, and to receive reports from congregation staff, committees and ministries.
A couple things to point out. First, the second and third paragraphs have three sets of numbers, indicating these are bylaws, which can be amended at any meeting of the congregation. Second, note that we are suggesting two regular meetings of the congregation - a budget meeting in November, and the annual meeting in April. We hope that the April meeting (post Easter) will make it easier for some of our snowbirds to attend in person rather than remotely via Zoom.
Our agenda for the July meeting on July 19 will be Chapter 10 - Officers.
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