Saturday, April 6, 2024

Interim Grace Notes for April 5, 2024

Interim Grace Notes for April 5, 2024

Synod Staff Member Calla Reports on Holy Week Service for Synod Ministers

On Tuesday of Holy Week I joined with other synod pastors, deacons and authorized ministers in a service of affirmation of vows, individual prayer and anointing, and blessing of oil for use in our respective ministry settings. Calla Gilson, our NWOS Director of Community and Global Engagement describes the event and highlights the origin and purpose of this service, and provides some quotes from Bishop Daniel's sermon for that service. You can read Calla's report HERE.

Holy Week Easter Report

It seemed that our attendance was down for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, although I can't tell you the exact numbers. Many other ELCA pastors, through the ELCA Clergy Facebook Group (7.5K members) report a similar decline. One Michigan ELCA pastor said this:

Yes, ours was down, too. Spring Break is a big factor. My observation is that Easter, thirty years ago, was considered primarily a religious observance or a family holiday. You wouldn't miss the family gathering. Now, for many people, it is about vacation. Affluence contributes to that. I don't say that with any judgment, but just as an observation. These are big days for us religious leaders, but increasingly not for the culture and many of our people.

This is concerning, as these services point to the central tenets of our faith - the passion of our Lord - his institution of Holy Communion, his arrest, betrayal and crucifixion. We brought back the Tenebrae service this year, and it went well, speaking powerfully to the story and meaning informing that service.

On the other hand, I thought our Easter Service went very well - it was good to have the choir back - the ferns (borrowed from Petal Patch, thanks PP and Jim!), lilies (thanks Lynne Urban!), the banners in the newly enlarged narthex area, the organ, all made for an inspiring witness to the Resurrection of our Lord. Saturday attendance was about 50, and Sunday there were 192, for a total of 242.

Deaths Announced

This past week we learned of the deaths of Ervin Damschroeder, father to Mark Damschroeder, and Velda Bowersox. I had recently visited Velda at Elmwood, so I was glad to have made that visit when I did. Ervin was a member of Gibsonburg Community Church, and Maureen will preside at a graveside service for Velda.

Getting Caught Up on Visits

With Lent, Holy Week and Easter behind me, I was better able to get out and visit people that I hadn't visited in a while, so it has been good to get caught up.

Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Zoom

On Thursday I joined the third of four presentations on Volunteer Recruitment and Retention. This series has emphasized the creation of job descriptions and the importance of management of volunteers. Paul Marsh, our presenter, reminded us something that we already know, that this task is laborious and requires dedication. The session has been recorded, and you can view it HERE using the required passcode W8hGi?&5. (period excluded)

Changes Due to Eclipse Day on Monday

Just a reminder that the office will be closed Monday due to the solar eclipse, and Exec and Council are moved to Tuesday, Exec at 6:00 pm and Council at 7:30 pm. Happy Eclips watching

A Personal Note

My daughter Sarah has been working toward her PhD in Mathematical Biology since graduating from Capital University in 2014. Starting out at UC Irvine, she completed one and a half years when she was informed that her fellowship money had run out. Without fellowship funding she withdrew from UCI, came back to Ohio and found a job at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus doing biomedical research. She returned to grad school in the fall of 2018 at Utah State, and on Monday, April 8, will defend her dissertation. You can find the announcement of her defense and the title and summary of her dissertation HERE.

Links for You

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