Many thanks to the children of Grace for sharing the Good News with us on Christmas Eve, they worked very hard to make this year’s play a very special part of our celebration!
Volunteers Needed!
We are looking for folks to prepare flower bouquets following the late service. This takes approximately 15 minutes to dismantle the altar arrangements and create several smaller bouquets to take to members who are in the hospital or recovering at home, or folks celebrating special milestones such as birthdays or anniversaries.
If you would like to help—contact the church office at 717-397-2748, or stop by the flower sink to volunteer!
ESL Class Needs You!
Do you have a few hours to volunteer on Tuesday and Thursday mornings? The Grace ESL class is growing and they need additional volunteers to teach, for child care, and a person to drive the bus. Meet some of our newest residents of Lancaster—a certified “Welcoming City”. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Barbara Andersen at twandersen@comcast.net or call the church office at 717-397-2748. We hope you will consider this important and rewarding ministry.
MISSION TRIP BENEFIT LUNCHEON!
Hurricane Relief Mission Trip to Puerto Rico Fundraiser!
Sunday October 6, 2019 at noon in the Fellowship Hall.
Come and enjoy a brief presentation and Puerto Rican food.
A free will offering will be taken to help with the cost of the trip.
Sign up in the narthex and in the St. Peter chapel.
LWR Ingathering Sunday October 5/6
Thank you for all the donations for Personal Care and School Kits. We are also collecting extra bars of soap. Some of these items will be on display on Saturday and Sunday, October 5/6, along with some of the fleece blankets we made. In the bulletin on Sunday, October 6, will be an envelope for your gifts for shipping. Each of our blankets costs $2.25 to ship, each Personal Care Kit costs $2.65; and each School Kit costs $1.40.
Our goal is to raise at least $500 for this shipping fund.
Class to be offered for CPR Certification
Are you interested in becoming certified in CPR. If you are, please contact the church office at 717-397-2748. We will contact interested folks when a class time is secured. Information on location and cost will follow.
Stewardship Snippets
September 22, 2019 (Proper 20 (25), 15th Sunday after Pentecost)
Luke 16:10 – Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.
The parable of dishonest manager reminds us that everything we have comes from God, and therefore we should treat our gifts and talents with great care and faithfulness. If God has given you a talent or an ability, do your best to steward and cultivate it to the fullest and for the highest good.
From the Board of Ministries
At the last Board of Ministries meeting we decided that we wanted our congregation to be more aware of opportunities for advocacy. We were inspired by the Sunday School discussions led by our youth earlier in the year and our summer Sunday School series that focused on women’s rights and advocating for equality. This is the first of a weekly series of articles on ways in which we, as a congregation, can advocate to make the world a safer place for all of creation.
This week our focus is on refugees. As many of you know Grace offers an ESL class and through this class and our work with Church World Service, we have formed bonds with our neighbors, many of whom are refugees. Personally, I’ve enjoyed making faces at and with our babies and I’m looking forward to teaching one of our refugees to bake once the weather cools down.
Near the end of August, the Trump Administration threatened to release an executive order that would allow communities to prevent refugees from settling in there. Furthermore, officials have proposed to settle 0 refugees in 2020. As members of Grace and residents of Lancaster County we know the value that refugees provide to our communities. On September 10, 2019 Lancaster was named a certified Welcoming City. We have taken a stand to stand with our refugees-they are welcome here!
When I was at Synod Assembly in June, I sat in on a discussion led by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. The woman leading the discussion said, “During World War II we helped refugees because they were Lutherans. Now we help refugees because we are Lutheran.” As Lutherans we have a long history of helping refugees. Together we can continue that tradition as we welcome refugees into our neighborhoods, our congregation, and our hearts.
Myth: Refugees are a drain on resources.
Fact: “Each immigrant pays, on average, $20,000-80,000 more in taxes than he or she consumes in benefits. Additionally, current levels of immigration will provide a net benefit to the Social Security system of $450 billion in the next twenty years.”
Myth: Refugees bring diseases with them.
Fact: “All refugees being considered for resettlement to the U.S. undergo medical screenings to ensure that people with contagious diseases such as tuberculosis do not enter.”
Myth: Refugees are gang members. They are bad people.
Fact: “Refugees are already the most vetted non-citizens in our country. All refugees undergo thorough and rigorous security screenings prior to arriving in the United States, including but not limited to multiple biographic and identity investigations; FBI biometric checks of applicants’ fingerprints and photographs; in-depth, in-person interviews by well-trained Department of Homeland Security officers; medical screenings; investigations by the National Counterterrorism Center; and other checks by U.S. domestic and international intelligence agencies.”
Church World Service is asking anyone who is willing to contact their elected officials, so that together we can continue to welcome refugees. You can find your elected officials by going to CommonCause and typing in your address. You can learn more about refugee resettlement by going to the Greater As One. If you have any questions, please reach out to me (graceelcaapd@gmail.com or 717-538-5862).
Pax et bonum,
Angie *statistics Greater As One
gracelutheranchurch.com 