Announcements
Grace member, Dr.Karl E..Moyer, is playing a free concert at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church on Sunday, January 26, at 2:30 pm. The program includes works by J.S.Bach, Schubert, Cesar Franck, Saint-Saens, and Brahms.
This recital is sponsored by St. Anthony Church as part of the celebration of its 150th anniversary. You will enjoy seeing this gorgeous building, as well as hearing Karl’s fine playing.
Christian Education
Lent 2020 Small Groups
This year for Lent we will be diving into Matthew, specifically the questions related to heaven on earth. We need a few volunteers from the congregation to lead small groups. These groups can meet at the church, in someone’s home, or in a public place. Pastor Verkouw will be hosting a small group in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday mornings beginning March 1st. If you need ideas for hosting, please ask. We are here to help!
If you need ideas for hosting, please ask. We are here to help! If you are interested in leading a group please let Angie know by Tuesday, January 21st. If you would like to participate in a small group and would like the student guide ($9) please let Angie know no later than February 2nd, 2019. It will take approximately 3 weeks for the curriculum to arrive from Augsburg Fortress. A student guide is not necessary to participate in a small group.If you have any questions please contact Angie at graceelcaapd@gmail.com or 717-397-2748.
Deborah/Elizabeth Circle Meeting January 21st
At the first meeting of the Deborah/Elizabeth Circle in 2020 we will begin the Bible study:We are Called! by Kathryn Kleinhans. The January session, entitled “Hearing God’s Voice”, begins a look at vocation, at how and to what we are called. You are invited to join us as we gather at 10:30 AM in the Round in the Muhlenberg Building on the Luther Acres campus in Lititz. At about 11:30 we conclude with lunch together. For further information please contact Joyce Saeger or Carol Main.
Community Outreach
Attention Knitters and Crocheters
Attention knitters and crocheters of Grace we have a few projects that you can participate in:
1. We continue to collect baby items for the Centering Pregnancy Class at the health clinic.
2. We will be making wash cloths for the Cook-out in Sept. We are asking for 7×7 squares. We will also be using them for the Welcome Bags we give visitors.
If you have any questions and/or need supplies please contact our Assistant Program Director, Angie Smith at graceelcaapd@gmail.com or 717-397-2748.
Stewardship Snippet
January 19, 2019 (Second Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A)
1 Corinthians 1:9 – God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Just like those first disciples whom Jesus told to “Come and see,” you have been called into the Body of Christ, and God is working in your life even if you don’t realize it. Pay attention and steward God’s wonderful gifts carefully and fully.
From R3
My Thoughts on Prayer by Kathryn Verkouw
You know I kind of like when my prayer sounds awkward to my ears when praying publicly. This seems to encourage others that they can at least pray as well as that.
“What do I pray for?” asked one of my young children in bell choir and the other children encouraged him to just talk to God or be thankful for something. I wish we could all be as comfortable with prayer as many of our children are – it just seems to come right out of their hearts and minds.
“Pray without ceasing” St Paul writes in 1st Thessalonians; when you walk, work, hear a siren, hear a bell, in a moment of quiet, in time set aside, in the middle of chaos…pray. Let us encourage and pray for one another.
If your prayers get stuck there are many beautiful prayers written by others. The one prayer that Jesus gave us, “The Lord’s Prayer” is stamped on our Lutheran hearts but there are prayers everywhere. I leave you with one I just discovered that made my heart leap a little. If you have favorite prayer or one that is special to you please share it with me. Let us pray:
Disturb Us, Lord Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, When our dreams have come true Because we have dreamed too little, When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord, when With the abundance of things we possess We have lost our thirst For the waters of life; Having fallen in love with life, We have ceased to dream of eternity And in our efforts to build a new earth, We have allowed our vision Of the new Heaven to dim.Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, To venture on wider seas Where storms will show Your mastery; Where losing sight of land, We shall find the stars. We ask You to push back The horizons of our hopes; And to push into the future In strength, courage, hope, and love.
(attributed to Sir Francis Drake -1577)
Our Grace Family
Christian Sympathy
Dear Members of Grace,
We give thanks for the life and witness of Suzanne Verkouw, mother of Pastor Verkouw, who died Saturday, January 11th. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to her family and her friends.
A funeral is planned at Christ Church, Baltimore on Thursday, January 23, 2020. The service will begin at 11:00 a.m., followed by a time of fellowship and lunch.
Please keep Pastor and his family in your prayers.
gracelutheranchurch.com 
I’ll order a student guide for Pastor’s Sunday class. Thanks