Grace News September 13, 2022

Announcements

Hymn Sing at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd

Seven member-organists in turn will lead the people in singing great hymns of the Church and then play a short organ work based on that hymn. Host organist Christopher Prestia will sight-read hymns “called out” from the congregation to close their program.

Chimers Needed

Grace Church has a great device in the tower on which people can bang out their frustrations. It’s called the “chime console.” It looks like a giant keyboard with keys that look like baseball bats. 
As keys are “banged” (depressed), they play the fifteen bells that are suspended in the top of the tower, and it is great fun! We presently have six “chimers” but could use two or three more. Each person chimes about once a month.  If you can read music, you can chime. Let Murray Foreman know if you’re interested.  717-847-7556

Stewardship and Finance Team Update

The Stewardship and Finance Team continues to meet monthly to monitor the church’s finances and prepare for the fall stewardship campaign.
Regular Finance Update – The team continues to anticipate a potential deficit to the general fund, which funds the church’s on-going ministries.  This is based on our projected 2022 expenses and the current pattern of giving year to date. As of August 31st, there is a $67,000 deficit related to the church’s day to day ministries, however this reflects a summer giving pattern which increases during the fall and year end holiday season.  Please continue to support the church’s ministries with your regular offerings and if possible, consider an increase in giving this fall. A major contributor to our deficit this year is inflation which we are all experiencing at home. Costs have increased for the church this year, especially relating to utilities and property expenses. We will continue to update you as we move through the fall months and into the holiday season regarding our general fund expenses and income.
In general, giving at Grace continues to be strong. In fact, looking at the past three years if you factor in the capital campaign contributions, giving has exceeded our traditional level of income by more than $250,000 a year for three years in a row! Thank you for all the ways you support the ministries of Grace Lutheran Church!
Don Main, Chair

2023—Year A Liturgical Calendars

Outreach

LWR Ingathering October 1&2, 2022

School Kits

• Four 70-80 sheet notebooks (280-300 sheets total) of wide or college-ruled paper approximately 8” x 10 ½ ”, no loose leaf paper
• One 30-centimeter ruler, or a ruler with centimeters on one side and inches on the other
• One pencil sharpener
• One pair of blunt scissors (safety scissors with embedded steel blades work well)
• Five unsharpened #2 pencils with erasers; secure together with a rubber band
• Five black or blue ballpoint pens (no gel ink); secure together with a rubber band
• One box of 16 or 24 crayons
• One 2 ½” eraser

Health Kits

• One light-weight bath size towel (between 20” x 40” and 52” x 27”), dark color
• Two or three bath-size bars of soap equaling 8 to 9 oz, any brand, in original wrapping
• One adult-size toothbrush in its original wrapping
• One metal nail clippers (attached file optional), remove packaging

Winter Outerwear Items For Community Meal

We would like to fill the bags with hats, scarves, gloves or mittens, socks, granola bars, lotion, lip balm, and hand sanitizer. Our goal is to create 100 bags. We will also be collecting feminine hygiene products to make bags for the folks who need them.

You are now able to take a card from the giving tree which is located on the bulletin board across from the donation station in the Nolt Auditorium. All items need to be donated by Sunday, October 30. We will pack the bags the week of November 7. The bags will be distributed at Community Meal on November 16. We will need volunteers to help organize donations, pack the bags, and distribute the bags.

If you are interested in volunteering or have any questions please email Angie Rabbe at graceelcaapd@gmail.com. Watch the Grace News for more information on this ministry as we move into the fall. 

Christian Formation

Devotional Materials Are Now Available!

Creation Care

Cap Collection Continues

We are still collecting caps for the Earth Savers Club at Central York High School. If you would like to help, drop off your clean/label free caps to the church office! (Dirty caps will be discarded—please wash caps before donating) Thank you for helping to protect our planet!

This Week’s Green Tip

Our Grace Family

Happy Birthday!!!!

Congratulations!