This Week

May 17 – 26, 2013

Sunday 5/19
Day of Pentecost
8:45 a.m. Bell Choir Rehearsal (Nave)
9:15 a.m. Song Leaders & Musicians Rehearsal (Nave)
10:00 a.m. Informal Worship (Nave)
11:15 a.m. Cafe Fellowship (Fellowship Hall)
Assisting Minister: Jim Burghart
Lector & Communion Assistant: Drinda Kiner
Communion Assistants: Carrie Coblentz, Rick Teagno, Greg Williams
Greeters & Ushers:  Judy Burghart, Mike Friel, Lynn Grusy
Altar Guild: Madge Kastner
Coffee Hour: Carol Fortlage, Connie Tittl

Monday 5/20
6:00 p.m. Bell Choir Polishing and Party

Sunday 5/26
Trinity Sunday
9:00 a.m.  Chancel Choir Rehearsal (Rehearsal Room)
10:00 a.m.  Formal Worship (Nave)
11:30 a.m.  Cafe Fellowship (Fellowship Hall)
Assisting Minister:  Fred Jaros
Lector & Communion Assistant:  Annette Davlin
Communion Assistants:  Jim Burghart, Judy Burghart, Mike Friel
Greeters & Ushers:  Candi Hazelwood, Drinda Kiner, Archie McLennan, Jim Rase
Altar Guild:  Helen Schreiber
Coffee Hour:  Carrie Coblentz and Marilyn Decker

Mission

SUNDAY, JUNE 9th   Participate in BFW’s Offering of Letters to help ensure a place at the table for those who are hungry!  Budget negotiations – sequestration cuts –national deficit – reauthorization of nutrition program funding – there are many issues facing our lawmakers and many voices vying for prominence at the negotiation table.  Please add your voice on behalf of those who are hungry and poor by writing a letter(s) to our national legislators urging them to pass legislation that will provide for well-funded, efficient nutrition programs, sufficient resources to help working families and effective poverty-focused development assistance for hungry people overseas.  In our letters, we will also be urging both the President and Congress to commit to work together to establish a goal and a plan to end hunger in our nation and around the world!
Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad by changing policies, programs, and conditions that allow hunger and poverty to persist.  We can end hunger in our time!

“A Living Bridge for Peace” by Susanna Hinkelman

Recently, an idea has been “percolating” in my mind. I mentioned this briefly before the Palm Sunday Service. Afterward, Pastor suggested I elaborate about it a little more, so I will. I remember how my family enjoyed participating in “Hands Across America” years ago. We lived in Columbus at the time. It was such a special experience to line up along one of the major thoroughfares and wait until everyone who was participating in it, all across America, got the word that we could join hands. People in all the time zones, across the entire United States, were somehow coordinated to allow it to happen. To me, that was such a special moment–to think people all across this beautiful country were holding hands at the same time!!  I was in tears!  My kids also remember taking part in it!  I have not felt that kind of unity in this country in a long time.

So, that thought has been popping up in my mind more and more frequently. Someone “up there” is encouraging me to talk about it. What I would like to see happen, is that from a small team spark at Grace Lutheran Church in Cleveland Heights, the flame of peace and cooperation would spread, and people would join with us to form a living bridge from our church out to other churches or schools, or … all across Cleveland, or Ohio or … who knows? There is no limit! Just as we hold hands for the Lord’s Prayer, and feel part of the greater circle, people would feel the same.

I have been a part of the PEACE ONE DAY movement for several years. Peace One Day Celebrations take place on September 21 all over the world. On March 21, I received this message from the founder, Jeremy Gilley, who is based in London. He enjoys hearing that people at all levels are taking part in connecting with others in some way. I would like to be able to tell him that people in Ohio will be forming “A Living Bridge for Peace” on September 21, 2013.

I have no idea what I am doing, but I am “Letting go, and letting God” reach out to allow the spark to burst into flame. If you would be willing to meet with me to form a team, or let me “pick your brain” about how to make this happen, please contact me at 440-552-3336 or fsh.sue@att.net. I know God will provide the team needed to form the bridge.

A beautiful 251 year old church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Pomaria, SC caught on fire recently.  There is little left of this historic church.  The following link is a message from their synod’s bishop which includes an address where any financial assistance can be mailed. Several of Jenny Johnson’s friends grew up in this area, one whose family are members at St. Paul’s.  Visit http://stpaulpomaria.com/restoration-efforts.

Grace’s donation of pull tabs to the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland helped to generate over 17,500 pounds of aluminum for more than $8000 in recycling revenue for 2012. The money raised from pull tabs supports their Family Fund. Help increase our donation for 2013; in 2012 Grace donated 20 pounds of tabs. Any tab works. Save tabs from your pop cans, soup cans, pet food cans, etc. and bring them to church!

Members of the Mission Team will be selling Fair Trade coffee and tea through Lutheran World Relief the first Sunday of every month during coffee hour. Check out the new products!

The Mission Team would appreciate any input on volunteer initiatives that you know of in our/your community that you believe Grace congregants would like to participate in. Either send this information – name of charity, contact person, and phone or email of contact – to Mark Brauer, Mission Team Leader: mbrauer@lmmyouth.org. This information will be added to our list and dispersed to the congregation.

Please remember that the need for dry/canned food for the Cleveland Heights Emergency Food Center is an on-going need through-out the year. If possible bring the food in paper bags, in support of the Church’s green-efforts Thank-you for your past and future help.

On being the Hands and Feet of Christ: Families in Need
Annette Davlin and Jean Homrighausen are Clinical Social Workers, working for a Mental Health Agency as therapists trying to address mental health concerns of inner city youth and families. Often families are in despair and sometimes in “shame” that they have “basic needs” that present further hardship for their children, i.e. unable to pay rent, utility bills due to lack of employment, children in need of clothing/shoes etc. To be the “Hands and Feet of Jesus” the Mission Team is supporting Annette and Jean in developing a way to help such households. It will be called “Families in Need” (FIN). A discretionary fund (solely to fund FIN) will be developed so Annette and Jean or others will be able to help such families.

People wishing to contribute to this fund may make a check out to Grace Lutheran Church and mark it FIN. Funds would be dispensed and receipts be obtained for accountability purposes designating the need(s) that were addressed. Quarterly a report will be generated to share with the congregation how the money donated was used. Annette and Jean know of immediate needs. If you have specific questions please feel free to address them directly to either Annette or Jean or a member of the Mission Team.

Identity

Richard Berg and his family want the participants at Grace Church to know how much they appreciate your prayers and voiced concern for Rich.

New Bible study begins Tuesday, May 28 and Sunday, June 2. We will study the book of Revelations. The Tuesday study begins at 11 a.m. The Sunday study will be after worship. The materials will be the same for each class. Two sessions are offered to encourage more folks to study the Bible. The study promises to be interesting, enlightening, “soul stirring,” and fun. For more information contact Pastor David Ernat.

Come one and come all! It’s time for Grace Softball. Games are Sunday late afternoons and in the Cleveland Heights area. Interested? Contact Mark DeLaney at 440 843 9039.

Get Well Table: Stop by the Get Well Table in the Fellowship Hall during coffee hour where you can sign cards to cheer Grace’s sick or hospitalized members. The cards will be mailed immediately afterward.

For fun and mutual joy for all, with many thanks to Erika Popp (director) and David Sparkes (accompanist) everyone is invited to be part of a “pick-up” choir (The Grace Notes) to support our informal worship. A very singable piece of music will be rehearsed at 9 a.m., before the morning worship and then sung during the Offertory. If you have questions about the choir please contact Erika at ekpopp@gmail.com.

To request a prayer for a person or for you or for another concern, you can do one or both of the following:  1) Complete a “Prayer Chain” request form and place it in the Prayer Chain prayer box; and/or  2) Complete a “Prayer Petition” request, as found in the three-ring binder, and that petition will be included in that Sunday’s Intercessory Prayers during worship. If you wish, you may contact members of the prayer chain directly:  please call the office for more information.

Happy Birthday!
Gabrielle Bewie, 05/19
Paul Lund, 05/23
Linda Lincoln, 05/25
Pearl Ernat, 05/28

Happy Anniversary!
Dixie and Elmer Luehring,  05/20
Timothy Wutrich,  05/20
Lynne and Al Maragliano,  05/21
Linda Martin,  05/27

Administration

A “Feasibility 101” working group meeting will be held on Saturday, May 18th at 9:30 AM until about 11:00 AM at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. All members of the Four Church Group (Bethlehem, Grace, Hope and Noble Road Presbyterian) are invited. The feasibility meeting will begin to address the steps involved to study the pros and cons of these four churches becoming one. See you on the 18th.

The Administration Team has scheduled an outdoor clean up day for Sunday, June 9th after the worship service.  After we have had some coffee and written some letters for Bread for the World, the Administration Team would welcome anyone willing and able to join in for a little yard clean up and outdoor fellowship.  The Rain Garden and Community Garden have their own volunteer gardeners.  We can concentrate on the rest of the premises.  If you are able, please bring some garden tools, yard bags and work clothes.  Hopefully, it will be a pleasant June day.

Financial information will not be printed in the weekly bulletin. The information tends to be late or inaccurate. Accurate and timely information is available on the Administration Bulletin Board across from the Church Office door. There you will find the most recent financial documents to include the Balance Sheet and Comparative Statement of Income. The S & I provides monthly expenses and income. Copies are available for you to take home. Please ask Gayle Klaber, the Office Manager, for a copy. Thanks.
The Administrative Team.

Invitations

Board Members Wanted! Lutheran Family Services is seeking Christian men and women who want to serve the Lord by serving on our Board of Directors.  Board Meetings are held on the 4th Monday of the month at the agency located at 4100 Franklin Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio.  If you would like more information, please contact the agency at 216-281-2500.

The Cleveland Ecumenical Institute for Religious Studies (CEIRS) offers adult learning opportunities for people who desire an ecumenical search for spiritual truth and a deeper relationship with God. Classes meet either in 4 or 8-week sessions or one-day workshops. The current brochure of CEIRS’ spring educational offerings is now available – located on the table outside the church office.

If you or your family is coping with a cancer diagnosis The Gathering Place can help. The Gathering Place is a cancer support center that provides free programs and services to help individuals and families cope with the emotional, social, physical and spiritual impact of a cancer diagnosis. We work with you at time of diagnosis, through treatment and after treatment. Programs and services are for the person diagnosed and his/her family and friends. The Gathering Place offers a wide variety of services including support groups, one-to-one counseling, a medical librarian and lending library, free wigs through our HairPeace wig salon for hair loss from chemotherapy, children and family programs, hands-on cooking classes and an exercise program to cope with treatment related side effects. For more information visit www.touchedbycancer.org or call 216-595-9546. Also, there are fliers on the bulletin board by the church office.

Converge: A New Kind of Worship Experience for this Generation. Converge is a modern worship service that meets monthly on the second Sunday of each month at 7 p.m. Converge is a collaborative effort of many churches in the Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, and surrounding areas. The monthly worship services are geared for teens with a full band (drums, electric guitar, keys) and a relevant message for our youth.For more info, visit us at www.facebook.com/convergeworship

Please see the bulletin board outside the church office for more invitations.