Author: Pastor

Devotional shared from The Word In Season, Sunday June 3rd: Mark 2:27, Jesus said, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath.”
In the world outside the church, Sunday is rarely set aside as holy and special. Many people today have no choice but to work on Sundays – hospital and nursing home workers, retailers, those in the food service industry. More and more school sports and other activities are schedule without any thought to the sabbath day.
In today’s reading, the Pharisees gave Jesus an opportunity to lay some guilt on his disciples for plucking grain to eat on the sabbath. He refused to do such a thing.
Later, the Pharisees were delighted to catch Jesus healing a man’s withered hand on the sabbath day. He didn’t let that stop him from doing good.
Jesus’ actions show that he interpreted the sabbath as a gift from God for us, not a burden for us to shoulder. When we “remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy.” it means remembering that God in Christ has set us free to do good for others as well as to spend time with God (Exodus 20:8) As crazy as life can be, we need to make the most of the time that we are given.

The latest news from Grace Lutheran Church can be found here: June 2018 Messenger

Click the link to read the Grace calendar for the month of June: June 2018 Calendar

Verse of the Day:
Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. ~ Hebrews 11:6

The Grace Messenger for May 2018 can be found here: May 2018 Messenger

Click on the link to view the May 2018 Grace calendar: May 2018 Calendar

The following is shared from ‘The Word In Season’ for April 1, 2018, Easter Sunday:
Some of the oldest copies of Mark’s gospel end with the silence of verse 8. Silence makes it easier for us to recognize holiness.
The north woods of Minnesota is a holy place, where God’s abounding love can be seen in every pinecone and lake. Still, whenever a new group of teenage campers would arrive at Wilderness Canoe Baes, a Lutheran camp way up north in Minnesota, their noises (even the happy ones) would overwhelm the quiet holiness. One summer, as the camp naturalist, it was my job to teach campers about the plants, rocks, and animals of the woods: to point out the holiness all around. I found it worked best if I could coax the campers into silence. We would walk down the nature trail hearing white-throated sparrows sing, watching sun glitter on the lake, and smelling the ancient resin of cedar. As the campers’ noise melted away, holiness was revealed.

In the midst of your joyful Easter celebrations, I hope you find some silence. Remember the women who fled the tomb, stunned into silence by the immense holiness of an empty tomb and the hope of a new day. May holiness be revealed to you, too.

The current and informative news in the Grace Messenger for April 2018 can be found here: April 2018 Messenger

Click the link to read the Grace Calendar for April 2018: April 2018 Calendar

Season of Lent is here! Read the Messenger to find the worship schedule during Lent, ways to help those in need through Baskets of Promise, and information on ordering your Easter Lily this year! Daylight Saving Time begins on Saturday, March 11th.

Current news from Grace Lutheran Church can be found here: March 2018 Messenger

Click the following link to read the Calendar for March 2018: March 2018 Calendar

The Grace Messenger for January 2018 can be found here: January 2018 Messenger

Click the following link to find the January calendar for Grace Lutheran Church here: January 2018 Calendar

The season of Advent is about preparing. We prepare for Christmas by making travel plans, buying presents, and decorating. This is also a season to remember that we are waiting for Jesus to return. We are reminded to empty ourselves of what we are too full of. We prepare for Christ by making room for love, mercy, and faith to grow. It is a way of life to live expectantly for the fulfillment of God’s greatest dream for us. Browse the following links to learn the latest news and make plans for celebrating Christmas Eve with your “church family”!

Click the link to read the current news in the Grace Messenger for December 2017: December 2017 Messenger

The December 2017 Calendar for Grace can be found here:December 2017 Calendar

It is almost Thanksgiving Day, time that most people think of all things in life we are thankful for – we are constantly in God’s presence and therefore we will always have a reason to take a few moments or longer and give thanks! Click the links below to find out the latest news and where we will give thanks on Thanksgiving Eve.
Grace Lutheran November Messenger can be found here: November Messenger

The November Calendar of events for Grace Lutheran are located here: November Calendar

The Grace Lutheran Messenger can be located here: October 2017 Messenger

October 2017 Calendar for Grace Lutheran can be found here: October Calendar

During the month of September Grace Lutheran Church will be participating in “God’s Work, Our Hands” ELCA Campaign and experience the opportunity to worship on the River City Star. To read in more detail and additional articles and events happening this month, please click the links below!

The Grace Messenger can be read by clicking the link: September 2017 Messenger

The September 2017 Grace Calendar is located here: September Calendar