Grace Lutheran Church

Announcements for the week of November 1, 2009

Flu Precautions – God cares about our souls and our bodies. We confess in the first article of the Apostles’ Creed that God gave us our bodies and continues to provide everything that we need to support our bodies in this present life. God cares for our bodies in many ways including through our loved ones, our doctors, and through our government. Grace Lutheran Church has a copy of the guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on flu preparedness in the church office. If you have questions about your own situation or something that the church is doing please don’t hesitate to ask. The following list of precautions comes from the government list and has notes regarding our specific situation.

- If you have flu-like symptoms (fever over 100 degrees) you should stay at home. The spread of flu may be decreased if people with flu-like illness stay home for at least 24 hours after they are free of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. Please remember that if you are very sick or sick for a long time to let the church office know so that we can pray for you or the pastor can visit.

- Please cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.

- Remember to wash your hands often with soap and water often and particularly after contact with someone else. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. If soap and water are not available and alcohol-based products are not allowed, other hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol may be useful. In addition to our bathrooms, the church has alcohol based hand sanitizer available near both doors to the sanctuary.

- Avoid physical contact with other people if you are sick or particularly susceptible to becoming sick. If this is a concern for you then you may not wish to shake hands during the sharing of the peace. In lieu of shaking hands it is OK to audibly exchange the peace of the Lord and perhaps make some friendly gesture.

We encourage all of those who are in the target groups for getting flu vaccines (either H1N1 or seasonal) to get vaccinated. If you need help in some way to get vaccinated please let us know. Your brothers and sisters in Christ are here to help you during these trying times. We remain confident that the God who sacrificed His son for our salvation will bring us safely through this time also.

“But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand.” Psalm 31:14-15
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dorothy Kew sends a Big thank you to everyone who helped make our first Oktoberfest a big success- The many people who helped set up, clean up, cook, bake and serve food, donations from Neil Stenzel and Pastor Brese, Les Zimmerman who cooked the sausage and Ursula Zimmerman all round help out. We were able to raise $1,318.36 to go towards the heat fund.

On Wednesday, November 11, Grace will be hosting Lutheran High Northwest Concert Band from Rochester Hills, Michigan. They will present a 40 minute concert with sacred and traditional music. We need to find housing for approximately 50 students. There is a sign up sheet in the chapel if you can help out with a bed overnight.

Cottage Bible Study started this Thur., the 29 at 7:00pm at the home of Ruth Kumm. We will continue for six weeks.

Through you contributions to the mission fund at Grace, we reach out and support different missions locally, nationally, and internationally. Immanuel Lutheran Church in Gowanda, NY is the special mission for the months of November and December.

What We Learned in Sunday School Today… On this All Saints’ Day, the story of “Jonah” serves as the focus of our Sunday School lesson. Just as Jonah was swallowed up in the belly of the fish for three days, so Jesus, in His crucifixion, was baptized into the sea of death, drowned in our depravities, devoured by the grave, and spewed forth alive again after three days and nights that He might save us, the Assyrians, the Ninevites, and Jonah. Questions for discussion include, “Why did Jonah try to run away from God? What does God do when sinful people repent?”

THIS WEEK AT GRACE

SUNDAY
9:00 am Sunday School/Adult Bible Class
10:30 am Communion Worship Service

MONDAY
6:30 pm Community AA Meeting
7:00 pm Confirmation Class

TUESDAY
6am-9pm Polls Open
6:30 pm Elders Meeting

WEDNESDAY
9:30 am Bible Class
10:30 am Craft Group
7:00 pm Choir Practice

THURSDAY
6:30 pm New Member Class

NEXT SUNDAY
9:00 am Sunday School/Bible Class
10:30 am Worship Service
11:30 am Prayer Group Meeting