Announcements for 3/17/19

Join us for the SERMON ON THE MOUNT special service for Week 2 of Lent. In this service we re-member that Lent is a season of prayer and fasting. We grow in our relationship with Christ by communicating with him, and we learn more about him and ourselves by giving up those things that can distract us from our connection to him.

Please join us this evening at 5:00 PM as Lyle Heggemeier with NATURAL CHURCH DEVELOPMENT will be presenting results of our church development survey.  This is an important first step of the Natural Church Development process.  All are welcome!

The Grace Ladies will be hosting a FLEA MARKET & BAKE SALE event on Saturday, May 4th.  Over the next few months please set aside any gently used articles you are willing to donate to the Grace Ladies for this large fundraising event (no clothing please).  These donations (please box and label “Donations”) may be left in the Ladies Lounge.

Save the date: VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL is set for Monday, July 29th through Friday, August 2nd, 6:00 – 8:00 PM for ages 3 (potty-trained) through entering 6th grade.

REMINDER:  If you have signed up to attend YOUNG LIFE’S annual fundraising dinner at Classics V on March 28th but your plans to attend have changed, PLEASE let Dick Crawford know so that Young Life is not responsible for the cost of your dinner.

MARCH SPECIAL MISSION ENVELOPES will support our annual Penny War.  This year we are supporting FogQuest, a charity working in third world countries to provide clean water to remote rural areas.  This group builds special nets which condense the water droplets found in fog.  Each net produces 50 or more gallons of water each day.  FogQuest is an all volunteer organization.  Donations they receive are used to pay for the nets, and for travel expenses of their volunteer leaders.  If you would like to help us raise money for FogQuest, please place your special mission envelope in the offering plates during the month of March.

SERVICE OPPORTUNITY:  Volunteers from Grace will be cooking and serving lunch at the Magdalene Project on Falls Street on the first Saturday of each month.  The menu and food is provided by Magdalene, and all cooking is done on site with supervision as needed.  If you would like to help cook or serve, please sign up for one or more Saturdays.  Sign-up sheets are available on the glass case.  Cooking begins at 9:30 AM and lunch is served at 11:30 AM. 

NEXT SUNDAY IS LOOSE CHANGE SUNDAY:  This annual event helps to support our Penny War.  Those wishing to participate are invited to “lose” their change or paper money donations onto the pews after worship.  Our Sunday School students will hunt for your donations and add what they find to their team banks.  Thank you for your support of FogQuest, as we raise funds to support this charity’s efforts to provide clean water for rural areas in developing countries.

NEXT SUNDAY IS ALSO SUNDAY SCHOOL SERVICE SUNDAY:  Our Sunday School students will serve during worship as acolytes, ushers, readers, and singers.  We encourage all of our Sunday School students to join us that day and remind them that our Penny War Loose Change event follows the service.

THRIVENT CHOICE DOLLARS:  March 31st is the deadline to designate your 2018 Thrivent Choice Dollars.  This is money provided to all Thrivent members that can be designated to a charity of your choice, including Grace.  Money not designated disappears after March 31st.  Simply go online to your account and click Choice Dollars and the charity you wish to support, and the money will be sent directly to them by Thrivent.

NEEDED:  Alice Moll is in need of 5 x 7 picture frames for ministry work.  If you have any extra frames of this size, she would appreciate your donations.

Order forms for EASTER FLOWERS can be found on the glass display case.  Orders are due no later than Sunday, April 7th.

As a special thank you for Grace’s financial support to St. John Lutheran School’s tuition assistance fund, ST. JOHN LITTLE LAMBS choir will be singing during worship on Sunday, March 31st.