As we welcome Advent and the new church year, alongside the arrival of 2025, it’s a time to reflect on the past and set resolutions for the future. However, resolutions often falter, reminding us of life's unpredictability. Drawing inspiration from the story of Jonah, we see how "Holy Interruptions" — unexpected moments that disrupt our plans — can be opportunities to share and experience God’s grace. This year, let’s embrace these interruptions as chances to see God at work in our lives and the lives of others. Happy New Year!

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Calm to the waves. Calm to the wind. Jesus whispers, “Peace, be still.”Balm to our hearts. Fears at an end. In stillness, hear his voice.These words echoed in the sanctuary when we gathered for worship on Sunday, October 6, ten days after Tropical Storm Helene tore through our community and region. As a congregation we were incredibly fortunate. Staff were able to communicate with more than 85% of households in the first week after the storm. No one was injured, and while many had tree damage and even water intrusion, all but one home is habitable, and where roads were blocked or washed out, temporary roads have been built until permanent ones can be constructed. For most the loss of electricity and water ended within two weeks and while internet and cell service continue to be glitchy, they are improving.

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was admired during his lifetime as an outstanding organist, harpsichordist, and also a gifted composer. It is for the overwhelming amount of music and the supreme quality of that music that Bach is considered the greatest composer of Western music in all of music history. He grew up in a family of Lutheran musicians in Germany and began playing organ and composing when he was a teenager. He held several prominent positions throughout his career, most notably Arnstadt, Mülhlausen, Weimar, Köthen and finally his most famous position as Cantor of St. Thomas Church in Leipzig.

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On Sept. 3, 2024, our first day of preschool, Grace Lutheran Preschool will celebrate its 40th birthday! It is fitting in this momentous year that we will begin school with a record-breaking number of children attending our Preschool for this Fall -112! We are truly blessed!

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Happening every three years, ELCA High School Youth gather from around the country with space to learn and to hear diverse speakers. Young people grow in faith and are challenged and inspired to live their faith in their daily lives. Grace’s Krewe traveled to New Orleans spending days in interactive learning, worship, service and fellowship with other Gathering participants. Our Krewe learned about the New Orleans community and on accompaniment day, we cleared debris from catch basins to prevent hurricane flooding around the Comiskey neighborhood.

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What do Axolotl, Aye-Aye, Koala, Leafy Sea Dragon, Narwhal, Platypus and Red Pandas have in common? For one, these creatures are a unique expression of God’s amazing creation and they were the names of our VBS small groups this year.

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Ruthie Derrick, Assistant Treasurer, and Chris Ring, Finance Secretary, are our finance staff. We report to Terry Andersen, an Officer of the church as Treasurer who donates his time and expertise as a local CPA, and to Greg Dodd, Executive Director of Parish Operations for administrative matters. Both the Finance Secretary and the Assistant Treasurer are held to strict confidentiality standards.

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Dave Carver, Grace's Director of Video & Streaming MInistry, shares with us his perspective from the balcony during services at Grace, colored by the technology we use.

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Every year in April our communities celebrate Earth Day, which began in 1970 to mobilize people to protect the planet. Caring for creation is integral to being good stewards of all that God has made and entrusted to us, and throughout April at Grace, we will be celebrating God’s good creation in worship, fellowship and service.

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Communication in a church encompasses a variety of interactions and exchanges among its members, leaders, and the broader community. And if you haven’t noticed, Grace is a busy church! While we strive to effectively communicate information, it is common as church staff to hear, “Wow - I never knew this event was happening!” Here are ways we as Grace staff communicate with our Grace family.

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Lent begins February 14; I know, that came fast! Traditionally a season of penitence, Lent is also a season of preparation. As Jesus enters the wilderness for forty days, we enter into forty days of examination and renewal of our faith and lives. This year we invite you to join us in “Living Well Through Lent”. Romans 12:1-2 says:

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Since 1974 hundreds of thousands of generous people from across the Evangelical Lutheran Church have contributed more than $650 million dollars to support ELCA World Hunger. This year marks 50 years since this work began and still there is more to do. ELCA World Hunger shares that “together we have made great strides against hunger and poverty, providing food to meet immediate needs while equipping communities to foster long-term change through access to education and quality health care, sustainable solutions in agriculture, and advocacy for just laws that make ending hunger possible.”

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As I look back on my first few weeks at Grace, one of the highlights that stands out was leading chapel time with the preschool children. After I read a book to them, we prepared to sing “This Little Light of Mine.” I told the children that God loves each one of us and that God’s love is like a little light that shines inside us. One boy suddenly leaned forward and shouted, “God loves me!!??” I wasn’t sure if he was exclaiming or questioning this. Perhaps it was a little of both. I reiterated that yes, God loves him, that God loves all of us, and he quietly sat back in his pew.

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One Friday in October the Rev. Dr. Kate Bowler from Duke University addressed a room of neighbors, community leaders, friends, and cancer survivors. A cancer survivor herself, she talked honestly about how our culture isn’t kind about the rough edges that each of us has.

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“The First Silent Night” is a reimagined version of this legend. A happy ending and a beautiful Christmas song are guaranteed. Be sure to plan to attend our first musical production since the lockdown – taking place in Stull Hall. Our multi-generational and multi-talented cast and crew will help make your Christmas celebration joyful.

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SparkDwell is a unique community of faith existing to be in beloved community with our unhoused neighbors and/or in addiction recovery. The community provides worship, shower trailer ministry, hygiene packets, meals, bus tickets, and hosts service-learning coupling service with educational experiences around the systemic injustices that have led to marginalized experiences. Grace Youth requested SparkDwell for their annual summer service-learning trip due to its special experience of SparkDwell counselors serving alongside our students on projects and sharing their lived experiences of being unhoused and/or in addiction recovery.

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It’s summertime, which means another year of VBS. This year we chose curriculum from ELCA World Hunger, not only because it is a free resource for congregations who support World Hunger, but also because of the following quote from the introduction to this VBS.

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On the first Sunday of each month we gather together for ONE Worship service followed by a meal. No matter if we are 9 AM people or 11:15 AM people; no matter if we are traditional or contemporary worshipers; no matter if we are English Speakers or Spanish Speakers; on this first Sunday of every month we are reminded that we all are a vital part of Grace Lutheran Church. Together, united by the Spirit and bound together in our Baptism we are ONE.

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In Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus calms a storm while the apostles fear for their lives, reminding us to rely on Him through life’s chaos. This story resonates deeply with me, especially from my years in camp ministry, where campers sailing across open waters learned to trust Jesus amidst literal storms. At Duke Divinity School, the image of a boat with a cross as its mast—a symbol of the church—taught me that we move forward only by the Holy Spirit’s grace. Transition, like stormy waters, can bring uncertainty, but we have a choice: to live in fear or rely wholeheartedly on Jesus. As Interim Director of Youth Ministries at Grace, I embrace this season of learning and transition, confident that Grace Lutheran Church will continue to be a home for youth and families as we discern God’s will together. With Jesus in the boat, we can smile in the storm, trusting He will lead us to a clear new day.

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