Repurpose an Old IPad

You can help us support patients in hospitals who have COVID-19. Donate your old IPad to help our groups in hospital!
ICTR (International Collaborative for Trauma and Resilience) is supporting the mental health of patients in hospitals who have COVID-19 by facilitating virtual group meetings.
The idea may be seeming simple, a group that takes place twice weekly for 50 minutes, but the outcomes speak volumes.
These groups support health recovery and aid in reducing isolation, increasing resilience for patients through contact, sharing, laughter and companionship.
One of greatest challenges being a not for profit is always funding but in this case the challenge is more personal in that not all patients are fortunate to have access to iPads.
So, we are appealing to the public to please help these patients and donate an iPad (an older one you may no longer use) to our effort. Your donation will help us to better the lives that have already suffered so much, by giving them access to behavioral health and breaking their isolation.
In order to donate the iPads please email drraz@theictr.org. We will contact you back and send you instructions.
Website: https://theictr.org/
Contact Information: Dr. Sherrie Raz
Email:   drraz@theictr.org
Mail Address: 10800 Avenida Del Rio, Delray Beach, FL, 33446
Cell: (561)703-4468

[Bible Study] 4 Commandment Zoom to Scripture

Learning in Coronatide: C. S. Lewis on Going Back to School

Taken from: https://mbird.com/2020/08/learning-in-coronatide-c-s-lewis-on-going-back-to-school/

on October 22, 1939, C. S. Lewis climbed up to the pulpit of the University Church of St. Mary in Oxford to preach about “Learning in Wartime” at the start of the school year. France and the United Kingdom were at war with Germany, and Poland had just been conquered. The day before, many of the students in attendance were required to register for the draft. The times were bleak, to say the least. While there are many differences between wartime and a pandemic, the view Lewis takes on how to proceed in the bleakest of hours is instructive for us as what seemed like a quick turnaround has become a more prolonged struggle.

In the midst of global upheaval of a different kind, when everything around us feels so uncertain, if not dangerous, something as simple as education can seem to be a trivial matter by comparison. This is precisely the question with which he begins his sermon:

What is the use of beginning a task which we have so little chance of finishing? Or, even if we ourselves should happen not to be interrupted by death or military service, why should we — indeed how can we — continue to take an interest in these placid occupations when the lives of our friends and the liberties of Europe are in the balance? Is it not like fiddling while Rome burns?

For that matter, how can we reasonably worry about anything except the pandemic? Why get married, have kids, build a house, or go to school when the future is so uncertain. It’s a fair question to ask, but one that rests upon an overly optimistic view of “normal’ life. Wartime, for Lewis, is not an anomalous time to live, an exception to the rule (we might say “unprecedented”).

The war creates no absolutely new situation; it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has always been lived on the edge of a precipice. Human culture has always had to exist under the shadow of something infinitely more important than itself. If [people] had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty until they were secure, the search would never have begun. We are mistaken when we compare war with “normal life.” Life has never been normal.

The operative words in quarantine life have been “pause” and “delay.” Everything is put on hold until the coast is clear. Lewis might view this as a waiting for a certainty that will never come, an illusory desire for control over what cannot be mastered. Waiting for life to resume, we fail to notice that life is still happening. Taking a risk in such times, whether it be sending your kids back to school or visiting your parents, is enough to make one feel guilty. But life has never been ideal, and those waiting for a return to “normal” may never emerge from their bunker (even after a vaccine).

As Lewis sees it, the danger of quarantine life is not inactivity, but listless activity that amounts to nothing. A gap-year may feel like a gracious allowance to many. What we might actually do with that extra time is a mixed bag (Tiger King, anyone?). For Lewis, the frustration and restlessness we probably feel now is not a sign that we should immediately return to pre-pandemic activities, but a symptom that we have perhaps squandered the time we have been given.

If you attempted, in either case, to suspend your whole intellectual and aesthetic activity, you would only succeed in substituting a worse cultural life for a better. You are not, in fact, going to read nothing, either in the Church or in the line: if you don’t read good books, you will read bad ones. If you don’t go on thinking rationally, you will think irrationally. If you reject aesthetic satisfactions, you will fall into sensual satisfactions.

Would Lewis have socially-distanced and worn a mask? Certainly. For him, the duties of wartime necessity must be engaged. But he also cautions against an obsessive fixation on potential threats which precludes other worthy aspirations.

[W]e may have a duty to rescue a drowning man and, perhaps, if we live on a dangerous coast, to learn lifesaving so as to be ready for any drowning man when he turns up. It may be our duty to lose our own lives in saving him. But if anyone devoted himself to lifesaving in the sense of giving it his total attention — so that he thought and spoke of nothing else and demanded the cessation of all other human activities until everyone had learned to swim — he would be a monomaniac. The rescue of drowning men is, then, a duty worth dying for, but not worth living for.

In our times, the requirements of social distancing and mask-wearing are essential, but these are not a reason to get up in the morning. Staying alive is not a reason for living. The coronavirus has paused many aspects of our routines and vocations, while simultaneously providing new strictures within which to (yes) flourish. Whether it be in person or a hybrid classroom, education can still be one of many joys given to us. Being safe during coronatide is a social responsibility, but it doesn’t give us joy like the laughter of children, the voice of a old friend on the phone, or learning a new language. If the power goes out, we could sit in the darkness and stare at the lightbulb, but lighting some candles and playing a board game would be way more fun.

Our lives may have been altered, but God remains the unchanged. Grace does not wait for the perfection conditions, but comes to us when we least expect it. As Lewis reminds us, “The present is the only time in which any duty can be done or any grace received.” This time we have now is such a gift. God does not follow social distancing guidelines: his gifts remain and he pursues us still — even during a pandemic.

[Sunday] Slow Down - The Standard - 2&3 Commandment

Service [above] Sermon releases at 10pm [under]

Questions for the Week

1. Explain what is meant by the misuse of God’s name. 

2. Read Acts 19:11-20.  How do the sons of Sceva misuse the name of God?

3. Give present day examples of the way people sinfully misuse God’s name to gain something or selfishly manipulate other people.

4. How can we properly use God’s name?

5. This week, what are ways that you could remember the Sabbath and further observe the rest Jesus gives you?

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---- THIS WEEK AT GRACE - Today August 23, 2020

Worship Service 8:30 AM

Second Worship Service and

  video service www.gracelutheranpsl.com 10:15 AM

Zoom into Fellowship 12:00 PM - Noon

Korean Church Worship 1:00 PM

AA 7:30 PM

Rest of the week August 24 - August 29

Individual/Family Communion Wednesday 11:00, 11:20, 11:40 & Noon

ZOOM Bible Study Thursday, 11:00 AM

     www.gracelutheranpsl.com

Korean Church Prayer Saturday, 6:00 AM

For complete calendar information, go to www.gracelutheranpsl.com/calendar

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK: Mary Ann Roksvold - 8/23, Jerry Freudenburg - 8/26, Tony Young - 8/27, Susan Becker, Kyle Kneifel & Taytum Tucholski (1 year) - 8/28

THE FLOWERS ADORNING THE ALTAR are given by Susan Schill & George Tsikoudis in memory of Susan’s beloved mother Bonnie Schill.

OUR THOUGHTS & PRAYERS are with Ed Bock as he grieves the loss of his wife Barbara who passed away on August 12th.  A memorial service will be held on September 8th at 11:00 A.M.  The service will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend.     

PLEASE CALL PEOPLE I realize I take for granted that people just come to the church on a regular basis. So that we all don’t descend into madness, let’s call and talk to each other regularly.  Phone directories are available for your convenience.  

CARENET INVITATION:  Phil & Judy Fredrich, would like you to join them and fellow Grace Lutheran guests at a table for the CareNet Fundraiser Banquet, Thursday, September 24 or Friday, September 25.   Please call 772-237-2626 and let Phil or Judy know which evening you wish to attend and your menu desire, either pasta or chicken.

Online Giving We have now added Paypal for online donations. We have been approved as a trusted non profit organization. If you would like to give through Paypal, please go to: www.GraceLutheranPSL.com and click the “GIVE” button on the upper right side of the page.

COMMUNITY BAG PROGRAM: Thank you to all of you who purchased the Winn Dixie bags in July.   You helped raise $40.00 to be used to help furnish the new Alzheimer’s Community Care building once finished, Thanks.

COMMUNION ON WEDNESDAY: If you, or someone you know, would like to celebrate Holy Communion but prefer a small group or unable to attend Sunday service, Pastor Cris has set aside Wednesday’s to celebrate the meal in small/family groups.   Please come by on Wednesday at: 11:00, 11:20, 11:40 or 12:00 (noon) and partake of this wonderful meal.   

SEE YOUR GRACE FAMILY ON ZOOM!  Pastor and Coli will be hosting Zoom to Coffee at NOON every Sunday for those who would like to join in fellowship “virtually” to see and chat with Grace members and friends.  All are welcome!

BIBLE STUDY FOR ALL Pastor Cris is conducting a “livestream” Bible study online (www.GracelutheranPSL.com) with ZOOM, for you to participate in on Thursdays at 11:00 AM.  ** You are also welcome to attend the Bible Study at church, in person!  ** Seating with social distancing along with wearing your mask is now happening,  at the Bible Study on Thursday at 11 AM and at Worship on Sundays at 8:30 AM and 10:15 AM.
GIVING - Changing over to a social distance model of ministry has been quite challenging. We  needed to purchase new equipment and the overall church’s expenses did not go down even though we were not meeting in person.  We are here to provide “Grace and Peace in this Chaotic and Lonely Time” to those in our church and community.  Thank you for your past and continual prayers and financial support to Grace and your community.

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

Updated Pics of the New Building

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Crafters Goup on Mondays

Deferred Maintenance: Finding God in the Breakdown Lane

by SAM BUSH on Aug 17, 2020 • 8:30 am3 Comments

Earlier this week, right before dinner time, our refrigerator started to sound slightly off. Its normal low purr became something of a soft wheeze. When my wife made a passing remark about it, I shot back, “It’s fine! I think it does that sometimes,” as if I were defending the fridge for having been personally slighted. By some miracle, the matter didn’t escalate into an argument and we then ate dinner with our two boys (not peacefully, mind you, dinner was mayhem).

The next morning, the fridge was squealing. It got to the point where I had to speak up a bit in order for my wife to hear what I was saying. When the stainless steel elephant in the room could no longer be ignored, I conceded: “I think we should probably have someone take a look at it, I guess!” She looked back at me with a knowing, loving, slightly irritated look, reminding me that I was a very lucky man. Six days later and I still have yet to get in touch with a repairman.

Judging from the lines at the dentist, mechanic, and veterinarian, we’ve all been deferring maintenance. Routine checkups are being delayed indefinitely because we now have the ultimate excuse to not do things: You could die! At the very least, the pandemic has made most of these chores inadvisable and, yes, possibly life-threatening. The World Health Organization recently advised putting off visiting the dentist for routine care until Covid-19 rates drop or until researchers know more about the risks involved. Perhaps your teeth whitening is, in fact, a matter of life and death, but I happen to know a certain someone who already has been following this public health protocol for a couple of years now.

Pandemic or no pandemic, there are things that aren’t being fixed that need to be. The roof is leaking, but we’ve put buckets across the floor. Our knee hurts, but we don’t mind limping a little, and people seem to hardly notice anyway. We feel overwhelmed, but virtual therapy feels awkward. We’re in dire need of good news, but the church is closed. In many ways, delayed maintenance is our usual modus operandi, but our capacity to meet the bare minimum is at the lowest it’s ever been. If we had been required to file our taxes on time this past April, it might have led to the collapse of modernity.

Deferring upkeep in our lives during Covid-19 seems to be a microcosm of how we deal with inadequacy and judgment. The reason why I denied that my fridge needed to be fixed in the first place is twofold: 1. I don’t want to be the type of person that needs his fridge fixed (thank you very much); and 2. the necessary steps it would take to fix it are beyond my mental capacity at the moment. Life is hard enough as it is and a broken fridge may be all it takes to send me over the edge.

When modest crises present themselves, we might attempt a quick fix and hope for the best, but Lord knows the piper will always get paid and any delay will only accrue interest. In other words, you can fight the law of life, but the law will always win. Life, ultimately, will not be managed, but endured.

I recently left my job of ten years to pursue graduate school. Clearing out my office felt as if I was having an organ removed. Even voluntary surgery requires a recovery process. While talking about this new transition with a friend, I tried to evade the dramatic undertones of what I was going through. “It’s been a little stressful, but I’m trying to name it. I don’t want it to build into a big blowup,” I told her. To which she responded, “You know, it’s OK if it does.” It didn’t occur to me until then that the loss that I was feeling would, in fact, lead to some sort of a blowup if I ever wanted to allow myself to fully grieve.

Of course, there are various degrees of “blowup.” There’s the inconsolable crying while watching a survival show (this can be classified as an acceptable blowup). Then there’s the screaming at a guy who you think is driving too fast on your street (less acceptable). The hope is that the blowup is executed in a safe manner, preferably with someone you love and trust. In the areas of our lives where we have deferred maintenance, let us hope that the car doesn’t break down on the highway in front of an eighteen-wheeler. Then again, even then, it may just be OK if it does.

It’s been said before that God’s office is at the end of your rope. When the car breaks down, when the tooth decays, when your mental health deteriorates. The place that feels God-forsaken is sometimes the very heart of grace, or, at the very least, the gateway to true healing. As Kafka once said, “You can hold yourself back from the sufferings of the world, that is something you are free to do and it accords with your nature, but perhaps this very holding back is the one suffering you could avoid.” Kafka may be right, but I think it’s too much to ask people to try to not avoid suffering. Avoiding suffering is in our very nature. We will inevitably keep the crises of our lives at bay as long as possible, even if that may only delay the wideness of God’s mercy rushing in to meet us there.

The good news is that God works all things together for good. All things means all things. All things also means that one particular thing — whatever it is — that you happen to be putting off right now. He is working that out — as well as the subsequent breakdown — for good. How can we trust this? Because God did not hold back from the sufferings of the world, but instead was lifted up and drew all of it to himself. Jesus’ death was anything but a quick fix. On the Cross, God used his broken body to restore the world once for all.

In truth, I will not call the repairman today. Like most things in my life, I will prolong getting the help I need until it is much too late. In those moments of brokenness, may I trust that the help of God will “come with succor speedy.” There is no queue to wait for God’s mercy. When we pick up the phone to call we find he’s already arrived at our door, wrench in hand.

[Bible Study] 2nd & 3rd Commandment Zoom to Scripture

[Sunday] Fear Love & Trust - The Standard - 1st Commandment

Service [above] Sermon releases at 10pm [under]

Questions for the Week

1. In what ways do people look at religion as a “do it yourself” project?

2. How would you define the word’s fear, love, and trust?

3. What are other gods you’re tempted to trust?

4. In what ways does the first commandment address our inmost thoughts, attitudes, and concerns in life?

5. Read Philippians 3:17-21. Why can we fear, love, and trust in God above all things? 

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---- THIS WEEK AT GRACE - Today August 16, 2020

Worship Service 8:30 AM

Second Worship Service and

  video service www.gracelutheranpsl.com 10:15 AM

Zoom into Fellowship 12:00 PM - Noon

Korean Church Worship 1:00 PM

AA 7:30 PM

Rest of the week August 17 - August 22

Voting Machine set-up (limited office) Monday

Florida Primary - Office Closed Tuesday

Individual/Family Communion Wednesday 11:00, 11:20, 11:40 & Noon

ZOOM Bible Study Thursday, 11:00 AM

     www.gracelutheranpsl.com

Korean Church Prayer Saturday, 6:00 AM

For complete calendar information, go to www.gracelutheranpsl.com/calendar

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK: Roger Clemente - 8/16, Thomas Piotrowicz & Cindy Lynch - 8/17, Paula Wehling & Shirley Mullins - 8/19, Micki Tomasch - 8/21

ANNIVERSARIES THIS WEEK: Bill & Wilanne Kimball - 8/20 (54 Years)

THE FLOWERS ADORNING THE ALTAR are given by Cheryl Nolte in memory of her daughter Laura Sutterfield.

GOOD NEWS - A BIRTH: Marita Albano is now a great grandmother!  Alayna Elise Cooper was born on July 30, 2020, congratulations Marita and great aunt Karen. 

OUR THOUGHTS & PRAYERS are with Ed Bock as he grieves the loss of his wife Barbara who passed away on Wednesday.   

PLEASE CALL PEOPLE I realize I take for granted that people just come to the church on a regular basis. So that we all don’t descend into madness, let’s call and talk to each other regularly.  Phone directories are available for your convenience.  

CARENET INVITATION: Phil & Judy Fredrich, would like you to join them and fellow Grace Lutheran guests at a table for the CareNet Fundraiser Banquet, Thursday, September 24 or Friday, September 25.   Please call 772-237-2626 and let Phil or Judy know which evening you wish to attend and your menu desire, either pasta or chicken.

Online Giving We have now added Paypal for online donations. We have been approved as a trusted non profit organization. If you would like to give through Paypal, please go to: www.GraceLutheranPSL.com and click the “GIVE” button on the upper right side of the page.

COMMUNITY BAG PROGRAM: Thank you to all of you who purchased the Winn Dixie bags in July.   You helped raise $40.00 to be used to help furnish the new Alzheimer’s Community Care building once finished, Thanks.

COMMUNION ON WEDNESDAY: If you, or someone you know, would like to celebrate Holy Communion but prefer a small group or unable to attend Sunday service, Pastor Cris has set aside Wednesday’s to celebrate the meal in small/family groups.   Please come by on Wednesday at: 11:00, 11:20, 11:40 or 12:00 (noon) and partake of this wonderful meal.   

SEE YOUR GRACE FAMILY ON ZOOM!  Pastor and Coli will be hosting Zoom to Coffee at NOON on Sunday for those who are worshipping at home, or in person, who would like to join in fellowship “virtually” to see and chat with Grace members and friends safely.  All are welcome!

BIBLE STUDY FOR ALL Pastor Cris is conducting a “live” Bible study online for you to participate in on Thursdays at 11:00 AM.   Directions for participating can be found on the web page www.GracelutheranPSL.com.   ** You are also welcome to attend the Bible Study at church, in person!  ** Seating with social distancing along with wearing your mask is now happening,  at the Bible Study on Thursday at 11 AM and at Worship on Sundays at 8:30 AM and 10:15 AM.
GIVING - Changing over to a social distance model of ministry has been quite challenging. We  needed to purchase new equipment and the overall church’s expenses did not go down even though we were not meeting in person.  We are here to provide “Grace and Peace in this Chaotic and Lonely Time” to those in our church and community.  Thank you for your past and continual prayers and financial support to Grace and your community.

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

The Standard Sermon Series

The Ten Commandments have long been the standard to which we judge how we should live. But how many do we have to keep so that we can stay on God’s good side? Is it one or five? I mean, some of these are easy, like don’t muder. I haven’t broken that yet. However, when we look deeper at the commandments, we see a deeper standard for our lives.

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Sermons Playlist

See or Watch a Past Sermon Or Service

[Bible Study] 1st Commandment Zoom to Scripture

[Sunday] Just a Taste - God's Greater Story - Romans 14

Service [above] Sermon releases at 10pm [under]

Questions for the Week

1.  What is God’s greater story?  What have you learned in this series?

2. Read Romans 14:1- 15:7.  What are the key themes that jump out to you as you read this?

3. According to Paul’s definition, who would you consider to be a weak Christian today?  According to this section of Romans, how should your attitude change towards them?

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---- THIS WEEK AT GRACE - Today August 9, 2020

Worship Service 8:30 AM

Second Worship Service and

  video service www.gracelutheranpsl.com 10:15 AM

Zoom into Fellowship 12:00 PM - Noon

Korean Church Worship 1:00 PM

AA 7:30 PM

Rest of the week August 10 - August 15

Grace Crafters Monday, 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Adopt-A-Mile Tuesday, 8:30 AM

Individual/Family Communion Wednesday 11:00, 11:20, 11:40 & Noon

ZOOM Bible Study Thursday, 11:00 AM

     www.gracelutheranpsl.com

Korean Church Prayer Saturday, 6:00 AM

*Florida Primary next week, equipment set-up on Monday 8/17 and the Primary on 8/18.

For complete calendar information, go to www.gracelutheranpsl.com/calendar

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK: Paul Hasz - 8/10, Hatha Brown & Roy Cuellar - 8/15

THE FLOWERS ADORNING THE ALTAR are given by Gloria Solack in memory of her daughter Theresa.

ADOPT-A-MILE is this Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at 8:30 AM!   Our meeting place will be on the corner of Torino and Conus.  For more information contact: Judy Fredrich (561) 315-9555  pjfred@outlook.com

CARENET - AWESOME SUPPORT!    $436.59 was collected for the CareNet baby bottles!   A huge thank you for all who have participated.  If you still have a bottle please bring it in or if you would like to make an additional donation to CareNet we will accept it anytime.

PLEASE CALL PEOPLE I realize I take for granted that people just come to the church on a regular basis. So that we all don’t descend into madness, let’s call and talk to each other regularly.  Phone directories are available for your convenience.  

Online Giving We have now added Paypal for online donations. We have been approved as a trusted non profit organization. If you would like to give through Paypal, please go to: www.GraceLutheranPSL.com and click the “GIVE” button on the upper right side of the page.

CRAFTERS’ GROUP Will meet Tomorrow, Monday, August 10, from 10:30 AM till 2:00 PM (lunch provided!).   Please wear your mask, and we will keep safe distance while enjoying fellowship and will “craft” new and enjoyable items.  Contact Judy Fredrick pjfred@outlook.com for info.

CALLING ALL BOOKBAGS, PENCILS, AND OTHER SCHOOL SUPPLIES! “Habitat for Children’s Ministry” led by Meschac St. Amour is looking for school supplies to be used by students in Haiti this coming school year.   This week is the last week for collection!

COMMUNION ON WEDNESDAY: If you, or someone you know, would like to celebrate Holy Communion but prefer a small group or unable to attend Sunday service, Pastor Cris has set aside Wednesday’s to celebrate the meal in small/family groups.   Please come by on Wednesday at: 11:00, 11:20, 11:40 or 12:00 (noon) and partake of this wonderful meal.   

SEE YOUR GRACE FAMILY ON ZOOM!  Pastor and Coli will be hosting Zoom to Coffee at NOON on Sunday for those who are worshipping at home, or in person, who would like to join in fellowship “virtually” to see and chat with Grace members and friends safely.  All are welcome!

BIBLE STUDY FOR ALL Pastor Cris is conducting a “live” Bible study online for you to participate in on Thursdays at 11:00 AM.   Directions for participating can be found on the web page www.GracelutheranPSL.com.   ** You are also welcome to attend the Bible Study at church, in person!  ** Seating with social distancing along with wearing your mask is now happening,  at the Bible Study on Thursday at 11 AM and at Worship on Sundays at 8:30 AM and 10:15 AM.

GIVING - Changing over to a social distance model of ministry has been quite challenging. We  needed to purchase new equipment and the overall church’s expenses did not go down even though we were not meeting in person.  We are here to provide “Grace and Peace in this Chaotic and Lonely Time” to those in our church and community.  Thank you for your past and continual prayers and financial support to Grace and your community.

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

Who Is My Neighbors - John Nunes

Source article: https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/who-is-my-neighbour/

“11 min Read”

By Rev. Dr. John Arthur Nunes is President of Concordia College (Bronxville, New York).

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As if the loneliness of isolation weren’t enough, now we are gripped by the fear of anarchy and what feels to some like the collapse of western civilization. As tough as these times seem, I believe that the Holy Spirit relentlessly is present to help the Church navigate with confidence and hope these difficult days: “We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Hebrews 10:39).

The twin crises of COVID-19 and rising mainstream awareness of racial injustice have tested our faith and rattled our settled ideas of normalcy. From Port of Spain, Trinidad to Uranium City, Saskatchewan life on our continent is challenged. Yes, I say stretching from the Caribbean, because people from Panama to Greenland geographically-speaking are our North American “neighbours.” Our current moment—whether because of social distancing or social unrest—retrieves for us an ancient question with biblical precedent: “Who is my neighbour?” (Luke 10).

Reimagining Neighbourliness

When I attended Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS – St. Catharines, Ontario) in the late 1980s, Dean Roger Humann led a spiritual retreat based on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s work Life Together. How can communities of faith ground our lives together in the place where grace is funded? Humann proposed, only with Christ at the centre! I remember our discussions including this volume’s cautionary note: that there was a destructive power when humans wrongly love even good things. For example, lovers of community, and nowadays, lovers even of diversity end up destroying what they love. Those, on the other hand, who reserve their love for Jesus Christ fortify community.

That principle has stuck with me and worked for me everywhere I’ve been in the ensuing thirty-plus years. Truth endures, doesn’t it? My point is, as we ourselves endure our hard struggles (Hebrews 10:32), we do not need novel strategies; we do need to do old things in new ways, and answer ancient questions, like “Who is my neighbor?” with faithful reimagination.

Our renewed neighbourliness arises only as we continue to orbit our lives around the source and summit of our faith, Jesus Christ. He is the axis that holds all things together (Colossians 1:17). Through the inevitable zigzag course of our days, we hold firmly to the One who holds us in “the confession of our hope without wavering” (Hebrews 10:23). How do we keep being held? By participating regularly in God’s Word, in the Sacraments, and in the fellowship of the faithful. By dwelling in Christ, we will reinforce our habits of faith during these trying times even as we discover innovative ways to be forces for good and for God in increasingly diversified communities. To be the witnesses for peace and the workers for justice we are called to be, we must first “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) in the One who calls us.

Since human persons are the crown of creation, all people are offered the saving gift that Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose to procure. Humans are able, by grace through faith, to uniquely know and love their Creator. Therefore, we regard all persons as our neighbours—without any exclusions or exceptions! We value all persons as bearers of the dignity accredited to those both made in the image of God, and, in whom, as believers in Christ, the image will be fully restored. Finally, we anticipate the renewal of creation, the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:2), where race is finally and fully transcended. 

“Humans are able, by grace through faith, to uniquely know and love their Creator. Therefore, we regard all persons as our neighbours—without any exclusions or exceptions! We value all persons as bearers of the dignity accredited to those both made in the image of God, and, in whom, as believers in Christ, the image will be fully restored.”

North American society seems to be moving in the opposite direction, as we increasingly dishonour, disregard, and disrespect our neighbours with blatant brutality. Social media tends to aggravate our rage and outrageousness. Stuck in a painful state of hyperpartisanship, we demonize each other and impose demands that are non-nuanced and non-negotiable. As religious faith fades, politics gains an inflated sense of religious ferocity. Even among those who profess belief, theology too often gets twisted to form a thin veneer of proof passages as cover for their group’s cultural ideology. We are meant for more than this as a people and as a Church. If we still possess the will to pursue a pathway forward, it will need to include a new neighbourliness led by Christians: respectful listening, principled civility, reasoned dialogue, mutual sacrifice, decision-making with an eye toward the common good, and as James Hankins from Harvard University puts it much better than I: “the ability to recognize the value of what others value.”

I palpably remember as a student how proudly I admired the neighbourliness expressed in the old CLTS Academic Calendar. I was magnetized by what these words suggested as possible: that St. Catharines was located near the urban centers of Toronto, Hamilton, and Buffalo, New York, and that the area congregations were reflective of “the ethnic and linguistic diversity that is typically Canadian.” What a bracing vision, to celebrate pluralism as “typical,” an indubitable fact.

Race as Fiction. Racism as Fact.

The most recent racial unrest in the United States has captured the attention of the mainstream culture in North American life, a stratum in which most Lutherans are located. Many are becoming more aware of what others have long known—the persistence of the structural evil of slavery, Jim Crow segregation, and the chronic lack of access afforded too many African-Americans. Many are recognizing the gargantuan work yet to be done in addressing systemic corruption, unequal economic opportunity, urban violence, mass incarceration, and the treatment of minority neighbours.

“It has always struck me as ironic that the majority of the world’s population qualifies as “minority.” Obviously, this term refers more to power dynamics than numerical demographics.”

There may be similar opportunities in Canada among so-called minorities. I say “so-called” because Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) comprise the vast majority of the world’s 7.8 billion people—conservatively 80 percent. The proportion of “minorities” in the U.S. and Canada will only grow as time goes on. Pew Research already reports that the most common age for white people in the United States today is 58, while for “minorities” it is 27.

It has always struck me as ironic that the majority of the world’s population qualifies as “minority.” Obviously, this term refers more to power dynamics than numerical demographics. Because of this, I have an academic friend who uses the term minoritized rather than minority. He is referring to groups of people who have been assigned minority status. What makes this more ironic for Christians is that race is a theological and biological fiction. Genetic differences are as significant within so-called races as they are between so-called races. Yet, racism is a fact. Racism makes negative judgments about human worth, intelligence, or superiority based on phenotypes, that is, “organic, genetically transmitted differences (whether real or imagined) between human groups” (LCMS CTCR report on “Racism and the Church”). 

Shattering Stereotypes

One opportunity for Christians in Canada to engage in the work of social justice and evangelization is among our First Nations’ neighbours. The word “neighbour” derives historically from near-dweller; to be a neighbour requires proximity, getting close to others in order to get to know them. Social distancing is the opposite of neighbouring.

Rhonda Kelman is the Executive Director of BC Mission Boat Society. She described for me in a recent Zoom conversation what could be acquired only from getting close to those who are different. Her “stereotypes were shattered” through her work among First Nations peoples living in remote communities along Canada’s British Columbian coast. As she shares the love of Jesus in word and deed, she “listens and learns,” and is awakened to the many false assumptions that people have regarding the religious practices of these communities. “It’s not about animal worship,” Kelman maintains, “I’ve heard [First Nations] people ask, ‘How can I have my culture and Jesus at the same time?’”

In other words, how are we to understand the ways in which culture and Christianity intersect? While becoming Christian certainly implies entering into a reverential framework that is distinct from this world, it also always entails cultural forms that are of this world—like language, music, ways of relating to one another, and even notions about time. During this moment of rising intercultural consciousness, we have a chance to learn about our own cultural blind-spots that falsely blur culture and theology. No matter who we are, our way cannot be the only way to come to the only One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 1:14).

Kelman speaks glowingly about experiencing welcome and hospitality among her First Nations neighbours. “I am amazed that we are invited and asked to go into their communities, especially in light of what they have suffered from church-based Residential Schools: sexually, physically, emotionally, having everything stripped away from them, not even being allowed to use their language.” 

It is heartbreaking that Inuit people, for example, have experienced intergeneration trauma which contributes to the highest suicide rates in the world, as Helen Epstein writes in The New York Review of Books, and that in some communities “over half the population uses drugs… including anything sniffable: starter fluid, spray paint, nails polish and gasoline.” Who is my neighbour?

Three Splashes of Inclusion

Irrespective of your politics, Canada seems historically to have striven to be a place of welcome and inclusion. As the former president of Lutheran World Relief, I had the opportunity to travel the world, meeting and getting to know many global neighbours, especially those living in poverty. As a whole, Canada seems unique in valuing hospitality toward new neighbours. My family was blessed to be welcomed to Canada from Jamaica in the 1960s, and then to Pilgrim, Hamilton in the early 1970s.

Sadly, some of this spirit seems to be dissipating. Perhaps this is in reaction to the ideological pressures of aggressive progressives. Perhaps it’s due to the nostalgic streak among some conservative types pining for a mythical era of monochromatic simplicity. Perhaps it’s an unhealthy influence from your politically divided neighbours to the south.

Whatever the socio-political motive, our identity in Christ’s mystical body must transcend categorization. As baptized believers, we are new creations! And that matters more than any label. Likewise, we have a new view of our neighbours, seeing them not merely as labelable categories. Reborn, “we regard no one according to the flesh” (2 Corinthians 5:16). What God does for us in three splashes of water obliterates all distinctions. Who we are daily remade to be in the name of Father, Son, and Spirit outweighs any category like Métis, fundamentalist, racist, single-parent, Quebecois, steelworker, Latina, divorcee, Marxist, bishop, learning-disabled, or any of the pigeonholes in which we find ourselves placed. We are called into the world from that eternal-life-giving font by the perfect love that drives out fear (1 John 4:18).

Despite what feels these days like chaos and crisis, the Holy Spirit keeps our eyes riveted on Jesus Christ. The ordinary places in which we pray, play, live, love, and work comprise the neighbourhoods in which God has assigned us to live out our baptismal identities. We follow our Redeemer and Rabbi who was, as my former professor Rev. Dr. John R. Stephenson eloquently puts it, “the carpenter’s son, becoming not a garrulous member of the chattering classes, not a businessman in search of quick profit, not even mayor of the town, but a quiet, methodical, reliable carpenter alert to the needs of His neighbours.”

Forgiveness Forty-Eight Years After John Lewis Was Attacked

Source Article: https://mbird.com/2020/07/forty-eight-years-after-john-lewis-was-attacked/

Astop-you-in-your-tracks story of (and reflection upon) sin, repentance, reconciliation, and hope from the late congressman John Lewis’ final book, Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America, which we discuss on the forthcoming episode of The Mockingcast. Even if you’ve heard about the incident elsewhere, it’s worth reading Lewis’ own words on the matter:

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Diffusing the fury of violence by obstructing and redirecting the intention of an attacker is itself an act of love … Having compassion for your attacker means you harbor no malice and seek no retribution for the wrong that has been done. It is an offering of love that asserts the victim’s self-worth. It makes room for the inner working of his or her soul that has a way of invoking a quiet insistence to do what is right.

This brings to mind the one and only attacker, of the forty times I was arrested and jailed, who apologized to me for his actions. Almost forty-eight years after that now famous Freedom Ride stop in Rock Hill, South Carolina, that left Albert Bigelow and me so badly bruised and bloodied, Elwin Wilson, one of our attackers, wanted to come to meet me.

Wilson had apologized to other Freedom Riders during ceremonies honoring them in South Carolina and had mentioned his wish to find the men he had beaten up that day in Rock Hill. I welcomed him to Washington and as we sat, Wilson looked deep into my eyes, searching my expression, and said he was the person who had beaten me in Rock Hill in May of 1961. He said, “I am sorry about what I did that day. Will you forgive me?” Without a moment of hesitation, I looked back at him and said, “I accept your apology.” The man who had physically and verbally assaulted me was now seeking my approval. This was a great testament to the power of love to overcome hatred …

Wilson has said publicly that he is glad to be able to count me as a friend today, and he has expressly mentioned his gratitude that we did not press charges that day. His life and the life of his family could have been changed forever if South Carolina had actually tried and convicted him. But beyond that, had he been tried, it would have added a layer of justification to the rationalization that always accompanies guilt. If he had been publicly vindicated, which would have been the likely outcome, it would have been more difficult for him to come to the point where he eventually believed an apology was in order, and more difficult for him to feel love.

Elwin Wilson also said that he was glad we did not have any weapons that day. If Albert Bigelow and I had inflicted harm in Rock Hill, we would have fueled the flames of violence instead of putting them out. Any sense of remorse would have had to compete with the fire of anger. Instead of a possible reconciliation, revenge would have been the product of that violent confrontation in Rock Hill. But because we met this man in love and offered him our respect despite his obvious hatred, it gave him nothing to justify his anger. He left that day only to review it in his mind so many times over the years. The resonance of our innocence made room in his own soul for the realization that he needed to ask for forgiveness. I was surprised to hear him clearly restate forty-eight years later the essence of what I had said to the police officer as I declined to press charges almost half a century earlier: “We’re not here to cause trouble. We’re here so that people will love each other.” That was how he put it. The impact we left was undeniable.

What Elwin Wilson did took courage. He could have simply made amends in his heart, but to publicly put aside his differences and admit his error is unique and bold. By doing this, he demonstrated so poignantly for all to see that love that opens its arms to help heal the pain of another’s suffering — not violence in self-defense — has the power to ultimately disarm the attacker, preserve his or her integrity, and enable the truth to do its work. Love that meets the separating action of violence with forgiveness affirms that our ultimate and eternal unity is transformative.

[Sunday] Under Roman Roads - God's Greater Story - Romans 13

Service [above] Sermon releases at 10pm [under]

Questions for the Week

1. What do you think makes a good political leader?

2. Read Romans 13:1-14.  How does Paul offer a different perspective of our leaders?  Who ultimately is in charge?

3. What does knowing that “there is no authority except from God and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1b) enable you to do?

4. What would the world look like if Chrstians focused more on loving our neighbors, one on one, rather than fighting over politics?

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---- THIS WEEK AT GRACE - Today August 2, 2020

Worship Service 8:30 AM

Second Worship Service and

  video service www.gracelutheranpsl.com 10:15 AM

Zoom into Fellowship 12:00 PM - Noon

Korean Church Worship 1:00 PM

AA 7:30 PM

Rest of the week August 3 - August 8

Grace Crafters Monday, 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Individual/Family Communion Wednesday 11:00, 11:20, 11:40 & Noon

ZOOM Bible Study Thursday, 11:00 AM

     www.gracelutheranpsl.com

Korean Church Prayer Saturday, 6:00 AM

For complete calendar information, go to www.gracelutheranpsl.com/calendar

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK: John Linderman - 8/4, and  Alexia Tsikoudis - 8/5

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES THIS WEEK: Brian & Shari Blizzard (27 Yrs)

THE FLOWERS ADORNING THE ALTAR are given to the glory of God by Laura Peeler.

AWESOME SUPPORT!    $436.59 has been collected for the CareNet baby bottles!   A huge thank you for all who have participated.   Last Sunday was the final day for the fund drive, however, if you still have a bottle please bring it in or if you would like to make an additional donation to CareNet we will accept them anytime.

PLEASE CALL PEOPLE I realize I take for granted that people just come to the church on a regular basis. So that we all don’t descend into madness, let’s call and talk to each other regularly.  Phone directories are available for your convenience.  

Online Giving We have now added Paypal for online donations. We have been approved as a trusted non profit organization. If you would like to give through Paypal, please go to: www.GraceLutheranPSL.com and click the “GIVE” button on the upper right side of the page.

CRAFTERS’ GROUP Will meet Tomorrow, Monday, August 3, from 10:30 AM till 2:00 PM (lunch provided!).   Please wear your mask, and we will keep safe distance while enjoying fellowship and will “craft” new and enjoyable items.  Contact Judy Fredrick pjfred@outlook.com for info.

(We will also be meeting next Monday, August 10th.)

CALLING ALL BOOKBAGS, PENCILS, AND OTHER SCHOOL SUPPLIES! “Habitat for Children’s Ministry” led by Meschac St. Amour is looking for school supplies to be used by students in Haiti this coming school year. 

COMMUNION ON WEDNESDAY: If you, or someone you know, would like to celebrate Holy Communion but prefer a small group or unable to attend Sunday service, Pastor Cris has set aside Wednesday’s to celebrate the meal in small/family groups.   Please come by on Wednesday at: 11:00, 11:20, 11:40 or 12:00 (noon) and partake of this wonderful meal.   

SEE YOUR GRACE FAMILY ON ZOOM!  Pastor and Coli will be hosting Zoom to Coffee at NOON on Sunday for those who are worshipping at home, or in person, who would like to join in fellowship “virtually” to see and chat with Grace members and friends safely.  All are welcome!

BIBLE STUDY FOR ALL Pastor Cris is conducting a “live” Bible study online for you to participate in on Thursdays at 11:00 AM.   Directions for participating can be found on the web page www.GracelutheranPSL.com.   ** You are also welcome to attend the Bible Study at church, in person!  ** Seating with social distancing along with wearing your mask is now happening,  at the Bible Study on Thursday and at Worship on Sundays at 8:30 AM and 10:15 AM.
GIVING - Changing over to a social distance model of ministry has been quite challenging. We  needed to purchase new equipment and the overall church’s expenses did not go down even though we were not meeting in person.  We are here to provide “Grace and Peace in this Chaotic and Lonely Time” to those in our church and community.  Thank you for your past and continual prayers and financial support to Grace and your community.

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

City of PSL Dedicated Hurricane Page

UPDATE: The City now has a dedicated page for Hurricane Isaias updates and information: www.cityofpsl.com/isaias

Important information about shelters and evacuations from St. Lucie County, as well as the 8 a.m. update from the National Weather Service:

⬇️⬇️⬇️

Emergency Management staff is urging residents to shelter in place during #HurricaneIsaias, as there are no immediate plans to open shelters or issue evacuations.

The City of Port St. Lucie is closely monitoring the path of Hurricane Isaias. As of 5 p.m. Friday, July 31, we have the following update:

The Community Center, MIDFLORIDA Event Center, and Minsky Gym will close to the public at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020. These facilities will not reopen to the public until Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, at normal operating hours.

All parks will close to the public at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020. All parks may reopen to the public at noon Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020, barring weather conditions.

The Saints Golf Course will remain status quo with events and golf as scheduled through Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020. However, the facility may reopen to the public at noon Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020, barring weather conditions.

Hurricane Announcement July 30th 2020

No In-Person Service August 2nd

Online Service released at 10:15am

There they were, placing another Christian friend in the catacombs under the roads of Rome. They were facing persecution from all sides, and things looked bl...

Here's what you need to know about the City's stormwater system

Heads up, Port St. Lucie: Our area could see some wet weather this weekend, so here’s what you should know about the city’s stormwater system and how to maintain the swale on your property.

Learn more about the City's stormwater system at www.cityofpsl.com/swale

May My Virtue Signals Be Transformed Into Love

Article Taken from Mockingbird Ministries https://mbird.com/2020/07/may-my-virtue-signals-be-transformed-into-love/

by AMANDA MCMILLEN on Jul 13, 2020

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

— 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

There is a difference between being motivated by love and being motivated by self-justification, and we can usually feel the difference. When we send an email to a co-worker that was a bit harsh, we may be extra nice and accommodating to them the next time we interact — maybe to apologize in humility (a motivation of love), but also maybe to feel like we aren’t terrible people (a motivation of self-justification). These motivations are hard to pin down, and the things we do could be motivated by both forces at once — they often feel that way to me.

I remember complaining to my husband once about the ways that politicians drive me crazy by divisively deciding they’re right with no room for conversation or listening to other points of view. He listened and then reminded me that sometimes people aren’t trying to be divisive — sometimes they’re trying to be loving and they just think their policies are the most loving, and so they fight for them. His reply gave me pause and reminded me that whether it is politics or everyday life, there are different motivations for the things we do. And it isn’t necessarily up to us to determine if someone else’s motivations are right or wrong — God is very capable of knowing the hearts of others without our input. (Though as soon as He asks for my input I am READY to give it.)

But no matter our ability to differentiate between good and bad motivations for the things we do, we are still guilty. This is what the law tells us: “No one is righteous, no not one.” We are guilty of selfish motivation and self-justification. Feelings of guilt convict us of sin, a blessed and painful reminder that we are humans in need of a savior. But if we forget (as is so easy to do in this world) that we do in fact have a forgiving savior, we may do whatever we can to feel less guilty than we are.  Here we find our never-ending tit-for-tat approach to balancing the scales and desperately trying to feel like good people. But this is a tiring game with no end in sight that only starts fresh the next day, with the next mistake we make. (The internal dialogue is anxiety-inducing: “Did I offend that person? How do I prove to them that I’m ‘good’?”)

I have been seeing this lately all over social media. There are a lot of great conversations happening around racial inequities in our country — conversations that are rooted in love — and there are also a lot of puffed-up shows of solidarity that are more about being seen as righteous. Resounding gongs and clanging cymbals. It’s not always clear which is which, and I don’t know that it’s my place to decide, but we all know they’re both out there. I am certainly guilty of being another clanging cymbal. Again and again we see the human urgency to self-justify and prove our worth “that I may boast.”

Guilt can convict us of real sin that invites repentance, but self-justification likes to see that feeling fade, and naively hopes it will never return. Feelings of guilt do return because, of course, we are guilty of many things. We feel convicted of sin, self-justify by doing something that makes us seem moral to others, feel better about ourselves (via “virtue signaling”), and then the feeling of guilt dissipates, and we hope we are on the “right” side again. Then it’s back to normal life.

This pattern of guilt, self-justification, boasting, and then indifference, is cut to it’s core with the words of St. Paul to the Corinthians about the nature of love. Good works that come from guilt or self-justification are not patient or kind. They are not selfless, but rather fully focused on self. They will not bear all things or even last very long because as soon as we feel that false relief of self-justification, we can drop the act.

But good works coming from love — those are the real deal. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, these are the kind of good works we don’t think twice about, the kind of good works that don’t puff up, because they are born of love — genuine interest in our neighbor’s well being — instead of self-promotion. This kind of love is an act of God in us, a death of self and a resurrection within.

Self-justification is not actually what justifies us. It does no good to seem better than we are. As St. Paul writes, “man is justified by faith alone, not by works.” It is the imputed righteousness of Christ to ourselves that justifies us and calls us “good,” whether or not our best and worst actions have pure motives. This is why, when we find ourselves face-to-face with our sin, feeling the heaviness of guilt in our hearts, we can afford to give up the act of self-justification — not because we righted the wrong on our own, or even apologized. Being justification by faith frees us from the anxieties of self-justification and the endless search for perfect motivations. We are given this free gift of grace that we do not bring about, but only accept, dumbfounded, tears in eyes.

Love does not envy or boast, and we do not do it well. But God does it perfectly, on a cross. His righteousness is now ours and there is no need to prove a thing. From this death comes life, and from life comes fruits, like love.

[Sunday] Molded - God's Greater Story - Romans 12

Service [above] Sermon releases at 10pm [under]

Questions for the Week

1. Describe a time when someone embraced you with warmth and love.

2. Read Romans 12:9-21.  Compare and contrast Paul’s words with where we typically find power in the world.

3. Share some times when Jesus embodies the attitude Paul describes in Scripture.  How has he shown you this attitude?

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---- THIS WEEK AT GRACE - Today July 26, 2020

Worship Service 8:30 AM

Second Worship Service and

  video service www.gracelutheranpsl.com 10:15 AM

Zoom into Fellowship 12:00 PM - Noon

Korean Church Worship 1:00 PM

AA 7:30 PM

Rest of the week July 27 - August 1

Individual/Family Communion Wednesday 11:00, 11:20, 11:40 & Noon

ZOOM Bible Study Thursday, 11:00 AM

     www.gracelutheranpsl.com

Korean Church Prayer Saturday, 6:00 AM

For complete calendar information, go to www.gracelutheranpsl.com/calendar

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK: Barbara Morgan - 7/27, 

Al Vollmann & Lucille Mills - 7/28

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES THIS WEEK: Richard & Marie Harms - 7/31 (44 Yrs)

THE FLOWERS ADORNING THE ALTAR are given To the Glory of God.

PLEASE CALL PEOPLE I realize I take for granted that people just come to the church on a regular basis. So that we all don’t descend into madness, let’s call and talk to each other regularly.  Phone directories are available for your convenience.  

CALLING ALL BOOKBAGS, PENCILS, AND OTHER SCHOOL SUPPLIES! “Habitat for Children’s Ministry” led by Meschac St. Amour is looking for school supplies to be used by students in Haiti this coming school year. 

AWESOME SUPPORT!    As of July 9th, $386.53 had been collected for the CareNet baby bottles!   A huge thank you for all who have participated.   Today is the final day for the fund drive, however, we will continue collecting donations for CarNet if you would like to contribute.  

WINN DIXIE BAGS!  As a reminder, this is the final week!  Grace Lutheran Church Alzheimer's Community Care will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Community Bag at the store located at Winn-Dixie 281 Southwest Port St. Lucie Boulevard, Port Saint Lucie FL.  Thank You To all who have participated so far!

COMMUNION ON WEDNESDAY: If you, or someone you know, would like to celebrate Holy Communion but prefer a small group or unable to attend Sunday service, Pastor Cris has set aside Wednesday’s to celebrate the meal in small/family groups.   Please come by on Wednesday at: 11:00, 11:20, 11:40 or 12:00 (noon) and partake of this wonderful meal.   

SEE YOUR GRACE FAMILY ON ZOOM!  Pastor and Coli will be hosting Zoom to Coffee at NOON on Sunday for those who are worshipping at home, or in person, who would like to join in fellowship “virtually” to see and chat with Grace members and friends safely.  All are welcome!

BIBLE STUDY FOR ALL Pastor Cris is conducting a “live” Bible study online for you to participate in on Thursdays at 11:00 AM.   Directions for participating can be found on the web page www.GracelutheranPSL.com.   Check it out, and if you need assistance, please call the phone number listed. 

AND…. even if you are not computer savvy or do not have computer access, you can participate over your phone.  

GIVING - Changing over to a social distance model of ministry has been quite challenging. We  needed to purchase new equipment and the overall church’s expenses did not go down even though we were not meeting in person.  We are here to provide “Grace and Peace in this Chaotic and Lonely Time” to those in our church and community.  Thank you for your past and continual prayers and financial support to Grace and your community.
Online Giving We have now added Paypal for online donations. We have been approved as a trusted non profit organization. If you would like to give through Paypal, please go to: www.GraceLutheranPSL.com and click the “GIVE” button on the upper right side of the page.

What Had happened at Grace this week.