Remembering Patricia Hessee
Service at Grace. Wednesday May 12th at 1Pm
Patricia Moye Hessee, a loving wife, family woman and local philanthropist, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 5th in Winter Park, Florida. She was 81 years old.
Patricia was born July 3, 1940 in Jacksonville, Florida to Thomas and Louise Moye. She graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in 1958. After school, she worked for the City of Jacksonville for seventeen years before retiring as a budget analyst at the City of Jacksonville Electric Authority.
Patricia was a woman of faith who was passionate about giving back to those less fortunate than her. In partnership with her late husband, Claude Hessee, Patricia spent decades serving the local community through her work with several Lutheran Churches along the Florida East Coast. She helped to spearhead numerous projects including the development of the Cedar Creek Life Center for Faith Lutheran Church, Open Arms Childcare Center for Trinity Lutheran Church, and the Alzheimer's Community Care Center for Grace Lutheran Church. She was also active in serving the local homeless at meal centers in the Treasure Coast area.
Amongst her family and friends, Patricia was known for her outgoing personality, quick-witted sense of humor, and boundless compassion. She loved to travel with Claude and her family, visiting countless countries across all seven continents during her lifetime. More than anything, she loved God and her family. Her family has cherished time spent with Patricia. As a wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and aunt, she was loved by many, and she will be dearly missed.
Patricia was predeceased by her husband, Claude Hessee, and her younger sister Kathryn Fertig. She is survived by her sister Deanne McWilliams; her daughter Karen Hood; and her grandchildren Martin, Matthew, and Patrick Hood.
![[Sunday] Shattered Beautiful - Spiritual Conversations](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1651785690302-VA8ZK4LAMJDT3ZXHZYGC/SC+3a.jpg)
[Sunday] Shattered Beautiful - Spiritual Conversations
The residents of Winchester stare despondently as all the stained glass lay shattered all over the ground, shattered like the homes and lives of God’s people in Babylon, shattered like our lives when things have not worked out. But wait, look, there's a runner from the mountains with good news of grace and peace on their breath.
Questions for the week
Thinking back over your life, what’s the most pleasant, interesting or delightful spiritual conversation you’ve ever had? Where were you? How did the conversation start?
Who in your life is a non-Christian friend? How much time per week do you spend nurturing a friendship with a non-Christian?
Read Isaiah 52:7-12. What makes spiritual conversations beautiful?
Think about the last spiritual conversation you had with a non-Christian. Are you glad about that conversation? If so, why? If not, what do you think could have changed the trajectory of that conversation to make it more enjoyable?
What Had happened at Grace this week.
![[Sunday] A Song of Christmas Light - Know Me Better Man Stave 3](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1765482111687-AQYCM4FZQV9BO7JIPL02/Christmas+light+3a.jpg)
![[Wednesday] - Mid-week Advent - Christmas Variety Show](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/9bbb3ea9-ae2f-4317-a416-e9a3b6aa13ce/Variety+show25a.jpg)
![[Sunday] A Song of Christmas Light - Flickering Past Stave 2](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1764904771417-1ODC6N70IDWFLRDHDLYP/Christmas+light+2a.jpg)
A Window, A War, and a Metaphor in Winchester Cathedral
A window in Winchester Cathedral tells the story of a war and of people putting things back together.
Read whole article at https://curiousrambler.com/a-window-a-war-and-a-metaphor-in-winchester-cathedral/
The huge west window over the entrance to Winchester Cathedral isn’t what you would expect to see in an 11th century church. It’s filled with stained glass, but instead of showing scenes of Biblical events as most church windows do, this one is abstract and quite modern looking. There are jumbles of colored glass put together in what seems to be a haphazard pattern. You might see partial faces or bits of scenes here and there, but mostly it’s just a random mosaic of color. Let’s find out why…
The Big Picture in Ukraine by Scott Yaunt
While I’ve been giving updates about what’s going on here at the youth center in Slovakia with refugees,
a van loaded up with aid.
The Big Picture
While I’ve been giving updates about what’s going on here at the youth center in Slovakia with refugees, I haven’t had the chance to share about the big picture. I want to share some of the other ways the Spiritual Orphans Network Ukraine fund has been helping people in Ukraine as well as refugees who’ve left.
Erik Helgesplass delivering aid to a local hospital
As many of you know Ukrainian men between the ages of 18-60 are not allowed to leave the country. Many of the Ukrainian pastors we know have been serving their people in Ukraine for over two and half months while separated from their wives and children who evacuated the country. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult this time has been for them and I please encourage you to keep them in your prayers every day.
A van driven by Pastor Oleg with children written on it.
I’ll start with the Lutheran pastors from the German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ukraine, who SON has been partnering with for many years. There is the synod president Pastor Alexander Gross whose daughters will soon join us here in Slovakia to help out with the center and summer camps planned for Slovakia with SON mission teams. Pastor Gross and his wife are in the Odesa area, which has come under heavy rocket attacks over the last month. They run a social kitchen, providing meals to lots of shut-ins and people in need in the villages around Odesa, while also leading worship services and providing spiritual care for his flock.
There is the Bishop Pavlo Shvarts, who serves a congregation in Kharkiv, one of the cities with the heaviest fighting at the moment. He has helped set up humanitarian aid points, visited congregations all over the country including Bila Tserkva, and recently traveled to Vienna to meet with church leaders from all over Europe to give an update on Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis.
Pastor Ihor Shemihon preaching on Easter Sunday
Pastor Ihor Shemihon leads a congregation and ministry in Kyiv. He has also served the congregation in Bila Tserkva for many years and preached there a few weeks ago. He too has been helping provide and transport food and aid to people in need.
Pastor Kostya and Pastor Dennis loading up aid!
Pastor Oleg Schewtschenko is a Lutheran pastor with SELKU (Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ukraine). He has been helping transport women and children to the border, has helped provide food and humanitarian aid near Odesa as well and much more.
Pastor Kostya and Pastor Sergei buying aid in the west of Ukraine
Pastor Костянтин Кисіленко (Kostya) is with Church of Christ in Bila Tserkva and one of my favorite human beings to be around. He too has been helping transport people, food, and humanitarian aid. The congregation in Bila Tserkva has been doing repairs so internally displaced people can temporarily live at the church.
Pastor Oleg and others with a truck loaded with humanitarian aid
Pastor Dennis Sopelnik is also with Church of Christ and helps run the Bear Valley Bible Institute. Dennis has helped drive people to the border, deliver humanitarian aid and even performed a wedding during the war.
A van driven by Pastor Oleg filled with humanitarian aid
Pastor Gross and I back in June.
Pastor Sergey Gritsenko also serves in Bila Tserkva. He has been helping prepare the congregation for refugees as well preaching and leading Bible studies. Sergei is my father in law and has helped take care of our house, watched our dog, and has helped us send money to different pastors and ministries helping out in Ukraine.
Pastor Alexander Gross with a van and trailer filled with humanitarian help
Pastor Ihor's ministry in Kyiv with food packets ready to go.
Finally, while not a pastor, I’ve been touched by the work of Erik Helgesplass, a Norwegian man who lives in the Bila Tserkva region, he has been non-stop driving families to the border and picking up aid. He offered my family and many others the opportunity to stay at their house in the village where it was safer than in the city.
Pastor Pavlo and the congregation in Bila Tserkva
Me with Pastor Oleg and his family back in June
We are blessed to know these men and support their ministry to people in Ukraine in different ways. We’ve also had the opportunity to provide direct financial aid to families in need, help with housing for displaced families and send aid to people in Ukraine. It is because of your generosity we’ve been able to provide funds to these different ministries. I also ask you to pray for Тарас Даниленко a driver from Church of Christ, Vadim, Valery Guk, Sergei, Ruslan, Zhenya and Yura, they are the men from God’s Hidden Treasures who I know have been working hard and doing so much. I know some of their families are abroad as well and they miss them dearly.
Special prayers for safe travel for the family of Kostya and the wife of Dennis, who are traveling to Bila Tserkva from abroad, there stay will be short as they are picking up necessary documents but I know the temporary reunion will be priceless. Please pray for peace, that this war will end and families will be reunited. Next time I hope to share about the many different ways the Slovak church are helping refugees beyond the center where we are staying.
God bless,
Scott
![[Bible Study] Chapter 8 | Gospel of Mark](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1651796531606-WU1WBR7VXHG93VK3QZVK/mark7.jpg)
A Couple Thoughts On Desperate Evangelism
We Do Not Come to Church Because We Get a Gold Star. We Come Because We Have Tried Everything Else.
Read whole article at https://mbird.com/religion/church/a-couple-thoughts-on-desperate-evangelism/
nce, at a community breakfast our church hosted, a friend walked up to me to make a confession. It is one I am certain he walked away regretting.
He approached me with urgency on his face and said, “Sarah, I need to tell you something. I got dressed up today for church. I mean, we were planning on coming to the service. But something has come up. And now we have to leave. And I have not seen your husband. But I want you to tell him you saw me so I can get credit.”
This poor guy, this dear friend, had accidentally hit one of my buttons.
And so, in all of my demurely Christian charism, I turned to him and sai………………
![[Sunday] Why We Stopped Talking - Spiritual Conversations](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1651194231068-V79DNM80WD6ZM3TG3M7Q/SC+2a.jpg)
[Sunday] Why We Stopped Talking - Spiritual Conversations
Over the years, we have sold the faith in a way which has left us damaged, fearful, and mute. Perhaps, the Good Shepherd can gather us all in fields of abundance, heal our wounds, and give us voices of hope.
Questions for the week
Have you ever had a bad experience talking about your faith? Why do you think it’s so difficult to talk about your faith?
Read Colossians 4:2-6. How does Paul encourage us to witness our faith?
Look at the Lutheran Hour Ministries Conversations Curve. How can recognizing if a person is unreceptive, receptive, or seeking allow your conversation to be “gracious and seasoned with salt so you may know how you ought to answer each person?”
What Had happened at Grace this week.
![[Bible Study] Chapter 7 | Gospel of Mark](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1651194155788-HICXBFOJ0P4DSGRF16JJ/mark6.jpg)
Six Steps to Divine Blessing?
Trying to be holy — just like Abraham.
Read the whole article Here Six Steps to Divine Blessing? - Mockingbird (mbird.com)
As a pastor, one of my greatest joys is being able to look at scripture and lift up the great figures of the past. While the saints of the past often leave footprints too big for us to fill, we can model our walk after them as a surefire way to procure divine…………………………
![[Sunday] How Will They Hear - Spiritual Conversations](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1650637265412-WN94VFZQCGUDQTPGYOUU/SC+1bb.jpg)
[Sunday] How Will They Hear - Spiritual Conversations
God’s people were saved from slavery - incredible news! God created them to be a blessing to all the nations in the world. But right before the captivity, they were only interested in what God could do for them. Those gentile outsiders were not good enough for what they had. To this, the prophet asks them, and us, “How will they hear?”
Questions for the week
How many spiritual conversations (conversations about faith) do you have, on average, per month?
Read Romans 10:1-4. How did Israel’s self-righteous attitude affect their witness to the nations around them?
Read Romans 10:5-13. What does the good news look like?
Read Romans 10:14-21. Paul asks a series of rhetorical questions. How has Israel shared the good news? What promise does he give us about God’s nature?
What hope do you have that God has chosen you to share good news? What good news can you share with someone this week?
What Had happened at Grace this week.
Pious Imposters
Separating the frauds from the hypocrites.
Read the whole article at https://mbird.com/bible/pious-imposters/
owards the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus issues a warning against the false prophets who will eventually infiltrate his newly-established community. They will be devious, he says, but with proper diligence they can be detected: “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit” (Mt 7:16-17). Whatever their impressive abilities and accomplishments, these would-be prophets will ultimately reveal themselves (one way or another) to be dangerous frauds…………………………..
Spiritual Conversations (Teaching Series)
When it comes to evangelism, we have real fear of giving offense or being rejected. This fear creates barriers for many Christians when it comes to talking about their faith. Many people have said when spiritual conversations happened previously, it only created tensions and arguments. What I have seen is when we meld our faith with grace and good news, it will become a joy to have spiritual conversations, because it is indeed good news.
When it comes to evangelism, we have real fear of giving offense or being rejected. This fear creates barriers for many Christians when it comes to talking about their faith. Many people have said when spiritual conversations happened previously, it only created tensions and arguments. What I have seen is when we meld our faith with grace and good news, it will become a joy to have spiritual conversations, because it is indeed good news.
Reading Plan
April 24th 22 -
How will they hear -Romans 10 - 11:6
May 1st 22 -
Why We Stopped Talking -Luke 22:54-62 , Ezekiel 34:11-17, Colossians 4:2-6
May 8th 22 -
Beautiful Conversations-Isaiah 52
May 15th 22 -
Egar Conversationist -Ephesians 5-6
May 22nd 22 -
Everyday Conversations -Acts 4, 1 Peter 3:13-21
LHM
(Lutheran Hour Ministries)
Book which inspired this series.
![[Sunday] Gentleness & Respect - Spiritual Conversations](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1653012509674-H2OG52EIUQ3NVEJZ27ER/SC+5a.jpg)
![[Sunday] Eager - Spiritual Conversations](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1652451592564-OR8VRNJ5T9YCLS6P4ZR7/SC+4a.jpg)
![[Bible Study] Chapter 6 | Gospel of Mark](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1650583117481-LZ91X3A8JFHGOROIX2NO/mark5.jpg)
![[Sunday] Mark 16 | Amazed Easter - Revealing True Power](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1650056072699-PC55569C0DPBUVULH69M/Revealing+Easter+a.jpg)
[Sunday] Mark 16 | Amazed Easter - Revealing True Power
There are clues and breadcrumbs which God has left us so we can see the resurrection today. We see it when our faces light up with a glory of amazement that can only be told about over and over.
Questions for the week
Describe a time when you were amazed. What caused you to be amazed?
Read Mark 16:1-8. Why were the women at the tomb amazed?
Think back over the Gospel of Mark. What are some other stories where people are amazed at Jesus?
When have you been amazed by Jesus in your life?
What Had happened at Grace this week.
Good Friday | The Passion of True Power
The Passion of Jesus the Christ in Mark
Service Noon
What Had happened at Grace this week.
Maundy Thursday | Unraveled - Revealing True Power
Sometimes life just seems to unravel before our eyes. Maybe we need a savior who will unravel the creation to get us back.
Service 6PM
What Had happened at Grace this week.
Jesus’ Triumphal March to Crucifixion
In this way, Mark presents Jesus’ defeat and death, the moment of his greatest suffering and humiliation, as both literally and figuratively a triumph.
![[Sunday] Mark 15 | Coronation - Revealing True Power](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5852f18a20099e30cd2c01dc/1649424746590-H31IBKWT8JOISN7MSZ2O/Revealing+14a.jpg)
[Sunday] Mark 15 | Coronation - Revealing True Power
Jesus rides into Jerusalem looking strangely like a ride of power from years ago. As Jesus continues to walk to the cross, he takes a path that resembles so many parades of power and prestige from those seeking crowns of glory. Come see the coronation of true power.
Questions for the week
Name some of the most powerful people in the world. Why would you consider them powerful?
Read Mark 15:16-39. What do those who are powerful in the world do to Jesus?
How do the powers of the world today act in similar ways?
How does Jesus show true power in Mark 15?
What Had happened at Grace this week.
Pacing Ourselves: Learning Moderation
How did we come to know that we were dying a slow and unacknowledged death?
Read the article at Pacing Ourselves: Learning Moderation - Mockingbird (mbird.com)
We felt that it was important to be good to ourselves, and that this meant that it was dangerous to tell ourselves no. About anything, ever. Repression of one’s desires was an unhealthy thing […]
When did the collision between our appetites and the needs of our souls happen?
How did we come to know that we were dying a slow and unacknowledged death? And that the only way back to life was to set all our packages down and begin again, carrying with us only what we really needed? -Barbara Cawthorne Crafton………………………
Kids did a wonderful job singing and playing the bells.