Worship Service

Sunday 10:30 am

Sunday School and Bible Class 9am

Upcoming:

Contemporary Service—November 19

Pie Making—11/19 after church

Thanksgiving Eve Service—November 22, 7pm

Advent Decorating—11/26

2017

The conference that I just attended was called, “Re-forming for a changing culture.” All sorts of information was shared that demonstrates how different our world is from the one in which most of us grew up. Let me give you a little sampling of the life in America today:

We are living in a world today where many see the church as irrelevant or even extreme.

46% say religion is part of the problem; 42% say people of faith are part of the problem

The best way to find yourself is by looking w/in yourself 92% (76% of Christians)

To be fulfilled in life you should pursue the things you desire 94% (72% of Christians)

The highest goal of life is to enjoy it as much as possible 84% (66% of Christians)

Any kind of sexual expression between 2 consenting adults is ok 72% (61% of Christians)

People should not criticize someone else’s life choices 89% (76% of Christians)

Worldview is provided by feelings. Desire, not reality and not what is good, rules our world.

In this context how do we get people to come to church? This is a great challenge for us. Maybe we need to start with building relationships with people in our community. There are practices that have been an important part of the church for generations. Gabe Lyons wrote the book Good Faith and he shares some helpful information for us. He looked at churches that are flourishing in spite of the culture around them and gave us six practices

that the churches were successful at making part of the fabric of the church.

1 Embrace our context – recognizing how to love our neighbors well in this cultural moment

2 Recover our confession – becoming reacquainted with what Christians have always believed

3 Insist on human dignity – celebrating that we are all made in the image of God and this is our core identity; whether they agree with us or not

4 Cultivate virtue – pursuing formation in our daily habits carried out in relationship with others

5 Extend hospitality – welcoming strangers and nurturing friendships that build community

We live in a world where we drive in the garage and shut the door behind us to avoid interacting with our neighbors. This is different than the past. There are people that live or work near us that are craving community and would love to accept an invitation to our home for dinner.

6 Reimagine vocation – ordering our work toward the common good

If we could do these six things consistently and effectively we could start a revival in our own lives and be part of a revival in the lives of those in our community.

“The coming revival must begin with a great revival of prayer. It is in the closet, with the door shut, that the sound of abundance of rain will first be heard.” Andrew Murray

To learn more, check out Gabe Lyons’ book Good Faith, or let me know and I can connect you with other resources. If you have ideas on how we can improve on any of the above traits let me know and we can talk about how we do that together. This is basically what “We are Grace” is all about, as well, so please join us as we reach out to the community in love.

The peace of Christ to you! Pastor

Fall Festival - October 7

Thank you to everyone who participated in

this great time of fellowship.

After a lovely performance by

Debbie Dimitri guests strolled

along the Reformation Walk.

Children of all ages enjoyed

cotton candy, games, and crafts.

The bouncy house was a big hit.

Chili and Pie Contest winners

received ribbons. Everyone

enjoyed delicious food and apple

cider. The evening concluded

with singing by the Campfire.

Advent Decorating

Sunday, 11/26 after church

Join us for a festive time of decorating followed by a pizza luncheon. Everyone welcome!

Saturday, 11/25 —

Gather decorations into the preschool room.

Sunday after church—

Tree (new tree should be easier to assemble)

Garland

Wreath

MISSION GRANT 1:

MERCY MEALS OF SIOUXLAND, a ministry of Faith Lutheran Church, Sioux City, Iowa, began packaging fortified rice / soy meals in 2012 and donates all meals to Orphan Grain Train for transportation and delivery to Christian organizations in many countries, including India, Haiti, Romania, and Ecuador, as well as to Navajo reservations in the Southwest and Ysleta Mission in El, Paso Texas.

An LWML grant of $40,000 will feed from 50,000 to 75,000 hungry children in those countries.

THANKS to all who contribute to this ministry. Mite boxes are available in the narthex on top of the BIG mite box.

Dedicate a poinsettia plant in honor of a family member, friend or in memory of a dear one. The dedication of these flowers will appear in the December 17th bulletin. You may order anytime up until November 12. Please attach a check for $9.50 for each plant purchased. You may take a plant home after the Christmas season.

BOOK REVIEW

Every Now and Then

by Karen Kingsbury

Author Kingsbury takes on another important theme—the critical role our relationships play in our success or failures in life. In this story a boy is seriously traumatized when his fireman father is killed in the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York City. Now the boy is a young man in a position to fight environmental terrorists in his own community. Is he up for the job?

Girl Scout Troop 42451 is off and rocking the new girl scout year!

Some fun facts and information about our troop this year:

22 girls in the troop.

Currently working on our Girl Scout ways patch, cooking badge and fall fun patches.

October outing Hovander Park

Up coming events: community pie making event with our goal of making 100 pies for the Thanksgiving baskets with help from the community.

As always a BIG thank to the church family at Grace Lutheran for letting us meet on Fridays.

November 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2

Lay Ministry

Meeting

7pm

3 4

MEN’S Bible Study 8 am

5 Daylight Saving

Time Ends

9:00 Bible Study & Sunday School

10:30 Worship w. Communion

6

Ladies Bible Study 1pm Confirmation 5pm Spiritual Discipline Class 5pm

7

8

Community

Meal 5-7

9

10

11

12

9:00 Bible Study & Sunday School

10:30 Worship

Stewardship Sunday

13

Ladies Bible

Study 1pm

Confirmation

5pm

14

Pastor Circuit Meeting

15

16

17 18

MEN’S Bible Study 8 am

19

9:00 Bible Study & Sunday School

Contemporary 10:30 Worship w. Communion

Pie Making

20

Ladies Bible Study 1pm Confirmation 5pm Spiritual Discipline Class 5pm

21

22

Thanksgiving

Eve Service

7pm

23

Thanksgiving

24 25

26

9:00 Bible Study & Sunday School

10:30 Worship

Advent Decorating

27

Ladies Bible

Study 1pm

Confirmation

5pm

28 29 30

Grace

Lutheran

Church

3 Michelle Johnson

12 Bruce Shelton

14 Robbie Markusen

Anna Corrine Huffman

17 Bjorn Hrutfiord

19 Dan Persse

20 Cooper Terris

22 Steve Hagen

23 Nicole Liebert

25 Amy Matta

Rachel Hrutfiord

26 Carole Liebert

27 Jean Archer

Elaine Hildahl

Sylvia Johnson

28 Hazel Rutherford

29 Emily Huffman

6 Rick & Gladys Faulkner

17 Rick & Cynthia Thompson

18 Angus & Yvette Pratt

Carl & Ruth Chiko

25 Kevin & Meredith Mateer

Jay & Michelle Liebert

29 Pastor Aaron & Kelley Zuch

November

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Servants November 5 November 12 November 19 November 26

ACOLYTES Bella Conner Emily Anna Corinne

ALTAR

COMMITTEE Carolyn & Ann Carolyn & Ann Carolyn & Ann Carolyn & Ann

COFFEE HOUR

Mike & Jo Galbraith

Ron & Donna Leach

Mary Johnson

Rick & Gladys Faulkner

Susie Hollarn

Angus & Yvette Pratt

Harold & Leona Olason

Jay & Shirley Pukaluk

Jim & Carolyn Higby

GREETERS Dennis & Gail Wildermuth

Al Shaulis &

Marilyn Mitchell Jacquie Robbins Carl & Ruth Chiko

SCRIPTURE

READERS Ron Leach Nancy Vogee Susan Hollarn

Larry

Van Wanseele

LAY MINISTERS/

COMMUNION

Carole Aguirre /

Dick Johnson

Lenore Onyon /

Angus Pratt

PIANIST Cheryl Fischer Cheryl Fischer Cheryl Fischer Cheryl Fischer

ORGANIST Brent Johnson Brent Johnson Musicians Brent Johnson

USHERS Jim Higby

Andy Higby

Nancy Vogee

Jay Pukaluk

Dan Persse

Dick Johnson

P.J. Aguirre

Jon Huffman

FLOWERS Sandie Miller—In

memory of John

NOVEMBER

SERVING

SCHEDULE