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Taking Action
on Homelessness
On Monday, November 19, at 6:30 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, leaders and members of Faith Table faith communities will gather to learn about and discuss the recently announced Colorado Springs homelessness action plan. Special guest Andrew Phelps, Colorado Springs Homelessness Prevention and Response Coordinator, will share the city's hopes for this plan and take questions.
As members of faith communities seeking justice and shalom for the most vulnerable in our community, our gathering will help us see common interest amidst our diversity and inspire us to speak and act in the public realm in accordance with our faith commitments.
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The Colorado Springs Faith Table affirms the dignity of all in our community, especially those on the fringes of society. Even as we come from various traditions, our faith implores us to speak for justice and opportunity for the marginalized; work with partners and community leaders to improve conditions for those on the margins; and engage our faith communities and the wider community in prayer, education, and action. The Faith Table works with support and guidance from Together Colorado, a state-wide, nonpartisan, multiracial, multifaith community organization that represents a network of prophetic voices.
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Fire Disaster Response
Wildfires are raging across California, destroying thousands of homes and wiping out the town of Paradise, located north of Sacramento. More than 40 deaths have been confirmed and large-scale, mandatory evacuations are in place for multiple communities across the state’s impacted areas as first responders work to gain control of the fires. Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) is working with Lutheran Social Services of Southern California, Lutheran Social Services of Northern California, and the California synods to respond to this fire.
As the fires continue to wreak havoc, LDR continues to assess the ever-changing situation to determine the best ways to respond. Gifts to LDR designated for US wildfires will be used to help those affected by wildfires, providing both immediate and long-lasting support until the response is complete. Remember that gifts given through Grace are doubled from the GraceFull Fund. To support LDR's critical work, make checks out to Grace Lutheran Church and indicate "California wildfires" on the subject line.
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Coming Soon!
As part of the Media Team's continuing efforts to keep you informed and up to date on what's happening at Grace, the newsletter will soon have a new, streamlined format, and more of a focus on our ministry programs and special events at Grace. We hope it will help you find the information you need more quickly and easily, so you don't miss out on anything. The electronic version will still be sent out every Wednesday morning, with the print version available for pick up in the narthex or mailed directly to your home on request.
As always, if you have information you'd like to include in GRACE to You..., feel free to submit items to news@gracelutherancos.org. The deadline is noon every Tuesday. You can sign up for a subscription on the Grace website newsletter page at https://gracelutherancos.org/e-newsletter/, or have the print version mailed to you each week by calling Karleen Cotton in the church office at 634-2478.
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Be a Blessing
Have you seen the latest at Grace? At the foot of the stairs leading up to the sanctuary, stop by our new Blessing Board and grab one of the slips that indicates a current need. The board supports three of our biggest ministry initiatives: One Nation Walking Together, Westside CARES, and our Blessing Box. As you shop during the week, pick up the item and put it in the basket next time you're in the church. Thank you for your generosity!
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Grace + Gratitude = Generosity
Another thank you to everyone who has turned in their Statement of Intent as part of our Living in Grace, Growing in Gratitude campaign!
If you haven’t turned yours in yet, you can expect a follow-up phone call, giving you the opportunity to record your decision of monetary support for your church. Even if you feel you can’t contribute financially, or have limited means to contribute, please respond to your fellow member's phone call so that we have a Statement of Intent for all Grace members.
More good news: As of November 11, the church has received 69 Statements of Intent. Compared to our 2019 goal of a $30,000 increase in gifts, these 69 Statements of Intent represent an increase of over $44,000. This is wonderful news, but please don't think it means that you shouldn't fill out and turn in your own Statement of Intent. The ministries at Grace need your continuing help to succeed!
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Thanks, Pies, and Fellowship
All are invited to join in a special worship service to commemorate the inception of Westside CARES and share in thankful fellowship with the WSC member faith communities, our neighbors, and the community as a whole. Held at the Sanctuary Church, 1930 West Colorado Avenue, on Wednesday, November 21, 7:00–8:30 pm, the Thanksgiving Eve worship service will be led by the pastoral staff of Sacred Heart Church. A pie social will follow the service. Pie donations will be gratefully accepted.
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A Different Kind of Gift
The average American will spend over $600 on Christmas gifts this year. Looking for a way to rethink the consumer-oriented tradition of gift-giving? What better way to celebrate God’s love in Christ than by sharing that love with others?
ELCA Good Gifts lets you choose from more than 50 life-changing, charitable gifts, ranging from bumblebees, to a pair of goats, to school fees, to a water well. Each gift can be given in honor of a friend or loved one and and you can send or download a personalized card to let them know about it. Good Gifts creates transformative change in the lives of people in need. To make a gift that the world needs, that can change a life, go to https://community.elca.org/elcagoodgifts.
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WELCA Events
Thanksgiving Meals
Remember to sign up to help WELCA fill our Thanksgiving baskets. The collection bin is in the narthex. So far we have 12 families from Columbia School and 5 families from One Nation Walking Together as recipients of a Thanksgiving meal. We also need help assembling the baskets this Saturday, November 17, at 9:00 am.
Thankoffering Sunday
This Sunday, November 18, is Thankoffering Sunday. All women of Grace will find offering envelopes in your mailboxes. Thankofferings are gifts made in gratitude for blessings received and are a long-standing custom in the church. Your generous thankofferings go to support the ongoing ministries of the church-wide expression of Women of the ELCA, making many benevolences, scholarships, and publications possible.
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Shoeboxes Filled with Love
Operation Christmas Child collects shoeboxes filled with gifts and delivers them to children around the world. Every one of these shoebox gifts is an opportunity to share God’s love with a child in need.
Again this year, Grace Lutheran will be collecting filled shoeboxes to send to children around the globe. Please fill a shoebox with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies, and most importantly pray for the child who will receive the shoebox. New this year: Please do not include candy, toothpaste, war-related toys, or liquids. You are also invited to include a $9.00 donation to cover the cost of shipping.
Shoebox labels and other information are in the narthex and on the Community Spotlight bulletin board in the fellowship hall. Please bring your boxes to church by Sunday, November 18, when we will bless these gifts and send them on their journey. Contact Sharon Pope at 637-9115 with any questions.
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Love Day Quilters
Have you seen all the quilts displayed around the church? The quilters always need help sewing blocks together or hemming the quilts. Regular meeting days are the second and last Mondays of the month to make these quilts that are functional as well as beautiful, but we've been meeting almost every week to get caught up.
We also do requests for quilts if you need a gift. Call Pat Ballensky at 502-6920 for more information. Stop by on Monday, November 19, and visit with us.
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Prayer Shawl Ministry
The knitting group will meet Tuesday, November 20, at 1:00 pm in the conference room. We knit, crochet, and use looms to turn donated yarn into caps, scarves, shawls, and similar items. The group has donated many caps to various organizations, especially during the cold months.
We welcome anyone who wants to learn or refresh their skills and help us in our ministry to bring peace, comfort, and warmth to others. Contact Lorraine Ramsey at 322-9454 for more information.
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It's Beginning to Look ...
With Thanksgiving almost upon us, Christmas can't be far behind. Grace will decorate the sanctuary in the annual ritual of Putting up the Greens on Saturday, December 1, starting at 9:00 am. Come be a part of this festive fellowship time and help beautify our church as we prepare for the coming of the Christ Child.
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Men's Fellowship
The Men's Fellowship group will hold its next meeting this Saturday, November 17, beginning at 9:00 am. Meet at the "White House," 1424 East Columbia Street. Breakfast will be served, along with lots of fellowship and sharing. Bring a food item to share, and contact Randy White at 633-5643 to see what you can bring or with any questions. Please mark the Welcome/Action Sheet in the weekly Grace Notes if you plan to attend, so Randy can be sure to have enough food and places at the table.
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Adult Class on RIC
This Sunday, November 18, the RIC Core Team will be hosting an open discussion during Sunday school at 9:30 in the sanctuary. We will have a member providing a testimony, then offer up the remaining time in a town hall-style format to answer any questions you may have. As we continue through the Reconciling in Christ process, these sorts of conversations are crucial in order to move forward. So come with any questions you may have about the process, about the community, and everything in between!
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Thanksgiving Dinner, Anyone?
If you are interested in joining a Thanksgiving dinner potluck at the church on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22, sign up now! In previous years, we've had a great crowd. Everyone pitches in together to put on a great dinner with lots of delicious food. We still need a volunteer to cook the turkey this year. If you are interested in participating in this annual community event, contact Lorraine Ramsey at 322-9454. Look for the sign-up board in the narthex.
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Film Night
Film buffs will meet on Saturday, November 24, to watch Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Nominated for seven Academy Awards, Three Billboards is a darkly comic drama. Months after her daughter's brutal rape and murder, angry at the lack of arrests or even any leads in the case, Mildred Hayes (Best Actress winner Frances McDormand) takes action by renting three billboards near her home, challenging the town's beloved chief of police. The three billboards, reading in sequence "Raped While Dying," "Still No Arrests?" and "How Come, Chief Willoughby?" ratchet up tensions among the townspeople and raise questions of loyalty, accountability, and the nature of justice. The film is rated R for violence, language throughout, and some sexual references.
Join us for an evening of fun, fellowship, and refreshments. We always have popcorn and drinks and will meet in the sanctuary.
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Happy Birthday!
Please join us in celebrating Doris Elmer's 101st birthday party during Happy Hour (9:30-10:30 am) on Sunday, November 25. Enjoy birthday cake with all the trimmings and a special video greeting. We will have a "card shower" for Doris, so please consider sharing a card to help honor this milestone. A collection basket will be in the fellowship hall. Happy Birthday, Doris!
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Office Closure
Remember that the church office will be closed in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday next Thursday, November 22. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
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It's a Sign
If you have any clever quips or witty sayings that relate to our life in Christ, talk to Anne Reed. As the unsung laborer who updates our yard sign each week, she is always looking for ideas to keep our sign fresh and welcoming. Sometimes the board is more informative, as with special service dates and times at Christmas and Easter, but it's also fun to highlight humorous messages that may make people think and chuckle.
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Worship Assistant Volunteers
The sign-up sheet for December worship assistants is on the table in the narthex. As always, we expect a big crowd for our candlelight Christmas Eve worship, and will need lots of extra hands. Please put your name down to help out. And be sure to check the board when you arrive for worship each Sunday morning for specific jobs that need to be filled. Your participation keeps this church and its many activities running smoothly!
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Are you receiving this newsletter every week? Subscribe by going to the Grace website newsletter page at https://gracelutherancos.org/e-newsletter/ and filling in your contact information.
All submissions to this newsletter are welcome! To subscribe or to submit news and announcements, send an email to news@gracelutherancos.org or call Ginny Ruths at 687-7039. Deadline for submissions each week is Tuesday at noon.
To have the print version of Grace to You... mailed to you each week, call Karleen Cotton in the church office at 634-2478.
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