All are invited to "God Questions; God Answers" Lenten services

Attendees of  March 16 "God Questions; God Answers" enjoy some time for fellowship during the soup and sandwich meal.

Lent is a time of reflection, fasting and growing closer to God. During the Wednesdays in Lent, Grace Lutheran Church has been offering a study series, “God Questions; God Answers.”
Before the service begins, members of Grace have the chance to enjoy a time of fellowship during the soup and sandwich meal.
The service features a time for reflection and confessional litany (reading messages aloud together asking God for forgiveness.) Attendees pray together for strength and discipline of commitments they have made to Lent. Next comes the Bible study which follows a themed question. For example, during the first Lenten service of the series on March 16, the question was “How is God present in our lives?” Attendees read the Bible together and talked about God after working on questions included with the Bible study. The night also included a Nooma DVD: Breathe asking, “How is God present in our lives?”
Children also were entertained with Lent themed activities and crafts in another room. The kids enjoyed making a lamb out of craft supplies during the “Lamb of God” activity.
All are invited to the next “God Questions; God Answers” which will be held this Wednesday after the soup and sandwich meal in the social hall. The soup and sandwich meal begins at 6:30 p.m.

Grace Lutheran's Council and what the members do

Meet Grace Lutheran's council: Front Row: Jan Slack, Stewardship Committee Chair; Kathy Mills, Evangelism Committee Chair, Alexis Lacey, Youth representative and Heather Tyrrell, Publicity Committee Chair; Second Row: Phil McKenna, Finance Committee Chair, Judith Stryker, Christian Education Chair, Wendy Daily, vice president and Fellowship Committee Chair and Anne Pennepacker, recording secretary; Back row:  Amy Lacey, Youth Chair, Scot LeVan, Technology Committee Chair, Art Parker, Property Committee Chair, David Fritz, Grounds Committee Chair, Dr. Kurt Meyers, president and Rose Nixon, Social Ministry Committee Chair. Not pictured: Kathy Delaney, Music and Worship Committee Chair and David Thompson, treasurer.

Grace Lutheran Evangelical Lutheran Church installed members of church council on Feb. 27 during the traditional and contemporary services.
Council members are Dr. Kurt Meyers, president; Wendy Daily, vice president and Fellowship Committee Chair; David Thompson, treasurer; Jan Slack, Stewardship Committee Chair; Kathy Mills, Evangelism Committee Chair; Alexis Lacey, Youth representative; Heather Tyrrell, Publicity Committee Chair; Anne Pennepacker, recording secretary; Amy Lacey, Youth Chair; Phil McKenna, Finance Committee Chair; Judith Stryker, Christian Education Chair; Rose Nixon, Social Ministry Committee Chair; David Fritz, Grounds Committee Chair; Art Parker, Property Committee Chair; Scot LeVan, Technology Committee Chair and Kathy Delaney, Music and Worship Committee Chair.
Some of the members have been serving on council for years and others are new to council.
This is Meyers’ third stint on council and second year as president. In the past he has served as the chair of Youth, Grounds and Mutual Ministry.
“I thoroughly enjoy working with the good people of Grace in many areas,” he said, adding that members of council are hardworking people and form the ‘core group of leadership at Grace.”
“Serving on council is part of the ‘time, talent and treasures’ aspect of stewardship,” Meyers added. “I have been blessed in many ways and time spent on council is in gratitude of those blessings and for the gift of Christ in my life..and it is FUN! We learn from each other as we study His word and grow by doing His work.”
Slack just joined council this winter. She has been a member of Grace since she was in third grade.
She said she feels the Spirit led her to pursuing a position on council.
“Knowing that God wants me to serve Him and our congregation is a faith-filled journey,” Slack said.
She said she is very proud of what church council does.
“In the course of two meetings, council members have demonstrated how to be good stewards whom you can entrust with the congregation’s resources and talent.”
Church council work together for the greater good of the church. Its responsibilities include 

• connecting all activities with the church’s mission statement and purpose; 
• overseeing the pastors and other paid staff; hold them accountable for their work;
• overseeing its own members and other volunteers; making them accountable for their work;
• overseeing the financial operations so there are safeguards over the resources placed in the congregation’s care by members and other donors;
• ensuring that worship, education, service, fellowship, facilities maintenance, etc. are done according to agreed upon standards;
• acting upon the congregation’s behalf between annual meetings: discussing, editing, and approving or rejecting program proposals, staffing recommendations, extra budgetary financial expenditures and outside contracts up to constitutional limitations and
• ensuring the congregations keeps ahead and looks ahead.

Council meets once a month and during each meeting, a visioning session is conducted. Members read a verse from the Bible, discuss values that are expressed and relate God’s messages in the verse to how God is at work at Grace.