The Voice. Affirmation of Baptism September, 9, 2012 David Allen Kile Abigail Marie Kotik Noah Scott Rowe Taylor Scott Warren

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1 The Voice Westerville, Ohio October 2012 of grace Evangelical Lutheran Church Sunday, October 28, 2012 Reformation Sunday - A Celebration! Let Your Light Shine! Sunday, October 28, 2012! Reformation Sunday celebrates the gifts of the Protestant Reformation heralded by Martin Luther when he nailed 95 Theses ( Talking Points ) to the church door at Wittenberg, Germany. It is also Grace s Celebration Sunday, a day when we present our Estimates of Giving for 2013 as an act of our worship during both services. This year s theme is Let Your Light Shine from Matthew 5 when Jesus tells his disciples, Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. You are asked to intentionally, thankfully and prayerfully consider what percentage of your income you will return to the Lord over the coming year. Your generous giving is fundamental to our being faithful in our mission to reach out with the love of Jesus to grow disciples and serve our community. On October 28th you will be invited to bring your Estimate of Giving to the altar in an act of worship. It is also our tradition to eat together on this day. After the first service a catered brunch will be served in the gathering space. A catered lunch will be served after the second service. Ushers will hand out Reservation Cards for the brunch/lunch at worship October 14th & 21st. You may also call the office ( ). We give thanks for the gift of baptism and for these confirmands, The people of Grace have been faithful in our mission one with all of us in the body of Christ, and ministry for more than who have made public affirmation of their baptism. 100 years. We look forward to what lies ahead as we let our light shine to the glory of God! Stewardship 2012 Affirmation of Baptism September, 9, 2012 David Allen Kile Abigail Marie Kotik Noah Scott Rowe Taylor Scott Warren Let Your Light Shine! let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16) Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church is proud to announce that on September 9, 2012, these four young people made public affirmation of their Baptism (Confirmation). David is the son of Stephen and Suzanne Kile. He was baptized at First United Methodist Church in Brighton, Michigan on December 28th, Noah is the son of Seth and Kelly Rowe. Noah was baptized at Grace on May 10, Taylor is the son of Matt and Laura Warren. Taylor was baptized at Holy TrinityLutheran Church in Columbus in May of Abigal is the daughter of John and Christine Kotik. Abigal was baptized here at Grace on January 18th, 1998.

2 Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, Do you ever feel there simply isn t enough time to do what you have to do, much less what you would like to do? And who has time for all those other things we know we should include for our health and well-being? So, how can we also fit time in for Jesus? Martin Luther claimed that if he felt too busy to spend an hour in prayer and devotion he would stop everything and take two hours for prayer. He did this not out of guilt, but out of his conviction that his busy schedule required him to have more alone time with God. Doing otherwise tempted him to believe he was on his own. No matter how personal faith may be, Christian faith is never private. There s the story of the executive who was late for a very important meeting. As she drove around the block for the umpteenth time searching for a parking spot, 10-Day Holy Land Tour November, 2013 she offered up a prayer of desperation, Lord, puh-leeze help me find a parking spot!! I promise I ll be better about going to church! I promise I ll read my Bible. I ll even join a Bible study group! Just as she finished her prayer she spied a parking spot in front of where she had her meeting. Relieved, she exclaimed, Never mind, Lord! I found one! Life has always been busy. Going to the store for groceries takes a lot less time than having to traipse through the woods to find food. Lowering the thermostat in summer and raising it in winter is far more convenient than how things worked in the good old days. Yet, when we read Scripture, we discover the first Christians, our ancestors in the faith, made time to be together as the community of Jesus. We read in the Book of Acts, They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers (2:42). With a few words Luke, the author of a gospel and the Book of Acts, gives us the basic recipe for the life of Christian discipleship: Scripture, Community and Worship. We Christians are people of the Book. We Christians begin the week in community on the Lord s Day. We eat and drink the Christian Meal of Holy Communion, together. We pray together. St. Paul puts it this way, So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ (Rom 10:17). No matter how personal faith may be, Christian faith is never private. And we go out into the world renewed, refreshed and assured that whatever lies ahead we are neither alone nor on our own. We have the Body of Christ for support, comfort and encouragement. Ours is a world overflowing with options and choices. Yet there remain only 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in an hour, 60 seconds in a minute. Life isn t simply about having time. It s about making time for what we value as important. Since the beginning, life for disciples of Jesus has followed a basic recipe: we devote ourselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. With you on the journey of faithful discipleship, Pastor Will November, The 10-day tour includes hotels, airfare, in-country transportation, all breakfasts and dinners and most lunches. Planned locations are: Caesarea Maritima; Mount Megiddo (Armageddon), Caesarea Philipi, Nazareth, Cana, the Sea of Galilee, Mount of the Beatitudes, Capernaum, Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, Jerusalem, and many more. The estimated cost is $3,349* per person (double-occupancy hotel room). At this time there is room for 30 participants. Please contact Pastor Will ( ; w.hartfelder@grace43081.org) with your questions and to reserve a place. *price does not include gratuities (ca. $90), optional travel insurance ($270) and airport tax and fuel surcharges which are subject to change until tickets are issued. Pastor Will Hartfelder and Bishop Callon W. Holloway are working together to offer members of our Southern Pictured at left is Pastor Hartfelder leading worship at the Ohio Synod the opportunity to travel to Israel in early Jordan River for Grace members in The VOICE of Grace October Page 2

3 From The Social Concerns Committee The Annual Westerville Area CROP Walk The annual crop walk will take place Sunday, October 14. It will begin at the Westerville Community United Church of Christ, located at the Northwest corner of County Line and Spring. The starting time is 1:00 p.m. A walker may either walk 5K or 10K. Grace will once again be the halfway snack stop for the 10K walk. There will be a CROP Walk display in the gathering space to sign up or sponsor a walker from Grace now through October % of donations collected for the Westerville Walk go to W.A.R.M., while the rest goes towards fighting hunger and poverty around the world. For more information, contact a member of Social Concerns, Linda Hoch at , lkgraf102078@ earthlink.net, or Marissa Banks at cbanks5@gmail.com. Bloodmobile at Grace in October October 16th from noon to 6:00 pm is our last blood drive for 2012, let s make it a record! Late October will be the kick off for our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive for this year. Last year thanks to your generosity we collected a record amount of food for the benefit of W.A.R.M. let s do it again. Look for details in the Sunday bulletin. Supper Club Thursday, October 18th Polaris Grill 6:30 PM Sign up sheet at Hospitality Desk Just months before Grace became a separate congregation from St. Paul, Westerville, the Public Opinion, the weekly newspaper for Westerville, reported on January 21, 1909, in a front page article a Lutheran Social. Rev. C. W. Pflueger, was then conducting regular worship in Westerville, soon to become Grace in May, and St. Paul, became the first Pastor of Grace when formally organized. Edward Tedrow, the Westerville Town Marshal, Alice Schick, later Alice Rankey who served Grace as the organist for 48 years, and others in attendance were later members of Grace. Apple Butter Festival and Auction provides support for campers Last year over 200 donated items plus time, assistance, monetary donations and prayers were greatly appreciated and well used. This years Apple Butter Festival and Auction will be held on October 14, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lutheran Memorial Camp in Fulton, Ohio. Please consider helping again this year Donate quality items (value of $20 or more) such as new items, handcrafted items, gift baskets, gift certificates, art, or antiques. Tell your friends and neighbors about the festival/auction Attend the event and bring someone with you. Remember: All proceeds from the auction goes to support campers who would not otherwise be able to attend camp. Lutheran Memorial Camp 2790 St. Rt. 61 Fulton, OH ) at lmc@lomocamp.org From the Archives - by John Kleberg The VOICE of Grace October Page 3

4 We re so glad you asked.....a response to questions and concerns on a variety of topics. If you have a question, please put it in writing and deliver it to the Church Office or it to: office@grace43081.org. Questions must be signed. WHY ESTIMATE GIVING? BECAUSE... Estimate of Giving, Plan for Giving, Faith Commitment, Promise, Covenant or whatever you call it; it is important in the life of our church today. The rapid change taking place in the world and the needs of the world make it very important that I develop a plan for proportionate giving to Question: Recently it was announced that the pastor and through my church, write down my weekly intention, who is not preaching that Sunday will leave to be part of and put my name to it! the Munchkin Ministry. Why? Shouldn t the pastors Because I need to make plans at least once each year to always be present for worship? Will this happen every grow in my giving and manage to the best of my ability the Sunday? dollar resources with which God has blessed me. It is a joy Grace s Munchkin Ministry a Because God gives me the grace to give, and that grace ministry to those 2 years of age thru to see our moves me to make a firm commitment to my church -- contributing a portion of my time, talents and financial bless- Kindergarten - has been in place several young ones years. Every Sunday the Munchkins returning ings for our Lord s mission and ministry. are released at the beginning of Parish to worship Because in estimating my giving I make an effort to show Concerns to go with their adult leader every Sunday with just how much God is the God of my life, and in growing in to the Youth Room where they enjoy my commitment each year I give external evidence of my age-appropriate activities and learning internal priorities. I put God first. I risk in faith. I trust in smiles on on the Sunday s theme. They return God to provide. in time for the Christian meal of Holy their faces. Because God has asked for my commitment -- not just Communion. that I give -- but that I be committed to justice and mercy At a recent meeting of the Youth & Family Ministry and faith in all the world. As a Christian, my estimate of team it was discussed that having the pastor who is not giving is foundational to all ministry and helps my church preaching participate in Munchkin ministry would not plan for and provide such programs of ministry. only be a good experience for the children but also for Because God is important in my life and my personal the pastor. It is also a sign of the high value we place on support of our Lord s ministry is a way to make a difference in the world. our ministry to and with our families and their children at Grace. The pastor does not lead the Munchkin session, but participates. The non-preaching pastor will ple for me to follow in stewardship. If Christ was not afraid Because Christians lead by example. Jesus set the exam- participate in Munchkin session on occasion and not to be nailed to the cross for me, I certainly am not afraid to every Sunday. Since its inception, Munchkin Ministry affix my name to an estimate of giving for his work. It is an has been very well received by parents and especially outward expression of my love for him. the children. It is a joy to see our young ones returning Because I know that the discipline of making an estimate to worship every Sunday with smiles on their faces. and sticking to it is in direct response to a loving God who paid his life to me, in full, on Calvary. Jesus said, Because the programs for ministry that Grace Lutheran Let the little and the church at large provide for me and my family are children come important in our life, and anything so important takes planning and commitment. to me; do not stop them; for Because I do not believe that any Church Council can it is to such as make meaningful decisions concerning ministry without these that the first knowing what can be expected in support of those ministries. kingdom of God belongs. Because in my estimate I commit freely and openly. It is Truly I tell you, neither legal nor legally binding. It expresses my hopes and whoever does cares for the programs of ministry that proclaim Christ s not receive the love for the world. kingdom of And Because it enables me to be truly intentional about God as a little my own personal stewardship. I can prayerfully consider child will never what God is calling me to give to the ministry of Christ s enter it (Mark Church and make a conscientious decision about my response. 10:14b-15) The VOICE of Grace October Page 4

5 Honor the Lord with your substance and the first fruits of all your produce. (Proverbs 3:9) Fall is in full swing. A multitude of colors will soon be adorning the landscape and before we know it, Thanksgiving will be here. In preparation for that day, it will be a vital part of our First Fruits Ministry in conjunction with Social Concerns to gather the needed grocery items to help W.A.R.M. distribute complete sets of groceries to their clients for Thanksgiving. Below you will find a complete list of the groceries. If you are able to provide all of the items, great! If you are only able to provide one of the two bags or only some of the produce, that is great also! We will put aside those items that are included in filling Grace s sets of groceries for this special outreach. All other items that you may wish to donate will be given to W.A.R.M. for our October and November First Fruits Sunday offerings. This outreach emphasis will be for all of October through November 11. After that date all items donated to our First Fruits Ministry will go directly to W.A.R.M. If you wish to donate monetarily, please make the check out to Grace Lutheran Church and designate if it is for W.A.R.M. generally OR for Thanksgiving for W.A.R.M. Shopping List for Thanksgiving Bag # 1 Bag # 2 5 lbs flour 4 or 5 lbs sugar 4 cans corn 2 large cans or boxes of chicken broth (approx. 32 oz oz. cans chicken or 1 brownie mix turkey gravy 32 oz. bottle of vegetable 1 box of round crackers oil (like Ritz, or off brand) 1 large or 2 small boxes of 1 box instant mashed muffin mix potatoes oz. 1 lb. brown sugar 2 6oz. boxes of stuffing mix or 1 12oz. box 2 12oz bags of noodles 1 tub chocolate frosting Coffee (small can oz.) Sharing our Thankfulness vseptember 2 totalsv Food/Hygiene = pounds Monetary = $ 405 Totals to date in 2012 Food/Hygiene = 2,964.3 pounds Monetary = $ 3,827 First Fruits Sunday is October 7 and then November 4. Recycle Christ In Our Home Here s another way to spread God s word. Recycle your used quarterly devotional booklets. Place them into the grocery carts for W.A.R.M. At W.A.R.M. the booklets will be put on a shelf for enjoyment by any clients who may wish to take one. Reaching out with the love of Jesus to serve our community Remember the General Mills Box Top$ The Central Ohio Women s Auxiliary of Lutheran Social Services continues to accept Cancelled Stamps and Campbell Company labels: LSS is collecting the BOX TOP$ rectangle on the top of General Mills products. These are redeemable for 10 cents apiece for Oesterlen Services for Youth. Place these along with cancelled stamps and UPS bar codes from Campbell Company Labels in our grocery carts. Katharine Circle Katharine Circle will meet in Rose Garden #1 Tuesday, October 2 at 7:15 pm. We are beginning a new series called Couples of the Old Testament. Our first lesson is Adam and Eve: Ideal Companions. and will be led by Karen Bale. If you are interested in joining us or have any questions, please call Margie Cepek at Please join us! Please cut out this grocery list and as you shop consider what you might be able to purchase from this list. Just a helpful suggestion: If you shop or might wish to shop at Aldi s, you ll get everything listed above for less than you will find it elsewhere. Always check for expiration dates. You may contact Jill Morrison at if you have any questions. God s blessings to all who have been able to contribute to this vital outreach so that W.A.R.M. may continue to extend a Hand Up and Not a Hand Out. The VOICE of Grace October Page 5 Katharine Circle will meet in the library on Tuesday, October 2, at 7:15 p.m. We are beginning a new series called Couples of the Old Testamet. Our first lesson is Adam and Eve, Ideal Companions. Join us!

6 Celebrations 10/01 Grace Sima Molly Oakleaf Kirby Campbell 10/02 Emma George Thomas Hahn-Minor 10/03 Amanda Harding Claire Saunders 10/04 Cathy Cochenour Abigail DeTemple 10/05 Llewellyn Swanson Andrew Hager Katie Snead Zaida Jenkins 10/06 Karen Vann David Quast George Braatz Christina Drakulich Steve Crain 10/07 Charlotte Shafer 10/08 Cecil Budd Ray Althoff Janet Roshon Anne Goodman 10/09 Paul Whitacre Ashlee Cuevas Oc t o b e r B i r t h d a y s October Anniversaries 10/01 John & Audrey Clark 10/03 Connor & Llewellyn Swanson 10/06 Eric & Cheryl Bush Kevin & Carrie O Neil 10/07 John & Candi Zimmerman 10/09 Jim & Martha Busse Newton 10/10 Larry & Annie Gehlhar Richard & Janet Roshon 10/09 Calista Bright 10/10 Michelle Martin Todd Brown Nathan Hensley Marisa Bernhardt 10/11 Julie Hotchkiss 10/12 Terrence Fully 10/13 Mary Lou Soltesz Phillis Drakulich Barbara Schultz Jayme Dixon Jarrod Will Drew Kurtz 10/14 Michael Cohagen William Warrell Krista Fuld 10/15 Stasha Dixon Kenneth Fischer Rebecca Young 10/16 Bradley Blakley 10/17 Amy Landacre Jessica Manly Keira Russell 10/18 Dan Okonak 10/19 John McMahon Roberto Casline 10/19 Erin Dugan Dylan Bertelsen 10/20 Kristi George Linda Hoch 10/22 Jan Pfeifer Roger Estrada Regina Place Finnian Hughes 10/23 Cameron Soster 10/24 Hal Holland 10/25 Rebecca Miller Haley Hawkinberry Zoe Oakleaf 10/26 Michelle Clark Susan Hotchkiss 10/27 David Bale Michael Shuman Jessica Schultz 10/28 Amber Hockstok 10/29 Tami Workman Kent Patterson Derek Heckler 10/30 David Schroeder Jerry Bobb 10/31 Joan Hassler Stephen & Lisa Kuhar 10/11 Randy & Lisa Stoll Bill & Tamara Warrell 10/15 Mark & Janice Will 10/20 Skip & Carolyn Eberly 10/21 Rex & Kim Harris 10/25 Richard & Lori Dychala 10/27 Andy & Julie Shuman A fishy excuse Two men were in a boat fishing on a Sunday morning. I suppose we should have gone to church this morning, said one man. Don t you feel a wee bit guilty about it? Nope, said the other, besides, I couldn t have gone anyway. My wife s sick in bed today. Samuel Darlage Goodman Rachel Ann Goodman September 23, 2012 Grace Sermons Are Now Available on itunes You may now download past sermons as a podcast from Apple s itunes store! Search for Grace Evangelical Lutheran Westerville and you will find the podcasts. The sermons are also available on the website. Stay up-to-date on the ministries of Grace. Log on to Grace is on FACEBOOK. Check it out. Click like. Write on the Grace wall, or add some pictures or an event to the Grace calendar. The VOICE of Grace October Page 6

7 2012 Church Council President... Bill Kulju Ph: (614) Vice President... Julie Abrams Ph: (614) Secretary...Paul Grant Ph: (614) Treasurer...Charlie Roll Ph: (614) Senior Pastor...Will Hartfelder Ph. (614) Members at Large: Glen Alexander Ph: (740) Dan George Ph: (614) Angela Hughes Ph: (614) Vanessa Stewart Ph. (614) Change keeps occurring throughout all of life. Sometimes it brings joy, and sometimes it brings strife. Change what you should; but you still have a voice - How you accept every change is your choice. -Peggy Ferrell, Prayers and Poems The Seraphina Sisters Meet Oct. 12 Oct. 12: Host - Kristi George, Devotion - Connie Brenning Ladies are invited to me at cbrenning@att.net to get Yahoo group info to obtain details on these events. Concert Series EOS Duo Kim Goodman, flute / Karl Wohlwend, guitar October 7th, 2012 Innovative programming, sophisticated musicianship, and engaging performances are the hallmarks of the EOS Duo. Dr. Kimberlee Goodman and Karl Wohlwend joined forces in 2009, while serving on the faculty of Otterbein University, to pursue a common goal of exploring masterworks for the classic combination of flute and guitar. EOS Duo has performed throughout the Central Ohio region, including an appearance in Weigel Hall at The Ohio State University. In September, 2010, they appeared as Guest Artists at West Virginia University, where they presented lectures, masterclasses, and a recital. The EOS Duo was honored to be invited to present at the College Music Society s International Conference in South Korea in July Also in July 2011, they presented a lecture/recital and performed on the Chamber Music Concert for the Classical Guitar Summer Workshop at the University of Cincinnati College- Conservatory of Music.A reception in our Gathering Space will follow. There is no admission charge for A Joyful Noise! concerts. A free will offering will be taken. Make visible what, without you, Following the EOS Duo: might perhaps never have been seen. Sunday, November 4, :30 p.m. The Otterbein University String Orchestra Robert Bresson Jim Bates, conductor The VOICE of Grace October Page 7

8 Elements of the Lord s day: Getting situated Entering church, finding your place are part of the wonder of worship Entering a church for the umpteenth time, one knows the routine. Familiar faces abound. Navigating the space is as easy as walking around your own kitchen. Even the smell of the entryway lends its own cozy hello. Entering a church for the first time is a different story. One mostly wants to blend in. The air doesn t feel as fresh or inviting as it does to a regular. Seriously introverted guests know the best strategy of all. They show up as close to the start of worship as possible. This way the risk of social awkwardness drops off dramatically. If you arrive too early, you have to try to look comfortable. Or you could poke around for the restroom. The restroom has always been a clever hangout for killing time, at least for those who discovered as much at their first homecoming dance in high school. Locating a seat inside the sanctuary is embarrassing for some people, yet entirely routine for others. You may have your own theory for why the seats in the back fill up first. My own sneaking suspicion is that people fear a shocking blast of holiness will overwhelm their circulatory system if they sit too far forward. Do you have an automated external defibrillator nearby? You should. Regardless of what holiness does to heart rhythm, there is one thing every worshiper seems to contemplate, however subconsciously. It is seat comfort. You don t expect the luxury of a leather recliner. Yet you hope for something more than the wooden bench of the Little League dugout across the street. In many sanctuaries, chairs seem to be the choice over pews these years, at least when it comes to flexibility. We all love a seat to call our own. I might cast a vote of compassion, however, for every custodian who has to mop around all those individual chair legs. As for pews, they have their own goodness, reinforcing a kind of unavoidable community. Like sharing a picnic table bench with your second cousin at the family reunion this summer, you may not be close but you still have no choice than to sit beside someone very different from you. So goes the body of Christ. Sizing up an actual worship space is something we all do. Our eyes absorb everything in sight. In readying ourselves for the glories of praise, we wonder when that fluorescent bulb on the left side of the backlit cross burned out. We try to picture the old guy who crafted the varnished oak hymn board. We marvel at the old stained glass, imagining who Alice Simmons was. Her name is at the bottom of the nearest window. We await the talent and tempo of the pianist. If there is a projection screen, we re curious if today s techie will be sharp with the cursor and mouse. As a single mom three rows forward wrestles her body in between her two quarreling boys, you bury your head into the bulletin announcements. When the music begins, something beautiful happens inside your head. The clock that ordered your life so seriously for the last six days refuses to tick. The seat you are in feels like cool water in the desert. You don t have a perfect definition for peace, but this comes close. Even if your life is something of a mess, you know you belong. You are home again. You get to relax into a community of people cobbled together by an oddity called grace and a power called the Spirit. Even the wet hair on the woman in front of you is a sign. You know you are not alone in having scrambled to make it in the door. Words of confession open this day s liturgy. You look down, ready to recite phrases that acknowledge your sin. That s when you notice a Cheerio on the pew. A twinge of guilt tugs on your throat muscles as you forget about your sins and start wondering what cute kid left that single Cheerio behind. Suddenly it dawns on you that God must be open to even the most distracted worshiper. You relax back into the words. Worship is under way. My own sneaking suspicion is that people fear a shocking blast of holiness will overwhelm their circulatory system if they sit too far forward. The VOICE of Grace October Page 8

9 Answer: C. See Jeremiah 31:31. Sunday School The Sunday School program is back in full swing following a summer hiatus. All of the younger classes started the year with the creation story. Due to the revamped, intentional curriculum, however, all of the classes are learning different stories and engaging in a variety of activities designed to reinforce the story and Biblical concepts. For instance, on Sunday September 23 the preschoolers heard about Adam and Eve succumbing to the serpent s temptation. The kindergarten/1st grade class was learning about the Tower of Babel. The 2nd/3rd grade class heard about God s promise to Abraham that he will be the father of many nations. Sodom and Gomorrah was the subjects for the 4th/5th graders. With the exception of Abraham, these stories have not been included in the Sunday School curriculum in the past 6+ years. Other new stories that have been included in some of the classes are Cain and Abel, Enoch and Methuselah, Abraham and Lot, and Abraham s travels. It has been great to see the children learning in a very intentional manner. PARENTS PLEASE NOTE: As an effort to ensure the safety of all the children participating in any form of programming, as well as follow best practices, we request that each youth/child have emergency health and contact information on file. Forms can be found on the website under children and turned into the child s Sunday School teacher. Thank you for helping us maintain best practices. Mark Your Calendars... October 7 Roller Skating at Sunbury Skeate 2:30-4:30 p.m. All Grace Families are Invited January Dance Party - Grades 1-5 March Kingdom of Bounce Party - Grades 1-5 Spring All Church Camp To be held on Church Grounds Stay tuned for more details. Check the Sunday Bulletins and the Grace website at Questions? Contact Linda Fichtelman at: lfichtelman@aceweb.com The Youth and Family Ministry and Learning Ministry want to emphasize that all children are welcome to participate at any time throughout the year. If your child is only able to participate once or sporadically through the year, we still welcome his/her involvement. Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church 100 E. Schrock Road, Westerville, OH PH: (614) Web: office@grace43081.org Rev. William A. Hartfelder, Senior Pastor VM 11 w.hartfelder@grace43081.org Rev. Richard O. Walston, Visitation Pastor Cell (614) rjwalston@msn.com Bible quiz Christians consider themselves to be people with whom God has made a New Covenant. Which Old Testament prophet first spoke of the New Covenant? A. Isaiah B. Joel C. Jeremiah D. Obadiah Dr. Karen Eckenroth, Music Ministries VM 10 KEckenroth@otterbein.edu Linda Hoch, Organist Kathy Snead, Office Administrator VM 18 k.snead@grace43081.org Marjie Penn, Receptionist/Secretary Paul Hotchkiss, Custodian Jack Pfeifer, Property Manager wrtjack@yahoo.com Jocelyn Shuman, Preschool Director; VM 14 littleblessingspreschool@grace43081.org The VOICE of Grace October Page 9

10 Plans for the Visit from our Partnergemeinde Complete Our twenty-two guests arrive on Friday, October 19th. After a very long plane ride, they will have experienced the hectic pace of New York City and the exciting beauty of Niagra Falls. It has been and will continue to be a whirlwind tour for our fellow Christian friends from our Partnergemeinde (partner church) in Jördenstorf. John and Nancy Kleberg and their committee have put together a schedule that should be interesting, educational, and fun filled for them and for us here at Grace for the four and a half days that they are here. Host families will be meeting them at the Church sometime Friday, the 19th with coffee and cake. Grace members are encouraged to be here to welcome them. Exact arrival time is not yet known. Keep that date open to meet and greet our guests if you are able. Activities planned for their visit include a trip to Hocking Hills and dinner at Pasquales on Saturday. On Monday the group will tour the Ohio State University and the state house along with some shopping at Easton. Tuesday s activities include a visit to German Village and a downtown Westerville, Otterbein, and library tour. A congregational catered dinner including presentations is planned for Tuesday evening. Please sign up for this dinner, as we must let the caterer know how many to expect. A sign up sheet will be in the Welcome Center. On Sunday the 21st, Pastor Hartfelder will be coordinating a reception between services. This will include a group photo and the final Raising the Roof presentation. Plan on attending. Our guests depart Port Columbus on Wednesday morning. Raise the Roof German Cake Bakeless Sale A bit of news we have today... A BAKELESS BAKE SALE is on the way. In these busy days, who wants to bake, A pie or cookies or even a cake. You d be surprised if you counted the cost, of ingredients, heat, and the time you ve lost. Baking for sales is extra work. Yet nobody really wants to shirk. So we ve thought of a plan that s really grand, and feel quite sure you ll understand. In an envelope, if you like, please include the price.. of a pie or cake or anything nice. With out fuss or bother, you ve done your part. We hope you ll give with a willing heart. Wishing success for our BAKELESS BAKE SALE, This is the end of our little tale. To help provide welcoming encouragement and support for our guests from Jördenstorf, this BAKELESS BAKE SALE will help to provide meals and transportation for planned events. Reaching out with the love of Jesus to grow disciples and serve our community. The Sunday School children are nearing the end of their Raise the Roof project. It has been nearly a year since we began the project, and we never could have predicted the generosity of the children and congregation in general. Your support of the project is greatly appreciated. Funds will continue to be collected until Sunday, October 21 when the final check will be presented to the 22 member German delegation from Jördenstorf. They will be our guests from Friday, October 19 through Wednesday, October 24. You will recall that a check for $3,000 was presented to Pr. Daniel Havemann when he visited us in the spring. At that time he gave a slide presentation of the roof repairs and commented on how deeply touched his congregation has been by the Raise the Roof project of our youth. If you would like to support this project, please Funds will continue to be collected until Sunday, October 21 when the final check will be presented to the 22 member German delegation from our Jördenstorf, Partnergemeinde - partner church. place your contribution in the offering plate with the annotation Raise the Roof. Our youth will also accept your donations in their classes between now and the 21st. The VOICE of Grace September Page 10

11 September 2012 Grace Council Meeting Highlights Paul Grant, Council Secretary Approval of August 2012 meeting minutes: Upon consideration of the minutes from the August 2012 meeting, Glen Alexander moved to accept, seconded by Angela Hughes. Motion passed. Ministry updates: Pastor Will updated council on the recent Call Team meeting regarding the search for the new Assistant Pastor position. Other Business before council ELCA/NALC/CORE update: No updates at this time. Columbarium Proposal: At-Large council member Glen Alexander provided council with an excellent ninety minute presentation regarding the idea of a Columbarium at Grace. Glen s thorough research covered columbarium types, sizes, costs, manufacturers, landscaping, history, other churches columbaria, etc. Many thanks to Glen for his hard work and research into this proposed project. A motion was made to accept the Columbarium Proposal and was passed by council. Further updates will be provided as the project moves forward. Parking lot bids: Council President Bill Kulju reviewed council bids for the parking lot repair. After close review of all the bids Bill recommended awarding the bid to Armor Paving and Sealing of Reynoldsburg, OH. Angela Hughes moved to accept seconded by Paul Grant. Motion passed. Reading discussion: No discussion on reading this meeting Required Reports Monthly Report: Pastor Will Statistical Report: Pastor Will Pastor Will submitted the monthly report earlier in the week. It is included as part of council minutes. Treasurer s Report: Charles Roll reviewed the August 2012 financial report. Church Ministry fund balance at the end of August 2012 is $23,471. Total receipts for the month were $34,702 and total disbursements and transfers were $36,586 for a net decrease of $1,884. Mission & Ministry support to the Southern Ohio Synod year-to-date was $6,540, along with support to Lutheran Social Services of $1,360. For 2012 we have pledged $10,000 to Southern Ohio Synod and $2,000 to Lutheran Social Services. Bond Payments began in February 2012 in accordance with the Required Redemption Schedule. Our total debt is $2,850,000. Principal payments due in 2012 total $40,000. Our total obligation for 2012, including principal and interest, is estimated to be $86,896. Current principal balance is $2,820,000. Living in Grace total campaign pledges were $629,625. Expenses recorded in August were $6,692. The balance remaining is $502,947. Growing People of Faith campaign began in June Total pledges were $573,332. Receipts through August were $82,088. We have collected 14.3% of total pledges. There were no expenses in August. Cash Reserves through August 31, 2012 are $76,786. Three designated funds make up this balance, - the 2011 Excess Church Ministry Fund $9,981, - the Organ Fund $64,325 and - the Facilities Emergency Reserve Fund $2,480. Net cash reserves (cash reserves plus the Church Ministry balance) total $100,257. Per the finance sub-committee recommendations, cash reserves of the church should not fall below 10% of the projected annual revenues as established during the annual operating budget process and approved by the congregation. For 2012 that amount is set at $48,423 (10% of total budgeted income of $484,225). Budget Comparison for 2012 reflects a positive amount of $24,707. This is calculated by using August Y.T.D. actual income and expenses compared to the actual budget. Approval of required reports Glen Alexander made a motion to accept the required reports, seconded Julie Abrams. Motion passed. Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church has been serving the Westerville Community for more than 100 years, supporting local ministries such as the Westerville Area Resource Ministry, Westerville Partnership Habitat for Humanity and Westerville CROP Walk. Grace also supports Lutheran Social Services programs like Faith Mission and provides weekly meeting space for Boy Scout Troop 502 and two AA groups. The VOICE of Grace September Page 11