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Grace Lutheran Church - Tallahassee, Florida July
2018
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Not meeting in
June and July
More information later.
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Message from Pastor Jenn:
Dear Family of God:
I hope that, wherever this note finds you, you are truly enjoying your summer. I know that some of us get to take quick vacations and weekends away over the summer, others go on longer treks, and still others among our family of faith are away, often 'up north' for most, if not all, of the summer. I pray that as July comes upon us, you are safe and finding time to enjoy the creation God has provided for us.
Because so many of us are away over the summer, I wanted to share again the remarks I made on Sunday, June 17th about some recent events in our country. I am hoping that, whether you heard them that day or not, their inclusion here will help us all be clearer on what the Bible does - and does not - say.
For reference, on June 14th, while at an event for law enforcement officers in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, Attorney General Jeff Sessions used the words of St. Paul, from the book of Romans, to defend the policy of separating immigrant children and their parents at the U.S./Mexico border.
My comments begin here:
Romans 13:1 reads: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God."
These are helpful words from Paul. We do, indeed, need both civil and religious authorities. We, as Christians, are called pray for both our faith leaders and for our political leaders, that they may have God's wisdom and guidance. And, just as we believe that God's laws were created for our benefit, that they are for our good, we should also believe that the laws that exist in our society are also created for our benefit and are for our good.
But, here's the thing. Human leaders are just that. Human. And while God is perfect and has indeed given us commandments, instructions, and laws that are perfect, the truth is that none of us, even our elected officials, are perfect. Understand that these words from Paul are not meant to encourage us to accept, unilaterally, and without question, the laws instituted by the governing authorities of any given time or place. And they were certainly not intended to be used to imply Biblical support for any unjust or inhumane laws.
And yet, this last week was not the first time that Paul's words have been used to do just that. These same words from Romans were used by British loyalists during the Revolutionary War, to support staying under colonial rule.
During the 19th Century, these words were used by advocates of slavery. In response to the contention by those in the abolitionist movement that the ownership, buying and selling, and abuse of slaves was an abomination; that it was "unconscionably cruel" and that "separating families was a violation of religious principles," those who supported slavery argued that "the duty to abide by the law was part of the Bible."
And this text has been used by white supremacists even in our lifetimes, the most recognizable being in Germany during the Holocaust. The Third Reich certainly relied on the church to remain silent in the face of the inhumane treatment, imprisonment, torture and murder of millions of people, the majority of them Jewish. Part of their justification included quotes from Biblical passages, including Romans 13. And many churches, including Lutheran churches, were silent, and thus complicit, in the atrocities of the Holocaust.
Paul is not wrong - the government, and the laws it enacts, are intended for our best interest. And Paul's words underscore why it is so important that we pray fervently about and discern carefully who we vote for and why. But, none of this guarantees that every law and every action of government is good and should be followed.
Think about how frequently Jesus pushed back against the law and against societal norms - eating with sinners and outcasts; healing those considered "unclean"; working on the Sabbath.
And let us not forget that Paul, who is the source of these words in Romans, often wrote his letters from prison. Indicating that, at some points in his life, even he was on the wrong side of an unjust law.
Romans 8 goes on beyond that first verse. And what is said in the latter parts of the text are important, especially as they relate to what is happening at our southern borders. In verses 8-10, Paul goes on to say: '
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
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The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself."
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Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.'
In Luke's gospel, a lawyer asks Jesus, "who is my neighbor?" Jesus goes on to share the parable of the Good Samaritan. And when he finishes his story, Jesus asks the lawyer, "So, between the Priest who passed by the beaten man, the Levite who also passed him by, and the Samaritan who attended to his needs, who was the neighbor to the man who was beaten? And
the lawyer answered - 'The one who showed him mercy.'"
Let us remember that, as followers of Christ, as the Children of God, we are to love our neighbors, to do them no wrong and to show them mercy. That is the fulfilling of the law.
I don't mean to offend anyone, and my intention is not to be political or partisan. My goal has been to teach you about Scripture and how it applies to everyday life...and the reason I felt a call to do that is because a few of our current political leaders badly distorted Scripture for political purposes. If I don't protect God's Word from abuse, I am not being faithful as your pastor.
Let us continue to listen for how God is calling us to respond to the needs of the world around us. Let us learn how we can support the ELCA in doing it's work of assisting these children as they wait and hope for reunification with their families, and pray that it happens soon. Let us pray for parents who do not know where their children are, or whether or not they are safe. Let us pray that the Spirit would stir up in each one of us the courage "to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God" (Micah 6:8).
Living in God's amazing grace,
Pastor Jenn
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MONDAY CRAFT DAY
is July 2, 1:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Please join us for an hour or for the entire time. Bring what you are working on and enjoy fellowship with crafty people.
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The Men's Ministry group -
MEN'S MINISTRY BROWN BAG LUNCH MEETING
is Monday, July 16th at 11:45 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Bring a brown bag lunch.
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Hosting Early and Late Fellowship
HOST EARLY OR LATE FELLOWSHIP
. Please sign up for a date and time to host. We hope everyone will participate. The sign-up sheet is next to the coffee urn. If questions, contact Peggy Schneider (294-2251).
Thank you to our hosts!
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 July Blood Drive
OUR NEXT BLOOD DRIVE will be held on July 8. Beach towels will be the donor gift. Please mark your calendars. Th ank you to all who gave or attempted to give during our May drive, we collected 11 units! If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Ehlmann, 850-726-4677.
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2018 Synod Assembly Report ~ Pastor Jennifer Kopacz
- The 2018 Florida-Bahamas Synod Assembly was held from Friday, June 1 - Sunday, June 3 at the Embassy Suites in Kissimmee, FL
- This was the first Synod Assembly at which our new Bishop, Rev. Pedro Suarez, presided. Unfortunately, Grace had no Voting Members at this Assembly.
- This was a Workshop Assembly and was focused on allowing attendees to grow in faith, gain new ideas and insights for ministry and outreach, and spend time together in fellowship. We also heard from the volunteer coordinator of Harbor House, our Synod Assembly Service Project. She gave us an overview of their agency, shared a short video and reported on what we collected as a Synod for the HH Shelter. Our Synod provided money and gift cards worth hundreds of dollars, and we filled - to the brim - a U-Haul truck full of donations.
- We heard from the Youth at Assembly - there were 16 voting members under 25 (most under 18). Some came specifically as Youth Voting Members, others were the actual regular Voting Members from their congregation. We also did a service of installation for the counselors working at Luther Springs this summer.
- We welcomed and installed two new Assistants to the Bishop, who will also serve as Directors of Evangelical Mission. They are the Rev. Rob Carlson, from Madison, WI, who will be serving the northern portion of the state; and the Rev. Khader El-Yateem, from Brooklyn, NY, who will be serving the southern portion of the state. They have already begun their ministry in the Synod. They replace the Rev. Jim Graeser and the Rev. Jaime Dubon, who left our Synod for other calls in 2017.
- We were blessed to have as our Keynote Speaker and preacher for opening worship, the Rev. Dr. David Lose, former professor at Luther Seminary, creator of WorkingPreacher.com, former President of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, and current Senior Pastor at Mount Olivet Church in Minneapolis, MN. (PS: They have 14,000 members and six pastors).
- We welcomed representatives from our Global Mission Partners in Surinam, Guyana, Haiti and the seminary in Jamaica and we heard reports about what is happening in these places and how the Spirit is at work there. Current travel restrictions prevented Bishop Benito from the Lutheran Church in Cuba from attending the Assembly. We also heard about a project called "Seeds for Haiti". More information on that will be coming to you shortly.
- I was elected to a second one-year, At-Large term on Synod Council.
- Grace was recognized for our 35th anniversary.
- As always, the music and the worship were powerful parts of the Assembly, and I had the awesome privilege of presiding at the Opening Eucharist on Friday evening.
- It was a wonderful assembly, full of joy, laughter, celebration and faith. The next Synod Assembly is set for June 6-8, 2019, also in Kissimmee. I know it seems early, but it will be here before we know it! Let me know if you think you might be interested!
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THE YOUTH GROUP
would like to ask the congregation for assistance with upcoming projects. Firstly, we need help redecorating the downstairs Youth Room. Secondly, we would like to know who is interested in doing a trunk or treat/fall festival. If you are interested or have questions, please email Charlene and Joe Jennings at
[email protected]
.
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JULY 2018 - MANNA ON MERIDIAN
MANNA ON MERIDIAN DISTRIBUTION DAY
is the third Saturday each month. The SignUp.com link for the July 21 Distribution Day is coming soon. If you have questions or need help signing up, please contact Kris-Tena Albers (850-566-3635 or
[email protected]
) or Burt Von Hoff (850-508-7793 or
[email protected]
). Thank you for volunteering in support of the less fortunate in our community.
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JULY 2018 - SUNDAY MORNING
WORSHIP ASSISTANT SCHEDULE
Summer Worship Schedule for May 27 - August 12, 2018
Worship is at 9:30 A.M.
If you are unable to assist on your designated date please make arrangements to switch with another assistant. If you would like the change listed in the bulletin, please notify the church office. If the bulletin has not been printed, we will be happy to list the change for you.
JULY 1, 2018
ALTAR GUILD: Marie Harrington, Linda Wolters
ASSISTING MINISTER: Sharon Piepmeier
GREETERS: Priscilla Craw, Buddy Dewar
LAY READER: Paul Schneider
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS: Kris-Tena Albers, Daryl Barowicz, Judy Blancett, Laura Brown, Randi Buehner
USHERS: Sue Homant, Gerald Kurtz, Kevin Lundgren
OFFERING COUNTERS: Jon & Linda Ahlquist, Kevin Lundgren
REFRESHMENTS: See signup sheet in Fellowship Hall, if no one signs up to host refreshments only coffee will be served after worship as a courtesy of the Fellowship Committee
JULY 8, 2018
ALTAR GUILD: Marie Harrington, Linda Wolters
ASSISTING MINISTER: Mary Eichin
GREETERS: Sandra Schorr 1 TBA
LAY READER: TBA
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS: Priscilla Craw, Lisa Hall, Kevin Lundgren, Janet McPherson, 1 TBA
USHERS: Daryl Barowicz, David Brown, Tom Hall
OFFERING COUNTERS: Kris-Tena Albers, Daryl Barowicz
REFRESHMENTS: See signup sheet in Fellowship Hall, if no one signs up to host refreshments only coffee will be served after worship as a courtesy of the Fellowship Committee
JULY 15, 2018
ALTAR GUILD: Laura Brown
ASSISTING MINISTER: Joy Becker
GREETERS: Marie Harrington, Rosalie Shupe
LAY READER: Sara Straub
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS: Jim Nelsen, Karen Suchman, Kathy Van Loo, Burt Von Hoff, Kathy Von Hoff
USHERS: Jim Nelsen, George Ohlin
OFFERING COUNTERS: Jon & Linda Ahlquist
REFRESHMENTS: See signup sheet in Fellowship Hall, if no one signs up to host refreshments only coffee will be served after worship as a courtesy of the Fellowship Committee
JULY 22, 2018
ALTAR GUILD: Laura Brown
ASSISTING MINISTER: TBA
GREETERS: Peggy Schneider, Paula Slade
LAY READER: George Sweat
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS: Linda Wolters, Kris-Tena Albers, Daryl Barowicz, Judy Blancett, Laura Brown
USHERS: Burt Von Hoff, Tom Hall
OFFERING COUNTERS: Jim Nelsen, Kris-Tena Albers, Daryl Barowicz
REFRESHMENTS: See signup sheet in Fellowship Hall, if no one signs up to host refreshments only coffee will be served after worship as a courtesy of the Fellowship Committee
JULY 29, 2018
ALTAR GUILD: Kathy Van Loo
ASSISTING MINISTER: Linda Wolters
GREETERS: Kathy Van Loo, Allison Wharton
LAY READER: Jackie Sweat
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS: Randi Buehner, Priscilla Craw, Nick Gandy, Lisa Hall, Kevin Lundgren
USHERS: Karen Suchman, Daryl Barowicz, David Brown
OFFERING COUNTERS: Kevin Lundgren, Jon & Linda Ahlquist
REFRESHMENTS: See signup sheet in Fellowship Hall, if no one signs up to host refreshments only coffee will be served after worship as a courtesy of the Fellowship Committee
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Sincerely,
Sara Straub,
Editor - Grace Notes
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