June 24, 2010 Grace Lutheran Church 6931 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, CA 92647 (714) 899-1700 contactus@GraceHB.org WORSHIP TIMES:Worship - Sunday 8:30 am, 10:30 am; Wednesday 11 am Children's Sunday School - 8:30 am & 10:30 am Middle School [6th-8th Grade] - Sunday 10:30 am High School [9th-12th Grade] - Tuesday 6:00 pm Adult Bible Study Classes - Sunday 10:15 am
 What Sign Are You?
[ Luke 11:29-36]
For many of you who believed that last Sunday
was the close of our time in the book of Jonah, you might be surprised
to learn that our journey is not yet over. Jonah’s
story itself has no ending. Things end abruptly as the conversation
between Jonah and the LORD remains unresolved.
We are left with a haunting picture of an angry
prophet looking towards Nineveh still sitting in judgment and a
compassionate God patiently but persistently nudging
him to adopt a different posture. The book ends not with an answer but
with a question. It is a question that is left unanswered. It is a
question that every reluctant prophet, every hesitant disciple, every
would-be child of grace must answer in their own
lifetime.
We too must face this question. To do so, this
week we come back to where we started—to the words of Jesus. Our
reflection on Jonah’s story began with our acknowledgment
that like many in Jesus’ day we are still looking for signs from God.
We pray for signs. We look for open and closed
doors as we discern God’s will. We twist and bend words of scripture as
we play biblical roulette—all in the interest
of getting some direction from the LORD. For many of us, the foundation
of our faith is only as strong as the last sign we’ve received from
God. It doesn’t take long before we become fixated on getting a few more
pointers rather than being invested in the
One to whom all the signs direct us.
I invite you this Sunday, as Jesus reveals what
actually lies behind such bad behavior—what the real question is.
Together we may be surprised to discover that it is
the same question that the LORD put to Jonah. May we have the courage
to answer that question as believers, as the Body of Christ. Let us find
our answer by way of the only sign that Jesus declares God gives, the
only sign that truly matters—the sign of Jonah—the
sign of resurrection.
Grace to you!
Pastor Chris Click here to listen, watch, or download archived sermon messages. Click here to subscribe to our sermon message podcast on iTunes. TALK IT OVER using our Jonah Chapter 4 questions or see all Jonah Chapters.
Next Book Discussion
 THIS MONDAY, June 28, Grace Sanctuary
Co-authored by Dave Kinnaman, president of the Barna Research Group, this book unveils what the current generation of young people think about Christianity. The conclusion is that they view today's Christians as...well, unChristian. You are invited to attend regardless of whether you've read the book or not. The discussion will benefit all participants. Click here to order the book online.Click here to view archives of past book discussions.
 VBS is July 12-16, 2010.
Registration happening now! Sundays on the patio or weekdays in the church or school office.This summer, bring your kids and their friends to SonQuest Rainforest - an experience of discovery they will never forget! Based on five key Bible verses that will change a child's life - including John 3:16 - SonQuest Rainforest transports young minds into a rainforest environment where they will explore and encounter Jesus in everyday life. CRAFT MATERIAL DONATIONS NEEDED:Please help by dropping off some of these items to the school, church or Sunday school offices. - Paper towel tubes
- Toilet Paper Tubes
- DIFFERENT colored tissues
- Multi-colored sharpies packets
- Foam paint brushes
- different colored tissue paper (green, yellow, orange)
- Brown construction paper
- Yellow construction paper
- Glue sticks
- Bottles of glue
- Brown yarn
- (50) Blue solo cups (plastic and blue only)
- Fiber fill or batting for the sock monkeysQuestions? Contact Beth Tweitmann [714-899-1730 or btweitmann@gracehb.org] Learn more about VBS at Grace.
iSanctuary Shopping
 Saturday, June 26, 11:00am - 2:00pm
iSanctuary's local headquarters is now open on the last Saturday of every month. Stop by 17777 Main St. C-2, Irvine, CA 92416 to browse items and shop until your heart's content. All proceeds benefit survivors of human trafficking. Are you able to volunteer? Volunteers are needed to help sort, tag, and
package items on the last Saturday of every month. Come by for an hour or more this Saturday to help. Questions? Contact Elizabeth SanFilippo [714-965-0774 or RussellSanFilipp@aol.com] Learn more about iSanctuary.
Take Me Out To The Ball Game
 Friday, July 30, 7:05pm
The Boomers Ministry at Grace invites you and your friends to join us at Angels' Stadium for some summer fun, food and fireworks! This is a fantastic way to spend time getting to know people from our Grace family and a perfect event to invite friends from our community to attend with you. We are sitting in the Right Field Pavillion. Tickets are $15.50. Please visit us on the patio on Sunday. Questions? Contact us [ finch.4@verizon.net]
S.H.I.P. (Self-Help Interfaith Program) is Coming!
July 31 - August 21 at Grace
 This well established ministry provides housing, meals and fellowship to homeless men and women in Orange County while they develop life skills and job hunt. Sign-ups are starting this Sunday on the Grace Patio for anyone called to provide family-style dinners, night/weekend supervision or administrative support. Individuals, families and especially Life Groups are strongly encouraged to find one way to support this worthwhile ministry that has been impacting lives for years. Contact Lori Brunner [714-841-2797 or loribrunner@verizon.net] Click here to learn more about SHIP.
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