May 14, 2010 Grace Lutheran Church
6931 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(714) 899-1700 contactus@GraceHB.org
WORSHIP THIS WEEKEND: 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] - Sunday 5:30 pm
Confirmation Class [6th-12th] - Sunday 12:30 pm
Adult Bible Study Classes - Sunday 10:15 am
LIVING THE RESURRECTION THROUGH THE STORY OF JONAH:
“And the word of the LORD came to thepeople of Grace a
second time.”
Last week, we witnessed as the word of the LORD came to
Jonah a second time. Jonah’s second chance became a second chance for the great
city of Nineveh. Despite Jonah’s brief message and against all the odds, the
Ninevites believed God.They
fasted and prayed. They confessed. They surrendered. They changed their
attitudes and their actions. They died to themselves, to who they had been as
Nineveh, in the hopes of resurrection, of who they could be in the hands of
Jonah’s God.
This Sunday, we get a second chance to hear their story.
We return to chapter three to understand what happened in Nineveh from a
different perspective. Focusing in on verse 10, we look back and appreciate
things from God’s vantage point. Taking another look from a different angle
draws our attention to details that we didn’t notice before.
For example, why does the LORD afford forty days before
bringing his judgment upon Nineveh? Having seen the evil and wickedness of
Nineveh, was God still undecided about what to do?
And if judgment was the sentence that had already passed
on the great city, why does the LORD relent—seemingly at the last minute? Does
God change his mind?
In explaining what happened, the text reads that “the LORD
had compassion” upon Nineveh. Is God just an old softie when it comes to
bringing down the thunder? Or is there a deeper understanding of God’s
compassion that we need to wrestle with?
I invite you this Sunday to revisit the third chapter of
Jonah’s story with me. Together we will engage some questions that we might not
have thought to ask the first time around. Like Jonah and the Ninevites, we
will get a second chance to appreciate the character of this God we know in
Jesus Christ. In the midst of all that is uncertain and continually shifting in
this world of ours, may we discover that which is true yesterday, today and
forever—the constancy of God’s steadfast love! God’s unchanging decision is to
speak grace where we can only perceive a choice between mercy and justice.
Grace to
you!
Pastor Chris
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"Hunger Doesn't Take A Vacation" MAY FOOD DRIVE
We are collecting non-perishable goods in the Grace shopping cart at the
entrance to the Sanctuary throughout the month of May. CLICK HERE for list of suggested items. Please place donations in the shopping cart in the sanctuary lobby.
Lutheran Social Services feed over 200 walk-in individuals per week. 60 are families and the rest are single or homeless. The bags given to homeless contain 15 pop top items. The bags given to families contain 30 cans plus rice, pasta and cereal. This is 3,900 cans per week! They also have a soup kitchen serving over 3,000 hot meals every Thursday.
We thank you for your vital partnership in feeding hungry mouths this month.
Confirmation Ceremony
Sunday, May 23, 10:30am
Our Confirmation Class will be publicly confirmed as part of our 10:30am worship service on this day. Please come show your support and hospitality to them and their families.
Reception in Hope Hall following the service. Everyone invited!
Questions about Confirmation? Contact Jon Alexanian [714-899-1725 or jalexanian@gracehb.org]
BASICS - New Member Info Class
Wednesday, May 26, 6:30pm, Grace Library
Don't just remain a face in the crowd! Move deeper into the fundamentals of walking with Christ while learning about the values and priorities of Grace. Topics include "Living a Life of Worship" and "Finding Authentic Community," "Growing in Christ: Becoming a Life-long Learner," and "Reaching Out to Others." Childcare is available.
Grace has had two open meetings with the congregation to talk about the vote at the churchwide assembly in August 2009 - in regards to the human sexuality social statement. At one of the meetings, it was requested that our bishop come speak to Grace about what is going on in the ELCA. To honor that request and to give time to hear the ELCA point of view, we have invited Bishop Murray Finck to come speak to our congregation.
This meeting will be a time for Bishop Finck to explain the statement, the vote, the implications for our congregation as well as all other ELCA congregations. There will be time for him to answer questions from our congregation. If any Grace members has questions for the bishop, please put them in writing and give them to Pastor Chris prior to the 18th. We want to give our bishop every opportunity to fully address our questions but he has to know what they are in order to answer them. Our open and honest dialogue with the bishop will help in this process of information gathering and discussion as Grace comes to a decision on our next steps with the ELCA.
ELCA HUMAN SEXUALITY SOCIAL
STATEMENT RESOLUTION
Grace's Sermon Response to ELCA
[October 4, 2009] audio
- video
Pastor Chris Tweitmann's ELCA
UPDATE [October 1, 2009]
The passion and knowledge of our expert
catering chef, Michele Abbott, led the launch of the kitchen upgrade and
remodeling project.
During the
summer, Michele worked alongside Church Council Member Ken Beaulieu, who
oversees the Campus Improvement Team, to plan the expansion of the kitchen.They examined the space and current use
to determine a way to create more space for the oven, stove, refrigerators, and
serving area.
Michele acquired bids and with the approval from the Council
hired a contractor to plow forward.The contractor and a team of volunteers (including John Fristche and Darryl
Black) started knocking down the wall that was between the Hope Hall closet and
the kitchen. The space had been a long time storage area for the room dividers
that were no longer functioning. Terry Zippwald went to work replacing the dilapidated
shelves on the outside of the kitchen and replacing them with granite.Other volunteers (including Kitty
Fristche, Geneva Knox & Michele) started scrapping the years of built up
grease off of the old stove.
As
the work progressed, a new, recessed space was made for the stove, new cabinets
added, flooring and portable counters were installed.The final project ended in a beautiful new stove/oven (the
old one was donated to the school kitchen), a widened work area, new counter
space, cabinets and granite shelves on the exterior.This is just the beginning…..
"The Empowering Presence" Conference
Thursday-Saturday, June 17-19, 2010
All Grace members are invited to the Alliance of Renewal Churches gathering at Robinwood Church [5082 Argosy Ave.] for a time of spiritual restoration and refreshing.
Practical Workshops include:
- The Family Likeness - Praying for baptism in the Holy Spirit - Receiving and Sharing Prophetic Revelation - Receiving the Father's Love (with Pastor Joe) - and much, much more.
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.
Registration will begin in the middle of May.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We need volunteer
servants to help in a variety of positions including teachers, classroom
helpers, crafts, food, set construction/design and registration.
Our next planning meeting is May 19 at 6:00pm in the Grace library.
SIGN-UP TO VOLUNTEER by visiting the
Children's Ministry table on the Patio this Sunday or
contact Beth Tweitmann [714-899-1730 or btweitmann@gracehb.org].
You can enjoy France by vicariously traveling to destinations on two of the major rivers, the Seine and the Rhone. Among several places of interest you will see are Paris, Giverny, Normandy, Lyon, Avignon and Arles, through the cameras of Paul and June Welton. Refreshments served. This is our last meeting before summer break.
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Grace Lutheran Church
6931 Edinger Ave
Huntington Beach, California 92647
We are collecting non-perishable goods in the Grace shopping cart at the
entrance to the Sanctuary throughout the month of May. 
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.
