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Grace Lutheran Church 521 Providence Road Chesapeake, Virginia 23325 The Reverend Leslie D. Scanlon, Pastor Office (757) 420-4704 Cell (757) 598-3522 PastorLeslie@GraceLutheranChesapeake.org Summer Worship Hours 8:30 am Contemporary Worship with Holy Communion 10:00 am Traditional Worship with Holy Communion www.GraceLutheranChesapeake.org Grace Preschool Offers Christian Preschool programs for 2, 3, & 4 year old children. Call 757-420-4720 for information www.GracePreschoolChesapeake.weebly.com

“G

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Grace Lutheran Church A worshipping community of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

July 2018 “Grace Greetings”

Mission Statement:

We are a community of believers in Christ called to be servants to all people.

“Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved”

Kate Bowler is “a professor at Duke Divinity school with a modest

Christian upbringing, but she specializes in the study of the

prosperity gospel, a creed that sees fortune as a blessing from God

and misfortune as a mark of God’s disapproval” according to the

dust jacket of her new book “Everything Happens for a Reason:

And Other Lies I’ve Loved.”

As I began to read this book, I was expecting to read a sort of

treatise against the prosperity gospel. I was hoping for a step by

step contradiction and dismantling of this gospel that is so contrary

to what I believe to be the true good news of Jesus Christ—that

God does not cause bad things to happen, but sits with us in the

midst of them, and promises that with eternal life there will be an

end to them.

Instead what I encountered was less classroom/theoretical

theology and more practical/lived theology. In the book, Kate

shares her story of being diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer

and what came after. Through her health struggle, we see her

work through her beliefs about God, dying, and the can-do spirit.

It is a beautifully (although sometimes a little stream-of-

conscious rambling) told real-life story of a faithful Christian

wrestling with how her faith and life intersect. It is not what I

expected and was in the end able to articulate what I wanted, but

when I was able to put that aside, I appreciate it for what it is.

I commend this book to you. It is a quick read, and although full

of talk about dying and God, it is overall light and airy in its

conversational tone. But by far my favorite part of the book are

the appendices. Appendix I is titled “Absolutely never say this to

people experiencing terrible times: a short list.” Appendix II is titled

“Give this a go, see how it works: a short list.” Either pick up a copy

for yourself or borrow mine and at least read over those two lists;

they will be of great help in being less like Job’s friends

(perpetuating bad theology and bad friendship in the midst of

humanity)!

God Bless,

Pastor Leslie Scanlon

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June 24-July 2 Youth Gathering

July 2 Food Pantry CLOSED

NO Bible Study

July 4 OFFICE CLOSED

NO Potluck/Bible Study

July 5 7pm CATECHUMENight Out

July 10 7pm Council Meeting

July 14 8am Men’s Group

10am VBS Decoration Making

July 18 12:30pm Ladies Lunch Out

July 23 NO Bible Study

Summer Worship Hours

8:30am—Contemporary Worship

10am—Traditional Worship Sunday School classes for all ages

are on hiatus for the summer!

ELCA Youth Gathering Please pray for Pastor, Hunter, Grant, &

Olivia. They will be traveling to Houston

Sunday, June 24th. They will attend the

Multicultural Youth Leadership Event June

24-27 and the Youth Gathering June 27-

July 1. They will travel home on Monday,

July 2nd.

CATECHUMENight Out

Thursday, July 5th at 7pm

at Kroger’s “bar”

(1653 Sentinel Drive, Chesapeake) Join us for some “pub theology” as we

discuss “what kind of person of faith you

are.” Please take the Belief-o-matic quiz

o n l i n e ( w w w . b e l i e f n e t . c o m /

entertainment/quizzes/beliefomatic.aspx)

ahead of time and bring your results with

you. Please invite others and RSVP on in the

Narthex or on Facebook.

Ladies Lunch Out

Wednesday, July 18th at 12:30pm

at Outback Steakhouse

(1255 Fordham Dr, Virginia Beach) Join the ladies of GLC for fellowship & food.

Please RSVP on the Facebook Event or sign

up in the Narthex by Noon on Monday, July

16th.

Power in the Spirit

July 12-14, 2018

At Roanoke College (Salem, VA)

R e g i s t e r o n l i n e a t h t t p s : / /

www.regonline.com/registration/

Checkin.aspx?EventID=2327305

V i r g i n i a S y n o d i c a l W o m e n ’ s

Organization Annual Gathering

August 3rd & 4th

at Bethel Lutheran (Winchester)

Register at http://vswo.weebly.com/

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Vacation Bible School

August 6-10th

6-8:30pm each night

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! If you are interested in volunteering, please

let Pastor Leslie know!

VBS Decoration Creation

Saturday, July 14th at 10am

Items Needed for VBS Please continue to bring in the following

items for VBS:

• Large pieces of cardboard/

cardboard boxes (ex: appliance

size)

• Tin cans (no sharp edges, cleaned,

with labels removed)

• Seeds (flower, vegetable, grass)

• Fake foliage/flowers

• Globes and large maps

Please place items in the hall across

from Pastor Leslie’s office.

ACTS Course: Lutheran Confessions

October 20th & November 10th

Simulcast at Gloria Dei, Hampton

Visit www.vasynod.org/ministries/

ACTS for more information and to

register.

From the Council Our June meeting was busy, with updates

on various on-going initiatives and a few

new items on the agenda.

• Jacob Evans, our Treasurer, has been

working with Bill Robins and Amy Dale to

create our financial records for 2018.

We’re looking forward to our first set of

financial reports for the year.

• A second estimate has been received for

the sanctuary roof replacement, and we

had some discussion about the roof over

the sacristy (the room off the sanctuary

behind the piano). We’re investigating

repairing/replacing that roof also, either

by applying a sealant over the existing

roof, or by extending the sloped roof over

the sacristy much like the roof over the

vestry (the room off the sanctuary behind

the lectern) is now.

• The landscaping effort continues. We

hope to have new flower beds planted

soon!

• Forwarding Faith is the Virginia Synod’s

capital campaign to fund the Youth

Ministry and Faith Formation Endowment.

Last year, Council voted to set our

congregational contribution to the

Forwarding Faith campaign at $8,000.

Rally Day 2018 will kick off our fund raising

effort for the campaign.

• Council approved an update to our

building use policy. It is posted in the

Narthex and online (with request forms).

• We reviewed an initial draft of a gift

policy. The need for a gift policy was

apparent after our initial discussions with

Bill Robins, our CPA.

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• The Fall Flea Market has been set for

Saturday, October 6th, with a weather

backup of Saturday, October 13th. We

are looking for a volunteer to

coordinate the Flea Market. Please

contact Pastor Leslie or Rich Fraenkel if

you’re interested.

Additionally, our strategic planning

conversations continued, including

discussion about a welcoming statement

and taking the first steps on building

improvements. I welcome your thoughts

on any of these topics. Please, contact

any of our Council members, and let us

know what you think.

May the peace of Christ be with you

always!

Rich Fraenkel

“Why I Serve”—Betty Keefer Why do you do what you do

around Grace Lutheran?

I have always been a church person. My

mother always volunteered. I would help

her and enjoyed doing it. I still have my

Sunday School book from when I was 2

years old.

Why do you like to serve

in the ways you do?

I get great satisfaction in serving. It is very

meaningful to me when I'm Assisting

Minister. I enjoyed being in the Altar Guild.

One time I organized an Altar Guild in

another church. There was a study book

that we used and it really helped me to

understand more and it meant a lot more

to me by having an understanding of the

liturgical meaning. It's a big pleasure for

me.

How did you get started serving God's

people at Grace and in the community?

When I transferred to Grace I joined in the

Lutheran Church Women and became

president within my first year at Grace. It

was a very active women's group of 25-30

women. The women built the kitchen and

paid for everything including the

appliances, paint, pots and pans etc.

Why is it important to you to give of your

time and talents?

It's just part of me. I'm not sure I would it's

important to me, it's just natural. It's a calling

type thing. Years ago someone told me they

were upset that their child was not able to

attend Sunday School due to no teacher. I

thought, "I can do that." So I became a

Sunday School teacher. So yeah it's a calling

and just comes natural.

Welcome our New Members Michael Olson is a

native of Virginia

Beach and graduated

from Kempsville High

School. He attended

the first service of

Grace Lutheran in 1963

and was in the first

Confirmation class in

1965. He attended the

United States Naval

Academy, after which he served 20 years in

the US Navy. He retired to Chesapeake and

is currently an applied mathematician. He

has two grown daughters (one in Lynchburg

and one in CA).

The Lancaster Family are in the area due to

the Navy and were

introduced to

Grace Lutheran by

the Ownby Family.

Their family is back

home in Alabama.

Rodney & Diana Haberkorn have two grown

children (Jessica & Wesley) and two

granddaughters (Kourtney & Kaitlynn).

Rodney works at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in

Portsmouth and Diana was a stay at home

mother raising their two children and

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keeping everything in

order at home. She

has now graduated to

taking care of their

two granddaughters a

couple of times a

week. They are

originally from IL and

have lived in VA since

1988. They enjoy

volunteer activities and look forward to

being involved with Grace’s Outreach

ministries and lending a helping hand were

needed.

Gene Marchant

Born: Columbus, ND in

1938

Confirmed Lutheran:

1952/3

HS Graduation: 1957

Joined US Navy: 1957

Married: 1969 to Shirley

Jean Gibson

Retired US Navy: 1980

Joined Civil Service: 1981

Civil Service Retirement: 2002

Wife died: 2008

Hobbies: woodworking, metalworking,

fishing, gardening, part-time inventor, etc.

Bob & Mana Masters

Mana thought she

retired, but Is busier

than ever. She is an

RN back at work

doing home care.

She tries to keep up

with their three young

adult sons, loves o

q u i l t a n d d o

handiwork, read when she has time, and

tries to keep her gardens looking like they

are a part of God’s glorious creation!

Bob is retired USN as a Dermatology Nurse

Practitioner and has been in a private

Dermatology practice since 2007. He likes

pretty much all sports, cooking, travel, and

spending time with their expanding family.

2018 VA Synod Assembly Reflections Hunter Simpkins

The youth assembly portion of synod

assembly was awesome. We talked rights for

the LGBTQ community and how they should

be welcomed within the church and not

pushed away. We also discussed the

importance of women's’ rights and

discovered that there goal was for 2021 to

pass a resolution but we realize our time is

now. Along with the LYO board we surprised

our president with a going away gift of

ramen, Pepsi, and other Dollar Store goodies

and did the same with our youth gathering

representative. We also helped with a great

worship service. Finally the dreadful day of

leaving came. All around the trip was

amazing no lows only highs. And if you ever

get a chance to go...just do it!

Ed & La Quita Opperman

This year’s Synod Assembly was our first

assembly and although we have been to

many business conventions in the past, we

were still curious about what this was all

about. As it turned out, we saw many

people that we recognized: Pastors Mims,

Bozeman, Bolden, Delaney, and of course

Pastor Joel and Karen Segal. We were also

able to make new acquaintances. We met

Bishop Humphrey and so many others.

Once all the handshaking and introductions

were done we got down to the business of

why we were there. Friday afternoon

started with a service where we were given

an opportunity to serve communion, and

we both enjoyed that immensely. The rest of

the afternoon and evening was filled with

introducing people that were nominated for

Synod Council, making new nominations for

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Synod Office and taking nominations for

the Churchwide Assembly that would take

place in Milwaukee next year. They also

introduced other topics that would be

voted on the next day. There were the

reading of the reports from the many

ministries that the Synod supports. It was a

long day.

On Saturday, we were happy to see Pastor

Leslie elected to Synod Council and Hunter

Simpkins elected to be a voting member at

Churchwide Assembly next year. Another

day of business topics included the 50th

anniversary of the first ordained Lutheran

woman. We voted to have their pay come

into line with male clergy pay. The

effective date was for 2024. Later that

afternoon it was brought back to the floor

and the timeline changed to “as soon as

possible”. We also heard from the ELCA

about the Draft Social Statement On

Women and Justice. We have until

September 30, 2018 to give our input or

suggestions. The Tapestry Team gave a

presentation along with ACTS, Power in the

Spirit, Caroline Furnace Lutheran Camp

and Retreat Center. We broke into small

groups to get to know one another and

some short exercises based on bridges to

go with the Theme of this assembly, which

was “Only By Grace Can We Stand”. Our

small group projects were to make a cross.

Then the crosses were displayed in the front

of the Sunday Morning service. All the

crosses looked great.

Sunday morning service was very uplifting

as were the final presentations but you

could tell by the looks on people’s faces

that they were ready to head home. Hugs

to old and new friends then we were off on

our way to Charlottesville.

“God’s Work. Our Hands.” T-shirt Order Sign up in the Narthex or email Pastor Leslie

by Sunday, August 5th. T-shirts should be

about $10, but the final cost will depend on

how many we order. "Grace Lutheran

Church Chesapeake, VA" will be printed on

the back (if we order at least 10 shirts). Sizes

available: Youth S-XL, and Adult S-5XL

NEEDED: Flea Market Coordinator If you would be willing to help coordinate

the annual Fall Flea Market (Saturday,

October 6th), please talk to Pastor Leslie or

Rich Fraenkel (Council President) ASAP!

Draft Social Statement on Women &

Justice In 2009, the Churchwide Assembly

authorized the development of a social

statement on women and justice. The ELCA

Task Force on Women and Justice: One in

Christ has been at work since 2012 and

brought the work to a crucial stage: On

November 15, 2017 it released the Draft of a

Social Statement on Women and Justice.

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If you or loved ones are celebrating

significant events, let us rejoice with you &

announce to all in the Grace Greetings.

Please drop a note on the secretary’s desk

in the office to add any birthdays or anni-

versaries.

Prayer List

We Pray for Our Members

July 7 John Twiddy

July 8 Leonora Jones

July 11 Charlotte Maurer

July 13 Peggy Barry

July 13 Bob Masters

July 15 Cathy Ahlgrim

July 15 Juanita Urps

July 20 Jan Howell

July 23 Benjamin Moody

July 29 Stephen Urps

July 20 Mike & Cathy Ahlgrim

July 20 Ernie & Gwen Scherman

July 24 Bill & Betty Keefer

July 24 Mark & Pam Kohan

Elaine Babb

Joe Babb

Aimee Barnes

Kyleen Calkins

Doc Dougherty

Mildred Enga

Beverly Galles

Susan Graham

Maureen Griffin

Rebecca Headings

Jan Howell

Jane Jennings

Lenora Jones

Barbara Kilian

Dawn Kilian

Mark Kohan

Autumn Kraft

Shirl Kuykendall

Frankie Lunde

Charlotte Maurer

Kim Moody

Barbara Moran

Earl Richards

RoseMary Sidam

Bethany Solomon

Susan Stillman

Pam Twiddy

Margaret Van Dyke

Mary Zech-

Washington

We Pray for Our Friends

All who mourn

The Military & their Families

Our Food Pantry Clients ELCA Missionaries & Young Adults in Global Mission

Kamani Ames

Shirley Andersen

Lauren Atkinson

Bill Babb

Mary Babb

Katherine Barry

Suzanne Bergsten

Richard Bowell

Sarita Bowell

Marty Cabe

Tim Carrubba

Mike Caylor

Herb Dewar

Mary Beth Dickins

Beverly Dornberger

Jim Dougherty

Bonnie Dreyer

Bob Dyer

Carol Edwards

Jamie Evans

John Firth

Karen Flaherty

Heather Franco

Bill Galley

Madison Garriott

Jenell Gordon

Ross Gordon

Maria Greenside

Eddie Haga

Sherry Hall

Shalah Hammond

Tim & Donna Hess

Cheryl Hughes

John Johnson

Patricia Jones

Michael Keaton

Donnie Kerr

Darlene Kutzfar

Alma Lacey

Kathy Lapinski

Linda Lesher

James Lingenfelter

Brian Long

Andrew Lowe

Darrell Lowe

Brain McCarthy

Debbie Merrill

Johnny Miles

Wayne Miller

Katie Milliner

Jay Mumford

Bill Muse

Eugene Opperman

June Opperman

Samantha Page

Kay Parrish

Stephen Pleli

Adam Portor

Mary Powe

Tommy Reeck

Bill Reed

Victoria Reed

Lisa Sanders

Jeanlyn Sawyer

Mary Sawyer

Rick Sidam

Roy Simpson

Phil Slough

Larry Sommerfeld

Paul Soucy

Annette Stamper

Ken Sterling

Janice Stewart

Gini Stoddard

Sue Troyan

Carl Young Urps

Malcolm Vaughan

Shannon Vellines

Hank Via

Roy Wilson

Walter Wilson

Amy Wohlbold

Kevin Wohlbold

Victor Zech

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