Just some of the great stuff happening at Grace....

Whether you're looking for study, friendship, an opportunity to give back, or a place to worship, we have a place for you to plug in. Feel free to check out any of the opportunities below--or ask about starting something yourself!
(Check out the calendar page for more details on each event.)

Faith Formation/
Study

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Faith Formation for Youth
Sunday mornings
​9:15-10:00am
Sunday School is over until September, see you next school year!!!
​
Faith Formation for Adults
9:15am Sundays,
Fellowship Hall
​
May 5 – CROP Walk! We’ll either set up for the Walk, or have an informal final Stump the Pastor session! Here endeth the Adult Forum series for the spring.
​
Choir!!!
​Practice: Wednesdays, 
​7-8:15pm, Upstairs
​choir room
 and Sundays, 9:30am.
Sing at 10:15am service
Like to sing? All welcome, older kids too. Quality leadership with Bradford Thompson. Handbell choir opportunities for holidays. Fun, fellowship and worship enhancement, join us!!!

Monday Evening Bible Class 
Monday evenings at 7:00pm in Fellowship Hall  
Starting on January 21, we will return to a Kerygma study of Second Isaiah.  We have already studied Isaiah 1-39.  Chapters 40-55 are believed by scholars to have been written in Babylon during the exile of the key elements of the Jewish people.  There is an explanation of the gloom and doom that have come on many nations, including those chosen by God.  These chapters also contain words of comfort, including the Suffering Servant poems which Christians believe to predict key elements of the life of Jesus, and which we hear in readings in church late in Lent, leading into Easter.  As with all Kerygma studies, we will attempt to understand the meaning of Second Isaiah's words in their original context as well as their importance to us today.
We are a friendly, cohesive group, but we always have room for more and would love to have you.  Come as we share decaf coffee and a sweet treat and look at the sources behind our faith.  Please let Fred Warnke or Vince Hardt know if you are interested in the Isaiah study so we can order a course guide for you. ​​
There is no course guide to buy.  The study guide is available on-line at:  http://www.usefulbible.com/ecclesiastes/ecclesiastes-12-week-study-guide.htm​
with a detailed outline here:  http://www.usefulbible.com/ecclesiastes/index.htm​
Printouts will be available for those who lack computer access.​
Please let Fred Warnke or Vince Hardt know if you are interested in joining this group.

​Worship

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Worship Schedule
Worship services will be at 8:00am & 10:15am. 
​Faith Formation for all ages
​is at 9:15.
​
Confirmation Sunday 
May 19, 10:15am service
Our 8th graders will affirm their baptismal vows at the 10:15 service. Please come and join our youth as they celebrate this important faith milestone. There will be a reception for our confirmands between services.

Updated Hearing Assistance
​We have upgraded our Hearing Assistance system. We now have three receivers which will pick up the signal from the mics. You may use one of the earbuds we provide, or bring your own earbuds from home. If you have a hearing aid or cochlear implants, you can use one of the neck loops; simply plug the loop into the receiver and place the loop around your neck. (Note, your hearing aid must have a T-coil and be set to the “T” or “M/T” setting.)


 

​Fellowship

Help us hit 50 for
50 years of CROP!  
This year we’re excited to announce that Grace is the host site for the 50th Annual Glen Ellyn/Wheaton CROP Walk on Sunday, May 5. Let’s make it a banner year by getting at least 50 folks from Grace to walk or volunteer!  Check out the poster board in the narthex.  Contact Mike Pertle with any questions.

Grace Foodies  
Tuesday, May 7 
Santa Fe, Glen Ellyn 
Grace Foodies is a gathering of Grace members that has gotten together twice now for a fun "foodie" social gathering at a local restaurant. We offer free babysitting at church. It has been a lot of fun! Sign up in the narthex.

Faith & Friendship 
Wed, May 15, 11:15am
This will be our last Faith & Friendship lunch until September. Come join us for lunch, fellowship and devotional time. All are welcome!

Save The Date! 
Annual Spring cleanup of the grounds around Grace to take place on Saturday, May 18 from 9am-Noon.  We will be spreading mulch.

Confirmation Sunday Reception 
May 19, after 10:15am service
Join the family of Grace as we celebrate our confirmands on Sunday, May 19th with a reception between services.

Community Vacation Bible School
Mon, June 17-Fri, June 21
We are so excited to announce our community partnership with First Congregational Church and Faith Lutheran Church this summer. Faith Lutheran Church located at 41 N Park Blvd will host this year's VBS, "Celebrating God's Creation." All three Congregations will work together to host an expected 100 students. We will need the volunteer help of our Grace Community to make this event a success! All incoming 6th graders and older are invited to volunteer, adults too! We will need the following areas covered: Crafts, Games, Storytellling, Drama, Snacks. 

Progressive Dinner 
July 27
A Progressive Dinner is in the planning stages for July 27, watch for more information.

Grace Yoga with Becky! 
 Do you need to unwind from the hectic pace of life? Looking for a way to stretch and build muscular strength? Searching for a yoga class that offers a biblical view? Grace Yoga with Becky happens on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:15-7:15pm in the Great Room. A new Spring Session begins on April 9th and runs through April 30th on Tuesdays. This Session may be purchased for $32, only $8 per class or you can drop in on any session for $10.
Due to conflicts with April dates, there will not be a Thursday night class during this next Session.  Thursday classes will return in May.
Class meets in the Great Room. There are mats available to use. 
Please reach out to Becky Ficarella with questions and more details.
bficarella@graceglenellyn.org

Flower Chart for 2019
Please consider signing up for a Sunday or two! Bouquets are still $15 each. Please indicate on the chart how you would like your flowers acknowledged in the bulletin - in honor of, in memory of, etc.

The Social Committee is involved in many different events throughout the year, and always in need of extra hands. If you are interested in helping out at any of our events, please indicate so by signing up on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Room. We hope to develop a list of volunteers we can go to when we need extra help. Thank-you!

Like Us on Facebook! 
Grace Lutheran Church of Glen Ellyn has a Facebook page and we would like you to like us! Stay in touch with events, ministries, ELCA news and check out the pictures!
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Sunday Morning
Coffee Hour,  from 8:00 until after the late service. Coffee, bagels/cream cheese and other treats will be served.  This is a great time for a little fellowship before moving on to your education hour activity!

Service
Opportunities​

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Community Quilting Ministry
Pr. Melody is looking for volunteers to get this new ministry at Grace off the ground.  There is a sign-up sheet on the slat-wall in the Narthex or see Pr. Melody for more information.

Mark Your Calendars: 
A blood drive with Heartland will be Sunday June 2, in the gym from
9am - 1pm.

Wanted:  small, travel size toiletries for PADS
to use in their outreach to the homeless in our community.  As you partake of your spring and summer travels, please bring back any unused soaps, shampoos, etc. from your hotel room and put them in the basket under the table in the Narthex. 
 
Grace Council Notes
The Grace Council would like to propose three possible ministry outreach programs for the congregation's consideration.  Any new program will need involvement and support from the congregation to be successful. Here are the three ministries options proposed:

• Community quilting group for Lutheran World Relief
• 'Adulting' Classes, for young adults to learn basic skills in cooking, sewing, repairs, etc.
• Computer Basic Skills Classes for seniors and/or the immigrant community

Please respond to Susan Jacobson at susan.lb.jacobson@gmail.com or Barbara Sudds in the church office if you are interested in any of these ministries or have a passion for something else that you think we should try. We will gather additional information on how we can best start the new ministry once we understand where the congregation's interests are.

Staff Opening at ESSE Adult Day Center in Wheaton
We are seeking an individual to fill our (part-time) Business Manager position. Effective and efficient implementation of the financial goals and objectives of ESSE, Inc., in the areas of administration, budgeting, and billing. Interested individuals please contact Cathy Davit, Executive Director, at 630-260-3773.

Mark Your Calendars: 
a blood drive with Heartland will be Sunday June 2, in the gym from
​9am -1pm.

PADS Volunteer Service
Thank you all for your support of PADS - we do have about seven open slots for food so if you would like to participate, or know of a family that would (they do not have to be a member of Grace), please let me know. The next PADS date is Thursday, April 4. 
Donna Jacobo   donnahjacobo@yahoo.com

Glen Ellyn Food Pantry
The Glen Ellyn Food Pantry is in need of volunteers. Their greatest need right now is volunteers willing to pick up food donations from local retailers. Please contact Terri Venzon, Supervisor of Food Pantry Operations, if you can volunteer.  630.469.6988 
​GEFPServices@
​GlenEllynFoodPantry.org  
www.GlenEllynFood​Pantry.org

Drivers Needed for ESSE 
Personable and reliable drivers are needed part-time to transport seniors to the Adult Day Care Center at Faith Lutheran, Glen Ellyn.  Center is open Mon-Fri 7am-5pm.  Flexible hours, $14 an hour with mileage reimbursement.  Please contact Cathy at ESSE, 630-260-3773.

The Wooly Knitters are thankful for the yarn Grace members have been donating for their cause.  Any amount and any color are always welcome and can be left in the church office.  The Wolly Knitters are a charity knitting group that meets every Tuesday from 1-3pm at Grace.  They have made and donated over 3,000 hats, scarves, mittens and afghans to local veterans and to community groups, including Hines VA Hospital, Operation Support Our Troops Illinois, PADS, Glen Ellyn Food Pantry, Serenity House, Children's Home and Aid, Family Resource Center/Wheaton, and others. They try to provide free yarn to their knitters in return for their time and beautiful work and the group can always use yarn or monetary donations to keep them going. In addition to the contributions to our community, we have shared information and friendship which has enriched the lives of our members, and we would always welcome new knitters (or crocheters) to join us each week.  Please feel free to call 630/624-6002 for more information.

Need help for PADS
​this year!  
We would like you to be a part of the PADS community to help the homeless. This only requires a couple hours of volunteering the evening of the first Thursday or morning of the first Friday of the months between September and May at First Presbyterian on Main street in Glen Ellyn. We have four types of shift that you can volunteer for. This volunteer time is especially useful for kids or for adults needing community service hours.
You can volunteer for our Dinner shift to set-up, serve, and clean up between 6pm to 10pm. If you are a night owl we have a 10pm to 2am shift or 2am to 5am shift. These generally quiet shifts consist of being there to provide any assistance or making sandwiches for the guests that they will receive in the morning when they leave.
If you are an early bird the 5am to 7am shift includes setting-up and making breakfast, serving breakfast, and cleaning up. This is a difficult shift to find volunteers for and we would really appreciate you spreading the word.
If you do not have time to volunteer for any of these shifts you can always cook or buy drinks and foods. We assign a type of food that may be for dinner, breakfast, or lunch and you can request if you want to cook or just buy something.
Any little bit of time can help our church sustain our contribution to this program.
For questions or sign up please contact the appropriate person below:
About shifts please contact Joe Jacobo by phone, 630-740-4527, or email at jl1jacobo@yahoo.com.  About food please contact Donna Jacobo by phone, 630-740-4542 or 630-790-1612, or email at 
donnahjacobo@yahoo.com.

Mission Quilts for
Lutheran World Relief​
In 2017, LWR distributed over 305,000 quilts to people arriving in refugee camps! It's their bed, coat, shade, protection against mosquitos and shelter from the rain - their everything! Quilts come from congregations like ours, you don't have to know how to run a sewing machine; if you can cut fabric or tie a knot, you can be a part of providing comfort to a child who has fled home.
If you're interested in starting a LWR quilt group here at Grace, please contact Pastor Melody. What a great way to make new friends, build fellowship and be a part of something wonderful!
https://lwr.org/
get-involved/quilts

Circle of Care Ministry
Would you be willing to lend a helping hand during a difficult time by providing meals for those in need and their families? As a need arises, Pr. Melody would like to have a list of volunteers that she could call upon.  Please contact Barbara in the Grace office to have your name and contact information included on the Circle of Care list.  Thank you. 

The Pill Bottle Ministry
In an effort to get the thousands of pill bottles we have out of our church and into the hands that truly need them, we have scheduled several evening sessions for everyone to come out and help prepare pill bottles for shipping.  Pill bottles need to be sorted, labels removed, washed, and then packaged for shipping to remote areas around the globe. These bottles provide patients the opportunity to safely transport and store their medications. Please join us every Tuesday evening from 6-7:30pm in the gym foyer and gym kitchen.

​Purchases from the Feed My Starving Children MarketPlace provide fair wages to hard-working artisans and life-saving FMSC MannaPack™ meals for starving children around the world. Check out their merchandise for sale at fmscmarketplace.org.

SMILE.AMAZON.COM
Amazon has a large variety of gifts that are perfect for Valentine's Day including electronics, jewelry, clothing, and more.  Please support Grace Lutheran Church when you shop online.
smile.amazon.com/ch/36-2496438 and Amazon donates to Grace Lutheran Church.

Grace's Altar Guild is looking for more members. If you are looking for a way to help out at church, altar guild is a great place. The commitment is flexible and the task is interesting and meaningful. If you think you may be interested, talk to Cathy Milleville or Pastor Melody.