Grace Talk

Prayers

WLA will be coordinating relief for WLA faculty whose homes were damaged in the flood last week, especially the Kevin & Patti Westphal family whose house was completely destroyed by an explosion. WLA has established a “Flood Relief Fund” to assist the faculty and staff who may need our help. WLA Association members and congregations who wish to help financially may send contributions to WLA. Please pray for all who suffered losses and help financially if you can. Thankfully, the Lord spared the lives of the Westphal’s.

School

Grace Lutheran Board of Education and the Faculty have formed a plan to address the reduction in teaching staff for next school year. The teaching arrangements are as follows:

Pre-Kindergarten: Mrs. Vicki Schneider
Kindergarten: Ms Jennifer Seeger
1st Grade: Mrs. Julie Anderson
2nd Grade: Mrs. Ginny Slattery
3rd & 4th Grade: Ms. Lisa Rick
5th & 6th Grade: Mrs. Kris Bolda
7th Grade: Mrs. Lynda Faust
8th Grade: Mr. Peter Iles

With the current faculty, it is uncertain at this time which of the extra-curriculars will be able to be offered. If there are extra-curriculars that the current faculty is unable to offer, we will be looking to the congregation and parents in order that we may continue to offer as many of them as possible.

With the many changes, we pray the Lord continue to bless Grace Lutheran School.

From the Pastor

“Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”  Many of you may remember that old song about a more relaxed, carefree lifestyle during the good ol’ summertime.  To be honest, summertime hardly seems relaxed and carefree.  Think about how relaxed and carefree Oshkosh will be in a couple of weeks with Country USA in town, and then a month later with the EAA.  Summertime in Oshkosh can be extremely busy.  Now add in there the weekends you decide to hit the road and face all the traffic with people trying to squeeze out every last drop of fun and recreation they possibly can here in northeastern Wisconsin.  Such enjoyment can come at the expense of God and his Word. 

Was the writer to the Hebrews thinking of such people or situations when he wrote: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another?”  With its more leisurely pace, summertime living can easily set us up to let down our guard a little on the care and feeding of our faith.

Can a person worship God while sitting in a brand new fishing boat?  Certainly! Can a person worship God from a tent or a summer festival?  You bet!  But communion with nature or summertime festivals doesn’t reveal the full knowledge of God.  The God of the Bible has an important message to share daily, the good news that we have rest for our souls through Jesus, our best friend throughout life and our only Savior from sin.

Do our summertime plans take into account our Savior’s desire that we worship him regularly and without fail?  Is it possible to map out our travels not only with an atlas, but also with a directory of times and locations of worship opportunities along the way?

Summer, winter, spring, or fall, God doesn’t take a break from providing all that we need daily just because the angels are singing a great song!  Regardless of the season, we don’t want to forget God either.  Doing so would be a huge disadvantage and could turn into a devastating trend.  Worse than that, a trend that could lead our spiritual life into eternal peril. 

One Bible camp advertises relaxation in nature and re-creation in Christ. That’s an unbeatable combination - summertime or anytime!

-Pastor Graham

Suggestions

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