The News of Grace

Volume 36, no. 10 October 2013

ITS FOUNDATIONAL
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? And they said, Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He said to them, But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:13-19)

Confession is foundational to faith and life for us individually and for the church collectively. We confess our faith with our mouths which is what the Lord has worked in our hearts and in so doing we say before one another who God is as He has revealed Himself to us in His Word as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (In this name we were baptized and in this name we are saved.) We confess this faith in the creeds of the Church, the Apostles, Nicene and Athanasian. Those creeds are shorthand (even the Athanasian Creed) for us as they put forth the teachings about God found in Holy Scripture, the revelation of Himself to us. We also confess our sins from which we receive Absolution, the forgiveness of our sins. This is foundational to our new life in Christ. The Church has been given the power to bind sins or loose them as we see in the above dialog between Jesus and the disciples. The Pastor does this publicly on behalf of the local congregation for all who confess their sins, those who repent. It is also our daily spiritual exercise of contrition and repentance that

drowns the old sinful nature in us as Luther reminds us. (Small Catechism Holy Baptism What does such baptizing with water indicate?) Saint and sinner Peter had a way of speaking for the twelve disciples. It was his nature and the other disciples gave him that opportunity to do so on their behalf, though Peters denial of Jesus was his own. Surely the others also denied Him by their flight and hiding, and one by his betrayal and ultimate suicide. So too our lives sometimes do not match our confession of faith. We are saints by Gods grace and sinners as we struggle with the Old Adam and Eve in us. Saints and sinners are those who follow the Lord. They are His disciples in this life who boldly confess His name even as they rejoice in what He came to freely give. Thanks be to God for the forgiveness of sins! So we have heard this past month from our Sunday morning Scripture readings that it was for this reason that Jesus came, to seek and to save the lost, to earn your forgiveness and mine. There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Those folks do not exist in case you were wondering.) So we sinner-saints or saint-sinners confess our sins and receive Absolution through the words of the Pastor, the servant of the Lord called by the local congregation to serve them. During the last several weeks in the Adult Bible Class we have read and discussed what a couple of the confessional writings of the Lutheran Church, the Augsburg Confession (1530) and its Apology (1531), teach about the Church. It was not built on St. Peter (Petros) but upon his confession of who Jesus was as the rock (petra). Jesus is the Rock of our salvation. Jesus is the stone the builders rejected (Psalm 118:22, Acts 4:11). Jesus is the cornerstone (Acts 4:11, Ephesians 2:20), the capstone, the stone upon whom people stumble (1 Peter 2:8) because they do not confess Him as the Christ, the Son of God. He is the Churchs One Foundation, the Rock upon which His Church stands. Peter was blessed to know this Jesus to be the Christ of God. So too are you so that you might confess Him to be your Lord and Savior.

Ask a group of people what the Church is and you will probably get as many different answers as there are people in the group. Some know it to be a place, a building, a denomination, the local congregation known as Grace, and some will say that I am going to church to refer to going to worship. Some will even call it a place that is full of hypocrites. But the Church is Christs body, those who are built upon His suffering, death and resurrection and who boldly confess this. The Church is invisible as it consists of all believers in Christ. Remember it is the Lord who searches and knows our hearts. The people of God as the Church gather around Word and Sacrament to confess this faith and to confess their sins and receive what His suffering, death and resurrection gives, forgiveness and eternal life. In a little over two years (2016) this congregation of believers will have an opportunity to celebrate seventy-five years of being a part of the Church, the body of Christ. In that short span of time sinner-saints have been gathering as Grace Lutheran Church to confess Jesus as Savior and receive His Gospel gifts and then leave this place to go and bear witness to Him and His love for us all as we live in the world as His people wherever we are placed. While our church building has walls, Christs Church does not. We must remember that we confess Christ in word and deed whenever and wherever we might be. In three years (2017) this congregation will join its voice with Lutherans around the world as together we celebrate the fivehundredth anniversary of the Reformation. We will have an opportunity to celebrate our part in Christendom, our Lutheran Confession of the Christian faith, and be reminded of the blessings the Lord has given to us through Word and Sacrament. At the same time we will be given a further opportunity to publicly confess who we are and upon whom we are built. We are forgiven sinner saints built upon Jesus Christ. Lets not forget that we gather for one Service on Sunday, October 27th, at 10:00 a.m. to celebrate Reformation Sunday 2013!
Pastor Walter

News from Vicar Witte

Grace congregation, In September the Young Adult Bible Study group started meeting again after our summer break and will continue to meet every other week on Monday nights. Our next meeting is September 30 at 7:00 PM followed by October 14th. We are reading and discussing Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. The BBC in conjunction with the British government asked Lewis to give a few radio talks between 1942 and 1944 to the British people as a way to address the central issues of Christianity and essentially promote unity during the war. Lewis, an Anglican, spoke with such eloquence and clarity that his words were eventually transcribed into what is now Mere Christianity. He attempts to downplay the differences between denominations and focuses on the core of Christianity. If you are a young adult and interested in joining our group, send me an E-mail at drwitte@gmail.com and I will help you get oriented in. May the Lord bless you and keep you this Fall! Vicar Witte

Director of Parish Music

Greetings in the name of our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ! Built on the Rock (LSB 645) is one of my favorite hymns. It has a very strong tune by Ludvid M. Lindeman (named KIRKEN DEN ER ET GAMMELT HUSS), with a fantastic text written by Nikolai Fredrik Severin Grundtvig (note: we will not be naming our upcoming child any of those names), a Danish pastor who lived from 1783-1872. Stanza One: Built on the Rock the Church shall stand Even when steeples are falling. Crumbled have spires in evry land; Bells still are chiming and calling, Calling the young and old to rest, But above all the souls distressed, Longing for rest everlasting. What is the Rock the Church is built upon? This text draws on Peters confession in Matthew 16:16: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus then says in vs. 18: And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Christ is the Rock upon which the Church is built, and Christ is the builder of His Church. Which Church? Not the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, or any other denomination, but the entire Church, the Body of Christ, in all times and in all places. We call this the Invisible Church. Stanza Two: Surely in temples made with hands God, the Most High, is not dwelling; High above earth His temple stands, All earthly temples excelling. Yet He who dwells in heavn above Chooses to live with us in love, Making our bodies His temple. Christ does not dwell in an earthly temple, as He did in the days of the Old Covenant. He has come to us as a baby in the manger, and now has brought us to Himself, making our bodies the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). But how does He do this?

Stanza Three: We are Gods house of living stones, Built for His own habitation. He through baptismal grace us owns Heirs of His wondrous salvation. Were we but two His name to tell, Yet He would deign with us to dwell With all His grace and His favor. We are brought into communion with Christ and His Church through Baptism. We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life (Rom 6:4). This is one of the means of grace that the Holy Spirit uses to create and sustain faith within us. Stanza Four: Here stands the font before our eyes, Telling how God has received us. The altar recalls Christs sacrifice And what His Supper here gives us. Here sound the Scriptures that proclaim Christ yesterday, today, the same, And evermore, our Redeemer. This is the central stanza of the hymn. The Churchs lifeblood flows from the cross of Christ, where He died to pay for our sins. We each receive forgiveness of sins, and thereby life and salvation, through the Sacraments, Baptism and The Lords Supper, as well as through the spoken and preached Word of God. Without Christ the Church is nothing, and cannot exist. Thanks be to God that He said the gates of hell shall not prevail against [my church.] Stanza Five: Grant, then, O God, Your will be done, That, when the church bells are ringing, Many in saving faith may come Where Christ His message is bringing: I know my own; My own know Me. You, not the world, My face shall see. My peace I leave with you. Amen. We pray that Christ would continue to build His Church among us, that all may hear the message of forgiveness, life, and salvation delivered through Word and Sacrament. Indeed, Christ is the Good Shepherd, He knows His own, and He is with us now in this veil of tears, and even unto eternity with Him. Thanks be to God for the gifts He gives us through His Bride, the Church.

Peace in Christ, Nathan Beethe, Director of Parish Music

STEWARDSHIP BUDGET RE-CAP

2013 budget $514,660 which is an average weekly General Fund contribution requirement of $9,897 Average weekly contribution through week 38 Budgeted needs through week 38 Contributions to General Fund from all sources $9,571 $376,089 $363,705

GRACE FAMILY NEWS AND NOTES

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Jeramy and Angie Stephens and their children Connor and Jack transferred to Grace from St. John Lutheran Church in Stuttgart, Arkansas. The Stephens are former members of Grace and recently moved back to Little Rock after living in Stuttgart for several years. Please welcome the Stephens family back to our Grace Family. Caleb Stein transferred to Grace from First Lutheran Church, Little Rock. Caleb is a recent graduate from Baylor University and is working at UAMS. Caleb is the son of Charles and Mary Kathryn Stein and brother of Carter Stein and Krista Stein. Please welcome Caleb to our Grace family. HOLY BAPTISM On September 8th Ruth Mae Middaugh, daughter of Christopher and Summer Middaugh was received into Gods Kingdom of Grace through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. She was baptized here at Grace by her uncle, Rev. Michael Middaugh. Her sponsors are Rev. Michael and Sandi Middaugh and her grandparents are Randy and Riley Middaugh.

CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY Our Christian Sympathy to the family of Mrs. Marvel Ann Anderson Middaugh, mother of Robert Middaugh and Randy Middaugh, who passed away on Thursday, August 29th. A Memorial Service was held on September 3rd at Gracelawn Memorial Park in Van Buren with Pastor Walter officiating. Please keep Robert and Donna Middaugh and Randy and Riley Middaugh and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Our Christian Sympathy to the family of Mrs. Anne Rosteck who died on September 12th in Southlake, Texas. A Memorial Service was held on September 21st, at Forest Hills Memorial Park in Alexander. Anne was a former member of our Grace congregation. Our thoughts and prayers are with her granddaughter Katy West and all of the members of Annes family. CONGRATULATIONS and GODS BLESSINGS Congratulations to Corey and Erin Parscale Boelkens on the birth of their daughter Lily Elizabeth on September 24th in Austin, Texas. Lilys sister is Genevieve and her grandmother is Brenda Parscale. Congratulations and Gods blessings to Corey and Erin!! CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to Kellie Evans and Brian Dumont who were married at the BoBrook Farm in Roland on September 14th. Brian is the son of Lori Bloom. Congratulations, Kellie and Brian!! THANK YOU Thank you to my Grace friends for the prayers, cards and phone calls during my recovery from surgery. A special thank you to Pastor Jilg for his faithful daily visits while I was at St. Vincent's. A Special Thank You to Pastor Walter for calling while on vacation; it was God's perfect timing just before going into surgery. The prognosis is a full recovery after a few more weeks of rest. God has blessed me so abundantly, for which I am very grateful. God is Great! With love, Judy Borchert

THOSE WHO SERVE in OCTOBER

ACOLYTE SCHEDULE 8:15 a.m. Worship Services Mason Andrews 10:45 a.m. Worship Services Kaylee Hammond October 27th 10:00 a.m. Crucifer Mason Andrews Acolyte Kaylee Hammond COMMUNION ASSISTANTS October 6th 10:45 Service Greg Warren October 13th 8:15 Service Frank Royster October 20th 10:45 Service Kurt Shrader October 27th 10:00 a.m. One Service John Calvillo USHERS SCHEDULE 8:15 a.m. Worship Services Robert Wilimzigs team Robert Jones, Robert Nichols, Paul Walter 10:45 a.m. Worship Services Tim Sweeneys team Shaun Baker, Ron Krueger, Greg Warren CANTORS SCHEDULE 8:15 a.m. Worship Services Paul Walter 10:45 a.m. Worship Services Ron Krueger GREETERS SCHEDULE 8:15 a.m. Worship Services Debbie Craig Bill and Mildred Wilkins 10:45 a.m. Worship Services David and Andrea Faulkner and Lauren and Matthew ALTAR GUILD SCHEDULE 8:15 a.m. Services Janet Killough 10:45 a.m. Services _________________
Wednesday Mid-Week Services Suzanne Raddle & Wilma Richter
If you are unable to serve please ask someone to fill in for you

and then call the church office.

SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE COFFEE HOST SIGN-UP

Volunteers Needed to Serve - Please take a minute and sign up for the Sunday on which you wish to serve. The sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board by the Parlor.

The schedule for October, 2013 is: October 6th October 13th October 20th October 27th Celebrate Pastor Walters birthday in Parker Hall hosted by LWML _____________________________ _____________________________ Reformation Sunday One Service

The schedule for November, 2013 is: November 3rd November 10th November 17th November 24th _____________________________ Stephana and Tim Loyd
Debbie Craig and Bill and Mildred Wilkins

_____________________________

Thank you for serving!!!

REFORMATION SUNDAY October 27th

10:00 a.m.

ONE SERVICE
with Holy Communion
Sunday School and Bible Classes at 8:45 a.m.
A Potluck Dinner will follow immediately after the Sunday morning Worship Service. Everyone is asked to bring a large dish of your choice to share. Meat and drinks will be provided. Following the meal, we will recognize all of our new members who have joined this year. Mark this date on your calendar. Lets

join together in worship, fellowship and celebration of our church heritage.

Festival of the Reformation CENTRAL ARKANSAS REFORMATION SERVICE First Lutheran Church Little Rock Sunday, October 27th 3:00 p.m.
First Lutheran Church, Little Rock, will host the annual Central Arkansas Festival of the Reformation Service at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 27th. This year's guest preacher is The Rev. Dr. Roger Paavola, President of the Mid-South District LCMS, and will be assisted by Lutheran Pastors from the Central Arkansas area. Following the service, a German meal featuring many favorite dishes will be served. The meal will be funded by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. A free will offering will be taken for Habitat for Humanity. So come on down and join us for some great music, preaching, and food as we celebrate our Lutheran heritage! Mark your calendar and make plans to attend!!!

SIT AND SEW

Sit and Sew will meet on Tuesday, October 1st and October 29th at 12:00 noon in the Parlor to finalize plans for the Fall Craft

Show and Used Book Sale to be held on November 2nd. If you have questions, call Riley Middaugh or Carole Nichols.

BABY SHOWER For Sam and Yamaira Cate

October 13th 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. Youre invited to a Baby Girl Shower for Sam and Yamaira Cate on Sunday October 13th, 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. in the Church Parlor. Sam and Yamaira are registered at Babies R Us. The shower is hosted by Lori Bloom, Pat Funk, Riley Middaugh, and Paula Walter.

NOON DEVOTIONS WITH PASTOR

Noon Devotions with Pastor is Thursday, October 10th, at 12:00 noon in Parker Hall. Bring a sandwich and join us for Bible study and fellowship. Drinks, chips, and dessert are provided. We eat first and then Pastor Walter shares a devotional Bible study with us. Bring a friend and join us this is a wonderful opportunity for fellowship!!

FELLOWSHIP CLUB October 22nd 12:00 noon

Fellowship Club will meet on Tuesday, October 22nd at 12:00 noon in Parker Hall. (Please note the change in date!) Mark your calendar and plan to join us for a delicious lunch provided by our

ACTS friends and a great time of fun and fellowship. Call the church office for more information.

LWML EVENING GUILD

Lutheran Womens Missionary League Grace LWML Evening Guild will meet on Thursday, October 17th, at 7:00 p.m. to assemble School Kits for Lutheran World Relief. We have almost enough school supplies to put together 60 School Kitswe still need crayons (10) and some more 70-page notebooks. We also need volunteers to make school bags for these supplieswe need about 35 more bags. The LWR pattern for the bags and some fabric are available in the breezeway. Thank you for supporting our Lutheran World Relief project. Contact Ginny Ralston, 425-1487, if you can help or have questions.

LWML SUNDAY
We will celebrate LWML Sunday in both Worship Services on Sunday, October 6th. Following the 8:15 Service, Grace LWML Evening Guild will host our coffee fellowship in Parker Hall. Talk with any of the women serving in Parker Hall today to get more information about LWML Lutheran Women in Mission if you are interested in participating in LWML.

LWML FALL ZONE RALLY

The Mid-Arkansas LWML Fall Zone Rally will be Saturday, October 26th, at First Lutheran Church in Hot Springs. Opening Worship begins at 9:30 a.m. Registration is $8.00 per person and the registration deadline is October 15th. The rally theme is Great Love based on the Bible verse But the greatest of these is Love 1 Corinthians 13:13b. The Rev. Greg Bearss from Lakepointe Church in Hot Springs is the guest speaker. For Gifts from the

Heart bring the following items to support Change Point with diapers, size 4 and 5, and Jackson House with cereal, mac n cheese, peanut butter, jelly and tuna. Call the church office if you have questions or need more information.

Concordia Seminary , St. Louis, Missouri Food Bank Wish List:

First Lutheran, Christ Lutheran and Grace are joining together to collect food items for the Food Bank at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Walter Carle, a member at First, will be delivering the food to the Seminary on November 5th. We will be collecting these food items along with food for the Grace Food Pantry during the month of October. There will be a table set up in the breezeway to collect these items. Baking items: Flour, sugar, cooking spray/oil, spices, seasonings, chocolate chips, etc. Drinks: Mixes, juice, hot cocoa, tea, coffee, juice boxes Canned & Dried Fruits Canned Chicken and Tuna Breakfast Items: Cereal, oatmeal, pop-tarts Condiments/Sauces: Ketchup, BBQ sauce, mustard, pickles, syrup, mayonnaise, hot sauce, jelly/jam Canned or Dry Beans Snacks: Cookies, Crackers , Granola Bars, Pretzels, Chips Pastas and Rice: Boxed and Bagged Prepared Canned Foods: Spaghetti sauce, Chili, Chef Boyardee Soups: Condensed, Dry Mix, Broths, Healthy Request, etc. Health/Beauty Items: deodorants, shaving cream, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bar soap, liquid hand soap, cotton swabs, aspirin, Tylenol, etc. Household items: cleaning supplies, dish soap, dishwasher detergent, (especially laundry detergent and fabric softener)

Paper Products: Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Aluminum Foil, Plastic Wrap, Sandwich Bags, Garbage Bags Baby, Infant, Toddler Products: Diapers (all sizes), wipes, baby powder, formula, baby food

Grace Food Pantry and Concordia Seminary Food Bank Combined Food Drive
Grace is sponsoring our second annual Fall Food Drive in connection with our upcoming Reformation Sunday New Member Potluck Dinner on Sunday, October 27th. Grace is also partnering with First Lutheran and Christ Lutheran in support of the Food Bank at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. The article in the box below explains the details for the Grace Food Pantry drive and on the opposite page is a list of items for the Food Bank in St. Louis. During the month of October we will be collecting these food items. Please bring your items and place them on the table in the breezeway. Fifty percent of what we collect will go to the Food Bank at Concordia Seminary and the other fifty percent will stay and be used in the Grace Food Pantry. If you have questions, call the church office.

Grace Food Pantry

As Fall and Winter approach our Food Pantry needs to be re-stocked to meet the needs of those that are in need. In conjunction with the upcoming Reformation Sunday New Member Potluck after the 10:00 a.m. Service on October 27th, we are asking that each individual bring a canned item (soup, vegetable, fruit etc.), a grain (rice, barley etc.), dry beans or a cereal item to donate to the Food Pantry. You can bring your food item anytime in October or a table will be set up in Parker Hall at the Sunday Potluck for each of you to deposit your food item(s). In response to this request when you are at the store buying the ingredients to make your pot luck dish please remember the Food Pantry.

If you have any questions in this regard please do not hesitate to call Pat Funk or Dave Graf at 370-1540. Thank you in advance for your help! David Graf Elder Christian Action Coordinator

Grace Congregational Fish Fry Parker Hall October 5th Eat at 5:30 p.m.
Come one Come all! Parker Hall No bugs, rain, or cold Evening Event - Fish & Chicken supplied Potluck dishes provided by Best Cooks in our church You!! Coming Back! Moon Bouncer for Kids - Family Fun Available for activity from 4:30 to 7:30 Downtime/Quiet time during meal Adult Supervision with teen assistance Lots of fun & fellowship Bring your favorite dish and visit with us!!

Questions call Ron & Russlynn Krueger 221-7383

Grace Lutheran Fall Craft Fair and Used Book Sale Saturday, November 2nd 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Begin your Christmas shopping here! Over 25 quality vendors - Back by popular demand- the Grace Bakers - Huge used book sale - Check the website for more information: www.gracelutheranlr.org Help us make this a success - donate your used books now. For more information, contact Riley Middaugh at 954-9281 or email her at ram0220@aol.com. Proceeds benefit Seminarian Kevin Ray, second year student at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Matching funds by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Craft Show Raffle Quilt

Visit the breezeway to view the Queen size, handmade quilt being raffled as a fundraiser for the Fall Craft Show. Tickets are $1 each and proceeds benefit Seminarian Kevin Ray. The drawing for the lucky winner of the quilt will be Saturday, November 2nd, during the craft show.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND GOD'S BLESSINGS to Grace Family Members in the month of October: 1 Anne McIntyre 2 Wyatt Price 3 Pastor James Walter 5 Lyle Catherine Dunlap, Betty Pils, Milo Witte 6 Stephanie Cannon 7 Sherry Clawitter, Catherine Manchester 13 Ken Carle, Judy Fastenau 14 Jenny Conrad, Sally McNabb 15 Suzanne Lambert 16 Sheila Wilimzig, Anna Kathryn Wallace, John Wilkins 21 Billy Wilkins, Jr. 22 Terry Bradshaw 23 Kristin Parsons, Ron Stewart 24 Elizabeth Gipson, Lukas Haddock 25 Norma Bisgood, Jennifer Morrison 26 Colleen Moorman 27 Holdyn Bryant, Christina Junkans, Kathleen Smith 28 Brian Dumont, Lauren Schluterman, Robert Wooley 29 Anna Junkans, Stephana Loyd, Nick Nichols, Craig Schluterman 30 Nathan Beethe, Betty Bryant 31 David Graf, Madison Starr HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to these couples in October 6 Melanie and Wesley Davis 8 Kirby and Aaron Walter 9 Debbie and Joe Craig, Faye and Larry Stillman 12 Sarah and Bryan Gipson

13 April and Tim Allaben 16 Nancy and Terry Clawitter 21 Courtney and Jason Sutterfield 22 Barb and Greg Warren 26 Carol and Robert Jones 27 Kristin and Phillip Roberts, Jr. 28 Catherine and Scott Manchester
We apologize if we have missed your birthday or anniversary; please let us know in the church office so we can update our records. Thank you!!

BIBLE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES AT GRACE

Our nursery, downstairs in the church, is also available to take care of the infants and toddlers during Sunday School/Bible Class time.

ADULT BIBLE CLASS - Pastor Walters Bible Class meets each Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in Parker Hall. Pastor is leading a study of The Augsburg Confession and Its Apology The Lutheran Confessions Series. The class will begin Session 9 - A Sacramental Means of Grace: Baptism. Come and review what we believe, teach and confess as Lutheran Christians. SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES for children ages 3 through 6th grade are held in the lower level of the Family Life Center. Parents are invited to join us for the opening service at 9:45 each Sunday. Contact Colleen Moorman or Nathan Beethe. LCEF K.I.D.S. Saving Stamps are available from Ame Andrews during Sunday School opening time. JUNIOR YOUTH class meets at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday in their classroom downstairs in the church. Joel Junkans leads the class each Sunday morning. SENIOR YOUTH class meets each Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in their classroom downstairs in the church. Dave Roberts leads the class each Sunday morning. YOUNG ADULT BIBLE STUDY group meets every other Monday at 7:00 p.m. Their next meeting is October 14th. They are reading and discussing Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Contact Vicar David Witte at drwitte@gmail.com for more details. MENS BIBLE STUDY class meets each Wednesday morning at 6:30 a.m. at St. Vincent Hospital in the 4th floor conference room (off the main

elevator). Pastor Walter leads this Bible Study. All men of Grace are encouraged to attend. TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE CLASS meets each Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m. in the downstairs classroom in the church. Their study is Gods Word for Today on the book of ACTS. Contact Joan Ann Olsen for more information. WITTENBURG CAF BIBLE STUDY meets the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Parlor. The next meeting is October 10th. Contact Mark Peterson for more information.

ECDC News & Notes

Were over a month into the new school year and are pretty settled into our new routines although each and every day is a new adventure when you are a child or an adult taking care of Jesus little lambs! Weve got a great bunch of kids, parents and staff this year drop by sometime and say hello and get a big smile or if you are lucky a hug!! Tomorrow we go on our annual trek to the Little Rock Zoo hoping for a cool morning and all the animals being out, making lots of noise, eating breakfast, and entertaining the kids young and old! And, of course, well ride the train which is always fun. Then it will be off to Allsopp Park for a picnic with the Junior and Senior classes and then back to school for a well-deserved nap. What a great way to cap off the month as we learned all about Creation and Gods first promise to send us a Savior! October will be busy as well Fall, pumpkins, leaves, acorns, and learning all about the life and adventures of David. Toward the end of the month well be off to the Pumpkin Patch for a fun day in the country with a hayride, petting zoo, picking our very own pumpkins, a picnic, and Im sure a nice long nap as we drive home. Then to end the month well have a special pajama party and activities to celebrate Reformation Day (aka Halloween). Mid-month its time for Early morning Complimentary Donuts & Coffee for our parents one of everyones favorite Grace Lutheran Churchs activities thanks to the Board of Evangelism! Two pieces of exciting news! We were named the Best of the Best in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in the Child Care category for 2013. Thanks to everyone who voted for us!! Also, we passed our Better Beginnings audit for 2013 which means we receive an Incentive Grant and a Professional Development Grant; and our parents are eligible for an additional Arkansas Child-Care tax credit!! Next Spring we will be going for a Level 3 accreditation so please keep us in your prayers!! See ya again next month, until then Gods continued blessings to each of you

Colleen

Painless Ways to Support Little Rock Lutheran Education!

Many of you already take advantage of company programs that provide financial incentives for Grace Lutheran ECDC and Christ Lutheran School that dont cost you any extra money for that we all say THANK YOU! These programs are really an untapped resource that benefits Lutheran education in Little Rock by providing funds for all type of budget needs! And all the programs are very userfriendly and simple - some only require scissors! Following are programs used by one or more of our Lutheran schools please consider this painless way to support Lutheran Education in L.R.!

KROGER PLUS CARDS Grace ECDC

The Board of Christian Education encourages you to enroll your Kroger Plus card at www.krogercommunityrewards.com today. Once you choose Graces ECDC program (code 80368), a portion of your eligible purchases at Kroger goes directly to the ECDC. Holiday shopping is around the corner so please support our ECDC. Every dollar you spend benefits this amazing program here at Grace. For questions or help with your enrollment, please contact Catherine Manchester (821-4140) or Colleen Moorman (663-0755). Thank you!

General Mills
Box Tops for Education
used by Christ Lutheran School

Campbells Labels
used by ECDC & Christ Lutheran School Heres how these work: - Remove box top for education labels from General Mills containers (ie Cheerios, Betty Crocker), and/or ENTIRE LABEL WITH UPC CODE from Campbells products (ie soup, juices). - collection boxes may be found on the bookcase next to the breezeway or the entry area of ECDC. - Box Tops for Education provide monetary support for the CLS Band, Campbells Labels are turned into credit toward purchasing supplies and equipment for both ECDC and Christ Lutheran School.