The Deadline for submissions to our All Saints List are due by Tuesday, October 27, 2020 to guarantee their addition onto the list. To submit your saint, please call the office at 541-757-1600 or email the office at office@grace97330.org
Grace Global Book Club – November 5 at 12:00 pm
“House Made of Dawn” by Scott Momaday and led by Sharon Rosenketter.
If you are interested in joining the zoom Call for the Grace Global Book Club, please contact Mary Ann Matzke via email at maryann.matzke@gmail.comto get the zoom link.
The Deadline for Articles for the November issue of Grace Gatherings is Tuesday, October 20, 2020
If you are interested in a printed copy of the October issues of Grace Gatherings or the 2020 Confirmation Folder, please contact the church office to have a copy mailed to you.
If you need a book from the Grace Lutheran Church Library, we will get it to you!! Have you checked out the new online catalog yet? Try https://www.librarycat.org/lib/GLC-Library Or go to the Grace website, under Resources, click on Grace Library. Click on any book, then the button that says Ask About Becoming a Library Patron. Enter your name and email and/or phone and we will contact you.
In September a new book for the adult bible study was started. If you are interested in joining the adult bible study, please contact Frank and Sue Davis.
Dear Luther House friends,
I have good news to report and a special request to go along with it.
The OSU campus no longer resembles a ghost town. Students have returned after their long absence since the beginning of the pandemic last March. University administrators claim that as many as one half of all who are registered have moved back to Corvallis, despite the fact that over 90% of classes are being offered remotely.
So, there is ministry to be done.
But it must be done differently. At Luther House we are learning to minister “outside-the-box.”
• Unable to gather students in-person, we have begun offering zoom discussions on faith and life amid COVID. • Sermons are being offered on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. • In lieu of community meals, we are distributing grocery bags and hygiene products to students who are more economically insecure because of the loss of employment on campus and part-time work in Corvallis.
• We are tabling on campus, presenting Luther House as a “community of compassion,” inviting engagement with students who are battling isolation and loneliness as never before. There is ministry to be done.
But the funding needed to do it is running short. COVID has taken its toll financially as well as relationally. We received word this summer that our annual ELCA Churchwide grant will be reduced by $1,700 due to the decline in giving across the church. You and other Luther House friends have been generous, but donations have taken a downturn. Overall, giving has declined by 10%, while annual costs continue to rise by about the same amount.
We need your help if Luther House is to continue providing ministry on the OSU campus during this challenging season.
Would you consider making a special gift this fall? The 10% figure may prove a useful guide, but we would be grateful for any additional amount you can contribute. Donations can be mailed to Luther House Campus Ministry, 211 NW 23rd Street, Corvallis, OR 97330. If you prefer, secure online donations can be made at http://www.luther-house.org/donate/.
We are ever so grateful for your partnership. Your support is what makes Luther House possible. We hope and pray we can count on you again.
Grace and peace be yours,
Pastor Mike Michael Ostrom Pastor Luther House Campus Ministry @OSU 211 NW 23rd Street Corvallis, OR 97330 lhouse@peak.org 541-753-5213
Face Covering Irritation
If you are suffering from face irritation from wearing a face mask or face covering, here is a new article on what you can do to prevent or minimize the irritation.
If you are still in need of face coverings, please contact the Corvallis Sewing Brigade to request a cloth face covering.
From Elizabeth Wyatt & the CorvallisSewingBrigade: We can help get cloth masks or face shields to anyone free of charge. Folks can email Elizabeth at CorvallisSewingBrigade@gmail.com If you would like to volunteer to sew cloth face masks, the need is still very much alive! Info on how to volunteer can be found at CorvallisSewingBrigade.org
The New Christ in Our Home Devotions are now available for October, November, and December.
Please contact the office if you would like one to be mailed to you. Please also designate if you would like standard print or large print.
Thanks to your generosity, over $5000 has been raised so far for the Oregon Synod Wildfire Relief Fund to support congregations and organizations working with congregations to provide aid with recovery and relief from the impacts of the wildfires. The people affected, the witnesses, FEMA, and the leaders of the Oregon Synod Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Team tell us it is going to take resources and time to recover from these catastrophic fires. If you would like to donate you can do so here or you can send a check to the Oregon Synod Bishop’s Office at 2800 N. Vancouver Ave. Portland, OR. 97227. Please note it for the Oregon Wildfires Relief Fund.
The Reopening Committee has been working hard on creating protocols for small group gatherings happening at Grace.
For the safety of all individuals entering Grace Lutheran Church, we ask that all small groups who are meeting at Grace call and email the church office to get your meeting on the online calendar. These protocols will be posted in multiple locations around the church, can be emailed to you, or can be found at: https://grace97330.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Grace-Protocols.pdf
Please call the church at 541-757-1600 and email us at office@grace97330.org to get your gathering put on the online calendar.
Attention all individuals entering Grace
As of July 1, 2020 all individuals entering Grace are required to wear a face covering. If you do not have a face covering, individually wrapped masks are available at the sign in station.
Sign in forms have been placed at the entry/exit doors at Grace Lutheran Church.
Please fill out the form upon entering the building. Writing utensils are provided, but personal writing utensils can be used. To maintain the safety of all individuals entering Grace, please follow the posted instructions.
Thank you to everybody who has been returning the blue bottle drop bags.
Since June 1, 2020, members of Grace Lutheran Church have turned in over $200 dollars in cans and bottles. This money will go towards our IDA Fund and will continue our mission in assisting members of our community who are in need.
Giving at a Glance Support the many ministries of Grace Lutheran
Contributions as of October 10, 2020 Contributions for the Month of October: $ 10,608; October’s Budget: $ 29,900; Last Weeks of Giving: $ 10,608; Weekly Budget: $ 7,475; YTD contributions: $242,355; YTD budget: $ 240,475
Life without drinking is still possible during the COVID-19 Pandemic Corvallis—Local Alcoholics Anonymous groups have temporarily closed the doors of face-to-face meetings due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, those struggling with drinking are still in need of support during this difficult time. Those in need can still access the support AA provides through the local hotline and virtual meetings.
The local hotline number is (541) 967-4252. It is answered 24-hours a day, seven days a week by members of the local AA community. Many local and global AA groups are hosting meetings virtually. You can attend virtual meetings on your computer, smartphone, or by dialing in. Attendees will remain anonymous and need only introduce themselves by their first names.
