UPCOMING EVENTS
Annual Meeting of the Congregation and Potluck
The annual meeting of the congregation and potluck will be on Sunday, January 26, 2025, starting at 10:30 am (after worship).
The annual report will be available at Grace on Sunday, January 12.
Christian Education Service Project
Calling all Sewists!
For our upcoming service project on February 5th, Christian Education will be creating NICU Developmental Hearts. These hearts are worn by parents to absorb their scent and then placed with the baby in the isolette or crib to soothe the baby. This is also a way for babies to bond with parents through the comfort of having their scent nearby when physical contact isn't an option.
We are in need of help tracing and cutting the hearts out of the fabric so that we are able to jump right into the fun of sewing on the night of February 5th. The heart pattern and flannel fabric will be provided to you - you'll just need to provide the scissors! Fabric and patterns will be available to pick up from the church office starting on Wednesday (1/15) evening during regular church office hours and worship times. Please plan on returning the cut out hearts by Sunday, February 2nd at noon.
We are also in need of sewing machines to make these hearts! We'd greatly appreciate it if you are able to loan your machine for the night for the kids to sew on. We could also use the expertise of experienced sewists to help guide our students on the machines. Please click here to sign up to help make this service project possible!
Parents, please plan on joining your student(s) at Christian Education on February 5th to help make this a fun way for your students to help out in our community. We will begin the service project at 5:30 and be cleaned up and done at 6:25 for worship at 6:35.
Read with Grace
Do you love to read?
Enjoy learning about new books and genres?
Join a lively group for the “Read with Grace” book club!
Each month is a stand-alone conversation, so you can join for one month or for many months. If you are interested in joining, please email Margo Swanson (swansonmes@aol.com) to be added to the notifications list. For more information and a complete book list for 2025 visit: https://www.gracelutheranadel.org/read-with-grace
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83711405764?pwd=a0RvVnI0bktyeWJZSDhEb2luVG9Bdz09
Meeting ID: 837 1140 5764
Passcode: 372643
Dine with Grace
Join us for a delightful evening as Dine with Grace gathers at Patrick's in January.
Read with Grace
In January, we are reading the New York Times’ bestseller: The Art Thief. In this spellbinding portrait of obsession and flawed genius, Michael Finkel gives us one of the most remarkable true-crime narratives of our times…
Christmas Lessons & Carols
This year’s Christmas Lessons & Carols will include reflections from Martin Luther’s Christmas Book, and even more carols! Worship with holy communion is at 9 a.m. with coffee and fellowship following the service.
Worship is also available over Zoom:
Meeting ID: 468 805 568
Password: Grace
Wednesdays with Grace Christmas Celebration
Celebrate the joy of the season at our first ever “Wednesdays with Grace” Christmas Celebration for all ages!
5:00 pm - Community Meal
5:30 pm - Children’s Christmas Program
6:00 pm - Christian Education Christmas Party with cookie-decorating, crafts, and games
6:35 pm - Worship with Choir Cantata “Jesus! The Advent of the Messiah”
We invite you to worship with us this Advent and Christmas season as we celebrate Christ’s birth. You – just as you are, just as God created you to be – are welcome here! There is a place for you with Grace!
Christmas Cantata
Join us for the Christmas Cantata: “Jesus! The Advent of the Messiah.”
12/15 - 9:00 a.m at Grace Lutheran Church
12/18 - 6:35 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church
12/22 - 10:00 a.m. at Adel UMC (Worship is still at 9:00 a.m. at Grace)
Celebrate His arrival and worship the Holy Child with this exciting musical. A collaborative work by Mary McDonald and Rose Aspinall, "Jesus!" glorifies the Son of the Most High with both familiar melodies and new songs of praise. It will take your Christmas experience beyond the manger as congregations and performers learn anew the story of the birth of our Savior, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus.
Read with Grace
In December, Read with Grace will discuss “The Illustrated Man” by Ray Bradbury.
Join us online: Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 83711405764
Passcode: 372643
Evenings of Grace with Bishop Amy Current
Join Bishop Current for a light dinner and an evening of fellowship, conversation, and gratitude for the ministry we share in our synod on Sunday evenings in November. No RSVP is needed and all are welcome! All events are 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM.
November 24 Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd - 3820 SW 9th St. in Des Moines
Pastor Tania will be attending the event at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd (Pastor Ronald Myers' church) and would love to see you there!
Sunday Forum: ELCA Youth Gathering
Join us during fellowship for Sunday Forum to hear from Annika, Mckinley, and Shasta about their experiences at the ELCA Youth Gathering.
Vendor & Craft Fair
Join us on Sat., Nov. 2 from 9am-1pm for our annual Vendor & Craft Fair held at Grace Lutheran Church. This tradition is near and dear to many at Grace! Our famous Bake Sale raises money for the Good Samaritan Food Pantry and features some of the BEST bakers around! Our fellowship hall AND narthex will be filled with talented artisans and popular vendors. A fun way to kick off holiday shopping while supporting local vendors and raising money for a great cause.
Watch our Facebook Event Page for more details.
Affirmation of Baptism during worship
Our 9th graders will be confirmed on Sunday, October 20, 2024!
Worship on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/468805568?pwd=MWVCM0FEdjhCZDVPN0I1RmtMZ01mQT09
Meeting ID: 468 805 568 Passcode: Grace
Social Action Committee Meeting
One way we spread God’s love is through service to our community and friends and neighbors in need. Grace is active with the Good Samaritan Food Pantry, Garden of Grace, Annual Christmas Giving Tree and multiple other service opportunities.The Social Action committee helps coordinate service, learning, and advocacy to help our neighbors in need.
The committee will meet on Tuesday, October 15th at 5:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall. We will be spending some time planning our projects for the next six months. If you would like to be part of the committee or assist with one of the projects, please plan on attending. If you are not able to make it, but are still interested, please contact Jamie Loggins-Evans at evansjsl13@gmail.com for more information.
Read with Grace
In October, Read with Grace will discuss “The Honk and Holler Opening Soon” by Billie Letts.
Join us online: Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 83711405764
Passcode: 372643
Youth Group Service Project
The Youth Group is invited to help tackle a few building projects including some cleaning/maintenance, painting, and adding a coat of stain to the playground set. We will have pizza and will be planning our next youth group activity. Don’t forget your painting clothes! If you have questions, please contact Abby Patterson (abpatters22@gmail.com).
Grace at TigerFest!
Look for the Grace Lutheran tent at ADM’s TigerFest Homecoming Celebration on Oct. 3 located by the ADM football stadium. Volunteers are needed to help with setup, games during the event, and tear down. Please reach out to Lisa Crawford (lcrawf@outlook.com) or Todd Nordquist (nordquistadm@aol.com) if you can help!
25th Anniversary Celebration
Mark your calendars for September 15, 2024! We will gather the entire congregation for worship, games, fellowship, food and celebrate GRACE!
Silent Auction – A silent auction will be available to our members during the celebration on September 15th. The funds raised from this fun activity will go toward our Building Fund. Pictures will be uploaded to our website in August, so you can peruse the goodies! Don’t forget your checkbooks!
Read with Grace
In September, Read with Grace will discuss “A Train in Winter” by Caroline Moorehead.
Join us online: Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 83711405764
Passcode: 372643
"God's Got Your Back!" - Blessing of the Backpacks
Calling all teachers and students in any grade! On Wednesday, September 4, we will bless teachers and students for the upcoming school year and hand out backpack tags.
Family Night & Kickoff for Wednesday with Grace
This fall, "SPARK" your faith, learn about Jesus, and share God’s love! On Wednesday, September 4, everyone is welcome to join us for Family Night and Open House to kick off the 2024-2025 program year! The weekly schedule has been adjusted this year to better accommodate work schedules and overall flow of the evening. We are super excited to see all the kids and families and to learn and grow with Grace!
5:15–6:00 pm Community meal with hamburgers, hotdogs, and special treats.
5:35–5:50 pm Story & Song Opening with Pastor Tania
5:55–6:25 pm Christian Education for PreK-6th grades, open House to see the classrooms, games and distribution of Bibles for PreK and 1st grade students
6:35–7:20 pm Campfire Worship with Holy Communion – Blessing of backpacks, blessing Christian Ed teachers and leaders, and
7:30–8:30 pm Confirmation for 7th & 8th grades
New Christian Education Curriculum!
After nearly a decade of using Spark Rotation curriculum, we are transitioning to using the Spark Classroom curriculum. Each week, we'll dive into a new Bible story, exploring its lessons through engaging activities, crafts, and interactive games. It will be a fantastic opportunity to learn, create, and connect with friends while deepening our faith. We can’t wait to see you in class and embark on this exciting journey together!
Registration is open for PreK to 6th grade classes! Please use this link to register your student for Christian Education for the 2024-2025 school year. Any questions? Contact Abby Carlson at christianedglc@gmail.com or (515) 238-0303.
Wednesday Evening Worship Resumes
Worship on Wednesdays resumes this week (August 21st at 6:35 p.m.) with the story of Jesus Feeding the 5,000 (John 6:1-21), and a message on how we are "Fed By Jesus."
Dine with Grace at A Dong
Join Dine with Grace at A Dong, a Vietnamese restaurant near downtown Des Moines, on Tuesday August 13th at 6:00 pm for wonderful food and fellowship! RSVP to Lori Tabbert at tabrph@yahoo.com or call/text 515-710-2439 by Monday, August 12th. Check out their website for their story and menu: https://www.adongdsm.com/
Address: 1511 High St. Des Moines, 50309
Read with Grace
In August, Read with Grace will discuss “The Diamond Eye” by Kate Quinn.
Join us online: Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 83711405764
Passcode: 372643
Vacation Bible School
Stomp on down to VBS this summer! Community VBS will be August 5-8 at Adel United Methodist Church along with several other churches in our community. We hope to see you there as a participant, volunteer, or a parent! Look for a volunteer sign up coming soon. Added bonus: a meal is included each night! We hope you can join us for a dino-mite of a good time!
Adel UMC is at 110 S 10th St.
Monday - Thursday, August 5-8, 2024 ❘ 5:30 - 8:00 PM
Kids 4 & up
To register, please use the online registration form.
Please contact Abby Hoffman-Carlson with any questions. christianedglc@gmail.com
Mindful Movement Mondays
An Introduction to Soma Yoga- a gentle, therapeutic yoga suitable for ALL bodies taught by Kerri Hardy, CYT-200, CYT-500 student.
A FREE series to introduce a mindful practice called Soma Yoga (which is a blend of classic yoga and therapeutic yoga) for anyone middle school to 80 years + NO YOGA EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Come give it a try!
Soma Yoga is a beautiful, mindful practice that can help us learn to sense and feel and release patterns of tension that cause us pain so we can move more freely and live with less discomfort. Some practices may be in a chair, some on a mat on the floor… and, if you cannot get on the floor, you could complete the practice in a chair! We will work on breath and small movements in our bodies. I promise there will not be big poses or yoga flows. We may try to work into some classic poses with MANY modifications as needed. I will also weave in some yogic philosophy about the “Yamas”. The Yamas are thought of as guidelines or ethical disciplines that can help direct us to a “well-lived and joyful life”.
July 22 Non-possessiveness
7-8 pm in the Grace Fellowship Hall
Please bring a yoga mat or blanket to lay on if you can be on the floor.
Text Kerri Hardy at 641-691-1238 or email at hardys4hawks@gmail.com to RSVP and/or with any questions.
Mindful Movement Mondays
An Introduction to Soma Yoga- a gentle, therapeutic yoga suitable for ALL bodies taught by Kerri Hardy, CYT-200, CYT-500 student.
A FREE series to introduce a mindful practice called Soma Yoga (which is a blend of classic yoga and therapeutic yoga) for anyone middle school to 80 years + NO YOGA EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Come give it a try!
Soma Yoga is a beautiful, mindful practice that can help us learn to sense and feel and release patterns of tension that cause us pain so we can move more freely and live with less discomfort. Some practices may be in a chair, some on a mat on the floor… and, if you cannot get on the floor, you could complete the practice in a chair! We will work on breath and small movements in our bodies. I promise there will not be big poses or yoga flows. We may try to work into some classic poses with MANY modifications as needed. I will also weave in some yogic philosophy about the “Yamas”. The Yamas are thought of as guidelines or ethical disciplines that can help direct us to a “well-lived and joyful life”.
July 15 Non-excess
7-8 pm in the Grace Fellowship Hall
Please bring a yoga mat or blanket to lay on if you can be on the floor.
Text Kerri Hardy at 641-691-1238 or email at hardys4hawks@gmail.com to RSVP and/or with any questions.
Read with Grace -
In July, Read with Grace will discuss “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride. (We’ve heard this winner of The National Book Award is really good!)
Join us online: Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 83711405764
Passcode: 372643
Blessing & Sending Service of Commissioning
Join us in worship as we bless and pray for Shasta, Annika, and Mckinley as they travel to New Orleans to join thousands of other ELCA Lutherans for the Youth Gathering 2024. For more information about the Gathering, check out this video: Created to Be and Theme Deep Dive.