Prayer Team April Newsletter

‘I was always that child that said “I’ll do it myself” with a stomp for emphasis! I never outgrew the desire for control. Well, maybe the stomp. When I listened to Pastor Randy’s sermon on March 15 with the theme “Control” it reminded me of an email from a friend titled:

“Lessons from Noah’s Ark”

The most terrifying detail about Noah's Ark isn't.  the size of the flood. It is the design of the boat.

If you look closely at the blueprints God gave Noah in Genesis 6, He was extremely specific.

He gave the exact length, width, and height. He specified the type of wood and the pitch to seal it.

In my little years, I have never thought of this!

But God left out one crucial component.

There was no steering wheel, no sail, and worse still, there was no engine. Think about how scary that is.

Noah was building a massive vessel to survive a global storm, but he had zero control over it, or over where it went.

He couldn't steer it away from rocks. He couldn't turn it into waves. He couldn't aim for dry land. He was completely at the mercy of the water.

The Ark was not designed for navigation; just for floating.

Noah’s job was to be the Passenger, not the captain.

God was the captain.

This is a picture of your life right now.

You are trying to put a steering wheel on a situation that God wants you to simply float through.

Credit: New Beginnings Worship Center, Sue Justis and Laura Balstad.

Stewardship February

The LOG  Stewardship Team is gearing up for 2026. What are we doing you ask? Well, we established our mission statement:

 The purpose and mission of the Stewardship Team is to provide members and friends of Lord of Grace (LOG) the opportunity to grow their relationship to God through faithful stewardship using the blessings given by God, blessings of finances, time and talents.

 How do we do that? We offer written supportive messages in the LOG Newsletter, organize periodic events for the congregation and, yes, we do the annual request for your financial support.

 We are busy planning events and offerings for 2026. Would you like to learn more? If so, talk to any Stewardship Team member – Betsy and Rod Boorse, Ruth and Joe Gross, Carolyn Bernheim, Dorothy Green or Gail Nicewander.

 Come and see. Come and grow in faith.

 Betsy Boorse

Outreach April Newsletter

Outreach Team – April 2026

Our members include Chris Kollen as lead, Carol Buuck, Phyllis Teager, Patty Clymer, Sandy Mitchel, Janette Carollo, Ruth Gross, Carlene Alegria, Darlene Wager and Gail Nicewander.

We are planning new and exciting projects this coming year. If you have any questions about any of our activities, contact Chris Kollen at lizzykollen@comcast.net or at 520-419-7475.

The Mission and Purpose of Outreach is: “…to make Christ known through Christian outreach to nurture our community, family, and personal relationship with God through living examples. Specifically, we strive to provide support and aid to those within and beyond our community, working to involve the church membership at large.”

Events

Lutheran World Relief – Baby Care Kits

Thanks to everyone for participating in the LWR Baby Care Kits drive. We will be organizing what we collected into kits on Sunday April 9th after 2nd service, please consider helping out. Any questions contact Chris Kollen – lizzykollen@comcast.net.

Habitat for Humanity – Work Day

We’re looking at the possibility of having a Habitat for Humanity workday either in April or May. They have a build site that’s relatively close to the church, at Old Father Rd and Ina. Other opportunities include their indoor site called the CHUCK Center, see https://habitattucson.org/chuck-center/ and their Brush with Kindness program, see https://habitattucson.org/housing-and-repair/a-brush-with-kindness/. 

 Past Events

Hygiene Drive to Benefit Butler’s Pantry and Marana Food Bank 

The Hygiene Drive to benefit Butler’s Pantry and the Marana Food Bank was an amazing success!!!  LOG met the goals we set easily in the first two weeks, 100 toothpastes and 100 bars of soap, so we were able to target the other items for the last 2 weeks!  The preschool families were also able to participate. Thank you Laura!! 

In total we collected over 1,000 personal hygiene items for the Marana Food Bank and Butler's Pantry in the month of February. This included:

·        Toothpaste-159 tubes

·        Toothbrushes-137

·        Deodorant-90 sticks

·        Bars of Soap-276

·        Lotion-38 bottles

·        Razors-200

·        Shampoo-89 bottles

·        Conditioner-34 bottles

 Thanks everyone for supporting and encouraging our members and friends to be a part of this important way to serve others and put our faith in action!  This donation will make a difference for so many!  "Living graciously toward all!"

 Berega Orphanage

We received an update from Kristen Tisho asking for prayers for the Berega Orphanage.

The following is a abbreviated form of her update.

I remember a time about two years ago when the number of babies at the orphanage began to decrease. We reached some of our lowest numbers and I began to dream about possible uses for the orphanage if we were no longer needed to support families in crisis. Since that time the number of babies coming into the orphanage has steadily risen. We currently have 27 children aged 2 weeks to 3 years old. There are 7 sets of twins! We also have 17 family caregivers living with us.

Pray for our staff as we continue to adjust to high number of people that need to be cared for daily. Pray too for good health for everyone living at the orphanage. We ask for prayers for Tisho and the staff as we look for ways to continue to be prepared to help additional families in crisis in spite of being quite full.

We will also be meeting with a family involved in organic farming/Farming God's Way and visit a dairy and cheese making shop. Please pray for safe travels, for God to bless our time together with these new friends, and for our family to be able to enjoy our time resting and playing during this vacation.

Praises and Prayer Requests

·        We praise God that Matthew 25:35 Foundation was able to provide funds for the construction of the first and second grade building at Nareto School!

·        17 children from Nareto School have been sponsored! If you are interested in sponsoring a student, click here (https://themissionsociety.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=069f58f5d96d567ac248f2a18&id=9269b93994&e=b39907604c) .

·        The longer rains have started. Pray that they continue so that crops are able to grow and farmers have a good harvest. The short rains stopped early and many people were unable to harvest anything from their fields.

To send letters or notes to the Berega Orphanage, their mailing address is:

TMS Global  
PO Box 6712
Morogoro, Tanzania

Lord of Grace supports the orphanage with a yearly donation. If you interested in donating as an individual, please see the following website, https://beregakids.wixsite.com/beregakids/give.

 Upcoming Outreach events for the next 6 months:

April – Pack up Baby Care Kits and mail.
Habitat Day (potential activity)
May – Sister Jose supper; Food Drive for Marana Food Bank
June – Backpacks and school supplies drive for Roadrunner Elementary
July – No events or activities planned
August – Hygiene Drive for Marana Food Bank and Butler’s Pantry
September – God’s Work Our Hands Service Projects

Pastoral Transition Update

Lord of Grace Family and Friends

 

Sunrise, Spring Equinox, Staircase, Airport.  What do all these things have in common?  They are transitional times or spaces.  The sunrise takes us from night to day, the equinox from winter to spring, the staircase from one floor to another, and the airport, from our location to the plane.

 

We at Lord of Grace are at a transitional time as well.  We are in the spot between permanent pastoral care.  It’s described as a desert, a wilderness.  But transitions are in themselves, not a bad thing.  God has plans for us in transitions.   He uses transitions to shape change in hearts and circumstances.  Jesus was sent into the wilderness for 40 days, as a transition time from his ordinary life as a carpenter, to his extraordinary ministry.  And there are countless examples of other transitions in the Bible, starting from the fall of Adam and Eve, and continuing to today as we wait for the kingdom to come.

 

God has a purpose in this transition time for us at Lord of Grace, and we need to use this time in prayer and study to discern how God will use us at the other end.  We determine what actions we, as a congregation, need to take to advance God’s plan for us.

 

Right now, the transition team is in transition as well.  Our initial work as a transition team is complete, and we are waiting for our work as a call committee to start.  The council will be deliberating on our MSP (Ministry Site Profile) and will make the determination on when to go forward.

 

Until then, we’ll be using this transition time to pray, to study, to contemplate what actions we need to take to help advance God’s plan for Lord of Grace.

 

Yours in Christ,

 

William Willcoxson

wwillcoxson@comcast.net

Pastor's Pen

Easter Grace

“One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:39-43).” 

You may not think of yourself as a criminal deserving death like the ones hanging on Jesus’ left and right sides at Calvary. And while we confess weekly that we are sinners in need of salvation through Christ, I’m not sure we really understand what we are saying. Do we really believe that we need saving from anything?  I mean, if I get life right 80% of the time, isn’t that an ‘B’ in most cases? I’m above average, right!?

When comparing ourselves to other human beings, I suppose 80% is Very Good.  But our need for salvation isn’t based on comparisons to other human beings.  It is instead compared to the perfection of God.  And therefore, an 80% grade has failed perfection.

But because Christ took our sins to the cross, God looks at him and pardons us. We are given Jesus’ righteousness as a cloak to wear, making us righteous in the eyes of God, not by anything we have done, but by the grace of Jesus alone. What a gift!  That is worth sharing.  That is a message that we can’t re-create through other options. Yet it is a message that most of us struggle to grasp, and even more so, struggle to share.

You were created in God’s image.  Your sins have been forgiven through Christ not because you chose him, but because Christ chose you. I pray that this Easter message of grace fills your heart with great joy, peace, and thanksgiving.  It is a message that everyone in the Church is called to shout from the mountaintops.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

Peace,

Pastor Randy

Endowment Fund March 2026

Lord of Grace

Endowment Fund

 

Did you know that Lord of Grace has an Endowment Fund? This fund was established in 2015 with an initial deposit of $10,000 to Thrivent to invest and grow. Various fund-raising efforts and additional gifts were received and deposited with Thrivent. Over the past ten plus years the Fund has been growing in the Invest phase. Our fund balance as of 12/31/2025 was $78,047.

Why do we have an Endowment Fund? Where there are many opportunities to fulfill the mission of Lord of Grace, some opportunities call for monies not available from regular church giving. The Lord of Grace Lutheran Church Endowment Fund allows the church to enhance the mission, outreach, and ministry of the Congregation.

By using a portion of the annual earnings (interest) of the congregation’s Endowment Fund, the Fund continues to grow and provides a permanent source of income to support the church’s outreach with a variety of special ministry opportunities. The Endowment Committee appointed by the LOG Council serves as stewards of the fund.

What does this mean now? In 2025 we reached the Grant phase. Now we can support various projects. The Endowment Committee completed the Grant Application process, met with our Thrivent Financial Advisor, authorized our first distribution of available grant funds of $1,362. We are pleased to report that two grant applications were approved and funded. The first grant was for Continuing Education tuition for a member enrolled in the Growing in Faith: The Diakonia Program and the second grant for the Outreach team to buy supplies for the Butler’s Pantry at Roadrunner Elementary School. There are $487 remaining grant funds available to be distributed for an approved project(s).

How can I request a grant? Grant applications are available in the church office. Once a grant application is completed and submitted to the church office, it will be forwarded to the Endowment Committee for review and action.

How can I donate to the Endowment Fund? Donations can be made to the Endowment Fund by a variety of methods. Gifts of all sizes and in many forms are welcome: Cash, Securities, Bequests and Memorials, Life Insurance, Real Estate, and gifts that provide a stream of income.

If you are considering a gift to the Endowment Fund, you are encouraged to seek advice in putting together a plan that is best suited to your personal situation. If you would like more information about the Endowment Fund, please contact one of our Endowment Committee members: Brian Clymer, Tim Murphy, Kathy Knepprath, or Lori Brown.

Presidents Message February Newsletter

President's Message

Don't forget the Annual Meeting for the adoption of the 2026 LOG budget on Sunday, February 1! I'm encouraging all members and friends to attend. This is our first budget with no mortgage payment and we need your input and supportive interaction to move forward in Christ!

 There is also a second Annual Meeting scheduled for May 3rd. This meeting is for the election of two new Council members and the general business of the congregation. NOTE: If you are a committee or team leader, your annual reports need to be submitted to the office no later than mid March to allow ample time to prepare and distribute the Annual Report for the congregation.

 Also, for this meeting Council has decided there will be one service at 10 am. to be followed by the Annual Meeting and a light lunch.

 We have much to be thankful for here at Lord of Grace. We are especially thankful for each and every one of you.

 Peace,

Betsy Boorse,

Council President

Council News March 2026

Dear Lord of Grace Family,

Our church council met on February 17, 2026.  Important information and the council’s decisions are as follows:

IMPORTANT EVENTS

·       Fellowship Sunday will be March 1, 2026, with a St. Patrick’s Day theme.  Grilled sausages, rolls, and drinks will be provided – bring your favorite side dish, salad, or dessert to share.  Fun games and prizes can be enjoyed by all.

·       REMINDER:  Our congregation meeting to elect new council members and appoint Grand Canyon Synod Candidates is on May 3rd at 11 AM.  There will be a joint church service at 10 AM, and a light lunch will be provided following the meeting.

COUNCIL ACTIONS/INFORMATION

·       We have been working hard to update our website – take time to take a look at the improvements. 

·      New wood chancel steps will soon be installed and will make the altar area more accessible.  Council approved the design, and we hope to have the new steps in place for Easter.

·       Council is looking at bids for our property insurance coverage and will finalize a decision at the next council meeting.

·       Council reviewed and approved the Transition Report – information will soon be shared with our congregation.

·       Pastor Randy is holding a new member class on March 2nd, and our new members will be installed on Sunday, March 15th.

Our next council meeting will be on March 24th at 6:30 PM in the fellowship hall.  Come see your council in action – anyone interested in learning more about what we do is welcome. 

Blessings and Peace,

Linda Merritt, Council Secretary

My Story

I was raised in a small town in the North Georgia mountains - the buckle of the Bible Belt. My father had at one time been a Minister and my great uncle was the Bishop of San Antonio, so church is in my blood. But when a family member tried to indoctrinate me into a particularly rabid sect of fundementalist Baptist, it left me with a challenging relationship with Christianity. Nevertheless, I embarked on a spiritual journey that culminated in earning a degree in transpersonal psychology.

I was hired at Lord of Grace right out of college in 2015. At the time, I didn’t know what a Lutheran was, but was excited about the prospect of using my skills as a musician for a spiritual purpose. My experience here - the promise of Grace instead of the fear of Hell, the humility and the community - has healed the wounds of my prior experiences with Christianity. This church has been a loving force, centering my life through the upheavals that have occurred in the last eleven years. It is my honor and privilege to sing and play my heart out here every Sunday. The Holy Spirit is at work here in ways I have found miraculous. Lord of Grace is a true blessing.

God’s Blessings,

Stuart Oliver

 

Please share your story of how Lord of Grace has impacted your life.

 

My Story

When I moved from western Pennsylvania to Marana I knew no one.  My husband and I went to several different churches, then covid hit.  To me church is a habit, the best one a person could have.  Getting out of a habit for a long period of time is hard for me to return to it.  Knowing members of Lord of Grace outside of the church gave me the opportunity to apply for the Office Administrator position.  Obviously I was hired. 

          The congregation and staff here is so warm and welcoming I immediately knew this is where I belong.  I talked to Pastor Lars about becoming a member and he opened a new member class.  There were several visitors interested in joining Lord of Grace and Pastor Lars held an informative class.  The whole class joined the church. I feel part of this church family and will continue to be.

          Thank you all for all you do to help me and most of all for your friendship and fellowship.

Lord of Grace has also had a positive impact on my youngest daughter and her family.  They live in Saudi Arabia and are able to experience the Lutheran Service through our UTube broadcasts.

 

God’s Blessings,

Karen Blasko

 

Please share your story of how Lord of Grace has impacted your life.

Pastor Hammar Scholarship application 2025

                           PASTOR HAMMAR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION - 2025

                                                  Lord of Grace Lutheran Church

                                 APPLICATION DEADLINE DATE: October 31, 2025

Applicant’s name (first, middle, last):____________________________________

Applicant’s home address:_____________________________________________ Phone:______________________ Email:________________________________

Parents’ names: Father:_______________________________________________ Mother:______________________________________________

Grade point average in: High School:___________________________________

                                                 College: _______________________________________

Name of College (attending/applied to):________________________

Class Standing (please check)                           Enrolment Status (please check)

Entering first year __________                               Part-time_________

Sophmore              ___________                                Full-time_________

Junior                       ____________

Senior                      ____________

 On an attached sheet, provide a statement of your faith, your relationship with the church, and your perspective on God’s involvement in your life.

 

Signature of Applicant:_________________________________ Date:___________

 

Signature of Parent/Guardian:___________________________ Date:__________

Mortgage Reduction Challenge Status

We met and exceeded the $10,000 Mortgage Reduction Challenge in August. A heartfelt thanks to the congregational donor who made the $10,000 donation to challenge the Lord of Grace congregation. Also, a thank you to all of you who have made donations to make the challenge a success. We also wish to thank Patty Clymer, our Treasurer, and Linda Lyth, our Financial Secretary, for their effort in orchestrating the financial gymnastics involved in the challenge effort.

The amount of $21,685.56 was submitted to the ELCA Mission Investment Fund, the mortgage lender, on September 5th and was posted on September 9th to pay down the mortgage principal. As of September 22nd there has been an additional donation of $1,000 received.

Please note that the mortgage has not been paid off completely, only the principal portion of the mortgage was reduced which lowers the number of monthly payments required to pay off the mortgage in early 2026.

During the challenge I was approached by a member of the congregation who asked “When does the challenge end?” My answer was “the goal is to pay off the mortgage before the new pastor is called.” That still remains the Lord of Grace goal.

Therefore, there still is the opportunity to make donations to the Mortgage Reduction Challenge. There is a convenient method using the Lord of Grace website- Click on the “Contribute” tab followed by the “Mortgage Reduction Donate” tab and follow the instructions or using the specially marked “Mortgage Reduction” envelopes located in the Narthex.

After the mortgage is paid, looking forward, Lord of Grace has a unique opportunity to evaluate how the retired mortgage payments income can be invested, channeled to a special ministry/mission or used to launch a new ministry/mission. If you have ideas please forward them to the Church Council and/or Transition Team.

 

Submitted by Rod Boorse, Finance Committee 

 

Church Office Changes

Three months into the Pastoral role at LOG has provided some familiarity with the practices, habits, and traditions of the congregation, though I have much to learn across the span of an entire year’s cycle.  From administration to individual ministries, each have their own ‘characteristics’ and I give God thanks for your faithfulness.

            Karen is experiencing a similar transition in her office role.  She has yet to live through a full year’s cycle in the life of LOG, meaning she continues to learn her role and expectations. During the transition, we have initiated a few tweaks to help the process move along more smoothly.  One of the necessary tweaks that I am implementing immediately is meant to provide Karen more opportunity to focus on her responsibilities. 

            Beginning today, outside of counters and regularly scheduled meetings, I ask that if you have need to visit with Karen, please schedule a mutually agreeable time in advance. It may take some time to adapt, but I think the change can occur quickly. I believe that walk-ins have good intentions in their visits.  However, they require a shift in attention from the important work she has to complete during specific timelines.

            Thank you for understanding and respecting this important change.  My hope is that Karen will benefit with more time to focus on details and the congregation will benefit with improved communications across our ministries.

Peace,

Pastor Randy

Via de Cristo October Newsletter

Lord of Grace is a part of the three-day spiritual renewal movement known as Via de Cristo. Also known as Cursillo, Via de Cristo is a movement for training church lay leaders through three-day weekend retreats and ongoing group connections. Via de Cristo weekends are open to both men and women who want to learn more about Lutheran theology.

The Three-day weekend will be held at Tanque Verde Lutheran Church on Oct. 10-13, 2025.  If you would be interested in attending this 3 day retreat talk to Tim Murphy, Parish Rep at  Lord of Grace for Via de Cristo, or other members who have been through the Week-end – Mary Murphy, Cindy Stein, Lori & Kevin Brown, Darlene Wager, Janette Carollo, Sam & Linda Lyth.

The three-days involves faith formation, music and singing, learning Lutheran theology, good food at every meal, and is FREE to participants.

Lord of Grace Via de Cristo Rep. – Tim Murphy – 520.780.2214

For tickets to the Gaslight Theater show contact:

LOG Parish Rep

Tim Murphy 520-780-2214

Or in the Narthex after each service.

Pre School November Newsletter

This month, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude from the outpouring of love, support, and generosity from our church family. Your prayers, encouragement, and donations have not only sustained our preschool but have truly enriched the lives of our children and teachers.

        Because of your generosity, we were able to purchase much-needed classroom supplies — from science materials and learning manipulatives to everyday essentials like paper towels and Clorox wipes that help keep our preschool clean and safe. Your gifts also reminded our teachers and staff how deeply they are valued, uplifting their spirits and supporting the meaningful work they do each day with our preschoolers. And above all, your faithful prayers continue to strengthen our teachers and families, filling our school with peace, patience, and purpose.

        We are continually reminded that this ministry is not just ours, but a beautiful part of our entire church community. Through your generosity, prayers, and support, you are helping plant seeds of faith and learning that will continue to grow for years to come. Thank you for being such an important part of our preschool’s story. We are truly blessed by your partnership and grateful for the many ways you help our children experience God’s love in action each day.

 With grateful hearts,

The LOG Preschool Staff and LOG Preschool Advisory Board

Outreach October Newsletter

Outreach Team – October 2025 Newsletter Article

Our members include Chris Kollen as lead, Carol Buuck, Phyllis Teager, Patty Clymer, Carlene Allegier, Gail Nicewander, Sandy Mitchel, Ruth Gross and Janette Carollo.

We are planning new and exciting projects this coming year. If you’d like more information about becoming a member of Outreach, contact Chris Kollen at lizzykollen@comcast.net or at 520-419-7475.

Continuing Events

Marana Food Bank

The Marana Food Bank would like to request that we collect instant rice, mac and cheese, canned tuna or chicken, pancake mix, syrup, tomato sauce, ready-to-eat meals, and cereal or oatmeal.

 1 in 7 people (and 1 in 5 children) are currently facing hunger.  Let’s remember that God calls on us to help others every day.  We can do that by helping make sure our neighbors’ cupboards aren’t bare when mealtime arrives.  Let’s celebrate God’s goodness, every day.

 Donated items can be placed in the wooden cabinet located in the hallway outside the Fellowship Hall.  Please remember that the food bank cannot accept any food items that have been opened/used or expired.  Also, please, no glass containers.

If you would like to donate and keep your gift for the needy of Marana, you can send a check to:

MFB-CRC

o/o Sahuarita Food Bank

PO Box 968

Sahuarita, AZ 85629 

Please make checks payable to Marana Food Bank – Community Resource Center or MFB-CRC.

You can also donate online at mfb-crc.org.

 Your monetary gift goes a long way. 

 Upcoming Events

 Thanksgiving Boxes – Roadrunner Elementary

We will start collecting food for Thanksgiving Food boxes from October 26th to November 16th for families with students attending Roadrunner Elementary. On Sunday, November 16th, we’ll have a fun day organizing the food and decorating the boxes. We’ll organize the food collected after 1st service, then pack the boxes after 2nd service. The boxes will be delivered to Roadrunner the week of November 17th. We will give out handouts of what to collect on Oct. 26th, there will be additional handouts in the Narthex. Please let us know of any additional families that need help.

 Adopt a Child – Roadrunner Elementary

We are having Adopt a Child again this year, partnering with Roadrunner Elementary School. We are waiting to hear from Roadrunner the names of the students and their needs and wants for Christmas and when they will need to be delivered to the school. There will be more information in the November newsletter.

 The sandwiches were delivered to Sister Jose Women’s Center the following day and the hygiene items were taken to Butler’s Pantry at Roadrunner.

 We made our goal for toothpaste for the drive-the kids were so excited!!  Here are the totals: 

135 tubes of toothpaste

75 toothbrushes

82 bars of soap

40 bottles of shampoo and conditioner

40 razors

39 deodorant

8 dish soaps

4 laundry soaps

2 hand soaps 

Kleenex

 

Thanks to everyone for your support.

Outreach January 2026

Outreach Team – January 2026

Our members include Chris Kollen as lead, Carol Buuck, Phyllis Teager, Patty Clymer, Sandy Mitchel, Janette Carollo, Ruth Gross, Carlene Alegria, Darlene Wager and Gail Nicewander. We’d like to welcome Darlene Wager as the newest member of Outreach! Welcome Darlene!

We are planning new and exciting projects this coming year. If you have any questions about any of our activities, contact Chris Kollen at lizzykollen@comcast.net or at 520-419-7475.

The Mission and Purpose of Outreach is: “…to make Christ known through Christian outreach to nurture our community, family, and personal relationship with God through living examples. Specifically, we strive to provide support and aid to those within and beyond our community, working to involve the church membership at large.”

Marana Food Bank

Outreach will be changing how we help the Marana Food Bank. Instead of including monthly appeals, we will instead be holding four concentrated drives during the year. Two will be focused on hygiene supplies and two will be concentrated on what food they are most in need of at the Marana Food Bank. The hygiene drives will benefit both the Marana Food Bank and Butler’s Pantry and will be held in February and August. The food drives for Marana Food Bank will be held in May and September.

 As before, if you would like to donate and keep your gift for the needy of Marana, you can send a check to:

MFB-CRC

c/o Sahuarita Food Bank

PO Box 968

Sahuarita, AZ 85629 

Please make checks payable to Marana Food Bank – Community Resource Center or MFB-CRC.

You can also donate online at mfb-crc.org.

Your monetary gift goes a long way. 

 Past Events

Adopt a Child – Roadrunner Elementary

I wanted to thank everyone and provide an update on the Adopt a Family drive that was just completed. Everyone at Lord of Grace is amazing – for a relatively small congregation, with God’s blessings, we were able to show families at Roadrunner Elementary how much God loves them by providing them with some needed clothing and shoes and a gift (some examples include: toys, games, sport equipment, science kits, art supplies, books, skate boards, and bikes) for the Christmas season.

We were able to bless 10 families – 20 children ranging in ages from 2 to 16 that would not be able to afford these gifts on their own. We were also able to provide gift cards for all 10 parents and cash for the families – both worth a total of about $860.

The Outreach team came together on Dec. 7th after the Community lunch to go over all the gifts, gift cards and cash we received to make sure we had everything and to organize the gifts by family. To give some context on the scale of Roadrunner’s Adopt a Family drive, our church and other groups together were able to provide gifts for 200 children of Roadrunner Elementary families.

In addition, the Outreach team provided clothing and gifts for a Sudanese refugee family for the mother and her 7 children ranging in ages from 4 to 21. Patty Clymer works with the mother as a mentor through Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest.

Outreach delivered all of the gifts to Roadrunner on December 8th, the staff at Roadrunner were very appreciative and thanked Lord of Grace for being able to provide Christmas gifts for the families. Patty delivered the clothing and gifts to the refugee family from Sudan on December 17th and they were very thankful.

 Upcoming Events

Feed My Starving Children

This is a reminder to anyone interested, to sign up for Feed My Starving Children packing event. Our day and time is February 7th from 8-10am. Sign up is online, use the following QR Code or http://ovcn.church/fmsc and select packing event. Or you can go directly to https://myovcn.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2931977. You will need to select Shift 18, then select Lord of Grace. We will need to sign up by January 12th, when they open up registration.  

Lutheran World Relief – Baby Care Packs

We plan on holding a drive in March for baby care packs to send to Lutheran World Relief. In 2025, they provided baby care packs to Angola, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, United States, and Zimbabwe in 2025. More information to come in the February newsletter.

Upcoming Outreach events for the next 6 months

January (sign-up), for Feed My Starving Children

February – Feed My Starving Children; Hygiene Drive

March - LWR Baby Care Kits
April – Habitat Day (potential activity)
May – Sister Jose supper; Food Drive for Marana Food Bank
June – Backpacks and school supplies drive for Roadrunner Elementary

Lord of Grace will be collecting personal hygiene items for Butler’s Pantry, to support our friends at Roadrunner Elementary throughout the month of April.

Items Needed:

●     Bar soap

●     Deodorant

●     Shampoo

●     Body wash

●     Feminine hygiene products

●     Toothpaste and Toothbrushes

Help us reach our goal of 100 bottles of Shampoo!

Thank you so much for supporting this ongoing outreach in our community! 🙂 

Hiring: AV Coordinator for Sunday Services

Lord of Grace Church is looking for someone to operate the audio and visual for Sunday services. Duties include:

  • Running the audio

  • Running the visual software and slides

  • Operating the three PTZ cameras for the livestream

Skills preferred: knowledge of audio and video livestreaming.

  • Propresenter

  • Resi

  • Soundboards

  • PTZ cameras

 

Pay: $100/Sunday and $50/special service

Hours: 8am-12noon Sundays

Contact Pastor Lars Hammar if interested.