MESSAGE FROM PASTOR SUSANNE

Welcome to Grace on this All Saints Sunday! In holy baptism God makes saints out of sinners. In holy communion God forgives the sins of all the saints. In worship today, we give thanks for all the saints “who from their labors rest.” In the same breath we petition our God for the strength to hear and to heed the admonitions of Jesus in today’s gospel. Sealed by the Spirit and sustained by the Savior’s body and blood, we live with joy as God gives us breath, to the praise of God’s glory.

FINANCIAL STRATEGIES FOR DIFFICULT TIMES

Please join us November 9 for a program on Financial Strategies for difficult times. Mark Baker, MBA, MIM, Investment Specialist will lay out ideas and suggestions to help us get through the challenging financial times we are facing.

Program starts in the lounge at 12:30 PM. Pizza, salad and beverages will be available at 11:45 AM. Please RSVP to scblume@gmail.com so that we can ensure we have enough food and drink..

 GRACE BIBLE STUDY MEETS ON-LINE WEDNESDAYS @ 7
PM.
Please join us for Bible study Wednesday evenings. We are starting a new study using the book Provoking Proverbs which looks at the Book of Proverbs from the perspective of the 10 commandments. 
Contact Pastor Susanne with any questions and to get the on-line link scblume@gmail.com or 202 422 4348.

WATCH OUT FOR SCAMS

Several members received scam emails purportedly from Pastor Susanne.  Here is some advice and things to be on the lookout for from AARP:  If a communication is unexpected, yields an emotional reaction and urges immediate action, be on the alert that it may be a scam. Scams have a common goal - to steal your money, personal information or both. Reporting fraud is essential to help prevent future scams.  If you suspect a scam, disengage immediately.  Here is a link to the AARP.org fraud webpage: aarp.org/fraud

CONSIDER BEING A COFFEE HOUR HOST

Please think about volunteering to host a coffee hour. They are held once a month and you can pick the date (maybe to celebrate an event). We generally have one for Easter and for the 4th Sunday of Advent. and then a few other things as they come up. There is no host for that yet. You will be supplying finger food and drinks and do not need to make coffee. Please contact the office to reserve a date.  

Gifts of Hope Concludes After More Than 30 Years of Impactful Ministry

After more than 30 years of transformative ministry, the Gifts of Hope program will conclude at the end of its 2024 campaign. Since 1992, this alternative gift-giving initiative has raised nearly $4 million to support vital ministries, church camps, companion synods, and local service agencies—impacting countless lives in need. Due to a continuing pattern of decline in funds, the Synod Council has decided to retire the program while seeking new ways to support its beneficiaries.

We give thanks for the faithful leadership of Sue Clark, Carolyn Sowinski, and Natalie Cain, the dedication of all who have served, and the extraordinary generosity of donors over the years. A celebration of the program’s legacy will take place at the 2025 Synod Assembly.

GRACE ANNIVERSARY

We will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of Grace from August 2026 to August 2027. Planning for this major event in the life of the church needs to start soon. We invite anyone who might be interested in being part of the planning to let Marylou know that you would like to help.

WEBSITE

Be sure to check the Grace website at www.graceelcadc.org. You will see the weekly announcements and links to Grace’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. The council approved using Tithe.ly, the online giving service for those who would like to give electronically. Simply select Giving on the website and a form will appear to walk you through the process.

MESSAGE FROM OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Welcome to November. Thank you to everyone who made our Reformation service and coffee hour such a success.   

Today is All Saints Day. The day in the church year when we remember the saints in our lives who have passed on. Here at Grace Church we remember Tom Guthrie, Catherine Woods, Pastor Tesfaye Dinagdie, Leo Pickett and John Woods.

Your response to our Time, Talent and Treasure Campaign has been very good as we continue to hear from you. The Finance committee is especially appreciative of your generous commitment.  Please try to bring in your Triple T sheets next Sunday. Thank you Towana for your temple talk last Sunday.  She reminded us of what it means to grow up in this congregation. Today we will hear from Marquoi Subah.

From Dean Schultheiss

Being a member of Grace Lutheran Church means that I am part of a world-wide body of Christians who hold to the tenets of Martin Luther’s Augsburg Confession, which overturned centuries of Catholic doctrine. It was a radical and bold statement then as it is still today.  It set off a wave of Protestant reform which changed the course of history, and consequently, reshaped entire nations. The words we recite on Sunday morning are an ongoing affirmation of our faith and belief in those transformational declarations made over 500 years ago. 

CALL COMMITTEE

The search for a Pastor continues to move forward with the assistance of the Metro DC Synod.

FALL YARD SALE

The Fall date for the Yard Sale will be on November 8, 2025 (9:00 AM
– 4:00 PM).
For more information or to sign up to help, please contact: Ms. Laura
Boyd: 202-321-0393 or Ms. Darlene Campbell: 301-412-5594
To make the yard sales a success, the Outreach Committee is asking
for volunteers to help with setup and breakdown. Thank
you for your support!

LOAVES AND FISHES

One of the Missions of Grace Lutheran Church supports is Loaves and

Fishes, every other month on the first Saturday we serve lunch at

Loaves and Fishes. The need for a free meal is more acute on

weekends, when most free meal programs in Washington are closed.

Since the Pandemic box lunches are handed out to the guests. We

invite you to volunteer when you are available to pack the lunches,

between 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM.

The yard sale supports this mission.