[Bible Study] Mark Chapter15+16 - Zoom to Scripture

[Bible Study] Mark Chapter13 - Zoom to Scripture

Tony Young Memorial

Live Stream on Saturday March 6th at 3pm
from church website/YouTube
https://youtu.be/M1aS-VeLxng

        In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to:

 Grace Lutheran Church

        Alzheimer Daycare Building Fund

         555 SW Cashmere Blvd

        Port St. Lucie FL  34986

772-871-6599

Obituary

Anton “Tony” John Young was born on August 27, 1933 in Gakova, Yugoslavia.  On February 22, 2021, he entered Heaven’s gates and reunited with his precious “Babs.”

 Tony’s early life was marked by adversity.  In the closing days of World War II, Tony lost both of his parents to war, soon finding himself imprisoned in one of the concentration camps established by the Yugoslav government.  Family smuggled Tony out of the camp and into Austria, where—in 1948—he was able to immigrate to Canada.  At 14 years old, Tony began attending first grade classes to learn the English language.  By the age of 15, he had mastered the language but was on his own.

 Tony worked hard to build a life for himself and his family.  As a teenager, despite needing to leave school to work on the farm, Tony used the money that he saved to pay for tutoring.  In 1950, he met the love of his life, Barbara Brandner.  Tony and Barbara were united in holy matrimony on November 7, 1953. Their union was blessed with four children.  In 1961, Tony obtained a job with General Motors, which took him, Barbara and their children to Flint, Michigan.  For the family, Flint would become home, and Tony worked for General Motors for over 30 years.

 In 2002, Tony and Barbara moved to Florida full-time.  There, they enjoyed active lifestyles, as well as frequent visits from family and friends.  Eventually all four of their children ended up moving to Florida, which made Tony, the consummate “Family Man,” the happiest ever.

 Tony’s faith was an important component of his life.  While living in Flint, he was involved in the St. Paul Lutheran Church community.  Later, when Tony and Babs settled in Florida, they became very active members of Grace Lutheran in Port St. Lucie.

 Tony was a survivor and a hard worker.  He was the most ethical of people and taught his family that it’s not the material things that matter.  A loving husband and father, he treasured his family and embraced every moment with them. His mantra was always Faith, Family, and Friends.

His incredible life journey and example will forever be cherished in the lives of his family.

 Tony was preceded in death by his wife Barbara “Babs” Young, his sister Mary, his brother-in-law Martin, and his son Ronald Young.  He is survived by his son Richard (Theresa) Young, his daughters Linda (Jacques) Lamothe and Lori (Tim) McAlear, and his two grandchildren Jordan Lamothe and Lauren Lamothe.  He is also survived by his brother-in-law Walter (Ilene) Brandner, cousins Ray (Janet) Jung and Burga (Demos) Jung, and many other cousins, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

 A “virtual” funeral service celebrating his life will be held on Saturday March 6th   at 3:00pm.  The service can be viewed at www.GraceLutheranPSL.com/TonyYoung

        In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to:

 Grace Lutheran Church

        Alzheimer Daycare Building Fund

         555 SW Cashmere Blvd

        Port St. Lucie FL  34986

772-871-6599

[Bible Study] Mark Chapter11+12 - Zoom to Scripture

Texas Supplies Needed.

Supplies Needed

If you can help with plumbing supplies, please send them to the
Texas District warehouse at:

Concordia Lutheran Church
16801 Huebner Road
San Antonio, TX 78258
Attention: Julie Tucker

Even small quantities will help repair homes, schools and churches.

Plumbing Material Needs

Copper pipe
◦ 1/2 inch
◦ 3/4 inch
◦ 1 inch

Copper fittings
◦ 1/2 inch 90s Tees, caps, couplings, male adapters and female adapters
◦ 3/4 inch 90s tees, caps, couplings, male adapters and female adapters
◦ 1 inch 90s tees, caps, couplings, male adapters and female adapters

PVC PIPE
◦ Schedule 40 – 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, 1 inch
◦ Schedule 80- 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, 1 inch

PVC fittings
◦ Schedule 40 and schedule 80
◦ 1/2 inch 90s tees, caps, plugs, couplings, male adapters, female adapters
◦ 3/4 inch 90s tees, caps, couplings, female and male adapters
◦ 1 inch 90s tees, caps, couplings, female and male adapters

PEX tubing
◦ 1 inch
◦ 3/4 inch
◦ 1/2 inch

Fittings for PEX tubing
◦ 1 inch tees, 90s male adapters and female adapters
◦ 3/4 inch tees, 90s male adapters and female adapters
◦ 1/2 inch tees, 90s male adapters and female adapters

Iron pipe ball valves
◦ 1/2 inch
◦ 3/4 inch
◦ 1 inch

[Bible Study] Mark Chapter10 - Zoom to Scripture

[Video] Grace Building Dedication Feb 14th

Join us Sunday February 14th at 9:45 For a dedication of our new building

Grace Lutheran Church Members and Friends have been contributing toward growth and outreach since its first gathering on December 6, 1990. From early on members and friends have made contributions toward the future growth of Grace Lutheran through their special gifts and contributions. Listed below are the names of many of the members of whom memorial gifts have been given in honor of to help make this new facility that we share with Alzheimer's Community Care a reality

• Earl and Jenny Butler

• Richard and Doris Young

• Walter and Deloris Donn

• Fred Richey

• Norm and Jean Kee

• Tom Coffman Bill Nolte

• Bridget Raymond

• Rose Wytiaz

• Anna Ide Joan Schulein

• Richard Tunning

• Arlene Garbers

• Richard Brendlinger

• Ron Scheer

• Barbara Young

• Tom Roksvold

• Barbara Bock

We remember the Saints listed above through their families and friends that have contributed financial memorials to help make this building possible. Thank You!

Check Back here later for more.

• A write up about the building project

• Pictures of building

• Video of Service (we will not be able to live stream) Sunday evening the video will go up.

• Pictures of the Service

[Bible Study] Mark Chapter 9+10 - Zoom to Scripture

Florida Covid Vaccine & St Lucie Co Vaccine Info

Port St Luice’s Vaccine page is particularly good. Lots of useful info.

Vaccinee Update! 2/9/21

Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines through the U.S. Federal Retail Pharmacy Program on Feb. 12.

More than 1,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies in 22 states are receiving federal vaccine allocations this week, with an emphasis on locations that reach customers in underserved communities with limited access to health care.

All three Walmart locations and one Sam's Club location in Port St. Lucie will receive vaccines:

• Walmart, 10855 S. U.S. 1

• Walmart, 1850 S.W. Gatlin Blvd.

• Walmart, 902 S.W. St. Lucie West Blvd.

• Sam's Club, 1750 S.W. Gatlin Blvd.

For more information, visit www.cityofpsl.com/vaccine and click "How to Get a Shot."

Here is the Florida Covid Vaccine Page

Here is the St Lucie Co Covid page.

Sign up for the St Luice co alert system for the fastest covid information.

Here is the Publix Vaccine Page

St. Lucie County COVID 19-Update, Jan. 8, 2021

[Bible Study] Mark Chapter 8-9 - Zoom to Scripture

Sorry if you are looking for Feb 11th Lesson, I posted this link by mistake.
here is the real lesson

Feb 11 Mark Chapter 9+10 Lesson

[Bible Study] Mark Chapter 7 + 8 - Zoom to Scripture

The Surprising Dream

Click for Original Article But is easier to read below

In lovely Port St. Lucie, Fla., Just an hour north of West Palm Beach, the people at Grace Lutheran Church were wondering what to do with their vast, newly paid-off church property. 

"We currently have a small facility for doing ministry," explained Rev. Cris Escher, pastor at Grace. "But we are sitting on six acres of land in St. Lucie West and have no debt. So, we put together a group in the church to discover a way to get back into debt." 

While most other churches aren't typically looking for "a way to get back into debt," in this case, Grace's unique attitude became a blessing in more ways than one. According to Escher, God's people at Grace weren't necessarily interested in building a new sanctuary.

What they were looking for 

"We did not want to build something just for us," he shared. "We wanted whatever we were going to do ... to benefit the community around us. We thought of many different ideas, like daycare, school and so on. Really, what we were looking for was something that would fill a need in Port St. Lucie." 

Around that same time, the church heard about Alzheimer's Community Care, an organization that provides daytime care services for Alzheimer's patients. Escher said that a member of Grace was taking his wife to one of their facilities and spoke with the church about it. 

"The patients are given the best care by giving them things to do to stimulate their brains and bodies," explained Escher. "They bring people in to sing with them. They also will paint and play games. Their caregivers love how active their loved ones are because they sleep better at night and are generally healthier and happier."  

Could hosting a facility like this on the church property be the opportunity the people at Grace were looking for? 

Hopeful findings

"We hired a Florida-based Alzheimer's center expert to research the Port St. Lucie area to actually see if there was a need," said Escher, which they discovered was the case. "These findings were backed up when Alzheimer's Community Care told us that both of their facilities in St. Lucie County had long waiting lists. The lists were so long, they said, that if the facility could open tomorrow, it would be full." 

After discussions with Alzheimer's Community Care, the next step for Grace was to call Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF).  "I had just conducted an LCEF Sunday at Grace, and I remember that Pastor Cris and the church were looking for an outreach ministry," recalled Jay Wendland, LCEF district vice president for The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) Florida-Georgia (FLGA) District. "A couple of months later, we got a call from Pastor Cris with this opportunity. I think it is a first for the district." 

The plan unfolds

A plan was made together  with Alzheimer's Community Care: a new building would be constructed on the church campus that would belong to the church. but Alzheimer's Community Care would rent the facility from Grace and run the day-to-day operations. So Grace worked together with LCEF on a new loan for a facility that would be built specifically with the needs of Alzheimer's Community Care in mind.  "We have looked at this as a partnership with [Alzheimer's Community Care] since the beginning," noted Escher. 

"We have been working hand-in-hand to make this building happen. LCEF was willing to talk with our partner,  Alzheimer's Community Care, to work out a deal which worked for all." 

Of course. there were a few challenges to work through during the process. especially considering the unique nature of the partnership between Grace and Alzheimer's Community Care.
"The church has responsibility for the loan and property," explained Wendland. "it was interesting to do a loan for them since they don't have total control over the facility. so there were a lot of negotiations going back and forth." 

Why vocation is important

The new building. slotted to open in early 2021, will serve 

30 patients from 7:30 a.m. to 5 30 p m , Monday through Friday. The hope is that the church will get to visit with them each day and hold Bible study. devotion and prayer once a week. "While this is not a distinctly Lutheran endeavor, Luther understood the importance of good vocation," said Escher. 

"This was a need in the community, and we can give those who are struggling with Alzheimer's some good news. Good News they probably have not heard in a while." 

It's good news also for Alzheimer's Care Center, who required another facility to host. as well as for Grace, who had been looking for an outreach opportunity and a way to use the gifts that God has given them in a way that would benefit the community.

Focus on the Family: Covid - 19 Vaccines: What you need to Know

There are many perspectives and rumors about the COVID-19 vaccines. Did the developers skip steps in the creation of the vaccination? Were fetal cells used i...

Infectious disease specialists Dr. Daniel Hinthorn and Dr. Scott James share an informative perspective on COVID-19 vaccines, discussing their historic nature and the rapid speed of their development. Our guests answer common questions about the vaccines, addressing practical concerns and next steps while taking a look at where the pandemic may be heading in the coming months.

Christmas at Grace 2020

Christmas Eve 4 & 7 PM

Christmas Day 10:15am

Christmas Readings will be available for download here.

[Bible Study] Mark Chapter 6 - Zoom to Scripture

Christmas Traditions - Advent 2020

Click Picture to Watch Live Stream

Click the Image to watch the service

Wednesdays at 6:30Pm

• 12/2 - Christmas Traditions

  • Carols and Traditions

• 12/9 - Christmas Cookies & Crafts

  • Decorate cookies & Crafts to take home

• 12/16 - Christmas Memories

  • Christmas Songs and peoples stories.

Brown Bag Dinner at 5:30pm

• You bring your own Food,

• We will supply Chips and Drinks.
  

Christmas Eve 4Pm & 7PM
Christmas Day 10AM

Watch Wednesday Traditions Service right here.

How the Grinch Stoll Christmas reading video [Great for Kids]

https://youtu.be/YOpKuQO1FkA

[Bible Study] Mark Chapter 5+6 - Zoom to Scripture

The Coming

Today is the first of the four Sundays in Advent, the beginning of the Christian year and the start also of a season in which many Christians will try to prepare themselves for the great feast to come.

For many of us, that sense of preparation has dwindled down into buying presents, planning meals, making travel plans and somehow trying to trick ourselves into the holiday spirit when we will suddenly feel festive and full of good cheer.

There’s actually nothing wrong with most of that, and there are lots worse things to do with our money and time than buying gifts we think will please those we love and making plans to visit our dear ones. But Advent is about something bigger: about the coming of God into the world and although nothing we could ever do would fully prepare us for that, the goal of this season in the Christian life is to help us understand just a little bit more what it means to welcome God into the world as a baby.

As a kid I could never understand why Advent was a season of fasting and solemnity in the church rather than a time of feasting and dancing. What better way to prepare for a really big celebration than to have a lot of little celebrations as you approach it?  What better way to get into the mood?

That’s pretty much the way the world treats what is generally called in mixed company “the holiday season.” December is a round of office parties and other events where, with festive music playing in the background, we eat and drink far more than we should and anticipate Christmas even if we aren’t doing much to prepare for it. Frankly I’m enough of an old curmudgeon now to wish we still followed the old custom of doing the celebrating and the partying in the twelve days of Christmas up through January 6; the first week of January, with the holiday fading behind us and the cold, dark winter stretching endlessly ahead, is probably the single week in the year when we would all benefit most from some wassail and cheer. Let’s hope that one benefit of migration from Spanish speaking America will be a revival of the great twelfth day feast celebrated there as Three Kings’ Day, a bright candle lit in a dark time of year.

But as I’ve reflected on the holiday over the years, I think I see more reason for making Advent a season of restraint and reflection rather than anticipatory fun. We can never really understand Christmas unless we understand how much we need that baby in the manger. Advent is a time to think about the ways that life without God is an empty husk.

Unfortunately in times like these, feeling bleak is an easy thing for a lot of people to do. Times have been tough since 2007; a lot of people have lost homes and jobs and a lot of us are having a harder time in the world than we expected back during the boom. For a lot of people today, life without God doesn’t even offer much tinsel. It’s a bleak, bleak world for all whose lives have fallen short of their hopes — the promotions missed, jobs lost, marriages broken, families severed, and so many other sorrows and setbacks.

And this life, even when it’s going well, doesn’t last. I remember Christopher Hitchens saying once that we were all like mudballs, catapulted up into the air and sailing along very nicely, but that one day all of us, sooner or later, will hit something and go splat. Advent is a time to remember that it will all end and end in a splat. There are those who think that we should try not to think about depressing subjects like that, but in fact the ability to face the prospect of life’s end with some dignity and courage is part of what makes the rest of life rich and worth living.

For Christians, and nobody else really has much business thinking about Advent or observing it, there is something else. If there is no Christmas, there is no Cross, no answer to the problems of sin, separation, failure and pain. Advent is a time to think about what life would be like if we didn’t have faith in a Redeemer, a Savior who was ready, willing and able to complete the broken arc of our lives, forgive what is past and walk with us step by step to help us build something better in the time that is left.

Advent is a time to remember that we need something more than what we can summon with our own resources to make our lives work. It’s a time to remember how lost we would be if Someone hadn’t come to find us. People in Twelve Step programs think back to what things were like before they found new friends, new fellowship and a program to help them back to life. They talk about “keeping it green,” remembering what life was like without the sudden surprise, the grace that changed everything and put us on another path. The preparation for Christmas begins by reflecting on what kind of world this would be, and what kind of lives we would have, if Christmas had never come.

There are worse ways to start your preparation for Christmas than by using this prayer from the old Episcopal Church Book of Common Prayer:

ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.

One of my favorite Advent hymns has always been the Veni, Veni Emmanuel, known to English speakers as O Come, O Come Emmanuel. The first verse in particular captures some of the sense of exile and hopelessness that we would feel if Christmas had never come.

You can listen to it here: the words are below.

Oh, Come, Oh, Come Emmanuel
Translated: John Neal, 1818-66

Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high,
Who ordered all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, oh, come, our Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times gave holy law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come O Rod of Jesse’s stem,
From ev’ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow’r to save;
Bring them in vict’ry through the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, O Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, our Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by your drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Oh, bid our sad divisions cease,
And be yourself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Grace Lutheran PSL Yearly Update

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

  I hope my letter finds you and your family healthy as you prepare for a Festive Covid-19 Safe Christmas celebration.  No large gatherings, masks both indoors and out, and 6 foot of distance when required. Like you I am looking forward to the end of this year. It has had high points; start of construction of the new facility.  Covid-19 being the horrible low. Under normal conditions we would be having our end of year voters meeting, including voting for BOD officers and budget presentation for approval.  Normal year this is not!  Therefore, once again for safety reasons we are not holding our congregational meeting.  In lieu of presenting a new budget we plan to remain with the current 2020 Budget into 2021 until the new building is operational (hopefully March 2021). At that time, we will be able to determine our additional expenses and prepare an accurate budget. We also hope to resume our regular congregational meetings at that time too. The actual ribbon cutting for the ACC facility will be sometime in May. The only change at this point in the 2021 budget is the Pastor’s salary.  As throughout Grace’s history we base Pastor’s salary on LCMS salary matrix; As of 2021 he will have 10 years’ experience with a Masters of Divinity degree. For 2021 his salary will be $75,523 which is $1099 higher than last year. In call documents we agreed to pay for family health insurance which is covered by Coli’s Martin County School board policy. Therefore, Grace contributes $3600 to in house HSA, with carry-over, $12000 to Pastor as a supplement for Coli’s school board policy charge, and $2400 for a Pastor selected mission. This arrangement with Pastor and Coli saves Grace over $3000 if we provided a Concordia Health Plan policy. We hope you are in agreement with the decision to hold to the 2020 Budget figures at this time. Please contact us if you disagree. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact Kevin or myself. If you wish a breakdown of Pastor’s compensation package please call us.

 God has provided for Grace this year in spite of the pandemic. Together we have accomplished so much.  With your generosity you have shown Christ’s love and caring not only for the needs of Grace Lutheran, but also have enabled Grace to reach out and provide for those in need. With your continued support, for which we are always grateful, we will continue to serve others and share the love of Christ. May your New Year be filled with God’s blessings. Continue to keep faith.  We will get through these difficult times together, as we have done in the past. Stay safe.  Have a Merry Christmas!  

BIG HUGGS TO ALL.
Leigh Liagre