Church Calendar of events
Volunteer Schedule
 

New Members Welcome
The Christian Education Committee would like to invite anyone interested to join us for our monthly meetings.  We now meet the last Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m.  If you have questions, please contact any member of C.E.
 

Monthly Craft Packets
The C.E. Committee is starting something new, which goes well with our "caring for other people" focus.  Each month a craft project packet will be given to Sunday School age families with children sixth grade and younger. Families have a few weeks to complete the simple craft and return it to church.  Deacons will then deliver these seasonal crafts to our shut-ins to decorate their doors, walls, or refrigerators.  This project will bring a bit of sunshine to their lives and teach children the importance of doing kind things for others.  We ask that children sign just their first name on each craft.  That will make it even more special.  We will report each month what craft was done.  The October craft is a black cat!
 

First Sunday-of-the month offering
This school year (September - May), the Sunday School first Sunday-of-the month offering mission money will be given to Camp Wyoming.  This is our church's camp located in Wyoming, IA, about four hours from Winona.  Much more information on the many opportunities for camps will be given this year.
 

Look for the Tent with the flag!!
Starting in October, a small tent with a Camp Wyoming flag will be displayed on the snack counter in the Fellowship Hall.  This tent is to collect donations for the Camp Scholarship Fund to help the youth in our congregation afford to go to camp.  More information on camping and scholarships will follow in newsletters and announcements. So when you get your coffee and goodies after church, be sure to look for the tent with the flag and make a donation when you can.  Thank you!!
p.s.  Thank you to Walt Gilbertson for designing and making the special tent!!
 

Operation Christmas Child
How is your box coming?  Have you filled it yet?  We have received many boxes all labeled correctly and filled with wonderful Christmas surprises for the child plus an envelope is on top inside the box with a $7 check made out to Samaritan's Purse.
Please bring your box to church by October 28, the last Sunday in October.  Thank you!

WORSHIP COMMITTEE Mary Lowery and Kathy
Weiner will begin working on the 2008 Volunteer List
soon. If you have any preferences, please let them know.
CORPORATION Calling all those interested in learning
home improvement techniques for cleaning, trimming,
painting, and more; you areinvited to Work Day on Saturday,
October 6th at 9:00 am. Lessons will be given. There will be
jobs both indoor and out. Hope to see you there. The rain date
is October 13th.
Corporation is looking for volunteers willing to clear the
sidewalks this winter .A snow blower will be available at
the church. If interested, contact Ron Dietrich.

 CIRCLE I will meet at the home of Ellen Mrkvicka,
553 E Howard St. on Thursday, October 18th at 7:00 pm. If
you'd like to visit a Circle call Ellen at 454-7847 for details.

 CIRCLE II will meet in the Fellowship Hall at 1:30
p.m. on Wednesday, October IO*. We will begin the series
on Ruth, Lesson 6 in the "Above and Beyond" Bible Study.
Corrine will be the hostess and visitors are always welcome.

SPECIAL OFFERINGS
The three special offerings for flood relief totaled $2,759,
which will be matched with funds from the Permanent
Mission Fund. Decisions for the distribution of the money
over a period of time will be made by the M & S committee
and Session.
The first special offering for Jean Hayes and her Medical
Mission trip to Tanzania was 1232. We will match gifts for
Jean up to $750 from the Special Mission Fund. The money
will be used for necessary equipment as needed for the trip.
No personal expenses will be covered.
On October 7 we will celebrate Worldwide Communion
Sunday and receive the Peacemaking Offering. On this day
we join with Christians around the world to celebrate the
unity that we find at the Table of the Lord and to share in
spreading the message of peace.
Twenty-five percent of the Offering will be used in our local
area. The other 75% will help our partners in the John Knox
Presbytery, the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, and General
Assembly as they work on behalf of God's peacemaking
throughout the world.
Our congregation has been called on to support several causes
in the past weeks. Please respond as you can to any of the
causes you want to support. Donations will be accepted for all
the needs for the next few months.
Give as you feel able knowing Cod accepts all our gifts with
love and understanding.

October 7"" - COTHWLTSALT SUNDAY
"Celebration Of The Hymns We Love To Sing And
Listen To" is what that big word is.  What we will be
doing is singing and listening to your favorite hymns.
How do we know what they are? You need to let Doug
or the church office know by October 7*.  We cannot
assure you that your hymn will be chosen to be included
because of time restraints, but we will make every effort
to have it included in the service.  Also, if you would
like to sing a solo or perform on that day with your
musical talent, let Doug or the office know.
Thanks,     Doug Rosendahl, CLP

Looking for that special gift for a
wedding, shower, birthday or even early
Christmas shopping? Cooking With
Grace cookbooks make wonderful gifts.
Pick up yours today for $10.00.

FLOOD, FLOOD, FLOOD
Everything related to Grace, session, and living in Winona
seems to be viewed within the prism of the flood and flood
relief.  Candi suggested that I report on what is happening with
our church and the flood for the October newsletter. I would if
I could, but I can't. It is happening to fast, in too many
directions and it is changing too often.
Some of the highlights.....We raised over $2700.00 for
flood relief in special offering and this will be matched, giving
us over $5500.00 to distribute to people and organizations,
(think Presbyterian Church in Rushford). We have already
purchased $400.00 worth of diapers that no other organization
could get right away.
We have had members donating their time and expertise to
help muck out people's houses and basements. We have
received gifts from others, outside of our Presbytery, that have
asked us to coordinate getting items to those who could use
them. We have received gifts of money from other churches
and people outside of our immediate area. One spectacular gift
was $100.00 from a Native American church that we had given
Christmas toys to earlier. What goes around comes around. At
the end of September, 25% of the crop walk will be donated to
SE MN flood relief.
Oh, did I mention the Red Cross and how members
worked on the disaster site team. We were actively working to
help our neighbors as the first line of support and continue to
this day. So you see, I can't really list everything Grace has
done. It is easier to simply say, we were there, we are there
and we will continue to be there.
Thanks Grace. You are what it is all about.
GayHayes, OerkofSession

CONCERNS
Lori Fort- Hoerig had serious complications after intestinal
surgery recently. She is recuperating but will have a long
time of recovery ahead of her. Our prayers are with her and
her family.
Her address is:
UW Hospital Madison
600 Highland Ave.
Madison Wl 53792

Greg Lica's mother died recently. Our sympathy goes to
Greg and his family.

Emily Krumm fell and broke a rib. She is now at St.
Michael's in Fountain City.

JOYS
Chris Schantzen gave birth to a baby girl on September 10.
Eleanor Grace was 7 pounds, 11 ounces. Congratulations to
parents Chris and Henry.
Emily McMillan, daughter of Mary and the late Kent
McMillan, will marry Jamie Rivera on October 13 at
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Kent, his parents and his
brothers and sisters were very active members of Grace
Church several years ago.  Best wishes to the couple

Church World Service speaks of flood relief in terms of three "M's": material, money and manpower. Our church
continues to respond to those in need on all three fronts.
Material: We have been the main collection/distribution point for incoming supplies from Presbyterian churches
throughout the Midwest. We provide our presbytery office in Richland Center, Wl, a needs list from the Winona
Distribution Center. They send the list out by email throughout the Synod, which covers Dakotas, MM, Wl, IL and NE.
Congregations then send or bring the supplies to our church and we, with a great deal of help from Walt and Dorothy,
direct or take the supplies to the Distribution Center. We have handled at least three or four deliveries every week with
all kinds of supplies from underwear to crow-bars.
Money: Including our matching funds from our church resources our own congregation has raised over $5000.00 for
flood relief. We have also worked with John Knox Presbytery and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance representatives to
secure $20,000 for the area with more on the way. In Winona, we are working with area churches and community
organizations to provide long-term relief for flood victims. We have also applied to IBM in Minneapolis for the donation
of 2 lap top computers for families with school age kids who lost their computers in the flood.
Man-and Women-power: Many from our congregation have "gone into the mud" in Rushford, Lewiston, Stockton
and MN City. We have also had members volunteer at distribution and clothing centers in Winona and P.ushford. A crew
from Grace provided and served food for the volunteers working in Elba. Another crew spent the day helping at the
Rushford Presbyterian Church. Our youth group helped with the clean up in Lewiston. The presbytery has also relied on
us to help direct other church crews to useful work in the clean up process. Presently, we are working with the
presbytery to help set up work groups which would use our church for housing.
We have also had a special concern for our brothers and sisters in the Rushford Presbyterian Church. We have
provided and served coffee and donuts after their worship in a funeral home. We are planning to have our choir sing at
their first service back in their church building in October.
Church World Service anticipates an 18 to 24 month recovery period for our area. Related to this are two things that
have been on our minds (Candi, Doug, Jim and Elayne's). First, we did not realize how central our role would be in the
overall response of our presbytery and denomination. We have been dealing with flood issues almost every day since
August 19.1 hope you will consider this part of your response to those in need. The bottom line: we could not give so
much of our time, if we were not on your payroll and we are certainly using a lot of office time dealing with flood issues.
Secondly, Doug, Candi, Elayne, and I would like to say a big "Thank You" to you all. We have witnessed your
response to this flood and it has been overwhelming! The list of talents used is terrifically long: providing food, slogging
through mud, delivering supplies, writing checks, cooking, singing, comforting discouraged neighbors, praying and
many, many acts done in secret. Thanks to you all! Let's "drive on" as they say in the Army to find creative ways to
reach out to our neighbors as the needs become more long term. One month down...23 to go.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim