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Worship With Us

Worship with Communion on Saturdays at 5:00 p.m.
Worship with Communion on Sundays at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m.

Summer Schedule: Memorial Day Weekend – Labor Day Weekend

Worship with Communion on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.
Worship with Communion on Sundays at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m.

• Ash Wednesday services including the imposition of ashes and Holy Communion.  Services are at 12:10 and 6:00 p.m.
• Maundy Thursday Services with Holy Communion are offered on the Thursday before Easter at 6:00 p.m.
• Good Friday Services are offered at 12:10 and 6:00 p.m.  No Holy Communion on Good Friday.
• An hour-long Easter Vigil with Holy Communion is offered on the Saturday before Easter at 5:00 p.m.
• Easter Sunday services with Holy Communion are held at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m.  There is no Sunday School on Easter Sundays.
• A Thanksgiving Service with Holy Communion is held at 6:00 p.m. on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
• There are three services on Christmas Eve: 4:00, 6:00, and 9:00 p.m., with Holy Communion at 6:00 p.m. only.
• On Christmas Day there is a service at 9:30 a.m.  (Except when Christmas Day is on a Sunday, it will be held at 8:00 a.m.)
• Our Calendar includes all of this year’s holiday services and schedules.

Are Children Welcome to Worship?

Yes! Worship is for everyone!

• There are special bulletins for children and boxes of crayons and colored pencils.
• There’s a special sermon for children.
• You are welcome to bring simple snacks for very young children (small bags of cereal, graham crackers, goldfish crackers, etc.)
• Holy Communion: If your children have been instructed about communion at your church, they are welcome to receive Holy Communion at Grace!  If not, all children are welcome to come forward to receive a blessing during Holy Communion.
• All children are welcome to follow the pastors out of church during the sending hymn to tell the congregation to “Go in peace, serve the Lord!”

There’s Also a Nursery Room

(with toys!) for you to use if your children are restless or if you need to change a diaper.  Simply ask an usher for directions.  You can continue to listen to the service there.  (And there are toys!)

Is There a “Dress Code”?

No!  Jesus welcomes everyone just as they are.  So do we!

Welcome Guest Cards!

If you’d like us to respond to your visit, we’d love to!  Please fill out the bright yellow cards in the pew in front of you and place them in the boxes on the communion tables as you come forward for Holy Communion,

Holy Communion:

• Every regular worship service includes Holy Communion.
• If you’re a baptized Christian and you believe, trust, and hope that Jesus Christ is truly present as we eat the bread and drink the wine or grape juice we serve in Holy Communion, you are welcome to receive communion at Grace.
• There are communion instructions on the front cover of our worship bulletin or program.
• If you need grape juice or gluten free wafers, they are available. You’ll find the grape juice in a tray of individual cups on a table where communion is served.
• If you need gluten-free communion bread, simply ask a pastor before the service. (You’ll always find one of us on the way to the sanctuary … we’re the ones wearing white robes!)
• If your children have been instructed about communion at your church, they are welcome to receive Holy Communion at Grace! If not, all children are welcome to come forward to receive a blessing during Holy Communion.

How Long is the Service?

About an hour.

After 8:00 a.m. worship . . .

Coffee hour

Right across the hall from the back entrance to the sanctuary is “the parlor.”  It’s our living room.  There’s a table with coffee and juice and smiling servers to greet you.  There’s plenty of seating and snacks!

Sunday School

Between the second Sunday of September and the third Sunday of May, we welcome all children from age 3 to 6th grade to Sunday School!  Sunday School begins at 9:15 a.m. and ends at 10:15 a.m.  To find our Sunday School, please follow the signs or ask an usher or a pastor to get to the Sunday School “wing” of our building.  Our Sunday School office always has a friendly greeter to answer questions about Sunday School or even to escort you and/or your children to visit a class!

While the kids are in Sunday School…

There’s a coffee gathering called The Buzz.  It’s also in the Sunday School wing of our building.  It’s mainly a place for parents of Sunday School kids to hang out.  It’s in the library, but there’s no librarian to tell you to be quiet.

Sunday Place for Youth and Young People

Between the second Sunday of September and the third Sunday of May, confirmation students (7^th – 9^th graders) and high school students are welcome to hang out in Holy Donuts or the BC rooms between our worship services (9:15 – 10:15 a.m.).  

Sunday Adult Studies

On Sundays between worship services, we offer adult study opportunities (from 9:15 – 10:15 a.m.).

• We meet in the Zoom Room.  It’s at the end of the Sunday School wing of the building in room 102.
• You can also join a class by Zoom by requesting a link from Pastor Larry at pastorlarry@gracegb.org.
• To check out a class or to see one you’ve missed, please email Pastor Larry for a recording.

The Summer Adult Study schedule is slightly different:  from the first Sunday in June through the last Sunday in August, we meet from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

What are the adult studies like?

It’s an informal presentation and discussion, so classes don’t feel like they depend on having to attend every one.  We have studied the ELCA Statements on Abortion and Faith, Sexism, and Justice, the ELCA study “Acting Against Racism,” Religious Themes in Star Wars, The Book of Joy, Meditation and Contemplation, each of the Gospels, other books in the Bible like Daniel, Isaiah, and Revelation, and Martin Luther.

Men’s Breakfast Bible Study

Every other Saturday during the fall, winter, and spring, we offer a men’s breakfast study.

• We meet in the BC room. 8:00 a.m.
• Come to our Monroe Street parking lot entrance where there are usually several participants gathered there.  They’ll get you to breakfast on time!
• Breakfast is pancakes, eggs, juice, and coffee.
• A free will offering can be made, but is never required.

What are the Men’s Breakfast Studies Like?

They’re informal presentations and discussions, planned so each session doesn’t feel like it depends on having attended every one.  We’ve discussed videos by Peter Enns, Rob Bell, Rick Steves, and Ed Dobson.  We’ve learned about the lives of the Apostles, the history of Lent, and the Augsburg Confession.  We’ve read A Year of Living Biblically, In the Shadow of the Galilean, and Reclaiming the “L” Word.

See our current schedule.

Women’s Retreat

Each spring, women of the congregation are invited to attend an on-site, half-day retreat.  We gather for study, reflection, conversation, and service.  No retreat is complete without plenty of coffee and snacks as well as our traditional Olive Garden lunch!

Weddings at Grace

Can I be married at Grace if I’m not a member?  We want to be your Christian home for more than just a day!  So, it’s important to us that in couples who are married at Grace, one of them is a member of Grace.  If you and your fiancée are not members, please check out our worship services and the kinds of ministry and education you can be involved in at Grace.  If you are interested in becoming members of Grace or learn more about Membership, please email Pastor Julie at pastorjulie@gracegb.org.

Baptisms at Grace

Can my child be baptized at Grace if I’m not a member?  We want to be your Christian home for more than just a day!  So, it’s important to us that at least one of the parents of a child who is baptized at Grace is a member of Grace.  For Lutherans, Baptism is a once-in-a-lifetime event.  We pray for the Holy Spirit to be there, so that the Holy Spirit, like a dove, flies with us our whole lives, creating faith in our hearts when we hear the Gospel of Jesus.  Parents and sponsors are there, promising to do everything they can to make sure the child being baptized actually hears the Gospel of Jesus … in worship, in Sunday School, from pastors, from other Christians involved in the life of the church.  (So, yes, sponsors should be members of a church.)  And the members of Grace are there at baptisms, promising to support children growing up in the church by keeping the church alive and well.  (So, yes, Baptisms at Grace are done during worship, except in cases of extreme emergency.)  If you have questions about Baptism at Grace or if you are interested in membership, please email Pastor Julie at pastorjulie@gracegb.org

We’re a Reformation Church

Lutherans are Christians whose faith is guided by the teachings of Martin Luther, one of the leaders of the Reformation of the church in the 1500’s.  In the 1500’s, the church featured many different ways for Christians to earn the blessing of eternal life.

The Gospel

But Luther taught that in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we can see that God already loves us.  We don’t have to do a thing to earn God’s love.  That’s the Good News of God’s Grace!  That’s the Gospel!  When we realize or discover and begin to trust or have faith in that love, we are grateful to God and motivated to follow Jesus as he calls us to love each other, our neighbors, and make disciples of “all nations” (John 13:34-35, Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-31, Matthew 28:16-20).

Faith

Luther taught that faith is not something we’re born with.  Faith is also not something we can “do” on our own.  Otherwise, faith would be just another thing we could “do” to earn the blessing of eternal life.  Luther taught that faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit, who uses every word of the Gospel we hear (or see) to create faith in us.

Baptism

Lutherans believe God’s Holy Spirit arrives in our lives in our Baptism and that the Holy Spirit never gives up trying to create faith in us.  Lutherans believe Baptism is one of two sacraments.  Sacraments are things Jesus specifically commanded us to do that are a visible way that our invisible God comes to us to bless us.

For Lutherans there are only two Sacraments:  Baptism and Holy Communion.

Saints and Sinners

We hear the Gospel most clearly in worship, especially in the sermon, but also in the words of confession and forgiveness at the beginning of our service and the liturgical music* and hymns we sing throughout the service. Lutherans believe we need to keep on hearing the Gospel, because Lutherans believe we are always both saints and sinners, always loved by God but at the same time, always not perfect, always in need for forgiveness from God for our sins, our failures, our doubts.

*Liturgical music:  words sung in worship in different ways for the last 2,000 years.  These words are mostly from the Bible; some of them were used in worship in the days of the Old Testament!  Learn more about Worship at Grace.

Sin

What is sin?  For many Lutherans, sin is at least partly defined by Jesus’ interpretation of the Ten Commandments.  When we fail to obey the Ten Commandments as Jesus taught them, we are failing to obey God.  Matthew 5:21-48 is one place where Jesus taught how to understand and obey the Ten Commandments.  Jesus also thought all of God’s commandments can be summed up in just two:  love God and love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.  Failure to love God and neighbor is sin.  Luther’s teachings about the Ten Commandments in the Small Catechism are another excellent restatement of how Jesus taught the Ten Commandments.  Here’s how Luther understands the fifth commandment against murder:

“We are to fear and love God, so that we neither endanger nor harm the lives of our neighbors, but instead help and support them in all of life’s needs.”
     Evangelical Lutheran Worship, “The Small Catechism of Martin Luther”

According to Luther, in other words, the fifth commandment is not just about murder.  It’s about helping and supporting our neighbors in all their needs.  All these teachings show us that it’s impossible for us be perfect in God’s sight.  We’re always saints and sinners.

Holy Communion

As we share bread and the fruit of the vine together during Holy Communion, Lutherans believe Jesus is truly present to offer us forgiveness of sin.  At Grace we celebrate Holy Communion at every regularly scheduled worship service.  Why every week?  Because every week, we’re saints and sinners!  Every week we’re always welcome to supper with our Lord Jesus.  And with love and forgiveness in his heart, Jesus is glad to see us!

The Creeds

Lutherans believe the Nicene and Apostolic Creeds correctly define who God is, who Jesus is, and who the Holy Spirit is.  Jesus of Nazareth was a human being in whom God was fully present to welcome the whole world into his family.  Religious people and governmental officials arranged to have Jesus executed.  In this way, Jesus died trying to offer us the Gospel, trying to offer us the welcome, forgiveness, and healing we need from God.  Jesus’ disciples believed Jesus was raised from the dead to lead them to continue to bring the Gospel to the whole world.  Jesus’ disciples believed that the Holy Spirit came to them on Pentecost Day to give them the power they needed to accomplish this tremendous mission!  Learn more about the Creeds at Worship at Grace.

Gratitude

Lutherans gratefully believe that Jesus’ sacrifice is what gave them a place in God’s family.  We can’t earn the blessing of being called God’s daughter or son.  It’s a gift of God’s love and grace in Jesus that makes us so.  Gratitude for this gift motivates us to try to live obedient to the Ten Commandments as Jesus and Luther taught them and to try to follow Jesus by bringing the Gospel to the whole world.

There are Not Quite as Many Kinds of Lutherans as There are Kinds of Cheese.

But it’s close.  Grace belongs to a large group of Lutherans called the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  We say “ELCA” for short.  Here’s our logo.  The colors are the colors for the seasons of the church year.  The cross of Jesus is at the center of the logo since Jesus is at the center of our life as a church.  The logo looks like the world, because the church is made up of different parts (like Roman Catholics and Pentecostals) from all around the world.

God’s Work. Our Hands.

Our “tag line” is “God’s Work. Our Hands.”  It identifies us well.  We believe God created us, showed his love for us in Jesus Christ, and inspires us through the Holy Spirit to continue to share God’s love through whatever we do in this world.  If we repair cars, we do it well—we want everyone’s care to run safely and efficiently out of love for the people who use those cars.  If we’re building or maintaining a road or a street, we do it well—we want every road and street to be safe for travelers.  If we work in health care, we do it well—it’s something Jesus did himself out of compassion for people who had no health care at all.

Three Million Strong

There are about 3.3 million members of the ELCA in the United States.  We’re organized as 65 “synods,” each covering a different geographical region of the U.S.  Synod can be a confusing word, because the Missouri Synod and the Wisconsin Synod are not “synods” in the ELCA.  They’re different kinds of Lutherans.  Learn more about the ELCA.

Our Synod

Our Synod is the East Central Synod of Wisconsin.  It includes about 120 congregations in northeastern Wisconsin.  Our Synod, like all the synods, is led by a bishop.  Her name is Rev. Anne Edison Albright.  ELCA pastors are elected as bishops.  Learn more about our Synod.

What if I’m Not a Member of Grace?

Can I participate in the ministries and events at Grace?  Absolutely!  We welcome members and friends of Grace to participate in worship, learning, and service.  Serving on the Council or on a Board of the church and voting at congregational meetings are the only things requiring membership.

Becoming a Member of Grace

is a very simple process built on the assumption that your intent is to worship regularly, participate in the congregation’s ministries, and grow as a disciple of Jesus.  New member gatherings are held several times a year on a Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. to noon.  During the gathering we will introduce ourselves to one another, review what we believe as Lutheran Christians, and spend time discussing the ministries of Grace.  If you are interested in membership, please email Pastor Julie at pastorjulie@gracegb.org.