God’s heart. Our hands. grace in ACTION.
This is the heartbeat and DNA of GLC.
Giving takes on many forms here at Grace Lutheran Church! One of the unique ways YOU can give is to participate in our regular Blood Drives. Working with the Puget Sound Blood Center, donating blood at GLC is a gift that can benefit so many. Staff from the Blood Center bring their equipment right to GLC, setting up in the lobby. Volunteers from GLC check you in, then a blood technician takes your vital information and sets you up to donate blood. The entire process is safe, efficient and life-changing for someone in need of your blood type.
Virtual Angel Tree, a division of Prison Fellowship, is a program for families where one or more parents is incarcerated. This program matches Christmas gift needs and wants with children. Grace helps children stay connected with their families during Christmas time through online donations that provide gifts and Bibles to children on behalf of their incarcerated parent.
Support of the local Des Moines Food Bank is a high priority of outreach into our community, with weekly food and cash contributions, as well as volunteer opportunities. You will find a grocery cart in the Fireside Room for your food donations throughout the year, along with a monthly list of high-priority food item needs. Our Thanksgiving Eve service offering focus includes bringing food that is delivered to the food bank that evening. Many congregational members volunteer at the food bank throughout the week, and the Christmas Gift-Wrapping event at The Commons in Federal Way, is organized by a Grace member. There are usually over 150 volunteers sharing their time at the Gift-Wrapping event alone, with all proceeds going directly to the Des Moines Food Bank.
This much-needed ministry matches volunteers who form a one-on-one relationship with residents in local nursing homes or care facilities.
These residents rarely have other visitors, so the connection they make with their local friend is priceless. Many members of Grace have had a special friend for years, and often bring their friend to church to worship with us.
Contact: harrietthomsen@yahoo.com
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with an average annual income of $450.00. Our sister church relationship with a church in Aux Coteaux has had an incredible impact on Grace members who have traveled there to live and work with the people. Mission trips to Haiti have taken place on a regular basis, and new opportunities are always considered. In addition, many members and friends of Grace participate in sponsoring Haitian school children for a minimal yearly cost that covers tuition, school uniforms, shoes, school books and a medical check-up. Current plans include working with the Haitian Timoun Foundation in a variety of ways, including scholarships for children and teens to attend school and university.
Contact: pastorchad@gotgrace.com
Our sister church in El Salvador is Rutilio Grande Lutheran Church, located in the community of San Jose Buena Vista. We have been in a sister church relationship since August 2009, and helped in the construction of the new church building. Currently, many people help sponsor children and teachers at the local school.
Our first ever “women only” mission trip was to Guatemala in February, 2012. This now annual trip includes 8-12 women from Grace who focus on building relationships with and supporting women who are trying to escape the cycle of domestic violence. These women have found a safe place to live at El Refugio, and are involved in classes and counseling sessions as they learn to live in a new pattern of life. By supporting the women and their children, women of Grace have grown in their own faith.
An additional focus of our work is with a retired missionary nurse Teri, and her work with House of Healing Clinic in San Lucas Toliman. While in San Lucas, we have worked with a women’s weaving cooperative, planted medicinal herb gardens, and painted and prepared guest rooms.
Contact: debbie@gotgrace.com
Our Uganda mission teams partner with Reaching Out With Hope and travel to Uganda to work, worship and build relationships with the people of the village of Bakuma in the Luwero District. Staying at Minister’s Village in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, the village is a drive through a varied city and country-side, giving all mission team members a snapshot into what life is like for many of the people of Uganda. Teams tackle a myriad of projects, depending on the passions, gifts and skills of team members. Some projects in the past include: health training for Hope Clinic workers, computer skills for school and hospital staff, leadership training and worship, community meals for the local community, sponsoring a district soccer tournament, arts and crafts projects and games with local children, and sewing skills for all women.
This trip is life-changing and as a result of GLC involvement, Hope Clinic and Hope Chapel are now the center-point of the community, and offer much-needed worship space and healthcare options.
Our first ever Puerto Rico team came together when a planned trip to Haiti was not possible due to country unrest. Quickly organized, this team banded together and were able to work with families who had been impacted by the last hurricane. Recovery efforts in the aftermath of this hurricane have been slow, and our team worked for and with the people of Puerto Rico to help individuals and families get their lives back on track.
Pastor Chad met Titus Nirmal Kumar in 2003 and this partnership was born. Serving together in the slums of Delhi, they dreamed together about church outreach locations surrounding Nellore, India. With eleven current locations, outreach projects include: afterschool tutoring, medical camps, women’s sewing center and job creation, clean water projects, feed the hungry programs, Aids food packets and children’s support, and local grass roots impact partnerships.
Transformational Travel Immersion Trips will be offered every two years, with our next scheduled for January of 2022. A typical travel immersion team will participate in relationship and witness the grassroots work taking place in Nellore (southern India), then travel to New Delhi to learn about the world religions at a Muslim Mosque, Hindu Temple, Sikh Temple, the Bahai Lotus Temple, Gandhi’s Museum, Chandi Chowk (market) and the Taj Mahal in Agra.
Join us as we work with Lutheran World Relief to show love to our neighbors throughout the world by making quilts (over 250 per year!). We meet the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month (except for December and the summer months) from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall. There are tasks for everyone so if you don’t sew, join us anyway! Bring a sack lunch.