The News of Grace

Volume 36 no. 4 April 2013

are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that He raised Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:14-15) When we confess our faith in the words of the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds we bear witness that Jesus rose again on the third day according to the testimony of Holy Scripture. In the above account from the Book of Acts, St. Peter speaks about what he and his fellow disciples witnessed regarding Jesus Christ. They saw His suffering and death on a Roman cross and they also were given to see the resurrected Jesus, as well as to eat and drink with Him. This was no spiritual resurrection, but the resurrection of Jesus bodily from the tomb where Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had buried Him before the sun went down on Good Friday, day one. Jesus rested in the tomb on the Sabbath, day two, therefore keeping the Law in death as He did throughout His earthly life. Then very early on the first day of the week, day three, He rose from the dead, thereby fulfilling the promises of God given through the prophets. Peter would have us know this Gospel truth even as he would encourage us to be witnesses of Jesus death and resurrection. St. Paul would write that the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1st Corinthians 1:18) In his great resurrection chapter 15 of that same letter he writes, for I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the twelve. Then He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time. (1st Corinthians 15:3-6a) These are witnesses of the resurrection and the power that this gives to all who believe. Faith in this historical fact is also Gods great gift to you. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for the certainty of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) Though not an eye-witness you are a witness nevertheless by the power of the Holy Spirit. As you live in the forgiveness Christ earned for you, rejoice in eternal life which He has prepared for you. Give witness to this in word and deed as an expression of your thanks to God for your salvation! Blessed Easter Pastor Walter

ON THE THIRD DAY

So Peter opened his mouth and said: We are witnesses of all that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, but God raised Him on the third day and made Him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name. (Acts 10:39-43)

Alleluia! Christ is risen! HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA! A blessed Easter and Easter season to all of you! We are hoping that this April Newsletter reaches you before the end of March. The fifth Sunday of March, the very last day of the month, we celebrate Easter and The Resurrection of our Lord, and then for the next six Sundays thereafter we celebrate the Season of Easter. It is my prayer that the Good News spoken to the women at the tomb very early in the morning on the first day of the week gives you peace and hope: Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise. This witnessed and testified to fact, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, is the central doctrine of our faith. It validates for us that His sacrifice is acceptable to God. His suffering and death on the cross was for the punishment for your sins and mine and for our redemption, and His resurrection gives you hope for your resurrection as well. St. Paul tells us that, if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We

Board of Elders Seminary Scholarship

HOLY WEEK SERVICES

March March 28th Maundy Thursday Service with Holy Communion 7:00 p.m.
Dinner will be served before the service at 5:30 p.m. by the Boards of Stewardship and Evangelism. They are serving oven-roasted pork loin, twice-baked potato casserole, green beans, and dessert.

March 29th Good Friday Tenebrae Service with Holy Communion 7:00 p.m. March 31st Easter Sunday
6:30 a.m. - Easter Sunrise Service 7:30 a.m. Breakfast in Parker Hall 8:15 a.m. Easter Divine Service with Holy Communion 9:15 a.m. Breakfast in Parker Hall 10:00 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt 10:45 a.m. Easter Divine Service with Holy Communion
There will be no Sunday School on Easter Sunday. The children up to 8 years old are invited to the Easter Egg Hunt beginning promptly at 10:00 a.m. in the grass area outside of Parker Hall. Our thanks to Bette Bogart for hosting the Easter Egg Hunt!!

He is risen! The tomb is empty! This good news has been handed down to us through the ages. It has survived all worldly powers and principalities. Since the first Easter, this message has been taken to the ends of the earth. It is the message that Christ said would draw all men unto Himself, and it is the message that the apostles would proclaim and expound upon in the decades following Christs ascension. Because He is risen, we are healed. Because He is risen, we are reconciled to God. Because He is risen, we are justified--given Christs own righteousness, and made heirs with Him. The powers of sin, death, and the devil have been defeated, and this very Word by which we hear of our forgiveness is the same Word which imparts faith, sanctifies and gives eternal life. Since the beginning of the church age, the proclamation of the Gospel through Word and sacrament has been the hallmark of the true church and a sure hope for all mankind. We count ourselves blessed today to be a part of Grace, where we come together every week to receive Gods gifts of forgiveness, life, and eternal salvation through the preached Gospel and the sacraments. Perhaps we are sometimes tempted to take this blessing for granted. It is easy to forget how difficult it is today to find a place that offers these benefits. So many places across the nation are spiritual wastelands filled with tired souls, crushed under the weight of their sinonly being told what they must do to lift themselves up, and not what Jesus has done to rescue them. Who will bring them the fresh, clean water of Christs forgiving Word? It cannot be overstated how important the training of pastors is to this mission, and we at Grace should count ourselves honored to be part of this work. As you know, the Board of Elders has established a Seminary Scholarship Fund to assist young men from our congregation who wish to take on the responsibilities of delivering Gods healing Word to the people, and who are willing to commit years of their lives and no small amount of money (in the neighborhood of $40,000 per year) to that end. Our desire is to give you opportunities throughout this year to offer financial support for our current seminarian, Kevin Ray. We will do this through occasional envelopes in your worship folder and brief reminders at the end of service. However, if you desire to give a gift to the Seminary Scholarship Fund on a more regular basis, we encourage you to do so. You can do this by simply writing Seminary Scholarship Fund on one of your regular offering envelopes. We hope you will prayerfully consider taking part in this work and that the Church will grow and be blessed as our pastors proclaim the Easter messageHe is risen. John Calvillo Board of Elders - Discipleship Coordinator Vicar and Seminarian Support Elder

News from Kevin and Allie

To My Brothers and Sisters at Grace: It is great to be writing to you again. We are very thankful for all that you at Grace Lutheran have done for us. Without you Allie and I would have had a much more difficult time making it through this year than we did. Thanks! Monica and Tallulah are growing up fast. Monica is rapidly approaching 21 months, and she is really starting to act like it. The other day she was pretending to cook soup, I think, using our tea brewer as a pot. Its amazing to see how a child of this age all of the sudden starts becoming aware of so many things. Tallulah is now three and a half months old, and she too is really getting big. She has been smiling and talking to us a lot, which is always wonderful. School is busy, but good. This quarter I am studying homiletics, so I will soon preach my first sermon. This is a little nerveracking, but its also very exciting. I am also taking Synoptics, Lectionary Readings (a translating class), Lutheran Confessions II, and a history that covers some of the reasons for the conflict that happened in the LCMS fifty years ago. For my cross-cultural module (requirement every seminarian has to fulfill) I am studying sign language. Finally, I am teaching confirmation class at my field-work church, which as you might expect, is quite a challenge. But what is really exciting is that summer is fast approaching, and that makes a seminary student smile. I enjoy studying, but Allie and I will like having some time off. We will be traveling with Allies family the first week of break, and then we plan to travel to Little Rock for my nieces birthday. After that I hope to take a few summer classes, work, and spend lots of time with the kids. Well, that about covers it. We look forward to the next time we see you all; its always wonderful to come down. Youve been a wonderful church family. Once more, thank you for your continued support in all that you do! Yours in Christ, Kevin, Allie, Monica, and Tullulah Ray

Director of Parish Music

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! One of my favorite new hymns for Easter in Lutheran Service Book is Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia (LSB 466). You have heard it if you have been at our Vacation Bible School the last two years, and it will be there again this year. It is also the Sermon Hymn for Easter Sunday this year. This hymn comes from Tanzania, which has a strong Lutheran presence. The text is by Bernard Kyamanywa, translated by Howard S. Olson. The tune (MFURAHINI HALELUYA) is simple and joyful, bringing the text of the Easter story to those who sing it. Stanza One: Christ has arisen, alleluia. Rejoice and praise Him, alleluia. For our Redeemer burst from the tomb, Even from death, dispelling its gloom. From the beginning of this hymn, the joy of Easter is front and center. Christ has conquered death and the grave! This brings us to the Refrain: Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy; Deaths fearful sting He has come to destroy. Our sin forgiving, alleluia! Jesus is living, alleluia! The Refrain, which is sung after each stanza, gives the central message of the hymn. It brings Christs resurrection on Easter home to us, showing what He has done. Christ has destroyed deaths sting, and how? By forgiving our sins. Death is now powerless against us, because our sins no longer cling to us. Christ took them upon Himself and suffered all that was ours, eternal death and punishment, and in return He gives us all that is His, eternal life and salvation. Stanza Two: For three long days the grace did its worst Until its strength by God was dispersed. He who gives life did death undergo; And in its conquest His might did show. How strange and wonderful that the Lord of creation would choose to suffer and die at the hands of the very people He came to save. His life is now ours, and death is no more.

Stanza Three: The angel said to them, Do not fear! You look for Jesus who is not here. See for yourselves the tomb is all bare; Only the grace cloths are lying there. Christs resurrection is an historical fact; His body has never been found. As Paul says, If Christ is not raised from the dead, your faith is futile and you are still in your sinsBut in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor. 15:17, 20). Stanza Four: Go spread the news: Hes not in the grace; He has arisen this world to save. Jesus redeeming labors are done; Even the battle with sin is won. Having heard the news of Christs resurrection, the women go and tell His disciples what they have seen and heard. We too preach Christ crucified and risen to all those around us, for this is the Good News to trump all other good news. Stanza Five: Christ has arisen; He sets us free; Alleluia, to Him praises be. Jesus is living! Let us all sing; He reigns triumphant, heavenly King. Since Christ has been raised from the dead, we cannot help but sing His praises. This hymn helps us do just that. Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy; Deaths fearful sting He has come to destroy. Our sin forgiving, alleluia! Jesus is living, alleluia!

SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE COFFEE HOST SIGN UP

Volunteers Needed to Serve - Please take a minute and sign up for the Sunday on which you wish to serve. The sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board by the Parlor.

The schedule for April, 2013 is:

April 7th April 14th April 21st April 28th Chris, Jennifer and Will Harrod _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________

The schedule for May, 2013 is:

May 5th May 12th May 19th _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________

Peace in Christ, Nathan Beethe, Director of Parish Music NOON DEVOTIONS WITH PASTOR
Noon Devotions with Pastor is Thursday, April 11 , at 12:00 noon in Parker Hall. Bring a sandwich and join us for Bible study and fellowship. Drinks, chips, and dessert are provided. Bring a friend and join us this is a wonderful opportunity for fellowship!!
th

May 26th

Thanks! We appreciate your help.

THOSE WHO SERVE in APRIL

ACOLYTE SCHEDULE 8:15 a.m. Worship Service Abby Litwa 10:45 a.m. Worship Services Matthew McIntyre COMMUNION ASSISTANTS April 7th - 10:45 a.m. Worship Service Ken Ross April 14th 8:15 a.m. Worship Service Carter Stein April 21st 10:45 a.m. Worship Service John Calvillo April 28th 8:15 a.m. Worship Service Allen Deislinger CANTORS SCHEDULE 8:15 a.m. Worship Service Randy Middaugh 10:45 a.m. Worship Service Jon Cline USHERS SCHEDULE 8:15 a.m. Worship Services Roy Bullards team Roy Andrews, John Ketcher, Gary Proud 10:45 a.m. Worship Services Gervais LeBlancs team Jeff Ralston, Jacob Ralston, Jon Cline GREETERS SCHEDULE 8:15 a.m. Worship Services Janet Killough 10:45 a.m. Worship Services Gervais and Sharon LeBlanc April 14th 10:45 a.m. Jeff and Ginny Ralston ALTAR GUILD SCHEDULE 8:15 a.m. Worship Service Lori Bloom and Angie Proud 10:45 a.m. Worship Service Becky and Ken Ross Mid-Week Services - Suzanne Raddle and Wilma Richter
If you are unable to serve please ask someone to fill in for you and then call the church office.

GRACE FAMILY NEWS AND NOTES

CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY SYMPATHY
to the family of Rev. Stephen Mazak who died on Saturday, March 9th, in Birmingham, Alabama. Rev. Mazak is the father of Anne McIntyre. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Rick, Anne, Alyson, Hannah, and Matt McIntyre and their family.
OUR CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY

OUR CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY to the family of Mr. Bill Littlehales who died on Wednesday, March 13th in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Littlehales is the father of Corey and Erica Proud Littlehales. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Littlehales family. OUR CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY to the family of Denise Higgins who died on Wednesday, March 20th, in hospice care. Denise is the niece of Russlynn and Ron Krueger. Our thoughts and prayers are with Russlynn, Ron, Paul and Laine and their family. OUR CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY to the family of Mr. Paul Seeliger who died on Wednesday, March 20th in Oklahoma. Mr. Seeliger is the father of Tammy Hill. Our thoughts and prayers are with Tammy, Terry, Austin and Cole Hill and their family.

COMMIT TO AN INTENTIONAL ACT OF KINDNESS IN MEMORY OF BRENDA ZESCH

On April 13th (Brendas birthday), commit to an intentional act of kindness by getting a group together to serve in your communitymake a difference for someone you dont know. Share your stories and photos at www.facebook.com/serve4Jesus. Brenda was a former DCE at Christ Lutheran Church here in Little Rock. If you have questions about Serve4Jesus, contact Doris Holzhauer.

GRACE YOUTH Pancake Lunch April 14th Immediately following the 10:45 Service
THE GRACE YOUTH will hold a pancake lunch as a fundraiser on Sunday, April 14th, immediately following the second service. The funds are being raised for the Grace Youth who will attend the National Lutheran Youth Gathering in San Antonio in July. Please purchase tickets ahead of time so that we can prepare an adequate amount of food. Ticket prices are $10 per person or $20 for a family. The Grace Youth will sell tickets on Sundays after the first service (before Sunday School). If you purchase a ticket, you will be entered into a raffle for a gift basket. There will also be a silent auction of various gift baskets made by the Grace Youth at the lunch. We appreciate your support!

MID-SOUTH DISTRICT SINGLES RETREAT April 26-28 Lutheran Camp on Petit Jean
The Mid-South District Singles Fellowship Retreat is April 26-28 at The Lutheran Camp on Petit Jean. The Bible Study and Worship Leader is Rev. Chuck Johnson, Director of the Lutheran Camp on Petit Jean. The theme is Christian Friendship from Proverbs 18:24. See the bulletin board by the Parlor for more information. Registration forms are available in the church office. The cost is $55.00 and the deadline to register is April 21st.

Walk for the Waiting May 18, 2013 at the Clinton Presidential Center
There is a great need in Arkansas for people's hearts to be engaged in the fact that there are children waiting for families, unconditional love and a place to call home. The Walk for the Waiting on May 18th at the Clinton Presidential Center is a partnership between leading ministries in Little Rock who are passionate about children in foster care - The CALL, Project Zero and Immerse Arkansas. By uniting forces we can make even more of a difference in this critical issue, and we are working to call the Church to action. Here are the ways that you can be involved 1) Sign up to be a Sponsored Walker. Go to WalkfortheWaiting.org to register. 2) Help recruit others to also become Sponsored Walkers 3) Help us be a "Walk Recruiter" by getting the word out. If you are interested, please email Diane at diane@walkforthewaiting.org. We appreciate all that you do to support of Project Zero and The CALL through the ministries that we support here at Grace.

SIT AND SEW

Bring your project and join the Sit and Sew group on Tuesday, April 2nd, at 12:00 noon in the downstairs classroom in the church. For details call Carole Nichols or Sammye Sue Harrill.

BABY SHOWER For Melanie Stillman Davis

Please join us for A BABY GIRL SHOWER for Melanie Stillman Davis on Sunday, April 7th at 2:00 p.m. Melanie is registered at BabiesRUs. Hosted by: Rebecca Cate, Lori Dumont, Pat Funk, Gina Junkans, Suzanne Lambert, Riley Middaugh, Diane and Alex Roberts, Paula Walter, and Kim Woodyard.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

BIBLE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES AT GRACE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND GOD'S BLESSINGS to Grace Family Members in the month of April: April: 2 Roy Andrews, Marc Andr LeBlanc 4 Hunter Goodwin, Greg Pils 5 Ashley Worden 6 Edward Allen, Nancy Hickey 7 Edwina Atkinson, Rick Camacho 7 Joel Junkans, Carmen Stewart 9 Brandt Cline, Dana Herman 9 Kestin Schulz 10 Suzanne Lindemann Hardman 11 Grover Bud Evans, Angie Proud 13 David Raddle 14 C. C. Cate 15 Abby Buchanan 16 Daniel Mainard 17 Lauren Atkins, Joshua Bryant 18 Cecilia Gelzine 21 Karen Bullard 22 Jo Hanna Worden 24 Jeremy Camacho 26 Leslie Cossey, Billy Ginocchio, Hayden Villarreal 27 Carroll Holzhauer, Robert Rawlings 28 Nancy Orpin, Bob Schmidt 29 Willie Eustice, Mike Morrison, Ginny Ralston HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to these couples in April: April: 7 Monta and Ole Krasts 21 Alison and Michael Metzler 24 Natasha and David Graf
We apologize if we have missed your birthday or anniversary; please let us know in the church office so we can update our records. Thank you!!

Our nursery, downstairs in the church, is also available to take care of the infants and toddlers during Sunday School/Bible Class time.

ADULT BIBLE CLASS - Pastor Walters Bible Class meets each Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in Parker Hall. Pastor is leading a study of The Augsburg Confession and Its Apology The Lutheran Confessions Series. Come and review what we believe, teach and confess as Lutheran Christians. SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES for children ages 3 years through 6th grade are held in the lower level of the Family Life Center. The parents are invited to join us for the opening service at 9:45 each Sunday. If you have questions contact Colleen Moorman or Nathan Beethe. LCEF K.I.D.S. Saving Stamps are available from Ame Andrews during Sunday School opening time. JUNIOR YOUTH class meets at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday in their classroom downstairs in the church. Joel Junkans leads their study each Sunday. SENIOR YOUTH class meets each Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in their classroom downstairs in the church. Dave Roberts leads their study each Sunday. MENS BIBLE STUDY class meets each Wednesday morning at 6:30 a.m. at St. Vincent Hospital in the 4th floor conference room (off the main elevator). Pastor Walter leads this Bible Study. All men of Grace are encouraged to attend. TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE CLASS meets each Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m. in the downstairs classroom in the church. They will finish their study on LUKE To All Nations and will begin Gods Word for Today on the book of ACTS. Contact Joan Ann Olsen for more information.

ECDC News & Notes . . .

What a busy month March was! We had all kinds of fun with nursery rhymes and fairy tales, and even celebrated Dr. Seuss birthday! The Senior Class had a fun field trip to the Stephens Nature Center! Then Spring sprung and we are full of energy and ready to explore! And of course we traveled in story and song through Holy Week to our Saviors glorious resurrectiondont be afraid, JESUS IS ALIVE! The kids know the story so well and tell it with great joy! And, yes, the Easter bunny made a special visit; and we made our annual resurrection biscuits always yummy! April is the month we learn about creepy, crawly crittersa Spring thing, and hopefully not too much showntell! The Juniors and Seniors will even go to Pinnacle State Park to hike, explore, play, and have a great Spring picniccant wait! And, we start swim lessons, too! During Jesus Time we will learn about Jesus appearing to His disciples and His message to Thomas that is truly a wonderful message to each of us Jesus said to him [Thomas], Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. (that is US!) And, that He gave US all a job to do ...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. AND the best message ever and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Gonna put in another plug for the new Kroger Reward Program is your family one of the 41 that is helping ECDC each time you shop at Kroger? If yesthank you so much for your continued support! If you have not yet registered your KrogerPlus Card with ECDC but would like to support the school in this manner, see me for details. Or, go to krogercommunityrewards.com (once your Plus Card is registered, ECDCs NPO number is 80368). Wouldnt it be great if we could double are supporting households during this quarterYES this is a challenge!! Until next montha joyous Easter season to each of you

Colleen