Bulletin Board
November 16, 2025
WELCOME! Thank you for joining us today in worship, we look forward to having you come again.
Please sign the registration books that are in the pews, and pass them to the next person. If you are worshipping from home and watching on Facebook please leave a comment (even if it is just Hi), it would be appreciated.
AED DEFIBRILLATOR In case you are wondering what the white box on the wall in the office corridor, it is our AED Defibrillator. This is located right outside the sanctuary by the bookcase.
FELLOWSHIP TIME Please join us in the Hillmer Center following the service today for fellowship time. Following fellowship we will have Bible Study and some interesting discussions.
ROOF REPLACEMENT This was about $23,000. The roof has been replaced, the bill has been paid. We did get most of the money from members, but we are needing $2,300 to pay back the Endowment Board. If you would like to contribute to this, write roof replacement on your check and it will be put in the correct spot.
LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICE The Annual Meeting of Lutheran Family Service will take place on Monday, December 8th at the Lutheran Family Service Ministry Center in Fort Dodge, 230 9th Avenue North, Fort Dodge, IA 50501 beginning at 1:00 p.m. As part of the official business of the annual meeting, there will be a review of the ministry plan. We will also be electing LFS board members who will begin their term January 1, 2026. Your participation in the election is extremely helpful to our process. You can vote online through Survey Monkey by clicking on this link or by copying and pasting this link into your internet browser: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HLV5RTK Voting ends Friday, December 5th.
FROM THE BOARD OF STEWARDSHIP How quickly time flies! Here we are again into our annual holiday planning. And once again the Stewardship Board is asking for your assistance. If you know of a person or family in our congregation who is less fortunate or whom we should remember this Christmas with gift cards – please submit those names to the church office no later than Dec. 7th. Along with the request for names, we also request gift cards from Walmart/Target/Hy Vee/Fareway/Aldi’s/Casey’s or Quick Star or dollars with which the bard can purchase gift cards to be distributed. Donations can be left in the church office also by December 7th. We thank you for your generosity in Sharing the true Christmas Spirit.
GRIEF SUPPORT SERIES Lutheran Family Services has a support series on different types of grief. The next one is on loss of job, home and life stability on Wednesday November 19th at 1:00 pm. This series is online, which makes it easier to attend.
A LIFE QUOTE “When life around us is dark and despairing, when troubles are real and overwhelming, when our hurts outweigh our joys, take a moment to think about God’s beautiful creation given for us as a ‘good and perfect gift.’ Take a moment to remember that we have another Light in our world—our Lord Jesus Who is the Creator of all things and is the light of men.” Barbara Lane Geistfeld, DVM, Lutherans For Life – A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life • lutheransforlife.org “Hurting from abortion? Word of Hope can help. word-of-hope.org; 888.217.8679.”
BUILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES Christians who suffer from depression often experience additional guilt, mistakenly believing that “true Christians” should not feel such sadness – only joy. Here’s important and good news: depression is not a sign of weak faith. Luther struggled with depression (melancholy) and so have many other faithful church leaders over the years. If you feel depressed, don’t withdraw from others to suffer alone. Luther had the right idea when he wrote, “Solitude produces melancholy. When we are alone the worst and saddest things come to mind. We reflect in detail upon all sorts of evils. And if we have encountered adversity in our lives, we dwell upon it as much as possible, magnify it, think that no one is so unhappy as we are, and imagine the worse possible consequences.” Don’t retreat into solitude; talk to your pastor, friend, family member, or a trusted counselor at Lutheran Family Service www.LutheranFamilyService.org (515.573.3138 and LFSiowa.org)
MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE - This week the verse
Ephesians 3:20–21
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
CATECHESIS – This week for those using the Catechism Study Guide you should be on the following page number according to what year you are doing.
Year 1 is page 60; Year 2 is page 119; Year 3 is page 178;
BLACKHAWKS HOCKEY GAMES Starting in January the Black Hawks will be giving us an opportunity to see a game for $10 if you have a group of ten or more people in attendance. This is a good chance to attend a game at a discounted price. They are on Friday nights, starting January 9th, 23rd, & 30th. If you are interested let me know and I will get you more details.
Grace Food Pantry
Anyone wishing to donate to the Grace Food Pantry, these are the top items needed:
Top Needs are in bold
canned fruit, peanut butter, hamburger helper, canned soups, Mac n Cheese, Pancake mix, syrup, dry cereal, stick butter, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles, crackers, rice, 32 oz. juice, ramen noodles, body lotion, body wash,
all purpose cleaner (no bleach).
We can always use money too. The committee would like to thank all those who have given generously to the Grace Food Pantry!
Anyone needing assistance with the Grace Food Pantry please contact either the church office or one of the following people: Nancy McHone or Judy DePaepe. Anyone interested in helping with the food pantry please contact the office or the people listed
VALLEY LUTHERAN UPDATE
- Our first Pie Extravaganza is next week! This event replaces our December Giving Tuesday. If you support Valley Lutheran School, please donate to the CRUSADER Fund. To say thanks, come through the circle drive for a slice of apple or pumpkin pie! There is still time to sign up to donate a pie, join our cheering section, or lend us your firepit to keep our volunteers warm! Sign up here
- Can you believe that next month is Christmas?! Our 8th graders are hard at work to raise funds for their class trip in April. One of the ways they raise funds is by hosting a Christmas Shop for all elementary kids to shop for their family and loved ones. Everything in the shop is $1, and slips will go home later in December. To make this successful, we need donations! We accept gently used items. Please, no food or clothing.
* J.O.Y.- We will meet on Nov. 18th from 1-3 here at Valley.
* Dec. 7th Valley Sunday at Grace in Waterloo with an appearance by the Middle School Choir.
* Dec 12th- Valley Christmas Concert at Bethany Bible Chapel, 6:30 pm.
* Thanksgiving Chapel Service- Join us for our Special Chapel service on Nov 21st at 2:30, led by Rev. Henry Pahlkotter.
ILSTO would love to award more financial assistance but we need your help to do so. There certainly is a great need in our LCMS schools so families can continue to send their children to an Iowa Lutheran Elementary/Secondary School. As you begin thoughts of end of year giving, RMD distributions, and other tax planning, please consider a donation to the Iowa Lutheran School Tuition Organization. Your donation can be cash, RMD, appreciated stock, or even grain. The 75% Iowa tax credit is the largest tax credit in Iowa and there are also added tax benefits to C-Corporations if that includes you or someone you know. For more information about ILSTO go online to www.iowalutheransto.com or call Dewey Torkelson at 712-260-2991.
Philippians 1:3, 5 – “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you…because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” God doesn’t need anything we have. Yet He invites us to give so that we can indeed become “partners in the Gospel.” This is a gift of His grace. He invites us to do significant work in the Kingdom of God through our tithes and offerings.
The Schedule this Week:
TODAY:
9:00 a.m. Worship Sanctuary
10:15 a.m. Fellowship Hillmer Center
10:30 a.m. Bible Study/ Sunday School Hillmer Center/Upstairs
MONDAY:
6:00 p.m. Exercise Library
WEDNESDAY:
8:30 a.m. Sewing Ladies Rm !7
5:15 p.m. Choir Practice Music Rm
THURSDAY:
9:30 a.m. Ladies Bible Study Hillmer Center
6:00 p.m. Exercise Library
NEXT SUNDAY:
9:00 a.m. Worship / Holy Comm. Sanctuary
10:15 a.m. Fellowship Hillmer Center
10:30 a.m. Bible Study/Sunday School Hillmer Center/Upstairs
Youth News
Check the next Grace Greetings for more information.
ONLINE GIVING We now have the option of online giving available on our website: www.gracewaterloo.org You will enter a secure site and can setup weekly or one time gifts to your regular giving or to special funds like the building repair fund. Giving can be setup with either a credit card or your bank account. You can create an account that will remember your information for future use. This is a very secure site so you can setup giving with confidence that your information will be safe. You can also setup giving using an app on a cell phone. Justsearch for Vanco in your App Store. Using this you will need to create an account with your information to allow the app to communicate with Vanco.