November 7, 2025
Dear Church,
This week begins a special three-week forum series, in conjunction with the Grace to Flourish campaign. The campaign addresses critical ministry needs – from our physical space to our staffing levels to our sanctuary – all centered around the values of Grace Lutheran. The campaign has been shaped by values such as hospitality, welcome, intergenerational ministry, and partnership. And so for the next three weeks, our forums will also serve to uplift those values and connections!
This week, we will be welcoming Hannah Edwards from Transforming Families, a Minnesota-based organization that hosts peer-led support groups for trans and gender expansive youth and their families – one of which meets at Grace! Hannah will share about these support groups, and what the landscape is currently like for trans youth and their families and how we can support them.
The following week, November 16th, we’ll celebrate Reconciling in Christ Sunday, marking nine years of Grace formally voting on our commitment to be an open and inclusive church community. We’ll be joined by guest preacher and forum presenter Jae Bates, who specializes in adoptee-centered ministry, LGBTQ+ issues, and anti-racism & racial justice, with a research focus on child welfare and welcome.
And on the 23rd (Commitment Sunday!) our forum will highlight our partnership with Mensajeros de Christo in Guatemala. The Guatemala Ministry Team will share about the history of this partnership, why it’s central to our mission, and stories from the latest delegation, looking towards our next trip in November of 2026.
I hope you’ll join us for these forums highlighting the good ministry and welcome happening at Grace – and if you haven’t heard, our nursery is staffed during the Forum hour, if childcare has been a barrier to attendance! May we continue to live Christ’s love in the world, each and every day.
In Christ,
Pastor Reed
Every Friday, we send an email to the congregation and any others who would like to learn more about the Grace community. The last four Friday emails are posted below.