Author: Jack Busche

July 2025 Devotional

Philippians 3:17-21
17 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.
Happy Fourth of July! As we prepare ourselves for backyard barbecues and fireworks, we celebrate the independence of our nation and the freedoms that we have as citizens of that nation. Whether our observances of this holiday are patriotic or just an excuse to have summer fun, the Fourth of July is a celebration of identity, specifically of our American identities – whether we are hoisting a flag or just flipping burgers, the Fourth is an embrace of who we believe we are, and in which nation we believe we belong. This is all well and good, of course – but in our celebrations of being American, it is important to remember that our truest identity is as children of God, and that our true citizenship is not in any nation on earth, but in the resurrected kingdom of heaven. Above is a selection from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, a people who lived and often suffered in the Roman Empire. They understood what Roman citizenship could mean for those who had it (protection under the law, civil rights, the promise that the Roman state would protect you), and what it meant for those who did not have it (no protection from the law, and no rights to a trial or fair treatment). It was likely that in the early church, there were citizens and non-citizens alike, just as there were rich and poor, Jew and Gentile, male and female. However, if anyone in the church with Roman citizenship assumed that they were more important than their non-citizen neighbor, Paul needed them to understand that their true citizenship was not in Rome, but in heaven, and that even Rome (and indeed, America) will fade and pass away, but the promise of salvation never would.
In a preserved sermon of Martin Luther’s on this text, titled “Enemies of the Cross of Christ & The Christian’s Citizenship in Heaven” (not the snappiest title, admittedly), Luther asserts that our citizenship in heaven is not something that will only be relevant to our lives later, but is in place right here and now: “Therefore we are no longer citizens of earth. The baptized Christian is born a citizen of heaven through baptism. We should be mindful of this fact and walk here as

July

Newsletter

56

Grace Lutheran Church

July 2025 Devotional

if native there.” Martin Luther was not a citizen of Rome, but of German Saxony, even as he was also a troublesome subject of the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages. Of course, Luther understood he lived under a government of his day, just as Paul did in his day, and the laws and leaders that Luther knew were as far distant from Paul’s context as he is now from our own – and yet, all the same, they were truly citizens of the same place, destined for the same resurrection, expecting the same Savior. It is important to remember this! If we share this same citizenship with them, and with every faithful person who waits on Christ’s return, then we should, as Luther says, “walk as if native [to heaven].” We are not Americans first, but God’s first, and so in our daily walk, we put the things that God cares about first: love for the neighbor, forgiveness of one another, even praying and caring for our enemies. Ever power of this world waves flags, and vainly takes pride in their own strength. Christ waved no flag, but picked up a cross – he did not take up human strength or human weapons, but allowed himself to be humiliated and executed, trusting fully that God would raise him and set him above all things in glory. While we wait to be raised as Jesus was, as we wait for his return, we celebrate that no matter where we come from, or which flag we live under, we are citizens of the same place, and destined for the same kingdom of God. God bless you and keep you safe this Fourth of July!

July

Newsletter

56

Grace Lutheran Church

News at Grace Lutheran

Weekly Bible Study – Mondays at 11 AM
On Mondays at 11 AM, Pastor Jack hosts the weekly Bible study based on the lectionary texts for the next Sunday until Pastor Jack returns from his leave. All are welcome to attend, which will be held in our Gathering Room adjacent to the sanctuary. If you have some time on a Monday morning, we hope you can join us for this discussion-based study, as we go deeper into the texts we read every Sunday.

Community Bible Study
Join us at 8:45 AM on Sunday mornings for the Community Bible Study in the Gathering Room (2nd level) – all are welcome for our in-depth studies!

Although our faith is that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of David, our current Community Bible study focuses instead on David himself, as he is portrayed in I Samuel, II Samuel, and the very beginning of I Kings. These books are fascinating narratives that portray not only the struggles, epic successes and moral failures of David and his family, but also the chaotic period of transition in Israel from the charismatic leadership of the judges to the centralized power of kings. This is a story of terrible wars, competing factions, betrayals and rebellions – it is also a story of touching friendship, surprising mercy, and unshakeable faith in the God of Israel. Please join us on Sunday mornings at 8:45 AM in our Gathering Room, as we delve into the story of David, the Anointed One of God.

Jul. 6: NO BIBLE STUDY (Worship in the Park)
Jul 13: David in Hiding (I Sam. 21-22:5)
Jul. 20: Saul and the Priests of Nob (I Sam. 22:6-19)
Jul. 27: David and Abiathar (I Sam. 22:20-23:14)
Aug. 3: NO BIBLE STUDY (Worship in the Park)
Aug. 10: David Eludes Saul (I Sam. 23:15-29)
Aug. 17: David Spares Saul’s Life (I Sam. 24-25:1)
Aug. 24: David and Abigail (I Sam. 25:2-44)

News at Grace Lutheran

Upcoming Feeding America Dates
July 9th
August 7th

Feeding America-West Michigan at Grace is still hosting our Mobile Pantries in 2025! Our next one will be on July 9th , with distribution starting at 4 PM.
If you are interested in volunteering (either for the whole event or part of it), please sign up in the Narthex, or let Pastor Jack know (715-660-8956, pastorjack@graceingwinn.org). Volunteers are asked to be there by 3:30 PM to help set up before distribution begins. Thank you!

Youth Library Days:
Our next Youth Library Day will be on August 14th from 11 AM to 2 PM. We will start our day here at Grace, Have lunch and then head to the Forsyth Public Library in Gwinn. If you are interested in volunteering or have children who would like to join us please call our office at 906-346-3156, or message Pastor Jack at pastorjack@graceingwinn.org
Special Worship Services
Sunday July 6th, 2025 at 10 AM
Worship in Peter Nordeen Park with Gwinn United Methodist, Gwinn Community Church and First Baptist Church
Sunday August 3rd, 2025 at 10 AM
Worship in Peter Nordeen Park with Gwinn United Methodist Gwinn, Community Church and First Baptist Church

News at Grace Lutheran

Women’s Outing
Grace women will go on their summer outing on Wednesday July 23rd. Please sign-up in the narthex by June 22nd. We will leave Grace on Marqtran ($2.00) at 5 PM eat dinner at Big Boy at 5:30 PM and go see the play “Mama Mia” at the boat house at 7:30 PM. Tickets for the play will be $10 and you can get your ticket for the play from Pat Seger on June 29th.
Grace Vacation Bible School – July 8-10, 11-2 PM
Vacation Bible School is coming back this summer to Grace, July 8-10, 11-2 PM each day. Youth of all ages are invited to sign up – sign-ups are available in our church office, and can be found on our church website, graceingwinn.com.
This year, Grace will be hosting Vacation Bible School on our site. We will once again be welcoming volunteers from Faith Lutheran in Troy, to help with both VBS and with the Feeding America distribution on July 9.
If you are interested in volunteering, please let Pastor Jack know (715-660-8956; pastorjack@graceingwinn.org), leave a message with our church office (906-346-3156; office@graceingwinn.org), or sign up on the clipboard on the narthex counter. We will need volunteers for small group leaders, meal support, set-up and clean-up, and helping lead activities.

News at Grace Lutheran

NOTICE:
Pastor Jack will be leaving for Fortune Lake the evening of July 20th and will return to Grace July 25th.
Campfire Services:
Each Wednesday in August at 6 PM, join us for S’more Campfire Worship! If you came to church, and want just a little more in your week, this is your chance for “some more”! There will be a cookout meal at 5:30 PM, with a camp-style worship service and s’mores (of course!) at 6 PM.
Join us for S’more Church on:
· August 6
· August 13
· August 20
· August 27

News at Grace Lutheran

COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The members of Community Outreach want to thank the church for their support of our mission. Our greatest mission are our Meal Kits given to needy families in our area. During the first year of COVID we began with 12 families and now 52 families (177 people) receive a Meal Kit to make a full meal for the family. We are thankful for all the good wishes and support we receive from you. NOTICE: July Meal Kits will be put together and delivered on the third Tuesday of July (7/15), instead of the second Tuesday. This is only for July because Grace’s Vacation Bible School is scheduled for that week. July 15th will be pack and delivery date.
2025 Fun Daze Pie Sale:
Grace Lutheran Church has excellent pie makers. I can attest to this because I had several different pieces and they were all plate licking good. We had 20 bakers and 50 pies with 25 varieties. We raised $1,275 which will go to maintenance of the church van which is used to transport children for Kid’s Café and for delivering Meal Kits. So thank you so very much to all the bakers, slicers, packagers, and workers at the park! Your support is so appreciated!!!
Submitted by: Becky Marjonen

News at Grace Lutheran

News at Grace Lutheran

Naomi Circle
The Naomi Circle meets the second Thursday of each month at 2 PM in the downstairs fellowship hall. All women are invited. We do a Bible study from the Gather magazine and enjoy a coffee fellowship. Seven of us ladies recently attended the Superior Conference Cluster 8 meeting at Bethel Lutheran Church in Ishpeming. The program was on basket weaving followed by a short meeting and a delicious meal. The fall Cluster meeting will be here at Grace.
Quilters
The Quilters meet every Tuesday except the second Tuesday of each month in the fellowship room downstairs. We send our quilts to Lutheran World Relief each October as well as donating locally. New quilters are welcome to join.
Prayer Concerns
Darlene Faucher Karen Octaluk Bill Hatch
Gerry Stille Marlys Pickett Gloria LaFave
Alice Harbin Paul Juidici Sally Weingartner
Roger Harbin Judy Richard Sarah Johnson
Louise Spickerman Harold Zaborowski The family of Pat Makela
Sarah Johnson Richard Erickson The family of Karen McElroy
Mike Stefanski Mary Stefanski The family of Ed Mattson
Arlene Keskimaki Dee Pynnonen The family of Francis Keni
Scott Pynnonen The family of Nancy Ranta

News at Grace Lutheran

June and July Sunday Worship Volunteers
Readers
Communion Assistants
Fellowship Servers

August 3rd – Lynnette Broxson
August 10th – Dave Van Kley
August 17th – Mikael Leppaluoto
August 24th – Sharon Groff

July 6th - LuAnne Krueger
July 13th - Lynnette Broxson
July 20th - Sharon Groff
July 27th - Arlene VanKley

July 6th - Arlene Johnson
July 13th - Ray Richard
July 20th - LuAnne Krueger
July 27th - Jean Armatti

August 3rd – Chrys Hendrick
August 10th – Mary Connors
August 17th – Ray Richard
August 24th – Ruth Forgette

July 6th - SERVICE IN THE PARK
July 13th - Janie Marjonen, Becky Marjonen
July 20th - Louise Ingalls, Sue DeGroot
July 27th - Jean Armatti, Robin Howard

JULY BIRTHDAYS

Ray Richard	7/3
Gerald Stille	7/6
Marie Hall	7/9
Jackie Kangas	7/13

Kristin LaRock	7/17
Bud Hendrick	7/21
Carole Salzwedel	7/21
Bill Barrette	7/21
Sydney Busche	7/26

Stewardship Highlight

Stewardship 2025 – Salt and Light
Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
When our Stewardship Committee met for the first time in May, we discussed what kind of message or theme we wanted to use during the stewardship campaign this fall. We decided that, rather than focusing on the needs of the church, we would focus instead on the nature of this church, in particular the “why” of our church. Why is it that we come each week to worship, or volunteer our time at Feeding America or at a pie sale, or give money as generously as we do? Maybe the answers to those things are obvious – we are spiritually fed at worship, we enjoy helping others, we know the church has a budget that needs to be fulfilled. All the same, at a deeper level, the “why” remains – why do we feel so compelled to do these things, that deep in our hearts we have a conviction that this faith and this community are worth supporting?
You may have heard it said before that, “Faith is a verb, not a noun.” That is to say, faith is something one does, rather than something one has – we might say that we “have faith,” but what that really means is that we, in our limited and human way, take on the challenge of “doing faith.” If we take this catchphrase too seriously, we might get ourselves worked up trying to “do faith” enough, that somehow, through the doing, we can prove to God that we are genuinely faithful. But “doing faith” is not about doing things that are alien to us – instead, “doing faith” means doing what comes naturally. In this teaching passage from Matthew, Jesus does not tell his followers that they must become salt and light –

Stewardship Highlight

instead, they are already salt and light, the good in the world that can be easily found, but once gone, is sorely missed. That is you! You are salt and light – your presence in this church, in this community, makes this world a better place – and you do it, because it is already within your nature. When we ask those “why” questions, they almost feel silly, because we know, deep in our hearts, that the good we do through our faith is essential to who we are. We don’t need to prove anything to God or to others, but we do these things because in our love for Christ, we feel compelled to love others, to support our neighbors, and to support our church where love and grace are preached and practiced. If that is who we are, how can we do any different? If we are salt, let us be salty, nourishing and tasty – if we are light, let us shine where we are, illuminating the world with our presence. Thanks be to God, for all that you do, and for everything that you are, remembering always that most importantly, we are God’s beloved children.

News at Grace Lutheran

Grace Lutheran Church
Church Council, 6/18/25
Present: Pastor Jack, Bill Kangas, Ruth Forgette, Bill Koski, Paul Makela, Jean Armatti, Dee D’Ambrosia, Karen Nelson
Meeting called to order at 3:31 p.m. by Bill Kangas. Pastor Jack led the invocation.
Agenda approved by Ruth. Second by Karen, motion carried.
Reviewed 5/25 minutes. Motion by Ruth, second by Dee, to approve the 5/25 minutes. Motion carried.
Paul reviewed the financial reports. He made a motion to approve them as written. Second by Jean, motion carried.
Correspondence was reviewed
Pastor’s Report reviewed.
OLD BUSINESS:
Youth Update: Invited synod youth partners from other congregations to attend the Synod Youth Luau at Grace June 29, 5:00-7:30 p.m. Planning the curriculum and schedule for VBS July 8-10. Will purchase plastic sheeting from Lowe’s or Menard’s for the slip-n-slide. Pastor Jack checking into the “Bounce House” from the fire dept.
Property Updates: Bill Kangas reported the bad parts of the wall in the cold room in the basement have been stripped, washed, and ready to paint.
There is a discrepancy between TKE and the electrician re: power for the elevator. We have a $1900 bill from TKE and still need a smoke detector. He will review the contract and report back next month. Will request quote from Otis. Also, the electrician checked the switch and smoke detectors and installed a new switch.
Feeding America Updates: July 9 is the next date. Faith Lutheran of Troy will be here helping again.

News at Grace Lutheran

Worship Update: Worship in the Park on July 6 at 10:30.
Constitutional Consult Meeting: Our 2022 draft had been approved. Pr. Sharolyn Swenson, Asst to Bishop, will assist with getting Grace’s constitution completed and approved. Meeting set for August 5 at 10:00 a.m. for Council to meet with her. Council will meet at 2:30 on Wednesday, July 16, before the regular council meeting to review the constitution and draft.
NEW BUSINESS
Sell/Donate/Dump: Decided to dump the television in Gathering Room and the old sound equipment from the sanctuary. Will ask Bill and Tony about options for donating the smaller older piano on the Fellowship Hall stage.
Messiah Community Assistance Fund: Pastor Jack met with Pastor Andrew and Pastor Molly from Messiah about an intra-conference partnership for community assistance. We will table this for now.
COMMITTEE REPORTS: Worship and Music met and planned worship for July. Stewardship, Finance, and Personnel Committees did not meet.
Council Member Comments: None.
Ruth made a motion to adjourn at 4:54. Second by Bill Kangas, motion carried.
All said the Lord’s Prayer.
Next meeting: Wednesday, June 18, starting at 2:30 to review the Constitution and Draft
Submitted by Karen Nelson

July 2025

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1 / Quilters - 1 PM	2	3	4 / Hope Circle 10 AM	5
6 / 8:45 AM Bible Study / 10:30 AM Worship in the park / Pentecost 5	7 / 11 AM Text Study	8 / VBS 11 AM - 2 PM	9 / Feeding America 4 PM / VBS 11 AM - 2 PM	10 / VBS 11 AM - 2 PM	11	12
13 / 8:45 AM Bible Study / 10 AM Worship / Pentecost 6	14 / 11 AM Text Study	15 / Quilters – 1 PM	16 / Council 3:30 PM	17 / Worship and Music 3 PM	18	19
20 / 8:45 AM Bible Study / 10 AM Worship / Pentecost 7	21 / 11 AM Text Study	22 / Quilters 1 PM / Teal Lake 2 PM	23	24	25	26
27 / 8:45 AM Bible Study / 10 AM Worship / Pentecost 8	28 / 11 AM Text Study	29 / Quilters – 1 PM	30	31

August 2025

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
					1	2
3 / NO BIBLE STUDY / 10 AM Worship in the Park / Pentecost 4	4 / 11 AM Text Study	5 / Quilters – 1 PM	6 / Campfire Service 6 PM	7 / FEEDING AMERICA 4 PM	8	9
10 / 8:45 AM Bible Study / 10 AM Worship / Pentecost 5	11 / 11 AM Text Study	12 / Meal Kits 2 PM	13 / Campfire Service 6 PM	14 / Naomi Circle 2 PM / Worship and Music 3 PM / Youth Library Day	25	16
17 / NO BIBLE STUDY / 10 AM Worship / Pentecost 6	18 / 11 AM Text Study	19 / Quilters - 1 PM	20 / Council 3:30 PM / Campfire Service 6 PM	21	22	23
24 / 8:45 AM Bible Study / 10 AM Worship / Kid’s Café Volunteer Meeting 5 PM / Pentecost 7	25 / 11 AM Text Study	26 / Quilters - 1 PM	27 / Campfire Service 6 PM	28	29	30

News at Grace Lutheran

FROM THE BACK PEW
By Mikael Leppaluoto
Little black and white photographs live on in our memories. Simplicity! God in His wisdom has given us many simple things to brighten our lives. We are enlightened by them and lifted up. They are like tiny nuggets of joy that drop on our hearts like rain. We rejoice in them and when we bring them back to the forefront of our minds, they emerge in vivid color.
Imagine with me. Close your eyes and visualize. Remember a forgotten time that gave you true pleasure.
An infant, not yet a year old, cradled in the crook of your arm. Head rested beneath your chin. Is it your own or another’s? You lean your head forward and press your lips to the sleeping baby. The fresh scent of Johnson’s Baby Powder tickles your nose. The baby sighs and lightly squeezes your finger. A smile creases your mouth as you hold gently one of God’s miracles.
As a young boy, I relished the days my mother would don her apron, put on her babushka scarf, and pull out the bread making materials. Soon the house would be filled with the tantalizing aroma of baking bread. Can you smell it? Finnish flat bread fresh from the oven. I always tried to be the first in the kitchen as the pans slid out. The heel, warm and slathered with “real” butter, was a heavenly delight.
The beauty of an Autumn Day is like no other. Put yourself on a forested trail alone or hand in hand with the one you love. The leaves are a brilliant mixture of colors. You look up and see a patchwork quilt of reds, yellows, and green. The wind rustles the leaves creating a symphony written by God. Have you walked a path on a day such as this? Does it linger still in your memory?
Have you had a pet? Like family, a dog or a cat will steal a corner of your heart. I can only speak for a dog, for that was the bundle of fur that curled on my lap. A dog doesn’t care if you have money or have none, whether you are an athlete or uncoordinated, young or old, good-looking or not. A dog will show unconditional love. I still picture the excitement my dog displayed when I came home from work. Will Rogers said it best, “If there are dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went.”

News at Grace Lutheran

FROM THE BACK PEW
By Mikael Leppaluoto
Did you laugh today? Did you laugh yesterday, and will you laugh tomorrow? Such a simple thing, a chuckle that grows deep within your belly. Laughter lets us get rid of our frustrations and opens our soul. I feel the best when I laugh. I can remember many moments when laughter filled our home. A child’s laugh is the best laugh.
Lastly, one of the simplest things that God gives us that He wants us to share and when you get it, you get one right back…..a Hug! I have never been disappointed with those that I have received. It does sadden me that if I taught school today, I couldn’t give them. I always believed that the hug I gave to children might be the only one they got for the day. A hug is a way that God allows us to spread happiness.
So……I leave you with this simple quote: “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” Please, always remember the simple moments in your life that God has given you. May they form a picture book in your mind to be retrieved and relived.

December 1st - Deb Hurkman, Christine Mitchell
December 8th - Terri Britlinger, Shane Ruokola
December 15th - Louise Ingalls, Robin Howard
December 22nd - LuAnne Krueger, Theresa Hruska