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April 2018 Vol 19 Issue 4

Christ is risen indeed!

I learned the Easter Greeting as a child. I have a dim memory of a pastor explaining it in an Easter ser-

mon, though I cannot say what was its exact formulation, whether it was “Christ is risen” or “The Lord

is risen” or there were the accompanying Alleluias we so often include. Whatever the form, it was initi-

ated by the plain statement “Christ is risen” answered in like manner but with the addition of “indeed.”

It may seem unnecessary in a greeting. Such an element is not used in other greetings. Have you ever

responded to “Good Morning” with “Good Morning, indeed” or even “Indeed, it is.” I’ve never heard

anyone say “Hello, indeed” or “Good bye, indeed.” I don’t suppose there is anything grammatically

wrong with that but it would be odd, wouldn’t it? “Indeed” adds an extra bit of assurance, or intensity,

or perhaps an expression of deep feeling. But for our ordinary greetings we are not really trying to con-

vey information. Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, Good Night are not weather fore-

casts. They are not stating facts, nor is there anything controversial at issue. You would really have to

have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed to make an argument of “Good Morning.” Can you imag-

ine:

A: Good Morning B: So you say.

A: Good Afternoon B. Is it?

A: Good Evening B: What’s so good about it?

A: Good Night B: Don’t be ridiculous!

We take these greetings not as statements of fact, but as expressions of good wishes or good will, a hope

for what is to come. With the Easter Greeting however we are in a different country. It is not an empty

platitude. It is a bold, defiant and challenging statement. Christ is risen. A robust response is called for:

Christ is risen, indeed.

It goes back, I suppose, to the beginning, to the astonishment, wonder and initial disbelief of Jesus’ clos-

est associates. It stands as corrective to the terror and amazement that caused the women at the tomb “to

say nothing to anyone” out of fear. As an antidote to the skepticism of Thomas, who wanted to see for

himself the mark of the nails. Contrary to the timid and tentative reception the first Easter Greeting re-

ceived, Christians now for centuries even millennia speak to each other the words of the figure at the

tomb and respond to it setting aside all fear and doubt. Christ is risen, indeed. I’ve sometimes won-

dered if “indeed” is the best expression to use. It seems a bit old fashioned, even stuffy. Sometimes you

see it expressed “Christ is truly risen” which is softer less angular. But it is not nearly so bold. In our

usual version the elements are as basic as you can get: in deed. Christ is risen, IT HAPPENED. FOR

REAL. Or in folksy, northern mid-western speak, Christ is risen. Ya, sure you betcha. And why not be

so bold. It is an extraordinary claim. Even for pre-modern, superstitious ancient peoples, it was a big

leap. But that’s what it is: a leap of faith. It dare not be an empty hope followed by a vague agreement.

When the greeting is initiated it is the Gospel itself: Christ is risen. When responded to it is an une-

quivocal affirmation: Christ is risen indeed.

Messenger of Grace February 2018 page 2

The Rev. James G. Krauser, Pastor

GRACE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH Telephone/Fax: (516) 785-5029 Parsonage: (516) 804-8837

Preschool: (516) 409-5188 Webpage: www.gracelutheranbellmore.org

E-mail: gelcnb@aol.com

Church Staff Pastor The Rev. James G. Krauser Preschool Director Mrs. Karin Trabold

Church Secretary Ms. Kathy Pellechia PreSchool Teachers: Mrs. Doris Ansalone

Organist Mr. Den Collins Mrs. Jean Blom, Mrs. Jennifer Callery

Ms. Lisa Donleavy, Mrs. Shannon Holz

Mrs. Ellyn Mantello

Congregation Council Jim Batcher ('19) Laura Hackel (’20) Terry Freyvogel (’21)

Don Field (‘19) Kathy Pellechia (’20) Scott Greifenberger (’21

Diane McDermott ('19) Jim Schwarz (‘20) Paul Saueracker (’21)

Craig Preattle (’19) Alison Tomasulo (’20) Vacancy

Rev. James G. Krauser, Pastor

Women of the ELCA

The next meeting of Women of ELCA will be Tuesday, April 10th. Hosting will be Joan Keville and

Ann Seybold. Hylkije Halili, Program Coordinator at the New LIFE Center-Long Island, our food pan-

try, will be our guest speaker.

We extend our heartfelt prayers any sympathy to the family of Chris Danforth on the loss of their mother

and grandmother. Christ was an active member of our WELCA for many years.

Our annual Bake Sale will be hled on Sunday May 20th

. Donations of cakes, cookies, and pies would be

very much appreciated. The sale will take place after both the 9am and 10am services.

The Eastern Nassau Conference Bible Study will be held this month at St. John’s Lutheran Church in

Bellmore on Friday, April 27, 2018. The title is The Prodigal Son. [The May study will take place here

at Grace.]

Peace and love,

Doris Maksimchak

Condolences

We extend our condolences to Preschool Teacher Mrs. Ellyn Mantello and her family on the death of her

son Thomas on Easter Sunday, April 1. Visitation will take place on April 6th

at the Vernon C. Wagner

Funeral Home, 125 W Old Country Road in Hicksville, NY from 4pm-8pm.

A funeral service will be held at Grace for Jean Kern on Saturday April 7, at 1:00pm. We extend our

sympathy to the Kern family.

Messenger of Grace February 2018 page 3

Messenger of Grace February 2018 page 4

Bible Study

Pastor will resume his monthly Bible Study that provides a tour through

the upcoming our Sunday Gospel Readings. The study will be held at the

parsonage on Thursday, April 19th

and will look at the Easter Gospels.

We begin at 10:00am. Coffee, tea and (of course) bagels will be served.

Please call the church office (785-5029) to let us know you will attend.

First Communion Classes

First Communion will be celebrated on Pentecost Sunday, May 20 at the 10:00am ser-

vice. Preparation classes will be held Sundays following morning worship beginning

on April 15th

through May 6th. Parents who desire their children (3rd grade) to receive

instruction should speak with Kristin Schwarz to enroll. Older children who have not

received instruction are also invited to participate.

April Birthdays & Anniversaries

April 1st Derek Novotny

April 2nd Maria Azeez

April 3rd Doris Maksimchak

April 5th Eileen Callery, Michael McManus,

April 6th Christopher Preattle

April 11th Susan Horacek, Marilynn Brunelle,

Robert Spahn

April 12th Dawn Wickline, Terry Freyvogel

April 17th Colin Jenks

April 19th Carli McAlinden

April 20th Eric Hatt, Tara & Steven Steinmetz

April 21st Thomas LaLena

April 24th Eric Mehlhaff , Alisa Borger, Sophia Cianciuilli,

Megan Dies, Heidi McManus

April 25th Taylor Mischke

April 26th Madeline Maraglio

April 27th John Maraglio , John Mumolo,

April 28th Michael Maraglio , Zachary Weiss

April 29th Frank Symanzik

Yard Sale

Our annual yard sale will be on Saturday, June 9th

[raindate June 16th

].

You may begin bringing items for inclusion in the sale Memorial Day week-

end.

Messenger of Grace February 2018 page 5

GRACE BOOK CLUB

Club members met at Terry Freyvogel’s house on February 28, 2018 to discuss

our latest book selection, Celine by Peter Heller.

The main character is a quirky and elegant private eye, Celine, who specializes

in reuniting families. She works from her tiny apartment at the base of the

Brooklyn Bridge as she continues her very successful career of tracking down

missing persons. Her latest client is a young woman named Gabriela who asks

for Celine’s help in finding her father, a nature photographer, who probably disappeared somewhere

near the borders of Montana and Wyoming. It was assumed he died from a grizzly bear mauling, but his

body was never found. Thus, begins a search into a world of mystery and great sorrow.

Celine and her partner decide to head to Yellowstone National Park as they investi-

gate a trail that has gone cold. And now it appears that they are being followed and

that this missing person case is very important to someone who wants the case to

remain closed.

The book did have a slow start with a lot of backstory and character development but

once readers settle into the plot, the pages fly by and at the book’s end you are wish-

ing for more chapters. That being said, Grace Book Club members enjoyed this

novel and do recommend it as a worthwhile book selection.

Peter Heller’s inspiration for this book was the life of his remarkable mother, a

chic and classy private eye in her own right. Celine is a deeply personal novel,

an engrossing story of family, privilege, and childhood loss.

Our next reading selection is a work of non-fiction, The Woman Who Smashed

Codes by Jason Fagone.

Nancy Gutheil

Easter Crews

Three cheers to Carol Jenks and the Easter Breakfast team for another successful celebration. Thanks

once again to Paul and Nancy Saueracker for the bagels and fixings. Appreciation to Craig Preattle,

Don Field and Scott Greifenberger for moving the furniture and setting up the tables in Fellowship Hall

and any not listed here.

Thanks also to all the children who turned out on Good Friday for the 3pm service and for dyeing our

Easter eggs for the breakfast. Appreciation is also given to Susan Horacek and Kristin Schwarz and to

all those who donated candy and eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt. And of course thanks to Gavin Mehlhaff

who was our Easter Bunny this year.

We also acknowledge the work of the entire Altar Guild for the decoration of the sanctuary and to Den

Collins for arranging for brass players Matthew Byrne & Erik Beuttenmuller and the additional rehearsal

work in preparation for Easter services.

Messenger of Grace February 2018 page 6

Memorials Received

Donations to Grace Church in loving memory of Christine Danforth & Pat Degree have been received

and are gratefully acknowledged. [Those marked with an asterisk were directed to property improve-

ment.] Memorials were received from:

In memory of Christine Danforth In memory of Pat Degree

Eileen Callery Marilynn & Art Brunelle*

Debbie Davis Debbie Davis

Nancy Gutheil Joan Keville*

Joan Keville* Linda & Mike Roemer*

Helen Kofod

Diane & George McDermott*

Doris & Andy Maksimchak

Ruth & Bob Maraglio*

Linda & Mike Roemer*

Nancy & Paul Saueracker

Evelyn Steinert

Fellowship Club

Women of the ELCA*

Easter Memorials 2018

EASTER PLANTS GIVEN BY IN MEMORY OF Batcher Family Departed family members of the Batcher, Leibs & Reinckes Families

Blom Family Frances & Joseph Gabrielsen & Eileen Blom

Carl Erickson Bea Erickson

Don & Mary Ellen Field Al & Ethel Field, Ed & May Ankudavich

Scott & Mary Grefenberger Karolyn & Oscar Greifenberger, Marilyn & Francis McGue

Nancy Gutheil & Family Warren Gutheil

The Hofmann Family Catherine & Arthur Hofmann, Adele & John H. Weiss,

Rose Lepine, Herman H. Meyer, Dorothy Wilkins, Cynthia Jenks

Joan Keville Bernard Keville

Rev. James G. Krauser James, Ruth & June Krauser

The Niedfeld & Middleton Families Alice & Stanton Middleton, Sr.

Helen & William Niedfeld, Florence & Jack Abrams

Kathy Pellechia MaryAnn & Joan Doyle, Kevin & Michael Godwin, Laura Binko

Linda & Mike Roemer Walter Etringer, Henry Gamble

Jim, Kristin & Hadley Schwarz Warren Gutheil

The Tomasulo Family Shirley Eyring, Vincent & Helen Tomasulo, Kathy Quinn,

Nick, Bobby, Olivia & Brian

The Trabold Family Leo, Barbara & Robert Trabold

Doris & Andy Maksimchak Departed Loved Ones

EASTER PLANTS GIVEN BY IN HONOR OF The Blom Family Courtney Blom (Silver Award – Girl Scouts)

The Brunelle Family Greyson Arthur Vera’s 4th Birthday

Adele & Ray Hofmann Grandsons Colin & Cayden Jenks

Linda & Mike Roemer Alice Etringer, Charlie Kearns

The Tomasulo Family Diane & Robert Lorelli

Den Collins Pr. Krauser & Grace Lutheran Church

Jim, Kristin & Hadley Schwarz Nancy Gutheil, Jim & Peggy Schwarz

Messenger of Grace April 2018 page 7

AA times indicate when they have use of the building; for their meeting schedule go to http://www.nassauny-aa.org/MtgList/n.html#NorthBellmore

Messenger of Grace April 2018 page 8

Worship Servers Schedule

April 2018

Altar Guild Team 3

Acolytes should arrive 15 minutes early for instruction

Regular schedule:

Spoken Service at 9 AM.

Liturgy with Music at 10 AM. Sunday School at 10 AM.

DATE ASSISTING

MINISTER LECTOR USHERS ACOLYTES COUNTERS HOSTESS

Apr. 1 Easter 8am

Paul Saueracker Peter Horacek Don Field, Jon Genna, Peter Horacek

Peter Horacek Terry Freyvogel, Ruth Maraglio

No Coffee

Apr. 1 Easter 10:30am

Alan Hulsaver Tracy Niedfeld Harold Gundel, Tracy Niedfeld

Emma Henry, Gavin Mehlhaff Jasmine Niedfeld Luke Ringnalda

Terry Freyvogel, Ruth Maraglio

No Coffee

Apr. 8 10:00am

Diane McDermott George McDermott Scott Blom, Dan McNamee, Craig Preattle

Luke Ringnalda, Melanie Hladky

Carl Erickson, Laura Hackel

Chris MacLeod

Apr. 15 10:00am

Paul Saueracker Debbie Davis Eric Mehlhaff, Mike Trabold

Emma Henry, Gavin Mehlhaff

Joan Keville, Warren Vandewater

Mary Greifenberger

Apr. 22 10:00am

Adele Hofmann Ray Hofmann Debbie Davis, Andy Maksimchak

Lauren Genna, Isabel Maraglio

Karin Trabold, Eric Mehlhaff

Diane LaLena

Apr. 29 10:00am

Alan Hulsaver Debbie Pekoff Don Field, Jon Genna, Peter Horacek

Peter Horacek, Derek Ringnalda

Terry Freyvogel, Ruth Maraglio

Ruth Maraglio

May 6 10:00am

Maryellen Field Tracy Niedfeld Harold Gundel, Tracy Niedfeld

Courtney Blom, Jasmine Niedfeld

Carl Erickson, Laura Hackel

Adele Hofmann

ACOLYTES: Mark Biesecker, Emma Henry, Melanie Hladky, Peter Horacek, Isabel Maraglio,

Jasmine Niedfeld, Luke Ringnalda,

ALTAR GUILD TEAMS Additional Team Members are needed!

Team # 1: Ruth Maraglio, Diane McDermott

Team # 2: Alison Tomasulo, Ann Seybold, Diane LaLena

Team # 3: Adele Hofmann, Terry Freyvogel, Kathy Kugler

Weekly Altar Memorials

A new calendar for memorials has been posted on the bulletin board opposite the church office.

Donations may be made for flowers, for the cost of the bread and wine, or for the sanctuary candle.

Messenger of Grace April 2018 page 9

Financial Update – April 2018

Last month we outlined Grace’s Social Impact in 2017, with all the charitable works the congregation

did. Just to summarize:

Over 1,900 lbs of food donated to Food Pantry

Over $1,000 in ECLA’s Good Gifts Program (chickens, bees, etc…)

Over 100 individuals adopted for Christmas

Families adopted for Thanksgiving

Donated over $600 to Momma’s House – proceeds of Victorian Tea

Annually over $1,000 for Toys for Tots

$5,000 to ELCA NY Metro Synod

Countless other charitable endeavors, many being done by WELCA

Our Church Expenses are approximately $200,000 yearly, but our Income, for the past few years has

not met with our expenses, and we ran year end deficits.

Our Income is typically in the $184,000 range, with:

$29,500 from the Preschool

$7,000 from Church functions and events (Yard Sale, Harvest Fest, Pancake breakfast, etc…

$4,000 from outside groups (AA)

$143,000 – donations from the Congregation from envelopes

o Regular; white envelopes

o Seasonal; Easter, Christmas, etc…

o miscellaneous; Initial, Debt Reduction, Energy

What does this mean?

That we need everyone’s contributions to allow our Church to remain faithful to our mission and

continue to do our good works in the Community.

Sincerely,

Michael Trabold, Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee

What’s Cookin’

American Spaghetti

2 lbs. ground beef (or a mix of beef & pork) garlic powder

4-5 medium onions, diced chopped salt & pepper

6-8 ribs celery, diced chopped 1 box vermicelli or thin spaghetti

2-3 green bell peppers, cored and diced

28oz. canned diced tomatoes; NOT puree.

1. Brown meat in large pot. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Remove and set aside.

2. Brown onions, celery and green pepper until somewhat softened, return meat.

3. Add canned tomatoes (do not drain). If this doesn’t seem enough you can add another 14 oz. can.

4. Let cook down on low heat for about 30 min.

5. Boil ½ to ¾ box of pasta until tender; drain and then add to sauce.

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