Volume XIII, Issue 3

MARCH 2014

Grace Lutheran Church is a

“Reconciling in Christ”

congregation, welcoming gay and

lesbian believers to become

members and to share in the

sacramental and general life of this

congregation. We affirm that we

welcome all persons regardless of

race, gender, sexual orientation,

age or national origin.

Our VISION is “to be a

Christ-centered community who

welcomes all, grows in faith, and

reaches out in love.”

Our MISSION is “to follow Christ

into our community and world mani-

festing with caring hearts and help-

ing hands the good news of the

Kingdom of Christ.”

Lent Is coming Soon Lent will begin March 5, 2014 with Ash Wednesday with a 7:00 PM service with imposi-tion of ashes and the Eucharist. The last couple years we also had afternoon services, but those were not well attended. This year we will only offer evening services. There will be no soup supper on Ash Wednesday. After Ash Wednesday: We will continue Wednesday services throughout Lent until Holy week with the follow schedule: 5:15 Chime Choir 6:15 Soup supper 7:00 Evening Prayer 7:30 Choir Theme: Our Theme this Lent is “Beyond Samaria.” For our Evening Prayer this Lent we are returning to the setting “Unfailing Light.” To augment this set-ting, we are also adding music from the international Christian community. Just as Je-sus spoke with the Samaritan woman when he asked her for a drink at the well (Gospel for the 3rd Sunday of Lent), so also we are reaching out to our international friends to nourish, enrich and enliven our evening prayer here at Grace this season. The pattern of worship and much of the music will be familiar to many of you, as we are not just choosing new things, but also familiar things as well. Join us for these Lenten Wednes-day evenings. Soup & Such (with information, recipes from ELCA World Hunger’s Lenten Meal Series): We invite members of the congregation to sign up to prepare a pot of soup, etc. for a simple supper before the worship service. Others may bring bread and butter, while others still help set up and clean up. The fellowship during the preparations and clean up is a part of the deepening spiritual encouragement of the season. (A sign up sheet will be in the entryway)

Page 2 Grace Gatherings

Grace News

Thanks:

Kathryn Mueller’s successful back surgery Silas Mueller’s successful eye surgery Gordon Matzke, successful surgery

Illness:

Ulo Kiigemagi Kathryn Bervin-Mueller Ellie & Frank Carson's daughter, Rikki Goede Evelyn Klein, Carol Warloe’s mother Millie Castellano Gloria Ibrahim Stuart Lundahl Deloris Buss, Cathy Mueller’s mother Alexandra Roberts, Denice Rickard’s daughter Gordon and Mary Ann Matzke's niece, Molly Matzke Gordon Matzke Eleanor Harrington

Death:

Joseph Collier, brother of Tracy Collier

Phone & address changes: Marion Zerull: 106 Noble Ct., China Grove, NC 28023. New e-mail address: marion4700@gmail.com

Grace on the Move: Thanks to our wonderful, dedicated Grace on the Move Drivers, who provide and/or co-ordinate rides to worship for those in need of transportation: Inadvertent Omission: We apologize that some of the names below were missing from those listed in this year’s Annual Report and previous issues of Grace Gatherings. Art & Marilyn Bervin, Hal Brauner, Neil & Dayle Christensen , Dick & Meredith Junge, Ed & Mary Ann Hall, Helen & Emery Hildebrandt, Wayne & Carolyn Kradjan, Debbie Kuehn, Darlene & Jim Leklem , Ron & Kay Larson, Joy Martin, Terry & Marna Renshaw, Anne & Tom Orwick, Ron & Penny Reher, Kathy Vohland, Mary Jane & Dale Weber.

Sunday Musicians All are grateful to the many members dedicated to bringing the gift of music to our Sun-day worship services and other programs. Ali Briskey, Director of Worship & Music, lends her expertise and creativity to provide us with joyful music. Sunghee Kim, organist, ac-companies the choir and plays for our main worship services. We are also grateful for the many volunteers who provide special music from time to time. In addition we want to recognize those who provide music Sunday in and Sunday out:

This prayer list is

a compilation of

the prayer

requests we have

received at Grace

from JAN20 to

FEB20. For a more

timely update to

the prayers, send

your email

address to

prayers@grace

97330.org, and

ask to be part of

the prayer list.

www.grace97330.org

Page 3 Volume XIII, Issue 3

Grace News

Chancel Choir: Sue Davis, Carol Erickson, Netsie Griffith, Ardis Koester, Darlene Leklem, Norma Moody, Anne Orwick, Marjorie Power, Denice Rickard, Joan Sandeno, Sue Speulda, Donna Wernz, Sandie Williams, Glenn Chaffin, Wendell Hendershott, Marshall Hill-Tanquist, Jerry Koester, Max Power, Jim Wernz. Grace Alive!: Bill Briskey, Paul Briskey, Teri Briskey, Tom Kiersky, Dave Lundahl, Ali Bris-key, Angie Kingsley, Sydney Joss, and Sarah Tolleson

Beyond Common Sense While we have been learning that many of the Proverbs contained in the book of Proverbs align pretty closely with good, common sense they also challenge us to humble ourselves in the presence of God’s wisdom. Without God’s help and guid-ance wisdom is a rather elusive human pursuit. Come, learn with us on Tuesdays from 1-2:30 pm in the Fireside Room. If it’s not possible for you to stay for the whole time or to attend every week, you are welcome to participate when and as you are able. Your presence, voice and insights will be welcomed. We also serve coffee (or tea if you prefer)!

2nd Sunday Pastor’s Class: “Beyond Sacraments” Each Second Sunday of each Month, Pastor Wendell Hendershott has been leading a discussion group, “Beyond Sacraments.” (Though in February we had a snow day.) At present we are looking into spiritual practices that have borrowed from or have been rooted in other denominations and religions. We’ll even look at that word “spiritual,” and unpack that a bit. Our remaining sessions are planned for March 9, April 13, and May 11.

PARTNERS IN FAITH Friday, March 14th, 6:00 P.M. Bring a dish to share for the potluck dinner and your own table service. $2.00 suggested donation. Following dinner, BEVERAGE AND TIDBIT TASTING & TESTING Can you tell the difference between a cheap bottle of wine (less than $5.00) and an expensive bottle of wine? Tap water vs bottled water? Coke vs Shasta? Does all chocolate taste good to you, or can you tell the difference between price and qual-ity? Are you a picky raisin person, a soda cracker snob; who knows what else I'll think of between now and then? Host: Carol Erickson Contact: Sue Musil, 541-745-5511.

Sustainability Fair/ Town Hall: Monday, March 10, CH2MHill Alumni Center

5-7 p.m. exhibits, 7-9 p.m. meeting. Register by March 5: www.sustainablecorvallis.org Keynote speaker: Vicki Robin, Author, Your Money or Your Life & Blessing the Hands that Feed Us. All are welcome, but space is limited. From Marilyn Bervin

13 MARCH

2nd Thursday's

Women's Luncheon

will be at Murphy’s

Tavern at 11:45a

25 MARCH

4th Tuesday’s

Women’s

Luncheon at New

Morning Bakery

at 11:45a

Page 4 Grace Gatherings

Pastor’s Page

Heart and Spirit Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. –Psalm 51:10 Heart, spirit, conscience and emotion are words we of-ten use interchangeably. As we enter into Lent and a period of spiritual spring cleaning, how might we approach the Psalmist’s prayer in Psalm 51:10? As I’m writing this article, the Sochi Winter Olympics are still unfolding. To date in this Olympics and in past Winter and Summer Olympics, there is much heart, spirit and emotion on display. I’m always fascinated by differing attitudes towards what it means to achieve a medal. Some Olympi-ans are overjoyed to receive a bronze or silver medal, because they came with hopes but no expec-tations or guarantees that they would receive any medal. Thus, their gratitude and sense of achievement to be in the top three of their sport is inspirational. There are others who had great expectations placed upon them that they would receive a gold medal. When they fail to do so a silver or bronze medal represents defeat instead of victory for them. How is it that something which causes such elation for one person is a disappointment for another? Such different responses we see reflected in the Olympics are part of everyday life for all of us of every age. The stakes may not be quite so high and emotions aren’t acted out on a public stage, but heart and heartache are a very real, significant part of who we are. We can easily be seduced by our own expectations and the expectations of others. Yet, shall we abandon expectation alto-gether? Would that even be possible? Perhaps we need to temper expectation with hope. What is the difference between expectation and hope? I would propose that expectation is based on a limited, human vision of the future that finds its center in limited, human desire. Sometimes that desire may be very virtuous; other times it may be very corrupt; often times it is somewhere between these two extremes. Often, we im-pose our expectations and desires on others without their consent and, sometimes, without their knowledge. When this happens, relationships of trust and well being may be tested and torn. Hope, I would propose is based on God’s vision of what is possible. We can be open to it, but we can never be certain exactly how it will manifest itself. Thus, we dare not visualize it before we are surprised and delighted by its outcome. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, says it this way, “. . . Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Rom. 8:24-25) Replacing or tempering expectation with hope, entitlement with gratitude, arrogance with humil-ity, and jealousy with acceptance is how God goes about creating clean hearts within us and giving us a new and right spirit. So, we pray the Psalmist’s prayer and trust the words of Paul who goes on to say in Romans 8, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Rom. 8:26-27) Feelings and emotions are tools to either help us rejoice and celebrate, lament and heal, or repent and be forgiven. Thus, may we not deny them, hide them or ignore them but accept them as nec-essary for the restoration of a clean heart and a right spirit. With hope that springs eternal, Pastor Netsie

Pastor Netsie Griffith

Contact Information

Cell: 541.223.3455

Email:

netsie@grace97330.org

Pastor Netsie’s

Days Off

Thursday & Friday

Pastor Wendell

Hendershott

Contact Information

Cell: 541.223.3503

Email:

wendell@grace

97330.org

Pastor Wendell’s

Days Off

Tuesday & Friday

Page 5 Volume XIII, Issue 3

Luther House? Council Meeting Minutes?

Page 6 Grace Gatherings

Grace News

Volume XIII, Issue 3

Grace Personnel & MARCH Birthday’s

Grace Personnel

If you would like a visitation or to schedule an appointment with

a member of the ministerial staff, please call the office at

541.757.1600. Hours are 8-4 weekdays. You are welcome to leave a message on the answering machine after hours at

541.757.1600. Visit our Grace web page at:

www.grace97330.org

Teams & Committees Property Committee - Ron Larson , 541.752.0754

Communications Committee

Randy Joss, 541.929.9360

Sunday Hospitality Sandie Williams, 541.981.2229

Reception Hospitality– Position Open

Events Hospitality - Molly Hallgrimson, 541.753.8581

Christian Education Team

Deaconess Donna King, 541.757.6636

Altar Guild-Linda Samuels, 541.929.4222

Worship & Music Committee Michael Beachley, 541.754-5501

Finance Committee - Hal Brauner, 541.753.0023

Personnel Committee - Iona Trapp, 541.207.3886

Hospital Visitation Team - Jim Wernz, 541.929.6794

Healing Prayer Team - Sue Davis, 541.924.2922

Mission Groups - Bob Saathoff, 541.929.3045

Stewardship Committee - Dave Lundahl, 541.757.1358

Pastor Netsie Griffith &

Pastor Wendell Hendershott

Health Ministries - Position Open

Director of Discipling Ministries - Donna King

High School Ministry Director - Todd Weber

Director of Worship & Music - Ali Briskey

Organist - Sunghee Kim

Custodian - Mary Roth

Nursery - Anne Orwick

Administrative Assistant - Cindy Lee

Office Assistant - Jody Parker

Bookkeeper - Peter Gelser

Prayer Chain - Cathy Mueller & Bruce Stephens

Grace Gatherings Editor - Linda Samuels

Pastoral Counseling Center Dr. Julie Evans, Ph.D., Clinical Director 541.753.9217

Campus Ministry at Luther House

Jim Norlie, Pastor, 541.753.5213

Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers Norma Moody, 541.754.2555

Page 7

Stanley Miles 03-Mar

John Denoma Jr 03-Mar

Ron Larson 05-Mar

Adele Neukomm 05-Mar

JoAnn Schaufelberger 06-Mar

Kristana Burt 06-Mar

Jaya Lapham 07-Mar

Michael Gallagher 07-Mar

Keaton Stermer 07-Mar

Arlys Benson 09-Mar

Michael Kinch 09-Mar

Shelly Lundahl 09-Mar

Rebecca Kiersky 10-Mar

Kathleen Vohland 16-Mar

Matthew Aulerich 18-Mar

Doris Peters 20-Mar

Carol Guard 20-Mar

Leighton Nichols 21-Mar

Diane Stadsvold 21-Mar

Maia Gelser 21-Mar

Jacqueline Joss 22-Mar

Lyndall Johnson 24-Mar

Carol Kamke 24-Mar

Phillip King 24-Mar

Kathryn Kamke 24-Mar

Sarah Aulerich 24-Mar

Scott Shaff 25-Mar

Nathan Speulda 25-Mar

Allison Palmgren 25-Mar

Nathan Williams 25-Mar

Peggy Custer 26-Mar

Wanda Parrott 27-Mar

MaryJane Weber 28-Mar

Kathy Farnsworth 28-Mar

Alexander Zeller 28-Mar

Dave Domholt 29-Mar

Marilyn Lesmeister 29-Mar

Page 8 Grace Gatherings

Global Book Group

This book discussion group is off to a great start. March 27: THE SILENT CRY by Kenzaburo Oe led by Tom Orwick Oe was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature. …traces the uneasy relationship between two brothers who return to their ancestral home, a village in densely forested western Japan. While one brother tries to sort out the after-effects of a friend's suicide and the birth of a retarded son, the other embarks on a quixotic mission to incite an up-rising among the local youth. Oe's description of this brother's messianic struggle to save a disintegrating local culture and economy from the depredations of a Korean wheeler-dealer called "The Emperor of the Supermarkets" is as chillingly pertinent today as it was when first published in 1967. Powerful and daring, The Silent Cry is a thoroughly compel-ling classic of world literature. April 24: BONHOEFFER: PASTOR, MARTYR, PROPHET, SPY by Eric Metaxas led by Carol Erickson As Adolf Hitler and the Nazis seduced a nation, bullied a continent, and at-tempted to exterminate the Jews of Europe, a small number of dissidents and saboteurs worked to dismantle the Third Reich from the inside. One of these was Dietrich Bonhoef-fer—a pastor and author. In this New York Times best-selling biography, Eric Metaxas takes both strands of Bonhoeffer’s life—the theologian and the spy—and draws them together to tell a searing story of incredible moral courage in the face of monstrous evil. Metaxas presents the fullest accounting of Bonhoeffer’s heart-wrenching decision to leave the safe haven of America to return to Hitler’s Germany, and sheds new light on Bonhoeffer’s involvement in the famous Valkyrie plot and in “Operation 7,” the effort to smuggle Jews into neutral Switzerland. May 22: INSTANT CITY by Steve Inskeep led by Ron Walsh In recent decades, the world has seen an unprecedented shift of people from the countryside into cities. As Steve Inskeep so aptly puts it, we are now living in the age of the “instant city,” when new megacities can emerge practically overnight, creating a host of unique pressures surrounding land use, energy, housing, and the environment. In his first book, the co-host of Morning Edition explores how this epic migration has trans-formed one of the world’s most intriguing instant cities: Karachi, Pakistan. Kathy Vohland

Watch for your chance to help the Altar Guild decorate the chancel with Spring Flowers

for Easter!!! And add to Grace’s springtime landscaping!!

Forms coming soon!

Page 9 Volume XIII, Issue 3

More Grace News

March 16th is Who’s My Neighbor! Friendship Sunday!!

Kids — bring your friends, this is so much fun! 9:45 am: in the Basement

Carnival games & Café Chili Cook-Off Rescheduled Our Chili Cook-Off was snowed out in February but it looks like it will be re-scheduled for Sunday, March 16, 2014, over a month after the initial date. So get your chili recipes dusted off, or take your already completed chili out of the freezer and plan to partici-pate in this year’s cook off. No need to pre-register, just bring a crock pot of your best chili the day of. Declare your entry by 12:30. The Award categories are: Best Chili, Runner Up and People’s Choice. Those who will be tasting the chili should bring cash to vote for the people’s choice and a chili-complimentary side dish to share. No need to bring deserts, see below. The cash will be used to vote for “People’s Choice,” and will go to support Children’s Day Camp. This event is sponsored by the men’s ministry. A new opportunity to give is present as well. The Youth are still doing a bake sale, so no need to bring deserts. The bake sale will support Community Outreach to families this winter/spring.

From Camp Lutherwood: Spring Work Day: April 5: With this recent ice storm and finishing our back field renovation, we have quite the work to do this spring! We are inviting all servant hands to join our work day on April 5th, with snacks and lunch provided and work projects for all ages and abilities, the day begins at 9:30 a.m. Please RSVP to office@lutherwoodoregon.org High School Spring Retreat: April 11-13: This retreat is a great way to reconnect with Camp Lutherwood during your school year or to experience camp for the very first time. Enjoy a relaxing and reflective weekend learning about all the places you'll go! $90/per person--Includes housing, wonderful food, and programming all weekend. Please register at lutherwoodoregon.org/registration REGISTRATION is open for all of our summer program! We invite you to join us in Celebrating the Story with programs for kids through adults and people of all abilities! Register online at lutherwoodoregon.org/registration. Mark your calendars for: - May 3: Spring Work Day - May 4: Preview Day at West Linn Lutheran Church (1-3pm) - May 31: Spring Work Day (9:30am-3:00pm) & Preview Day at Camp Lutherwood Oregon (2-4pm)

Page 10 Grace Gatherings

Council Meeting Minutes

Devotions led by Mary Ann Brenan opened the meeting. They were based on I Corinthians 3: 3-9 on divisions within the church, yet working together with the grace of God. Rick Osborn, outgoing Church Council President, opened the meeting with introductions of all council members. Minutes of the January 13, 2014 meeting were approved as printed and distributed. MSP Election of officers was conducted. Kathy Vohland, President; Shelly Lundahl, Vice President; Ardis Koester, Secretary; Hal Brauner, Treasurer; Mary Stephens, Financial Secretary. Council internal business of sign-up for devotions, responsibilities for the Council Retreat, an up-date on terms of office, and liaison with committees and task forces was handled while election votes were being counted. Treasurer’s Report was given by Peter Gelser. January contributions were less than needed for the budget. February contributions will also be low with one Sunday less due to the snow. Expenses were as expected. The revised budget as approved at the Annual Meeting will be distributed. Stew-ardship and Finance Committees are encouraged to work together on meeting the revised budget. Finance Report. No report from committee. A question about attendance records was answered with the suggestion to view the ELCA website on church records. Old Business 75th Anniversary Update: It was suggested the notebook collecting ideas should include a page on what is being done and by whom. It was also recommended a steering committee of con-gregational members begin planning and coordinating efforts with representation from the Coun-cil. The Annual Meeting was reviewed. The sandwich luncheon was deemed successful with some minor revisions suggested for next year. Having contacts for Synod Representatives and Camp Lutherwood nominations made prior to the meeting was a good idea. There was a discussion of what should be included in the Annual Meeting. A Season of Listening, one-on-one conversations with congregational members will begin

with a training presentation by Pr. Michael Keys at the March 10 Council meeting. The meeting will begin at 6:00pm with the reports. New Business New members, Denice Rickard was approved for membership MSP. Erin Radniecki was approved as a returning transfer member. MSP The use of the electronic sign was discussed and referred to the Communi-cations Committee for a policy recommendation. The use of the parking lot for home football game fund raising has been requested by Luther House. The decision is awaiting a response from the youth group within Grace Lutheran who may wish to use the parking lot to gain finances for the upcoming national gathering in Detroit. Reports Pastoral Reports: Pr. Netsie Griffith highlighted from her report, the giving of Bibles to 3rd graders and upcoming Godspeed and Sending for members. She also spoke about participating in planning a community wide worship service in conjunc-tion with OSU’s Transformation without Apocalypse Symposium focusing on climate change. Pr. Wendell Hendershott spoke about the changes in the Caring ministry. Ardelle Merritt is helping in this area.

Minutes Congrega-

tional Council

February 10, 2014

Attendance:

Michael Beachley,

Mary Ann Brenan,

Jude Geist, Peter

Gelser, Pr. Netsie

Griffith, Pr.

Wendell Hender-

shott, Ardis

Koester, Shelly

Lundahl, Ardelle

Merritt, Lew Nel-

son, Anne Orwick,

Rick Osborn, Iona

Trapp, Kathy Voh-

land.

Absent: Hal Brau-

ner, Donna King

President: Kathy Vohland

Vice President: Shelly Lundahl

Secretary: Ardis Koester

Treasurer: Hal Brauner

Financial Secretary: Mary Stephens

Council Members:

Lew Nelson

Ardelle Merritt

Jude Geist

Peter Gelser

Mary Ann Brenan

Michael Beachley

Anne Orwick

Iona Trapp

Pr. Netsie Griffith

Pr. Wendell Hendershott

Page 11 Volume XIII, Issue 3

Council Meeting Minutes

Grace Foundation: no report Executive Committee: report electronically sent late, items were included in the Council Meeting Agenda Committee/Team or Task Force Reports Stewardship Committee: Ministry Fair was reviewed. The committee is considering new ways of involving more people. Publicity will be used to increase giving to meet the larger budget passed at the Annual Meeting. Personnel Committee: no report Communication Committee: will meet after the Council Meeting Property Committee: Lighting is being improved in the east and west sections of the sanctuary after being tested in the north section. While the new bulbs are expensive, they last about 20 years and will save about $1700.00 per year in electricity. Discipling Ministry Committee: no report due to Donna King’s absence. Worship and Music Committee: A discussion was held with the Ron Larson of the Property Committee on po-tential changes to the chancel area. A discussion on the potential of having a columbarium was begun. Outreach: There is no committee liaison, but a number of task forces that are functioning and reported. Caring: There is no committee liaison, but Ardelle Merritt and Marna Renshaw have been calling members who are ill. Pr. Netsie Griffith closed the meeting with prayer at 9:50. Respectfully submitted, Ardis Koester, Secretary

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE April 13, Palm Sunday, April 17, Maundy Thursday, 7:00 pm Service April 18 , Good Friday, 7:00 pm Service April 19, Easter Vigil, 8:00 p.m. Service

Triduum The Three Days The Three days before Easter are Called The Triduum [pronounced TRIH-dee-uhm] which is the Latin term for three days. The three days are a call to three days of prayer in preparation for Easter and the resurrection celebration of Christ. The first Day is Maundy Thursday, from Jesus’ command that we love one another. The evening service (7:00)emphasizes service to one another and features footwashing (we have a hand washing option for the timid) and a special service of Holy communion. The service ends with the stripping of the Altar. The second Day is Good Friday. It is called Good, because Jesus saves humanity from sin through the cross. This service (7:00) features quiet reflection on the crucifixion and the adoration of the cross.. The Third and final day are Holy Saturday, the day of the Easter Vigil. This evening service (8:00) begins an hour later than the rest to take advantage of the dark. It begins with the lighting of a new fire, reading of first testament deliverance stories, a baptismal remembrance, re-decorating of the altar and the first resurrection communion of Easter.

Easter Sunday, April 20 8:30 Worship with Communion 9:30 Easter Breakfast A little later Easter Egg Hunt 11:00 Worship with Communion

Corner of Kings & Harrison

435 NW 21st Street

Corvallis, Oregon 97330

Phone: 541.757.1600

Email: office@grace97330.org

Grace Lutheran Church

An Interview with Jan Barton, Librarian Extraordinaire The Library at the First Presbyterian Church in Corvallis has a committee of 7 and is led by Jan Barton, a soft spoken woman who loves to talk libraries. Jan enjoys working with our Grace Library group. She thinks it is good to work outside the walls of one’s own church building and experience God's church and its richness in all its variations. About 2 years ago our Administrative Assistant Cindy Lee became interested in reviving the Library here at Grace Lutheran. Cindy attended a Pacific Northwest Library Association of Church Libraries (PNACL) meeting held at the Presbyterian Church where she met Jan and the ladies of the committee. True to the PNACL mission of helping area churches take care of their libraries, Cindy was wel-comed and Jan jumped on board to take us under her wing and guide us in the proc-ess of getting our library up and running. Jan has been the leader of her library for just about 30 years, guiding it from having 900 books in 4 standing shelves, with a tiny children’s section of old books in a small room to one with a remodeled large room in 2004. It has a dozen recessed shelves holding 4,000 books and a large children’s section with modern books. It is a thriving hub of activity, especially on Sunday morning when parishioners attend coffee hour in the library, checking out books during that time. This was mainly due to Jan’s back-ground and learning experience over the years. It was in San Luis Obispo, California where Jan attended a First Baptist Church with a collection of books labeled with ink on the spines. Jan had no idea how to turn this into a functioning library. In 1975 she took a semester class at a local community col-lege that she calls the perfect class on how to run a library in a nutshell. For 1 ½ years Jan cataloged the books and the shelves were built as each box of books was com-pleted. Looking back she says she should have thrown a lot of the books away, but at the time she didn’t know that. She taught 7 ladies of the church in an 8 week class how to keep up the library. When the library was finished and all the books were shelved, she and her husband moved to the Bay Area and Jan missed out on seeing the library actually work. Jan and her husband soon moved to Corvallis and to the First Presbyterian Church. Here she found the Library which was much like our library. The books there had cards sets, but some books had missing cards and some cards had missing books. She held work parties every week and engaged the newsletter folding people to help. They looked into the card catalog and would take a box of “problem” books home. They did inventory and eventually cataloged all the books.

When Jan started working in January of 1985, the library was a small room, dark and paneled and filled to capacity. Since the remodeling the room is big and bright with light-cream colored walls and soothing to be in. The door has a new floor length window next to it. Jan says the Library runs on ResourceMate 3.0 software. The updated version, should we decide to go with software (a good idea) is Resource Mate Essential Plus. This has many capabilities, including an online card catalog. Although Jan has a BA in Psychology with an emphasis in education and counseling she calls the library “a good challenge” where she “keeps learning—it keeps being fun and it keeps giving me energy.” For Jan it is fun to order books and to have the people in the congregation read them and benefit from reading them. Four years ago was the first time Jan attended a PNACL Conference meeting, where church librarians come from chapters in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. Last year in July she went all the way to Nampa, Idaho to attend and teach a class. This year the conference is in Kirkland, Washington. Tuesday, March 18 the Willamette Chapter of PNACL will be meeting at the Presbyterian Church. We will be learning from Jan how to repair book jackets, which she says is “very fun, and very relaxing.” You use colored pencils and tape or Mylar. Jan says, “The change is miraculous! The books are fresher, they sparkle and shine and people want to check them out more.” Jan would like people to know the meetings are fun, they’re social, you can talk and it’s like knitting. She says PNACL is committed to help-ing area libraries with the new experience, to help them learn how to take care of a library. Jan would like to tell the congrega-tion at Grace that “we’re doing a great job, we have a great library and it is definitely worth the work it takes. A new library evolves and it is beneficial to the congregation to have a Library.” We in the Grace Library group (anyone is welcome to join us) would like to thank Jan for all her assistance and encouragement. By Jody Parker, Grace Librarian