Grace's Community Concerns Team is comprised of all in our congregation who devote time, talent and resources to important social ministry needs. Our team endeavors to coordinate Grace’s community outreach supporting our brothers and sisters in Christ living in Delaware’s greater community and in other parts of the world. We have a rich, 44+ year tradition of giving time, talents and financial support to many worthwhile organizations dedicated to promoting dignity and justice for all people. Some of the organizations we support include:
Grace's Alternative Gift Market is held each year prior to the Christmas holiday. Gifts purchased directly impact those in need around the globe and around our locale. Grace partners with Alternative Gifts International to support worldwide assistance organizations and also provides support to local organizations with a long-standing connection to our congregation. Give the gift of Peace on Earth at Christmas by helping to provide the basic human rights of food, clean water, shelter, health care, education, empowerment, and safety. Please click the following links to view this current year’s Alternative Gifts International shopping list and the shopping list for local organizations.
Cub Scouts Cub Pack 959 of younger scouts logged nearly 500 service hours in the community during 2012. Pack leadership is very supportive by maintaining training requirements and providing the youth protection and enthusiasm needed to develop our rewarding and engaging program. These efforts included maintaining the pack’s website (www.pack959.com), attending resident camping at Camp Ware and participating by multiple families, helping with Grace’s live nativity and the plant sale. The Pack also replaced the aging storage shed housing its equipment.
Emmanuel Dining Room (www.ministryofcaring.org) is a lunchtime feeding program for the hungry. Each month Grace volunteers prepare and deliver a meal for about 100 people.
Family Promise (www.familypromisede.org) Family Promise is an interfaith network of 30 congregations that provide support for homeless children and their families in Northern New Castle County. We are a Host Congregation ably supported by Avondale Presbyterian Church. More than 50 volunteers participate during a week of hosting by providing meals, shopping for food and other supplies, driving the van, spending the night and visiting with the families. During the day, families receive support in obtaining jobs, services, housing, etc. at the day center.
The Graceful Quilters, a ministry of crafting, has been active at Grace since 2001. As of December 2022, we have made and delivered over 6,000 quilts to Lutheran World Relief (LWR) for distribution around the world. LWR has been distributing quilts since 1945 and today over 300,000 are given worldwide each year. Quilts are used for warmth, simple tents, and floor coverings. Each quilt reflects God’s loving presence in a world rife with suffering.
The group is always happy to welcome new members. We meet the 2nd and 4th Wednesday morning of each month from 9 to 11 AM. During these group sessions we are primarily laying out the three layers of the quilt, which have been crafted at home, and then pinning over the edges and sewing them together to complete the finished quilt.
Our needs are simple, but ongoing:
1) Prayer
2) Fabric for the outside top and bottom of the quilt. Any size pieces are fine. We love to cut and
piece the fabric into interesting and pretty designs
3) Batting, mattress pads, blankets, etc. to be used inside the quilt as the warmth providing middle
layer. These can be stained with a few holes and tears, just clean please!
4) And as always, monetary donations to purchase supplies and materials as needed. Example, if
we need to purchase batting for the middle layer the cost is about $5/quilt.
We offer sincere thanks to the Grace congregation for your ongoing support of this important ministry.
Hilltop Lutheran Neighborhood Center (www.hilltoplnc.org) Hilltop operates year-round providing programs for infant/toddlers through youth. These included preschool programs, before and after school care, tutoring and study sessions and social activities. Grace supports their fundraising efforts.
Lazarus Project in Haiti is the umbrella group for the Village of Hope School and Clinic and the Little Children of Jesus Orphanage in Haiti. Grace has supported this endeavor in the past with a mission trip. The new clinic opened in April 2012 to provide health services for the area. Currently, individuals in the congregation and the Sunday School support children in the school.
Lutheran Campus Ministries (www.lcmde.org) offers students at the University of Delaware an opportunity to expand their faith by providing them with a “home away from home” atmosphere. LCM welcomes everyone with a safe place to meet, friendships, support, and encouragement. As a non-profit organization, LCM relies on donations for our programming needs, day-to-day operations, and property upkeep. However, equally as important to financial support are the many opportunities to serve LCM with your time and talents. You can choose how much time you are able to offer in any of the following areas: providing or organizing a Tuesday dinner for our students; serve on the Directing Committee (time commitment can be as much or as little as your schedule allows); assist with “handyperson” tasks to maintain 50+ year old buildings; help with a property cleanup day; participate in the Fellowship in Serving the Hungry (FISH) organized collections of clothing, food, and household items; donate items for future fundraisers; and LCM’s most critical needs are for a treasurer and an individual to support our IT needs (beginning summer 2021). Check out our video:
Lutheran Community Services (www.lcsde.org) operates food pantries and provides housing support to the poor (see separate report and web site for more information. Grace regularly supports LCS with contributions for their important service and mission. Every year Grace particpates in the LCS Walk for Hunger to raise money to support LCS’s food pantry operations.
Lutheran Senior Services (www.luthertowers.com) Founded in 1967 by Lutherans in New Castle County, Lutheran Senior Services, Inc. operates Luther Towers I and II in Wilmington, providing affordable rental housing and Medicaid funded assisted living services to seniors.
Sunday Breakfast Mission (www.sundaybreakfastmission.org) The Sunday Breakfast mission provides breakfasts, evening meals, spiritual guidance, a shower and a safe place to sleep for many of Wilmington’s homeless.
Support for Other Local Organizations: We routinely support numerous local organizations by contributions of time and talents including The Countryside Garden Club, Girl Scouts, Mom’s Club, Dulcimers and the Quail Ridge Homeowners Association.
Peace, blessings and thanks to all who have so generously contributed their time, talents and financial support to Grace's community service ministry.
Contact us at office@glcde.org with requests for more information.
