On Palm Sunday, March 28, 2010 the 50th Anniversary celebration of Grace Lutheran Church came to a close. The Rev. John Nunes, President of Lutheran World Relief, one of the largest relief organizations in the world, helped us close our look to the past and start our look forward to the next 50 years of God's blessing... Still to come... an anniversary HISTORY book, picture CD, and a cookbook... stay tuned... There are still t-shirts, polos, and the clear suncatcher of the round stained glass window available....

Grace Lutheran Church stays connected with individuals and families on campus at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville and students away at college or university. This works through a college mentor program which includes care packages twice a year, newsletters from the congregation, and personal notes and cards. For information email the Church in care of Jo-Ann Thomack.

Grace Lutheran Church sponsors two women's circles that together form the local organization of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League -- the women's auxiliary of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

of print and media resources for women's ministries and service. In addition the LWML is a district service organization with a budget of more than $75,000, covering the region of Arkansas, southwestern Kentucky, and Tennessee. As a local organization, the LWML sponsors many projects, including the preparation of over 100 Health Kits for Lutheran World Relief, recyling of ink jet and laser cartridges, recyling of cell phones, toiletries for the local women's safe house, and many other outreach projects.

The Men's Club of Grace Lutheran Church is for adult men of all ages and provides opportunities for fellowship, support and service. Meeting on the third Monday of the month, they enjoy a meal together, a program, and many other activities. Annual favorites include pizza and football at the Blackhorse, a Predators hockey game, and a steak cookout. Check the newsletter and bulletin for the specific dates and times of the meetings.

Wednesday mornings the G. I. F. T. (Growing In Faith Together) Bible study group meets from 9:30 am to 11:15 am and is led by Carol Childress. Members often come at 9 am to join in the mall walk around the interior of the facility.

Wednesday evenings both Pastor Childress and Pastor Peters offer occasional Bible studies (when Advent and Lent services are not being held). These cover a variety of topics and formats and generally run from 7 - 8 pm. Check the Bible study table below for the specific offerings.

Meeting Day	Leader	Topic	Dates
Monday 6-7 pm	Pastor Peters	Why we worship like we do	September - December 2011
Tuesday Mornings	Jo-Ann Thomack & Other Leaders	Plan A Woman in Plan B World Jonah Mercy Rising	August - December 2011 January 2012 February - June 2012
Tuesdays 9-11:30 a and again Thursdays 6:30-9 pm	Jane Schult	Joshua Judges	Thru December 2011 January thru June 2012
Wednesdays	Carol Childress, Leader	Joshua Esther	Thru December 2011 January thru Summer 2012
Sunday Morning	Pastor Peters	Galatians	February - May 2012
Sunday Morning	Pastor Peters	Witness, Mercy & Life Together	January 2012
Sunday Morning	Pastor Peters	Epistles of John	October - December 2011
Sunday Morning	Pastor Childress	Gospel of John	Now until TBA
Wednesday 7-8 pm	Tom Sollberger	Baptism	January 2012

The music ministry at Grace Lutheran Church is a full program of vocal music for all age groups, hand bells, hand chimes, and instrumental music. This includes Music at Grace, a special series of 4-6 concert events featuring musicians, artists, and ensembles in a variety of musical styles. Some featured artists have included: Christopher Pardini (Organist at the Crystal Cathedral), the deGraffenried Chorale, Wilma Jensen (internationally renown organist and instructor), Travecca Symphony, Nashville Sweet Adelines, and many others. The Choir of Grace Lutheran Church is the featured group for one concert each year - an Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Evensong with orchestra, strings, or brass ensemble. For a tentative listing of current year concerts, please see the table below.

Sunday, January 8, 2012, 4 pm	Choir and Orchestra	Traditional Christmas Epiphany Concert Mendelssohn, Charpentier & Rutter
Sunday, February 12, 2012, 4 pm	Cumberland Winds Jazz Ensemble	Six piece Jazz Combo with Jay Wilenson on Vocals - sounds like Sinatra and Michael Buble
Sunday, February 26, 2012, 4 pm	APSU Chamber Choir & Orchestra	Bach Cantata - Christ Lag In Todesbaden BVW #4
Sunday, MARCH 11, 2012, 4 pm	Les Kerr & the Bayou Band	Singing the Blues for Lent -- traditional blues, Caribbean, & hillbilly blues, too

Our 35 voice choir rehearses each Tuesday from 6:30- 8 pm and is always searching for new voices! The choir sings at both services and often features soloists and small group ensembles drawn from the larger choir. If you have an interest, please email the Church to the attention of our Cantor (Director of Music), Rocky Craft.

Our Hand Bell Choir rehearses on Tuesdays from 5:15 - 6:15 pm. This group is a select group of individuals who are proficient at reading music and the group attends hand bell workshops annually. The Bell Choir plays for Sunday morning services and on special occasions.

Our youth choir meets on Sunday mornings at 9:30 for a brief rehearsal before Sunday school begins. A children's choir also rehearses at the same time. Both are looking to expand and offer a larger program.

We have two chime choirs -- an Adult Chime Choir directed by Rocky Craft and rehearsing after worship on Sunday afternoons and a Youth Chime Choir directed by Tina Carson which meets at 9:30 am on Sunday.

We have two youth choirs and one middle/high school choir. The Cherub Choir is directed by Ed Kern and includes children pre-kindergarten through Grade 1. The Angel Choir is directed by Michele Jarrett and includes children from Grades 2-6. The Middle and Highschool age youth choir is directed by Rocky Craft and includes middle school through high school age youth. These three choirs meet at 9:30 am Sunday mornings.

Sunday School meets throughout the year from 9:35 to 10:40 am each Sunday morning. The first part of the Sunday School is a music class (Cherub Choir, Angel Choir, Youth Choir or Handchimes). The Sunday School lesson begins at 9:55 am. Classes are available for 2 year old children and run through all age groups -- including High School and adult classes.

Grace Lutheran Church offers a 2 1/2 year program of catechism instruction. Generally started in 7th grade, the first level instruction covers the one big story of the Bible (Genesis to Revelation) and the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostles Creed. The second year covers the rest of the six chief parts of the catechism (Lord's Prayer, Baptism, Absolution, and Holy Communion) as well as worship, the Church Year, and a brief overview of Christian and Lutheran history. The Rite of Confirmation is always administered on the last Sunday in October (Reformation Sunday). A Confirmation Banquet is held the Sunday before the catechumens are confirmed. The catechumens, their families, and the teachers are served by the second year class and their families.

Classes currently meet Wednesdays from 5:00-7:00 pm with a meal served at Chruch to students and attending parents. Classes meet on those Wednesdays when the Clarksville/Montgomery County Schools are in session. Classes began on Wednesday, August 5, 2009, with a parents meeting and will conclude May 22.

New Member Classes are basic introductions to Lutheran faith and life and are held several times each year. Generally classes begin with a full day (8 am - 3 pm) of instruction on the Scriptures, the chief doctrines of the Bible, Church history, Lutheran history, the Lutheran Confessions (and Catechisms), Lutheran worship, and Lutheran piety and practice. New members then continue their instruction through at least six months in one of the various regular Bible study groups that meet through the Church.

An orientation is held a couple of times a year for all those interested in the Church so that they may have an opportunity to meet the Council leaders, the Church Staff, tour the building, and information about the ministries and programs of Grace Lutheran Church.

Join us for Vacation Bible School. VBS classes were held in the evening, starting with a meal in the Fellowship Hall at 5:30 pm and children's classes from 6-8 pm. Adult classes also ran from 6-8 pm (this past year the adults looked at JS Bach -- the Man, His Faith, and His Music).

Education is a very important subject among Lutherans especially the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. The Grace Lutheran Church Preschool opened in September of 2000 with a capacity of 115 children. Every year since that first year the school has been filled to capacity with a waiting list in many classes.

There are five day sessions for the pre-kindergarten class, three and two day sessions for children from 1 year old to 4 years old. Each classroom is appointed with age appropriate furniture and equipment and is staffed with a trained teacher and an aide. Our interim Director is Wendy Livingston, who directed a preschool and day care program off the 101st. We are still looking for a permanent preschool director.

The OPEN HOUSE for the preschool parents and students is generally the last Sunday in August (this year, August 29, with the first open house at 1 pm... check with the Director for more information and the rest of the times).

The Grace Lutheran Preschool had been state certified and licensed and had received the highest star rating the State of Tennessee provides. Changes in the law made it difficult to continue to provide the quality program we have enjoyed while adhering to these changes so the school has chosen not to be licensed until these changes can be addressed. It adheres to the highest standards of service and care within a distinctly Christian setting where values and faith are a part of every activity. Regular chapel times, a music teacher, and seasonal programs make for a well rounded preschool program. The fall semester begins the day after Labor Day each year. Enrollment is limited but you may check with the Director for openings and availability. Enrollment begins in February for Church Members and opens a week later for those currently enrolled, and the following week for new folks.

Grace reaches out to the community through our participation in Urban Ministries and its financial assistance programs for the poor and needy. In addition we maintain a food ministry at our Church and have access to a variety of programs through referral to other agencies.

A number of ministries and social service agencies are supported through the combined efforts of the congregation and the local Thrivent for Lutherans chapter. These include the Hope Pregnancy Center, the Crisis Call Line, the Hospice Program of Montgomery County, Big Brother/Big Sister, Habitat for Humanity, Loaves and Fishes, Urban Ministries, and many others.

FUEL is a food ministry Grace Lutheran Church provides to needy children at Barksdale Elementary School (near by). Small children who do not get regular meals outside the school breakfast and lunch program receive a bag of healthy foods and snacks to carry them through the weekend. FUEL stands for Fill Up on Emmaus Love.

Junior Lutheran Youth Fellowship is for middle school age children (grades 6-8). They normally meet on the first and third Sundays of the month (12:15 - 2 pm) with activities designed to be fun, formative, and interactive -- ranging from spiritual instruction to servant activies to socializing and fellowship. In addition they also meet occasionally for other fun activities and special events. Some of their recent activities have included a fun day at a local water park, canoing down the Buffalo River, and a service project for Lutheran World Relief.

Senior Lutheran Youth Fellowship is for high school age youth. Each Sunday morning they meet for Sunday school and growth in God's Word and on the first and third Sundays, from 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm for fun, fellowship and special topics. These activities involve fun, fellowship, and programs to stretch the faith and encourage the spiritual growth of high school age youth in the congregation. It is also open to non-members. The Senior LYF participates in various youth gatherings, overnights to sister congregations, the Middle Tennessee Mid-Winter Gathering, and the national LC-MS youth gathering (most recently July 17-21, 2010, in New Orleans with about 25,000 other sophomores, juniors and seniors). For more information on this or other youth programs, email the Church.