Caring Ministries
We know that life is full of both joy and challenge.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to care for each other when life gets tough. Caring ministries at Grace include providing direct support — like meal trains, phone calls, cards, and visits — and holding each other in prayer.
Please contact the office at gracelutheranadel@gmail.com or 515-993-4766 or Pastor Tania Schramm with specific prayer requests or needs for support. For pastoral care emergencies, please call or text Pastor Tania.
When we hold each other and the world in prayer up to God, these prayers “are like gossamer threads connecting us to God and God's children. When we pray on another's behalf, we become connected to that person through God and we become connected to God through that person.”
~ Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber
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Meal Trains
We help to provide meals to folks who need support after the arrival of a new baby, or during a difficult time, like after a surgery or ongoing treatment. Community Life sets up a calendar where people can sign up to deliver meals. Information about the meal train is published in Grace Notes.
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Prayer
Prayer is a central part of our faith and spiritual practices. We pray for each other, for the people we love, and for the world in a variety of ways. Some are public – prayers in worship or on the website – and some are private.
We would love to pray for you and your loved ones!
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People who would like prayers for themselves or others can add names to our prayer list, and someone will pray for them! If you would like to add a name to the list, have a name taken off the list, to be a partner in this ministry, please let us know.
When you add someone to the prayer list, it is helpful for us to know their name (pronunciation and spelling) as well as your name and relationship. People will remain on the Grace Prayer List page until we are updated with any changes. -
At Grace, we are responsive in prayer to the cares and concerns of the people in our community. The prayers in worship include petitions for “the church, the world, and all those in need,” and reflect the wideness of God’s mercy for all people and creation. We also invite those in worship to add names to our prayers, and offer a time of silence.
When someone is added to the prayers for health or other concerns, we will read their names in worship for two months or until notified. In the event of a death, prayers for the family and friends are read for two worship services.
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Prayer shawls have been used throughout the generations to help people to remind them of God’s constant presence. Volunteers with this ministry craft prayer shawls for those in need of healing, comfort, or peace. Shawls are blessed during a service of healing and are available for anyone. Those who receive a shawl know that someone has been and continues to pray for them, and when they wrap themselves up, they are reminded that God is with them every day, holding them in love.
If you love to knit or crochet, you are invited to share your gifts with the prayer shawl ministry. Contact the office at gracelutheranadel@gmail.com or 515-993-4766. -
Each year, members of Grace volunteer to be “prayer partners” for the 7th-9th grade confirmation students. Students fill out a form with information about themselves, which is reviewed and then passed along to the prayer partner. Through the school year, folks regularly pray for these students. At the end of the school year, we host a prayer partner “meet ’n’ greet” with conversation, dessert, and a blessing for students, families, and those who have prayed.