When I was born in 1980, my parents and older brother were already members of Grace Lutheran Church, so I was brought into Grace Lutheran as a newborn and then baptized four months later, in January of 1981. Grace has always felt like home to me so it has always been what I would consider “my church” even when I've lived in other parts of this state (throughout my university years and then spending 17 years living on the other side of the mountains, living and working). I always felt like Grace Lutheran here in Wenatchee was my home.

I have invested quite a bit into Grace Lutheran personally from a fairly young age. About maybe 4th grade or so, I started working in the nursery as a child care provider. I have provided musical offerings for several years at Grace, and I have served as a Lector. I've served as an acolyte, and as an assistant at Vacation Bible School. I have participated in confirmation and Sunday School, so I truly feel like I am invested in Grace Lutheran.

In the future, I would love to see that Grace Lutheran is a multi-generational place where we can worship together with other members of our family in Christ. It's important to me that we stay the line, so to speak, and remain traditional, but also not be too afraid to kind of flow with the current of the times. So it's important that we see what's happening in the world around us and to respond to that appropriately, but not change our traditional core values.

Speaking of, I've stayed with Grace Lutheran Church and the ELCA because the values of the ELCA parallel my own personal values and vice versa.

Grace Lutheran has been an important place for me in time of trial. I feel that it is a solid rock on which I can lean. I have faced some tumultuous times as we all have in our lives. Most recently, just in my path to become a parent – it has been quite a journey and there have been some fairly tumultuous and trying times. I found peace by walking through the labyrinth and reflecting on God's plans for me and I felt that my connection to Grace Lutheran has provided me with the grounding that I need to overcome any kind of tumultuous times or a time of trial.

I believe that Grace lives by our mission statement in that we do create a community of believers that are then trained and nurtured and sent out into mission. Whether that mission is just living out the Gospel of Christ, or being a good steward of our world of God’s resources. Furthermore, we foster the nurturing and growth of our community of believers.

I'm very excited to come back after reopening. I look forward to sharing the Church experience with my children. My oldest son who is almost two has never really been to “church” in the traditional sense except for in his very early infancy. And my youngest, who is just over 1 has not ever been in a traditional sense, so it will be great to share that experience with them, and I certainly look forward to doing so.

What I would say to a non-member of Grace Lutheran is simply “you are welcome; please come.”

Regarding the Fox Funds gift to our church...it is an incredibly generous gift to our church. I believe, personally, that the monies should be directed back to the church. I am aware and understand that there are other dedicated funds that our community or to provide community and global outreach so I would prioritize the utilization of monies to modernize and keep up our own facilities and then expand our impact within our community. Perhaps the development of a preschool or something of the sort.