Newsletters
From the Pastor’s Desk
Pastor Ryan Henning
What I’ve been reading:
From the Bible – Numbers, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Hebrews, James, 1st and 2nd Peter, 1st, 2nd, 3rd John, Jude, Revelation: Do you ever start reading the Bible and get stuck at the book of Numbers? Why all these counts and names? They don’t hold lot of meaning when we don’t have stories about these people. It takes some intention for me to stop and remember: God cared about their names. God knew their stories. Every last person matters to God. Who will remember my story? Who would notice me in a census count? God does. Meanwhile, on the other end of the Bible, I’m nearing my first time through the New Testament for the calendar year. I’m praying in June I’ll glean some new meaning out of the book of Revelation.
For fun: May slowed down a bit by my reading standards. I only completed ONE book – The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z! As proud Costco members, Cait and I picked up this coffee table book a while back, and I finally took it off the decorative stack and read through. It was fun to find out some of the facts behind this company and hear about the exotic locations and unique items offered around the world. Meanwhile, I do have four books in progress (to some degree). I began a monster-length book – Atlas Shrugged, at Bob Fink’s recommendation. Some editions are over a thousand pages; so far I’m about a quarter of the way through listening. I did begin meeting with my mentor (Pastor Z @ Immanuel) to discuss God’s Design for Male and Female, always a good topic to wrap my head around. I’ve been working through a devotion book, Loved to Life, which was a gift from a member. The author uses portions of John’s Gospel, which I love, so it has been very enjoyable. Finally, I just recently started another Mitch Albom novel, Finding Chika, about how he and his wife cared for a Haitian orphan with extra medical needs. I may finish it by the time this newsletter comes out – much shorter than Atlas Shrugged!
Summer Fun: May alone had plenty of relaxation and fun. Thank you all for the birthday wishes! It was a blessed long weekend into Memorial Day. We’ve eaten out, gone to the mall and the movies, played games, taken a short drive down to Cedarburg to see friends and Cait’s brother – and soon we’ll get to officially welcome new friends, the Enters! I’m looking forward to what else this summer has in store. God bless us all, highs and lows, rain or shine, because he loves us so! Everything else is just cherries on top of the ice cream sundae. “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
Bible Study Update
Due to the WELS Northern Wisconsin District Convention (June 9th-10th at Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Appleton) and Grace’s Open Forums and Voters’ Meeting – which will be on June 14th and 15th after worship and June 16th at 6:30pm - there will NOT be weekly adult Bible Study on Sundays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays during the beginning of the month of June. Starting June 21st, Pastor Henning will teach a series titled Lifestyle Witnessing. Over seven weeks, we will discuss how each one of us can be witnesses for Christ to the very ends of the earth. Come join us as we dive into Scripture and develop an everyday lifestyle of sharing our Savior Jesus with others!
Welcome MLHS Scrip Office
The MLHS Scrip Office is relocating to Grace Lutheran Church during the road construction on Lancer Circle. They will be in the office Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM with no evening hours.
Scrip will be closed the week of June 29th – July 6th.
Storm Clean Up from Our May 17th Windstorm
A huge thank you to everyone who helped with storm cleanup at Grace Lutheran. From hauling large logs and branches to clearing debris, your teamwork and generosity made a difficult task lighter. Thank you all!
Registration is now open for the 2026 Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) Convention, which will be held June 25th to June 28th in Madison, Wisconsin. Attendees will hear inspiring mission stories, be encouraged in their personal mission fields, and explore new ways to pray, give, and get involved in supporting WELS Home and World Missions. Learn more and register at https://63.lwms.org/.
The Feasibility Team that was established to investigate our congregation’s exciting expansion project has officially completed their work and handed the project over to a Building Team.
We thank the following members for contributing to this next phase: Mike R, Tom M, and Scott S, Donna L, and Derrick G, all of whom will be seeking guidance and input from the Jesus’ Lambs of Grace staff and Pastor Henning.
As we said at the outset of this investigation, even if you were not asked to serve on this team, we recognize that a building project involves the many gifts of many members to make it happen. Your contributions along the way are appreciated and welcomed. At this current time the Team is waiting for ACE Building to complete revised drawings based on their last meeting. They hope to have something visual to share at the Open Forums and Voters’ Meeting. God continue to guide us as Grace Grows!
Children’s Busy Bags
We welcome new additions to our Children’s Busy Bags – bags that may be used by our little ones during worship services. They now feature even more fun activities, coloring pages, books, and quiet toys for the kids to use. A thank you to Sue F for helping write a Thrivent grant for these beautiful additions.
Summer Camp Update
Andra R and Lizzy K
Jesus’ Lambs of Grace Summer Camp is off to an exciting start with nineteen energetic campers ready for a summer full of faith, fun, and adventure! This year’s themes include “Happy Birthday America,” celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary with patriotic activities, folktales, songs, and more, followed later in the summer by a rainforest adventure leading up to Rainforest Falls Vacation Bible School in August.
Campers will enjoy plenty of outdoor fun including water play, bike days, picnics, science experiments, art projects, and special events like a half-car wash on June 18th and a 4th of July picnic on July 2nd. Each week, children will also grow in their faith as they learn about a different miracle of Jesus. A big thank you to our wonderful summer staff led by Director Debbi H, along with Andra R, Lizzy K, Pang P, Mashayla P, Kirsten H-S, Charlee M, and Lily D for making this summer so special!
ROOTS UNITED
Come ready to hike, connect, and unwind in God’s creation with a beautiful summer evening as we hike into the sunset, gather around the campfire and spend time in God’s Word. Our date set for this next event is Saturday, June 13th at 7:30 P.M. We will meet together at Port Sandy Bay - 6421 County Road O in Two Rivers. This group is for men and women between eighteen and thirty-five years old. If it rains and our outdoor event is impossible, plan for a Game Night at Grace Lutheran. Join us!
Passport WLC 2026
Calling all high school students to explore Wisconsin Lutheran College at Passport WLC on Thursday, June 18th from 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Tour the beautiful campus at your own pace, meet students and faculty and discover programs through hands-on experiences.
While touring, stay busy collecting fun passport stickers for a chance to win a very niche prize! Learn more & register here: https://wlc.news/passport
Congregational Open Forum Meetings
Sunday, June 14th After 9:00 Worship
Monday, June 15th After 6:30 Worship
Voters’ Meeting Tuesday, June 16th at 6:30 P.M.
Discussion topics may include the presentation of the 2026 -2027 budget, our building expansion, plans for the start of our new full-time Staff Minister ministry with Mr. Enter, as well as any topics brought forward by congregation members in attendance. Join us for these meetings!
Our WELS Ministry to Inmates at the Manitowoc County Jail
How many of you are aware of the active gospel outreach ministry going on between WELS members and inmates at the county jail? For over 12 years, WELS members have been bringing hope to inmates willing to listen to the good news of forgiveness through Jesus. From 2014 to 2020, a few visitors would go in on Saturday afternoons and teach a Bible study to however many inmates came down to listen.
In 2020, all visitation was shut down for about a year and a half. But inmates have access to a special email system, called CIDNET, and we began corresponding with the inmates we knew in pre-Covid times. Mostly we sent devotions to those who wanted to read a meditation from God’s Word. But soon, we began getting requests for devotions from inmates who also wanted devotions like their cellmates were getting.
In 2022 the meeting rooms of the jail were remodeled, allowing pastoral visiting without direct contact. We were able to sit down with inmates and have a Bible study once again. Today, four members from Bethany, one from Immanuel, and one from Trinity, Liberty regularly visit inmates and bring them Bible studies. The number of inmates who request weekly devotions to be emailed to them is over 50. Many inmates see the opportunity to hold Bible discussions with others in their cell block. Many inmates have requested to receive their own Bibles, which they can take with them when they are sentenced to prison.
At Grace, a member has offered to buy Bibles for inmates, as has the Grace Brother’s Keeper committee and the owner of a funeral home in Manitowoc. So, every inmate who has asked for a Bible has been able to receive one.
Institutional Ministries, an organization of WELS members, publishes Bible studies written for prison inmates. Each of these studies has a test at the end that needs to be corrected by a lay volunteer. A member of Grace is doing this at this time.
If you are interested in bringing the gospel to incarcerated people, there are a number of ways you can serve. The greatest need is for more pastoral visitors. If you feel led to bring a Bible study to an inmate, many inmates are praying for someone to bring them a Bible lesson. Talk to Bob Fink about how you can serve in this way. It is very rewarding; you don’t have to be a pastor to do it, and you are not in the same room as the inmate you are teaching. If you wish to buy a Bible for an inmate, simply make a donation to the Brother’s Keeper Fund, designating it for “inmate Bibles.” If you want to help grade Bible studies, talk to Bob Fink or Chuck Bast for more information.
Many people have a wrong view of the people who are in jail. Most inmates are sorry for their errors. They are confused in many ways and need Christian guidance. Serving them with the gospel is as rewarding for the visitor as it is for the inmate.
Member Spotlight
Alisha E, Rebekah F, & Isabella C
Alisha E and Isabella C became members of Grace in April of 2026. While growing up Alisha lived in many states but calls Springfield, Missouri home.
Alisha graduated from Falls City High School in Falls City, Nebraska. She works as a Logistic Specialist at Metal Ware Distribution Center in Two Rivers.
Alisha met her husband Curt while attending a friend’s wedding and was later introduced when he moved back to Manitowoc. Curt runs a semi-trucking business with a relative, and he married Alisha in 2023. They have a blended family of 5 children, with Curt’s 2 sons (Clay and Mason Eisner), Alisha’s 2 children (Benjamin and Rebekah Fagan), and together, Isabella Clark.
They live on a small hobby farm with cows, pigs, ducks, dogs, barn cats, chickens and goats. There is never a dull moment of chores.
Alisha is a music lover and likes attending rock concerts! Alisha and Rebekah recently joined the “Women’s Barbershop” of Manitowoc, a branch off the “Clipper City Chordsmen.” Rebekah is a free spirit and is saving up for a school trip to France in March 2028. Isabella likes gymnastics, wrestling, art, basketball and softball.
As a family, the Eisner’s like to play board games. Uno is a favorite with lots of bonfires outside when the weather permits. Even on rainy days they still like a good bonfire! They also like working together as a family in the shop on various projects and adventures.
