Spreading love to our Outer Banks neighbors
Blanket Ministry
The Blanket Ministry at Grace Lutheran is outreach that serves the Outer Banks community. The Blanket Ministry Team coordinates with the Outer Banks Hospital Labor, Delivery and Nursery department.
Three times a year, Grace donates baby blankets for newborns that have been sewn, knitted, crocheted, or quilted by members of our congregation, along with hats and booties.
From those individuals that don’t have these creative talents, purchased blankets or quilts are welcome. A label is sewn on the blankets with our church name. Prior to donating the blankets, Grace has a special dedication and blessing during our Sunday worship service. After the blessing, the Ladies of Grace package a blanket and a hat in a large zip lock bag. The blanket bags are delivered to the hospital’s Community Development Coordinator and the Labor and Delivery staff for distribution. It is a wonderful keepsake for parents and their infant child, a reminder of their homecoming. Grace has received many appreciative responses from parents.
Beach Food Pantry
Members of Grace have volunteered at the Beach Food Pantry for many years. Volunteers assist families in their selection of food items, pack their grocery bags and assist them loading the bags into their vehicles. Members of the congregation donate non-perishable items throughout the year.
A special offering is taken at Grace prior to Thanksgiving that provides food for a complete Thanksgiving meal to residents of Dare County. In 2022, Grace collected $1,980 for the Thanksgiving drive. More than 25 members have volunteered their time in 2022 and provided 150 hours of volunteer work. For more information, visit Beach Food Pantry.
Interfaith Community Outreach
Over thirty years ago, a founding father of our church, Bob Wentzel, began an outreach program to the community called “The Adopted Family Program.”
Dare County Social Services provided names of families that needed assistance. Grace Lutheran, with other churches in the area, would provide the family with groceries and clothes. This program also provided financial relief to people who dropped by or contacted the church to help with bills such as electricity.
In 2004. the Interfaith Community Outreach (ICO) was created, where information and resources would be shared.
Members of Grace Lutheran volunteer assisting with intake and other administrative tasks. Grace provides financial support to the ICO with proceeds from our VBS offering and special “love offerings” during the calendar year. For more information, visit Interfaith Community Outreach.
Room in the Inn
In 2022, we met with Room in the Inn (RITI) staff and joined other churches in providing support to our homeless population on the Outer Banks.
In December 2022, for the benefit of RITI, we:
- supported a “Lunch-to-Go” fundraiser.
- hosted Christmas Concert that Grace’s Music Team and musician friends from the community held benefit RITI.
- put up an angel tree, in the church, with items congregation members could purchase to gift each resident of the Inn on Christmas Day. Backpacks, sweatpants, sweatshirts, socks, gift cards, towels, personal toiletry items – an overwhelming success, ensuring RITI residents had a blessed Merry Christmas.
In 2023, we have volunteered to provide a week’s worth of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for all residents at the Inn in April. We are coordinating with staff to ensure residents are given a home cooked dinner each day and have all the supplies necessary for breakfast and lunch. For more information, visit Room in the Inn.
Books for Inmates
Gary and Cher Funaiock delivered 150 donated paperback books to the Western Tidewater Regional Jail library.
“Thank you so much for the books. We’d love more and the inmates are very appreciative to have new reading material” said Ms. Powell, the jail librarian.
Grace Lutheran Church’s newest outreach program, which began in February 2023 with Tidewater Reegional Jail, gathers donated paperback books to take to incarcerated individuals in Virginia and North Carolina.
Alice Jaeger, Chair for Outreach and Evangelism
Alice Jaeger is a native of NY, attended Concordia College, Bronxville, NY and relocated to No VA. After retirement, she moved to her permanent home on the Outer Banks. A member of Grace for 11 years, she is currently serving as Chairperson of the Outreach-Evangelism Team at Grace. Alice is the mother of 3 children and 4 grandchildren.
Want to get involved? Contact Alice today.
Grace Lutheran Church By-The-Sea 