Grace Bartel Receives "Care of the Soul Leadership Award"

The Lutheran Home Association (TLHA) in Belle Plaine, Minnesota, handed out “Care of the Soul Leadership Awards” to three retired teachers: Grace Bartel of Madison, Wisconsin; Emily Armstrong of Belle Plaine, Minnesota; and Kathy Augustine of Goodhue, Minnesota. These awards recognize those who provide leadership in the area of special ministries.
Grace leads a Jesus Cares Ministries (JCM) program at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Madison, Wisconsin, that reaches out into the community. After each JCM class, the volunteers leave saying, “What a great day!” These “great days” began in 2004, when Grace “almost single-handedly motivated and organized Holy Cross to be involved in JCM. She has faithfully led this effort ever since,” according to the person who nominated her.
Grace’s work includes recruiting, training, and communicating with the volunteers. She also oversees the planning. She and her husband, Fred, arrive early on the days there is a JCM class and make sure the facilities are open, ready, and set up. They find or provide rides for any students who need them and have befriended the students.
Grace also does a fantastic job as a teacher. She has gotten the students involved in playing simple musical instruments, which they love to do.
Grace also recruits students for the class. One time, Grace was at a concert at a nearby mall and was holding a JCM brochure with a picture of Jesus on it. She reports, “A woman noticed the picture I was holding, her eyes lit up. She has been a faithful member of our JCM class ever since.”
Grace’s mother was first involved with classes for people with developmental disabilities in the 1960s and later with a JCM program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Grace’s parents nurtured her interests of sharing God’s Word and music. She and her six sisters all played string instruments and were encouraged to “use the music for God’s glory.” Grace has also taught string instruments for many years and plays them at her church.
Over the years, Grace has also worked with hearing impaired students, written articles for The Junior Northwestern and the Lutheran Educator, written a music course for multi-grade classrooms, and written plays, such as “Martin Luther” and “J.S. Bach.” She continues to write plays for her church’s JCM classes.
Grace enjoys her JCM work immensely. She said, “I love it, and I know the students are learning to grow in their faith through our classes. There are so many of Jesus’ lambs who need to know more about their dear Savior. What a privilege and joy to do something for Jesus! And besides, it’s fun.”