MARCH This year, there are several opportunities that we are offering to deepen your spiritual walk with God.

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1 MARCH 2017 THE PASTOR S PRESS I love the season of Lent. That may sound odd to some, because many people think of Lent as a time of somber, penitential reflection. It is a time when we give up saying Hallelujah in worship to signify the reverential and serious tone of this season of the church year. And Lent is those things. Lent is designed to help us reflect on ways we may need to make changes in our own lives to deepen our relationship with God. And so, we try to make the outward changes in our worship that may help us to do that - we give up our hallelujahs, we sing more somber hymns, we meet on Wednesday nights for worship to add another opportunity during the course of our week to reconnect to God. The reason I love Lent, however, is not for any of the above-mentioned reasons. I love Lent because of the opportunity it affords me to focus on deepening my relationship with God. I get 6 weeks of dedicated time in the church year to do something concrete about deepening my relationship with God. I love that. It is time built-in to our church calendar to focus on self-improvement by making our lives a little more open to God s love. It is a little like our secular New Year s resolution. Like people make New Year s resolutions, I see Lent as a time that we have been given to make spiritual resolutions. Unlike New Year s resolutions, though, the church gives us 6 weeks to practice keeping our resolution. We have the six weeks of Lent to practice a new way of opening ourselves to God. And then, maybe, just maybe, it will become something we do, even beyond Lent, to continue our spiritual walk with God. This year, there are several opportunities that we are offering to deepen your spiritual walk with God. During the Sunday School time at St. Matthew and St. Peter, and during the Fellowship time following worship at St. Stephen, we will be studying a new Lenten Study sponsored by the Tapestry team of the Virginia Synod. It is entitled Becoming Church Together in a Changing World. The study is a webinar where each week a different person from the ELCA will give a presentation on the topic via the internet. We will have it downloaded and be able to view it together and then discuss it using the questions they provide. This is a great way to deepen your relationship with God and the church over the course of the 5 sessions of these Lenten studies. It starts Sunday, March 12th. Come to Lenten evening worship on Wednesday nights and hear the Faith Stories of your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. During each Lenten Wednesday evening worship, we will hear someone s individual faith story. We will hear from a different person each Wedesday about how God has been active in their life. We will hear their witness to God s love and grace in and through their own personal experience. As we hear their story, we will be encouraged and strengthened to see and know God s love and grace for us as well. Join us for a covered dish dinner at 6:00 p.m with service starting at 6:45 p.m. (Cont. next page)

2 (Cont. from Front Page) Begin your own new spiritual practice during Lent. Find 5, 10, 15, 20 or even 30 minutes of time to dedicate to prayer and devotion to God each day. The amount of time doesn t matter, it is the intention to spend time with God that does! Find a daily devotional book or on-line app that will help and encourage you as you walk with God. Read the Bible daily. Pick a book of the Bible to read - one of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) is a really good place to start. In our readings for this church year, we are reading predominantly from the gospel of Matthew. This is a great starting place if you re looking for something to kick-start your Bible reading! As we head together into this season of Lent, I pray that we may enter into this journey excited about the possibilities of deepening our faith, both individually and collectively, as we seek to be more and more open to the relationship God is continually inviting us into! Happy Lent, everybody! Pastor Heidi ANNOUNCEMENTS Ash Wednesday service at 7:00 p.m. at St. Matthew s - come and remember that You are dust and to dust you shall return with the imposition of ashes on each of our foreheads in the sign of the cross. It s a great way to start Lent together! Our first Wednesday evening Holden Evening prayer service is Wednesday, March 8th at St. Stephen with dinner at 6:00 p.m. and service at 6:45 pm. Remy Pangle will be leading us in the singing of Holden Evening Prayer, and Deryl Tucker will be sharing his Faith Story during the sermon time. Come hear and experience God s amazing love and grace through the gifts your brothers and sisters in Christ are so willing to share! Being Church Together in a Changing World is a weekly Lenten Study based on presentations given by different ELCA leaders. We are using this study during the season of Lent with it being offered at each congregation during the Sunday School adult class. St. Stephen s folks will be invited to stay after worship and participate in the study. This is a great way to inform your Lenten journey and see how God is working in and through each of us to bring the gospel to the world. The study will begin Sunday, March 12th. Here are the topics for each week: Week 1: Intro "Being Church Together in a Changing World" Week 2: God's Mission has a Church (Why does God have a church?) Pastor Erika Uthe, SE Iowa Synod Week 3: Listen, Listen, Listen! (Why listening - listening together - is necessary.) Pastor Deb Stalin, Minneapolis Area Synod Week 4: Calling: You Can't Do It By Yourself (Why being Church Together is Necessary) Pastor Justin Grimm, St. Paul Area Synod Week 5: Final Thoughts on "Being Church Together in Changing World" Bishop Jim Mauney, (and DEM for the VA Synod!)

3 Lenten Wednesday Evening Worship Our Lenten worship mid-week and Holy Week schedule looks like this: Ash Wednesday, March 1st at 7:00 p.m. at St. Matthew Wednesdays throughout Lent with covered dish meal at 6:00 p.m. and Holden Evening Prayer at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 8th - St. Stephen Wednesday, March 15th - St. Peter Wednesday, March 22nd - St. Matthew Wednesday, March 29th - St. Stephen Wednesday, April 5th - St. Peter Maundy Thursday, April 13th - 7 p.m. at St. Stephen Good Friday, April 14th - 7 p.m. at St. Peter North Mountain Parish Council Members and New Officers St. Matthew Representatives Pauline Minton (2017) Frank Conner (2018) - Vice President Amelia Mowery (2019) St. Peter Representatives Glen Baker (2017) Tyler Williams (2018) Connie Fauber (2019) - Secretary St. Stephen Representatives Imogene Ryman (2017) - President Sue C. Wymer (2018) - Treasurer Jeremy Pangle (2019) Schedule for Sundays through June 30th (Pastor Heidi at St. Stephen every Sunday except April 23rd) March 5th - Heidi at St. Matthew, Bill Rosenow at St. Peter March 12th - Heidi at St. Peter, Bill Rosenow at St. Matthew March 19th - Heidi at St. Matthew, Bill Rosenow at St. Peter March 26th - Heidi at St. Peter, Terry Hannon at St. Matthew April 2 - Heidi at St.Matthew, Bill Rosenow at St. Peter April 9th - Heidi at St. Peter, Bill Rosenow at St Matthew April 16th - Easter April 23rd - Terry Hannon at St. Stephen and St. Peter, Bill Rosenow at St. Matthew April 30th - parish-wide joint worship May 7th - Heidi at St. Matthew, Bill Rosenow at St. Peter May 14th - Heidi at St. Peter, Bill Rosenow at St. Matthew May 21st - Heidi at St. Matthew, Terry Hannon at St. Peter May 28th - Heidi at St. Peter, Bill Rosenow at St. Matthew June 4th - Heidi at St. Matthew, Bill Rosenow at St. Peter June 11th - Heidi at St. Peter, Bill Rosenow at St. Matthew June 18th - Heidi at St. Matthew, Bill Rosenow at St. Peter June 25th - Heidi at St. Peter, Terry Hannon at St. Matthew Parish 2017 World Day of Prayer Saturday, March 4 th 4 SS Beginning with Pot Luck Meal (Men, Women & Children Welcome) Come visit the Philippines with us!

4 NURSES CORNER Today I would like to take a minute and talk about a problem that may be frequent for many; that is constipation, specifically medication induced constipation. There are many medications that have constipation as a side effect. This side effect can be dose related. Some groups of meds that can cause constipation are: pain medications, cough medications containing opioids (for example, cough syrup with codeine or hydrocodone), antidepressants/ anti-anxiety medications, meds for high blood pressure, anticonvulsants, cholesterol lowering agents, and iron supplements. Many people are not aware that this is a possible side effect. Do not be afraid to ask your physician or your pharmacist. Do not stop your medication as this is a treatable problem. Often when you speak to your physician or care giver, they may suggest a plan to help. Knowing your normal pattern is important. Hard, dry, infrequent stools, often incomplete, and the need to strain as well as abdominal discomfort are signs of medication induced constipation. Things you can do to help relieve the problem are changes in your nutrition and diet, exercise and lifestyle modifications. Also included is the occasional use of an over-the counter non-prescription laxative. (This however is not the first line option.) Adding fluids (water is one of the best choices), and increased fiber (found in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and cereal), and limiting foods high in animal fat and refined sugar are helpful dietary changes. Also exercising and increased physical activity are also helpful. There are times you may need a stool softener or a laxative as the problem is medication induced. Please feel free to ask questions if you would like more information. How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! Psalm 139:17 (The Living Bible) Resource: Advance for Nurses. July Medication Induced Constipation. Don t forget to May the road rise up to meet you May the wind be always at your back May the sun shine warm upon your face May the rain fall soft upon your fields And until we meet again MAY GOD HOLD YOU In the palm of his hand. Daylight Savings Time begins March 12 th!

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6 NORTH MOUNTAIN PARISH MARCH BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES Wishing all a Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary ST STEPHEN 8 Sue Wymer 17 Erin Fake 18 Ron Bowman 21 Jeremy Pangle ST MATTHEW ST PETER 1 Joy Dyke 1 Luella Sager 2 Sherry King 19 Pastor Jonathan Boynton 29 Billy Minton 1 Emmaleigh Foltz 10 Connie Fauber 24 Beth Ray 29 Joy Painter ST STEPHEN 24 Gayle & Dale Ryman *Apologies if anyone has been left off the list. We are currently in the process of having them updated.

7 SS - St. Stephen SP - St. Peter SM - St. Matthew MARCH 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat SUNDAY SCHEDULES St. Stephen: 9am Worship St. Peter: 9:45am Sunday School 11am Worship St. Matthew: 10am Sunday School 11am Worship (Children s Sunday School during church) 1 SM - 7PM Ash Wednesday 5 SM- Communion SS - 6PM Covered Dish Meal, 6:45 PM Holden Evening Prayer 12 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME SP - Church Council following service SS -7:30PM Council SS - 10 am Quilting 15 SS -10AM Bible Study 19 SM - Communion SS -11:30AM Katies Ladies Luncheon SS - 10AM Church Cleanup Day SP - 6PM Covered Dish Meal, 6:45 PM Holden Evening Prayer 22 SM - 6PM Covered Dish Meal, 6:45 PM Holden Evening Prayer SS -10am Bible Study SS - 6PM Covered Dish Meal, 6:45 PM Holden Evening Prayer SS - 4PM World Day of Prayer ST. PATRICK S DAY

8 APRIL 2017 Newsletter Deadline April Newsletter deadline is March 17th. Please send all articles and information to Connie Baker at North Mountain Lutheran Parish