The Epistle St. Paul s Lutheran Church

Transcription

1 The Epistle St. Paul s Lutheran Church April 2019 Gathered to Go...to study God's Word, Worship together; and to walk with Christ by loving, serving and nurturing all God's people where ever they are and whatever their circumstances. 1

2 From Pastor Lori Dear Friends in Christ, As I write this, the snow piles are beginning to melt and a tinge of green is returning to the grass. These signs bring a smile to my face as I anticipate the season that lies ahead. I can t wait to see the colors, smell the scents and hear the sounds that signal the transformation of winter into spring. This month we will experience the transformation of another season. Part of April will be spent in Lent. As the world begins to wake up from its wintery slumber, we will continue with our Lenten journey toward the cross. This journey is marked by the disciplines of self-examination and repentance, prayer and fasting, sacrificial giving and gifts of love. We will continue to gather in midweek worship to hear about God s protective love and learn how we can share this love with people whose lives are affected by poverty and hunger through the ELCA Forty Days of Giving. During Holy Week, we will walk with Jesus as he enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, washes his disciple s feet on Maundy Thursday, dies on the cross on Good Friday and rises from the dead on Easter Sunday. The season of Easter celebrates the gift of life that God provides all believers through Jesus Christ. This gift transforms us from condemned sinners into beloved children of God. It breathes hope into lives that appeared to be dead and frees us to grow into the people God created us to be. For six weeks we will shout, Alleluia! and celebrate the good news that we are forgiven, death has been defeated and our relationship with God has been restored. Both seasons provide us with an opportunity to grow in faith and deepen our understanding of the God who would stop at nothing to provide us with life both now and for eternity. As we worship, study and pray during this special time of year, the Holy Spirit transforms us into more compassionate and responsive disciples of Jesus Christ. Like the earth in 2

3 springtime, we can trust that the Spirit will grow our love for each other and awaken us to the needs of our neighbor. I encourage you to participate in the worship and study opportunities that are offered at St. Paul s during the Lenten and Easter seasons. And I look forward to discovering how the Spirit is transforming us to participate in God s redemptive mission to the world! Blessings, Pastor Lori Pastor Lori will be away from April 29-May 5 at a continuing education event. Please contact Pastor Jonathan Deibler at if you have an emergency pastoral need. Eucharistic Ministry We will be sending eucharistic ministers out to our sick and homebound from worship on the first Sunday of each month. Please contact Pastor Lori if you know of someone who would like to receive communion or if you would like to become a eucharistic minister. 3

4 On Palm Sunday, April 14, the Parish Life Committee will host brunch between church services from 9:15 to 10:15. There is a signup sheet on the bulletin board for those who would like to share a dish to pass. We look forward to sharing fellowship with all! On this day, the baby kits will also be put together, so don t forget to help with that project. Holy Week & Easter MAUNDY THURSDAY April 18 Worship 7pm GOOD FRIDAY April 19-7:00pm Worship EASTER SUNDAY April 21 8:00am & 10:45am worship April 28 Sunday after Easter ONE service at 10:00am 4

5 From our Worship Deacon Please Prayerfully Consider the following: The word liturgy means the work of the people. Helping during the worship service is a blessing to all who serve and worship. Would you please prayerfully consider helping with one of these ministries: Lay Reader: This involves either reading the litany from the back of the church, near the end of the service or a lesson from the ambo if there is an assigned scripture for that Sunday. Charlene sends the readings out to you early in the week so you have them ahead of time. Readers are an important part of both the 8:00 and 10:45 service. Communion Assistant: This person helps serve communion along with the Assistant Minister. The communion assistant generally has the common cup and says the words: The blood of Christ shed for you to those taking from the common cup. If you have questions about either of these ministries, or if you are interested in serving, please contact Elaine Gleason. The only requirement for either is a willingness to serve! April News From the Pews Sunday April 7...Sixth Sunday in Lent...Matthew 25: Last Judgment This is the last Sunday we will use the Offertory: Prepare Us Lord which we have been using since March 10. Jesus continues to turn the social upside down as we have heard throughout Lent again this Sunday in our lesson. Sunday April 14...Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday... Matthew 21: 1-17 We begin our journey into Holy Week with the familiar story of Jesus entering Jerusalem to the loud Hosannas and 5

6 waving of palms. Our new offertory will continue this theme as we sing In the Name of the Lord He Comes! Thursday April 18...Maundy Thursday... Matthew 26: This service is a 7:00 PM service of Holy Communion and Stripping of the Altar. We remember this night that Jesus and his disciples gathered to share a meal together, yet there was the shadow of loss hanging overhead. At this service our offertory asks us the question: Have you come here...? Friday April 19...Good Friday...Matthew 27: We gather for this service at 7:00 with no communion. This is a Tenebrae service. Tenebrae is Latin for 'darkness. We will have a service of readings and extinguishing of candles. Sunday April 21...Easter...Alleluia He is Risen! Matthew 28:1-10 We join together at 8:00 and 10:45 to sing our Alleluias as the tomb is open and HE IS RISEN! We go from the purples of Lent to the White of Easter! The church will be decorated with the flowers and smells of life anew! The banners will be hung and our hymns joyful and full of the Alleluias which have been buried for all of Lent. Our new offertory for Easter is entitled I've Seen the Lord and we will use it just for Easter Sunday. Sunday April 28...First Sunday after Easter...Great Commission Matthew 28:16-20 This is our Community Service Sunday One Service at 10:00 We will begin a new offertory which we will use from April 28 through June 2! The theme of the offertory and the prayer theme for the season of Easter is Christ is Lord of All! We will once again sing the Alleluias and communion hymns. The paraments will remain white and flowers will decorate the altar space! Our lessons will be found in the Books of Romans and Acts...stories of Peter's Vision, Paul's Mission and the Hope of Resurrection...naming just a few. 6

7 Maundy Thursday and Good Friday If you plan to attend either of these services and are willing to read, usher, communion assist, or be a part of altar guild please let Elaine Gleason know. Thank you! EASTER FLOWERS Help to beautify our church for Easter. Please have your flowers to church by Friday April 19 th. If you would like a message in the bulletin about the flowers, please have that to the office by Wednesday April 17 th. Please! NO Hyacinths. CELEBRATE SERVICE CELEBRATE YATES Sunday April 28 from 1:00 to 4:30pm. If you would like to participate in this event there are sign-up sheets on the board across from the office. Sign up by March 29 if you want to reserve a T-shirt. This is an opportunity to serve in an annual event where people of Yates County come together to show support for their community by volunteering at a number os sites. For further information contact Dan Malte

8 FUNDRAISING GUIDELINES Scope: This document describes the fundraising activities which may be undertaken on church property, targeted to the St; Pauls congregation or the wider community and which may be reasonably be understood by others to be sponsored by the St. Paul s Evangelical Lutheran Church Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America Penn Yan. The approval process for such fundraising activity is also defined. Guidelines: Fundraising shall: Be undertaken to further the for ministries of St; Paul s or for other causes which fit within the context of Christian stewardship practices sharing to help others who have a need. Have a church member sponsor if undertaken on the behalf of another organization (e.g. Habitat for Humanity or Millie s Pantry). Be financially efficient. The proceeds from the sale or raffle of items or providing services (e.g. a carwash) net of direct cost incurred to procure the items sold or raffled or provide the service offered must go exclusively to the mission or charitable purpose. Fundraising practices and items offered for sale or raffle shall be consist with the values of the congregation and will comply with all applicable Local, State and Federal law. It is acceptable to raffle item(s). It is not acceptable sponsor games of chance with cash prizes (e.g. 50:50 drawing) Closed container alcohol is allowed as component part of a raffled prize. Direct alcohol sale or consumption is not allowed as part of a St. Paul s sponsored fundraiser. Approval: All fundraising activity carried out on church premises or sponsored in any way by St. Paul s shall be approved by the Church Counsel. At a minimum, the fundraiser shall be on placed on the agenda for approval of the council meeting immediately prior to the fundraising activity or the public promotion of planned fundraising activity. One month s notice is recommended and appreciated. 8

9 Grandma s Kitchen Thank you so much for your participation in Grandma's Kitchen in the High School this year. We could not have done it without so much support from everyone. The students were so appreciative. Thank you. We have been asked to do Grandma's Kitchen at the Middle School in the months of April and May. You will again see similar sign up sheets. Thank you for any help you are able to give to provide for the Middle Schoolers. Thank you, Jewel and Amy WOMEN OF THE ELCA Upcoming Activities: May 4 th Spring Communion Brunch RSVP by April 26 June 12 Leadership and Planning Meeting October 4-6 Upstate New York Synod Convention Detailed information on all of these activities is posted on the ELCA bulletin board across from the kitchen. Yates Hunger Walk 3 rd ANNUAL YATES HUNGER WALK: Sunday May 5 th, 1:00pm starting at the First Presbyterian Church. If you would like to get sponsors for this walk, sponsor sheets are posted on the board across from the office. If you would like to head up this worthy cause, please let our church office know. 9

10 Treasurer s Report Jan 1 - Feb 28, 2019 Operating Account Income $23, Building Fund $6, Total Income $29, General Expenses $29, Mortgage Payments $9, Total Expense $39, Net -$9, Deficit due to: Missed income due to Sunday weather cancellation Paid entire liabiltity & workmans comp insurance bill Made 3 payments on mortgage Donation of $500 to Keuka College Mission Trip Charge for organ tuning Loan Balance as of 2/28/19 = $14,

11 2-Ken Petersen 3-Allen Covert 4-Sherry Morse 5-Flora Nielsen, Knox Felter 8- Skip Jensen 15-Marty Jenkins 17-Evelynn Pinneo 23-Lori Haines 24- Amy Rozelle, Eric Hodges 25-Charlie Goodsell 27 Brevin Cummings 28 Kathy Christiansen APRIL BIRTHDAYS Anniversaries 21-Leonard & Becky Vaughan (46) 27-Ken & Sandy Owen (45) 28- Doug & Darlene Braman (40) Memorials For Peggy Nielsen Dick Nielsen & Phil Darrow For Doris Fitzpatrick Les & Wanda Wood Brian & Karen Fitzpatrick 11

12 ST. PAUL S LUTHERAN CHURCH 135 Hamilton Street Penn Yan, NY (315) stpaulspyny@gmail.com ST. PAUL S LUTHERAN CHURCH STAFF: Rev. Lori Nickoloff - Pastor Charlene Nielsen - Admin. Assist Jason Riley Choir Director Carole Cummings Organist Cathy Booth - Sexton CHURCH COUNCIL: Whitney Booth President John Dubbs Vice President Angie Bailey Secretary Dan Malte Treasurer Cathy Booth Worship/music Sallie Jensen - Parish Life Arlene Stillwell - Parish Life Charlene Nielsen Christian Ed Linda Shaw Finance Les Wood Property Dorothy Oswald - Social Ministry Terry Jensen- Fin. Sec