February 2013 S t. M a t t h e w L u t h e r a n C h u r c h, I t h a c a, O H. Worshiping God, Growing in Faith, Serving Neighbors--near and far

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1 February 2013 S t. M a t t h e w L u t h e r a n C h u r c h, I t h a c a, O H Worshiping God, Growing in Faith, Serving Neighbors--near and far 1

Lent begins February 13th with Ash Wednesday and a 7:30 pm service with the Imposition of Ashes and Holy. Each Wednesday thereafter, during Lent we will share a light soup supper at 6:30 p.m., followed by worship at 7:30.

Each week of Lent we will explore a new spiritual practice, with the intent to clear our lives for the presence and love of God, and so that we might better know and love ourselves and

At this time, Mote and Associates has met with council and are re-doing some drawings.

Our project will cost a minimum of $40,000. Soup er Bowl Sunday is February 3rd. Our youth will collect a special offering as part of an annual national effort among church youth.

2 Lent begins February 13th with Ash Wednesday and a 7:30 pm service with the Imposition of Ashes and Holy. Each Wednesday thereafter, during Lent we will share a light soup supper at 6:30 p.m., followed by worship at 7:30. Our Mid-week Lenten series theme is Simplifying the Soul: Lenten Practices to Renew Your Spirit, based on a book by Paula Huston. Each week of Lent we will explore a new spiritual practice, with the intent to clear our lives for the presence and love of God, and so that we might better know and love ourselves and neighbors. The WELCA group is coordinating the meals, and there will soon be a sign up sheet on the back table if you would like to donate some soup, crackers, a light jello or salad and/or your services to help set up and clean up. Restroom Project Our handicapped accessible restroom project is still in the planning stages. At this time, Mote and Associates has met with council and are re-doing some drawings. If you would like to know more, there is information in our January meeting notes posted on the back bulletin board. Please keep this project in mind when considering donations to the church. Our project will cost a minimum of $40,000. Soup er Bowl Sunday is February 3rd. Our youth will collect a special offering as part of an annual national effort among church youth. Please consider giving $1 per family member for this great cause. Our donations will go to the Castine Food Bank!!! Easter Flowers Help beautify our sanctuary on Easter morning with (your choice this year!!) Lilies, Daffodils, Hyacinth s or Tulips Sign up sheets will soon be available on the back table!! Please indicate on the sign-up sheet if your donation is given in honor or memory of your loved ones and/or special occasions. Orders are needed by March 10, and the cost is $12 each. Please place your payment into the offering plate In an envelope marked Easter flowers 2

3 Gotham City Brass Quintet Coming February 10! During worship on February 10, we will enjoy the musical talents of the Gotham City Brass Quintet featuring Linda Holt and Jim Vetter on cornet; Annie Shilt on French Horn; Ray Marion playing the trombone and John Streb with the tuba. Don t miss out on this extra-ordinary gift of music! A free will offering will be accepted. Lawn Care Bids Bids for lawn care of the church property are being accepted through March 3. If you would like to consider submitting a bid, please contact Shannon for a job description. Bids can be given to Shannon, or any council member. A note of thanks Dear Friends at St. Matthews: Thank you for your thoughtful gifts for me and my family. May God bless you all this Christmas season. Deb Taylor Many thanks to all my church family for your prayers, cards, calls and messages. I know all of the concern and love showed to me is the reason I am feeling so good. Also, special thanks to my Mom and Dad who have both been wonderful to me this week caring, cooking and running for Joel & I. I do thank God for the loving family that I have! Hugs & Peace, Rhonda Kress Dear Friends, Please accept our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for everything that you did during Myron's hospitalization and passing. To Pastor Joene for every visit, phone call, shared tear, prayer and ultimately a most personal and memorable celebration of life service. To Dwight Ressler, Kristie Stump and the choir, for the beautiful music. To all who prepared a much appreciated meal, to those who arranged all the pictures so becomingly for our visitation and to Jane Brown for the special effort in getting us a recent photo of Myron that we all now have to cherish. For every card, prayer, thought and well wish we thank you. Myron would have been so humbly honored. God Bless, The Brown family 3

OUR MONTHLY WELCA MEETING will be held at the home of Earlene Morris on Wednesday, February 6 at 7 p.m. We will continue our studies in the Gather magazine with the January/February issue, Koinonia Calling.

4 OUR MONTHLY WELCA MEETING will be held at the home of Earlene Morris on Wednesday, February 6 at 7 p.m. We will continue our studies in the Gather magazine with the January/February issue, Koinonia Calling. Koinonia means communion by intimate participation. It identifies the ideal state of fellowship and community that exists within the Christian Church. The theme verse is: 1 Corinthians 1:9, God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Thanks for your continuing donations of items for our Health kits. Please see the list below. The items have changed this year. During the months of January through March, we collect items for the Health Kits for Lutheran World Relief. Each kit is to contain: ONE Ministry - Castine Food Bank item of the month: canned fruit One light-weight bath-sized towel (between 20 X 40 & 52 x 27, dark color recommended bath-size bar (4 to 5 oz.) of soap, any brand, in its original wrapping (2 per kit) One adult-size toothbrush in its original packaging One sturdy comb, remove packaging Metal nail clippers (file optional) Any donations you are able to make are greatly appreciated! A donation box is located at the back of the sanctuary. In case of Church cancellation due to bad weather, we will continue to use our One Call Now update system for our regularly worshipping members. If you do not receive a call, tune into the following: TV: Channel 2 or Channel 7; Radio: AM 1290, 97.5 FM News Talk Radio WHIO, K99.1 FM; OR WEB: or 4

5 From the Pastor Lent comes early this year; Ash Wednesday is February 13 th. Lent is our church season of simplicity as well as preparation for Easter. You will see simplification both in the sanctuary and in worship at SMLC. I also invite you to consider simplifying your life during this season. This year s mid-week theme and a Lenten daily devotion encourage practices for simplification and faith growth. SMLC s midweek theme is Simplifying the Soul: Lenten Practices to Renew Your Spirit, based on a book by Paula Huston. The practices invite us to look inside, to see ourselves with humility. Humility isn t thinking low of yourself; humility is the opposite of being egotistical or narcissistic. Humility is seeing yourself with reality, seeing both the good and the bad. The practices to simplify our souls include simplifying space and money. Giving away things we don t use can open up space around us, and free us from being in bondage to the material. Giving money, especially to charities that help those in need is a traditional Lenten practice, following Jesus teaching to love neighbor as self. Simplifying how we take care of our bodies is another spiritual practice for Lent. Depending on how you focus on your body, you may be encouraged to cover mirrors, or give up fat, sugar or caffeine. Simplifying our mind, the next practice, can include giving up TV and spending time without your cell phone. Simplifying a schedule allows us to focus on God and others in our life. Similarly, simplifying relationships in our lives gives opportunity to know ourselves and those in our life who are in need of our time and attention, so that we can truly learn to love self and our neighbors as ourselves. The final Lenten practice to be explored is simplifying prayer. The goal is learning unceasing prayer, to develop a single-pointed focus on God. I invite you to join the SMLC community of faith, each Wednesday of Lent as we explore these Lenten practices, as well as Sunday, for worship. Our practice includes a soup supper before worship, so you don t need to worry about feeding yourself or family come to SMLC by 6:30 pm for food and fellowship before the 7:30 worship time. Finally, as a Lenten discipline, I invite you to use a devotional SMLC is providing this year - Lenten Devotions for God's Stewards, which hopefully will inspire a strengthened sense of faith and stewardship. The daily reading while short includes a scripture reference and a prayer. I hope the devotional, as well as the mid-week service will be tools to help you growth deeper in faith and closer to God this Lent year. In Christ s Peace, Pastor Joene 5

6 3rd 7th February Birthdays Pam Brown Sharon Rismiller 17th Megan Daggett (Kress) 19th Kevin McCullough 25th 27th 28th Deb Taylor Mary Lou Hofacker Mickie Ary Judy Stephan February Anniversaries None this month Blessings Joseph Helfrich and his ministry December Prayer Concerns Dorothy Hunt Gloria Scheiding Helen & Karl Garner Alice & Ralph Stutz Pastor Hilbert & Mary Piel Fred & Bea Zimmer Pam Yeomans Donna Miller Judy Wilson Tom Knick Sandy Thompson Joel Kress Rhonda Kress Pastor Joene Sue Mills Peggy Lockman Sanders Luanna Fisher Becky Fitzpatrick December Prayer Concerns Melanie Morrow and family Aloha Moore Pat Koogler Pastor Louis Abel Jim & Dianna McDonald Dave Mannon Helen Bartocci Delores Bruner Susie George Ester Heltzel The Wolf family Congregation of St. Paul Lutheran, Pomaria, SC fire Prayers of sympathy and healing for the families of: Karl Garner Donnie Moyer Larry Fourman To reach us for the prayer chain, please call Rhonda Kress at or Call On Faith is a free inspirational mobile app that puts over 200 uplifting videos at the tip of your finger! For prayers, encouragement, meditations or wise words to guide you through your day look no further than Call On Faith! This app is available for free for a limited time. 6

7 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat February Greeters: Mickie Ary & Pam Yeomans th Sunday after Epiphany Soup -er Bowl Sunday 6-7:30 Confirmation 4 7 pm Council meeting pm WELCA am Clergy Meeting/W. Milton Lector: Anita Schneider Acolyte: Joel Hoke Bread: Donna Miller 10 Transfiguration Gotham City Brass Quintet 5 pm Oyster Supper Lector: Pam Yeomans Acolyte: Pam Yeomans Bread: Neva Birt Ash Wednesday 7:30 Service Lector: Ron Fasick Acolyte: Alysson Pahl Bread: Jane Brown 14 Happy Valentines Day 9-11 am Clergy Meeting/W. Milton st Sunday in Lent 6-7:30 Confirmation Lector: Chris Stump Acolyte: Julia McCullough Bread: Shannon McCullough 18 Newsletter entries due :30 Soup Supper 7:30 Midweek Service Lector: Mickie Ary Acolyte: Karr Stump am Clergy Meeting/W. Milton nd Sunday in Lent 6-7:30 Confirmation Lector: Bob Brown Acolyte: Hannah Eley Bread: Anita Schneider :30 Soup Supper 7:30 Midweek Service Lector: Mickie Ary Acolyte: Mickie Ary am Clergy Meeting/W. Milton

Church Address 6825 St. Route 722 Ithaca, OH 45304 Office Phone/Fax: 937-884-7006 E-mail: skmccullough@earthlink.net Pastor Joene Herr Phone: 937-564-5802 E-mail: joeneherr@yahoo.

8 Church Address 6825 St. Route 722 Ithaca, OH Office Phone/Fax: Pastor Joene Herr Phone: Wheelchair accessible + Elevator on premises + Holy celebrated - 1st Sunday of every month- major church festivals We re on the web!! Facebook: St. Matthew Sunday Worship services: 9 am Traditional worship 10 am Coffee Break (food & fellowship) 10:15 am Sunday School for all ages St. Matthew Lutheran Church Ithaca 7820 State Route 722 Arcanum, Ohio Dated Material 8

January Worshiping God, Growing in Faith, Serving Neighbors--near and far

January Worshiping God, Growing in Faith, Serving Neighbors--near and far The Messenger January 2015 St. Matthew Lutheran Ithaca, OH Worshiping God, Growing in Faith, Serving Neighbors--near and far Our 2015 Council members were installed on December 7, 2014. Please remember