The Evangel. From the Pastor... Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you something to drink?

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1 The Evangel St. Stephen Lut h eran Church October 2018 Justified by grace, we are a Community of Servants who follow Jesus example by living lives of service to others. Volume, Issue Inside this issue: Finance Matters; Thanksgiving Baskets; Thank You: Birthdays & Anniversaries Food Bank Sunday; Faith Book Group; Pub Theology Group; Greater Lansing Crop Walk; Bonhoeffer Event 2 3 Congregation Finances 4 Photos of Refuge Lansing Exhibit/ Presentation Daily Lectionary Readings 5 6 Lay Minister Schedule 7 Potluck with a Purpose Be thankful for what you have; you ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don t have, you will never, ever have enough. Unknown 8 From the Pastor... Dear Members and Friends of St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you something to drink? (Matthew 25:37) This year s CROP Hunger Walk will be on Sunday, October 14 (see further details in this newsletter.) The CROP Walk is always an inspiring and fun event. I encourage you all to take part in some way, either by walking and/or financially supporting our St. Stephen walkers. Funds raised support the work of Church World Service (CWS) in helping hungry people around the world and in our own community. 25% of the monies raised in Lansing stay right here in our community to support local hunger ministries. For a number of years I served on the Advisory Board for Church World Service in Michigan and I had the opportunity to learn a lot about the work of Church World Service in our country and around the world. Church World Service, like its partner agencies Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and ELCA World Hunger, does wonderful work around the world in relief, development and advocacy on behalf of people in poverty. CWS doesn t just provide emergency food and blankets, but helps poor communities with development projects that help people help themselves. Through CWS, LWR and ELCA World Hunger we are able to be Christ s arms and hands reaching out in love around the world. Please make a pledge on someone, and get out your walking shoes! We walk, because they walk. To join our St. Stephen Team or donate to support our walkers go to: For more information contact Mike Borta, our St. Stephen CROP Walk captain. I ll be gone the weekend of our CROP Walk, so I plan on doing an alternate walk on Wednesday, October 17 at noon. If you d like to join me during the lunch hour, come by St. Stephen and we ll walk for an hour or so for Church World Service. We have started a new adult Bible study on Sunday and Wednesday mornings at 9:00 am. It s a study of ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton s four emphases in her teaching: We are church. We are Lutheran. We are church together. We are church for the sake of the world. Each week we begin with a brief baptismal remembrance liturgy. Come and join us. God s love and peace be with you all. Yours in Christ, Pastor Erick Johnson

2 Page 2 The Evangel Finance Matters Trinity Lutheran Seminary Thank you for generously supporting our second offering in August designated for Trinity Lutheran Seminary. Your gifts in August totaled $308. Thanksgiving Baskets During the month of October, our second offering supports our donation of Thanksgiving Baskets to families referred to us by Christian Services. We have $1,036 currently designated for this purpose, and trust that with your gifts during the month of October, we can provide 20 baskets as has been our custom. Last year, we did not participate because of our negative unrestricted fund balance and corresponding lack of cash on hand. Thank you for your faithful generosity this year. Our unrestricted fund balance continues to grow, allowing us to use designated funds for their intended purposes. Thanksgiving Baskets A tisket, a tasket it s almost time for THANKSGIVING BASKETS. The information received from CHRISTIAN SERVICES was shared at our September Church Council meeting. The decision was made to do twenty baskets this year. Baskets will be filled on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH. People receiving a basket will be picking them up at church that same day instead of us making the delivery. (Those who have volunteered to deliver in the past found no one to be home even after several attempts.) Toward the end of October there will be sign up sheets on the serve table in the fellowship hall to provide homemade baked goods, assembling baskets, and assistance picking up the food. PLEASE let Claudia Cameron know if you would like to help out with this important ministry. ( or cameron6216@sbcglobal.net) Giving thanks and praise to GOD from whom all blessing flow that we are able to provide a complete THANKSGIVING feast for 20 families in our community. Holly Lefanty sends a big thank you for the beautiful card she received from St. Stephen. 2 Mike & Amy Bucht 6 Ron & Chris Miller Ken & Tara Busha 23 Stan & Sandi Kotajarvi 10 Hazel Hiester 15 Zach Telder 19 Heather Lewis Lilliana Butts 20 Evelyn Toomey 23 Susan Leeming 24 Jim Lahti 26 Ben Carpenter 27 Paul Bielawski Tessa Cox 29 Julie Dartt 30 Maxine Jubb 31 Amanda Lewis

3 Volume, Issue Page 3 Food Bank Sunday Just a reminder that next Sunday, October 7, is a Food Bank Sunday. (Food Bank Sundays are the first Sunday of each month.) Please place food items in the Food Bank shopping cart in the fellowship hall. Much needed items are: canned tuna (lots of requests for this item), cooking oil, coffee, hot chocolate, boxed potatoes, syrup, canned fruits & vegetables. Thank you for your help with this important ministry. Faith Book Group Faith Book Group welcomes new members. We meet next on Thursday, October 25, 5:30pm at 1231 N Hayford, Lansing for supper and discussion of Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had by Brad Cohen and Lisa Wysocky. Contact Margaret Sheffer for more information. Pub Theology Group Pub Theology Group will meet on Thursday, October 18, at 7:00 pm at Dimes Brewhouse in Dimondale (145 Bridge Street). The discussion questions will be ed and posted on the website ( as the date nears. If you are not on the church list and would like to be, please contact the church office, or Office@StStephenOnline.org. Greater Lansing Crop Hunger Walk There is still time to register for the Greater Lansing Crop Hunger Walk on Sunday, October 14. The walk is a 3-mile route and will begin at Grace United Methodist Church, 1900 Boston Blvd., Lansing, Sign in time is 1:00 pm and the walk begins at 2:00 pm. Watch for details on walking with others from St. Stephen and supporting this event by sponsoring walkers with your financial contributions. Our Walk Captain is Mike Borta. Please see or contact Mike if you have any questions or would like to register ( mlborta@outlook.com) For the Living of These Days: Are We Living in a Bonhoeffer Moment? Please join the Synod Publicly Engaged Church Table (formerly Church in Society Committee) as we explore the life and teachings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Who is he? What did he do? Why are we even speaking about him now? Join us to explore these questions on Saturday, October 27, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Portage. This event will be moderated by Pastor Erick Johnson. He will begin with a brief overview of Bonhoeffer s life and theology. This will be followed by a viewing of the documentary, Bonhoeffer. The event will conclude with a discussion session. Lunch will be provided, and a free-will offering will be accepted to cover lunch expenses. To register for this event, go to

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5 Volume, Issue Page 5 Below are photos from St. Stephen hosting the traveling exhibit Refuge Lansing: Stories of Resettlement in Mid-Michigan. We heard a very informative presentation by Erika Brown-Binion during our Potluck with a Purpose on September 9. We also collected personal clothing items that are much needed at the Refugee Center. Thanks for your donations and participation in this wonderful event.

6 Volume, Issue Page 6 NARRATIVE LECTIONARY READINGS for October Monday, October 1, Exodus 15:1-21, Songs of Moses and Miriam Tuesday, October 2, Exodus 15:22-27, Bitter Water Made Sweet Wednesday, October 3, Exodus 16:1-21, Bread from Heaven Thursday, October 4, Exodus 17:1-7, Water from the Rock Friday, October 5, Exodus 17:8-16, Amalek Attacks Israel and Is Defeated Saturday, October 6, Exodus 18:13-27, Jethro s Advice Sunday, October 7, Exodus 19:3-7; 20:1-17 Monday, October 8, Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Moses Dies Tuesday, October 9, Joshua 1:1-9, God s Commission to Joshua Wednesday, October 10, Joshua 2:1-21, Spies Sent to Jericho Thursday, October 11, Joshua 3:1-17, Israel Crosses the Jordan Friday, October 12, Joshua 6:1-14, Jericho Taken and Destroyed Saturday, October 13, Joshua 6:15-27, Jericho Destroyed and Rahab Spared Sunday, October 14, Joshua 24:1-15 [16-26] Monday, October 15, 1 Samuel 1:1-28, Samuel s Birth Tuesday, October 16, 1 Samuel 3:1-18, Samuel s Calling and Prophecies Wednesday, October 17, 1 Samuel 7:3-15, Samuel as Judge Thursday, October 18, 1 Samuel 8:1-22, Israel Demands a King Friday, October 19, 1 Samuel 9:27 10:8, Saul Anointed as King Saturday, October 20, 1 Samuel 16:1-13, David Anointed as King Sunday, October 21, 2 Samuel [11:1-5, 26-27]; 12:1-9 Monday, October 22, 2 Samuel 12:15b-23, Bathsheba s Child Dies Tuesday, October 23, 2 Samuel 12:24-25, Solomon Is Born Wednesday, October 24, 1 Kings 1:1-21, The Struggle for Succession Thursday, October 25, 1 Kings 1:22-27, The Struggle for the Succession Friday, October 26, 1 Kings 1:28-53, The Accession of Solomon Saturday, October 27, 1 Kings 2:13-25, Solomon Consolidates His Reign Sunday, October 28, 1 Kings 3:4-9, (10-15), Monday, October 29, 1 Kings 6:1-22, Solomon Builds the Temple Tuesday, October 30, 1 Kings 8:1-13, Dedication of the Temple Wednesday, October 31, 1 Kings 8:54-61, Solomon Blesses the Assembly The Narrative Lectionary readings will also be listed in each Sunday s announcements, posted on the St. Stephen website ( and found in the online version of The Evangel.

7 Page 7 The Evangel LAY MINISTER SCHEDULE FOR OCTOBER Council Meeting Sunday, October 21 11:30 am St. Stephen Lutheran Church 2900 North Waverly Road, Lansing, MI Phone: Fax: office@ststephenonline.org Website: StStephenOnline.org Worship: Sundays at 10:00 am Sunday School Class: Sundays at 9:00 am (Sept May) Bible Study: Sundays 9:00-9:50 am Church Office Hours: Monday Friday, 9:00 am 1:00 pm Staff Members Erick Johnson, Pastor Renee Dixon, Office Manager Rebecca Bossenbroek, Director of Worship Council Members Jackie Williams-Armstrong, President Margaret Sheffer, Recording Secretary Don Sheffer, Facility Development Team Leader Amber McPherson, Financial Development Bob Cameron, Endowment Fund Team Leader **Position Open** Leadership Development Team Leader Gary Hansen, WELCOME Ministry Development Julie Dartt, NOURISH Ministry Development Claudia Cameron, SERVE Ministry Development erickj74@gmail.com office@ststephenonline.org rebeccabossenbroek@comcast.net jacquelynwa@gmail.com sheffer.1283@yahoo.com sheffer.1283@yahoo.com mcpherson613@gmail.com cameron6216@sbcglobal.net garyandjune@gmail.com juliedartt@gmail.com cameronw6216@sbcglobal.net Oct 7 Oct 14 Oct 21 Oct 28 ALTAR FLOWERS Jan & Jerry Becker Gloria Kandle The Cox Family ASSISTING MINISTERS Lynn Kriser Lorri Yusten Mike Borta Diane Singletary (Paulette Piirainen) USHERS Mike & Amy Bucht Cindy Jenks ALTAR CARE (Claudia Cameron ) Claudia & Robert Cameron for entire month. COFFEE HOUR Potluck with a Cindy Jenks & Connie Rohrer Purpose GREETERS ***Greeters needed for all four Sundays*** OFFERING COUNTERS Bob Cameron Jackie Williams-Armstrong Bob Cameron Angie Bennett Claudia Cameron June Hansen/Lynn Kriser Erin Wenger Gladys Collison Ruth Gaudard Abby Kriser Ruth Gaudard Gloria Kandle

8 St. Step hen Lut her an Chur ch 2900 N. Waverly Rd. Lansing, MI Phone: Fax: Website: StStephenOnline.org OR CURRENT OCCUPANT Our next Potluck with a Purpose is on Sunday, October 7. We will enjoy a reprise of God s Family Reunion with fun games for all ages. Bring a dish to pass and join us after worship!