The Evangel. From the Pastor... Justified by grace, we are a Community of Servants who follow Jesus example by living lives of service to others.

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Derek Hall
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.. As we begin the month of April, we move into the most important and significant portion of the church year Holy Week and Easter. The problem though is, so many of us miss most of it!

1 The Evangel Justified by grace, we are a Community of Servants who follow Jesus example by living lives of service to others. St. Stephen Lut h eran Church April 2017 Volume, Issue Inside this issue: Second (Noisy) Offering; Birthdays & Anniversaries; Sunday Scripture Readings Easter Egg Hunt; Thank You 2 3 From the Pastor... As we begin the month of April, we move into the most important and significant portion of the church year Holy Week and Easter. The problem though is, so many of us miss most of it! We re at worship for Easter, but we miss Holy Week. We get the resurrection, but miss all that comes before it. And the reality is, Easter makes no sense without Holy Week with Maundy Thursday and Good Friday! Holy Week starts with Palm/Passion Sunday as we remember Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding a donkey. Our worship includes not only a reading of the entry into Jerusalem but also a reading of the whole passion story this year it s Luke s. St. Stephen Campers; Altar Flowers; Thank You 4 Guest Speaker photos 5 Daily Narrative Lectionary Readings 6 Lay Minister Schedule 7 Holy Week/Easter Schedule 8 Then on Maundy Thursday, after a potluck meal which is a wonderful time for fellowship, we move upstairs for worship which includes not only Communion, but also confession and an opportunity to come forward individually to receive and hear God s gracious word of forgiveness. The service concludes powerfully with a reading of Psalm 22 as the altar is stripped, recalling how Jesus was stripped and flogged after he was arrested. On Good Friday, our worship centers around the reading of John s passion account and prayer. It s a quiet and reflective service as we meditate on what God has done for us and the whole world in the cross of Jesus. For me, these services and Easter are the heart of our worship life. If worship on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday aren t part of your normal pattern of worship, I really want to encourage you to make it part of your worship life this year. To be honest, there s a mystery for me around Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. I don t fully understand it. I m in awe of how God s love for the world plays out in these Three Days and Easter. And Maundy Thursday and Good Friday worship are an opportunity to be in the presence of God, reflect on the mystery of what God has done in Jesus and the cross, and open ourselves to the Holy Spirit working in us. May the Spirit be at work in you as you worship this Holy Week and Easter, Pastor When Jesus went to the cross, he got crucified and Satan got nailed! Dr. Harry Wendt

Page 2 The Evangel Second (Noisy) Offering February s Second

Special Advocates for Children). A total of $257.

Thank you for your support of this important ministry.

23 John & Kristin Cox 28 Jim & Helen Lyons 10 Ron Miller 11

Greiter 14 Gary Hansen 15 Luke Bunge APRIL Birthdays 16

Greiner Michael Haman 25 Ken Busha 27 Nathan Bielawski

Luke 18:31 19:10 April 9: Triumphal Entry (Palm/Passion

2 Page 2 The Evangel Second (Noisy) Offering February s Second (Noisy) Offering was used to support CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children). A total of $ was collected. Thank you for your support of this important ministry. APRIL Anniversaries 5 Kevin Bielawski 21 Ken & Margie Bauer 23 John & Kristin Cox 28 Jim & Helen Lyons 10 Ron Miller 11 Carla Foltyn 12 Patrick Fedewa 13 Spencer Holly Lianna Greiter 14 Gary Hansen 15 Luke Bunge APRIL Birthdays 16 Susie Nickerson 20 Alex Dartt 21 Cathy Satterlee 23 Nancy Greiner Michael Haman 25 Ken Busha 27 Nathan Bielawski Sunday Narrative Lectionary Readings April 2: Zacchaeus, Luke 18:31 19:10 April 9: Triumphal Entry (Palm/Passion Sunday), Luke 19:29-44 April 16: Empty Tomb (Easter), Luke 24:1-12 April 23: Emmaus Road, Luke 24:13-35 Aril 30: Stephen s Witness, Acts 6:1 7:2a, 44-60

3 Volume, Issue Page 3 Thank you so much for the generous candy donations! We have plenty now for the Easter Egg Hunt. The hunt is for children through 6 th grade and will start at 9:30 am on Easter morning, April 16. Thanks again and see you then! Fleece Blankets for Hospice Thank You Notes Margaret Sheffer

Bring a dish to pass, your own table service, and a lawn chair if you have one for the potluck.

4 Volume, Issue Page 4 St. Stephen Campers Our Annual St. Stephen s Shakedown Campout has been set for May 5-7, 2017 at Sleepy Hollow State Park. We plan, as in years past, to have a potluck on Saturday, May 6 th at 2 p.m. at the campground if you are not a camper and would like to come out and join us for the afternoon. Bring a dish to pass, your own table service, and a lawn chair if you have one for the potluck. Please let Brian or Lorri Yusten know if you plan to camp that weekend, so we know how many campers to expect. Flowers on the Altar It has been our custom at St. Stephen Lutheran Church to place flowers on the altar during worship. You may honor a loved one or celebrate a special occasion by covering the cost of these flowers on a given week and you are welcome to take the flowers with you after worship. There is a sign-up poster just outside the worship space next to the sacristy door. The cost is $35; checks are made payable to St. Stephen Lutheran Church with flowers written on the memo line. If you have any questions, see Rebecca Bossenbroek, Director of Worship or Claudia Cameron, Altar Care Coordinator. Living Water Ministries Thank You We received a thank you from Living Water Ministries for our support of The Challenge! St. Stephen s gift of $ (collected from January s Noisy Offering) will be doubled as a result of the matching gift program! The funds will be used to support the high ropes challenge course. It s a place where campers meet God face to face. They learn to trust, face fears, and overcome adversity. It s a powerful experience that contributes greatly to the transformational experience of camp. Thank you for your support of this important outreach ministry.

Page 5 The Evangel Imam Sohail Chaudhry of the Islamic Center of East Lansing On

everything was provided thanks to a Thrivent Action Team grant.

opened it up for conversation and questions.

5 Page 5 The Evangel Imam Sohail Chaudhry of the Islamic Center of East Lansing On Sunday, March 5, we had the honor to have Imam Sohail Chaudhry with us as our guest following worship. After worship we gathered in the Fellowship Hall for a lovely brunch where everything was provided thanks to a Thrivent Action Team grant. Imam Chaudhry talked about the basics of Islam and common misconceptions, and then opened it up for conversation and questions. It was a marvelous opportunity to gain a better understanding of the faith of our Muslim sisters and brothers, and build needed bridges between our two faiths which worship the same God, yet in different ways.

Volume, Issue Page 6 Saturday, April 1, The Rich Ruler, Luke 18:18-30 DAILY NARRATIVE LECTIONARY READINGS for April Sunday, April 2, Zacchaeus, Luke 18:31 19:10 Monday, April 3, Parable of the Ten

6 Volume, Issue Page 6 Saturday, April 1, The Rich Ruler, Luke 18:18-30 DAILY NARRATIVE LECTIONARY READINGS for April Sunday, April 2, Zacchaeus, Luke 18:31 19:10 Monday, April 3, Parable of the Ten Pounds, Luke 19:11-28 Tuesday, April 4, Jesus Cleanses the Temple, Luke 19:45-20:8 Wednesday, April 5, Parable of Wicked Tenants, Luke 20:9-19 Thursday, April 6, Jesus is Questioned, Luke 20:20-47 Friday, April 7, The Widow s Offering, Luke 21:1-19 Saturday, April 8, Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold, Luke 21:20-38 Sunday, April 9, Triumphal Entry (Palm/Passion Sunday), Luke 19:29-44 Monday, April 10, Journey to the Cross, Luke 22:28-46 Tuesday, April 11, Journey to the Cross, Luke 22:47-71 Wednesday, April 12, Journey to the Cross, Luke 23:1-31 Thursday, April 13, Last Supper (Holy Thursday), Luke 22:1-27 Friday, April 14, Crucifixion (Good Friday), Luke 23:32-47 Saturday, April 15, Burial of Jesus, Luke 23:48-56 Sunday, April 16, Empty Tomb (Easter), Luke 24:1-12 Monday, April 17, Jesus Appears to His Disciples, Luke 24:36-53 Tuesday, April 18, Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas, Acts 1:12-26 Wednesday, April 19, The Holy Spirit, Acts 2:1-13 Thursday, April 20, Early Christians, Acts 2:14-47 Friday, April 21, Peter Heals a Crippled Beggar, Acts 3:1-10 Saturday, April 22, Peter Speaks in Solomon s Portico, Acts 3:11-26 Sunday, April 23, Emmaus Road, Luke 24:13-35 Monday, April 24, Peter and John before the Council, Acts 4:1-22 Tuesday, April 25, Believers Pray, Acts 4:23-31 Wednesday, April 26, Believers Share, Acts 4:32-37 Thursday, April 27, Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5:1-11 Friday, April 28, The Apostles Heal, Acts 5:12-16 Saturday, April 29, The Apostles Are Persecuted, Acts 5:17-42 Sunday, April 30, Stephen s Witness, Acts 6:1 7:2a, 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 APRIL Council Meeting Tuesday, April 18 7:00 pm 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 Gary A. Bunge, Pastor Renee Dixon, Office Manager Rebecca Bossenbroek, Director of Worship garybunge@sbcglobal.net office@ststephenonline.org rebeccabossenbroek@comcast.net Council Members Jackie Williams-Armstrong, President Renee Dixon, Recording Secretary Luke Bunge, Treasurer Don Sheffer, Facility Development Team Leader Rebecca Bossenbroek, Financial Development Margie Bauer, Leadership Development Team Leader Cindy Jenks, WELCOME Ministry Development Julie Dartt, NOURISH Ministry Development Claudia Cameron, SERVE Ministry Development jacquelynwa@gmail.com office@ststephenonline.org lukebunge14@gmail.com sheffer.1283@gmail.com rebeccabossenbroek@comcast.net mtpbauer@att.net nanajenks@gmail.com juliedartt@gmail.com cameronw6216@sbcglobal.net APR 2 APR 9 APR 13 APR 14 APR 16 APR 23 APR 30 7:00 pm 7:00 pm ALTAR FLOWERS Renee Kolar Renee Kolar Susie Nickerson Bonnie & John Larry & Janet V Soske Ozanich ASSISTING MINISTERS Margaret Sheffer Miriam Bunge Lorri Brian Gary Hansen Paulette Lynn Kriser (Paulette Piirainen Yusten Yusten Piirainen ) Robert & Naida Mike & Amy Terry Greiner Dave Lyons & Cindy Jenks USHERS Schelter Bucht Linda Stiffler (Terry Greiner, ) (Ken Bauer, ) ALTAR CARE (Claudia Cameron ) Jackie Williams-Armstrong for entire month. COFFEE HOUR **VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR NEEDED** C OFFERING COUNTERS Jackie Williams- Bob Cameron Rebecca Bossenbroek Angie Bennett Rebecca Bossenbroek Armstrong Claudia Cameron Bob & Claudia Cameron Gladys Collison June Hansen June Hansen Ruth Gaudard Ruth Gaudard Gloria Kandle Abby Kriser

8 St. Step hen Lut her an Chur ch 2900 N. Waverly Rd. Lansing, MI Phone: Fax: Website: StStephenOnline.org OR CURRENT OCCUPANT Maundy Thursday, April 13 HOLY WEEK/EASTER SCHEDULE 6:00 pm Potluck 7:00 pm Worship with stripping of the altar Good Friday, April 14 Easter, April 16 7:00 pm Worship and Prayer Around the Cross 9:00 am Easter Breakfast 9:30 am Easter Egg Hunt for children 10:00 am Worship

The Evangel. From the Pastor... Justified by grace, we are a Community of Servants who follow Jesus example by living lives of service to others.

The Evangel. From the Pastor... Justified by grace, we are a Community of Servants who follow Jesus example by living lives of service to others. The Evangel Justified by grace, we are a Community of Servants who follow Jesus example by living lives of service to others. St. Stephen Lut h eran Church August 2017 Volume, Issue From the Pastor...