February Greetings Friends and Happy February! Together in Ministry, Pastor Di

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1 February 2017 Greetings Friends and Happy February! Grace and peace to you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I continue to give thanks to God each time I think of you and I am constantly amazed by the ways God is using our discipleship, both individually and collectively to bear witness to what God is up to in Jesus Christ! Thank you to all who were able to attend our Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 22. If you weren t able to attend you didn t hear my confession: I admitted at the meeting that I have been caught bragging..yes, bragging about you all, the friends and members of SHLC and our many ministries. I am proud and humbled by all the many willing servants we have building God s Kingdom. I would be remiss not to thank our incredible hard-working council, our staff; Scott, Janelle, and Dwight, our Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, our Altar Guild, our counters, our CGEF committee, our bakers, our cooks, our groundskeepers, and all the MANY MANY behind-the-scenes giving and serving volunteers that don t get named and recognized. So Thank You for your dedication to our community outreach and the building of God s Kingdom. Many churches have both a mission and a vision statement. The Mission or purpose statement is What the church is about and why it is doing it. The Mission Statement of SHLC per the 2009 Constitution states: Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, a welcoming place for all to celebrate Jesus Christ, embrace the Holy Spirit, share faith, reach out to others, and experience hope through the Word of God. The vision statement should be a clear & challenging picture of the future; it is what the church is going to do and how to fulfill that mission. The vision considers the needs of the community and the congregational context and values. The vision statement inspires a church to pursue the mission and comes out of the hearts of the members. Regardless of what we dream and envision for this ministry, God s vision is always bigger and the blessings far more than we can image. With a vision, people move forward together, making the life-transforming love of Jesus real through how we live and act brings the celebration of the 500 th anniversary of the Reformation brought on by a former monk named Martin Luther in the 1500s. However, this wasn t a one-time event; the church is always reforming, always being made new. What is our vision for the ministry God has entrusted with us here at SHLC? I look forward to the future here at Shepherd of the Hills as we continue to embrace the Holy Spirit s direction for our missions and ministries together; I continue to look forward as we share our faith with each other and with our community; I continue to look forward as we continue to find ways to reach out to others as we experience together the hope, grace, and love through the Word of God. My thanks to each of you for sharing your stories, your faith and your hope with me as we journey together in ministry. Thank you for allowing me to serve in ministry with you. I look forward to not only the New Year, but also to many more years together in ministry! We don t know what the future holds, but I do know Who holds our future! I look forward to discovering that future together as Church with a clear ministry vision and mission which allows for each one to use our different gifts and service for the common good of sharing Christ with our neighbors! Together in Ministry, Pastor Di

2 Page 2 The Messenger February 2017 A Message from Nebraska Synod Bishop Brian Maas: We are church. We are a church that worships and prays, that supports and encourages lively, creative worship and prayer life. We are a church that studies. Deepening faith is not optional for believers. We are a church that serves. We know how to roll up our sleeves and reach out in caring service. We are a church that encourages and invites. We pursue innovative ways to send our members out into the world and to invite others in to experience the welcome and support of community. We are a church that gives. We know that we are called to share the resources with which God has blessed us to help those in need. We are blessed to be partners with the congregations of the Nebraska Synod and the entire ELCA. May God continue to bless our partnership and ministry together. Æbleskiver Lunch on Sunday, February 26 th Everyone is invited to celebrate a pre-fat Tuesday treat at our annual Æbleskiver lunch in Enholm Fellowship Hall after worship on February 26 th. Æbleskiver Pancake Puffs, also called appleskives are traditional pancakes in a distinctive shape of a sphere. The name literally means apple slices in Danish, although apples are not usually an ingredient in present-day versions. Somewhat similar in texture to European pancakes crossed with a popover or Yorkshire pudding, æbleskiver are solid like a pancake but light and fluffy like a popover. The English language spelling is usually aebleskiver or ebleskiver. JOIN US for our Pre-Ash Wednesday Danish pancake puffs on Sunday February 26 following worship! Souper Bowl The Souper Bowl of Caring utilizes Super Bowl weekend in America to mobilize people to fight hunger and poverty in their local communities. Its vision is to transform Super Bowl weekend into America s largest weekend of giving and serving. People collect monetary and food donations during the week leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. 100% of the money and food is then given directly to local charities of the group s choice. I would like to challenge us to make a difference on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5, (and every Sunday during the month of February) to bring SOUP to help stock Project Hope s Shelves. Bring your SOUP Cans to celebrate SOUPER BOWL OF CARING!

3 Page 3 The Messenger February 2017 Community Meal: Tuesday, February 21 st from 5-7 p.m. All are welcome! SPREAD the word! INVITE your friends and come celebrate with our community and church family! Faith Formation Classes for 3 year-olds thru High School meet each Sunday from 9-10 a.m. Contact Kathy Nelson at (402) or Lisa Sorensen at (402) A New Adult Sunday School Class begins on Sunday, February 5 th at 9 a.m. We will be studying Before Amen, an inspirational book by Max Lucado. This class will include discussion and DVD clips. No reservations are necessary. All are welcome. Bible Study: You are invited to Bible Study every Thursday at 1 p.m. in the Gathering Area. We are studying the life and teachings of Jesus from selected chapters in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Contact Del Finlay at (402) or delf60@cox.net if you would like more information. Women s Circle meets at 1 p.m. on Monday, February 13 th. All women are invited to the Gathering Area at 1 p.m. for refreshments, fellowship and a meeting. Lutheran Women of Omaha meet at noon on Tuesday, February 14 th at Kountze Lutheran Church, 2650 Farnam Street. A program will be presented by Debra Parks on the Bryant- Fisher Family History, and a freewill offering will go to the ELCA Disaster Fund. For reservations, contact Jean Mortensen at (402) or jmort@centurylink.net. Come Sing in the Choir! Choir rehearsals are right after worship on Sundays. Join us in the sanctuary as we make a joyful noise. All are welcome. Contact Janelle at (712) or hmiller26@cox.net for more information. Monday Movie Matinee: We ordinarily come together on the 1 st & 3 rd Mondays of each month, but in February, we will meet only on the 3 rd Monday, February 20 th at 1 p.m. All ages are invited. We start with a simple lunch in the Gathering Area at noon, then move to the Youth room to enjoy Popcorn & Snacks, Lemonade & Coffee, and a movie on the large-screen. We hope to see you there! March Newsletter Deadline: Monday, February 20 th. The Newsletter Folders will meet on Thursday, February 23 rd at 9 a.m. Project HOPE: Pantry times = Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Receive clothing and food pantries! Volunteers from the congregation are always needed! Call Lori or Max at (402) Financial, clothing & food donations are appreciated. Visit us Online at or on Facebook Shepherd-of-the-Hills-Omaha-ELCA Church Office Hours: The church office is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. On February 6-9, the office will be staffed by volunteers, so that Pastor Diana and Administrative Assistant Dwight Williams may attend a continuing education event in Hastings.

4 Page 4 The Messenger February 2017 FUN FACTS ABOUT FEBRUARY According to the Gregorian calendar, February is the second month of the year, and also the shortest month. February has 28 days until Julius Caesar gave it 29, and 30 days every four years. According to tradition, Augustus, the Roman emperor, took one day off to add one day to August, the month named after him. We now have February with 28 days, and 29 on leap years. The second day of February is often referred to as GROUND HOG DAY. The old stories told are that the ground hog comes out of its burrow on February 2, to look for its shadow. If there is sunshine and he sees his shadow, then he goes back to sleep and there will be more winter time. If he doesn t, then the spring time will begin. VALENTINE S DAY is celebrated on February 14 th in most western countries. Children give valentines and have a party in school. Young and old exchange cards, flowers, and candy with loved ones. This custom is hundreds of years old; valentine greetings having been found that date back into the 1400s. The third Monday in February is PRESIDENT S DAY. Both Washington s and Lincoln s birthdays were in February. It is considered a Federal holiday for celebration of Washington s birthday, but most states also honor all presidents on this day. The Season of Lent Is Coming! Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation, and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection. The exact dates of Lent depend upon the date of Easter, which is April 16 th in The date of Easter is determined each year by calculating the first Sunday that occurs after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Ash Wednesday officially ends the season of Epiphany and is the start of Lent which marks Christians 40 days of preparation before Easter. (Sundays are not included in the count). Ash Wednesday March 1 Sundays in Lent March 5, 12, 19 and 26; April 2, Palm Sunday = April 9 Maundy Thursday April 13 Good Friday April 14 Easter Sunday April 16

5 The Messenger February 2017 Flooring Fund Our long-term church update and renovation is in progress! Take a look at our beautiful Parking Lot Improvement completed in 2016! The SHLC Council has approved our next project: replacing and upgrading the flooring in the Fellowship Hall, hallways and Gathering Area. We welcome donations for our Flooring Update & Renovation! In the short-term, we are going to shampoo the carpets to renew their luster. Eventually, we plan to replace tattered carpeting & flooring. The estimated need is $25,000 and thanks to your donations, your hard work and freewill donations, we now have $3,840. Please help us by making an overthe-top donation, marking it Flooring. Page 5 Monday Movie Matinees No Cost No Reservations No Pressure Invite Your Friends! A simple lunch is served at noon Movie and Refreshments at 1 p.m. Monday, February 20 th at 1 p.m. Lots of Love Ministry Lots of Love Ministry is a Word-centered ministry designed to equip and empower women in their walk with Christ. Lots of Love Ministry is a safe place where women of all ages and cultures come together and share in the Word of God. Please join us for a Women s Community Bible Study on the First Saturday of every month, from 10 a.m. until noon in the Gathering Area of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran. For more information, contact Stephannie Jackson at (402) or stephanniejackson64@gmail.com Everyone is welcome to attend SHLC Council Meetings. Our next meeting is February 19 at 11 a.m. Bob Hoff Council President 4706 Redick Ave Omaha hoff860@cox.net (402) (402) cell Deborah Becker Council Vice President 2022 S. 80 th Ave Omaha the-beckers@cox.net (402) (402) work (402) Pam Cummings Treasurer pdcummings@cox.net 9607 Florence Heights Blvd, Omaha (402) Connie Helmberger Secretary 6803 N 60 th St. Omaha helmberger@cox.net (402) (402) work (402) Kay Drain 4502 Larimore Ave Omaha (402) Bill Myers 4021 Verona Ave Omaha williamjmye@msn.com (402) Marvin Knapp 8267 Iowa Street Omaha BlueIndianMarvinKnappBlueIndian@outlook.com (402)

6 Page 6 The Messenger February 2017 CANDY HEART PRAYERS Dear God, You rock my world! At Valentine s Day we see those little candy hearts stamped with affectionate messages. Before you eat them hold them in your hands and offer a brief prayer using the words or phrases found on their hearts! Taken From Heart Ignite Engaging Prayer Experiences for All Ages by Lyle Griner & Diane Monroe Preaching the Narrative Lectionary in 2017 In an effort to benefit from the wide scope of the God s Good News for us, pastors often use the Lectionary readings as a 3-year discipline of reading, reflecting and preaching. While the Lectionary adds meaning by highlighting the seasons of the church year, and challenging the pastors to vary from their favorite scriptures and pet subjects, the lectionary readings sometimes feel disjointed as they skip from book to book. The Narrative Lectionary is a 4-year cycle that focuses on only one gospel each year (through the winter and spring). In 2017, we will be following the gospel of Luke, enjoying a through-reading which gives us a deeper sense of the gospel-writer s context and continuity. We encourage you to spend time in private devotion and study of the gospel of Luke in You can read the entire gospel in less than 30 minutes! It is a treasure! A Pictorial Directory Is On Its Way! We would like your photo to help us produce a Photo Directory of all of the friends and members of Shepherd of the Hills. Lisa Quy will take your photo after worship on Sundays, or you may a digital copy to the church office, or bring us a hard copy so that we may scan it and return it to you.

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8 Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church ELCA 6201 North 60 th Street Omaha, NE Phone: (402) Fax: (402) Office Hours: 10 am to 2 pm Monday-Friday Every Sunday: 9 am Sunday School Classes 10 am Worship in the Sanctuary Pastor... Rev. Diana ME Kuhl Office Manager... Dwight Williams Organist... Janelle Miller Custodian... Scott Yeshnowski 2017 Church Council: Bob Hoff... President Deb Becker... Vice-President Pam Cummings... Treasurer Connie Helmberger... Secretary Kay Drain Marv Knapp Bill Meyers Serving in February Lector: Ann Hoff Ushers: Lauren Juracek, Chuck Johnson John Sawerbrey, John Quist Video Tech: Jon and Deb Becker Communion Assistant: Pam Cummings Altar Guild: Ann Hoff and Angie Yeshnowski Counters: Val Adler and Sherri Buford February Birthdays 1 st Deborah Conley, John Quist 10 th Charlotte Nibbe 11 th Stacey Kroeger, Harmony Terrell 12 th Kreyl McPherson 13 th Ann Hoff 14 th Jerry Witte 18 th Ashley Hansen, Pastor Diana Kuhl 19 th Cathy Ford 24 th Carla Schneider 25 th George Tillwick February Anniversaries 12 th Allen & Margenne Hendricksen If we have inadvertently omitted your birthday, or anniversary, please contact the church office so we may update and correct our records! Thank you. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church 6201 North 60 th Street Omaha NE 68104