Reconciling In Christ Congregation

Transcription

1 Reconciling In Christ Congregation Worship at 10:00 am S E T h i e s s e n R o a d M i l w a u k i e, O R Church Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9am to 5pm Ministers, The People of King of Kings Pastor, Aimee Bruno Secretary, Susan Carder Choir Director, Lonnie Cline Organist, Karen Corbett Custodians, Harry & Sharon Konsa Trusting in God's love and grace, King of Kings......affirms the gifts of all God's children...honors the wisdom of all generations...is a safe, caring community where you're freed to be yourself...joyfully welcomes new ideas and encourages creativity...provides opportunities for personal and spiritual growth...reaches out boldly in response to the needs of each other, the community, and the world...joyfully reflects faith in Christ through lives of stewardship and discipleship...looks to the future with hope and meets the challenges before us with courage 1

2 2012 KOK Church Council President: Harry Konsa Vice President: Bonnie Cowden Secretary: LaVern Moore C o m m i t t e e C h a i r s & L i a i s o n s Christian Education Council Liaison: Winston Kurth Finance Council Liaison: LaVern Moore King s Cupboard Council Liaison: Patty Hess Mutual Ministry Council Liaison: Pastor Aimee Property Council Liaison: Harry Konsa Stewardship Action Core (SAC) Council Liaison: Mary Cromer Worship & Music Council Liaison: Bonnie Cowden Non-Council Offices: Barbara Peterson, Treasurer Kerin Lommen, Financial Secretary Penny Charman, Recording Secretary 2

3 Pastor s Message When I was about 8 years old I went to Bible School with my friend, Charmin, to the Baptist Church. I remember they had an incentive system where you got points if you brought your Bible and if you memorized the Bible verse and so forth and at the end of the week the kids with a certain impossible number of points got a giant lollipop from the Lollipop Dragon, some poor adult in a lavender dragon suit. I don t think I got a single point the whole week, but I remember my Bible School teacher s daughter did and I was a little bit jealous. I am not that fond of bribes, although I do offer candy to my Children s Sunday School class and coffee to the adult class. I figure they must like Sunday School if they want to come, but maybe the treats help remind them of how much they like to be here. I was thinking, this week, of what causes us to wear our nametags and what are barriers, which made me think of adding an incentive program for wearing nametags, here at church! I tried to put myself in your shoes. The reasons we don t wear them are numerous. We may have left it at home or lost it. We might feel silly wearing it because we already know each other. And still others might not wear it because we don t want to be showy, either showing off that we remembered to wear our nametag or even considering that someone else might want to know us. Perhaps you can think of others. I encourage you to wear your nametag. If you ve lost it, search for it (According to Luke 15:8 Jesus asks, What woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? ) or ask Susan to make you another. Plenty of people have lost their nametags before and it can be replaced. 3

4 According to Matthew 7:12a and a couple of other verses in the Bible, In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you. If you have ever forgotten someone s name or wished they were wearing their nametag, that is a good reason to wear yours. When Moses stood at the burning bush and God told him to go set the Israelites free, Moses said to God, If I come to the Israelites and say to them, The God of your ancestors has sent me to you, and they ask me, What is his name? what shall I say to them? And God said, I AM WHO I AM. That might not sound like much of a name to you, but it is Yahweh, Jehovah, or LORD when you see it in all capital letters like that in the Bible. God didn t withhold his name, so why should you? Maybe God should have worn a nametag then Moses wouldn t have to ask such an embarrassing question. Names are important. They mean connection. They mean relationship. So let newcomers and forgetful people feel like a part of things and wear those nametags. Wearing your nametag might be considered part of being a Reconciling in Christ congregation. We include everyone, and part of doing that is letting our name be known. It is friendly. It helps people feel more welcome they don t have to struggle to remember your name, and can easily mix with everyone else. And if nothing else, just remember that time your pastor called you by the wrong name. I know your names, but I have a couple hundred of you bouncing around in my head and apparently your names are stored very close to each other s. Do me a favor and wear it for me! + Pastor Aimee 4

5 Thank you! So many people helped out to make Holy Week and Easter a meaningful experience this year! You stepped right up and volunteered, followed through with your tasks, and provided quality leadership, using the gifts God has given you. You started out by spiffing up the church, inside and out. The place looks great! For Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter morning you provided food, read a lesson, brought flowers to decorate the cross, sang a song, and were wonderful assisting ministers, helping all who needed it. The special musical offerings of the chime choir and the Chancel Choir, their hard work and Karen and Lonnie s were apparent throughout the week. Altar guild was also kept busy changing the paraments around. We thank Kerin and Jory Lommen and Gary and Margaret Noble for the high-climber work. Each of you contributed to the Holy Week experience in some way and I thank you. You make it a joy to serve God here at King of Kings. Pr. Aimee 5

6 Quilt Sunday ~ May 6 We have reserved two quilts for our annual Quilt Raffle! Raffle tickets are available now and on Quilt Sunday, May 6 we will have our quilts on display! Sewing for Others has sewn, assembled and tied many, many hundreds of quilts. These quilts have found their way to many different parts of the world via Lutheran World Relief. Others have remained in our community through donations to Annie Ross House, JOIN, the Clackamas Women s Shelter and others. Small baby quilts have been made and given at births and baptisms; and lap robes have been made for nursing homes and assisted living facilities. All these quilts have provided warmth and comfort for people in need. From the Quilt Raffle, Sewing for Others earns money to purchase needed quilting supplies for our ministry. We thank all of you for your caring support 6

7 Every day, in a million ways, members of the ELCA are making the world a better place. In far reaches of the globe, and right here in our neighborhood, you ll see that Lutherans aren t folks who simply talk about their beliefs. We put them into action. So make a meal to share. Have your opinion on government policy heard. Help a friend through their time of need. Here you ll find stories that inspire and opportunities to get involved. Find out just how rewarding God s work can be. Supporting our native congregations Five ELCA congregations on the Seward Peninsula of Alaska were impacted by a record-breaking winter storm that struck Nov These five congregations comprise one-third of the native ethnicspecific congregations of this church. Please pray for the continued safety of ELCA members in Alaska. "Bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free." (Luke 4:18) The Lutheran witness with American Indians and Alaska Natives has more than 350 years of history. It is a history filled with hope and broken promises, solidarity and injustice, affirmation and paternalism, strategies and inaction, grand goals and lack of funding. At present time, the ELCA American Indian and Alaskan Native membership is around 6,685. While general ELCA membership declined 1.7 percent between 1987 and 1994, American Indian and Alaska Native membership increased by 18.1 percent during that same period. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has 21 congregations with 10 percent or more American Indian and Alaska Native members. 7

8 K i n g o f K i n g s R e a c h e s O u t Your church at work during disasters (ctrl+click to follow link) Libya: Tunisian Lend a Helping Hand and Car and Bottle of Water Relief Efforts Expand in Japan Haiti: Bishop Hanson Speaks about Work in Haiti with Orion Samuelson Find these stories and more at "You didn't leave us. Thank you!" After the tsunami and in the midst of the radiation crisis, Pastor Jim and Carol Sack reflect on their ministry as ELCA missionaries in Japan. See Note: the Hand in Hand Blog Digest provides inspirational blogs from ELCA missionaries. Have weekly entries delivered to your in-box by entering your e- mail address in the "Subscribe" box. In our prayers God of wisdom, we lift up to you the leaders and people of Sudan and Uganda. May peace accords and reconciliation efforts bring restoration to the hearts and lives of those who have suffered for so long. (This prayer for May 1 is available along with daily prayers from around the globe at Backpack Buddies - thank you for all the goodies that you have been passing along via the small chest in the narthex. Keep up the good work - the kids are doing well and continue to need our help. The list of items we can use are listed on the Backpack Buddies poster. The beginning of May means that we have 6 more weeks to pack for our Buddies. Let's see, 6 weeks times 2 lunches per weekend times 72 kids means 6 x 2 x 72 = 864 lunches to go!! Thanks again for what you are doing! 8

9 K i n g o f K i n g s R e a c h e s O u t King s Cupboard Update Requests for help remain constant The pantry continues to serve a growing number of families who struggle to feed themselves. Comparing the number of families served in early 2012 vs. 2011, we see that demand has grown 10% from the same period last year. But we have the sense things may be improving. Some distributions are just a bit less demanding, and the average number of persons per family has declined. We wonder if these factors indicate more people are back to work and becoming self-sufficient once again. We sure hope so! A healthier pantry Pantry shelves were reset last month based on a new healthier template for food boxes. We already met or exceeded most of the guidelines. So what changed? Not a great deal, in fact. In the main pantry room, we moved the healthiest non-perishable foods (fruits and vegetables) to the beginning of the list, and slightly reduced the amount of less healthy products clients receive. Products were added and some discontinued. We still have a great fresh produce area upstairs. We are using the bonus room in new ways, offering desirable products that don t quite fit the healthiest model in addition to miscellaneous items regularly found in the bonus area. The new pantry layout debuted on April 12, and clients seemed pleased with the changes. Pantry leadership transition Training of new leaders and behind-the-scenes volunteers is well underway and the transition is beginning. Thanks to Charlotte Cunningham and Patty Hess for their leadership. Thanks to new and existing behind-the-scenes workers, including: Betsy Quinn, Mary Cromer, Marjie Brock, Hadidjah Shortridge, and Donna Blandod. 9

10 K i n g o f K i n g s R e a c h e s O u t And thanks to all the pantry volunteers! Last month 64 people donated 355 hours to keep the pantry functioning to serve hungry families. Current Pantry Needs Additional volunteers for various tasks. Please contact Betsy Quinn (heavens2betsy101@aol.com or ) for more details. Volunteers are love in motion. Thank you Volunteers. Most Needed Foods Box Cereal, Oatmeal or other Cooked Cereal Canned Meat (tuna, chicken, turkey, salmon, etc.) Peanut Butter Spaghetti Sauce Stew or Chili Macaroni, Spaghetti or Rice Canned Beans (especially garbanzo, black or white beans) Bags of Bean Soup mix, Lentils, Split Peas Hearty Soups Macaroni & Cheese Boxed Sides (helper mixes, pasta, rice or stuffing mixes) Flour or Baking Mixes (such as Krusteaz or Bisquick) Condiments (ketchup, jam, syrup, BBQ sauce, mayo, pickles, salt, pepper) Other Items Toilet Paper Laundry detergent Dish soap King s Cupboard: Where the community comes together to feed hungry neighbors. 10

11 K i n g o f K i n g s R e a c h e s O u t 11

12 Pastor Aimee s Discretionary Fund Overheard at a recent pantry distribution an older couple worried about sufficient gas to get to a doctor appointment; a heavily pregnant young woman with a small child by her side concerned whether she had enough gas to get home with her food box. The gas light is already on. Both clients were deeply grateful for the food received, neither was asking for more. But these conversations remind me about Pastor s virtually empty discretionary fund. I know Pastor Aimee regularly receives calls from families desperate for just a little help other than food. A few dollars for gas, or to pay a utility bill, can make a huge difference. We surely can t help everyone in need. I am proud that our pastor is skilled at discerning precisely when a small hand up will help a family successfully continue on its journey. Steve and I ask ourselves how to help Pastor Aimee and King of Kings provide occasional and strategic help to families in crisis. If others care about this issue and are able, we invite you to do the same. A check written to King of Kings with Pastor s Discretionary Fund on the memo will go for just such a purpose. ~ Debbi Estes 12

13 M o v i e N i t e Monday, May 21 st at 5:30 PM Popcorn, pizza, and soda provided $3 covers the cost of food Movie Nite can be a time for entertainment and interesting discussion. Maybe it has the potential to be more than that. It could be an opportunity for outreach. Those who might not feel comfortable coming to a worship service or Bible study might feel more at home discussing spirituality in the context of a movie and relating it to their lives. Consider whether you have a friend, relative, or neighbor who you might invite to Movie Nite. Please see the movie review elsewhere in this newsletter for an idea of what we might be showing this month. Palestinian Christian to Visit West Linn Lutheran Church - May 3rd On Thursday, May 3rd at 6:30 p.m., Daoud Nasser, a Palestinian Christian will be speaking at West Linn Lutheran Church, Willamette Drive. Daoud is a farmer outside of Bethlehem who in fulfillment of his father's dream for peace and coexistence on the family land established The Tent of Nations (TentofNations.org). He has been on a speaking tour with American Jew, Mark Braverman, a charter member of American Jews for a Just Peace. All who have any interest in peace in the Holy Land are welcome to this free event. Refreshments will be served. 13

14 Sunday Morning at 8:30 am in the Social Hall May 6: Sundays 8:30-9:30 am All-You-Can-Drink Coffee Provided! Being a peacemaker May 13: Caring for God s creation May 20: Loving the resident alien in our land May 27: Illness and health We study our topics with the newspaper in one hand and the Bible in the other. Sunday School for children ages 3 and up, Sunday mornings at 11:30 am When we have 3 kids (or more!) we ll meet downstairs in the youth room after church for Bible races, acting out stories of the greatest Bible heroes and heroines, crafts, games, snacks, and take-home assignments. We hope you can make it and bring a friend! 14

15 Vacation Bible School Coming July It is that time again! Time to begin preparing for Vacation Bible School. We are putting out the call for volunteers: Bible School Superintendent Activity Site leaders Snack Coordinator and volunteers Games Coordinator and volunteers Teachers for Preschool, Lower Elementary, and Upper Elementary Opening and Closing leaders Wednesday Morning Bible Study 9:30 am in the Social Hall Currently we are studying the book of Acts. It is action packed, full of interesting characters and miracles! On pantry weeks, we devote the last half-hour to setting up the social hall and sorting pantry items. 15

16 Spirits & Theologyor As a congregation, how can we be good neighbors? Something to think about and talk about at the monthly discussion group, Spirits and Theology. Our next gathering will be, Time: Monday, May 7, 2012, 6:00 p.m. Place: Round Table Pizza, SE McLoughlin Blvd. The discussion is always lively and thought provoking. Hope you can join us. Thank you! Thank you, EVERYONE, for making Sterling s baptism day so special and for welcoming our family and friends. Especially thank you to Bobbe Backman for decorating the social hall and setting up the coffee, for those who helped clean up including Barry and Ellen Burns, Jeanie DuPere, Kerin Lommen, and Bob Seymour, and Lonnie, Karen and the choir for the beautiful anthem and extra practice! It was a really wonderful day! 16

17 Council Highlights Devotions were presented by Mary. She read from the book Devotional Classics The author was Frank Lauback. To look backwards and say, that was a glorious year but I will succeed even better this year. Christian Education: No report. Executive Report: A meeting will be set with Susan Carder, secretary, for her yearly evaluation. King s Cupboard: Patty Hess informed the Council that she, Charlotte Cunningham and Marjie Brock will be the signers for the checks if KOK Council and KOK Executive Committee approve. A motion was made, seconded, and passed that the 3 people listed above be the designated signers. Patty also mentioned that Gary Noble suggested that a Board be formed overseeing King s Cupboard. It was not clear to what its purpose would be, so Harry Konsa will talk to him and report to Council Pastor s report: See report. LaVern volunteered that she will write a thank you to Don Trotter and Property Committee for all the hard work for being a good neighbor and working with the congregation about the trees. Property: Hallway to ESD classroom painted and new lights installed. New fan/light installed in upstairs bathroom. Tree removal: Harry explained after Don had met with the neighbor and the neighbor felt it was just too expensive at this time. He was very appreciative and aware of all the work that had been put into the project. Add handicapped and Reconciling in Christ signs to the outdoor sign. Radical Hospitality: Radical Hospitality: Seeking a chair-person. Right now not active SAC: The Spiritual Gifts survey form will be handed out during the Sunday service for the next two weeks. 17

18 Remember our members who can no longer participate as they once did. Maybe they can no longer get out to church or they may need transportation or other help. A phone call or a card might be just the thing to brighten their day and put them back in touch. Below is a list of people who would appreciate a visit or a call. If you need an address or phone number, call the church office OR look them up in your brand new directory. Phyllis Borge, Mildred Erickson, Darlene Foley, Mel Freauff, Marge Isom, Betty Littell, Mae Meter, Alma Mullan, Georgeanne Ranta, Don &Wilma Raymond, Larry Sparrow, & Bernice Workman 18

19 Movie Review Kinky Boots is a delightful film based on a true story about the travails of a shoe manufacturing factory set in Northampton, England. When Charlie Price takes over the family shoe business, he discovers the company is practically out of business. He works to save the ailing family business and safeguard the jobs of the local community Funny, warm, with characters you care about, "Kinky Boots" says something about societal attitudes towards those who are different and what it truly means to be a man, but doesn't beat you over the head with it. It has a great story, lots of humor, and excellent acting, The movie is in the naughty-but-nice British tradition in which characters walk on the wild side but never seem to do anything else there. --Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times A humanist parable about how to be a good person, live a good life and make gallons of lemonade when life suddenly hands you lemons, it's predictably delightful and delightfully predictable. --Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times Talents & Gifts Inventory A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL who have returned the Talents & Gifts Survey. We had the most returns ever! Thank you also for choosing to make a difference by serving God this coming year, (through KOK) and sharing your time, talents and energy. If you have not been contacted regarding the gifts you have signed up for please let the office know. Be sure to check the Worship Assistants calendar in the Social Hall & your newsletter for the dates you are to serve. 19

20 Thank you Choir For the beautiful music on Sunday mornings, For your dedication in attending rehearsals, For inspiring us to lift our hearts, minds and voices in singing praises to our Lord, Choir, we thank you! Summer Music Make a Joyful Noise! Sign up on the social hall doors to provide Special Music this summer while the choir takes a much-deserved break. Be sure to coordinate with our organist, Karen Corbett. Thank you It seems to be a theme in this month s newsletter. Count how many times you see thank you, in this newsletter. There isn t any prize for the actual count, but I couldn t help noticing how many times I typed those words. We are a community that not only gives and works to help others but we are a grateful community. For that I am thankful. God bless you all! 20

21 Let's Celebrate! God's Blessing to you as you celebrate... May Birthdays 5 Bonnie Cowden 6 Betsy Belles 11 Mae Meter 15 Bob Smith 16 Beth Oldread 23 Mike Foley 31 Margaret Noble May Baptisms 7 Carolyn Potter 19 Barb McEahern 10 JoAnn Overen 22 Mae Meter 11 Ryan Hansen 30 Beth Oldread 19 Lisa Hiller May Anniversaries 7 Karen & James Corbett 17 Bethany & Andy Lundgren If we miss YOUR special day, PLEASE let the church office know, we might not have the information. THANKS! 21

22 P r a y e r s & T h a n k s g i v i n g s... Mary Zellharie Don Raymond Dina Black Recovering from compression fracture in her back Recovering from a fall; moved to same place as Wilma In remission! Thanks be to God! Family and friends of Dorothy Reibach Margaret Wittrich s sister, at her death Mary Alice Mankamyer Sue Casey s friend; minor stroke and tumor on her kidney Margot Konsa Harry Konsa s mom; for diagnosis of hearttype symptoms Sandra Kay Leader Darlene Foley s best friend; massive stroke JR Potter Philip Brock Michele Paden Evelyn Mattson Esther Schmitz Marian Pederson Wilma Raymond For diagnosis & treatment of severe all-over muscle pain Serving in the military Friend of the Lundgren's; receiving chemo Bonnie s aunt; in hospice; comfort and peace Larry s mother, for peace and comfort John s mother, for peace and comfort For peace and comfort Prayers will be left on our prayer list for two weeks unless otherwise requested. Please notify Pastor Aimee if prayers are needed for a longer period. 22