Going on vacation? Remember to take the Lord Along! Let your light shine... The Lutheran Beacon

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1 The Lutheran Beacon Let your light shine... Published by the SELC District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod JUNE/JULY 2014 Going on vacation? Remember to take the Lord Along! SELC East Confirmation Retreat by Rev. Joseph Weatherell Holy Ground - I Am Who I Am was the theme for the 10th annual SELC East Confirmation Retreat held at Camp Lebanon in Lebanon, NJ over the weekend of April 25 through 27, Twelve students from five different congregations gathered over the weekend for fellowship and fun while studying the Apostle's Creed. Confirmands from Peace Lutheran in Galloway, NJ; St. Paul in Raritan, NJ; Zion Lutheran in Clark, NJ; St. John in Bound Brook, NJ; and Our Redeemer Lutheran in Fords, NJ (NJ District) were involved in T-shirt making, a photo scavenger hunt, and various games and activities in between lessons led by Pastor Weatherell from Bound Brook, Pastor Jones from Raritan, and Vicar Jon Franson from Clark. Jennifer Weatherell from Bound Brook and Carol Johnson from Fords assisted with the small group discussions and food preparation. The weekend began and ended with worship with Sunday morning's service being held in the Green Cathedral, the camp's outdoor chapel. The faith of all involved was strengthened through the study of the Word, and many new friendships were forged. All the kids are looking forward to the next retreat.

2 GIVING GLIMPSES by Rev. Thomas Soltis, SELC Stewardship Director CURRENT FINANCIAL & GIVING GLIMPSES 1. The average credit card debt per U.S. household is $8, Americans spend more on legalized gambling ($2,500 for every American) than on groceries. 3. A record of 1.66 million bankruptcies took place in more than the entire decade of the 1960's. 4. Marriage counselors have found that financial problems are the largest contributing cause of marital stress and divorce. 5. Many U.S. families are one to two months away from financial crisis. 6. Many churches with dwindling memberships and finances have reached the point of having great difficulty supporting full time pastors. 7. The average college student carries four credit cards with an average of $2,327 in unpaid balances. 50% of new college graduates owe $10,000 to $40,000 in student loans. One third were unable to make their first monthly payment six months after graduation. 8. Seven out of ten adults die without a will, trust or estate plan which means $0 for churches and charities. Two out of three that do have wills, trusts or estate plans bequeath $0 to non-profits % of pastors feel unequipped and uncomfortable teaching about personal finances and giving % of churches have no active plan for teaching Biblical financial principles even though the Bible has 2,350 verses that relate specifically to finances and material possessions. 11. Church member giving records indicate that 20-35% of church members give $ Average giving in churches averages 1 to 3.5% of annual income even though the Scriptures encourage the 10% tithe. GLIMPSES INTO RESOURCES FOR SOLUTIONS Go to Click Stewardship Connect the numbered resources below to the numbered problems above 1. Personal Stewardship - Personal Finances: Credit Card Control Personal Stewardship - Life Issues: Gambling Personal Stewardship - Personal Finances: Budgeting Personal Stewardship - Family: Premarital Financial Planning Personal Stewardship - Personal Finances: Debt Control Personal Stewardship - Church: Retaining Church Members Personal Stewardship - Personal Finances: Debt Elimination...8. Personal Stewardship - Estate Planning: The Importance of a Will Pastoral Helps: Talking about Money Congregational Helps: Consecrated Stewardship Programs Personal Stewardship - Church: Sacrificial Giving Personal Stewardship - Church: Tithing - Why Not? BIBLICAL GIVING GLIMPSES Moses & Gifts for the Tabernacle When Moses requested offerings for the building of the tabernacle, the response was overly generous.... the people are bringing more than enough... and so the people were restrained from bringing more. (Ex. 36:4 & 6) King David & Gifts for the Temple King David s generosity for the construction of the future temple inspired others. He happily said:... everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand... all these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. (1 Chron. 29:14 & 17) Widow s Offering Mark 12:41-44 recalls how many wealthy people contributed large sums and a poor widow only two small copper coins worth less than a penny. Jesus observed: They gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on. (Mark 12:44) Generosity of Macedonian Christians Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity... they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. (2 Cor. 8:2 & 3) PERSONAL GLIMPSES Evaluate Your Giving 1. My motive for giving: 2. My percentage of annual income giving: 3. My attitude when giving: 4. My frequency of giving: 5. My priority in giving: Compare your answers: (1) Eph. 5:1-2 (2) Mal. 3:8-10 (3) 2 Cor. 9:7 (4) 1 Cor. 16:2 (5) Prov. 3:9

3 Eastern Circuit Pastors Conference by Anna Bocklege SELC District Eastern Circuit Pastors Conference was hosted by St. John the Baptist Lutheran Church in Emporia, Virginia, on May 6 & 7. Eleven clergy members traveled to southern Virginia, some accompanied by their wives and children. The agenda for the conference included a presentation by Co-ordinators Dr. Doug Schipull and Mary Woodward, outlining the LCMS Disaster Response Program. In the morning and afternoon training sessions, the pastors and some spouses, under the direction of Dr. Doug and Mary, worked through the training manual to learn how to respond quickly to disasters in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.. L u t h e r a n E a r l y Response Team ministry of the LCMS Disaster Response works in cooperation with local, state, and federal emergency management agencies as well as other non-governmental and f a i t h - b a s e d organizations. At the end of the sessions, the group was certified as members of LERT - and received their reflective LCMS-LERT vests. An offering of $ was received at the evening Communion worship service for conference attendees and St. John congregation members & visitors, and was voted by the pastors to be donated to LERT. Another highlight of the conference was a presentation on prayer by Rev. Jim Douthwaite. Gathered around the table at mealtimes, the assembly, including the children, enjoyed lively conversation and sharing of experiences. Ladies League and congregation members of St. John were delighted to extend our Southern hospitality to the pastors, their families and our special guests. 3

4 SIGN UP FOR SELC LWML MISSION TRIP TO JACMEL, HAITI! December 5-13, 2014 by Laura Bergmann, President SELC LWML District The SELC District of the LWML is taking its first mission trip to Jacmel, Haiti, in December, The group will leave on either December 5 th or 6 th, and will spend approximately one week in Haiti. Our goal is to have at least 10 people from our SELC District participate in this first mission trip. Jackie Rychel, an experienced missionary volunteer from St. Mark Lutheran Church in Chesterland, Ohio, will be leading this trip along with her husband, Mark. Jackie has been to Haiti more than 40 times in the last eight years. Her work has been in partnership with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and Lutheran Church Charities. Jackie works very closely with Pastor Marky Kessa, the President of the Lutheran Church of Haiti. He provides the drivers for the travel vans, and his wife, Sidney Kessa, runs the guest house in Jacmel where the LWML missionary volunteers will stay. Women from the Kessa s congregation prepare all the food for the guest house visitors. LWML members on the trip will rendezvous in Miami and spend the night there. The next day, the whole group will fly on American Airlines to Port au Prince, Haiti. There they will be met by a van which will take the group three hours away to Jacmel, the fourth largest city in Haiti. The group will stay at a guest house in Jacmel that is located in a safe compound. Both Haitian and American food will be served. The guest house is luxurious by Haitian standards-it has cold running water for showers, and a refrigerator. The guest house can accommodate 22 visitors, and has bottled water provided by Culligan The temperature in Haiti at this time of year is in the 90s, but it is not the rainy season. However, evenings can be cool. The dorms are air conditioned and fans are also provided. One of the goals of the trip is to work with an orphanage in Jacmel. The current building houses 24 orphans, and also functions as a school house. Jackie Rychel and her volunteers are in the process of finalizing plans to build a new orphanage nearby. God willing, when our SELC LWML group arrives in December, the new building should already be up, but may need to be painted and have other finishing work done. We may work on this project. In addition, the group hopes to do a shoe ministry by providing shoes for the 24 orphans, and backpacks for them as well. There are plans to have the group do ESL teaching, Bible studies, and VBS. Also, LWML members will help with a feeding station that feeds the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The cost of the trip is approximately $1,600.00, with $ to $ for airfare, and the remainder for food and lodging. The payment schedule for the trip is as follows: May 16-18, 2014 fill out an application for the Haiti trip at the SELC LWML District Convention in Massillon, or, after May 18 th, contact Laura Bergmann at laurabergmann@sbcglobal.net. July 1, $ deposit is due. August 15, 2014-$ second payment is due. September 15, 2014-$ third payment is due. November 1, 2014-final payment of $ is due. Jesus says to go and make disciples all over the world. Please prayerfully consider going to Haiti with us. The time is now! 4

5 NEWS FROM AROUND OUR SELC DISTRICT Welcome To Our New Vicars! CTS-StL: Called to serve our SELC District and St. Luke s LC (Oviedo FL), we welcome Vicar Benjamin Micheel and Rachel. LtoR: Diane Krueger, Dr. Carl Krueger, Benjamin Micheel, Rachel Micheel CTS-FtW: We welcome the students assigned to the SELC District: Candidate Curtis Stephens, Pastor, St. John s (Hazleton PA) and Vicar Glen Triplett, Zion (Clark NJ). LtoR: Tami Triplett, Glen Triplett, Diane Krueger, Dr. Carl Krueger, Jr. Curtis Stephens, Naomi Stephens SELC Calendar: July SELC Luther League Convention, Tampa FL August B o a r d o f T r u s t e e s, Lutheran Haven, Oviedo FL Sept October 6-8 October 16, 17 Council of Presidents, St. Louis MO S E L C P r o f e s s i o n a l C h u r c h W o r k e r s Conference, Holy Cross, Lake Mary FL Great Plains and Great Lakes Regional COP meeting, Bloomington MN GENERAL PASTORAL CONFERENCE The dates for the General Pastoral Conference have been set. We will meet at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Lake Mary Florida on October 6,7 and 8. The theme will be "Follow Me As I Follow Christ" I.Cor. 11:1. We will have sessions that will promote the idea that true discipleship comes from the way that the pastor leads his life and how he communicates that to the people around him. As he lives as a disciple of Christ, he will grow with others who follow Christ in the same way. So save the dates you will need to come into Lake Mary on the evening of the 5th and we will conclude at 12:00 on the 8th. There will be good food entertainment and an opportunity to build a deeper relationship with your fellow pastors of the SELC District. Check out The Lutheran Beacon in full color on our SELC Website 5

6 Dr. Doug s Disaster Corner On May 6 th, The Eastern Pastors Circuit met at St. John s Lutheran Church in Emporia, VA. There was LERT training with ten pastors, one vicar, and one layperson receiving the training and they will be LERT certified. Mary Woodward was the trainer with Doug and Nona Schipull (the SELC DDRC s) providing administrative support. The following were the trainees: Pastor Steve Bocklage Pastor Jim Douthwaite Pastor Andy Dzurovcik Vicar Jon Franson Mrs. Katherine Jones Pastor Ron Jones Pastor Ray Malec Pastor John Perling Pastor Hugh Pillsbury Pastor Gary Scharrer Pastor Wally Vinovskis Pastor Allen Vomhof Dr. Krueger, the District President, has stated the purpose of this training is to familiarize the congregational pastors and lay leadership with the basic principles of disaster response so that each congregation or group of congregations can develop a disaster response plan. These plans are important to help organize the chaos that results when a disaster hits. These plans are needed if Synod level funds are requested. The District s goal is to complete basic LERT training for all of our SELC pastors. So, the Central Circuit and the Southern Circuit training will be given at Circuit Pastor s Conferences as scheduling permits. f you have any questions, please contact Doug or Nona Schipull at or us at dr.schipull@gmail.com. In the Lord s Service, Doug and Nona Schipull The SELC District Disaster Response Coordinators George climbs the the top of Mt. Sinai to get close enough to talk to God. Looking up, he asks the Lord, God, what does a million years mean to you? The Lord replies, A Minute. George asks, and what does a million dollars mean to you? The Lord replies, A penny. George thinks for a minute and asks, Lord, can I have a penny? The Lord replies... In a minute. 6

7 Keeping Busy At St. John the Baptist (Emporia, VA) by Anna Bocklage MOTHER S DAY TRIBUTE The YPS of St. John the Baptist sponsored a Mother s Day Ribbon Tree for the second year. The tree, on display in the church narthex, was a visual tribute to the special women and mothers in our lives, being decorated with pink memorial ribbons and red honor ribbons. A specially printed booklet listing the names of all of the women being honored or remembered this Mother s Day made a lovely keepsake for those being recognized. The Ribbon Tree project was initially done last year as a fund raiser to aid the youth attending the National Youth Gathering in San Antonio, Texas. The YPS members made all of the bows and assembled the booklets. This lovely way of recognizing all the special women (mothers or not ) who have touched our lives, was so well received by the congregation that it was requested again for Mother s Day this year. BASKETS OF PROMISE LENTEN MISSION PROJECT Me mbers undertook a Lutheran World Relief (LWR) mission project for the Lenten season to walk with people around the world a f f l i c t e d b y w a r, displacement and poverty, by collecting and assembling personal care kits. By simply purchasing and bringing a specified hygiene item to church each week, basic toiletries we take for granted, we learned that we could reach out to people in dire need around the world. Evangelism committee members wrap it up Joseph & Sarah Fajna Offer Donation for Baskets of Promise The initial goal was to gather enough items to make 25 kits, but by Easter members responded by donating hygiene items enough to complete 50 Baskets of Promise. The hygiene items, bar soap(2), nail clippers, wide tooth comb with handle, and toothbrush were placed in a folded bath towel and rolled & tied. The kits were boxed and delivered to a LWR warehouse in New Windsor, Maryland. Some spare items will be donated to a women s shelter in Emporia. What s Happening in Your Church This Summer? Share your activities in The Lutheran Beacon! Deadline for next issue is July 12th 7

8 Babies and Your Lifetime Plan of Giving by Robin Paris, CDE, Gift Planning Counselor Babies! You can t stay away from them babies draw our eyes and our smiles. Doesn t make any difference whether you re at Denny s or at church. A darling child in the arms of its mother tugs at our heart, doesn t it? We had a baptism Sunday at church. If you haven t been to St. Luke s-oviedo, the baptism font is in the narthex. So they train video cameras on the family, the Pastor, and the baby. In the sanctuary, every eye is glued to the screens up front watching that special moment when the child is named before God, and claimed for His kingdom in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. I am blessed to live next door to a couple with a baby girl Merissa is her name. On Facebook this morning, her Mom shared that when she told her it was time for a nap, for the very first time in her 6 month life, she blew raspberries at her Mom! And of course, once she realized she had mastered a new skill, on and on it went ---- bbbbbbbbthhtht! So what does that have to do with having a Lifetime Plan for Giving? EVERYTHING! Jesus Himself said that unless we come as little children, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God. It was at our baptism that God placed His Lifetime Plan for Giving in each of our hearts. He is a giving God; by virtue of our adoption into His family, we are giving people. Aren t we? Shouldn t we be? Joy comes into the heart of the giver who sees his Heavenly Father s vision for his life, just as we are drawn to an infant so precious, so tiny, so full of promise. Seeing a baby can remind us of our awesome God and the great love He has for us. So when I share across a kitchen table what wonderful things can be done with the blessings God has poured into the lives of fellow Christians, I often see that same look of awe and wonder. Physical life, and spiritual rebirth gifts to celebrate from our Father s hand. What better way to say Thank You than to create a legacy gift that allows His Kingdom to prosper and grow, to reach more hearts for Him until Jesus returns! An older gentleman was on the operating table awaiting surgery. He insisted that his son, a renowned surgeon, perform the operation. As he was about to get the anesthesia, he asked to speak to his son. Yes, Dad, what is it? Don t be nervous, son; do your best; and just remember if it doesn t go well if something happens to me your mother is going to come and live with you and your wife. 8

9 News Around the LC-MS CTS-StL: Have you considered continuing education as a way to help you grow in your ministry and service to your Lord and his church? Consider applying those CE experiences to a DMin degree at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Concordia Seminary in St. Louis has made important changes to its Doctor of Ministry program in an effort to make the program more accessible, affordable, and flexible. Such changes include the provision of additional opportunities for pastors to earn DMin credit for their continuing education experiences either as they pursue CE sponsored by CSL or by the Pastoral Leadership Institute, Doxology, the Family Friendly Partners Network, or the Post-Seminary Applied Learning and Support initiative. There are four concentrations to choose from: H om iletics, Missional Leadership, Military Chaplaincy, and General Pastoral Ministry (the latter allows the most flexibility as you pursue areas of desired growth). Classes are now scheduled either in a fall/winter term or in a spring/summer term with registration for classes taking place online in July (for the fall/winter term) and in January (for the spring/summer term). Students will spend one week on the campus of the seminary in January and/or in June, with the pre-residential time of the term devoted to the completion of pre-residential assignments and the post-residential time of the term devoted to the post-residential completion of final writing assignments. See below the scheduled classes for fall/winter (meeting on campus in Jan.). The maximum number of credits that students can attempt while on campus for a week will be 6 credit hours. Students will either take one 6 hour seminar, which will meet for approximately 6 hours each day, or students can take two 3 hour courses, which will each meet for approximately 3 hours each day. The total number of required credits for the DMin has been reduced from 48 class-time credit hours to 45. At least one third of a student s course work must include a week-long residency. The rest of a student s work may be done through a combination of residential courses, wraparound courses, online courses, independent studies, or by transfer (certain limits apply to each category). How do wraparound courses work? You register for the seminar, workshop, or continuing education experience you wish to use as the basis for your wraparound course. You may also register for the wraparound credit with the seminary. An instructor is assigned who will provide a syllabus for the course. The syllabus includes additional readings and a written assignment applying the content of the student s experience to his context of ministry. By wrapping the additional reading and written assignments around the student s experience, the cumulative work of the student is raised to the level of a Doctor of Ministry course. Wraparound courses can be done at the same time as the workshop or other experience, or at a later time. Information about applying to the Doctor of Ministry program at Concordia, St. Louis, can be found on our website at Click on Programs in the Become a Student box. Then click on Doctor of Ministry at the bottom of that page. Please contact the Doctor of Ministry office for additional information and help with the application process. The contact information: beckerw@csl.edu; Wheat Ridge Ministries Check out the bi-monthly Personal Finance enews! In it you will find gift planning information, financial news, news from Washington and more. Learn how to improve your financial health and keep it healthy. Sign up on their website: Summer is here - well, at least in most parts of the country it s finally arrived. This is the first of two combined issues covering June & July. The Lutheran Beacon - Gail Peterson gailpete37@yahoo.com Please submit articles as separate attachments in the program you write in. [e.g. Word Perfect, Word, etc.], NOT as part of your . Photos must be submitted as separate attachments [NOT as part of your article.jpeg format preferred.] You may send multiple photos in one . DEADLINE FOR THE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER ISSUE IS JULY 12 TH In the meantime, for the latest news, check out our SELC website: 9