The Lamplighter FEBRUARY $8.00 (Includes Game and Lunch) Brat Bowl VIII Feb. 7, All Are Welcome to Come Enjoy the Fun!

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1 The Lamplighter FEBRUARY 2016 FROM PASTOR AARON When I was growing up, I remember in first grade our lesson on the 5 senses: taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing. I remember being amazed at the fact that it was through these 5 senses I was taking in things around me, and I remember going home and utilizing them around the farm. I would touch things and identify if they were smooth or rough; taste what was known as sweet and sour; hear a bird or dog, and so forth. A quick question for you: have you ever used the 5 senses to take in and take notice of God? I think it s becoming harder and harder to notice and experience God these days. Our lives are so filled up and consumed with things. I know I m guilty; I m on my smartphone more than I should be! Yet as we approach the season of Lent, the popular notion is that we need to give up these things, become less busy, in order to notice God. However, I m not so sure we can sustain not being busy beyond Lent; Lenten fasting has become sort of like fad dieting. I wonder: what if we engaged a way of living that took notice of God as a way of life? This year, I invite you to take part in a 5-week Lenten series called Sensing the Gospel. Written by Matthew Skinner, Professor of New Testament at Luther Seminary, we ll explore texts, experience worship, and dialogue together how, through the 5 senses, we might take in and experience God routinely in our lives. Our 5-week series will begin February 17 th. The time and location are yet to be determined, so stay tuned. (Some special plans are possibly in the works!) In all things, as we enter into this Lenten season, may you experience God in both old and new ways. Brat Bowl VIII Feb. 7, 2016 Lunch & Touch Football Tailgate lunch 12 pm (Brats and More) Brat Bowl Kickoff 1 pm Sponsored by St. Andrew Lutheran Church 4811 High Street West, Portsmouth (At Cedar Lane) $8.00 (Includes Game and Lunch) Tickets available at the Door or Pregame at the Church (Tues Fri 10 3 pm) Proceeds to Benefit Foodbank of Southeastern VA Access to Skybox Seating inside the church by donating a Canned Good All Are Welcome to Come Enjoy the Fun! Peace, Aaron

2 The St. Andrew/Holy Communion Book Club will meet on Monday, February 1, 6pm at the Hometown Diner, 3562 Western Branch Blvd., Portsmouth (across from Maryview Hospital). The book for this month is The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, written by Jamie Ford. It is a best seller-historical novel about the love and friendship between a Chinese American boy and a Japanese American girl. Whether you like to eat out or like to read, all are welcome! A CUP OF COFFEE AND A CANDLE (SALC) February 3 rd & 17 th Everyone is invited to join us every week. We use passages from Luther Seminary s God s Pause Daily Devotion. The Busy Bees (WELCA) The Busy Bees will meet on Saturday, February 6, 9:30am at HCLC - hostess Sherrie Fletcher. All ladies (St. Andrew and Holy Communion) are invited! We will make Valentine's Day cookie & tea bags for Mayfair House. Breakfast provided. Bring a friend!!! Upcoming Busy Bees events in March & April: Saturday, March 5, 9:30am at HCLC - hostess Lesa Farless. We will work on Easter Baskets to be given to EDMARC. We will also make plans for the St. Patrick's Day Celebration Dinner scheduled for Sunday, March 13, directly after worship. Come join in a traditional favorite! All ladies are invited! Breakfast provided. Bring a friend! Saturday, April 2, 9:30am at HCLC - hostess Edith Blake. We will work on comfort bags the more help, the better! We will also finalize plans for our annual Vendor Spree & Bake Sale Community Bazaar on April 23, 10am to 4pm. Details upcoming in the March and April newsletters. Alzheimer s & Dementia Caregiver Support Group February 9, 7pm The group meets monthly on the 2 nd Tuesday at SALC. Wednesday, February 10, 12pm This month: All are invited to join us for lunch at The Boulevard restaurant, 3916 Portsmouth Blvd, Chesapeake.

3 UPDATE ON CONGREGATIONAL SELF-STUDY Happy New Year from the Social Ministry Committee: Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, February 2, 7pm at SALC. Please join us! We are interested to know what types of activities/projects you would like to support. FOOD PANTRY: Thank you for your continued support by bringing nonperishable food items such as peanut butter, soup, pasta dinners, cereal, etc. Providing food to programs and projects such as OASIS, Wesley Community Center, and Micah s Backpack will be the focus of our work in CLOTHES CLOSET HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED: We no longer have a volunteer available to maintain and distribute clothes that have been donated. Therefore, we are closing the Clothes Closet. Please DO NOT drop off clothes at the church any longer. There are many programs in our area with convenient drop off boxes who will accept your donations. We encourage you to support those programs. BENEVOLENCE: The January benevolence gift of $175 was designated to support the Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless. THANK YOU: We have recently received three thank you letters for our support: ELCA Disaster Relief program for Flooding-United States: donation was made to assist those in the U.S. who were victims of the terrible flooding in last summer and early fall Wesley Community Center: our donation supported their project to provide a Thanksgiving dinner to 53 individuals and families in Portsmouth OASIS: Donation supported the various programs offered by OASIS in Portsmouth especially their food program On Sunday afternoon January 10 th, the self-study teams for both congregations met to have their first session. They began by getting to know each other, and to learn about the goal of doing their self-study together for the next 5 months. Those goals are: Through mutual learning, Helping the congregation come to terms with its past, Discover the reality of their surroundings for the present, Assist in learning for our neighbor congregation, and Identify essential staffing needs (including pastor) for the congregation. Additionally, the self-study teams met to receive their first assignment: to develop a timeline of key events in the life of the congregation. These are both high and low events over the years. Each team was tasked with engaging the congregations existing, active membership to identify these events. In the coming months, you may be asked by the team to share your thoughts and stories of your congregation s history. Your participation is important and encouraged! Also, you are encouraged to approach members of the self-study team to share your thoughts as well. The members of each team are as follows: SALC: Fran Olsen, Dave Hauer, & Vera Boerstler HCLC: Patty Quidgeon, Linda Shackleford, Klaus Guter, & June Clark Social Ministry Committee

4 St. Andrew Lutheran Church January 13, 2016 Your council leaders for the coming year are as follows: President, Greg Griffin; Vice- President, Anne Hauer; and Secretary, Tim Dugan. Russ Shelton will continue as treasurer and Al Maurer as Financial Secretary. New council member, Dorothy Matsel, is starting up an Evangelism Program, and anyone interested in being a member, please see Dorothy. Tony requested funds for three youth to attend Winter Celebration -- funds to come from the Designated Youth Fund. Request granted. A discussion was held concerning the financial situation of the church and ways we can grow our church, not only the giving, but attendance, as well. Pastor asked the question: What are we trying to keep going? Give some thought to this question and let a member of council or the selfstudy team know your thoughts. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as secretary, and know that I will continue to support our church and council. Edith Blake Outgoing Secretary

5 2016 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY :45am Coffee & A Candle (SA) :30am Busy Bees (HC) 7 Transfiguration of Our Lord 6:00pm Book Club (Hometown Diner, Ports.) 6:30pm Girl Scouts (SA) 8 7:00pm Social Min (SA) :00pm Evangelism Comm. (SA) 7:30pm Toastmasters (SA) :00pm Lunch Bunch (Boulevard Rest, Ports.) 10:30am Meals on Wheels (SA) 12:00pm Brat Bowl Lunch 1:00pm Brat Bowl Kickoff 14 1 st Sunday in Advent 15 7:00pm Caregivers (SA) 16 NEWSLETTER ARTICLES ARE DUE 7:00pm Council (SA) 17 6:45am Coffee & A Candle (SA) 6:30pm Grief Support Group (HC) 7:00pm Council (HC) :30pm Girl Scouts (SA) 7:00pm Ash Wed. Worship (place TBD) 7:00pm SOS (SA) 7:30pm Toastmasters (SA) 21 2 nd Sunday in Advent :30am Meals on Wheels (SA) 28 3 rd Sunday in Advent 2:00pm Micah s Backpack (Faith Luth., Suffolk) 29 6:30pm Grief Support Group (HC) February Birthdays (SA) February Birthdays (HC) Fran Wallace, 2/10 Nita Jackson, 2/3 Mary Westfall, 2/12 Noel Fawcett, 2/6 Tana Young, 2/26 Aurilia Carreon, 2/27

6 St. Andrew LC Vision Statement To share the Good News of Salvation with people in our community and in the world. CONGREGATION COUNCIL (SALC): Cathy Heely David Hahn Dorothy Matsel Anne Hauer Sam Burton Jacob Kritz Tim Dugan Tony Scardina Greg Griffin SALC Officers/Key Staff: Rev. Aaron Fuller, Pastor Russ Shelton, Treasurer Al Maurer, Financial Secretary Nell Bartel, Parish Assistant Tom Darling, Sexton St. Andrew Lutheran Church 4811 High Street West Portsmouth, VA Telephone: Pastoral Emergencies: Holy Communion LC Mission Statement Serving the Triune God by reaching out to all people. CONGREGATION COUNCIL (HCLC): Terri Guter Barbara Luck Rick Clark Stephanie Ramsey Nancy Jones Robert Shea HCLC Officers/Key Staff: Rev. Aaron Fuller, Interim Pastor Gary Fletcher, Treasurer Patty Quidgeon, Financial Secretary Charles Cummings, Custodian Sherrie Fletcher, Director, Precious Angels Preschool Holy Communion Lutheran Church 6220 Portsmouth Boulevard Portsmouth, VA Telephone: Pastoral Emergencies: