March New 2014 Church Council Roles Here are the newly elected officers and the liaison's to the Teams.

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1 March 2014 SUNDAY MORNING: 8:15 am Traditional Service 10:00 am Contemporary Service 10:00 am Sunday School Lent & Holy Week Worship Opportunities: March 5: Ash Wednesday April 17: Maundy Thursday April 18: Good Friday All services are at 7p.m. Wednesday evening services on March 12, 19, 26, April 2 and 9 at 6:30p.m. The Holden Prayer Service will be part of each Lenten Service. New 2014 Church Council Roles Here are the newly elected officers and the liaison's to the Teams. The new Executive Team is: President - Shawn Bernick Vice President - Tracy Banit Treasurer - Dick Horken Secretary - Donna Boatman TEAM Representatives: Worship - Phil Helgeson Faith Education - Lisa Jenkover Giving - Kristen Gray Outreach - Steve Sizemore Fellowship - Anita Huber Service - Hope Olson What's next? Each Team needs a lay-leader to work with the Council Rep. Is that you? What are you passionate about? Join a Team to help Joy be relevant, hopeful and generous in serving God and each other! Available Baptism Dates: March 16 and May 6 Contact Pastor Amy if interested. MENU Wednesday Night Supper 5:15-6:30pm March 5th- Stroganoff March 12th- Irish Stew March 19th- Spaghetti March 26th- Ham Balls Mark your calendar, Vacation Bible School (VBS) is July 20-25th th at JOY CHURCH for Kids 4K-6 th Grade. Registration is coming soon!!! MUSIC, CRAFTS, GAMES, GOD!!!! Join Us For World Day of Prayer March 7, 2014 United Church of Christ, Prescott, 11:00 A.M. Streams in the Desert, Written by the Women of Egypt Please see page 12 for more information. In preparation for Easter there will be Lenten Prayer groups. Those who gather will pray for those on the prayer list. Over the Lenten season each congregation member will be lifted up in prayer and mailed a prayer note. If you are interested please contact Pastor Amy Fondroy Eich. 1

2 2 Pastor Amy Fondroy Eich I lift my eyes to the hills from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1,2) Together in Lent we walk with Jesus to Jerusalem. All along the journey to the cross, Jesus lifts up his eyes to the Lord for direction and prayer. As we walk with Jesus in our life journey, we are reminded that the Lord is waiting for us to lift our eyes to seek God s help. Prayer is God s gift for us to turn over our cares to him. Nothing is too big or too small to offer up in prayer. Together as Christians, a variety of denominations and ages we learn and share The Lord s Prayer. Many share prayers that have been passed down in their families; meal prayers and bedtime prayers. Prayer can take many shapes and forms. We often think about our hands folded and our eyes closed. As we pray in this way, our body is kept still and we can pause to be in conversation with God. The Psalm says, I lift my eyes. When we look up, our eyes are open, seeking possibilities. As we look up we are reminded that the Lord cares for all of creation and at the same time The Lord cares deeply for each and every one of us. Through Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and Prayer Services, we can experience prayer with loud voices and movement. During the Wednesday night Lent services we will watch God s story unfold through the creative movement of hands that create sand art images, which is another form of prayer. We are called to offer thanks to God in prayer. Each and every day God provides for our needs. Taking an opportunity to offer thanks helps us to see what God has provided. As your eyes are open you see God s gifts around you. Joy shares prayers through the prayer chain (via or phone call). Congregation members add names of friends and families to the weekly prayer list. Each Sunday at worship those names are shared in prayer. Other prayer concerns are quietly listed on the prayer cards, and held in my prayers. Music groups, Team meetings and Council meetings include prayer as a foundation of our care for one another and the deep love we receive from God. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore Psalm 121:8. Pray as you leave your home. Pray (with your eyes open) as you travel from place to place. Pray as you enter a building. Know that God is watching you as you continue your journey. During Lent take the opportunity to lift up your eyes to the Lord in prayer. Blessings, Pastor Amy Fondroy Eich

3 2014 JOY MARCH CALENDAR 2 Sunday 8:15am Traditional Worship Communion 10am Contemporary Worship Communion 10am Sunday School *2:30pm - 5:30pm Malone Destination Imagination 6:30pm Giving Team Mtg 3 Monday 7:30am High School Prayer Breakfast 5:30pm Sing 4 Joy 6pm Joy Unlimited 7pm Joy Bells 7pm Spirit of Joy 4 Tuesday *3pm - 5pm Malone Destination Imagination 6:30pm Stewardship Team Mtg 5 Ash Wednesday 9am Quilting *3pm Piano Lesson 4:15pm Guitar Camp 5:15-6:30pm Supper - Stroganoff 5:30pm The Way, The Truth & The Life 5:45pm High School Praise Band 6:15-7:45pm Confirmation Class 7pm Joy Choir 6 Thursday 7pm Worship Team Mtg 7 Friday # World Day of UCC Prescott 8 Saturday 7:30am Men s Breakfast 9 Sunday Camp Sunday 1st Grade Faith, Family, Food 8:15am Traditional Worship 10 am Contemporary Worship 10am Sunday School *2:30pm - 5:30pm Malone Destination Imagination 3 10 Monday 7:30am High School Prayer Breakfast 5:30pm Sing 4 Joy 6pm Joy Unlimited 6pm Property & Grounds Team Mtg 7pm Joy Bells 7pm Spirit of Joy 7pm Outreach Team Mtg 11 Tuesday # 1:30pm Women's Bible Prescott Nursing Home *3pm - 5pm Malone Destination Imagination 7pm Women's Bible Study 12 Wednesday 9am Quilting *3pm Piano Lesson 4:15pm Guitar Camp 5:15-6:30pm Supper - Irish Stew 5:30pm The Way, The Truth & The Life 5:45pm High School Praise Band 6:15-7:45pm Confirmation Class 7pm Joy Choir 16 Sunday Kindergarten Faith, Family, Food 8:15am Traditional Worship Communion 10am Contemporary Worship Communion 10am Sunday School *2:30pm - 5:30pm Malone Destination Imagination 17 Monday NEWSLETTER DEADLINE 7:30am High School Prayer Breakfast 10am Joyful Seniors 5:30pm Sing 4 Joy 6pm Joy Unlimited *6:40pm Girl Scouts 7pm Joy Bells 7pm Spirit of Joy 18 Tuesday *3pm - 5pm Malone Destination Imagination 6-8pm Executive team Mtg 6:30pm Council Team Meeting * Building use by outside group # Meeting not at Joy Church 19 Wednesday *3pm Piano Lesson 4:15pm Guitar Camp 5:15-6:30pm Supper - Spaghetti 5:30pm The Way, The Truth & The Life 5:45pm High School Praise Band 6:15-7:45pm Confirmation Class 22 Saturday 7:30am Men s Breakfast 23 Sunday 4K Faith, Family, Food 8:15am Traditional Worship 10am Contemporary Worship 10am Sunday School *2:30pm - 5:30pm Malone Destination Imagination 24 Monday 7:30am High School Prayer Breakfast 2pm Blood Drive 5:30pm Sing 4 Joy 6pm Joy Unlimited 7pm Spirit of Joy 25 Tuesday *3pm - 5pm Malone Destination Imagination 26 Wednesday *3pm Piano Lesson 4:15pm Guitar Camp 5:15-6:30pm Supper - Ham Balls 5:30pm The Way, The Truth & The Life 5:45pm High School Praise Band 6:15-7:45pm Confirmation Class 7pm Joy Choir 30 Sunday 3 Year Old Faith, Family, Food 8:15am Traditional Worship 10am Contemporary Worship 10am Sunday School *2:30pm - 5:30pm Malone Destination Imagination 31 Monday 7:30am High School Prayer Breakfast 5:30pm Sing 4 Joy 6pm Joy Unlimited 7pm Spirit of Joy

4 4 Anita Huber The 3rd grade Sunday School class invites you to a Pancake Breakfast on March 9th. Served after 8:15 and 10:00am service. Recommended donation of: $5 adults $3 for kids. Includes pancakes, sausage, OJ, milk, coffee & fruit. Or bring in some craft & art supplies for reduced (or free) breakfast! Supplies needed include: Construction paper, glue (sticks & regular) colored pencils, craft sticks, card stock, stickers, etc. All proceeds go to the Sunday School Supplies Fund. Joyful Seniors meet on Monday, March 17th 10am-1pm. Wednesday Night Dinner Menu on front page of Newsletter. Join in the Fellowship & Good Food! $5 Adults $2 Kids Everyone welcome! THANK YOU S To: Joy Lutheran Church for all your support with Prescott Football. From all the: Prescott Cardinals & Prescott Flying P Football Club. See the colorful Thank you note posted in the Narthex. A HUGE THANKS to the following people for all of your help moving Kim Lloyd, Betty Tynes, and Chloe Lloyd to New Richmond on several COLD days in January: Robyn & Doug Keyport, Lee Northouse, Marv Lindseth, Kristin & Sophie Tibayan, Tom Geisfeld, Dave & Mandi Pederson, Peter, Kristen, John, & Henry Gray, Kathy Sommer, Mary Jonikas, Al Klein, Ernie Schultz, Joshua & Brandon Pender, Hope Olson, Mike & Pauline Volkmann, Bradon Svaboda, Ken Roen, and Curt Aaseng. A special thanks to those who drove loaded vehicles and/or lent their trailers: Tom Geisfeld, Lee Northouse, Robyn & Doug Keyport, Dave Pederson, Peter Gray, Kathy Sommer, Ernie Schultz, Josh Pender, Mike Volkmann, and Ken Roen! It was a big move and Kim couldn t have done this without all of you! Joy Lutheran, Please accept our heartfelt thank you s for those of you who helped us move from Prescott to New Richmond during one of the coldest weekends we ve had in some time. It was difficult and time consuming. Some of you changed your activities for us, some came on a moments notice, all of you were great, cheerful and so very giving of your time & efforts! Thank you & God s Blessings Kim, Betty & Chloe Dear Joy Lutheran, Thank you so much for inviting us to speak at your Bold Women Sunday services. We were so pleased with your warmth! Thanks to those who brought crafts, donated a scholarship and gave His Arms outright donations! May you be blessed for being a blessing! Nancy S. Renee Rowe CONGRATULATIONS To Isaac and Leah Martin on the birth of their daughter, Selma Jane Martin, who was born on February 11, Selma s grandmother is Cathy Martin.

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6 6 What Are Members Talking About? During the Annual Meeting a great conversation was had around declining attendance. Gene Meir & Ken Knight both individually stated concerns and felt we needed to find out why attendance has dropped and address this issue. Anita Huber alh567@yahoo.com Good conversation took place at the Annual Meeting. A general decline in worship attendance as a nation-wide trend across the various church denominations was acknowledge by Al Klein, but he felt that we live in a growing community so we need to look at this. Al would like us to clean up membership ranks to know who is no longer here and active in our church. He was wondering how we make worship meaningful so people will want to attend. Donna Boatman confirmed what Gene was saying and said that she wants Council to look at the situation. Pastor Amy Fondroy Eich suggested that we continue to try to have intentional Welcoming Teams to welcome people who come to worship on Sundays. Phil Helgeson suggested that if any one of us sees people who are missing from services, we should talk to them and invite them back to church. Kathy Sommer & Lisa Jenkover both asked if the decline is different in 1st or 2nd service, but a decline is occurring in both services. Kathy also asked about Sunday School teachers. Christy Canfield, Director of Education, confirmed that we count teachers in "Sunday School attendance," not "worship" count; however since the numbers of Sunday School teachers remains about the same, this isn't impacting Sunday worship numbers. Gene added that money problems will go away if attendance goes up. Ken felt we cannot sketch over this we need to talk to people and bring back members who are not coming now. Phil agreed, saying that any member of the Council or Executive Team would be willing to hear anyone s comments or concerns. Gene then thanked the Council members for all the work they are doing and have done in the past. Bill Satchell encouraged members to go to Council with concerns, rather than just talk among their acquaintances. Pastor Amy agreed that we need to be proactive and positive, seeing this as a task for people to get involved with solving. Shawn Bernick thanked everyone for their comments and encouraged people to come forth and serve and help. He thanked everyone and said how healthy it was to have open conversations! The Church Basement Ladies - Join Prescott Community Ed. for the Church Basement Ladies final show "The Last (Potluck) Supper". Trip Date: Wed, April 9 from 11:40am until 4:30pm. Registration Deadline: Wed, March 5. Cost is $37 and includes transportation and the show. We will not be eating on this trip, so please plan accordingly. To register, contact Penny Peterson at or at ppeters2@prescott.k12.wi.us.

7 Joy Lutheran Church Stewardship Plan 2014 This is a summary of our overall goals for each Quarter and our chosen Bible Verses. Stewards of local and global communities- January - March God has called us to serve our neighbors, both near and far. Matthew 25:31-46 I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me. Proverbs 3:27-28 Do not withhold good for those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Kristen Gray kristen.gray@ecolab.com Stewards of Creation- April - June Creation is our first stewardship. How might we care for the earth? Genesis I In the beginning God created the heavens the earth. Psalms 25: 2 The earth is the Lord s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalms 8:6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet. Stewards of the Story July - September Stories are powerful! As disciples of Jesus, we experience God alive in Gods story, the Bible. How can we stewards of Gods story and our own story? I Corinthians 4:1-2 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. Mark 16:15 Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Stewards of Gods Abundance - October- December God has blessed us with an abundance of resources. How might we celebrate the abundance that God has entrusted to our care? I King 17:8-16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jar of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord, spoken by Elijah. Mark 6:30-44 They all ate and were satisfied and the disciples picked up twelve basketful of broken pieces of bread and fish. Acts 4:32-35 All the believers were one in heart and mind. They shared everything they had. 7

8 8 Phil Helgeson Camp Sunday Wear your camp or VBS (Vacation Bible School) shirt to church! Sunday, March 9th, 8:15 am or 10:00 am When the youth bring in 100 bags of change to support Life Change through Bible Camp - they will get to have a dress wacky day at church on Sunday, March 16. Everyone is welcome! Greeters Readers Communion Assistant March 2 8:15 Carrol & Karen Lehman Andrea Barstad- Aase Marv & Marcia Lindseth Dick Horken 10:00 Susan Metcalf Chris Blanchard Susan Metcalf Chris Blanchard Hope Olson March 9 8:15 Craig & Tammy Orf Laurie Fetzner 10:00 Vicki & Emily Bowen Stephanie Brantner March 16 8:15 Tom Geistfield Russ Jensen Curt Aaseng Phyllis Hoffmann Tracy Banitt 10:00 Sommer Family Erica Keezer Cathy Martin Julia Cleasby Kim Cleasby March 23 8:15 Bob & Julie Fiedler Ken Roen 10:00 Boatman- Smaida Family Lisa Jenkover March 30 8:15 LeRoy & Charlotte Burgeson Joan Northouse 10:00 Allen & Jan Canfield Tracy Banitt March 5- Ash Wednesday Communion Service Jim & Bobbie Flatz Phyllis Hoffmann Ushers Dick Hoffmann Larry Schaack

9 COUNCIL NEWS Donna Boatman Review of 2014 & Where are We Going? The Annual meeting was opened with a devotion by Pastor Amy, then Phil Helgeson, President of the Joy Lutheran Church Council, said the highlight of this year was the substantial work that Joy did to develop a new Mission, Vision, and Core Values Statement for our church. It has been a thorough and inclusive process. He asked everyone to look particularly at the new Joy Lutheran Church structure consisting of the Church Vision Council, Operations Committees, and six Teams that are organized to accomplish specific, identified goals to further the work of the church. Shawn Bernick, VP of Church Council, referenced the results of the Member Survey that 200+ people in the congregation participated in during December of 2012, and how Council used this to create Long Term Goals & Goals for LONG TERM GOALS: Develop a long-term spiritual generosity around giving Lead a debt reduction campaign in 2015 to reduce overall mortgage by 10%, by the end of 2016 Increase the number of giving units by 20% by the end of 2016 Strengthen the process by which members are called and equipped for ministry and leadership Provide assistance and guidance around Team development Expand ministry leadership to all members Expand congregational participation - get everyone in on the fun Provide more opportunities for Christian education for all ages Deepen our sense of connection to GOD and one another through more inspiring worship 2014 GOALS: 1. Develop the spiritual generosity around giving. Be fiscally-responsible and balance the budget that members approve. (Repay 100% of dedicated funds. Reduce line of credit loans to zero by the end of Increase the number of Simply Givers by another 10%) Have greater financial transparency with the church community. (Provide high-level summary of giving and expenses each month. Present the State of the Joy Lutheran Church once per quarter to the congregation during both services.) And, have Teams plan one giving related event per quarter. 2. Provide more opportunities for Christian education -- for all ages. By September 2014 have education opportunities available for all ages, offering bible study as well as other service/learning activities for all ages. 3. Strengthen the process by which members are called and equipped to help out. Enhance the volunteer opportunities through a clear purpose and engagement of the core Teams (committees). Council will support Teams to grow (develop 10+ active members by year-end) and meet (at least 10x during the year) and focus on priorities. 9

10 10 COUNCIL NEWS Donna Boatman General Business of Annual Meeting In a very efficient manner, President Phil Helgeson led Joy members through a wellmanaged and interesting Annual Meeting. Previous Annual Meeting Minutes were approved. Auditor's Report provided (Joy's books and records appear to be materially accurate in all respects). Treasurer's Report approved (Joy has not borrowed from our line of credit in over two years and we were able to cut the borrowing from dedicated funds in half). The 2014 Mission Plan (budget) was presented & approved. Pastor Amy Fondroy Eich and Christy Canfield gave a summary of their reports. Shawn Bernick presented a gavel to Phil Helgeson in appreciation for his service as President in New Council Members: Dick Horken, Kristen Gray, Steve Sizemore, & Lisa Jenkover 2015 Nominating Committee: Lisa Jenkover, Mark Huber, Peter Gray, Marcia Lindseth, & Abbi Nawrocki Luther Park Delegates: Georgia Freidel & Anita Huber Synod Assembly Voting Members: Shawn & Mandy Bernick 2014 NEW Council: Returning:Phil Helgeson, Shawn Bernick, Anita Huber, Tracy Banitt, Donna Boatman, Hope Olson. Newly Elected: Dick Horken, Kristen Gray, Steve Sizemore, & Lisa Jenkover. Get to Know Your Council: Steve Sizemore Steve Sizemore was born & lived in North Carolina through Junior High School. He moved his freshman year and attended Rosemount High School. He then attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout, American River College and Concordia University. His wife, Karey and he moved to Prescott about 15 years ago and purchased a house within the city. Karey is a Elementary School Teacher in River Falls. As the family began to grow, they moved to the Town of Oak Grove in They have a daughter, Shelby, in 4th grade. Their son, Clint, is in 2nd grade, both at Malone. Steve became a member of Joy in Steve began his career working in restaurant operations but as the family became more of a focus, he moved to sales and project management. He has built and maintains financial models/budgets and managed and trained staff and franchise owners. These skills can not only benefit Joy, but Steve is also running for PSD School Board on April 1st, so the School District will hopefully benefit as well. To learn more about why he wants to be on School Board go to Steve is member of the local car club and the Sno-bees snowmobile club. He has been a volunteer coach for PCR. Steve enjoys his kid activities, vehicles of all types, cooking, camping, sailing, bonfires, spending time at the cabin, building things, sports (watching and playing), music and snowmobiling.

11 Super Bowl of Caring was Feb. 2nd. The people of Joy Lutheran Church came together to help make a difference in our community by sharing our food and our financial resources. The Sunday School Students showed great excitement in helping.thanks to a little help from Peter from the food shelf and his burger buddy Lother. And that Cheese Burger caused a bit of a curiosity as well. In fact I was at Malone and a little girl (I have no idea who she is) RAN up to me and said, HEY, when is that cheese burger coming!!!! Joy Church raised over 500$ and 232pounds of food!!! Winter Church Day was a blast despite the cold. Many Different groups and people came together to help make this event fun for all ages. There was sledding, snowmobile rides, a pot luck, games, storytelling, and delicious hot coco! Sonshine Christian Music Festival is July in Wilmar, MN. Come listen to some great Christian music and have fun with your friends. Cost is $125 per person. This includes Wristband for all shows, meals, tent lodging, and transportation. $75 nonrefundable deposit is due Wednesday March 26 th! Sign up on the youth board! 11 Christy Canfield churchkidsforchrist@yahoo.com Sign up for Luther Park Bible Camp! All ages are welcome to sign up for Summer Camp! Details are available on the Luther Park website and registration flyers are on the bulletin board in the hallway. Please let Christy know if your family is in need of financial support. Summer Mission Trip Sign Up! Thunder Bay, Canada June 7th- 16th Cost $325 includes transportation, camping fees, meals, service sites, and entrance fees. Deposit $50 Non-refundable due January 5th We will do 2-3 fundraisers to help with the cost. Several students last year were able pay for their entire trip with fundraisers. If assistance is needed please let Christy know ASAP. We will be camping at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park near Thunder Bay Canada. While at Sleeping Giant we will be spending time helping the park rangers care for God's creation in the park. This may include painting tables, clearing brush, trimming trees, breaking trails, digging trails, or hauling fire wood. We will also have some FUN hiking, swimming, campfires, visiting tourist attractions, fishing, canoeing, learning about God's creation and much more. Lisa Jenkover lisa@lmjservices.com This trip is for students going into 9th grade to adult. Faith, Family, and Food Events Come and spend some time in your child s Sunday school class! Sundays 10:00-10:15am March 9 March 16 March 23 March 30 April 6 1 st Grade Families Kindergarten Families 4K Families 3K Families 6 th &7 th Grade Families Middle School Youth Camping Trip is being planned for this summer! Check out the Youth bulletin board for details. Fund raiser for Canada Trip The Joy Youth will be collecting pledges to help fund a 26.2 mile Mara-

12 12 JW/WELCA NEWS Marcia Lindseth Join Us For World Day of Prayer on March 7, 2014 United Church of Christ, Prescott, 11:00 A.M. Streams in the Desert, Written by the Women of Egypt All women of Joy are invited to the annual Ecumenical World Day of Prayer Service that will be held on Friday, March 7 at 11:00 A.M. at the United Church of Christ in Prescott. The 2014 World Day of Prayer Service will begin at the first sunrise on March 7 th, in the Pacific Region and, following the earth s orbit, will spread all around the world. Join hundreds of thousands of women from 170 countries and observe World Day of Prayer! This year, the women of Egypt invite us into a time of worship with the words of the prophet Isaiah: I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert. With these words as backdrop, we are invited to learn about Egypt s history and rich cultural diversity. We will explore the Samaritan woman s conversation with Jesus at the well, we will hear a young Egyptian woman share her experiences in Tahrir Square during the Arab Spring, and we will learn about concerns of availability of clean water, support for girls education worldwide, and intergenerational and interfaith dialogue. A lunch will be served by the women of the UCC, following the service. For more information about World Day of Prayer, visit the WDP website at or call Marcia Lindseth at All Women are Invited to the March Bible Study Women of our church continue to gather monthly for Bible Study. This year we are focusing on biblical women. In March we will learn about the Daughter of Jephthah, an Honest Virgin. Daughter, a young woman, retreats to the mountains with her female companions when her life is put in jeopardy by an oath her father made to God. She waves good-bye to a life that she had imagined for herself, she grieves her virginity, and her actions become a memorial to her. In this lesson we will focus on how we will be remembered. What will be our memorial? The scripture reference for this month s study is Judges 11:1-40. All women are encouraged to attend either of the following Bible Study sessions on Tuesday, March 11: 1:30 P.M. Prescott Nursing Home Wilma Timm, Leader 7:00 P.M. Church Fireside Room Marcia Lindseth, Leader Thank You to All for Bold Women Sunday Thank you to everyone for their participation in Bold Women Sunday, February 9 th. Thanks to all the women who were involved in our service as ushers, readers, greeters, speakers: Kelly Johnson, Marcia Lindseth, Kathy Sommer, Anita Huber, Lisa Kleinschmidt, Emilie Horken, Erica Keezer, Jenny Wazlawik, Jen Kleinschmidt, Susan Metcalf, Sue Hood, Judy Hamann, Shirley Johnson, Jayne Parmeter, Pauline Volkman, Loretta Knight, Joan Northouse, Sharyn Calton, Andrea Barstad-Aase, Robyn Keyport, Mary Jonikas, Laurie Fetzner, Bobbie Flatz and Pastor Amy Fondroy Eich. Thanks to the women of the Joyful Bells for providing special music and to their Director, Deanna Roen. Thanks to Joan Schaack for worship music at the first service and to the Spirit of Joy and their director, Karen Lundgaard, for worship music at the second service. Almost 40 people were involved in that special service and we are grateful for their participation! Thank you, too, to everyone who contributed to the Thankoffering that goes to support the churchwide ministries of the Women of the ELCA. $620 was contributed! Thanks for your generosity! Special thanks to the speakers, Nancy and Renee Rowe, who shared about their bold ministry of His Arms, a ministry to orphans in Maseno, Kenya. JW/ELCA has committed to sponsoring, for at least two years, one of the 6 year old orphans whose name is Sarah. We received a nice thank-you note from Nancy and Renee:

13 Dear Joy Lutheran Church, Thank you so much for inviting us to speak at your Bold Women Sunday services. We were so pleased with your warmth! Thanks to those who bought crafts, donated a scholarship and gave His Arms outright donations! Overwhelming compassion and generosity is how we would describe the people at Joy Lutheran Church. We were so humbled to be able to come and share with you about the His Arms Orphan Program (hisarmskenya.org). Thank you for sponsoring your new addition, your new little Kenyan member, sweet Sarah. Thank you for the many generous donations that were made and extreme interest in more orphan sponsorships! Thank you to the gentleman who stopped by my house with a new laptop he purchased for the His Arms Program. (I was at a Dr. appointment at the time and my daughters were home, so I wasn't even able to get your name!)! Joy Lutheran's congregation showed us so much kindness, love, compassion, generosity and hospitality! We are grateful for the opportunity to share time with all of you and to be part of such a loving and giving community! Thank you! May you be blessed for being a blessing! Nancy and Renee Rowe JW/WELCA NEWS MARK YOUR CALENDARS! St. Croix Conference Morning of Renewal Saturday, April 5, 2014, 8:15 A.M. Noon First Lutheran Church, New Richmond Join us for an inspiring and uplifting St. Croix Conference Morning of Renewal on Saturday, April 5. The theme for the morning is All Are Precious. The speaker is Gail Lando, a retired teacher and member of Faith Lutheran Church in Grantsburg, who will give a presentation on racial justice. The last fifteen years of her career were spent teaching English as a second language. Racial justice has been a central theme in her life as the mother of two bi-racial children and two Cambodian foster children. She attended the Women of the ELCA s racial justice training last summer and is now part of the TDTR ( Today s Dream, Tomorrow s Reality ) network of racial justice educators. Her personal experiences add a depth to her presentation. Registration cost is $5. An offering will also be taken. Don t miss this morning of fellowship with our sisters in the St. Croix Conference WELCA! If interested in car-pooling to this event, contact Marcia Lindseth or Emilie Horken. WELCA Worthy The JW/ELCA Spring Banquet will be held Sunday, April 27 at 5:00 P.M. Women of all ages are invited to attend. Our Joy men will serve the banquet and the program theme is centered around dolls. Every generation will want to attend this special program! Be sure to note the new St. Croix Conference newsletter which is posted on the JW/ ELCA bulletin board in the narthex hallway. It contains LOTS of good information about WELCA. Note also the poster on our bulletin board about the Synod Women s Organization s Convention, May 2-3, 2014 at the Plaza Inn and Suites in Eau Claire. The theme is Too Blessed to be Stressed. Pati Kachel will be the keynote speaker, there are many Awareness Sessions to attend, and the special churchwide WELCA guest will be Jenny Michael, President of the churchwide Women of the ELCA. Registration fee is $50 before April 14 and $60 thereafter. Rooms are available for up to four women at $89. For more information about the convention, check out our Synod Women s website at It s still not too late to consider attending the Ninth Triennial Gathering in Charlotte, North Carolina, July Check out the website, for all the 13 Continued next page...

14 14 JW/WELCA NEWS information needed, or consult the Triennial Gathering material on the JW/ELCA bulletin boards. Thanks to the Joyful Quilters who are busy making quilts for our January, February, and March mission project. The quilters will be quilting each Wednesday beginning at 9:00 AM through March 12th. Join the women on March 19th if you d like to help them make the fleece blankets for the graduating seniors. The Card Ministry met on February 8 and made many more cards that we use to bring greetings, condolences, getwell wishes, and congratulations to people in our congregation. These cards are also for sale for $2.00. Find them in the narthex. They are beautiful creations! At a recent planning meeting, members of the JW/ELCA Steering Committee voted to support several items: pay for the purchase of 50 additional dinner plates and 50 forks for our kitchen/funerals; $100 offering to go to the Triennial Gathering in July; $100 to Luther Park Bible Camp; $100 each to two JW/ELCA Triennial Gathering Attendees; $50 to the Women of the ELCA Katie s Fund. JW/ELCA will also help Joy youth who are planning to attend Luther Park Bible Camp this summer and are in need of funding. Contact Christy Canfield if that financial help is needed. Get Involved With The Triennial Gathering Engage our gathering theme in new and different ways before you even leave home. Working alone or in groups, you can make a quilt, knit or crochet a prayer shawl or gather inkind gifts. Women and girls across the church are invited to engage with the Ninth Triennial Gathering theme, of many generations, whether or not they are attending the gathering in Charlotte, N.C., this July. Prayers are invited for the participants and the presenters, that the experience may strengthen and challenge them in their faith walks. On a more tangible level, women are invited to gather in-kind gifts, make prayer shawls or participate in a quilt challenge. Gather in-kind gifts Continuing a long-standing tradition, when women and girls for the Ninth Triennial Gathering, they are invited to bring along in-kind gifts. Inkind gifts will include quilt kits (fabric and thread), gift cards, phone cards, hygiene items, socks, bras and underwear. Here s a downloadable fact sheet with all the details. Make a prayer shawl Women are invited to contribute to a Prayer Shawl Collection, whether attending the Ninth Triennial Gathering or not. The shawls will be given to ministries in the ELCA North Carolina Synod. Shawls can be made by women working alone, or women can gather together regularly to knit or crochet the shawls. Here s a downloadable fact sheet with all the details. Marcia Lindseth mlindseth@centurytel.net Participate in the quilt challenge Quilters of all abilities are invited to create a quilt interpreting the Ninth Triennial Gathering theme, of many generations. The challenge comes not only in interpreting the gathering theme but also in working within certain rules. New to the challenge in 2014 is the requirement that all quilts must include the challenge fabric. To obtain a fat-quarter of the challenge fabric, send an request to women.elca@elca.org, or call , ext Here s a downloadable fact sheet with all the details.

15 1 Scott Calton 1 Don Fritz 1 Mike Knoll 1 Collette Sakschek 2 Dave Pederson 2 Kaylin Rein 2 Riley Sebion 3 Madeline Johnson 3 Marv Lindseth 3 Brooke Thibado 4 Rosemary Alexander 4 Daniel Braun 4 Gretchen Doffing 4 Dalton Ford 4 Sheila Lundberg 5 Carolyn Iverson 5 Ava Johnson 5 Brody Temmers 6 Chad Steger 7 David Iverson 7 Chase Kinney 8 Warren Lee 9 Dallas Eggers 9 Cheryl Halverson 9 Melissa Jones 9 Adrian Marcum 9 Eugene Meier 10 David Brandvold 10 William Fetzner 10 Bayley Nemcek Keyport 10 Andre Marshall 10 James Rein 10 Michael Swanson 10 Marcelle Westphal 11 Doug Keyport 11 Arianna Starbuck 11 Lana Wallin 12 Kasey Baker 12 Christina Haasis 12 David Johnson 13 Lane Amidon 13 Henry Gray 13 Breanne Hudak Russell Jensen 14 Sharyn Calton 14 Gerald Erickson 14 Dave Swanson 14 George Wazlawik 15 Patrick Eich 15 Lothar Nawrocki 15 Larry Schaack 16 Keith Filarsky 16 Dan Sterud 17 Logan Johnson 17 Debbie Nahorniak 17 Kelly Poff 17 Benjamin Sakschek 18 Adrianna Tri 19 Paul Auleciems 19 Maxxwell Chapin 19 John Heinze 19 Sarah Iverson 19 Deanna Roen 19 Nicholas Swanson 19 Janna Weiland 20 Anna Marie Diley 20 Veronica Ford 20 Georgia Freidel 20 Austin Johnson 20 Anita Schramm 20 Nicole Wawra 21 Joshua DaRonco 21 Matthew Iverson 21 Pam Kinneman 21 Barbara Lee 21 Neal Swanson 22 Grant Durhman 23 Hamid Ahrar 23 Beth Dodge 23 Jordan Hamann 23 Steve Kaufman 23 Barbara Lee 23 Daisy Marek 24 Elise Banitt 24 Kiarra Craig 24 Kody Craig 24 Christopher Hadler 24 Andrea Lewis 24 Craig Orf 25 Jason Amidon 25 Kimberly Cleasby 25 Dan Smaida 25 Desiree Thompson 26 Megan Johnson 26 Rebecca Johnson 26 Ryan Johnson 26 Susan Knutson 27 Vincent Rawn 27 Clinton Sizemore 28 Leroy Burgeson 28 Jack Farrell 28 Karen Fleming 28 Lynda French 28 Rhiannon Hadler 28 David Hillman 28 Sophia O'Brien 28 Kelsey Sterud 29 Wanda Johnson 29 Scott Lundberg 29 Raymond Van Diepen 30 Tyler Johnson 30 Jamie O'Reilly 31 Josephine Gaunitz 31 Tracie Shanklin Lothar and Bonnie Nawrocki 2 day 39 years Charisse and Devin Rawn 3 day 13 years James and Denai Rein 6 day 15 years Stefanie and Adam Brantner 18 day 8 years Dean and Angela Miner 19 day 15 years Mark and Kelly Poff 20 day 32 years Please contact the Joy Office if your birthday or anniversary was missed.

16 16 U.S. Postage Paid Non-profit Organization Permit No. 16 Prescott, WI St. Croix St. Prescott, Wi phone: (715) website: ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Joy s entry lockbox code has changed. Please call the Joy office to obtain the new code. New Member Sunday will be April 6th! Welcome new members! Introduction to Joy (I2J) Will be held in the fellowship hall after services on March 9th. If you have questions about Joy, the ELCA, or are interested in becoming a member please join us! Stay for pancake breakfast.