Keeping you informed and sharing our experience, strength & hope in the love of Christ Volume 7 No. 9

Transcription

1 TLC Trumpet Keeping you informed and sharing our experience, strength & hope in the love of Christ Volume 7 No. 9 September 2010 Pastor s Page Before you go to sleep, give thanks for three things that happened during the day. T his was an assignment given in this class I was taking. It was an assignment that was intended to help us replace the tendency to rue the day with a practice that would help us end the day in gratitude. It was biblical In all that you do, in words or in deeds, give thanks. And golly gosh gee was it hard to do! It was hard to change a bad habit (Why IS that, God?). It was hard to remember to do it (I guess my brain goes to sleep well before my body does). And, sometimes it was hard to think of three things to be thankful for (Gulp). Oh, most times, when I remembered to do my homework, there were way more than three things. But those days when there weren t... And, it was because no one else was listening in. The assignment was between me and the Almighty. So I felt like I had to be honest. To be honest, I don t think I could honestly ever run out of things to complain about, and it makes me sad and scared that I can t say the same about being grateful. It s been several years since I took that class, and I have WAY fallen out of the habit. So, I m going to take it up again. Starting tonight. Wish me luck. In This Issue Pastor s page...page 1 September Worship Highlights...Page 2 Have You Heard?...Page 3 Letter from Bishop Holmerud...Page 4-5 Prayer Ventures...Page 6-7 Calendar...Page 8 Group News...Page 9 Evaluation and Envisioning...Page 10 Treasurer s Report...Page 11 Worship Schedule...Page 12 Final Choices...Page 12 Final Choices Seminar...Page 13 There is one thing that did change in my heart, though, that I ll conclude this month s pastoral message with: Several years ago oh, maybe eight a really good friendship deteriorated. It just ended. Badly. And permanently. Friendships end. All relationships have a measurable lifespan. Trouble is, there are too many little, ordinary, daily actions in my life that bring that person back to Continued on page 3

2 Next Trumpet Deadline! The next TLC Trumpet deadline will be Thursday, September 23. Editor requests articles be no longer than 500 words. Please submissions to: If you do not have , place submissions (along with your name in case any clarification is needed) in Dorothy s inbox. Submissions may be edited for space. Pastor Jean Lebbert: Church office: Worship: Sunday morning at 9:30 with Holy Communion Thanksgiving Lutheran Church 1225 Fulton Road, Santa Rosa, CA tlcsantarosa@sbcglobal.net On the web: Birthday Blessings this month to: Jan Thomas 9/2 Ranee Sass 9/7 Paul Feiertag 9/8 Kain Vandenhof 9/14 Julie Schoepp 9/24 Kathy Alexander 9/28 Mary Thompson 9/29 Fall hours for our secretary Starting, August 16, the new office hours are Monday Thursday from 11:30am 2:30pm September Worship Highlights Notable Worship Notes On August 22, we concluded our summer worship series, The Bible s Got Talent and worshippers that day had the option of casting up to 10 votes ($1 per vote) for which biblical character whose story they believed should be included next time the Lectionary is revised. The results: Tied for FIRST PLACE at 28 votes each: Deborah and Priscilla SECOND PLACE went to Obadiah with 13 votes Tied for THIRD PLACE were Gideon and Samson at 9 votes LAST PLACE, with 6 votes, went to the character who did nothing to get into the Bible: Queen Bernice! Many thanks to all of you who helped with readings for the proclamations of these characters, to our youth and Jean Harrison and Mary Dawson for the delightful and playful retellings of the spies in the Promised Land, Judge Samson, John the Baptist s beheading, and to those who came to the midweek Bible study to work through the stories with Pastor Jean. With Mark Koppen busy and away many Sundays representing Thrivent for Lutherans, our band Sundays are being pared down. This month, they will lead worship on the 5 th. On the 12 th, we welcome the Gideons for their annual visit to delight and inspire us with some anecdotes of how God s Word is literally saving grace for folks. Our monthly gift of G.A.B. enhances our offering time on the 19 th. This month it will feature Keith Becker who will be highlighting the work of our Stewardship Committee. On the 26 th, Mark Koppen will present an intergenerational forum on saving 2

3 Pastor s Page Continued from page 1 mind even to this day. And they bring back the memory of the way it all ended, and they bring back all the hurt feelings and the ways I had contributed to the end of a great friendship and some of them were me being me, things I can t really help, so it makes me see that the end was inevitable! Yuck! The prosperity of spiritual practices is that you can take inventory of eternal riches that cannot be lost or deflated. So, thanks to this class assignment, whenever I think of that person, I give prayers of thanks for the good parts of the friendship that we had shared and thanks that we had the friendship and I ask for blessings for that person. And, thankfully, this practice has stuck! I still think of this person a lot, and I offer prayers of Have You Heard? Astrid Anderson and her cat are on the road, driving across the country to visit relatives. They will be gone for three months! This is the first road trip for Astrid s beautiful orange and white feline. Speaking of beautiful, Sharon Boschen and her daughter will be basking in the beauty of Hawaii this month. It s intentional respite before Lauren gives birth to her 2 nd and Sharon downsizes to a townhouse. And off camping the first week of this month are our Flaks along with many family members. TLC has a number of show-offs! Last month, Griffen Becker amazed neighbors, friends, family, and his pastor with a charming magic show daringly held in the driveway of the Becker home! As he hones his skills, perhaps he ll grace TLC with a performance some time. Some TLCers are participating in local shows: Jan Thomas is showing her newest pastel paintings at three venues: The Upstairs 3 thanks. Sometimes, they are mingled with the regrets; I still miss that person, but now I get to bless them! Almost every day! And maybe the prayers of gratitude are letting me still enjoy the love we had, the eternal, even way after the temporal has decayed to dust. The prosperity of spiritual practices is that you can take inventory of eternal riches that cannot be lost or deflated. There are no other riches like that. Thank you to those who are working on spiritual practices, replacing the darkness with the light, changing the world a prayer at a time. You are a blessing to me. Gallery in Healdsburg (ongoing), at the Arts Sonoma Festival on Aug. 28 in Wells Fargo Center, and at the Fall Fine Arts Festival, Sept. 11 & 12 in Montgomery Village. And Cindy Heiller and Diane Land both participated in the AKC Dog Show at the fairgrounds the last weekend of August. We have news of our visitors: Regular visitor (soon to become a real member), Jordan Eberly is excited to be gainfully and didactically employed again; she was offered a teaching assistant position for special education students not long after she took care of Pastor Jean s house and dogs! Scott Heiller is crawling under the Feiertag s home, along with Paul, to replace all the plumbing pipes; he is the one who built our parking lot picnic table. And please keep these members and friends in your prayers: Sharon Boschen, Ray Brandt, Ilene Friend, Jim Harrison, Sandi Leithe, and Betty Speakes.

4 A Letter From Bishop Holmerud August 24, 2010 Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, O n a recent morning walk I reflected upon familiar words from Ecclesiastes, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1, NRSV). As I walked, I prayed and pondered about this time in the life of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). It is my prayer that we use this time for discerning and engaging; for repenting and reconciling; for restraint but not timidity; and for rejoicing. A Time for Discerning and Engaging Throughout the ELCA I hear people asking, "Is my voice heard? Will my voice be respected as we seek together to discern God's purpose for us?" The answer is yes. Nevertheless, people of deep faith and a desire to be part of this church wonder: Do we mean it when we say we can preach, teach and hold divergent views on sexuality and be full participants in the ELCA's life and witness? Again, the answer is yes. My confident "yes" is predicated upon our shared commitment to be engaged together in discernment. This discernment is hard work. It must be grounded in the witness of the Scriptures and the Confessions, and it needs the voices of all the baptized. It calls for the Holy Spirit's guidance and our prayerful, disciplined and respectful listening to one another. Even more, the source for my confident "yes" is God's gracious "yes" to us, spoken through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The "yes" of Jesus empowers us to be passionately engaged. It frees us to ask questions, have difficult conversations and uncover differences and tensions. It calls each of us to be everyday evangelists, discerning together what the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ means for the world and for our common life. Let our shared commitment be that our discerning together always will serve our proclamation of Jesus Christ in word and deed and our engagement in God's mission for the life of the world. A Time for Repenting and Reconciling The most powerful moment in the recent assembly of The Lutheran World Federation occurred when Lutherans asked for forgiveness from God and from Mennonites for the violence done to Anabaptist Christians in Reformation times and through the continuing legacies in Lutheran teachings. This public act of repentance, with many delegates on their knees, was a powerful witness to the healing of wounds in Christ's body, the church. With tears in our eyes, we heard promises of God s mercy in Christ and words of forgiveness from Mennonite sisters and brothers as we received and shared God's gift of forgiveness and healing. This experience of reconciliation is underscored for me in the fifth chapter of 2 Corinthians: the powerful announcement that if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. This new creation rises from Jesus, who died rather than be in the sin-accounting business. The implication for us of the gospel's transforming power is that we become ambassadors for Christ. God has entrusted to each of us the message and ministry of reconciliation. As yet another Lutheran church body forms, we must ask how this separation in the body of Christ will serve the ministry and message of reconciliation entrusted to us by God. The ELCA has and will continue reaching out to others for the sake of the gospel and serving our neighbor. Standing together, we are known as a church that rolls up its sleeves and solves problems, the church that is catalyst, convener 4

5 and bridge builder. Our strong ecumenical relationships and global partnerships testify to that commitment. Yet before the ELCA can undertake any such efforts with a new Lutheran church body, I believe we must commit to obey the commandment against bearing false witness and commit to live its meaning in every setting, both private and public: "We are to fear and love God, so that we do not tell lies about our neighbors, betray or slander them, or destroy their reputations. Instead we are to come to their defense, speak well of them, and interpret everything they do in the best possible light" (The Small Catechism, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p.1161). A Time for Restraint but not Timidity We live in a world that is plagued by incivility, willful misunderstanding and hurtful caricatures of those with whom one disagrees. Let us declare that such behaviors will stop with us. There is room in this church for lively conversations and disagreements about questions of faith and life. There is room in this church for vigorous dialogue that witnesses to faith without rushing to judgment and closing off discussion. Let us be restrained in our judgments and speak charitably with and about one another. Let us not be timid as we boldly proclaim Jesus Christ and participate in God's healing of the world. Let us generously, faithfully and courageously respond to the groaning of the creation and the cries of humanity. A Time for Rejoicing Even in the midst of great challenges in the economy and in the church, we can rejoice because the ministry in which we are engaged is a ministry of God's mercy and reconciliation in Christ. Our ministry is not about us, our shortcomings or our problems, for we proclaim Jesus Christ. We rejoice in the forgiveness that God offers at the font and the table, in public proclamation and personal assurance. We celebrate the reconciliation from God that breaks down every dividing wall of hostility and unites humankind in the bonds of Christ. We delight in the promise of the new creation that God is bringing to life in Christ. We joyfully embrace the world and all its inhabitants in love and service. What a cause for rejoicing! By your word, eternal God, your creation sprang forth, and we were given the breath of life. By your word, eternal God, death is overcome, Christ is raised from the tomb, and we are given new life in the power of your Spirit. May we boldly proclaim this good news in our words and our deeds, rejoicing always in your powerful presence; through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. Amen. (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 75) In God's grace, The Rev. Mark S. Hanson Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 5

6 Prayer Ventures September Thank God for the witness of the 44 participants in Young Adults in Global Mission who just completed orientation and are now moving into one-year positions in Argentina, Uruguay, Jerusalem/West Bank, Mexico, Slovakia/Hungary, South Africa and United Kingdom. 2 Thank God for the progress made by Pastor Youa Kao Vang, Ascension Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, Wis., after a bone marrow transplant. May he continue on his road to recovery and continue his faithful service. 3 God bless Ingrid and Dr. Ronald Eggert in Arusha, Tanzania. where Ronald serves as a doctor at the Selin Lutheran Hospital and the Arusha Lutheran Medical Center. 4 Pray for the psychological assessment training pilot project and the clinical psychologists responsible for training synod leaders in helping candidates in the discernment process, that God will guide them in this unique ministry. 5 15th Sunday after Pentecost Gracious God, look with favor upon the people of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia, and Serbia and Montenegro, that, in the midst of great change, they may find hope and peace. 6 Pray for the ELCA Domestic Hunger Grants-supported Campbell Farm in Washington State, that provides an outreach and feeding program for Spanish-speaking and American Indian/Alaska Native children. 7 Pray for the ministry of Nathan and Sharonette Bowman as they share God's love and grace in Kumamoto, Japan, where they work with social services for the elderly and children and serve a local congregation in the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church. 8 International Literacy Day Give thanks for Pam Westby and other members of Trinity Lutheran Church, Pelican Rapids, Minn., who support community-wide displays and programs like ESL for Older Adults. 9 Give thanks for Pastors Michael and Terri Church, who work with an English-language ministry in Romania in cooperation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania and the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod. 10 Ask God to be with Hammonasset, the annual gathering of youth throughout the New England Synod of the ELCA as the youth meet September Praise God for the Rev. Joshua Magyar as he serves as pastor and leader for evangelism in the Morogoro Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania th Sunday after Pentecost We pray, gracious God that the churches of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania may be your instruments of reconciliation, both locally and in the wider world. 13 Give thanks for John and Robin McCullough-Bade, authors of "Daily Discipleship," materials for congregational small groups who meet weekly for study and prayer. 14 Holy Cross Day Thank God for Pastor Violet Little, who has offered hospitality and respect to Philadelphia s homeless through The Welcome Mission since 2007 and is now developing a worshipping community among them. 15 Ask God to bless the ministry of Rebecca Lee as she serves as English teacher at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Hong Kong. Many of her students are from other Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China. 16 International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer Pray for the scientists, teachers, clergy and interested lay people in the ELCA Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology as they expand awareness and promote conversation about the implications of science and technology for Christian faith and life. 17 Please ask for the blessing of the Holy Spirit on Spirit of Truth ministry, St. Paul, Minn., as they begin regular worship gatherings of this justicecentered, relationship-based community. 18 Pray for Kristen and the Rev. Brian Konkol as they coordinate the Young Adults in Global Mission program in South Africa and facilitate the well-being, support and guidance of volunteers.

7 19 17th Sunday after Pentecost We give you thanks, God of the ages, for the long history of the church in Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Please continue to guide the companion relationships among the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States and the ELCA Central States and Northwest Washington Synods. 20 International Day of Peace - 21 Please pray for people living in the midst of violence, suffering and fear in Iraq, Palestine, and the entire Middle East. Ask God to bless, too, the members of our ELCA Arabic ministries in the U.S. -- Brooklyn, N.Y., Dearborn, Mich., Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area. 21 Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist Thank God for the energy and enthusiasm of the Rev. Kevin Jacobson, as he serves the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname, mastering the Dutch language and developing lay leadership training for the church. 22 Ask the guidance of the Holy Spirit for Springdale Lutheran Church, a 135-year-old congregation in Sioux Falls, S.D., as it implements its plan for renewal. 23 Pray for the hundreds of hunger leaders in ELCA synods, congregations, campuses and networks across the country and in the Caribbean who create awareness about hunger and poverty and raise money for the work of ELCA World Hunger. 24 Rejoice in the ministry of the Rev. Kwanza Yu as she serves as pastor of St Paul International Lutheran Church in Tokyo. Having lived in Japan previously, Pastor Yu brings unique experience and gifts to this parish setting. 25 Pray for the Fellowship of Recovering Lutheran Clergy, that they may help leaders who suffer from alcoholism and other addictions th Sunday after Pentecost God of all kindness, we pray that you will gather the people of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia into your protective arms, especially as they face numerous challenges in their lives. 27 World Maritime Day Give thanks for the ministry of Seafarers & International House, supported by synods in Region 7, as it serves people who generally come from countries where average wages are low and employment opportunities scarce. 28 Praise God for Aaron Schutte as he teaches at Kibeta English Medium Primary School in Bukoba, Tanzania. 29 Michael and All Angels Lift up St. Michael Lutheran Church in Blacksburg, Va., and its ministry of Micah s Backpack, a free service helping families eat more healthy meals and snacks through their local elementary schools. 30 Pray for Milaku Tizazu, developer, and the Kansas City Oromo Mission in the growth of their ministry and the worldwide span of their Internet ministry. Prayer petitions for Sundays follow the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer Cycle and can be incorporated into the prayers at weekly worship. Thank you for your continued prayers for the life and mission of this church.

8 September 2010 at Thanksgiving Lutheran Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 29 Sunday Morning Worship 30 Alcoholics Anonymous 31 T.O.P.S. Meeting Bag Lunch Bible Study 8:00 PM Narcotics Anon 1 4:30 PM Redwood Food Bank Distribution :00 AM Alcoholics Anonymous 10:00 AM CCC Committee 5 Sunday Morning Worship 6 Alcoholics Anon Mutual Ministry 7 T.O.P.S. Meeting Bag Lunch Bible Study Worship Committee 8:00 PM Narcotics Anon 8 4:30 PM Redwood Food Bank Distribution 9 6:30 PM TLC Potluck :00 AM Gardening Workshop 10:00 AM Alcoholics Anon 10:00 AM Finance Committee Meeting 12 Sunday Morning Worship 13 Alcoholics Anonymous 14 T.O.P.S. Meeting Bible Study Quilters Meeting 6:30 PM Property Committee TLC Book Group 8:00 PM Narcotics Anon 15 4:30 PM Redwood Food Bank Distribution 16 6:00 PM Men s Group :00 AM Alcoholics Anonymous 19 Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM Stewardship Comm. 20 Alcoholics Anonymous 21 T.O.P.S. Meeting Bag Lunch Bible Study 8:00 PM Narcotics Anon Heavenly Hell Raisers :00 AM Alcoholics Anon Church Council Meeting 26 Sunday Morning Worship 27 Alcoholics Anonymous 28 T.O.P.S. Meeting Bag Lunch Bible Study 8:00 PM Narcotics Anon :00 AM Alcoholics Anonymous 10:00 AM CCC Committee 2:00 PM CCC Ice Cream Social 8

9 TLC Group News TLC Book Group Next Meeting is Tuesday, September 14, 7:00 pm (at Mary Weber's house.) We will read and discuss the second half of The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East, by Sandy Tolan. On Monday, October 4: The group will read and talk about the book Overcoming Life's Disappointments by rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People. (7 pm at Mary Weber's). After we read Overcoming Life's Disappointments, the next book will be The Help, by Kathryn Stockett (date to be determined.) Christian Education The Chris Ed committee certainly hopes everyone has been enjoying the new format of the fourth Sunday of each month as Chris Ed Sunday. The Adult forums have been well attended but there is always room for more. In September both young people and adults will listen to a presentation by Mark Koppen representing Thrivent on Savings. In October Sharon Boschen will lead the adults and the young people will learn more about the life of Martin Luther. Plans are afoot too for a Christmas skit by the young people. We hope everyone enjoyed the summer Bible skits by our young people. They've enjoyed being part of the worship and have had some fun learning some stories they weren't familiar with. End and a Beginning Our wonderful Thursday salad suppers, communion, prayer and fellowship evenings have drawn to a close. We celebrated a number of summer birthdays and enjoyed some delicious food. We also collected $78 for ELCA World Hunger relief. Everyone enjoyed the evenings so much that it was decided to continue. So... on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm we will join together for a potluck supper with a theme for the evening. We will continue to enjoy the great food, fellowship, communion and prayer. During Lent soup potlucks will happen and then in July and August we will revert to the weekly salad suppers. The first monthly potluck is September 9 at 6:30 pm. All are welcome as well as friends. Just bring a dish to share reflecting the theme. In September we will savor dishes such as curry and? from India. In October the theme will be German (what else). A schedule for the next year and a half will soon be available for those of you who like to plan ahead. 9 Men's Group Dinners and fellowship for the gentleman of TLC resume on Thursday, September 16 at 6 pm. Bring your choice of beverage, and a dish to share (there's no theme with this group). Just come and Heartfelt Thanks You people know who you are. You dug deep into your purses and wallets to shower Paul, Ingrid & Gloria with an unbelievable gift of support and love (with no names attached) on Sunday, August 8. Speechless, we are still caught up on how to respond. We will simply continue to do what we have been doing--loving the people here and taking care of the facilities as best we can. You have acted out the gospel among us. Our words, Thank you! tell you that we see in your faces the gentle power of Jesus that overwhelms the world one person at a time.

10 Notes from Evaluation and Envisioning Meeting: Evaluations O verall, positive reaction. Great location, music, sermon, food, decorations. good size congregation. It was decided that we try it again next year, as our joint worship event. Considerations for how we can do it better next time: arrange for canopies over food tables. Simplify games scheduling more on-going walk-up types, where folks can play and win a little prize. Amplified sound system for announcements during meal. Mixers so that folks from differing congregations will deliberately be seated together for meals. There was a teeny bit of concern, with joint worship events, about low attendance, especially of visiting congregations, and about low offering totals for separate congregation, however these concerns did not sway the group to disband the idea of joint worship services on Sundays. VBS with Bethlehem and Thanksgiving: Worked well. Let s do it again in 2011! Upcoming Events Final Choices Seminar on September 30 at Thanksgiving: Bethlehem and Faith folks are welcome. Mark Koppen of Thrivent for Lutherans will write a up an article for each parish s newsletters. Blessing of Animals 2010: Next and final planning meeting will be held on Sunday, Sept. 19, at 12:30 at TLC (whether or not Pastor Jean remembers and can attend!) Christmas Day worship: With Faith and Thanksgiving coming together will continue for a 2 nd year and will be held this year at Faith. Thanksgiving s Women s Retreat: Would like to invite women of Bethlehem and Faith again. There is a limitation on space; however it was not filled last year and is not a problem at this point. Shrove Tuesday Pancakes on Mar. 8, 2011, at Bethlehem: Thanksgiving folks would like to participate again and have requested a little more advanced notice Progressive Dinner After considerable deliberation, we settled on Saturday, September 24, 2011, as the date for our 2 nd Joint Ministry Progressive Dinner. Thanksgiving will be the first location and will provide Patio Appetizers and Mixers to start us off. From there, folks will proceed to Faith for Dinner and Delightful Table Conversations. All will encounter just desserts at Bethlehem, after which the Pastors will drift away so that they can prepare for worship the next morning and all other folks will enjoy the company of each other, the fellowship of Christ s love, and the binding light of the Holy Spirit. Envisioning Lenten Pulpit Exchange We d like to try adding congregations of Rohnert Park and Fort Bragg, as those pastors have expressed an interest in participating. That makes 5 parishes, so the five Sundays of Lent fit well! Lent begins Mar. 13, Stephen s Ministry or Community of Hope There was some discussion of coming together for training and creating a healing ministry conjointly. Pastor Carnahan is a trained Stephen s minister. Bethlehem may participate in a Community of Hope training. 10

11 Finance Corner F or January through July of 2010 our deficit is $14,159.31, an average of $2, each month. The bills are all paid. How can this be you ask? The only reason we are still afloat is that we have been digging deeply into our savings each month to make up the deficit. Luckily we have had funds for this that are not designated for others purposes. However if we continue in this manner it will only be the matter of a few months before some hard choices have to be made. Spending has been cut by all committees. Most committees have not spent everything that was budgeted. However there aren't too many places left to cut. Income has to increase if the next couple of months. Please consider this situation prayerfully. Please increase your giving if you can. These have been difficult times for many families and individuals and also for TLC. Finance Committee meets the third Saturday of each month at 10 am at Jean Harrison's home all are most welcome to attend. If you have questions or suggestions regarding our current financial situation don't hesitate to talk with any of the Finance committee members, Astrid Anderson, Jean Harrison, Sandy Koppen or Mary Thompson If you did not receive your six month accounting of your giving and pledge please contact Mary Thompson. Thanks Mary for so diligently keep track of our giving. Special Memorial Funds Update Stained Glass Window $2, Landscape/Memorial Gardens $ Solar Panels $ Rwanda School Project Donations TLCers continue to be generous in giving to this worthwhile mission. To date $1, has gone to the school. 11

12 Here are the readings for September: 9/5 15 th Sunday After Pentecost Scriptures: Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 1, Philemon 1-21; Luke 14: /12 16 th Sunday After Pentecost Scriptures: Exodus 32:7-14, Psalm 51:1-10, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Luke 15:1-10 9/19 17 th Sunday After Pentecost Scriptures: Amos 8:4-7, Psalm 113, 1 Timothy 2:1-17, Luke 16:1-13 9/26 18 th Sunday After Pentecost Scripture: Amos 6:1a, 4-7, Psalm 146, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31 May our worship services at TLC be inspiring and renewing for all, and may we give all glory to God in them Making Sure Your Wishes Are Followed In The End: POLST (Physician s Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) Forms By Yvonne Baginski, originally published in Born to Age Senior Care Directory, 2010 When my friend, John, aged 89, was dying, he phoned me from his hospital bed. They d brought him in by ambulance after a fall in his bathroom. But, after three days, he recognized that this was his last hospital stay. Come down and see me, he asked. I want to say goodbye. So, I rushed to his bedside. We talked, laughed and promised to stay in touch. A few hours later, his adult daughter phoned me. Are you sure he s dying? she asked. The doctors aren t telling me he s dying and they re wheeling him into surgery to repair his hernia. The doctors told his daughter what she wanted to hear. That they could fix him and he d probably live a few more months. John died three hours after his hernia repair. There was no way anyone could stop the doctors from an opportunity to perform yet another procedure on what they wouldn t admit was a dying man. 12 The problem is, no one can predict when someone will die. Most often, treatments and procedures to save or extend a life a few days or weeks are implemented because no one wants to predict the inevitable. Both doctors and hospitals are there to keep people alive, not to help them die. But now, things are beginning to change. There s a new bright, pulsar pink form, called the Physician s Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) that anyone can complete, have signed by their doctor, and keep as a legal document mandating that these last wishes be followed. This means that if this POLST form isn t followed, then the violators can be prosecuted under the law. What is so significant about POLST is that it clearly spells out whether or not a person wishes to have CPR, be on a ventilator, be fed through a tube in the stomach, or even accept IV antibiotics, if they are in the process of dying and all these will do is prolong the inevitable. Few realize that only 12% of people in the hospital who receive CPR live. And, in that percentage, a significant number sustain brain damage, bone breakage, or die within a month, anyway. And, if a person is in a nursing home, there is only a 1% chance of survival. Once the heart and breathing have stopped, the person has died a natural death. Right now, if the EMT s arrive, Continued next page

13 Continued from page 12 they MUST attempt CPR on a person who has stopped breathing, unless, of course, there is a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) in place. The POLST form replaces the DNR because it follows the person from home to hospital, and the POLST orders are relevant no matter where a person lives. A DNR order is not valid within the hospital walls unless a DNR order is written in the hospital. The POLST is valid everywhere. A good rule of thumb is that if one wouldn t be surprised if they were to die within a year, it s time to complete a POLST form. These forms are available at local hospitals, nursing home and doctor s offices. They are also available on-line at My friend, John, had a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order at home. But, he never lost consciousness, nor did his heart or breathing ever stop. He was brought to the hospital because of an injury, but while there, he sensed that his life was coming to an end. A POLST Form might ve prevented the doctors from continuing to aggressively care for his well being. He might have been provided with comfort measures only so that he could die in the peace that he craved. 13

14 David S. Beazlie, BSLA Landscape Designer P O Box 1174 Forestville, CA Tree Pro Ron Wallace P O Box 722 Sebastopol, CA

15 TLC Council: Jean Flak, President Jean Harrison, Treasurer Joan Hax Mark Koppen Alanna Krinard Karen Lehman Pastor Jean Lebbert TLC Committee Chairs CCC: Education: Evangelism and Outreach: Finance: Property: Stewardship: Worship: Without Chair Jean Harrison Sharon Boschen Jean Harrison Jan Loewen Jean Flak Mark Koppen Please Support Those who Support Us Who s Who In Worship Acolytes Coordinator: Keith Becker Altar Guild: Lisa Bartlett, Mary Dawson, Deb Ferronato, Kathy Flanagan, Diane Land (chair), Lorraine Larson, Pam Mahan, Christine Willsey Greeters Coordinator: Jan Thomas Asst. Ministers Coordinator: Mark Koppen Musicians Coordinator: Mark Koppen Offering Tellers: Lisa Bartlett, Keith Becker, Gloria Feiertag, Paul Feiertag, Betty Hiebel, Jim Lehman, Sandy Koppen Readers Coordinator: Mary Thompson Ushers Coordinator: George Land Who s Who In Special Taskforces Community Garden Coordinator: Karen Lehman Landscaping Coordinator: Jean Harrison Quilters Coordinator: Lorraine Larson Sanctuary Task Force Coordinators: Diane Land and Jan Thomas Women s Groups Coordinator: Karen Lehman New summer Office hours New office hours are Monday Thursday from 1-4pm 15

16 Thanksgiving Lutheran Church 1225 Fulton Road Santa Rosa, CA "By all these lovely tokens September days are here, With summer s best of weather And autumn s best of cheer." ~ Helen Hunt Jackson, September 16