October morning air. I love going to the pumpkin patches, carving the pumpkins and fresh baked pumpkin

Transcription

1 October 2018 Why I Love October I love October days. I love making fresh apple-crisp. I love the colors of the trees. I love crunching through fallen leaves and listening to the sound of them under my feet. I love the crispness of the morning air. I love going to the pumpkin patches, carving the pumpkins and fresh baked pumpkin pie. I love visiting with friends and family over a hot cup of coffee, I love pulling out my sweaters, I love celebrating our daughter s and granddaughter s birthdays, I love hay rack rides and campfires, I love the changes fall brings! With the coming of fall traditionally brings to the church Stewardship Programs, Money Talks, and continued and new ministry opportunities in our congregation. How we understand God s goodness influences our financial decisions and giving. When we give it is important to have an awareness that all that we give of ourselves as well as our financial resources is in response to God s goodness and generosity. God gives all we have, then we respond. Our offertory is an important part of our worship. Just as we bring our gifts of wine and bread to God s table, we present ourselves as an offering through our financial gifts and our gifts of service and love to others. In our lives as God s good stewards, the gifts we offer, our time, our talents and our financial resources are gifts FROM God, given BACK to God in thanks and praise. Stewardship is a discipline, it s a way of saying, I believe! Stewardship is the way we use all of the resources that God has entrusted to our care so we can continue to love God and love and serve our neighbor. Stewardship practice is a response to God s love and grace. When we send out pledge cards, we are not asking for dues or entrance fees. What we pledge as our estimated giving, are symbols of love and thanksgiving, of joy and devotion to God who lavishes us with Grace and good gifts. By returning pledge cards, (Estimation of Giving Cards) the leadership of SHLC will be better able to make long range plans to meet our visions for God s ministry. It is important to be able to plan well for the next year; not over-extending but planning some good ministries for the next year and beyond. Prayerfully think of how good God has been and how we might continue to give graciously back to the ministry of God s Church. The gift of giving is simple. God s love is poured out on those who are cheerful and joyous in their giving. It is a part of the gift! Giving enhances our joy! Jesus has said that He wants His joy to be in us and our joy to be complete. Mid-October you will receive a letter from the leadership of the church with an estimate of giving card. During worship on November 18, you will be asked to bring your pledge (estimate of giving) cards and place them in the offering baskets as we celebrate with thanksgiving all that we have been given! We are indeed Blessed to be a Blessing! Blessed to be A Blessing Guided by God s Promises The Narrative Lectionary is four-year cycle of readings for use in congregational worship and preaching. The goal is to preach annually through the biblical narrative in order to center the lives of believers in God s story. (continued on the next page)

2 Page 2 The Messenger October 2018 (Pastor Di s article continued from the previous page) We are guided by God s promises and each week we will focus on God s promises to God s people and to all creation and how God remains faithful in keeping those promises. In the first story in this year s lectionary, God promises not to destroy the earth ever again. Continuing with the covenant with the Israelites, to the promise of Jesus and Paul s words that nothing can separate us from God, the narrative of Scripture follows God s promises and God s faithfulness to them. God keeps promises, even though we often struggle to respond faithfully. It is these promises that should guide our own lives and decisions as we trust fully in God. faith in the promises of God give us the courage to work and speak for justice, to live in hope no matter the circumstances, and to share the good news of Jesus with all people. The real issue in life is not how many blessings we have, but what we do with our blessings. Some people have many blessings and hoard them. Some have few and give everything away. Mr. Rogers Have a blessed day and may you each continue to be a blessing to others. Together in ministry, Pastor Di. Letter about the Yale Park Apartments By now, you have heard about the horrible conditions of the Yale Park Apartments where 500 refugee men, women, and children, lived. The city has acted upon several complaints and has evacuated the refugees, most of whom come from Myanmar to temporary living situations at two community centers, Adams Park and Columbus Park. No child will be separated from their primary caregiver and no school-age child will miss school. Agencies will be assisting the families to find other permanent living situations that will be safer and much more appropriate. We at Shepherd of the Hills feel a particular kinship to our friends from Myanmar, as we host our partner congregation in our building at noon every Sunday Myanmar Wesleyan Church led by Pastor Kaw Doh. What can we do? Monetary donations can be made to the Salvation Army, Yale Park Residents Relief Fund. Checks can be mailed to Salvation Army, Burt Street, Omaha, NE 68114, attention: Disaster Services. You can make an online donation to salarmyomaha.org Donate to Heartland Family Services at heartlandfamilyservice.org. Donations can be left at Mission Church at 3401 Patrick Ave, or call Amy at They will need furniture (soft furniture had to be left - couches, mattresses, etc). Larger sized diapers, and gift cards for Wal-Mart or Walgreens. These items can be dropped off at Mission Church as they are a designated drop off site. Prayers for the families would be an excellent idea, too! Long-term, we need to work together with local agencies to make sure that a situation like this never happens in our community again. These are people who came to our country seeking safety. They are not ones who can be vocal about problems, and they lack advocates that can assist them in getting what they need. Several complaints were made to the on-site landlord and he did nothing for them. It wasn t until complaints were made directly to the city that something happened, and by then, many had been living in squalid conditions, (through no fault of their own) for years. Please spread the word!!

3 Page 3 The Messenger October 2018 A Trunk-or-Treat Sign-up Sheet is on the bulletin board. We need lots of help on Saturday, October 27 th. Come join in the fun! Come build relationships in the neighborhood. Faith Formation Classes for 3 year-olds thru High School meet each Sunday from 9-10 a.m. Contact Kathy Nelson at (402) or Lisa Sorensen at (402) if you have questions. An Adult Sunday School Class meets each Sunday at 9 a.m. in the Youth Room. All are invited to this study of Jonah: Reluctant Prophet. Monday Movie Matinee: We meet at 1 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of every month. This month we will meet October 1 st and 15 th. All ages are invited for Popcorn and a movie on the large screen. You may bring snacks to share. Women s Circle will meet on Monday, October 8 th at 1 p.m. in the Gathering Area. All women are invited for Bible Study and Fellowship. We are studying from the magazine Gather the magazine of Women of the ELCA. Elda Juracek Lutheran Women of Omaha will meet at St. Matthew s Lutheran Church, 1725 S. 60 th Street on Tuesday, October 9 th for a noon luncheon. The program will be Radio Talking Books. For reservations, contact Jean Mortensen at (402) or jmort@centurylink.net Community Meal: Tuesday, October 16 th from 5-7 p.m. All are welcome! SPREAD the word! INVITE your friends and come celebrate with our community and church family! Project HOPE: Pantry times = Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Receive clothing and food pantries! Volunteers from the congregation are always needed! Call (402) Financial, clothing & food donations are appreciated. Portals of Prayer daily devotional booklets are available in the Narthex & Gathering Area. Thanks to all who donated at the Red Cross Blood Drive! The next opportunity at Shepherd of the Hills will be Sunday, November 11 th. Janelle Miller is leading the Immanuel Choir in The Best of Rodgers & Hammerstein at Immanuel Courtyard on October 5 th at 2 p.m., and at Immanuel Village on October 26 th at 1 p.m. All members and friends of Shepherd of the Hills are invited. For more information, contact Janelle at (712) or hmiller26@cox.net. Thursday Bible Study meets each Thursday at 1 p.m. in the Gathering Area. As Christians, we re called to proclaim God s name in all the earth (1 st Chronicles 16:8), but how do we do that in the midst of false gospels? Beginning in October, we will use A Clash of Kingdoms DVD to discover how Paul communicated the Good News of Christ to Philippi, a Roman colony that worshiped false gods. Can you live the message as Paul did while he encouraged the church in Philippi to consider itself a colony of heaven, not Rome? Consider your citizenship and the message you convey to the world as Ray Vander Laan takes you deeper into the culture of ancient Philippi. Each session focuses on passages of Scripture explored in the DVD. It includes sidebars, maps, photos, & other study tools. Questions will facilitate discussion and inspire personal reflection. Please join us! If you have questions, contact Del Finlay at (402) or delf60@cox.net. November Newsletter Deadline: Monday, October 22 nd. The Newsletter Folders will meet on Thursday, October 25 th at 9 a.m.

4 Page 4 The Messenger October 2018 Trunk-or-Treat is Just around the Corner October 27 from 1-3 p.m. Please put it on your calendar, begin inviting others to attend, and contact Cindy Hoff at (402) or cyhoff@childrensomaha.org and volunteer to participate! A sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board. Volunteers are needed to help with setup, staffing and cleanup. Set up and decorating will be Friday October 26 th at 6 p.m. Decorate your vehicle and pass out candy. Donate Halloween decorations (no inappropriate decorations please!) candy, individual bags of chips, cookies, salads, bars and brownies, finger food and bottled water. Volunteer to help welcome guests and direct traffic. Ticket-takers and supervisors are needed. Invite your family, neighbors and friends. Is there a neighborhood child that would enjoy the day? Invite the whole family! Trunk-or-Treat is for all ages! We also need money to pay for what isn t donated. Additional cash will be helpful. Mark your donation to Trunk-or-Treat. Thank you! Help solicit donations from area business, churches and community groups. And please volunteer to help clean up afterward. Breaking down of tables, games, etc., storing leftover food, cleaning up the garbage, and more. We covet Your assistance. We will include drawings for prizes for adults and for children once every 15 minutes, starting at 1:15 p.m, with the final drawing 3 pm. Winners do not have to be present to win; numbers will be posted, and winners will have until 3:15 to claim prizes. Will have large and small bouncy houses, face painting, balloon artist, cotton candy, popcorn, hot dogs, chips, salads, cookies, hayrack rides, service dogs, Firetruck, police, games, and BINGO. You don t have to dress up in a costume although it s more fun if you do. You don t have to be a kid or have a kid. Come and have a good time. BE A WITNESS to the love of Christ and the welcome of Shepherd of the Hills. ALL ARE WELCOME in this place. Project Hope Fundraiser! Calvary Lutheran Church located at 2941 N 80 th Street invites you to attend a concert on Sunday, October 21 st at 6 p.m. by Mark Smeby formerly of Omaha and currently living in Nashville, TN. Mark is a Christian singer, songwriter and actor. His concerts center around the theme of HOPE. Attendees are asked to bring food donations for Project Hope, and our satellite pantries at Holy Cross Lutheran and St. Matthew Lutheran Churches to support our Thanksgiving Basket Programs. Suggested food items needed for Thanksgiving Baskets include: Dry Turkey Gravy Mixes Boxed Turkey Stuffing Mixes Canned Sweet Potatoes (yams) Miniature Marshmallows Canned Green Beans or Corn Canisters of Crispy Fried Onions Cornbread Muffing Mixes Large boxes of Gelatin Canned Fruit 15 oz canned Pumpkin Tubs of Cream Cheese Frosting Thank you. -- Veda Keebler Executive Director Project Hope, Inc. Usher Volunteers In September an Usher Meeting and Training was held. We updated the Usher Guidelines & Procedures. We always welcome new helpers! See John Quist or Lisa Sorensen Kuhns to volunteer.

5 The Messenger October 2018 Page 5

6 Page 6 The Messenger October 2018 Notes from September 2018 Council Meeting Confirmation classes will meet the 2 nd and 4 th Sunday of the month. We currently have 4 students enrolled in confirmation. Courteous Kids has obtained a donation from Home Depot which will be used to complete a half-court basketball court in the parking lot. Thanksgiving Eve Services will be at 7:00 Wednesday, November 21 st. Prior to the service, there will a Pie Fellowship time from 5:30 to 6:45 PM. The children will lead worship on Sunday, Dec. 16 th. This is not a Children s Pageant but is a learning experience and a retelling of the Christmas story. We will be conducting an audit of keys and key holders. We need to update the Records. We will be updating the Plaque denoting clergy and ministry leaders for SHLC. Pastor Oleson is the last name on the plaque. A new phone system has been approved. The kitchen needs to updated and an approval was given to install a new commercial sink and removal of dishwasher. Next Council meeting will be at 11:00 am (after services) on Sunday, October 21. All are welcome. Respectfully submitted, Marge Sawerbrey Bob Hoff Council President hoff860@cox.net 4706 Redick Ave Omaha (402) (402) cell Deborah Becker Council Vice President 2022 S. 80 th Ave Omaha the-beckers@cox.net (402) (402) work (402) Pam Cummings Treasurer pdcummings@cox.net 9607 Florence Heights Blvd, Omaha (402) Connie Helmberger Secretary 6803 N 60 th St. Omaha helmberger@cox.net (402) (402) work (402) Kay Drain 4502 Larimore Ave Omaha (402) Bill Myers 4021 Verona Ave Omaha williamjmye@msn.com (402) Marvin Knapp 8267 Iowa Street Omaha BlueIndianMarvinKnappBlueIndian@outlook.com (402) New Members: We welcome to two new members to the Shepherd of the Hills family: Blondie Belgrave 5904 Henninger Drive, #305 Omaha, NE (402) Monique Rose 3519 North 29 th Street Omaha, NE (402) Prayers for: Cindy Root and her family on the illness and hospice care of her husband, Ricky Thankfulness for a diagnosis and treatment of Levi Hammond s eye problems Have You Registered to Vote? God calls us to be good citizens of this world, and that includes participation in the governance of our city, state and nation. Please register to vote today at The last day to register for November elections is October 19 th.

7 The Messenger October 2018 Page 7

8 Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church ELCA 6201 North 60 th Street Omaha, NE Phone: (402) Fax: (402) Office Hours: 10 am to 3 pm Monday-Thursday 10 am to 1 pm Friday Every Sunday: 10 am Worship in the Sanctuary Pastor... Rev. Diana ME Kuhl Office Manager... Dwight Williams Organist... Janelle Miller Custodian... Scott Yeshnowski 2018 Church Council: Bob Hoff... President Deb Becker... Vice-President Marge Sawerbrey... Secretary Pam Cummings... Treasurer Bill Meyers Kay Drain Marv Knapp Serving in October Ushers: Lauren Juracek, Chuck Johnson John Sawerbrey, John Quist Video Techs: Angie Yeshnowski Counters: Val Adler and Sherri Buford Altar Guild: Marla Serflaten Lector: Heather Hammond October Birthdays 1 st Lillian Hammond 3 rd Tom Nielsen 6 th David Adler 7 th Lila Christensen 8 th Renee Nissen, Charles Schneider, Virginia Driver Alcie Vice, Emery Vice 9 th Kris Luxon 10 th Deborah Schneider 13 th Cheyenne Koehler 15 th Heather Kuhl 16 th R.J. Hoff 18 th Caiden Williams 19 th Marcia Anzalone, Jacque Fritz 23 rd Kira Luxon 24 th Kimberly Nelson 30 th Andrea Serflaten-Lamm October Anniversaries 10 th Andrew & Kristen Queen 27 th Rich & M.A. Nelson If we have inadvertently omitted your birthday or anniversary, please contact the church office so we may update and correct our records! Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church 6201 North 60 th Street Omaha NE 68104