Calvary Courier. There Is No Authority Except That Which God Has Established. Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church October Inside this issue:

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1 Calvary Courier Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church October 2018 Upcoming Events There Is No Authority Except That Which God Has Established Mission Festival October 20th & 21st Quarterly Voters & Budget/Election Mtg October 21st at 10:20AM Sunday School Picnic & New Member Potluck Sunday, October 28th at 11:15AM Inside this issue: Mortgage Payoff Drive 2 Christmas for Kids 2 Sunday School Picnic 3 Worship Schedule 3 October Birthdays Through My Bible in a October Calendar 2 4 Alpha Pregnancy Update Insert The midterm elections are coming in a month. The political candidates are out stumping for our votes. So we will continue to hear the barbs, attacks, criticisms, and anything else that will get these candidates sound bite time in front of the American people right up until the last second. Are you tired yet, regardless of which candidate you support or lean towards? Perhaps a better question is: Are you worried yet? Our current political and governmental situation can certainly be a big concern for us. It can cause us to lose heart, throw up our hands in despair, and wonder just what is coming down the road for us. Candidates and elected leaders will say whatever they need to say to get elected or gain influence. They lie without even a hint of their conscience bothering them as if it is second nature to them (which to most it is). They fight and bicker worse than children and engage in way more drama than any high schooler has ever known. We re left wondering if our country is headed down the road to destruction and how long it will take us to get there! With the mess we are faced with, we can easily wonder what hope there is. The Apostle Paul gives us hope as he wrote about the government to the Christians in Rome, Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. That can be a mind-blowing statement! There is no authority except that which God has established. We are left with our mouths open and wonder how this can be: The authorities that exist have been established by God. What we forget is that we are not in the government s hands. We are in God s hands. The government only exists to serve us as God s representatives. We stand firm in the hands of one who is much more powerful, wise, and loving than the government could ever be. We are safe in the hands of one who not only established the government but who promised to use it along with all things for the benefit of the church. We are safe and stand firm in God s hands. What peace and strength this gives to us in such tumultuous and chaotic times. Our God is still in control. The God who used the evil, wicked work of the Pharisees as they crucified Jesus to bring about the salvation of mankind is the same God who still rules on heaven s throne. The God who can use the innocent death of Jesus to bring salvation to the world is the God who promised to use his power and influence for our eternal good. We may not like the candidates who are left. We may not feel like we are left with any good choice. But don t be afraid. We find our peace in the promise of God to watch over us always, to keep us safe in his protecting care, and to use everything, even the government he established, to bring about our good. Our money reminds us where our

2 Page 2 Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church Calvary Courier Mortgage Pay Off Drive: At the July Voters meeting the voters adopted the proposal from the Church Council to have a drive to pay off the church mortgage by the end of year. Currently the mortgage stands at $46,000. We are currently paying $6000 per month to pay off the mortgage as part of our budget. This would leave us with $28,000 at the end of the year. If you would like to help with this you can put the money in the Building Fund envelope or a plain envelope and write on it, mortgage. Please note that this should be over and above your regular giving as the church operating budget needs are still there. Christmas for Kids: Saturday, December 8th from 9:00AM to Noon, Calvary will welcome all children ages three through eleven to join us for a special celebration of our Savior's birth in this year's Christmas for Kids. Registration for this year's program will begin on November 1st. Books & Crannies Join us on Sunday October 28, 2018 at 3:00PM as we discuss the book by Wiley Cash, entitled The Last Ballad. The book is based on a historic event set in North Carolina in The book follows multiple people through a summer of struggle that workers of the National Textile Works Union faced when they dared to strike out against their oppressive and dangerous working conditions. A fiction book based on real historical events. All are welcome to attend. ALPHA PREGNANCY UPDATE In the past month, 70 clients were seen at the center. Just for fun, they counted to see how many diapers were passed out. A total of 2,268! The moms are very appreciative. Alpha rejoiced to learn that one client had her two children baptized. Praise the Lord! At the end of Sept. they will switch from summer to winter clothing. Alpha spends $100-$200 on diapers & wipes each month, so your monetary gifts are greatly needed. On Nov. 3 rd Alpha will host an Open House from 10AM 2PM to show you around and answer any questions you may have. Thanks again for your support. Calvary s Mission Statement As members of this congregation, our constant aim is to share the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ with all people based on the inspired, infallible Holy Scriptures and to exemplify our faith through Take a picture of this with your phone to make a donation to Calvary. Like us on Facebook: CalvaryLutheranChurchChandler 1270 N. Dobson Rd. Chandler, AZ Worship: 6PM Saturday Calvary s Church Leaders Pastor Martin Spaude Pastor Roger Sprain Staff Minister: Charlie Kuether President: David Gannon Secretary: Rodger Johnson Financial Secretary: Paul Spaude Treasurer: Scott Abbe Evangelism/Stewardship Director: James Armbruster Education Director: Nathan Traudt

3 Calvary Courier Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church October Worship Use this Schedule to Prepare Yourself Page 3 October 6 & 7 Pentecost 20 Communion Theme: The Goal of Family Is to Reflect the Love of God Lessons: Genesis 2:18-24 Hymns: 506 Psalm 139b Hebrews 2: Mark 10: October 13 & 14 Pentecost 21 Theme: Warning Against Greed Lessons: Amos 5:6,7,10-15 Hymns: 125 Psalm 90 Hebrews 3: Mark 10: October 20 & 21 Pentecost 22 Communion Theme: Mission Festival Hymns: (or We Are Sent by the Lord ) October 27 & 28 Pentecost 23 Theme: The Gift of Spiritual Sight Lessons: Jeremiah 31:7-9 Hymns: 346 Psalm 126 Hebrews 5: Mark 10: The Sunday School Picnic & New Member Welcome Potluck will be held on Sunday, October 28th after Sunday School and Bible Class. Hot dogs and Hamburgers will be provided. Those attending are asked to bring a side dish or dessert to pass. Bible Classes: The Sunday morning Bible Class is studying Agents of Grace: People in David s Life and in Yours. The Wednesday evening Bible Class is looking at a study of the Book of Romans. Quarterly Voters Meeting and Budget/Election Meeting will take place on Sunday, October 21 st at 10:20AM.

4 October Birthdays Best wishes to the following who celebrate birthdays this month: Jan Enderle Oct. 1 James Matter Oct. 2 Ray O Claire Oct. 2 Ron Converse Oct. 5 Joan Rendell Oct. 6 Oskar Hofmeister Oct. 7 Brad Rendell Oct. 12 Jennifer Wiley Oct. 12 Collin Rendell Oct. 13 LaVerne Knepprath Oct. 19 Lucas Mundt Oct. 19 Ruth Hofmeister Oct. 21 Robert Knox Oct. 24 Landon Moore Oct. 27 If your birthday is not listed, please the office manager, Randi at randirasmussen@cox.net so your records can be updated. Through my Bible in a Year October 1 Malachi Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew 12 7 Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Mark Mark Mark Mark Mark Mark Mark Luke 1 22 Luke Luke Luke Luke Luke Luke Luke If you would like to submit information for the monthly Courier, please it to Randi at randirasmussen@cox.net by the 15th of the prior month. Thank you.

5 Tuition Tax Credit: Don t forget about the Arizona Tuition Tax Credit. There are new brochures on this on the back counter at church. Rather than the HELP Foundation operating this, ACSTO (Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization) is now in charge of this. There are two brochures explaining the program and the credit maximums for both the original tax credit and the Overflow/PLUS tax credit. You can help support Lutheran education and receive a credit on your Arizona state income taxes by this program. Please make use of this program if you are able to do so. If you have any questions, please speak to Pastor Spaude or you can contact Jeff Weinstein who is the WELS Church Coordinator for this program ( or jweinstein@acsto.org.) More information can be found on the website acsto.org. We have four students at Pilgrim Lutheran School in Mesa (Tylor Altman, Autumn Kucenski, Jenna Traudt and Elena Wiley). Please speak with Pastor Spaude if you would like to designate the donation to go to their tuition expenses. Water Bottles: There is a water cooler filled with water bottles in the Bible Class room. This will be wheeled out onto the patio for after church refreshments to supplement the coffee available. Donations of water bottles would be appreciated so that the cooler can be kept stocked. Aluminum Can Recycling: Because of theft of cans, the bin for Aluminum Can Recycling has been moved to the side of the classroom building in the playground area. We appreciate the donations of aluminum cans as the proceeds are used to keep the kitchen up and running. The RAS Scholarship: A scholarship to aid students at Martin Luther College has been set up in honor of Roger A Sievert, former teacher at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Tempe, who is now at home with the Lord. This RAS (Mr. Sievert was known as RAS ) is for students at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN who are sophomores, juniors or seniors, are education majors, are form the Arizona/California District of WELS and has financial need. For more information or forms to send in donations, please speak with Staff Minister Charlie Kuether or Pastor Spaude. From the Stewardship Committee (James Armbruster, Director) How Do You Decide What to Give? When it comes to stewardship, a favorite Bible verse is the account of the widow s mite (Luke 21:1 4). It s a moving account. Our Lord praises the seemingly small gift of two copper coins given by a poor widow above the abundance of gifts given by the rich, saying, Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them (Luke 21:3). And that is usually where we stop. But the text goes on. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on (Luke 21:4). She put in all she had to live on. She gave everything. She held nothing back. She trusted that the Lord who made her and all creatures, who gave her everything she had, who redeemed her from her own sin, from death, and the power of the devil, who called her by the Gospel and enlightened her with his gifts of Word and Sacrament, would continue to do this. He would provide her with all that she needed for this body and life because that is the character of the God she had. What about you. So what have you decided to give? How do you decide what to give? Let the Scriptures be your guide: We are to give proportionally to what we have received from God s giving to us (Luke 12:48; 1 Cor. 16:1-2, 2 Cor. 8:12). But you have not been set free to give nothing. See that you excel in the grace of giving (2 Cor. 8:7). Martin Luther once said, Possessions belong in your hands, not in your heart (LW 14:240). There is a reason your 10 fingers spread apart. With your hands you catch God s gifts for what you need and let the rest fall through your fingers to your neighbors your family, your friends, your community, your church.