GOOD NEWS FROM CHRIST OUR SAVIOR

Transcription

1 GOOD NEWS FROM CHRIST OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH CHRIST OUR SAVIOR Volume 13 Issue 3 November 2018 Christ Our Savior s Advent and Holiday Season Worship Schedule November Thanksgiving Eve Worship November Sunday Morning Worship December Sunday Morning Worship/Communion December Advent by Candle Light December Sunday Morning Worship December Advent Service December Sunday Morning Worship/Communion December 7pm Advent Service December Sunday Morning Worship December Christmas Eve Worship December 25 No Christmas Day Services December Sunday Morning Worship December 31 and January 1st No New Years Eve or New Year s Day Services. CONGREGATIONAL VOTER S MEETING Sunday November 4th after church service -Discuss church s budget -Other agenda items, as needed. Lunch Provided Children are welcome to put together shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child during congregational meeting. Sunday Morning Schedule 9:15 AM Worship 10:40 AM Children s Sunday School 10:45 AM Adult Bible Study Intentional Interim Minister Rev. Todd Brunworth (989) tjbrunworth@gmail.com Rev. George Hamilton Pastor Emeritus Rev. John Panning Pastor Emeritus Pgs. 1 and 2 Holiday and Advent Worship Schedule, Congregational Voter s Meeting, Letter From Pastor Todd, Pastor Appreciation Pgs. 3 and 4 Servers for November, Church Facilities Use, Youth Group, Daylight Savings Mission Giving Update, Welcome Brinkers Pgs.5 to 8 LERT, Blood Pressure, Missionary Info, Worship ANEW, Pumpkin Carve, OCC, Honey Sales, Advent by Candle Light, COS Pie Squad, COS Wall of Thanksgiving, Tax Law Pgs. 9 and 10 Lutheran Hour Ministries, Church Personnel and Leaders

2 2 Letter from IIM Rev. Todd Brunworth Our national holiday of Thanksgiving encourages us to be thankful for many blessings we have in our lives. We will have a Thanksgiving Eve worship ( Nov 21 at 7pm) where we can gather together to express our thankfulness to God. I thank you for the hard work many of you have put in praying, searching the Scriptures, participating in 8 Transition Team meetings and other meetings and Bible studies to bring understanding, healing and perspective to the events of We are not done yet. More healing and reconciliation needs to happen. If you are one who has participated very little in these events I would encourage you to be at church services and Bible class regularly. If you need to talk to me do so sooner rather than later. I also encourage anyone who feels there is an issue that has not yet been dealt with or which in your mind will prevent reconciliation in our congregation to make an appointment with me to discuss it. We are getting closer to being able to call your next pastor. Our hope is that we can get a potential list from the District in early January and start the actual interviewing and calling. Intentional Interim Pastors have no part in the calling process. Surveys are a part of this process. Sundays from Oct 28 Nov 18 we are filling out a simple survey to see what the makeup is of our people who attend church at COS. This is important information to give to the next pastor and to have on hand. It is important for you to be at worship for this and other obvious reasons. Remember as our sunlight fades away daily, that light pierces the darkness and that light and the warmth it brings will return. Blessings Pastor Todd Pastor Appreciation Day~ Thank you COS Family! A BIG THANK YOU! to you members of COS for the cards, the thoughts you kindly expressed and the gifts that you extended to me and my brother Pastors who are a source of Joy to me. God Bless you!!! Pastor Todd Dear fellow COS friends, Thank you for the outpouring of cards and gifts I received on Sunday as part of Pastor Recognition day at Christ Our Savior Church. You are a precious group of people. I find it a joy to serve among such a caring group of people. Pastor George Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church Members: Many thanks for your gift of appreciation presented to pastors of COS and including me among them. Your kindness will always be remembered. The Lord send His blessing upon each of you. John Panning, Emeritus

3 3 SERVERS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 4 NOVEMBER 18 Reader Jenni Brinker Reader Pat Desire Acolyte Rex Simmons Acolyte Cadence Kesler Ushers John and Esther Klug Ushers Art and Lisa Fenrich Elders Tom Nunheimer and Art Fenrich Elders Tom Nunheimer and Art Fenrich Music Helen Travis Music Cathy Roush Greeters Jerry and Nelva DeBoer Greeters John Roush and Pat Shealey Sound Reimink/Fenrich/Elushik Sound Reimink/Fenrich/Elushik Screen Ray Crockford Screen Ray Crockford Altar Shari Atkinson Altar Shari Atkinson Nursery Marie Fenrich and Alex Simmons Nursery Marie Fenrich and Alex Simmons Refreshments Ginny Liao Refreshments Youth Group Counters Rob Shinsky and Jean Vizithum Counters Shari Atkinson and Jane Martinsen Bulletin Helper Bernice Wentzel Bulletin Helper Flowers Flowers NOVEMBER 11 NOVEMBER 25 Reader Rob Shinsky Acolyte Kole Meschke Ushers Mike and Michele Jacoby Elders Tom Nunheimer and Art Fenrich Music Ginny Liao Greeters John and Esther Klug Sound Reimink/Fenrich/Elushik Screen Ray Crockford Altar Shari Atkinson Nursery Marie Fenrich and Alex Simmons Refreshments Counters Ken Reimink and Bonnie Crockford Bulletin Helper Flowers Reader Jean Vizithum Acolyte Ushers Elders Tom Nunheimer and Art Fenrich Music Helen Travis Greeters Dave and Carol Garnsey Sound Reimink/Fenrich/Elushik Screen Ray Crockford Altar Shari Atkinson Nursery Marie Fenrich and Alex Simmons Refreshments Counters Terry Reimink and Whitney Kesler Bulletin Helper WSCOS Flowers

4 4 MISSION-GIVING UPDATE (including Local Benevolences ) We joyfully respond to a resolution of the congregation passed several years ago that 10% of all General Fund offerings would be designated for Missions. That percentage, then, is divided into two parts; so that 7% of the total General Fund offerings go for mission-work through our District and Synod, and 3% of the total is given for Local Benevolences. Recently our Elders have distributed the Local Benevolence portions for September as follows: One half each to: Escape Ministries & Forgotten Man Updated Policy for Use of Church Facilities Council has updated and posted New Policy for use of Church facilities for members/guests. Please see blue sheets posted on back wall of sanctuary. Talk to Tom Nunheimer with any questions. YOUTH GROUP The Youth Group will be meeting every Wednesday at 7pm. 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the Month for Bible Studies. 2nd, 4th and 5th Wednesdays for COPPS (Conversations, Prep, Plan and Social) A Warm Welcome to our COS Family The Brinker s becoming members of our church. Heath, Jenni, Brigham, Webster, and Zlata Brinker. PORTALS OF PRAYER FOR OCTOBER DECEMBER ARE HERE. PICK UP A COPY BY THE CHURCH OFFICE OR SANCTUARY. Deadline for December Newsletter is November 26. Please article or call Whitney in Church Office. coshlld@sbcglobal.net

5 5 Michigan District Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) Our Michigan District LERT leaders have asked our congregations and schools to consider assembling Flood Buckets to assist areas that have been affected by natural disasters. We are in the process of finalizing two locations to store the assembled buckets/kits... one on the east side and one on the west side of the state (Grand Rapids and Marine City). The District LERT leaders hope to have a large amount of assembled buckets/kits ready to be sent to areas devastated by natural disasters. Our local plan is to ask COS members to purchase and donate the following supplies. We will collect them and assemble them into kits on Nov.29 Flood Buckets/Cleaning Supplies 5 gallon bucket w/lid 2 large trash bags (40 gal Contractor Grade) Comet or scouring cleanser Pine Sol - 48 oz Clorox bleach 1 gal Scrub brush Sponges & rags Dust Mask (N-95 required) Rubber gloves (Household Kitchen Style) Clothes line and Clothes pins This would be a stewardship project. Note: I do not expect to begin the publicity until we have finished the "Operation Christmas Child" shoeboxes in early November. Thank you for your support. Mary Ann Hamilton, Stewardship Chair BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING AND HEALTH BOARD Please take the time to check out her board for this month s health and wellness features, November features are Diabetes Awareness Month, November 15th is The Great American Smokeout. RN Kathryn Mackey will be taking blood pressure screening on non-communion Sundays. November 11 and November 25 of this month.

6 6 Missionary Information Our Congregation is very blessed to be able to help serve our missionaries. John K. would like to share some of our Missionaries Newsletters every month or so with their prayer requests and other ways they serve. In the hallway by the kitchen is information on ALL our missionaries. I always post the most up to date newsletter on that board so check it out! A handwritten thank you from Becky Grossman from Lutheran Bible Translators 10/16/18: Dear Friends at Christ Our Savior, Thank you for your faithful partnership in translation work in Liberia. Next month the Gola Team and I will be working intensely to complete the final editing before their New Testament goes to print. I pray that by this time next year our Gola people will have their Bibles in hand! :) Already other groups are asking when they can begin. The Bandi people have been waiting 5 years to get started on their OT. Pray for wisdom and resources so that all can have all the scriptures. Amen Blessings, Becky WORSHIP ANEW Worship Anew is a Lutheran television 30 minute worship service. It includes the propers for the day, prayers, and a LCMS pastor delivering a message that is one-on-one to the viewer. Also included are up to four choir selections. There are no commercials or repeats. It is shown at 11:30 A.M. on local cable channel 54 or Xfinity channel 21. This may also be viewed on our website: by going to the Sermons & Media section. OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD We will begin packing our boxes November 4. Stay tuned to Weekly Announcements for additional dates and extra information. THE GREAT PUMPKIN CARVE What great fun and fellowship and lots of laughs had by all. Thank you lots Pat VanSlooten and Kathy Ballmer; the snacks, poems, smores bags, apple bobbing, and pumpkin carving tips made the night extra special. We can t wait till next time. Thank you to the Youth Group for the Caramel Apple decorating station - it was delicious and loads of fun.

7 7 Mark your calendars - Honey sales are coming! The Youth are planning on selling two Sundays in November: November 4th & November 11th This will be your chance to purchase honey either for yourself or as gifts for others. If you provide an address the honey can be mailed directly to those you select. The suggested price is $7.00 per bottle with the proceeds going to both COS Youth Group - National Gathering and Dakota Boys & Girls Ranch. Orders can be taken via or in the church office. If you have any questions please Carol cosyouthgroup77@gmail.com Advent by Candlelight Hey all you COS members, Guess what? It s that time again to be thinking about Advent by Candlelight! This year's beautiful event of fellowship, music, candlelight and lots of yummy sweets will be December 2, It s coming fast! On Sunday November 4, I will have a bulletin board set up for those wishing to Host a Table and also for others to sign up to attend. This is very important as I need accurate counts for snacks, punch, tables to have ready for decorating, etc. Please consider hosting a table this year to keep this enchanting evening continuing. Any questions? Contact Kathy Ballmer at (616) leave a message and I ll get back to you promptly.

8 8 COS PIE SQUAD For a special activity for November we would like to make small pies to deliver to shut-ins/ nursing home residents (members of our church). Please sign-up if you would be willing to make pies or if you can donate ingredients or both. We need apples, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spices, evaporated milk, sugar, pie crusts. More info will be given on the sign-up sheet. Questions? See Pat Vanslooten or Kathy Ballmer. We expect that November 18th after church will be our pie delivery day. COS WALL OF THANKSGIVING COS members - what about our church are you thankful for? Well, now is your chance to make or buy a Thanksgiving card, add what about our church you are thankful for and hang it on the designated wall. This is a great way to show each other all the wonderful things we are thankful for here at COS! TAX LAW CHANGE TO PLAN FOR IN 2018 AND FOLLOWING The tax law for 2018 has a provision which offers benefits for those who are: 70 and a 1/2 years old or more Receiving the Required Minimum Distribution from an IRA plan and who want to reduce their taxable income. If we fit this profile, we have the option to make Charitable Distributions from our IRA plan to the church or other charities. When that gift comes from the IRA directly, then that part of the distribution does not count as part of Adjusted Gross Income or Taxable Income. The obvious result is a lowering of Federal Income Tax. If you are considering gifts to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, you may find a distribution from your IRA to be a tax-effective strategy to utilize. Why is that a big deal in 2018? Since the Standard Deduction has roughly doubled, many of us will find that our charitable gifts are no longer having any impact on taxes because the itemized value disappears in the Standard Deduction. But if we give the same dollars from our IRA as a Qualified Charitable Distribution, it will lower our taxable income by the amount of the gift. The limit on IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions is $100,000 (out of our league for most of us), but the point is the tax saving from using the IRA distribution as a gift giving tool. COS is not giving professional tax advice. There are requirements to follow in order to properly employ this strategy. See your Tax Advisor for how to make this a reality. If you are trying to use it as part of your RMD, you need to execute this strategy before you complete your RMD for the year.

9 The Lutheran Hour Ministries 9 The Lutheran Hour Ministries is much more than a once a week radio program called The Lutheran Hour. Here is a sampling of articles found in the September-October 2018 publication of The Lutheran Layman. On page 3 an article introducing Dr. Michael Zeigler, the new Lutheran Hour speaker, mentions that you can hear The Lutheran Hour on more than 1,800 stations across North America, as well as on the American Forces Network, online at lutheranhour.org, through a podcast or mobile app,or on new media platforms such as Amazon Alexa, Spotify, iheartradio, and Sirius XM satellite radio. On pages 4-5 from the article Together We Are Sent the LHM is described as a global ministry that shares the Gospel in more than 50 countries using cutting-edge digital media, Bible studies, animated and live productions, and so much more. The ministry is also evaluating the creation of new children specials. On pages 6-7 is a description of LHM media partnership with SAT-7 broadcast new TV programming to reach most of the Middle East and North Africa. There is also the launch of new social media platforms in the Middle East, as well as South and Central America. which reaches tens of thousands of people with God's message of hope and love. In Chile: Pastor Adrian Ventura and volunteers sets up a booth in which he and volunteers hand out LHM booklets to local residents. In Thailand LHM presented a training workshop in Equipping the Saints to 47 participants from 5 churches in the area. Also in Thailand a children's Bible Correspondence Course is being used. In Liberia the LHM conducted a youth program that included church youths that were backsliding and community youths who were involved with substance abuse and addiction. Counseling sessions and Bible lessons were followed by fun games. LHM resources for congregations are described on page 8. This article describes a LHM partnership with the Barna Group, a trusted leader in church research for the past 30 years. Barna produced for LHM the booklet Conversations in the Digital Age. LHM uses the Barna findings to develop fresh resources such as courses, topical booklets, Bible studies, devotional aids and other aids. A personal copy can be gotten at barna.com/spiritualconversations. On page 9 the booklet Who Is Jesus is described. It is ideal for sharing with those who have questions about the life and character of Jesus. To check out this booklet go to lhm.org/ projectconnect. On page 10 readers are invited to take advantage of 4 installments of a one page Bible study on the topic intercessory prayer. At lhm.org/studies you can download a study guide and a video. On page 15 the children ministry program called Gospel Adventures is described. The objective for this curriculum is to help students understand the value of differing cultures and how the Gospel is at work around the globe. Visit lhm.org for more information. On page 19 a LHM booklet for parents called Screen-Wise Kids is described as helping kids understand that the internet is not all there is. LHM kids booklets are available at shoplhm.org or call at On page 24 the LHM Advent devotion called The Coming King is described and it is suggested that you round up addresses of neighbors,softball team members, cubemate at work, inviting them to LHM's English or Spanish Advent websites, with a tagline like Here's a story you don't want to miss! You can receive these devotions daily during the Advent season as a beginning Dec. 2 or audio availability begins on Dec. 2 with Mark Eischer reading the devotions. Visit lhm.org/advent for all the details. If you would like to receive the Lutheran Layman publication or would like to donate, contact LHM at or phone

10 Church Personnel and Leaders IIM Rev. Todd Brunworth Cell Phone: (989) Admin. Assistant, Whitney Kesler Cell Phone: (269) work: home: Youth Director, Carol Garnsey Phone: (616) Cell Phone: (616) Home Work Youth Group: Custodian, Pat VanSlooten Phone: (616) Church Council President, Jean Vizithum Phone: (616) Vice President, Rob Shinsky Phone: (616) Head Elder, Tom Nunheimer Phone (616) Secretary, Pat Desire Phone: (773) Financial Secretary, Nelva DeBoer Phone: (616) Treasurer, Joe Aubel Phone: (616) Stewardship, MaryAnn Hamilton Phone: (616) Education, Jane Martinsen Phone: (616) Evangelism, Pat VanSlooten Phone: (616) Missions, John Klug Phone: (269) Ministries and Outreach, Shari Atkinson Phone: (616) Elders Vice Chairman, Art Fenrich Phone: (269) Secretary, Tom Nunheimer Phone: (616) Home Bound Communion Pastor George Hamilton Phone: (616) Hospital Visit Bruce Campbell Phone: (269) Trustee Chair and Board Trustee Chair, Rick Elushik Phone: (616) Phone: (616) John Bareman Phone: (616) Ken Reimink Phone: (616) Peter Schraudt Phone: (616) Ray Crockford Phone: (616) Organists Cathy Roush Phone: (616) Helen Travis Phone: (616) Ginny Liao Phone: (616)