Pastor Daniel. April 2017 Issue 4

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April 2017 Issue 4 Peace be with you, My brothers and sisters, children of God, who hope for what we do not yet see and who wait for it with patience Grace, Mercy, and the Peace of God (which

Now let me recall: was it my muscles, my hip, my arm or was it life itself?

1 April 2017 Issue 4 Peace be with you, My brothers and sisters, children of God, who hope for what we do not yet see and who wait for it with patience Grace, Mercy, and the Peace of God (which surpasses all understanding) be with you in these holy days of Lent, as we journey to the cross of Christ and the Crown of Salvation!!! I get out of bed in the morning with a groan. Now let me recall: was it my muscles, my hip, my arm or was it life itself? I was in the hospital with my wife (in the last 30 days, we celebrated the birthdays of our three children), I cannot say which child, for it was with all of the children she held my hand, she grasped my hand, she squeezed my hand, for all she was worth, and she groaned in labor pains. The couple told me how the little girls all stood in a line, some heads up and some with their heads down, all hoping they would be chosen by the man and the woman. The couple said they stepped into the next room and they could hear the potential adoptees breath, cry, and groan. I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing... To be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that while creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we are saved. Roman s 8:18-24a And we continue our journey to the cross, groaning, these forty (40) days of Lent, these days of prayer, fasting and being about (doing) works of mercy. These days, of the Lenten discipline, lead us, prepare us for the great and Holy Week of the Passion of our Lord and Savior who groans for the redemption of you that He loves, for the redemption of the world that He loves. Join us and the whole creation in the groaning: April 13 th, Maundy Thursday Liturgy 10:30am & 6:30pm April 14 th, Good Friday Liturgy at Noon and Tenebrae at 6:30pm And in the celebration of New Life and Salvation given through the forgiveness of our sins, through the Resurrection of Christ Jesus the Lord, the Hope, the Redemption of the world. Easter Saturday 4:00pm Easter Sunday 9:30am For through the Cross of Christ comes the Crown of Salvation. Blessings in the Hope which springs eternal, Pastor Daniel

2 CHURCH COUNCIL UPDATE CHUCK HYLAND,COUNCIL PRESIDENT How does that song go; The Hazy, Lazy Day s of Summer. Well here they come!!! This does not mean that things here at Shepherd of the Desert stop or even slow down. There are plans being made for the summer and the up coming fall by many of those who call this place home. The Men s Ministry are working on having a couple of Musical Programs and discussing the 4th annual Trunk or Treat for this coming fall. We are preparing for the visit with the Navajo s from Rock Point who are coming in April, bringing flowers and plants that are indigenous to where they live, so as to create a joining with us here at Shepherd of the Desert. We will return the visit at the end of August and the beginning of September. In April, our Minister of Music, Debra McCoy, will hold a recital here in the church which will test several students in their level of learning. Then in June we will be sending two delegates to the Grand Canyon Synod Assembly. At the end of August and the beginning of September the church will be holding our Vacation Bible Study (School) for children and adults. As you can see there will be a full summer of activities going on here and it is our hope that if you cannot attend any or all of these activities, you will keep them and all the participants in your prayers. Yours in Christ, Chuck Hyland CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS CEIL HEATHERLY, COUNCIL SECRETARY Net income for February: Deficit of $590.77, down from January's $14, Approved installation of in-ground basketball set-up (gift from member). Approved contract with Clear Choice Mechanical for HVAC preventive maintenance. Approved sponsorship of Girl Scout Troop - Wednesdays 4:00-5:15 P.M.. Agreed to look into interest of Cub Scout Pack at S.O.D.

Navajo Lutheran Missions More than fifty years ago Lutheran Christian missionaries arrived in Rock Point, AZ, a remote, isolated village near the Four Corners area where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado

Food and medical services are still more than 50 miles away and general shopping 115 miles away in New Mexico.

3 Navajo Lutheran Missions More than fifty years ago Lutheran Christian missionaries arrived in Rock Point, AZ, a remote, isolated village near the Four Corners area where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet. Today Rock Point is a gas station and convenience store, a Laundromat and post office, High School, a Chapter House and Senior Center and 3000 people living on the land in family clans. Food and medical services are still more than 50 miles away and general shopping 115 miles away in New Mexico. The Mission campus provides a charter school site for K-6th grade for 70 children, a Private Christian Kindergarten, Health Clinic Wellness Center, and an ELCA congregation, the House of Prayer. In Navajo tradition, the days of winter are set aside for storytelling. It is a precious and joyous time for the elders to share their cultural wisdom with the young through oral stories. Children find the stories educational, and sometimes humorous and entertaining. Navajo elders describe their harsh upbringing and their hardship as a way of preparing the youth for the future. Winter is when the elders teach about the origins of the Dine people. It is also a time to learn Navaho values, behavior, and ethics. Teasing and humor are used as teaching tools. The elders explain how food, plants, herbs, animals, mountains and all creation must be respected because Mother Earth provides these things for survival. Families play ancient games like the shoe game which teaches social skills, or the string game, which teaches patience and increases memory skill. At the Navajo Christian Preparatory Academy, you will see hard working teachers and diligent students. There is so much we can learn from one another. At the Navajo Mission they strive to bridge the differences so that old and young together may experience the joy of depended understanding, rewarding accomplishments and achievable dreams. 1st Saturday Fellowship Meal APRIL 1st Please plan to join us after the 4:00pm service for our 1st Saturday Fellowship Supper at 5:30 pm. This is a great opportunity to get to know others in the church and enjoy a delicious meal. The next 1st sat. supper will be Saturday, May 6th Howdy Camperinos!!! It s almost that time again CAMP!! June is almost around the corner and I hope our little campers are getting excited! The kids had so much fun last year I bet they are looking forward to camp!! If you have any questions or concerns call Sara Simons at Are you and your family flying North to escape the Summer heat? Do you want to stay in touch with what is happening at SOD? Please let the office know your away address and the dates that you will be away. We will keep you in the loop through mail. Contact Theresa Jeffs in the office at Spring Cleaning Idea: As we approach the time of year to clean house, get rid of the old to make room for the new, please look at modifying some old habits; old habits like having to write a check and place it in an offering envelope before attending worship each week! So how can we improve on that? Sign up for Simply Giving Program sponsored by Thrivent. This program costs you nothing, in fact it saves you money. You are able to make an offering weekly or monthly and designate it for a particular SOD ministry, and it will be withdrawn automatically from either your checking or saving account as you specify. Write a check and use an offering envelope when you wish to give additional over and above your automatic offering. Please see Theresa in the office or Cliff Wagner and we will be happy to assist you in getting a Simply Giving offering started!

Augmentations and Modulations, This year has started off with a bang for me. Taking the reigns as the new Minister of Music was a dream come true for me.

She worked closely with me and shared much wisdom as we prepared for this change. Without her, my comfort level would have been much lower.

On February 19, members of our Chancel Choir sang with the 500 Reformation Choir, in honor of Martin Luther.

There were a total of seven different centuries represented through music with over 20 different choirs taking part. We sang another two songs with over 300 other choir members. What an experience!

4 Augmentations and Modulations, This year has started off with a bang for me. Taking the reigns as the new Minister of Music was a dream come true for me. I love sharing my music with you and working in the many areas that serve this congregation. I want to personally thank Kathy Tofanelli for making the transition so smooth. She worked closely with me and shared much wisdom as we prepared for this change. Without her, my comfort level would have been much lower. It is because of her love and devotion that I was able to take the reigns feeling confident and loved by everyone. Thank you Kathy! On February 19, members of our Chancel Choir sang with the 500 Reformation Choir, in honor of Martin Luther. Our choir members were part of the 16 th Century Choir and so our music represented that time era. There were a total of seven different centuries represented through music with over 20 different choirs taking part. We sang another two songs with over 300 other choir members. What an experience! Everyone came away in awe and with a new love for the music we aspire to learn. The bell choir has continued to present music pieces once a month and we are now up to 10 members which allows us to have a full three octaves of bells! The sound is rich and full. The chancel choir has many vocally talented people. They will be presenting music in many forms throughout the Lenten season. I hope that you will take advantage of the mid-week services and all the celebratory services during Holy Week. Introduce yourself to me and don t be a stranger. I love getting to know each and every person who attends Shepherd of the Desert. Musically His, Debra S. McCoy Minister of Music Worship Attendance 2017 Feb. 25/26 70/87 Mar. 1 Ash Wed. 34/57 Mar. 4/5 54/87 *Mar. 8 20/46 Mar. 11/12 59/63 *Mar.15 11/44 Mar. 18/19 59/79 *Mar 22 13/41 Mar. 25/26 69/74 *=Midweek Lenten Services To all the lovely folks at Shepherd of the Desert, thank you so much for welcoming us and making us feel so much at home. I also want to thank everyone for taking such good care of our son Art s memorial. We found quite a few people say they would come but couldn t face saying goodbye again my husband and I had no choice but to get through it. Thanks for helping us. All the food you served was delicious. All your caring and prayers really helped when no one else did. Thank you again. Bruce & Jacque Goudy Lutheran Thrift Shop West Peoria Ave, Sun City Looking for people People Right now the Lutheran Thrift Shop is looking for Cashiers; Men and women who are friendly and love interacting with others. We will train you to use the cash register! With summer quickly approaching, getting more qualified cashiers trained and working is a priority. We are looking to fill morning and afternoon shifts Monday thru Saturday. Cashiers need to be flexible as to day and shift so they are able to fill in where needed. Remember, as a volunteer at the LTS, you receive a 20% discount on your purchases. Join us, won t you? Shop with us, donate your gently used goods or join us as a volunteer. Call us today to schedule a tour or a pick-up

WELCA where all women of the church come together to engage in ministry and action in the wholeness of the discipleship of Jesus Christ.

Quilting Corner Tuesday s at 9:00 am in Walton Hall, bring your quilting skills and join the fun. Any questions please contact Marge Hyland at 623-583-1488. Valley View Community Food Bank.

In the meantime, watch for the grand opening in Glendale of our third full time pantry and our fourth thrift shop. VVCFB will be once again included in the postal carrier May food Drive.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST 8am-10am Take a break and have breakfast with us on the last Saturday of every month. Join us Saturday, April 29, 2017 for free pancakes, sausages, coffee & juice. All are welcome.

Len now resides in an assisted living care center and is unable to attend our meetings and be a part of things he loved like the pancake breakfast and trunk or treat.

5 WELCA where all women of the church come together to engage in ministry and action in the wholeness of the discipleship of Jesus Christ. GATHER MAGAZINE Bible Study Woman s Joy Bible Study on the 1st Wednesday of the Month Open to ALL Ladies Meets in Founders Hall at 9:00 am for more information Please contact Sandy Heatherly at Call to subscribe your GATHER Magazine or visit their website online: subscriptions@augsburgfortress.org Ladies, our next Evening Grace Bible Study will be April 10 at 6:30 pm Where it will be held will be announced at a later date. All ladies are welcome! Quilting Corner Tuesday s at 9:00 am in Walton Hall, bring your quilting skills and join the fun. Any questions please contact Marge Hyland at Valley View Community Food Bank marks the 10th Anniversary of the founding of Valley View Food Bank. We are making plans for a Celebration in the fall. In the meantime, watch for the grand opening in Glendale of our third full time pantry and our fourth thrift shop. VVCFB will be once again included in the postal carrier May food Drive. So please don t forget to fill the bag you will find in your mailbox May 12th for the May 13th pick-up. Every bag picked up west of Route 101 will come to Valley View Community Food Bank. PANCAKE BREAKFAST 8am-10am Take a break and have breakfast with us on the last Saturday of every month. Join us Saturday, April 29, 2017 for free pancakes, sausages, coffee & juice. All are welcome. Call the office if you d like to help Len Radtke was instrumental in revitalizing the Men's Ministry at SOD after a long period of inactivity. Len now resides in an assisted living care center and is unable to attend our meetings and be a part of things he loved like the pancake breakfast and trunk or treat. So we decided to take our March meeting to Len. We arranged for a conference room at Sun Valley Lodge for our meeting. Len's son brought him to the meeting room and Len participated in the meeting and expressed gratitude for the gesture as he also received birthday cards for his birthday a week later. Our mission: Christian men gathering in fellowship to support the congregational mission, living in unconditional love while bringing Christ's message to the world. All men of SOD are invited to become an active participant in the Men's Ministry. We meet the second Saturday of every month at 8 AM, coffee, donuts, fellowship and business meeting! For questions please call Bob Harbour, Joe Marsh or Cliff Wagner.

Healthy Living Class - Every Tuesday 6:00 pm - in Founder s Hall In this support group we will be working together to make a healthy change in our lifestyles.

struggles of weight loss as well as exercise choices. Any questions please see Suzy Defassio.

They learned about the different types of force (tension, compression, torsion, shear) and the strength of different geometric shapes.

org David Christiansen: 623-340-8232 Dclurch519@aol.com Ceil Heatherly (Secretary): 623-444-4726 Cheatherly1@cox.

com Shirley Marsh: 623-243-9682 Shirley.marsh43@yahoo.com Rob Thirkell : 623-974-8885 Rctthirk@cox.

net or 623-215-4312 Debra McCoy Minister of Music shepherdmom1@qwestoffice.net Theresa Jeffs, Admin. Secretary churchsecretary@qwestoffice.

6 Healthy Living Class - Every Tuesday 6:00 pm - in Founder s Hall In this support group we will be working together to make a healthy change in our lifestyles. We will be starting at the basics of making healthy choices, making full lifestyles changes toward that goal but most importantly we will be sharing our struggles of weight loss as well as exercise choices. Any questions please see Suzy Defassio. After School Program At Shepherd of the Desert Today our afterschool tutoring and activities kids worked on STEM Engineering! They learned about the different types of force (tension, compression, torsion, shear) and the strength of different geometric shapes. Then the kids built their own bridges. Your Church Council: Christine Barbour: Christineb@ability360.org David Christiansen: Dclurch519@aol.com Ceil Heatherly (Secretary): Cheatherly1@cox.net Nancy Hempy (VP): Nancyh@audioexpressusa.com Chuck Hyland (President): Charles.hyland@hotmail.com Shirley Marsh: Shirley.marsh43@yahoo.com Rob Thirkell : Rctthirk@cox.net Your Church Staff Members: Daniel Defassio, Senior Pastor pastordaniel@qwestoffice.net or Debra McCoy Minister of Music shepherdmom1@qwestoffice.net Theresa Jeffs, Admin. Secretary churchsecretary@qwestoffice.net Sue Jordan, Administrative Assistant shepherdofthedes@qwestoffice.net Victor Lozano, Custodian 04/02 04/03 04/05 04/06 04/08 04/09 04/11 04/12 04/15 04/17 04/17 04/17 04/23 04/24 04/24 04/25 04/30 Tom Hill Audrey Goodrich Connie Hagen Sheri Thirkell Dan Jones Joann Woods Debra McCoy Doris Rath Don Wilson David Jensen Sharon Schmidt Glenda Cornelius Flo Carroll Stephen Linthicum Theresa Jeffs Del Torno Jerry Schmidt 04/02 04/06 04/13 04/16 Rob & Sheri Thirkell Richard & Darla Lohr Tom & Mattie Hill Joe & Gail Walston 12 years 26 years 26 years 57 years

14 12:00pm -Adoration of the Cross 6:30pm Tenebrae Resurrection of Our Lord Apr. 15 4:00pm Apr.

8 Palm Sunday Apr. 8 4:00pm Passion of Our Lord Apr. 9 9:30am Procession with Palms Maundy Thursday Apr :30am- Holy Communion institution of the Last Supper 6:30pm Holy Communion with The Mandatum foot washing and stripping of the altar Holy Week Services Good Friday Apr :00pm -Adoration of the Cross 6:30pm Tenebrae Resurrection of Our Lord Apr. 15 4:00pm Apr. 16 9:30am Easter Lilies Would you like to donate In honor or In memory of someone special on Resurrection Sunday? Envelopes are provided in the pew. Write your name and the name(s) of those you wish to recognize on the envelope and place it in the offering plate. Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church N 111th Avenue Sun City, Arizona Phone: (623) Fax: (623) WEEKLY WORSHIP Saturday at 4:00 PM Sunday at 9:30 AM Holy Communion at every service

March Shepherd s Staff Newsletter Shepherd of the Desert Evangelical Lutheran Church. Issue 3

March Shepherd s Staff Newsletter Shepherd of the Desert Evangelical Lutheran Church. Issue 3 March 2019 Shepherd s Staff Newsletter Shepherd of the Desert Evangelical Lutheran Church Issue 3 Your Church Council: David Christensen (President) 623-340-8232, Dclurch519@aol.com Christine Barbour 623-393-0909