Pastoral Reflections

Transcription

1 St. Mark Lutheran Church 1135 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, NY St. Mark Lutheran Church SIGN JUNE 2016 Pastoral Reflections Dear members and friends of St. Mark, The Voice is a popular show that searches for the next great voice in music. It begins with the coaches having their backs to a singer during the audition. If a coach likes the sound of the singer s voice then the coach will push their button and turn around to see the singer. If more than one coach pushes their button then they compete to get the singer on their team. Once the teams are developed then the coaching and singer development process begins. Each round reduces the number of remaining singers. It is a lot of hard work for the singers to improve their skills, develop their rendition of a song, perform and stay in the competition. One singer was discussing this process with their coach and said, I want everyone to know how hard I work. The coach responded, People don t want to know how hard you work. People will judge you on how well you connect with them when you perform. That statement is so true in life. People don t want to know how hard you work. People want to know that you connect with them. People are interested in you producing results that are meaningful to them. As much as I wish I could say things are different in the church, they are not. People go to the church that produces results that are meaningful to them. This is a hard lesson I recently learned again. St. Mark s worship attendance has taken a dramatic downward turn. It doesn t matter how hard we have worked. Apparently we are not connecting with some people in a meaningful way. We are not producing results with a worship service that is meaningful. We need to spend some time in prayer, visitation and reflection. Obviously a change in priorities and direction is needed. I believe the Lord Jesus works in and through the hearts and actions of His people. We have a responsibility to lead people in worship of our Triune God in a meaningful way. To do that means having our eyes and ears open to the Lord s direction and to the Lord s people. We cannot do what everyone asks because sometimes it is contradictory or there are unreasonable expectations. We can listen to what is on the hearts of each other, pray and seek the Lord s discernment. I ask you to join in this process of prayer, visitation (discussion) and reflection. I ask you to be part of the solution of drawing people together in worship giving praise and glory to our God. Please pray for the Lord to lead us in our work of Reaching All People with the Good News of God s Love and Salvation through Jesus Christ. As we work together we grow as disciples and reach people for Christ. Your input and support are greatly appreciated. In the Grace of Jesus, Pastor Keith

2 MEMORIAL: Memorials & Membership changes Memorial given to the Unified fund in memory of Lorry Zimmerman from Peter Brady BAPTISM: Kyla Witczak, daughter of Thaddeus & Kelly Witczak May 15, 2016 CONFIRMANDS: Donald August, Allison Dena, Cara Janowsky, Cole Janowsky, Ethan Mellenthine, Emily Russell, Alyssa Snowman, Hayden St. Cyr Pictorial Directories The new church directories are in for all members who were photographed last fall. They may be picked up in the church office Monday-Friday between 8:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. North Tonawanda Food Pantry The North Tonawanda Food Pantry is requesting food donations for people in need. Your contributions are valuable in our community effort to distribute food and other necessary personal items to the less fortunate citizens of our area. Last month we collected 2 boxes of food! This month s request is: Jell-O Please consider bringing items as we continue to reach out to our community. You may drop the items off at the church. Your donations are greatly appreciated! St. Mark 125th Anniversary Celebration Sunday, June 5, 2016 All boards and organizations of St. Mark are working diligently toward our goal to Praise the Greatness of Our God on Sunday, June 5th for 125 years of His Blessings! Former Pastors of St. Mark along with area Lutheran church members are being invited to the 10:30am worship service on June 5th led by Dr. Dale Meyer, President of our Concordia Seminary, in St. Louis. Please also invite your neighbor and friends to this great celebration. Following the worship celebration, a catered church picnic luncheon will be provided by Banchetti s. The celebration picnic is scheduled for the front church yard with tent, like Oktoberfest last fall, and the school gym in reserve if inclement weather. President Dr. Meyer will address the celebrants at approx. 12:45pm with an update regarding the latest at our Concordia, St. Louis Seminary. At approx. 1:00pm music will be provided by the Reminders. During the afternoon, the Family Life Committee will provide extended games and events for children on the north side of St. Mark Church. At approx. 2:30pm, a brief closing devotion will be given by Pastor Keith Knupp. 125th Anniversary Task Force, Becky Dena, Aaron Davis, Joanna Fretthold, Melanie Stange & Jerry Waldkoetter.

3 Voters meeting All are invited to attend the Voters meeting on Tuesday, June 28 at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. The main item on the agenda is presentation of the ministry plan budget. Preschool I can't believe we're here at the end of the school year already! Our last day of Preschool is June 10th and we will celebrate Preschool Graduation during the worship service on June 12th. The preschoolers have grown in height, knowledge and maturity. The three year olds came in with little to no experience with school and now they finish the year with so much confidence! The four year olds can tell you their letters and numbers and are ready to move on to kindergarten! While I am certainly sad to tell them good-bye, I am excited to see them move on to new things! In May we watched caterpillars grow into butterflies in our classroom. When it was time, we let them go and watched them fly away. We also talked about believers in Christ who shared the Word of God with others, Peter and the Ethiopian, Lydia and Tabitha, Saul changing to Paul, and Timothy hearing the Word at home from his mother and grandmother. We can do that too! Just like the disciples and apostles, we can share the Word with our friends and family and tell them that Jesus loves them! We know that God works in us through the Holy Spirit to share that Good News! The best thing I can teach to these Preschoolers is the love of Jesus. It is my hope and prayer that they all walk out of the room at the end of the year confident in the knowledge and truth of Jesus' love. We don't always know where the Lord will guide us, but we do always know that he will be right there with us. Thank you to the congregation of St. Mark for your support of this ministry. In Christ, Jessica Neuman Preschool Scholarships Preschool Scholarships are available for the school year. Applications are being accepted from June 1st to July 1st. To request an application call or yystmark@gmail.com. Please return completed applications to St. Mark Preschool, Attn: Preschool Scholarship review, 1135 Oliver St. North Tonawanda, NY Scholarship recipients will be notified by mail the 1st week of August. Preschool Scholarship Fund Please consider donating to the Preschool Scholarship fund for the school year. Your support is needed and greatly appreciated. Your generosity allows children to grow and learn while benefiting from a Christian education. Please use the donation special request cards in the pews or you can mail a donation to: St. Mark Preschool, Attn: Scholarship funding, 1135 Oliver St. North Tonawanda, NY Thank you for your continued support of our Preschool Program.

4 LEGO Club The next Lego Club meeting will be Wednesday, June 15th from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the church basement for ages 6 and up. Come show off your building skills and learn some very cool stuff! Lutheran Women s Missionary League (LWML) Our LWML Eastern District 36 th Biennial Convention, Holiday Inn, Binghamton, NY Date is June 10-12, Theme: Take My Hand and Lead Me based on Psalm 25:4-5. A Riverwalk Trail Mite Walk along the Chenango River will be held and we are asking anyone interested in supporting our walker Alice Pfonner - can support this event with a $1.00 donation given to Marilyn Brown or via envelope in her mailbox marked LWML Mite Walk. Registration for attending this event is due April 30, Gifts from the heart: During the convention in Binghamton churches of the Eastern District, including St. Mark have an opportunity to support Mothers and Babies Perinatal Network in Binghamton, NY. This an organization dedicated to making changes in health outcomes for infants and families. If you care to support this servant mission event donate newborn to 8 years old new socks. Look for the pink and blue box in the narthex coat closet to place your donation. MAY 1, 2016 registration begins for the Sept , 2016 LWML Eastern District Fall Retreat, Pioneer Camp & Retreat Center, Angola, NY Theme: Love, joy, peace, based on Galatians 5:22. Please let Marilyn Brown or Alice Pfonner know whether you plan to attend and whether you plan to share a Woodland cottage before May 1. Campership applications are available for first time attendees or those individuals having a financial need. Check out on the internet the registrations and applications on LWML eastern district web site. Future National Convention Sites: Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 22-25, (This is a change from Salt Lake, Utah) 2019 Birmingham, Alabama, June 27-30, To be voted on at June 2015 convention. Possible choices, Richmond, VA, Lexington, KY, or Columbus, OH. Recycling Fundraiser-Eastern District LWML Thank you for your continued support of this ministry to LWML. Collection of the ink cartridges/electronic devices recycling program as a fundraiser is ongoing. Please refer to the updated Recycling Flyer on the bulletin board. Recycling can be placed in the pink bin in the coat room. Cancelled postage stamps program is flourishing. We are encouraged to save cancelled postage stamps and place in the narthex box for the purchase of Bibles for prison ministry. Simply cut off stamps leaving ¼ inch around the entire edge of the first class, commemorative or foreign stamps (do not collect presorted or bulk stamps). There were approximately 78 institutions that received the Key to Freedom Bibles this past year. Thank you! LWML Quarterly magazine subscriptions. Accepted year round for $6.00 given to Marilyn Brown. Watch the Sunday Bulletin for further updates for the summer picnic.

5 Women s Ministry of St. Mark (WOSM) A committee of last years volunteers met in April and it was decided that the Candy Cane Fair Craft Show will be held on Saturday, November 5 th this year. Since the 2015 crafters had requested to come back, we have extended the applications to them for this year. If they all come back, we will need to fit those 33 crafters, who last year rented 42 tables, into the space available now that Head Start is renting our classrooms. We are not presently accepting any new crafters, and have a wait list. If any of those 2015 crafters decide to not return we would consider adding a small number, since as it is, we are stretched to capacity. We will once again be having the Visiting Nursing Association dispensing flu shots from 10am to 2pm. When you get your flu shot from a VNA nurse, you help yourself and also someone in need, The VNA is the only local not for profit agency whose proceeds from immunizations stay here in WNY to provide charity home care. And it is a very convenient way to obtain your flu shot. Keep this in mind. We look forward to our members stepping forward to help in this event, which is not merely a fundraiser, but an evangelistic tool, bringing the community into our space, and allowing them to see us in action, as we work together in Christian Fellowship. This event brings many people of the community into our facility, to learn of our church service and Youth schedules, and the many Christian events available here for families. It is a very good evangelistic tool. Also looking ahead, the St. Mark Women s Ministry Christmas Luncheon will again be held on the second Saturday, December 10 th, at 12:30pm. We are planning on having Chet Fery, the Breadman as our speaker. He is a very entertaining, very thought provoking speaker, and is very popular. Once again we will be inviting our friends, and sister churches BRING A FRIEND! This luncheon also helps our ministry by bringing community members into our facility, to learn about our Christian programs. We thank all who help us in our mission of doing our Lord s work! Whenever we have mission projects, fundraisers, dinners and the like, the generosity and willingness of so many of those women who cannot attend these meetings becomes visible, and very welcome. Our Women s Ministry Event Calendar will soon be available soon at the Welcome Desk, look for it. The Women s Ministry of St. Mark is open and welcome to all women. Our business meetings are held from March to December on the first Thursday of the month at 1pm in the church basement. The next meeting of the will be on Thursday, June 2 nd. Included in the business meetings are reports by the LWML (Lutheran Womens Missionary League), and the Dorcas Quilters. We meet at 12:30 for our bag lunch, and dessert is provided. Bring your own beverage. Looking forward to seeing you. May God Bless all of our Christian Endeavors!!

6 Summer basketball camp St. Mark is offering an All Star Summer Basketball Program (grades 3-6) will be the last two Wednesdays in July and the first four Wednesdays in August. It runs from 6:30-8p.m. Applications due no later than July 6 th. Also offered is an Intensive Basketball Summer Program (grades 6-8) June 27-July 1 from 6-8p.m. Applications due no later than June 20 th and are located in the information rack behind the Welcome Desk or one can be ed to you by calling the church office at Noah Nursery During the 10:30 AM worship service we have a staff nursery for newborn and preschool aged children. We ask those using the nursery to provide information regarding allergies and specific needs of your child including any snacks, diapers/wipes, creams necessary, drinks or favorite toy when you arrive at the nursery. We are open and accepting applications for volunteers to serve. If you are interested in serving you must be willing to submit to a background check for the security of our children. Call or speak to Alice Pfonner at Girlfriends Unlimited We invite you and your friends to join us on Saturday, June 18, 2016 to the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University to view the exhibit of Made of Thunder Made of Glass II. This is historic works and elaborate contemporary creations of Haundenosaunee, Wabanaki and Chippewa beadwork. Donation is $5.00 ($2 for the docent, $3 for the Museum, payable on that day. We will meet at St. Mark at 10:45 AM for those who want to car pool together or need transportation. We will have lunch ala carte at the Waterstreet Landing, 115 South Water Street, Lewiston (formerly Riverside Inn). Sign-up sheet is in the narthex. If you have any questions please call Alice Pfonner at Young Professionals Group All year olds are invited to join us! In addition to our monthly brunch, in June we're planning to go white water rafting in Letchworth State Park. If you haven't already joined our Facebook group, visit to join. If you're not on Facebook, you can connect with us at StMarkYP@gmail.com. Connect with us either way to stay up-to-date on all our event details. We hope to see you at our next event! Dorcas Quilters and Stitchers We are very pleased to report that 76 quilts (not 72 as reported last month) were taken to St. James/ Bergholz for transport to Lutheran World Relief warehouse in New Windsor, MD. Thank you, Laird, for delivering our 28 boxes to St. James! And thank you, Mike Crouch, for supplying us with packing boxes, too. Our active group will continue to meet each Thursday throughout the summer months EXCEPT for July 14, the week of Vacation Bible School. Remember the time, 10:30am in the lower level of church! No need to "know" how to use a sewing machine as there are other duties to be performed. We welcome you!! Do we still need sheets? Yes, thank you, we can always use them for quilt backings, and flannel sheets make good liners. Blankets in good condition are also requested by LWR although we must pack those separately. As soon as we receive 'tracking' information where our quilts were sent, we will give a report, but it sometimes takes months before news gets to us.

7 A note from your Treasurer Actual Church Income was above Budgeted Income and Actual Church Expenses were below Budgeted Expenses for nine months of the new fiscal year beginning August 1, Apr Budget Apr Actual Envelopes/Simply Giving $170, $171, Special Envelopes (Birthday, Energy, Initial) 1, , Evangelism (expected in 2016) Family Life Ministries 20, , Miscellaneous Income 29, , Total Income $223, $226, Total Expenses $248, $220, With Head Start coming into the school building recently, we established a separate checking account for all school building related income and expenses beginning November 1, We had a number of items in the school that had to be repaired or provided before Head Start could begin operations, so expenses at the beginning are higher than normal. With separate school accounting, the total church expenses have been reduced significantly. St. Pauly Textile Shed April Receipts $23.03, May receipts $24.17 = YTD $ Thrivent Choice Dollars April Receipts $2,020.00, May receipts $75.00 =YTD $4, Take your bottles and cans to Bottle Junction at 3050 Niagara Falls Blvd. Just give them our church name when you take your own or please call Marty Held at if you need pick-up at your house. We took 165 pieces recently collected from one member and different church events for a total of $8.25. Please put your recyclable bottles in the blue bin at all our church events so we can keep building on this amount. Deb Dexheimer has gift cards for immediate purchase after church services: Applebee s, Bob Evans, Burger King, Denny s, Dunkin Donuts, Jo Ann Fabrics, Lowes, Subway, Tim Horton s, and Tops Markets. The church receives 1.5% to 16% on sales depending on the gift card.

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