Parish Rebuilder. Cross and Resurrection. Table of Contents. March 2016 Monthly Newsletter Volume 16 Issue 3

Transcription

1 Parish Rebuilder ST. LUKE S LUTHERAN CHURCH WILSON ST. LA MESA, CA March 2016 Monthly Newsletter Volume 16 Issue 3 We invite you to join St. Luke's Lutheran Church Please contact Amy in the office to discuss membership or to arrange an appointment with Pastor Mark or office-sllc@att.net Office hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Table of Contents Pastor Mark page 1 Parish Potpourri page 3 WSL page 4 Events page 5 Worship Text/Birthdays page 6 Thank you page 7 Prayer Calendar page 8 Worship Teams page 9 Calendar page 10 Holy Week March 20 March 27 Easter Egg Hunt March 26 Easter Services March 27 9:00am & 11:00am Cross and Resurrection A recent advertisement promised to provide helpful responses to the four main reasons why people reject the resurrection. So, I deleted the . Was I not interested in what the four reasons might be? Would it not be good to know where doubters stand in order to convince them of God s truth? Do I not care about the salvation of the lost? Those are all good questions which are basically irrelevant to the issue. For centuries Christians have sought to explain God s salvific actions in Jesus Christ in ways which they hoped would make sense to non-believers. To do so, one usually borrows on human philosophy, experience, religion, or other aspects of sinful human life to make Jesus somehow more understandable, relevant, intellectually credible, and so forth. Why Christian do this is understandable and not understandable at the same time. On one hand, Christians want to communicate the gospel to other people so that they may believe, and if something stands in the way, then Christians try to work around such obstacles. On the other hand, the gospel and the faith are matters solely the prerogative of the Holy Spirit through the gospel. He creates faith where and when he wills. Compounding the problem of the church s mission in general is the particular nature of Christian mission. As St. Paul reminds, We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles... (I Cor 1:23). Despite all human efforts, the cross cannot be made into something which it is not, and God s action on the cross cannot be made to make any sense to sinners. The cross signifies the reality of the death of God s son, and likewise it signifies the reality of death to sinners.

2 God s action on the cross makes no sense to sinners because we are so enmeshed in our sin that we cannot see the removal of our sin as anything but the removal of life itself. So, to save our skins, so to speak, we remove sin from the equation, gold plate the cross, and turn the gospel into self-help strategies of one form or another to make the faith attractive or relevant or meaningful or... Then we ask ourselves, How in the world did God get it so wrong on the cross? Saving our skins, however, seems to be an ironic illusion. None of us gets out of life alive. At best, we can just forestall death as best as we can, which in the end is not terribly successful. Despite humanity s monumental failure to overcome sin and death, it has never become quite convinced of the resurrection as God s overwhelming solution to death. Perhaps this is the case because human beings must pass through death to be resurrected. So, from that perspective, it might not seem like much of a solution. Thus, in that regard the resurrection makes even less tangible sense than the cross. Why, then, should Christians attempt to explain either one at all to non-believers, much less attempt to counter the top four objections to the resurrection (top four by whose counting)? There is one and only one reason why people object to the cross and the resurrection. It is the nature of sinners to reject God. Trying to make God s actions in Christ s cross and resurrection understandable to others is, in fact, just another expression of human sin. In so doing, sinners act as God s intermediary, and like Adam and Eve in the garden seek to be like God, thinking that they know good from evil. Our personal, church, and world histories show how misguided that notion is. St. Paul did not engage in explanations or apologetics. Instead, he preached Christ crucified. He unapologetically and unashamedly communicated to others what God has done in Christ because if there had been another way to express the depths of God s love and forgiveness to sinners, God would have taken it. So, let us also prepare unashamedly to teach and preach Christ crucified and resurrected so that we and others may have a living faith in the one true living God. Lenten Thanks We wish to thank all the groups and individuals from the congregation who helped make our Lenten observances and fellowship so meaningful. We are grateful to those who prepared food and cleaned up afterwards. We are grateful for the participation of our confirmands, Brooke Klomp, Madison Klomp, and Paige Yerger, during the Wednesday worship services whose contributions were so important. Easter Egg Hunt Again this year, St. Luke s will hold an Easter Egg Hunt to take place on Saturday, 26 March from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm. In addition to the finding of hidden eggs, there will be a presentation on the meaning of Easter for the children and adults. As in previous years, lunch will be provided. Please mark your calendars for the great Easter Egg Hunting Expedition. Pastor Mark 2

3 Parish Potpourri 3 TAH-DAH!! On Sunday, February 21, those enjoying coffee and sweet items provided by the Hauks also enjoyed wonderful HOT coffee in the new large coffee makers, a tremendous improvement. Speaking of coffee, those members who go down the steps to the lower level every Sunday after worship to enjoy visiting, participating in the adult Sunday School Class and partaking of the yummies provided (not necessarily in that order), should know that there is a real need for additional individuals to sign up to bring the yummies. Nothing needs to be homemade, so that means gentlemen can sign up who can just purchase something appropriate when they shop for groceries. Presently, sweet Grace Menacher makes the coffee and will continue until she goes to college later this fall. We appreciate her dedication to making the delicious coffee every weekend. Good news from Whitney Utley! By the time you read this, the Utleys will have a son. Also, Whitney has signed a contract to teach next fall in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District. Congratulations to the Utley Family! Ellis Petersen recently spent a weekend in Solvang, with family members. We hear Solvang is where she met her husband some years ago. Recently a breakfast/brunch strata recipe was enjoyed by the Deborah Circle, and they have asked that the recipe be put in The Rebuilder. Here it is: CHEESY BAKED OMELET Grease/butter a 9 x 13 glass or metal baking dish 4 or 5 slices of a French bread loaf, enough to cover the bottom of the dish 3 T. butter, melted 2 green onions, chopped 4 oz. shredded Swiss cheese 2 t. Dijon-style mustard 4 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese ¼ t. black pepper 12 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled ¼ t. cayenne pepper (optional) 8 eggs ¾ cup sour cream 1 1/3 cups milk (2%) 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1/3 cup white wine Place bread slices on bottom of dish and drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle the cheese and bacon over bread slices. In medium bowl beat together eggs, milk, wine, green onions, mustard, and peppers until foamy. Pour egg mixture evenly over cheese and bread. Cover tightly with foil; refrigerate overnight. Remove omelet from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Bake, covered for 45 minutes in a 325 degree oven (or until set ). Remove foil, spread omelet with sour cream and sprinkle with Parmesan. Return to oven and bake (uncovered) until lightly browned, about minutes. Makes 12 servings. ENJOY! Martha Applegate

4 4 Heifer International Please remember the Quarter Bank in the Narthex!! Easter is rapidly approaching, as well as Mother s Day and Father s Day. If you would like to give a gift for any of these occasions, a gift that keeps on giving, please consider a HEIFER INTERNA- TIONAL item. Anytime is a good time to give a goat, chickens, ducks, a llama, or maybe even a water buffalo or other larger animal maybe even a sweet pregnant pig! The selection is nearly endless. Heifer International gifts are available and appropriate at any time. See or call Martha Applegate ( ) for information on even more ways of giving. You have grandchildren you adore, siblings who already have everything they need, or perhaps parents who would be delighted to receive a Heifer alternative gift. Remember: chicks bring cheers, ducks can make a difference, sheep are a shear delight, and bees can make a honey of a gift!! JEST FOR THE PUN OF IT: When the rodeo was held, the cowboys got a few bucks out of it! A neighbor opened a store to repair garden tools so that he could make mower money! When chicken broth was first canned, everyone thought it was souper! The world s largest shipment of hot dogs arrived from France in America in 1931 because they owed us three million franks! Save the Date May 14, 2016! God is Everywhere. The Women of St. Luke s would like to invite the ladies of the church to a morning tea just for you. Rekindle friendships and the realization of just how our God is Everywhere. Our guest presenter is one of us. Karen Skullerud has traveled to all seven continents and will share her walks with God through her travel pictures. From the Great Wall of China to the picket fences of Oaxaca, the beautiful geraniums of Oberammergau to the tulips of Bath and beyond. We might even catch a glimpse of the Imperial Penguins of the Antarctica and eagles in Alaska. Most intriguing are her colors of the world, the people, the culture and how she has been blessed to experience the wonders of God s world. Our event is May 14 th at 11:00am, A morning tea just for you. We look forward to your reservation after Church Services early April. The Women of St. Luke s A dinner was held for America s sculptors. Marble cake was served for dessert! How come you can catch a cold but you can t catch a warm?

5 5 St. Luke s Library Hello Spring Readers! Your Library Committee wants to remind you that there are many good reads in our library from Classical to Series to Serious to Theological, just waiting to have their pages turned. Soup Suppers have begun and if your team is not sure of a simple broth, bisque, chowder or even a bouillabaisse delight, stop in and check out one of the many cookbook selections we have on the shelves, including our own Recipes of St. Luke s. For new members, a complimentary copy is available in the office, just ask Amy. The Library is open during Church Office hours Monday Friday and is open a short time after Sunday s service. JOKE OF THE MONTH Courtesy of Cal Borchardt Senior citizens have taken to texting with gusto. They even have their own vocabulary: BFF: Best Friend Fainted BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth CBM: Covered By Medicare FWB: Friend With Beta-blockers LMDO: Laughed My Dentures Out GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low! Looking for a Florist? Call STEIGER FLORAL ARTS Broadway Lemon Grove, CA Make sure you tell them you heard about them from St. Luke s Newsletter! Our monthly newsletter is printed free because of generous people/companies that advertise. Let these generous people know that we appreciate them.

6 6 MARCH WORSHIP TEXT 6th Fourth Sunday of Lent First Lesson Joshua 5: 9 12 Second Lesson 2 Corinthians 5: Gospel Luke 15: 1 3, 11b 32 13th Fifth Sunday of Lent First Lesson Isaiah 43: Second Lesson Philippians 3: 4b 14 Gospel Lesson John 12: th Palm Sunday First Lesson Isaiah 50: 4 9a Second Lesson Philippians 2: 5 11 Gospel Luke 23: th Maundy Thursday Mark 14: 1 25 John 13: 1 20 Luke 22: Luke 22: Psalm 22 25th Good Friday Matthew 27: Matthew 27: Matthew 27: Matthew 27: Matthew 27: th Easter Sunday First Lesson Acts 10: Second Lesson 1 Corinthians 15: Gospel Luke 24: 1 12 Happy March Birthday Billy Miles 3/2 Chris Parks 3/4 Robin Wheeler 3/9 Maryann Boullain 3/10 Marilyn Burns 3/11 Sharon Cervizzi 3/11 Marilyn Thomas Jr. 3/12 Marge Bitter 3/14 Lean Johnson 3/19 Dave Buller 3/21 Happy Anniversary Dick and Liane Denton March 24th Ted and Colleen Olsen March 29th

7 Thank You s To Our St. Luke s Family, Thank you so very much for your prayers, concern and the beautiful, colorful plant. We will be back in our pew as soon as Dallas can get his strength back and can be in a crowd. Thank you for the blessings you all are to us. Dallas, Betty & Family Dear St. Luke s Family, A bit belated, but thank you for the lovely winter floral arrangement received while Bill was in the hospital. It s soft pine scent was very comforting. We are especially grateful to our St. Luke s Family for all of your prayers. We truly have felt God s love and healing power through them. Hoping to be with you all again soon! Take care and God bless, Shirley Carrington 7 Dear St. Luke s Family, I want to thank all involved for the birthday wishes, cards & gift for my 90th. I feel very blessed to be part of such a caring family. Yours in Christ, Betty Wiedmer I want to thank everyone for all your cards, thoughts, support and prayers you have given me at this time. St. Luke s is a very special family. JoAnn Hendrickson Dear St. Luke s Thank you so much for your kind hospitality. It really is such a blessing to be able to stay here and it really helps us when attending the conference here. Lots of Blessings and thanks again, The Hive Communities (Church) (The Hive Communities Church stayed in the Family Center while they were attending a conference in January)

8 MARCH PRAYER CALENDAR 8 God s Word 1 Hebrews 1: 1-4 God has spoken by His prophets, 2 2 Peter 1: Spoken His unchanging Word; 3 Luke 24: Each from age to age proclaiming God, 4 Matthew 26: The one, the righteous Lord. 5 Luke 24: In the world s despair and turmoil, 6 John 5: One firm anchor holds us fast: 7 Luke 4: God is king, His throne eternal; 8 1 Timothy 4: God the first, and God the last. 9 2 Timothy 3: Peter 2: 1-3 God has spoken by Christ Jesus, 11 Acts 17: 1-3 Christ the everlasting Son, 12 Acts 17: Brightness of the Father s glory, 13 Romans 1: 1-6 With the Father ever one; 14 Acts 18: Spoken by the Word Incarnate, 15 Romans 15: 4-6 God of God, before time was; 16 I Corinthians 15:-1-8 Light of light, to earth descending, 17 2 Peter 3: He reveals our God to us. 18 Proverbs 2: John 16: God is speaking by His Spirit. 20 John 17: 7-12 Speaking to the hearts of all, 21 2 Timothy 4: 1-5 In the ageless word expounding 22 Titus 1: 1-3, 9 God s own message for us all John 9-11 Through the rise and fall of nations, 24 Proverbs 4: One sure faith is standing fast; 25 Psalm 119: God abides, His Word unchanging; 26 Psalm 119: God the first, and God the last. 27 Psalm 119: Psalm 119: Hymn John 20: Verses 1, 2, 3 30 Revelation 1: 1-3 LBW 31 Romans 16: 25-27

9 MARCH WORSHIP TEAMS Reader Marge Hersom 9 Altar Guild Sound Technician Terry East Roger Caldwell 6th Communion Assistant Bread Judi Dunnigan Prayers of the People Pastor Mark Menacher Projectionist Gail Knippelmeyer Communion Assistants Wine Ted Olsen & Karen Skullerud Greeters Ellis Petersen and Loraine Wininger Usher Team George Hauk Acolytes Madison Klomp & Stuart Olsen 13th Communion Assistant Bread Terry East Prayers of the People Randy Engel Projectionist Tania Salas Communion Assistants Wine Liz Dunnigan & Thelma Pace Greeters JoAnn Hendrickson Usher Team Chuck Hersom Acolytes Paige Yerger & Ryan Yerger 20th Communion Assistant Bread Judi Dunnigan Prayers of the People Martha Applegate Projectionist Gail Knippelmeyer Communion Assistants Wine Liz Dunnigan & Karen Skullerud Greeters Marie Handley and Marilyn Burns Usher Team Randy Engel Acolytes Brooke Klomp & Jayden Miles 27th 9:00am Communion Assistant Bread Judi Dunnigan Prayers of the People Martha Applegate Projectionist Gail Knippelmeyer Communion Assistants Wine Shirley Carrington & Thelma Pace Greeters Karen Skullerud and granddaughters Usher Team Chuck Hersom Acolytes Stuart Olsen & Ryan Yerger 27th 11:00am Communion Assistant Bread Terry East Prayers of the People TBD Projectionist TBD Communion Assistant Wine Marge Hersom Greeters TBD Usher Team Chuck Hersom Acolytes Grace Menacher

10 6 9:00 am Worship Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 10:30 am Sunday School 13 Day Light Saving begins 9:00 am Worship 10:30 am Sunday School 20 Palm Sunday 9:00 am Worship 10:30 am Sunday School Youth Outing 27 Easter 9:00 am Worship 11:00 am Worship 7 9:00 am Counters 14 9:00 am Counters 21 9:00 am Counters 6:30 pm Council 28 Campus/Office Closed 1 Noon WSL 7:00 pm SLTA 8 12:30 pm Rebekah Circle 7:00 pm SLTA 15 7:00 pm SLTA 22 9:30 am Project Day 29 9:00 am Counters MARCH :00 am Staff 5:30 pm Soup Supper 6:30 pm Lenten Service 7:15 pm Choir 9 11:00 am Staff 5:30 pm Soup Supper 6:30 pm Lenten Service 7:15 pm Choir 16 11:00 am Staff 5:30 pm Soup Supper 6:30 pm Lenten Service 7:15pm Choir 23 11:00 am Staff 6:00 pm Choir 30 11:00 am Staff Noon Book Club 6:00 pm Choir :30 am Deborah 24 Circle Maundy Thursday 7:00 pm service Good Friday 7:00 pm service 9-10 am Altar Guild 9-10 am Altar Guild 9-10 am Altar Guild am Altar Guild 11:30 am-1:30 pm Easter Egg Hunt

11 S T. L U K E S L U T H E R A N C H U R C H W I L S O N S T. L A M E S A, C A Phone: Webpage: office-sllc@att.net NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID EL CAJON,CA PERMIT NO 262 Dated Material March 2016 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED A WARM WELCOME TO ALL Worship Service: Sundays, 9:00 am in the Sanctuary. Sunday School for all ages: Sundays, following worship services. Lenten Soup Suppers: Wednesdays, at 5:30 pm. Lenten Service at 6:30 pm. Holy Week begins March 20th Palm Sunday; Maundy Thursday 7:00pm, Good Friday 7:00pm Easter Egg Hunt March 26th Easter services at 9:00am and 11:00 am March 27th. Applecrate Craft Fair March 31 April 2 Nursery care available during worship service in the Lower Level. St. Luke s Mission Statement: We are called as a community of Christians saved by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ to spread the Holy Gospel in word, sacrament, and action soli deo gloria.