Lutheran Church of Our Father

Transcription

1 Lutheran Church of Our Father The Word November 2018 Pastor Jesse Canniff-Kuhn Inside this issue: Message from the Pastor Youth and Family Ministry Music Ministry Food Pantry Election Voting Support Our Youth Outreach 5 Pop Up Mall Sponsored by KinderNest Members in Service Altar Flowers 6 7 Birthdays 8 Anniversaries Food Pantry Items of the Month and Volunteers Grace and Peace to you! About a month ago, when we began our intentional time of reflecting on Stewardship, one of the first things that we focused on is how good stewardship starts with gratitude. The first step of being a good caretaker of what God has entrusted to us is to pay attention to the many blessings around us and give thanks for them. But now that we are at the end of our focus on Stewardship, I am also realizing that good stewardship doesn t just start with gratitude. It is consistently underscored by gratitude. As we are thankful for what God has given, we respond by giving of ourselves, our time, our possessions, and everything else. And as we give, we notice how the act of giving also enriches our lives, and so we are thankful. This isn t some kind of if you give, God will bless you scheme. There is no quid pro quo. And yet, I do believe that being generous is good for us, and that by living into this part of discipleship, our lives in Christ are deepened. And, thus, it s a cycle, of being thankful and giving and being more thankful and giving more and on and on (which ties in well to the upcoming Thanks-giving holiday). And so, as we wind down our discussion on Stewardship, I am mindful of some of the things for which I am incredibly grateful. One such thing is for this community that values the importance of me taking some paternity time to transition to life as a family of four. It is a tremendous blessing to me and my family. I m also grateful for all the people in particular Pastor Kristina and Pastor Ken, but many others as well who are picking up the slack to keep things running smoothly while I am gone. I also give thanks for a really cool gift that the congregation is receiving as a result of my being gone on paternity leave. Since I will miss four Sundays, we have lined up four different pastors to come and preach and lead worship while I am gone. This is actually a pretty special opportunity to hear four unique voices (five unique voices if you include Jennie Taylor, who read my sermon for me on the 21 st ) proclaim God s word in their own different ways. That s not the sort of thing that is possible too often, so it is truly. Pastor Kristina is up first, and she will lead (or I suppose, by the time you re reading this, she has already led) worship on Reformation Sunday. Then Pastor Ken will lead on All Saints Sunday. Then the next two Sundays will be led by each of my parents, with my mother, Pastor Mary Canniff- Kuhn, leading worship on November 11 th and my father, Pastor Tim Canniff-Kuhn, leading worship on November 18 th. All four of these fine preachers have their own style and voice when it comes to preaching and leading worship, and so it is such a treat to get to experience this blessed variety for the next few weeks. I am so grateful and so glad that they will be leading us through the next month of worships, and honestly I m a bit jealous of y all, since I won t be able to be there to hear them. Thanks again for being an awesome, faithful, loving, generous community. It is an honor and privilege to serve alongside of you in ministry, and even while I am away on paternity leave, I assure you that I will still be lifting you up in gratitude in my prayers. God s Peace, The Word

2 T h e Word P a ge 2 Music and Youth Chancel Choir Rehearsals are Wednesdays at 7pm in the Sanctuary. SUNDAY MORNINGS: Please be in the Sanctuary at 10:35am to warm-up and prepare for worship! Thanks so much! A Note from the Director of Music What purpose does the Choir serve in worship? Lutheran Church musicians LEAD the church s song. We proclaim God s Word in worship thru music and the spoken Word. We are responsive to our local context and cultures. We simultaneously care for local musical heritage and tradition while being bridge builders to the ever-emerging songs of the church. We delight in the riches from our past as well as the gems in our new songs and contemporary Christian music. We incorporate global music, the music of many nations and cultures including other languages, into worship as well. In short, we have a love of the past, a passion for the present, and excitement for the future! Chancel Choir is a Volunteer Choir of varied ages, starting out as 6 th graders. Very few of our Choir Members actually read music. I teach and use our variety of talents to lead and grow the congregation s voice. Above all, we all are called to EXCELLENCE in our music. The fact is, the Lutheran Church is a singing church and we work to keep and expand this singing musical tradition. This requires intentional rehearsals for all the music that we do and for all the volunteer musicians that work together to become one in and thru Christ Jesus. Chancel Choir s responsibility is to lead the congregation and offer anthems and special music. The formative work of the Choir is done during rehearsals. The PRESENCE of each Choir Member at Rehearsal is vital to the life of the Choir. Obviously, the Choir is most effective in their rehearsals when ALL the members are present and can work and learn together vocally as a team. When the Choir provides an anthem during the Offering or as a Call to Worship or as a Prelude, these are pieces they have worked on for hours, weeks, even months in advance. It is NOT background music. It is a proclamation of God s Word: an important thread of the tapestry of the worship: an intentional offering to God using voices and instruments: a living breathing entity that prayerfully plants a song in the hearts and in the heads of the listener as well as the prepared proclaimer to sustain each for the days and the journey ahead. We are a part of a dynamic, evolving vocation. Love does grow here! And as the song of the church changes, we remain committed to the joyful task of bringing the church s song into our assembly to proclaim God s Word, to celebrate His presence in our midst, and to prepare ourselves to do God s work out in the world, in our communities and beyond. We have begun work on our Advent and Christmas music. If you love to sing and would like to be a part of Our Father s Chancel Choir, COME to REHEARSAL: YES! IT IS THAT SIMPLE! Wednesday evenings, 7pm in the Sanctuary. This is what we do. HOPE to see you Wednesday night!

3 T h e Word P a ge 3 Music and Youth OUR FATHER S YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRY ~ 5 Great Days of Serving ~ 2019 Destination - Washington, DC Sunday, July 7 th thru Friday,July 12 th Graduating Seniors are invited to be a part of this trip! $125 deposit per youth due beginning March 2019 If you will be a 6 th grader thru High School age, our Jr+Sr Youth invite you to come and be a part of serving others, living in community & building relationships from within, making friends for life! Sunday, Nov 4 th Camden Place Care Center 1:30-3:30pm. Lunch HERE then go serve & play games! Be back to the church 4pm. Saturday, Nov 10 th Hiking Trip to Hanging Rock! Be here at the church to leave by 9am. Bring a bag lunch & bottled water. Sunday, Nov 11 th BAKE SALE! NO Evening Meeting Saturday, Nov 17 th 2pm Setup for Harvest Meal in Fellowship Hall Sunday, Nov 18 th Harvest Meal following Worship to celebrate Thanksgiving! No Evening Meeting Sunday, Nov 25 th Thanksgiving Weekend - NO Evening Meeting Sunday, Dec 2 nd Lunch after Worship: Jamestown Christmas Parade! Kids of all ages needed for the Nativity Float! ****LIVE DRIVE THRU NATIVITY is SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 6-8pm**** Entire Congregation needed for this Event LYO is coming in February: $100 deposit per Youth due Jan 2019.

4 T h e Word P a ge 4 Food Pantry Hard to believe but the holidays are rapidly approaching, and again we will be providing special food bags for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Depending on the size of the family, the bags consist of: 1 or 2 small canned hams, 2 or 3 cans of vegetables, a starch (rice, mac and cheese, boxed potatoes of some variety or fresh if available), sweet potatoes (canned or fresh), either canned fruit and jello or cranberry sauce, a cake mix and frosting tub, cornbread mix or box of stuffing mix. We will be using a Thrivent card, but that will not cover all expenses and donations will be GREATLY appreciated. The Christmas Boutique will be up and running after Thanksgiving. When our clients come for their food bags on Wednesday they have to opportunity to look through these items and find gifts that perhaps would not be in their budget. We were able to save things from the yard sale but could still use gently used Christmas items, gift type items, winter clothes, jewelry and things for kids. So, hopefully you have not totally wiped out your closet for the yard sale and can help us. Thank you. Ron Joyner and the ladies of the Food Pantry 2018 Election Voting Site The LCOF Fellowship Hall will serve as an official Guilford County election voting site on Election Day, November 6th. The polls will be open for voting from 6:30 AM till 7:30 PM for voters in this district. Harvest Meal We will have our Harvest Meal on Sunday, November 18th after worship. Please make plans to be there for this special meal together! Bring your favorite dish or two. Beverages are provided. Support Our Youth Mary McKinney will be dancing in the annual ballet performance of The Nutcracker presented by the Dance Center of Greensboro. This will be Mary s fourth year in this holiday classic. If interested, the shows are Saturday, December 8 th at 7pm or Sunday, December 9 th at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased online ( or by phone ( ) at the High Point Theatre. Hope to see you there!

5 T h e Word P a ge 5 Outreach Committee Be a cheerleader for our kids! HOW? We are adopting a 4th grade class from Sedgefield Elementary and are looking for pen pals. This is a great way to encourage one or more kids the easiest way possible. Sedgefield Elementary are looking for Guest Readers Can you give an hour one day, one hour each day or more? You are 2 steps away from helping. Step 1: Go on line and register as a volunteer. Click on link Step 2 : Call The School Groometown Road, Greensboro, NC 27407

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7 T h e Word P a ge 7 Members in Service for November COMMUNION ASSISTANT 11/4 Erin Stevie 11/11 Erin Stevie 11/18 Susan Butler 11/25 Susan Butler USHERS 11/4 Joe Holder and Others 11/11 11/18 11/25 ALTAR CARE 11/4 Stacey Hayden, Sally Eastman 11/11 11/18 11/25 ACOLYTE 11/4 Taylor Stevie 11/11 Morgan Ward 11/18 Aiden Anderson 11/25 LAY READER 11/4 Ron Joyner 11/11 Joy Anderson 11/18 Susan Butler 11/25 Jennie Hodge GREETERS 11/4 Les and Diane Leamons 11/11 Frances Manning, Tammy Campbell 11/18 Betty Groh, Lori Leonard 11/25 Deborah Scharf, Deanna Smith COUNTERS Scott McKinnon MAGI SERVANTS 11/4 Helen Wilson 11/11 Grace Titzer 11/18 Donna Anthony 11/25 Debbie Sink Altar Flowers 11/4 11/11 11/18 Eastman Family in memory Bill and Alyne Quance 11/25

8 T h e Word P a ge 8 Celebrations in November BIRTHDAY Barbara Ritchie 11/3 Shelly Osborne 11/5 David Wilson 11/6 Louise Turner 11/7 Ron Joyner 11/9 Tyler Baggett 11/11 Joyce Gregson 11/14 Cassie Norman 11/14 Wendy Haas 11/20 Cathy Rothermel 11/24 Scott Henderson 11/25 Catherine Rothermel 11/26 ANNIVERSARIES Stacey and Jeff Hayden 11/2 Neal and Joy Anderson 11/3 David and Deborah Scharf 11/6 Ron and Judy Joyner 11/7 Hicham and Christienne Moudden 11/13 Ken and Brenda Osborne 11/22 November Food Pantry Volunteers CONGRATULATIONS to Pastor Jesse, Lindsay and Witten! 11/7 Jan Egan 11/14 Ron Joyner 11/21 Helen Wilson 11/28 Dorothy Gower Welcome Landry! Food Pantry Items for November Canned vegetables, peanut butter and jelly

9 Lutheran Church of Our Father The Word - November 2018 God s Work Our Hands ALL are welcome to any of our worship services. We come, as we are, knowing that our loving heavenly Father meets us where we are and knows our every need. As we live with God, and with God s people, we grow in faith, love, service, and obedience to the will of God. Lutheran Church of Our Father 3304 Groometown Road Greensboro, NC RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED The Church Office - Pastor Jessie Canniff-Kuhn Phone Secretary - Joan Thomas Phone address is OFLC1961@gmail.com Our Father's Web Page is available at: Like us on Facebook Lutheran Church Of Our Father Have an article for the newsletter? it to jpholdernc@gmail.com or the church as listed above.