February 2011 The Messenger

Transcription

1 February 2011 The Messenger St. Paul s Evangelical Lutheran Church Phone: Blades Road Cordova, MD Pastor s Perspective: On Words At the suggestion of St. Paul s Mutual Ministry committee, the Pastor s Perspectives for the coming months will be based on the Bible study we share together at our Mutual Ministry meetings, so that you can be a part of the conversation and study too! I think this was a great suggestion, and am eager to see how it develops and how God works through it in our congregation! Dear Friends in Christ, Effective communication is one of the cornerstones of our life together as a congregation. Everything we do together as a Church is about communication. We communicate to the community around about who God is, and what God is doing in our lives. We communicate with one another about the particularities of our lives, and we communicate Christian love, support, and encouragement when our fellow brothers and sisters are in need. We communicate about all kinds of things, for all kinds of reasons as a congregation. Especially important to our communication as a congregation are the words we choose to use. Because words often carry with them great emotional impact, it is easy for us to understand how poorly or carelessly chosen words can break down more than they build up, or can hurt more than they help. At our January Mutual Ministry meeting, we studied together verses in the Bible that speak specifically about words, and God would have us use them: Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 37:30-31 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak justice. The law of their God is in their hearts; their steps do not slip. Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Proverbs 22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. Ecclesiastes 9:17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Ecclesiastes 10:12 Colossians 4:6 Words spoken by the wise bring them favor, but the lips of fools consume them. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. Ephesians 4:11-16 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the world of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promoted the body s growth in building itself up in love. Which of these verses stands out to you, after reading them all? Why? Consider Psalm 19:14 as a foundational verse for Christian life. What would you need to change in your life in order to live this verse daily? Prayer: Lord, guard my lips; free me from the clutter of unnecessary words, the clamor of vengeful words, and the cleverness of cynical words. Teach me when to be silent, and when silence would mean cowardice or unkindness. Let all my words be well used, coming from a quiet point within me where you are, the Word, at the heart of my life. Amen. Yours in the Joy of Christ, Pastor Emily Hollars Leitzke

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3 3 What s Coming Up Next? When? Friday February 4, 2011 from 8pm 8am Saturday February 5, 2011 Where? St. Paul s Lutheran Church Who? St. Paul s Youth Group (6th-12th grades) and Friends Why? Why not? We ll get together to play games, watch movies, share a Bible study (don t worry this is not your parents Bible study!), eat, and if we get around to it, maybe we ll sleep! What should you bring? Bring your jammies, a snack or drink to share, a sleeping bag and pillow, games that you might want to play, movies that you might want to watch (nothing higher than a PG rating!), and a friend! This lock-in is being planned by our High School Sunday school class, so we re sure to be in for some fun! Watch your mailboxes at home for more information later this month, but put this date on your calendars now! Adult chaperones are needed for this event. If you are willing to stay for part or all of the night, please call Pastor Emily at or her at pastor@stpaulscordova.org And Next Month It s St. Paul s Annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper Sponsored, hosted, cooked, and served by St. Paul s Youth Group on Tuesday March 8, 2011 From 5pm-7pm A Free-Will offering will be collected to Benefit St. Paul s Youth Ministry Program Come with a hearty appetite and bring your friends For a fun-filled evening of food, fellowship, and entertainment!

4 4 Members of St. Paul s: Lois Clark, Gunther & Regina Schiwy, Ferdinand Asche, Vincent & Bettie Goddard, Catherine Pearson, Danielle Fisher, Henry Spies, Eric Bridge (deployed with U.S. Army in Afghanistan) Friends of St. Paul s: Katelyn Howard, Jo Derr (mother of Bobbie Leaverton), Mike Schauber (brother of Dottie Carroll), Joann Schauber (step-mother of Dottie Carroll), Jack Diemicke (great-grandson of Diane & Skip Miller), Michael Mumford (son of Dale & Betty Jean Mumford), Jim Lewis (father-in-law of Meredith Lewis & Michelle Lewis), Fallen Bauer, Darren Leonard, Suzanne Ewing, Francis Wilson, David Mathis, Ernie Stauss (friend of Alice Wade), Laura Harrison, Ed Bresche, Alvin Sanger, Will White, Ursula Mosley (daughter of Gunther & Regina Schiwy), Victor Leitzke (Grandfather of Tim Leitzke), Kathy Leitzke (Aunt of Tim Leitzke) Take a Minute for Mutual Ministry One of the beautiful things about congregations is the way the people who make up the congregation (Pastor and People) work together to do God s work in the world around them. Of course, whenever people are together, there are expectations about who will do what, how it will be done, and most importantly, what it is that needs to be done in the first place. Without a clear sense of purpose, that is, without a clear sense of what needs to be done in the first place, it is very difficult for a group of people to work together effectively: goals are unclear, perhaps even argued about, and roles become unclear as people don t know who is supposed to do what or why they are supposed to be doing it. Before a project even gets off the ground, it has already fallen flat because, from the outset, those doing the work lacked a clear sense of purpose, and the morale of the group falls because the experience of working together was less than satisfying. Does this sound like anything you ve ever experienced? I m sure we can probably all think of a time when we ve been frustrated because goals were not clearly communicated or roles were not properly understood. How did that make you feel? Now imagine that 10 people feel that way, or 20 people. What might it look like in a congregational setting where groups of people are frustrated by a lack of a clear sense of purpose, clearly-expressed role expectations, or low morale? That s probably not a congregation any of us would want to be a part of, is it? After all, who wants to give their valuable time to being a part of an organization that is disorganized, frustrated and frustrating, perhaps hurt or hostile, or lost? Every congregation faces challenges like these at some point or another in their life together as the people of God. While we are members together of Christ s Church, the Church is not perfect and does not always do everything right. We are not always successful in maintaining a clear sense of purpose in our work together. We are not always successful in maintaining environments within our congregations where people feel valued, excited to be a part of what the Church is doing, or motivated to work through the tough times. The good news for us, however, is that when the Church reaches a point like this, where a sense of purpose is unclear, and where morale, excitement, and motivation are low, there is an opportunity for us to look to God for help to pull us up out of the mess. God promises us that in every situation God will bring new life out of death and despair. We need to ask ourselves if we want to be raised up. If we do want to be raised up to new life, we then need to ask ourselves if we are willing to let God do what God does best. Thanks be to God that God is able to take the pieces of our life together as a church even the ones we don t like or aren t proud of and use them to do great, new things! God gives us the opportunity every day to start anew. God gives us more opportunities than we can count to give and receive forgiveness, to recommit to our life together as Christ s Church, to be transformed by God s presence and work in our lives, and to be used by God as instruments of God s grace, compassion, and healing for the sake of Jesus. St. Paul s Mutual Ministry committee is committed to looking for these opportunities at St. Paul s, and to working amongst the congregation to help us all see and respond to God s work and calling in our midst. Will you commit to pray together with us for this work, and for our congregation, that we would allow ourselves individually and as a congregation to be raised again to new life in Christ Jesus?

5 News at St. Paul s Lenten Midweek Study Prayer Are you a praying person? Do you want to know more about prayer what it is, how and when to do it, and why we do it? You are invited to join Pastor Emily on Wednesdays during the season of Lent for a study on Prayer. What is prayer? How do we pray? What should we pray for? Does God answer prayers? These are some of the questions we will explore together at our Lenten Midweek Study on Prayer. This class is appropriate for pray-ers of all ages, experience-levels, and backgrounds. 5 Classes Schedule (classes offered at either 10am or 7pm): March 16, 2011 March 23, 2011 March 30, 2011 April 6, 2011 April 13, 2011 We will be using a book entitled, Prayer: A Primer by Henry F. French, published by Augsburg Fortress. Copies of the book will be available in the Church office at the beginning of February. A donation of $12 is suggested to help offset the cost of the book. A sign-up sheet will be posted on the bulletin board outside of the office for participants, so that Pastor Emily knows how many people (about) to expect! VALENTINE S DAY HAM AND CHICKEN DINNER SATURDAY, February 12, pm 7pm Cost: Adults..$13.00 Children Ages Children Under 6 eat..free! St. Paul s Annual Fish Fry has been scheduled for Saturday March 5, 2011 from 3pm 7pm. Cost: Adults..$15 Children Ages $5 Children Under 6 Eat..Free! Volunteers are needed to help clean fish, set up, prepare and cook food, serve tables, wash dishes, and clean up afterward. The Fish Fry is a great time to meet new people and to have a lot of fun! Will Behrens is coordinating volunteer efforts. Please contact him, if you would like to help

6 6 News from the Congregational Council DECEMBER 2011 YEAR TO DATE OFFERINGS 18, , EXPENSES 18, , VARIANCE (530.57) (21,116.10) Highlights from January s Council Meeting: The council approved a proposed 2011 budget of $160,000 which will be presented at the annual meeting on Sunday January 16, Discussion was held about offering Laura Spies the job of Choir Director at St. Paul s. It was agreed that the job would be for 10 hours a month. Responsibilities will include selecting music for the choir to sing, conducting regular rehearsals with the choir, and two Sundays a month of choral singing. **Note: following the January Council meeting, Mrs. Spies accepted the job of St. Paul s Choir Director. She will begin her work, 10 hours a month, at the beginning of February.** The sacrificial offering for February has been designated for the Good Samaritan Fund. Thanks to the monetary donations of congregations in Talbot County, the Good Samaritan Fund has provided financial assistance (rent, electric/oil assistance, etc.) in excess of $10,000 over the past year, and has worked with over 300 families. In March, the Good Samaritan Fund will be moving from its current location in St. Michaels to its new location in Easton so that it will be more centrally located for those in need. The food collection will be taken to the Fairview Church s Food Pantry. Special thanks to Dale Mumford and Bobby Saathoff for their faithful service to St. Paul s on the congregational Council. Dale and Bobby have completed their terms of service, and are stepping down so that someone new can share in the leadership responsibilities at St. Paul s. Thank you, Dale and Bobby! OUR CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS President: Mike Hiner Vice President: Diana Hurd Rec. Secretary: Monica Heinsohn Treasurer: Clay Stevens Fin. Secretary: Carl Sauca Worship: Helen Skipper Property: Lee Heinsohn Christian Ed: Susan Eakins Stewardship: Fred Meers Evangelism: Darian Sump Social Ministry: Will Behrens

7 7 St. Paul s Sit and Stitch group is in need of donations of yarn for their hand-made projects which include prayer shawls, lap robes, baby hats and blankets, winter hats and scarves, and chemo caps. If you or anyone you know has extra yarn around the house, or if you are willing to purchase a skein or two brand new, we would be most grateful. Also, we would welcome new Sit and Stitchers either to join us on the second Thursday of the month at 10am for our time together, or to make crafts to donate to our efforts, even if you can t come fellowship with us! Any donations can be left in the Fellowship Hall in the basket marked Sit and Stitch. We are always looking for new volunteers to help on Sunday mornings! Count offerings after worship, being a lector, being an usher, preparing communion for the altar committee, helping Pastor serve communion during worship, or singing in the choir If you could help us in any of these areas, please contact the church office Youth can help too! How now, brown cow...or in our case, black cow! You may have noticed a large black cardboard cow lurking around St. Paul s, and you may be wondering what all the mooing is about! St. Paul s Sunday School is working hard to collect $500 so that they can purchase a cow through God s Global Barnyard the animal projects of ELCA World Hunger. If you happen to have extra pocket change, consider dropping it in the cow to help our kids reach their goal! Fish Fry Volunteers are needed to help make St. Paul s annual Fish Fry a success! People are needed to prepare food for cooking, to cook, to set up for the dinner, to clean up after the dinner, to do dishes, to wait tables, to greet diners, etc. If you are interested in volunteering to help, please contact Will Behrens at Have you completed the Survey of Worship Life? Visit St. Paul s website to complete the survey online, or paper copies are available on the bulletin board outside of the offices at church. Please complete online or return the surveys to Pastor Emily s mailbox (on the wall outside her office) by Sunday February 6! Thank you! Bible Quiz First Corinthians 13 is a popular Scripture reading at wedding ceremonies. The so-called love chapter provides an extended definition of what Paul calls the greatest gift (verse 13). Which of the following characteristics of love isn t found in 1 Corinthians 13? A. Love is patient. B. Love rejoices in the truth. C. Love believes all things. D. Love is childlike. Answer: D

8 8 Tuesday Morning Bible Study continues. Come join us, on first and third Tuesday mornings at 9:00am and bring your Bible and your favorite cup of coffee. February 1, 2011 February 15, 2011 Isaiah 58:1-9a [9b-12] Leviticus 19:1-2,9-18 Psalm: 112:1-9 [10] Psalm 119: Corinthians 2:1-12 [13-16] 1 Corinthians 3:10-11,16,-23 Matthew 5:13-20 Matthew 5:38-48 Mark your Calendars FEBRUARY 1 BIBLE STUDY 9:00 am FEBRUARY 7 CONFIRMATION 6:00 7:30 pm FEBRUARY 7 MUTUAL MINISTRY 7:30 pm FEBRUARY 10 SIT & STITCH 10:00 am FEBRUARY 10 CONGREGATION COUNCIL MEETING 7:00 pm FEBRUARY 12 VALENTINE S CHICKEN & HAM DINNER AT ST. PAUL S 4:00 7:00 pm FEBRUARY 15 BIBLE STUDY 9:00 a m FEBRUARY 16 WORSHIP LIFE MEETING 7:00 pm FEBRUARY 21 CONFIRMATION 6:00-7:30 pm FEBRUARY 26 SOUP & SANDWICH DAY FEBRUARY 28 FAITH MENTOR TRAINING 7:00 pm MARCH 1 BIBLE STUDY 9:00 am MARCH 5 FISH FRY 4:00-7:00 pm MARCH 7 CONFIRMATION 6:00-7:30 pm MARCH 8 SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE SUPPER 5:00-7:00 pm MARCH 9 ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE 7 pm MARCH 10 SIT & STITCH 10:00 am MARCH 10 CONGREGATION COUNCIL MEETING 7 pm MARCH 13 DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS MARCH 15 BIBLE STUDY 9:00 am MARCH 16 LENTEN STUDY ON PRAYER 10:00-11:30 am - 7:00-8:30 pm MARCH 21 CONFIRMATION 6:00-7:30 pm MARCH 23 LENTEN STUDY ON PRAYER 10:00-11:30 am - 7:00-8:30 pm MARCH 30 LENTEN STUDY ON PRAYER 10:00-11:30 am - 7:00-8:30 pm

9 9 February 6 Henry Spies February 13 J. T. Lewis February 20 Mackenzie Short February 27 Noelle Brown Tori Spies Abbie Heinsohn February 6 Donna Stevens February 13 Susan Eakins February 20 Sue Ann Kaufman February 27 Michelle Lewis LECTORS February 6 Doris Marth & Kay Miller February 13 Will Behrens & Kathy Barletta February 20 Bill & Susan Behrens February 27 Dale & Betty Jean Mumford February 6 Donald & Keith Davis February 13 Will Behrens & Kathy Barletta February 20 Bill & Susan Behrens February 27 Dale Mumford & Michelle Lewis February 6 Gerda Fisher February 13 Pam Short February 20 Helen Skipper February 27 Diana Hurd ALTAR FOR FEBRUARY ELSE ROSS IF YOU ARE SCHEDULED TO USHER AND CANNOT SERVE, MIKE HINER, GEORGE SCHNOOR, DIANA HURD AND MARIAN DAVIS HAVE AGREED TO BE SUBSTITUTES. PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF THEM. ALSO, IF YOU ARE A SCHEDULED LECTOR AND CANNOT SERVE, ROBERT SAATHOFF, ELSE ROSS OR MONICA HEINSOHN HAVE AGREED TO SUBSTITUTE OR CONTACT ANOTHER PERSON ON THE SCHEDULE. LECTORS: PLEASE CONTINUE TO USE & ADJUST IF NECESSARY THE MICRO- PHONE WHEN READING THE LESSONS, SO THAT EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO HEAR.

10 10 St. Paul s Lutheran Church Blades Road, P.O. Box 368 Cordova MD Return Service Requested Please inform the church office of any changes in your personal information: Address, phone number, marriage or divorce, or new births so that we can keep our records up-to-date. Anyone interested in learning more about becoming a member at St. Paul s is asked to contact Pastor Emily Leitzke by phone at , by at pastor@stpaulscordova.org or in person. Vertrau auf Gott! Ministers: People of St. Paul s Pastor: Rev. Emily Hollars Leitzke Emergency contact number: Pastor s pastor@stpaulscordova.org Organist: Edith Roe Secretary: Fay Sauca Office Phone: Office Fax: Office info@stpaulscordova.org Office Hours: Tue. 12:00-5:00 Wed. &Thurs. 10:00-3:00 Sunday Worship begins at 9:00 am