Daylight savings time begins at 2 AM on March 12: set clocks ahead one hour

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1 `w z Vol. 45 No. 3 March 1 Ash Wednesday worship at Advent with St. John 7:00 PM the Divine Episcopal church, reception following March 4 Confirmation: service and learning 9:30 AM -12:00 noon March 5 First Sunday in Lent, confirmation students 8:00 & 10:45 AM leading in worship Growing Young teams meet 9:30 AM Thursdays in Lent: March 9, 16, 23, 30 and April 6: Soup and bread supper 6:00 PM Lent Madness: 6:30 PM Evening Prayer 7:00 PM March 12 Growing Young teams meet 9:30 AM March 19 SCORE Sunday 9:30 AM Daylight savings time begins at 2 AM on March 12: set clocks ahead one hour

2 2 Deep-rooted in Christ FROM THE PASTOR S DESK By Pastor Anita Warner Lent is an invitation: an invitation for people to prepare for baptism into Christ; and invitation for we who are baptized to deepen in our life in Christ. It is a no-frills time for becoming very clear on the basics of our faith and life together, for the sake of our own lives and the lives of our neighbors. What a gift to listen to the assurance of the grace of God so that we can dare to ask and seek the answers to questions that may lead us to face uncomfortable truths. During Lent, you can explore questions like these: How are you being invited to go deeper in a faith rooted in Christ? What truth is the Spirit inviting you to see or hear? What sacrifice are you willing to make for the life of a neighbor? What grace will extend to someone with whom you are having difficulty? Growing Young I have written several times in this newsletter in the last few months about our Growing Young movements in our congregation. Quite simply, if we want our congregation to grow young, if we want to effectively reach out to more youth, young adults and young families, we have to be ready for them. We have to set their lives as a priority and their life and growth in faith as our congregation s priority in all or almost all we do. We also have to have most of the congregation in some way engaged in this work. Otherwise, we will continue to grow older. There is no other way to grow young. After a lot of study and conversation on how this works, we have new teams that are just beginning their work together. There is a place for you as a part of one of the five teams, that primarily work with 1. high school age 2. junior high age 3. grades grades K-2 5. preschool age These working groups will be meeting to begin to work together on March 5 and on March 12, at 9:30 AM. You are warmly invited; more people are needed to lend their hearts and minds and selves to the privilege of growing faith in Christ in the next generations. Many of us in this congregation experience Lent as a quietly joyous time of community and prayer and seeking after truth. Lent Madness this year will add some humor and competition and reminders that we are in a great communion of saints as we walk these paths.

3 3 MIDWEEK SOUP SUPPERS & LENT MADNESS THURSDAYS AT 6:00 PM We gather for soup and bread each Thursday in Lent, March 8, 15, 23, 30 and April 6. Sign-up sheets are in the gathering area so that anyone who wishes can bring soup, along with Advent s committees who are hosting the soup suppers. Come share a meal and fellowship before evening prayer. This year we will also take up Lent Madness during the soup suppers. Lent Madness is headto-head matchups of saints in a tournamentstyle, single-elimination matchups. Each pairing remains open for twenty-four hours, and people vote for their favorite saints (Lent Madness on Facebook or Twitter). The Lent Madness poster at church will keep track of where we are. For everyone s enjoyment, we will ask people to champion the two saints of the day each Thursday, offering basic biographical information and perhaps more if they like. Sign up to take up a saint s cause on a Thursday coming soon! You can pick up a Saintly Scorecard booklet for your household at church. Yes, Lent is a sacred time of preparation, penitence, self-reflection, and renewal, but there s no reason a Lenten discipline need be dreary as we prepare with joy for the Paschal feast. Taking our faith yet not ourselves too seriously is the essence of Lent Madness, which gives us the opportunity to meet some amazing people who have come before us in the faith. What we learn from the saints is that they, like us, are flawed human beings through whose lives Christ s love shone brightly. If this love can shine brightly in their lives, perhaps we too can be beacons of the Good News. EVENING PRAYER THURSDAYS AT 7:00 PM Each Thursday evening in Lent, we gather for a half-hour service of sung evening prayer using Holden Evening Prayer by Marty Haugen. Contributions given during these evening prayer services will support our first quarter mission, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. FIRST QUARTER MISSION: LUTHERAN IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE SERVICE On February 12, Hung Le spoke to our congregation during worship and at the 9:30 hour. Hung was one of 500,000 refugees resettled by LIRS since its beginning in He was sponsored by Our Savior s Lutheran Church in Minneapolis and has helped and mentored many children, youth and young adults throughout his life. With all refugee resettlement currently suspended by executive order, the federal government s contracts with LIRS are also suspended, putting extreme financial pressure on this highly regarded ministry and all its employees. You may contribute to LIRS through Advent, noting on the check or envelope: LIRS, or First Quarter Mission.

4 4 Lutheran Immigration And Refugee Service REFUGEE SUNDAY RESOURCE LIBRARY How much do you know about refugees? Take our Refugee Quiz to find out! 1. How many refugees are there in the world today? a. 1 million b. 5 million c. 15 million d. 20 million 2. How many refugees have been resettled by Lutherans in the U.S. since LIRS s founding in 1939? a. 142,000 b. 212,000 c. 500,000 d. 622, What are the three largest refugee populations in the United States? a. Refugees from the former Soviet Union, Vietnamese and Bosnians b. Iraqis, refugees from the former Soviet Union and Vietnamese c. Vietnamese, Burmese and Iraqis d. Iraqis, Syrians and Congolese 4. What percentage of refugees are women and children? a. 40% b. 55% c. 80% d. 90% 5. From which countries do the 3 largest refugee populations come? a. Syria, South Sudan, Iraq b. Congo, South Sudan, Burma c. Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan d. Pakistan, Somalia, Syria 6. How many refugees have fled Syria? a. 1.3 million b million c million d million 7. What is the average amount of time a refugee lives in a refugee camp? a. 9 months b. 1 year c. 4 years d. 17 years 8. What percentage of refugees are ever resettled? a. Less than 1% b. 5% c. 15% d. 50% 9. Which country hosts the most refugees? a. Turkey b. Pakistan c. United States d. Kenya 10. How many refugees were resettled in the United States last year? a b. 69,933 c. 92,121 d. 120,650

5 5 Lutheran Immigration And Refugee Service REFUGEE SUNDAY RESOURCE LIBRARY How much do you know about refugees? Answer Key 1. How many refugees are there in the world today? 20 million people around the world are refugees, Meaning they have been forced to flee from their homes and have to cross into another country to find safety. Another 40 million people have fled from their homes for the same reasons, but are called internally displaced persons because they have remained within their own country. ( 2. How many refugees have been resettled by Lutherans in the U.S. since LIRS s founding in 1939? 500,000. Lutherans have welcomed over 500,000 Refugees and helped them restart their lives. ( 3. What are the three largest refugee population in the United States? Refugees from the former Soviet Union, Vietnamese and Bosnians ( shows/america-tonight/america-tnight-blog/2013/ 10/13/the-5-biggestrefugeegroupsofthelast20years.html) The former Soviet Union: 380,000 Vietnam: 182,000 Bosnia: 169,000 Burma: 104,000 Congo: 20, What percentage of refugees are women and children? 80% ( youth/763-girlsstories) 5. From which countries do the 3 largest refugee populations come? Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan. 5.1 million Palestinian refugees 4.84 million Syrian refugees 2.59 million Afghan refugees ( 6. How many refugees have fled Syria? 4.84 million. 6.6 million more Syrians have become internally displaced within Syria, but have not yet crossed an international border. ( 7. What is the average amount of time a refugee lives in a refugee camp? 17 Years. Many refugees have nowhere to call home and live for long periods of time in temporary camps. ( tracted/) 8. What percentage of refugees are ever resettled? Less than 1%. Most refugees will never be able to participate in the resettlement process and will either wait to return home or attempt to integrate into the countries to which they fled. ( 9. Which country hosts the most refugees? Turkey. Turkey hosts 1.59 million refugees. ( 10. How many refugees were resettled in the United States last year? 69,933 The U.S. plans to resettle 85,000 refugees in fiscal year (

6 6 SCORE SUNDAY WILL BE MARCH 19TH! MT. CROSS SUMMER CAMP All groups will meet at 9:30 am between services. Please pick a group and attend their meeting. We need your ideas and talents! The meetings will start in Berkland Hall and then groups will go to different rooms. The SCORE group leaders are: Sustaining Strengths: Grant L. Capabilities: Bill M. Outreach: Valerie S. Resources: Janel J. Engagement: Mark G. CHRISTIAN MUSIC THEATRE Session I Wilderness People June 26 through July 1, Performance on Saturday, July 1 Session II Don t Shut Us Out July 24 through July 29, Performance on Saturday, July 29 Camper registration forms will be available this month on adventlutheran.org. Mt Cross is our Lutheran Outdoor Ministries camp in the beautiful redwoods near Felton. Go to mtcross.org for schedules and descriptions of all the camps available for children and youth entering grades 2-9. Family Camp week is June STAFF SCHEDULES Sherry Quick, our Operations and Administration Manager, works at Advent Tuesday-Friday for a 30-hour workweek. She is usually onsite during her work hours but some tasks take her offsite. She will gladly respond to requests and questions during those days. Saturdays through Mondays are not Advent workdays for her. Sherry often supports the worship ministry on Sundays as an active member in our congregation. Pastor Anita s day off is Friday. She works during the other days of the week, sometimes onsite, sometimes offsite, whichever makes the most sense for the task at hand. Her work includes most areas of our congregation s community ministry, as well as community outreach and relations. Phil R. serves as Music Director and is typically onsite late afternoons on Thursdays through choir rehearsal Thursday evening.

7 7 COUNCIL S CORNER March 2017 Council s Corner is designed to be a regular column to highlight some of the activities of your Advent Lutheran Church Council. The Council retreat was held in February. SCORE team leaders joined the Council at the retreat to improve mutual understanding and support. We gathered on Friday evening at a local restaurant for a Jeffersonian Dinner. Thomas Jefferson developed this dinner format; he invited a group of people, typically 8-14, to dinner at Monticello. Well before the dinner engagement, Mr. Jefferson posed one or more questions to the guests who had some time to consider their responses. At the dinner, the host insured that there was a single conversation where one speaks and the others listen. All have an opportunity to speak. It was a great opportunity for Council and SCORE leaders to share thoughts and ideas on several questions. On Saturday, we met at St. Francis Retreat in San Juan Bautista to continue our retreat. Father Paul opened our time together with the Beatitudes scripture passage and a reading elaborating on that text. Grant presented SCORE history and status. Ed provided an overview of Advent s Constitution and the Congregational Council structure. Bill led a session on leadership in periods of change. After lunch, Pastor led us through Growing Young Chapter 1. Ed presented 2017 devotion plans for Council and SCORE based upon continuing engagement with the concepts in Growing Young and connecting them with relevant scripture. We ended our day by developing S.M.A.R.T. goals to bring our ideas to fruition. S = Specific, M = Measureable, A = Attainable, R = Realistic, T = Time Oriented. Council and SCORE are reaching out to engage the wider congregation in the Transforming Church process. By collaborating and striving to implement the SMART goals we set, Advent will move closer to our Strategic Focus of Growing The Beloved Community in South County through service and the creative arts. Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 19 th, 9:30 10:30 AM for the next SCORE meeting. Ask any Council member or SCORE leader how you can get involved. Your 2017 Council roster: Ed M., President Peter M., Faith Development Grant L., 1 st Vice President Brenda H., Communications Jacqui K., 2 nd Vice President Marcia N., Community Connections Greg K.., Financial Secretary Carrie M., Operations Kathy M.., Secretary Joyce G.., Stewardship Norm O., Treasurer Valerie S., Worship & Music Your SCORE leaders: Kris A.., SLT Lead Grant L.., Sustaining Strengths Bill M.., Capabilities Valerie S.., Outreach Janel J.., Resources Mark G.., Engagement Peace, Ed M.

8 8 THANK YOU FROM LUTHERAN CAMPUS MINISTRY On behalf of the Lutheran Campus Ministry Monterey Bay Board and our campus ministers, Grace Kistler-Fair and Rev. Clark Brown, we want to thank the members of Advent Lutheran Church for your very generous support in Since the founding of UC Santa Cruz and Cal State University Monterey Bay, we have offered a Lutheran presence on the two campuses. Your gifts really help us continue this important work. Our campus ministers are present to serve all students through the ups and downs of college life. For these young people, college is a time of growth and questioning and sometimes finding a new direction for their lives. Our campus ministers let students know that God s love is always with them, no matter what. At UCSC Grace Kistler Fair, along with volunteers from St. Stephens and Messiah Lutheran, provide rides to Sunday worship followed by luncheon discussions, organize ecumenical on-campus Ash Wednesday and Good Friday services, and local service projects. Volunteers open the Messiah Fellowship Hall for a quiet study space during finals week each quarter offering snacks and free wi-fi. At CSUMB Rev. Clark Brown, pastor at St. Timothy s Monterey and Vicar Jon Perez, pastor at Epiphany Lutheran & Episcopal Church, Marina provide spiritual support as campus chaplains. They have an office in the Personal Growth & Counseling Center on campus where they meet with students. Students participate in worship and service projects at the Marina church. We need your ongoing support in Please continue to hold Grace and Clark in your prayers. If you are a member of Thrivent, at no cost to you, you can direct dollars through the Thrivent Choice program to Lutheran Campus Ministry Monterey Bay. This program gives Thrivent members a say in where some of Thrivent Financial s charitable outreach funds go. Visit Thrivent.com/thriventchoice or call The deadline for directing your 2016 dollars is March 31, Thank you again. Peace and blessings, ~~Connie Creel, Treasurer, Lutheran Campus Ministry Monterey Bay FOOD OF THE MONTH TUNA The Food of the Month is tuna. However, you can donate other nonperishable foods as well. When you shop, pick up two of something, and put one in a bag for church. Then leave it by the door or stick it in your car so when you are running late for church, you haven't forgotten your food bag. Many people in south county need our help this winter. This a simple way we can make a difference. If you are interested in helping others find food: - Make sure they have a picture I.D. - Call the Food Information Hotline at Give the zip-code of where the person lives and nearby zip-codes.

9 Church Council Each week a different Ministry or group at Advent Lutheran is recognized both in the bulletin and during service. The members are asked to bring the Communion elements to the altar along with the offerings for the day and receive a thanksgiving prayer and blessing by Pastor Warner. This recognition came about after careful review of the Cottage Meeting survey results, particularly question # 18; I tell stories of how this congregation makes a difference in the lives of others. These ministries and groups do make a difference and we wanted to share them with you. Here are their stories. February 5, 2017 Church Council The membership of the Congregational Council consists of the Pastor, officers of the congregation, and the chairpersons of the committees listed in bylaw C The officers of this congregation are President, 1 st Vice-president, 2 nd Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer, and Financial Secretary. Advent has standing committees whose chairpersons shall be members of the Council. Those committees are Faith Development, Worship and Music, Stewardship, Operations, Communications and Community Connections. Members of the council, except the Pastor shall be elected at the annual congregational meeting. The term of office shall be for two years with approximately one half elected each year. No member shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office. President Ed M. 1 st Vice-president Grant L. 2 nd vice-president Jacqui K. Financial Secretary Greg K. Secretary Kathy M. Treasurer Norm O. Faith Development Peter M. Communications Brenda H. Community Connections Marcia N. Stewardship Joyce G. Worship and Music Valerie S. The church council meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 in the Berkland Fellowship Hall. All are invited to attend. February 12, 2017 Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) and English as a Second Language (ESL) Volunteers February 12 was Refugee Sunday Started by Lutheran congregations in 1939, LIRS has welcomed more than 500,000 refugees, migrants impacted by detention, and unaccompanied migrant and refugee children. LIRS is our nation s second largest refugee resettlement agency and Feb. 12 we had a visit from Hung Le, who was resettled by LIRS when he was 22 years old, and his family. Hung spoke at both worship services, and he and his family shared more stories and conversation about LIRS at 9:30. See the February and March newsletters for more information about LIRS. To contribute, make checks payable to Advent with the memo First Quarter Mission, or LIRS.

10 10 New to Advent this year are English as a Second Language (ESL) classes being taught by a Gavilan Community College instructor and are held Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30 AM to 11:35 AM in the Berkland Fellowship Hall. Classes began on January 30, 2017 and will continue until May 26, Tom and Judith D. are tag-teaming as our liaison for ESL (she is also teaching this term). Virginia H. has been the liaison but she and Dennis are moved out of state the end of February. Volunteers have time to sit with an ESL learner, are interested in getting involved with LIRS or are contributing to Advent s First Quarter Mission, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. February 19, 2017 Past and Current Presidents of the Church Council We celebrate and recognize those members who have taken up the call to serve as Advent Lutheran council president. Advent has installed twenty-five council presidents since our founding in Since four of the twentyfive served more than one term, we have had twenty members of Advent take on this leadership role for our congregation. Below are the constitutional duties of the president. C Duties of Officers a. The President: 3. Shall carry out the expressed will of the congregation as embodied in the resolutions passed in congregation meetings. 4. All committees, auxiliaries, groups, etc., in the congregation shall be responsible to the President, who shall be welcome at any and all meetings of such groups, either in person or as represented by such person or persons as the President may appoint. 5. Shall call and preside over the meetings of the Congregation Council. 6. Shall endeavor to coordinate the functions, plans, and activities of this congregation in all its parts for the total furtherance of the work of Christ's Kingdom. Herman W Robert K David N Grant L Kent B Tom V James K Norm H Virginia M Sonny S Dick F Sandra O Gary B Les H Vikki G Les H Grant L Sean R Ed M Virginia H Ed M Shall preside at all congregation meetings. 2. Shall, to the best of his or her ability, enforce the Constitution and Bylaws of the congregation.

11 11 February 26, 2017 Search Team for the Director of Music and Worship Arts The Search Committee (which is part of SCORE Resources) has posted the position of Director of Music and Worship Arts at numerous places. The team is in the process of reviewing applications and interviewing candidates, mostly over the phone. One candidate, Bradley Pickard with his wife Heather Elliott, spent four days in South County attending the choir rehearsal on Thursday evening, meeting with the children at the Children s Hour, meeting with members of the congregation and participating in both worship services on Sunday, February 19 th. Brad attended Westminster Choir College, a residential conservatory of music located in Princeton, New Jersey. It is part of Rider University. The Search Committee includes Jill C., Troy G., Phil R., Janet F., Molly C., Nancy S., Janel J. and Pastor Warner. On the inside of the tri-fold brochure used at the Cottage Meetings in 2009 were all of the ministries at Advent. When members were asked to open the brochures, most were astounded at the scope of what is offered at Advent. We literally have and will continue to celebrate a different ministry each week. We hope you have enjoyed learning a little more about what Advent Is and Does and the next time someone asks you, What does your church do to make a difference in the lives of others? you can say Let me tell about my church, Advent Lutheran, and the wonderful things were are doing here. You ll have a great story to tell. Your Gifts and Participation Make a Difference! From Your Stewardship Committee OFF-THE-RECORDS Funeral: Charles McQueen January 21, 2017 Saturday, April 1, :00-11:30 am DAY Come enjoy a morning of art activities at Advent. Bring your own materials or explore an art medium. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME Sunday, March 12 Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour before going to bed on Saturday March 11.

12 12 DAILY BIBLE READINGS March March 1-4 Ash Wednesday Joel 2:1-2, Return to God Psalm 51:1-17 Plea for mercy 2 Corinthians 5:20b Now is the day of salvation Matthew 6:1-6, The practice of faith Thu Jonah 3:1-10 Nineveh repents Fri Jonah 4:1-11 Jonah is reproved Sat Isaiah 58:1-12 God calls for our repentance March 5-11 Sun Gen 2:15-17; 3:1-7 Eating of the tree of knowledge Psalm 32 Mercy embraces us Romans 5:12-19 Death came, life comes Matthew 4:1-11 The temptation of Jesus Mon Genesis 4:1-16 God protects Cain, the murderer Tues Exodus 34:1-9, God s revelation of mercy Wed Matthew 18:6-14 Temptation and forgiveness Thu 1 Kings 19:1-8 An angel feeds Elijah in the wilderness Fri Hebrews 4:14 5:14 Christ was tempted Sat Psalm 38 Confessing our sin March Sun Genesis 12:1-4a The blessing of God upon Abram Psalm 121 The LORD who watches over you Romans 4:1-5, The promise to those of Abraham s faith John 3:1-17 The mission of Christ: saving the world Mon Isaiah 65:17-25 God promises a new creation Tues Ezekiel 36:22-32 God will renew the people Wed John 8:1-11 Jesus does not condemn the sinner Thu Numbers 21:4-9 Moses lifts up the serpent Fri Romans 4:6-13 Abraham saved through faith Sat Psalm 128 God promises life March Sun Exodus 17:1-7 Water from the rock Psalm 95 The rock of our salvation Romans 5:1-11 Reconciled to God by Christ s death John 4:5-42 The woman at the well March (continued) Mon Genesis 24:1-27 Rebekah at the well Tues Genesis 29:1-14 Rachel at the well Wed John 7:14-31, Drink of Jesus, the Messiah Thu Jeremiah 2:4-13 God, the living water Fri 2 John 1-13 A woman reminded to abide in Christ Sat Psalm 81 We drink from the rock March Sun 1 Samuel 16:1-13 David is chosen and anointed Psalm 23 My head anointed with oil Ephesians 5:8-14 Live as children of light John 9:1-41 The man born blind Mon Isaiah 59:9-19 We are blind and await God Tues Isaiah 42:14-21 God will heal the blind Wed Matthew 9:27-34 Jesus heals the blind Thu Isaiah 60:17-22 God our light Fri Acts 9:1-20 Saul s blindness I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121

13 13 "MARY & MARTHA CIRCLE" ADVENT WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY GALATIANS: Christian Faith & Christian Freedom Session Three: Heirs of the promise Galatians 3:24-4:31 Wednesday, March 8th Fellowship - 10:00 AM Bible Study - 10:30 AM Meet in Berkland Hall Hostesses - Mary H. & Pat S. All Women of Advent are invited! Please join us and bring a friend, if you wish.