By the Will of the Holy Spirit Linda Anderson-Little has been called as Pastor to serve St. Luke's Lutheran Church

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1 REPORTER And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples (Isa. 25:7) The Easter season is about seeing: Christ risen, Christ present among us in the breaking of the bread, Christ s Spirit poured out on the church. In Lent we turned inward, acknowledging the brokenness of the world and our own participation in systems that oppress. We have walked the wilderness journey of temptation and doubt. Like a groaning desert, our whole lives have cried out for baptismal waters to refresh us and set before us the promise of a new beginning. Perhaps we ve wondered if such a beginning could ever come. But at Easter every veil that has obscured the cosmic reality that Christ is alive, life is stronger than death, and love wins is lifted and discarded with Christ s burial shroud, never to be needed again. Sundays and Seasons Year B 2018 By the Will of the Holy Spirit Linda Anderson-Little has been called as Pastor to serve St. Luke's Lutheran Church She will be installed on Sunday, April 22, at 3:00 p.m. at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 1210 W Belt Line Rd, Richardson TX All are welcome.

2 Thank you for the wonderful welcome, your generosity of spirit, beautiful flowers, and a great lunch on my first Sunday! It s a joy to be here and I am looking forward to being partners in the Gospel together, including with the Oromo congregation and NT-NL Synod. While it s exciting to be called into ministry together, psychologists remind us that even positive change can be stressful, so Change was a great theme for Midweek Lenten worship! Change can be difficult because it involves loss, and we really fear loss more than change. Below are questions I posed at the last Lenten service which help us acknowledge and address the emotions around change: What am I afraid of losing? When we can name loss (e.g. independence, control, a relationship), fear ceases to dominate our thoughts and actions, freeing us to explore why that loss matters to us, and to begin to creatively address it. What am I afraid of not getting? Identifying this fear opens the possibility that this need can be met in other ways, inviting us into selfawareness and new ideas. What blessing can I receive that was not possible before this change? This question helps us create positive emotions, release fear, and lean forward in hope. With any new pastoral relationship, change is inevitable for everyone. Some change will feel good and others will not. I encourage you to pray these questions in the coming months, talking openly with each other and me about the challenges and blessings of our new ministry together in Christ. +Blessings, Pr. Linda Thank you to everyone who has donated to the youth fund raisers and attended the Easter breakfast hosted by our youth. The funds raised will go toward their trip to the ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston this summer. 2

3 The Men s Breakfast will be held on Saturday, April 28th beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn on 190 just east of Waterview Drive in Richardson. Contact Ralph Rizzo if you need more information or have questions: The Social Seniors will have a Game Day on Thursday, April 12, at the Atria in Plano. Bea Orgish will be the hostess for this event. Please sign up on the bulletin board in the Gathering Area. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Ursula Peters at Dear Fellow St. Lukers, Thank you for the kindness and support you showed following Dick's death. A community like ours is a treasure beyond words following a tragedy. The outpouring of love we felt was very comforting. Special thanks to all those who prepared the reception. This St. Luke's tradition provides an opportunity to share stories and greet friends old and new. Thank you for keeping the Seaborn and Miner families in your hearts as we go through this difficult time. Yours in Christ, Betty Seaborn Miner Thanks for the wonderful farewell and all of your kind words, cards, and gifts, including the beautiful quilt and yellow roses! We would also like to thank everyone for the memorable worship service. Special thanks to Dale and all the fine musicians for the amazing music that made worship such an uplifting experience. Pastor Mary and Doug Kaiser 3

4 Women of St. Luke s The April Bible study for Mary Ruth and Rebekah circles will conclude with the fourth session entitled The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) by Mark Allan Powell, a professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. In this session, he considers how this parable is understood by believers in different parts of the world. The study may be found on page 20 of the April Gather magazine or may be downloaded at gathermagazine.org. The Leader s guide follows the lesson. APRIL ACTIVITIES April 1 (Sunday): Have a Blessed Easter! April 4 (Wednesday): Activity Day, 9:00am in the Gathering Area. April 7: Lutheran World Relief Packing and Delivery Day Messiah Lutheran, Plano April 10 (Tuesday): 10:00am - Mary Ruth Circle will meet at church in the adult classroom. Hostess: Martha Eastwood, Study Leader: Suzanne Habhegger. 1:30pm - Rebekah Circle will meet at church in the adult classroom. Hostess: Barbara Tate, Study Leader: Shirley Sigler. April 14 (Saturday): 9:30am Sarah Circle meets in the Church Conference Room. Their lesson will be the second of three sessions entitled Paul s Journey s from the Thoughtful Christian. Written by David Otto, a Professor of Religious Studies at Centenary College in Shreveport, LA, the study attempts to blend the itineraries found in Acts with Paul s own words, noting the conflicts when they occur. Study Leader is Joy Uhler. MARK YOUR CALENDAR Spring Luncheon, May 5 (Saturday) at 11:30am. All women of the church are invited to a potluck luncheon (dessert and drinks provided). Rebekah Circle is the host. Help will be needed to setup on Friday at 1pm. Look for more information in the bulletin and on signs around the church. Plan to attend! All women of St. Luke s are invited and encouraged to come. 4

5 Booksome Ladies On Wednesday, April 18 th, the Booksome Ladies will meet in the Conrad Library at 9:30 a.m. We will discuss Elizabeth Berg s novel, The Story of Arthur Truluv. It is the story of three people who have lost the ones they love most, only to find second chances where they least expect them. Since his wife died six months ago, Arthur Moses has spent his time tending his rose garden, caring for his cat, Gordon, and daily taking the bus to the cemetery. The last thing Arthur would imagine is for one unlikely encounter to utterly transform his life. Maddy Harris, eighteen years old, visits the cemetery often to escape the other kids at school. One afternoon, she joins Arthur a gesture that begins a surprising friendship between two lonely souls. Moved by Arthur s kindness and devotion, Maddy gives him the nickname Truluv. As Arthur s neighbor Lucille moves into their orbit, the unlikely trio band together and, through heartache and hardships, help one another rediscover their own potential to start anew. This is a beautiful and moving novel of compassion in the face of loss, of the small acts that turn friends into family, and of the possibilities to achieve happiness at any age. It is an easy and pleasant read. Even though YOU haven t read this book, YOU will be happily welcomed by this friendly group. Happy springtime, Martha Eastwood The theme for our 2018 NT-NL Synod Assembly is Under Construction: Transforming in Christ. The Heart of Texas (HOT) Conference is pleased to host this event in Temple on April As a conference, we are well aware that God continues to transform us into a new creation. God is transforming our families and our communities and our Synod. St. Luke s will be sending two voting members, Eileen Larsen and Dianne Plumb to the assembly as well as Pastor Linda. Pastor Linda s contact information: (cell) ( ) pastor@stlukeslutheranchurch.org 5

6 The members of St. Luke s and their families that are being prayed for during the month are listed below. ARNIE PROSSER CORINNE PERKINS BEA ORGISH MARGARET FREEMAN THE FAMILY OF HOWARD SCHEIB BEN HONG PHIL HOUSTON MILDRED PLISKAL RITA HUMPHREY ROSE LITTLE & FAMILY EMILY EASTWOOD DAVID REED SCOTT REEDY THE FAMILY OF LORRINE ROY AUSTIN ROE Remember, I am with you always. Matthew 28:20 We welcome prayers for all. However, please let us know when your name should be removed from our list. Thank you. Our appreciation to the members of St. Luke s Prayer Chain for their constant and faithful prayers. Betty Kennedy, Prayer Chain Chairperson

7 Bill & Anne Mechler Ricky Maasz 4-03 Arnie Prosser 4-05 Kevin Kraefft 4-08 Sam Eckholm 4-11 Jakob Wimer 4-13 Colin Wimer 4-14 Sheryl Prosser 4-20 Tanner McEwan 4-21 Beverly Ashby 4-25 Jamie Smith 4-25 David Tate 4-27 Jim Dukowitz 4-28 Evelyn Spangler 4-28 Jennifer Ritchie 4-29 Jennie Smith 4-29 Note: If you have an anniversary or birthday this month and your name is not on our list, please call the church office and give us the information for our records. Thank you. 7

8 NETWORK OF COMMUNITY MINISTRIES Ingathering days are the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month. Items always needed are: peanut butter, jelly, canned meats and vegetables, canned fruit, soups, paper products, personal hygiene products. Please place items in the cart marked Network in the Gathering Area. The Reporter Published for and by St. Luke s Lutheran Church Next deadline Apr. 15 stlukes@stlukeslutheran church.org All members of St. Luke s are invited to submit articles of interest for publication in THE RE- PORTER. Articles may be submitted in written form or electronic form using word format. Please include your name and phone number. Articles should be no longer than 250 words. Those over 250 may need to be edited. St. Luke s Lutheran Church Pastor Rev. Linda Anderson-Little Administrative Assistant Gail Johnson Director of Music Ministries. Dale Dietert Council Members President, Shirley Sigler 2/ Vice President, Tim Wegener / Secretary, Anne Eckholm 9/ Treasurer, Tom Petersen 9/ Financial Sec., Carol Lysen /233/6585 Christian Ed.. Emily Hoffman / Evangelism, Carol Rizzo / Congregational Life, Jerold Plumb...9/ Congregational Resources, Gail Johnson 9/ Indoor Property, Jerry Zimmerman Outdoor Property, Ralph Rizzo / Worship & Music, Frieda Chyn / Service Outreach, David Tate Youth, Emily Hoffman / Contact Us: pastor@stlukeslutheranchurch.org stlukes@stlukeslutheranchurch.org (church office) ddietert@mail.smu.edu Phone: Sunday Schedule Worship at 10:00 a.m. Sunday School at 8:45 a.m. Phone number: