JUNE St. James Lutheran Church PASTOR S POINTS: Some Thoughts on Parenthood. In This Month s Issue:

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1 St. James Lutheran Church JUNE 2012 In This Month s Issue: PASTOR S POINTS: Pastor s Points Page 1 President s Corner Page 2 Birthdays & Baptismal Anniversaries Page 3 Ministries, Announcements &Upcoming events Page 4-10 Prayer Needs Page 4 School News Page Calendar Page 13 ST. JAMES LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSION STATEMENT Called by God, centered in the Word and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we rejoice in the Lord, proclaim His gift of Grace through liturgical worship and service and share Christ s love and forgiveness in all we do. The Reverend Keith Getz, Pastor revgetz@yahoo.com Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday-School: 9:00 AM Wednesday: 10:30 am: Bible Study (Library) & Noon: Holy Communion Service (Sanctuary) St. James Lutheran Church 1137 Alice Drive Sumter, SC Office: Fax: stjamesoffice@sc.rr.com Church Office Hours: Monday through Friday: 8:30 1:30 Some Thoughts on Parenthood (all adults, who have an impact in the life of a child can be considered a parental figure it takes a community to raise a child) "Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray" (Proverbs 22:6). Walk a little Plainer Daddy "Walk a little plainer, Daddy" said a little boy so frail. "I'm following in your footsteps And I don't want to fail. Sometimes your steps are very plain, Sometimes they are hard to see. So walk a little plainer, Daddy, for you are leading me." "I know that once you walked this way many years ago. And what you did along the way I'd really like to know. For sometime when I am tempted I don't know what to do. So walk a little plainer, Daddy for I must follow you." "Someday when I'm grown up, you are like I want to be. Then I will have a little boy, who will want to follow me. And I would want to lead him right and help him to be true. So walk a little plainer, Daddy For we must follow you." ( Unknown) Children are precious gifts from God, and parents are precious gifts from God to children. God calls us to be a blessing to our little ones. Being a blessing to our children involves unconditional love and loving patience, compassion and understanding. As we do our best to provide for our children, we are reminded that we, too, are children of God the Father. The poem you just read is very true. How we treat our children, how we express our love for them, and how we handle relationships, will be reflected in our children. They are always learning from us, even when we are not aware this is happening. They truly are following in our footsteps. But, whose footsteps do we follow? It is God the Father, who guides us with the Word made flesh. Our Father in heaven has given us footsteps to follow. We follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ, who is "the way, the truth, and the life." Jesus' word, God's word, "is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path." We proclaim that Jesus has risen from the dead and is actively working in our lives by the way we raise our children. In Jesus and through Jesus, we help our children grow in faith and believe in Jesus Christ, because they see Jesus living in the hearts of their parents. Thank you for being such good parents. And, may Jesus continue to guide you in your sacred ministry of parenthood. 1

2 PRESIDENT S CORNER: School will soon be out and vacation time will upon us and our minds will turn to summer activities and vacation plans. Betty and I have often visited other churches when on a vacation or a get-away weekend. We have visited churches at the beach, the mountains, the lake, and in other cities we were visiting. It has always been a great experience to visit our fellow Lutherans in other locales. We have found gracious welcoming people, fellowship, and the joy of worship. While on vacation, put a visit to a local church on your agenda. You will enjoy it. Sometimes a surprise will await you. On a weekend in Savannah some years ago, we went to a downtown Lutheran Church to attend worship. They had a custom of having a short coffee fellowship time before the service. We were invited to attend. Betty casually mentioned her mother and father first met in Savannah when he was in the seaman s hospital and that we were going to try and find it later in the day. One person said no problem pulled back the window curtain and said there it is! For those of you who were unable to attend the semi-annual congregational meeting, a number of important issues were brought out. Two of importance were: we reached an agreement with our insurance carrier to have the shingles replaced (you can talk to Ray Ziecker about any questions you have) and that the contract for the widening of Alice Drive has been bid and an award is expected mid-june. Mac McLeod has been appointed by council to be our in-house project manager and you can bring your questions to him about the widening project. Do you know what Super Sensational Saturday is? It is an effort being made by the Youth Ministry and others to reach out to un-churched children who presently are in our scouting,school, and after-care programs, with a Vacation Bible School experience, one 4 hour program once a month for six months. We hope to start in October 2012 and complete it in April I hope that we can have a more complete description soon in a bulletin insert. Meanwhile you can find out more about the program from Council Woman Kimberly Dees and ask how you can help in our outreach to children. God be with you, Curt Caulkins Curtis Caulkins, Council President 2

3 JUNE 1 Natalie Palmo 3 Mary Lou Lee 13 Mary Sigmon 15 Elizabeth McLeod, Roy Murray, Missy Hackworth 16 Bryce Lyons 19 Ashley Crawshaw 22 Billie Wagner 23 Jason Carter 28 Michele Moses, Mike Stewart, Susan Wild 29 Art Nerheim, Jr. If we missed your birthday, please let us know either by noting it on the back of your attendance slip, or by calling the church office. Baptismal Anniversaries These young members of our congregation are celebrating their baptismal anniversaries this month: Ashley Hicks, 5/7/01, and Ryan Levi, 5/1/05 Messenger Due Dates Church Council Ministry Teams Anything that you wish to be included for publication in the Messenger should be turned in at the church office or ed to: stjamesoffice@sc.rr.com The deadline is 7 days before the last day of the month. The Church Council meets on the 3 rd Monday of each month. This Messenger and monthly calendar can be found on the St. James website: Click on news and calendar to view them. Mike Stewart Kimberly Dees Carl Simpson Tim Tidwell Curt Caulkins Susan Wild Janet Turner Betty Harvin David Armstrong Outreach/Care: Janet Turner Youth: Kimberly Dees Finance: Curt Caulkins Worship: Tim Tidwell Property: Carl Simpson Education: Betty Harvin Stewardship: Susan Wild Evangelism: Janet Turner Mutual Ministry: Curt Caulkins Spiritual Growth: David Armstrong Church Officers President: Curt Caulkins Vice President: Mike Stewart Secretary: Kimberly Dees Treasurer: Glenn Hesselbart 3

4 Prayer Needs If you have a prayer need and would like it in the next Newsletter, please me at stjamesoffice@sc.rr.com Pray for our Homebound Members, Ed Hart and Don & Jean Hoyt (161 Lakeview Ave. Lakewood, NY 14750) ( ) Pray for our Members in Nursing Homes: Olga Summy, Mary Sigmon, and Betty McClimas Loving Father, we pray for all those in need of comfort in sickness of body, mind or spirit: Denise Copeland, Teeny Taylor (Mary Bradshaw s mother), Prudence Roos (Lois Heal s sister), Dot Barrineau, Serena Loney, Rena Morin (Shirley Veins sister), Nola Geddings, (Hazelee Hallman s sister), Daniel Edwards, (son of Lynn and David Armstrong), deployed in Afghanistan, Deb Forke, Betty McClimans (mother of Marsha Geddings), Mark Denton (deployed to the Middle East), Karl Harbath, Nit Cohen (Kim Strange s sister) Tom Taylor, Donna Denton (sister of Mark Denton, Stan Schaetzle., Janet Bridges, Ernie Reed, Betty Moore, and Pastor Ron Briggs. Ministries, Announcements & Upcoming Events ELCA COLLEGE AND SEMINARY MERGE: On July 1, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia and Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, NC will merge. The first merger of an ELCA seminary and university, it means that Southern will become part of the School of Theology of Lenoir-Rhyne. The seminary will retain its historical identity as well as its campus, where it prepares mostly Lutheran (but also Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopal) ministers. This merger shows the kind of trust hat developed among the leaders of each institution, said Southern Seminary President Marcus J. Miller. Before we had compatible missions. Going forward we have the promise of a vibrant, singular mission. Lenoir-Rhyne President Wayne Powell called the merger a win-win for both institutions. As one university, we will be both broader and deeper, and that makes it a win for students, faculty and alumni as well. ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson added, Both institutions will be enriched with a greater diversity and an increased capacity to serve both church and society. This fall, Lenoir-Rhyne will also launch the Center for Graduate Studies in Asheville, NC. ELCA MEMBERS, CONGREGATIONS, SYNODS, AND OTHERS can celebrate giving a total of $19.1 million to ELCA world Hunger in 2011 surpassing the $18.5 million goal. In 2012, the goal remains $18.5 million. You can visit for videos, and a map showing where donations go, and so much more. 4

5 HAPPY FATHERS DAY! My father, some ninety plus years now, sat on the patio bench. He didn t move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands. I sat down beside him He didn t acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat; I wondered if he was okay. Finally, not really wanting to disturb him, but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was okay. He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. Yes, I m fine, thank you for asking, he said in a clear strong voice. I didn t mean to disturb you, Dad, but you were just sitting there staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were alright. Have you ever looked at your hands? he asked. I mean really looked at your hands? I slowly opened my hands and started down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making. Dad smiled and related this story: Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots, They dried the tears of my children and caressed the love of my life. They wiped my tears when my son went off to war. They have been dirty, scraped, and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold you as a newborn. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved by someone special. They shook when I buried my parents and spouse. They have held children, consoled neighbors, and covered my face, combed my hair, washed and cleansed my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day, when not much of anything else on me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer. But, more importantly, it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when He leads me home. And, with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ. After that day, I will never look at my hands the same way. But, I remember when God reached out and took my Dad s hands and led him home. When my hands are hurt or sore and when I stroke the face3 of my children, I think of Dad. I know he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN ages 3-10 will not meet during the summer. Classes will resume when schools start in the fall. More details will be provided in your August newsletter. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 5

6 Greetings from the Missions Committee, This is a very busy time for us as we are planning to travel to Tanzania this summer once again! We will be departing from Columbia on June 27 th and travelling to Mt. Kilimanjaro by air with layovers in Washington DC & Ethiopia. Then, it is a 2 day trip by van to get to Magoye where we will spend 9 days in the village. While we are there Mildred will primarily be working in the medical and dental clinic providing well-baby checkups and assisting the doctor and dental technician with medical and dental care. We aren t sure what David s primary job will be this trip. He has a variety of skills including medical and contracting skills so he could be doing anything from building orphan homes to providing medical care. Kimberly Dees will be going with us this summer. Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary has approved this trip to be her cross cultural event for studies so Cathy Milejczak has put her in charge of VBS for the village children. She will be leading the VBS program for approximately 200 children from the local villages. In addition, Cathy plans to let her work in the medical clinic based on her previous medical training as a Pharmacy Technician and allow her to be exposed to as many other experiences as she can allow her to do so, including visiting schools to hand out uniforms and school supplies. Upon Kimberly s return she will be writing a paper about her experiences to complete her requirement for her credit and also putting together a display in Lineberger Library at the seminary to share her experience with the seminary community. We will also be excited to once again share our experiences with the St. James community. We ask that you lift us up in prayer as we make this journey once again. We will be gone from June 27 until July 13. Prior to our leaving a poster will be displayed in the narthex will our itinerary so that you will know where will be on each day. Pastor Keith has agreed to commission each of the missionaries on June 24. We hope you will all be able to join us on this special day before we leave. We thank you all for your support as we make this journey once again. It is an honor to represent St. James in this special way. Tanzania is primarily a Muslim country, but in the Southwest Diocese where we will be traveling to, Lutheranism is the fastest growing religion and we are proud to be a part of that growth process.thank you all for your continued support. Blessings, Mildred Tietjen ACOLYTE AND CRUCIFER SCHEDULE FOR JUNE 2012: June 3 Acolyte: Larkin Simpson Crucifer: Caroline Simpson Attendant: Vicki Simpson June 10: Acolyte: Easton Ward Crucifer: Savannah Grace Stewart Attendant: Karen Hesselbart June 17: Acolyte: Larkin Simpson Crucifer: Caroline Simpson Attendant: Vicki Simpson June 24: Acolyte: Andrew Parsons Crucifer: Christian Strange Attendant: Karen Hesselbart 6

7 Dear St. James Family, It is hard to believe, but I have finished my first year of seminary! I am half way through with my studies and next May (2013) I will graduate with my Masters of Art in Religion from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. I could not have done this without the support of my family at home, my mother and my children and my St. James family. At seminary we talk a lot about discernment. Discernment is a fancy word we use that means figuring out what God s plan for our life and ministry is in this world. When I began seminary I believed my call was to be a deaconess. I have learned though that we make plans and sometimes God laughs because His call for our lives is different from what we believe it really is! It has been an exciting year full of ups and downs. For me, it is such a blessing to be at the seminary and to be able to study, meet new people and learn all the things I have an opportunity to learn. I have also learned that for the most part the things that we as a congregation had been told about what is being taught at the seminary were not necessarily true or were taken out of context and blown out of proportion. The teachings of the seminary are true to the Gospel teachings of the Bible. Most of the faculty are ordained ministers or are people who studied and were awarded their Masters of Divinity degrees prior to receiving their PhDs and declined ordination because they realized their call was not to parish ministry. When I began at the seminary there were 7 tracts of study for MAR students. This semester we entered an agreement to merge with Lenoir Rhyne University in North Carolina and with that merger the MAR program reduced the areas of study to 2 tracts. The tract I was originally on was one of the tracts that have been discontinued. The two existing tracts are divided into one tract of study for students who are under the direction of a candidacy committee seeking consecration as a diaconal minister or a deaconess and the other tract is for all other students. After much prayer and discussion with my professors and examining my life situation I made the decision to withdraw from candidacy and not to seek consecration as a deaconess. Please to not mourn for me in this decision. The longer I have been away from St. James the more I have fallen deeper in love with the St. James community and its traditions. If I seek consecration, I would have to add one more year to my studies to do an internship at another site, possibly out of state, which would mean relocating my family. Upon consecration I would then need mobility to move my family elsewhere as it is rare for a deaconess to be placed within her home congregation and I truly feel God is calling me to serve at St. James. I have discussed my discernment decision with both Bishop Yoos and Assistant Bishop Mel Amundsen, who is a member of my field church (Providence Lutheran Church in Lexington, SC) and both are very supportive of my decision to withdraw from candidacy and have said they can do more with me as a an educated lay person than they can if I am rostered as either a diaconal minister or deaconess. I have also discussed this with Pastor Keith and he is also supportive of my decision. My family is supporting this decision as well. I do not believe I would have this level of support if it were not God s intention for me to stay at St. James upon my graduation. I believe it is important for me to stay with the congregation that has supported me during my seminary journey. I also believe that St. James is in a time of growth, not just in numbers but in its ministries and that this is a great opportunity for me to be a part of this experience and I am excited to be a part of this growth! 7

8 I am done with my field education now that I am no longer seeking consecration and am now free to worship full time at St. James. I have been in conversation with Pastor Keith and have agreed to teach Sunday school this fall and am very excited to be a part of Christian education at St. James once again as I believe this is a very valuable part of St. James ministry. I am also in conversation with Pastor Keith about the prospect of other ministry opportunities for St. James. After graduation, I will seek employment locally in the Midlands and continue with ministry at St. James and am very excited about his prospect! As many of you know, I will be travelling to Tanzania this summer for the first time. This is also a part of my studies. Every student at LTSS is required to have a cross cultural event where we work with people who don t look like us, talk like us, etc. LTSS has approved my trip to Tanzania to be my cross cultural event. When I return from Tanzania, I will be writing a paper about my experiences there and presenting it to my advisor at LTSS and I will be doing a display in the LTSS library to share my experience with the LTSS community. I think this is also an exciting opportunity for me to share my love of missions with the seminary community. I thank each of you for your prayers during my seminary journey. I also thank you for being there for me when I needed someone to talk to when I was frustrated with the experience and for celebrating with me when I was excited and happy! I thank you for the scholarship monies you have provided to help offset my expenses. All of these have combined to make my time at seminary a more positive experience! If any of you have questions about my time at LTSS feel free to ask me and I will be happy to discuss it with you as honestly as I am able. I do not have all the answers about the merger with Lenoir Ryne, but can give you the basic information as it has been told to me through meetings with President Miller and Dean Barfield. Love and Blessings to each of you in my St. James Family, I love you all Kimberly Tietjen Dees LUTHERAN MEN S MEETINGS in June, July, and August will be held at the home of Ray Ziecker on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm. ON MAY 27 TH we joyfully received 5 young people into the family of St. James by the Rite of Confirmation. They are: Alexandra Marie Filipiak, Samuel Stone Dowd, Andrew Russell Parsons, Annah Beck, and Chae Leigh Hutchinson. Congratulations to all of you! 8

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11 From the Halls of St. James Lutheran School. Can it really be that we are in the last month of the school year? Yet here we are, about to celebrate not only the closing of one year but also the completion of the first seven years of St. James Lutheran School! We have so much to celebrate: Growth in our school enrollment The graduation of our seventh kindergarten class The addition of a 2 nd grade, 2 ½ year old, and another 3 year old class Growth in our extended care program Seven years of outreach to the Sumter community in providing a solid Christian education for children Addition of our gymnastics program Blessings upon blessings from our Heavenly Father! As this year comes to an end it is with a heavy heart that we say good bye to Mrs. A. We are very happy that she is retiring but we all will miss her greatly. The school is happy to announce the addition of their summer gymnastics classes, which start on June 5 th. There are three classes: Kidnastics, Tumbling, and Cheerleading. If you are interested, but haven t signed up yet, please call the school office at for more information and a permission slip. Please continue to collect your Box Tops, soup labels, ink cartridges and Tyson s labels during the summer and turn them into the school or church office. The school and students benefit greatly from all funds received from these collections. We have raised $1,485 toward our goal of $5,000 for the St. James Lutheran School Scholarship Fund, and your continued support is so greatly needed. Any gift, no matter how small or large will mean so much to a child and his/her family who would like a Christian education. 11

12 Tutoring sessions will be provided during the month of June. The classes are held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week. The cost is $45.00 per week. The tutoring sessions are for students who need help or who want to continue their educations. Private lessons are also available by request. I you wish to sign up, call the school at Thank you to everyone who helped with the Under the Big Top bazaar. It was such a resounding success, raising $ ! Thrivant is donating an additional $1600! These funds will help with the playground upgrade and the new summer gymnastics program. Extended Care will be available all summer; we will also hold weekly summer camps. Each camp costs $95 for full-time students and $50 for those going part-time. There is a one-time $40 registration fee. The camps are: Sun Fun, Under the Big Top, Pets &Furry Friends, Where the Wild Things Are, Featured Creatures, Digging for Dinos, Commotion in the Ocean, and Treasure Island. Room is available. Call today to sign up: ! We would also like to say farewell to the Denton Family. Not only is the family part of our church, but they have been important members of our school, too. Many students have written letters to Major Denton during his deployments. He has graciously written back, helping to educate our children about life overseas. Theresa Denton is the current president of the GEMS group. Farewell, and good luck to you and your family. You will be sincerely missed by everyone. There is lots more change in store for SJLS this upcoming school year. I have hired four new wonderful staff members. Most of you have already met Mrs. Hamm she will be our second four year old teacher for the school year. Mrs. Hayle is our gymnastics instructor for the summer and is a wonderful addition to our teaching staff. She will be assisting Mrs. Hamm in the new four year old class room. Mrs. Sue Tucker joins our SJLS family as our new third grade teacher for the school year. She is an experienced educator and we are lucky to have her as part of our family. Mrs. Bonnie Haney will be our new three year old teacher for the school year. She has 14 years of preschool experience as a three year old teacher. I am so excited about our new school year and staff and so tremendously blessed that God has sent them our way. May the peace of Christ fill your hearts and the love of the Father flow from the halls of SJLS, Brandy Mullennax, Director of Education St. James Lutheran School 12

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14 ST. JAMES LUTHERAN CHURCH 1137 ALICE DRIVE Sumter, SC Return Service Requested Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit 105 Sumter SC Church Office Hours: Monday Friday: 8:30 1:30 Office: Fax: The Reverend Keith Getz, Pastor SERVICES: Wednesday: 10:30 am, Bible Study Noon, Holy Communion Service Sunday School: 9:00 am Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 am Office hours: 8:30am 1:30pm M F ST. JAMES LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSION STATEMENT: called by God, centered in the Word and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we rejoice in the Lord, proclaim His gift of Grace through liturgical worship and service and share Christ s love 14