Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Transcription

1 Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! APRIL 2018 (Now what?) On April 1, the Christian Church celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. The most important festival in the church year is also the singular most important event in human history. But if you could corner the mythical beast of the socalled Average Christian and compel it to talk, you d be hard pressed to learn why. What does it mean that Jesus rose from the dead? First, when we say we believe Jesus rose from the dead, we actually mean his physical body arms, legs, head, the whole thing came back to life. Now, there are some people who want to claim that the resurrection of Jesus was a spiritual resurrection, or some such thing. I m not exactly sure how a spiritual resurrection works, since having a body is kind of a prerequisite to having a resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus was also not a resuscitation. Jesus brought people back from the dead. The widow of Nain s son, Jairus daughter, Lazarus; all were brought back from the dead by Jesus. But they were brought back from the dead to the kind of life they had been living, a life afflicted by sin, ultimately resulting in death. The resurrection of Jesus resulted in a life that cannot end or be plagued by sin and the effects of sin. (This kind of resurrection is what Jesus has promised to give those who are baptized into his name when he returns.) The claim we make on Easter is that a man, a human being like you and me, came back from the dead and for 2,000 years has not died. The two questions this compels people to ask are: is this true and, if so, what does it mean? The evidence for the resurrection speaks for itself. The Gospel accounts have never been disproved, the body of Jesus has never been found, and those who witnessed the resurrection were willing to die for their belief in the resurrection of Jesus. (Hardly what you would expect if the disciples knew they were perpetuating a lie.) The community of people who believed in the resurrection of Jesus would go on to produce the largest voluntary organization in the history of the world, the Christian Church. One of the best ways to lead yourself to believe in the resurrection of Jesus is to try to disprove it. What does Continued on page seven

2 The Gate Updates I was listening to an NPR Hidden Brain podcast the other day entitled, The Lonely American Man ( One man they interviewed said that he got so lonely at one point in his life he hugged the banister in his house In the podcast they talked about how the American view of masculinity teaches us that in order to be a strong man you need to be independent and handle all your problems by yourself. Do not admit weakness or your need for help, or the only men who have intimate relationships with other men are gay, they say. This is all not true, as the research suggests. Men need intimate relationships of trust with other men to be healthy socially. Years ago, as a man grew up, this was mostly satisfied by his extended family; i.e. his brothers, father, uncles, or the men he grew up with in his community. Today, we live in a transient community, where economic pursuits often lead people away from their family and community of origin. When in these new communities, people are reluctant to ever develop relationships because they may be moving in a couple years. The nuclear family is breaking down at an alarming rate. Could this be the result of a breakdown in the extended family and the communities that are formed by a cluster of extended families? Some may think, Thank God I m not around my extended family! I m not here to make any judgment calls on whether this current trend is good or bad. It is what it is. One thing I do see, however, especially in a new, growing community like Ankeny, is a mission opportunity. There are lonely men out there! They need friends (even if they wouldn t admit it). More than that, they need Jesus. Because in the end, we know that friendships cannot satisfy the deepest longing of our souls. That can only be satisfied by an abiding relationship with Jesus. Starting right after Easter, we at The Gate will be starting a 5week series on 1 John. In it, John writes a lot about how much love God has for us and how this flows through us and forms authentic Christian community. I d love for you to pray for us and join us as we dive into this content and live it out in our community. Upcoming Events Easter Celebration, Sunday, April 1 Breakfast: 8:30am, Worship: 9:30am and an Easter egg hunt to follow. Moulton Elementary Sports and Music Camp on Saturday, April 21 Sign up here: Mill Pond Worship and Fellowship on Sunday, April 22 at 2pm Prayer Requests For God to send us more people who want to join us in our mission of leading people into growing relationship with Jesus. That our members would grow in the gift of generosity. That God would bless our Connection Groups as we grow in relationship with one another. Thank you for your prayers and support! Aaron Hannemann

3 Youth Activities Junior Youth Senior Youth group Confirmation Party Make a Bed Keep Them Fed Stay UptoDate

4 Mission Workshop Saturday a Success Thank you to everyone for helping make Mission Workshop Saturday a success! Men and women, boys and girls, individuals and families from ages 4 to 80 came and went, with many staying the majority of the time. This is what they accomplished in just six funfilled hours: 550 Rolled Bandages for Global Health Ministries to be sent overseas 25 Fleece blankets for local organizations 63 Tiny Feet Bracelets for Diana s Angels for mothers who have experienced a miscarriage 100 Craft Stick Crosses for shut ins/nursing home residents and local ministry 57 Easter Cards for Shut ins/nursing home residents 162 Items labeled / tagged with St Paul & The Gate information for DMACC Ministry 12 Knit hats for IOWAY for homeless ministries 73 Painted rocks after labeled and sealed will be placed around Ankeny 34 Surgical Caps completed, 36 in process for children at Unity Point Health Des Moines 575 Witness Bracelets for local ministries and for IOWAY Thank you to Pastor Duncan for starting us off with prayer. Thank you to everyone who came and worked on the mission projects. Thank you to those who donated food for the lunch and items for the projects We had a great time! God Bless you all! LWML Mission Committee Sue Stoll, Sarah Kroemer, Kelly Buttery, Melissa Ozimek. Sara Maxwell, and Joy Wehmas Additional photos on the LWML table and on Facebook. Part of the mission of LWML is to organize and supervise meals for funerals and special events. You do not have to be a member of LWML to help us provide this service. If you want to either help with your time or donate a dish please contact Kelly Buttery at

5 April Mission Project The LWML April mission project is Personal Care Kits for Lutheran World Relief. These kits are shipped all over the world and shared with people who have lost everything from a natural disaster or life threatening violence. One kit includes a towel, bar soap, toothbrush, hair comb and fingernail clippers. Delta Dental donated the toothbrushes. If you would like to donate items for a kit please see the display by the Resurrection window and pick up a list! All donations are due back by April 15. LWML and Jr. Youth Group will be assembling the Personal Care Kits on Wednesday, April 18 from 5:457pm. This is during Junior Youth Group s regular meeting time. Everyone is welcome. Ongoing 2018 Mission Projects Box Tops Mt. Olive Lutheran School Pop Can Tabs Ronald McDonald House Eyeglasses Lions Club Ink Cartridges LWML Des Moines East Zone Plastic Grocery Bags IMPACT Food Pantry in Ankeny Please drop off these items on the LWML table in the Narthex. Shoes Hope Ministries (Box located by Fellowship Hall door) LWML Updates from the President Alleluia! Christ has risen! He lives! How beautiful are those words. Easter is my favorite holiday. God loved us so much that he sent his only son to die for our sins so that we can have eternal life with him in heaven. This year we will not be having any Easter Lilies as the wild fires and the chemicals used in fighting the fires have affected the lily bulbs and our local distributor Renes Greenhouse is unable to get any good quality lilies. They will be substituting with pastel mums. It might be a couple of years before we are able to get good quality lilies. Thank you to all of you who helped to make our mission workshop a success. The LWML Spring Rally will be held on April 14 at Mount Calvary in Indianola. Our next LWML meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 10 at 7:00 pm. All women of the congregation are invited to attend. April hostesses are Betty McConnell, Rachel Kruse, and Ceone Anderson. The April mission project will be personal care kits for Lutheran World Relief. In Christ, Sue Stoll, LWML President

6 Join your St. Paul family on a bus trip to Kentucky to visit the Ark Encounter & Creation Museum July 2225, 2018 Trip Includes: Motor Coach Transportation 3 Nights Lodging 3 Breakfasts Tshirt Admission to the Ark Encounter Admission to the Creation Museum Bible study and Q&A time All taxes and gratuities Great fun and fellowship with your St. Paul family July 2225, 2018 Sunday, July 22 Drive to Kentucky Monday, July 23 Visit the Ark Encounter Tuesday, July 24 Visit the Creation Museum Wednesday, July 25 Return to Ankeny Cost Per Person: Single Occupancy: $660 Double Occupancy: $495 Ask about additional savings for triple and quad occupancies. A $100 payment is due May 1. Remaining balance due July 1. Lodging We will stay in Florence, Kentucky within walking distance of lots of great restaurants, a grocery store, and shopping. Register by May 1. Hurry, space is limited!

7 Continued from page one the resurrection of Jesus mean? Resurrection of the reversal of death. The resurrection of Jesus is only significant if death is a problem. Unfortunately, in our Americanized Christian Culture, we have domesticated death to the point where many of us view it as our friend, the goal, even salvation. But Scripture calls death the wages of sin and the last enemy to be defeated. Death is a problem. Resurrection is the solution. (Much, much more could be said about this, but I m told this is supposed to fit on the front page of the newsletter, so let s move on to the final point.) Jesus rose from the dead, but how can I sure I will be raised from the dead? I want what happened to Jesus to happen to me! The good news, dear Christian friend, is that it will. St. Paul writes this in Romans 6: Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Christ is risen! And you will be too. In Christ, Pastor Duncan McLellan Group guitar Lessons Sundays, at 6:30pm Beginning April 8 Taught by Ryder Neys Note From the President Spring is in the air and the May voters meeting is just around the corner. We have scheduled the May voters meeting for Monday, May 21, since the fourth Monday of May is Memorial Day. Just a reminder that elections will be held during the May voters meeting. If you are interested in sharing your leadership talents at St. Paul, please reach out to Tim Krehbiel. In Christ, Troy Marshall, Council President

8 Every third Sunday of the month at 2:00 pm, St. Paul leads a worship service for the residents at Sunny View Nursing home. Join us. Please arrive at Sunny View at 1:45 pm and be ready to hand out books, help the residents turn pages, and sing the praises of our God for all he has done for us! Playgroup will again be meeting on Wednesday mornings in March. Join us from 9 am to 11 am on Wednesday, April 4 and Wednesday, April 18. Moms, Dads and Grandparents are invited to bring your little ones and enjoy fellowship and playtime. Bring a friend! Join the Lady Diners All widows and single ladies of all ages are invited to join the Lady Diners on Tuesday, April 3 at 6:00 p.m. at The Other Place on SE Delaware (used to be Okoboji Grill). Don t miss out on the fun, fellowship and great food! Call Betty Berlau ( ) or Carol Wenndt ( ) if you have any questions. Cancer Survivors Group Join us on Monday, April 16 at 5:30 at Perkins in Ankeny. Contact Mary Stratmann for more information at Diana s Angels in Need of Knitters Our mission is to serve Christ and be faithful witnesses by providing appropriate burial clothing for premature infants who die and by offering Christian support and comfort to their grieving families. We believe even the tiniest person should be cared for with love, respect and dignity. This mission is very blessed to have you! We made 63 Tiny Feet Bracelets at the mission workshop in March! Thank you to everyone who donated their time. These bracelets go to mothers who have experienced a miscarriage. We are currently in need of large afghans (receiving blanket size). If you are able to help, we can provide you with the yarn. For questions or materials, please contact Kelly Buttery at or kbuttery@outlook.com. Kelly Buttery

9 Praise God from whom all blessings flow in the music ministry! Can you imagine coming to worship services without any music?? I can t either! God has truly blessed us with His awesome gift of music, and all that it brings to our daily lives. For many of us, music accompanies a large part of our days during our workout, in the car, throughout the work day, in the background at home, during nearly every TV show and movie ever made, and of course, during our time together in worship. We may not realize it, but music is happening all the time accentuating our happiest moments, saddest of moments and everything in between. Our Lord has given us a truly amazing way to express emotions. Today, I am thanking God for all of the wonderful opportunities He is providing at St. Paul to use and enjoy this awesome gift to praise, thank, and worship Him! I would like to extend a special thank you to all of the groups and individuals who have been serving in the music ministry this yearyour music is a blessing. As always, if you are interested in being a part of the music ministry at St. Paul in one of our group ensembles or singing/playing in a small group or solo setting during a service, please contact Arkay Brown at or arkay@stpaulankeny.org. I am available to help find music, rehearse, and accompany as needed. As the summer vacation months approach there will be many times available for special music during our worship times. Call Day Approaching We continue to wait (somewhat) patiently for the District Presidents and seminary placement officials to review all the calls submitted for seminary candidates and determine where each candidate will be placed. Call Day in St. Louis is April 24 and Call Day in Ft. Wayne is April 25. Watch parties have been scheduled for both dates here at St. Paul. Tuesday, April 24 St. Louis watch party begins in the Family Life Center at 6:45 pm Wednesday, April 25 Ft. Wayne watch party begins in the Family Life Center at 5:45 pm (Ft. Wayne is on Eastern Time) The call ceremonies will be on the big screen, with snacks and beverages provided. If we are blessed to have a candidate placed with us, the expected start date at St. Paul is approximately July 1. Please keep PRAYING: For the Holy Spirit to continue guiding the process. For the District Presidents and seminary placement officials as they determine where candidates are placed. For all the candidates and their families, especially Andrew Coop, Jeremiah Jording, and Bryan Stecker, as they wait to find out where they will begin their ministry. Greg Stokke, Committee Chair In Christ, Arkay Brown Music Director

10 St. Paul Council Meeting Minutes February 19, 2018 at 6:30 pm In attendance were Pastor Duncan McLellan, Libby Wielenga, Cordell Wabeke, Troy Marshall, Betty Berlau, Amanda Weathers, Dan Drefke, David Reddel, Randy Sunderman, Amy Schmidt. Call to Order. Meeting was called to order by Troy Marshall. Pastor McLellan opened up the meeting asking each in attendance to share something from what you may be reading from scripture that has inspired you. Secretary s Report (David Reddel) David Reddel presented the meeting minutes from the January 2018 council meetings. Several corrections were noted. Several edits to the January minutes were noted. Motion by Dan Drefke to approve January 2018 council minutes. Motion Second by Cari Poock. Motion Passes with corrections to be made as noted. Senior Pastor Report (Pastor McLellan) Pastor expressed his appreciation to the Property Board for the hard work and great job that has been done with snow removal. Other items as reported by Pastor or by Drop Box as follows: We now have the ability to provide the Message for Shut Ins who do not have access to internet. Getting excited about our upcoming VBS. Had fun with Evangelism and The Gate at DMACC providing outreach. This is a huge mission field. Confirmation continues to go well. Confirmation is on May 6th. The Confirmation Class has decided on going to DC and Ocean City, MD. Senior Youth will be going on a trips similar to the ones the confirmation class goes on. We have started having weekly staff meetings and are including parttime staff. Good discussions, camaraderie and teamwork. Working with several couples for church membership as well as welcoming several families through transfer. We now have members of St. Paul on the Young Life Des Moines committee. Bring Young Life to Ankeny will be more challenging than anticipated, but God willing we will make this happen. DCE Report (Amy Schmidt) DCE report as presented and from Dropbox. The 6th Grade Confirmation Class has been so much fun. They have great questions and I enjoy how they express their faith. March 4 is Jam Night. This is a chance for singers, guitarists, and percussionists of every skill level to come together and worship, learn and connect. February 2 thru 4 was the Jr. Youth Retreat at Camp Okoboji. 27th youth and 7 adults attended. Senior Youth is meeting at the Schmidt s house on Sunday s during Lent. Junior Youth is meeting at Café Diem on Wednesday mornings during Lent to study Creation. Met with our music leaders to coordinate children s music and other music goals. Motion by Randy Sunderman to accept Staff Reports. Motion Second by Libby Wielenga. Motion Passes. The Gate (Pastor Hannemann) Pastor Hannemann from The Gate spoke with the council concerning some transitional business and year end matters. Pastor discussed transfer of ownership of the Gate Trailer from St. Paul to the Gate as well as several yearend credit card expenses requiring reimbursement. Treasurer s Report (Amanda Weathers) Yearend reporting is always challenging, but this one was particularly timeconsuming due to the significant amount of year end giving. Thank You to Jason Buls for the help Year ended with contributions in excess of $54, Of this amount, $32, has been transferred to the savings account. This leaves the general fund with a $50, balance as voted on in the November 2017 Voters Meeting. Unrestricted contributions for January was $78,293. This included a lump sum annual giving of more than $28, Normalized offerings for the month are approximately $50, Finished up yearend tasks from issuing 1099s and submitting 1096s to IRS. Completed LCEF cleanup on (b) employee and employer contributions. Expecting higher retirement and disability costs in February due to billing adjustments from Concordia. Any board wanting a detailed listing of expenses incurred should let Amanda know. Amanda recommended putting current Savings funds of roughly $42, into a certificate of deposit for a short term period given the rising interest rate environment that is being experienced. Motion by Cordell Wabeke to move funds from savings into short term certificate of deposit till voters direct how to better use. Motion Second by Libby Wielenga. Motion Passes. Amanda noted that incorrect information was presented to the Voter s Assembly on February 4. It was noted by Pastor McLellan that there was $0.00 budgeted for Pastoral support in This is not correct. As in 2017, there is $ budgeted. Per voter request, Amanda recommended the creation of a new restricted fund to be named building fund, or something similar for funds to be directed for future site needs. As in the past couple of years, Amanda suggested the consideration of continuing the quarterly review of contributions, expenses and general fund balance and applying any excess to such restricted fund as we did with the previous debt elimination campaign. Motion by David Reddel to accept Treasurers Report. Motion Second by Randy Sunderman. Motion Passes. Elder s Report (Jeff Olson) Absent Report highlights from Dropbox. The following were received by Baptism: Liam Everett Down 1/14/18, Mason Luther Fernatt 1/2118, Carter Adam Brady 1/26/18. Received by Transfer Mark, Sue and Zach Johnson from Memorial Lutheran Church LCMS in Ames. Reinstated to Membership Larry and Marlene DaRos. Elders discussed the violent intruder training that occurred in February and bringing this to the membership at large. Upcoming Elders meeting will discuss member inactive to date. Motion by Libby Wielenga to Accept Elders Report in Dropbox. Motion Second by Amanda Weathers. Motion Passes. OLD BUSINESS Technology Committee (Randy Sunderman) New phone in kitchen complete. Changes to the Fire System almost complete. Libby Wielenga asked about getting sound into the nursery with Saturday Night Service. Debt Reduction (Amanda Weathers) Debt Paid. Congregation enjoyed a wonderful catered meal from Jethro s and entertainment for kids thanks to the generosity of Amanda and Ryan Weathers. Security Committee (Tim Krehbiel) Absent Elders and Ushers attended a Violent Intruder Seminar on February 6. This was put on by Ben Hayden. Discussed common sense ideas to protect yourself and others around you not only at church but anytime you are out in public. His primary plan is Run, Hide, Fight. Security Committee feels it would be a good move to present to the congregation on a whole. Council is in favor of this idea. Church Planning Committee (Tim Krehbiel) Absent Planning committee would like to add Ruthie Pottratz to the Planning Committee. Motion by David Reddel to accept Ruthie Pottratz to Planning Committee. Motion Second by Cordell Wabeke. Motion Passes. PTO Policy (Troy Marshall) Libby Wielenga has reviewed all grammatical changes. Troy Marshall completed a once over. Council discussed apply a revision date before incorporating into the overall church policy manual. Staff Contracts (Troy Marshall) All Staff Contracts have been signed. Office Administrator Role At this time, the Council has decided to leave the role as is. As potential changes to this role are discussed in the future, Pastor McLellan and DCE Amy Schmidt will discuss with current Office Administrator Kathy Olson. Gate Funds All required funds have been transferred to the Gate.

11 Call Committee Update (Greg Stokke via Dropbox) The following report was provided by Greg Stokke and read at the council meeting in regards to the activities of the Call Committee. Nine seminary candidates were interviewed by the Committee. Four in St. Louis and five in Ft. Wayne. Based on the information provided about the candidates and the interview process, the Committee prayerfully deliberated and made a recommendation to the Voters Assembly. At the Special Voters Assembly held on February 4, the Voters approved a call to the Board of Placement limited to Andrew Coop, Jeremiah Jording, and Bryan Stecker for the Associate Pastor position at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Ankeny, Iowa. On February 4, the Voters also approved the application of the unused $3,500 from the budgeted amount for Call Committee expenses to the student debt of the candidate placed at St. Paul. If we don't receive a candidate, the funds will remain in the budget for future Call Committee expenses as we look to call an Associate Pastor from the field. An anonymous donor pledged an additional $1,500 for application to the candidate s student debt, for a total of $5,000. The formal call documents were submitted to President Turner at Iowa District West. President Turner signed the documents and they were forwarded to seminary placement officials on February 15. Upcoming events in the process are as follows: The District Presidents and seminary placement officials review all the calls submitted for seminary candidates and determine where each candidate will begin his ministry. Call Day in St. Louis is April 24 and Call Day in Ft. Wayne is April 25. If we are blessed to have a candidate placed with us, the expected start date at St. Paul is approximately July 1. Amanda Weathers brought forth concerns regarding the changing of the call documents after the voters agreed to amount. The council does not have the authority to change a call document once the voters have voted. Though an anonymous donor has stepped forward, the Church is now liable should something happen as well. David Reddel echoed that though he agreed to sign the call documents, we should and are required to follow the direction of the voters. Pastor McLellan agreed to discuss with Pastor Turner at Iowa District West the possibility of changing the Call Documents. Council also discussed that rather than changing the call documents as what transpired, a special fund should be set up to allow everyone the opportunity to contribute to Associate Pastor School Debt or a Welcome Gift as with Pastor McLellan. NEW BUSINESS Council discussed how Church Business is to be handled and reviewing items prior to Voters Meeting. The Church is getting bigger and more complex. Church speed is not fast. When Council only meets once a month and voters twice a year, how do we spend money and conduct business in a timely manner. David Reddel brought up concerns with the Current Constitution becoming a roadblock in a church of this size. David Reddel volunteered leading a committee to review and revise the Constitution. PTO Policy Request Form Push to March Council meeting Staff Goal Setting Pastor is having weekly Staff Meetings Nominating Committee for New Council Officers Per the Constitution a Nominating Committee has been formed. The following members are part of the Committee per the Constitution. President Elect Tim Krehbiel as Committee Chair, Jeff Olson as Head Elder, and Randy Sunderman as Stewardship Board Chair. A fourth member will be nominated. BOARD REPORTS Christian Education (Cordell Wabeke) About 60 people showed up to watch Finding Dori for Family Movie Night. Angela Naeve has been contacted to help create music for this year s VBS. We will be creating our own VBS material this year and Angela will be a large part of the effort. Hymnal will be ordered for all the confirmands with a personalized name plate on the inside cover. Upcoming Events Confirmation Banquet on April 29 VBS will be the Week of June 11th thru 15th. Evangelism (Betty Berlau) Along with Pastor McLellan, Pastor Hannemann, Nancy Medick and Craig W from the Gate, we provided goodie bags, trinkets and service schedules at DMACC on February 7th. Evangelism also accompanied the Junior Youth to visit Mill Pond on January 17. No date has been set for Mission Week. Will be serving the Lenten Meal on February 28th. Will be doing Moms and Donuts with Preschool on April 23rd and 24th. Finance (Jason Buls) Absent. Nothing to report this month Property (Dan Drefke) Exterior door will be replaced during the week of Spring Break which is March 12th. Also working on reapproving drivers per Church Van Policy. Policy requires drivers be reapproved each year. There was some minor damage to an electrical covering during the recent staging of Girl Scout Cookies. Shipping company is paying for damages. If everyone is okay, we will not charge shipping company. Looking at acquiring a recycling bin for property rather than everyone taking home. Stewardship (Randy Sunderman) Still need more volunteers for serving Coffee and Donuts. Postponing mystery meal till after Easter. Will also have New Member Breakfast after Easter as well. Working with Amy on plans for a Congregational Trip to see the Ark and Creation Museum the Week of July 22nd. Youth (Carie Poock) Not much to report for this month. Youth had a great time at Okoboji. No Jr. Youth on Wednesday Nights during Lent. Continuing to think of Fun Things to do! Preschool (Libby Wielenga) Preschool registration has started. 4 Year Olds Class is already full. A waiting list to get in. May need to consider adding another class. Began offering Preschool Enrichment to 4 year old and prek classes on Thursday mornings. Working on online tuition payment options. Fun Night will be April 6th. Serving the Lenten Meal on March 21. CLOSING Motion to adjourn council meeting by Randy Sunderman. Motion second by Betty Berlau. Motion Passes. Meeting adjourned. Lord s Prayer. Next scheduled council meeting for March 19, 2018 as normally scheduled. Respectfully Submitted and Presented by, David Reddel St Paul Lutheran Board Secretary

12 St. Paul Lutheran Church Board of Elders Board of Elders Meeting March 6, 2018 Official Acts (baptism, confirmation, wedding, funeral): Funeral: Norma Jean Justice, February 23, 2018 To be received, transferred or released on March 6, 2018: Received: Dustin and Emma King, from Memorial Lutheran Church, Ames (LCMS) Average worship Attendance in February: 2018: : 458 Average Worship Attendance YTD through February: 2018: : 429 Total Baptized and Confirmed members: Baptized 834 Confirmed 653 Family Units 314 Next Blood Drive October 15 Thank you to the blood donors who came to the St. Paul blood drive March 5. Twenty eight donors donated 26 units of blood, potentially affecting 78 people's lives If you have never given blood before, it is a very rewarding experience as there is no substitute for human blood and often it is needed emergently. The next blood drive at St. Paul with be Monday, October 15 from 3:15 to 7:15 pm in the fellowship hall. See Dorothy Marvin with any questions or concerns. Moulton Sports & Music Camp St. Paul members are invited to be part of a Sports and Music Camp at Moulton Elementary in Des Moines on Saturday, April 21. Of the 515 elementary students, a large majority are refugees and immigrants from a variety of countries. There are currently 27 languages spoken in the school. Judy Newhouse and ISU music students will conduct a music and crafts camp. Pastor Aaron will lead the sports camp. Students and parents will also receive breakfast and lunch. Items needed by the students are: hygiene items, sweatpants, socks and underwear for students in K5th grades. Please bring those items with you. Children ages Kindergarten and up, and adults are welcome! To register for this exciting opportunity, please visit moulton_elementary or contact Pastor Aaron.

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