St. James Lutheran Church MARCH 2012

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1 St. James Lutheran Church MARCH 2012 In This Month s Issue: Pastor s Points Page 1 & 2 President s Corner Page 3 Birthdays & Baptismal Anniversaries Page 4 Ministries, Announcements &Upcoming events Page 5, 6, 7 Prayer Needs Page 4 School News Page 8 Calendar Page 9 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 (Sanct) 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 PASTOR S POINTS As we journey through Lent, we are reminded of our own sinfulness, leading to death, and God s answer to sin and death, which is love. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life (John 3:16). During Lent, we are reminded of the depths God will go to save us, redeem us, and restore us. Jesus Christ s death on the cross continues to resurrect us to new life now and forever. Our great Physician and Healer, the Christ, comes to us daily, restoring our dignity and healing the brokenness in our lives. A few years ago, I came across the book, Bread and Wine. It is a wonderful compellation of sayings from various Christian authors. In it, Philip Yancey has a great little piece called Jesus Reminders (p ). I will share it with you: To some, the image of a pale body glimmering on a dark night whispers of defeat. What good is a God who does not control his Son s suffering? What possible good could such a God do for us? But a louder sound can be heard: the shout of a God crying out to man: I love you. Love was compressed for all history in that lonely, bleeding figure. Jesus, who said he could call down the angels at any moment and rescue himself from the horror, chose not to because of us. For God so loved us that he sent his only Son to die for us. What practical effect does Christ s identification have on the person who actually suffers? A dramatic example of the effect of this truth was seen in the ministry of Dr. Paul Brand while he was working among leprosy patients in Vellore, India. There he preached a sermon, one of his best known and best loved. At the time, Brand and his workers were among the few in the area who would touch or closely approach a person with Hansen s disease townspeople quarantined them. Brand slipped in late to a patients gathering, sitting on the mat at the edge of an open courtyard. The air was heavy with combined odors of crowding bodies, poverty, stale spices, and treated bandages. The patients insisted on a few words from Dr. Brand, and he reluctantly agreed. He stood for a moment, empty of ideas, looking at the patients before him. His eyes were drawn to their hands, dozens of them, most pulled inward in the familiar leprosy claw-hand, some with no fingers, some with a few stumps. 1

2 Many patients sat on their hands or otherwise hid them from view. I am a hand surgeon, he began, and waited for the translation into Tamil and Hindi. So when I meet people, I can t help looking at their hands. The palmist claims he can tell your future by looking at your hands. I can tell your past. For instance, I can tell what your trade has been by the position of the calluses and the condition of the nails. I can tell a lot about your character; I love hands. He paused and looked at the eager faces. How I would love to have had a chance to meet Christ and study his hands! But knowing what he was like, I can almost picture them, feel them. He paused again, then wondered aloud what it would be like to meet Christ and study his hands. He traced the hands of Christ, beginning with infancy when his hands were small, helpless, futilely grasping. Then came the hands of the boy Jesus, clumsily holding a brush or stylus, trying to form letters of the alphabet. Then the hands of Christ the carpenter rough, gnarled, with broken fingernails and bruises from working with saw and hammer. Then there were the hands of Christ the physician, the healer. Compassion and sensitivity seemed to radiate from them, so much so that when he touched people they could feel something of the divine spirit coming through. Christ touched the blind, the diseased, the needy.. Then, continued Dr. Brand, there were his crucified hands. It hurts me think of a nail being driven through the center of my hand, because I know what goes on there, the tremendous complex of tendons and nerves and blood vessels and muscles. It s impossible to drive a spike through its center without crippling it. The thought of those healing hands being crippled reminds me of what Christ was prepared to endure. In that act, he identified himself with all the deformed and crippled human beings in the world. Not only was he able to endure poverty with the world, weariness with the tired, but clawed hands with the crippled. The effect on the listening patients, all social outcasts, was electrifying. Jesus a cripple, with clawed hands like theirs? Brand continued. And then there were his resurrected hands. One of the things I find most astounding is that, though we think of the future life as something perfected, when Christ appeared to his disciples he said, Come look at my hands, and he invited Thomas to put his finger into the print of the nail. Why did he want to keep the wounds of his humanity? Wasn t it because he wanted to carry back with him an eternal reminder of the sufferings of those on earth? He carried the marks of suffering so he could continue to understand the need of those suffering. He wanted to be forever one with us. As he finished, Paul Brand was again conscious of hands as they were lifted, all over the courtyard, palm to palm in the Indian gesture of respect, namaste. The hands were the same stumps, the same missing fingers and crooked arches. Yet no one tried to hide them. They were held high, close to the face, in respect for Brand, but also with new pride and dignity. God s own response to suffering made theirs easier. As resurrection people we know that we are united to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But we are also reminded that Jesus Christ is united to us through our sufferings. And in the midst of our pain and humiliation, Jesus Christ redeems our lives so we can see the glory of God that comes from suffering, the power of God that comes from the cross. We can see despite our sufferings that Jesus has conquered sin, death, and suffering. And we, too, are inheritors of eternal life as heirs to God s Kingdom, a reality that will be fully revealed when Christ returns. Pastor Keith 2

3 PRESIDENT S CORNER: On Saturday, February 11, your council and your Pastor met at the annual council retreat to examine the life of our church now and our hopes for the future. Mrs. Dot Weishuhn, Chairperson of the St. James Lutheran School ministry team, presented the team s vision of our school and its place in our congregation and the community in which we live. Mr. Sep Harvin, Chairperson of the Long Range Planning committee, shared results of their recent poll of the congregation and their vision of what we could be doing in the future. Together, these presentations described ways each of us can grow as individuals in our faith and together as a congregation. You will be hearing more about this as we begin to examine these issues and bring recommendations to you. Pastor Getz spoke about change. He counseled us not to be afraid of change, but rather to use it in ways that enhance our lives and the practice of our shared faith and values. Later, two issues came to the forefront. The first was Christian education, especially that of our youth. We agreed that we jointly, with you, the congregation, must continue our efforts to improve Christian opportunities for our children of all ages. New classes for early communion and classes for confirmands are now starting. We will be looking for ways to improve and grow Sunday school opportunities. Mrs. Susan Wild gave a presentation discussing ways to improve our understanding of stewardship and our responsibilities to put that stewardship into action. Have you noticed that the pews seemed fuller in January? They were. I wonder how full they would be if each one of us decided to attend church services every Sunday in Lent? Think about it! Curtis Caulkins Curtis Caulkins Council President LENTEN SERVICES WILL BE HELD AT NOON AND AGAIN AT 7:00PM ON THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAYS: MARCH 7, 14,21, AND 28 TH IN THE SANCTUARY. EASTER SERVICES WILL BE HELD AT 7:00AM AND AT 10:00AM ON EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 8. THE MEN OF ST. JAMES WILL HOLD AN EASTER BREAKFAST FROM 8:30-9:30AM IN THE FELLOWSHIP HALL. 3

4 MARCH 1 Ryan Levi, Elton Hallman 2 Susan Hamm, Becky Marshall 3 Lori Burroughs 8 Joyce Diehl 9 Reba Mahaffey 2 Mary Bradshaw 13 Lindsey Palmo 19 Ed Hart, Matt Wright, 20 Sean Hackett, Bruce Murray 21 Heather Murray 23 Curtis Cousins 24 Lionel Viens 27 Connie Hallman 28 Jacob Hackworth 29 Lindsay Schmeling, Olivia Begley 30 Deuward Bultman, 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: Annah Beck: 3/5/00; Alex Copeland: 3/26/89; Peter Hackett: 3 /6/94; and Amanda Owens: 3/13/94 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 4

5 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: Marilyn Kalamas, Olga Summy, and Mary Sigmon Loving Father, we pray for all those in need of comfort in sickness of body, mind or spirit: Phyllis Wisniewski, 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, Richard Rasmusssen, Mark Denton (deployed to the middle east), Betty McClimans (mother of Marsha Geddings), Pastor Getz, Jane Hart, and Carl Harbath. Ministries, Announcements & Upcoming Events For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 ASSORTED KITCHEN ITEMS have been left in the church kitchen from previous fellowship hall events, including dishes, casseroles and assorted bowls, even an iron. Please claim any items that might be yours and remove them at your convenience. THE EVANGELISM TEAM will meet at 6:30pm on Thursday, March 1 st in the church office. If you are not currently a member of this team and wish to be included, please call Marjorie at the church office THE CRAFT GROUPS SCHEDULE: 1 st Wednesday of the month: Knitting and Crocheting 7:00pm in the fellowship hall 2nd Wednesday of the month: Arts and Crafts 7:00pm in the fellowship hall 3 rd Wednesday of the month: Jewelry Making 7:00pm in the fellowship hall 4 th Wednesday of the month: Scrapbooking 7:00pm in the fellowship hall There is no charge for these activities, except for supplies. For more information please call Kimberly Dees at or Marilyn Jenkins at

6 WE WILL HAVE WEDNESDAY EVENING LENTEN SERVICES ON March 7, 14, 21, and 28 th at 7:00pm. Please plan to attend our Lenten Supper held at 6:00pm in the fellowship hall. Sign- up sheets will be available each preceding Sunday in your bulletin, or please call the church office ( ) for reservations. The suppers will be catered by our very own Hugh China, owner of Café on Main and the menu will change each week. The cost will be $7.00 for adults and will include: a soup, ½ sandwich, chips, desert and tea or coffee. Children s meals will cost $2.50 which includes ½ sandwich, chips, desert and beverage. Here is a copy of the menu for each remaining week: March 7 th : Tomato Bisque soup with a ½ Hickory smoked bacon tomato grilled cheese March 14 th : Bacon and potato soup with ½ grilled pastrami sandwich March 21 st : Beef and vegetable soup with ½ ham and cheese sandwich March 28 th : Chicken and pasta soup with ½ turkey sandwich. There will be no Wednesday Lenten service during Holy Week which starts with Palm Sunday on April 1) Easter services will be held on April 8 at 7:00 and 10:00. The men of St. James will host an Easter breakfast from 8:30am to 9:30am. There will, however, be a Maundy Thursdays service at 7:00pm (April 5 th ) and a Service on Good Friday at 7:00pm (April 6 th ). On March 17 & 18 the 2 nd Annual Daffodil Art & Craft Show will be held at the Fair Memorial Building, 30 Artillery Dr. Saturday from 9am-6pm and Sunday from 1pm-5pm Presented by Sumter Crafters. We will have many crafters and art on hand. FREE admission and parking. Non-perishable food items will be collected for Hope Harvest. For more information, all (803) SJLS GREEN JUGS will be placed in the narthex every third Sunday of the month, so bring your spare change for education. Our SJLS students will be there to bring a smile to your face. COME ONE, COME ALL to Under the Big Top at SJLS on Saturday, April 21 st from 6-8:30 pm. Tickets are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children. The menu is your choice of hamburger or hotdog with your choice of toppings, slaw, pork and beans. There will tickets on sale five for $1.00 so all the kids can play all our wonderful carnival games. Make sure to save room for snow cones, popcorn and cotton candy! You don t want to miss out on our silent auction that will be held in the fellowship hall. Be on the lookout for Rags the clown and the crazy balloon man. We hope to see all of you there so mark the date! DONATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED for the SJLS Spring Benefit Silent Auction. Please see the school board members if you have an item to donate. Thank you so much for your support! BRANDY IS LOOKING FOR three businesses who would like to sponsor an event at the Spring Benefit. The sponsorship is a small cash donation to cover the cost of a food cart so that SJLS will receive total profit. Please call the school at if you are interested. 6

7 MY HUSBAND MARK deployed to the Middle East and will be there for the next four months. If you have the chance to send him a note while he's gone, he would certainly appreciate it. His address is listed below. Thank you! Sincerely, Teresa Denton Mark Denton 4th BCD/CAOC AUAB/AFCENT APO AE FIRST COMMUNION CLASSES WILL BE HELD on March 18 and 25 in the Library during the Sunday school hour. Anyone who would like their baptized children to start receiving Christ s body and blood in bread and wine at our lord s Table or would like to know more about First Communion, please contact Pastor Keith or call the office. First Communion for these children will be held during the 10:00am Easter service on April 8 th. CONFIRMATION CLASSES WILL RESUME starting on Tuesday, March 6 at 6:00pm in the Library. Classes will meet once a week on Tuesdays at 6:00pm. The classes will be focusing on understanding the Triune God better and how a relationship with Christ matters to them in their particular life setting. Each student will need to pass the requirements of the class in order to be prepared for confirmation. I look forward to teaching this year s class and am excited about getting to know the youth of our congregation better. If you have any questions, please call Pastor Keith. Pastor Keith SPOTTED ON A CHURCH MARQUEE: Love your enemies. After all, you made them! ALL ADULTS OF ST. JAMES are invited to join J.O.Y. group (just older youth) at Patriot s Hall on Sunday, March 18 for the community band concert. We will meet in the lobby at 3:30pm. We plan to go to a local restaurant for supper after the concert. There is no charge for the performance. Questions? Call Carol Ziecker at DON T FORGET to turn your clocks ahead one hour on March 11 th. We spring forward for the start of daylight saving time on the second Sunday in March. POINT TO PONDER: Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine. Ralph Waldo Emerson THE NEW DAILY DEVOTIONAL BOOKLETS for April, May and June are in. Please pick one up in the wall rack in the narthex. 7

8 St. James Lutheran School March News Pre-registration for Pre-registration for has started for children or grandchildren of St. James members. If you have a preschooler, kindergartner, first, second or third grader, please call or come visit us as you make plans for next year. Please do not delay one of our classes is already full and the others are filling up fast. What s Happening? The school board is planning for the spring benefit. This year s celebration theme is Under the Big Top of SJLS. They are currently looking for items to donate for the silent auction. If you have anything or know of a business that might be willing to donate, please call the school or get in touch with any of the board members. We would greatly appreciate your help. SJLS Pancake Breakfast at Applebee s Saturday, Feb. 18 th 8-10 was a huge success! Thank you to all of our parents who sold tickets to support SJLS and to our board members who served all of the wonderful food. On March 1 st, scholarship applications for the school year will be available. If you are in need of financial aid, please contact Brandy Mullennax in the school office by calling or ing her at sjls1137@sc.rr.com. March 2 nd is Dr. Seuss birthday. He would have been 108 years old! Our children will celebrate his birthday with their teachers and class. Break out your Cat in the Hat costume and have some fun! On March 6 th, the 1 st and 2 nd Grades will attend a Dr. Seuss Read Across America event at Patriot Hall. They will leave the school at 9:30am. Chaperones are welcome. Permission slips will be out soon. March 12 th is Spring Picture Day! Dress your child in his or her best. Picture prices will be out at the beginning of March. Purchase one and enjoy seeing how much your child has grown! March 26 th 30 th is our Spring Book Fair. This is a great way to help out the school while getting some great gifts! Mrs. Cameron will soon be looking for volunteers. If you have time available, please sign up. We would also like to extend prayers to our deployed military members, Maj. Mark Denton and Maj. Kristy Radio. SMSgt Matt Morehouse will be deploying in March. Please keep these family members in your prayers. While the next two events are a long way off, they are being mentioned so you have plenty of time to plan ahead. Easter Sunday is April 8 th, which is immediately followed by Spring Break (April 9 th 13 th ). School will be closed, but Extended Care will be open. This will be a wonderful time to celebrate Easter with a week-long vacation! 8

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10 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