Messenger. Mark Your Calendar* SPRING/March 2018 MARCH

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1 SPRING/March 2018 Messenger Quarterly Newsletter Nazareth Evangelical Lutheran Church MARCH Mark Your Calendar* March 4: Spring Break Commissioning at 9:00 Service March 7: Lent Soup Supper/Worship Service/Small Groups March 9: Spring Break Service Week Begins March 14: Lent Soup Supper/Worship Service/Small Groups March 21: Lent Soup Supper/Worship Service/Small Groups March 25: Palm Sunday March 28: Lent Soup Supper March 29: Maundy Thursday Worship Services March 30: Good Friday Worship Services APRIL April 1: Easter Worship Services April 8: Women s Ministry Sunday/Blessing of the Kits & Quilts April 14: Night of Worship and Prayer April 25: Last KidzWOW/JUMP56 for the School Year April 26: Last BASIC of the 2017/2018 Academic Year April 29: Confirmation Sunday MAY May 2: Last CHAOS and BIGhouse for the School Year May 16: Planting Naz Gardens (rain date, May 23) May 20: Last Sunday of KidzRock for the School Year May 27: Graduation Sunday *Please check our website for additional updates! Looking Ahead: As you make your plans for the summer of 2018, be sure to save the date for these ministry events! NAZ VBS Rolling River Rampage: Get ready to experience the ride of a lifetime with God June 10-14, Signups for kids and volunteers will begin in May! TEENSERVE Cedar Valley: TeenServe is coming to the Cedar Valley July 8-14, Go to for details or Pastor Brian King at brian.king@naz.org with questions. Handshakes of Hope by Hank Wellnitz Some handshakes are more memorable than others. I will remember Dawn s. Her fingers firmly wrapped around my hand and her gentle brown eyes were unusually warm and greeting for someone she had just met. Dawn s life is written on her face and hands. It is the face of a strong, formidable woman who has seen hardships and trials and hope and joy. Her hands tell a story of long hours in fields that worked the red soil, sowed the seed, and nurtured young plants with a hope and faith that only a farmer knows. We met Dawn on a recently completed H2 Jamaica trip where 61 people from Nazareth and around the country met in Jamaica with the goal of providing health and hope to the Jamaican people. The mission team provides medical and dental help to people in the remote center of the island of Manchester parish. Each day, medical and dental teams leave camp to serve people in different locations. For the past several years, part of the team has installed drip irrigation systems for subsistence farmers. This year, through the generosity of Nazareth members, we had enough funds to install 36 systems. The systems are a great benefit to the farmers. They eliminated the need to hand water each plant during the dry season and provided the potential to double or triple the crops produced in a year leading to greater income for the farmers. It seems to me that a huge amount of hope and understanding were installed along with the systems. As we took time at each farm plot to get to know each other, we heard stories of hope and triumph over adversity. We heard stories of faith and trust in God from people that do so much with limited resources and share with others in need. Sometimes in situations like these, those of us from the resourced world think we can teach folks something on these trips. In reality, it is we who are student servants who come to offer a hand to our brothers and sisters in Christ and who are blessed by each person we get to meet and work with. Just a few weeks before we arrived at Dawn s farm, she had her entire crop of over 500 watermelons stolen. Think about how you d feel if you had your pay, pension, or Social Security check stolen for six months! My attitude would not be what I saw in Dawn. There was no anger or defeat in her voice but a calm resilience that said God s got my back and with the help of her new friends and a new irrigation system things were looking up. Learn more about H2 Jamaica on page three, and thank you for your continued support of this mission!

2 CELEBRATIONS OF GOD AT WORK The IF:Gathering 2018 included 2600 IF:Local's around the world. Nazareth hosted one of the biggest IF:Locals as we had close to 300 women attend. The IF:Gathering is a 2 day event which includes Friday night and Saturday. We had many women attend for the first time. A woman shared with me that her daughter asked her to come. At the end of the gathering, 6 women shared how they felt God speak to them during the two days. One woman shared that she has felt lost the last year. She plans to spend time in God's word trying to discern who Jesus is to her. We encouraged each woman who attended to prayerfully discern what her next steps were to grow closer to Christ. We had 10 women sign-up for an IF:Equip Bible study on Philippians here at Naz. We had several women sign-up for IF:Table and life on life discipleship. One woman is planning to be brave and bold and ask a team of women to host an IF;Local 2019 at her church. We were all challenged to disciple 2 women. IF also released a Discipleship Collective that is helping women disciple a generation one person at a time. Welcome Kristin! Hi! My name is Kristin Sauerbrei, and I am the new Assistant Director of Children's Ministry here at Nazareth. One of my roles is the Sunday Morning Volunteer Coordinator where I recruit volunteers to spend time with the kids each Sunday. I also lead the worship songs for the Kindergarteners through 6th graders! On Wednesday nights, I am the WOW Coordinator and lead the Kindergarten through 4th grade programming. It's a hoot and a half! I am originally from Iowa Falls, but I recently graduated from UNI with a degree in Social Work. I worked at Riverside Bible Camp in Story City, Iowa, for the past four summers where I initially experienced the radical love of Jesus as a long-time camper. As I started my new position in December, I was excited to see God moving throughout Children's Ministry! Volunteers are one of our backbone to our ministry as they are the ones developing relationships with the kiddos and showing them the love of Jesus. We added three new volunteers and have had five college students help sub. A story of God at Work is that I had a mom approach me a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday about her 2nd grade daughter attending KidzRock every other week as she attends Alpha. Her daughter jumped right in and mentioned at the end of the day that she did not have a Bible of her own. The next week we were able to present her with her very own Bible! She was thrilled that she did not have to use her brother's Bible and even asked "Did you guys write this one?" It is a joy to see both parents and kids getting excited about new Bibles and new opportunities to know Christ, grow in Christ and make Christ known! CHAOS Ski and Shop/Sunday of Service: On the second weekend in February, approximately 200 junior high students and 50 leaders went on the annual CHAOS Ski and Shop trip! The trip included time spent in Minnesota skiing, hanging out at an inflatable park, worshipping together, and shopping. While many of the junior high students attended Ski and Shop, the Confirmation students who chose to stay behind had a Day of Service in the place of their normal Confirmation classes...in which they quilted with the Lutheran World Relief Kits and Quilts team and made valentines and cookies for House of Hope. Help Houston: In August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused catastrophic flooding in the Houston Area. This flood inundated hundreds of thousands of homes, displaced more than 30,000 people, and prompted more than 17,000 rescues. Though it has been months since Harvey's widespread devastation, there are still countless ways the Houston area needs our help. We invite you to join us as we Help Houston. This past January, a team helped to rebuild a church preschool that had been flooded, and plans are being made for additional trips to the Houston area to help rebuild areas that have been terribly impacted by the storm. Learn more about the work that has been done and how you can help at

3 CELEBRATIONS OF GOD AT WORK Blessing Enrique: After 30+ amazingly blessed and eventful ministry years, Enrique Q Ochoa left the Nazareth staff at the end of January. After much prayer and discernment, God revealed that the time had arrived for Enrique to pursue other life and ministry opportunities beyond his role as a Nazareth staff member. He shares his extreme gratitude - to God and to so many of you - for the privilege of learning and living through many seasons of ministry here at Nazareth and for the blessing that the Gospel has ALWAYS been faithfully proclaimed here. Enrique welcomes your prayers as he enters a new season of discernment and discovery. Annual Congregational Celebration of Mission and Ministry: On the last Sunday of January, the Nazareth Congregation came together to celebrate all that God had done in and through the people of Nazareth during 2017 and to look forward with hope and excitement towards the plans God has set in place for us as a church in New Council Members Joyce Barbatti, Diane Curtis and Molly Depping were also elected and installed. BASIC Love Does Dinner: On Thursday, February 8th-- BASIC hosted the 6th Annual Love Does Dinner at Orchard Hill Church. Over 150 students attended for a free lasagna dinner, provided by the Nazareth Food Team. Our college-age students then spent the rest of the evening listening to a presentation by Laura Hoy, Orchard Hill Missions Director and partnering with Try-Pie, a local socialenterprise and Nazareth Missions partner, to create over 130 pies. Students had the opportunity to participate in stations (such as crumb, pie filling, box folding & stamping) to learn the entire process of a creating a Try-Pie. The high school girls of Try-Pie worked alongside of our students to educate, create relationships, and encourage! Students also listened to a presentation about economic distribution, participated in table discussion around socioeconomics, and engaged in conversations around how and where we spend our money as believers. It was a fantastic evening-despite the snow storm! And many of our students said they loved watching the Try-Pie high school girls become the educators and encouragers within the college-age community! H2 Jamaica: Thank you to all who donated to this year s irrigations systems project and to all of those who volunteered to travel on this mission! We plan to do another dental/medical trip and to install more irrigation systems again next year. Each system costs around $400, so please be praying about sponsoring a family next year. Or, even better, make the decision to come along and be amazed at what God will do in your life and in the lives of those you meet. For more information contact Barb Ericson at or h2jamaica@gmail.com or Hank Wellnitz at or wellnitz.consulting@gmail.com

4 SERVE Alternatives Pregnancy Center, one of Nazareth s Local Missions partners is holding their annual Baby Bottle Fund Drive. Please stop by Naz Next Steps to grab a bottle to fill with donations for Alternatives and return the bottle no later than Sunday, March 11. Thank you for your generosity! Spring Break Local Missions Opportunities: Come together to serve our community this spring break in a variety of ways by joining the Local Missions Spring Break Serve Teams on March Opportunities include volunteering at the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, serving meals at the Salvation Army, and building at a Habitat for Humanity home. For more details or to sign up, click on the LOCAL MISSIONS SPRING BREAK SERVE tab at Cookies and Carrots are needed for the Lenten Soup Suppers. Sign up at Naz Next Steps or barb.burbridge@naz.org to help out. Join the Naz Pew Cleaning Team! Pew Cleaners are scheduled once per month to help organize the pews after Sunday worship, and we need more team members to help! Teams typically serve on Monday mornings, but scheduling is flexible. Please sign up at Naz Next Steps sometime soon or lindsay.mcdonald@naz.org for more details. LENT and EASTER Wednesdays During Lent: There is STILL TIME for you to journey with us on the Road to Resurrection during this season of Lent as we move toward celebrating Easter! Each Wednesday from February 21 to March 21, we encourage you to join us for: Lent Soup Suppers from 5:00-5:45 p.m. Lent Worship Services from 6:00-6:45 p.m. Lent Small Groups from 6:45-7:45 p.m. Childcare will be available during the services and small groups. Please sign up for a group today at the Naz Next Steps area or online at Small Group Guides and a complete schedule of events for Lent can be found at Naz Next Steps as well. Provision of Ministry Needs: The Nazareth Food and Essentials Pantry and The Blessed Beginnings Learning Center have a need for the following items in the coming months. Nazareth Food and Essentials Pantry: Thursday Lenten Lunches will include special music and meditations focused on Re-Living the Passion. The lunch will be served at noon followed by the teaching and music. These Lenten Luncheons will conclude by 1:00 p.m. Nazareth Holy Week Schedule: Wednesday, March 28: MARCH - Pancake Mix and Syrup APRIL - Laundry Soap MAY - Cereal JUNE - Canned Chicken and/or Canned Tuna Blessed Beginnings Learning Center: MARCH - Sharpie Markers, Pens and Sticky Tack APRIL - Pipe Cleaners and Tissue Paper MAY - Baby Food (no mixed flavors please) JUNE - Black Dry-Erase Markers Donations may be dropped off at the table behind the Welcome Desk in Fellowship Hall. Thank you for your continued generosity! Final Lent Soup Supper (5:00-5:45 p.m.) Thursday, March 29: Friday, March 30: Maundy Thursday Worship (6:00-7:00 p.m.) BASIC Maundy Thursday Worship (7:00-8:00 p.m.) * Good Friday Chapel Service (10:00-11:00 a.m.) High School Ministry Tenebrae Service (7:00-8:00 p.m.) High School Ministry Tenebrae Service (9:00-10:00 p.m.) Sunday, April 1: Easter Sunday Worship Service (8:30 a.m.) Easter Sunday Worship Service (10:00 a.m.) Easter Sunday Worship Service (11:30 a.m.) *THE BASIC Maundy Thursday Service is held at Orchard Hill Church.

5 PASTORAL SABBATICALS Pastoral Sabbaticals: The word sabbatical is rooted in the word Sabbath. The Sabbath is about time. When the work of creation was finished, God rested and reserved the seventh day as time to rest and reflect on the goodness of creation. In the third commandment, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, God protects the gift of time from the insatiable demands of work. In the New Testament, Jesus insisted that the Sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27) As the Son of Man and Lord over the Sabbath, Jesus reclaimed the Sabbath to serve human physical and spiritual needs as God the Creator intended. In so doing, Jesus set the needs for renewal and restoration above the burdensome labor of religious obligations. In these brief examples from Scripture, a picture of the Sabbath emerges. The Sabbath recognizes the physical and spiritual strain of routine toil; it also hallows the time that will be given to God for renewal. The Northeast Iowa Synod recognizes that the cumulative weight of sharing crises, nurturing new programs and striving to meet ever-changing demands and expectations eventually affects a pastor s performance and attitudes. The use of properly planned sabbaticals allows a pastor to more effectively utilize the experience already gleaned in a congregation and allows him to bring new ideas and challenges, enthusiasm and directions to enrich and invigorate existing ministries. The Nazareth Evangelical Lutheran Church congregation also recognizes the importance of a pastoral sabbatical. In the call letter to each of our pastors, the opportunity for sabbatical was provided. Sabbatical is a significant amount of time away from ministry responsibilities and is to be used for both professional growth and personal renewal. It is not an extended vacation. The intent of sabbatical is to sharpen the recipient s skills and to refresh both the spiritual life and a sense of calling. In compliance with both the Northeast Iowa Synod guidelines and the Nazareth pastoral call letters, The Church Council has approved the following sabbaticals for 2018: Pastor Denny Hanson from April 2 through May 23 Pastor Brian King from June 1 though August 31. The remaining staff and the teaching team will assume the responsibilities of each pastor during his time of leave. Provisions have also been made to utilize assistance from pastors in nearby congregations if needed. The Nazareth Church Council fully supports this time of renewal and refreshment for our pastors and appreciates the congregational provision for sabbatical when our pastors were called. Pastor Brian King shares this about his sabbatical: After nearly 22 years of ordained ministry, I am looking forward to my first true sabbatical! My plans for this time include three primary areas of focus: Further academic study/purposeful travel in connection with areas of study including the Lutheran/Protestant Reformation and the Holy Land/history of Israel and Palestine. Enhancement of professional skills by worshipping with congregations and settings similar to Nazareth and spending extended time in conversation with other senior pastors and leaders in thriving, cutting edge ministries so that I might grow in my own leadership skills and knowledge. I would hope to bring back new ideas and initiatives that will increase our staff and congregational health and expand and re-vitalize Nazareth s ministry and outreach. Serve with hands-on mission work through a very active role as the Local Coordinator for a TeenServe Workcamp that will take place here in the Cedar Valley, July This will be the second time I have facilitated a TeenServe Workcamp here and eighth time leading and/or personally attending one. I believe that an event such as this offers numerous life-changing and faithbuilding opportunities for all who are involved! Pastor Dennis Hanson shares this about his sabbatical: Thank you for the opportunity this April and May for me to take some time away in study, renewal and rest. I will be spending a portion of this time at Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, in a self-study directed by Dr. Mark Granquist, who is a Lutheran historian. I will be focusing on the history and theology of Denmark and the Danish emigrants who came to America during the nineteenth century. My research will include the Danish Christians who settled in Cedar Falls, establishing Nazareth Evangelical Lutheran Church in It is my vision to use this research to begin Nazareth s preparation for our 150 th anniversary of ministry in Cedar Falls (that will be in 2022) as a springboard for 150 more years of Christ centered ministry in the Cedar Valley. In addition to study, I (along with Dorothea) will be taking time to connect with our grandchildren and family, as well as intentionally planning times away for personal retreat time, fishing, and gardening. ~Pastor Dennis Hanson ~Pastor Brian King

6 NAZ NEWS Student Spring Break Missions: Please be in prayer for all of the students and leaders who are choosing to be the hands and feet of Jesus on spring break mission trips this March! Alpha/New Members Class: We have been offering three Alpha Courses this winter. One Alpha group meets on Sunday mornings and another group meets on Tuesday afternoons. Alpha 2 is also meeting on Sunday mornings. This is a class on how to study the Bible using the book of Philippians. Another Alpha opportunity will be held on Wednesday evenings beginning on April 4th. Everyone is encouraged to attend-long time members, those new to the faith, and those interested in membership. Alpha allows participants to explore the Christian faith, ask questions, or share their point of view. For more information, jenny.nelson@naz.org. Sing in the Easter Choir! All men, women, and young adults (6th grade and older) are invited to join the Nazareth Choir on Easter Sunday morning, April 1. Our choir will sing at the 8:30 and 10:00 services and you are welcome to join us for some or all of the morning. Minimal preparation required. Simply come to one of the following rehearsals in the Worship Center: Wednesday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. and/ or Sunday, April 1 at 7:45 a.m., ready to minister in the most musical of ways. All abilities are welcome - bring your brother, sister, parent, son, and/or daughter. Contact Nathaniel at nathaniel.parrish@naz.org or Nicki at nicki.toliver@naz.org to sign up or for more information. We look forward to celebrating our risen Savior with you in song on Easter morning! Tulip Time 2018: A trip is being planned for May 3 rd to attend the annual Tulip Festival in Pella. Cost is $65. The bus will leave Nazareth at 7 a.m. and return by 7 p.m. Please stop by the Naz Next Steps Desk for more information, to get a brochure, or to sign up. Call Lori Fegley in the church office at with questions. A Night of Worship and Prayer: All are invited to come to Bethel Hall on Saturday, April 14, at 7:00 p.m. for an evening of worship through songs, prayer and reflection. With any questions or for more details, please jordan.mcdonald@naz.org. Nazareth Gardens: The Local Mission Committee is again planning on having several garden plots in the Cedar Falls Community Gardens this spring, summer and fall. Planting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 16, at 4:00 p.m. (with a rain date being Wednesday, May 23). All of the produce grown will be given away through the Nazareth Food Pantry. Look for more information on how you can volunteer coming in May. Women s Ministry Sunday and Blessing of the Kits and Quilts: All are invited to join us on Sunday, April 8, as we will have the blessing of the Lutheran World Relief Kits and Quilts during the Worship Services. We will also highlight ministry opportunities for women here at Nazareth and beyond. For more information, please contact Donna Kirschenmann at dkmann30@yahoo.com Caravan 2018 for high school students will be heading to Pensacola, Florida, from July Please go to for more details. The cost of this trip is $649 per student, with a $150 non-refundable deposit. With questions, kristina.mcburney@naz.org. Coming Soon: A New and Improved Membership Directory! In our effort to live out our Core Value of Relationships, we would like to improve our membership directory to include cell phone numbers and addresses. To do this, we need your permission. We feel this will be a tool to encourage connection with each other. Please stop by the table in the Fellowship Hall or call Lori Fegley in the church office at to verify your information and give approval for it to be included in the Membership Directory. Nazareth is now hiring for the following positions: Director of Junior High Ministries, Audio Engineer, Wedding Coordinator and Media Coordinator. For complete job descriptions or an application, please go to University Avenue F a c e b o o k : Cedar Falls, IA mynazareth Phone: T w i t t e r : Website: info@naz.org Office Hours: 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (M-T), 9:00 a.m.-noon (F)