THINGS WERE HOPPING AT AMERICAN LUTHERAN IN APRIL!

Transcription

1 THINGS WERE HOPPING AT AMERICAN LUTHERAN IN APRIL!

2 Pastor Carl Larson Admin Assistant Carol Ydstie Preschool Teacher Nicole Scott Christian Education Coordinator Amy Lease President Church Council Vice President Secretary Treasurer Emily Mueller Gary Wellnitz Jennifer Waniorek Mary Bjordahl Property/Management Gerald Grimm Neil Pauli Gary Wellnitz Youth & Education Finance Emily Mueller Jessica Zemlicka Deb Homan Jason Mischel Robert Biersbach Shane Schuchard Worship/Evangelism Jennifer Waniorek Shirley Olson Ron Boe After celebrating Easter and with the warmer weather, I feel energized to do more for the church and be more active with activities that are going on at the church and in the community. I want to encourage everyone to remain proactive within the church, and not just become reactive. Don t wait for someone to ask if you can help with something, ask if there is anything you can do to help. The more I help with, the more I get to meet new people or get to know people better. It s a great way to continue to build the great church community that we already have. At the April council meeting, the council voted to hire Amy Lease and Nicole Scott through the end of 2014 using a portion of the Dolores Peterson memorial money, to help with education coordination. We are excited to have Amy join the staff at ALC, and to have Nicole helping in new ways as well. We continue to finalize plans for the playground equipment. We currently have over $15000 to put towards the equipment, and we will hopefully be making the last few decisions soon. We will be adding a 15 passenger van to the church s wants list. We feel this would be a great asset for the church. We see that it could other transportation needs. If you are interested in donating towards this want, please let a member of the council or Pastor Carl know. Happy Easter and Happy Spring! Emily Mueller, Council President The Noisy Offering has reached a balance of nearly $500! E astertide is the period of fifty days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday (June 8 in 2014). Each Sunday of the season is treated as a Sunday of Easter, and, after the Sunday of the Resurrection (Easter) they are named Second Sunday of Easter, Third Sunday of Easter, etc. up to the Seventh Sunday of Easter, while the whole fifty-day period concludes with Pentecost Sunday. Easter Sunday and Pentecost correspond to pre-existing Jewish feasts: The first day of Pesach and the holiday of Shavu ot. In the Jewish tradition, the 49 days between these holidays are known as Counting of the Omer and are remembered by spiritual preparation in remembrance of God giving the Hebrew people the Torah. The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on the fortieth day of Eastertide (a Thursday). The days from that feast until the Saturday before Pentecost are days of preparation for the Holy Spirit or the Paraclete. alcoffice@itcmilbank.com (605) Flynn Drive, Milbank SD 57252

3 UNITY IN CHRIST One day, a man was walking across a bridge and saw another man standing on the edge, about to jump off. He immediately ran to him and said, "Stop! Don't jump!" "Well, why shouldn't I?" he replied. The other said, "You ve got so much to live for!" "Like what? "Well are you religious or atheist?" "Religious." "Me too! And are you Christian or Jewish?" "Christian." "Me too! Are you Catholic or Lutheran, or Protestant?" "Lutheran." "Me too! Are you Missouri Synod, Wisconsin Synod, ELCA, or another branch? "ELCA." "Wow! Me too! Are you ALC or LCA?" "ALC." "Me too! Are you Norwegian Synod of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church of 1918 or the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America of 1917?" "The Norwegian Lutheran Church of America of To which he said, "Die, you heretic!" and pushed him off the bridge. Often when we start discussing our faith traditions, it seems that the smallest things can divide us. Even though we agree on 99% of the things discussed, it is that minute detail that often creates barriers. The body of the Lord the church was created by Christ to be one big family. Yes, we differ in opinion on some issues. But God s plan for all of us is that we are going to spend eternity together, so lets push ourselves now towards learning how to live in peace with one another. In fact, lets go even further by taking the initiative to make a real difference in the world, by showing love for each other now. In a letter to the people of Strasburg in May of 1536, Martin Luther wrote: I shall not be found wanting in any respect if it please God; I shall do and suffer as much as I possibly can to achieve a true, sound, permanent unity. Experience has taught us very clearly what good the disunity of the churches does ---unfortunately. Christ, our Peace and Consolation, be with all of you until the end. Amen. Let s not be like the man who pushed the other off the bridge. Let s try to learn from one another and always love one another. In Christ, Pastor Carl By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35 If you re looking for a perfect way to celebrate Mother s Day, flowers and brunch, cards and chocolate are all good. But what most moms want most of all is a strong family.. to love and to be loved by! Few things make a family stronger or more loving than worshipping together. So bring the mom(s) in your life to worship at ALC on Mother s Day morning, where we will have not only great music and inspiring sermon, but a special family blessing of Mothers. May Lectionary 1st Reading Psalm 2nd Reading Gospel May 4 Acts 2:14a, Ps 116:1-4, Peter 1:17-23 Luke 24:13-35 May 11 Acts 2:42-47 Ps 23 1 Peter 2:19-25 John 10:1-10 May 18 Acts 7:55-60 Ps 31:1-5, Peter 2:2-10 John 14:1-14 May 25 Acts 17:22-31 Ps 66: Peter 3:13-22 John 14:15-21

4 American Lutheran Church will honor the 2014 graduates on Sunday, May 11 during and after the 9:00 a.m. worship service. ALC graduates include (clockwise from upper left) Claire Kastrup, William Hins, Maddie Foss, Kayla Pinkert, Hannah Scriver, Tanner Robertson, Morgan Jones and Kate Leddy. Congratulations, ALC graduates! 1 Bernette Searcy (b) 9 Alan DeLong (b) 20 Ken & Marge Keller (w) 28 Kevin & Mary Bjordahl (w) 2 Mary Bjordahl (b) Kjersten Ydstie (b) Pr. Carl Larson (b) Jordan Dorneman (b) Wendy Boerger (b) 11 Destiny Jay (b) 22 Dean & Tiffany Wellnitz (w) Dustin Prisinger (b) 3 Nick Mears (b) 12 Dustin & Angela Boerger (w) 23 Archer Mathiason (b) Ashley Smith (b) Ryan VanMeter (b) Jordan Hins (b) Neil & Cheryl Pauli (w) Amber Unzen (b) 5 Katie Loutsch (b) 13 Marion Mischel (b) 24 Miranda Madsen (b) 29 Nancy Fosheim (b) 6 Brooke Nelson (b) 14 Gary & Karla Wellnitz (w) Logan Paysen (b) Kevin & Terri Kouba (w) Neil Thorson (b) 15 Christian Aden (b) Larry & Dorothy Thompson (w) Ryan Saxton (b) 7 Janine Folk (b) 16 Garrett Cook (b) Garrett Tumlinson (b) Amber Wellnitz (b) Reese Schuneman (b) 17 Maren Davis (b) 26 Doris Bergan (b) 31 Isaac Johnson (b) Shannon Zemlicka (b) Amy Peterson (b) 27 Bryan Appl (b) Leona Shaw (b) 8 Jan Storm (b) James & Deanna Stickland (w) Joan Johnson (b) Ryan & Sara VanMeter (w) 18 Don & Nicole Peterson (w) alcoffice@itcmilbank.com (605) Flynn Drive, Milbank SD 57252

5 During the month of April, we were fortunate to get April-fooled with our crazy weather. Speaking of which, the kids loved to play April Fool s jokes on me. There s a bear behind you Mrs. Scott. I looked and the kids started giggling away. Oh the love! We had the pleasure of having Heidi Mischel bring her daughter Marion in to talk about her baby chicks she s raising. She gave us the opportunity to feel, touch, and hear their cheerful peeps. Thank you again for sharing! We enjoyed a teddy bear picnic with our favorite stuffed animal, going on a camping adventure, and enjoying Easter activities including counting jellybeans and a big egg hunt throughout the church. Our focus was on the oval shape, number 9, colors purple and blue, and the letters Jj and Uu. We are eagerly looking forward to our upcoming days together before summer break begins. On Sunday, May 11th, we will honor and recognize the students during the morning Last but not least, we will be celebrating our final day of preschool scheduled for Thursday, May 15th. As the old saying goes, April showers bring May flowers. Happy Spring to all! -All of us at ALC Preschool Seek the Lord and you will find him. Deut. 4:29 Harley Zemlicka Noah Lease Rhylei Gengler Macy Mueller Jeryn Bormann REGISTRATION (A few openings remain for Fall 2014) Classes held Monday-Thursday 3 Year Olds: 8:15-11:15 AM 4 Year Olds: 12:15-3:15 PM Monthly Tuition: $144 For more info, please contact: Church Office ( ) alcps@itcmilbank.com (Registration Packets available at Welcome Center) On behalf of the Preschool, we would like to say THANK YOU to everyone that has helped support the preschool this year in any capacity. We truly appreciate it! As we begin to get ready for Fall, we are looking for items (good/excellent condition appreciated) to help furnish our classroom-some ideas include: -Puzzles (Wooden, Board, or 24-48pc) -Books -Games (with all pieces) -Mr. Potato Heads & Accessories -Building Items (Legos, Tinker Toys, Wood Blocks -Boy Items (Matchbox Cars, Trucks, Dinosaurs) -Girl Items (Barbies, Ponies, Dress-Up, Dolls) -Outdoor Items (Balls, Jump Ropes, Pails & Shovels) Shop Amazon? Search our Wishlist American Lutheran Preschool - lots of ideas to choose from! Want to help? There are many ways! Any help is greatly appreciated!!!! Monetary Donations (to be used for ideas such as equipment, furnishings, supplies, etc.) Snacks/Drinks ~ Giving Tree Amazon Wish List Donations for Financial Scholarships* Thrivent Choice Dollars Reading or Doing an Activity *Please mark intended scholarship donations as such, and you may give them to Pastor Carl, Mary, Carol, or any preschool board members.

6 We all have a story. Moments of success and failure, pride and disappointment, joy and heartache, hope and despair, and moments that have marked us forever. We all have a life story. We also have a faith story. A story that is as individual as we are. Take a moment and think about who or what has shaped your faith. What event do you attribute to the moment that made a difference? How did it change your direction? Who was that ed relationship. If you have not thought about your faith journey here are a few questions to get you thinking: What is your first memory of church or learning about God? Who taught you about Jesus? Who first offered you an opportunity to ask Jesus to come into your heart? What Bible stories captured your imagination most when you were young? What did you believe about God when you were six years old? How did you know God existed or what you believed was true? Now, reflect on the ways your faith has changed: What do you believe about God now? To what extent has your faith become stronger, deeper, or wider? What aspects of Christianity have become more difficult to believe? SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER RECOGNITION MAY 4 Why do you think these changes have happened? What about your childhood faith would you like to recover? The Bible is filled with stories! We love to talk in stories and so did God. Where do we find ourselves in the pages of His word? It is important to know God s stories and it is important to know our faith story. Hearing stories over and over and over remind us how God was truly present in the lives of people in the Bible, as well as in our own lives. We find ourselves in the stories, taking on the different perspectives of different people at various points of our life. The verses being revealed to us layer by layer, peeled back at just the right time for our understanding. It reminds me of the third verse of the hymn, I Love to Tell the Story. I love to tell the story; tis pleasant to repeat what seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet. I love to tell the story, for some have never heard the message of salvation, from God s own holy Word. How can we help to nurture the faith journey and formation of one another here at American Lutheran Church? I believe that being ready to share your story, and being willing to share your story may be a great start. God s Blessings to you today and every day! Amy Lease,Christian Education Coordinator ACOLYTE May 4 Amber Unzen Claire Mischel May 11 Zach Pinkert May 18 Tara Thyne May 25 Ethan Paysen BULLETIN DELIVERY May 4 Gretchen Biersbach May 11 Brady Gomer May 18 Alysha Madsen May 25 Jacob Thyne FELLOWSHIP HOUR May 4 William Hins Morgan Jones Jacob & Aimee Thyne May 11 Senior Recognition May 19 Andrew Mears Kirsten & Gretchen Biersbach Chris Loutsch MILBANK YOUTH MISSIONS PRIME RIB DINNER & HIRE-A-KID AUCTION Sunday, May 4, 2014 ALC, Milbank 6:00 Social/6:30 Dinner Please note: Coffee fellowship in the summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day) is NOT hosted by the youth. If you would like to honor a loved one (birthday, anniversary) by hosting, or would simply be able to help out, please sign up at the Welcome Center. Thanks! Tickets are being pre-sold for $30 per person. To purchase tickets call Jacob Stinson and Maddie Foss are joining 23 other area youth from six congregations on a mission trip to Orange County, CA, this July. In order to raise funds, the youth are sponsoring this prime rib dinner, providing entertainment and offering their services in a Hire-A-Kid auction. These bid sheets will become available first to the ALC congregation during our coffee hour on May 4th. alcoffice@itcmilbank.com (605) Flynn Drive, Milbank SD 57252

7 Blood Pressure Checks May 4 10:00 a.m. We will be having a Walking Program get together at 4 pm on Thursday May 8th at Parkview United Methodist Church. Details to follow! An elderly lady was well-known for her faith and for her boldness in talking about it. She would stand on her front porch and shout "PRAISE THE LORD!" Next door to her lived an atheist who would get so angry at her proclamations he would shout, "There ain't no Lord!!" Hard times set in on the elderly lady, and she prayed for GOD to send her some assistance. She stood on her porch and shouted "PRAISE THE LORD. GOD I NEED FOOD!! I AM HAVING A HARD TIME. PLEASE LORD, SEND ME SOME GROCERIES!!" The next morning the lady went out on her porch and noted a large bag of groceries and shouted, "PRAISE THE LORD." The neighbor jumped from behind a bush and said, "Aha! I told you there was no Lord. I bought those groceries, God didn't." The lady started jumping up and down and clapping her hands and said, "PRAISE THE LORD. He not only sent me groceries, but He made the devil pay for them. Praise the Lord!" The Baseball Psalm The Lord is my Manager, I shall not quit. He makes me run in green outfields. He leads me along the straight paths. He restores my place in the heavenly lineup. He leads me in reading life s signals for His game s sake. Even though I walk up to a volley of devilish pitches, I will fear no strikeout, for God is with me. You promise me a bonus in the presence of my opponents. You anoint my sore spots with balm; my locker runs over. Sure my stats will be forgiven all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the eternal hall of fame. Thank you for the kind gesture of giving us a plant for our first day of worship in our new building. Numerous members of our congregation commented on the thoughtfulness of your gesture. Peace be with you. Living Word Lutheran Church A huge THANK YOU goes out to Nicole Scott for stepping in to prepare the Parish Light these past four months. She has a real gift for graphic design and photography. Be sure to visit the church web site (americanlutheran.com) to see more of her and Matt s work! Nancy Fosheim Thanks to all who sponsored or participated in the 5K Run/2k Walk on April 19. Christian Karels was the overall winner in a time of 16: Taylor Lokken was the top female with a time of 21: MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR APRIL 4, 2015!! Heidi Mischel Prayer Shawl Ministry Thank you for the beautiful blanket and the prayers that came with it. Just knowing that it was handmade with love makes it all the more meaningful! Thank you ~ what you are doing is a wonderful thing. God Bless, Jer & Sandy Kathman, Taylor & Tannah Thank you for egging me. I had fun. Raimi Kelzer In memory of many, In honor of all, Thank you

8 May Love in Action Aho, Tara Bates, Mark & Michelle Boerger, Luke & Wendy Bolstad, Wesley & Doris Bohlen, Roberta Buhler, Lois Busk, Randy & Rosemary Goetschius Davis, Jim & Karen Fosheim, Sidney & Nancy Fraasch, Douglas & Lavonne Frederiksen, Joe & Jessica Gomer, Blaine & Pam Grabow, Jason & Ellie Gruba, Ryan & Steph Gulck, David & Ruth Hamman, Lance & Lisa Anderson Johnson, Debbie Loeschke, Roger & Ann Lohr, Carol Mathiason, Alan & Kathy Mathiason, Justin & Dana Moser, Evelyn Petersen, Herb & Arla Pillatzke, Leo & Diane Roedocker, Matthew & Jennifer Roggenbuck, Kevin & Suzan Schlueter, Steven & Tonya *Schuchard, Shane & Jessica Selgeby, Steve & Gail Stubbe, Harold Teske, Hal & Brenda Volkenant, JoAnn *Waniorek, Darien & Jennifer Wenzl, Steve & Stephanie Whitlow, Carol Zemlicka, Galen & Janet *denotes chairpersons Get Connected! In addition to our own web site (americanlutheran.com), here are some great church-related sites to check out: elca.org/resources (downloadable resources from Churchwide) womenoftheelca.org (WELCA) lwr.org (Lutheran World Relief) sdsynod.org (SD Synod ELCA) stdysmas.net (SD Prison Ministry) lo.org (Lutherans Outdoors) thelutheran.org (ELCA magazine) boldcafe.org (on-line magazine for young adult women) lwrgifts.org (give life s basic necessities) Davidlose.net (daily devotion from Luther Seminary faculty member) In 2013, Lutheran World Relief challenged Lutherans across the U.S. to donate 500,000 quilts to send around the world to people in need. As of the end of March, 2014, LWR staff have counted 436,584 Quilts, with more still to be processed. That means that hundreds of thousands of people around the world will be wrapped in tangible symbols of God s love. Not only are the quilts cozy bed covers, they can also be: A baby carrier, tied around a mother s back; A market display, spread on the ground and piled with vegetables; A sack for transporting those goods to market; A sunshade; A shawl; and most importantly A constant reminder that someone, far away, cares a lot. Graduation cards available from the Card Nook! ~Prayers for Youth~ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is to encourage, then give encouragement. -Romans 12:6-8 Would you like to be an encourager? Prayers for Youth is a program that was started many years ago as a way to encourage high school youth in their faith journey in the years before they leave our spiritual nest. is Marilyn Nef please call her at if you are willing to share the gift of encouragement! The quilters at American Lutheran are blessed to have played a small part in that effort. Volunteers are always welcome! Most of the actual sewing is done at home, with kit assembly, sandwiching and tying taking place at the church on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 9-12 a.m. We can always use clean, gently-used sheets; just drop them off in the quilting room! Needed in the kitchen: Ice cream pails with lids for leftovers after large events. Prayer Shawl Ministry Crocheters and knitters, your help is needed to make prayer shawls. The patterns are easy, the spiritual rewards are great! Thanks to Deb Pauli for all the lovely fleece shawls, and to the quilters for the lap robes. Your help is much appreciated. If you have any questions or would like patterns or instructions, please call Janelle Kelly at alcoffice@itcmilbank.com (605) Flynn Drive, Milbank SD 57252

9 7:00 Bible Study Confirmation Trip to Minneapolis 6:00 Foundation 2:00 Bridal Shower 9:00 Worship with Communion/KMSD 9:00 Quilting 10:00 Coffee Fellowship 6:00 Manna Practice Holy Humorists: Gene Torness, Sid Fosheim, Rita Hins, Neal Homan Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Scholarship Banquet Mandy Kittelson :00 Worship with Communion/KMSD 9-10:30 TOT School 10:00 Bible Study 7:00 Bible Study 9:57 Education Hour 3:30 Confirmation Wedding - Nathan Strege 10:00 Coffee Fellowship 5:30 Note-a-bells and Kayla Schuler 4:00 Recital - Ydstie Piano 6:00 Manna Practice 6:00 Prime Rib Dinner (fundraiser for Summer 2014 youth trip) MOTHER S DAY / SENIOR RECOGNITION 9-10:30 TOT School 9:00 Quilting PRE-SCHOOL GRADUATION 5:00 Church Council 2:00 St. Williams worship 1:00 Maddie Foss 9:00 Worship with Communion/KMSD at NeSoDak 7:00 Book Club Granduation Party 10:00 Coffee Fellowship 6:00 Manna Practice Long Shining Waters :00 Worship with Communion/KMSD 12:00 Peace Circle 10:00 Coffee Fellowship 2:00 Alzheimer 10:00 June Love in Action 7:00 Boy Scouts Support Group 6:00 Manna Practice