THE MESSENGER. THE NEWSLETTER OF FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH July 2018

Transcription

1 THE MESSENGER 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 THE NEWSLETTER OF FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH July 2018 Faith s Mission is to reach people, young and old, who need Christ in their lives, and to help them know, love and serve Christ. Dear Members and Friends of Faith Lutheran Church, Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has given to his church many precious gifts. Through the giving of these gifts, God intends to awaken and to strengthen the saving faith of those from the Pastor s desk whom he has called. Chief among these gifts is Jesus Christ himself. Next in importance are the Bible and the sacraments. The Bible is the inspired Word of God, written down for our learning. But what, exactly, are the sacraments? A sacrament is a sacred act, and it is defined by three characteristics. 1) It is instituted by Jesus Christ himself. 2) In it, the Word of God is connected to an earthly sign or element (e.g. water, bread, or wine). 3) It offers the promise of God s forgiveness and grace through Jesus Christ. The Lutheran Church recognizes two sacraments: baptism and the Lord s Supper, also known as Holy Communion. Through these sacraments, Christ offers to us himself, his forgiveness, and his abundant grace. I could write at exceedingly great length about the glories of the sacraments! For now, I would like simply to note two things. First, the sacraments are holy. The sacraments are not ceremonies created by the church. Rather, the sacraments are a means of grace, appointed by God himself. They are of holy, not human, origin. They were instituted to serve holy, not human, purposes. Therefore, we are not free to make of the sacraments what we will, or to approach them as we will, or to use them as we will. We must use them according to God s own institution and God s own command, in a spirit of reverence and in faith.

2 Second, the sacraments are a profoundly personal guarantee of God s grace. Perhaps the most wonderful thing about the sacraments is that they apply God s grace to individuals in a way that is personal unmistakably, unavoidably, unquestionably, visibly, tangibly personal. When the water touches a baby s forehead, there s no doubt about it. That specific baby has been claimed by God, and the application of water visible to all has proved it. Likewise, when you receive the Lord s Supper, there s no doubt about it. You yourself have been offered Jesus forgiveness. The bread in your very own hand, and the wine in your very own cup, are physical proof: Jesus died for you! Next month, I would like to use this space to share more about baptism. In the meantime, may your faith in Jesus Christ be strengthened by the reverent use of God s holy sacraments! In Jesus name, Pastor Nichol ********************************************** The best week of the summer! new friends * amazing experiments * creative games lip-smacking snacks * surprising adventures * incredible music Location: Faith Lutheran Church VBS will last from: Sunday, Aug. 12 th to Thursday, Aug. 16 th Each day s fun begins at: 5 pm (supper will be provided) The VBS day ends at: 8 pm For more information, call: Kimberlie Gramsey

3 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. Proverbs 4:13~ Join us and help put together needed school supplies that will be sent to Lutheran World Relief to benefit both children and adults. Local stores will have great deals in the next few months; think about getting 1 or 2 things to help us. Needed supplies are: 70 page notebooks (wide or college ruled) 30 centimeter rulers (ok to have both inches and centimeters) Pencil sharpeners Blunt school scissors #2 lead pencils with erasers Black or blue ink pens (no gel ink) 2 ½ erasers Crayons (16 or 24 count) There is a flyer with full details on the bulletin board. ~Ladies of Faith ********************************************** Church Council Minutes May 15, 2018 Members Present: Pastor Paul Nichol; President, David Dilley; Vice President and Family & Youth, Scott Levin; Secretary, Lorraine Newkirk; Treasurer, Patrick Zierden; Stewardship, Kyle Gramsey; Building & Property, Chuck Bray; Music & Worship, September Yoki The meeting of the May 15, 2018 Faith Lutheran Church Council was called to order by President David Dilley at 7 p.m. Pastor Nichol led the council in devotion and prayer. The devotion was based on John 15:1-12 and focused on Abiding in Jesus: To live day by day in Faith in His love, To live in His Word, To keep Jesus Commands in Obedience to Him, To Pray, and to Love the Lord and one another. A motion was made by Scott Levin and seconded by Chuck Bray to approve the minutes of the April 24, 2018 council meeting. The motion carried. REPORTS: Pastor s Report Submitted by Pastor Paul Nichol Faith Lutheran Church 15 May 2018 I. Pastoral Acts, 24 April 2018 to 14 May 2018: a. (3) Sunday worship services. Holy Communion was observed on 6 May.

4 b. (4) Students were confirmed on 6 May: i. Emma Anacker ii. Benjamin Bauer iii. Elaine Baxter-Jensen iv. Rebekah Hasbrouck c. (11) Pastoral visits. d. (2) Outreach services. i. Sunday afternoon service at Annandale Care Center (29 April). ii. Blessing of the Bikes at Monticello VFW (12 May). e. I led the women s Bible study for the last time on 3 May. The study group is continuing with lay leadership. f. The Sunday morning Bible study will conclude for the summer on 20 May. It will resume in September. II. (7) Visitors have requested to be received as new members: a. Jackie Langanki (Zachary, Lily, and Devin) b. Paul Pfuhl and Joyce Johnson c. Jerry Simpson III. Upcoming events: a. New Member Sunday (20 May) b. Youth Group (20 May) c. Good Samaritan Sunday (3 June) d. Jim Forar memorial service (30 June) IV program year schedule. Pastor Nichol made a motion to accept new members: Jackie Langanki, Zachary, Lily, and Devin; Paul Pfuhl and Joyce Johnson; Jerry Simpson as members of Faith Lutheran Church. Scott Levin seconded the motion, and the motion passed. A motion was made by Scott Levin and seconded by Chuck Bray to accept the Pastor s report; the motion carried. Treasurer s Report, Patrick Zierden: The church s income is on budget months reserves are available in the building fund for mortgage payments. Scott Levin made a motion to accept the Treasurer s report; Chuck Bray seconded the motion, and the motion passed. Stewardship Report, Kyle Gramsey: Kyle Gramsey will see that a sign-up sheet for volunteers to work at the Walk and Roll in Monticello on June 9 th is available in the narthex. David Dilley, Chairperson of the Fall Festival, discussed the schedule for the Fall Festival: Sunday, September 9 th from 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chuck Bray is working on securing a Christian contemporary rock band for the Festival. More information will be available following the June Fall Festival Committee Meeting. Volunteers are needed.

5 Building & Property, Chuck Bray: Clean-up Day was held on May 5 th with approximately ten people attending. Sandy Repke and a group of workers will clean the kitchen. Todd Roberts is continuing his project of replacing present lighting with LED lights. The projector project continues to be a work in progress. Jana will be asked to work with Jesse Dickinson to find an appropriate time to do the job. The speakers in front of the church have been added to the project. Future Consideration: Sound barriers in the blue room. Echoes make it very difficult to talk and hear others in the room. Music & Worship, September Yoki: In her quest to find an organization to which the church may tithe and meets the three criteria of Evangelical, Local, and Located where members can use their time and talents, September Yoki has found a place that meets these criteria. So Others May Shine is a riding stable for at risk youth. There will be more information available on this and where members can get involved. Family & Youth, Scott Levin: Sunday school lunch box social was held Sunday, May 20 th. There is a need to re-evaluate this activity for next year since participation was very low. Next school year s Sunday school lesson plans are completed. Old Business: Pictures: Council members are reminded to get their pictures to David Dilley ASAP. New Business: Committees: Revision continues and to making modifications to the committees. There is a need to have a handbook for the Building and Property committee with an inventory of the things we own. Time & Talent Sheets: Revision of the T & T sheets continue with plans to hand them out to members in the fall. Continuing Resolution: David Dilley will oversee talking to the insurance agents whose companies cover our building and grounds. Revision of the Continuing Resolution continues with Pastor Nichol also working on this project. Tithing Plan: Faith Lutheran tithes approximately $12,000 yearly. Work continues on evaluating the places where tithing goes. Financial Reporting Backup: Topic was discussed. Further discussion to follow. A motion was made by Chuck Bray to adjourn the meeting; Kyle Gramsey seconded the motion, the motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

6 Pastor Nichol closed the meeting by leading the council in praying the Lord s Prayer. Respectfully submitted, Lorraine Newkirk, Secretary ********************************************** Heatstroke It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat. Psalm 19:6 Heatstroke is a serious condition that can be easily avoided, but if left untreated, can progress to shock, brain damage, and death. This may occur when the body s temperature reaches as high as 106 o F, or with extreme dehydration. Normally, our body gets rid of excess heat by sweating. However, in conditions of very high temperatures, high humidity, or exertion in a hot environment, the body cannot adequately cool itself. When the body is unable to lower its temperature, a milder condition known as heat exhaustion may occur. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, weakness, fatigue, headache, muscle cramps, and dizziness. However, heatstroke won t necessarily begin with this situation, and can come on suddenly. While symptoms will vary from person to person, common symptoms of heatstroke include: High body temperature No sweating, red or flushed dry skin Fast pulse Difficulty breathing Strange behavior, confusion Agitation Seizure, coma Prompt treatment is vital! Lay the victim down out of the heat and begin cooling him. Call 911 right away. Use cool water, wet cloths, and fan the victim. Give this person a Gatorade type sports drink, or cool water at the very least. Do not give him any alcohol. For muscle cramps associated with heat illness, a sports drink plus gentle but firm massage is needed. Placing ice bags under the arms and in the groin will help cool the body. Efforts should continue until the body s temperature comes down to at least degrees. Prevention is the best plan, so protect yourself by wearing a hat, loose fitting, light weight clothes, and drink plenty of fluids any time you will be exposed to hot weather. When participating in activities on hot days, drink lots of water, spend some time out of the sun, and rest frequently. Have fun in the sun, but be smart about it. More information: rticle.htm J Witucki, BSN 2017

7 5- Todd & Paula Roberts 23- Wayne & Laurie Steffens 26- Dwayne & Patty Hickman 28- Steve & Neysa Henke 31- Jeremy & Katie Kemmetmueller God bless you on your special day! If you see a mistake or an omission, please contact the secretary so she can update the records: or faithlutheran@tds.net. Thanks! 2- Judy Anderson 6- Ralph Mason 11- Emily Barta 11- Jenny Bray 11- Vickie Hoglund 12- Ron Holm 12- Josilyn Ordorff 14- Paige Kissinger 21- Robin Schmitz 26- Sandy Repke 26- Wayne Steffens 30- Dane Hasbrouck

8 Collections for JULY: Cereal for the food shelf The Ladies of Faith are collecting those little soaps from a hotel stay (even the slightly used ones)! We are remaking the bits into soap on a rope for Eagle s Nest.