An Above Average Thanksgiving

Transcription

1 DLSFKJLASKDJF ABIDING SAVIOR Lutheran Church and School NOVEMBER 2017 But if upon some solid contemplation, average but that doesn t mean we we may discover Day that at this point in by aren t thankful Day for them. In fact, what An Above Average Thanksgiving In a conversation with our Pacific Southwest District President, Dr. Larry Stoterau, he mentioned that studies show that the average Lutheran Christian attends church twice a month. That report made me think of one of my favorite radio shows; A Prairie Home Companion. It is a Grand Ol Opry kind of show featuring music and a segment of the show called; The news from Lake Wobegone. Wobegone is a fictional Minnesota town where all the men are good looking, all the women are strong, and all the children are above average. There are lots of Lutherans in the real Minnesota, but according to Dr. Stoterau, when it comes to church attendance, the children of Lake Wobegon are likely not to be above average! If that is the case in Minnesota, I wonder how we fare here in the State of California. Perhaps the place to start is with ourselves each one of us asking ourselves how we are at entering the House of the Lord to offer him Thanks and Praise for His faithfulness and constant love. Are we at least average? If not, why not? If the answer is something like; there aren t enough services available at Abiding Savior, none of them fit my schedule, then please let Pastor Lucas or I know. We can fix that problem in the hop of a crutch. But if upon some solid contemplation, we may discover that at this point in our lives, there are just too many other things that are more vital and important then hearing God s Word and receiving the strength the Lord s Supper provides. Be alarmed but don t panic. You are not alone. Hebrews chapter 10 suggests that there are members of the first century church who were also below average according to today s average. The apostle writes: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Hebrew 10: The apostle seems to suggest that if the attendance of our church is below average, it is the responsibility of the whole church to stir one another up to love and good works, so that being present in worship becomes one of the joys in our lives. This allows us to fellowship with God and with a community of people who love us. Inside this community, we find ways to reach out with the Gospel of God in many activities. We have a Christian pre-school and elementary school, Bible studies and small groups, participation in the local food pantry, Operation Christmas Child, and opening our campus to our neighbors to help them with their daily needs. When we are busy laboring in the Lord s vineyard, we get anxious to be a part of that week-end number that encourages one another. I know that there are many members of our congregation who are below it means is that we can all strive to be above average. We can serve as models for those who are still working toward becoming above average in the way we worship Jesus, the one who loved us so much that he died with all the absent marks that people might receive on their church attendance report card. He died with all of sins of omission and commission which is precisely why we will all strive to be above average and so make our Father in Heaven proud. Your Servant in Christ, Pastor Tom Communicating Christ s Love and Our Love for Him

2 AB IDI NG SAVIOR Lutheran Church and School El Toro Road Lake Forest, California Church Church Staff Reverend Dr. Tom Rogers, Senior Pastor Reverend Glenn Lucas, Associate Pastor Kyle Salesky, Youth Director Chris Vick, IT Specialist Janet Calhoun, Church Secretary Robin DeLong-Hanrath, Office Manager Karen Galas, Accountant Laura Lyons and Jennifer Kranawetter, Admin Assistants to Pastors Lori Beniche, Director of Communications Linda Bo, Editor of Day by Day Church Officers Hank Hellfeld, President Steve Wichmann, Vice President Erika Volz, Secretary John Egley, Treasurer Lynnette Siler, Congregation Liaison School Staff School Donna Lucas, School Principal Yesi Naber, Admissions Director Keigh Lee Horn, School Secretary Sharon Fischer, School Secretary Extended Care Deana Gonzales, Extended Care Director Preschool Staff Preschool Center Pam Howard, Preschool Director Church Office Hours Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. School Office Hours Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Preschool Office Hours Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visit us on our website at Sunday Morning Bible Study meets each Sunday morning at 9:15 a.m. in the Adult Ed Room. Come and spend some time in the Word of God with one of our pastors. Wednesday Morning Bible Class Our Wednesday Morning Bible Class meets each Wednesday, at 9:30 a.m. in the Adult Education Room. We would love to have you join us as we continue our study of the Book of Isaiah. All are welcome. Tai Chi Improve your confidence, strength and balance by joining us for Tai Chi, each Wednesday at 10:45 a.m. in the Music Room. Angus Day Bible Passage BIBLE PASSAGE Matthew 22: Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So, they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax. And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, Whose head is this, and whose title? They answered, The emperor s. Then he said to them, Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor s, and to God the things that are God s. When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away. abidingsaviorlakeforest November Page 2 - Day by Day

3 Portals of Prayer Portals of Prayer is great for personal devotions and Bible studies. Published quarterly, authors change each month. Pick up your copy of Portals of Prayer for October, November and December months located in the Narthex next to the mailboxes. Rock of Aging ASLC Seniors We meet again, Thursday, November 2 in the Adult Education Room beginning with coffee and fellowship at 11:30 a.m. A catered lunch follows at noon. The cost is $9.00. Please call Vi Flu at for reservations. After lunch, our own Rev. Richard Schumm will tell us about Katherine von Bora (pictured), who was once a very young nun in a German monastery, and later played a most important role in the Reformation. motor coaches, first-class hotels, guided sightseeing, entrance fees to sites visited, breakfast and dinner daily (typically buffet style); taxes and fuel charges; gratuities. Contact Rev. Steve Leinhos or sleinhos@verizon.net for more information. Ladies Guild Christmas Luncheon Rock of Aging will resume on Tuesday, November 14 at 6:00 p.m. We serve a light dinner and then share about seniors that we visit. Come join us and see what we are about. Families are welcome. Prayer Ministry Is prayer an important part of your life, or would you like it to be? Then here is a ministry opportunity for you. You are invited to join your fellow Christians in a Prayer Group which meets weekly on Mondays at 10:00 a.m. in the Adult Education Room. For more information contact Pastor Glenn Lucas or Mary Lou Rempert at Steve Leinhos, Ministry Consultant, Bethesda Lutheran Communities Experience the Holy Land Walk in the Steps of Jesus You are invited to join a group tour and pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Israel, planned for January 14-24, 2019 with an optional extension trip to Jordan, co-hosted by two LCMS pastors. The itinerary is intended to optimize your Holy Land pilgrimage experience of being where Jesus was born, grew up, taught, performed miracles, discipled His followers, and accomplished God s plan of salvation through His suffering, death and resurrection. Brochures, with the itinerary and costs, are available in the church narthex. The brochure includes the itinerary and financial information, along with important details in the fine print. Included in the price are round trip airfare, deluxe We sing them every year, but where did some of our favorite Christmas Carols originate? That question will be answered at the annual Christmas Luncheon, Thursday, December 14, at noon at Freedom Village. In addition, we'll enjoy a delicious dinner and be entertained by some of our school children. Tickets are $22 per person. Checks should be made payable to Abiding Savior with Ladies Guild on the memo line. Reservations may be made with Jeanne Grovom at or jgrovom@cox.net. Last day to make reservations is Sunday, December 10. Questions? Ask Jeanne or Audrey Henry ( ). Day By Day - Page 3 - November 2017

4 Narthex by both entrances. Place your Mite Box in an obvious place so you can feed it. Return your filled Mite Box to the large box in the Narthex and exchange it for an empty box and start filling again! As we continue to support Mite Box projects, may God bless our efforts to spread. Abiding Savior will be honoring our Veteran s during our Saturday and Sunday services November 11th and 12th. The service will feature a special video honoring our veterans and members currently serving. Mark your calendars now for Abiding Savior s annual Christmas concert. A Christmas Celebration will be held on Sunday, December 17th at 3:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. Featured groups will include Abiding Praise, the Chapel Choir, Praises Ring, Bells for Jesus, Bells for Jesus 2.0, Kids of the Kingdom, soloists, and audience participation. Please invite your family and friends for this noteworthy event. You ll be glad you did! LWML Mites Mite Boxes are used to further God s kingdom through the mission grants. Its name comes from the lesson of the widow s mite. Mite Boxes are available in the LWML Quilt The LWML quilt is ready to warm your spirit. The quilt is handcrafted by our LWML ladies to raise money for Mites. Each opportunity ticket is only a dollar. Whether you take home the quilt or not, your dollars will benefit missions local and worldwide. Lutheran Bible Translators Fall Mission Event Where: Immanuel Lutheran, Orange 802 E. Chapman Ave, Orange, Date: Wednesday, November 8th Catered Banquets are from 12:30p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Choose lunch or dinner. (If you need a vegetarian meal, please let LBT know.) Main Speaker: Rev. Dr. Tilahun Mendedo from Ethiopia, Former President, Concordia, Alabama RSVP to Lutheran Bible Translators at Beginning Sunday, November 19th our Angel Tree will be in the narthex, just in time for Black Friday shopping. Please stop by and pick up a name of someone in our community and help make Christmas a little brighter. If shopping isn t for you, feel free to donate gift cards or checks and we will do the shopping for you! Hark, the Herald Angels Sing This year's theme for the annual Christmas concert is 'A Christmas Celebration.' We would like to do a display of Angels this year before and after the concert on December 17th in the Adult Ed Room. If you have an angel that we may include in our exhibit, we want to hear from you. New, old, large, small, from anywhere in the world. Handmade, purchased or gifted, we want to include them all. For more information please Lori Beniche at lbeniche@abidingsavior.com. November Page 4 - Day by Day

5 First Thursday Presentation The Reformation November 2 at 10:00 a.m. Holocaust Survivor, Sam Silberberg, who was 10 when Nazis invaded his native Poland; 12 when he ran a black-market business to support his family in the Jewish ghetto, and by the time he was 14 he had spent 2 ½ years in a concentration camp and escaped while being transported away from the Russian front. Come and listen to his fascinating story. All are welcome. Contact Audrey Henry ( ) for more information. The Holiday Boutique is BACK! Saturday, November 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Get out your shopping bags and put on comfortable shoes, grab some friends and wander down to the Abiding Savior Gym to start (or if you are really on top of it - finish) your holiday shopping. Many old favorites are returning and some new ones will be there as well. Food will also be available for purchase. In celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, Concordia Publishing house is making available a 250-page Hardback book. The sixteenth century was a cultural and historical earthquake, the aftershocks of which continue to be felt even now, 500 years later. The Reformation provides a richly illustrated and engagingly written overview of this amazing time of change and renewal in the Christian Church. In this beautifully designed coffee table-style book, you will learn about famous leaders and lesserknown players who took part in the complex chain of events that shook church and state to their very foundations. The books can be ordered directly from Concordia Publishing House at We have an abbreviated sample in the office if you would like to get an idea of what the book will look like. Did you know you can contribute to Abiding Savior Lutheran Church simply by shopping??? Go to Amazonsmile.com and designate Abiding Savior Lutheran Church (make sure you select the one in Lake Forest, CA). Then when you shop, money is designated and a portion sent to Abiding Savior. Nothing more to do. The 2018 Junior High District Youth Gathering (DYG) Camp is March 16-18, 2018! The DYG is a yearly event for Jr high students organized by the Lutheran Church - Pacific Southwest District, which Abiding Savior is a part of. This year, the DYG is being held in a brand-new location, with a brand-new format. We will be staying at the Irvine Regional Park Outdoor Education Center in the City of Orange! This location has it all great lodging, dining facilities, outdoor space, awesome camp activities including archery, a water slide, and ropes course, worship space, etc. The theme for this year s DYG is Follow based on three different lessons from the books of Daniel and Esther. Our Jr high kids are being led in so many different directions in this day and age, by peers, by our culture, even by family. They are being told to follow so many different things, beliefs, and people. This year our three speakers will help our kids discern who they are following, who they are allowing themselves to be led by, and they will learn why they should be following the One True God rather than things that don t last. We hope you will join Abiding Savior JHM as we attend the Jr High DYG Camp this March! The cost for the trip is $130 and includes DYG registration, lodging for 2 nights, food, and camp activities. Registration is due by Thursday, February 1, If you need financial assistance, or would like to pay the registration in installments, please contact Kyle Salesky at Day By Day - Page 5 - November 2017

6 Elementary School Donna Lucas, School Principal During the month of November, our students will be leading the way as we embark on our Operation Christmas Child service project. We invite all church members to join us in our goal of filling 500 boxes this year. The 500-box total is in commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation and our continued observance of Amazing Grace 500. The deadline for the boxes is November 12th. You may pick up our special Orange County Lutheran School boxes in the church narthex. Please do not pack toothpaste or candy or anything with an expiration date. With your help, we can reach our goal of 500 boxes. Preschool Pam Howard Preschool Director Our first two months of the school year have been very busy. We have met many new friends and are learning about God and His wonderful world. As we head into November, we will be learning about giving thanks for all we have. The All School Service Days will take place on November 15 and 16. We are collecting supplies for Operation Christmas Child. All donations are welcome. The weekend before Thanksgiving, the teachers will be heading to Phoenix, Arizona, for the Lutheran Educators Conference. It should be exciting as we celebrate all of God s grace and blessings He gives to our Lutheran schools and educators. Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!! TIPS FOR PACKING YOUR OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD BOXES Packing boxes is easy. Start with a quality wow item such as a stuffed animal, soccer ball with pump, or clothing outfit that will capture the child s attention the instant he or she opens the box. Visit our website to see our gift suggestions according to age and gender listed below for other fun toys, hygiene items, and school supplies to fill the shoebox. ation-christmas-child/what-goes-inmy-shoebox-suggestions/ DO NOT INCLUDE: Candy; toothpaste; used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives, or military figures; chocolate or food; seeds; fruit rolls or other fruit snacks; drink mixes (powdered or liquid); liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins basically anything with an expiration date. Also, breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans are prohibited. November Page 6 - Day by Day

7 N o v e m b er SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 9:30a-Wednesday Bible Study 6p-Confirmation 6p-Wednesday Night Alive! 7p-Youth Group 7:15p-Chapel Choir 2 10a-First Thursday Presentation 11:30a-ASLC Seniors 3p-Girl Scout Meeting 3:15p-Bells for Jesus 7:30p-Abiding Praise Practice 3 4 8a-Holiday Boutique 9a-Altar Guild Prep 5 8:30a-Holiday Boutique a-Prayer Group 13 9a-Large Print Center 10a-Prayer Group 20 10a-Prayer Group 7 8:30a-Large Print Center 3:15p-Kids of the Kingdom 7p-Praises Ring 14 8:30a-Large Print Center 3:15p-Kids of the Kingdom 6p-Rock of Aging 7p-Praises Ring 21 8:30a-Large Print Center 7p-Praises Ring 8 9:30a-Wednesday Bible Study 10:45a-Ladies Guild 6p-Confirmation 6p-Wednesday Night Alive! 7p-Youth Group 7:15p-Chapel Choir 15 9:30a-Wednesday Bible Study 3p-Girl Scout Troop p-Confirmation 6p-Wednesday Night Alive! 7p-Youth Group 7:15p-Chapel Choir 22 7p-Thanksgiving Eve Service 9 3:15p-Bells for Jesus 6p-Elder s Meeting 7:30p-Abiding Praise Practice 16 11a-Sr. Luncheon Part 2 3p-Girl Scout Meeting 3:15p-Bells for Jesus 6p-Leadership Board Meeting 7:30p-Abiding Praise Practice 23 Thanksgiving Day 10a-Thanksgiving Day Service :30p-Through the Woods Performance 8a-Lutheran Laymen s League 9a-Altar Guild Prep 18 9a-Altar Guild Prep a-Altar Guild Prep a-Large Print Center 10a-Prayer Group 28 8:30a-Large Print Center 3:15p-Kids of the Kingdom 7p-Praises Ring 29 9:30a-Wednesday Bible Study 6p-Confirmation 6p-Wednesday Night Alive! 7p-Youth Group 7:15p-Chapel Choir 30 3p-Girl Scout Meeting 3:15p-Bells for Jesus 7:30p-Abiding Praise Practice S U N D A Y W O R S H I P S C H E D U L E Contemporary - Saturday 5:00 PM / Contemporary - Sunday 9:30 AM Traditional - Sunday 8:00 AM / Traditional - Sunday 10:45 AM Sunday School - Sunday 9:15 AM Bible Classes - Sunday 9:15 AM Communion Offered 2 nd and 4 th Weeks Communion Offered 1 st and 3 rd Weeks Praise and Nurture Sundays at 11:00 AM Day By Day - Page 7 - November 2017

8 Abiding Savior Lutheran Church and School El Toro Road Lake Forest, CA Return Service Requested Time Dated Materials Decorate Rose Parade Floats Petal Pushers will decorate Rose Parade floats in Irwindale, CA this year. You may register online at After registration, you will receive a confirmation. Go to the confirmation webpage to learn what to do before coming. Decorating will be at the Phoenix Decorating Company, 5400 Irwindale Avenue, Irwindale. The 2018 Lutheran Hour Ministries Tournament of Roses Parade float is entitled: Bringing Christ to the Nations. The theme of the parade is Making a Difference. His difference making allows us to make a difference in the lives of others.