To live in Christ and to share God s love.

Transcription

1 Pleasant View Lutheran Church 801 West 73rd Street Indianapolis, IN P: Our Mission: To live in Christ and to share God s love. News & Views June 2017

2 From the Pastors Desk Take care of yourself. We find ourselves saying this often. It s part of our job so that s ok. But, we want to make sure you know what it means and that we really do want you to take care of yourselves. To some this may sound like a selfish notion since we re supposed to love others as we love ourselves (Mark 12:31) and put the needs of others before our own, right? Through this lens, it seems like a very un-christian thing to say! But, the truth is that we cannot be helpful to others if we are not keeping ourselves healthy. This is something that is a common struggle for clergy, but also a common struggle for people involved in small churches like our own. The demands on an individual in a small church are far greater than individual members of larger churches. This is both a positive and negative thing. It is positive because our members get to be more involved in leadership and really get their hands in the ministry of this place instead of just hearing about it or contributing money toward it. There is also a negative side through since our members can exhaust themselves over their involvement rapidly. Then, we no longer have a thriving community but a burntout one. This does no good for the Gospel we are to live and proclaim. We (Pr Bob & Pr Sarah) take care of ourselves by making sure that we are not working all evenings of the week and that we get outside as a family at least once a week for a significant chunk of time. This helps us to relax and center ourselves before getting back down to business. What do you do for yourself? Are you doing enough? Another thing that we have found ourselves saying to folks is that it s ok to say No. This may seem shocking and may feel strange to say no to your church, but really, truly, it s ok! We love when you say yes and there are wonderful events, ministries, and bustling activity around here, and we still want you to say yes when you are truly able. But, again, that isn t much good if we re not able to be completely into our activity because of overwork or exhaustion. The church will not fall down or close because people say no once in a while. We are built on a much stronger foundation! Please, allow yourselves to rest. Do what you need to be renewed, re-centered, and refreshed for more ministry together! Pastor Sarah and Pastor Bob

3 President s Note Jim Eaton First and foremost I would like to apologize to my faithful readers who look forward to my article in the newsletter each month. I did not submit one last month as per the pastors words "Life got in the way." I am so happy for their understanding and forgiveness and it was a great comfort to hear those words. Still, I learned a valuable lesson which is what I think God always does- provide a learning moment. I put the requirements of work and family matters first instead of Jesus and for that I'm thankful for the lesson as it will never happen again. We all face outside pressures in life from various sources but we should never take our eye off the prize of making Jesus priority one! Bottom line, I am forgiven and once again you get to look forward to my monthly article. Next month's topic will be "Small but Mighty". We have had a great May and Easter season with Colleen Cieslak s (Crispen) little boy (John) being baptized, Food for Thought ( which what I like to call questions that hurt the brain ), Martin Luther Coffee House, and the Bread for the World Campaign. We also celebrated the birth of Hayley Kernodle's little girl, Emma Rae and dedicated 30 chicks toward ELCA World Hunger just to name a few. There are going to be a lot of great opportunities to volunteer and serve or attend several thing through the summer months and we look forward to your help and seeing you at these events. Lastly, I would like to thank all of you who kept Lori Eaton in your prayers. Her recovery and progress has been nothing short of miraculous and it is a testimony to the power of prayer. Safe Travels for anyone enjoying a Summer Vacation this year!! See you Sunday! Jim P.S. Thank you Jon Stoltz for the leading the church council last month. All the feedback I received was you did a terrific job and why are you not the council president. :)

4 Youth Notes Waiting For Fish When I was little, my brother and I occasionally entertained ourselves in the summer by catching minnows. Sometimes we would use them to go fishing, but mostly we did it for fun - just to see how many we could catch. We had a small net that we would sink down to the bottom of the shallow water, and then wait for minnows to swim across so we could pull up the net. Using this method we would maybe catch a couple at a time. It was a slow process and sometimes kind of boring. So we realized early on that if we wanted to catch more than just a few of them, we had to use a little teamwork. One of us would lower the net as the other would stand in the water about 6 feet away. After the net dropped, the one in the water would run toward the net, causing all of the minnows to swim toward the net. The net was much more full using this method, and we didn't have to sit and wait for the fish to come to our net. It was exciting to see how many we could bring in. We counted each catch just to see. Then we would repeat the same process, trying each time to get more. We caught a lot more with the teamwork than we did by just sitting and waiting. Most of us know Matthew 4:19. And he said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. We know what this means - but following through is a bit tricky, and perhaps a bit scary. It isn't always easy to reach out to others. But we are called to try! Yes, we could sit and wait for the fish, which may not work very well. Sometimes though, we have to go out and get them. By Minda Hohl Bring them from where they are to where we are. I do think though that we should constantly be trying to bring people in. Conversations with others are a great way to start. You never know what impact your words alone might have on someone. I am trying to remember to talk outside of church in the hopes that people hear what we are up to at Pleasant View. We are doing some really great work and it deserves to be shared! So a summer challenge for you - talk to those that you know about church. You never know what interest might be sparked. and remember, you cant catch any minnows at all if you never put your toes in the water and try. June Youth Cookout! WHO? ALL Youth grades 6-12 (Parents also welcome) WHAT? A bonfire & pitch-in meal WHEN? Sunday June 11th 6-8pm WHERE? PVLC Outdoor Classroom Hot Dogs and Drinks provided. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. Kindly RSVP by June 9th to Minda at mhohl@pvlcelca.org.

5 Christian Education Margaret Stratford 30 chicks treinta polluelos trente poussins thelathini vifaranga trīsdesmit cāļi! No matter what language you speak.pvlc donated 30 chickens to LWR Gifts! For a family in El Salvador or Indonesia or somewhere in the world, these chicks mean eggs to eat, eggs to sell and chicks to grow a flock. Your efforts provide independence, sustainability and success to families in places around the world. Share God s Love! Next on the agenda will be our fleece blanket project We already have 4 blankets completed and will be sending them out on June 10th. Our plan is follow the blankets as they make their way to other places in the world. Our goal is to Share God s Love again but this time with blankets. If you see fleece for sale or kits available from JoAnn Fabrics or any other stores, please consider donating the fabric to PVLC so we can continue to make blankets throughout the year. Also, if you would like to make blankets on your own as a family, we will add them to the donation box. The directions for what to buy, the sizes needed for the fleece, and general guidelines about the material will be in the News and Views over the summer months. Our original goal for chicks was 10 so imagine what we can do with this project. Let s keep the momentum and continue to Share God s Love!!! Mark your calendars for some important dates when Sunday School will resume. September 10th at 10am - GOD S WORK, OUR HANDS DAY Making cookies again for our first responders and delivering them to local firehouses September 17th at 10am - RALLY DAY 2017 Celebrating educational opportunities at PVLC Where does the WORD grow in your life???

6 News & Views June 2017 Some important guidelines to remember: Fleece typically comes in widths of 58 or 59. If you buy fleece from a fabric store, you can ask them to cut the length to 80, saving you the step of measuring and cutting the pieces yourself. Please do not donate items with any religious symbols, messages or your group s name. Please do not donate any items decorated with a U.S. flag, patriotic or military symbols, or references to the armed forces, including camouflage.

7 Outreach Dave Henkel Annual Strawberry Festival! Hello dear Saints of Pleasant View! It s that time of year again time for our annual Strawberry Festival, sponsored by the PVLC Outreach Team! Below are a few fun facts and details about the event. Who All Saints of Pleasant View, families, friends, visitors, and guests What Annual Strawberry Festival, featuring: fresh strawberries, ice cream, whipped cream, and our world-famous strawberry shortcake! When Sunday, June 18 after outdoor service at 10 AM Where PVLC Fellowship Hall Suggested Donation of $5 (cash or check) great deal YUM! Why fellowship, good food, and support for a GREAT cause: Lutheran Disaster Relief efforts in South Sudan, hurricanes, gulf coast floods, Nepal earthquake Needed Assistants!! 10 AM Noon Sat June 17 Slice berries/biscuits (3 people) Set up tables, chairs, utensils (2 people) Sun Morning, June 18 Final food prep (9 AM) Servers (10:45 AM) Runners/clean up (11 AM) Clean up (noon) Look for forthcoming announcements and sign-up sheets!

8 News & Views June 2017 Hello everyone! It's that time of the year again! Time for our first outdoor cleanup of the year on Saturday June 3rd from 9am-3pm. We will be cleaning around the church building like weeding, trimming, picking up any trash or limbs and installing the last of the rocks that we still have. If you decide to come and help, please bring a sack lunch. Drinks will be provided. If you have any questions, ideas or just want to let me know that you are coming, you can contact me on my cell at (317) or mhohl76@gmail.com. Hope to see you there! -Mike Hohl, Facilities Group Chair Sunday, June 4 JUNE WORSHIP 9:00am GRACE Service in Sanctuary 11:00am ALIVE Service in Fellowship Hall Sunday, June 11 I CAN Sunday, June 18 Father s Day Sunday, June 25 9:00am 11:00am 10:00am 9:00am 11:00am GRACE Service in Sanctuary ALIVE Service in Fellowship Hall ONE Worship Service in Outdoor Classroom *Bring lawn chairs/blankets to sit on GRACE Service in Sanctuary ALIVE Service in Fellowship Hall

9 News & Views June 2017 DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), two groups who meet regularly in our building, will be performing the play in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, June 4th after the 11am service. Please mark your calendars, tell others who may be interested, and participate in this opportunity. If you are able, please bring a dish to share for a potluck meal.

10 News & Views June 2017 Life Line Screening Returns to PVLC This June! Life Line Screening, a leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, will offer their affordable, non-invasive, and painless health screenings at Pleasant View Lutheran on 6/5/2017. Five screenings will be offered that scan for potential health problems related to: blocked arteries which is a leading cause of stroke; abdominal aortic aneurysms which can lead to a ruptured aorta; hardening of the arteries in the legs which is a strong predictor of heart disease; atrial fibrillation or irregular heart beat which is closely tied to stroke risk; and a bone density screening, for men and women, used to assess the risk of osteoporosis. Register for a Wellness Package which includes 4 vascular tests and osteoporosis screening from $149 ($139 with our member discount). All five screenings take minutes to complete. In order to register for this event and to receive a $10 discount off any package priced above $129, please call or visit: ***If you would like a screening but cannot afford it, talk to one of the pastors. We have vouchers for free screenings in the office!

11 Council Minutes May 2017 PVLC Council Meeting 05/15/2017 Present: Amber S.; Dave H.; Jane B.; Jon S.; Karen M.; Pr. Sarah N.; Mike Hohl; Margaret S.; Pr. Bob N; Tom M. I: Devotions Jon S. II: Council Discussion and Good News Baptism of John Cieslak at Grace Service Stain glass window has been repaired Emma Rae has been born Sunday School Celebration Lots of rain and grass growing Neighbor has been managing the PVLC wood pile Martin Luther Coffee House Bread for the World Campaign III: General Questions/Discussion A: Transition from Spring to Summer B: Office security discussion Tom contacted CSC IV: Pastors Report Pr Sarah N. & Pr. Bob N. A: Requests from Latvian Lutheran Church a: Rent Discussion Bank directed deposit Pr. Bob to talk to Kim b:defibrillator request/discussion Request to split cost with PVLC Council proposal: what does the council think of the idea? Council: would request to have a model that talks you through usage Margaret will research Red Cross and Local Fire Department Review calibration and get on schedule Council question: If cost, how would we manage cost? - Memorial Contribution Facility to manage B: Walking for Dreams: no donations or walkers this year; PVLC will plan to attend in 2018 C: May 26 th May 29 th : Pastors will be out of state. a: Sunday May 28 th : Pr. Lazdins to lead Grace 9am service for PVLC D: May 21 st : Bread for the World Pr. Sarah a: ICAN Sunday: after service b: Write letters to representative c: Blessing of Letters d: Bread Lunch Jim E. e: June: Members to deliver the letters E: June 1 st 3 rd : Synod Assembly F: June 4 th : NAMI: Play: Nobody Needs to Know a: After 11 am Service b: Lunch followed by Play (Pitch In) G: June 5 th : Lifeline screening 4 free vouchers H: June 10 th : Indy Pride festivities If Interested in attending please see Karen Meyers I: June 18 th : I CAN 10 am in the outdoor classroom J: July 2 nd July 9 th : Pastors Vacation K: Food for Thought Sessions: Going well! a: Thursdays in May at 7pm at The Rusty Bucket COMMITTEE REPORTS V: Facilities/Grounds Mike H. A: First Aid Kits need to be evaluated and replace it Kitchen, Narthex, Office a: Facility to manage b: Facility Map for emergency supplies B: CO2 detectors purchase and will be installed soon C: June 3 rd : Church Work Day: 9am - 3pm a: Brown Bag Lunch VI: Outreach Dave H. A: May 20 th : Martin Luther Coffee House B: September 16 th : Wheeler Mission C: June 18 th : Strawberry Festival a: Saturday June 17 th : Plenty of Berry Cutters; b: Need assistance with set-up and serving c: Geranium Sale: ~$500 for IMPACT program - Dave to write cover letter for donation.

12 Council Minutes May 2017 VII: Education Margaret S. A: Sunday School has closed for year B: : stay the same program for youth C: God s Work Our Hands Day: September 10 D: Rally Day: September 17 E: Confirmation taking a new direction F: : Weekly Intergenerational Classes? G: Revisit the child protection plan H: Adult Session: continuing on I: May 15 th : last day to sign up for baseball event Motion to adjourn: Jane B. Second: Karen M. Closed with the Lord s Prayer The next meeting will be Monday June 19 th, 6:30pm. VIII: Finance Tom M./Jane B. A: Balance: ~$23,000 B: Tom requesting to be excused until October: a:council Agreed b: Back up 1: Karen Meyer Back Up 2: Jan Strandjord C: WELCA funds being moved to main account to bypass fees per Jane D: Midyear Reminder in newsletter IX: Communications Karen M. A: Photo Booth at MLCH B: Newsletter deadline : Monday May 22 midnight May Attendance May Giving 5-7 $2, $2, $1, Mortgage Balance: $43,107.44