Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

Transcription

1 Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod SEPTEMBER 2013 NEWSLETTER My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. [Saint John 10:27] The Word of the Lord Endures Forever We live in a world where almost everything is disposable or dispensable. The amount of trash we throw out each week is enormous. Clothes wear out, electronics break down, vehicles get junked, and homes get demolished. Even relationships are too often discarded. Because of sin and its consequences, we know that this present creation will be destroyed when our Lord Jesus returns. Only then will God create new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. By God s grace, He has given us something eternal in this perishing world: His Word! Saint Peter writes: The Word of the Lord endures forever (1 Peter 1:25). God s Word is His revelation of Himself, His will, His love, His grace, His mercy, His redemption, His salvation. What s more, not only is that Word proclaimed, written, and heard, it also took on human flesh and blood in the person of Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1-3, 14). From the very start of the Reformation, confessional Lutherans have championed God s enduring Word. In fact, Saint Peter s words above became their very motto. In Latin, that motto reads Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum (abbreviated VDMA). In English, we simply say the Word of the Lord endures forever. This motto first appeared in the court of Frederick the Wise in He had it sewn onto the right sleeve of the court s official clothing, which was worn by prince and servant alike. It was used by Frederick s successors, his brother John the Steadfast, and his nephew John Frederick the Magnanimous. It became the official motto of the Smalcaldic League and was used on flags, banners, swords, and uniforms as a symbol of the unity of the Lutheran laity who struggled to defend their beliefs, communities, families, and lives against those who were intent on destroying them. Though we live in a different world than the apostles and our Reformation-era forefathers, our need for God s enduring Word is the same. In fact, that Word is our only source of ultimate truth (Psalm 119:160; John 17:17). It bears witness to Jesus (John 5:39), imparts and sustains faith and life (John 20:31; Romans 10:17), and is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). Therefore, we would do well to champion that Word in everything we think, say, and do. To live from every Word that proceeds from God s mouth. To regularly read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest it. In that Word that endures forever from the Triune God who endures forever, we also learn that His faithfulness endures forever, His name endures forever, His righteousness endures forever, and His steadfast love endures forever. Those are things that sinners like you and me need on a daily basis. So let our motto also be VDMA ( the Word of the Lord endures forever ). Amidst all the fleeting treasures and pleasures of this sinful world, let us hold firmly to that which endures forever. God. His Word. His loving heart toward sinners. To that end, let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly (Colossians 3:16). Come to God s house regularly to hear and take to heart His Word. Attend Bible Class to learn His Word. Study His Word at home. And pray His Word daily. Jesus says it all: Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it (Luke 11:28). By God s grace, may our ears always be hearing it, our hearts believing it, and our mouths confessing it! Pastor Mumme

2 Calendar Week of Pentecost 15 Sun, 9/1, 9:00 am Divine Service (Rally Day) Sun, 9/1, 10:30 am Sunday School & Bible Class Sun, 9/1, 11:30 am Church Picnic Tues, 9/3, 4:00 pm Youth Ensemble Practice Wed, 9/4, 7:00 pm Adult Choir Practice Sat, 9/7, 2:00 pm Float Decorating Week of Pentecost 16 Sun, 9/8, 9:00 am Divine Service Sun, 9/8, 10:00 am Thrivent Meeting Sun, 9/8, 10:30 am Sunday School & Bible Class Sun, 9/8, 2:00 pm Bolingbrook Pathways Parade Mon, 9/9, 7:00 pm Elders Meeting Tues, 9/10, 1:00 pm Women s Bible Study Tues, 9/10, 4:00 pm Youth Ensemble Practice Tues, 9/10, 7:00 pm Book of Concord Study Wed, 9/11, 7:00 pm Adult Choir Practice Fri, 9/13, 7:00 pm Youth Lock-In Sat, 9/14, 8:30 am Men s Bible Breakfast Sat, 9/14, Noon Council Meeting Sat, 9/14, 1:30 pm Luncheon Set-Up Week of Pentecost 17 Sun, 9/15, 9:00 am Divine Service Sun, 9/15, 10:30 am Sunday School & Bible Class Sun, 9/15, 11:30 am Fine Italian Luncheon Tues, 9/17, 4:00 pm Youth Ensemble Practice Wed, 9/18, 7:00 pm Adult Choir Practice Sat, 9/21, 10:00 am Altar Guild Meeting Sat, 9/21, 11:00 am Ladies Aid Meeting Week of Pentecost 18 Sun, 9/22, 9:00 am Divine Service Sun, 9/22, 10:30 am Sunday School & Bible Class Mon, 9/23 SRPC Tues, 9/24 SRPC Tues, 9/24, 4:00 pm Youth Ensemble Practice Wed, 9/25 SRRC Wed, 9/25, 7:00 pm Adult Choir Practice Fri, 9/27 Higher Things Youth Retreat Sat, 9/28 Higher Things Youth Retreat Week of Pentecost 19 Sun, 9/29, 9:00 am Divine Service Sun, 9/29, 10:30 am Sunday School & Bible Class Sun, 9/29, 11:45 am 3:fifteen Youth Study 06 Amy Edgar 06 Kevin Pape 09 Eric Page 11 Ginny Page 11 Bryan Schilling 13 Daniel Data, Sr. 13 Bobbie Meyer 14 Jim Kranich 15 Alan Grelck 16 David Dobbs 18 Elizabeth Parmenter 19 Spenser Fox 20 Linda Shurhay 21 Fern Allison 22 James Cruz 22 Cindy Simonetti 23 Judy Yuenger 24 Levi Fox 24 John Mueller 25 Cindy Rambeaux 27 Dale Thornton 29 Mary Polerecky September Birthdays Baptismal Anniversaries 01 Aubrey Learnahan 01 Bill Tilker 03 Lynn Henricks 05 Alicia Kreier 06 Karlene Grelck 08 David Grelck 11 Matthew Wise 13 Charlotte Weberling 16 Terri Kreier 16 Ruth Martinez 17 Kevin Olifirowicz 18 Ottilie Stroh 23 Courtney Nurczyk 23 Emily Nurczyk 25 Mary Braasch 25 Taylor Jordan 26 Kevin Pape 27 David Dobbs Wedding Anniversaries 04 Dan & Linda Data 18 Greg & Val DeWitt 18 Don & Renata Fiolka 19 Darrin & Colette Johnson 21 Tim & Nadine Parmenter 2

3 Bible & Lutheranism Studies Sunday Bible Class Topic: Miscellaneous Topics When: Sunday 10:30 a.m. Men s Bible Breakfast Topic: 1 st Timothy When: Saturday, September 8:30 a.m. Where: Golden Corral Women s Bible Study Topic: Lutheranism 101, chapter 15 When: Tuesday, September 1:00 p.m. Book of Concord Study Topic: Large Catechism, 8 th Commandment When: Tuesday, September 7:00 p.m. Youth Ensemble Are you between the ages of 6 and 18? Do you love to sing or play an instrument? Well, we d love to have you in the Youth Ensemble. Our practices are on Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. Just show up or call Terri Kreier at with any questions. Adult Choir Adult choir will start up again on Wednesday, September 4. I encourage all warblers in the congregation to join us at 7:00 p.m. A busy year is planned. Come and make a joyful noise unto the Lord. George Rousar, Choir Director 3:fifteen Youth Study Topic: Angels and Demons When: Sunday, September 11:45 a.m. The Augsburg Confession This past year portions of Luther s Small Catechism were read in place of the Gradual in the Divine Service. This fall and winter portions of The Augsburg Confession will be read. This confession was presented by Lutheran pastors and laypersons to Emperor Charles V on 25 June 1530 and includes 28 articles that summarize the Christian faith. Each article with accompanying notes will be available as a handout and on our website for further reading and study. As always, Pastor Mumme is available to answer your questions and discuss these articles of faith with you. Prayer Chain Several of our members are part of a church prayer chain. If you would like to join them in praying for our congregation s special needs, please contact Nadine Parmenter at or Pastor Mumme. A Note from Your Organist There are some things happening in my life as your organist that I feel you should be aware of. On August 18 I celebrated my 55 th year as a church organist and choir director (the last 30 years at Divine Shepherd). One of the things fifty five years tells me is that I am getting old. With Rheumatoid Arthritis affecting my body, especially my fingers, I will be the first to admit that I am not the organist I used to be. However I still have the desire to play, and if you are willing to overlook an occasional slip of the fingers, I m willing to continue to play and direct the choir. I m writing this because numerous people have asked me my plans every time I have a serious bout with my RA or related illness. George Rousar 3

4 New Members On July 3 we welcomed Carolyn Stronczek into membership via transfer from Zion Lutheran Church in Summit, IL. Carolyn is a homebound member who lives in Greenleaf in Bolingbrook. On August 4 we welcomed Al & Ann Gernenz and their son Jonathan into membership via transfer from Saint Paul Ev. Lutheran Church in Lockport, IL. The Gernenz family lives in Lockport. Welcome to our church family as together we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ! Church Picnic Join us on Sunday, September 1 (Sunday School Rally Day) for our annual church picnic. The festivities will begin following Bible Class and Sunday School. Come and join in the fun! Pathways Parade The time is here to decorate our float for the Pathways Parade. If you have the time, we could sure use your help on Saturday, September 7 at 2:00 p.m. Dress for paint and if you have a stapler, a hammer, a cordless drill with screwdriver bits, and especially a stapler (yes, I said that twice), please bring them along. We still need candy to throw from the float. Please place your donation in the bin located in the narthex. Our goal is 40 pounds of candy. Non-melting candy such as Twizzlers, Sweet Tarts, Smarties, suckers, bubble gum, hard candies, etc. work best. Al & Ann Gernenz Jacquie Avenue Lockport, IL (815) har1eeguy@att.net Carolyn Stronczek 504 Kildeer Drive, Apt. #327 Bolingbrook, IL (630) th Anniversary Join the fun on Sunday, September 8 at 2:00 p.m. for the Pathways Parade. The parade route starts at Bolingbrook High School on Lily Cache to Canterbury to Briarcliff ending at Village Hall. Cheer us on as we go by! Fall Lock-In Youth (6 th grade and up), join us for the fall lock-in on September 13. Bring a sleeping bag, pillow, your own drink, a snack to share, games, and/or movies (rated G or PG only). We will start at 7 p.m. Parents, please pick them up at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. We have invited the youth from Saint Peter Lutheran Church in Joliet, so we could see some new faces! Fine Italian Luncheon The Council is hosting a Fine Italian Luncheon on Sunday, September 15 at 11:30 a.m. They are providing the food, so simply come and enjoy the meal and fellowship. Paul & Joan Sturm celebrated their 50 th wedding anniversary on July 14. What a joy to celebrate God s good gift of marriage. May our gracious Lord continue to bless Paul and Joan always! The youth are hosting a dessert sale in conjunction with this luncheon. They will provide a variety of desserts and are simply asking for a free-will donation toward next summer s Higher Things youth conference. 4

5 Little Lambs Happenings I want to thank everyone for being so very generous with the school supply donations. We will have a great start to our new year. We had a Meet & Greet on August 29, where our preschoolers got their first glimpse of their school room. Later that night there was a Parent Orientation. The first day of school is Tuesday, September 3 and I am very excited to start! There are still openings, so please keep spreading the word. September will be a month where we will be getting to know each other and learning the school rules. But, we will also have a chance to explore pets near the end of the month. Something I would like to put up soon is a wish list for the preschool. On it, will be some very specific items to either add to or replace worn items in the classroom. There is no date for these items to be purchased, but if the spirit moves you to donate something, this will serve as a guide to what is needed. I am looking forward to serving as your Preschool Teacher/Director and truly appreciate the very kind words of support that I have received over the last month. Ladies Aid Blessings! Ms. Terri Manna gift cards are good for everyday purchases, gifts, vacations, kids at college and to help provide some basics for those at Divine Shepherd in need. Order gift cards through Ladies Aid and you will have them one week later. While there is no extra cost to you, our congregation benefits by receiving a percentage of your purchase. It is that easy, and you are helping our church in the process. Order dates are September 1, 15 & 29, October 13 & 27. Ladies Aid will be sending gifts to the Rev. May missionary family in Africa. Watch for the special giving tree in the narthex. Thrivent Financial Hope your summer has been an enjoyable one. This is an update on Choice Dollars and our members. Currently there are 61 Thrivent members at Divine Shepherd, 29 members are eligible for Choice Dollars but only 14 donated Choice Dollars as of June 30. Why won t the other 15 donate their dollars to the church and community where it will help cover so many needs? The second quarter of Choice Dollars has been credited to your account. Again if you need help in donating please let me know or you can always phone Thrivent direct at and they are very helpful and will be able to make the donation of your choice. Knowing that there are 61 Thrivent members at Divine Shepherd, why is it that only 4-6 members come to the monthly meetings? We need members to bring new ideas and in determining distribution of Choice Dollars. Let s get the new fall semester started out right by attending the next meeting on September 8, after church services. We meet in the office of Luther Hall. Feel free to bring your coffee. Hope to see you there. The Thrivent office in Lemont, our sister church in the West Will County Chapter, has invited us to help in their Blood Drive on September 7 from 9 am to 1 pm. The Blood Mobile will be located at their office, located at 310 Illinois Street in downtown Lamont. For additional information you can call Mike Shackel, our Financial Rep. for additional information. His phone number is (cell) or (home). The annual Oktoberfest luncheon is scheduled for October 20 following Bible Class. More information will be posted in the October Newsletter and the weekly bulletins. Shirley Norling, Congregational Advocate We will be doing the regular giving tree for our own member needs in late November. All women are encouraged to give Ladies Aid your much needed support and attend the monthly meetings. Hope to see you at the next meeting on September 21 at 11:00 a.m. Treasurer s Report As of June 30 Actual Budget Income $82,830 $78,193 Expenses $88,881 $89,753 5

6 Fall Conference on Theology You are invited to a fall theological conference at Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin on Saturday, October 5. The topic is A Christian Defense of Sex, Marriage, and Family in the 21st Century and the presenter is the Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Elmhurst. The conference begins at 8:30 a.m. and finishes by 1:00 p.m. Please contact Calvary to register ( or office@clce.org). Childcare is available (please mention it when you pre-register). Registration is free, though a free-will offering will be collected. Calvary Lutheran Church is located at 535 N. McLean Boulevard, Elgin, IL Carpooling from Divine Shepherd is available; please speak with Pastor if interested in attending. Though several pastors will be attending, this conference is specifically for laypersons. Youth Retreats Youth, there are two overnight retreats being put on by Higher Things this fall for Lutheran youth in our area. Below are the details. These retreats begin Friday evening, end Saturday evening, and are a small portion of what goes at the larger youth conference each summer. Let Nadine, Lori, or Pastor know if you have interest in attending either one. Thy Strong Word September Zion Lutheran Church, Beecher, IL $40 per person (youth, chaperones) At the Lamb s High Feast November 8-9 Zion Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL $50 per person (youth, chaperones) Your friends are welcome as well. Hope to see you there! Kitchen You are welcome to use the kitchen; however, the Ladies Aid asks that you return items to the place marked for them. Also, please ask Talma Krause before you bring in items, which will remain in the kitchen, such as utensils, plates or bowls. Thanks. Bulletin Covers & Altar Flowers The 2013 flower chart and September-December bulletin chart are posted in the narthex. Sign up for any open Sunday(s) to celebrate a special occasion or to honor/remember someone. Cost of two bouquets is $40, $45, or $50. Cost of bulletins is $10. See Karen Moritz for details. Important Phone Numbers Church Office: Preschool: (Terri Kreier) Pastor Mumme: Prayer Chain: (Nadine Parmenter) Newsletter: (Karen Moritz) (items are due September 24) Saint Michael & All Angels Sunday, September 29, is the festival of Saint Michael and All Angels. To prepare for our Divine Service that day, read over LSB hymns 521 and 522 and rejoice that God sends His angels to guard and protect us! Jesus, send Your angel legions When the foe would us enslave. Hold us fast when sin assaults us; Come, then, Lord, Your people save. Overthrow at last the dragon; Send him to his fiery grave. [LSB 521, stanza 6] Sunday Treats Please consider signing up to bring treats on any given Sunday(s). Consider bringing fruit and/or crackers and cheese for our diabetic members. The signup sheet is posted on the Luther Hall bulletin board. Ladies Aid only provides drinks, not goodies when no one has signed up for a given Sunday. Monetary donations are accepted to defray the cost of drinks and supplies. 6