Affirmation of Baptism Confirmation

Transcription

1 May 2013 S t. M a t t h e w L u t h e r a n C h u r c h, I t h a c a, O H Worshiping God, Growing in Faith, Serving Neighbors--near and far Affirmation of Baptism Confirmation On Sunday, May 5, Hannah Eley will be received into our confirmed membership by affirming her baptismal faith in the Rite of Confirmation. Please congratulate Hannah on this important step in her life, and pray that God will continue to bless and keep her as she continues to grow in her faith. Read more about Hannah on page 2. After worship, there will be a carry-in brunch to celebrate. All are welcome to BYOB (Bring Your Own Breakfast that is) to be shared by all. Needed items are: breakfast casseroles, juice, milk, fruit, fruit desserts, yogurt, sausage gravy & biscuits, baked goodies and any other breakfast item. There is a sign up sheet at church. Please sign up what you will bring so we can coordinate the other foods. Holy Communion We will continue to offer weekly Holy Communion through the season of Easter, which ends Sunday, May 12th. We will then celebrate Holy Communion on the first Sunday of each month and on Festivals. In May, there are two Festivals: Pentecost on May 19th and Holy Trinity Sunday on May 26th. There are no other Festival days until October 27th, Reformation Day. Once again this summer, we will be co-hosting Vacation Bible School with Gordon UMC. Please plan to join us during this exciting week when we get to discover our neighbors near to us and across the world. Everywhere Fun Fair will be held, here at St. Matthew this year on July 29-August 2nd from 6:30-8:30 pm. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Kristie Stump at or kristie@stumpfamily.org. Please pray for leaders and children as the program is prepared, and plan to bring the children in your lives to share in learning how we care for our neighbors! 1

2 Meet SMLC s Newest Member On May 5th, Hannah Eley will become an active, voting member of St. Matthew through her Affirmation of Baptism. She has completed a two year program, meeting about weekly during the school year, completing worship notes that include answering the question What did you hear in today s sermon and learning what it means to be a Lutheran Christian. Hannah is an 8 th grader at Franklin Monroe who hopes to be a teacher or a nurse when she grows up. She loves to play sports and participates in volleyball, basketball, and softball. Hannah loves to talk, make others laugh, and she always puts others first, Hannah always has a smile on her face and is first to volunteer to help. She loves to hang out with her friends and family. Hannah is the daughter of Heather Eley, a member of St. Matthew, and Randy Eley. Work Day!! On Saturday, May 18, we invite you to put on your work gloves and meet us at the church for a work day. We will begin at 8 a.m. and work outside mulching and doing other activities to beautify the church grounds. Your help is greatly appreciated!! St. Matthew Lutheran Church 6825 State Route 722, Ithaca June 2, 2013 During 10 a.m. worship Free-will offering accepted for Tommy s ministry Our annual carry-in picnic will follow. Please bring a dish to share 2

3 Congratulations, Graduates Class of 2013! We would like to publish a list of all graduates in the next Newsletter, whether it be high school, vocational school, technical school, college, or otherwise. Please contact Shannon at or skmccullough@earthlink.net with your name, graduation date, school you are graduating from and a hint of what you plan for your future! We would also like to include your senior picture if you d like!! Entries are needed by May 20!! Restroom Project We continue our work with Mote and Associates to create good, costeffective ideas for a Handicapped restroom. Please be patient with us as we explore all of the avenues available in order to come up with something tangible to present to the congregation. A Restroom fund has been established and you can give at any time by marking an envelope restroom fund and placing it in the offering plate on Sunday morning. VILLAGE SINGERS SPRING CONCERT The Village Singers are proud to announce their Spring Concert to be held at Trinity United Methodist Church on May 5th 2013 at 2:30 p.m. Special guest performers will be Utah and Karsten Strobel. The concert will be a blend of gospel and patriotic songs. Ice cream and cookies will be served after the performance. A Note of Thanks. Thank you to pastor and the congregation in the expression of sympathy for my brother-inlaw, Tom Wrenn. I have made quite a few trips to his home to help keep him safe to and from the hospital, rebuilding steps, and adding grab bars to the bathroom shower, ect. I also appreciate that my wife was so understanding when I had to stay overnight. Church families, neighbors and all concerned people are more of a blessing than they realize. Dave Shoemaker Many thanks for all the prayers and concerns. Ralph Stutz Many Thanks to Jane Brown, Suzanne Lammi and all the quilters who worked on my beautiful prayer quilt and thank you to all who tied a knot and prayed for me. St. Matthew s is a caring church and I thank you for the food, calls, cards & visits. I am feeling good and if all continues, I will delay my decision about moving to BRC. Much Love, Dorothy Hunt Thank you for your 2012 gifts. We appreciate your annual financial and prayerful support for Lutheran Outdoor Ministries in Ohio. Your generosity directly benefits everyone who participates in this ministry. We continue to provide safe, high quality fun programming and creative Bible studies in a Christ-centered setting at Camp Luther, Camp Mowana, Lutheran Memorial Camp and through LOMO Outreach. Please accept our heartfelt thanks for your congregation s gift. Penny Christensen, Exec. Director 3

4 OUR MONTHLY WELCA MEETING will be held at the home of Earlene Morris on Wednesday May, 8 at 7 p.m. We will continue our studies in the Gather magazine, Session 9, Time to Go. The theme verse is Acts 1:6; so when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel? Sherry Marten will be our hostess. Baby Blessings!! During the months of April, May, and June, we collect new bars of soap (in it s original wrapping any size or brand) for Lutheran World Relief. There is a box at the back of the sanctuary for your donations. We will also begin our collection of monetary gifts for Wernle Home between Mother s Day and Father s Day. Please look for the Wernle house to make your donation. Rose Eleanora Lammi born 10:23 p.m. 7 lbs 8 oz, 20" Parents: Kurt & Rachel Lammi Grandparents: Matt & Suzanne Lammi Evan Lane Glasscoe born 4/12/13 Parents: Ann & Gavin Glasscoe Grandparents: Kim & Terry House Great-Grandparents: Gene & Sandy Thompson Hunter Glen Smith born 4/25/ lbs 4 oz, 21 Parents: Jackie & Alex Smith Grandparent: Charlotte Smith Great-Grandparents: Terry & Neva Birt ONE Ministry Castine Food Bank item of the month: pasta Quilting Ministry As we have so many wonderfully talented volunteers working at home, we have not scheduled meetings at the church. If you would like to help, in any way, please see Jane. And, please remember, this ministry would not survive without your generous donations of time, money, fabric, thread, etc.. Please keep us in mind as we continue to sew seeds of goodness that positively affect the lives of those who are ill or in need of support through prayer. 1. 4

5 From the Pastor Those of you who were raised Lutheran may remember your catechism classes for confirmation. In the olden days youth had to memorize not only the creeds, Ten Commandments, books of the bible in order, some had to memorize Luther s response to the creeds and the commandments. This is most certainly true. Some of you have horror stories of being tested, in front of the council, or the pastor and elders. You d be asked questions and have to respond with memorized answers. In some churches, youth got away with just memorizing a verse of the bible, which would be recited in front of the entire congregation on Confirmation Sunday. Once you passed and celebrated, you were done. No more memorization, no more learning. For many families, the agreement was Sunday School until confirmation, then after, youth were freed from attendance requirements.. Confirmation (catechism) classes have changed over the years, and I wonder if they ve changed enough. I don t require memorization, or extra reading. I do hold about 30 classes a year. Over two years we cover Lutheranism, and the Bible. During that time we barely scratch the surface. My goal for the two years of confirmation is not to fill our youth with enough knowledge about their faith that they never need attend Sunday School again. I hope that the time spent builds relationships, between the youth and me and among the youth. I also hope that the youth get to know members of SMLC better, to be better connected in the congregation. So, I require the youth to interview at least three Living Saints; members over 60. This year I also had the confirmation youth interview our graduating seniors. The process of confirmation isn t to reach an end. The Affirmation of Baptism rite that celebrates the process of confirmation isn t an end. It is a recommitment, recognition of the unique life that comes as a baptized child of God. The youth affirming his or her faith, and the congregation make commitments to each other, and to God, similar to those made at baptism. For those baptized as infants, the parents, sponsors and congregation commit to raise the child up in faith. At Affirmation of Baptism, the youth re-affirms his or her faith, and re-commits to live a life of faith, and the congregation, the community of faith, promises to support and pray for the youth. At one time it was enough for many in America to go through the eight grade, then begin their adult working lives. Eventually graduating after twelfth grade became the norm. College or technical school is pretty much required now after high school graduation. With all the changes in the world, it is the rare worker who doesn t need to learn something new every year, often in workplace classrooms. These days, learning never ends. My desire is that the church comes to see faith development evolve as public education has in America. A life of faith is never finished. As long as a person is still taking breath, he or she can deepen in faith, as a baptized child of God, through the Holy Spirit and with support of the congregation. This is most certainly true. In Christ s Peace, Pastor Joene 5

6 4th 5th 9th 10th 12th 20th 30th May Birthdays Janet Ehlers Joel Kress Kristine Herr Suzanne Lammi Faye Harman Devon Eley Carol Castello Gary Brown Sue Mills May Anniversaries 5th Mike & Charlotte Delong 1st 15th Dave & Barb Shoemaker 37th 31st Duane & Janet Ehlers 66th Blessings Peggy Lockman Sanders Marla Siert Baby Rose Eleanora Lammi Baby Evan Lane Glasscoe Patty Mong Dorothy Hunt Gary Veach April Prayer Concerns Joel Hoke Tom Knick Dick Bartocci Sandy Thompson Ralph Stutz Helen Garner Pastor Hilbert & Mary Piel Fred & Bea Zimmer Don Schneider Evaline Myers Rex Hart Nelda Morris Edy Morris Margaret Cullers Doug Smith Sharon Archer Andy Stevenson Debbie Condon Aloha Moore Shorty Schaar Lewis Lease Harold Warner Sue Witeof & friend, Tammy Dorinda Stutz Grant Lammi Susie George & Ester Heltzel Delores Bruner Patricia Terhune Baby Hannah Bishop Callon Holloway, Jr. Sue Bayham Debra Winterrowd Tammy Sawicki Marilyn McNitt Keith Stump Luanna Fisher Helen Bartocci Lynn co-worker of Mickie Mike Smith Boston Marathon bomb victims West Texas explosion victims Military TJ Kress upcoming deployment to Afghanistan and all those serving our country Prayers of sympathy and healing for the families of: Alice Stutz Tom Wrenn James Bridenbaugh Bill Oler Paul Robinson Louis Stephens Esther Arnett Earl Sargent To reach us for the prayer chain, please call Rhonda Kress at or For Our Thrivent Choice Dollar Contributors If you have not re-designated St. Matthew as your benefactor, please do so via internet ( or a phone call to Thrivent ( ). This must be done quarterly. Choice Dollars Details The Thrivent Choice program lets members recommend where some of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans' charitable outreach funds go by directing Choice Dollars SM. 6

7 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat May Greeters: Duane & Janet Ehlers am Clergy Meeting/W. Milton 3 4 Hunger Task Force Meeting 5 6th Sunday of Easter Communion Confirmation Sunday 6 7 pm Council meeting 7 8 Pastor at Stillwater Cluster am Clergy Meeting/W. Milton Lector: Hannah Eley Acolyte: Alysson Pahl Bread: Confirmation students 7 pm WELCA th Sunday of Easter Communion Happy Mother s Day am Clergy Meeting/W. Milton am Work day at church Lector: Rhonda Kress Acolyte: Karr Stump Bread: Janet Ehlers 19 Penetecost Communion 20 Newsletter entries due am Clergy Meeting/W. Milton Lector: Chris Stump Acolyte: Julia McCullough Bread: The Stump family 26 The Holy Trinity Communion GRCC Food Bank 31 Lector: Sherry Marten Acolyte: Joel Hoke Bread: Jane Brown P a s t o r J o e n e o n v a c a t I o n t h r o u g h J u n e 5

8 Church Address 6825 St. Route 722 Ithaca, OH Office Phone/Fax: Pastor Joene Herr Phone: Wheelchair accessible + Elevator on premises + Holy Communion celebrated - 1st Sunday of every month- major church festivals We re on the web!! Facebook: St. Matthew Sunday Worship services: 9 am Traditional worship 10 am Coffee Break (food & fellowship) 10:15 am Sunday School for all ages St. Matthew Lutheran Church Ithaca 7820 State Route 722 Arcanum, Ohio Dated Material 8