St. James Journal. From the P.I.T. SEPTEMBER WORSHIP SCHEDULE. September 7 - Rally Day 9:15 AM Outdoor Worship

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1 St. James Journal SEPTEMBER WORSHIP SCHEDULE 7 - Rally Day 9:15 AM Outdoor Worship 14, 21 & 28-8:00 AM Traditional Worship 9:15 AM Adult Bible Study 9:15 AM Contemporary Worship 10:15 AM Sunday School 11:00 AM Chapel Worship THE SUNDAY RADIO BROADCAST on KRIB, 1490AM, is at 9:15 a.m. Our Mission Statement: We Proclaim and Practice Christ s Love From the P.I.T. There s a modern proverb that says, Life is a marathon, not a sprint. A quick web search for life is a marathon brings up over 14 million search results. As a runner, I can easily connect with this phrase, but I believe everybody can. Most people seem to know that everyday things, the day-to-day activities of life, such as work, school, relationship, and even recreation, are marathons. To do it well, one must have persistence and endurance to see it to the end. The Bible echos this sentiment and contains many such passages, as well. Hebrews 12:1 says, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. One running story, though, that I love is in 1 Kings 19:1-18. Go ahead and give is a quick read. I ll wait. ON SEPTEMBER 7, THERE WILL BE ONE WORSHIP SERVICE, outside, at 9:15 a.m. A carnival will follow the service. Everyone is invited! Please note that the 8:00 and 10:30 worship services will not be held that day. WEDNESDAY NIGHT MEALS resume on Sept 10. Serving is from 5:15 to 6:00. Suggested free-will donation is $5.00 per person. 7 TH & 8 TH GRADE CONFIRMATION WILL BEGIN on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, with an orientation for all youth and parents. If you know of anyone who would like to join our confirmation program, please have them contact the church office as well. 9TH GRADE CONFIRMATION will begin with the orientation for parents and students on 10. Elijah, surely one of the first ultramarathon runners, travels about 100 miles to escape death at the hands of Jezebel. On the journey he is fed by an angel and finds himself at a cave in Mt. Horeb. After this little jog through the Judean wilderness, Elijah has a chance to see God. But God comes not in the earthquake, wind, and fire; instead, he comes in the sheer silence. Imagine how good that must have felt for Elijah after his journey. God doesn t require pomp and circumstance to be known and heard. Instead, God chose to be revealed in a way that Elijah needed most. He was in sheer silence, in rest, in the quiet places. And I m convinced that God still longs to be heard in this way. So my challenge for you this month is this; find a way to give God some silence in your life. Whether it s an activity, (like running), a place, or a state of mind, I hope you can find some time of silence. God offers us rest from the weariness of everyday life. So come, be fed like Elijah, and find rest in the presence of God. Peace, Bryan

2 News From Our Members THOSE WE HAVE REMEMBERED IN PRAYER: Margaret Christensen, Beulah Fairbanks, Bob Follmuth, Sandee Pals, Bruce Pennington, and Louise Stevenson. If you or someone you know is hospitalized, has had surgery, or would like a pastoral visit, please contact Pastor Jeni. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OUR CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY is extended to: Jeanette Priebe and family, on the death of her mother, Edith Drabek. Edith died July 26 and her funeral was July 31. Our prayer is that you feel the love of God from the hearts of those who care and share in your time of sorrow. When there is a death of a family member, please call the church office so that we may make a note of it in an upcoming Journal. Also please call the church office if a name has been inadvertently omitted. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEWLYWEDS! Jessica Tesdahl and Angelo Lavanderos were wed on August 9 at St. James. May the glow of love and happiness from your marriage day be with you for the rest of your lives! May the Lord bless you and keep you. CONGRATULATIONS TO THANK YOU to all who support our youngsters to attend Riverside Bible Camp. In August you helped them raise $ Thank you so much for your generosity! DEAR FRIENDS, Thank you for generous gift of $ to the Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank. Every gift is needed to provide emergency food assistance to the many residents of North Iowa in need. Sincerely, Linda Duvall ST. JAMES LUTHERAN CHURCH, Just a brief note to say thanks for allowing our family to stay in your yard while overnight in Mason City on RAGBRAI. From our shady campsite to the Pork Chop dinner, (yummy!!) your church thought of everything we could need to make our stay enjoyable. Thanks again and God bless! Sincerely, EGO Cycle Team FROM THE FAMILY OF ROBERT MAHONEY, Thank you to Pastor Gannett, organist Cynthia, Bill Trask and the volunteer ladies of St. James who provided a wonderful luncheon after the funeral services. Everyone s hard work during this difficult time is much appreciated. ~The family of Robby Mahoney THANKS SO MUCH for letting our group camp at the church during RAGBRAI. ~Bill & Becky Neal~ North Iowa Touring Club Brian & Krystal Garl and big brother Lucas, on the birth of Lincoln Jace Garl. Lincoln was born on July 5. His grandparents are Jerry & Judy Garl and Bill & Vickie Norby. Jeremy and Laura Monaghan on the birth of their son, Calen Jordan Monaghan on August 1. Stacy Jensen & Doug Shannon and big sister Danikah, on birth of Parker Thomas James Shannon. Parker was born on August 11. His grandparents are Ron & Myrna Jensen. DEAR ST. JAMES, Thank you so much for your warm hospitality during RAGBRAI. The accommodations were great shower, restroom-open all night and cell phone charging. I regret I didn t eat the delicious meal. It was much appreciated, Sue Ellen 2

3 SCRIPTURE READERS If you are unable to read on the scheduled Sunday please call someone else and exchange with them. If a change is made, please call the church office. 8:00 AM 9:15 AM 10:30 AM Rally Day Judy Clarke Jeanette Priebe Lynn Christensen Diane Francis Lucille Feldhus Dave Jacobson Mona Pope COLLEGE ADDRESSES: Is your son or daughter going away to school this year? Our Care Team would like to have the addresses of all of our young people in college so they can periodically send them something. Please send their address to the Church office. Thanks! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE OCTOBER JOURNAL deadline is Monday, 22 by 1:00 PM. THE OCTOBER JOURNAL will be assembled on Monday, 29 at 1:00 PM. Please call the church office if you are able to help. BULLETIN ARTICLES are due on Thursday by 9:00 AM every week. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rally Day Nancy Moen Sue Ollman Jean Groth BIBLES will be handed out to new pre-school Sunday School children, 3 rd graders, and all youth who have not yet received Bibles during our RALLY DAY Worship Service on 7 at 9:15 AM. PRAYER SHAWL will be on Monday, 8th, at 6:30 pm. Anyone interested in this wonderful ministry at St. James, please come check us out! RIVERSIDE CAMPERS will host our coffee and fellowship time a Sunday in. They will be providing baked goods and other treats before the 8 AM service and between services. A free-will offering will be taken that will benefit our children going to camp. DO DAYS will meet Tuesday, 9, at 9:00 AM at the church; weather permitting. LOVE CIRCLE: Will meet on Monday, 15th, at 7:00 PM at the church. HOPE CIRCLE: Will meet on Tuesday, 16, at 9:30 AM at the church. BLOOD DRIVE Wednesday, 17 th 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM Donors may sign up on Sunday, August 31 st, 7 and 14. Walk Ins welcome also! Any questions, please contact Renee Knoop at SENIOR SAINTS: Will meet 18 at 5:00 PM at the church. IT S LADIES NIGHT! Join us for dinner and a movie on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 at 5 PM. We will watch the movie Mom s Night Out, a comedy about 3 moms who leave the kids at home for a quiet night on the town but chaos ensues! Bring a donation for pizza and we will order from Godfather s. Please let the Church office know if you would like babysitting for the night. YOUTH GATHERING Every 3 years, thousands of ELCA youth gather in one city, hear great speakers, engage in community service, listen to awesome music, and have a life-changing experience. Next July, they will gather in Detroit and make a huge impact on that city. If you are a high school student this year and are interested in going, please talk to Pastor Jeni or Bryan and we can let you know how to get connected. An informational meeting will be held in, so stay tuned! 3

4 BOILER UPDATE: As many of you know, our boiler broke down late last winter. Thankfully, it was able to be repaired just enough to use it for the remainder of the season, but after that was not usable. The Trustees Board did research into new boilers, as well as alternative heating sources. After careful research, the Board decided that a new boiler is the best, and most cost-effective, heating source for our building. They secured bids for new boilers, and found a very competitive bid. Because of the time-sensitivity both of the bid and the need to have a boiler in place as soon as possible, the council authorized the Trustees Board to move ahead with the lowest bid. We are using money from the Building Fund, as well as the money we earned during RAGBRAI to pay for the new boiler. However, there is still a need for more funding. We will hold a meeting on Sunday, 21 immediately following the 9:15 worship service to discuss this further. At the meeting, we will also have an update on the Bell Tower. Please join us for the meeting in the Sanctuary. ST. JAMES TRUSTEES have had a busy spring and summer with inside and outside projects. The main concerns have been replacement of the church boiler and the condition of the bell tower. Both projects are moving along and the old boiler has been removed to make room for the new one, so we will be "warm" this winter! The great news is that the bell tower is structurally sound and will not require demolition. We will have an estimate for the bell tower any day so that we can progress with repairs and tuck pointing. St. James bell tower is a landmark in Mason City and I am sure everyone is relieved that it will remain standing. Upcoming projects include running cable for wi-fi in the church and at the same time, putting in a door bell on the main entrance doorway. Tree branch trimming and tree trunk and branch removal remains on the list. Refinishing windows in the parsonage and the Fireside room patio door is becoming a priority. There are a dozen smaller jobs that are ongoing, so be aware that Trustees will be calling on many of you to assist in these projects th St SE Mason City, IA (641) fax (641) St. James Staff Pastor Jeni Bohls pastorjeni@mchsi.com Assistant Minister Bryan Odeen bryanatstjames@gmail.com Administrative Coordinator Sarah Grant stjamesofficemc@gmail.com Building Supervisor Bill Trask Kitchen Coordinator Sherri Fitzgerald 4

5 JOIN US FOR OUR FIRST ANNUAL MINISTRY FAIR! MONDAY NIGHT VOLLEYBALL!! It s the RETURN of Monday Night Volleyball at St. James!! Beginning MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, we will have Recreational Volleyball at 7 PM in the gym for those 14 and older. Bring your friends and neighbors to join the group! Where do you see yourself at St. James? How can you serve? What are new ways you can get involved? WE NEED YOU as part of the Body of Christ to proclaim and practice Christ s love in this place and out in the world! Join us Sunday, 14 for a MINISTRY FAIR, showcasing the various ministries at St. James Lutheran Church! The Ministry Fair will be held between services. There will be tables for all the Boards and various groups. You will have the opportunity to sign up to get involved both by serving and developing connections. You will see pictures of the many events we have had going on lately. And you can ponder how you fit into the puzzle. UPDATE FROM SOUND/MEDIA COMMITTEE CONGRATULATIONS! Due to your support of the worship and music board events like the Barn Dance, Dad's Belgian Waffles, and the Ice Cream Social, we have raised enough money to start implementing some additions to the sound and media system in the sanctuary. The first phase is coming in the form of a projector system to be used mainly during the 9:15 worship service which can be used in many ways, including displaying song lyrics, video clips, sermon notes, announcements, and however else we find use for it. There will be two motorized screens that will be up front on either side, just above the hymn boards. The motorized screens will allow us to roll the screens up when they aren't being used. The media system committee felt this solution, as opposed to TVs or a few other options, would detract the least amount from the natural beauty already found in the worship space and loved by St. James. The projectors will be installed sometime this fall when all the parts have been received. If you are interested in volunteering to run the computer for services, there will be a training meeting in the future. Are you potentially interested, but not sure you have the skills? Rest assured, if you can push the space key and read, you have the skills to help! Thank you again for your commitment to help St. James reach and teach people of different learning and worship styles! Thank you also to the members of the committee who have helped with this phase of the project: Bob Follmuth, Gabe Johanns, Bryan Odeen, and Cynthia Tompkins. If you have any questions or concerns about this phase of the sound/media updates, please talk to a member of the Church Council, Pastor Jeni, or a member of the committee. Thank you! 7

6 WEDNESDAY NIGHT MEALS FOR SEPTEMBER 10 Walking tacos, soft tacos, nachos n cheese & hotdogs 17 Spaghetti, French bread, & hotdogs 24 Chicken and Rice Casserole, Green Beans, and Hot Dogs Home-Cooked, scrumptious suppers are served every Wednesday Night, beginning on 10 at 5:15. Suggested donation is $5 per person. All meals include lettuce salad, dessert and beverages. Everyone is welcome for this time of food and fellowship. Welcome back to the Cook s Corner! Let s have a grand adventure together! ~Sherri TO THE WOMEN OF ST. JAMES: WELCA is reaching out to you for help with funeral luncheons. When a member dies, we typically provide a luncheon after the funeral. This is such a great service for the family members who need this simple comfort during A difficult time. WELCA is asking you to be willing to support us with this ministry by providing a cake/bars, a salad and/or spending some time to help with the luncheon by working in the kitchen. A typical luncheon requires 4 to 6 people to help set tables, prepare sandwiches, plate up cakes, and clear dishes after the funeral. WELCA has 4 serving groups with women assigned to a specific group when they become members at St. James. These groups have someone who has volunteered to call the women on their specific list for food donations or their time to help with a luncheon. These groups are rotated by using group 1 through 4 and during a typical year, a group may handle 3 funerals which are spaced several months apart. This is a great time to help minister to those who need us most! Please take a moment and Sherri or Sarah in the office, so we can find out how you would be able to help out. sherrifitzgerald1965@gmail.com stjamesofficemc@gmail.com Thank you for your willingness to help. You will never know how important this service is until you need it yourself. 8

7 WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO RAGBRAI. It was a fun day of service and fellowship. We are pleased to report that the total amount made for that day was , after expenses. The council decided the total amount would go toward the purchase of a new boiler. FUN FACTS ABOUT RAGBRAI 412 campers 340 tents 58 support vehicles 700 pork chops 700 potatoes 130 pies 400+ Volunteers Ages 6-80's. WOW!! Thanks St. James! States represented at St. James for camping: Missouri, Texas, Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Arizona, Iowa BILL IS NEED OF OLD T-SHIRTS AND DISH TOWELS. If you have any you would like to donate, please let Sarah know if the office! Thanks! MEALS ON WHEELS St. James will be delivering meals the week of If you are able to help in this way, please let Sarah know in the office. Thank you! THE OUT OF THE DARKNESS WALK to prevent suicide will be Saturday, October 4, at 12:00 PM. The walk will start at Southbridge Mall. You can register online for North Central Iowa Walk at thedarkness.org. For more information contact Wendy Balles at or by at touchedbysuicidemasoncity@gmail.com. TOUCHED BY SUICIDE SUPPORT GROUP What: Support group for those affected by suicide. When: Third Saturday of each month Time: 10:00 AM 12:00 PM Where: 531 South Illinois Avenue, next to Hy-Vee East For more information contact the facilitator: Wendy Balles, , touchedbysuicidemasoncity@gmail.com Community News THE 2014 FAMILY CAREGIVER'S CONFERENCE "THE COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVER", sponsored by the Aging Services Coalition of North Iowa, will be held Wednesday, 17, 2014 at the Music Man Square. Speakers Dr. Sara Sanders from University of Iowa and Dr. Robert Weissinger of Mason City will present information to assist those in the caregiving role, both family and professional caregivers. Two available times will be available: 2-4 pm or 6-8 pm. Fee is $10 (0.2 CEU's will available for professional caregivers). For registration information, please contact Elderbridge Agency on Aging at Thank you! 12