WORSHIP STEWARDS ARE NEEDED!

Transcription

1 Lutheran Church of Our Saviour GOOD TIDINGS Vol. 19 No. 3 Pastor Katie s Corner It is so easy to find ourselves in a grass is always greener trap, especially in the church. I recently had a conversation with someone about megachurches. You know which ones we were talking about: the churches that worship in the old Lowes store, own their own buses, hire police to come direct traffic in their parking lot on Sundays. They seem to be teeming with people. How can we be like that? this person earnestly asked, thinking about his smaller church. What are they doing that s causing them to grow? I was there once too, having those thoughts. Thinking that that church was doing something right, while we were doing something wrong. That all these churches seemed to do was grow, grow, grow. Yes, I had been there once, thinking their grass was greener. But since then, I ve learned the facts and educated myself about those churches : statistically, megachurches and their denominations are not growing exponentially, at least not in our country. For example, in 2010, the Southern Baptism Convention, the largest Protestant body in America and long regarded as a vital, growing denomination, reported their decline. And megachurches have as many people coming in as they have going out. As one saying goes, They ve got as many people leaving through the side door as walking in the front. They may be bigger, but these churches are not necessarily growing. And bigger doesn t mean better! As another saying goes, All small churches want to be big, and all big churches want to be small. Mega- or big-church ministers I know have their own challenges. They struggle to help hundreds or thousands of congregants connect with one another. Their ministries rely on getting people into intentional small groups ; otherwise, a member risks getting lost in the sea of people. And these small groups are run not by pastors but by elders or lay people. Their ministry needs the priesthood of all believers in order to run and it needs lots and lots of believers (not only pastors) to do it. Plus, there are LOTS of great things about a small church: members actually know one another, and the whole assembly; each person has access to the pastor who knows them; worship can more easily reflect the spirit of the community; there s less of a hierarchy so it can be easier to volunteer. I m sure you can think of a few more. Continues on next page... Mark your calendar for Ash Wednesday, March 6! We ll have services at 1:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m. ~ 6:00 p.m. WORSHIP STEWARDS ARE NEEDED! Please contact the church office or sign up in the narthex. All roles except for Assisting Minister are available! March 2019 President s Message Council s Fellowship Announcements & Upcoming Events Calendars Thank-You s Children s Page.... (17) MONTHLY ATTENDANCE February 3rd: th: 91 17th: th: 85 Avg.: 95.3

2 Vol. 19 No. 3 GOOD TIDINGS 2 Pastor Katie s Corner (cont. d) The grass, I ve learned, is not always greener. Bigger is not always better. But it sure is tempting to think so! This month we start Lent, and on the first Sunday of Lent, we always read about Christ s temptation in the wilderness. The False Accuser, the devil, comes to Jesus and commands him to turn a stone into bread, to worship false lies, and throw himself down from a pinnacle. But Jesus doesn t do it. He knows there is no greener grass on the earth God made. He knows bigger is not better (after all, Jesus knew the challenge of crowd control!). Striving after those things, Christ knows, is a false lie from a force that wants to take him away from God. This Lent, what if we were to give up false lies and accusative grass-is-greener thinking? What if we fasted from the idea that bigger or thinner or richer or younger/older/prettier/you-name-it is better. What if, this Lent, we give up the idea that there s an ideal self a better self a perfect self that we can chase. What if we lived into who God made us to be? With the gifts God gave us. With the forgiveness God offers us for our sins. Because who we actually are brown grass and all that s the person Christ went to the cross for, to save, to forgive, to love, and to raise. Your servant, Pastor Katie A Monthly Message from our Council President: During the last week in February, the Fellowship Committee, chaired by Jules Roinnel, provided a well attended 50 s fellowship event. There was music from the 50 s and food popular in the 50 s. For the senior citizens, it brought back fond memories of a simpler time. For the younger people, it was an introduction to the birth of rockand-roll and they were able to see that the seniors still had some energy and vitality, although the seniors probably needed an Advil cocktail that evening. But most importantly, it brought people together. In the 50 s, people found entertainment and fellowship in many forms. It was common for neighbors to get together for game nights, picnics, and parties, for people to join social organizations in large numbers and, of course, church gatherings. Today, membership in social organizations is down, people have a variety of entertainment choices in the comfort of their homes, and communication is more often carried out through social media rather than in person or through neighborhood gatherings. However, the Church can still provide an opportunity for people to engage with others who have a common interest. At LCOS we have a strong church family. When adversity strikes one of our family members, the others pitch in to provide help and consolation. When one member rejoices, we all rejoice. We offer a variety of ministries to serve our community and appeal to many interests. The LCOS church family is a blessing, a blessing that we can share with others both within and outside of our congregation. Fellowship events are meant to enhance the feeling of comradery and give us a chance to share the blessing of church family with others outside of our congregation. The next time a fellowship event is offered, please plan to attend and bring a friend to share the blessing of God s grace and church family. God bless, Paul Dugent Council President pjdugent@verizon.net

3 3 GOOD TIDINGS Vol. 19 No. 3 Financial Update (through January 31, 2019) The Average Monthly Giving (past 13m) = $18,080 The Average Monthly Expenses(past 13m) = $18,805

4 C ouncil s orner Vol. 19 No. 3 GOOD TIDINGS Church Council Class of 2020 Walt Strohecker (Vice President) wmstrohecker@gmail.com Your Church Council meets monthly, usually on the 2nd or 3rd Sunday of each month. The following are just a few highlights from our February meeting. A full copy of Council's meeting minutes may be found on the bulletin board in the narthex. If you have any questions, please contact a Council member. Council continues to highlight information on the various ways to make offerings, with emphasis on automated recurring donations through Simply Giving, Vanco online, or personal online bill pay banking transactions Council members will be meeting with a representative from Church Mutual for a review and competitive quote on our upcoming property and liability insurance coverage A committee has been appointed by Council to perform a financial audit of our records in accordance with our constitution Council prepared a 2019 calendar with a description of duties document that will assist in keeping us (and future councils) on track with required responsibilities Council will be holding an off-site retreat on Saturday, March 30 Council is still searching for a person willing to serve as our Treasurer someone who has some financial or accounting experience and has expertise with Excel or other applicable software. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Bruce Hale or a Council member. Michael Scheivert mjsrscheivert@comcast.net Bill Walker wrw24red@comcast.net Class of 2021 Paul Dugent (President) pjdugent@verizon.net Gail Kimpfler (Secretary) gtwr@hotmail.com Jules Roinnel julesroinnel@comcast.net Class of 2022 Renae Schumann renae.schumann@gmail.com Kelly Strunk kellystrunk26@yahoo.com Helen Weaver hkweaver@comcast.net Bruce Hale (Treasurer) treasurerlcos@gmail.com

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7 7 GOOD TIDINGS Vol. 19 No. 3 YOUNG FAMILIES GATHERING ANNOUNCEMENTS On Saturday, March 16 4:30-7:00 p.m., there will be a gathering for LCOS young families. There will be pizza, games, and fellowship! Contact Luz Pulskamp with questions ANNUAL REPORT Ministry Teams: Your reports are due no later than Friday, March 1! Please send to admin@lcosva.org. Sunday, March 3, is Transfiguration Sunday. We ll welcome Rev. John Wertz, Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Evangelical Missions for our synod. During the Sunday School hour (9:15-10:15 a.m.) he ll teach an adult class titled Why Synod? and then preach in worship, while Pastor Katie presides. Please plan to come visit with Pastor John. Blessed Are Those Who Mourn A gathering for those experiencing grief. Sunday, March 24 with lunch after worship (This event is the rescheduled Blue Christmas Gathering.) Join Craig Nelson, LCOS member and widower, and Pastor Katie for a conversation about facing holidays, anniversaries, and the future after the death of a loved-one. Please RSVP to admin@lcosva.org or sign up on the blue bulletin board. In preparation for our 2019 Pictorial Directory, Kayleigh Dumont and Susan McCoy will be scheduling a number of Sundays over the next few months to take pictures of LCOS families. Our first Picture Day will be Sunday, March 31 after worship in the Education Wing. Please sign up on the narthex bulletin board. More dates will be forthcoming.

8 Vol. 19 No. 3 GOOD TIDINGS 8 Virginia Lutheran Men in Mission 2019 Gathering March 23 & 24 Roslyn Retreat Center 8727 River Road, Richmond VA Register by March 4! Forms are available on the blue bulletin board in the narthex. Contact Jim Burnish with questions. OUTREACH Richmond Friends of the Homeless Easter Bags: The Outreach Committee will be collecting candy for Easter bags for children at RFOH. If you would like to participate, please provide bags of small, individually wrapped Easter candy. Place your donations in the marked baskets in the narthex. The deadline for donations is Sunday, April 7th. We will be providing Easter treats for 77 children this year. You can help make a happy Easter for these children. As always, your generosity is appreciated. THE GIVING TREE PRESCHOOL March is a long month for the children and we will be busy! Our themes are Changes in the Weather, Transportation, and Pets/Animal Homes. We will also pay tribute to Dr. Seuss, the beloved author who wrote so many zany and funny children s books to help them learn to read. The Two s and Three s classes will learn the Bible story of Noah and the Ark. The Four s class will learn how Jesus Calmed the Storm. Rockwood Park Nature Center will visit to present Scaly Reptiles; yes, they can touch a snake if they want! Our big event is Dad s Night: I Dig My Dad. The children and their fathers or grandfathers will spend needed one-on-one time as they enjoy games and creative building activities. We will also have Parent-Teacher conferences this month to advise the parents of their children s progress so far this year.

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11 11 GOOD TIDINGS Vol. 19 No. 3 The Virginia Synod and the Presbytery of the James are offering a one-day Stewardship education event with Charles R. Lane, the author of Ask, Thank, Tell and Embracing Stewardship, at Three Chopt Presbyterian Church in Richmond on Saturday, March 23, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The cost of the event is $15 per person. For a look at the outline of the day, download the Ask, Thank, Tell: Growing Generous Stewardship Preliminary Schedule at There is time built into the schedule from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for congregational groups to work together on specific ideas for their congregation, so plan to bring a team. If you are registering more than one person, fill out the Attendee #1 Info and then click the Add Attendee button at the end of that section to register additional attendees. For this event, you have two options to participate: you can register and participate inperson or by simulcast. For those who plan to attend in-person, please select the Ask, Thank, Tell: In-Person ticket and make sure to let us know if you have dietary restrictions for lunch. For those planning to attend through the online simulcast, please select the Ask, Thank, Tell: Simulcast ticket. A link to access the event will be ed to you after registration. Registration for the in-person participation closes on Monday, March 18. Registration for the simulcast closes on Thursday, March 21. Register at Please talk to Pastor Katie if you are interested in going, as she plans to attend.

12 Vol. 19 No. 3 GOOD TIDINGS 12 BIRTHDAYS Kimberly Johnson Sandy French Frank Watkins Jackson Nell Terry Price Allen Smith Riley Mayer Jane Avery Peggy Ripley Doug Nichols Bruce Hale John Plaschko Jonathan Terry Michael Beall Anne Frost Clancey Mayer Diane Fleming Michael Modiri Kimberly Terry Michael Scheivert Walt Strohecker Helen Weaver Bryan Casey Sue Childs Stacy McCoy ANNIVERSARIES Marty & Cindy Vik Doug & Valerie Thorp Gray Scott & Stephanie Dorton ***For security purposes, we are no longer listing dates for birthdays & anniversaries. They will soon be available in our 2019 Pictorial Directory. If you would like this information, please contact the church office for the time being.*** IN OUR THOUGHTS & PRAYERS: Sammye, Dolph, Amber, Terry, Melinda, Sissy, Jan, Tim, Whitten, Sandy, Joe, Wanda, Charles, Helen, Ruth, Rachel, & Cindy Did we miss an anniversary or birthday? Please let us know! admin@lcosva.org or call APRIL NEWSLETTER DEADLINE The deadline for our April newsletter is March 22. Please or call with your information. admin@lcosva.org or

13 24 March 2019 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 9:15 AM Sunday School 9:30 AM S.O.F.T. (Intergenerational Discussion Group) 10:30 AM Worship Service 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Youth Group 3 Food Pantry Sunday 9:15 AM "Why Synod?" with Rev. John Wertz 9:15 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Worship Service 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Youth Group 10 9:15 AM "Off Topic" Bible Study 9:15 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Worship Service 17 Eat & Greet (after worship) 9:15 AM "Off Topic" Bible Study 9:15 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Worship Service 24 Virginia Lutheran Men in Mission Gathering 9:15 AM Sunday School 9:30 AM S.O.F.T. (Intergenerational Discussion Group) 10:30 AM Worship Service 31 9:15 AM "Off Topic" Bible Study 9:15 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Worship Service :15 PM Bell Choir Rehearsal 5 7:15 PM Bell Choir Rehearsal 12 7:15 PM Bell Choir Rehearsal 19 7:15 PM Bell Choir Rehearsal 26 7:15 PM Bell Choir Rehearsal 2 7:15 PM Bell Choir Rehearsal 27 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 6 1:00 PM Ash Wednesday Service 6:00 PM Ash Wednesday Service 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 13 10:00 AM Richmond Friends of the Homeless 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 20 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 27 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 3 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal Office Closed 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM AA Meeting 8 Office Closed 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM AA Meeting 15 Office Closed 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM AA Meeting 22 Office Closed 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM AA Meeting 29 Office Closed 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM AA Meeting 5 Office Closed 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM AA Meeting :30 AM Esther Circle 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM The A, B, C, & D of Medicare :30 PM - 7:00 PM Young Family Fellowship Pizza Gathering 23 Virginia Lutheran Men in Mission Gathering GOOD TIDINGS Vol. 19 No. 3

14 Vol. 19 No. 3 GOOD TIDINGS 14 3-Mar COORDINATOR MARCH 2019 WORSHIP STEWARD DUTIES ASSISTING MINISTER Cindy Vik POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP 10-Mar COORDINATOR 10:30AM SERVICE Kelly Strunk Richmond & Judy Zehmer Delores Harris & Kaarina Modiri Jackie Casey & Barbara Dowdy Sharon Johnson & Susan McCoy Lucas Cochran Liam James Helen Weaver Chuck & Brenda Waldridge Valerie Thorp-Gray & Bethany Nell ASSISTING MINISTER Michael Scheivert POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP 17-Mar COORDINATOR Jim Burnish & Rachel Doyle Lucas Cochran & Diane Beall Josh Walker Bryce Weaver Michael Scheivert Don Harmon & Dino Montez Toni Wilson & Pat Dorton ASSISTING MINISTER Lucas Cochran POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP 24-Mar COORDINATOR Sharon Leininger & Jeannette Montez Gail Kimpfler & Judy Zehmer Liam James Alex Wilson Renae Schumann ASSISTING MINISTER Helen Weaver POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP 31-Mar COORDINATOR Frank Watkins & Earl Shaffer Marchia Swanson & Terry Sprinkle Lucas Cochran & Cindy Vik Karen Watkins & Kaarina Modiri Kayleigh Dumont Henry Weaver Paul Dugent Jack & Anne Frost ASSISTING MINISTER Bill Walker POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP Maurice & Diane Beall Jane Avery & Jacquie Evans Jules & Nancy Roinnel Stacy McCoy Lucas Cochran If you can not be here on your assigned week it is your responsibility to find a replacement. Please notify the church office at or at admin@lcosva.org, when you have found a replacement. - Thank you.

15 15 GOOD TIDINGS Vol. 19 No. 3 APRIL 2019 WORSHIP STEWARD DUTIES 7-Apr COORDINATOR Kelly Strunk 10:30AM SERVICE Chuck & Brenda Waldridge Sam & Shirley Hawthorne ASSISTING MINISTER Cindy Vik POURING CHALICE Lucas Cochran & Sharon Leininger COMMON CUP Jackie Casey & Susan McCoy Josh Walker Liam James 14-Apr COORDINATOR Renae Schumann Dino Montez & Paul Dugent If you can not be here on your assigned week it is your responsibility to find a replacement. Please notify the church office at or at admin@lcosva.org, when you have found a replacement. - Thank you. Kaarina Modiri & Bethany Nell ASSISTING MINISTER Bill Walker POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP 21-Apr COORDINATOR Jane Avery & Valerie Thorp-Gray Sharon Johnson & Jeannette Montez Lucas Cochran Alex Wilson Gail Kimpfler Don Harmon & Richmond Zehmer Toni Wilson & Diane Beall ASSISTING MINISTER Lucas Cochran POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP 28-Apr COORDINATOR Pat Dorton & Mary Dumont Judy Zehmer & Michael Scheivert Kayleigh Dumont Bryce Weaver Helen Weaver Jack & Anne Frost Marchia Swanson & Ellen Shaffer ASSISTING MINISTER Barbara Dowdy POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP Karen Watkins & Jim Burnish Rachel Doyle & Jacquie Evans Stacy McCoy Lucas Cochran

16 Vol. 19 No. 3 GOOD TIDINGS 16 Thank You Richmond Friends of the Homeless The Outreach Ministry served 100 Richmond Friends of the Homeless on February 13, Those who prepared casseroles were: Margie Aunins, Jane Avery, Diane Beall, Cheryl Berdell, Kayleigh Dumont, Jacquie Evans, Diane Fleming, Sandy French, Shirley Hawthorne, Cindy Huston, Sharon Johnson, Gail Kimpfler, Kaarina Modiri, Betty Pavick, Betty Rickmond, Jules Roinnel, & Robin Scheivert. Those who helped serve were: Margie Aunins, Jane Avery, Diane Fleming, Sandy French, Shirley Hawthorne, Gail Kimpfler, & Betty Pavick. Thank you to all who prepare casseroles and serve each month. We always serve RFOH the second Wednesday of each month and welcome new helpers all the time! We could not provide this ministry without your support. Dear Partners, Your faithfulness in giving to CCHASM is such a blessing. We appreciate your recent gift of $200. Yours truly, Mary Anne Weeks Outreach Director THANKS THIS MONTH GO TO... To ALL of the Fellowship Team, for a fantastic Fabulous Fifties event in February. We can t wait for June s Fellowship Retreat! To Michael Scheivert, who purchased and installed new doorbells and cameras for our building. Thanks for making our space more secure, Michael. (Also, Michael is a licensed, bonded, and insured locksmith and is available for hire.) To Dorton Brothers, Inc, who services our HVAC system as a gift to the church and whose founders are members of LCOS. They ve been especially helpful as one of our units is breaking down. (Dorton Brothers services are also for hire.) To the quilters, especially Betty Rickmond and Betty Pavick (formerly Betty Spivey), for the beautiful embroidery on our new wheelchair, marking it in memory of Ann Nelson. To Gail Kimpfler, for helping Kayleigh sort through, toss, or save old files in the Admin Office. Want to make a contribution? Go to lcosva.org/giving for more information on ways to give to LCOS. Like us on Don t forget to read our weekly s! Not subscribed? Contact the church office or click the side menu on our website! Thank you to everyone who sent a note of condolence to me and my family after my grandmother died. It s been especially helpful to know that you are praying for us in the weeks after her burial. I feel especially loved. Thank you. + Pastor Katie