F E B R U A R Y Scrip News From the Pastor Ladies Guild...7. Parish Nurse Notes Financial Report...8. School News...

Transcription

1 F E B R U A R Y A SH WEDNESDAY With February upon us, we begin the Season of Lent with Ash Wednesday on the 14th. On that day, our services will be at 10:30am at the Central Site and 7:00pm at the Northwest Site. We will begin our walk in repentance to the cross Jesus, the resolution of our sin and deliverance to eternal life on Easter. As in past years we will make use of ashes in the services for those willing to do so to remind us of our need of forgiveness but also it s deliverance through the sign of the cross. Consider how you might dedicate yourself anew to weekly worship through our mid-week Lenten services that will follow on each Wednesday throughout Lent at the same times and places. I NSIDE THIS MONTH: From the Pastor... 2 School News More School News Ladies Guild...7 Financial Report...8 Sub order form...9 Scrip News Parish Nurse Notes Official Acts... 15

2 page 2 E p i s t l e F ROM THE PASTOR I thought you might like to know how we obtain the ashes we use to make the sign of the cross on your forehead or arm on Ash Wednesday. Some of you might think that we just buy the ashes, but we don t. We save the palm branches from last year s Palm Sunday service. We burn them and add anointing oil consisting of Frankincense & Myrrh which is blended with pure golden juice pressed from choice handpicked fruit of the olive tree. There is certainly a lot of Biblical history here. The Wise men following the star brought gifts of Frankincense and Myrrh to the baby Jesus, and Jesus took His disciples to the Mount of Olives on the night that He was betrayed. You might say that Frankincense & Myrrh and the Mount of Olives are book ends to the story of Jesus human life on Earth. As you receive the mark of the cross on Ash Wednesday remember the precious gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life that Jesus gave you. We are going to changeup the Lenten services this year. Pastor Krause from Mt Olive, Pastor Herbert from St Andrews, and I will rotate our preaching so that each of us will preach twice at Mt Olive, St Andrews, and St Paul during the six Lenten services. I really enjoy doing this and I know Pastor Krause and Pastor Herbert do also. This will give you an opportunity to get to know them as they preach God s Word here at St. Paul. Bonnie and I want to thank you for the prayers and cards that you sent us and the love that you show us. It warms our heart and soul to know that these prayers are being heard by our Lord on our behalf. - Pastor Ciprys Weekly Worship Themes February 4 Miracle working doesn t come easy. Readings: Isaiah 40:21-31; 1 Corinthians 9:16-27; Mark 1: February 11 Miracles transform things. Readings: 2 Kings 2:1-12; 2 Corinthians 3:12-13, 4:1-6; Mark 9:2-9. February 18 Temptation is overcome in obedience, repentance and faith. Readings: Genesis 22:1-18; James 1:12-18; Mark 1:9-15. February 25 Repentance gives purpose to suffering. Readings Genesis 17:1-7, Romans 5:1-11; Mark 8:27-38.

3 F E B R U A R Y page 3 Please Notify the Church Office When A member of your family is hospitalized (hospitals no longer inform the church when one of their members is hospitalized) You have a change of address Your phone number has changed or you dropped your landline. Your board or committee changes a meeting date or time Members of your family are students or military personnel and are away from home or living at a different address You have a change of address Your help with all the above is very much appreciated!

4 page 4 E p i s t l e A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL! St. Paul Church Members, The school year is moving along quickly, we are already a couple of weeks into the second semester. Since the start of the second semester we have added 5 students. With those five students we now have more students than we started the year with. We are growing!!!. Many school events have just happened or are coming up shortly. St. Paulapalooza and book fair, Jan 28th, girls basketball tournament Feb 16-17, and Battle of the Brains of Feb 5th. We are busy planning for the next school year and would love you to come by and visit. There are many ways to volunteer here at school. Check your bulletin or call the office for more information. In Him, Jason T. Miller 5 TH/6TH GRADE GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT St. Paul hosts the 5th/6th grade conference girls basketball tournament on Friday, February 16 through Saturday, February 17. Would you like to help with the gate, the concessions, or the score table? Or maybe you would like to contribute some baked goods. If so, contact Mrs. Wilkinson in the school office and she can help you sign up! Good luck to the Lady Rams! L UTHERAN SCHOOLS NIGHT AT THE R OCKFORD ICEHOGS Support the work of the Greater Rockford Area Lutheran Schools at a Rockford Icehogs game as they take on their division rivals, the Milwaukee Admirals on February 9th at 7:00pm at the BMO. Five dollars from each ticket purchased through this promotion will go back to St. Paul. Ticket price is $ You can buy tickets from any of our St. Paul Students, as they will be eligible for a prize depending on how many tickets they sell! Or you can call the school/church office at S T. PAULIDAY Join us at Portillos on February 27, 2018, from 5:00pm 8:00pm. St. Paul receives 20% of the proceeds during that time-frame. Tell you friends and family! Join us for good food, while at the same time helping St. Paul School earn money!

5 F E B R U A R Y page 5 BATTLE OF THE BRAINS Members of our 4th and 5th grade classes will take part in the "Battle of the Brains" on Monday, February 5 at Lutheran High. This quiz bowl event includes our area Lutheran and Christian grade schools. Good luck kids! T UTORS WANTED! We are always happy to have volunteers join our tutoring ranks. Many times this consists of simply reading with children. We also love to have those who feel comfortable assisting middle aged kids with math skills. Training is provided if desired! Please contact Mr. Miller if you would like to be included. We work with your schedule! S UBSTITUTE TEACHERS WANTED! Are you interested in being a substitute teacher at St. Paul or do you know someone who may be interested? If so, contact Mr. Miller or Mrs. Wilkinson. K INDERGARTEN ROUND- UP On Tuesday, February 27th, 2018, St. Paul will hold our annual Kindergarten Round-up, from 3:30-6:00pm. Invite families who have a kindergartner for the next school year! L IBRARY Our St. Paul students have a library session every other week at school. We do like to promote reading among the student body! We are looking for volunteers to come in and organize books and read to the children. F UN FAIR It is not too early to put St. Paul's Fun Fair on your calendar! The date is Saturday, March 10 from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM. This truly is fun and food for the whole family! We thank our hardworking PTL for organizing the Fun Fair. They are looking for donations of 2 liter bottles of pop for the ring toss game and cakes for the Cake Walk. Call the school office for more information. G RANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY Here is an early alert! Grandparents and Special Friends Day will be celebrated at St. Paul on Wednesday, March 7. This is part of our observance of National Lutheran Schools' Week. Our PTL's annual Fun Fair is on Saturday, March 10 from 11AM - 2PM. This also serves as a wonderful "Open House" for new families.

6 page 6 E p i s t l e More School News! Pre-School Aide An hour or two a day(s) Monday - Friday Help with snack time Classroom Activities Any other ways you can help! Lunch Room Aide Monday Friday, Noon 12:30pm. V OLUNTEER OPPPORTUNITIES Please contact Sue in the school office ( ) if you are willing to help with any of these opportunities. B OX TOPS We are also pleased to take your "Box Tops for Education." Look for receptacles around the buildings or give them to a teacher or staff member. SCRIP PROGRAM Do you know about the SCRIP program? It is a great program that help our St. Paul and has a benefit for you too! Angie Knobbe coordinates that for St. Paul. Please contact Angie or the school office ( ext. 215) for more information on this program. R ECYCLE! Do you have used ink cartridges or laser cartridges? Sure you do! Don't throw them away. Bring your trash to the church or school. We turn your garbage into cash! You can leave your items in the school office or the narthex of either site. Note: re-manufactured laser jet cartridges cannot be recycled.

7 F E B R U A R Y page 7 L ADIES GUILD MEETING Everyone that can be available to hear and learn some "Culinary Clues" disclosed is welcome and encouraged to come to Ladies Guild on Wednesday, February 7th at 1:00pm at the Northwest Site. Mark Weidner will present our program that could include food preparation Clues, cooking Clues, food storage Clues, and food to sample from his Clues. MITES from December and January can be turned in along with those nickels from your Christmas Stocking. The March meeting is on the 7th at the Central Site at 12:30pm following the Potluck after the 10:30am Lenten Service. L ADIES GUILD MID- WEEK LUNCHEONS Ash Wednesday is February 14th and after the 10:30am service at the Central Site, Ladies Guild will host a Potluck Lunch in the Undercroft. Lunches will follow each of the 10:30am Lenten Services. You may bring (though it is not required) a favorite dish to share. Table service and beverages will be provided. ALL ARE ALWAYS WELCOME for the meal and fellowship as we follow Christ's journey during Lent until His resurrection from the grave on Easter. K NITTING ETC & COMMUNITY ACTIVITY DAY Knitting ETC and Community Activity Day Potluck will be held at the NW Site on February 8, 2018 at 11:00. Please come and join us in fun, food and fellowship. Bring a dish to share, everything else will be provided. This should be a fun way to keep the post holiday festivities going. If you are wondering what Knitting ETC is all about it is for anyone who wants to join in any type of handwork at all. Bring your project along each Thursday or just come when that day is available for you. We learn from each other and have a good time together. We have made and donated over 100 scarves and hats to Rock House for Kids and also an additional number to The Fairgrounds Christmas collection. Community Activity Day is for folks who have the 2 nd Thursday time available that would like to join together for some type of activity. A variety of options are available such as a game or discussion or whatever we together come up with to do. It is for ALL to come together and decide where this goes. Ideas are welcome. If you have any questions or for more information please call Lowes Eggert at or Olaf Bauschke at

8 page 8 E p i s t l e M ONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT DECEMBER 2017 December Actuals December Budget Over/Under for December FYTD Actuals Over/Under FYTD FYTD Budget Church Income $32,959 $32,101 $858 $152,674 $140,505 $12,169 School Income $282 $0 $282 $7,105 $0 $7,105 Other Income $196 $125 $71 $826 $625 $201 TOTAL Income $33,437 $32,226 $1,211 $160,605 $141,130 $19,475 Expenses $29,873 $37,554 ($7,681) $164,466 $187,169 ($22,703) Net Income $3,564 ($5,328) $8,892 ($3,861) ($46,039) $42,178 If you have any questions about the financials, please contact our Treasurer, Erica de Guzman at (815)

9 F E B R U A R Y Page 9 SUPER BOWL SUB SANDWICHES Preorder Your Sub Sandwich Today for The Super Bowl on February 5th St. Paul Youth Group will be making Sub Sandwiches following each of the services in the Undercroft/Band Room or the Fellowship Hall (NW Site) on February 4 th. If you would like to pre-order your subs please fill out the following order form and hand into the church office by Sunday, January 29th along with payment. Name: Phone #: Pick-up after the following service: 8:00 am Central Site 10:30 am Northwest Site Number of Subs ordering Cost per Sub $ 6.00 X = $ Please make checks payable to: St. Paul Youth Group Sub # 1 I would like the following placed on my sub: Ham Turkey Tuna Salad Onions Tomatoes Cheese (American) Lettuce Pickles Beef Mayo Mustard Oil & Vinegar Dressing Sub # 2 I would like the following placed on my sub: Ham Turkey Tuna Salad Onions Tomatoes Cheese (American) Lettuce Pickles Beef Mayo Mustard Oil & Vinegar Dressing For orders larger than 2 Sub Sandwiches, please use an additional order form or use the space below. Thank you! Special Instructions:

10 page 10 E p i s t l e S UNDAY SCHOOL Join us for Sunday School! Beginning 2/11/18, all children Pre-K through High School are invited to attend Sunday School at the Central Site at 9:15am in the school band room. There will be three classes: Pre-K - 5 th grade will be learning how the Holy Spirit leads the apostles - led by Mrs. Woolery and Mrs. Grocholl; 6 th - 8 th grade will be studying Luther's Catechism and how it applies to their lives - led by Mr. Sautel; High School age students will have devotion time and a surprise!! led by Mrs. Temple. Don't miss out on the four M's of Sunday School this year MUSIC, MISSIONS, MEMORY VERSE AND MESSAGE! M ISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Since September 2016, St. Paul's Sunday School children have collected $30.00 to send to Africa for the purchase of mosquito nets to help fight the battle against malaria, $50.00 to send to the American Bible Society to purchase 10 Bibles for our U.S. Troops, $85.00 for Lutheran World Relief to purchase a piglet and chicken with chicks to send to families in need overseas, $90.00 for Rockford's local Carpenter's Place to help those who are homeless and in need of job training, $ for Lutheran's in Africa who are building seminaries in Kenya, $61.00 for Lutheran World Relief to purchase ducks and worms to improve gardens of families in need overseas, and canned goods plus $43 to the Rockford Rescue Mission. NEXT UP...We are collecting offerings for the Orphan Grain Train. Thank you, kids, for your enthusiasm to share!! B ELL RINGERS WANTED! Are you interested in being a St. Paul Bell Ringer? We have a small group that has been meeting on Sunday mornings during Sunday School time (9:15 am) in the band room. We are looking for a few more ringers High School age and up! No experience necessary! If you have questions, please see Liz Temple.

11 F E B R U A R Y page 11 SCRIP NEWS SCRIP Order Dates Friday, February 9, 2018 Friday, April 13, 2018 Friday, February 23, 2018 Friday, April 27, 2018 Friday, March 9, 2018 Friday, May 11, 2018 Friday, March 23, 2018 SCRIP is a great way to earn money for your child s tuition or band account & earn money for educational enhancements at St. Paul at the same time! The first disbursement to tuition/band accounts for this school year will occur this month Don t forget to order gift cards for Super Bowl and Valentines Day! Call Angie at if you have any questions or need last minute gift cards

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13 F E B R U A R Y page 13 PARISH NURSE NOTES Go Red for Women is a movement sponsored by the American Heart Association to help us all be more aware of heart disease, especially when it comes to women. It might surprise you that heart disease is the number 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths annually. Shockingly, only 1 in 5 American women believe that heart disease is her greatest threat. Statistically, 1 in 31 American women die from breast cancer each year, but remember 1 in 3 dies from heart disease. It is concerting that women are less likely to call 911 when experiencing symptoms themselves, so the American Heart Association (AHA) has a goal to educate all of us. Symptoms of a heart attack are sometimes similar in men and women, but there can be differences which can be misunderstood in women: 1. Chest pain or pressure (women are actually less likely to experience this) 2. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach 3. Shortness of breath (sometimes occurs ½ days before heart attack) 4. Breaking out in a cold sweat 5. Nausea 6. Lightheadedness 7. Weakness or extreme fatigue Life Tips to help us all: 1. Become more active: 30 minutes of moderate activity, like walking 5 times a week 2. Eat a healthy diet: low salt, lower fat, higher fiber, whole foods 3. Lower or control your cholesterol level 4. Manage blood pressure: 5. Maintain a healthy weight 6. Manage stress 7. Get enough 8. Quit smoking 9. Control your diabetes We can do more than we might think when it comes to improving our health and the way we feel and live. Wear RED on February 2nd in honor of the Go Red for Women movement to help raise awareness for heart disease in women. Happy February! Happy Valentines! Your parish nurse Sue Scott

14 page 14 E p i s t l e W EDDING A NNIVERSARIES - FEBRUARY 2-2 Charles & Flo Monk James & Lavinia Emanuel Darrel & Vicki Guler Olaf & Hildegard Bauschke Jon & Alexis Klemm T HOSE PROVIDING ALTAR FLOWERS & BULLETINS FOR FEBRUARY Central Site Northwest Site Bulletin Horst Family 2-4-Horst Family FLOWER & WORSHIP CALENDAR If you would like to place flowers on the Altar for a special occasion or simply to assist in beautifying the Lord s house for 2018, please call the Church Office ( ). Sunday worship folders may also be provided. You must call the Church Office ( ) to assure getting the date you would like to reserve. The following dates for 2018 for Central Site are available to provide flowers: February 4,11,18,25; March 4,11,18,25; April 1,8,15,22,29; May 6,13,20,27; June 3,10,17,24; July 1,8,15,22, August 5,12,19,26; September 2,9,16,23,30; October 7,14,21,28; November 4,11,18,25; December 2,9,16,23, 30. The following dates for 2018 for the Northwest Site are available to provide flowers: February 11,18,25; March 4,11,18,25; April 1,8,15,22,29; May 6,13,20,27; June 3,10,24; July 1,8,15,22, August 5,12,19,26; September 2,9,16,23,30; October 7,14,21,28; November 4,11,18,25; December 9,16,23, 30. The dates for 2018 are available to provide worship folders: February 11,18,25; March 4,11,18,25; April 1,8,15,22,29; May 6,13,20,27; June 3,10,17,24; July 1,8,15,22, August 5,12,19,26; September 2,9,16,23,30; October 7,14,21,28; November 4,11,18,25; December 2,9,16,23, 30.

15 F E B R U A R Y page 15 OFFICIAL ACTS Deaths Doug Thrasher was given Christian burial on Friday, January 5th, 2018 with Pastor Eddy officiating. Doris Hermeling was given Christian burial on Saturday, January 20th, 2018, with Pastor Eddy officiating. Condolences We pray God s comfort and peace for the members of St. Paul who have family members who have recently died: Donna Mueller at the recent death of her brother, Dennis. Tim King at the recent death of his brother, Michael. The deadline for the March Epistle will be Thursday, February 15, Please remember to get your article into the church office for next month s Epistle by deadline time. You also can your article to: church.office@stpaulrockford.org P RAYER FOR THE DAY Prayer for the Day is a daily devotional ministry. To hear a devotion recorded by Pastor Thies, please call the special Prayer for the Day phone number ( ) and when answered dial 3.

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