A Mighty Fortress. Newsletter 2/15/2018 Edition I, Volume 12

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1 Sweetheart Dinner The AMF Lutheran Men in Mission held their annual Sweetheart Dinner on February 10 th at the South Main Kitchen & Tavern in Mt. Holly with 42 people in attendance. The group, which has sponsored the dinner for more than 20 years, provided sweetheart flowers for the ladies. (Photos courtesy of Dwayne Graham & Doug Wells). Page 1

2 Pastor s Note Growing in Lent As we enter this season of preparation, God reminds us that we are called for a purpose through the waters of baptism. We are called into being from the dust of the earth but are gifted life through the breath of God. Living in that tension, we recognize the parts and actions of us that are sinful. We also recognize that God is at work in us, through us and around us. The joy of Lent is embracing that tension, seeking to hear God more clearly and following with prayerful responses. As A Mighty Fortress approaches its 55 th anniversary I encourage three areas of growth to consider during these 40 days: 1. Maturity in Faith let God use the realities of life and the privileges of faith to grow you into a stronger disciple 2. Share the Good News let more people who have no relationship with God hear the good news through the saints of A Mighty Fortress in the hope that they will offer their lives to God for the first time 3. Making New Disciples the Great Commission is our baptismal call we are to GO leave home, leave our church buildings to where the world is and make disciples (God did not leave this open for debate) that is to be in relationship with others and help them live according to God s direction Through the growth session, I encouraged those present to work on deepening relationships with friends and family to be curious about the faith and lives of others. I shared that this is not a one time conversation but digging deeper in existing relationships and learning about the other person. There was also an encouragement for those present to take what was learned and share it with others. How is that going? You weren t there? Find someone who was and learn about how Growth at AMF begins with being satisfied and expands with deepening existing relationships. Use these 40 days of preparation to work on these things and grow with God. In Christ s Service, Pastor CeCee lucille.mills@elca.org Page 2

3 APRIL 21 ST : PASTOR CECEE WILL BE OFFERING HEALTHY CONGREGATIONS Healthy Congregations is a series of workshops which focus on building health in congregations and leadership. Congregations are viewed as emotional systems with identifiable processes that can support or block mission and growth. Essential to health is the ability to manage anxiety and change. These workshops are for congregational teams and most are offered in a cluster so that clusters can share the experiences. The trainings are done in a variety of schedules tailored to the area and the congregations participating. (Registration is free but there is a nominal cost for materials.) Council Meeting Update Key Initiatives Reported at the February 11, 2018 Council Meeting: 1. Pastor CeCee is leading midweek Lenten devotions and the Learning Ministry Board requested each AMF family consider supplementing these devotions with the Lenten devotional book you are the way which are now available in the narthex. 2. A Healthy Congregation Workshop is scheduled for April 21, from 10am until 2pm in the Fellowship Hall. All members of the congregation are encouraged to attend. 3. Parish Life has coordinated Lenten Meals before each weekly devotion beginning at 6pm. Please see Diana if you d like to help with the preparation/clean up of these meals. Parish life continues to coordinate the Care Team. 4. Updated photography is in process and we hope to have an updated directory with photos by the end of March. 5. Learning Board in collaboration with Pastor CeCee will be offering a New Members Class to be held on March 4 during Sunday School. We are working toward having new members join AMF on March Outreach is working on expanding their team by three additional members. They are working on a visitor outreach strategy and partnering with other interfaith groups. Page 3

4 7. AMF Call Committee has scheduled their training for the end of February. This Committee is led by Rick Rozzelle. 8. Pastor CeCee is contacting potential members of a new Secretarial/Admin Support Adhoc Committee to help them begin developing a job description and a strategy for additional communications and administrative support for AMF. 9. Celebration of the retiring of our mortgage is forthcoming. The deadline for recommendations on benevolent ideas has been extended to March 4. Please submit those to church council president Beverly Foster. Other than this benevolence program, $2,000 per month of this savings will be placed in a capital reserve to be available as capital needs are identified. 10. Financial Report through the end of January note we had to cancel a service due to ice and we had a huge Piedmont Natural Gas bill so please be sensitive to turning down the heat when leaving. a. Total Giving: $10, b. Total Expenses: $11, c. Deficit: $1, For the Mortgage celebration, an invitation has been extended to our Bishop Tim Smith to conduct the morning worship service. We are waiting on confirmation of the date. Representatives from neighboring congregations, community partners, and other friends/family will also be invited. Council is forming a Church Safety team. This team will work with local Sheriff/Police/Fire Departments on safety protocols and evacuation plans to keep our congregants and visitors safe. The Council will vote on March 11 th as to who receives the blessings of our $2,400. Council decided to limit the recipients so the funds can have a meaningful impact. MISS A ONE CALL ANNOUNCEMENT? AFRAID YOUʹLL MISS OUT? Donʹt worry. Call and follow the simple prompt to press ʺ1ʺ and play the last message delivered. Thanks Terry. Page 4

5 Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner Page 5

6 Lenten Services Please join us every Wednesday from 6:00pm 7:00pm for supper and devotions: Date Host(s) Menu February 21 Parish Life Cream of Tomato Soup & Toasted Cheese Sandwiches February 28 Gathering Group Salad Bar March 7 Council (To be announced) March 14 Pizza Night donations accepted Pizza Night March 21 Bring your own dish to share Bring your own dish to share March 29 Seder Meal reservations needed by 3/28 (This will be a very special evening) The Retirement of the Mortgage The final AMF Mortgage payment check was co signed by Barbara Kutz, Jim McGee and Terry Saunders and paid to Blue Harbor Bank on February 9 th. Page 6

7 WELCA is supporting a special Food Drive for the neighborhood food pantry at Thrift United Methodist Church during the season of Lent. Special red shopping bags with A Mighty Fortress printed on them are available at the church along with a special shopping list for the pantry. Our hope is that you will take a grocery bag and proudly shop for pantry items. Bring your bag back each week and get another bag. Let s see how many food items we can donate for our hungry neighbors. Bags and lists were purchased for AMF through a Thrivent Action Team grant. Questions? See Libby Holman or WELCA members Anne Williamson, coordinator of the Thrift Food Pantry, will be our guest speaker on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 9:00 am in the Fellowship Building. Please come and learn more about this valuable mission that we are supporting. Interested in a New Member Class? Please see Pastor CeCee. You Are the Way, a devotional booklet for Lent is available in the Narthex. Copies are limited so get yours today. Thanks, Libby Holman, Learning Board The Gathering Group will meet on Monday, March 5th at 11:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall. Lunch will be provided and Sharon and John Johnson will show pictures from their cruise last fall from Rome to Greece and the Holy Land. Page 7

8 Celebrating Black History Month A h Celebrating Black History Month February 2018 Newsletter Who was Carter 2/15/2018 G. Woodson? Edition I, Volume 7 Born in 1875 in New Canton, Virginia, Carter G. Woodson was the second African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard, after W.E.B. Du Bois. Known as the ʺFather of Black History,ʺ Woodson dedicated his career to the field of African American history and lobbied extensively to establish Black History Month as a nationwide institution. He also wrote many historical works, including the 1933 book The Mis Education of the Negro. He died in Washington, D.C., in Black History Quiz ** Please put all completed lists in Beverly Foster s mailbox. The respondent with the most correct answers will receive a $10 gift card to Subway Winner will be announced on Sunday, 2/25/18 during morning worship. ** 1. Who is considered as the Father of Black History month? 2. Black History Month is observed annually in what four (4) countries? 3. Who is Claudette Colvin and what is her famous quote? 4. Who is the real Betty Boop? 5. What does the acronym HBCU stand for? 6. What is the first HBCU in the United States and when was it founded? 7. Why are Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter prominent in Black History? 8. The first, licensed African American female pilot was whom? 9. What was the last state to officially legalize interracial marriage and in what year? 10. In 2009, who became the first African American to ever be elected President of the United States? Page 8