May God empower us all to live out our days claiming all the safety and security that Jesus has won for us. Your Servant in Christ, Pastor Tom

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1 DLSFKJLASKDJF ABIDING SAVIOR Lutheran Church and JULY 2018 Day by Day Safe and Secure It used to be that when I ate a meal consisting of a representative of each of the major food groups, I felt good about my choices and my health. Now, after consuming such a feast, I wonder how much damage I ve done to myself. I used to go to the beach in order to let the sun bathe my skin. That was considered a healthy thing to do. Now, a day in the sun could be hazardous to your health. Growing up in Los Angeles county, I remember waking up in the middle of a warm summer night to see that every window in the house was open, together with the front and back door. Now days such behavior would be considered foolishly dangerous. Surely our world has changed drastically over the past few decades to the point where it is difficult to ever feel completely secure at any time or place. It may be difficult, but it certainly isn t impossible, especially for those of us who make up the body of Christ. Security and comfort is offered to us when we call to mind God s word. Although the Lord never directly answered Cain s sarcastic question as to whether or not we are our brother s keeper, the implied answer is yes! Looking out for one another is a marvelous way to bring comfort to one another. When we recognize that we are each other s brother and sister, and behave with all the love and care that relationship implies, we are naturally placed at ease. God also reminds us that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes. With these words God assures us that no matter what happens to us He can use it to bless us. God has proven He can keep that promise through the death and resurrection of Jesus. God used the death of His Son to bring eternal life to the world. Think back on your own life. Haven t there been times when something has happened to you that you re sure you ll never recover from? But given time, you saw how wonderfully God brought you through, and blessed your life by the experience. In the powerful hands of God, we are safe and secure. These hands have created angels that keep watch over us all. What a comfort to remember that when our reach isn t long enough to catch someone else or ourselves, the angels are there to hold us up out of harm s way. Current events would tempt us all to go through life in fear. To do so is to give in to the powers of darkness. God calls us into His light. He calls us to boldly carry that light into the world by living confidently even in our insecure world. What a powerful witness to our world. May God empower us all to live out our days claiming all the safety and security that Jesus has won for us. Your Servant in Christ, Pastor Tom Mark your calendars for Sunday, July 1, to join us for our annual church picnic beginning at 4:00 p.m. If you have a special dessert you would be willing to share, please bring it along. We will begin in the church with a patriotic music celebration. Dinner will follow on the patio. The picnic will be free. Bring the whole family and invite your friends and neighbors. We need VOLUNTEERS for set up, decorating, in the kitchen, making snow cones, on the grill, and with clean-up. This will be a great day for everyone with just a little help. Please sign up and be a part of the fun! Please call Lori Beniche at , ext to volunteer. Communicating Christ s Love and Our Love for Him

2 AB IDI NG SAVIOR Lutheran Church and El Toro Road Lake Forest, California Church Church Staff Reverend Dr. Tom Rogers, Senior Pastor Reverend Glenn Lucas, Associate Pastor Kyle Salesky, Youth Director Chris Vick, IT Specialist Janet Calhoun, Church Secretary Robin DeLong-Hanrath, Office Manager Karen Galas, Accountant Laura Lyons and Jennifer Kranawetter, Admin Assistants to Pastors Lori Beniche, Director of Communications Linda Bo, Editor of Day by Day Church Officers Hank Hellfeld, President Steve Wichmann, Vice President Erika Volz, Secretary John Egley, Treasurer Lynnette Siler, Congregation Liaison Staff Donna Lucas, Principal Yesi Naber, Admissions Director Keigh Lee Horn, Secretary Sharon Fischer, Secretary Extended Care Deana Gonzales, Extended Care Director Preschool Staff Preschool Pam Howard, Preschool Director Church Office Hours Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Office Hours Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Preschool Office Hours Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visit us on our website at Portals of Prayer Portals of Prayer is great for personal devotions and can be used to open church meetings or Bible studies. Published quarterly, authors change each month. Pick up your copy of Portals of Prayer for July, August, and September months located in the Narthex on the counters next to the mailboxes. Sunday Morning Bible Study meets each Sunday morning at 9:15 a.m. in the Adult Ed Room. Come and spend some time in the Word of God with one of our pastors. Prayer Partners People who wear this badge have been trained to lift up your joys and sorrows in private prayer. Look for them and feel free to pray with them! Angus Day Bible Passage BIBLE PASSAGE Mark 4: On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, Let us go across to the other side. And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace! Be still! Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith? And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? abidingsaviorlakeforest July Page 2 - Day by Day

3 ASLC Seniors The Seniors are on their usual Summer break and will not meet during June, July and August. Be sure to watch for announcements about our September 6 meeting in the Fall. The ASLC Holiday Boutique is November 3rd and 4th. We are looking for crafters and vendors interested in selling their items at the boutique. Applications are available at the church office or by ing Lori Beniche at LBeniche@ abidingsavior.com. The ways we share our faith have changed, but the Great Commission remains. Barna, in partnership with Lutheran Hour Ministries, has just published Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age. It focuses on the shifting definition of evangelism. The perceptions of faith sharing are explored from both sides of the conversation: the sharer and the hearer. As a result of this research, we are able to learn about how to be more effective in sharing the unchanging Good News in the digital age. LHM Learn currently offers free online resources to help us apply the information gained from Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age. Go to: The Girl Scout Council of Orange County held their 2018 Recognition Event luncheon at the Disneyland Hotel and June 2nd celebrating outstanding accomplishments of Girl Scouts and volunteers. This year, Lori Beniche received the Volunteer of Excellence award. The Volunteer of Excellence Award recognizes volunteers that have contributed outstanding service while partnering directly with girls in any pathway to implement the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. From July 9-14, we re partnering with LifeWay to Share the Word. Together. Nothing has the power to change lives like God s Word. Let s work together to share it with the people around us. During the week of July 9, visit the Irvine LifeWay store located at Jamboree Road, Irvine, CA (located next to Lowe s). Bring your Share the Word insert, show your about Share the Word, or mention our church to pick up your FREE CSB Bible. The week of July 9 will be a great opportunity to: Listen Sundays 8:00 a.m. Costa Mesa KBRT 740 AM Listen 24/7 Lori was nominated for this award by the Lake Forest service unit. Members of the service unit are pictured attending the luncheon. Have a copy of God s Word on hand for someone who needs it most; Invest in the spread of the gospel in our community; and Lead the way in telling others about the power of the Word. Day By Day - Page 3 - July 2018

4 What to Write in a Card Do you ever find yourself totally at a loss as to what to write in a greeting card?! You re not alone. I have no idea who gave greeting cards this intimidating reputation, but we want to calm your nerves next time a blank card stares back at you. For the times you can't think of a thing to write in a greeting card besides your name, we have a few ideas to help. Follow these steps to write the perfect card: 1. Bring out the gold. Call out your favorite things about the person you re writing a card to. Many of us find it much easier to see the things we don t like about ourselves than the beautiful things God put on the inside of us. One of the most uplifting things you can do for someone is to call out those things they may not see in themselves, recognize the gifts God has placed in their lives, or mention something that makes them special. Help them see the great things you see in them that they may not have known you see in them and bring out the gold inside of them! 2. Take a little stroll down memory lane. Recalling a special memory, moment, or inside joke you shared in the past is a great way to reconnect. It's easy for us to forget fun and great times from previous years with the business of today, but taking a little time to reminisce and remember those moments can bring joy to your recipient. Did you share a hilarious time in college? Did you have a heart-to-heart at a women s conference? Did you learn to do something together? Bring back those touching moments and relive them together! 3. Look back to the future. Depending on how often you re able to keep in touch with this person, you may have some future plans together or simply an exciting season coming up. Write down something you look forward to doing together in the next year or something you re excited to see God do in their life. Show that you look forward to your continued relationship and the new things it will bring. 4. Make a joyful declaration! Nothing says you care about someone more than praying for and talking to God about them. Speak blessings into their life or offer up a prayer for the year to come! It s great to hear you re being prayed for, but reading the actual prayer makes it extra special and memorable! The most powerful way to encourage people is through God s Word. Try asking God for a Scripture your recipient will be encouraged by and write it down! The best thing about receiving a greeting card is knowing you were in someone s mind and they cared enough to send a personal message that took a little more time than sending an or text message. You don t have to be eloquent or lengthy, but you will encourage someone with God s love through your heartfelt sentiment. Consider joining our Card Showers Ministry. We send out cards to our seniors who are over 75 and celebrating a birthday or anniversary. Some of them no longer have the many friends they did, and really look forward to a kind word and happy sentiment. Please contact Robin Delong-Hanrath in the church office at if you would like to participate. You are invited to join a group tour and pilgrimage to Israel, planned for January 14-24, 2019 with an optional extension trip to Jordan, co-hosted by two LCMS pastors. The itinerary is intended to optimize your Holy Land pilgrimage experience of being where Jesus lived and accomplished God s plan of salvation through His suffering, death and resurrection. Brochures are available in the church narthex near the mailboxes. The brochure includes the itinerary and financial information, along with important details in the fine print. Included in the price are round trip airfare, deluxe motor coaches, firstclass hotels, guided sightseeing, entrance fees to sites visited, breakfast and dinner daily (typically buffet style); taxes and fuel charges; gratuities. Contact Rev. Steve Leinhos or sleinhos@verizon.net for more information. July Page 4 - Day by Day

5 The new schedule is: Saturday 5:00 p.m. Contemporary Worship Sunday 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. Traditional Worship 9:15 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Growing Disciples Activities 10:15 a.m. 11:15 a.m. Blended Worship This change flows out of feedback from the worship surveys, attendance trends, and listening to the many voices that requested that we have a dedicated Christian education time on Sunday mornings that would allow families to both worship together and attend age and interest appropriate Bible studies. So, we ve changed our Sunday morning worship schedule to accommodate a dedicated period of Christian education and activities focused on helping members of all ages grow as disciples of Jesus. We will be including the Shalom, our monthly health newsletter that is produced by Audrey Henry our Parish Nurse, each month in our blast. This allows you more access to this informative publication. There will also be copies available to pick up in the Narthex if you prefer. If you have not been receiving these s, we probably don t have your current address. Contact the church office or Robin at robindelong@abidingsavior.com to assure you don t miss out on the latest news and events. We are selling cases of our Iceland Water for just $3.00/case if you previously supported the replacement of flooring in the classrooms. If you haven t yet helped out, purchase your first case for $5 and then any others you buy are just $3. This is a great way to get some healthy water and support your school. Pastor Glenn is looking for help on Sunday mornings to plan/supervise activities for children from 9:15 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. during the summer. If you are interested and willing to help, for one or more Sundays, please contact Pastor Glenn at GLucas@ Abidingsavior.com or call the church office at VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED FOR VBS 2018 VBS starts July 9. Kyle is still in need of volunteers. VBS has been full for registration for months. We are limited by the number of volunteers that are willing to help. Please contact Kyle at KSalesky@ Abidingsavior.com if you are willing to share some time, whether it is for the week or just a day, and become an important part in the life of a child of God. Do you remember that end-of-summer feeling with Back to signs on every store window? Having those new supplies in your hand on the first day made it fun to go back. This summer, Abiding Savior is partnering with South County Outreach to supply 1,200 filled backpacks to kids in need in our area. We will be collecting backpacks and supplies through Sunday, July 30th. Just bring your donation to the narthex and drop it in the bins. Day By Day - Page 5 - July 2018

6 Elementary Donna Lucas, Principal SPREAD THE WORD Abiding Savior Lutheran offers a full educational program for Junior Kindergarten through 8th Grade. We focus on building Christcentered leaders through engagement, empowerment and enjoyment. We make this possible by providing tuition assistance that fits your family budget. Don t let the financial aspect keep you from choosing Abiding Savior Lutheran. Choosing Abiding Savior Lutheran will be a choice you will not regret! Registration is still open for the school year. If you have any family and/or friends looking for a school, please have them contact Yesi Naber at x 2113 or ynaber@abidingsavior.com for more information and a tour. Preschool Pam Howard Preschool Director Happy 4th of July!! Our Preschool Summer Camp is underway. This summer our theme is Excelling in Christ. We have two classes, the Shooting Stars and the Explorers. The children are enjoying playing in our pool, using the bounce house, using the water slide, learning different sports through Amazing Athletes, and learning different dances with Showtime Dance. We are joining the Sonshine Camp each Friday for delicious lunches. Wishing you safe travels and a blessed summer!! Worship Music Camp 2018 Worship Music camp is back! Save the dates from July 30 th through August 3 rd! Do you sing or play a contemporary instrument? Would you like to lead Sunday worship and be in a band with your friends? Then be sure to save the dates for this year s Worship Music Camp. Camp is open to grades 1 st through 8 th. High and Adult volunteers are also needed. Sign-ups have begun. For more information, please contact Mike Giron at mikegiron@att.net. Kyle Salesky, DCE Director of Family & Youth Ministry All three youth groups will meet at Abiding Savior on Wednesday, July 18 at 4:45 p.m. for our Bonfire Night. For more information on the event, please contact Kyle Salesky at: ksalesky@abidingsavior.com. JR HIGH DYG CAMP 2019 MARCH IRVINE RANCH OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER Next year s Jr High DYG is a weekend camp at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education in the City of Orange, Friday evening, March 22 Sunday morning March 24. The theme of our camp for 2018 was Follow which focused on three topics from the books of Daniel and Esther, and apply to our Jr High kids daily lives where they are constantly being led in different directions on social media, by our culture, even by parents and friends but our kids will be reminded that we have Christ as the rock and center of our lives. Theme for the 2019 DYG will be released this Fall, and Registration will open in the Fall as well. For more info, visit our DYG Camp page. For more information about JHM, please contact Kyle Salesky at ksalesky@abidingsavior.com or ext July Page 6 - Day by Day

7 1 4p-Patriotic Concert and Picnic Pray... that the Word may speed on and triumph. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 July SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY :30a-Large Print Independence Day 7:30p-Abiding Praise Offices Closed Practice 6 7 8a-Al Anon Parent Focused 9a-Altar Guild Prep 8 9 9a-Large Print 10 8:30a-Large Print 11 7p-Youth Group 12 6p-Elder s Meeting 7:30p-Abiding Praise Practice a-Al Anon Parent Focused 8a-Greeters and Welcomers Ministry 9a-Altar Guild Prep :30p-Greeters and Welcomers Ministry 17 8:30a-Large Print 18 7p-Beach Bonfire Night 19 7:30p-Abiding Praise Practice a-Al Anon Parent Focused 9a-Altar Guild Prep a-Large Print 24 8:30a-Large Print 25 6p-Youth Group 26 7:30p-Abiding Praise Practice a-Al Anon Parent Focused 9a-Altar Guild Prep 29 10a-Unity Service 30 1p- of Worship Rock 31 8:30a-Large Print 1p- of Worship Rock W O R S H I P C O M M U N I O N S C H E D U L E Contemporary - Saturday 5:00 PM / Contemporary - Sunday 9:30 AM Traditional - Sunday 8:00 AM / Traditional - Sunday 10:45 AM Communion Offered 2 nd and 4 th Weeks Communion Offered 1 st and 3 rd Weeks Day By Day - Page 7 - July 2018

8 Abiding Savior Lutheran Church and El Toro Road Lake Forest, CA Return Service Requested Time Dated Materials Lake Forest Independence Day Parade Join Abiding Savior Lutheran Church at the City of Lake Forest Independence Day Parade on Wednesday, July 4, at 10:00 a.m. United We Stand is the theme, and we need help decorating the float. The design was created by 7th graders who will be riding on the float. We are also looking for people to walk along with the float and hand out candy to the crowd. Moms, dads, kids in strollers, we can use it all. Wear red, white and blue...and comfortable shoes! If you and your family would like to be a part of this wonderful tradition by helping to build and/or walk along side, please call Lori Beniche at , ext The parade starts at the corner of Toledo Way and Ridge Route Drive (in front of El Toro High ) and ends on Serrano Road before Ridge Route.