Looking Ahead with Confidence

Transcription

1 Church Office Staff Pastor Richard Tursic Elders Randy Schwarz Rob Hunt Bob Craven Jamie McGuffey Philip Sears Office Manager Celeste Whitehead CrossTalk Publisher Celeste Whitehead School Staff Administrator Rebecca Reid Director of Records Kathy Ackley Preschool Director Alivia Rucker Preschool Aide Karen Dunn Kindergarten Megan Ramsey 1 st Grade Teacher Heidi Congleton 2 nd Grade Teacher Deb Rutledge 3 rd Grade Teacher Jeff Parks 4 th, 5 th & 6 th Grade Teachers Caitlin Everhart Anna Schack Kelli Inskeep Before Care Lillian Swain School Support Staff Betty Ward Lisa Mulkey Risen Christ Lutheran Church 41 E Possum Road. Springfield, Oh (937) Looking Ahead with Confidence Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. (Psalm 90:1-2) Psalm 90 has been ringing in my head this week as I look forward in time, preparing for our New Year s Eve communion service and a couple of impending funerals. You see, that particular psalm is used on both occasions. January is named after the ancient Roman god Janus. That false god was said to have two faces, enabling him to look ahead toward the future and back at the past at the same time. As we come to the end of 2018 and look ahead to 2019, I suppose it s natural for us to attempt to do that Janus thing, trying to learn from our past and to do better in the year ahead. For through experience we know what we did right and what we did wrong over the last 365 days. Many around us are making New Year s resolutions. Others are just taking a deep breath and hoping for the best. How about you? I believe the Church and we Christians chart out a different tack. We make plans because those help us to move forward in our mission of enriching and renewing lives by bringing Christ to our community. At the same time, we recognize that it is the Spirit who leads and that sometimes our notions don t line up with where the Lord wants to lead us. So, using the minds and hearts and spirits God has given us, our congregation s leadership has set forth goals for At our voters assembly on January 27, we will review our accomplishments of the past year and lay out the goals for the year ahead. On a personal level, I commend the reading of the whole of Psalm 90 to you, for it provides a wonderful framework for those of us whose dwelling place is the LORD. Verses 3-12 speak of our time on this earth as being transient and us seeking wisdom as to how to spend those days in light of the reality of death. And verses provide us hope, reminding us the Lord will return one day and until that Last Day our every days may be fruitful when the Lord confirms the work of our hands. Let us pray together: Spirit of the Risen Christ, be with us today and always. Be our Light, our Guide, and our Comforter. Be our Strength, our Courage, and our Sanctifier. By your grace enable this New Year to be a time of deep spiritual growth; a time of welcoming and using well your gifts; a time for our free, unconditional forgiving of others, and a time for growing in virtue and goodness. Come, Holy Spirit! Fill us today and always. Amen. ~ Pastor Rich

2 Ladies Bible for wrapping up all the Angel Tree gifts. Sam Rizzotte for serving as Financial Secretary over the last 3 years. The Brueggemans, Shraders, Kim Hunt, Erika & Jonathan Linderman for welcoming parents and families of our Preschoolers at their Christmas program. Linda Sears for playing at Midweek and Christmas services. Jim Mote, Chuck Dahle, John & Nicky Kuziak for the special music for the Christmas service. The Kovals, and the Jr High Youth for singing carols to our shut-ins. All who helped prep for the church and school Christmas program and service. LCEF for giving us a $1,000 check for our Ministry and for providing the refreshments for the Elementary Christmas program. 1 Jo Baumgardner 10 Terry Calkins 11 Jerenia Rucker Adam Henderson Gayle Roberts 13 Jeff Kaiser 14 Chandra Shrader 15 Marcella Caskey Lindsey Koval Bill Patterson 18 Patty Arnold Tyler Ackley 22 Richard Davis 23 Courtney Whitt 26 Mary Lou Rizzotte Robert Dahle 28 Charles Bern 31 Charles Cunningham Ken Kueker 5 Dorothy Lambacher 9 Kelsey Vollrath 10 Megan Dunham 12 Sarah Bussell Adam Henderson 29 Jim Mote 30 Adam Schwarz 31 Terry Calkins 14 Aaron & Becky Williams

3 POBLO and Adriel and Sahreem's visit Please sign up on the old altar in the Narthex or contact Kathy Tursic or ). If you can't attend the training but are interested in helping, please contact Ken Kueker or Kathy Tursic. IN ADDITION---our local POBLO missionaries, Adriel and Sahreem George, will be here at RCLC on January 20th, at both services! Between the services, we'll host a quick "meet and greet" in the Fellowship Hall (All Sunday School classes will still meet).

4 In partnership with Dayton area LCMS churches and the ministry to Muslims, People Of the Book Lutheran Outreach is hosting a training at Concordia Lutheran in Oakwood on Jan. 5, from Lunch is first, then the training/overview. Concordia will be the first site of an International Friendship Center. This is merely a safe, comfortable place for immigrants or refugees to find help and support. Depending on expressed needs of the immigrants and talent pool of the church volunteers, these support services may include classes/groups for: Learning English, a trade or skill (sewing, cooking...), citizenship classes, finding affordable home/apartment, financial advising or general assimilation to US culture. All these services delivered with the intent of sharing the Gospel in tangible ways. Come find out more! If you can't attend the training but are interested in helping, please contact Ken Kueker or Kathy Tursic. See this link for more info about POBLO in Michigan: High School Youth Fundraiser! Save the date! Lunch will include spaghetti (marinara sauce or alfredo), salad, garlic bread, dessert When: Sunday, January 27, after late service (before Voter's meeting) Where: RCLC Fellowship Hall Why: To help the High School Youth who are going to the National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis in July of 2019 Cost of lunch: Free will donation, up to you

5 Scriptures for January 2019 January 6 The Epiphany of Our Lord Old Testament: Isaiah 60:1-6 Epistle: Ephesians 3:1-12 Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12 Psalm 72:1-11 January 13 The Baptism of Our Lord/The First Sunday after the Epiphany Old Testament: Isaiah 43:1-7 Epistle: Romans 6:1-11 Gospel: Luke 3:15-22 Psalm 29 VERSE OF THE MONTH January 2019 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1 January 20 The Second Sunday after the Epiphany Old Testament: Isaiah 32:1-5 Epistle: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Gospel: John 2:1-11 Psalm 128 January 27 The Third Sunday after the Epiphany Old Testament: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 Epistle: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a Gospel: Luke 4:16-30 Psalm 19:7-14

6 January 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat New Year s Day School Closed School Closed School Resumes 1-5 pm at Concordia International Friendship Center Seminar am Worship 9:30 am Bible Class 10:45 am HC Worship 6 pm Confirmation 7:00 pm Ministry Team Leaders 8 am HC Worship 9:30 am Childrens Bible School/Elder Meet & Greet 10:45 am Worship 6 pm Confirmation :30 am Men s Bible 12-2 pm Food Pantry 7:00 pm Board of Directors School Closed 7:00 pm Jr. High Retreat CrossTalk Articles Due Life Sunday am Worship 9:30 am Bible Class 10:45 am HC Worship 7:00 pm Elders Meeting 8 am HC Worship 9:30 am Bible Class 10:45 am Worship Spaghetti Lunch Voters Assembly 6 pm Confirmation :30 am Men s Bible School Science Fair *HC Holy Communion

7 Those serving us in the month of January :00 a.m. SERVICE Elder Acolyte Greeters Ushers Reader Altar Care Sound Board Greg Shrader 1/6 Bob Craven Kaden Chandra Shrader Chuck Bern Jo Baumgardner Scott Tursic McGuffey Steve Rutledge 1/13 Philip Sears 1/20 Rob Hunt 1/27 Randy Schwarz Jackson Windeknecht Black Vollrath Stephen Wiebeck Helen Craig Ed Berg Lynn Petersen Paul Bok Gene Baumgardner Ed Berg Keith Vollrath Rich Silliman Philip Sears Dave Peterson Greg Shrader Chuck Bern 10:45 a.m. SERVICE Chuck Bern Deb Rutledge Steve Rutledge Chuck Dahle Kole Vollrath Celise McKee Jo Baumgardner Wiebecks Elder Acolyte Greeter Ushers Reader Altar Care Sound Board Counters Homer Ryman 1/6 Bob Craven Ethan David Arnold Denny Norden Becky Krieger Jo Baumgardner Wiebecks John Bacevic & Cunningham Phil Hawkins Denna Johnson 1/13 Philip Sears Joey Koval Patty Arnold 1/20 Rob Hunt Isabel Brown Judy Lemmon 1/27 Randy Schwarz Alex Ervin Phil Hawkins Bob Craven David Arnold Homer Ryman Denny Norden Phil Hawkins Bob Craven David Arnold Homer Ryman Denny Norden Erika Linderman Randy Schwarz Deb Rutledge Sarah Bussell & Bob Craven Bob & Reed Dahle Dave Thomas & Dave Petersen Deny Norden & Beryl Boggess Beth Ervin Scott Tursic Steve Rutledge & Deb Rutledge