Newsletter. Over 80 attend Spring Retreat. Lutheran Women in Mission. LWML Calendar. In This Issue: Southern Illinois District

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1 Southern Illinois District Lutheran Women in Mission Newsletter THE LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD Volume 65 No. 1 June 2016 LWML Calendar. July 14 Board Meeting in Evansville September SID LWML Convention In This Issue: President s Page 2 Counselor s Message 3 Gospel Outreach 4 Ingatherings 5 Gifts of Love 6 Christian Life 7 Servant Resources 8 District Directory 9 Mission Statement: The Mission of the Southern Illinois District of the Lutheran Women s Missionary League is to encourage each woman in the district to grow spiritually and to use her God given gifts to praise God and serve people. Over 80 attend Spring Retreat The Committee On Young Women hosted the annual Spring Retreat of the Southern Illinois District (SID) Lutheran Women s Missionary League (LWML) on March 5, The event was held at Hope Lutheran Church in Highland. There were 83 in attendance. Women came from all over the district to Renew their Minds and Uplift their Spirits. The theme came from Ephesians 4: and to be renewed in the Spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. After fellowship and breakfast treats made by Susan Nickerson from Hope, opening prayer and songs started the day. Throughout the day, time was set aside to join a new acquaintance to discuss questions and uplift the spirit. There were two Bible Study sessions that corresponded with the questions. SID LWML Counselors, Rev. Mitch Schuessler and Rev. Jay Holden led those studies on Ephesians 4: Making SONshine bags was the mission work for the day. Each person brought five or more individual items to be placed in a bag along with other small treats and devotional materials. Everyone made two SONshine bags, by decorating and adding Bible verses to small brown bags. filling 83 sets. One bag went home for participants to share with someone they knew that needed a little SONshine in their life. The other gifts will be given out to the residents in the Highland area that are in the nursing home. The goal is to lift the spirits of those that feel alone by giving them the SONSHINE of God s love and His Word. Funds received from the Thrivent Action Team helped to purchased much of the meal for the day. Carol Oldinski applied for the funds and assisted in obtaining the food items for the day. Those extra funds were greatly appreciated! The Dorcas society and ladies from Hope Lutheran Church in Highland did a super job putting the food all together for the whole day! CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

2 Page 2 LWML Newsletter 2016 From Brenda... President Brenda The purpose of the president is to provide Christ centered leadership, using His wisdom and provision to seek opportunities in helping our LWML sisters use their gifts in service to the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men... (Colossians 3:23). In recent visits to the zones for their spring rallies, I commented on the talent that the many women in the district have. I am impressed by the gifts exhibited by the ladies in various ways-their... rally table decorations, the food they prepared, their organizational skills. I am reminded of a devotion I recently read entitled Hidden Gifts, in which the author, Linda Fees, Mission Servants Committee Chairman, gives us food for thought. She writes, Did you ever receive a wonderful and generous gift from somebody and then put it away and never used it? That wouldn't seem right, would it? Have you received gifts from God that you have put away and aren't using? Let me ask you if you are good at sewing or good with kids, a good cook, a good singer or a good organizer? Do you have other skills that I haven't mentioned? Are you using these gifts or are they parked away where nobody will ever see them? Don't keep those gifts hidden away! Use what God has given you to serve Him and to serve others. At the rallies I reminded the women that there is always room for women who want to serve on the district board- as an officer, as a volunteer on a committee, as an appointed member with a special gift to share. It is okay to step up and say you wish to share your gifts. Contact your representative on the nominating committee and tell her what you want to do. The members of the Nominating Committee can be found on the website, along with the offices to be filled. Just as a reminder, the SID LWML convention is coming up September 16-17, 2016 at Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School, Evansville, IL. I hope you are planning to come. Brenda If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NLT) SPRING RETREAT The district counselors and the host Pastor, Rev. Leonard Laetsch officiated the closing service. By ending the day with Divine Worship including Holy Communion, it both renewed and uplifted everyone s spirit. Participants left the retreat knowing that God s grace renews them each day. The offering from the service was given to the SID LWML to use as scholarship money for the next biennium. An offering of $ was collected; some extra NEWSLETTER funds were added to make the total scholarship offering $550. Editor: Jane Lucht addresses and changes to: Lucy Thompson at sidlwmllucy@gmail.com The day was filled with fellowship, fun, Bible study, renewing of minds and uplifting of spirits. Thanks to the Committee on Young Women in the SID LWML district for planning the event. An extra special thanks goes to the Dorcas Society and their helpers at Hope Lutheran Church in Highland for hosting the retreat.

3 2016 LWML Newsletter Page 3 Counselor s Corner Rev. Mitchell Schuessler It is early in the morning, before the sun comes up, and I open the door to let the dogs out for their morning romp. As I do, I hear the birds singing their morning songs. I stand at the wonder, the feeling of wonder and joy washing over me once again. Just hearing the birds sing in the darkness of the early morning takes me back to another morning, Easter morning. I stand there and marvel at the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead. How do the birds singing remind me of that? To me, it sounds just like Easter morning. I imagine that as the women walk to the tomb in the darkness of that morning, lamps trimmed to light the way, the birds were singing. The women might not have even heard them because of their grief. But the birds were singing nonetheless. Why? Because they knew what the women didn t. The Son of God had already risen from the dead. He was alive. The women were looking for the living among the dead. So often we are so busy with our lives, overwhelmed with the struggles of the day or the fears of the night, that we forget what the birds already know. Jesus has already gone before you. He has already trod the path that you are walking at this moment. Being caught up in the cares and con-cerns, and yes, perhaps even the worries, of this life, we don t hear the birds telling us, Jesus is alive! He has traveled before you. He has come back to you. He is with you! Lift up your voice and sing! Can you imagine? All that runs through my mind as I stand at the door and listen to the birds sing sweetly in the trees. It also causes me to sing (in my mind because I don t want to wake up the neighborhood), O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the works, Thy hands hath made, I hear the birds sing sweetly in the tree (How Great Thou Art, LSB 801). Thanks be to God for the resurrection and life of our Savior, a life that carries us through our days. I can t believe it but the writing of this article for the Summer 2016 SID Newsletter brings me to the end of my time as the Southern Illinois District LWML pastoral counselor. These four years have flown by. I have enjoyed the retreats, the rallies and the conventions. I thank you for the opportunity to serve you as your pastoral counselor. I know that Pastor Jay Holden and whomever is elected at the District Convention in September will lead you in the power of the Spirit and the wonder of the Word. I think about so many different events over these four years. I think about playing the role of Martha at the retreat at Concordia Seminary while Pastor Nebel was leading the Bible study on Mary (of the Mary & Martha family). I think of being the big bad wolf while Debbie Albers was Little Red Riding Hood at Highland during a spring retreat. I think of the Hokey Pokey rewritten for the retreat Chicks Day Out at Bethalto. So many fun times, so much growth in relationships and the wonder of God s Word. Thank you for letting me serve you as I have served our Lord and His Church. Yes, I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. And it reminds me that my Savior is the Lord of all, the Lord of the LWML and the focus of the mission work that the LWML continues to support with the mites. God bless you all. Southern Illinois District 38th Biennial Convention Bountiful Blessings Abundant Fruits 2 Corinthians 9:8 Friday evening, September 16 Saturday, September 17 Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School Evansville, Illinois Guest Speaker Katie Schuermann National Representative Kaye Wolff Rev. John Lukomski-Luther Moments

4 Page 4 LWML Newsletter 2016 Vice President of Gospel Outreach Norma Tucker...According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,... I Peter 1:3-4 We are all called to share the joy we have in our Savior. Funding our Mission Grants provides us with opportunities to have the Good News of our Savior spread. As of mid-april, we still have four Mission Grants to pay totaling $11,000. In order to accomplish making the final payments, the total of Mites still needed from April 15 to June 15 is $5,250 for each of the two months. We pray that God will help us meet this goal. One of our current Mission Grants is for the SIUE Lutheran Campus Ministry in Edwardsville. We have their update from Pastor DeBlieck: Thank you for the generous funds you ve given us. We have purchased books, materials, educational and fellowship trips, and welcomed a guest speaker with the aid of these funds. The campus ministry at SIUE is unique in that we don t depend on the university to support us, but on the very people who care for us and pray for us. We have the special joy of knowing that no matter how the university or some students might view our Christian convictions, they can never threaten to take our funding. The best stories are the ones that cannot be written. The funds received have opened many doors and given our students many opportunities to learn, grow and remain faithful in the midst of a hostile culture. One takes away from this year in particular is the confidence seen among our students in talking about life issues what God s Word says about the precious life of the unborn they Continued on Page Mission Grants Total Grant Goal $56,000 May God enrich our personal prayer lives and the continuing study of His Word which equip us in personal witness to the Joy we have in Our Savior. Mission Grant Goal for the Biennium $50,000 Organization American/International Campus Ministry Our Savior, Carbondale, IL Unity Lutheran Christian Elementary School, East St. Louis, IL Remain- Amount Amount ing Approved Paid Amount to be Paid $5,000 $5,000 $ -0- $5,000 $2,500 $2,500 Operation Barnabas LCMS/SID $4,000 $4,000 $ -0- Seminary Student Scholarships/SID $8,000 $4,000 $4,000 Lutheran Braille Workers Center (Sight Ministries), Baldwin, IL Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School, Centralia, IL Rev. Tim Mueller Mentor Grant $4,000 $4,000 $ -0- $5,000 $5,000 $ -0- Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO Food Bank $2,500 $2,500 $ -0- Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville, IL Lutheran Student Fellowship - New Campus Ministry Initiative SIUE Lutheran Campus Ministry, Edwardsville, IL Outreach Program $4,000 $4,000 $ -0- $2,500 $2,500 $ -0- Task Force on Prison and Jail Ministry / SID $7,000 $7,000 $ -0- Metro-East Lutheran High School, Edwardsville, IL Mentor Grants $5,000 $2,500 $2,500 Camp Wartburg s Shepherding Sheep Camp $4,000 $2,000 $2,000 TOTALS as of March 12, 2016 $56,000 $45,000 $11,000

5 2016 LWML Newsletter Page 5 Retreat at Highland draws an attendance of 83 The Southern Illinois District Lutheran Women's Missionary League enjoyed it's Spring Retreat at Hope Lutheran Church in Highland on March 5. There were 83 people that attended from all ages. The theme was "Renew Your Mind Uplift Your Spirit" based on the Bible verse from Ephesians 4:23-24 and to be renewed in the Spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Throughout the event there was Bible Study, fellowship, worship and activities. The main mission activity of the day was making "SONshine" bags for area shut ins and nursing home residents. Each bag was filled and decorated by everyone there. 106 total gifts were filled. MISSION GRANTS have learned well and grown in this area a lot! We pray that the ministry among the students at SIUE continues to thrive, grow and share the Joy of our Savior. Thank you notes continue to be sent from Mission Grant recipients including the following note: Thank you so much for your support of the Food Bank at Concordia Seminary. This ministry has meant so much to our family and we are so thankful for those God has used to make it possible. Our Scholarship Committee will be meeting soon to make decisions about the amounts that will be provided for scholarship applications from Seminary Students and other students who are preparing for full time service in the Church. We will be praying for God s guidance and ask you to do the same. Bible Study group from the Lutheran Campus Ministry at SIUE Dawn Schnare of Edwardsville, Deb Albers of Ferrin and April Rottmann of Highland display 83 SONshine bags for Highland area residents. Suggested items for convention ingathering The items will be distributed between six food banks in Randolph County. The zone societies in charge of the ingathering contacted the food banks and the following items were most requested. Meals in a can spaghetti and meatballs, beef stew, chicken and dumplings, tuna, chicken, soups; macaroni and cheese; peanut butter and jelly; applesauce; peaches; cereal and individual packets of oatmeal; individual juice boxes; personal care items. Monetary donations will also be accepted which the food banks will provide vouchers to purchase perishable foods such as eggs, milk and bread.

6 Page 6 LWML Newsletter 2016 Gifts of Love Ministry Christian Estate Planning Reflects Our Faith The opportunity to include charitable giving in the estate planning of U.S. citizens is largely overlooked by the vast majority of people in our nation. When they pass property from one generation to another, those who take advantage of remembering charitable organizations not only give their families a firsthand example of generosity that makes the world a better place for succeeding heirs, they literally pass on a legacy that extends the Biblical calling to be a blessing. Statistically, only 8% of U.S. estates that are documented include a charitable gift. LWML hopes to put the idea of charitable planning in the forefront of the minds of Christian people. We hope that more people will continue to do in their death what they have done during their entire lives; namely share love with family members and support the work of the Lord. But such giving must be planned while one is able to plan. If a person waits until they are no longer able to make their own decisions or until they die, charitable planning is not going to happen. Among the benefits of charitable gift planning are conserving taxes, assuring principal and income for family members and providing the joy that comes with fulfilling the Great Commission, even in ones entry into eternal peace. An Endowment Fund for the SID LWML being established Charitable gift planning involves the spiritual stewardship process of looking at a person's economic situation with a Gift Planning Counselor to identify the opportunities and planning options that will work best for your individual situation. CONTARY TO POPULAR MYTH, A PERSON CAN WITNESS THEIR FAITH AND SUPPORT MINISTIRES WITHOUT DISINHERITING THEIR FAMILY. Christians worship a God who justifies a place of first priority in our lives. The ministries we wish to support can be considered at the same priority level as our family/heirs in our estate plans. These ministries will assure that the future of the Christian faith will be stronger for our children & grandchildren. In charitable gift planning, you will discover useful options that can bring blessings to your home, your family, and the ministries that are dear to your heart. For more information or help with your estate plan, please contact our own LWML Gift Planning counselor, Linda Gage, toll free, at or via at: lindagage.lwml@gmail.com. More information is also available on our web-site: At our district level, you can contact Ruth Ann Arbeiter at or by at arbeiterra@egyptian.net Why do organizations have endowment funds? There are many reasons, and we have listed our reasons in this article. This article is just bringing it to your attention that your SID LWML Board is working on a document so we can establish an endowment fund. In the Special Convention edition of the Newsletter we will print the whole document for you to read. This edition will be published early August - so be looking for that. Then at conven-tion in September the delegates will be voting to accept or reject this document. If you have any questions or concerns call Ruth Ann Arbeiter or Carol Oldinski or Nor-ma Tucker Here are our reasons: WHY THE SID LWML NEEDS TO ESTABLISH AN ENDOWMENT FUND We are not prepared to receive large gifts from estates, trusts, gift annuities, insurance policies, etc; or unexpected gifts of cash, minimum required distributions from IRA's, etc. Without prior planning and preparedness, such gifts can cause a multitude of problems. Good planning for the future, as well as the present, represents God-pleasing stewardship and will have lasting benefits for God's Kingdom and our organization. An endowment fund is God pleasing since it provides an orderly, established, and convenient method to receive, invest, and administer the gifts and bequests for the advancement of the Kingdom. More individuals will feel comfortable including the LWML in their estate plans if they know we have an endowment in place to handle their gift properly. We know there are some gifts from estates, trusts, gift annuities, etc, out there coming to the SID LWML at some point in time. But we don't know when - God is in control of that time factor. We feel it would be better to be prepared to handle such gifts, rather than get a gift and then try to do this. Another plus: our current Student Assistance Fund will become part of this endowment fund. This should give us a much better return on our investment - giving us more money to give as scholarships.

7 2016 LWML Newsletter Page 7 Vice President of Christian Life Diane Grebing The purpose of Christian Life is to share information and materials that will help nurture the women in the Southern Illinois District as they grow spiritually to love and serve the Lord. Bound Together walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1b 3 ESV). The words of the hymn, Blest Be the Tie That Binds, (Lutheran Service Book 649) are based on the Word of God from Ephesians 4:1b 3. As you read the first three verses of this hymn printed below, see what similarities you can find between the Scripture words and the hymn lyrics. Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Before our Father s throne we pour our ardent prayers; Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, Our comforts and our cares. We share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear, And often for each other flows the sympathizing tear. (Text by John Fawcett, Public Domain) The unity we have as Christian sisters is because the Holy Spirit has made us one in Christ. Without the unifying work of the Holy Spirit, we would be unable to come together because of our sinful, self-ish natures. But thanks be to God, the Holy Spirit works in each of us giving us faith in Him and the desire and the strength to serve God with our eyes focused together on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through faith, the Holy Spirit moti-vates us to show and tell of the saving love of Jesus to all. We have a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the unity we share as Lutheran women in mission at our upcoming SID LWML Convention, September 16 and 17 at Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School in Evansville, Illinois. Our convention theme is: Bountiful Blessings-Abundant Fruits based on 2 Corinthians 9:8: A nd God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. At this convention we will come together on Friday evening as our young women and pastoral counselors lead us in Bible study and a mission project. On Saturday we will come together for worship and Holy Communion. Together we will vote for several new district officers to lead and guide us in the next biennium. Together we will select a new set of mission projects to be the recipients of our mite offerings. Together we will also hear our featured speaker, Katie Schuermann. Katie s topic is Pew Sisters: Blessings Abounding in Christ, based on 2 Corinthians 9:8. Katie describes her topic in this way: We re family, you and me. We ve been baptized into the same Christ, and now we share the same Heavenly Father, we eat at the same table, and we inherit the same paradise. Your joys are my joys, and your sorrows are my sorrows from here unto eternity. Let s gather and cele-brate the abundant blessings of our true sister-hood our pew sisterhood! Together we will also be reminded of the upcoming 500 th anniversary of the Reformation through two special Luther Moments brought to us by Rev. John Lukomski. If you ve ever seen Pastor Lukomski as Martin Luther, you know we will be in for a special treat. Our time of convention promises to be an opportunity to experience the joy of being bound together as sisters in Christ. We are looking for-ward to seeing you soon in Evansville!

8 Page 8 LWML Newsletter 2016 Be the voice of certainty in an atmosphere of uncertainty. This is a quote a former student of mine recently shared on Face Book. As I read it I had two thoughts: Boy, he has sure grown into a mature young man; and that is one of the best definitions of a leader I have ever read. With all the uncertain things going on in the world today, we are all searching for that..voice of certainty to hang on to. Some people are looking for it in all the wrong places though, by following anyone/anything that sounds good at the moment. Unfortunately, a lot of these are not lasting. They are soon lost in the atmosphere of uncertainty of the world. Here is where the LWML can step in for the ladies of your congregation. Here they can find the voice of certainty they need to hang on to. Remember what Jesus said to Martha when He visited in her Vice President of Organizational Resources Helen Mayer home, Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her. Luke 10:42. That one thing as we know, is God s Word. Jesus is the voice of certainty in an atmosphere of uncertainty that is the world today. The LWML has so many ways to share this with other ladies in the church. It is our job to do the sharinghow is that going for you? There are as many ways to share this Good News as there are ladies to share it. We all live in such uncertain times and ALL the ladies need to hear this voice of certainty. NOW IS THE TIME to share with; invite to; involve in; and pray for those ladies not yet involved in LWML! GO for it! There are so many good resources to help you check them out at lwml.org, or SI- DLWML.org, or contact me for other ideas. As the VP of Organizational Resouces, I will be happy to share ide-as, information with you. Let s do all we can to lead others, to the voice of certainty! Immanuel Women Hosted Fifth Annual Women s Mini-Retreat Praise God for His As usual, you had a good program. Everything was guidance with this re- nice. Just Great! Very nice event. Love treat and for bringing that it is a 1/2 day. Excellent speaker. A job well the women to it that done. Short and to the point. The retreat left me were in need of His feeling awesome about the morning! Thank you. refreshment! Special Thank you for providing this great experience! thanks to Rosie Adle, Awesome Day! I appreciate all the work. To God our guest speaker! If be the praise! Amazing how this topic relates so you haven t read the much to me at this point in my life. God meant for me children s book Extra to be here today! Such an enjoyable and relaxing Yarn by Mac Barnett, retreat! Thank you to everyone who had anything to I suggest you do! What do with this! a great story and im- Mark your calendars for our 2017 Women s Mini- Rosie Adle portant message as women Retreat on Saturday, April 22, No theme cho- (and men) of Christ! sen yet, but it s sure to be a good one! Eighty-three women attended this year s retreat and were inspired and encouraged by Rosie s message of John 1:16, Fulfilling Grace. We also enjoyed a wonderful breakfast and had time to relax in adult coloring, too. Women attended from all over the local community, greater St. Louis area, and even some from northern Illinois. Here are a few comments from those who attended A wonderful morning There was an upbeat, positive attitude overall, especially those working to make this event possible. Made me more mindful of using my own yarn. Some of the ladies that were in attendance

9 2016 LWML Newsletter Page 9 Serving You Are: President Brenda Schoenbeck Vice President of Gospel Outreach Norma Tucker Vice President of Christian Life Diane Grebing Vice President of Servant Resources Helen Meyer Vice President of Special Focus Ministries Carol Small Vice President of Communication Michele Hill Recording Secretary Mickey Roth Corresponding Secretary Lucy Thompson Financial Secretary Carol Oldinski Treasurer Ruth Ann Arbeiter Counselor Rev. Mitchell Schuessler Counselor Rev. Jay Holden Editor Jane Lucht Archivist/Historian Peggy Sachtleben Christian Resource Editor Joyce Aukamp Young Women Representatives Elizabeth Barnes and April Rottmann Resources.LWML Store Ruth Ann Mize/Carla Kirby Quarterly/Newsletter Coordinator Lucy Thompson Send changes of addresses or s to: Lucy Thompson at sidlwmllucy@gmail.com Board Notes: The mission grants goal for was set at $50,000. There will be 20 grant requests listed on the ballot at the convention. The board decided to publish an issue prior to the convention that will contain all the information for the convention in September. A first occurred at the April board meeting. When one of the zone presidents couldn t attend, she was pre-sent via computer and could participate. Discussion was held on the new endowment fund that is going to be established and voted on at the convention. It was announced that the 2017 LWML convention would be held in New Mexico rather that in Salt Lake City as previously planned. Prayers were requested that the mission grant goal would be reached by the end of May. There was discussion and plans made for the SID convention in September at Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School in Evansville. NEED LWML SUPPLIES? If anyone would like to purchase something the items are listed online at lwml.org and there are monthly specials. Catalogues were also distributed at the last district convention. For more information call: or rmize@frontiernet.net Memorials Miriam Backs Eddell Fedderke James Hadley Amos Johnson Melvin Johnson **Neomi Meyer Eunice Reinkensmeyer Ruth Rempfer Alexis Wernsing Loving Gifts In Honor **Ardell Doughtery **Patrifa Unterseh **Denotes Student Assistance Fund