The Crossroads. -Pastor Shaw M ARCH Take A Bite Out of Malaria! INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 6-7

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The Crossroads M ARCH 2012 Take A Bite Out of Malaria! They departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine; I remember especially liking a book from the library about how yellow fever was conquered in Panama.

1 The Crossroads M ARCH 2012 Take A Bite Out of Malaria! They departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news and curing diseases everywhere. Luke 9:6 NR When I was a child, I used to love reading about medical heroes. I loved the story of Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine; I remember especially liking a book from the library about how yellow fever was conquered in Panama. I often thought, When I grow up, I am going to discover a cure for a disease and change history. Of course, that never happened. However, I think in part this is why I am so excited about a program in the ELCA to prevent, treat, and contain malaria by We do indeed have the opportunity to have a part in changing history. The ELCA at its Churchwide Assembly in 2011 voted to undertake a Malaria Campaign with the goal of raising $15 million dollars by 2015 to fight the disease of malaria around the world. A few weeks ago, I met with the coordinator for this campaign in our Synod and I was amazed at how devastating this disease can be. Here are some of the facts I learned: The World Health Organization has named malaria public health enemy #1. Forty percent of the world s population more than 2.6 billion people - are at risk of contracting the disease. Almost one million people die each year from malaria 90% of deaths caused by malaria are in Africa A child dies of malaria every 45 seconds. The ELCA Malaria Campaign will be fighting malaria on three fronts. First will be malaria treatment. Malaria has become drug resistant in many places, and some of the funds collected will be used to distribute new medications that will treat the disease. Secondly, there will be education of the population so that the symptoms can be understood and people can learn how to protect themselves from the disease. Finally, for just $10, the ELCA can purchase mosquito netting for beds that can protect an entire family from the malaria-carrying mosquito. As a part of our 60 th anniversary celebration and as our Lenten focus, we will be collecting money for this campaign. Our hope is to collect $600 to purchase 60 nets. I think we can exceed this goal. One way we will attempt to meet our goal is a plan called Nickels for Nets. Collect your nickels this Lent, and then bring them to church and put them in our collection jar. Think about donating $10 to purchase a net in honor of your children, nieces, nephews, godchildren or grandchildren. My father had malaria when he was stationed in the Philippines in World War II; I will be purchasing a net in his memory. Perhaps you would like to purchase one in honor of one of your relatives who is a veteran. An important part of the campaign will be not only the money collected; the campaign also asks that we be in prayer for those impacted by the disease of malaria. Please add this concern to your prayer lists. There are so many problems in the world that we cannot solve or cure. I often feel helpless in the face of so much need and suffering, and I know many of you do also. Knowing that I can change the lives of a family for just $10 gets me really excited. I can easily give away all of the nickels I receive in change when I purchase an item and INSIDE THIS ISSUE: From the Pastor 1-2 Of Special Interest: Social Ministry Member Messages & Birthdays Church News & Events Lent & Easter Schedule & Highlights Those Serving; Calendar Monthly Meditation; X-roads Deadline never really miss them. It might not seem like much, but all of our resources together can help to make malaria a crisis of the past, much like polio or yellow fever. I hope you are as excited as I am about this initiative. To learn more, visit Blessings on your Lenten journey! -Pastor Shaw

P AGE 2 M ARCH 2012 Of Special Interest: Spring Social Ministry Appeals ELCA MALARIA CAMPAIGN Malaria facts: Almost 9 out to 10 of the 800,000 people who die from malaria each year live in Africa;

4 episodes of malaria each year. What is malaria? Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite contracted from a the bite of an infected mosquito, causing flu-like symptoms. It affects all age groups.

2 P AGE 2 M ARCH 2012 Of Special Interest: Spring Social Ministry Appeals ELCA MALARIA CAMPAIGN Malaria facts: Almost 9 out to 10 of the 800,000 people who die from malaria each year live in Africa; most are children under age five. A child dies from malaria every 45 seconds; one in five childhood deaths in sub- Saharan Africa is due to malaria. An African child has on average between 1.6 and 5.4 episodes of malaria each year. What is malaria? Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite contracted from a the bite of an infected mosquito, causing flu-like symptoms. It affects all age groups. The disease is preventable and treatable, yet claims more than 800,000 lives each year. What will the ELCA do about it? The ELCA Malaria Campaign is working through companion churches to bring mosquito nets, health education, mosquito control, and malaria treatment to communities across Africa. This campaign is part of the ELCA s global mission to understand what it means to walk together as the Body of Christ. When one member suffers, we all suffer. The ELCA Malaria Campaign enables our church to join with African companion churches in the global effort to prevent, treat, and contain malaria by The ELCA has pledged to raise at least $15 million to prevent and treat malaria in sub-saharan Africa through the ELCA Malaria Campaign, and to treat and educate communities in Africa about malaria and eliminate deaths from this disease for good. How Can You Help? Just $10 is enough to provide a family in an affected area with an insecticide-treated mosquito net, along with essential education, which will dramatically reduce the spread of disease. In recognition of Living Faith s 60th Anniversary, our church goal is to collect enough money to purchase at least 60 mosquito nets by Easter of 2012! There are two ways you can help: 1. Bring your nickels on Sundays (or to Wednesday Lenten Bible Study) and put them in the jar labeled, Nickels for Nets. 2. Place a monetary gift for nets in the Sunday offering plate. Make your check out to Living Faith Lutheran Church and please indicate malaria on the memo line of the check. For more information or other ways to give, visit World/ELCA-Malaria-Campaign.aspx. DONATIONS FOR LWR This winter and spring, Living Faith Lutheran Women are collecting donations of bars of soap for Lutheran World Relief. Their goal is to collect 60 pounds of soap in celebration of Living Faith s 60th Anniversary to be delivered to the LWR warehouse in June. Donations may be left in the basket provided in the narthex. In addition, LFLW have an ambitious goal of making 60 quilts for LWR by the end of 2012! Anyone interested in their efforts may join the Quilters the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 9:30am in the Fellowship Hall.

T HE CROSSROADS P AGE 3 Member Messages & Birthdays Thanks to everyone who participated, we raised $185 on Super Bowl Sunday ($105.50 for the New England Patriots, and $79.

Special thanks to those who purchased new hymnals for the sanctuary! We will have 25 additional hymnals in time for Easter.

This will include information for new members, address changes, and a Friends of Living Faith section. If you need a copy of the most current Living Faith directory, please contact the Church Office.

This will be put toward expenses for Living Faith member Heather Bokelman to attend the 2012 Lutheran Youth Conference in New Orleans. St.

You can help by in their efforts by attending one of the events listed below. Saturday, March 3, 8am 1pm: St. Johns is holding a Yard Sale fundraiser.

3 T HE CROSSROADS P AGE 3 Member Messages & Birthdays Thanks to everyone who participated, we raised $185 on Super Bowl Sunday ($ for the New England Patriots, and $79.50 for the New York Giants), a cash donation that will be given to Manna Food Center to help those struggling to afford groceries in Montgomery County. Special thanks to those who purchased new hymnals for the sanctuary! We will have 25 additional hymnals in time for Easter. -Pastor Shaw DIRECTORY UPDATE: An addition to our church member directory will be available, Sunday March 4. This will include information for new members, address changes, and a Friends of Living Faith section. If you need a copy of the most current Living Faith directory, please contact the Church Office. Who are these masked members? YOUTH CONFERENCE FUNDRAISERS Thanks to everyone who helped to make our Mardi Gras Party a success! We raised close to $1,200, much of it from the silent auction. This will be put toward expenses for Living Faith member Heather Bokelman to attend the 2012 Lutheran Youth Conference in New Orleans. St. Johns Lutheran Church, who is partnering with Living Faith in attending the Conference, is also raising funds for their youth to go to New Orleans this summer. You can help by in their efforts by attending one of the events listed below. Saturday, March 3, 8am 1pm: St. Johns is holding a Yard Sale fundraiser. They need donations for the sale as well; if you can help, please drop them off on Friday, March 2. Heather with her parents & Pr. Shaw Tuesday, March 27, 6pm: The youth at St. Johns will be hosting a chili cook-off at their weekly Tuesday Night Dinner. Members of their congregation will be making their favorite chili, and then those at the meal will vote on their favorite! St. Johns is located at 4629 Aspen Hill Road in Rockville; if you have questions about these events, please call HAPPY BIRTHDAY! March 4 Curtis Hintze March 6 Geraldine Stine March 7 Ed Barth March 13 Jared Miles March 16 John Engelbrecht Dorothy Golnick March 23 Martin Grimes March 24 Cynthia J. Schmidt March 29 Irmela Ballard CJ Redden-Liotta Don t see your birthday? Please call the Church Office and be added to our list! Coffee Hosts Needed! We need volunteers to provide and serve refreshments during Sunday Coffee Hour in Lent! If you are interested, please sign up on the bulletin board in the narthex. (If you have never done it before and have questions about how it works, speak with Carole Sarbacher, Fellowship Chair.)

4 P AGE 4 M ARCH 2012 LIVING FAITH NEWS AND EVENTS March 2012: ON-GOING EVENTS Men of Living Faith Breakfast: The next Men of Living Faith breakfast/meeting will be on Saturday, March 3 at 8am at the IHOP on Rockville Pike. Men of all ages welcome! For more information, please contact Marty Grimes at Mary Martha Circle: The next meeting of the Mary Martha Circle will be on Thursday, March 1 at 10am in the Conference Room. Church Council: The next meeting will be on Sunday, March 18 in the Conference Room. Choir Practice: Rehearsals are Wednesday nights at 7:30pm in the Fellowship Hall; warm-ups for Worship are every Sunday at 9:30 in the sanctuary. New members welcome! Quilters: The Living Faith Lutheran Women Quilters will meet on Thursday, March 8 and 22 at 9:30am in the Fellowship Hall. New volunteers welcome! Job Seeker Support Group: Living Faith now hosts a weekly support group every Tuesday at 10am the library for those currently unemployed or those looking to change employment. For more information, please contact Claudia Hampsher. Confirmation Class: Classes will be March 4, noon 2pm and March 18 at 9:15am in the Schmidt Room. Sunday School: Currently, a Sunday School class is available for one age group (K 2 nd grade.) The nursery is available for children up to age 4. NOTE: Sunday School classes begin at 10:30am and are held during the Worship Services; children are returned to the service in time for communion. FAMILY GAME DAY! Head to the Living Faith Fellowship Hall on Saturday, March 3 from 3pm to 6pm for Family Game Day! All ages are encouraged to participate. Bring your favorite board games to share; snacks provided. (You are also encouraged to bring a card table with you.) Plant a Row of Produce to Donate Manna Food Center can never get enough fresh fruits and vegetables for their clients! If you are a gardener, keep Manna in mind when you do your Spring planting. Deliver your extra fruits and vegetables to the Manna Food Center. They accept donations of all sizes Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm. Manna is located at 9311 Gaither Road in Gaithersburg. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR MEALS ON WHEELS Rockville Meals on Wheels is looking for volunteer drivers and visitors to help deliver meals Mondays through Fridays to the elderly, convalescents and persons with disabilities. Delivery begins about 10:30am and takes about 1 1/2 hours. Schedules are flexible and we can use you whether you wish to volunteer only once a month, weekly, or as an occasional substitute. We need 9 volunteers each day for the 4 routes in the Rockville area. You may work with a friend paired teams are ideal. Please call any weekday from 9am to 12 noon for more information or to register as a volunteer. You can also call Marty Grimes at

T HE CROSSROADS P AGE 5 LENT/SPRING SOCIAL MINISTRY APPEALS EASTER ALTAR FLOWERS: Anne-Marie Turner will be taking orders for Easter Altar Flowers after church in the narthex on Sunday, March 4.

If you miss the Sunday for ordering, please contact Anne-Marie directly to order flowers.

We will meet on Wednesdays, February 29 and March 7, 14, 21 and 28 from 6pm 7:15pm for a simple meal of soup and bread followed by a short Bible study.

Donations collected at the Soup Suppers will be given to Manna Food Center.

excellent activity for contemplation to begin Holy Week.

5 T HE CROSSROADS P AGE 5 LENT/SPRING SOCIAL MINISTRY APPEALS EASTER ALTAR FLOWERS: Anne-Marie Turner will be taking orders for Easter Altar Flowers after church in the narthex on Sunday, March 4. Prices are as follows: Easter Lilies, $9.50, white; Geraniums, $4.50, in red, white, or pink; Azaleas; $14.50, in red, white, or pink; Hydrangeas, pink or blue, $16. If you miss the Sunday for ordering, please contact Anne-Marie directly to order flowers. LENTEN BIBLE STUDY Beginning Wednesday, February 29 at 6pm, our Soup Supper and Scripture bible study series will return this Lenten season. We will meet on Wednesdays, February 29 and March 7, 14, 21 and 28 from 6pm 7:15pm for a simple meal of soup and bread followed by a short Bible study. This year, we ll be following a Lutheran Video/DVD Series entitled, Making Sense of the Cross by David J. Lose, which invites us to think about and experience the cross and its meaning for our lives. Donations collected at the Soup Suppers will be given to Manna Food Center. Looking Ahead: Holy Week & Easter Schedule 2012 Palm Sunday: April 1 at 10:30am (The labyrinth will be open in the Fellowship Hall between 11:30am and 1pm on Palm Sunday; walking the labyrinth is an excellent activity for contemplation to begin Holy Week.) Maundy Thursday Service: April 5 at 7:30pm, combined congregation service held at Rockville United Church, 355 Linthicum Street in Rockville Good Friday Service: April 6 at 7:30pm, Living Faith Lutheran Church Easter Breakfast: Join us for out Annual Easter Breakfast beginning at 9am on Easter Sunday, April 8, with the meal prepared and served by the Men of Living Faith and fun activities for kids. This will be followed by the Easter Sunday Worship Service at 10:30am. LENTEN DEVOTIONAL This year, visit a site called In the Meantime at and subscribe to an on-line Lenten daily devotional for everyday Christians by Lutheran Pastor, author and professor Rev. David J. Lose. This daily devotional will explore\ Mark s account of the Passion of our Lord. Devotions start on Ash Wednesday. Rev. Lose is Director of the Center for Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary, and author of a number of Lutheran books, including the guide for this year s Soup Supper and Scripture Bible Study, Making Sense of the Cross. EASTER CANDY AND GIFTS This year, SERRV, a store that sells fair trade, handmade, nonprofit gifts and crafts from around the world has added Easter chocolate, ceramic eggs, and other Easter-themed items to its catalog! Visit to order, or to take a look at all of the other great items they have to offer! (Living Faith is proud to offer products for purchase from the Equal Exchange Fair Trade Coffee Program. )

1605 Veirs Mill Road at Broadwood Drive Rockville, MD 20851 Phone: 301-424-8622 Fax: 301-424-9161 E-mail: mylivingfaith @gmail.

6 1605 Veirs Mill Road at Broadwood Drive Rockville, MD Phone: Fax: Our Mission Statement We are a living presence of God, celebrating as an extended family. We are committed to sharing our faith through joyful worship and Sacrament. We provide opportunities for growth by offering ministries that meet the needs of our members and community. Crossroads Deadline The deadline for submissions for the April 2012 Crossroads is Tuesday, March 20 (to be ready for Sunday, March 25.) Please put items you would like included in the newsletter in the Crossroads mailbox in the library; them to the church office; fax them to the church office at ; or call the office and give the information over the phone. Thanks! -Carleen Alves-Crespo, Crossroads Editor Monthly Meditation Quotes from Frederick Buechner A miracle is when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A miracle is when one plus one equals a thousand. -From the Alphabet of Grace The grace of God means something like: Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It's for you I created the universe. I love you. There's only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you'll reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too. Believing in him is not the same as believing things about him such as that he was born of a virgin and raised Lazarus from the dead. Instead, it is a matter of giving our hearts to him, come hell or high water, putting our money on him, the way a child believes in a mother or a father, the way a mother or a father believes in a child. We re on the Web at

Do Nice Guys/Gals Finish Last?

Do Nice Guys/Gals Finish Last? So, the last will be first, and the first will be last. Matthew 20:16 NRSV I recently read the story of Henry Pearce of Australia, who was competing in the single scull rowing