God s work. Our hands. Sunday September 11, 2016 God s work. Our hands. (GWOH) Sunday is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor. The date for the 2016 dedicated day of service is Sunday, Sept. 11. Mark your calendars today! There are also other days of service. This year s dedicated day of service will also mark the 15-year anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. The world can be a dangerous place. But there are some who, when disaster strikes, run toward the danger. These are the first responders, firefighters, police and EMTs, who live out their baptismal vocation in service to their communities in times of intense need. They do God s work with their hands. ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton Advent is planning several service activities that will offer an opportunity for us to explore one of our most basic convictions as Lutherans: that all of life in Jesus Christ every act of service, in every daily calling, in every corner of life flows freely from a living, daring confidence in God s grace. You work every day to make your community a better place. Let us continue doing this work together in 2016! (continues next page)
Now is the time to look for your yellow God s work. Our hands. t- shirt. If you can t find it or want another, we have ordered more. Here are the service activities that are planned so far. There are several donation opportunities available. Donations are being gathered in the weeks before GWOH Sunday, Sept. 11. Please don t be overwhelmed by all the choices; focus on service activities close to your heart. Look for the Collection Station signs at Advent for your donations! Please mark your donations with your intended service activity. Please do not donate items with religious symbols, US flag, patriotic or military symbols, or references to armed forces including camouflage. Thank you! 1. Assemble school supplies for Awaso School in Ghana; Leads - Craig Simberg & Jacqui Kanode b. Donations needed: new or unused backpacks, pencils, crayons, glue sticks, whiteboard markers, chalk, 3x5 cards, folders, and stickers. They can also use a new or used pressure cooker for canning food. 2. Pack water and snacks for day workers in Morgan Hill; Lead Kathy Munk b. Donations needed: to be determined 3. Lead devotions at Valley Pines; Lead Pastor Lee 4. Recognize and appreciate the MH Police Department; Lead - Sharon Pepper a. Service activity: Sept. 4 after worship service (10:30 am); write cards and letters, and draw pictures thanking the MH Police Dept. and inviting them and their families to join us for worship and/or coffee hour on Sept. 11. 2
b. Donations needed on Sept. 4: Baked goods for the MH Police Dept. c. Service activity: Sept. 5 (time TBD); join Sharon and others to deliver the cards, letters, pictures, invitations, & baked goods to the MH Police Dept. d. Service activity: Sept. 11 at worship (8 am and 10:45 am) and coffee hour (9:30 10:45 am); meet and thank members of MH Police Dept. and their families. e. Donations needed on Sept. 11: Baked goods to share with the MH Police Dept. at coffee hour. f. Service activity: Sept. 12 (time TBD); join Sharon and others to deliver any remaining baked goods to the MH Police Dept. 5. Assemble We Care Kits for homeless & needy in South County; Lead - Jill Carlson b. Donations needed: i. Basics: beanie, clean socks, gloves, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, Kleenex, wash cloth ii. Toiletries: multi-purpose wipes, chapstick, facial wipes, antibacterial lotion, comb, toothbrush/toothpaste, grooming kit iii. Survival: first aid kit, band aids, hand warmers, multi-purpose tool, sunblock iv. Food & Drink: bottled water, protein bars, nut/berry trail mix, beef jerky, fruit leathers, sports drink, restaurant gift cards, plastic utensils v. Treats: fruit snacks, candy (individually wrapped), mints, chewing gum, compact reusable bag vi. Help them connect: journal/pen, stamps, envelopes, hand written words of encouragement. 6. Assemble school supplies for Lutheran World Relief; Lead Janet Franklin b. Donations needed: see elsewhere in the bulletin 3
7. Assemble baby care kits for Lutheran World Relief; Lead Catherine Holmes b. Donations needed: see elsewhere in the bulletin 8. Assemble fabric kits for Lutheran World Relief; Lead Carrie Merrell b. Donations needed: spools of neutral-colored, general purpose thread (250-300 yards each), cotton or cotton-blend fabric (no knits or 100% polyester) and each piece should be either 2 ¼ yards of 60 wide fabric, or 3 yards of 44 wide fabric, or 4 yards of 36 wide fabric. 9. Pick a service activity from the justserve.org website for a local zip code. Then put on your GWOH T-Shirt and just do it! Examples include: a. Red Cross blood drive on 9/06/16 between 2-7 PM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1790 E. Dunne, MH. b. Santa Clara County Library, Gilroy branch, 350 W. 6 th Street, needs adult volunteers for a literacy program, 408-842-8207. Watch for more information in the coming weeks. Questions? Contact service activity leads or Ed Merrell. 4
LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF SCHOOL KITS Sew Seeds is continuing our campaign through the month of August to seek new, or unused, donated supplies needed for each LWR School Kit: Four spiral-bound, 70-sheet notebooks, college- or wide-ruled, ~ 8 X 10 1/2" paper (No single sheets, please.) One centimeter ruler or one with both inches & centimeters One pencil sharpener One pair blunt-end scissors One 2 1/2" eraser One box of 16 or 24-count crayons Five black or blue ballpoint pens Five unsharpened #2 pencils with erasers Thanks so much for those of you who have already given school kit items or monetary donations for our efforts. We will continue collecting both in order to put kits together in September. Questions maybe directed to Janet Franklin (408) 779-2757 or janfran.mh@gmail.com. BABY CARE KITS Receiving blankets (2 per kit, up to 52" square) Cloth diapers- flat fold preferred (4 per kit) T-shirts - sizes NB to 24 month, long or short sleeves Sweater or sweatshirt - with or without a hood, if not hood then a hat is required (again up to 24 months sizes) Socks Sleepers without feet from NB to 24 months Soap - 4-5 oz bars Diaper pins Hand towel. 5
DID YOU KNOW? From your Stewardship Committee Students and Teachers Today we celebrate the ministry of learning. Another school year is about to begin, both in public and private education, as well as spiritual education at Advent Lutheran. Learning isn t just comprised of our students attending Sunday school, but continues with the wonderful adult education that is available at Advent. Today s recognition is for those who are educators, both now or in the past, and our students, no matter what age. If you are a student or are or have been an educator in the past, you are invited to take the communion elements to the Altar for recognition of your stewardship in the community and to receive a blessing from Pastor Karen, Your Gifts and Participation Make a Difference! THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education. Martin Luther King, Jr Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow. Anthony J. D'Angelo Your Gifts and Participation Make a Difference 6
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FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP SUMMER PARTY TO ALL.PLEASE NOTE.RESCHEDULED DATE FOR OUR 17 th ANNUAL FOOD n FELLOWSHIP SUMMER PARTY @ THE HOUSE OF LEE. THE THREE T s.tator TOTS n TOPPINGS SUNDAY.SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 @ 12:30 p.m. Peace n Blessings, Nancy Lee, Coordinator RED CROSS DISASTER TRAINING OPPORTUNITY The Red Cross would like to schedule a practice drill in our community. If you are interested in participating in this event, please contact Valerie Sacks at 408-779-5984. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE COMMUNITY TABLE Volunteers are needed to help serve the hungry in Morgan Hill. Every Tuesday evening a dinner is served here at Advent. We are in need of volunteers who can help. Please contact Marianne Glover at 408-891-3420 or email her at gloverfamily4@yahoo.com if you can help. Thank you! 8
NURSERY CARE IS AVAILABLE ALL MORNING IN BERKLAND FELLOWSHIP HALL CHILDREN Grades 4-6: Magnificent Mondays on the third Monday of each month CONFIRMATION Begins in September HIGH SCHOOL AND ADULTS Talking About Our Faith with Pastor Karen in the Library MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY Tuesday mornings @ 10:00 AM All are welcome every Tuesday in the Library WOMEN S SPIRITUALITY CIRCLE Meets on Thursdays @ 10:00 AM in Library WOMEN S BIBLE STUDY MARY AND MARTHA CIRCLE Meets 2 nd Wednesday of the month @ 10:00 AM in Berkland Fellowship Hall INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP SPIRITUAL DIRECTION For support in your prayer life, deepening your relationship with God and living out your faith with the gifts you are given, please contact Lee Tyler at 778-1876 or ltyler3@juno.com 9
Week of August 14 th 21st Sunday 8:30 AM Gather Rehearsal 9:30 AM Worship Service 11:00 AM Talking About our Faith with Pastor Karen 11:00 AM God s Work, Our Hands Planning Meeting 1:00 PM New Life Church Worship Service Monday 7:00 PM Alanon in Rm. 2 Tuesday 10:00 AM Mid-Week Bible Study in Library 10:00 AM Sew Seeds in Fellowship Hall 5:00 PM Community Table in Fellowship Hall 6:00 PM Women s Choir Rehearsal in Choir Room 7:00 PM Overeaters Anonymous in Room 2 Wednesday 2:00 PM Stewardship Committee 7:00 PM New Life Church Worship Service Thursday 7:00 AM Second Harvest Food Bank Brown Bag 10:00 AM Women s Spirituality Circle in Library 7:00 PM SAA Meeting in Room 1 Friday 8:00 PM New Life Prayer Saturday 8:30 AM Men s Fellowship in Library 10:00 AM Women for Sobriety in Room 1 4:00 PM Iglesia de Cristo Church Service in Room 2 7:00 PM AA in Room 1 Next Sunday 8:30 AM Gather Rehearsal 9:30 AM Worship Service 11:00 AM Talking About our Faith with Pastor Karen 1:00 PM New Life Church Worship Service 10