1 Lutheran Church of Our Saviour Volume 17, No. 5 Pastor Katie s Corner May 2017 Every year after Easter, our Sunday lectionary has us read weekly stories from the Book of Acts, whose full title is The Acts of The Apostles. It tells us about deeds, travels, conversions, and trails of the original apostles after Jesus ascension into heaven, but I think it could just as easily be called, The Acts of the Holy Spirit. See, most everything in the Book of Acts happens because of the Holy Spirit swooping in. Peter, after his first sermon, baptizes 3000 people, promising them the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:36-41). Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, sees a vision of God right before his execution (Acts 7:55-60). Paul speaks to the Areopagus, the high-court and place for intellectual debate in Athens, as one stop of many destinations where the Holy Spirit sends him (Acts 17:22-3). At the end of the Easter Season, we read the story of Jesus ascension, when he promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, which prepares us for the Pentecost story, when the Holy Spirit dutifully arrives to stay among us. I like the idea of colloquially calling this collection of stories The Acts of the Apostles - The Acts of the Holy Spirit because it shows us that without God, we human beings really do nothing, especially when it comes to matters of faith. Those first apostles needed the Holy Spirit to build the church, and we need the Holy Spirit just as much to build our church and guide our lives today. So what is the Holy Spirit doing among us? Where is it sending us? Or whom is it sending to us? What is the Holy Spirit urging us to say? To proclaim? To move? To change? To get rid of? To welcome? Perhaps these are difficult questions - that s kind of how our faith and life with the Spirit of God works. But they are necessary as we continue to grow in our life together. So think on them and share! With me, with your church friends, with your neighbors in the pews on Sunday - What is the Holy Spirit doing among us? Yours in the Spirit, Pastor Katie
2 VOLUME 17 NO. 5 THE GIVING TREE PRESCHOOL The last month of our school year is upon us and it is bittersweet. The children have learned so much and we are privileged to be able to nurture them. We are excited for our four year olds who will be moving on to Kindergarten! Our themes this month Bugs and Gardens, Water is Fun and Day and Night. The Twos and Threes will learn about Jonah and the Whale and the Fours will learn about Zacchaeus. Rockwood Nature will present Scaley Reptiles and teach about our native critters and evenbring live snakes and turtles! We say goodbye on Thursday May 25 th at our Graduation Ceremony. We are now actively enrolling for the 2017-2018 school year. Please spread the word about our wonderful school! Contact Mary Dumont at 276-8194 for information. LCOS Staff is Expecting Not Just One but TWO Babies Our administrative assistant at LCOS, Emily Cruciata, is also expecting a child! She s planning to deliver a baby boy at the end of June and will be taking maternity leave during the summer. While Emily is on maternity leave (beginning June 26, returning July 31), faithful LCOS members Craig Nelson and Stacy McCoy will be covering the office duties. We will remain open from 9:30am-1:30pm, Monday-Thursday.
3 VOLUME 17, NO.5 MATERNITY LEAVE PLANS for PASTOR KATIE As many know, Pastor Katie is pregnant and expecting to deliver a child the first week of June. She plans to take 12 weeks of maternity leave. The Bishop of Virginia Synod Rev. Jim Mauney and the Dean of the Richmond Conference Rev. Eric Moehring have recommended Rev. Kim Triplett to be the coverage pastor during Pastor Katie s maternity leave and the Council has approved this temporary appointment. Pastor Kim will serve LCOS from Sunday, June 3 through Sunday, August 26 and her responsibilities will cover the following. Preaching and presiding at Sunday worship Responding to pastoral care crises and needs Conducting funerals Coordinating summer Christian education and participating in the combined St. Luke s-lcos Vacation Bible School Attending Council Meetings Holding open office hours Read Pastor Kim s biography below. Thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself. I am Rev. Kim Triplett. This is a picture of my spouse, David and me at a wedding in Maryland. We are happy to be back in Virginia, where David is working for Music and Arts and I am on leave and interviewing for the next call. We are married for 37 years in September and parents to 2 adult human beings whom we adore. They currently both live in the Richmond area. It is our joy to have time to spend with them. We lived in the Glen Allen area for many years while Adam and Rachel were in school, and are happy to renew friendships and meet new people in the area. Most recently, I answered a call to be pastor for Peace Lutheran Church in Glen Burnie, Maryland (now named Rejoice Fellowship). We concluded three years together by successfully discerning God s call to participate in the consolidation of 3 church communities in the area. David and I left Maryland in January, sad to go, but happy to witness God doing a new thing. Before my call to Peace, I was called to a two-point parish in Churchville and Staunton, Virginia. We enjoyed our time in the Valley of Virginia for five years, learning the history of the place while learning to love the beauty of the foothills, mountains, and the people we met there. While I am waiting, I am looking for chances to supply preach and be of service.
4 VOLUME 17, NO. 5 FINANCIAL UPDATE
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6 OUTREACH Due to the congregations generosity, LCOS was able to provide 77 Easter bags for the children at RFOH. Included in the bags of candy were a child friendly toothpaste, toothbrush and floss. This past year RFOH has seen an increase of approximately 25% in the number of lunches being served daily. If you are willing and able we sure could use a few more casseroles each month. It would be great if we could have a total of 16 casseroles. We always can use restaurant size cans of fruit and veggies if preparing a meal is not something you are able to do. Outreach would love to see new faces helping us serve. Please use the signup sheet in the narthex. Thank you so much for all you do for those in need. CARITAS The Outreach Ministry team would like to highlight an organization that LCOS supports with either financial help, donations or volunteer hours. This month we will focus on CARITAS. CARITAS is an acronym for Congregations Around Richmond Involved To Assure Shelter. Their mission statement is as follows: CARITAS helps our most vulnerable neighbors break the cycles of addiction and homelessness to reclaim their dignity. The most basic tasks of CARITAS are to provide shelter, food and fellowship to those in need. Since it's inception CARITAS has expanded to offer job training, substance abuse rehabilitation and a furniture bank. While CARITAS started out as a program that only offered shelter in the winter months, it is now a full time yearly operation. LCOS has participated in CARITAS in various ways for at least 20 years. Recently we have partnered with our friends at St. Luke's United Methodist Church on Fordham Road. While they do the physical hosting of the guests for one week, we have stepped in to provide lunches, laundry supplies, overnight helpers and other assistance where needed. This gives both congregations a chance to share the work and the rewards. The past two years LCOS has been fortunate to have Bobbi and Wayne Goerlich act as our liaison with St. Luke's. They will not be able to assist with that task this year. LCOS is looking for a few people to step into this role. Please see Bobbi or Wayne for information. Our participation in CARITAS will take place in August. For more information about CARITAS please refer to their website at caritasva.org.
7 VOLUME 17, NO.5 YOUTH Our joint youth group with LCOS and St. Luke s UMC had a great time in April helping refurbish the offices of Pathways, a social ministry in Petersburg. Thanks to all the youth and parent volunteers who went!
8 VOLUME 17 NO.5 Birthdays Cindy Mooney 5/1 Kristina Nilsen 5/2 Danny Mooney 5/5 Doug Anderson 5/6 Charles Grant 5/7 Jeannie McIlavy 5/9 Kent Houlbar 5/10 Angie Seay 5/10 Jeffrey Shaffer 5/11 Megan Shaffer 5/11 Jake Jacobs 5/12 Henry Weaver 5/12 Betty Rickmond 5/13 Judy Zehmer 5/13 Betsy Rhodes 5/14 Wayne Jones 5/18 Lee Krasneck 5/19 Lois Reese 5/19 Sue Jacobs 5/22 Gail Falk 5/24 Adison Mayer 5/26 Bryan Dorton 5/28 Corey Dorton 5/28 Haley Jacobs 5/28 Kathryn Meeks 5/28 Sari Archer 5/29 Carrie Jenkins 5/29 Lars Vik 5/29 Jim Burnish 5/31 Anniversaries Rachel Doyle 5/1 Richard & Sharon Leininger 5/11 Walter & Gail Kimpfler 5/14 Joe & Nancy Partridge 5/17 John & Rianne Klink 5/21 Wayne & Bobbi Goerlich 5/22 Jeffrey & Jessica Beall 5/26 Steven & Jessica Contomanolis 5/26 Steve & Betsy Rhodes 5/27 Jake & Debbie Jacobs 5/28 Summer Newsletter Deadline We will be doing one newsletter for the entire summer (June, July & August). Please get any information you would like in the Summer Newsletter to Emily Cruciata (admin@lcosva.org or 276-4271) by May 21.
30 MAY 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 9:15 AM Children's Education 10:30 AM Worship Service 4:00 PM Youth Group @ St. Luke's UMC 7 9:15 AM Children's Education 10:30 AM Worship Service 4:00 PM Youth Group @ St. Luke's UMC 14 9:15 AM Children's Education 10:30 AM Worship Service 4:00 PM Youth Group @ St. Luke's UMC 21 9:15 AM Children's Education 10:30 AM Worship Service 4:00 PM Youth Group @ St. Luke's UMC 28 9:15 AM Children's Education 10:30 AM Worship Service 1 8 Office Closed 7:00 PM Church Council Meeting 15 22 29 Office Closed- Memorial Day 2 9 16 23 30 3 7:00 PM Vocal Choir Rehearsal 10 7:00 PM Vocal Choir Rehearsal 17 7:00 PM Vocal Choir Rehearsal 24 7:00 PM Vocal Choir Rehearsal 31 7:00 PM Vocal Choir Rehearsal 4 10:00 AM Rebecca Circle 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Preschool Rockwood Park Visit (N) 7:30 PM Bell Choir Rehearsal 11 7:30 PM Bell Choir Rehearsal 18 7:30 PM Bell Choir Rehearsal 25 10:30 AM Preschool Graduation (S) 7:30 PM Bell Choir Rehearsal 1 10:00 AM Rebecca Circle 5 Office Closed 12 Office Closed 19 Office Closed 26 Office Closed 2 Office Closed 6 13 20 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Songbird's Studio Dress Rehearsal 27 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Songbird's Studio Student Recital 3 9 VOLUME 17, NO. 5
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12 LUTHERAN CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR 9601 Hull Street Road North Chesterfield, VA 23236 Phone: 804-276-4271 Fax: 804-276-5379 www.lcosva.org Richmond Friends of the Homeless The Outreach Ministry served 76 Richmond Friends of the Homeless on April 12, 2017. Those who made casseroles were: Jane Avery, Diane Beall, Pat Dorton, Mary & Kayleigh Dumont, Clare Haack, Shirley Hawthorne, Cindy Huston, Sharon Johnson, Gail Kimpfler, Kaarina Modiri, Nancy Partridge, Frances Peterson, Robin Scheivert, Angie Seay, and Betty Spivey. Those who served were: Jane Avery, Shirley Hawthorne, Gail Kimpfler, and Betty Spivey. Thanks to all who prepare casseroles and serve each month. We could not provide this ministry without your support.