Sharing the Way of Christ with others who seek Him

Sharing the Way of Christ with others who seek Him See the Newsletter in color online: http://www.lvccm.org From the Lay Director PROACTIVE PLANNING FOR CHRIST As you read this, the winter weekends are just around the corner. While I am writing this on Dec. 2 nd, we have only a small handful of candidates signed up. I trust that a goodly number will be there in January, but why do we wait until the last minute to finalize/send in applications? Up until a few years ago, there was a deadline of two weeks prior to the weekend for submitting candidate applications. This was changed thinking that someone who should be there might be left out. Should we consider re-instating the deadline? Dealing with many applications at the last minute creates many issues and uncertainties. This includes finalizing the number From the Chancel Steps of tables, re-assigning professors if necessary, and generally compressing a lot of work into a short time period. Please, for future weekends, make it a point to talk to potential candidates early and get the paperwork done in a timely manner. Even though I am on my soap box about getting applications in early, it is still not too late to sign up for this winter weekend. Thanks for your consideration and remember: God loves you, and so do I. Len Leavens PONDERINGS FROM THE DEER BLIND As some of you may already know, I enjoy hunting, especially white-tail deer. During the month of November I have already spent a lot of hours sitting in a deer stand. While I was in those deer stands I had plenty of time for pondering and what follows will be some of what I pondered on. The foremost item on my list to ponder was my choice to retire from the full time ministry at the end of December 2013. This would mean that I no longer would be serving the people of Hope Lutheran Church in Hubbard Lake as their pastor. After 15 years there at Hope I have ministered to a vast number of people in a wide range of ways and now all of that is about to change. Change is something that most people don t like, but it is something that we as Christians and followers of Jesus Christ must deal with. Change can be good when it comes to bringing the Good News to those who have yet to hear it. Even though I am retiring at the end of this year, my ministry will never be done for even as a lay person or a pastor, I m given the task of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to the world, just as each one of you are to do. This brings me to my next item that I had to ponder and that being, where do I begin? Well if push comes to shove I have never stopped being a minister of the Good News. I guess that my realization WINTER WEEKENDS #81 St. Mark s Lutheran Church Saginaw, MI Men - Jan 16-19, 2014 Women - Jan 30 Feb 2, 2014 ULTREYA INFORMATION JANUARY ULTREYAS Tri Cities Friday, January 10, 7:00 pm One week early due to Men s Weekend 5335 Brockway, Saginaw, MI Utica January 2 (this Ultreya will be every other month) -7:00pm Trinity Lutheran Church 45160 VanDyke Avenue, Utica, MI Judy Sutherland 586-817-2391 Barb Jetmore 586-758-2806 Monroe First Friday of every month. 7 pm. Grace Lutheran church, Monroe. 630 north Monroe St. Monroe MI Ron Lymond (734) 242-4026 FEBRUARY ULTREYA Tri Cities Friday, February 21, 7:00 pm St. Mark s Lutheran Church 2565 N. Miller Rd., Saginaw, MI Periodical Format Information Organization: Lutheran Via de Cristo of Central Michigan (LVCCM) Return Address: LVCCM P.O. Box 1092, Midland, MI 48641-1092 Title: Newsletter of the LVCCM How Often Published: Alternate Months

From the Chancel Steps, cont d PONDERINGS FROM THE DEER BLIND of the task set for me in life began when I truly met my Lord and Savior while on my first weekend. It was there amid fellow Christians that I had my eyes opened to what God wanted me to do with my life and in my life. I know that God still has a purpose for me in these coming days; I am not sure what this may bring in the way of changes in my life. But I do know that whatever path God has me follow I will travel that path with Christ and the Holy Spirit as my strength, and my guide. Speaking of guides, I can t help but remember those people at my table, both leaders and candidates. They came from a wide variety of work situations, families and life experiences. All of which in there own way shape and form helped me to come to know God in a way I never knew Him before. I am proud to say that those people from my table, who are still alive, are still active in the movement and would be there for me if needed by me. Some of you reading this message may want to take a moment and just sit back and take a moment to recall those people at your table. As you think about them, try to remember what it was that made you bond with them or see the Christ in them. One thing is for certain there will always be a need for someone to be there to guide a person to Christ. This need for people to guide others to Christ is the very reason why I m so thankful for people of faith who after their weekend are fired up for the Lord and want to do more. I know that all of you reading this article are such people. But what about those other people who were at your table, who somehow have had their fires quenched by life, lost the love and joy, or lack of excitement in following their Lord and Savior. Jesus never promised His followers that it would be easy but he did promise us the Holy Spirit along with providing people like those at your table who helped you make it through life one day at a time. Now it is still your time and my time to keep on keeping on for those who did that for us. Your task and my task of bringing the Good News to others is definitely not over. If anything it has just begun and we have a long way to go and a short time to get there. As you can see, I may have had way too much time for pondering and not enough for hunting. But I really enjoyed my time in the silence of God s creation. I ll see you in the fields that are ripe for the harvest along with all those other faithful and faith filled people who work by my side bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to all who have not heard. Always in His service, Pastor Herb Send Off Site for Weekends #81 5335 Brockway Road, Saginaw MARKED A IN THE MAPS TO THE LEFT Site for Weekends #81 St. Marks Lutheran Church 2565 N. Miller Road, Saginaw MARKED B IN THE MAPS TO THE LEFT JANUARY ULTREYA IS ALSO AT: 5335 Brockway Road, Saginaw, MI MARKED A IN THE MAPS TO THE LEFT HAPPY NEW YEAR! Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! - NIV 2

LVCCM Men s Weekend #81 January 16-19, 2014 St. Mark s Lutheran Church, Saginaw, MI Set-up Wednesday, January 15 5:00 pm Send Off Thursday, January 16 7:00 pm 5335 Brockway, Saginaw, see map on page 4 Serenade Saturday, Jan 18 7:00 pm Tear Down Sunday, Jan 19 Kitchen 1:00 pm Chapel 2:00 pm Site 3:00 pm Rollo Room 4:00 pm Closing Sunday, January 19 4:30 pm Rector Head Chacho Kristopher Zastrow Randy Walcik Spiritual Directors Pastors Jim Hill, Ed Meyer, Herbert Kitzman Servers Greg Striebel (Head Server), Jon Strickling (Asst) Rectora Head Chacha Cindy Clark JoEllen Eyre LVCCM Women s Weekend #81 January 30 - February 2, 2014 St. Mark s Lutheran Church, Saginaw, MI Set-up Wednesday, January 29 8:00 pm Send Off Thursday, January 30 7:00 pm 5335 Brockway, Saginaw, see map on page 4 Serenade Saturday, February 1 7:00 pm Tear Down Sunday, Feb 2 Kitchen 1:00 pm Chapel 2:00 pm Site 3:00 pm Rollo Room 4:00 pm Closing Sunday, February 2 4:30 pm Spiritual Directors Pastors Bob Allman, Roger Stauffer, Dave Mulder Servers Carol Schellhas (Head Server), Joan Patten (Asst) Cooks Jon (Jay) Wood, (Head), Scott Schaible, Skip Randall, Bill Patrick Cooks Krista Strickling (Head Cook), Marilyn Leavens, Pat Mueller, Kirsten Cockran Chachos Al Brown (Rollo Room), Art Petee (Asst) Bill Brown, Graham Currie, Randy Jones (Music), Travis Jones (Chapel), Jeff Fauver (Asst), Todd Schwannecke (Mail Room), Steve Durance (Asst), Chris Townley (Facilities), Aaron Lemanski (Snacks), (Chachos) Bruce Albrecht, Kage Butcher, Steve Kamin, Kim Sachs, Jr., Joshua Burkhard, Steve Yahrmarkt Table Professors Friday Gene Pickelman, Wayne Schmidt, Craig Seppa, Gregory Causley Meals 8:45 am, 1:00 pm, 7:10 pm 10:20 Ideal Ray Clement 11:35 Grace I Pastor Jim Hill 1:35 Laity Kevin Carey 3:05 Grace II Pastor Herb Kitzman 5:05 Piety Glen Linton Chachas LuAnn Jones (Rollo Room), Robbyn Durance (Asst), Mary Spaulding-Fullenwider, Jane Lacher, Anita Kall (Music), Linda Geiersbach (Chapel), Kristen Zarecki (Asst), Martha Broomall (Mail Room), Carla Budinsky (Asst), Jennifer Grasso (Facilities), Amber Wahl (Snacks), (Chachas): Connie Brown, Heather Murphy, Luella Rosencrants, Angie Schmidt, Bonnie Randall, Grace Glave, Julia Shaver, Tricia Sommer Table Professors Friday Barb Dewald, Meg Loodeen, Paula Thompson, Barb Williams Meals 8:45 am, 1:00 pm, 7:10 pm 10:20 Ideal Dort Sova 11:35 Grace I Pastor Bob Allmann 1:35 Laity Tara Jones 3:05 Grace II Pastor Dave Mulder 5:05 Piety Kim Noey Saturday Meals 9:00 am, 1:55 pm, 7:10 pm Saturday Meals 9:00 am, 1:55 pm, 7:10 pm 9:55 Study Brian Pickelman 11:20 Day in the Life Pastor Ed Meyer 2:45 Apostolic Action Carl Hingst 4:15 Obstacles to Grace Pastor Jim Hill 6:00 Leaders Tim Richard 9:55 Study Caroline Grossman 11:20 Day in the Life Pastor Roger Stauffer 2:45 Apostolic Action Renee Carey 4:15 Obstacles to Grace Pastor Dave Mulder 6:00 Leaders Colette Schaible Sunday Meals 8:15 am, 12:30 pm Sunday Meals 8:15 am, 12:30 pm 9:05 Environment Jon Grasso 10:15 Life in Grace Pastor Herb Kitzman 11:15 CCA Mike Periard 1:20 Total Security Kris Zastrow Community chapel begins 15 minutes before each rollo and continues until the rollista returns to the chapel for post-rollo prayers. We welcome your spiritual and physical presence in chapel. When dropping off palanca, please be aware that mail chas can t distribute palanca to individual candidates. Palanca that won t fit in an envelope should be given after closing. 9:05 Environment Debbie Allen 10:15 Life in Grace Pastor Bob Allmann 11:15 CCA Judy Sutherland 1:20 Total Security Cindy Clark COMMUNITY HELP NEEDED A lot of help is needed before Sunday s closing to help pack supplies and clean the facilities. The teams are tired and should not have to stay to help get the church back the way it was before the weekend. Remember, last summer s weekend team members should be helping with tear down. We also need STRONG WORKERS to load the trailer. 3

UPCOMING WEEKENDS TO HOLD IN PRAYER Jan. 17 20, 2014 Boy s Chrysalis #79 North Georgia Jan. 23-26, 2014 Men s Walk to Emmaus #5 Isabela, Phillipines Feb. 6 9, 2014 Coed Methodist Cursillo #57, Shawnee, Kansas Feb. 14 17, 2014 Men s Keryx #24 Boyer Road Correctional Facility, Carson City, MI Feb. 20 23, 2014 Women s Cursillo San Francisco/San Mateo, California Feb. 27-Mar. 2, 2014 Men s Faith Walk #9 SW Louisiana From the Palanca Chair A PRAYER VIGIL - SOMETHING NEW! The time is nearing for the 2014 winter weekends. The Secretariat is always looking for new ways to involve the entire community of Lutheran Via de Cristo of Central Michigan. With that in mind, we are going to have a 24 hours prayer vigil for the entire men s and women s weekends. We would love to see that every time slot is filled. We all know how important prayer is to all of us and to know that we are covered in prayer for the entire weekend would be such a blessing to all of the team and the candidates. We would love for all that sign up for a time slot to be in community chapel on site for their prayer time, but we know that isn t always possible. Although being on site to pray would be the first choice, praying wherever you are is still a blessing. There will be times on the weekend that the community chapel won t be open for prayer, in which case you prayer wherever you are. The important thing is that you pray. There is a sign-up sheet for both the men and women s weekend and I plan to be at the December Ultreya for anyone wishing to sign up. Also, you might want to encourage everyone in your reunion group to pick a time slot, as well. Ask your friends and your friend s friends to take a slot. We want to see these weekends totally covered in prayer. If you don t make it to the Ultreya, please feel free to e-mail me (dbdewald@aol.com) to let me know what time slot you would like and I will put you on the list. You may also phone me at 989-697-3579. The one-hour slots run from 6 pm on Thursday through 7 pm on Sunday. Let s lift up these men & women in prayer so that the evil one won t know what hit him!! PRAYER IS POWERFUL!!! In His Love and Service, Barb Dewald Palanca Chair 4

FOOD DONATIONS Food costs for an LVCCM Weekend are about the biggest expense of a weekend. Our food buyer watches for sales and does a fine job of holding the costs down, but donated items help a lot. WE DEPEND ON FOOD DONATIONS. Head Servers are asked to get food donations for both the snacks and the meals. Whatever has not been donated or promised the week BEFORE the weekend, our buyer buys using the grocery fund. If you are able to make a food donation, BEFORE the weekends, please call Head Servers: Greg Striebel, 989-835- 8506; Carol Schellhas, 989-652-2326 to ask what is still needed and when it is needed at the site. Please leave your name, number, and a message if you get voice mail. Thank you. Also, if you are interested in decorating tables for a meal for either weekend, please contact Greg or Carol. Thank you for your generosity and willingness to help. ULTREYA UPDATE: Hello Brothers & Sisters, COMMUNITY HELP NEEDED Please come and support the Men s and Women s Winter Weekends with your PRAYERS, PRESENCE, and HELP!!! In the kitchen you can help prepare meals, and most of all, help keep the kitchen utensils and dishes washed. The Head Servers need help serving meals (especially Friday and for all breakfasts), cleanup after meals, and setting up for the next meal. Please come to the Community Chapel to lift the Rollistas in prayer as they give their rollos. The Chapel is a wonderful way to see and feel the Holy Spirit working throughout the whole weekend. Another way to help before Sunday s closing is to help pack supplies and clean the facilities. The teams are tired and should not have to stay to help get the church back the way it was be-fore the weekend. Remember, last summer s weekend team members should be helping with tear down. We also need STRONG WORKERS to load the trailer. The community is very much appreciated and needed to help. A special thank you to St. Mark's Lutheran for hosting November's Ultreya. There were 46 in attendance. Joann Nuffer was the 4th Day speaker. Her talk was based on the idea that gratitude is a gift. Her question was, "How has your Via de Cristo weekend changed you?" Hope to see you at the next Ultreya! God's Blessings, Scott D. and Ed T. What Christ has done for us on the cross is truly worth a New Years Celebration! 5

Hello Brothers & Sisters, MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC Are you a musician, but have not been asked to be on a Via de Cristo team? If yes, our records are probably incomplete, and do not show that you have those talents. Please contact anyone on the secretariat and tell them about your talents. You are needed! Music is one of the key factors in a successful weekend. As you know, guitars are typically the instrument of choice on the weekend, but all types of instruments can be used. So, if you play music, please let us know. INFORMATION DIRECTORY LVCCM Prayer chain If you have a prayer concern, call or email: Brigette Trudell. 989-496-3492 Email contact Brigette Trudell brigchik224@aol.com Applications or Brochures Dennis Hoppe...989-798-1840 dennis.hoppe68@gmail.com Ultreya Information Tri Cities - Ed Theis..989-755-1600 Scott Drew...989-482-6034 Newsletter Editor/Information John Waechter...989-631-5518 j_waechter@chartermi.net Address/Phone/Church Changes or To request a hard copy of Newsletter: Laura Hollingsworth...989-839-7357 holling796@yahoo.com KERYX INFORMATION Web site www.keryx.org Keryx Prison Ministry/Youth Challenge/Keryx in Community Gregg Lange...989-792-2840 glange0@charter.net Women s Huron Valley Wendy Engle 989-821-3112 wendy.bell@live.com Judy Sutherland..586-817-2391 keryxhvw@comcast.net Lutheran Via de Cristo of Central Michigan P.O. Box 1092 Midland, MI 48641-1092 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED NEWSLETTER OF LVCCM PUBLISHED ALTERNATE MONTHS Issue #2010-9/10 Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAGINAW MI Permit No. 8 January/February 2014