April 2017 Volume 55 Issue 4 Rev. Dr. Bruce Peffer Pastor brucepeffer@sbcglobal.net Cell: 562-454-7330 Gail Weinrich Secretary messiahdowney@gmail.com Office Phone: 562-923-1215 Sunday Worship 9:00 am Youth & Adult Bible Study 10:30 am Toddler Praise & Play 10:30 am Web Site: www.messiahlutherandowney.com MESSIAH LUTHERAN CHURCH Through A Tree By Bruce A. Peffer Through a tree came death to all Even though the deed seemed small. For when the fruit was snatched from there Evil entered everywhere, We fell from God through that first pair. But through a family tree did come God s righteous Branch, King David s Son. He came, not with a spear or sword, But as the Servant of the Lord To pay the price we couldn t afford. Now through a tree came life to all As Christ obeyed the Father s call. For on that tree He bled and died That we might all be justified And in the Father s love abide. They took Him from that tree of doom And laid His body in a tomb. But to remove all fear and doubt Lord Jesus from that tomb broke out So with the angel we can shout: He is not here! He is not here! Don t let your hearts be filled with fear! Look at the place where He did lay And know your Lord has risen today! And then go forth This news to spread: The Lord has risen as He said! Lord Jesus lives! He really lives! PASTOR S CORNER
April 5 April 13 April 14 April 16 5:00-6:00 pm Dinner 6:00-6:30 pm Devo 9:00 am Palm Sunday 7:00 pm Maundy Thursday 7:00 pm Good Friday 9:00 am Easter Worship 10:30 am Breakfast 11:00 am Egg Hunt April15 7 am Pop s 8 am meeting EASTER BREAKFAST & EGG HUNT April 16, 2017 I will help with the Easter Breakfast by: I will provide sweet rolls. I will provide a coffee cake. I will make a monetary donation to the breakfast. I will help serve at the breakfast. I will help clean up after the breakfast. I will help with the Easter Egg Hunt by: I will make a monetary donation to help fill the eggs. April 15 8:00 am Arrange lily plants & decorate the cross 1 pm Name Phone Please fill out this slip and place it in the offering plate. Watch for a signup sheet for you to let us know if you are coming and how many people will be attending with you. April 17 5-8 pm April 23 Hygiene Help April 21 Bag items 10 am April 22 Distribution 9:30am April 28-30 2
Good Shepherd, Downey invites you to a Ladies Luncheon Saturday, April 1, 11:30 am We will be assembling Hygiene Kits to be distributed by Lutheran Social Services. Saturday, April 1, 8:30 am at Stonewood Center Dust off your walking shoes and come join Messiah in walking a one or three mile walk to raise funds for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. If your spirit is willing, but your feet are not you can still help by making a donation as ARC celebrates it s 21st Walk for Independence. Items needed: Combs Toothbrushes Brushes Toothpaste Bar Soap Hand towels Deodorant Wash cloths Shampoo Hand lotion Conditioner All ladies are invited. Bring a friend. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 13200 Clark/Columbia Way Downey, CA 90242 562-803-4459 We had great attendance this year for our Dinner & A Devo, which replaced our usual Lenten service format. Thank you to everyone who helped with the Soup Suppers this year, whether you made soup, dessert, or if you just came and enjoyed it. Thank you also to the youth who came and helped serve the meal. The donations from the supper will go to help with their expenses for the youth retreat. Feasts and Festivals April 25 - Saint Mark, Evangelist Have you ever considered being an officer in the church? If your answer is yes then now is the time to talk to Larry Brown, as he is now looking for people to fill offices in the coming year. 3
Our youth will be going on a Spring Retreat from Friday night, April 28, to Sunday afternoon, April 30. The retreat is open to youth, from Middle School through College age, from Messiah Lutheran, Perfecto Amor, and any of their friends. We will be going To: El Camino Pines Camp, 11900 Frontier Road, Frazier Park, CA 93225. Their phone number is: (661)245-3519 and their website is: www.lrcchome.com. Pastor Bruce, Richard and Becky will be the adult leaders of the retreat. Pastor Dino Tambuan will cover Sunday services for April 30. See Pastor Bruce for a permission form/medical release form if you are going and for any other information. The forms should be back to Pastor no later than April 15. We are in need of coffee hosts for the new year 2017. If you would like to host a month please sign up on the sheet in the narthex, Everything is provided for you and you pick the month. Wednesdays at 6 pm during in the Parish Hall. Fridays at 3pm in the Parish Hall. Easter Caroling Do you like to sing? Well if you do then be sure to save Saturday,, to join us for Easter Caroling to our shut-ins. We will meet here at Church at 1 pm. Watch the bulletin for more details. At our meeting on March 19 we voted to support LWML National Mites and our youth mission trip to New Mexico in July. This is in addition to the Pacific Souithwest District mission grant of $1000.00 for the mission trip. We will also prepare gift bags for our shut ins when we go Easter caroling on, Palm Sunday. Our next meeting is Sunday May 21 at 11:30 am in the parish hall. Church Directory: Thank you to everyone who checked their names, addresses, phone numbers and emails to be sure the information was correct. The new directory should be out soon and you will be able to pick up a copy in the narthex, watch the bulletin for more information. Ushers are needed to help in our services. If you would like to volunteer please call Gail in the church office and let her know. We can really use your help. 4
We welcomed the Baptisms of the Benavides children on Sunday, February 26, 2017 Christopher Benavides Ciara Benavides Robert Benavides 5
Item List Please bring the following list with you next time you shop and drop off the items in the green tubs in the narthex: 1. Toothpaste and Toothbrushes 2. Shampoo - In order to make sure we are receiving all of the really essential items, we are not requesting conditioner at this time. bring toilet articles and/or cash donations to Messiah. We fill about 60 bags every month with shampoo, soap, toothbrush and paste, deodorant, comb and disposable razors. Other items such as shaving cream are "extras." We need a lot of toilet articles and must buy what is not donated. Please be generous. Any questions please see Eric or Beth. Distribution day is at 9:00 am at: First Christian Church of Downey 4th and New Street On January 7, we helped Pastor Bruce celebrate his birthday 3. Deodorant 4. Bar Soap - Multi-packs or individual bars are both fine. 5. Razors and Shaving Cream - Especially looking for the multipacks of inexpensive razors and simple shaving cream. (We open the multipacks and distribute according to family size.) For sale 2 Rose Hills plots located on flat land in The Garden of Love. The price is $6500.00 each and you must buy both plots. Any questions or for more information call Jerry Higginbotham at 562-866-3357. 6. Feminine Hygiene - tampons, Pads, etc. 7. Nail Clippers and Combs - They usually sell combs in large, inexpensive packs; those are helpful because of the low price and large quantity. Distribution Dates for 2017 April 22 May-None June 3 July 15 August 26 September 30 October None November 11 December 16 We will meet the Friday before each date at 10 am to pack the bags that will be handed out at the distribution. Please continue to The new flower chart for 2017 is available in the narthex. If you would like to contribute flowers for the altar. Thank you to everyone purchased an Easter Lily. If you purchased an Easter Lily please remember to take it home with you after the service on Easter Sunday. 6
Scripture Readings For APRIL First Reading Second Reading Gospel April 2 Ezekiel 37:1-14 Romans 8:1-11 John 11:17-27, 38-53 Isaiah 50:4-9a Philippians 2:5-11 Matthew 21:1-11 April 13 Maundy Thursday Exodus 12:1-14 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 John 13:1-17, 31b-35 April 14 Good Friday Multiple Readings April 16 Acts 10:34-43 Colossians 3:1-4 Matthew 28:1-10 April 23 Acts 5:29-42 1 Peter 1:3-9 John 20:19-31 April 30 Acts 2:14a, 36-41 1 Peter 1:17-25 Luke 24:13-35 Coffee Hosts Betty Curl Altar Care Betty Curl - 7
Birthdays April 3 April 14 April 18 April 19 April 20 April 21 April 25 April 26 April 28 Gloria Aceves Clifford Jensen Dixie Jensen Jerry Higginbotham Litzy Flores Ojenee Gerges Enrique Aceves Leona Swanson Maxine Gwinnup Marion Shocklee 4/2 OPEN 4/9 OPEN 4/16 Ana Perez and Betty Curl 4/23 Joan & Jerry birthdays 4/30 Larry & Barbara Brown for her mother Ethel Baker s Birthday If you would like to put flowers on the altar in memory of a loved one, to celebrate an occasion, or to thank God for His blessings please print your name and the occasion on the chart. Baptismal Birthdays Elyse Hetland April 11 Elizabeth Hauser April 21 Lauren Page April 24 Fernando Alarcon Rina Alarcon April 29 Cynthia Hem Anniversary April 19 Fernando & Rina Alarcon April 22 Matthew & Carla Phillips If we missed your birthday or anniversary, or if it is incorrect, please accept our apologies. Please contact the church office so we can update our records. Ardith Chandler Louis Force Thelma Hawkins Gus Ibanez Cliff & Dixie Jensen JoAnn Kahnan Carol Kelly Carol Kuttim Judith & Richard Manis Lenora Schuricht Bill Spangler Leona Swanson Please make the following changes to your church directory. NONE Did you remember your Mite box? 8
SERVING APRIL Elders Schedule April 2 April 13 Maundy Thursday April 14 Good Friday April 16 Easter April 23 April 30 9:00 AM 7:00 PM John Southward John Southward Ray Miraya Mark Shocklee Mark Shocklee Richard Schmieg Ray Miraya Lectors Schedule April 2 April 13 Maundy Thursday April 14 Good Friday April 16 Easter April 23 April 30 Sidney Gomez Betty Curl Beth Hauser Sue Carlson Dave Lopez June Galipeau-Miraya Multiple Readers Ushers Schedule April 2 April 13 Maundy Thursday April 14 Good Friday April 16 Easter April 23 April 30 Ana Perez & Sidney Gomez Ed Horton & Neil Ohman Betty Curl & Jennifer Genovez Beth Hauser & Steven Krause Beth Hauser & Steven Krause Dave Lopez & Jennifer Genovez Ed Horton & Neil Ohman Greeters Schedule April 2 April 13 Maundy Thursday April 14 Good Friday April 16 Easter April 23 April 30 Ana Perez Jean Forsse Barbara Mayson Lorena Genovez June Galipeau-Miraya Lorena Genovez Sue Carlson Also Serving April 2 April 16 April 23 April 30 Beth Hauser & JoAnn Dennis Lore Page & Barbara Brown Jo Ann Dennis & Elyse Hetland Larry Brown & Neil Ohman Beth Hauser & Jo Ann Dennis Thank you for your dedicated service. If you are unable to serve on your assigned date, pleas find a replacement and then call the church office and give them the name(s) of your replacement. 9
APRIL 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 ARC Walk 8:30 am Ladies Luncheon 11:30 am 8 Easter Caroling 1 pm 7 5 3 4 Youth Parish Hall 7:30-9:30pm 6 Church 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm Nursery Dinner and a Devo 5-6:30 pm Prayer Group 5 pm Parish Hall 7-9 pm Nursery 2 9 am Holy Communion 10:30 am Bible Study Church 4:30-7:30pm Nursery Parish Hall 7:30-8:30 pm 15 Elder s Meeting 7 am @ Pop s Arrange Lilies and Decorate the cross 8 am 14 Good Friday 7 pm 12 10 11 Youth Parish Hall 7:30-9:30pm 13 Maundy Thursday 7 pm Church 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm Nursery Prayer Group 5 pm Parish Hall 7-9 pm Nursery 9 Palm Sunday 10 9 am Worship 10:30 am Bible Study Church 4:30-7:30pm Nursery Parish Hall 7:30-8:30 pm - 10 22 Hygiene Help Dist. 9:30 am 21 Bag Hygiene Help 10 am Youth Parish Hall 7:30-9:30pm 20 19 18 17 Offices Closed Church 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm Nursery Prayer Group 6 pm Parish Hall 7-9 pm Nursery Game Night 5-8 pm 16 Easter Sunday 9 am Holy Communion 10:30 Breakfast 11:00 Easter Egg Hunt Church 4:30-7:30pm Nursery Parish Hall 7:30-8:30 pm 29 Youth Retreat 28 Youth Retreat Youth Parish Hall 7:30-9:30pm 27 Church 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm Nursery 26 24 25 Prayer Group 6 pm Parish Hall 7-9 pm Nursery 23 Congregational Meeting 9 am Worship 10:30 am Bible Study Church 4:30-7:30pm Nursery Parish Hall 7:30-8:30 pm 31 30 Youth Retreat 9 am Worship 10:30 am Bible Study Church 4:30-7:30pm Nursery Parish Hall 7:30-8:30 pm
The new directory is available now and you can pick up your copy in the narthex. 11
Messiah Lutheran Church 10711 Paramount Blvd. Downey, CA 90241 (562) 923-1215 Time Dated Material Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Bell Gardens, CA 90201 Permit #5406 Return Service Requested 12