Incarnation Image Dear Pastor, March 2018 I recently read the following in a church bulletin. What do you think? The day finally arrived. Forrest Gump dies and goes to heaven. He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St. Peter himself. St. Peter says, Well Forrest, it is certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must tell, you though that the place is filling up fast and we have been forced to administer an entrance exam for everyone. The test is short, but you have to pass it in order to pass through and enter God s presence. Forrest responds, It sure is good to be here, St. Peter, but nobody ever told me about no entrance exam. I sure hope it ain t too hard. Life was a big enough test as it was. Yes, I know Forrest, St. Peter continued, but the test is only three questions. What two days of the week begin with the letter T? How many seconds are there in a year? And what is God s first name? Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the next day and sees St. Peter, who waves him up and says, Now that you ve had a chance to think over the questions, please give me your answers. Forrest replied, Well, the first one is easy. The two days that begin with T are Today and Tomorrow. Peter s eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, Forrest, that wasn t what I was thinking, but you do have a point and, since I didn t specify, I ll give you credit for the answer. How about the next one? Well, Forrest responded, That one is harder, but I would have to answer that there are 12 seconds in a year. Astounded, St Peter asks, Forrest, how in the world did you come up with 12 seconds in a year? Forrest replied, Shucks, there s got to be 12: January 2, February 2, March 2 Hold it, interrupts St. Peter. I see where you re going with this and I see your point. And, once again, that is not what I had in mind, but I have to give you credit for your answer. Now let s go on with the final question, What is God s first name? Sure, says Forrest. It s Andy! Andy? exclaimed an exasperated St. Peter. Okay, I can understand how you came up with your first two answers, but Andy as God s first name! Where did you get that from? Shucks, St Peter, that was the easiest one of all, says Forrest. I learnt it from the song: Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am his own. St. Peter then opened the Pearly Gates and cried, Run, Forrest, run! Dear Parishioner, First let me say that I truly enjoyed the story. But after taking some time like Forrest to think about the situation and my response, I have these comments to make. I am certain that entrance into heaven will not hinge on our answers to an exam. If an exam would open the pearly gates for us, then our faith would be in vain. Our entrance into the presence of the Divine is guaranteed through the redemptive work of Christ and our faith in Jesus Christ s free offer of such salvation. Remember that God s will is done through us and in us often in spite of our reluctance to follow God s will or share God s will with others in our lives. People are tied to time not God. God is eternal and for God seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years are unimportant. I encourage you to make the 40 days of your Lenten journey a time of renewal in your life and the life of those you love. And remember that the Easter event is just around the corner. As for the answer Andy, here are a few other interesting hymn titles to ponder: Blessed Hunch ; My Hope Is Built on Nothing Much ; Blest Be the Tie That Doesn t Cramp My Style ; We Give Thee But Still Think We Own ; My Faith Looks Around for Thee. I Love to Mumble the Story ; I m Fairly Certain My Redeemer Lives. What do you think? I think Lent is the perfect time to take Just A Closer Walk with Thee, with you God, as we encourage God s will to be done in our lives and the lives of those around us. May God walk with you on your journey, Pastor Ralph
PAGE 2 MARCH 2017 Welcome new members to Incarnation On Sunday, February 4, our congregation grew in population, in talent, and in spirit. Please warmly welcome these seven new members Debbie Liddicoat Dan and Cheryl Schreiber Marc Ritter... Picture to come Amber Horn and her children; Daniel Horn and Marcella Riederer Want to see these pictures in color? Read your Newsletter on-line www.incarnationgb.com. Click Calendar & Events Wo rship Updates & Sc hedules - INC L. HO LY WEEK HOLY WEEK SERVICES Thurs. 3-29 at 7:00 pm Fri. 3-30 at 1 pm and 6:30 pm Please see pages 7 and 8 SUNDAY SCHEDULE Worship 9 am Sunday School 10 am Scrappy Stitchers Quilting: 2nd & 4th Friday 9:30 am - March 9 & 23 Plastic Mat Workshop 2nd. Sat. 1 pm - March 10 Church Council 2nd Tuesday 7:00 pm March 13 Men s Bible Study 1st and 3rd Monday 6:30 am March 5 & 19 Women s Bible Study 1st & 3rd Thursday 9:30 am - March 1 & 15
P A G E 3 Council Members 2018 Council meets every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 pm in Fellowship Room. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. This month: March 13. Council Member Myrna Herrbold Committee Treasurer and Worship & Music Tim Kesy Tim Kesy President and Bldg. & Grounds Don Kneisler Evangelism Valerie Tingley Vice President and Stewardship Judy Trow Council Secretary Jean Watson Education Valerie Tingley Jean Watson Myrna Herrbold Our thanks to these members for volunteering to serve on Church Council. New members are Judy Trow and Don Kneisler, elected at the January 21, 2018 Congregational Meeting. Please give them a hand for the special projects and on-going activities in our church. Don Kneisler Judy Trow Date Ushers Reader Refreshments March 4, 2018 Lent Dennis & Jan Finell John Trow Judy Trow March 7, 2018 Lent Wednesday Myrna Herrbold & Karen Nantelle Karen Nantelle ******* March 11, 2018 Lent Lee & Karen Blom Jean Watson Linda Hankermeyer March 14, 2018 Lent Wednesday Myrna Herrbold & Karen Nantelle Karen Nantelle ******* March 18, 2018 Lent Ken & Nancy Anderson Sarah Kneisler Sarah Kneisler March 21, 2018 Lent Wednesday Myrna Herrbold & Karen Nantelle Karen Nantelle ******* March 25, 2018 Passion Sunday Paul & Linda Snell Dan Schreiber Breakfast March 29, 2018 Maundy Myrna Herrbold & Karen Nantelle ******* ******* Thursday March 30, 2018 Good Friday Myrna Herrbold & Karen Nantelle ******* ******* 6:30 pm April 1, 2018 Easter Sunday Shirley Haskins & Jean Watson Ken Anderson Nancy Anderson
P A G E 4 COUNCIL NEWS Revised Sign Quotation results in modification Update on sign From Tim Kesy: Hello Everybody, Here is a recap. United Sign and the sign MFG Watchfire came to Incarnation church on Tuesday Feb 13 to show us a mobile sign. The sign was a model of what the council vote on to purchase for the church for $15,210.00. Wednesday Jerry Feest came to church with a new quote for the same sign $25,210.00 we were told that they miss quoted the sign. Chad from Watchfire who showed us the sign the night before called call Gary Speil- Bauer owner of United Sign and asked him why he was selling the sign way below cost. Gary checked the quote and noticed that he quoted us a one sided sign. After receiving the new quote we went to United Sign on Thursday to see what could be done with the quote to get the price down. Friday we received this up dated quote. New: $18,110. To recap: The sign will be about 2 narrower It will retain the red brick base Tear-down done (not base) not incl. What a fantastic response to the Souper Bowl this year. Food items into the hundreds were donated... most -- by far-- to the winning Eagles. Please keep up the spirit with the... Lenten 40 for 40 Food Drive
P A G E 5 Outreach at Incarnation Quilting still a big part. Every other Friday. Can t sew? You can tie knots. Now known as the Scrappy Stitchers, these women meet to share the love of sewing, stitching, binding, and now crocheting. And then sharing their work with the needy. Join every other Friday and 2nd Saturday (see church calendar, p. 2) and pick a project you love. A new SUPER EASY mission: Cloth Totes. All straight line, flat stitching. Watch the time fly with while Scrappy Stitching. Directions in the Narthex. Little Dresses from Pillowcases. Join the Friday gatherings or take home to sew. Supplies ready for you. Sleeping Mats for the Homeless crocheted from plastic bags! Can t crochet? Help cut the bags, lace ribbons together. 2nd. Saturday of the month. This month - the 10th Easy peasy! Our Sunday School kids help prepare the plastic for those who crochet. Mat 3 x 6 ft.
P A G E 6 On the calendar Church Calendar and all pictures in color on our website: www.incarnationgb.com YAHs is off to the Farmery, Wednesday, March 28. What is the Farmery? From their web site: We re run by a group of food-minded people bringing healthy food to the local level. We re working to raise the funds to convert the old armory building at 815 Chicago Street into a self-sustaining, year-round indoor agriculture center. We re changing the way we talk and think! about food. We re bringing organically home-grown food into homes throughout our community. Please be at church at 11:15 am. We can carpool to the Farmery at 815 Chicago Street. NOTE: We will assemble at Neighbor Works at 437 S. Jackson and then walk across the street to the Farmery. Late lunch at Jimmy Seas at 1330 Marine Street, off South Monroe. 1:15 pm. YAHs outing for April 25... a day at Lambeau Field We ll visit the Packers Hall of Fame, lunch at the 1919 Kitchen & Tap, and of course, a stop at the Packer Pro Shop. Afterwards we will spend time visiting the Titletown District. A sign-up sheet will be available shortly, along with details on time, cost, etc. Don t miss this one. Adult Forum after Worship each Sunday at 10:15 a.m. As it began in February with Lent, there continues a focus on the Thy Will Be Done Lenten Study. (Please see next page.) so each discussion will be a deeper dive into the theme for that Sunday. Last YAHs of the season: Schroeder s Greenhouse and a Garden Looking ahead to May, YAHs will finish as we have the last couple of years...with FLOWERS! Linda Snell has arranged a visit to Schroeder's on Webster. But Linda needs your help! Can YAHs visit your garden? Date is May 30, with late Spring blooms and early Summer color blending at this time. Please call Linda to discuss the possibility. 920-241-0785 Lenten Wednesday Worship continues through March 21 We gather for soup and a sandwich, enjoying the community that comes with breaking bread. Almost all the meals are accounted for. Thank you to those who have already signed up. Meal at 5:45 p.m. Worship at 6: 30 p.m.
P A G E 7 Not as I will, but as you will, Jesus prayed to his Father the night before he went to the cross for our salvation. And that is our prayer as well this Lent as we seek to do God s will in our lives, as we draw near to the observance of Christ s suffering, death, and resurrection during Holy Week, Written by Rev. Justin Roscow, each service in this series focuses on a different aspect of God s will at work among us. Biblical characters are used as insignificant reference points each week to guide us in following out Lord more dearly day by day. For Readings to be shared in each service, please visit www.incarnationgb.com. Click on Worship. Palm Sunday, Mar. 25. 9:00 am God s Will When We Are Not Willing We are not always willing to do what God asks of us, but in his Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem, Christ reveals to us that even tough roads are worth traversing for the good of the Kingdom. Maundy Thursday, Mar. 29, 7:00 pm. God s Will And Joyful Service Christ asks his disciples to wash one another s feet, as he has washed theirs, for the joy that was set before him. Serving one another with joy is a tribute to him who is the Servant of All. Good Friday, March 30, 1:00 pm Ancient Prophesies Fulfilled Completing The Stones Would Shout series from Lenten Wednesdays Worship On Good Friday, at the rocky peak of Golgotha, those who stoned the prophets now send the ultimate Prophet to his death, thereby fulfilling ancient prophesies. Good Friday, March 30, 6:30 pm God s Will Is Done - Tenebrae Service On the cross Christ followed through with the will of God, crying out, It is finished as he breathed his last. This ultimate sacrifice serves as a model to look at our lives as a holy sacrifice to him. Easter Sunday Apr. 1, 9:00 am God s Will for the New Creation When Christ rose from the tomb, he opened the door to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. God s will for us as Easter people is to fix our eyes on the new creation of perfect paradise prepared for us in heaven. Maundy Thursday Seder and First Communion A Seder is a ceremonial dinner that commemorates the Exodus from Egypt and includes the reading of the Haggadah, the text recalling the Passover and Escape. Then the eating of symbolic foods. Learn more at Google! Seder : Thursday, March 29 at 5:00 pm Prior to Maundy Thursday Service at 7:00 pm. Promise, we ll have more than the symbolic foods. There will be a sign up sheet for those wishing to attend the Seder. The Rite of First Communion, March 29 7:00 pm Worship The children of the congregation who are in second grade or older may receive First Communion. If you would like your child to receive First Communion at this time, or if you are aware of a child who may be eligible, please contact Pastor Ralph by March 21. First Communion instruction will be held on Saturday, March 24 at 10:00am.
INCARNATION LUTHERAN CHURCH 920 499-2011 incarnationgb@gmail.com 2071 Ninth Street Green Bay, WI 54304 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Once again, our Celebration Breakfast will be on Palm Sunday following worship. The menu will be egg dishes, fruit and sweet breads, plus the usual beverages. Sign-up sheets for food donations and kitchen help are on the table in the Narthex. Family and friends are most welcome More Details on page 7 and on the Church Website. Maundy Thursday Mar. 29, 7:00 pm God s Will And Joyful Service Good Friday March 30, 1:00 pm Ancient Prophesies Fulfilled Good Friday March 30, 6:30 pm God s Will Is Done Tenebrae Service Easter Sunday April 1. 9:00 am God s Will for The New Creation