FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH PLANO, ILLINOIS The Anchor Matthew 13:1-23 is Matthew s version of the parable of the sower. This gospel was heard on the weekend of July15, 16th. In Matthew s version of the parable of the sower, a sower (God) went out to scatter the seed (the word of God) and some fell on good oil and some fell in different places and for a variety of reason these seeds were not able to produce fruit. The focus on Matthew telling, begs the question of us, what type of soil are we. What is our response to the hearing of the word of God? Is our response such, that it will produce a harvest. During the rest of the season of Pentecost the song from WOV Let my heart be good soil will be sung before the scripture readings instead of thy word is a lamp unto my feet. It is a really good place at that point during the service because of the relationship to the word of god and the understanding in the parable that God s word is the seed that in scattered into our lives. Martin Luther was pretty clear that he thought that the word of God must be heard. Reading the Bible is great, but Luther believed that it was in the hearing of the word that effect the greatest amount of change in oneself. Luther centered his teaching of Christianity based on the grace we have received from God. This does not mean that we should stop there, but rather our response to the hearing of the message of God s grace in our lives is just as important as the hearing is itself. Our response to God s word multiplies the seeds of the word of God so that more might be sown and other might hear of the message of God s grace. Pastor Black Volume 30, Issue 7 AUGUST 2017 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Parade Winner!, Congratulations, New address, Quilting news, Radio Techs Needed!, Thank You, Recipe - Zucchini Skillet Medley, VBS Photos Ruth Ann Ramblings Council Highlights, Sympathy, Lutherdale Quilt Fest, Prayer List, Prayer Chain info Book Club, Offering, Women s Bible Study, Community Worship in the Park, BBQ News, August Calendar August Volunteers, August Birthday & Anniversaries, August Prayer List Sunday School Snippets Readings for August 2017 2/3 4/5 6/7 8/9 10/11 8/6/2017 Isaiah 55:1-5 Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:13-21 8/13/2017 I Kings 19:9-18 Psalm 85:8-13 Romans 10:5-15 Matthew 14:22-33 8/20/2017 Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 Psalm 67 Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 Matthew 15:10-28 8/27/2017 Isaiah 51:1-6 Psalm 138 Romans 12:1-8 Matthew 16:13-20
P age 2 V o l ume 30, I ss ue 7 In case you missed this Congratulations to Dale & Karen Torkelson who celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on July 22nd. God s blessings on them as they look forward to 50 more years! CONGRATULATIONS to Katelyn DeBolt & Rex Vahl who were married on Saturday, June 17th! Katelyn is the daughter of Karen & Steve DeBolt, and the granddaughter of Norm & Diane Schlesinger. The wedding, held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Compton, IL, was a true family event! Jeff Schlesinger officiated and Linda Strader preached! Best wishes to Katelyn & Rex for a wonderful future together! Thank You to everyone for your cards, thoughts and prayers for Dorothy while she was at Tiller s recovering from her stroke. Dorothy is at home now (and is thrilled to be there). Jacob Maaske received his Bachelor of Science degree from Clarke University with a major in Biology. Diane Kupp & Dorothy Burton The Quilting group took a break during the month of July. They will resume activity on Tues., Aug 1st. New helpers always welcome! Please join us for fun and treats!! New address for Carol Robinson: 21317 W. Conifer Dr. Plainfield, IL 60544 Radio Techs Wanted / Needed! We are in need of Radio Techs! Adult or youth you can do this! We need you! Please seriously consider joining this ministry. You may not have signed up via your Time & Talent sheet, but now you have a new chance!! Please contact the church office, and we will work to get you trained soon!
The Anchor Page 3 Recipe Corner Zucchini Skillet Medley Ingredients: 1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil ¾ c. celery, sliced ½ c. onion, sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 lb. zucchini, sliced 2 tomatoes, diced 1 carrot, peeled and shredded ½ green pepper, diced 8-oz. can tomato sauce 2 tsp. mustard ¼ tsp. dried basil ¼ tsp. salt ⅛ tsp. pepper Instructions: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; VBS 2017 (a bit blurry at times ) Saute celery, onion, and garlic until tender. Add remaining vegetables and saute an additional 10 minutes, until tender. Stir in tomato sauce, mustard and seasonings; Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve warm or chilled. Bible Story Crafts Snacks Science Recreation Closing
Page 4 Volume 30, Issue 7 Ruth Ann s Ramblings (contributed by Ruth Ann Hoehn) The Star Spangled Banner I know this isn t a hymn, but summer is a time that we sing patriotic songs. I found this interesting and wanted to share it with you. On a rainy September 13, 1814, during the War of 1812, British warships sent a downpour of shells and rockets onto Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, relentlessly pounding the American fort for 25 hours. The bombardment, known as the Battle of Baltimore, came only weeks after the British had attacked Washington, D.C., burning the Capitol, the Treasury and the President's house. A week earlier, Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old American lawyer, had boarded the flagship of the British fleet on the Chesapeake Bay in hopes of persuading the British to release a friend who had recently been arrested. Key's tactics were successful, but because he and his companions had gained knowledge of the impending attack on Baltimore, the British did not let them go. They allowed the Americans to return to their own vessel but continued guarding them. Under their scrutiny, Key watched as the barrage of Fort McHenry began eight miles away. During the night Key saw only red erupting in the night sky. Given the scale of the attack, he was certain the British would win. The hours passed slowly, but in the clearing smoke of "the dawn's early light" on September 14, he saw the American flag not the British Union Jack flying over the fort, announcing an American victory. Key put his thoughts on paper while still on board the ship. His brother-in-law, commander of a militia at Fort McHenry, read Key's work and had it distributed under the name "Defence of Fort M'Henry." The Baltimore Patriot newspaper printed it, and soon, Key's poem, now called "The Star-Spangled Banner," appeared in print across the country, forever naming the flag it celebrated. The Star-Spangled Banner's history starts not with Francis Scott Key, but a year earlier with Maj. George Armistead, the commander of Fort McHenry. Knowing that Fort McHenry was a likely target for the British during the War of 1812, Maj. George Armistead wanted a flag large enough so the enemy would "have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance." Maj. George Armistead commissioned Mary Pickersgill, a Baltimore flagmaker, to make a garrison flag measuring 30 by 42 feet with 15 stars and 15 stripes. A smaller flag was also made, likely in the same design, and Pickersgill received $574.44 for both pieces. On August 19, 1813, the flag was delivered to Fort McHenry. It was the smaller storm flag which actually flew during the battle. The garrison flag wasn't raised until the morning. After the war the large flag passed through many hands and arrived at the Smithsonian on July 6, 1907. It was displayed that same day. Two centuries after being made, the flag that inspired Key still survives, though fragile and worn. To preserve this American icon, experts at the National Museum of American History recently completed an eight-year conservation treatment. Started in 1996, the Star-Spangled Banner preservation project which includes the flag's conservation and the creation of its new display was planned with the help of historians, conservators, curators, engineers and organic scientists. With the construction of the conservation lab completed in 1999, conservators began their work. Over the next several years, they clipped 1.7 million stitches from the flag to remove a linen backing that had been added in 1914, lifted debris from the flag using dry cosmetic sponges and brushed it with an acetone-water mixture to remove soils embedded in fibers. Finally, they added sheer polyester backing to help support the flag. According to Suzanne Thomassen-Krauss, the conservator for the project, the intent was never to make the flag look as it did when it first flew over Fort McHenry. We didn't want to change any of the history written on the artifact by stains and soil. Those marks tell the flag's story." While the conservators worked, the public looked on. Over the years, more than 12 million people peered into the museum's glass conservation lab, watching the progress. When the National Museum of American History reopened in 2008 after renovation, it included a state-of-theart gallery for the Star-Spangled Banner. Protected by a glass wall, the banner lies on a table, displayed according to the U.S. flag code. The Star-Spangled Banner remains an icon of American history that can still be seen by the public. Brent D. Glass, the museum's director says "the survival of this flag for nearly 200 years is a visible testimony to the strength and perseverance of this nation, and we hope that it will inspire many more generations to come."
The An ch or P age 5 Council Highlights June 13, 2017 (see complete report on bulletin board at back of sanctuary) Pastor is looking for ideas on how to best participate in the Sept 10 God s Work, Our Hands Day; investigating plans for use of memorial funds. Worship Committee is looking into getting another organist/pianist; also looking into removal of pews in the south loft to better accommodate our Contemporary Worship musicians. Many Property Committee projects altering pews to accommodate wheelchairs, resealing parking lot, keypad entry system, etc. Long Range Planning Committee hopes to meet monthly to work on developing a clear sense of mission for the church, and all it entails. Executive Committee discussing uses of church real estate properties, and creation of a new mission endowment fund. The church constitution has come back from synod with need for housekeeping changes; hope for presentation to congregation in September. See posted report for discussion of costs of projected projects and repairs. Next meeting: Tues, August 8th, 2017 at 7:00 PM Our sincere sympathy to Jesse & Linda Stonecipher. Jess s sister, Pat Stonecipher, passed through death to eternal life on June 18th in Yorkville. A service and celebration of life was held on Sat., June 24th. Please keep the family in your prayers PRAYER LIST: Carole Ardelean, Bill F., Mary Olson, Renee Lee, Scott Littlejohn, Sue Hyte, Mary Kincannon, Joyce Schmitt, Alice Crawford, Linda Landis, Ann Hagemann (member), Shirley Tucek, Sherry Anderson, Jesse Stonecipher, Don Sampson, Mark Coffman, Matt Papaeliou, Carol Stubbs, the Nunez Family, Scott B., Paul Vammer, Jodi & John (Phillips?), Delores Phillips, Juanita Hatcher, Eric Hatcher, Marge Briggs, Greg Feitl, Lori Black, Kathy (& Pr. Terry) Jensen, Penny Booher, Bob Ottum and Jayne Turner. Please remember those serving in the military. Remember your own special needs as well. Lutherdale Fest/Quilt Auction will be held on Sat., Aug. 12th, 2017 from 8:00 am 4:00 pm. Quilt preview & Fish Fry is Fri., August 11th, from 3:30 PM 7:30 PM. PRAYER CHAIN PARTNERS 8:30 AM - 8:30 PM 1. Jane Hyte - 630-552-7095 2. Virginia Phelps - 630-552-3434 3. Diane Schlesinger 630-552-7533 4. Bev Vilmin 630-552-3550 5. Theresa Bagg 815-786-5069 * 6. Erin Gillman - 630-715-0843 * 7. Staci Smith - 630-999-4117 * 8. Karen DeBolt - 630-546-7451 * 9. Kathy Benoit - 630-816-3366 * 10. Brenda Albright - 630-277-6314 * Those with a * use texting capabilities.
Page 6 Volume 30, Issue 7 BOOK CLUB NEWS The Book Club will meet on Wed., Aug 2 nd, 2017 at 9:15 AM. The book for discussion is The Chilbury Ladies Choir by Jennifer Ryan. The Women s Bible Study Group meets the 3 rd Thursday of each month at 1:00 PM at the church for Bible study, refreshments and fellowship. Women of ALL ages are invited! Meetings will resume in September!. Community Worship Service in the Park The First Baptist Church, The First Lutheran Church, and United Methodist Church and will hold a Community Worship Service on Sunday, August 6 th at 10:30 AM at Lathrop Park (corner of Hale and North St). This is an ecumenical faith witness in our community; a time of prayer, praise, song, and fellowship. Bring your lawn chairs, tell your friends and bring your neighbors! See you there! NOTE: There will be NO Sunday worship service here at First Lutheran on that Sunday. There is an LBW Worship service scheduled for Saturday, August 5 th at 5:00 PM. There will be NOT be a Chicken & Pork Chop Bar-B-Que this year. Newsletter Offering Report OFFERINGS RECEIVED (SHORT) 5/27 & 28 $ 2,554.81 ($ 1,159.23) 6/3 & 4 $ 2,801.88 ($ 912.16) 6/10 & 11 $ 3,136.73 ($ 577.31) 6/17 & 18 $ 2,332.18 ($ 1,381.86) 6/24 & 25 $ 1,771.99 ($ 1,942.05) 7/1 & 2 $ 3,150.30 ($ 563.74) 7/8 & 9 $ 2,992.83 ($ 721.21) 7/15 & 16 $ 2,685.13 ($ 1,028.91) GENERAL FUND BUDGET Need Per week $3,714.04 (Annual Budget divided by 53 weeks) THROUGH July 17 th Received $ 91,304.91 Need $ 107,707.16 Short $ (16,402.25) 1/01/2017-7/17/2017 CHECKING ACCOUNT Beginning Bal. $29,613.06 Income $100,889.50 Expenses $98,542.71 Ending Balance $ 31,959.85 YTD YOUTH DIRECTOR DONATIONS: $587.00
The Anchor Page 7 August 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 9:00 AM - Quilting / Crocheting / Knitting 2 9:15 AM - Book Club 3 4 5 6:30 PM - Worship & Music 6:30 PM - Stewardship 5:00 PM - Worship 6 10:30 AM - Worship in the Park 7 8 9:00 AM - Quilting / Crocheting / Knitting 9 10 11 12 7:00 PM - LMM 6:15 PM - Social Concerns 7:00 PM - Church Council 5:00 PM - Worship 13 9:00 AM - Worship 14 15 9:00 AM - Quilting / Crocheting / Knitting 16 17 (NO Women s Bible Study)? 18 19 6:30 PM - Property 6:30 PM - Education / Youth 7:30 PM - Outreach 5:00 PM - Worship 20 ANCHOR DEADLINE 9:00 AM - Worship 21 22 9:00 AM - Quilting / Crocheting / Knitting 23 24 25 26 6:30 PM - Long Range Planning? 5:00 PM - Worship 27 9:00 AM - Worship 28 29 9:00 AM - Quilting / Crocheting / Knitting 30 31
Page 8 Volume 30, Issue 7 August 2017 Worship Volunteers
The Anchor AUGUST BIRTHDAYS 1- Heather Fowler Debbie Goldsmith Larry Weeks 5-Leann Savitski Jillian Torres 6-Madison Fowler Chuck Johnson Genevieve Schindlbeck 7-Tegan Torres Delaina Somma 10-Olivia Thrall, Isabel Hyte 11-Katelyn Miller 12-Steve DeBolt 15-Dorsi Hubbartt, Jane Colbert Tom Mahoney 16-Niki Niemann, Erik Tierney 17-Piper Weeks 18-Tyler Krause, Julie Loux, Evan Corrado 19-Aimee Anderson, Eric Gillman Bruce Magnotti, John Meszaros 20-Floyd Anderson Bobbi Dettman 21-Connie Kolzow 23-Jack Koteles 25-Zac Roberts, Mark Savitski 26-Gary Blankenship 27-Steve Turner, Ashlyn Weeks 28-Evan Bagg 29-Dan Kuntzman 30-Sarah Kuntzman, Robert Hubbartt Andrew Nicoletti 31-Brenda Albright Carl Johnson AUGUST ANNIVERSARIES 1 David & Jane Ford (25 years) 3 Carl & Joanne Johnson 4 Zachary & Alyssa Roberts 5- Jim & Kathy Porter Wally & Kathy Hamlin (45 years) 6- Steve & Karen DeBolt 10-Bob & Mary Kay Pilmer 20-James & Karyl Reents 25- Keith & Jerri Lynn Baker Page 9 The world is a chaotic and confusing place. Prayer is the conduit that connects us to God and opens up the possibilities of direction and understanding. Prayer is not just for pastors. All of God s people are invited to pray on the behalf of others. Please include the following members of the First Lutheran family in your daily prayers: AUGUST 1 - Lee, Kelsey, Carter & Cullen Meyer 2 - Daniel & Sharon Mikelson 3 - Michael, Liz, Timothy & Matthew Miller 4 - Robert, Erika & Katelyn Miller 5 - Zachary Miller & Caleb; Nicolette Cope 6 - Richard & Barbara Munson 7 - Andy, Laura & Sara Nicoletti 8 - Susan Norem 9 - Mike, Michelle & James O Hara 10 - Glenn Olson 11 - Mary Olson 12 - Matt, Theresa, Abigail & Natalie Papaeliou 13 - Mike, Debbie, Alan & Mark Pease 14 - Virginia Phelps & Nicole Niemann 15 - Ryan, Melissa, Paige & Grady Phillips 16 - Robert, Mary Kay & John Pilmer 17 - Jim & Kathy Porter 18 - Alex & Christine Porter 19 - Andy Porter 20 - Franklin, Susan & Kaylee Read 21 - James & Karyl Reents 22 - Tim, Sheila, Rachel & Travis Robbins 23 - Bill, Deborah, Jacob & Katie Roberts 24 - Zachary & Alyssa Roberts 25 - Carol Robinson 26 - Kailea Hamlin Sackett 27 - Don & Martha Sampson 28 - Mark, Leann, Austi & Marshal Savitski 29 - Heather & Genevieve Schindlbeck 30 - Norm & Diane Schlesinger 31 - James, Shelley, Bryson, Vance, McKenna, Mikayla, & Braylon Schmidt PLEASE CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE AND LET US KNOW YOUR BIRTHDAY OR ANNIVERSARY DATE, AND WE WILL UPDATE OUR RECORDS. THANK YOU.
Page 10 Volume 30, Issue 7 Sunday School Snippets Sunday School Time to Change to 10:15-11 AM Since there will be just one worship service at 9:00 AM on Sundays, the new time for Sunday School will be 10:15-11:00 AM. Children will be encouraged to enjoy snacks during fellowship from approx.. 10-10:15 AM and then be ready to sing at 10:15 AM. This new schedule will begin on September 17 th, following the Rally Day on September 10 th. Sunday School Teachers Sunday School teachers who plan to stay on (or are going to retire) are requested to please send Kathy Benoit an e-mail at benoits4@sbcglobal.net. Also, if you are not currently a Sunday teacher or helper and wish to help, please do the same. Pray about how you can help our youth and help us discover our super hero strength in God! Thanks! VBS Thank You Thank you to EVERYONE who helped make our VBS so successful this year! What a fantastic experience it was for our youth. Special thanks to all of our friends at the Methodist for leading the super hero experience this year and to all the other people who taught, helped, donated, volunteered. You are heroes in a special way, because you volunteer and show your strength in the Lord! Rally Day is September 10 th ; Sunday School Begins - September 17 th Come join us on an awesome adventure and discover the qualities that make us truly heroic in God as we begin the Sunday School year on Sunday, September 10 th at 9:00 AM. On September 10 th, we will join with our Methodist and Baptist friends for a Rally Day celebration from 9:00-10:15 AM Please note that this is a different time than Sunday School be held for the 2017-18 school year, which is 10:15-11:00 AM. All Sunday School children are is invited to attend the exciting program on August 10th, featuring Tim Hannig (Christian ministry magician) to be held at the Methodist Church. Following this program we will return to First Lutheran for donuts and juice and goodie bags. Come join us Please note that Rally Day will take place at the same time as worship service, 9-10:15 AM.
The Anchor Page 11 Sunday School Snippets Pg 2 Adults Invited to Become a Secret Pal Watch the ANCHOR and weekly bulletin for exciting changes in store for the popular Secret Pal Program. The Education/Youth Committee has some great ideas on ways to strengthen this program and make it more faith based, affordable and fun for adults and students alike. The only requirement is that you would like to provide support and encouragement to a Sunday School child throughout the school year. This encouragement may be in the form of anonymous notes, cards, little snacks or small surprises. This truly will become a loving (not expensive) venture! Student Information and Secret Pal Forms On the first day of Sunday School on September 17 th, we will send home student information and secret pal forms with each child. Parents and their child(ren) should complete these and return them the next Sunday. We would like to have up-to-date information on each family, in the event of an emergency. If your child has any allergies or special restrictions, it should be listed on this form. Information on these forms is also shared with adult secret pals, so they get to know their secret pal a little better. Sunday School Donations We have been blessed with many donations for Sunday School and we are in really good shape with crayons and markers. Our Sunday School IS in need of scotch tape, construction paper and Kleenex, if anyone has some laying around or you think of it while shopping. Thank you for always supporting our students! After we share the plans for the new program, we will post a sign-up page for adults to sign up. Secret pals will reveal their names to the Sunday School children at the Sunday School Awards Program in May. This is a great way to share your love of the Lord with a child and help them realize how important they are in His eyes (and yours, too!) Mark Your Calendar September 10 First Day of Sunday School including Rally Day with Methodist & Baptist Churches from 9:00-10:15 AM September 17 Sunday School begins regular schedule from 10:15-11 AM
First Lutheran Church Plano, Illinois 200 N Center Street Plano, IL 60545 Phone: 630-552-8263 Fax: 630-552-7198 Email: churchsecretary1@ sbcglobal.net Return Service Requested Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Permit #3 PLANO, IL "First in Spirit, First in Faith, First in Outreach" Statement of Purpose Because God loves the world, we live and work together to: *Grow As Disciples *Nurture other Disciples *and Make New Disciples for the Kingdom of God! We are on the Web! firstlutheranchurchplano.com And on Facebook: https:// www.facebook.comfirstlutheran ChurchOfPlanoIl & Hit the LIKE button! Deadline for the September Anchor: Sunday, Aug. 20! Please be ready to submit articles by this date! Saturday: Sunday: WORSHIP TIMES 5:00 PM 9:00 AM Communion offered at both services. A nursery area is available. Pastor: Rev. Jonathan Black E-mail: firstplanopastor@gmail.com Secretary: Ann Hagemann E-mail: churchsecretary1@ sbcglobal.net OFFICE HOURS Mon-Fri 6:30 am-12:30 pm