A Pu b l ication of Sa i n t T ho mas L u th er an Ch u r c h C o n n e cting Peo p le to J es u s an d to O ne Another Grace and Peace June 2013 Volume 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1.3) A great greeting... and important words for us all to hear... over and over again. Grace is God's gift of love and mercy to us in all situations. Peace is the inner-sense of wellbeing that comes through faith in Christ Jesus. Issue 6 When we are just starting out on our faith journey, these words come as wondrous, sometimes surprising, gifts. We learn that the True God is not a God of terror and shame. He is a God of forgiveness and grace. A God who is here to forgive our sins, giving us a fresh start and a whole new way to live. As we journey in the middle years, our challenges come in many forms. We get distracted and wander off... lazy... arrogant... blind-sided... scared... impatient. Yet, in each and every situation, God comes to us with those same great gifts - grace and peace... promising to be with us in the challenges, while using his Word and Sacraments to give us just what we need. As we approach life's end the wonder of these words increases once again. We know who we are and what we have done, yet he still comes to us with his gifts of grace and peace. We cannot fathom the love that God has for us! All we can do is treasure it... and thus receive His gifts to us with thanksgiving and praise. We are able to complete our journey strong and confident, knowing that an even greater peace... and indescribable joys... are just around the corner. I hope we get a change to visit with one another real soon... so that we can share these gifts with each other. Blessings from Pastor Mark Hetzner Points of Interest: Message from the Pastor Worship Opportunities Romans 10.17 Thrivent Youth MCREST SUMMER SERVICE TIME July 7th - August 11th only one service at 9:30 a.m. Sunday School and Bible Classes to follow July 28 and August 11 the service will be outdoors Monday s service remains at 7:30 p.m. Office Hours: MONDAY - FRIDAY 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. LWML Nurse s Notes Rummage Sale/ Food Closet/ Community Garden VBS Support Groups Genesis Center
JOIN US ON SUNDAY MORNINGS Family Friendly Worship every week at 8:15 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. July 7th - August 11th only one service at 9:30 a.m. (We all need this time in the Lord s house more than we realize!) Fellowship Café 9:45a.m. 10:45 a.m. We meet in the church for an opening devotion and then are off to classes for children ages three to 5th grade. Childcare is available for children under three. Growth time for all ages Sundays 9:45 a.m. 10:45 a.m. BUBa - Room 200 (cry room) History of Creeds School Lobby Gospel of John Conf. Room One Youth Youth Room ALL OF JULY & FIRST TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST BIBLE CLASSES WILL FOLLOW THE 9:30 A.M. SERVICE The setting is warm and friendly the lessons invaluable the opportunity very important for your children s growth and development. We encourage you to bring your children each Sunday. For more information, see the flier on the welcome table. Sundays after 11:00a.m. worship featuring Keurig Beverages We invite you to stay for a delightful beverage and a little conversation with those who have joined you in worship. COMMUNION CLUSTERS The 2 nd Sunday of every month at 6:00 p.m. we will be having a service of prayer, Bible study and music, while sharing the evening meal. The next service will be on July 14, 2013 meeting in the fireside lounge (southwest corner of the building). Come as you are and worship as the Ancient Church did. No need to bring anything. JOIN US FOR A PRAYER SERVICE 7:30 p.m. every week A less formal setting for hearing God s Word and receiving the Sacrament of the Altar Weekend travelers find this service the right way to recover from their trip! Page 2
Time for a financial checkup To encourage people to examine their finances regularly When was the last time you had a financial checkup? When you hear the word checkup, what comes to mind? Most likely it s your physical health. But checkups are just as critical to your financial health which may be equally important. Most financial professionals recommend you get a financial checkup at least once a year. The experienced and knowledgeable financial representatives at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans can help. Thrivent Financial offers simple ways to deal with changes in your life that naturally lead to changes in your financial needs. For example, if you have a new grandchild, money you invested in a CD two years ago may now make more sense in a college savings plan. Or a recent job promotion may mean it s finally time to start saving for retirement. With regular financial checkups, you can ensure you re doing what s necessary today to help you achieve your long-term financial goals. For a financial checkup or to discuss how Thrivent Financial can help you achieve your financial goals, contact James M. Riske, MSF, LUTCF, FIC, at 586-799-4652 ext. 227 or james.riske@thrivent.com today, or visit Thrivent.com. Insurance products issued or offered by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI. Not all products are available in all states. Securities and investment advisory services are offered through Thrivent Investment Management Inc., 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415, a FINRA and SIPC member and a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. For additional important disclosure information, please visit thrivent.com/disclosures We are pleased to have the following people direct their dollars on behalf of the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Thrivent Choice program: Vada Habermas, Irene Leidich, Roy Leidich, and Cynthia Mossner. Thank you all very much for your support Youth Summer Activities 2013 Mrs. Pifer s Cell # 586-596-1444 *Pizza and Painting Party Wednesday, July 17th Have you painted your block in the youth room yet? Do you want to change yours? Tonight is the night! Come at 6pm for painting, pizza, or just hanging out. (If you want your block redone please let Mrs. Pifer know before this date so she can erase your old one for you.) *Canoe Trip Friday-Sunday, August 2-4th Cost $40 per person. Must provide own transportation. It is about a 3 hour drive north. Cost includes canoe rental, food, lodging, and more. Parents will be offered beds to sleep in for driving! Parent chaperone cost $20. Don t forget your permission slips! *Regular Wednesday Night Meetings begin Magazine Sale Would you like to give a gift that gives all year long? There are great discounts available through our magazine sale. You can order anytime. Go to www.gaschoolstore.com and enter the school code 937946 to find great deals on magazine renewals or new ones. Page 3
Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team MCREST is coming! This is STL s 11 th annual MCREST week and it s time to start getting ready! Our ministry to the homeless will be June 30 th July 7 th. We will be responsible for the daily needs of 30-35 women and children. Thrivent West Macomb Branch 30019 supports with a generous gift enabling us to be able to reach out to families through this ministry. We will need money for expenses like gas, bus tickets & laundry, as well as donations of prepared food. We will need volunteers for kitchen help, bag searching, laundry duty, shower and overnight supervision, set up and take down. We specifically would like to ask you to put aside any women s and children s clothing that you would like to donate. And to consider helping this year with set up on Saturday June 29 th and Sunday June 30 th and take down on July 7 th. Please keep this ministry in your prayers over the coming weeks that we may be blessed with the leaders, volunteers, funds and donations that we will need to serve His children through this wonderful ministry. If you have questions, please feel free to call me at 313-550-2950. In His Service, Kelly Walker If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 1 John 3:17 Beach Boys Concert! wsg Dave Mason MCREST receives 50% of all ticket purchases! Friday, August 2, 2013 at 7:30pm Seating Chart Tickets: $100 (VIP Package*) $45 Sections 400 700 $16 Lawn No Ticketmaster Fees! Freedom Hill Amphitheatre 14900 Metropolitan Parkway Sterling Heights, MI 48312 (map) *VIP Package Includes: * $55 Ticket (Sections 100-300) Purchase tickets by calling (586) 415-5101 or Use PayPal to * Pre-Concert Andiamos Buffet Dinner and Premium Open Bar at 6pm Purchase Online Page 4
LUTHERAN WOMEN S MISSIONARY LEAGUE LWML NATIONAL CONVENTION Karen Linzing and Barb Szymanski ask that you keep them in your prayers as they travel to Pittsburg June 26th for the LWML's National Convention where they will be "Quenched! by the Water". Pray also that the delegates are guided by the work of the Holy Spirit as they vote for the grant recipients of the 2013-2015 Mites Goal. While there, the women will be participating in various hands on projects to help others and will be involved in some very effective Bible Studies. Watch for an update of their trip in future publications. LWML MITES Don't forget your mite boxes or to bring extra money for the LWML Mite Box Collection on Sunday, June 30th. When Karen Linzing and Barb Szymanski return from the LWML National Convention in June, they will be able to update you on our new National Mite Box Goal and what grants have been selected to receive the mite dollars. So continue putting your change away daily, giving thanks and praise for all that God has blessed you with. ********************************************** Good Relationships = Good Health For Men June is Men s Health Month. Alarming statistics show that men s health is at great risk. On average, men die almost 6 years younger than women and suffer higher mortality rates for the top causes of death. The lives of hundreds of thousands of men will continue to be threatened unless immediate action is taken to combat this growing crisis. Research shows that: Men do not see physicians for a physical exam nearly as often as women Men are dying of the top causes of death at higher rates than women Men are more likely to be uninsured than women Approximately 30,000 men in the United States die each year from prostate cancer, James Sniechowski, Ph.D., co-author of Be Loved for Who You Really Are and co-founder of Men s Health Network, gives tips to men for maintaining good relationships, which leads to better health for men. 1. Make Yourself Available. Men are taught to hide their feelings as a sign of strength and masculinity. But when it comes to loving and being loved, that belief is a sure fire guarantee of isolation, loneliness, and depression. 2. Honesty is Your Trump Card. Love can be trusted only when you are being loved for who you really are for your excellence and shortcomings, your toughness and tenderness all of you. 3. Genuine Love Requires A relationship takes two. Both people must feel seen, heard, appreciated, and valued. 4. Differences are Critical. No matter how much two people have in common, when they enter into a relationship they soon discover all the ways they are different from one another. How you treat those differences will either make or break your relationship. Trying to change your partner leads only to resistance and rejection. 5. Fear is Natural. No one receives any formal training for intimate relationships. Deepening intimacy entails the risk of revealing yourself, discovering yourself, and allowing your partner to do the same. 6. Intimacy is not Automatic. Intimacy takes time. Intimacy results when two people share their affection and their fear, their desire and their upset, their willingness to be known and know one another. Be patient with love it is a garden worth seeding and weeding, watering and pruning for the rest of your life. Susan Wensink R.N, Parish Nurse (Source: menshealthnetwork.org) Page 5
Spring Cleaning? How about saving your unwanted treasures for us! St. Thomas Lutheran School PTL will be hosting a Fall Rummage Sale Friday, 10/4/13 1 pm 4 pm Saturday, 10/5/13 10 am 4 pm We hope you will stop by the sale and take a look. Perhaps you might find that one-of-a-kind treasure you ve been looking forj We will also be serving snacks & beverages as well as hosting a bake sale. We will begin accepting donations in August 2013. Please see the church or school office staff anytime between 9:30 & noon, every Tuesday & Thursday and they will be happy to direct you to the drop off location. If you require assistance or have larger items to donate, please contact Kim Wood at 586-292-0427 to make arrangements. ***************************************************************** Please don't forget about supporting our Food Closet Ministry. The needs are yearround. We could use any and all donations of non-perishable food items and monetory. The soil ready for planting! Any member of the church or our community neighbors can apply for a 10 ft. by 10 ft. space within the garden in which they can plant vegetables or flowers. Perhaps you live in an apartment or a condo and don't have the space for a garden. Each person would be responsible for taking care of their space. Water will be provided, but everything else is up to them as far as weeding and keeping their area looking nice. We're taking applications for a space for anyone that is interested. Please stop by the church office if you would like an application or the web. Page 6
Cost per child is $5 Come Join Us! At this year s SONWEST ROUNDUP, we ll be traveling down the trail to discover God s ultimate plan of salvation in Jesus, because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and FOREVER July 15 th to July 19 th 9:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. and a Roundup on Friday night with a Petting Zoo, Pony Rides and Grub! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2013 VBS Registration July 15 th to July 19 th Family Last Name Parents Names Address City Zip Phone # s Email Address Children s Name (s) Age Allergies $5 registration fee per child (due when registering) Special requests Return to: Saint Thomas Lutheran Church 23801 Kelly Rd, Eastpointe, MI 48021 Page 7
Lutheran Hour message every Sunday on Detroit WRDT (560 AM) at 12:00 p.m., Farmington Hills WDFN (1130AM) at 6:30 a.m. and Port Huron WHLS (1450AM) or Port Huron WHLX (1590 AM) at 5:00 a.m. Keep in mind the The Lutheran Hour is available 24 hours a day on the Internet, RealAudio. Simply visit www.lhm.org and select The Lutheran Hour at the left-hand side of the page. You may listen to the current week s message, visit the archives for previous sermons available, or listen to a historic message from either Dr. Walter A. Maier or Dr. Oswald Hoffman. Right to Life - LIFESPAN go to www.rtl.org - for more information Answer: A (See John 21:17.) To whom did Jesus say, Feed my sheep? A. Peter B. John C. Matthew D. Paul FITNESS CLASS Join us every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the cry room. You ll be glad you did. SUPPORT GROUPS AA Meetings - Monday s and Friday s In the gym Alanon Meetings Friday s In the Fireside Lounge (southwest entrance) Both begin at 7:30 p.m. Grief Recovery Support Group Mondays at 6:00 p.m. (facilitated by Jan Audia, with assistance from Pastor Hetzner) You are welcome to begin attending the Grief Share group at any session. Each is self contained, so you do not have to attend in sequence. You will find encouragement and help whenever you begin. You will be able to continue with Grief Share through the next cycle and view any of the videos you have not seen. For more information, call the church office at 586-772-3370 or go to www.griefshare.org EGS Connections is a monthly publication of Saint Thomas Lutheran Church located at 23801 Kelly Road Eastpointe, Michigan 48021. Page 8
Genesis Center ACTIVE and GROWING Areas of Ministry Psychotherapy Services.Depression, Anxiety & Stress, Family Issues, Marital Issues, Anger Management, Parenting Skills, Substance Abuse/Dependence and more..these services are offered on an ongoing basis and are available to all..a phone call to schedule an appointment starts the process..no one is refused services due to lack of funds. Employment Assistance Workshops are taught by an expert in the field of employment. How to write a resume that will get noticed by employers how to interview for success. How to have a positive attitude in this difficult job search market. Computer access for people to look for work and apply for jobs. Clothing closet - interview quality clothes - look your best at an interview BIBLE STUDY Tuesday evenings @ 7:00 p.m. - every other week Grow in community as well as in relationship with Christ. Please contact Pastor Rick VanBriggle 586-925-3260 at the Genesis Center for more information. Accepting donations of clothes suitable to be worn to a job interview. NEW BEGINNINGS is a new radio show that broadcasts on WEXL 1340 AM on Saturday mornings from 9:00-9:30 a.m. hosted by Rev. Rick VanBriggle. Join us THIS SATURDAY. Page 9
SAINT Thomas Lutheran Church & School 23801 Kelly Road Eastpointe, MI 48021 586-772-3370 Church 586-772-3372 School 586-772-6265 Fax Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 574 Eastpointe, MI Become a Friend on Facebook find the link at: www.stl-eastpointe.org CONNECTING PEOPLE TO JESUS AND ONE ANOTHER To receive the EGS News and STL Connection electronically, please call the church office 586-772-3370 and give them your email information. MINISTRY and SCHOOL STAFF Pre-3/Pre-4 Director Mrs. Donna Vanick Senior Pastor Rev. Mark W. Hetzner Kindergarten & Assistant Principal Mrs. Christine Pifer Church Office Manager Mrs. Linda Bucholtz Grade 1/2 Mrs. Linda Taggart Music Specific Ministry Pastor Mrs. Lori Stolzenfeld Rev. Rick VanBriggle Grade 3/4 Mrs. Maggie Patterson Deacon School Office Manager Mr. Jerry Corbett Mrs. Dana Haenke-Adam Grade 5/6 & Athletic Director Mr. Edward Vanick Grade 7/8 & Principal Mrs. Jacqueline Sturgess