The Visitor Immanuel Lutheran Church June 2017 * Volume 55 #6 Pastor s Summer Travel Tips It s June, and that means summer vacations and travel are not far away. It seems my pastorly duty to give you some spiritual guidance while you are traveling, or at least some resources to take with you. First, some travel scriptures: Psalm 91.9-11 (NRSV) 9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place, 10 no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. Psalm 121.7-8 (NRSV) 7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore Exodus 13.21 (NRSV) 21 The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. Second, a quote: Not all those who wander are lost. (JRR Tolkien) That is, don t forget to come back. Third, don t forget to mail or leave in advance your weekly offering while you re gone. Or better yet, sign up for automatic giving at http://immanuelmeriden.org, then Members, and then Online Giving. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9.7 NRSV) And finally, a prayer for travelers from our Evangelical Lutheran Worship: O God, our beginning and our end, you kept Abraham and Sarah in safety throughout the days of their pilgrimage, you led the children of Israel through the midst of the sea, and by a star you led the magi to the infant Jesus. Protect and guide us now as we set out to travel. Make our ways safe and our home-comings joyful, and bring us at last to our heavenly home, where you dwell in glory with our Lord Jesus Christ and the life-giving Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (ELW p 329) Have a great summer! Pastor Burgess 1
REMINDER: Please notify the church office either by calling (203) 238-1248 or with a note placed in the offering plate when a family member is/will be hospitalized so the church can provide appropriate care and prayers for you and your family member. Thank you for your help. CONTACT INFORMATION: Richard M. Burgess, Pastor: (860) 462-6545 pastor@immanuelmeriden.org Diane Murphy, Administrator: (203) 238-1248 office@immanuelmeriden.org OFFICE HOURS 9am-1pm Monday-Friday THE NEXT VISITOR Articles for the July/August Visitor will be due on June 24 and mailed on June 27, 2017. Thanks, Diane Dear Immanuel Family, Thank you for all your love and support during Ruth's illness and death. We appreciate your concern expressed in visits, calls and cards. Your expressions of sympathy remind us of God's comfort and peace in the midst of grief and sorrow. Sincerely, The Family of Ruth Tozier Pub Theology and Bible Study Schedule for June: Tuesday, June 6 7:00 pm Bible Study, Library Tuesday, June 13 7:00 pm Pub Theology, Sliders Tuesday, June 20 7:00 pm Bible Study, Library Tuesday, June 27 7:00 pm Pub Theology, Sliders 2
Camp Calumet! Register online now for both Resident Camp and Calumet Day Camp! http://www.calumet.org/ Staff Support As required by Constitution, we have established our Staff Support Committee for 2017. From out of our executive Committee, the following members will serve as liaison between the Congregation Council and our Staff. Paul Olson (Sexton) Joanne Gardner (Pastor) Wendy Becker (Music Director) and Cindy Zuber (Secretary). Constitution Update In 2013 a committee, led by Council President Nick Ives, was meeting with the intentions of making needed changes to our Constitution here at Immanuel. That work was tabled due to time constraints and we have since taken it up and are in the process of preparing it for Council approval and following that approval by the Congregation. At the moment. The documents are in the hands of Pastor Timothy Oslovich, of Trinity Lutheran Church in Vernon for Synod approval. A special recognition should go out to June Barton, one of the original members of the committee who worked on the changes and continued to update and prepare the changes sent for approval. Transition Update We are still waiting for Synod to begin the process of sending us Candidates for interviewing and approval by the Search Committee. The members from Immanuel who have come forward to comprise this committee are Wendy Becker (Chairperson), Diana Clancy, Bev Lange, Dan Luft, Paul Olson and Marilyn Kronenburger. Jeffrey C. Peterson President of Immanuel Council. 3
Sunday Church School Scribbler This past school year we began the year with a half hour of education time, 9-9:30, but did go back to 8:30-9:30 when Confirmation instruction began in January. Our SCS attendance remained rather consistent throughout the year with most families participating in worship, praise be to God! Thank you to all who assisted in making the 2016-17 SCS year a reality; students, families, SCS teachers, substitutes and most especially God s Holy Spirit! It takes the active involvement of all to provide a meaningful learning/teaching ministry. Thank you everyone. Help us add another class for Immanuel s 3 year olds- 2 nd graders to our SCS ministry. Over the summer, please prayerfully ponder how God is calling you to serve. Remember to wear something red for Pentecost, June 4 th. You arx a Kxy Pxrson Xuxn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works vxry wxll-xxcxpt for onx kxy. You would think that with all thx othxr kxys functioning propxrly, onx kxy not working would hardly bx noticxd; but just onx kxy out of whack sxxms to ruin thx wholx xffort. You may say to yoursxlf, Wxll, I m only onx pxrson. No onx will noticx if I don t do my bxst. But it doxs makx a diffxrxncx bxcausx to bx xffxctivx an organization nxxds activx participation by xvxryonx to thx bxst of his or hxr ability. So thx nxxt timx you think you arx not important, rxmxmbxr my old typxwritxr. You arx a kxy pxrson! Martin Messengers News Once again it s time for a big thank you to everyone at Immanuel who helped with our recent bake and Plant sale. Per usual our bakers came out in full force and we had all kinds of goodies for sale. Many thanks to Kenny Stastaschke for supplying the plants at a reasonable price that allowed us to make a good profit on them. All told we made $477.50, which went into Immanuel s budget. Again thanks to all of you for making this a profitable and fun fund raiser. On July 25th we will be meeting at June Barton s home to have a card workshop. We will supply all materials needed. All you have to bring is your desire to make cards. Please let me know if you are interested. 4
At this point we are looking into a number of other fund raisers. If you have any ideas just let me know. Again thank you all so much for all your help. God Bless you all, Jan Sprude Martin s Messengers Just a reminder, it is very important that you get your Visitor articles to the church office on time. Every month Diane puts in a date when articles are due in the office. It is important that she gets them on time so we can get the Visitor together and out by the end of the month. Articles for the next Visitor should be in the office by June 23rd so we can mail them out by June 29th. Thank you. May Celebrations HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Diane Mongold 6/01 Susan Uraco 6/03 Penny Beaudry 6/03 Darianne Wilson 6/04 Briana Hamer 6/07 Cheryl Tomassetti 6/08 Atreyu Jordan 6/08 Robin Black 6/09 Geraldine Francis 6/10 Koreen Sumpter 6/11 Carlene Gade-Fox 6/11 Kim Freeman 6/11 Edward DiPersio 6/11 Madison Clancy 6/12 Clark Doehr 6/13 Alicia Mosier 6/14 Debra Lohmann 6/18 Braeden Newell 6/19 Thuy Tran 6/20 Rachel Uraco 6/22 Aidan Fox 6/22 Bruce Garbe 6/23 Brooke Ellis 6/23 Edward Schleicher 6/26 Madison LaValle 6/30 Elizabeth Garbe 6/30 Jennifer & Jeffrey Silvernale 6/01 Vera & Allan Luft 6/10 Betty & Jeff Peterson 6/17 Amy & Doug Schultz 6/26 Ruth & Edward Schleicher 6/26 Amber & Nicholas Ives 6/28 Kirsten & Bruce Garbe 6/28 5