J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 8 Savior Divine Lutheran Church 10040 S. 88TH Ave. Palos Hills, IL 60465 1 FROM THE PASTOR Sunday Worship 9:30 a.m. Moving into the New Year in Faith We have completed another calendar year. As we reflect on 2017 we might have celebrated some accomplishments as well as realized some unfilled desires. In entering a new year, we have another opportunity to see how God can use us for the kingdom. Each of us is gifted to work in the kingdom and our God is one who seeks to work creatively in and through us. This year we will be continuing to learn how we can grow in our discipleship. To this end, we will be doing something new in discipleship. In the past year we used a monthly challenge. This year discipleship growth will center around the liturgical year. This emphasis will also be included in my sermons. In January and in the first half of February we are in the time of Epiphany. It is about Jesus manifesting his glory to the world. It begins with the Jesus baptism and concludes with the Transfiguration. We as his followers are called to manifest Christ in us to others. As a result, the season has an emphasis on missions as we are sent into the world. Look for more details as we enter the new year. Let this new year be an opportunity to explore your capability to grow deeper as a follower of Christ. Pastor Marty Continuing Our Journey
2 Christmas Tree Decorating. Savior Divine enjoyed joint worship with members of Moraine Valley Community Church on December 10 in a service to decorate the tree with the chrismons. Thanks to Paul Wackenhuth for his work with directing a joint choir. Thanks also to Linda Good for her directing and leading the combined chimers. We also want to thank all those who helped in putting up the decorations in church. That is not an easy job.
3 Combined Luncheon A thanks goes out to Bev for the planning and preparation for the luncheon after the combined Tree decorating service. Everything looked very festive. Thanks also goes to Moraine Valley Community Church and all those who contributed to the meal as well as those who were involved in cleanup. A great time of fellowship was enjoyed by all Above: People are checking out the goodies while waiting to get their food. On the left: The lines begin to form on both sides to speed up the process. To the right: People are wondering how they can get everything they want to taste on this plate. Decisions, decisions...
4 Growing in Discipleship throughout the Year What s going to be new this year will be discipleship emphases that will come according to the church year. We are all called to be disciples of our Lord and to help advance the kingdom of God. In order to help you keep track of your own growth, you are encouraged to use a journal that has been prepared for this purpose and record your experiences. Your experiences would not be just positive things that you do, but also writing about moments when you didn t know what to do or the situation turned out differently from what you expected. You then can do some reflection. You are invited to get started with the season of Epiphany that begins on January 7 and runs through Transfiguration Sunday, February 11. Epiphany brings us to Jesus manifesting his glory to the world, and we also are to manifest the Christ-in-us to the world. The season has a missional emphasis. Here are some ways to manifest your Christ-in-you to others. Speak an uplifting word to someone going through a time of uncertainty. Speak a healing word to someone (offer to pray for the person or offer to have the person put on our prayer list along with you talking about the power of prayer that you believe) Talk about your church or Jesus with someone and possibly invite that person to one of our services. What we are seeking to do is to leave a memorable experience that comes from our faith with those whom we encounter. I will provide more information in my sermons during the month of January and early February. Pastor Marty Bus Ministry Our bus ministry fund has been dwindling down. We no longer get the grant we used to get to fund part of our cost for the bus. If anyone would care to donate to this cause it would be greatly appreciated. This is a special service offered to those who do not have cars or other transportation to come to church. Snow Plowing Cost It snowed already and will probably snow again in the next month (probably - ha ha). Unfortunately for us snow cost money. Please help defray this cost by putting a little something in the snow removal jar. Thanks.
5 CHRISMONS On Sunday, December 10th we had a beautiful joint service with Moraine Valley Community Church and we told the meaning of the Crhismons as we decorated the tree. Some of you might not know how the Chrismons came to be. In the 80 s and 90 s we had a wonderful group of ladies known as the Busy Bees, who worked 10 months a year making items for our yearly Christmas Corner Bazaar. This bazaar was the first in the area and both levels of the church were used. People lined up to come in. In the 90 s Pr. Ninnemann came up with the idea of the Chrismons and the ladies took charge of making them. Some of their husbands pitched in also to cut the designs. They were lovingly hand-made and each symbol has a special meaning. We are very blessed to have in our congregation these special items and others that were made by them. Thank you Busy Bees for your special gift. Terry LeGrand Thank You for Remembering the Staff! A big thanks to members of the congregation for the Christmas gifts given to the staff on December 17. We on staff know that you appreciate our work and it was nice of you to remember us at Christmas. Annual Meeting Scheduled for February 4 The annual congregational meeting is scheduled for Sunday, February 4, after worship. Those who have reports are to submit them to the church office no later than January 28th.
6 Discipleship Group The next meeting of the class which is studying the economy and economic justice will be on Sunday, January 14, after worship. The material is provided by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and provides thoughts presented by Martin Luther. Winifred Medchuk Called to Her Eternal Glory Winifred Medchuk was called to her eternal glory on December 7. Her funeral was held at the Kurtz Funeral Home in Frankfort on December 11 with interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Wini was an active member of the Busy Bees group that made crafts for the annual bazaar. ELCA Federal Credit Union As a MEMBER of an ELCA congregation, you are entitled to join the Federal Credit Union that has been established by our ELCA. This Credit Union will enable you to open a checking account, secure a loan, purchase a CD, or obtain a credit card. The rates are competitive if not better than other institutions. For more information you may go to www.elcafcu.org. Elsie s Food Pantry Items needed by the Pantry include macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, jelly, pasta, canned fruit, and cereal. Other types of food are also welcome. The food may be placed in the Amish Pie Safe. Also they need plastic grocery bags. These bags can also be left in the Pie Safe.
7 Helping Make Our Service Flow You will note that there have been some blank spots in the section of the Gospel News titled Worship Schedule. This is due to the unavailability of people to help with these tasks. Most of the jobs are easy to do and only take a few minutes. The people doing them will continue but if more people are available the less often each person has to be available. Please look at the titles of the jobs and decide if you could or want to do any of them. Assistants: Need to be present on the Sunday they are assigned and come to church a little early to talk to Pastor Marty about the service. Altar Guild: This person would need to come to church at least 20-30 minutes early to pour the wine and set up the items on the credence table. They would also have to clean the items after church and put them away. Handle the Remote: This involves watching the screens to see when to click to the next screen. If you know computers you can sit at the laptop and handle it like Cathi Predl does. Pastor would show you what is involved in this job. Bread: We need more people to make sure there is bread for communion. Presently there are only 4 people bringing bread. You do not have to bake bread but can buy it from the store. It involves getting to church at least 15 minutes early so the altar guild person can be seated before church. Ushers: Presently we only have 3 assigned ushers and definitely need more. As you can see the ushers come in a little early so they can greet the congregation. They also guild people to the altar during communion.
8 Donating Slightly Used or New Winter Coats We are gathering winter coats to be distributed to the people that come to the food pantry if they are in need. Bring your coat to church and hang it on the coat rack and they will be taken down stairs and hung there for those in need. The Rev. A. Craig Settlage Fund for Leaders Established Rachel Settlage has established an A. Craig Settlage Fund for Leaders Memorial Scholarship Fund. This fund is being established since theological education was very important to Pastor Settlage. You are welcome to contribute to this fund. It will help to honor Craig s memory and assist those men and women seeking to serve God and the church through ministry. Checks may be made payable to ELCA Endowment Fund and include on the Memo line A. Craig Settlage Scholarship Fund. Mail your check to EFPT Receipts, P.O. Box 1806, Merrifield, VA 22116-8002. Here is a riddle to think about this month (answer to come next month). I always finish, but never start a conversation. If you shout for me, I will reply in kind. I am your voice, but I have a voice of my own. I fill a room, but you can t see me. What am I? Here is the answer to last month's riddle. What can turn without moving? Multiple Answers: You can turn a year older and not move. The century turns without moving. Milk turns sour without moving.
January 2018 9 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 Elsie s Pantry 3-5 p.m. Choir 4 p.m. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Discipleship Group Elsie s Pantry 3-5 p.m. Choir 4 p.m. 15 16 17 18 Elsie s Pantry 3-5 p.m. 19 20 Choir 4 p.m. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Council Meeting Worship Elsie s Pantry Planning 3-5 p.m. 1 p.m. 28 29 30 31 Choir 4 p.m. Worship Schedule January 2018/ February 2018 DATE ASSISTANT LECTOR REMOTE BREAD USHERS COUNTER ALTAR 1/7 Jill Paul Cathi Linda Matt Birk Karen Jeff Baptism of Our Lord Cottrell Wackenhuth Predl Good Jeff Psolla Birk Psolla 1/14 Sandy Jeff Terry Nancy Matt Birk Diane Bev Second Sunday After Epiphany Wackenhuth Psolla LeGrand Passion Mike Baikie Chathas Yazumbek 1/21 Bob Matt Ursula Ursula Derrill Beakley Terry Jeff Third Sunday After Epiphany Goodd Birk Bittermann Bittermann Jeff Psolla LeGrand Psolla 1/28 Jackie Cathi Jackie Mike Baikie Terry Bev Fourth Sunday After Epiphany Bellettiere Predl Belllettiere Matt Birk LeGrand Yazumbek 2/4 Jill Cathi Terry Linda Derrill Beakley Karen Jeff Fifth Sunday After Epiphany Cattrell Predl LeGrand Good Jeff Psolla Birk Psolla