1 Lutheran Church of Our Saviour Volume 18, No. 5 Pastor Katie s Corner May 2018 On Pentecost, we have to imagine that there were too many people in Jerusalem to count. Other times, Luke reports how many people heard the Good News of Christ and were baptized: three thousand persons (Acts 2:41), about five thousand (Acts 4:4). But when the Holy Spirit shows up with tongues of fire causing the disciples to preach in foreign languages, he must have lost count. Luke lists the people by where they were from, instead of by how many there were. How many believers were added that day? How many saints were in that number? It s a good question, and one that s relevant to LCOS. Because every year, we make a count of our official active members, baptized individuals who at one point or another requested to be on the official list called the rolls of our congregation. We report this number annually to the national office of the ELCA, to the Virginia Synod, and we use it to designate how many people constitute a quorum at our annual meetings. At our annual meeting last November, in 2017, this number of official active members came up. Someone asked, How many members do we have on the rolls right now? I said that at the end of 2016, we counted and reported 399 active members. Well, that seems high to me. I was looking at our Directory the other day, and I saw a lot of people who had moved away, changed churches, or even died. The person s comment sparked my and the Church Council s interest. While we do remove annually the saints who die and those who tell us they move and transfer churches, our leaders agreed that it was time to make a more accurate count of the saints in our number. Why? Because then we will have an up-to-date list of people who actively want to be and are involved with LCOS in mission and discipleship. That more-accurate list will help us better communicate and organize within our congregation, because we will know whom we re organizing and communicating with. Now, what are the standards for active membership? Our Bylaws (Article 8) tell us: A member who has not received communion and has not made a contribution of record for two consecutive calendar years may be classified as inactive by the Congregation Council. An inactive member is ineligible to vote, and may be removed from the roll of membership by the Congregation Council. An inactive member will remain a person for whom the church has a continuing pastoral concern. An inactive member shall be restored to the voting roll by the Congregation Council when that member again communes and makes a contribution of record to the congregation. Continues on next page.
2 VOLUME 18, NO.5 Pastor Katie s Corner (cont. d) As the person constitutionally mandated to keep the congregation s rolls, I suggested the following to the Church Council, and they agreed. We work over a two-year phase to update our rolls, pruning them in 2017 and 2018. While our efforts will cause our official active membership number to go down, taking it down in two steps will help our demographic data reflect the fact that we carefully chose to go through the rolls, instead of making it appear like an outside factor affected membership. In 2017, we take off all those whom we know to be actively living and participating elsewhere. We make a list of all those who have never made themselves known to me or whom I have never met since I came as pastor in February 2015. This puts us well within the has not received communion and has not made a contribution of record for two consecutive calendar years standard. In 2018, we release that list of people to the congregation and ask them what they know about these folks, if they are still around, and if they still want to be officially in relationship with LCOS. That last step would normally be the work of an Evangelism Team, but we don t have an Evangelism Team. So you, dear congregation, are to be the Evangelism Team for this list of saints. You ll find the list on page 5. We ask you to: Read the list and see if you recognize anyone s names. Of those whom you know, let us know if they have moved out of the area or are actively worshipping at another church. Reach out to your friends on the list! This is the most important step. Call them. Email them. Visit them. Invite them to church. Ask them if they re worshipping anywhere. Tell them you miss them. Ask them if they d like to remain on the rolls as a member of LCOS. If yes, encourage them to come worship with us again. If no, offer your continued prayers and friendship to them. Report back to us. Email me (pastorkatie@lcosva.org) or Council President Walt Strohecker (wstroheck@aol.com) with any information you gather. Call us at the church (804-276-4271). If the person needs a pastoral call, let me know! We still love and care for these people. We just have not seen them in years. Report back by September 2018. Some of you may see your family members names on the list. I counted all those whom I ve never met, and that includes a number of adult children who live out of the area. If you wish to have them remain on the rolls, that is fine. Just let us know. And finally, some of you reading this note may see your own name on the list. If so, hello! You are still welcome and invited to LCOS. I would love to meet you! We would like to get to know you again and see how we can help you walk faithfully with the Lord Christ. At the end of this process, we hope to know how many saints are in our number. But let us not lose sight of all the saints whom the Spirit has brought and is bringing to us, and all the people who still need the Pentecost message that in Jesus Christ, God loves them. Let us use this project to be evangelists, not just to those on the list, but to all the world. In peace, Pastor Katie
3 A Monthly Message VOLUME 18, NO.5 from our Council President: Greetings LCOS members, In Matthew 22:36, a Pharisee asks Jesus: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments". The Pharisee asked for one commandment, yet Jesus answered him with two. The fact that Jesus answered in this way tells us that in our Lord s mind, these two commandments are of equal importance. For us sinful beings, these commandments prove too difficult to obey, for they speak of a love that requires us to deny ourselves and make sacrifices we re not often willing to do. In the month of May we recognize two holidays that honor personal sacrifice, yet the circumstances that lead to these sacrifices are at opposite ends on the spectrum of human emotion. One holiday invokes memories of love and kindness, while the other can stir up painful memories of death and suffering. On Mother s Day, we honor our mothers for the love and nurturing they provide to the family. We are forever grateful for the sacrifices they and other women made, and continue to make, in putting a family s needs over their own. This familial love reminds us that God has given us the capability to achieve the love Jesus asks from us in the two commandments written in Matthew 22. On the other hand, Memorial Day reminds us of how easily mankind is willing to reject the love Jesus commands us to give. Historians estimate that over 1.1 million U.S. soldiers have been killed in combat since America declared its independence. That staggering number is for only one country in less than 250 years! Yet, despite the different emotions these holidays stir up, they are linked by the sacrifices made for a love: Mother s Day for the love of the family, and Memorial Day for the love of a country or cause. So what can we answer Jesus calling to Love the Lord your God with all your heart? It starts with worship. Worship is where we, as a Christian community, sing thanks and praise to the Lord, partake in the sacraments, confess our sins, and confirm our beliefs. Through Baptism, the Holy Spirit has put the seed of our Lord s love in your heart, and I can personally attest that attending worship regularly will cause that seed of love to grow, even a seed that s been neglected for years. What about the second commandment, to Love your neighbor as yourself? You have chosen LCOS as your place of worship. Why did you make that choice? I d submit that one reason is the sense of community you feel at our church. We have many dedicated people in this congregation who lovingly devote their time and talents in service to your church, but more help is always welcome, and certainly needed. Consider increasing your service to the church as a way of showing your love for your LCOS neighbors. We should, in the words of Eric Clapton, Plant your love and let it grow.... Let it blossom, let it flow. God Bless, Walt Strohecker Church Council President wstroheck@aol.com 804-383-2693
4 VOLUME 18 NO.5 Financial Update (through March 31, 2018)
5 VOLUME 18 NO.5 The following people are active members on LCOS rolls whom our pastor has never met in her three years here and about whom the Church Council would like to know more. If we do not hear that they would like to remain on the rolls of our church, at the end of 2018 we will move these members to inactive status and consider taking them off our rolls. Learn more about this list from Pastor Katie s note on Pages 1-2. Phillip Anderson Tyler Anderson Colin Anderson Marit Krista Anderson Jon Andrae Peg Andrae Noelle Faith Atienza Jeffrey Beall Brandon Bobbitt Isabell Bowers Adam Caudle Mark Caudle Ann Cherneski Matthew Cherneski Shawn Clouse Claudia Serna Clouse Lucas R. Clouse Isak Tecumseh Clouse Isabella Christina Clouse Mattias E. Clouse Harry Conn Millicent Conn Christina Conn Darcy Contomanolis Seneca Contomanolis Stephen Contomanolis Samantha Contomanolis Jack E. Dixon Elizabeth Mary Dixon Eric Early Bob Falk Gail Falk Nathan Samuel Falk Mattea Lee Falk Anna Wood Gordon Charles Grant Lewis Grant Susan Elaine Ham Jeffrey Edwin Ham Ethan Edwin Ham Trenton James Harlow Joshua Harlow Nicole Harlow Samantha Marie Harlow Scott Irick Susan Irick Charlie Irick Kylie Irick Sara Anderson Krasneck Scott Krasneck Barbara Anne Lattimer Laura J. Lattimer Julia R. Lattimer Nancy E. Lattimer Robert B. Lattimer Jay Laughlin Brian Laughlin Peter Lineberger Aaron Lineberger Robert Lineberger May Lineberger Bruce MacDougall Charles Thomas Maguire Rebecca Ann Maguire Ryan Allyn Maguire LeeAnna Bell Maguire William McClintock Ruth McClintock Kate McClintock Emily McClintock Megan McClintock Angela McCoy Laura Caudle Miller Callie Mills Gordon Lee Moore Fleta Ellen Moore Warren Baker Muench Danielle Muench Tyler Davis Muench Kristy Munk Tammy Montez Murray Terry J. Nagle Debbie Nagle Terry Nagle Jamie Leigh Nagle Melissa Ofoia Joshua Stephen Proffitt Jim Revere Pat Revere Matthew Richard John Schwenk Paul Smith Richard Stopf Linda Stopf Rick Stopf Ryan Stopf Ernest Stopf Alma Stopf Karen Stopf Karl Strohecker Chuck Tanner Jeffery Tanner Donald Turbin Robert Van Ness Laura Van Ness Libbey Van Ness Kurtis Lee Van Ness Lars Vik Laura Kathryn Watkins Carolyn Marie Welsh Jerry Wenditz Patricia Pat Wiiki Christel Williams Jessica Williams Carmen Williams
6 VOLUME 18, NO.5 We Welcome 8 New Members! (From left) Dan French, Sandy French, & Mary Lester (From left) Artie Strunk, Noah Strunk, Landon Strunk, & Kelly Strunk Ellen Stefaniak Thank you again to everyone who generously donated items for the Cook s Dream gift basket for the RFOH Party with a Purpose fundraiser. Our basket was so full of beautiful cookware items that it was placed in the live auction and sold to a lucky bidder for $600! RFOH was able to raise over $70,000 to continue its mission of alleviating hunger in our community. Many of you also help with this cause through your monthly donations of casseroles for the homeless, in addition to many other things LCOS does for this charity. Shawnee Hansen, President/Founder of the organization said, Our work would not be possible without the kindness and generosity of patrons like you.* *See her thank-you note on page 12. OUTREACH Party with a Purpose
7 VOLUME 18, NO.5 Interfaith Photography Exhibition This exhibition portrays the daily experiences and challenges of being a person of faith in Richmond, Virginia. Using a technique called photovoice, a group of twenty Muslims and Christians photographed and discussed what their faith looks like in daily life during the first few months of 2018. Through these meetings, they built relationships, understanding, and empathy. This exhibition is the result of those conversations. Opening night reception hosted by the photographers: Friday, May 4 6:30 9:00 p.m. Richmond Public Library, 2nd Floor Gallery 101 East Franklin Street ANNOUNCEMENTS Youth Group The combined youth group from LCOS and St. Luke s UMC are currently conducting a fundraiser to meet travel expenses to the National Youth Gathering in Houston, Texas in June 2018. 5 youth members and 2 adult chaperones plan to attend this gathering. Envelopes in the narthex are labeled from $10 - $60. Anyone wishing to contribute can select an envelope and follow the instructions on the enclosed card. Thank you for your support of our youth! Do you read in a foreign language? Pastor Katie is looking for people who read a language other than English for Pentecost Sunday. You will read the language aloud very briefly in worship on May 20. Please contact her if you are interested. MAY: Thursday, 10th: Ascension of Our Lord Sunday, 20th: Pentacost ADULT EDUCATION IN JUNE: Based on the popularity of our Funerals class series in 2016, Pastor Katie will be teaching a Weddings series for three Tuesdays in June. 5th: Weddings 101 - Scriptural and Historical Background 12th: Lutheran Weddings - What makes a wedding Lutheran? 19th: Other Considerations - Interfaith Weddings, Renewals of Vows, and Divorce Classes will take place at 1:00pm in the Food Court of the Midlothian Wegmans. Buy your lunch or just come for the class! THE GIVING TREE PRESCHOOL Our themes this month are Bugs and Gardens, Ocean Life, and Water is Fun. The Two s and Three s classes will learn the Bible story of Jonah and the Whale, while the Four s class will learn about Zacchaeus. Broken Road Farm Petting Zoo will visit this month. Every adorable animal they bring delights the children, from a gentle burro and sheep to baby pigmy goats and the tiniest pygmy pig! The children will celebrate their mothers with our Mom s Day event this month, spending fun one-on-one time together with crafts and games. The school year will close with Graduation/Moving Up on Thursday, the 31 st. Another fantastic year is coming to an end and our four-year-olds are ready for Kindergarten!
8 VOLUME 18 NO.5 BIRTHDAYS Cindy Mooney 5/1 Kristina Nilsen 5/2 Danny Mooney 5/5 Doug Anderson 5/6 Charles Grant 5/7 Kent Houlbar 5/10 Angie Seay 5/10 Jeffrey Shaffer 5/11 Megan Shaffer 5/11 Jake Jacobs 5/12 Henry Weaver 5/12 Judy Zehmer 5/13 Wayne Jones 5/18 Lee Krasneck 5/19 Lois Reese 5/19 Sue Jacobs 5/22 Gail Falk 5/24 Adison Mayer 5/26 Bryan Dorton 5/28 Corey Dorton 5/28 Haley Jacobs 5/28 Kathryn (Meeks) Prilenski 5/28 Sari Archer 5/29 Lars Vik 5/29 Jim Burnish 5/31 Naomi Silverman 5/31 ANNIVERSARIES Rachel Doyle 5/1 Richard & Sharon Leininger 5/11 Walter & Gail Kimpfler 5/14 Joe & Nancy Partridge 5/17 John & Rianne Klink 5/21 Jeffrey & Jessica Beall 5/26 Steven & Jessica Contomanolis 5/26 Jake & Debbie Jacobs 5/28 Did we miss an anniversary or birthday? Please let us know! Email admin@lcosva.org or call 276-4271 CONFIRMATION CLASS SCHEDULE MAY 2018 6 - Preparing for Confirmation Service 13 - OFF 20 - Confirmation Ceremony in Worship SUMMER NEWSLETTER DEADLINE There will be one newsletter for the entire summer (June - August). Please email or call with your information by May 28th. admin@lcosva.org or 276-4271.
29 May 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Worship Service 4:30 PM Confirmation Class @St. Luke's UMC 6 Food Pantry Sunday 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Worship Service 4:30 PM Confirmation Class @St. Luke's UMC 13 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Worship Service 20 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Worship Service & Confirmation Ceremony 27 10:30 AM Worship Service 30 7 14 21 28 1 7:15 PM Handbell Choir Rehearsal 8 7:15 PM Handbell Choir Rehearsal 15 7:15 PM Handbell Choir Rehearsal 22 7:15 PM Handbell Choir Rehearsal 29 7:15 PM Handbell Choir Rehearsal 2 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 9 9:30 AM Richmond Friends of the Homeless 7:00 PM Choir Re- 16 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 23 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 30 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 3 10:00 AM Rebecca Circle 10 17 24 31 4 Office Closed 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM AA Meeting 11 Office Closed 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM AA Meeting 18 Office Closed 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM AA Meeting 25 Office Closed 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM AA Meeting 1 Office Closed 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM AA Meeting 5 12 19 8:30 AM Esther Circle 26 2 9 VOLUME 18, NO.5
10 VOLUME 18 NO.5 MAY 2018 WORSHIP STEWARD DUTIES 6-May COORDINATOR Gail Kimpfler 10:30AM SERVICE Earl Shaffer & Paul Dugent Anne & Jack Frost ASSISTING MINISTER Stacy McCoy POURING CHALICE Linda Dugent & Jackie Casey COMMON CUP Cindy Vik & Diane Beall Liam James Bryce Weaver 13-May COORDINATOR Carmen Strohecker Brenda & Chuck Waldridge If you can not be here on your assigned week it is your responsibility to find a replacement. Please notify the church office at 804-276-4271 or at admin@lcosva.org, when you have found a replacement. - Thank you. Sam & Shirley Hawthorne ASSISTING MINISTER Michael Scheivert POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP 20-May COORDINATOR Jacquie Evans & Rachel Doyle Gail Kimpfler & Sharon Johnson Josh Walker Abigail Ward Walt Strohecker Dino Montez & Jim Burnish Marchia Swanson & Bethany Nell ASSISTING MINISTER Barbara Dowdy POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP 27-May COORDINATOR Karen Watkins & Jane Avery Kaarina Modiri & Jeannette Montez Michael Scheivert Liam James Jules Roinnel Brenda & Chuck Waldridge Diane & Maurice Beall ASSISTING MINISTER Helen Weaver POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP Sharon Leininger & Bill Walker Nancy Roinnel & Carmen Strohecker Josh Walker Henry Weaver
11 JUNE 2018 WORSHIP STEWARD DUTIES VOLUME 18, NO.5 3-Jun COORDINATOR Cindy Vik 10:30AM SERVICE Don Harmon & Chuck Waldridge Dino & Jeannette Montez ASSISTING MINISTER Barbara Dowdy POURING CHALICE Sharon Leininger & Karen Watkins COMMON CUP Kaarina Modiri & Gail Kimpfler Michael Scheivert Liam James 10-Jun COORDINATOR Sharon Johnson Judy & Richmond Zehmer If you can not be here on your assigned week it is your responsibility to find a replacement. Please notify the church office at 804-276-4271 or at admin@lcosva.org, when you have found a replacement. - Thank you. Carmen Strohecker & Valerie Thorp-Gray ASSISTING MINISTER Bill Walker POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP 17-Jun COORDINATOR Jim Burnish & Jane Avery Brenda Waldridge & Jacquie Evans Josh Walker Alex Wilson Walt Strohecker Stacy McCoy & Frank Watkins Delores Harris & Bethany Nell ASSISTING MINISTER Helen Weaver POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP 24-Jun COORDINATOR Diane Beall & Jackie Casey Jules Roinnel & Earl Shaffer Liam James Henry Weaver Paul Dugent Anne & Jack Frost Sam & Shirley Hawthorne ASSISTING MINISTER Karen Watkins POURING CHALICE COMMON CUP Rachel Doyle & Linda Dugent Sharon Johnson & Nancy Roinnel Josh Walker Abigail Ward
12 Thanks this month go to... Marty and Cindy Vik for organizing our Stewardship Team this year... members of the Stewardship Team: Bill and Terry Sprinkle, Larry Teal, George Reynolds, Chris Price, Michael Scheivert, and Walt Kimpfler, who have offered to serve and help our generosity grow... Artie and Kelly Strunk, who created and donated those lovely planters to the church and mulched the beds outside the doors before Easter Sunday. THANK YOU! Shopping on Amazon? Here s a new way to give to LCOS: When you make eligible purchases on Amazon, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% to the organization of your choice. This is a great option for fulfilling your commitment to LCOS! Follow these steps to get started: 1.Go to smile.amazon.com (not Amazon s regular website) and sign into your Amazon account. 2.Type Lutheran Church of Our Saviour into the bottom search bar and carefully look for our organization with the location N Chesterfield VA (approx. 3 rd page). 3.Click the Select button and you re all set! You will then be able to see that you are supporting LCOS on the homepage (at the top, underneath the search bar within the navy blue/ black band.) Richmond Friends of the Homeless The Outreach Ministry served 82 Richmond Friends of the Homeless on April 11, 2018. Those who prepared casseroles were: Margie Aunins, Jane Avery, Diane Beall, Kayleigh Dumont, Jacquie Evans, Sandy French, Clare Haack, Shirley Hawthorne, Sharon Johnson, Gail Kimpfler, Kaarina Modiri, Frances Peterson, Jules Roinnel, Robin Scheivert, Rose Talley, and Gloria Ward. Those who helped serve were: Margie Aunins, Jane Avery, Jacquie Evans, Sandy French, Shirley Hawthorne, Gail Kimpfler, and Jules Roinnel. Thank you to all who prepare casseroles and serve each month. We always serve RFOH the second Wednesday of each month and welcome new helpers all the time! We could not provide this ministry without your support. Dear Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, Thank you so much for the $500 donation towards our Party with a Purpose. With your help we were able to raise over $70,000 to continue our mission of alleviating hunger in our community. These proceeds will feed hungry children, seniors barely existing on Social Security, homeless veterans, the working poor, those battling addictions... men, women and children of all ages in need of a nourishing meal. Our work would not be possible without the kindness and generosity of patrons like you. Please know how very grateful we are for your support. Blessings, Shawnee Hansen President/Founder LUTHERAN CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR 9601 Hull Street Road North Chesterfield, VA 23236 Phone: 804-276-4271 Fax: 804-276-5379 www.lcosva.org