December - The Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer
Transcription
December - The Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer
December 2014 Our Redeemer’s Voice Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer Inside this issue: End Hunger NE (Below) Ken Morse, Sandie Connelly and Cheryl Morse. Sandie visiting Ken and Cheryl at the registration table (Above) Team working hard to proportion and pack the macaroni and cheese. (Below) View of the operation (below) Steve Perry, Caroline Vines, and her husband Mike Cavanaugh, take a well deserved break. End Hunger NE 2 Remember in Prayers 2 Adult Education 2 From the Pastor’s Desk 3 Thank You 4 Like Us On Facebook 4 Alpha News 4 Foxboro Food Pantry 4 2015 LCOR Mission Trip 5 Pledge Reminder 5 Spotlight on Child 5 New Members 6-7 Progressive Supper 8 December Birthdays 8 Poinsettia's 8 Angelina’s 8 Christmas Decorating 9 Christmas Undecorating 9 Confirmation Class 9 End Hunger NE We finished up celebrating our 50th anniversary year on Saturday, November 8th, with a meal packaging event that is providing over 23,000 meals to area food pantries. Working with END HUNGER NE /Outreach, Inc. the ingredients for high nutrition meals were purchased wholesale and our teams portioned and packaged them for delivery to area food pantries. The minimum needed to hold an event was $2500. We raised over $5,500, throughout our birthday year via sales of homemade candy, hand stamped Valentines, memorial gifts and outright donations last Christmas. One hundred and six people came and worked the event, with the youngest being 4 years old—and the oldest – wasn’t revealing their age. The event ran from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. After the early team came to offload the truck, 5 teams of between 10 and 12 persons portioned, and packaged bags of macaroni and cheese. Also contributing to the day’s activities were two members of Marathon Physical Therapy, Norton who provided much appreciated 10 minute massages as team members had a break. Joyce Parlapiano’s Blackthorne Publick House, Easton, delivered several quickly-eaten pizzas for lunch. A huge thank you to both of these businesses for their support of this event. We packaged enough to fill 107 boxes (36 6-meal bags/box) to be donated to area food pantries. Those accepting the meals included: Attleboro, Bellingham, Bridgewater, Easton, Franklin, Foxboro, Mansfield, Medway, Plainville, Raynham, Taunton, Walpole and the Greater Boston Food Pantry. END HUNGER NE works with churches, schools, businesses, civic groups, the United Way, etc. to help reduce food insecurity in the Northeast US. It is part of Outreach, Inc. which serves the US and international communities. Remember in Your Prayers Those homebound, in nursing homes, recovering and/or taking treatments, who face difficult situations or problems, those who are hurting or struggling or have lost loved ones, those serving our country both home and abroad. Prayer request cards are available on the ushers’ stand. Place the completed card in the Prayer Box. Your request will be forwarded to the LCOR Prayer Chain by Dot Whiting. Please pray for the following: Connie, Ed, Gail, J.T., Joyce, KC, Maggie, Molly, Torey, Justin Bayoug, Marilyn Benaski, Ron Benaski, David Boette, Lou Boette, Mark Bombelli, Rev. John Brndjar, Halina Brys', Judy Champagne, Margaret Conlon, Phyllis Everson, Lynne Fraatz, Susan Franklin, David Frongillo, Don Hallee, Toini Hallsten, Gerry Hannon, Joe Hillstrom, Thelma Jason, Michael Jeffers, Martha, Jensky, Linda Knott, Norma Larson, Lois Mansen, Richard Mansen, Greg Maze, Trudy McCoy, Lori McInerney, Becky Oag, Helen Olsen and Family, Linda Olsen, Myrna Pearson, Jaime Rodrigues, Mike Sheppard, Cheryl Suess, Jeff Thompson, Troche Family, Rick Tula, Pat VanDyke, Ray VanDyke, Roger Wheeler, Judy Whiting, Dave Whitty, Mary Williams, Doris Wright, Pat Zimmerman, Claudia Zink. Adult Education In the season of Advent, the adult forum is studying the scriptures using the music of “Handel’s Messiah”. This multimedia presentation will involve brief commentary and individual scriptures of Messiah and a stream of historical art melded together to enrich ones spirit. All are welcome. Page 2 Our Redeemer’s Voice From the Pastor’s Desk Wow, have we been growing lately! In the past couple of months (since the beginning of October) we have received 25 new members into our LCOR membership! The new members who have been received by either baptism or letter of transfer are: Matt & Colleen Henderson; Jeffrey, Denise & Nolan Kelley; Greg, Courtney & Ayva Lopez; Monti, Shannon & Emery Ossenfort; Brandon & Amy Runge; John, Becky, Katelynn (Dineen) & Andrew Silva; Olivia Spinale; Matt, Angelic, Christian & Kaeden Tofteroo; and Matt, Marissa & Oliver Vekasy. We were able to get photos of most of these new members and have included them in this month's newsletter to help you get to know the names and faces of this large group of people! We are so thankful to God that so many people have been joining our community of faith lately. Remember- one of the most proven ways for a congregation to grow is when members invite friends and neighbors to attend their church. As the old saying goes"The more the merrier!" The following dates are highlights within our community life at LCOR: Saturday, December 6- There will be a Memorial Funeral Service at LCOR at 11:00 a.m. on the morning of the 6th for Mr. David Zink. David and his wife, Claudia, were members at LCOR before they relocated to North Carolina for their retirement. The members of LCOR are most welcome to attend this service as a formal Rest in Peace is given to our departed brother in Christ. Pr. Michael Fruth will serve as the worship leader for this service. This is also the date for our next Progressive Supper. The evening will start with appetizers at 6:30 p.m. at the home of Jim & Brenda Redmond. By @ 8:15 p.m., the dessert course will be hosted the home of Paul & Loni Ivanovskis. Why not plan on attending? If so, please place your name on the appropriate sign-up sheet on our bulletin board. Sunday, December 14- This is the date for our annual Children's Christmas Pageant which will be presented during the 11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship Service. This is also the date on which we have scheduled our next semi -annual Congregation Meeting which will start at @ 12:00 Noon. Sunday, December 21- We will be erecting the Christmas tree and decorating the church for Christmas. We will start on this project at @ 12:00 Noon. Remember- many hands make light work! Wednesday, December 24- We will celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord with two worship services. The early one which begins at 5:00 p.m. is more contemporary in liturgical style while the later 9:00 p.m. service is more traditional in liturgical style. Let's fill the church for both services and make a joyful and seasonal noise to the Lord! Sunday, December 28- We will do our annual Christmas caroling on this afternoon. We will gather at LCOR and leave from here at 2:00 p.m. As you may have noticed, I have not taken much vacation time so far this year. I will, however, be taking some time away from parish duties during the end of November and in the beginning of December. On November 30, Pr. Alan Grant will be leading our worship services as I will be enjoying the Thanksgiving weekend while my mother and sister visit from Ohio. From Tuesday, December 2 - Tuesday, December 9, I will be visiting my friend "RB" in Michigan. He will be installed as the new pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Rhodes, MI. I have been asked to deliver the sermon for that service on December 7. While I am away, please contact Pr. Michael Fruth in the event of a pastoral emergency. His phone number is: 508-386-2486. Pr. Fruth will also be leading the worship services at LCOR on December 7. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas with all of your loved ones! Pr. Rick Schlak Page 3 Thank You November 15, 2014 To My church family, Many thanks for all the warmth and support that you have given me and my family at this most difficult time. Your generosity and hard work at the reception was so appreciated by my family. My children were blessed hearing about memories you shared with them of their Dad. Thank you again for everything. In God's love, Helen and family Like Us on Facebook Did you know? LCOR is on Facebook! Back in July, we had 50 followers – and as of this newsletter we’re up to 80. Feel free to “Like” us. You can get a link to like us from our websites home page at www.lcor.org. We try to add or share items of interest going on at LCOR, the New England Synod or from the ELCA. As our audience grows we hope to add more. Alpha News The Alpha Course will begin on the January 18, 2015 in the church narthex The ten-week practical introduction to the Christian faith offers answers to some key questions. Each weekly session begins with an Informal dinner, followed by viewing a video, and ends with small-group discussions and interaction..Alpha began in London and is now held in thousands of churches around the world. Join others who have found answers to their questions about life and God and how they relate. To learn more about the course pick up a brochure in the narthex or see Cal Foster Foxboro Food Pantry God's work. Our Hands. Once again we have a chance to remember the hungry as we prepare for Thanksgiving. Please bring your food offerings forward to add to the baskets at the altar or place them in the shopping cart in the narthex. We will be delivering to the Foxboro Food Pantry on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Thank you for your generosity. Community Life and Social Ministries Committees. Page 4 Our Redeemer’s Voice 2015 LCOR Mission Trip 2015 LCOR MISSION TRIP Maine Seacoast Mission "In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" The Outreach Committee invites you to consider signing up for the 2015 LCOR Mission Trip. We will be going to Maine (about a 5-6 hour drive) to work on repairing and winterizing homes for the poor and elderly from June 14 th to June 20th (Sunday-Saturday). The cost is $175.00 per person for a week's time. Housing is provided and includes sleeping space, group kitchen, and bathroom facilities. No cots or bedding offered so we bring our own sleeping arrangements like cots, air mattresses. We are responsible for acquiring and cooking our own meals. We hope to recruit a wide variety of people for this trip. 15 year-olds and up can work at the site with parental supervision and signed minor forms. Other family members with a custodial parent are welcome to stay at the camp while one adult works on the site. Facilities include Chapel, Education Center, hiking trails, ropes course, tent platforms. A packing list will be provided for necessities and tools. Thursdays are a group cookout whereby residents as well as the volunteer groups get together for a cook out. WE donate food for this. 10% Non-refundable deposit to secure dates of our reservation. Please contact Paul Burns, Loni Ivanovskis, Ute Taylor or Cal Foster for further information. An information meeting will be held in January for those signed up. Pledge Reminder A reminder to everyone that as the LCOR 2014 fiscal year draws to a close please be mindful of your 2014 pledged amount as compared to your actual giving amount. Pledged amount through 10/31 Pledged actuals received through 10/31 Pledge shortfall through 10/31 $118,971 $111,335 < $ 7,636> Spotlight on Child Care Center Board of Directors’ Meeting, November 4, 2014 Our Redeemer Child Care Center is doing very well with a current capacity of 92%. The Infant room has 77% of capacity; Yearling room 71% capacity; Toddler 1 has 87%; Toddler 2 is at 96%; Pre-school is at 103% capacity; and Pre-K is at 97 % of capacity. One new infant will start in November, one in January, and another in March. The Alpine Giftware fundraiser, which occurred in October, generated $850 in profit. A successful Halloween family night party took place on October 30 th and was attended by many families. Page 5 New Members (left) Amy and Brandon Runge (right) Becky, Katelynn (Dineen), John, Andrew Silva (left) Christian, Matt, Angelic, Kaeden Tofteroo Page 6 Newsletter Title New Members (left) (right) Marissa, Monti, Emery, Shannon Ossenfort Oliver, Matt Vekasy (left) Mike (right) Courtney, and Colleen Henderson Ayva, Greg Lopez Page 7 Progressive Supper Progressive Supper: Please join us at the homes of James and Brenda Redmond and Paul and Loni Ivanovskis for the winter progressive supper. We always have a great time and we'd love to see you! Bring a dessert or appetizer to share if you'd like. Please see sign-up sheet on bulletin board. When: December 6th beginning at 6:30 and continuing at 8:15 Where: 15 Reservoir St, #52 in Mansfield for appetizers and 141 East St in Foxboro for desserts December Birthdays and Anniversaries Holly Barros Carol Boette Mason Bowman Camilla Burton Kimberley Dearborn-Nelson Jai Demers Tim Fairchild Lynne Harrison Aidan Higgins Nancy Hopkins Jessica Keaney Ayva Lopez Clara Malinowski Alyssa McAuliffe Kristen McKay Mary McNeil Ken Morse Heather Murphy Shannon Ossenfort Alyson Rando Neila Schweitzer Tanya Taft Chris and Jeanine McAuliffe Shane and Sherry Stenehjem If you do not see your name listed, then your information is missing from our database. Please contact the church secretary with the information so we can update our records. We don’t want to leave anyone out. Christmas Poinsettia’s Help adorn the sanctuary with poinsettias this Christmas. Large, beautiful plants will be available for purchase at $15 per plant. They’ll enhance our worship on Christmas Eve and you can take them home after the second service that evening to decorate your home or to give as a gift. Sign up on the list on the bulletin board in the hallway. You can designate your gift in memory of or in honor of someone if you choose. Checks payable to LCOR can be put in the offering plate—please put “Christmas Poinsettia” on the memo line. Angelina’s We are now offering brunch at Angelina’s on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All you can eat for adults is $17.95, Children $9.95 and kids under 4 eat for free. This includes an omelet station where you pick all your own toppings, bagels, cinnamon bread, croissants, Page 8 sausages, bacon, home fries, baked haddock, hot pasta dish, fresh fruit, desserts such as cheese cake, carrot cake, cannollie and chefs choice of the hot meal whether it is carved ham, turkey or roast changing weekly. Brunch comes with coffee, tea, orange, tomato and cranberry juice as well. Mimosas are $5 and can be served after 12 p.m. Thank you kindly. Maiju Angelina’s 1230 South Street Wrentham, MA 02093 774 | 847-9311 774 | 847-9958 Fax Newsletter Title Christmas Decorating We will decorate the sanctuary for Christmas after the 2nd service on Sunday December 21sth. This includes putting up the tree, decorating it, assembling the handheld candles/holders for the Christmas Eve celebration, and setting up the crèche. There are chores for all ages and it’s a quick job with enough helping hands. Please consider staying after second service or returning to church at 12:00 to help with this fun and important activity! Christmas Undecorating The tree and other Christmas decorations will be taken down and put away after the 2 nd service on Sunday January 4th. Maybe not as festive and fun as decorating….but just as important! Many hands make quick work …all are welcome! Confirmation Class Fund Raisers Our eight Confirmation students, their chaperones and I from LCOR will be joining with the Confirmation students, their chaperones and pastor from Trinity Lutheran Church of Fairhaven, MA to participate in the Nightwatch program at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in upper Manhattan on Friday, January 23. On Friday morning, January 24, we will travel to lower Manhattan to visit the 911 Memorial- including the recently opened museum. This trip is typically the highlight of our two-year Confirmation program. The cost for the coach bus to transport us along with our participation in the Nightwatch program is not financially insignificant. So, as in years past, our Confirmation students and parents will be sponsoring some special projects which you may like to support? On Saturday, December 13 from 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., our Confirmation students AND their parents will provide child sitting services so that parents may have some free time to go Christmas shopping. If you are interested in this service, please place your name on the appropriate sign-up sheet on the bulletin board. This service is being provided for children age 3 and older but this age limit is negotiable if you are comfortable with younger children being included. In this regard, you may contact Maryanna Biedermann (e-mail: [email protected], or phone 508-339-1859), a parent of two of our Confirmation students, who is organizing this service. It will be important for you to place your name and your child(ren)s name(s) on the sign-up sheet along with your cell phone number and e-mail address. Please remember to also include information about any allergies that your child(en) may have. We are asking for a donation of $25 for one child and $35 for two children, but any donation will be accepted. Parents are asked to pack and provide a suitable lunch for their children. You can also make use of this service if you simply want some free time to yourself to do some Christmas wrapping. You certainly are free to utilize one of our many rooms here for doing such a chore. On Sunday, December 14 during our fellowship hour (which is also the date of our annual Children's Christmas Pageant), our Confirmation students will be hosting a bake sale in the church narthex. Be sure to check out these tables of goodies on the 14th as I know there will be a number of tasty treats for people, and so I'm told, there may even be some freshly baked dog cookies too! All donations will be accepted. Please start saving your redeemable bottles and cans because on the Sundays of January 4, 11, and 18 our Confirmation students and parents will be accepting redeemable bottles and cans which they will turn in to augment our fundraising efforts. Our Confirmation students and parents are: Alex Behling (son of Bill and Nancy Behling), Harry & Lily Biedermann (son and daughter of Rick & Maryanna Biedermann), Christian Edgecomb (son of Lynn Dognazzi, Tyler Newman (nephew to Lynn Dognazzi and grandson to Pr. Michael & Mrs. Jan Fruth), Hayden Phillips (son of Cliff and Susan Phillips), Christian Tofteroo (son of Matt and Angelic Tofteroo), and Justin Willson (son of Patrick and Joelle Wilson). Page 9 You can find updated Server Schedules as well as the monthly calendar on the church’s website at www.LCOR.ORG—The Calendar and Server Schedule are updated on regular basis. Page 10 Our Redeemer’s Voice Page 11 Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer 212 Main Street Foxboro, MA 02035 Phone: 508-543-4071 E-mail: [email protected] www.LCOR.ORG Flowers for the Altar If you’d like to put flowers on the altar, simply sign up on the large flower chart on the bulletin board in the hallway leading to the education wing. They may be given in honor of someone, in memory of someone, an event (anniversary birthday etc.), or simply to the glory of God! If the flowers are being given in honor or memory of someone, please write that on the flower chart. If no reason is stated on the chart then flowers will be given to the “Glory of God.” You must sign up a minimum of 7 days in advance. Flower arrangements are $35 each. Please place your payment in the offering plate and be sure you designate the payment as “altar flowers.” These flowers belong to you, after the flowers adorn the altar area for both services, please take your flowers home. Receiving E-Mail Newsletter If you are interested in receiving the newsletter by e-mail rather than the regular mail, please sign up on the E-Mail signup sheet on the bulletin board, or leave a note on the secretary’s desk (providing your name and email address). You can also send an e-mail to [email protected] with your request to be added. Each month the e-mail version of the newsletter will be e-mailed out generally 3 days prior to when the printed copy comes out. The e-mail version is in color. You can print out only what you want printed. The format of the e-mail bulletin is normal sized paper. For those of you concerned with computer viruses, the church computer is updated and checked weekly and all e-mail addresses are kept confidential. The e-mail bulletin is sent out to all as a blind copy so if it is forwarded the only email address that is seen is the church’s.