VBS Wilderness Escape - St. Stephen Martyr Lutheran Church
Transcription
VBS Wilderness Escape - St. Stephen Martyr Lutheran Church
SSMLC The VBS Wilderness Escape Page 5 Your Story-God's Story Page 7 Are We Welcoming Visitors? Page 8 First Communion Page 14 National Youth Gathering St. Stephen Martyr Lutheran Church July 2014 Newsletter Monthly A Note From the Pastor important and so receive it with joy and thanksgiving. It seems that high school graduation has become the rite of passage from childhood to adulthood for our time. So what is the purpose of confirmation here and now? Education is still the key element in confirmation - teaching the basics of the faith to each new generation. It is now a time of preparation for becoming a “voting member” of the congregation. Oh yes, and the source of acolytes and crucifiers. Regrettably, confirmation is more and more seen as an intrusion into an already busy and crowded family schedule. Thus there is less and less parental support for it. Pastors and education committees struggle to find a time for confirmation that does not conflict with the multitude of activities taking place almost 24/7. All this rambling has brought us back to the original question “What are we going to do with confirmation this fall?” Permit me to suggest the following for your consideration: The purpose of confirmation is educational. It is to provide youth an opportunity to learn about the beliefs and practices of the faith and to have a As I sought to discern the direction of my sermon for Sunday, safe place to explore and question their faith. It also provides the grace and love or fire and brimstone, my quiet reflection was opportunity to experience service and active participation in the destroyed by the dreaded and feared “C” question - “What are we life of the congregation. Those who complete confirmation will going to do with confirmation this fall?” Confirmation has become “confirmed voting members” of the congregation. wandered across the theological and liturgical landscape looking Those who do not take part in confirmation or complete its for a home longer than the Israelites in the Wilderness. Once an requirements will continue to be “baptized” members of the exasperated theologian stated, “Confirmation is a rite looking for a reason”. Now Pastor Kimberly was inquiring about its home at St. Stephen’s. What’s Wrong with this Rite? In an age when young boys were apprenticed at twelve or thirteen, it may well have marked a life passage from childhood to adulthood. Today that could mean confirmation taking place in one’s twenties. This “coming of age” idea continues even today. For many, confirmation is seen as that moment when parents are released from the promises they made at their child’s baptism and the child assumes responsibility for his/her faith life. Thus many parents feel it is no longer necessary to “push” their child to be involved in church. In an age when education of the young increasingly took place outside the home, it was the means of conveying the “true” faith to the young. It was for many of my generation the hoop one had to jump through in order to receive Holy Communion. One must clearly discern the nature and meaning of Holy Communion so as not to receive it in an unworthy manner! In a very positive way, confirmation lifted up the Lutheran emphasis on learning. The importance of the “priesthood of all believers” calls for each believer to know the teachings and practices of the faith and not just the clergy. Today we commune children at a very young age having learned that even young children can understand that Holy Communion is 2 The SSMLC Monthly • www.wherelovelives.org congregations with all its rights and privileges but not “voting members” with its benefits. Thus, the congregation will be responsible for providing a confirmation program for 6th through 8th grade youth at a day and time that best fits with the congregation’s programing. Attendance and participation in the program will be the responsibility of the parents and students. The Rite of Confirmation is a privilege and not a right. That’s what has been wrong with the Rite - seeing it as a right rather than a privilege. I would like to know what you think about the Rite of Confirmation. So drop me an email or a note with your thoughts and comments. Your servant in Christ, Pastor Herb [email protected] Contents If you want to start a subscription to the newsletter, or save paper and change your subscription to online only, please contact Kayla Householder at [email protected] to be added to the appropriate list. NEWS 4 Council Updates 5 Your Story-God's Story 6 St. Stephen's Own Designer 7 Are We Welcoming Towards Visitors? St. Stephen Martyr Lutheran Church 4600 Fulton Drive NW Canton, Ohio 44718 Phone: 330.492.4591 Fax: 330.492.8794 [email protected] ssmlc44718 +WherelovelivesOrg44718 S_SMLC S.SMLC Our Purpose and Mission is to help you experience God's love so that you can live more freely, fully, and faithfully. Our Vision is to be an exceptionally PEOPLE OF ST. STEPHEN 8 First Communion 9 Birthday & Prayer Lists dynamic community of believers, committed to sharing Christ's love so that the kingdom of this earth more closely resembles the Kingdom of Heaven. Ministers The Congregation FEATURE 10 VBS Senior Pastor The Rev. Dr. Bruce R. Roth Associate Pastor The Rev. Kimberly A. Vaughn MINISTRY 12 Cornival 13 UrbanArk 14 National Youth Gathering Visitation Pastor The Rev. Herbert S. Garnes III Pastor Emeritus The Rev. Ned J. McMillen Doug Downie Rachel Hall Allie Harpster ST. STEPHEN STATS 15 Attendance & Giving Marie Herncane Kayla Householder Kathy Miller Susan Rusinoff Bob Shope Article Submission Do you have an idea for an article or want to write one? Please contact Kayla Householder at [email protected]. We are always accepting article submissions; however, it is not guaranteed to be printed based on content and submission date. A/V Director Parish Secretary Director of Lay Ministry VIP and Children's Choir Director Parish Communicator Organist Nursery Attendant Facility Manager Cliff Varian The Gathering Worship Leader Patti Wolfe Parish Administrator Church Office Hours Monday - Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm July 2014 3 News THANKS grows, more people must become involved in leadership. There is a comfort level at the size of church to which we’ve become accustomed. Consent Agenda There is a resistance to change, fueled in part just because change is tough, but also loss of Minutes of the April meeting were approved with no additions or corrections. The April 2014 control is perceived as part of change. Several Parish Administrator’s report was reviewed by members felt that many of the suggestions in the book have already been done, for example, Steve Nielsen. Attendance and contributions ChristCare groups. As the church grows larger, numbers were good this month. We ended it must grow smaller through small groups. April with a positive cash flow of $1112 and Something with less structure and rigidity than YTD a positive cash flow of $21,939. The ChristCare seems more appealing. Capital Appeal donations fell short of the monthly mortgage payment again this month, Chapter 2: Barriers to Growth with the $2000 cushion we made the payment. The letters to Capital Appeal pledgers have We are not located in a growing community been sent, either thanking donors for fulfilling anymore. Jackson Township is slated to their commitment and encouraging them to decrease over the next 10 years. Do we have a continue giving beyond the end of the clear sense of our identity and of our mission campaign, or informing them that the campaign priorities and how are we living into that officially ends in June and of the balance mission? We have been a part of the NEOS initiative “The Journey Forward”, a strategic remaining on their pledge. planning task force that will help us identify our No weddings or baptisms since last meeting. mission and priorities. Meeting planned for Pastor Bruce officiated at the internment of May 13 will begin to wrap up their work. Do we Alex and Doris Zenovic on May 10. A New have a call to live beyond ourselves? What is Member class was held on May 3 and nine new the vision for the congregation? There are members were received on May 4. Jeff Musser several pieces, including communication, made the motion to approve the consent preaching, and education, that will get the agenda. Passed unanimously. congregation on the same page with respect to vision. Why do we need to grow? Are we just Discussion regarding the resolution about growing the numbers or are we utilizing Raising the Roof book by Alice Mann from the Alban Institute chapters 1-3. ministering to those in need? Relevance – What difference does church make in our lives? Chapter 1: Changing Size Other barriers mentioned: The following insights were noted: Regardless • Overall, people are skeptical of religion of the direction we go, we need strong and the Bible leadership and strategic planning. We must • Worship times overlapping makes parking have trust in our leadership. As the church a problem • Are we making visitors a priority? • Visitors’ parking spaces not clearly visible • More training for greeters to help make visitors feel more welcome. Phrases like “I don’t think I know you. My name is ___ and you are?” • Nametags/welcome packets for visitors/ permanent nametags for members • What is a Lutheran? • Our worship style/hymns • Why is our congregation's demographic so white? • Money If you wish to read Council minutes in detail, they are located in the Holy Grounds Café. Staffing for growth was briefly discussed. By the numbers we are understaffed on the programmatic side. Pastor Bruce noted that Allie Harpster actually wears two hats and serves in both support and program. When questioned on what additional staffing is needed, members suggested that a full-time education person who would serve adults, children and youth might be what we need. In the essence of time, there was no discussion on the attendance charts or the congregation trend report. It was recommended that we pick up at this point in the agenda at June’s meeting. Committee Report/Action Items In the essence of time, there were no committee reports. Thanks to Kayla Householder for the new format for the weekly Pew Review. Meeting adjourned at 8.57 PM. Next regularly scheduled Council meeting will be Monday, June 9, 2014, in the conference room. St. Stephen Members, I would like to thank you for my graduation gift, and the book of devotions is a nice way to start each day. I appreciate your kindness and support. Sincerely, Jon Kampfer 4 The SSMLC Monthly • www.wherelovelives.org Members of St. Stephen, Thank you so much St. Stephens for both graduation and birthday cards! Also for the devotional; I use it daily! Thank you, Rachel R Walton I am positive that your prayers, cards, and the people who called helped me immensely. I especially want to thank the pastors for taking time to call the first night of synod. It was a very stressful time, and their visitations meant a great deal to me. In Christian Love, Sandie Kramer YOUR STORY – GOD’S STORY “So, what’s your story?” That sounds like a line one would hear at a fancy mixer event. It can be the innocent question of one seeking to befriend you or of one trying to figure your motives. We all have stories, and all of our stories – good or bad – make up the narrative of our lives. Some of our stories are colorful, and lead to a colorful narrative. As a pastor, I get to hear some of these colorful narratives when loved ones are celebrated, as well as heart-breaking stories full of struggle. As followers in Jesus Christ, we believe that our individual stories are threads woven into God’s great Story – a narrative whose beginning and end are written in God’s loving hand. God’s story is a story of creating, calling, covenanting, remembering, redeeming and sanctifying. So, if our stories are threads in God’s great story, how do they fit into God’s divine Story? Can we see the connection? Beginning this Fall we will all have an opportunity to explore God’s Story through an all-congregation campaign called The Story (of course!). What’s The Story? The Story is an abridged, chronological Bible that reads like a novel....For those intimidated or overwhelmed by the unabridged Bible, The Story helps people understand God’s Word more fully and engage with it more easily….The Story is a powerful way to engage entire congregations in Bible reading like never before. As The Story brings the Bible to life, the broad scope of God’s message will penetrate hearts. People of all ages will be swept up in the story of God’s love and God’s plan for their lives.” (www.thestory.com) Then, beginning September 14th, every age group will be engaged in learning the same lesson. Adults will meet in small groups with study guides for them. High school youth and Confirmation students will meet using teen resources. Sunday school classes will meet using the children’s materials. Each age group will have their specific materials but all will be on the same lesson from The Story for that day. Also, the sermons and hymns will tie into The Story lesson each of the 31 weeks. (Please note that on certain Sundays we will break from the Story-line for special events (Christmas Cantata/Pageant, Palm Sunday, Easter, etc.). A calendar of the 31 lessons will be posted soon. What if I miss a week? The 31 lessons are selected specifically to point learners to God’s redemptive narrative, and each week connects together; however, we are planning monthly “Story Recaps”, where we can gather together, share and get caught up on The Story. We invite you to join us in discovering God’s Story, and by so doing, discovering your place and story in this divine Story. We pray that you will become a transformed, engaged reader of the Bible. Invite your friends and family to join us in this exciting event! The Story covers 31 bible stories in chronological order, taken from both the Old and New Testaments. There are Story books for all ages, complete with 31 lesson plans, worship and preaching materials. Participants may order materials through the So, what’s your story? church office, if they wish to have their own copies. What will it look like? First, we will kickoff The Story with both our annual Sunday School Rally Day and our 2nd annual ELCA Day of Service on September 7th. There will be a joint outdoor worship service that morning. *We are currently seeking volunteers to lead a small group for The Story. Please sign up on the bulletin board or contact the church office for more information. July 2014 5 St. Stephen's Own Designer This month's spotlight is on Lois Cunningham. She designed and made the green altar paraments that will be displayed all summer season. Lois has been sewing since she was only sixteen years old, and she even makes her own clothes! How did she get started sewing the church paraments? What is the process she goes through in designing the paraments? Lois is first asked by the Pastor to create something with a specific church season in mind. Lois does research and crafts a design. She meets with the Pastor to see if her design is approved before she starts sewing. She then creates a pattern to follow and goes fabric shopping. She buys most of her fabric from JoAnn Fabrics unless she cannot find what she is looking for, then she orders online. Lois' hand cuts every piece based off of her pattern, and then machine stitches the pieces together. She actually did not start designing the paraments first. She started with creating the banners in the Family Life Center. Cliff Varian had asked about making banners for the Family Life Center, and someone asked Lois if she would. The rest is history! She created the St. Stephen banner located She has created several things for the church, as in the Narthex and, all of the banners in the Family well as personal items and keeps all of them in a Life Center, and the red and green altar paraments. book. If you are ever interested in seeing some of the other things Lois has made, ask to see her little black book of designs. Tree and Bench Dedications On July 20, at the end of the 8:00 am service, we will have a procession outdoors for some special dedications. All are welcome to join us at 9:00 am in front of the church. The following dedications will be made: Tree In loving memory of Kathy Kamerer Mautz, by her brother, Jeff Kamerer. In loving memory of Dave Johns, gift given by generous donors. Bench In loving memory of David Johns, by the office staff and pastors. In loving memory of Arthur P. Gebhard, by his son, Jeff Gebhard. 6 The SSMLC Monthly • www.wherelovelives.org People of St. Stephen Sunday School Volunteers Needed We are still in need of several more volunteers to serve as Sunday school teachers and/or assistants. Our students benefit greatly from having caring adults listen to them and model Christian behavior, and each of you have the ability to have a significant impact in the lives of our youth. Since we will use The Story this year, the lessons are all laid out and easy to follow! Even if you do not want to commit to the entire year, we need fill-ins as well. If you are interested in serving in this ministry, please contact Cheryl Lepkowski at 330.499.1733 or Denielle Colando at 330.834.3090. Favorite Hymns and Summer Worship 8:00 am and 10:30 am Services Samuel Benedict Thanks to everyone who turned in the titles of their favorite hymns! There were 153 favorite hymns submitted from the 8:00 & 10:30 services. Some of them have been sung recently and we will sing at least three of them each Sunday during the summer. Be sure to be at worship each week to sing your favorites! Others will be used in the Fall and the favorite Christmas ones used during the holidays. Starting June 22, we will use ELW setting 10 which uses familiar hymn tunes for the liturgy. The hymn of praise and the offertory will also be from the favorite hymns list. Rylie Buso Top 15 Hymns: First Communion Congratulations to all those who received their First Holy Communion on June 8, 2014 ! Caiden Balash Kylie Balash Tanner Buso 1. A Mighty Fortress Foster Camp 2. Amazing Grace Emma Fox 3. Beautiful Savior Sarah Hall 4. Holy, Holy, Holy Andrew Heck 5. How Great Thou Art Holden Nist 6. I Love to Tell the Story Karson Roggenburk 7. Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee Aaron Salazar 8. Earth and All Stars Jonathan Salazar 9. Borning Cry Aidan Smith 10. Crown Him with Many Crowns Tristan Swallen 11. Here I Am Lord 12. Lift High the Cross 13. The Church’s One Foundation 14. Take My Life and Let it Be 15. Thine Is the Glory July 2014 7 Are we welcoming towards Visitors? I walked into this huge building one Sunday morning, confused as to where to go. Some helpful woman at the Welcome Center greeted me and directed me where to go for service. I shook the greeter’s hand, took a bulletin from the usher and chose a seat. Everyone met and talked amongst themselves, but no one welcomed me or introduced himself or herself. I stumbled through service not knowing what to do, but was happy to see a smiling face during the sharing of peace. The sermon was enjoyable; the pastor spoke with great enthusiasm. We sang the last song, and were dismissed. I had hoped to socialize and meet a few people sitting around me, but they got up and quickly left without acknowledging me in any way. It had been a while since I had been in the church setting and I was nervous about coming back. I was surrounded by friendly people; yet I walked away feeling alone. This is one of several stories we have recently heard by visitors of our congregation. These are not all coming back from one specific service, but all three services. Sometimes you are caught up in the fellowship of the church, with people you already know, that you forget to think about how an outsider must feel. Is our church welcoming to those who have been burned by a church before? Is it welcoming to people who have been away from a church for a while and are looking for a way back? What about people from different nationalities or backgrounds than us? Are we quick to point a finger, or do we extend a hand and introduce ourselves? What would happen if Mathew, the tax collector, visited St. Stephen? Would we welcome prophets, lepers, eunuchs, the Samaritan woman, or would we ignore them because they are misfits? What if Jesus himself were to walk through the door one Sunday and go to one of our services? Would we welcome him and say, “Hello, I am (insert name) and I do not think I have met you yet” or would we say “excuse me, I come here every Sunday and you are in my seat”? We need to recognize that the church is going to attract people from all walks of life. We need to be friendly and inviting to everyone. Matthew was a misfit, and so was John. If everyone isn’t welcome, Jesus isn’t either. He himself said, "What you do to the least, you do to me" (Matthew 25:40). We welcome Jesus by welcoming every one that walks into St. Stephen. Try to keep this in mind on Sunday mornings. Introduce yourself to people you do not know. Come early before service and stay late to socialize with people; that is why we have our Holy Grounds Café! Help us show that this is not only a place where love lives, but show we can share that love with members and visitors alike! What would our church look like if we embraced everyone as Jesus did? How could our church grow and move forward? What new ministries could we create? How could we help spread the word and God’s love to others around the community? 8 The SSMLC Monthly • www.wherelovelives.org July Birthdays Congratulations to Robert and Abbie Scott on the birth of their twin girls, Ava Marie and Reagan Leigh. Ava and Reagan are also the great-grandchildren of George and Lois Piggott. 7/3 7/4 7/4 7/5 7/5 7/6 7/6 7/8 7/8 7/8 7/8 7/9 7/10 7/11 7/11 7/11 7/12 7/12 Sharon Clara Jason Eliott Kennedy Karen Owen Christine Jack Kiersten Quinn Joanne Henry Jan Jennifer Hope John Nick Bickis Wright Norch Kamerer Norch Marsh Burick Hutcheson Riordan Bair Robinson Nixdorf Zielke Johnson Maierhofer Price Greene Groves 7/14 7/15 7/15 7/15 7/15 7/15 7/15 7/16 7/16 7/16 7/16 7/16 7/17 7/18 7/18 7/19 7/19 7/20 Mary Sandy Selena Richard Alannah Chloe Keira Mary Jo Brenda Sheila Aaron Micah Beth Dave Chloe Sandy Diana Lynette Unkefer Schuster Riordan Hardgrove Phillips Swallen Swallen Teter Kirkbride Myers Lockhart Lockhart Wake Kile Herncane Shope Neading Rice Prayer List 7/20 7/20 7/21 7/21 7/22 7/23 7/24 7/25 7/26 7/27 7/28 7/28 7/28 7/30 7/31 7/31 7/31 7/31 Heather Abby Jo Matt Kallie Tiffany Troy Aaron Terry Lisa Fred Nathan Silvija George Kay Jan Debbie Elle Nielsen Rochford Baugher Belardo Glodziak Lorenz Weber Bellamy Phillips Maccora Schuster Hamit Colburn Hampu Heck Schaub Maccora Ketcham Sympathies If you are in need of prayer or would like to be a member of the Prayer Chain, please contact Elaine Begalke-Rigsby at 330.705.5357 or [email protected]. The following names were added to the Prayer List this month: Illona Aleman Ashley Klein Burkart Julie Crissinger Charles Dawes Doemel Family Elaine Edwards Kim Gardner Brian Hartley Family Deborah Hickman Diane Horman Evelyn Kaufman Lorenz Family Maille Family Brady Marsland Sandy Murdock Nartley Family Chris Peters Reinhardt Family Rennecker Family David Risaliti Scott Family Mindy Smith Christopher Teter JoAnn Tonir Sympathies of the congregation are extended to the Lorenz family. Tom Lorenz entered the Church Triumphant Tuesday, June 17. Sympathies of the congregation are extended to the Doemel family. Susan Doemel entered the Church Triumphant Sunday, June 15. Sympathies of the congregation are extended to the friends and family of Chip Rennecker. Chip entered the Church Triumphant Friday, May 30. Steve Weaver July 2014 9 Feature T his year was Jen Fickeisen’s first time as the Vacation Bible School coordinator, and she did an outstanding job! We had roughly eighty kids pile into the Family Life Center during the week of Vacation Bible School. The kids were divided into the twelve tribes of Israel and traveled throughout the week together. They learned all about how God provides, from a well-known bible hero, Moses. Day 1 The bible story was from Exodus 14:1-15:21: the Israelites cross the Red Sea. The key verse from Exodus 3:12: “God answered. ‘I will be with you.’” During Tribe Time the kids shared the times or places they were glad that God was with them. In Moses’ tent they escaped from Egypt and crossed the Red Sea to dry land. Day 2 The kid’s favorite bible story came from Exodus 16, where God 10 The SSMLC Monthly • www.wherelovelives.org provides manna and quail in the desert. The key verse was from Matthew 6:8, “For your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” During Tribe Time the kids wrote their needs and discovered that God knows their hearts like no one else! In Moses’ tent they had a comical guest, Shawn Billker, whined about being hungry and chowed down on quail and manna. Day 3 The kids were more than excited to start the day! They already had a few favorite songs, and were energized at 9 am, ready to hear more from Moses! The bible story was from Exodus 17:8-16 when Israel defeats the Amalekites. The key verse was from Philippians 4:13, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” During Tribe Time they explored how God gives them strength. In Moses’ tent they were split into groups of three to have one ‘Moses’ hold a heavy mini-staff and learn about the Amalekites’ battle with Israel. Day 4 The kids were excited to come back to see the friends they made, and looked forward to the ice cream social that night. The key bible story was about Passover, from Exodus 12:1-30. The key verse was from Jeremiah 30:11, “’For I am with you and will save you,’ says the Lord.” In Tribe Time the kids talked about the surprising way Jesus washes away their sins. In Moses’ tent they painted on their tribe doors and prayed for their family as they learned about Passover. During the ice cream social that night, the kids performed a few songs, had a trivia game against the audience and won! Day 5 The kids learned about God giving us the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. The key bible verse was from Psalm 16:7, “I will bless the Lord who guides me.” In Tribe Time they experienced what it means to have God guide them through life. In Moses’ tent they watched Moses lead someone around scary traps and they talked about obeying God’s Ten Commandments. After a week spent at St. Stephen traveling in their twelve tribes, the kids learned how to trust God! Outside of the lessons each day, there were two marvelous things taking place. One was how eager the children were to pray each day. The day started out with a morning prayer, a prayer at snack time, and a closing prayer. By Friday, the prayer line was so long that it took a few minutes to get through all of them! Sure, several of them stumbled over the Lord’s prayer (I heard about ten different child versions throughout the week), but they were excited to lead the prayer! It was amazing how thrilled and eager they were and how one child fed off of the previous child’s prayer! If you did not get a chance to experience any of them, a few are posted on our Facebook page. The second marvelous thing that happened at VBS was their mission outreach for the year, God’s Global Barnyard. This is through the ELCA’s Good Gifts that helps special families located in the U.S. or abroad. The purpose of God’s Global Barnyard is to raise funds to provide animals to families in need. There are different monetary amounts per animal based on what you wish to donate. At the beginning of the week their goal was to raise enough funds to provide an entire farm, which costs $715. By the end of the week the kids at VBS raised $524.70. Since they were a little short of their goal, we challenged the congregation on Sunday, and raised a grand total of $1,733.24! With that money, and a few other generous donations we received, we were able to purchase three farms for families in need! Overall, it was a great experience for the kids, as well as the volunteers, to see how God is working in and through them! July 2014 11 Ministry The Service Committee The Service Committee is creating a business service directory for the members of St. Stephen. They would like to fill it with the names and services offered by our members and those whom our members recommend. It is easy to be included! You may place your card in the offering plate or drop off the information in the office. They just need your type of business, product or service, name, address, phone number, email and if you are a member. This is FREE to SSMLC members; and non-members and friends may list their business for a $5.00 fee. Business cards may be included for a charge of $5.00 per card; this applies to members and non-members. Please send in your payment with your information. There will be cards to fill out in the office. We are hoping to have the directory completed this fall, so please submit that information by August 1. Feel free to let us know if you have any suggestions or recommendations for the directory. Prayer Shawl Ministry Bridge of Faith All are invited to join the Prayer Shawl Ministry, which meets year-round to knit prayer shawls at 9:30 a.m. on the third Thursday of each month. Our next meeting is Thursday, July 17. Knowing how to knit is not required. We can teach you! For additional information, please contact Thelma Mattes at 330.477.3641 or Donna Woodhall at 330.492.2552. Won't you consider being a part of this wonderful ministry? Bridge of Faith is a fellowship group that meets in the SSMLC Holy Grounds Café to play the game of bridge on the second Tuesday of each month. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, July 8, at 10 a.m. If you love the game of bridge, or if you'd just like to learn how to play, please join us. For more information, please contact the church office at 330.492.4591. Quilters The Quilters meet at the church to create quilts for Lutheran World Relief every Monday from 1- 3 pm. If you are interested in quilting, please join us. For more information about this group, please contact Nancy Schoenbaum at 330.493.1386. We hope to see you this Monday. Habitat for Humanity Thank you to all of the workers and food prep volunteers that we had in June. We have another work day coming up this month. On Saturday, August 9 they will work on interior painting. You can also help build the Habitat house by taking a tag from our dollhouse and making a monetary donation. Donations can be made by writing a check to St. Stephen Martyr with "Habitat for Humanity" on the memo line. For more information, contact Bill Miller at 330.452.2417. SAVE THE DATE: Cornival Good News and Good Times committee is hosting a "Cornival" at the Varian Farm on August 24! There will be corn themed games for people of all ages, crafts for the kids, and plenty of corn themed food! If you have any questions about this event or wish to volunteer, please contact Virginia Meisenhelter at 330.833.7806. 12 The SSMLC Monthly • www.wherelovelives.org Merry Widows The Merry Widows will NOT meet during July due to the holiday. The group will resume meeting in August. Please contact Lois Cunningham at 330.494.5913 or [email protected] if you have any questions about this group. God's Work. Our Hands. The ELCA has been a church deeply rooted in faith and in sharing its passion for making positive changes in the world. All ELCA congregations are called to take part in a dedicated day of service on Sunday, September 7, which will be known as God's Work, Our Hands Sunday. Please mark the date on your calendars now! If you would like to purchase a shirt for $10, please fill out an order form passed out in the weekly announcements, and return it to the church office by July 20. Mulching Volunteers Needed We are seeking volunteers to assist with mulching Centering Prayer For the summer, in addition to our Centering Prayer and discussion we will do a short DVD series, The Practice that Brings the Fruit of Centering Prayer to Life. If you have been thinking about joining our group or are free Wednesdays at 2 pm in the summer this is would be a good time to join us! Here is our upcoming schedule: around the St. Stephen flower beds. There will be a light top coating of mulch placed around the church foundation. Please bring a change of clothes and a tool to help spread the mulch. We appreciate any and all help on July 13 after the 9:15 am and 10:30 am services that Sunday. For any questions or more information, contact Bob Shope in the church office at 330.492.4591. Thank you, and we hope to see you there! July 9- "The Prayer of Forgiveness", the key to liberation of our inner spirit July 23- "The Human Condition", the pursuit of happiness; where it cannot be found Aug 6- "The Welcoming Prayer", a method of consenting to God's presence and action in our physical and emotional reactions to events and situations in daily life Please contact Barb Tolliver at 330.923.4546 if you plan on attending or for more information. Ladies Night Out Adopt-A-Bed All St. Stephen women and their friends are invited to join the Ladies Night Out group for dinner at Bravo on July 21, at 6:30 pm. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Carol Ballentine at 330.477.5931 by July 20. This month's outreach activity will be donations for the military through Aultman Hospice. We are seeking volunteers to help maintain the landscaping around Small Group Leaders Needed We are currently seeking volunteers to lead a small group for The Story. It will only be for 31 weeks, and there is an easy to follow lesson guide. The beauty of leading a small group is that you can chose the time and day that best fits your schedule! If you have any questions or would like to look over the lesson guide, please contact the church office at 330.492.4591. If you are interested in leading a group through The Story, please sign up on the bulletin board in the Narthex. the church. If you enjoy gardening and wish to help keep the SSMLC property looking great, please contact Bob Shope at 330.492.4591 to "Adopt-A-Bed." Adopting-A-Bed typically requires about 6 hours of your time throughout the year. It consists of weeding, mulching and trimming a small plot that has been assigned to you each spring and tending to the weeds throughout the summer and fall. Thanks again to all who currently maintain a landscaping plot! UrbanArk Volunteers Needed St. Stephen is responsible for serving the evening meal at First Lutheran Church (909 E. Tusc in Canton) on the second Sunday of even-numbered months. The meal is served at 5 p.m., following worship. Several volunteers are needed to assist with the August meal. If you can help prepare/serve the meal and/or you would like to donate items for the meal, please contact Ed and Andrea Kelly, who have graciously agreed to serve as our meal ministry coordinators, at 330.705.8783. UrbanArk Food Pantry Collection Please remember UrbanArk's Food Pantry when you are grocery shopping this month. On Sunday, July 13, we will collect pre-packaged meals, such as Hamburger Helper. Please place donations in the UrbanArk bins located behind the Welcome Center. July 2014 13 National Youth Gathering Every three years, the ELCA hosts a HUGE youth gathering, in attendance with approximately 40,000 youth and adults. The Gathering has been a time of practicing faith, beginning life-long friendships with people from other places, exploring the host city, great speakers, worship, dances, etc. Because of the incredible response to the shift towards service in the previous two gatherings, the organizers decided to continue the work, this time in Detroit, Michigan. The theme is "Rise Up Together:". Detroit once boasted a population of 1.8 million, but now, the city is home to just over 700,000. Detroit has known death and resurrection throughout its history and is now at a critical point. Detroit can rise again from the ashes. God is calling us to rise up together, in Detroit and everywhere! The Gathering planners have developed 12 monthly pre-gathering sessions for congregations, beginning in June 2014. If you missed the first meeting, it is okay because commitment forms are not due until August 15, 2014. Attendance at each monthly meeting is strongly encouraged, where we will discuss important topics to prepare for Detroit in 2015. We'll need to begin discussing fundraisers specifically for the Gathering as well. If you did not attend the first meeting, but plan on going to the Gathering, please notify Pastor Kimberly or Kayla Householder at 330.492.4591 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to ensure you are not too far behind on information. Mission Support 2013 We recently received this thank you letter from Interim Bishop, Rev. Marcus Miller. St. Paul writes to the church at Ephesus, "I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers". (Ephesians 1:15) I remember each congregation of our Northeastern Ohio Synod often in my prayers and give thanks to you for your generous gifts for mission support that enables the Gospel to be heard in many different places, for persons to be trained for ministry and service, for youth to discover an ever deepening faith, and for seniors to be able to dwell in a warm environment of love and peace. Please extend my gratitude to your entire congregation for their response to our work together in Christ. Sincerely, in Christ, The Rev. Marcus Miller Interim Bishop 14 The SSMLC Monthly • www.wherelovelives.org St. Stephen Stats From the Parish Administrator Average weekly attendance for May, 2014 was 258. Average weekly attendance for May, 2013 was 308. May Total C&B was $37,110.17, compared to Budget of $45,780.02, creating a deficit of ($8,669.85) (less was given than was budgeted). Total C&B includes loose offering, rent, and other miscellaneous giving. The church had a total negative cash flow for May 2014 in the amount of ($7,830.71). The church had a total positive cash flow for YTD in 2014 in the amount of $10,521.39. We have paid our Benevolence payments to the Synod in full. Capital Appeal Update: 144 giving units have pledged - $809,239.30 Total funds received as of 05/31/2014 - $749,954.64 Thank you for your faithful support of our many ministries! Online Giving Options Available Did you know St. Stephen offers an electronic option for making both regular and special offerings? If you would like to make an additional contribution this month, or if you are looking for a more convenient way to make regular offerings, we encourage you to look into online giving. Contributions can be debited automatically from your checking or savings account or processed using your credit or debit card. You can even direct your offering to a specific ministry area, such as Capital Appeal or World Hunger. To give online, please visit www.wherelovelives.org and click on "Giving" in the left-hand navigation menu. If you have any questions about online giving, please call the church office at 330.492.4591. Thank you to everyone who has supported St. Stephen this year by giving of their time, talents, prayers and financial contributions. Your support of our mission is greatly appreciated. July 2014 15 St. Stephen Martyr Lutheran Church 4600 Fulton Drive NW Canton, Ohio 44718 Phone: 330.492.4591 Fax: 330.492.8794 [email protected] NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 250 CANTON OH RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Sunday Morning 8:00 am - The Heritage (A traditional service) 9:15 am - The Gathering (A contemporary service) 10:30 am - The Celebration (A traditional service) Holy Grounds Café: 8:45 - 10:45 am Adult Bible Study: 9:15 am Our Purpose and Mission is to help you experience God's love so that you can live more freely, fully, and faithfully. Our Vision is to be an exceptionally dynamic community of believers, committed to sharing Christ's love so that the kingdom of this earth more closely resembles the Kingdom of Heaven.