Immanuel Family Update - Immanuel Lutheran Church • Riverside

Immanuel Family Update
Volume 34, Issue 2
February 1. 2016
LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER
Pastor Steven Borst:
Cross
Vision 2020 – Knowing Ourselves and
Our Community
alk
“Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint,
but blessed is he who keeps the law.” Proverbs 29:18
Starting last Fall, Immanuel put together an 11-member Vision Team to re-evaluate our current vision
statement, and make needed adjustments for future ministry. In the September issue of the Immanuel
Family Update, I outlined the scope of our work. Our Vision Team doesn’t claim to have a direct-line to
God’s will, but we do trust that as we immerse ourselves in God’s Word and ask for the Spirit’s guidance,
He will help us to better understand our congregation and our community. In knowing who we are and
whom we serve, God will grant us a vision of how we might better Experience His presence, Equip His
people, and Engage the world with the love of Jesus Christ.
Through surveys, statistics, and demographics, our team was able to analyze our current ministry as well
as see upcoming trends for our immediate community. Here is what we discovered:
The Vision Team is chaired by Pastor Steven and congregational president Bob Holcomb. The team includes members from our elders and council, both worship services, and our school.
Continued on page 5
School News ~ Principal Carl Boburka
2
From the DCE ~ Jean Beck
3
Community Outreach ~ Beth Vangsness
4
Women’s Ministry ~ Bible Study & Bunco
6
EOM Report ~ Bob Holcomb
7
JOY Group Event ~ “Cheaper By The Dozen”
9
Lenten Services Schedule
12
IMMANUEL
LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL
5455 Alessandro Blvd. Riverside, CA 92506
IMMANUEL FAMILY UPDATE
Page 2
School News
Mr. Carl Boburka, Principal
A new year brings with it many exciting and challenging ministry opportunities for our children and
their families.
January was a busy month as we began the 201617 enrollment process. Priority registration for our
current families with students entering grades Kindergarten through 6th began on January 11. We
hosted an “Open House” for all interested families
on Tuesday, January 26. Many new families attended the event and received information regarding Immanuel Lutheran School. Three Kindergarten “visit days” were planned so that parents could
come in and observe the classroom in action. We
attended an “Open House” at First United Methodist Pre School to promote our school to potential
new families. KSGN radio 89.7 broadcast announcements about Immanuel Lutheran School.
Encourage your friends and family to look into Immanuel as an option for an excellent Christian education for their children. It’s a great time to be a
ROADRUNNER!
JOB OPENING AT IMMANUEL
SCRIP ASSISTANT: Our SCRIP program has become
a very important financial resource for our school. The
ability to purchase needed curriculum and equipment to
enhance our children’s education has been provided by
SCRIP purchases over the past four years. In order for
this program to be successful, we have been blessed to
have three dedicated volunteers who have committed
themselves to ordering and selling SCRIP. Next year,
we are in need of a volunteer assistant to work with the
SCRIP team. If you have any interest or would like to
find out more about the position, PLEASE contact Mr.
Boburka at 951-682-4211 or
[email protected]
January 25-29, we celebrated National Lutheran
School week. The theme for the week was “Life
Together.” Many activities were planned each day
throughout the week. Mrs. Gross and our 1st and
2nd grade children sang at the 8:30 church service
on January 24.
Mark your calendar for TWO MAJOR events in
March; The annual Immanuel Lutheran School
Auction/Raffle will be held on Friday, March 4 beginning at 6:00. The theme for this year is “Willy
Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Many great
items will be auctioned off during the event. Golden Tickets will be sold for $100 each for a chance
at a year’s tuition for one student for FREE! The
Curriculum/Science Fair is scheduled for Wednesday, March 9, from 4:00 until 6:30. Projects that
students have been working on will be displayed in
their classrooms. Members of our congregation
are encouraged to attend both of these exciting
events.
Jesse and Kelly, missionaries to Asia,
need housing and/or a minivan to drive in Southern California this summer before they move overseas. Do you have a vehicle they could borrow/
rent, or an older vehicle for sale? (needs to seat
6+). Or, do you have a place where they could
stay with their kids (at least 2 bedrooms)... perhaps an all-summer house-sitting need, or are
you a landlord for an apartment that doesn't require a long-term lease?
Email [email protected] or call Jesse at (619) 335-0261 if you can help.
Page 3
Jean Beck
Director of
Christian Education
Club 56 (All 5th and 6th graders) Tuesday, February 9, 2016. 3-5 p.m. in Graumann Pingel Education
Center.
Confirmation Class (7th and 8th graders): Wednesday nights in Graumann Hall. During Lent we will not
meet on Ash Wednesday (February 10) but we will have class after the soup suppers the following weeks.
Soup Suppers are at 5:30, class will meet from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Parents are encouraged to come for supper as a family and stay for Bible study of their own.
High School Youth Group: Youth Group Thursdays 6:30-8pm at Jean’s house. Come for Bible study and
fellowship!
SOUP SUPPERS! Jr. High are hosting on Ash Wednesday (February 10) and High School youth are hosting on February 17. We will be in charge of setting up and clean up. Plan to come at 5:00 p.m. to set up
tables and stay for clean up after the meal. There will be a soup sign up in the church.
Jr. High Christmas Party with Ugly Sweater contest
High School youth (and college students) singing Christmas carols at local nursing home.
IMMANUEL FAMILY UPDATE
Page 4
Community Outreach Report by Beth Vangsness, DCO
Parents and their kids
volunteering
in Haiti
Ryan and Rebecca Gross
Becky and David Vangsness
Melissa and Bryan Cantrell
Delivering food boxes to seniors at
Victoria Manor with Riverside City Mission
William and Olivia Storey
Julia Gardner and James Thornton
Becky and Beth Vangsness
VOLUME 34, ISSUE 2
Page 5
Continued from page 1: Pr. Borst
Congregation Assessment: Immanuel offers Christ-centered worship and the Gospel is at the forefront of all ministries
and Sunday services. There is overwhelming praise for our music teams and for passionate preachers who give inspiring
sermons. Although our church membership has grown, our weekly service attendance has plateaued. Through our recent
EOM campaign, overall giving has grown significantly, but tithing to the general budget has dropped.
Immanuel is a place where the Gospel is lived out and where people feel loved by God and people. Yet, it can be difficult to
become involved and get to know others on a deeper level. Visitors, and sometimes members, do not always feel noticed.
When it comes to using one’s gift in ministry, some members feel their spiritual gifts go undiscovered and don’t know how to
get connected to ministry. We need improvement in the areas of recruiting, mentoring, and nurturing.
Immanuel Schools offer excellent and competitive education, and have a great reputation in our community. Our church
offers Bible study and has a growing small group ministry. For youth, we have active Sunday School and Confirmation programs. Our Senior High ministry offers Bible study, Fellowship and Mission events. Overall, more youth and adults need to
get involved in the church’s educational ministry.
In the area of outreach, Immanuel has grown significantly since our original vision statement was put in place seven years
ago, and we have a reputation in our community as a congregation who is active in serving our neighbors. Many in our congregation have participated in at least one Engage Event to our community in the past year. We have active ministries to
veterans, foster kids, and Mission Haiti, but still seek greater member participation. Baptisms for our school children have
grown significantly, but there is a need for a more concentrated effort in reaching out to school families.
Community Demographic for 92506, 07, 08: Immanuel is situated in a relatively affluent part of Riverside, made up of
primarily Whites and Hispanics. The growing age sectors are 35-54s and the over 65s. There appears to be a growing elementary school population, which bodes well for our school in the next 5-10 years.
The community is primarily married with a significant number of singles. They are generally educated with about 70% having
some college or beyond. They are charitably minded and give preferentially to religious causes. Their primary interests include such things as volunteering in the community, adult social activities, involvement in social causes, and family oriented
activities.
There remains a significant number of those around us who do not know or understand the Gospel given the high percent of
non-traditional views of Jesus and no religious preference. There may also be a high number of those who have a faith commitment but who do not have a home church they attend. Even for those who do attend, a significant portion still feels there
is no good faith community in the area. This warrants deeper consideration into why that is the case. Part of the picture is
they don't feel welcome. Conflicts within the church are aversive as is a focus on money. The church should be mindful of a
mindset of judgment rather than of love, forgiveness, and new life in Christ. Because worship styles are an important aspect
to our community, we should optimize our differing services and look to new and creative ways to learn and benefit from
each other.
Community Lifestyles: The most effective way to reach our community is to first understand who our neighbors are.
Nearly 25% of households in our area are classified as "Booming with Confidence.” These are married couples in the peak
of their white-color careers, with retirement on the horizon. They may still have a young adult living at home. These couples
tend to have sophisticated taste and enjoy comfortable lifestyles and leisure activities, including frequent traveling.
Women’s Ministry
About 11% of our area’s households are "Suburban Style"
families.
These are dual-income
couples
in their 30s and 40s who
Laura
Curley
& Janice
McIntyre
are coping with growing families, mid-level careers, and high living expenses. These families feel stable and established in
their neighborhoods, and are very active in their communities and groups. Their schedules are very “kid-driven,” and parents
are exhausted at the end of the day from juggling their work schedule, children’s activities, errands and appointments.
The third largest household type at 7% is "Flourishing Families." These are affluent, middle-aged families earning prosperous
dual-incomes and living very comfortable, active lifestyles. These families have a rich leisure life and are often looking for
family-friendly activities. Parents like to enjoy fine dining and arts and culture entertainment on their nights out.
What does this mean? God has blessed Immanuel with a vibrant ministry for over a century. He is faithful and will
continue to provide us with all that we need to serve in His Kingdom. We must also realize that as a medium-sized church,
that our resources are limited. We cannot be all things to all people. A strong vision will help us to build on our strengths
and address key growth areas, especially those through which we can build bridges into our community. Please keep our
ministry together in your prayers, and joyfully anticipate the renewed vision that will be shared with our congregation in the
coming months!
IMMANUEL FAMILY UPDATE
Page 6
Women’s Ministry ~ Laura Curley & Janice McIntyre
Women’s Bible Study
Join the ladies of Immanuel on February 13th as we begin our powerful new study, Experiencing the Heart of Jesus: Knowing His Heart, Feeling His Love by Max Lucado.
Women’s Bible Study
Experiencing the Heart of Jesus
2nd and 4th Saturdays, February – April
9:30-11:00am in Conference Room
Study Leader: Evelyn Tillman
This workbook explores the beautiful human qualities of Jesus
that we emulate in order to find peace in the midst of chaos. A
daily devotional format will bring women closer to knowing the
heart of Jesus and experiencing an intimate relationship with
Him.
Please Sign Up in the narthex, call the church office, or email
[email protected]. Please indicate if you would like a workbook ordered
for you ($14 payable on the first day we meet) or if you would like to pick up a copy yourself
(many used, clean copies available through Amazon). A preview of the workbook is available
on Amazon.
February Bunco Night
If you haven’t made it to Bunco yet, you’re missing out on a night of fun, laughs, food, and
great company! Our next meeting is February 5th from 7-9pm at the McIntyre residence. No
experience necessary! Bring a snack to share if you would like (optional). Cost is $5 to play,
we dish out cash prizes at the end. Please RSVP to Janice McIntyre or through the event on our Facebook page (“Immanuel Lutheran Women’s Ministry.”) We love meeting new women of our
church and school. Bring a friend who needs to get connected!
VOLUME 34 ISSUE 2
Page 7
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
How does the world say the English phrase “I love you?”
Afghani: Dus tat darem, Afrikaans: Ek is lief vir jou, Albanian: Une te dua,Amharic: Afekreshalew, Arabic: Ana ba hibeck, Assyrian: Be ayen gadi youkh, Armenian: Yes kez serum em / Yes kezee ga seerem, Bengali: Ami tomake bhalobashi, Bulgarian: Obicham te, Cantonese: Ngo oi lei, Catalan: Testimo molt, Cebuano: Gihigugma ko ikaw, Chamorro: Hu guaya
hao, Chinese: Wo ai ni, Cree: Ke say ke tin, Creole: Mwen renmen’w,Croatian: Volim te, Cuban: Tevwnol, Czech: Miluji
tì, Danish: Jeg elsker dig,Dhivehi: Aharen varah loabi vey, Dholuo: Aheri, Dinka: Yin aaniar, Dutch: Ik hou van jou, Eskimo
(Inuktitut): Nagligivagit, Estonian: Ma armastan sind, Farsi: Asheghetam, Fijian (Lingo): Au domoni iko, Filipino: Mahal
kita,Finnish: Mina rakastan sinua, French: Je t’aime / je t’adore, Gaelic: Gra go deo, Gallego: Queroche moito, German: Ich
liebe dich, Greek: S’agapo,Gujarati: Hu tane prem karu chu, Hausa: Enaso kaa, Hawaiian: Aloha wau ia oe, Hebrew: Ani ohev
otakh, Hindi: Main tumse pyaar karta hoon,Hmong: Kuv hlub koj, Hungarian: Szeretlek, Icelandic: Eg elska pig,Ilocano: Ay
ayaten ka, Ilongo: Ginahugugma Ko Ikaw, Indonesian: Aku cinta padamu, Irish: Thaim in grabh leat, Italian: Ti amo, Japanese:
Ai shite imasu, Kannada: Naanu nimanu preetisuthene, Kapampangan: Kalaguran da ka, Kikuyu: Ningwedete muno, Kiswahili: Nakupenda, Konkani: Hawn thuzo mog kartha, Korean: Sarang hae, Kurdish: Ez te hes dikim, Laotian:Koy huck
jow, Latin: Ego te amo, Latvian: Es tevi milu, Lebanese: Ana bahibik, Lithuanian: As tave
myliu, Luhya: Ndakhuyanza, Macedonian: Te sakam, Malay: Saya cintakan kamu, Malayalam: Njaan ninne snehikinnu,Maltese:
Jien inhobbok, Manipuri: Ei nangbu nungshi, Maori: Ka nui taku aroha mauu, Marathi: Mala tu avadto / changla wathte, Mizo: Ka hmangaih che, Nepali: Ma timilai maya garchu, Nigerian: Inan sunki, Norwegian: Jeg elsker deg, Oriya (Indian): Mu
tumaku bhala paaye, Papiamentu: Mi stima bu, Persian: Du stet daram, Polish: Kocham cie, Portugese: Eu te amo,Punjabi:
Main tuhanoo pyar kar da haan, Pushto: Za ta sara dera meena kom, Romanian: Te iubesc, Russian: Ya tebia lybly, Samoan: Ou te alofa ia te oe, Sango: M’bi ye mo, Sepedi: Ke ya go rata, Serbian: Volim te, Sindhi:Mukhe tosa pyar aahe, Sinhalese: Mama oyata adhere, Siraiki: Maan tenal daadha pyaar karain daahim, Slovakian: Milujem ta, Slovenian: Ljubim
te,Spanish: Te amo, Sranang tongo (Surinam): Mi lobi you , Swedish: Jag alskar dig, Swiss German: I lieb di, Tagalog: Mahal
kita, Tamil: Naan unnai kathelikkiren, Telugu: Naku kneemeeda prama undi, Thai: Chun ruk ter,Tigrigna: Yefkreki, Tongan: Ofa
atu, Tumbuka: Nkhukutemwa, Turkish: Seni seviyorum, Ukrainian: Ya tebe kohayu, Urdu: Mai tumse piyar karta
hoon, Vietnamese: Anh yeu em / Em yeu anh, Welsh: Dwi’n caru ti, Zulu: Ngiyakuthanda.
Test yourself…In how many languages can you say “I love you?” Love is an action word. “God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting
life.” (John 3:16)
How have you shown your love for Christ? Jesus says that He loves a cheerful giver. Have you considered
giving to Empower Our Mission? If not, then start right now. What a great way to show your love for Christ
by giving of your time, talents, and tithe. Making your sacrificial gift not only will be a blessing to you, but
will bless others as Immanuel continues to reach out to our community and around the world with the love
of Jesus Christ.
We are getting closer to our goal of $1,650,000.00. With your help we can reach this goal! To God be all the
glory in all we do!
Goal: $1,650,000.00
God bless you,
President/Campaign Director
Bob Holcomb
Commitments: $1,150,639.81 Received: $498,308.31
IMMANUEL FAMILY UPDATE
Page 8
Celena Peters
2/1
Judi Jack
2/17
Kevin and Kim Coleman
2/7
Trent Smith
2/2
Erika Durham
2/17
Glenn and Melody Olsen
2/8
Megan Smith
2/2
Chloe Spartos
2/18
Cal and Micki Lemke
2/14
DeAnn Shaw
2/2
Joelle Ramos
2/18
Ted and Jennifer Weggeland
2/16
Greg Good
2/3
Mason Strickland
2/19
James and Annabelle Mills
2/19
Natalie Grover
2/3
Diana Cantrell
2/20
Paul and Becki Spartos
2/21
Lisa Carreon
2/3
Amanda Jack
2/20
Don and Marie Singer
2/28
Katelyn Perry
2/4
Tomilynn Blanton
2/22
Ryan Gross
2/5
Amy Parker
2/22
Robert Kettledon
2/5
Doris Schwecke
2/23
Deidre Goodwin
2/7
Jacob Cook
2/23
Megan Pfrunder
2/7
Milton Pingel
2/24
August Milazzo
2/7
Kevin Schmidt
2/24
Teri Brayton
2/7
Allan Meister
2/25
Ryder Caulderon
2/8
Briana Phillips
2/25
Brad Jones
2/8
Ruben Rasso
2/25
Janice McIntyre
2/8
Danielle Mundy
2/11
MacKinnon Johnson
2/25
Lucas Brown
2/12
William Curley
2/12
Diane Brandt
2/13
John Haversik
2/13
Ben Long-Herzog
2/13
Mike Malsed
2/13
Mary Thornell
2/13
Lori Wood
2/14
Te’a Gutierrez
2/14
Addison Curley
2/14
Jack Mundy
2/14
Susan Buster
2/16
Wayne Aiken
2/16
Sandra Hale
2/26
Jean Nixon
2/26
Kyler Walker-Savage
2/26
Saul Richardson
2/26
Nick Mateljan
2/27
Ruthie Farrell
2/27
Carl Bunke
2/27
John Lundi
2/28
Julie Peterson
2/28
Jason Kennel
2/29
PASTOR STEVEN AND
BORST THANK YOU!!!
KIM
We thank our dear Immanuel family
for all the prayers, love, and support
shown to us for our engagement and
wedding. We are overwhelmed by
your generosity and are grateful to
God that He has surrounded us with
so many wonderful sisters and
brothers in Christ. We pray that God
would grant His gracious blessings
not only upon our new home and
family,
but
upon
yours
too. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God,
and whoever loves has been born of
God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)
VOLUME 34, ISSUE 2
Page 9
February
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
2
3
1
630pm Confirma10am JOY Group Restaurant Night
Out Islands
tion
meeting
4
Friday
7pm Bunco Night
5
7pm Boy Scouts
7
Scout Sunday
830am Traditional Service
930am Pancake
Breakfast
1030 Contemporary Service
3pm Engineering
for kids
530pm Guest Chef
7pm Boy Scouts
8
9
10
3pm After School
Ash Wednesday 9am Quilters
Art
12pm Ash Wednes- 7pm Sanctuary
630pm Cub Scouts day service
Choir
530pm
Soup Supper
630pm Ash
Wednesday Service
14
15
16
830am Tradition- Campus Closed
3pm After School
al Service
President’s Day
Art
1030 Contempo- 7pm Boy Scouts
630pm Cub Scouts
rary Service
Valentine’s Day
17
12pm Lent service
530pm
Soup Supper
630pm Lenten
Study
630pm Confirmation
21
22
23
830am Tradition- 7pm Boy Scouts
3pm After School
al Service
Art
1030 Contempo630pm S&G meetrary Service 4th
ing
grade recorders
play
24
12pm Lent service
530pm
Soup Supper
630pm Lenten
Study
630pm Confirmation
28
29
830am Tradition- 7pm Boy Scouts
al Service
1030 Contemporary Service
1230pm Hansen
Wedding
6pm Girl Scouts
5pm Cub Scout
Blue and Gold
Banquet
6
12
13
Abraham Wedding
18
19
9am Quilters
630pm Father
230pm PTL meetDaughter Dance
ing
7pm Sanctuary
Choir
20
9am Quilters
630pm HS Youth
7pm Sanctuary
Choir
11
Saturday
25
No ES
26
27
No ES
Mueller/ Wang
5pm Mueller/ Wang wedding
Wedding rehearsal
Hansen Wedding
rehearsal
Page 10
IMMANUEL FAMILY UPDATE
JOY Group Event
Join the Immanuel Joy Group for a fun-filled afternoon at the theatre followed by dinner!
Bring your spouse or invite one or more friends! Note: Attendees must be 50 or older. NonImmanuel persons are welcome!
Sunday, February 28, 2016 at 2:00 pm “Cheaper By The Dozen”
VENUE: Old Towne Temecula Community Theater
This play was adapted by Christopher Sergel, from the book by Frank Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey.
“Cheaper By The Dozen” is based on the real-life story of the Gilbreth family. It follows them
from Providence, Rhode Island to Montclair, New Jersey, and details the amusing anecdotes
found in large families. Frank Gilbreth, Sr. was a pioneer in the field of motion study and often used his family as “guinea pigs” with amusing and sometimes embarrassing results. He
resisted popular culture, railing against his daughter’s desires for bobbed hair.
Cost is $40 per person which includes bus, orchestra seating and dinner. Sign-up book will
be available in the Narthex through February 14. There is a limit to the first 47 paid sign-ups!
Place your check made out to Immanuel Lutheran Church (with a note “Joy Group”) in the
offering plate or take it to the church office no later than February 14. No refunds will be
made. Departure time from Immanuel is 12:30 pm with a return at approximately 6:00 pm.
Questions: please contact Marlin or Diane Brandt
IMMANUEL LUTHERAN ENDOWMENT FUND - Did you know that our endowment fund can augment funds needed to
make some of Immanuel's capital improvements? Yes! Your donation to the fund is tax deductible and is a FOREVER GIFT!
Did you know you can make the endowment fund one of your life insurance beneficiaries? Another FOREVER GIFT!
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Last year, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans provided more than $100 million to help congregations, communities and individuals in need. The Thrivent Choice® program offers two ways members can recommend where Thrivent Financial distributes
some of its charitable outreach funds. Immanuel Church and School have separate Thrivent identification numbers from
which you can choose to designate your "Thrivent Choice Dollars”! This is a great way to support Immanuel’s ministry at no
extra cost to Thrivent members! Please call 800-THRIVENT (800-847-4836) and state “Thrivent Choice” or visit
www.thrivent.com (you can find "Thrivent Choice" under the Membership & Benefits tab). Thank you!
Page 11
VOLUME 34 ISSUE 2
SPONSORS
EXPERIENCE God’s Presence EQUIP God’s People ENGAGE the world with the love of Jesus Christ
OUR WORSHIP HOURS
Immanuel Lutheran Church and School
Traditional Service: 8:30 am
5455 Alessandro Blvd, Riverside, CA 92506
Adult Classes: 9:30 am
(951) 682-7613 / (951) 682-4211
Family Praise Worship Service: 10:30 am
Church Website: immanuelriverside.com
Sunday School: during 10:30 service
LENT SCHEDULE ~ MIDWEEK SERVICES
Ash Wednesday Service:
February 10 @ 12 noon & 6:30 pm
Lenten Study:
February 17, 24, March 2, 9, 16 @ 12 noon & 6:30 pm
Soup Suppers:
Wednesdays at 5:30 pm
All are welcome!
Join us!