March - Epiphany Lutheran Church
Transcription
March - Epiphany Lutheran Church
March 2015 Epiphany Lutheran Church March 2015 Sunday. March 29th 9:30 a.m. New Member Welcome Lent Sermon Series Following Jesus through the Thursday, April 2nd 6:45 p.m. Darkness Date Focus Text Mar. 1st Resist the darkness through service. Mar. 8th Corrupted by glory— Jesus restores. Mark 10 Mar. 15th Darkened by judgment— the Father forgives. Mark 11 Mar. 22nd Blinded by pride— seeing by faith. Mark 12 Mar. 29th He is coming. Watch. Mark 13 Mark 9–10 Friday, April 3rd 6:45 p.m. Sunday. April 5th 9:30 a.m. No reservations needed. Everyone is welcome!!! Join us for fellowship and fine food. The morning’s menu includes: Pancakes and Sausage Ham & Egg Casserole (with or without cheese) Join Us!! Fruit cup Sunday, April 5th Orange Juice, Milk, & Coffee Serving from 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. Sponsored by Thrivent Epiphany Lutheran Church – St. Louis, MO 1 March 2015 What I Want to Be When I Grow Up Jesus said, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all” (Mark 10.43–44). Stained glass installed at 1st Wayne United Methodist Church, Ft Wayne, IN When I was in kindergarten I won second place in a city-wide art competition. The competition’s theme was “What I want to be when I grow up.” Kindergarteners across the city took up crayons and colored pencils, glitter and glue to depict their dreams of what they hoped to accomplish in life. Soon the school hallways were lined with two-dimensional firefighters climbing into burning buildings, batters crushing fastballs out of the park, and marine biologists saving endangered baby sea turtles. I drew a picture of an Air Force General dressed in service blues. First prize went to a girl who painted on a background of yellow construction paper an image of a woman wearing a white uniform with a red cross. The title read, “I Want to Be a Nurse.” Most parents and teachers would love to see their kids become great. But Jesus’ definition of greatness (quoted above) challenges popular definitions. No kindergartener in my city drew a picture titled, “I Want to Be a Servant.” We want our kids to be great when they grow up, but this isn’t how we talk about it. Not that we’re opposed to the idea of service. We expect firefighters, police officers, and politicians to be public “servants.” We praise nurses and soldiers who exhibit a sense of “service before self.” Business owners recognize the need for quality “customer service.” But when Jesus spoke the words printed above, being a servant always meant at least one thing: having a master. Why is this offensive? Living in the “land of the free,” our culture tells us we should strive to be self-sufficient, self-expressive, independent individuals: “Don’t let anyone become your master.” Hmmm. Our media-driven culture wants to tell us who we are, how to think, and how to act. What does that sound like? Try as we may, we can’t seem to emancipate ourselves from the servant-master relationship. We are always bowing down and serving something or someone. Today you could serve your appetite. Tomorrow, your sex drive, or your taste for luxury, or amusement. The next day, popular opinion and anxiety about the future. Then you could stoically decide to serve only your powers of reasoning. Or, you could bow down and serve Jesus. The question is, “To which one of these Masters will you entrust your life?” If you turn and follow Jesus, He will send you out to be a “servant of all.” This does not mean that everyone becomes your “master.” No, you only have one Master. And He calls you to freely give your life in service to those who most need your help. More than that, He promises to enable and empower you to fulfill His calling. “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10.45). Jesus empowers us to boldly enter the “grown-up” world. As His disciples, whatever our vocation, the job description is always the same: serve others as He serves us. Resting on His definition of greatness, we don’t need to fret about how others judge us. We are freed from bowing to popular opinion or to self-serving desires. We are freed to be a servant like Jesus. That’s what I want to be when I grow up. Pastor Zeigler Epiphany Lutheran Church – St. Louis, MO 2 March 2015 Christian Fellowship & Formation Sunday Morning Bible Studies Sunday School Discerning with the Judges –this class will apply Children are invited to meet in the upstairs parlor (by church office) at 10:45 a.m. for singing, games, crafts, and learning about Jesus. the Old Testament Book of Judges, which records a time (not altogether different than today) when people stopped listening to God and everyone did whatever “was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17.6). Seminary field-worker Matt Kusch will lead the discussion in the lower level hall starting again on March 15th. Parenting with God’s Promises – Many offer Sunday School SnapShot Date Lesson Activity March 8th Triumphant Entry, Last Supper, Betrayal, and Praying at Gethsemane Resurrection Eggs March 15th Jesus’ Trial, Moments on the Cross March 22nd Final Hours on the Cross and Empty Tomb March 29th Fellowship and Easter Egg Hunt advice on raising kids. Whom can you trust? How does our confidence in what God, our Father, has done & still pledges to do influence our parenting & grandparenting? Pastor Zeigler will lead the discussion in the lower level meeting room. Younger Adult Bible Study & Fellowship – All are welcome to join this conversation on how the Bible relates to life as experienced by someone starting in a new career, trade, college, or other significant transition. Meets in the lower level classroom. We’ll be studying the Gospel of Mark. Questions? — contact Ambrosia Ave-Lallement, Jess Biermann, or Anna Gaffney. !!!BRING YOUR BASKET!!! March 29th - Easter Egg Hunt after the Potluck Brunch Craft tables will be set up with games for kids. *If you would like to donate items for the goody bags, we are looking for the following items: candy, bubbles, pencils, gift cards (for the older kid's bags), bouncy balls, crayons, Christ centered books, jump ropes, glow sticks, yo-yo's, or any other trinkets that you think children would enjoy. We will have different bags for different ages. Please bring donations to the church office. Serve Boldly Orientation – our church is one of 36 St. Louis area congregations participating in the “Serve Boldly” initiative sponsored by the Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis. The purpose of “Serve Boldly” is to discover, celebrate, and amplify where God is at work in our congregations to serve our communities through social service and human care outreach. Hear more in the lower level fellowship hall at 11 a.m. on Mar Come and enjoy a tasty meal and fellowship 8th and Mar 29th. Also, visit serveboldly.org. before Lenten worship on Wednesday evenings, serving from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Friday, Then join us for worship at 6:45 p.m. March13th • Mar 4 (sponsored by New Member Class) • Mar 11 (by Lutheran School Parents) Mail them to the church office, call • Mar 18 (by Board of Elders) them in, or E-mail them to • Mar 25 (by Church Council) [email protected] 3 Epiphany Lutheran Church – St. Louis, MO March 2015 Please notify the church office of any errors or omissions. March 10th Jayme Gallo Mike Reilly th 12 Sharon Kirkpatrick 13th Kyle McMurry 14th Katie Krick 16th Melissa Schrum 17th Angela Langdon 18th Donna Benson 21st Kimberly Wheeler 24th Wil Degenhardt Marlyn Ojile Dawn Walters 26thHoward Blevins Michael Lamb Dylan Borreson th 27 Emanuela Cuka 29th Kevin Jones 31st Alison McMurry Zackary Stovall 4th Bd. of Elders 6th World Day of Prayer 8th Daylight-Saving Time Begins Girl Scout Sunday th 9 Council 19th LWML 22nd Fellowship Brunch 29th Palm/Passion Sunday Holy Week, March 29th-April 4th 1st Bd. of Elders 2nd Maundy/Holy 3rd Good Friday 4th Holy Saturday 5th Easter Sunday 13th Council 22nd Administrative Professionals April 2nd Zackery Atkinson 7th Jennifer Womack 9th Christine Poss Donna Reek Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 8th We will again beautify the chancel with lilies at Easter. If you care to participate, the cost is $8.50. Envelopes are available in the narthex. Be sure to include your name and/or envelope number. Thank you. Altar Guild LWML Epiphany’s LWML will meet on the 3rd Thursday of the month after Bible Study. Refreshments will be served. Thank you for all of the food, toiletry, and monetary donations for our local food pantries! Your contributions are very appreciated! ~ Board of Social Ministry Epiphany Lutheran Church – St. Louis, MO 4 March 2015 Our Stewardship Attendance Offerings Week of Sunday Growth in the Word 2/1 74 21 2/8 82 25 2/15 81 23 2/18 2/22 58 (Ash Wednesday) 70 38 (potluck) Week of Sunday Dedicated Gifts Other Income 2/1 $2,027.15 $5 -- 2/8 $1,442 $437.15 -- 2/15 $1,501.75 $64 -- 2/18 $25 -- -- 2/22 $ 1,767.41 $90 -- You are welcome to come in any time and join the Epiphany choir. They meet in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings, 8:30 a.m. All singers in grade 5 and older are welcome. DVDs of Sunday services are available. Call the office at (314) 752.7065 if you would like a copy. Fourth Sunday Potluck Brunch Honor someone, celebrate a special occasion, or give as as a memorial to a loved one special altar flowers. A sign-up calendar is in the narthex. The cost is $25.00 for two bouquets. Join us for our monthly potluck brunch in the lower level Fellowship Hall. Bring main dish, side dish, or dessert to share and enjoy some conversation with your sisters and brothers in Christ. Make it a date. 11 a.m. on March 29nd & April 26th. Contact Karen Slama, (314) 353.2396 with any prayer requests. Epiphany Lutheran Church – St. Louis, MO 5 March 2015 Serving as Police Officers: Out of Town: Jonathan Baublitz (Desiree Stout’s brother) Andrew Kleffner Mark McMurry Adrian Patton (Alison McMurry’s brother) Don Reynolds (Andrea’s husband) Jane Bartels Homebound: Dorothy Zickler Helen Reisner Donna Reek Kurt & Kathy Zickler Emilee Sutherlin Serving in the Military: Epiphany Members - for God’s Grace, Health, & Healing: Patrick Coil Carolyn Gluesenkamp Bonny Lang Charles Warner Ron Diederichs Anita French Rod Schury Paul Frederich (Shirley Frederich’s grandson) Jinming Lam Tyson Patton (Alison McMurry’s brother) James Welch (Michele’s husband) David Wheeler (Judy Langdon’s son-in-law) (Information as of Friday, February 27th. Please notify the office of any additions or removals.) Serving in March Date Time Elder(s) Greeter(s) Acolyte 3/1 9:30 a.m. Billy Barnett Lynn & George Goetz Brianna Meyer 3/8 9:30 a.m. Mike Meyer Algerta Kuzhilla Alex Pfeuffer 3/15 9:30 a.m. Bill Dorsam Emanuela & Marsel Cuka Elise Zeigler 3/22 9:30 a.m. Rich Berg Sandra & Riley Voss Josiah Zeigler 3/29 9:30 a.m. Chris Pfeuffer Alketa Mara Jayme Gallo Altar Guild Duty – Julia Blevins & Barb Shrader Extra Handicap Parking Spaces At the congregation’s request, the city designated two additional spaces along Holly Hills, near the corner of Leona, on the South side of the church building. Thanks to all who helped make this happen. 6 Epiphany Lutheran Church – St. Louis, MO March 2015 There are flyers on the bulletin boards with detailed information for most of the following events; or you can check with the office for more information if you are interested . Invest in the Success of Your Marriage on a Marriage Encounter Weekend on Feb. 27th - Mar 1st, at the Drury Plaza Hotel, Chesterfield, MO Apply online at GodLovesMarriage.org, contact Tom & Kathy Von Behren at [email protected], or (636) 343.9453 for more information. Pre-registration is required. Peace Lutheran Church, 737 Barracksview Rd., will dedicate its Martin Ott pipe organ at an Inaugural Recital 3 p.m. Sun., March 1st. Mr. Ott of St. Louis designed and installed his Opus 114 organ of 33 ranks and 1,853 pipes. The instrument is the cornerstone of the sanctuary that was dedicated last August. A reception in the Family Life Center will follow the recital. The Lutheran High School Association has employment opportunities for part-time bus drivers for Lutheran High School North and Lutheran High School South. Applications will be accepted until March 1st. Contact Sharon Thurman at (314).382.6664, ext. 326 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Christ Memorial Productions invites you to attend Godspell, on March 6th & 7th at 7:30 p.m. or March 8th at 2:30 p.m. at Christ Memorial at 5252 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63126. Free reserved seating is available online at CMPShows.org & at the church, Mon. –Fri., 9 a.m. -4 p.m., Sat. from 4:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., & Sun. from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. E-mail [email protected] for more info. Peace Center for New Americans, 4019 So. Grand Blvd., 63118, is having a FREE Health Education and Screening. Hearing, vision, dental, blood pressure, nutrition… Registration: 9:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Diabetes screening included in the morning. Dates: Mar 7th, Apr. 4th, May 2nd, June 6th, July 25th, Sept. 5th, Oct. 3rd, Nov. 7th. Bring medications, eye glasses, & insurance cards. The Lancer Singers, Concert Choir, Mixed Choruses, & Junior Singers of Lutheran High School South (LHSS) present a concert of sacred choral music at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Arnold, MO, Sun., March 8th, 7 PM. The church is located at 3517 Jeffco Boulevard, Arnold, MO 63010. Help Josh – Josh Langella, a student at Lutheran High School North, is experiencing vision problems due to Keratoconus. While Keratoconus is curable, it is an expensive procedure not yet covered by insurance. Graciously, God has made him part of our family, the family of Christ. To help cover the costs of treatment, please join us for “Cold Ones for a Cause” at Shamrocks – 4177 Veterans Memorial Pkwy, St. Peters, MO, 63376. If you stop in Shamrocks for a cold one on Sun., March 8th, 5 - 8 p.m., you can be part of the party of which Shamrocks will donate the proceeds to saving Josh’s eyesight. Please be a blessing and stop by! Concordia Lutheran Church, Maplewood has an opening for a Church Secretary. Position is part time, 20 hours a week, Monday - Thursday. Applicant must be fluent with Desktop Publishing using Microsoft Office, and prefer knowledge of Lutheran Service Builder, Shepherd's Staff, Quick Books and social media. Submit applications to [email protected] or in person at 7291 Sarah Ave. Maplewood, Mo 63143 The Wind Symphony, Concert Band, and Jazz Band of Lutheran High School South (LHSS) will present a concert in the Kuhlman Center on the LHSS campus on Tues., March 10th, at 7:00 PM. The school is located at 9515 Tesson Ferry Rd. in Affton, MO. 7 Epiphany Lutheran Church – St. Louis, MO March 2015 A Churchless Christian? In response to the question “Can I be a Christian without joining the church?” someone once said it’s as possible as being: Forgive Yourself If the Lord Jesus Christ has washed you in his own blood and forgiven you all your sins, how dare you refuse to forgive yourself? A student who will not go to school. A soldier who will not join an army. A citizen who does not pay taxes or vote. A salesman with no customers. An explorer with no base camp. A seaman on a ship without a crew. A businessman on a deserted island. An author without readers. A tuba player without an orchestra. A parent without a family. A football player without a team. A politician who is a hermit. A scientist who does not share his findings. A bee without a hive. —Francis MacNutt Day in, Day Out —Author unknown All-Encompassing Savior Christ be with me, Christ within me. Christ behind me, Christ before me. Christ beside me, Christ to win me. Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me. Christ in quiet, Christ in danger. Christ in hearts of all that love me. Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. —Hymn attributed to St. Patrick In Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering (Dutton), Timothy Keller says many people think spiritual growth is something akin to high diving, when really it’s more like walking — nondramatic and rhythmic: “A walk is day in and day out praying; day in and day out Bible and Psalms reading; day in and day out obeying; talking to Christian friends, and going to corporate worship, committing yourself to and fully participating in the life of a church. It is rhythmic, on and on and on. To walk with God is a metaphor that symbolizes slow and steady progress.” CONTACT US [email protected] [email protected] www.epiphany-stl.org 4045 Holly Hills Blvd. St. Louis, Mo 63116 Phone: (314) 752.7065 Fax: (314) 752.7065 Pastor Zeigler: Church Office: On the Web: Mail: Epiphany Lutheran Church – St. Louis, MO The Star is the monthly publication of Epiphany Lutheran Church 4045 Holly Hills Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63116 8 March 2015 Epiphany Lutheran Church – St. Louis, MO