Epiphany’s Epistle

EPIPHANY LUTHERAN CHURCH

From the Pastor 3

Council President 4

Education 6

Activities 7

Congregation & Photo

Directory News

8,9

Birthdays &

Anniversaries

10

Support Ministries 11

Council Minutes &

Financials

12-14

Thrivent 15

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

We are disciples of Christ

We follow Him by leading others to His Grace through

Worship, Education, Stewardship and Outreach

To those in need

And in service

To All

September 2015

A Place to Serve...A Place to Serve...

Having Gifts That Differ, Having Gifts That Differ,

Let Us Use Them.Let Us Use Them.

Romans 12:6Romans 12:6

Celebrating 30 Years of Community of Faith

2

Special Announcements

We’re glad that you picked up this newsletter and hope you will find it

interesting and full of opportunities to serve the Lord.

If you do not have a home church, please worship with us. Our Sunday

worship times are 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM, with Sunday School at 9:45 AM.

We are a growing, active church with friendly people who are journeying with

God through Jesus Christ. Come join us!

For more information, please call us at 770.483.6222, or visit or website www.conyerselc.org.

Pastor David’s Office Hours

Monday through Thursday

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

The afternoons he will dedicate to

hospital or communion visits; please call

the office, 770.483.6222, if you wish to

make an afternoon appointment.

Office Hours

Monday - Friday

8:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Office will be Closed September 7th

for the Labor Day Holiday.

Sunday Brunch September 6th

9:30 - 10:30 AM

Fellowship Hall

Full fare with beverage just $3.00/person

or $10.00/family of 4 or more.

Epistle Deadline! Sunday, September 13th is the

deadline for information to be

submitted for the October newsletter.

You can e-mail your news to the church office

at staff@conyerselc.org or place your news in

the Church Office. Thank You!

There are still many opportunities

to sign up for Altar Flowers for

2015. In order to continue to have

flower arrangements we need you

to participate. We have two calen-

dars available so people can share the

same date. You will be able to pur-

chase one flower arrangement for

$25.00. Check your calendar for

special dates you would like to give

glory to God through the gift of altar

flowers. If you have any questions,

please call the church office at

770.483.6222.

BABY BOTTLE Campaign

Results: So far we have

helped to raise $559.94.

There are a few bottles

still out, please return

them so we can increase

that amount.

Like us on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/48062865924/

3

From Pastor David

In a couple of weeks, we will celebrate together our 30th anniversary as Epiphany Lutheran Church. On

September 13 at 10 am, we will have a worship service filled with hymns and songs, both old and new.

We will hear a special choral piece, written and commissioned for this occasion. We will gather for food

and memories. We will see old friends and new.

As we have prepared for this celebration, I have heard from many of you some of our founding

stories. These are stories that speak to who we are as they build a foundation for who we are to become.

I have heard of how two churches – despite their differences – joined to better serve God and our

community. So we remind ourselves that we can continue to overcome our differences to bring God’s

reign to bear upon this community.

I treasure the comment that Ron Ewerth made when the Education Wing was dedicated: “Now

that we have built it, let’s wear it out.” That declaration reminds us that this place is meant to be used, to

be worn out, for the sake of the love of God through Jesus Christ.

I recently heard the story of Will Coleman, the Candy Man, who came to church each Sunday

with a bag of candy to hand out to children, who may or may not have gotten permission from their par-

ents. That story reminds us how we are empowered or called to use our gifts to extravagantly welcome

all people.

I am so proud that we are known as the church that got Family Promise started in this community.

I am proud of what we offer in our preschool and afterschool program. These distinctions remind us that

we are known for our outreach. We know on some level that we are defined by how we give of our-

selves.

These are some of our founding stories. Yet, we continue to create those stories today. What

founding stories are we writing today? What will we look back upon 30 years from now that will form us

for what we will be? What do we want to be known for? What does God want us to be known for?

What does God want us to become?

We look to our past. We celebrate our past. But we are not limited by our past. These past 30

years form the foundation for what God has in store for us. The future for Epiphany Lutheran Church

will not be the same as what has gone on before. But God will be with us, and we continue to look to the

Spirit as our guide.

We celebrate our 30 years together, and we joyfully anticipate what we will become in the years to

come.

In Christ,

Pastor David

4

Council President

Help Wanted - Are you Computer savvy? After years of dedicated and faithful service as Epiphany’s Financial Secretary, Art Viohl has decided it is time to step down from this position. As a result, we are looking for a volunteer to try to fill Art’s shoes. Below is the job description from Epiphany’s Bylaws:

Section 5. Financial Secretary

1. The Financial Secretary shall receive and keep records of all income from contributing members and other sources. 2. The Financial Secretary shall make available to members a quarterly written report of individual contributions. 3. The Financial Secretary shall render a full written report of the church's income to this Congregation at the annual meeting and to the Council monthly.

In addition we are looking for someone with the following qualifications:

Computer savvy. Able to coordinate the counters for the counting of the weekly offering. Experience in bookkeeping or accounting. Able to attend monthly council meetings. Art will be available for a short time to train the person taking over this position. Should you be interested please contact Ron Lyons at 770-815-6699 or the church office.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This month we will be “Looking Back, Looking Forward” and celebrating Epiphany’s 30th

Anniversary. It will be a time of reflection for our congregation for 30 years of service to God. We will

be reviewing what our congregation has done and is doing to spread God’s Word in the world. There are

ministries that have been here for all 30 years and there have been others that have come and gone, which

is not a bad thing. Not all ministries have to endure forever, they need to serve their purpose and then it is

time to move on to something different, something necessary at that point in time.

As we reflect we will also be remembering past members. Some have moved to other areas and

are now serving God in other ways. Yet there are others that are family and friends that are deeply missed

and are now living the life eternal with God. We will not forget any of them because each and everyone

of them has had an impact on Epiphany. They have been and will always be a part of what has made

Epiphany who we are.

In the next couple of months we will be moving into the re-visioning process for Epiphany. We

can use this time of celebration to reflect on what we have done and who has done it with us. Then we

can put it to use to help us focus on what we still need to do in the future. As we develop the process

please become a part of it. Help us to determine what Epiphany needs to do in the future to get God’s

Word out to others.

Go In Peace! Serve the Lord!

Yours in Christ,

Ron Lyons

5

Epiphany’s 30th

Anniversary Celebration

“Looking Back….Looking Forward”

September 13th

, 2015 - One Service at 10:00 AM

The committee continues to work very hard to plan a memorable, celebratory

and fun event for everyone to enjoy! We would like to encourage everyone to

help us out by making a donation specifically “ear marked” anniversary for this

event.

The plans include one service at 10:00 AM to include lots of special music and

guest musicians, a BBQ/Potluck lunch (please bring a casserole, salad or vege-

table dish to share), program with a slide show past and present, guest speakers,

door prizes, giveaways and fun and games for kids of all ages! We are also

asking that each group provide a display table representing their respective

ministries here at Epiphany.

Let’s come together to have fun, eat, reminisce, and celebrate this momentous

occasion as we look back over the last 30 years and look forward to the next 30

years!

Celebration Committee

Dear Epiphany Lutheran Church,

I would like to this opportunity to say Thank You to everyone for your prayers and would ask

for your continued prayers during my recovery time. Epiphany has truly been a blessing to me

and my family and I look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Sincerely,

Caroline Olok, Omara , Achol

6

Ash Wednesday

Service of Holy Communion

Education & Bible Study

Adult Class

Discussion

On the Sunday

Lesson

10:00 AM

Room 4

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY

Meets Thursday Mornings 7:00 to 8:00 AM

Main Hall Please join us for this time of study

and fellowship!

NOTE: THERE IS NO MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 17TH OR 24TH

Need a break from the hectic

daily grind, a place to quietly

reconnect with the Spirit of

God in all of us? Come join

us in Centering Prayer.

Centering Prayer is a way of practicing

contemplative prayer, and through it we seek

to open our entire being to God simply by sit-

ting quietly and being open to God's presence.

No experience necessary. All are welcome!

We will meet on the first

Tuesday, September 2nd, at

6:30 PM, at the Prayer Chapel next to Salem

United Methodist Church, 3962 Salem Road.

For more information, please contact

Evelyn Brown at 404-825-4615 or

e-mail evbrown51@yahoo.com.

Women’s Bible Study (WELCA)

Ladies, hope you all had a great

summer. It will be good to get back to our

bible study and our ladies meetings.

The theme for our first lesson is, “Remember

the Sabbath day and keep it holy”. Our first

session of bible study runs from September

through November. December will be a

devotional, and January through April will be

a study of a book of the bible. This is a new

format and it will be exciting for us.

For our donations, bring small treats for pre-

school and cereal for the Rockdale food bank.

Our first meeting is September 2nd, 9:30 AM,

in rooms 4, 5 & 6.

All women are invited to come join us.

Miriam Holcomb

Welcome To Sunday School! Come join us on

September 20th & 27th 9:45 AM Sunday School

Fellowship Hall

There will Not be Sunday School

September 6th or 13th

Confirmands & Mentors

Meet

September 20th

9:45 AM

7

Activities

Fellowship Committee August began with a big surprise. As the attend-

ance at the monthly Brunch had been low in June

and even lower in July, plans were made to pre-

pare food for 60-65 people for August. Lo and

behold, when the 2 came around we ended up

feeding 76, nearly double the number in July.

Needless to say, we ran out of food. Our humble

apologies to the four or five that came after the

food was gone as they had to join most of the

committee in being satisfied with coffee and/or

juice. It just goes to prove that it is much easier to

plan, purchase and prepare when you have a rea-

sonably close estimate of how many mouths there

will be to feed. BUT, it is a good problem to work

on for the future as we enjoy the larger crowds.

Maybe we should have another try at requiring a

prior sign up in order to be fed? Many of you may

remember how well that worked, NOT! Like the

Easter Breakfast that had a total of seven sign up

and we served nearly 165. Of course, for Easter

we had greater expectations and prepared accord-

ingly.

The biggest negative of the day (except perhaps for

the lack of food for the few mentioned above) was

that the average contributions (per person) once

again dropped below $ 2.00. Of course, there is an

option available to require a collection agent at the

door. Just a thought.

We met in the library on August 3 at 11:00 am and

planned for some of the coming fall activities, but

we did not consider either of the alternatives men-

tioned above. Brunch on September 6 will bring us

ham and eggs among other things, perhaps a big

surprise. That will be followed with the 30 anniver-

sary celebration on the 13 for which Fellowship

will prepare the meat. The rest and best of the food

will be brought (hopefully) in the form of salads,

pasta dishes, vegetables, casseroles, etc. by you,

the members of the congregation for a big pot luck

dinner. Then around the next corner comes Octo-

ber.

Our next meeting will be on September 1 at 11:00

am in the library. Please let us know your thoughts

about the options mentioned and any others you

may have.

Bill Schroeder (Margaret Hill, liaison)

Social Ministry News!

Social Ministry has two projects for September.

We continue to collect food for our

Back Pack Buddy Program. The

board with needed items and the

tubs to drop the items in are located

in the Narthex.

For our second project, we will be delivering

cookies to our law enforcement personal on

September 27, after the 11 o'clock service. We

are asking the congregation to help by donating

cookies for this project. The sign up sheet will

be available Sunday, September 20th and you

may bring the cookies back the next Sunday,

the 27th, for our group to make the deliveries.

Are you interested in any of the Social Ministry

projects? We would love for you to come join

us, for more information you can contact

Evelyn Brown at 404-825-4615 or e-mail at

evbrown51@yahoo.com.

WINGS

(Women IN God’s Service) After a short summer break, WINGS met once

again on Sunday, August 9th. Plans were made

to send the first “We Care” packages to our

college students for the 2015- 2016 school year

(this is our 10th year of keeping these young

adults connected to the church by sending cards,

letters, inspirational quotes, etc.). Our next

meeting is scheduled for Sunday, September

20th. All women of Epiphany are invited to join

us. We will meet in the church library between

services. Not only do we enjoy keeping these

students connected to Epiphany, we also enjoy a

time of fun and fellowship with each other.

Denise Baker

8

Congregation News & Information

“I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something. Then I realized I am somebody.”

—Lily Tomlin

Epiphany Women's Book Club All women of Epiphany are invited. We would love to have more members.

The Epiphany Women's Book Club will meet on Tuesday, September 15 at 7:00PM to discuss

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. The book is the true story of cells

taken from Henrietta without permission and those cells have been used for medical

purposes such as vaccines, cloning, gene mapping etc. More than 20 years later her family finds

out and this book discusses the issues of cell research and who owns the cells.

Our discussion leader is Meghan Beaucher and our hostess is Miriam Holcomb.

For more information call Evelyn Brown at 404-825-4615

or e-mail evbrown51@yahoo.com.

2016 Church Photo Directory

Is Coming Soon!!

Save the Date for Photography

Pick a date and sign up, in the Narthex

on Sunday, September 13th, September

20th, or September 27th.

Church Life Publishing will be here on

Friday, October 9, 2:00-9:00 PM

Saturday, October 10th, 10:00-5:00 PM

Tuesday, October 20th, 2:00-9:00 PM

Wednesday, October 21st, 2:00-9:00 PM

Practice your smile

Get a hair cut

Pick the right outfit &

Receive a free 8x10 photo

Meals On Wheels Needs Your Help!!

A short 1.5 to 2 hour commitment is

all it takes on a Saturday morning to

ensure that people in need in our

community receive a meal. Has not

knowing what’s required held you back

from volunteering? If so, you are

welcome to either ride along to see

how it all works, or I can give you a

complete written explanation. Just

contact Tim Lohr at 404-807-2192, or

by email at timlohr@icloud.com.

Otherwise, you can simply write your

name on the sign-up sheet in the

Narthex.

Tim Lohr

S MILE

9

Congregation News & Information

Sunshine and Fresh Air!

Saturday mornings; 9:00 AM

The Yard Needs Help!

If you have a couple of hours a month to give, please come out

Saturday mornings and offer your sweat equity to

help keep up the yard.

Don’t Throw Away That

Empty Cartridge! Do you have an HP, Lexmark, Canon, Dell or

Sharp inkjet printer?

The NEW list of recyclable cartridges is on the

bin in the breezeway.

The Youth are continuing their fund-raising pro-

ject, Empties4Cash. With the help of a small re-

cycling company, empty inkjet cartridges can be

recycled and remanufactured. Our youth group

receives up to $3.00 for each cartridge that is

brought in. This program has raised over

$1,400.00 that has directly benefited our youth

programs. You can help! Bring in your empty

cartridges (placed in the original box or a Ziploc

bag to keep it safe from spills and damages), to

the recycle bin that can be found in the Narthex.

Please Remember to

Recycle Paper and

Aluminum Cans

**Your papers, envelopes (even with windows), phone books, maga-

zines and crushed cardboard can go in the blue bin. Plastic bags must

be emptied, the load will be rejected if there are any non-paper items in

it. All proceeds go to Family Promise of New Rock.

Children of God

If you have a family member

that has made the team, or the

choir, or a club, or has

achieved some kind of recog-

nition for an accomplishment,

please write up a short description of the

accomplishment and email it by the 15th

of each month, to the office,

staff@conyerselc.org. We would like to

include it in the next issue of the Epistle.

Thank you!

10

Birthdays & Anniversaries

1 Bob Ard

Ona Lester

2 Brent Moore

Grace Murphy

3 Martha Houser

5 Delaney Atkins

6 Joyce Sweeney

8 Gary Lindemann

12 Ron Barron

Darrin Jones

14 Hannah Honig

15 Mike Jones

Deidre London

16 Carolyn Watson

17 Betty Withers

19 Michael Thompson

20 Marda Keever

21 Logan Gunzenhauser

Tori Shuler

Bailee Stanley

Amanda Wood

22 Evelyn Brown

24 Nathaniel Oates

25 Teresa Lyons

26 Mason Moore

Valerie Slade

27 Barbara Bentley

28 Bruce Hefner

John Houlihan-Mockoski

Sarah Schlueter

29 Caitlyn Crippin

30 Jacob Drasher

Jeanette Parnell

Paula Pyatt

Date

Years

Robert & Mary Lou Gomes 1 19

Stephen & Colleen Simmons 2 42

Kevin & Renee Houser 5 28

Ary & Kristin Grijalva 7 13

Don & Debbie Buckner 10 38

Doug & Mona Longbottom 10 27

Arthur & Stephanie Schlueter 18 22

Chuck & Joanie David 23 9

Did we miss announcing your birth-

day or anniversary? Please e-mail the

church office at staff@conyerselc.org

so that we may update our records.

Thank you.

11

Care and Counseling

It seems obvious to say that life isn’t easy.

Most of us have experienced a time when

“difficult” doesn’t even begin to describe our

situation. When these challenging times

confront you, whether in marriage, family, or

personal life, remember that the Christian

walk is one we share together. Epiphany has

many resources to support you: counseling

with Pastor David, listening and companion-

ship through one of our Stephen Ministers, or

therapy through the Care and Counseling

Center of Rockdale and Newton Counties

(supported, in part, by Epiphany Lutheran).

All of these ministries are confidential.

Please call the church office if you would like

this type of support or the Care and Counsel-

ing Center at 770.922.3044.

Support Ministry

Learn, Grow, and Serve -

Become a Stephen Minister Stephen Ministers provide

emotional and spiritual support

and care to people who are going

through a difficult time, such as

divorce, grief, hospitalization, chronic illness,

unemployment, terminal illness, relocation, or

loneliness. Stephen Ministers are God’s

representatives who bring his love to those

who are hurting. God is waiting to make a

difference in their lives through you! Do you

have gifts for caring, encouragement, and

listening? If so, please prayerfully consider

becoming a Stephen Minister. To find out

more about becoming a Stephen Minister or

how you or someone you know could be

matched with a Stephen Minister, talk with

our Stephen Ministry Leader:

Marty Gunzenhauser 404.545.6560

or call the church office 770.483.6222.

NAMI

(National Alliance on Mental Illness)

Meets 7:00 – 8:30 PM, 1st & 3rd Mondays

1st Monday, September 7th, at Epiphany

Lutheran Church, Room 6

3rd Monday, September 21st, at First

Presbyterian Church, 1169 Clark Street, SW

Covington, GA 30014 (Please come in the door on

Clark Street with the sign for the Care and Counseling

Center .)

The Rockdale NAMI Support Group is open

to all adults who have a family member or

friend suffering from mental illness, regard-

less of the diagnosis. The group is led by

trained individuals who themselves have

loved ones living with a mental illness.

They understand your daily challenges and

can offer you encouragement and support.

All group sessions are confidential. There is

no cost and there is no need to register.

If you have any questions or need more in-

formation call or text Barbara Nieman at

770-823-8912. www.namiga.org.

New Ministry

Grief Support Group Meets September 2nd & 16th

at Noon for Lunch

at a local restaurant!

Are you grieving the death of a parent,

spouse, friend, or loved one? Often it is

easier to handle when we can share with

others who have faced loss. Epiphany’s

Grief Support group meets on the first and

third Wednesday at Noon. Join us in this

caring and confidential ministry for one

another.

Please Contact Barbara Nieman 770-823-

8912 or Bob Astalos, 818-207-9578 for

details.

12

Council Minutes - August, 2015 Council Meeting

August 16, 2015

The meeting was called to order @ 12:30 PM. In attendance were Pastor David, Riki DeLamar, Ron Lyons, Jeanna

Dawson, Bob Ard, Kerry Gibson, Penny Houlihan-Mockoski, Ray Ramos, Kim Johnson, Bertie Thomas, Megan

Beaucher, and Margaret Hill.

The group had sharing time.

The minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed. Motion to accept the minutes as presented. Motion was seconded

and approved.

The agenda for today’s meeting was reviewed. Motion made to accept the agenda as submitted. Motion was seconded

and approved.

FINANCIAL REPORTS:

1. FINANCIAL SECRETARY Art Viohl

2. TREASURER Penny Houlihan-Mockoski

End of Month operating funds totaled $22,246.30. Monthly Budget is $36,493; so ended the month with a deficit. This

month has been better so far. Ron will send a letter to the congregation soon. Need to speak to the congregation also.

Income so far this year is $8,000 behind where we were last year. We are running out of places we can pull funds from to

pay the bills when income doesn't meet expenses. Ratio of budget to expenses is being well managed; but attendance and

income is down. Our major expenses are building and staff. We need to discuss this frankly with the congregation.

OLD BUSINESS:

1. 30th Anniversary Celebration, 9/13/2015 (Update) - Plans are moving along well. Julie and Sheila spoke with updates

at the services today.

2. Missional Planning Committee/ Community Teams (timeline) - on hold until next meeting

3. Stewardship Directory - Still in the process of collecting the information for this.

4. Budget Planning and Audit Committee - Finance Committee will be meeting on Wednesday. The Budget Committee

will be meeting the 16th of September for making the initial plan.

5. Budget Status/Finance - Already discussed.

6. Commissioned Piece for 30th Anniversary Celebration - Already discussed.

7. Financial Secretary Position - Still open. Ron and Pastor both are speaking with possible applicants.

8. Building Usage and Security - need to remove - nothing new

9. Altar Flowers - Spoke with Conyers Flower Shop, if we do not have persons signed up for flowers, we can call on

Monday that week to cancel the delivery.

10. Marty Fullerton donation - Funds given in memory of Jeanette Harris. Motion made to give $200 to WELCA and

$300 to SOAR. Motion was seconded and was approved.

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Staff Annual Review Process - Job descriptions have been distributed for feedback. Job Evaluations are being devel-

oped, these include a self evaluation piece; with a timeline of completion by October 18th. Feedback will be to Pastor,

Ron, and the Executive Committee. Once reviewed, these will be presented to council.

2. Status of Janitor - Cleaning hasn't been being consistent. When he is called with complaints, the response is usually

'well, I didn't do that this week". We had someone come in to give a quote from another service. We will speak to the

current service and see if we can get things to improve.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

1. Discipleship - Ron Barron has started Wednesday youth meetings again. 2 new youth attended last month. Planning to

hold another BBQ fundraiser, also planning to do a combined youth service day with 2 other churches. Youth will be

leading a service in November. Julie Pate said Phil the fish raised $881 last year, we will continue collecting Phil Funds to

go towards the water project this year. Working with Alison Ramsay to decide on the youth Christmas program. Confir-mation schedule and YPT upcoming.

13

Council Minutes - August Continued

2. Outreach - Meals on wheels started back up this month. We are hosting Family Promise this week.

3. Nurture - No current report.

4. Administration – Building Facility task force has been formed which will help analyze what needs to be done with

the building. Directory Committee meeting on Wednesday. Will start sign-ups on 30th Anniversary, Sept. 13th, will do

pictures in October. Goal is to put out directory with the annual report in January.

5. Worship - All Saints will be November 1. Need someone to volunteer to coordinate the Luminaries. Ecumenical

Thanksgiving Service will be November 20. Children's program will be December 6. Choir is joining with Covington

Presbyterian to present The Messiah, here on December 13. Christmas Eve we will add a 4pm service.

Financial Secretary: Current envelope offerings for July were $22,083.30. Loose offerings were $163.00. Total for the

month was $24,085.26.

Treasurer: Operating income for May was $22,246 with $1,839 in designated funds. Total expenses were $27,715.

The operating fund balance is $0.

Pastor’s Report: Written report: Worship Services (4), Special Worship (0), Hospital visits (0), Member Visits (4),

Life Passages (0), Pastors Meeting (1), Committee Meetings (1-Exec Council), Education (3), Counseling Sessions

(0), Staff Meetings (2), Private Communions (0), Other Meetings (0), Continuing Education (1). Rethinking Confirma-

tion conference.

President’s Report: Jenny has been meeting with SOAR committee. They are working on formatting questions for

obtaining feedback. Phone Pal system getting set up.

Vice President’s Report: We need a better way to publicize upcoming events - who is serving in worship, upcoming

baptisms; etc. Greg Potratz is taking over web site administration, get input for him to Pastor; and Facebook

appropriate things to Jeanna, encourage leaders to post and share.

Columbarium’s Report: None.

Date for the September council meeting will be 9/27/15, at 12:30pm. Ray Ramos will provide lunch. Motion to adjourn

was made and seconded, and was approved.

Respectfully submitted,

Rikita S. DeLamar

UPCOMING EVENTS

30 year anniversary Celebration 9/13/2015

Directory Pictures 10/9, 10/10, 10/20, 10/21

Trunk or Treat 10/25

Christmas Play 12/6

14

Financial Report –July, 2015

15

Thrivent

FINANCIAL LITERACY: A LIFELONG JOURNEY

Do you remember the first few dollars you earned as a young child? For many of us it

came from a lemonade stand, mowing lawns, taking care of pets or babysitting the neigh-

bor kids.

Learning the value of money early on plays an essential role in how we manage money

later in life. The book of Proverbs encourages us to teach our children at a young age:

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not

turn from it.”—Proverbs 22:6.

While developing a healthy relationship with money begins at an early age, we should all

seek to be lifelong learners in how we share, save and spend our money.

Brad Hewitt and James Moline, coauthors of Your New Money Mindset, observe that

“People who have grown a healthy relationship with money have a contentment and

quietness that is attractive but not flashy. Their hearts and minds are at rest.”

For Christians our faith can inform our financial values, viewpoints and decisions, and

helps us fight against the temptation to allow the culture around us to determine our

money mindset.

How do we increase in financial wisdom?

Talk to others about their experiences.

Reflect on how our faith and values inform our money decisions.

Seek out expert advice and educational opportunities.

Rather than stumbling through our lives learning by trial and error, we can seek wisdom

and understanding in all things—including our finances.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:

Do you recall the most important lesson about money you learned as a kid?

How does your faith challenge you to think about money in ways that are different from

our culture?

What money principles do you wish you had been taught, that you can now share with

someone else? This article provided compliments of Thrivent Financial, Don Goldsmith, ChFC, RICP, FIC and Kelly Goldsmith,

CFP®, CLTC, FIC at 770-982-0420, and Jeff Huenniger at 678-358-7553.

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Epiphany Lutheran Church

Early Worship 8:30 AM

Sunday School 9:45 AM

Worship 11:00 AM

2 miles south of I-20

Church Office 770.483.6222

Fax 770.760.9211

E-mail: staff@conyerselc.org

www.conyerselc.org

Epiphany Lutheran Church 2375 Georgia Highway 20 Conyers, Georgia 30013-2421

Non-Profit Organization

U.S. Postage Paid

Conyers, GA 30013

PERMIT #150

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED