FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH First Lutheran Church · 04/05/2016  · The First Lutheran Church name will...

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408 Ninth Street NW Mandan, ND 58554 FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH Phone: 701-663-3594 Fax: 701-663-6217 E-mail: [email protected] Building Faith and Transforming Lives in Christ. ADDRESS LABEL www.firstlutheranofmandan.org We’re on the web! Sponsor for this month: Tammy-Lapp Harris 701-220-4908 – C 701-751-6377 W The other day I was shopping for graduation cards. As I was looking through the card section, this saying popped out at me. “Blessed are the available. Blessed are the conduits, the tunnels, the tools. Deliriously joyful are the ones who believe that if God has used sticks and rocks to do His will, then He can use us.” - Max Lucado Although this saying graced the cover of a thank you card, I took the time to stop and read it. As I placed it back in it’s sleeve on the shelf, and continued about my business of looking for graduation cards, I kept coming back to it. From graduations, to the end of the school year, to the beginning of weekends at the lake, May is a month when we celebrate endings and beginnings. Yet how often in the midst of those endings and beginnings do we see ourselves as conduits, tunnels, and tools? How often does the new graduate look out at a world of possibilities, filled with fear and excitement, proclaiming joyfully they are a tool for the Lord? How often does the graduate’s parents or guardians look at a future so different and changed, filled with fear and excitement, proclaiming joyfully that they are a tool of the Lord? If you think about the quote, is really quite strange. So why couldn’t I stay away from it? It holds great promise too! Just think about it. If God can use sticks and rocks to God’s will, then what does that mean for us? What does it mean in the midst of those endings and beginnings, in the midst of fear and excitement, in the midst of promises yet realized? God can work through us. It’s just that complex and that simple. What a powerful promise this is! So as we go about the many endings and beginnings of May, how might God be using you? I gave thanks and praise to God for you-the conduits, the tunnels, the tools! Pastor Chris May 2016 Administrative Pastor Rev. Lee Herberg 663-3594 Associate Pastor Rev. Christina Martin 663-3594 Administrative Assistant & Coordinator of Lay Ministries Jackie Schulz 663-3594 (o) 663-3082 (h) Custodians Ron & Mavis Watson Financial Administration Jennifer Scheet First Lutheran Is A Mission Partner with Camp of the Cross Ministries First Lutheran Staff First Lutheran Church May Newsletter

Transcript of FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH First Lutheran Church · 04/05/2016  · The First Lutheran Church name will...

Page 1: FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH First Lutheran Church · 04/05/2016  · The First Lutheran Church name will be on 25 t-shirts for 2-3 baseball teams. A Property Management Task Force has been

408 Ninth Street NW

Mandan, ND 58554

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH

Phone: 701-663-3594

Fax: 701-663-6217

E-mail: [email protected]

Building Faith and

Transforming Lives

in Christ.

ADDRESS LABEL www.firstlutheranofmandan.org

We’re on the web!

Sponsor for this month:

Tammy-Lapp Harris

701-220-4908 – C

701-751-6377 – W

The other day I was shopping for graduation cards. As I was looking through the

card section, this saying popped out at me.

“Blessed are the available. Blessed are the conduits, the tunnels, the

tools. Deliriously joyful are the ones who believe that if God has used sticks

and rocks to do His will, then He can use us.” - Max Lucado

Although this saying graced the cover of a thank you card, I took the time to stop

and read it. As I placed it back in it’s sleeve on the shelf, and continued about

my business of looking for graduation cards, I kept coming back to it.

From graduations, to the end of the school year, to the beginning of weekends at

the lake, May is a month when we celebrate endings and beginnings. Yet how

often in the midst of those endings and beginnings do we see ourselves as

conduits, tunnels, and tools?

How often does the new graduate look out at a world of possibilities, filled with

fear and excitement, proclaiming joyfully they are a tool for the Lord? How often

does the graduate’s parents or guardians look at a future so different and

changed, filled with fear and excitement, proclaiming joyfully that they are a tool

of the Lord?

If you think about the quote, is really quite strange. So why couldn’t I stay away

from it? It holds great promise too! Just think about it. If God can use sticks and

rocks to God’s will, then what does that mean for us? What does it mean in the

midst of those endings and beginnings, in the midst of fear and excitement, in

the midst of promises yet realized?

God can work through us. It’s just that complex and that simple. What a

powerful promise this is! So as we go about the many endings and beginnings

of May, how might God be using you?

I gave thanks and praise to God for you-the conduits, the tunnels, the tools!

Pastor Chris

May 2016

Administrative Pastor

Rev. Lee Herberg

663-3594

Associate Pastor

Rev. Christina Martin

663-3594

Administrative Assistant &

Coordinator of Lay

Ministries

Jackie Schulz

663-3594 (o)

663-3082 (h)

Custodians

Ron & Mavis Watson

Financial Administration

Jennifer Scheet

First Lutheran Is A Mission

Partner with Camp of the

Cross Ministries

First Lutheran

Staff

First Lutheran Church

May Newsletter

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PAGE 2 FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH May 2016

Thank you to this months sponsor - Tammy Lapp-Harris of

Integra Realty Group for sponsoring this months newsletter.

Attention Senior Parents: We mailed a letter out to you on April

20th regarding the Senior Recognition Service that will be held on

Sunday, May 22nd at the 10:45 A.M. service. Seniors will also need to

have your picture sent to the church before 5:00 P.M. on Friday, the

14th of May.

Please send the picture to [email protected].

We want to THANK everyone who has helped us with LAF (Lunch at

First) this school year. We have fed approximately 300-400 kids every

Thursday! This ministry is such an important part of our church, and

we are grateful to everyone who has helped us keep it going. We would

love to have you come check out this awesome event here at First

Lutheran. Come down any Thursday and join us!

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New Worship Time Starting in June...

For June, July & August our worship times

will be Sundays at 9:30 A.M. &

Wednesday’s at 6:00 P.M. We will not have

coffee hour during the summer months on

Sundays.

A huge THANK YOU to all of our

Church School teachers and

Confirmation leaders who gave of

their time and talents this year to

bring the Gospel of our Lord to our

children of First Lutheran! You are a

blessing to us all!

Pastor Christina

A few words from the Mission Endowment Committee…. You should have received a mailing from the

First Lutheran Church Mission Endowment Committee inviting you to participate in a campaign to contribute

$1,000 in the race to “100 Bridge Builders” by the end of 2016! Please prayerfully consider helping to grow

the First Lutheran Church Mission Endowment Fund! When you have reached $1,000, a plaque will be

created in recognition of your generous support. It will be placed on the “Bridge Builder” wall in the Narthex.

Thank you to all who have already contributed! Contact one of the Mission Endowment Committee Members:

Michelle Radke, Donna Fishbeck, Jim Mellmer, Heather Heinle or Terry Bohn for further information, or call

the church office.

PAGE 10 FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH MAY 2016

Mark Your

Calendar…

5th: LAF - Nachos

12th: LAF - Chef's Choice

19th: LAF - Grilled Hot

Dogs (Served outside ~

weather permitting)

Upcoming Events

We Need Your Hospitality!!!

I am looking for four different families to provide Camp of the Cross counselors dinner. You would sign up for one night's dinner during

the week. It could be a home cooked meal, a crock pot meal at church, or you can take them to eat at your favorite local place.

The meals would be for Monday through Thursday.

Please contact Pastor Chris if you have questions or are interested.

Calling all 6th –12th graders…...

We will be playing Frisbee golf on May 15th 5-7 P.M. at Hillside Park

in Bismarck. Join us and other Lutheran youth for fun and food. We

will be meeting at Hillside Park. So invite a friend! If you need a ride

please contact Pastor Chris at 701-663-3594.

VBS is gearing up!!

Camp of the Cross will

be here with us for

VBS this year!!

All K–6th graders are invited to First

Lutheran’s VBS on Monday, June 6th

through Friday, June 10th from 8:00-4:00

and Friday from 8:00-Noon.

You can register online on the First

Lutheran Website under the Registration

Page tab.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the

women of our congregation!

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Sunday ~

8:30 am ~ Traditional

10:45 am ~ Contemporary

9:30 am ~ Coffee

Wednesday ~

6:00 pm ~ Transitional

Worship Schedule

Special Thanks

Thank you to all the greeters, ushers, communion servers,

readers, communion set-up, coffee hour workers, and to all

who have supplied goodies for the last month. Your help is

greatly appreciated!

Baptisms:

April 17 Thaddeus Lawrence Silbernagel

April 24 Brooklyn Julia Starck

April 24 Riley Donald Kainz

Weddings:

Funerals:

April 8 Karen Aune Wardner

Memorial Fund

Pastoral Acts

In memory of Carl Fischer given by Jim & Donna

Mellmer. Deadline for

articles for the

June/July

Newsletter will be

May 20th.

May ~ Mission of the Month

Camp of the Cross Ministries

Items needed are Food, Crafts, Paper Goods, Office

Supplies, & Miscellaneous Items. You may put your

items in the boxes in the Narthex. Thanks!

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First Lutheran Church Council Minutes

Date: March 17, 2016 Time: 7:00 pm

Members Present

Pastor Lee Herberg, Pastor Christina Martin, President Jill Miller, Vice President Jeff

Bradford, Secretary Jessica Petrick, Rynell Rusch, Tim Faller, Darrell Nitschke, DJ Campbell,

Jessie Hilfer and Andrea Bonness.

Absent

None

Introduction of Guest

Michelle Radke, First Lutheran Church Mission Endowment Fund President introduced Faith

Simonieg, Regional Gift Planner for the Western North Dakota Synod, ELCA Foundation.

Ms. Simonieg reviewed the importance of people leaving money behind to their church. Gifts

can be done with a beneficiary designation or a transfer on death. She recommended the church

create a bequest process for endowment funds.

Approval of Agenda

Moved by Jeff Bradford and seconded by Tim Faller to approve the agenda. Motion passed.

Secretary’s Report and Approval of Minutes

Moved by Darrell Nitschke, seconded by Jessie Hilfer to approve the February 18, 2016 minutes

and the addendum email approval of the low sanctuary blind bid. Motion Passed.

Financial Report/Review

Reviewed Revenues received and Expenses recorded. The health of the Operating Fund is good.

The cost of not having a third Pastor has helped. Cash on had as of February 29, 2016 is

$171,110.55; last year at the same time it was $99,838.44. Total income is up $6,708.11 from

this time last year. Income vs. Expenses is a positive $621.04 versus ($5,733.87) at this time

last year. The nice weather has helped with the lower utilities expenses and sidewalk snow

removal expenses.

The council reviewed the Dedicated Accounts. The Building Fund is running slightly behind

through February of 2016 with expenditures of $8,000 and revenues received through February

of $7,016.

Unfinished Business

The funding request from the Mandan Kiwanis for $75.00 to sponsor Mandan Youth Baseball

was approved unanimously. The request was moved by Darrell Nitschke and seconded by

Andrea Bonness. The council believes this will help the church intergrade within the

community. The First Lutheran Church name will be on 25 t-shirts for 2-3 baseball teams.

A Property Management Task Force has been formed to discuss issues such as: windows,

flooring, railings, retaining walls, boiler issues, adding a garage for the van, expanding

education rooms and any ongoing issues as they relate to the 2013 Strategic Plan. The task

force includes the following individuals: Jeff Bradford, DJ Campbell, Tim Faller, Gary

Tomanek, Ralph Feland and Norman Roth. The Task Force plans to meet with Randy Axvig

from Prairie Engineering to first discuss options for the boiler.

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New Business

The Council discussed how to deal with random acts of violence and theft in the Church. Pastor

Lee will move forward with the bidding process for a security/surveillance system.

The sanctuary projection system is over 9 years old and it’s aspect ratio is no longer compatible

with the current computer operating system. Pastor Lee will move forward with the bidding

process for a new projector. DJ Campbell suggested we perhaps lease equipment.

Reports

Pastor Lee - 1 baptism, 1 funeral, 0 weddings and still mentoring Bill Dodd with weekly

meetings. Holy Week is next week. The 2016 mid-week Lenten Services were also completed

on March 16th. Pastor Lee participated in a pre-retirement webinar through Portico Benefits of

the ELCA.

Pastor Chris – 0 baptisms, 0 funerals, 0 weddings. Pastor Chris led worship at local nursing

homes and Lakewood Landing. She is also on the Synod Council Stewardship committee and

they have been thanking Churches. She also completed a Stewardship Webinar and Continuing

Education.

Special Events

Holy Week and First Communion for the 5th Graders in coming up. They have 23 students total

that will receive their first communion.

New Membership Potluck is scheduled for Sunday, April 3rd at 6:00 pm.

Stewardship

No Report

Worship

No Report

Parish Education/Youth

A Youth Mission trip is scheduled for July and will have 14 youth attending. They are

currently planning travel arrangements. They need to work on raising more funds for

transportation in Los Angeles.

Jessica Petrick will begin teaching music to the Wednesday Church School.

Church school will be singing during Palm Sunday and Wednesday School during the Easter

Program.

Evangelism and Outreach

The LAF program continues to feed 300-400 kids each week.

Property and Management

No Report

Correspondence

Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center thank you for $150.53 for the M-Club

Motion to Adjourn/Lord’s Prayer

Meeting was adjourned at 8:40 pm by Jill Miller. The next Council meeting will be at 7:00 on

April 21, 2016. The meeting was closed with the Lord’s Prayer.

Minutes submitted by: Jessica K. Petrick, Secretary

PAGE 6 FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH MAY 2016