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The Messenger A monthly publication of Christ Lutheran Church

Vol. 58 No. 5 May 2018

Pastor’s Message My friends in South Dakota emailed a couple of weeks ago to say they had set a record low temperature (1°F) for the previous day, that there were still two feet of ice on a nearby lake, and that as we talked they were in the middle of a blizzard. Ever the thoughtful friend, I sent them a picture of our front yard complete with freshly mown, lush green grass and enormous red tulips. Their response was unintelligible; something like, "%&*^$$ &%@*# ^#(*@@*!"

All kidding aside though, I found myself very much aware of and grateful for the beauty that has surrounded me of late. I was also reminded of a sonnet I recently discovered that was penned by Malcolm Guite, who is rapidly becoming one of my favorite Christian poets. I share it with you here for your meditation during this beautiful Easter season in which graces abound.

Strange Surprise

None of this need have happened, all of this, These unexpected gifts, this overflow Of things we know, and things we'll never know, None of this had to be, but here it is, The here-and-now in all its strange surprise; A space to be ourselves in, and a grace That spins us round and turns us to the source Whence all these gifts and graces still arise.

And now the one through whom all this was made, Whom we ignore, on whom we turn our back, Whom we denied, insulted and betrayed, Gathers and offers for us all we lack, Voices on our behalf creation's praise, And calls us to become the song he plays.

Malcolm Guite

On another note, most of you know I spent my sabbatical last summer exploring how individuals and congregations can prepare for and be of service during disasters, whether of natural or human origin. Large-scale disasters like earthquakes and floods can stress emergency responders and the supply of basic resources far beyond their limits at the local, regional, and national level. Even relatively small, localized events like power outages, snow storms, or wildfires can put us in a precarious position for a time. One of the most important things we can do as families and individuals is to take some steps in advance that will lessen the likelihood of us adding to the emergency response burden.

Periodically I will be sharing some ideas about how you can prepare to ride out a disaster. "2 Weeks Ready" is the first installment and can be found elsewhere in this newsletter.

Pastor Joel Ley

Mission

We are God’s people, united by faith in Jesus Christ, forgiven, chosen

and called by Him through the Word and Sacraments

to be a mission people.

Christ Lutheran Church

Rev. Joel Q. Ley, Pastor

1420 S. 2nd Avenue Walla Walla, WA 99362

509-525-2243 509-525-0092 (fax)

christlutheran@gohighspeed.com www.christwallawalla.org

Organist: Cynthia Knutson Music Coordinator: Candace Rose Sexton: Gene Spangrude Office Manager: Deb Fuller

A congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church

in America (ELCA)

Sunday, May 20

Join Us Sundays

Our Worship Service is held at

9:30 a.m. *

Coffee Hour begins at 10:30 a.m.

*

Adult Education classes are held on Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m. and

10:30 a.m. *

Our Children’s Sunday School is

held at 11 a.m.

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Members in Action—————————–——

If you would like to add someone to our list, please leave the information at the

church office or e-mail Deb at christlutheran@gohighspeed.com.

Keith Fujimoto USA Fort Hood, TX Kyle Jones USN Hawaii Kyle Rutledge USA Fort Bragg, NC

Lee Rutledge USA Schofield Barracks, Hawaii Josh Wolfram USAF Kadena Airbase, Okinawa, Japan Kris Wolfram ANG Portland Air Guard Base, OR

Adult Ed Classes in May

8:30 a.m. classes: There is no classes scheduled, at this time, for the first 3 Sundays in May. On Sunday, May 27th, there will be the discussion of the Living Lutheran magazine article, facilitated by John Knapp.

10:45 a.m. classes: On Sunday, May 6th, there will be the second of the two-part class on choosing the hymns that are used during our worship services. This class is led by Pastor Joel Ley. On May 13th, 20th and 27th, Margaret Ley will lead a Women and Social Justice class.

KIDS' SUNDAY SCHOOL IN MAY

Sunday School for kids is held at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Please watch your Sunday bulletins for Kids’

Sunday school announcements or changes.

The More The Merrier!

We welcomed thirty-six new members to Christ Lutheran during worship and a reception on Sunday, April 22nd! Some have been worshipping with us for quite a while; others are newcomers to our faith community. We are grateful for them all!

Our newest members are Larry and Deanne Johnson; Kathy Krebs; Carmen and John Funderburk; Leah Bailey and her kids Elias, Astrid, and Malin; Kaye and Bill Miller; Chuck Austin; G. G. Ellis; Scott Duff and Judith Hedberg-Duff; Dale and Bobbette Hedman; Sandy Krebs; Scott and Anne Sumner; Joel, Cynthia, and Katelyn Huesby; Stephanie, Andrew, Elsa, Dane, and Liv Gomsrud; Tim Anderson; John and Karen Telstad; Rebecca Thorpe and her children Tallulah and Dutch Sickels; and Ed and Bev Hermsen.

There are still other prospective new members out there in the pews and beyond the walls! We will look forward to welcoming more of you before long!

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Ushering, Greeting and Assisting and How to Be Part of

Worship at Christ Lutheran Church!

Are you interesting in being part of the worship service and just need a little instruction? Meet Linda

Lohrmann in front of the altar following the service on Sunday, June 3rd. She will walk you through ushering,

greeting and serving as a lay/communion assistant. Printed instructions will be provided.

29 of the 36 new members! Welcome to Christ Lutheran Church!

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Opportunities for Fellowship————————

YOGA CLASSES!

There are now two Yoga classes being held at Christ Lutheran Church! Regular Yoga class meets on Thursday evenings at 5:30 p.m. and Chair Yoga meets Friday mornings at 10 a.m. Both classes are

held in the Fellowship Hall and neither require previous yoga experience. For more info you can

contact Anne Sumner at (208) 697-1067 or anne@sumneryoga.com.

WALK, TALK, AND LAUGH WITH US!

Don’t miss out on this chance for fellowship and exercise! The Walking Group, also known as the Walkie Talkies, meets inside the church's back door on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Afterwards we enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in the church library. We’d love to have you join us! When it is too wet to walk outside, we have a circular route for walking inside the church. For more information, call Darlene Babcock (522-1299), Patty Hamada (529-4793), or Helen Hill (240-5214).

2 WEEKS READY!

For years, emergency management officials recommended that you have enough food, water and other supplies on hand to sustain you for three days. However, after the 2016 Cascadia Rising exercise that simulated a major earthquake and tsunami in the Pacific Northwest, it became apparent that a three-day supply was woefully inadequate. With damaged transportation systems, we may find provisions running low even on our side of the state. Emergency managers now recommend that you have 14 days of supplies on hand to sustain you in the aftermath of a major regional disaster, more if you live on the coast. That is 1 gallon of water and about 2,000 calories of non-perishable food per person per day! Do not forget about necessary medications or your pets’ needs either. A plastic storage tub can be used to collect other emergency supplies. You don’t have to complete your emergency kit all at once. Start assembling your kit and add to it as you are able!

Join us for an all church potluck on Sunday, May 20th, 11 a.m. Watch your

Sunday bulletin announcements for further information. If you have

questions you can contact Rachael Pederson at (509) 386-1771 or rpederson11@hotmail.com.

THIRD TUESDAY BOOK GROUP

Everyone is invited to participate in our monthly book group on Tuesday, May 15, at 12:00 p.m. (new time!) in the church library. We will be discussing The Book of Unknown Americans, by Christina Henriquez. Arturo and Alma River moved from Mexico to the United States to obtain better medical treatment for their daughter, Maribel, who had a very serious injury. A friendship develops with the Toro family who are from Panama. It also includes stories of other families from Latin America and what it means to be an American. If you have questions, contact Barbara Fryhling at 876-4828 or bfryhling@charter.net.

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May 6th: 6th Sunday of Easter

Coffee Hour: Gene & Cassie Spangrude Flowers: TBD and Marlene Howard 9:30 a.m.

Worship Assistant Sara Van Donge Acolyte Natalie Ross Ushers TBD Communion Assistant TBD Greeters TBD

May 13th: 7th Sunday of Easter

Coffee Hour: TBD Flowers: Janet Tinker

9:30 a.m.

Worship Assistant Norma Hanson Acolyte Elsa Gomsrud Ushers TBD Communion Assistant TBD Greeters TBD

May 20th: Day of Pentecost

Coffee Hour: Pentecost Potluck! Flowers: Cheryl McCoy

9:30 a.m.

Worship Assistant Bob McCoy Acolyte Dan Gomsrud Ushers TBD Communion Assistants TBD Greeters TBD

May 27th: The Holy Trinity

Coffee Hour: TBD Flowers: Cecilia & Tracy Rutledge

9:30 a.m.

Worship Assistant Nona Benzel Acolyte Nathan Feistner Ushers TBD Communion Assistants TBD Greeters Pat Gardner & Judy Loposer

Opportunities for Service—————–——

May Service Commitments

Altar Care

Jeannine Manny

Dee Fisher

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CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

April 10, 2018

President Kari Isaacson called the meeting to order at 7:00. A round table prayer served as devotions. Those present were: Pastor Joel Ley, Kari Isaacson, Gordon Heimbigner, Tracy Rutledge, Cecilia Rutledge, Linda Lohrmann, Jeanne Ziska, Rachael Pederson, JoAnne Savage, Marit Nierman, Kurt Hoffman, Leslie Anderson, Jim Peterson, and Norma Hanson.

Jim made a motion to accept the March 13 minutes, Kurt seconded and motion carried.

Financial Report: Gordon reported that the offerings for March were consistent with previous years. Net income for the month was $1,316 so that the balance in the checking account was $75,507. Total cash including endowments as of March 31 totaled $210,662 with positive equity of $1,551,409.

Committee Reports:

1. Outreach: JoAnne said next Sunday, April 15, will be Quilt Sunday. The mission group will ask for freight

money to ship their quilts to Lutheran World Relief for distribution to countries in need.

2. Fellowship: Rachael thanked council members for their help with the Lenten Soup Suppers, Holy Week gatherings and the potluck for the Jamisons. On April 22 there will be a reception for the new members of CLC.

Linda is planning to have pictures of the new members posted.

3. Evangelism: Jeanne and committee gave out the Holy Week devotional on Palm Sunday. She asked council's opinion on whether to continue the booklets. The response was favorable so she will continue the

devotionals.

4. Property Management: The new air handler was installed on April 3. The final electrical work and startup

should be completed soon.

5. Worship: Lent and Holy Week services went well.

6. Adult Education: The 8:30 DVD series "We Must Plant the Church" continues. The last Sunday will be the "Living Lutheran" article "Why does the ELCA have the word "evangelical in its name?” The 10:30 class will

explain the process of choosing hymns for worship and will be led by Pastor Ley and Linda Lohrmann.

7. Youth Education: Sunday School will resume April 15th. Marit is planning to host another multi-generational activity/event this spring probably connected to Pentecost. Judith Hedberg-Duff will assist.

Pastor's Report: Pastor said the attendance on Sunday mornings remained solid and Lent Vespers attendance was between 64 and 67. He thanked everyone who helped with the busy Lenten and Easter services. He thanked Lorna Hewitt and Sandy Krebs for improving the grounds in the front of the church. Also there will be a Cluster Meeting at Lord of Life in Kennewick this Sunday, April 15.

Continuing Business:

1. Ministry Review: Leslie said the first part of two questionnaires was given out last Sunday, April 8. The members were asked to fill them out and return them as soon as possible. The second part will be passed out

next Sunday, April 15.

2. Cash Handling Procedures: The cash handling policy was discussed. A motion to adopt the policy was tabled at the last meeting, so a vote was taken and passed. Kurt and Norma H. will count this Sunday morning

immediately after service.

3. Air Handler: Tracy reported the unit is installed but an electrician was required to finish the installation. The electrician said our present wiring is inadequate so he will do the upgrade. Approximate cost will be less

than $1,500.00.

4. Council Retreat: The committee (Kari, Jeanne, and Rachael) are looking for a local meeting place. Kari said Lawson Knight is available to be our facilitator and he could meet with the council at the June meeting.

Con’t on following page)

Christ Lutheran Church Business————

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Attendance Report

Average Sunday Worship Attendance

March 2018: 115

March 2017: 89

Christ Lutheran Church Business————-

Pastoral Acts Weddings

Andrea Goddard and Todd Saunders 7 April

March 2018 Offerings March 2018 Expenses

General Fund $24,758 General Operations $21,102

Building Fund Interest Income

$0 $0

Mortgage Payment $0

Designated $1,726 Designated $4,066

Total $26,484 Total $25,168

March Net Income: $1,316.

Monthly Results:

Christ Lutheran's non-designated offering income came in $242 less than budget for the month. Operational expenses were $4,184 more than budget for the month.

Designated, restricted and operational funds combined for a net inflow of $1,316.

Year To-Date:

Total operating offerings/revenues to date are $2,812 under budget as of the end of the year.

Total operating expenses to date are $551 under budget as of the end of the year.

Total cash balance has been decreased by $5,343 since January 1, 2018.

The overall year to date is what would be expected considering $9,300 in capital expenditures.

Balance Sheet Items:

CLC's checking account ended the month with a $75,507 balance.

Total cash including endowments totaled $210,662 as of 03/31/2018. CLC had $1,551,409 in positive equity on 03/31/2018.

Treasurer’s Report

(Con’t from previous page)

5. Bookkeeper: We discussed a current contractual agreement and options for changing the provider are being pursued.

6. New Members: There will be a reception for our new members on April 22. Fellowship committee will be in charge.

7. Endowment: The Endowment Committee recommended that the money from the John Erdman estate be put in the Endowment Fund ELCA (endow) Acct 100-08. Jim made a motion to place it in this fund, Kurt seconded, and motion passed.

New Business:

1. Church Directory Update: Since we have new members and faces, Kari suggested we update the church directory. The Evangelism committee will work on this.

Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 8:25 with the Lord's Prayer.

Respectfully submitted, Norma Hanson, Secretary

Adaptive Devices, Wheelchairs and Walkers Available

An FYI! As we extend invitations to family members and friends to attend church with us, please be aware that the church has several wheelchairs and one wheeled walker available for use at church. These adaptive devices can be used by individuals that need them to assist in getting to worship safely. Ask an usher or greeter if you need any of these items. Also, we have LARGE PRINT worship folders, bulletins, and hymns available on Sunday mornings for services. Ask an usher for the LARGE PRINT version of the service if this would help you to participate and follow the service more closely.

CLC NEWSLETTER

Your contributions to this newsletter are welcome! Please submit your articles to Deb in the church office, either in written form or you can send it via e-mail to christlutheran@gohighspeed.com (either type the article in your email or attach a Microsoft Word or text-only document). And if you’d like to receive your newsletter via CLC’s website,

just give Deb your e-mail address!

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Christ Lutheran Church

1420 S. 2nd Avenue

Walla Walla, WA 99362

Return service requested

To:

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2018

The Holy Trinity Sunday, May 27th

Day of Pentecost

Sunday, May 20

CLC office

closed on Memorial

Day!!

Monday, May 28th

Ascension of Our Lord

Thursday, May 10th

Day of Pentecost Sunday, May 20th

11:00 a.m.