The Nugget Page 1

The Nugget

Gold Hill Evangelical Lutheran Church We are a Stephen Ministry Congregation and 934 Placer Street - Butte, MT 59701 a Congregation of the Montana Synod of the (406) 723-4242 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

The Pastor’s Study: Interim – The Time Between

EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, UNITED TO SERVE

November 2019

First a bit of thanksgiving…thank you so much for the warm welcome you’ve

extended to Dennis and me…thank you for the upgrades to the parsonage…thank you for

repeating your names over and over again as I learn who you are. And, while we feel so

fortunate to be with you for the second half of your interim, I know that Pastor Laurie was

sorry to have her time with you come to such an abrupt end. But when the Holy Spirit

calls, you jump! So we will hold our new bishop in prayer and move on in faith.

An interim is a time between, and can bring with it a variety of responses:

The time between a medical test and the results can be filled with anxiety.

The time between the news of a new baby and its birth can be filled with

anticipation.

The time between a job interview and an offer of employment can be filled

with hope.

How have you experienced this interim, this time between your last pastor and the one

who is to come? It has probably been a mixture of anxiety, anticipation, and hope.

The good news is that much of the hard work of the interim has already been

done, things like gathering the history of Gold Hill and evaluating it, working through

some past hurts, naming some hopes for the future, forming a Call Committee and getting

the paperwork completed. Now we wait prayerfully as the Holy Spirit and the synod staff

work in tandem to bring us profiles of pastors who would be a good fit for Gold Hill

Lutheran. When you rise from your bed each morning, offer a prayer on behalf of

whomever this person is, for even now she or he is being prepared to come and join you in

ministry.

As your interim pastor, my focus will be worship, preaching, Bible study,

visitation, and bringing words of encouragement over the next few months. Look for

information in the weekly news from Gold Hill about new educational offerings coming

soon.

And, a bit of housekeeping so we all have the same information. My contract with

Gold Hill is for three-quarters time, so I will primarily be in Butte Wednesday – Sunday.

But if emergencies arise, I am always available. Please call my cell (402-984-4306) or the

church. I try to let Mary Johnston know where I am, and often I am just next door in the

parsonage.

May the Lord bless our work together!

Pastor Trina Johnsten

November 3rd

Christ the King

November 24th

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Prayer Concerns Please call the Church Office (723-4242)

or email us:

(ChurchOffice@GoldHillLutheran.org) with

your prayer requests. Only prayers given to the

entire congregation will be included here.

Family of Jim Young (Linda & Jon Williamson’s

father/father-in-law) – prayers of comfort following

his death

Jeremy Grimes (Bruce Grimes’ grandson) – prayers

for health & healing

Pastor Tim Christensen – blessings on his new

interim pastorate with the people of Fairbanks

Lutheran Church in Fairbanks, Alaska

Kevin Huff (by Vern Nielsen) – prayers for health &

healing

Cassie Haley (Miriam Haley’s granddaughter) –

prayers for health & healing

The family of Sue Ost, Synod Treasurer – on the

death of their former daughter-in-law, Ciara Ost,

Pastor Kim Peterson – upon her installation at Trinity

Lutheran in Choteau

Hope Lutheran, Bozeman – celebrated their 100th

anniversary in October

First Lutheran, Hardin – celebrating their 100th

anniversary in October

Pastor Halcyon Bjornstad – ordained at Atonement

Lutheran, Missoula and called to New Life Lutheran

in Helena

Donna Ronald (wife of Pastor Paul Ronald) –

undergoing serious health complications

Daniel Kemmis (husband of Pr. Jean Larson) –

recovering from knee surgery and infection

November Birthdays/Anniversaries:

Anna Jones - celebrating her birthday on November 8

Elinor Johns - celebrating her birthday

on November 11

Rochelle Kriewald - celebrating her

birthday on November 12

Bob Brown - celebrating his birthday on

November 15

Dorothy Gronvold - celebrating her

birthday on November 15

John Tadday - celebrating his birthday on November

17

Jon Williamson - celebrating his birthday on

November 17

Julie Corbin - celebrating her birthday on November

19

Carol Hecker - celebrating her birthday on November

20

Barbara Agocs - celebrating her birthday on

November 21

Mattea Dean - celebrating her birthday on November

29

Chris Ketchum - celebrating her birthday on

November 30

Samantha Lynn Ross - celebrating her baptismal

birthday on November 30

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bazaar & Lefse Sale

The Daughters of Norway are holding their 2nd

Annual Bazaar on November 9th at the Racetrack

Fire Hall (corner of Grand & Farragut) from 9:00 am

to 3:00 pm. Enjoy a lunch while browsing the various

vendors! Lefse and Scandinavian goodies will be on

sale.

If you have any questions, please call Danette

(782-3938 or 565-6310) or Bev (490-8332).

==============================================

Advent Soup & Bread Suppers

Soup & Bread will

be held on Wednesday

evenings, December 4,

11, & 18, starting at

5:45 pm.

The meal will be

followed by Holden

Evening Prayer

Service at 6:30 pm. Please join us! If you have any questions, please talk to

Chris Ketchum or anyone on the Worship Ministry Team.

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Memorials & Honorariums

In Memory of Dennis Haley from:

Miriam Haley

Kay & Paul Vang, gift to Stephen Ministry

=========================================

55+ Lunch Group News

Our 55+ Lunch Group will be meeting this

month for lunch at Perkin’s Restaurant on

November15th at Noon. Please note the new date!

We are meeting now on the 3rd Friday of the

month.

For rides, reservations, and more information

please talk Jeanette Nielsen (490-7817). Thank you

and we hope to see you there!

=========================================

We Deliver –

Sack Lunch Ministry

Volunteers for October were: Lynn

Aniksdal, Patty Callaghan, Doug &

Ann Drew, JoAnn Farrow, Dick

Fitzpatrick, Bill Hill, Annette

Lawson, Kim Mickelson, Jeanette Nielsen, and Curt

& Jeanette Quist. Thank you!

Food supplies & donations for food provided by:

Lynn Aniksdal, JoAnn Farrow, Bill Hill, and Kim

Mickelson. A special thank you for all cash

donations received. This ministry is solely

supported by our congregation.

We will meet this month on November 18th in

the Hall to put these lunches together. If you have

any questions please feel free to call Kim

Mickelson, at 494-1206.

===========================================

Thank you Shelly Anderson for

the beautiful fall decorations

on the outdoor sign and ramp!

***********************************

It’s that time again! The refrigerator in

the Fellowship Hall needs a good

cleaning – can you help?

If you are willing & able, please let

Mary in the church office (723-4242)

know. Thank you!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Food Bank Items of the Month

For the month of November

we will collect cereal (hot &

cold). You can leave your

donation(s) in the Fellowship

Hall, one of the baskets at each

sanctuary door, or in the church

office. Thank you for your generosity! _________________________________________________________

Bible Study Group

We meet on the second

Tuesday of every month at

9:30 AM at Big Sky Senior

Living Center on Waterford

Way, in the library.

For Fall 2019 we are

doing a study called “No hard feelings? Poetry and

emotions in the Old Testament” brought to us by Rev.

Dr. Anna Madsen, a freelance theologian and proud

mama to daughter, Else, and son, Karl. She works with

OMG: Center for Theological Conversation

(omgcenter.com) and enjoys seeing the occasional

moose and bear in their woods.

Please join us for Session Three: “Stewarding the

gift of joy” on November 12th.

________________________________________________

The extension of Gold Hill's GWOH September 8th

neighborhood outreach activities with an additional

fundraiser on behalf of the Butte Rescue Mission

[BRM] raised $845: $250 worth of food supplies (30

lbs. coffee, 70 lbs. sugar, 12 lbs. butter, and 47 lbs. pork

loin) and $595 cash to the BRM. Thrivent Financial's

$250 seed money gift was used to purchase the food

items. Gold Hill's $595 will be used by the BRM for

general operating expenses. Although GH did not

know about the Town Pump Foundation's double

matching of cash gifts when the Council approved

extending GH's GWOH project, the $595 cash donated

by GH means a $1,785 benefit for the BRM in addition

to the $250 seed money donation from Thrivent

Financial for total fundraising of $2,035.The BRM's

new "low barrier" shelter should be open by the end of

October. Thank you Gold Hill! Matthew 25:40

________________________________________________

Annual Lutefisk & Meatball Dinner

Saturday, December 7th 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Fellowship Hall, Gold Hill Church

Please plan on attending! As always the food will be

great and the fellowship even better! Tickets are $14

for adults and $8 for children.

You can use the sign-up sheets in the Fellowship

Hall by the kitchen window to indicate how you can

help with this event, or call Mike Lawson (560-3591) or

Danette Fitzpatrick (782-3938) for more information.

________________________________________________

Scandinavian Cookie Baking

We will be baking cookies

on November 16 at 9:00 am in

the Fellowship Hall. Everyone

is invited to come and help to

make cookies for our annual

Lutefisk Dinner. Please bring

your own supplies! Talk to

DorothyAnne Honeychurch or

Peg Probasco for more

information.

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Spotlight on:

Music Ministry

From the

Music

Director

It is choir season again! Praise the Lord! As I

write this we had just been hit with a winter storm

but thanks to our sturdy and intrepid choir

members we had 7 brave the biting winds and icy

cold to make choir practice! You each have my

admiration and thanks!! God bless you all!!

The choir is back to practicing on

Wednesday evenings beginning at 6:30

p.m. and ending at 7:30 p.m. We are

practicing in the choir room upstairs. We have

some wonderful music that we are diligently

working on. If you would like to join the choir or

find out what other opportunities exist for

participating in the music ministry of Gold Hill,

please feel free to talk to me, text or call me (406-

491-5313) or e-mail me at

daveinconcert@live.com.

As we head into the Advent season the choir will

be continuing to work on inspiring and uplifting

music that brings praise to our Lord and Savior.

As Psalm 150 tells us, (King James Version [KJV]) 1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in

his sanctuary: praise him in the

firmament of his power. 2 Praise him for his mighty acts:

praise him according to his excellent

greatness. 3 Praise him with the sound of the

trumpet: praise him with the psaltery

and harp. 4 Praise him with the timbrel and

dance: praise him with stringed

instruments and organs. 5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals:

praise him upon the high sounding

cymbals. 6 Let every thing that hath breath

praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

Come and join us as we praise and make a joyful

noise to the Lord! This Thanksgiving let us give

praise and thanks to God who has bestowed upon

us His endless grace and mercy. We have much to

give thanks for. May your Thanksgiving be blessed.

In service to our Lord,

Dave Coleman Dave Coleman

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Gold Hill ELC Directions

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LITTLE DRESSES FOR AFRICA

By Miriam Haley

Take a moment, please, to

look at the Little Dresses

hanging in the Fellowship

Hall. They are in most

instances the only new item the

little girl will ever own. These

dresses, distributed around the

world and in the United States,

are given to orphans or needy

children with the hope they will know that someone

somewhere thinks they are WORTHY. The pretty dresses

replace the rags they are wearing...sometimes no more than a

rag tied at their waist. These dresses act as a shield from

predators who think belonging to someone, this child they

won’t touch. If you would like to know more, here’s the

link: www.littledressesforafrica.org.

These dresses are sewn at home. We have suitable fabric

shared from the LWR QUILTERS. Please ask for fabric and

a pattern if you like to sew. The simple pillowcase dress is

where most of us started but as you will see some of the

dresses are far beyond that! Several Gold Hill friends are

helping, some sewing, others packing and shipping. You are

needed and wanted and welcomed to help, speak to me or

call me anytime, 406-498-3861. Let’s get sewing, I love this

ministry!

_______________________________________________

Worship Ministry Notes

By Chris Ketchum

We begin November with All

Saints Sunday (Nov. 3rd) which is

celebrated one week after

Reformation Sunday. This

Sunday is marked as an occasion

to remember the deceased. We will

adorn the Church in white and light candles for all from our

community who have died in the last year.

This year we remember: Evelyn “Evie” Peterson, Beverly

May Hiam, Shirley Agnes Farrow, Merlin James Hecock,

Grace Norma Davis, Howard Lawson, Judith Helen

Jacobson, Dennis Richard Haley, Donna Maxine Weiss,

Eleanor Fetters, and Jim Young.

The congregation is invited to light a votive candle in

memory of their loved ones prior to worship. If you wish

to do so please come a few minutes early to light a candle.

November 24, 2019 is Christ the King Sunday. This title

of Jesus refers to the idea of the Kingdom of God where He

is seated at the right hand of God and is known as the “King

of all Kings.” This is the final Sunday of the Liturgical

calendar. The colors to enhance this day are gold and white.

The Advent season follows directly after this Sunday. Our

committee is seeking musicians and vocalists to perform in

honor and celebration of this Holy season.

Talk to Dave Coleman if you are moved to share your

talents. May you and your families have a blessed

Thanksgiving.

_______________________________________________

Spiritual Ministry for November

Crafts & Conversation -

6 to 9pm on Thursday, Nov 14th

in Room 104 of the church. Bring

a craft or project to work on and

just visit with each other. Snacks

are okay too!

Sunday School in November

continues after the 9:30 am worship

with our theme of “Cereal with

Jesus”. It’s geared for kids 1st to 5th

grade, but we won’t turn you away if

you want to participate. No Sunday

School on December 1st (it’s

Thanksgiving weekend!)

We are gearing up for an

intergenerational Christmas program this year. Anyone of any age that is

interested in helping with or being in the

Christmas program, please see Julie

Corbin. However you are able to

participate, you are welcome!

Faith Formation is not a destination but a journey. Whatever part of the journey that you are on, Gold Hill

Lutheran would love your input. Please see Julie Corbin or

leave a message for me at 490-2814 or

juliecorbin5@gmail.com. Thank you! Julie Corbin

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Leadership Team/Property Committee

By Lynn Aniksdal

Property Activity Update

I would like to extend a “VERY SPECIAL THANK

YOU” to Alan Aniksdal, Bruce & Peggy Graving, and Mike

Vincent for their hard work and dedication to Gold Hill

Lutheran Church. Mike Vincent repaired the loose bricks

around the Church and Fellowship Hall and cleaned out the

upper gutters. Alan, Bruce, and Peggy spent many hours

getting the Parsonage ready for Pastor Trina.

Bentley Construction has completed the outside work

on the window wells and will finish inside soon. The

sprinkling systems at the Church and Parsonage have been

blown out for the winter. We are very happy with the

outcome from all the hard work but there is still a lot to be

accomplished and volunteers are needed in the near future.

There is a sign-up sheet posted for snow removal on

Sunday morning before worship. We would really

appreciate people volunteering so that it does not fall on the

same people each and every week.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (406)

491-2245. Thank you very much.

_______________________________________________

Gold Hill Knitting Ministry

Gold Hill’s Knitting Ministry

invites anyone interested in knitting

or crocheting prayer shawls, hats

and/or scarves, to join them on the

3rd Thursday of the month at Big

Sky Senior Living Center. You don’t have to know how to

knit; we will teach you if you are interested in learning. This

ministry has acquired quite a lot of yarn for this purpose

from the Prayer Shawl Ladies of Milwaukie Lutheran

Church in Oregon.

BRRrrrrr, it’s cold outside! As part of our ministry

we ask you to bring new or lightly used hats, scarfs, and

mittens to Gold Hill. These will be distributed around town

for our homeless and needy folks. And they can be knit,

crocheted, or sewn with fleece. They are hung on benches

and fences around town where these folks gather. Notice our

display on the ramp which also includes prayer shawls.

YOUR GIFT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

If anyone can't work with the group on Thursdays, they

are welcomed to take yarn and work from their home.

If you have any questions you can talk to Jeanette Quist,

Kay Vang, or Miriam Haley.

_______________________________________________

Stewardship: Ministry Past, Present, and Future

By Pastor Charles Lane

In the stewardship world, things have changed – a lot.

Over the past twenty years or so, the stewardship landscape

has shifted significantly.

Twenty years ago the primary reason people were

encouraged to give to their congregation was to get the

bills paid. A typical line was, “Our expenses are up. We

need you to give a little more to offset the increase.”

Today, there is a much stronger emphasis on giving as

an act of discipleship. Stewardship leaders stress the

mission and ministry of the congregation much more than

the bills. Sermons and articles on the bills have pretty much

disappeared. Now, we talk about God’s generosity and our

faith-driven generous response. Now, giving is talked about

as a faith practice, along with worship, prayer, learning and

service. In many congregations the Bible has replaced the

bills as the primary motivator for giving.

This change is welcome! Paying

the bills is never much fun, but

generous giving connected to faith

can bring great joy to a Christian’s

life.

Where are we now? This is

always a harder question than “Where have we been?”

Twenty years is not a long time for a culture shift in the

church.

First, especially when money is tight (as it often is in the

church), it could be tempting to abandon the more difficult

message of generosity and joy. The bills are so quantifiable

(and need to be paid), that it can seem easier, and will likely

work—in the short-term.

Second, we need more good work to be done in

stewardship ministry, both biblically and practically. It is

encouraging to see young stewardship leaders emerging.

Those of us who have been around a while need to invite

their ideas and creativity. If you are a congregational

stewardship leader, welcome these future leaders to the

table!

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Third, we need congregational conversations about

faith and finances. Certainly, the preaching and teaching

need to continue. The time has also come for congregation

members to gather together for learning and conversation

about how faith and finances intersect in their lives. Often

congregation members are far more ready for these

conversations than leaders think they are. Check out Adam

Hamilton’s Enough. [Charles Lane is Pastor for Stewardship at Lord of Life

Lutheran Church in Maple Grove, Minnesota. He is the author of “Ask, Thank, Tell” and “Reflections on Faith and

Finances”, and the co-author of “Embracing

Stewardship”]

_______________________________________________

Gold Hill ELCA Trust Committee

Minutes – October 8, 2019

Members present: Ron Gruss, Vern Nielsen, Ed Engle,

Annette Lawson

Ron Gruss opened the meeting.

New Business

• Vern Nielsen introduced John Chioutis and Scott Blando,

financial advisors from Edward Jones. They gave the

members a presentation on their company’s policies of

financial investment and advice as related to our church

investments. They will give us a written proposal in the

near future.

• Vern is also trying to set up a meeting with Autumn Keller

(from Helena), a Thrivent financial advisor.

• Ron asked us to pray about what Christian investments we

would want to go with.

Old Business

• The Music and Worship committee submitted a request for

reimbursement for a 3 piece “Come Emmanuel Bethlehem

Star” altar parament - cost $244.95. Vern(m) and

Annette(s) to reimburse for the parament. The motion

passed.

• Annette read the minutes of the previous meeting

(8/22/19). Vern(m) and Ed(s). The minutes were accepted.

• Annette read a thank you note from Emily Vincent for the

receipt of the $750 scholarship. Annette will post the note

on the church bulletin board.

The meeting was adjourned with the Lord’s Prayer.

Respectfully submitted,

Annette Lawson

Call Committee Notes

By Dale Schultz

In late October we heard from the Synod Office that

our Ministry Site Profile (MSP) was reviewed and

accepted. What does that mean? It means that the Synod

office has posted the MSP on their web site for Pastors to

see. It also means that they can start sending the call

committee names of pastors that feel a

call to serve at Gold Hill. For Gold Hill

it means that as a congregation we

patiently wait and we pray.

This will be a period of time when

the call committee will be working

hard but will not be putting out much

information. It is important everyone

understands that it is in the best interest of those pastors that

we are reviewing and/or interviewing that we keep all

information confidential during and after the process. When

the time is right and only then will the call committee let any

information out so please do not ask.

This is an exciting time and God is working so feel the

excitement, pray often, feel the Holy Spirit working in you

and learn all you can from Pastor Trina while she is with us.

____________________________________________

CHURCH COUNCIL 2019:

Mike Lawson -

President

Curt Quist -

Administration Director

Revonda Stordahl -

Treasurer

Peggy Graving -

Secretary

Julie Corbin -

Spiritual Growth

Ministry, Team Leader

Chris Ketchum -

Worship Ministry, Team Leader

Lynn Aniksdal -

Leadership Ministry, Team Leader

Jerry Aaker -

Outreach Ministry, Team Leader

Interim Pastor Trina Johnsten

The Nugget Page 9

Gold Hill Evangelical Lutheran Church 934 Placer Street, Butte, MT 59701 (406) 723-4242

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, United to Serve Food Bank Item of the Month: cereal (hot & cold!)

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

2

3 9:30 am Worship HC to homebound

2nd Offering

10:45 am Sunday

School

10:45 am Coffee

Hour

4 10 am

GHELC

Women’s

Book Club

at BSSL

Center

5 10 am - 4 pm

Chateau

Quilters

5:30 pm Exec.

Comm. mtng

6 9:30 am LWR

Quilters

6:30 pm GH Choir

6:15 pm O. Anon

7:30 pm Al-Anon

7 6:30 am Bible

Study @ Perkin’s

6:30 pm Music &

Worship

8

5:00 pm Special

Olympics Dinner

in the Hall

9

10 9:30 am Worship Holy Communion

10:45 am Sunday

School

10:45 am Coffee

Hour

11

6 pm Stephen

Ministry

Leadership

7 pm Stephen

Ministry

Supervision

12 9:30 am

Women’s

Gather Bible

Study - BSSL

Center

6:30 pm Council

mtng

13 9:30 am LWR

Quilters

6:30 pm GH Choir

6:15 pm O. Anon

7:30 pm Al-Anon

Nugget Deadline

14 6:30 am Bible Study @ Perkin’s

1-4 pm Cloggers

6-9 pm Crafts &

Conversation –

Rm. 104

15

12 pm 55+ Luncheon

@ Perkin’s

Restaurant

16 9 am Cookie

Baking in the

Hall

17 9:30 am Worship Holy Communion

10:45 am Sunday

School

10:45 am Coffee

Hour

18 9 am We

Deliver – Sack

Lunch

Ministry

19 20 9:30 am LWR

Quilters

9:30 am Butte

Ministerial Assn.

Mtng – Rm. 104

6:30 pm GH Choir

6:15 pm O. Anon

7:30 pm Al-Anon

21 6:30 am Bible

Study at Perkin’s

10 am Knitting

Ministry

at BSSL Center

1-4 pm Cloggers

22 23

24 9:30 am Worship

10:45 am Sunday

School 10:45 am Coffee

Hour

25

26 27 9:30 am LWR

Quilters

6:30 pm GH Choir

6:15 pm O. Anon

7:30 pm Al-Anon

28 Office

Closed

29

Office Closed

30

ACTIVITIES CALENDAR

November Coffee Hour Hosts:

November 3rd - Linda Williamson

November 10th - Peggy Graving

November 17th - Sue Repola, Heatherlynn Meeks

November 24th - Ginger DeWitt, Kathy Hurlbert

The Nugget Page 10

Gold Hill Evangelical Lutheran Church

934 Placer Street

Butte, MT 59701

Phone:

(406) 723-4242

E-Mail:

pastorgoldhill@gmail.com

churchoffice@goldhilllutheran.org

Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9-12 & 1-4

Interim Pastor Trina Johnsten

Mike Lawson, Council President

Parish Admin. Assistant Mary Johnston

Inside this Issue:

Page: From the Pastor’s Study 1 Announcements 3 Gold Hill ELC Directions 5 Activities Calendar 9

Gold Hill Evangelical Lutheran Church

934 Placer Street, Butte, MT 59701

(406) 723-4242

Empowered by the Holy Spirit,

United to Serve

Worship Schedule:

Worship 9:30 am, 10:45 am Coffee Hour

10:45 am Christian Education – Sunday School

November 28 - Thanksgiving Day

December 1 - Advent Begins

December 7 - Lutefisk &

Meatball Dinner