March - Hope Lutheran Virginia Beach Hope Lutheran Virginia Beach
Transcription
March - Hope Lutheran Virginia Beach Hope Lutheran Virginia Beach
HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH HOPE HIGHLIGHTS MARCH 2015 Wednesday Lenten Worship with Communion Noon & 6:30pm Inside this issue: Issue No. 02-15 March 4: Times of Patience in Lives of Penitence March 11: Penitential Prayers for Purification March 18: Models of Penitential Living March 25:Penitence Brings HOPE Pastor Nieting 2 Summer Camp 3 Easter Lily Orders 3 Blood Drive 3 Knights of Hope 4 LWML 4 Cofer Baby Shower 4 Hope School 5 Listening Ears 5 Joy Day 5 Youth News 6 Staff E-mail 6 Treasurer’s Report 6 Leisure Lutherans 7 Crissfield, MD Trip 8 Vendor Fundraiser 8 Birthdays & Anniversaries 9 VOM Report-Vietnam 9 6:30am~ April 5 March Calendar 10 Memorial GardenWeather Permitting 5:45pm Each Wednesday March 29 8:15 & 11:00am April 2 WORSHIP SERVICE 12Noon SEDER MEAL 6pm GOOD FRIDAY April 3 Worship Services 12 noon EASTER Worship Services With Organ & Brass 8:00am 9:30am 11:00am 6:30pm PAGE 2 HO P E HI G HLI G HT S Are We (as LCMS Lutherans at HOPE) “Anti-Gay?” By: Pastor Nieting I’ve heard it, usually whispered or by innuendo, that by our not fully accepting the current societal trends regarding sexuality and marriage, we are, in essence, “anti-gay.” In response, I’d like to go on the record (in the Highlights) to say no. We welcome all people to worship here at HOPE. As some have quipped, the church is far more of a hospital for sinners than a hangout for saints. You can quote me on this, your pastors and all our staff members are, sinners! I say that, however, rejecting the false assumption that love and acceptance comes with the qualifier of full agreement with all behavioral choices. It doesn’t. I love my kids and grandkids dearly, but that doesn’t mean I agree with every aspect of their behavior. I don’t. Best friends are like that too: they rarely agree with every single aspect of their friends’ behavior. So are teachers in their love for their students. Jesus commands us to follow His teaching and “love one another,” without exception, and our love for people who are gay should continue even while we announce, and do our best to observe all of God’s laws regarding ALL sexual behavior. And what, you ask, IS God’s design for sexual behavior? It’s laid out quite clearly both in the Old Testament and the New, beginning at the creation of the first human beings, as Jesus said in Matthew 19:4-6: Haven’t you read that in the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, “For this reason a man should leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall be one flesh?” (See also Genesis 2:24 and Ephesians 5:31). Clearly this is a mandate from God, established at the beginning of creation, affirmed by Jesus in the Gospels, and again by Paul in the Epistles: God created sex to be shared within the boundaries of a man and a woman in marriage. In the entire Bible there are to be found no alternatives that God blesses. None. It’s not a contextual law, like “women, cover your heads,” (an uncovered head indicated a prostitute back then) but rather, a timeless one. Marriage, as invented by God, is between one man and one woman. God “invented sex,” and has promised to bless those who are married and (then) enjoy it. The Bible describes a variety of alternatives, but there is never a blessing attached. There is no blessing to premarital sex; no blessing to adultery; no blessing to polygamy; no blessing to same gender sex. God does not bless any sexual behavior outside that of a man and a woman in marriage. Love expressed sexually is a wonderful gift from God that includes boundaries. We also hear culture telling us that people who are “born gay” shouldn’t be expected to refrain from samesex behavior. While our culture still debates “causes” of different sexual orientation, the Biblical reality is that it doesn’t matter. One of the “fruits of the Spirit” (Galatians 5) is “self-control.” The temptation to sin, ANY sin, isn’t easy to deal with, and sexual sins are among the most tempting. Hence the need for self-control, no matter who we are! This doesn’t mean that those who act on a same-gender sexual desire have done anything worse than those who have become involved in other kinds of sinful sexual behavior, like adultery, pornography, promiscuity, treating humans like sexual objects, lust, premarital sex, etc. Spend a few minutes reading the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:28) and you’ll find that almost every human being is guilty of some sexual sin, so we must be extra careful with the logs in our own eyes before we deal with others. But being tempted to sin doesn’t mean we are powerless to stop acting on the temptation. The urge to get involved outside of marriage with another human being sexually, even when “love” is present, doesn’t make the behavior right. I have several friends, LCMS pastors, who live daily with this very real tension in their lives. Their greatest struggles AND their highest joys come from honoring their Savior by rejecting the temptation to act contrary to God’s design for life that is blessed. And they are blessed. I know that. So, bottom line. All people are welcome at Hope. The Bible is not silent about sexuality, so we in the church are not either. But what we believe and teach is not based on the cultural norms of the day. Culture is not an authority for the church. God is. Our foundation is God’s Word. No one in the church has a free pass to change God’s Word and ask Him to bless any sinful behavior. Living unrepentantly within any behavior that is not God-pleasing does not result in God’s blessing or the blessing of the church. We are at Hope because it (Continued on page 7) HO P E HI G HLI G HT S PAGE 3 RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE at Hope Lutheran By: Jennifer Rauch Tired of winter? Then let’s start talking summer! That’s right, it’s time to start thinking about Hope’s Summer Camp program! We offer weekly themes*, as well as in-house field trips, and of course lots of fun! Camp is for children 2½ to 10 and will be held mid-June thru midAugust. Our rates have not increased since last year and sibling discounts are available. If you are looking for care for your child (ren) for a few fun weeks or the whole summer, let our Summer Camp be the answer! For more info, please contact Jennifer Rauch at rauchx4@gmail.com or call 424-4894. *themes may include space, dinosaurs, the Wild West, and science. Wednesday, March 4 1:00 to 6:00pm Fellowship Hall Sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board in the church lobby. You can also sign up by calling: church office (424-4848) or by e-mailing: admin@hope.hrcoxmail.com Please take the time to give this gift of life! EASTER LILIES By: Kathryn Wacker It’s time to plan for Easter! Easter Lilies are used to adorn the chancel area on Easter Sunday. Beginning March 1, you may order yours for $15 and a designation can be made “in memory of”, “in honor of”, or “in celebration of” which will be listed in the Bulletin on Easter Sunday. To place your order, look for a box near the Altar Flower orders on the table in the Narthex or you can fill out the form below and return to the church office. The last day to place your lily order is March 22. Everyone is encouraged to take their lilies home after the 11am service on Easter Sunday and plant them in your yard to enjoy their beauty next year. 28 lilies will fill the chancel area. EASTER LILY ORDER FORM 2015 $15.00 each Proceeds will help with altar needs. Payment is expected when order is placed. Please return this form with your payment to Kathryn Wacker by March 22. Lilies may be taken home after the 11am Easter Service. PLEASE PRINT: Name Phone In memory, honor, celebration of. . . Paid PAGE 4 HO P E HI G HLI G HT S KNIGHTS OF HOPE The Knights of Hope is our men’s group. They meet the second Saturday of each month at 8am for breakfast, devotions and fellowship. The next men’s breakfast will be March 14. Men, 18 years old and up, are invited. We will have a special speaker, Mr. Ken Kurtz, who will talk about the Crissfield, MD trip and the Mennonite Disaster Service. For more info, see any member wearing a Knights of Hope shirt or see Steve Plummer. If you wish to be added to our e-mail list, please e-mail steveplummer370@yahoo.com. LUTHERAN WOMEN’S MISSIONARY LEAGUE By: Britta Rinehard LWML at Hope meets five times a year between September and May. Our next meeting is on March 21 from 9-11am in the Fellowship Hall. Want to learn more about LWML and all the things we do? Then please join us for our next meeting and share your gifts God has given you. There are several upcoming LWML volunteer opportunities at Hope, but also at the Zone level. Please pray about it and consider serving in one of the positions below: Opportunities at Hope May 2015 - May 2017: Position Currently serving Vice President Karen Patton Treasurer Beverly Young Networker Britta Rinehard BABY SHOWER Ladies of Hope are invited to a baby shower brunch honoring Alisha Cofer on Saturday, March 14, at 10:30am in Hope’s Fellowship Hall. Please RSVP by March 8 on Hope’s Facebook page or in the narthex. Babysitting is also available; please let us know if you need it and the names and ages of your children. Alisha is registered at Babies R Us and on Amazon baby registry. In lieu of a card, bring a favorite children’s book (new or used) with your wishes inside. If you would like to help with brunch preparations on the day before, contact Linda Muth. For more information about these opportunities, please contact Tonilee Oliverio or Karen Patton. Opportunities at the Zone April 2015 – April 2017: Position Currently serving President Chris Kern (Hope) VP Christian Life Sharon Garrison, Judith Smith (January Retreat) (Emmanuel) For more information about these opportunities, please contact Chris Kern. Upcoming Events: 08 March - Mite Sunday 21 March - next meeting at 9 – 11 am 25 March - Lenten Supper, provided by LWML 18 April - Spring Rally, Resurrection-Newport News 16 May - last meeting before the summer break, time and place TBD Des Moines, Iowa Convention June 25—28, 2015 Theme “Bountiful! Sow, Nourish, Reap” For more information please go to: http://www.lwml.org/ convention HO P E HI G HLI G HT S PAGE 5 HOPE SCHOOL NOW ENROLLING FOR 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR By: Carolyn Powell Enrollment for the 2015-2016 school has just begun. Hope School will still offer preschool, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. There will be extended care hours, as well. Parents will be happy to hear that our Kindergarten prices were substantially lowered for the new school year, and other programs saw a small increase to no increase at all. So that will help families with their budgeting. And remember, our kindergartners meet all day, from 8:30 until 2:30 Mondays – Fridays. Class sizes at Hope are quite small, averaging between 10 and 12 students per class with a teacher and assistant teacher. This means each student will receive a great deal of attention! So let us know if you would like to have a tour and a day in which you could observe in one of our beautiful classrooms. Hope School is just a great place to grow! USING OUR LISTENING EARS By: Carolyn Powell Quite often, I hear my son and his wife saying to our two grandchildren, “Are you using your listening ears?” Parents know their children may hear what is being said, but are really not listening. It seems those kids never get the message and after a while, parents have to find another way to get the point across, perhaps in a way that will end up being somewhat unpleasant. In our family’s case, after dad and mom spend a considerable amount of time pleading and using up all of their patience, our grandchildren usually “lose” something, as a form of discipline. It works for the moment and only lasts until the next time they are not using their listening ears! It makes me wonder if we grown-ups are using our listening ears when it applies to God’s word. In Jeremiah 13:15 we read: “Hear and pay attention, do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken”. Jeremiah had a stern warning for the people of Israel…the Lord’s flock was going to be taken captive. And guess what? Jeremiah’s words came to pass. Bible history reveals that the people suffered the consequences for not listening. As our entire congregation continues our walk through “The Story” this year, we see that God’s messages are vitally important and when He says, “Give ear”, we need to be disciplined and pay attention. We will fare much better if we take seriously His words, for in hearing and heeding, we will receive the many blessings the Father has in store for us. Children who are regularly in church and Sunday School are hearing God’s word. As our teachers lovingly share the messages from “The Story” each week, we see evidence of “listening” to the words of Jesus. The truth is, the greatest message they will ever hear is that Jesus is their Savior and that He loves them so much. May we parents and grandparents use our listening ears and take heed to what our Savior is teaching us! May we come to appreciate knowing Jesus, as He is the one true way to real happiness and eternal life! JOY DAY Sunday, March 22, 9:30-11:00am By: Carolyn Powell Hey kids! Make sure you are here for Sunday School on March 22. We are going to experience a very special day during JAM Time. Instead of having Joy Day on a Saturday, the Board of Children’s Ministry decided to have it on Sunday, one week before Palm Sunday. This will be a big change for many of us. The children of our Sunday School and Day School are invited to attend. We encourage them to bring a friend to join us for this fun event. We will meet in Kids Kingdom at 9:30 sharp right after early service! We’ll enjoy singing some of our favorite songs: “Jesus is My Lord, My Master and Savior”, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”, “Hosanna!”, “The Butterfly Song”, “Ho-Ho-Ho-Hosanna”, and “Shalom”. We’ll ask some of our friends to accompany us on the tambourines and we’ll even dance! At 9:45, the children will be divided into two groups. Group #1 will go to their classrooms to make a craft and enjoy a special snack. Group #2 will stay in Kids Kingdom for a drama that will highlight the last week of Jesus’ life. They will learn about Palm Sunday, the last supper for Jesus and His disciples, Jesus praying in the garden and His arrest, Jesus’ trial and crucifixion, and finally the empty tomb. Then the two groups will swap places. No need to register for this free event. Parents may join if they wish. Pick-up for the kids is between 10:45 and 11am. PAGE 6 HO P E HI G HLI G HT S YOUTH GROUP NEWS By: Linda Muth All TRUTH members who are signed up for Construction Zone will meet at Hope at 5:45pm on Friday, March 6. We will return to Hope at noon on Sunday. You should eat dinner before coming on Friday. Please remember to bring your Bible, appropriate clothing, and money for lunch and dinner on Saturday and also for offering. This year Zone will be held at the Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront hotel. BODY will go to Charlotte, NC for Quake on April 10-12. Costs for this event are $160 if signing up now or $145 minus deposit paid if you signed up for Early Bird. Registration deadline is March 8 at which time the total registration cost is due. If you would like to see what the weekend is all about please visit www.youthencounter.org. This weekend will be a great time for our group to grow and bond. Hope’s own Sam White will be there with his Captive Free team. Hope you can come! We already have 19 youth signed up so don’t miss out on a great weekend! On Saturday, March 7, BODY will go roller skating at Haygood Roller Skating Center (1036 Ferry Plantation Rd., Virginia Bch) for the Current FM Positive Skate Night. Skating is from 8 to 10:30pm and we will meet at the skate center. Cost is $8, which includes pizza. Invite a friend. Our Confirmation III students and their parents will meet on Sunday, March 22, for the Stole Workshop from 12:30 to 2:30. This is an opportunity to pick out symbols and start work on the stoles that will be worn during the Confirmation service that will be May 24. Material and symbol patterns will be available, but please bring sharp scissors, tacky glue, and any special beading or decorations you may want to add. You may also want to know your baptismal date. A light lunch will be provided. Activities at a Glance March 6-8 Zone (TRUTH) March 7 Roller skating (BODY) March 8 Quake payment due (BODY March 22 Stole workshop (Confirmation III) April 10-12 Quake (BODY) STAFF E-MAIL ADDRESSES TREASURER’S REPORT Total Income: Total Expense: Income Less Expense: Pastor Nieting Pastor Cofer Kathryn Wacker Martha West Carolyn Powell Meredith Mulcair Camelia Eid mnieting@hotmail.com pastor.cofer@gmail.com assist@hope.hrcoxmail.com admin@hope.hrcoxmail.com christianed@hope.hrcoxmail.com Meredith.mulcair@gmail.com camicho73@hotmail.com (January of Fiscal Year 2014-2015) January Actual $68,632.73 73,306.03 $ - 4,673.30 By: Linda Taylor Year-to-Date Actual $512,539.67 492,454.74 $ 20,084.93 For a more complete Financial Report, please pick up a copy in the church office. HO P E HI G HLI G HT S PAGE 7 By: Carroll Bains Twenty-one hardy souls gathered for a fine Leisure Lutherans luncheon at the Olive Garden restaurant on Ring Road near Greenbrier Mall. Even though the outside air temp was only 22 degrees, with a wind chill down to single digits, "Neither threat of snow, cold, or other obstacles could hold us back!" Food was exceptional, and, of course, we all enjoyed conversation and catching up on news from last month! We were so glad to have George and Oksun Schaefer back with us after his long period of rehab and recovery--no oxygen required! Praise the Lord!!! Pastor Nieting updated us on church progress regarding the personnel search for a new Youth Director and some very good news about new parking lot LED lighting--already ordered and due for installation shortly. Yay!! We are still looking to increase the number of our senior fellowship; so, if you consider yourself a senior, and enjoy good fun and fellowship, please feel free to join us. Our next outing will be a trip to the Lynnhaven Fish House on Star Fish Road off Shore Drive, just east of the Lesner Bridge. We will meet there at 11:30am on Monday, March 16. The doors don't normally open until 11:00. Come enjoy Christian fellowship and support with us. Sign-up sheet and menu are in the narthex. Photos from our February luncheon (Continued from page 2-Pastor Nieting) is in Christ that God offers to us His grace, love and mercy when we fall to our knees, repent of our sins, and make every effort to live our lives according to His will and His Word. Granted, it is a difficult issue, one the world tends to see simplistically: either you love gay people by unqualified acceptance or you are a hater for taking any stance that implies moral judgments. Jesus offers a third, faithful alternative, one I pray we all embrace here at HOPE. Love people; but for the sake of love, do not love, bless, or encourage anything that leads to destruction and that blocks us from eternal joy. Remember that ALL of us are sinners in need of a Savior…..and we meet Him in repentance for ALL our sins, whatever they are, at the foot of the cross! May you have a blessed Lenten journey. SAVE THE DATE! Congregational Seder Meal & Worship April 2 Maundy Thursday 6pm Seder Meal The Upper Room (Fellowship Hall) 7:15pm The Garden of Gethsemane (Sanctuary) Communion will be a part of Seder. Stripping of the Altar will be part of the Worship. PAGE 8 HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF EFFORT, centered in Crisfield, MD By: Pastor Nieting Crisfield began as a small fishing village but grew into a large city in the 1850’s after the discovery of abundant oyster beds. This discovery led John W. Crisfield to bring the Eastern Shore Railroad to the town’s seaport. Seafood was soon being shipped all over the US, and by 1904, Crisfield was known as the “Seafood Capital of the World.” That said, Crisfield is the poorest town in Somerset County, which is the poorest county in Maryland. Nearly 50% of Crisfield’s residents live below the poverty line. Crisfield is surrounded by salt marshes and was built on a floodplain. As Hurricane Sandy passed Maryland on October 29, 2012, a five-foot storm surge left most of the city underwater. Over 500 homes were flooded, rendering most of them unlivable. MDS Response (Mennonite Disaster Service): In Nov. 2012, MDS was contacted about the possibility of helping with rebuilding and recovery in Crisfield. The Delmarva unit and the Eastern Virginia unit of MDS have collaborated to respond to this need. Most of the homes that can be repaired have been gutted and dried out, and now the work includes wiring, drywall, painting, new floors, etc. In the coming months there will be multiple new homes to build. Volunteers will be housed in the old American Legion Building. Separate sleeping and bath facilities will be available for males and females and a kitchen/dining area has been added for meals. HOPE will participate in this project in MAY 2015, with a team (max 15) leaving Sunday, May 3, and returning Friday, May 8, after work. If you are interested, see Pastor Nieting. Housing and meals will be provided. There will be a small cost. Will YOU make the difference in the life of someone whose home was destroyed? Can’t go? Can’t build? Perhaps you can contribute and we know you can pray! BREAKING NEWS: At the next Knights of Hope meeting (March 14 at 8am), Mr. Ken Kurtz will be here to talk about his time in Crissfield. He has been involved with Mennonite Disaster Service in that area and will be able to answer your questions. LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY VENDOR SALE March 21 ~ 1 to 6pm By: Judee Montero Support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society “Light the Night” Walk and attend the Vendor Sale on Saturday, March 21, in the fellowship hall at Hope. Vendors will include: Kanine Kitchen (organic dog treats), Maui Wowi (smoothies & gourmet coffee), Private Investigator, Trinika Moi (crochet at its finest), Oliver Ara Photography, Tupperware by Ashley, Of the Earth Body Care, Origami Owl, Bushkins Leggings, Pampered Chef, Mary & Martha, Kambal’s Lumpia, Avon by Julia, Thirty-One, Oily Plant Doctor, Mary Kay, Tastefully Simple, Light Leigh Candles, LL Furniture, Damsels in Defense, Bath Fitter, Jamberry, Juice Plus, Body by Gill, Gifts by Gina. HO P E HI G HLI G HT S MARCH BIRTHDAYS Kevin Knippa Mary Lallak 2 Ryan Lane Victoria Mulske Michael Obland Kristine Sturkie Shirley Wettlaufer 4 Karen Margaritis 5 David Dyer, Sr Chris Herbkersman 6 Kim Behm Benjamin Sturkie 7 Rex Bayman Shawn Jesgarz Kathryn Werner 8 Samuel Cason Rachel Knoepfel 10 Erin Babakan Frederick Foard 12 Lauren Kaiser 13 Andrew Schmidt 14 Emily Johnson Kathryn Wacker Kenneth Wydler 17 Hallett Connor Patricia Hartje Nathan Oswald Avery Rauch 18 Alea Barry Justin Fitzpatrick Cheryl Hendricks 20 Zachary Hall 21 Christopher Martin Taylor Montgomery Lidya Teklegiorgis 23 James Ballard Keith Frederick Bruce Melcher Michael Riley George Schroeder Elise Vess 24 Jim Bleam Sam Vess 1 25 Brooke Stevens Eric Stevens 26 Rob Dean Kevin Dippery Bob Hannewald Nancy Kettner William Schmidt 27 Carroll Bains Tamy Carter Noah McRitchie Lynda Saia 28 Christopher Kern Michael Sneath 29 Russell Clarke Camelia Eid 30 Matthew Young 31 Courtney Obland Alexandra Young 5 19 20 24 25 29 PAGE 9 VOICE OF THE MARTYRS ANNIVERSARIES Gordon & Deborah Johnson Gerald & Ramona Brown Bill & Susan Koons William & Jennifer Young Freddie & JoAnn Blaser Steve & Kathryn Wacker If your birthday or anniversary is missing and you would like to include it in the Highlights, please contact Martha in the church office: 424-4848 or admin@hope.hrcoxmail.com Sunday March 15 E-mail articles for April to: Admin@Hope.hrcoxmail.com or leave a copy in the church office. (excerpts from VOM website) As many of you already know, Hope Staff and the Sunday School children have adopted a front line worker through The Voice of the Martyrs. This worker and his family are ministering on the font lines in Vietnam. We have committed a year to pray for them each week. Please join us in praying for this family as they spread the Gospel while under persecution. Vietnam is one of the few remaining communist nations in the world. The government maintains tight control on political expression and has recently expanded its control over all religious activities. It uses a specialized religious police force to stop the growth of religious groups, such as Christians, through discrimination and violence. Official government documents give local authorities in the northwest the mandate to compel Christians to recant their faith. In November 2012, the government of Vietnam approved a new decree that rendered most house churches illegal as of Jan. 1, 2013. The government restricts religious freedom through legislation, registration requirements, and by harassing and intimidating unsanctioned religious groups. In rural areas, local authorities view Christianity as a foreign threat and often use discrimination, intimidation, property destruction, detentions, beatings and forced renunciations of faith to halt church growth. Several ethnic Christians have died while being tortured. Christians at a prayer vigil for the release of two Christian leaders were shot when police fired into the crowd and many were injured. Persecution is more severe in the north than in the south. VOM workers report that local officials increasingly target new believers for extreme harassment, and leave established Christians alone. VOM continues to support Christians in Vietnam by helping to train pastors, providing motorbikes to evangelists, supporting Christian broadcasts, distributing Bibles and helping families of prisoners. HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH-Missouri Synod 5350 Providence Road Virginia Beach, VA 23464 HOPE HIGHLIGHTS NEWSLETTER March 2015 No. 03-15 Published Monthly Hope Lutheran Church 5350 Providence Road Highlights