St. Luke`s Visitor - St. Luke`s | Lutheran Church

St. Luke’s Visitor
February 2015
“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the
Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:19-20
St. Luke’s Lutheran
Church
330 Sunset Avenue
Manhattan, KS
66502
(785) 539-2604
stlukesmanhattan.org
Rev. Michael J.
Schmidt, Senior
Pastor
Charity Olson,
Director of Christian
Education
Gretchen
Hendrickson,
Director of Music
Marie Kelley,
Preschool Director
Rev. King Crawford,
Campus Ministry
WORSHIP
SERVICES
Traditional
Saturday 6:00 pm
Sunday 8:30 am
Contemporary
Sunday 11:00 am
(At the time of each service go
to www.stlukesmanhattan.org
and click on “listen live;” listen
to past services by clicking on
“archives” and picking out the
date of the service you would
like to listen to.)
Children’s Sunday School
Adult Bible Classes
Sunday 9:45 am
St. Luke’s Visitor
From the Pastor’s Pen
It’s been exciting to watch the Lord work. I have two stories I want to
share with you.
The first story begins back in November. I met with a team of willing
servants who agreed to help me put on the “Happy Birthday Jesus”
Service at 4:00 PM on Christmas Eve. Our vision was to make that
service even better than it’s been the previous years. In previous
years, we’ve had a simplified liturgy, birthday cake, healthy snacks,
balloons, decorations, gift bags, and a children’s book for the sermon
with pictures projected on a screen. We made plans to add a living
nativity (with costumes for Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus), a petting
zoo, a stable (with bedding for the animals), flameless candles,
banner(s) in front of the church, and a Facebook advertisement. We
had hoped that these extra expenses would be covered by Thrivent
Action Team gift cards. We did receive one such card for $250.
(Thank you, Thrivent!) But that one card was not going to cover the
other expenses. Several on our team were very generous with their
personal funds, but we still needed more. My concern increased as
Christmas got closer. I contacted our Executive Council. They said,
“Do what you need to do (within reason). We’ll make it work.” (Thank
you, Executive Council!) Then, about a week before Christmas, we
received word that St. Luke’s was the recipient of a nice donation
from Thrivent. That donation more than covered our expenses.
(Thank you, Lord!) Attendance at that service went from 108 in 2013
to 190 in 2014.
The second story occurred this week (the last week of January). I
went to a Flint Hills Praisefest meeting last night. For those who don’t
know, Flint Hills Praisefest is Manhattan’s largest free Christian Music
Festival. Christian praise bands play for an entire day in City Park.
Each year, a worthy charity is blessed with the money that is raised
during this event. Last year, $6,000 was given to The Homestead
Ministry (a ministry established to rescue women out of the sex
industry). This year the charity will be Compassion International.
Last year, Flint Hills Praisefest’s budget was about $10,000. They set
a goal of $25,000 for this year’s budget … not really knowing how
they were going to do it, but they set their goals high. Well, just a few
days after setting that goal, they received a phone call … Thrivent is
February 2015
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blessing Flint Hills Praisefest with a gift of $25,000. Rather than sitting back and relaxing now that
they have achieved their goal, Flint Hills Praisefest is setting their goal even higher for this year.
The Flint Hills Praisefest will be on September 26. Please join us!
It’s always exciting to see the Lord work. To Him be the glory!
---------------------------------------------------------On January 25, I met with a family that will be transferring into St. Luke’s. Although they don’t know
anyone, they were pleased when some of our folks went up to them and introduced themselves.
(Good job, Diane Murphy and Dr. Steve Mosier!) It’s a good reminder for all of us. If you don’t
know someone, introduce yourself with a smile. That interaction could be the reason that an
individual or family returns to worship with us.
---------------------------------------------------------Don’t forget…
Pancake Dinner – Sunday, February 8, 4:30-6:30 PM – Hosted by Lutheran Laymen’s League
(LLL).
Ash Wednesday – February 18 – 7:30 PM. The service will include the imposition of ashes and
Holy Communion. If you cannot attend the service, but would like the imposition of ashes, stop by
my office that day.
---------------------------------------------------------Our worship themes for February…
January 31-February 1 – Lutheran Hour Ministries – Luke 10:1-20 – “Appointed, Anointed, and
Sent!”
February 7-8 – Epiphany 5 – 1 Corinthians 9:16-27 – “All Things to All Men”
February 14-15 – The Transfiguration of our Lord – 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:6 – “The Fading Glory of
the Old, The Permanence of the New”
February 18 – Ash Wednesday – Psalm 6 – “What It Is to Be Penitent”
February 21-22 – Lent 1 – Mark 1:9-15 – “URGENT: Tempted People! With Urgency: Tempted
Jesus!”
February 25 – Lent Midweek 2 – Psalm 32 – “Blessed Are the Penitent”
February 28-March 1 – Lent 2 – Romans 5:1-11 – “R.I.P.”
---------------------------------------------------------It is an honor to serve as your pastor.
---------------------------------------------------------Traveling Bulletin . . .
Grace Evangelical, Milwaukee, WI, Gretchen Hendrickson
Trinity Lutheran, Milwaukee, WI, Gretchen Hendrickson
Bethlehem, Herkimer, KS, Ken Culbertson
Bethany, Overland Park, KS, David & Julie Hatesohl
Our Savior, Houston, TX, Mike & Kristina Schmidt and family
St. Peter, Hemlock, MI, Ken Culbertson
Redeemer, Arkansas City, KS, Ken Culbertson
St. John’s Evangelical, Topeka, KS, Ken & Lylah McCosh
(When you worship at another church, please bring the worship folder and bulletin to the church office with your name
on. We will post your name and where you’ve worshipped, hopefully stimulating conversation of where you’ve visited.
And, our staff will get the chance to see what other churches are doing. Thanks!)
St. Luke’s Visitor
February 2015
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Birthdays
February 1: Tyler Johnson
February 3: Elaine Albright, Jeff Nyp, Crystal Danker
February 4: William Wehmueller, Alan Falk
February 5: Sandy Wyatt, Jacob Johnson
February 6: Zachary Peters
February 7: Maxine Ganske
February 9: Dean Genschorck, Jennifer Haigh
February 10: Nicholas Thede
February 11: Heidi Hendrickson, Norbert Stigge
February 12: Autum Mathies
February 13: Kathy Dieball,
Thomas O’Briant
February 14: Jamie Sunnenberg,
Makayla Tegtmeier
February 15: Jonathan Spikes,
Alexandria Raymond
February 16: Carroll Hackbart,
Derek Schmidt, Arlyn Stiebe
February 17: Lynn Thomas,
Adam Fick
February 18: Hadley Holste
February 19: Jetson Miller
February 20: Hannah Feeley, Austin Mathies
February 21: Nolan Gaps, Tessa Thiele
February 22: Cameron Vikander
February 23: Lynn Richter, Nelli Anders, Kaitlyn
Holub, Morgyn Roeser
February 25: Julie Frerking, Paul Bosch, Annette
Helms
February 26: Helena Staley
February 27: Jon Brott, Lillian Thede
Anniversaries
February 5: Ralph and Sharon
Wright
February 14: David and Lori
Meier
February 15: David and Janet
Beach
February 18: John and Brenda
Miesner
Date
Saturday 6:00 pm
Sunday 8:30 am
Sunday 11:00 am
January 31/
February 1
Chloe Robison
Gabrielle Mosier
Riley Fong
February 7/8
Kendal Proctor
Hannah Duncan
Lindsey Wilson
February 14/15
Aidan Proctor
Avery Eckhoff
Rylan Uffman
February 21/22
Caylee Asebedo
Michael Schmidt
Miranda Tegtmeier
February 28/
March 1
Alyssa Juracek
Anna Schrader
McKenzie Kruse
“Sharing Jesus Christ’s love with those around us.”
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
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Children’s Ministry Chair:
Children’s Church/Nursery Sub-Chair:
Marilyn Fick, wm_fick@yahoo.com
BASIC Sub-Chair:
Jessica Jones, joneswyoming@yahoo.com
VBS Sub-Chair:
Sunday School Sub-Chair:
Family Events Sub-Chair:
Sylvia Carter, KC0YJO@gmail.com
BASIC meal and store night February 11; volunteers needed.
Church ice skating party February 21, 7:00 to 8:30 PM.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (VBS)
Planning for VBS 2015 is underway! The theme is Mount
Everest and we are looking forward to this adventure. Thank
you to all who donated Clorox wipes last month! It is greatly
appreciated.
During the month of February, we are taking donations
for empty gallon plastic milk jugs with lids. We are in need of
about 400 of them! You will be amazed at what we will be doing
with these on our adventure. It will be very COOL!!!! If you have
jugs & lids to donate, please be sure they are washed and
dried out thoroughly and then you can place them in the tub in
the narthex.
Stay tuned for more details on volunteering
opportunities! Questions can be directed to Tiffany Manning, Dene Mosier or Crystal Danker.



Youth Ministry Chair:
Youth Events Sub-Chair:
Servant Events Sub-Chair:
Jerry Feeley, jerryfeeley3@gmail.com
Gathering Sub-Chair:
Kristina Schmidt, kmswoozle@att.net
Super Bowl Party February 1 at 4:30 PM ‘til game ends at Furniture Warehouse. Boys bring
snacks; girls bring drinks. Pizza provided for dinner.
LVR registration:
 Regular + $150 due February 1
 Late + $175 due February 22
Youth Group Nights:
 February 1, Super Bowl 4:30 PM
 February 8, LLL Pancake Feed 4:30 to 6:30 PM
 February 15, Jr. High 5:00 to 6:30 PM; Sr. High 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
 February 22, First National Youth Gathering Meeting, 7th to 11th graders 5:00 to 6:30 PM;
12th grade and up 6:30 to 8:00 PM
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Help design the Kansas District National Youth Gathering t-shirt! Submit designs by March 1 to
Katie Morgan at Katiem@princeofpeacetopeka.org The theme is “In Christ Alone” and verse is
Philippians 1:9-11. Good luck!
Join us March 6 for Winter Jam Concert in Wichita. We are leaving at 3:30 PM and will be back
around midnight. This is for Jr. & Sr. High and friends; chaperons/drivers needed. RSVP due on
March 1.
The Jr. High has a Lock-In from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM March 6 and 7. Come for a part or all; just
come and bring your friends! Chaperons needed. RSVP due by March 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------
PRESCHOOL PONDERINGS
During the month of January, the Preschool has learned about our community and the many
helpers within the community. We talked about dialing 911, if there is an emergency, and also
discussed other safety issues like fire drills, being safe when crossing the street, and how to not
spread germs. The playground improvements have made the topic of community helpers really fun.
Thrivent members and their Action Teams have showed the class how helping others can
accomplish a big goal like a new playground. We would like to say thank you to our members who
have wanted to support the Preschool, and are still interested in helping. Also, the Preschool is
looking for old sheets to turn into cot sheets. If anyone has old sheets they would like to donate
(color or pattern doesn’t matter), that would be greatly appreciated.
In February, we will be discussing weather and learning vocabulary words such as
evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Other events to look forward to is the start of Lent,
Valentine’s Day, and singing at the 8:30 church service on February 22. Looking ahead, the
preschoolers are having a fun night/auction in April. If anyone has suggestions for fundraisers or
donations please contact the preschool.
---------------------------------------------------------------
++ MISCELLANEOUS ++
St. Luke’s LLL Pancake Supper: The LLL annual pancake supper will be held Sunday, February 8,
4:30 to 6:30 PM in the fellowship hall. Please come and support the LLL projects like scholarships
for church workers, Rose Bowl float, Kansas State Fair booth and other District LLL projects.
LWML Guild: The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) will meet February 9 at 7:00 PM.
The Day of Prayer Service, God-Given Hats, will be held in the fellowship hall along with a short
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February 2015
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business meeting. The offering will go to KNGN (Kansas-Nebraska Good News Radio) Station in
McCook, Nebraska. All ladies of the church are invited to attend; hats are optional!
Bible Study Opportunities During the Week:
Mondays, 2nd and 4th Monday, 9:30 AM Women’s Bible Study, Diane Mosier, 785-776-8615
Tuesdays, 6:30 AM Men’s Bible Breakfast at Burger King in Aggieville, “Abiding in Christ,” Walt
Fick, 785-776-0879
Tuesdays, 7:30 PM Young Adult’s Bible Study, “The Fruit of the Spirit,” Gretchen Hendrickson, 785410-1691, gretchenamelia@gmail.com
Tuesdays, 9:00 PM College Bible Study at the Blue House, “Parables of Jesus,” Elizabeth Stone,
619-544-1921, violalizzard@gmail.com
Adult Ministry: Charity Olson is starting an online small group on C. S. Lewis’s “Mere Christianity”.
The study starts February 16 and participants will need the book. Enter the link to join: https://
stlukessmallgroup.slack.com. Invite your friends! If you don’t have an att.net email, no worries! Just
give your email to Charity and you will be invited.
Lenten Devotions: The LLL/LHM Fellowship Group is providing Lenten Devotion booklets that will
be available in mid-February. These devotions can be found at www.lhm.org, go to “Get Involved”
and that takes you to “Fast Online signup”. The Lenten topic is “The Light Shines in the Darkness”—
the Light of God is shining in a very dark world.
December 2014
OFFICIAL ACTS
Transfer in
Garrett Lister
Immanuel Lutheran, Bremen, KS
November 2014
Transfer In
Jeff Skibins
Faith, Ethan and Zoe
Trinity Lutheran, Roselle, IL
Rod and Tami Robison
Jake and Chloe
First Lutheran, Philipsburg, KS
Profession of Faith
Alyson McCall
Profession of Faith
Jeremy and Anita Hinkle
Jacob
Rob Purdy
Eric Fong
Transferred Out
Elizabeth Russell
Zachary
Transferred Out
William and Lisa Wuggazer
Megan, Emily and Holly
Erick and Karen Horton
Sienna and Teague
Ted and Angela Dawdy
Parker and Piper
Baptisms
Brynlee Kaye Rengstorf
(Shane and Karissa)
December 14, 2014
Baptisms
Kaylee Renae Mathies
(Candice)
November 22, 2014
St. Luke’s Visitor
Burials
Lorna C. Stigge
Died: December 12, 2014
Funeral: December 18, 2014
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RECEIVED INTO MEMBERSHIP
Rob Purdy is a Michigan native and joins our St. Luke’s family by Profession of
Faith. He is employed as Manager of Ace Hardware. His interests include biking,
books and drawing.
Garrett Lister is from Marysville, KS and employed as a Feed Risk
Livestock Manager. Alyson is from Minneapolis, KS and is a Retention and
Learning Skills Coordinator. Interests for Garrett are fishing, hunting and
reading; Alyson enjoys crafting, reading and running. Garrett and Alyson
are planning a July wedding.
---------------------------------------------------------FEBRUARY 2015 STEWARDSHIP NEWSLETTER
“Be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful” (Luke 6:36). The word for mercy that Jesus uses
here has a more concrete meaning than what we typically associate with mercy. It means more than just
being kind. It means to be concerned about your neighbor’s state and well-being. Thus, Jesus taught that we
are to care, to be concerned about our neighbor’s state and well-being even as our Father in heaven cares for
and is concerned about our state and well-being.
How has our Father in heaven cared for our state? How has He shown His concern for our wellbeing? How has He showered this mercy upon us?
He gave of Himself. He sent His only-begotten Son in human flesh, to become one of us—a man—
and to suffer all that we suffer and to endure what we endure—a fallen world full of sinful people, temptation,
the attacks of the devil, and death. He took upon Himself what rightfully belongs to us—sin and death—in
order that He could give to us what rightfully belongs to Him—righteousness, purity, eternal life, and victory
over the temptation of Satan and this fallen world. That is how He cared for our state. That is how He was
concerned for our well-being. He entered into our state for the sake of our well-being, died in our place, rose
for our justification, redeemed us to make all things new. He entered our state so that by water and His Word
we would be granted entrance into His state as children of our Father in heaven. In other words, He had
empathy toward us, which resulted in true sympathy.
Jesus, therefore, calls the church to empathy and sympathy for her neighbors. “Be merciful even as
your Father in heaven is merciful.” He asks the church to give of herself, to enter into her neighbors’ state for
their well-being. And the church gives of herself the only thing in her that is worth giving. As the Body of
Christ, she gives Christ to her neighbors. She gives out the same mercy that she has received. She gives the
mercy that the heavenly Father poured out upon her through the sending of His Son. And she does it through
the preaching of the forgiveness of sins in Word and Deed, in Word and Sacrament. For this is how the
church lives—in the forgiveness of sins received in the means of grace—and, therefore, this is what the
church does. What else can she do?
And since this is how the church lives and what the church does, this is likewise how Christians live
and what Christians do. That is why giving to the church is so important. It ensures that the proclamation of
the forgiveness of sins in Word and Deed continues. It ensures that our neighbors’ state and well-being is
cared for and attended to. It ensures that our neighbors have access to our heavenly Father’s mercy just as
we have received it here in time for all eternity.
Therefore, I say, let us be merciful even as our Father in heaven is merciful.
St. Luke’s Visitor
February 2015
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CELEBRATING LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES (LHM)
IN FEBRUARY
This ministry of the International Lutheran Layman’s League (founded in June 1917 to
remove synod debt and start a fund for widows of ministers) began on October 2, 1930 with the
Lutheran Hour out of Cleveland, Ohio. The speaker, Dr. Walter Maier, who died in 1950, was the
first of nine speakers. Current speakers are Rev. Gregory Seltz who joined LHM in February 2011
and Rev. Ken Klaus (Emeritus Speaker the 4th week of each month).
By 1945 the Lutheran Hour was heard on 682 radio stations. That year 403,367 letters were
received from listeners in 70 countries. Today the program is heard on more than 1,375 radio
stations in North America, plus, www.lutheranhour.org. In our area find The Lutheran Hour on
Sundays at: WIBW Topeka 580 AM at 7:30 AM; KCMO Mission 710 AM at 8:00 AM; and KFEQ St.
Joe, MO 680 AM at 8:30 AM.
LLL/LHM has over 15 additional ministries. One of these is Daily Devotions with Rev. Ken
Klaus and may be received automatically each day. Currently available at www.lhm.org/
adventdevotions.asp
Another ministry is the topical booklets, Project Connect, with 250 booklets available; a recent
release “Regrets, Reality, Restoration”; many may be downloaded at www.projectconnectinfo.org or
phone 1-800-752-9636. Learn more at: www.lhm.org and www.lhm.org/men.
---------------------------------------------------------LCMS Call for Nominations: It is time to submit nominations for certain officer, board and
commission positions to be filled by the July 9-13, 2016, LCMS Convention. Positions to be filled
include:
Secretary of the Synod (ordained minister)
LCMS Board of Directors (two ordained ministers; one lay person)
CTCR (one parish pastor, one parish teacher, one lay person)
CPH Board of Directors (one ordained minister, one commissioned minister, three lay people)
LCEF Board of Directors (one ordained or commissioned minister; two lay people)
CUS Board of Directors (one ordained minister, one commissioned minister, two lay people)
Seminary Board of Regents (one ordained minister; two lay people)
Electronic nomination forms are available at lcms.org/convention/2016nomination form.
---------------------------------------------------------Thrivent Choice Dollars: Don’t forget to direct Thrivent Choice Dollars®. Grant funding from
Thrivent Financial through its Thrivent Choice® Program can help support organizations you care
about. Don’t let designated Choice Dollars expire. Eligible Thrivent Financial members who have
been designated Choice Dollars have until March 31, 2015, to direct any remaining 2014 Choice
Dollars. Go to Thrivent.com/thriventchoice to learn more and find program terms and conditions. Or
call 800-847-4836 and say “Thrivent Choice” after the prompt.
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From The Parish Nurse...
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church ~ Parish Nurse Ministry
February 2015
February is American
Heart Month!
February 2015
Heart disease is the No. 1
killer of women, causing 1 in
3 deaths each year. That’s
approximately one woman
every minute!
But even if you lead a
completely healthy lifestyle,
being born with an underlying
heart condition can be a risk
factor.
But it doesn’t affect all
women alike, and the
warning signs for women
aren’t the same in men.
What’s more: These facts
only begin to scratch the
surface.
Sixty-four percent of women
who die suddenly of
coronary heart disease had
no previous symptoms.
Because these symptoms vary
greatly between men and
women, they’re often
misunderstood. Media has
conditioned us to believe that
the telltale sign of a heart
attack is extreme chest pain.
But in reality, women are
somewhat more likely to
experience shortness of
breath, nausea/vomiting and
back or jaw pain. Other
symptoms women should
look out for are dizziness,
lightheadedness or fainting,
pain in the lower chest or
Heart disease affects women
of all ages. For younger
women, the combination of
birth control pills and
smoking boosts heart disease
risks by 20 percent. And
while the risks do increase
with age, things like
overeating and a sedentary
lifestyle can cause plaque to
accumulate and lead to
clogged arteries later in life.
Falls and Older Adults
upper abdomen and
extreme fatigue.
It may not be at the top of
most women’s to-do lists, but
caring for your heart through
a healthy diet and regular
physical activity is the secret
weapon to preventing heart
disease. While many may
assume that popping a few
pills that your healthcare
provider prescribed is enough
to quell symptoms or prevent
a heart attack, the real
preventative power lies with
real changes to your lifestyle
– which can reduce the risk
for heart disease by as much
as 80 percent.
Overweight children
and adolescents have a
62-98% chance of being
overweight by age 35,
which increases their
risk of heart disease.
For more information on heart
disease and stroke prevention,
get the facts- visit:
www.aha.org or
www.goredforwormen.org
February is Children’s Dental Health Month!
Make sure to brush 2-minutes for a healthier smile!
Six out of every 10 falls happen at home, where  Improve lighting in hallways, stairs and
we spend much of our time and tend to move
entrances.
around without thinking about our safety. Many  Install handrails and grab bars in
falls could be prevented by making simple
bathrooms, tubs and showers
changes in your living areas, as well as personal
and lifestyle changes.
Move items you often use to make them easier
to reach. For more information on fall
Take steps to "fall proof" your home, both
prevention and what you can do to protect
inside and outdoors. To make your home
yourself visit:
Your Parish Nurses!
Jamie, Elaine & Kate
safer, you can:
 Remove anything that could make you fall www.nihseniorhealth.gov/falls
or trip. Throw rugs are a big hazard to
older adults!
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