March 2015 eBridge - Christ Lutheran Church

March eBridge
2015
WE SPRING AHEAD THIS WEEKEND! SET YOUR CLOCKS!
In Like a Lion
Yippie! March is finally here and
hopefully it will continue to get
nicer and nicer then go out like a
lamb. March is also time to get
your green on! Not just for that
little holiday on the 17th but for
the SPARTANS during March
Madness! Go Green!
I love this time of year because
there is so much to do! Our
women's retreat is tomorrow,
March 8, the Soup Kitchen is
March 12, the book club meets
March 14, The Picture Directory
Make-up Photo Session is March
17, the FORE! Golf group gets
together March 21, we welcome
new members March 22, our
From Pastor Dave
"The Ten Commandments-Rules or Promise?"
The theme for this for this week's
sermon...
People who have turned away from God
and the church often perceive involvement
in religion as a life that is wrapped up in
fulfilling rules and regulations. If these people were asked
why they feel this way, they would probably say, "Life is so
filled with rules and regulations that the last thing I need is
one more rule to follow, or one more regulation that not
only tells me what to do, but appears to drain all the fun
out of my life." People who usually feel like this usually
point to the Ten Commandments to make their case: "This
is exactly what we mean, more rules and regulations."
Looking at the Ten Commandments in this way makes
them very negative-rules that limit what we can do and
take away our freedom. From God's perspective,
Easter Egg Hunt is March 28, and
our Lenten midweek services,
preceded by the Soup and Salad
suppers, go through March
25. Wow! There are a lot of ways
to get involved! Details about all
of those things can be found
below.
however, the Ten Commandments are meant not for lifelimiting but life-giving. Sealed in the blood of God's Son,
Jesus, we can see the Ten Commandments as a gift-a
never-ending promise! We'll explore this further this
Sunday. Oh, by the way, remember to turn your clocks
AHEAD one hour before you go to bed Saturday
night. Daylight Savings Tim begins at 2:00am Sunday
morning!
We also have quite a few
birthdays to celebrate in March
but oddly, I don't have one
anniversary listed in my database
for this month. Strange.
See you in church (one hour earlier!).
Pastor Dave
I won't go on and on because
there is a lot more to read in this
edition of the eBridge and it's
been proven that these days our
attention spans are shorter and
shorter... Oh look! A butterfly!
Blessings,
Mardy
There is no Telling What We Might Hear
In a little devotion book called, Listening to Your Life,
Frederick Buechner, noted author and Presbyterian
minister, has written,
"When a minister reads out of the Bible, I am sure that at
least nine times out of ten the people who happen to be
listening at all hear not what is really being read but only
what they expect to hear read. And I think that what most
people expect to hear read from the Bible is an edifying
story, an uplifting thought, a moral lesson-something
elevating, obvious, and boring. So that is exactly what
very often they do hear. Only that is too bad because if
you really listen-and maybe you have to forget that it is the
Bible being read and a minister who is reading it-there is
no telling what you might hear."
Sometimes it really is difficult to truly listen to the words of
the scriptures, especially when the stories are very
familiar. I, too, find my mind wandering off sometimes,
assuming I know the point of the story and tuning out. But
Buechner has an important point, that if we really listen,
"there is no telling what we might hear."
As we continue this month in our Lenten journey, I urge
you to truly listen and read for yourselves the powerful
Biblical stories of Christ's passion, his experiences in the
last days before the crucifixion. Read again and hear
again the familiar and surprising accounts from Matthew
chapters 26-28, Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24, and John 18-21.
These are the stories of the preparations made by Jesus
and his disciples for his death and resurrection. They are
stories we can never know too well. And in this season of
Lent, as we prepare ourselves for Easter, they are the
words that will deepen our faith and understanding...and
maybe even surprise us!
Peace-Pastor Dave
Soup & Salad Suppers
Each Wednesday in March, our Midweek Services will be
preceded by our traditional "Soup and Salad" suppers in
Heinrichs Hall. These suppers begin promptly at 6 PM. A
sign-up sheet will be posted each week in the
Narthex. Please bring yourself, your family, your
neighbors ... this is God's open plan for Christ Lutheran
Church!
John Babbitts and his crew will be preparing hearty and
delicious soups and other goodies. March 11, the soup will
be Manfred Pyrlik's Lentil Soup and John Babbitts'
Meatball Tortellini. Please feel free to bring a salad, side,
bread or dessert to share.
Second Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Sign up for your photo
session here. One day
only, March 17!
Celebrating March Birthdays
We are happy to announce
that we will host our second
annual Easter Egg Hunt this
year on Saturday, March 28
. In preparation for the fun,
we need to collect and fill
hundreds of plastic Easter
eggs for the children. Please
donate wrapped candy to fill our plastic Easter eggs and
bring the candy to our Lenten suppers and/or Sunday
mornings! You will find empty plastic eggs on the table and
we ask you to fill them with hard candy, chocolates
etc. Like last year, our preschool, our CLC kids, and our
neighbors will be invited to hunt the eggs. We will need
hundreds of filled eggs. You can help and have fun doing
so! PLEASE PARTICIPATE!
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3/1: Ray Stickel
3/4: Judy Morton
3/5: Carol Lader
3/7: L.A. Sands
3/17: Phyllis Novosad
3/18: Anne Ellis
3/19 Philip Peter
3/23: Robin Peter
3/25: Kathy Johnson
3/27: Judy Johnson
3/30: Nick Gosdin &
Allison Taylor
3/31: Silke Pyrlik
If your information is incorrect or
not included, please email the
Church Office at info@clchhi.com
with any corrections.
Quick Links for You:
Church Homepage
Church Calendar
Facebook Page
Member news
Congratulations to Joe and Mary
Jo Etter upon the birth of their
new grandson, Patrick John
O'Donnell, born February 25
to Mike
and
Caroline
O'Donnell in
Arkansas. Blessings to Joe, Mary
Jo, Mike, and Caroline as they
have been entrusted to care and
raise this new child of God.
Congratulations to DJ Murray
who set six state records at
the S.C. Masters Yards State
Swimming Championships Feb. 20
through 22 in North Myrtle
Beach. You can read the whole
article by the Island Packet here.
Lenten Schedule
"THE PARABLES OF LENT"
Midweek Lenten Theme
"He spoke to them in parables," the Bible tells us of Jesus. The parables of Jesus speak to us of
core components of this sacred season as we reflect on Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection
for us. We will be looking at some of the most well-known and beloved parables of Scripture and
relate the events described there to the events of Lent we experience-repentance, forgiveness,
sacrifice and everlasting love-helping us to apply the "God" messages of these stories to the story
of our life in Christ. Here are the messages for each week:
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Week 3, March 11 - The Good Samaritan. A man beaten on the road gets help from an
unlikely traveler. We who are often beaten down along the road of life encounter the
healing of Christ through the cross.
Week 4, March 18 - The Workers in the Vineyard. All workers in a vineyard are given the
same pay from the master, no matter how long they have labored. All who have been
called by the Master are blessed by the same reward in Christ.
Week 5, March 25 - The Prodigal Son. A wayward son returns to the forgiving embrace
of his father, who welcomes him home. We who have strayed return again and again to
the embrace of our Father, through the sacrifice of his Son.
With Gratitude
A HUGE THANK YOU to Tyler Smith and Sandcastle
Construction for expanding the 2 year old/ nursery
playground. It is beautiful! The children are so thrilled to be
able to run and play! Another HUGE THANK YOU goes to
David Waronsky and Randy Jeffcoat Builders for our
terrific new sandbox. The preschool has big plans for the
new playground space and can't wait for the weather to
warm up.
Birdies for Charity
The preschool has kicked off its Birdies for
Charity fundraiser. Last year with the generous support of our congregation an d parents, it was
the most successful fundraiser in our history! We hope to surpass this year's goal as well. It only
takes a penny! Pledge forms will be in the narthex. They can be turned in to the office, preschool
or you can pledge on line at:
http://www.heritageclassicfoundation.com/donate-now/
(Be sure to designate Christ Lutheran Preschool as your charity choice)
2015-2016 School Year Registration
Early registration is now open for friends and family of Christ Lutheran Preschool for the next
school year. CLP enjoyed a full house of children eager to learn this year and spots are limited for
next year. If you know of anyone with children of preschool age and would like to know more
about our state accredited program, have them contact Nancy Conder at 843-7856570. Hurry! Spaces are filling up quickly!
Mission Activities
When God left the Building
Review by the CHRISTIAN POST: "...
this movie can be a vital conversation starter for churches. It should be required viewing in
Christian churches. Because it will bring things out in the open."
Seventy-seven people attended the showing of the documentary, half of them were visitors to our
church and "snow birds". And yes, even though it was a long Sunday for all of us, the need for
conversation after the movie was evident! We had a great discussion and especially our visitors were
grateful to us for showing the film and were eager to bring the information to their home churches.
They agreed with the "Christian Post" review - This film should be required viewing in Christian
Churches!
St. James Baptist Church Soup Kitchen
Every second Thursday of the month, we support the St. James Baptist Church soup kitchen by
providing desserts and helping with distribution. Our next opportunity to serve is
March 12. Who will bake? Prefered treats include brownies and cookies (packed in individual
bags, because most lunches will be "take-out"). We were also asked if we would be able to
provide some fresh fruit (best options are apples, oranges, bananas). Whenever the kitchen has
fruit (usually not a lot), the fruit always goes FIRST! There seems to be great desire to have
something fresh!
We are also looking for people willing to help pack the lunch boxes from 9:30 to 10-ish and
distribute the meals around noon. If you would like to help in any way, please contact Silke at
silkepyrlik@clchhi.com first to see what is currently needed and how you can serve. We welcome
our newest volunteers, Charles and Carol Lader and Dianne Hillyer! Thank you!
Family Promise
Christ Lutheran Church supports All Saints Episcopal Church with Family Promise. They have a
well-developed program to serve their guests with meals, shelter and loving care. We need
volunteers to cook a meal or be an overnight guest at the church. The specific weeks are
Feb. 15-22, 2015; April 19-26, 2015; Aug. 23-30, 2015; and Oct. 11-18, 2015. Please call Alan
Coyne, Christ Lutheran's coordinator for Family Promise, for more details. His office number is
843-682-8106; Cell is 843-290-2124; Home is 843-681-9747. Email is alan@alancoyne.com.
Backpack Buddies
Christ Lutheran Church provides healthy meals to children at our local elementary school over the
weekends, during the school year, by sending home food in backpacks.
We are looking for volunteers to help in the following roles: Packing food into the bags to
take to the school (our next packing date at CLC is Thursday, April 9 (note that this is a
change from the original schedule), at 10:30 in Heinrichs Hall), picking up food to deliver to
the church once a month, and giving the food to the children at the school each Friday.
CLC is serving 66 children at HHI Elementary School. Along with grants from other social
agencies and monetary gifts from other local churches and places of worship, including Christ
Lutheran Church, the Backpack Buddies Programs of Hilton Head Island and Bluffton are able to
provide nutritious food for children whose families qualify for these programs. This is a very
concrete way our congregation is meeting its mission statement and the South Carolina Synod
"Growing in God's Mission" appeal. If you would like to help in any way, please contact Mardy
at 843.785.5560 during business hours or email her at info@clchhi.com.
Congregational Activities
2ND ANNUAL WOMEN'S RETREAT: GARDEN GETAWAY
(Mark your calendar, our women's retreat will ALWAYS be the FIRST Saturday of March!)
On Saturday March 7, 26 women (members, guests, and friends) will gather at the Indigo Run Golf
Club for a time to bond, form friendships and be in God's word. We will "Walk With God Through
Every Season":
"There is a time and season for everything," said the writer of Ecclesiastes. He might as well have
been thinking of women when he wrote this, because our lives are always changing from one season
to the next! Some of these seasons are full of daisies and roses...and others feel more like a mess of
thorns and weeds. But the good news is that God is here to walk with us through every new phase of
life, and we have each other to share the journey. This is what we will do...walk with each other and
share the journey!
Men's Fellowship Group
The Men's Fellowship group is looking to expand in another direction. Our newest group will
consist of men who have experience working on a honey-do-list, i.e. painting, plumbing, carpentry,
electrical, and outdoor ground work. OUR MISSION WILL BE MINOR PROJECTS... such
as: repairing and beautifying inside and outside of CLC, our Facilities, and CLC Preschool. By
working together to complete these small tasks, we can allocate the money saved for bigger, more
costly endeavors.
Please prayerfully consider using your time and talent as you support CLC in this way. If you
would like to become part of this group or need any additional information please contact
me (John Babbitts) at home (843-341-2465) or by e-mail at jhb725@ptd.net.
Your brother in Christ,
John Babbitts
Men's Fellowship Group
The Men's Fellowship group is looking to expand in another direction. Our newest group will
consist of men who have experience working on a honey-do-list, i.e. painting, plumbing, carpentry,
electrical, and outdoor ground work. OUR MISSION WILL BE MINOR PROJECTS... such
as: repairing and beautifying inside and outside of CLC, our Facilities, and CLC Preschool. By
working together to complete these small tasks, we can allocate the money saved for bigger, more
costly endeavors.
Please prayerfully consider using your time and talent as you support CLC in this way. If you
would like to become part of this group or need any additional information please contact
me (John Babbitts) at home (843-341-2465) or by e-mail at jhb725@ptd.net.
Your brother in Christ,
John Babbitts
New Members/Associate Members Received March 22
New members and associate members will be welcomed into Christ Lutheran Church's
fellowship on Sunday, March 22. Persons interested in joining our family of faith, either as a fulltime or associate member (for people who are on the island part-time), are invited to speak with
Pastor Dave either in the office or following worship services, or check the "interested in
membership" box on the Welcome Pad located in each pew when you come to worship.
"Roots" Bible Study
Our "roots" Bible Study meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays from 10 - 11:15 AM in the
CONFERENCE ROOM just off the church sanctuary. This year, we begin our study with an indepth look at the Book of Daniel. Would you like to understand Bible prophecy concerning the end
of the world? Would you like to study Bible prophecy that predicted exactly when the Jewish
Messiah (Jesus) would appear the first time? Would you like to be inspired by a man of
faith? Would you like to know that God is in control, even though you are going through suffering
or persecution for your faith? These are all reasons to study the book of Daniel. Come and be
inspired and, at the same time, lifted up!
Adult Sunday School
The lesson for Sunday, March 8, is from J ohn 14:15-26 " Jesus Promises an Advocate". The
leaders and members of the Adult Sunday School Class invite you to come and join us every
Sunday morning at 9:45 AM in Heinrich's Hall. We use the Augsburg Bible Studies, a quarterly
dated Bible Study, which covers a wide range of biblical books and themes. Come share the
fellowship of our members, our open and sincere discussion, and a study of how these scriptures
relate to us in our lives today. We look forward to seeing you.
Leader: Emily & Jim Breland
Location: Heinrich's Hall
CLC Book Club
Our Book Group is open to anyone who enjoys reading and discussing the books. The next
meeting of the Book Group will be March 14, at Kathy Strohmaier's house. Please respond to her
to tell her you are coming at strohmaier@hargray.com or 341-3223. We will discuss A tree Grows
in Brooklyn: A Novel by Betty Smith with Paulette leading the discussion. This is a classic and
gives a very good picture of Irish immigrants living in Brooklyn.
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April 11 - The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Quest for Gold at the 1936
Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
May 9 - Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
June 13 - The Time Between by Karen White
American Heart Association Heart Walk - May 9 at Shelter Cove Park
Once again, Wayne Sebulsky is our Team Captain for Christ Lutheran Church. Why the Heart
Walk? Did you know 1 in 3 Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease and that heart
disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined? We can change these statistics by
joining together to walk and fundraise for Heart Walk. We had such a great time last year as a
team in Bluffton. Let's strive for another great turnout and represent CLC! An online team page
to sign up for the walk or to donate is at Team CLC!. The ID is CLC2015 and the password
is Lutheran. You can help by walking or donating. For more information, contact Wayne
Sebulsky at 686-2715.
Monthly Youth Sunday School
Once-a-month Sunday School started
On March 1 our youth gathered in Heinrichs Hall for music, lessons and games. The older kids were
teaching, leading games or playing music while the younger ones visited several stations to learn
about the Fruits of the Spirit. Mark your calendar for April 5 and May 3.
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