June/July 2015 Redeemer Lutheran News Sundays after Pentecost The joys and sorrows of life often stand in such sharp contrast. Last Sunday we celebrated with many of you our 25th Wedding anniversary and 25 years in church work. What a great day that was to have so many of you share our joy. St. Paul reminds us in Romans 5:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.” That is one of the best things about you the people of Redeemer Lutheran Church. It truly is a family of faith that supports each other in times of joy and times of sorrow. Thank you so much for the party, the gifts, and all the kind words and cards. You all are a wonderful blessing to my family and me. You celebrated with Tasha and me 25 years of marriage; it was a day of great joy for us, as we had a chance to think about just how blessed we are to be serving here in Colorado Springs. As part of our celebration for our Anniversary we will be going on a vacation, an Alaskan Cruise, something I’ve always wanted to do. I can hardly wait to pack the suitcase and go with my wonderful bride. Hopefully the magnificent vistas of the Alaskan coast and glaciers that I have only seen on television will be as inspiring in person. The www.redeemerlutheran-cs.org Church Office email: [email protected] Pastor Widger email: [email protected] chance to view the wonderful creatures that God made in whales, bears, eagles and sea otters, is greatly anticipated. The camera is ready, the plans made, and we are ready to go. Right now is a time of great joy in our lives. Contrast our joy with the sorrows of some many. I think of the family of Ryan Lanosga, the Coronado High School student who was killed in an automobile accident, when he was thrown from the vehicle, driven by his sister. A son dead: a daughter arrested on charges of driving under the influence and vehicular assault. Certainly, these circumstances are a cause for mourning and sadness. Over the years you have had periods of joy and times of sorrow. You have had great vacations with family and loved ones, and times of tragedy, hardship and death. What I know is that Christ is with us no matter the circumstances of our lives. “I will be with you always to the very end of the age.” He cares for you; He wants to bring peace into your life amidst the worst of times. He celebrates with you in the times of joy. And He does even more, he gives us fellow Christians who rejoice with us when we rejoice and mourn with us in times of sadness. It’s something I have witnessed in this congregation throughout my eight years of service to Redeemer, and for that I am thankful. I am thankful to God for placing me in a congregation where I am constantly reminded that as we join with fellow Christians in joy and sorrow, we are simply being the Church that God has called us to be. To Him alone be all glory, honor and praise. Peace in Christ, Pastor Widger Sundays after Pentecost Voters’ Minutes Redeemer Lutheran Church Voters’ Assembly Meeting May 17, 2015 June/July 2015 President’s Report: Thanks for all the council members and their work for the church. Josh will attend his first District Meeting in June. Board of Elders’ Report: A dinner was held for the confirmands and their families on Saturday, May 16, 2015. Call to Order and Opening: Confirmation will be held Sunday, May 24, 2015. Josh Arbogast called the meeting to order at 10:49AM, and Pastor opened with prayer. It has been hard for the Elders to track those member’s in need. Please notify your elder, Sandy or Pastor Widger if Acceptance of Members: you are going into the hospital or have an emergency and Ken and Pat Lemke were welcomed into the Voter’s you would like Pastor or your elder to assist you. Please Assembly as new members. note that neither Pastor nor Sandy are on the prayer chain. Caring Through Christ Our Blessings: Pastor and Tasha Widger’s 25 years in church work and their wonderful work in our congregation The Confirmands Our lovely green grass The wonderful work of the Trustees and Paul Deye The confirmation Banners The Hospitality committee who organized our lovely pot luck today. Leanne and Brian who will be taking our youth to the District Youth Convention in June in Ft. Collins The Fishes and Loaves Food Bank that is helping an average of 30 – 40 families on Wednesdays Minutes: The minutes of the November 16, 2014 Voters’ Meeting were approved as presented. Treasurer’s Report: The year to date profit and loss for the current calendar year is: Income $ 88,478.77 Expenses 102,606.59 Net Loss to date $ 14,127.82 Financial Secretary: The old computer crashed and a new computer was purchased. The first quarter statements were placed in the members’ boxes the first week of April. More counters are needed. Please consider volunteering. Parish Education: Currently we have one adult class and two youth classes. The youth classes are grouped as follows: Age 3 – 12 All youth conference attendees through High School Any ideas for a second adult class will be entertained by the Parish Education committee. The following classes are currently being considered: End of life paper work Stewardship Lutheran Heritage Our summer classes will be one adult class and one youth class. The youth class will use VBS materials for a five week period starting July 12, 2015 in their summer session. The Rocky Mountain Youth Gathering will be held June 18 – June 20, 2015. Christina, James, Hannah, Curtis, Michael and Sam will be attending. Pastor’s Report: Pastor Widger and Josh Arbogast will be attending the Rocky Mountain District Convention in Denver June 4 – 6, 2015. Pastor Widger is on the ballot for re-election as Secretary of the Rocky Mountain District. There is a resolution on the agenda to repeal the resolution that requires the exclusive use of the LCMS hymnal at all District gatherings for selection of music. Pastor will be on vacation from June 7 – 20, 2015 and July 5, 2015. Pastor Kirkeide will preach on June 7, 2015; June 14, 2015, Board of Trustees: and July 5, 2015. He will also perform the marriage Thank you to George Lewis, Mark Barnes and John ceremony for Virginia Wangerin’s granddaughter in Pastor Senechal for their hard work. Widger’s stead. Thanks to Sandy and Paul for their hard work on behalf of Pastor attended the Tri-Circuit Pastor’s conference in Canon the congregation. City. Since the last Voters’ Assembly the following work has been A memorial service will be held next weekend for a former completed: member, Sharon Stemas Mallory. A tree removal at 2214 N. Corona Pastor will complete the stained glass window booklet this The deck and trim was painted at 2220 N. Corona. summer. The fascia was fixed and painted on the south side of the June/July 2015 Women’s Events DORCAS SOCIETY / LUTHERAN WOMEN’S MISSIONARY LEAGUE The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) was formally recognized by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in 1942. At the 1953 convention delegates reaffirmed the policy of raising funds through voluntary offerings. Throughout the decades, Lutheran women have stepped out in faith, setting goals and trusting God to move the hearts of His people to give to LWML to proclaim the Gospel. Our next meeting will be in September but don’t forget to support LWML through Mite box giving all summer. The Altar Guild The next meeting is Saturday, June 6th at 10:00AM In the Heart Room. Membership Changes Samuel Arbogast —confirmed 5/24/2015 Michael Tuft —confirmed 5/24/2015 Voters’ Minutes (cont.) Thanks to the hospitality committee for today’s pot luck. Church. New volunteers would be greatly appreciated. Stair railings were installed from the narthex to the A meeting of the Hospitality Committee will be held May basement and at the back entrance to the basement. 31, 2015. The committee needs to plan five more events. A new outside door was installed on the church office. An electronic lock was installed on the southeast Gym Thanks to Kathy Russell for setting up today’s tables. New table setter uppers are needed! door. Our relationship with Haven Corp, who rent 2215 N. Unfinished Business: Wahsatch, will end on May 31, 2015. None All rentals are occupied at this time. New Business: The food pantry is being painted by Fishes and Loaves The Board of Trustees is considering using fund 1800 of the voluteers. church budget, labeled Church Building Fund to add a Last one out of the church or Crusader Hall are responsible bathroom in the church cry room. for locking up. It was recommended by Bill Zobel that the Regional The paint in the gym will be touched up. Building Department be consulted concerning the bathroom drawings presented. His concern was that the plans do not Vice-President’s Report (Stewardship): include a handicap accessible bathroom stall. Is that against building codes? Thanks for all the soccer balls collected for LFS Christmas present collection. We will probably participate again for Adjournment time: The meeting was adjourned at 11:48 AM 2015. followed by the singing of the Common Doxology and by saying Our next quarterly meal to be prepared for Two Cor will be grace. prepared on June 15, 2015. Thanks to Lynn and Karen for their help with Pastor and Tasha’s 25th anniversary celebration planning. Council Secretary Karen Porsch, Sundays after Pentecost June/July 2015 15th JoAnne Fisher 19th Karen Porsch June 20th Ryan Snowden Kevin Ulrich 24th Rica Molet Kaitlyn Pence 5th Fred Rau 6th Lee Stierwalt 7th Chris Armenta 10th Sandy Dellacroce Joseph Dorris Christina Tuft 26th Douglas Kelly 27th Caleb Widger 29th Marilyn Gosch Dee Ulrich 30th Ernest Rossmanith July th 28th Rebekah Armenta th 29th Molly Murphy 7 Martha Wiegert 8 Lisa Smith 30th Roland Obering 10th Brian Burgess 13th Solomon Armenta 21st Richy Russel Steven Stumpff (If your birthday in not listed please contact the Church Office to update your record.) 23rd Arlene Muhlenbruck 24th Darlene Maxson 25th Darlene Easton Meet Our New Members! Ken & Pat Lemke joined our church family because they were looking for a church and felt welcome by our members. Ken and Pat feel that the Lord guided them to move to Colorado Springs. Being retired keeps them both busy! For fun Ken likes to golf and Pat likes to paint. Ken and Pat have grown children. Sandra Dellacroce was a graduate of Redeemer Lutheran School and was confirmed here at Redeemer. She rejoined our church family because many people Sandra grew up with still attend here and she was always given an open invitation to attend services. In retirement Sandra keeps busy with her 2 children, her grandson, and her husband. She also occupies her time with remodeling her house, helping and visiting extended family and friends, and traveling. For fun Sandra likes to camp; fish; travel and visit family & friends; and play cards, bunco, and shuffle board. Sandra has two children Christopher, 25, and Sara, 25. Sandra and her husband met when they were 15 in high school, they started dating at 21 and have been married for 37 years this year. They are both retired and love to travel, especially to other countries. She worked for the City of Colorado Springs and Colorado Springs Utilities as a business analyst and programmer for 30 years. Her husband worked for Colorado Springs Utilities for 26 years. Welcome Ken, Pat, and Sandra we are so glad to have you as members! Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 17th at 11AM in the Heart Room. A light lunch will be provided. Please bring your scissors we will be working on a new Thanksgiving Banner. Anyone interested in helping please join us. Thank You to our Sponsor Gary Anderson In memory of Laura Your support of Redeemer’s newsletter does not go unnoticed! Sundays after Pentecost June/July 2015 From the Board of Stewardship. . . We give Thee but Thine own, Whate’er the gift may be; All that we have is Thine alone, A trust, O Lord, from Thee. May we Thy bounties thus As stewards true receive And gladly, as Thou blessest us, To Thee our first-fruits give! (LSB 781:1–2). In many congregations these stanzas are sung every Sunday when the offerings of God’s faithful people are received. It’s a sung reminder of who God is and who we are in relation to Him, of what God does for us and gives to us, and how we respond to His generosity. We are stewards of God’s varied grace to us. As stewards we acknowledge that God owns all things and that everything in heaven and on earth belongs to Him (1 Chronicles 29:14; Psalm 24:1; Psalm 100:3; 1 Corinthians 4:7; 1 Corinthians 6:19). Even we ourselves—all that we are and all that we have—are His. We are His because He created us, preserves us, redeemed us, and sanctifies us. As the stewards of what He has done for us and given to us, we give of our first fruits to Him and His Church. And the Lord receives them and presses them into a use all His own. He sanctifies it. He hallows it. He uses it to ensure that the Word of God is still preached among us. He uses it to ensure that there is water for Baptism, bread and wine for His Holy Supper. He uses what He gives to you and what you give back to Him for your good. Everything that happens in the church is purchased with the giving of the saints from what God has provided them. Holy giving from holy people pressed into holy service. But there’s more. For our giving does not just make the liturgical life of the church possible. It’s not just the necessary means by which the vessels and sacramental elements, the hymn books and pastors are made available. The giving of God’s stewards is part of the liturgy itself, part of the Divine Service. It is one of our responses within the liturgy where we, not just with words spoken or sung, but with deeds declare, live out and live in, the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Our offerings are part of God’s sanctifying work that He has us do in the Divine Service for the life of the world. That’s what makes our stewardship so precious and significant. God hallows what we give and employs it to sanctify us and others. And that is why we sing: “And gladly, as Thou blessest us, To Thee our first-fruits give!” FISHES & LOAVES FOOD PANTRY Households served: 518 Total # of person served in April: 946 REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH 2221 N. Wahsatch Ave. Colorado Springs, CO. 80907 D E CE M BE R Nonprofit U.S. Postage 2 01 4 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED June/July 2015 (719) 633-7661 FAX: (719) 633-2127 THE LUTHERAN HOUR The local Lutheran Hour can be heard Sunday mornings on, KOA (850 AM) at 6:00 AM, KRLN (1400 AM) at 8:00AM DATE: June 7, 2015 SPEAKER: Rev. Gregory Seltz TEXT: 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 TITLE: "Life Under God’s Construction” Do you see a "Road Construction Ahead" sign? Did God put it there? DATE: June 14, 2015 SPEAKER: Rev. Gregory Seltz TEXT: Mark 4 TITLE: "God’s Great Work of Faith” Faith is God’s work, not ours. DATE: June 21, 2015 SPEAKER: Rev. Gregory Seltz TEXT: Mark 4:35-41 TITLE: "God’s Ballast of Blessing” When the waves begin to rock your boat, is Christ in the boat with you? DATE: June 28, 2015 TEXT: Matthew 5:43-48 TITLE: "You Aren’t Perfect” SPEAKER EMERITUS: Rev. Ken Klaus We aren't perfect and we can't change, but we can receive the benefits of Christ's perfection and sacrifice. Paid Colo. Spgs, CO Permit No. 74
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