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HOPE HAPPENINGS
November 2014
Pastor Julia Seymour
Inside This Issue
Dear Disciples of Christ in Hope,
Pastor Julia
1-2
Council Message
2
LSSA Article
3
Thanksgiving Blessing Food Drive
3
Budget Report
4
Stockings for LSSA, Advent Brunch
4
New Bible Exploration
4
Faith and Care
5
Women’s Events
5
Book Group, Sandwich Making
5
Prayers
6
November Calendar
7
Congregational Meeting
8
November Birthdays and
Anniversaries
8
Worship
10:00 AM
Heavenly Sunshine 5:30 PM (November 2
and 16) a youth oriented service is held on the first
and third Sunday of each month
Heavenly Sunshine Explorers! 5pm before
Heavenly Sunshine. Bible Story and Craft. Fun
for all ages!
Mission Statement
Our Mission is to seek.. proclaim..
and live.. the Gospel of Christ as
revealed in the Word of God.
“Hope, the utterly reliable anchor,
fixed in God.”
Hebrews 6:19
During our April congregational meeting,
we heard a scenario in which a young woman
who had finished her seminary training at Luther might be available to us as an intern in
the coming year. That woman’s name is Melissa Johnson and she (along with her husband,
Michael) has been worshiping at Hope for
many months. He is currently clerking for a
federal court judge in Anchorage. His work
meant that her internship opportunities were
restricted to this area. When they originally
moved up here, there was a Lutheran church
in Anchorage that had an active internship
program, but things changed by the time Michael and Melissa arrived.
All this is to say that our vision in April
of what seemed like a remote chance has become real. Melissa will become an intern,
starting in January, serving two congregations,
Lutheran Church of Hope in Anchorage and
Joy Lutheran in Eagle River. Her restricted status for availability to the whole church means
that she will receive a stipend for her work,
but not a housing allowance or insurance.
This reduced package is part of how we can
afford to be a teaching congregation for her.
Joy, the Synod Office, and Luther Seminary are
all putting forward significant financial support as well.
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Some of you can remember a time before when this church had interns. For
others, this is a new opportunity. As a congregation with an intern, we are committing to walking with Melissa and helping to guide her in her final year of training before becoming, God willing, ordained. She will be learning from us as we
learn from her. In addition to welcoming her, we will be offering our part in the
financial support and I will be working as her supervisor, offering time for theological reflection and discernment with Melissa each week.
In the two months before she starts, please be in prayer for the role you
might play in a teaching congregation. Are you called to serve on the internship
committee? Is your gift thoughtful and constructive reflection on sermons or liturgical leadership? Could you offer a significant financial gift toward making
the internship viable? Everyone in our congregation has something to offer in
this situation and to Melissa. Yes, I mean you.
I look forward to this time together and how we will grow in relationship
with one another, with our community, and with Melissa.
In peace,
Pastor Julia
Dear Friends in Christ,
We have not had to pull any money from our
savings in 8 months! We have a congregational
meeting on Sunday, November 9th, and for the
first time in a long time, we won't be looking at our finances with concern that we
won't be able to pay our bills. It's time to celebrate, to give back from God has given us, and to joyful look into the future. At the meeting, we will hear a report from
Pastor Julia, approve our 2015 budget (available in the narthex or by email, just
ask in the office) and elect representatives to Synod Assembly. If you have never
gone to Synod Assembly I highly encourage you to put your name forth for nomination. It is a great opportunity to find out what other congregations in the Alaska
Synod are doing and celebrate all the wonder of doing God's work with our hands.
I have had the honor of being our female representative for the past two years,
and it is blessing to take the time away in prayer, workshops and fellowship. If
you're interested in being our representative in April 2015, please contact me, Pastor Julia, or the church office. We'll also be spending some time at the Congregational Meeting talking about our mission as Lutheran Church of Hope and looking
at the many assets we have as a congregation. We will enjoy fellowship and conversation, so we can look boldly into the future of LCOH. It's an exciting time to be
part of Lutheran Church of Hope. I hope to see all of you there!
Megan Bladow
Council President
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Newsletter Article for November 2014
Thanksgiving Blessing
We are finalizing our plans with others in the faith-based community of Anchorage for this
year’s Thanksgiving Blessing food basket distribution. Last year we distributed food to 1,198
households amounting to 5,146 individuals. This year we are planning to serve 1,400 households.
LSSA is the site coordinator for the distribution at Central Lutheran Church and need your help in
many ways. As usual we are asking our Lutheran congregations to collect the corn, green beans,
stuffing mix or cranberry sauce that your congregation has been assigned. We also need your help
volunteering with set-up and distribution on Monday, November 24th. Shifts on Monday are from
9am to 12:30pm, 12:30pm to 4:30pm and 4pm to 8pm. If you can help us out at one of these times
please call the LSSA office at 272-0643 ext 10 and speak with Sue or go email us at [email protected].
Christmas Stockings
It has become a tradition to present Christmas stockings to the families with young children
who visit our food pantry during the month of December. We ask that you include a story or activity book about Jesus’ birth in the stockings. If you need instructions or a template of the pattern
please contact the LSSA office.
Neighborhood Gift
This year all the Neighborhood Gift sites will again come together at the Sullivan Arena for
distribution of toys and meals on Monday, December 15th and Tuesday, December 16 th. We have
divided the city by zip codes as to which day families will shop. Eagle River residents food and
gifts will be distributed on Tuesday, December 16th only at Harvest Christian Fellowship. You can
sign up to volunteer by going this website www.salvationarmyalaska.org/alaska/gift_2014.
Together Caring for Others,
Alan Budahl, Executive Director
Lutheran Social Services of Alaska
1303 W. 33rd Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99503
Our goals for LSSA’s annual Thanksgiving Blessing are (as of 11/04):
185 cans of green beans
166 cans of corn
14 boxes of stuffing mix
15 cans of cranberry sauce
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Every year Hope Lutheran Church Women make Christmas
stockings to be given to clients of Lutheran Social Services. This
year HLCW will be making and filling 125 stocking, and they
need your help!
Please talk to Bonnie, Sharon, or Phyllis if you need instructions
for making the stockings. We’ll have books with the Christmas
story, and everyone is encouraged to bring small toys and treats
to fill the stockings. Join HLCW to stuff the stockings after church on Sunday, November 30.
The 35th Annual
Lutheran Women’s Advent
Brunch, “Angels
Around Us”, will be held on Saturday, December 6 at 9:00 AM at the
Egan Center. Phyllis Rude has tickets
Join us for a new Bible
Exploration series beginning on Sunday, November 9 before worship
at 9:00 AM.
Pastor Julia will be leading a study of the book of Amos.
Are you on the Web? We are! Check out our website for upcoming events and activities. www.hopeak.org You should also
check us out on Facebook! www.facebook.com/lcohak
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Clare House: November 26
Quilting Group
Monday, November 3 Volunteer: Beaty Graves and Barb Middendorf
Meets: LCOH Library at 10:00 AM
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Meets: LCOH
Hannah Circle
Meets: LCOH
Wednesday, November 12 at 10:00 AM
Priscilla Circle
Meets: LCOH
Monday, November
10 at 7:00 PM
Leah Circle
Hostess:
Tuesday, November
18 at 7:00 PM
HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH WOMEN (HLCW)
All women of Lutheran Church of Hope are
members of HLCW. We are affiliated with the
Alaska Synodical Women’s Organization and
with the Women of the ELCA. You are invited
to participate in all our activities and join us in
prayer. The Bible Study used in our Circle
groups is published in the magazine, Gather.
Extra copies are available each month in the
church narthex.
November
Megan Bladow
Nancy Farrer
John & Louise
Maakestad
The Faith and Care sign-up sheet is on Christian Ryll
the bulletin board above the drinking Richard & Carolyn
Clendaniel
fountain in the narthex.
Forgot if you signed up to usher or be Tom & Barb Middendorf
Melanie Bladow
fellowship host? You can now view
the faith and care schedule online on Mary Bristol
Les & Berneice Kelm
our website.: www.hopeak.org
Jay & Carolyn Layne
December
Pam & Melba Jester
Sandy Apperson
Ken & Betsy Eisses
Tony Butto
Karlene Hewitt
Tom & Cheryl Lubeck
Brad & Jodi Sordahl
Meredith Rude
Donna York
Linda Gierczak
Nadine Thompson
Join us every Wednesday
at 7:00 PM for Women of
the Hebrew Scriptures at
Lutheran Church of Hope.
November Schedule:
November 5: Michal
November 12: Proverbs
November 19: Gomer
The Other 4H
Group will be discussing Lila by
Marilynne Robinson on Thursday,
November 13 at 6:30 PM at Gallo’s
Restaurant on Arctic.
Everyone is welcome to join the
discussion!
On the second Sunday of
every month after worship
we gather to make sandwiches to take to Brother
Francis Shelter. Take a look
at the sign up sheet in the narthex to
see how you can help and volunteer to
bring some sandwich makings!
Next month: December 14
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PRAYERS FROM THE MONTH
OF OCTOBER
prayers of comfort and healing.
Please remember to take a
moment each day for continued
prayers for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Myrtle Olson asks for prayers for a
friend’s daughter, Loretta, who is suffering
from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or
Lou Gehrig’s Disease). During her surgery
to insert a feeding tube (due to her ALS) on
October 16, Loretta had a seizure and is now
in critical condition. Her family requests
continued prayers for Loretta, her doctors
and nurses, and all of her family.
For these and others that we shared prayers for and
continue to pray for from the past month:
Prayers for Louise Maakestad who discovered on October 2 that she has a broken hip.
She asks for prayers for guidance to the correct
decision regarding surgery. We also pray for
comfort and peace for her and her family.
UPDATE: Louise’s hip replacement surgery on
Monday, October 27 went well, and Louise is
current at Alaska Regional Hospital. Short visits
are welcome, but please call the hospital ahead of
your visit to check visiting hours. Louise has
started physical therapy and will remain at AK
Regional for now. We offer prayers of thanks for
a successful surgery and pray for Louise’s comfort and strength as she recovers.
Berneice Kelm requests prayers for her
son-in-law Larry. Larry is at the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle where he had surgery on October 8 to place a wire in his brain due to his
Parkinson’s Disease. He had another surgery on
October 17 to put a device in his chest that will
adjust the wire in his brain, which they hope will
control his tremors. We offer prayers for a successful surgery and prayers of strength and comfort for Larry and his family.
Myrtle Olson’s longtime friend and
former neighbor Don will be starting chemotherapy for prostate cancer. We pray for his
successful treatment and for Don’s strength
and comfort at this time. We also ask for
prayers of strength and comfort for his wife
Sue, and their family.
Mighty God, we keep in our prayers
every soldier, sailor, Marine, and airman in
danger. Whether that danger is from without
or within, we pray for their safety. Give their
families strength and hope so they can endure the hardships that accompany military
service. Ease their distress, in your protection, we pray.
Hear our prayer, O God. In your mercy,
answer us.
Myrtle Olson’s friend John Bisom’s September 26 surgery went well, and John has
moved to another facility where he is receiving
Our Prayer Partner for November is Shepherd
physical therapy. He thanks us for our continued of the Valley Lutheran Church in Juneau, AK.
The Prayer Chain is here for you and anyone you may know in need of prayer. The Prayer Chain may also be used
in times of civic or national crisis when prayers are very important. If you have a special need or concern for a family member or friend and wish others to pray for your concern, please contact Karlene Hewitt (243-1647) or the
church office (279-7714 or, [email protected].) Let us know what you do and do not want shared.
If you wish to have your name added or removed from the current list, let the church office know.
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The Calendar for this month and future
months can be found on our webpage
www.hopeak.org. Please inform the
office of any corrections.
Sunday
26
10:00 AM Worship Service
5:00 PM Reformation Party
Monday
27
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Sat.
28
4:30 PM Mobile Food
Pantry
6:00 PM Scottish Pipe
Band
7:00 PM Plus 24 Group
8:30 PM Firing Line Group
29
30
BULLETIN ITEMS DUE
6:00 PM There
5:15 PM Choir Practice Is A Solution OA
6:00 PM Chimes Choir
Practice
7:00 PM Women of the
Scriptures
31
1
2
3
10:00 AM Worship Service
10:00 AM Quiltin
11:30 AM Brother Francis Sand- g Group
wiches
5:00 PM Heavenly Sunshine
Explorers
5:30 PM Heavenly Sunshine
Worship
4
4:30 PM Mobile Food
Pantry
6:00 PM Scottish Pipe
Band
7:00 PM Plus 24 Group
8:30 PM Firing Line Group
5
6
BULLETIN ITEMS DUE
6:00 PM There
5:15 PM Choir Practice Is A Solution OA
6:00 PM Chimes Choir
Practice
7:00 PM Women of the
Scriptures
7
8
9
10
9:00 AM Bible Exploration
7:00 PM Priscilla
10:00 AM Worship Service
Circle
11:30 AM Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting
11
4:30 PM Mobile Food
Pantry
6:00 PM Scottish Pipe
Band
7:00 PM Plus 24 Group
8:30 PM Firing Line Group
12
BULLETIN ITEMS DUE
10:00 AM Hannah Circle
5:15 PM Choir Practice
6:00 PM Chimes Choir
Practice
7:00 PM Women of the
Scriptures
13
6:00 PM There
Is A Solution OA
6:30 PM The
Other 4H Group
14
15
16
Food Collection for the Barrel
9:00 AM Bible Exploration
10:00 AM Worship Service
11:30 AM Council Meeting
5:00 PM Heavenly Sunshine
Explorers
5:30 PM Heavenly Sunshine
Worship
17
18
4:30 PM Mobile Food
Pantry
6:00 PM Scottish Pipe
Band
7:00 PM Leah Circle
7:00 PM Plus 24 Group
8:30 PM Firing Line Group
19
20
BULLETIN ITEMS DUE
6:00 PM There
5:15 PM Choir Practice Is A Solution OA
6:00 PM Chimes Choir
Practice
7:00 PM Women of the
Scriptures
21
22
23
9:00 AM Bible Exploration
10:00 AM Worship Service
24
25
4:30 PM Mobile Food
Pantry
6:00 PM Scottish Pipe
Band
7:00 PM Plus 24 Group
8:30 PM Firing Line Group
26
BULLETIN ITEMS DUE
Clare House
7:00 PM Turnagain
Community Thanksgiving Eve Service
28
29
30
9:00 AM Bible Exploration
10:00 AM Worship Service
1
2
10:00 AM Quiltin 4:30 PM Mobile Food
g Group
Pantry
6:00 PM Scottish Pipe
Band
7:00 PM Plus 24 Group
8:30 PM Firing Line Group
5
6
27
6:00 PM There
Is A Solution OA
3
4
BULLETIN ITEMS DUE
6:00 PM There
5:15 PM Choir Practice Is A Solution OA
6:00 PM Chimes Choir
Practice
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Pastor: Julia Seymour
Preschool Director: Barb Middendorf
Admin. Asst.: Heather Tibor
Phone: 279-7714 FAX 278-2737
[email protected] www.hopeak.org
Worship Service: 10:00 AM
Heavenly Sunshine First and Third Sunday
of each Month at 5:30 PM
and Heavenly Sunshine Explorers before
the service at 5:00 PM
If you do not wish to receive this Newsletter, please inform the church office at (907) 279-7714; or [email protected]
Look for our Newsletter on our webpage at www.hopeak.org
The Semi-Annual Congregation
Meeting will be held on Sunday,
November 9.
Phyllis R.
Lily Y.
2
12
Lindsay I.
13
Lesa B.
19
Jane J.
21
Raulie T.
24
Vicky R.
25
Alyson W.
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Copies of the Proposed 2015 Budget are
available in the narthex or the church office.
Bring a dish to share for a potluck
after worship and stay for the
meeting!
Don & Bonnie B.
Bill & Sandy I.
10/31/1970
10/08/1983
If you or someone you know is unable to attend services and would like to have a sermon or a bulletin mailed
each week, a Pastoral visit or would like to receive communion, please let the church office know.
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