1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

The
Herald
January 2015
The Newsletter of Elim Lutheran Church
A Message from the Council President
“W
e are Family” a song written by Sister Sledge in 1979 became the
theme song of baseball’s World Se-
ries Champions, the Pittsburgh Pirates in the same
year, but it could also be the definition of Elim in
2015. The spirit of Elim is ever present – it is manifested in the “sharing of the peace”, in the participation of congregants in Elim’s many activities and in
the personal lives of its people. It is a shared belief
based on love and the conviction that we are doing
God’s work, enjoying each other’s company and fulfilling personal needs.
Elim Lutheran
Church ELCA
5911 E. Hillcrest Dr
Port Orchard, WA
Mailing Address::
P.O. Box 456
Manchester, WA
98353
360-871-0602
Email:
elimlutheran
@yahoo.com
Website:
www.elimlutheranpo.
net
Pastor
In Transition
Council President
Peter Kreidler
Editor
Katie Thomassen
To illustrate, by way of contrast, I recently lost a
close personal friend. He and his wife attended our
wedding in 1970, He and I taught together for 30
years at South Kitsap High School and the four of us
enjoyed six wonderful trips together over the years.
But when his wife died in 2008 he never recovered.
He became increasingly distant, discontinued his
healthy activities of running and golf, failed to develop new relationships and when confronted with medical and psychological problems did not adequately
Continued on next page
Together in
Christ
Doing God’s
Work,
Using God’s Gifts,
Sharing God’s
Love.
Continued from previous page
respond.
The death of my friend was and is sad but it is also a testament to why Elim is important. Being actively involved at Elim, building relationships with others and having
goals that call for sacrifice and dedication creates a sense of esprit de corps. Fulfillment comes from interaction with others and achieving goals that improve the lives of
others whether here at Elim, locally or globally. Every Sunday reinforces positive attributes of ethics, love and loyalty that are essential for a healthy lifestyle. Associating
and working with like minded people creates strong bonds. Adversity, when it strikes,
is shared.
We are Family. By analogy it is interesting to note the comments of Seahawk (yes
Heide – Go Hawks!) players last Sunday after securing the number one seed in the
National Football Conference leading to the Super Bowl. Time and again players
spoke of hard work, dedication, love for each other, sacrificing individual goals for
team goals and each player doing their assignment in order to achieve team success.
That same commitment is evident at Elim as a quick look at the “Elim Ministries” attests. For anyone not actively involved there is a great deal of satisfaction derived
from working with others in achieving goals and meeting the needs of Elim here and
abroad.
For Robin and me, Elim is a second family. There are so many great friends that we
would never have known, or developed strong ties with, without Elim. So it is true –
Elim is a family, a faith family with strong personal ties. We are united and bonded
together in unselfish service to God and the world community and, at the same time,
fulfilling personal needs.
Respectfully, Peter Kreidler
S
tarting with the New Year, Adult Forum will be meeting at 9 am Sunday, January 4th in the Adult Forum room for coffee and discussion
on the topic of prayer. The What, When, Why, Where, and How do we pray
will be explored. Its depths will be mined. Its many facets studied. Over the
course of the study, featured books to be discussed will be Prayer, the
Great Adventure by David Jeremiah and A Book of Uncommon Prayer by
Brian Doyle.
Prayer should not be a last resort in our life journey, but our first. It should
be our preparation, our help along the way and part of our final destination.
It is the foundation that connects us to God and each other, edifying ourselves and honing us to be a blessing to others.
Prayer is a journey of adventure in its many forms, gathering treasures that
enrich our lives and the lives of others. For in prayer we discover we are not
alone, we are loved.
Through the jeweled facets of prayer, the crowning glory of God is created
and the foundations of the City of God, the Church, is connected and built.
We are the treasure, “the joy that was before him”. Prayer is a gift of God,
of our Christ Jesus. Emmanuel, God is with us.
Sue Anna Tucker
Adult Forum Facilitator
Annual Reports
It is that time of year
when all church reports
must be submitted for
the
Annual Meeting on
January 25th. Please
submit your reports to the office no
later than January 11. This will give
the secretary ample time to compile
all the reports. If at all possible, submit an email report attached as a Microsoft Word or Excel document.
Thanksgiving Eve Update
Final Talley
$891 raised by auction
$350 of matching funds by
Thrivent
= $1241 divided by Helpline
and Lifecare food banks.
AS WELL AS
$400 raised for Children of
the Nations Fund
Elim Church
Call Committee Members
If
∗
David Armstrong
Nobi Kawasaki
Gerry Lyman
Cheri Svensson
Melodie Cummings
∗ Bob Fisher
∗ Lynne Ayers
∗
∗
∗
∗
you have questions regarding the on going search for
Elim’s new pastor, please
feel free to ask one of the
above committee members
directly. There is much that
cannot be shared in regards
to the applicants, but in regards to the methods and
procedures there is no bad
question! Remember, asking
never hurts, but assuming
can!
Lutheran Church Women of Elim
(LCWE)
LCWE wishes to thank the congregation of
Elim and Thrivent Financial members for
the support with the Christmas food baskets.
You helped to feed
fifteen families!
Plus, provide Christmas gifts to
twenty children!
Also, Socks for the Homeless was a success!
You donated:
203 pairs of socks
4 pairs of gloves
14 undergarments
These items were given to the Salvation Army and Coffee Oasis.
Thank you,
The Lutheran Church Women of Elim
A New Year’s Resolution...
Put on the new self, created to be
like God in true righteousness and
holiness.
Ephesians 4:24
A Happy Birthday and many happy returns to these loved ones who
have birthdays in January:
Karen Plummer, 5th
Janice Kvinsland 9th
Diane Hubert, 12th
Nancy Lyman, 19th
Bonnie Dempewolf, 21st
Avis Rill, 26th
Did we miss your birthday? Contact the office to be sure we have
your birthday in our records.
Epiphany
To Crown Him with Many Crowns
Epiphany, Epiphany, sound, sound of the Father’s Voice
Echoes throughout infinity the response to pure Love’s
choice:
Baptism of His only Son, baptized to the death of death.
To reside in God’s Holy Son, Holy Spirit brought His
Breath!
The Holy Three began the Plan
conceived before Time began,
To bring the New Creation’s Span
to come forth as One New Man
Then, by the spear thrust in his side,
His lifeblood would thus depart
To bring formation of His Bride
from His heart, His broken heart.
Then He, the firstborn of the dead
would gather His retinue,
Who’d long looked to the blood He’d shed,
they’d see Him crowned as His due.
From crown of thorns that was our shame
Golden crowns would then proceed.
To this end the anointing came
Upon David’s Royal Seed.
Written Saturday 12/27/14
By Sarah Linda Stanley
Adult Forum 9
am
Third Sunday
after
Epiphany
25
26
AA 6pm
Deadline for
Elim Herald!
Elim Reading
Group
Text Study 10
28
Waterman’s Circle
Bible Study
29
Port of Waterman
Adult Forum 9
am
Worship 10 am
27
Waterman’s Circle
Bible Study
11:30am
Men’s Gathering
Text Study 10
am
Choir Prac.
19
Family Kitchen
18
22
Bible Study
11:30am
21
Worship & Music
Text Study 10
am
Elim Reading Grp Waterman’s Cir7am
cle
Council Mtg
6pm
Admin Mtg 7 pm
15
14
Waterman’s Circle
Bible Study
11:30am
30
23
16
9
2
1
8
Fri
Thu
13
Men’s Gathering 7am
Text Study 10
am
7
Wed
20
Annual Reports DUE
12
6
Tue
Second Sunday
after Epiphany
Adult Forum 9
am
11 Epiphany
Adult Forum 9
am
AA 6pm
5
4 Second Sunday
of Christmas
Mon
Sun
JANUARY 2015
31
24
Memorial for Lydia
Simonson
17
WWGPAA
10
Men’s Breakfast
8 am
3
Sat
Elim Ministries
In the spirit of Christas it is with much gatitde that Council wishes to
acknowledge those who do so much to make Elim a war, loving and spirit
filled place worship and iendship. If you wish to share the fn please use the
following in deciding where you might want to ser!e.
Worship and Music
Sunday Worship
Music
Lent and Advent Wed
Choir
Bell Choir
Altar Guild
Servant Hands
Myrna, Eleanor, Peggy, Lynne and Dorothy
Peggy Bagby
Myrna Robinson
Eleanor Ross
Myrna Robinson
Stephanie Armstrong
Maureen Jarrett, Barb Hahn and Diane
Hubert
Evangelism and Social Ministry
Family Kitchen
Food Baskets
Food Bank Collection
Christmas gifts (needy)
Outreach (shut-ins)
Habitat for Humanity
Letters of Appreciation
Transportation
Cub and Boy Scouts
Nobi Kawasaki
Melodie Cummings
Nobi and Fran
Melodie Cummings
Jim Christianson and Melodie Cummings
Bob Fisher
Edith Lammermann
Susan Schultheis, Melodie, Diane
Smullin, and Mary Beslagic
Dave Smyth
Fellowship
Elim Women (WELCA)
Elim’s Mens Prayer Breakfast
Book Club
Quilting Circle
Church Banners
Melodie Cummings
Ray Pardo
Dave Smyth, Ray, Peter, Bob Fisher,
David Armstrong
Melodie, Sue Anna, Margaret, Diane S.,
Sandra Bratcher, Zora, Sarah Linda and
Maureen
Myrna Robinson and Barb Hahn
Stewardship
Annual Stewardship
Sunday Counters
Spaghetti Feed
Peter Kreidler and Ray Pardo
Fran Olin
Tony, Ernie, Bert, Peter, Ray, Gary, Mary,
John, Maureen
Christian Education
Sunday School
Christmas Play
Adult Forum
Weekly Bible Study
Vacation Bible School
Myrna Robinson and Yoli Pardo
Yoli Pardo
Ray Pardo, Dave Smyth and David
Armstrong
David Armstrong
Myrna Robinson
Property
Property Comm. Chair
Building Projects
Outdoor Enhancement
Sound System
Surveillance System
Bert Jarrett
Bert, Ernie and Tony
Barb Hahn
Dave Smyth
Ray Pardo
Elim Staff
Pastor
Secretary
Sexton
Pianist
Organist
Choir Director
Bookkeeper
TBD (to be determined)
Katie Thomassen
Tony Anelli
Peggy Bagby
Lynne Ayers
Eleanor Ross
Sharon Miles
Elim Council
Officers
Members
Peter (Pres), Ray (VP), Sue Anna(Sec),
Raelene (Treas),Financial Sec. Barb Merriman
Myrna, Brian Lyman, Barb Hahn and
Pastor
Administration
Officers
Ray (Pres), Peter (VP), Bert (Prop),
Raelene (Treas), Sue Anna (Sec) andPastor
Endowment
Officers
Members
Sue Anna Tucker
Susan Schultheis (Chair), Ray (Sec)
Herb Walmach, Cheri Svensson,
David Armstrong
Call Committee
Chair
Members
David Armstrong
Nobi Kawasaki, Bob Fisher, Gerry
Lyman, Melodie Cummings,
Cheri Svensson, Lynne Ayers
Please Take Time Throughout the Week to Pray
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be
alert and always keep on praying for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18).
Please continue to pray for these loved ones: Mary Lavender, J ane Whitney, The
Cookus Family, Alice Thuring, Dave Smyth, Karen Plummer, Lawrence Newland, The
Peterson family, Bonnie Dempewolf, Laurene Carlson, Lydia Simonson, Lisa Acheson,
Karlee Acheson, Margaret Camstra, Kalyn Benton and Family, Dorothy Smith, Jesse
Brown, Roddick, Robin Schultz, Barb Merriman, Michelle Swanson, Barb Hahn, Julia
Stephenson, Fran Blackstock, Peggy Bagby, Al & Evelyn Moore, Sandy Bratcher, Bert &
Maureen Jarrett, Jose Greco, Teri Nelson, Laverne Murley, Bill Kavanaugh, Linda
Jacobs, Anna & Kirsten Strand, Cheri Riehl, Sandy Rust, Margaret Kvinsland, Fred
Walls, Joe Finden, Renate Slach, Jerry Edwards, Sharon Ripley, Don Smullin, Dick
Fuller, Terri Stevens, Ruth Rognile, Ryan Pardo, Claudia Robinson, George Neal, Erika
Tucker, Brent Bagby, Glory Berglund, Stacy, Teresa Becker, Betty Rubino, Heather
Newman, Patrick, Jeffrey, Diana Buckner, Camille Kucinski, Kairyn Paine, Wilma Eads,
Bev T., Michael & Velma Thompson, Barbara, Lois Hall, Susan & Mike
Zeller, Marsha Meech, Kathy Nelson, Cindy and Sandy Edwards.
“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to
God. ”
Philippians 4:6
History of Tithes and Offerings
October 2014
10/5
November 2014
December 2014
$3,574
11/2
$3,361
12/7
$6,028
10/10 $2,248
11/9
$1,752
12/14
$3,639
10/19 $4,875
11/16 $4,225
12/21
$2,608
10/26 $1,806
11/23 $2,449
12/24
N/A
11/30 $1609
12/28
N/A
$12,503
$ 11,787
$ 12,275+
Simply Giving Tithes $200
Simply Giving Tithes $200
Simply Giving Tithes $200
Thoughts on a New Year.
(not necessarily helpful ones...but thoughts all the
same)
Financial Page
Elim Lutheran Church, ELCA
PO BOX 456
Manchester WA 98353
God’s Peace and Abiding Love to:
“Then they came to Elim...and they camped there by the water.” Exodus 15:27
Office Hours and Other Contact Information
Elim’s office is open from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm,
Monday through Friday.
Deadline for Sunday
announcements is noon on Wednesdays. Monday mornings
the staff will be in a meeting from 9:30 am - 10:30 am. Feel
free to leave a message and we will return your call as soon
as possible.