The
Link
St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
March 2015
From the Pastor:
the working world 24 hours a day. People in
restaurants seem to be connected to their
devices more than to the people they eat with
at their table. Surveys suggest 80% of people
on vacation bring along their laptops or
smartphones so they can check in with work.
March “comes in like a lion and goes out
like a lamb.” Unfortunately it’s truer this year
than most. The extreme cold of February can
only make the winter weather seem cruel and
frightening as it extends into the weeks ahead.
Yet the church calendar celebrates the Passion
of Christ on the last Sunday of March.
We need to appreciate the value of
Sabbath, a time for rest and recreation.
Worship invites us from stressful hyperconnectivity to a balance of work and rest.
We need to unplug from our devices, reflect
on ourselves, and connect with God and each
other. Our identity is found in who we are as
baptized children of God, and not in what we
do to fill up each spare moment.
Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world, is the reason we gather to
worship. The community gathers to celebrate
the act of God in the bread and wine of Holy
Communion, where the living body of Christ
comes to us in the midst of community.
Martin Luther would deem it impossible to be
Christian without the body of Christ, that is,
the physical reality of Christ’s presence in the
eucharist and in the gathered community.
Luther insisted on the real presence of
Christ in holy communion, a mystery of how
God works in this means of sharing God’s
grace.
Luther could not imagine being
spriritual rather than religious, as some now
claim they can be Christian merely by being
good and believing in God. We need God
and others in our lives. We need community.
Worship should give us a sense of awe and
wonder. In worship we experience God’s
mrercy and grace. It moves us from being
individuals to being a community. We belong
to something greater than ourselves. We are
children of God who gather with our sisters
and brothers in Christ.
We gather at 8:30 and 11:00 am each
Sunday for worship; gathered to be sent out in
mission. In worship God changes us so that
we can make a difference in the world.
We need to balance our work with rest.
Studies suggest that teenagers do not get
enough sleep, about two hours less per night
than their bodies demand. Adults fail to do
much better. Our technology connects us to
Soli Deo Gloria,
Pastor Jeff Hedin
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In March’s “Link”
Page 1
From the Pastor
Page 2
March at a glance
Page 3
From the Church Council
Page 4
Facts & FiguresLent
Attendance
Pastoral Acts
Page 5
From the Church Office
Page 6
Events –
Dorcas Rachel
First Communion
Confirmation
Italian Café
Women of the ELCA
VBS
Page 7
March at a Glance
Meetings
Tuesday March 10th 7:00 p.m.
Mutual Ministry Meeting
Thursday March12th
Dorcas Rachel Circle
Monday March 16th 6:45 p.m.
Church Council Meeting
Thursday March 19th 7:00 p.m.
Property & Maintenance
Sundays
March 1st. Second Sunday in Lent
Soup & Bread lunch and presentation
provided by the Dorcas Rachel Circle
follows the 11 am service. First
Communion Class at 2:30 p.m.
How to get involvedIngathering project
Hoops Mania
Care Packages
From the Volunteer
Coordinator,
Page 8
Thank yous
RAIHN
Page 9
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Church Women United
L.C.L.C.
Page 10
March’s Calendar
Page 11
March’s Lay Calendar
March 8th. Third Sunday in Lent
Soup & Bread lunch provided by the
Hedin’s and Rosenbauer’s, and a
presentation by the Stewardship
Committee follows the 11 am service.
Daylight Savings Time begins.
March 15th. Fourth Sunday in Lent
Soup & Bread lunch provided by the
Bill’s, Link’s and Wallace’s, and a
presentation by the LYO follows the 11
am service.
Easter is approaching. Sign up sheets will
be out in the Foyer early in March for
Palm Cross making on Saturday March
28th, our 7:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday
(April 2nd) service, the Good Friday
Prayer Vigil (April 3rd), and our 7:30 p.m.
Good Friday Tenebrae service.
March 22nd. Fifth Sunday in Lent
Soup & Bread lunch and presentation
provided by the Church Council follows
the 11 am service.
March 29th. Palm Sunday
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Communication (including website) –
Anne Luebke
Stewardship – Tom Piccirilli
Evangelism & Outreach – Reid
Cunningham
Membership – Dale and Mary Pena
Youth – Natalie Hammer
MISSION STATEMENT
St. Paul’s is a welcoming Christian family.
We are created by God, saved by Jesus
Christ, God’s Son, and inspired by the
Holy Spirit. Through joyous worship and
Mission Commitment, St. Paul’s furthers
the word of God’s Saving Grace.
Trinity East Rochester
The Attorney General’s office has approved
the sale of the property, with a closing
anticipated in February. The Trinity Service
of Holy Closure is scheduled for Saturday,
February 21st. The organ is scheduled to be
moved the week of February 16th. Robin
Lancaster is interested in joining the Council.
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Council Meeting
February 9, 2015
The Church Council met on Monday,
February 9th. Mike Patchen, Kathy
Silverman and Natalie Hammer were
welcomed to the Council. The Council
engaged in its regular business including
approving past meeting minutes and
reviewing action items and reports from
committees and Pastor. Also discussed were
the following agenda items.
New Members
New members will be received at an
upcoming church service: Dorothy Borglum;
Mike Conley; Harry and Roberta
Fitzsimmons; Sandra Fitzsimmons; Tracy
Gonzales (Alex and Derek); Laurie Hamlin;
Kathy Hennelly; Robin Lancaster; Martin
Lawson; Janynne Russo (2 confirmed
daughters), and Helga and George Hempel.
Election of Officers
The following officers were elected:
PRESIDENT – Laurie Zaucha
VICE PRESIDENT – Terry Kelly
SECRETARY – Tom Piccirilli
TREASURER – Mike Patchen
FINANCIAL SECRETARY – Dale
Pena
Respectfully Submitted,
Council Responsibilities 2015
Liaison roles were agreed upon as follows:
Mutual Ministry Committee – Terry
Kelly
Finance Committee – Dale Pena
(Chair), Mike Patchen
Property & Maintenance Committee –
TBD
Worship & Music Committee – Kathy
Silverman
A Church Council Retreat will be held either
Saturday March 21st or Saturday March 28th
from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at one of the St.
John’s Home facilities.
Laurie L. Zaucha
Secretary
The next meeting of the Church Council will
be Monday March 16th at 6:45 p.m.
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or in a lump sum on Easter Sunday. Look
for the collection pot in the Foyer.
Saint's Place is a volunteer
organization, based on Christian values,
that provides household goods, clothing,
and education to legal refugees of all
races and creeds who settle in the
Rochester, NY area to escape violence,
discrimination and poverty.
Lent Events
During Lent our Wednesday
morning Bible Study will conclude with
a brief worship service at 11:00 a.m.
each week.
Each Sunday during Lent we will
share soup and bread after our 11 a.m.
service. Please join us. Each Sunday will
feature a different presentation from one
of St. Paul’s committees, and gives us a
great opportunity to get to know each
other better. Thanks to all who have
signed up to provide the soup & bread.
Please see the table in Foyer and
take a Lent free gift. We have books
and devotionals for all ages.
We are once again supporting
Monroe Community Hospital with left
over craft items for their arts & crafts
programs. Items needed are jewelry
boxes, small boxes, Valentine candy
boxes, ribbons, trims of all kinds, beads
(any kind), buttons, shells, fabric (does
not have to be large sizes), netting,
miscellaneous craft items, items that can
be used with glue for decorations, cards,
envelopes, yarn, silk flowers, seasonal
decorations, pine cones, dry flowers,
pieces of jewelry, and pieces or parts
from craft projects finished or those
never tackled.
We are collecting the items listed
above until Sunday March 22nd.
Collection boxes will be in the Dorcas
Room beginning Sunday March 1st.
PASTORAL ACTS
Baptism;
February 8th
Molly Anne Cole
Funeral:
January 24th
Edith Leone
ATTENDANCE
“WE COUNT BECAUSE YOU COUNT”
We will collect loose change
during Lent and have coin boxes available
to assist you. All proceeds will go to
Saint’s Place to assist refugees newly
arrived in our area.
Collection boxes and information
on Saint’s Place are available from the
Foyer. You can bring your coins in weekly
Early
Late
Total
Nursery
Jan 18th
25th
67
-
43
122
110
122
12
5
Feb 1st
8th
15th
60
80
43
48
59
38
108
139
81
13
13
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Average Sunday attendance through
January 2015 – 111
Average Sunday attendance through
January 2014 - 117
Average Sunday attendance through
January 2013 – 140
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Reminders for March
News from the
Church Office
Articles for the April edition of the
“Link” must be received by 9:00 a.m. on
Monday 16th March. It will be mailed on
Tuesday 24th March beginning at
9:30 a.m. Please sign up to help mail it in
the volunteer work area.
I am pleased to report that Eileen
Whitaker has agreed to continue to
coordinate the volunteer lay calendars
and schedules.
Statements of Financial Giving for
2014 are available for collection from the
Foyer. If you have a question on yours
please call me in the Church Office at
586-0580
or
e-mail
me
at
[email protected]
One small change is that I will
resume coordinating the “one off”
services; Ash Wednesday, Maundy
Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Saturday
Vigil, Christmas Eve and Lessons and
Carols.
Use a flower envelope from the
pew backs to sponsor an Easter lily. A
freewill donation is asked for. The last
date to donate is Palm Sunday, March
29th.
More good news - Mara Berndt
has volunteered to become the St. Paul’s
Event Coordinator. Since I stepped down
as Church Coordinator and resumed
being Church Secretary, certain tasks
have often been without a leader. Mara
Berndt will be taking on the event
coordinating these tasks and will start
slowly into this new position, coming on
board fully in the fall, once her other
volunteer duties outside of St. Paul’s
come to an end.
Church Office hours are normally
Monday to Thursday 9 am to 2 pm.
Remember that e-mails sent after
Thursday afternoons will not get read
until Monday morning.
Several of our Phone Tree callers
have found that some of the telephone
numbers for members are no longer in
operation. If you do not get phone tree
reminder calls and would like to do so,
please let me know the number you
would like to be called on. The next time
the Phone Tree will be activated is to
remind members know of our Holy Week
and Easter services.
It is my pleasure to be working
with Eileen and Mara. I am very
encouraged about the future of St. Paul’s
volunteerism. Please feel free to talk with
myself, Eileen or Mara if you have any
questions.
Thanks very much to Barb
Granger for giving us a very much
needed and welcome reminder that
spring will come by decorating the Foyer
with spring flowers.
Janet Harris,
Church Secretary
Happy Spring!
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Dorcas Rachel Circle
First Communion
The First Communion Class will be held
from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday
March 1st.
Date: March 12, 2015
Time: 9:45 Fellowship
10:00 Meeting
Place: Dorcas Room
Program: “Fleece Tied Blankets”
Activity led by Kathy Silverman
Devotions: Kathy Silverman
Hostesses: Jane Pfromer & June Buskey
Bring paper goods for the Pittsford Food
Cupboard. Place your donations in Shari’s car
parked by the parking lot red doors entrance.
If you have not yet confirmed your child’s
attendance or have any questions, please
talk with Pastor Hedin.
Date change
Our January meeting was cancelled because
of the cold/wind chill temperatures. Pam
Poduska has agreed to lead the book review:
“The Girls of Atomic City” by Denise
Kiernan on Thursday May 21, 2015. (Please
note the date change of the May meeting)
Please save Saturday 18th April to
attend the annual
Italian Café
Confirmation Class
dates to note
provided by members of our LYO.
The last Confirmation Class is Monday
March 23rd. The Confirmation Service is
Sunday April 19th. Confirmation Camp at
Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center is
Sunday July 12th to Friday July 17th.
Women of the ELCA
Upcoming Event
Spring Communion Brunch
Date: Saturday, April 25, 2015
Time: Registration 9:30 a.m.
Service 10:00 a.m.
Program: Pastor “Joe” Wilck
“Clown Ministry”
Place: Our Saviour Lutheran Church,
Chili Avenue, Gates
Vacation Bible School
will be held from Monday August 10th
to Friday August 14th. Please see
Tiffany Laird with any questions.
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Women of St. Paul’s
Support Loop Ministries
Ingathering Project for 2015
It’s Hoops Mania once again.
“Love in a Glove”
“Love in a Glove” is a zip lock gallon size
plastic bag having items that would be useful
for homeless people. Suggested items to be
enclosed in the bag;
Soap,
Small single is zed shampoo,
Toothbrush,
Toothpaste,
Adult gloves,
Adult warm hat,
Restaurant certificate (Wendy’s,
McDonald’s),
No cash.
Support Loop Ministries with a $10
donation that enters you into a March
Madness tournament. See Pastor Hedin
for details.
LOOP Ministries is charged with the
continuation and expansion of outreach
ministries begun by Reformation Lutheran
Church including a food assistance
program.
A box in the Dorcas Room will be available
for donated “Love in a Glove” kits and items
to be put into kits.
We will be collecting money for our
Spring Youth Care Packages in March.
Please put your donations in a pew
envelope
marked
“Youth
Care
Packages”. Parents: if your child’s
address has changed, or you have any
questions, please let one member of the
Care Package group know; Trish Blake
Jones, Elizabeth Conderman, Jennie
Cunningham or Monique Flemister.
This Ingathering Project will continue MarchOctober 2015.
From the Volunteer
Coordinator…
Can you deliver flowers after church on
just one Sunday in March or April???
Thanks to you in
January
Can you open the church on just one
Sunday during April???
**WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!**
$1,100 was donated for the South
Wedge Mission
Email or call:
Eileen Whitaker
$150 was donated to the emergency
Homeless Shelter in Rochester
Thank you!!!
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Thank you all for your wonderful
generosity to the Pittsford Food cupboard in
2014.Your continued kindness has helped us
to provide for families less fortunate in our
community.
Sincerely,
Mimi Wilson, PFC
RAIHN
Many Thanks!
Thank you to those of you that spent
time with our RAIHN families the week of
Feb 22nd – Feb 29th. Your donations of food
and time both awake and asleep are greatly
appreciated.
RAIHN is a not for profit organization
that provides temporary shelter, meals, and
case management to help homeless families
find housing and employment or education.
The goal is to keep families togehter until
thyme can find permanents housing. Families
also receive follow up services for a year after
housing is found.
A
host
congregation
provides
overnight accommodation and an evening
meal for up to five families for one week 3 or
4 teems a year. All families are assessed to be
ready to change their situation and are
screened for substance abuse and psychiatric
problems.
Roberta Fitzsimmons
Dear Members of St. Paul’s,
Thank you so much for the beautiful
flower bouquet that I received on Sunday, Feb
1st. I also enjoyed the remarks that
accompanied the bouquet. Thanks, too, to
John Graser for delivering the bouquet to me.
Your thoughts and prayers have been
appreciated during my illness. St. Paul’s is
truly a caring congregation.
Sincerely,
Dorothy Copeland
To St. Paul’s,
A List of Thank-you’s:
To Pastor Hedin for his visits and the
gift of communion he brings,
To Janet Harris and her faithful
sending of the “Link”,
To church members who have
remembered me with get well and holiday
greeting cards,
For phone calls from those who care
and remember me that make the day so much
brighter – it makes living more meaningful
when families are gone.
Sincerely,
Virginia B. Pschirrer
SAVE THE DATE!!
RAIHN CAR CITY
Saturday, May 2nd – Sunday, May 3rd,
2015
5:00 pm – 7:30 am, Asbury First United
Methodist Church, 1050 East Ave.
Food! Music! Contests! Fun!
To everyone at St. Paul's--Thank you very much for all your get
well wishes, prayers, and cards regarding my
recent back surgery! Everything has gone
well and I hope to be back soon! Also, the
flowers delivered by the John Graser family
were beautiful and the Pastor's visits were
much appreciated.
Sincerely, Mary Evalyn Stephens
Grab some friends, get some sponsors,
and sleep overnight in your car
to raise awareness of family
homelessness. Minimum $50 donation.
Email [email protected] or call
585-506-9050 for more info.
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Let’s celebrate in
March
29th
Happy Birthday to Barb Servé and
Michael Schrlau and Happy 6th
Wedding Anniversary to Tami &
Mike Holihan
2nd
Happy Birthday to Holley Haynes
30th
Happy Birthday to Jack Whitaker
rd
Happy Birthday to C. J. Lang and
Holly Comstock
31st
Happy Birthday to Austin Joseph
Ange and Shauna James
3
8th
Happy Birthday to Virginia Pschirrer
and Jori Cincotta
9th
Happy Birthday to Ethan Bingemann
10th
Happy Birthday to Julia Jones
12th
Happy Birthday to Lena Graupman
Friday, March 6, 2015
1:30 pm
13th
Happy Birthday to Marilyn Larson
and Happy Baptism Anniversary to
Addilae Canning
St. John’s Lutheran Church
800 East Ridge Road,
Rochester NY 14621
14th
Happy Birthday to Jim Hoagland
15th
Happy Birthday to Joanna Kane
16th
Happy Birthday to Virginia Pixley
19
th
World Day of Prayer
Sponsored by Church Women United
For more information call 342-2790 or visit
www.cwurochester.org
Lake Chautauqua Lutheran
Center
Happy Birthday to Sadri Abdylji, Dan
Payne, Marcella & Natalie Cincotta
and Kelly Gangloff
20th
Happy Birthday to Fred Risser
21st
Happy Birthday to Harlan Granger
22nd
Happy Birthday to Ian Yates
25th
Happy Birthday to Andrew Hedin and
Jeanne Stewart
27th
Happy Birthday to Linda Wallace
28th
Happy Birthday to Anna Rose
Ecklund and P.J. Kuhn
5013 Rt. 430
Bemus Point, NY 14712
716-386-4125
[email protected]
www.lclcenter.org
Adopt-A-Project Work Day
April 25, 2015
A special day devoted to groups and
individuals for taking on a predetermined
project. Contact the LCLC office for a list of
potential projects up for “adoption.”
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