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Wings & Feathers Newsletter for
May/June 2018
Important information about what's going on around
Holy Counselor Lutheran Church
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Holy Counselor Staff
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Pastor |
Rev. Christopher Bruesehoff |
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Director of Music |
June Tarantino |
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Office Administrator |
Debbie Morris |
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Bookkeeper |
Larry Polagye |
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Custodian |
Harvey Kunnemann |
Congregational Council
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President |
Matthew Moller |
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Vice President |
Steven Ahrendt |
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Secretary |
Denise Urbaniak |
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Treasurer |
Mark Rossi |
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Financial Secretary |
Sandra Wardell |
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Outreach Group |
Emilie Dupont |
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(Parish Activities Team, Membership & Social Ministry Teams) |
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Nurture Group |
Leslie Deutch |
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(Worship Team,Education Team, Youth Team) |
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Administration Group |
Roy Wherry |
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(Property Team, Information & Technology Team) |
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3Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!
4Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
5Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.
-Psalm 148:3-5
Every year when the May –June newsletter comes around I take a quick look at the ministries that will be taking a pause for the summer and those that will be kicking off again. The following articles will do all of that and more because there is so much happening here at Holy Counselor. Take the time to check it all out.
When summer finally arrives we easily get swept away in the turning tide of activities. What are your plans this summer? Or maybe the better question is, “What is God’s plan for you this summer?” After all, God calls us to be God’s hands in the world – winter, spring, summer and fall. Just because there isn’t Sunday school doesn’t mean that children shouldn’t be here – worshipping and learning alongside all of us. When choir wraps up for the summer – those voices get added to the pews – continuing to make a joyful noise. When confirmands make their affirmation of Baptism – they promise to continue to serve as disciples of Jesus in the world.
You too are called to continue your faith formation, stewardship and service throughout the summer. Where will you be God’s hands?
Summer is also a time when we can focus a little more on prayer for each other. Let me know when you will be traveling so that we can include you in the prayers on Sunday morning, let us know when your children will be starting summer jobs or programs so that we can pray for them as well. Maybe you need a little help for a project around the house this summer – we might be able to find some volunteers to make that work a little easier. Are you running a charity race or participating in a walk-a-thon? I’d love to add you and your cause to our prayers for the weekend. Do you see all the places and times that God calls you to be a part of in the world? Do you see how your congregation can support you and lift up what God is doing through you?
Blessing on you and your family this summer! May the grace and love of God fall on you like rays of sunshine – warming your heart and your soul with God’s never ending mercy.
-Pastor Chris
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TREASURER’S REPORT
Submitted by Mark Rossi, Treasurer
I am happy to report we are close to where we should be in this budget year, however a deficit continues to exist, and we must continue quarterly giving challenges to ensure the approved deficit is closed.
Our total need as of 4/22 according to the budget was $58,444. Total received was $57,335 resulting in a deficit of $1,109. Part of the $57k was $2,953 from the first quarter giving challenge. We almost closed the deficit for this period!!!
Congrats, thanks and God bless!
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NURTURE GROUP REPORT
Submitted by Lelsie Deutch,
Nurture Group Coordinator and the church office
Worship
March 29-Maundy Thursday (The Last Supper) included the sharing of soup, rolls, desserts, and friendship, and was followed by Holy Communion. Thank you to Nancy Knecht for your help in organizing this meal.
March 30-The Good Friday Tenebrae Service, led by June Tarantino and our choir, was a meaningful remembrance of the crucifixion. Thank you to everyone who made this such a moving experience.
March 31-Easter Prayer Vigil lasted from 8pm, Saturday night until 6am, Easter morning. These 10 hours provided an opportunity to pray or meditate throughout the night until Easter morning.
April 1-Our Easter Sunday services had over 160 people in attendance. Thanks again to all who helped prepare the church for this celebration. Your time and effort were greatly appreciated.
Outdoor Chapel Services
Our outdoor worship services will begin Sunday, May 27 at the 8:30am service. This is a great way to start your day, in the outdoor chapel with the beauty of nature surrounding you.
We will once again be offering an additional worship service on Wednesday’s from June 6 through August 29. We gather at 7:30 pm for Evening Prayer with Holy Communion. Indoor Bible study follows from 8-9pm, for those who would like to attend. It is our hope that with changing spring and summer schedules this service will be of great benefit to those who might not be able to attend on Sunday morning.
Youth Group
Our youth group led by Diane Rossi, helped at Shrove Tuesday, the Easter Egg Hunt, and the St. Patrick’s Day Dinner. Thank you to Diane and to everyone who helps with our youth and encourage their involvement in so many Holy Counselor activities.
The youth will also be helping with spring clean-up on May 5 and 6.
We are planning a lock in on June 22 to celebrate the end of another school year.
Youth Education
Birth – 3-year-old program
Valerie Seufert is our new coordinator of this birth – 3 years ministry. This ministry is developed specifically to welcome our newest members into our church family. She will be contacting families with children in this age group throughout the year. If you have any questions, please contact Valerie.
Sunday School
Our Sunday school program is winding down. Our last day will be May 6, with an ice cream party. The new curriculum, developed by our teachers, worked beautifully. Each time the children met they learned a lesson, sang some songs, and worked on a service project. The children had a wonderful year! Their teachers this year were Jeanette Emmerich, Emilie DuPont, Elaine Kunz, and musical director Diane Rossi. Sunday school gives our children a great foundation full of positive life lessons. Much thanks to Jeanette, Emilie, Elaine and Diane for the time and effort that went into planning and teaching our children. Thank you to Jeanette for coordinating our Sunday school program.
Taco Night Fundraiser
Join us for a Mexican dinner on Cinco de Mayo, Saturday, May 5 at 5pm. There will be tacos, burritos, chips, guacamole and desserts. Also there will be entertainment from anyone interested in performing on the open mic. The free will offering will go to our camperships fund. Please see Diane Rossi or Francine Vince if you are interested in performing or helping. A sign-up sheet is posted in the narthex.
Sisters in Prayer
Submitted by Liz Walker
A small group met every Saturday morning during Lent and followed Martin Luther’s small and large catechism as a practice for prayer. Martin Luther said that when he was lost for words to pray, he would start off with the Lord’s Prayer, then recite the Apostles’ Creed, and then repeat the Ten Commandments. This is a good practice.
Our Bishop, Elizabeth A. Eaton recommended during the 500th Reformation Celebration that we all take the time to review Martin Luther’s catechism. I had no idea how powerful an experience this would be. Our small groups spend the whole of Lent discussing only the Ten Commandments. There was so much to understand, discuss and share. We all thought we knew what each commandment meant. It seemed so obvious what they were about. You shall not kill, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, covet your neighbor’s wife, or possessions. The first three commandments: You shall have no other Gods before me; You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain, You shall sanctify the Sabbath, is about loving God above all else; the next seven commandments are about loving your neighbor as yourself. And the nearest and dearest neighbors are your parents. Honor your parents. How many parents are horrified that their children don’t seem to respect them? Or how many of us can’t seem to respect or forgive some of the choices our parents made? It seems pretty simple but it is not simple to keep these commandments. How often do we take the Lord’s name in vain, or how often do we worship money or work or our family above all else?? There are different ways we can steal other than shoplifting. We can steal work, ideas, and stories, without giving credit where credit is due. We can steal someone’s identity. What is the difference between committing adultery and coveting your neighbor’s wife? According to Martin Luther as soon as you covet your neighbor’s wife, you have already committed the sin, even if you did not commit the actual act of adultery. You shall not kill seems obvious and yet we kill by not helping someone when we could save their life. We should recite and remember the Lord’s Ten Commandments daily.
Sisters in Prayer meets on the first Saturday of each month at 9:30am in the choir room. The next meetings are on May 5, and June 2. Join us as we learn to pray, discuss God’s word, and take turns leading a session. We are a friendly group, serious about prayer, and our belief in Jesus our Lord. We have lively discussions and encourage and support each other.
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OUTREACH GROUP REPORT
Submitted by Emilie Dupont, Outreach Group Coordinator, & the church office
Easter Food Baskets
Leslie Deutch reports through the generosity of our congregation, Holy Counselor was able to help seven local families. The bags were assembled by Tyler and Leslie Deutch and were handed out on March 31. The families were very grateful. Thank you to everyone for their donations for this important community outreach.
Food Pantry
Our food pantry gave out 21 bags of food to the needy in the area during March and April. Glen Meadow school, donated food collected from their volleyball tournaments. We are in need of canned proteins like tuna and chili and we could also use soap, shampoo, spaghetti sauce and laundry detergent. We also need some small jars of jam/jelly, boxed cereal, side dishes like stuffing, and canned fruit and applesauce. Thank you for contributing to this mission outreach.
WELCA
The applications for the WELCA scholarship have been mailed out to high school seniors with a return date of May 13. The next WELCA meeting will be on May 14, at 10am. All HCLC women are invited to attend.
ELCA World Hunger
During the 40-days of giving, $95 was raised. Thank you to everyone who generously contributed. The donations have been sent to ELCA World Hunger.
Corned Beef Sandwich Dinner
On March 10, over fifty people enjoyed delicious corned beef sandwiches with sauerkraut and coleslaw. The event was organized by Kathy Baumann and the entertainment was fabulous as always. Thank you to all who helped to prepare, set up and clean up for the dinner. Mark and Michael Rossi sang together and Mark presided as emcee for the evening. We played musical chairs, had a scavenger hunt, a game show, a magic show and lots of singing. Sarah White played Danny Boy on the flute. Steve Baumann’s Kid Lutheran and his back up singers, Diane Rossi, Denise Urbaniak and Aileen Donovan, were another highlight of the evening.
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Easter Egg Hunt
On Palm Sunday, March 25, we had over 50 children hunting for Easter eggs on our front lawn. It was very cold, but everyone had a good time with face painting, games (both indoor and outdoor), crafts, and of course, the Easter Bunny. The children had pizza, a huge cake, and all the candy and toys in the eggs. This is a popular event for the community and will hopefully bring in some new people to our church! Thank you to everyone who donated the candy, eggs and toys, and Christine Ahrendt for all of her hard work in organizing and running this activity.
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Family Dessert and Game Night
Ben and Emilie Dupont organized this free event on Friday, April 13, for the congregation and community. We had 17 people age 13 and up come and play board games for several hours and had a wonderful time snacking on desserts. We played card games, Apples to Apples, Yahtzee, Twister, Clue, Bananagrams, Battleship, Stratego and a Japanese game called Onitawa.
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Ladies Tea Party
The tea party will be held on Sunday, May 20, from 2pm to 4pm. We will have finger sandwiches, cookies, cakes, and all kinds of teas, as well as table games, favors and prizes! Pam Kucks is hosting this Ladies Tea for Holy Counselor. Last year’s tea party was a big success and it was fun to dress up and enjoy the fun atmosphere, games and prizes. Some of you have already prepaid for this event. There are seats available with a minimum donation of $15. Make your checks out to Holy Counselor Lutheran Church, and put Ladies Tea in the memo. All proceeds will go to the Holy Counselor general fund.
Vernon Day
PAL’s Vernon Day and Food Truck Festival will be held on June 3, 11am-4pm. Holy Counselor will have a table at the field by the Glen Meadow School and we need both children and adults to volunteer to help. Please call the office if you would like to volunteer. There will be crafts available for children and information about our programs and ministries. Drop by to help out at our table or just say hello.
Prayer Shawl Outreach
Please contact Adele Huttner if you know someone who would like a prayer shawl or a lap robe, or if you would like to knit/crochet one. These shawls can be given to those who are sick, grieving or just need hope during difficult times.
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ADMINISTRATION GROUP REPORT
Submitted by Church office
Spring clean-up weekend is May 5 and 6. Join us at 9am on Saturday and after services on May 6 to help clean up the church grounds after the winter.
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Larry & Donna Polagye
Rich & Amy Wengenroth
Mark & Diane Rossi
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Ken & Donna Wiik
Chris & Jamie Bruesehoff
Joe & June Arrotti
Pete & Karen Lagas
Rich & Katherine Heerschap
Neil & Aimee Nilsen
Doug & Francine Vince
Jim & Linda Lacherza
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