RE-FOCUS
A Publication of Reformation Lutheran Church
Volume 17 December 1997 Number 12
| From the Pastor December brings the season of Advent, a very counter-cultural time in the
Church Year. When the world around us is saying, "Buy now," Advent calls us to
wait and pray. While the world is already caught up in the secular spirit of Christmas,
Advent says, "Wait and pray." By afternoon of December 25, the world has already
spent its energy, and Christmas is over. For the Church in its prayer life, the twelve
days of Christmas have only begun.
As part of our Advent observance at Reformation, midweek worship
will be held Thursday evenings, 7:00 p.m., December 4, 11 and 18. Evening Prayer will be
the liturgy of December 4 and 18. On December 11, however, we will use the Service of the
Word for Healing. "A healing service?" some might say. Let me explain. The
service is an affirmation of God’s concern for the whole person. As demonstrated by
Jesus in his earthly ministry, God’s loving concern is for the health and salvation
of the whole person. He healed the sick as well as forgave sins. The service, then, is an
opportunity for those who suffer from various sicknesses and mental distresses to pray for
themselves and for one another. It is also an opportunity for the congregation to offer
prayers of intercession for the sick and the suffering in the congregation, the community,
and the world.
Following prayers for healing, those who desire and are able may
come forward to the altar for the laying on of hands and anointing with oil. This action
is in response to the direction of the early Church in James 5:14-15, "Is there any
sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him,
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." We do not want to suggest that
physical healing must follow from this service. The service is a testimony to the
compassion of God and his will for all creation. It helps us to recognize that healing is
more than a physical process.
In the midst of a hectic December, in the midst of Advent, this is a
good way to gather--to wait and pray . . . for healing.
- Pastor Jerry Mansholt |
From the Deaconess Do you groan as the Advent/Christmas season approaches? I must confess that
mixed in with my excitement and anticipation of Christ’s coming is the acknowledgment
that things are crazy and hectic at this time of year.
Here are some suggestions for us all, to help make this Christmas
more merry. They come from an article by Gaelyn Beal as published by Lutheran Brotherhood
under the title, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." If anyone would like
a copy of the entire article, I do have multiple copies.
Take control of your family’s celebration and shape it to fit
your wishes and values. That may sound good but not be easy to do. Here are some practical
suggestions.
1. Imagine and even write down your ideal Christmas. Too often we do
things without thinking about them, or feeling as though we have no control. Decide what
you would like to happen, and then try to incorporate at least some of those elements into
your celebration.
2. Talk to family members about your ideal Christmas and get
feedback from them. Decide what traditions your family really would like.
3. Take time to celebrate Advent. Every Sunday School family should
have received a children’s Advent devotion booklet. Advent Devotions by Henri Nouwen
are also available. Set aside a time each day for a devotion, to light the Advent wreath
candles, or to open the Advent calendar.
4 Remember that children and adults alike really would rather have a
house filled with love and acceptance than the most elaborate presents.
5. Remember that Christmas is about Jesus, so make a point of doing
something for the poor or disadvantaged as a birthday present to Jesus.
- Deaconess Doreen Leptien |
| Thank You! Charlotte and I want to express our heartiest gratitude for the hospitality
and kindness shown to us when we returned for the September 21st Anniversary celebration.
It was a pleasure to be among you, to worship with you, to look over the congregation from
the "preacher’s point-of-view," and to once again feel the warmth of the
members. The handshakes, the hugs, the reminiscent chats, the great meals (especially the
pig roast), and the round-the-table conversation made the whole experience a memorable
one.
When I returned and read that someone had declared October to be
"be kind to preachers month," I told my congregation not to bother because you
had already done it! It was a wonderful time in our lives when we were with you on a daily
basis from 1970 to 1975; and that so many others also thought fondly of those days
was warming and produces a sense of professional satisfaction. May the Love of Christ go
on and on in the congregation of Reformation!
- Pastor Ron Stanley
* * *
Thank you to everyone for the cards, calls, and prayers during the
illness and death of my brother.
- Helen Landon
* * *
A big thank you to all the people who furnished backpacks and
supplies for my kindergartners. They have all been put to good use.
- Muriel Hansen
* * *
Thank you to all who helped with the Halloween party on October 26.
A special thank you to Nancy Robenson at Best of Times, 3101 N. Rock, for the
prizes she furnished.
* * *
Thanks to Martin Luther, a.k.a. Jim Munson, for visiting with us
during Sunday School on October 26 in celebration of Reformation Day.
* * *
Thank you to all five "Lawn Care" teams who worked so
diligently this past growing season to maintain our church lawn. We hope all of you will
sign up again in the spring!
* * * |
We wanted to say thank you to all from
Reformation Lutheran who generously donated to the Bridges program. [This was a project
sponsored by Women of Reformation] All items are used for homeless adolescents that
come into the program. Furniture and general items like towels, sheets, blankets, and
pillows are always needed. Because of your donations, Wichita youth will be warm and have
housekeeping supplies and furniture. Sincerely,
Sandy Hays and Michelene Davidson
Bridges Transitional Living Program
Wichita Children’s Home
* * *
Stephen Ministry says thank you to Reformation members, Linda Stein
and Heidi Jensen, as well as visitor, Barbara Boyer, all of whom shared their area of
expertise with us during Continuing Education this year. You were great!
Regarding Your Contributions . . .
If you have any questions regarding your contributions or pledges
for the General Fund or for the Building Fund, please feel free to contact
me at church or at home, 942-4885. If I am not at home, leave word on the answering
machine, and I will contact you. The Building Fund Campaign was actually over a four-year
period since it started with First Fruits giving in December, 1994. The computer could
record contributions toward pledges for only a three-year period, so it has been necessary
to make corrections on your statements by hand this past year. This may have led to
confusion and questions. Please call me if you have any questions at all.
- Pauline Latham, Financial Secretary
Annual Reports Due January 5
Plan ahead to turn in publication-ready reports for inclusion
in the Annual Report for 1997. Reports will be due in the church office Monday, January 5.
Please use the following guidelines:
- Center the title of your report
- Allow at least one-inch margins
- Include names of committee members
- Indicate name of the person submitting report
This will enable us to produce a report with more uniformity and
improved appearance. |
Women of Reformation
| Dec 1 9:00 a.m. |
Blanket Makers |
| Dec 8 11:30 a.m. |
Christmas Stockings |
| Dec 8 1:45 p.m. |
Women’s Board |
| Dec 8 3:00 p.m. |
Book Ladies |
| Dec 9 10:30 a.m. |
10:30 a.m. Priscilla Circle
Christmas Lunch
at Georgene Kreeger’s
3928 N. Parkwood Ln. |
| Dec 9 7:00 p.m. |
Rachel Circle* |
| Dec 11 2:00 p.m. |
Esther Circle |
Dec 11 7:00 p.m.
|
Ruth Circle
(following Advent Service) |
| Dec 15 9:00 a.m. |
Blanket Makers |
| Dec 17 1:00 p.m. |
Dorcas Circle
Christmas Lunch
at Barbara Lee’s
6903 E. 14th St. N. |
* Nursery Available
Christmas Stockings
Women of Reformation will gather on Monday, December 8, at 11:30
a.m. in the Parish Hall to assemble Christmas stockings for delivery to our
homebound members.
Wanted: Used Cards and Stamps
As a project in support of St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, Women
of Reformation would like to have you bring the front panels of used greeting cards
(including Christmas cards) to Parish Hall and place in the designated box. St.
Jude’s is a home for abused children, located in Boulder City, NV. The cards are
recycled and sold to support the home.
Also, in support of Bethphage Mission, please bring canceled stamps
which have been trimmed, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Both items will be collected through
January 18. Bethphage, which is located in Axtell, NE, is a housing and care provider for
people with mental and physical disabilities.
ATTN: WSU Basketball Fans
Mark your calendar now--our annual Chili Supper will be on Sunday,
January 11, following the WSU vs. Bradley game. Details in next Re-Focus. |
Church Women United in Wichita The Annual Assembly of Church Women United will be held Friday,
December 5, 12:30 p.m., at Reformation Lutheran Church. Newly elected State President,
Rev. C. Diane Watters, will be the featured speaker. The luncheon cost is $4.00, and
reservations are needed by December 2. Contact Marcella Wortz (838-5482), Van Ray Morgon
(262-6996), or Helen Carey (755-0626).
Anyone for Bridge! ! !
If you are interested in playing bridge and fellowshipping with your
fellow church members, contact Carolyn Pitts, 943-8771. Singles and couples are all
welcome. Let us hear from you.
Best Time of Life
Don’t forget the B.T.O.L. annual Christmas Luncheon on December
8 at Howard & Virginia Leikvold’s home, 8417 Willowbrook. The meal at 12:00 noon
will be catered, so reservations should have been made by November 30. Cost of the
luncheon is $7.50.
Caroling on the Trolley
The Jr. and Sr. High youth and their families are invited to come
Christmas Caroling on Sunday, December 14. Please meet at the church at 5:00 p.m. so we
can leave on the trolley at 5:30. After caroling at the homes of our homebound members, we
will return to the church for refreshments. We will be finished by 8:30 p.m.
Children/Youth Christmas Service
Our children and youth will lead worship on December 21 at the 11:00
service. This Christmas service, which replaces the more traditional children’s
Christmas program, gives our young people opportunity for worship leadership and also
involves God’s children from ages 3 through high school.
Practice has already begun during both Sunday School music time and
LOGOS worship time, but the Sunday School hour on December 14 will be used for practice
for 3 year olds - 6th grade. A full practice will be held on Saturday, December 20, from
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. |
| The Lutheran Revisited A new feature in the Re-Focus is a review of an article in The
Lutheran. As deadlines don’t mesh very well, you may already have a new copy of
the magazine by the time you receive your Re-Focus, but if you’re like
most people, you still have the previous copy waiting to be read!
What do Oprah, C. Everett Koop, and James Michener have in common?
They all have experience with "thanksgiving"! The article on page 26 of the
November issue shares their experiences with the reader and implores us to remember that
"all the days of the year" can be thanksgiving days when we stop to consider the
many blessings we enjoy.
- Suzanne Koch, Evangelism Committee
Bible Basics!
That’s what some have said they really need. And that’s
what will be offered at the Pastor’s Class for four Sundays in Advent, beginning
November 30. Would you like to know more about the Bible but don’t know where to
begin? Do you feel like you need "Bible 101" or "Bible for Dummies".
This course is designed for you! But it will also be beneficial to those who read and
study the Bible regularly. The course will be a hands-on approach to opening the Bible,
using tools to study, and learning how to go about interpreting texts. Bible
Basics is for everyone on Sundays, 9:45-10:45 a.m.
Task Force Established
"To develop a congregational structure that will enable
Reformation Lutheran Church to faithfully live out its mission as servants of God
empowered by the Holy Spirit to make Christ known" reads the mission statement of
the newly formed Task Force on Effective Church Structure. The Task Force is being
directed to review the current congregational committee structure and identify strengths
and weaknesses. Using the congregation’s Vision Statement as an organizing principle,
the Task Force is to prepare a model structure complete with job descriptions, committee
membership, specific responsibilities, length of service, and lines of accountability. The
Council will appoint the six members at the December meeting. The goal is to have a new
structure operational by January 1999. |
CHRISTMAS WORSHIP + Christmas Eve Holy Communion +
Nursery will be available
4:00 p.m. - Candlelight and Carols
7:00 p.m. - Candlelight, Carols, Choir
11:00 p.m. - Candlelight and Carols
+ Christmas Day Holy Communion +
10:00 a.m., with readings and carols
Dawn Gorges To Preach
She has been a student at Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest
(Austin, Texas) since June. She has been immersed in Greek and courses in Bible and
worship and history. Now Dawn and children will be returning to Wichita for a few days at
Christmas. Dawn will preach at Reformation for the first time on December 21. Because the
Children/Youth Christmas Worship is planned for the later service, Dawn will preach only
at the 8:30 a.m. worship that day.
Through her first year of study, Reformation Church has set a goal
of $1,000 per month of support. These monies are outside of the budget and are contributed
with the use of the Seminarian Support Envelopes in the pews. Through the end of October
(5 months), $4,031 had been received. We give thanks for the gifts of support and for the
gift of Dawn in preparing for pastoral ministry.
Building Fund Update:
Amount received in October $ 6,132.00
Total received to date $ 1,043,530.79
Our Reformation family members have been truly blessed and are to be
commended for generous and faithful giving to our three-year building campaign. Many have
fulfilled their pledges, many have given above and beyond their pledged amount, and many
continue to faithfully give monthly as this three-year commitment draws to a close. All
are encouraged to consider a year-end gift, as our needs do continue. Thank you for your
loving generosity. |
| Stephen Ministry Training is a vital part of the Stephen Ministry program. Each Stephen
Minister receives approximately 50 hours of classroom instructions. Our third class is
currently meeting every Monday night and has completed the first seven sessions. Training
will continue until the first week of February, and the new Stephen Ministers will be
commissioned on Sunday, February 8. The class members are Pam Adams, Larry Ehrlich, Judy
McDiffett, and Rich McDiffett.
Christian Education
WANTED: A person who enjoys working with books or thinks they might
enjoy this experience. The Christian Education Committee is currently looking for a person
who would be able to select books, process them (which means putting pockets and cards in
the books and affixing call numbers and accession numbers to the books), and be able to
check the "check-in" box on Sunday mornings and put cards back in the books.
This person, ideally, would be available during the day on weekdays, as this is when the
library is most accessible.
Deanne Fortney, who currently serves as librarian will be very glad
to train this person and tell about what has been done in the past. We would like to have
someone fill this position by January or February if possible. If this is a way you think
you could serve Reformation Lutheran, call Deanne Fortney at 636-2578 after 6:00 p.m. on
weekdays or anytime on Saturday or Sunday, or speak to her at church.
The Christian Education Committee, and especially Deanne Fortney,
would like to extend a great big THANK YOU to Mark Yeskie for all his hours of work spent
in going through each book in the library to make sure they all have accession numbers,
cards and pockets. He even reorganized the children’s books so they are easier to
locate and place on the shelf. Mark has a database with every title included so that we
have a complete inventory of all the books the library currently has. Thanks, Mark, for
all your work. It is most appreciated!
The Christian Education Committee is always looking for new people
to serve on this committee which is responsible for all the educational opportunities that
Reformation offers. Prayerfully consider this opportunity and call Deanne Fortney for
further information. |
From the Seminary . . . Dear Friends,
Christmas has three seasons: Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. Today
falls in the first period, Advent, a time of anticipation and preparation. It is a short
distance from anticipating the birth of Jesus to anxiety about fulfilling the customary
expectations of the holidays--shopping, cooking, decorating, mailing cards, wrapping
packages, visiting friends. Whew! It is difficult to revel in the glory of Christ’s
birth when we are so preoccupied with the business of the season.
And then what do we do on New Year’s Day? We make resolutions
to undo the damage we did to ourselves during Advent. We resolve to live more simply, to
enjoy the moment, to truly look into the eyes of the ones we love. It seems we have this
backward, doesn’t it? God sent his son so that we might have a relationship with Him.
Maybe we should resolve to spend Advent building relationships.
This year as you light the candles on the Advent wreath, remember
someone you love and say a little prayer for that person. If you begin the prayers on the
second Sunday in Advent, and say a prayer over each candle each time you light the wreath,
by Epiphany you will have prayed for 79 people. It’s an easy thing to do, it’s
quick, it fits any budget, it builds relationships, and it reflects God’s love for us
through the birth of Jesus. Imagine if every member of Reformation prayed for 79 people
during the next few weeks! That would bring more joy than all the tinsel and ribbons on
the earth.
Wishing peace and love to each of you,
- Dawn Gorges
Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest
Journey to Bethlehem
You are invited to "Come on a Journey to Bethlehem" at
Christ Lutheran Church, 5356 N. Hillside, on Sunday, December 7, between 2:00 and 4:00
p.m. Walk through the marketplace, experience the excitement, the people, stable animals,
sights, sounds, and foods of Bethlehem when Jesus was born, and the living Nativity. This
is an event for all ages--families, groups, and individuals. There is no charge. For
additional information call 744-1242.
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