RE-FOCUS
A Publication of Reformation Lutheran Church
Volume 19 March 1999 Number 3
From the Pastor
Around 35 people attended the Leadership Retreat in late
January. The purpose of the retreat was to do strategic planning that we might be more
effective in the mission of this congregation. I had high expectations for the Friday
evening/Saturday morning event, and those expectations were exceeded.
Larry Lemke, Parish Ministry Associate at Trinity Lutheran Church, St. Louis, was our
retreat leader. Larry led us in a process of reflecting upon the life of the early church
as described in the Book of Acts, the marks of a healthy Christian congregation today, and
the strengths and weaknesses and opportunities for ministry at Reformation. The end result
was consensus around three Ministry Goals.
Those Ministry Goals are:
- exploring alternative worship
- deepening discipleship
- intentionally connecting with the non-churched
The Church Council is in the process of establishing task forces to further the
strategic process by working toward clear objectives and strategies related to each goal.
Alternative worship can mean many things, including worship times and worship styles.
The Task Force will be looking at the essentials of worship and our mission in the world
today.
Deepening discipleship points us toward lifestyles that take seriously Jesus’ call
to follow him. Again, this can mean many things. I am certain discipleship is deepened
already with over 100 adults enrolled in our Lenten course, Discovering God’s
Vision for Your Life.
"Our arms are wide open; they’re just short," was somebody’s
comment at the retreat. With this they meant we can be very hospitable to people who come
to us. But we need to explore ways we can be more intentional in connecting with the
non-churched about us.
- Pastor Jerry Mansholt
From the Deaconess
One of my top 5 favorite days of the year is St. Patrick’s Day. Last year I sent
St. Patrick’s Day care packages, although I sent only cards on Valentine’s Day.
Many people thoroughly enjoy celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Some of them probably
have names as German sounding as mine. It is only my red hair that gives people an
indication that I actually do have Irish blood running through my veins. The point is that
St. Patrick’s Day can be celebrated by anyone; you don’t have to be Irish to
have a jolly "green" time.
We gather in celebration each Sunday morning. You don’t have to be a disciple of
Christ in order to come to worship. And just like we can’t tell who the real Irish
"men" are on St. Patrick’s Day, we also can’t tell who the disciples
are based on looks alone. According to author Josh Hunt, a disciple is someone who is
growing, improving, reaching, stretching. As we move from being a maintenance-driven
church to becoming a mission-driven church, we will be moving toward actually discipling
each other, not just being members of the same congregation. What that means may still
need to be clearly defined, but the Vision Statement gives us a good place to start.
The Vision Statement: Servants of God, guided by the Holy Spirit to make Christ
known, is further defined by five elements. Through worship we live in the
presence of God in response to his grace and love, turning to God in every need. It is in fellowship
that we share with our Christian brothers and sisters all that God has given us. We witness
by becoming more Christ-like people and maintaining a more Christ-like presence in all
aspects of life. Through service we use what we are and what we have to make life
richer and fuller for others. Finally, in nurture, we help each other grow toward
the fullness of Christ.
Although everyone is Irish on March 17, we are on a journey together heading toward
discipleship.
- Deaconess Doreen Leptien
I wish to thank everyone for the thoughtful prayers,
cards, visits, and phone calls. Also, thank you to Pastor Jerry and Barb Lee for their
visits during my recent surgery and hospital stay. All were very much appreciated. Thank
you to my friends at Reformation!
- Lola Wilks
Meal-A-Month Ministry
Thanks to all who brought in the yellow food bags on February 21. A
new menu and bags for March will be available in the narthex. The March menu is as
follows:
- Spam or Treat
- Baked Beans
- Peas
- Fruit Cocktail / Jello
- Dry Milk (optional)
Prayer 101 Class on Sundays
There are three principle ways to get what we need: by work, by
thought, and by prayer. Most people work hard, and some utilize the power of thought. But
prayer is greatly neglected. And this is unfortunate, for the most powerful energy one can
generate is prayer energy.
-Norman Vincent Peale
Do you want to learn to better tap this powerful energy called prayer?
Either complete or begin your worship experience each Sunday in Lent by experiencing and
learning about different ways to pray. Prayer 101 will meet in the Parish Hall
through March 28, from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m.
The Power of Words
A careless word may kindle strife;
A cruel word may wreck a life.
A bitter word may hate instill;
A brutal word may smite and kill.
A gracious word may smooth the way;
A joyous word may light the day.
A timely word may lessen stress;
A loving word may heal and bless.
Grand View College Choir
Reformation Lutheran Church appreciates the opportunity to
host the Grand View College Choir. They will present a concert on Sunday, March 7, at 7:00
p.m. This 20-member choir, directed by Kathryn Duffy, is stopping in Wichita as part of
their Spring 1999 tour. To help defray the expenses of their tour, a freewill offering
will be collected. Grand View College is a four-year Lutheran college located in Des
Moines, Iowa.
We will need to house the choir members on Sunday night. If you would like to open your
home to some of the students, please look for the sign-up sheet in the narthex or call
Janice Yeskie: 683-3576. They will need a place to stay Sunday night after the concert,
breakfast the following morning, and a sack lunch to take with them. The bus will be
departing Wichita at 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning.
This is a wonderful opportunity to support one of our Lutheran colleges. Please mark
your calendars for the Sunday evening concert on March 7.
American Red Cross Month
March is American Red Cross Month. Celebrate the lifesaving
efforts of the Red Cross by sharing your good health. You’ve got blood, so please
attend the upcoming blood drive and donate to those who need it most.
A Blood Drive will be held at Reformation Church on Saturday, March 13,
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All blood types are needed, especially O-positive and O-negative.
O-positive is the most common type; therefore, it is in greater demand. O-negative is the
universal blood type and can be given to anyone. Blood donors must be at least 17 years
old, weigh more than 110 pounds, and be in general good health. Most medications do not
defer people from donating blood. Effective March 1, the Red Cross will require a photo ID
from all donors. Sign up in the narthex on Sundays, February 28 and March 7, or call Donna
Moyer at 733-2108 for more information.
Women of Reformation
CIRCLE MEETINGS
Priscilla Tuesday, March 9 - 9:30 a.m., at
church library. Nursery available by calling 529-1491
Ruth Thursday, March 11 - 7:00 p.m., meeting place to be announced
Sarah Monday, March 15 - 7:00 p.m., at the home of Mary Lou Bengtson, 922
Fabrique St.
Dorcas Wednesday, March 17 - 7:00 p.m. at the home of Dee Hambright, 3330
Country Club Pl.
Rachel Thursday, March 25 - 7:00 p.m. at church. Nursery available
by calling 683-5520
BOARD MEETING - Monday, March 1, 1:00 p.m. in the church library, for all
officers and circle leaders.
BLANKET MAKERS will work March 1, 15, and 29 at 9:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall.
CHURCH WOMEN UNITED World Day of Prayer will be March 5, 1:00 p.m., at Meridian
Avenue Baptist Church, 200 N. Meridian.
Best Time of Life
B.T.O.L. will meet at 12:00 noon for its potluck luncheon
on Monday, March 8, in the Parish Hall. At 1:00 p.m., Detective James Quinn will speak on
"Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County." Crime Stoppers is a program of a
non-profit organization of citizens against crime. All mature adults are invited to
attend.
Babysitting Clinic
A four-session Babysitting Clinic will be held at
Reformation on March 8, 11, 15, and 18, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Ages 12 and above are
eligible. Registration is necessary, and a fee of $6 is charged. To register, please call
Sarah at the Sedgwick County Health Department, 268-8401. The deadline is March 5.
Middle School Youth Event
Hey, 6th-8th graders, we will meet on Friday, March 12, at
7:00 p.m. We will bake and decorate St. Patrick’s Day cookies and play some games in
the Parish Hall. We will eat some of the cookies but save some of them for the Bake Sale
on Sunday. Invite a friend to enjoy the fun!
We will need additional goodies for a bake sale on Sunday, March 14, to help raise
money for the Junior High (7th & 8th grades) Synod Youth Event in April!
Bake Sale
The Middle School Youth will be holding a bake
sale on Sunday, March 14, in order to help defer some of the costs of the Jr. High
Synod Youth Event at Atchison in April.
LOGOS Spring Break
Our Wednesday afternoon LOGOS ministry will be taking
spring break on March 24 and also will not meet during Holy Week, March 31.
Singles Ministry
Ten singles celebrated Valentine’s Day with a potluck
dinner. Those in attendance discussed doing future activities together. It was agreed that
each Sunday all single adults wanting to go out to lunch together should meet in the
narthex by the Information Center. This would be an informal way of spending time
together.
There are other churches in the area that already have well-established singles’
ministries. We agreed to be more intentional about publicizing those opportunities. If you
would like to be on the e-mail list, please give your e-mail address to Deaconess Doreen.
There was also interest in offering country dance lessons and a yoga class later on in
the year.
If you have any suggestions or questions, contact Kurt Soschinske, 685-8773, or
Deaconess Doreen.
From the Seminary . . .
Last fall my daughter Anne’s seventh grade Sunday
School class reviewed the Ten Commandments. I mentioned to some of the students that
Martin Luther prayed the Ten Commandments every day. Each evening before sleeping, Luther
contemplated each commandment, seeking grace and help for each one he had broken. Without
missing a beat, one of the students said, "It sounds like he didn’t have enough
to do." Without realizing, that young person spoke volumes about the time involved in
honestly praying the commandments.
The first three commandments center on our relationship to God. Sometimes we think of
them as the vertical axis of the cross.
1. You shall have no other gods.
2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
3. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
When we consider these rules casually, they seem simple enough to keep; but when we
consider them concretely, we often feel the sting of the Law.
In the Small Catechism, Luther tells us that the First Commandment means that we are to
fear, love and trust God above anything else. We must ask ourselves what in our lives we
put before God. Is it working hard to pay the bills? Do we put our family before God? Do
we spend more time thinking about friends and activities than about God? It is good when
we remember that our jobs, families, and time are gifts from God; and when we put God
above all things, those other things fall into place.
The Second Commandment tells us that we are not to use God’s name to curse, swear,
lie or deceive, but to call on him in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. When we think of
our language, we realize that we break the Second Commandment. Even seemingly innocent
sayings like "golly" and "jeeze" are derived from God and Jesus. The
commandment exhorts us to speak clearly and honestly.
Luther writes that we should not neglect God’s Word or the preaching of it, but
regard it as holy, and gladly hear and learn it. Who isn’t guilty of sleeping in on
an occasional Sunday? Now even ball games are being scheduled on Sunday mornings because
"there is no other time." Where do we spend our Sundays if we are not
worshiping? The answer may take us back to the First Commandment. We are putting something
above God if we are not honoring the next two commandments.
Certainly it takes time, but it is good to follow Luther’s example of praying the
commandments. Often we absolve ourselves because we don’t realize the small ways we
dishonor God. Only when we take the time to realize our shortcomings, can we begin to
change our relationship to God.
Next month, we’ll look at the other commandments, which guide us in our
relationships with others.
God’s peace to each of you.
- Dawn Gorges
Families with Young Children
A get-together for families with young children was held on
Sunday, February 7. Twenty-one young children and twenty-one parents gathered for a meal,
fellowship time, and to talk about how Reformation can better minister to families with
young children.
A Babysitting Co-op was one idea that triggered lots of positive response. If you would
be interested in being part of a Reformation Babysitting Co-op, please call Monica Carr,
687-9804, who agreed to act as coordinator.
A small task force of people is meeting on March 4 to look at the Growing Together
in God’s Love material we currently send out, and other resources that are
available to benefit families with young children. If you have suggestions, please contact
Kimberly Lindemann, Angie Askelsen, Mary Lou Bengtson or Deaconess Doreen.
The parents at the gathering also seemed interested in forming a support group of some
sort. If you would like to be part of a ministry team to organize such a group, please
contact Deaconess Doreen.
Palm Sunday
March 28 Holy Communion 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. Procession with Palms and
Passion Narrative
Maundy Thursday April
1 Holy Communion 7:00 p.m.
Good Friday April 2 Worship 7:00 p.m.
Holy Saturday April 3
Easter Vigil Service 6:00 p.m.
Easter Sunday April 4
- Service of Holy Communion - 8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
- Easter Breakfast - 9:00
- 10:30 a.m.
- Easter Puppet Program 10:10 - 10:30 in the Sanctuary featuring the 3rd - 5th grade LOGOS puppets and
their children
