RE-FOCUS
A Publication of Reformation Lutheran Church
Volume 19 December 1999 Number 12
From the Pastor
The Bible is a treasure to be mined. It is the story of
God’s steadfast love for the world. Yet some do not know or understand the basic
story of the Bible. Still more do not have the basic tools and skills for getting more
deeply into the Scriptures.
Perhaps even more troubling is the way some hold to wrong interpretations, even
manipulate the Bible to confirm them in their own prejudices or aspirations.
Present-day pressures make it fashionable to treat the
Bible as a depository of disconnected texts. It is used to promote personal piety and to
validate random whims about the ‘end time,’ prosperity, prayer and the Spirit.
These are the words of Dr. Harry Wendt of CROSSWAYS International from a recent article in
Adult Talk. He goes on to say that God’s people must be prepared to
mine a big and complex narrative if they wish to begin to understand the enormous mind of
Jesus the Messiah that constitutes the grand finale. The more we sift the Scriptures, the
more we see the links and the light.
In January, CROSSWAYS Bible Study comes to Reformation. We are beginning with multiple
offerings of a six-hour introductory course called See Through the Scriptures.
Think of this course as the view from the air. Think of this study as from an airplane.
With it you will get the big picture. You will understand the story that runs from Genesis
to Revelation. You will see Jesus as the fulfillment, the Messiah of God. Like all
CROSSWAYS courses, this one will use overhead illustrations, notes and discussion to trace
the key themes through the biblical history.
Then, in February we will begin multiple offerings of The Divine Drama, Part I.
Think of this intermediate course as the trip by car. As you travel this road you will see
and study things in more detail. In 15 units of study you will mine more deeply the depths
of the Bible. Using charts, workbooks, transparencies and class discussions, you will
become more confident in the story line of the Bible and the theological themes that weave
their way through that story.
All this is for the purpose of deepening discipleship. We are called to walk as
Jesus’ disciples, serving God and one another in everything we do. CROSSWAYS gives us
an opportunity to have the story of our life more deeply formed by the story of God.
I invite you to enter with me into this new venture of Bible study. Look for more
information on CROSSWAYS elsewhere in this newsletter.
- Pastor Jerry Mansholt
From the Deaconess
A number of years ago I read a children’s story by
Rich Melheim, The Christmiss Mouse. While it is a children’s book, I think it
probably was intended for the adults who might read the book to their children. The
general plot of the story is that Miss Mouse receives a note saying that an important
guest is going to stop by. Miss Mouse exhausts herself with cleaning and cooking and
shopping. She has everything ready. When a poor beggar mouse knocks on her door she tells
him to go away because she is expecting an important guest. You might have guessed it. She
waits and waits and no one else comes.
The season of Advent is our time of waiting and preparing, not just for Christmas, but
for Christ. Let’s not miss him because we are too busy, too tired, or looking for
someone in a red suit.
- Deaconess Doreen Leptien
Reservations for our Holiday Progressive Dinner
December 5 are needed by November 28. Sign up in the narthex or call Shirley Metz,
636-1993.
We want to thank Pastor Mansholt for all the support,
visits and prayers, and the beautiful service for Charles. Thank you, ladies, for the
delicious lunch. And thanks to all who sent food, cards, and memorials.
- The Family of Charles Seitz
* * *
The third year of flu shots grew to 104 people receiving their flu immunizations. The
Parish Nurses want to thank Judy Flack, Ramona Hamilton, Nancy Watkins, and Barbara
Woodard for helping administer the flu shots, and Sandy Muse for acting as receptionist.
This is a mission to our members and an outreach to non-members.
We appreciate your help.
Sincerely, The Parish Nurses
Jette Mortensen, Donna Moyer, Barb Lee
* * *
Painting
Have you noticed the increased number of handicapped
parking spaces on the east side of Parish Hall, or have you noticed the newly painted
classrooms? If not, you need to look, as this is the result of John Aagaard’s Eagle
Scout service project. Assisting John with the painting were his parents, Alan & Lea
Aagaard; and members of his scout troop and their parents. John is a member of Troop #510
at Cornerstone Christian Church in Bel Aire. Thank you, John, for doing this!
December Meal-A-Month
During all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season,
let us not forget the hungry in our community and our Yellow Bag ministry. Bags with the
new December menu are available in the narthex. The requested menu is:
- Small Canned Ham (or Spam/Treet)
- Canned Sweet Potatoes
- Canned Peas
- Canned Fruit & Jello
- Powdered Milk (optional)
New Members Received
We give thanks for the following persons who were received into the membership of
Reformation Church on November 21:
- Margaret Arnold, 1047 Stratford, Wichita 67206
- Jody Birkholz, Ashley, Brandon, 618-9440, 2422 S. Cypress St., Wichita
67210
- Karen Brown, 1652 Windsor, Wichita 67218
- Rachel Couch, 681-1931, 4301 E. English, Wichita 67218
- Laurel & Angela Davis, Joey, Katy, Abby, 733-0045, 320 Pinecrest Pl., Andover
67002
- Byron & Robin Folkerts, Derek, Alyssa, 789-0518, 1630 Pinion Rd., Derby 67037
- Lucy Kessler, 612-7467, 6107 E. 9th St., Wichita 67208
- Nina Kindt, 688-0796, 521 N. Broadview, Wichita 67208
- Peter & Lisa Kretsch, Zach, Lauren, 9035 Rosey Ct., Derby 67037
- Rae Payne, 6728 Par Lane, #4, Wichita 67212
- Sara Phares, Rachel, 612-3540, 2535 Welgate Cir., Wichita 67226
- Lynn Schriever, P.O. Box 20202, Wichita 67208
- Brian Silcott, 682-2128, 4000 Danbury St., Wichita 67220
- Kory Wilson, 691-0516, 2817 Tallgrass, Wichita 67226
Ray Wilson, 1045 N. Lakewind, Wichita 67212
Women of Reformation
CIRCLE MEETINGS
- Ruth - Thursday December 9, 7:00 p.m.
- Priscilla - Tuesday December 14, 10:00 a.m., Brunch at Jeanne’s Café, Oliver &
Douglas
- Dorcas - Wednesday December 15, 12:30 p.m., Luncheon at home of Pam Adams, 1990 N. 143rd
St. E.
Rachel - Thursday December 16, 7:00 p.m., at church. Nursery
available with 24-hr. notice.
Women of Reformation will have a Christmas luncheon
on December 7, 12:00 at the church. After a short program, baskets will be filled
with fruit and other goodies for our homebound individuals. If you have any baskets
you would like to donate for this, please call Pam Adams, 733-9627. If you plan to attend
this fun event, bring along a small Christmas ornament.
Church Women United of Wichita will hold their Annual Assembly on Friday,
December 3, 12:00 noon at Riverside Christian Church, 1001 Litchfield. To make
reservations for lunch, check the flyer on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall.
Blanket Makers will meet only on December 6
at 9:00 a.m.
Board Meeting will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, December 6, in the
church library.
BTOL
The B.T.O.L annual Christmas luncheon will be held on
Monday, December 13, at 12:00 noon at the home of Howard & Virginia Leikvold,
8417 Willowbrook. Reservations for the luncheon are necessary and must be made
by December 5. The catered meal will cost $7.50 per person and is due upon arrival at
the luncheon. All reservations must be honored with payment. Come, join us for this
festive holiday meal and enjoy the fellowship, fun, and food. For those still needing
reservations, please call Pauline Latham at 942-4885.
Nurturing Faith in the Home
Two parents were busy trying to choose activities to
include in their Christmas traditions. The list included cutting a fresh tree, hanging
outdoor lights, wrapping gifts, and visiting Santa. Their two-and-a half-year-old heard
them talking and said, When will we be putting up our Bethlehem? Her comment
preempted any further considerations. They found a large box for their stable and small
one for their manger. They hung a few stars on their windows and collected some oversized
shirts and stuffed animals to be part of a scene. And the little one proceeded to spend
the majority of December sitting by the manger taking care of baby Jesus.
- Entrypoints for nurturing faith in the home, p. 12
It is easy to be so caught up in the hustle and bustle of
Christmas that we forget Christ and are left with mas (must? or mess?). Here
are some additional ideas to make your family preparation for Christmas more meaningful.
- Make an Advent wreath for use as a table piece. Light
candles to observe the four weeks of Advent and read portions of the Christmas story in
Luke 2 throughout this time.
- Bake a birthday cake for Jesus and have a party. Play games like, "Put the Baby in
the Manger" (similar to "Pin the Tail on the Donkey") or "Come on
Angel, Name that Tune," humming a few notes of Christmas songs and carols.
- Set up the Bethlehem stable (that was given to each family with children in Sunday
School) on your dinner table. Before or after your meal during Advent read the
accompanying prayer and Bible verse and add the appropriate sticker each day to the
stable.
- Visit residents in a nursing home or assisted living facilities. Make door hangers or
other decorations to deliver to their rooms with a message that Jesus came to brighten
their days.
Check Out the Library
Christmas videos that can be checked out from the church
library: Silent Mouse, Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect, The
Stableboy’s Christmas, and Mannheim Steamroller’s A Fresh Aire Christmas.
Advent Devotion Materials
Our Advent Journey: Devotions on the Road to Bethlehem
provides landmarks to help guide us this Advent to the manger in Bethlehem where we find
God...in the flesh. These devotion booklets are available in the narthex.
In the Stable is a family sticker activity for Advent. This colorful tabletop
display depicts the stable and the village of Bethlehem. Each day of Advent a prayer and
Bible verse are read, and a sticker is added to the display. The youngest child in each
family will receive In the Stable in Sunday School. Extras are available in the
narthex.
Middle School Events
Caroling on the Trolley—All 6th-8th graders and
their friends are welcome to go Christmas caroling on the trolley on Sunday, December 19,
from 5:00-8:00 p.m. After caroling we will have refreshments at the church. Please meet at
Reformation at 5:00 p.m.
Youth Quake: Be Not Afraid—The dates for
Youth Quake are February 4-6, 2000, at the Marriott Hotel. Cost is $85 per person.
Fund-raising money will help pay for part of each person’s registration. This is an
exciting opportunity for all 6th-9th graders. Registration forms will be mailed soon. The
deadline for registration is December 31, 1999.
Young Leaders Needed
The Synod-sponsored Leadership Lab 2000 will be held
January 14-16, 2000, at the Doubletree Hotel in Overland Park, Kansas. All youth in grades
7th-12th who would like to nurture their gifts for leadership are encouraged to attend.
The cost is $80 per person, not including meals. The congregation will pay for 75 percent
or more of the registration fee. Registration forms are available from Kathy Wegner, David
Dibble, and Deaconess Doreen. The registration deadline is December 31, 1999.
There will be no Sunday School on December 26 or January
2.
From the Internship Site
St. Mark’s Call to Reformation
The new church year has begun, and our weekly readings are from the gospel according to
St. Mark. Scholars believe that Mark’s account of Jesus’ life was the first
gospel written. Mark was a friend and companion of Peter, and it is accepted that the
Gospel According to Mark is really Peter’s story. The Book of Mark is short, and some
say, a little strange. It tells of a secretive messiah who chooses 12 disciples. In the
end they betray him, flee and deny him. Mark’s gospel covers Jesus’ life from
his baptism through his death to his empty tomb. Mark does not take into account his birth
or resurrection. While the book is short, it is not sweet. It is not a story of
Jesus’ glory, but of his suffering and death.
What does this have to do with your lives in Wichita, Kansas? What does St. Mark have
to say to Reformation Lutheran Church? Mark’s urgent theme of discipleship is woven
throughout the story. Urgent? Yes. As we spend the year reading Mark’s words, note
how many times he uses words like suddenly, immediately, soon, then,
at once. Mark also uses repeated images to tell his story. Over and over the crowds
push against Jesus. We read miracle stories of Jesus defeating demons and disease.
Throughout Mark’s gospel Jesus performs miracles and preaches about service,
sacrifice, and humility. The stories move quickly, urgently. Always hovering near Jesus
are the disciples, who do not understand who he is or what he is about. They slow down the
stories and blunt the urgency.
As we read Mark’s gospel this year, take note to the disciples’ actions. Mark
says they were amazed, perplexed, afraid. They were often confused and wrong. Let’s
put ourselves in their places. We are those disciples. Just like them, we don’t get
it. We are frozen in our amazement and fear, and we slow down the action of his kingdom.
Still, we are in good company with the disciples. Jesus reveals his kingdom to us and
shares his vision with us. He shows us how to be disciples. The message is one we have
heard before, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all
your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength . . . and you shall love
your neighbor as yourself" (12:30-31).
Mark’s twist on discipleship is urgency. The time has come to put aside our
amazement, perplexity, fear, and listen to what Jesus is telling us to do. It is time for
each of us to take concrete steps toward living out the gospel. It is time to answer St.
Mark’s call to care for the kingdom, now.
- Dawn Gorges
Scholarships Available
Two different scholarship programs for Lutherans are again
being offered through Lutheran Brotherhood this year.
Lutheran Brotherhood members are eligible to apply for the organization’s Member
Scholarships. Award amounts for these competitive, merit-based scholarships are
determined by the type of institution that the student chooses to attend. Recipients
attending private Lutheran colleges are eligible for $2,000 per year, those attending
private non-Lutheran colleges are eligible for $1,000 per year, and those attending public
institutions and military academies are eligible for $500 per year.
Applications for Member Scholarships should be sent to Lutheran Brotherhood’s home
office and must be postmarked by January 15. To request a Member Scholarship application,
contact the church office or Cheryl Hoops, Lutheran Brotherhood District Representative
serving Reformation.
Available to Lutheran students attending Lutheran colleges, universities, and Bible
schools, Lutheran College Scholarships are awarded in the amounts of $800 for
non-Lutheran Brotherhood members, and $1,500 for members. The selection process is
conducted by the Lutheran college(s) to which you apply. Please contact the colleges’
financial aid offices for applications and deadline information.
Through its charitable and benevolent programs, Lutheran Brotherhood allocated $66
million in 1998 to programs aiding its members, their communities, Lutheran congregations
and institutions.
The ABC’s of College Funding
Do you know what college will cost? On Thursday, December
2, Lutheran Brotherhood’s Wichita Area representatives will offer a free
educational seminar addressing various topics related to college costs and planning
strategies for families with children aged 0 to college age. The seminar will be held in
the Sunflower Room of the 4-H Building, 21st & Ridge Road, at 1:00, 4:00, and 7:00
p.m. Please call 729-8300 to reserve your seat.
Journey to Bethlehem
The birth of Jesus in the town of Bethlehem will come to
life for you as you come on a "Journey to Bethlehem." An afternoon visit to this
walk-through experience will touch your heart and brighten your Christmas celebration.
This new holiday tradition for children and adults of all ages will be held on Sunday
afternoon, December 12, offered between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m., at Christ Lutheran Church,
5356 N. Hillside (East 53rd St. N. & Hillside). There is no charge. This is the
church’s Christmas gift to the community.
This living re-enactment of the day of Jesus’ birth offers each visitor an hour in
the midst of the people, colors, sights, sounds, and fragrances of the "Bethlehem
marketplace." In this setting, visitors will meet a Roman centurion on horseback and
shepherds with their flocks, be counted in the emperor’s census, wonder at the
announcement by the herald angel, encounter King Herod and inn keepers, enter a Bethlehem
home and taste the foods, hear the music, watch the potters and candle makers, sing the
carols, pet the animals, play the children’s games, listen to Bible stories, receive
a Christmas candle, and pause in awe at the living Nativity with Mary, Joseph, and baby
Jesus. New features will enhance the meaning and impact of this wondrous event.
Groups, families, individuals, churches, classes, and people of all faiths are welcome.
The building is accessible to people with disabilities. For more information, contact
Pastor Sally Fahrenthold at Christ Lutheran Church, 744-1242.
Reformation Ski Trip Planned
A Reformation Ski Trip is planned for the weekend of January
28 - 30. The price is $208, which includes bus transportation, ski rental, and lodging
at Winter Park, Colorado. If you have your own skis, you can subtract $8/day. The bus will
depart from Wichita on January 27 at 7:00 p.m. We will ski all day Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday. The bus will bring you back in time to make it to work Monday! For more
information, contact David Dibble at 685-5897 (home) or e-mail, or call The Slope at
262-1595. The trip is number AJ10 and is called the Reformation Ski Trip. Deposits must
be in by December 12. So dust off your ski clothes, and let’s head to the
mountains for some fun in the snow! Winter Park is one of the best ski resorts in
Colorado, with an excellent ski school too! Let’s all work on Pastor to get him on
the slopes with us!
New Web Address
Having trouble remembering our esoteric web address for the
church? Well, it just got easier to remember. On November 28, coinciding with the
first day of the new church calendar year, our web site will move to www.reformation-lutheran.org.
Besides being easier to remember, this change will provide us with the capability to make
several enhancements to the web site in the coming weeks.
Usher Schedule for December
8:30 Terry Everson, Paul Ryding, Jeff Larma
11:00 Bryan Barr, John Lee, Larry Barr, Ron Ott, Jim
Frank, Jerry Whetstone, Waldo Gerards
A Holiday Prayer
The holidays are often difficult for those who have lost
loved ones. The poem, And God Said NO, taken from the Good Grief Update, is a
beautiful illustration of power and strength.
I asked God to take away my grief,
and God said, "No . . .
It is not for ME to take away
but for you to work through."
I asked God to make my broken heart whole,
and God said, "No . . .
Your spirit is whole.
Your pain is only temporary."
I asked God to give me happiness,
and God said, "No . . .
I give blessings.
Happiness is up to you."
I asked God to spare me pain,
and God said, "No . . .
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares
and brings you closer to Me."
I asked God to make my spirit grow,
and God said, "No . . .
Grow on your own.
I do the pruning that makes you fruitful."
I asked God if He loved me,
and God said, "Yes . . .
I gave my only Son to die for you."
I asked God to help me love others
as much as He loves me,
and God said, "Ah, finally
you have the idea."
Last update
August 03, 2008 |
