RE-FOCUS
A Publication of Reformation Lutheran Church
Volume 20 November 2000 Number 11
From the Pastor
Reformation is one of 218 congregations in the Central
States Synod, which covers the entire states of Missouri and Kansas. We talk often about
the mission of Reformation congregation, Servants of God, Guided by the Holy Spirit, to
Make Christ Known. But our mission of Making Christ Known extends beyond
Reformation Church. We also are in mission through our life in the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America.
In a recent letter Bishop Maahs lifted up some of the vital mission efforts currently
at work in our synod:
- Starting a new congregation in Ozark, MO, and an Asian congregation in St. Louis;
- Providing financial support to Children’s Memorial congregation in Kansas City to
develop a new Hispanic ministry;
- Providing support to our new congregations in Garden City and Derby, as well as in
Liberty and O’Fallon, MO;
- Expanding our Parish Ministry Associate program, i.e., the training of lay people to
serve in Word and Sacrament ministry in rural and inner-city congregations;
- Developing our new Mission Endowment Fund to start new congregations and support current
and future leaders;
Working with our social ministry agencies, Bethany College, and campus ministries to
increase long-term resources;
Beginning a mission strategy process to develop a three-to-five-year mission strategy.
As the Dean of Area Ministry 5, I joined other Deans from our synod and traveled to
Chicago recently for a visit to the churchwide offices of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America. We met with Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson and Rev. Lowell Almen,
Secretary of the Church. We toured the building and visited with people in various
departments. We came away with a renewed appreciation for the depth and breadth of mission
carried on throughout the world by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Through the larger church, Reformation Lutheran Church also is in mission--Making
Christ Known throughout the world.
- Pastor Jerry Mansholt
From the Deaconess
The following was written by one of our parents who
attended the LOGOS parent dinner and training session with C.J. Reardon on September 15
& 16. This mother expressed some of the thoughts that I was going to present this
month, so let’s hear from her instead.
- Deaconess Doreen Scheuerman
What Is Of Eternal Value in Your Life?
I would like to pose a couple of questions to the
people in our congregation who are involved in a child’s life. This could be parents,
grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors-the list could go on. Well, here is the question: What
is of eternal value in your life and the lives of our children? We are all such busy
people with work and school. And just think of the activities that our children are
involved in and the choices-soccer, football, basketball, baseball, track, karate. The
list could go on and on and on. These are all valuable to our children. But are these
things of eternal value?
Again, what is of eternal value in your life and the lives of our
children? We can answer that question quite simply, or maybe you already have. Learning
about God and God’s love for us in Jesus Christ through church and Sunday School are
of eternal value. But before you get too comfortable with that answer, do the math on
that. For our children going to Sunday School one hour a week, 33 weeks a year (we do not
have Sunday School during the summer), at about 80% attendance, our children in a year are
getting about 27 hours of learning about those things that have eternal value. By the
time our children are confirmed and have spent 11 years in Sunday School, they may have
around 300 hours of being in a place to learn things of eternal value
Here’s another question-Where do your priorities fall? Go home
and look at your checkbook. You’ll find out real fast where your priorities lie. I
did it.
Here are my results: Andover Tap ‘n Jazz, Boys Club (karate),
McDonalds, Green Valley Greens Golf Club.
Do we want these things to be our priorities? Or do we want the one
thing which is of eternal value, Jesus Christ, to be our #1 priority? We need to start
thinking about this for our children’s sake.
Our LOGOS program, which is a congregational ministry, is one way by
which you can change the numbers above. We can show our children that our priorities start
with Christ our Lord who is of eternal value. We can give our children more hours (2 3/4
per week) of learning and feeling and showing things of eternal value. Our LOGOS program
has shown me that. There is so much to gain . . . do the math!
Thanks to my Reformation family for cards, prayers, and personal
support during Arvin’s final illness and at the time of his death. Special thanks to
Pastor Jerry, Jette Mortensen, Lotus Gerards, and to those who served the family lunch on
the day of the memorial service.
- Marjorie Bender
* * *
Members of Reformation Lutheran,
Anthony Family Shelter and Catholic Charities wish to thank you for
the donation of food on October 2, following the Fall Festival. Your kindness is greatly
appreciated. God Bless you all,
- Staff & Residents, Anthony Family Shelter and
Catholic Charities
November Meal-A-Month
- Small Canned Ham
- Sweet Potatoes
- Cranberry Sauce
- Vegetables
- Dry Milk (optional)
Please return filled bags by November
26
The Parish Record
JULY - SEPTEMBER
BAPTISM
- Dylan Matthew Hultman, July 16
MARRIAGE
- Deana Alexander and Korey Torgerson, July 22
- Christina Tucker and Brett Johnson, July 29
TRANSFER
- Brad & Lynae Baker to Sangre de Cristo Lutheran, Taos, NM
DEATH
- Lydia Nielsen, September 4
- Albert Nielsen, September 12
- Arvin Bender, September 30
Women of Reformation
CIRCLE MEETINGS
- Ruth, Thur., November 9, 7:00 p.m. at the home of Anita Mansholt,
3538 N. Rushwood Ct.
- Priscilla, Tue., November 14, 9:30 a.m. at the church.
- Dorcas, Wed., November 15, 1:00 p.m. at the home of Lotus Gerards,
1921 Farmstead.
- Rachel, Wed., November 15, 6:30 p.m. at the church, nursery
available.
- Sarah, Mon., November 20, 7:00 p.m. at the home of Pat Anderson, 8008
Morningside Dr.
World Community Day for Church Women United of Wichita will be held
Friday, November 3, 1:00 p.m., at Fairmont United Church of Christ, 1650 Fairmont. All
women are invited to attend.
Blanket Makers will be meeting November 6 & 20 at 9:00 a.m. in
the Parish Hall.
Women of Reformation Board Meeting will be Monday, November 6, 1:00
p.m., in church library.
Pull Tabs from aluminum cans are being saved. There is a container
in Parish Hall for your donation. Ronald McDonald Houses of Wichita turn them in for
supplies.
Join us for Women’s Night Out on Tuesday, November 28, at 6:30
p.m. We’ll meet at Red Hot & Blue Bar-B-Que, 3320 N. Rock Rd. Reserve your
place at our table by signing up on the nursery door or by calling Kimberly Lindemann,
691-1440.
A Quilt Masterpiece
The Blanket Makers have finished hand quilting a
masterpiece, and it is ready for viewing in the narthex. This quilt will be sold at a live
auction at the Progressive Dinner on December 10. The proceeds will be used for
landscaping in the Meditation Garden. Could your home use a touch of color?
"Nancy’s Nosegay" (the official quilt pattern name) may be just the thing
to renew an existing bedroom or brighten a plain wall. Stop in the narthex and imagine
this quilt in your home, then come to the Progressive Dinner ready to bid!
Thanksgiving Meal Collection
Every Thanksgiving the women of Reformation collect
an entire meal for the women and children of the Women’s Crisis Center. It consists
of all the traditional trimmings for a Thanksgiving meal (including the turkeys). A list
of the items we will need is posted on the Parish Hall bulletin board. If you would like
to contribute something, please sign up and bring the item to the church kitchen
by November 19. Cash donations are accepted in lieu of food
if you wish. Any questions? Please contact Pam Adams at 733-9627.
Best Times of Life
Best Times of Life, a friendly fellowship group for those
55 and over, will meet Monday, November 13, at noon in the Parish Hall for our
monthly potluck luncheon. This month’s program will be presented by Bob Gress of
Great Plains Nature Center who will bring us up to date on this wonderful facility and
will be accompanied by a Kansas creature! Please come and join us- delicious food, great
fellowship, and varied programs are our specialty! Bring a dish to share, your own table
service, and call Pauline, 942-4885, or Betty, 682-2030, with your reservation. We’ll
be looking for you!
Altar Guild Needs Help
Altar Guild is in need of help, especially for the next two
months. Anyone willing to devote an hour of time on Saturdays and another hour on Sunday
morning (for one month each year) please contact Dorla Alseike (686-8210). A training
session will be held Saturday, November 4, 10:00 a.m. at church.
From the Seminary in Austin, TX . . .
Dear Friends,
Fall is the time of year that senior seminarians fill out the candidacy papers in
preparation for first call. It is one more rite of passage in the walk toward ordination.
This is the final set of documents we fill out before receiving our first call.
The most anticipated part of the documents is our synodical preference for first call.
One can list no preference, which means one is open to a call anywhere in the country.
Another option is listing up to three synod preferences for first call. It is not
guaranteed that the seminarian will be assigned to any of those preferences, but they will
be considered. A final option is to restrict oneself to a limited geographic location.
Bishops tend to look unfavorably on restrictions, and seminarians may have a longer wait
for first call. In February 2001, the bishops will meet and select candidates. All the
information students have compiled has been distilled to one page for the bishops. The
bishops sit around a big table with their one-page reports and vie for candidates. There
are enough seminarians to fill about 42% of the need. There are two phases to the draft.
First, one is assigned to a region. Kansas is in region four, which consists of Nebraska,
Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and part of Louisiana. By the end of February
seminarians are informed of the region to which they have been assigned. About a week
later, the seminarians will be assigned to a synod of the region to which they were
initially assigned. At that point, the seminarian is entered into the call process with
congregations.
It’s an exciting time. I’’ll keep you posted!
In Christian Love, Dawn Gorges
Popcorn Sale
Boy Scout Troop 523 will be participating in the annual
popcorn sale on Sundays, November 12 and 19. Individual proceeds assist in
paying for summer camp fees. Please buy your holiday popcorn and help a Scout earn his
summer camp fee.
From the Seminary in New Haven, CT . . .
During a devotional moment this week, I was moved by
thoughts of Thomas Merton in his book, No Man Is An Island. He speaks of the
importance of vocation. Although most of us might view that term to mean our work at home
or in society, Merton sets forth a more narrow vision, proclaiming that every person has a
vocation to BE someone. Understood more fully, one can only fulfill their vocation in this
way: by being themselves.
We must be who we are by embodying Christ. Jesus said, "For this I was born and
for this I came into the world; that I should give testimony to the truth." (John
18:36) According to Merton, "A man only lives as a man when he knows truth and loves
what he knows and acts according to what he loves." In this way a person becomes the
truth that is loved. It takes great courage to live in the light of truth. There is even a
sense of martyrdom in every true Christian life if we understand martyrdom in its original
sense as a "testimony" to the truth. It is then that our BEING and our DOING
become one.
It is the living out of vocation to which we are called, and in so doing we bear
witness to the truth of Christ. I urge you to take a look at the present circumstances of
your life. How are you living out your vocation? What challenges are set before you? What
joys have you experienced from its blessings? You are not alone. God walks with you
through your journey. Embrace God's power and grace along the way.
In Christ, Laura Ulicky-Weerts
Volunteer Opportunity
Episcopal Social Services is an outreach organization that
brings hope to people in need of positive changes in their lives. The agency needs
volunteers to help prepare and serve a Thanksgiving meal at Venture House on
Tuesday, November 21. If you care to help, please call Shannon Wedge at 269-4160.
ESS also has other volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
Nurturing Faith in the Home
This month we lift up the faith practice of worship.
Through worship we express our love for God. We praise God for all that God has given us,
including our salvation through Jesus Christ. In worship we are refreshed and renewed
through God’s Holy Spirit.
Below are ways that you can nurture worship in your family. Choose one or two to do
this month.
- Make it a priority to worship regularly with others. It will strengthen your faith
identity in community.
- Take some time to offer simple explanations of each part of the worship service. For
instance, Confession means to say we’re sorry for the mistakes we’ve made.
- Enrich your greetings and leave-taking with this prayerful exchange: The Lord be with
you. And also with you.
- Pray the offertory prayer (LBW, p. 67) as a morning, evening or mealtime prayer. We
offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us . . .
- Give your children a blessing as you leave or at bedtime. You might say the words of the
benediction: May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you and give you peace.
Advent Retreat
An Advent Retreat: What Are We Waiting For? will be
held at Camp Tomah Shinga for youth in grades 3-5 on Friday, December 1, beginning
at 7:00 p.m. The retreat will end at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 2. In order to
experience Advent in a new way, we will meet and hear from real people in the Bible:
Zechariah, the angel Gabriel, Mary, and Jesus. Youth will sing, participate in worship,
enjoy seasonal craft activities, and enjoy a campfire (weather permitting). Registration
forms are available in the narthex or from Deaconess Doreen. Deadline for registration is
November 7. Please give your registration form with check made out to "Camp Tomah
Shinga" to Deaconess Doreen. Parent sponsors will also be needed. Cost is $35 per
person.
Oaks Indian Center Partnership
Some of our Sunday School classes have chosen
children/youth from Oaks Indian Center with whom to begin communicating. The 4th graders
chose 10-year-old Amanda and 9-year-old Justin. The 5th and 6th graders chose Amber, age
12, and Kraig, age 11.
Winter Wear for Oaks Indian Center
The Oaks Indian Center in Oaks, Oklahoma, has expressed a
need for new winter headwear and gloves. We are asking the Sunday School classes to help
provide new stocking caps, gloves, face masks and hats. The center has 17 girls and 29
boys, ranging from age 5 to 18.
Our goal is to have each Sunday School family donate at least one item. We will begin
collecting them on October 29 during the Reformation Celebration. On November 19, Don
Marshall, the Director of Development, and some of the youth from the Oaks Indian Center
will be visiting Reformation. At that time we hope to present them with our gift of winter
hats and gloves.
Sunday School Offering
The Sunday School offering from September, October, and
November will also be given to help the children and youth at Oaks.
Middle School Visit
Our Middle School youth are planning to visit the Oaks
Indian Center on December 9 & 10.
Middle School Youth Activity
Our first big event of the year will be a bonfire at the
Martins’ home on Saturday, November 4, at 5:00 p.m. Make plans to join us for
a fun-filled evening and bring along a friend! You don’t want to miss out on the
hayride, Dave’s bonfire, hot chocolate, and any surprises that Dave and Victoria have
planned. You will be receiving a flier in the mail with more information soon.
Children’s Christmas Service
The Children/Youth Christmas Service will be on Sunday, December
17, at 11:00 a.m. Watch for more information in the coming weeks.
Sunday Morning Adult Education
October 29 Reformation Celebration for All Ages!
Pastor’s Class in the Parish Hall
- Nov. 5, Continuing in the Covenant
- Nov. 12, Continuing in the Covenant
- Nov. 19, Oaks Indian Center
- Nov. 26, Call to Discipleship
Divine Drama in the Library
- Nov. 5, Unit 4, Chaos
- Nov. 12, Unit 4, Chaos
- Nov. 19, Unit 5, A People-A Purpose
- Nov. 26, Unit 5, A People-A Purpose
Adult Bible Study, Downstairs
This class is based on the letters of Paul, with an emphasis on Philippians and
Ephesians this month.
Festival of the Family
Once a year Inter-Faith Ministries invites all its member
congregations to the Festival of the Family. This year promises to be greater than ever!
Performers who practice the Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Native American,
Bahai’ and Unitarian Universalist faith traditions will not only entertain us, but
more importantly, challenge us to live "in respectful presence of each other."
Mark Sunday, November 12, on your calendar now and plan to take your entire
household as well as your neighbors and friends. This event will be held at the WSU
Metropolitan Complex, located at Oliver & 29th St., from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. From 3:00
to 4:30 you can enjoy "Religions in Performance" (chants, mass choir, dance,
etc.), and from 4:30 to 6:00 you can visit the various religious booths.
There is no admission charge, but Inter-Faith Ministries hopes you will help build a
"Mountain of Food." Everyone who comes is encouraged to raid their food pantry
and contribute food for Inter-Faith Ministries’ Operation Holiday this coming season.
Stewardship Campaign Report
Over the last month our congregation has shared in numerous
events surrounding the fall stewardship campaign: Meditation Garden Dedication, Fall
Festival-Pit Barbecue / Tree Planting, Temple Talks, meditations, letters, Prayer Vigil,
and "A Time to Remember" congregational meal. On behalf of the Stewardship
Ministry Team--thank you to everyone who volunteered to make this year’s campaign a
great success!
While there is still work to be done, here is a progress report (as of October 18): 86
commitment cards have been returned, showing a total commitment of $306,552 for 2001.
A special thank you to each member of our congregation for your participation and
commitment to strengthening our mission as "Servants of God, Guided by the Holy
Spirit, to Make Christ Known" so that we can leave a legacy of faith for those who
will follow us.
If you have not yet returned your commitment card, you will be receiving a follow-up
mailing over the next week or so as a reminder. If you need a commitment card, please call
Bruce Brittain at 733-5764, and one will be mailed to you; or pick one up at the church
office. Commitment cards can be returned to the church to the attention of Bruce Brittain,
Stewardship Coordinator.
Telecare
Thank you to each member who participated in our Telecare
ministry. We appreciate the work of our callers and team captains, and we especially
appreciate our members’ responses. Sixteen prayer requests were received, several
suggestions were made, and many expressed thanks for the call. Follow-up calls are being
made at this time. Coordinators: Dolores Hoyle Lotus Gerards
Usher Schedule for November
- 8:30 - Jack Dickerson, Gary Hoepner
- 11:00 - Chris Deines, Jenna Godwin, Loren Deines, Dick Hasselwander, Robin Folkerts,
Keith Martin
From Big Brothers / Big Sisters:
Please consider ministry right here at home, volunteering
your precious time to meet once a week with one of 700 children (mostly boys, so we also
need men, couples, and families) who are currently on the BBBS waiting list. You can pick
up a child to do activities together at your home or in the community (Traditional
Program), or you can meet with a child at one of the Boys and Girls Clubs (Club Buddies),
or you can meet with a child once a week for about 45 minutes at a school near where you
live or work in the brand-new school-based Mentoring Program. Participating middle schools
are Brooks, Coleman, Curtis, Hadley, Hamilton, Marshall, Mayberry, Mead, Pleasant Valley,
Robinson and Truesdell. Elementary schools include Colvin, Lincoln, Minneha, Oaklawn and
Stanley. In the school-based program, you may choose to read or do homework with a child,
or do arts and crafts, go over a life skills or career choices curriculum, or just chat
about things that are important to a child.
There is also a faith-based traditional program called Malisa's Hope. This takes
a traditional match and adds the element of similar denomination affiliation and beliefs.
This is a fairly new program and offers to our Christian brethren the opportunity to share
their walk of faith with their "little" brother or sister in a non-threatening,
non-proselytizing way.
There's plenty of research indicating that being connected to as many caring adults as
possible can improve a child's behavior and grades, and
decrease their likelihood of engaging in negative behaviors, so we can say with
confidence that you will make a difference for a child if you choose to participate!
For more information, please call 263-3300 and ask to speak with someone in the program
that interests you (Traditional, Club Buddies or School-Based); or if you know you want to
volunteer, just ask to have an application sent to you for the program you are interested
in. NOTE: Paula Fawcett of Big Brothers / Big Sisters will be speaking briefly at
Reformation to each adult Sunday School class and the high school class on November 5
about an outreach opportunity with students at Coleman Middle School.
Holiday Progressive Dinner
This annual adult social event will take place on Sunday, December
10. Reserve this date and plan to enjoy a festive evening! The appetizer course begins
at 5:00 p.m., moving to other homes for salads, and to church at 7:00 p.m. for the main
course, dessert, and entertainment. A special feature will be the auction of a beautiful
hand-crafted quilt made by our devoted Blanket Makers. Proceeds will go for Meditation
Garden landscaping. The "Refo-Mummers" will perform. Please call Wil Johnson
(618-7876) to participate in any way.
Reservations may be made in the narthex beginning in mid-November. The cost will be $10
per person. Babysitters for young children will be provided in our church nursery at 6:45
p.m. that evening.
A few more homes are needed for appetizers and salads. We also need cooks for the main
course and desserts, helpers in the hosting homes, table decorators, etc. If you are
willing to help or have questions or suggestions, please contact Barb Lee (684-5434).
Parish Nurse News
We do plan to give flu shots at church as soon as
the flu vaccine becomes available. The fee will be about $5.00 or whatever will cover the
cost of this year’s vaccine. Look for more information in the Sunday bulletins.
The church first aid kits have been replenished and updated. These are located
in the kitchen, the nursery, and the Parish Nurse office.
Alternative Christmas Market
This year the Alternative Christmas Market will be held at
East Heights United Methodist Church, 4407 E. Douglas, on Saturday, November 11,
from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This event is sponsored locally by 18 churches and is a
festive celebration with music, food, and gifts to give in honor of family and friends.
This year Wichitans will be offered the opportunity to support 32 national and
international projects and 9 locally selected groups. For more information, check out the
website: www.feist.com/~altcmarket.
