RE-FOCUS
A Publication of Reformation Lutheran Church
Volume 21 May 2001 Number 5
From the Pastor
We are heavy in the middle of a spring capital appeal. When people
arrived at church on the Sunday after Easter they saw many others wearing black and white
buttons that read, "Ask Me About RRR."
The three R’s, as many now know, are Refocus, Recommit, Reach Out, the
theme of the appeal. Like the three R’s of old fashion education, these are about
things very basic, things elementary to our life together. Yes, we want to raise dollars
to reduce significantly our 1.1 million dollar mortgage, but there is something more to
the story than dollar signs, something more basic to our life.
We want to Refocus on who we are and be very clear about why we
are together. We are not here of our own choosing. God the Holy Spirit has called us
together through the Good News of the Risen Christ. In spite of three S’s, sin,
self-centeredness, stubbornness, God in his grace and mercy has called us together and
named us his servants. This Good News must remain the focus of our life and hope.
We want to Recommit our very selves to walking as Jesus’
disciples. The grace of God is not cheap grace. There is a cost that begins in the cross,
in the death of God’s Anointed. There is our dying with Christ in the waters of
baptism and our rising in new life. God did not raise Jesus from the dead to entertain us,
but to save us. God calls us forth to walk as his servants. Remembering our baptism into
Christ, we are to daily Recommit.
We want to Reach Out in mission, Reach Out in loving
service to others, Reach Out with invitation, welcome and hospitality to the lost
and wandering. Mission is not something optional for Christian people. The Risen Christ
says to fearful disciples, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (John
20:22). We are sent forth to be Christ’s Body in the world today. Disciples of Jesus
do what the Risen
Christ commands. We go where the Risen Christ leads.
Our Congregation Vision Statement says we are Servants of God, Guided by the Holy
Spirit, to Make Christ Known. RRR means strengthening our mission by remembering who
we are:
Because of who we are--Servants of God...
- We want to lower our mortgage payments...
- That we might expand our Ministry Staff...
- That we might be more effective in our mission...
Of Making Christ Known....
The three R’s could have stood for something else in this Easter season. Perhaps Resurrection,
Renewal, Reaching Out. We are in the season of the Resurrection of Christ. Renewal
happens when we die and rise with Christ. We Reach Out because the Risen Christ sends us
forth in the power of his Spirit.
Or maybe RRR means Reformation, Ready, to Reach Out. Really, Really, Really!
- Pastor Jerry Mansholt
From the Deaconess
Each month I provide a column entitled, "Faith in the Home." It’s
purpose is to give support and help to parents as they seek to nurture a strong faith in
their children. Two recent encounters convinced me even more of the importance of parents
being proactive in taking seriously the promise they made at their child’s baptism.
One Wednesday, a few weeks ago, I was talking to a mother of two lower-elementary
children about our Task Force on First Communion. Her immediate reaction to the idea that
children younger than 5th grade could take Communion was, But my kids can’t even
say the Lord’s Prayer! Then the guilt began. She started kicking herself for not
spending more time on important faith matters with her children. But she didn’t stop
with guilt! She went home that night and taught her children the Lord’s Prayer. No
one was more surprised than she at how open and receptive her first grader was to learning
this prayer. The following week this mother shared with me how that one conversation and
subsequent experience with her children changed how she viewed the faith of her young
children.
That same night I had the honor of dialoguing about faith issues with one of our
confirmands. I was struck by the maturity of her faith, especially when she said to me, I
don’t know yet what my calling is. I would have liked to have patted myself on
the back and congratulated Pastor and myself on the good job we had done. Instead, I
recognized that this 8th grader had received deep nurturing of her faith by her parents,
grandparents, and other relatives. Faith was an active part of her life!
Faith doesn’t just happen. It grows day by day, year by year. Parents, the Holy
Spirit creates faith in your child, but you are the most important tool through which the
Spirit works! Jesus said, I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like
little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Even the youngest child can
have faith, but it is up to parents and others to help it grow!
- Deaconess Doreen Scheuerman
Thank You!
Thank you to all who helped with and contributed to the Easter Breakfast. The youth
cleared $221.77 for the Seminarian Fund and the National Youth Gathering 2003. Monies will
be matched by AAL Branch 4499. Thanks for your support!
- H.S. Youth Group
The Parish Record
JANUARY - MARCH
BAPTISM
- Andrew James Brimager, February 4
- Aaron Albert Gutierrez, February 25
- John Daniel Wetta, February 25
MARRIAGE
- Tabitha Percival and Eddie Ciesielski, March 25
TRANSFER
- Tom Drake, to Holy Cross Lutheran, Overland Park, KS
DEATH
Anti-Racism Work
Have you a passion for overcoming the baggage of our racist history? There is a lot of
work to be done in church and in society. Big things happen as small steps are taken.
Reformation is seeking persons to help in planning and designing a process that will help
us become an anti-racist congregation. Have you a gift, a passion, a calling in this area
of ministry?
A Crossroads Planning and Design workshop will be held at Interfaith Ministries on
Tuesday, June 5, 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. A number of people from Reformation are
needed to attend this workshop and to work with the process in the congregation. For more
information speak to Jill Pletcher, Pr. Sally Fahrenthold, or Pr. Jerry Mansholt.
Attending an April introductory workshop on anti-racism training were: Pr. Sally
Fahrenthold, Jill Pletcher, Paul & Ellen Garcia, Judy McDiffett, Ken Woodard, Kimberly
Byers, Pr. Jerry & Anita Mansholt, Al Flores, and Jerry Whetstone. They learned about Damascus
Road, a Mennonite anti-racism ministry.
Women of Reformation
CIRCLE MEETINGS
- PriscillaTuesday, May 8, 9:30 a.m. at the church
- Ruth
, Thursday, May 10, 7:00 p.m. at the home of Deanne Fortney
Last update
August 03, 2008
