RE-FOCUS
A Publication of Reformation Lutheran Church
Volume 23 January 2003 Number 1

Important Events for the New Year

The Annual Meeting for Reformation Lutheran Church will be held on Sunday, January 26. Following the 11:00 service, lunch will be served in Parish Hall by the high school youth. At 12:45, members will move to the sanctuary for the meeting. All confirmed members are invited and encouraged to attend. Being an active participant in the congregation’s official business is an obligation of membership that we all should take seriously.

In order to give members the opportunity to preview the budget, annual report, and candidate information, printed copies will be made available according to the following schedule:

Sunday, January 12:

• 2003 Budget available in the narthex

Sunday, January 19:

• Information Meeting on the 2003 Budget at 9:45 a.m. in Parish Hall

2002 Annual Report and Candidate

Information sheets available in the narthex

The Nominating Committee has secured the following slate of candidates for positions noted:

Church Council (4 to be elected)

• Galen Blume, Susan Cherches, Ken Lang, Marla Schmale, Marsha Sears, Marcia Werts

Mission Endowment Committee (2 to be elected)

• Linda Brantner, Michele Groves, Wil Johnson, Jeff Larma

Nominating Committee (6 to be elected)

• Bruce Brittain, Holly Coleman, Gary Hoepner, Susan Martin, Carol Ott, Paul Ryding

Synod Assembly Delegates (4 to be elected)

• Tom Caplan, Dottie Caplan, Kathy Drake, Carl Keith

Leadership Retreat

Council members, ministry team leaders, and candidates for council will meet together for a time of learning, planning, goal-setting, and fellowship on January 10-11 in the Parish Hall. The time schedule will be 5:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. on Friday evening; and 8:00a.m.-12:00 noon on Saturday. Anyone who is interested may attend. Please contact the church office with any questions and watch the upcoming Sunday bulletins for more details.

Health Awareness Sunday

Sunday, January 12, 2003, will be recognized as "Health Awareness Sunday." At both services, adult members will be asked to complete a brief survey form related to health interests/issues. The results of the survey will be used to assist the Health Ministry Team in responding to health-related concerns in our congregation. The "Vial of Life" and a "Health Information Pocket Card" will also be available to all members. These items can quickly provide medical personnel with valuable health information in an emergency situation while at home or away.

Annual Reports Due January 6

A Reminder: Reports for inclusion in the Annual Report of the Congregation for 2002 are due in the church office on Monday, January 6, 2003. Please use a computer if possible and limit your report to a single typed page or less. Turn your report in to Becky on a disk (WordPerfect compatible) or e-mail your report (preferred) to her. Please check with Becky to make sure she has received your report. If you do not have a computer, please submit a typed or neatly handwritten report.

Many thanks to all for the prayers, cards, phone calls, and expressions of concern when I had recent surgery. Special thanks to Barb Lee for her help. May God bless.

- Neil Burrow

* * *

To my Reformation family, a heartfelt thanks for all your prayers, calls, visits during my recent knee surgery. Hats off to our great cooks who supplied all those delicious meals and goodies.

To our Angels of Mercy, Jette Mortensen and Barb Lee, what a comfort you bring with your concern, visits, calls and taking us to our doctor’s appointments, and always with those beautiful smiles. Thank you, Twila, for coming by with communion for Obert and me.

Pastor, thanks for your hospital visit; it meant so much to us. We have been blessed to have you and your wife join our family.

God bless you all, Rose Fladeland

* * *

I want to take this opportunity to thank the congregation very much for the unexpected and highly appreciated gift at Christmas. As I said to the congregation, this is the first time in nearly 25 years of ministry that I have received such a gift, and it meant so very much to me and to my family. I can tell you that such affirmation will be great incentive for me to work vigorously together with the congregation for a bright and productive 2003! Thank you all very much!

- Pastor Tom

* * *

Our thanks to the Reformation Congregation for the Christmas bonus checks we all received. As always, the thoughtfulness and generosity of the congregation is much appreciated. A special thank you, also, to those who brought holiday treats to the church office for our enjoyment. They were wonderful! We hope to serve you well in our respective roles throughout this New Year.

- Marlene Hallstrom, Eugenia Yau, Ruth Koepsel, Becky Holden Deckard,  Carole Lyons

* * *

Thank you for your continued donation of tabs from canned foods and beverages. The Ronald McDonald House greatly benefits from your support.

- WELCA

* * *

Flower Chart for 2003

The Flower Chart for 2003 is posted on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall. If you wish to provide altar flowers for a Sunday morning, please sign your name by the date of your choice. Mary Lou Bengtson, flower coordinator, will contact you with further information.

A whole new year is mine today;

• May I be wiser, Lord, I pray-
• To strengthen friendships old and true
• And learn to cherish new ones, too-
• To keep on learning and to grow
• A little deeper as I go.
• To cast aside each grudge and grief,
• And hold fast to a firm belief
• That life is joyous, gracious, good,
• When lived in terms of brotherhood.

- author unknown

Women of Reformation

CIRCLE MEETINGS

• Dorcas, Wednesday, January 15, 1:00 p.m. at the home of Pam Adams, 1 N. Grand Mere Ct. Lesson Leader is Carol Ott
• Sarah, Monday, January 20, 7:00 p.m. at the home of Muriel Hansen, 8146 Grail St. Lesson Leader is Muriel Hansen
• WELCA Board Meeting will be Monday, January 6, at 10:00 a.m., at the church.
• Blanket Makers will meet Mondays, January 6 & 20, 9:00 a.m., at the church.
• Monthly Outreach Ministry: Help us start the New Year with fellowship at Cornerstone Assisted Living, next to our church, on Tuesday,
• January 14, 3:15 to 4:00 p.m. Your gift of time is very much appreciated by their residents.
• Please join us for Women’s Night Out. We will be meeting at Carrabas Italian Grill on North Rock Rd. on Tuesday, January 28, at 6:30 p.m. A sign-up sheet will be posted on the nursery door, or call Marcie Fosdick, 733-0340, for reservations.

Altar Guild Recognition

During worship on December 29, the Altar Guild of Reformation Lutheran Church was recognized for their countless hours of work, their dedication, and their loving service during the past 12 months. Members of the Altar Guild prepare the worship space for each and every worship service during the year.

Thank you to the following Altar Guild members for their important ministry: Dorla Alseike (coordinator), Pat Anderson, Reeva Anderson, Tammy Birkholz, Karen Blume, Dovie Bowers, Barbara Borg, Lorraine Burrow, Mark Dickerson, Barbara Everson, Deanne Fortney, Betty Hayenga, Charlotte Herrold, Ruth Koepsel, Virginia Leikvold, Laura Lujano, Susan Martin, Nadine Norton, Carol Ott, Janis Peter, Sara Phares, Shari Ryding, Betty Schultz, and Marcia Werts.

Best Times of Life

Reformation’s fellowship group for those 55 and over, will meet Monday, January 13, at noon in Parish Hall. Come and join us for a potluck luncheon and program. Bring a covered dish to share, your table service, and call Betty (682-2030) or Pauline (942-4885) so the hosts will know how many tables to set. The program will be presented by Wendy Glick, Director of Volunteers at The Lord’s Diner. See you there!

Workshop & Hymn Jam with John Ylvisaker

Well-known musician and composer, John Ylvisaker (perhaps best known for his hymn, "I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry"), will lead a Worship & Music Workshop and Hymn Jam at Christ Lutheran Church, 5356 N. Hillside, on January 20 and 21. Both events are scheduled from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. A fee of $10 per person is being charged for the workshop on Monday, January 20, with registration requested by January 13. A free-will offering will be taken at the Hymn Jam on Tuesday evening, January 21. For more information, contact the church office.

Youth Choir News

Members of the Youth Choir participated in the Sunday School Christmas service on December 15 and went caroling with the LOGOS students on December 18 at Cornerstone. The singing was really appreciated by the residents of Cornerstone who gave us a warm welcome.

After the holiday break, choir rehearsals will resume on Wednesday, January 8, from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. Youth Choir members are encouraged to arrive on time since our rehearsals are quite short. A schedule of upcoming activities will be available at our next rehearsal. Please call Marlene Hallstrom (687-3135) if there are any questions.

Piano and Organ Instruction

Reformation organist, Marlene Hallstrom, is now accepting piano and organ students in her studio. If you would like more information, please contact her at 687-3135.

Our Mid-Week Children’s Program

Building Christian relationships in a four-part retreat experience.

LOGOS is a four-part congregational ministry dedicated to nurturing school-age children (K-6th grade) into discipleship. The four-part program consists of: Recreation, Worship, Family Time, and Bible Study. LOGOS meets every Wednesday evening (October-May) from 5:00 to 7:45 p.m.

We hope that everyone had a joyous holiday season! LOGOS will begin the second semester on January 8. We look forward to more fun in 2003, including Bal-A-Vis-X with Donna Meyer! (Wondering what Bal-A-Vis-X is? Find out more from Angela or Mary and come join us- it is fun for everyone!)

A reminder that second semester payments are due, and registration is being taken now for any new friends wanting to come! See Barbara Borg for payments and registration information.

Please keep this wonderful ministry in your prayers! We are needing Recreation Time helpers from 5:00 to 5:30 on Wednesdays; our adult/child ratio needs some balancing! Anyone that is interested please see Angela or Mary or contact the church office.

We also welcome new visitors, as always! Everyone is encouraged to bring a friend! See you January 8!

The January LOGOS themes will be as follows:

• Jan. 1 - No LOGOS
• Jan. 8 - Caribbean Cruise
• Jan. 15 - A Night of Cards
• Jan. 22 - Backwards Night
• Jan. 29 - Souper Bowl

Join the fun on Wednesday nights . . . Bring a friend!

The Parish Record

OCTOBER - DECEMBER

BAPTISM

• Kylla May Lafleur, December 22

MARRIAGE

• Gina Hueske and John Loomis, October 12

TRANSFER

• Angela Rose, Addison to Lord of Life, Wichita

DEATH

• LaVon Clark, September 29
• Dr. Ingolf Mork, December 17
• Jess Manor, December 30

New Members Received

On Sunday, December 8, the following persons were received into the membership of Reformation Lutheran Church:

• Pastor Tom & Marlene Hallstrom, 687-3135, Betsy, 5311 E. 27th St. N., Wichita 67220
• Jackson Lyimo, 612-6957, Anitha Lyimo, Dereck Muro, 9400 E. Lincoln St., #807, Wichita 67207
• Michael & Susan Mueller, 733-7444, Shusten, Annika, Joshua, 12821 Killenwood Dr., Wichita 67230

New Pastor To Be Installed

Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 11215 W. 13th St. N. in Wichita, cordially invites you to celebrate and give thanks to God at the installation of Pastor Joan Swander on January 5 at 3:00 p.m.

Community Ministries

Local Community

Yellow Bag Food Ministry - What a wonderful response by the congregation to the needs of the hungry in Wichita! You gave generously at the Thanksgiving service and throughout the month of November to help feed hungry people. Many thanks! We will again be handing out Yellow Bags on a Sunday in January. There will be a breakfast menu for the suggested meal items on the Yellow Bags for January. As always, remember the menu shown on the bag is just a suggestion. United Methodist Urban Ministry always has a need for items like peanut butter, tuna, soup, and non-fat dry milk.

Angel Tree - A big thank you for so quickly adopting our Christmas Angels. This year the angels were Oaks Indian Center children, families in the Inter-Faith Ministries Mother to Mother Program, and children receiving mental health services from Prairie View. Our thanks to Pam Adams, Angel Tree Coordinator, and the Angel Tree Ministry Team. Thank you to Jerry and Eva Whetstone for delivering the gifts to the Oaks Indian Center.

Local Benevolence Funds - Our congregation budget includes funds to support local organizations and activities as they reach out in many ways to those in need. The Local Benevolence Ministry Team determines which organizations will receive this support. Over the past few months we included in this column many of the notes of appreciation the congregation has received from these groups. The 2002 budget included $6,300 and it has been distributed as follows:

• United Methodist Urban Ministry - $800
• Habitat for Humanity - 500
• Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice - 400
• Women’s Crisis Center / Safe House - 275
• Inter-Faith Inn - 425
• Episcopal Social Services at Venture House - 200
• Meals on Wheels - 250
• Good Samaritan Clinic - 500
• Oaks Indian Center - 750
• Mennonite Housing - 500
• Wichita Heights Falcon Fellowship (Christ Lutheran Church) - 300
• Faith in Action (new Inter-Faith Program for elderly, disabled) - 400
• Operation School Bell - 250
• Wichita Children’s Home - 400
• Angel Tree Families - 350

Michele Groves, Community Outreach Coordinator, 634-0553

Course on Judaism To Be Offered For Non-Jews

A Taste of Judaism: An Introduction to Judaism for Non-Jews, a course taught by Rabbi Michael Davis, will be offered Thursday evenings,

January 9 through February 20, 7:30 - 9:00 p.m., at Congregation Emanu-El, 7011 E. Central. The course is for anyone interested in gaining a basic understanding of Jewish beliefs and practices. It is not an attempt to convert anyone to Judaism or an opportunity to argue the relative merits of one religion over another. Additional information is on the bulletin board in Parish Hall, or call 684-5148 to learn more and to sign-up.

Youth Invited to Audition for Les Miserables

Music Theatre for Young People will hold auditions January 7 & 14 for roles in a presentation of the Broadway musical, Les Miserables, on March 7-9. Youth age 13 through high school senior are invited to audition on Jan. 7. There are also two roles for children age 7-12 , and they audition on Jan. 14. Auditions will be held at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 7404 E. Killarney Place. Additional information is posted on the bulletin board in Parish Hall, or call 262-MTYP, or e-mail.

Last update August 03, 2008