RE-FOCUS
A Publication of Reformation Lutheran Church
Volume 24 April 2004 Number 4
To our Reformation Family,
The Pitts and Buxton families would like to thank the women of the
church for the delicious meal they provided for the family after James’
service.
Also we would like to thank Parish nurses, Barb Lee and Jette
Mortensen, for their comfort and care at the time of James’ accident and
death.
Thank you also to Pastor Sally for leading the funeral service. She was
a blessing to all of us.
Carolyn Pitts; Mike & Pam Buxton; Mark & Julie Buxton
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I wish to thank all those involved with the prayer chain for all your
prayers for my great nephew Jeremy Steele of Slippery Rock, PA. He
recently died from colon & liver cancer. In spite of all the
chemotherapy, the cancer consumed his young body - he had just turned 30 a
month ago.
May God bless you all,
Sylvia Stevens
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Thank you to those who recently signed-up to do the lawn mowing this
season. As a matter of information, we recently inquired about the cost of
having the lawn professionally mowed and trimmed on a weekly basis. The
estimate for the 8+ months we mow was $4500-5000. Thank you again to those
who are giving their time and effort to eliminate this expense.
Synod Assembly
The 17th Annual Assembly of the Central States Synod, ELCA,
will be held in Springfield. MO, April 23-25. This year’s theme is: “Marked
with the cross of Christ forever, we are claimed, gathered, and sent...for
the sake of the world.” Speakers will include Bishop Gerald Mansholt,
the Rev. Dr. Richard Bliese, Luther Seminary, and the Rev. Brent Dahlseng,
Dir. of the Evangelism Task Force, ELCA.
During the Saturday evening banquet, pastors observing milestone
anniversaries of ordination will be honored. This year, they will include
Bishop Gerald Mansholt (30 years) and Rev. Robert Kloth (50 years).
Representing Reformation will be our elected delegates Wil Johnson,
Mary Lou Bengtson, Greg and Amy Keith, and Pastor Hallstrom.
Midweek Activities Director
Please join me in warmly welcoming Sheryl Johnson as the new Midweek
Activities Director beginning in the fall of 2004. We will be putting
together a team to help facilitate the development of the program and
activities. Watch for more exciting news to follow.
Michon Weingartner
Women of Reformation
CIRCLE MEETINGS
- Sarah, Monday, April 19,
7:00 p.m. at the home of Muriel Hansen, 8146 Grail St., Lesson Leader:
Muriel Hansen
- Dorcas, Wed., April 21,
1:00 p.m. at the home of Barb Lee, 6903 E. 14th, Lesson Leader: Doris
Steg
- WELCA Board will meet
Monday, April 5, 1 p.m. at the church.
- Blanket Makers will meet
Mondays April 5 & 19 at 9 a.m. at the church.
- Monthly Outreach Ministry:
we will meet at Cornerstone Assisted Living at 3 p.m. on April 13.
Come join and play “Wheel of Fortune” with their residents. All
women are welcome to attend.
- Spring Cleaning your Closets?
On Sunday, April 18 & 25, WELCA will be taking donations of
clothing that is clean and in good condition.
All kinds of clothing for women, children and men will be accepted.
Donations will be sorted and given to organizations such as “Dress
for Success”, “Economy Corner”, etc. They will then be given to
those in need. There will be a box in Parish Hall to put your
donations in.
- Cluster Meeting is May
1, 9 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 925 N. Waco.
- Mother - Daughter - Friend Salad Supper
will be Tuesday, May 4, at 6:30 p.m. Bring your
favorite salad to share. The drinks and dessert will be provided. A
special program is planned also. There will be a sign-up sheet in the
narthex to give us an estimate of how many to prepare for. All women of
the church are invited to attend an evening of fellowship and fun
together.
Best Time of Life has
decided not to have a luncheon and program in April. Our regular
meeting date falls the day after Easter. Church personnel will not be
working that day nor will the church be open. It was decided at the
last meeting to skip April. The next BTOL meeting will be May 10.
Community Ministries
Local Communities
Yellow Bag Food Ministries - Thank you for
your continued generosity to the hungry in Wichita. A recent thank you
letter from United Methodist Urban Ministry (UMUM) told us
that an average of 2,754 families received gifts of food items each month
in 2003 from the UMUM Food Ministry. Reformation Local Benevolence
financial support also helps UMUM serve those in need in our
community.
Looking Ahead - Watch for information about new opportunities to
serve others this spring and summer. These may include building a house
with Habitat for Humanity, availability of Fair Trade Coffee
and an opportunity to be a part of Heartland Share.
Global Community
Haiti Crisis - Haiti is one of the most
impoverished countries in the world. The recent unrest in that country
continues to cause problems for ongoing work of development workers. The Lutheran
World Federation is part of Action by Churches (ACT).
ACT members are working on an appeal for contributions to assist the most
vulnerable of the affected population in the following areas: food,
security, first aid, health and sanitation activities and legal
assistance. If you would like to help, monetary contributions may be sent
to:
ELCA World Hunger
PO Box 71764
Chicago, IL 60694
Or you may make a check payable to Reformation with an annotation for
ELCA World Hunger for Haiti Crisis.
Michele Groves
Community Outreach Coordinator
634-0553
“Spruce Up The Gardens”
It is that time again! We will gather at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday,
April 3 to remove debri from the gardens, trim unwanted growth,
re-distribute mulch and also to clean up the median at 13th and Broadmoor.
Bring trimmers, rakes, brooms and wear garden gloves! Refreshments will be
served following the clean-up!
Summer Softball League
Wichita Church Athletic Summer COED Softball League plays starts the
week of May 10. If you are interested is playing on a church softball
team, please contact David Day, team coordinator, at 799-2125 (home) or
261-6550 (work), or you may sign up in the narthex.
Cost for the team play is $400 per team, which will be split equally
among the team members. The deadline to sign up is April 12. Let’s
play ball!
New additions to the library from the Ben
Langel Memorial Fund.
Many thanks to Sondra for all her efforts.
The New Interpreter’s Bible is a twelve-volume series, updating
the popular Interpreter’s Bible from a few decades ago. There are
several key features common to all of the volumes of this series. First,
each includes a two-column, double translation of the Biblical text (NIV -
New International Version, and NRSV - New Revised Standard
Version) arranged by topical unit or story. Then, they provide
commentaries that look at the passages as a whole, as well as
verse-by-verse. Third, interesting reflection pieces that relate the
passages to each other, to history, and to current concerns occur at the
conclusion of each passage. Fourth, introductory articles for each book
are provided that discuss transmission, historical background, cultural
setting, literary concerns, and current scholarship. Finally, there are
general articles about the Bible, each Testament, and various types of
literature (Narrative, Gospel, Wisdom Literature, etc.) are provided to
give general placement and knowledge about the text overall.
The list of contributors, editors, and consultants on the project is a
veritable Who’s Who of biblical and theological scholarship,
representing all major traditions and schools of thought, liberal and
conservative. Leander Keck, of the Yale Divinity School, is the primary
editor of the series.
The set includes seven volumes for the Old Testament/Hebrew Scriptures,
and five volumes of the New Testament. Interspersed among the first seven
volumes are the apocryphal texts. Please stop in and check out this
wonderful addition to our library.
Lawn Care Service
Do you need lawn mowing or lawn care? We do both commercial and
residential. Call Adam, Aaron, or Bryan Watkins at 733-9668 for a bid.
Easter Bags and Easter Breakfast
It is now time to begin considering helping out the Youth with this
project. We will be needing people to volunteer to make the casseroles. We
are also doing the bags a little differently and putting in more fun
things instead of just candy. If you would like to help please see Michon
or Tina at the Youth activities table, following both services. The Middle
School Youth are seeking to raise funds for the Cathy Pino concert and
lock-in on April 30. Thrivent will be matching the funds raised during the
Easter Breakfast. The Easter Breakfast will be from 9:15 a.m. to 10:30
a.m. in the Parish Hall. The Easter Bags will be given out in the Parish
Hall to all youth following the 11 a.m. service.
Alleluia Balloons
Remember to bring back your “Alleluia Balloons” and pennants on
Easter Sunday April 11. We will refill them with helium. If you have
misplaced yours, not to worry, we should have plenty of extras.
Cathy Pino Concert
Mark your calendars for April 30. Reformation is pleased to announce
that we will be hosting a concert by Cathy Pino. She was one of the
musicians who performed at the recent Youth Quake weekend offered here in
Wichita. This will be a freewill offering concert. The concert will start
at 7:00 p.m. followed by fellowship and light refreshment from 8:00-8:30
p.m.
Middle School Youth
The Middle School youth will be having a lock-in on Friday April 30,
starting at 9:00 p.m. Various activities will be taking place, from music
and singing, Bible studies, games, movies, food, and much, much more.
Please let Michon know by April 2, if you will be coming as we need to
plan for food.
Intergenerational
Sunday School Event
Our last Intergenerational event for the Sunday School year will be
Sunday April 25 at 9:45 a.m. in the Parish Hall. Our theme will be “The
Good Soil Garden Center”. This is for all ages and we look forward to
seeing everyone there.
Confirmation Camp
I know that it is still a little cold out, but summer is right around
the corner. It is time to start considering those who will be going to
Confirmation Camp July 18 – 23. We have missed the early bird discount,
but are still taking applications. Please see Michon in the office if you
are interested.
Happenings at Bethany College
- St Matthew’s Passion – April 9, 7:30 p.m. Presser
Hall
- Messiah Performance – April 4 & 11, 3:00 p.m.
Presser Hall
- Lost and Found Concert – April 16, 7:00 p.m.
Presser Hall. (Admission $3)
Spring Forward Sunday April 4
Holden Village
Many of us have come to know and love the music and liturgy of Holden
Evening Prayer (setting by Marty Haugen), which we have used during
many midweek Advent services. But, what do we really know about Holden
Village? Do you know that it was an abandoned copper mining town, nestled
in the Cascade Mountains of Washington, given to the Lutheran Church in
1961? Did you know that each year the village attracts more than 6,000
people seeking renewal through worship, study, work, recreation,
celebration, and conversation?
If you are interested in learning more, look for the display on the
center bulletin board in Parish Hall. Addresses, phone numbers, and a web
site address are provided - as well as some beautiful photos.
Lenten Meals
Our weekly Lenten meals (both lunch and supper) were a wonderful
opportunity to share good food and fellowship as members gathered for
worship. A sincere “Thank you” to the following groups and individuals
who provided either lunch or supper during the past six weeks:
- Jack and MaryAnn Mercer
- Nora and Doris Steg
- Russell and Sandy Muse
- Susan Cherches
- Shari Ryding and Pam Adams
- Jeanne Tiller and Donna Moyer
- Eva Whetstone and Barbara Lee
- BTOL
- Golfers for God
- Stephen Ministers
- Church Council
- Women of Reformation Board.
Safe Haven Policy
The Reformation Safe Haven Policy has been in the development stages
for the last couple of years. We now have the formal document that the
council has passed and we would like to share it with the congregation.
Pastor Tom and Michon will have an information/question meeting on Sunday,
April 18 at 9:45 a.m. during the adult forum. Please plan on
attending this informative meeting and bring any questions you may have.
We will have a copy of the Safe Haven Policy available for every family on
Sunday, April 4.
Youth and Children’s Choir Schedule
Rehearsals:
- March 31, 5:30 - 6:15 p.m.: rehearse together
- April 7, NO rehearsal
- April 14, 21, & 28, regular rehearsals, 5:45
p.m.: Children’s Choir, 6:15 p.m.: Youth Choir
Worship:
-
April 4, Palm Sunday, 11:00 a.m. Youth
and Children sing with the Parish Choir
-
May 2, 11:00 a.m.: Youth and Children
sing
Seder Dinner
On Thursday, April 8 at 5:30 p.m., Reformation will
be hosting a Seder Meal. For those of you who have never experienced the
Pesach or Passover celebration, we encourage you to join us. This will be
an occasion to commemorate the ancient Jewish tradition of Passover just
as Jesus did during the Last Supper. We will remember the wonder of God’s
great salvation and the liberation of the Jewish people from the land of
Egypt. The Seder meal is an observance that celebrates a common heritage
shared by the Jewish and Christian faiths, and allows us to explore the
Jewish roots of Christianity. Please RSVP to Michon in the church office
by calling 634-0586, or e-mail. There is also a sign up sheet at the Youth
Activities table.
Last update
August 03, 2008
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