Lord, in Spring We Are Reminded of the Magnificence of Your Creation

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN NEWSLETTER JUNE 2016

Lord, In Spring we are reminded of the magnificence of Your creation and we witness birth everywhere of animals bearing their young.

FROM THE DESK OF PASTOR CHERYLL

Dear Immanuel Community

It is a time for gatherings; gatherings for graduations and family reunions and high school and college reunions. At the reunions there are memories of years ago and then how people are now. With unions there are memories of years ago and then how people are now. With graduation there is much celebration for getting to “this point”, some remembering perhaps of special struggles and times together also, but there is an emphasis on “what is to come”. “What is to come?” “What are the possibilities?”

We are, i.e. the church is, in the life after the Pentecost, which is about growing and teaching, a time of life to “start a new page in life” --- changing (after all it is time led by Jesus’ Spirit, of transformation and growing, that continues to reconcile us to God and God’s people for which Jesus died). And change or transformation is more than coloring strips of one’s hair to lift up the seasons of the church year (although doing it can stir up other possibilities).

Each Sunday morning after our confession there is thankfully “forgiveness” and in the forgiveness we are given again “new life” and sometimes that is even said in the words. When I was much younger and I heard that language I would wonder “what does new life” mean? And when someone said “change” I would shudder as if something is wrong with me and what if I am not capable? Yet the words of Jesus “Do not fear, I am with you” in John 14 and 16, God will send the Holy Spirit in Jesus’s name to guide and teach us the truth and Jesus must go so the Holy Spirit can come. Such assurance for us! So……what are the possibilities to come? Blessings and Love

Pastor Cheryll

P.S. We are having a wonderful new Bible Study (digging into our faith) led by Sherry Harwood (Christian Education Superintendent) and Linda Ewen that are inspiring! Come and join us!

NEWS FROM THE PEWS

This writer had the privilege of participating in the Synod Assembly April 30 through May 2. I will share one or two of the numerous experiences in each Newsletter. One of the most noteworthy events was the honor of meeting Erv Janssen, M.D. He told me about visiting Immanuel Lutheran several years ago and sends his regards to those Friends in Christ he met at that time. I requested Erv share his excitement and experience with regard to the blessings realized by Guyana Fundraisers. Following is his contribution to Immanuel’s Newsletter.

A SPIRIT-LED MISSION “JOURNEY”

In 1996, Fellowship entered into a partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana (ELCG) to create conditions for work and joint activities with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana, both clergy and lay, to support, enable and enhance their mission and service to congregations, members, friends and neighbors in their respective communities.

Since 1996 Fellowship Lutheran Church with the collaboration with may congregations, INCLUDING IMMANUEL LUTHERAN, Cushing, OK have completed over 55 different trips with over 250 different individuals from throughout the United States and the financial support from many, many other congregations. Over the years teams have included medical, dental, construction, music education, youth, sewing instruction, computer installation, computer skills training, clothing bank, literacy training and mental health consultation/education. Special projects have included the Clergy Car Project, Reformation Parish River Video Evangelism, Education Support for Clergy Children, Reformation Boat Project (St. Paul Lutheran Church, Renwick, Iowa), Clergy Family Medication Support, Financial Support for Graduate Clergy Education, Clergy Retirement Fund, Boat Gas Fund, Immanuel Lutheran, Cushing, OK, and re- introduction of the Guyana Music Arts Festival serving the community at large.

GUYANA LUTHERAN MUSIC ACADEMY (GLMA): The GLMA is now our major Partnership activity! Eric Sayre is the Executive Director of the GLMA and has continued planning the establishment of the Guyana Lutheran Music Academy in collaboration with the Executive Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana. We are thrilled that this program was “launched” with the first class opening 15 September 2014 with 3 music education graduates teaching and over 160 students (youth and adults) registered. Please check the GLMA website (www.glma.gy) for updated information. We have 3 “new” teachers ready to begin classes for 2016-2017. IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, Cushing, OK: Yes, Immanuel Lutheran has been involved in this international mission, all the way from Oklahoma! Many years ago (maybe 1998 or so!) after a presentation to the congregation, funds have been collected from time to time and sent to Fellowship Lutheran in Tulsa for distribution to sisters/brothers in Christ in the rain-forest country of Guyana. Initially funds were used to help supply gas money for a boat to serve isolated congregations “up river” many miles. Now the funds are also helping educate future church and community leaders to serve through music!

PLEASE THANK ALL WHO HAVE HELPED over these many years working together with others to serve in Guyana! You have helped without even having to leave Cushing!

Blessings,

FROM THE DESK OF the Outreach and Social Concerns / Congregational Life, Worship and Education Council Member (better known as Sharon):

The July Celebration will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 3, 2016. Thank you to Cheryl Hockemeyer for confirming the music will be provided by Joyce Johnson. As in the past, the men will grill burgers and hotdogs with the other attendees providing sides. If you have an idea for a game or activity, please contact Sharon. Also, any and all volunteers to decorate the fellowship hall will be greatly appreciated.

THRIVENT Fundraiser

For the month of April, Immanuel hosted a Thrivent fundraiser for ELCA God’s Global Barnyard. The penny toss contest had 14 contestants. I am proud to announce the winner was ….. Bill Harwood with eight of ten pennies!!!! With one Sunday left for donation, the total donation is $150.00. For the month of May, Immanuel will host a Thrivent fundraiser for David Brondos. There will be a paper airplane contest. Time to start practicing!!!! Please support these missions!

DAVID BRONDOS This is an article from David Brondos’ website: https://sites.google.com/site/dbrondos/about-me I grew up in Massillon, Ohio and Cudahy, Wisconsin (a Milwaukee suburb), where my father Andrew served congregations of the Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church. In Junior High School I began studying Spanish and by the time I went to college at Concordia College, River Forest, Illinois, I was fluent in the language. There I majored in Philosophy and minored in Music. For four summers I also served as Coordinator of the Hispanic Ministry Workshop, which the College offered for people of Anglo background going into Hispanic ministry. After meeting my wife Alicia at the College in 1979 while she was studying English there, we were married in 1980, following my graduation. I studied Seminary at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, doing my year of vicarage (internship) both at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Mexico City and at Iglesia Luterana La Santísima Trinidad in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduating from seminary, I was called by the Board for Mission Services of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod to work with Lutheran churches in Mexico in several support areas, particularly leadership formation, and continued in that position until 1999. In 1996, I finished a PhD in Systematic Theology at King’s College/University of London in England, where I worked under Prof. Colin Gunton. My area of research was atonement theology. Since 1996, I have been serving as a professor at the Theological Community of Mexico, teaching primarily theology and Biblical studies (see my CV). After joining the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 2000, I was called to serve as Dean of the Theological Community, an ecumenical consortium of seminaries in Mexico City. I also was chosen to head Augsburg Lutheran Seminary, part of the Theological Community, when it reopened in 1998. I served as Dean of the Theological Community until 2004 and since then have continued to teach at the Theological Community as well as the Lutheran Seminary. My wife Alicia is a teacher, and we have two children, Elizabeth (married to Matthew Fry) and Monica. Both of our daughters are currently studying in the U.S.

Prayer List for June 2016

We pray with thanksgiving for the gift of love and compassion, for the days before us and what Jesus teaches us, we pray with our hearts for many --- for those who suffer tragedy including and especially the bombings in Kabul, in Jerusalem, for nations in combat, for families in conflict, for disasters in Japan, and Ecuador, for those whose bodies are failing, for those who are anxious, for those who are in transition, for job loss, for those in fear, for those who live in unjust systems, for those injured, for those living with chronic progressive disease, for those who find joy in the midst of chaos, for hope, for seeing what God has done and the possibilities under God’s call.

Cindy Ashwood Farrow Cindy Basinger Jason Beal Ryder Berryman Don Brown Dustin Brown Ricky Brown Richard Buxton Paul Dilbeck Becky Edwards Linda Ewen Mike Gillotte Paul Glasby Vernon Harrison Bill Harwood Sherry Harwood Pastor Tom Hilger Cheryl Hockemeyer George Hockemeyer Otto Hockemeyer Cris, Jacob and Michele Hough Chelsea and Lucas Hunsucker David Hunsucker Diann Hunsucker Carrie Killingsworth Ginger Little Duane Little Pastor Dean Maas Katie McGee Griffin Melson Che’rie Mitchell Sharon Mitchell Karen Oestmann Gary Pierce Jeannette Pierce Tyler Pierce Maddie Rasmussen Diana Riley McKellan Riley Cindy Rodgers Don Rouze Nancy Rouze Glen Smith Berneice Taylor Madeleine Taylor Tommy Taylor Chris and Christa Van Pelt Bill Van Pelt Carrie Waldman Diaconal Minister Sue Way

May prayers surround the families of Barbara Weaver and Leeilla Hawthorne and others who mourn the loss of loved ones. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Father of all mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ. We pray for comfort and strength in their loss, for the hope in Jesus Christ’s Resurrection and God’s eternal love and wide arms of mercy.

We pray for peace and justice all around us and beyond and may we be as giving of God’s peace and justice and reconciliation.

JUNE BIRTHDAYS

1 Maddie Rasmussen 1 David Hunsucker 2 Stephanie Hickman 4 Brandy Lockhart 6 Shiann Wingfield 8 Janice Doerge 9 Elaine Dock 14 Chris VanPelt 16 Cooper Williams 20 Mel Williams 22 Gary Boyle 22 James Oestmann 24 Morgun Oestmann 29 John Robertson 30 Aubrey Sturgeon

We celebrate the birthdays and mercies of travel for Julianna’s 75th and Tammy’s 50th and the Zell’s cruise.

JUNE ANNIVERSARIES

1 Melvin and Dorothy Oestmann 1 Brian and Jennifer Dye 8 Jerome and Linda Ewen 10 Chris and Terry Beloncik 19 Allen and Joyce Dove 22 Ronnie and Judy Bush

We celebrate the graduation of Briana Young, Katie Melson, Jolene Morse, Maddie, Dalen and Taylor Wolff. We pray for God’s care and the guiding and strengthening and hope of the Holy Spirit’s dwelling in them as they celebrate this milestone in their lives and prepare for each new day.

SAINTS IN SERVICE – JUNE ALTAR GUILD Diann USHER Karl WORSHIP ASSISTANT Karen O CHURCH CLEANING Bill & Sherry

JUN ACOLYTE CANTOR COMMUNION LAY ASSISTANT READER 5 Che’rie Sharon Linda Bill 12 Dustin Jeannette Karen L Che’rie 19 Jeannette Che’rie Bill Adeline 26 Wayne Karen L Dustin Che’rie

Upcoming Events June 2016 and more (based on what we know)

May 24 Newsletter and Service May 25 Eaton Webcast May 30 Memorial Day May 31 Prayer Shawl 1-3 pm at Immanuel May 26 Clergy Group and Grief Group June 4 Granny’s Pantry 9-noon June 10 Pastor Marilyn moves to OKC June 11 Racial Justice Workshop all day Tulsa June 12 Council Meeting June 14 Meet with Synod Secretary (Pr Cheryll) June 14 Prayer Shawl ministry 1-3 at Immanuel and Women’s Group at 6:30 PM at Wolff’s June 15 Pr Janai Moves to Concordia KS June 18 Peace Bread and Joy - Immanuel brings desserts – come at 4 to dish up desserts June 19 Father’s Day June 24-26 Outreach June 26 Congregational Meeting right after worship and then fellowship June 28 Prayer Shawl Ministry 1-3 PM July 2 Granny’s Pantry 9-Noon July 3 July Celebration July 16 Peace Bread and Joy - Immanuel cooks - come at 1 pm FUMC July 17 Pastor Liz Albertson comes to lead us in a Strategic Planning Session July 23 Implementation meets in Tulsa 11 AM July 30 Racial Justice meets in Tulsa 9 AM August 28 Bishop Mike comes to lead the congregation in Strategic Planning and visioning for a new future

Other Meetings to be announced:

Men’s Ministry, Worship, Congregational Life, Outreach, Bell Ringers for? Looking Farther Ahead ---

June 26 Congregational Meeting on Constitution and Parsonage use – Helping Hands Ministry or Rental or? July 3 July Celebration

Minutes of the April 10, 2016 Council Meeting

Bill called the meeting to order.

Present were Bill, Jerome, Diann, Sharon, Pastor Cheryll and Che’rie.

Pastor led the council in prayer.

Diann will have the devotion on Job for the May council meeting.

Che’rie read the minutes of the March council meeting. Corrections were made and a motion to accept was made by Diann. Jerome seconded the motion.

Diann presented the Treasurer’s report. Che’rie made a motion to accept and Sharon seconded the motion.

Pastor Cheryll presented her Ministry Report with no changes needed. Jerome Ewen submitted the Property Report.

Old Business: It was discussed that the congregational meeting might be held May 22 or June 26 to approve the Constitution depending on when we need to submit to Synod in time for Synod Council. It was later determined our congregational meeting will be June 26, 2016 following the Worship service. One copy of the new Constitution will be provided per family.

It was requested by the current tenant of the parsonage that the congregation be asked to vote on changing the status of the parsonage from a “Helping Hands” ministry to a rental property. With the understanding a new lease would be required, it was decided by the council to present the request to the Mutual Ministry committee before asking for a vote from the congregation.

An update on the new heating unit was given by Bill. He contacted the company that installed the unit and was told they could not resolve the issue of the burned area on the unit. They determined the unit ran correctly until other appliances connected to the gas were turned on, then the gas pressure dropped. Their recommendation was to contact someone who is an expert on gas wells/gas from oil wells. Sharon will ask Aaron for his expertise. Another avenue of expertise is Gary Pierce.

The council discussed offering the Church’s wifi internet to neighbors within a 5-mile radius. Pastor Cheryll agreed to be available to those needing to use the internet each Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon and Che’rie will be available on the first and third Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. beginning May 1, 2015. A flyer has been prepared and furnished to the Show and Tell Newspaper and KUSH radio.

Pastor Cheryll, Bill and Che’rie will attend the Synod Assembly from April 29 to May 1.

New Business: Discussion was had with regard to the July 4 celebration. It was determined the celebration will take place Sunday, July 3, 2016, immediately following the morning service. We will continue with the tradition of the men’s group grilling hamburgers and hotdogs with other attendees providing sides and desserts, including homemade ice-cream.

With regard to planning for the future, church finances, needs and concerns in what we want in a new pastor; Bill will call Bishop Mike and table this discussion until the next council meeting.

Dates of note:

May 29 Oestmann reunion

July 17 Wolff reunion

1st Tues in November – volunteers come in the night before and set up for voting

The next council meeting will be May 15.

The council adjourned with the Lord’s Prayer.

TREASURER’S REPORT: April deposits were $4,558.91, while the April expenses were $6,447.61. The extra income was Arkansas Okla. Synod internet grant of $1,200.00 and extra expenses were Granny”s Pantry of $222.00, Synod Assembly of $732.00 and Utilities refund to Che’rie for $1,000.00. For more information, see banking summary posted in the breezeway.

Pastoral Activity for April 2016 626 miles traveled (14 continuing ed*) 9 pastoral care sessions 4 worship services 4 sermons 3 Sunday School Sessions 10 meetings 2 and a half days at Synod Assembly Reports for Synod Implementation Task Force Dean’s Report Prepare Racial Justice Workshop at Assembly Letter and reports for Newsletter Lord,

In Spring we are reminded of the magnificence of Your creation, as the earth is covered in verdant green, with splendid splashes of color, and we witness birth everywhere of animals bearing their young, of buds turning into leaves and flowers and our own moods being reborn with renewed energy and life.

Lord, in Summer, we remember the warmth of Your love for us and the light of Your goodness. Both are everywhere for those who look. Thank You for butterflies, birds and wildlife for us to enjoy, water to swim in, and weather that frees us to romp and play while outdoor pleasures are at their peak.

In Fall, we thank you for Your cooling breezes, that bring relief from the relentless summer heat. We see bright colors fading and dying, leaves turning brown, crisp, disintegrating, only to be reborn next year, reminding us that every living thing, including us, must die in some way before being reborn.

In Winter, as white snow blankets the ground, we are reminded of Your purity and Your perfection. The complexity and beauty of each single snowflake only hints at Your transcendent intelligence and creativity. We hunker down and snuggle in, knowing this season will wind down and Spring will reappear, as it always has because You created an orderly, predictable universe, not by chance, but from your flawless design.

Thank You for the seasons, Lord, and everything in them that You created for our enjoyment.