For All the Saints
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
For All the Saints Where we meet as God’s People of Joy! October, 2018 Volume 21, Issue 10 Inside This Issue Social Ministry Movie Night From the Pastor 2 Friday, October 5, at 6:30 pm. Together for Service 3 Please join us to watch Slavery by Another Name. This 90-minute documentary challenges one of Sunday School 9 Americans’ most cherished assumptions: the belief that slavery in this country ended with the Emancipa- October Birthdays 11 tion Proclamation. The film tells how even as chattel slavery came to an end in the South in 1865, thou- sands of African Americans were pulled back into forced labor with shocking force and Dates to Note! brutality. Social Ministry Movie Look for more movie nights on December 7, Febru- October 5 ary 1, and April 5. Put the dates on your calendar!! Acts Study Recog. AND we are inviting suggestions from all of you for October 14 films or documentaries you would like to see that Wil-Mar Meal reflect social injustice. As we live into the Good Sa- October 20 maritan story, which our congregation adopted as Seasoned Saints our identifying story, we want to think more deeply October 20 about the questions of “who is our neighbor” and CROP Walk “how do we serve our neighbor.” October 21 Please share your suggestions with any member of Reformation Sunday our team (Judith Bodden, Adam Lohrmann, Justin October 28 Morrow, Mary Nervig, Kat Pluff, David Reinhart, Jill Ruffridge, or Alicia Suguitan). And mark your calen- dar with the above dates! If you’d like to change to electronic giving, scan this QR code and sign up. It’s fast and easy! For All The Saints Page 2 From the Pastor A man named Kevin Shelton went to the mall in Tampa, Florida. Instead of shop- ping, Kevin went to give away about $7,000. He strapped wads of cash to his body and strolled among the shoppers handing out one dollar bills. In two hours, the 32 year old gave away the money with only smiles, hugs, and "thank yous" to show for his time. Shelton made his money buying and selling real estate. He says giving away the money is what he chooses to do and added, " I think it's making an im- pact." Most shoppers took the money and walked away giggling. Some recipients said they would give the free gift to someone else in need. Shelton says a few peo- ple took time to chide him for not giving the money to the truly needy. Shelton began giving away cash last year hoping to brighten people's days and to spark generosity. He says he never keeps track of what he gives away, but guesses he has passed out tens of thousands of dollars. Kevin Shelton's generosity is a good example of the seeming paradox that we must give to receive. He doesn't give away cash to build a bigger fortune. Kevin gives what he cannot keep to gain something he cannot lose. (Associated Press, Wednesday, March 20, 2002) Giving what we cannot keep to gain something we cannot lose. Fall is the time when we invite members to make a financial commitment to the work and ministry of St. Stephen’s for the upcoming year. This year the leader- ship is also challenging the congregation to consider doubling their generosity for the month of October to sync up our passion for ministry with our finances for this year. Fall is also a time when we invite people to explore other commitments that in- volve our experience, our time, our hearts and minds, our expertise, our willing- ness to try, and our ability to respond to God’s invitation to follow. Those possi- bilities range from the many ministries that are currently ongoing to the ideas that have not even been imagined yet. Our vitality as a congregation begins with God’s mission and call which contin- ues with our response and commitment. Giving away gifts can include ‘news- worthy’ items like someone giving away money at the mall, but it also includes the quiet phone calls of encouragement, the preparation of the altar for Sunday morning, and the quality time spent with a child teaching God’s story. Giving away gifts keeps us vital and alive and reminds us of the gift of new life that God has given to us through Jesus. A gift we cannot lose. As you begin to think again about your response to God’s gifts given and re- ceived. What will God lead you to give? How will those gifts be channeled through and lived out in your life and the ministry we all share as the body of Christ? We have been blessed to go out and be a blessing! Together in Christ! Pastor Elisa Page 3 For All The Saints Wil-Mar Saturday, October 20 at 9:30 am Please thank Erena and Nan Osawa, Rylee and Karen Kordela, Pastor Elisa and David Reinhart, Cary Pierce, and Jessica Sullivan for their help with this month’s Wil-Mar meal. These fellow St. Stephen’s volunteers worked together to prepare and serve 86 meals that included Sloppy Joes, potato chips, green beans, green and fruit salad, and pie at the Wil-Mar Community center on September 15. We at St. Stephen’s church are blessed with the opportunity to provide help to people in need on the third Saturday of each month. Contact Steve Sullivan at 608-513-4501 ([email protected]) or John Esser at 244-3088 ([email protected]) if you would like to volunteer. Seasoned Saints Saturday, October 20 at 9 am Please join us at 9:00 at Monona Gardens Restaurant for fun and fellowship. We’ll order off the menu and share conversation. Everyone is welcome! Triangle Ministry Meal Many thanks to the group of 14 from St. Stephen’s who prepared and served the Monday evening meal at the Triangle Ministries. A special thanks to Fran Malloy who organized this event. It was a joy and privilege to share this time with the residents of the Triangle. Special Prayers Finance Update Condolences Through August 2018 Year-to-Date Expense: $299,011.91 Hospitalized, Injured, or Ill Jill Kerwin, Barb Kepler, Alice Year-to-Date Income: $292,912.64 Schuller Difference: $-26,772.89 Wedding Original Mortgage (10/2010): $1,361,512 Amanda Littel and Cody Ponsler Principal Paid: 569,782.40 Remaining Balance: $795,783.70 Monthly Mortgage Payment: $6916.00 For All The Saints Page 4 Generosity An invitation from the Stewardship Team Generosity. It is our fall focus as we strive to maintain our vital ministries and look to the future so we can continue to serve as God’s people of joy. Words like giving, abundance, bigheartedness and openhandedness come to mind when we think of generosity. It is an opportunity to serve God and share with others. God wants us to be continually generous with each other just as he is constantly generous with us. As ministry teams gather in October for their regular meetings, they will also participate in a brief Bible study on generosity. Why not join in this examination of generosity? You’re encouraged to participate in this Bible study as you’re sharing a family dinner or gathering with friends. Prayerfully consider how God generously showers us with love and abundance and how we can share that abundance with others. Read and reflect on the following Bible passages from 1 John 4:7-12. As you read the passage, think about your own lives — consider how God’s love is demonstrated through generosity and sharing and what each of us can do to share generously. After your discussion, read the prayer that follows the Bible passage. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. Holy Lord, we thank you for your generous blessings of love and abundance. Inspire our hearts and purpose our lives so that we may serve you and share your loving gifts with your children everywhere. Help us to live lives of generosi- ty in honor and praise of him who generously offered himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Lord. AMEN Recognition of the Acts Bible Study Completion On Sunday, October 14, there will be a time of gathering in acknowledgement of the completion of the Book of Acts Bible Study. We have several members who have partnered together to read the Book of Acts, discuss, and pray. Those who have participated, please join us in Fireside between services on the 14th. Where will the Holy Spirit lead next? Page 5 For All The Saints Double the Generosity in October As a member of this congregation, you have probably, at one time or another, taken part in meaningful worship, heard inspiring preaching and experienced the hopeful, welcoming energy of the Holy Spirit moving in this place.