Isaiah 25:9) That’S Abnormal
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
April 2020 Worship Schedule “And it will be said in that day, Such things are normal. What’s not 9:00 am-Traditional Worship “Behold this is our God for whom normal is when that fear continues, 10:15 am-Sunday School we have waited that He might save for a day, or weeks, or, for months. 11:15 am-Heartsong, Contemp. us…” (Isaiah 25:9) That’s abnormal. You are sick with it and need help. This is when fear Staff becomes faithlessness, and, this— Jim Nipper, Pastor This is one of the passages I was in my opinion—is where our nation Carolynn Bailey, Music Director shown as I googled the phrase “the is right now, yes, even the world. Melissa Malenda, Parish Nurse last days” I chose it because it Tony Mowell, Heartsong Leader seemed to me the most positive of Cindy Watkins, Office Admin. all the ones I saw. Keep the faith. How can I put this Marcy Aaroen-Faith Formation plainly? Turn off the TV, radio, The last days. Really, pastor? Are and every other device that exists Council and Officers you suggesting what I think you are in your home for at least two hours Ken Olander, President suggesting? Yes. But let me ex- each day (more would be better). Cassie McAllister, Vice President plain… Contemplate, pray, read Bible sto- Patty Wessner, Secretary ries. Listen to music. Share stories Susan Reaves, Treasurer You see, this is the problem. Peo- with your family about when you Ken Diehl, Financial Secretary ple jump to conclusions because of were young or stories your grand- Sean Golden, Christian Ed. the fear that’s in their hearts. Right parents told you. Remember – Lent Brenda Whitson, Outreach now there is more fear than faith in is still with us for about 2 weeks. Ken Loveday, Property our country. Even with the true Gene Maddox, Finance news about this pandemic (and we And, as far as it being the “last Cat Hopper, Social Ministry appreciate this news), the media is days”? Yes – the last days for the Tom Marshall, Stewardship still feeding our fears. Coronavirus. What I mean is with Patti Hembre, Worship/Music God’s help we will conquer this Ronda Keffer, Shepherds/Inreach Fear is okay; it is natural. When we virus. It will take a while, but it is Shawn Dahlke, Youth Ministry were young, a friend jumps out be- in its last days. Have faith. Believe Gabe Aaroen, Youth Rep. hind a tree and surprises us. We that God is with us and with all our healthcare people and systems. Be Our Saviour Lutheran Church jump back because for a moment it’s out of surprise but also fear. safe. Stay home. Keep washing 212 Sunset Drive those hands. Johnson City, TN 37604 423-282-2313 You know this feeling I’m about to God loves you and so do we Email: [email protected] describe. You are almost at the Web: www.oslc.church store, or at work, and you think you forgot your cell-phone. For a split Pastor Jim News articles are due by April 22 to second you panic. But that panic appear in May’s NewSense. subsides when you find that your Please continue to mail in your tith- phone had fallen down in your ing. We have monthly bills that are purse or down in the floorboard. It’s a momentary panic. not going to stay away just because we are supposed to. Purpose statement: “Make disciples and grow in grace.” 1 Financial Recap: February 2020 Offerings & Expenditures Month of February Year to Date: 2020 Actual Budget Variance Actual Budget Variance Offerings $ 28,822 $ 30,428 $ (1,606) $ 64,432 $ 60,856 $ 3,576 Expenditures & Other Items 30,317 29,811 (506) 57,390 63,188 5,798 Gain or (Loss) $ (1,495) $ 617 $ (2,112) $ 7,042 $ (2,332) $ 9,374 February 29 Balance Sheet Assets Liabilities & Equity Checking (Operating Cash) $ 42,130 Current Payables $ - Savings (Council-Restricted Cash) 141,075 Total Operating Cash $ 183,205 Mortgages & Long-Term Debt - Endowment Funds $ 40,211 Other Liabilities - Other Donor-Restricted Cash 37,858 Total Liabilities $ - Total Cash $ 261,274 Facilities and Other Fixed Assets $ 1,383,322 Equity $ 704,889 Less Accumulated Depreciation (939,707) Net Fixed Assets $ 443,615 Total Liabilities & Equity $ 704,889 Total Assets $ 704,889 Highlights We started off the year with terrific offerings for the month of January. However, in February, we regressed some what in our offerings. February’s average offerings per Sunday were down 1.5% from last February, and down 7.1% from February 2018. Expenses for February were slightly unfavorable to the budget, by $506. Total Operating Cash (Checking and Savings) amounted to $183,205 as of February 29. The ELCA has recommended that a church keep 30 percent of its annual operating budget on hand in Total Operating Cash, as a safety margin for unforeseen eventualities. Our Total Operating Cash on February 29 represented 47 percent of our 2020 budget, meaning that OSLC remains in a sig- nificantly stronger financial position than the minimum recommended by the ELCA—especially important in a period such as we’re in now, with the national health crisis and its potential eco nomic impact. 2 April Changes and Reconfigurations At this printing, everything scheduled for the month of April is cancelled or postponed. Please be available if the need be to take part in video conferencing of some type if your church leader asks for it. If you do not have a computer or smart phone, we are sure your leaders will be hap- py to make a hard copy of the meeting and send it out to you. Be patient with us and we try to teach patience to the world around us. Our synodical bishop, Rev. Kevin Strickland has pastorally but strongly encouraged us not to worship during the month of April, so, we will comply. This also includes any and all weekly gatherings for study and prayer. We will continue to provide a form of worship on Sunday mornings via our YouTube channel for OSLC. Click the link on our webpage (www.oslc2.cc) to get the latest link. Marcy Aaroen is also publishing a lesson based on the week’s Gospel (which includes a children’s page as well as questions for adults. Not getting this page? That’s because we don’t have an e-mail address for you. Call and give it to Cindy and your name will be added.) Prayers for patience in the midst of this quarantine of our spiritual lives. Tornado Relief for WORSHIP/MUSIC COMMENTS St. John’s Lutheran Ch urch It’s difficult to be home so much of the time but there are some things you can do to keep music and worship alive in your home. Your Council has approved the —Read your Bible and especially the gospels as Palm Sunday receiving of monies to be sent and Easter are almost here directly to St. John’s Lutheran —Call some church members including older people to talk Church, Nashville (the ELCA con- and to see how they are doing gregation destroyed by last —Listen to the Christian radio station WCQR 88.3 week’s tornado). We will receive If you have a computer or iPad, listen to Christian songs by Chris Tomlin, Matt Maher, Matt Redman or another favorite funds up through Easter Sunday, artist. Enjoy the beautiful voices of female vocalists Lauren April 12. Please make checks out Daigle, Kari Jobe, or Francesca Battistelli to “OSLC” and ear-mark for —Remember to watch Pastor Nipper’s video church service on “Tornado Relief.” We will then Sunday morning mail a check to St. John’s to their —Stay connected, stay home, and stay safe. PO Box in Nashville. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else Thessalonians 3:12 3 April Volunteers for Traditional April Heartsong Volunteers If we meet. If we meet. Acolyte Worship Leader Acolytes 26 26-Caleb Wilcox Janeen Pennell, Lector Schedule Mandy Widener 26-Helen Fetterolf Projectionist Usher Altar Guild 26-Julie Anne Mowell Travis Pennell 26-Susan Reaves Communion Assistants LEM 26-TBD Ushers Financial Tellers 5-John Stamm, Sharon Raye 12-Karen Wilson, Jim Malenda Confirmation 2020 19-Christy Huff, Janeen Pennell 26-Joe and Lu Mattson Dear students and parents – watch for e-mails that may contain lessons for you to go over to- Families of the Week gether. We are basically almost finished with 5-Jimmy and Julia Guinn; Faith Akin our material for the year (I was going to use this time to start reviewing over the year). Will our 2nd year students affirm their baptisms on Pen- tecost May 31st? The jury is still out on that, Flowers for Sunday 26-Christy Huff but it will happen – just at a later date. Pray that we will be able to get together soon in every Hospital Visitor Christian Educational way. (And, watch for ..5-Gugliotta 12-Mattson 19-Miller 26-Blackmer those e-mails.) Library Committee—Mary Ann McGaughey Prayer Shawl Team 1st wk-Beverly Gugliotta, Nancy Shilling, Patty Neas 2nd wk-Lu Mattson, Celia Martin 3rd wk-Cheryl Milliken, Trudy Blackmer, Betty Chalkley 4th wk-Karin McCoy, Mary Ann McGaughey, Becky Hamilos, Nursery—We need volunteers every week, please sign up! Attendance for March 2020 Date 9:00 am 11:15 am total First Communion March 1 157 54 211 We will not, obviously, be able to celebrate First 3/4 Lent Worship Noon-23 6:30 pm-24 47 Communion on our usual Palm Sunday.