Lewiston Church of the Brethren Lifestyle March 2005

Our vision: Bound together on a journey of faith, we are a Christ-centered community, prayerfully discovering and sharing God’s love.  

Our Mission:  Knowing Christ and making Him known, through worship, growing in faith, community building and service. 

Lessons from God

      I can remember times from my youth when I was a “know-it-all”.  I thought I had so much experience, so much wisdom that had just dropped out of the sky and landed in my head.  I knew how to live my life-better than my parents, better than my teachers in school, better than even the pastor at my parent’s church.  Maybe some of you remember similar times from your life.  I think it’s a part of being a teen-ager, part of being a young adult.

      Some of us “know-it-alls” continued with this approach to life well into our 20s and 30s.  Few people could change our minds—especially since we had firmly decided what was what and weren’t interested in learning anything new or different.  We weren’t even open to the idea that God Almighty could be trying to teach us something new, trying to show us a better way of living!

      Does any of this sound familiar to you?  I imagine there may be many of us who have put ourselves ahead of God, thinking we know better than God.  And then, we were caught up short; we got into trouble, and found ourselves asking for mercy.  That is, if we were lucky enough to have recognized our foolishness and then stopped long enough to listen to what God was trying to say.

      One day Jesus announced to the crowd surrounding Him, “I am the bread of life.”  The crowd could only think of ordinary loaves of barley bread.  They could only think of the obvious.  They could only see the man whose hometown was Nazareth.  Some of them even knew Jesus’ parents from Nazareth.

      Jesus said, “They will all be taught by God.  Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to me.”  This response from Jesus was an answer to some who had taken exception to Jesus’ words about Himself.  Jesus told them that only those who were open-minded enough, only those who were willing to allow themselves to be taught by the Lord God of Heaven—these folks would be the ones who actually listened to what God said and learned what God had to teach.  And what they would learn was that God is fundamentally gracious and forgiving.  No sin or setback will be of sufficient depth to separate God’s people from God’s amazing grace and faithful love.  The way God offers this grace and love is to send down Jesus, God’s beloved son, so that all of creation can be redeemed, loved and blessed.

      May we all be open-minded and willing to learn from God and from the example of God’s Son, Jesus the Christ.  May we all become aware of God’s grace and love that surpasses all human understanding, especially during this season of Lent and Easter.

                                                              --Sister Cara

 

March Scripture

3/6        Eph. 5:8-14; John 9:1-41

3/13      Ez. 37:1-14; John 11:1-45

3/20      Phil. 2:5-11; Matt. 26:14-27:66

3/27      Acts 10:34-43; Col. 3:1-4

 

Hallelujah Christ is Risen!

      Every year we have set aside a time to celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Easter Sunday will be celebrated on March 27th.  Come and join the celebration.

      7:30 am Sunrise Service (in the sanctuary because it might be snowing!)

      8-9 am Breakfast

      9:30 am Worship Service

      PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN TIME FOR THE WORSHIP SERVICE.

      Come and join the celebration.

 
Counting the good things
When we start to count flowers,
      We cease to count weeds;
When we start to count blessings,
      We cease to count needs.
When we start to count laughter,
      We cease to count tears;
When we count happy memories,
      We cease to count years.
       --United Church of Sun City, Sun City, AZ
                                             taken from The Pulse.

 

 

Serving us in March

Ushers:                Ray & Diane Radatz

Greeters:                Penny Wilson

Jr. Ushers:             6              Parker Cage

13            Bethany Dahl

20            Elizabeth Lee

27            Daniel Dahl          

Worship Leader:                  Cliff Bollinger

Worship Team:     6              Judy, Uli, Jess         

                13            Judy, Uli, Jess

                20            Diane, Linda, Roger

27            Diane, Linda, Roger

Special Music:      6              Linda Risser

                                13            Jess Hoffert

                                20            Choir

27            Choir

Children’s Story:    6            Roger Peckover

                                 20           Uli Schorn-Hoffert

Children’s Church:

                   6th & 20th            No Children’s Church         13th & 27                 Gordon Hoffert

Nursery:                   6            Linda Dahl

                                13            Linda Risser

                                20            Penny Wilson

27            Marilyn Sanders  

Fellowship Meal:                  C/S Bollinger, T/K Bollinger

 

  “Faith is putting all your eggs in God’s basket,

then counting your blessings before they hatch.”

            --Ramona C. Carroll

 

 FEBRUARY ATTENDANCE AND OFFERING

Date        S.School    SS offering   Worship            *Worship

            Attendance     Offering     Attendance         Offering

6th………15………..$57.50………….. 40……….$773.00

13th ….... 22………….21.50……..……38………1,112.00

20th  ……21………….23.45…..………45.............1,145.00

Ave…….19………...$34.15….………..41……...$1,010.00   

*$1,560.00—projected need for our ministries each week.

God is able to do exceedingly abundantly—above what we can imagine. 

 

 

Hold in prayer.......

….All the victims and families of the disaster in South Asia and those bringing relief.

….National and world leaders that they seek God’s wisdom in their leadership and work for peace and justice for all people.

     Because we have different ways of expressing our prayer requests and different needs for expression, we ask that you submit any prayer requests you wish to have listed in the bulletin and in the Lifestyle newsletter to the office in writing or via phone. Also notify the office when you wish to have that request removed or moved to “Thanks be to God” as we celebrate answered prayer.  Let us continue to make prayer a priority in our congregational life!

 

 

Thank you….

      A huge and sincere thanks for the tremendous support you have shown our youth at the Pizza fund raiser.  It was mentioned in the kitchen what a blessing it is for our youth to have and feel the support of adults who care.  Thank you.

 
Upcoming Love Feast
    The time of our next Love Feast is coming fast.  It will be held on Thursday, March 24th at 7:30 p.m.  Root River Church of the Brethren and Hands of Christ project will be joining us in this commemoration of Jesus’ last supper.  Mark your calendars and prepare to be fed in the sharing of the Word, the water, and the meal.

 

Faith Ramblin’s

      Do you remember the Bible story about the boy with the barley loaves and fish?  In John 6:9 it reads.  Andrew said, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

      Do you remember that there were 5,000 men in the crowd (not counting women and children), and Jesus asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”  Philip responded, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”  In Philip’s mind, the numbers simply did not add up.  Feeding such a large crowd of people was impossible for Philip, but Jesus did it.

      When I encounter difficulties of this magnitude, I ask myself over and over, how can I do this?  Some-times it seems just impossible.  It isn’t until I realize I can’t do it and ask Jesus to help that a solution comes.  Christ can create abundance where all I see is scarcity. 

      Jesus said, “All things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).  When the numbers do not add up, we can remember this promise.

      Recently I was in a situation where I was abscessing about my new job.  Things were not going well and every thing I did turned out to be a disaster.  I was on a down hill spiral plunge.  I was plagued with feelings of anxiety and fear that I couldn’t control.  I was awake at night worrying and things just kept getting worse.  Finally, I came to my senses (a little voice whispered in my ear during church services last Sunday.)  “Trust and obey, there is no other way,” was echoing in my ears as I left church and on the way home.  I realized that my worry and anxiety was because I wasn’t trusting God with my life and my troubles.  I wasn’t asking Jesus to make it better.  I wasn’t praying the right way. 

      I was pleading and not believing God’s promises.  Trust – what a simple word.  But practicing it can be so hard. I like to be in control of my environment and my ability to do things is the height of my pride. Trust means I have to admit that apart from Him I can do nothing. Trust means I have to be focused on Jesus, not on myself. 

      Every year that goes marching by, leaves me a little older and a little less capable than the last. Trusting in my own ability has become a thing of the past.  I must learn to keep my eyes focused on Christ and lean on His ability and His sacrifices that were made for me and you and all of mankind.  My favorite Bible verse comes to mind here.   Philippians 4:13 says,

“For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.” This is true no matter what we are trusting Him for.  Christ is able to provide us with all things.  As we entrust our lives to God, we can make progress in our lives, with the help of Christ, who gives us the strength we need.  With God, nothing is impossible.                                

                                                               --Linda Risser

 

Deacon’s Corner
                        Easter People
     Chocolate bunnies, colored eggs, flowers, new clothes, pastel colors, Easter baskets, family dinners -  these are my childhood memories of Easter.  Good stuff!  What's not to love?
     And for us Minnesotans, Easter signals the long-awaited Spring.  Always very welcome.  We notice longer length of daylight.  We watch eagerly for crocuses, daffodils and tulips peeking through the soil.  For buds on the trees.  For rhubarb shoots.   Signs that winter is almost past and Spring is coming.  
     Easter and Spring have such positive symbols and connections.  Winter's dead, frozen, dark earth awakens to life, warmth, and light.  It's a reminder of Christ arising - conquering sin and death, overcoming darkness and evil; revealing God's power and love.  There is a sense of newness; of brightness and light; of hope and joy; of a fresh start!
      I am reminded that God's power and love are available for me each day and that I am a new creation in Christ "What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons.  They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone.  A new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17, New Living Translation).
      Christ is risen.  He's alive!  And He brings newness of life to those who believe.
      This Easter season, as signs of Spring appear, let them remind you of  your new life in Christ; of being a new creation, born from above.  Celebrate being an Easter Person -  living the new life in Christ.

                                                       -Sue Bollinger            

Mission Alive 2005
     A national Church of the Brethren Missions Conference to energize and equip ourselves to faithfully share Christ's love in the world will be held April 1-3, 2005 in Goshen, Indiana.  Of interest to this congregation is that Carolyn Schrock is a member of the steering committee and will serve as worship leader for one service during the conference.
     The steering committee suggests having at least one person from each congregation attend this conference.  On-line registration is available at the Mission Alive 2005 page of brethren.org, or at (800) 323-8039, ext 230.  Registration cost is $50 until March 15, and $60 after that deadline.  Brochures are available in the narthex.
     "This will be a gathering of a broad cross-section of the church, including pastors, young people, congregational and district board members, Sunday School teachers, both former and prospective missionaries, and mission supporters.  It would be great to have every congregation represented!" - Steering Committee
     Sharing God's Good News has both local and international dimensions.  The conference seeks to empower both the congregation's role in its community and the whole denomination's roles in international mission.  The conference takes a holistic approach to mission, recognizing calls for proclamation of the Gospel through evangelism, response to human need, peace and reconciliation, and advocacy for the poor and oppressed.
      Topics include "The Biblical Face of mission:  Guidance from Scripture",  "Changing Faces of Mission:  Learnings from mission experience",  "What distinctive gifts, or weaknesses, does the Church of the Brethren bring to mission from its Anabaptist-Pietist heritage?", "New Faces of Mission:  Emerging Models", and "Set Your face...Toward Mission: Accepting the challenge, and going forth to serve!"  These will be presented by Nathan Showalter, Grace Holland, Art McPhee and Jim Hardenbrook, our 2005 Annual Conference Moderator
     "Brethren enjoy coming together to worship and to seek the mind of Christ for our day and time.  This gathering will be enjoyable and renewing on many levels, with powerful keynotes, workshops on timely and critical topics, and numerous opportunities for Brethren to engage each other." - Carol Spicher Waggy
     "Let's challenge the entire church anew with the importance of sharing God's love with others in the ways our Anabaptist and Pietist tradition have understood mission." - Jim Myer
     "The Church of the Brethren needs to renew its mission calling for the present day in both local and international arenas.  Come, and be a part of this conversation." - Merv Keeney
      If you have an interest in attending this conference, please pick up a brochure in the narthex and contact Pastor Cara, Joyce Peckover or Mark Haggard.

 

 

Sermon Sampler

The Cotton Candy Sermon:

      Very sweet and full of air;

      When bitten into, nothing there.

The Stuffed Olive Sermon:

      Pleasantly fashioned, pleasingly tart;

      Stuffed with intellect, but no heart.

The Jello Fruit Salad Sermon:

      Shaking, prancing, quivering, preaching;

      Lots of action, but low-cal teaching.

The Poached Egg Sermon:

      Soft, safe, sentimental food;

      Soothes every mind, calms every mood.

The Leftover Turkey Sermon:

      Meat they suspect they’ve been served before;

      But disguised just enough for one Sunday more.

The Strawberry & Whipped Cream Sermon:

      Summer surprise, memorable bright;

      Light in weight, but what a delight.

The Roast Beef & Potatoes Sermon:

      Familiar fare, but always good;

      The Gospel preached in words understood.

                                                      --Joseph C. Way

      Reprinted from The Pulse newsletter of COB/First Cong. U C of C

 

“True evangelical faith

      cannot lie dormant

      it clothes the naked

      it feeds the hungry

      it comforts the sorrowful

      it shelters the destitute

      it serves those that harm it

      it binds up that which is wounded

      it has become all things to all creatures.”

                 --Menno Simons, Founder of the Mennonites

 

March Mission Outreach…

 

Strangers among us.... 
opportunities for God's welcome

     Strangers.  Our world is full of them.  And the world of technology creates more of them every day.  We buy gasoline and never speak a word to the dozens of people responsible for getting it to the pump.  We make an ATM withdrawal or direct deposit and never learn the name of the cashier.  We browse "reality TV", where intimate details of the real lives of others become entertainment before our eyes -- and we become strangers ourselves, an anonymous audience.

     We live in a world of strangers -- people who have needs and loves and desires.  We see them every day and yet, it is easy to escape the inconvenience of their humanity.

     Jesus has plenty to say about strangers and our responsibility to "welcome" them -- to show hospitality, care, concern, assistance.  Jesus challenges those who love him most to greet strangers as if they were Jesus -- as if the stranger is as beloved to us as Jesus himself.

     "When was it that we saw you?" we ask.  And Jesus replied: "When you gazed into the nameless face on the evening news; when you read the overwhelming statistics of death and pain and poverty in your world; when you learned about the  hundreds who were impacted by a flood or a tornado or a hurricane...and your compassionate faithfulness drove you to respond.  That's when you saw me."

     Each time we stop to prayerfully consider a gift to One Great Hour of Sharing, we step just a little closer to the strangers who need us in this world.  Jesus might say, "Look carefully.  you have stepped a little closer to me."

     Our mission outreach for March is One Great Hour of Sharing and the offering will be received on March 20.  By participating, we respond faithfully to others with hospitality and welcome, creating virtual community of care, generosity, and Good-News-sharing.  As we do so, we discover that God's presence becomes more real and we move closer to God!






Church Board

     Church Board will meet on Wednesday, 
March 9, 8 pm.  Please remember to pray for our church board members.

 

Community Lenten Service
      Join together with other Christians in our community in a worship service on Sunday, March 13 at Lewiston Presbyterian Church.  Fellowship will begin at 6:30 pm with the worship service at 7:30 pm.
     A community choir, led by Jon Nienow, will sing at the service.  Practices for the community choir will be held Sun, Feb 27 and Sun, Mar 6,

7 pm at St. Pauls UCC-ELCA Church.


Fire Wardens' Dinner
     The women of our church are again invited to cook up and serve the annual Fire Warden’s Dinner.  The date is Thursday, March 10.  Serving time is 6:30 pm.  Your help will be greatly appreciated in this fundraiser.


Lenten Bible Study

On a bed of grass, a chameleon’s skin turns green.  On the earth, it becomes brown.  The animal changes to match the environment.  Many creatures blend into nature with God-given camouflage suits to aid their survival.  It’s natural to fit in and adapt to the environment.  But followers of Christ are new creations, born from above and changed from within, with values and lifestyles that confront the world and clash with accepted morals.  True believers don’t blend in very well.

      Join us as we learn from the Christians in Corinth, who struggled with their environment, surrounded by corruption and every

      conceivable sin. 

      Our first discussion will take place Tues., March 1, 7-8 pm at the church.  We’ll discuss I Corinthians Chapters 1-4. 

      Subsequent discussions will be:

            I. Cor., Chapters 5-8      -  March 8

            I. Cor., Chapters 9-12    - March 15

            I  Cor.  Chapters 13-16  - March 22.

      Plan to set aside this time for learning together as we examine our values in light of complete commitment to Christ.

 Communication from the Church Board

      As we move into a season of change the Church Board wants to keep in touch with you about several issues.
      The Church Board currently has five members who were called by the Congrega-tional Business meeting.  The treasurer, clerk, moderator,  pastor and ministry coordinator also are invited to attend as ex-officio members.
      The board determined that having one board member per commission without a support structure was not a solution to our lack of membership; therefore the board has reorganized into two commissions.  The Stewards Commission will be served by Jim Risser and Cleyson Plank, and the NEW Commission (formerly Nurture, Christian Ed and Witness) will be served by Joyce Peckover and Mark Haggard.  Todd Cage was called to continue as board chair.  Due to the size of the board, we will be looking for assistance from the congregation members to complete projects as they come up.
      Pastor Cara began her new job.  After the initial week of orientation, she will work thirty hours per week at the Winona Counseling Clinic.  The Board and Pastor Cara have been in discussion for quite some time as to how a part-time pastorate would look.  At this time we have agreed that she will work twenty hours per week as Pastor.  This will include preaching on Sunday mornings.  As was discussed at the Congregational Business meeting, her salary will be adjusted to the scale rate for a pastor with seven years experience and be paid for the twenty hours per week she is working.  We will continue to provide insurance benefits, as her new employer does not provide them.
      Pastor Cara and the Board will continue to be in discussion during this transition process as to the areas of ministry she will be focusing on.  Many things will not change as we have continued to draw upon the many gifts of the lay leaders of this congregation for worship planning, visual worship, and deacon ministry.  Pastor Cara has indicated that Monday will be her Sabbath day.  The Board asks that you pray for Pastor Cara in her new role and for our congregation as we transition to a different, but not unfamiliar model of ministry.
      Finally, a new budget year does not mean our old problem went away.  We ended the year $9,346.22 in the red.  This will have to be made up, along with our current spending.  Although it sounds like a lot, the number has already decreased due to good offerings in January.  It is impressive to know that our General Offerings actually increased by 11% last year and the “Thanks Offerings” and fund raisers brought in over $1500.00.  The allocated outreach to the Northern Plains District and General Board was increased 18% over 2003.  Thanks be to God!   
                                            --Todd Cage, Board Chair
 
March is Minnesota FoodShare Month!
      Our congregation is participating in Minnesota FoodShare’s March Campaign.  Minnesota FoodShare is an interfaith collaboration formed in 1982 to help restock food shelves across the state.  In the face of a struggling economy and widespread layoffs, the March Campaign is as important as ever.  As a community of faith, we are called to help those who are hungry and in need all year long.  During this season of Lent, let us put a special emphasis on sharing all that we have with the less fortunate.  The Winona Volunteer Service food shelf needs our help to restock the shelves.  Watch for more information about our congregation’s March Minnesota FoodShare Drive.
      Consider some of the facts about hunger in Minnesota.  Did you know:
      ▪More than 1.5 million people visited food shelves in 2003.  In the first nine months of 2004, food shelves once again saw a 12% increase.
      ▪Nearly half of the families who visit food shelves have children.  Hungry kids have difficulty learning and have more medical problems and absenteeism than children with adequate nourishment.
      ▪Seniors are the fastest growing group of food shelf clients: 20%.  Seniors are often hardest hit by recessions as living costs rise but their incomes remain fixed.
      ▪43% of adult food shelf clients are employed.  35% are retired or have a disability that prevents them from working.
      ▪In 2004, the March Campaign raised 8.3 million dollars and pounds combined statewide.  The March Campaign raises over half of the food distributed at food shelves all year long.  The goal in 2005, due to even more increased need, is 8.5 million dollars and pounds combined.
 
      “O God, to those who have hunger, give bread, and to us who have bread, give the hunger for justice.”
                                         --Prayer from Latin America
 
     

March  Birthdays & Anniversaries

 4    John Antony

 7    Penny Wilson

       Joey Mundt

 8    Mark Haggard

 9    Spencer Borkowski

10   Coralyn Radatz

       Angela Pospichal-Heublein

12   David and Linda Dahl

16   Uli Schorn-Hoffert

17   Frances Plank

18   Brent Risser

22   Dolores Duncanson

26   Jack Carlin

30   Sarah Sanders

       Earl & Dolores Duncanson

31   Jessie Babcock