March 19, 2007

Calendar:

Today, March 18  Pray for the St. John’s Catholic Church

      Newsletter Items Due

Monday, March 19    Pray for Dale & Cheryl Hogstad

Tuesday, March 20              Pray for David & Rosalie Huben

Wednesday, March 21    Pray for Gary & Sharon Hyde

1^st Day of Spring

Thursday, March 22   Pray for Kalee Jackson family

Friday, March 23    Pray for Carmen Jankord family

Saturday, March 24 Pray for Craig & Roxanne Bass

Sunday, March 25    Pray for Hamlin Reformed Church

Announcements:

Visitors and members, welcome!  Thank you for worshiping with us!  Please sign our guest book including complete address.  Return soon!

Pray for our brothers and sisters who are or have been ill including: Elsbeth Carlisle, Jerry Junker, Senator Tim Johnson, Jacki Sandstrom, and Larry & Pat Dockter.  Prayers for our nation and the world:  Pray for our military people in Iraq/Afghanistan:  Jeremy Pribbenow, John Wilde and Jim Selchert. Pray for peace in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel/Palistine and other areas with war.  

Mission Prayers: Pray for the SD Synod Ministry of the Month – Dear Jesus, you promised paradise to a thief on the cross, and you call us to visit the prisoner.  Awaken within this church a deep and abiding concern for inmates and their families.  Pour your healing blessing on the St. Dysmas Congregation in Sioux Falls and Springfield and upon its pastors, Bill Hamill and Bill Greaver.  Prayer for worldwide missions:  O God, you who stand in the midst of the silent ones, bless the churches of France, Portugal, and Spain and their ministries among children, workers, the sick, and the elderly. We give thanks also for the renewal and inspiration flowing from Taizé and many other religious communities in France.

Today:  Organist:  Roxanne Bass  Reader: Dee Vetter  Acolytes: Chelsie Walder, Aaron Ronne.

The children’s offering at worship goes to our new missionary, David Sensenig, serving as a teacher in Nambia, Africa.  Older children, youth, and dults are also encouraged to contribute.

March Servers:  Ushers:   *Larry & Dee Vetter, Gary & Sharon Hyde, Jeremy & Gayla Greene family, Doug Strait, Lynn Pearson, Peggy & Terry Petersen, Robert & Carna Miller.

Offerings received last Sunday were: $1,008.47- General Fund, $232.00- Building Fund, $31.75 ($6.75 for David).

Our next 1^st Communion class is this Wed. , March 21^st at 5:45 p.m.

Come to Lenten Services every Wednesday evening from 7:00 p.m. to 7:35 p.m., March 21 & 28^th.  They will  be calm, reflective times of prayer, word and song which support our journey in life with God’s love and mercy, and our Lenten Journey toward the Passion of Christ and toward His Resurrection. Bring the whole family.  Offer folks who don’t drive in the dark a ride and deliver them right up to the entrance.

Walk Thru the New Testament Seminar at Calvary Free Lutheran Church, Arlington on March 31, 2007.  Cost is $10.00 adults and $5.00 children.  Register by March 15 by calling 983-5254 or e-mail at calvaryfree@iw.net.  All are invited to attend.

The new ELCA hymnals, ELW (Evangelical Lutheran Worship) will be ordered by April 1.  Thank you to the many persons who have donated for ELW.  You can still donate ELW pew hymnals $20 each), the Liturgy Accompaniment Edition ($55), the Minister’s Ritual Edition (Altar Edition - $140) and/or the Minister’s Desk Edition ($40).  If you want to give for ELW at this time, would you be able to do so by May 1^st ? It would be so helpful.  Of course later gifts will also be welcome.  Your gifts can be given “in memory of” someone deceased (ELW is now on the memorial list), “in honor of someone (usually someone still living), “to the glory of God” from you, or even anonymously.  Please indicate your “in memory of” etc. on the sign up page in the narthex.  Thank you for your generosity.

Could you help your congregation out by being a sound and video recorder at our worship service.  We would be delighted to train you and put you on a regular schedule.

In the area of Outreach the council is seeking a group of persons who would like to visit a St. Dysmas congregation worship service behind the penitentiary walls in Sioux Falls to support and encourage the inmates and to receive the blessing that comes with ministry with these men.  Men and women, 18 yrs. and older, are invited to do this.  Sign up on the clipboard being passed today.  No date is set yet.  Services are on Thursday nights.  A volunteer form for clearance is required about 3 weeks in advance.

The Castlewood Ministerial Association is seeking persons who would be interested in volunteering to lead and to help with a possible Castlewood Food Pantry.  We are in an exploratory stage now.  If you are interested talk with Pastor John, or Rod Fischer or Carmen Jankord who are council persons on the Outreach Committee.

Sit comfortable!  As you can see the pew pads have arrived and are installed.  Donations can still be received until we have received another $200 for the pews and $286.80 for shipping, totaling $486.80.  Each pew pad costs $153.00.  Any gifts on envelope or memo line should be marked “pew pads.”  Thank you for your support and enjoy a softer sit and the warmth of more color.

Thank you to all those helped install pew pads.  Robin, Kaylie and Emily Gabur, Kaylea Karst, Duane Selchert, Leonard Bleeker, Pastor John and Larry Vetter.  Thank you to all who donated to the cause.

The ALC Family Camping Weekend will be August 10-12, 2007.  10 electrical spaces are reserved.  Sign up on the clipboard when it appears or talk with Robin Gabur.  Additional spaces can be reserved next to the group spaces by individuals beginning May 10^th.

 No Foot Care and Blood Pressure  clinic in March.

The youth will be serving lunch at the Bleeker farm auction sale on Saturday, March 31 from 8:00 a.m. until the sale ends.  There will be a sign up sheet for workers soon. All youth are asked to bring a pan of bars. If any youth are going on the music trip they will need to find someone to work for them at the sale. For more information, visit with the youth leaders. 

There will be an Easter Memorial Garden again this year.  Please fill out the bulletin insert and return to the office.  The plants should be at church by 9:00 a.m. on April 7^th.  Thanks.