March 25, 2007

Calendar:

Sunday, March 25    Pray for Hamlin Reformed Church

Monday, March 26    Pray for Jim Janssen

Tuesday, March 27           Pray for Lorie Janssen family

Wednesday, March 28    Pray for Michael Janssen

Thursday, March 29    Pray for Steve & Lisa Janssen

Friday, March 16    Pray for Gerry & Bernice

Saturday, March 30  Pray for Junker Lonny Junker family

      God bless you, Leonard & Jida, and all your family.

Sunday, April 1 -  Palm Sunday

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: Vivian Greenfield, Thelma Peterson (mother of Dolly Gasner), Todd Ries (Clear Lake Nursing Home), Clint Bruinsma,  Elsbeth Carlisle (Estelline Care Center), Roxie Kemink, Jerry Junker, Senator Tim Johnson, Jacki Sandstrom, and Larry & Pat Dockter, grandparents who suffer with cancer.  Pray for those who mourn:  Doris Munch and her family.  Pray for our military people in Iraq/Afghanistan:  Jeremy Pribbenow, John Wilde and Jim Selchert. Pray for peace in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other areas in war.  Pray for all families & persons in transition.  Pray for daily blessings at work, school, and home. 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:  God of mercy, send the gentle rains upon the lands of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. May the fields bear fruit and the people be renewed in the midst of their constant living with drought and hunger.

Today:  Organist:  Karen Lund  Reader: Acolytes: Marc Lewno and Garrett Karst.

The children’s offering at worship goes to our new missionary, David Sensenig, serving as a teacher at Martin Luther High School in Nambia, Africa.  Everyone is 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.

April Servers:   *Dennis & Vicki Strait family,  Jack & Barbi Schulte family, Scott & Solveig Gasner family, Dean & Vonnie Kalt family,

Carmen Jankord family, Leonard & Jida Bleeker, Sherwin & Shelly DeKam family.  Communion Assistant – Gary Gabur, Communion Ware   Kristi Borer, Kari Nolte, Lisa Janssen. 

Offerings received last Sunday were: $2,234.00 ($40.00 is for Hymnals) - General Fund, $508.00- Building Fund, $51.50 ($11.50 for David).

It would be a wonderful blessing for Elsbeth Carlisle who recently entered Estelline Care Center to be remembered with cards at her birthday on April 7^th.  Her address is P. O. Box 130, Estelline, SD 57234.  Thank you for remembering her with this kindness.

Our next 1^st Communion class is this Wed. , March 28^st at 5:45 p.m.  The First Communion for Preston Goldhorn and Baily Toering will be Palm/Passion Sunday, April 1^st.

Come to Lenten Services every Wednesday evening from 7:00 p.m. to 7:35 p.m., March 28^th.  They will  be calm, reflective times of prayer, word and song which support our journey down the road to the Cross and to the Empty Tomb.  Bring the whole family.  Offer folks who don’t drive in the dark a ride.

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.

ALC pictorial directories have been placed in the mail boxes of all who had their picture taken and those who submitted a picture.  There are a few left and these may be picked up by any other member at the narthex table, first come first serve.

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.

Thank you to each one who signed up to visit a St. Dysmas congregation worship service behind the penitentiary walls in Sioux Falls and to each one who signed up to help with a possible Castlewood Food Pantry.  Additional volunteers would help both of these ministries, so you may still sign up on the clipboards in the narthex. You must be 18 yrs. or older to visit St. Dysmas.  No date is set yet, and security clearance (volunteer) form must be filled out for St. Dysmas.

  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.

Sit comfortable!  As you can see the pew pads have arrived and are installed.  Thank you to the installers.  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.

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.

No Foot Care and Blood Pressure  clinic in March.

The schedule for Holy Week is: