Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
ST. MARK EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH The Crossing August-September 2013 Batesville, Indiana One of the world’s leading practical Bible teachers and authors is Joyce Meyer. And, from her book entitled Love Out Loud (p. 196), she presents a devotion based on Jeremiah 2:13 . . . . For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and they have hewn for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, which cannot hold water. In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus. ~Colossians 1:3-4 Prayer is an extremely powerful communion between God and us. Christian communion is the bond uniting Christians as individuals and groups with each other and with Jesus Christ. This happens when we as a corporate body, our congregation, and the larger Christian or universal Church pray to God as well as when we celebrate Holy Communion during worship. The word ‘communion’ is derived from the Latin communio (sharing in common). The corresponding term in Greek is koivvnwnia, which is often translated as “fellowship.” In Ancient Greek, koinonia could have meant a business partnership, or fellowship of life in marriage, or a spiritual relationship with God, or a friendship fellowship, or a community or even a societal group. In the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (8:23), he refers to the relationship between him and Titus: As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you. They had a working partnership. They were fellow workers for the sake of the Church and for the building up of God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. And that’s exactly what God means for us to be as members of St. Mark Lutheran Church, and on a broader scale, as members of Christ’s Church. We are brothers and sisters in God’s family, koinonia workers (fellow workers). And as Christian koinonia workers, together we believe in the Triune God or Holy Trinity, in the dual natures of Christ Jesus—that he was both divine and human--, we partake of Christ’s body and blood, we rejoice and suffer with our fellow Christians as well as give them comfort and encouragement when they find themselves in the midst of temptation and/or hardship, and we spread the Good News of Jesus Christ according to God’s word found in the Holy Scriptures of the Bible. Just as Paul prayed for the Christians at Colossae, we pray to God for the well-being of the body of Christ and for individuals, both near and far away, who faithfully do God’s work, applying what God has proclaimed to action and service. Ms Meyer believes one of the biggest ways people waste time is by doing what the Bible calls “dead works.” And, she defines a dead work as being a “work” that doesn’t work! That means a person is trying to make something happen, but no matter what he/she does, it simply does not work. --The reason for this? The work is the person’s, not God’s. Further, she says, “When you stop planning and striving, and come to the end of yourself, then God will begin to move. [This] simply means your work needs to be inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit, not conceived in your natural mind and fueled by your natural strength . . . . Imagine spending all day digging a well, thinking you would get water, and at the end of the day, tired and worn out, your only result was a big hole. Things we do outside of God’s timing or his will are also dead works. Learn to discern when you are working on something that is not working and refuse to do anything that is not in God’s will and timing.” When we pray for one another, praying that we remain strong in our fellow working relationships, a beautiful transformation takes place. As it says in the JulySeptember issue of Christ in Our Home, “We absorb the prayers of those with whom we pray. When someone is absent, we remember to pray for her/his friends, family members, or concerns and joys. Over time these become the concerns or joys of the community. In those moments, we can see how tightly knit we are in God’s love.” Praying and communing with God and with one another, working together in God’s love, and being in fellowship with one another, bring many blessings. But first, we need to remember to be mindful of- and in prayer for those who do God’s work, as well as for those who don’t! + + + Christ’s blessings be yours, Pastor Jill The Page 2 Crossing DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING NEWSLETTER ARTICLES If you have news items that you’d like included in the October/ November newsletter, please submit the information to the office no later than noon on Sept. 15. Worship Leaders Sign Up! If you would like to sign up to assist at an upcoming service as an assisting minister, lector, usher, or greeter, please sign up at the back of the sanctuary or contact Diane in the church office! SUNDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE 9:30 a.m. Worship Service 10:30 a.m. Fellowship* 11:00 a.m. Christian Education Classes* *During the school year PASTORAL OFFICE HOURS Wednesday & Thursday: 10:00 am— 1:00 p.m. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE HOURS Monday through Thursday: 9 am to 1 pm Friday: 9 a.m.—11 a.m. OFFICE STAFF Diane Buzard, Administrative Assistant Joan Kuhlman, Office Clerk CHURCH COUNCIL Rick Lindemann, President Greg Vernon, Vice President Beth Ann Weigel, Secretary Kirstin Chapman, Treasurer William Baum, Jr, Dick Becker, Dave Butt, David Fischmer, Brad Marcy Pastor Jill Kepler Campbell TRANSFORMATIONS …. Prayers of Celebration & Concern PRAYER CONCERNS… Wanda Amberger Anna Mae Cole George Edmiston Pam Edmiston (brain cancer) Katherine Fischmer (St. Andrews) Dennis Harmeyer (cancer) Karl & Glenna Kepler Kris Lindemann Mary Anne Martz (cancer) Marilyn Pfautz Bob Rentzel Bob Schutte Ralph Stirn, (The Waters) PRAYER CONCERNS, Cont’d... Families suffering the loss of loved ones Those serving in the military and community safety/service IN CELEBRATION ... Welcoming visitors and guests in the parsonage, in worship, and in the education wing A new baby on the way to the Marcy family A new home in Batesville for the Meadows family Plans for the next Women of Faith Bible Study For the opportunity to work for the Lord and His kingdom Upcoming congregation council retreat APPLE FEST The 2013 Batesville Kiwanis Apple Fest is the Weekend of Sat. Sept. 28 & Sun. Sept. 29. St. Mark’s food booth did very well last year raising money for St. Mark’s mission obligation as well as for our church. We plan to participate again this year but we need many hands to make this fundraiser successful. This is a great opportunity for our church to interact with our community at large as well as a means for fellowship and fun. Apple Dumplings were a popular seller last year. About a dozen of us worked a good portion of a day making 300 apple dumplings. It was a lot of fun! The date for this year’s Apple Dumpling Day is Saturday Sept. 21 - 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM. whatever amount of time you can free up to help will be much appreciated. We also need assistance making apple cake, brownies, sloppy joes, etc. Your commitment and help with this fundraiser is essential in order for us to proceed. It takes more than a team of just 5 or 6 people to successfully pull off an event of this type. For more information or for any questions contact Beth Ann Weigel @ 812-934-4241 or [email protected]. Thank You! CROP WALK October 6 at 1 p.m. Watch your bulletin for more details. Do you have some news to share that would be of interest to the church and for making it more fulfilled? Contact the church office and share your ideas. The Page 3 Crossing AUGUST 08/02 08/09 08/09 08/09 08/14 08/16 08/19 08/20 08/28 If you have an August or September birth date but are not listed here, please contact the office so we can update our records to include your date of birth. Fischmer, Dan Federle, Dot Litzinger, Wanda Moton, Luke Pfautz, Billy Behlmer, Ed Bedel, Jayla Maslar, Dana Bedel, Jackie SEPTEMBER 09/02 09/12 09/12 09/17 09/21 09/26 Johnson, Debbie Henry, Janet Butt, David Linkel, Jean Austin, Tina Moton, Rosemary Thanks to all of St. Mark’s members and friends who helped in contributing to our summer camp this year. CoCo-directors were Rosemary Moton and Debbie Mullins. A big round of applause to them, for all the years they sowed seeds of faith into the children of our community. LABOR DAY TRIVIA QUIZ* Questions 1. When was the first Labor Day holiday observed? 2. Where was the first Labor Day holiday observed and how was it observed? 3. In what year did Congress pass a bill making Labor Day a legal holiday to be observed? 4. Which President signed the bill into law, making Labor Day a holiday? 5. What is the average commute time per American when going to work? 6. What State granted individuals first access to the holiday? 7. Labor Day was first established to be used to air out grievances about labor? True/False 8. The eight hour work day was first established in what year? 9. What was the name of the Act that started the Labor Day holiday? 10. What year did the Supreme Court ruling favor of the eight hour work day? Answers 1. September 5, 1892 2. A parade in New York City 5. 24.3 minutes 6. Oregon 1887 7. True 8. 1916 3.1894 4. President Grover Cleveland 9. The Adamson Act 10. 1917 *From www.wfn.org August 2013—Dates to Remember! Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu 1 Fri 2 Sat 3 I-K Synod WELCA Biennial, Columbus, Indiana 4 11thSun after Pentecost 5 6 7 Food Pantry Noon—4 p.m. 8 9 10 11 12th Sun after Pentecost 12 13 14 Food Pantry Noon—4 p.m.. 15 16 17 Confirmation Orientation St. Paul. Crossroads 6-8p.m. 18 25 13th Sun after Pentecost 14th Sun after Pentecost 19 20 26 27 Church Council— 6:30 p.m. 21 Food Pantry Noon—4 p.m. 22 23 24 28 Food Pantry Noon—4 p.m. 29 30 31 St. Mark Council Retreat 8 a.m.—1 p.m. + Confirmation Dinner & Classes begin at St. Paul. Crossroads 6-8p.m. September 2013—Dates to Remember! Sun 1 8 15 15th Sun after Pentecost 16th Sun after Pentecost 17th Sun after Pentecost Mon 2 Wed Thu 3 4 Food Pantry Food Pantry Noon—4 p.m. Noon—4 p.m. 5 9 19 11 Food Pantry Noon—4 p.m. 16 17 18 22 18th Sun after Pentecost 23 29 19th Sun after Pentecost 30 Apple Fest Tue Labor Day — Office closed 24 Church Council 6:30p.m. 25 Fri Sat 6 7 12 13 14 Food Pantry Noon—4 p.m. 19 20 21 Food Pantry Noon—4 p.m. 26 Ascension of Our Lord Apple Dumpling Day 8 a.m.—2 p.m. 27 28 Apple Fest