Grace Note
Messiah Lutheran Church
5200
Mayfield Road Lyndhurst, Ohio 44124
(440)
442-6941 office@messiahlyndhurst.org
The Rev. Thomas Fox pastor@messiahlyndhurst.org
__________________________________________________________________________
August, 2006
As I write this, hostilities are escalating in
Lebanon. Israel has started an
offensive and Hezbollah continues to launch rockets into
Israel. Americans are desperately
trying to get out of a war zone. At the
same time, violence continues in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our soldiers, as well as countless
civilians, face violence and terror every day.
There seems no end in sight.
As I sit at home in safety, I try
to imagine what it is like to live in these areas. How does one cope with the fear, the hatred, and the anxiety of
living in a land facing war? Where does
hope come from? How do you continue day
to day?
I think about God’s people in the
Old Testament. They faced brutal
conquerors, merciless enemies, captivity in foreign lands, and seemingly
endless conflict. When they felt that
all hope was gone, they reminded themselves of the power and love of their
God. You can see it in the words of
this psalm:
Psalm 46 (NIV)
1 God is our refuge and strength, an
ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth
give way and
the mountains
fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the
mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the
city of God,
the holy place where the Most
High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God
will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he
lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of
Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations
he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the
earth; he breaks the bow and
shatters
the spear, he burns the shields with fire.
10 "Be still,
and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted
in the earth."
11 The LORD
Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
The people of God received
strength from words like this. They did
not receive easy answers or an end to man-made violence. They continued to struggle with the meaning
of what was happening, and their own sense of helplessness. (continued on next page)
(continued from first
page)
But they did this with the
knowledge of the presence of their God.
Their faith gave them hope for peace, if not in this world, then in the
next. Their understanding of God’s
grace and power gave them the strength to go on in the midst of terrible times.
God’s Word still does this for us
today. When we feel overwhelmed by the troubles of this world, we turn again to
the reassurances of our Lord. When our
strength fails us, God’s strength will hold us. When our courage falters, God is there to carry us. When hope begins to die, God gives us a
vision of a better tomorrow. In Christ
we find what we need to
turn mourning into dancing, and sorrow into joy.
When the world is too much to
handle by yourself, turn again to the one who has given strength to believers
for centuries. Turn to the one who is
now and always has been “our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in
trouble.”
In His Name,
Pastor Fox
THE
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE will meet next on Thursday, August 24th
at 6 p.m. in the Church Conference room located at our rear entrance. All are invited to attend. Call Amy Kovach or Sue Joliat with
questions.
Mark
your calendars! Lyndhurst Home Days will
be on September 8, 9 and 10. This will
be our last "summer schedule" weekend.
Sunday School will start on
Sunday, September 17.
A BIG thank you to all of the volunteers,
parents and kids who participated in our VBS experience. The pool party and three Sunday format was a
great success due to each of you.
Thanks! Amy
Kovach
CAPTAINS
GAME: On
Friday evening, August 18th at 7:00 p.m., the Fellowship Committee
is hosting a baseball outing at the Lake County Captains game. Please
sign the poster in the reception area if you are interested in attending or
call Carrie
Skaggs at 216 291-0707. The cost of tickets is $7.00.
Fireworks will follow the game.
MESSIAH MEN’S
LUNCHEON: All members and friends of Messiah are
invited to have lunch on Friday, August 18th at Milano’s Restaurant,
located at Cuyahoga County Airport on Richmond Road. For further
information see Tom Short (216 291-0769.) Please call Tom or the church
office so that you can be included in the plans.
THE BOOK GROUP selection
for September is The World is Flat by Thomas L. Freidman. We will meet
Tuesday, September 12th at
7:00 p.m. in the Library.
PLEASE KEEP IN YOUR PRAYERS: Emilie
Quellmalz, Pastor Cline, Lawson and Phyllis Anderson, Ken Wilt, Barbara
Budzinski, Carol Harding Safer, Avis Slaven, Evelyn Gross Burgoon, LeRoy
Kimble, Monica, Marcia Bufford, Judy Robards, Christian Perry, Tim Wooten,
Adam, Barbara, Alma Fanto, Joy Wantz, all who are in treatment for drug and
alcohol addiction and for those affected by violence in the Middle East.
THE
HILLCREST CONCERT BAND,
conducted by Messiah’s own,
Paul Lawrence, and including Chris Butler, Alison Griffith and Rick Quellmalz
among its members, will
perform in Messiah’s ever changing and improving courtyard on Tuesday
evening, August 8th
at 7:30 p.m. Bring your family, friends, neighbors, lawn chairs
and blankets for this annual summertime treat. Rain or shine, the concert
will be held and, following it, ice cream will be served! Join us!
JANE JACKSON, a member of Messiah for
more than forty years, died on June 30th. Pastor Fox presided at a memorial service for her on July 6th. Please keep her family and friends in your
prayers.
AND, SPEAKING OF SHARING,
BECOMING PART OF A SMALL GROUP EXPERIENCE allows you to join with other members of Messiah in a way
that is unlike any other. Whether it is
as part of our choir, a Koinonia group, a working committee, a Bible study, or
a fellowship group, opportunities abound to become more than simply
acquaintances. Small groups for
fellowship and/or study that are built on a foundation of faith, informality
and confidentiality, can become safe havens where members who might be very
different from one another can come together to learn, grow, question, share,
nurture and care for each other. In
the coming months, as opportunities to become a part of a small group are
presented to you, please keep these things in mind.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY OF THE
MONTH: RSVP
(Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) acts as a clearing house for people
interested in volunteering. The sky’s
the limit with RSVP. Join the army of
more than 3,500 Cleveland area RSVP members who serve 200-plus community
agencies ranging from the American Cancer Society and the American Heart
Association to the Rainbow-Children’s Museum.
For more information you may contact Jay Banish, executive director, or
one of the coordinators at 216 391-9010, email mailbox@rsvpcleveland.org,
or check their website: www.rsvpcleveland.org.
Mary
Lou Bregitzer
PLEASE REMEMBER OUR “KIDS HELPING KIDS” COLLECTION FOR
CHILDREN IN IRAQ – The
six boxes of toys, candy and school supplies that we have already sent to Herb
Joliat, a Civil Affairs Officer stationed near Baghdad, have aided
in the work he does with local government chiefs to help the Iraqis get
"back on their feet." His work in local communities leaves him
very concerned about the welfare of the children he sees daily.
Herb tells us that the items received are much appreciated and that he
knows that "it saves lives because we don't get targeted like
the other patrols." Let’s remember
that, like Abraham, we, too, are blessed to be a blessing. Here is a wonderful opportunity to be a
blessing to Herb and the people who serve with him as well as to the children
of Iraq. You can make a difference.
Questions, comments and suggestions
may be directed to Lisa Broerman or Sue Joliat. We continue to accept
the following items to send to school children in Iraq: aspirin, Bandaids,
Neosporin cream, small toys, rubber balls, hard candy, Jolly Ranchers, pens,
pencils, notebooks, etc. Monetary donations are
also welcome to help defray shipping costs.
Please continue to bring items to church and place them in the large
basket by the Sunday School Office.
TO THE WOMEN OF
MESSIAH —MEMBERS AND VISITORS — WHO WOULD LIKE A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO GROW IN
FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP: Lorie
Marsalis, Diana Fox, Mary
Lou Bregitzer, and
Toni
Laurenson invite you to join them as they begin a small group for women
on Thursday evenings! We can’t tell you
exactly how often we’ll meet or even what we will do when we meet – that will
be left for the group to decide when they come together. We can tell you that there are no “experts”
among us! We hope to learn together –
perhaps through prepared Bible studies or by working through Christian books
that examine spiritual growth. And we
know that we will initially meet at Toni’s home near Richmond Mall on Thursday,
September 7th at 7:00. What
we can also tell you is that this will be a relaxed and informal group where
“no experience” is necessary! The only
requisite is that you have an open mind, an open heart, and that you would
enjoy gathering with other women who want to grow in faith and friendship. More details will follow in the September
Grace Note. Questions? Email tonilaurenson@adelphia.net.
WE
ARE STILL GATHERING TABLE GRACES AND
BEDTIME PRAYERS. Does your family have special table graces that you have
spoken together over the years? Perhaps
a special holiday grace? Or one that
you use/used every day? Please share
them with us. And if you have a family
story or fond memory around that grace, we’d love to hear that, too. We are also gathering children’s bedtime
prayers and any stories associated with them.
Whether you are still using these prayers today with your little ones;
whether your children are grown with children of their own, whether these are
prayers from your own childhood, please share them with us. We don’t know exactly how long we’ll be
collecting these precious prayers and memories but we’d love to hear from you
soon. When we have enough prayers and
memories to create a “home made” book, we will create one for our faith family
to share with each other and their families.
To contribute or for questions, please contact Joanie McTernan (440
449-4019.)
WHEN’S YOUR
BIRTHDAY??? Have we missed your
birthday on the monthly birthday list on the back cover of an edition of Grace
Note?? If so, please call or
email the church office to let us know!
We want to celebrate everyone’s special day with them!
WELLNESS NOTE
“Guard your steps
when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the
sacrifice offered by fools, for they do not know how to keep from doing evil.” Ecclesiastes 5:1
Listen. What are you hearing? Listen.
God is calling. Listening is key
to effective communication. In a
fast-paced world in which multitasking is the norm, we are challenged to listen
effectively to the demands that surround us.
God longs for us to listen as we
turn our hearts and minds to prayer. Quieting
our minds and stilling our bodies helps us hear God’s direction for our
lives. Living prayerfully is
communicating with God, finding balance, and living in harmony with ourselves,
each other and God.
Do we listen to what our bodies
are trying to tell us? Or do we
sacrifice ourselves as fools, pushing ourselves to physical, emotional and
spiritual exhaustion? Our bodies and
minds are complex. They alert us to
hunger, fatigue, stress and thirst.
Guard your steps and your
choices. Take time to listen and
respond accordingly. When you are
hungry, what will you eat? When you are
thirsty, what will you drink? When you
are tired and stressed, remember the gift of the Sabbath and draw near to
God. Listen for the peace and the pace
that God desires for us as we journey to live well and fully. Listen.
God is calling! Listen and live!
That
it may be well with you!
Tammy Devine, Diaconal Minister and ELCA Wellness
Coordinator Tdevine@elcabop.org
Healthy
Leaders Enhance Lives is a collaboration of the ELCA Division for
Ministry (www.elca.org/dm) and the Board of Pensions (www.elcabop.org).
Source: Mayo Clinic HealthQuest,
July 2006; Submitted by Peg Wilt and Kathy Strom, Wellness
Co-chairpersons,
Nancy Coleman, secretary.
July 18, 2006
COUNCIL MEETING
Minutes: Minutes of the June meeting were approved
with the following correction: Under Fellowship Committee the date of the
new member dinner should be July 29, instead of July 19.
Pastor’s Report: Pastor conducted 18 visits
during the month of June: five office visits, six home visits, and seven
hospital visits. He officiated at the
wedding of Matt Murphy and Kathy Ross; confirmed Loren
McDicken and Carlye Stark; attended the Synod Assembly, and took one
week of vacation.
Treasurer’s Report: Chris Butler reported an operating fund deficit of
$4,700. Pledges are behind budget by
$21,287. The cookbook fund shows a profit of $112 due to Matching Funds
from Thrivent in the amount of $400. We are up to date in Synod Pledge
and designated benevolence.
Property: A
sanctuary window on the courtyard side needs to be replaced. Bids are
being taken on roof repair.
Christian Education: Our pool party at the Mayfield Village pool was attended by 95
people of all ages. The event was self-funded. Vacation Bible
School began last Sunday and 18 children attended. A meeting for Sunday
School teachers will be held on Saturday, July 29th from 9:00am-noon
and the Christian Education Committee will meet on August 24, 6:00 p.m.
Youth: The White Water Rafting trip was a safe and
very enjoyable event. Those attending
wish to do it again.
Worship: Nancy Durst reported that the cost
for the Patterson event is $400 for the sugar house and $50 for the
grill. There is an understanding that we will invite our members to the
Family Fun Fest at a cost of $4.50 per person. October 1, 15, and 22 are
open dates. It was suggested that we try to reserve it for October
1. There is money in the Sunday School budget to pay for some of the
cost. There will be no cost to attend the church service only. The committee suggested that, due to the heat
in the choir loft, Esther Hodgkinson use the piano downstairs during worship
services for the remainder of the summer if that is her preference.
Evangelism: There will be an ice cream social
following the Hillcrest Band Concert on August 8th. The
committee will meet next week to make plans for Lyndhurst Home Days.
Social Ministry: The collection of
snacks for New Covenant summer Enrichment Program for Kids was bigger than last
year.
Stewardship: An organizational meeting is being
planned for Sunday, July 30th at
8:45 a.m.
Fellowship: A Captains Game event is scheduled
for Friday, August 18th and tickets are $7.00. Fireworks
will follow the game. A sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board.
Carrie will pick up tickets on August 4th so people need to
sign up early. A new member dinner will be held at the Swartz’ home on
July 29th. A potluck lunch is being planned after church on
August 20th. Tom
Short reported that
eight men attended the men’s luncheon in
June. The next luncheon will be on July 28th.
Finance: The committee will meet again in
August before the next council meeting to look at our type of investments and
to determine if they need to change.
Courtyard: A goal is to have the deck completed
by the Hillcrest Band Concert on August 8th. Grass will not be planted until after the
concert to avoid trampling.
2005 Annual Report: Will be completed
soon.