January, 2012 Newsletter

NEW YEAR’S   ISSUE         VILLAGE LUTHERAN CHURCH          WINTER         

 JANUARY NEWSLETTER

WORSHIP HOURS

7:45, 9:00 & 10:45AM Sunday

9:00AM Sunday School

5PM Saturday

VOICE OF VINNY

January 2012

       Happy New Year to all of our sisters and brothers in Christ.

New is the operative word because we are praying for many beginnings and bright happenings in our near future.  We are hoping to realize a new pastor, a new portico, a new  innovative energy system for our building and prayerfully new parishioners who will join us on this journey of faith.

 We are in the final stages of choosing a new pastor with the selection committee meetingon January 15^th 2012 at 3pm. It is very important for this process to succeed that we receive the much needed input from you, the parishioners. We hope that if you have not read and offered your opinions on the candidates that you would please consider sharing you feelings with us on this most important matter.

 The solar panels should be up and running at the end of this month and we have two bids on long awaited doors between the parish hall and our Littlest Angels along with a single bid for an eight camera security system to insure the safety of our children.

We are still diligently working on our second shed and we have already installed new doors on the first one. The rehabbing of these sheds will allow office space for our Littlest Angels and Sunday School Superintendent.

 We have designated a new smoking area away from the entrance of the church to lessen the impact of the smoke and errant cigarette butts that find their way onto the steps and flower beds. Every group that uses the hall will be asked to honor this new change and co-operate with self-policing so we do not have to enforce a no smoking policy on church property.

 Two of our projects will be on hold for a while in order to insure that they are completed competently. The parsonage was found to have a termite problem ten years ago and no action was taken on this matter, so as anyone can imagine it is time to act. We must have an inspection before we can plan any improvements to the building. The portico and solar panels committees have met and although the panels are going on as planned the architects must find the way that would be the most feasible to install the portico and to this end the project will be postponed until the spring.

 We are so busy and could not have gotten so many of  these projects done without the Lord’s hand to guide us and we are very grateful to all the workers he has sent us to do his bidding. We pray for a New Year that is rich in all that the Savior has planned for us and we pray that he sends us the spiritual leader that he has chosen.

 Happy New Year.

Vinny

 STEWARDSHIP

  How did you do with your resolutions for the year 2011?  About the same as for other years?  Can you even remember what those resolutions were?  Why do we struggle so much with resolutions?  Is it because they are not realistic?  Is it because we try to do it completely on our own without any outside help (even from God)?  Failure is one of the biggest disappointments in life.  Is it possible to start over successfully?

 As we enter into this New Year we have another opportunity to start over.  Having the privilege of starting over is one of the things in life that gives us hope and courage as we look to the future.  As we take down our 2011 calendars and replace them with 2012 calendars we really can start over.

 In Romans 12:12 (NIV) the Holy Spirit gives us some great ingredients for a really good New Year’s resolution.  The encouragement is to “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.”   Life would be so sweet if everyone could adopt and live out those three pieces as a New Year’s resolution.

 “Be joyful in hope” should be pretty easy for Christians because our hope is in Christ and “that hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” (Romans 5::5 NIV)

"Be patient in affliction” can be considerably more difficult because we do not like affliction.  Who of us likes to be mistreated by people who are rude, inconsiderate and downright nasty?  Where can we get the strength to be patient in affliction?  It takes a giant transformation to behave so nicely when afflicted?  Our comfort is that the power to do that does not come from within us, but from outside of us.  When we were baptized “we were buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4 NIV)  No one in the history of mankind had to deal with as much affliction as Jesus, our Savior!  And He did it out of love for us so that we do not have to fear eternal affliction!

 “Faithful in prayer” keeps us in touch with God--Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Jesus spent entire nights in prayer with His Father in heaven so that He would have the strength to carry out His mission of dying for sinners so that they might have the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.  Prayer is an excellent way to stay in touch with God and His love and power.

 How does this threefold resolution make a difference in our lives and the lives of those around us?  It does because the Holy Spirit is at work within us to make us more and more the children of God.  As children of God we seek to do the same things that give Him such delight.  John 3:16 tells us that God delights in loving and giving.  God has entrusted us with all of life and life’s resources and desires that we manage them wisely according to His purposes.  Loving and giving are at the heart of Christian stewardship.

 May God bless us all as His stewards in this New Year of 2012!

 CALL COMMITTEE NEWS!

    The Call Committee has completed their interviews of the selected Pastoral candidates.  We encourage our village Family to review the material available in the Parish Administrator’s office and to prepare for the Voter’s Assembly during which you will be asked to vote on a candidate to be called to fill the Pastoral vacancy at Village.  The Candidate selected will be telephoned during the meeting and advised of the call.  He will have approximately 3-5 weeks to answer the call, and if affirmative, another 3-5 weeks (approximately) to relocate to Village.  We are hopeful we are nearing the end of the search for a new shepherd to lead God’s people in this place.

    The Voter’s Assembly meeting will part of a service on Sunday, January 15 at 3PM.  Our district Counselor, Pastor Dennis Bottoms, will officiate at this service.  Please mark you calendar and plan to attend.  We ask for your continued prayers as we Move Forward in Ministry—Calling a Pastor.

 LITTLEST ANGELS

    Happy New Year!  Here at Angels, we are recovering from Christmas and trying to pull the focus of the children back to learning!  There is this strange phenomenon that happens to children in January, they become settled and ready to learn.  There is a general change in their attitude, a more mature outlook.  This works in our favor, because as the weather becomes colder we are inside for longer stretches of time.  Maybe it's that the excitement of Christmas is behind them.  Maybe they are bored from a whole week home and are looking forward to doing something.  Whatever the reason, we do not question it, we use it our full advantage and kick things into high gear!!  We are able to give the children a little more responsibility; making sure their backpack is packed and ready to go, choosing their own snack, getting into the classroom without Mom or Dad and getting themselves settled, following two or three step directions.  All of these things may seem like small milestones to you, but to a 3 or 4 year old, it is a great accomplishment!

COFFEE HOUR

Sunday, January 8 sponsored by our Ladies Aid and Men’s Club

Sunday, January 22 sponsored by our Altar Guild

  If your group cannot sponsor the coffee hour you are scheduled for, please call the church office and let us know so that we can switch you with another group or possibly cancel and reschedule the coffee hour.

 CHURCH COUNCIL

          The Church council will meet on Monday, January 16 at 7:30PM in the parsonage.

 BIBLE STUDIES

Monday, January 9 at 6:30PM

Join the ladies of the LWML as we continue to study “God is in the Laundry Room.”  Our text has opened up several opportunities to meet God in everyday situations.  Dessert and coffee are served as we explore God’s Word and His presence in our lives.

 Wednesday at 10:30AM

            We begin again on Wednesday, January 4^th and each Wednesday morning at 10:30AM.  We are a lively group who enJOY conversation, fellowship and studying God’s Holy Scripture.  We are currently looking at the Feasts of Israel and have learned much about early Hebrew festivals.  Join us any Wednesday morning at 10:30AM.

 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

      The staff of VLC’s Sunday School hopes everyone had a blessed Christmas and wishes you and yours all the best in the New Year.

       Our Sunday School students made beautiful Christmas ornaments for the congregation – If you didn’t get yours please look for them in the lobby.  Any leftover ornaments will be donated after the second week in January. Catechism classes resume on January 4^th and Sunday School on January 8^th  enjoy your break!

 PREACHING SCHEDULE

Sunday, January 1 – Mr. Stuart Knorr

Sunday, January 8 and 15 – Pastor Nischal

Sunday, January 22 and 29 – Pastor Ken Fosse

 LADIES GUILD

 LUTHERAN WOMENS MISSIONARY LEAGUE

 Ladies Guild-December happenings:     Advent devotions from the Lutheran Indian Ministries will be available in the narthex.  These devotions are written by missionaries serving Native Americans in the remote northwest.  Meet real people from these communities and their experiences with the saving grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

 Mites:  In October the national Lutheran Women’s Missionary League celebrated mite donations reaching the $100,000,000 mark.  Almost 70 years ago, the women of the LC-MS started the LWML for the “reaching out to share the joyful news of Christ around the world.  You can read about LWML missions in the Lutheran Woman’s Quarterly available on the LG table.

 January 9:   6:30pm Bible study resumes in Chapter 4.  7:30pm guild meeting.

January 13: Friday, 4-8pm.We will get together in the fellowship hall to sew these cute pillowcase dresses.  We have enough materials to make about a dozen dresses.  Check the LG table to see cute samples.  Dresses will be donated to Orphan Grain Train.

 February 5: “Souper” Sunday-The ladies will be selling homemade soups, chili and dips to enjoy with the BIG game.  Doris Swanson is coordinating.

JANUARY WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

                       Larry and Sharon Hoffman                                                    1/19

                       Robert and Barbara Reid                                                        1/25

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

                                    Bob Donnelly                                      1/4

                                    Kim Harrs                                           1/7

                                    Christina Feiner                                   1/11

                                    Jan Kristbergs                                     1/15

                                    Jennifer Bentley                                  1/16    

                                    Betty Westphal                                   1/16

                                    Viktoria Kristbergs                             1/21

                                    Matthew Mershon                               1/21

                                    Kevin Hoffman                                   1/24    

                                    Caitlyn-Ann Schachtel                        1/25

                                    Karijana Kristbergs                             1/28

                                    Kevin Louis                                        1/28

                                    Ryan Roth                                           1/29

                                    Kathy Haines                                      1/31

 MEN’S CLUB

 Planned Projects

Move the dumpster

Fix the storage sheds

Paint and move the offices in parsonage

 

PRAYERS AND PRAISE!

      Please pray for Pastor Paul Kritsch, wife Dorothy and family. Their daughter, Margaret Anderson, was shot and killed in the line of duty on Sunday while serving as a National Park Service Ranger on Mt. Rainier, Washington. Margaret and husband Eric, also an NPS Ranger have two small children. Pastor and Dorothy Kritsch are on their way to WashingtonState. They will need an abundant measure of God's strength and care to manage the tragic death of their daughter and to care for her family. Also, please pray for Redeemer congregation as they seek to support their Pastor and family and also lift up the promise that nothing can separate us from God's love in Jesus Christ. There will be a Prayer Service at Redeemer, Westfield, this Wednesday at 7 PM.