SUNNE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH August 2016 NEWSLETTER Pastor: Paul Schauer
Church Phone: 734-6485 Cell Phone: 391-0584
Home Phone: 734-6605 e-mail:
www.sunnelutheran.org
REFLECTIONS FROM THE PASTOR
I couldn’t sleep the other morning. 3:15 a.m. and I’m wide awake…and not at all ready to fall back asleep. So….what to do?...what to do? Sansa and I went for a walk – out to Highway 41 and back. No moon. The stars were incredibly bright. The Northern Lights were glowing. We saw a shooting star. The Milky Way was clearly visible. The air was calm and the temperature was comfortably cool. We didn’t meet anyone on the road either – not a person or a vehicle. Imagine that!
I tell you this not to confirm that your pastor is a few bricks short of a load, but to encourage you to find a place where you can experience the profound presence and nature of God. When I’m out there with all the stars, I am reminded that I am just a small part of God’s creation. I am reminded of the beauty and majesty of God’s creation. I am reminded of my place in God’s creation.
It helps me to know that God surrounds me with God’s presence. It helps me to get away from “life” for a bit. When I turn on the news, some crazed man has driven a truck through a crowd in France…an equally crazed man has assassinated five police officers in Dallas, then three in Baton Rouge…a man has been shot by officers in Minneapolis, a crazed man has shot up a gay night club in Orlando…. I go to facebook and watch as we destroy each other for our political beliefs – belittling people, belittling religions, belittling cultures and races. I am overwhelmed by our hatred (and yes, it is hatred) of each other. We have everything we need and most everything we want and yet we scream, and rant, and belittle as if we have nothing. Have we heard the call of Jesus to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul and love our neighbor as ourself? Have we heard this? Can we live this?
So, I go for walks at 3:15 in the morning to experience the presence and majesty of God and, hopefully, to bring peace to my soul.
CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS
July 13, 2016
Ø June 2016 offerings were down 16% compared to June 2015. Year to date, general offerings are down 3% and overall giving is up 9%.
Ø Funerals: Ray Frandsen on June 25 and Jerry Berg on June 27.
Ø United Way Day of Caring and United Way will bring possibly 80 to 100 people to work in the Wilton area, including some work at Sunne, on August 10th.
Ø Pastor Paul took a group from Charles Hall Youth Services to the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt Park July 17- 18. Wilton Mentor Program trip is July 24-29. Pastor Paul will take a group from Camp of the Cross to the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park August 1-4.
Ø Pastor Paul will be gone October 1st.
Ø Church Property: Area around new bench has been completed and west side of church has been painted.
Ø Demand is steady at Wilton Food Pantry. Grant received for a food demonstration at the Food Pantry.
Ø Trinity River Bluegrass will lead worship service on July 31st.
Ø Consensus was to have one worship service on September 25 at 10 am as that is Harvest Festival Sunday.
Ø Consensus was to have one service at 10 a.m. during September and Sunday School at 9 a.m. This will eliminate the confusion of switching back and forth on the first and last Sundays of September. Fall worship schedule will begin in October.
Ø Camp of the Cross will be leading Bible School at Sunne August 1-4.
Ø Heard a report that the Confirmation trip was great and the Seattle trip was outstanding.
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Mark your calendars for a spectacular
Vacation Bible School August 1-4
in the evenings from 6-8:45pm. Camp of the Cross
will facilitate VBS for us this year.
Registration is due now. Registration
info is on the table in the narthex.
Worship at 10 a.m.
for the summer months.
Sunday School will not be held
during the summer.
Let’s Wipe Out The Debt
Our total debt, as of June 30, 2016 is $98,076
plus interest at 6.75%.
SIMPLY GIVING
Sunne is now able to offer a simple way of
giving to God’s ministry at Sunne. Through
Simply Giving, an electronic fund transfer
program, members and friends of Sunne can make a monthly or semi-monthly gift directly from a person’s checking or savings account into Sunne’s account. This program is available no matter where a person banks. For more information, please contact Sunne Treasurer, SuAnn Olson at 258-3887. Please prayerfully consider this excellent opportunity.
LWR School Kit Celebration
On Sunday, August 7th, we will assemble 500 School kits for Lutheran World Relief. Please join in the fun. There’s a job for people of all ages. We’ll
start before worship at 9am and continue after worship, if needed. Please note: donations for school kits can still be brought in after August 7th.
THANK YOU to the crew who helped
paint the exterior west side of the church on
July 6th. Thank you to Sue Szczur, Shelley Porter,
Tim Johnson, Slade Schatz, and Pastor Paul. Thank you to Larry and David Falkenstein for taking care of the main doors.
BAPTISMS
Congratulations to those
celebrating their baptismal
anniversaries in August.
2--Logan Hansen
2--Caleb Jans
3--Mary Beth Johnson
3--Susie Silliman
6--Jace Kirchmeier
9--Doreen Sorch
10--Denise Leapaldt-Johnson
11--Madison Schuler
11--Amber Staloch
14--Emily Smallbeck
16--Travis Sorch
17--Jesse Hruby
18--Timothy Smallbeck
19--Jesse Buchholtz
20--Myrna Hochhalter
20--Cori Odegard
22--Karry Pearson
23--Wayne Falkenstein
24--Wayne Backman
24--Joyce Falkenstein
27--Louella Schuler
30--Marvin Dockter
30--Jada Vetter
Our sympathies are extended to the family and friends of Jerry Berg. God bless their memories and comfort them in their mourning.
AUGUST 2016 Sunne Evangelical Lutheran Church
PO Box 217 Wilton, North Dakota
Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / SaturdayThe names on the calendar are to remind us to pray for one another / 1
VBS
6 pm-8:45 pm
Oliver Dewald / 2
VBS
6 pm-8:45 pm
Rosalia Dewald / 3
VBS
6 pm-8:45 pm
Carroll Dewing / 4
VBS
6-8:45 pm
Crystal Dewing / 5
Marvin Dockter / 6
Carlene Dockter
7
10 am Communion Service
School Kit Celebration before and after worship. / 8
Brent Earsley / 9
Anne Earsley / 10
Redwood 2pm
Church Council
Mtg. 7:30 pm
Tanner Earsley / 11
Teigen Earsley / 12
Ty Earsley / 13
Jennifer Egan
14
10 am Worship Service / 15
Robert Ell / 16
Kristine Ell / 17
Caitlyn Ell / 18
Food Pantry
4 pm
Shelby Ell / 19
Claudia Ewine / 20
Bernard Falkenstein
21
10 am Communion Service / 22
Alice Falkenstein / 23
David Falkenstein / 24
Tammie Falkenstein / 25
Larry Falkenstein / 26
Betty Falkenstein / 27
Steve Falkenstein
28
10 am Worship Service / 29
Connie Falkenstein / 30
Wayne Falkenstein / 31
Joyce Falkenstein
Pastor Paul Schauer: 734-6485 office, 391-0584 cell phone, 734-6605 home
www.sunnelutheran.org