CROSS OF CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH
24155 Griswold Road, South Lyon, MI 48178
248-437-8810
Fax: 248-437-7708
www.crossofchristlutheran.org Email:
Like us on FACEBOOK at: www.facebook.com/crossofchristsouthlyon
J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 7
Sunday Worship: 10 a.m.Holy Communion is celebrated on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of the month.
Sunday School: 10 a.m. – 3 years old through fifth grade
Adult Bible Study: Sundays 9:00 a.m.
Youth Bible Study: 10 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays)
Dear Beloved Members and Friends,
Happy New Year! As we begin a new year, think about the day you were born. You were totally dependent on your dad and mom for every aspect of your life. They did the work to provide food, clothing, and shelter for you. They provided a home for you, comforted you, and protected you from harm and danger. Your parents cared for your physical needs. It is estimated that the cost of raising a child these days is $250,000. Yet, you never received a bill for their work on your behalf. Why? It’s because you belong to them. You bear their name. You received your parents’ last name at your birth.
It is the same with you in your relationship with God. Think about the day you were baptized into Jesus. Whether baptized as an infant or as an adult, you were and are totally dependent on God for every aspect of this new life that was won for you by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God did all the work to make it possible for you to be saved. He does all the work necessary to make that salvation yours. Jesus did the work of saving you by His death and resurrection. Christ does the work of delivering this salvation to you through the proclamation of His Word and the administration of His sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. God washed your sins in Holy Baptism and continues to wash them clean every time you confess your sins and receive absolution. God comforts you with His Word and hears your prayers. Jesus feeds you with His body and blood. God has made His house your home.
The life with God and one another you now have in the family of God cost Jesus His life. Yet you will never receive a bill from Him. Why? Because you belong to Christ. You bear His name. God blesses us with everything He is and has through His name.
Every time you invoke the name of God, whether through me in the Divine Service or in your daily prayers, you have God’s ear. God gives and bestows the blessings of His name. The Divine Service begins in His name. During the time that God brings us together, our Lord
Pastor’s letter continued . . . .
PASTOR’S LETTER
Jesus serves us the blessings of His name through His Word and with His body and blood. These blessings include His forgiveness, goodness, life that conquers death, and peace that surpasses all understanding. God will bless you so that the blessing of His name has its way in your every day lives. May God bless you and your family during this month of January and always!
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6: 24-26).
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Pastor Terry Nelson
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
TAKEN DOWN
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS & TREE will be taken down on Saturday, January 7, at 9 a.m. Help is needed. Thank you to all who helped decorate! Thank you also to the Confirmation students for giving of their time.
CHILI LUNCHEON
SUNDAY, JANUARY 22nd
After Worship
ALL are invited to stay after worship on the 22nd and enjoy a Chili Luncheon on a cold, winter day. Sign up on the Information Board to bring one of the items listed (Chili, Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream, Mac & Cheese for the kids, Corn Bread), or just sign up to attend!
COFFEE HOUR
January 15 Altar Guild
February Trustees
March Preschool Board
April Easter
May Evang/Stewardship
You are invited to sign up on the Information Board to contribute items for the Coffee Hour. This helps spread the responsibility among our members. The hosting Board sets up and cleans up after Coffee Hour. Coffee Hours are typically held the third Sunday of the month.
C H R I S T I A N E D U C A T I O N
“Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 22:6
SUNDAY SCHOOL classes are held at 10 a.m. for children three years old through fifth grade. Children are dismissed to their classes from the worship service after the opening hymn.
YOUTH Bible Study is held at 10 a.m. on the first and third Sundays of the month. In January, they will meet on Sundays, January 8 and 15, due to the Christmas break.
CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
Symbols and Skits of Christmas”
THANK YOU to Janelle Rapson-Lach for directing our Sunday School Christmas Program! We thank our talented participants for giving of their time and sharing their gifts. We thank the Lach family for assisting with program preparation. We loved having the preschool children sing at the beginning of the service.
CONFIRMATION instruction, for young people in 7th and 8th grades, is held Wednesdays from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. If you are interested in having your child join the group, give Pastor Nelson a call.
SUNDAY ADULT BIBLE CLASS
ADULT BIBLE STUDY will begin a new DVD study, beginning Sunday, January 8, entitled Revelation: A Testament of Hope. Join us Sundays at 9 a.m. for an in-depth study of this often misunderstood book of the Bible.
“For where two or three come together in My Name, there am I with them.”
(Matthew 18:20)
CROSS OF CHRIST
CHRISTIAN
PRESCHOOL
“Preschool With a Plus”
The Preschool children enjoyed a special month celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Projects, stories, and songs all centered around the Christmas theme. Thank you to the children for singing at our Children’s Christmas Program in December! Preschool will return to class on Monday, January 9th.
If you are new to our congregation and would like more information, please call the church/school office (248-437-0871). We offer a play-based program for three and four year olds, with age appropriate academics and kindergarten readiness. We enroll each year in March for upcoming fall classes.
Gifts to our Preschool Scholarship Fund are welcome
to give families with financial need the opportunity to attend our school.
OFFERING ENVELOPES
Members, your 2017 Offering Envelopes can be picked up on a table on the north side in the Gathering Hallway, if you haven’t already done so.
Sign up needed.
The 2017 FLOWER CHART is up. Sign up to purchase flowers to celebrate special occasions or in memory of loved ones. Two vases are available each Sunday; you only need to sign up for one. The cost of one vase is $30. Sign up in the hallway near the kitchen.
2017 CALENDARS
We thank Phillips Funeral Home for providing 2017 Calendars for our congregation. The calendars are available on the Gathering Hall table.
T H A N K Y O U
· Thank you to all of our Board members and Chairpersons (Elders – Aaron Nelson, Evangelism/Stewardship –Carole Bedard, Trustees – Bonnie Reichert, Preschool – Karen Hantz); and our Officers (President James Morrison, Vice-President Gary Albin, Treasurer Judy Nimer, Financial Secretary Chuck Deeds, and Congregation Secretary Louise Rucker) who serve the Lord the year through! . . Also, our Elders, Sunday School Teachers, Ushers, Greeters, Acolytes, Altar Guild, Financial Sec. Assist., Organists, Choir, Trumpeter, Praise Team, Trustees, Money Counters, Preschool Teacher & Aides, VBS workers, and Funeral Dinner helpers!
· A special Thank You to Myron Nims and Andy Schrom for serving as Elders for our congregation for many years. Their dedication and faithfulness has been a blessing to our congregation.
· Thank you to Ron Reichert for providing special trumpet music throughout the year.
· Thank you to all who participated in Operation Christmas Child, the Berry Home, and Family in Need gift collections. The gifts were warmly received!
· We Thank Christmas Décor for donating the outdoor Christmas lights for the season.
· Thank you also for supporting the Bake Sale in December for Right to Life Novi by
donating baked goods and purchasing items. The proceeds from the sale totaled
$165. We thank the Board of Evangelism/Stewardship for organizing the bake sale.
JANUARY 22nd is Life Sunday.
Another Way Pregnancy Center - bringing the knowledge of LIFE
to those facing unexpected pregnancies
A Woman's Pregnancy Choice (31700 W. 12 Mile Road, Suite 230, Farmington Hills, MI 48334)
STEWARDSHIP
CORNER
Forgetting What is Behind
“Forget about it.” It’s a phrase we may say to ourselves when we don’t want to face up to something. Perhaps we give it in the form of advice to someone who’s complaining about an offense he’s received. According to Paul, it’s a good thing to do. It’s counsel he followed himself: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me Heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 3: 13b-14)
Paul had a past anyone would want to forget. In his Pharisaical zeal, he had caused the imprisonment, persecution, and even death of many who were followers of the Way. All that changed, we know, when he himself faced Jesus on the road to Damascus.
Yet, from our reading of Scripture, we know he didn’t “forget what was behind.” He brought it up many times as he explained the change that Jesus had brought about in his life to the other apostles and as he testified in the highest courts of the day.
Like Paul, we can’t forget about our past sins – and maybe that’s good, as long as we remember that Christ has forgotten them! Remembrance of our sins serves the purpose of keeping us humble and grateful, aware that we walk in God’s ways only as we rely on Him to lead us, thankful that He forgives all sin, past, present, and future. Then we are not encumbered by guilt (I John 3:20). We can “forget what’s behind” and “press on toward the goal” that Christ has laid out before us as we serve Him with all the gifts He so graciously gives us.
We begin a new year in God’s grace. We also begin each day, sometimes each moment, as newly forgiven, cleansed stewards equipped through Word and Sacrament to fulfill God’s purposes for our lives.
MEMBERSHP
CALLED HOME:
+ + Clarice L. French
December 27, 2016
MEMORIALS
+ + In memory of Lucille Martin, a gift has been given by Kerry & Sharon Holmes.
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JANUARY
BIRTHDAYS
1 Thomas Hermann
Nancy Hicks
2 John Lanczki
3 Tammy Smith
5 Elena Wood
6 Jon Russell
7 Diana Hindley
8 Janet Kaiser
Beverly Pixley
11 Annabelle Hackbardt
Jacob Lanczki
12 Julie Candela
Zeke Smith Hudson
13 Robin Wyman
Rory Wyman
14 Rob Lockard
15 Lucy Nelson
16 Charles Eldridge
Heather Gilbert
Micah Nelson
17 Benjamin Bray
20 Haley Elandt
Hannah Elandt
Hunter Elandt
21 Onnalee Lach
22 Susan Miller
25 Sylvia Hindley
27 Jeremy Marsh
Jim Zimmerman
31 Chris Nelson
JANUARY
ANNIVERSARIES
16 Scott & Tammy Lanam
EMAIL ADDRESSES
If you’d like to be added to our email list, contact . If you’d prefer to receive the newsletter via email, please indicate that. To check out upcoming events, go to our web site at www.crossofchristlutheran.org.
ACTIVE FAITH
Thank you for your donations of non-perishable food items for Active Faith throughout the year. Donations are welcome in the box provided as you enter church. Our church has a monthly commitment of $250 to Active Faith. Your monetary donations are also invited. ______
We thank Thrivent Financial for continued donations to our church and preschool through the Thrivent Choice Program. If you are a Thrivent policy holder and have not selected Cross of Christ Lutheran Church or Preschool as your designated choice, do so at Thrivent.com/thrivent choice.
For information about Thrivent products, contact Brian Bower, our church representative, at:
or call 734-531-8423.
IN THIS NEW YEAR, MAY GOD GRANT US GREATER RESOLVE TO SERVE AND HONOR HIM.“Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ
(1 Peter 4:11).
J A N U A R Y, 2 0 1 7
CROSS OF CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH
Email: Office: 248-437-8810/ Fax: 248-437-7708 Web: www.crossofchristlutheran.org
______
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 New Year’s Day10:00am WORSHIP / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7
9:00am
Take Tree &
Decorations Down
8
9:00 am Adult Bible Class
10:00am WORSHIP +
10:00am Sunday School
10:00am Youth Bible Study
11:00am Board of Elders / 9 / 10 / 11
4:00-5:30pm
Confirmation / 12
6:30-8:30pm
Girl Scouts / 13 / 14
15
9:00am Adult Bible Class
10:00am WORSHIP
10:00am Sunday School
10:00am Youth Bible Study
11:00am Choir Rehearsal
11:00am Coffee Hour -
Altar Guild / 16 / 17
10:15am
Evangelism/
Stewardship Bd.
7:00pm Church
Council / 18
4:00-5:30pm
Confirmation / 19 / 20 / 21
22 Life Sunday
9:00am Adult Bible Class
10:00am WORSHIP +
10:00am Sunday School
11:00am CHILI Luncheon
4:00pm Rehab Center
Service / 23 / 24
/ 25
4:00-5:30pm
Confirmation / 26
3:00pm
Abbey Park
Service / 27 / 28
29
9:00am Adult Bible Class
10:00am WORSHIP +
10:00am Sunday School / 30 / 31
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