The Shepherd's Staff

February, 2012

Lent helps prepare for Easter

Lent is a period of solemn preparation for Easter.  It reminds us of our sinfulness and encourages us to make changes in our lives so that we can better appreciate the gifts of forgiveness and new life that are ours because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
           
Lent at Holy Shepherd includes two special things.  First, we offer a series of Midweek Lenten Worship Services to increase our focus upon God and his will for us.  These services begin on Ash Wednesday, February 22, when Holy Communion will be offered and ashes traced on our foreheads at 2 p.m., 6 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.  For the following five Wednesdays, a 7 p.m. service featuring skits about Jesus’ beatitudes will be available.  Soup Suppers will be available those five Wednesdays beginning at 6:15 p.m.  Note that Wednesday evening music rehearsals have been moved to Thursday evenings during Lent this year.
           
Second, the congregation will be reading and discussing a single book during Lent.  This year’s book is Blessed to Follow, a treatment of the Beatitudes.  Sign up by February 19 to participate in a small group that will discuss the book each week.  This is a great way to deepen faith and to build relationships with other members of our congregation.

An earthquake and tsunami in Japan; earthquakes in New Zealand and Burma; floods in Australia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and South Africa; and landslides in Brazil—these were among the major natural disasters of 2011.  The 30-Hour Famine gives people at Holy Shepherd a concrete way to respond to catastrophes such as these.
           
Famine participants will fast from noon on Friday, February 24, through 6 p.m. on Saturday, February 25.  Their bodies will feel undernourished, but their spirits will be nourished through devotions, inspirational speakers, and fun mission-oriented activities.  The fast will conclude with a traditional “break-fast” on Saturday night following the 5 p.m. worship service.
           
Though the 30-Hour Famine is led by the youth who are “locked in” all night, everyone in the congregation can help in these ways:  (1) Fast during the 30 hours.  (2) Join in the fun by signing up to chaperone the lock-in, drive for the food scavenger hunt, or help in the kitchen.  (3) Donate money to World Vision by sponsoring a youth participant, by providing food for the “break-fast” dinner, and/or by bringing in food or school supplies for the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.  (4) Pray for those who are starving and dying from hunger and for those who are working through efforts such as the 30-Hour Famine to alleviate the problem.

Serving our mission territory

Did you know that Holy Shepherd is the only ELCA congregation west of Interstate 65 and south of U.S. Highway 30 until you get to Lafayette?  As such, we have a tremendously large mission area to serve—an area that extends considerably beyond St. John, Dyer, and Schererville.  To do an effective job, we need to think of ways of doing ministry beyond what happens in our building at Keilman Street and 97th Lane.
           
A few years ago, Holy Shepherd began taking some administrative responsibility for Hope ELCA, a worshiping community in Crown Point.  Led by Pastor Freda Scales, who is herself a member of Holy Shepherd, Hope holds worship services each Sunday at 11 a.m. at Free Spirit Interfaith Church (701 East Clark Street).  Average worship attendance is about 15, and there is a strong sense of community among those who participate.
           
Beginning this month, Holy Shepherd will offer a weekly Bible study in Lowell.  Led by Holy Shepherd member Corlin Stein, the study will meet at his home at 1593 East 177th Court and is intended to create a learning and fellowship faith community.  It will meet on Sunday evenings.  Watch for announcements; and, especially if you live in the Lowell-Cedar Lake area, plan to participate.
           
At this point, no one knows what will happen with these Crown Point and Lowell outreach efforts.  They may fizzle and die out.  They may continue indefinitely as small faith communities.  Or they may eventually evolve into one or more brand new congregations.  At the moment, they are best understood as satellite ministries of Holy Shepherd that deserve our prayerful support because they are avenues through which people are learning about Jesus.
           
Holy Shepherd has a long and proud tradition of mission outreach.  We have long funded a wide variety of mission projects and collected all sorts of things.  We are now becoming a bit more personal in our mission efforts.  We have developed an on-going outreach to Hopkins Park, an impoverished area near Kankakee, Illinois.  See Paul Knoerzer if you would like to help.  We just started Shepherd’s Suppers, a free meal for the community on the second Sunday of each month. See Linda Bolan to offer your assistance.  Of course, we can always do more.
           
One new option is to provide adult mentors for children at one of the local elementary schools.  Through last fall’s Community Open House, we learned of a nationwide program called Kids Hope USA in which each child involved in the program has three mentors.  One mentor meets one hour a week with that child at his or her school.  The second mentor is a prayer partner who upholds the child, the mentor, and the relationship in prayer.  The third is a substitute mentor who is available to stand in for a mentor whenever he or she must miss a session.  If you would like to know more about this effort, talk with Pastor Mike.
           
Especially with the announced closing of the St. John K-Mart, Holy Shepherd needs to be known as more than “the church that is kind of behind K-Mart.”  Through mission outreach beyond our building, we are helping to spread the good news of Jesus throughout our mission territory.

 

                        The Lord be with you,

No Fear!

“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.”  So he took them off.  Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand approached the Philistines.”             -1 Samuel 17:39-40

           
This lesson, of course, is from the story of David and Goliath.  If you ever spent any time in Sunday School you heard this story as a child.  We all know the lesson of this story.  The smallest of us can overcome the greatest of tests—with God on our side.  I was reading this story the other day and I saw something I had never noticed before.  As David is preparing to go out and fight the Philistine, Saul dresses David in his own tunic, puts on a coat of armor and a bronze helmet on him.  And once David is all decked out in this gear he tries walking around and can’t really move around.  So David ditches that which does not belong to him and takes what he’s comfortable with, a sling shot, and five smooth stones.  And we all know how this story ends; one single shot to the center to Goliath’s forehead and it’s over before it really begins. 
           
Too often people feel as if they have to fit a particular mold in order to accomplish something great; they even step out of their comfort zone to get something done.  But what we can take away from this story is that we don’t need to become something we’re not in order to do something great for God and God’s people.  David became weighed down when he put Saul’s armor on; and he trusted that he would be protected by something greater than a coat of armor and a bronze helmet. 
           
We hear over and over again that God will provide all that we need; yes we hear it but do we listen to it?  Do you really believe that God made you in a specific way for a specific calling?  Quit trying on other people’s armor; quit trying to be something you’re not.  Don’t go on the defense in this world, turning yourself into somebody you’re not.  Fear is that thing in life that can weigh us down like heavy body armor.  Don’t become stuck, rather be like David, trust that God is on your side and will help you overcome your fears and go on to bigger and greater things.
           
Have a great February and we’ll see you at Famine!        
      

            Pastor Mike

The Second Grade Bible Workshop will be on Sundays, February 19 and 26 and March 4.  The workshop will be held in the fellowship hall during the Sunday School hour.  This workshop, which is for all second graders and their parents, will help children become more comfortable with the Bible by presenting basic Bible facts and covering such topics as Law and Gospel, Old and New Testaments, and Bible Usage.  Mary Weber and Pastor Mike will teach the class.  The class will then be recognized and presented with Bibles in the 10:40 a.m. worship service on March 4.  If you have any questions, please contact Carlene Benne.

New members will be officially received at Holy Shepherd the weekend of February 25-26.  Those who wish to join at this time must let Pastor Vance know by Sunday, February 12.
           
Those who are planning to join are asked to participate in three New Member Orientation sessions on Thursdays, February 9, 16, and 23, from 7 to 9 p.m.  These sessions will give newcomers an opportunity to get to know one another and to become better acquainted with the mission, vision, values, and ministries of Holy Shepherd. 

 

Men's golf teams forming

Holy Shepherd participates in the Calumet Area Church Men’s Golf League.  Any male member of the church at least 18 years old is welcome to participate on the team.  Currently Holy Shepherd has two teams in the league.  The golf team plays from May through September on Monday nights (Memorial Day and Labor Day excepted) starting at 5 p.m.  The format for the league is a four-man team that plays match and medal play against another church in the league, based upon the golfer’s handicap established in the league.  Even though only four members of the team play at one time, the team consists of more golfers.  If interested, please contact Dave Greinke or Drew Furuness by March 30.                   

Holy Shepherd’s Keenagers” (those who are at least 60 years old and their spouses) will enjoy a cooking demonstration in the church kitchen on Sunday, February 19, from 12 noon to 2 p.m.   Award-winning chef and Holy Shepherd member Jill Fox will show the secrets to making stocks to use for soups and sauces.  She will make six French sauces using the chicken and beef stocks:  two to serve with chicken, two to serve with pork, and two to serve with beef.  All will be heart-healthy.  Then the sauces will be eaten with chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, and beef tenderloin.  An asparagus salad, potato gratin, and dessert will complete the meal.
           
To assist in planning and purchasing for the meal, advance sign ups are strongly encouraged.  Sign up on the Opportunity Center table in the church lobby or on the back of the opportunity slips by February 12.  There is no charge for the meal—undoubtedly one of the best you will ever eat!
           
Watch future newsletters for announcements of other Keenager activities.

Every week 40 to 60 children faithfully come to Holy Shepherd’s Sunday School to hear about God’s Word. They come with enthusiasm, ready to learn and have fun with fellow believers. This is the way it should be. But alas, the adult support has been less than enthusiastic. We have been relying on about ten adults to do the teaching for the 2011-2012 term. We need help!
           
A congregation this size has many valued members capable of teaching our children. Won’t you please volunteer? We must remember the children of this congregation are the future of the church and this congregation, and should not be neglected. A volunteer can be any age, any gender; you need not be a teacher; you need not be a parent. We have the entire lesson planned out for you and resources readily available so teaching is “a breeze” (as one person told me).
           
Please consider donating an hour on Sunday so our Sunday School can continue to grow.
           
Remember: Train up the child in the way he should go and even when he is old he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6
           
Please direct comments or questions to me.
            —Carlene Benne,
             Children’s Ministries Director