Immanuel Lutheran Church, Grand Ledge, Michigan

“Men at Work” used to be the construction sign. All through this spring and summer, your leaders have been working for God and our church. Much of this has been behind the scenes. Among them all, I would like to bring 3 of these to light.

1) The property folks have been “busy bees.” They have been doing maintenance on the Memorial Garden, the parsonage, the thermostats, bathrooms and many other places. They have been hiring new staff to replace the Lewis’s who took care of our basement so well. You “see” the results when you come to church and everything is clean and working smoothly.

2) The Church Council has been meeting 2 times a month: once for business; a 2^nd time for planning. They are reviewing everything we do as a church of “Our Mission” to Gather, Prepare, and Serve Christ^.[1] We have a consensus that we take too much time on business and too little time on mission and planning. They are seeking ways to open up doors to implement “Our Vision.”^[2] Changes are coming.

3) Youth Task Force has been meeting, since “Our Vision” was adopted by the Council. A job description^[3] is written and evaluated by Pr. Jamie, Assistant to the Bishop. They will continue to meet and make a recommendation to Council soon. They also are planning with Youth Committee, a retreat^[4] for adults and high school youth interested in revitalizing our program.

I am so pleased that our leaders have been so very active all through this time. Commitment and eagerness to be increasingly effective for Christ’s work runs deep among us. I encourage you to express your appreciation to them.

^[1] Gathering people to faith in Jesus Christ; Preparing believers to live their faith daily; Serving Christ in home, church and world.

^[2] To be a welcoming, spiritual community that nurtures intimacy in our daily walk with Jesus and invites participation through sharing our gifts to the glory of God.

^[3] Ask Matt Cermak for a copy.

^[4]Ask Lyn Danes for further details.

Washed clean in the blood of the Lamb and consecrated to the Lord on July 11^th were:

Evan Richard, son of Daniel and Allison Landry, His sponsors are David and Gail Schupbach.

Caylee Nicole, daughter of Tom and Angela Blake. Her sponsors are Patrick Blake and Jo Anne Walz.

The gifts of faith and eternal life, given through water and the Word, are priceless. Our church has the challenge to support these families as they nurture their children.

K. C. and Abby Gooding on the birth of a daughter, Nevaeh Carris on July 4^th. She joins her brother, Cyrus, in this growing family.

Mike & Jackie Fedewa on the birth of their son, Ty Lucas on July 23. He joins his sisters, Delaney and Emily at home.

Following the outdoor service sponsored by Health Ministry Team. Main dishes will be provided. Please join us and bring healthy side dish or dessert to share.

This service is for members, families, and friends who find it difficult to attend a regular service. Pr. Paul Pretzlaff will be presiding and Holy Communion will be celebrated. Lunch following the service sponsored by Luther League II.

Anyone with artwork, crafts, paintings, quilts and other created items are encouraged to display your items at the church for our hospitality stop. Immanuel’s parking lot is being used, and we are opening our doors to display some of the artistic gifts and talents at Immanuel. We need people to assist with directing traffic in our parking lot, to welcome people and to oversee the displays throughout the day. We also need people to help set up displays on Friday evening and take down displays on Sunday at noon. Please contact Ruth and Bob Buckley or Den Graeber to let them know what you would like to display or how you’d like to assist. Thanks!

The dedication of the Habitat for Humanity House is on Sunday, August 1 at 2:00 p.m. You are all welcome to attend and see what we have accomplished. If you have not been able to work on this project, but would like to be financially supportive all donations are most welcome. Patsy Gabriel will see to it that they are included as an Immanuel Lutheran Church contribution.

The new carpet in the basement is in and we could not have had it ready for VBS without many helpful hands and strong backs. Thank you to everyone who helped move all the items in the basement so the new carpet could be laid.

HEALTH MINISTRY NOTES
Let them eat Carbs . . .
Good news about the most maligned food group

The anti-carb movement has led to carbohydrate phobia. It is difficult to make sense out of all the information surrounding the low carb craze. Just what is fact and what is fiction? Some nutrition professionals have called this phenomenon the “panic du jour”. Previously the panic was over fat today it is over carbohydrates. When we look at both, it is evident the truth is more about America’s anxiety over food. If each nutrient were as dangerous as it is make to sound we wouldn’t have anything left to eat. As a nation, we have managed to become more overweight due to consuming a lot more calories than we did thirty years ago. So are carbohydrates the problem? Here is what science knows now.

The nutrient group includes grains, whole grains, vegetable legumes (beans), fruit, and of course processed refined products. Whole grains, fruit, legumes and vegetables are some of the healthiest food on the planet. These foods are full of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Processed carbohydrates like cakes, pies, cookies, and white bread are more questionable.

Researchers have repeatedly found that all calories produce the same amount of energy regardless of which nutrient group the calories come from. The longest study to date showed that low carb dieters lost more weight than the low-fat dieters in the first 6 months, but by the end of the year there was no significant difference. This was most likely due to the fact that the low carb way of eating is hard to maintain for the long run. People miss and enjoy carbohydrate-containing foods. If low-fat diets are unsuccessful it may be that too many of the carbohydrates are the less healthy refined type.

No, because unlike drugs and alcohol there is no physical withdrawal when they are removed from the diet. However, eating carbohydrate containing foods result in the brain making serotonin, a key chemical that lifts mood. When we remove carbs from our diets we can become anxious, depressed, irritable, and have trouble concentrating.

"Net carbs" is a diet concept popularized by Dr. Atkins. It refers to carbohydrate content after the food manufacturer has subtracted fiber and other carbs they think don’t should be counted. Subtracted ingredients still are carbs and still provide calories.

In conclusion, just remember extreme diets are never the answer. Find a healthy way of eating that you can maintain for a lifetime. We as humans are omnivores we were created to consume carbohydrates. We would not have the elaborate digestive system in place if they were not important. It is natural to eat carbohydrates, so relax and enjoy them in moderation.

This information was summarized from an article in the July 2004 Oprah magazine.

We just finished an exciting week of Camp Creation, our 2004 Vacation Bible School theme. We had 135 students in attendance and 50 energetic volunteers to help make it a successful week. Our service project this year was to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House in Lansing. The students at Camp Creation raised the money by eating the McDonald’s with their families. We received 25% from the total sales between 5 and 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 29. Rebecca Reagan, the director of fundraising at the Ronald McDonald House visited us and talked to us about the house. That’s God’s work in action! Way to go, campers!

Be looking for the kick-off of J.A.M. (Jesus and Me) in August. Holly Plunkett will be coordinating this monthly program. This program is designed for the interaction of parents and Kindergarten through third grade students in a setting where a Bible lesson or story will be presented followed by a featured activity.

If you love Vacation Bible School, you’ll love this new exciting program designed for fourth and fifth graders. Students will rotate through different centers such as crafts, snacks, games, Bible lessons, and more. This program will be offered on Wednesday evenings bi-monthly starting in October.

We will be kicking off the beginning of our 2004-2005 Sunday School year on September 12, 2004. Mark Rally Day on your calendar now!

SNL is for 6^th through 8^th graders (with an occasional 9^th grader). SNL stands for Sunday Night Live. It is our totally cool, catechism program. Yes, it is for 6^th graders too. Parents, take note. Orientation meeting will be Tuesday, August 31 at 7:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall at Immanuel. Watch for a letter coming soon with more details about the orientation meeting.

A policy that helps make our church a safe place for our children, youth and vulnerable adults. This 5 year old policy is being revised by Parish Education and Health Ministry and will be implemented beginning September 2004. Members interested in assisting in training can contact Denise in the church office.

Our next event will be held on August 9, 2004. We will be guided on a Greek Orthodox Church Tour by Father Mark. We will leave the church parking lot 9:15 a.m. and have lunch at the Parthenon Restaurant in Lansing.

All the carpet had to be replaced in the basement due to mold from spring rains. It was a health issue for those with allergies and respiratory problems. We felt we had no choice. Unfortunately, only the portion flooded by our water pipe break is covered by our insurance. As a result, we were $1,867 short.

In exploring options to cover this added expense, Youth Committee offered to loan funds set aside for Gatherings. Their generous offer was accepted and we have been able to move forward with the replacement of the carpet. The installers worked the week of July 19th to have everything in place before Vacation Bible School.

All of us together should try to reimburse the Youth funds. Please, if you can make a special donation toward the carpet. Use one of the “Designated Offering” envelopes (red lined) in your packet. How can we do it? $10 from 187 families or $20 from 94 families will do it.

Are you interested in being a ringer? Consider joining Immanuel’s Handbell Choir. They will be starting back up in mid August. If interested in joining call Barb Paulins at 645-2914.

Thank you to all of my Immanuel Family for the prayers, cards and calls. To Pr. Rick, Karen and especially Linda Kruth and Nadene Emery who helped me out so much during my illness and continue to do so.