FROM PASTOR RICK’S COMPUTER:
THE YEAR OF LUKE

I write this so that our worship will be deeper. The Church’s Scripture readings are on a 3-year cycle. The years are named for the Synoptic Gospels.[1]  2007 is the “Year of Luke.”  Most of the Gospel readings will come from there. Here are some things to know about Luke:

	It is the 1st of two works written by Luke. The other is Acts.
	Intentionally accurate. Luke says he did extensive research. He wants us to evaluate and decide about Jesus, God, and our own allegiances.
	Historical accuracy. He refers often to rulers and events that can be found outside the Bible. “This was not done in a corner.” (Acts 26:26)
	Both sin and salvation involve social systems as well as personal faith; they affect physical well-being as well as spiritual life.  For example: “Blessed are the poor (not, poor in spirit).” “To whom much is given, much is expected.” “Your faith has healed you.” The tax collector Zaccheus restores 3 times what he has taken.
	Worldwide perspective. Jesus is a light for the Gentiles. The new community is to take the gospel of forgiveness to those who are “far away.” God is confronting worldly power and building his kingdom through his disciples.
	Luke has been called, “The Gospel for the Long Haul.” He recognizes that the end may be long delayed. So obedience, ethics, steadfastness under pressure, teaching are important. “Take up the cross daily.”
	The Holy Spirit and spiritual practices are very important.

So being disciples who nurture a daily walk with Jesus and participate with our gifts in the growth of the church in our congregation and around the world (our Vision) is supported well in Luke. May this Year of Luke be dedicated to your deepening walk and our congregation’s growth. Sole Deo Gloria.

AMONG OUR MEMBERS:

BAPTISM

 At the “Midnight” service on Christmas Eve:

Elizabeth Sara Parsons, the daughter of Kevin and Jennifer (Stopper) Parsons. Her Sponsors are Mathew and Alison (Stopper) Leonhardt. Jennifer and Kevin were ‘home’ from Florida. Alison and Mathew were ‘home’ from Hawaii. And our celebration of the birth of Jesus became the occasion of salvation for Elizabeth.

NEW MEMBERS

We welcomed new members officially on December 10^th (2 Advent) They included:

Raymond and Alice Harris.  Raymond and Alice are “retired” and moved to GL from NYC. Here, they have a year-round booth at the Lansing City Market and in the summer at the GL Farmer’s Market. Raymond also volunteers at YES House. They have two grown children.

Walter Werner. Walter is a retired accountant. Raised in Germany during WWII, Walter emigrated to the US during the 1950’s. He sings with the choir. Walter has 2 grown children.

Amy Wheeler. Amy is an Assistant Manager for Dart Bank. Married to Jim, their daughter was baptized at Immanuel in September. Amy transfers from Grace Lutheran where she grew up.

David and Sheryl Kurtycz and daughter Amy.  The Kurtycz’s have been attenders for a couple of years.

Jim Krenek.  Jim is retired from the DNR. In his retirement, he travels all over the world as a consultant, helping communities establish their Foundations. Jim is married to Elizabeth, who is a social worker.

Chris and Erin McKenzie-Vickers and sons Andrew and Stuart.  Erin and Chris are rejoining Immanuel formally. After being away for 12 years, they have been back for 3. Chris is a supervisor for Global Crossings. Erin is mom and homemaker for the family.

Welcome to each and all. We know this is going to be a wonderful new year with you as our partners in the ministry!

DEATH

Gertrude Nostrant.  Gertie was a lifelong member of Immanuel and a lifelong believer in the Lord. And she loved them both. She grew up in Grand Ledge and our church as a granddaughter of the Maier’s, one of the founding members of our congregation. An active woman, her later years were overshadowed by diabetes. She is survived by Ernie, her husband; daughters: Nancy Nostrant and Sandy (Roger) Love; and granddaughter, Kelly Love. We grieve her loss and are filled with faith and hope in the promises made to her by Jesus.

TRANSFER

Heath Buckley was transferred to St. Stephen Lutheran, Lansing, by his own request. God’s blessings on his move.

NEWS AND EVENTS:

LUTHER LEAGUE II
(For Seniors)

Monday, January 8, 2007 meet at Cugino's Italian Restaurant in downtown Grand Ledge (306 S. Bridge St.) at 11:30 A.M.  A brief presentation on the programs/services which Elder Law of Michigan (Elder Law of Michigan is a non-profit organization) provides to seniors including an overview of a new volunteer opportunity you may wish to consider becoming involved in that will enable struggling seniors in the Grand Ledge community apply for public benefits. Following this presentation by a Elder Law of Michigan representative, lunch will be ordered individually from Cugino's menu at 12:00 Noon.

NOTICE FOR ALL LAY ASSISTANTS

Leading the worship service is very important for the Pastor as well as for the Lay Ministers.  It is a special way to give of your time and talent and serve others.  We are holding a short refresher with a few changes to our current way of lay assisting along with a training session for any new lay assistants.  The changes will be given at the first part of the meeting.  Newcomers are asked to stay for the training session afterwards.

WHEN: Sunday, January 14, 2007 immediately following 10:30 worship

WHERE: Church sanctuary.  If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Melissa Goschka, Lay Assistant Coordinator.

KIDS HOPE USA TRAINING

Thank you again to everyone who signed up to be a mentor, sub-mentor, or prayer partner for Kids Hope.  We have the following important dates coming up in January:

            Sunday, January 21^st – There will be a training session for all mentors and sub-mentors.  This should run from 1 to 4 in the afternoon.  Prayer partners are encouraged and welcome to attend to find out what the mentors will be doing during the school hour each week.  Please let me know if you cannot attend so that we can make other arrangements for training.

            Sunday, January 29^th – We will introduce and commission all the Kids Hope volunteers at the 10:30 service.  Please plan to attend.

            Week of January 30^th through February 2^nd – This will be our first week to meet with the children at Greenwood.  We ask for the prayers of the entire congregation as we begin this new mission.

EPIPHANY AND BLESSING THE HOUSE

A practice handed down to us from our heritage is to give a New Year’s blessing to our dwellings on “Twelfth Night,” January 5^th. By the time the wise men visited Jesus, the Bible says the family had taken up residence in a house. We seek the Lord to be living and ruling in grace in our homes. A rite for this blessing is available in the entryway at church.

January 1: The Name of Jesus

Jewish children are given their names on the 8^th day of life.  Jan. 1^st is the 8^th day of Christmas.

Numbers 6:22-27
Psalm 8
Romans 1:1-7
Luke 2:21

Eternal Father, you gave your Son the name of Jesus to be a sign of our salvation. Plant in every heart the love of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

January 6: Epiphany celebrates the Magi (Wise Men or Kings) who visited the Christ Child. To the Church it speaks about a Savior for the whole world and the gospel’s global mission. (See “The Year of Luke) For your personal devotions the appropriate texts for Epiphany are:

Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72
Ephesians 3:2-12
Matthew 2:1-12

Lord God, on this day you revealed your Son to the nations by the leading of a star. Lead us now by faith to know your presence in our lives, and bring us at last to the full vision of your glory, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy  Spirit, one God, now and forever.

January 18: The Confession of St. Peter

Acts 4: 8-13
Psalm 18:1-7, 17-20
1 Corinthians 10:1-5
Matthew 16:13-19

Almighty God, you inspired Simon Peter to confess Jesus as the Messiah and Son of the living God. Keep your Church firm on the rock of this faith, that in unity and peace it may proclaim one truth and follow one Lord, your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

January 25: The Conversion of St. Paul

Acts 9:1-22
Psalm 67
Galatians 1:11-24
Luke 21:10-19

Lord God, through the preaching of your apostle Paul, you established one Church from among the nations. As we celebrate his conversion, we pray that we may follow his example and be witnesses to the truth in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Together these two festivals form the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.” Remember that we have far more that unites us as followers of Jesus than divides, and pray that all believers would treat one another as sisters and brothers in Christ.

EPIPHANY SERMONS
Formed for God’s Family

Pastor Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” says “You were formed for God’s family.”  It is his Purpose #2. He is talking about the indispensable place of the Church in our Christian lives and our places in the life of the Church (congregation). I agree. The church is the place in which we receive God’s salvation and the community, or family, we join when Jesus is our Savior and Lord.

This year, our church is going to reshape the way we are organized. Perhaps it is an appropriate time to look at some of the whys and hows that the Church and following Christ are linked so closely. I will use one of the appointed lessons from the Year of Luke and use Pastor Warren’s book as a resource to connect. You might want to open it again, read it through or read at least Purpose #2.

So if you would like to prepare, read “The Purpose Driven Life” Purpose #2.

NEW STUDY TOPIC
How Does the Holy Spirit Lead?

In my Adult Class we will be discussing the Holy Spirit using the Acts of the Apostles. We start January 7^th and meet in my classroom off the Narthex during Christian Ed. hour. All are invited and welcome. We learn from each other as well as the Scriptures.

RESETTLEMENT

A period of ill health and hospital stays are behind Leland, we pray. Rose is checking into Adult Education in GL. Some folks in the congregation and community picked up some economic slippage during time off work. Thank you to all. Donated to the Resettlement Fund in November -- $80.

ROOF OVER OUR HEADS

Work on our roof and drainage problems is progressing. New ridge vents have been installed and vents should be installed in the overhangs before the end of December. Donated in November -- $655.

HAPPY NEW YEAR: “BE IT RESOLVED …”

A New Year, and inevitably: RESOLUTIONS, which, as we know, are meant to be broken.  So let’s think instead of goals and objectives. Don’t even consider setting a goal unless it is both achievable and desirable. Here is my favorite example: When I began dating my future wife, an incorrect goal would have been: “I will get a date with Donna.”  Over that goal, I have no control; she might say “no”.  An achievable goal would be (and was), “I will ask Donna for a date.”  That goal is entirely up to me. I asked for the date; mission accomplished.  (Obviously, she agreed, but that’s another story.)

It’s a New Year, and your Health Ministry Team encourages you to help us fulfill our mission statement, which is to facilitate the wellness of the whole person.  Set some reasonable goals that relate to your whole life, body, mind, spirit and relationships.  It works!  March 1, 2006 was Ash Wednesday.  I decided to set a goal for myself as part of my Lenten discipline, a goal relating to the 65 lbs I needed to lose. My goal on that morning was not to lose 65 lbs. – that’s overwhelming. Instead I said, “Today, I will join Weight Watchers,” and I did.  A series of new goals followed, each one desirable and achievable.  First goal: “lose 10% of my weight.” Eventually, get down to 170 lbs. I have every intention of reaching that goal by February 1, 2007.

Every New Year for the past fifty years I have recited the following: I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, “Give me a light, that I may tread safely in the unknown.” And he replied, “Put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.” 

A NEW YEAR'S PRAYER

In this new year I pray:
to live deeply, with purpose,
to live freely, with detachment,
to live wisely, with humility,
to live justly, with compassion,
to live lovingly, with fidelity,
to love mindfully, with awareness,
to live gratefully, with generosity,
to live fully, with enthusiasm.

Help me to hold this vision and to daily renew it in my heart, becoming ever more one with you.

COUNCIL CORNER

Overview of the December Council meeting.

Andrea Meewes from the MiCAFE program gave a brief presentation on services offered and requirements needed on instituting a community MiCAFE center at Immanuel.  Immanuel would offer office space to MiCAFE for the coordination of intake interviews for low income seniors to help with food assistance in Eaton County.

Motion was made and approved to allow MiCAFE the Office space for the program.

Mortgage reduction line item in will be disbursed on a monthly basis.

Fundraiser for Immanuel High School youth was approved.

A discussion arose over the looming deficit that we are currently operation under for 2006. We looked at moving the current line item of future ministerial staff fund over to the general fund to offset the balance. A motion was presented to do this and this motion did not carry. It was asked that the upcoming Council please address this line item and encourage using it to the churches benefit.

Dan Landry was appointed as council liaison for the Boy Scout Troop 901 for the year 2007 that the church sponsors.

Approved the addition of new members to include: Amy Wheeler, Christopher, Erin & Andrew McKenzie-Vickers.

A progress report was given on the roof/ventilation project. Drain tiles are now in and the new ridge vent is installed and the balance of the project should be completed by Christmas. Immanuel was assured that all clean up will be done prior to any Christmas services.

FULL COUNCIL MINUTES CAN BE LOCATED ON THE IMMANUEL WEB PAGE OR ON THE CREDENZA LOCATED IN THE CHURCH ENTRYWAY ONCE THEY ARE APPROVED.

Opportunities to Serve:

ASSEMBLY DELEGATES SOUGHT

This May’s Assembly will be especially important. Bishop Gary Hansen is retiring in the Fall 2007. Voting members at the Synod Assembly will elect our new bishop. To prepare Lay voting members for this important task, our Capital Conference will have an educational meeting to cover the “Episcopal Ballot” method and to discuss the qualifications and qualities to look for in selecting this leader in the Church.

The Synod Assembly will be May 20-22, Sunday night through Tuesday afternoon. It will be held at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in South Lansing. All congregations may send one female and one male delegate. Pastors are voting members by constitution.

Please consider this. You will be spiritually challenged and renewed. Your awareness of the ELCA’s exciting ministries will be greatly expanded. You will share in a decisive time for our future. Speak with our President or Pastor Rick.

YOUTH NEWS:

HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH OUTING

Outside Winter Wonderland Party, Sunday, January 14 (time to be announced).  We will be sledding, skating, etc … 

NOTES:

THANK YOU

“Thank you for your Mission Support of $24,478 to date.”  It is 69% of your total goal.”

Bishop Gary Hansen.

The Quilts of Valor for wounded soldiers have been sent off to Bethesda Hospital in Maryland.  Thank you so much for your prayers and monetary support of this project. We’re sure the quilts and pillowcases will be greatly appreciated.

God Bless You,
Immanuel Quilting Group

FROM THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S DESK:

NAVIGATING BY GPS

It is in this season of Advent and the following season of Epiphany that we as followers of Christ do our work by starlight. We navigate our life by GPS – God’s Peculiar Star. As the story goes it appeared out of nowhere, but somehow those who followed it knew it was a sign from God.

As we embark on a new year, under a new structure, and led by a new council we need to be reminded that we are servants of God who allow themselves’ to be guided by God’s mysterious starlight though unfamiliar territory to the places that Christ is revealed.  In the coming year we know that we are headed in the right direction as long as we follow the light that he provides.

Things truly are changing at Immanuel by the evidence of the many people who have come to me and asked what could they do to serve within the new structure, and what about this idea, or that idea. I see a renewed enthusiasm in the workings of the church. We have welcomed the outreach to the community through the numerous programs like Kids Hope USA, And the new MiCAFE program that Council has just approved that assist low income senior citizens with food assistance through a Non-Profit agency. We have a group of high school youth that will be working towards a goal of a mission trip this year to lend a helping a hand to the less fortunate and spread the good news of Christ’s works.

I encourage all members to take an inward look, find that starlight and follow the GPS path that leads them to the direction in which Christ is revealed. Many opportunities exist to serve and like the saying goes in Pastor Rick’s sermon “Whenever God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window”. As we close the door on the year 2006 what will the next window be for you as a follower of Christ in the New Year?

We are a truly blessed community at Immanuel and we should at all times give God the praise and glory for what he has provided for us.

                                                                                                                                        God’s Peace,

CELEBRATIONS:
JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES

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