FROM PASTOR RICK’S COMPUTER:
LUTHERAN PRAYERS

At the GL Community Thanksgiving Service last November, Fr. Jim asked the Lutherans and Methodists, etc. if they had special table graces like the Roman Catholics. The Lutherans said, “Yes, we do.” And then we prayed it for him. Do you know our Lutheran grace and do you use it?

Indeed there are two prayers before and two thanksgivings after. By tradition, Lutherans are to offer grace before eating and offer thanks at the end of the meal.

The first of each of the two are more commonly used. The second ones are in Luther’s Small Catechism under instructions for life at home. 

I have put a box around them to encourage you: 1) to cut them out to use: 2) to commit them to memory; 3) to use them when by yourself; when with everyone in your household and when you have guests in.

Family hint: In households with children, the practice of returning thanks – like we do after the Lord’s Supper – provides a meal structure. Nobody can leave the table until the meal is over. And the meal is over when we return thanks to God. This can cut down on the habit of eating fast and bolting from the table and the family time around it.

Hope this helps.

AMONG OUR MEMBERS:

BAPTISM

Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told Nicodemus.

Michael, Martin, Jonathon, Jennifer and Jessica Roesch

the adopted children of Joni Henretty. Their father, Mike, who is Joni’s brother, was present at the baptism. Sara Caswell is their Christian Sponsor.

Ella Landry

daughter of Daniel and Allison Landry.  Her Christian Sponsors are Elizabeth Campbell & Susan Brown.

These children were baptized in accordance with the command of Christ. It was a joyful and powerful day, in which the Spirit of God was moving. We welcome them to God’s family and our ministry.

DEATH

John Oswill

On February 9, 2007, about two years after his wife, Joyce, died, so did John. They were married for over 50 years. During most of those years, they were supporting and serving members of Immanuel.  John sold plumbing supplies and enjoyed fishing. He has 5 children and many grandchildren. He will be buried this spring in our Memorial Garden.

NEWS AND EVENTS:

IMMANUEL’S ANNUAL LUGNUT OUTING

Mark your calendars for Friday, July 20, 2007 for Immanuel’s next Lansing Lugnut outing.  Tickets are $8 a seat and can be reserved by calling Orv Erickson at 517-645-2865, emailing him at oerickson@sbcglobal.net or just see him after church some Sunday.  Tickets must be ordered and paid for by June 3rd.  Last year we had 89 fans enjoy a nice night at the park.  Come join us this year for a great night out with the family.  GO NUTS!!!!

KIDS HOPE USA CORNER

The first month of the mentoring program has gone extremely well.  The students have surprised the mentors with their enthusiasm and excitement since day one.  Their bright smiles, warm hugs, and openness have been the rewards for the mentors’ time and caring.   Our only “glitches” have been scheduling around snow days and days off, but each mentor still has managed to see his/her student two to four times in February. 

Each month I hope to share with you a Kids Hope story from Greenwood, and here’s our first (the child’s name will be changed for confidentiality). 

At their first mentoring session, Teresa Barcy and Bob, her student, seemed to connect right away.  They were meeting in the library that day, and their conversation and laughter filled the space.  During the second session the following week Teresa and Bob were completing an interest sheet.  When Bob was asked what his favorite thing was about school, he answered, “My first is gym.  And my second is the time I meet with you.”  Trust me; there is no higher praise from a second grader.  It demonstrates how quickly children can respond to a caring, faithful adult. 

Thank you to everyone who is helping to make this happen - mentors, prayer partners, and members of the congregation.  May God bless you.

Kids Hope Director

WOMEN'S RETREAT

Indulge yourself in God’s extravagant love on Saturday, April 14, 2007 at St. Francis Retreat and Conference Center in DeWitt.

Theme: Chocolate Boutique

Cost: $20 (includes lunch, devotional materials, and chocolate treats)

Come see that the Lord is good while you grow closer to friends and deepen your relationship with Jesus. Together we will experience meaningful devotions, participate in fun activities, and eat chocolate.

RSVP to the church office (627-6310).

LUTHER LEAGUE II

Our next event will be held on Monday, March 12th at 11:30 am.  We will take a tour of the new Bridge Street Wedding Chapel (formerly old Congregational Church) on the corner of N Bridge/E Front St.  A catered lunch at Immanuel Fellowship Hall will follow at 12:30 p.m.  There is a $5.00 charge.  Hosted by John & Carol Weigel.  RSVP: 622-2944

POOR AS A CHURCH MOUSE

So we were at choir practice the other night. It was during vocal warm ups, we were attempting to ready our voices to produce those heavenly sounds that raise the human spirit beyond its poverty, when Kira began to point and walk. “I just saw a mouse!” she was saying.

Now, Ellen, our director, sometimes has us warm up with “I love to sing.” But, “I just saw mouse!?”

This was a new one. Only it was true. Kira had spotted a “church mouse.” Well, the brave basses tried to roust it out from under the cabinets where it had sought refuge, but the rodent eluded their best efforts. Likely it was long gone.

Our intrepid director reasserted her control. She divided us up into groups. Men up stairs; women down in order to “run notes,” as she said. And before long some one spotted the afore mentioned rodent. “He” was making his way just inside the door along the chancel step. No less than 4 burly boys began to do the stomp.

Alas, all attempts were fruitless, as once again he escaped under the furniture. The mouse lives. Church mice may be poor but they are fast and elusive.

So if our friend joins you while you are seated in the music corner, just give him a hymnal and prove that we are a “welcoming community,” apparently to all God’s creatures…at least until the Rose Exterminator arrives.

WHY DO PEOPLE SUFFER?

This is the topic of Pastor’s Sunday class. This is one of life’s most perplexing questions (along with “What is the purpose of mosquitoes?”). Please come and explore the Bible what the various Biblical writers have to say about suffering, God, and faith. Sundays at 9:15.

“LENT IS SPRING” CONCERT

The choirs of 2 Immanuel Lutheran Churches will come together for a concert on March 25^th at 3 p.m. The other Immanuel Lutheran is our namesake in Jackson, MI. Our Handbell Choir will play as well in this concert of anthems and hymns with a free will offering for our LYO (high school) mission trip to a North Dakota Reservation this summer. Bring your friends and neighbors and enjoy.

Pastor Rick’s Sabbatical
June 4 to September 2, 2007

Pastor Rick is going on a Sabbatical; what does that mean to our church family?

• A Short Definition: It is an opportunity given to our pastor by our congregation, to take an extended period of time (approximately 3 months) for the pursuit of rest, renewal, enrichment, study, spiritual growth, travel, skill development, and research.

• Why: In addition to the definition above, it send a powerful message to Pastor Rick that we care about him, we truly value his ministry and leadership here with us.

• Concerns about Pastor Rick’s Absent: A Sabbatical Support Team was formed late in 2006 to prepare a format of Pastoral guidance, administration assistance; all facets of the continuing growth, needs of Immanuel.

• How will Pastor’s Sabbatical be paid for: Sabbatical expenses include the extra costs for worship services and pastoral care. We will continue to pay Pastor’s salary and benefits. A Sabbatical Fund was established in 1995 in the church’s budget. The Fund was negotiated with Pastor Rick in lieu of an equivalent amount of salary increase. Each month $100 is set aside from our tithes and deposited into the Sabbatical Fund instead of being paid in salary. As of January 2007, there was $8100 set aside. 

• Additional Details: Where is he going? What is he going to be doing? All the issues contained in his Sabbatical will be forthcoming in newsletters and a detailed booklet made available to all our congregational family.

The Sabbatical Team: Larry Kruth, Melissa Goschka, Denise Lund, Mike Proper, Fred Roush, & Pat Anderson

Questions: Contact anyone of them or sent questions to sabbatical@immanuel-gl.org

Opportunities to Serve:

SOUND SYSTEM TECHS

Volunteers are needed to operate the sound system on Sundays, for funerals and weddings. Call Larry Kruth, 627-5331, or the Church Office if interested.

YOUTH NEWS:

"WHO DONE IT" 
 "Who Killed ______ at the Circus???" 

Those are  the questions; that is the mystery.  All senior high youth are invited ---and will be mailed a personal invitation---to a murder mystery progressive dinner party being held on Sunday, March 18th.  Youth will gather at the church following coffee/fellowship hour for devotions and directions and will proceed from there to various homes.  Keep the date open and watch your mailbox!

NOTES:

THANK YOU'S
A ‘Souper’ Thank You

Thanks to all of you, the youth of Immanuel were able to raise $1,000 for the Grand Ledge Food Bank and several boxes of nonperishable food items. Thank you to the Grand Ledge Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association for their contribution of bowls. Thanks to all who helped create soup mixes, decorate bowls, cook soup, and helped with set-up and clean- up. Thank you Immanuel members for bowl buying, soup eating, and mix purchasing.

Special thanks to Teresa Barcy for using her gifts to such good advantage for Immanuel and the Grand Ledge community.

Pancake Supper a Big Success Thanks to you!

Thanks to all of you, who helped and attended the pancake supper on Shrove Tuesday. We served a record number of pancakes and could not have done it without all the adult volunteers, hardworking youth of Immanuel and our Boy Scout Troop. The youth raised over $700. Special thank you to Teresa Barcy for coordinating and donating food for this event.

Pastor's Evaluation

Thank you to the 33 members who gave me feedback regarding my pastoral leadership. A summary is available in the Entry Way or from the church office. I will be reading each of the response forms and thinking about how to improve so that I can stay fresh and relevant for the congregation. We are certainly a congregation with diverse opinions, spiritual needs and preferences. I know he keeps changing me and my perspectives. I appreciate the opportunity to read your comments, and will do my best. God deserves nothing less for his grace.

FROM THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S DESK:

“The difference we make”

As I sit in these the coldest days of our winter, I am warmed by the fellowship, the outreach, and the blessing that we at Immanuel share and experience.

I sit in our monthly Council meetings and get to hear of the good things that are happening. With that in mind I would like to share some of them.

We have ministries in place that do make a difference not only to us here in the community but they are being recognized by others outside our footprint.

We have become a Kids Hope Church, and the stories I hear of the difference we are making already are a true testament to the difference we can make if we make that commitment.  Members taking the time out to share there lives with a child to make a difference, and others willing to be prayer partners to lift up these members, and a whole congregation’s support in this ministry we do. I have heard of others becoming interested in starting up other Kids Hope churches based on the Good News that we spread outside our  membership, all because we chose to get involved.

Healing Prayer Ministry serves us each week. What a support network that has become. At last council meeting we heard that members from another church were visiting, saw what the healing prayer ministries meant to us, and the awesome power that this Network brings us, and decided that they would like to develop it also at their home church. So hopefully a torch was passed on to help others outside our walls.

Teddy Bear ministries have become a normal sight in our church. Who would have thought a year or so ago that we would not mind sharing our pews with these stuffed animals. I saw the gleam in a child’s eye when I told her she could take that bear home if she chose. We received a note from a member’s friend in Northern Michigan about what that bear she received meant to her when she was going through a difficult time. She also questioned if it was to be passed on. She elected to keep the bear because it had meant so much for her, but we were told that out of this they decided to start there own teddy bear ministry at their home church. That little bear became the spark.

We had our first congregational ministry meeting and I could see a few things in the eyes of the members. We can do this, we can make a difference. Where are the next teddy bear, kids hope, and healing prayer ministries? I am not sure but if the past year or so has been any indication we will have much more to talk about at our meetings.

Peace,

Council Corner

Overview of the February Meeting:

Council approved the appointment of following members to the at large positions for resource teams

Council reviewed the resource team reports and no council action was required this month

Council  decided to:  EQUALLY SPLIT LENTEN OFFERINGS, INCLUDING ASH WEDNESDAY, MAUNDY THURSDAY AND GOOD FRIDAY OFFERINGS, BETWEEN LIVING WATERS MINISTRIES, THE GOOD SAMARITAN FUND AND THE PASTOR’S DISCRETIONARY FUND.

Council discussed the goals that they would work towards in the coming year and will discuss next again next month to add as necessary:

• Initiate the Natural Church Development program -- Pr. Schleicher has advised that a Natural Church Development representative will attend the March Council Meeting to further explain the program.
• Monitor the Success of the Resource Teams
• Encourage members to find their ministry

FULL COUNCIL MINUTES CAN BE LOCATED ON THE IMMANUEL WEBSITE OR ON THE CEDENZA LOCATED IN THE CHURCH ENTRYWAY ONCE THEY ARE APPROVED.

CELEBRATIONS:
MARCH BIRTHDAYS

MARCH ANNIVERSARIES

Home | Staff | Council | Ministries | Happenings | Youth | Worship | Links

© 1999- Immanuel Lutheran Church, Grand Ledge, Michigan
All Rights Reserved
We value your feedback.  Please forward comments to webmaster@immanuel-gl.org