NOVEMBER 2017 Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 2702 Hwy 29 North Alexandria, MN 56308 1-320-762-5152 www.goodshepherd-lcms.org The person cries out to God, God hears, answers, and then saves the person from death. The person then shares how God saved them from their chains. As a result of God do- ing so, the person makes a vow to thank and praise God for all He did. In this same vein, I’m thankful too! I too was experiencing being trapped by my own chains. Yet, in time, God heard my pleas. He reached out, touched me, and saved me from my chains. God saved me from an un- grateful, greedy heart and spirit. God saved me from the chains of staying up too late. God saved me from chains of a warped attitude. God saved me from the chains of being over-whelmed at anything and every- thing. These were real chains in my life. These chains had captured my heart and soul. These chains were holding me back and holding me down. I could sense it but was unable to do anything to change it. THANKFULLY, I now can testify GOD saved me from these chains - yet again!! Once again, God’s good news of loving grace and forgiveness became meaningful. Once again, I was freed from going through the motions. I began to live more in the moments in my life WITH GOD. To be sure, I still struggle with other chains. BUT NOW, THIS TIME, I’m doing so with my heart, mind, and soul set free. This time, I’m do- ing so not with my own strength. This time, God and His power is setting me free. We all know there’s a difference. There are times God IS WITH US and GOD is freeing us. So too, there are times we are caught and can’t get un-chained. God doesn’t seem to be with us or able to free us. Then, at God’s timing, we are enabled to turn to God and call out for His help. God sees, hears, and delivers us. God frees us from our chains. As a result, not a command, we are freed to be thankful and praiseful once again. We are set free to rejoice and celebrate once again. “This is our story. This is our song; praising our Savior all the day long! This is our story. This is our song; praising our Savior all the day long!” Both Laura and I are patiently waiting for winter to arrive. We both enjoy watching it snow and being in it. For Laura, it is God telling her he loves her. For me, it is an earthly reminder of God covering us and making us holy, white, and beautiful in his sight. Just as God covers the earth with beautiful white snow, God shows us covers us with Jesus’ blood which also makes us white, clean, holy and beautiful in His sight. So, if you ever see snow falling this com- ing winter, go ahead and text Laura these words: “GOD loves you in – {Alex or Fargo} - wherever you see it snowing. Her number is 712-253-8668. God Bless you and yours this coming November. A blessed Thanksgiving to you!! Pastor Tim 1. Greetings all! This flock talk is going to be about CHAINS, THANKSGIVING, and SNOW. I just read Psalm 116 which shares: “You have freed me from my chains. I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD.” To me, chains paint a picture of peo- ple caught and trapped and unable to do anything to free themselves. It doesn’t matter if the person has chained themselves to something or something has chained themselves to the person. Chains paint a picture of people enslaved. I have a lot to be thankful for lately. God has been continuing to set me free from MY chains! Some chains are just plain bad and evil. I’m talking about cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, gam- bling, greed, power, etc. At the same time, other chains APPEAR not to be as bad or evil. For instance, TV, computer, twitter, Facebook, Kindle, books, sporting events, Netflix, Roku/Amazon, and Pintrest. In of themselves, these objects are just that – objects. However, in the hands and lives of people, they CAN become MORE than objects. For some/ many people, these objects can be- come chains just as bad and evil as the worst of chains. Some of these are mine. In Psalm 116 we read of a person who was brought close to death. C.T.S.
Transcript
NOVEMBER 2017 Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
2702 Hwy 29 North
Alexandria, MN 56308 1-320-762-5152
www.goodshepherd-lcms.org
The person cries out to God, God hears, answers, and then saves the person from death. The person then shares how God saved them from their chains. As a result of God do-ing so, the person makes a vow to thank and praise God for all He did.
In this same vein, I’m thankful too! I too was experiencing being trapped by my own chains. Yet, in time, God heard my pleas. He reached out, touched me, and saved me from my chains. God saved me from an un-grateful, greedy heart and spirit. God saved me from the chains of staying up too late. God saved me from chains of a warped attitude. God saved me from the chains of being over-whelmed at anything and every-thing. These were real chains in my life. These chains had captured my heart and soul. These chains were holding me back and holding me down. I could sense it but was unable to do anything to change it.
THANKFULLY, I now can testify GOD saved me from these chains - yet again!! Once again, God’s good news of loving grace and forgiveness became meaningful. Once again, I was freed from going through the motions. I began to live more in the moments in my life WITH GOD. To be sure, I still struggle with other chains. BUT NOW, THIS TIME, I’m doing so with my heart, mind, and soul set free. This time, I’m do-ing so not with my own strength. This time, God and His power is setting me free.
We all know there’s a difference. There are times God IS WITH US and GOD is freeing us. So too, there are times we are caught and can’t get un-chained. God doesn’t seem to be with us or able to free us. Then, at God’s timing, we are enabled to turn to God and call out for His help. God sees, hears, and delivers us. God frees us from our chains. As a result, not a command, we are freed to be thankful and praiseful once again. We are set free to rejoice and celebrate once again. “This is our story. This is our song; praising our Savior all the day long! This is our story. This is our song; praising our Savior all the day long!” Both Laura and I are patiently waiting for winter to arrive. We both enjoy watching it snow and being in it. For Laura, it is God telling her he loves her. For me, it is an earthly reminder of God covering us and making us holy, white, and beautiful in his sight. Just as God covers the earth with beautiful white snow, God shows us covers us with Jesus’ blood which also makes us white, clean, holy and beautiful in His sight. So, if you ever see snow falling this com-ing winter, go ahead and text Laura these words: “GOD loves you in – {Alex or Fargo} - wherever you see it snowing. Her number is 712-253-8668. God Bless you and yours this coming November. A blessed Thanksgiving to you!! Pastor Tim
1.
Greetings all! This flock talk is going to be about CHAINS, THANKSGIVING, and SNOW. I just read Psalm 116 which
shares: “You have freed me from my chains. I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD.” To me, chains paint a picture of peo-ple caught and trapped and unable to do anything to free themselves. It doesn’t matter if the person has chained themselves to something or something has chained themselves to the person. Chains paint a picture of people enslaved.
I have a lot to be thankful for lately. God has been continuing to set me free from MY chains! Some chains are just plain bad and evil. I’m talking about cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, gam-bling, greed, power, etc. At the same time, other chains APPEAR not to be as bad or evil. For instance, TV, computer, twitter, Facebook, Kindle, books, sporting events, Netflix, Roku/Amazon, and Pintrest. In of themselves, these objects are just that – objects. However, in the hands and lives of people, they CAN become MORE than objects. For some/many people, these objects can be-come chains just as bad and evil as the worst of chains. Some of these are mine.
In Psalm 116 we read of a person who was brought close to death.
C.T.S.
Submitted by: Neal Zappe
Think back to grade school. The team cap-tains have been chosen for the kickball game. All the kids stand opposite of these star athletes, as they choose the best play-ers first and the worst players last. That’s just how it worked. Perhaps, you can re-member being the last one picked and the embarrassment that you felt being the worst of the lot. Or, you may remember being among the first picked and the thrill and the prestige that went along with it.
Now, God is picking spokespeople for his team, and there we stand across from him, where do you feel you would rank in His selection process? We look at ourselves and see the flaws that bump us down in the ranking. We see the sins of our past that seem to disqualify us from the selec-tion process. We see our insecurities and doubt whether we’re even able to partici-pate.
Make no mistake, God sees those things too. But, he picks you anyway. The one who picked emotional Ezekiel, a mum-bling Moses, a disloyal David and a perse-cuting Paul, singles you out from the crowd and says, “I pick you. You are my spokesperson.” He could have picked an-gels, but he didn’t. He picked YOU! What qualifies you and all the others is what he told Ezekiel, “I will speak to you.” Please read Ezekiel Chapter 2. It is because you have tasted the bitter guilt of sin and the healing of the gospel, that God uses you today.
Just think, as Jesus was suffering on the cross, he had your face in mind, as his spokesperson. He suffered death and rose again, to cleanse you of every sin so that as his saint you could go out into the world and speak the words he gives you to speak.
We Are Chosen
2.
Embrace this opportunity! He is the team cap-tain! Equipped with God’s Word and His for-giveness you are prepared to be his spokesper-son.
As the results of the “Vision Path” surveys come in, we need to become more like Ezekiel, Moses, David and Paul. We need to see that God has chosen us, to speak his words to a fallen world!
3.
Submitted by: Ann Smith
Thank you to all who came to the Altar Guild meeting in October. There are still a few openings to serve on the altar guild for 2018. If you would like to serve please let Ann Smith or Diane Siegel know.
Thank you to Diane Siegel and Carol Rasmussen for
taking care of the altar for the month of November.
Paraments will be white on the 5th when we observe
All Saints’ Day and Thanksgiving, “White is the color
of purity and completeness. Christ’s triumph from the
grave on Resurrection day is the cause for our rejoic-
ing. His purity before his Father becomes our purity.
White reinforces that message of joy.” (Taken from
LCMS.org)
Looking ahead please mark Wednesday, December 6th
on your calendar as the day we will be decorating the
Christmas trees at 9:00AM. Many hands make light
work!
Altar Guild News We are looking forward
to starting our Weds.
Advent Services. This
year the Advent, Christ-
mas Eve and Christmas
Day services will
celebrate the wonderful
names of our Savior.
Jesus, Lamb, Shepherd,
Emmanuel, Son and
the Word.
Come join us at our
Soup Suppers at
6:00p.m. before
Worship! Watch for the
sign-up sheets and see
how you can help out!
We always have a
GREAT turnout and
DELICIOUS food!
Welcome to
Good Shepherd!
Wanda Krueger We are blessed to have you in
our church family!
“Church is not something you
GO to, it’s a Family you
BELONG to.”
Advent Series
Advent Worship Service’s
Wednesday Evenings
7:00p.m.
December 6th, 13th, 20th,
Christmas Eve Services
Dec. 24th 5:00p.m. &
7:00p.m.
Due to Christmas Eve being on a
Sunday, we will have only ONE
Morning Worship Service that day.
It will be held at 9:00a.m.
God’s Blessings of peace, love and joy to all of you!
First, let us praise and congratulate our young people for their beautiful music presentation on October 15th. Also THANK you everyone who came to enjoy their songs and enthusiasm. What is coming in November??? Children’s Christmas Worship Service YES, it is coming very soon! Our goal is to get the service parts to the children by November 12th. Why so far out? Our hope is that with the extra time they will, (with your help) begin mem-orizing their parts so that they are ready for our first practice. The Christmas Service Practices will be held on Saturday December 2nd, 9th, and 16th from 9:30a.m.-11:00a.m. The Children’s Christmas Worship Ser-
vice will be Sunday December 17th at 10:45a.m. MARK YOUR CALEN-
DARS! There will be NO SUNDAY SCHOOL
Dec. 24th-Dec. 31st Attendance has been between 32-34 stu-
dents-way to go! We love seeing all your beautiful smiles!
God has blessed us with our Sunday School and Good Shepherd Family.
COMING SOON…...
4.
Our Teaching teams this year:
Preschool (3 & 4yrs)- Kathy Betterman and Beth Ward
Pre-K/Kindergarten- Jennifer Bundy and Michelle Elmer
1st-3rd Grades-Geri Luedeke and Kari Kremer
4th-5th Grades-Gene Ward and Deb Hull
6th-8th Grades- Gary Christianson and Neal Zappe
High School-Jeff Fassett
Music-Wanda Swenson
HAVE YOU ADDED YOUR LEAF TO OUR FAMILY TREE? IF NOT, TALK TO ONE OF THE SSS SQUAD TO GET YOUR LEAF, WRITE YOUR NAME ON IT AND ADD IT TO THE TREE!
The SSS Squad (SSSuperintendent Squad)
Aka- Deb Hull Beth Ward Kari Kremer and Wanda Swenson
5.
Ladies!
LWML Women’s Christmas Gathering will be held on Saturday December 2nd at 11:30a.m. at The Arrowwood.
ALL ladies of the congregation are invited to join in the fun.
The deadline for Reservations is November 24th.
Please Contact
Joan Lobitz at 612-518-0520 or
Audrey Robatcek at
320-762-1812 if you plan to attend..
VISION PATH
IMPACT EVENT
TUESDAY
NOVEMBER 14TH
Join us for a light supper at 5:30p.m.
Followed by a presentation from our
Facilitator Mark Frith. We will discuss
the results of our October Surveys
And where we go from here.
Thank You! To EVERYONE
who turned in your
Vision Path Survey!!!
Your input is greatly
appreciated.
We look forward to the
Plans God has for us at
Good Shepherd!
Gert’s Bible Study
6.
Weds. Morning You are WELCOME to join us
for Bible Study!
Wednesday Mornings
10:00a.m. Ed Wing
Led by Pastor Schiller
Wednesday Bible Study
Mon. Afternoon
November 6th
1:30p.m.
Come join us as we study
God’s Word. We will meet
in the Education Wing!
ALL ARE WELCOME!
Led by Neal Zappe
Submitted by: Bob Bergan
Hello fellow members. Mission trip up-date. I am gearing up to return to Mercy Orphanage India end of December until January 16th. I will be setting up a donation box in the narthex to collect small items to bring with me. Donations of money is the best because I will be able to do much with it when I get there. Here are a few of the needs other than clothing for the or-phan children. Blankets, clothing for lepers and widow. Also we would like to put in several more wells. Wells only cost $220 per well. This gives slum areas and church-es wells for villagers. If you want to put a well in memory of someone you can do that and they will place a plaque on the well. If you would like to donate please make a check out to GSLC and mark it for Mercy Orphanage.
Thank You and God Bless
Bob Bergan and Mercy Orphanage team
Mission Trip!
J.A.M. Bible Study
Tues. Morning November 7th, 21st
This is a Bible Study for Mom’s!
We will be meeting Every other
Tuesday morning from
9-10:30a.m. at Good Shepherd!
We are in need of volunteers, (gals
and guys ) to help in the nursery
during Bible Study. I f you would
like to help out, contact
Holly Tahtinen
7.
Submitted by: Janel Zappe
Senior LYF had a great time on their annual hayride! The weather was perfect! Thank you Nate and Holly Tahtinen for opening up your place to us, taking us on the hayride and provid-ing pumpkins! In November we will meet Wednesday, November 8th for Bible Study starting at 7:00 PM. On Sunday, November 19th, Craig and Janel Zappe will be hosting the youth to watch the Vikings game! Kickoff is at noon! And for those who don’t want to watch the game, we will have other activities! Watch the youth board for updates, changes and upcoming events!!
SR LYF Fun
Give Thanks! Zion School
Submitted by: Karen Nolz
November 3rd already marks the end of the first quar-ter. That Friday is also the Fall Festival for grades k-6th. The 7-8th graders look forward to this day more than the younger kids do I think, as they are the ones who help put this festival on. There is no school on November 6th and November 9th due to teacher work day and conferences. The Thanksgiving break for the students at Zion this year is November 22-24th. Pretty sure they are already counting the days for that!!
The 6-7th graders have been busy trying to raise money for their Washington D.C. that is being planned for September of next year already. They have sold Herberger’s coupon books and will be selling the “World’s Famous Candy Bars” for the majority of the school year. The school decided to do something different for the D.C. trip. For the first time, they will be going in the fall instead of the spring, which moved it up by quite a bit. The thought behind that was price and less people/lines.
Hope everyone has safe travels and a blessed Thanksgiving!!!
Thanksgiving Worship Service
(w/communion)
Wednesday Evening
November 22nd
Nov. 2… Dorothy Luoma
Laura Schiller Bailey Teschendorf
Nov. 4… Kaden Bolstad
Mariah Gerard
Nov. 5…Joseph Hull Quinn Johnson
Morgan Melrose Brenda Schoenrock
Nov. 9…Cory Kranz
Nov. 11… Phyllis Lueth
Nov. 13… Eilee Elmer Harlan Roth
Nov. 19...Logan Runge
Nov. 20… Denise Johnson
Regan Peterson
Nov. 21… Amanda Christianson
Maria Haug Mitchell Hop
Nov. 22….Virginia Hodgson
Nov. 23… Norma Olson
Nov. 24… Darran Peterson
LaVonne Schimmelpfennig
Meghan Williams
Nov. 25… Clayton Luedeke
Chad Ramsay
Nov. 26… Carla Setterstrom
Nov. 27… Wendy Simonson
Nov. 28… Todd Johnson
Gloria Venzke
November Birthdays
God’s Blessings On
Your Special Day
8.
November
November 6th…Vern & Cheryl Corson
November 15th…Mike & Linda Gregor
November 21st...Ray & Deb Bohn
Birthdays
Come and Go...
But ...
The Lord’s Love
For You is
Everlasting!
Wedding Anniversaries
Annual Congregational
Voters Meeting
Sunday
December 10th
12:00 Noon Potluck
Meeting to Follow at
12:45p.m.
As you read this keep in mind that as members of an LCMS congregation your ongoing involvement is needed in two ways: 1) to help purchase the TV broadcasting air time, and 2) to help spread the word to your extended family and friends! In addition to viewing the program at 10:00am each Sunday morning (on the FOX TV and/or cable station in their area), please let them know that they can watch all of the archived programs at any time on line at www.mainstreetlivingnorth.com.
To add your much needed financial support, checks may be sent to "Main Street Living North", 821-5th Ave. S., Fargo, ND 58103, or donate by Credit Card or your PayPal account at: www.mainstreetlivingnorth.com.
Thank you and God's blessing in Christ!
“MAIN STREET LIVING NORTH" TV PROGRAM
NOVEMBER UPDATE
Meet the Main Street Living Production Team! This month we introduce Ryan Avery. Ryan serves as the editor of the Main Street Living North programs. This means that he takes the raw footage from the recordings of the pastor's sermons, scripture readings and prayers - and pieces them together with hymns previously recorded by the MSLN &/or MSL choirs to make a complete worship service. In addition to editing the programs together, Ryan is also responsible for adding the closed captioning to both the worship services and the Kid's Crossing children's programs to make the them accessible to those who are hard of hearing.
In addition to his time spent with Main Street Living, Ryan serves as the Director of Youth Ministry at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Fargo, ND. When he isn't working, Ryan is spending time with his wife Erica and two little girls Eliza and Myra. In his free time ... just kidding ... he doesn't have free time. Thank you Ryan for all you do!
9.
Main Street Living North
Stewardship Emphasis Sunday Coming Up
On Sunday
November 19th 2017
We will be focusing on stewardship and what it
all encompasses. There is so much more to
understanding TRUE stewardship than we real-
ize. Come – be prepared to learn how we can
grow and improve our stewardship efforts and
develop lifelong habits of true servanthood. Submitted by: Joleen Elbert
The Flock Talk and Monthly Calendar are available on the site!
If you have information about your ministry and you would
like it put on our website, let me know! Shirley
Service Cancellation Information To check for service cancellations listen to KXRA radio
station or go to www.voiceofalexandria.com
Kooltv
go to: www.kooltv-mn.com
Paul Luedeke
320-760-6937
Neal Zappe
766-7346
Worship Elder
Keith Ramsay
886-5574
Pastor Tim Schiller
712-898-1658
Our Elders are here for
YOU!
Contact us for any
spiritual needs, prayer
or visitation needs.
Gary Christianson
320-491-0258
Mike Doehling
320-808-4250
Jeff Fassett
846-1128
Brandon Luedeke
320-304-4237
I Am Not Sure Who
My Elder Is?
What Do I Do?
The Elder Flock Lists are
posted on the bulletin
board in the Hallway to the
Fellowship Hall, or Call
the Church Office.
We Are Here For YOU!
Executive Council Members
2017
Chairman– Gregg Raisanen
Vice Chairman—Lee Lueth
Secretary-Erin Johnson
Treasurer-Jerry Hetland
Executive Board-
Mike Berninghaus
Nancy Hasz
Rich Duncan
Jason Norheim
Bruce Swenson
Council Minutes are posted on the bulletin
board in the hallway to the Fellowship Hall!
We are here for YOU and
YOUR FAMILY
10.
A special thank you to Meri Ripley who presented our October program for the LWML, called Sole Hope.
At our October meeting, the ladies voted to once again adopt two families from Love INC to purchase gifts for Christmas.
As our seasons change and things at church change, one thing remains the same and that is the love and care from our heavenly Father who blesses us with each and every good gift.
Grandma: What’s the best thing to
put into a pumpkin pie?
Grandpa: My Teeth!
++++++++++++++++++++++++
How did the Mayflower show that it
liked America?
It hugged the shore!
++++++++++++++++++++++++
What did the turkey say before he
was roasted.
“Boy I’m Stuffed”
What are unhappy cranberries called?
Blueberries!
++++++++++++++++++++++++
What do you get if you cross a turkey
with a centipede?
Lot’s of drumsticks!
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Why did the turkey cross the road?
It was the chicken’s day off!
++++++++++++++++++++++++
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Gobble...Gobble….Giggle
Submitted by: Barb Schuneman
November --- a month of remembering to give thanks.
As I write this I am thankful to the LWML members that helped out with LWML Sunday, to Ann Smith for covering for me in October as I have been recuperating from knee replacement surgery, and for ALL of you that in any way helped with our annual Good Shepherd Rummage and Bake Sale. Evelyn Beulke, chairman, said the committee and all the volunteers made the day go very smoothly including the clean up. A huge thank you if you were a person who helped in any way. Without your help we wouldn’t be able to give the amount to missions that we do. Ann told me the rummage sale this year grossed $1,306.88. Praise the Lord. Profits will be given to missions.
11.
Remember To Give Thanks
Corn Bread Sausage Stuffing
Ingredients
1 pound mild or hot bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 cups chopped onion
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
2 cups soft bread crumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons sage
5 cups crumbled yellow corn bread
Directions 1. In a frying pan, cook the sausage until done. Remove
sausage and set aside; drain any fat. Melt butter; saute
onion and celery until crisp-tender. Combine vegetables
with bread crumbs, eggs, seasonings, corn bread and sau-
sage. Stuff into a turkey or Cornish game hens; roast ac-
cording to your favorite recipe. Yield: Stuffing is enough
for a 12-16 pound turkey or 8-10 (1-1/2 pounds each)
Cornish game hens.
Mandarin Orange Cake CAKE
1 Yellow Cake Mix
1 small can mandarin orange with liquid
4 Eggs
Mix all together and bake in a 9x13 cake pan at 350 degrees
30 minutes
FROSTING
1 carton of Cool Whip
1 Box Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 small Can mandarin oranges with liquid
Mix and spread on cooled cake. Refrigerate
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
FILLING:
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, melted and cooled
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-2/3 cups (16 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/3 cups chopped pecans
Directions
In a small bowl, mix flour and salt; cut in butter until
crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork
until dough holds together when pressed. Shape into a
disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll
dough to fit bottom of a 13x9-in. baking pan; press
into pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and salt on high speed
2 minutes. Stir in flour, melted butter and vanilla. Fold
in chocolate chips. Pour over pastry; sprinkle with pe-
cans.
Cover loosely with foil. Place on a lower oven rack;
