www.faithlutheranspencer.com | @flcspencer | www.facebook.com/faithlutheranspencer Faith Lutheran Church - Volume 4, Issue 10 - October, 2020 Faith Life Together October is the time we remember the Reformation led by Martin Luther and the strong emphasis on God's word alone. It is a time of celebration! We rejoice to give bibles to our youth on October 4. These children in pre-school, Kindergarten, 2 nd grade and 6 th grade receive bibles from Faith during worship. It has been a long time since we talked! The congregational forum is scheduled for October 18 at 10:30 a.m. The meeting will take place in the sanctuary and will be livestreamed as well. We will discuss numerous important items such as LifeKids and a working partnership with Zion Lutheran Church of Ruthven, and then open the floor for additional topics. Let us take this opportunity to share with each other. We are so excited to formally welcome our new members who joined Faith Lutheran in March 2020. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we were not able to publicly recognize them. This will be a great day to celebrate their blessing to Faith. Faith Council is happy to announce the name of the newly retrofitted garage as the “SON Room”. Watch for further information for a Sunday dedication of this beautiful room. Thanks to Stan and Jodene Jongma, and other donors, for their generous gifts. Thank you to Mark and Mary Speidel, Steve Oleson, Paul Wire, Paul Behrens and members of the property team for their fine work. Thanks to Kay Iversen and Lori Krei for their work arranging for new technology in this room. It is a beautiful room that each one of us can be proud of. Did you see the new sign at the front of the west entrance? It is a beautiful sign that declares to all our church name. God lives here! Prayer is always powerful. Please continue to pray about all the important opportunities for personal faith growth. Please pray for Sunday School, Confirmation, youth programs, adult small groups to name just a few. God hears our prayers and answers as He knows is best. Will you join together in prayer? October is a month of transition in many ways. God’s Blessings to you. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Pastor Lee 2 Properties 3 Mental Illness Awareness 6 Council Minutes 9 Stewards of the Month 12 New Members 13
October is Mental Illness Awareness Month The 2020 pandemic has resulted for many as an opportunity to slow down life, to evaluate priorities,
and to realize that we all have basic human needs. we have found out how important mental health
and wellness is for healthy living, no matter what age we are as isolation, loneliness, and anxiety
affect our lives as we navigate our world.
We have certainly learned to modify and expand our resiliency in the face of this adversity. Because
good mental health is something we can all work on, we have to know what that looks like and ways
to achieve it. Likewise, we have to realize when our mental health has detrimentally affected our
functioning level. Maybe our sleep, appetite, or mood is affected more than not. Perhaps, we are
struggling with relationships, being easily offended and irritable, feeling hopeless or helpless, or
having thoughts of hurting ourselves or others. We may not be able to maintain a job, have financial
problems that snowball into feelings of desperation as we try to keep our household going. We may
choose to use substances more regularly, which in turn may result in complications, including legal
problems
When we have more difficulty maintaining our daily living tasks and relationships, we may need to
share our struggles with a trusted family member, friend, our pastor, or our physician to gain insight
and strength to persevere. lf these folks who know us well, recommend that we need to seek care
from specially trained professionals, are we receptive enough to take their advice?
When a gradual decline takes place, it's difficult to believe that we may actually have a mental illness.
Mental illness is a common occurrence which affects 1 in 5 Americans during the course of their life.
Because of this frequency, we know there are many types of mental illness that can be treated well
and others which are more difficult to overcome. lt's essential for us to develop awareness about
specific signs and symptoms, education to effectively manage illness, and support to work through it
all from people who care about us.
A greater understanding of mental illness will positively impact the stigma associated with getting
help. Somehow, we, as a society, have decided that physical health needs requiring medical attention
are somehow different and more readily accepted. We don't hesitate to move quickly to schedule a
doctor's visit for many common bodily ailments yet we avoid and even reject the suggestion to "go talk
to someone" to aid another bodily organ (our brain), to learn cognitive skills that can possibly reduce
insomnia, explore destructive eating patterns, identify addictive behavior, or address feelings of
hopelessness, helplessness, or self-harm to help us function better.
As Christians, when these challenges become more difficult to overcome, we can gain insight from the
Bible where we see individuals have often written about a need for grace and sustenance. Joshua 1:9
tells us to "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with
you wherever you go." These words of hope translate easily to those who struggle with mental challenges.
Illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, and addictions that also
have a mental illness component are much more common than we think. These conditions require
strength and fortitude to manage as the individual also confronts associated stigma. Although
significant strides are being taken to research and develop more effective treatments for these medical
issues, stigma keeps many people from accessing these helpful options.
ln addition, it's vital that we, as God's disciples, provide support to those among us who struggle in
these circumstances. As l John 3:17-18 tells us, "lf anyone has material possessions and sees his
brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love
with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." There are many empathic gestures we can do that make a difference: a kind word, a smile, a call, text, or email to check in with someone to see how
they are doing, a meal when someone is returning from in-patient treatment, help getting to
appointments, etc.
After all, we are reminded of the hope and promise we can share through our efforts, as recorded in
Psalm 71:20-21, "Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You will restore my life
October 2020 - Page 7
REGISTER YOUR CHILD TODAY! www.lifekidsspencer.com
Grades K-5 | Monday - Friday
3:30 - 5:30 p.m. | $30 per week
Multi-Child Discount & Tuition Assistance
Instagram Youth Page:
spencerfaithlutheranyouth
Facebook Youth Page:
Faith Lutheran Church Youth
Youth!
again; From the depths of the earth, You will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort
rne once again." We see that God is with all of us as we help each other through difficult times that mental illness can bring.
Let's find our place in this restoration process for individuals and their families struggling with mental
illness who want and need assistance. We know that our loving God has given us this mission to help
our neighbors. We can always improve our outreach as we learn more about mental illness,
treatment, and ways to support. This is a way to "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will
fulfill the law of Christ" as Galatians 6:2 instructs. As God's children, let us pray: Jesus, our Savior,
open our hearts and guide our steps to "Love one another as I [You] have loved you (us)." (John 13:34)
For more information about mental illness and resources in our area, please contact NAMI NW IA at
712-357-5428 or [email protected]. If you are in need of crisis services, please contact 844-345-
4569 for assistance.
Stephen Ministry is Christ Caring for
People through People
What is Stephen Ministry?
Stephen Ministry equips lay people to provide one-to-one Christian
care to people in our congregation and community who are
experiencing difficulties in their lives. Stephen Ministry is confidential,
so the identity of those receiving care and everything they discuss with
a Stephen Minister remains private.
Why Stephen Ministry at Faith?
Because we desire to be a caring church who takes care of spiritual
and emotional needs of its family members, and those outside the church family. We also desire to live
out the calling of a Christian as written in God’s word. We desire to: “Love one another as I have loved
you,” John 13:34b, “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ,”
Galatians 6:2, and “… Encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.” 1st Thessalonians 5:11.
Stephen Ministers Care
We all experience challenges in life - times when we could benefit from care and support. Stephen
Ministers can provide the emotional and spiritual care we need when faced with a crisis or difficulty
such as: loss of a loved one, hospitalization, divorce or separation, loneliness, spiritual crisis,
unemployment or job crisis, terminal illness, aging, birth, adoption, chronic illness, moving to a new
home, recovery after an accident, an many other life challenges.
Are you in need?
Could you benefit from one-to-one care and support of a Stephen Minister? Do you know someone
else - a friend, neighbor, co-worker, or relative - who could benefit from having a Stephen Minister?
Please contact Pastor Lee, Eric Patten, or the church office to learn more about Stephen Ministry.
October 2020 ~ Page 8
“Next to the Word of God, music deserves the
highest praise. The gift of language combined
with the gift of song was given to man that he
should proclaim the Word of God through
Music.”
- Martin Luther
October is a month we remember the
Reformation and the life impact of Martin Luther.
We think of Martin Luther as a great reformer, Bible translator, political leader, fiery preacher, and
theologian. But he was also a musician, having been born in an area of Germany known for its music.
We rightly honor Martin Luther for his theological insights, but he is also remembered for another
significant legacy. Luther was a music lover. He played the lute and flute, sang tenor and composed
music. He is sometimes considered “the father of Protestant music in Germany.”
Luther encouraged a new style of congregational participation; the unison chorale and acapella, the
organ only providing a single pitch. Choirs in his churches often sang from within the congregation to
provide teaching and support. Luther’s passion was that people understand so the congregation could
take an active part in the service.
As a composer, Luther freely adapted popular tunes of his day. Often he ‘borrowed’ these secular
melodies for his hymns, though occasionally the tune brought criticism and he was “compelled to let
the devil have it back again” because it was too closely associated with bars and taverns.
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” is based on Psalm 46, it reflects Luther’s awareness of our intense
struggle with Satan. Composed in 1529 this hymn became the most triumphal song of the
Reformation. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” In difficulty and danger, Luther would often resort to this song.
Robin Leaver, professor emeritus at Westminster Choir College, states, “... Luther chose to exclude
songs that didn’t reach his standard of lyrical excellence. In other words, truth on its own wasn’t
enough. A good hymn conveys truth in a way that makes it compelling and invigorating for the people
of God.”
I pray that the Holy Spirit uses the lyrics and melodies of our music during Faith’s worship to speak
to each of us as we praise God together!
Worship
with
Denise Laaveg
Denise Laaveg, Worship Director
WaterLife
Oct. 7 - Streams of Gladness
Oct. 14 - Living Water
Oct. 21 - Miracle Fishing
Oct. 28 - Lord of the Waters
5:30 p.m. WoW! Community Meal
6:30 p.m. WoW! Service
October 2020 - Page 9
Council Minutes from September 9 | 7:00 p.m. | Zoom
The meeting was brought order and Pastor Lee opened with a prayer.
A motion was made by Jim Unrau to accept the August Council
minutes by Jim; Seconded by Randy Enge. Motion carried.
Becky Simons gave the financial report. Lois Christman made a motion
to accept the report; Seconded by Randy Enge. Motion carried.
A discussion took place regarding:
Faith’s current policy of using the main door and not wearing a mask; and
Relaxing the policy if people were respectful.
It was decided the policy would be addressed in the bulletin. Pete Crew and Lori Krei would discuss
the verbage of the bulletin article.
It was moved by Becky Simons and seconded by Jim Unrau to have a Congregational Forum on
Sunday, Oct. 18. Motion carried. Discussion items will be:
1. Discussion and comments about our current worship services and church operations during this
time of COVID.
2. A financial report by Becky Simons.
3. A LifeKids report.
4. Faith’s relationship with Zion Lutheran Church, Ruthven.
5. The 10-year anniversary and slide show.
A motion was made by Becky Simons to activate the Nominating Team to start looking for leader
positions ending January, 2021. Teams needing new leaders include: Mission team; Caring Ministry
team; Stewardship team; and the Fellowship team. The motion was seconded Jim Unrau. Motion
carried.
A motion was made by Jim Unrau to rename the retro-fitted garage room to the SON Room and to
have the Properties Team decorate it and make a plaque honoring Stan and Jodene Jongma, the
financial donors. The motion was seconded by Brett Eilts. Motion carried.
Jim Unrau made a motion to help Zion Lutheran Church, Ruthven, with their Wednesday evening
youth worship by staffing it and accepting another $800.00/month in compensation. LaVonne Clark
seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Kirby Fueston made a motion to offer the facilities for use to the Foster Care Review Board if they
needed a place to meet. The Review Board would meet once a month, the second Wednesday of the
month. Brittany Spieker seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Pete Crew gave the closing prayer. A motion to adjourn was made. Motion carried.
September has come, school has started, and church events begin again. August arrives now and so
our academic and programmatic year solidify! Yes, it is good to be back; I, for one, am most excited for
the return as my summer was not as I expected it to be (though I doubt anyone expected the summer
to be as it turned out). I cannot tell you the amount of joy it brings me to be among this congregation
once more, to be a part of the services (either Sunday or Wednesday), and to help once again teach
confirmation!
I will admit that our youth program has taken a little shift. I no longer am head of our high school
youth. That department has been placed into the wonderful care of Brittney Spieker, leader of the
Youth Ministry Team. Instead my time has been directed more to the young members of our church.
Partnered with Pastor Lee I help instruct this year’s confirmation class, a group size of 22 (a six-
student increase from last year)! Along with middle school crowd, I am also an assisting aide with Eric
Patten and Radina Jensen as they lead our growing LifeKids after school program this year.
Furthermore, in the department of elementary education, I too have volunteered to be a Sunday
School teacher alongside several others.
Yes, it is good to be back amongst fellow Christians both young and old to whom I bonded with so well
last year. It is good to be back in a house of God where the congregation truly wish to help one
another grow. The old aid the young however they can, brothers/sisters in Christ help their fellow
Christian siblings with life problems. I have seen many a time people in need find aid through our
church.
Yes, it is good to be back within and a part of this church. I hope to continue to grow with you all and
am looking forward to the wonders our Father has in store for us.
God’s Peace,
Evan Nielsen - Shut up and cherish Jesus YMT - Sunday School and Confirmation Teacher, LifeKids Assistant, WoW! Assistant
Discipleship
In Pursuit of Jesus
This fall we have an exciting new class to offer our adults. We will gladly
meet in our new SON Room (retro-fitted garage). The series is produced by
the devotional book company “Our Daily Bread.” It is entitled, In Pursuit of
Jesus.
The video series explores and interviews different believer’s perceptions of
the person of Jesus in different cultural settings and different countries. It
will provide us new, fresh insights into our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Randy Enge, leader of our Discipleship Ministry Team, Pastor Lee and Eric
Patten will all take turns leading and facilitating this course week by week.
Hope you will plan to attend. Come ready to share your thoughts and
responses. We will learn from one another. And the Holy Spirit will be our
teacher.
October 2020 - Page 11
LifeKids with Radina Jansen
Radina Jansen, LifeKids Spencer Director
The children at LifeKids have been keeping busy! The book, Quick as a Cricket, was read to the Monday through Friday group. This book has been a favorite of mine for many years. The book
compares a young boy to animals that have the same traits as he does. I demonstrated what they
would be doing by writing my own book with illustrations, comparing myself to animals. This allowed
the children to get to know me a little better. Following are examples of the animals the children
compared themselves to: As talkative as a parrot. As skinny as a snake. As strong as a bull. As hoppy
as a frog. As playful as a kitten. As smart as an elephant. The books ended with, “Put it altogether
and you’ve got me!” Individual photos of each child were included on the last page.
As the children were writing, illustrating, and reading their books aloud, we all got to know each other
a little better!
What does our time together look like? Each day begins with a snack and a group game. On
Wednesdays when we have the Monday – Friday attendees and the Wednesday only attendees
together, the children are divided into two groups. A K-2 group led by Radina and a 3-5 group led by
Eric or Evan. Currently the K-2 group is using, The Beginners Bible and the 3-5 group is using The
Adventure Bible. Each group focuses on the same Bible story, but more in-depth discussion takes place with the 3-5 group.
Our current theme is Jesus Performed Miracles. The healing of the blind man was the first lesson that
was presented. Throughout the week, activities are done that correlate with the Bible story. Children
have enjoyed playing with the mud dough that represented the mud that Jesus placed on the blind
man’s eyes.
The second Bible story was the healing of Namann. Living through COVID-19, the children made
many connections when talking about leprosy being contagious. The Child Care Nurse Consultant,
Tracey Heitritter, presented about germs using a liquid simulated dirt and a black light. After the
children rubbed in the liquid dirt, Tracey shined a black light on each child’s hands. The germs
glowed, ewwww! Each child washed their hands with soap and water and looked at their clean hands
under the blacklight. We learned that some extra scrubbing needed to take place under fingernails,
between fingers, and in the wrist and forearm areas.
The third Bible story was feeding the 5,000. The children helped tape up 20 sheets of paper each
containing 250 smiley faces to demonstrate how many 5,000 people would be. The children enjoyed a
4-team fish and bread outside relay race, using serving spoons. Swedish Fish and croutons
represented the fish and bread in the Bible story. The birds were happy that all the croutons didn’t
make it back to the team bowl!
A big LifeKids, “Thank you!” goes out to Lori Krei. The children were so excited to open shipped boxes
purchased through the use of Lori Krei’s Thrivent Action Team Card. The following items were
purchased: a set of 6 scooters to bring our total of scooters to 12, Apples to Apples Junior game, What
am I Expansion card pack of camping items to use with our Hedbanz game, 3 sixteen foot Circular
Stretch Ropes (what I called Chinese Jump Ropes when I was a kid), Wooden Balloon Powered Boats
Craft Kits that will be used to enhance our story of Jesus calming the sea, Ants in the Pants game for
our younger children and Bible Trivia Challenge Cards. Thanks again, Lori, for your generosity!
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible
with God.” Mark 10:27
October 2020 ~ Page 12
Stewardship Stewards of the Month:
Bernard and
Arlene Fairchild
As we select stewards to honor
each month, we look for men
and women who consistently,
authentically live out their
faith within the programming
and activities of Faith church,
but also in their personal lives. Fortunately, our
church is full of them!! We have a church filled with
people who love Christ and love the church, and
willingly commit to serve gladly to make all the aspects
of our programs work smoothly.
This month we wish to commend, honor, and thank
Bernard and Arlene Fairchild for their wonderful lives of faith and service to the Lord. Both Bernard and
Arlene have helped serve coffee and fellowship hour on
Sunday mornings. They also have helped serve many
funeral luncheons, as well as preparing special
congregational meals on festival days.
Arlene has served on Altar Prep committee assisting to
prepare our worship space for different seasons of the
church year. That worship team also helps prepare for
celebrating the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy
Communion. In addition, Arlene serves on the team of
women who beautifully decorate our church facility
and worship area for the seasons of the year.
Both Bernard and Arlene also are enthusiastic
regulars at the Thursday morning coffee fellowship.
And, of course we see them faithfully in worship week
by week.
As many of you know, Bernard has fought a long,
courageous battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. He has
long surpassed and outlived the odds and the
statistics. He always credits the “good Lord” for
sustaining his life and giving him the strength to carry
on. Arlene has been his good support and care
throughout these years.
Bernard and Arlene are a blessing to us all. We
appreciate them for their faith, their service to our
Lord, and their involvement in Faith church. We are
grateful for their lives of generosity as they serve.
Well Done,
Good and Faithful Servants!
Giving Back God is the Source of all life. Do you
remember confirmation days when
we memorized Luther’s meaning of
the first article of the Creed? God is
active in every moment of life.
Luther’s words are almost poetic ...
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
Prevalent in today’s society, and an
easy seduction for any of us, is the
“attitude of entitlement.” The world
owes me something. I am entitled to
it. You are obligated to provide it for
me. Or, God owes it to me. Not true!
For people of faith, confessing God as
the ultimate Source of Life, the whole
philosophy of entitlement is flawed.
God is forever the gracious Giver, the
Provider. We are always the
recipients of His abundant blessings.
He pours out every blessing to us.
So, when we speak of living by faith,
we will always be speaking of living
with gratitude and generosity. One of
the excellent ways to express our
gratitude is to “give back.” We give
back to God what He has first given
us.
Through our lives of faith, we
continually give back.
October 2020 - Page 13
New Members Received in March, 2020
Karen and Jake Jacobson
Patty Ellsworth
and, not pictured,
Grandsons Josh Kruger
and Connor Orr
Shawn Meislahn
Bill Kersting
Jessica and Kiersten Campbell
Darla Kurtenbach
Sara and Dennis DeWitt
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we
were not able to publicly recognize
these new members from March.
We will welcome these members at
the 9:00 a.m. Worship Service on
October 25.
Welcome to
Faith!
October 2020 ~ Page 14
1-Day Recharges:
October 24: Grades 4-6 | Registration Deadline: October 16
November 7: 6th-9th Grades | Registration Deadline: October 21
November 14: 6th-9th Grades | Registration Deadline: October 30
November 21: 9th-12th Grades | Registration Deadline: November 6
Outreach Night:
October 4 - Grades 6-12 | $4.00 per person | 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
RSVP to Brittany Spieker at 712-260-4273 by 4:00 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1
COVID-19 guidelines will be in place.
For more information or to register for an event, please go to www.okoboji.org
