Inside Immanuel June 2020

Message from Pastor Fittje

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

Pastor Griffin’s

Retirement

2

Dorcas Quilters’

Project

2

2020 Middle and

High School Grads

3

Worship Assistants 3

Thank you from the

Haubein Family

3

Garage Sale 4

Lutheran Hour 4

Church update 5

VBS 5

Important ILS Dates 5

ECC News 6

Stewardship Corner 6

Birthdays and

Anniversary

Calendars

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matt. 5:4) My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Mourning and grieving are a nor-mal part of life in a broken world. In fact, they are so normal that we can describe a generally universal experience that hu-mans go through as they grieve. We refer to these as the five stages of grief. Those five are depression, anger, bargaining, denial and acceptance. We usually asso-ciate these stages with a death of a loved one, but we actually experience this whenever we go through a change of life circumstances. Death just happens to be the biggest one there is, and so we feel it more strongly. Immanuel is going to experience a major change in its life this summer. Af-ter 27 years in this place, Pastor Griffin is retiring. While we do thank and praise God for Pastor Griffin's ministry, this WILL cause us to grieve. This is appro-priate, for it gives testimony to the lasting impact Pastor Griffin has had on and in our lives. I want to prepare you for that grief. So, dear family in Christ, grieve this change. The only way to deal with grief is to go through and experience it. Denying it will not do. My advice to you is whatever you are feeling, feel it. We don't need to make it harder on ourselves by trying to force our emotions. They have a tendency of resisting force any-way.

So, you might find yourself angry at Pastor Griffin for retiring when he is still able bodied and minded. You might feel anger at me for thinking I can replace him. I don't think that, by the way. You might be just plain sad at the fact you will not see his friendly, warm person every week. In your daily life, you may forget that it has happened only to be reminded on Sunday morning. You might try to console yourself thinking, "Well, at least he will fill-in when Pastor Fittje is on va-cation." He won't, by the way. And, at times you may even find yourself at peace with the situation. Regardless of how you feel, it is okay to feel that way. Feel it, own it, express it, take it to God in prayer. One more thing about these five stages is that they are not sequential. They are circular. You may find yourself bouncing around those different stages like a human pinball. That is okay, too. As we go through it, I want to promise you two things. First, I will pa-tiently grieve along side you as you work through it. I am here for you. Secondly, I will keep pointing you to the center focus of Pastor Griffin's ministry: the Gospel. In Christ, by his death and resurrection God will comfort us in our grief with his love and hope. In Christ and no matter who is the pastor here, this will always be Immanuel, for God is with us. In Christ, Pastor Fittje

Immanuel’s Mission Statement: The mission of God's people who have been brought together as one Body in Christ at Immanuel Lutheran Church is growing in personal faith in the Triune God and Sharing the Good News of Salvation in Jesus Christ with each generation.

P A G E 2 June 2020

July 12 will be Pastor Griffin's last Sunday as Senior Pastor of Immanuel.

In praise to God for his work through Pastor Griffin and Jackie in this place, we are going to have a celebration.

We will have a special worship service on July 12 at 5 pm. It will be streamed. A catered meal will follow in the Family Life Center.

If you would like to give a gift in honor of Pastor Griffin's ministry, you may give to Pastor Griffin's Housing Equity Fund at Immanuel, to the Natalie Wehrman Organ Endowment, or to RHAA.

Please come and send the Griffins off with many well wishes!

Please, share the invitation too!

RETIREMENT QUILT FOR PASTOR & JACKIE GRIFFIN The Dorcas Circle is planning the stitching of a quilt in remembrance for Pastor & Jackie Griffin. An envelope in your mailbox contains a piece of fabric on which to write a short note and signa-ture(s), or just simply sign your name(s). One block is to be used for each family and should al-so include the names of the children in your home. As a suggestion, it may be beneficial for you to make a “practice” block on paper as it is easy to have too much writing. At least a quarter of an inch along each edge should be blank as it is re-quired for the blocks to be assembled. We are requesting that the fabric blocks be returned by Sunday, June 21, and can be placed in a basket at the communication station. If you prefer to send it by mail, please address the enve-lope to Dorcas Circle of Immanuel Lutheran Church 212 W 4

th Street, P.O. Box H

Lockwood, MO 65682 Thank you for your participation. Members of the Dorcas Circle

P A G E 3 June 2020

Elder of the Month: Leland Eggerman Asst. Elder: JerrySchnelle Trustee: Altar Guild P - Kalya Lasater & Jennifer Thieman C- Kristen Fittje & Debbie Stone F - Samantha Losack Acolytes: 8:00 10:30 6/7 — Lizzie Strange 6/14 — Lizzie Strange 6/21 — Lizzie Strange 6/28 — Lizzie Strange Screens: 8:00 10:30 6/7 — — 6/14 — Liz Hand 6/21 — Liz Hand 6/28 — Liz Hand Sound: 8:00 10:30 6/7 — — 6/14 — — 6/21 — — 6/28 — — Ushers: 8:00 10:30 Roger Stone Kyle Caldwell Jordan Backs John Schnelle Joe Kremp Thomas Eggerman Joseph Eggerman William Stephan

2020 Graduations

8th Grade

Gatlyn Clawson Kelsey Daniel

Wyatt Durman Hank Eggerman

Blake Janes Faith Obert

Ava Rice Henry Schnelle

High School

Kaelyn Caldwell

Sara Grant Erin Kremp Tyler Mehl

Amelia Stone

THANK YOU — The hymn, “How Can I Thank You

Lord for all Your Loving Kindness” comes to mind

when we think of the comforting visits of Pastor Fittje

and Pastor Griffin, and all the food, cards, phone calls

and memorials from our church family during Clovis’

hospital stay, his days at home and since his death.

You truly show the love of God, and are a blessing to

all of us. Eloise & Family.

P A G E 4

The Lutheran Hour

June 21st

June 7 "An Undeserved Salute" Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler "Blessing is a condition that's true even if you're not completely conscious of it or even if you don't fully appreciate it. Only God can bless in this sense. Jesus, sitting in God's spot on the mountain, speaks for God as the Son of God and He blesses." (Matthew 5:1-16) June 14 "What You're Getting Into" S peaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler Many of us know what it's like to try out for a team, for a role in a play, or first chair in the band. We might have been chosen first. We might have been chosen last. We might not have been chosen at all. We might have been cut. So, how does God choose His team? (Matthew 5:17-20) June 21 "Powered by Touch" Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler New Series Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-32) June 28 "TBD" Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler New Series Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5)

KKOW Pittsburg, KS 860 AM Sun 9:30 AM

KSWM Aurora, MO 940 AM Sun 9:30 AM

KLFC Branson, MO 88.1 FM Sun 9:30 AM

KKBL Monett, MO 95.9 FM Sun 7:00 AM

KNEO Neosho, MO 91.7 FM Sun 1:00 PM

KTXR Springfield, MO 101.3 FM Sun 6:30 AM

Restored Hope Against Addictions Garage Sale

was May 22, 23 (& 24th for members) and also will be Saturday, June 6 in the Family Life Center. The proceeds will go to pay for RHAA insurance premiums and other expenses. An easy way (no cost to you) for you to support RHAA is to designate your Thrivent Choice Dollars to RHAA. If you have done so thank you very much.

June 2020

June 2020 P A G E 5

Have a blessed, safe summer!

Mark your calendars:

School Open House

Tuesday, August 11th

Classes resume

Tuesday, August 18th

Grandparents’ Day

Friday, September 11th

Bible Knowledge Day,

Friday, October 2nd

Lutheran Schools Week

January 24th-30th, 2021

March 20, 2021

Achievement Testing

May4th-7th, 2021

CHURCH UPDATE: Immanuel Lutheran Church has reopened for Sunday worship services as of

May 10, with social distancing safety guidelines. As of this publication, Bible Study and Sunday

School has not resumed. The Church picnic will be the first Sunday in August. The office will be

open during the summer Tuesday through Friday from 8 am to 3 pm unless otherwise noted in the

Sunday bulletin.

VBS

(Yet to be decided)

STEWARDSHIP CORNER

Summer Stewardship

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing…” (Hebrew 10:25).

“Summer time and livin' is easy” the old song goes. Warm weather, vacations, no school, golf, ten-nis, fishing, hiking, swimming, relaxing, less hectic schedules…all seem to define summer time.

Thankfully our Lord never takes a vacation from blessing us with His abundant love, gracious gifts, and providential care. The Psalmist writes about our Heavenly Father, “He who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand.” (Psalm 121:4-5). The Lord’s care is ongoing. He never tires of caring for us.

Summer presents God’s people with numerous opportunities to be good stewards of His manifold gifts. We care for the wonderful world He has given us when we are outdoors. We treasure the important relationships we enjoy as we spend time with loved ones. Also, we use wisely the material blessings He gives us.

There is great temptation during the summer months to neglect the most precious of all our Lord’s gifts, His holy Word and Sacraments offered in worship. As many other responsibilities are taken more lightly in the relaxed atmosphere of summer living, so, too, are we tempted to take lightly the spiritual as-pect of our lives. Vacation plans and recreational activities often replace worship. And we diminish in the stewardship of our Christian faith by letting worldly things take precedence over God in our lives.

In response to our Lord for His grace and mercy, may we place Him first in all our summer plans and activities, allowing adequate time for worship, Bible reading, meditation, and prayer. May we be good stewards of God’s rich blessings. May we all continue to support the mission and ministries of Immanuel Lutheran Church with our regular tithes and offerings given from thankful hearts, even when we are away from home.

June 2020 P A G E 6

ECC News We are open!!! It has been such a blessing to be back and see all the kids smiling faces again! They are adjusting well to all the changes we have had to implement be-cause of COVID-19. I am so very blessed with the very best workers to help the chil-dren adjust. Opening back up and every-thing going so smoothly wouldn't be possi-ble without all of the staff. I truly am so ap-preciative of them. We have jumped right into our daily routine and are back to learn-ing Bible Stories, our letters, shapes and right now about the ocean. We are praying the rain will slow down so we can enjoy more activities outside. Thank you ILS church family for caring about the ECC and wanting to see it succeed!! Serving Him, Melissa Estes