The Salem LIFE NEWSLETTER OF SALEM EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH SANDWICH, ILLINOIS NOVEMBER 12, 2018 VOL. 45, NO. 11 Dear Friend, “What if the only things you had today were what you gave thanks for yesterday?” If this statement was true, most of us would probably have little or nothing today. So often we take people and things for granted and often do not give thanks to God for them. We certainly have much for which we should offer God our thanks. In The Small Catechism, Martin Luther states that we should thank God because “he provides me with food and clothing, home and family, daily work, and all I need from day to day.” On Thanksgiving Day many of us will gather with family or friends and give thanks for the abundant blessings of this past year. But in his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul encourages us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” Every day should be a Thanksgiving Day! Even when we are going through very difficult times, there are always plenty of blessings for which we should give thanks to God. Should we give thanks when we are doing well? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are dealing with health problems? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are struggling with work issues? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are dealing with conflicts with other people? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are grieving? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are having financial problems? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are discouraged? Yes. The Bible tells us that we are to “give thanks in all circumstances!” In Christ,
Transcript
The Salem LIFE NEWSLETTER OF SALEM EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
SANDWICH, ILLINOIS
NOVEMBER 12, 2018 VOL. 45, NO. 11
Dear Friend, “What if the only things you had today were what you gave thanks for yesterday?” If this statement was true, most of us would probably have little or nothing today. So often we take people and things for granted and often do not give thanks to God for them. We certainly have much for which we should offer God our thanks. In The Small Catechism, Martin Luther states that we should thank God because “he provides me with food and clothing, home and family, daily work, and all I need from day to day.” On Thanksgiving Day many of us will gather with family or friends and give thanks for the abundant blessings of this past year. But in his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul encourages us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” Every day should be a Thanksgiving Day! Even when we are going through very difficult times, there are always plenty of blessings for which we should give thanks to God. Should we give thanks when we are doing well? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are dealing with health problems? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are struggling with work issues? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are dealing with conflicts with other people? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are grieving? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are having financial problems? Yes. Should we give thanks when we are discouraged? Yes. The Bible tells us that we are to “give thanks in all circumstances!” In Christ,
CONTINUING —Shelly Claxton*, Fran Martin*, Pat Clason*, Carrol Olson*, Mary Jane Fraley*, Beth Gosnell*, Carol Kimmey*, Mick Kimmey*, Ron Cunz*, Steve Guyer*, Ben Burkett*, Ione Bennett*, Jackie Cline*, Addie Moore, Alycia Ross, Ethan Reiss, Jim & Carol Wilhelm, Ethan Shufelt, Budd Wormley, Neil Stiver, James McMahan, Rich Davis, Mike Trierweiler, Angie Boe, Shandol Dulin, Mark Perry, Joanne Cope, Jon Allen, Luke Bish, Alex Cole, Brian Lee, Dan Schwerdtmann, Tanya Kimmey, Tom Wysoglad, Joe Petit, Mike Guzzardo, and Mandy W. & children
MILITARY— All people serving in the military, especially: Joseph Kimmey*, Garrett O’Dell, Danny Cassidy, Ross Magee, Brandon Jakubiec, Shawn Jakubiec and Forrest Grivetti
*Indicates Salem member. Please help us keep this list current.
NOVEMBER MEMORY VERSE “What does the Lord require of you but to do justic e, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with yo ur God?” - Micah 6:8
DECEMBER MEMORY VERSE “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” - Zechariah 4:6
Grace Emilia Lundeen was baptized at Salem on October 21. She is the daughter of Kenneth and Bernadette Lundeen and the granddaughter of Dean and Cindy Lundeen. Melissa Bobak and Houston Cline are her sponsors.
Elijah Owen Derber and Eliana Corrine Derber were baptized at Salem on November 11. The twins are the children of Jesse and Lyndsey Derber and the grand-children of Pastor Wayne and Melody Derber. Matthew Derber is Elijah’s sponsor , and Levi and Katie Derber are Eliana’s sponsors.
We rejoice with these families. May God bless and keep these precious children in his tender care .
Sharon Adkins and Kyle Wallis were united in marriage in a ceremony held at Salem on November 3. We rejoice with Sharon and Kyle and ask for God’s blessings upon their marriage.
NOVEMBER COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS The November 6th council meeting opened with devotions and prayer. Pastor Wayne gave his report. The minutes of both the previous council meeting and also the October 21st congregational meeting were approved.
The council: 1) will notify the nominating committee about the positions needed to be filled and voted on at our annual meeting; 2) decided to designate our special Thanksgiving offerings for benevolence and our Christmas offerings for our General Fund; 3) heard that the synod committee has some recommended changes to our proposed constitution; 4) was encouraged to attend the “Coffee with the Bishop” event that will be held at our church on November 18th
; and 5) discussed the proposed budget for next year.
The calendar and worship attendance were reviewed. Reports from committees were given. The September financial reports were approved. For September, the General Fund had an income of $13,852 and expenses of $17,763 and the Capital Fund had an income of $5,275 and expenses of $6,342. The meeting was adjourned.
BAPTISM OF
GRACE EMILIA LUNDEEN
WEDDING OF
KYLE & SHARON (ADKINS) WALLIS
COUNCIL MEMBERS ELECTED
At the October 21st congregational meeting, Nancy Rex was elected to
serve a three-year term on Salem’s Congregation Council. Kelly Clason, Pam
Pescitelli and Sharon Adkins Wallis were all re-elected to three- year terms.
Their terms will begin with their installation the first week of January, 2019.
Please keep them, along with all of Salem’s congregational leaders, in your
prayers as they continue to guide the ministries of this congregation
“Silent Night” Midweek Advent Services
The hymn “Silent Night” will be the focus of our midweek Advent services this year. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the composition of this beloved Christmas hymn. Our midweek Advent services will begin at 6:00 p.m. on the first three Tuesdays of December. Our schedule will be as follows: December 4th: “A Silent Night of Peace” (verse 1) December 11th: “A Silent Night of Glory” (verse 2) December 18th: “A Silent Night of Love” (verse 3)
In 1818, a roving band of actors was performing in towns throughout the Austrian Alps. On December 23 they arrived at Oberndorf, a village near Salzburg where they were to re-enact the story of Christ’s birth in the small Church of St. Nicholas.
Unfortunately, the St. Nicholas’ church organ wasn’t working and would not be repaired before Christmas. (Note: some versions of the story point to mice as the problem; others say rust was the culprit) Because the church organ was out of commission, the actors presented their Christmas drama in a private home. That Christmas presentation put assistant pastor Josef Mohr in a meditative mood. Instead of walking straight to his house that night, Mohr took a longer way home. The longer path took him up over a hill overlooking the village.
From that hilltop, Mohr looked down on the peaceful snow-covered village. Reveling in majestic silence of the wintry night, Mohr gazed down at the glowing Christmas-card like scene. His thoughts about the Christmas play he had just seen made him remember a poem he had written a couple of years before. That poem was about the night when angels announced the birth of the long-awaited Messiah to shepherds on a hillside.
Mohr decided those words might make a good carol for his congregation the following evening at their Christmas Eve service. The one problem was that he didn’t have any music to which that poem could be sung. So, the next day Mohr went to see the church organist, Franz Gruber. Gruber only had a few hours to come up with a melody which could be sung with a guitar. However, by that evening, Gruber had managed to compose a musical setting for the poem. It no longer mattered to Mohr and Gruber that their church organ was inoperable. They now had a Christmas carol that could be sung without that organ. On Christmas Eve, the little Oberndorf congregation heard Gruber and Mohr sing their new composition “Silent Night” to the accompaniment of Gruber’s guitar.
SPECIAL OFFERINGS
Salem’s Council has designated the special envelope offerings as follows:
Thanksgiving Envelopes—Salem’s Benevolence Pledge
Christmas Envelopes—Salem’s General Fund
Salem members participated in a progressive supper to study GROWING AS DISCIPLES AND STEWARDS, Living In and Living Out God's Grace. This program was written by Rev. Kurt Nordby and highlighted six faith and discipleship practices. This resource is centered on St. Paul's words found in Ephesians 5: 1-2: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved Children, and live in love, as Christ loved us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" Ephesians 5: 1-2. The theological key here is that we respond to a loving and gracious God by following Jesus. Stewardship is then framed in relationship with the other faith and discipleship practices: "pray, study, worship, invite, serve, and give".
Thanks go to those who generously offered their homes and/or provided food and drinks for the Progressive Supper: Sharon Adkins Wallis, Kelly Clason, Don and Pat Clason, and Jackie Beverage. Thanks also go to members who studied the program and presented information to the participants: Leigh Kossman, Doug Fraley, Marilyn Wouda, Bonnie Guyer, Kim Boczko, and Kelly Clason. In November and December, the church council prepares a proposed budget for the next calendar year. The pledges help in determining this plan. If you have not turned in a pledge card yet, please bring or mail it to Salem soon. Thank you for your gifts to support the ministry of Salem Lutheran Church.
Salem will be a host site for a Northern Illinois Synod Event, “Coffee with the Bishop” on Sunday afternoon, November 18, 2:00-3:30 pm. Members of the congregation are welcome. Please feel free to come and meet Bishop Jeff Clements in an informal setting.
Coffee with the Bishop
QULITS...QUILTS...QUILTS!
Irene Yingling has delivered another 52 quilts for Lutheran World Relief. They will be on display in the sanctuary for the next few weeks. Before they are packed for shipping, they will be available for sale for $50 each. These make wonderful gifts for any age! A portion of each sale goes to Irene to help her with her expenses, and the remainder goes to LWR. If you are interested in purchasing a quilt, please make your selection and give your payment (checks payable to Salem) to a staff member. Several years ago, Irene was honored for her efforts with a brick on display at LWR headquarters in Baltimore. She is shown at left viewing her brick. THANK YOU, IRENE!
HUNGER DINNER—Somonauk High School is sponsoring a Hunger Dinner on Saturday, November 17 at 5:30 pm in the Somonauk Middle School gym. They are doing this to increase awareness of world hunger issues and to raise funds for a planned Growing Hope Globally (formerly FRB) overseas trip this spring. Thrivent has donated $250 to the cost of supplies. Tickets for this dinner are $10 and can be obtained from Jerry Lundeen. 815.558.4307. Please consider joining their efforts to make hunger unacceptable in our world by attending this event for spaghetti, auction items, and a life altering experience.
BENEFIT CONCERT FOR OPEN DOOR On Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 4:00 pm at the Sandwich Opera House the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale will present “Wintersong” as a benefit concert for The Open Door. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $16 for seniors and students. Tickets will be available at the Opera House. The chorale is directed by Greg Wheatley whose name may be familiar to those who listen to Moody radio. VOLUNTEER AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK —Registration has already been completed for our November 20th shift at the food bank. Plan ahead for December. Our regular shift is scheduled for December 18, and we have added a shift on December 27 in order to allow our students to participate. Anyone age 8 and over is welcome. We meet at the church parking lot at 8:00 am to carpool, and we stop for lunch on the way home. If you have questions, please ask Walt or Mickey Farley.
HEALTH SCREENING—We will be the host site for a Life Line Screening event on Tuesday, November 20. Pre-registration is needed, and Salem members are eligible for a discount. Three ways to register and receive special pricing: • call: 1-877-380-1743 • text: CIRCLE to 797979 or • online: www.lifelinescreening.com/communitycircle .
COMMUNITY FELLOWSHIP FEAST —The November feast will be held at the Federated Church of Sandwich on Tuesday, November 27 from 4:30-6:00 pm. All are welcome. Salem will provide bread and butter. Please sign-up if you can help in this way.
FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN—Our friends at St. John’s have invited Salem members, both children and adults, in a shift at Feed My Starving Children in Aurora on January 3, from 2:30-4:30 pm. Please speak to Pastor Wayne or Kim Boczko if you would like to be a part of this.
ONGOING COMMUNITY EFFORTS:
COATS FOR HOPE HAVEN—There is a box near the east entrance for your donations of good, clean used outer winter coats and accessories for all ages.
BOTTLE CAPS FOR OPEN DOOR —The Open Door is asking for our help in collecting plastic bottle tops. Any hard plastic screw-on bottle cap will do (water bottle, pop bottle, bleach bottle, peanut butter jar, juice bottle, etc.). When they get enough, they are sending them in to a company that will make benches. Open Door is collecting bottle tops to help Kendall County Special Olympics have benches made. Copies of their flyer are posted on Salem’s bulletin board. There is a container in the narthex where you may drop off caps.
FRANKLIN MALL CHRISTMAS GROCERY PROJECT —Salem once again will be a collection point for non-perishable food donations. There will be a bin near the parking lot entrance after November 19.
SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES!
In the wind Sunday School Art Show—January 20, 2019—Get busy on your projects.
12th ANNUAL CABARET—February 9, 2019
2019 Women’s Retreat at LOMC – April 12, 2019—Questions? See Sandy Martens.
Watch for details about this event in upcoming issues of the Salem Life,
♦ On Sunday, November 11, Veterans Day, our Sunday School presented a special program honoring Salem’s veterans.
♦ On December 2 during the education hour, the Sunday School will present their annual Advent/Christmas program. This year’s program will be a “traditional” nativity pageant called “Just a Little Christmas”. Please join us!
♦ We are working on decorations for our annual Christmas tree display at the Festival of Trees on December 1 & 2. This year’s festival will be held at the Sandwich Fairgrounds. Come see our tree!
October was a busy month, and 3N1 is ready for November. During the past month some of our youth participated in CROP Walk, FRB Celebration, Homeless Ministry and Trunk or Treat. Thank you for your donations for the Homeless Ministry in Chicago. Everyone appreciated the kind gifts of warmth and caring. Our next trip is planned for December 8. You are welcome to join us. Please check with Kim Boczko if you are interested.
We have a few wall calendars left to sell for $7.00 each. See us on Sunday mornings if you are interested in buying one.
We have a lot to give thanks for. Please keep praying for our youth to grow in faith and service, all while building relationships with others.
Salem Sunday School
The Fellowship Committee will host a caroling party on Sunday, December 16 at 2:00 pm. Save the date and plan to join in for some cold weather fun, food and fellowship in addition to bringing some cheer to our shut-in members.
Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church
1022 North Main Street P.O. Box 105
Sandwich IL 60548
Non-Profit
Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Sandwich, IL
Permit No. 41 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Wednesday, November 21—7:00 PM
The United Church of Sandwich 512 Lions Road (across from Sandwich High School)
All are welcome! There will be a community choir and a time of fellowship will follow the worship service. The offering will benefit
