Author: Jill Richard

May 2022 – A Note From Pastor Rich

Posted on by Jill Richard

Greetings in Christ Jesus

Jesus Christ is Risen!  The Easter message is wonderful news!  Some day we will walk into heaven.  Because He lives, we can walk through that door.  We have an incredible life to come. I know that my Redeemer lives, and because He lives, I shall live also.  May this truth be in your heart.  We can live each day now in confidence that we are eternal people.  May the joy of Easter continue!

Our thanks to Garrett and Paige Robison for donating a coffee maker to the Senior Center. Thank to Peggy Pariseau for setting it up.  

It was a blessing to have a wonderful turnout on Good Friday afternoon for the Hot Cross Bun treat.  

May God bless your May journey.

Pastor Rich

Bingo the Basset HoundI am busy. Enjoying the longer daylight.  Now for some warm weather.  I am also ready for some Bingo!  Hope you can enjoy the Summer!  The Senior Saints are, experiencing aches and pains,

this Spring.  The older we get, the more thankful we are for every day. 

The irony of age, when you are a baby, your parents take care of you.  When parents grow old, they are taken care of by their baby.  Seniors do not call their bathroom John, instead they call it Jim.  That way it sounds better when you say I go to the Jim first thing in the morning.

 

  • How are stars like false teeth? The both come out at night.
  • The Senior Saint stood outside the pub fishing in a puddle of water. A well- dressed businessman felt sorry for him.  He invited him inside for a drink.  As they sipped their drinks, he asked, how many have you caught today?  The old man replied, you’re the eighth.  Note:  watch out for those seniors!

Keep smiling.

Love,

 Bingo your Basset Hound

May 2022 From Your Congregational President

Posted on by Jill Richard
Tim and VBS

 

May 2022

From Your Congregational President

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

A New Season
Well spring is certainly upon us, although we did recently have that mini-snow-event that was a pleasant surprise for Jarvis our Great Pyrenees. He thoroughly enjoyed his walk that day. But we really are in spring and, if we consider Memorial Day to be the start of summer that will quickly be upon us as well. So things are moving forward quite quickly.

Want to thank everyone for their participation in the April Voters Meeting, we are planning a
Special Voters Meeting for May 22 at noon with a one and a half hour time limit to discuss and
receive input from the voters on our fiscal year 2022-2023 budget. Our treasurer Craig Anderson has meetings scheduled with our board chairs and others and we would like to provide the voters an opportunity to have input to the budget process prior to it being submitted for approval at the June 19 voters meeting.

For those wanting to plan their summer vacations and include some time participating in Vacation Bible School, VBS will be the first week of August from the 1st through the 5th from 9am to 12noon. We would love to have some new adult leaders. I can still see the lifelong memory of the photo that Ethel Simpson took of David’s and my VBS group last summer, possibly my favorite
photo on my phone right now.

Enjoy the season, as it will pass quickly! And yes as Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:13, “We can do all things through Him who strengthens us.”

Blessings,
Tim Grace

April 2022 – A Note from Our Congregation Vice President

Posted on by Jill Richard

 

What is a free will offering? 

At our Fish Fry on March 2nd, I noticed a basket on a side table, with a paper attached.  Being curious, I went over and read the words, “Free Will Offering.”  Free will offering?  It had been such a long time since I had heard the term that I needed to refresh my memory. At home, I googled it. Merriam-webster.com defined it as “a voluntary religious offering made in addition to what is required by a vow, tithe, or pledge.”  You know, I’m grateful the church provides me with the opportunity to gather to eat and visit with my church family.  Looking forward to future church-sponsored meals, I’m planning on having some free will offering money in my pocket. 

I’m also grateful for the greatest free will offering ever given. I’m grateful God freely gave His son, Jesus, to die on the cross.  And grateful Jesus was in full agreement with His father to shed His blood to save me from my sins.  And grateful He rose on the third day.   I’m grateful I serve a living Savior.  

Warm Easter greetings to all,

Dottie Buss

 

April 2022 – A Note from Congregational President – Tim Grace

Posted on by Jill Richard

Declaring & Teaching – Jesus is Lord!

James 1:1-8

James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. 

Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways

Well how about a little news first, anyone ready for a BBQ?

There will be the annual church cleanup in the Grove, Sanctuary, and Church grounds in general on Saturday, April 9 at 9:00 AM. There will be a little something for everyone to do either inside or out, just show up and have some fun and fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Since we need to make sure the grill is ready for Easter Breakfast we might as well put some burgers and dogs on it to make sure it really works. Bring gloves and your favorite garden tool if you would like.

Here are some thoughts someone had on Covid, “Good and bad news can coexist. Progress isn’t like flipping a switch. Someone who points out progress who is rebutted by someone pointing out setbacks might not be arguing – they’re probably just choosing to look at different parts of the world.”

On Sunday, April 24 at noon there will be a Voters’ Meeting with a potluck. We will be discussing and voting on Jennifer Gatke’s expanded role in youth ministry and the change in status from a contract employee to a regular employee including an updated budget proposal that closely reflects the level of effort she has been providing. We will also distribute copies of the current rules, rates, and burial planning information for our Cemeteries and determine if greater oversight and planning are required for the long term, including succession planning for the sextons for that Glorious Event when one of them goes to be with the Lord. It would be nice for the Church Secretary to inventory our documents and help record our standard procedures for what is necessary for our cemeteries to operate.

“When emotions swing from one side to the other it can be tempting to not trust either. But sometimes it’s fine to have conflicting emotions because two opposite things can be true at the same time.” 

Other thoughts on a paradox: 

  • This is not possible and possible, depending on the sense you think of. 
  • Yes, it is most certainly possible but highly improbable that you could do it.
  • No. What was the second question again? 
  • I’m in two minds about how to answer this.
  • Of course, it’s possible? just ask any woman, especially working mothers! I realize that, as a male, the questioner may not have experienced this phenomenon, but my brain usually deals with many more than two things.

Well some of these are humorous and others are intriguing, but what happens when the subject is a deeply spiritual issue like giving to the church? What happens when leaders disagree on how to communicate about the gifts we have received? Being a leader in the church is difficult, everyone brings their stuff and we all do the best we can to do what we believe the Lord is leading and calling us to do.

James’ message is clear in providing guidance on how we should ask and seek answers from the Lord. I will close with this, I have heard it said that FAITH and FEAR can not exist in our beings at the same time and we need to choose one, I choose FAITH. 

May God richly bless each and everyone member of our congregation, both old and young. I pray that all find a place to be fed spiritually in both our worship services and many bible studies that are offered on a regular basis. Chuck Gollnick has proposed a new book for the Saturday men’s group. We hope to get it started back up shortly.

Blessings,

So back to our scripture for the month, is it possible to think of two things at once? I had this question recently as it relates to a church matter and did an internet search to see what I would find. What is a Paradox? It refers to saying two opposite things at the same time “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”

Tim Grace

 

Greetings in Christ Jesus – Pastor Rich – April 2022

Posted on by Jill Richard
Bread and Water

 

Greetings in Christ Jesus,

Bingo the Basset Hound

Hi folks,  

                            Pastor Rich wanted me to invite you to enjoy a Hot Cross Bun with the Seniors on Good Friday.  Watch for details in the Sunday Bulletin.  

The Senior Saints offer a variety of interest groups.  There may be one that you would like to participate in.  There is the gray head group.  There is the Super Seniors, those 80 years and above while there is the Jr. Seniors those under 80.  They offer the Walker, Cane Society.  There is the Suspenders bunch.  Yes, there is a hearing aid group as well as a pace maker bunch.  If none of these interests are for you, a new group can be formed.  The Seniors are always open to change.  We are not a closed society and not afraid of new ideas.

Enjoy the April showers that will bring the May flowers!

Love from Bingo,                                                                                                       

 Your Basset Hound reporting from the Senior Center 

Another Lenten Easter season comes to a close this month.  Did you grow in your love for Jesus?  Do you experience a deeper grasp of what Jesus Did for you?  There was a little boy who was always late.  Every night he came late to dinner.  On one night as he came, he saw great looking food on his parent’s plates.  After he sat down, his mother got up and went to the kitchen and brought him a plate with a slice of bread and a glass of water.  The boy was crushed.  After it sank in, the father took the boy’s plate and placed his own plate in front of the boy.  The father ate the bread.  He smiled at his son.  When the boy grew up to be a man he said, “All my life I have known what God is like by what my father did that night.  

Jesus took our plate of sin and exchanged it with His love, Joy and forgiveness!  You have a plate full of blessings because Jesus loves you!  Thousand, thousand thanks be to Jesus!  Jesus Christ is Risen!  May the blessings of Lent and Easter be yours!  

 

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Rich and Maxine

 

Children, Youth and Family Update April 2022

Posted on by Jill Richard
Children Youth and Families

This Children, Youth and Family Update from Jennifer Gatke originally went out as an email to church families from Pastor Don! 🙂

Yeah, for not recreating the wheel!

Youth worhsip leaders
Youth worhsip leaders

Youth Worship Leaders

This Lenten season our youth liturgists at the midweek evening services are Claire and Riley Baldridge, Ava Granquist, Ashlynn Brenner, and Elizabeth Johnston. The congregation loves to see the youth involved in the worship services.

First Communion – The Confirmation Class of 2022 will be partaking in their first communion on Maundy Thursday, April 14th at the 7 PM service. Confirmands are the same worship leaders listed above.

Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday April 16, 10-11 AM.

For preschool and church kids. Youth group will need to be there early to put out eggs by 9 AM. We will also be decorating the cross in front of the church with flowers and creating flower arrangements for the tables downstairs for Easter Breakfast. 

Easter Breakfast – Important!
Sunday April 17. After taking an informal poll last Sunday at church, it appears most people would like to have an Easter breakfast. Dave Van Winkle has agreed to make pancakes, but will need help bringing the grill up from the grove. All hands-on deck will be needed from our youth group to serve.

Craft & Chat – April 24 in the church lower level

 

Youth Night Egg Hunt

A fine tradition at St. Paul started by Jim & Ronda Wiedemann. This is for the youth who put out eggs at the earlier hunt, and helped at the Easter Breakfast. Youth can also invite their friends. Date and time TBD.

Preschool Family Mixer

For two years I’ve wanted to have a mixer for our preschool families in the Connect Center. This hour-and-half evening activity would consist of a table icebreaker activity, stand-up comedy, bingo with funny prizes, and a shameless plug to join our church. I think I can pull it off before the preschool year is ended, sometime in May. I would also like to do it with our church families (minus the shameless plug!) Perhaps our Households of Faith group can all work together on this. 

 

Pentecost Sunday – June 5, confirmands confirmed!

Senior Salute – Sunday, June 12. Graduates: Hayden Gatke, Claire Shipman, Annie Zachritz

Confirmation Camp – June 26-July 1 at Camp Lutherwood (Riley, Ashlynn & pastor Don)

Family Camp 1 – July 8-10 at Camp Lutherwood

National Youth Gathering – July 9-13 in Houston, TX.

· Youth participants: J.P. Garstka, David Sanchez

· Adult leaders: Jill Richard, Jennifer Gatke

· Primary leader: Pastor Don

Family Camp 2 – July 21-24 at Camp Lutherwood

 

Sunday School

Every family in our church should be bringing their child/children to Sunday School. It would make it stronger and benefit everyone involved. Jen Gatke has a special Sunday School session in store each month which has a fifth Sunday. The kids will be getting to know our senior members and visa-versa. What a wonderful way to connect our generations at St. Paul!

If I have left anything out or you have any ideas you would like to bring to the table, let me or Jen Gatke know. May God bless you all.

A Note from Pastor Don – April 2022

Posted on by Jill Richard
Spark

Spark April 2022

 

Dear friends,

Being as we’re two-thirds of the way through Lent, and church work has been increasing these last couple months, I’ll offer you a brief string of items from my plate as they come to mind:

 

 

 

 

  • Many thanks to Frannie Moss for doing double duty on the organ during Lent!
  • Keep our sister church, Pilgrim Lutheran in Beaverton in your prayers as they work through the process of calling a pastor. 
  • While the pandemic is still with us, it seems like things are returning to the way they used to be. We thank God for that as well as pray there are no more surges in the spread of infection. 
  • Our preschool mission has soldiered on valiantly through the pandemic, thanks be to God, and our teacher, Kathy Prehm, aides Diana and Jane Burda, substitutes Jennifer Gatke and Leslie Abbott, office managers Jennifer Snellen and Ellen Kulle, the volunteers on our board of education led by Steve Perone, and your prayers and support. I feel it a great blessing to get to know each child by name, and get to know their individual personalities, as well as get to know the parents a little bit too. Our preschool continues to be a worthwhile, vital mission of our church.
  • I’m looking forward to Easter Sunday, where we will have the return of our breakfast in the church lower level, served by our youth group. I will be putting together a sunrise service (7 AM) and, weather permitting, we can worship as the sun rises and have a nice breakfast in the church afterwards. 

That’s all for now. May you continue drawing faith from the Holy Spirit as we enter into Holy Week and Easter. 

Pastor Don 

Youth worhsip leaders
Youth worhsip leaders

Youth Worship Leaders

In an effort to bring families with children to midweek worship during Lent, I’ve had the youth from Confirmation class be our liturgists at the evening services. My thanks go to Ashlynn Brenner, Elizabeth Johnston, Claire Baldridge, and Riley Baldridge for doing something many young people don’t get the opportunity to do, and for doing it well.  

“My thanks … for doing something many young people don’t get the opportunity to do, and for doing it well.”

 

A Note from Pastor Don – March 2022

Posted on by Jill Richard
easter cross

S.P.A.R.K.

 (St. Paul Church’s Announcements to Read and Know)

March 2022 – A plan for Holy Week 2022

Dear friends in Christ,

By the time you read this newsletter, we will have begun our Lenten worship series, “In View of God’s Mercy.” I outlined the series in my article in last month’s newsletter.

Holy Week

Now I will familiarize you with the services for Holy Week, beginning Sunday, April 10th. Holy Week is a time when we take a look at our lives in view of God’s mercy toward us in the sacrifice of his Son for us on the cross.

Living Sacrifices

We, in turn, are called by God, especially during these holy days, to be living sacrifices for him, living out our devotion to him in word and deed. Jesus helps us to see the richness of God’s mercy in his life, death, and resurrection. 

May God bless you this Lenten season, as you prepare to receive his mercy at these holy, divine services.

 

Pastor Don

Palm Sunday, April 10

Mercy in Palms. In this service (8:30 & 10:45 AM) we wave palm branches to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem, as we also witness Jesus beginning his mission of mercy for all people for the saving of our souls.

MAUNDY (HOLY) THURSDAY, APRIL 14

Mercy in Bread and Wine. As the bread is broken and the cup is poured in this service, (1:30 & 7 PM) Christ’s body and blood serve as agents of mercy to us who are broken by sin and thirsting for righteousness. The junior confirmands will partake in their first communion at the 7 PM service.

GOOD FRIDAY,     APRIL 15

Mercy in the Cross. In this service we ponder how Jesus mercifully removed the sentence of sin against us by going to the cross to declare us “not guilty.” We will use the Good Friday Tenebrae (darkness) service (1:30 & 7 PM) projected on the screen in the sanctuary.

EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 17

Mercy in the Open Tomb. In this service (8:30 & 10:45 AM) we celebrate Christ risen from the dead, so that we might have a new beginning which mirrors the mercy of our Lord and Savior. Weather permitting, we will have a sunrise service in the grove at 7 AM.  

 

Children, Youth and Family March Update 2022

Posted on by Jill Richard

Welcome to March

and the beginning of our Lenten season. 

Sunday School

In Sunday school, with Lent beginning on March 2, we will explore the path Jesus walked in the final parts of His ministry leading up to Holy Week. We will also make St. Patrick’s Day cards for our homebound members as we share the Gospel as St. Patrick did. You can drop off your kiddos each Sunday at 9:35. Our lessons will begin by 9:45 and finish up just in time for the second service to start. 

Just as before, pre-k/kinder will meet in the library, and elementary will meet in the Connect Center. Our middle & high school will be meeting in Pastor Don’s office for the time being. We would love to have you all join us each Sunday.

Craft & Chat

A big thank you to all who attended our Craft and Chat afternoon in February. It was wonderful to chat, share creativity, laugh, learn from each other, and drink tea together!

Our next Craft and Chat is March 20th from 2 to 4 pm. Come by for the whole time or just an hour. Bring a project you’ve always meant to complete or just come for the tea.

Next month at Craft and Chat on April 24th, Dottie Buss will be teaching the art of card making with a special Mother’s Day card. Everything will be provided, you just need to let us know if you would like to attend. If you have a craft idea you’d love to teach or if there is a craft you’ve always wanted to learn, let me know! There is plenty of room in the lower level of the church for all of us. I hope to see you on March 20th for Craft and Chat from 2-4 pm., feel free to bring your favorite snack if you like to nibble while you craft. As always, we will have extra coloring pages and supplies available.

Do you have any ideas, suggestions, questions, and/or do you want to volunteer?

My email is stpaulsaintsvbs@gmail.com or jennifergatke@gmail.com

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters.”- Isaiah 55:1

Jennifer Gatke

Sunday School Superintendent Children’s Ministry

 

A Note from Pastor Rich March 2022

Posted on by Jill Richard

Greetings in Christ Jesus

Beware the Ides of March!

It refers to the assassination of Julius Caesar, which marked the turning point in Roman history.  Now it can refer to a change that might happen.  Could there be a turning point this March with the invasion of Russia into Ukrainian territory? How should we be prepared?  As with anything, we should face life with courage.  How do we get the courage to face the future?  By being with Jesus. In Acts 4:13 

““When they saw the courage of Peter and John they were astonished and they took note these men had been with Jesus.” 

As we face this time in history, we can be courageous if we are with Jesus. 

How are we with Him?  By being in His Word, the Scriptures, and in prayer and in worship.   Jesus is the solution.  Let others see that you have been with Jesus; that they too may have courage. May we face March and the future with courage!

Come closer to Jesus this month by participating in mid-week Lenten worship on Wednesdays. 

There are two opportunities, 1:30 or 6:30 pm.  Both times are in the Sanctuary and are the same service.  Come to the one that works best for you.

May this Lenten Season give you courage!

God Bless you,

Pastor Rich

 

Bingo the Basset Hound
Bingo the Basset Hound

Bingo is here to cheer you up!

 

Hi Gang,

 

Things are hopping at the Senior Center.  During Lent, there will be Soup lunches on Wednesday at noon.  They will start on March 9.  As for myself I prefer rabbit stew. Anyone got a good recipe?  I was raised to smell and find rabbits.  So this month here is some rabbit humor.

 

  • What did the rabbit give his girlfriend? A 14 carrot ring.
  • Where do rabbits work? At IHOP restaurants
  • What do rabbits put in their computers? Hoppy disks.
  • Why did the rabbit build a new house? He was fed up with the hole thing.
  • What do you call a cold Basset Hound sitting on a rabbit? A chili dog on a bun.
  • What do you call a group of rabbits hopping backwards? A receding hare line.
  • What did the naughty Rabbit leave for Easter? Deviled eggs.

 

I hope this gave you a smile.  It is good for your health.

Enjoy March and be nice to your Basset Hound and your rabbit friends.

 

With love,

Bingo