1. Art and Diseño

HAPPENINGS at the PALMS
February 2015
Issue 2
LUTHERAN CHURCH of the PALMS
2250 Nebraska Avenue, Palm Harbor, Florida 34683 (727) 784-4119
Website: www.lutheranchurchofthepalms.org Email: [email protected]
PASTOR’S PONDERINGS
Greetings LCOP community and guests,
Lent begins on February 18. Lent is the season of the church year where we focus deeply on the
life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by walking out of the tomb gives us
victory over sin, death and the power of evil. In Lent we are called to examine our soul. We are
encouraged through the scripture texts to dig deeply and to rediscover God’s amazing grace which
is dwelling soundly and powerfully within our soul. God’s grace is a truly amazing gift, but as we
hurry and scurry through our daily lives we forget how precious we are to God. We in turn forget
that our lives are a visible and active response to God’s grace. Lent reminds us of the beautiful
gift given to us through the life, death and resurrection of Christ.
Ash Wednesday
February 18
7:00PM
Service of Ashes and Holy Communion
Mid-Week Worship Wednesdays
6:30PM
“Sacred Change”
February 25
March 4
March 11
March 18
March 25
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
April 2
April 3
Change of Season
Change of Habit
Change of Circumstances
Change of Heart
Change of Plans
7:00PM
7:00PM
Worship with Holy Communion
Passion Story and Prayer
Mark your calendar and prepare your heart and soul for the journey.
See you in Church,
Pastor Greg
Sewing Group
The sewing group will start the month by packing and sending out our quilts for 2014. We made
96 quilts and 9 baby quilts. We will be sending the majority to Lutheran World Relief. The rest
will go the Rez House is Dade City, and some local shelters. We have over 40 Baby Care Kits
ready to send to LWR as well. Now we are ready to start another year and see what we can
accomplish.
Starting this month, February, we will meet every Tuesday. We know that not everyone can come
every week, but we will try making it available to all who want to come each Tuesday. We always
are happy to have you join us even if you say you can’t sew. If you knit or crochet, you can come
and make baby hats or little sweaters. Just come and join the fun. The first Tuesday of each month
we bring a sandwich and have lunch together. So we will see you Feb. 3rd. Contact Genie
Anderson at [email protected] if you have any questions.
______________________________________________________________________________
MEN IN ACTION
The Men in Action group will meet Monday Feb. 16, 2015 at the church in the Conference
Room on the second floor of the Fellowship Hall. All men are welcome. Please use the back
rear stairway to access the second floor.
In addition to food-pizza-and fellowship, Pr. Greg proposed and the group agreed at the last
meeting that we will spend a little time when we gather tending to whatever chores need to be
done around the church. We all realize it is important to keep up God’s House. In the past, this
burden has been assumed by Mike Nilsson who has done an outstanding job. It is time now to
“spread the wealth” and have more hands pitching in.
______________________________________________________________________________
A great big THANK YOU from the Hospitality Team for your generous shower gifts for the
kitchen shower. We look forward to sharing everything with all of you during coffee hours and
different celebrations throughout the year
But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,
and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds)
of the earth. Acts 1:8
Laying Bricks
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Culture Editor
Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first
must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his
life as a ransom for many." Mark 10: 43 – 45
Sometimes, I get restless. I went to college at Taylor University, a small Christian school in the middle
of Cornfield, Indiana. Though Taylor wasn’t very big, it strove to serve Christ, and encouraged its
students to impact the world for God. During the January term, when you could sleep all day and goofoff all night, Taylor offered something called Lighthouse Missions. Instead of wasting their brief
vacation, students became a part of service-learning projects that allowed them to share Christ with a
world in need.
When Spring Break came around, and the beaches of Florida were calling, it sent students everywhere
from Russia to the neighboring town of Grant County, where they engaged in housing projects, orphan
care, and outreach. It was tough giving up those precious vacation days, but it felt good to know you
were serving Christ. Unfortunately, after graduation opportunities like these are harder to come by.
With a forty to fifty-hour work week, not to mention budgeted money and vacation time, jetting off to
some foreign location isn’t something you can just do.
I can remember sitting in church, boiling with frustration because I couldn't just go do something like
I had in college. God clearly has a sense of irony, because at that moment the pastor stood up and asked
for volunteers to help pack up after the service. My problem? I had become the “wealthy giver.” Not
sure what I mean? Read this story in Mark 12:
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their
money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and
put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus
said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all
gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on." –
Mark 12: 41-44
It’s amazing how serving Christ can easily become something selfish. I was only interested in
serving if it was on my terms, and because of that I let a lot of opportunities pass me by. The truth is
that volunteering for a church nursery could be just as important in God’s eyes as building houses in
another country.
An old professor once told my class that the kingdom of God is built on willing hearts. When we
choose to follow God, we are laying the bricks of his kingdom, and creating a sturdy foundation for
others to stand on. So get involved, and if you feel God leading you toward a big opportunity, take it.
But don’t be too proud to serve in the small places. Sometimes it’s the little things that make all
the difference.
FEBRUARY CALENDAR
Click on the link below to see the current calendar of scheduled events.
http://lutheranchurchofthepalms.org/Calendar.html
Newsletter articles and announcements for the
MARCH NEWSLETTER are due on Monday, February 16th.
Please email your articles and announcements to the church email address at
[email protected].
“Getting
To Know You” Gathering
Please join us on Saturday, February 21 at 5:00 pm at Richard and Robyn Leschinski’s house.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to share food, fun and fellowship! Please bring your favorite
appetizer to share. Everyone is invited – singles, couples, ‘snowbirds’, new folks, old friends, and
those in between. Looking forward to seeing you all there! Please sign up on the bulletin board in
the fellowship hall or in the narthex.
The Leschinski’s live at 4083 Carlyle Lakes Blvd., Palm Harbor 34685. Printed directions from
the church are attached to the sign-up sheets. Take a copy when you sign up or call Robyn at
934-9847 and I’ll give you directions from your house to mine.
Book Club News
The book Club will be meeting on Monday Feb. 9th at 6pm. This month's book is The End of
Always by Randi Davenport. It is a story of one young woman's struggle to rise above a
vicious family legacy and take charge of her own life.
BOOK LIST FOR 2014 – 2015
February The End of Always by Randi Davenport
March
Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker by Jennifer Chivinhni
April
Americanah by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie
May
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
___________________________________________________________________
BAKE SALE
Can it possibly be 5+ years that we have been using the round tables in the fellowship hall? Thank
goodness for the for the fitted plastic table covers that have been on them because the table tops
are still in VERY good shape and will continue to be so. But unfortunately the table covers are in
very sad shape. The Hospitality Team is going to have a BAKE SALE Sunday, March 1st after
the worship service to raise money for new table covers. So this is a win - win situation. You can
enjoy some yummy goodies, and the tables will get new covers.
If you have a favorite thing you like to bake bring it to sale. The more the variety, the better it will
be! Maybe you would like to include a recipe with it. Just bring it to church with you on Sunday
March 1st. If you want to bake something and will not be there on Sunday, you can bring it on
Saturday, Feb. 28th and put it in the kitchen. Just be sure it is labeled for the bake sale. Bring your
baked goods packaged to sale and if you have a price you feel it right, put that on it too.
So mark your calendars for the Bake Sale on March 1st after worship and be ready to take
home some baked treasures!
Social Concerns
Here are some updates on the holiday season. We sent 14 turkeys to FEAST accompanied by lots
of side servings of rice, dressing, mashed potatoes, etc. At Christmas, all of the families from the
Pasco Hernando Healthy Families tree were given Christmas presents for the entire family. Our
mission outreach was amazing! Thank you for your generosity and care for our community.
Our mission for February will be raising funds for breast cancer research and cures. Sue Langeloh
will be walking to raise funds for the cause. This will be her 7th year walking in the Avon Walk
39 for Breast Cancer to help “stomp out” this dreadful disease affecting so many people. She has
seen strides over those years for research and treatments. Her team will be in Washington D.C.
for a two day walk of 39 miles (27 + 12) with the finish line at the Washington Monument. Sue’s
goal is $7,500.
If you would like to donate, please go to Google – Avon Walk Susan Langeloh and see DONATE
and give online. You can also personally give her checks or write a check to the church noting it
is for the Avon Walk 39.
Our February luncheon at Perkins will be on the 9th at noon. We will have a speaker from Kiddy
Up Ranch that specializes in therapies using riding horses that are aimed at children and adults
anywhere on the autism spectrum, from classic autism to PDD to Aspergers, as well as people with
associated neuropsychiatric conditions such as ADD, AHDD, and Dyslexia. We hope you can
attend!
______________________________________________________________________________
Coffee Hour
Getting together with friends after church and sharing coffee, and a few laughs is always
wonderful. There is a sheet in the fellowship hall for you to sign up to host a coffee hour.
Hosting coffee hour doesn’t mean putting on a lunch. Some folks just want to have more food;
that is wonderful and greatly appreciated. Others may want to just have cookies or other finger
foods to accompany a cup of coffee. What you serve is totally up to you.
If you have not done this before but would like to host some Sunday, there are several ways to do
it.
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
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You could do it alone or as a couple.
You could find a friend or two to link up with and share the fun.
If you want to take part but don’t know anyone to do it with, please contact one of the
Hospitality Team members and we will find someone to do it with you.
This is a great way to enjoy being with your church family.
Hospitality Team members, Heidi Hager, Kathy Sandrock, Cathy Gustafson, Patti Dalsasso, Joan
Tack, and Genie Anderson
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS
02-02 Don DeHaven
02-15 Joan Tack
02-04 Scott Sims
02-15 Darlene Tuggle
02-04 Tony Tambone
02-22 Greg Hager
02-04 Jeff Austad
02-22 Nicole Steuernagle
02-04 Enid Rey
02-23 Karen Graham
02-10 Alli Focht
02-25 Scott Bauch
02-11 Barbara LaPoma
02-26 Tim Proper
02-12 Carol Finch
02-27 Dorothy Stanek
02-14 Mike Nilsson
FEBRUARY ANNIVERSARIES
Judy & Kevin Egan 02-09
If your birthday or anniversary is incorrect or accidently left off the list, please notify Pam Bauch
THE HAVEN OF RCS
VA DONATION WISH LIST
WISH LIST
The Haven has a container in the Narthex for
any items that are donated. Their needs are
numerous so anything that you can give
would be greatly appreciated. If you need
additional information or have any questions,
please contact Joan Tack at (727) 938-5221.
· Emergency Safe House Needs: Twin-size
bed linens, towels & wash clothes (all
sizes), plastic dinnerware/tumblers,
cooking/baking pans, toilet paper, paper
towels, facial tissue, laundry & dish
detergent, shampoo & hair products,
deodorant, razors, feminine hygiene,
toothbrushes and toothpaste.
If anyone is able to donate any of these items,
please put them in the blue plastic container
located in the Narthex. If you have any
questions, contact Len Fruehwald.
· Disposable razors
· Body wash
· Toothpaste/toothbrush
· XL white stretchy socks (in sealed bags only)
· Hair brush
· Bed throws (3½’ x 5½’)
· Caps with ear flaps
· Wheelchair gloves (no fringe)
Alarm clocks, sleep shirts.
Strollers, car seats, diapers, baby formula.
· Small zippered wallets
· Cell phones
Coffee, peanut butter & jelly.
· Telephone calling cards
Outreach Needs: Grocery gift certificates,
gas cards, gift certificates for shoes.
· Small folder to keep appointments
· RCS Thrift Store Needs: Gently used
clothing and household items in good
clean condition. Pick-up for furniture is
available. Call the RCS Thrift Store
Manager (727) 531-6266.
· Used Cell Phones: Even without service,
cellular phones may be used to make
911 calls. These are given to our
participants so they can get help when
they need it.
· Small notebooks/pad (various sizes)
· Pocket calendars
· Pens
· Magnifying glasses
· Greeting cards
· Large print magazines
· Sports recreational magazines
· Books (soft & hard cover)
· Crossword puzzles (large print)
· Picture frames (11”x14” or 12”x18”)
· CD player
· CD’s from the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s
· Tickets to any local community events
(baseball, shows, concerts)
LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE PALMS
February 2015
Sunday
1
Monday
2
Tuesday
3
Wednesday
4
Thursday
5
Friday
Saturday
6
7
13
14
20
21
9am Morning Prayer
9am Adult Bible Study
10am Children Sunday School
10 am Worship Service
11am Fellowship
5pm Confirmation Class 9:30am Sewing Group
6pm Adult Bible Study
6pm FCT
8
9
10
12 Noon Luncheon @
9am Adult Bible Study
Perkins
9:30am Sewing Group
10am Children Sunday School 5pm Confirmation Class
10 am Worship Service
6pm FCT
11am Fellowship
6pm Book Club
11
15
18
9am Adult Bible Study
10am Children Sunday School
10 am Worship Service
11am Fellowship
22
16
17
5:45pm Youth Choir
6:30pm Bells Choir
7:15pm Adult Choir
12
9am Morning Prayer
6pm Adult Bible Study
5:45pm Youth Choir
6:30pm Bells Choir
7:15pm Adult Choir
19
9am Morning Prayer
23
6pm Council Meeting
24
7pm Ash Wednesday
Worship
25
5:45pm Youth Choir
6:30pm Bells Choir
7:15pm Adult Choir
26
27
9am Morning Prayer
9am Adult Bible Study
10am Children Sunday School
10 am Worship
11am Fellowship
5pm “Getting to Know
You” Gathering
9:30am Sewing Group
6pm Men in Action @
LCOP Conference Rm
5pm Confirmation Class
6pm FCT
6PM Al-Anon (Every Sunday)
9:30am Sewing Group
6pm Lent Soup Supper
6:30pm Worship
5:45pm Youth Choir
6:30pm Bells Choir
7:15pm Adult Choir
28