August 2010
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
God’s purpose for us at St. Paul’s
is to be a nurturing
Christian community
worshipping and following God
by actively helping others
here and beyond our walls.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Old Settlers’Community Worship
August 15th – 10 AM
BeckemeyerSchool Grounds
The Old Settlers’ Community Worship Service will be held on the campus of Beckemeyer School. Worship begins at 10 am on Sunday, August 15th. In case of rain, worship will be in the gym. There will be no worship service at St. Paul’s on that Sunday.
Everyone is invited to the United Methodist Church in Hillsboro to the Old Settlers Dinner on Sunday, August 15th. The dinner will follow the Community Worship Service that morning. The Methodist Church will furnish the meat, drinks, and table service. All those who attend are asked to bring a covered dish to share.
Worship This Summer @ 8:00 and 9:30 am
The Summer worship schedule continues during the month of August, with a 30-minute, informal, Service of the Word at 8:00 am each Sunday, and our regular Sunday morning worship at 9:30 am.
Celebration of Holy Communion will be celebrated, at both services, on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. And there will be no Sunday morning services at St. Paul’s on August 15th. Everyone is encouraged to attend the Community Old Settlers’ Worship at 10 am that morning.
We will return to our regular 10:15 am Sunday morning worship schedule on September 5th – Labor Day Weekend.
Sunday School Returns For ALL AGES
Our regular schedule for the Sunday Morning Education Hour returns on Rally Sunday, September 12th. Sunday School begins at 8:45 am.
Once again there will be opportunities for everyone, including two Adult Discussion Classes each Sunday morning. Commit yourself to studying God’s word with your friends and neighbors this year! Specific details about the topics for the classes and activities that begin in September will be included in the September newsletter.
Confirmation Class
and
Youth Group
Resume on Wednesday, September 1st
Same Time . . . Same Place
God’s Great Get-Together! 2010 Vacation Bible School
Set in the expansive African savannah, under the baobab tree, children listened to the Word of God, were amazed at God’s wildlife creations, and were a part of a community of believers. Activities included Bible stories, music, crafts, and refreshments. We had 24 students and lots of wonderful help. The offerings for the week went to African Jam, an organization that shares the Gospel with children of South Africa. Our total collection for the week was $143.00
Teachers: Patti McHenry, Andrea Durbin, Diane Singler, Sandra Moody,
Sarah McHenry, Sue Duzan
Music: Carolyn Meier
Kitchen: Betty Darda
Helpers: Cole Deming, Caitlin Fenton, Olivia Klump, Bradley Taylor, Chris Storm, Lindsey Storm, Mitch Abbott, Fallon Sellers, Josh Duzan, Kelsey Shadwell, Carrigan Waters, Brenden Meier
Staff: Rev. Ken Sandlin, Helen Brinkman, Marcia Sandlin, Paula Keepper
Dear Friends,
We’re back! After two vacation trips, separated by a week at home, we’re back. We traveled a combined total of about 4,000 miles on our two trips, and had a very enjoyable time. I won’t bore you with all the details, and trying to include, in this newsletter, the 400 plus pictures that I took would use too much paper and ink. So here’s a quick summary.
We ate lots of good food . . . barbecue in Memphis, Cajun in Louisiana, Mexican in San Antonio, Greek and French in Chicago, and seafood in so many places. We visited with good friends and family in Dallas and Tulsa and Independence, KS and Chicago and Rockford, and Waterloo and Ames, IA. We relaxed and we went sight-seeing and we read books and, oh did I mention we ate lots of good food? And, now we’re back.
As much as we enjoy traveling and enjoyed our vacation, we also enjoy being back home. It’s good to come up the hill and go around the curve on 16, and see the courthouse and the water tower and the church steeple. It’s good pulling into our garage and walking in the door of our house. It’s good being back in Hillsboro.
I hope that all of you have had (or will still have) the opportunity to take some vacation time this summer. Taking time to re-create is important. It recharges our “batteries”. It refreshes our outlook. And, when we get back from our “away” time, we’re ready to reengage.
In about a month or less, that’s what we’ll all be doing. School will have begun again. The 2010 Old Settlers’ celebration will be over. The weather will be cooler (hopefully and thankfully). And it will be time to connect with our regular weekly routine.
For all of us at St. Paul’s that means re-connecting with worship and studying God’s word and confirmation classes and youth group and all the many ways that we do ministry with one another in our congregation and in our community. Yes, as important as it is to get away; it’s even more important to get back. I look forward to seeing each and every one of you back in worship this fall. I cherish our time studying the Bible together. I appreciate greatly all the many ways that we work together. And I look forward to another great year.
One more month . . . then we’re back. Yours in Christ, Pastor Ken
Prayers are Lifted
Our prayers and sympathy to Pat Powers & family on the death of her brother, Robert Powers June 5th.
Also, our sincere sympathy to Stella Stokes and her family on the passing of her mother, Dorothy Pease, on June 13th.
And, our heartfelt sympathy to Kent, Nancy & Amanda Hites and their family on the death of their daughter and sister, Angela, who passed away on July 7th.
The Lord reminds us of our need for comfort and has promised: “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you.” St. John 14:18
A New Arrival
Congratulations to Corey & Nicole Wilkinson on the arrival of their daughter, River May, on May 30th. Her proud grandparents are Ken & Gail Schaal.
Beyond Our Walls’Thank Yous
The Seminarian Scholarship Fund received our donations to “Beyond Our Walls” in June. We received a thank you letter from Mark VanScharrel of Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago which read in part, “Your gifts are essential to the continued success and growth of the seminary. Not only do the staff, faculty and students thank you for your gifts, but so do the congregations, schools and ministries that our graduates will serve.”
We also received a thank you letter from Lutheran Social Services of Illinois for our “Beyond our Walls” gift. The Rev. Dr. Denver Bitner wrote, “Your generosity helps bring health, healing and wholeness to thousands of people across the state. Every day LSSI responds to the Gospel by serving the most vulnerable among us. The faithfulness of congregations like St. Paul's Lutheran Church is critically important in this work.”
Beyond Our Walls
In August . . .
The August Beyond Our Walls donations will be used locally by Chaplain Denise Wiseman at Graham Correctional Center to purchase supplies for communion to be used during worship at the chapel.
Hymns You Request
Our worship in June and July included several hymns requested by members of our congregations. The requested hymns used in our worship were:
On Our Way Rejoicing
Take My Life, that I May Be
What A Friend We Have in Jesus
My Faith Looks Up to Thee
Lead On, O King Eternal
He Leadeth Me
How Great Thou Art
Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee
Shine Jesus Shine
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God
Applying Bible Principles
The vast majority of people like to excel at something. Most of us like to do what we do in a manner that is truly first-class. Whether we are involved in one of the trades, or whether we are working in a profession, we like to excel in what we do.
Similarly, in the Christian life, most of us like to demonstrate our love for the Lord in ways that will reflect our faith and honor God. As God’s servants, we take great care that our Christian service is of such quality that what we do for His sake is first-class. Thus, whether we sing a solo in a worship service at Church, prepare a meal for a funeral dinner, or teach a Sunday school class, we strive to do what we do for God in the very best way possible.
The Apostle Paul indicates we are also to excel in the grace of giving. “Now as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you – so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.” Second Corinthians 8:7 In other words, just as we might seek to excel in other ways which demonstrate our Christian faith in action, we are also to excel in the grace of giving.
In the context of the verse we just read, Paul commends the Macedonian Christians for giving as much as they were able and more. When we follow their example, we experience “grace giving” in action, not only giving as we are able, but also, giving beyond our ability. This is possible only as we demonstrate the fruit of the Christian life by the power of the Holy Spirit within us. As we step out by faith (which is one of the signs of a Spirit-controlled life), we are able to give in ways which might seem improbable or impossible at first. The Spirit of God thereby motivates us and compels us to excel in the grace of giving!
One anonymous writer penned these powerful words: “God has a storehouse of blessings. Prayer is the key to that storehouse. But faith both turns the key and unlocks the door.”
Say, are you excelling in the grace of giving? If not, why not take God at His word – by faith – and begin today?
Womens’ Circle @ Ronald McDonald House
The ladies of the church will be going to Ronald McDonald House in Springfield sometime in September to serve supper to the guests.
If anyone wishes to go with us to help or if you would like to make food we can take, please let Paula know. This is a service that is very much appreciated by the guests of Ronald McDonald House.
And, speaking of Ronald McDonald House…..we ask that you continue saving the pop tabs from your aluminum cans so we can donate them to the RMH to help them with expenses. We are also collecting, as an ongoing project, sample sizes of soap, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc. to donate to the RMH for their guests to use. Sometimes people come to RMH with only the clothes on their backs when their child has been hurt or taken suddenly ill. Please do not bring any items unless they are new. If you have any questions please call the church office.
Meals On Wheels Week
St. Paul’s week for Meals on Wheels is August 23rd – August 27th. Please look for a sign up sheet on the bulletin board. As some people had to take more than 1 day to deliver meals we are asking for more people to sign up and help. It only takes about an hour and we only do it every 7 weeks. We need YOU to help.
Bus Tour
The Ladies Aid of Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield is sponsoring a “Ladies Bus Tour of St. Louis” on Saturday, August 21st. The women of St. Paul’s are invited to join them for a day of fun & fellowship. More information may be found on the bulletin board at St. Paul’s. One of the stops on the trip is a tour of the Fabulous Fox Theater on Grand.
The Storybook Project
Do you have new or like-new children’s books that you no longer need? As part of our “Beyond Our Walls” donation projects, St. Paul’s will be collecting new and or in like-new condition books for the Storybook Project now through January, 2011.
Lutheran Social Services of Illinios’ (LSSI’s) Storybook Project enables incarcerated parents to select and read a book on audiotape for their children. Both the book and the tape are sent to the children. Parents may also record a brief, personal message of thanks to their child’s caregivers. Volunteers assist in the taping. Thirteen federal, state, and county correctional facilities, including Graham, host the Storybook Project. More than 4,000 children receive books and tapes form their incarcerated parents each year.
The books the fathers and mothers request most are Christian books for all ages, and books about current characters including (but not limited to) Dora the Explorer, Blues Clues, and Thomas the Train are always needed. In addition, Dr. Seuss and just about any book your children or grandchildren like would be great. They are always running short on the hardback baby and toddler books, including Christian ones since they are so popular. The books need to be new or in like-new condition with no writing in them, and to go into prisons they cannot have metal or any wire on them, nor can they have any attachments such as pencils, small toys, or CDs. Books with fuzzy animals or moving parts are great if nothing can be removed from the book. Small and medium thin paperbacks are just as desired as the larger, more expensive hardbacks.
If you wish to purchase books for this good cause, you might shop at Dollar Stores. Good sale prices can often be found after holidays too. You may bring your donations to St. Paul’s and put them by our display in the back of the sanctuary.
Thursday Sewing Group
The ladies who sew on Thursdays have been hit and miss this summer. We will keep our summer hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on August 5th & 12th. We will not sew on August 19th. We will resume our 9 a.m. time on August 26th. Let’s get back in the swing of things and start sewing again on a regular basis. We need you to join us.
Eco Tips
Eco-tips offers ideas for being better stewards of God's creation. You can learn more from two interfaith environmental groups online at http://interfaithpowerandlight.org/ and www.greenfaith.org.
• Energy: The average home spends about $2,000 on energy bills every year. By changing to appliances that have earned the Energy Star, you can save $75 a year in energy costs (Energy Star). Energy Star rated appliances use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models over their lifetime, making a big difference for the environment and your budget: http://www.energystar.gov/
Return To St. Paul's Home Page |