Resurrection Bell Ringer
Days of Grace
Baptisms: Received in the joy of the Christian community through Holy Baptism were Andrew Nicholas Dile and Nolan Andrew French. Andrew is the son of Jay and Heather Dile and was born on August 4, 2003. Nolan is the son of Kathy and Aaron French and was born on August 6, 2003. Welcome to the Lord’s family.
In Our Prayers
Hospitalized: Dora Rothenberger, Elizabeth Huck
Prayers for healing: Joyce Schmelzer
In Sympathy: John Toney, for the death of his father, John Toney, Sr.; Marty Welch, for the death of his father, Bud Welch
Friends of the Congregation in need of God’s presence and comfort: Arlene Wright
Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study
Saturday, November 8, 7:30am
An invitation to:
November 15 & 16
Consecration Weekend Worship:
Saturday, November 15th at 5:30pm
followed by a celebration dinner
Sunday, November 16th at 8:00am
followed by a celebration brunch
Sunday, November 16th at 10:45am
followed by a celebration lunch
Mark your calendars
and plan to attend.
(See details inside Bell Ringer)
From the Staff . . .
Dear Resurrection People:
A Vision to Grow
Do you remember the vision of the grove of aspen trees? Hundreds and hundreds of beautiful trees, shining leaves dancing in the wind; yet, a single living organism, connected by a single root system, spreading out over miles. We have a vision for Resurrection to be a similarly beautiful community “so deeply rooted in God’s grace” that we are freed to live out our faith with a boldness that will spread out into the surrounding community.
Bold and Beautiful Disciples
What will it take for our congregation to fully reach that vision? Each one of us. Every “tree.” All of us answering the call to “welcome, nurture, equip, and serve” that all may know God’s love. To truly be “bold and beautiful” means, as we have been saying for the past year or so, that we need to shift our thinking away from “membership” to “discipleship.” If I am only a “member” at RLC, there is a temptation to think of that in terms of “membership” at any other voluntary organization in our culture. Others can do the work. Membership has its priviledges. I join because there’s something in it for me. In contrast, discipleship (the concept Jesus used for those who “joined up”) implies committed service. I am called to work in the Kingdom. I join because there’s something in this for others! Of course, there is great benefit to me – but that’s precisely why I want to share that Good News!
Bold Steps in November
Again, what will help us reach that vision? This fall and continuing into the new year, taking the course on discovering our individual Spiritual Gifts will help in finding our place to exercise our discipleship. Coming in the forty days of Lent, we will, as a congregation, engage in the 40 Days of Purpose in order to deepen our discipleship. This November, however, I invite you to see Consecration Weekend as an important, bold, and beautiful step to our vision.
Do We Really Value This?
This is more than a stewardship drive. “Membership” congregations have fall pledge drives to raise money to pay their bills. “Discipleship” congregations see “Giving” (remember the “G” in the PoWeR SuRGe marks of discipleship?) as a way to help people grow spiritually in their relationship with God by supporting their church’s mission and ministry with a percentage of their incomes. One of the seven values RLC adopted was “Developing Resources.” We said, “God has provided to us all that we need in order to fulfill our mission and ministry. However, it is up to us to develop those resources . . . .” Over these next weeks, please read carefully and pray over the materials and invitations to Consecration Weekend. I think we can make a very beautiful grove of aspen trees . . . .
In Christ,
Consecration Weekend Is Coming
Congregations that approach financial stewardship from a biblical perspective do not view the money Christians give to their church merely as a way to pay its bills. Rather, such congregations see financial contributions as a way to help people grow spiritually in their relationship with God by supporting their church’s mission and ministry with a percentage of their incomes.
Our congregation’s Board of Stewardship has selected the New Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program as a way to teach the biblical and spiritual principles of generous giving in our stewardship education emphasis this year.
New Consecration Sunday is based on the biblical philosophy of the need of the giver to give for his or her own spiritual development, rather than on the need of the church to receive. Instead of treating people like members of a social club who should pay dues, we will treat people like followers of Jesus Christ who want to give unselfishly as an act of discipleship. New Consecration Sunday encourages people to consider proportionate and systematic giving in response to the question, “What percentage of my income is God calling me to give?” During evening and morning worship on “Consecration Weekend,” November 15 and 16, we are asking our attendees and members to make their financial commitments to our church’s missional, benevolent, and educational ministries in this community and around the world.
Every attendee and member who completes an Estimate of Giving Card does so voluntarily by attending either Saturday evening or Sunday morning worship on Consecration Weekend. We urge people to attend even if they feel strongly opposed to completing a card. The procedure is done in such a way that no one feels personal embarrassment if he or she chooses not to fill out a card.
We will do no home solicitation to ask people to complete cards. During each worship service, our guest leader, Pastor Dean Windhorn, will conduct a brief period of instruction and inspiration, climaxed by members making their commitments as a confidential act of worship.
We will encourage participation in Consecration Weekend events through the Consecration Weekend team and the Parish Planning Council members. Since we will make no follow-up visits to ask people to complete their cards, we will make every effort to inform, inspire, and commit everyone to attend Consecration Weekend worship.
Thanks in advance for your enthusiastic participation in Consecration Weekend events.
Michael E. McCarty, President
Resurrection Lutheran Church
Thanksgiving Pie Feast . . . .
Resurrection Lutheran’s annual pie feast will be
held Wednesday, November 26, after the
Thanksgiving Eve service. Come and enjoy pie
and coffee and some great conversation. Let’s
take some time before the hectic holiday
schedules kick in and remember one of the
blessings for which we give thanks, a loving
community of faith. Watch the bulletin for an
opportunity to donate pie.
Think VBS . . . .
We are currently looking for VBS Ministry Team members. Team members will assist to organize an area of the VBS program and volunteers. Team members needed: Craft Coordinator, Games Coordinator, Food Coordinator, Opening/Closing Coordinator, Assistant VBS Director, and Finale Party Coordinator. If you have a gift for service and love children, this may be the team for you! To volunteer or learn more contact Chris LeBouef (862-0430) or Lynn Wolff (859-8920). Our next VBS will be June 14-18, 2004.
RLC Men’s Basketball . . . .
All men are invited to play basketball at Sugar Grove Elementary on Monday nights from 9:00 - 11:00pm. If you have any questions, call Cory Wolff at 859-8920.
Ladies Crafts . . . .
Bring any one of your crafts to church on Friday, November 21st at 6pm and enjoy good fellowship while working on your hobby!
New Coffee Hour . . . .
How about a cup of coffee? Beginning Sunday, November 2, coffee hour will begin right after the first service (about 9:15 a.m.) and continue through 10:45 a.m. Please note the new Sunday Coffee Hour host schedule for November 2003 through December 2004 is posted on the bulletin board outside the church office, with blank spaces for penciling in schedule trades with other people. We will be using the church directory to fill out the coffee hour host schedule, and place reminder slips in hosts’ mailboxes two weeks before their scheduled Sunday. Fellowship Board members will continue to set up the coffee, so hosts need only supply and set out treats, pour juice, and rinse the coffee pots afterward. Coffee hour is a fellowship RLC wants to continue, as it provides a relaxing break and a warm welcome to visitors and members alike. As with all ministries, each family’s participation is MUCH appreciated and needed for this important fellowship time. If you are new to Resurrection or are not in the church directory and would like to serve in this important ministry, please contact Holly Dorris at 888-3089, or Margie Ropp at 859-1279. – Serving together in Christ, The Board of Fellowship.
Mark your December
Calendars Ahead . . . .
Dec. 7 Congregational Meeting
Dec. 14 Family Caroling; Christmas Dinner; Children’s Christmas Program
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Worship at 5:00, 7:00, 9:00pm
THE RLC WEBSITE NEEDS EVERYONE’S HELP!
Rich Hoffmann has spent innumerable hours making our website state of the art. It is absolutely wonderful! The only problem is that only 17% of members have bothered to log on and update their member profile. (86 out of 514) In order for all the functions available to be useful to everyone, we need you to log on and enter/update your email address. There may be an old address entered there from information given to the office a long time ago. (If you do not have access to an email address or to the Internet, please do not worry about this.)
Once you enter your email address, you will receive emails reminding you of when you are scheduled for various Spiritual Life Ministries. You will have the option to receive prayer chain emails. You will be able to receive emergency emails as unexpected events happen that affect the congregation. Other members will be able to contact you without having to bother you on the phone. Adding your email address to your member profile will be well worth the five minutes it will take!
• Click Login under Members on the left side
• Enter your login id; if you haven’t changed it, it will be: LastnameFirstname (no space)
• Enter your password (email Rich Hoffmann at Rich@HoffmannEngineering.com if you don’t know what this is.)
• Update your member profile. While here, select a login and password you will find easy to remember.
• Click UPDATE DATABASE.
While you are logged on, you may want to check out fellowship function pictures, on line copies of past Bell Ringers, Service Schedules, Calendar of Events, and much more. You can search for other members in the Directory. If you click on Prayer Chain on the left, you will be taken to a page where you can submit a prayer request, or request to be added or removed to or from our email prayer chain.
Anytime your email address changes just log on and update your member profile. This will automatically update your new email address for all the functions listed above, including the prayer chain. You will be able to update your home address and phone number in the same way.
If you have ideas or suggestions for making the website even better, please contact Rich. Rich@HoffmannEngineering.com He wants to hear what other people think would be useful.
Thank you Rich for your hard work! It’s going to be a really useful tool!!
In Christ,
Townsend Schnabel
Youth Service Project for Our Elderly
Do you need your yard raked or gutters cleaned?
The Middle School and Senior High Youth
would like to offer their services of raking leaves
and/or cleaning the gutters of your home.
If you are in need of this work, please call the church
and we will arrange for a small group of our youth
to do the work for you.
Discovering God’s Vision
for Your Life:
You and Your Spiritual Gifts
Course Offerings in November
Mondays, 7:00-9:15pm Tuesdays, 7:00-9:15pm
November 3,10,17,24 November 4,11,18,25
This spiritual gifts discovery course is comprised of eight modules which include a variety of activities: lecture, discussion, experiential activities, and practical application. We will study the purpose, source, and definition of spiritual gifts; identify clues to our gifts through various means; take a spiritual gifts inventory; explore what the Bible says about each gift; discuss practical applications of spiritual gifts theology in our congregation; and much more!! Because of the way in which the material builds from one session to the next, it is important that participants attend all four sessions. If necessary, one may mix and match Mondays and Tuesdays in order to participate in all four weeks.
Current plans are to repeat these Monday and Tuesday offerings again in January. We are also working on plans to offer this discovery course in a weekend retreat format during January. It is our hope that the majority of the congregation will take part in this course at some point during this coming program year.
You may register for one of the November courses by using the registration sheet in the narthex, indicating your interest on the yellow sheet in the bulletin, or by calling the church office. You may also contact one of the people below with any questions.
The Spiritual Gifts Lead Team
Pastor Mitch, Team Leader
Townsend Schnabel, Assistant Team Leader and Recordkeeping Coordinator
Pat Hamby, Course Leader Coordinator
Ann Buie, Ministry Advisor Coordinator
Tim Ropp, Ministry Description Coordinator
Stacie Fruth, Public Relations Coordinator