Resurrection Bell Ringer
September, 2006
Days of Grace . . . .
Death: Received by our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal joy in heaven was our disciple, Eva Schofield. May the comfort and hope of Jesus’ resurrection sustain Bob and Donna and all who mourn her death.
In Our Prayers . . . .
Recovering from Hospitalization: Mary Gillespie, Nate Wise, Sarah Deitz, Brenda Sarber
In Sympathy: Barb Knutson, for the death of her brother, Bradley Peterson. Marla Myers, for the death of her mother, Lois Adams. Marcie Hrankowsky, for the death of her grandmother, Maurine Forrest.
Friends & Family: Jerry Mulinix
Tee Time Reminder . . . .
This is a reminder that the 6th Annual RLC Golf Outing to Benefit the Good Samaritan Fund is scheduled for Saturday, September 16th at Valle Vista Golf Club in Greenwood. Tee time is 2:00pm, with registration to begin at 1:00. Dinner follows the completion of golf.
We have room for hole sponsors and golfers. You may register as an individual and be placed in a foursome, or you may form your own foursome. Registration forms are available in the Narthex and need to be turned in by September 10th. You may mail in as indicated on the form, or turn in to the church office.
Net proceeds are donated to the RLC Good Samaritan Fund to benefit needy families debilitated by unusually high medical expenses. Come join us to have a good time for a good cause.
Women & Girls
Sept. 28, 6:30pm
Resurrection Lutheran Church
445 East Stop 11 Road
Indianapolis, IN 46227
(317) 881-7854
http://www.RLCIndy.org
David P. Schreiber, Lead Pastor
Mitchell D. Phillips, Team Pastor
Julie F. Peralta,
Director of Youth Discipleship
Sherry Andersen,
Director of Worship & Music
Saturday Worship:
5:30pm
Sunday Worship:
8:00 and 10:45am
9:30am Discipleship Hour
Camp Olivet
Fellowship Weekend
September 16-17
Great fun for all!
Camp Olivet is located in the rolling hills
south of Bloomington, about 60 miles from RLC.
Bring a picnic lunch for Saturday or find your way down there sometime during the afternoon. There will be games for the kids as the adults play sports or sit in camp chairs under the trees to chat, nap, read, do crafts, or whatever. Some will fish in the stream or take a walk in the woods. We’ll share dinner together and then have time for more fellowship and games. The evening ends with a campfire, devotions, singing, and roasting marshmallows. After breakfast on Sunday morning, Pastor Mitch will lead worship in the outdoor chapel. Then it is time to clean up and head home. Sleeping facilities are in bunk beds either upstairs in the main building or in cabins. There is a modern building with showers and restrooms. All are welcome to join in this time of relaxing fellowship – young and old, families, couples, and singles. All FaithBuilders and Youth Group are encouraged to attend.
Cost is only $10 per person.
Watch the blue announcement sheet in the worship bulletin for more details and a map – and register to attend using the yellow response form. See Pastor Mitch or Julie Peralta with questions.
From the Staff . . . .
Dear Resurrection People: A Word from Pastor Dave
Goal (gol) n. an object of effort; an end or aim; in a race, the winning post
It’s in every Sunday bulletin, it’s posted on the wall of the nave, it appears regularly in this Bell Ringer . . . and it is on my heart always. It is our vision:
We are a Resurrection people:
A welcoming community of faith so deeply rooted in God’s grace that we are freed to boldly live out our faith . . . joyfully serving others, sharing the love of God, and growing in discipleship together.
My prayer and my passion is this vision is truly our goal, our desired future for this congregation. My hope is that these are not mere words, but a shared conviction of our life together as a church.
malady (mal̷ə dē) n. a disease; ailment; kept out of condition: often used figuratively
Of course, a preferred future means that we’re not quite there yet; we are indeed on the way, but the vision is not yet realized in its fullness. Why not?
The theological reason is sin, but the symptoms of that root cause are visible all around us, from the TV news to the dinner table to our narthex. We live in a world of terrorism and global fear, of busy schedules, high anxiety, carpools, bills, mortgages, frazzled nerves . . . along with, I am convinced, a spiritual hunger that is far too deep to be met with a quick fix on a Sunday morning.
means (mēnz) n.pl. that by which something is done or obtained; agency: resources
Here at Resurrection Lutheran Church, we believe that we are a community called by our Lord Jesus Christ into intentional discipleship. We have been championing a model of “being church” that has less to do with “volunteers” and “membership” (as if all we had to offer was a poor imitation of a health club or a self-improvement organization) and more to do with “discipleship” and following Jesus in “the way” of life, an abundant life with eternal purpose and consequence. We believe that Jesus Christ is the means, the agency, the resource to deal with the malady of our dis-ease and move toward the goal of our vision.
Fall of 2006 - Fall of 2007
As I look to this next year before us, I see particular challenges that fall under the umbrella of the “malady” I speak of, that threaten to keep us from moving toward the vision of the church we all want to be. We all live in the world I described and all of us struggle with addressing that hunger deep within us. So, how can Christ be more present in our marriages, our families, our daily lives? As a church, the growth at RLC remains a happy and welcome challenge, but it is increasingly also an ironic barrier to our vision. To be a “welcoming community,” to be a people who serve, share and grow “together” becomes difficult when we simply don’t know each other well . . . We will also learn this fall whether the Perry School Board will be willing to sell the land next to us. We will then have some important decisions to make as a congregation. I have seen congregations torn apart by building/moving issues. Can we be a church free to speak clear opinions, argue and brainstorm (thus making better decisions), while maintaining the unity and spirit of love to which we are called?
Community:
We’re better together in Christ
For this next year, then, in many and various ways we will be focusing on the theme of community. From the beginning, God’s plan has been that human beings reflect the image of God in their nature as social beings, fulfilling his purposes in community with other people. So, what makes RLC a stronger community? How do we recognize and celebrate Christ at the center of our being together? How can we be “better together” so that we in turn can reach out to the wider community around us, reflecting God’s grace and love to them? Some ways we hope to work on community this year:
A very simple and low-threshold new ministry starting up these weeks is the Dinners for Eight fellowship headed by Don and Jackie Mitchell. New to Indy and to RLC, the Mitchell’s bring this model from their previous congregation as a wonderful way to get to know one another around a simple meal and conversation . . . something Jesus loved to do!
This year all eight of our Faith Stepping Stones will be implemented; together with the Faith Inkubators confirmation program, these ministries encourage and equip families to develop the daily discipline of a “home huddle,” sharing highs and lows and connecting faith with ordinary daily life. With all the societal pressures tearing families into isolated individuals, the intimacy and human connection God intended for the community of the family is reclaimed with great value.
A few years ago, during the 40 Days of Purpose, we used Rick Warren’s bestseller The Purpose Driven Life to think about five purposes (worship, fellowship, discipleship, serving, evangelism) he wrote about for each human life. Even those of us who occasionally disagreed with some of the book’s theology were deeply engaged by the process and experience of thinking together about our life’s purpose. This fall, I am inviting us all to walk together through a similar experience, using materials written by myself and Pr. Mitch, but following the model we used before. The question we will now address in 40 Days of Community is “What on earth are we here for?” I would like each one of us at RLC, at least for this short time of 40 days, to gather in a small group community to engage this question and to get a taste of what Christian community can mean in our lives.
Later this fall, we will be finishing training of some new leaders for our ChristCare Small Group ministry, and will be “opening” new groups and times. There are some of us who, for one reason or another, have not yet had a chance to experience the blessing of this kind of community.
(Continued next page)
I expect the experience of the 40 Days of Community will convince many of us to start 2007 off with a “blessed resolution” to engage in the personal growth found together in a ChristCare Group.
Sometimes – when we most need the support of community – we find ourselves isolated by pain, life crises, the hard and energy-sapping work of grief, or illness. This month we commission RLC’s first class of Stephen Ministers, fellow disciples who have completed 50 hours of specialized training to be listeners, care-givers, spiritual friends and companions for folks going through a tough time in their lives when the community of Christ might be most effectively present in one-on-one care. These are all but a few of the means through which Christ will build our community this year.
In Christ’s Service,
COMING THIS OCTOBER . . . .
We are better together......
In worship and in small groups,
Resurrection will grow together
As we discover the essence
Of Christian Community
Interested in being a part of the team?
Contact Pr. Dave, 881-7854, PrDave@RLCIndy.org
or Scott Poore, 885-8836, spoore@sbcglobal.net
Attention FaithBuilders
Olivet Weekend . . . .
All FaithBuilders are encourage to attend the Fellowship Weekend at Olivet, September 16-17th. Please R.S.V.P. to julie@rlcindy.org no later than September 10th if you plan to attend and need a ride!
The Rite of Confirmation . . . .
On Saturday, September 30 from 10:00am to 12:00pm we will have a confirmation rehearsal for the 9th graders! Please bring the final copy of your Faith Statements for rehearsal. We will celebrate the Rite of Confirmation on Sunday, October 1 during the 10:45am worship service. Faith Statements will be shared during the 9:30am Discipleship Hour.
Trail Blazers Weekend at Lutheran Hills - November 10-12th . . . .
FaithBuilders, it is time to gear up for Trail Blazers weekend. Registration forms will be coming soon. Please complete the registration forms and place them and payment in the envelope on the bulletin board across from Ms. Julie’s office no later than September 20! Parents and Guides please sign-up to be a driver and/or hang-out for the entire weekend! If you have questions please email julie@rlcindy.org.
Kids Club . . .
If you will be in the 1st-5th grade by this fall, we invite you to KIDS CLUB! Our first Kids Club outing is for you and your family to attend Olivet Weekend, September 16-17th! Our October outing will be on Sunday, October 15. We will be going swimming! Watch your mailbox for details!
Sept. 10 Dinner and Explore Event
at RLC at 5:30pm
Sept. 16-17Olivet Retreat
Please R.S.V.P. by Sept. 10 to julie@rlcindy.org if you plan to attend and need a ride. Sept. 24Dinner and Learn Event
at RLC at 5:30pm
Faith Stepping Stones
Confirmation . . . F.S.S. #7
Our third and final session will be on Sunday, September 10th from 9:00-10:30am in the RLC Fellowship Hall. Continue working on your personal Faith Statements and bring them on September 10th. If you have any questions please contact Julie Peralta.
Graduation . . . F.S.S. #8
All Seniors and Parents are invited to our first Sunday brunch together on September 24th from 9:00-10:30am in the RLC Fellowship Hall. Details regarding the brunch will be forth-coming in the mail! If you have any questions please contact Julie Peralta.
WELCA Church-wide and local events are planned for the end of September around the theme
"Put your HEART into raising up healthy women and girls”
➀ Sign up now for the RLC-WELCA Pitch-in Salad Supper, 6:30pm, Thursday, September 28. The WELCA steering committee will provide health centered desserts. We will have a brief program on "Raising up healthy women and girls" that includes a related craft. The evening will wrap up with our packing school supplies into cloth bags for Lutheran World Relief. Come join the fun, all you women and girls.
➁ Pat Hamby's basement sewing room is reopening on the following Mondays in September, 9/11, 9/18 and 9/25 from 9am-Noon and from 7-9pm each of those days. Cloth bags will be sewn for the school supplies collected in August for Lutheran World Relief (LWR). When that project is complete, we will return to making LWR quilts. If you prefer to sew at home, school kit fabric and instructions are available on the shelf across from the church office. Completed bags can be returned to that same shelf. Don't sew, but want to learn? Come to Pat's. These bags and quilts are great beginner projects. Call 889-9218 for directions to Pat's home.
➂ Register on line at www.womenoftheelca.org or call 800-3522 ext 2730 for a 2 or 3 day event scheduled for September 29, 30 and October 1 (optional) event in Chicago, Illinois.
Many ❝Thanks❞ . . . .
❖ My family and I wish to thank everyone for their prayers and true comfort during this time of grief and suffering. People reached out to me that I didn’t even know and it was so appreciated. – Barb Knutson
❖ I’d like to thank all of our Resurrection family for their concerns, cards and prayers during my three trips to the hospital in the last six weeks. With all of the new technology in today’s world I have been very blessed to be on the beginning of many new things for the last 24 years. I feel very fortunate; prayers do work. Blessings to all of you – Ralph Neiman
❖ Many thanks to the following RLC disciples who helped make Pastor Dave’s luncheon a success through their generous donations of time, salads, and other items: Brian Richards, Bill Messer, Chris Wise, Cathy Wessel, Penny Welch, Kim Toney, Lynn Wolff, Donna Thomsen, Kim Elsner, Johanna Fewell, Michelle Dew, Bev Hoffman, Nancy Susemichel, Betty Hewitt, Mary Moore, Dottie Alexander, Barb Kistler, Flo Hoffmann, Ann Duckworth, Pam Geniec, Robin Fleet, Janet Albaugh, Debra O’Brien and Heather Dile. Special thanks to scrapbook coordinators Diana Deitch, Lynette McCarty, Martha Andersen, Chris Wise and event photographer, Townsend Schnabel.
❖ Thanks to our hard-working youth who served throughout the luncheon: Justin Bennett & Lauren George [serving team leaders], Emily Deitch, Zach Deitch, Ricky Beedle, Jenna Toney, Rachel Wise, Jason Edelman, Amanda Giorgianni, Conner Moore, Samantha Doughty, Blair Richards, Greta Messer, Chelsea Wessel and Anna Ropp. We couldn’t have made it without you!
S.A.M.’s Club
SAM’s Club for all RLC adults will meet Monday September 18 at 9:30am in the church parking lot for a tour of the Stutz Bearcat Cars Building. This building is located between Senate Ave. and Capital Ave. downtown. It covers an entire city block. Our tour begins at 10am and consists of the old factory, art studios and many restored cars. The tour and parking are free. After the tour we will have lunch in their restaurant. This should be a very interesting and informative tour. All adults are welcome.
Men’s Breakfast & Bible StudyThe September Men’s Breakfast will be Saturday, September 9th at RLC with breakfast at 7:30am and the Bible Study from 8-9am. All men are welcome!
Mark your calendars ahead!
Oct. 1 Statements of Faith / Confirmation
Oct. 29 Pumpkin Carving & Pitch-in
Dec. 16 Children’s Christmas Musical
Coffee is big business . . . .
– it’s one of the most heavily traded commodities in the world. But for the majority of small-scale coffee farmers, the benefits are few. Conventionally traded coffee involves a lengthy, and expensive, cast of middlemen between the coffee farmer and the consumer, each taking their share, or more, of the coffee price. As little as one percent of the retail price of a cup of coffee makes its way back to the farmer who grew the beans. Small farmers who grow our coffee often struggle to make a simple living in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Fair Trade Coffee . . . .
One answer for the small-scale farmer is fair trade. By working together and pooling their resources to form a cooperative, farmers can sell their coffee directly to international buyers without relying on middlemen. Through fair trade, farmers receive a fair price that covers their cost of production and guarantees them a living wage for their labors.
RLC and Lutheran World Relief . . . .
Micah 6:8 calls us as Christians, to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly. The Lutheran World Relief (LWR) Coffee Project helps Lutherans answer that call by righting the injustices faced by small-scale farmers around the world.
The LWR Coffee Project closes the gap between RLC and the kind of communities in which LWR works. By using fair trade coffee in your home, Lutherans guarantee that farmers will earn the income they need to feed their families, educate their children, seek medical care and improve their communities.
How do I order? . . . .
Resurrection families can participate in this powerful discipleship activity. Order forms may be found on the coffee host table in the narthex. You can choose from
Fellowship Blend, perc. grind 1 lb./$5.30
Fellowship Blend Decaf., perc. grind 1 lb./$6.60
Café Salvadore, drip grind 12 oz./$4.75
Colombian Decaf., drip grind 12 oz. $4.75
Checks should be made payable to RLC, and note “Fair Trade Coffee” in your memo field. Return payment and the order to the collection box in the narthex, or to the mailbox in the library (to the left of the door). Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Watch your bulletin announcement page for new ways to purchase the coffee. This is an on-going RLC ministry, led by Norma Blake.
RLC Serving Opportunities . . . .
Christmas Musical:
Help Needed . . . .
Yes, it is time to begin preparing for the Children’s Christmas Musical. We will celebrate the birth of our Savior through the singing of our children on Saturday, December 16 at 5:30pm. If you are interested in assisting with the ministry team please contact Lynn Wolff at 859.8920. Parents please mark your calendars for December 16, we look forward to hearing your children sing!
Play time in the nursery . . . .
Thank you for your ministry over the summer at RLC’s Playtime Port! We continually need many hands to play, read, cuddle, and be present with our little ones in the nursery to assist the paid staff. Please sign-up on the bulletin board across from the Nursery under the “Weekend Serving Opportunities” section or contact Jennifer Barrett at 786-1725.
Shepherds and Crew Leaders The Fall Discipleship Hour Rotations are seeking Crew Leaders and Shepherds. A Crew Leader is a person who prepares and leads the same station for either a 4 or 5 week rotation with the 3-year-olds through 5th graders. A Shepherd is a person who moves from station to station each week with the 3-year olds or Pre-K children (no lesson prep) for the 4-5 week rotation. Our Fall Rotations will be:
Oct. 1-29 Community:
Drama, Games, Movies, Science, Cooking, & Art
Nov. 5-26 Community in Worship: Drama, Games, Movies, Cooking, Music/Computers, & Art
Dec. 3-17 Christmas:
Computers, Games, & Art
Please visit the Safe Harbor to sign-up for one or more of the rotations this Fall. If you have any questions please visit with one of the Discipleship Hour Operations Team Members or call Ann Buie at 889-8060.