Mission Moments October 2021

Volume 16 Issue 10 Celebrating Seventy-one Years of God’s Amazing Grace

F I R S T E V A N G E L I C A L L U T H E R A N C H U R C H

In Response to the Good News of Jesus Christ:

Our Purpose…

Gathered to worship! Sent to witness and serve!

Our Vision…

To become more diverse, creative, nurturing, and welcoming within our congregation and in the wider community.

Our Guiding Principles...

We will follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

We will read, teach, and preach God’s Word faithfully.

We commit to prayer and worship as a way of life.

We invite people to know Jesus Christ.

Reconciling in Christ Welcoming Statement

“First Evangelical

Lutheran Church/La

Primera is committed

to being a radically loving and

welcoming community of faith,

centered in the Good News of

Jesus Christ. Therefore, in

faithfulness to the Gospel and our

Lutheran heritage, and to the best

of our ability, we promise to

provide programs, ministries, and

pastoral care to all who seek God

in this place. All are welcome

here, including persons of every

race, ethnicity, creed, class, age,

gender, marital status, physical or

mental ability, sexual orientation,

gender identity and gender

expression.”

Contact Us

Phone: (480) 969-7221

Fax: (480) 969-7222

Email: felc@firstevlutheran.com

Web: www.firstevlutheran.com

I read recently that Margaret Mead was asked what she saw as the earliest sign of civilization. She said that when looking at ancient artifacts the earliest sign to her was a healed thigh bone or femur. That's because someone whose femur was broken would be subject to the elements, especially to wild animals and would not survive without help. A sure sign that early cultures were banding together and taking care of each other was finding a fractured femur that showed remodeling, that is healing. It indicates that someone was there to get them out of danger and to a safe place while they could heal. I really like that idea. I like that because it sees being civilized, being truly human, as helping each other to survive and to thrive.

I was thinking about that when reading the text for the last Sunday in September, the talks about causing someone to stumble. Yes it is used as a metaphor, but it is a much more powerful metaphor than even we think. In Jesus’ day there were not the facilities that we have or the medical interventions that we count on when we fracture something. No one had screws or plates put in their ankles or their legs. Even if you were cared for and healed it would probably still leave a noticeable limp. So causing someone to stumble was a serious thing. I have to ask myself in what ways I caused others to stumble.

If being truly human is about caring for each other then what Jesus did in laying hands on people and healing them was the most human thing that you could do and perhaps it's part of the reason that we see Jesus as the ultimate manifestation of humanity, of what God created us to be.

And we who are called to be Christ to our neighbor are to be about that healing of individuals and of societies. So much of what I hear these days is so antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is about division and about strife and about caring only for those people whom we agree with or whom we deem Worthy of being cared for. One thing I never heard in any of the healings that Jesus performed was a question of whether the person was Worthy.

I have to say that I am writing this to myself as much as to all of you. I get frustrated with people who are filling hospital beds because of their refusal to take care of themself and each other by being vaccinated. Yet they deserve the care and love of this society as much as anyone. And they deserve and receive the love of God as much as any of us as none of us are truly worthy of that.

Jesus also said whatever you do for the least of these you do for me. And so for the sake of Jesus we care for each other. And that other extends as far as it needs to just as the love of God extends as far and as wide as God's embrace which reaches out to all.

My prayer for all of us is that we be mindful of the ways in which we might cause others to stumble and instead look for the ways in which we can be a part of the healing of our society and our world. Amen

Pastor Dana

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Staff

Dana Karen Reardon, Pastor Joy Petroff, Admin. Secretary

Congregational Officers

Sarah Shaw, President Rhonda Schmidt, Vice President Kathleen Rogers, Treasurer

Congregational Council

Senior Vicars

Corrine Cursi Carmen Guerrero Diane Johnson Don Johnson Evan Rogers

Kathleen Rogers Connar Schmidt Rhonda Schmidt Sarah Shaw Gwen Stewart

Marilyn Bloom, RN Mary Kilber Laura O’Connell

Ellen Riske Evan Rogers Kathleen Rogers

The Messenger is a monthly publication of First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mesa, Arizona. Please submit information by email to felc@firstevlutheran.com or in written form to the church office by the 15th of the month prior to publication.

A Cup of Generosity Pastor Dana Karen Reardon

But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

Matthew 6:3

Do you ever feel like neither your left or right hand know what to do about giving?

A few weeks ago on a Sunday the Assisting Minister for that day asked me before worship if I wanted to add petitions for anything in particular. My mind quickly went through all the needs, from victims of hurricanes to victims of the pandemic to so many other needs that I couldn't even think of what to add to our prayers.

After worship that same Sunday someone said to me that there seem to be so many needs that they felt helpless to know what to give to, knowing that there's no way they could help everybody.

There is a scene in Jesus Christ Superstar where everyone is grabbing at Jesus and asking for healing and the need just seems so overwhelming. That is how I feel some days. And I'm Not Jesus so I can't just heal it all like Jesus can.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all the needs in the world and all the requests for money and help that you get knowing you don’t have the resources to help them all? Know that you can't fix it all. I always tell people, when they feel like they are being inundated with requests for help from our church or from all the other sources that ask for money or help, is that they are just being offered opportunities to help.

Giving should be in your budget. Actually the tithe is the first thing in your budget and where you give it is done prayerfully. Even in this you are not alone. God may lay it on your heart to help Afghan refugees and nudge someone else to give to Lutheran Disaster relief for hurricane victims. It doesn’t mean you don’t care about some other need if you feel called to give to the one.

When we realize that we are not alone it feels a lot less overwhelming. We are each only a small part of a larger community in Christ and while we individually cannot do much we can do something. And together we can do great things.

Let us pray,

Lord keep our hearts near to the needs of your people, not so that we might despair, but so that we might each be a small part of your great work in caring for all. Amen

Change for Change Offering on Oct. 31 will support

First Evangelical Lutheran

Change for Change

Oct. 31, 2021

$$$$$$$$$$

As many dollars as makes cents…………………..

Joyful Giver

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As of 8/31/21 Actual 2021 Budget 2021 Actual 2020 Budget 2020

Offerings $80,679 $72,333 $76,681 $81,200

Other Income $50,738 $46,664 $69,668 $53,928

Total Income $131,417 $124,997 $146,349 $135,128

Expenses $123,781 $124,858 $136,780 $122,177

Inc. Less Exp. $7,636 $139 $9,569 $12,951

MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT

Great Room

October 9 at 9 AM

Dear Pastor, council & Members of First Lutheran:

I am writing to thank you for your gift of $100.00 to the ministry of Christ through Lutheran Campus Ministry, Arizona State University. We are so grateful for your support of our students. Thank you!

We are off to a great start this year. In campus ministry most of us are anticipating a 2-3 year rebuild following the pandemic shut-downs. We continued last year in a hybrid fashion...much on line and some outdoor in person events. We continue this but have added back much of our program. We are so pleased that so many new students have come this year. Having been to San Diego on a Labor Day weekend retreat, only 3 of the group had been a part of our ministry previously.

So many good things do happen through this ministry. Currently three alumni are in seminary studying to be pastors. While we don't always have three at a time, we usually have at least one. Many others serve as council members, congregational presidents, youth workers, music directors, organists, etc. We work hard to help produce future leaders for the church.

Thank you for your partnership in this ministry. If you have any ASU or area community college students, please send us their names and contact information. Thank you!! Please also pray for us and our ministry as we pray for you.

Gratefully in Christ,

Gary N McCluskey Pastor, University Lutheran Church Lutheran Campus Ministry/Arizona State University 340 E 15th Street, Tempe AZ 85281

Grass Roots for Grass Roots Farmers’ Market will begin Saturday, November 20

in First Lutheran’s parking lot.

Contact Lawrence Shaw: a.lawrence.shaw@gmail.com

or the office if you are interested in having a booth at the Farmer’s Market.

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Council Meeting Minutes - September 12, 2021

Present: Pastor Dana, Corinne Cursi, Diane Johnson, Evan Rogers, Kathleen Rogers, Sarah Shaw Absent: Carmen Guerrero, Connar Schmidt, Rhonda Schmidt, Gwendolyn Stewart

A. Opening Devotion/Prayer: Pr. Dana opened the meeting with prayer at 10:50 AM.

B. Review and Approval of Council Minutes for August 8, 2021: Kathleen moved to accept the June minutes as corrected. Corinne seconded. Minutes were approved unanimously by Council.

C. Reports 1. Treasurer’s Report: Kathleen reported that giving is down but we are able to continue to meet our obligations.

2. Pastor Dana’s Report: Pr. Dana reported that we have a new transition coach, Pr. Sarah Moening.

3. President’s Report: Sarah reported that she worked with Randy Gamble yesterday so Zoom is now set-up in the sanctuary.

4. Report on Youth: Sarah reported for Connar that the youth are working with Holy Trinity youth to plan future meetings.

5. Approval of Reports: Evan motioned to approve the reports and Corrine seconded. The reports were approved unanimously by Council.

D. Old Business 1. Church Constitution: No updates

2. Mural: No updates

3. COVID-19: The sanctuary was open today for in-person services. It went well overall, but we still need to make a few minor changes. We will continue to have a hybrid model with an in-person and a Zoom service. Jose Salazar, our new pianist, played today in the sanctuary.

4. Post "interim" Brainstorm: No updates This includes:

- sharing a pastor -updated MSP -sharing a bilingual leader with another congregation for community events -getting congregation involved -survey monkey → email with questionnaire for review sent out December 12 -Three models available for partnership with other congregations presented by Pr. Miguel

5. Keys: Kathleen with get estimates to replace door locks that need to be replaced and re-key others.

6. Other old business: None

E. New Business 1. Leadership Meeting: Sarah reported that Al Loveland, a member of Holy Trinity, is a leadership planning consultant and will provide one session without charge for FELC. Council agrees. Sarah will contact Mr. Loveland to determine a date. Tentative dates include Saturday morning, Oct 9 or Sunday, Oct 10. The congregation is invited to attend the leadership meeting. Council will hold the October meeting after the leadership session.

2. Vaccination Clinic on Campus: Sarah reported that Rachel Acosta-Gomez at Concordia was contacted by the SE Maricopa County public liaison asking whether we would be interested in using our campus to provide Covid-19 vaccinations. They would provide medical personnel, vaccines and volunteers. We would help with advertising. Tentative dates are October 19 or October 26. All groups on campus (LSS, Concordia) are in agreement. Council agrees. We could put flyers in food bank boxes to advertise. (Cont. on next page)

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The weather may still be hot for us in Arizona, but the pumpkin spice coffee is brewing and we are

dreaming of cooler days. You may have already started putting together Christmas lists and planning

for time with family and friends this holiday season.

We Need Your Help

As you begin to plan, there is another way you can help this winter. Many older adults that we serve

are low-income and do not have the resources to purchase new sheets. New and clean sheets make an

incredible difference in feeling comfortable, cozy, and warm on a cool winter evening. Caregivers

have shared that their clients are sleeping on threadbare sheets that have not been replaced in years.

This holiday season we are collecting 1,000 new queen size bedsheets for older adults and

people with disabilities. Any abundance of donated sheets will be distributed to people in need across

our programs, including people exiting homelessness, new refugee arrivals, and children in foster

care. Your gift of new sheets preserves the dignity and respect of our neighbors.

We are collecting donations until December 13th so that we can distribute these gifts to clients in

time for Christmas. Your gift of bedsheets delivers comfort and love to older adults who truly deserve

it.

Thank you for all of the ways you make a difference for people in need. Your care and

compassion shines brightly through each way you reach out to help your neighbors.

*Bring your donation to worship or to the office. The LSS gals in the Family Resource Center on our

campus will get them to the LSS folks that are heading up this effort.*

(Cont. from previous page) 2. New Equipment: Sarah requests reimbursement for funds spent for new equipment to set-up the sanctuary for Zoom. This includes a laptop and projector. Council accepts the offer by the Endowment Committee to cover the cost of this equipment.

3. Other new business: None.

F. Adjournment: Evan motioned that the meeting be adjourned and Corrine seconded. Meeting was adjourned at 11:32 AM and Council closed with the Lord's Prayer. Next Council Meeting: October 9 at 9 AM.

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First Evangelical Lutheran Church

142 North Date Street

Mesa, Arizona 85201

Contact Us

Phone: (480) 969-7221

Fax: (480) 969-7222

Email: felc@firstevlutheran.com

Web: www.firstevlutheran.com

OFFICE HOURS

Mondays through Wednesdays:

8:30AM-2:30PM

Sundays at 9:30 AM

In person in the Sanctuary and virtually on Zoom.

To join the Zoom worship experiences, we need your email.

Please email your e-address to dreardon0@gmail.com so a link can be sent to you.

We are watching The Chosen together and

discussing it here in the Great Room at First.

Tuesdays at noon.

Bring a lunch!

Wednesdays

6 PM