408 Ninth Street NW

Mandan, ND 58554

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH

Phone: 701-663-3594

Fax: 701-663-6217

E-mail: jackie@firstlutheranofmandan.org

Building Faith and

Transforming Lives

in Christ.

ADDRESS LABEL

www.firstlutheranofmandan.org

We’re on the web!

Council E-mail:

cc@firstlutheranofmandan.org

As I write this we have been longingly and expectedly waiting for spring. Even as we come to the end of Easter looking to Pentecost, and the time after Pentecost (the green season in the church year that never seems to end), we haven’t quite made it to spring. We have celebrated the resurrection, a time of rebirth and growth, and still we wait. I pray that by the time this newsletter goes out spring has come. Yet, part of me, the negative side thinks perhaps there is one more snow storm waiting just around the corner.

I can’t help but see spring in my son. William’s imagination has kicked into high gear. A building block has turned into a fire truck. Hopping on the floor means he is now a frog. Ghosts seem to be around every corner. It seems at least in William’s life, the world is filled with wonders and possibility.

Spring is a time filled with possibility, a time when we literally breathe fresh air. The world is filled with wonder again. The weight of winter is no more. This has been a long winter. The word longing does cover the feeling we have for and about spring. I've heard new terms like Sprin- ter, a blending of the words spring and winter meaning a season somewhere in between.

Like most of us I too long for spring and summer, for warm summer nights spent on the porch drink in hand watching the traffic go by. I long for planters filled with beautiful flowers and my son laughing as he blows bubbles, plays in water, and jumps from the highest peak at the park’s playground.

This spring and summer is going to be filled with possibility here at church as well. We are about to begin the first steps of the HVAC renovation project. Plans are in the work and prayers are being made that we can find a new staff person to focus their energy on our children and youth. It's a time some might say is filled with a little wonder and a lot of imagining and even more hope.

So we joyfully enter into spring and summer. As we revel in family, in warmth, in new growth, let us give thanks and praise for the wonder and hope given to us in Jesus Christ. Offer up extra prayers of rain that nourishes, instead of snow!

May you find your spring filled with Resurrection wonder!

Pastor Chris

May 2018

Administrative Pastor

Rev. Lee Herberg

663-3594

Associate Pastor

Rev. Christina Martin

663-3594

Administrative Assistant &

Coordinator of Lay

Ministries

Jackie Schulz

663-3594

Custodians

Ron & Mavis Watson

Financial Administration

Jennifer Scheet

First Lutheran Is A Mission

Partner with Camp of the

Cross Ministries

First Lutheran

Staff

First Lutheran Church

May Newsletter

PAGE 2 FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH May 2018

Attention Senior Parents: We mailed a letter out to you on April

16th regarding the Senior Recognition Service that will be held on

Sunday, May 20th at the 10:45 A.M. service. Seniors will also need to

have your picture sent to the church before 5:00 P.M. on Friday, the

11th of May.

Please send the picture to jackie@firstlutheranofmandan.org.

We want to THANK everyone who has helped us with LAF (Lunch at

First) this school year. We have fed approximately 300-400 kids every

Thursday! This ministry is such an important part of our church, and

we are grateful to everyone who has helped us keep it going. We would

love to have you come check out this awesome event here at First

Lutheran. Come down any Thursday and join us!

A huge THANK YOU to all of our Church School teachers

and Confirmation leaders who gave of their time and

talents this year to bring the Gospel of our Lord to our

children of First Lutheran! You are a blessing to us all!

Pastor Christina

New Worship Time Starting in June...

For June, July & August our worship times will be Sundays at

9:30 A.M. & Wednesday’s at 6:00 P.M. We will not have coffee

hour during the summer months on Sundays.

NOTE: We will also have only one service on Sunday,

May 27th at 9:30 A.M.

PAGE 10 FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH MAY 2018

Mark Your

Calendar…

3rd: LAF - Cheddar

Brats

10th: LAF - Chef's

Choice

17th: LAF - Grilled Hot

Dogs (Served outside ~

weather permitting)

Special thank you to the

Dakota Community

Bank and Trust for

providing, preparing &

serving the LAF meal on

May 17th!

Upcoming Events

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

What? No Way! Really?

Faith. It really can change everything! This summer, Camp of the Cross will be partnering with First Lutheran Church to teach kids why their faith is so special and important. Every day at Vacation Bible School, kids will get to take part in multiple activities: worship, games, crafts, Bible study, and so much more!

All K–6th graders are invited to join

Monday, June 11th through Thursday, June 14

th from 8:00-4:00

and Friday, June 15th from 8:00-Noon. The cost is ONLY $10.

Register online on the First Lutheran Website!

Happy Mother’s

Day to all the

women of our

congregation!

We Need Your Hospitality!!!

We are looking for places for Camp of the Cross staff to stay. You would provide them with a place to sleep and breakfast. I am

hoping to get at least two homes. The dates are June 10th-15th.

Sunday night through Thursday for lodging.

I am looking for four different families to provide Camp of the Cross counselors dinner. You would sign up for one night's dinner during the week. It could be a home cooked meal, a crock pot meal at church, or you can take them to eat at your favorite local place.

The meals would be for Monday through Thursday.

Please contact Pastor Chris if you have questions or are interested.

PAGE 4 FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH MAY 2018

Sunday ~

8:30 am ~ Traditional

10:45 am ~ Contemporary

9:30 am ~ Coffee

Wednesday ~

6:00 pm ~ Transitional

Worship Schedule

Special Thanks

Thank you to all the greeters, ushers, communion servers,

readers, communion set-up, coffee hour workers, and to all

who have supplied goodies for the last month. Your help is

greatly appreciated!

Baptisms:

April 4 Shamus Callan Lebsock

April 8 Kaylor Carolyn Kisse

April 15 Maggie Kay & Josephine Leigh Jensen

April 28 Harvey Harold Ryckman

April 29 Ryker Jack Freidt

Weddings:

April 7 Travis Lennie & Karli Brynjulson

April 21 Nichalos Schoedel & Brett Fisketjon

Funeral:

April 14 Owen Davis Goeltzenleuchter

Memorial Fund

Pastoral Acts

In memory of Judy Hurdelbrink given by Linda Stastny.

In memory of Verdis Hogan given by Walter & Leona

Keidel, Marion Helbling, Ernie & Anita Seeman, Linda

Stastny, Norma Lundstrom.

In memory of Owen Goeltzenleuchter given by Mike

Goeltzenleuchter.

Deadline for

articles for the

June/July

Newsletter will be

May 20th.

May ~ Mission of the Month

Camp of the Cross Ministries

Items needed are Food, Crafts, Paper Goods, Office

Supplies, & Miscellaneous Items. You may put

your items in the boxes in the Narthex. Thanks!

Awesome

Q: What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?

A: Psalm 117

Q: What is the longest chapter in the Bible?

A: Psalm 119

Q: Which chapter is in the center of the Bible?

A: Psalm 118

Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalm 118.

Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalm 118.

Add these numbers up and you get 1188.

Q: What is the center verse in the Bible?

A: Psalm 118:8

Q: Does this verse say something significant about God’s perfect will for our lives?

The next time someone says they would like to find God’s perfect will for their lives and that

they want to be in the center of His will, just send them to the center of His Word!

Psalm 118:8

“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”

Now isn’t that odd how this worked out or was God in the center of it??

When things get tough, always remember….Faith doesn’t get you around trouble, it gets you

through it!!

(Thank you to Marlene Vastag for sharing the above article with us)

PAGE 9 FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH MAY 2018

PAGE 8 FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH MAY 2018 MAY 2018 FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH PAGE 5

First Lutheran Church Council Minutes

Date: March 15, 2018

Members present: Pastor Lee Herberg, Pastor Christina Martin, President DJ Campbell, Vice

President Wayne Friesz, Secretary Andrea Bonness, Jill Miller, Ron Webb, Jeff Bradford, Kevin

Fishbeck, and Tony Michlitsch.

Member absent: Mike Hatzenbuhler

Devotions were presented by Pastor Christina Martin

Approval of Agenda:

Moved by: Jill Miller

Seconded by Jeff Bradford

Motion Passed

Approval of Secretary’s Report and Minutes

Moved by: Ron Webb

Seconded by: Wayne Friesz

Motion Passed

Financial Report:

Income for February 2018= $25,992.85 which was below average

Expenses for February 2018= $44,962.67

The building fund remains strong with a positive balance of $28,076.02

The new monthly payment is now $5000.00

Unfinished Business

* First Lutheran Float for the 4th of July Parade: an announcement will be placed in the

bulletin to seek volunteers

* Team Assignments: Completed

-Worship Team: Pastor Lee, Tony Michlitsch

-Stewardship Team: Pastor Lee, Andrea Bonness

-Evangelism Team: Ron Webb, Mike Hatzenbuhler

-Parish Education Team & Youth: Pastor Christina, Jeff Bradford, Jill Miller

-Property & Management Team: Kevin Fishbeck & Wayne Friesz

-Communications: Kevin Fishbeck, Jackie Schulz

-Executive Team: Pastor Lee, DJ Campbell, Wayne Friesz & Andrea Bonness

* Credit card authorization: Approved Visa Bonus Rewards card thru Dakota Community

Bank

This will make bill paying much easier. Authorized users will be Pastor Lee, Pastor Chris &

Jackie Schultz.

New Business

* Mandan School District family emergency response contribution proposal: Laura Just will be

invited to present information on the need for funding and we will take a special collection and

then determine how often to do this.

* Sanctuary Ceiling Fans: The middle one has failed. They were installed in 2008, all will be

replaced when we have a lift at the church for the pending building improvements. Pastor Lee

will also research some solutions for the light coming in from the skylights.

Reports

Pastor Lee: 1 Baptism 0 Funerals 1 Wedding 0 Committals

Pastor Christina: 1 Baptism 2 Funerals 0 Weddings 0 Committals

Provided Nursing home services and is mentoring intern Bethany.

Stewardship: No report

Worship: No report

Parish Education/Youth: Strategic Task Force team meetings have begun. April 25 is the last

day of Confirmation which will include guest speakers. Last days for church school are April 25

& April 29. The kids will perform at services on those days. Mission trip fundraisers continue

with candy sales, egg a house sales, and kidnap the pastor. The mission trip is June 24-July 2.

Vacation bible school dates have been set for K-5th graders June 11-June 15. Jackie was

determined to be the winner of the penny war and won a paid day off.

Evangelism and Outreach: LAF is well attended with 250-300 attending. One menu item

was changed from loaded baked potato to macaroni and cheese with sausage.

Property and Management: Office computers were updated with fire wall and spam filters.

The next contractor meeting will be on May 2, 2018.

Correspondence

2 thank you memos were received from Missouri Slope for contributions of $257.12 & $158.77

for the M-Club. A thank you memo from Golden Age Services was received for $94.09 given

toward the Home Delivered Meals program.

Motion to Adjourn/Lord’s Prayer

Motion by: Jill Miller

Seconded by: Kevin Fishbeck

The meeting was adjourned by President DJ Campbell. The next Council meeting will be at

7:00 pm on April 19, 2018. The meeting was closed with the Lord’s Prayer.

Minutes submitted by: Andrea Bonness, Secretary

PAGE 6 FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH MAY 2018

Family Art Night

May 7, 2018 6:00 PM-8:00 PM

Theo Art School 1810 Schafer St, Bismarck

Celebrate Spring, Celebrate Moms, Celebrate Family, Celebrate ART!!!

Kids $10.00 includes Mason Jar project and Face Painting

Adults $20.00 includes 16 x 20 Canvas Art

There will be a Silent Auction that will include wonderful items. Spring ready goodies and drinks will be provided for all art enthusiasts.

Register here by May 1, 2018 www.theoartschool.org

A portion of funds will be donated to First Lutheran Church Mandan Youth Mission Trip.