immanuel messenger · 2020. 12. 1. · 28th laverne luedtke 22nd jack & judy markle 30th don...

Immanuel Messenger

We are here to enrich lives by sharing the loving word and ways of Jesus.

Immanuel Lutheran Church, LCMS Sandy, Oregon

Annual Voter’s Meeting….....1

LCMS Reading ..................... 2

Fenster Thank You …...……3

The Call Process...................3

Amazon Smile ...……..……...4

December Birthdays.…….…4

IEC ………………………...…..4

Finance Summary …..……...5

Budget Proposal Notice .….6

LWML Reading ……………...7

Fall Survey Resalts ………...8

Calendar …………...………...9

“Joy To The World”….…...10

Sunday Worship

10:00 AM

(25 in person)

Or via Zoom.us

See Immanualsandy.com for

details

There will be a short Annual Voter’s Meeting held on

Sunday December 6, 2020.

We will be voting on: A. How we proceed in selecting a new pastor.

B. The Slate of Nominees for the 2021 as follows:

Church Council Executive Director: Sharon Capp Asst/Exec Director: Open Members-at-Large Debbie Stone Jake Cansler Frits van Gent Darold Hessel Treasurer: Jan Anderson

Board of Elders Alan Hazelett

Dwight Reigert Ralph Stevens Wayne Stone Erv Schroeder

Immanuel Enrichment Center Board Kindra Cansler Christie Lamer Barb Reigert

C. A change to the Standing Rules as follows: Current wording:

Standing Rule #6. The Executive Director or Assistant Executive Director or Board of Elders Member must sign all legal documents affecting the church and its ministries. Revised wording:

Standing Rule #6. The Executive Director, Assistant Executive Director, Board of Elders Member or Treasurer must sign all legal documents affecting the church and its ministries.

D. The 2021 Budget which is posted

in the Narthex

Sharon Capp/Executive Director

December 2020

Immanuel Messenger December 2020

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod LCMS Stewardship Ministry December 2020 Christmas is coming. It is a joyous time of feasting. The Church feasts upon the Word of God

in sermon, song, and sacrament.

We hear the proclamation of the message of the angels: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you

good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the

city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). We mingle our voices with

theirs as we sing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom

he is pleased” (Luke 2:14)! We receive the proclaimed Savior, Christ the Lord, not wrapped in

swaddling clothes and lying in manger but wrapped in bread and wine placed into our

mouths for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. We feast in great joy indeed because

of this great blessing from our Lord and God.

God’s people in ancient Israel also feasted with great joy. The Lord showered His abundant

blessing on His people. And He commanded them to feast upon it (Deuteronomy 16). The

people were to go to the place appointed, where the Lord would make His name dwell, and

give offerings, each man as he was able, according to the blessing of the Lord that He had

given them (Deut. 16:10, 15, 17).

And there the Lord would bless them with joy as they feasted upon what the Lord had

provided. They ate of the choice parts of their offerings. They enjoyed the company of all

the people of God as they together heard His promises of blessing, sang of His bountiful

goodness, and partook of what He gave.

We feast on the Word who became flesh to dwell among us, not just during Christmas but

throughout all the year. We feast not just on the salvation He has wrought for us in His Son,

our Lord Jesus Christ, but we feast also on all the temporal blessings that God gives out of

His fatherly divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in us. We enjoy the

rich bounty that God provides, not only in Word and Sacrament, but also in house and

home, property and income, family and friends.

Let us then, as did our brothers in the faith from ancient Israel, give as

we are able, according to the blessing of the Lord our God that He has

given us. Let us, like them, give generously of the first fruits of our

income, which He gives, so that all may know and enjoy the salvation He

gives and the joy we have in the Savior born in the city of David, who is

Christ the Lord.


Dear Immanuel, Deann and I are deeply grateful for all your love and support in Jesus’ name, both over the course of our 12 years with you, and especially in these few weeks as we transition to our new Call. Your understanding encouragement has blessed us richly. We are heartbroken to have to end our time with you under heightened COVID19 restrictions. We know you wanted to have a proper Immanuel potluck and gathering to mark the moment. We wanted to have one more open house, inviting you all to our home as we did most every year, to say thanks for your partnership in the gospel. Thanks to LWML for the tasty blackberry scones and for all your outpouring of cards and gifts of love on our last Sunday with you all. Deep apologies to all our Zoom attendees as our time at the closing of service ended rather abruptly. We love you all and will miss you dearly. May the Lord bless you and keep you now and always. In Christ,

Kevin, Deann and family.

The start of the call process As you can see from the notice on page one, one of the things we will be voting on during the Annual Meeting is how we would like to proceed with starting the call process. Here are some definitions to provide some clarity

Vacancy Pastor temporary pastor able to carry out part or full-time responsibilities. Usually contracted Intentional Interim trained pastor who spends approximately 12-18 months with a congregation. Often used after a congregation’s pastor retires or takes a call after many years. They assist in matters of reconciliation and preparation for a new pastor. Seminarian application is turned in to the District Office (time sensitive based on graduation). Candidates may come from Ft. Wayne or St. Louis. Few candidates available most normal years. The members on our Call Committee are:

Ruth Nutting Kindra Cansler

Ann Marie Amstad Dennis Lane


IEC

The IEC needs some people to help substitute at the end of the day for a couple of hours. It is

very easy and wouldn’t be needed all the time. Please consider being a part of this ministry. It requires very little to get

started and you will enjoy it!!!

Call Katy for more information: 503-504-1625

Katy Rees

Director/Lead Teacher

Those who have signed up for AmazonSmile Rewards has helped ILC earn $49.91 in contributions! This is for purchases made from 1/1/20—10/27/20. AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to ILC. For more information about the AmazonSmile program, go to http://smile.amazon.com/about.

2nd Jan Anderson 3rd Ernie Schwartz 13th Iola Lofthus 23rd Bill Riggs 28th LaVerne Luedtke

22nd Jack & Judy Markle 30th Don & Iola Lofthus

https://smile.amazon.com/about


Checking Account Balances

Enrichment Center $42,988.64

LWML $ 1,505.81

Youth Group $ 1,048.65

LCEF Mortgage Loan Balance

$106,783.48

LCEF Steward Account $ 27,603.73

LCEF Steward Account Building Fund

$ 0

LCEF Steward Account Electronic Offerings

$ 108.48

LCEF Steward Account Sale of Property Funds

$ 54,863.02

Unemployment CD - CCB $ 2,421.00

Immanuel Lutheran Church Financial Summary as of 11/25/2020

Checking Account Balance $ 23,123.58

Outstanding Checks:

$ 0

Subtotal - Checks/Debits $ 0

Available Checking. Acct. Balance $ 23,123.58

Designated Funds:

Altar Guild $ 100.00

Missions Payable $ 199.00

Pastor’s Contingency Fund $ 453.79

Church Improvement Fund $ 104.45

Christmas Tree Replacement Fund $ 1,045.00

Exterior Building Fund $ 3,132.67

Subtotal - Designated Funds $ 5,034.91

Remaining Checking Acct. Bal-ance

$ 18,088.67

Upcoming Expenses:

ILC Payroll Taxes (Employee/Employer) $ 369.56

IEC Payroll Taxes (Employee/Employer) $ 2,321.17

Janitorial Service $ 608.00

NW Natural $ 411.69

Office Depot $ 150.46

Quadrant Systems $ 1,312.50

Medical Contingency Funds $ 1,054.33

Subtotal - Upcoming Expenses $ 6,227.71

Checking Acct. - Funds Available $ 11,860.96

FINANCE SUMMARY

The information in the Financial Summary is as of November 25th, 2020. Our General Fund offerings and income are, to date, $10,412.94 and expenses are $5,282.54. Please note there is one more Sunday of offerings to still come in. The checking account funds available as of November 25th, 2020 are $11,860.96. Please note the $5,282.54 in monthly expenses does not include approximately $3,500.00 for month end payroll.

Please contact me with any questions regarding the financial information. Thank you!

Blessings,

Dawn


2021 Operating Budget

God continues to provide for Immanuel through the generous tithes and offerings of our members. Overall our finances continue to remain strong and consistent. Creating an accurate 2021 proposed budget is a little challenging this year. Unknown is the exact dollar amount regarding final salary and benefits for the newly called Pastor. Also unknown is what, if any, financial impact the ongoing pandemic may have on anticipated tithes, offerings, and other income in the coming year. The 2021 budget will be presented for congregational approval during our Voter’s Meeting on December 6, 2020. The following is a summary of the major changes/revisions/considerations for next year: Income General Fund – Offerings: For budget purposes, the dollar amount for anticipated tithes and offerings will remain the same as budgeted in 2020. General Fund – Other Income: This amount has decreased to reflect the loss of revenue previously generated from weekly Weight Watcher and AA meetings which were cancelled due to COVID 19. The monthly stipend paid by IEC will increase from $200.00 to $300.00 per month. Expenses 2. Payroll 2. A – 2.C: Pastor’s Payroll and Benefits: Payroll for a vacancy and/or newly called Pastor will vary based upon experience and years of service. Health Insurance and Retirement benefits are also yet to be determined. For budget purposes, for now, we have kept the dollar amount the same as 2020. These numbers can be adjusted when specific salary and benefits are determined. 2.E: Secretary’s Salary: Includes a 2.0% cost of living adjustment and an additional one hour per week (52 hours/year) to assist the vacancy Pastor with administrative duties as needed. 4. General Licensing/Registration Dues: This section of the budget increased this year specific to costs related to Zoom Communication and other web site related fees. The new fees will continue in 2021. 10. Buildings and Grounds 10.3. Utilities: Several utilities experienced a rate increase from the vendor– the increases are included in 2021 projected costs. 10.4 Steeple Repair: This is a new expense added for 2021. Our steeple needs extensive repair and maintenance. (Only minor repairs were completed this fall). The anticipated cost of repairs is approximately $4,500.00. Of this amount, $ 3,100.00 is currently available through the designated fund Exterior Building Maintenance. Many other individual expenses came in under budget in 2020 due to COVID 19 restrictions/closures – these line items will return to the 2020 budgeted amount for 2021. A copy of the detailed proposal is available upon request. Please contact me directly if you have questions or would like further information regarding either this year’s, or next year’s proposed budget.

Jan Anderson Treasurer


“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I get a video of some kind in my inbox each day from Mel’s Video of the Day. One day recently there was entitled “Best New Puppy Surprise for Kids Compilation Video” which lasted 12 minutes and 44 seconds. Actually, I only watched almost eight minutes as I can only spend so much time relaxing with this much excitement. What I did notice though was that at least half and probably more than half of the recipients were so very excited and they started to cry. Why tears? Aren’t tears usually a sign of hurt or sorrow or anger? Or maybe frustration, or even or a tender heart when we watch those mushy commercials on TV? (I had someone tell me that it was my tender heart showing when I became emotional and teared up—and the older I get, the more tender my heart is becoming.) But these children were crying for joy. It was like they just couldn’t believe that this gift was real and then when they realized it was, the emotion just broke out of them. Most ran to a parent or other adult to offer thanksgiving. I began to wonder if there has been a time recently that I have been so thankful for something that it brought me to tears, and the only thing I could think of was not even that recent. I cried as I watched my daughter give birth to both of her children, and that was 7 years and 12 years ago. November is the month we traditionally focus on giving thanks. We even have a special holiday to celebrate not just the first thanksgiving the pilgrims recorded, but for all the blessings that we have—our physical blessings and for Christians, our Spiritual blessings as well. But I can’t remember a time when I was so full of thanks for these Spiritual blessings that I burst into tears of joy. So maybe I am taking these blessings for granted. The fact that God sent His only Son to pay the penalty for our sin and to be our Redeemer and our Savior is truly worth being so thankful for that we can hardly keep the good news to ourselves. We should be walking around with a smile on our face and with a spring in our step and make people wonder what it is we have to be so happy about. You may be asking how this can happen while we are dealing with a mask-wearing, social distancing, fear-inducing pandemic going on. A challenge came to me the other day to consider the things I have to be thankful for even in the midst of the Covid-19 restrictions. Not only to list the things but to think of how something good had come out of the circumstances even though we had to go through something very hard to get there. When we spend time thinking of and thanking God for how He holds us in the palm of His hand, we are refreshed, hopeful, and able to find the joy that can only come through our trust that God is in control of all of our circumstances. He is never surprised at what is going on with us, or with our church, our community, our nation or our world. For this we do give thanks. The above passage from 1st Thessalonians continues in verses 23-24 with these comforting words:

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you in faithful; he will surely do it.”

These words surely give us reason to offer thanksgiving for all that God allows into our lives, and as we reflect on the many things for which we can be thankful, perhaps we will burst into tears of joy.

CHRISTIAN LIFE NOTES

Oregon District LWML Volume 48 November 2020


Results of Fall Survey Compiled by Fritz van Gent


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IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH PO BOX 686 SANDY OR 97055

Joy To The World God so loved the world . . . .

John 3:16. Every Christmas we decorate our home with nativity scenes from around the world. We have a German nativity pyramid, a manger scene fashioned out of olive wood from Bethlehem, and a brightly colored Mexican folk version. Our family favorite is a whimsical entry from Africa. Instead of

the more traditional sheep and camels, a hippopotamus gazes contently at the baby Jesus. The unique cultural perspective brought to life in these nativity scenes warms my heart as I ponder each beautiful reminder that Jesus’ birth was not just for one nation or culture. It’s good news for the whole earth, a reason for people from every country and ethnicity to rejoice. The little baby depicted in each of our nativity scenes revealed this truth of God’s heart for the entire world. As John wrote in relation to Christ’s conversation with the inquisitive Pharisee named Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16. The gift of Jesus is good news for everyone. No matter where on earth you call home, Jesus’ birth is God’s offer of love and peace to you. And all who find new life in Christ, “from every tribe and language and people and nation” will one day celebrate God’s glory forever and ever (Revelation 5:9). Lisa M. Samra Our Daily Bread Submitted by LaVerne Luedtke

immanuel messenger · 2020. 12. 1. · 28th laverne luedtke 22nd jack & judy markle 30th don...

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