June 2020

News From The Pews

Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church—ELCA 143 Chota Center, Loudon, TN 37774

www.shepherdofthelaketn.org (865) 816-4756

Ingrid J. Schalk, Pastor

Livestream Sunday Worship

9:00 a.m.

On the website:

Bulletins Announcements

Sermons Pastor’s Blog Newsletters

Church Council

Tom Schemberger President

Jeff Svoboda Vice President

Kandie Shubeck Secretary

Jim Newman Treasurer

Carolyn Hudspeth Bob Panozzo

Members-at-Large

Office Administrator

Sandy Hagan sheplakelutheran-sec@hotmail.com

A Christian community sharing God’s love with the world.

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From the Pastor’s Desk

Birthdays

2 Fran McKnight 4 Roger McKnight 14 Cindy Brissman 14 Robert Duvall 23 Ginny Opdahl 25 Donna Navratil 27 Pat Yeager 29 Paul Elbert

Anniversaries

2 Lucia & Tom Findley 2 Emma & Ed Roeber 10 Jan & Bob Panozzo 24 Susan & Howard Kastner

www.shepherdofthelaketn.org

- Select Worship

- Flower Calendar 2020

The Day of Pentecost ushers us into a new liturgical season. The Easter season concludes with the entrance of the Holy Spirit in grand display…with the rush of wind and divided tongues, as of fire, resting on each person. Again, a bewildered community tries to make sense of what’s going on… something they’ve never experienced before. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in their native languages. They were both amazed and perplexed, asking one another, “What does this mean?” Maybe you’ve been asking that same question. What does this mean? What IS the Holy Spirit up to in all this? The many weeks after Pentecost is a season associated with learning and growing. I was asked recently, what have you learned during these past weeks of disruption? What have YOU learned?? What is the Holy Spirit up to in all of this? This season may well be a time of learning and growing in ways that we have not yet dreamed or imagined. Don’t underestimate the creativity of the Holy Spirit working in and through each of us in the weeks ahead. I’ve seen the Holy Spirit working in profound ways through each of you. As we move into this new season, how might we pray that Holy Spirit continue to work through us in sharing God’s love with the world?

Pastor Ingrid Schalk

A prayer from Steve Garnass-Holmes: “They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” Acts 2.4 Holy Spirit, loosen our tongues and teach us new languages of love. Help us convey your grace across the divides of language, of culture and race and class and identity. Put the breath of love in our lungs, the words of mercy on our tongues, the song of grace on our lips. Help us give voice to blessing that is clear in any language. Give us grace to listen to every foreign tongue, respect every foreign story, and honor every foreign soul, for you have sent us to them so they may know their belovedness, and they may reveal to us our own. Spirit of God, breathe in us. Spirit of love, sing in us. Spirit of justice, rise in us to do your will.

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Come Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created, and you

shall renew the face of the earth.

O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful,

grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and

ever enjoy your consolations.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

ONLINE GIVING It’s HERE! Check it out on the So+L webpage!

Class of 2020 -In this year of Pandemic, the Indiana/Kentucky Synod held its first

video Baccalaureate to honor ELCA graduates.

Abigail Offhaus, granddaughter of Phyllis Mills, was selected as a YouTube Lector.

She represented Indiana and all the ☩ABLE teens of the synod (which helps those

with disabilities grow as faithful, wise, and courageous witnesses). In early June,

Abigail will attend her high school ‘drive through’ graduation where diplomas will be

distributed as graduates drive by.

For those of you that have been asking for online GIVING we now have a secure link on the So+L webpage. Simply set up your account (name and information requested), then click the GIVE link and your tithe or donation will go to the church account. It is safe and secure!

STEP 1 - set up your account –follow to directions provided by Tithe.ly.

STEP 2 - go to the GIVING page, click on “Submit your tithe or donation” and follow the directions.

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One of the variety of ministries that Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church participates in is the Friendship Kitchen. Area churches have teamed up to provide fresh food to people in need every Monday. The local churches take turns preparing, packing, and delivering meals to approximately 80-90 people in the Loudon area who are homebound due to illness or just in need of a helping hand. Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran works together with the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection since neither church has the facilities or manpower to participate on their own. Funds to cover costs are received through donations and/or grants. Meal ingredients are shopped for by volunteers. Food is then prepared in the kitchen of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Loudon and boxed up and delivered by volunteers from Shepherd of the Lake. The meal consists of a healthy portion of pulled pork, coleslaw seasoned baked beans and a most sought-after cookie for dessert. Drivers are welcomed by those who look forward to their meal delivery and some friendly chit chat, especially in the cases of those who are homebound. The Shepherd of the Lake and Episcopal church team have been volunteering on the third Monday of

every other month for the past several years and look forward to continuing this joint ministry for years to

come. It is especially rewarding to be able to work together to fill a need in the community that neither

church could accomplish without mutual cooperation.

Friendship Kitchen

Good Shepherd board president stated they are no longer taking clothing

donations until the pandemic is past. Clients are no longer admitted to the

building, and as a result food distribution is handled via drive-up service.

Due to increasing unemployment in the area, many more clients will be

served, consider making a financial contribution to Good Shepherd either via

So+L or directly to Good Shepherd Center, PO Box 353, Madisonville, TN

37354.

The Good Shepherd Center

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Our Card Making ministry serves a very special purpose at So+L. It provides fellowship, learning and creativity for those who participate, and it shows caring and love to those who receive the cards...a win-win for all involved. We create Birthday, Get Well, and Sympathy cards as needed for all church members. We also make various Holiday cards such as Valentine, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas cards for those members who are shut in and those who don’t get out much, to keep their spirits lifted throughout the year. For Veterans Day, we celebrate our Veterans with special Veterans Day cards. There are lots of occasions to celebrate during our lifetimes, and we help by sending cards to remind all and celebrate all for these special times! We also make various other cards for special occasions as they come up. The cards pictured here are some we made for The Neighborhood during this social distancing period that we are all experiencing during the coronavirus pandemic. The loneliness for those that live there and can’t have visitors must be miserable. Something as simple as a card can help ease their loneliness and make them feel they are not forgotten. When we get past the social distancing and are able to meet monthly to make cards again, we will meet monthly on the 2nd Thursday starting at 10am. For those who can stay till 1pm, that’s great....but we welcome you to stay as long as your schedule for that month allows. Our time together is very laid back and casual. A great thing about card making is that there is a job for everyone, so no previous experience is necessary! You learn as you go as any member of the group will tell you. And one of my favorite things to say is that “any mistake on a card can be fixed”, so no need to throw any away or feel bad about a mistake. We all make some now and then:). If you are interested and/or have questions, feel welcome to call me, Carol Opsal, at 936-520-2271 or E-Mail me at csopsal@gmail.com.

Card Making Ministry

OUR PLACE

Our Place is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which plans to build and

operate a licensed adult day center (the “Day Center”) in Loudon, Tennessee. The

center will serve residents of Tellico Village and Loudon and Monroe counties

that have been diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia including Alzheimer’s.

With a day center for dementia sufferers, their care givers will have time to do the

many things they cannot do while providing care to their loved one.

The Day Center will operate five days a week: Monday-Friday from

9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Each day, participants will be offered a different program

of activities suited to their abilities. These activities are designed to promote

socialization and stimulation and may include music, exercise, crafts, games,

pet therapy, reminiscence therapy and more. Whenever possible, activities will be theme-based,

highlighting the seasons, holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions.

As you know, our Church Council has approved a fund raising activity called “Bricks and Benches” for the Our Place building fund. This is God’s Work Our Hands in action! Donations will be solicited for memorial bricks imprinted with the names of loved ones and benches with plaques with the names of loved ones. Our lofty goal is to raise $60,000 here in the Village and surrounding counties. We need to begin work almost immediately and we need your help! Stay tuned next month for more about Our Place. Tom Findley

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June Prayer Ventures

1 This month has the most daylight of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the least daylight of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. Give thanks that the gift of sunlight sustains all life on Earth and that the light of God’s love and truth, shining through Jesus, gives us the gift of new life, purpose and direction as children of God.

2 Remember and give thanks for the influence and example of people who have been martyred for their faith and courageous witness in the world. Pray that our own boldness of faith and service will dispel the fear of ridicule, persecution and death.

3 Give thanks for our LGBTQIA+ siblings in Christ and ask that the Spirit empower us, individually and together as a church, to grow more welcoming and intentionally inclusive, to value the faith and gifts of all people, and to advocate for justice and respect for people who are marginalized and excluded in the church and society.

4 Remember in prayer people who depend on seasonal employment for their livelihoods or who live with the uncertainty and anxiety of unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pray that the Spirit will make us creative and tireless in supporting and caring for others, especially our neighbors in greatest need ― locally and globally.

5 Pray for God to send the Spirit into our midst and renew humanity and all creation.

6 In this season of storms and flooding, pray that our neighbors and communities will be safe and that we will stand ready to respond when disasters strike and leave our neighbors vulnerable, grieving and wondering where to begin rebuilding their lives. Give thanks for the work we do together through Lutheran Disaster Response bringing God’s hope, healing and renewal to people whose lives have been disrupted by disaster.

7 Pray that we will hear and respond to God’s call to be disciples in the world, just as Jesus directed his disciples to visit every nation, make disciples, baptize the faithful, teach the ways and commandments of God, and spread the good news of God’s ever-present love and mercy.

8 Ask God to comfort those grieving the loss of loved ones from COVID-19, and pray that we will not forget them amid our new concerns and routines as communities and states open up again.

9 Continue to pray for synod leaders making new plans for their assemblies with concern for the health and well-being of leaders, voting members and others. Pray that the Spirit will guide their plans and strengthen them in their work proclaiming the gospel, growing the church, serving our neighbor and doing God’s work in the world.

10 “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” With humility and joy, give thanks and praise to God!

11 Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance as we work together and journey into the future as a thriving church, spreading the gospel and deepening faith for all people.

12 Take time to reflect on nature, humankind, the earth and the heavens above ― everything God has made ― and pray that we will stand in awe and thanksgiving to God, proclaiming God’s creation to be very good.

13 In the absence of summer camp programs, pray for the leaders and staff of our outdoor ministries as they seek new ways to sustain their organizations’ vitality, share the gospel and serve people of all ages in congregations and communities.

14 Pray that we will respond eagerly when God calls us into the world together as disciples to carry on the difficult work of Jesus, sharing the good news, caring for our neighbors in their suffering and need, bringing hope where there is despair and bearing God’s truth and light.

15 Thank God for opportunities to enjoy nature, whether in a wilderness area, urban park, community garden or forest preserve. Give thanks for how nature and fresh air renew us and lift our spirits, and pray that our neighbors with mobility challenges can get outdoors to experience and enjoy the blessings of creation.

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16 Praise God for the work we accomplish together through ELCA Advocacy and for the faith-driven voice carried to our local, state and national leaders and legislators ― a common voice advocating attention, justice and compassion for those neighbors and communities whose needs and concerns are too often ignored or marginalized.

17 Give thanks that, by God’s grace through Jesus Christ, our relationship with God is restored and that we can share in the glory of God without uncertainty or fear.

18 Lutheran Services in America is a network of Lutheran social ministry organizations that connects over 300 health and human services providers throughout the country. Pray that we will engage with and support their work in serving the diverse needs of our nation’s most vulnerable people, from infants to elders.

19 God made us, and as God’s people we enjoy the blessings of God’s enduring love, faithfulness to every generation and redeeming presence. Lift up prayers of joy, thanksgiving and praise to God.

20 Augsburg Fortress summer music clinics provide opportunities for musicians to learn new seasonal music, attend workshops, participate in hymn festivals and more. Pray that these participants will be inspired, equipped and strengthened, using their musical gifts to enrich our faith communities and reveal the glory of God.

21 Living as children of God and followers of Christ is not always easy or well received by others. Pray that we will find comfort and courage in knowing that God abides with us, knows our every struggle and joy, and surrounds us with love and peace that are impossible to break or obstruct.

22 Pray for our global companions, their ministries and the people they serve in this time of sickness and death, economic upheaval, social uncertainty and slow recovery.

23 Pray for patience, comfort and courage: “O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your faithful help rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. Do not let the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up.”

24 John the Baptist Sometimes we think of John the Baptist as a little wild and fanatical in sharing the good news of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Give thanks for whoever introduced you to Jesus, and pray for confidence and enthusiasm in sharing your faith and talking about Jesus in your own words.

25 Give thanks for the creeds and confessions of our church that have helped us proclaim, teach and affirm our Christian faith throughout the ages. Pray that when we recite the creeds during worship, we will reflect on our membership in the body of Christ and on the truths central to our faith.

26 Ask God to help us walk in the newness of life and freedom from sin we have through our baptism into the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

27 Ask for the Spirit to guide the deliberation, dialogue and work of ELCA members, leaders and churchwide staff as they draft a social message on government and civic engagement, to be presented to the ELCA Church Council this year.

28 Pray that every person we encounter in daily life will glimpse the Spirit dwelling within us ― an infectious spirit of kindness, justice, humility and love.

29 Give thanks for doctors, researchers and scientists throughout the world who have committed their lives to treating, preventing and eliminating diseases and to sharing their discoveries with the world for the health and well-being of all people.

30 There may be times when we feel God has forgotten us or is ignoring us. Pray that God will forgive us when we are weak or doubtful, and ask the Spirit to restore our trust in God’s steadfast love and concern.

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Remodeling Women’s Bathroom—Phase 1

Thursday, May 7

Trailer Arrives

Tuesday Evening, May 12

Tuesday Morning, May 12

Thursday Evening, May 14

Framing

Thursday Morning, May 21

Priming Dividers

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Thursday Evening, May 21

Entrance, tile down, painting

Friday May 29

The finished product below

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Used by permission. This article appeared in the June 2020 issue of Living Lutheran

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June 26

Deadline for the

July NFTP

Online Bible Study Opportunities

Wednesdays at 10am

BACK TO BASICS Bible Study with Pr. Ingrid

A Zoom invitation will be sent by email

early Wednesday morning.

All are welcome!

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