The Parish Communicator Falun/Salemsborg Lutheran Parish

January 2016

Acts of the Apostles 26.16 NRSV: But get up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which

I will appear to you.

Romans 8.28 NRSV: We know that all things work together for good

for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

What is your vision for the parish? What is your vision for each congregation? Have you ever thought about it? Have you ever thought about what we are called to do as a congregation/parish? What is our purpose as children of God? What are we called to be doing as the Church? Have you ever wondered if there were others that shared that vision/purpose? With all these questions in mind, I want you to mark the following dates and times on your calen-dars: Sun, Jan 10 and Sun, Jan 17. Noonish. “Lunch with the Pastor” will be taking place on these two Sundays. During this time, we will be discussing our pur-pose/vision as individuals, congregations and as a parish. We will meet in the Salemsborg Fellowship Center. You are asked to bring your lunch, your ideas and visions. As we break bread together, we will share those ideas and visions. By sharing those ideas and visions, the Holy Spirit moves. We find out that we may not be the only ones with that vision or idea. We find out that there may be oth-ers that agree with that vision and/or idea. As we see how many agree with the vision/idea, we may see the direction the Spirit is leading us. Through our discussion, the Holy Spirit will lead us to ways that each congregation and this parish can be ser-vants of God. After the meetings are done, we will bring our visions/ideas to the annual meetings of both congrega-tions. At the annual meetings, we can discuss and build a consensus of the direction we want our congregations and our parish to go for the upcoming year. We can have focus for the upcoming year. www.fslc.net salemsborg@hometelco.net

If you cannot attend these meetings, feel free to write down your visions/ideas and send them to me. The Holy Spirit is alive and moving through the Word and Sacrament! The Holy Spirit is moving through the members of the Body of Christ! I cannot wait to hear all of the ideas and visions God will provide through the mem-bers of the Body. Will we focus on bible studies? Mission trips? Feeding the hungry? Taking care of the widow or orphaned? Day Care? Who knows! The Holy Spirit is an awesome God! Now if your idea or vision is not the one that is focused on this year, do not be discouraged. We rely on the Holy Spirit to bring us to the point we are to be now. Your idea/vision may be the one we focus on at another time. Who knows!? We have faith in the words of Romans 8:28: We know all things work together for good to those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Please pray about it, contemplate it through the scrip-tures, listen to the Holy Spirit, we need you and the ideas the Holy Spirit places in your heart. The world is in a state of chaos. It is hard to not feel hopeless, defeated. We need these meetings to see how God will use us to shine the Light in the midst of the darkness. A light no darkness can overcome. Please plan on attending, I can’t wait to see how the Spirit leads!

God’s Peace! Pastor Ethan

Can you help?!

We need volunteers to help with child care for the meetings on January 10 and 17. If you are willing to help with childcare, please let Pastor Ethan know ASAP. Thanks!

Salemsborg Lutheran Mission Statement

“We at Salemsborg have so benefited from the gifts of God’s love, peace, strength and joy

through Jesus, that we seek to share these same gifts with others in grateful response!”

Falun Lutheran Mission Statement “As children of God, we strive to love, care for, and inspire one another as we extend

the grace of Christ to all.”

Parish Women’s News Pastor Ethan on Vacation

Pastor Ethan will be on vacation Christmas Day through New Years Day. In case of an emergency, please contact your council president. They will have the name and number of the pastor covering for Pastor Ethan.

Annual Meetings for the Parish Annual Meetings will take place at both congregations the first Sunday in February following shortened worship services. All active confirmed members can be and are expected to participate at the meetings. The deadline for information needed in the annual meeting booklets is Sun-day, January 17th.

United Youth Group Serving Brunch There will be a joint parish worship service on the last Sunday of January. Worship time will be a 9:00am at Sa-lemsborg Lutheran Church. Following worship the United Youth Group will be serving a brunch for a fundraiser in the Salemsborg Fellowship Center. There will be a high school youth group meeting for the youth and parents fol-lowing the brunch.

Adopted Family The offering from the Salemsborg Choir Christmas Pro-gram as well as from the 10:30pm Christmas Eve service will benefit the family of Brynleigh, a 2 1/2 year old girl from McPherson. Brynleigh had a heart transplant a year ago and continues to have health struggles. Brynleigh has 3 siblings. Her single mom, Rachel, does not receive child support. Because of all the doctor visits for Brynleigh, she is not able to work full time, but is a para in the McPherson school system. Debbie Johnson, who works with the fam-ily, shared that Rachel is a wonderful person, trying her absolute best. There is a huge financial need. There is a Facebook page with her story: “Team Bubbles/Brynleigh’s Story”. Please prayerfully consider helping this family with your financial support.

Assaria Lutheran Swedish Smorgasbord The annual Swedish Smorgasborg will be held on January 3rd at 12:00pm at the Assaria Lutheran Church. Reservations needed by December 30th.

In Case of Bad Weather When there is bad weather in our area and worship services need to be canceled, please listen to local radio or TV stations. If possible emails will also be sent. Thanks to everyone who does work “behind the scenes” at

this Parish, your stewardship is appreciated!

Women of Salemsborg

Bethany Home Baking & Visitation will be held on Mon-day, January 4th from 1-3pm. Sewing day will be held Thursday, January 14th at 9:30am. Potluck at noon and business meeting at 12:30pm. Lydia Tabitha Group will meet Thursday, January 28th at 2:00pm at the Fellowship center. Hostess is Betty Pihl. Esther Group will meet Monday, January 25th at 7:30pm. Hostess is Sue Pihl; Lesson is Kristin Johnson The 2016 Ministry Booklets for the Women of Salems-borg are available at the back of the Sanctuary! All women are invited to pick up a copy!

Falun Lutheran Women

Falun Senior Citizens will meet Tuesday, January 12th at 1:00pm at the Parish House. All are welcome. You don’t have to be a “Senior Citizens” or from Falun to attend. We will play cards, etc. and have a light lunch. Please feel free to join us for all or part of the afternoon. Mary Negus and Janice Morris will coordinate the event.

Blessed! Thank you for the generous gifts of all kinds that you shared with us this Christmas season, your kind words and generous hearts touched us deeply. We are so fortunate to have been called here to Falun/Salemsborg Lutheran Par-ish. Thank you for sharing so many gifts with us through-out the year, we can’t believe how God uses you to bless us. You are amazing! You are special! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Children’s Christmas Programs! Thanks to everyone who was involved with the Children’s Christmas programs in any way, they were great! Thanks for leading, for being part of it, for be-ing the driver to practices, for those behind the scenes, everyone and everything! God bless and way to listen to the Holy Spirit and respond!

Worship Time Changes Beginning Sunday, January 3rd—Falun Lutheran wor-ship is at 9:00am with coffee/fellowship following; Sunday School is at 10:30am. Salemsborg Lutheran Sunday School is at 9:30am, coffee/fellowship at 10:30am, with worship at 11:00am.

Congregational Hymn Sing We will gather at Falun Lutheran as a parish on Sun-day, December 27th at 11:00am for a Christmas Carol Hymn Sing. Coffee/Fellowship will be held at 10:30am. There will not be any services at Salemsborg!

Many Thanks Thanks to everyone who helped decorate the churches, you were few in number but the results are great! What a beautiful job! You gave of your time, way to go great stewards! Thanks!!!! The Christmas Basket Committee extends a warm THANK YOU to all of you for your abundant donations of non-perishable foods and money this Christmas season. Many local families benefited from your generosity! Thank you so much for the music the Ding-a-Lings played and for the gift. It was all wonderful! Ivalee Kalb Worship Services for our parish were canceled on Sunday, November 29th. There was a serious ice storm in the area! December 6th we began using ELW Setting Four on the first and third Sundays. December 13th both congregations had Children Christmas Programs. Ding-a-Lings Days were held Friday and Saturday, December 11 & 12. Sunday January 10 and Sunday, January 17, we will be having “lunch with the pastor” meeting as a parish to discuss what our vision for the individual churches are and what visions we have for the parish. If you would like to volunteer your time for child care during these meetings, please let Pastor Ethan know. Information will be in the January Newsletter. Please let Pastor Ethan know if you need him to visit, bring Holy Communion, make a hospital visit, etc. He would appreciate your help because there are a lot of members in this parish and he may not realize the need. Pastor Ethan doesn’t want to fall short of the duties you have called him here to do. Your help is appreciated! Those who would like to send a donation directly to the Synod may do so by mailing it to: Central States Synod E.L.C.A; 136 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64105 If you are interested in using the Salemsborg Fellow-ship Center or the church for any reason, please contact Nita Kay Carlson. She can be reached at nitakaycarl-son@gmail.com, or on her cell phone at 785-227-5363. Contact Donna Swanson with information for the bulle-tin or newsletter at 668-2600 or email her at donlee@hometelco.net. Contact her there as well if you’d like to receive our monthly newsletter online.

The deadline for information needed in the February 2016 Newsletter is Wednesday, January 20th

Parish Notes

Food Bank Sunday Food Bank Sunday is the 1st Sunday of each month. Cold cereals of all kinds are needed for the month of January, however, any item you wish to donate will be greatly appreciated. Paper products, flour and small clean containers are always needed. A box is located next to the front door of the church for your convenience.

Please contact Pastor Ethan or Donna Swanson if there are names that can be removed from

our prayer list. Contact them as well if you would like to add someone

We remember in prayer those who have been brought to our attention: Glenn Norberg and the family and

friends of Teri Norberg; Ken Hemphill, cancer; Ernest Gustafson, physical therapy, Don Hawk, re-cuperating from an infection; Bob Schmoll, more

tumors; Kathy Wick, Robin Roets mom, pancreatic cancer; Lynda Anderson, breast cancer; Ron Ander-son, ALS; ; Carol Brown, hospitalized for infection; John Geiger, CLL; Vernon Johnson, prostate cancer;

Pat Anderson, breast cancer; Mary Keefe, Gregg Swanson’s fiancé’s mom, esophageal cancer; we

also pray for all members of the armed services and the police officers around the world as well as Chris-tians who are facing persecution; All our friends at Bethany Home and the cottages as well as those liv-ing at Riverview in Marquette. We pray for peace,

healing, strength and courage, that all will feel God's loving hands. We also pray for many unspoken re-quests. If we have missed anyone who should have

been listed, please let us know.

At the beginning of each month, the prayer list will be changed. If you have someone that you would like to place on the list, please let Donna or Pastor know. We are doing this to make sure all the needs listed are current. Some needs are continuous or immediately pressing and we do not want to miss the opportunity to pray for God’s help

for all in need. Thank you

The Care Packages for Our Troops program is an on-going ministry. If you have questions you can contact Rick Saunders at 785822-2346 or email him at rick.saunders.1959@gmail.com. Items suggested are lo-cated on the donation box by the front door of the church. Thanks to all who have already donated items for this wonderful cause.

The Falun/Salemsborg Lutheran Parish 3831 West Salemsborg Road Smolan, Kansas 67456-9724

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"For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by,

or like a watch in the night." Psalm 90:4

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Lindsborg, KS 67456

2016 Sunday Service Times

Falun 9:00am--Worship Service 10:00am--Coffee Time

10:30am--Sunday School Salemsborg

9:30am--Sunday School 10:30am--Coffee Time

11:00am--Worship Service