And Advent flows into Christmas at Faith Lutheran...

As always, there will be a lot of special worship opportunities in the next couple of weeks.  Here's a quick overview, with our warm invitation to join us as often as you can, as we join in celebrating the coming of our Savior and "the good news of great joy" that is meant for all people.

Wednesday, December 17
Final midweek Advent service, with soup supper at 6:00-6:45pm, followed by worship at 7:00.  We'll take a look at God's Word in the Psalm for the third week of Advent, Psalm 71.

Friday, December 19
Faith Lutheran School and Preschool Christmas service:  "Children of the Heavenly Father" will start at 6:30pm in the Recital Hall of the UAA Fine Arts Building.

Sunday, December 21
The children of our Sunday School will add a Christmas flavor to our 11:00 worship on the 4th Sunday of Advent.  They'll lead us in singing two hymns and also join with the adult choir in another special song.

Wednesday, December 24
Christmas Eve Worship  7:00pm
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service  10:00pm  

Thursday, December 25
Christmas Day Worship  11:00am

Sunday, December 28
One service only at 10:00am --- and NO Sunday School or Bible Class

Wednesday, December 31
New Year's Eve Worship (with Communion)  7:00pm 

Don't forget to sign up for Christmas for Kids

Christmas for Kids is one week away! Don't forget to sign up your child at www.faithalaska.com

Your opportunity for input on the WELS Hymnal Project

During 2014, the WELS Hymnal Project has conducted three surveys to solicit input about how the current hymnal is being used and how the new hymnal can best serve our church body.  The first was for pastors, the second for teachers, and the third for musicians. 

This fourth survey, intended for all WELS members, asks for feedback on things like chanting psalms, instruments suited for accompany worship, wording for the songs and prayers of worship, and singing hymns and songs of the liturgy in four-part harmony.  You'll find it at:  http://welshymnal.com/blog/member-survey.

The survey will be available until November 25, 2014.  All of our input will help to shape the worship life of our children and grandchildren. 

The plan is for the new hymnal to be available in 2024, the 500th anniversary of the first Lutheran hymnal and 31 years after the publication of the current WELS hymnal, Christian Worship.

 

Opportunities to Support Faith Lutheran School

Did you know Faith Lutheran School received over $600 last year from the Fred Meyer’s Rewards program?  Do you have a Fred Meyer Rewards card?

Signing up for community rewards can earn our school donations from Fred Meyer when you use your card. Visit www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards to sign up.  (Faith Lutheran School NPO #91844)  It only takes a few moments. 

Every quarter the school gets a check to be used to purchase items the school needs.

Here are some other opportunities to help our school:

Escrip – Shop Carrs and enter online through E-scrip, and a portion of your purchase is returned to the school.

Boxtops for Education and Campbell’s Labels – Save and turn in for our school to collect and redeem for cash or merchandise.

Office Depot Back-for-School – When shopping Office Depot, give them our school number at checkout (#70000050). We receive credit good for office and school supplies.

Have an old or unused cell phone? Turn it in to the school. We may be able to trade them in for recycling through Pace Butler for extra cash for the school.

Partycraft – Give them our school name at checkout, and we receive a percentage of your purchase back.

Church Work Day and Clean Up

We are having a workday at Church this Saturday (11/8) starting at 9:00am. We have a number of items that need maintenance around the church before the holiday season arrives. Please consider giving a few hours of your time to help out. We plan on working until around 3:00pm, lunch will be provided. It is a wonderful way to serve and is also good fellowship. There are a number of items on the list, most of which do not require any special skills, just a willingness to serve.

  Change out snow tires on church van

  Move storage items out of the mechanical room

  Touchup paint in the narthex

  General cleaning

  Replace burnt out light bulbs in track lighting behind the altar

  Install heat tape on eave near front door

  Install exterior light by the flag

  Troubleshoot power to light bollards and exterior light by school entrance.

  Install asphalt paper on upper section of ADA ramp

  Install new audio cables between organ loft and sacristy

  Install motion sensors in restrooms

  Troubleshoot organ speakers

Christmas for Kids

Christmas for Kids is coming up on Saturday, December 6th from 9am-12pm. It will be like a 1 day VBS where children can come and enjoy Christmas crafts, snacks, games, decorating cookies and learning about the Christmas story while parents get Christmas shopping done.

We're looking for help to acculumate the supplies we'll need, as well as volunteers to help that day.

Items to donate:

• Ziploc bags                                                                  
• Popsicle sticks
• Cardstock                                                           
• Tissue paper
• Ribbons
• Salt dough ingredients (flour, salt, oil)          
• Snow dough ingredients (toilet paper and Ivory soap)
• Christmas cookies (ready to decorate)
• Frosting                                                    
• Other cookie decorations (sprinkles, candies, etc.)
• Cheap prizes for Christmas Bingo
• Trail mix supplies (Bugles, pretzels, goldfish, raisins, M&Ms, sunflower seeds, Hershey’s Kisses)

*A more definitive estimation of amounts needed, as well as a sign-up sheet, will be available closer to December 6^th.

How you can help:

• Lesson leader (tell the Christmas story)
• Craft leaders (salt dough handprints, tissue paper silhouettes, popsicle stick crafts)
• Snack supervisor (set out placemats and trail mix ingredients, supervise making of trail mix)
• Christmas cookie decorators (set out cookies, frosting, decorations; help decorate/crowd control)
• Greeters (greet parents & children, hand out name tags)
• Sensory/outdoor supervisors (watch younger kids playing with playdough, older kids playing outside in snow)
• Song leader
• Clean-up crew

If you are interested in helping in any of these ways, please talk to Cara Ewings or Rachel Wendland for more information!

Reformation Sunday

Question for the Day:

What's the connection between

The Lutheran Reformation,

Flying Gospel Angels, and

Nigerians on motorcycles?

The answer will be revealed this Sunday!

Our annual WELS Alaska Reformation Festival Service will begin at 4:30 pm.   Pastor Chris Ewings will serve as the liturgist, leading us in worship with fellow Lutherans from the area WELS congregations.

Pastor Douglas Weiser will preach a message based on Revelation 14:6-7.  His theme will be “Give Thanks for All Angels of the Gospel!”  His message will tie the Lord’s prophecy in Revelation to the Lutheran Reformation -- to our WELS mission work -- and to our own lives as people of God.  

A potluck meal will follow the service.  Local folks are invited to bring a hot dish to share.  More distant folks can more easily bring salad, rolls or dessert.

Pastor Weiser

After serving as WELS liaison to the Lutheran congregations in Nigeria for many years, Pastor Douglas Weiser was called this year to serve as a “non-resident” missionary.  He will reside in the United States but maintain regular communication with and make regular visits to Nigeria.  He will counsel and assist pastors, congregations, and efforts at the seminary training of our Nigerian brothers.

WELS in Nigeria 

WELS relationships with Lutherans in Nigeria go back almost 80 years, to 1936.  With no resident missionary on this field today, Pastor Weiser now serves our Lord and the church by working with self-standing church bodies and steering them along the path of confessional Lutheran faith and practice. Please remember our brother and sister believers in Nigeria in your prayers!

The Offering

In our school chapel services this month, our mission offerings are designated for a special project for Nigeria.  These offerings will be combined with mission offerings from Grace Lutheran School in Kenai and the offerings received in our Reformation Service.  The resulting amount will be used for the purchase of a motorcycle for the Nigerian pastors to use when visiting mission stations.   In the bush, roads are often difficult or impassable at certain times of the year, and a motorcycle would be a great help to them.

Join us for roadside cleanup this Saturday!

Faith Lutheran Church and School have adopted a stretch of road on West Northern Lights starting at the Earthquake Park parking lot due west.  Come help clean up Anchorage and support your church and community by joining us!  We’ll meet at the Earthquake Park parking lot at 11am on Saturday.  Bags will be provided.  I hear that there may even be some hot chocolate for warming up after!

Pastor Wendland Update

Welcome, Pastor and Mrs. Wendland

September 28th is Pastor Wendland's first Sunday preaching for us. Let's give his wife and him a big Faith Lutheran welcome by doing a Nametag Sunday and offering a few goodies during fellowship and Bible Study. Please bring something simple and breakfasty to share. Contact Amy Mozolik for more information or to volunteer to help write name tags prior to the services."

Update on Pastor Wendland Accommodations

Thank you all for your generous gifts providing for Pastor and Louise Wendland during their stay while Pastor Oldfield is in Arizona recovering from back surgery.  Arrangements have been finalized for airfare, car and housing.  Due to the generous donations, we are able to provide a modest rental apartment for their stay.  If you would like to contribute a special offering to help, simply indicate Wendland Housing on your donation.

Regular Schedule . . . Think About These Things!

How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. 
Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.  Ps. 84

What a blessing it is for us to have a place where we can come together and where the living God comes so close to us!  When we "go to church," there are so many ways that God's name is hallowed and his kingdom comes!

What happens when we go to church? 
•  we show those who know us how much God is worth to us; that's "worship"
•  we pray, praise and give thanks to the God of our salvation
•  we hear, throughout the service, the good news of our salvation
•  we hear lessons from God's Word, carefully chosen & combined with other parts of the service
•  we listen to a sermon on one of the lessons, crafted to apply the Word to our lives right now
•  we publicly confess the name of Jesus Christ, and gladly confess that we belong to him
•  we encourage our fellow believers -- yes, just by being there and worshiping with them
•  we are encouraged by our fellow believers -- yes, just by being there and worshiping with them
•  we receive a very real, powerful blessing from the Triune God as we close our worship
•  we dig into God's Word together, getting to know him better...and each other, too

No wonder the psalmist said:  
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.  Ps 84:10 

Sunday, September 7
Worship  8:15 and 11:00 AM
Bible Hour  9:45 AM  Bible learning for children, youth and adults!

Church Office Volunteers Update

As approved at the congregation meeting, the church and school secretary position is now being staffed by volunteers.  Sheila Lillo and Joy Bromaghin have been staffing the office over the summer and will continue to do so throughout the year.

Office hours till school starts on August 20 are:  Monday/Tuesday/Friday, from 9am-12p.
Office hours during the school year will be Monday through Friday, from 8am to 3:45pm.

The transition is moving along smoothly thanks to these sisters in Christ who are generously donating their time, energy and expertise to serve the congregation!

Wish lists to benefit Jesus' "little lambs"

Both the Preschool and Kindergarten classrooms have posted wish lists on the "Opportunities to Serve" bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall.  School starts next Wednesday August 20.  If you'd like to help out either of these classrooms for this school year, please consider donating some of the items on their wish lists.  Thank you for your support of Faith Lutheran Preschool and School!

KINDERGARTEN WISH LIST

• 4 rolls of 1 inch wide masking tape

• Playdoh

• Clay

• small tubes of decorator or gel icing, any color (not gel food coloring)

 

Books requested below need to be regular sized to match the larger versions that are used for class reading:

"Where's the Fly?" by Caron Lee Cohen

"Honk! Honk! A Migration Story" by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom

"Mouse Mess" by Linnea Riley

"No, No Titus" by Claire Masurel

"Looking for Crabs" by Bruce Whatley

"Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! I'm Off to the Moon" by Dan Yaccarino

"Mary Wore Her Red Dress" Illustrated by Michael Morris

"Five Little Ducks" Illustrated by Pamela Paparone

"Flower Garden" by Eve Bunting

"Machines at Work" by Byron Barton

PRESCHOOL WISH LIST
• Alphabet things (puzzles, manipulatives, magnet letters, alphabet bean bags, etc)
• Pencils and erasers
• old, broken cell phones
• More doctor kit tools
• Baby dolls
• Play food (not the cheap plastic; we have lots of fruit and veggies, so maybe more variety in other kinds of food)
• Play barn and farm animals
• Grid blocks (large or small); we sometimes called these waffle blocks when I was a kid
• More wedgits
• Any kind of stacking, linking, building, connecting, magnet manipulatives
• Marble run building set (plastic tubes that link together to make “tracks” for marbles)
• Plastic tweezers, metal tweezers, or small tongs for picking up small manipulatives
• Eye droppers
• Number puzzles, magnet numbers, number peg boards
• Dice (foam or plastic, large or small, letters and numbers dice)
• More geoboards
• rhythm instruments (don't need any egg shakers, but would like more jingle bells, rhythm sticks, tambourines, drums, cymbals, triangles etc)
• ribbon wands
• smaller child sized hoola hoops
• Anything for outside playground (little scooters or trikes, chalk, bubbles, bean bag toss games, pop up tunnels; nothing Step Up or Little Tykes that is a climbing structure; sea saws and other plastic toys OK)
• pattern blocks and shapes (no melissa and doug tangram set – we have 2 of those already)
• locks and switches boards (we could make these..?)
• puzzles – any kind; religious, trucks, careers, seasons, animals, transportation, nursery rhymes etc
• watercolor paints
• spray bottles
• washable paints (not urgent since we can borrow from elementary art closet)
• dot art paint bottles/markers
• food coloring
• sponges
• plastic paint cups with lids (we have about 5 or so already)
• ink pads and stamps
• abc and 123 playdough tools – cookie cutter type things, rolling pins, playdough extruders
• child sized scissors (just a few – 5 or 6 maybe)
• clothespins
• spot markers for movement activities (usually rubber and a variety of colors; 15-20)

The other big things for the preschool are monetary donations to install more fencing to expand our preschool playground fenced area. (Not sure what that cost is, but perhaps a little fund could be started).  Also, Costco gift cards to buy food for our "supply" -- we supplement food if parents don't pack one of the USDA required categories.

Thank you for your support of Faith Lutheran Preschool and School!

Don't forget -- great food and a great cause this evening!

Today's the day the brothers and sisters of Faith Hmong Lutheran have invited us all to come and enjoy an egg roll feast.  It's at church, starting at 6:00pm.  There's no charge; all donations will be added to the Christina Yang medical expenses assistance fund.  Please join us for food and fellowship!

Do ya love those Hmong egg rolls? It's a great cause!

Faith Hmong Lutheran will be hosting an Egg Roll Dinner at church on Saturday, July 26, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.  It's a fundraiser to help Christina Yang and her family with medical bills, as she awaits a kidney donor.  Christina is the daughter of Larry and Jennifer Yang, and is a junior at East High School. 

There's no charge for the dinner; your free-will donation will be much appreciated!  Our gifts will be added to the Pacific Northwest District's special offering for the Yang family, which will be matched by WELS Christian Aid and Relief.

Meet 'em and feed 'em

We’re still looking to fill some slots for providing meals for our team of “Kingdom Workers.”  The four young folks are Martin Luther College students studying for the teaching or preaching ministry: Ashley Weihart, from Soldiers Grove, WI; Dan Rodewald, from Simpsonville, NC; Joshua Rathje, from Mt. Pleasant, MI; and Kris Kruschel, from Mukwonago, WI.

They will be playing a large role in Faith’s Vacation Bible School next week, and we’re trying to have members provide a meal for them.  If you’d like to meet these great young Christians and serve them with some food (home-cooked or take them out, your choice!), please sign up using this link, and thank you!    http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F054CADA728A64-kingdom

from Pastor O. on behalf of VBS coordinator Deanna Schneck

What makes a church beautiful?

"...to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple" (Psalm 27:4).  King David wanted more than all else to be able to seek the LORD in his temple and see his glory. 

The real beauty of Faith Lutheran Church is the glory of the LORD, revealed and proclaimed in Word and Sacrament week after week.  However, we also want our church to look good, right?  We want it to be as beautiful as we can make it, because that honors our Savior God and shows how much we love him.  How the church building and property look makes a statement to all who look at it! 

You're invited to come next Tuesday evening, July 15, have supper with your Christian friends and then get to work with some fix-up, clean-up, make-the-property-attractive projects.

Plan to start at 6:00 PM.  Bring a dish to pass if you can, and then lend a hand or bend your back.  Property chairman John Fahlin will be on hand to direct and assist you in getting as much of the following done as possible:

For the guys, mainly but not exclusively:
Install railroad tie timbers (5-6)
Restore proper grade to curb
Install flower pot
Install and wire concrete pier
Fill flower pot with dirt
Install remaining LED exterior spotlights
Winterize parsonage
Touch up paint around installed LED lights
Reposition wood barrel flower pots
Put filler blocks in for school and ramp entrances

For the women, mainly but not exclusively:
A deep clean inside the kitchen, bathrooms, fellowship hall, etc.

Need some exercise?

Need a  bit of light exercise for your body and your faith?  This Sunday (June 29), join Deanna Schneck and others in putting out door hangers in our church neighborhood.  It's one way we'll be letting parents know about our Vacation Bible School, which will be held the week of July 21-25. 

The plan is to do it right after church on Sunday morning.  Contact Deanna at 929-3450 with any questions.

Lutheran Churches Struggling in Ukraine

June 20, 2014

Dear Christian friend,

Ukraine is undergoing extremely difficult times. Russia has annexed the Crimean peninsula.  Two out of twenty-two Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC) congregations are in the occupied territories and a third is threatened.  One of the pastors and his family had to leave Crimea for continental Ukraine.  As a result, the preaching of the gospel in Ukraine is endangered.

This situation has caused serious economic problems.  The Ukrainian national currency, the hryvnia, has fallen by almost 50 percent.  Prices have gone up while salaries in many cases remain stagnant.  Therefore, ULC congregations are struggling to become self-supporting. We are developing a ULC self-support program, but we need time and membership growth to implement it.

As we begin a closer relationship with WELS, we thank you for your fellowship and ask for your assistance.  Whatever is lovingly and generously provided will be used to further share the gospel of Jesus Christ in Ukraine.

Please pray for Ukraine and for the Ukrainian Lutheran Church and consider helping us with your financial support.  We pray that the Lord uses our brothers and sister in WELS to help answer our prayers!

Rev. Dr. Vyacheslav Horpynchuk
Bishop, Ukrainian Lutheran Church

Camp Luther Bible Camp July 7-11

"Exodus Expedition"

5 days of learning and fun for campers who've completed the 3rd through 8th grades

 

You'll find everything you need at:   camplutherak.com

     • register on-line or use the printable registration form

     • fees and payment information

     • parent and camper information letters

     • application forms for volunteers:

               Junior Staff (9th to 11th grade)

               Counselors (12th to college)

     • other volunteer positions: lifeguard, nurse, kitchen help, etc.

 

Contact:

Camp Luther Alaska  (907)-357-4424 or camplutherak@gmail.com
Fred & Stacey Koenig (907)-333-5949 or skoala.sk@gmail.com

No more detour!

We drove by the church last evening and saw that 53rd has been paved and is no longer blocked off.  Free sailing to church tomorrow morning.  See you then or on Monday evening!

Leave Early for Church Tomorrow

As of 3:00 pm today, Saturday, East 53rd is closed at Lake Otis.  Assume it will be closed tomorrow as well.  The detour is well-marked, via Lake Otis to Waldron, etc.

Water Line/Parking Lot Work to Start Next Week

We now have dates for when B&C Excavating will be digging up the eastern side of the church parking lot and part of 53rd Ave. as well.

They plan to begin work on Tuesday, May 27.  53rd will be closed that day.  They expect to be on site through Friday, June 6.

This is this year's major phase of our facility-sprinklering project.  Your Building Committee (chairman, Mike Klebs) will be posting a display at church, indicating the time line for the project, our progress so far, and what will remain to be done after this phase is completed.

As announced last Sunday, through generous offerings, this phase is fully funded, and we thank our gracious God for that blessing and for the grace of giving that made it possible!

Remember our worship schedule change!

This Sunday, May 25, marks the start of our summer worship schedule.

•  Sunday mornings, May 25 through August 31:  Bible Study at 9:00 and Worship at 10:30.

•  Monday evenings, June 2 through August 25:  Worship at 7:00.

Faith Parking Lot Sale Donations Needed!

Have any donations  for the Faith Parking Lot Sale? Delightful and energetic teens would be happy to make a pick-up. Call 331-7761 to arrange a pick up. You may also drop donations off at by the parsonage door at any time.
Thank you to all who made donations already. It's looking to be quite a sale!
Saturday's Parking Lot Sale is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Proceeds to benefit the Faith Teens trip to the WELS International Youth Rally in June.

Church Parking Lot and Access Disruption

Work will begin soon on installing a water line from E. 53rd, through our parking lot to the church building.  This is the next phase of our sprinkler system installation, and it will disrupt our traffic flow for up to a week.

Please note the following!

1.  Work will start sometime between May 27 and June 2.

2.  The east third of parking lot will be closed; the west portion will be open for use.

3.  E. 53rd may be entirely closed for first few days of work.  If so, we'll have to detour via Waldron / Little Tree St. / 54th Ave. / Tudor Hills Dr. / E. 53rd.

4.  Monday, June 2:  It's likely that 53rd will be closed.  That means detour for the evening service!

Camp Luther Update

Friends of Camp,

First, Fred and I would like to thank Mike Hester for his donations of supplies and time to help with the roof. We also thank Bryan Schneck, Pastor Robbert and Mr. Zell for their help. It is great to know that it is done before we proceed with the camp year. We will be hosting a clean up and work weekend on May 25th and 26th Sunday afternoon 12 to 4pm and Monday 10am to 4pm it would be great to get things up and running that weekend. Saturday is Parking lot sale at Faith so several of us will not be unavailable that day. If anyone wants to do things on that day, please feel free to contact Fred or me at 333-5942. Everyone is also welcome to come and stay for the weekend. It's always fun to work and play at camp. Thing to get done include:

• Raking leaves
• cleaning out the gardens
• sweeping & mopping floors
• setting up the waterfront area
• stairs to the girls cabins
• clearing paths to cabins
• washing windows
• water up and running
• painting benches 
• and several other odd jobs have to be done before camp

If you know someone that is good at any of these things or just likes doing odd jobs, please pass this information on to them. Thank you.

Stacey Koenig
Treasurer

CORRECTED: Confirmation Picnic at Jewel Lake on May 11th

The families of this year's confirmands, Chloe Robbert, Jacob Henry, and Gideon Schneck, invite the congregation to join them next Sunday, May 11th for a confirmation picnic potluck at Jewel Lake Park (West 88th and Gloralee off Jewel Lake) following the confirmation service until 3:00 p.m. Meat, beverages and cake will be provided. If you would like to bring a side dish or salad to share you are welcome to do so. Please join the confirmands and their families on this special day.

Camp Luther Alaska Work Day - Saturday, April 26th

We need your help!

There will be a work day at Camp Luther Alaska in Wasilla this Saturday, April 26^th. Do your children and family make use of Camp Luther’s programs and facilities? This is a great opportunity to help us out by giving back. Both “skilled” and “unskilled” labor is needed. We have some roof and step repair that is especially urgent. Can you give us a hand? Please contact Fred or Stacey Koenig if you would like to help out.

Beautiful Cards, Great Way to Invite Folks!

The Outreach Committee has printed up some large postcards with an eye-catching image on one side, along with the words "Risen to Free Us" and a simple invitation to join us for Easter.  On the back is the information about our Good Friday and Easter worship times.

About 500 of the cards have been punched and equipped with rubber bands for easy hanging on doorknobs.  The Outreach Committee is asking for volunteers to help them place these in the same neighborhoods we covered at Christmas time. 

It's easy -- you don't have to talk to anybody, unless you'd like to knock on the doors and personally invite folks.  You'll get a bit of exercise and fresh air -- and there's not so much ice around any more.  It won't take long -- less than two hours of your time.  Best of all, it serves our Lord and helps this congregation reach out to our neighbors in Anchorage with the invitation for them to come and hear the saving Gospel of the Risen Christ!

Please come and meet with us at church at 11:00 tomorrow, Saturday, April 12.  We'll have everything you need; just bring a smile and the desire to share the Good News!

Cards will also be available at church on Sunday and all of next week.  Please use them to invite people you know who don't have a church home!

Thank you!

Kindergarten Roundup! Wednesday, April 23rd

Kindergarten Roundup!  Wednesday, April 23rd, 4:30-6:00 PM

Do you have a child who'll be entering Kindergarten this coming fall?  Do you know a relative or friend or neighbor who does?  Come, or invite others to come to our Kindergarten Round-Up on Wednesday, April 23rd. Mrs. Schneck is eager to show parents and prospective students what Kindergarten at Faith Lutheran School is all about!

Holy Week Worship Opportunities at Faith

Palm Sunday, April 13  

Regular Morning Schedule, plus:

"Sharing Faith" service (with Hispanic congregation) at 12:30 pm

Maundy Thursday, April 17

 Worship (with Communion) at 7:00 pm

Good Friday, April 18 

Good Friday Vespers at 7:00 pm

Easter Sunday, April 20 

Easter Festival Worship at 8:15 and 11:00 am

Easter Breakfast served 9:30-10:45

Visitors React to Faith Lutheran

A member of our Outreach Committee suggested that I share this, after she and her husband made a "cookie call" on Monday evening. 

On Sunday morning we had two visitors in the early service.  Husband and wife Mike and Nancy reported that they have been church shopping for the past year or so.  They said that Faith was by far the friendliest and warmest church they'd been to, and that they will definitely be back.

Each Sunday, we're doing the two best things we could do for any who visit.  We're preaching the saving Word of God and we're warmly welcoming all who come through the doors.  Let's thank the Lord for that, and do our best to make sure that it continues!

And thank you to the Outreach Committee (in this case, Jacob and Amy Mozolik) for such quick follow-up!

Better Ears, Better Feedback!

A New Sunday Morning Bible Study

 We're coming to the end of Paul's joy-filled letter to the Philippians.   We'll wrap that up on Sunday, April 6.  On Palm Sunday, April 13, Pastor O. will begin a five-Sunday study and discussion called, "He who has ears, let him hear!" (Matthew 11:15).

This study was written by Professor Richard Gurgel, who teaches "Homiletics" (preaching) classes to our future pastors at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.  According to the author, this is "a Bible study designed to help hearers define faithful preaching so they can listen with more informed ears and provide more informed feedback."

"More informed ears" would mean that you, the listeners, would benefit more from every sermon. "More informed feedback" would mean that you will be able to provide useful feedback to your preacher, so that he can grow as a preacher and get better at it...for the benefit of all who hear!

EGG-STRAVAGANZA!

Family Night Fun --- Friday, April 11 --- 6:00-8:00 PM

Join us for a couple of hours of family fun for everybody (even if it's just your church family).  Just bring your already-boiled eggs and any dye or crafty-type materials you might use to decorate them.  (There will be several dozen eggs on hand for those who don't bring any, as well as dyes and craft items.)

After we're done decorating, everyone (adults and kids alike) will get a scoring card and be able to pick their favorites in a variety of categories.  The categories will be announced either in advance or on the night of the event. 

Please contact Mary Klebs or Cindy Zarnstorff for any more information you might need.

We thank the PTF for sponsoring this event!  PTF is the Parents, Teachers and Friends of Faith Lutheran School.

Two Movies and a Meal -- What a Deal!

Take your pick or participate in both!

* * * "Noah"  --- Movie and Discussion --- Saturday, April 5 * * *

The Women’s Bible Study Group will host a fellowship event centering on the movie "Noah."  Meet up at Century 16 theaters at 4:00pm if you’d like to see the movie as a group (purchase your tickets early for the 4:20pm show, in case it’s sold out).  

Bring a friend and a potluck dish to share afterward at church.  We'll eat about 6:30pm in the Fellowship Hall.  Beverages & desserts will be provided.  A discussion led by Pastor Ewings will start about 7pm.  Call Beth Meyer at 947-9861 with any questions.             

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* * * "Come Follow Me" Small Group Bible Studies --- Sunday Evening, April 6 * * *

Would you like to get together with a few other folks and talk about Jesus?  The plan is to watch a short segment of  "Come Follow Me" and then talk about it.  Volunteer hosts will lead each group in a short study/discussion at their homes.   This first get-together will be on Sunday evening, April 6, but each group can then plan when they'll next meet the next time.   

Please see the sign-up list and further information posted on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall.  Talk to Mr. Schneck if you need more details.  If you'd like to watch the movie in advance, pick up your copy of the DVD at church.

Donate some air miles?

This summer, the Alaska Circuit will again be blessed to have some eager young volunteers among us.  They are students at Martin Luther College, in training for the preaching and teaching ministries in our synod.  In the Summer Ministry Assistant program, they'll serve our congregations and get some valuable experience by assisting with Vacation Bible Schools, Camp Luther and outreach activities.

Part of the Alaska churches' responsibilities is getting them here.  In order to save some dollars doing that, we're hoping that some of our members will be able and willing to donate air miles (or companion tickets?) that could be used as part of the transportation package.

We need to fly 2 of our team members from Milwaukee, 1 from Charlotte, NC and 1 from Detroit or Grand Rapids, MI.  Alaska Air Miles or other carriers would work.  A companion fare for Alaska could be used for the team from Milwaukee, but we’d have to get them a ride down to Chicago O’Hare to take advantage of it.  As of now there are a few seats open on a flight that would work for them and they are much cheaper that way than even the cheapest out of Milwaukee (on Expedia.

If you have a ton of miles, or just have miles that you don't intend to use, please notify Pastor Oldfield or, more directly, Pastor Hackmann (414-232-1441), as soon as you can. 

We will also need to house the students while they are in Anchorage serving Faith.

Making the Most of Lent

A very special time of the year is approaching for Christians all around the world.  Next Wednesday, March 5, is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  At Faith Lutheran, Lent is a very special time for us, too, and we're going to make the most of it this year with two unique sermon series.

Starting on the 1st Sunday of in Lent (March 9), Pastor O's sermon texts will be portions of the great chapter of Isaiah (52:13 to 53:12) that vividly portray and explain the sufferings and victory of our Savior.  The theme for the six Sundays in Lent will be "Our Suffering Servant."

Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Pastors Oldfield, Hackmann and Robbert will take turns at Faith, Peace and King of Kings.  They'll take us back to Jesus' Passion and recall some of the objects that are especially memorable, namely:  the table, the silver, the sword, the wash basin, the crown and the cross.  Our theme for the six Wednesdays of Lent will be, "Remember These?"

Decide now, if you haven't already, to make the most of Lent 2014.  Come in penitent faith to be reminded, comforted, encouraged and strengthened by the message of Christ crucified!

Note:  We'll also have our usual "soup suppers" on Wednesdays at 6:00, prior to our 7:00 services.  These are quite informal and unplanned.  If you wish to bring food to share, please do; join us for the fellowship even if you can't bring something!

Click here for access to our Ministry Calendars

Faith Stepping Stones: Raising a Healthy Preschooler

This Event has been Cancelled. It may be rescheduled at a later date.

Raising a Healthy Preschooler

Saturday, March 1st

9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Faith Stepping Stones

CAMM Make and Bake Sale

Join us for fellowship as we help support the Central Africa Medical Mission.  This annual family friendly event is a great way to support the spreading of the gospel though spiritual and physical ministry in Africa.

 

WHAT:  CAMM MAKE AND BAKE SALE

WHEN: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23^RD at 9:15AM

WHERE:  FELLOWSHIP HALL

Do you need ideas on what to bring?  Past donations have included breakfast items, baked goods and artisan craft items in addition to financial support.  Check our CAMM links for more information or contact Joy Bromaghin at 336-6186.

For more information about CAMM, visit www.faithalaska.com/camm.