Newsletter

 

A New Pastor Has Been Called!!!

 

 

I am happy to announce that the ‘Call Vote’ on March 16 was very positive, resulting in a Call being extended to Harvey Johnson to be the next Pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church. That Call has been accepted, and we now move to the final steps in the process. The family will be moving some things to the parsonage the first few weeks of April; Ordination and Installation  will take  place on  Saturday, April 19,  and  Pastor  Harvey  will  assist with worship on April 20^th & lead worship for the first time on April 27.

 

As we look forward to the arrival of Harvey and LaVonne I know that Messiah will uphold its reputation of being a friendly and inviting congregation. Upon numerous occasions Harvey has expressed how warm and receptive the call committee, congregational council, synod staff, and congregation of Messiah have been.

 

Excitement should be widespread among the congregation as we have the unique opportunity to witness an Ordination and, as many church’s before us, we should look with pride upon the occasion to help “grow a pastor” who has recently graduated seminary.  I pray that we may witness to these opportunities and that the spirit may work within us and uplift us to a new level of spirituality; that we are continually striving to keep in mind “building the body of Christ” practicing patience, understanding, forgiveness, and most importantly remembering the call of Messiah to “touch all people with God’s love”.

 

Bishop David deFreese will preside and preach at the Ordination Service on Saturday, April 19, at 4:00 p.m.  We hope to have a full Church – as Ordination is one of the most moving of services, that few people get to witness. “Pastor” Harvey will be Installed as Messiah’s Pastor at the end of the Service…A welcoming Reception will follow.

 

                                                            Cory Lenners, Council President

 

 

 

 

 

CHANGE OF PHONE NUMBERS AND ADDRESSES

It is difficult to keep our church records up to date when we are not notified that your phone number has changed OR that you have disconnected your land line and only have a cell phone number. We would like to keep in touch with you and phone numbers are very important! Address changes cost the church money. We pay postage dues on address changes and this amount adds up when we have several mailings with wrong addresses. So please notify the church office when you change phone numbers or addresses.  THANK YOU!

 

Pray for Peace

In this sad and tragic time of war and terrorism, we pray for our men and women in the military, our President, and Congress. We pray for the innocent who suffer and die. We pray for every effort to bring peace on God’s earth and an end to national, ethnic and religious beliefs that foster fear, mistrust, arrogance, intolerance, hatred, torture, and killing.

 

 

 

SATURDAY SUPPERS at Messiah

“Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”  Proverbs 11:25

 

Messiah Church opens the door for a free meal on every Saturday Night, serving 4:30 to 5:30 PM.

 

VOLUNTEERS: Without volunteers every week, this ministry simply would not be.  Many of you are regulars – which is a huge support.  There are also regular co-workers from other churches.  The sign up poster is down in the fellowship hall, near the coffee. Help is especially needed to SERVE the meal – this means just come from 4:00 to 6:00.  8-10 people are needed each Saturday.

 

SAINT FRANCIS MEDICAL CENTER / SUPER SAVER / ROBERTS MILK / Hy-Vee

We continue to be so grateful that most all of the meal needs are supplied by these connections.  Besides a substantial meal, there is often enough for take outs.

 

THANK YOU TO OUR FAITHFUL CAPTAINS:

Ed & Carol Young, Bob & Connie Krohn, Jim & Janice Elrod

We can always use more captians – If you are interested, please talk with any of the captains!

 

Joe Obermeier is a faithful co-captain and regular kitchen hand.

Please sign-up to help serve - we need more Messiah folk to “step up!”

 

MONEY GIFTS SUSTAIN NEEDS - 

Gifts can be given any time to this ministry - just mark for “Saturday Suppers.”

 

THANKS BE TO GOD – AND THANKS BE TO ALL WHO SUPPORT SATURDAY SUPPERS!

 

SUNDAY SCHOOL

• Thank you for the great turn-out for Bowling at Super Bowl – We had 32 bowlers and 41 people attend!  It was fun for everyone!
• Thank you for all your support for HOPE Harbor. They appreciated all the donations of hygiene products, children’s books, coloring books and crayons and food items and the visit by the Sunday School children. This ingathering of gifts will help so many families in need.
• The Sunday School will be doing a coat drive this fall for HOPE Harbor. So if you have coats in good condition that are outgrown or not needed – save them for our “Coat Drive”!!
• Petey Callihan won the t-shirt design contest!  Congratulations Petey!
• The Last Day of Sunday School is May 18^th and the kids will sing at the 10:45 service!!!
• The Christian Education Committee is sponsoring a garage sale in the church parking lot on September 6^th. 

 

Dates to Mark on your Calendar!

·         May 18^th Last Day of Sunday School

Kids sing at 10:45 service

·         September 6^th Garage Sale in Church Parking Lot

·         September 7^th Fall Kick-Off for Sunday School

with installation of Teachers and Staff

 

                      Thanks for all your support!

 

Dena Brooks – Secretary of Sunday School Ministries

Courtney Berg – Director of Sunday School Ministries

 

NAME TAGS

To help Pastor Harvey and LaVonne put names with faces, we will be wearing name tags for a few Sundays. A table will be set up in the narthex to pick up your name tag. You can leave them on the table on your way out of church – they will be placed in alphabetical order and you can pick them up each Sunday to wear!  Thank you!

 

PENTECOST SUNDAY – MAY 11

On Pentecost Sunday, May 11^th, the church will be decorated in “RED” with geraniums throughout our worship space. If you would like to give a donation to help purchase the red geraniums, put it in an envelope and mark it “FLOWER FUND”.  Thank you!  Also plan to wear red on Pentecost Sunday!

 

DEDICATION OF MEMORIALS

Dedication of Memorials will be held May 25^th. Completed memorial projects from the past year will be dedicated in memory of loved ones.

 

SYNOD ASSEMBLY

The Nebraska ELCA Synod Assembly will be held May 30 – 31 and June 1^st at the Heartland Event Center in Grand Island.  This is a great opportunity for members to help out and be involved! Talk to Cory Lenners, Council President for more information!

 

MINISTERS and MINISTRIES DIRECTORY

The Church office has completed an update of a new membership directory with addresses and phone numbers entitled “Ministers and Ministries” (A pink booklet available to pick up in the narthex or at the church office). If you are currently using a cell phone number and have discontinued your home phone number, we need to know if you want this cell phone number published – Not all members want cell phone numbers published. It is very difficult to keep phone numbers current. Please call the church office to update phone numbers!  Thank you

 

WOMEN OF THE ELCA

 

The Women of the ELCA had a busy April. I want to thank Connie Krohn and her committee for

all their work serving the reception after the ordination service for Pastor Johnson and family. Thanks to

Shirley Brodman for furnishing the table decorations. A big welcome to our new Pastor and know it will

be great to work with him in our ministry of serving the church.

 

Sewing day was well attended and we finished 22 quilts – thanks for everyone’s help.

 

May our wonderful April showers bring on those beautiful May flowers. God blesses us in so many ways. Wishing you all the best as we serve our Lord to the best of our abilities.

 

                                    Friends in Christ,

Marilyn Williamson, Vice President

                       

                                    WELCA CALENDAR

                                May 2 – Church Women United Friendship Supper

                                           At Trinity Methodist – Use door on 6^th  & Cedar

                                May 4 – Ruth Circle serves graduation reception between services

May 6 – Board Meeting at 1:00 PM

May 15 – Circle Meetings

May 20 – Lydia Circle visits Lebensraum

 

 

QUILTING FOR CAROL JOY HOLLING QUILT AUCTION

Come quilt Monday evenings from 5:30 to 9:00 PM in the church basement. Spend an hour or two or the whole evening. We need you help to complete a quilt for the “Quilt Auction” at Camp Carol Joy Holling – Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries. The Quilt Auction will be held July 26^th!!

 

NEW PRESCHOOL TEACHER

HEIDI WEBER

 

Hi!  My name is Heidi Weber and I was born and raised in Seward, NE.

I attended St. John Lutheran Grade School and Seward High School.

 

     After High School I attended the University of Nebraska – Kearney, where I double majored in elementary education and early childhood. While in college, I was active in many campus and community organizations.

     Since then I have moved to Grand Island and always enjoy meeting new people here and finding ways to get involved.  In my free time, I enjoy playing sports and scrapbooking.  Starting at an early age, I have worked with young children in many church and public settings and am looking forward to working with the children at Messiah Lutheran Preschool.

                

 Preschool classes will be held Monday-Wednesday-Thursday

                   from 8:15-11:15 and 12:15-3:15 for 4 & 5-year olds and . . .

                      Tuesday and Fridays from 8:15-10:45 for 3-year olds.

 

                      Come to Preschool Round-up May 1^st – 4:30 to 7:00 PM.

                        I would like to meet some of our Preschool families!

 

GRAD SUNDAY – MAY 4^TH

 

Messiah’s Graduating Seniors will be honored Sunday May 4^th at worship with a quilt presentation and the Women of the ELCA will host a reception between services in the fellowship hall.  Also scholarship awards will be presented at the 8:30 service.

 

Messiah’s 2008 Grads are:  Amanda Calhoon, Brett English,

Hannah Gappa, Luke Hannon, Jacob Harmon, John Lilley,

Riley Meyer, Perry Schutz, Cori Trautman, Ezarah Williams

 

Thank you to the quilt makers who sewed the graduation quilts – Rena Kjar, Sue Koch, Mae Lenners, Levada Nielson, Cheryl Harder, Kay Stoppkotte……and thanks to Orva  Samuelson for helping to trim the quilts.

 

ORDINATION / INSTALLATION SERVICE

For Harvey Johnson

                                                                 

On Saturday, April 19, 2008 at a 4 PM service, Harvey Johnson was ordained as Pastor. Bishop David deFreese presided at the Ordination. Assisting Bishop deFreese was Rev. Alena Lamirato of Alma Lutheran Church in Mead, NE.  Council President Cory Lenners presented Harvey for Ordination. Scriptures were read by Erick Johnson, Harvey’s son and Lorene Thorson, his sister. Caitllin Johnson, Harvey’s daughter, read the Psalm for the service. LaVonne and her parents, Dale & Florence Funk placed a stole over his shoulders immediately after the ordination. A special musical selection during the service was presented by Pastor Harvey, Jeremy Reimers, Jennifer and Christina Zarek. Cory Lenners presented Pastor Harvey a gift of seasonal stoles from the congregation.

 

Immediately following the Service of Ordination

was the Installation of Pastor Harvey. Jeremy

Reimers and Pat Bell, Co-Chairs of the Call

Committee participated in the Installation Service.

 

A reception was held following the services to

Welcome Pastor Harvey Johnson, his wife,

LaVonne, and children Erick and Caitlin to

Grand Island and to Messiah.

 

Pastor Harvey Johnson is a 2007 graduate of Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, PA. Prior to attending seminary, Pastor Harvey served in the Army for 15 years and worked for the Veteran’s Administration. He is a native of Montana and received his undergraduate degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. Pastor Harvey’s wife, LaVonne is a Nurse Practitioner and has accepted a position with the VA in Grand Island. Their son, Erick is in the second year of his doctoral program at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, PA and their daughter, Caitlin is a junior at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. Her major is Biology with a minor in Chemistry. She will be applying to medical schools this year and wants to become an Optometrist.

 

125^th ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE

Plans are being made for the upcoming 125^th anniversary of Messiah. Our actual anniversary is August 5, 2008 and will be celebrated on August 3, 2008. Below are activities and events that are planned:

 

        √ History Book                                                                  √ Float in the Harvest of Harmony Parade

        √ History DVD made by middle & high school students                  √ Anniversary Dinner and Reception

        √ Cookbook                                                                                  √ Sunday Service Celebration

        √ Quilt using the Sunday School children                            √ Christmas Ornaments

                                           √ Banners from Messiah’s clubs and organizations

 

NEW PRESCHOOL TEACHER

 

Heidi Weber has been hired as the new Preschool Teacher at Messiah for the 2008-09 school year. Heidi taught one year in the public school and has had experience in Christian preschools as a high school student and while in college.

 

Classes for 4 & 5-year olds will be held three days a week and classes for 3-year olds will be held two days a week. Registrations for next year’s classes are being taken now.  Please have anyone interested, sign up for classes now!

 

 For more information, call the church office.  (382-3471)

 

Kay Stoppkotte, Preschool Chairperson

 

REMEMBER IN PRAYER . . .

 

Military Members and Families:  

Gabe Rother, Tim Critz, Billy Obermeier, Jerry Kjar,

Jon Jensen, Eric Phillips, Joel Herman, Amber & Clayton Engelman, Danelle Collins, Phillip Rother, Ashley Elrod, Brent Reimers, Leslie-Lacy-Lois Lautenschlager

 

Those hospitalized this past month:

Alvera Anderson, Rickie Lenners, Wayne Moss,

Ed Young, Kim Mettenbrink, Frances Heins,

Roger Hongsermeier, Dale Nielson, Robert Stubby, Clarence Peter, Anette Davis

 

FUNERAL

 Marie Harder                                         4/12/08

     Aunt of Lorraine Jensen

 

BAPTISMS

  Dax Owen Kirkland                                 4/06/08

      son of Kohl & Amanda Kirkland

 

   Kysen Eric Martinez                              4/27/08

      son of Donney Joe Martinez and Tara Phillips

 

Thank you to Messiah friends and family for your prayers and expressions of sympathy at the death of my father, Alvin Kort.  It was comforting to know you were thinking of my family.  Sincerely, Cheryl Harder                                            

 

Messiah Lutheran Church Members and Council,

It is with great regret and sadness that I announce my resignation as your Family Life Ministry Director. With great faith in God, I will begin the next chapter of my life on May 1, 2008. I thank all of you for the warm reception you gave me and will take with me many great memories. Please keep me in your prayers. Respectfully in Christ, Beth Kroeger