The Messenger402-269-2360 Email: lmcchurchoffice@gmail.com

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For Wearied, Discouraged Souls

The last night of our staff backpack had come and we were weary. Most of us were sunburned. We were most definitely dirty with no shower for four days. Several of us had blisters from miles of hiking. We gathered togeth-er in a circle for worship on a beautiful rock hill overlooking the aspen glow of pink on the mountain tops when our director began to sing this song:

There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole.

There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.

Sometimes I feel discouraged,

and think my work's in vain, but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again.

(Refrain)

Don't ever feel discouraged, for Jesus is your friend,

who, if you ask for knowledge, will never fail to lend.

(Refrain)

If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul,

you can tell the love of Jesus, who died to save us all.

As he sang, our director put lotion into his hands and leaned over to the next person on his right rubbing the lotion into that person’s hands. Each person did the same for the next soul on their right until our tired, wearied souls received a balm (the lotion) that made our wearied souls whole. Our souls are weary. What was thought would only be weeks for COVID-19 precautions has become months. What was thought to be navigating one crisis became two with the financial strains of the economy. What was thought to be two became three with the death of George Floyd and the rise of protests confronting racism. One of these would be enough to create exhaustion. Three has overwhelmed us in weariness.

Messenger

Irving Stubbendick Lorine Hespen

Marilyn Wellensiek Irene Kuenning

Lois Block Sharon Hudson

Rolland Johnson Henry Wellensiek

Helen Hawkins Phyllis Bueslng Don Rosenthal

Mae Lang

Dale Janssen Janis Ehmke Delores Post Steve Lade

Robin Maestle Ninajean Rohlfs LeeAnn Zeiger Juli Liesemeyer Jerry Rosenthal

Lucille Niebuhr Mallory Mueller

When weariness collides with sin, we live with a sin-sick soul. How often our weariness drives us to shut down and turn in on our-selves to where we want to only care about me and my family and our rights. How often weariness drives us to react or project in anger towards others when we have had enough. How often weariness drives us to discouragement and vanity as we want to throw our arms into the air exclaiming, “I’m done!” Indeed, weariness can drive you to these, but it also can drive you to Jesus if you let it! If ever there has been a time when we human beings realize that we cannot and are not able to sustain and navigate what has been handed to us in this lifetime, this is it. This IS the time to let our weariness drive us to Jesus Christ who helps us handle what we have been given. How comforting it is to know that as Jesus was 100% divine, he was also 100% human and knew what weariness is as a human being. Imagine how weary he had to have been at the Mount of Olives when he prayed to God his Father asking to remove this cup from him. His weariness drove him to his Father who gave him the strength to do what God called him to do. Let your weariness drive you to Jesus who will lend you knowledge. Let your weariness drive you to Jesus who will fill you with the Holy Spirit to revive your soul. Let your weariness drive you to Jesus who will give you the strength to do what God calls you to do … to tend to the lonely, to listen to the brokenhearted, to care for the downtrodden, to uplift that saddened. This may mean in today’s world that you learn and listen to our black brothers and sisters who are hurting and need us to recognize where systemic racism exists, and it may also mean that you learn and listen to our law enforcement in the care and community support you can bring to-wards reform, respect, and appreciation. It may also mean sitting next to your loved one with lotion in your hand, taking their tired worn hands as you soothe their skin reminding them there is healing to come. And when it comes down to it in the end, you may feel that you cannot preach or pray or advocate or care like others, BUT you CAN tell the love of Jesus who died to save us all! In Christ’s love, Pastor Sarah

The Semi-Annual Meeting scheduled for June 28th was cancelled due to Covid-19. We will

be sending out the financial overview of January—June 2020 in the August

Newsletter.

First Communion Instruction in July and First Communion in August for over Twenty Youth

Due to COVID-19, 1st Communion was postponed. Over twenty youth and families will be joining our pastors for 1st Communion Instruction via Zoom July 15th and July 29th at 7 pm. These youth will be celebrating their First Communions on Sunday, August

2nd.

Virtual Confirmation Camp

Also due to COVID-19, Carol Joy Holling is not able to have campers this summer for confirmation camp. Our 7th (going into 8th

grade) youth will be meeting with Pr. Alma in the mornings of July 13-17 via Zoom for Bible Study/Faith Formation lessons, fellow-

Youth Milestones coming up in the future! Please put these dates on your

9th Grade Confirmand “Parable of Talents Projects”—a Few Highlights as these Confirmands work with their Mentors (more to come next month)

Mallory Strong T-shirts for Rescue Squad—Caleb Caudill (along with two 8th graders working early Gavin Kelch and

Brodie Panko)

Community Gardens with Fred—Connor Martacho

Restoring wooden playset for Luther Memorial’s grass lot—Nathanial Cordray

LMC’s prayer garden with family--Rylee Seelhoff

Socks for Gavin-Highlighted Downs Syndrome with a gift of socks and bracelets for brother Gavin’s classmates and adult helpers-Emma Panko

Homeless Supply Bags to homeless shelter in Lincoln-Lyndsay Engelbrecht

Gathering of clothing and personal supplies for teenagers living at Cedars Home for Children in Lincoln-

Jared & Jacob Panko

Vouchers for Good Sam and Lindenview Residents to go on a Ride

Luther Memorial’s Outreach and Evangelism is using a portion of Thrivent funds to finance Good Sam and Linden View residents a voucher to pay for in-dividual rides on the Good Sam van during their quarantine. The staff of Good Sam will offer a 30 minute ride to residents to schedule and choose the desti-

nation. This will provide a much needed “outing” for all residents if they choose to use it, as they have not been able to leave their location since early March!

Thank you to those of you who share your Thrivent Choice Dollars enabling our

congregation to do such an act of love and outreach to our neighbors.

Behind the Scenes During this time of worshiping differently, it is so important for us to continue to

cultivate this beautiful spirit of gratitude to God and one another. As those up front, we are beyond grateful for those behind the scenes. Please join us in expressing our thanks to God and to these people we list this month and in the months ahead!

Please thank Lacy Johnson, daughter Brandy, and all her family for all their help in coordinating V.B.S. Virtual Broadcasting in Syracuse for each Wednesday in the month of June! Youth received a craft bag and name tag beforehand, as well as enjoyed weekly online videos of the theme, puppets, songs, and interviews. Lacy and Brandy have also done several children’s sermons! Lacy is the chairperson of our Education Committee. We thank God for Lacy and her family for all the gifts they have shared!

Please thank Gabe Meints for the many children’s sermons he has volunteered to do during these COVID-19 months! Gabe also serves as the Education Committee representative on council, and jumps in to help whenever he can! Have you seen his security shirt while he ushers out-side or his use of red ribbons on Pentecost Sunday to help you park? What a gift!

June 2020 Council Meeting Notes

Music and Worship – Potential soft opening July 12.

Still looking for ushers for the drive in service two to three people needed each Sunday. Will also be looking for ushers for soft opening.

Education will meet late July/early August to prepare for Sunday School

Endowment applications to go out by end of June and will be due August 15.

Corner lot has a new name “Crosswalk Heights”.

Approval made for proposed Phases of LMC operation – COVID 19 and Church Reopening Guidelines. These guidelines will be posted around the Church.

BECKMAN PROJECT

$158.00 was added to the Beckman Fund in June.

Birthdays Anniversaries Joan Obermeyer Steve & Susan Wellman Harold & Bonnie Post

Please help us congratulate Pastor Sarah on her 15th year of being in ministry! LMC is blessed to have you here!

Free Tech Help!!! Now and until around July 24th Aaron

Halvorsen is offering help to our elderly to set up various equipment to stream church services and would be happy to consider helping them with any other technology (smartphones, streaming

devices, computer, how to work zoom, etc.) that he is familiar with. He would

also wear a mask and gloves and sanitize whenever possible to help keep everyone safe. Call the church office at 402-269-2360 to

schedule an appointment.

Applications for the Endowment Fund are now online at

luthermemorialchurch.org. Deadline will be August 15th. Please send in the mail to church office or email to

lmcchurchoffice@gmail.com.

In order to allow your pastors to enjoy their day of Sabbath, Pastors Sarah and Alma will be alternating months as the on-call pastor for pastoral emergen-cy. We will publish this information in the newsletter and the bulletin. During the month of July, Pastor Alma will be on-call. If there is an emergency on Mondays or after office hours, please call Pr. Alma (402.269.4419)

How to Navigate COVID-19 as LMC in the Months Ahead

Included in this newsletter is a “Color Phase” chart which was accepted and approved by LMC’s church council on Saturday, June 20th. This chart explains possible COVID-19 conditions, the locale (surrounding and local) of such conditions, and how we as Luther Memorial will function according to these conditions.

For example, we will be functioning as of July 12th in the Yellow Phase, which defines conditions as: no local community spread in Syracuse but may be seeing additional increases within a 60 mile radius such as Omaha, Nebraska City, Lincoln, etc. Worship will be: online (recorded on Sunday and posted late morning), Sunday Drive-In at 9 a.m., and Sunday “soft-opening” at 10:15 with CDC regulations in place. We have decided that we do not want to exclude anyone based on age. However, please only come in person as you feel well with no symptoms. We will be wearing masks as an act of love towards our neighbor, especially with the decision to have all ages. (Parents of little ones, we understand you will do your best with masks, but if a young one is not able and the rest of you are, please still attend.) The front door will be the only door for entrance for the 10:15 service. We will all work together, trusting that each one of us is trying our best to maintain the 6-foot social distance and wear our masks.

Beyond worship, please do read the remaining “functionings” of each color phase. As long as decreases continue to happen in our surrounding area for the following 14 days, we will get to move into the green phase, etc. If increases in COVID-19 cases in surrounding areas and/or Syracuse, we will have to return to the appropriate color phase. Please keep this “Color Phase” chart visible in the months to come at home. Each outside door at the church will also have the particular color on the door with the list of conditions and functions of that phase. Let’s work together as we take steps in this new normal!! If you have any questions, please call the office or one of the pastors.

Youth & Family Happenings

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Homecoming We hope everyone enjoyed our V.B.S. episodes as we learned about the history of our community and our church. Special thanks to our guest speakers: Larry Bartels, Ruth Windhorst, Carol Wallman and Nancy

Seelhoff. Thank you to everyone that helped with the productions: Pr. Sarah, Nick, Nathanial and Samantha

Cordray and Kari Schroeder . We look forward to posting our slide show in July with a collection of

photos from everyone!

Luther League Secret Spiritual Sponsors

Thank you to all the people that were willing to

pray for and support the Luther League through

the year. We really appreciate your care for our

High School Youth.

Luther League: July 17 - 8:00 pm Senior Send-off,

more information to come your way

Confirmation Faith Projects We have 12 9th grade youth, Mentors, and families that are currently working on their Faith Projects.

These projects help the youth express their passions and how their faith moves them to serve. Some of

these projects help LMC directly and some help our community. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page

as to how you can help them with their projects.

Confirmation Virtual Camp: July 13 - 17 We have a 11 youth participating in an alternative version of our Confirmation Camp. With the strange times we live in right now

and with Carol Joy Holling closed for the summer we will be engaging in a alternative version of our Confirmation Camp.

Please pray for these youth during this time. Youth: Please keep an eye for Fellowship Dates to come your way.