January2020
A New Year BlessingGodbehindusinthepast;
Christbeforeus,thewayahead;Christbesideusinthismoment;
Christbeneathusinourweakness;Christaboveustoshieldus—
beneaththeshadowofhiswingswearesafe;Christbetweenustobindusintheunityofhis
love;Christinus,equippinguswithhisall-sufficient
grace.Thus,guidedandprotected,wefacethenewyear.Nowweariseandgoforthonthejourneybefore
us,trusGngthatwhereChristleads,
lifeisajourneyhome.Therefore,wetravelinfaith,inhope,andinlove.MaytheblessingoftheGod,theholyTrinity
beuponusanduponallthisyearandintoeternity.
Amen.
IneverycongregaGonthereismuchworkthatisdonebehindthescenesthatmostfolksarenotawareof.IamparGcularlyawareoftheyear-endworkthatisdoneinpreparaGonforourannualmeeGngonFeb-ruary2.Soasweenter“crunchGme”IwanttoliOupandthank…
• TheFinanceTeam(RobinKenney,JennyWeber,JimMohni,andBarbPolglaze)fortheirworkinpreparingyearendreportsandstatements,anddesigninganewbud-getformatfor2020.
• TheNomina>ngCommi@ee(BetsyBost-ian,BarbCoates,JeanMinehart,JeanneTowell,MelanieOstmo)forinviGngandpersuadingmemberstoacceptnominaGonforposiGonsofleadershipandtrustinthiscongregaGon.
Pleasethankthemembersofthesecommit-tees,andprayforthesuccessoftheirworkonourbehalf.
AsweentertheNewYear,IamalsoverymuchawarethatyouvotedonNovember17toembarkonaCapitalAppealtofundourbuildingrenovaGons.CouncilhasconvenedourCapitalAppealTeam:LeePaulsen,Jane@eCoppa,EmilyRobins,RossBlan-chard,AdamvanGrootheest,NancyMe>er-Mohni.Astheybeginthenecessary“pre-work”tolaunchthecapitalappeal,pleaseprayforthemandthesuccessoftheirwork.MayGodinspireyoutosay“yes”whentheyaskforyourassistanceandsupport.
Blessings,Pastor Ritva
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AmessagefromyourMinisterforFaithLife
OctoberfinishedwithaHalloweensnowfallwhichmeantmovingTrunkorTreatfrompark-inglottocreaGvelymakingspaceinsideandtrunkstobetransferredtotabletops.AmyKuhnservedawonderfulmealtobeginthefes-GviGes.Costumedmembersdecoratedandhandedoutcandytothecostumedtrick-or-treatersforaverywarmandfuneveningformembersandneighbors.
Novemberiswhenleavesfallandautumngiveswaytowinter,Jack-o-lanternsturntobakingpumpkinandaddingspicewiththecomingofThanksgiving.
AtSt.Stephen’sNovemberisDutchApplePiesGme.Weweretakingorders,applesordered,gatheringapplepeelers,notesfrompastven-turesandorganizingandeventuallyturningthecozyFellowshipHallatchurchintopiemakingfactory.Ihadneverwitnessedthisevent.CheersforKarenVanderSandenforherexperience,notesandsomanyhoursputinmakingsurethiseventwentsmoothly.JakeVanderSandenwaseversohelpfuldevelopingandkeepingcheckonsaleswiththespreadsheet.ConfirmaGonandhighschoolyouth(andevensomeyoungerkids)weretheretosellSundays.Iwasnewtothisadventureandwasimpressedwithsomany,ofallages,whoshowedupforthepro-ducGonday.330piesin3hourswasamazingandpossiblethankstothecommitmentandGmeofvolunteers.Ifeltveryprivilegedtobesmallpartofthisevent.ThepiesaretradiGon,thereismuchsupportfromthecommunitybutaboveallitisthepeopleofSt.Stephen’swhomakethishappenyearaOeryear.Iamgratefulandblessedtobeworkingwithinthiscongrega-Gonloadedwithcommided,helpful,knowl-edgeablememberswhoaretheheartandsoulallSt.Stephen’s. -Marilee Torres
JoinusforourThreeKingsDayFes>valofgamesandtreatsSunday,January5,9am.Likethethreekings,ShareChrist’slovebygivinggiOstothoseinneed:
(1) PajamaDrive:needed125setsofneworgentlyusedpajamasforthechildrenatGrantWoodsElementarySchool.ManychildrendonothavepajamasandhavetosleepintheirdayGmeclothes.Nothavingpajamastheycan’tparGcipatewhenits“wear-your-pajamas-to-school-day.Seethedisplayinthenarthexforsizes.
(2) FamilyPromiseRefugeeFamily-theKabongo’s.WealreadyhaveplanstomakeChristmasforJojo(dad),Toche(mom),Hamilton(K-1stgrade),Monica(3-4yr),andMary(1yr):TohelpthemgetagoodstartontheNewYearweareinviGngyoutocontributepersonalhygieneproducts,householdcleaningsupplies,blankets,cookware,andmaybeatoyortwoforthechildren.Abasketinthenarthexwillbedesignatedfortheseitems.
PleaseensureallpajamasandgiOsfortheKabongo’sareatchurchbySunday,January5.Thankyou!
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YOUR GENEROSITY BLESSES
OUR CHURCH &
OUR NEIGHBORS!
Update on fall stewardship appeal, as of December 19:
Total pledges received: 70 (2019 total: 61) Total amount pledged: $190,500 (2019 total: $158,958)
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
YoucansGllsubmitapledgefor2020,byfillingintheonlinepledgeformonourwebsite(www.sslulth.com),orjustemailourFinancialSecretaryJennyWeberatjenny.a.weber@gamil.com.ShewouldalsobehappytosetyouupforamonthlyElectronicFundsTransfer(EFT).
FinancialUpdateasofNovember30,2019
Year-to-dateIncome: $198,604Year-to-dateexpenses: $205,075NetIncome: -6,470
CheckingAccountBalance: $9,532.04
YourStewardshipCommi2eethanksyouforyourgi8sandyourgenerosity!
Ifyouhavefallenbehindinyour2019commitment,orIfyouhaveyettomakeagiOfor2019nowistheGmetodo-soasyouareable.
Helpusfinishtheyearstrong!
Your gifts have provided a new-used stove, and shoes for every member of the Kabongo family (living in the “Red” House as they wait for their
refugee paperwork to be processed). Other neighbors have received food assistance over the holidays.
Thank you for making a difference!
LoveOneAnotherFund(LOAF)
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Words from theEndowment Committee:
BackwardandForwardTheideaof“NewYear”isnotaChrisGanidea.WhenPopeGregorydeclaredtheJuliancalendartobe“wrong”becauseEasterkeptmovingclosertothebeginningoftheyear,andinsGtutedtheGregoriancalendar,whichwesGlluse,hedidnotchangethenamesofthemonths.ThatmeanswesGllcallthefirstmonthoftheyear“January”aOertheRomangod,Janus,thetwo-facedgodwithonefacelookingforwardandtheotherlookingbackward.
FromanendowmentperspecGve,lookingtowardthepastweseeverylidlegrowth;andmostgrowththathasoccurredasbeeninterestontheendowmentfunds.Lookingtowardthefuture,whatdowesee?Maybemoreofthesame,orhopefully,maybemore,period.
Weareorsoonwillbeinthemidstofacapitalcam-paigntodeterminewhetherornotwecanmoveaheadonamajorremodelingprojectand,ifso,howmuchofthatprojectwecanundertake.Assuming,again,thattherewillbesomesortofprojectunder-taken,myquesGon,asposedafewmonthsago,re-mains:howwillwemaintainanynewaddiGonofanysize?PartoftheansweristobuildacriGcalmassoffundsintheendowmentsothattheinterestonthosefundsmightbeused,ifnecessary,tohelppayforthoseaddiGonalexpenses.
LookingaheadintheNewYear,then,includesnotonlyregularfinancialgiving,notonlycontribuGons/pledgesfornewspace,butalsogivingdirectlytotheendowmentorleavingalegacygiOinordertosecurethefutureofnotonlythenewspace,ifitoccurs,butalsoofongoingandnewministriesastheopportuni-Gesarise.
LyleAKleman,ChairpersonEndowmentCommideeAshleyHartNicholePlaggeDeeAnnHebrink,exofficioPrRitvaWilliams,exofficio
Sundaysat9:15amintheFellowshipHall
January5—ThreeKingsIntergeneraGonalFesGvalofGamesandTreats
January12—IowaBIGbyAmandaZhorne
January19—TBA
January26—REALM,NextStepswithDavidZorn,communicaGonscoordinator
February2—AnnualMeeGng(sanctuary)
We will be hosting Family Prom-ise guests beginning on the evening of Sunday January 26 through the morning of Sunday February 2.
Look for sign-ups on the second Sunday of the New Year!
MembersNormBarnesArdellBegalskeJimDaubenmierKenFeeMaryFlecksingHarrietHemphillAnnKleman
ToniLeeMelanieMunroJudyNyeArleneOrtgiesLarryOrtgiesSteveThomasCarolWightmanDonZierath
Rela@vesMarthaAdamsonTracieBeltzKrousieGertrudeLeeTrentRosbergPeteThompsonEsterTorresPierreCampbell
FriendsTinaCarltonGayleDicksonYvonneJacksonBrentPahlJuliSears
Servinginthemilitaryand/oroverseasAlexGrat,ArmyNaGonalGuardJacobAune,Marines
FamilyandFriendsof:DarleneCampbell,died11/23,TonyThrash’saunt.
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Practice Discipleship
OurGlobalMissionPartnersThechildrenandstaffattheEbenezerGlennOr-phanageinHaiG.
TheRev.RoseMfukoandpeopleofKisiwaniParish, Tanzania(ourCompanionCongregaGon)andBish-op.CharlesRabsonMjemaandstaff,PareDiocese,
Bible&BookStudies
SundaySchool,Sundaysat9:15am.Childrenages3through5thgradeareinvitedtogatherintheChildren’sPlaceandRoom8,LowerLevel.……………………………………………………………………………AdultLifelongLearning,Sundays9:15amintheFellowship.SeebulleGninsertfortopicsandspeakers.……………………………………………………………………………LyricalBibleStudyisaFacebookgroup,focusingonpsalms,poems,andsongsintheBible.TojoincontactAlexLongatalong111361gmail.com……………………………………………………………………………Men’sCoffee&StudyGroup—Mondays8am,atMrBeansinMarion.……………………………………………………………………………Women’sBibleStudy—Tuesdaysat10amistak-ingarecessduringthemonthofJanuary,andwillresumeTuesday,February4withastudyoftheGospelofMadhew.……………………………………………………………………………Confirma>onClasses,Wednesdaysat7:15pmforMiddleSchoolYouth,gatherinRoom9,lowerlevel.
HonoringourLovedOnes
Sundays8am&10:30am
Wednesdays6:30pm
LIFECHANGINGSACREDPRACTICES
IntercessoryPrayer
Tohonoralovedone’sbirthday,anniversary,orotherspecialdate,considersponsoring:AltarFlowers—thecostis$25Keeptheeternitylamplit—thecostis$10.Signupiseasy!GothroughSignupGeniusorcheckthesignuponthe“WhatWhatJesusSignUp4”bulleGnboard.Paybyplacingacheckintheofferingwith“flowers”or“eternitylamp”onthememoline,payatthekioskinthenarthex,oron-lineatwww.ssluth.com.TakeyourflowershomesaOerthesecondserviceorleavethemtobesharedwithamemberwhocannotadend.
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WARM-HEARTEDHOSPITALITY JOYFULWITNESS
ChoirandCantorRehearsals,Wednesdays,7:15pm.Joinusaswelearnliturgies,hymns,andanthemsforSundayworship.…………………………………………………………………………….GRATEFULSERVICE
Quil>ngMinistry—BarbaraKuslarrecentlycom-pleted13quiltsthatwillbedeliveredtoLutheranServicesinIowa!IfyouwouldliketohelpcontactBarbaraat319-826-3794.………………………………………………………………………………………Opera>onBackpackPickup/DeliveryOpportunityWearelookingforpersonswhohaveavehiclewithlargecargocapacityandwhoareavailableduringdayGmeweekdayhourstopickupfoodpackagesfromtheHACAPFoodReservoir,1515HawkeyeDr.HiawathaanddelivertoGrantWoodsElementarySchool.Interested?ContactMFLMar-ileeTorresat241-1978ormflmarilee@gmail.com.………………………………………………………………………………………FamilyPromiseGuestswillbehereJanuary26throughFebruary2.LookforsignupsthesecondSundayoftheNewYear!………………………………………………………………………………
Welcome to new members:HarperFolsomJoeMercil
JohnTollefsonSashaandNateOster
togetherwiththeirchildrenGrayandAudieOster
Look for photos of our new members in next month’s Messenger.
Women,Wine&Wisdom—Tuesday,January14,5:30PM,@RSVPand/ortoarrangeridesorchildcarecontactAmyKuhnat270-6365oramykuhn2@aol.com.……………………………………………………………………………Women’s50+LuncheonwilltakeabreakduringthemonthofJanuary,butwillresumeonTuesday,February10at11:30.……………………………………………………………………………HospitalityMinistryRe-organizingMee>ngonSundayJanuary5at9:15aminRoom11.NewTeamLeaders:SallyTerukina,IanSGvers,andBetsyBosGanwillworkouttheirassignments.AmyKuhnwillconGnuetoorganizethemonthlyWomen,Wine,Wisdomgatherings.…………………………………………………………………………….
STAYINFORMED!
Youcanviewthecouncilmee>ngminutes,pre-viousMessengers,councilmembers,videosoftheSundaysermons,andmoreonourwebsite! CouncilMee>ngMinutes:hdps://ssluth.com/our_councilPastMessengers:hdps://ssluth.com/newslet-ters
Celebra>ngDonZierath’sLife
ItiswithsorrowthatweannouncethedeathofDonaldZierathonFridayDe-cember20.Havingsojournedamongusfor87yearsand24daysDonisnowrest-
ingsecurelyinthearmsofhisLord.
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RaisingourVoiceforIowaChildrenandFamilies–LutheranDayontheHill
Familiesstrugglingwithoutaccesstomentalhealthcare.Humanservicesprovidersoverworkedandunderpaid.Formerrefugeesstrivingtobuildnewlives.
TheseareallissuesfacedbyIowans.JoinustomakesuretheyareheardattheIowaStateCapitol.
PleaseconsiderjoiningLutheranServicesinIowa(LSI)andthethreeIowasynodsoftheELCAforLutheranDayontheHill,anannualdayofadvocacyinDesMoinestoupliOtheneedsofourneighbors.TheeventwillbeheldonTuesday,February25.Visitwww.LSIowa.org/advocacynextmonthforeventdetails,onlineregistraGon,andanonlinetoolkitforyourcongregaGon.
Ifyouarenewtoadvocacy,comelearnmoreaboutthelegislaGveprocessandyourroleasaciGzen.Ifyou’veadendedbefore,joinusagain.IfyouwouldlikemoreinformaGon,pleasecontactDebWhiyord,LSI’sdirectorofphilanthropyandchurchrelaGons,[email protected].
WishingyouablessedandmerryChristmasfromLSI!
OurMission:LutheranServicesinIowarespondstotheloveofJesusChristthroughcompassionateservice.LSIisanaffiliatedsocialministrypartneroftheIowacongregaHonsoftheELCA(EvangelicalLutheranChurchinAmerica)andamemberofLSA(LutheranSer-vicesinAmerica).Weproudlyservepeopleofallages,abiliHes,religions,sexes,genderidenHHes,naHonalorigins,ethniciHes,races,andsexualorientaHons.LearnmoreatLSIowa.organdFacebook.com/LSI.Iowa.
Finding Her Community
OriginallyfromEritrea,Kiros,herhusband,andheryoungsonwereforcedtofleetheircountryandliveinanEthiopianrefugeecampforalmosttwoyears.WhentheopportunitycametoresedleinIowa,KirosandherhusbandwereexcitedtoputdownrootsandcallIowahome.TheysedledintheDesMoinescommunityandknewthiswasit;thiswaswheretheywantedtocreateanewlifeintheU.S.Sincethen,theyhaveraisedfourmorechildrenandsettheirsightsonreceivingciGzenshipinthecountrythathelpedthemhealandrebuild.
KirosenrolledinLSI’sEnglishandciGzenshipclassesandworkedhardtostudyforherU.S.CiGzenshipExam.Everyweek,shemetwithinstructorsfromLSI’sRefugeeandImmigrantServicestoprepareforherinterviewwithU.S.CiGzenshipandImmigraGonServices.WhentheGmecame,shepassedherexamwithflyingcolors.SherecentlyadendedherU.S.ciGzenshipceremony,thenwenthometopre-pareforherdaughter’sfiOhbirthdayparty.
KiroshaspouredherGmeandenergyintobuildingalifewhereherfamilyhasthesameopportuniGesaseveryotherfamilyintheircommunity.help.”
St. Stephen’s December Events
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Isabelle Mercil’s Baptism (Dec 12)
St. Stephen’s Welcomes New
Members!
St.Stephen’sLutheranChurch,ELCA61031stSt.SECedarRapids,IA52403-3021
ELECTRONICSERVICEREQUESTED
StaffDirectoryPastor Rev.Dr.RitvaWilliams [email protected] SherryMercil [email protected] DavidHaas [email protected] LeslieHyland [email protected] DebbiePolk (319)329-7655CouncilPresident DeeAnnHebrink [email protected] DavidZorn [email protected]
SundayMorningSchedule8:00am FirstWorshipService9:00am Coffee&Fellowship9:15am LearningHour10:30am SecondWorshipService
WednesdayEveningSchedule6:30pm Worship
St.Stephen’sLutheranChurch(ELCA)isaReconcilinginChristcongregaGonthatwelcomesdiversi-ty,whichenriches,nurtures,andchallengesourlifeandministry.
Comeandjoinusasweknow,live,andshareChrist togetherinlove.
St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, ELCA To Know, Live, and Share Christ.
ssluth.com • 319-364-2637
