AUGUST 2014

MAVERICK

2 A Letter from Pastor

3 August Worship

4 June/July Highlights

6 Dealing with Separation 8 Trending at St. James

10 Critical Targets

12 Back to School Books

14 In Fellowship

15 Maintenance Update

IN THIS ISSUE

STAY CONNECTED

ST. JAMES LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL2101 N. Fremont Street I Chicago, IL 60614773.525.4990 I www.stjames-lutheran.org

Elementary Vacation Bible School In early June over 90 students learned that we are shipwrecked by our sin to live on a deserted and broken Island. Only Jesus can rescue us to live in a paradise of His love and salvation.

GATHER • GO • GIVE • GROW 1

Dear Friends,

We live in tumultuous times. There is great uncertainty on almost every front. Will the economy stay strong? Is it safe to fly oversees? Will my children be ready for … ? Fill in the blank. In every direction there is uncertainty, threatening possibilities and things to fear.

But the Psalmist says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)

Whether we are dealing with family issues, personal problems, economic struggles, or just feeling overwhelmed, our Lord promises to be with us and care for us through the darkest of times.

Long ago the bright light of day was plucked from the sky by the death of God’s Son. A beautiful spring day for many, even those removed from the drama at the Roman Garrison where a trial ended in the condemnation and execution order of Jesus of Nazareth.

Luke’s Gospel says, “the sun’s light failed” for three hours. Imagine the fear and trepidation of anyone witnessing such an anomaly. Imagine the panic and rash thinking that consumed people’s reactions.

And yet even in the middle of the darkness of the death of God’s only Son, God was working to restore order and to resolve the consequence of sin and to provide salvation for all who trust in Him.

When we are afraid we loose sight of the empty tomb and let the darkness reign over us. We forget that God has defeated death and by so doing has overcome all evil and darkness that seeks to control us and separate us from God. This tension between remembering God’s work and living under evil’s shroud is true for us all.

The prescription is to focus on the empty tomb and restore the light to our lives to be in God’s presence. Our daily prayer and our weekly worship are God’s way of welcoming us to remember and to have hope and to let the fear fade into the darkness replaced by the love of a savior who died for you.

There was a time when some of the disciples were deeply afraid and hid their eyes. But, Jesus touched them and said, “Rise and have no fear.” Matthew goes on to say that when they lifted their eyes they saw no one but Jesus only. That’s God’s plan for you – to hear the voice of Jesus and rise to have no fear, but see Jesus only.

In Christ,

Pastor

2 AUGUST 2014

ST. JAMES LUTHERANCHURCH AND SCHOOL

Senior Pastor Rev. Robert B. Donovan Jr.

Principal Warren Gast

Early Childhood Director Lynda Adams

Communications / Admissions Kate Donovan

Business Manager Martha Bulin

Office Manager Catherine Sitz

Children’s Ministry Jennifer Donovan

Facility ManagerSam Herlo

Music DirectorMeghan Sleezer

ReceptionKatey Kerman

Early ChildhoodBrittani MosinskiMeredith BoeseJennifer KolovosKristina Buschle

ElementaryLora Webster, First GradeKristina Kaldis, Second GradeStephanie Bending, Third GradeBrianna O’Connor, Fourth Grade

Middle SchoolBecky GorcycaKim May

SpecialsSean Watland, MusicMatt Runge, Physical EducationMary Barber, Art

Fellowship CouncilErica ChandrasekharJonathan DrewsClark EverettCarl HibbenJason HockmanJennifer LarsonMichelle PennyJason SleezerPhil SpahnPastor Donovan

UPCOMING CLASSESFellowship Orientation September 13 at 9:30 a.m.Fellowship Orientation is a class for people who were confirmed Lutheran and would like to join St. James. Register Online.

Easter Showers September 20 at 9:30 a.m.Easter Showers is a two-hour class that explores the theology of Baptism. It is required for parents wishing to get their child baptized at St. James. Children are welcome. Register Online.

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Services are on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. for the summer. Podcasts of Pastor Donovan’s sermons can be found on our website.

The Eighth Sunday After Pentecost Matthew 14:13-20

The season of Pentecost continues with Jesus feeding the five thousand. This is a challenging story to our 21st century need for scientific explanation of everything. Given that 5,000 was the count of males and considering the number of women and children present lifts the estimate to probably over 12,000 it doesn’t get easier. But that only helps the point. God works in ways we cannot understand. He has command over natural order and the complexities of science. When we realize who Jesus really is then our whole worldview takes on new possibilities.

The Ninth Sunday After Pentecost Lessons in Leadership I Leaders need to inspire others to action. The term we use is vision. How can a good leader deliver a picture to his or her followers that has clarity, passion and benefits? Moses provides us with some good examples of how leaders can be successful. Whether you are a parent coaching children and their friends or leading a work group or church team, we all can benefit by understanding these Biblical leadership lessons.

The Tenth Sunday After Pentecost Lessons in Leadership II

Leaders need to sacrifice for their communities. When the vision and objective is put before the personal needs of the leader then the rest of the community believes it is part of the plan. Moses regularly sacrificed for the sake of the vision and guided thousands upon thousands through the wilderness for 40 years.

The Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost Lessons in Leadership III

Leaders do not do things alone. Delegation is an important aspect of success. Equipping others to grow and assume leadership positions is the way to sustain success for long periods of time. This involves knowing what needs to be done and sharing the burden. Sometimes it is harder to delegate than doing it yourself, but we have to resist the temptation and allow others to grow and assume these roles in leadership.

GATHER • GO • GIVE • GROW 3

JUNE AND JULY HIGHLIGHTS

BACCALAUREATE

GARDEN WALK VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

4 AUGUST 2014

GRADUATION SUNDAY DISCOVERY WORKSHOP I A NEW CREATION

DISCOVERY WORKSHOP II RADICAL HOSPITALITY

GATHER • GO • GIVE • GROW 5

GOLF OUTING

6 AUGUST 2014

For many children, coming to school is the first experience away from their parents for an extended period of time. For others, it may be the first experience in a group setting. Many may be returning to a familiar place but are now confronted with new faces, new teachers and a new room. There may be feelings of uncertainty, shyness, nervousness or fear. Each experience that calls for separation is different and requires each child to draw on his/her developing inner resources. The separation experience is an on-going developmental issue—both emotionally and intellectually. A child is met with a new set of circumstances each time s/he needs to separate from a parent or familiar experience. We approach separation as a gradual and individualized process. We believe in allowing separation to take placeover a period of time because it is about building relationships and trust. This only happens as a child becomes familiar with school and comes to feel that school is a safe, secure and predictable place. Even if a

DEALING WITH SEPARATION

child is excited by the prospect of going to school it takes time to get to know exactly what this is all about. It takes time to get to know the routines, what the classroom is like and to form relationships with the teachers and other children. Our overall goal is to make school a positive, comfortable and worthwhile experience for you and your child. Our teachers will have met your child at a home visit to begin to develop that trust relationship with you and your child. Teachers will spend time each day helping your child feelsafe and comfortable in class. They will spend time going over rules, routines and helping every child know what to expect. Time is spent every day protecting each child’s space and work. This helps children begin to trust that the adults are there to help and protect them.

The teachers will work with you to determine the best way to make your child’s adjustment to the classroom and the

GATHER • GO • GIVE • GROW 7

HELPFUL GUIDELINES After you have done the sign in and follow the toileting routine with your child, come into the classroom and help him/her settle into an activity. Tell your child you will pick him/her up after school is over (or before lunch for the half-day program), give a hug and be on your way. Never sneak out of the room. It may be

group as comfortable as possible. Be sure to let your child know exactly what to expect regarding separation, car pools, family schedules, etc. If your child is perfectly comfortable the first day of school and doesn’t express any separation fears, that’s great. However, we caution parents that some children show a delayed reaction and become anxious a week or a month later. If this occurs, your child’s teacher will speak with you.

helpful to involve your child in creating a routine that you will follow at drop-off. For example: one hug and two kisses. Once you tell your child you are leaving, you need to go. Unexpectedly staying “another five minutes” creates confusion and anxiety for your child. When you have left, stay out of the room; do not linger in the doorway. Make sure you are on time to pick up your child when the school day is over. Remember, you must have a positive feeling towards sending your child to school; if there is any apprehension in your mind, the child will sense this. Be positive about all the things the child will do with friends at school—play with toys, do art projects, have outdoor or gym time, have a snack, read books, etc.

Our Early Childhood Open House the first day of school helps with separation.

SUMMER DISCOVERY WORKSHOPLED BY THE SPIRIT

The final Summer Discover Workshop, Led by the Spirit, will take place on August 13, 20 and 27 in the Courtyard. Stop by after 6:00 p.m. for dinner and drinks. Discovery and Discussion will begin at 7:00 p.m. and fellowship will follow.

God’s promise is that His Church will prevail until Christ returns to reign with the resurrected. He tells us to be ready and to show mercy, serving the needs of others as witness to His grace. To assure His promise is fulfilled, His Holy Spirit calls some to be pastors to organize and lead the saints to manage the local church.

During this workshop you will:

• Discover your giftedness to lead and prosper the ministry.

• Learn how God calls each of us to follow our call in service to Him.

• Reflect on how God will use you to lead a segment of His ministry and participate in the salvation history while we wait for Christ’s return.

TRENDING AT ST. JAMESBLOCK PARTY

The St. James Block Party will take place on Sunday, September 7 at 12:00 p.m. There will be live music, a bouncy slide, crafts, games and plenty of food and beverage. Help us make this a great event and sign-up online to volunteer.

OPENING WORSHIP SERVICE

Kick-off the school year on Sunday, August 24. The opening worship service and teacher installations will take place at 9:00 a.m.

MEET OUR NEW FACULTY MEMBERS

Brittani Mosinski will be teaching two and three full-day preschool at St. James. Previously, Mrs. Mosinski was a preschool teacher at the High Ridge YMCA’s Head Start Program. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Northeastern Illinois University and her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University.Brittani Mosinski

Preschool

Lora Webster joins St. James as our first grade teacher. Mrs. Webster comes to St. James with experience in both early childhood and first grade. Previously, she taught first grade and preschool at St. Matthew Lutheran School in Hawthorn Woods, as well as served as their Early Childhood Director. Mrs. Webster earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Concordia University, River Forest. She is a rostered and called teacher in the LCMS.

Lora WebsterFirst Grade

HOME VISITS

If you have a student in our Early Childhood program, your child’s teacher will be contacting you in August to schedule a home visit. This 15-20 minute visit is a great opportunity for you and your child to get to know the teacher.

8 AUGUST 2014

TRENDING AT ST. JAMES

EARLY CHILDHOOD VBS

Early childhood students are invited to Vacation Bible School on August 18-20 from 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. Due to the flooding earlier this summer in the Community Center, VBS will take place at the school. Click here to register.

UNIFORM SALE

Previously worn uniform tops, bottoms and jumpers will be for sale in the cafe on Wednesday, August 20 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. All items are $1.00!

To shop new uniforms click here.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

The First Day of School is Monday, August 25! Students will be dismissed at 11:30 a.m. Please note that there is no extended care on Early Dismissal Days.

SCHOOL SUPPLY DROP-OFF

Students in grades 1-8 are invited to meet their teachers and drop-off school supplies on Wednesday, August 20 anytime from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. or 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Sean Watland joins St. James as our music teacher. In this role, Mr. Watland will provide general music instruction to students in preschool – eighth grade and conduct the honors choir and middle school band. Additionally, he will serve as Cantor at the Church. Previously, Mr. Watland taught music at Hebron Middle/High School in Hebron, IN. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Valparaiso University.Sean Watland

Music

Matt Runge will be teaching Physical Education, Health and serving as our Athletic Director. Prior to St. James, Mr. Runge taught Physical Education at Paul Norton Elementary School in Bettendorf, IA. Additionally, he has experience coaching middle school basketball and high school baseball. Mr. Runge earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Saint Ambrose University.

Matt RungePhysical Education

GATHER • GO • GIVE • GROW 9

TG 2015 The 2015 Traveler’s Gala will take place on May 1 at Nacional 27! We’re looking for volunteers to help with procurement this fall. Please contact Kate Donovan if you’re interested in helping.

CRITICAL TARGETS

As we prepare for another programming year one of our management tasks is to identify and execute a plan that addresses specific needs. For this next year we have identified three critical targets that focus on specific areas of community life and growth.

The three critical targets for this next year focus the community on our shared responsibly for the ministry and its success. We live in a transient place. People are coming and going all the time. This affects our school and church in very real and significant ways. Forecasting revenue, projecting needs and developing leaders are all quite difficult in a 21st century urban environment.

In June we introduced the following three critical targets to the entire staff and discussed how they help to guide our actions and behaviors toward God pleasing success.

10 AUGUST 2014

EXCELLENCE IN CHRIST

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 1:3

We live under the authority of Christ’s perfect quality. God’s redemptive work is a model for excellence unparalleled in all of human experience. In baptism we have been given the capacity to model this excellence in all we do. Our daily behavior as co-workers in ministry and as a community in fellowship reflects this commitment to quality in everything here at St. James and in daily life.

UNITED IN CHRIST

“In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22

A basic value of our unity is revealed in how we communicate with each other. For the school this translates into family, classroom and administration communication. For the worshipping community we focus on Christ, staff and believer. Both triangles of relationships are informed by the perfect unity of the Triune God – Father, Son and Spirit. Emphasizing open and clear communication with forgiveness as our common denominator directs us to peaceful resolutions and purposeful outcomes.

EQUIPPED IN CHRIST

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-12

There is too much work for our small staff to execute to be successful. We need volunteers serving in almost every area of activity. God provides school parents and parishoners to serve the needs of the school and congregation. To serve effectively as a staff we need to equip volunteers and as a community work together in humble service. This means priorities, time management and commitment have to be present for success.

Our objective is to get as many people involved in meaningful execution of quality ministry as possible. Our prayer is that you consider how these targets may inform you and your willingness to work together united and equipped for excellence.

GATHER • GO • GIVE • GROW 11

12 AUGUST 2014

TO GET YOUR KIDS READY FOR BACK TO SCHOOLReprinted from the Huffington Post

I AM TOO ABSOLUTELY SMALL FOR SCHOOLby Lauren Child

In this book based on the popular Charlie and Lola series, big brother Charlie tries to convince little sis Lola she really is big enough to go to school, even though Lola insists “I am too extremely busy doing important things at home.”

Ages 4 to 8

KINDERGARTEN ROCKSby Katie Davis

Follow Dexter as his big sister helps him – and his stuffed dog, Rufus – get over their fear of starting kindergarten.

Ages 4 to 8

FIRST GRADE JITTERSby Robert Quackenbush and Yan Nascimbene

First published in 1982, this book with new illustrations follows Aidan as he worries about starting the first grade. Kids nervous about returning to class after summer vacation will relate to his fears.

Ages 4 to 8

LUNCH MONEY AND OTHER POEMS ABOUT SCHOOLby Carol Diggory Shields

Perfect to get your kids in the back-to-school mood, this collection of rhyming verses is fun to read aloud and the pictures will have them smiling – and asking when they can get back to class.

Ages 4 to 8

GATHER • GO • GIVE • GROW 13

Whether your children are headed to preschool for the first time, entering kindergarten, about to test the waters of junior high or off to high school, it’s pretty much the norm for tummies to be filled with butterflies.

Help ease their nerves – and get them excited – with some great books as summer nears its end. Here are 10 books about starting school that will help make the transition as smooth as possible and help make going back to school seem cool.

MY NEW SCHOOL by Kirsten Hall

Starting school is tough enough, changing schools is even harder. This book follows a boy on his first day at his new school, as he points out his favorite rooms and shares what he has learned along the way.

Ages 4 to 8

DAVID GOES TO SCHOOLby David Shannon

David sure gets in trouble a lot at school, but his teacher gives him a chance to make good on all his disruptive behavior. Find out if he gets a gold star ... or a time out!

Ages 4 to 8

MIDDLE SCHOOL IS WORSE THAN MEATLOAFby Jennifer L. Holm

Ginny is entering seventh grade and she is armed with a to-do list. But things don’t quite go as planned in this funny and honest book.

Ages 9 to 12

A SMART GIRL’S GUIDE TO STARTING MIDDLE SCHOOLby Julie Williams

Middle school? Ugh. It’s a time of some crazy transitions and struggles for many kids, but this guide from American Girl offers some good advice on dealing with change.

Young Adult

In Fellowship is our directory and online portal. It is an essential tool for our success in ministry. We are a diverse group of people living in over 35 zip codes all around the greater Chicago area. The only way we can communicate effectively is to maintain accurate information used to keep you informed about the people and ministry here at St. James.

The website is secure and can only be viewed by members of the St. James community. Once registered, you can look up contact information for others in the community and join groups to receive targeted news and event invitations.

Please pay attention to the invitation sent to you earlier this summer and the directions for completing your registration and resetting your password. If you need a new invitation or have any questions Catherine Sitz is always available to help you. She can be reached Monday - Friday at the office. Thank you for making this a priority.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Please take the time to maintain your page on In Fellowship. It is very helpful for staff and others in the community to check the directory and see who others are, particularly new families. It is your responsibility to maintain a working email on In Fellowship.

TO ACTIVATE YOUR ACCOUNT

• You’ll receive an email from no-reply@infellowship.com. Click the link in the email to activate your account

• Once in In Fellowship, click on the Your Profile link to check your contact information, add additional information and upload a picture.

• Next, click on the Privacy Settings link and check the box Include Me in the Church Directory. If you do not check this box, not only are you not included in the directory, but you are also not able to view the directory.

• When you’re finished Sign Out. Click the forgot? Link on the login page to rest your password.

LOG-IN TODAY!

stjames.infellowship.com

14 AUGUST 2014

FLOODING IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER (Left)

Flooding at the end of June caused quite a bit of damage in the Community Center. An insurance claim is being processed to replace the carpet. The Community Center will be out of use for the next few weeks.

KITCHEN REMODEL (Below)

This summer gave us the opportunity to remove the old cabinets, fill in the floor underneath with concrete, patch the walls and repaint all the surfaces. This fresh and clean new look will brighten the space, make it cleaner for food service and easier to maintain.

MAINTENANCE UPDATE

SCHEDULED WORK

GATHER • GO • GIVE • GROW 15

LIBRARY

The school library floor will be refinished, returning it to its original state as a hard wood floor.

KITCHEN

The Community Center Kitchen in getting a face lift over the next few months to improve health, safety and organization.

COMMUNITY CENTER

A new floor and a plan to begin remodeling the Community Center is in the works. This will create some use restriction throughout the fall depending on the eventual plan. Thank you for your patience.

Sept. 07 | 12:00 p.m. Food and Beverages • Games and Crafts • Bouncy Slide

Live Music

by St. Jams

St. James Lutheran Church and School

Volunteering

Opportunities Include: Serving Food, Grilling, Helping with Games and Crafts,

Set-up, Clean-up, Monitoring the Bouncy Slide

church.stjames-lutheran.org/serving