June 2019

News From The Pews

Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church—ELCA 143 Chota Center, Loudon, TN 37774

www.shepherdofthelaketn.org (865) 816-4756

Ingrid J. Schalk, Pastor

Sunday Worship

9:00 a.m.

On the website:

Sermons Pastor’s Blog

Announcements Newsletters Calendar

Church Council

Tom Schemberger President

Jeff Svoboda Vice President

Elaine Nevin Secretary

Jim Newman Treasurer

Carolyn Hudspeth Bob Panozzo

Members-at-large

Office Administrator

Sandy Hagan sheplakelutheran-sec@hotmail.com

A Christian community sharing God’s love with the world.

A Prayer for Pentecost

Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life: At the beginning of time you moved over the face of the waters; you breathe into every living being, the breath of life.

Come, Creator Spirit, and renew the whole creation.

Holy Spirit, voice of the prophets: You enflame men and women with a passion for your truth, and through them call your people

to the ways of justice and compassion. Come, Spirit of Righteousness, and burn in our hearts.

Holy Spirit, Spirit of Jesus: By your power Jesus came to bring

good news to the poor and release to those held captive. Come, Liberating Spirit, and free us from the powers of sin and death.

Holy Spirit, Advocate, Teacher: You speak to us of our Lord,

and show us the depth of his love. Come, Spirit of Truth, abide in us and lead us in the way of Jesus Christ.

Holy Spirit, wind and flame: You filled disciples with joy and courage, empowering them to preach your word and to share your good news.

Come, Spirit of Power, make us bold witnesses of your redeeming love.

Holy Spirit, Spirit of Peace: You break down barriers of language, race, and culture, and heal the divisions that separate us.

Come, Reconciling Spirit, and unite us all in the love of Christ.

Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life: At the close of the age

all creation will be renewed to sing your praises.

Come, Creator Spirit, and make us new creations in Jesus Christ. Amen.

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From the Pastor’s Desk

“Come, Holy Spirit. Kindle in us the fire of your love.”

God’s love has certainly been poured out to us. As I’m writing this, the purchase of the building is complete. The signing of official documents took place on Wednesday, May 29 at Tellico Title. Thanks to the ALL those who made it happen. I look forward to a very special worship service and anniversary dinner on June 9th - what a celebration it will be!

I’m still processing my stay in Minneapolis for the Festival of Homiletics earlier in May where I was blessed to hear renowned preachers and lecturers such as Barbara Lundblad, James Forbes, Amy Butler, William Barber II, Anna Carter Florence, Otis Moss III, Cynthia Hale, and Bishop Rob Wright. This year’s theme was “Preaching as Moral Imagination.” Each day was filled with short worship services including a brief liturgy, a 25-40 minute sermon, a hymn, and prayers; lectures on a variety of topics related to preaching; and workshops on special topics. The festival draws pastors of all denominations from around the globe - Iceland, Singapore, Canada to name a few. Sessions ran simultaneously at two beautiful downtown churches - Central Lutheran and Westminster Presbyterian - so there was plenty of walking between venues.

Each year, I find the festival to be challenging, yet inspiring, refreshing, and renewing…. I could say the same about our life together here at Shepherd of the Lake. That’s what the life of the Spirit looks like.

May the Spirit continue to challenge us to be who God is calling us to be. Pr. Ingrid

Pictured (left to right) at the closing on May 29: Tim Click, Loren Plemmons, Wendy (Loren’s daughter who assists in her office), Tom Schemberger, and Pr. Ingrid.

Pastor Ingrid Schalk

Anniversaries

2 Emma & Ed Roeber 10 Jan & Bob Panozzo 24 Susan & Howard Kastner 24 Susan & Dale Weidinger

Birthdays

2 Bonnie Baugher 2 Fran McKnight 4 Roger McKnight 14 Robert Duvall 23 Ginny Opdahl 25 Ken Ballinger 25 Donna Navratil 27 Pat Yeager 29 Paul Elbert

June Birthdays & Anniversaries

The following dates are open to

sign-up to provide flowers for

Sunday worship:

June 16

August 25

Flower Calendar

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YOU HAVE DONE IT!!

You have helped to secure the future of Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church for decades to come. On May 29 at 10 a.m., ownership of our building became a reality. We now have the opportunity to craft this facility into something that truly reflects our calling—”Sharing God's love with the world.”

As many of us know from owning our homes, ownership brings with it responsibility. We are the ones who must maintain our building to a high standard. In addition, we must carefully and prayerfully plan for our remodeling. Think about what this involves--

exterior design sanctuary enhancements signage kitchen and restroom layout landscaping fellowship hall design sound systems office and storage design sound suppression

The list can go on and on. Here is how you can help. We need your thoughts and ideas. We need your participation. Share your willingness to contribute with Norm Schuessler and Frank Navratil. Become a member of the team. This is a most exciting time for us. Let's all get involved to make it happen.

President’s Corner

Tom Schemberger, Council President

Sunday, June 9, So+L will celebrate our 5th

Anniversary since coming to Tellico Village and “sharing

God’s love with the world”. There will be a celebration

buffet dinner at 4:00 pm at Little Italy of Tellico Village

restaurant, 316 Lakeside Plaza, Loudon, TN.

Shepherd of the Lake has much to celebrate this year – not just 5 years as a church, but the acquisition of our building as well.

Let’s all celebrate this good news!

“The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy!” Psalm 126:3

As our anniversary day approaches many of you may be discerning whether or not to take part in the

day’s celebration on June 9. Let me answer that with a resounding “YES”! If you are a charter member like

Frank and I, you will, undoubtedly, want to reflect on how far this little congregation in Tellico Village has

come in 5 years. It will certainly be a time for reminiscing. And if you are a newer member you will want to

be there to learn of our rocky start as a church under development and what it took to get to the place we are

today.

You may be asking yourself “Why have a party at all for just 5 years?” Well, there are several

reasons. First of all, parties are fun and with that fun our church culture is enforced, building a connection

between newcomers and old-timers. In addition, recognizing a church milestone such as this sparks

momentum within a congregation and our church’s vision catches on. When you celebrate the past, it’s easier

to believe in a bright future.

So, do join us to celebrate the great things the Lord has done for Shepherd of the Lake in the past as we look ahead to the great things He has planned for our future! Donna Navratil, Charter Member, Anniversary Chairperson

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Look at these warm and welcoming faces! The “Warm-Up Choir” that meets before the start of the Worship Service to warm up and get in tune with accompanist, Sue Schemberger. These dedicated singers practice on the third Saturday of the month to prepare special music. Come sing with us for our anniversary celebration on Pentecost, June 9!!

We had a blast at the Shepherd's Table with a delightful lunch and great fellowship. Jeff Svoboda was greeted by the So+L singers with Happy Birthday.

Wayne Lemke was our fantastic BINGO caller. We all had fun picking on Linda Svoboda as she won two games in a row.

There will NO Shepherd’s Table in June,

BUT….

SAVE THE DATE for Tuesday, July 23, for lunch followed with an ice cream social.

Our thanks to the Shepherd's Table Team!

Our Church at Work (and Play)

We are so fortunate to have

so many talented men at our church

who not only create wooden toys for

children at Christmas, but have also

designed and built many of our

pieces of furniture for So+L.

Thanks to Gene Yeager and

Tom Schemberger for crafting this

beautiful bookcase for our

fellowship space.

Pictured is the delivery team:

Dale Weidinger and Gene Yeager.

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Prayer Shawl Ministry

Prayers shawls and prayer squares,

hand-knitted and crocheted made by

the So+L Prayer Shawl Ministry, were

dedicated during worship on Sunday.

May 12.

Thanks to Men’s Fellowship

for treating us to

Mother’s Day Brunch

on May 12!!

Pastor Ingrid and Sue Schemberger with her doll, Dorcas.

(Read Acts 9:36-43—the Story of Dorcas and listen to the

sermon recording for May 12 if you missed it.)

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On May 19, The Rev. Pastor Laura Shally

was installed as Associate Pastor for

Discernment and Development, at St Paul’s

Evangelical Lutheran Church, Vonore. Many of

the members from Shepherd of the Lake

Lutheran Church were present to share this

special event in Pastor Laura’s ministry. The

Rev. Will McDonald presided for worship with

the Rev. Dr. Ben Moravitz, Assistant to the

Bishop, preaching and presiding for the

Installation portion of the service.

Visiting clergy who participated in the

processional included The Rev. Ingrid Schalk,

and The Rev. Paul Elbert (Ret.) .

A delicious potluck lunch followed the

service at the church.

Page

Installation of Pastor Laura Shally

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Through Lutheran Lenses

Session 3 - Where the Bible Comes From “Where did we get the Bible… Where does the Bible come from?” Three ways to answer this question: The Bible comes from God - The Bible didn’t just fall out of heaven with the words of Jesus printed in red

ink, but the Bible does say to us what God wants to say to us.

The Bible comes from the church - The church compiled it, preserved it, translated it and made sure that copies are available to all who desire to read it. The Bible is the church’s gift to us and to the world. Some people only care about what the Bible says, but not the church.

The Bible comes to us from God through the church - The individual books of the Bible (66) were written by human beings. The complete answer is rather complicated because the answer is different for every book. The Bible must be studied, interpreted and understood in order for us to receive God’s truth.

Bumper Sticker: “GOD SAID IT. I BELIEVE IT. THAT SETTLES IT.” Lutherans would want it to be a little longer to include understanding what God said.

Five Common Principles for Interpretation of Scripture 1. Context: Literary and Historical

Try to figure out what it meant for the people for whom it was first written Who, when, why… What point is the author trying to make?

2. Analogy: How the present is comparable to Biblical time Some practices are not applicable today Example: Circumcision is not applicable today; however, circumcision is a mark of ethnic identity.

An analogy for the present: How people can relate to one another in the same community

3. Scripture in light of other scripture Tension exists between text that seem to say different/opposite things Guiding principle: look at the overall message of the Bible Proof texting (quoting a single text of the Bible) is problematic

4. Some are more important than others Jesus gives us principles for determining which issues are more important Example: Loving one’s neighbor is more important than picking grain on the Sabbath

5. The Church has the responsibility to determine the extent that Biblical teaching is relevant. Example: modern Christians condemn slavery There are exceptions to Biblical teaching Examples: saving money for retirement vs. not storing up treasures on earth; women’s head covering The church decides which practices in the Bible no longer apply The Lutheran approach to these questions involves your interpretation. Lutherans are also good at listening and talking about scripture. We call it dialogue.

Adapted from How Lutherans Interpret the Bible with Dr. Mark Allan Powell, www.selectlearning.com

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Church Health

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A group of 31 hungry folks from

So+L had a wonderful time at the

Tugaloo Pavilion, May 23, with

some awesome seafood prepared

by Megan & Tim Opsal.

Those attending had plenty of

good eating as you can see!

Thanks to the Opsals

for bringing us

all together!!

Crayfish and Shrimp Boil

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Our congregation is passionate about welcoming visitors and guests as they join us for worship and other events at Shepherd of the Lake. We are blessed with a dedicated team of greeters who welcome visitors and guests each week. However, this is not their role alone. We encourage everyone to be attentive to welcoming those who are new or not yet very familiar with our congregation. Over the next several months, we will offer training for all worship assistants that include the specifics of each role on a particular Sunday morning. However, the following tips for welcoming newcomers is helpful training for everyone to be a welcoming presence to those who worship with us or attend a special event. (You may even find yourself using these techniques elsewhere!) Pr. Ingrid

Tips for Welcoming Newcomers Here are some simple ways to welcome all who walk through our doors…. Wear your name badge. This will help newcomers recognize that you attend regularly and may be able to

assist if they have a question like, “Where is the restroom?” or “Where can I get a cup of that coffee??”

Make eye contact and smile as you say, “Good morning!”

Be a welcoming presence in the parking lot. If you don’t recognize someone as you arrive, greet them in the parking lot and accompany them to the church entrance. Direct them to the greeters who can assist from there.

Don’t assume that someone else has already welcomed a newcomer. They may have come in a different door or the greeter(s) may have been engaged with other visitors.

Introduce yourself if you don’t recognize someone as a regular worshipper. If someone isn’t wearing a So+L name badge, they are fair game! You might meet someone who sits on the “other” side! Here are some of my favorite lines to approach someone I may (or may not) have met previously:

- “I don’t think we’ve met. My name is ______________ .” - “I am so sorry - please remind me of your name.” - “You look familiar, but I’m not sure we’ve met. My name is __________ . “ - “Hi! My name is ___________.”

Take note when visitors and guests are introduced. Greet them after the service; invite them to fellowship time if no one has already done so. If they are not able to stay, you may simply say, “We are so glad you came to worship with us this morning. You are always welcome.”

First-time visitors receive a visitor bag containing several items. If you see a first time visitor leaving the building without one, ask if they would like one. (Bags are located on the side table in the entryway; place a loaf of frozen bread from the freezer labeled for visitors. If you give out a visitor bag, please write the visitor’s name on the sheet in the right hand drawer of the side table in the entryway.)

Make eye contact again when you share the Peace of Christ with one another during the worship service. Be intentional about saying their name if you can.

(Continued on Page 11)

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Tips for Welcoming Newcomers (continued…)

Sit next to a newcomer if they are sitting alone (without a regular attender within one seat). (A suggestion from one of our newer members who found this very helpful when she worshipped with us the first time. A member sat next to her and helped guide her through the service when she was uncertain.)

Leave open chairs near the entrance for late arrivals. If visitors or guests happen to arrive a little late, they will not want to draw attention. Having easily accessible seats available for latecomers is less

distracting once the service has begun.

Be aware of newcomers sitting near you who may have questions or need assistance with communion. Even a simple gesture can reassure someone who is uncertain of how we distribute communion.

Invite newcomers to an upcoming activity. Let them know that they are welcome to attend other events in the life of our congregation.

Invite new members to serve on a team or in a particular area of ministry. This extends our welcome as we invite them to be an integral part of the life and ministry of our congregation.

In general…. The same rules apply at church as when you expect guests at your home - right down to making sure there is extra toilet paper in the bathroom.

ELCA Southeastern Synod Assembly

May 31—June 2

Welcome

Bishop Kevin Strickland

Under the theme "Together in Spirit.

Forward in Faith.", the ELCA Southeastern

Synod held its 2019 Synod Assembly,

May 31 - June 2, 2019, at the Chattanooga

Convention Center.

We are excited to announce the election our

new Bishop Kevin Strickland to the SE Synod.

Kevin is Assistant to Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton, as

the Director of Worship.

Retiring Bishop H . Julian Gordy has been a

strong supporter and guide to our fledgling

congregation and we join all ELCA churches in

wishing him a well deserved and happy retirement.

We look forward to work with and get to

know our new Bishop in the days ahead.

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Our four wells are assigned and should be completed by the end of December 2019. We had a short meeting after church on Sunday to name the wells. The decision was made to have the inscription on the plaque to read: “Sharing God’s Love With The People of __,” then the community’s name that the well will serve will be inserted. I also requested that this signage be in their language.

Below is the information on the location and number of people served. I am really excited that two of these wells will be located in communities where there are schools!

Here is some information about our new project:

Country: Uganda Region: Gomba District: Mpenja

Site/Village Name: Kisubi & Kyebeyengerero Primary School GPS*: Awaiting information from our partner Beneficiaries: 629**

Site/Village Name: Kyetume & Kyetume Primary School GPS*: Awaiting information from our partner Beneficiaries: 889**

Site/Village Name: Kakomo GPS*: Awaiting information from our partner Beneficiaries: 407**

Site/Village Name: Kigongo Lujinji GPS*: Awaiting information from our partner Beneficiaries: 398**

*Exact GPS coordinates will be provided in our Donor Completion Report.

**This represents the number of beneficiaries that live within a one-kilometer radius of the project. More typically, 3-4 times that number of beneficiaries will be using the project regularly.

In addition to providing safe, clean water to thousands of people, our wells will significantly reduce the time women and children spend collecting water. This means that the women will have more time to care for their families and engage in income-generating activities. Children will have more time to go to school and water related diseases will be a thing of the past.

Our small congregation has now funded seven wells, truly living out our mission statement! Kandie and Charlie Shubeck

WATER TO THRIVE

June 28

Deadline for

July

“News from the Pews”