The Evangel St. Stephen Lutheran Church ―God has given us two hands: one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are chan- nels made for sharing.‖ —Billy Graham Inside this issue: Mary’s Notes, Birth- days/Anniversaries 2 Serve Ministry, Kids Hope USA 3 Nourish Ministry, Scripture Readings 4 Congratulations Graduates, Photos 5 Vacation Bible School Photos 6 Lay Minister Sched- ule 7 Wholly Wednesdays & Praying 8 Volume 52, Issue 8 August 2011 It’s only August, but September is approaching very quickly and there are some things coming up in the beginning of September that you need to be aware of now so you can plan accordingly. So here goes…… FALL FESTIVAL AND SUNDAY SCHOOL - Sun- day School begins on Sunday, September 11 this year for children and adults. We’ll be presenting Bibles during worship to children entering Sunday School for the first time and children entering 3 rd grade. The Adult Class will be starting a class called Encountering God in Scripture. Many times people have asked me for a basic Bible study and it came up in the Focus Groups we had at the beginning of the Natural Church Development process. So here’s your chance….. a basic Bible study – DVD and discussion with teachers from Luther Seminary. We’ll focus on questions like: Where did the Bible come from? Where is its authority? Why do we read the Bible? Who decides what it means? How do we interpret the Bible? And then after we tackle these questions, we’ll join with five of these leaders as they lead studies of this amazing story of God’s action in the world. Also, on September 11, after the second service, we’ll have our annual Fall Fest dinner….. Brian Holmes will be providing his wonderful smoked pork loins and you are asked to bring a dish to pass. It will be a great meal and fun time. PRAYER AND LISTENING TO GOD – How often have you wondered how to pray? How often have you longed for a word from God? Well, during the Natural Church Development Focus Groups last year, we hear many comments about wanting to learn how to pray. In response to that request, Sister Nancy Brousseau, Facilitator for our Synod’s Center for Mission and Ministry will join us on our first three Wholly Wednesdays (September 7, 14, and October 5) to lead us in teaching us how to pray and how to listen to God. A wonderful meal will be served at 6 p.m. (offering of $3 for adults and $1 for children) and then at 6:45 the adults will join Sister Nancy in learning how to pray and listen to God. This should be a wonderful opportunity to deepen and grow our spirituality. My hope is that having Sister Nancy here will give you some incen- tive to give Wholly Wednesdays a try if you haven’t done so. Lorri Yusten prepares a wonderful meal, there’s some wonderful conversation and fellow- ship that happens, and time for learning and growth for adults and children. This is not an event just for families with children. It is for the WHOLE congregation, hence the name Wholly Wednesdays. Come give it a try. Enough about September, we still have another month of summer. May this month be a time of rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. God’s Blessings, Pastor From the Pastor... Justified by grace, we are a Community of Servants who follow Jesus’ example by living lives of service to others.
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The Evangel St . S tep hen Lut h eran Ch ur c h
―God has given us two
hands: one to receive with
and the other to give with.
We are not cisterns made
for hoarding; we are chan-
nels made for sharing.‖
—Billy Graham
Inside this issue:
Mary’s Notes, Birth-
days/Anniversaries
2
Serve Ministry, Kids
Hope USA
3
Nourish Ministry,
Scripture Readings
4
Congratulations
Graduates, Photos
5
Vacation Bible School
Photos
6
Lay Minister Sched-
ule
7
Wholly Wednesdays
& Praying
8
Volume 52, Issue 8 August 2011
It’s only August, but September is approaching very
quickly and there are some things coming up in the
beginning of September that you need to be aware
of now so you can plan accordingly. So here
goes……
FALL FESTIVAL AND SUNDAY SCHOOL - Sun-
day School begins on Sunday, September 11 this
year for children and adults. We’ll be presenting
Bibles during worship to children entering Sunday
School for the first time and children entering 3rd
grade. The Adult Class will be starting a class called
Encountering God in Scripture. Many times people
have asked me for a basic Bible study and it came
up in the Focus Groups we had at the beginning of
the Natural Church Development process. So here’s
your chance….. a basic Bible study – DVD and
discussion with teachers from Luther Seminary.
We’ll focus on questions like: Where did the Bible
come from? Where is its authority? Why do we read
the Bible? Who decides what it means? How do we
interpret the Bible? And then after we tackle these
questions, we’ll join with five of these leaders as
they lead studies of this amazing story of God’s
action in the world.
Also, on September 11, after the second service,
we’ll have our annual Fall Fest dinner….. Brian
Holmes will be providing his wonderful smoked
pork loins and you are asked to bring a dish to
pass. It will be a great meal and fun time.
PRAYER AND LISTENING TO GOD – How often
have you wondered how to pray? How often have
you longed for a word from God? Well, during the
Natural Church Development Focus Groups last
year, we hear many comments about wanting to
learn how to pray. In response to that request,
Sister Nancy Brousseau, Facilitator for our Synod’s
Center for Mission and Ministry will join us on our
first three Wholly Wednesdays (September 7, 14,
and October 5) to lead us in teaching us how to pray
and how to listen to God. A wonderful meal will be
served at 6 p.m. (offering of $3 for adults and $1
for children) and then at 6:45 the adults will join
Sister Nancy in learning how to pray and listen to
God. This should be a wonderful opportunity to
deepen and grow our spirituality. My hope is that
having Sister Nancy here will give you some incen-
tive to give Wholly Wednesdays a try if you haven’t
done so. Lorri Yusten prepares a wonderful meal,
there’s some wonderful conversation and fellow-
ship that happens, and time for learning and
growth for adults and children. This is not an event
just for families with children. It is for the WHOLE
congregation, hence the name Wholly Wednesdays.
Come give it a try.
Enough about September, we still have another
month of summer. May this month be a time of
rest, relaxation and rejuvenation.
God’s Blessings,
Pastor
From the Pastor...
Justified by grace, we are a
Community of Servants who
follow Jesus’ example by living
lives of service to others.
The Evangel Page 2
Mary’s Notes… Mary Foerster Worship Director
August Birthdays
forgive, mend my broken heart,
move me through this grief and
show me where you want me to
be, today. Give me a window to
your purpose for my life and
bring me out of this despair.‖
As if shackles fell from my
shoulders, I stood straighter. I
felt lighter and at peace. Yes, I
can trust the God of the Uni-
verse to fix this! He is so much
wiser, stronger and more pa-
tient than I am – I need only to
lean on Him in this situation as
He works all things for good.
Why did I think I could manage
that job? There’s no earthly
way this can be fixed. I finally
remembered that.
So here, today, NOW, I am going
to live into the realization that
my Father loves me and even
when the world is upside down,
He is very much in control. And
it’s all going to be ok. Praise
God!
Have you ever been hurt so
badly that you could feel your-
self crumple within your body?
Ever have a wound so deep that
after it was said to you, time
stood still as it took literal sec-
onds to register within your
brain? As the world went on in
a blur, your body was numb as
your mind and spirit rejected
the situation in front of you.
The last several days, I have
struggled with just such an
injury. It had me alone, beating
my chest, thrusting my arms up
to God, crying out in my kitchen,
―See me!! God, HOLD ME! Fix
this! Now what do I do? Tell
me how to handle this!‖
I have talked to a counselor. I
have prayed for hours. My very
soul has walked in grief and I
am left with a gaping hole in my
heart. I’ve lost sleep, slept too
long and eaten vast amounts of
chips and chocolate.
This morning, I was angry at a
person related to the situation
and harshly meting out justice
in my mind in small, particular
detail, savoring the high-and-
mightiness of it all. Then, a
thought ―out of nowhere‖ came
to me: pray for that person.
Slowly, grudgingly, I prayed for
their day. For their marriage.
For them to find the purpose
God has given them for being
here.
And the thought came to me:
What is my purpose for being
here, today? Surely God didn’t
allow me to wake up this morn-
ing so that I could mope about,
wallowing in the agony of un-
forgiveness? ―Oh Lord, heal
me! Help me to move on. Help
me to forgive where I need to
3 Jim Harris 21 Debbie Ball
4 Abigail Kriser 22 Larry McCrary
5 Norm Snyder 23 Diane Meier
Eric Wells II 24 Amanda Cotton
6 Wayne Lesher Amy Reese
Christine Bauer Jennifer Jones
Isaiah Gaudard 25 Mailee Greiter
8 Cade Bucht 26 Charlene Seifert
9 Cade Greene 27 Freddy Baldwin
10 Renee Dixon 28 Nancy Beyerhelm
11 Candy Olsen 29 Rebecca Bossenbroek
14 Kathy Nolan 30 Jenna Neumann
16 Janet Ozanich 31 Bill Wagoner
19 Gloria Kandle
Psalm 13 For the director of
music. A psalm of David.
1―How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day af-ter day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my en-emy triumph over me? 3Look on me and answer, O LORD, my God. Give light to my eyes or I will sleep in death, 4and my enemy will say, ―I have over-come him,‖ and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salva-tion. 6I will sing the LORD’s praise, for He has been good
to me.‖
August Anniversarys
4 Brett & Rachel Telder
11 Jim & Julie Dartt
12 Pete & Gail Helgemo
14 Gary & June Hansen
15 Brian & Karen Holmes
17 David & Heidi Zens
25 Mr & Mrs John Mehling
26 Jim & Charlene Seifert
29 Mike & Vickie Borta
31 Terry & Nancy Greiner
Page 3 Volume 52, Issue 8
Kids Hope USA Gail Helgemo, Director
It is hard to believe that it is August already. In about two weeks I will meet with the principal at Cumberland to discuss
this year's Kids Hope program. Five children will continue with the mentors from last year. That leaves only one space
for a new referral. I'm hoping I will still hear from St. Stephen members who have decided to participate in the Kids
Hope ministry this year. I have the feeling that our program will take on more importance this year. The budget cuts in
the school district will make volunteer programs more valuable. Please consider becoming a part of this ministry.
Gail Helgemo
Serve Ministry Crystal Piirainen, Leader
The Fazoli fundraiser has been extended to the end of this month! A portion of the sales will benefit Habitat
for Humanity. A coupon must be presented at the restaurant and they are available on the bulletin board on
the lower level of the church, or on our website www.StStephenOnline.org.
Win Detroit Tiger’s
Tickets!
Are You a Tiger’s Fan that Would Like 2 Tickets to the September 3rd Game?