The Illuminator The Newsletter of Holy Cross Lutheran Church … · grownups, too. One of my favorite Bible verses is the one above, “Be still and know that I am God.” I find

From the Pastor: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised

is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet

together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day

drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25

Screen Scene/Screen Wean A prayer for Sunday Evening in my devotional books at home has captured

my attention during these weeks with the stay-at-home mandate. It says,

“Grant that the joy of worship may be steady and strong within me, even in

the days when I may not be able to go to church with my fellow Christians.”

I had always applied that to my life’s end, when I may become ill and have

limited mobility. I had never thought about the possibility of being unable to

come to church because of a public health emergency.

I am extremely grateful that we have been able to carry on our service schedule without interruption,

albeit in a new form. I thank all of those involved in this effort. Instead of gathering together in God’s

house, the pews have been empty and you have been watching the services in your house. When the

Spanish Flu pandemic struck America a century ago, this would not have been possible. But now God has

blessed us with the technology to do so. Many of you have expressed how comforting it has been to

actually see inside the church building you know and love. That “screen scene” has been a blessing.

Yet we all know that a “virtual service” is no substitute for a face-to-face one. Human beings thrive on

interpersonal relationships. We are created by God for community. None of us relishes being isolated and

cut off from others. Granted, we have so many ways of communication today, and we are grateful for all

of them, but there is nothing that matches being in another person’s presence, looking into their eyes,

hearing what they have to say, and how they say it. We are used to sharing life’s sorrows and joys with

others “in person.” If you’ve had a “virtual appointment” with your physician during this time you know

that it’s not nearly the same as being at the office and speaking with him or her directly. People have been

disappointed at not being able to attend special events which have been cancelled. But doesn’t our heart

go out, most of all, to those families who could not be with their loved ones who were in life’s final

moments? Funerals are especially a time when we long for the physical presence of family and friends.

Now we’ve had to find other ways to share grief and support those who mourn.

We gather together in God’s house first of all to be strengthened by Him. We call our assembly a Divine

Service, because God is the giver and we are the recipients. He first serves us as He instills and feeds our

faith at the altar, font, pulpit, and lectern. We never deny the power and efficacy of God’s Word in

whatever form it is communicated, yet coming to Church is a discipline of faith, which helps us focus our

attention on Him, and then share the joys of knowing Him with others. When we are in church it is much

easier to be an active participant rather than a passive observer. Present-day Americans were already

getting in a lot of “screen time” before this pandemic. When it is safe to assemble as a congregation again,

it will be wonderful to have some “screen wean” and “really” be together again. After all, we don’t have a

“virtual” Savior, but one who physically, actually, really took on flesh for us and our salvation.

In Christ,

The Illuminator The Newsletter of Holy Cross Lutheran Church (LCMS) – Moline, IL

May 2020

The Illuminator May 2020 ___ _ Page 2

From the Vicar: “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Acts

2:47b

Relationships Count…Now More Than Ever For our March newsletter I wrote to you about the study just recently released by the LCMS through CPH

titled Relationships Count. This study is a sobering reminder to each of us of how important community and

relationships are to each of us individually, but also to the health of the church. I certainly didn’t know at that point

what a true, and incredibly important, statement that would be for the church of 2020.

The church has always been about relationships. Of course, most

importantly, each individual’s relationship of faith to their Lord and Savior,

Jesus Christ. But as we look at the book of Acts, the early church was all

about the relationships formed and strengthened among believers as they

sought to live together in community, doing the things God calls us all to do.

Check out Acts 2:42-47 and you will see that the first Christians were

teaching, learning, breaking bread, supporting one another and worshipping.

And the result of all this fellowship, faith and familiarity was that “the Lord added to their number day by day those

who were being saved.”

If you know as I do “that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are

called according to His purpose,” (Romans 8:28) then you know that there is and there will be good that comes

from our current situation. Sometimes in our isolation it is difficult to envision the good that might come from this,

but in some ways, this slowing of the pace has given us opportunities to renew, maintain and strengthen

relationships we might not otherwise have focused on. So how can we use this time to be faithful and at the same

time affect God-honoring outcomes in our lives and our church?

1. Renew, maintain and strengthen relationships with those closest to you.

On the first day of the stay at home order, Verizon reported that their call volume rivaled that of Mother’s Day.

Online meeting sites have had to beef up their capacity as virtual meetings and video calls replace in person events.

As human beings we crave interaction and will find ways to meet that need, even when we’re forced to stay at

home. Monday night Bingo over Skype with the grandparents has become a tradition in our house and I hope it

continues. I hope you are connecting too. Keep calling and video chatting. And don’t forget to say hi to your

neighbor over the back fence. You just might just be the interaction they need today.

2. Renew, maintain and strengthen your relationship with your church family.

For some the church is the place where they interact with others. For all it should be a place that feels like home. It

is where our brothers and sisters in Christ gather together to receive the gifts of God. I worry for those who do not

long for the day when we can reunite with our family within the walls of the church and receive the gifts offered

there. Until then, don’t let your relationships with your brothers and sisters wither. Give them a call. Send them an

email. Encourage them and receive the same encouragement back from them. As the very first Christians grew in

community with each other, so can we, even during this time.

3. Above all, renew, maintain and strengthen your relationship with Christ.

It may sound counterintuitive, but many have said that their relationship with Christ has strengthened during this

difficult time. As is often the case, hardship draws us closer to the One who provides for and sustains us, both

physically and spiritually. And the church all over the world has stepped up to meet the needs of its members and

those who are seeking. Recorded services, Sunday school and Bible class are great but can never replace our time

together in person. For now, they will have to do, but if there is a physical or spiritual need that is not being met, let

us know so that your church family can be a source of blessing and relief to you.

Relationships count, especially during a time where they are hard to come by. It may require some effort

but take this time to strengthen the bonds with your family, friends, neighbors, church and especially Christ.

Blessings,

The Illuminator May 2020 ___ _ Page 3

From the Youth Director/Sunday School Superintendent: “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Psalm 46:10

Greetings to all of you at Holy Cross! I sincerely miss seeing the Sunday School kids and all of the

grownups, too. One of my favorite Bible verses is the one above, “Be still and know that I am God.” I

find that I need to remind myself of that daily – it's so easy to feel that we need to be in charge, but we are

not. I really enjoy the entire 46th Psalm and highly recommend reading through that reminder that nothing

is bigger than our Father in Heaven.

News from Sunday School and Lutheran Youth

Fellowship! Before we went into the shelter in

place order to keep ourselves and our loved ones

safe, we had a practice Bible Bowl competition

with our team against some adults. Well, we’ll

call it a competition, but it wasn’t! Those kids did

wonderful, and don’t forget to tell them so when

you see them! Our team was led by Vicar Marks

and included Bella Dawson, Cali Elliot, Jonah

Marks and Max Serre.

During this time of separation, Vicar and the

entire Marks family have been recording our

Sunday School lessons in our very own classrooms and I have been sharing them with the kids through

email and our Facebook page. Because our Sunday School curriculum is mostly digital, we have been

able to keep up with our lessons! I have challenged all the kids of all ages to memorize our weekly Bible

verses for a reward when we return. And as an extra, if they can recite the entire 23rd Psalm...we will have

an ice cream sundae bar after 10:45 service!

We did not get to gather to go through the Journey to the Cross but there is a digital version on the Holy

Cross website on the Youth Events page if you are interested, and please feel free to share it.

Moving forward we will continue to provide digital learning opportunities from Concordia Publishing and

sharing coloring pages, videos, and science experiments. I’ll keep on challenging all of us to memorize

Bible verses. And, of course, we will keep on attending online church services and Sunday School.

I don’t like to end on a low note, but at this time Vacation Bible School is delayed. As we learn more, we

will keep you updated. Jesus commanded that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and part of

that is keeping each other safe however we can – we are all doing that by sheltering in place and VBS

won’t be scheduled until it can be done safely. Thanks for your understanding, and your prayers!

If you would like to be added to the email list for children’s Sunday School or be a part of our Facebook

page, please feel free to reach out to me at (309) 721-1749 or [email protected]. And remember

amidst all of this, to “be still and know that I am God.” I know I will.

Peace and prayers to you all,

Susan Serre

mailto:[email protected]

The Illuminator May 2020 Page 4

How to contact Pastor Karsten: Please do not leave voice messages at church during this this continued

shelter-in-place period. You may call or text Pastor at (309) 716-2375. His email address is

[email protected]. Please call, text, or email him if you would like to schedule an appointment for

private communion at church in May.

God willing, the June newsletter will contain details about the resumption of activities at church. In the

meantime, continue to watch the weekly bulletins posted on the Holy Cross web page, along with the

links to each service. Thank you for your faithful financial support of the church during this period.

Please also remember our special mission support of Rev. Mahlburg and family in Sri Lanka, Dr. & Mrs.

Dicke in Papua New Guinea, and Pastor Dominguez and the Cristo Rey congregation.

Our Christian sympathy is extended to the family of Judy Butts. Judy died on

March 6 at Journey Care Hospice in Barrington. Her funeral was at Holy Cross on

March 10, immediately prior to the stay-at-home mandate.

Our Christian sympathy is also extended to the family of Gerda Taylor. Gerda

died on March 27 at Trinity Hospital during the stay-at-home mandate. Pastor

Karsten conducted her funeral at Holy Cross on Monday of Holy Week, April 6,

while family and friends from around the country gathered in their homes and

participated via Zoom.

The Baby Bottle Drive is different this year: In honor of your

mother who chose life for you, please support the work of our

Pregnancy Resources Center. Their work never stops despite the

pandemic, and they were deprived of their largest fundraising event

of the year when the Spring Banquet was postponed. In one recent

week, for example, the Center provided 28 life-affirming pregnancy

test and 15 life-affirming Ultrasounds. In addition, the center

continues to provide emergency diapers, wipes, formula, car seats

and infant/toddler clothing. Please see the graphic to the right → to

see how you can give online. You may also, of course, mail your

contribution directly to the Center at 3825-16th St. Moline. Our Vicar #51 is Nathaniel Konkel. His wife is Hannah, and they have two

daughters, Karla (3) and Carolyn (1). Vicar Konkel is from Southgate,

Michigan, but he and Hannah taught for two years in Baltimore following their

graduation from Concordia University Wisconsin and before Vicar-elect

Konkel enrolled in the Seminary. We look forward to welcoming the Konkel

family later this summer. Vicar-elect Konkel was a member of the Seminary

Kantorei when they sang here on March 6.



PRAYER LIST

Please help to keep this list current by calling the church office when a name can be added or

removed. Weekly updates will be included in each Sunday’s bulletin.

Members in Facilities: Amber Ridge- Oneta Curless, Hope Creek- Evelyn Owens, New

Perspectives- Gordon Sellmann, Generations, RI- Arlene Fanella, Woodridge Supportive

Living, Galesburg - Dick and Jean Ristau, Marian Jones, Hospice Care at Home: George

Sukach

Serving in the Military: Camden Cripe (nephew of Sandy Bopes), J.T. Grider (cousin of Sandy

Bopes), Andrew Tolley (son of Carole Tolley), David Revel (son of Craig & Laurie Revel,

serving in Germany), Jeffrey Teuscher (nephew of Willie Swain), Leith Masri (grandson of

Marian Jones), Matthew Glider (grandson of Doris Glider), Austin Cox (grandson-in-law of Sieg

Paulsen), Paul Thorngren (nephew of Dan & Melissa Thorngren), Matthew Patterson (son-in-law

of Mike Waters, serving in Kuwait), Emilio Cantu (nephew of Jim and Kathy Cramblett).

Treatment for Cancer: Mike Green, Jerry Tutskey, Joanne Lyons (friend of Joyce Spidle), Steve

Scanlon, Orville Reynolds (nephews and niece of Russ and Gerri Stolze), Pat Champion

(daughter of Marian Jones), Anna Wilson, Dave Patterson (brother of Bev Wagner), Lynn

Soenken (brother of Jeanette Eastman), Paul Brug (cousin of Eugene Beckman), Bud Miller (son-

in-law of George Sukach), Harold Foster (brother-in-law of Bob Hellstrom), Judy Knudsen (sister

of Allen Stegemann), Hannah Clark (relative of Marilyn Noard), Jacey Moege (3-year-old

relative of Sieg Paulsen), Kristine Westmoreland, Rev. Harold Teuscher (brother of Willie

Swain), Dan Howe (brother-in-law of Tom & Sandy Morgan), Chris Pace (niece of Tom & Sandy

Morgan), Cari Kenney (friend of Tom & Sandy Morgan), John Sedberry (friend of Ann

Mangelsdorf); Kathy Sies (friend of Virginia Koontz).

Serious Health Concerns: Carl Thompson, David Kramer, Heidi Sias, Maureen DeLassus, Kelly

Teuscher (niece of Willie Swain), Marvin Hanson (uncle of Jill Safe), Tom Morgan.

Recovering/Ongoing Health Concerns: Mia (grand-daughter of Gwen & Terry Shrake), Gary

Johnson, Grant & Elizabeth Cobb, Jim Harder (brother of John & Mary Harder), Jill Safe, Gwen

Shrake, Alyssa Jones (granddaughter of Marian Jones), Fred Poe (grandson of Virginia Koontz),

Karen Techlin, Hallee & Jordan Fischer (cousins of Penny Dawson), Carol Ferrell, Kimberly

Sukach (daughter of George Sukach), Bonnie McClelland (granddaughter of George Sukach),

Dorothea Jamieson, Susan Jamieson, Joshua Duburg (cousin of Jill Safe), Sieg Paulsen, Jim

Graham, cousins of Sandy Lohse: Jim Miene, Dan & Carol Rodgers.


May Bible Reading Guide

05/01 1 Samuel 2:1-10/Titus, Philemon

05/02 Psalm 121/Hebrews 1-4




05/06 Psalm 125/James 1-3

05/07 Psalm 126/James 4-5

05/08 Psalm 127/1 Peter 1-2

05/09 Psalm 128/1 Peter 3-5

05/10 Psalm 129/2 Peter

05/11 Psalm 130/1 John 1-3

05/12 Psalm 131/1 John 4-5

05/13 Psalm 132/2 John, 3 John, Jude

05/14 Psalm 133/John 1-2

05/15 Psalm 134/John 3-4

05/16 Psalm 135/John 5-6

05/17 Psalm 136/John 7-8

05/18 Psalm 137/John 9-10

05/19 Psalm 138/John 11-12

05/20 Psalm 139/John 13-14

05/21 Psalm 140/John 15-16

05/22 Psalm 141/John 17-18

05/23 Psalm 142/John 19

05/24 Psalm 143/John 20-21

05/25 Psalm 144/Acts 1-2

05/26 Psalm 145/Acts 3-4

05/27 Psalm 146/Acts 5-6

05/28 Psalm 147/Acts 7-8

05/29 Psalm 148/Acts 9-10

05/30 Psalm 149/Acts 11-12

05/31 1 Samuel 2:1-10/Acts 13-14

May Birthdays According to our records, God has blessed you with the privilege of celebrating a birthday this month.

Please inform the Holy Cross office if this information is incorrect

Beth Laughead 5/1

Renee Noard 5/1

Elena Dawson 5/3

Bev Gustafson 5/4

James Elhoffer 5/4

Sharon Rock 5/4

Milo Schmidt 5/5

John Eastman 5/5

Stanley Hasselberg 5/5

Sandra Larrison 5/5

Carolyn Reese 5/6

Andrew Paller 5/7

Todd Terrell 5/8

Isaiah Engle 5/9

Donna Tornquist 5/9

Henry Setton 5/11

Willis Lemke 5/12

Nicholas Boisvert 5/14

Corinne Pearce 5/14

Scott Ryckeghem 5/15

Laurel Gray 5/16

David Revel 5/16

Doris Glider 5/18

Hans Kretschmar 5/19

Arthur Larrison 5/20

Kevin Paller 5/21

Hope Steagall 5/21

Mark Harper 5/22

Eugene Beckman 5/25

Michael Waters 5/25

Wanda Engelkes 5/26

Marcia Green 5/29

Skye Mahlburg 5/29

Greta Marks 5/30

Have you remembered the Lord’s work in your will and estate planning?

Bible Reading

15and call upon me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” Psalm 50:15

The Lord's Prayer – Conclusion

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

What does this mean?

This means that I should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our Father in

heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this

way and has promised to hear us. Amen, amen means "yes, yes, it shall be so."

Hymn: Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won LSB 490

1 Jesus lives! The vict’ry’s won!

Death no longer can appall me;

Jesus lives! Death’s reign is done!

From the grave will Christ recall me.

Brighter scenes will then commence;

This shall be my confidence.

2 Jesus lives! To Him the throne

High above all things is given.

I shall go where He is gone,

Live and reign with Him in heaven.

God is faithful; doubtings, hence!


3 Jesus lives! For me He died,

Hence will I, to Jesus living,

Pure in heart and act abide,

Praise to Him and glory giving.

All I need God will dispense;


4 Jesus lives! I know full well

Nothing me from Him shall sever.

Neither death nor pow’rs of hell

Part me now from Christ forever.

God will be my sure defense;


5 Jesus lives! And now is death

But the gate of life immortal;

This shall calm my trembling breath

When I pass its gloomy portal.

Faith shall cry, as fails each sense:

Jesus is my confidence!

Acknowledgments

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

May 2020

Christ the King - Cristo Rey - Lutheran Church 1301-19th Street, East Moline, IL 61244

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: (309) 738-6124

Rev. Pablo G. Dominguez

http://iglesialuteranacristorey.ctshost.org

MAY 2020

I have met people who like to buy cheap, older houses. These

houses need restoration; they need repairs made to damaged

walls, broken doors and broken pipes. Perhaps an older style

kitchen needs updating, or other rooms rebuilt. There may be

other minor or even major modifications needed. I have talked

with the people who have bought these cheap houses. Husband

and wife spend time, money and effort, working hard to

improve the house and fix any and all necessary things. After

weeks or months, many differences can be seen: a new kitchen,

new windows, new doors, fresh paint. The rooms look so nice

as do the other changes. The old and ugly house is now a

pleasant and pretty house in which to live. Improvements were

made correctly and tastefully.

Let’s each consider our own “house” or in other words, our lives, our hearts. How do they look?

Do you think they need “repairs?”

We need to give thanks to the Holy Spirit who comes to us when the Gospel is proclaimed and

opens our eyes. We now are able to see our own sinful nature and realize the impossibility to make

changes or “repairs” for ourselves. Good news! Jesus comes to restore our hearts. “He liberates

from evil, and He makes us worthy to be in His presence. He comes to us and keeps us away from

error. He turns us from sin to rightness, and from death to life” (Hymnal “Cantad al Senor, page

20)

What a marvelous and extraordinary restoration Jesus has made and continues to make in our lives,

right? We need to thank God “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the

world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17) Thanks be to Jesus who saved us when

he died on the cross. As He hung suffering on that cross, he was thinking of us. He paid the debt

we owe and won salvation for us. And, my friend, this salvation is a free gift He gives to us.

Praise be to our merciful Father and many thanks to Jesus for “repairing and restoring” my heart

day by day. Amen.

In Mexico Mothers’ Day is always celebrated on May 10th.

It is the most beloved and important festival of the year for

the family. It is a tradition that the children sing songs to their

mothers on this day. We call it “serenata”. A serenata

consists of songs sung in the early morning with live music.

Some hire a group of musicians with acoustic guitars. Others

employ “The Mariachi”, (The Mariachi is a group of

musicians who play traditional folk music with guitars,

trumpets, and violins). Or friends with acoustic guitars may

form a group and travel to their mothers’ houses and sing two

or three songs. Upon finishing the songs, the mother must leave the house and thank the children

personally with a hug and a kiss.

On this day, the mothers also receive gifts: flowers, hugs, kisses and a lot of love from their

children in appreciation. It is also a custom to observe festivals for the mothers in the elementary

schools, where the students carry out dance numbers, interpret some songs and perform some

recitations like poems for mothers. Mothers are so pleased when they see their children doing

something for them. In many schools the students do some

handcrafts, like a decoration for the house for their mothers.

Children give it to them on Mother’s Day, May 10.

Many families are accustomed to being together to celebrate

with their moms. They bring a special meal or some plates

while others make reservations in a restaurant. The idea is to

spend major time with their moms in order to honor them on

their special day.

A Blessed Mother’s Day to all mothers!

May God continue to bless you as you lovingly serve Him

and your family!

888-THE LCMS • lcms.org • [email protected] | 1

`

The message and mission of the Church remains the same, especially in the face of the coronavirus. On the cross, Jesus defeated Covid-19 and His resurrection is evidence of Jesus’ victory over every virus and disease. Jesus lives, and because He lives, all who believe will be raised on the Last Day, never to face disease and death ever again. This is the hope we have. We get to share this hope with a world fearful of the future. Because Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father, we know that God loves us. He sends His angels to watch over us. He sends His Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us by Jesus’ Word and Sacrament. This is the comfort we have from our risen Savior. We get to share this comfort with an anxious world.

Though the message and mission has not changed, day to day life and mission activities have changed. The government issued a country-wide curfew to begin on March 20th at 6 PM. Curfew means that we are not allowed to leave our homes. On Tuesday March 24th the curfew was lifted from 6 am to 2 pm. Since then, the curfew has been lifted once or twice a week except in areas considered high risk. Colombo is considered high risk. All three missionary families are confined to their homes. The government allows food and other essential items delivered or sold from trucks on the road. We all have what we need. I am keeping in contact with our church partner pastors and evangelists through phone call and social media. There is a lot of concern as so many people are out of work. I started providing a daily devotion and weekly church services through YouTube. Also, I am taking advantage of the time to work on some other projects. Please keep our Lord’s mission work and Sri Lanka in your prayers.

We rejoice that God allowed us to celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord with people around the world. In reality, we do celebrate with Christians all around the world when we gather around Jesus in worship. Though we are not physically present with believers around the world, the Holy Spirit connects us together as we hear our Lord’s Word, receive His sacrament, sing His praises, and offer up our prayers and thanksgiving. We are thankful that (via YouTube) we were able to share the Easter service with the people who attend the English service at Emmanuel Colombo, many others around Sri Lanka and the world. “My Word that goes from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty.” Isaiah 55:11

To be added to or removed from this mailing list, send an email message to [email protected] with the word ADD or REMOVE in the subject line.

SERVING THE LORD IN

SRI LANKA NEWS FROM THE MAHLBURG FAMILY April

2020

[email protected]

You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. Mark 15:6

He Is Risen!

Family Dates Wedding Anniversary August 11

Birthdays: Steven January 27 Martha December 11 Autumn September 13 Liberty July 15 Skye May 29 Rose March 19 Duncan July 24

Picture from one of my YouTube devotions

The last congregation Steven visited before the curfew was in

Kotagala led by Senior Evangelist Muthukumar


888-THE LCMS • lcms.org • [email protected] | 2

The old saying, “March comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb” is usually right. This March has been like no other. It certainly started normally for us, but ended somewhere in the Twilight Zone.

We started March with Skye performing in Arthur Miller’s “Enemy of the People”. It was done very differently with the audience sitting on three sides of the stage. Skye was one of the townspeople and actually sat in the audience until the town meeting when she would jump up and shout out her lines. Made us feel like a part of the play.

The middle of March saw the kids dismissed from the rest of the school term. Rose was planning a birthday party with a few friends and that got cancelled as the Covid 19 virus started ramping up in Sri Lanka. We had a nice quiet family celebration.

By the end of the month the government had put us under continuous curfew. Food is being trucked into our apartment complex. I wait in line, at least one meter from the next person, with a mask on to purchase a bag of fruit or vegetables or whatever the truck is carrying. We are doing fine but are a little stir crazy.

We look forward to curfew being over.

PLEASE PRAY FOR: • Ears to be open to the comfort

found in Christ

• Those affected by covid-19

• The unemployed

• Those under prolonged curfews

• Continued financial support for local congregations and mission work around the world

GIVE THANKS FOR: • Provision of essentials

• Provision of the most essential: God’s Word

• Support of brothers and sisters in Christ

• Use of the internet to spread God’s Word

PRAISE GOD FOR: • Jesus’ death and resurrection

• Hope in Jesus

• The many congregations and individuals who pray for us, encourage us and partner with us

CONSIDER: • Adding us to your congregation’s

mission budget as a Together in Mission partner (Call 888-930-4438 for details).

• Starting, continuing, or increasing financial support for mission work in Sri Lanka (See below).

• Having a Skype update with your congregation, Bible study, Day School, Sunday School, Women’s group, etc…

There are many opportunities to serve as short-term or GEO missionaries. Check out the current list and download an application at lcms.org/service. Click on “Service Opportunities.”

To support the LCMS through the work of Steven Mahlburg, you may send a tax-deductible gift to:

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod P.O. Box 66861 St. Louis, MO 63166-6861

Make checks payable to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Mark checks “Support of Mahlburg-Sri Lanka”. Gifts can also be given securely online through the LCMS website, on my online giving page at lcms.org/Mahlburg.

Family News

Together in Jesus’ Service, Steven & Martha,

Autumn, Liberty, Skye, Rose, and Duncan

SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: stevemahlburg

Twitter: twitter.com/MahlburgMission

Facebook: facebook.com/groups/missionSriLanka

Skye as an angry towns person

Rose’s 15th birthday

Kindly consider a special gift to further support LCMS mission work in Sri Lanka. The instructions below explain how you can give this gift.

Waiting in line to purchase fruit


http://lcms.org/service

Martin and Marie Dicke—Missionaries Serving the Lord in Papua New Guinea

April 2020

Volume 4, Issue 7

By Martin Dicke

Watching the news of the dan-

gers, growth, and spread of the

Coronavirus gave new meaning

to the petition in the special

Litany prayer in our hymnal

asking God to protect us from

“pestilence and famine.”

Pestilence was nothing new

hundreds of years ago. 1637 was

a particularly difficult year for

the Rev. Martin Rinckart and the

people of the town of Eilenburg

in Germany (see masthead

above). He began to serve as a

pastor in the town in 1617. The

next year a war began which

lasted for three decades. During

the war many thousands of peo-

ple sought refuge within the

walls of the city. In 1637 a se-

vere plague hit the city and by

the end of the year around 8,480

people had lost their lives.

Among them was his own wife

who passed away on May 8 of

that year. By August he was the

only pastor serving in the city

and was sometimes leading fu-

nerals for 40-50 people at a time.

In the midst of this war, the

pestilence and the famine that

resulted, Rinckart wrote the

words of the famous hymn

“Now Thank We All Our God.”

It was published in a devotional

book in 1636 where it was enti-

tled “A Little Prayer Before

Meals.” Upon the loss of his

wife in the next year, the refer-

ence to mothers in the first

verse must have meant even

more to him and his children.

Below is a literal translation of

the hymn from the original Ger-

man. Even in midst of calamity

and tragedy, Rinckart heeded

Saint Paul’s admonition to “give

thanks in all circumstances; for

this is the will of God in Christ

Jesus for you.” (1 Thessaolnians

5:18). May God give us strength

to do the same.

Pestilence and “Now Thank We All Our God”

We send our newsletter

to those who have

signed up for it or have

contributed to our min-

istry. If you would ra-

ther not receive it or

would rather receive it

by e-mail, please write

[email protected].

Thank you for your

support and interest in

our mission work. To

help, please visit:

lcms.org/dicke

missioncentral.us/dicke

1. Now let us all thank God

with hearts, mouths, and hands,

who does great things

for us and all the ends of the earth.

Who, while we were yet in our mother's

womb and from childhood on,

has greatly blessed us

and does so to this day.

2. The eternal and bountiful God

willingly grants us during our life

an ever-cheerful heart

and noble peace

and holds us in His grace

continually

and delivers us from all affliction

no matter where we are.

3. Glory, honor, and praise be to God, to the Father and to the Son

and to the One, who is equal to both upon heaven’s throne on high –

to the triune God, as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be now and forevermore.

To contact us, please write to [email protected] or: Martin and Marie Dicke 8574 Quarry Ridge Ln Unit B Woodbury, MN 55125 (651) 363-0275

Alternatively, you can send checks

payable to the LCMS with “PNG/

Dickes” on the Memo Line to:

LCMS Mission Advancement

1333 S. Kirkwood Rd.

St. Louis, MO 63122-7226

Please support the missionary

service of Martin and Marie Dicke

with a monthly, quarterly, or year-

ly giving plan or with a one-time

gift. Visit lcms.org/dicke or call

LCMS Mission Advancement at

(888) 843-5267.

You may also visit our dear friends

at missioncentral.us/dicke or send

your gifts to:

Mission Central

40718 Highway E-16

Mapleton, IA 51034

mailto:[email protected]?subject=Newsletter%20Subscription

https://www.lcms.org/dicke

https://www.missioncentral.us/dicke


http://lcms.org/service

# of Sundays 13

YTD P/W 5,705.07$ Only 2 Sundays of contributions are included in this month's

LYTD P/W 5,354.66$ YTD average

MORTGAGE BALANCE $0.00

THIS YEAR LAST YEAR PRIOR MO.

ACCOUNT BALANCES MONTH TO DATE TO DATE YTD

GENERAL FUND

Beginning Balance 72,689.26 94,175.20 119,427.65 94,175.20

Contributions/Transfers In 22,179.34 74,165.88 69,610.51 51,986.54

Interest 12.89 499.59 21.18 486.70

Total Receipts 22,192.23 74,665.47 69,631.69 52,473.24

Available Balance 109,370.43 168,840.67 189,059.34 146,648.44

Expenditures/Transfers Out 25,720.04 99,679.22 82,218.54 73,959.18

Ending Balance 69,161.45 69,161.45 106,840.80 72,689.26

ANNIVERSARY FUND


Contributions/Transfers In 160.00 1,179.50 780.00 1,019.50

Bequests and Refunds 837.96 837.96 147.50 0.00

Expenditures 974.15 1,813.58 700.75 839.43

Ending Balance 2,867.35 2,867.35 2,110.51 2,843.54

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND

Beginning Balance 635.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Contributions 165.00 800.00 0.00 635.00

Expenditures 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Ending Balance 800.00 800.00 0.00 635.00

MEMORIAL FUND


Receipts/Transfers In 601.22 19,417.93 905.00 18,816.71

Expenditures/Transfers Out 0.00 15,412.07 182.55 15,412.07

Ending Balance 59,023.39 59,023.39 154,927.56 58,422.17

SUNDAY SCHOOL FUND Stamps


Receipts 31.20 68.70 134.00 68.70

Expenditures 0.00 0.00 200.00 0.00

Ending Balance 177.07 177.07 205.62 177.07

SUNDAY SCHOOL FUND/ VBS SUPPLIES


Receipts 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Expenditures 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Ending Balance 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

BENEVOLENCE FUND


Receipts 51.00 321.00 512.00 321.00

Expenditures 0.00 0.00 10.00 0.00

Ending Balance 6,490.37 6,490.37 5,431.35 6,490.37

MISSIONS FUND

Beginning Balance (441.00) 7,342.50 1,380.00 7,342.50

Receipts-Mahlburg, Cristo Rey,Dicke ey, Dicke, SriLanka 980.00 1,830.00 3,640.00 850.00

Expenditures-Rev Mahlburg 0.00 1,310.00 0.00 1,310.00

Expenditures-Dr. Dicke 0.00 1,868.50 0.00 1,868.50

Expenditures-Cristo Rey 0.00 1,200.00 500.00 1,200.00

Expenditures-Sri Lanka Xmas 0.00 4,255.00 0.00 4,255.00

Ending Balance 539.00 539.00 4,520.00 (441.00)

TOTAL FUND BALANCES 139,058.63 139,058.63 269,852.42 140,816.41

Beginning cash 150,908.24

Months deposits 24,936.41

Months checks & fees 27,107.42 total fund balance 139,058.63

Ending cash 148,737.23 accts payable 2,720.00

141,778.63

Bank balance 148,737.23

Outstanding deposits 0.00

Outstanding checks 6,958.60$ Note: 2730.00 accrued Adjusted bank balance 141,778.63$ to date included in A/P

Holy Cross Lutheran Church Accountant's Report March 2020

Thank you for your support!

Holy Cross Lutheran Church – Moline, IL May 2020

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

3 4th Sunday of Easter

Pray for the members and

friends of Holy Cross, and the

resumption of corporate

worship

4

Pray for Rev.

Mahlburg, Dr. Dicke,

Pastor Dominguez,

and all missionaries

and their families

5

Pray for our Circuit

and District

congregations; their

pastors and people

6

Pray for our Synod and

its leaders: President

Harrison, VP Lange,

Secretary Sias

7

Pray for the faculty,

staff, and students of

our seminaries and

church colleges

1 St. Philip and St.

James, Apostles

Pray for patience

8 Pray for Vicar

Marks and family

2

Pray for peace

9 Pray for Vicar-

elect Konkel and

family


Mother’s Day

Pray for all mothers

11

Thank God for the

lives of those mothers

who now rest in His

presence

12

Pray for those who

desire children, but

have none

13

Pray for Pregnancy

Resource Centers and an

end to abortion

14

Pray for adoption

agencies and those

seeking to adopt

15

Pray for marriages

and families in

conflict

16

Pray for children

and grandchildren

who have wandered

away from the faith

176th Sunday of Easter

Pray for an end to the

coronavirus pandemic

18

Pray for doctors and

nurses

19

Pray for aides,

therapists, and

medical support staff

20

Pray for scientists

searching for a vaccine

21 The Ascension of

Our Lord

Pray for the comfort of

Christ’s continual

presence

22

Pray for senior

care facilities, all

residents and staff

23

Pray for nursing

home residents and

staff


Pray for leaders in

government at every level:

federal, state, and local

25 Memorial Day

Pray for the families

of those who gave

their lives in military

service

26

Pray for active duty

military service

personnel

27

Pray for law

enforcement officers,

firefighters and first

responders

28

Pray for farmers,

ranchers, and all those

involved in bringing

food to our table

29

Pray for those

without work

30

Pray for the

countless people

who by their

vocations serve our

daily needs

31 Pentecost

Pray for Emily and Cassidy,

and all those who will profess

their faith through the rite of

Confirmation

Since our calendar of regularly-scheduled

activities is empty, let us fill it with special,

fervent petitions in this most unusual time.

The Illuminator The Newsletter of Holy Cross Lutheran Church … · grownups, too. One of my favorite Bible verses is the one above, “Be still and know that I am God.” I find

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