November Newsletter
We love, serve, and gather in Christ.
A note from Pastor Doug
When I was in college, my one friend named Woody would tease me every November because of Thanksgiving. Because my last name is spelled “Givan” he would go around saying over and over Happy Thanks-givan and he thought that was pretty funny. By whatever name, it’s that time of year again.
And, while the world is certainly different than last year, let us all celebrate Thanksgiving! In fact, it is a major part of the spiritual life to be thankful. There are multiple verses that support that, with my own favorite being 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 “Rejoice always, pray continually, and in everything give thanks, for that is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” You do not need to wait until the fourth Thursday in November to give thanks.
Today, start your prayer in thanksgiving for all the blessings of God. We often ask for what we need or what we want for others. Start with thanks and notice the difference. In fact, Oprah suggested that every night write down 5 things you are thankful for. And then she suggested making it a different 5 every time!! I’ve done this and it opens up your mind to the many, many things we give God thanks. I am thankful for each of you as part of our family of faith.
Remember over and over please, politics and viruses’ do NOT have the last word. God does in Jesus Christ and we will get through this together. And for that, I give thanks!!
Peace,
Pastor Doug
Council Meeting Highlights
FLC Council has continued to meet regularly via Zoom to keep projects moving forward and provide for ongoing communication.
FLC and St. Andrew’s held the first joint Council meeting in October as is outlined in our Shared Ministries agreement. It was a great time to get to know one another and lay out plans for shared services during the holiday season. Next meeting was set for February 22, 2021.
Continued to review our Return to Worship process, discussing input received, adjusting the number of Sunday Servants and their locations, Sunday morning worship flow and monitor information format, entrance / exit pathways.
Discussed the continuation of our Sunday Live Stream on Facebook. Reviewed input received from viewers and talked about needed adjustments.
Held final review of the updated Constitution and By-Laws in preparation for Congregational review.
Reviewed and approved a proposed Memorial Gifts Policy.
Authorized repairs to the Parking Lot and the renewal of the Snow Removal contract
Discussed the establishment of the 2020 Nominating Committee
Discussed the upcoming Memorial Service for Jerry Curry on Saturday November 7th
Discussions held regarding the Food Pantry, Congregational Meeting and year end tasks.
We want to thank everyone for their continued support and please contact us if you have any concerns or questions!
Don, Rick, Julie, Jim, Debbie, Ron, and Pastor
Council President’s Thoughts
Welcome to November! Time really flies. To start off the month, a reminder just in case you haven’t heard, on the 3rd we have the election. I am starting my Thanksgiving prayers early by being thankful that those campaign ads will finally be over, and we have the chance to return to a little bit of normalcy in our lives.
The church council from Faith and council members from St. Andrews held our first quarterly joint council meeting on Monday October the 24th. One of our topics was discussing the upcoming holiday schedule. Thanksgiving and Advent are just around the corner. We will post a complete schedule once it is better defined. At this point we are planning on a joint Thanksgiving service to be held at St. Andrews on Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve, November 25th, at 6:30. There will be a sign up list for seating sent out prior to the date if you would like to attend the service. The Wednesdays of December 2nd, 9th, 16th and the 23rd we will be celebrating the season of Advent, with either a Devotional or Musical presentation that will be distributed by e-mail or Facebook to the congregations. Services for Christmas will be evaluated closer to the holiday depending on the status of the COVID requirements at the time.
I have received many positive comments on the use of Facebook live streaming of the Sunday services. I appreciate your patience as we became familiar with the equipment and worked the bugs out of our procedures. If you attended service last Sunday, you may have noticed the sanctuary has been rearranged. This was done to provide a cleaner view of the church on the livestream presentations. Our services may now be watched worldwide on Facebook, so we want to look our best. Thanks to those who implemented the arrangement.
Thanks to those that have returned church materials to the facility that they have managed and cared for over the years the church transitioned from one location to another. We are finally able to manage those at our location.
Thanks to everyone for your patience and understanding as we continue our journey through the remainder of 2020.
Don Damrow
Thanksgiving Eve Service
Thanksgiving Eve service will be held at St. Andrew's Lutheran, 6118 Crawfordsville Rd., Speedway, Nov. 25th 6:30 p.m. While in person seating is available, this will be on Facebook live as well. The family of faith at Faith are invited and warmly welcomed to attend. Beautiful hymnody with music from St. A's long time musician Ed Bailey, a thanksgiving devotion by Pastor and Holy Communion.
If you didn't know, you can also park in the St. A parking lot and listen on your radio to 87.9 and hear the service. An usher will greet you outside with an order of service and Communion kit. Please join us and if you want to come in person we recommend you sign up on the St. Andrews website
Advent
The season of Advent begins Nov. 29th marking the 4 week period of waiting, once again, on the birth of Christ at Christmas. This year there will be no mid-week services at either church, however, Pr. Doug will prepare a mid week devotional and send that out electronically.
Holiday Letter from Martha Siemers
Friends at Faith Lutheran Church and Pastor Doug,
Traveling is discouraged now but if I could I’d like to be on a Fall journey or a beautiful cruise for the next couple months - - from Covid, yes (there’s no guarantee), but mostly from November 3 (NO TV on cruise). I now have some 85 channels included in my rent but I could live without it for a while. However, my life is now and has been fine at Cumberland Trace since the last seasonal letter, and that includes the unfortunate pandemic of Covid 19.
The 2020 holiday and Christmas season is approaching too soon as we all know time flies so fast. What do you predict for USA, to overcome a financial slump? Commercially, it can proceed either way. Perhaps the custom of loving through giving will assist.
Cumberland Trace has maintained an excellent record dealing with Covid 19. Recently Eli Lily Pharmaceutical Co., chose CT for a research program. I decided to participate. I was given infusion of antibodies or placebo. I have been and will be checked every day for 52 days. All has been fine and CT has continued with a very good record with rare cases of Covid 19, among staff and residents.
The Christmas season is a sacred time for Christians, and hopefully we all have time to rejoice. I hope none of you have experienced a tragic loss of a loved one. Our staff members are also our friends and our Misty, who has typed and designed my letters, lost her dear Mother. We feel this with her.
Please remember all the good of Christmas, be festive, enjoy and whatever the new normal is, let’s face it with faith, hope, optimism and love for and caring for others.
God has not called me so I’ll be 94 soon. Thanks to my good family, Eric, Peggy, Brian, Caroline, Heidi, Dan, Lisa, Dwight and their families and to Cumberland Trace, it’s still a joy to be here. Blessings to you all for the beautiful Fall and approaching special days and seasons.
Martha Siemers
Mom/Martha/Mother-in-law, Grandmother, Step-Grandmother, Sister-in-law, Aunt and Friend
Faith’s Food Pantry
I’m glad to report that we served 87 families or 366 individuals for the month of October. We made 100 candy bags and passed them out to the food pantry children.
Janice Damrow made Halloween theme face covering for a child, youth, tweens, and adults. Nearly all were given out but a few. The left over face coverings were given out to the children in Hendricks County.
October 17, 2020 coats were given to those in need at the fairgrounds. I do not have that number count at this time.
I would like to give a thank you to all those who volunteered this month.
I want to thank Jay and Karen Anderson for picking up the refrigerator for the food pantry. It was cold! The food pantry has a used three door “True Refrigerator.”
Thank you to the congregation for all of your support. We could not accomplish this mission without your support.
Blessings to all. Debbie M
Keeping Up with St. Andrews
Things are hopping around St. Andrew's! Or should I say they are beginning to be hopping again. We have started our Friendship Bible Study again each Tuesday evening using Zoom. The leaders have helped to organize and host to gift bag events held in the parking lot. Each friend was given a goody bag in September as a way to just share some love. On October 24, the friends had some fun with Halloween treat bags. Be sure to go to our website to see the pictures of this event!
We have also been enjoying worship outside in our parking lot! The joy I have seen in so many faces makes these services even more special. Kids come and enjoy music (my daughter in particular enjoys dancing) and of course they are hearing God's Word! We have also received some honks from passing cars who (fingers crossed) are feeling the love exuding from our parking lot.
At the beginning of October we also served 38 families through a grant from the IK Synod. We supplied these families with beef, sausage, milk, eggs, fresh fruit, and fresh veggies to have while on fall break. We partner with Wheeler Elementary here in Speedway to help them with a variety of needs and requests throughout the year. We plan to hold this event again in the spring. Be on the lookout if you would like to volunteer or donate!
To help stay up to date with all of our events and news, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and of course our website!
Let me know if you need anything else!
Kelli Steurer
Introducing Kelli Steurer from St. Andrews
Hi, Faith Lutheran! My name is Kelli Steurer.
In March I was called to be the Communications Director at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church. At that time I began rebuilding our website to what it is currently. Be sure to check it out at www.standrews-elca.org! I also manage our social media pages and digital worship opportunities. Besides my work for my church, I work for Lessonly who helps companies do better work, am a Beautycounter consultant, and homeschool my two oldest children. Lilian is 5 and in kindergarten. Carlisle is 3 and in preschool. Caleb and Robert are 1.5. They are climbers and into everything!
My husband Michael works for Raytheon as a software engineer. We live in Speedway, just a few blocks from St. Andrew’s and have been members there since 2012. Feel free to reach out to me at sta.communicationsdirector@gmail.com.
Prayer is Powerful
We, as Christian brothers and sisters, are called to pray for each other on all occasions. Ephesians chapter 6 says we are to keep this in mind, be alert, and always keep praying for all the saints. That means YOU!
Do you have a prayer request for ANY OCCASION? Health, Temporary Situation, Travel, Worry, Doubt, Moving etc.
Do you have a joy to share? Answered Prayer, Birth, New Job, Milestone Celebration, etc.?
Do you know someone that needs continued prayers? Homebound, Chronic Illness, Student, Military Service Member, etc.
As a family of Faith, we want to pray and celebrate WITH you.
Please submit your requests to Sheilah at the office by phone (317) 272-1022 or by email at flc.avon@att.net. The church phone and email are monitored daily.
If you would like to add details to your petitions you are welcome to do so but you do NOT have to.
November
Celebrations
We’d like to honor and celebrate with you!
Please contact Sheilah to make sure we have
your birthday and anniversary on file.
Martha Siemers 11/1
Amy Westwick 11/3
Jennifer Benning 11/8
Gil Sams 11/12
Judith Vogel 11/18
Lindsey Basicker 11/22
November Worship Assistants
We thank all of our Worship Assistants for their continued willingness to serve during worship.
November 1st
Altar Guild
Becky Albaugh
Debbie Hacker
Assisting Minister
Jay Anderson
Lector
Jim Orebaugh
Ushers
Lori Becker
Greeter
Becky Albaugh
Money Counter
Karen Anderson
Cleaning Ministry
Hacker (10/26 - 11/1)
November 22nd
Altar Guild
Becky Albaugh
Debbie Hacker
Assisting Minister
Phil Zillinger
Lector
Lori Becker
Ushers
Janice Lee
Greeter
Mona Etter
Money Counter
Don Damrow
Cleaning Ministry
Professional (11/16-11/22)
November 8th
Altar Guild
Becky Albaugh
Debbie Hacker
Assisting Minister
Don Damrow
Lector
Kris Basicker
Ushers
Kevin Westwick
Greeter
Julie Muncy
Money Counter
Debbie Hacker
Cleaning Ministry
Albaugh (11/2 - 11/8)
November 29th
Altar Guild
Becky Albaugh
Debbie Hacker
Assisting Minister
Karen Anderson
Lector
Debbie Hacker
Ushers
Phil Zillinger
Greeter
Jay Anderson
Money Counter
Julie Muncy
Cleaning Ministry
Etter (11/23 - 11/29)
November 15th
Altar Guild
Becky Albaugh
Debbie Hacker
Assisting Minister
Brian K
Lector
Jay Anderson
Ushers
Matthew Benning
Greeter
Nikki Lee
Money Counter
Phil Zillinger
Cleaning Ministry
Lee (11/9 - 11/15)
Prayer Wall
We, as Christian brothers and sisters, are called to pray for each other on all occasions. God’s word says in Ephesians 6 (18) we are to keep this in mind, be alert, and always keep praying for all the saints.
That means YOU!
Our Homebound Members:
Flora Christiansen and Martha Siemers
Continued Prayers:
Christina Burgan (daughter of Joyce and Gil Sams), Carol Westwick (chronic back pain), Lou Ann Funk, Carolyn Moench, Jodi Draper, Vince Draper, Sara Curry, Sam Muncy, Tim Schults (brother of Karen Anderson), Dan Weaver (father of Dee Dee Kochersperger), Unknown needs to all who are troubled in mind, body, and spirit.
Students:
Amy Westwick (Paramedic School), Douglas Perez, Michelle Becker, Maddie Anderson, Matthew Benning, Lauren Basicker, All students navigating their “new normals”
Military Service Members:
Lance Corporal (JJ James), All Service Men and Women fighting for our freedoms
Current Events:
Continued Covid-19 struggles
Wildfires across our country
Peace for our troubled world
Those affected by Hurricanes
Pastor invites us all to consider a donation to Lutheran World Relief at www.lwr.org
Leadership and Local Organizations:
ELCA Bishop: Elizabeth Eaton
I-K Synod Bishop Bill Gafkjen
Lutheran Child and Family Services
Family Promise
Sheltering Wings
Faith’s Food Pantry
As a family of Faith, we want to pray and celebrate WITH you. Please submit your requests to Sheilah at the office by phone 317.272.1022 or by email at flc.avon@att.net.
If you would like to add details to your petitions you are welcome to do so but you do NOT have to.
Proposed changes to the Constitution, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions
The Congregation Council proposes that our church’s Constitution, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions be updated to bring them into line with the Model Constitution of the ELCA and our unique operation. I have listed a summary of the changes below. I can send electronic documents of our current Constitution, the proposed Constitution, and/or the list of changes if anyone wishes. Please contact me at: jworebaugh@comcast.net and I will forward them to you. We can also provide a paper copy. Just be aware the current Constitution is 24 pages, the proposed Constitution is 38 pages, and the list of changes is 43 pages for a total of 107.
So, what is changing?
Some wording to remove ambiguity, “the congregation” to “this congregation” and synodical” to “this synod”
Added role of Deacon with its responsibilities
Changed “pastor” to “minister of word and sacrament” or “minister of word
and service” depending on whether or not the “pastor” may administer
communion.
A new requirement is to adopt a Mission Statement and review it periodically.
(which we already have)
Changes some of the procedures for leaving the ELCA
Added “Seasonal member” The best example I can think of are Snowbirds, those
living part of the year in Indiana and part of the year somewhere South of Indiana. A Seasonal member has the following restrictions:
They shall not be eligible for elected office in, or for membership on the Congregation Council or on a call committee of this congregation;
They shall not have the right to vote on any matter concerning or affecting the call or termination of call of any minister of this congregation;
They shall not have the right to vote on any matter concerning or affecting the affiliation of this congregation with the ELCA;
Theyshallnotbeeligibletoserveasvotingmembersfromthiscongregation of the Synod Assembly or the Churchwide Assembly;
They shall not, even if otherwise permitted by this congregation, vote by proxy or by absentee ballot; and
Theyshallnot,withinanytwocalendarmonthperiod,exercisevotingrights in this congregation and in the congregation where they remain voting members.
Added more detail to discipline of pastor and using the synod consultation committee to resolve situations involving the pastor.
Added the ability to hold electronic meetings of the congregation, council, or any other group provided that all members of the meeting may simultaneously hear each other (required by Indiana law)
The Council is responsible for overseeing the financial affairs. Changed “efficiently” to “effectively” as being effective is almost always better than being efficient while leaving out “paying particular attention to the prompt payment of benevolence/mission support to the synod” as it is our policy for each month to send the synod 10% of the amount of income we received for the operating budget the previous month.
We also took the opportunity to move some specifics from the constitution to the bylaws to make it easier to change in the future as our needs change. Constitution amendments require approval at a congregation meeting plus ratification (approval without changes) at the subsequent annual meeting plus approval by the synod. Bylaw amendments though only require approval at one congregation meeting. Those specifics that were moved to the Bylaws are:
Spending limit of $2,000 for non-budget items
Council terms of office and scheduling their installation from a vague “before January 31” to “a time appointed by the Council” to avoid inclement weather
The ELCA added a condition that the Council was to notify the Congregation if our anticipated income will not be sufficient to cover expenses. We used to be in this position, but as we now have a healthy budget surplus and a reserve, the Council felt that this didn’t apply, as we didn’t believe that the congregation would care if our income was hundreds of dollars short or even by a thousand dollars or so, that wouldn’t put that much of a dent in our roughly $60,000 surplus. So, we changed the wording to notify the congregation if the budget surplus was in danger of becoming depleted.
Date of Annual meeting, so that it could be moved if necessary or if wanted by the congregation
As noted above, we left out having a full indicated amount of mission support from the budget as we give 10% of our operating budget income. We’ve done this for years now, and it works well. We do include an estimate so that the Synod has something to work with, but it’s typically artificially low to help ensure that we give at least that amount and normally more.
If you have any questions, please ask a council member. We plan on presenting these amendments for approval by the congregation in December when we also vote on Council nominees and approve the 2021 Operating Budget.