April 2021 Newsletter
We love, serve, and gather in Christ.
Pastor Doug’s “Peace”
What do we know about April? What makes this month infamous?? April Fools Day? Tax Day April 15th, Spring Break, maybe Easter?? Maybe April is one of the months known for 30 days?
All of the above? April will bring us into Holy Week and Easter on April 4th! The Festival of the Resurrection services at both churches as we turn from the darkness of Lent to the Eternal Light of Jesus Christ at Easter.
It is our festival day and season to celebrate the hope we have for eternal life. Easter gives us hope, joy, peace, grace and love. The color of the season of Easter is white, the color of purity and hope and new life.
The Easter services, with restrictions, are a wonderful opportunity to invite friends, family and loved ones to come with you. It’s a day to (hopefully) be with friends or family in whatever way is possible. It is our celebration that Jesus defeated death and rose to new life. And, our gift is each and every day we also die to the old, rise up to the new life in Jesus. That comes no matter what else April offers good, bad and ugly! Our God has defeated death and darkness forever! Receive the light of life in Jesus!
Amen!
In-Person Worship Update
Friends, as the world around us constantly changes, be assured both Councils are monitoring developments, the data, the Indiana State Dept and CDC guidelines. We are watching closely to see how developments may impact our church life.
Let us pray,
Pastor Doug
Council Meeting Highlights - March 2021
The farmer has contracted to rent our unused land again this year.
Synod Assembly will be held on June 11th and 12th. We are looking for delegates. The cost will be $65.00.
Our reopening has gone well so far. Attendance is about the same as before our last shut down. Kevin Westwick and Brian Kochersperger have been video taping and live streaming.
Holy Week was discussed. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday will be virtual services. We will have two services on Easter, Sunrise at 7:23am (sunrise) outside, please bring lawn chairs, and an Easter celebration at 9:00am inside.
Vision Projects: We discussed getting an electronic defibrillator (AED) and the building of a bell tower.
Garden may be smaller this year.
Food Pantry will be moved from Friday, April 2 (Good Friday) to Saturday, April 3.
Special THANKS to the Draper Family
Special thanks to Vince, Jodi, and Karissa for spending time Saturday, March 27th, cleaning up the area out by the shed! Thank you, Drapers, for taking a beautiful Saturday to work for the Lord on our property.
Gardens of Faith
Longer warmer days, bright yellow daffodils waving in our yard, and my urges to play in the dirt are telling me that spring has arrived and so my thoughts turn to gardening.
Unfortunately, we will not be having a food pantry garden this year due to COVID-19 concerns for the safe harvesting, handling, and distribution of our produce. Also, we are not getting sufficient help in the garden especially for weeding and harvesting. The few of us doing the work are not getting any younger and what should be enjoyable garden activities can become drudgery. Hopefully by 2022, God willing, the dreaded virus concerns will be behind us and we can get more participants to help in our little garden where we can again focus on the objective of providing wholesome food to the hungry.
But this doesn’t mean we won’t have a garden, some of us will have food plots for our own needs and we are extending an invitation to you to join us for your needs. We will stake out and flag as much space as you want, just don’t overdo it. I will rototill your plot but then it is yours to plant and maintain. We have garden tools and supplies in the shed for your use. While we will limit participants to our congregation and friends at St. Andrew’s, you can invite your family members and friends to help and enjoy the bounty. Perhaps your plot will flourish so well you will have veggies to share with fellow parishioners.
So give it some thought, let me know your questions and plan on fresh air, good fellowship, and fun gardening! Oh!, and delicious salads!
Dale Olson
Adult Forum - Returns soon!
We are happy to announce that the Sunday Morning Adult Forum will return MAY 2, 2021 at 9:30am!
Watch your emails for updates, if you have any questions in the mean time, please contact Debbie Hacker.
Faith Formation
Every Sunday Evening
at 7:00pm via Zoom
Sunday, April 11th at 7:00pm we will dive into a new study, “Mysteries of the Psalms.” Everyone is welcome to join this study via Zoom. Study booklets are available however you don’t need a booklet nor do you have to prep to be a part of the class. If you’d like a booklet, please contact Pastor Doug!
Hymn History with Douglas featuring “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” (1739)
John and Charles Wesley soon found themselves out of favor with many fellow Anglican ministers who spurned their fiery evangelistic preaching. Many pulpits were closed to them. A friend from his Oxford days, George Whitefield, who was having the same trouble, began preaching in the open air. In London, he asked Charles to stand with him as he preached to thousands in the open air at Blackheath, and Charles, too, got a vision for reaching the multitudes.
He made his first attempt in the outskirts of London. “Franklyn, a farmer, invited me to preach in his field,” he wrote. “I did so to about 500. I returned to the house rejoicing.” Soon he was preaching to thousands. “My load was gone, and all my doubts and scruples. God shone upon my path; and I knew this was his will concerning me.”
A man named Joseph Williams heard Charles in Bristol: “I found him standing on a table-board, in an erect posture… surrounded by, I guess, more than a thousand people, some of them fashionable persons, but most of the lower rank of mankind. He prayed with uncommon fervency… He then preached about half an hour in such a manner as I have scarce ever heard any man preach… I think I never heard any man labor so earnestly to convince his hearers they were all by nature in a sinful, lost, undone, damnable state; that notwithstanding, there was a possibility of their salvation, through faith in Christ… All this he backed up with many texts of Scripture, which he explained and illustrated, and then by a variety of the most forcible motives, arguments, and expostulation, did he invite, allure, quicken, and labor, if it were possible, to compel all, and every of his hearers, to believe in Christ for salvation.”
Charles Wesley still preaches today in much the same way through his ageless hymns, which are sung around the world each Sunday. Perhaps his most exuberant anthem is the one he simply called, “Hymn for Easter Day,” published in 1739. It originally consisted of eleven stanzas. The “Alleluia’s” were added later, but appropriately, for this is a hymn one never gets tired of singing:
Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”
I Corinthians 15:14
Midweek Moment with Pastor Doug
Each Wednesday you are invited to join Pastor Doug for a Midweek Moment. It is a moment to pause and take a breath and listen. Check your inbox or our Facebook page on Wednesdays, you never know when or how God is going to speak to you - Pastor Doug’s message might be just what you need in the middle of your week!
If you have a topic you’d like him to reflect on drop him an email at douggivan@yahoo.com
April
Celebrations
We’d like to honor and celebrate with you!
Please contact Sheilah to make sure we have
your birthday and anniversary on file.
BIRTHDAYS
Leigh Schramm 4/5
Teresa Kofodimos 4/5
Nikki Lee 4/5
Kevin Westwick 4/6
Donald Moench 4/7
Julie Munch 4/9
Taylor Muncy 4/11
Isabella Knaflich 4/19
Zachary Thomas 4/23
Becky Albaugh 4/29
ANNIVERSARIES
Steve and Debbie Hacker 4/11
Worship Assistants - April 2021
Sunday, April 4
Sunday, April 18
Altar Guild
Assisting Minister
Lector
Usher
Greeter
Money Counter
Cleaning Ministry
Christine Nitz
Brian Kochersperger
Willy Frizzell
Samuel Muncy
Janice Lee
Phil Zillinger
Lee Family (3/29 - 4/4)
Altar Guild
Assisting Minister
Lector
Usher
Greeter
Money Counter
Cleaning Ministry
Christine Nitz
Jay Anderson
Sara Curry
Janice Lee
Julie Muncy
Becky Albaugh
Professional (4/12 - 4/18)
Sunday, April 11
Sunday, April 25
Altar Guild
Assisting Minister
Lector
Usher
Greeter
Money Counter
Cleaning Ministry
Christine Nitz
Phil Zillinger
Debbie Hacker
Lori Becker
Nikki Lee
Debbie Hacker
Etter (4/5 - 4/11)
Altar Guild
Assisting Minister
Lector
Usher
Greeter
Money Counter
Cleaning Ministry
Christine Nitz
Lori Becker
Jay Anderson
Phil Zillinger
Becky Albaugh
Janice Lee
Hacker (4/19 - 4/25)
Daily Readings & Devotions
Thursday, April 1
Friday, April 2
Saturday, April 3
Sunday, April 4
Monday, April 5
Tuesday, April 6
Wednesday, April 7
Thursday, April 8
Friday, April 9
Saturday, April 10
Sunday, April 11
Monday, April 12
Tuesday, April 13
Wednesday, April 14
Thursday, April 15
John 13:1-17, 31b-35
John 18:1 - 19:42
Romans 6:3-11
Mark 16:1-8
Matthew 28:9-15a
1 Corinthians 15:35-39
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
Acts 2:23-31
Acts 4:23-31
Psalm 133
John 20:19-31
1 John 2:3-11
Psalm 135
Isaiah 26:1-15
Psalm 4
Friday, April 16
Saturday, April 17
Sunday, April 18
Monday, April 19
Tuesday, April 20
Wednesday, April 21
Thursday, April 22
Friday, April 23
Saturday, April 24
Sunday, April 25
Monday, April 26
Tuesday, April 27
Wednesday, April 28
Thursday, April 29
Friday, April 30
1 John 2:26-28
Luke 22:24-30
Luke 24:36b-48
1 John 3:10-16
2 John 1-6
Mark 16:9-18
Psalm 23
Acts 4:1-4
Mark 6:30-34
John 10:11-18
Mark 1:1-15
Revelation 7:13-17
Micah 7:8-20
Acts 8:1b-8
Acts 8:9-25
Daily readings are provided by the Christ in Our Homes published by Augsburg Fortress. Copies of this quarter’s books are available for pickup. If you would like a copy and can’t make it to the church, please contact Pastor Doug or the church office.
Faith Financials
February 2021 Offerings
Account Name
Budget Giving
Building Fund
Food Pantry
Garden of Faith
Initial Offering
Lent
St. Andrews
Sunday School
Youth Gathering
January Total
Amount
$9,859.58
$103.10
$385.80
$38.40
$10.00
$20.00
$4,132.77
$100.00
$140.00
$14,789.65
In the spirit of giving, we thank you for your generosity!
Operating Budget
Budget
St. Andrew’s Pastor Compensation
Budget Reserve
Capital Improvements
Building Fund
Special Accounts
Food Pantry
Memorial Fund
Funeral Expenses
Flower Fund
Sunday School
Pass Thru
SonRise Bible Study
Lent
Advent
Youth Gathering
Undesignated Funds
Youth Designated
Computer Fund
AV Grant
Property Accounts
Trail Construction
Butterfly Garden
Garden of Faith
Garden Shed
Investment Accounts
Endowment Fund
Total of All Accounts
Beginning Balance 2/1/2021
$55,952.34
-$1,455.73
$28,345.40
$8,334.63
$10,181.27
$2,054.21
$530.69
$115.80
$1,535.00
$150.00
$10.00
$ -
$250.00
$1,002.25
$275.00
$80.00
$ -
-$27.40
$138.91
$349.47
$45.06
$377.09
$12,272.64
$120,516.63
Deposits February 2021
$9,869.58
$4,132.77
$ -
$103.10
$385.80
$ -
$ -
$ -
$100.00
$ -
$ -
$20.00
$ -
$140.00
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$38.40
$ -
$6.87
$14,796.52
Disbursements February 2021
$10,700.38
$4,047.15
$ -
$ -
$442.30
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$15,189.83
Ending Balance 2/28/2021
$55,121.54
-$1,370.11
$28,345.40
$8,437.73
$10,124.77
$2,054.21
$530.69
$115.80
$1,635.00
$150.00
$10.00
$20.00
$250.00
$1,142.25
$275.00
$80.00
$ -
$27.40
$138.91
$349.47
$83.46
$377.09
$12,279.51
$120,123.32
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 Christian sympathies and prayer for the family and friends of Dave Gross, Estelle Boyd’s brother. He was laid to rest on Friday, March 26th with Pastor Doug leading the service.
Our Homebound Members: Flora Christiansen and Martha Siemers
Continued Prayers: Julie Muncy as she recently laid her aunt and mother to rest, Christina Burgan (daughter of Joyce and Gil Sams), 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, Maddie Anderson, Matthew Benning, Lauren Basicker, All students navigating their “new normals”
Military Service Members: Corporal (JJ) James, All Service Men and Women fighting for our freedoms
Current Events:
Continued Covid-19 struggles, Pease for our troubled world, Let us pray for all our siblings in Christ.
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 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.