March 2025 Newsletter
We love, serve, and gather in Christ.
Pastor’s Corner
Friends:
March is known for so many things: St. Patrick's Day, First day of Spring, Daylight savings time, March madness college basketball, and for the church, Ash Wednesday!!
March can also the greatest month of "transition!" We transition from winter to spring hopefully! We transition from the regular church calendar to the season of Lent.
The word "Lent" means the "lengthening of the days." The season is the 40 days from Ash Wednesday (March 5th) to Palm Sunday and (Sundays are not counted) the beginning of Holy Week.
As God renews the earth, as trees bloom and flowers show their color, know how much more God longs to renew all of us!! Isaiah 43:18 "Behold, I am about to do a new thing do you not perceive it?" We do....in Jesus Christ dying and rising again!!
Easter will come, the renewal and refreshing grace of God in our Risen Lord. But, for that part, we will have to wait for April!!
Enjoy March and all she will bring, come to church regularly and the Wednesday night soup supper and services! Invite a friend or neighbor/co worker.
God bless you always,
Pastor Doug
Worship Times
Per the Shared Ministry Agreement, we switch worship times every four months!
Faith Lutheran Church 9 am
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church 11 am
2025 Indiana Kentucky Synod Meeting
Greetings Faith Lutheran Church of Avon
Please contact a council member or pastor Doug if you have interest in serving as a representative of Faith at our synod’s assembly this summer. I have attended several times as a representative of the church, it is a wonderful way to experience the wider church and join in fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ. This will also be a fantastic opportunity to meet the new bishop of our synod Timothy Graham.
If anyone has questions about what to expect should they want to be representing Faith, the general format of an assembly, or any other questions about the assembly please ask, thank you!
Below is the time and place from the IN/KY Synod website:
“The 38th Annual Assembly of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will be held Thursday, June 5, through Saturday, June 7, 2025, at the Crowne Plaza Indianapolis – Downtown Union Station, 123 W. Louisiana Street, Indianapolis, IN 46225.”
- Council at-large Samuel Muncy
Daylight Saving Time:
March 9th - Don’t forget to turn your clock forward!
Lenten Schedule
Each Wednesday night in Lent will feature a Soup Supper at 6pm and Worship at 7pm. The services will be short, singing of hymns, and prayer:
March 5 - St. Andrews
March 12 - Faith
March 19 - St. Andrews
March 26 - Faith
April 2 - St. Andrews
April 9 - Faith
Come join your families of faith and bring a friend with you. Let us grow together!
Devotions for Lenten
This Lenten season, the church has provided Lenten devotional booklets. They are on the table in the narthex/lobby and some large print are available. These devotionals will be used for our Wednesday evenings and Sunday worship events. These will also formulate the backdrop of our study in Faith Formation on Sunday nights. Pick one up for you and one for a friend!
Wednesday Night Zoom
Weekday Zoom Bible Study is led by Pastor Doug on Wednesday nights at 7p. Suspended until April 16th for Lent.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME AND INVITED! Each week the Zoom link is sent out on Wednesday. The Wednesday night Bible study is studying the Bible lessons for the coming Sunday.
Come join the conversation
Lens Sunday Bible Study
LENS Sunday Bible study discusses current issues with the Lesson of the day. We will meet in Pastor's office at 10:20a until 11a.
The current scheduled dates we will meet are:
March 9th
March 23rd .
Hope to see anyone who wants to talk about current events.
Food Pantry Date
The next food pantry will be held on Saturday, March 15th from 9-11am. We ask you to please prayerfully consider joining us as we serve our neighbors. All volunteers are welcome and needed!
St. Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick, who lived during the fifth century, is the patron saint of Ireland and its national apostle. Born in Roman Britain, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at 16. He later escaped, but returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its people.
In the centuries following Patrick’s death (believed to have been on March 17, 461), the mythology surrounding his life became ever more ingrained in the Irish culture: Perhaps the most well-known legend of St. Patrick is that he explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of a native Irish clover, the shamrock.
Faith Giving Information
Faithful Faith Members...with the various giving options (traditional envelopes, direct deposit, Vanco Mobile or Vanco On-line via link from Faith’s website), we have reduced the number of offering envelopes for the congregation, let church office know if you need more.
Pastor’s Office Hours
Just a reminder that Pastor Doug’s office hours are as followed (subject to change):
Faith: 11am–2pm Tuesday
Thank You Very Much
“Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the way of God in Christ Jesus” (1 Th. 5:16)
Thanks to Kaleb Durfee for making the trip to church from Butler in rough weather.
We appreciate Brian for his hard work on our finances, Worship and music.
Thank you to all who helped with the setup, cooking, and serve Bobbie Seitz’s family.
Thanks to Lori for all her time as Treasurer.
Thank you to Dee Dee for her extra time and work putting together the annual report.
Thanks and praise to the Facebook “guys” who record each week: John, Kevin and Brian. We’d be lost without you all.
Thanks to all our Council Members for your continual service, thank you!
Building Security
If you are the last person to leave the building, please check the list on the alarm, lock, alarm the building, and check the doors to protect people and property. If you have any questions, please contact Teresa Kofodimos.
March Celebrations
We’d like to honor and celebrate with you!
Please contact the office to make sure we have
your birthday and anniversary on file.
BIRTHDAYS
David Lee March 15
Debbie Hacker March 23
Estelle Boyd March 29
Prayer Wall
“Through Christ we can do all things”
Philippians 4:13
Join us in prayer for our brother and sisters in Christ for good health, healing, safety, strength, courage, peace, clear minds, renewed spirit, and for all their unknown needs.
Our Homebound Members: Martha Siemers, Carol Westwick, Estelle Boyd and Judy Vogel
Continued Prayers: David Lee, Sara Curry, Mona Etter, and Jack Seitz
For special intention: Unknown needs to all who are troubled in mind, body, and spirit.
Prayers of comfort and healing to those Faith Family members who aren’t able to attend due to health concerns. If you need food or anything, please let a Council member know so we can be there for YOU.
Higher Education Students: Kaleb Durfee, Maddie Anderson, Matthew Benning, Jacob Benning, Karissa Draper, Scott Brunton, Lily Brunton and all students in Hendricks County!
Military Service Members: All Service Men and Women fighting for our freedoms and their families who have also sacrificed.
Current Events: Prayers of comfort for those who have experienced a loss due to the mass shootings. Peace for our troubled world.
Leadership and Local Organizations: ELCA Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, I-K Synod Bishop Timothy Graham, 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 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.