April 2024 Newsletter
We love, serve, and gather in Christ.
Pastor’s Corner
Church Family:
"April showers bring May flowers" historians believe this saying dates to a poem from 1610!
How can a simple saying like this make it over 4 centuries? I laugh to myself because my mother, and her mother, would say this every year.
Now with global warming the weather shifts and we don't know what we will have in April weather. I look around and see the trees budding in wonderful colors, we do know spring is here!! Thanks be to God.
With all that is going on in our lives, our churches, country, and world we need a saying to hold onto.
For us, the Easter season continues thru April and May! We can say, and cling tightly to, "He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed, Hallelujah!"
And that's a saying that has lasted over 20 centuries, thanks be to God for the resurrection glory of Jesus defeating death and being alive today!! He is alive in whatever weather or season of life.
God's peace be with you.
Pastor Doug Givan
Worship Time Change:
Once again, we follow our Shared Ministry Agreement and change worship times effective May 5th, 2024.
Faith Lutheran moves to 9am .
St. Andrews moves to 11am
Council Members
Kevin Westwick – President
Teresa Kofodimos– Vice President
Janice Damrow – Secretary
Karen Anderson – Financial Secretary
Sara Curry – At-Large
Samuel Muncy – At-Large
Council Meeting Highlights - March 2024
Get ready for our Pitch-In on April 21st after worship! Not only will there be lots of great food, as always; it will also be aa great time to catch-up with friends and what's going on with Faith.
Sara Curry is leading a team planning a memorial garden for our grounds. They will have information to share with the congregation.
Pastor Doug, Janice Lee, and Nikki Lee recently attended a Safety Seminar presented for churches and other similar organizations. An update will be provided.
The church council will lead a discussion about how Faith currently engages with our neighbors, and what other opportunities there might be for us in the community. Please bring your ideas.
Summer Supper & Service Is BACK!!
From May through September this year we’ll once again hold monthly Summer Supper & Service events.
Here’s the plan:
- We’ll need volunteers to sign-up for each Wednesday’s dinner. We would like to serve from 5:30 until 6:30, then as soon as we finish eating, we’ll dive into our projects.
- We need to develop a list of tasks for this summer and then decide which project we would work on each month; see below for some suggestions. Note that some projects will be on the list every month (i.e. food pantry prep, trash pickup, etc.) - After setting the month’s focus
– we’ll oversee the project or get a volunteer who will oversee it, making sure that all the supplies that are needed are at church when we arrive.
This will be a great opportunity for fellowship, and at the same time we can care for our building and property.
Supper & Service Dates – Please mark your calendar:
May 15th – Mulching this month
June 12th
July 17th
August 14th
Sept 18th
Project Idea List: Food Pantry Setup Food Pantry Shed Inventory Garden Work / Clean-up Deep Clean of Building Clean Windows Watering Mowing Trimming Weeding Tilling Trash pickup Rock pickup Paint front doors Plan for 5th Sunday Activity with St. Andrew’s (June?) God’s Work Our Hands prep (August?) What else ??
Have suggestions or thoughts, please let Becky or Julie know!
Wednesday Night Zoom
Weekday Zoom Bible Study is led by Pastor Doug on Wednesday nights at 7 pm. Ask Pastor Doug if you have any questions. 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, resuming April 3rd.
Faith Formation / Sunday Evening Zoom
Faith Formation: We meet each Sunday evening, 7 pm, on Zoom. Faith Formation invites members of both churches who have never joined in, to come and see what's happening! This is a fun, lighthearted look at our faith journey. The Zoom link is sent out with the Sunday morning email.
Food Pantry Date
Happy Spring!
Thank you to everyone who volunteers to make our food pantry run smoothly and have helped organize product. The need to help feed our community is on going and we appreciate your willingness to serve.
Thank you!
The next food pantry will be held on Saturday, April 20th from 9-11am. We ask you to please prayerfully consider joining us as we serve our neighbors. All volunteers are welcome and needed!
Total Solar Eclipse
On April 8, 2024, at 3:06 pm, a total solar eclipse will be completely visible throughout the continental United States. The sun, moon, and earth will align. This "syzygy" will put the sky into epic and unforgettable temporary darkness. Though the following solar eclipse will occur in the year 2044, Indianapolis will not be within the path of totality until the year 2153 - 129 years after 2024. So buckle up and plan your eclipse-viewing in Indy. The April 8 eclipse is your once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a total solar eclipse appear over the Circle City.
For the Love of Music with Annika
Easter church music has been largely shaped by Lutheran traditions, particularly the compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach. Originating in the Reformation, Lutheran Easter music emphasizes congregational participation and theological depth.
In the 16th century, Martin Luther himself wrote hymns such as "Christ Lag in Todesbanden" (Christ Lay in Death's Bonds) that became staples of Easter worship. These hymns, characterized by their clear, theological lyrics and simple melodies, aimed to engage worshippers directly in the Easter story.
However, it was during the Baroque period that Lutheran Easter music reached its peak with the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. His Passions, including the St. Matthew Passion and the St. John Passion, intricately weave together biblical text, chorales, and elaborate choruses and arias to depict the passion and resurrection of Christ. The soaring melodies and profound harmonies of Bach's Easter music convey both the sorrow of Christ's crucifixion and the jubilation of his resurrection.
Beyond Bach, Lutheran composers like Heinrich Schütz and Felix Mendelssohn also made significant contributions to Easter music, further enriching the repertoire with their compositions.
Today, Lutheran Easter music continues to thrive, with congregations around the world singing hymns and performing choral works that honor the central themes of redemption and renewal found in the Easter story.
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. Please let either the church office know or send email to bkochersperger@foxcontractors.com.
PITCH-IN
Congregational pitch-in April 21st, after Worship. There will be an open forum discussion on issues impacting the congregation! We do have the best pitch-ins!! Please bring your favorite, desserts will be provided.
God’s Work Our Hands Sunday
This year God’s Work Our Hands Sunday will be held on September 8th. If you have a suggestion for a non-profit in Hendricks County (i.e. Family Promise, or Sheltering Wings) that we could assist, please let Becky or Julie know. We’ll compile the list and once a group has been determined, we’ll contact them to see what assistance we can provide. We’re hoping to identify our group soon so that we’ll have plenty of planning time. If you’re interested in some of the projects that other congregations have done in the past few years, take a minute to look at https://www.elca.org/dayofservice.
Pastor’s Office Hours
Just a reminder that Pastor Doug’s office hours are as follows (but are subject to change):
Faith: 11a-2p Tuesdays
Thank You Very Much
“Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the way of God in Christ Jesus” (1 Th. 5:16)
● Thanks and praise to God for John Kofodimos, who came over to church in a weekday to fix a software issue within the sound system!! Thank you, John for your help!
● Thank you to everyone who contributed to the copier fundraiser. We were able to raise the funds in record time!!
● Thank you to Julie Muncy for purchasing fire extinguishers for the church, and to Ron Graff for installing them. One is in sacristy, back of sanctuary, and "restroom" hallway. Thanks Julie and Ron.
● Thank you to Janice Damrow, Nikki Lee, and Ron Graff for speaking during respective Midweek worship services at Faith!
● We appreciate everyone who cooked, set up and tore down for services.
● Thanks to: Phil Zillinger for continually addressing and treating our well issues.
● Thank you to Ron Graff for all he does for the church property.
● Sincere thanks to the ladies who prepare fellowship snacks each Sunday!
● 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.
April 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
Leigh Anderson April 5
Teresa Kofodimos April 5
Nikki Lee April 6
Kevin Westwick April 6
Julie Muncy April 9
Taylor Muncy April 11
Becky Albaugh April 29
ANNIVERSARIES
Steve & Debbie Hacker April 11
Worship Assistants - April 2024
Altar Guild
Asst Minister
Lector
Cantor
FB Live Tech
Usher
Greeter
Fellowship
Gifts Counter
Cleaning Ministry
April 7
Christine Nitz
Samuel Muncy
Jim Orebaugh
Teresa Kofodimos
Kevin Westwick
Jay Anderson
Elaine Graff
Sara Curry
Becky Albaugh
Etter 4.1 - 4.7
April 14
Christine Nitz
Lori W B
Debbie Hacker
Karen Anderson
John Kofodimos
Janice Lee
Julie Muncy
Becky Albaugh
Phil Zillinger
Lee 4.8 - 4.14
April 21
Christine Nitz
Jim Orebaugh
Karen Anderson
Brian K
John Kofodimos
Kevin Westwick
Joyce Sams
PITCH - IN
Debbie Hacker
Curry 4.15 - 4.21
April 28
Christine Nitz
Jay Anderson
Lori W B
Jim Orebaugh
Kevin Westwick
Lori W B
Mona Etter
Julie Muncy
Jim Orebaugh
Albaugh 4.22 - 4.28
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: Gil and Joyce Sams daughter Chris Burgan, Judy Vogel and family (ongoing support) and Dan Weaver (Dee Dee Kochersperger’s father).
For special intention, Lou Ann Funk, Carolyn Moench, 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.
Douglas Perez, Annika Cahill, Maddie Anderson, Matthew Benning, Jacob Benning, Karissa Draper, Lindsey Basicker 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 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 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.