Pastor’s Message

A Word Worth Thinking About

I believe it’s safe to say that not many of us use the word “epiphany” very often in our day to day conversations. A bit of digging around informed me that “epiphany” is a noun that basically refers to a moment of insight; a sudden, intuitive perception of the reality or essential meaning of something, often brought about by some external experience or observation. So instead of saying “I’ve just had an epiphany that …”, most of us probably instead say something like “It suddenly occurred to me that …”.

The thing is, we are about to move into the season of the church year called “Epiphany” – so we might as well think about the word a bit. After spending our 12 days with Christmas, Epiphany begins with the January 6 celebration of the visit of the magi to worship the Christ child and present him with gifts. The season then continues for as many as nine more Sundays – depending on where Easter falls. Each of those Sundays presents us with gospel stories in which something occurs that helps people come to understand that Jesus is God’s promised Messiah, present and active in the world.

In the gospel stories of Epiphany, those “somethings” occur through divine activity. A voice from heaven declares Jesus to be the beloved Son as he is baptized. Jesus turns water into wine, or walks on water, or teaches with authority, or gathers disciples, or shines brighter than the sun.

Page 1 (cont. on page 2)

Volume 46 Issue 1 January 2020

Hope’s Newsletter

“To Know Christ and to Make Him Known ”

Address: 9425 N. Citrus Springs

Blvd Citrus Springs Florida

34434

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2070

Dunnellon Florida 34430 Phone: 352-489-5511 Fax: 352-489-5222

Church Email: helc@brighthouse.com

Web Page Address: www.hopelutheranelca.com

Staff Pastor Stephen Brisson

Church Secretary Debbie Fulps

Music Director/Organist Jacki Scott

Inside this issue: Pastor’s Message 1, 2 Pastor’s & Sarah’s Thank you 2 Adopted Grandmother 2 Shoeboxes 3 Council Highlights 4 Dollars and Sense 4 Round Robin Dinner 4 Music, Music, Music 5 Operation C.C. Volunteer 6 AMVETS Spaghetti Dinner 7 November Council Minutes 8,9 November Financials 10-13 January Celebrations 14 Quotable Quotes 14 Prayer Concerns 15 10:00 Worship helpers 16 January 2020 Calendar 17

In December at Christmas, we “adopted” a grandmother raising 3 grand-children and a disabled Veteran and a Special Needs lady. As

expected our congregation helped make Christmas a little more merry for these 6 people. God Bless the givers!

Thank you

Carole Warden Page 2

(A Word Worth Thinking about cont.)

But here’s the thing – there are still people who haven’t had that moment of in-sight – that onset of a deep and life-changing understanding that Jesus is God’s promised Messiah, present and active in the world. So now it’s our turn. Our call as disciples of Jesus is to be active in ways that offer those glimpses of God’s love, grace, and power – present in the world for all people through the Spirit of the risen Christ. I think we’d all agree that the world desperately needs those moments of insight.

I think that Hope has had a good year of doing just that. A quick browse through the tri-fold pamphlet present in the narthex offers a reminder of the many various ministries we engage in at Hope. No – it does not include things like walking on water or changing water into wine. But Yes – it does include much that has helped the light of Christ shine in the world for all to see.

The call is for all of us – Let your light so shine before others that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. May God continue to richly bless our ministry in this coming year.

In Christ,

Pastor Steve

Thank you!

Sarah and I would like to thank everyone who graced our Christmas with cards, gifts and well wishes. Your kindness and

warmth are very much appreciated.

Thanks also goes out to everyone (and the list is long!) who helped to make Christmas such a wonderful celebration at Hope.

Pastor Steve and Sarah

Council Officers &

Members President Julia Southard Finance Committee

Vice President Hans Witter Long Range Planning

Secretary Steven Northsea

Treasurer Deacon Diane Kahler Personnel Committee

Financial Secretary Michel Northsea

Jane Skidmore Virtual Calendar Committee Social Service Committee

Judy Howe Christian Education Committee

Victor Kahler Property

Meredith Press Evangelism Committee Citrus Springs Civic Association

Renate Wilms-Rovin Council Member

Peggy Schade Worship and Music

Cindy Todd Council Member

Our year of filling shoeboxes was a busy one and we had lots of donations every month so we were able to fill 110 boxes. Women of our ELCA Group, at Hope, packaged 85 of these boxes.

We held a labor intensive but successful yard sale in October to help pay for the shipping.

The shoeboxes were blessed during services by Pastor Steve and were delivered to the drop off destination on November 18th by Carole Warden.

It was inspiring to see Franklin Graham on Fox TV talking about OCC and he estimated that 11 million boxes would be delivered this year.

Since the inception of OCC, 25 years ago, approximately 165 million boxes have been delivered to children in 120 countries.

Carole Warden

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December Council Meeting Highlights

1. Discussed the roster of Council and the need for congregation members to run for Council. An announcement will be placed in the bulletin.

2.Discussed an improved Time and Talent process for the

congregation.

3.Noted near completion of Luther Hall roof project.

4.The congregational annual meeting packet will be e-mailed to all on the e-mail list. Members may request a complete hard copy of the packet from Debbie (church secretary). Written materials for all matters up for vote will be provided in hard copy at the meeting.

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Dollars and Sense from the Treasurer’s Desk: November, 2019

Communion

Regular Offering Sat. 4:30PM Sun. 8AM Sun. 10AM Total

11/3 $4,146 25 8 48 81

11/10 $1,861 19 11 45 75

11/17 $3,359 28 9 45 82

11/24 $2,316 23 8 52 83

Total inflow: Total outflow:

$15,272.25 $16,696.79

Our next Round Robin dinner group, will meet for 4 months, starting February 2020 until May of 2020. The sign-up sheet will be in the

Narthex starting

Sunday, January 5th.

Music Music Music

Happy New Year! As we all welcome in a New Year, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you all here at Hope. Some of you had heard of me and knew me before I came here to be with you, but some of you had not. So, I would like to help you get to know me and be patient with me as I try to learn all your names and get to know you as well.

I was born in Syracuse, NY and lived my first 5 years in Liverpool (a sub-urb of Syracuse) with my parents, the Rev. Robert E. Doxey and Lucille T. (Schmidt) Doxey. Shortly after my second sister was born, we moved to Binghamton, NY, south of Syracuse, close to the PA border. My dad was the Pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church on Main St. for ten years. In 1973, we moved to Ft. Worth, TX. After High School, I started college there and my first son was born there. My second son was born when I was living in Kansas, near Ft. Riley. From there, we moved to Germany and then after a few years, I moved back to NYS with my sons.

Everywhere I have ever lived, I have worked at Lutheran churches, or in the case of Germany on the Army post, I worked at the (combined) Protestant Chapel. Also, during all those moves, I continued to go back to school to finish my education.

So, at the age of 4, I had the Lutheran Liturgy memorized. At age 7, I started playing the piano. Age 8, came learning the viola. At age 13, I played for my very first full church service on a pipe organ at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Binghamton, NY! When we were in Ft. Worth, while my father was the Pastor at St. Matthews Lutheran Church, I found out about a mission Lutheran church across town, and my father suggested I help them out for Christmas Eve on the organ. I was 16. I did, and from there they continued to ask me to come back, until we came up with my first official position of: permanent temporary organist! Thinking about that brings back lots of good memories, including beginning to teach the Pastor’s daughter piano lessons. She was 9, and I was 17.

Well, I shall share another ‘installment’ of my history in the next newslet-ter. I hope to hear some of your stories as well! I’m a good talker, but I’m also a good listener! Come and talk to me about how music has been a part of your life!

Yours in Christ,

Jacki Scott

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Operation Christmas Child Volunteer

Please pray for a volunteer to “lead” the Operation Christmas Child ministry for 2020, with help from me. Here is a list that describes some of the necessary actions:

Write articles for Newsletters at Hope.

Determine funding necessary to support OCC goals, boxes and postal costs.

Collect items, in box, in Luther Hall.

Fold boxes and put on display next to collection box.

Sort items by gender and age group into totes as this makes filling boxes easier later on.

In September/October is a good time to fill boxes (get help from volunteers: e.g. scouts or WELCA).

Take filled shoeboxes to drop off destination (First Baptist Church in Crystal River on Citrus Avenue near Rte 19, the 3rd week of November.

Go online to Samaritan Purse for information and fee supplies for OCC. Also “Thrivent” funds for this ministry is available annually, $250.00 (Must apply for as an Action Team).

Thank you!

Carole Warden

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Monthly AMVETS Spaghetti Dinner:

Tuesday, January 28th @ 4:00 pm Spaghetti and Meatball Dinner

Includes: Salad, Bread, Dessert, Coffee, Tea and Water. Date: January 28

Time: 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm Price: $7.00

Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church 9425 N. Citrus Springs Blvd. Citrus Springs, FL 34434

************************************************************ Money goes towards helping Veterans and the Citrus County Community.

All community members and our congregation are invited to attend!

The Annual meeting of our congregation will take place Sunday, January 26, following worship. Please note the

information regarding the meeting packet in item #4 of this Newsletter’s

“December Council Meeting Highlights”.

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Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church – November 13 2019 Council Minutes

1. Call to order at 6:01 PM by President Julia

2. Roll call by Secretary Steve N

Pastor Steve Brisson _P_; Judy Howe _ P_; Diane Kahler* _ P_; Victor Kahler _ P_; Steve Northsea _ P_; Meredith Press _E_; Peggy Schade _ P__; Jane Skidmore__ P_; Julia Southard _ P_; Cindy Todd __ P__; Renate Wilms-Rovin_ E__; Hans Witter _ P_;

* not a voting member

3. Devotion by Pastor Steve based upon Max Lucado’s “Grace for the Moment.” Jeremiah 31:31-34 “31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Is-rael and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more.” The message – We are for-given. Our sins are forgotten.

4. Opening Prayer by Pastor Steve

5. There were no visitors

6. It was moved, seconded and passed unanimously to adopt the November 13 Agenda

As written.

7. It was moved, seconded and passed unanimously to approve the Secretary’s Report of the

October 9 Regular Meeting as published.

8. The October Report of the Treasurer was discussed and filed for audit.

Council had a long and concerning conversation about the deficit spending of Hope to the tune of $31,329.99 in the first ten months and another $25,000 needing to be spent on Lu-ther Hall re-roofing before the end of the year. Discussion focused on ways to increase giv-ing and ways to decrease expenses. It was determined that the congregation needed to be made aware of the situation prior to the January congregational meeting and the budget presentation at that meeting.

9. Report of Pastor (see packet)

10. Reports of Council Liaison

Evangelism Committee (Liaison – Meredith) (see packet)

Finance Committee (Liaison – Julia) no meeting

Worship Committee (Liaison – Peggy) Did meet to review expectations for the new music director.

Digital Committee (Liaison – Jane) no meeting

Long Range Planning (Liaison – Jane) (see packet)

Property (Liaison – Vic) (see packet)

Stewardship Committee (Liaison - ) no meeting

Virtual Calendar Committee (Liaison – Jane) Jane has a new email address to send calendar requests to. It is Janeann441@gmail.com.

Page 8

Social Ministry Committee (Liaison –) no meeting

Education Committee (Liaison – Judy) no meeting

Stephen Ministry (Liaison – Steve) (no meeting)

Personnel Committee (Liaison – Diane) Interviewed and hired the new music director. $11,500 per year. Her name is Jacki Scott.

Citrus Springs Civic Association (Liaison – Meredith)

WELCA (Liaison – Julia) Will meet Saturday.

11. Old Business

A Memorial garden- Victor reported the pond had been drained and would soon be filled in.

B. Council unanimously voted approval of new copier contract five year lease, $75 per month and $.009 per copy mainte-nance fee.

C. Roof – Luther Hall deposit of $2700 has been paid and work should begin within two to three weeks. Council had previously approved the total contract bid of $26,940.00 by AAA roofing. The emergency email vote was eight for, two against and two not voting.

D. Victor reported that all fire extinguishers had been updated and are now in compliance. The cost was $250.00.

12. New Business

A. Council Unanimously voted to recommend for congregational approval at the January Con-gregational meeting the new Policy and Procedure manual. It will be posted on Hope’s website and one copy will be available for perusal in the church office.

B. Council in a previous emergency email vote had approved new Music Director Jacki Scott with a salary of $11,500.00 by seven votes for and three not voting.

14. Consent Agenda

A. Moved Approval of Policy and Procedure manual to new business

B. Tabled Bulletin Board for Narthex.

C. Council unanimously approved new member Barbara Durfee (The executive committee had previously in an emergency vote unanimously accepted Jim Henry, Vernon Perry and Karen Per-ry into membership. Council also unanimously approved Pastor Steve’s request for vacation days of 11/19/19, 11/29/19, 12/10/19, 12/17/19, 12/26/19, 12/27/19 and 12/31/19.

15. Meeting Highlights for Newsletter and Bulletin

1. Acceptance of new members: Jim Henry, Vernon Perry, Karen Perry by previous email unan-imous vote of executive council. Barbara Durfee by unanimous vote of council.

2. Approval of new copier contract unanimous vote of council; 5 year lease, $75 per month and $.009 per copy maintenance fee.

3. Unanimously voted to recommend for congregational approval at the January Congregation-al meeting the new Policy and Procedure manual. It will be posted on Hope’s website and one copy will be available for perusal in the church office.

Had a long and concerning conversation about the deficit spending of Hope to the tune of $31,329.99 in the first ten months and another $25,000 needing to be spent on Luther Hall re-roofing before the end of the year. Discussion focused on ways to increase giving and ways to decrease expenses. It was determined that the congregation needed to be made aware of the situation prior to the January congregational meeting and the budget presentation at that meeting.

16. Adjournment followed by Lord’s Prayer was at 7:44 PM.

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January Celebrations: Birthdays: January 1 is Cindy Todd January 6 is Carol Kramp January 8 is Nancy Miller January 22 is Pat Sauer January 24 is David Howe January 27 is Dean Varty January 31 is David Doyle Anniversaries: January 20 is Nathaniel and Nancy Mellenthin

QUOTABLE QUOTES….

“I got a simple rule about everybody. If you don’t treat me right, shame on you.” Louis Armstrong, American jazz musician (1900-1971)

“When you’ve seen beyond yourself, then you may find peace of mind is waiting there.” George Harrison (1943-2001)

“Be thankful for what you have, you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” Oprah Winfrey

“When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt.” Henry J. Kaiser, American industrialist (1882-1967)

Prayer Concerns:

Prayer for the whole body of Christ is important. Names will be listed so that prayer can be offered to God on their behalf. Please be aware that situations and conditions change but God knows the need as you bring the individuals to God in prayer.

MEMBER SHUT-INS AND THOSE IN RECOVERY Joan Layton

PRAYER REQUESTS *For comfort and grief:

*For all the families who have lost loved ones.

*Prayer for serious health concerns

For Elaina Jones, Edith Regan’s niece. For Dee Forsyth’s niece, Amanda. For Tom Kroger, son of Jeannine Robertson and for her brother, Bill

Thomas. For Diane, niece of Bill and Pat Kessel. For Dave Bessing, friend of Manley Benmark. For Joann Mura, neighbor of Vic and Diane Kahler. For Don Vades and Kathi O’Hara, his caregiver. For Rachelle Hannah,

daughter-in-law of Steve & Judy Kasco.

*For healing and recovery

For Roy Cobb, For Dick Regan. For Judy Howe, For Victor Kahler,. For Grace Donaho who had heart surgery. For Rick Davey. For Hans Witter. For David Doyle. For Mike Kimbrough. For Linda, who is ill and Doug- both of whom need the Lord to help them through this. For Nancy and Spencer with family problems. For Jim and Colleen Giovannucci. For

Michel Northsea. For Amy Schade, healing following surgery, (daughter-in-law of Peggy and Bob Schade). For the children of the world. Please

pray for those caught up in addiction We pray for the people of Hong Kong as they fight for political and

religious freedom.

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Those who will assist at the 10:00a Worship Service in January 2020

Acolytes

January 5: Dee Forsyth/Sarah Brisson

January 12: Renate Wilms-Rovin

Tyler Thompson

January 19: John & Margarita Chiappetta

January 24: Dee Forsyth/RonPress

Altar Guild

Sarah Brisson Margarita Chiappetta

Carol D’Auria Casey Gaylardo

Judy Howe Diane Kahler Sue Riley

Jeannine Robertson Jane Skidmore

Cindy Todd

Lay Readers January 5: Renate Wilms-Rovin

January 12: Ann Schuchart

January 19: Dick Regan

January 24: Tyler Thompson

Ushers for the Month

Steve Kasco Tyler Thompson

Greeters

Pat Kessel June Towner

Assisting Minister January 5: Renate Wilms-Rovin

January 12: Dee Forsyth

January 19: Renate Wilms-Rovin

January 24: Sarah Brisson

Guest Greeter

TBA

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