hurch work day - first lutheran
TRANSCRIPT
September 2021 The Monthly Publication of First Lutheran Church, Portland, ME
Church Work Day
For this year’s ELCA Day of Service, we will be working on various projects around the church building to improve our curb appeal.
We are seeking families, friends, and able-bodied hands of all ages to join in fellowship and service. No matter your skill set, there will be ways for you to help.
We will work from 11am to 2pm, and a light lunch will be provided
Visit the church website to sign up.
One of the areas looking for some care….
2nd Annual BBQ Cook Off Sunday, September 19 — 11am to 1pm
Pastor Brad is looking for folks to challenge him in the 2nd BBQ Cook Off! We will be serving BBQ, chips, coleslaw, potato salad, pasta salad, dessert, Iced tea, lemonade, water. (Kids Meals — hot dogs and rolls with chips and cookies). This will be an outside only event (to-go meals will be available in the event of rain).
There will be a free-will offering to benefit the Fuel Assistance Fund.
To register to compete as a cook, please contact Pastor Brad or the church office. Help with cost of meat will be available.
For more information, please contact the Fellowship Committee —[email protected].
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July 2021 YTD
Operating Income $26,002 $191,656
Operating Expenses $26,639 $179,206
Net Operating Income (Loss)
($637) $12,450
FLC had a net operating deficit in July of $637. We had expected a deficit of $512, so the result was consistent with our budget. Our operating account maintains a healthy balance as does the Children’s Program.
If you have questions, please contact me by e-mail or on my cell phone, 207-939-0820.
--Ed Daggett, Treasurer
Financial Update
COVID Update
With the increasing number of cases of COVID-19 in our area, we are asking that everyone wear masks when inside the First Lutheran Church building. Services will continue to be streamed live on YouTube, and all meetings will continue to have a Zoom option for the time being. The Council will review and update our safety protocols as the need arises.
Thank you for your continued compassion towards all of God’s people. We pray that everyone stays healthy.
—First Lutheran Church Council
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Will it always be like this?
I ask this question with a combination of cynicism and praying. By cynically I mean, “how silly that you have hope with the state the world is in.” In prayer because the cynic in me always has a desire to be proven wrong.
It strikes me that other people of faith always come to God in prayer with that exact same attitude. We always come to God with that same recipe of one part cynicism one part pleading. Unsure and hesitant to believe that God raises the dead yet asking to be proved wrong. I think that we are like the father in Mark 9.23-24, Jesus said to him, “If you are able!—All things can be done for the one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
The danger here is that God might do just that. God might just prove us wrong and raise the dead. This is the meaning behind the short ending of the gospel of Mark. The shortest ending has that Gospel concluding on the line “So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” That is a reasonable response to God accomplishing a miracle.
From the Pastor
FLC Trivia Night Join us for Trivia Night — an opportunity for fun and fellowship!
Teams of 1 - 4 members will compete in a spirited contest of knowledge. This is not just Bible trivia. Sports, Music, History — the
questions could be anything!
The winning team will have bragging rights and will get to choose which church group will receive funds.
Saturday, October 30, 6:30-9:00pm
Online and limited groups in the Fellowship Hall
Entry Fee will be a free will offering—pay what you would like to play!
Contact Pastor Brad to sign up.
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It is hard to believe that summer is almost over. Here is an update on the family that we support:
We are working with Grace, GPFP case manager, and Courtney, GPFP program director, to help Emanuel and Dina learn how to be more self-sufficient. We continue to teach them about available city and school resources and encourage them to be more proactive in
reaching out to use them. It is a challenge and won't occur overnight. Our hope is that the family will be able to navigate more independently in the months to come.
Beds: Thank you to all who reached out to help with the twin bed situation. Both children now have beds to sleep on and were very glad to have beds again. A crib has been set up for the baby, and he is adjusting to sleeping in his own bed.
School: Elohime has made huge progress this summer with his English speaking skills. He is also looking forward to being able to play 7th grade school basketball this winter. Benedicte has been awarded a dance scholarship at Portland Youth Dance Company for September through June, meeting one day a week.
Asylum Case: We have been given the name of an attorney that is interested in reviewing their asylum case, pro bono. We pray that he will be able to help navigate this complicated process.
For the past 3-4 months, our GPFP partner, St. Ansgar, has been helping us to provide the family with laundry quarters and purple trash bags. Thank you very much for the donations.
Please continue to pray for the family. They face many day-to-day challenges.
Needs: We continue to need rolls of quarters for laundry. Thank you!
If you have any questions please contact Wendy Barmore at [email protected] or Yvonne Jumper at [email protected].
School Supplies Needed! Just under 1000 kids attend the two schools across the street from FLC, Lyseth Elementary and Lyman-Moore Middle Schools. More than half of those students qualify for free or reduced price lunches. Family budgets for school supplies can be tight, especially with families that have more than one child.
Here are the items that the staff say are most needed:
Washable markers Crayons Glue Sticks 1-inch binders Spiral notebooks Colored pencils Fine point Sharpies Pencils Individual hand sanitizers and bottles large enough to sit on teachers’ desks
We will be collecting these items through Sunday, September 5. You may leave items at the display in the Ministry Center entrance. Thank you for helping our neighborhood kids start the school year strong.
Our Community Involvement
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Who would have thought that we would still be dealing with COVID-19 this fall? But deal with it we must! As we enter a new school year, we pray that learning , having fun, and maintaining safety from COVID be with us throughout the year.
Our Plans:
Our Scrip Gift cards will be sold in the Fellowship Hall once the Coffee Hour begins. You will again be receiving email announcements and notices of our activities.
We will be considering other types of fund-raising for our ministry that will be consistent with public health guidelines. Flexibility will be the name of the game going forward!
Our Progress:
To date, our Give a Child a Chance ministry has donated $48,000 to help children in need to attend Preschool here in the FLC Children’s Program. We have been truly blessed to have helped children through Preschool, especially knowing that the preschool experience contributes to the children being successful in their future education experiences.
Our Thanks:
To all of you who have purchased Scrip cards, attended fund-raising events, made donations to GACAC, and encouraged the team…Thank You!
And now heading out to tackle the school year!
For the Team: Karen Johnson
Dear First Lutheran,
Thank you so much for helping me go to camp. Calumet has such a special place in my heart with very special people and I am so grateful that I got to go this summer.
With thanks,
Stella (Hayn)
Dear First Lutheran,
Thank you for helping us go to Camp! I had so much fun and it was definitely my best year yet!
Sawyer (Hayn)
Dear First Lutheran,
Thank you for helping me and my siblings go to camp! This year was my first year in a tent and me and my family thank you lots.
Sincerely,
Cooper (Hayn)
Thank you so much for letting us go to camp and thank you so much for putting your money in the BBQ to let us go. Me and my friends are going to have so much fun.
Thank you,
Calvin (Conant)
Calumet Thanks!
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Holiday Fair Treats
The Fair Committee is bringing back the treats that so many liked from our past holiday fairs.
The Holiday Fair Treats will be for sale to the congregation after the October 17th service. We will be offering Jams, Apple Butter and Swedish bread. We will have fresh baked Pies that can be frozen and okay to serve on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day.
We are looking to the congregation to donate their famous sweet items, candy, brownies, pies, breads, etc.
A sign-up sheet for donated baked goods will be posted in the Church’s entrance.
We ask that small items are packaged in baggies; depending on the size of the items, 3-5 pieces per bag. Large items should also be packaged. The treats should be brought to the church before the October 17th service. The Fair committee will price your goodies.
All proceeds will go towards the Fuel Assistance Program for our Community Family.
This event will kick off our Virtual Holiday Craft Fair that will start on October 25th.
Please contact the Fair committee if you have any questions — [email protected].
Thank you for your support.
2021 Holiday Virtual Craft Fair
October 25 to November 15, 2021
New homemade craft items will be displayed!
We currently have many crafts to offer for sale. We welcome more crafts made by the congregation! For example:
• Fabric microwave cozies/mitts; cereal bowl size and slightly larger ones.
• Macramé items; kids wall hanging, plant hangers. Yes, we were told macramé was in!
If you have any hidden craft talents, suggestions, or any questions, please let the committee know by contacting us at [email protected].
Homemade craft items are due to the Fair Committee by Sunday, September 19th.
Craft Fair purchased items can be picked-up at church from 9:00 - 11:00am on November 20th.
All proceeds will support the FLC Fuel Assistance Program.
Thank you for your Support!
The Fair Committee — Laura Page, Deb Heald, Susan Bollman, and Colleen Taylor.
Holiday Fair Update
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Prayer is such an important part of our daily Christian lives, and sometimes extra prayers are needed. If you have any special prayer requests and you would like to
have our “Prayer Warriors” praying as well, please send an email.
September 1 Lynn Carey
September 2 Brian Carr
September 6 Michael McIver
September 13 Cooper Hayn
September 14 Carole Case
Cheryl Cyr
September 20 Deb Heald
September 25 Joleen Knowles
September 27 Francie Conley
September 28 Teddy Hanley
September 29 Barbara Brewer
Amanda Krantz
Katelyn Burrell Fred Olsen Tom Allen Carol Adams Pastor Brad, Lauren & Will Fay Brown Joan Mills Joleen Knowles Owen O’Donnell Elaine Killelea Ann Johnson George Wilkinson Evelyn Moran Jan Bennett Jackie Nelson David Selleck
Sherry Robinson & family Emmanuel Lutheran Church Those still suffering from Coronavirus Victims of racism and hate Those affected by Hurricane Ida Our troops and citizens in Afghanistan, and the people of Afghanistan Students, teachers and staff as the new school year begins
September 6
September 11 September 22
We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature — trees, flowers, grass — grow in silence; see the stars, the moon, the sun, how they move in silence. … The more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in our active life. We need silence to be able to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we say, but what God says to us and through us. All our words will be useless unless they come from within — words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness.
—Mother Teresa
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH 132 AUBURN STREET PORTLAND, MAINE 04103-2145
September 2021
First News is a monthly publication of First Lutheran Church. Articles can be submitted to the church office, or by email to [email protected]. The deadline is the 15th.
Worship Service is at 10:00 am
Church Office Hours are Monday thru Friday 9:00 am - 3:00 pm (797-2525)
www.FLCME.org
STAFF
Pastor ............................................................................................. Rev. Bradley Eidson ([email protected]) Church Secretary ............................................................................... Joleen Knowles ([email protected]) Director—FLC Children’s Community Ministry ............................................. Jackie Nelson ([email protected])
OFFICERS
President ............................................................................................................................................. Julie Mueller Vice-President ........................................................................................................................................ Matt Thees Secretary ............................................................................................................................................ Corey Hanson Treasurer ................................................................................................................................................ Ed Daggett Financial Secretary ................................................................................................................................. Cheryl Cyr