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Brothers and Sisters in Christ committed to transforming homes! 1
Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church & School
Volume 38, Issue 3 September 2011
• Ask the
Pastor
• Save the
Date
• People
Believe
What?
• Putting
Faith into
Practice
• A Faithful
History
• Youth Room
Dedication
Brothers and Sisters in Christ committed to transforming homes! 2
Question: You sure do talk a
lot about going to Bible study.
Isn’t the Bible just another
book?
There is an objection that goes
like this: "The world contains too
many books to count, so how
can one single book be the
source of information about
God? It's implausible to think
that a book as far-fetched as the
Bible, with all its miracle stories,
could be unique in revealing
who God is. The Bible is really
just another book."
As I've thought about this
objection over the years, I've
realized something that I've
found helpful. I've become
aware that the personal/
relational aspect in the world
around us seems, in general, to
be primary.
Let me explain what I mean by
this. When you read an
outstanding book like The Great
Gatsby or whatever your favorite
might be, or you see a great film
like Gone with the Wind or what-
ever tops your list, you're swept
up into the unfolding story. At
some point, though, you realize
that behind these compelling sto-
ries is a creative person.
When you see a house that
embodies everything you treasure
when you think of a home, it
dawns on you that behind that
house is an astute architect.
When you hear a new song that
captivates you, you might recog-
nize the composer right away - but
if not, you're soon using every
search function you know to iden-
tify the creative genius behind it.
And when you look at the
complex interrelationships in the
world, it's certainly plausible to
think that a personal God is be-
hind the scenes.
Think about how humans function.
We need interpersonal relation-
ships, so institutionalized infants
who don't receive sufficient hu-
man touch generally don't flourish.
We're relationally wired in a pro-
found way. Given that, it would
follow that a personal God would
want to be known. It's plausible,
then, to think that behind the
scenes is a personal God who
desires to be known.
Let's look at another facet of this
issue. The world seems to be full
of people who take it on them-
selves to claim, "This is God," or
"That is God," or even, "That is
not God." “The very essence of
God is beyond what finite hu-
mans can grasp, though, so how
can we be sure that what we think
about God is right?”
The only way to be sure is if God
reveals it. This means, then, that
it's actually quite logical to expect
a personal God to reveal himself
to humanity, because he wants
to be known authentically. At a
human level, the only way you
could know that I enjoy writing or
love football would be if I told you
I did, or if I in some other way
revealed and expressed those
things about myself. If that's the
case with human disclosure, how
much more would that be the
case with God?
A Christian can't prove empiri-
cally that God exists, of course. A
Christian can't prove a biblical
miracle, either, because you can't
duplicate the exact historical
circumstances and test the
outcomes scientifically. For the
same reasons, though, biblical
miracles can't be disproven.
Someone who dismisses the Bi-
ble because of its record of mira-
cles or its complexity is operating
from a position of faith. It's a faith
position that rejects the possibil-
ity that God has revealed some-
thing about his nature to human
beings. That assertion is a belief
that can't be either proven or
disproven. It's a faith position,
because you can't prove that
God doesn't exist.
Let's move a step beyond faith
positions, though. In general, it
seems logical that self-disclosure
is essential in getting to know
someone. It also seems logical
that God is unknowable apart
from God's self-revelation. It's
key, then, to determine if the
Bible is credible as the revelation
of God. You might expect me to
launch into more points about the
Bible and its credibility here, but
I'm not. Instead, I invite you to
explore the Bible directly. Have
you read the Gospels for yourself
recently? Go to the primary
source. See if it reveals God to
you and helps you enter a
relational experience with the
One who desires to be known by
you.
SAVE THE DATE
September 11 - Rally Day/Church Picnic September 24 - Compassionate Care Event
October 5 - Jesus Company begins (7 weeks) October 8 - Storm Runners 5k
October 28 - Trunk - R - Treat November 5 - School Auction
November 19 - Kids Against Hunger November 27 & 28 - Advent by Candlelight
December 10 & 11 - Christmas Cantata
Brothers and Sisters in Christ committed to transforming homes! 3
Ladies …
mark your calendars
Advent By Candlelight
Sunday, November 27
and
Monday, November 28
From 7pm - 9pm
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• One-third of all adults (34%) believe that moral truth is absolute and unaffected by the circumstances.
This means then that two thirds of adults believe truth can change with circumstance!
• Half of all adults firmly believe that the Bible is accurate in all the principles it teaches.
This doesn’t mean half of adults believe Bible is Word of God—just that its principles (morals) are
worthwhile. Half aren’t.
• Just one-quarter of adults (27%) are convinced that Satan is a real force.
Why are we tempted? Why do we sin? Why do bad things happen? Three quarters of adults can’t answer
that question!
• Similarly, only one-quarter of adults (28%) believe that it is impossible for someone to earn their way into
Heaven through good behavior.
Christianity’s chief doctrine is denied by the vast majority of American adults.
• A minority of American adults (40%) are persuaded that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life while He was on earth.
This means they certainly can’t call him Savior, but why even bother calling him a great teacher or example
if he’s just like everybody else?
• Seven out of ten adults (70%) say that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing creator of the universe who still
rules it today.
This statistic sounds better than the ones above. Too bad that all the other answers reveal that most people
really don’t believe in the God of the Bible!
What does this mean? Many people want to have a spiritual connection to something. But, even putting the best
construction on things, we must conclude that the majority of our country is absolutely confused about who God is
and what it means for their life. They can say He rules and reigns, but they live like He doesn’t! Since this study
included Christians from all denominational groups we should also be alarmed at the Biblical illiteracy of those inside
the Church.
This is why Shepherd of the Lakes is a group of “Brothers and Sisters in Christ committed to transforming homes!”
We will transform homes by being in God’s Word. Praise God for our Christian Day School, Sunday School,
Confirmation, Children and Youth Ministries, Small Groups, and Adult Bible Studies!
Advent
By Candlelight
Jesus Company is back!
For kids ages 4 - 6th Grade
October 7 - Nov. 17
Wednesday Nights from 5:30pm - 7pm
The fee is $25 and includes
dinner each week and all supplies
See the Children’s Ministry Booth for registration.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ committed to transforming homes! 4
A Faithful History
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Has your grief left you feeling…
Overwhelmed?
Or at times like you might be…
Going crazy?
Have you felt…
All along with your grief?
Do you feel like...
God has abandoned you?
Shepherd of the Lakes will be hosting a free Grief
Support Seminar in conjunction with New Hope Center for
Grief Support.
Saturday, October 29 from 9am to 12pm
Contact Suzanne Biddix for more information.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ committed to transforming homes! 5
Putting
into Practice
The Scripture teaches that we cannot be saved through our good works. It’s all a gift of grace!
But the Bible also teaches that when we really take hold of that grace in our lives we will natu-
rally serve our neighbor. The things that we believe to be true about God aren’t just ancient
doctrines. The way we see Him changes the way we see our place in this world! Let’s take a
look at the core teachings of the Christian faith and how they call us to compassionate care.
Apostles Creed
We say it every week in worship. But does it mean anything for how we live?
First Article—I believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
God is a merciful God. He made us to live in His glorious presence. But sin creates a divide. It’s a con-
dition we can’t cure! He saw our condition, and planned from Genesis how He would rescue us from our
predicament. If we’re the creation of a merciful God we must naturally understand that we are to be peo-
ple of mercy.
Second Article—I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.
Jesus took on flesh to be one of us. He suffered the punishment of sin ultimately by taking the sins of the
world to the cross where He mercifully gave up His life for us. Picking up a cross and following him
means we exhibit mercy as it as has been shared with us.
Third Article—I believe in the Holy Spirit…
The Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts to enable us to express our faith in acts of love and service.
Baptism
The merciful washing of Baptism enables and motivates merciful living. By baptism we’re made into a
new creation. The old is washed away the new has come. It declares us to be children of God. We can
live as beloved children who reflect the mercy of our Father.
Confession and Absolution
In confession and absolution the merciful Word of the Gospel enables and motivates merciful speaking
and living.
Lord’s Supper
In the Lord’s Supper Jesus gives Himself totally for us, that we might give ourselves totally to our
neighbor.
Because of who God is and who He has called us to be, we are “Brothers and Sisters in Christ
committed to transforming homes!” Use your gifts to support our compassionate care work
through Stephen Ministry, Urgent Home Repair, Personal Needs Pantry, and other special
events.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ committed to transforming homes! 6
Kicking People out
of the Church?
One of the hardest to understand things for a Christian to understand is
something called, “Church Discipline.” In our modern culture we don’t
consider church a place to be disciplined. It’s a place where we expect to
feel good. It seems very judgmental to say that someone isn’t “up to
snuff,” or that they might not belong as members in the church. However,
as counter-intuitive as it seems, church discipline is not only Biblical
(Matthew 18), but is for the very best of the individual.
At Shepherd of the Lakes and many other churches the most often dealt
with circumstance related to church discipline is that of inactive member-
ship. It is quite misunderstood, with people often assuming that we “kick
people out of the church.” Let’s take a deeper look!
When a person joins Shepherd of the Lakes they are invited to make a
series of promises. They include, 1) Regular worship, 2) Regular study of
the Word, 3) Regular prayer, 4) Regular giving, 5) Regular serving. A
person is not coerced into making these promises. They make these
vows, one can only assume, as a response to God’s promises to them. In
other words they say, “Because of what He has done for me I will seek to
be more like Him.” If a person ceases to do these things, then again an
assumption must be made. Either that person is facing a real difficulty and
they need help or they are struggling in believing God’s promises. If that’s
the case it is our duty as brothers and sisters in Christ to reach out to them
and offer our caring assistance.
There are times when it becomes apparent that a person is no longer
interested in owning the membership promises they made. At that point it
is necessary to begin a process, stretching over a number of months and
repeated attempts of contact that may lead to their removal from church
membership.
We do this:
1. For the sake of the sinner. This is the first concern always. The un-
repentant sinner without discipline will most likely remain in sin and suffer
eternal death. Discipline is love. (Hebrews 12:6 …the Lord disciplines the
one He loves).
2. For the sake of all those in the assembly. If unrepentant sin is al-
lowed to simply reign in the church, others will fall under its power. (1
Corinthians 5:6 Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole
lump?)
3. For the sake of the lost. When the name of Christ is not kept holy
among us (which is what occurs when we allow those remaining in unre-
pentant sins to continue to claim the name of Christ), the lost do not see
Christ as they should and that becomes a stumbling block to belief.
4. For the sake of God’s promise. God has promises that His word
calls, gathers, and enlightens all people. That is as true of the rebuking
word as it is the forgiving word. It is our sincere hope that a rebuking word
will lead to repentance, which leads to forgiveness.
5. For the sake of God’s command. He has directed us to do this.
There is never any desire to “kick someone out of the church,” but rather
to bring someone who has placed themselves outside of the church back
in.
The following is an article that will appear in the upcoming
edition of Concordia Seminary Magazine—a publication of
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Thank you Band of Brothers
for being an example to our whole church body!
“Band of Brothers” Thankoffering
“We are absolutely thrilled with the man who
was placed here.”
Enthusiastic about their senior pastor, Rev. Mark
Milatz (Concordia Seminary graduate class of 2003),
Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church in Brighton,
Michigan turned to Concordia Seminary to request that a
new graduate be placed in their congregation to serve as
associate pastor.
Call Day 2011 brought the good news that Concordia
Seminary had placed pastoral candidate Ben Vogel at
Shepherd of the Lakes. Pastor Milatz recently shared,
“We could not have been more pleased with the
quality of all the guys we spoke to, and we are
absolutely thrilled with Pastor Ben Vogel, the man
who was placed here.”
The very first week end after Pastor Vogel was
ordained and installed he joined 50 members of
Shepherd of the Lakes at their annual retreat. Known as
the “Band of Brothers,” this group of men are
committed to a grass-roots effort to strengthen
families and battle the cultural norms that are so
destructive to God’s church and to families. They
provide outstanding leadership and embrace Christian
service as a privilege.
At the retreat, in order to give thanks to God for bringing
Pastor Vogel to their faith family to join Pastor Milatz in
pastoral ministry, the “Band of Brothers” decided to take
a thankoffering. Blessed with $2,500 in gifts they for-
warded their offering to Concordia Seminary to prepare
more pastors for the Holy
Ministry.
In order to have a personal relationship with a future
pastor, Shepherd of the Lakes also participates in Con-
cordia Seminary’s Adopt-A-Student program by sponsor-
ing a second year seminarian.
Pastor Milatz: “Now, with eight years of pastoral
ministry experience, I am acutely aware of just how ex-
cellent my education was. The Seminary really taught
me how to think in a Christ-centered way. I’m also very
grateful that many generous donors made my time at
the Seminary possible.”
For information or questions about supporting
Concordia Seminary, including the Adopt-A-Student pro-
gram, please call Seminary Advancement at
1-800-822-5287.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ committed to transforming homes! 7
Over a year ago our congregation voted to move forward with three building projects, one being a youth construction
project. A Youth Building Committee was formed to generate a plan. Over a twelve month period several variations of
the project were considered. Utilizing our existing space and making it larger by removing the shared wall was
decided to be the best use of our resources. With Board approval and a schematic design in place the youth construction
was ready. On May 14th the wall was demolished and the project began. On August 21st we dedicated and blessed the
room!
The central focus and inspiration for the design of the room is the painting “Christ Eyes.” In July of 2010, 15 of our
youth along with 4 adult chaperones attended the LCMS National Youth Gathering in New Orleans. While there we
had the privilege to see a man named Mike Lewis, aka The Jesus Painter. Thanks to the generosity of the families that
attended the gathering and the Band of Brothers we were able to purchase one of the paintings from the Gathering.
We were so honored to present it to our congregation and hang it in the youth room on August 21st.
Many thanks go to the SOTL business owners who did the work on the room:
Cutting Edge Carpentry (Bob Calkins)
Carpet Direct (Dan Fitchett)
Danco Construction (Dan Spagnoletti)
Morris Electric (Rob Morris)
Thank you to those who served on the Building Committee:
Jeff Colley
Lori Gaines
Rodney Komaromi
Dwight Pugsley
Dave Thompson
Jerry Trusty
And to all those who spent many volunteer hours helping in so many ways, thank you! Our youth are blessed to be part
of a congregation that values them and supports their faith walk.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ committed to transforming homes! 8
Has anyone else noticed that this place is crazy busy? Sometimes
I drive by a full parking lot and wonder what I’m missing! If I’m the Senior Pastor and feel that
way, I can only imagine how some members must feel. There is a whole lot that happens
through God’s grace at our church. And perhaps the greatest challenge is to communicate all
the ministry happenings. To do this we use many, many different vehicles such as this newslet-
ter to reach you. Below are a few other avenues:
Weekend Worship
At every worship service we have announcement slides before the service begins and verbal announcements at
the end of the service.
News and Notes
Each week we produce a take home newsletter with upcoming events called the News and Notes. They are
available at the Worship Center entrances.
Website
www.shepherdsvoice.org is regularly updated with the latest happenings at SOTL. You can find information about
all of our ministries, view the church calendar, and download this newsletter, the News and Notes, sermons, and
Bible studies.
Become a fan of Shepherd of the Lakes by “liking” us. There is also a page for Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran
School. This is a great way to stay tuned to last minute changes and connect with other members.
Shepherd’s Voice Weekly
Every Thursday a synopsis of upcoming events is emailed directly to 400 homes in a one page web format.
Bulletin Boards
Check out the board across from the church mailboxes. It advertises events and has sign-ups for participation.
There is also a “Current Events” board outside of the Worship Center. It
includes many pamphlets related to our church and school happenings.
Commons
There is a Welcome Center, as well as booths for Adult, Children and Youth, School, and
Compassionate Care ministries. Each booth has detailed information about those ministry
areas.
On Saturday, September 24 from 9am to 11am, families are invited to help package Personal Care Kits to be
distributed through Lutheran World Relief. These kits give families throughout the world a helping hand, a sign of
comfort and hope for the future. Individuals and families can sign up at the Outreach Booth in the Commons
We are currently collecting items for the kits at a table in Genesis Hall:
• Bath Towels
• Bath size bar soap
• Adult size toothbrushes
• Combs
• Metal nail clippers
The work of your heart and hand will be an immeasurable blessing to families in need around the world!
Brothers and Sisters in Christ committed to transforming homes! 9
Let’s get to know Mrs. VanDeven!
by Christi Gaertner
Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran School is thrilled to welcome Mrs. Juli VanDeven to serve as
our new principal. Juli and her husband Jason live in Howell with their daughter Payton
(age five) and their son Palmer (age two). Jason works for O&W, a Miller beer distributor in
Ypsilanti. As a family, the VanDevens enjoy swimming, camping, and biking. When Juli has
time, she loves to read.
Juli became an educator because she loves to learn, and she loves the feeling that she has
helped someone. She said, “I like to interact with people. Through education, I can meet lots
of different people, and I myself can learn something every day.” She has pursued becoming
an administrator because she enjoys “making plans and seeing them through.”
Juli earned her undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University and will soon complete her master’s degree in
Educational Leadership, also from Eastern. She has spent the last six years teaching at a charter school in Lansing.
Juli has big plans for SOTL. “My hope for SOTL is to make sure that as many people as possible know what a wonderful
school we are. I want kids to continue to strive for success. I want parents to feel that they would go to the ends of the earth
to send their child to SOTL because the education they would receive is head over heels above any other.”
Pastor Vogel and your Youth Leaders are working hard to
plan a year of service, fellowship and faith building
activities.
Here are just a few items being planned:
• Wednesday night youth group (1st/3rd weeks)
beginning in October will include working on our
A.C.T.S. Service Project and a Worship Service just for
you!
• Winter Retreat - January 27-29, 2012
• Mission Trip - Summer 2012
• Movie and game nights
• Michigan vs. Michigan State Tailgate (Go Blue!)
• And much more!
A full calendar of events, costs and registration information
will be available at the Parent Meeting on Sunday,
September 18th in Genesis Hall at 12:30pm. Youth are
encouraged to attend!
****************************
Don’t forget about Breakfast Club!
We will be meeting every Sunday at 9:45am in the
Youth Room to study God’s Word.
A group of parents are working on fellowship events for
our 7th and 8th grade student to participate in.
A complete calendar of events, costs and information will
be handed out in both Confirmation classes.
If you are interested in helping to organize, communicate
and participate in these events please contact Lori Gaines
in the church office at 810-227-5099 or
worshipadmin@shepherdsvoice.org.
Storm Runners 5k Run/Walk to benefit:
When:
October 8, 2011
8:30am for 1 Mile Run &
9:00 am for the 5k Run/Walk
Cost:
5k Run/Walk $18 by Oct. 1
or $25 after Oct. 1
1 Mile Kids Run $12 anytime
Registration:
Registration forms available at School Booth or
online at www.sotlschool.com
Brothers and Sisters in Christ committed to transforming homes! 10
2101 S. Hacker Road
Brighton, MI 48114-8764
Phone: 810-227-5099
Fax: 810-227-3566
Email: info@shepherdsvoice.org
Web: www.shepherdsvoice.org
JOIN US FOR WORSHIP
Sundays at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Mondays at 6:45 p.m.
Bible Study and Sunday School at 9:45 a.m.
Wee Worship at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. for ages 3-6.
SOTL Festival Chorus, Orchestra and Soloists
SOTL Lutheran School Children’s Chorus
Present
Searching for the King
Script by Walter L. Black
Arranged and Orchestrated by
David T. Clydesdale
Searching for the King is a compelling dramatic
Christmas musical in the style of the Dove Award
winner cantata, “A Baby Changes Everything”
(presented at SOTL last December). A dynamic
contemporary story parallels the biblical story delivering
a message as powerful as the prophets and as relevant as
today’s headlines. Walter L. Black’s exciting script
juxtaposes one of the Magi (Mordecai) as he follows the
Star of Bethlehem, with Benjamin, a soldier stationed in
the Middle East 2,000 years later who is looking up at
the same stars. They are both searching for the truth,
and they both find it at the foot of the manger.
One of the highlights of our church calendar, our
Christmas Cantatas are a wonderful opportunity to
invite family and friends.
Saturday, December 10
4pm & 7pm
Sunday, December 11
11am