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American Lutheran Church of Sun City

MISSION STATEMENT:

To proclaim the love of Jesus Christ, invite others to participate in our

faith community, and be a blessing to all in word and deed.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents ........................................................................................ 2

Message from Rev. Lowell D. Nelson ................................................ 3 & 4

Thrivent Members ...................................................................................... 4

President of the Congregational Council ............................................... 4-5

Worship and Music Department ............................................................. 5-6

Wellness Minute ..................................................................................... 6-7

Women’s Ministries................................................................................ 7-8

Benevolence Committee............................................................................. 8

Neighborhood Groups\Stephen Ministry Liaison ...................................... 9

Handbells .................................................................................................. 10

Neighborhood Groups .............................................................................. 10

Gifts & Memorials ............................................................................... 10-11

Thank You ................................................................................................ 11

Meetings, Announcements & Activities ............................................. 12-13

Upper Midwest Get-Together ................................................................... 13

Campus Bible Studies .............................................................................. 13

AA & Al-Anon ......................................................................................... 14

Lutheran Thrift Shop ................................................................................ 14

Directory Changes .................................................................................... 15

Staff Directory and Emails ....................................................................... 16

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Dear American Lutheran Church Family & Friends,

Welcome to August, 2019! I hope you enjoy the word “generous” as much as I do. Generous is a

great theological word as it describes a key attribute of God who gives us every life resource out

of extravagant love. Generous is a great ministry word as it connects being generous with

generating enhanced ministry. Generous is a great personal value to guide our decisions to share

God’s graces forward to people in need and strengthening faith in all generations. Over the

August 24th/25th weekend, Church Council President Dick Jorgenson will give an update on how

well ALC is doing and a look forward to our fall ministry together. Thank you for being

generous, which allows Dick to state a very positive message!

In July during a sermon on “Hopeful Living”, I mentioned a way to express how your faith

shapes your planned giving. Based upon the ELCA’s resource, “Will and Trust Workbook,”

adding a Christian Preamble to your will provides a significant opportunity to share your faith

with family and friends as you leave your legacy for ministry. Through this personal statement,

you can deliver a lasting message to those you love that gives witness to your faith in Jesus Christ

and your commitment to the church’s ministries in proclaiming the gospel. As you prepare your

will/estate plan with your legal advisor, give prayerful consideration to adding a Christian

Preamble after the standard introductory clauses.

Here is one example:

In thanksgiving to God for the gift of life given in Baptism, and for the many

blessings God has given me; and in thanksgiving to God for the assurance of grace,

and the gifts of faith and hope through Jesus Christ; and in thanksgiving to God for

the gifts of nurture and love through the church where we have shared faith and

fellowship; I now commend my loved ones to grow in this same faith, to be true to

their own Baptism in the sure knowledge that God will continue to provide for them

in their lifetime, and to place their faith and trust in our Lord and Savior Jesus

Christ. Now the feast of celebration all of creation sings for joy to the God of life

and love and freedom; praise and glory forevermore! I now therefore… (the

particulars of the will would follow.)

What a wonderful way to express these or similar sentiments in a letter or will revision.

Also, please respond generously to two ministry tables in the Fellowship Hall. The table to the

left is for collecting items for Samaritan Purse’s “Operation Christmas Child” which sends gift

boxes throughout the world. Thank you to Jan Powell for coordinating our response for this

ministry. On the right table, throughout August we’ll gather resources to assist Lutheran Social

Services of the Southwest to minister to Asylum seekers who need support between immigration

hearings. While we may not be of one mind on immigration policies, we are given guidance to

provide loving support to “the least of these” from Matthew 25:31-46.

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Thank you to Jackie Huget for coordinating our response for this ministry. Continue to live

generously with a daring confidence in God’s grace through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Love,

Pastor Lowell

THRIVENT MEMBERS

The Benevolence Committee of the ALC Council is asking all of our Thrivent Financial Members

to please let Julie Ochs at j.ochs@alcsuncity.org know of your membership so we can build

momentum in serving others. There are several ways Thrivent members are able to enhance our

congregation’s generosity, with absolutely no cost to the member but to distribute Thrivent funds

for ministry purposes.

The Benevolence Committee will continue to work to serve others and to communicate with you

to keep you informed on ministry projects that could benefit from your Thrivent membership.

Please help us to be a blessing to others and expand our generosity to our extended community.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL SUMMERTIME

So what goes on around our church campus during the summer? Is everyone on vacation? Or just

staying in the air conditioned comfort of our homes?

Well, besides the visible activities of our church services on Saturday and Sunday and the Bible

studies, Wednesday movies, and the potlucks such as Christmas in July, summer is an important

time for activities of the Property and Grounds committee.

Working in close coordination with Dave Tigges, our chief custodian, the Property and Grounds

report for July is:

1. The carpet has been cleaned professionally in the Fellowship Hall as well as the three

aisles plus the front of the Sanctuary and the Narthex.

2. The Reverse Osmosis system has been removed in the office break room and the kitchen

of Rooms A & B. This was a $68 per month expense and it was determined to be

unnecessary.

3. The contract for the water system in the main kitchen was re-negotiated for a

savings of $25 per month.

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4. A pest control company was hired to remove a bee infestation at the peak of

the Sanctuary. They removed in excess of 200 lbs. of honey and sealed the spots where

they entered.

5. A landscaper was hired to trim the palm trees.

6. An air conditioning technician repaired and serviced air conditioners for the office

Reception area and the Fellowship Hall. The repairs were relatively minor, but

necessary.

7. Our disappointment with the faucets continues, but we have a “fix” on them for the time

being.

This report was submitted by Ray Brodland who is the council liaison and active participant in

the Property and Grounds Committee.

Dick Jorgenson,

Congregation President

WORSHIP & MUSIC

“Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul;

It is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.”

~Martin Luther

Martin Luther left us a beautiful legacy of music, and hymn singing is a cornerstone of Lutheran

worship. (Did you know that there are 20 hymns composed by Martin Luther in the 1978

Lutheran Book of Worship and in the 2006 Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal?) Lutherans

love to sing!

ALC congregants come from all parts of the country, from diverse worship traditions as well as

from denominations other than Lutheran. And we all have our own cherished memories of a

favorite hymn or worship tradition. (Someone recently shared that when she was growing up,

they sang “Holy, Holy, Holy” each and every Sunday for many years, so that’s one of her

favorites. I was a member of All Saints Church so of course “For All the Saints” is one of my

favorites.) Determining what makes the “favorites” list is as challenging as our membership is

diverse.

When Pastor Lowell and I choose hymns, we follow the Revised Common Lectionary and church

season to connect the scripture readings, themes for the day, prayers and preaching. For example,

recently we sang “For All the Faithful Women.” While this surely isn’t on anyone’s all-time

favorite list, the text celebrated the women of the Bible, in particular Martha and Mary whose

story was read in the Lesson of the Day.

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We try to strike a balance between “old favorites” and hymns that support the Lectionary of the

Day. We do appreciate your constructive comments because we all want our worship experience

at ALC to be meaningful and joyful. So what is YOUR favorite hymn? Email Linda or drop off

your suggestions at the office; Pastor Lowell and I will gladly incorporate them where we can.

“…The singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: He is good; his love endures

forever!” 2 Chronicles 5:13

Yours in Christ,

Linda Shirck, Interim Organist

l.shirck@alcsuncity.org

****SAVE THE DATE****

Celebration Choir Retreat October 15, 2019, 12:00-3:00 p.m.

New members welcome! More information to come.

WELLNESS MINUTE

Give Yourself the Gift of Forgiveness

Although forgiveness brings many benefits, particularly to the “forgiver”, to forgive is not always

easy.

While everyone may have a unique perspective on how to forgive, the following strategies have

been proven effective for many people.

Express Yourself

When trying to decide how to forgive someone, it may or may not help to express your feelings to

the other person. If the relationship is important and you would like to maintain it, it may be very

useful for you to tell the other person in non-threatening language how their actions affected you.

If the person is no longer in your life, or if you have reason to believe that things will get much

worse if you address the situation directly, you may want to just write a letter and tear it up and

move on.

Look for the Positive

Journaling about a situation where you were hurt or wronged can help you process what

happened and move on. However, the way you write about it and what you choose to focus on

can make all the difference in how easy it becomes to forgive. Research shows that journaling

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about the benefits you’ve received from a negative situation can actually help you to forgive and

move on more easily.

Cultivate Empathy

While you don’t have to agree with what the other person did to you, when working on how to

forgive, it often helps to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Research has shown that

empathy, is associated with forgiveness, and can make the process easier. Instead of seeing them

as “the enemy”, try to understand the factors that they were dealing with.

Get Help

Sometimes it can be difficult to forget about the past and forgive, particularly if the offending acts

were traumatic. If you’re still having difficulty knowing how to forgive someone who’s wronged

you in a significant way, you may have better success working with a therapist who can help you

work through your feelings on a deeper level and personally support you through the process.

Lori Kellar,

Wellness Ministry

WOMEN’S MINISTRIES

GLOBAL HEALTH MINISTRIES: There will not be an August meeting to make

bandages. The next meeting to make diapers and bandages for Global Health Ministries

will be on Monday, September 23 at 1:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Please continue

to donate white t-shirts of all sizes and white sheets. White sheets of any size are

especially needed! All donations should be labeled Global Ministries and placed on or

under the food-gathering table in the Narthex.

2019 HOLIDAY BAZAAR: Before you know it our 2019 Holiday Bazaar and Lefse

Sale will be here! It will be held on Saturday, November 23. We would like all crafters,

woodworkers, jewelry makers, greeting card makers, knitters, quilters, and others to

begin thinking about possible donations. The “Craft Boutique” at last year’s bazaar was

very popular, and we look forward to expanding our selection of items. If you have

questions, please call Marty Livingston at (614) 307-0113.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD: Thank you for your continued donations of

items for our Operation Christmas Child boxes. We are in need of school supplies, which

are now on sale: spiral notebooks (70 pages), boxes of crayons (16 or 24 packs), pencils,

pencil sharpeners, and scissors. Please drop your items in the marked red bins in the

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Narthex and Fellowship Hall. If you would prefer to donate money toward school

supplies and have us shop for you, please contact Jan Powell at (323) 559-4688. We are

so appreciative of your generosity.

BENEVOLENCE COMMITTEE

Calling All Guardian Angels – Get Your Sneakers Ready!! The Benevolence Committee has adopted a philosophy of choosing one major project per

year using fund raising as a way of closing the GAP for a vital community ministry. The

Guardian Angel Project or GAP is the avenue that will be used, selecting a different

recipient annually. (All funds raised will NOT be part of the ALC budget.)

The Guardian Angel Project for 2019 will be providing drinkable water for the Navajo

Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona. Drinking water was so damaging that

cementing the old well was in the best interest of the community. Digging a new well for

the 2,500 Navajo community residents / farmers, including the church and school, will

provide quality water for the first time in many, many years.

The current water system was poisoned with arsenic and uranium, which caused a myriad

of health issues affecting the community and especially the youth. The $3,500, which the

ALC women’s ministry has already provided, was seed money for Phase I leading the

way for the formal engineering, digging and construction of the well.

A challenge match has already been received as we strive to reach a project goal of

$30,000.00. Closing this year’s GAP will be accomplished through a sponsored 5K (1K)

walk on Saturday, January 11, 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Assistance is needed in this huge

project. If anyone would like to help out with this most worthy cause, please contact Bob

Rogalski at (623) 521-6446. Meanwhile, get in shape, get some sneakers and join fellow

“angels” as we Walk for Water.

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NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS & STEPHEN MINISTRY LIAISON

Groups

I am writing this article from my son-in law’s home in Cleveland, Ohio. The weather is

cooler than Phoenix at a high of 85 Degrees F but humidity is in the low 70% and higher

sometimes.

Uncomfortable is the kindest way to describe it.

We have visited a Methodist church with 1000+ membership so far. It was in Columbia,

MO. It had no Neighborhood Group set up, so I was unable to make any kind of

comparison with our activity at ALC.

On our way home in August we are still planning to stop in Shoreview, MN to attend the

Upper Midwest Get-Together at Incarnation Lutheran Church.

Whether you are still in Arizona or travelling the USA or overseas, please, everyone,

have a safe and worthwhile summer.

May our Dear Lord keep you and hold you in the palm of His hand.

Stephen Ministry Liaison

There is very little activity involving Liaison. However, Stephen Ministers are assisting

our Pastors with Communion each Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer at ALC.

Also Stephen Ministers are encouraged to meet in Fellowship Hall after the last Sunday

service of each month during the summer months.

Bryan Cooper-Keeble,

Email - banddck@aol.com

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Third Thursday, August 16

8:30 1A Quail Run @ Mercer’s

Third Saturday, August 17

8:00 5C/5E/5F Grand West @ Memo’s

9:30 3A Wanderers in homes

Fourth Saturday, August 24

9:00 2M El Dorado @ El Dorado

First Thursday, August 1

12:00 2L Royal Oaks @ Royal Oaks

First Saturday, August 3

8:30 2H Happy Hour @ Royal Café

9:00 2D Thunderbirds no meeting till fall

Second Saturday, August 10

9:00 3H Jolly Comrades no meeting till fall

9:00 3C Care, Chatter, Comfort no meeting till

September

HANDBELLS

We are all “enjoying” the heat of our Arizona summers, but soon our fall season at American

Lutheran Church will be here. Along with many activities to resume, will be the Christo

Handbell Choir. For many years the handbells have been participating in our worship services to

help make it an even more meaningful experience. We have had such excellent commitment

from the members of the bell choir, and as a result, I feel they have contributed a great deal to our

congregation. At this point in time we are in need of a couple new ringers. Become a member of

the bell choir and you will enjoy enhancing the worship experience for our congregation. We

rehearse Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. and on average participate in services once each month.

Please contact George Zoske, Director, or the church office if you are available to join us.

NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS

GIFTS AND MEMORIALS Gifts that were given to American Lutheran Church in Memory of:

Arnold and Agnes Severson By Sheila Harmell, for her grandparents, on what would have been their 102nd Anniversary

Barbara Campbell By Sheila Harmell

Bruce Leonhardi By James and Charlene Trageser and Ade and Jean Leonhardi

Christi DeBrock Gaido

By Irene DeBrock

Kay Long By Marguerite Johnson

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GIFTS AND MEMORIALS CONTINUED

Les Hovda

By Judy Morrison

Rev. Benjamin Nelson

By Sharon and Ken Friedrichsen, Jeane Armer, Carol and Ronald Prekker,

Diane and Gerald Kohler, Charlene and James Trageser, and Jim and Jan Keck

Hugh Kaste

By Ed & Audrey Gordhammer

Bruce Leonhardi

By Ed & Audrey Gordhammer

Sandy Graham By an Anonymous giver

Judith Sellman

By Glen Schulz

GIFTS WERE GIVEN TO ALC:

In loving memory of Percy R. Morrison, loving husband, father and grandfather, celebrating

seven years with the Lord on August 2, by Judy Morrison and family. In honor of Mr. and Mrs.

William C. Brick by Judi Brick Sanders. In memory of John Prinz, by his family.

RETRACTION:

In July’s outreach it was stated that a memorial was given by Sheila Harmell for Milan Susina, it

should have read in honor of Milan Susina. Our apologies.

Thank you to my Pastors, nurse, and friends at ALC for the many

prayers, visits, cards, and calls during my recent surgeries. I feel truly

blessed to be a part of the ALC family.

Love, Jeanette Danielson

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MEETINGS – ANNOUNCEMENTS – ACTIVITIES

SUMMER MOVIES FOR AUGUST! Come cool off and discuss thought provoking films about hope, justice,

grace, and mercy.

Bring a snack to share, if you wish. Tea/lemonade provided

We will gather at 9:45 am and start the movie at 10 am

Discussion after movie

Meet in Education A/B

Wednesday, August 7 – Beautifully Broken

A refugee's escape, a prisoner's promise, and a daughter's painful secret converge in this inspiring

real life story of hope. As three fathers fight to save their families, their lives become intertwined

in an unlikely journey across the globe, where they learn the healing power of God’s forgiveness

and reconciliation.

Wednesday, August 14 – Amazing Grace

In 18th-century England, House of Commons member William Wilberforce and his close friend

and a future prime minister, William Pitt, begin a lengthy battle to abolish Great Britain's slave

trade. Though Wilberforce's legislation is soundly defeated in 1791, he never gives up despite

health concerns. His mentor, John Newton (who wrote Amazing Grace), provides additional

support and care.

Wednesday, August 21 – 7 Days in Utopia

Luke Chisholm is a young golfer who's about to take a swing at the big time. Luke, however, has

a big blowup that makes national news, drives away his father/coach, and seemingly scuttles his

once-promising career. While driving along a Texas backroad, Luke crashes through the fence of

eccentric rancher Johnny Crawford (Robert Duvall). Johnny makes Luke an irresistible offer:

spend a week with him in the tiny town of Utopia and see if Luke can change his life.

Morning Ladies is a social group for recent and not so recent widows in our church. We offer

support as needed, but mostly we enjoy each other’s company and share what is happening in our

lives.

We meet the 4th Friday of the month at 11:00 a.m. at the 5 and Diner, 11340 W. Bell Road. If

you are interested in joining this group or just want to visit, and have not already been contacted,

please call Judy Jensen at (623) 810-4825. You will be called a few days before each meeting so

we can make reservations for the group. Our next meeting will be on September 27, 2019.

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Soup/Chili potluck at 12:00 p.m. August 14, 2019. The church will provide

the soup – you bring the fixin’s. Sign up in the Narthex or the church office by

Monday, August 12.

Carole Alexander has graciously agreed to return as coordinator for the ushers. If you would like

to join the usher team, please contact Diane at the church office (623) 974-2512 or

d.lewis@alcsuncity.org. Be sure to specify which service you would like to usher at. If you have

any questions, you may contact Carole at (623) 210-8761 or carolea3@cox.net.

UPPER MIDWEST GET-TOGETHER!

The annual Upper Midwest summer get together for American Lutheran Church of Sun City will

be held Wednesday, August 14, 2019, 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Incarnation Lutheran Church in

Shoreview, Minnesota (note that this is a new location). The cost is $10 per person ($20 per

couple) and lunch is included. Reservations are due by August 1. There is no special program –

this is a time to reconnect, socialize, and have fun with our American Lutheran Church of Sun

City friends. The location of Incarnation Lutheran Church is 4880 Hodgson Rd, Shoreview, MN

55126.

To attend, send attendee names and a check (made out to David Hjortland by August 1), to David

& Debra Hjortland, 24 Osprey Ct, North Oaks MN 55127. If you have questions, you can call

David at (612) 790-9216 or email Debra at deb.hjortland@gmail.com.

ALC CAMPUS BIBLE STUDIES

Pastor’s Bible Study ~ Tuesdays, 10 a.m., in the Fellowship Hall.

Pastor Lowell Nelson.

Men’s Bible Study ~ Thursdays, 8 a.m. (see calendar) Lectionary study.

ALC Grief Support Group

A NEW DAY - ALC grief support group meets on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. in the Lounge. It's not

necessary to sign up…just show up. We welcome you.

Mark your calendar!!! Friday Morning Bible Study will begin again on November 1 at

9:00 a.m. The study will be “Seamless” by Angie Smith. Seamless covers the people, places,

and promises of the Bible, tying them together into the greater story of Scripture. Whether you've

grown up hearing Bible stories or you're exploring Scripture for the first time, the full story of the

Bible can be overwhelming. See you then!

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Alcoholics Anonymous

The AA Group meets at American Lutheran Church. These are referred

to as “closed meetings”. Closed meetings are for AA members only or

for those who have a drinking problem and desire to stop drinking.

Meetings are Mondays, 7:00 p.m. and Wednesdays, 6:00 p.m.

in Education Room C. For more information, call Judie at (623)

337-7747.

Al-Anon is a worldwide, 12-step fellowship, which offers hope,

support and self-care information to anyone concerned about the

drinking or drug use of a friend or family member. It has one

purpose: To help loved ones of alcoholics by practicing the 12 steps.

Meetings are Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in Education Room A/B. For

more information, call Claire at (507) 288-6353 or Nancy at

(858) 735-7456.

Lutheran Thrift Shop

10615 West Peoria Ave, Sun City, (623) 815-7061

http://www.wvlutheranthrift.com/

Clothing Sale

Do you know anyone who needs a fantastic deal on quality, like new or gently worn

clothing? August 13 and 16 are "Dollar Clothes Days. Almost all items of clothing are

just $1.00.

Furniture and Lamp Sale

For the month of August, almost all furniture and lamps are 50% off our regular process.

And our regular prices are already very reasonable!

Truckers Needed

We are desperately looking for volunteers to work on our truck one day a week or one

Saturday a month. The truck is operated 100% by volunteers. But, we often have more

trucks than volunteers. We would love to have enough volunteers to run the truck 6 days

each week; we struggle to operate 3 days.

Consider getting a group together to join us, won’t you? Or volunteer as an individual. Call

us today to schedule a ride-along with the truckers and see if you can love this job!

Keep up with the WVLTS on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/westvalleylutheranthriftshop/ Please “Like” us today!

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Dorothy Hootman (101) Milan Susina (100)

Maxine Kaiser (100)

Florence H. Johnson (100-8/3)

Mrs. Peggy Corrado

18170 N 91st Ave Apt 2234

Peoria, AZ 85382

Phone: 623-466-7858

Neighborhood Group 4A/4B

REMOVED FROM ROLLS BY DEATH Barbara W. Campbell (07/05/19) Judith R. Sellman (07/04/19) Hugh Kaste (07/04/19) Eleanor H. Simons (07/23/19)

MOVED OUT OF VALLEY

Mr. Floyd Krause

320 E 42nd St Suite 116

Scottsbluff, NE 69361

DIRECTORY CHANGES

Centenarians

Carol Howland (107)

Mary Graybiel (104)

Norma Carlsson (104)

Dorothy Noren (101)

Dorothy Hootman (101)

LOCAL ADDRESS CHANGES

Ken & Sherry Iverson

20616 N Vantana Dr W

Sun City, AZ 85373

Phone: 715-505-6913

Neighborhood Group 3C

Dan & Dora Carter

10203A W Coggins Drive

Sun City, AZ 85351

Phone: 623-556-4101

Neighborhood Group 1A

PHONE CHANGE Bev Hawkinson 608-774-3390

Verna Larson 623-972-4047

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American Lutheran Church of Sun City

17200 N. Del Webb Blvd

Sun City, AZ 85373

Phone: 623.974.2512 – Fax: 623-974-2515

www.alcsuncity.org

___________________________________________________________________________________

PASTORAL STAFF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Rev. Lowell D. Nelson Senior Pastor Julie Ochs Financial Coordinator

l.nelson@alcsuncity.org j.ochs@alcsuncity.org

Rev. Gary R. Ulrich Pastor of Care Ministry Diane Lewis Parish Info /Admin Asst.

g.ulrich@alcsuncity.org d.lewis@alcsuncity.org

Rev. Gary R. Garvey Care Ministry Carol Weber Financial Consultant

(On Seasonal Leave) c.weber@alcsuncity.org

Rev. Paul Benson Visitation Pastor Lori Kellar Wellness Ministry

tkbrn@cox.net l.kellar@alcsuncity.org

Judy Gilmore Communications/Admin Asst.

MUSIC MINISTRY j.gilmore@alcsuncity.org

Linda Shirck Interim Organist Dave Tigges Property / Grounds

l.shirck@alcsuncity.org

Rolfe Blaess / Sound (seasonal)

Janet MacDonald Interim Choir Director

janetamacdonald@gmail.com

George Zoske Director of Christo Bells

gzoske@mac.com