January 2016 The Messenger - qwestoffice.netstmarkspdx.qwestoffice.net/Messenger/January_2016... ·...
Transcript of January 2016 The Messenger - qwestoffice.netstmarkspdx.qwestoffice.net/Messenger/January_2016... ·...
The Messenger A Publication of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 5415 SE Powell Blvd., Portland OR 97206
January 2016
I’ll just go ahead and say it.
I think it’s neat that the church
has annual meetings during
Epiphany.
Here’s why: Epiphany itself,
January 6th, is when we cele-
brate the wise men from the east
arriving to worship the newly
born Jesus (Matthew 2).
This is a BIG hint right here
that the good news of Jesus is
not only for the people who al-
ready know they are God’s peo-
ple, but is good news for the
whole world.
It’s worth noticing that Mat-
thew’s gospel begins with Magi
— astronomers from Persia —
and ends with what we know as
the “Great Commission,” the
instructions from Jesus to “Go,
therefore, and make disciples of
all nations.”
So the season, or time after,
Epiphany, is a good time for the
church to think and pray and
listen and sing about how we
might help the good news shine
as brightly in people’s lives as
that first star that guided the
magi.
How do we go out, and how
do we welcome in?
How can we learn to wel-
come strangers from different
places to join us around the
manger, and give thanks for the
(odd) gifts they might bring?
How do we go out, carrying
the light of Christ in our lives?
Those seem to me to be the
big questions we should be ask-
ing when we gather as a congre-
gation to review the past year
and prepare for the next.
Maybe the season will guide
us: Wednesday, January 6th,
like the traveling Magi, we’ll
move out of our comfort zone
(the St. Mark’s building) and
gather with Holy Trinity and St.
Paul’s at St. Paul’s for a potluck
and a “star celebration.”
Sunday, January 10th, we
celebrate the Baptism of our
Lord and, following Jesus into
the water, hear ourselves named
as beloved daughters and sons,
claimed and sent out.
On to the Wedding at Cana,
in which Jesus reveals that he
bears God’s creative power and
joyful presence into the world.
Hmm . . Joyous celebrations in
which we discover that God has
provided more than we ever
thought possible.
On to Jesus’ first sermon, in
his hometown of Nazareth, in
which he lays our his priorities:
good news to the poor, release
to the captives, recovery of sight
to the blind, letting the op-
pressed go free, in other words,
to proclaim the year of the
Lord’s favor. Hmmm. . .how are
we helping with that work?
Who’s out there, doing that
work, that we could join in
with?
Then Jesus wraps up his
hometown sermon by remind
his hearers and us that God’s
prophetic mission pushes be-
yond our human-made bounda-
ries so that mercy and grace are
extended to those regarded as
outsiders. Hmm. . . Where are
we drawing boundaries lines,
and where are we reaching
across them? Who’s reaching
across boundaries to us?
And then WOW! It’s Trans-
figuration: for a brief time, Je-
sus is on the mountaintop, shin-
ing with his full glory — which
will be made manifest in his
death and resurrection. And we
are left to wonder how we re-
flect his glory to give light to the
world? Who else is letting the
Christ-light shine brightly in
their lives?
Good news, Servants of
Christ the Servant: we’ve got a
month of Epiphany light in
which to ask, wonder, pray and
listen.
Pastor Elizabeth Larsen
Pastor:
Rev. Elizabeth Larsen
Office: 503-777-1443
Monday-Thursday: 9:00-2:00 pm
Off Fridays
Cell Phone: 503-267-8053
Organ/Piano: Arlan Evensen
Administrative Assistant/
Newsletter Editor:
Joyce Nance
Office: 503-777-1443
Monday-Thursday: 8:30-1:30 pm
Off Fridays
Council President: Brian Steves
Custodian: Epic Janitorial
Webmaster: Scot Brende
Servant Fund Chair:
Sally Durham
Ministers to Chinese
Community:
Pastors Andrew Yong & Terry Yang
503-860-3388 (Pr. Andrew)
Asamblea Apostolica: Pastor Andres
Cruz 503-333-5038
Who’s Who at St. Mark’s
2
AS SERVANTS OF CHRIST THE SERVANT,
WE ARE CALLED BY GOD TO:
Spread the Word of God through worship, prayer, discipleship and education
Spread God’s love by ex-ample through service, ad-vocacy and community
Be spirit-led stewards of our time, talents and money
POINSETTIA CONTRIBUTIONS The Poinsettias decorating our sanctuary were given by: : Al & Gloria Bowen In Memory of Burnadean Kennedy
and John Howard Kennedy
Jeri & Gary Dayton In Memory of Shirley & Mel French
Sally & Dennis Durham In Memory of Loved Ones
John & Norma Etzel In Memory of Parents, Norma &
Elfriedo Diekman and Herman &
Marie Etzel
Ruth & Gerald Griffith In Memory of Hoffart-Griffith
Families
Madeline Grimm In Memory of Loved Ones
Lafe Hallum In Memory of Sally Hallum
Cindy Huber In Memory of Vivian Huber
Esther Huntley & Family In Memory of Husband, Lee Hunt
ley; Parents, Hugh & Minnie Hunt
ley and Frank & Agnes Buehler
Marilyn Hutson In Memory of Husband, Kenneth
Hutson
Clara Jackson In Memory of Family Members
Solveig Jondahl In Memory of Douglas Jondahl &
Granddaughter, Andrea Jondahl
Dorothy Long In Memory of Jerry Long
Marg Lyseng In Memory of Iver & Matilda
Lyseng
Dolores Morelli In Memory of Helen & Frank
Dempster and Steve Dempster
Joyce Nance In Memory of Susan Martin, Zach
Spennagel, and Andy Wolfer
Marcia & Don Olney In Memory of Mothers, Irene Fick
and Catherine Olney
Hannah Schink & Family In Memory of Chester Schink
Deb Schulz In Memory of Nancy Schulz
Jerry, Liz, Kara In Memory of Edwin Thiringer
Dean & Jenny Winter In Memory of Joshua Winter,
In Honor of Miriam & Matthew
Fowler
3
Christmas continues at St. Mark’s
. . And then it’s Epiphany
After the long waiting of Ad-
vent, we revel in the twelve
days of Christmas: Christmas
Day, and the two Sundays in
Christmas (December 27th
and January 3rd) we’ll wor-
ship using a Christmas Carol
liturgy.
Sunday Dec. 27th You can still
bring in your little red barns for
ELCA World Hunger to the wor-
ship service.
Sunday, January 3rd,
*kids are invited to bring their favorite
Christmas book to share at Wholly Love.
*we’ll choose where to direct the gathered
total from the red barns, using the ELCA Good
Gifts catalog.
*everyone is invited Epiphany Open
House (2pm—5pm) at Pastor, Jon, Max and
Ted’s house (7324 SE Knight Street). We’ll be
“chalking the lintel” at 3:30.
“Chalking
the lintel”
is part of a tradition of Epiphany house
blessing, inscribing 20 + CMB + 16with
white chalk above the main door. The
numbers change with each new year. The three
letters stand for either the ancient Latin bless-
ing Christe mansionem benedica, which means,
"Christ, bless this house," or the legendary
names of the magi (Caspar, Melchior, and
Balthasar).
Epiphany begins with a
tri-congregational potluck
and “following the star”
event at St. Paul Lutheran
(3880 SE Brooklyn St.)
with Holy Trinity and St.
Mark’s. Wednesday,
January 6, 2016, 6:00pm.
To celebrate the many ways the good news of
Christ has gone out into all lands, we’ll worship
during Epiphany with a round-the-world liturgy
(setting 6 in the blue book). If you’d like to
prepare or brush up, come to choir practice af-
ter worship on Sunday, January 3rd.
The St. Mark’s annual
congregational meet-
ing and potluck will be
Sunday, January 24th,
following worship, in
the downstairs social hall.
Please send all reports electronically to of-
[email protected] by Monday, January 11th.
Once again, the annual report package will be
distributed primarily by e-mail; paper copies
will be available on Sunday, January 21st.
This is your opportunity to prayerfully con-
sider serving a two-year term on the St. Mark’s
council, joining the Servant (Endowment)
Fund, or attending Synod Assembly in Eugene
April 29 — May 1.
You can sign up electronically for the pot-
luck at signupgenius.com or on paper in the
coffee room. We really appreciate the RSVP so
that we know how many people to prepare for.
Church on the road: Worship at Mt. Tabor Courtyard Wednes-
day, January 6th at 12:30 at the Courtyard
(2nd floor Community Room of the“Park”
Building,6323 SE Division)
Thursday, January 13th, 1pm at Powell
Valley (in the library, 4001 SE 182nd).
If you have a relative or good friend at one of
these locations, or live relatively close to one of
these facilities, come be a part of “church on
the road”. For many of our elders, communion
is good, seeing the pastor is good, but the
chance to worship together is really special.
20 + C + M + B + 16
4
The “giving tree” is up!
As part of preparing our
hearts for God’s dwelling
among us, we have a not-
quite-Christmas tree
which will be ‘decorated’
with things that a modern
-day Jesus, Mary and Jo-
seph could use. That is,
the clients of the St.
Mark’s food pantry and
Bethlehem Children’s
Clothes Closet.
So, warm scarves for gar-
land, knit hats for a top-
per, toothbrushes for ici-
Thank you thank you thank you To everyone who contributed presents, wrapping paper, tape and energy
to wrap new toys and games to help Christmas happen for the Bethlehem Chil-
drens’ Clothes Closet families. Our efforts collected approximately 175 gifts,
gave out 116 presents to 44 families at the Clothes Closet (an all-time record for
the number of families
served in a day! ), The
remainder of the gifts
were donated to the
Letty Owings Center, a
recovery home for
women and their chil-
dren.
You Made a Difference We can read a lot of newspaper articles
on the need for affordable housing in Port-
land. Lots of ideas, little action.
The St. Mark’s congregation showed ac-
tion. By going to MACG (Metropolitan Alli-
ance for the Common Good) and PEM
(Portland Eastside Ministries) meetings and
Portland City Council Housing Bureau op-
portunities for testifying, we’ve shown that
we are helping organize the efforts for af-
fordable housing. Showing up in itself says a
lot to the decision makers. They see that peo-
ple are interested in making changes in Port-
land. There IS power in numbers.
Thanks to the efforts we’ve made, City
Council moved the Tax Increment Financing
(TIF) from 30% to 45%. This was unani-
mously approved by the City Council.
TIF funding is only a small piece of the
puzzle. Let’s keep our eyes and ears open for
other opportunities to join the organizing ef-
forts to help our Brothers and Sisters in
Christ afford housing for their families.
Mary Karter
The Giving Tree is here!
cles, packages of soap as ornaments. Instead of a
tree skirt, packages of toilet paper and diapers.
Other suggestions are: toothpaste, shampoo, de-
odorant, razors & shave foam, laundry detergent,
dishwashing soap, cleaning supplies and feminine
hygiene products.
Always needed are kids’ socks and underwear
(new, please).
5
Celebrate Life Together
Birthdays January 2016
Owen Steves, 6th
Audrey Rutger, 7th
Gary Lippert, 19th
Linda Weaver, 21th
Brian Fajardo, 25th
Anniversaries, January, 2016
Brenda & Eldon Richards, 19th
Norma & John Etzel, 21st
Prayers & Concerns
Unable to worship with us: Fay Day, Lenora
Johnson, Ceil Libke, Fern Luke, Don
McLaughlin, Pauline McNeff, Audrey Rut-
ger, Lucille Stariha, Dorothy Swanson, Clare-
ann Teeters, Marguerite Thomson, Ruth
Wentzein, Doris Zilk, Al & Lorna Schwartz
Continued Needs: Fern Luke, Robert Thir-
inger, Lucille Stariha, Carol Deo, Esther
Stotik, John Etzel,, Lorna Schwartz, Crystal
and her children, James Langley, Carole Cole,
Robert Capozzi, Marguerite Thomson, Mike
Giante, Vivian Huber, Bruce Huber, Zinnia,
Laura Richards, Jackie Tschaggen, Deanna
Huntley, Esther Huntley, Lucas & Savannah,
Gene Van Tassell, Carol Nickachos, K. D.
Brown, Diane Zimmerman.
In Mourning: Family and friends of Billie
Jean Osgood, Zack Spannagel, and Andy
Wolfer.
The Church & Beyond: The Oregon Synod
and our partner churches; the Portland East-
side Ministry Coalition; Pastor Yong’s &
Terry’s Ministry to the Chinese Community;
Pastor Cruz and the Asamblea Apostolica; our
service men and women, our Muslim brothers
and sisters; the volunteers and clients of the
food pantry, clothes closet and community
basket; for peace and compromise in the
Mideast, and in Ukraine. for the mediators,
every cease fire and aid box . The citizens of
France and, in particular, the city of Paris, the
people of Yola, Nigeria; the people of Ba-
mako, Mali, the people of Colorado Springs,
the people of San Bernardina
DATE *VOLUNTEERS
JANUARY
23RD
Lynda Kennedy
Others TBA
FEBRUARY
23RD
Lynda Kennedy
Others TBA
MARCH 26TH Lynda Kennedy
Others TBA
FOOD PANTRY: Fridays from 3 to 5:30 PM
DATE LEAD VOLUNTEERS
JANUARY
9TH
Dolores
Morelli
Brenda Richards, Madeline
Grimm
JANUARY
16TH
Mary
Karter
Ruth & Gerry Griffith, Pastor &
Max, D. B.
JANUARY
23RD
Madeline
Grimm
Elise & Owen Christman
JANUARY
30TH
TBA TBA
A MINIMUM OF FIVE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED EACH WEEK
BETHLEHEM CHILDREN/S CLOTHING CLOSET
Coordinated by Brenda Richards and Deb Schulz
4th Saturday from NOON to 2 PM
Bible study will resume Sunday January 10th at 8:30am
in the coffee room, led by Dean Winter
TIS THE
SEASON FOR WARMTH! The Clothes Closet is asking for help in gathering
some warm winter clothing to help children
through the cold weather. They need mittens,
hats, scarvess, underwear, warm socks, and baby
blankets.
If your children or grandchildren have outgrown
their winter coats here’s a chance to give them a
valuable second life.
The Closet serves around 30 to 40 families each
month for a total of around 80-100
children. What better place to help out!
Worship Ministries at St. Mark’s Please speak with the office if you would like to get involved with one of these important ministries
January
2016
3rd
2nd Christmas
10th
Baptism of Our Lord
17th
2nd Epiphany
24th
3rd Epiphany
31st
4th Epiphany
Greeters Mary Karter Laura Donnelley Dolores Morelli Gary & Jeri
Dayton
Marg Lyseng
Prayers
Of the People
Lynda
Kennedy
Teresa
Osgood
Sally
Durham
Al
Bowen
Dolores
Morelli
Readers
Marcia
Olney
Jon
Cheskin
Brian
Steves
Jeri
Dayton
Max \
Cheskin
Nursery Attendant
Vicki Rutger Dolores Morelli Carole Johnson
Lorie Petrasso
Jeri Dayton Jeri Dayton
Ushers
Travis Osgood,
David Sawyer
Don Olney
Madeline Grimm
Marg Lyseng
Brenda Richards
Terry Larson
Gene Petrasso
Ruth Griffith
Buck Johnson
Vicki Rutger
Brian Etzel
Brian Fajardo
Lynda Kennedy
Lafe Hallum
David Sawyer
Travis Osgood
Don Olney
Wholly Love
Story Book Day Sally Durham Jon Cheskin Dolores Morelli Teresa Osgood
Communion
Assistants
Brenda Richards
Lynda Kennedy
George Peters
Gene Petrasso
Marcia Olney
Taylor Osgood
Mel Anderson
Jenny Winter
Gary Dayton
Marg Lyseng
Gene Petrasso
Brian Fajardo
Tom Rutger
Scot Brende
Paul Brende
Communion
Prep
Vicki & Tom
Rutger
Jeri & Gary
Dayton
Vicki & Tom
Rutger
Lorie & Gene
Petrasso
Brenda
Richards
Bread Baker
Brenda Richards Jeri Dayton Vicki Rutger
Lorie Petrasso Brenda Richards
Sound System
Bob Olsrud Bob Olsrud Brian Fajardo Bob Olsrud Bob Olsrud
Announcements
Brian Steves
Teresa Osgood Mel Anderson Brenda Richards Scot Brende
Refreshment
Lynda Kennedy
TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
Counters
Brian Etzel
Mary Karter
Kara Thiringer
Sally Durham
Bob Olsrud
Edgar Ronning
Al Bowen
Dolores
Morelli
Brian Etzel
Madeline Grimm
Gary Lippert
Marg Lyseng
Brian Etzell
Mary Karter
Kara Thiringer
Scripture Readings for January, 2016 Sunday, January 3rd, 2nd Christmas: Jeremiah 31:7-14, Psalm 147:12-20, Ephesians 1:3-14, John 1:1-18
Sunday, January 10th, Baptism of Our Lord: Isaiah 43:1-7, Psalm 29, Acts 8:14-17, Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
Sunday, January 17th, 2nd Epiphany: Isaiah 62:1-5, Psalm 36:5-10, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11
Sunday, January 24th, 3rd Epiphany: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10, Psalm 19, 1 Corinthians 12:12—31a. Luke 4:14-21
Sunday, January 31st, 4th Epiphany: Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71:1-6, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 4:21-30
7
Sunday
Mo
nday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thurs
day
Friday
Satu
rday
31
4th
E
pip
ha
ny
8
:30
Bib
le S
tud
y
9:3
0 W
ors
hip
Ser
vic
e
10
:45
Co
ffee
Fel
low
ship
11
:00
Cho
ir
11
:30
Wo
rship
/Man
dar
in
12
:30
-4 H
PL
F
2:3
0-9
pm
Asa
mb
lea
.
1
11
-1
NA
Fir
esid
e R
oo
m
3-5
:30
Foo
d P
an
try
7 p
m A
sam
ble
a/L
ibra
ry
2
9:3
0-1
1am
Cit
izensh
ip
Cla
ss (
Fir
esid
e) 1
0 a
m-4
pm
HP
LF
No
on-5
:30
Zit
a
Pia
no
/San
ctuar
y
6-8
pm
PD
X C
ham
ber
/
pra
ctic
e
3
2n
d C
hri
stm
as
8:3
0 B
ible
Stu
dy
9:3
0 W
ors
hip
Ser
vic
e
10
:45
Co
ffee
Fel
low
ship
11
:00
Cho
ir
11
:30
Wo
rship
/Man
dar
in
12
:30
-4 H
PL
F
2:3
0-9
pm
Asa
mb
lea
1-4
Op
en H
ouse
/@P
asto
r
E.
4
11
-1:0
0 N
A/F
ires
ide
Rm
5
10
am
-4 p
m H
PL
F
11
-1:0
0 N
A/F
ires
ide
Ro
om
7-9
pm
NA
So
cial
Hal
l
7-9
:30
Asa
mb
lea/
San
ctuar
y
6 E
pip
ha
ny
11
-1 N
A/F
ires
ide
Rm
12
:30
Co
mm
un
ion
Ser
vic
e/M
t. T
ab
or
Co
urt
ya
rd
6 p
m E
pip
ha
ny
po
t-
luck
& s
tar
cele
bra
-
tio
n a
t S
t. P
au
l’s
7
9 a
m P
an
try
/res
tock
ing
10
am
-5 p
m H
PL
F
11
-1 p
m N
A/F
ires
ide
Rm
8`
11
-1 N
A/F
ires
ide
Ro
om
3-5
:30
Foo
d P
an
try
7p
m A
sam
ble
a;L
ibra
ry
9
10
am
-4 p
m H
PL
F
no
on-5
:30
Zit
a J.
– P
iano
/
San
ctuar
y
6-8
pm
PD
X C
ham
ber
/
pra
ctic
e
10
Ba
pti
sm o
f O
ur
Lo
rd
8:3
0 B
ible
Stu
dy
9:3
0 W
ors
hip
10
:45
Co
ffee
Fel
low
ship
11
:00
Cho
ir
11
:30
Wo
rship
/Man
dar
in
12
:30
-4 H
PL
F
2:3
0-9
pm
Asa
mb
lea
11
11
-1:0
0 N
A/F
ires
ide
Rm
12
10
am
-4 p
m H
PL
F
11
-1 p
m N
A F
ires
ide
Ro
om
7 p
m C
hurc
h C
ou
nci
l
7-9
pm
NA
, S
oci
alH
all
7-9
:30
Asa
mb
lea/
13
11
-1 N
A/F
ires
ide
Ro
om
2:0
0 C
om
mu
nio
n S
er-
vic
e/P
ow
ell
Va
lley
14
9 a
m P
an
try
/res
tock
ing
10
am
-5p
m H
PL
F
11
-1 p
m N
A /
Fir
esid
e
Rm
15
1
1-1
N
A/F
iresi
de
Ro
om
3-5
:30
Foo
d P
an
try
7-1
0p
m R
ailr
oad
So
ci-
ety/S
oci
al H
all
7 p
m A
sam
ble
a L
ibra
ry
16
10
am
-4 p
m H
PL
F
no
on-5
:30
Pia
no
les
son
s
6-8
pm
PD
X C
ham
ber
pra
ctic
e
17
2n
d E
pip
ha
ny
9:3
0 W
ors
hip
10
:45
Co
ffee
Fel
low
ship
11
:00
Cho
ir
11
:30
Wo
rship
/Man
dar
in
12
:30
-4 H
PL
F
2:3
0-9
pm
Asa
mb
lea
7 p
m L
on
ges
t N
igh
t S
er-
vic
e
18
ML
K D
AY
OF
FIC
E C
LO
SE
D
11
-1:0
0 N
A/F
ires
ide
Rm
19
10
am
-4 p
m H
PL
F
11
-1 p
m N
A/F
ires
ide
Ro
om
7-9
pm
NA
So
cial
Hal
l
7-9
:30
Asa
mb
lea/
San
ctuar
y
20
11
-1
NA
/F
ires
ide
Ro
om
21
9 a
m P
an
try
/res
tock
ing
10
am
-5 p
m H
PL
F
11
-1 p
m N
A/F
ires
ide
Rm
22
11
-1 N
A/F
ires
ide
Ro
om
3-5
:30
Foo
d P
an
try
7-p
m A
sam
ble
a/L
ibra
ry
23
9-1
0:3
0 C
om
mu
nit
y B
as-
ket
No
on
-2p
m C
hil
dre
n’s
Clo
thin
g C
lose
t
24
3rd
Ep
iph
an
y
9:3
0 a
m W
ors
hip
10
:45
Co
ffee
Fel
low
ship
11
:00
An
nu
al
Mee
tin
g
11
:30
Wo
rship
/Man
dar
in
12
:30
-4 p
m H
PL
F
2:3
0-9
pm
Asa
mb
lea
25
11
-1:0
0 N
A/F
ires
ide
Rm
26
10
am
-4p
m H
PL
F
11
-1:0
0 N
A/F
ires
ide
Ro
om
7-9
:30
Asa
mb
lea/
San
ctuar
y
27
11
-1 N
A/F
ires
ide
Ro
om
28
9 a
m P
antr
y/r
esto
ckin
g
10
am
=5
pm
HP
LF
11
-1 p
m N
A/F
ires
ide
Rm
29
11
-1 N
A/F
ires
ide
Ro
om
3-5
:30
Foo
d P
an
try
30
Januar
y
2015
—
Pastor o
ut of to
wn for p
reachin
g confe
ence—
All God’s Children are invited to Sunday Worship
8:30 a.m. Bible Study (coffee room)
9:30 a.m. Worship with Communion Every Sunday
10:45a.m. Coffee Fellowship
11:00 a.m. Choir Practice: Everyone Welcome!
11:30 a.m. Mandarin Chinese Worship
3:00 p.m. Asamblea Apostolica
www.smpdx.org
“Servants of Christ the Servant”
Pastor: Pr. Elizabeth Larsen Heavenly Peace Ministry Pastors: Pr. Andrew Yong & Pr. Terry Yang Organ/Piano: Arlan Evensen Administrative Assistant: Joyce Nance Custodian: Epic Janitorial Webmaster: Scot Brende
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church 5415 SE Powell Blvd. Portland OR 97206
NON-PROFIT ORG
US POSTAGE
PAID
PORTLAND, OR
PERMIT No. 1115
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED.