Sunday, October 31, 2010

Weekly News, Reformation - 2010


October has been a hectic month:  
  • Pastor Beane and his family were away for a week visiting family out of town, and we are grateful to Pastor Warren Schulingkamp for filling in both the Sunday and the Wednesday for both Bible Class and Divine Service.
  • Our dear brother in Christ Vic Nunez went home to be with his Lord on October 20, while Pastor Beane was out of town.  Pastor Kelly Bedard officiated at Vic's funeral service and beautifully proclaimed the comfort of the resurrection.  Please keep Elaine Nunez and her family in your prayers, even as we grieve, and yet knowing that we do not grieve as the unbelievers (1 Thess 4:13).  Vic's name (Victor) is a reminder to all Christians and a confession of faith in our Lord's victory over death and the grave.  Vic is missed here in the fallen world by his family, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ, but we look forward to our heavenly reunion!
  • Our 41st annual Ladies' Retreat was a great success, was well-attended, and retreat speaker, pastor and author Rev. Dr. Peter Kurowski did a superlative job in leading a study of women in the Bible and leading a retreat covering the topic of women in the church.  It was a great blessing to all attendees - thank you Pastor Kurowski!  
  • Pastor Beane has just concluded an adult confirmation class, and is happy to announce that Janice Favaloro has joined Salem as of Reformation Day (October 31) and her fiance, Robert Ritter (who had moved away during Katrina) has been officially reinstated as a member of Salem.  Welcome home!
  • Corrie Coyne was married to Brodie Benoit on 10-10-10 on the Creole Queen River Boat.  The boat captain officiated over the ceremony, and Pastor Beane gave a blessing over the newly married couple.  Congratulations Brodie and Corrie, and may the Lord grant you many years!
  • You will notice the extraordinary work of our Board of Trustees: Ron Cantrelle, Gary Green, and Martin Hidalgo.  All of our church's doors have been repaired and repainted, the red surfaces on the external parts of our school building have likewise been repainted, overgrown shrubs and bushes have been pruned and trimmed (and this work is ongoing), and the parking lines and foursquare courts in the parking lot and playground have been freshly painted.  And the guys have even more ambitious plans for repair and improvements to our campus!
  • Our Saturday night Confessions class, while having a bumpy schedule in October, is going strong.  We have completed the Augsburg Confession, and have made a good start on the Apology of the Augsburg Confession.
  • Our Reformation Day service (using the festival setting Divine Service 5 - known as Luther's German Mass) was a great celebration of our Lutheran heritage, with Shelly Kiletico leading several musicians to enhance our worship.  We are especially grateful to Kyle Bergeron for his playing of the trumpet during the service.
  • Our Reformation Day potluck was also well-attended and fun.  It included a good turnout of children in costume who trick-or-treated from table to table.  Some of our "former children" were decked out in Halloween costumes as well. We even had Luther's 95 Theses posted on the wall!

This just in...
Book of Concord Class: will meet this Saturday, November 6.  We will study Article 3 and part of Article 4 of the Apology of the Augsburg Confession.  See pages 108-118 in the first edition Concordia Reader's Edition (Ap 3 and Ap 4:1-74).  We start at about 7:00 pm with fellowship, a brief prayer service, and we usually continue our reading and discussion until about 9:00 am.  Questions, a sense of humor, food, and Lutheran beverages are encouraged!
Salem School Choir to Sing This Sunday:  Salem's Sanctus Singers will be singing at this Sunday's All Saints Day Divine Service (November 7) under the direction of Miss Rehema Kavugha.  They will sing during the Gradual ("Blessed Are They"), the Offering ("May the Angels Lead You") and during communion distribution ("Thine The Amen," LSB 680).

This Sunday is a brunch Sunday!:  You are welcome (but not required!) to bring something to share at Sunday's Bible class. 
Hymnals for Africa: Thanks to the generosity of your mission box donations and the chapel offerings from Salem Lutherean School's Wednesday chapel offerings, we sent a gift of $1014 to Lutherans in Africa to purchase hymnals.  This amounts to 50 much-needed hymnals for use in Africa, where Christianity is growing more rapidly than anywhere else on earth.  Please keep our missionaries and all brothers and sisters in Christ in Africa in your prayers!
Stoles for Holy Spirit - Chelyabinsk:  Thank you to the several people who generously donated money so that we can now send two deacon's stoles (one white and one purple) to our sister congregation in Russia.  These will be ordered and delivered as soon as possible.  To assist Pastor Vladislav Ivanov, Deacon Victor Shtraube will soon begin work at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church.  Please keep our brothers and sisters in your prayers, especially Pastor Ivanov's wife Svetlana who is expecting their second child!

What's Happening This Week...

Elders: Wednesday (November 3): Rick Iverson, Sunday (November 7): Brent Matherne
Altar Guild (for November): Set-up: Judy Enos; Clean-up: Caroline Gelbke, Bonnie Orndorff; Linens: Bonnie Orndorff, Lisa Matherne
Sunday School (For November): Younger kids: Sharon McSherry, Older kids: Lisa Matherne.
Book of Concord Class: Meets this Saturday, November 6 at 7:00 pm in Schmid Hall.
Salem Bible Classes: Our Sunday Bible class will conclude Acts 2 and will begin Acts 3. Wednesday's class is studying Ephesians (currently on the 6th and final chapter). Bible class is held in Schmid Hall one hour before services (Wednesday's Bible class is held at 6:30 pm with Divine Service at 7:30 pm; Sunday's Bible class is held at 9:00 am - the same time as Sunday School - with Divine Service at 10:00 am). All are welcome!
Youth Confirmation Class: is being held right after the Sunday Divine Service.
This Coming Wednesday's Readings (November 3)
REFORMATION (Observed)
Revelation 14:6–7, Romans 3:19–28, John 8:31–36 or Matthew 11:12–19
The Son of God Has Set Us Free from Sin and Death by His Grace
“Wisdom is justified by her deeds” (Matt. 11:19), and the true Wisdom of God, Christ Jesus the incarnate Son, justifies us by His deeds. He prepares His way by the preaching of repentance, but He has suffered the violence of the Law and voluntarily handed Himself over to violent men, that we might eat and drink with Him in His Kingdom and “remain in the house forever” (John 8:35). For He is “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Matt. 11:19), and He has rescued us by His grace from the slavery of sin and death. By the proclamation of His eternal Gospel “to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people” (Rev. 14:6), “the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law” (Rom. 3:21), “that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). And by hearing the Gospel of Christ Jesus, “whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith” (Rom. 3:25), “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32).
This Coming Sunday's Readings (October 3)
ALL SAINTS (Observed)
Revelation 7:(2–8) 9–17, 1 John 3:1–3, Matthew 5:1–12
Saints Are Blessed in the Eternal Presence of Christ
“A great multitude from all tribes and peoples and languages,” cry out “salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne” (Rev. 7:9–17). Faith-filled saints from every place and time with unified voices eternally magnify the Lamb of God. As His beloved children, we too, “shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:1–3). Joined with the throng of angels and a myriad of saints, we shall “serve him day and night in his temple” (Rev. 7:9–17). In our earthly tension vacillating between saint and sinner, faith and doubt, sacred and profane, we earnestly seek Jesus to calm our fears, comfort our spirits, and forgive our sins. The Holy Spirit, through faith in Christ propels us forward, fortifying us in Word and Sacrament, to our eternal home. In the midst of our constant struggle as believers, we need to be blessed. And so we are. The poor in spirit, the meek, the hungry, the thirsty, the merciful, the pure, and the persecuted are all blessed and we will most certainly inherit the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:1–12).

Coming soon...
School Board Meeting: will take place at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 13. This will take the place of the regularly-scheduled Tuesday meeting.
Luncheon at Copeland's: will take place November 14 after Divine Service.  Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details!. 
Board of Directors/Elders Meeting: is scheduled for Monday, November 15, at 7:00 pm in the Library.
Advent Decoration Day: to prepare the Church for Advent and Christmas will take place Saturday, November 27 at 9:30 am in the sanctuary.  Is it really that time of year already?  Yikes! 
Sicily's Day: for November will be Sunday, November 28.  Eat at Sicily's any time during the day, write Salem on your  receipt and drop it in the box, and our Scholarship Fund will receive 25% of the proceeds.  Many of us go to Sicily's right after the service.
Be sure to check the Salem Church Calendar often for updates! 

Other announcements...
Mission Work and Acts of Mercy: Salem has been supporting the Gretna Food Bank for quite some time now.  They appreciate our donations very much.  You can continue to bring food and clothing to Pastor Beane's office.  Offerings placed into the misson box are currently set aside to provide hymnals for Lutherans in Africa.  If you would like to commit to support our sister church in Russia, please contact Pastor Beane (pastorbeane@gmail.com).
Pink Envelopes: In memory of Barbara Althage, we have collected over $1,200 in the pink envelopes for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  This money will be sent to a breast cancer charity of Rich Althage's choice very soon!  Thanks be to God!

 Please remember the following in your prayers...
Salem's shut-ins: Betty LaChute, Helen Adams, Cora Teate, Errol Michell, Earsking "Gate" Gatechair, Ruth Calzada, Anna Maness, Anne Rhodes, John Ryan

The sick, suffering, and in difficult circumstances: Nancy Daigneault, Debra Murry, Charles Gelbke, Loretta Chandler, Nick Hatzgionidis, Aimee Wolf, Andrea Tilley, Joseph Bethancourt, Joseph Althage, Gretel Verret, Juanita St. Clair, Jan Bateman, Dale Michell, Marshall Kline, Stacie Smith, Mike Marchetta, the Hall family, Gretchen Allman, Sue Smith, Harry Grasser, the Nunez family, Hilda Jung, Donna Kaufman, Evelyn Duet.
Persecuted Christians: Please pray for persecuted Christians in Iran.  Nine foreign Christians were recently arrested in Hamedan and charged with "engaging in journalistic activities" due to their involvement with Christian television networks.  You can read more here.  Please visit Voice of the Martyrs for more information about our persecuted brothers and sisters worldwide.

Peace in Christ!

Pastor Beane


Posted by at 10/31/2010 09:08:00 PM
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