Redemption Lutheran Church
September 2016
www.redemptionlutheranchurchbc.org
Pastor Karl Strenge—[email protected]
Office—[email protected]
2450 W. Michigan Ave. Battle Creek, MI 49037
WORSHIP TIME CHANGE
Beginning September 11, 2016, we
will start our Sunday School & Adult
Bible Study at 9:00 am. Classes are provided
for all ages. Our Sunday Worship Services
will begin at 10:30 am.
There will be a bake sale
on Sunday, September 11.
Please help by donating
baked goods and buying
some tasty treats.
Voter’s Meeting
The Voter’s meeting will take place
on Sunday, September 11, directly
following our worship service, please join us.
MITE BOX SUNDAY
We will be collecting Mite Box
money to support various missions here and around the world on Sunday, September 11, 2016. As always you
are welcome to wear your favorite hat.
Ladies Bible Study
The Ladies Bible study will meet in September on the 15, 22, and 29, at 10:15
am. All women are invited to attend the Bible
study. We will be reading the book “God is in
the Laundry Room.”
Phone: 269-964-2321
GARAGE SALE
The Open New Doors garage
sale fundraiser was a great
success. Many thanks to everyone who donated from
their belongings and their time. It
would not have been so successful
without so many people helping in so
many ways. Our total proceeds from
this sale were $1,721.80. We thank God
for your generosity.
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Our Sunday school classes will
begin on September 11, at 9:00
am. A Sunday school teacher’s
meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 20, at 7:00 pm. You are invited to be a sponsor and Adopt the Sunday
school! We are requesting a $15.00 donation for the 2016-2017 school year. A signup sheet will be posted, “THANK YOU” from
the staff and students for sponsoring us.
CONFIRMATION CLASS
Our Confirmation Classes will
take place on Thursdays, throughout the coming year. Our first day
will be an orientation and will
take place on Thursday, September 8, from
6:30 until we are done. We will also meet on
September 15, 22, and 29, from 6:30-8:00 pm. If
you have any questions please call the
church office.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Question number 246 on page 202 of Luther’s Small Catechism and Explanation (1991)
asks, “Why are babies to be baptized?” The fourth reason given states that, “babies also are
able to have faith.” This is true, because faith is not an intellectual activity or how much
knowledge one has accumulated, but it is trust, hope, and love. Even infants who love, trust,
and depend on their parents for all good things can trust and depend on God. This faith is a
saving faith that makes them worthy of eternal life because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
There comes a time though, in the life of a Christian, that they are mature enough and
intelligent enough to confirm publicly what was said for them at their baptism by their godparents; to confirm publicly the faith that has given them forgiveness, life, and salvation; and confirm publicly that they understand and believe the basic teachings of the Christian faith as
taught by the Church.
For this purpose, since the earliest days of the ancient Church, there have been confirmation classes.
This month (on September 8th) we begin again another year of confirmation class at Redemption. This news is not always greeted with cheers. On a rare occasion it might be greeted
with a begrudging, “aw, do I have to?” (Maybe even by parent and catechumen alike.) We are
regularly reminded how much busier kids are, and confirmation can seem like an added stress
on the weekly schedule; one more place to drive the kids to in the evening. As well, it is added
learning on top of all the other work the kids are expected to do at school.
Sometimes the only encouragement kids get is; “I had to go through it and so you have to
go through it. It is just the way it is.”
But confirmation is an important time in the lives of these children who are soon to be
young adults. What they receive in confirmation are the truths of the faith; the knowledge of
God’s plan of salvation as it has been handed down since the ministry of the Apostles; an understanding of who God is through leaning the Apostle’s Creed, God’s law through the Ten
Commandments, how to Jesus has taught us to pray through the Lord’s Prayer, and his means
of grace through the Office of the Keys, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. Finally, all is directed
to preparing our catechumen toward the reception of the Lord’s Supper. Once again, not unlike
faith, head knowledge is not what makes one “worthy.” The knowledge obtained in class leads
one to understanding our need for the gift given in the Supper. It begins as the Catechism begins, with the Law of the Ten Commandments which shows our need for a Savior from the judgment against our sin. The Creed teaches us who our God is and his love shown in sending his
Son to die for our sin and the coming of the Holy Spirit to give us faith to believe. The Lord’s
Prayer helps us understand God’s invitation to trust in him and call on him in our need. Finally, the sacraments of Baptism, Confession and Absolution and Lord Supper delivers to us the
relief from the judgment against sin, forgiveness and life. Here in faith we and the catechumens
are readied to come to the table in repentance and humility to be given the very body and blood
of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin.
We ask that you remember throughout this year our confirmands. Maybe give them a
word of encouragement, a reminder that what they are doing is one of the highlights of their
Christian development, tell them about your time in confirmation, and in your prayers that
they may increase in wisdom, understanding, and the joys of the saving gifts God has for us.
Our confirmands this year will be Angelo Archie, Quinten Pardeik, Noah Morris, Logan
McCreary, and Hans Strenge.
In Christ,
Pastor Strenge
Remember Our Shut-ins
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time to take care
of the church! The following is a list of individuals who have helped
out a great deal this spring and summer:
Stuart & Andrew Olsen, Tony Roller, and Larry & Marcia Greer for
taking down the dying tree and removing it from the property.
Stuart Olsen, Gary Faucher, and Tony Roller for installing the new
church door and removing the old one.
Ron Anderson for weeding ALL AROUND the church and the parking lot, for sanding and painting all of the railings on the church
property, and for doing a very thorough job mowing the lawn.
Orv Lantinga for planting, weeding, and watering the flowers in
the church sign garden.
Jack & Jean Thom for planting perennials and flowering shrubs in
front of the church.
Tony Roller for cleaning out the janitors closet and for cleaning the
garage. Also, thank you Mary Clyde and Orv Lantinga for your
help organizing and sweeping the garage for us.
Everyone who has mowed the lawn for us:
Ed Gillespie, Tony Roller, Ron Anderson, Jeff Wollberg, Jack Thom,
and Stuart Olsen.
Natalie Greer & Stuart Olsen for installing the new lighting fixtures
in the furnace room and also to Emily & Natalie Greer for organizing and cleaning the furnace room.
Judy Hensley for purchasing new curtains for the Narthex and
Stuart for installing them.
Ron Hensley for fixing the entry door in the Narthex.
Gary & Laura Faucher for assembling and installing the new display rack and bookshelf.
Stuart & Tony for replacing the light blubs in the choir loft and adjusting them to improve viewing the mural.
Stuart, Marcia, Emily, Natalie, and Lucy for the church outdoor
spring cleaning.
Thank you again your effort is appreciated! If I left your name off
of this list by mistake, I am sorry!
MISSION
of the
A very important part of our
Redemption Lutheran Church Family
are our members that have become
homebound.
If you would like to send a card,
say hi, and keep in touch with our
homebound friends, contact the church
office for a list.
WE NEED YOU
Don’t forget we will still need
people to help mow the lawn
this summer and fall. If you would like to donate some of your time to our church, it
would be appreciated. Please look for a sign
up sheet downstairs in the Friendship Hall.
Thank You to all those who have helped this
season.
THE MUSTARD SEED GARDEN
The Mustard Seed Garden will
be collecting leaves this year. If
you are able to, please bring
them to the small area outside the garden, next
to the gate. We would appreciate any leaves that
you are able to bring. Our garden had a successful growing season and we were able to donate a
significant amount of vegetables to the Urbandale
Food Pantry. We will be scheduling some workdays in the garden to clean it up for the fall and
to spread fertilizer. Please call or e-mail Cindy
to add your name to the group of garden workers
and get updates about upcoming projects.
Thank you to all of the Advocates that have volunteered to
speak on behalf of the various agencies that we help
support through our Mission of the Month program.
The September Mission of the Month is Pastor Roger
James, Sri Lanka. We ask for your support of this worthy
organization as they help serve our community. We hope
to hear more about this organization during the September 11th, worship
service. There is still time to give to the August Mission of the Month, Trent
Wollberg, Seminary student, if you wish to do so.
MONTH
“In as much as
you have done
it to one of the
least of these
my brethren,
you have done
it to me”
Matthew 25:40
The Ladies Of Redemption
Again this year we will be
taking part in the Lutheran
World Relief kit gathering.
We are contributing quilts, school kits,
and soap. We will continue to collect
wrapped bars of hand soap through
October 1. We also donated items for
LaMora Park School. classrooms, their
items include tissues, hand sanitizer,
sanitizer wipes, pencils, etc. Thank
you everyone for your generous donations for this collection.
The backpacks will be put together during our
10:00 meeting on Tuesday, September
6. Everyone is invited to help with this
project.
Thank you everyone
for attending our
church picnic last
month, we had a lovely time. Also, thank you Larry and Marcia
Greer for hosting the church picnic, we are
grateful for your hospitality.
Thank you ever one for
ge ing your pict res taken for
the church director . Thank
you also, Jessica Miller, for all the time and effor
you have dedicated to publishing the new director !
Your Mites at Work-Worship for Shut-Ins
My mites went for a $25,000 movie studio!?! That may be your first reaction in
hearing that the Michigan District collected
money to upgrade the Worship for Shut-Ins
recording studio to a professional quality of
a Hollywood studio. So what does this have to do with
missions? The mission for Worship for Shut-Ins is to
share Christ's love through ministry and media. They
produce a weekly, 30 minute Lutheran broadcast worship service that includes music, scripture readings,
prayers and a Lutheran pastor delivering a message
that is designed to feel one- on- one with the viewer.
Each program is closed captioned for the hearing impaired. Weekly programs are distributed in three different ways. First, on television through the purchase of
airtime. Second, programs available to watch online.
And lastly, DVDs are available to purchase and by subscription.
Some have made it their mission to purchase the DVDs
to show at local nursing homes, bringing the Good
News to the residents. Some congregations purchase
the DVDs to distribute to their shut-ins. Worship for
Shut-Ins broadcast is available in our area on late Sunday mornings. Check your TV provider schedule for
times and station. Want to see a Hollywood type studio
without going to Hollywood? Battle Creek Zone LWML
will be chartering a bus to tour the studio on September
30th at the Fort Wayne Seminary. See Renita for details.
On a personal note, when my father-in-law was in his
final hours on earth, he requested listening to the audio
portion of Worship for Shut-Ins. The familiar hymns,
prayers, and sermon were a great comfort to him as he
entered into eternal life.
Myra Gorentz
LWML BUS TRIP
CHOICES FOR YOUR OFFERINGS
We currently have available “bill pay” options. For
those interested, this allows you to set Redemption Lutheran Church as a
vendor (some bill pay on-line services
you will have to add as a person and not
a business or charity) on your bill paying
service. This option will enable you to
continue your offerings on a regular basis, even if you are out of town. Remember to include your envelope number on
the memo line. If you have any questions
please contact Jack Thom.
You are invited to join the LWML on a Bus
Trip to Concordia Theological Seminary in
Fort Wayne, IN. We will tour Multi-Media Studios on Friday, September 30, and learn how
“Worship for Shut-Ins” is filmed. See your Mite Money in
action. There is limited seating on the bus and the registration fee is $30.00. See flyer itinerary for details and ingathering information. The informational flyer and registration forms are posted on the bulletin board in the Friendship Hall. Registration forms are also available at both
church entrances. Questions? Ask your LWML representative or call/email:
Renita 269-251-4504 or [email protected]
“September” Special Days
God's blessings to you all on your special days!
BIRTHDAYS
BAPTISMS
ANNIVERSARIES
02 Myra Gorentz
01 Renita Wollberg
02 Darla Evans
05 Orv Lantinga
06 Doris Rogers
05 Mike Wallace
06 Sarah Reynolds
07 Leah Morris
06 Kathleen Weld
09 Elaine Wallace
11 John Gorentz
13 Myra Gorentz
13 Karrah Weld
16 Sue Olsen
15 Darrin Lusk
17 Laura Faucher
17 Ivy Wollberg
17 Mike Sellin
18 Lincoln Hess
19 Louis Marot
23 Dylan Weld
21 Curtis Greer
23 Rook Lantinga
23 Spencer Ybema
25 Tyler Fisk
24 Lindsey Fisk
28 Kara Klein
REDEMPTION LUTHERAN CHURCH IS ON FACEBOOK. YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN OUR EXPANDING GROUP OF FRIENDS.
10 Kathy & Brett Ybema
17 Jack & Jean Thom
30 Ron & Judy Hensley
30 Mike & Cindy Sellin
Zion Lutheran Church in
Marshall MI invites you to
attend the 100th anniversary concert of the dedication of their
George Kilgen
Pipe Organ on
Saturday, September 10, at 7:00 pm.
Featured artists include:
James Hoyt Gladstone, John
William Deppe, and Tomas
Antonio Valle. A dessert reception will be held following
the concert.
Meijer Community
Rewards Program
Meijer has decided to discontinue their
Community Rewards program. Thank
you to everyone who has participated in
this program.
Redemption Lutheran Church Activities
September 2016
Sun
Sun
43
Mon
Mon
green 45
TueTue
5 6
Wed
Wed
6
7
Thu
Thu
FriFri
SatSat
1
1
2
2 3
7 8
8
9
9 10
purple
4th Sunday in Lent
Sixteenth Sunday
after Pentecost
Education
Hour
Divine
Worship
9:00
am
9:30 am
Holy Communion
Labor Day
Ladies of
Redemption
Lenten Devotion
Meeting
6:30 pm
Ladies
10:00 of
am
Lenten
Supper
Redemption
Confirmation
Orientation
6:30 pm
1213
13
1110
green 11
12
14
purple
Seventeenth Sunday
5th Sunday in Lent
after Pentecost
Sunday School
Education Hour
Lenten Devotion
Board of
9:00 am
Voters meeting Directors’
9:00 am
6:30 pm
Mtg.
Director’s
Holy Communion
& Bake sale
Divine Worship
Lenten
Supper
7:00
pm
meeting
10:30 am
following our
10:30 am
7:00 pm
7:00 pm
Mite Box Sunday
worship service
14 15
17
18
21
green
purple
Sunday of the PasEighteenth
Sunday
sion
18
19
after Pentecost
Sunday School
Education
Hour
9:00
9:00am
am
Holy
HolyCommunion
Communion St. Matthew
10:30 am
Apostle
24
white 25
25
green 26
Resurrection of our
Lord
Nineteenth
Sunday
Easter Vigil 8:00
after Pentecost
am
Sunday
School
Easter Breakfast9:00
am
after Vigil
Holy Festival
Communion
10 :30 am
First Monday of
Keeping Your
Cool Seminar
6:30—8:40 pm
19
20
20
21
Sunday
School School
Sunday
Meeting
teacher’s
7:00
pm
meeting
7:00 pm
26
27
27
28
15 16
17
Ladies Bible
Study 10:15 am
Confirmation
6:30-8:00 pm
22
22
23
Ladies Bible
Study 10:15 am
Maunday
7:00 pm
Confirmation
Thursday
6:30-8:00 pm
7:00 pm
Fall Begins
28
29
29
30
Ladies Bible
Study 10:15 am
Confirmation
6:30-8:00 pm
2
30
24