HAPPENINGS at the PALMS
February 2017
Greetings LCOP Family,
So I realize we are still in the midst of Epiphany, but it’s time to start thinking about
Lent. I know the words of Silent Night might still be repeating in our heads, in fact I
caught myself singing Christmas Carols just yesterday. And still in this season, we are
embraced by the ways Christ comes to us and makes his presence real. However, days
move forward and soon we will be looking toward the cross and the resurrection.
During Lent we will again offer mid-week fellowship and worship opportunities so that
our journey can be enhanced by gathering together with our family of faith. I encourage
you to make time in your schedule to come for dinner and worship. The time spent with
your church family will be a blessing to you, and you will be a blessing to others.
Lent is the season for the soul. It’s a time to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit who will
touch our heart in a way that only God can enable. It’s an opportunity for you to
explore your own personal journey with Christ as you share time with your sisters and
brothers at LCOP. It’s not too early to put the dates and times on your calendar. It’s not
too early in 2017 to make yourself available to our Lord who will bless and call you. Lent
brings a Springtime renewal and refocus we really won’t want to miss.
The bridge between Epiphany and Lent is Transfiguration Sunday, where the Christ is
magnificently and brilliantly revealed to us. From there Jesus begins the journey to
Jerusalem. That journey is not only his, but also ours, every step, every word, every
whip, every jeer, every drop of sweat, every nail…….
We will join in on that journey with the Lenten Discipline which begins on March 1 with
Ash Wednesday. It’s the day of cleansing. It’s the threshold of the Lenten season and of
your journey. We will wear ashes on our foreheads not to make a public spectacle, but
to make a public witness. We witness that we recognize our mortality and our
dependence upon our Lord Jesus Christ. We wear ashes not for ourselves, but for Christ
who took upon himself the sin of the world.
Ash Wednesday Worship
March 1st
7:00 PM
And then the following 5 Wednesdays we will gather for dinner and then worship. This
year you will be the Jury in a trial. You will have the opportunity to listen each week as
court is in session to determine who Christ is.
Wednesdays in Lent
Begins March 8
Dinner at 6:00 PM
Worship at 6:30 PM
“Christ on Trial”
See you in Church,
Pastor Greg
DEACONS IN TRAINING
We at Lutheran Church of the Palms are indeed fortunate on many different levels.
One of the areas of note is the willingness of our parishioners to give back while
enriching their own spiritual lives.
We are pleased to share with everyone that recently three of our parishioners have
heard the call and have indicated a willingness to undertake a course of study
leading each of them to be commissioned as Synod Parish Deacons. They are:
Tammy Abremski, Geraldine Levani and Michael Diroma.
In January they began studying with Pastor Greg. The topics are many and cover
not only the bible but history of Christianity, Lutheran church history, how to reach
out to our fellow parishioners, etc. This program will take approximately 2 years.
In addition to meeting with Pastor Greg they also will meet monthly with the
current Deacons—Donna, Christopher, Jack and Bruce and Pastor Greg once a
month for the Deacon Continuing Education sessions where topics of interest are
discussed and studied.
Deacons are called to Word and Service. When commissioned these Deacons will
serve as an extension of Pastor Greg in an expanded role with parishioners as well
as serving on various church teams.
Welcome Tammy, Geraldine and Michael!
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Articles and announcements for the
March NEWSLETTER are due Friday, February 17th
Email your articles as an attachment to the church email address: [email protected]
Valentine Bowl
Lutheran Church of the Palms is providing “The Valentine Bowl” filled with the names
and addresses of members who love to receive a Valentine and be remembered by our
community. The bowl is available beginning Sunday, January 29th. Please retain the
address and remember your member and send them cards throughout the coming year.
Blanket Bingo
The Hospitality committee is inviting all members to come play Blanket Bingo on
Sunday February 12th following worship. We will be serving ham and turkey sub
sandwiches, chips, fruit, cookies and drinks for $4.00 per person. The bingo cards are
$.25 each or 5 for $1.00. When you buy your ticket you will be entered for the door
prize. There will be prizes for the bingo winners too!! All proceeds will be used to
purchase a grill for the church. See Kathy Sandrock for tickets.
The Hospitality committee is thankful for the volunteers who
serve fellowship after service on Sundays. Maybe you and a
friend can serve together. Sign-up sheet is in the fellowship hall.
If you would like to donate flowers for the altar during the
year, the sign-up sheet and donation envelopes are on the
bulletin board in the Church Narthex.
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The Sewing Group
The sewing group has been very busy making quilts and gathering
supplies for baby care kits to go to Lutheran World Relief and to
shelters and other organizations in need. We could NOT do this
incredible mission without all of you. Thank you all for your donations of fabrics,
sheets, tee-shirts, socks, sleepers, etc. The joy that your donations bring to those in
need is immeasurable.
We will finish off the quilts and assemble the baby kits. Then the quilts will be on
the pews February 5th before we pack them up to be sent to LWR and local
agencies on Feb. 7th.
The dedication and creative skills of the members of the group is amazing. The
sewing room is always buzzing with conversation and laughter. Come and join us.
Even if you don’t sew, you can knit, crochet, tie quilts, cut squares, and put colors
and tops together. Never a dull moment!!! The best part is you will feel like you are
helping others while having fun yourself.
Remember - Tuesdays, 9:30 – 12 noon. See you there.
Our Continuing Education opportunities for you and your children:
 Children’s Sunday School meets at 9:00 a.m. Sunday mornings in
Fellowship Hall.
 Bible Study will meets on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m.
 Confirmation Class meet on Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Check
calendar for specific dates.
_____________________________________________________________________________
February Usher Schedule
FIRST SUNDAY, February 5 - Don Malott and Joan Holmes Debbie Hadlock and Becky Newell
SECOND SUNDAY, February 12 - Scott Bauch and Karen Skiratko Derick and Violet Rupnaraine
THIRD SUNDAY, February 19 - Dennis and Ann Childs Arlene Zimmerman & Evelyn Keenan
FOURTH SUNDAY, February 26 - Jake and Laura Vargas Larry and Sue Langeloh
Thanks from the bottom of our hearts 💕 for taking your time and talents to usher.
P a g e 4 | Lutheran Church of the Palms – 2017 February Newsletter
TREASURER’S REPORT
FEBRUARY 2017
Each year we give a percentage of our LCOP Endowment Fund to 5 agencies. This
year we will be giving $938.66 to each of these agencies.
Resurrection House
Lutheran Services of Florida
Florida-Bahamas Synod
Emergency Fund (Space and Reserve)
The Shepherd's Center
In the past 11 years that this program has been in existence there has been a total of
$44,758.00 given to Missions outside our Church.
We should be very proud that we can do this commitment every year and give back to
the community.
This is a true Mission Oriented Congregation.
Ann Brunk
Treasurer
Strive for Five
Please remember to pick up your 2017 Offering envelopes
from the table in the Church Narthex.
P a g e 5 | Lutheran Church of the Palms – 2017 February Newsletter
Notes from our Minister of Music, Linda Lund
I have chosen to start off 2017 by focusing on Martin Luther’s perspective on the
place of music in the life of the church.
Luther's compositions were the natural product of his great passion for music. He
was accomplished at the lute, the flute, and was known to have a powerful tenor
voice. He was so committed to the high place of music in the life of the Church
that men had to demonstrate competency in music before they could be accepted
for ministerial training. His attitude toward music is clearly set forth in this well
known Forward to Georg Rhau's Symphoniae, a collection of chorale motets
published in 1538:
I, Doctor Martin Luther, wish all lovers of the unshackled art of music grace and
peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ! I truly desire that all
Christians would love and regard as worthy the lovely gift of music, which is a
precious, worthy, and costly treasure given to mankind by God. The riches of
music are so excellent and so precious that words fail me whenever I attempt to
discuss and describe them.... In summa, next to the Word of God, the noble art of
music is the greatest treasure in the world. It controls our thoughts, minds, hearts,
and spirits.... Our dear fathers and prophets did not desire without reason that
music be always used in the churches. Hence, we have so many songs and psalms.
This precious gift has been given to man alone that he might thereby remind
himself that God has created man for the express purpose of praising and extolling
God. However, when man's natural musical ability is whetted and polished to the
extent that it becomes an art, then do we note with great surprise the great and
perfect wisdom of God in music, which is, after all, His product and His gift; we
marvel when we hear music in which one voice sings a simple melody, while
three, four, or five other voices play and trip lustily around the voice that sings its
simple melody and adorn this simple melody wonderfully with artistic musical
effects, thus reminding us of a heavenly dance, where all meet in a spirit of
friendliness, caress and embrace. A person who gives this some thought and yet
does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God, must be a clodhopper
indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to
hear nothing but the braying of asses and the grunting of hogs.
Music is an outstanding gift of God and next to theology. I would not give up my
slight knowledge of music for a great consideration. And youth should be taught
this art; for it makes fine skillful people.
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Luther also commented that music's power had often stirred him to proclaim God's
Word. Luther said,
Music is God's greatest gift. It has often so stimulated and stirred me that I felt the
desire to preach.
Luther was keenly aware of the central role of iconography in the false teaching of
the Roman Catholic Church. Nonetheless, this did not keep him, like Zwingli, from
recognizing the usefulness of all the arts in worship, especially music.
Nor am I at all of the opinion that all the arts are to be overthrown and cast aside
by the Gospel, as some super spiritual people protest; but I would gladly see all the
arts, especially music, in the service of Him who has given and created them.
The Church is forever grateful to the theological and musical leadership of Martin
Luther. His musical innovations were later developed by German composers
Hassler, Johannes Eccard, Leonhard Lechner, and Michael Praetorius, who in turn
opened the door for developments leading to the Baroque style of the Protestant
composer Johann Sebastian Bach.
Let me add just one thing and that’s tough because Luther has said it all but this
little piece of advice bears repeating: It is our responsibility to see that youth
should be taught this art (music); for it makes fine skillful people. It sharpens the
mind, it promotes healthy emotions and has the power to heal physical and
emotional scars. it truly makes us more skillful at handling life in general.
I encourage all parents to give their children the gift of music. It is a gift that will
continue to give back throughout their lives in a variety of unexpected and
wonderful ways. Sports are good but music and art provide everything sport does
such as physical exercise, teamwork, coordination, dexterity and a whole lot more
that sports cannot address. Don’t sacrifice one for the other but balance your
child’s participation in both.
P a g e 7 | Lutheran Church of the Palms – 2017 February Newsletter
Give Away Day - February 18, 2017 - 9:00am – 1:00pm
We would like to start a yearly Give Away Day here at Lutheran Church of the
Palms. What better way to give back to those in need in our community!
We cannot stress enough the importance that items be clean and unbroken. We
do not want items that have not been washed, have missing parts, holes or are
broken. Please look over your items before bringing them to church.
We are giving plenty of notice so when doing your Fall/Winter cleaning this year,
please save those items to make our Give Away Day fabulous!
We will be collecting items February 14-17 from 5:00-7:30pm.
How else can you help? We will need volunteers to help organize items on tables
every evening at the times listed above and will need volunteers on the Give
Away Day itself.
Contact Becky Newell or Debbie Hadlock for more information – 727-232-2436
Email: Becky – [email protected]
Debbie – [email protected]
Start saving bags
We will take anything you have to offer: clothes, shoes, coats, small
appliances, camping gear, blankets, bed spreads, pictures/frames, small
shelves, table, lamps, toys, games…etc.
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News from
Thrivent Choice: Congratulations to our thoughtful Thrivent Financial members! We are on
pace to exceed last year’s Thrivent Financial giving totals to LCOP. If you are a Thrivent
Financial member and have this benefit, please ensure you contact the Thrivent home office
(800-847-4836) or Jon Stricker (727-403-6627) before March 31st, 2017 to ensure your 2016
Thrivent Choice contributions are made to Lutheran Church of The Palms or to an approved
501c(3) organization. Nice work members!
Thrivent Action Teams: Why not have a bake sale or a fund raiser or do you have a service
project for the church or the community? Why not allow Thrivent Financial to assist with the
costs? As Jon Stricker recently discussed with the congregation, each full Thrivent Financial
member is eligible for (2) annual fundraisers, volunteer service activities, or educational events.
This is $500 per member/per year for every full Thrivent Member. Thrivent will help kick-start
your project providing promotional materials, t-shirts and $250 in seed money. Think about an
unmet need in our church or community and implement an Action Team in 2016.
Property
If you’ve enjoyed a clearer, brighter entrance to the church, please remember to thank Heidi and
Pastor Greg for the brightly painted driveway and Kevin Clark and Mike Nilsson for the tall post
entry light that welcomes your entrance, making it safer. Please try to avoid driving OVER any
of these great additions, and we thank you ALL!
Kudos also to those super MIA guys who repaired the lighting over the walkway of Barlow.
Now our evening visitors can safely find their cars and drive the right ones home safely!
Thanks for letting us know they were out...also a big help. Working together works!!
A blessed new year, Palms Family.
Joan Holmes, Property
P a g e 9 | Lutheran Church of the Palms – 2017 February Newsletter
February Birthdays
02-04
02-04
02-09
02-11
02-12
02-14
Scott Sims
Tony Tambone
Rebecca Newel
Barbara LaPoma
Carol Finch
Mike Nilsson
02-15
02-15
02-22
02-25
02-25
02-26
02-27
Joan Tack
Darlene Tuggle
Greg Hager
Scott Bauch
Keith Reiter
Tim Proper
Dorothy Stanek
February Anniversaries
Judy & Kevin Egan 02-09
Brie & Michael Jones 02-29
P a g e 10 | Lutheran Church of the Palms – 2017 February Newsletter
Reformation500 Synod Events
February 26, 2017 - Creating a prayer labyrinth, Morningstar Renewal Center, Miami
February 26, 2017 – Bach Festival Celebrating the Reformation – Knowles Chapel, Winter Park – 3:00-5:00PM
June 6, 2017 – Joint Roman Catholic - Lutheran Prayer at Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine, Orlando
October 9-11, 2017 – Bishop Guy Erwin – Conference on Ministry, Life Enrichment Center, Fruitland Park.
October 29, 2017 – Joint Roman Catholic-Lutheran Commemoration and Prayer, Miami Diocese
P a g e 11 | Lutheran Church of the Palms – 2017 February Newsletter
February 2017
Sunday
5
Monday
6
Tuesday
7
Wednesday
Thursday
1
2
6:30pm Bible Study
6:00pm Bell Choir
7:15pm Adult Choir
8
9
Fifth Sunday after the
Epiphany
9:30am Sewing Group
9am Sunday School
6:00pm School Board
6:30pm Bible Study
10am Worship Service
11am Fellowship
6pm Al-Anon
6:30pm Confirmation
Class
6:00pm Bell Choir
7:15pm Adult Choir
12
16
13
14
Sixth Sunday after the
Epiphany
9am Sunday School
10am Worship Service
11am FellowshipBlanket Bingo
6pm Al-Anon
6:30pm Confirmation
Class
19
Seventh Sunday after
the Epiphany
9am Sunday School
10am Worship Service
11am Fellowship
6pm Al-Anon
6:30pm Confirmation
Class
26
Transfiguration of Our
Lord
9am Sunday School
10am Worship Service
11am Fellowship
6pm Al-Anon
15
9:30am Sewing Group
20
Presidents Day
21
6:30pm Bible Study
6:00pm Bell Choir
7:15pm Adult Choir
22
23
Friday
3
4
10
11
17
18
March
Newsletter
articles are
due today!
24
9:30am Sewing Group
6:00pm Bell Choir
7:15pm Adult Choir
5pm Men In Action
6:00pm Council
Meeting
27
28
9:30am Sewing Group
Saturday
6:30pm Bible Study
March 1st
Ash Wednesday
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9:00am - 1:00pm
Give Away Day!
25