Good News Letteraugust 2014

Good News LetterAugust 2014

August Volunteer Schedule

Greeters

3Mark Ray & Donna Ray

10Don & Jan Stewart

17Dorothy Jones & Karen Schroder

24Chris Whipple & Martha Day

31Lamar & Juliana Buckelew

Children’s Church

3Michelle Lassuy & Lauren Lassuy

10Vicki Gamble & Johnna Gamble

17Diane Cox & Cheryl Puls

24Kathy Yaudas & Teri Gaines

29Vickie Conger & Brandi Conger

Fellowship Servers

10Church Picnic – No Fellowship this day

We need Volunteers to sign up for August!

Saturday Service providing music

2Dan Kraus

9Mike & Kathy Yaudas

16Dan Kraus

23Mike & Kathy Yaudas

30Mike & Kathy Yaudas

Altar Guild

Bev Meier & Chris Whipple

Phone Directory Changes

Please provide us with any address or phone number changes so that we can have current information!

Thank you, Secretary

How Blessed We Are

As you know, I was on vacation in Wisconsin last month. It was a marvelous time with my dad’s side of the family. We shared many good times of laughter and fun, and it struck me at one point how blessed I am to live in this country. We could share in those good times without fear of bombs dropping on our house. We didn’t have to worry about lack of food because there is always plenty when the Lockie’s get together.We didn’t have to worry about someone storming our house, hauling us off to prison for being the wrong religion or the wrong skin color, like some places in our world.

We have it so good in this country. It is why parents in South America are willing to put their children in harm’s way just to give them a shot at a better life here in America. I mean, when the worst thing that happened today in our country was someone replacing our flags on the Brooklyn Bridge with flags bleached white, we have it pretty good. Now don’t get me wrong, what they did was a shameful act of protest, but at least, we didn’t wake up this morning with people dropping bombs on us.

Even we as Christians have it so good in this country compared to other places in the world. I was reading a book recently called “Jesus Freaks” about those who have been martyred or persecuted for their Christian faith. It was a book written in the 1990’s, but it claimed that according to the World Christian Encyclopedia 156,000 Christians were martyred for their faith in 1998. Now I don’t know where they got their numbers, but that is an incredible number. In another article I read, there were 2,123 confirmed martyr killings of Christians around the world in 2013. In our recent Lutheran Witness on Christian persecution, it listed 39 countries around the world where persecution of Christians is going on. In fact, just yesterday Fox News had a report about the persecution of Christians going on in Iraq these days.

It just shows that if we ever feel like complaining here in America, we have no reason to complain as a nation or as the church. It certainly could be worse, and it is also why we must continue to be in prayer for our country that the peace and prosperity we enjoy here remains, and it will only remain if the Lord continues to bless our nation with that peace and prosperity. It is why praying for the Lord’s mercy and will to be done among us here in America is so important.

I was struck by how important this is when I was reading the Old Testament recently. Throughout 2 Kings in the Bible, it lists the kings of either Judah or Israel. It says they either did evil in the eyes of the Lord or did right in the eyes of the Lord. For those who did evil, God continually told them through the prophets not to have other gods and to do the detestable practices of human sacrifice and prostitution and sacrifice to other gods the other nations were doing, but some of those kings ignored those warnings and initiated such practices and led the people to do the same. And eventually, because of those evils in the eyes of the Lord, it was the Lord who sent armies against them to punish their sin and call them to repentance for their practices.

It shows that the prosperity and blessing of a nation is in the Lord’s hand. It is why we as the church must continue to pray for the Lord’s strength and wisdom to be faithful to His Word and to be able, as weak sinners, to live that Word as best we can and to share it with others that they may hear God’s Word and will. It is why we also must be in continual prayer for our nation that the Word of the Gospel we preach as the church may cut to the heart of more people in our nation, including our leaders, that they may know the truth and be set free by it, as Jesus says in John 8:32.

It is why God’s Word exhorts us to pray for all people, including our leaders, like when it says in I Timothy 2:1-4, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a

August

2Saturday Service...... 5:00pm

6Canvassing...... 6:00pm

7Preschool Open House & Parent Information night...6:00pm

Council ...... 6:00pm

9Men’s Breakfast at Hy-Vee...... 8:00am

Men’s Bible Study...... 9:00am

Elders*...... 10:00am

Saturday Service...... 5:00pm

10Outdoor Worship at West Lake...... 10:30am

Church Picnic...... 11:30am

12Education...... 7:00pm

14Trustees...... 7:00pm

16Saturday Service...... 5:00pm

17Voter’s Meeting...... 10:00am

19Social Ministries...... 11:30am

LWML Picnic...... 6:00pm

23Saturday Service...... 5:00pm

24Rally Day Sunday...... 9:00am

26Evangelism...... 11:30am

27Shining Stars Dinner...... 6:00pm

Shining Stars...... 6:30pm

28Council...... 6:00pm

30Saturday Service...... 5:00pm

* –means subject to change

Bulletin & Newsletter Article Submissions

Newsletter Article for the July Newsletter need to be submitted by Sunday, August 17th. Deadline for articles for the Bulletins is Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. Articles must be written out, either a paper copy or via email at .

Thank you, Church Secretary

August Birthdays

Lamar Buckelew...... 8/1

Marcia Lenninger...... 8/1

Molly Hahn...... 8/2

Scott Campbell...... 8/4

Dee Stanger...... 8/8

Andi Willis...... 8/9

Allex Willis...... 8/9

Drake Denger...... 8/10

Kinnick Conger...... 8/14

Shirley Reed...... 8/14

Terri Gaines...... 8/15

Lorn Fairow...... 8/18

Eli Tisor...... 8/20

Elijah Harris...... 8/27

Misty Hawkins...... 8/27

August Baptisms

Mark Ray...... 8/1

Madison Shaw...... 8/1

Luke Yaudas...... 8/1

Karen Schroder...... 8/7

Ava Appenzeller...... 8/11

Alexander Appenzeller...... 8/11

Darlene Luebken...... 8/23

Diane McKown...... 8/25

Elyzabeth Conger...... 8/26

Richard Henning...... 8/27

Sandy Holt...... 8/27

Misty Hawkins...... 8/29

AugustAnniversaries

Christopher & Corinne Lockie...... 8/12

William & Connie Wilkens...... 8/13

Carl & Bev Meier...... 8/18

Curt & Sharon Evans...... 8/29

peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires for all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.”

On the flip side of this, if the peace and prosperity we enjoy in this country were to give way to persecution as a result of speaking that truth about Christ, it is not a sign that somehow God has abandoned us. It shows that Satan is at work against the Church and the truth he does not want spread. He does not want the truth spread that we can all have peace and joy and eternal salvation through Christ who saved us with His own precious blood.

In fact, God’s Word tells us persecution and hardships will come for us as the church if we faithfully proclaim salvation through Christ and hold to His Word. Like in Revelation 12:17, which speaks of Satan making war on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. The fact that we haven’t had it in our country is a true blessing from God because it means His Word has spread without the blood of Christians needing to be shed.

Therefore, our other prayer has to be that the Lord continues to hold Satan at bay that the message of Christ can continue to spread in this country without the need for persecution and to pray for those who are experiencing it throughout the world. We also must continue to give thanks to God that we do have it so good in this country, both as a nation and as the church. It is what we find Saint Paul doing at the beginning of his letters as he thanks God for the work He is doing in the church and that the Lord would bring that work to completion in light of Christ’s return on the last day. For on that day, all persecutions on account of Christ will cease and we will live in the victory of Christ forevermore.

It is what can encourage us in our faith in Christ as we go through these days before His return. For as Jesus said in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Your servant in Christ, Pastor Chris Lockie

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People in Our Care... As of 7/25/2014

Baptized Members73

Confirmed Members193

266

Church Picnic & Outdoor Service – Mark your calendars for our Church picnic and Outdoor Service on Sunday, August 10th. The shelter is Rolling Hills (gate 1 entrance) the shelter and parking lot are bigger and parking is much closer too! 10:30am service; picnic 11:30am - Drinks and table service provided, please bring a dish to share. Fun and Games for all ages! Kids games: relay races, sack races, three legged races, volleyball, and Horseshoe tournament.

Council Reminders

The Council Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 7th at 6:00 p.m. All boards should start working on their 2015 budgets. These budgets need to be turned by the August 28thCouncil Meeting!

Voter’s Meeting

Due to our Church Picnic falling on our quarterly Voter’s Meeting, it was decided to move the August Voter’s Meeting to Sunday, August 17th at 10:30 a.m. following our service and fellowship. After the council meets in August, there will be more information about what is on the agenda in our August 10th bulletins. Mike Yaudas, President

Saturday Service Volunteers

We are still looking for volunteers to help with Saturday evening services. We need help lighting candles, setting up communion, greeters, ushers etc. If you would like to help, please talk to Dave Conger or Dan Hahn.

New Adult Instruction Class begins

Starting Thursday,August 21st, we will begin a new instruction class starting at 6:30 p.m. Anyone is invited to join the class as we cover the basics of the Christian faith from our Lutheran perspective.

Couple’s Night Study and Fellowship beginning again

For anyone interested, we are going to begin the Couple’s Night fellowship again on Saturday, August 23rd. It will be a kick off for the year. Bring some snacks to share as we have a brief Bible study and then play some games. It starts at 6:00 p.m. following the Saturday night service. Come before hand if you want to join us for the worship service.

Tuesday Evening Bible Class will resume

The Tuesday Evening Bible Class will resume on September 2nd at 6:00 p.m.

Jr. Confirmation

We begin a new year of Jr. Confirmation on Wednesday, August 27th 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. Dinner is served at 6:00 p.m. You are welcome to join us.

Pastor Chris Lockie

News from Immanuel’s

Lutheran Woman’s Missionary League

Ladies Aid

Ladies Aid is now taking a Summer Recess, but we’ll be back on Tuesday, Sept. 2nd at 11:30 a.m. See all you lovely Ladies then.Secretary, Betty Garrow

Mission Club

Our next meeting is our LWML Picnic on Tuesday, August 19th at 6:00 p.m. at Kathy Yaudas’ house. Her address is 13010 S. Utah Ave, we will meet at the church and carpool at 5:30 p.m. Everyone bring a dish to share. Please look for your invitation in your church mailbox.

Remember, all ladies of our church are members of LWML, so please join us

The Book Nook is our card rack, which has cards available year round and at $.50 each, you can’t beat the price.

Secretary, Dorothy Jones

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Please keep in your prayers our Shut-ins who have difficulty getting to Sunday services.

Twyla FrahsFlorence Jones

Fern KedingDarleen Kitzmann

Helen PearsonWinona Smith

Delores Stanger

Attendance & Offerings

We give thanks to God for the blessing of gifts given through his people.

DateAttend Comm.Offering

6/28-2913/8165$5600

7/5-616/569/52$1827

7/12-1317/75$2289

7/19-208/6765$1457

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Bible Study

Opportunities at Immanuel

Sunday Bible Class

Pastor Lockie leads the Sunday morning Bible study at 10:20 a.m. We are going through the New Testament book of 1st Corinthians. We hope you will join us.

Men’s Bible Study

Pastor Chris leads a Men’s Bible Study that meets on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m. The next meeting is August 9th. If you like breakfast, they meet beforehand at HyVee on Rockingham at 8:00 a.m.

Evening Bible Study

The Tuesday Evening Bible Study resume on September 2nd at 6:00 p.m. All are welcome to join!

New Adult Instruction Class begins

News from the Church Boards

Evangelism

The board of Evangelism is looking volunteers to help canvass on Wednesday, August 6th at 6:00 p.m. We are looking to canvass the neighborhoods around West Lake inviting them to our Outdoor Service.

We are looking to gather egg cartons to store our Easter Eggs in; if you have any please bring them in anytime. We are also looking for volunteers to help fill and put away the cartons for next year. Loretta Bankson, Chairman

Education

Rally Day

Rally Day is Sunday, August 24th following our service & fellowship. There will be a Bible scavenger hunt, craft and snack as kick off to our Fall programs at Immanuel. The last Sunday for Summer Sunday School is August 17th and Regular Sunday School begins on August 31st. 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Shining Stars

Shining Stars Program begins on Wednesday, August 27thDinner at 6:00 p.m. Shining Stars 6:30 -7:30 p.m. we are looking for more volunteers if you would like to help in anyway, please come and talk to me for more information.

Jr. Confirmation

We begin a new year of Jr. Confirmation on Wednesday, August 27th 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. Dinner is served at 6:00 p.m. You are welcome to join us.

Board meeting & Teacher’s Meeting

Attention: Board of Education will meet at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5thShining Stars & Sunday School Teachers meeting is Tuesday August 12th at 6:00 p.m.

Sharon Evans, Chairman

Preschool News

Immanuel Lutheran Preschool & Early Learning Center

“Learning with Love”

We are looking for the help of the congregation to get the word out about our preschool. Flyers will be in Sundays bulletin and available on the Information center, if you can please post where you work on employee information board, or community boards, at local businesses, such as gyms, stores, or hand out to neighbors and friends. With your help, it would be a great promotion without costing a lot of money! Our new expanded hours are 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. with all-day and am or pm slots available in the 5-day, 3-day & 2-day sessions.

Preschool Open House & Parent Information Night is Thursday, August 7th 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

The Board of Education approved getting a Laptop for Preschool Director so I was able to purchase a 15” HP Laptop with DVD/CD RW for $361.00. The Board also approved of getting a banner or yard sign that we can use to promote the preschool. I am currently working on setting up the preschool to haveits own website; more information will be coming in upcoming bulletins.

Look for more additions and improvements to our playground this summer. This is from the $1000 grant received from Izaak Walton League. All improvements will be to help us get our Outdoor Classroom certified with Nature Explore. There are only 18 certified classrooms in Iowa and we could become the 6th certified classroom in Davenport!

If you would like more information, or would like me to send out information about our preschool, just let me know! The preschool is great outreach into the community, so please keep our preschool in your prayers!

Kathy Yaudas, Preschool Director