Convenience VS Discipleship

Christ calls us to a life of discipleship and this life is full of the hard, the difficult and the near impossible. A dis-ciple is one who follows Jesus in every aspect of life, the good, the bad, the ugly and the indifferent. It’s easy to follow Christ when we are flying high and life is a bowl full of cherries or what ever your favorite fruit may be. However, it is an entirely world shaking event to follow Jesus Christ through the inconvenient truth of his words in scripture. In Matthew 16 we find this tidbit of reality staring us in the face. “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he MUST go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Heavy words from our Lord and Savior about his mis-sion on earth; Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his work “The Cost of Discipleship” reminds us that the operative word here is must. Bonhoeffer then goes on to wake us up to the fact that Jesus told his disciples that the must that rested on his life rested on theirs as well. “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.’” If that weren’t enough to con-vince us of the seriousness of being a disciple Jesus said this, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor the servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.”

In light of the words of Jesus our existence and prom-ise of new life in Christ take on a radical meaning. Our life must be different than it would be without Christ as our leader; and his words are not full of hy-perbole but of truth and activity. Therefore, when Je-sus says things like this:

You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would bor-row. You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.

Much of modern Christianity revolves around the con-venient, the beneficial and the what’s in it for me mentality. Serving Christ and following him is not found in the convenient, or in what may benefit us in the here and now. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ calls us to do what is right no matter the consequence or the personal result.

Loving ones enemy and praying for ones persecutors is neither convenient, nor fun and in human terms gen-erally not beneficial. You say, but I can’t bring my-self to do this and you would be right you can’t, but through Christ you can. The Apostle Paul put it this way:

Pastor Carlin’s Page

PLEASE NOTE:

Office hours at First Lutheran Church are:

Monday—Friday, 8:30 am—3:30 pm

May 2020

Newsletter

Pastor Carlin’s Page (con’t)

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever, is just, whatever is pure, whatever, is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me-practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed con-cerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever sit-uation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Living the words of Christ and becoming a disciple is impossible for us to do on our own. It can only be accomplished through the active work of the Holy Spirit. Only by immersing ourselves in Christ can we be true followers of Jesus. We must worship on a regular basis, read scripture and pray daily and find ways to give of our gifts, time and talent for the kingdom of God.

The reality and difficulty of Christ’s words to us can be overwhelming at times, however, they hold the key to a joyous, and happy life here and into eternity.

Many blessings to you all, and may the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you at this most Holy time!!

Pastor Carlin

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Thank you to those who sponsored Easter Lilies this year:

Orlando Becker in memory of Becker and Vill Family

Mike Kemp in honor of blessings received

Jim & Eileen Robinson in memory of son James Michael and grandson Scott

Shirley Trainor in memory of Don Trainor

Red Geraniums for Pentecost $9.00 per plant

We would again like to decorate the sanctuary with red geraniums for Pentecost Sunday, May 31. If you would like to order a geranium, please fill out this form and turn it in with your pay-ment to the church office (offering plate can be utilized, also, if we are back together).

NAME:______________________________________ # PLANTS _______

IN HONOR OF:_____________________________________

IN MEMORY OF:____________________________________

April at Noah’s Ark

April at Noah’s Ark At the time of the submission of this article, the Gubernatorial Disas-ter Proclamation Decree is extended through the end of the academic year.

Noah’s Ark students, families and staff couldn’t be more disappointed that we cannot return to school in May. We hope that when our community is able to gather once again

that we might be able to offer one last class time for the children to return to Noah’s Ark for some closure to the school year!

In the meantime, we are looking forward to the arrival of our yearbooks. We are hoping to be able to mail them out to our families. We are certain that while the stay at home order is still in place, the yearbooks would bring a lot of joy not only to our little ones but to the rest of their family as well!

We will re-schedule Pre-registration and the Lottery for Class Placement for the 2020-21 school year as soon as large events and gatherings are permitted to resume.

Looking ahead to the fall, we are hopeful that classes will be able to begin on Tuesday, September 8th and Wednesday, September 9th!

Joyful Women Bible study will re-sume when it is safe to gather to-gether again at 6:30 pm Sunday in the Munson Room. We have four (4) chapters of our “Building your Strengths” program

JOYFUL WOMEN OF FIRST ANNOUNCEMENTS

Due to the current Corona Virus situation, all of the following schedules are in limbo for the time being. Please continue to watch/listen for updates to our summer. Thank you for your continued support!!

CONFIRMATION: was originally scheduled to be a 9:00 blended service on May 3, but will need to be re-scheduled

SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: still being re-viewed/discussed.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (VBS): A theme has been chosen, discussion still being held on if we will be able to meet at ANY point this summer.

With rising costs of food and necessities, the Livingston County Community

Pantry has had to make difficult choices in what they purchase. Staples such as

milk, eggs, and meat provide nutrition to families along with the many canned

goods received from various food banks. Unfortunately, the pantry can no longer

afford to buy some of the basics needed by every family. First Lutheran has been

collecting paper goods and soaps since summer, and our donations help to pro-

vide these items to the clients. During the month of May we will again collect

laundry soap, dish soap, bar soap, shampoo, toilet paper, “buyer’s choice”,

canned chicken, mushroom soup, complete pancake mix AND syrup. These

items can be purchased inexpensively at the Dollar Tree as suggested by the pan-

try. Finally, all donations are welcomed and appreciated!

E.P.I.C. Youth Group

Everything’s Possible in Christ

Purses and Prayers…All parents and youth should stay tuned to the E.P.I.C. Facebook page for updates.

ALL 6

TH GRADERS ARE INVITED TO JOIN OUR EPIC GROUP

& FRIENDS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! We meet the 1st & 3rd weeks of each month.

Watch for details regarding upcoming events on our Facebook page @ First Lutheran

E.P.I.C. Youth Group or the Youth Group Remind app, as well as the church bulletin, First Notes, and text messages.

May Birthdays

Marilyn Cunningham 5/3

Sue Mundschenk 5/3

Duncan Eilts 5/3

Kala Abels 5/5

Brady Donovan 5/6

Elijah Durbin 5/8

Mike Muzzarelli 5/8

Collins Miller 5/11

Lauren Mehrkens 5/13

Joe Kelly 5/15

Tom Myers 5/16

Judy Crawford 5/18

Gary Crull 5/18

Sandy Freeston 5/19

Chris Johnson 5/20

Chad Frank 5/20

Paula Myers 5/22

Steve Mays 5/22

Starlette Torkelson 5/23

Mark Van Hoveln 5/24

Stacy Eilts 5/26

Frannie Becker 5/28

Jeff Melvin 5/28

Dee Dee Tarmann 5/28

Jessica Warren 5/28

Julie Branz 5/31

“50-plus Club”

If you had the chance, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to get together with fellow First Lu-theran members monthly for fun and fellowship? Sounds wonderful, but where and how does that happen? The answer is a “50 -plus Club”.

A “50-plus Club” is a group of people who are 50 years of age or more. If you feel that a

group like this would be something you would like, please sign your name on the sign-up

sheet outside of the office. The Mission/Social Committee continues to work on plans to

start this club.

The 50 + Club is still being considered, however, a chairperson is still needed.

Let us pray for the following members who are homebound or nursing home residents:

Please Pray for our

Members & Friends:

Meetings in May

Monday, May 4 @ 6 pm Education Committee

Monday, May 11 @ 6:30 pm

Memorial Committee

Tuesday, May 12 @ 7 pm Council Meeting

Monday, May 18 @ 7 pm

Mission/Social Committee

Tuesday, May 26 @ noon Newsletter Deadline

Friday, May 29 @ 9 am Newsletter Assembly

.

HIPAA Laws...Because of the HIPAA Laws, if you would like the Pastor to visit you in the hospital, you must call the church office (or have the Chaplain at the hospital call the office).

Accolade: Victor Schroeder Evenglow Lodge: Helen Rigg, Avis Schulz & Eileen Fahsbender Evenglow Inn: Delores Schultz, Nancy Willke Good Samaritan: Martie Kuhn The Pointe: Judy L Sykes, Erma Bohm Homebound: Stephen Weber, Jim Jones & Francis Schott

Anna Circle

Anna Circle will NOT meet for our regular Bi-ble study in May due to the status of the virus. Please pray for an end to the virus. Please take care of yourselves and stay safe at home.

Eileen Robinson, Eileen Fahsbender, Terri Heins, Linda Schneeman, Chris Coriell, Karol Hall, Cheryl Weber, Rupert Rodriguez, Cindy Rodri-guez, Kerry Foster, Francis Schott, Robbie Beck-er, Donna Myer, Jim Jones, Doug Saxton, Kathe-rine Harding, Steve Weber, Deb Follmer, Phyllis Bradley, Kim Slaton, David Robinson, Elliot Buch-heit, Jakob Miller, Rev. (Ret.) Dennis Meyer, Ja-lene Woolford, Jonathan Becker, Jeannie Walls, Martie Kuhn, Lonnie Garland, Rochelle Nolan, Bill Eckel, Lisa Eckel (Cardona), Garry Fulk, Mar-sha Follet Pauly, Jean Harrison, Jan Hackman, Gail Shaffer, Michelle Wayne, N.B., Bob Harman and Pastor Dawn Riester.

Good Samaritan Home – Pontiac

Sharrie Orendorff has agreed to be our liaison from First Lutheran to the Good Samaritan Home in Pontiac. She & Sue

Hiatt have met with the Director of Nurses to begin to plan how we can support the Home and its residents.

Thank you, Sharrie!!!

Attention Parents, etc.!!!

Please send us the names of your graduating 8th grader, high school senior or college student (or call the Church office with the information). Recognition of graduates will occur at services on June 6 & 7 with a reception following the 8 am service on June 7th.

Thank you!!!!

COLLEGE: Blake Whittle (ISU)

HIGH SCHOOL: 8th GRADE:

Ashley Branz Duncan Eilts Andrew Koeller

Skylar Johnson Avery Horning August Koeller

Kenna Rustman Riley Kelly Hunter Melvin

Clare Vogel

Brooke Whittle

Please Note:

If you have submitted a name for the prayer list & would like them to received a “Thinking of You” card, please provide the church office with a good address so that the volunteer coordinator can mail the card to the proper address. Also, please update the office if the name on the prayer list can be removed. Thank you.

~Beth Ray~

Come join the fun very other Monday night (hoping to meet in May!!)

We hope to be able to return in May!!! Until then, stay healthy!!

Come join us for some good fun, good fellowship and good euchre!!!! The first and third Monday of each month — registration begins @ 6 pm and play starts @ 6:30 pm.. Cost is $4 ($1/player will go to a charity TBD). Come and bring a friend or two.

May 4 & 18 June 1 & 15

TITHES AND OFFERINGS

We would like to remind everyone that, during these “closures”, you may still submit your offerings via the postal

service.

If you would like to submit your offering electronically, we currently have a PayPal account available. For the correct “address”, please contact the church and the information

will be provided over the phone.

Other options are also being explored at this time.

WOMEN OF JOY

The Women of Joy conference date for Indianapolis 2020 is Friday evening, August 14 into the late afternoon of August 15. Last year five women of First Lutheran attended this conference of music and presen-tations with great joy and encouragement of our relationship with Christ.

I believe we all came away with a deeper spirt and renewal of faith. To say the least, it is a well attended event, and fills up quickly. Discounted registration is available until May 20, however, when looking over the website “WOMENOFJOY.ORG”, I noted that three of the downtown ho-tels are already sold out.

Registration is as low as $109 for entry into the two-day event and $99 if we have 10 or mor registered as a group. The program for Indy lists Liz Curtis Higgs as one of the speakers!

Please consider attending this event and contact me before April 1 if you are interested.

Vicki Day 844-5420

Comforting Ladies

The Comforting Ladies will NOT be working on quilts during the month of May. Wee need to take care of ourselves and stay at home. Our mis-sion is to help others by providing warm quilts. During this time we can help others by praying for them. I am reminded of part of a verse of the

hymn, What a Friend We Have in Jesus”: “Are we weak and heavy-laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge—

take it to the Lord in prayer.”

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FIRST LUTHERAN CHURC H

311 W GROVE

PONTIAC, IL 61764

“Worshiping Christ and Serving Our Neighbor”

Weekend Worship Schedule

Sat. 5:30 pm Sun. 8:00 am Sun. 10:30 am

Sunday School 9:15 am

Our Staff 2020 Congregational Council:

Pastor: Carlin Ours Kurt Lauritzen, President Kelly Viller

Office: Beth Ray Toby Coates, V. President Deb Crull

Acct: Angel Hall Joani Swenson, Secretary Stephen Hartke

Custodian: DeAnn Dennis Steve Ray, Treasurer Andy Torkelson

Vol. Coord: Beth Ray Marion Harding, Fin. Secretary Korri Mehrkens

Choir Dir: Joseph Durbin Brian Friedman Jane Yates

Phone: 815-844-3695

Fax: 815-844-7580

Email: info@firstlutheranchurch.org

Pastor Carlin: carlinours@ymail.com

704/775-9823