THE SALEMETTE

“Come Receive Grace, Go Share Faith”

October 2019

SALEM EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH MOUNT SIDNEY, VIRGINIA

A congregation in the Virginia Synod

of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

www.salemlutheranva.org

540-234-8161

Salem Lutheran Church Prayer List

Trust in the Lord, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock - Isaiah 26:4 Rejoice in your

hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer -Romans 12:12 Please submit prayer requests by completing the Welcome Cards located in the pew racks and placing them in the offering plates, or by calling the church office. Please include your name, the person in need of prayer, and the reason we are praying for them. If your request is for a friend or relative, include their relationship to you.

Salem Lutheran Disciples who are shut-in or homebound We pray for continued strength and the comfort of God’s abiding presence for: Sharon Alexander, Scott Bryan, Ellen Fitzgerald, Janet Lee and Fred Gibson, Chuck Lambert, Don & Betty Myers, Mildred Smiley, Phyllis Wine, Ivan and Wilma Good, Al and Betty Fogleman

Prayer List Prayers for the bulletin will be listed for 4 weeks, after that if you want to resubmit the names you can. They will stay in the newsletter for as long as you leave them. At the end of each year we will start the list over and if you want you can resubmit.

Disciples at Salem Disciples Prayers In Need of Prayer Requested/ Thanksgivings Madeline Joiner healing and strength Pray for Brooke too. Tzariah Grubb strength and healing Janet Lee Gibson strength and healing from stroke Janice Converse strength and healing Hampton Foley strength and healing Patty Botkin successful treatment for cancer Sara Fultz strength and healing Ivan and Wilma Good strength and healing Loo Noordzy strength and healing Al Fogleman strength and healing Betty Fogleman strength and healing Jessica Wise Gill good recovery from wrist surgery Ruthanne Logue good recovery from cancer surgery Aug. 30

Friends and Relatives of Salem Disciples Person Person Making In Request Need Relationship Request M. Smith Amanda McCray friend stage 2 breast cancer A. Eubanks Daniel Hamilton step-father Lymphoma M. Puffenbarger Anessa Sink friend cancer L. Grubb Larry (Sonny) Heinbaugh cousin cancer C. Wright Susie daughter breast cancer came back D. Bryan Tom Hively cousin cancer B. Lambert Steve LaPrevotte friend testing for lung transplant T. Perotti Craig Bailey friend severe burns S. Hodge Kim May friend liver cancer L. Rogers Pam Trumbo sister-in-law Liver cancer M. Hower Robin Schneider mother lung issues B. Lambert Steve La Prevotle friend testing for lung transplant From our prayer list: Salem Lutheran Baptisms in the past year We take the time to pray for those baptized at Salem in the past year: Albert Paul Ullrich, III 3-17-2019 Jayden Nicole Bosserman 4-17-2019 Skylar Rayne Grubb 5-12-2019

Serving in the Armed Services Sarah Pulliam US Coast Guard Andrew Davenport US Air Force deployed to Afghanistan Chris Crosen US Army

Salem Lutheran Disciples granted Eternal Rest Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who believes in me will never die” – John 11:25-26a. Lenna May lambert 10-24-2018 Rick Anderson 3-5-2019 Larry Eugene Foley 6-10-2019

IMOPRTANT NOTICE— FIRST PART OF THEANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING WILL BE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13 RIGHT AFTER WORSHIP SERVICE. BE SURE TO STAY THIS IMPORTANT MEETING. THANK YOU.

The uniqueness of you When God the creator breathed life into you, a new being was born. There was no one like you before and there will be no one like you again. There is and always will be only one you (unless

we start cloning, and that’s another topic for another day). Throughout my life I have been involved with various methodologies to understand and unpack who I am as a person. Some of my favorites are the Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, and Enneagram. With each of these methods, one answers a series of questions, and in the end hopefully you understand a little more about how you relate to yourself, others, and the world. Probably the most helpful to me has been the Enneagram. You can answer the questions online and it doesn’t take very long. Like most methods, you can choose to do a shorter or a longer version, and one can spend a great deal of time trying to unpack everything. The idea behind all of these is not to put us in some type of box, but to help us see the box from which we experience the world. In my family, we each have a different Enneagram number, which means that not one of us has the same personality type. My wife is a Helper. My sons are a Loyalist, Perfectionist, and Achiever. I am the Enthusiast. We’re all very different, yet we’re all family. We each bring our own way of seeing, doing, and feeling to every situation. The same is true with the body of Christ. In 1st Corinthians we hear that the body does not consist of one member but of many. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you.” If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each of them, as he chose. As church and as family, we celebrate the uniqueness of you. You may not be perfect, but you’re perfectly YOU. Embrace who you are, claim the person God created you to be, and then join the rest of us with all of our weird and quirky personalities as we learn to be church together. In God’s Peace, from a called and ordained Enthusiast

Council President, Grant Richardson, called September’s meeting to order. Council members recognized guest, Phyllis Cox, a fulltime seminarian completing part of her course work by observing examples of administration activities of congregations. Anne

King gave opening devotions and prayer. Treasurer’s report: Jared reported a balance in general account

of $7,616.15; $18,359.90 in Special Health Needs Fund and $42,437.30 in Special Projects. Pastor Boggs gave an update on the purchase of listening devices for homebound members. So far, he has purchased easy-to-use units for those needing basic listening capability. He is also looking at a possible purchase of tablet devices that allow for video/visual viewing of worship services for homebound members able to use a more complicated device.

Pastor’s Report – In August’s report, Pastor Boggs highlighted: - Beginning of school year activities: Blessing of backpacks, prayers for the new school year and Rally Day at Weyers Cave Ruritan Park on August 25th. - Service as Chaplain at the Virginia Synod Vocations Conference - Middle River clean-up (Pastor hopes to make this an annual event at SELC) - 22 Visitations, 9 meetings, 4 CE classes, 3 Teaching/Education events and a memorial service for Larry Foley. - Welcoming Seth & Melissa Hower into membership at SELC - August’s special events: Food Pantry, the Southern Valley Conference gathering, Give Plus seminar and installation of Rev. Alex Zuber as Pastor at Muhlenberg Lutheran - For September, Pastor looks forward to Rise Against Hunger, hosting a bike stop on September 7th for a benefit for Veterans. Confirmation, Sunday School and North River Reading Buddies also resume in September. - U2Charist on September 28th in the Imagine Center. It should be an exciting worship service and all members of the Congregation are encouraged to attend and invite others!!

President’s Report – Grant Richardson led discussions on: Old Business: 1. Imagine Center: (Plumbing) Charles Dennison contacted Garland Easter Plumbing about the septic system and work should be completed soon. Maintenance on the grease trap in the kitchen is also pending.

2. VANCO: Jared advised that Give Plus is set-up and running. So far there is not a lot of participation from the Congregation. An information make-up session is scheduled for September 22nd. Big thanks to Matthew Gardner and Charles Dennison for the delicious breakfast served at the initial introduction session to Give Plus in August.

New Business: 1. Financial Secretary: Grant advised that Leon Sheets is retiring as Financial Secretary. Council members discussed possible replacements. 2. Cemetery Coordinator: Grant advised that Leon will continue as primary coordinator of the Cemetery for now. Council members discussed possible “assistants” for this position.

Committee Reports: 1. Christian Education: Nelson Terry reported that Rally Day was very successful, and everyone attending had a great time. Sunday School for all ages began September 8th. A special thanks to all teachers and helpers who make Sunday School possible. Members of the Christian Education Committee are looking for coordinators for Vacation Bible School in 2020. 2. Nominating committee: Leigh Anne Sorrells reported they have all four candidates for the 2020 Nominating Committee and three of four for Council. They are continuing to search for the fourth council candidate. These will be presented to council at the October 7th meeting. 3. Property Committee: Dianne Chafin reported that the Property Committee – - Authorized inspection and replacement of the church’s fire extinguishers in conjunction with Lynchburg Fire and Equipment’s installation of the kitchen’s new gas stove valve. The property committee authorized cost for replacements to come out of the Property Committee maintenance and repair portion of the spending plan. - Jim Todd and Dianne met with the gentleman who built the cabinet in the I.C. to discuss repair of cabinets in the kitchen. This was taken before the congregation and up to $8,000 was authorized to be taken from the Special Projects Fund to proceed with this project. - The congregation also authorized purchase of a new air conditioning unit with funds also to be taken from the Special Projects Fund.

Miscellaneous Business: 1. As a reminder, Annual Meeting Part I is October 13th. 2. WRE Fall Fundraiser is October 13th at 7 pm at Verona United Methodist Church. The “Faithful Men” put on a wonderful concert and

all who attend will be blessed by their music. Louise Harris, Congregational Secretary

Don’t forget Noisy Offering Sunday, October 6, 2019!  Thank you, to Salem’s entire congregation for their continued support. September noisy offering $185.00

Music Notes for October

Worship & Music Committee members on September 11th. Committee business began with a couple of reminders – U2Charist worship service is scheduled for Saturday, September 28th (7 pm). The Imagine Center will also be the location for 5th Sunday morning worship on the 28th. October 13th is Part I of the Annual Congregational Meetings following morning worship. (Part II is Nov 10th). October 27th is Reformation Sunday. Discussion then turned toward Advent & Christmas. The Adult Choir will host Christmas Caroling to homebound members and friends of SELC on December 14th at 2-4 pm. Afterwards, we will enjoy refreshments which will be provided. We are still in need of a “Director(s)” for this year’s Christmas Program which is scheduled for December 15th at 6:30 pm. Hopefully, someone will volunteer, so planning for practices can begin. The Adult Choir will perform a Christmas Cantata in combination with the Choir from Pleasant View Lutheran. Music Director, Debbie Mongold, is finalizing her choice of Cantata programs and working with the Director at Pleasant View to set a date. We hope to begin practicing in October. Pastor Boggs led a discussion on a possible change in Worship Settings. After discussion, Committee members recommended remaining with the current setting for now with a change in Setting in Advent/Christmas. After discussion, Committee members recommended that starting immediately, the Choir will remain in the Sanctuary (when possible) while the Organist plays the Postlude. Our great Organist(s) put a great deal of effort selecting, preparing, and playing the Postlude and these musical pieces are part of the service and to be enjoyed.

Finally, disposition of the spinet piano in the social hall and the upright in the Archives Room has not been determined. If anyone is interested in either of these instruments, please contact Debbie or Meta.

Your Worship & Music Committee  The choir could use some new members, if you would like to have some fun, fellowship, and singing, join us every Wednesday at 7:30pm. The more the merrier! Piano in Archives Room - Does anyone know the history of the piano in the Archives Room? If so, please contact Barbara Lambert at. We plan to get rid of it, but want to make sure that it does not have any historical/sentimental value. Unless we hear otherwise, the goal is to have the piano removed before the end of the year.

Saturated; holding as much water as can be absorbed; to be thoroughly soaked.

It’s October and the leaves 🍁 are saturated in color as fall is in full swing and winter is on its way. This fall I am studying the book of Acts. The book of Acts is written by Luke and is all about the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes when we think of the Trinity we think of them all as one of the same which is true but for me sometimes I like to think of them individually.

When I do that I think of God the father. He is the authority. He is the discipline and the law. I think of Jesus as the example. The human version of God who made God a little bit more fathomable by his footsteps here on earth. He is the hug that can wrap His arms around you.

Then there is the Holy Spirit. It’s the quiet wind that blows across your face and somewhere inside you know it was God just saying hi. It’s the voice inside that says it’s time for a change, or call a friend they may just need you. It’s the ever present connection to God the Father and Jesus the Son that we so often don’t realize we are actually being guided by.

Here are a few statements from my lesson that stuck out to me about the Holy Spirit:

Whenever the Holy Spirit filled Gods people, they immediately praised God and His great works.

As the Holy Spirit controlled and empowered believers, they took the gospel to the world.

Only through the Holy Spirit can believers live joyful, fruitful lives for God’s glory.

Nothing can replace the Holy Spirit’s life within you. Without him, the Bible remains at best a rule book.

Believers need the spirits power to love and follow Jesus faithfully.

The last one is the one that led me to the first statement of being saturated and the word that I have thought about for two weeks now.

Believers need the Spirits power to love and follow Jesus faithfully. In His humanity, not even Jesus relied on His own strength. He saturated himself in scripture, prayed, served, suffered and triumphed all in the Holy Spirits name.

So as I read these statements and thought about the Holy Spirit I thought about being saturated. Maybe that makes you think of cooking , or fat or soggy carpets after a flood. They all end in the same place- completely soaked. So for this month I ask you look inside and see what your saturated in? What’s saturating your life and your spirit ? Then pray to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and become saturated in the authority, love, life, example and guidance of His love.

Saturate yourself in love. Saturate yourself in Him.

Food for thought: saturated means holding as much water or moisture as possible. Prior to the Holy Spirit John the Baptist baptized with water but said One will come who will baptize with the Spirit. Kind of cool that the definition of saturated means taking in all the water. The water of baptism and the Spirit :). Amen. JR WELCA HAPPENINGS Visitation teams for October are – Dianne Chafin and Brenda Todd (Staunton); Nancy Woody and Ruth Mezzoni (Mt. Sidney); and Bev Wise and Kitty Cook (Bridgewater).

Oct. 6 – Women of the Southern Valley Conference Fall Gathering will be held at Grace Lutheran at 500 S. Wayne Ave., Waynesboro. Registration begins at 2 p.m. with the program beginning promptly at 2:30. The program will be Enjoying God’s Gifts of Nature – Blue Ridge Parkway. The Ranger will tell us about the uniqueness of the Park and all it has to offer. The Friends of the Parkway (a partnering group with the Parkway) will discuss how they

partner with the Parkway to help protect, promote, and enhance it. There will be a basket available for donations to help with the projects of the Friends of the Parkway. Oct. 17th – WELCA serves Weyers Cave Ruritan Club at the Community Center. Oct. 20th (NOTE CHANGE OF DATE) – Quarterly Meeting after the worship service. Bring a bag lunch. THANKOFFERINGS WILL BE RECEIVED, and exchange of Prayer Partner Gifts will be conducted, as well as Prayer Partner names for 2020 will be drawn. Oct. 26th – King’s Daughters’ Health and Rehab visit. Esther Circle plans the program and refreshments.

Keep clinging When his wife received a stage-four cancer diagnosis, Mike Nappa was asked why he wasn’t angry at God. His first answer: Anger is “beyond futile,” as it can’t change tough circumstances. His second answer was another question: “Why would I lash out in anger toward the only thing that brings me solace? That’d be akin to punching the lifeguard who’s trying to save me from drowning.” “I must cling to Christ — desperately, determinedly, gratefully — for strength to see myself through every moment, both good and hurtful, both joyful and sorrowful,” Nappa writes. “I’ve found Jesus to be more than sufficient. He is a man of sorrows who knows how to share mine and who tells me gently, in ways that I can believe, that in the end, everything is going to be OK. God is good; he is always good.” —Adapted from Hard Way Home by Amy & Mike Nappa. © 2019 Nappaland Communications Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.

2019 Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 417 Salem Church Road P.O. Box 38, Mount Sidney, VA 24467 Phone: 540-234-8161

Pastor Derek Boggs Sunday School: 9:45am Worship Service: 11:00am

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 SIO

2 7:30pm Choir

3 SIO

4 Pastor’s Day Off

5

6 Noisy Offering Mutual Ministry

7 7pm Council Mtg.

8 SIO

9 6:30pm Fellowship Mtg. 6:45pm Worship/Music 7:30pm Choir

10 SIO

11 Pastor’s Day Off

12

13 First part of Annual Congregational meeting right after worship

14

15 SIO 4pm Verona Food Pantry Volunteers  

16 12:30pm XYZer’s lunch at Salem Church 7:30pm Choir

17 SIO WELCA serves Weyers Cave Ruritan

18 Pastor’s Day Off

19 Bike Festival stop picnic shelter help provided by the Youth

20 After worship WELCA Quarterly Mtg.- Bag Lunch 5:00pm Confirmation

21 Pastor Derek at

22SIO Ministerium

23 7:30pm Choir

24 SIO

25 Pastor’s Day Off

26 2:30pm WELCA serving King’s Daughter Rehab Kid’s Halloween Party Trunk or Treat

278;30am Men’s Group Breakfast

28

29 30 31

OCTOBER 3rd   Eric Cobb   Margie Moore 4th   Cielo Cruz 6th   Julie Maxwell 7th   Doug Wrenn 9th   Kyler Clemmer 11th   Broc May 12th   Ben Good 13th   Leah Owens 14th   James Bryan 16th   Lauren Kondor   Helen Marie Leach 20th   Tzariah Grubb   Cheyanne Lawrence* 22nd   Noel Thomas 23rd   Jakob King   Lacy King   Scott Shifflett, Jr. 24th   Brannan Butler 27th   Arnesa Lind 28th   Hugh Landes 29th   Kitty Cook 31st   Judy Clemmer    BAPTISM 10‐1952  Karen Patanio 10‐ 1974  Saul Rodriguez, Sr. 10‐15‐1972  Patsy Cruz 10‐22‐1971  Noel Thomas 10‐5‐1997  Sarah Arey 10‐29‐2000  Sophie Hodge 10‐24‐2004  Jayden Raynes 10‐21‐2012  Alivia Pearle O’Gorek 10‐2‐2016  Willow Sophie Boisset 

OCTOBER HELPERS Ushers-Doug Ocheltree Greeters-Sherry Ocheltree Captain- Lacy King 6th Sandy Switzer Dauria Huffman 13th Grant & Teresa Richardson Bill Converse 20th Jane Sheets Lynn Rogers 27th Charlie & Becky Munse Alternate: Sherry Ocheltree Acolytes- Donna Alexander Crucifer – Donna Alexander 6th 6th Leigh Anne Sorrells 13th Alivia O’Gorek 13th Teresa Richardson 20th Henry Todd 20th Brenda Todd 27th 27th Wrenn Mapstone Readers- Dana Rhodenizer Nursery-Jenna Rose Mapstone 6th Donna Bryan 6th 13th Terry Perotti 13th 20th Grant Richardson 20th 27th Linda Ellis 27th Assisting Ministers- Communion Attendants- Dana Rhodenizer Theresa Thomas 6th Jason Eubanks 6th Melanie Smith 13th Lynn Rogers 13th Meredith Boggs 20th Sherry Pebworth 20th Lucy Dennison 27th Caitlin Jahnke 27th William Munsey Sound: Albert Ullrich, II Flowers: Beverly Robertson Vickie Crawford Bread: Dianne Chafin Linens: Dianne Chafin

Communion Preparers: Carolyn Bouknight & Sandy Switzer Server: Sherry Ocheltree Assistant: Dianne Chafin Alternate: Nelson Terry – Beverley Wise

Altar Flowers 6th & 13th Barbara Lambert 20th & 27th WELCA If you want to donate flowers put your name on the calendar near the water fountain.

MEN’S GROUP OF SALEM CHURCH The Men’s Group of

Salem Church would like to invite all of the men of Salem Lutheran Church to our Prayer Breakfast on October 27, 2019, starting at 8:30 AM. Why not give us a try, we have interesting programs, we spend some time praying for members of the congregation, we provide and enjoy good food, and good fellowship. The following is a list of members we will be praying for at our October meeting;

Austin Brown David Good Jennifer Patanio Laura Calise Louesa Lambert Doug Riggs Benny Cook Cheyanne Lawrence Ellie Setzer Parker Flick Wrenn Mapstone Norman Stern Hampton Foley, II Nicole Ocheltree Mandy Taylor

This is the beginning of our tenth trip thru the congregational membership list praying for each one of you as we go. If you have any thoughts on how we could improve this ministry, please let one of us know. If there are any special requests, please contact Hank Kowalla, Charles Leach or Loo Noordzy.

Happy Fall, The youth held its first meeting for the school year on September 15th. We had dinner together, played games, talked about the year and had a small devotional!

In October we will be doing the bike festival again! We need youth and parents to the church by 8am on September 19th to help. After the festival we plan on hiking and having lunch together!

We hope everyone is able to attend the Trunk or treat on October 26th!

Here’s to an awesome October, Salem Youth Leaders Activities to look forward to: October 19th- Bike Festival and Hike October 26th – Costume Party &Trunk or Treat November 10th- Friendsgiving November 22nd-24th- Lost and Found November 24th- Christmas Light set up December 8th- Christmas Shopping and Party

IMOPRTANT NOTICE— FIRST PART OF THEANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING WILL BE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13 RIGHT AFTER WORSHIP SERVICE. BE SURE TO STAY THIS IMPORTANT MEETING. THANK YOU. Alyssa Mezzoni Burns and her husband, John, welcomed a new baby girl. Her name is Fiona Ann and she weighed 8lbs. 15 1/2 oz. Alyssa is the granddaughter of Ruth Mezzoni and lives in Crozet. Congratulations to all! May God bless this family and give them peace and joy. Happy News! Ash and Elina Powers welcomed Isabella Nicole early this morning. She weighed 7lbs 7oz. Everyone doing well. This makes 12 great grandchildren for Selma Wine and 8 grandchildren for Pam and Tommy Powers. Congratulations to all! May God bless this family and give them peace and joy. XYZer’s Lunch Wednesday, October 16 – 12:30pm at Salem. All seniors are invited to come and enjoy the fellowship, food catered by Linda Ellis cost $8.00, and program by the SPCA Director. Signup sheet in hallway-Deadline-Wed., October 9.

The next Food Pantry date is Tuesday, October 15 from 4:00-6:30pm. If you would like to volunteer to help, just show up.

Men’s Group Breakfast Sunday, October 27 - 8:30am.Bring food to share. All men are invited to come and enjoy the fellowship, food, and Prayer Ministry led by Loo Noordzy. Help Wanted – The Salem Men’s Group and Loo Noordzy request back up help for Loo Noordzy Prayer Ministry. If you can help, let Loo or Charles Leach know. Thanks

Saturday October 26 at 6:15pm Light refreshments will be provided. Come and enjoy the food and games.

Want to see Kids Smile? On Saturday, October 26 fill your car or truck with treats and park in the Salem parking lot. At 7:00pm the Trunk or Treat will start. Hope to see you there and ready for those smiles!

SAVE THE DATE October 20, 2019 Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box project launch – breakfast and workshop 9:15am in the imagine Center. Questions contact Dana Rhodenizer.

It’s once again time to join Social Ministry Committee as we support the Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoebox gifts project. Officially, we will launch the collection period at Salem on Sunday, October 20th with a breakfast and packing workshop in the Imagine Center beginning at 9:30 A M. Please join us! The congregation can be a big help by donating “WOW” gifts to top off each box we pack that day. Stuffed animals, dolls, balls, musical toys and toy vehicles are some suggestions. (Remember the size of the box and think like a child…colorful, exciting, musical, endearing, of substantial quality etc.) Soon there will be a blue tub in the overflow area of the sanctuary to receive these items prior to Sunday, October 20, so they can be properly arranged at age appropriate tables. . Last year’s event was educational and “hands- on” fun as we packed 34 boxes before the morning service. Members of the congregation packed boxes at home and added enough to make our total contribution 147 boxes. Can we do 150 + this year? Our collection of filled boxes will end at Salem on November 17th. Shipping cost for each filled box is $9.00 and that can certainly add up. The congregation may assist with the handling costs of our church’s boxes with a contribution through the church treasury, with a check made out to Salem Lutheran, clearly

marked “Samaritan Purse shoe box gifts” on the memo line or special envelope. Packers, remember to enclose nine dollars for each box your family packs or pay postage on-line and track your boxes to their country of delivery. These gift boxes are distributed by Samaritan Purse volunteers to children ages 2-14 in over a hundred countries. They are used as an evangelical tool to spread the gospel to families “unto the ends of the earth” by pointing to a much greater gift, a relationship with the giver of all good gifts, God himself. When the children receive their boxes, they also receive gospel literature in their own language and are invited to discipleship study called “The Greatest Journey” which is similar to our Sunday School and summer Bible School. Whole families become involved as they learn of Jesus and participate in worship. Many will accept him as their Savior. Upon graduation from the 12 week program, children are presented with a New Testament in their own local language. We pack small gifts, love and prayer and God magnifies the effect as children and parents find joy, hope and love offered by God’s children from other parts of His world. We too receive a blessing. In Romans 10:5, Paul quotes from Isaiah 52:7 when he exclaims "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" I might add how beautiful are the hands who pack gift boxes and the lips which send up prayers for the children who receive them. The committee thanks you for helping this organization meet some of the needs of hurting and longing children around the globe. If questions, see Dana. Join us for the 2019 All Lutheran Women's retreat Nov. 7-9 at Natural Bridge Conference Center. This is a Lutheran Women's 2 day retreat. Our theme this year is For Everything there is a Season. It will revolve around how we are always changing, physically and spiritually. This year it will be led by Donna Marie Todd, a motivational speaker, master storyteller and singer. The cost is $100 for Salem women. (All meals will be provided). See Theresa Thomas or Meredith Boggs (ALWR planning team) for more information.

The All Lutheran Women's Retreat on November 7-9 will be putting together "Re-homing Cleaning Kits" for New Directions Shelter in Staunton. (When clients leave the shelter to go back home or to a new home they often need cleaning supplies.) Each kit will consist of glass cleaner spray, dusting spray, sponges, clorox wipes or Antibacterial spray. These items will be put into a dishpan and decorated by the ladies at the

retreat. To help offset the cost, we are asking for donations to help with this project. We will have dishpans set out for items to go in beginning October. 6th. Please do not bring large capacity cleaners. For a completed kit, everything has to fit in the dishpan for easy storage at the shelter. Our goal is 50 re-homing kits. If you have questions, please contact Meredith Boggs.

Thank you for the prayers and cards for Hampton. He is getting stronger.

God blessing on all of you.

Hampton & Mabel Anna Foley

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Reported wrong in the Sept 22 bulletin –  New Address – As of October 30th Terry Perotti has a new address; contact the church office for details. 

A prayer for peace St. Francis of Assisi, an Italian Catholic friar, is commemorated on October 4. Though it’s unclear whether this famous “peace prayer” was his, it reflects his gentle spirit as an ardent Christ‐follower:  

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is error, truth; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, joy. O, Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life. Amen. 

 

The day’s first task The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists of shoving it all back, in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. —C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity  

Aw‐fall! Share some laughs — or groans — with these autumn-themed jokes: • What did the tree say to autumn? “Leaf me alone!” • What did one autumn leaf say to another? “I’m falling for you.” • How do you fix a broken pumpkin? With a pumpkin patch. • Why are trees very forgiving? Because in the fall they “let it go” and in the spring they “turn over a new leaf.” • How do leaves get from place to place? With autumn-mobiles. •What’s the ratio of a pumpkin’s circumference to its diameter? Pumpkin pi.  

Unimaginable impact You don’t know how many people have been strengthened because you asked God to encourage them; how many people have been healed because you prayed for their bodies; how many spiritual runaways have come home because you prayed for their souls. None of us may ever know the true effects of our prayers this side of death. But we do know this: History belongs to the intercessors. —John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted

Beyond the building The Christian does not go to the temple to worship. The Christian takes the temple with him or her. Jesus lifts us beyond the building and pays the human body the highest compliment by making it his dwelling place, the place where he meets with us. —Ravi Zacharias

As the church year wraps up, many Bible readings address the end times and Jesus’ return at an unknown date (unknown to all but God the Father, that is). Specific beliefs about the Second Coming vary throughout Christendom, but our attitude about that momentous event affects how we live right now.

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces,” Martin Luther reportedly said, “I would still plant my apple tree.” Instead of constantly despairing about this broken-down world, we can remain determined to serve God and our neighbors, planting seeds of life and hope in the process.

A look at beauty Remember kaleidoscopes — those tubes you hold up to your eye and point toward the light to see colorful shapes? When the far end of the optical instrument is turned, fragments of material inside an “object cell” shift and mirrors set at angles reflect light through the pieces, forming ever-changing patterns. A multi-hued flower might become sunlight through a round stained-glass window or fireworks on a clear night. Various materials can be placed in the cell — tiny figures, twisted bits of metal, lace, viscous liquid — but often broken bits of glass are used, to beautiful effect! In fact, David Brewster, inventor of the kaleidoscope in 1817, named it after the Greek word kalos, for “beauty.” Everyone feels broken, twisted or shattered at times. But when God’s perfect light shines in and through us, reflecting among the fragments of our imperfect lives, we, too, become beautiful. Out of our sinfulness and brokenness shines the beauty of compassion, kindness, perseverance, hope, love — delightful patterns to brighten this hurting world.