Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On Pentecost Sunday, May 19, we celebrated with Adam Bodenham and Nick Sandeen as they affirmed their faith. In the Confirmation service we talk about things we believe: “I believe in God, the Father almighty…”

We also talk about things we will do: “proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, to serve all people, following the example of Jesus…”

As I thought about this, it reminded me of a quote from the book Beyond Guilt by George Johnson where he includes a statement by Dr. Ernest Campbell, who once served as pastor of Riverside Church in New York City, as he considers the question: ‘Are you following Jesus, or believing in Christ?’

“Plunge into the Gospels anywhere and you will likely find Jesus asking someone to follow. The Greek verb is ‘akoloutheo.’ It represents a dominant motif. Why, then, do we hear so little about following Jesus in the church today? I’ve been in, with, and around the church for more than 50 years…Always the questions have dealt with belief. ‘Do you believe in God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?’…

“Do you believe in Christ? It isn’t hard to answer that. What is wanted is an affirmative response to treasured propositions about the Second Person of the Trinity. But when someone asks, ‘Are you following Jesus?’ – this can get to be expensive. This question has to do with my lifestyle, my attitudes, my values, my surrender.

“If I’m following Jesus, why am I such a good insurance risk? If I’m following Jesus, why, when I have done my giving, have I so much left over for myself? If I’m following Jesus, why do my closets bulge when so many are unclothed? If I’m following Jesus, why do I have so many friends among the affluent and so few among the poor?

Newsletter- June 2013

“If I’m following Jesus, why do I have so much privacy in a world that is starved for love? If I’m following Jesus, why am I tempted to overeat in a world in which so many beg for bread? If I’m following Jesus, why am I getting on so well in a world that marked Him out for death?“Are you following Jesus or believing in Christ? Unfair, you say, the two are inseparable. Theoretically, yes, but pragmatically, no. We separate them all the time. If we must, let us err on the side of following. For one can believe without following, but one cannot follow without believing.”

I hope that you, like Nick and Adam, will both believe in God and follow our Lord. May we be a church focused on making disciples, followers of our Lord and Savior.

Love in Christ,Pastor Mark

June Worship Schedule 8:30 a.m. Prayer time in library 9:00 a.m. Adult Forum in the counting room (begins June 2)10:00 a.m. Worship

150 Years! In 2016, SELC will celebrate its 150th Anniversary. With this kind of a milestone, we need to start planning for how we want to observe this event. The council is seeking volunteers to serve on an ad hoc committee primarily to develop a survey. We want to present the survey to our members in the early fall. We would then have a presentation and discussion at our 2014 annual meeting in January. We want to celebrate what God has done and how do we continue our mission. We are blessed with good notes about what we did for our 125th anniversary. We also have some good resource materials from another congregation who celebrated its 150th anniversary. We want to know what our members would most like to see. If you have an interest in serving or want to learn more, please contact Pastor Mark, Tom Wenstrand or another council member.

Social Ministry Food Drive

The Social Ministry Committee offers its appreciation to those members of the congregation who participated in our Food Drive. Twenty-eight bags/boxes were delivered to The Fellowship Cup. These items will be credited towards the Feinstein Challenge. Your generosity helps The Fellowship Cup meet critical needs of Henry County citizens who are in need of assistance. Thank you for your participation. Another Food Drive may be sponsored in the fall.

The SELC Social Ministry will be sacking meals at the Fellowship Cup on June 10th and 17th. Be sure to sign-up on the sheet located in the narthex. The Fellowship Cup also is asking for volunteers to deliver lunches. Call 385-3242 to donate an hour a week.

Congregation Council and Church Finance NotesThe Council met on Thursday, May 16, 2013. April minutes and a draft copy of the May minutes are posted in the church narthex when they become available. Council minutes are also available in the church office. The next regular Council meeting will be Thursday, June 20th, at 7:00 p.m.

Financial Report 2013 General Fund Activity (as of May 28th)Gifts $75,735.94Ministry Expenses $64,574.20Mission Support Submitted $ 6,639.65

General Fund Balance as of May 28th is $1,831.43. Thank you for all gifts to the church and for your support of the important mission we share in!

Swedesburg Women of the ELCAWELCA Calendar of Events

Wednesday, June 5 Mary Martha GroupMorning Coffee & Bible StudyTime and Hostess: to be determined

June WELCA Rachel Group WELCA and Lunch Out Date, Time and Hostess: to be

determined

Evangelism CommitteeThe Evangelism Committee met on May 7, 2013. Highlights of the meeting include: Discussed using sign in books that would be passed during the service so visitors could sign them. We will have greeters continue to ask visitors to sign the book in the narthex. Also reviewed the need for the communion cards to be signed at least a few times a year. Will provide ice cream to the VBS children and invite the parents and families to join them on the final night. Handicap accessible has been included in the last ads placed in the paper. Reviewed the devotional booklets Pastor has purchased for senior recognition and confirmation. The cake has been ordered for both events. Pastor will attend a continuing education class on evangelism this summer at Luther Seminary.

Kids Against Hunger (KAH)Luther League will assist with the Kids Against Hunger packing meals on Sunday, June 9th following worship. There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex for anyone that can help with this event. Feel free to call the office to be added to the sign-up sheet.

Churchmen MeetingThe Churchmen will host a Prayer Breakfast at the parish hall at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 8th, 2013. Hosts are: Gary Anderson and Keith Zihlman. Devotions will be led by Pastor Mark. All men are invited.

Small Group Bible StudyA new study began May 8th, 2013. One Thousand Gifts – Begin to find Joy In What Really Matters by Ann VosKamp. The Small Group Bible Study meets on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m.

World HungerThe next time you are in the church for Sunday services, a meeting, or any occasion, remember that the refrigerator in the basement is available with beverages for you. All proceeds go toward ending World Hunger. We ask for fifty cents for each item. Please consider donating to World

Hunger by quenching your thirst the next time you are in the church.

If you have a preference of beverage to keep stocked in the refrigerator, just let Mary in the office know. She will work diligently to stock the beverage of your choice.

Ascension Day Services30 people attended the Ascension Day services. The total amount of donations sent to the Fellowship Cup during the Ascension Day services was $211.78.

Swedish Pancake BreakfastTwo pancake breakfasts will be served for the Swedish Heritage Society this year: June 1st and July 6th. From 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. Swedish pancakes with lingonberries, potatis korv, homemade rolls, juice and coffee will be served at the parish hall! The cost is $6 per ticket. Please join the Swedish Heritage Society for food and fellowship.

Tanzania Companions – June 2013This month, we have a geography lesson! Here in the Western Hemisphere, we have a difficult time comprehending the size and scale of some of the countries and continents on the other side of the world. Consider a scale outline that gives us a better idea of how comparatively large the African continent actually is:

The map below has the African countries where they belong. The circle marks Tanzania and the small black square shows where the Pare Diocese is.

Tanzania is a very diverse geological country. It is bordered by some of the largest lakes in Africa, some salt water lakes and some fresh water including Lake Victoria (Africa's largest lake) and Lake Tanganyika (Africa's deepest lake). There is a coral reef off its east coast, as is the island of Zanzibar which is also part of Tanzania. It contains part of the Serengeti Plain as well as rolling hills and grasslands. Another feature is the Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest intact caldera with a spectacular bowl with sides up to 1,960 ft deep. The tallest peak in Africa, Kilimanjaro is here. The Pare Diocese is located quite near Kilimanjaro, bordering Kenya.

The United Republic of Tanzania was formed in 1964 when Tanganyika and Zanzibar united. The capital city is Dodoma though the city of Dar es Salaam is its major commercial

city and primary seaport. In spite of these cities, most of the country is very rural. The country is divided into 30 regions including 25 on the mainland and 5 on the islands. Pare Diocese is located in the Kilimanjaro Region, a very mountainous area. The main city in Pare Diocese is Same (population about 17,500) which is also the name of the district (population just over 200,000). Ngaeni Parish is about 26 kilometers (16 miles) southeast of Same.

Agriculture provides the income for the majority of Tanzania’s people. In the northeastern part of the country which includes Pare, there are two rainy seasons - the short rains (or "Vuli") in October to December and the long rains (or "Masika) from March to May. The rest of the country experiences one long rainy season that spans that whole time. They grow coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, maize, wheat, cassava, bananas, fruits, vegetables, and rice primarily on small plots of land using hand tools. They also graze cattle, sheep and goats, though overgrazing, tse tse flies and diseases spread by the wildebeasts during migration are constant concerns.

Crops aren’t the only things that are growing. According to a recent news release by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, the ranks of Lutherans are rapidly growing as well!

Number of Lutherans in Tanzania:2012 6,139,879 2011 5,825,3122010 5,601,217 2009 5,303,7272008 4,956,731 2007 4,652,480That’s a 5.4% increase in one year and nearly a 32% increase in the last 5 years! Clearly, there are some great things happening there!

Financial Peace University 9 week courseThe Fellowship Cup is sponsoring the third session of Financial Peace University – Dave Ramsey – 9 week course. Next Session begins Thursday, June 6th at 6:30 p.m. This is a preview night – listen to testimonies and decide if this life changing program is for you. Our primary teacher is Kathy Nellor, retired from Two Rivers Bank. Kathy is passionate

about helping our community members reclaim their personal finances.

How much do the materials cost? If you fall at or below the guidelines, the materials are free. If not, materials will cost $50. Call the Fellowship Cup at 385-3242 to learn more or check out their website at www.thefellowshipcup.org.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. – Galatians 6:10

A Family of Believers: Each of us is born into our worldly families, however we are part of a much larger family – a family of believers. Every day, thousands of people in our family of believers struggle. Families struggle to find work, battle addiction, become victims of abuse and neglect. During National Family Month, Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) reminds you that our Christ-centered family is bringing hope to families across Iowa.

Through the support of congregations like yours, LSI is part of building stronger, loving families. LSI understands that all families experience crises, and our programs help families work through these times and use the experiences to learn and grow. Through education and crisis management, our employees bring healing to Iowa families in need. The help of congregations like yours plays a pivotal role in the success of these family-centered programs. As a member of the family of believers, you allow us to do good.

For more information on ways LSI provides hope to Iowa’s most vulnerable populations, visit www.LSIowa.org.

“She’s been in their shoes” When Lisa Crow first heard about Parent Partners, she knew it was perfect for her. “I thought, ‘Well, this is a message from God,” she said. “It’s

great to be positively helping someone.” She can remember when she wasn’t always in a position to do so. “I had been doing meth for a few years when my dad died,” she said. “I got into it more, and then my mom died, at which point I started selling.”

She recalls her arrest for dealing meth, the raiding of her house, the prison time. Her situation meant a change of home for her four kids, two of whom eventually went to live with their dad and the others with her brother.

She earned her GED in prison. Though her probation officer pushed her to go back to school, she never believed she would get into college. Then, she earned her bachelor’s degree in family services, where in one of her social work classes someone told her about Parent Partners.

Parent Partners is a unique mentoring program, an approach that matches parents who have first-hand experience with their children being removed from their care, and have made changes in their lives, with parents who are currently involved in the child welfare system.

Lisa knows how to mentor other moms because she’s been in their shoes. And she knows what it’s like to love your child, no matter how chaotic your life can get.

“Most addicts love their kids, too,” she said. “Some feel it doesn’t affect their family if they don’t use drugs in front of them. But when they get it, they realize they can choose instead to be a role model for their own children. It’s very rewarding to see that.”

Request for Acolyte AssistanceIf you are able to assist with acolyte duties during worship for June 9, 16, 23 or 30, or July 14 or 28, please let the office know. There is one opening on each of these dates. Your name will be placed in the bulletin for the week that you are available to assist. The office needs your name prior to noon on Friday for the following Sunday. Please call

Mary at 254-2216 or email her at office@swedesburglutheran.org.

Leadership EventThe Southeastern Iowa synod and Grand View University (one of our Lutheran colleges) are sponsoring a service leadership event for high school youth June 20th-23rd on the Grand View campus in Des Moines. Youth who have completed 8th-12th grade at the end of this school year will gather for leadership development, Bible study, service outreach, worship, and tons of fun. The cost of the Love Like Jesus event is $125 per person. Luther League will pay $100 per person. We are asking for a $25 deposit from everyone who is going. You are encouraged to invite a friend, and Luther League will also pay the $100 for them. There is more information on the synod’s website (seiasynod.org) including workshop options. Let Pastor Mark or the office know as soon as possible if your student is interested in going, or if more scholarship assistance is needed. Also, let Pastor Mark or the church office know if you’d like to be a sponsor for this even

ELCA Women of Faithat the Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines

August 23 and 24, 2013Friday 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

God can do anything – Luke 1: 37 NCV This is the theme for the Women of Faith event this year. If you are interested in this opportunity please contact Peggy Grothe 319-759-8080. We will stay at a hotel in Des Moines on Friday night.

You can attend both days or one day. For more information there are posters on the front door and back door bulletin boards.

July Newsletter DeadlineThe deadline to have your thank you’s, meeting times and activities or other items listed in the June newsletter is Tuesday, June 25, at noon. Submit any items: schedules, pictures, articles, calendars or activities to Mary McLerran in the church office at 254-2216 or email the office at office@swedesburglutheran.org before noon, on Tuesday, June 25th.

CONGREGATION REFLECTIONS

Affirmation of Baptism: Two members of SELC made public affirmation of the promises made at their baptism and were confirmed on Pentecost Sunday, May 19th. Please pray for and support these brothers in Christ: Adam Bodenham and Nicholas Sandeen.

Baptism Announcement: Ellie May Caboth was baptized Sunday, May 26th. Her parents are Cale and Mary Beth Caboth. Sponsors are Christine Van Berkum and Keith Dietzenbach.

Address change: (Please make note in your directory)Delbert & Virginia Steffens, PO Box 30, 706 W. Central, Winfield, Iowa 52659. Their telephone number remains the same.

New Additions in the Church Library:“The Complete LIFE’S LITTLE INSTRUCTION BOOK” by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.; given by Richard Woline.“The Awesome Book of Bible Facts” by Sandy Silverthorne; given by Mary Benson.

Thanks are Due . . .to Delores Olson for purchasing 40 new folding metal chairs at the parish hall.

to Richard Woline and Mary Benson for the wonderful new resources for the church library.to Pastor Wendell Debner who worshipped with us on Sunday, May 5th.

Pray For . . .friends and loved ones experiencing health concerns.ELCA missionaries Rev. Brian and Christine Palmer in Liberia.

Olds United Church of ChristSELC is invited to the Olds United Church of Christ Rededication Ceremony. Distinguished transformations have been made to the interior of the church. Their rededication ceremony is Sunday, June 9th at 1:30 p.m. The “Overtones” Barbershop Chorus will be performing. Refreshments and social hour will follow.

Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church1913 - 2013

Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Vinton, Iowa has invited our members to join them as they celebrate 100 years in the Light of Jesus! Monday, June 10th from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. for cookies, ice cream, coffee and punch. They are located at 1206 C Avenue, Vinton, Iowa.

Kingdom Rock! Vacation Bible SchoolVacation Bible School will take place at the parish hall on Tuesday, July 23rd through Friday, July 26th from 5:30 p.m. until 8:15 p.m. each evening. This year’s theme is Kingdom Rock: An Epic Adventure Awaits! Supper will be served each evening starting at 5:30 p.m.

We have a lot of fun at VBS. VBS is a fantastic Christian outreach to the youth of the community. The more help we have, the more successful we’ll be. The following two pages of this newsletter contain copies of the Vacation Bible School volunteer form and student registration form. Please feel free to tear these out and return to the church office. These forms can also be found on our website at swedesburglutheran.org under the “get connected” tab. If you would like any additional form(s) mailed to you contact Mary in the office. Full-size forms may also be found in the narthex of the church.

We are offering VBS at no charge to all students, which means donations make a BIG difference! Monetary donations are welcome and may be placed in the offering plate noted with “VBS”.

Vacation Bible School July 23rd-July 26th 5:30 PM Supper/6-8:15 VBS

I would like to help: Before VBS: Setup/Decorating/Food Prep Teaching a session (Games, Bible Story, Crafts) Helping at a station (Games, Bible, Story, Crafts) Guiding a group from station to station Music (Singing or leading) Being an actor in skits Registration table (5:15-6:15 each night) Extra set of hands/Anywhere Serving Food/Kitchen Help

Donations: I am willing to make a cash/check donation

Name: _____________________________________________

Phone: _____________________________________________

Email: ______________________________________________Please return form to Swedesburg church office. Cash donations may be placed in the offering plate with “VBS” noted on the memo line or envelope. God bless you for your support of this children’s ministry!

*We are offering VBS at no charge to all students, which means donations make a BIG difference!

Vacation Bible School Registration Form(one form per child)

Child’s name: _________________________________________________

Date of birth: _______________________ Last grade completed: ______

Name of parent(s): _____________________________________________

Street Address: ________________________________________________

City: _____________________________ State: _________ ZIP: ________

Home telephone: (_______) _____________________________________

Parent/caregiver’s cell phone: ____________________________________

Home email address: ___________________________________________

Home church: _________________________________________________

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Crew number or name (for church use only): _______________________

Allergies or other medical conditions: ______________________________

________________________________________________

In case of emergency, contact: ______________________

Phone: _________________________________________

Relationship to child: ______________________________

For additional forms you may contact SELC at 254-2216 or office@swedesburglutheran.org.

1897 140th StreetP. O. Box 88Swedesburg, IA 52652

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June 2 Chicago Folk ServiceJune 9 Kids Against Hunger