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St. Andrews Lutheran Church4910 Claremont Ave.Stockton, CA 95207

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The FishHookFebruary 2017

St. Andrews Lutheran ChurchInspiring Our Community to Live Out the Hope Found in Christ

4910 Claremont Ave / Stockton, CA 95207 / 209.957.8750 / www.stalc.org8:15am - Traditional Worship / 10:45am - Contemporary Worship

FEBRUARYFebruary 1st - Prayers & Spuares @ 9:00am - St. Mary’s Serving @ 4:45pm - Mentor Huddle @ 5:00pm - H2H & Youth @ 6:30pm

February 2nd - Choir @ 6:30pm - Women’s Chorale @ 7:30pm

February 5th - Cross+Gen @ 9:45am - St. Mary’s Serving @ 4:45pm

February 7th - LWML @ 1:00pm - St. Mary’s Serving @ 4:45pm

February 8th - H2H & Youth @ 6:30pm

Febraury 9th - Plymouth Square @ 1:30pm - Choir @ 6:30pm

Febraury 11th - Courage House Quilts @ 9:00am - Good Shepherd @ 12:00pm

Febraury 12th - College/Military Care Packages @ 9:45am

February 13th - Worship @ Rio Las Palmas @ 1:30pm

February 14th - MOPS @ 9:00am - New Life @ 5:30pm

Febraury 15th - Prayers & Spuares @ 9:00am - H2H & Youth @ 6:30pm

February 16th - Commodities @ 6:30am - Choir @ 6:30pm - Women’s Chorale @ 7:30pm

Fenraury 17th - FishHook Materials Due - Taize @ 7:00pm

Febraury 18th - Good Shepherd @ 12:00pm

Febraury 20th -OfficeClosed-President’sDay

February 22nd - H2H & Youth @ 6:30pm

February 23rd - Choir @ 6:30pm

February 25th - Connection & Celebration Meeting @ 10:00am - Good Shepherd @ 12:00pm - Youth Spaghetti Dinner @ 6:00pm

February 28th - MOPS @ 9:00am - St. Mary’s Serving @ 9:30am - New Life @ 5:30pm

No matter what happens in our lives, whether it be facing a severe illness or the changes anddifficultiesofaging,wecanstilllivewithdignity, with encouragement, with comfort, with significance,withmeaning,withhope,withjoyandwith peace. God is there to sustain you through all your challenges. From the moment when the waters of baptism made you a child of God, God made a promise to be with you forever, through all yourjoysandhardships.Themessagethatyouarenot alone and there are people from your church praying for you or helping you is so uplifting. St. Andrews has been blessing people who are ill or shut in their homes without the ability to attend church throughout the past 74 years. That is what Congregation Care is all about. Giving people encouragement and dignity while giving them

comfort, God’s Word, and the sacrament of Holy Communion (and sometimes a meal). It’s being by their side when they go through the challenges. Throughout the years, I’ve been blessed by walking with people as they were dying. It’s amazing to see God working in their lives giving thempeaceandjoy.AndWOWit’sbeenablessing to see how God heals both physically and spiritually as He brings new life to people. Even though people of all ages need care, I spend most of my time with our senior members. Through monthlyhomevisits,worshipservicesatdifferentlocations, and visits at hospitals, we are able to maintain our relationship with our senior members as well as giving them the spiritual food they desire. If you desire to help, contact Bruce in the church office.

Congregational Care

Faith Meling

Gene & Darlene Abrahamson

Katie Logemann

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We have 16 youth and 2 adults going to the Nez Perce Indian Reservation in Idaho again this summer, June 24-July 1, 2017. Please pray for the youth and leaders as they raise funds and prepare for their trip. People attending include: Michael Centers, Justin Centers, Nicholas Curtright, David Deuel, Natalie Johnson, Shawn Johnson, Beckham Johnson, Brooke Kelly, Calvin Kelly, Ryan Lew, Joshua Lew, Zachary Lew, Dylan Marlowe, Carl Swanson, Luke Weber, Doug Wagner, and Kara Rehbein.

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Here is something for you to think about. A new year means that many people are turning one year older. Have you ever sat down and conversed with the elderly people near you? Perhaps your elderly neighbor might be needing some help with some things around the house. When you get to be their age, wouldn’t you want to be helped out everynowandthen?You’llfindoutquickly that they have an enormous amount of experiences and wisdom. The amount of knowledge that can ruboffonyouisunfathomable!Tryit.

Plymouth Square Bible Study

Contact Bruce Kleinert for more information or if you would like to join him out on one of his many visits: 209.607.2893 orbruce@standrewsstockton.org

Faith Stepping Stones is a faith based parenting education from cradle to high school graduation through eight short-courses, which pull parents into the role of primary faith mentors for their own children every night through blessing, prayer, scripture, Highs & Lows, and faith dialogue (Faith 5).

Stone 7: Confirmation This class is required for eighth graders(whodesiredtobeconfirmed)and their parents. Class begins Wednesday, March 1st at 5:30PM and runs through Wednesday, March 15th. Confirmationisnotanend.Itisabeginning. For the past few years we have been working together to prepare our young people to do ministry through Head totheHeart(H2H)Confirmation.JoinusfortheFaithSteppingStone:Confirmationaswelearnwhatconfirmingyourfaithmeans. During these sessions, we will review the basics of the Christian faith as well as explore the vows a youth makes whentheyaffirmtheirfaith.ThefinalpartofConfirmationwillincludearticulatingourteenager’s beliefs by asking each Confirmationstudenttowritehisorherfaith statement. Please RSVP for this class by Monday, February 27th to Tracy at tracy@standrewsstockton.org or 209-957-8750.

FAITH STEPPING STONES

Regular youth meetings will continue on Wednesdays at 6:30pm in the youth room throughout the month of February. We will be looking at intimacy killers and bearing fruit in Christ thismonth.Wewillalsobeenjoyingicecream together with the 8th graders on Wednesday, February 8th. Our service projectthismonthwillbegoingtothelocal homeless shelter to help the people living there make blankets on Saturday, February 11th at 10am; contact Dan Baker for more information. Also, be sure to sign up to help with the spaghetti dinner fundraiser coming up on Saturday, February 25th. We will be having a Mentor Huddle on Wednesday, February 1st at 5:00pm over dinner. We will be planning for the Spaghettti Dinner and looking at upcoming lessons.

HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH

H2H

H2H meets each Wednesday this monthtofinishourstudyoftheLord’sPrayer with lessons on Forgive Us, Time of Trial, Deliver Us From Evil and The Doxology. H2H Mentors will meet with High School Mentors Wednesday, February 1 at 5pm for continuing education and going over our February lessons and planning the Spaghetti Dinner. Dinner will be provided. We have two opportunities to serve this month. First on Sunday, February 12 at 9:45am we will be putting together care packages for college youth and those in the military. Our next fundraiser for the youth mission trip to the Nez Perce Reservation this summer will be Saturday, February 25 – please make sure to save this date to help set up, serve and clean up after this meal!

We are currently collecting names and addresses of those studying in college, and those military personnel that are away from family and friends. We want to encourage them and show that our thoughts and prayers are with them. Please submit their names and addresses to Tracy Krueger no later than Sunday, February 5th. We are also asking that the congregation would help out by bringing the following items on or before Sunday, February 5th:

Preschool/Kindergarten: 1 package of pens or pencils1st/2nd/3rd Grade: 1 box of granola bars 4th/5th Grade: 1 box of microwaveable popcorn6th-8th Grade: 1 package of wrapped candyHigh school: 1 box of hot chocolate (individual packets)Adults: Snack packs of cookies or crackers

Ourconfirmationstudentswillbe helping to put together the boxes on Sunday, February 12th at 9:45am. Questions? Contact Tracy at 209-957-8750 or tracy@standrewsstockton.org.

CARE PACKAGES

YOUTH MISSION TRIP

Join us for a youth spaghetti dinner Saturday, February 25th at 6PM. We are raising funds for the youth mission trip to the Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho this coming summer. Tickets will be available Sunday, February 5, 12, & 19. Dinner will include salad, bread, spaghetti,dessert,wineandcoffee.$12forages12andup,$5for11andyounger,or$30forfamilieswithchildrenunderage12. Contact Tracy or Ann Marie for more information.

YOUTH SPAGHETTI DINNER

FINANCIAL TESTIMONY Irefusetosubmit!Ireallyliketodo things my way. I like to make all the decisions AND have the control. However, I also feel so blessed that God loves me enough to not leave me alone, but instead get involved in my life. When I moved to California at 23, I thought for sure I was going to be a millionaire by the time I was 30. No doubt in my mind, everything in my life that I set out to do I had accomplished, and I was very“confident”thiswouldoccuraswell. Well after becoming a Christian at 25, getting married at 29 then losing 3jobsoverthecourseof3yearsduetodownsizing,mydreamturnedintojustwantingtofillmygastankupabovethe¼ tank level. We then had Cameron and Jordan and were able to hang on and make ends meet until 2008. Then the recession hit. Being in the construction industry my income was reduced to 25%. This made things a little stressful to say the least. About this time my prayer life really got serious. Cam and Jo’s grandma, Patricia, had continuous migraines for over a year. So every night we would say our normal prayers and thenprayspecificallyforGrandma.Oneparticular evening, when the bills were overwhelming,Irememberjustprayingsilently, “Lord I really need some help. I really need help to feed these kids this month”.Itwasthe10th(wehad$500in the bank) and the mortgage was due ($1,800).Well2dayslater,Godcamethrough, we received the needed money and we made it one more month. This happened again 3-4 more times over the next year. This process reallysolidifiedmytrustinGod.Hewasfaithful every time. After this happening so many times I would pray, “Lord, You know what I need and I know you will provide,sothankyou.”

This same process again happened over these last few years in my business. It would be time to pay the bills and payroll was due. The bank account did not match the bills. “Lord I need help”.Timeandagainhewouldprovide.I can’t even tell you how amazing this is. He is a good father. He always provides. Inmymind,IwasalwaysjustifiedtonotgivemyfirstfruitstoGod.IreasonedIhadnofirstfruitstogive.Atleastthatwasmyjustification. Ever since Tunde shared last year her amazing story about how God has provided for her family, every time ends didn’t meet I have been wrestling with God. How can I tithe a full tithe when I don’t have

anything left to tithe? I had Kara explain it this way: If someone invites you over for some brownies and ice cream and they bring out the ¼ full freezer burnt ice cream and the left over two day old brownie tray that has only the edges

left. How does that make you feel? InMalachi3:10Godsays,”Testmeinthis.”IsaidOK.Mybudgetdoesnot balance, so I will test you. I went from 2% to 10%. Guess what happened…. heprovidedagain!IbelieveGodasksformy obedience in the things he knows that I can make idols. Because when after yearsofstubbornnessIfinallysubmitted,a new freedom came over me that I can not explain. I am the happiest I ever been inmylife! Don’t take my word for it. Ask God what He wants from you. Then do it. Test Him.It’sworththejourney. ~Doug Wagner

Thank you to everyone who attended the Homelessness and Mental Health Awareness Seminar last Sunday afternoon. We hope that you were able to take in some new information and that some of your questions were answered. Please feel free to send any new questions you have our direction and we will work to get your connected to the answer.

COMMUNITY AWARENESS

Thrivent Action Teams AllbenefitThriventmembersareeligible to lead up to two Thrivent Action Teams per calendar year. Think about an unmet need in your community and how you could help. Apply to lead your volunteer team in a one-time fundraiser, service activity or educational event that can be completed within 90 days. Once yourprojectisapproved,you’llreceiveaThriventActionKit,includinga$250Community Impact Card you can use as seedmoneytopurchaseprojectsupplies and create promotional materials. For more information or to apply visit Thrivent.com or call 1-800-847-4836.

Thrivent Choice Dollars Thrivent Choice® is more than a charitable grant program for eligible members of Thrivent Financial. It’s a great way to help the organizations you care about, including St. Andrews. Nearly 31,400 churches, schools, camps and othernonprofitorganizationsareenrolledinThriventChoice.IfyouareabenefitThrivent member be sure to direct your ChoiceDollarstoday!Helptheorganizations you care about strengthen communities and change lives. Direct available Choice Dollars now, following one of these easy steps:•Goonlineat Thrivent.com/thriventchoice.•Call800-847-4836andsay“Thrivent Choice”aftertheprompt.

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Mark your calendars for this year’s VBS: Monday, July 17-Friday, July 21 from 5:30pm-8:10pm. This year’s theme is Passport to Peru where we’ll discover God’s good gifts. Dinner is included and it’sallfree.Hopeyoucanjoinusforthefunanddon’tforgettoinviteyourfriends!

Costco Rewards If you are a Costco member and receiveanannualrewardgiftcertificate,please consider donating your reward to VBS. We use the Costco rewards to purchase items for the dinners served at VBS and your rewards help us keep VBS free to our community. Contact Tracy Krueger for more information or to donate.

VBS

2015-2016 Theme: We Are The Starry Eyed

Moms of children 6 and under are invitedtojoinusatMOPS.Getready!Thesky’syourlimit!Thisyearwewillrunwildly toward wonder, hope and kindness because we see the light in the darkness and choose to live courageously. We open our eyes to wonder and choose hope over fear. Please invite any moms of children6andundertojoinusatanyofour meetings. In February, we meet Tuesday February 14 and 28 from 9-11am in the Parish Hall. On Valentine’s day, we will discuss “Becoming…. Intimate”,focusingonourrelationshipwith our husbands. Tuesday, February 28wewilldiscuss“Becoming…Seen”,inviting others to witness our story creates opportunities for resilience and growth. Our loving moppets workers take care of the children while the moms meet for encouragement, fun and learning how we can explore wonder, hope and kindness as we draw closer to Jesus in this season of mothering. If you have any questions call Deaconess Ann Marie Rehbeininthechurchoffice. The MOPS steering team will meet Tuesday, February 7 from 8:30 am – 10:30 am at Liz Cliburn’s home to grow as leadersandfinalizeFebruaryplans.

LENT WORSHIP

The Connection & Celebration team would like to thank Cyndi Temme for her service and contribution on the team. Cyndi was one of the founding members of the team, and she will be greatly missed.The following are opportunities for CONNECTION & CELEBRATION, sponsored by various ministries:

February:25: Youth Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser tosupportsummermissionproject

March: Lent begins4: District Mission Conference at St. Paul’s Lutheran in Tracy

April:1: Church Work Day13: Maundy Thursday Seder Meal

May: Wine Tasting

The next planning meeting is February 25th. If you have any information/suggestions, contact any C & C person:Tonya DeSpain 610-0532Jamie Marlowe 662-1884Jeanne O’Connell 955-1436Donna Sherman 475-8494

Just a little update on our out-reach ministry to our Police and Fire Department. Because of your generosity, our LWML (Women in Ministry) Groupwasabletofill174giftbagstoFireStation #4. Each bag contained candy, cookies, personal devotions, and a brochure of our Church. We were also abletogivea$250checkfortheYouthActivities Fund at the Police Station. They were very appreciative of your love, support, and many prayers. As a congregation, we need to keep these men and women in our daily prayers.

Our next LWML meeting will be Tuesday, February 2nd at 1:00pm. All women of the congregation are invited to attend. We will be voting on various organizations where we can send our moneyto,andmakeadifferenceinGod’sworld.

Lenten Worship Begins Wednesday, March 1, 2017Ash Wednesday Worship – 12pm and 7pm

Join us for worship on Wednesday, March 1st. This special day inthechurchyearmarksthefirstdayofthechurchseasonofLent,thefortydaysleadinguptoEaster,inwhichwesacrificeordinarypleasuresandreflectonChrist’ssacrifice.Onthisdaywereceiveacrossofashesonforeheads,asasignofrepentance and to be reminded us that we are dust and to dust we shall return.

You are invited to attend the 2017 CNH District Missions Conference, “MissionaryPeople.”Theconferencewillbe held on Saturday, March 4, 2017 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Tracy, California. To register, please go to www.cnh-lcms.org. In addition to the keynote speakers, Robert Newton, John Mehl, and Heather Davis, break-out session leaders include:•VonnieCarlsenandBevDaily:“90 Minutes Can Radically Change You, Your Church,andYourCommunity”•TrinidadCastaneda:“ElRoi—Hagar’s Name for God when He saw Her Affliction”•HeatherDavis:“LongLivetheRoyalPriesthood!”•Ted&MartyHartman:“CultivatingaMissionalEnvironmentThroughPrayer”•BethHirschLange:“MinistersinDisguise”•JohnMehl:“WhatCanBeAccomplished Short-Term?•AaronPutnam,PaulHenryLauaki, and Viliami(“V”)Finau:“SOYL-SchoolofYoungLeaders”•DominicRivkin:“Missionfrom the Inside Out: A Contemplative Approach to ConnectinginChrist”•AlanTongandAshleyWong:“Young AdultDisciples–MissionTripImpact”•MikeZimmer:“CreatingaDiscipleship CultureinYourSchool”and“DiscipleMakingbyMultiplication”

Don’t delay…the deadline to register is Wednesday, February 22, 2017!

Costfortheconferenceis$35whichincludes breakfast and lunch. We hope to be able to carpool to Tracy on the day of the conference. Questions about the cost or about anything else? Talk to Holly in the churchoffice-holly@standrewsstockton.org or 209.957.8750.

2017 MISSION CONFERENCE

All Church Clean-up DaySaturday, April 1st

It’sthattimeofyearagain!It’s time to clean up our church before Easter. Our all Church Clean-up day will be Saturday, April1st,at8:00am.Pleasecalltheofficeand let Brandee know if you will be helping out. With tasks such as: Touch-up Painting, Power Washing, Deep Cleaning of areas, Weeding, etc. We would be in need of a power washer to complete some tasks listed for the above areas.

The Good Shepherd Family will besellingbreakfastburritos,juiceboxes and water on February 5th. The costis$5foraburritoand$1foradrink.The burritos will be available for take out ortobeenjoyedduringbibleclass.NetproceedswillbenefittheGoodShepherdFamily to defray the cost of the Lake Tahoe retreat in August.

GOOD SHEPHERD

PleasejoinusonJune 17,2017, at 1:05 PM when the New York Yankees will play the Oakland A’s. We have a limited amount of tickets available to watch our very own Aaron Judge play before a hometown crowd. The cost of theticketsare$51eachandwillbeonafirstcomebasis. Payment is required at the time you signup.Confirmationofyourticketwillbe upon receipt of payment, either cash or checks. Checks are payable to Joanne Fisher. (Names and Payments will be accepted as of Sunday, February 5th.)

For additional information or questions, please contact Joanne at 474-3704.

SAVE the DATE CONNECTION & CELEBRATION

SAVE the DATE

As of right now, Tao and Tia will not be moving to the Stockton area and beginningoutreacheffortsamongtheStockton Hmong community. They are centeringtheireffortsontheFresnoandMerced Hmong communities at this time. Joy in Harvest ministries still hopes to one day begin this outreach in Stockton, as do we, but it will not be occurring at the present time-not with Tao and Tia, anyway. Please continue to keep them in your prayers and our own mission of bringing friends, neighbors, and family to know the hope that is found in Christ.

HMONG MINISTRY UPDATE On behalf of the Stockton Police Department, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the members of the St. Andrews Lutheran Church for providing to ourPoliceOfficersthe150giftbagsfilledwith delicious home-baked cookies and the various assorted candies. In addition, youprovidedadonationof$250totheStockton Police Youth Activities to support their numerous youth outreach programs thorughout the City of Stockton. Your heart-warming gesture means so much toourstaffandcommunity.Thankyouforyour generosity and kindness. ~Eric Jones, Chief of Police

A THANK YOU TO LWML

Newday Preschool provides the best care and learning possible in a safe and nurturing environment where each child has the opportunity to develop a positive self-image as well as grow spiritually, socially, emotionally, academically and physically. Ourstaffconsistsofqualified,dedicatedChristianswho provide love and understanding to each individual child.

NewdayoffersHalfDay(9-11:45am)&Full Day classes (7:30-5:30pm) for children

2 thru 5 years of age. We have Tues.-Thurs., Mon.-Wed.-Fri. & Mon.- Fri.

schedules available.

Registration Dates:In-House-January 23rd -February 3rd Church & Alumni-February 6th; 7amOpen Enrollment-February 27th; 7am

Registration fees ($175 per child) are due upon receipt of your application and are non-refundable. (No Exceptions) If you would like to observe any of our classes or set up a tour, please make an appointment in advance. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Jen at 209-957-4089 or email me at jen@standrewsstockton.org.

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NEWDAY PRESCHOOL

Miss Jen, Preschool Director

Miss Elizabeth, Assistant Director

Miss Jenny

Miss Anntoinette

Miss Jennifer:

Miss Kim, Head Teacher

Miss Sam

Miss Trini

Miss Pat

Miss Caroline

Miss Autumn

Newday is a unique preschool where we blend current learning techniques and practices with traditional Christian values. We help guide our children by teaching them, loving them, caring for them, laughing with them and letting them be the special little souls they are.

Creating a nurturing environment where children are safe is my priority.

As a realist, I understand that I can’t reach every child every day, But as an optimist, I sure will try.

I will try to help each child the best I can to make sure they have fun while learning. I will bring a positive attitude to the class each day.

Children are a gift from God and I want to fill their hearts with laughter, help them grow and know how special they are.

We’ll start the day in an awesome way; loving, caring and always sharing. We will play and learn and have fun, too, because every day we will be a joy for you.

I will try to help the children develop their social skills at their own pace.

I will let them be little; fill their hearts with laughter. I will help them grow wings; nurture their sense of wonder. I will inspire them to believe and love them like there is no tomorrow.

Laughter, kindness and imagination have no age and dreams are forever. Smiles and laughter are priceless.

The future of the world is in our classroom today.

I love working with kids and I’m so excited to learn and grow alongside the Newday children this year.

I teach for the outcome; not the income.

How could YOU be praying for US?Please be praying for the spiritual, emotional and academic growth of our Newday children along with thehealthandcreativespiritsofourNewdaystaff.