the epiphany star january 2016 · the epiphany star january 2016 newsletter of epiphany lutheran...
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The Epiphany Star January 2016
Newsletter of Epiphany Lutheran Church Fort Wayne, Indiana
Dear Epiphany Lutheran Church, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus
the Christ. Amen.
As I sit in my office preparing to write the January 2016 newsletter article, my heart is heavy. It is one week before Christmas. It should be a time of great joy at the birth of our Savior Jesus the Christ. It is a time of preparing to celebrate the coming of a New Year. Yet on December 16
th, I was called to the home of one of
the officers of the Fort Wayne Police Department, Sergeant Todd Hammel, who had died at the age of 38. Sergeant Hammel was one of those officers that, if you were in trouble, you would want him to be the officer to respond. He was one of those police officers who has the demeanor and personality to make everyone around them calm. He truly was one of the “good guys.” I am fortunate to be your pastor and to have an opportunity to reach out as one of the chaplains to our police department. Thank you for allowing me to make a difference in their lives. As a police officer in Fort Wayne, they work a 4/2 shift. That means they work four days on duty and then get two days off. That means that their work schedule is constantly shifting. So having any kind of regular family time is really difficult, as they have to count out on a calendar to determine whether they are working or not. They get one Sunday off a month with this schedule. So being in worship as a family at times can be very difficult. As a chaplain, I am called upon to be with our officers through some difficult situations in their lives, both their personal and professional lives. Then add to it the stress of being on the front lines between the “bad people” and the normal residents of our city, and it can be a very difficult job. Today I am reflecting on the time I spent with Sergeant Hammel and what an impact he has had with me and his fellow officers. Sergeant Hammel worked as part of the “negotiation” team. This is the team that is called upon when there is a blockade or a hostage is taken. They try to talk the person out of making the wrong decisions and making things worse. They are very good at what they do. Sergeant Hammel would also make sure that the chaplain that was called to be at the scene knew what the situation was and how they could help make the situation better. He
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was always trying to make things better. What a gift he was to the FWPD and our community. He will be truly missed. I don’t normally devote a newsletter article to the Fort Wayne Police Department, but this month I am making an exception. I think it is important that we take the time to give God thanks for people who make a difference in our lives. Sergeant Hammel is one of those people that made a difference in my personal life. He will be missed by his wife of 15 years, Tracy, and his two sons (14 and 10). Please remember them in your prayers. Make 2016 a year that finds you giving thanks to God every day for the
many blessings you receive and give. Start today and make it a habit to give
thanks to God for the people who make a difference in your daily life. It will do
your heart good.
In Christ,
Pastor Richard Hartman
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We are Christians, called by God, committed to: Sharing the Gospel, Serving others as Christ taught us, and Creating disciples for witness. Epiphany Lutheran Church’s Vision Statement: A Christian family of God committed to sharing the Gospel and serving others, through joyful worship, education and fellowship.
Please feel free to stop in or call for any of your Pastoral needs. Our office hours are as follows:
Pastor: Sunday – Thursday 8:00 am – 2:30 pm Monday and Wednesday evenings Some Saturdays
Amanda: Monday & Thursday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, Wednesday 12:00-6:00 pm* Other times as needed
Due to unexpected circumstances, these hours may be subject to change.
*Please note new hours!
E-mail Us:
Pastor’s office .................................. [email protected] Pastor’s home ...................................... [email protected] Amanda’s office ............................ [email protected]
WEB SITE: Epiphany Lutheran Church www.epiphanyfw.com
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Meals on Wheels
Thank you for your continued support of this vital mission in our community. We donated a total of $304 in the
months of November and December, bringing our total donations to over $6,000! Please let Amanda in the office know if you would like to be added to the list to give $7 a
month to this worthy cause. Thank you for sharing the gifts God has given to you!
Annual Pokagon Trip Is Coming!
Monday, January 18th (MLK Day — no school!), we
will be making our annual trip to the toboggan run at Pokagon State Park. All youth are invited! (Younger children are also welcome, but may require additional drivers/chaperones, so please let Pastor know if you are interested.) We will leave at 9 am and return around 4 pm, with lunch at the Potawatomi Inn. Cost for the whole day is $20/person. Please join us for a fun-filled day enjoying the winter weather!
Comfort Ye My People
Our next quilting gathering will be Sunday, January 10
th, at 9:00 am. No special skills are required; if
you can tie a knot, you can be a quilter! We will also have a work day on Thursday, January 21
st,
at 9:30 am. We have set an ambitious goal for ourselves in this new year, so please plan to join
us in helping those in need around the world!
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January 3rd
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nd Sunday of Christmas
Jeremiah 31:7-14 Ephesians 1:3-14
John 1:1-18
January 10th
Epiphany of Our Lord Sunday
Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12
January 17th
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nd Sunday after Epiphany
Isaiah 62:1-5 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
John 2:1-11
January 24th
3
rd Sunday after Epiphany
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Luke 4:14-21
January 31st
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th Sunday after Epiphany
Jeremiah 1:4-10 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Luke 4:21-30
Join us for Worship this month! Every Sunday at 8:00 am
and 10:15 am
Every Monday at 7:00 pm
Sunday School/Confirmation/Bible Study at 9:00 am on Sunday
Please join us!
The Saturday morning Men’s Bible Study will continue their study out of the book Game Plan for Life. We will meet on Saturday, January 9
th, at 7:00 am for
breakfast and the Word. All are welcome. We hope to see you there!
Please join us for our annual Epiphany Service on Sunday, January 10
th, at
the 10:15 am service. Our youth will present a pulpit drama to help us learn more about this important
festival in the church year.
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Mission Moment January 2016
Thanks to your wonderful generosity, three families in our community were blessed at Christmas time. We were able to provide gifts and pantry items for a family of five, a family of two, and a military family with four children. Blessings to all of you for spreading the True Meaning of the Season.
Our annual “Souper Bowl” collection/competition will begin on January 17th;
the tables will be divided as we get closer to game day. The canned goods collected will be delivered to Associated Churches Food Bank (see related article on the next page).
While we have been having unusually warm weather, we all know this will change...we are in Indiana! We will continue to collect items (socks, hats, scarves, gloves, and coats/jackets) for Come2Go to keep the homeless in our area a little warmer. Donations can be placed in the appropriate bin in the narthex.
The December basket drawing was a big success—we collected $230 for debt relief! The Dawkins family won a basket of goodies, and the Swansons won the cookie jar and gift certificate to the Cookie Cottage. The next basket drawing will occur in February; watch for more information coming soon.
The Cookie Walk went well and made $215 for Epiphany needs. Thank you to everyone who participated, and special thanks to Barb Werling for bringing her beautiful items to sell, with a portion of the proceeds going to the church.
Outreach is a success in our Missions thanks to this Giving and Caring Congregation.
Written by Sandi Swanson
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It’s SOUPER Bowl Time!
In mid-January, we will begin collecting for our annual “Souper Bowl” contest! Each year, Epiphany members have the chance to root for their favorite Super Bowl team by bringing in non-perishable food items to be donated to the Associated Churches Food Bank. Once the teams have been set, simply bring in your items and place them on the appropriate side of our “field” to let us know which team you want to see win! Epiphany almost always correctly predicts the winner of the big game, so if you want to see your team emerge victorious, bring in those canned goods!
Winter Wear Needed!
As hats, gloves, and scarves go on sale after the holidays and the wintry weather starts, please consider picking up an item for Come2Go’s ministry to the homeless. Thank you!
Re-Enrollment Time!
As many of you know, Epiphany is now part of the “Kroger Community Rewards” program, where members can have a portion of all of their Kroger purchases come back to the church. If you are currently enrolled in this program, you may have already received or will soon be receiving an e-mail asking you to re-enroll in the program for the coming year. The process is very simple—simply open the e-mail and click on “Keep Current Organization.” You should be taken to a confirmation screen where you will see Epiphany listed as your organization, and you’re all set!
If you have not yet enrolled in this program and would like to take this easy step to help generate funds for the church, there is an information sheet with instructions available in the tract rack in the narthex. Thank you for your support!
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Christmas decorations will be put away on Saturday, January 16
th at
9:00 am. There is a sign-up sheet on the board outside Amanda’s office in the narthex here at the church if you would like to come help. Thank you in advance for the gifts of your time and assistance!
All Sunday School and Youth Group members are invited to be a part of our annual Epiphany service on January 10
th at 10:15 am. If you would like to
participate, please come to rehearsal at 9:00 am on January 3
rd, and we’ll
give you a role! Thank you for your participation!
ANGELS AMONG US!
We have members of our congregation who do many things behind the
scenes, and we want to take the time to recognize just a few in this month’s issue! Thank you, Angels!
Greens were hung and poinsettias donated to beautify our worship space Peanut brittle and fudge were purchased, raising money for our debt reduction Monies from the fundraiser were matched to bring in over $1,300 all together! Bells were rung to raise money for the Salvation Army Prayers were said for members and friends in need of God’s care Many Lectors lent their voices to our annual Service of Lessons and Carols Special music enhanced our Christmas Eve worship The choir sang carols with residents at Heritage Park and Georgetown Place Donations of gifts and food brought the Christmas spirit to three families Lots of goodies were donated for our December basket drawing Cookies, candies, and other treats were donated and purchased at our annual Cookie Walk to raise further funds for our debt reduction
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January Baptismal Birthdays
“Happy birthday!” to those who celebrate their second birthday during the month of January! Martin Luther said, “When you wash your face remember
your baptism.” Take time to remember and celebrate this month!
Krista Rumfield Ed Cunningham Jake Richardson
Terry Goodspeed Rosemary Werling Joselyn Thompson
Alicia Davis Adam Auman Dawn Osheskie
Weather-Related Cancellations
So far, this winter seems mild compared to the last few, but things can always change in Indiana! In the event that hazardous weather could affect safe travel to worship, Pastor and Mike Rumfield, Church Council President,
will make the decision whether to cancel services. All cancellations will be broadcast on WANE-TV, and every effort will be made to contact members as well. Safe travels to everyone in the months to come!
Youth Group News
Our next youth event will be Sunday, January 10th, following the
10:15 am service. Please watch for more information coming soon. We will also be making our annual trip to Pokagon on January 18
th;
see page 4 of this newsletter for more information on this always fun event. All youth are always welcome—we hope to see you at our next meeting!
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Terry Goodspeed Need Need Need
Jan. 3rd
LBW Setting II
Jan. 10th
WOV Setting 5
Jan. 17th
LBW Setting II
Jan. 24th
Now the Feast HS 1991
Jan. 31st
Feast of Life (Janzow)
Organist/ Pianist
Sara Davis
Sara Davis
Sara Davis
Sara Davis
Amanda Pickett
Assisting Minister
Alicia Davis
Jane Dawkins
Dia Herb
Jim Davis
Mark Herb
Lector 8:00 am
Cheryl Ralston
Kurt Unrue
Anne Lohman
Deb Crawford
Sue Johnson
Lector 10:15 am
Nina Haag
Rebecca Hartman
Barbara Werling
Mark Herb
Jonathan Hartman
Acolyte Corey Davis
David Osheskie
Nathaniel Pickett
Kristen Davis
Mason McKenna
Communion Assistant 8:00 am
Devin Meunier
Tammy Aschliman
Richard Lee
Anne Lohman
Connie York
Communion Assistant 10:15 am
Cathy Rumfield
David Dawkins
Becky Roemer
Jonathan Hartman
Dia Herb
Altar Guild Need Alicia Davis
Jane Dawkins
Need Need
Greeter(s) Rosemary
Werling The
Hartmans Need Need
The McKennas