2019 March Newsletter

WORSHIP NOTES FOR 2019 MARCH

For the last 15 centuries, the Church has devoted 40 days for the season of Lent in preparation for the feast of Easter. This year, since Easter will be celebrated on April 21, the season of Lent will begin on March 6. You should note that the Sundays during Lent are NOT counted in the 40 days.

A special note: this year, March 17, the commemoration of the death of St. Patrick, will be observed, as this date falls on a Sunday. Unfortunately, many Christians in America think of this day primarily as a secular festival--with lots of booze, parades, parties, and merriment. Most people do not realize how God used Patrick to spread the Gospel to the then pagan country of Ireland.

Patrick was born in western England around 386 A.D., near the end of the Roman Empire, to a semi-Christian family. Across the sea was the pagan land of Ireland, which was the home for marauding pirates. When Patrick was 16, he was abducted by some of these pirates and sold into slavery in northern Ireland. He was a shepherd and remained there for six years. Becoming homesick, he convinced some pirates to take him on one of their raids, since he could handle the dogs used for these raids. Patrick escaped and ended up in France, where he became a priest.

The Church, in two attempts to convert these pagans to Christianity and hopefully stop the raids, had these two missionaries brutally martyred. Patrick then convinced the church leaders to send him, since he knew the country and their language. He was successful and brought Christianity to the hearts of these Irish people, showing them God's love and laboring there for over 40 years. He died on March 17, a date remembered by the Christian Church. His statement of faith can be found in the hymn, "I Bind unto Myself Today." (LSB Hymn 604).

Transfiguration Of Our Lord - March 3

This Sunday marks the conclusion of the Epiphany season, a season in which the Church talks about Jesus and His Godly powers-- healing diseases, performing miracles, and confronting the demonic forces. The Gospel reading for this day tells that Jesus changed His appearance and had conversations with Moses and Elijah, the two most important Old Testament figures. The Old Testament Reading tells how God allowed Moses to view the promised land before he died. The Epistle Reading compares Jesus to Moses, pointing out that Moses was a faithful servant to God in all things, but that Jesus was an even greater servant to God. Hymns that proclaim God's glory include "'Tis Good, Lord, to Be Here"; "Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies"; "O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair"; and "Alleluia, Song of Gladness."

Ash Wednesday - March 6

We begin the season of Lent by God calling us to repentance. It is our sin that caused Jesus to come into the world and pay for our redemption with His life. In the Old Testament Reading, the prophet Joel called for a fast and for the people to repent of their sins. In the Epistle Reading, Paul tells the Corinthians to be reconciled to God, who in Jesus died for our sin. The Gospel Reading asks us to show our sorrow by giving to charity, praying, and fasting quietly. Hymns for this service include "Savior, When in Dust to Thee" and "Jesus, Sinners Doth Receive."

1st Sunday In Lent - March 10

On this Sunday we hear how God redeemed His people. In the Old Testament Reading, we hear how God gave Himself to save His people from Egypt; He asks us to return the first fruits of His gifts to us. In the Epistle Reading, we hear how God saves those who confess their sins to Him; in return, He asks us to continue to call upon Him to save us from our problems. Finally, in the Gospel Reading, we hear how Jesus resisted the devil's three temptations, thus continuing on His path to win our salvation. Hymns for this Sunday include "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"; "O Lord, throughout These Forty Days"; "O Christ, You Walked the Road"; and "You Who Dwell in the Shelter of the Lord."

2nd Sunday In Lent - March 17

The people of God get warnings to turn from evil and repent. Jeremiah asked God's people to repent. Should they kill Jeremiah, the blood would be on their hands. Paul tells the Philippians’ congregation not to follow evil; instead, as citizens of heaven they should stand firm in the Lord's teachings. The Gospel Reading contains ironic messages: the Pharisees warn Jesus that Herod wants to kill Him. Jesus, in turn, responds that He must go to Jerusalem to die (for their sins). It should be noted that the prophets, apostles, missionaries, and teachers in the Church, when confronting evil, ask sinners to repent and follow God's ways. Hymns for this Sunday include "On My Heart Imprint Your Image" and the Irish tunes of "My Song Is Love Unknown"; "The King of Love My Shepherd Is" and "Christ Be My Leader."

3rd Sunday In Lent - March 24

We continue with the theme of repentance. Ezekiel reminds us that we should warn the wicked--if they repent, this is great and God-pleasing. Similarly, Paul tells the Corinthians and us not to follow evil, but to set a good example. We should not blame evil people or God when we fall into sin. Instead, we need to remember that God tempts no one, and will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can handle. In addition, he will provide a way of escape. During these times, please read 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 for words of encouragement. In the Gospel Reading, Jesus tells us about the lesson of the fig tree: the owner gives the unproductive tree another year to produce fruit. Hymns for this Sunday include "Jesus, Sinners Doth Receive"; "Renew Me, O Eternal Light"; "The Will of God Is Always Best"; and "May God Bestow on Us His Grace."

4th Sunday In Lent - March 31

CHURCH NEWS

MEETINGS

Board Of Elders Meeting

There will be NO Board of Elders meeting for the month of March. The next meeting will be in April.

Church Council Meeting

The next scheduled Church Council meeting will be at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26.

Relationship Committee Meeting

The next meeting of the Relationship Committee will be held on Friday, March 22, at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Pat Fritz.

UPDATES

Camp Restore Detroit

There are exciting things happening at Camp Restore! The walls in the dorm rooms are going up as I write this and our dreams are being put to action. We couldn't be more grateful for the incredible volunteers who are taking the time to help with this project! We are also preparing for a group of campers coming March 15-21! They are a young group from Arkansas and they are so excited to serve in our neighborhood. The group will be working with a lot of people, especially kids, here in our area. We pray for them as they prepare to make their way to this amazing city!

Council Of Lutheran Women

The luncheon will take place on Tuesday, March 19 at Burton Manor (27777 Schoolcraft in Livonia, 48150). Those of us driving from the east will exit I-96 at Inkster Road, stay in the left lane to use the cross-over bridge which lines up with the entry to Burton Manor. Please remember to watch for oncoming traffic from EB Schoolcraft
before entering the Burton Manor driveway. Parking is available on the right or continue behind the hall (south side). Attendees can enter via the south side or west side entrances. The south door is actually the best for dropping off anyone using a cane or walker.

The festivities begin at 11:15 a.m. so plan to arrive before 11 in order to find your seat. There will also be display tables (including
the Lutheran Bookstore) available to visit in the hallway outside the banquet hall. Coat racks will be available in the banquet hall and we ask that you not leave your coat on your chair as it can become a tripping hazard. Please be considerate of the wait staff and the other attendees who must navigate around the tables.

Attendees are encouraged to bring donations that benefit the many service organizations that are supported by the members of the CLW. Especially needed for our Detroit Food Pantries are non-perishable dry & canned goods (easy to open); paper products (Kleenex, toilet paper, paper towels); things for serving food (styrofoam or paper plates, napkins, cups, plastic ware); hygiene items (washcloths & towels, deodorant, toothbrushes & toothpaste, soap & shower gel, women's sanitary supplies, underwear & socks); and blankets. Operation Layette is in need of crib blankets, cloth diapers and infant socks at this time. Camp Restore Detroit would appreciate gift cards for Kroger, Lowes, Meijers, Home Depot, Menards and Target. Family of God needs cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and paper products for serving meals. Gifts for All God's Children are in need of NEW children's coats, shoes, boots, socks and children's books. MOST Ministries accepts eyeglasses, miscellaneous office supplies and Ziploc bags (all sizes). Students from Guardian Lutheran School in Dearborn will gladly assist in transporting donations to the collection room and will be watching the doorways for your arrival. There will also be containers to accept monetary donations to support Food Banks, Operation layette, and the Scholarship Program. Those will be on one of the display tables in the hallway.

Our speaker will be Gayle Sommerfeld, co-founder of MOST Ministries (Mission Opportunities Short Term). She will share her inspiring story of how God can lead an ordinary person to make a difference in the world around her.

It's not too late to invite a friend to join you at the luncheon. We still have a few seats available on our second table. Contact Lucie Witte if you know someone who might like to join us (reservation cost is $29). Come and help us celebrate Elizabeth and all those other ladies (and men) who continue to support the ministry opportunities available to the members of the Council of Lutheran Women. Working with each other and with God's blessings, much is accomplished! This is indeed something to celebrate!

Choir Schedule During Lent

During the season of Lent, the Senior Choir will rehearse as follows for the month of March:

Thursday
Wednesday
Thursday
Wednesday

March 7
March 13
March 21
March 27

7:00 p.m.
8:15 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
8:15 p.m.

Easter lilies

If you wish to place an order for Easter lilies, you may do so by signing the sheet located in the Altar Guild Room. The price is $12.00 each and must be submitted to Carol Vietzke by Friday, April 19. If you have any questions, please contact Terrie in the church office or Carol Vietzke.

Food Bank

Dates for the Food Bank in March are the 6th and the 20th. We will invite our participants to the Lenten dinners and services. Many, many thanks to St. Paul in Hamburg, MI for the huge donation of food to be used for our food bank. A thank you note has been sent to them. They have done so much to help Mt. Calvary and Camp Restore Detroit and are a true blessing!

Headstart

The children continue to learn the alphabet, one letter at a time. Carol, Elizabeth, Sylvia and Sue are continuing to read stories to the children each Wednesday.

Lenten Dinners

Once again this year, we will have dinners preceding the Lenten Worship Services (except for Ash Wednesday). The dinners begin at 6:00 p.m. with worship following at 7:00 p.m. We have Camp Restore cooking on March 20. The following dates are still available: March 13, 27, and April 3, 10. If you are able to volunteer to prepare a meal, please contact Carol Vietzke at 248.229.2220.

Lutheran High School 75th Anniversary Concert

The LHSA is celebrating 75 years of local Christian education with choral and instrumental music, performed by the choirs and bands of Lutheran North, Northwest, and Westland at Concordia University, Ann Arbor next Sunday, March 3. Before the concert, join in a complimentary wine & cheese reception at 2:30 p.m. with the concert following at 4:00. No ticket or RSVP is required, but please share this event with fellow LHSA alums at: www.facebook.com/events/400051447471803.

MIDWEEK LENTEN SERVICES
Wednesday's at 7:00 p.m.
Exploring the Topic of the Lord's Prayer

Evening's Theme

Ash Wednesday
"Our Father"

Lent 1
"Hallowed By Thy Name"

Lent 2
"Thy Kingdom Come"

Lent 3
"Thy Will Be Done!"

Lent 4
"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"

Lent 5
"Forgive Us Our Trespasses"

(March 6)

(March 13)

(March 20)

(March 27)

(April 3)

(April 10)

Intro to Lord's Prayer
"Call Home"

First Petition
"Is God Holy In Our Lives?"

Second Petition
Is God Coming in Our Lives?"

Third Petition
"How Is God Working in Our Lives?"

Fourth Petition
"What Is Enough?"

Fifth Petition
"For How Much Forgiveness Are You Asking?"

Newsletter Articles

Your newsletter articles for the April Newsletter will be due on Friday, March 15.

Scrip

Due to extra donations that have been received by our Food Bank, it has been decided that the SCRIP profits for the next two months will be directed to help send two of our confirmands to the LCMS Youth Gathering this summer. Please consider making some orders for SCRIP to help build this Youth Gathering account - wherever you do some of your shopping (Target, GFS, Meijer, Sam's Club and Walmart) is a good place to start. Your favorite restaurants are also a good choice as they tend to offer higher rebate percentages. See Lucie Witte for a current order form or to place an order. Orders placed on Sunday will be available for delivery by mid-week or the following Sunday if preferred.

World Day Of Prayer

The LWML Greater Detroit Zone’s observance of the World Day of Prayer will be held this Friday, March 1 at Peace Lutheran Church, 15700 East Warren at Balfour in Detroit. The Service begins at 10 a.m. and will be led by the LWML Greater Detroit Zone Counselor, Richard Robinson. Following the Service, there will be a potluck lunch. Please bring a dish to pass.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

2019 March Birthdays

01
07
11
18
19
25

Pastor John Carrier
Zachary Gammarath
Stuart Wrobel
Alyssa Vietzke
Ron Varty
Laura Grammens

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!

2019 March Anniversaries

There are no anniversaries this month.

Don't forget to stop by "From The Pastor's Desk..." to see what insights Pastor John Carrier has for the month of March.