March 2024
Dear People of God,
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” Heraclitus
There are some books that we’re never really done reading and the bible is certainly one of them. It doesn’t matter how many times we hear or read a passage from scripture, there is always something new to be revealed to us by the Holy Spirit because we are in a different place in our lives each time.
For me, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s works entitled, Life Together is another example. This slim little paperback reminds me of picking cherries from my neighbor’s tree. After I’d picked all the ripe ones from one branch and moved on to another, out of the corner of my eye I kept spotting some I missed! So, I’d go back. Reading Life Together is like that; even when you think you’ve stripped it clean of tasty fruits, you can be sure there are still more hidden in the leaves, waiting to be found.
One tasty fruit appears right away in the first chapter. “Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ.”
What that means is, yes, we need Jesus, but we need each other too. It is through our relationships with one another that we find relationship with Christ (and vice versa). It is my prayer that our Wednesday evening meals and worship will reinforce existing relationships while also creating new ones. So, be sure to invite others!
“Because God has bound us together in one body with other Christians in Jesus Christ, long before we entered into common life with them, we enter into that common life not as demanders but as thankful recipients.” 2
So, we thank God for giving us one another and are reminded that the love of God in Jesus Christ has brought us together and preserved this congregation for so many years.
Who is God calling to be in relationship with First Lutheran? And, who is God calling First Lutheran to be in relationship with? I hope you’ll listen prayerfully for both answers. “Christian community...is a gift of God which we cannot claim. The more thankfully we daily receive what is given to us, the more surely and steadily will fellowship increase and grow...”3
Yours in Christ, Pastor Anita
ACOLYTES
March 3 Nolan Muhlenbruch
March 10 Jaxon Verba
March 17 Porsche’/Jeremiah Lilly
March 24 Hannah Wharton
March 28 Nolan Muhlenbruch – Maundy Thursday
March 31 Jaxon Verba – Easter
ALTAR GUILD Tammy Klatt, Jean Swanson
Bread Baker: Wanda Glade
USHERS: Gene and Kent Thelke
DEACON; Jean Swanson
FLCW QUILTERS: March 5 and 19; 1 pm
FIRST COUNCIL MEETING: Wednesday, March 6th following Lenten worship
D/SAOC DONATIONS: We are currently collecting donations of diapers and Kleenex for the D/SAOC. Please leave any and all donations in the shopping cart that is in the narthex. Thanks for your help!
EASTER BREAKFAST A sign-up sheet for ingredients for Easter breakfast is in the narthex. Menu includes Egg Bake, Pancakes/Waffles, Sausage Patties, Fresh Fruit, and Cinnamon Rolls. Please have ingredients to the church by 10 am on Saturday, March 30. Any questions, ask, call, or text Kathy at 515-571-4012. Thanks!
PRAYER REQUESTS for the family of Norman Hanson, whose funeral was held at First on Feb. 7th, Pam Odland, Donna Willis and Merle Reingardt.
LENTEN MEALS & SCHEDULE
March 6th meal: ham balls, cheesy taters, green beans, desserts Worship: In Community with Those on the Margins – Mark 5:1-20 Pastor John Sheahan/Bergen Roland
March 13th meal: assorted soups, homemade ice cream Worship: In Community with Christ – Mark 10:32-45 Pastor Tim Malek/St. Petri Story City
March 20th meal: tacos and all the fixings Worship: In Community with Those Who Suffer – Mark 5:21-43 Pastor Jonathan Cooney/Grace UMC Story City
Serving of the weekly meals begins at 5:30 p.m. worship at 6:30 p.m.
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
March 24th – Palm Sunday Sunday school will process with palms and sing
March 28th – Maundy Thursday worship/communion – 6:30 p.m.
This Thursday is called “Maundy,” (not Maun-day) which means “command,” from the verse in John’s gospel in which Jesus commands us to love another as he loved us. We hear about the Passover lamb, Jesus’ last meal with his disciples before his death, and Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. Together we will gather at the Lord's Table for Holy Communion. Finally we strip the chancel bare, to ready ourselves for Good Friday.
March 29th – Good Friday service – 6:30 p.m. Why do we call this day Good? In John’s telling of Jesus’ passion, Jesus is “I am,” the God who reigns from the cross, the king who discusses theology with Pilate. Listen for the differences between John’s passion and Mark’s passion that we heard on Sunday. At this service we pray for everyone we can think of, and we confess that it is our sin that crucified Christ. If it is helpful for you, you can come forward to reverence the cross as part of your own prayer.
March 31st – Easter Sunday
Breakfast served from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Worship w/communion 10:00 a.m.
What does it mean to be Christian? Christians are those who share their faith in the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to transform themselves and the world. Each Sunday we gather to praise the resurrection, but Easter is our annual blow-out celebration. This year we hear the gospel from Mark, take part in the Lord's Supper and sing, sing, sing!
And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. John 13:3-5
On Maundy Thursday, we remember Christ’s last meal with his disciples, but the central focus is his commandment that we live out the promise embodied in this meal. As Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, so we are called to give and receive love in humble service to one another. In response, we will be collecting the following items for donation to *DSAOC: plastic silverware, boys’ and men’s socks, washcloths and towels, foot or body powders and soap
* DSAOC is a crisis based shelter that offers a host of assistance to victims and their children fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, stalking and violent crimes. DSAOC shelter services are available 24/7, 365 days a year. Services within the shelter are all free of charge, confidential and supports the survivor's ability to once again control their own life. Toll-free Crisis Line: 1-800-356-2006
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH 2023 ANNUAL MEETING
The annual meeting of First Lutheran Church was held on January 28, 2024 following morning services.
President, Shelly Howard, called the meeting to order. A motion by Cheryl Jass and seconded by Maynard Agena to approve of the agenda. Carried.
Pastor Anita led us in devotion from page 86 of our hymnal.
The secretary’s Report was given by Jeanne Russell. There were no additions or corrections.
Treasurer’s Report was given by Beth Hurt. Checkbook balance is $25,299.13 Expenses were lower than budgeted, largely due to the reimbursement of the Portico on Pastor Anita’s health insurance which amounts to $10,170.00. There is still 2% of our weekly giving that is put into the Maintenance Fund. A motion by Craig Russell to approve of the Treasurer’s Report was seconded by Cheryl Jass. Motion carried.
Auditors reported that the books were complete and accurate.
Call Committee: Tammy Klatt As Chairperson of the Call Committee, Tammy reported that the committee has met with Pastor Steve Brackett, from the Synod Office, several times and all of our paper work has been submitted and now we just have to be patient until a candidate is available to interview.
Old Business:
In 2022, the Harvest Festival designation funds were chosen to be put in the Maintenance Fund to save for a new chair lift if our current one stopped functioning. This year the funds from the Harvest Festival were distributed among several options, D/SAOC; Gift of Giving; Fund for Leaders; Go Serve Global; ELCA Good Gifts and our Maintenance Fund. 2% of our weekly giving is designated towards the Maintenance Fund. A motion by Larry Klatt to have the Council select the options each year for the designation of the Harvest Festival funds. Seconded by Beth Hurt. Motion carried.
The Budget for 2024: The Council has approved the budget for 2024. Pastor Anita addressed the need for a Youth Minister in our congregation. She mentioned that many ministers were very active in bible camps and youth ministry before going to the seminary. She said that if she could save $5.00 a week it would accumulate to $240 annually and that could go towards the salary of a Youth Minister. If we each did that, we could potentially reach the goal of $10,000 to pay a youth minister. Tammy Klatt made a motion to adjust the 2024 budget, with an additional $10,000 to go towards the cost of a Youth Minister. Dan Hurt seconded the motion. The motion carried.
Election: We had one position open on the ballot. Stewardship Chairman—after some discussion, Tammy and Larry Klatt agreed to serve a 3 year term for this position. Approval of the
ballot was made by Cheryl Jass and seconded by Mark Odland. Motion carried.
Mission Investment Interest: The interest from the fund this year was $701.52. Craig Russell made a motion that it go towards the VBS fund. This motion was seconded by Jean Swanson. Motion carried.
There being no further business, we closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Jeanne Russell, Secretary
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING
FEBRUARY 7, 2024
President, Jean Swanson, opened the meeting with six members present: A motion to approve of the agenda presented was made by Maynard Agena and seconded by Craig Russell. Motion carried.
Pastor Anita led us in devotions and provided us with a listing of her Pastoral duties in January.
Secretary’s Report: Jeanne Russell
Jeanne read the minutes from the meeting on January 3rd. They were approved as read.
Treasurer’s Report: Beth Hurt
The fire extinguishers need to be checked again. Pastor Anita’s donation to the Youth Ministry Account was done. We overcharged Anita on the Portico insurance so a reimbursement was given to her. Larry Klatt made the motion to accept the Treasurer’s report as presented and Maynard Agena seconded it. Carried.
Deacon’s Report:
Members in the care centers and our shut-ins at home are getting visited and receiving communion by our deacons.
Trustee’s Report:
One of the stools in the men’s bathroom is leaking and will be looked at and taken care of.
Stewardship Report: Tammy & Larry Klatt
Tammy & Larry are excited to take this on and will be coming forth with articles and ideas.
Old Business:
Lenten Meals and Worship: Lenten Meals have been signed up for with committees and each will post what they would like for donations for the meals. The suppers will begin at 5:30 pm followed by the Lenten Service at 6:30 pm. The first dinner will be on Feb. 21st.
Monthly Meals: “Dows Community Monthly Meal” -- will be a FREE meal to everyone who would like to come. The first one is being planned for April 17th, a Wednesday evening. The dinners will be held in the fellowship hall of our church but all of the churches in the Dows community will be involved in the planning and serving. This will be a great opportunity to visit with all of our neighbors. Mark your calendars and plan to come!
New Member Sunday/Potluck
On March 3rd, during the service we will welcome our new members and then following the service, there will be a potluck dinner! We certainly would love to invite ALL MEMBERS to come. Please come and join us for this meal, not just NEW members, but everyone! We always have way too much food, so don’t feel like you have to bring anything, just come and enjoy the meal and fellowship.
New Business:
Firemen Donation: A motion by Larry Klatt to give $50 to the Fire Department was seconded by Maynard Agena. The motion carried.
Lenten Offering Donations:
Bev Weidemann made a motion to designate the proceeds from the Lenten meals this year to be put towards the cost of the “Dows Community Monthly Meal” beginning on April 17th, and the church service offerings to go to the ELCA World Hunger. This motion was seconded by Craig Russell. Motion carried.
Good Friday Service:
Good Friday will be on March 29th and the service will be at 6:30 pm. Pastor Anita might be calling on you to participate in a skit ... so be ready AND willing to do this!
Easter Breakfast: The Council set the breakfast to start at 8:30 a.m. Easter morning. The church service will follow at 10:00 a.m.
New phone for livestream: The phone that has been used for the livestreaming on Facebook, stopped recording and a new one was purchased at Best Buy at the cost of $230.00. Jean Swanson purchased the phone and will be reimbursed.
Other New Business: Craig Russell will check into the purchase of ceiling lights with fans for the kitchen. The lights will be purchased by Craig in memory of his mother, Norma Russell.
With no further business, Maynard made a motion to adjourn and it was seconded by Bev Weidemann.
Motion carried. We closed the meeting together by saying the Lord’s Prayer.
Submitted, Jeanne Russell, Secretary
NEW MEMBER SUNDAY
On Sunday, March 3rd, we will welcome new members during our worship service. After church we will gather in the basement for a potluck dinner. If you are a new member there is no need to bring anything, just show up! We Lutheran’s always have plenty. Everyone is encouraged to come down for lunch and introduce yourselves to our newest members!
March is National Professional Social Work Month
March is National Professional Social Work Month, a time to recognize social workers and thank them for all they do. At Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI), we are grateful for the many social workers who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities across the state!
At LSI, we believe every Iowan deserves the independence they need to thrive. LSI’s Host Homes is an innovative way LSI is serving adults with disabilities. Through this program, an individual moves from Supported Community Living into a private family home with a carefully selected mentor. This program is built entirely around an individual’s goals and interests, and LSI’s extensive matching process ensures the mentor and mentee are a great fit.
Take a moment to read the following story from a Host Homes mentee:
“My journey with LSI’s Host Homes started in early 2023. I’ve known my mentor for a few years while he provided hourly services to me. We learned about Host Homes and thought it would be a good fit for us. I moved into my mentor’s home where he helps me maintain a daily routine with schoolwork, household tasks, daily living skills, improving independence, and more.
I attend a college nearby and go to classes a few days a week. I am able to navigate the local bus system to access my community to attend classes and visit friends. My mentor is always available to transport me into the community as needed.
This summer, I went on a trip across the country with one of my classes. While on this trip, I was able to maintain my independence with limited support, but I knew my mentor would be available by phone to assist me with my coping skills and problem solving. This trip was a big success for me knowing I had support only a phone call away.
I like LSI’s Host Homes Program because my mentor supports me in the way I want to be supported, assists me with some daily tasks I struggle with, and understands me.”
If you are interested in becoming a Host Homes mentor and helping a fellow Iowan achieve independence, please visit LSIowa.org/HostHomes for more information.
Our Mission: Lutheran Services in Iowa responds to the love of Jesus Christ through compassionate service. LSI is an affiliated social ministry partner of the Iowa congregations of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and a member of LSA (Lutheran Services in America). We proudly serve people of all ages, abilities, religions, sexes, gender identities, national origins, ethnicities, races, and sexual orientations. Learn more at LSIowa.org and facebook.com/LSI.iowa.