Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The time around Christmas is always such a busy time, that I usually have a pretty quick glance at the Christmas cards as they come in, and look for a more unhurried time to really read the cards and letters. This way I am blessed multiple times with words of kindness and love from family, friends, and you, my church family.

A few years ago, in looking at these cards a second time (in February), I noticed that there was one that had been overlooked, and was not opened. “I wonder who it’s from?” I thought in excitement. As I opened it, I found out it was a card from the CHRISM (CHRistians In Shared Ministry) Parish, the three churches that I served before coming to Swedesburg. It included a very generous monetary gift. I was surprised and amazed.

I’d like to connect this experience to the Lenten season that is upon us.

On Transfiguration Sunday, the gateway to Lent, we hear God the Father’s words to Peter, James, and John concerning Jesus that “This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him!”

We listened on Ash Wednesday as we heard the words, “earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” The words remind us that someday we will die. But here’s the surprise

Newsletter- February 2016

- a reminder about our death has the power to help us to see more clearly God’s purpose for our lives.

I am thankful for all of you that took part in the 24-hour prayer vigil that began the evening of Ash Wednesday. I counted 36 of us that intentionally took the time to seek God’s plan. I know that more of you were also taking time in prayer that didn’t sign up for the prayer vigil, and for that I am thankful.

Lent is a time for us to slow down, to spend more time in worship (midweek services), prayer and Bible reading (Unbinding your Soul). All of these involve listening to the voice of God in our lives. And in doing so, I think that God will surprise us in so many great ways, showing us his presence in our lives.

As we soon arrive at Holy Week, may surprise and wonder fill us as we see Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, and telling us to give our lives in service to God. May we be surprised and full of awe at Jesus’ willingness to suffer on our behalf and die for our sake. And let us join the disciples as they experience the surprise and amazement of finding the empty tomb on Easter morning.

Some surprises are good. Like finding a Christmas card in February. Even more so, experiencing the great love of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Love in Christ

Pastor Mark

Worship ScheduleSundays in March

8:30 a.m. Confirmation (March 6, 13, & 20) 9:00 a.m. Adult Sunday School 9:00 a.m. Sunday School (March 6, 13 & 20) 9:15 a.m. Choir Rehearsal (March 6, 13, 20 & 27)10:00 a.m. Worship

Wednesdays in March (March 2, 9 & 16) 6:00 p.m. Luther League Soup Supper 6.45 p.m. Lenten Service – Holden Evening Prayer 7:30 p.m. Unbinding Your Soul Small group discussion

Congregation Council and Church Finance Notes

The Council met on Thursday, February 18, 2016. The next regular Council meeting will be Thursday, March 17, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. A copy of the meeting minutes is posted in the church narthex. Council minutes are also available in the church office.

Financial Report 2016 General Fund Activity (through February 23,

2016)Giving $38,114.87Expenses $27,985.69Mission Support $ 3,323.25Net Income $ 6,805.93

Any church committee meeting may be attended by anyone. You do not have to be a member of that group to attend their meeting. We encourage you to attend the meeting(s) of your choice.

150th Anniversary Children’s

Activities/Games CommitteeThe 150th Anniversary Children’s Activities/Games Committee will meet with the SO Fun Day Committee on Wednesday, March 2 at 3:30 p.m. in the church basement.

New Member ReceptionWe received 5 new members during the worship service on Sunday, February 21. Please help us welcome these new members to Swedesburg Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Mike & Judy Sells

Stacy & Dennis Speidel

Betty Jo (BJ) Wetherell

LiliesEaster Lilies are available from Hy-Vee in Mt. Pleasant for those wishing to order a lily to be displayed during Easter Sunday Worship. Orders need to be placed by March 13 with Lynn Graf or the church office. The price for Easter lilies is $10.00. Please turn in your monies (checks made out to Hy-Vee) to the church office or Lynn Graf prior to March 13. If the flower is given in memory or in honor of someone, please let the church office know before noon on Friday, March 18.

150th Historical CommitteeThe 150th Historical Committee continues to have 2016 Church calendars for sale. Calendars are available in the church office. This calendar makes great birthday gifts!The 150th Historical Committee will meet on March 10 at 7:30 p.m. and March 30 at 6:30 p.m.

LentDuring Lent we continue to have small groups after the Lenten service. Everyone is invited to join us Wednesday evenings at the Parish Hall.

Unbinding your Soul is a 5 week session to help us understand how we can deepen our faith and our relationship with God. Part of the study is with a small

group and a prayer journal during the week to help us discover more about ourselves and how we can deepen our faith journey. During Lent we will have a soup supper, worship and then small groups to share about what we have read during the week.

Women of the ELCA (WELCA)The Swedesburg WELCA continues their sewing at the Parish Hall in February. They begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays. Everyone is invited to join in.

Mary Martha will meet at 1:00 p.m. at the Parish Hall on March 23. Betty Molander will be the study leader.

Rachel Circle will meet at 9:15 a.m. on March 23 at the museum.WELCA Baskets of Promise Personal Care Kits: Each week, we continue to collect for Lutheran World Relief’s Baskets of Promise campaign. Here’s our remaining collection schedule:

March 6 Combs

March 13 Nail clippers (metal, attached file optional)March 20 Bars of Soap

Items may be dropped off in the narthex.

Christian EducationSunday School takes place on Sunday mornings in the church basement, from 9:00- 9:50 a.m. We begin our time together with music, followed by a bible lesson and prayer time. Ages 3-6th grade are welcome any time and every time…even if you cannot attend every Sunday.

Worship and Music CommitteeThe Worship and Music Committee will meet February 25. The newsletter was published before this meeting occurred. Watch next month’s newsletter for highlights of the February meeting.

Choir Practice Schedule for March:March 6 9:15 a.m. rehearsal and sing at serviceMarch 13 9:15 a.m. rehearsalMarch 20 9:15 a.m. rehearsal and sing at service (Palm Sunday)March 28 9:15 a.m. rehearsal and sing at service (Easter)

Souper Bowl of CaringThank you to everyone who participated in Souper Bowl of Caring. Groups across the country came together with a common cause to give to those who are hungry and in need. This year, 6,028 participating groups contributed $9, 548,861 in cash and food items. One hundred percent of this total was donated to their local charities.

Historical Highlights“The Coffee Cart”

1967-PresentIn the spring of 1967, Meg Bergstrom got the idea that the church should serve coffee after the church service. He decided to work with Pastor Del Carstens to see if the idea of a coffee cart on the front lawn after church had merit. Pastor liked the idea and decided to present it to the church council. They quickly approved the coffee cart.

Soon after council’s approval, Pastor Carstens announced that there would be coffee the next Sunday after church on the front lawn. Meg was enthusiastic but realized they had no coffee cart. His wife, Vicky, said that for the first coffee they could use a table if there was no cart.

One morning, that same week, after Meg left to teach school the UPS driver drove up and delivered a large square box. It was post marked from Waterloo, Iowa. We had not ordered anything and certainly not from Waterloo. The UPS driver said the name is Melvin Bergstrom, so it is yours.

Vicky accepted the box. When Meg got home from school we opened the box. After seeing it all, Vicky said, “Looks like this is your coffee cart.” It was a green utility cart given to us by a client of our daughter, Ann, from Waterloo, Iowa. The client found out that Ann’s parents lived on a farm and could use this cart on the farm to haul bales of straw, etc. for the animals.

Meg told Pastor Carstens that he was doing the coffee cart for the next Sunday’s service. Thus, the first coffee cart was on a beautiful spring Sunday morning in 1967, forty nine years ago. The coffee cart was never used on the farm as had been originally intended.

Years later, Meg was proud that each pastor that came to Swedesburg picked up on the name, “coffee cart” and used this name to refer to the coffee gathering after church. The name continues today and hopefully will continue for many more years.

Join us in celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Swedesburg Evangelical Lutheran Church

Sunday, April 10 Worship with Bishop Burk

June 18-19, 2016.Sat. June 188 -12 Swedish Pancake Brunch10:30 Raider 5K Walk/Run from Olds to Swedesburg10:30 – 4:30 Games, bounce house1:30 – 4:30 Social time, music, games, historical displays5 – 7 Traditional smorgasbord style banquet dinner7:00 Former pastors’ sharing time

Sun. June 19 12:00 Pork loin dinner1 – 7 Social Time

There will be a variety of activities for everyone.

All former choir members are invited to sing along with us during the celebration. Music will be made available ahead of time. Contact Pastor Mark or the church office if you are interested in joining us.

ChurchmenThe Churchmen officers for the coming year are Ray Meth, President; Keith Zihlman, Vice President; Gary Anderson, Secretary; and R. L. Chrisinger, Treasurer.

The Churchmen will have a prayer breakfast for all men on April 9th at 6:30 a.m., at the Parish Hall, 201 Academy Avenue, with R. L. Chrisinger and Monte Kann as hosts.

Social MinistryThe Social Ministry Committee will sponsor a Spring Brunch on Sunday, April 3, following worship. A freewill donation will be received for the committee’s projects.

We will begin a Spring Food Drive on March 13 through April 24. Items will be collected for the Fellowship Cup. Thank you for the support!

There is a continuing need for size 4 diapers.

The Committee’s next meeting is April 18 at 5:30 p.m.

Women’s StudyThe study will return each Wednesday evening beginning Wednesday, March 23. Everyone is welcome.

Weekly Worship Audio AvailableYou may enjoy listening to our service each Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m. on the radio at 105.5 KILJ FM.

Our weekly worship service is available on the church website: www.swedesburglutheran.org. Click on “Online Directory and Media”, and then select “Launch Media Player”. Click on the weekly service you wish to listen to.

Each monthly newsletter is available on our website: www.swedesburglutheran.org. Click on calendar, and then click any month to read it.

Synod AssemblyThe 2016 Southeastern Iowa Synod Assembly is filled with hope. We will gather under the theme, Drawn to the Light of God, with an eye toward how Christ, the Light shines in our varied ministries and in every corner of our lives.

This year’s assembly will include election of Synod Council members, Rev. Ruben Duran, Director for New Congregations, will serve as the church wide representative providing updates and stories of the work we do together as the ELCA.

Friday, May 6, 2016-Saturday, May 7, 2016Coralville Marriott and Convention Center, Coralville

Federal Privacy LawsBecause of Federal Privacy Laws (HIPPA), if you or a member of your family are hospitalized and would like the Pastor to visit, please contact the church office at (319) 254-2216, or Pastor Mark at (319) 631-8564.

March is National Professional Social Work MonthMarch 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’re grateful for our many social workers who have dedicated their lives to serving their communities!

Maybe you’ve never had a social worker involved in your life. Yet, whether you realize it or not, you’ve had the benefit of their behind-the-scenes work in your

community. Social workers help people help themselves in overcoming life’s most difficult circumstances or managing challenges of everyday living: poverty, abuse, mental illness, depression, addiction, disability and many other situations. Thank you to all of Iowa’s social workers, especially those at LSI. We’re proud of you.

LSI is proud to be an affiliated social ministry organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Learn more at www.LSIowa.org and www.facebook.com/LSI.iowa.

A Stable Home for AngelaWhen she was little, Angela was placed in Iowa’s foster care system and was later adopted.

“I always wanted to have more children,” said her adoptive mom Brenda. “We had done respite for Angela, and when she needed an adoptive home, she came to live with us. She fit in with us and knew us. It was an easy transition.”

It was made even easier since Angela had Peggy by her side. Peggy is a social worker for Lutheran Services in Iowa’s (LSI) behavioral health intervention services (BHIS) and helps children with a mental health diagnosis learn skills such as coping, anger management or healthy decision-making.

Over the years, Peggy has been there for Angela during times when she needed help building some new skills.

“Peggy helped me learn how to calm myself,” Angela said. “I learned how to use running to do that, and I like to read. I cope better now. I know when I’m angry or upset.”

Seeing young people like Angela thrive is what Peggy loves best.

“It’s my brand of social work to support people over the years and watch them grow,” she said. “Angela has done the hard work of staying strong throughout her losses, letting others get closer to her and focusing on what is good in her life. She has vast potential! She has had caring people all along the way, and Brenda was just the angel she needed to adopt her. What a beautiful thing for me to be a part of.”

Thank you’sHenry County Habitat for Humanity (HCHH) gratefully acknowledges receipt of your charitable donation in the amount of $350. Henry County Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. No goods or services were provided in exchange for this gift. Donations such as this help our organization continue to support the housing needs in Henry County. Thank you again for your gift!

Lisa Diener, President HCHH

On behalf of the Castle Singers of Wartburg College, thank you for your hospitality and sponsorship of this special concert. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our music with you and thankful for your generous support!

Soli Deo Gloria, Nicki Toliver

I just wanted to personally thank the church for your generous contribution to my education. I am beyond blessed to have such an amazing community to support me in my endeavors. Thank you immensely for thinking of me at this time.

Laura Hult

On behalf of the Commission for Evangelical Missions of the Southeastern Iowa Synod, thank you for your faithful gifts to the greater church. Your benevolence

extends the ministry of your congregation in a world which very much needs the love of God! Together we can better share with the global community the new life we have in Jesus Christ!

God’s Work, Our Hands, John StrandResurrection Lutheran

We want to thank you for your donation and support. We strive to have a positive impact serving the under-served of Henry County through food, clothing and shelter.

Thank you, and God Bless! The Fellowship Cup

Thank you and the donors of Swedesburg Lutheran Church for the blood drive you held recently. Your service and leadership on behalf of the community blood program is greatly appreciated. Swedesburg Lutheran Church donors provided 22 units of blood at your drive, and because of your combined generosity, as many as 88 will benefit from lifesaving blood products. Thank you, for your partnership and all you do to make lifesaving possible.

Amanda Hess, Director, Donor Relations

Youth Sky Zone Trip

We will continue to pray for all our church members throughout the year. Each week we will pray for about five church families. Please pray this month for:

March 6: Valerie Daniel and Ryan Ronald DavisAaron & Anna Deardorff and DominicDoug & Donna DeardorffDenise Deierling and Jameson

March 13:David & Jessica Diers, Dalton and DrewDeborah DerbyRobert & Jennifer Ehrlich and SimoneKyle EmersonSteve & Kris Emerson

March 20:Adam EricksonSara EricksonTom & Janet Erickson, Chad & Jamie Fraise, Landan, Dalton, and NoahBryant & Michelle Frank, Makenzie, and Eric

March 27:Bob & Holly Frary, Sam and CharlieTony & Elizabeth GaiffeKailey GibbsMaurice & Marilyn Goldenberg, Chad, Claire, and HansBrenda Gott

March BirthdaysWe wish the following people a very happy birthday on their special day: 1 Katelyn White 2 Kayden Schrader 3 Lennis Beichter Luke Applegate 6 Erik Brawner

Samuel Frary Michelle Frank

Greg Tolander 7 Kyle Emerson Joe Baccam David Swanson Oliver Jones 8 Darrell Gray 9 Nathan Rauenbuehler11 Norma Lindeen Jack Moody John Wickham Kenneth Tolander12 Aubrey Ryan

13 Ruth Lindeen Tom Lindeen16 Susanne Waterhouse

Brooke Smith19 Hannah Taylor20 Caitlin Sells23 Adam Erickson Jim Snodgrass24 Keaton Krueger Jill Lauer

Brent Martin25 Dennis Hult Chris Morgan Debbie Swanson Charlize Mullin26 Brendan Unkrich30 Landon Provino

Reed Wenstrand31 Brooklyn Chacon

Trent Waterhouse

March AnniversariesWe wish to offer these couples a happy anniversary:

20 Roger and Marjorie Beckman21 Keith and Lana Zihlman24 Ryan and Christina Woline28 Curt and Renee Ridinger29 Aaron and Heather Lindeen

Please help the church office update their records by submitting any birthday, anniversary or any other corrections. Thank you.

CONGREGATION REFLECTIONS

PRAY FOR: the family of Russ Meyer upon the passing of his mother.

ELCA missionary Rev. Brian Palmer in Liberia, supported by this congregation.

for Bishop Mjema of the Pare Diocese, and people of Ngaeni Lutheran Parish, our partner congregation in Tanzania. We especially pray for the new government in Tanzania.

for Rev. Elisa Mrutu as he transfers to another parish known as Mkanyeni.

friends and loved ones experiencing health concerns.

BAPTISMNorah Faith Beichter was baptized February 14, 2016. Her parents are Dustin and Kari Beichter. Grandparents are Eldon and Lennis Beichter.

THANKS ARE DUE . . .to the Congregation Council members who are serving a new term this year.

to the Luther League for continuing to provide a nourishing meal during Lent.

everyone who made the Souper Bowl of Caring a success!

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

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Sunday Worship begins at 10 a.m. Join us!

website: www.swedesburglutheran.orgemail: office@swedesburglutheran.org