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Active in Faith

September 2017

Monthly publication for members and friends of

Faith Lutheran Church 4005 Palm Drive, Punta Gorda, FL 33950

941-639-6309 faithadmin88@embarqmail.com

Pastor: Rev. Dana Alan Narring, MDiv

Mission and Vision Statement:

Empowering All People to Know Jesus Christ!

“Our churches teach that the remembrance of

the saints is to be commended in order that

we imitate their faith and good works accord-

ing to our calling.” Augsburg Confession 21.

Holy Cross Day

September 14

St. Matthew, Apostle

and Evangelist

September 21

St. Michael and All Angels

September 29

Bible Classes

Monday: 10:30-11:30 “Women in the Bible” led by Dr. Mary Hilgendorf resumes November 6th.

Thursday: 10:30-11:30 The study of Genesis led by Pastor Clyde Kaminska resumes October 5th.

Grandparents Day:

September 10

Labor Day: September 4

Church Office Closed

Patriot Day:

September 11

Worship Services

Saturday 5:00 Praise and Worship Service

Sunday 9:30 Traditional Worship Service

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Sent on behalf of LCMS Florida/Georgia District President Greg Walton:

Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus!

This communication contains information received regarding Hurricane Harvey relief in Texas.

Firstly, the water is still rising in many places, so it will be some time before all assessments are com-pleted. We realize that this is frustrating both to those who wish to respond now and to those who need the help. There are many organizations on the ground now providing help and relief, the LCMS being but one. For the most part, these organizations will be gone inside of three months. The LCMS has pledged to be engaged in the Houston area for years to come.

Synod is approaching this disaster in the same general fashion as Katrina. Using Camp Restore in New Orleans as the example, in cooperation with the Texas District, Synod plans to establish a facility (like Camp Restore) in Texas, from which we can house and launch volunteers to help the local communities in the coming years. This method works and is within the capabilities of the LCMS. We know this be-cause through our efforts at Camp Restore, we have built over 6,000 homes in New Orleans. In fact, the Mayor of New Orleans commented recently that East New Orleans would not exist today with-out the Lutherans.

The amount of effort it will take to mount this multi-year relief plan will take a little time to organ-ize. We ask for your patience. Synod has set up a web page specifically for Hurricane Harvey re-lief. You can donate there and sign up to be a volunteer. Volunteers will be coordinated through this site. The web page can be found at https://www.lcms.org/harvey

The Texas District is also providing updates on their website. Alternatively, you can give directly to the Texas District who has pledged that 100% of every dollar donated will go to relief efforts. You can donate online here: https://txlcms.org/donate/ or send a check to:

Texas District Relief c/o Mrs. Linda Hagge 7900 Highway 290 East Austin, TX 78724

The first effort will be to restore local congregations and their members that have been affected by the flood so that these congregations can in turn serve their community by becoming local hubs of mercy from which the rest of us will operate. Our goal is to not only help people but to raise up the local con-gregations to be seen as places of mercy in their communities.

Relief efforts will be a marathon, not a sprint. Opportunities to help Houston neighborhoods to re-build will go on for years and for some of you, could become an annual mission trip for years to come. So if you don’t have a LERT team in your congregation and you’d like to start one, you have time to train, organize, and fund raise. Please contact John Elliott in the Florida-Georgia District office (407-258-5054 or jelliott@flgadistrict.org) to discuss and arrange for this training. The training is basic but it opens doors that allow us to bring both acts of mercy and the Gospel to those who need it most.

Please continue to monitor our Facebook and District web page for further updates and information.

In His Peace and Joy,

Kathy Keene

Administrative Assistant to Pres. Greg Walton

877-457-5556 ext 8

FLGA District, LCMS

Citadel I

5850 T.G. Lee Blvd, Suite 500

Orlando, FL 32822-4410

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Wandering Editor’s Note

On Facebook there are many postings about excited children returning to school. Terry and I are

looking forward to returning to Punta Gorda. It is with anticipation we await what God has planned

for us. How will we serve the Lord at Faith and in our community? Perhaps you are ready to return to

Punta Gorda soon. What will your role be at your community? At Faith? Will there be new challeng-

es you are willing to undertake? Blessings on your travel.

Naomi Weslock

Editor

Food Collection – 4th Sunday – Food Pantries are very low this time of year and need our help to resupply. Place food donations for the Salvation Army in the Narthex baskets any Sunday during the month. Thank you!

Armed Forces and Cell Phone Donations – The Board of Missions collects personal items (see info on table) for our Armed Forces and also welcomes donations of used cell phones. Please place them in the boxes in the Narthex.

Name Tags – We encourage everyone to wear their nametags to help us to know each other better! If you would like a Faith name tag, please sign up on the sheet in the narthex.

Immeasurably More as of August 2017 Mortgage balance: $394,378.17

New monthly payment: $3,722.14 Received in August for IM (Just 1% More): $2,895.00

Total received for IM Program: $241,049.77 Total extra paid to principal: $235,086.30

Pledges Received to Date: $350,993.00

Carol Meyer, Stewardship Chair

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The chaplains to whom we send boxes of items for the GI's has requested some changes in what we send them. Please do not donate the small hotel samples of hair care and soap, phone cards, toilet paper, energy drinks or chocolate bars.

Thank you for your donations. The mission committee sends a box to the chaplains in three differ-ent areas of the world. There is a box on the left side of the church narthex (as you walk in) for your donations.

Joanna Waterman Board of Missions Chair

Faith Quilters

We invite you to join us in the fall

when we resume. Packets for

Quilt Tops are available on the

LWML counter in the Narthex.

Faith Quilt Group meets on

Tuesdays at 9:00 am. Our

numbers are small, and we need

your help to do the work of the

Lord. If you can tie a knot, you

can help us.

Thank you,

Arlene Wells

Help beautify the chancel to the glory of

God by ordering flowers for special

occasions or in memory of loved ones.

There are still a few openings in the fall.

You may sign up on one line for one

vase, or indicate on both lines that you

would like to sponsor both vases for the

weekend. One vase is $26, two are $52.

Please notate that your payment is for

“flowers.”

Instead they would like: protein or granola bars individually wrapped hard candy or Tootsie

roll suckers individually wrapped Rice Krispies treats small cans of Pringles

small cracker packs (peanut butter, cheese) small packages of all kinds of nuts, chewing

gum especially breath mint variety) personal hygiene items (tooth brush. tooth

paste. razors, bar soap etc.)

Board of Missions

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Please keep Sam Fink, our adopted seminarian, in your prayers during his vicarage year at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Orchard Park, NY.

LWML Dates to remember:

October 25: 9:00 Fellowship and meeting

November 4: LWML Zone Fall Rally at Hope,

Bradenton with Good Shepherd, Sarasota.

November 22: 9:00 Fellowship/meeting

December 2: Cookie Walk (Set-up on Dec 1)

January 17: 9:00 Fellowship/meeting

Speaker: Jean Roehrs

February 21: 9:00 Fellowship/meeting

March 2-3 Flea Market. Set-up starts Feb 26

March 28: 9:00 Fellowship/meeting

April 25: 9;00 Fellowship/meeting

Our first meeting in the 2017-18 season will be on October 25 at 9:00am— refreshment and meeting

following. Old business discussion will include the Cookie Walk which is scheduled for December 2.

New business topics are a mission trip to Kisumu, Kenya January 18-29, 2018 and the possible

start of an evening LWML Circle for ladies who are not able to attend our morning meetings. If you

are interested in providing refreshment, please call Naomi Weslock (630-947-4309).

Mission Trip

“...Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I

said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Isaiah 6:8 What a better way to answer that call than by going on a

mission trip to Kisumu, Kenya on January 18-29, 2018? Leaders will be Pastor Dennis and

Deaconess Lorna Meeker. (4kenyaskids.org) You will doing some construction, building a mud hut,

sprucing up a Ladies’ Community Center, and working on the water system. Plus plenty time to

play with the kids and teach them about Jesus. Cost is $950/person which covers hotel, food,

transportation and projects in Kenya. Spouses are welcome. Airfare depends on the airport you are

flying out of. If you interested, you can stay for the safari afterwards for an additional $650 and you

would stay until February 1. Space is limited to 16. There will be a doctor on the trip, as well as oth-

er medical professionals.

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Dennis Larson 9/3

Connie Fath 9/4

Jill Keim 9/4

Connie Sasse Smith 9/4

Barbara Boehm 9/5

Elaine Hope 9/5

Merci Sias 9/5

Roger Thalacker 9/5

Arlene Wells 9/5

Larry Berkel 9/6

Doreen Andrews 9/8

George Frantz III 9/9

Roger Remer 9/9

Joann Schultz 9/9

Dani Luce 9/10

Edwin Saeger 9/11

Bill Boehm 9/12

Cheryl Karba 9/14

Steven Meyer 9/14

Carole Miller 9/16

Ken Johnson 9/17

Janet Smallen 9/22

Ronald Baird 9/23

Mark Bienz 9/24

Krys Erikson 9/24

Ro Miller 9/24

Lisa Neff 9/25

Trey Cope III 9/26

Naomi Weslock 9/26

Gayle Groen 9/28

Elaine Martin 9/28

Joanne Fladd 9/29

Tom and Carole Miller 9/5 (58 yrs.)

Dennis and Barbara Garling 9/16 (45 yrs.)

Bill and Deanna Suckow 9/17 (56 yrs.)

Dave and Sharon Kolenda 9/22 (27 yrs.)

George Marks

November 11, 1934-

August 31, 2017

Update to last month’s Newsletter announcement:

We received word from Zola Cheever’s family that her memorial service will take place shortly after the first of the year. We’ll share additional updates as they become available.

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View weekly announcements and calendar at: www.faithlutheranpg.com

The church’s office email address is: faithadmin88@embarqmail.com

Church office summer hours are 9:00 - 1:00 Monday - Friday

Deadline for October newsletter is September 22.

Please e-mail all announcements, articles and photos to wanderingweslocks@netzero.com

Editor will reserve the right to proofread and edit all articles for the monthly newsletter.

Our prayer list is on the glass table in the Narthex.

If you, or someone you know, would like prayers,

(names remain on for 4 wks.), please call the office.

We have a full Board of Directors except for a president.

If you would like to know more about serving the Lord in this way, please call Pastor Narring.

September Ushers, Readers and Elder Schedule

Date Ushers Reader Elders

September 3 Cheryl Kampa, Gloria Koehler Fred Vogelpohl Hal Jandola

C: Ken Johnson

September 10 Carol Meyer, Gary Raley Kay Oetting Steve Meyer

September 17 Bev Shutter, Sam Jackson Kay Oetting Hal Jandola

C: Ken Johnson

September 24 Gary Raley, Gloria Koehler Pastor Koehler Ken Johnson

Saturday Evening Elder: Dick Lehman (c) = communion support