2275 Ricca Road, Bullhead City, Arizona 86442

remo Pastor tim EigHmy

Contact us at: communitylutheranchurch@gmail.com

Community Lutheran Church

Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, streams of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38

A Monthly Newsletter January 2020

Sunday Worship

9:00 AM 11:00 AM

Children’s

Learning Center 9:15 AM

Office Hours Tues. – Fri. 8AM - 1 PM

928-763-2422

a mEssagE from Pastor tim:

“mErry CHristmas and HaPPy nEw yEar” “Merry Christmas!” I said. “Christmas? Christmas is over with,” my brother said to me one year on December 27. I am one of those people who don’t really get into the Christmas spirit until Christmas Eve and I am still humming Christmas carols on New Year’s Day. When I was a kid, my family did most of our Christmas decorating and Christmas shopping just a couple weeks before Christmas. And I still haven’t gotten used to this Christmas shopping stuff before Thanksgiving. As far as the Church is concerned, the actual Christmas season begins on Christmas Day and lasts for 12 days ending on January 5. On January 6, Epiphany or “Three Kings Day,” is when we celebrate how the wise men belatedly found the baby Jesus and the news of the Messiah is spreading throughout the world.

It is with the Spirit of Christmas (the Holy Spirit) that we begin a new year with the assurance that Christ is here with us as we begin again. And as a congregation, we begin reevaluating our ministries and elect new members to our council at our annual meeting on the last Sunday in January. So don’t be grumpy about the Christmas Spirit as we enter a new year together as the Church. But be assured that Jesus is born and he is here with us giving us hope, new love, and the fullness of God’s love as we begin anew our ministry together. Merry Christmas, In Christ’s loving peace, Pastor Tim

attEntion:

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED FOR BOTH SERVICES…Please look at the sign-up sheet on the kiosk in the Narthex and see if there’s a spot where you might be able to help. Thank you!

don’t miss tHE annual mEEting

The Community Lutheran Church Annual Meeting will be held on January 26, 2020. There will be one service on that day at 10 AM

The meeting will immediately follow the service at about 11 AM—and, yes, we’ll feed you. A potluck lunch will follow. Mark your calendars now…

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CHOIR NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR…

We closed out 2019 with great attendance at our Festival of Christmas Joy—a total of nearly 400 attendees. It took a village to make this gathering of hope, peace, and joy successful. To say thank you doesn’t seem like enough…but then nothing does. All the choir members dedicated themselves to making this event successful starting in September…and put in many long hours to ensure that happened. I could not possibly thank everyone involved. However, I do need to say a special thanks to Noni, Judy and Constanze for the many hours spent ensuring that the special music would be just right…and to Kenny for his perseverance with the sound system. So many others were involved in making sure that all things went as planned. Even though it may seem inadequate, the choir and I again say “THANK YOU” to each and every one who helped in any way. YOU are most certainly appreciated! (Incidentally, the thank you that choir members receive from all of you is “music to OUR ears.”) [By the way…a BIG thanks to Karl from all the choir members for all he (and Diane) do.] In just a couple short weeks, the Cantata Choir will begin preparing for the Lenten Cantata. Never a dull moment… In the meantime, the Chancel Choir will continue to perform at both services on Sunday mornings. We look forward to seeing you there! By the way, if you’ve been thinking about joining us…it’s a new year, new month, new cantata. Now would be a great time! We’d love to have you!

don’t miss tHE anytHing CHoColatE fEstival! gEt your “tiCkEt to dEliCious” now!

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See Pastor Blezard’s thoughts on “stewarding” our best new year ever in this month’s Stewardship Message.

you arE EnougH… I used parts of this message before…another January, a couple years ago. But, I think it’s worth thinking about again. At this time of year, it seems we all have a list of things we think we should change or do better. Then, we may look at it and say, ‘What’s the use? I won’t do these any way!” [The trainer at the club where I exercise assured me, “It’ll get pretty crowded here for a few weeks at the beginning of the year, but don’t worry, it thins out pretty fast.”]

We think about how to “fix ourselves,” to be better because we don’t think we are “enough.” But, we are enough; we are who God made us to be. What we do need to consider is whether or not we are making the most of the skills and abilities God has given us. He doesn’t want us to waste them or misuse them. Too often we think we can’t do anything to help, can’t volunteer, just plain can’t—because we believe we aren’t good enough. We think, “I can’t do that as well as he or she can.” “I could never do that…” “So many others are more gifted than I am; they should do ‘it’.” WAIT…have you forgotten? God made each of us in His image. No one is good at everything, but He has given each of us unique talents and skills and He has a plan for how we should use those amazing gifts. The verse above from Ephesians reminds us that God has a plan for how we should use the unique abilities He has given us. Each of us can make a difference…one that no one else can!

Truth is, if it hadn’t been for verses like the one above and God’s answer to my prayers, I likely would not be writing this right now. When I was first asked to take over the newsletter I said, “Let me think and pray about it.” Then I responded, “Not now…I have a lot going on health-wise and otherwise and can’t do it now.” I knew that this “job” would mean I had to use skills I hadn’t used in many years. I knew it would take time—time I didn’t have. And, I had a lot going on in my life at the time—and still do. Then I realized that I’ll always have things going on in my life; I’ll always be busy; it wouldn’t hurt me to learn some new things; and if I really listened, God was telling me that I could do this. So, here I am. I have many more examples like this. And, I’m sure you do too. Any changes you consider this new year should be focused on how we believe we can better use the awesome gifts and blessings God has given us. We are, after all, made in His image.

You are good enough! We are all good enough!

Wishing you many blessings in the new year! Linda Miller

from your Editor: “For we are God’s handiwork, Created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God created in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Do you love to play cards, eat and enjoy friendship—and laughs?

This is for you!

Be part of the “in group!”

Jan. 4, 2020, 7 PM And

February 1, 2020, 7 PM

New year…more fun!

Dean and Barbara Leuthauser’s home 2576 Majestic Way, BHC

7:00 PM Plan to be there!

Just let Dean or Barbara know you’re coming. Call (928) 704-6317

Your chair will be waiting…

Fun…friendship…food…does it get any better? Oh yeah, and Pinochle too!

stEwardsHiP mEssagE

stEward your BEst yEar EvEr…

“Stewardship is not only a matter of faithful giving but of faithful living. In response to the Gospel, we submit our lives to the rule of God, to the lordship of Christ, and to the direction of the Holy Spirit, so that we may be the people God wants us to be and have the lives God wants us to have.” –Mark Allan Powell, author of Giving to God. Yikes! It’s January 2, and the bathroom scale shows that, once again, I’ve gained a few pounds in the five-week blitz-feast of Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year. Clearly, I need to steward my health better in 2020. Though it’s not the most common use of the word, steward is also a verb, an action word. We steward all that God has entrusted to us, making choices that, as Mark Allan Powell says, help us “be the people God wants us to be and have the lives God wants us to have.” We steward our lives through our decisions and choices – the food we eat, the people we call friends, how we spend our money, the entertainment we select, the hobbies we enjoy, the many ways we spend our time, and so on. To steward faithfully, we must live in prayerful awareness and make conscious, thoughtful decisions that will advance us in Godly directions. As 2020 begins, prayerfully consider the most important areas of your life, such as your physical, mental and spiritual health, as well as your relationships and time, and ask God to help you steward them in ways that will help you be the person God wants you to be and have the life God wants you to have. As for me, it will not only help me lose those extra holiday pounds, but also give me my best year ever.

--Rob Blezard Copyright © 2020, Rev. Robert Blezard. Reprinted by permission. Pastor Blezard serves as an assistant to the bishop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod and works as content editor for www.stewardshipoflife.org. He blogs at www.thestewardshipguy.com.

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January BirtHdays

3—Jeannine Pelchat 15—Lois Kelley

4—Kate Larson 20—Al Swanson

12—Bertie Lock 22—Annetta Knodel

12—Tory Lelm 24—Dolly Orth

29—John Miller

January annivErsariEs

No January Anniversaries

PrayEr rEquEsts

Please continue to pray for all the persons whose names have been offered up by

members and friends of the congregation. We pray for healing, guidance, strength,

recovery, safe travel and unrevealed needs, as well as for those with thankful hearts and

for those who grieve.

January Happenings

January 2020

Sunday

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 Happy New Year

Office Closed

2

3 4 Pinochle—Leuthauser home – 7 PM

5 Epiphany Sunday 8:15 Choir rehearsal 9 AM Worship 11 AM Worship

6 Epiphany

Office Closed

7 9: 15 AM—WELCA (Women’s Ministry) 6:30-9 PM Square Dancing

8 6 PM—Chancel Choir Rehearsal

9 2 PM—Adult Bible Study 6 PM Council Meeting

10

11

12 8:15 Choir rehearsal 9 AM Worship 11 AM Worship

13 Office Closed

14 9:15 AM—Women’s Bible Study (Women’s Ministry) 6:30-9 PM Square Dancing

15 6 PM—Chancel Choir Rehearsal

16 2 PM—Adult Bible Study

17

18

19 8:15 Choir rehearsal 9 AM Worship 11 AM Worship

20 Office Closed

21 9:15 AM—WELCA (Women’s Ministry) 6:30-9 PM Square Dancing

22 6 PM—Cantata Choir Rehearsal

23 2 PM—Adult Bible Study

24

25

26 10 AM Worship …One Service… Noisy Offering 11 AM – CLC Annual Meeting Noon--Potluck

27 February Newsletter Deadline Office Closed

28 9:15 AM—WELCA (Women’s Ministry) 6:30 PM—Square Dancing

29 6 PM—Cantata Choir Rehearsal

30 2 PM—Adult Bible Study

31

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Community Lutheran Church January 2020 Community Lutheran

Church 2275 Ricca Rd. Bullhead City, AZ 86442

don’t miss tHEsE uPComing EvEnts:

Tuesdays—Women’s Ministry (WELCA)—9:15 AM Wednesdays—Chancel Choir Rehearsal—6 PM Thursdays—Adult Bible Study—2 PM Jan. 9—Council Meeting—6 PM Tuesday Jan. 14—Women’s Bible Study—9:15 AM Wednesday Jan. 22 and 29—Cantata Choir Rehearsal—

6PM Jan. 26—Noisy Offering Jan. 26—One service 10 AM; followed by Annual

Meeting and Potluck lunch Feb. 8, 2020—Anything Chocolate Festival 11AM-2PM