Issue 6 ~ JUNE/JULY 2017

We are passionate followers of JESUS, making disciples by eagerly connecting the community with the faith, hope, and love that transforms.

www.stpaullakeland.org

I’ve been praying for our church and school and I’m challenged by some “What if” questions? “What if” we, as a congregation and as individual members, saw our school as if the children in the school and the families in the school were actually our children, our families? I don’t currently have any children in the school. I once did. When we first came to Lakeland our youngest daughter was in eighth grade. I remember going to her soccer, volleyball and basketball games, visiting her classroom and getting to knowing her teachers and of course attending her graduation. If we saw the children in our school as our children, what new relationships could we grow and especially, “what if” we showed those families the faith, hope and love we have because of Jesus? “What if” we saw our neighbors, our coworkers, and those we see on a regular basis as friends and family? Since moving to Lakeland, 12 years ago, I have regularly been going to Gold’s Gym. I definitely need the exercise, but I have some really good friends there now. I look forward to seeing them in the morning and miss them when they are not there. When I could not be there for a week, one of my friends came to the office to check on me, to see if I was OK. “What if” we had neighbors, coworkers and “gym people” who we could freely express the faith, hope and love we have from Jesus with them? “What if” we saw the children and youth in our church as our kids? “What if” we knew their names and regularly spoke to them and looked forward to seeing them each week so we could find out how they are doing, how we can support them, how we can pray for them and what we can do to show them the faith, hope and love that transforms from Jesus? “What if” we saw the elderly in our community as family members who have hit hard times and need some help? Maybe they are like our grandparents who are old and frail and have a hard time getting nutritious meals, getting to the doctor—just getting around is tough. Barb and I helped my mom with all those things when she became frail. There are thousands just like her in Lakeland. “What if” we went to help them with the faith, hope and love that transforms from Jesus? “What if” we saw the children and families that can’t get enough to eat, as our hungry children and families? Maybe they are like my family of 9—we were always either gathering food, preparing food or cleaning up after eating food. There was always a need to eat. “What if” we were able to consistently and generously supply food, one of the most basic needs, to those who are hungry, and show the faith, hope and love that transforms from Jesus? “What if” we saw the man or woman or family who has “gone off the rails” and is homeless, as one of our children or family members who have lost their way? We all have gotten lost at times, especially before we had GPS. Some of us have even been spiritually lost. “What if” we were able to help these family members get back on track with the faith, hope and love that comes from Jesus? “What if” we really fulfilled the vision God has given to St. Paul Lutheran Church, that “We are passionate followers of Jesus, making disciples by connecting the community to the faith, hope and love that transforms.” What would that look like?

Pastor Ron Pennekamp, Senior Pastor

June/July 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting at St. Paul

Connecting is published monthly by

St. Paul Lutheran Church 4450 Harden Blvd.

Lakeland, FL 33813 stpaul@stpaullakeland.org

863-644-7710

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SENIOR PASTOR Ron Pennekamp

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ASSOCIATE PASTOR Andy Ritchie

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HMONG PASTOR Zong Yang

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MINISTER OF MUSIC Gloria Klockziem

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DIRECTOR OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Nick Moss

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DIRECTOR OF VISITATION Peter Herbert

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PRINCIPAL Robert Boyd

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SERVICES Sunday Morning

8:30am—Worship & Children’s Church 9:45-10:45am—

Children’s Ministries & Adult Community Groups

ten47am Contemporary Worship & Children’s Church

Communion is celebrated

every Sunday

♦

HMONG SERVICES Sunday Morning

9am Choir & Bible Study 10:45am Worship

“CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY TO CHRIST”

scan for website

Christian Estate Planning

Transfers Blessings

Estate planning is o�en avoided, even among Chris�ans. No one wants to think about

death. Many �mes, difficult choices need to be made and the process can be cumbersome.

However, this end-of-life planning is as important of a �me for the person who dies as it is for

those who are le� behind.

Spiritually, proper Chris�an estate planning protects, projects, and transfers the blessings

of God’s abundant kindness. This kindness can be par�ally measured by wealth, but wealth

doesn’t begin to capture rela�onships, or the sense of meaning that other, more powerful

factors quan�fy.

Each faithful Chris�an steward designs their charitable estate plan, their own Life�me

Plan for Giving, as if they were taking what is intangible (values or fervent hopes) and puts

them into a plan that becomes tangible. This can be done today to provide blessings

tomorrow for the people they love and the ministries they care about.

Whether naming trusted representa�ves to stand in for you, or naming exempt charitable

en��es or charitable trusts to avoid taxes, a Chris�an steward can take the �me to coordinate

his or her transfer of wealth in such a way as to bless rather than curse beneficiaries.

A gi� to ministry in your plan says that you value God’s Word and want to see it taught to

your children’s children. It communicates that, to you, faith is real, the one thing needful for

people to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Transferring blessings involves so much more than wealth. It involves miracles that can be

transferred to those we love. It fulfills the Great Commission un�l Christ comes again. For help

with comple�ng your Life�me Plan for Giving, contact Jim Pennington, SPLC Gi� Planning

Counselor, at 863-370-0305 or james.pennington@lfnd.org

VOTERS’ MEETING JUNE 11 At the June 11th Voters’ Meeting,

members will be asked to elect three individuals to the three open Board of Trustees seats. The Board of Trustees Nominations Committee has identified

4 candidates. They are: Diane Bertrand, Jennifer Judge (currently on

board and seeking 2nd term), Greg Lassi, and Paul Trinklein. Bios on each

of these candidates are available at the Welcome Center. The new budget will also be present for approval at this meeting. Please plan to attend the Voters’ Meeting on June 11 at

4pm in the Worship Center.

BABY BOTTLE OFFERING UPDATE We recently received a thank you letter from

A Woman’s Choice with the results of their 2017 Baby Bottle Campaign. St. Paul Lutheran School was

one of 18 churches/groups that partnered with A Woman’s Choice for their Baby Bottle Campaign. The total amount raised was $12,198.54; of that

amount, St. Paul raised $2,126.74. Wow! That’s a lot of coin change from all those baby bottles that were filled by our students. Every dollar/penny helps this

ministry reach out to women facing unplanned pregnancies with the message of hope.

Our Sunday Children’s Ministry hour (9:45-10:45) will take a break during the summer

starting June 11. Children’s Church, however, will continue through the summer months

during both Sunday services. Our Renovation Team is planning a Children’s Ministry

Kickoff event on Sunday, August 20th from 9:30a.m.-10:45a.m. in the Athletic

Center. It will be a time for all families to share a breakfast, have some fun (bounce

houses and games) and to get information on all our Children and Youth Ministry

events/programs for the year. Please mark your calendars and plan to be there!

Talks with Luther Vol. 12 It is early on Tuesday morning…

5am. The alarm is going off and it is

time to get up and start the day. I

reach over to the nightstand and turn

the alarm off. Luther the Dachshund

raises his sleepy head and looks out

from under the blanket. He does not look

happy. He looks at the alarm clock and

then looks at me and lets out a sigh. I

tell him come on, let’s get going! We need

to get the coffee on and start another

day! His head disappears back under the blanket and its back to

sleep for him. Apparently, Luther is not worried about starting

the day. He is going back to sleep and will catch up with me later.

It must be interesting to be a dog. About the only worry

Luther has that I can think of is being alone during the day and

what time is dinner…that’s about it. Must be nice, I think. But I

have learned something on my journey. It is something Jesus

told us in the scriptures. Do not worry! There are times that I

find this more difficult than I guess I should.

So what did Martin Luther tell us about worry? “Let God

do the worrying! Your labor and effort are not contrary to faith;

they are useful for curbing the flesh. But worrying is opposition

to God.” He continues, “…all our care falls back upon God alone

and we are very rarely left to take care of ourselves. And even

In the Spring of 2016, we had an assessment done of our Children and Youth Ministries. The

group that facilitated this assessment is called Ministry Architects. Over 110 people participated—Middle and High School students, their parents, parents of young children, church members who had children grow up in our church, youth ministry adult leaders, children ministry adult leaders, older members of our church….you get the picture. Out of this assessment came a plan to help St. Paul Lutheran do a better job in ministering to our children and youth. Over the past 12 months, we have been working with Ministry Architects to put this plan to work. Here are some highlights of the past year:

• A Renovation Team was started in the summer of 2016, to tackle the assessment and to get things going. Team members: Lori Lee Joerz (Chair), Barney Hughes, Ashley Varco, Greg Lassi, Sandra Thiele, Jennifer Judge, and Nick Moss.

• A Faith Formation Summit was held in November of 2016. Over 60 church members participated. The big takeaways from this event was a list of MILESTONES that we want every child/family to experience here at St. Paul (Baptism) and an agreed upon list of items we want our young people to KNOW, BELIEVE and EXPERIENCE.

• A 3-4 year curriculum plan for Children and Youth Ministries.

• We will host a Children and Youth Ministry KICKOFF on August 20, 2017.

• An intergenerational Sunday morning Bible Study begins August 27, 2017. This will be led by Pastor Andy and will be for those 6th grade on up!

There are many other items that have been worked on over the past year when it comes to Children and Youth Ministry. Please feel free to contact Nick Moss, nmoss@stpaullakeland.org or Lori Lee Joerz, ljoerz@stpaullakeland.org, if you would like to get more information or sign-up to be a part of our ministry to children, youth and their families.

when the Lord at times lets us shift for ourselves, He

does so in order to move us to acknowledge His good-

ness and finally to see the great difference between

His care and ours.”

Luther feels that God wants us to be carefree.

“We should learn to believe that in Christ we have a

Lord who provides also for our body and temporal life.

Therefore we should beat down and overcome

worry that unbelief creates. For through examples of

many kinds He arouses us to faith because He wants

us to become people who are entirely without worry

about their own persons, so far as both their physical

and spiritual lives are concerned”.

Once again, I look to Luther the Dachshund. He

has little or no worries. He just trusts and believes

that I am going to feed him, take care of him and love

him, just as our Lord Jesus wants us to do with Him.

Just believe and have faith and love Him who loves us.

God’s Grace is truly sufficient for the day and He has

you…in everything! He has you during the rough times

and will not let you down. He has you in the good

times when we rejoice and thank Him. In everything

and in all times He is there! He never, ever leaves us!

So don’t worry! Be happy! Rejoice in the Lord for

He is good!

In Him, Peter and Luther

High school youth with Matt Popovits at the FL-GA District

HS Youth Gathering

Kid’s enjoying a hayride at our Fall Festival

SPLS AUCTION 2017 On October 27th, at The Rocking H Ranch, the SPLS community will gather for an evening of fellowship, fundraising, food, and beverages in

a Boots & Pearls-themed setting. This event is the one and only PTO fundraiser and your participation will allow us to raise the funds needed for the 2017-18 school year.

AN EVENING AT THE RANCH ~ OCTOBER 27, 2017 Each year, local businesses, school families and individuals partner with us to underwrite the cost of our school auction. There are many benefits to becoming a sponsor, including complimentary auction tickets and several forms of advertising. Sponsorship levels are:

Platinum $4,000, Gold $2,500, Silver $1,000, and Bronze $500. Interested in sponsorship? Contact Kim Burke at 813-523-6866 or to obtain a sponsor packet with all the details. If you are unable to be a sponsor, please consider helping by donating a ($20-$30) bottle of wine for our Wine Pull or by donating gift cards from Publix or area restaurants. Items can be dropped off during the summer months at the Welcome Center (labeled PTO Auction). Thank you!

Summer Reading, Writing, and Math Programs Month-long academic programs will

be available this summer on our St. Paul

campus. Deb Wagner, 4th grade teacher, is

offering tutoring in both small group and

individual settings. Small groups generally

consist of 2-5 students so that instruction can

be individualized. Children will be grouped

according to their current Math and Reading

abilities. Please contact Ms. Wagner at

dwagner@stpaullakeland.org with any

questions. To download a registration form go

to: http://www.splslakeland.org/wp-content/

uploads/2015/02/Wagner-Summer-

School.pdf.

CHESS SUMMER CAMPS Games of Strategy—July 10-14 Chess Knights—July 10-14/July 17-21 Camps are for students entering K-9th Grades

in 2017-2018. Snacks will be provided for each

session. The curriculum will be tailored to the

ages and abilities of the students. Registration

forms are available in the school office.

Volleyball Summer Camps and Clinics for Girls! St. Paul Volleyball has some great

camps this summer for girls entering grades

2-9. This is our 15th

summer offering great

developmental and fun camps for all skill l

evels from beginners to high school prep. St.

Paul students will get 50% off the August

camp to prepare for our school season! Go to

www.StPaulVolleyball.com for complete

information! Questions? Call Coach Lynn

Andersen at 863-602-3698.

Co-Ed Basketball Camp June 12-15—9am-12pm

This camp is for students entering

grades 4-9 and will concentrate

on basic basketball skills and drills with special

emphasis on shooting skills. We guarantee

that your shooting will improve by attending

this camp. For more info contact Ruth Smith,

rsmith@stpaullakeland.org or pick up a

registration flyer at the Welcome Center or

front office.

JUNE 12 JUNE 12 JUNE 12 JUNE 12 ---- AUGUST 4AUGUST 4AUGUST 4AUGUST 4 St. Paul Summer Camp registration forms are

As the school year closes, we enter into summer and I am not sure what to expect since it’s my first year here. When I arrived last September, school was in full swing. There were car lines, parents everywhere and kids with roller bags. I recall wondering if I could connect to the kids, for it had been a while since I served in a church with a school. Rooms were already full of kids and the teachers had a place for everything and everything in its place. I spent a couple times a week walking around in the morning visiting classrooms before school started. I spent some time with students. I spent time in prayer for the many requests that came in each day. Recess, sports in the evening, along with special music performances, were all a part of a rhythm of life in the school and will now all abruptly stop in a few days. Fewer kids moving on the walkways, deserted rooms, and quiet play-grounds are a part of the summer season and mark the change from one school year to another. Some kids will be returning and some will not. There will be some new faces, new roller bags, notebooks, erasers, pencils, uniforms, shoes, winter jackets ( this one I do not understand) and a host of other “new” things in a few short months when school resumes. Oh, there will be plenty to do in the summer months with daycare, VBS, kids camp and such but I expect it will not be as busy as the school year. What old things in your life are passing away and what new things are God bringing into your life? Life is all about change. Life changes like the seasons and we can mark the passage of time by the changes that take place in our lives. Sometimes life is loud and crazy and sometimes life is quiet and still just like the seasons here at the school. In the midst of change, in seasons of busyness and seasons of quietness, God does not change and He is a part of it all. Enjoy the journey of life with Jesus each day. Don’t be a stranger this summer experiencing Jesus in community. Just because it’s hot out and vacation is here, Jesus is still walking with you. —Peace, Pastor Andy

Connecting at St. Paul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June/July 2017

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

7:15am Men's Group 5:30 CancerCare 6pm Church Properties

2

3 8:30 Hmong Literacy

Class

4 8:30 WORSHIP 9:30 Hmong BS/Worship

9:45-10:45 CG & CM ten47 WORSHIP

5 7:30 8th Grade Grad.

6 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

10:45 CHAPEL PK-7

11:30 Dismissal 6:30 Trustees

7 8-3pm Teacher Mtgs 6:30 ALA-NON

8 7:15am Men's Group

8-3pm Teacher Mtgs 6:30 Katie’s Ladies 7pm Marty’s Men

9

10 8:30 Hmong Literacy

Class

11 8:30 WORSHIP 9:30 Hmong BS/Worship

9:45-10:45 CG ten47 WORSHIP 4pm VOTERS’ MTG.

12 Summer Camp Begins

7am-6pm

13 11:30 Lunch Bunch

6:30 Lay Ministers

14

6:30 ALA-NON

15 7am-6pm Summer Camp

7:15am Men's Group 6:30pm Theology Pub

16 7am-6pm Summer Camp

17 8:30 Hmong Literacy

Class

18 8:30 WORSHIP 9:30 Hmong BS/Worship

9:45-10:45 CG ten47 WORSHIP

19

20 6:30 School Board

21 6:30 ALA-NON

22 7:15am Men's Group

2923 8am Bulletins

924 8:30 Hmong Literacy

Class 2-4pm Eggroll Pickup

25 8:30 WORSHIP 9:30 Hmong BS/Worship

9:45-10:45 CG ten47 WORSHIP

26 8:30-3:30pm VB Camps

27 8:30-3:30pm VB Camps

28 8:30-3:30pm VB Camps

6:30 ALA-NON

29 7:15am Men's Group

30

1 8:30 Hmong Literacy

Class

2 8:30 WORSHIP 9:30 Hmong BS/Worship

9:45-10:45 CG ten47 WORSHIP

3

4

Happy 4th of July

CLOSED

5 6:30 ALA-NON

6 7:15am Men's Group 5:30 CancerCare 6pm Church Properties

7

8 8:30 Hmong Literacy

Class

9 8:30 BLOOD MOBILE 8:30 WORSHIP 9:30 Hmong BS/Worship

9:45-10:45 CG ten47 WORSHIP

10 8:30-5:30 Chess Camps

8:30-4pm VB Camps

11 8:30-5:30 Chess Camps 12:30-5:30 Chess Camp

8:30-4pm VB Camps

6:30 Lay Ministers 7:15 Renovation Team

12 8:30-5:30 Chess Camps 12:30-5:30 Chess Camp

8:30-4pm VB Camps

6:30 ALA-NON

13 7:15am Men's Group 8:30-5:30 Chess Camps 12:30-5:30 Chess Camp

5:30 HR/Finance 6:30 Katie’s Ladies 7pm Marty’s Men

14 8:30-5:30 Chess Camps 12:30-5:30 Chess Camp

15 8:30 Hmong Literacy

Class

High School Servant Event in Atlanta, GA

July 16-22

16 8:30 WORSHIP 9:30 Hmong BS/Worship

9:45-10:45 CG ten47 WORSHIP

17 8:30-1:30 Chess Camp

18 8:30-1:30 Chess Camp

6:30 School Board

19 8:30-1:30 Chess Camp

6:30 ALA-NON

20 Chinese Exchange Students July 20-31

7:15am Men's Group 8:30-1:30 Chess Camp

6:30pm Theology Pub

21 Chinese Exchange Students July 20-31

8:30-1:30 Chess Camp

22 8:30 Hmong Literacy

Class

23 8:30 WORSHIP 9:30 Hmong BS/Worship

9:45-10:45 CG ten47 WORSHIP

24 Chinese Exchange Students July 20-31

25 Chinese Exchange Students July 20-31

6:30 Endowment

26 Chinese Exchange Students July 20-31

6:30 ALA-NON

27 Chinese Exchange Students July 20-31

7:15am Men's Group

28 Chinese Exchange Students July 20-31

29 8:30 Hmong Literacy

Class

30 8:30 WORSHIP 9:30 Hmong BS/Worship

9:45-10:45 CG ten47 WORSHIP

31 Chinese Exchange Students July 20-31

12-4pm Volleyball Camp

AUGUST Newsletter articles due

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL JUNE 19-23 9:00AM-12:00PM

THEOLOGY PUB with Pastor Andy—Guys 21 and older meet at the Brew Hub,

3900 Frontage Road South, Lakeland, on the 3rd Thursday of the month (June 15 & July 20) at 6:30pm. Come, have a drink if you wish and some food or just join in the conversation as we look at what it means to be a Christian man in the world today.

8TH GRADE GRADUATION Monday, June 5 @ 7:30pm in the Worship Center Special speaker, Randy Luecke, CFO & Treasurer of Eckerd Kids

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

US POSTAGE PAID

LAKELAND, FL PERMIT NO. 85

4450 Harden Boulevard, Lakeland, FL 33813

To register your child or to volunteer, go to our website:

www.stpaullakeland.org Click on Children’s Ministry

join our adventure! Bible Dramas ► Games ► Snacks ► Crafts ► Music