St. John’s Messengerleast of these my brethren, ... Anthony Brown Media Group Chairman 859-0961 Doug McCabe Organist 866-8669 ... St. John’s Messengerstjohnsmiamisburg.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/... ·

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St. John’s Messenger We are Christian disciples serving the world while receiving, rejoicing, and relaying God’s grace!

Volume MMXVII Issue 1

January 2017

A Publication of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church located in Miamisburg, Ohio Established in 1819

“1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2ask-ing, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage… 10When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew: 1-2,10-11)

How would you have worshipped the Christ Child? How do we worship him now? The coming of the magi to worship the Christ Child is the event we remember on Epiphany—always January 6th, and observed this year in worship on Sunday, Jan. 8. We begin 2017 by hearing a few of Martin Luther’s words about the Epiphany and what it means for how we show our devotion to Jesus. This is espe-cially appropriate because 2017 is the 500th anni-versary of the Reformation—sparked by Martin Luther posting his 95 Theses on the Wittenberg, Germany church door on Oct. 31, 1517.

“Though they saw but a tumbled down shack and a poor young mother with a poor little babe, not like a king at all, meaner than one of their own serv-ants, they did not shrink, but in great, strong faith cast out all misgivings of common sense, and, following simply the word of the prophet and the wit-ness of the star, they accepted him for a king, fell on their knees, worshiped him, and presented their treasures…

“…If we Christians would join the Wise Men, we must close our eyes to all that glitters before the world and look rather on the despised and foolish things, help the poor, comfort the des-pised, and aid the neighbor in his need. Do not boast that you have built churches and endowed masses. God will say: ‘What to me are your churches and masses? What do I care about your

“…We can present our gifts in the same way as the Lord says: ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ (excerpts from an Epiphany sermon by Martin Luther)

St. John’s has a long and faithful tradition of ser-vice to those in need. We will continue that holy work in 2017. Let us also observe the 500th anni-versary of the Reformation by asking ourselves: What else can we do to honor the Christ Child, as the Magi did? I suggest it would be a fitting gift to the Child to make a renewed effort to bring Him our repentant hearts, our worship, our study of His Word, and our commitment to sharing his Word out in our community. I firmly believe that doing so will bring us riches of the spiritual kind, which sur-pass all the gold and finery of this world.

Your fellow servant of Christ,

Pastor Tina Scheuller

altars and your bells? Do I take pleasure in stone and wood? Is not the heaven my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet? Who told you to build churches? I have set before you spiritual temples. These you should build, feed, and help, but you have gone about doing foolish things which I commanded not. I know you not.’

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We are Christian disciples serving the world while receiving, rejoicing, and relaying God’s grace!

We Are Here to Pray for You ...

In Our Midst …

Nina Bennett, Debbie Collins, Roy Early Catherine Kreitzer, Rose Mears, Virginia Rammel Jean Roberts, Rosetta Schenck, Barb Adams Sara Bell, Emily Spangler St. John’s Church Council, Visioning Task Force

For Family and Friends … Ray Adams (friend of Joyce Mear ’s) Barry Becker (Joyce Mear ’s cousin) Dakota (Pastor Tina) Julie Davis (former member)

Kenneth Elstad (Nancy Johnson ’s father) Pastor Richard Faust (Nancy McCabe) Jennifer Holbrook (Heather Peacock ’s sister) Darrin Humphrey (Debbie Humphrey’s son) Dave Humphrey (Debbie Humphrey’s husband) Meriel Humphrey (Debbie Humphrey’s gdaughter)

David Kopitzke (Debbie Ball’s uncle) Joe Lambsdale (Ida Geary) Bertha Morris (Everett & Ursula Morris) Lee Reichel (friend of Robin Skelding) Benjamin Rohrer (Diane-Chris Jergens’ g-grandson) Donald Roome (Linda Kent’s father) Connor Weston (Debbie Balls’ cousin) Frank Vescuso (Joy Faini) Helping Hands Food Pantry

Businesses and Organizations

Dour Printing and Office Supplies

Loved Ones in the Military . . .

Shane Lakes (U.S. Additional training, Grandson Priscilla Goldie) Brandon McKown (in Hawaii, Tonya McKown) Cian Morgan (Grandson of Nita and Gary Petticrew)

Jake Van (Grandson of Priscilla Goldie)

In Mourning for Family & Friends Joe Steffen (January 3, 2017, friend of Joyce Mears)

Each month, the prayer list is refreshed. Please contact the church office to keep or add those loved ones to the list..

Messenger Staff

Webmaster:

Anthony Brown 937-859-0961 [email protected]

Circulation:

Joy Faini, Ida Geary

Karen Doyle, Pat McGraw

December Average Worship Attendance Stats

4th-66 11th-68 18th-68 25th-23

Christmas Eve 88

January Birthdays & Anniversary

Julie Helter 5 Elijah Morris 5 Debbie Collins 8 Leia Wyatt 9 Nina Bennett 10 Robin Skelding 14 Nita Petticrew 18 Ben Hoffman 23 Mike Bell 25 Nancy McCabe 26

Anniversary

Gary and Diane Naylor January 5th

Budget Report for November 2016

Balance beginning ($21,337.66)

Income Towards Budget for November: $ 14,005.69

Expenses Against Budget for November:

Outreach $200.00

Staff $8,981.58 Facility Upkeep/

Administration $1,152.42 Conference/

Workshop $0.00

Utilities $376.13

Insurance $0.00

Committees $23.98

$10,734.11

Balance (income-expenses): $ 3,271.58

Year-to-Date Balance end of November: $ (18,066.08)

Editors:

Gary Petticrew 937-866-1285 [email protected]

Karen Doyle 937-866-3780

[email protected]

Cathy Zimmer 937-212-9283 [email protected]

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JANUARY VOLUNTEERS

LAY ASSISTANTS

January 1st Brian Kent January 8th

Gary Petticrew January 15th Jim Lehman

January 22nd Cheryl Page January 29th

Kids Assisting

ACOLYTE SERVERS

January 1st Kendall Brown & Jasmine Peacock

January 8th Ryley Lamb and Logan McGowan

January 15th Kiele Peacock and Natalie Scheuller

January 22nd Hannah Scheuller and Harley Lamb

January 29th Aiden Larsen and Logan McGowan

CROSS BEARERS

January 1st Luke Helter January 8th Harley Lamb January 15th

Jasmine Peacock January 22nd Ryley Lamb

January 29th Seth Helter

USHERS Gary Johnson & Everett Morris

GREETER Richard Petticrew

ALTAR SERVICE Pat McGraw and Donna Teuscher

NURSERY January 1st Brook Nauta January 8th

Robin Skelding January 15th Kim Holtzman January 22nd Barb Hoffman January 29th

Sara Bell

Lively Lutherans December Luncheon at Bravo’s Restaurant

All are welcome to join them for the January Luncheon at

Bullwinkle’s, downtown Miamisburg, January 21st at 11:30 am

Jim Denman places a bag of apples under Christmas Forest trees for the 12 families the congregation adopted giving gift wish-

es, food and gift certificates.

Pastor Tina shares her talent by accompanying the choir with her flute.

LANGUAGE CLASSES OFFERED A non-profit organization called "Dayton Tamil Sangam" holds several events through out the year to gather our Tamil speaking com-munity together. "Tamil School" is an arm of this organization. We are holding classes for 3-5 and 6-8 years old children. These classes will help our kids learn our Tamil lan-guage (dialect of Southern India). The school is staffed under the supervision of our Educational Chair . We provide books and stationary items for which we charge a fee . At the end of each semester we give exams with the syllabus taught and provide certif-icates/awards. We are entering our 2nd year of classes to start on January 21st, 2017 at St . Johns. To register or volunteer contact Minu Soundari at 937-952 -4600

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Managing Congregational Eventualities Officers * Executive Committee

Pastor Tina Scheuller *Pastor 937-866-3780 Cheryl Page *President 937-866-0661 Anthony Brown Vice-President 937-859-0961 Ida Geary Discipleship/WELCA Liaison 434-0011 / 626-7765 Gary Johnson Trustees Liaison 260-2667 / 260-2668 Tonya McKown Evangelism 937-833-0114 Sara Bell Learning (Education) 937-866-7033 Bruce Holtzman Trustees Liaison 937-603-9198 Anthony Brown Media Liaison & Webmaster 937-859-0961 Joyce Mears Worship & Music Liaison 937-866-3196 Linda Kent *Church Treasurer 885-3529 / 572-7815 Barb Hoffman *Council Recording Secretary 859-8871 / 231-6341 Judy Kuemmel *Financial Secretary 859-0509

Organizations, Boards and Staff Karen Doyle Church Secretary 866-3780 Tom Hoffman Board of Trustees Chairman 859-8871 Gail Braun Discipleship Committee Chairman 859-3438 Cheryl Page Personnel Committee Chairman 866-0661 Nancy Jones Andrews Stewardship Chairman 866-4533 Ida Geary WELCA President 434-0011 / 626-7765 Anthony Brown Media Group Chairman 859-0961 Doug McCabe Organist 866-8669 Nancy McCabe Choir Director 866-8669 Brooke Nauta Children’s Choir 937-367-1473 / 513-217-0564

Serving Members and Community

Christian Education

Robin Skelding Sunday School Superintendent 748-5405 Barb Hoffman & Beth Knight Preschool-Kindergarten 859-8871 / 937-414-5212 Cheryl Page & Kim Holtzman 1st & 2nd Grades 937-866-0611 / 937-608-8169 Brook Nauta & Robin Skelding 3rd—6th Grades 937-367-1473 / 513-748-5405 Anthony & Kim Brown Catechism (7th—8th Grades) 937-859-0961

Ministry Contacts

Nita Petticrew Church Archivist 866-1285 Nancy McCabe Greeters/Prayer Chain 866-8669 Barb Adams Altar Guild/Miamisburg Mission 433-2381 Diane Naylor Son-Rise Breakfast at First Lutheran 748-2137 Gail Braun Project Blessing at St. Paul Lutheran 859-3438

AA and AL ANON Sundays 7:30 PM Scott Astor 937-301-3097 Jim August 937-344-1416

AA Meet Monday/Friday 12:00 PM Brad Edwards 937-545-8461 Hank Schmtz 937-291-3820 Jim Green 937-266-6934

Area 56 Every 3rd Sunday 12:00 PM Roger Cornelison 513-551-8204

Three GS Troops

Dawn Bellert Troop #32125 937-388-3094

Angela Reed Troop #35274 937-603-4086

Kelly Grice Troop #32299 937-768-9455

Dawn Bellert Group Leader


CARNATION, a symbol of Word made flesh This flower has a long symbolic history of representing remembrance, innocence, faith and tenderness. In Christian legend, the carnation is sometimes referred to as "the rejoicing flower" because ancient rumor holds the carnation was first seen on earth at the time of Christ's birth. This legend becomes even more symbolic of Christ when you consider the word carnation comes from the Latin root “carnis” which means "flesh" (as in the flesh-color of the flower). This ties in with the body of Christ made manifest on this planet, and births a whole realm of symbolic mean-ings like: Blooming consciousness, unfolding the petals of potential in this physical form, breathing new life into the world, germinating a heightened sense of love and compassion. The carnation has been around for more than 2000 years, and has been utilized to lift one's spirits for almost as long in homeopathic/medicinal circles. Teas, tinctures, and foods have been crafted with carnations as a spice - all to en-hance the mood and reduce melancholy. Give it a try yourself. If the January chill gives you the blues, snatch up a bouquet of carnations from your local florist. They are relatively inexpensive, and they are guaranteed to lift your spirits on the most gloomy winter day.

AA AL ANON Groups

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St. John’s Messenger

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church




St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church 470 S. Gebhart Church Road Miamisburg, Ohio 45342 Phone: 937-866-3780 Office Hours: M-F — 9am—Noon

JANUARY 2017 EPIPHANY

OPEN TO ALL

Baptism of Our Lord Observance

Sunday, January 8th at 10:00 am worship

Confirmation Classes

Wednesdays, January 4th, 19th and February 1st Time: 6:00 pm—7:30 pm

Lively Lutheran Outing

Lunch at Bullwinkle’s Restaurant Downtown Old Miamisburg 11:30 am

Language Classes

Tamil School — Classes for Children 3-5 and 6-8 Years The Tamil Language is the Dialect of Southern India Classes Begin January 21st at St. John’s, 3:30 pm—6:00 pm Must Pre-register at 937-952-4600 with Minu Soundari


piphany” is "to be made manifest,". In other words to show plainly; reveal something readily recognizable by the eye or understanding; evident; obvious; apparent.

And in the season of Epiphany our observances emphasize the manifestation of Jesus as "Light to the Gentiles" and the "Glory of Israel" to Simeon when Jesus was presented at the temple, the manifestation of Jesus as God's beloved Son at His baptism, and the manifestation of Jesus to the whole world as represented by the Wise Men of the East.

In fact, the earliest Epiphany observances were based on the Jewish Feast of Lights, which today is called “Hanukkah” (“Dedication”). In our Christian observance of Epiphany it celebrates the astonishing revelation that it is in Christ that God dwells on earth among men. Jesus made many references to himself as the true temple (John 2:12-22).

Sundays in January

Refreshments 9:00 am

Sunday School 9:00 am

Worship 10:00 am

Documents

St. John’s Messengerleast of these my brethren, ... Anthony Brown Media Group Chairman 859-0961 Doug McCabe Organist 866-8669 ... St. John’s Messengerstjohnsmiamisburg.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/... ·