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GRACE NOTES By Pastor Chad Adamik

‘Grace Notes’ – Pandemics and Meeting the Risen Christ First, let me begin by saying, “Thank you.” Thank you for the feedback you have given me concerning the online worship services on St. Paul’s YouTube channel. Online worship is something I will continue to improve upon. It seems that online worship on YouTube may be something that St. Paul’s will be offering for the foreseeable future. Even after we resume worshipping together publicly, there will be those who will understandably want to avoid large gatherings for the next several months; I do not blame these individuals at all! Thank you, also, for those who have called, emailed, texted, and otherwise reached out to me and my husband Tom Blake. Tom and I are doing very well, and we both are keeping very busy with our congregations. Certainly, boredom is never a factor when it comes to ministry! However, I feel deeply for those who are experiencing boredom and loneliness. I invite you all to please be sure to keep in touch with your siblings in Christ by phone call, cards, or hand-written notes. We especially want to remember those in assisted living, in nursing facilities, and the homebound. But be sure to remember that person or couple who always sat in your row at the 8:00 a.m. service or that young family at the 10:30 a.m. service. This time of COVID-19 has really turned our worlds upside down in so many ways—we are certainly living in “weird” times. It seems to me an amazing coincidence that these “weird” times are coinciding with the Easter season. The resurrection of Christ also turned the world upside-down in so many ways! Jesus’s disciples and friends found their world destroyed—the Messiah, the savior, was arrested and put to death on a cross. What about the promises Jesus made? What about the signs and miracles they witnessed? “How did things turn out so wrong?” the disciples must have asked themselves as they hid away, locked in that house—"sheltering-in-place.” The disciples were sheltered in place, not knowing what the future held, feeling cut-off from the world and, I imagine, very lonely. Not only were those disciples separated from family,

St. Paul’s Lutheran Family, ELCA The Rev. Chad Adamik, Pastor

1201 N. Saliman Rd., Carson City, NV 89701 775 882-3020

www.stpaulsluthfamily.com stpaulcarson@gmail.com

Church Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. May 2020 Newsletter • Volume 43, Issue 23

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friends, and their community, they felt separated from God. Can God’s promises of new life that Jesus announced be true in times such as these? Yet, it was in the locked house that the risen Jesus appeared with wounds and all. The wounded/risen Christ met the disciples, sheltering-in-place out of fear. And the risen Christ announced, “Peace be with you.” He breathed on them the Holy Spirit and sent them out to proclaim that Jesus is risen indeed. The risen Jesus doesn’t seem to mind the disciples’ fears or doubts. He meets them, shows them his pierced hands, feet, and side, and sends them out into the world to announce, “Yeah, the world is a scary, dangerous place. And the world is also a place where the risen Christ meets you, too!” Where is the risen Christ meeting you today? How are you witnessing resurrection? How are you “practicing resurrection” (Wendell Berry)? Please know that I miss each and every one of you very much. I look forward to the time when I can see you again in person. In the meantime, may the peace of the risen Christ be with you all! Pastor Chad

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Celebrating 2020 Graduates!

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most—if not all—graduation ceremonies have been canceled for this spring. For many years, St. Paul’s has had a reception after the 10:30 a.m. service to honor all graduations—high school, community college, university, technical/trade school, police/fire academies, graduate school, etc. Since such public celebrations will not be taking place, St. Paul’s will honor all 2020 graduates in the JUNE newsletter…and we need YOUR help!

We are requesting that 2020 graduates, or their family and friends, submit a PHOTO of the graduate, along with a brief biography: Favorite courses? Sports, clubs, or extra-curriculars? GPA or honors? Plans after graduation?

You may email the photo and a brief bio to St. Paul’s office assistant at stpaulcarson@gmail.com. If you can’t email it, just drop the photo in the mail. Let’s fill June’s newsletter with photos and notes of congratulations!

New Church Directory Renee Woslum and Joan Schultz are creating a new church directory. If you want a different photo in the 2020 directory, please send a jpeg version of it to the church office. Thanks!

MAY

BIRTHDAYS

2 Rodger Steyn 2 Kathy Edwards 4 Marilou Martineau 6 Mary DeFelice 8 Audrey Stroub 12 Janelle Hankie 13 David Harrell 14 Jean Opperman 19 Dottie Foster 19 Pat Fowler 19 Susan Goetz 20 Angelo DeFelice 23 Austin York

If you would like to be included in the monthly newsletter list of birthdays and wedding anniversaries, please notify Brette either by email (stpaulcarson@gmail.com), phone 775 882-3020, or simply slip a note through the mailbox slot in the church office door.

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MUSIC MINISTRY Dwight Holmquist is the Music Director. The choir is on hiatus for the summer. David Lingensjo, St. Paul’s Principal Musician, has been recording beautiful music clips for us. Hear them on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCujH57tQGEsCKJhKyE8q2Lg

LAY MINISTERS are always needed at St. Paul’s. Please contact the leaders of each ministry. Altar Guild: Jeanne Russell; Counters: Mary DeFelice; Readers: Judy McPhail; Communion Assistants: Council members arrange assistants; Greeters: Andrea Rud; Ushers: David Harrell

RECONCILED IN CHRIST (RIC) TASK FORCE For more information about the RIC Task Force, please contact David Harrell at 775 315-4661. To learn more about the Ministry of Reconciling, please visit the website: https://www.reconcilingworks.org

WOMEN OF THE ELCA (WELCA) If you have questions about WELCA meetings, please call Renee Woslum at 775 883-7748; Sharon Gesick at 775 443-8744, or Charlotte LaCombe at 775 721-0514. With the suspension of our church activities, St. Paul’s WELCA group has been greatly affected. We would have held our annual Rummage Sale in April. As you know, it's our biggest fund raiser, but we will still attempt to have it in the fall, possibly in October. This will be, of course, if circumstances allow it to happen. We all hope we can do this but are working on ideas for an alternative plan. Our main idea in writing this article is to reassure the congregation that your present WELCA board is "ON IT!" as that commercial on TV says, and we will be doing everything we can to accomplish some things that we normally do in order to finish out our program year. If you have suggestions or comments, please feel free to make them. You can contact me at Reneew1213@yahoo.com or give me a call. 775 883-7748 Peace and Good Health to All, Renee Woslum, Vice-President

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YOUTH MINISTRY If you are interested in helping St. Paul’s Youth Group, consider becoming part of this ministry. Please contact Traci Angel at 775 721-5495. Youth group meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month right after second service. All youth that are in grades 7th through 12th are welcome to join! The youth group would like to wish all our lovely church family ladies a Happy Mother’s Day! We want to honor those that are most dear to our hearts. This year is a little different, and we will not be able to serve up an afternoon of tea and treats! The youth are so lucky to have such a great group of moms to look up to! Our church family is mighty and strong, especially our moms! We wish we could honor those most special to us with a Tea, but this year we will just have to send our LOVE to YOU!

The youth are busy with school online and some are working as well! I am so proud of our YOUTH! They are doing an amazing job with everything that has been handed to them during the COVID outbreak. We have several fabulous youth in their senior year. We are wishing our seniors the BEST! I know it is a sad and weird way to end this chapter, but know YOU have your church family here cheering YOU on! If anyone is interested in helping us honor our seniors, please contact me. Thanks! Traci

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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Contact Renee Woslum if you’d like to become involved in this dynamic ministry. The youth are our future! 775 883-7748

Hello Everyone! I hope this note finds you all safe and well and making the best of your time at home with your families. This has been a truly different time in our lives, and the Sunday school teachers and I have missed meeting with you on Sunday mornings and seeing your smiling faces! We are all making sure that we can meet again in the near future to continue our stories and crafts as well as our Kid’s Church with Pastor Chad. So, more information will be coming your way soon in a letter that will be sent to your house. Meanwhile, we can remember our Mothers and Fathers as we do every year with a poem to celebrate them and how special they are to all of us. Renee Woslum, Sunday School Superintendent

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STEWARDSHIP Contact Carol Arneson or Charlotte LaCombe to learn more about stewardship. STEWARDSHIP NEWS Ecclesiastes 3:5 (1-8) A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing… As I pondered on the Stewardship news for May, I thought about how March and April have seen our lives, as we knew them be, completely turned upside down with the arrival of the COVID-19 virus. Previously, the Stewardship Committee held regular meetings and developed plans for the Lenten and Easter season, but we’ve seen firsthand God’s plans–Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. I talked with fellow member and my best friend Steve Ranson, and we would like to share some thoughts about Stewardship and the times we are now in. During this Easter season, we have come together as one church family through the means of social media with Pastor Chad broadcasting services and meetings through the Lenten season and the entirety of Easter. Brette has continued to reach out with notices and announcements to tie us together in a new way outside of the church building itself. Although it has been a month of unbelievable separation from the physical church, family and friends, we grow stronger into a different kind of fellowship. The past

months have shown us that we can overcome any obstacle that would keep us from worshiping in Jesus Christ’s name. We also thank Pastor Chad, the church staff, and the church council for efforts with what they have done to bring St. Paul’s Lutheran Family church together in prayer and services and that is what stewardship is all about! Church members can be proud that even in the midst of all businesses, including our physical church, shutting down, St. Paul’s was able to continue the Nights Off the Streets shelter for the homeless and shelter them through the coldest imaginable nights until the end of March. Even though the church building is not open for us to come in to pray and have fellowship, the financial obligations continue in the form of fixed overhead expenses – heating, electricity, etc. outlined in our church budget. Please continue to support St. Paul’s Lutheran Family with your offerings and prayerfully consider whatever extra can be given to support the church’s overall operations and special programs. Sometimes during a crisis, it takes a little extra to help. Together we can overcome the challenges of these troubling times. If you can share a portion of the stimulus funds some of you may receive, please do so. Our church family is a blessing, and we miss you all in person. Yet we continue our services in virtual weekly meetings and outreach. God bless us all until we can physically meet in communion again soon! Charlotte LaCombe, The Stewardship Team

STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT Louise Griffith, Charlotte LaCombe, Dick Lowther, Judy Lowther, Joan Schultz, Carol Arneson, and Pastor Chad Adamik are serving as members of this committee. We held planning meetings in August, September, October, and November 2019 and in January 2020. We built around the

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theme of GROW. GROW IN GRACE, COMMITMENT, AND FAITH. Also to grow in gratitude and generosity. Nadine Brown fashioned a large poster bearing the words GROW, GRACE COMMITMENT, and FAITH and a large bare tree. We invited worship attendees to jot down their words of gratitude on colored leaves, which were attached to that tree. Committee members also gave stewardship messages at the worship services in October and November. The tree became laden with gratitude messages and on November 17th, the committee hosted a coffee hour with pie after the 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services. Pastor spoke about stewardship at the second service coffee hour. The bare tree poster was again in the narthex at the beginning of Lent. Our plans for the commitment phase of our theme was to have the tree bloom with time and talent messages followed by a monetary commitment on Palm Sunday. Then along came COVID-19! We hope and pray that during this time of not being able to assemble as a congregation on Sunday mornings that you will continue as you are able to support our church with your gifts. Carol Arneson, Council Liaison

Altar Guild Annual Report 2019-2020

During the fiscal year from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020 Jeanne Russell served as the Altar Guild Chairperson and Joan Schultz as the Assistant Altar Guild Chairperson.

Our wonderful Altar Guild Members for this fiscal year include Traci Angel, Roy Eisentrager, Jean Opperman, Dorit Sandmeier, Kristine Sandmeier, Greta O’Kelly, Nikki Rohr, Sharon Melsheimer, Jeanne Russell, Joan Schultz, Hannelore

Hanke, Heidi Jones, Hope Chowanski, Andrea and Jim Rud, Mary DeFelice, Carol Arneson, Linda Wilson, Kathy Steinle, and Sharon Gesick. We are very grateful for their time and efforts. Joan Schultz, Hannelore Hanke, Hope Chowanski and Jeanne Russell have served as substitutes.

The large banners continue to be cared for by Joan and Jere Schultz. They change them according to the church calendar and carefully put them away after each use.

Currently, communion is celebrated at both the 8:00 and 10:30 services. We continue to use disposable cups. With the onset of the coronavirus, we had to adapt for safety reasons and discontinued the common cup in March.

Thirty poinsettia plants were again donated by St. Paul’s members at Christmas. Thank you to those donating the poinsettias that added to the beauty of our services. We also appreciate the efforts of Linda Wilson who kept track of the orders and prepared a beautiful donation insert for the Christmas bulletin.

An order was placed for twenty-five Easter lilies, but it had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus and the closure of the church during the month of April. Clay Woslum and Jimmie Poncsak deserve a big shout out for draping the cross with the veil for lent. This is not an easy job. It takes a lot of effort to accomplish.

Palms were ordered and palm cross making was planned but had to be cancelled. The palms were placed outside the front door on Palm Sunday for anyone who was interested in picking them up for family and friends.

We are always looking for new people to serve on Altar Guild and would welcome anyone who is interested. No experience is required as we provide on the job training.

This has been a year of unprecedented changes and challenges for St. Paul’s, the community and the country. Through it all we will continue to give thanks for our many blessings.

Jeanne Russell, Altar Guild Chairperson

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Please note: Meetings are subject to suspension guidelines.

STUDY AND PREPARATION

LECTIONARY BIBLE STUDY Pastor Chad leads a weekly Bible study based on the scripture readings for the upcoming Sunday. Please join us Fridays at 10:00 a.m. in the Luther Room to broaden your perspective on the lectionary readings!

INQUIRER’S CLASS An Inquirer’s Class will be held for those wanting to know more about the Lutheran faith. Please check future newsletters for details on dates and times.

CONFIRMATION EXPERIENCE 2020 Pastor Chad and Deanna Fine co-teach confirmation. For more information about the next session, text or email Pastor Chad. chad.adamik@gmail.com or call the church office. 775 882-3020.

The Women's Bible Study that is held on the first Tuesday of the month will not meet until September, assuming that is possible at that time. ~ Vicki Hamilton

The poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning once, famously, wrote that "Earth is crammed full of heaven, and every common bush aglow with God. Those who see… take off their shoes." God wants to bring you to a place of "taking off your shoes." Cherie Hill, Waiting on God

STITCHERS QUILTING MINISTRY Please consider joining St. Paul’s Stitchers quilting group. They meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Friendship Hall.

THE LEE GROUP “The LEE Group,” aka “Lutheran Eager Eaters” has been cancelled for May and June. It will resume the first Thursday of September.

If you have an article for the newsletter, please submit it by the 20th

of each month. Thanks!

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Please note that all dates are tentative, and some or all services may be cancelled depending on the COVID-19 suspension. Altar Guild -- MAY

Greta O’Kelley and Nikki Rohrs Communion Assistants

May 17th 8:00 a.m. Jay Olshen 10:30 a.m. TBA May 24th 8:00 a.m. Louise Griffith 10:30 a.m. TBA May 31st 8:00 a.m. Lauri Brown 10:30 a.m. TBA Readers May 17th 8:00 a.m. Jay Olshen 10:30 a.m. Holly McPhail May 24th 8:00 a.m. Carol Arneson 10:30 a.m. Judy McPhail May 31st 8:00 a.m. Vera Logie 10:30 a.m. Steve Ranson Greeters May 17th 8:00 a.m. Vera Logie

10:30 a.m. Betty Thoreson May 24th 8:00 a.m. Louise and Greg Griffith 10:30 a.m. Mary Neuman May 31st 8:00 a.m. Lauri Brown 10:30 a.m. Kathy Edwards

Counters

May 17th 8:00 a.m. Carol Arneson, Jeanne Russell 10:30 a.m. Judy McPhail, David Harrell May 24th 8:00 a.m. Jeanne Russell, Jay Olshen 10:30 a.m. Roy Eisentrager, Nikki Rohrs May 31st 8:00 a.m. Jay Olshen, 10:30 a.m. David Harrell, Judy McPhail Acolytes

May 17th 8:00 a.m. Greg Griffith 10:30 a.m. TBA May 24th 8:00 a.m. Greg Griffith 10:30 a.m. TBA May 31st 8:00 a.m. Greg Griffith 10:30 a.m. TBA

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YOU ARE IN OUR PRAYERS

SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES

Brandon Luterick, Heather Joyner (Johnson), Peter Elverum, Sarah McGee, Olivia Lesperance, and John Duffy (nephew of Sharon and Tom Gesick), Matthew Russell (nephew of Judy McPhail), and Justin Snowden.

FIREFIGHTERS/PEACE OFFICERS

Andy Steyn, Brian Hillenbrand, Tina Sherman, Mark Dickens, John Gould, and Jason Wildblood.

PRAYERS FOR HEALING Bob Stroub, James Wilson, Hannelore Hanke, Frank Bartlett, Ann Kauf, Audrey Stroub, Renee Woslum, Glenn Laursen, Edward Yoho, Madelene Yoho, DeWayne Evans, Lynn Gross, Evelyn Luterick, Sarah Jevne, Doug Thunder, Pat Thunder, recovery from hip surgery; Karin Randle, Sam Woolsey (Kay Elverum’s brother-in-law), Delores Sherman, Peggy Truttman, Norman Brewer (Mary DeFelice’s brother), Katherine, cancer (Susie Anderson’s sister), Holly and Trevis (Requested by Deon Ferguson, a friend of St. Paul’s), and Hank Doll, triple by-pass surgery (son-in-law of Ruth Fitzgerald), a friend of Glendanne Block, possible COVID-19, and a special prayer for all the victims of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and William Rawson who is currently at the UC Davis Medical Center battling leukemia.

CONTINUING PRAYERS FOR

Frank and Shirley Bartlett, Bev Gutzman, and Sandy Danforth, Gwen (Dick Lowther’s sister), medical issues; Bev Steinert continued eye-health issues; James Wilson continued health issues;

Dwight and Susan Holmquist and family healing; Mary Ann Adamik healing; Ellen Harrell medical issues; Betty Razor healing; Debbie Revelle healing; Maxine Bowton, Harold Nolte, Karen (Hone) Nolte, Diana Johns, Ruth Smith having special medical tests (daughter of Clay and Renee Woslum), and William Rawson who is currently at the UC Davis Medical Center battling leukemia.

WE GRIEVE WITH THE FAMILY of Jean Russell. Jean was called home on Saturday, April 11th.

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On Sunday, April 19th, St. Paul’s Lutheran Family hosted the Vitalant blood drive in Friendship Hall. Social distancing was enforced, and the event ran smoothly and successfully. Eighteen units of blood were donated! Because of you, Vitalant was able to make sure there is a safe blood supply for patients when they need it the most. Thank you to all who donated!

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ONLINE NEWS

Sunday services and weekly prayer sessions continue to be broadcast by Pastor Chad via YouTube and Zoom. Please check your email for upcoming days and times. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCujH57tQGEsCKJhKyE8q2Lg

“What’s Brewing?”

Join Pastor Chad each Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. for a brew (or beverage of your choice) and a chat on Facebook Live and Zoom.

We’ll discuss current events; what’s happening in our lives and bring up prayer requests.

Quarantine, Day 21

Directions for YouTube Go to St. Paul's website. You’ll find two links at the top of the “Welcome” web page. When you click on the YouTube link, it will take you to St. Paul's channel. When you get to the YouTube page, click on “Playlist” and then choose the Sunday service or event you want to watch. You can also click on the hyperlink to the right if you’re viewing this page as an email. Otherwise, type the address into your web browser search bar. Directions for Facebook Live To watch Pastor Chad’s Facebook Live programs, click on this hyperlink below if you’re viewing this newsletter as an email. Otherwise, type the address into your web browser. https://www.facebook.com/cr.adamik Pastor Chad is live on Wednesdays at 12:00 noon, Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. You don’t have to have a personal Facebook page to watch Facebook live.

As people shelter in place and streets remain empty, the wildlife is returning to Inverness, Scotland.

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Pastor Chad, the Council, the congregation of St. Paul’s, and its staff want to thank Nadine Brown who so kindly stepped up to produce the church’s newsletter each

month for the last few years.

Her talent is surpassed only by the generosity of her time

and the goodness of her heart.

Thanks for everything, Nadine. You truly are a blessing to us

and to everyone!

A special thank you to Pastor Chad from all of us for keeping everyone connected, lifting up our spirits, and

generally being there for us each every day of the COVID-19 crisis.

You’re the best!

A big thank you to Jim and Andrea Rud who

stepped up and painted a good portion of the church’s hallway where it needed it the

most. We appreciate your hard work.

Thank you to all the volunteers who stepped up and took shifts during

March’s Night Off the Streets!

Many thanks to Pastor Chad and the

Council for allowing me to work during the COVID-19 suspension. Brette O’Connell Elander

We thank everyone who has supported St. Paul’s Lutheran Family with tithes and

offerings during the shutdown. Your continued generosity has made all the difference in the world to the church!

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CLOTHING OPTIONAL

When I first learned that my church, like so

many others, would be having worship

services remotely due to the coronavirus

stay-home order, I joked that I’d never

before been able to go to church in my

pajamas, and maybe that would be a luxury

I wouldn’t want to give up. We’ve all heard

the jokes about the way people dress (or

not) when they work from home. Well, now

there is something else we can do dressed

as we please: VOTE!

There’s been a lot in the news about how

the “shelter in place” order will hinder voters

from participating in the Nevada primary

election on June 9th. There are certainly

some issues that are troublesome, but for

most of us, the primary election should be

easy. As with most aspects of this

pandemic, information from reliable sources

is the best balm to soothe our concerns.

On March 24, 2020, Nevada Secretary of

State Barbara Cegavske announced that

the June primary would be conducted by

mail. (There will be a few walk-in sites as

well, but details are at this time subject to a

lawsuit.) Secretary Cegavske said all active

registered voters in Nevada will be

mailed an absentee ballot. No action,

such as submitting an absentee ballot

request, will be required by individual

voters in order to receive a ballot in the mail.

Voters will be able to mark their ballot at

home and then return it by mail using a

postage-prepaid envelope or by dropping it

off at a designated county location.

Note that this plan applies only to the

June 9th primary. No guidance has yet

been issued for the November general

election. When that comes, LEAN will do all

it can to publicize it. LEAN urges all citizens

to participate in the election, because LEAN

derives all its positions from the ELCA

Social Statements. The Statement “Church

in Society: A Lutheran Perspective” says,

“Christians also exercise their calling by

being wise and active citizens.” As

recently as March 20, 2020, the ELCA

published a draft Social Message that

calls for “unrestricted participation,”

meaning removing all barriers to voting.

At this time, there are still barriers.

Perhaps the biggest barrier related to

June’s all-mail primary is the issue of

who is an “active voter.” Voters who

haven’t voted recently may be

considered “inactive” and therefore not

automatically receive a ballot. There’s an

easy fix for this. The Secretary of State

website enables people to update their

information, check it for accuracy, and

register if you aren’t already registered.

This user-friendly website is at

www.RegisterToVoteNV.gov. All that’s

needed is to click the appropriate button

and input your information. It’s a great

idea for active voters to go to this site to

verify their address.

So that’s the easy first step. Once you’re

sure you will receive a ballot, you can get to

work learning about the candidates and

issues. Feel free to wear pajamas while

doing so.

Sheila Freed, Publicist and Board Member Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada

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Just for Fun!