Interim Update for December 21, 2018

Saga of the Safe

There are more details about this story than I care to share in this space. I'll just say that we called on Betschman Security to give us some help with opening the safe and make additional keys for the lock box. Ron, the owner, came on Monday for an initial inspection, and returned on Tuesday with the necessary tools to thoroughly service the safe's moving parts. Yes, it is very particular, and must be handled with kid gloves, as all applied motion incurs wear and tear on the parts. He provided detailed instructions on the combination and exactly how many turns each way are required for opening. Ron also delivered the extra keys for the lockbox. These will be distributed to office staff and Counting Crew Chiefs. Overall, this should improve security in the office.

Something I forgot to bring up at Council

I mentioned in my December 7 Update that I had met with Rob Johnson and that we had agreed on doing the first of the Healthy Congregations workshops in late January or early February on a Saturday morning from 9am - 1pm, and that we would decide on a date at our December meeting. This slipped off my radar screen, and so apologize for that. I'm wondering if we could shoot for Saturday, February 2. Let me know if that date does not work for you. I know any date could be a problem for one or more of our group, but we want the date to be available for as many as possible.

Updated date for Church Directory Photography

I received a phone call from Lyndon from United Church Directories, who was our presenter at Council. He wants to change the date from Tuesday, April 23, to Monday, April 22, which is Easter Monday. I am not encouraged by either date. How many of our families are available on one evening on a weekday, and even if they could come how many would?

Birthday party for Jesus

On Wednesday (x1) and Thursday (x2) I experienced my first St. John's Preschool Birthday for Jesus. Everything was organized beautifully with various stations and activities spread throughout the church. Finally everyone gathered in the sanctuary, and that's where I got to do my part. I dressed up as a shepherd and told the Christmas story from the perspective of the shepherds in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. The shepherd's father, The Innkeeper, will bring the message on Christmas Eve.

Advent service and Confirmation

Our third and final midweek Advent Service was on Wednesday evening. Thanks to Marlene for accompanying on the organ, Lisa G. for playing her flute, and to Jan L. for leading on the Holden Evening Service. I contributed to the accompaniment on the guitar. Following the service, confirmation kids met and we delivered one more Christmas tree to another of our shut-ins.

Kristen's first week

Kristen completed her first full week as our Office Manager. There's still lots to learn. In addition to Christmas Eve bulletins, we have been working on Saturday and Sunday bulletins. She got the Council Meeting packets ready for Thursday night's meeting. She's working now on the January newsletter. With Shaun also in the office (except Wednesday), he has been able to orient her to a number of items, including taking her to the bank to sign signature cards, and getting her name on various online accounts such as Quill (office supplies) and Vanco (online giving).

Terri home from hospital

Terri continues her recovery at home. We're hoping to see her again in church soon. Keep her in your prayers.

Orchard Villa /Bellevue Care Center

I went to OV and BCC a week early, as the usual day (4th Tuesday) falls on Christmas Day. Our usual members were present, with the exception of Vera B. She must have been out visiting.

Home visit with Holy Communion

I received a phone call from Clara R. (age 95, bless her heart) requesting that I bring her communion, which I did. Had a good visit, and learned that she is sister-in-law to my former member members in Norwalk. So that gave us things to talk about. She's very sharp, but has not been getting out as much lately. I have put her on the shut-in list for future visits. Clara lives next door to Charles and Nancy K, who do lots to look out for Clara. I stopped to visit them also while in the neighborhood, as I hadn't seen them recently

Police came calling on Thursday

We had a surprise visit from two officers from the Bellevue Police Department on Thursday. They responded to a panic button call from St. John's. First they called Jan TerVeen, as that's the phone number they had on file. Imagine his surprise. He directed them to the church. The best we could guess is that Kristen accidentally pressed the button, which is located under the desk and above the computer CPU. No arrests were made, and mostly we had a good laugh as well as an education about the panic button, which I had no idea even existed.

Copy machine misbehaving

As we were running Sunday and Christmas Eve bulletins, Kristen and I noticed that some of the copies were coming out wrinkled. We called the service tech, who arrived in the afternoon and replaced some moving parts, and is now working better. I'm guessing that this is part of the service contract for the machine, so there will be

STEW-About It

In the December Update I provided info about Pr. Kent Wilson's congregational stewardship newsletter called "STEW-About It," and provided links to the first three issues. He has published issue #4, and you can view it here.

QR Code and URL for Online Giving

Breeze, our church management system software, includes an online giving portal, when used by members, automatically receives and deposits their gifts, and enters them in their contribution records. I have created a QR code for the online giving portal, which I have printed in the Christmas Eve bulletin, and plan to make a regular feature of weekend bulletins. If you haven't checked out our online giving portal yet, you can do so by clicking here.

Al-Anon Meeting

Shaun and I met with Lynn from Al-Anon today to talk about space for their Friday night meeting. They have a cabinet to store their stuff, and we agreed that it would fit downstairs in the hallway to the youth room, and they would be willing to retrieve their meeting items (coffee pot, literature, etc.) from that location, and meet in the lounge. They are no longer comfortable at the Episcopal Church, as they are the only ones in the building. They would feel much more comfortable meeting at St. John's as AA is already there. And yes, they would make a small monthly contribution to the church for their use of the space.

Theresa returning as Janitor

Theresa will be returning as janitor. He has had some health issues, but is feeling better now and wants to return to active duty. She met with exec this week to review expectations. Plans include creating a new list of duties. Expected work hours will be 20/week, and also a plan for Denise to continue to do backup duties when necessary. Hope this works. St. John's is a big building to keep clean.

Interim Update for December 14, 2018

Are we being Hospitable?

Good question. Most congregations think of themselves as good practitioners of hospitality. But there's always room for improvement. Breeze, our online church management software, provides helpful ministry hints. You can find some here.

Christmas Message from Bishop Eaton

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton shares her 2018 Christmas message. "We are free to greet this holy season knowing that Christ’s cradle defeats the grave. Life and healing and hope come to us in the child in the manger." You can view Bishop Eaton's message here.

Advent Worship

The second of our Advent worship services was held Wednesday evening. We are using Holden Evening Prayer, and our messages center around the them "Light in the Darkness." This week's them was "In the Darkness of Suffering, There Is the Light of Life" and was a reflection on John 1:1-18. Next week our third and final theme will be "In The Darkness of Oppression, There Is the Light of Salvation," a reflection on the firs verses of the Christmas Gospel, Luke 2:1-7.

Confirmation youth go caroling and deliver Christmas trees

Last Wednesday, confirmation youth decorated some miniature Christmas trees, and this Wednesday they delivered them to some of our home-bound members. We combined the tree delivery with some Christmas caroling, which is always well received and appreciated. This was done following Advent worship. Prior to worship at 6:30, youth and mentors had their second mentoring session.

Welcome Kristen!

We have a new Office Manager! Her name is Kristin Rhineberger, and although she is a Bellevue native, she currently lives in Norwalk. The Executive Team interviewed her on Monday morning, the third person to interview for the position. After the interview the ET voted unanimously to offer the position to Kristen. Her first day in the office was Thursday, and her hours will be 8am to 3pm, Monday through Friday, with an hour off over the lunch hour.

Kristen's first days

So far, Kristen has worked two days, and I have spent a fair amount of time showing her what I know about the St. John's office, which revolves mostly around computer based things like Google Docs, Sundays and Seasons, Dropbox, and Breeze. She successfully entered last weekend's offering into Breeze, and today I assigned her to do Saturday's bulletin while I worked on the Sunday version. We will be moving the bulletin from Publisher to Word, as Kristen is more familiar with that program. If you are available during Kristen's hours, be sure to stop in and welcome her and introduce yourself!

Safe is very safe

I have to say that the St. John's safe is very safe. So safe, in fact, that not even St. John's members are able to open it. Terri has been the key opener of the safe, and knows the combination and special skills it takes to get the beast open. But with her current unavailability, we SJ office peeps are scratching our heads, Dave Herman came in today, and had it open once, but was unable to repeat the process using the known or assumed combination and required numbers of turns left and right. We did get out what we needed to when it was open, but currently this case is more shut than it is open. Stay tuned for the next episode of "As the Safe Combination Knob Turns."

Interim Pastors Meeting

On Thursday afternoon I traveled to Synod Office for our monthly Interim Pastors meeting -- which was our first meeting since October, as the November meeting was called because of icy road conditions. Our normal meeting date is the third Thursday, but this month we met a week earlier to avoid the Christmas rush next week. Our next meeting is scheduled for January 17, 2019.

Terri in Hospital

Most of you know that Terri has been in the hospital since Tuesday. She will likely be there into and possibly through the weekend. Keep her in your prayers..

New Monitors in the office

The computer monitors in the church office were quite small by today's standards, and were also a bit on the dim side. I noticed a good sale at Staples, and so I purchased 3 24" LED monitors, one for Kristen, one for Shaun, and one for the pastor's office. One monitor was donated, and the congregation purchased the other two for $130 each for a total expense of $260, which will be a budgeted office expense. The office is still in need of some upgrades, primarily in operating systems (Windows 10) and network connectivity.

Willows Visits

On Wednesday I visited our members at The Willows - our centenarians Ruth and Hazel, and also Beth, Betty and Carol. After visiting Beth, as I was walking down the hall I noticed a familiar name by one of the rooms. Norma V. is now at The Willows, so I stopped to visit. This was my first visit with Norma. I got the impression that she arrived only recently, and don't know if this is a rehab stay for her, or if she will be there long term. Either way, I put her on my Willows list.

Shepherd's Fund

I received a request from one of the preschool teachers, who learned that one of her kid's households was experiencing some financial difficulty with a recent job change, and was looking at a utility shutoff. Through the Shepherd's Fund, we helped this family avoid the looming shutoff. We certainly hope that better days are ahead for this family.

What Are Your Passions?

Bishop Daniel asks this question in his weekly email message. You can read his message in its entirety here.

Interim Update for December 7, 2018

Greetings all -- it's been a busy week -- lots to report, so here goes.

Decorate the Church for Christmas

I already sent out an email about this, but adding it here, too. A group is gathering Saturday morning, December 8, to decorate the church for Christmas. If you're available and willing to help out, see you there!

Synod eNews for December 6

You can get caught up on Synod news here.

Daniel's weekly email message

"Dear Friends in Christ, I am excited to share with you that 2019 will be the Year of Scripture in the Northwestern Ohio Synod. What follows is a quick outline of Coming Attractions." You can read Daniel's message here.

Meeting with Pr. Rob Johnson re: Healthy Congregations

Last week I contacted Pr. Rob Johnson from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, and a member of our synod's Congregational Resource Team, to arrange a conversation about our plans to participate in up to three Healthy Congregations workshop during 2019. Pr. Rob offered to come to St. John's, so I accpeted his offer, and he came and some some time with us on Thursday afternoon. Shaun was in the office, so he joined the conversation. We shared info for Pr. Rob to give him some perspective on St. John's, and he offered some recommendations regarding the Healthy Congregations workshops. He suggested that we do the initial workshop, and then make further plans from there. We agreed that late January or early February could work for both of us. We'd be looking at a four-hour workshop, from say, 9-1 on a Saturday. Let's choose a Saturday at our next Council meeting.

Terri out sick

Terri has been under the weather this past week, and has been able to spend only limited time in the office. We're getting things done, but wow, it's tough when she's not there. Prayers coming for you to feel and get better soon!

Interview process for new Office Manager

The Executive Team has interviewed two candidates sent to us by WeStaff in Norwalk. A third candidate will be interviewed on Monday, and then Exec will make a decision, so that person can spend some time with Terri for training and orientation. One of the advantages of going through WeStaff is that all candidates are already background checked and otherwise vetted for suitability for the job.

Stewardship meeting

Stewardship Team met Thursday, and the main agenda was tallying Commitment Cards from the recently completed Stewardship Program, "Keep it Simple." So far, over $100,000 of annual financial commitment has been offered for supporting ministry at St. John's in 2019. Team members will offer an oral report during announcements at Saturday and Sunday services. The Team also has been working at organizing the time and talent sheets, and getting copies to Teams, giving them people to call for activities they have indicated an interest in or willingness to serve in.

Speaking of Stewardship, let's all "Stew-About-It!"

Rev. Kent Wilson is on the Synod Staff as Director of Leadership Development for Congregational Vitality. He has been providing guidance and resources in the area of Stewardship, including a new series of newsletters he calls "STEW-About-It." Here are the first three issues, which have some challenging and interesting things to do and say about Stewardship in our congregations:

• Issue 1
• Issue 2
• Issue 3

Education meeting

Education Team met Thursday evening. There was lots to cover, including an update on the Christmas program by the Sunday School kids, which will be on December 16 during morning worship. Also discussed possible curriculum/program for next summer VBS. First Communion instruction will be planned for spring -- March or April

Advent services

The first of three mid-week Advent services was held Wednesday night in the chapel. Our theme is "Light in the Darkness." Next week the message will be: "In the Darkness of Suffering, There Is the Light of Life," a reflection on John 1:1-18. The order of worship is Holden Evening Prayer, and features Lisa Gittenger on the flute -- thanks, it's beautiful!

Confirmation Update

During Advent, Confirmation youth are attending the Advent services, and meeting afterwards for a shortened class period. On Wednesday, youth built 11 mini-Christmas trees, which will be distributed to shut-ins after worship on Sunday. Next week, the second meeting of youth with their mentors will be held beginning at 6:30 pm, and then all will attend Advent worship.

A New Picture Directory?

One the the lifelines for me as an interim is an "as up-to-date-as-possible" picture directory. It is indespensable in putting names and faces together. The last directory was created in 2012, and is now quite out of date. Lyndon Loewen, representing Universal Church Directories of Mansfield, stopped at the office to drop off some promotional material. I invited him to make a (very) brief presentation at the beginning of Council next week

Healthy Churches Faithful Pastors

Our Sunday/Thursday Adult Forum has been reviewing the book "Healthy Churches Faithful Pastors." Our most recent discussion has been on expectations regarding how the congregation supports the pastor, which includes the pasto's compensation package. I have spent some time talking about how a pastor's finances differs from others, and how a compensation package is arrived at. At this Sunday's session, we will put together a complete compensation package for a hypothetical pastoral candidate.

Interim Update for November 30, 2018

Church picture directory

I received a phone call from a United Church Picture Directories representative. She will be in the area on Thursday, December 6. I said I would be available at 12:30 pm. The last picture directory was done in 2012, so a new one would be in order and would be very helpful for your new pastor. Would this fall to any committee in particular? Evangelism, perhaps? Or anyone that would be interested is welcome to join me on Thursday, December 6, 12:30 pm.

Orchard Grove and Bellevue Care Center

Tuesday was my day to do group communion at these neighboring care centers. Florence and Vera were in attendance at Orchard Grove, and Gloria Wood at Bellevue Care. I also stopped to see new residents Pat and Helen Sellinger. Pat and Helen are members at St. Peter in Norwalk, where Pat was the bookkeeper for decades, and Helen was Sunday School treasurer for an equal amount of time. It was good to see them again. Helen's mind is good, body not so much, and Pat's good and not so much are reversed.

Thoughts on motion to leave ELCA

There's that thing called Monday Morning Quarterbacking, in which someone criticizes or suggests alternative courses of action from a position of hindsight after the event in question. In this case I'm suggesting an alternative course of action for Mike's motion at the Annual Budget/Elections meeting on November 18. The motion should have been called Out of Order, because in the Bylaws to the St. John's Constitution it says this is B10.01.3:

The following agenda items may be included at either annual meeting:
a. Opportunity to vote on any proposals submitted by the Congregation Council.
b. Opportunity to vote on any proposals submitted by at least 20 voting members.

Also, B10.01.1.c states:

All proposals, including the budget proposals, shall be published and distributed to all voting members of the congregation at least two weeks in advance of the meeting.

Mike's motion lacked both of these required aspects in the bylaws -- a proposal which is submitted by at least 20 voting members, and submitted at least two weeks in advance.

Evening with Bishop Daniel

Confirmation youth and adult leaders from several congregations in the Eastern Conference gathered at St. John's Wednesday evening for a meeting with Bishop Daniel. Daniel started us out in the sanctuary with scripture, prayer and sharing the peace. We all then went up to the fellowship hall, where Daniel talked to us about what it means be be a follower of Jesus, prayer, and purpose, showing us a video about Pastor Ed Dobson, who became disabled from ALS. Daniel then challenged us, as he has the entire synod, to read the Bible in a year, 3-4 chapters a day. All enjoyed snacks and beverage at the end of our time together. Thanks to the Education Team who coordinating serving the snacks. I took several photos, which you can see here.

Executive Interviews candidate for Office Manager

One Friday, Executive Team interviewed a candidate for Office Manager, sent to us by WeStaff in Norwalk. WeStaff does the vetting including background checks, so we can we sure that base is covered before we start to interview. We had a second interview lined up, but this candidate withdrew. Executive will contact WeStaff on Monday to check for any additional candidates, and if there are not, will make a decision on the person interviewed today. That candidate would be available to spend some time with Terri for orientation and training.

Preschool Silent Auction set to begin soon

You will notice lots of nice wrapped gifts in the preschool halls that you will soon be able to bid on during much of the month of December. Check them out, and you may be able to get a quick start on your Holiday shopping!

St. John’s Advent Midweek Worship 2018

December 5, 12 and 19, 7:00 pm in the chapel
Theme: “Light in the Darkness”

Wednesday, December 5
In the Darkness of Despair, There Is the Light of Hope
Isaiah 9:1-7

Wednesday, December 12
In the Darkness of Suffering, There Is the Light of Life
John 1:1-18

Wednesday December 19
In The Darkness of Oppression, There Is the Light of Salvation
Luke 2:1-7

Interim Update for November 23, 2018

Sunday's Annual Meeting

I thought Sunday's meeting went well -- I heard good comments about the budget and financial reports prepared by Shaun. We can now move forward on forming a committee for Endowment Fund. We knew that something like the vote to leave the ELCA proposed by Mike was coming, and although it might have been better to discuss it more and hopefully defeat the motion, Paul's motion to table (technically was out of order, as motions to table aren't meant to end discussion of an issue, but make room for other more important business), which passed by a vote of 42-13, indicated that there is likely insufficient support right now to initiate any proceedings toward leaving the ELCA. I have done two things in response to that action at the meeting; I had positive conversations with Mike and Pat, the maker and seconder of the motion. I also included a report on the meeting in my Pastor's Message for the December newsletter. You can read that when you get the newsletter, or if you'd rather not wait, you can read it here.

Executive Meeting on Tuesday

Executive met Tuesday morning. The main items of business were discussion regarding a new office person (hire in or out of congregation? use a temporary service?) Mike is doing some research on the temp service possibility. Also discussed was Christmas bonuses or gifts for staff, and some existing gaps in janitor coverage, as Shaun reported limited hours being turned in. Denise has spent some hours cleaning the woodwork in the sanctuary, where were billed to the congregation.

Heather's Announcement

Heather is out of town this weekend, and asked me to post this in the update:

Council Gift Basket for the Preschool

Reminder that all donations for the council Gift Basket are needed in the office by Sunday, November 25th. Each committee was challenged to provide something small to represent your committee within the church. If you need ideas, clarifications or additional time, please contact Heather Smith at 440-935-6099.

Thanksgiving Worship and an ICU visit

There were about 25 persons present for Thanksgiving Worship on Wednesday evening. At 6:30, half an hour before the service was to begin, I received a phone call from Bellevue Hospital ICU staff. They were looking for a pastor to come and pray with a woman for whom death was drawing near and her family. The woman is Roman Catholic, and no priests could be located. I said I would come after worship. It was a large extended family that filled her ICU room and the waiting room lobby. I did a commendation of the dying service at the bedside, and the family was very appreciative.

Funeral for Denise

Denise died on Monday, November 19, and the visitation was on Friday and funeral at the church on Saturday. I heard many wonderful stories about what a faithful servant Denise was, everything she did for St. John's and the community, one who lived her faith every day. There was a nice representation of congregation members at the service, with six members occupying the pew where she usually sat. The luncheon was excellent. Thanks to Marilyn and her faithful team. You can read the obituary here.

Bishop Daniel's Weekly Message

Bishop Daniel speak of "Four Dimensional Praying" in this weeks message. Also, a synodical finances update. You can read the message here.

Interim Update for November 16, 2018

California Fires

The news out of California continues to get worse. The death rate continues to rise, as does the number of reported missing. One of our ELCA congregations in Paradise was completely destroyed with the rest of the time. This is unimaginable. In some cases victims' bodies have been so completely charred that it has been difficult to find any DNA to check for identification. For more about the disaster and our ELCA response, you can go here.

Bishop Beaudoin's Weekly Message

Bishop Daniel's weekly message can be read here. Remember that our Eastern Conference Confirmation Youth will be hosting Bishop Daniel here at St. John's on Wednesday evening, November 28. We're expecting a group of about 50. Education Team is helping with refreshments. Should be an inspiring time for our kids.

First Mentoring Session in the Books

Our Mentoring Program for our Confirmation Program got off the ground this past Wednesday evening. There will be a total of ten 30 minute sessions at 6:30 on Wednesday Evenings prior to either Confirmation Class or Advent/Lent Services. There will also be a session as part of a planned overnight Friday into Saturday retreat in February. Reviews of the first session were thumbs up on both sides of the mentoring equation.

Lutheran Home

St. John's is one of the original corporate members of the Lutheran Home on Bardshar Road in old Venice. You may be aware that the home shut down about a year ago, and there is still no decision about how to repurpose the building and/or property. Genacross, formerly Lutheran Homes Society, first managed, then bought the property. A Sandusky Register report on the closing can be read here. Rick Marshall, CEO of Genacross, was in attendance at our Eastern Conference Pastors meeting this week, who updated us on the Lutheran Home property as well as other things Genacross.

Eastern Conference Pastors Meeting

Eastern Conference Pastors met on Tuesday of this week, hosted by Pr. Juli at Faith Fremont. As mentioned above, Rick Marshall from Genacross was one of our speakers. We also heard a presentation by Pr. Eric Bodenstab, Zion Sandusky, who gave a PowerPoint presentation regarding results of a recent Pew Research Center study regarding trends in the ELCA. Here are some of the summary findings:

• Smallest adult membership age group is 18-29 at 12%. Everyone else is older.
• Baby Boomers are the largest generation cohort at 37%. (born from '46-'64)
• Women outnumber men 56-44%.
• We are 96% white.
• Our immigrant status is 89% third generation or higher.
• Only 24% of members are parents with children 18 years or younger.
• Half of ELCA members attend worship once a month or less
• 63% of ELCA members seldom or never attend or participate in prayer, scripture study or religious education groups
• 44% of ELCA members seldom or never read scripture.
• 85% believe in heaven, but only 59% believe in hell.
• 43% identify or lean as Republican, and 47% identify or lean Democratic (doesn't account for regional differences)

If you want to view the entire report including helpful bar graphs, you can find it here.

Newly installed pastors Kris and Bill Schroeder were present, Kris at Zion Huron and Bill and St. Paul Sandusky. Only congregations in our conference now in interim or call process are Faith Fremont and St. John's Bellevue.

New member

As I reported at Council, we have a new member. Dianne, Ernie Blank's new wife, expressed a desire to become a member of St. John's. I visited on Wednesday, and we did the Affirmation of Baptism service from ELW with her. Terri prepared a certificate, which she hopes to frame and display in their home. While at their apartment, I saw Ernie's model railroad (takes up a big chunk of their living room! I took a photo of the happy couple and the amazing model railroad -- you can see it here.

Visiting Denise

Made two visits to Denise S. at Stein Hospice inpatient unit in Sandusky this week. She is still awake and alert -- and doctors have moved to to palliative medication only. She is looking forward to being with Bobby again. And I met her niece Donna who had been staying with her. Keep her in your prayers.

Newsletter deadline coming

Terri needs your info for the December newsletter. 20th is the deadline, but keep in mind that Thanksgiving break is coming.

Time to return Commitment Cards

Stewardship program Commitment Cards have been requested to be brought to worship this weekend. You can also put a stamp on the enclosed envelope and mail it. And don't forget Stewardship Stew for lunch on Sunday, and our congregational meeting to follow.

Interim Update for November 9, 2018

Executive Team meeting prior to congregational Budget/Election meeting

I met with Executive on Tuesday morning, and part of their agenda has been discussion of how the congregation will be handling the Ruth George bequest. Based on the input from the four input meetings from the congregation, Shaun had prepared a possible pie chart for how to allocate the almo##st million dollars St. John's has received or is in the process of receiving. We know that St. John's preschool will receive a significant amount, as will a capital improvement fund, and the largest share would be placed in a permanent Endowment Fund. I have started to work on a resolution that would put some of these details in writing for the congregation at the November 18 meeting. Exec will tweak the resolution, and bring it to council Thursday night.

Clergy Housing Allowance Update

One of the tax benefits that pastors receive is a housing allowance that is free of Federal (and State and Local) income taxes to the extent that it is used for housing expenses. This amounts to a significant savings, but is offset by the fact that pastors pay Social Security, or SE Tax at the self employment rate, which is double that which employeees pay, as the employer pays the other half. Strange but true, for income tax purposes, pastors are considered common law employees, and for Social Security purposes are considered self-employed.

The tax free clergy housing allowance has come under attack many times in the courts, but so far has survived on appeal. It looks like this tax benefit could be lost, as the "legal battle rages." You can read more about it here. I would not be financially devastated by losing this benefit, but there are likely thousands of pastors who would be, along with the congregations they serve. It should be noted that pastors who live in church-owned parsonages are not affected by the ruling, only those who receive a cash allowance to rent or purchase their own homes.

Pastoral Care happens in many ways

One of the important things that your pastor does is care of the congregation. There are many ways that this happens; hospital and nursing home visits, visits to members who are homebound, more frequent visits of the dying, visits before and after the death of loved ones, conversations and sometimes prayers with people before and after worship or in the hallways, and responding to special requests are just some of the many ways that pastors care for God's people. One member expressed concern about a close family member who was having difficulties, so together we paid a visit to the family member. On Wednesday, I visited Denise S., who is spending some time at inpatient Stein Hospice in Sandusky. She is hoping to return home again soon. She loves her church family and is appreciative of all the prayers directed her way.

Ernie and Dianne B.'s plans

You may remember that I reported that Ernie B. was married recently to Dianne, who is a resident at Bellevue Care Center. Ernie is in the process of moving Dianne home with him to his apartment. Dianne has expressed an interest in becoming a member of St. John's. I will be working with them to make this happen.

Stewardship Campaign Commitment cards ready for distribution

Our 2018 Stewardship campaign, with the theme "Make it Simple," officially began on October 28 with the first of four weekly bulletin inserts, highlighting the following themes: "Follow Jesus," "Face the Truth," "Act Together," and "Share Enough." The last two weekends of the campaign will focus on the distribution of commitment cards this Saturday and Sunday, and the return of the completed cards the following weekend. Following worship next Sunday, November 18, we we come together for a "simple lunch," which will then be followed by the annual budget and election meeting of the congregation.

On Thursday afternoon, members of the Stewardship Team, Linda, Emma K. and Aleta, assembled the Stewardship packets for distribution this weekend. Terri ran year-to-date giving statements, and inserted them into 6x9 envelopes, and the Stewardship Team added a cover letter, the commitment cards, and an envelope to return the cards, either by bringing them on Sunday morning, or dropping them in the mail. You can read a copy of the cover letter here.

Passive Agressive arguers

Have you ever gotten into an argument with someone who has no interest in dialogue, but instead only in advancing his or her own opinion, with no respect for honest debate? This can happen live, and it likely happens more often on social media. If you'd like some advice on how to deal with these people, check out this article.

Confirmation class this week

Cindy (aka Mrs. Mira) took the night off from leading Confirmation on Wednesday because of parent/teacher conferences at school, so I led the group this week. We have been studying the Lord's Prayer in recent weeks, and had come to the end of that unit, so I spent a major part of our time together on Wednesday reviewing what the Small Catechism says about the Lord's Prayer ("What does this mean?" Remember when you had to memorize it for your pastor?) I "exploded" the Lord's Prayer section of the catechism, and gave the kids the task of putting it back together. You can see a picture of the working on it here. Kaden was absent because he was sick -- otherwise, attendance has been 100%. This is a good group of kids. St. John's should be proud.

Searching the Blog

Some of you have expressed appreciation for the Interim Update blog. It is one way that I have found effective in reporting and reflecting on what happens each week, and to keep everyone as up-to-date as possible. If there's ever a time when you want to look back and find something that I had written about in a previous update, I'd suggest at two-step approach:

1. Use the search window in the upper left hand corner of the blog page. For example, type "stewardship" and then click the search button (magnifying glass icon). This will display all blog posts in which the word "stewardship" appears in a single web page.
2. Then use the search function of your browser (keyboard shortcut is Ctrl F) and again, type in the word "stewardship." This will highlight all the occurrences of the word on this page.

Messages from Bishop Daniel

You can read Bishop Daniel's weekly message here. Bp. Daniel also linked to a video on the Facebook NW Ohio Rostered Leaders page of Bishop Guy Erwin of the Southwest California Synod speaking about the tragic shootings in Thousand Oaks, California. You can view the video here The shootings happened just a short distance from ELCA associated California Lutheran University. A 2018 graduate of that school is among the dead: Justin Meek. You can read more about CLU's response here. Keep the families in your prayers. Why can't we do more than pray? Until we do something, the deaths will continue. Most tragic is the young man who escaped the carnage in Las Vegas last fall, only to lose his life in Thousand Oaks.

Interim Update for November 2, 2018

"Why I Give" Statements and Upcoming Stewardship program

I will be completing early next week the printed preparations for our stewardship program, "Make it Simple" which will be included with Commitment Cards that will be distributed next weekend, November 10 and 11. As a part of that printed information, I have asked you to write a few sentences on the theme "Why I Give." The plan is to print these and include them with the commitment cards. The purpose is to inspire others to answer the same question "Why I give." So far I have received one, and would prefer about ten. You can email yours to me at mark@bogen.org.

The plan for our Stewardship has been to have four bulletin inserts (October 28, November 4, 11, 18), distribute Commitment Cards on November 11, and receive them back on November 18, culminating with a simple lunch of "Stewardship Stew" (or soup) prior to our Annual Meeting which will follow.

Seeds Monthly

"We’ve all heard it, and perhaps even said it: “Go jump in the lake!” Yet few realize that originally, according to some etymologists, the phrase was really “Go jump in the lake of fire,” a euphemism for “Go to hell” that comes from the book of Revelation’s descriptions for the final judgment of Satan and his followers (19:20)." This quotation for the current issue of Seeds Monthly, a resource for ELCA leaders, refers to a recent article in Living Lutheran about how the ELCA understands heaven and hell. You can read the issue in its entirety here.

ELCA Global Links

The latest issue of ELCA Global Links, a newsletter from Churchwide that highlights a number of things that are happening with the Global ministry of the ELCA and its companion churches around the world. You can read all about it here.

Prepare Workshop

One of the challenges that I encountered in my first call in Western North Dakota in 1981 was how I would prepare couples for marriage. Lucky for me, I learned of a new program that had recently been developed that used a pre-marriage survey, a computer printout summary of the results, and a method to share the results with couples. The program was called Prepare-Enrich. LSS in Bismarck offered a training day, and so I signed up, completed the training, and began using it with my pre-marriage couples. After using Prepare several times, I became a trainer and started to share this tool with other pastors. Over the past 35 years I have hosted dozens of training workshops, and trained hundreds of pastors. I don't charge for the training, only the cost for their training materials, which also makes them certified users of Prepare.

On Tuesday of this week, I led a workshop from 9am to 3pm for six synod pastors and a certified pastoral counselor at Zion Lutheran here in Huron, who offered space at no cost.

2019 Budget ready for review

Shaun, working with Council and the various Ministry Teams of the the congregation, has completed the proposed budget for 2019, scheduled to be presented for approval at the November 18 Meeting of the Congregation. A copy of the budget has been prepared for each active family, and will be available at this weekend's worship services. Those not picked up this weekend will be sent out in the mail on Monday morning.

Confirmation Mentors almost ready to go

On Wednesday evening, we had an initial meeting of mentors that we have recruited to work with our confirmation youth on a one-to-one basis beginning this month, and continuing through the month of April. There will be a total of ten 1/2 hour mentoring sessions on Wednesday evenings, form 6:30 to 7:00, dovetailing with either confirmation class sessions or Advent or Lenten worship services. So far we have found four mentors for our six youth. One more male and one more female are still needed.

Installation for Pastors Schroeder

No, that's not a misspelling of the word "pastor."For about the last three years, both St. Paul Sandusky and Zion Huron have been in the call process for a new pastor. Recently, a clergy couple was called to St. Paul's and Huron: Pr. William Schroeder to St. Paul, and his spouse, Kristine Schroeder, to Zion in Huron. A service of installation was held Thursday evening, which was begun at Zion, during which Pr. Kris was installed. Then everyone traveled to St. Paul for the service of installation for Pr. William at. Refreshments were served in the St. Paul Fellowship Hall following the service. It was an inspirational evening celebrating ministry of Word and Sacrament in our Eastern Conference.

Ministry Matters Link

The latest issue of Ministry Matters sent by Terri includes reflections on the recent massacre at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsurgh, including the questions and issues of anti-semitism, violence in our places of worship, and answering the question "Who is my neighbor?" You can retrieve the issur from Terri's email, and you can also view it here.

Visits

Visited Rich and Linda B. on Sunday prior to Rich's hip replacement on Wednesday. Followed up with Rich at Fremont hospital on Wednesday afternoon. He's doing well and should be home by now, but both could use our continued prayers for healing and recovery.

What is the Discipleship Initiative?

In his weekly email, Bishop Daniel quotes the letter written by our Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton in response to the Tree of Life Synagogue shootings. He also speaks of a new synod program, The Discipleship Initiative. This initiative will help members of our synod congregations to

1. Grow in their own discipleship;
2. Learn and practice the skills to make disciples who make disciples;
3. Transform their communities with the promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The Discipleship Initiative Exploratory Team is hard at work on the planning for this initiative. Stay tuned. Hopefully this will be a valuable resource for St. John's. You can read Bp. Daniel's message in its entirety here.

Interim Update for October 26, 2018

Why I Give statements

Last week I am asked you write a sentence or two that responds to the statement "Why I Give." I'd like to get ten to fifteen statements that I would print out and include with the Stewardship letter and Commitment Cards that are going to be distributed on November 11. Email (or otherwise deliver) your statement to me at mark@bogen.org by next Sunday, November 4. For some inspiration, read the next paragraph, "Let Giving be Joyful."

"Let Giving be Joyful"

This is the title of Bishop Daniel's weekly email message, in which he describes a visit to Zoar Lutheran in Perrysburg, and being impressed by their Stewardship Drive which is currently underway. He then outlined the themes of their program. It's worth your read, and you can do so here.

Stewardship Newsletter

While we're talking on the subject of stewardship, I refer you to the latest ELCA Stewardship newsletter, StewardNet. Lots of links you can follow. You can read it here.

ELCA Worship News

Another offering from Churchwide (the term sometimes used to refer to the national office of the ELCA) is the current issue of Worship News. I see that the ELCA has published a funeral planning guide. I could have used this before going to my last Pines retreat (described in last week's Update). You can Worship News here.

Doing my Health Maintenance Duty

In 2003, I had my first colonoscopy at age 50. All clear. I was supposed to return for another one ten years later, five years ago. As the saying goes, better late than never. So on Monday, November 5, I'm scheduled for another round. I can't eat anything on on Sunday, November 4, and drink the prep stuff later in the afternoon. I report to FTMC in Norwalk on 6:30 am.

Orchard Grove and Bellevue Care Center

This was the week for my monthly trip to Orchard Grove and Bellevue Care . Not all SJ's folk come to the group Holy Communion service, so I make a point to visit those not present in their rooms.

Bishop's Fall Meeting

On Tuesday evening, I attended the Bishop's Fall Gathering at St. John's in Oak Harbor. Also attending form St. John's were Dennis Bauer, Jan LaBonte, and Ken and Mary Johnson. We began with worship during which Bishop Daniel introduced the synod-wide emphasis for 2019, Scripture. Following worship we gathered in the Fellowship Hall for pumpkin dessert. My "Pumpkin Yummy" did not win, but it helped to raise a few of the over $300 that was raised for the Bishop's Discipleshp program. There were two break-out sessions, and I attended the one led by Pr. Kent Wilson, the synod Director of Leadership Development and Congregational Vitality. He spoke on the issue of stewardship, and emphasized creating a culture of stewardship in your congregation, which includes acknowledging and thanking people for their gifts. He spoke of the importance of adopting a "Learner mindset" as opposed to a "Judger mindset." You can view the chart Pr. Wilson displayed and used to explain the difference here. This is very interesting, and could apply to lots of issues besides stewardship.

Confirmation Night With the Bishop Taking Shape

I was able to speak with Bp. Daniel briefly on Tuesday evening, and he is excited to come to meet with our Conference Confirmation youth on Wednesday evening, November 28, 7pm at St. John's. I've started to get a few RSVP's including 18 from the LIFT congregations in Fremont.

Preschool Chapel Time!

I had the privilege of leading Chapel Time for the preschool. We learned the song "I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, Down in my Heart" song, and heard the story of Zacchaeus. The kids were all well behaved. Kudos to our preschool staff for everything they do with these kids every day of the week.

Big Day at St. John's this Sunday!

• It is Reformation Day, and in observance we will begin with a Procession as we sing "A Mighty Fortress". I have secured the services of a special preacher for the day. Martin Luther will be bringing the message.
• This is the day that we celebrate and honor Marlene Buck on 60 years as organist at St. John's. The observance will include some special words by Paul Lieber, a service of appreciation, thanks and blessing during the prayers part of our worship, a brief concert by Marlene at the close of the service, and a catered dinner in the Fellowship Hall after worship.
• Third Graders will receive bibles, having completed a two session introduction to the Bible led by Nancy P. and Joyce B.
• A bulletin insert will be the first of our four week stewardship program which has the theme "Live Simply."

Executive Committee meets with Thrivent reps

On Thursday afternoon, Executive Committee met with local Thrivent reps to receive information regarding what Thrivent would have to offer the congregation in terms of investments for endowment gifts, especially now that we have received the Ruth George bequest.

FLAMe Pastors meet

Meanwhile, I attended the monthly meeting of FLAMe pastors in Sandusky. The new clergy couple, Bill and Kris Schroeder, were present, as they were at the Bishop's meeting on Tuesday evening. Pastor Kris will be installed at Zion, Sandusky, on Thursday, November 1, 6:30 pm, after which there will be a caravan to St. Paul's Sandusky where Pastor Bill will be installed. Refreshments will follow the service at St. Paul's.

Healthy Churches Faithful pastors discussion continues

Our discussion on Sunday mornings, 9:00 am and Thursday mornings, 10:00 am continues, as we have been discussing a list of expectations that congregations have of pastors. There has been good discussion, and if you haven't attended yet, you are most welcome to join the group at any time.

Concrete pad installed

A concrete crew worked this week to install a pad near the street to store the trash bin. A section of sidewalk from the circle driveway to the first parking lot driveway was also replaced. The location will enable the garbage truck to empty the bin from the street instead of driving on the parking lot.

Interim Update for October 19, 2018

Council Workshop

Thanks for coming to the workshop on Saturday. I thought our time together was well spent, and I hope you learned a few things. I always enjoy listening to Dr. Steinke -- even when I've heard him say the same things before. If anyone wants to re-view the video, or view it for the first time (if you didn't see it Saturday), just let me know and I can lend it to you. It's in DVD format, so you'll need that kind of a player. If you want to view another talk by Dr. Steinke with much of the same content, entitled "Congregations as Emotional Systems," online on YouTube, you can do find it here. The essay by Dr. Wengert, "Serving the Gospel for Tomorrow," can be viewed and/or downloaded here.

Pines Retreat

My retreat at Our Lady of the Pines Retreat Center went well. It's always a good day and a half together with other pastoral colleagues. We "check in" with each other, talking about what's happened in our lives, (personal, family, ministry) since our last meeting. We also do walks and talks on the Pines grounds, and talk about our planned activity in our group meeting. This retreat's assignment was to prepare our own funeral service or obituary and share it with the group. It got us all thinking about what's inevitable for all of us. We sang lots of funeral hymns at this retreat.

Why I give statements

One thing I forgot to do at Thursday night's Council Meeting is ask you to do something. I am asking you write a sentence or two that responds to the statement "Why I Give." I'd like to get ten to fifteen statements that I would print out and include with the Stewardship letter and Commitment Cards that are going to be distributed on November 11. Email (or otherwise deliver) your statement to me at mark@bogen.org by next Sunday, October 28. Thanks! Some examples from a previous interim are listed below, and can serve as thought starters for your own:

I give to God. In the Bible it says you should give 10% (a tithe) to God. This could be money, time, talent, or a combination of the three. I love God. He is always with me. God will provide. Lori

We were taught from little on up to give to the church. Anything important to us must be supported with time and money. The Bible tells us to give from our heart. These are some of the reasons we give what we can. Rick and Sharon

Maybe this is too simple of an answer; "Cause it’s the right thing to do.” Like going to church, following the Golden Rule, etc. It’s just what you do if you are able. If you’re blessed with resources and time, it’s just what you do. Randy

It would be easy as the President of Council to say how it is important to give to keep the doors open. But when I look at all the mission work (our congregation) does, it is far more important for me to give, simply because I have received. Kevin

Synod Interim Pastors Meeting

On Thursday I attended the (mostly) monthly meeting of our synod interim pastors. There were 11 of us in attendance, and the surprise new attender is former Bishop Marcus Lohrmann! He has assumed the role of interim pastor at Memorial Lutheran Church in Toledo. This meeting is always helpful, providing ideas and inspiration for our own interim settings.

Don Reiderman death and funeral

Don died on Tuesday of this week. This came much more quickly than anyone was expecting. The funeral is Saturday, October 20, at 12:00 noon at the church, with visitation from 10 to 12. Keep Connie, Josh, Carl, and all the family in your prayers. You can read the obituary for Don here.

Bishop Daniel's weekly message

This week's message is entitled "A Transformational Gift." You can read it here.

Confirmation - Briefly Back in the Saddle

Cindy had the night off from Confirmation class, as she had teacher/parent conferences. For the first time in a long time I lead a confirmation class session, which I have always enjoyed doing. Cindy will be back this coming week, and we have a bit more to watch of the Luther movie.

Fall Gatherings and Bishop's Bake-off

We talked about this at Council, and I have registered Nancy, Ken and Dennis. Time is 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm and location is St. John's Lutheran Church, Oak Harbor. No meal, but pumpkin dessert will be served. I'll be bringing one to enter into the contest, and if it's the best, for mine so that I win!!

Newsletter deadline

Deadline for the November newsletter is Saturday, October 20. I guess Sunday or Monday will do. That reminds me. Time to get my contribution contributed.

Interim Update for October 12, 2018

Council Workshop almost ready to go

I spent a chunk of today finishing plans and preparations for our Council Workshop tomorrow morning. I know I have called it Council workshop, but everyone on the email list for this Interim Update blog is welcome to attend. We will begin by taking a look at our Statement of Faith, then move to a video presentation by Dr. Peter Steinke, a noted authority on congregations as emotional systems, and we'll finish with what I hope will be helpful information about the interim process. The workshop will be in the Fellowship Hall. I have volunteers for refreshments, and the plan will be to finish by noon so that we can all go home and watch the Buckeyes play the Golden Gophers. Minnesota has won only once in the 27 times they have have played each other.

First Ruth George Information/Sharing session in the books

Shaun led the first of four sharing sessions on Thursday at 11 am regarding the Ruth George bequest and our plans for administering this gift. Shaun (with Heather's significant assistance) has prepared a nice photo collage of Ruth. About ten people were present for this meeting, and there was good discussion and several ideas were shared both verbally and on the forms that Shaun prepared. There will be three more meetings; Saturday and Sunday after worship, and next Tuesday evening at 7:00 pm. Thanks, Shaun, for your excellent work on this project.

ELCA Mission Investment Fund

The ELCA Mission Investment Fund (MIF) is one of the investment vehicles that has been suggested for George bequest funds. Money invested in MIF is loaned to congregations who are expanding their facilities. An email sent by MIF this week can be viewed here.

Pines Plans

About fifteen years ago, I accepted an invitation to attend a series of four retreats at the Pines Retreat Center in Fremont, called Seasons for Renewal. Retreats are held Monday and Tuesday, with an overnight stay, and include group sharing and learning, walks and talks around the grounds, personal time for rest and reflection, and and evening service of Holy Communion. Once we finished the four retreats the first year, we continued meeting twice a year, fall and spring. Our next retreat is this coming Monday and Tuesday, so next week I will not be coming to the office until Wednesday.

Confirmation update

For the last several Confirmation sessions, we have been focusing on the Reformation and the role that Martin Luther played in challenging the church of his day to return to biblical teaching. We have been watching the Martin Luther movie that was released a few years ago. We also have begun a three session study of the Lord's Prayer.

Bishop Daniel's letter

Bishop Daniel's weekly letter can be seen here. The main topic is the Fall Gatherings, with our gathering scheduled for Tuesday, October 23, at 6:30 pm. Click on the links in the message for more information and to register.

Ministry Site Profile

I have mentioned several times the Ministry Site Profile. This is the multi-page document that explains St. John's to prospective candidates. I can't emphasize enough how important this is, in how information is gathered, and how it is presented in the profile. The Transition Team, which will begin its work early in 2019, will assume the primary responsibility for completing the Profile. A blank sample of the profile can be viewed here.

Installation for Pastors Schroeder

Zion in Huron and St. Paul in Sandusky have called a clergy couple. Rev. Kristine Schroeder has been called to Zion, and Rev. William Schroeder has been called to St. Paul. Services of installation will be held Thursday evening, November 1, beginning at 6:30 pm in Huron, and then process to Sandusky. A flyer with more information can be viewed here.

Visits

On Thursday I visited our five members at Willows Care Center. They are all doing OK. Our two 100+ members, Hazel O. and Ruth P., were both awake and conversant. We also have Betty N., Beth L. and Carol H. Carol attends the group service led by Pr. Katie (Grace Castalia) and accompanied by Jan L. Others I visit in their rooms or day rooms. Keep Don R. in your prayers. I had planned to visit on Thursday, but he called to say he wasn't feeling well enough for a visit.

Hurricane Relief through LDR

The ELCA has an organization called Lutheran Disaster Relief (LDR), which dispenses relief funds to areas affected by natural disasters. LDR is now receiving gifts for Hurricane Michael Relief. You can read more here, which includs a button for online giving. You can also give through St. John's, and designate your gift "Disaster Response."

Interim Update for October 5, 2018

Tour of Pipe organ

On Tuesday I noticed that Paul was working upstairs in the pipes chamber above the balcony. I went up to to take a look, and Paul obliged with a tour of the guts of the St. John's organ. It was a fascinating look at something that is most often heard. The 3500+ pipes plus all the conduits for the air delivered by the fan in the basement and the circuitry that all works together to create the sound that Paul and Marlene deliver for us on Saturdays and Sundays is exceedingly remarkable! I took some photos, which you can view here.

Reminder regarding Ruth George bequest and Endowment Fund plans information meetings

These are scheduled for:

• Thursday, October 11, 11:00 am
• Saturday, October 13, following 5:00 worship
• Sunday, October 14, following 10:00 worship
• Tuesday, October 16, 7:00 pm and will be led by Shawn (Thursday, Saturday, Sunday) and Mike (Tuesday)

Also, Shaun has prepared a form that congregation members can put their thoughts and ideas in writing. These will be available at the meetings and in the narthex. I am planning to put the form online and Breeze, providing yet another means of congregational input.

Wedding for Ernie and Dianne

On Wednesday, I conducted a wedding service for Ernie Blank. and his new wife, Dianne. Dianne is a permanent resident at Bellevue Care Center, so that's where the big event took place. Many of the residents at BCC had gathered for the event, with Activities Director Becky in charge of the reception. Following the service, cake and ice cream was enjoyed by all. A photo of the newlyweds can be seen here.

St. John's Christian Preschool updates

• The Preschool received a surprise visit (that's the way it's done) from the state inspector yesterday afternoon. Linda reported that there were zero violations, so this inspection was passed with perfection. Congrats to and blessings on all who make St. John's Christian Preschool a vital and top-notch part of the congregation's ministry.
• You may know that this is the preschool's 40th anniversary year. One of several special events being planned for the anniversary observance is happening this Sunday at 2:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall -- musician Jim Gill will be presenting a concert for our preschool kids and their family. One of Jim's specialties is singing for and engaging kids. Everyone is invited to this free concert. You can learn more about Jim here.

Sympathy to the family of Sharon Francis

We extend our sympathy to the family of Sharon Francis. Sharon's father, William Gohlike, died on Wednesday, following a brief illness. At this writing I do not know any details regarding visitation or services. Keep the family in your prayers.

Last Kiwanis Meeting

When I moved to Norwalk in 1995 to begin my call as the Associate Pastor at St. Peter, one of the earliest things that I did in the community was join the Norwalk Kiwanis Club. Over the years I attended the weekly luncheon meetings and participated in the club's projects and fundraisers. I served on the board, including a year as club president. Kiwanis was an excellent way to connect with other leaders and business people in the community who were not members of St. Peter, and the weekly programs and speakers were an excellent way to learn about existing and new programs and businesses in the community. St. Peter paid my way to be a member, and also paid the way for Pastor Wiecher's membership in the Norwalk Rotary.

When I began doing interim ministry in 2012, I kept my membership in Kiwanis, even though I was unable to attend most meetings. After moving to Huron last year, I have no longer felt the need to retain my membership, so I announced my intention to not renew my membership (membership year begins October 1), and attended my last meeting on Thursday. It was a good run of 23 years as a member.

When your new pastor is called, encourage her or him to join one of your Bellevue service organizations. There is a Kiwanis Club in Bellevue, so that would certainly be a possibility. And offer to pay their dues!

Worship Meeting

I met with Worship Team on Thursday. We talked about Bible presentation on Reformation Sunday, and discussed the special plans for Marlene's 60th anniverasary as organist on the same day. Also, we plan to have congregational members come forward and light candles on All Sainst Sunday November 4 in memory of loved ones who have joined the Church Triumphant. We will do Thanksgiving worship on Wednesday, November 21 at 7:00 pm. We'll need a sub organist for Thanksgiving weekend. We're wondering if we need to up our sub payment from $60, to, perhaps $75, to insure that we can find someone to do the job. Christmas Eve will we at 5 and 9 pm. Chris and Paul with both play for both services.

Stewardship Meeting

Met with Stewardship Team on Thursday. We are finalizing our plans for our Stewardship drive in November. Our theme is "Keep it Simple," and we will have a four-Sunday emphasis. Here's a summary of the Sundays and activities:

Date	Theme	Activity
October 27-28	Live Simply: Follow Jesus	Bulletin Insert
November 3-4	Live Simply: Face the Truth	Bulletin Insert
November 10-11	Live Simply: Act Together	Bulletin Insert, Distribute Commitment Cards
November 17-18	Live Simply: Share Enough	Bulletin Insert, Return Commitment Cards, Simple Lunch, Annual Meeting

Education Meeting

Met with Education Team on Thursday. One of the main topics at the edcation meeting was the need to find mentors for our six confirmation youth. We're looking for two men and four women. Also discussed was Sunday school program and how to organize our expenses for the 2019 budget.

Council Workshop

A reminder that our Council Workshop is scheduled for next Saturday, October 13, from 9:00 - 12:30. Topics will include:

• A review of our Statement of Faith
• An overview of Interim Focus Points and processes
• View and discuss video on Congregational Anxiety
• Hopefully lots of conversation, discussion, and sharing our hopes and dreams for St. John's

Can someone volunteer to make coffee and bring a few refreshments?

Bishop's message and Reminder about Fall Meeting

You can read Bishop Daniel's latest message here. In the message there's a link to info about the Fall Meetings. Ours is at St. John's Oak Harbor on Tuesday, October 23, 6:30 pm. I'm hoping for a good representation from St. John's.

Interim Update for September 28, 2018

Kavenaugh Hearings

This afternoon, the Senate Judicial Committee voted to send Judge Brett Kavenaugh to the full Senate to be confirmed for a seat on the Supreme Court. Regardless of our political persuasion, our views on the current nominee for SCOTUS, or our perspective on the process, this whole news cycle has been brutal for survivors of sexual assault. It is not partisan to show compassion. If you know of someone struggleing with this issue, let them know that it's not their fault and that indeed they are loved. Give them the number for the National Sexual Assault Helpline: 800-647-4673. Share this excellent video which was posted on Facebook by Sojourners Magazine. One of the speakers is Karoline Lewis, a preaching professor at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, and who was a presenter for the continuing education event I attended in February.

Bishop's weekly message

Bishop Daniel's message this week is on the Lord's Prayer. He mentions that it is a prayer that he prays every day, and, like us, I'm sure, is sometimes prayed or said without thinking about when we are saying. He refers to the petition "Thy kingdom come," and includes an image of an 1834 oil painting by Edward Hicks, entitled, Peaceable Kingdom, to give us a glimpse of how one artist sees the coming of God's Kingdom. The painting pictures varies species of wild animals as well as people peaceably interacting. Perhaps a 2018 version would picture Democrats and Republicans? You can read all of Bishop Daniel's message here.

Care Center visits

Tuesday was my day to travel to Orchard Grove at 2:00 pm and Bellevue Care Center at 2:30 for small group Holy Communion. Vera B and Florence O. were in attendance at Orchard Grove. Then on to Bellevue Care Center. Our members there (Donald K., Gloria W.) haven't attended the small group communion, so I stop to visit in their rooms. As I walked out, I heard my name called from the front office. It was the administrator, Cindy Starkey, who is a former member from St. Peter, Norwalk. Her family owned Twilight Gardens, a care center in Norwalk, until they sold it to Saber a number of years ago, the same company that runs Bellevue Care Center. Now she works for the company that her family sold the business to. It was good to see her again and catch up on how her family is doing.

Executive Committee meeting

Executive Committee meeting met Thursday morning at 9am. Items for discussion included plans for our Small group meetings for Endowment Fund, the 2018 Budget, and the professional audit that is being planned. With regard to the budget, I suggested that line items be included for possibility of Call Committee Expenses, and Healthy Congregations workshops.

Reminder regarding Ruth George bequest and Endowment Fund plans information meetings: These are scheduled for:

• Thursday, October 11, 11:00 am
• Saturday, October 13, following 5:00 worship
• Sunday, October 14, following 10:00 worship
• Tuesday, October 16, 7:00 pm and will be led by Shawn (Thursday, Saturday, Sunday) and Mike (Tuesday)

Healthy Churches Faithful Pastors

Our Sunday and Thursday sessions have been going well, as we have been discussing the Ten Principles for a Vibrant Church Community. Those ten principles are:

1. Purpose: Striving to be the Church
2. Ordination: Respect for the "Set Apart"
3. Covenant: A Life-Giving Relationship
4. Mutual Ministry: We All Serve Together
5. Resurrection: "Practice Resurrection"
6. Eustress (GOOD Stress): Keeping the Inevitable Tensions in Tune
7. Safety: Don't Take It for Granted
8. Maturity: Cultivating Honesty, Trust and Self-Knowledge
9. Accountability: The Sacrament of Failure
10. Boundaries: The Difference between Bad and Good, Good and Great

Smaller group discussion this past Sunday and Thursday focused on which of these principles were strengths, and which were growth areas. I'll publish a more complete report on our responses in a future update.

Confirmation

Wednesday evening confirmation sessions continue to go well. We're working on Reformation now, and plan to watch the Luther movie at our next session.

FLAMe Meeting

I attended a meeting of the FLAMe pastors on Thursday in Sandusky. Not a whole lot to share, but just to be aware that an joint installation service for the husband and wife pastor team who will be installed at St. Paul's Sandusky and Zion Huron (he at one and she at the other). More info including names, dates, times, etc. will be shared in a future update.

Fall Gathering Reminder

Info about this important meeting was shared last week, but I will repeat it here: Every fall our Bishop meets with members of synod congregations for worship, fellowship, and learning in five regional Gatherings. The closest gathering for us will be the one at St. John's, Oak Harbor (about a 35 minute drive). All Gatherings will start at 6:30 p.m. with worship, followed by a Bake-Off, and a time of learning. Bishop Daniel will kick-off the evening with the introduction of the Year of Scripture, after which attendees can choose to attend one of two presentations:

• People, Purpose, Parish, and Perspective: Resourcing for God’s Call with Sherry Krieger
• Removing the Barriers to Generosity in your Congregation: A Systematic Approach, Step 1 with Kent Wilson

I hope that St. John's has a good representation attending this meeting. Registration is requested, although not required, and will help the planning process for local hosts. To register, go here and scroll to the bottom and click the blue "Register Now" button.

A Facebook exhortation

One of my Facebook friends, an ELCA pastor in Texas, put this greeting at the end of a Facebook page announcement regarding a congregational activity:

Let's be the church until we come to church. See you soon!

Yes, see you soon!

Interim Update for September 21, 2018

Hospital visit

On Tuesday I visited Deb C., Nessa's mom, at FTMC in Norwalk. It was my first visit to someone at FTMC in a long time. It was a regular stop for me on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays during my years at St. Peter. Nessa said that her mom would be released and going home sometime today. Keep her in your prayers.

Grace Castalia story

Last month I shared information about the Eastern Conference Pastors meeting at Grace in Castalia. I also shared photos of that meeting, showing Grace's recently completed new entrance, which includes a prayer chapel. Last Sunday the Sandusky Register ran a story about Grace and Pastor Katie. It's very much worth the read. You can find it here.

Different Contexts, Similar Challenges

That's the title of Dean Kleinhans' weekly "Trinity's New Beginnings" email. She reflects on a recent meeting of Lutheran leaders with Lutheran leaders from Germany, representing churches that have partnerships with ELCA synods. She sees the similiarites of the challenges that both groups face:

"All of us are wrestling with the question of how to communicate the relevance of the church – to non-members in general and to youth and young adults in particular. We believe that the church’s witness to the Good News of God’s grace in Jesus Christ is something the world desperately needs! Yet we have often been more comfortable speaking to ourselves than witnessing to others."

You can read all of Dr. Kleinhans' message here.

Be Sure to Register for Fall Gathering

Every fall our Bishop meets with members of synod congregations for worship, fellowship, and learning in five regional Gatherings. The closest gathering for us will be the one at St. John's, Oak Harbor (about a 35 minute drive). All Gatherings will start at 6:30 p.m. with worship, followed by a Bake-Off, and a time of learning. Bishop Daniel will kick-off the evening with the introduction of the Year of Scripture, after which attendees can choose to attend one of two presentations:

• People, Purpose, Parish, and Perspective: Resourcing for God’s Call with Sherry Krieger
• Removing the Barriers to Generosity in your Congregation: A Systematic Approach, Step 1 with Kent Wilson

I hope that St. John's has a good representation attending this meeting. Registration is requested, although not required, and will help the planning process for local hosts. To register, go here and scroll to the bottom and click the blue "Register Now" button.

Healthy Churches Faithful Pastors

Our adult study group, meeting on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am and Thursdays at 10:00 am had its first session, with about a dozen present for the Sunday session, and four for the Thursday session. The book that serves as the basis for our study, Healthy Churches Faithful Pastors has lots of excellent content, portions of which I share during the session. Problem is, by the time I cover the content, we're out of time. So that plan will be to cover the content in one session, and then review briefly the content the next week and do small group discussion the next session. If you haven't attended yet, it's never too late to join the discussion!

Ministry Matters

Ministry Matters™ is a non-profit entity launched in 2011 by The United Methodist Publishing House, based in Nashville, Tennessee, and aims to serve Christians of many denominations. Sometimes Terri will photocopy articles of interest from their website and share them through your mailbox.

A recent issue of their email newsletter featured a link to an essay by Dr. William Willimon. Dr. Willimon is on the faculty of Duke Divinity School, and has served as the Dean of the Divinity School Chapel, and as a bishop in the United Methodist Church. He is one of the most widely read and respected authors among Protestant pastors other church leaders, having written many books, preaching resources, and essays. His most recent Ministry Matters essay is entitled "Court Preachers," and speaks of the "love affair" of prominent evangelical leaders with President Trump. Willimon calls out such behavior, and reminds us that the task of preachers "at all times and places, is to be obedient to Jesus Christ as Lord rather than kowtowing and being obsequious to competing lordlets." You can read all of Willimon's essay here.

Meeting With Synod Staff regarding Endowment Fund

On Thursday at noon, synod staff, including Bishop Daniel, Sherry Krieger (Director of Leadership Development and Congregational Care), Pr. Kent Wilson (Director of Leadership Development and Congregational Vitality), and Jacob Henry (Synod Administrator) sat down with Shaun and Dennis (I arrived at about 12:25) for the synod's input on St. John's plans to create an endowment fund as one vehicle for the administration of the Ruth George bequest. Synod Staff encouraged St. John's to remember the synod and churchwise ministries in their plans for these funds, and provided information regarding other congregations in the synod which have created endowment funds. Bishop Daniel was very complimentary of the work that Shaun has done to get the St. John's books in order, and the research he has done on the options for creating an endowment fund at St. John's.

Congregational Information and Input Meetings

The Executive Team has scheduled four open meetings in October to inform the congregation about the large bequest from the George estate, and to receive their input regarding how to administer it. Here are the dates and times for the meetings:

• Thursday, October 11, 11:00 am
• Saturday, October 13, following 5:00 worship
• Sunday, October 14, following 10:00 worship
• Tuesday, October 16, 7:00 pm

Synod Interim Pastors meeting

Immediately following the meeting with the synod staff, I attended the synod interim pastors meeting. Those of us in the synod who are serving congregations, either as full or part time interims, or stated supply (weekend preaching with other limited duties), meet monthly, usually the third Thursday, from 1-3 pm. We share what is happening in our interim settings, and provide each other support, encouragement, and ideas that we can use in our own interim settings. Attendance has ranged from 5 to 12. There were 11 present for Thursday's meeting.

Bishop Daniel's weekly message

You can read it here.

ELCA Worship News September issue

It arrived in my inbox this afternoon, and you can read it here.

Interim Update for September 14, 2018

Holy Cross Day

Today, September 14, is Holy Cross Day, what we call a "Lesser Festival," as opposed to major festivals such as Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. From a Wikipedia article: "According to Christian tradition, the True Cross was discovered in 326 by Saint Helena, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, during a pilgrimage she made to Jerusalem. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was then built at the site of the discovery, by order of Helena and Constantine." You can read the scripture texts assigned for this festival here, and the Wikipedia article here. And here is the Prayer of the Day:

Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself. To those who look upon the cross, grant your wisdom, healing and eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Rally Day went well

Last Sunday we jump started our 2018-2019 Sunday School year with our Rally Day activities. Kids met in the fellowship hall where they decorated a wooden cross Christmas tree ornament, and a small paper bag with handles. Following worship, kids went on a scavenger hunt to collect donated items of cake mix, frosting, and birthday candles, which were placed in the paper bags, then delivered to Fish and Loaves. The supplies will provide families most of what they need to celebrate a family member or loved one's birthday. (Thanks to all who donated supplies for this activity!) Following the hunt, a potluck luncheon was served, with about 60 in attendance. Lots of good food and fellowship. Thanks to Heather for taking the lead in the planning and execution of this event. Following lunch several Sunday School teachers stayed to ready their rooms for the first full day of Sunday School on September 16.

Willows Communion service

During Pr. Scott's tenure as your vice-pastor, Pastor Katie Suggett from Grace in Castalia began leading a monthly Holy Communion service at the Willows. Previously, Pastor Julie had conducted this service, with Jan L. serving as accompanist. Jan continued in that roll once Pr. Katie assumed leadership. She is more than happy to do this, as she has several members of her congregation who attend that service. Since this service has been on Monday, and since that is my day off, Pr. Katie and I agreed that she would continue to lead the service on the second Monday. I will continue to make regular visits to The Willows to visit our members there, and bring Communion to those who normally don't attend the group service. However, Katie asked if I would do the September service, as she was unavailable. I agreed, and, along with Jan, on Monday of this week conducted a service for about twelve residents and staff.

First Confirmation session

Our first gathering of our 7th and 8th grade (all six of them!) Confirmation youth was Wednesday evening at 7pm. Cindy had a prayer circle laid out on the floor with a cross, candle and some "prayer stones." We each chose a stone that we identified with in some way, which we decorated and will use each week. We shared highs and lows, and prayed for the person next to us. Then I led a song called Pharoah, Pharaoh that has lots of actions and movement. This group seems to enjoy dance and music! Then we gathered around the table for our lesson, which was on the many types of liturature in the Bible, and how we understand it and relate it to our lives. We closed by returning to the circle on the floor with our closing prayer. Thanks and kudos to Cindy for the excellent job she does! To view the Confirmation Program parents handbook, including the Covenant that each youth and parent signed, go here.

Executive Meeting focuses on Endowment

Our executive team is well on the way to creating a plan for how to administer the large bequest to St. John's of nearly a million dollars. The bulk of these funds are now under control of St. John's in several accounts, including the investment account that the funds have been held in prior to its gifting and transfer to St. John's. Shaun has taken the lead in gathering information, including a visit to Zion, Waterville, and learning about how they administer their endowment. Executive heard from St. Peter Norwalk, from Ed McClendon (reported last week) on their endowment (view details here). We have also received endowment documents from a recently created endowment at St. John's Scheid Road. These provide many good ideas for formulating a plan for St. John's.

The Executive Team's next step is to present information and gather input and ideas from the congregation through a series of small group meetings. Four meetings were scheduled (don't have the exact date and time info available for this writing) for mid-October, in the hopes that a plan could be in place that could be voted on at the congregational meeting on November 18.

One of the resources that Executive has been studying is a document published the the ELCA entitled "How to Create and Endowment Mission Fund." You can read that document here.

Monthly fee for Windows 7 coming

Windows intends to begin charging Windows 7 users a monthly fee to keep that version of Windows up to date. It's a play to get users to upgrade to Windows 10. You can read all about it here. Terri's computer has Windows 7, and my computer has Windows 8.1. It would probably be advisable to upgrade the office computers to Windows 10.

Evangelism committee

I met briefly with the Evangelism Committee on Wednesday. We discussed the Connection cards, and I provided Nessa and Carol with some resources to an "Assimilation Program" that I received when attending a synod evangelism workshop. Vanessa has been tracking attendance using the connection cards.

Phone greeting and voicemail updated

It took some time, but I finally figured out how to reset the password on my voicemail and listened to the messages that had been left months ago, mostly for Pastor Scott. I also was able to change the initial greeting, so that it's my voice and not Pastor Juli, and a direction to enter 1101 for Terri, and 1102 for me. This is a change from the original message, which says to enter 1 for Terri and 2 for the pastor. My next challenge: figure out how to check my email remotely. There's a number for my voicemail box, which I have yet to determine, and when I do, I should be able to enter it and check and retrieve me messages remotely.

Update on Don

I talked to Don R. yesterday, and he is waiting for a call from his surgeon for a day and time. Bad news is that he has cancer in his kidney and it has to come out. Good news is that cancer is localized in the kidney, and he may not need additional treatment. Keep him in your prayers.

Adult Class on Sunday and Thursday

I hope that as many of you as possible will be able to attend one of the two scheduled times for our adult class which will focus on the book "Healthy Churches Faithful Pastors." Sunday at 9:00 am and Thursday and 10:00 am. From the Introduction:

"This book is not about increasing membership rolls or about transforming a church into something different (though these may happen in the process). This book is about helping your church do its best as you love out your own identity. This book trusts that God is already at work in the life of ygation our congreand that most church leaders are already working hard in the service of the church."

Our sessions will inclue the following format:

• I will present content of important concepts in each chapter.
• Author and publisher has given permission to photocopy some content.
• Discussion in diads, triads, or small groups of questions provided by author.
• Sharing with larger group and summary.

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