First Lutheran Church

Come and explore your deepest spiritual desires with us!

Discover God's desire for you!

We invite you to discover our dynamic Christian Community dedicated to sharing the awesome love of God that is revealed in Jesus Christ.

Whether you are just beginning your spiritual journey or have traveled the Christian road for some time....

Worship Services
(Summer Worship starts June 16th)

2012 Church Annual Report:
Click Here

Council Highlights & Notes:
TBA

Northeastern Ohio Synod Notes:
Click Here

Contemporary Worship.

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2012 Annual Report.....

Click here to download the 2013 Annual Report

Music Director News.....

We are pleased to announce that Donald M. VerKuilen III has been hired as our Director of Music Ministries beginning May 13.

His first Sunday at the organ will be May 26. Don is finishing his first year at Oberlin College majoring in both organ performance and choral conducting. He is an amazing talent with a deep appreciation for the Lutheran tradition, and we are thankful he will be joining our ministry staff.

Donald M VerKuilen III is a native of Appleton Wisconsin and is a student at the Oberlin Conservatory of music pursuing a degree in organ performance. Don has served in many churches, the most recent being the First Congregational Church UCC, Elyria and the First Presbyterian Church in Green Bay Wisconsin. Don has performed in concerts all over the world and has won many prestigious competitions in organ performance and hymn playing. Music has always been Don's passion in life. He feels called by God to share his music with the world. He believes music can be an incredible link to God from which he can speak to us.

Don looks forward to sharing his gifts and carrying out the work of God through music at First Church.

http://www.donaldverkuilen.com/#

May 2013 Revelations.....

Dear First Church Family:

Thank you for the opportunity to be on sabbatical from June 10 – September 1. It has been seven years since my first sabbatical, and I’m very appreciative of being able to do a second. I want to let you know how I will be spending my time.

I will be studying Shame Resilience Theory, which is grounded in the research of Dr. Brene Brown, and offers a set of propositions about how shame affects men and women, and how we build shame resilience.

Some of those propositions include:

Shame is best defined as the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing we are flawed and therefore unworthy of acceptance and belonging.
Shame often creates feelings of fear, blame, and disconnection.
Shame is organized by gender.
The opposite of experiencing shame is experiencing empathy.
Empathy is necessary for practicing courage, compassion, and connection.

Shame tells us that our imperfections make us inadequate and our vulnerabilities are weaknesses. It sends two primary messages: “Who do you think you are?” and “You’ll never be good enough.” One goal of the practical application of SRT is to help people understand two points:

Our imperfections do not make us inadequate; they are what connect us to each other and to our humanity.
Our vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we’re all in this together.

My study of Dr. Brown’s work will involve three steps:

1. A thorough reading of three books authored by Dr. Brown: Daring Greatly, How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead The Gifts of Imperfection I Thought it Was Just Me (But it Isn’t), Making the Journey from “What Will People Think” to “I am Enough”

2. Working through Dr. Brown’s curriculum entitled Connections, A 12-Session Psychoeducational Shame-Resilience Curriculum.

3. Dr. Brown does not make specific theological and/or biblical connections in her work. But I think there can be many. I will be using her work to help create a theological and biblical framework for how God works to move us from shame to vulnerability to salvation.

I also want to build on our congregation’s relationship with Children Who Witness Violence, along with my experience as a “buddy” at Camp Bridges. I therefore plan to volunteer with CWWV in some capacity that is yet to be determined, but will be defined by the CWWV director, Eileen Zatta.

If time permits, I would also like to do some study in the area of evangelism. We are experiencing slowed growth in both our congregation and community, and so I would like to take a look at some possible strategies to spur membership growth (with the understanding that any strategy would involve the entire congregation). I have some reading in mind that includes the following:

1. Unbinding the Gospel, Real Life Evangelism by Martha Grace Reese

2. Just Walk Across the Room by Bill Hybels

My sabbatical will also include time for rest, prayer, worship, and personal travel. When I return I will be sharing my experience with the congregation through forums and adult classes. Thank you once again for this opportunity to grow spiritually.

In Christ,
Pastor Chuck

Do you have a prayer request?

Please use the bulletin board over the water fountain to make your prayer concerns known, or Click Here to submit one for inclusion during our next service.

Volunteer at First Church!

How do I get involved?

Click on the “Share Your Spiritual Gifts Volunteer Form” link below if you know your gifts and let us know how you would like to share your gifts this coming 2013-2014 year.

www.surveymonkey.com/s/SHAREGIFTS

How do I know what my spiritual gifts are?

You can start by clicking on the “Discover Your Spiritual Gifts” link below. The survey is simply a list of questions that help identify what gifts, skills and interests you have within you.

www.surveymonkey.com/s/DISCOVERGIFTS

Questions regarding the surveys, or opportunities to share your gifts with First Church, can be directed to Connie at (440)238-7890 or send and email to firstchurchalive@hotmail.com.

Join the Red, White, and Blue Team!

A new Mission Ministry is being kicked off to help military families within our congregation and community that have a parent or loved one currently deployed overseas. We are looking for volunteers to provide meals, home handyman, and babysitting services for military families that could use a little extra help and support.

Help fulfill your patriotic duty while doing the work our Lord has called us to do!

If interested, please contact Penny Stupka (pstupka9754@wowway.com or 440.238.1667) or Reiner Mueller (reinermueller@sbcglobal.net or 440.846.0532).

The ELCA Malaria Campaign intends to contain malaria on the African continent by 2015. To help, make a donation using the special envelope in the pews. Make checks payable to First Lutheran Church, and place envelopes in the offering plate. Our goal is to raise $5,100.

Do you have a prayer request? Please use the bulletin board over the water fountain to make your prayer concerns known.

Need to get rid of your old cell phone? Recycle the old one! Please drop off old cell phones and used ink cartridges – boxes located on the table under the youth bulletin board by the Fellowship Hall entrance. Questions? Contact Debbie Brighter (440.572.2627).

Stop by the Welcome Center, in the lobby, for additional information on our activities and ministries.

Donate your altar flowers to local nursing homes or our own church shut-ins. If anyone is interested in assisting with delivering these flowers, please contact Penny Stupka (440/238-1667).

Cleaning for a Reason - If you know any woman currently undergoing Chemo, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning – 1 time per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service. http://www.cleaningforareason.org.

Strongsville Emergency Food Bank - The Food Bank is open to Strongsville residents year-round: Monday thru Friday, 9:30 – 11:30 AM and including the 2nd Saturday of every month. Call 440/846-0197 for more information. Nonperishable food items can be placed in the shopping carts by the side and Fellowship Hall entrances. This is taken to the Strongsville Food Bank.

Both pastors offer open office hours for anyone who wants to stop by to share & concerns. It is helpful to call in advance for an appointment. Drop-in visitors are received on a first come, first served basis.
Pastor Chuck’s hours are 10 - noon on Tuesday.
Pastor Kathy’s hours are 10 – noon on Wednesday

Celebrations, parties, or just everyday living ... if you shop at GFS - don’t forget to mention First Lutheran when checking out and help First earn credit to supply future church functions.

CWWV is looking for a gas stove, beds (any size), vacuum cleaners, men’s business suits, and kid’s summer clothing (shorts, swim suits, short sleeve/tank tops). Please contact Tammy Widdows (216.548.2761) if you have a donation.

The PATH Program (serving those living under bridges and in the woods) needs canned food to hand out to people they find. Please put your donations in the shopping carts. Questions? Please contact Tammy Widdows (216.548.2761).

WOW will continue to collect women’s full-size personal hygiene items and diapers for Laura’s Home. Donations may be placed in the container on the Welcome Center.

Worship Service Recordings
for Shut-ins

First Church has a program to provide CD recordings, currently of the lesson readings, Gospel reading, and sermon, for members who are unable to attend regular services.

The shut-in will be provided with a CD player, on loan from the church, with which to listen to the service recording mailed or delivered to them each week. Plans are to expand the recording capability to the entire service in the future.

If you know of any or our members, or nonmembers, who may be interested in participating in this program, please contact the church office or click here.

We now have a special page on this Web site devoted to the prior sermons from each week of service.

Please click here to view the sermons you can download.

Sunday School - Education Hour Topics:

3-yr thru 5th gr – Pentecost
6th gr – Witnessing (Paul and Barnabas)
7th gr – Smart Decisions
8th gr – Annoying Your Family

Coffee and donuts are available in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday mornings. This is a service project of our Confirmation students and their families. The donuts are purchased at a cost of $.50 per donut. All other items are donated. Please help us cover the cost of the donuts.