As we find ourselves in the
midst of this Advent season, it may be hard to believe that
2012 is almost here. And yet, here we are ready to welcome
another year into our lives.
Have you had time to think
about the New Year? What about your goals, ambitions, dreams,
concerns? What do you hold in prayer as you look ahead?
What are your concerns and hesitations? Will this year be
the year to top any other?
As you think about
the start of 2012, I share the following as perhaps a guide:
Recipe for a Happy
New Year
“Take twelve whole months,
Clean them thoroughly of all bitterness, hate, and jealousy,
Make them just as fresh and clean as possible.
Now cut each month into twenty-eight,
thirty, or
thirty-one different parts,
but don't make up the whole batch at once.
Prepare it one day at a time out of these ingredients.
Mix well into each day one
part of faith,
one part of patience, one part of courage,
and one part of work.
Add to each day one part of
hope,
faithfulness, generosity, and kindness.
Blend with one part prayer,
one part meditation, and one good deed.
Season the whole with a dash of good spirits,
a sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play,
and a cupful of good humor.
Pour all of this into a vessel
of love.
Cook thoroughly over radiant joy,
garnish with a smile,
and serve with quietness, unselfishness,
and cheerfulness.
You're bound to have a happy
new year” - Author unknown -
Blessings
to each and every one of you as you begin another year!
May it be filled with an abundance of love and joy. May
it be centered in Christ, and lived through the convictions
of faith.
In Christ,
Pastor Kathy
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!
Update
your Gifts
Inventory or commit to a volunteer opportunity.
Forms are available on line or at the Welcome Center at
church or, you can fill out the on-line
version and send it in.
Don’t
know what your spiritual gifts are? Fill out a Gift
Inventory (short form) or contact Connie at
(440/238-7890) for a more in-depth survey.
Church
News & Photos of Events.....
Important
Dates - Church Events - Stuff.....
Please
click on a link below to view the current
newsletters published by First Lutheran Church.
The
following are church events and fellowship opportunities
at First Church. A complete listing of all of the
Church Events can be downloaded by clicking on the
"Weekly Revelations" located in the box
to the left.
We kindly request that you refrain
from using any of the church’s computers without
express permission from a staff member. We are committed
to both the guarding of sensitive information and
keeping our computers healthy (virus-free). Thanks
for your cooperation.
2012 Offering
Envelopes are in the lobby. Please take
yours home today!
Reminder
– If you use the Thrivent Simply Giving
Program, and you want to change your dollar
amount, please fill out the form available in the
brochure rack outside the church office. The forms
can be mailed back to the church office.
KIDS
HOPE USA Mentors needed: There are currently
five students at Drake who are waiting for their
mentors. Will you be the one to make a positive
difference in the life of one of these children?
To take advantage of this wonderful opportunity,
please fill out the bulletin insert and place it
in the offering plate, or call Gloria Reichert (330.255.3922).
Thanks!
Second
Chance to See Uncle Phils Diner!
Enjoy
what will surely become a First Lutheran Church
of Strongsville Christmas classic: Uncle Phil’s
Diner!
Relive
many unforgettable moments and find out if:
Will
Uncle Phil finally eat Mama’s fruitcake
and live to tell about it? And will he get what
he always wanted for Christmas?
Who will Wally ask to the Winter Formal and will
she accept? And what is the circumference of a
pie?
See
PJ the DJ light up the Diner (Memo to PJ: Bigfoot
called, he wants his hair back!)
Sing
along to the “The 12 days of a Diner’s
Christmas”
Marvel
at the Uncle Phil’s version of “We
Three Cooks”
And many more…..
Sit
back, have a slice of pie and Enjoy!
Sunday
School - Education Hour
Topics:
3
yr – 6th gr – “The Disciples”
Adult – “Understanding Emergence Christianity”
New
Adult Class continues! Understanding Emergence
Christianity explores the broad cultural and spiritual
changes taking place in the church today. Led
by the pastors, this study is stimulating and
enlightening. All adults are welcome.
BLAST
(6-8th gr) – Saturday, January 28,
10 AM – 3 PM, Ronald McDonald House
service project & lunch. Sign up
on the youth board.
FUEL
(9-12th gr) – Lock-in (food, fellowship,
fun) – Friday, February 3, 8 PM to Saturday,
February 4, 10 AM. Cost: $10 for food.
We will be making hoagies Saturday morning. Coming in March – Tobogganing (weather
permitting) or Laser Tag – Sunday, March
11.
Sign up on the youth board.
First Communion Classes begin Saturday,
February 4, for children in grade
5 and above. Sign up in the church office.
Wellness Event –
Monday, February 13
Debbie Hatshorn will be our guest speaker.
Lenten Project –
Sunday, March 18
Our Lenten project will benefit children in need
and include a salad luncheon with guest speaker.
Yoga – Wednesday,
April 25
One of our most requested events is back. No experience
is necessary and will be held at the church from
6:30 to 8:00 PM.
Order
your Superbowl Subs thru January 30 at
the table in the lobby. Foot-long subs are $5 each.
Proceeds benefit 2012 National Gathering youth.
Our
Prayer & Care Group prepares and sends
cards to those of us, young and old alike, who are
lonely, suffering from illness or injury, or those
with on-going issues. Join us the first Friday of
every month at 10 AM. Questions? Contact Sue Ludwig
(440.238.5164 or suziezoo24@yahoo.com).
First
Lutheran Busy Bags contain quiet items,
crayons, and books for children to use during the
service. They can be found under the table at the
back of the church. Just ask an usher if you
would like one of these bags for
your little one.
CWWV has a 1-yr-old
child who is in desperate need of a crib with bedding
for a special needs child.
Mental Health Services
is in need of beds for several clients, including
a CWWV family. CWWV is also in need of formula and
diapers. MHS also needs men’s business clothing.
Please call Tammy Widdows (216.548.2761) with donations.
Thank you for your support!
The Street Ministry
continues to collect men’s socks for the homeless.
Please place your donation in the marked box by the
Fellowship Hall entrance. Questions? Contact Steve
Gall (440.238.3019).
WOW continues to
collect travel & regular size women’s toiletries.
Please place them in the container on the Welcome
Center.
Nursery attendants needed!
If you are available to help in the nursery,
please contact Bonnie Bailey (440.572.5044).
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!
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.
The
Street People Ministry will be collecting
men’s socks through February 2012. Please
place them in the marked box in the hallway. Questions?
Please contact Steve or Peg Gall (440.238.3019).
Mental
Health Services/Children Who Witness Violence
is in need of men’s business clothes
and shoes, furniture, cleaning supplies, pots,
pans, and casserole dishes. If anyone has donations,
please place them in the Fellowship Hall entrance.
Questions? Please call Tammy (216.548.2761).
c
c
Do
you have a prayer request? Please use the
bulletin board over the water fountain to
make your prayer concerns known.
Get a new cell phone
for Christmas? 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.
Prayer & Care –
our group will be meeting on the first Friday
of the month. We address and send out cards,
share concerns, and pray for members and friends
at First Lutheran. Please join us at 1 PM.
We usually meet about 1 hour. Questions? Call
Sue Ludwig.
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.
c
c
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.
Red Number
indicates "New Record" in monthly hits
Blue Number indicates
"Highest All-time Month" in hits
Greetings,
Blessings
to each and every one of you as you begin another year!
May it be filled with an abundance of love and joy. May
it be centered in Christ, and lived through the convictions
of faith.
Do
you have a prayer request? 
Volunteer
at First Church! 
KIDS
HOPE USA Mentors needed: There are currently
five students at Drake who are waiting for their
mentors. Will you be the one to make a positive
difference in the life of one of these children?
To take advantage of this wonderful opportunity,
please fill out the bulletin insert and place it
in the offering plate, or call Gloria Reichert (330.255.3922).
Thanks! 
Second
Chance to See Uncle Phils Diner!
BLAST
(6-8th gr) – Saturday, January 28,
10 AM – 3 PM, Ronald McDonald House
service project & lunch. Sign up
on the youth board.
FUEL
(9-12th gr) – Lock-in (food, fellowship,
fun) – Friday, February 3, 8 PM to Saturday,
February 4, 10 AM. Cost: $10 for food.
We will be making hoagies Saturday morning.
Order
your Superbowl Subs thru January 30 at
the table in the lobby. Foot-long subs are $5 each.
Proceeds benefit 2012 National Gathering youth.
First
Lutheran Busy Bags contain quiet items,
crayons, and books for children to use during the
service. They can be found under the table at the
back of the church. Just ask an usher if you
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. 
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.
The
Street People Ministry will be collecting
men’s socks through February 2012. Please
place them in the marked box in the hallway. Questions?
Please contact Steve or Peg Gall (440.238.3019).
Mental
Health Services/Children Who Witness Violence
is in need of men’s business clothes
and shoes, furniture, cleaning supplies, pots,
pans, and casserole dishes. If anyone has donations,
please place them in the Fellowship Hall entrance.
Questions? Please call Tammy (216.548.2761).
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. 
