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St. Matthew by the Lake Lutheran Church The Fisherman’s News
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:1
March 2020
St. Matthew by the Lake
Lutheran Church
3966 U.S. Hwy 641 N.
Benton, KY. 42025
270-527-1856
Pastor Colleen Winkler
Sunday
Morning Worship
9:30 a.m.
1st Wednesday of the
month is our Morning
Women’s Group
10:00 a.m.
Email: stmatthewbythelakechurch
@gmail.com
Website:
www.stmatthewbythe
lake.org
Check us out on
Details inside
St. Patrick’s Day Dinner and Tasting Tuesday March 17th
Lenten Services
Boot Camp for the Soul
Gives you Hope
(details inside)
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2020 Sunday Lenten Theme
2020 Wednesday Lenten Theme
Date Theme Date Theme
March 1 The Need for Change: We face
temptation as we discern what
God really wants for us
March 4 Hope and our Christian Journey
March 8 Reset: Spiritual rebirth
means a new start
March 11 Hope for All People
March 15 Hydrate: Living water
sustains us on our journey
March 18 Hope for all Creation
March 22 Redefined: We are more
than we appear to be
March 25 Hope in Unlikely Places
March 29 Dead End: When all hope
seems lost, God revives
April 1 Hope Overflowing Leads us
Forward
February 17, 2020
Members and Friends of St. Matthew by the Lake,
In March we continue our Lenten journey that will begin on Ash Wednesday February
26. We have 2 themes running concurrently this year. Our Wednesday, soup suppers will be
followed by discussions that center on the word “HOPE.” Sunday worship services will follow
the theme of “Boot Camp for the Soul.”
While these themes might seem to be quite different, I do believe they connect with one
another. Because we are given HOPE in Christ we respond by entering a spiritual boot camp
for our souls. The hope we have in Christ extends into and beyond our individual Christian
Journey. Christ gives hope for all people, and for all of creation. We find hope in unlikely and
unexpected places and are led forward in HOPE.
Our forward journey includes a boot camp of sorts for our souls of which HOPE is an
integral part. We discern the need for change in our lives, and with this change comes a
spiritual rebirth. As we move forward from this rebirth we will need hydration in the form
living water as well as HOPE for our journey. Throughout this journey we discover that our
lives are being redefined by God and that when all HOPE might seem lost, God will and does
revive us. Our dead ends are not dead ends at all; we have life and HOPE through Christ and the
promise of Resurrection.
Yes the themes of HOPE and Spiritual Boot Camp do compliment and connect with
one another. I pray we will all join in for both Wednesday evening discussions and Sunday
morning worship this coming Lenten Season.
In God’s amazing grace,
Pastor Colleen
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To my church family at St. Matthew by the Lake,
No words can express my deepest heartfelt gratitude for your support of Barbara and me
through the process of her physical decline and subsequent transition from this bodily form to
her new life—the same new life that awaits us all.
My Christian faith has helped me to understand that life and love are eternal. Death is only
a word now that looks like the opening of a door to a train, a bus, or a plane on which our
loved one has departed to a new and more beautiful reality that one day, we too shall journey.
Jesus showed and proved to us that there is new life after death. We have nothing to fear. For
those of us left behind, we are invited to live out the best lives we can until we too join those
who have gone before us.
But I want to tell you how much your prayers, your positive and healing thoughts, your
cards and letters, your phone calls, and your offers and subsequent actions to try to alleviate
our stress, our anxiety, our feelings of personal loss, our dreads in anticipation of our physical
separation, and more provided soothing comfort and uplifting aid to both of us. Barbara was
overwhelmed as well as filled up with your expressions of love and concern. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Your efforts not only gave her strength to face her final four months
with grace but I’m convinced that sending your love aided in bringing her the fullness of peace
and comfort with minimal physical pain.
I am so grateful for you all. May God fill you with His grace, love, and peace as you live
out the best lives you can one day at a time, for in placing your focus on today, you will
become fully aware of the blessings placed right in front of you.
In the love of Christ,
Paul Meier
**********************************************************************
For those who would like to send a card, below is the address for Cal and Jan
Address from February 26-March 13:
Cal & Jan Hasselbring
C/O Cari Griffith
13785 Lucky Lake Dr.
Lake Forest, IL 60045
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Please note Mary and Bob Scott have new phone numbers
270-727-4500 cell 270-744-5108 landline
*Check out our website www.stmatthewbythe lake.org John Downey has been working diligently
to get it up and running. You can now watch some services on YouTube.
*We need a male volunteer to attend the Indiana Kentucky Synod
Assembly June 4-6th with Cheryl Haynes and Pastor Colleen.
Expenses are paid for. ***************************************************************************
Community Country Breakfast
March 14, 2020
Tell your friends and family to join us for a great breakfast. Remember monies from
this breakfast go toward helping our community. Signup sheet for volunteers to help
with this worthy, delicious & fun cause will be in the Narthex.
*********************************************************************
Fellowship Board
Gary & Sadie will be hosting a St. Patrick’s Day Party
on Tuesday, March 17th
starting around 5:00.
They will be providing the food like last year except desserts - we will need three
different desserts please. And some rye bread or soda bread something that will go
with the meal. Please let Gary know if you volunteer to bring a dessert or bread.
Also plan to bring your favorite beverage to share.
We will have a free will donation basket that will go toward a worthy cause.
There is be a sign-up sheet and directions to Gary and Sadie’s.
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WELCA - NEW TIME, NEW SCHEDULE, ALL WOMEN WELCOME!
WELCA ladies and the ladies from the Prayer Shawl Ministry & Crafts are joining forces. We are will meet Wednesday, March 11th , 10:00 meeting and program, followed by a light lunch, then we will pin & tie quilts, knitting or crocheting and other miscellaneous crafts that you prefer.
It was a beautiful, sunny day for our "Souper Bowl" outing to Paducah. The kids enjoyed playing some football at Noble Park and eating a buffet lunch at Pizza Inn before donning their bowling shoes. We all struggled to break a hundred, but still had a lot of fun. A total of 130 canned goods were taken to the Marshall County food pantry. Missions and Ministries will be sending a check for $300 (money collected during the "Souper Bowl" fundraiser). This will be designated for clients' utility bills. Our youth, along with the middle school youth group from the First United Methodist Church in Benton are practicing a stick ministry program which will be performed for our church and theirs sometime in April--date to be determined. Looking forward to it! Blessings to all. Linda Ward *************************************************************************************************
BOOK STUDY DISCUSSION
We are meeting, Thursday March 5th 2020
2:00
“Flash: the homeless Donkey who taught me about
Life, Faith and second chances”
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FELLOWSHIP – Hosting our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and game night 5:30.
WORSHIP & MUSIC – Boot Camp for the Soul” our weekly Wednesday soup/ discussion
with St. Peter’s – with HOPE being our Lenten theme, we will focus in on a different word in
each Sunday worship.
ST. MATTHEW BY THE LAKE LUTHERAN CHURCH
COUNCIL MEETING – February 11, 2020
IN ATTENDANCE – Pastor Colleen Winkler, Cheryl & Bill Haynes, Kent Edwards, Darrell Olson,
Dorothy Thompson, Gene Pettett, Jan Kind, Dianne Martinek, Jane Cox, Debbie Schoo and guest John
Downey
The meeting was called to order at 10:03 am and opened by Pastor with a reading on “Love” and with
prayer.
MINUTES OF THE Jan. 14th
MEETING – Approved as read.
PASTORS REPORT – Reviewed last month tasks. Taking a vacation day Thursday Feb. 13th Future
vacation dates given - April 14-19 & June 22-28. Council gave input as she filled out annual
congregation report for synod.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS – Need a male to participate for the IK Synod Assembly June 4, 5, &6.
NEW BUSINESS – Fellowship board is now co –chaired by Pat Partyka and Ellen Higgs. Annual
congregation meeting set for March 29th, need all board reports by March 18
th. Reviewed council retreat
suggestions. Anniversary celebration committee will be Worship and Music board and fellowship
board. May 10th we are hosting the blue grass band “Classy and Grassy”
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM FINANCE COMMITTEE
Memorials arriving for Barbara Meier (Trinity/HOPE) will be deposited and go through our memorial
fund. Our financial secretary records will be organized. Financial records will be decided which to keep
remainder will be shredded or burned. Darrell made a motion “if our next treasurer does not wish to use
the laptop that was purchased for the treasurer position, Darrell will purchase it from the church. All
files will be reverted or deleted as necessary. Motion was unanimously approved. Sunday deposits can
now be made to the bank in Draffenville via a keyed bag.
TREASURERS REPORT/FINANCE We have a $5000 deficit in giving, but a $1000 budget deficit.
We discussed pastor’s ongoing education funds should be allowed to carry over.
BOARD REPORTS
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION – Confirmation class continues
YOUTH – Have completed the Super Bowl of Caring Collection, bowling and pizza on Sunday.
STEWARDSHIP no report
OUTREACH/EVANGELISM – we need to order more church brochures for distribution.
PROPERTY Security- all four cameras installed and working. Discussed how to monitor during
worship, possibly a third monitor through the sound system, via phone or laptop in the rear of the
church. Bill would like to try a security software version that would run, scan, and record activity. $200
from funds that have already been approved from Memorial Fund for security would cover this. Darrell
and Preston installed two shelves in the basement, they also worked on the rolling clothing tripods for
bazaar.
MISSION & MINISTRY Monies donated to Needline earmarked for heating and utility assistance.
Kroger signup- with current health issues of our congregation, discussed having a “ Week of Love &
Caring” 40 days of Giving is our focus for Lent.
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COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT REPORT
Columbarium - Darla mother’s ashes have been placed in a nitch, we have 1 nitch remaining.
Is there an interest in getting more niches. Comment: Maybe put a sign up sheet out as to
whom might be interested in purchasing a nitch if we had some available.
ALL BOARD REPORTS APPROVED
OTHER: Dianne received permission to pay Award Master’s Engraving for the memorial
plaques out of the memorial fund account. Council approved.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING - Tuesday March 10th 7:00 pm
Meeting adjourned at 11:40, closed with the Lord’s Prayer
Respectfully submitted, Dorothy Thompson, council secretary
*************************************************************************
MISSION & MINISTRY BOARD
ELCA World Hunger 40 Days of Giving began on Ash Wednesday. This is an opportunity
for all of us to come together to ease hunger and poverty. We will be collecting monetary
contributions during the next 40 days. Contributions can be made to St. Matthew by the Lake
with your check designated for ELCA World Hunger, or you can donate directly to ELCA.
You can also designate domestic or international relief. We will be joining other churches
during Lent for this worthy mission. Take all the pennies and dimes you use for candy or
coffee and place them in a jar designated to feed less fortunate. Please find ways to help.
*We will also be looking for a way to donate chicken to Needline during these 40 days to
support hungry people in our community.
***************************************************************************
January Monthly Income = $7820.50 Expenses = $12993.70
January Attendance: 1/5= 41, 1/12=53, 1/19=50, 1/25=68
**************************************************************************
