Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
April 2020
Sharon Sharings Monthly Newsletter of Sharon Lutheran Church
1720 South 20th Street, Grand Forks ND | www.sharonlutheran.org | 701-772-3122
Dear Friends,
As I write this, we are seeing the beginning
effects of the coronavirus here in Grand Forks. It
is difficult to find hand sanitizer, cleaning products
and toilet paper in stores. Schools are closed,
sports on all levels have been shut down. Many
other events have been cancelled as well. There
is confusion, uncertainty and fear about what we
should do and what effect this pandemic will have
in our country, Grand Forks and our own lives.
Challenging times.
As you read this, we are some weeks further
in dealing with the coronavirus, but on the edge
of Holy Week, another time of confusion, uncer-
tainty and fear. They are after Jesus. He is about
to be arrested and taken to Pilate for sentencing.
Jesus’ life literally is in Pilate’s hands! And though
Pilate would like to release Jesus, the crowds are
insistent, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Being a
follower of Jesus during these days is difficult and
frightening. Most of the disciples seem to have
abandoned Jesus and gone home, or someplace
safe. Even Peter denied knowing Jesus, fearful
that his own life might be in danger. Challenging
times. What do we do? Where do we go?
But Holy Week is only the beginning of the
story. Good Friday comes with its ugliness and
Challenging Times
Dear Sharon members,
Because of COVID-19, Sharon Lutheran
Church with the other ELCA congregations in
Grand Forks are following the directive of our
synod bishop and the advice of the CDC and
will not have live worship until after May 11.
Wednesday worship will be available online
each week beginning at 6:15 p.m. Sunday wor-
ship will also be available weekly beginning at 9
a.m. You can access our worship services
online at our website,
www.sharonlutheran.org. Please be a part
of the congregation in your homes!
All other Sharon events and meetings will
also be cancelled until that time. We plan to keep in touch with you and provide you infor-
mation during these extraordinary times. Con-
tinue to check email, texts, and Facebook for
further information.
If you know of someone that is in need of
help, i.e. needing someone to get groceries or
pick up medicine for them and etc., please call
the church office and we will find a way to
help.
Please keep our congregation, our commu-
nity and the world in your prayers as we go
through these days. And remember, God is
with us and will lead us through.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help
in trouble. Psalm 46:1
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Psalm 23:1
- Continued on next page
horror. But Easter comes 2 days later. Easter sur-
prises and amazes even Jesus’ closest followers.
They don’t recognize him, they hang on to their
fear, they hide behind locked doors. But Jesus has
risen and Easter is the celebration of Life! God
gives Life! In the midst of challenging times, God is
with us, and gives us life. In our questions and con-
fusion, God is with us and gives us life. In times
when it seems like the world is crashing around us,
God is with us and gives us life. Not even death
can prevent God from giving us life! God is a life-
giving God! We prepare to celebrate Easter – the
season of New Life. And though the world around
us may make us uncertain and afraid, even then,
God gives us life!
May you know God’s peace which does pass all
of our understanding, especially in these days. And
may you live in the promise of New Life! Christ is
Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
In Christ,
Pastor Lynn
Challenging Times—continued from front page
“Welcome to Baptism” Orientation
If you are planning a baptism in your family, plan to come to a one-hour orienta-tion called Welcome to Baptism” on Sat-urday, April 11, beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the church lounge. Please enter through
door #1. This class is still on as scheduled, but with limited ca-pacity.
To register for the class, please
call the church office by Friday before the class at 772-3122; email the church office at [email protected]; or speak to one of the pastors.
Sponsors are welcome too in addition to parents.
The class is designed to help answer questions about baptism, including: · What is baptism? When should baptism oc-cur? What is my role as a parent, sponsor, or family member of the baptized?
If you have any questions about this class, please speak to one of the pastors.
L.I.F.T.
(Learning in Faith Together)
When worship resumes at
Sharon Lutheran, L.I.F.T. will
also resume.
We will begin a study on
The Lord’s Prayer. Come join
us at 10:25 Sunday mornings
when we are able to physically
get together again!
THANK YOU to Roger and
Delane Johnson for their
work to refinish the doors in
the south side entries. Lots
of hard work and they look
beautiful. Thanks also to Dick Butler, Jeff Larson,
Greg Bang, and Pete Tunseth
for their help in removing
and reinstalling them.
~Board of Property
What would you like to say to members of this
congregation 100 years from now? As we celebrate
our centennial, we’re thinking not only about our
rich history, but also the bright future that lies
ahead. That’s why we’re kicking off a project to
build a time capsule as a gift to our congregation in
2120!
We’ve only just begun to plan for our time cap-
sule, and we want to include your ideas.
What do you think the time capsule should contain?
What special remembrances would you like to share
about our life and faith journey?
What do you think members 100 years from now
would like to know about us?
Where should we place our time capsule? How should our time capsule be constructed?
You can have your ideas become part of our
project. Just email our Centennial Planning Commit-
tee ([email protected]). We would love to
hear from you! We will be posting ideas as planning
continues, with a target of placing the time capsule
in June.
Centennial Time Capsule – Share Your Ideas!
If you are planning to attend an
ELCA college this fall, we may have
a scholarship opportunity for you!
Sharon Lutheran has a scholarship
fund established to encourage young
members of our congregation to
attend one of our 26 ELCA Luther-
an colleges with the hope of award-
ing an annual scholarship of up to
$1,000 to every applicant. Please
note that the actual amount of the
scholarships will depend up on the
number of eligible applicants and the
balance of the fund.
If you or a student in your family
is planning to attend an ELCA col-
lege this fall, please check with the
church office for the scholarship
application form or go to the
“Quick Links” section on Sharon’s
website to download a copy of the
application. The completed applica-
tion must be submitted to the
church office by June 1, 2020.
Please help spread the word
that we are currently seeking dona-
tions for the scholarship fund; any-
one may donate to the tax deducti-
ble, designated fund; however, we
ask that these donations be given
above and beyond your regular
commitment to our shared mission.
Contributions to the fund must be
made by Tuesday, May 19, 2020,
with the check made payable to Sha-
ron Lutheran and a notation of
“ELCA College Scholarships” on the
memo line. It is important to note
that many of our ELCA colleges will
provide matching funds for each
scholarship awarded, doubling your
generosity!
ELCA College Bound? If so, Read This!
April 2020 News
FAITH FORMATION MINISTRIES
During Lent, our 6th-12th grade students took
on some new practices at Sharon. You likely saw
students serving at our Wednesday 5:15 and 6:15
services. While this is part of our regular confirma-
tion programming, it was a big step for some of the
students, and a new practice that they took part in
for Lent. We’d like to thank Sharon’s congregation
for being helpful when students serve, and for
showing grace as they learn how these worship
roles work. All of the students did a wonderful job.
In Re:New during Lent, our 9th-12th grade stu-
dents adopted the practice of being grateful for the
people God has put in their lives, working on quiet
reflection, and prayer practices. You may have seen
us gathering around candles in the hallway, as we journaled, and discussed the things in our lives that
sometimes get in the way of our relationship with
God. In week 2 of Lent, one of our seniors led a
prayer with our 9th and 10th graders. “Steve! I just
led a prayer for the first time! I’ve never done that
before!” The joy on this young person’s face, as he
exclaimed this to me, illustrates exactly why these
practices have relevance in the lives of our youth.
Our hope is that they take what they learned over
these past weeks beyond the walls of the church,
and find ways to live it out in school, work, and
their daily journeys.
~Steve DeKrey
The information and announcements on this
page are subject to change as we navigate
best practices in regards to the COVID-19
virus. Please follow Sharon Lutheran’s Face-
book page, website, and weekly emails for
updates. God’s peace to you in the midst of
the unknowns.
COVID-19 Update
WWW.SHARONLUTHERAN.ORG
Summer Bible Camp Opportunities
If you ask just about any person what one of
their formative faith experiences was growing up,
most likely they’ll tell you, it was a summer Bible
Camp they attended. Camp is a
place for students to build faith,
and relationships, unplug, and
share fun in a new setting. In an
effort to help make camp more
affordable for students and fam-
ilies, last year, Sharon’s Board
of Youth began committing a
$50 campership to any student wishing to attend
an ELCA summer Bible Camp. Our local camp, Red
Willow, offers programs for students K-12, and
they begin their programming Sunday, May 31. Ste-
ve DeKrey from Sharon’s staff, will be spending
time at camp the week of July 5-10 with grades 2-6.
Steve is also happy to spend days at camp, if any
10th-12th grade students are looking to attend
Leadership Week, May 31-June 5, or the 7th-12th
grade camps July 12-17.
You can check out the full schedule at https://
www.redwillowbiblecamp.org/ or stop by the Faith
Formation offices for more information.
VBS ANNOUNCEMENTS VBS—Mark the calendar! Sharon Lutheran
Church Vacation Bible School!
Monday, June 1—
Thursday, June 4 ` 6:15-
8:15 p.m. each evening
Where in the World?
Global Trek 2020
Online registration will
begin on Wednesday,
April 1.
FEBRUARY MINISTRY SUPPORT
Give us a “Like” on Facebook!
Go to: www.facebook.com/SharonLutheranGF This is a great way for us to connect, support, and en-courage one another! We can also highlight and share the many ministries of our church. Please share our page with others too!
February
Actual
February
Budget
February
Actual - YTD Actual
YTD Budg-
et
YTD Actual
-
Revenue 2019/2020 2019/2020 Budget
Difference 2019/2020 2019/2020
Budget
Difference
Current Ministry Gifts $77,075 $67,041 $10,034 $579,836 $617,972 $(38,136)
Loose/Misc. Offering Gifts $2,733 $1,136 $1,597 $20,225 $20,623 $(398)
Operating Fund Memorial Gifts $- $83 $(83) $- $667 $(667) Church School, Confirmation & VBS Regis-
trations $- $51 $(51) $10,850 $14,333 $(3,483)
Benevolence Gifts $1,240 $1,292 $(52) $11,890 $10,333 $1,557
Other Gifts and Donations $1,839 $2,375 $(536) $21,523 $23,109 $(1,586)
2019/2020 Total $82,887 $71,978 $10,909 $644,324 $687,037 $(42,713)
Expenses
Operating Expenses $73,938 $79,399 $(5,461) $586,266 $632,962 $(46,696)
Mortgage Debt Reduction $9,195 $9,195 $ - $69,086 $69,086 $-
Total Expenses $83,133 $88,594 $(5,461) $655,352 $702,048 $(46,696)
Revenue Exceeding Expenses $(246) $(16,617) $16,370 $(11,027) $(15,010) $3,983
February Designated gifts received:
Undesignated Memorials $265
Fellowship Donations $440
Capital Campaign-GIFT $11,204
Noisy Offering-Love Feast $650
Thrivent Choice Dollars $1,065
Higher Ground Memorials $25
Sharon Cares Donations $20
Choir Fund Memorials $20
Dinner Church $6
Wednesday Fellowship Meal $950
Souper Bowl-St. Joseph's Food Shelf $725
Church School Benevo-lences-Feed My Starving Children-MobilePack $133
$15,503
If you have ever considered joining a book group because you like to read and enjoy fun, lively discussions, please come join us in Celebration Hall.
Please note: The Sharon Lutheran Church Book Group will not be meeting at Sharon until a later date. The following books are on the schedule to be read.
May 7, 2019: The Secret Diary of Hendrik
Groen by Hendrik Groen
Hendrik Groen may be old, but he is far from
dead and isn’t planning to be buried any time soon.
Granted, his daily strolls are getting shorter be-
cause his legs are no longer willing and he had to
visit his doctor more than he’d like. Technically
speaking, he is...elderly. But surely there is more to
life at his age than weak tea and potted geraniums?
Hendrik sets out to write an expose: a year in the
life of his care home in Amsterdam, revealing all its
ups and downs—not least his new endeavor the
anarchic Old-But-Not-Dead Club. And when Eefje
moves in—the woman Hendrik has always longed
for—he polishes his shoes (and his teeth), grooms
what’s left of his hair and attempts to make some-
thing of the life he has left, with hilarious, tender,
and devastating consequences.
Summer Read: Beartown by Fredrik
Backman
People say Beartown is finished. A tiny commu-
nity nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing
ground to the ever
encroaching trees.
But down by the
lake stands an old
ice rink, built gener-
ations ago by the
working men who
founded this town. And in that ice rink is the rea-
son people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be
better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is
about to compete in the national semi-finals, and
they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes
and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders
of a handful of teenage boys. Being responsible for
the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and
the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act
that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town
in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples
on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown,
leaving no resident unaffected. Beartown explores
the hopes that bring a small community together,
the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it
takes for an individual to go against the grain. In
this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman
has found the entire world.
Sharon Lutheran Church Book Group
Sharon Lutheran Church has an ELCA Lutheran
College Scholarship Fund that was established to
encourage young members of our congregation to
attend one of our 26 ELCA colleges. We are seek-
ing donations for the scholarship fund; anyone may
donate to the tax deductible, designated fund; how-
ever, we ask that these donations be given above
and beyond your regular commitment to our
shared mission.
The fund was established with the hope of
awarding an annual scholarship of up to $1,000 to
every eligible applicant. The actual amount of the
scholarships will depend upon the number of eligi-
ble applicants and the balance of the fund. It is im-
portant to note that many of our ELCA colleges
will provide matching funds for each scholarship
awarded, doubling your generosity!
Because of deadlines for applications to college
matching funds, we ask you to contribute to this
fund by Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Checks support-
ing this fund should be made out to Sharon Luther-
an, with a notation of “ELCA College Scholarships”
on the memo line. Thank you for considering a gift
to this worthwhile educational need of our congre-
gational members!
If a student in your family is planning to attend
an ELCA college this fall, please check with the
church office for the scholarship application form
or go to the “Quick Links” section on Sharon’s
website to download a copy of the application and
submit it to the church office by June 1, 2020.
An Opportunity to Support
Students Attending ELCA Colleges!
April 2020
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 Lenten Worship Ser-vices Held Online
2
3
4
5 Sunday Worship Services Held Online
6
7
8
9 MAUNDY THURSDAY
Worship Services Held Online
10 GOOD FRIDAY
Worship Services Held Online
11 10:30am Welcome to
Baptism
12 EASTER SUNDAY Worship Services
Held Online
13 EASTER MONDAY
CHURCH OFFICE
CLOSED
14
May Newsletter Deadline
15 Wednesday Evening Worship Services Held Online
16
17
18
19 Sunday Worship Services Held Online
20
21
22 Wednesday Evening Worship Services Held Online
23
24
25
26 Sunday Worship Services Held Online
27
28 29 30
Sharon Needs You Did you know it takes 90 Sharon members to meet the needs for people to serve on our nine administra-
tive boards and the executive council? Each year we need Sharon members to fill the three year rotating
memberships on our boards and council. The administrative boards and the executive council do the year
around heavy work of Sharon Lutheran Church on behalf of you the people of Sharon. We are entering
the recruiting time of the year and we need many members of Sharon Lutheran to step up and volunteer
to serve on our boards. Please prayerfully consider how you can make a difference and then step forward to make an active commitment to your church. The work of "God" does not just happen, it takes direct
commitments by real people like you! We ask you to remember, "God's work is in your hands". If you
interested in joining, please contact the church office, by April 19th, 2020 to make your commitment.
You can find more information on each board by logging into http://www.sharonlutheran.org/boards
Board of Evangelism - Brings the Gospel to the unchurched, enlists all of God's people in the work of spreading
the Gospel, deepens the faith and activity of the members of this congregation, and facilitates proper soul-
accounting at all times. (Seeking volunteers to fill 4 positions, along with 1 or 2 people to fill the di-
rector/co-director position)
Board of Lay Ministry - Responsible for the spiritual welfare of the Pastor(s) and congregation members and the
supervision of everything pertaining to congregational worship. (Seeking volunteers to fill 4 positions, along
with 1 or 2 people to fill the director/co-director position)
Board of Public Relations – Presents, publicizes, and integrates works of the congregation. (Seeking volunteers
to fill 4 positions)
Board of Stewardship – Develops effective stewardship within the congregation around faithful giving and service.
(Seeking volunteers to fill 4 positions)
Board of Church Properties – Assures the proper maintenance and repair of church property, provides repre-
sentation of the congregation in all legal matters, and ensures general protection of the congregation against loss
or damage of whatever nature (Seeking volunteers to fill 4 positions)
Board of Youth – Its objective is to involve the young people of the congregation in the work of Christ, provide for
their spiritual growth and nurture, and to promote genuine Christian fellowship for the young people of the congre-
gation. (Seeking volunteers to fill 4 poistions, along with 1 or 2 people to fill the director/co-director
position)
Board of Parish Fellowship – Strengthens the fellowship between the members of our church, both spiritually and socially (Seeking volunteers to fill 4 open positions)
Board of Church in Society – Heightens congregational awareness of societal issues and provides an avenue for
members to address these issues. (Seeking volunteers to fill 4 open positions along with 1 person to fill
a co-director position)
Board of Christian Education – Plans, administers, directs, and supervises the total educational program of the
congregation (Seeking volunteers to fill 4 open positions)
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sara Peters, 2020 Nominating committee chairper-
son Email: [email protected] or 701-610-9440
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards
of God’s varied grace.” First Peter 4:10
We need your help! Once we are able to worship to-
gether again at Sharon, we
will be in need of individu-
als to serve as worship as-
sistants - communion
preparation and clean-up,
scripture readers, or ush-
ers. We do have lists of
interested individuals from
My Ministry forms, but
those lists are currently
insufficient to fill our
needs.
Please consider signing up occasionally or on a regular
basis. The jobs are not difficult, you can serve as a family or with a friend, and we will train you or pair you with a
"veteran volunteer" if needed.
Worship
Assistants needed Please let us
know!
If you, a family member, or a
friend from Sharon Lutheran is in
the hospital, please call the office
and let us know so a Pastor or
Deacon can give them a phone call.
(In-person visits are on hold
indefinitely due to COVID-19
concerns) The hospital does not
notify the church of members ad-
mitted, so your assistance is greatly
appreciated. Thank you!
Volunteers Needed in Sharon Cares
(formerly Health Ministry Team)
“Be devoted to one another in Brotherly Love.” Romans 12:10 On February 19, a group of Sharon members met with Pastor Lynn to re-establish the Health Minis-
try Team. Cyndi Siders led this group for many years, but, because her new employment requires her
to be out-of-town most of the time, she stepped down from that position and Jodi Boettner and Karen
Axvig offered to co-chair it. The group decided to name the new group Sharon Cares.
The group’s priorities include:
Visiting shut-ins
Assembling and giving prayers shawls and care baskets
Overseeing Transportation Ministry
Showing appreciation to the Sharon staff in a variety of ways
Overseeing the prayer chain
The group will meet at 5:30 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the church. Please contact
Karen Axvig (701-610-1056), Jodi Boettner (218-791-1724), or the Sharon office (701-772-3122) if you
are interested in becoming a team member of Sharon Cares or becoming trained as a visitor to shut-ins.
Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE
PAID Grand Forks, ND 58201
Permit No. 270
Sharon Lutheran Church 1720 S 20th St Grand Forks, ND 58201
Phone: 701-772-3122 Email: [email protected] Website: www.sharonlutheran.org
Pastor ........................................................ Lynn Ronsberg ([email protected])
Pastor ............................................. Dominique Buchholz ([email protected])
Deacon ............................................................ Jamie Travers ([email protected])
Administrative Assistant ....................Missy Thompson ([email protected]) Secretary ........................................................... Molly Mohn ([email protected]) Finance Manager ................................ Stephanie Leighton ([email protected])
Dir. Elementary, Middle School, Youth MusicDavid Berger ([email protected])
Director of Christian Education ................ Cheryl Nyhlen ([email protected])
Dir. High School Youth, Young Adults ........ Steve DeKrey ([email protected])
Education & Youth Assistant ........................ Heather Peters ([email protected])
Director of Music Ministries ..................... Roxanne Gessler ([email protected])
Ministry & Communications Coordinator . Nicki Green ([email protected])
Organist .................................................................................... Sue Kerr & Carolyn Tunseth
Sanctuary Choir Director ...................................................................................... Jack Boyer
Custodian ............................................................................................................... Dan Kuzel
Office……………………………………………………………[email protected]
Sharon Lutheran Staff
Mailing Address Line 1 Mailing Address Line 2
Mailing Address Line 3
Mailing Address Line 4
Sunday Morning and Wednesday Evening Worship
Available online on our website: www.sharonlutheran.org
Temporary Church Office Hours Monday - Friday 9:00am to 3:00pm
