August 2021 A light of God’s love for all people.

I have been enjoying watching as much of the Olympics as I can. The Olympics have been a love of

mine for as long as I can remember. The love comes from the combination of two things that I really

enjoy – sports and geography.

It is so fun to watch some of these Olympic sports that we don’t get to see on television very often

– things like rowing, fencing, and archery. I am amazed at the skills and abilities of the athletes and

cheering for the USA competitors or rooting for the underdog to pull off the unexpected Gold Medal.

I also enjoy learning about the different countries around the world, especially during the Parade

of Nations during the Opening Ceremonies. It is fascinating to see the different cultures represented by

the thousands of athletes from every corner of the globe, from countries I wouldn’t even know existed if

it wasn’t for the Olympics. Each time the Olympics happen, it reminds me of the beautiful diversity God

has created throughout all of humanity.

It reminded me of the Apostle Paul’s words to the people of Athens in Acts 17. He preached,

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does

not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed

anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he

made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having

determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should

seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far

from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some

of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’”

These words and the Olympics are a great reminder of the diversity of our world and the

diversity of God’s people. It is also a reminder that we are called to live together faithfully, loving one

another, caring for one another, and helping one another grow in faith in the midst of all the diversity we

see in our world and in our community. Because we are all God’s children and we all need His grace, His

love, and His forgiveness.

As you go about your daily lives, open your eyes to those around you. Especially to those

who may be different than you. And see them as fellow members of God’s family. Reach out to them

with the same love, that others have loved you. Allow their expressions of faith to broaden your faith.

May we all be blessed by the diversity God has created in our world!

Pastor Justin

Highlights from the July 14 Council Meeting

• Movie Night for Grown-ups will begin in October.

• 5th Quarters will not be held after Football games this year.

• A Fall Work Day is planned in place of “God’s Work. Our Hands.”

• Rally Day will be September 12.

• “Love in Action” replacement/update plans continue to be discussed and worked on.

• Monthly “Adult Forums” will be scheduled by Pastor Justin starting in September. These will be held during the Sunday School Hour.

• 15 campers registered and received ALC funds (totaling $3,225) to apply toward camping fees for Lutherans Outdoors Camps this summer.

• Weekly newsletters, which started at the beginning of the COVID precautions, will switch back to monthly in August.

• A designation for the coffee fellowship offerings will start in September.

The American Lutheran Church Council meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Their next meeting is 8/11/18 at 6:30. Please contact your council members if you have any comments or questions. Their names and committee assignments are listed above.

Date

07/04/21 07/11/21 07/18/21 07/25/21

Attendance

47 110 75 91

Giving

$ 3,295 $4,659 $ 4,957 $ 4,310

CHURCH COUNCIL President: Mark Leddy V.Pres: Josh Schmeichel Secretary: Heidi Wellnitz Treasurer: Mary Bjordahl

PROPERTY/ MANAGEMENT

Michael Cordingley Ryan Gruba

YOUTH/EDUCATION

Heidi Wellnitz Josh Schmeichel Heather Zinter

FINANCE/STEWARDSHIP

Mary Bjordahl Josh Schmeichel

David Bergan

WORSHIP/EVANGELISM

Peg Dohrer Amber Scriver

Amanda Grabow

PASTOR Justin Neugebauer

alcpastor@itcmilbank.com Office 605-432-5566 Cell 605-228-8073

ALC PRESCHOOL

Nicole Scott—Teacher preschool@americanlutheran.com

Assistant—Brittany Bray Volunteer—Rebecca Welberg

PARISH ASSISTANT Carol Kirchberg

Carol.Kirchberg@americanlutheran.com Office 605-432-5566 Cell 605-949-2942

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Amy Bass

Aw_35_star@hotmail.com

CUSTODIAN Gary Christianson Cell 605-924-0181

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Gail Selgeby

alcoffice@itcmilbank.com Office 605-432-5566 Cell 605-467-3831

PARISH NURSE Diana Dirksen

dirksen@tnics.com 605-432-6128 (leave message)

American Lutheran Church Staff Contact Information

American Lutheran Church Council

Listen to the Worship Service:

RADIO

LIVE at 9 am on KMSD (1510AM/98.3FM)

FACEBOOK “LIVE at 9 am on Facebook”’

ONLINE Worship Service Videos

www.americanlutheran.com

ALC APP

TELEVISION ITC Cable Channel 95 - Thurs 10am/7pm

Midcontinent Cable Channel 3 Sunday 9pm, Monday 8:30am/4pm

Scholarships for College

If you are attending a Lutheran College, let the church office know.

There may be scholarship money available for you.

Weekly Bulletins Bulletins can be found on the ALC App or at

www.americanlutheran.com.

If you would like to have the bulletins mailed to you, just let the church office know. Call 432-5566.

Personal Care Kits include the following:

• ONE light-weight bath-size towel (between 20x40 and 52x 2 inches), dark color recommended

• TWO or three bath-size bars of soap equaling 8 to 9 oz., any brand, in original wrapping

• ONE adult-size toothbrush in its original packaging

• ONE sturdy comb, remove packaging

• Be sure to shop for light- or medium-weight towels, which are easier for Kit recipients to hand wash and air dry, take up less storage space and are considerably less expensive than the fluffier towels we may prefer to use.

• Bath towels vary in size. The 52” X 27” size listed in the guidelines is the maximum size. 20” x 40” is a good guide-line for a minimum size.

• Please give new items only

School Kits include the following:

• FOUR 70-sheet notebooks of wide- or college-ruled paper, approximately 8” x 10 ½”; no loose leaf paper

• ONE 30-centimeter ruler, or a ruler with centimeters on one side and inches on the other

• ONE pencil sharpener

• ONE pair of blunt scissors (safety scissors with embed-ded steel blades work well)

• FIVE unsharpened #2 pencils with erasers; secure to-gether with a rubber band FIVE black or blue ballpoint pens (no gel ink); secure together with a rubber band

• ONE box of 16 or 24 crayons

• ONE 2 ½” eraser

WELCA Mission Project

for Lutheran World Relief You are invited to provide items for the kits they

will pack and send to LWR in September.

Drop them off at the table in the entry area.

A L C 9 H o l e G o l f S c ra m b l e

Thursday, August 5 at 5:30 with potluck after

at Whetstone Creek Golf Course

All skill levels are welcome.

Everyone is invited to take part in the potluck—even if you do not golf.

There are sign-up sheets on the Welcome Center to help plan for numbers and food.

Come, join in the fun!

$15 Green Fees for golfers

that are not members of

the golf course.

All are Welcome!

*If you don’t have clubs, contact

Amber Scriver or Sara Johnson

Take care of your eyes by getting regular eye exams and following these hints to keep your eyes healthy.

Keep your eyes healthy There’s a lot you can do to keep your eyes healthy and protect your vision. Getting a dilated eye exam is simple and painless — and it’s the single best thing you can do for your eye health!

Even if your eyes feel healthy, you could have a problem and not know it. That’s because many eye diseases don’t have any symptoms or warning signs. A dilated eye exam is the only way to check for many eye diseases early on, when they’re easier to treat. Getting older increases your risk of some eye diseases.

Know your family’s health history. Talk with your family members to find out if they’ve had any eye problems. Some eye diseases and conditions run in families, like age-related macular degeneration or glaucoma. Be sure to tell your eye doctor if any eye diseases run in your family.

Protecting your overall health can go a long way toward keeping your eyes healthy.

• Eating healthy foods. Be sure to have plenty of dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens. Eating fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids — like salmon, tuna, and halibut — is good for your eyes, too

• Get active. Being physically active helps you stay healthy. It can also lower your risk of health conditions that can cause eye health or vision problems — like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

• Quit smoking. Smoking isn’t just bad for your lungs — it can hurt your eyes, too! Smoking increases your risk of diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts — and it can harm the optic nerve.

Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses that give you UV protection.

Give your eyes a rest. After looking at a computer or other such item for 20 minutes, take a break and look into the distance 20 feet for 20 seconds.

If you wear contacts, take steps to prevent eye infections. Always wash your hands before you put your contact lenses in or take them out. Be sure to disinfect your contact lenses and replace them regularly.

Take care of your eyes by getting regular eye exams and following these hints to keep your eyes healthy.

Diana Dirksen Parish Nurse

Picture

Eye Health

Diana is available on one Sunday each month to record and track your blood pressure for you.

She is scheduled to be here on August 15, following worship, in the entry area.

8/1 Julie Dwyer

8/1 Dustin Fahleen

8/1 Katherine Leddy

8/1 Darlene Olson

8/2 Lynn Hardy

8/2 Tamara Pauli

8/4 Kiel Zinter

8/7 Margaret Mehlhaff

8/7 Eastyn Mikkelson

8/7 Janel Reedstrom

8/8 Kirby Hins

8/8 Carol Lohr

8/8 David Van Veen

8/9 Lane Steffensen

8/9 Keelan Strege

8/10 Ellie Neugebauer

8/10 Bobbie Bohlen

8/10 Brandon Prisinger

8/11 Jake Knoll

8/12 Kylie Mielitz

8/13 Reid Wildung

8/14 Rick Schwenn

8/14 Janet Zemlicka

8/15 Amy Prisinger

8/16 Tate Schlueter

8/16 Tom Schuneman

8/17 Josh Anderson

8/17 Miranda Dunnihoo

8/17 Lois Grimm

8/17 Jordan Thiele

8/18 Sammi Hammann

8/20 Blaine Gomer

8/20 Marie Loutsch

8/21 Jeff Jones

8/21 Tonya Schlueter

8/22 Rhonda Christopherson

8/22 Steven Hamman

8/22 Heather Pillatzke

8/23 Hayden Storm

8/24 Mandy Ericcson

8/24 Becker Mueller

8/24 Kevin Welberg

8/25 Hawley Kirchberg

8/25 Dustin Boerger

8/25 Lucas Johnson

8/26 Adam Jones

8/26 Rudy Nef

8/26 Laurie Strege

8/28 Harvey Schaefer

8/29 Keith Borah

8/31 Dorothy Larson

8/31 Gary Wellnitz

8/31 Roger Wellnitz

August Birthdays

Pa s t o ra l A c t s

Quinn Lou Mielitz

Birth Date: April 30, 2021 Baptized: July 11, 2021

Parents: Ryan & Kylie Mielitz Sponsors:

Jessy & McKenzie Johnson, Caryssa Mielitz

Wauneta T. (Bunting) Schwandt August 20, 1918—July 15, 2021

Funeral: July 23, 2021

V o l u n t e e r , S e r v i c e , & W o r s h i p O p p o r t u n i t i e s

Piece Corps Quilting Group

• The Quilters create quilts that are given to LWR and local charities plus an infant quilt for every child baptized at ALC and a quilt for every ALC High School gradu-ate. They meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 9am in the Fellowship Hall.

Peace Circle

• Bible Study, Fellowship, and Community Service. They meet the first Tuesday of each month at noon in the library.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

• This group crochets or knits prayer shawls (on their own time). Yarn is provided. Contacts: Janelle Kelly

Page Turners Book Club

• On hold until a new organizer is found. ALC Church Library

• Stop in and pick up a DVD or book for summer-time reading. Wednesday Morning Bible Class

• Meets in the library every Wednesday morning at 10 am. Thursday Morning Men’s Bible Class

• On Summer Break. They meet Thursday mornings at 8 in the fellowship hall. Manna Praise Band

• Contact Brenda Maass or Scott Torness for more Praise Band information. Note-a-Bells Hand-Bell Choir

• On Summer Break

• Contact Mary Bjordahl for more information. High School Youth Group

• All high school students are invited to attend youth group activities. They will be meeting on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays during the school year.

Christopher Kelly & Annavel Quintana

Married: July 24, 2021 Brown Earth Church

“Anchored” VBS took place on July 21 and July 28. During

the two Wednesday evenings, the kids enjoyed supper,

music, crafts, skits, bible adventures, and games A huge

“thank you” to everyone that donated food, volunteered

their time before, during or after VBS, and to those that

applied for Thrivent Action Teams. Your generosity is hugely

appreciated! Over 70 kids attended! The VBS kids will

contribute to the church service on August 1.

Save the Date!!

Backpack Blessing— August 15 during church service

Fall Sunday School begins—Rally Day—September 12

You are Invited for Pie & Ice Cream

Sunday, August 15 @ 10 am

As we celebrate teachers, students, school personnel, and our new members.

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 VBS Sunday

9 Worship 10 Fellowship

5-7 Preschool Open House for students & families

2 7 Scouts

3 12 Peace Circle 6:30 Manna Band Practice

4 10 Bible Class

5 5:30 Golf Scramble Event with potluck afterwards

6

7 Bridal Shower/ Fellowship Hall

8

9 Worship 10 Fellowship

9 7 Scouts

10 9 Quilting 10 Milbank Area Ministerial 6:30 Manna Band Practice

11 10 Bible Class 6:30 Church Council

12 2 Vespers @ St. Williams

13

14

15 New Member & Blessing Sunday 9 Worship 10 Pie and Ice Cream Social

16 7 Scouts

17 6:30 Manna Band Practice

18 10 Bible Class

Public School Starts

19

20 Wedding Rehearsal

21 Wedding- Wickstrom/ Leddy Wedding- Hamman/Murphy

22 9 Worship 10 Fellowship

23 7 Scouts First Day of Preschool

24 9 Quilting 6:30 Manna Band Practice

25 10 Bible Class

26

27

28 Bridal Shower/Fellowship Hall Life Light Festival

29 9 Worship 10 Fellowship

30 7 Scouts

31

<—————— Pastor Justin on Vacation—–———>

< ———————–—–——————— Gail Selgeby (secretary) on Vacation ————————

August 2021

———————————————————————>

American Lutheran Church

Please join us on Sunday, August 15, as we celebrate

together the beginning of the new school year.

Students, teachers, bus drivers and all school personnel

are invited to bring their backpacks and work bags as we ask God’s blessing on the

school year ahead.

See you there!

American Lutheran Church 401 Flynn Drive Milbank, SD 57252