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2275 Ricca Road, Bullhead City, Arizona 86442

PastoR tim Eighmy PastoR tim Eighmy

Contact us at: communitylutheranchurch@gmail.com

Community Lutheran Church

Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, streams of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38

A Monthly Newsletter May 2020

Sunday Worship

All In-person worship has

been cancelled until further

notice.

Office Hours Tues. – Fri. Limited…

928-763-2422

a mEssagE fRom PastoR tim:

“NEw LifE iN ChRist iN a NEw NoRmaL” Christ is still risen! He is still risen indeed! Although Easter was last month, the Easter Season continues throughout this month of May. We are still reminded that our hope is in Christ who is making us into a new creation. And during this time when we are experiencing a global pandemic, we need to remember this message all the more. Because this pandemic is dragging on longer than we expected, we won’t be starting up worship services at the church building until possibly on the last Sunday of this month or sometime in June. Because of the large number of people who are active in our congregation who have health complications, taking the risk of spreading a new virus that we are still learning about and that has proven to be deadly to a significant number of people just isn’t wise nor loving to our neighbors. I, like everybody else, would love to see life go back to normal, the economy reopen, and the church go back to having services together, but not if it causes this virus to spread further and put people’s health and lives at risk. (Message continued on next page)

(Pastor Tim’s message continued…) I am experiencing ‘cabin fever’ like everybody else. In fact, I’m suffering a little PTSD from all of the long cold winters in the Dakotas when we just wished spring would get here so we could get out of the house.

But it’s like what Garrison Keillor once said on A Prairie Home Companion, “Winter is not a moral issue. It doesn’t help to complain about it. You just have to deal with it.”

And that’s my attitude about the times we are living in. Social distancing and staying at home policies are about doing what’s best for the common good, it’s not about pleasing ourselves somehow. But since the Day of Pentecost is the last Sunday in May, and the message for that day is that the Church is alive and making Christ known to the world anew, I am looking forward to our first worship service back together being a Pentecost celebration. During these last couple of months, I’ve been learning more ministry skills and spiritual disciplines because of this pandemic. For the last 30 years, we have been talking about how the Church needs to change its ministries for an ever-changing culture at Synod Assemblies and pastors’ gatherings. And now we are forced to do just that. We are doing things on-line. We are rethinking what is really necessary and helpful to do in our worship services. And I’ve learned that washing your hands for 20 seconds is the same amount of time it takes to pray the Lord’s Prayer or sing one verse of “Jesus Loves Me.” So washing my hands while singing and praying is now my new spiritual discipline. Being part of God’s new creation through Christ’s death and resurrection is to live in a “new normal” in the days, months, and possibly years to come. And living the new life in Christ has never been easy, but always rewarding. This reminds me of another great quote from Professor Dumbledore, a character in the Harry Potter book series: “The day is coming when we will have to choose between doing what’s right or what’s easy.” And my point is, that time is here. Not everything we do as a Church from now one will be the same as it was before, but we will need to make hard choices about what is best for everyone – even if we have to make some sacrifices.

But God’s Holy Spirit is with us and leading us into this new normal – this new creation in Christ’s name. So please don’t give up on the church during these challenging times. We still need your support through your prayers, your loving actions, and through your financial giving. And thank you to all of you who have been faithfully financially supporting the church during these last couple of months. We encourage you to not give up on continuing that support. And also continue to keep the church council, the office secretary Lorna Jansen, and myself in your prayers as you have been. That spiritual support really does help us. In Christ’s loving peace, Pastor Tim

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One Night Only! Over 3 million people tuned in Easter weekend to watch the worldwide debut of JESUS! Due to the overwhelming response, we are thrilled to announce that TBN will present a special one-time only encore broadcast of JESUS on Wednesday, May 13th at 9pm ET / 6pm PT.

Watch exclusively on the TBN channel, or watch live online through the TBN website or app.

For more information on how to tune in, visit JesusEvent.com.

As this story comes to life in homes all across the world, we pray that you find hope in the One who came to rescue us all.

THANK YOU to our webmaster, Donna Putnam, for sharing this information with us!

We look forward to seeing you all in September! Take care…and stay healthy!

Choir Notes… From the Director

It’s a “Control Thing”… These several weeks have sometimes been tough. We are now ending our seventh week of this "social distancing" thing. Although I work from home normally, for some reason, knowing that I need to stay in place, somehow makes it not a normal thing. All of our lives have been disrupted. There is so much that we cannot control.

When I saw this image of a Control button, I thought, “Wow, how cool! Wouldn’t it be nice to have a button to push for control.”

Well, guess what…we do! It’s called something a little different. It is called prayer. We are told in Phillipians 4 not to worry or be anxious about anything, but in everything to pray.

However, just to keep us sane, the other part of this is to really do our best to focus on what we CAN control. We can control your attitude and our response to this situation. Our attitude makes a huge difference. Remember, what we think and feel is what will be.

What does your “Stay in Place” routine look like? How do you start your day? What you do to start your day will set the tone for the entire day.

My routine is to start each day by writing down what I am grateful for and the blessings I have received. Say it out loud…journal it. It doesn’t matter. And then I say a prayer of thanks to God. And, yes, I believe it does make a difference. I am starting my day by controlling what I can control.

God’s got the bigger stuff…the stuff outside of our world…those things we can’t control. And, when we feel like He’s given us more than we can handle, PRAY! He also has a plan…listen and watch for the answers to those prayers…in God’s time, of course.

The silver lining in this unprecented time is that we are improvising, learning to do things in different ways, getting together virtually. (I've even had a virtual luncheon meeting...each person had his or her lunch at home and we met online and discussed topics while we broke bread "together.") We are learning…and growing. In fact, I learned from Pastor’s message two ways to multi-task and know when it’s been 20 seconds of hand washing.

And, guess what, I also found, depending on how long you hold the notes, singing, “This Little Light of Mine” works as well…

Wishing you God’s Blessings as we patiently (sort of) wait to be together face-to-face again…

Stay well! Linda Miller

“…God is faithful, and He will not let you be tested beyond your strength…He will also provide the way out so that you might endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Be safe and healthy…practice your Pinochle skills…and

We’ll see you in the fall.

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THANK YOU TO PEGGY BOONE for sharing this article with all of us:

Stepping Up to the Important Work Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Romans 12:11 (NIV)

WHILE WALKING THROUGH a forest preserve, my husband and I came upon a beehive. The bees were buzzing around, going in and out of the hive, all looking very busy.

“Isn’t that amazing how they all know their job and they work, work, work?” I said. “They don’t say ‘busy as a bee’ for nothing,” my husband said and chuckled.

As good as that sounds, I recently discovered that isn’t actually true. According to researchers, some honeybees slack in their duties while their fellow foragers do the bulk of the work for the hive. In fact, about 20 percent of the bees perform 50 percent of the labor! The interesting thing about these creatures, though, is that when something happens to one of the workers, one of the “slacking” bees steps up and completes the job.

It’s a picture of how we work together in the body of Christ. Sometimes it seems as though only a handful of people carry a majority of the responsibility, while others show up but don’t participate.

I admit at times I have hesitated to get more involved in church because I wonder what I could possibly offer. But then I remember that you and I are necessary in God’s kingdom!

Perhaps all those bees aren’t always working – but they do when it really counts. The same is true for us. I may not be eager to be called a busy bee, but I do want the buzz to be that I’m faithful in my work.

Father, thank you that you have made me an essential part of my church. Give me the desire and vision to step into the role you have called me to

so I can be useful and faithful to your work. Amen.

Author: Ginger Kolbaba

Source: “All God’s Creatures,”* May/June 2020 issue

*“All God’s Creatures” is a publication of Guideposts Books & Media

may BiRthdays

1—Francis Dunkle 21—Diane Newbold

1—Ed Lott 22—Lee Werchau

2—Judy Swanson 23—Don Orth

3—Kenny Bergeron 24—Karen Barnes

3—Edson Hoffmeyer 24—Bev Christopherson

4—Larry Cutler 24—Gloria Kanerva

6—Steve Schneider 26—Teddie Eastes

10—Tom Thompson 26—Carole Gallagher

14—Joan Marques 30—Larry Kaul

31—Linda Miller

may aNNivERsaRiEs

14—James and Joan Cumberland (71)

17--Frank and Gwen Gonzales (23)

17—Steve and Kate Larson (23)

20—Robert and Karen Hough (61)

21—Ed and Carol Lott (55)

30—Lee and Michele Werchau (28)

PRayER REquEsts

Please continue to pray for all the persons whose names have been offered up by

members and friends of the congregation. We pray for healing, guidance, strength,

recovery, safe travel and unrevealed needs, as well as for those with thankful hearts and

for those who grieve.

May Happenings

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may 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2

3 4

Office Closed

5 6 7 2 PM—Virtual Bible Study, reflection, prayer

8 9

10 Mother’s

Day

11

Office Closed

12 13 14 2 PM—Virtual Bible Study, reflection, prayer

6 PM Council Meeting - ZOOM

15 16

17 18 June

Newsletter Deadline

Office Closed

19 20 21

2 PM—Virtual Bible Study, reflection, prayer

22 23

24 Ascension

Sunday

25 26 27 28 2 PM—Virtual Bible Study, reflection, prayer

6 PM Council Mtg – ZOOM

29 30

31 Pentecost

Community Lutheran May 2020 Community Lutheran

Church 2275 Ricca Rd. Bullhead City, AZ 86442

uPComiNg EvENts:

Thursdays—Virtual Bible Study, Reflection, prayer—2 PM May 14—Council Meeting—6 PM (via ZOOM) May 28—Council Meeting—6 PM (via ZOOM)