PARISH NEWSLETTER

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

Beatrice, Nebraska

AUGUST 2017

Stpaulbeatrice.org

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SCHOOL NEWS

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Heb. 13:8

The 2017-2018 school year is quickly approaching. Our theme for the year will be,

“Only Jesus” based on Hebrews 13:8. It also ties in with the LCMS reformation theme,

“It’s Still All About Jesus.” This reminds us that since the very first promise of a Savior

in the Garden, until He returns again in glory, it has been, and always will be about

Jesus. Our chapel talks and activities for the year will center on this theme.

The first weeks of August will be spent making final plans for the new school

year. The teachers in Kindergarten through Grade 5 will make home visits to their

students before school begins. The new school year promises to be filled with

excitement, learning, and many opportunities to grow in Christian faith and serve

others.

Registration Days for the 2017-2018 school year for Kindergarten through Grade

5 students will be on Wednesday, August 2nd from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Thursday,

August 3rd from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Parents received a mailing in July containing

Registration Day information.

Open House and Registration for Pre-Kindergarten students will be on Monday,

August 14th from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. and for Pre-School students on Thursday, August

10th from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. Parents of Pre-School and Pre-Kindergarten students will

receive scheduling information for the Open House and Registration at the end of July.

The teachers will come back on duty August 1st and begin with an In-Service

meeting that day. The first day of school will be Tuesday, August 15th from 8:30 to 11:45

a.m. for Kindergarten through Grade 5. The first full day of school will be Wednesday,

August 16th. The first day of classes for Pre-Kindergarten (4-year-old) will be

Wednesday, August 16th from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. and 12:45-3:15 p.m. The first day of

school for Pre-School (3-year-old) will be Thursday, August 17th from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m.

and 12:45 to 3:15 p.m.

We are looking forward to an exciting and rewarding school year, knowing that

Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, will continue to bless us as we

share the message of His love with the children and families of St. Paul’s and our

community through our school.

Mrs. Duever

Principal

**School Starts August 15th for BPS and for St. Paul’s Lutheran School 1st Day of Sunday School – August 20th

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August at St. Paul’s Lutheran School: 2 – School Registration (K-5) 5-8pm 3 – School Registration (K-5) 2-5pm 10 – Pre-School Open House 4-7:30pm 14 – Pre-Kindergarten Open House 4-7:30pm 15 – FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 16 – First Pre-Kindergarten Class 17 – First Pre-School Class

Do you need a prayer?

If you would like a prayer for you at church, please call the church office by Thursday. Please do this once you know that you need prayers, especially if you will be having medical procedures and will be in the hospital. Please leave your name and number so they can return your call. Another prayer option:

There are currently two Prayer Chains available here through our church. Chain #1 contact person is Darlene Scheideler at 402-228-1909. Chain #2 contact person is Mary Ann Stohs at 402-223-2287. Contact either of these ladies or both to start the chain going for prayers.

They each have a list of ladies on their list that will call each other to spread the need for your prayer. When you call, give them your name and what you may need a prayer for, you may also just ask for prayers and not give the reason why, God will know what you need the prayer for.

If you would like to be a person on a Prayer Chain so that you may pray for those who need prayers, please contact Mary Ann Stohs at the number above. Men are welcomed as well to be a part of the Prayer chain.

Our St. Paul’s students will be singing in church on the following Sunday:

Sept. 10 (service at the school), Oct. 15, Nov. 12, Jan. 21, Feb. 11, Mar. 4, Apr. 22, and May 13

Dates are subject to change.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

No Sunday School classes during the summer. Sunday School will resume on Sunday, August 20th at 9:15am in the church

basement. Teachers this year include Dixie Johnson (Pre-S -K), Lacey Jurgens (1-3) and Robin Klaus (4-6). We are looking for substitute teachers, if you would like to be one or

know of someone who may, contact Dixie Johnson.

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SCRIP Gift Cards – S.O.S. – Support our school by SHOPPING!!!

You pay the face value of the gift car and our school will get 4% of this back from the merchants. If you purchase a gift card for $100, this would mean that our school would get a $4 rebate. If just 25 people did this, the school would receive $100. It’s a painless way to help out. Thanks to all who are already using SCRIP regularly. Check out the other merchants who participate in this program. 1. Is easy to use – Just purchase gift cards to pay for items you are already planning to purchase. 2. Doesn’t cost you a penny – You pay $25 for $25 worth of merchandise. 3. Gives a rebate to St. Paul’s Lutheran School – Rebates range from 2% of the cost of the gift card to 20% of its cost depending on the merchant. For more details about how to assist the school in this manner, check with the school or church office. A big thanks to all who have been faithful purchasers of SCRIP.

WAYS TO HELP OUR SCHOOL The school collects Box Tops, Our Family UPC Barcodes, SunMart Receipts, and

Tyson A+ Labels. If you use any products that have these on them, please help our

school and send them in either to the church or school office.

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ADULT BIBLE CLASS on Sunday Mornings at 9:15am:

Join us during the month of August as we take an in-depth focus on the book of Ephesians.

Everyone is encouraged to attend.

Congregational Meeting Intentional Interim Report Sunday, September 10th at 1:30pm

in the church basement.

Fourth Quarter Voter’s Meeting Sunday, October 15th at 1:30pm

in the church basement.

Every Sunday 8:00am & 10:30am - Divine Services

Every Monday

7:00pm - Divine Service

Pastor Reek will be in the church office on Monday’s from 2:30pm until after service and Wednesday’s from 9:30-1:00pm. Anyone needing/wishing to

visit personally with pastor, please contact the church office. Pastor Reek can also be reached at 402-476-2828

or at Dirk.Reek@cune.edu.

8:30am to 1:30pm, Monday thru Friday.

The office may be closed on occasion, so please call

ahead.

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Thank you to Amy Loomis, St. Paul’s School Staff, and everyone who volunteered their time & gave donations for this year’s Vacation Bible School. We had about 90 students in attendance each day. We had a blessed week learning that with Jesus, Victory is Won!

Thank you to Suzanne & Laura Munn & everyone who have given their time, money & energy into cleaning up our church and lawn!

Thank You to the gracious people at the BSDC for preparing our monthly newsletters for mailing this month. We sincerely appreciate their volunteer work and a job well done.

Radio Broadcasts and Bulletin Sponsorships are available for 2017. Radio sponsorship cost $100 and bulletin sponsorship cost $20. Please call Kelly in the church office if you are interested in sponsoring a date.

Do You Have Some Free Time?

St. Paul’s is always looking for volunteers to serve on the various Boards, to help with the Turkey Supper in the fall, to help the Trustees with various cleanup activities throughout the year, to volunteer at Vacation Bible School in the summer, to help with funeral dinners, to teach Sunday School, or to help in some other way. Volunteers are such an important part of St. Paul’s! Contact the church office or a board member if you can help! Currently St. Paul’s is looking for people who would like to serve in the areas of greeters and communion preparation. If you would be interested, please contact the church office.

We’re continuing to update our church records!

The church office is continually working on keeping our records up to date. We are not deleting anyone from the roster, but rather wanting to gather current information on everyone. So, if you have moved, changed your home or cell phone number, children have gone to college or have moved out on their own, etc. please let the church office know. Information the church office collects is names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, birthdays, baptism dates, confirmation dates & verses, and wedding dates.

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August Birthdays & Anniversaries - 2017 Happy Birthday to… 1 Anthony Itzen Dale Rickers 2 Neeley Duff Merle Kuhlmann Donna Lofing 3 Robert Frerking Benjamin Martin 4 Brittanie Keating Carla Meyer Cheryl Wirth 5 Madison Little 6 Thomas Boyer Parker Fossler 7 Donavon Eckhoff Christine Huls 8 Berri Easley Lois Luebs Megan Siems 9 Tami Helmick Austin Oestreich 10 Aaron Bishop Daniel Helmick Kirsten Holle 13 David Doering

14 Norbert Meyer Celeste Wells 15 Neal Niedfeldt Jamie Norton 16 Talena McClellan 17 Gerrad Busboom 18 Lawrence Kumm 19 Carter Aden Connor Kelley Marilus Snyder Stacy Wallman Vera Weber 20 Dale DeBuhr Nancy Rudder Courtney Thomas 21 Ann Kelley Theodore Robinson 22 Yvonne Eckhoff Richard Martin Joan Schmidt 23 Hadley Kelle Jarod Lueders Stan Wirth 24 Monetta Meyer

Beverly Weishahn 25 Darcie Compton Carla Loemker Chase Lofing Phyllis Schmidt Page Southwick 26 Todd Deke Mia Holthus Lora Kuhlmann 27 Garrett Easley Kaylee Helmick Marie Kitt Madison Oestreich David Taylor 28 Bryan Bishop Walley Boerger Tierra Snyder 29 Taylor Easley 30 Daniel Craven Stefanie Lloyd Jane Oeltjen 31 Elizabeth DeBuhr Janette Hill

Happy Anniversary to… 6 Terry & Teresa Brethouwer, 34 yrs. 10 Eldred & Carol Lohse, 26 yrs. 11 Eric & Robin Klaus, 22 yrs. 13 Rodney & Doris Luedders, 46 yrs. 16 Ivan & Mary Ann Stohs, 64 yrs. 18 Christopher & Amy Whitfield, 16 yrs. 24 Virgil & Sharilyn Anderson, 32 yrs. 25 Kevin & Bonnie Riekenberg, 38 yrs.

26 Wilbur & Bonnie Oestreich, 74 yrs. Kevin &Judy Weakland, 39 yrs. 28 Lawrence & Rowien Kumm, 13 yrs. Michael & Dixie Johnson Sr., 36 yrs. 29 Glen & Myrna Spilker, 66 yrs. 31 Rodney Aden & Melody Philippi-Aden, 26 yrs.

If your information is missing or incorrect, please contact Kelly in the church office as work continues in order to keep our records up to date. We apologize for any errors.

Visit our website for the latest updates at stpaulbeatrice.org

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Upcoming LWML Events

LWML Sunday Sunday, October 1, 2017

LWML Ladies will sing at both services

Watch the bulletin for more updates!

Fall Rally Saturday, October 21, 2017

Host Site:

Zion Lutheran Church, Harbine, NE

Theme: “Diamonds Shine in All Generations Through Our

Service” Joshua 24:15b

Presentation will be given by Angie Frerking.

Watch the bulletin for more updates!

Did You Know?

There is a purple & white “Mites for

Missions” box on the table in the narthex

for any loose donations you would like to

give to support LWML local & national

mission work. Thank you!

LWML Christmas Tea Sunday, December 3, 2017

1:30-3:30 pm in the church basement

Installation of 2018 officers will be held.

Watch the bulletin for more updates

LWML Executive Board Meetings

First Tuesday of each month at 2pm in the church basement.

2017 NE South District Retreat Friday, September 8 - Sunday, September 10

Host Site:

Hotel Grand in Grand Island, NE Room charge $92.00/night & Retreat Registration $75

Theme:

“A Life of Service Through All Generations”

Registration Form deadline is August 25,

2017. Contact the church office for a

registration form.

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St. Paul’s Lutheran

Child Care

Center Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and

established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:6-7

During the July Voter’s Meeting, the Board for Parish Education presented a proposal to open a Child Care Center and Before & After School Care. The voter’s voted in favor of opening in August 2018. If anyone would like to help offset the cost of opening the center, you may place your contribution in the offering plate or drop it by the church office. Please mark your contributions by writing Child Care in the memo line. Continue to watch the newsletter each month as updates as to the Board’s progress will be communicated.

Confirmation Instruction Time Begins (Information from Pastor Reek)

The young people of our congregation in the Sixth through Eighth grades are involved every year in a process to get a deeper and more mature understanding of the Christian faith into which they were baptized. At the end of the three-year process, customarily they confirm the faith the Lord already put them into by his promises. That process will begin again on Wednesday, August 23 here at the church building. In order to be ready for that, I am asking all the parents and young people who will be involved to attend a BRIEF organizational meeting on Sunday, August 6 right after our 10:30 service is over. This meeting will take place in the church fellowship area (basement). My goal will be to outline the materials we will use, to explain my expectations, to be sure an early calendar is distributed, and, most importantly, to be sure I’ve met all the students and families. A letter has gone to each of these families; however, with this note I’m trying to remind all of it. I’m also hoping to encourage the prayers of the whole congregation for these young people and their families in this important undertaking. If you are in sixth through eighth grade and did not receive a letter, please plan to attend the meeting and contact the church office so we can update our records.

The air conditioning in the sanctuary quit working in July. This unit was nearly 50 years old and a new unit was

purchased. Total cost of the new unit is approximately $11,000. If anyone would like to help offset the cost of the new unit, you may place your contribution in the offering

plate or drop it by the church office. Please mark your contributions by writing air conditioning in the memo line.

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Stewardship Article

Winston Churchill reportedly said that “we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” According to Churchill then, our lives are defined less by what we have gotten, and more by what we give away. Our Lord’s life is defined in this way. He gave completely of Himself for us. He became man for us. He taught the truth of God’s Word. He healed those with many and various diseases. He died the death that we deserve because of sin. He gave of Himself in order to save us from sin, death, and hell. And so, it is that by giving completely of Himself, He got for Himself us, making us citizens of His eternal kingdom by grace. As it was for Jesus, so it is also for us. We get more from giving than we do from simply getting. For giving softens our hearts and frees us from the grip which the worries of this world and making a living has on us. For when we are singularly focused on making a living, we are singularly focused on what we get. That mindset begins to bleed into all areas of our lives—our relationships with friends and family, with neighbors and coworkers, and with the Lord. It shifts our focus from asking the question—How can I be a friend, family member, neighbor, and servant to others—to asking the question—what have they done for me lately. We become more selfish instead of selfless. But when we give, we do not have less, we have more because when we give we join in the bond of friendship and family, the bond of service to those around us out of love for them. And love is the fulfillment of the Law. It is the nature of God Himself, for God is Love. Thus, we are reflecting the divine nature. As Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

BULLETINS RECEIVED

June 18 Geri Heist Desert Cross Lutheran Church, Tempe, AZ July 2 Floice Meyer Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Dodge City, KS

The LYF are also selling Super Wash car wash tokens – 5 for $20!! They are available in the

church office.

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It’s always been a bit of intrigue to me that so much of the language on our regular calendar comes out of the mixed bag of our Western culture. For example, many of the names of the days of the week are derived from the names of Celtic gods (“Wednesday” from “Woden’s Day” and “Thursday” from “Thor’s Day” are prominent.) “January” is a good example named as it is for the Roman god Janus. “August” is another good and timely example named after Caesar Augustus. Sometimes our calendars carry freight we’re not even aware of.

We’re at the time of the year of another calendar that governs a whole lot. School is ready to start. All across the country as here in Beatrice preparations are underway by parents and teachers and no few number of students to gear up for our annual efforts at moving through the growth of learning. Now for the next nine months most everyone will be planning events in their personal lives around classes and homework and school happenings. The school calendar leaves such a deep imprint on us, we’re hardly conscious of it; but it carries well into adulthood.

Calendars are really only a convenience to help us communicate and co-operate. They’re really not written in stone anywhere (except maybe in some of the jungle temples in Central America). Calendars and clocks are expediencies for planning and co-operating. We kid ourselves if we believe we’re in charge of the passage of time and its events. (Here consider the story I heard recently about the lady who called the Beatrice Chamber of Commerce upset that they scheduled the August 21st eclipse for a Monday instead of the weekend!) Consider what happened after the French and Russian revolutions when the governments tried to re-shape society by re-shaping the flow of the weeks and the names of the months. (It failed.)

Because our God, who is above time, entered fully into time when the Son of God became one of us, he has again laid hold of all time (and its events) in his redeeming love for his gracious purposes. That’s why for so many centuries we identified the years as “Anno Domini,” “A.D.,” “in the year of our Lord.” As we live in faith, we live UNDER the Lord of history WITH calendars, not the other way around. Our God’s love in Christ beckons us to see the higher purposes of our living, namely that we are here to serve those about us, not to see ourselves as slaves of a calendar (or a clock). All of the hours of our days and the years of our lives are wrapped in the love of Christ that has laid hold of us; and we are free.

…and welcome back to school, by the way!

Rev. Dr. J. Dirk Reek