Voice of Faith · 2 “Voice of Faith” Interim Pastor Bruce Johnson ~~~~~ I am in full support of...
Transcript of Voice of Faith · 2 “Voice of Faith” Interim Pastor Bruce Johnson ~~~~~ I am in full support of...
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Visit Us Online @ www.faithlosgatos.org
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Pastor Johnson’s Office Schedule
Tuesday—Wednesday-Thursday
———————————————————
In case of an emergency need
for Pastor,
please call — 24/7
916-956-4111
Lutheran Web Links
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America https://www.elca.org
Sierra Pacific Synod
http://spselca.org/
The Lutheran https://www.thelutheran.org
*IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE NEWSLETTER, PLEASE
CONTACT THE CHURCH OFFICE, 408.356.5055
16548 Ferris Avenue | Los Gatos, California 95032
(408) 356-5055
Voice of Faith May 2015
A publication of
Faith Lutheran Church, Los Gatos
By the Power of God: Caring, Sharing, Praying, Growing
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“Voice of Faith”
Interim Pastor Bruce Johnson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am in full support of the “Term Call” recommendation mo-
tioned and approved by the Church Council on Thurs. 4/16, to be
voted on by the Congregation after Sunday, May 3rd Worship.
The reasons for supporting it are:
1. It expedites the Call Process
2. It responds to our unique need.
3. It originated from Bishop Mark in response to urgent
needs.
4. It was and is fully supported by Director of
Evangelical Missions, Pastor Carlton Monroe.
5. It assures us of a Pastor who is well qualified as a
Term Call Pastor
6. It enables Faith Lutheran, the Term Pastor, and the
Bishop’s Office to fully negotiate the purposes, tasks,
and time of this type of pastorate.
~ Pastor Johnson
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CAN YOU HELP? May Sign-Ups Please find our sign-up binder in the Narthex to check future availabilities
or call the church office, (408) 356-5055 to fulfill specific dates.
FLOWERS
May 3:
May 10:
May 17: Joanne Peronto
May 24:
May 31: Korean Church
LECTOR
May 3: Skip MacAskill
May 10: Skip MacAskill
May 17:
May 24: Skip MacAskill
May 31:
ACOLYTE
May 3:
May 10:
May 17:
May 24:
May 31:
ALTAR CARE
May: Linda Perez
GREETER
May 3:
May 10:
May 17:
May 24:
May 31:
USHER (2)
May 3: Bob Balcomb/
May 10: Bob Balcomb/
May 17: Bob Balcomb/
May 24: Bob Balcomb/
May 31: Bob Balcomb/
REFRESHMENTS
May 3:
May 10: Bob Zeiher/Alice Abbing
May 17: Joanne Peronto
May 24:
May 31:
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Sierra Pacific Synod Congregations
“Connections” is the theme of this year’s Sierra
Pacific Synod Assembly which will be held May
29—31 in Sacramento, Ca. The Morning La-
dies Group from Lutheran Church of the Incar-
nation in Davis has cut squares and sent them to
all congregations within the synod to write their
church name and return. They will put all the
returned squares together at the Assembly to
create a quilt as an image of this theme. Thank
you, Gwennie Balcomb for doing this on behalf of Faith Lutheran Church.
We will be represented well at the Synod Assembly. Praise God!
Blankets for the Lord’s Pantry
Blankets will be collected through the beginning of June for donation to the
Lord’s Pantry for the homeless and children. Shirley Brothers will also be
bringing in blankets in need of finishing if that is all you have time for. Con-
tact Shirley Brothers for more information, [email protected] or
408.879.0975
Thrivent Action Team (Take Action on a Cause you Care About)
Any member of Thrivent (or anyone who would like to pay a small fee to be a guest member) can apply for $250.00 seed money for a project of their choice, set up a team and complete project (after approved by Thrivent) within 90 days
1. A one time fundraiser 2. Service activity 3. Education event
Gwennie Balcomb submitted an application to fix up Room 13. It was ap-
proved!!!! Room 13 is currently utilized by external meeting groups. Mainte-
nance has been needed on this room for quite some time however the funds
had previously not been available. We plan to add new flooring, paint and
beautify the room for our current tenants. What a wonderful surprise when
they see the room. For questions on how you can help volunteer your skills to
this cause, and start date for project please contact Gwennie Balcomb at the
church office, 408-356-5055.
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President’s Point of View
Bob Balcomb, 2015 Council President
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wonderful news is that Jesus has risen, he has risen indeed.
As we enter the season of Easter we are once again reminded
that we have been saved through God’s grace. God put Jesus
here for our salvation and he has placed Faith Lutheran in Los
Gatos for the same reason. We are part of God’s plan to pre-
pare the world, and more self centeredly our own community,
for Jesus’ return. What can we point to that we are facilitating
this calling?
It is true that we make efforts to open our facility to our com-
munity and our community does make use of this effort, but we
are using our facility not our talents and gifts. As a church
community, we need to look to outreaches which entail our
personal efforts not just the impersonal use of our building.
Many ideas have been put forth, we have put together a crew to
paint and refurbish Room 13 in the Sunday School wing and
work will begin during this month as a start. Other ideas
which have been suggested are sponsoring an electronic waste
pickup, hosting a blood drive, opening our craft night to the
community, dependency group services, the options are innu-
merable. We just need the ideas and the willingness to do some
work. If we do community service, there are start up funds
available for “seed” money.
Again, what can we, you, do to aid in demonstrating God’s
faith in us to do his will?
Yours in God’s name,
Bob
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DIVINE DIRECTION By Jemima Rayan
http://www.pottersministries.org/Messages/html/DivineDirection.html
How nice will it be, if the Lord Himself will give us the directions to proceed in
our life? That is what exactly the Lord wants to do for His children. In the mod-
ern days that we live in, we have so many advanced technologies to give us
directions when we want to get somewhere.
The Bible talks about divine direction in the scriptures. God has a road map for
each and every one of us. God knows exactly where to take us. He knows the
minute details of our life. He has the blue print for our whole life already. We
do not have to ask him to put a new plan for our lives. All we have to do it just
fit in His plans for our lives. His Word of God declares inJeremiah 29:11, ' For I
know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace
and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope'.
To get to the bigger picture, our God goes step by step. Though He knows the
end from the beginning, He does not tell you the destination right away. All He
wants to tell you is one step at a time. And the Lord God Almighty orders each
step.
Steps are ordered:
The word that is mentioned in the Bible is 'ordered' just like the way you order
your food in a restaurant. You order as much as you can eat. In the same way,
God orders our steps and steps that we are able to take. God's word says, 'He
orders every step'. 'The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He
delights in his way' (Ps 37:23).
Have you noticed the way we plan things in our life. Most of them do not hap-
pen at all. Sometime people are concerned about things that may not even come
to pass. Still there are some who spend half of their time in just worrying about
things that are irrelevant?
The Bible says, 'A man's heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps' (Pro
16:9). Notice the word 'step'. Our God directs our steps.
Paths are directed:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths (Pro 3:5). The
key to unlocking God's direction is by acknowledging Him in all our ways.
Many think that God's paths are full of lack. That is not true. Just because you
have not seen abundance doesn't means that God's paths are not abundant. The
Bible says, 'You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with
abundance' (Ps 65:11)
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(*You may find all answers in the Bible verses noted.)
1. What did Peter tell the people they should do to receive the Holy Spirit? (Acts 2:38)
A. pray and repent B. repent C. repent and be baptized D. pray and fast E. pray and ask for it 2. About what time of day did the Holy Spirit first appear? (Acts 2:15) A. midafternoon B. late afternoon C. noon D. midmorning E. dawn 3. What was the first recorded miracle done by Peter in the
name of Jesus? (Acts 3:6) A. healed a blind man B. cast out a demon C. cured a leper D. healed a lame man 4. How did the Holy Spirit first appear to the apostles? (Acts 2:2) A. an earthquake B. Thunder and lightning C. a strong wind D. like a dove 5. What was the field called that was purchased with the money
given to Judas? (Acts 1:19)
A. Fullers B. Aceldama C. Abaddon D. Apollyon
May Bible Trivia Quiz
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Wordsearch
*May Crossword Answer:
Resurrection
LUTHERAN HUMOR
You might be a Lutheran if…
...a midlife crisis means switching from the old hymnbook to the
new one.
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When we are in God's direction, we are heading towards abundance. It may not
feel like it, it may not look like it. But the Word of God says, God's path drip
with abundance. Let not the devil talk you out of that word. Our God is not a
God of lack. He is a God of abundance. His paths drip with abundance. All you
want to be is, in His path. God's word is final.
How to know God's directions:
1. Prayer:
Look at the prayer of David, a man after God's own heart. David was a king but
yet He had the time to pray to the Lord God Almighty to show him His ways
and teach him His paths.'Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths'
(Ps 25:4). Direct my steps by Your Word (Ps 119:133).
Take God at His word when you pray. I will instruct you and teach you in the
way you should go; I will guide you with my eye (Ps 32:8).
Tell Him, 'Lord Jesus, I am here to ask for your directions in my life'. I do not
want to go in my path but take me in Your ways, Lord. You will soon see God
coming through.
2. Word of God:
God's word is the lamp unto your feet and a light to your path (Ps 119:105). Af-
ter you have prayed, do not expect a prophet to come out, and put his hand on
you give you a prophesy. That may not happen. That is not always the way God
wants to work.
Expect God to reveal things from His heart to yours. He wants you to know His
ways from His word. So while you are going through the Word of God, listen to
the Holy Spirit for revelation from the word Write down the impressions and
ideas He gives you. Let the truth He reveals to you settle in and begin to work in
you.
3. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit:
The thing that we need to understand is that we cannot hurry God into any-
thing. The Bible calls it 'waiting'. There is something called waiting upon the
Lord that is so important in our spiritual walk. The Holy Spirit talks in a still
small voice right in your heart. He loves to talk to us. When our heart is in the
right place, we sure will hear Him speak to us.
Isaiah 30:21 says, 'Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the
way, walk in it." Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to
the left".
Jesus said in John 10:27 says, 'My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and
they follow Me'. We need to fine tune our spiritual ears all the time so that we
can hear Him.
Let us walk in His ways all the days of our life. Amen.
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Ukraine Conflict
Typhoon Haiyan: one year later
Gaza Humanitarian Assistance
Ebola Outbreak Response
Unaccompanied and Migrant Children
South Sudan Conflict
U.S. Tornadoes
Syria
US Flooding
See more at: http://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Relief-and-
Development/Lutheran-Disaster-Response/
You may place your donations for the monthly Social Concern
of the Month into the offering plate or mail directly to Faith
Lutheran Church office—Please note in memo line “Social
Concern of the Month”.
Lutheran Disaster Response
Nepal Area Earthquake Lutheran Disaster Response brings God’s hope, heal-ing and renewal to people whose lives have been dis-rupted by disasters in the United States and around the world. When the dust settles and the headlines change, they stay to provide ongoing assistance to those in need. Here are where Lutherans currently are responding:
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Mark your calendars!
Sunday School— Each Sunday morning at 8:30am
Adult Class—Each Sunday at 8:45am — 9:15am in the li-
brary
BLANKET DONATIONS— Collection of blankets for the
LORD’S PANTRY begins NOW!! Please drop off all donated
blankets to the designated location in the Narthex. With
God’s blessings, they will be dropped off in June. Thank you
for your GENEROUS donations.
Bible Study—each Thursday at 10:45 AM
Friendship Luncheon— Friendship Potluck Luncheon, at noon
Thursday, May _____
Lord’s Pantry Delivery— Every Monday
Council Meeting— Thursday, May 21st, 7:00pm
Mt. Cross Ministries
Memorial Work Weekend & BBQ
May 22-24, 2015
Join us this Memorial Day Weekend as we prepare our facil-
ities for the upcoming summer season!
Participate in skill appropriate work projects
Enjoy evening family activities
Relax at our Memorial Day BBQ!
Unable to attend for the whole weekend? Come for our
Memorial Weekend BBQ (May 24 2-5 PM) and enjoy camp
activities and delicious food!
To register or receive additional information,
visit www.mtcross.org
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MAY BIRTHDAYS Oscar Vega 3 Joseph Neely, Sr. 20
Guy Furlo 7 Joanne Peronto 20
Rudy Camarena 10 David Botelho 25
Eva Woodall 13 Lisa Lippi 27
Charlotte Viner 17 Margaret Werner 29
Verna Bachman 18
MAY ANNIVERSARIES Oscar & Adriana Vega 3
John & Mardi Kambish 17
Patrick & Joy Plummer 23
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Faith Lutheran
Church
Children’s Easter
Egg Hunt
April 5, 2015 *Special Thanks to Linda Perez,
Eva Woodall, Carl Kruger,
Gwennie Balcomb, and
Deana Hernandez
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APRIL FINANCIALS
Information is for previous month.
If you have any questions, please con-
tact the Church office.
Totals for April
Attendance: 212 (Monthly average: 53 )
Offering: $11,678 Goal: $13,402
Shortfall: $-1,724
Social Concern of the Month: $85.00 (St. Luke’s Pantry Program)
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LOVING PRAYERS
“Lord, I come, I confess. Bowing here I find my rest.
Without You I fall apart.
You’re the One that guides my heart”
~ Matt Maher, Musician
Baby Nathan Crawl
Jamie & Tristen Fabris
Eva Woodall
What is a Prayer Shawl?
Whether they are called Prayer Shawls, Comfort Shawls, Peace
Shawls, or Mantles, etc., the shawl maker begins with prayers
and blessings for the recipient. The intentions are continued
throughout the creation of the shawl. Upon completion, a final
blessing is offered before the shawl is sent on its way. Some
recipients have continued the kindness by making a shawl and
passing it onto someone in need. Thus, the blessing ripples from
person-to-person, with both the giver and receiver feeling the
unconditional embrace of a sheltering God!
If you know someone in need of a prayer shawl, please contact
the church office.
NOTE: We are sensitive to both the need of friends and relatives to seek
healing prayer for others and to the need we all feel to have others care and
pray for us. If you or someone you know needs prayers, please feel free to
place a request in the offering basket or call the church office.
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Children of Faith What are the kids up to when they are not at church with us?
Here is a glimpse of their adventures and hobbies...
Dasia spends time with
friends at a birthday party!
Donovan plays for the Cubs baseball team
this year and LOVES
Damian started T-ball this year and
successfully hit 148 ft in his
hit-a-thon.
Jimmy is one of only two
sixth graders in the Herman
Middle school Jazz Band. He
plays trombone and recently
competed in the CMEA Jazz
Festival in Reno, NV .
Wesley is playing
AAA level Little
League (8-10 years).
He is a member of
the Yankees and
usually plays third
base or pitcher.
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FLC WEBSITE
Have you checked out Faith Lutheran’s Website?
http://www.faithlosgatos.org
“TERM” Pastor Announcement
At the Faith Council meeting, your church council was presented with
the opportunity to consider a “Term” Pastor, a permanent Pastoral role
with full responsibilities, for a limited time, which could be 1 year, 2
years, etc. (whatever the council agrees to as the term) until we are in a
better position to consider a permanent call. The council motioned and
approved this forward move.
Calling a “Term” Pastor…
1. expedites the Call Process
2. responds to our unique need.
3. originated from Bishop Mark in response to urgent
needs.
4. was and is fully supported by Director of Evangelical
Missions, Pastor Carlton Monroe.
5. assures us of a Pastor who wants and is well qualified
as a Term Call Pastor
6. enables Faith Lutheran, the Term Pastor, and the Bishop’s
Office to fully negotiate the
purposes, tasks, and time of this type of pastorate.
A Congregational Meeting, specifically and for the sole purpose of a
congregational vote to move forward with the hiring of a “Term” Pastor,
is scheduled for Sunday, May 3rd, immediately following service. This
information will be mailed out, included in our social media outlets
(Facebook and our church website) and within the May newsletter.
If you have any specific question, please speak to a council member.
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Joanne Peronto
Our featured member this month
came into this world in rural Wis-
consin on islands Northeast of
Green Bay. She entered the world
as a child much like “Little House
on the Prairie”, no electricity, no
central heat, no running water,
outhouses in the bitter cold and
snow, 4 hours of daylight to do all
the chores and daily bringing in
wood for the stove to last all night.
As a student, she loved school,
traveled on the ice, being careful of
open water and had to ski to school. Joanne’s exposure to the Luther-
an church was Confirmation class and has continued to this day as a
sometimes leader and active participant at Faith serving on the cur-
rent Council as Secretary, on the alter care committee, Easter Cross
decorator and does many other behind the scenes jobs.
Her mother was a school teacher and rode in one of the last stage-
coaches at start of school year and had to board with her student’s
families. Her dad was very inventive and designed and built a better
hay wagon and fisherman’s buoy.
FLC Highlight *Each month FLC would like to call your attention to an outstanding
congregation member, friend, or event. If you know someone who should be
“Highlighted”, please send your nominations to the church office, 408.356.5055.
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Her agricultural career began at age 10 picking cherries and this also
provided her introduction to Jamaican music from the Jamaican mi-
grants. Joanne and her husband Bob, after moving to California to pur-
sue employment, purchased land with a view of Monterey Bay. This
land happened to have an orchard on it and they bagan to grow fruit,
persimmons, for sale and others for their own use, furthering her agri-
cultural heritage. Joanne continues to manage and grow fruit on that
acreage. They became parents of 3 children and she became the care
giver for her mentally ill mother-in-law. She continues her love of
planting, plants and their care by working often in the church yart. You
can often see her planting, trimming, watering and caring for our
church foliage.
Bob went to work for IBM and developed the first classes at UCLA for
computers and taught her how to program. This was ground breaking
as PC’s would not even exist for at least 10 years down the road. When
the kids started school, Joanne went to work specializing in manufac-
turing applicat6ions using the experience of watching her dad. She
eventually worked as a programmer and consultant until, at the age of
75, the company closed. Joanne’s retirement has not let up on work
(her hardy, farm, rural upbringing) despite 2 life threatening surgeries.
She continues to travel and has most recently, hiked in Italy and piloted
a boat through the canal in the south of France with six other women.
Bob passed away when Joanne was 60. She now spends many hours
caring for the church, grand-children and has picked up a hobby…
painting.