Union Lutheran Church
Messenger
The Rev. David W. Nuottila - Pastor 704-636-5092 - [email protected]
November at a Glance November 1 - All Saints Day
YOU Church / K.I.D.S.
Game Night
November 3 - Women’s Circles
Property Committee
November 8 - Union Women’s Sunday
Covered Dish (Pat Miller)
November 9 - Evangelism Committee
November 12 - Good Timers
Stewardship Committee
November 15 - YOUth Music Rehearsals
G.I.F.T. Group
YOU Church / K.I.D.S.
Game Night
November 21 - Great Rake
November 22 - Christ the King Sunday
November 25 - Thanksgiving Worship
November 29 - 1st Sunday of Advent
Union Lutheran Church is a congregation of the North American Lutheran Church Christ Centered - Mission Driven - Traditionally Grounded - Congregationally Focused
November 2015 4770 Bringle Ferry Rd. Salisbury, NC 28146 www.ulcsalisbury.org
Weekly Worship Schedule
Sunday 9:30 a.m. - Sunday School for All Ages
10:30 a.m. - Traditional Worship
Wednesday 11:00 a.m. - Mid week Prayer
with Holy Communion
Christian Education
Sunday - 3:00 p.m. - Catechetical Instruction
Monday 10:00 a.m. - Bible Study
Monday 7:00 p.m. - Bible study
Here in God’s world, good things happen each and
every day. Through no power of ours, rain falls
upon crops so that people might be fed. Sunshine
warms those who are cold. Flowers bloom
providing beauty. Waters teem with fish and trees
bear fruit of every kind in their season. All of
Creation sings to the glory of our God! Everything
we could possibly need for life on earth, God has
provided.
Looking through the window of my office
today, I can see leaves, once green now
turned red, yellow or brown. They are
falling from the trees to the ground where
they will become either a warm blanket for
tiny creatures, or nutrients for plants that
provide food and shelter for the animals of
the ground and birds of the air. In all of
this, acorns are falling faster than the
squirrels can gather them into their dens.
Certainly the autumn season is a beautiful
time, a time which proclaims the wonders of God’s
good Creation.
Seeing all of these things, it amazes me how
Christians can recognize the abundant care God
provides for the animals and birds, yet we all too
often fail to recognize God’s abundant care for his
people and his Church. With the turning of the
leaves and the falling of the temperature, autumn
also ushers in feelings of scarcity and feelings of
doubt. The picture of the autumn season soon
becomes clouded with the season of the church
budget.
At this time of year, committee and congregation
meetings are called and centered upon forming a
plan for the year to come. Emphasis is placed
upon the worries associated with bank accounts,
monthly checks and stagnant income. It is of little
wonder that, as we focus on these things, suddenly
the joy of understanding God’s provision seems
overcome hesitation, anxiousness and worry.
“How will we pay for that?” “Where will the
money come from?” “What can we cut?” These
are all questions that are asked by so many
congregations. They are questions asked with the
presumption that we human beings actually have
ownership of God’s possessions. The funny thing
is, as we look for those items to trim from budgets,
in so many instances, the elements of our worship
are the first to be offered to the budget axe.
“Maybe we could use less paper for the
bulletin.” “What if we spend less on
communion wine?” “Do we really need
new choir music?”
When we express worry concerning that
which God provides, we open the door for
sin, doubt and the devil to come into our
midst where they attempt to lead us away
from God. The devil knows that he can
challenge our faith and confidence in God
to provide what we need in abundance.
The devil knows that we have a weakness when it
comes to our treasure. God knows this as well and
that is why his Son Jesus Christ teaches us that we
need not worry. The evidence he provides comes
in such a simple way; “Look at the birds of the
air…consider the lilies of the fields.”
People of God, we have God’s promise that he will
provide all that we need to do his mission and
ministry. The evidence is overwhelming; just look
out the window. God cares so deeply for the
beauty of the earth. Will he not care much more
deeply for those whom he has called to light for
the world? Yes! He will, forever and ever!
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
by Pastor David Nuottila Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek
first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:31-33
Join us for our annual
Community Thanksgiving Eve Worship
November 25, 2015
Service begins at 7:00 p.m.
Fellowship in the Dutch Meeting Hall
immediately following worship.
Invite your friends and neighbors to join
us as we offer thanks to God.
Candlelight Prayer and Worship
Join your Church family for a peaceful
and prayerful journey into the advent
season.
A candlelight service of Worship and
Prayer will be held in the Dutch Meeting
Hall on Sunday, November 29
beginning at 5:30 p.m.
All are invited to worship and encouraged
to invite friends and neighbors, that we
may lift up our prayers to God in heaven.
Anyone who would like to serve as a
reader or acolyte may contact
Pastor David.
The Season of Advent
Believe it or not, the last Sunday of November
is the first Sunday of Advent, the season in which
God’s people make ready for the Lord Jesus
Christ to come in glory and take his people unto
himself.
Advent is also the time when we prepare our
hearts and minds to receive once more, the prom-
ise and hope brought to God’s people upon the
birth of the Christ child in Bethlehem.
Advent is a time of renewal, a time of repent-
ance and a time to strengthen one’s commitment
to following our Lord Jesus. Some reading this
newsletter may be wondering how to reconnect
with the Church, others might be struggling
against difficulties that have become roadblocks
to faith. Advent is a time when such issues are
met.
John the Baptist calls all of God’s people to
prepare their hearts and minds, making the path-
way straight that leads the way to the Lord of
Lords.
The entire family of Union is encouraged to
renew its commitment to faithful living, weekly
worship, and fellowship among the saints. The
theme for Advent is patiently and actively
waiting while preparing for the coming Messiah.
May we do these things together in the presence
of God and the company of one another.
Congratulations Sarah and Justin
Justin Goodman and Sarah Clifton have completed
their confirmation instruction and were confirmed
on Sunday, October 25, through affirmation of
their Baptism. Please keep these two YOUth
members in prayer as they continue to grow in
Mission Driven
In accordance with the NALC’s call to form
congregational teams with an emphasis on
church mission, a few of our members have
become the first members of Union’s Mission
Team.
Judy Boyd, Eric Brady, Janie Leslie, and
Vicki Peeler will be meeting with Pastor David
for prayer, Scripture reading and discerning
God’s call concerning the missional aspect of
our shared ministry.
The Mission Team is not a committee and it
is not a group tasked with making decisions The
Mission Team is simply a group devoted to
hearing the whispers of the Holy Spirit as God
calls us to extend the gospel of Jesus Christ into
the world.
The Mission Team will share ideas, encour-
age others and connect with other congregational
Mission Teams so that our congregation might
truly become one that is MISSION DRIVEN.
Worship Opportunities
The following is a list of worship dates with
special emphasis. As always, you are encour-
aged to invite your friends and neighbors to join
us as we worship together.
November 1 - All Saints Day 10:30 a.m.
Lighting candles to remember those who have
recently entered the Church Triumphant
Nov 8 - Union Women’s Sunday 10:30 a.m.
Celebrating and honoring the contributions of
the Women of Union Lutheran Church
Nov 22 - Christ the King 10:30 a.m.
The final Sunday of the Liturgical Church
calendar
Wed, Nov 25 - Thanksgiving Eve 7:00 p.m.
Ecumenical Community Worship / Fellowship
Nov 29 - 1st Sunday of Advent 10:30 a.m.
Candlelight Prayer - 5:30 p.m.
Annual Advent Ball
The YOUth of Union Lutheran
Church in grades 6-12 and their
friends are invited to an evening of
Music, Food and Fun as we
anticipate once more the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
This year’s YOUth Advent Ball will be held on
Friday, December 11, 2015 in the Dutch Meeting
Hall beginning at 7:00 p.m.
YOUth groups from several congregations are
also invited to attend and celebrate with us the joy
and anticipation of this season.
At the conclusion of the Advent Ball, Union’s
YOUth are invited to remain for a LOCK-IN until
9:00 a.m. Saturday, Dec 12.
September 21, 2015
Pastor David Nuottila
Union Lutheran Church
Dear Pastor David,
I greet you and your congregation in the name of Jesus Christ who is our Lord and Redeemer. Words cannot
fully express the joy that is in my heart and in the hearts of your Christian brothers and sisters of the Lutheran
Church of Congo DRC, for your recent visit and mission work among us. Thank you from the bottom of my
heart for all you have done for us. And Many thanks to the saint at Union Lutheran Church for making your
visit and work among us possible.
Before coming to Congo you probably had in mind a few specific things you would do to serve the Church
during your mission trip. I am sure, however, that while here you came across so many other ministry
opportunities and served in many other ways you did not anticipate. Through your Christ-like presence and
ministry among us, and through your teaching, preaching, serving meals to orphans, blessing our farming
project, giving eye glasses to those in need and ministering in various circumstances, you witnessed to the
Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for that witness! To my amazement and great joy, you also connected with
people as if you had been to Congo several times before. With this, you taught our leaders how to be a mis-
sionary of the gospel.
As you and Pastor Kalonji experienced, our country is plagued by hardships that are not always easy to
describe. One has to see in order to fully understand what it means to live and minister in Congo. In these
hardships, however, the people are hungering for the gospel of Jesus Christ and our leaders crave training so
they can become better equipped and more effective in proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ. I invite you to
come back as soon as you can and pray that your congregation, other congregations of the NALC and our
American Christian brothers and sisters will support our work, especially the training of leaders, the feeding of
orphaned children and our farming project. May our heavenly Father keep on blessing you and all the
members of Union Lutheran Church!
Service projects during October for the Sonshine
Kids included decorating pumpkins for our church
family members who are residents of Autumn Care.
Judy Boyd and Pastor David delivered pumpkins to
Zarah Plyler and Mildred Kesler, both of whom
loved them very much.
The following story accompanied the pumpkins that
were delivered.
Being a Pumpkin
A woman was asked by a co-worker, “What is it like to be a Christian?” The co-worker replied, “It’s like
being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in and washes the dirt off of you. Then he cuts
off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate and greed. Then he carves
you a new smiling face and puts his light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.”
The kids also assembled and sent a care package to Jenna Cauble who is currently serving in the United Sates
Marine Corps. Please keep Jenna and all of our service men and women in your prayers.
The Great Rake
It’s that time again, time to get
out your rakes and leaf
blowers and help out with the
Great Rake! Join other
members of the Union Church
Family and members of our
scout troop as we help out
those who need a hand raking
up leaves and clearing branch-
es and such from their lawns.
The Great Rake takes place this
year on Saturday, November 21
beginning at 9:00 a.m. We will
meet at the church, divide up
into groups and head out to the
homes of members who need
assistance. Lunch at the church
will be provided.
Come join the fun and help out
by showing the love of Christ
through the work of your hands!
MISSION Accomplished
YOUth members of Union’s K.I.D.S. and YOU
Church participated in Rowan Helping Ministry’s
annual “Trick-Or-Treat so Others Can Eat”
project. The YOUth member distributed grocery
bags within our congregation and throughout the
Cardinal Village neighborhood near Rockwell to
be filled with non-
perishable food items for
the local pantry.
The following week,
bags were collected and
food items taken to Rowan
Helping Ministries. The
total weight of food
donations came to over
400 pounds!
Thank you to everyone who participated by do-
nating food. Thank you especially to the YOUth
members of K.I.D.S. and YOU Church! Together
you helped others by feeding the hungry and
showing them the love of Christ.
The Good Timers met on October 8th. Ruby
Leazer opened with devotions entitled “Humanity,
Humility and Humble.”
The group then carpooled to The Laurels and
had a very nice visit with Pastor C.P. Fisher to
help celebrate his 97th birthday. Following that
visit, the group then traveled to Oak Park
Retirement Center and visited with several of the
residents there.
The activities director, Karen Leonard and a
very nice man named Cliff provided a tour. The
center served a delicious meal and we sang the
Benediction for our blessing led by Tonya Brittain.
Our next meeting will be held on November 12
with Shonna Lanning Black giving the program.
For lunch we will go to The Lakeside Restaurant
(formerly known as Jimmy’s Lakeside
Restaurant).
Union Women
Rejoice in the Lord and give thanks.
We will celebrate Union Women’s Sunday on No-
vember 8th. It’s our day to “shine” and be recog-
nized for all the ways we serve the church, com-
munity and world. I will be delivering a message
on Union Women, Past, Present and Future. We
need your talents in the choir to sing our Union
Women anthem. You will not want to miss it.
Officers for 2016 are in place as all officers from
2015 have agreed to serve on more year, with the
exception of Daisy Martin. She will not be able to
serve as secretary. We thank Daisy for her service.
Janie Leslie will be our secretary for 2016.
Officers are as follows: President; Cathy Kluttz
Painther, Vice President; Lynn Coughenour,
Secretary; Janie Leslie, Treasurer; Anna Harrelson.
The Bi-Annual meeting of Union Women will be
held on December 13 at 3:00 p.m. Officers for
2016 will be installed at this meeting. The Mary
and Martha group will have the program and re-
freshments will follow. You are asked to bring
snacks (preferably Christmas cookies or treats).
In Christ’s service,
Cathy Kluttz Painther
Thanks and Appreciation
To Union Lutheran Church feeding Group #2 and
helpers:
During a time like this we realize how much
our church family, friends and relatives really
mean to us. Thank you so much for the abundance
of delicious food offered at the family meal. Our
family is large and your efforts are greatly appre-
ciated. Even more, we are grateful for your pray-
ers, support and care. Your expression of sympa-
thy will always be remembered.
The Family of Ola Mae Cauble
To my church family,
I would like to thank all for the cards, flowers,
visits and food given to me during my recent knee
replacement surgery and recovery. A special
thanks to the members of “Game Night” who came
to Brian Center and played cards with me. It is
those little things that make you appreciate your
church family and their ability to share Christ’s
love.
In Christian love,
Grace Morgan
On Sunday, November 8 following our service
of worship, the congregation will honor Patty Sue
Miller, giving thanks for her many years as our
church organist. Please bring your favorite
dishes to enjoy and share. Anyone desiring to
contribute to a gift for Pat should place it in a
pew envelop and mark it “Organist Gift.”
Thank you Pat for sharing your music and your
faith with us!
4 - Kathleen Agner
Phoebe Nunn
5 - Ruth Goodman
Phil Cauble
6 - Janice Goodman
Evan Misenheimer
7 - Whitney Arey
Justin Goodman
Sharon Leazer
9 - Sarah Bame
Masyn Burgess
11 - David Holshouser
12 - Patty Miller
13 - Thad Mulkey
Effie Vellines
15 - Rachel Nuottila
17 - Dickie shue
18 - Brett Mulkey
Jim Brady
19 - Sue Chambers
20 - Tom Cole
27 - Betty Goodwin
Diane Jones
29 - Charles Huffman
Deena Lanning
1 - Larry and Karen Barringer
2 - Dusty and Lisa Morgan
13 - Wade and Ruby Leazer
17 - Luther and Lauren Lyerly
29 - Charles and Kackie Frick
Tex and Patsy Lyerly
Worship Assistants for November
Acolyte / Crucifer Nov 1 Ethan Wilhelm / Vicki Peeler
Nov 8 Ethan Wilhelm / Vicki Peeler
Nov 15 Justin Goodman / Jeff Parker
Nov 22 Justin Goodman / Jeff Parker
Nov 29 Alex Miller / Jeff Parker
Communion Assistants Nov 1 Angela Nuottila / Doris Shepherd
Nov 15 Gladys Morgan / Eddie Morgan
Nov 22 Sabrina Eagle / Sonya Mulkey
Lay Readers Nov 1 Wayne Vellines
Nov 8 Deena Lanning
Nov 15 Jimmie Earnhardt
Nov 22 Cameron Lambert
Nov 29 Roy Zimmerman
Ushers Linda Cauble (HU) Brenda Cauble
Faye Kesler Doris Page Doris Shepherd
Union Women’s Sunday
We invite you come worship with us on
November 8 as we recognize the ministry of Union
Women of the NALC. Members of the various
women’s circles will be leading worship and
Union women’s President Cathy Painther will give
the message for the day. Come and support the
women of our congregation who do so much for
others though their mission projects.
Just for Fun!
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