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GLORIA DEI LUTHERAN CHURCH
1290 Thompson Road
541-267-2347 http://www.gloriadeifamily.org/
Jon
Strasman, Pastor
Mission Statement “Gathered in Christ, we are called to bring light to our community.”SEPTEMBER
2011 NEWSLETTER
From the PastorI had the privilege of serving on jury duty these past two weeks. Yes, I said, "privilege." I often hear of people complaining about jury duty. And in fact I complained about having to take time off work to be there. But almost everyone there had some place else to be, so we were all in the same boat. Work was not a good enough excuse to get you out of jury duty, unless there were some unforeseen circumstances. Each night during my two weeks of service, I wasn't sure where I was going to be the next day. This is a strange position to be in, especially when a new intern is starting and you want to be there to take her through orientation. I had to call into the special hotline after 6 P.M. (or Jeranna would call for me) to find out if my Juror number was up and where I should report. This was my first direct experience with the legal system in our country, and I must say that I am thoroughly impressed. I am particularly impressed with the care that goes into jury selection. I arrived in Coquille on Tuesday morning only to find a jam packed room of potential jurors for the day. There must have been close to 100 people anxiously awaiting their fate for the day. Will I be sent home or will I be chosen to serve that day? Everyone was very friendly, respectful, and seemed to take this opportunity of civil service to heart. I knew several people in the jury room when I arrived. Our constitution calls for a fair trial for all accused of committing a crime in a criminal case or a breach against a neighbor in a civil case. A fair trial starts with a pool of potential jurors. Without the pool of candidates a fair trial wouldn't be possible. So in fact if you do get sent home after the jury is selected, you did your civic duty. You were there to ensure the defendant receives his or her constitutional right of a fair trial with a jury of his or her peers. In fact, it is kind of intimidating when all those potential jurors are sitting there waiting to be called and questioned by the judge and attorneys. On the two cases I served, which I cannot discuss the details, I was thoroughly impressed with the selection of jurors. One case I was in the pool that got sent home and one case I served on the panel of twelve. Jury selection took almost three hours in one case and four hours in the other case after a series of preemptory challenges by the attorneys that would remove up to two jurors at a time until the jury could pass for cause. You always hear about the flaws in the legal system. But, today, I am feeling thankful and comforted knowing that I live in a country that takes such care in trying to provide a fair and balanced trial for everyone. Peace, Pastor Jon
FROM OUR INTERN I would like to thank God and my sisters and brothers in Christ of Gloria Dei. I have experienced the Spirit of God among us since you have welcomed me with your warm hearts and open arms. Through your bright smiles and sincere words and actions, I have seen the word of God incarnated in the midst of us. I am very grateful to be here. Whenever we have a new beginning, we are concerned either intentionally or unintentionally. When I learned of my internship site, I was wondering with "why" questions. As a result, I have believed that there are some reasons why I was sent to Gloria Dei by God. Some of you may have concerns having me as your new intern, too. I understand where those concerns come from. We know we have many differences such as language, cultures, economic status, gender, race and age, etc. Thus, we may have some assumptions of each other. But please, do not let those assumptions become a stumbling block to prevent us getting to know one another. I would like to share my summer before coming to Coos Bay. I did my Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in a nursing home in Oshkosh, WI. And during that time, my assumptions about nursing homes, the elderly, pastoral care, and pastoral skill have been challenged. I thought the nursing home was a place of depression; a slow, painful and very lonely place to live, since I assumed that whoever lives in the nursing home, they are very depressed and lonely because they simply wait for their death. I was very wrong. The nursing home is like any other the place under the sky. It is a place to live and to learn with hope, faith, laughter, tears, pains, and sorrows. During the visitations, my residents taught me their wisdom and their expectations from pastoral care providers; they told me their life stories and life lessons; they shared with me their fears and pains. Most of all, they are great witnesses for faith in God. My sisters and brothers in Christ, I am inviting you all to become a huge part of my journey. I need your great help; you become resources for me to continue my growth during internship. Moreover, I would like to walk with you for a while, so that we can share our concerns, fears, pains, tears, mistakes, certainties, uncertainties, dreams, hopes, laughter, and the love of God and people. "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope and love abide, theses three; and the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor.13: 12-13) With the faithfulness of God, our hope in God's promise and the love of God, we will see God's will and God's deed through you and me. Come and break our assumptions on September 11 when I give a presentation called "Building a Bridge Between Korea and America" at 10:00 AM in the fellowship hall. -- Youngshim Mason
THURSDAY BIBLE STUDY RETURNS Thursday Afternoon Bible Study is starting up again on Thursday, September 8, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall. This is an informal, lay study. Our first study will be Peacemaking, an eight-session adult Bible study on peacemaking, from Augsburg Fortress, by Mary Schramm.
BOOKS FOR TROOPS UPDATE Eleanor received the following lovely letter of thanks from Army Captain Steve Carrigres: Dear Eleanor and the Folks of Gloria Dei Church, Please forgive me for the belatedness of this thank you note, life has been a blur since I returned from Afghanistan and reunited with my wife and our five children. I am grateful for the books that you sent me while I was over there. I was able to share them with my fellow soldiers from 1-87th IN, 1BCT, 10th Mountain Division. Our mission was to work alongside the Afghan National Police near the city of Konduz in northern Afghanistan. It was a bleak and lonely place. Often my only consolation was found in my faith, the love of family, the thoughtfulness of friends such as yourself, and yes… the solace offered in the pages of a good book. Thank you. May God Bless Your Heart, Cpt. Steve Carrigres Fort Benning
WELCA NEWS WELCA is winding down on the school bags. The first regular WELCA meeting will begin September 8th in the social hall and is the usual potluck/bible study meeting. You will receive a newsletter if you have been attending. If you want a newsletter and aren't attending please notify Elizabeth in the office or Dorothy Taylor and we will see that you get one.
FUNNY, FUNNY COMEDY SLATED FOR OCTOBER Logos Players will present their 7th dinner theatre production, "God's Favorite", by award-winning playwright, Neil Simon, on October 14, 15, and 16. A modern re-telling of the Old Testament's faithful "Job" story, the story is set in Joseph Benjamin's mansion on Long Island. A messenger arrives with the news that "Joe" must renounce his faith in God or all kinds of trouble will rain down upon him. And, of course, it does. Joe is played by Logos Player veteran, Ken Denton. His family includes Jeri Thurkow, Dave Jordan, Dave Valleli and newcomer, Brenda Sund (Dick and Irene's daughter). Another relative newcomer to our group includes Kristin Hovenkotter Greco, who appeared in "Our Town", plus the Member/Visitor skit on August 7. Other actors include Kim Cox and Eleanor Donovan. Kim Cox will also help out as Assistant Director. This production will call for a fairly complicated set and some technical challenges, so if you qualify as a low-tech wizard, please call Becky at 541-396-1215. The rewards are eternal! Circle your calendars now for October 14, 15 and 16. Sally Hampton and Lucy Johnson's wonderful dinners will begin at 5:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights with the show starting at 7:00 p.m., and the Sunday matinee is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (no dinner). Tickets will go on sale Sunday, September 18, after each service. -- Director, Becky Bell-Greenstreet
FOOD PANTRY Emergency Ecumenical Food Pantry greatly appreciates
our weekly donations of non-perishable food items and empty quart-size
containers. They especially need donations of breakfast cereal at this time.
Please drop off your contributions in the shopping cart located in the
church entry. Thank you!
CHRISTIAN ED CORNER SUNDAY SCHOOL RALLY DAY Final plans and preparations are being made for the start-up of another exciting Sunday School year! We're looking forward to enrolling an enthusiastic group of 30 or more youth and, hopefully, an equal number of adults. It all begins Sunday, September 11th. Youth will register and meet their teachers at 9:45 a.m., then at 10:00 a.m., everyone will gather in the fellowship hall for an engaging presentation by our new intern, Youngshim Mason. Youngshim will tell us all about her homeland, Korea, and about her journey of faith which brings her to us at Gloria Dei. We are making a few changes in our program for youth this year. Students will be grouped by age in classes that will meet together with the same teachers each week: Pre-K and Kindergarten, grades 1 & 2 , grades 3 & 4, grades 5 & 6, and grades 7-12. Students in pre-K through grade 6 will be studying the Augsburg Fortress Spark curriculum that is based on the lectionary readings each week. (This means the children's lessons will coincide with the sermon topic and scripture readings from the worship service each Sunday.) Our Youth Group-age students, grades 7 - 12, will follow an engaging YouTube-style video/discussion series, Nooma, which addresses current topics in light of our faith. Pastor Jon will begin the adult class with a 6-week study about Christian fellowship based on Bonhoeffer's book, Life Together. Intern Youngshim will spend the first several months assisting in each classroom and acquainting herself with all the students, then she looks forward to teaching classes, as well. Teachers will gather for an orientation meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 7th, at 5:30 p.m. We give thanks for their dedication to our youth as they make this special commitment to share their faith. A special measure of gratitude, as well, goes to our former Christian Education Director, Denny Schmidt, for his years of leadership in establishing our Sunday School program.
TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY The Tuesday Bible study (formerly known as Kitchen Bible Study) in the Activities Room at Evergreen Court will begin again on September 6 at 10:30 a.m. Women and men of all ages are welcome!
CONFIRMATION Confirmation classes kick off on Wednesday, September 7, at 7:00 p.m. here at the church.
BIBLE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church The meeting was called to order by President Dave Jordan. Other Council present were Carolynne Agee, Don Blom, Leslie Burrill, Kim Cox, Ken Denton, Eleanor Donovan, Sandy Garner, Janet Tilton, and David Valleli. Also present was Pastor Strasman. The Treasurer's Report was presented. The Treasurer's Report was approved as presented.
1 Includes $460.00
pass-through receipts, not part of the budget Pastor's Report: Pastor Strasman
Old Business:
New Business:
-- Respectfully submitted, Leslie Burrill, Secretary
Ann Getrum Friends and Relatives: Mourning
Serving Our Country: Elias Boddy (Aleta Boddy’s grandson) Troops
Say Thanks for Books: Kaitlyn
McClenahan SERVING YOU IN SEPTEMBER Altar Flowers: Sept. 4: Ralph & Jeannette Sweet Altar Guild: Communion Assistants: Sept. 4: Sept. 18: Lay Readers: Sept. 4: Leslie Burrill Greeters: Sept. 4: Stephanie Greim & Dee Ross Coffee-Hour Hosts: Sept. 4: Team 11 - Lucy Johnson, Grant & Heide Cummings, Monita Johnson, Jerry & Yvonne Lundholm, June Taylor, Bud Lee, Gary & Rody Hargens, Lucy Griley Sept. 11: Team 12 - Darrel & Sharon Larcom, Maxeen Wegner, Very & Judy Simpson, Ray & Beth Nelsen, Mark & Cheryl Slagle, David & MaryAnn Rood Sept. 18: Team 13 - Bob & Dorothy Miller, Joe & Connie Griffis, Billie Siler, Russ & Jinx Gieseke, B.J. Nordquist, Gail Common Sept. 25: Team 14 - David & Susan Jordan, Fritz & Kathy Gross, Bill Moriarty & Elaine Dunham, Bev Macpherson, Doris Smith, Henry & Mary Scheirman
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