February 2012 Newsletter
Volume 8, Number 8
Lenten Valentines
In a strange overlap of different calendars, Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday are generally in close proximity to one another. This year, Valentine’s Day is eight days before Ash Wednesday. My first inclination is that, despite their proximity on the calendar, these two days have very little to do with one another. Maybe, maybe not.
Valentine’s Day is when we send cards, maybe candy or flowers, and possibly a gift. It is a holiday that celebrates love and romance as either an ideal or from a more sensual perspective.
Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, a time of reflection and repentance. The day before Ash Wednesday is called “fat” Tuesday (which in French is mardi gras) because it is that day that people can eat all they want before the beginning of Lent. Lent is often a time of self-denial and fasting; we “give something up” for Lent.
I don’t want to strain this connection too much, but I would invite you to consider that love, at its essence, is always a type of self-denial. To truly love someone else means you put them first, even before your own needs. The mother who goes into a burning building to save her children or the father who jumps into a canal to rescue his drowning child perform their acts of heroism out of love.
“Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are.” (1 John 3:1a) In the season of Lent we are reminded of the price that God paid in Christ to demonstrate His love for us. The suffering and death of Jesus shows God’s love; it is His Valentine to each one of us.
Lent is also our response to God’s love. Our response to God’s love is to love God. Lent shouldn’t beat us down with remorse as much as it should be the channel through which we show our devotion to God.
When I told the following story in a sermon recently, there was an audible “awe” from the congregation. It is an old story, probably fictional, about a grandmother who was visiting her grandchildren. On Saturday night she was talking about how she always liked to have her shoes polished for Church on Sunday. Her young grandson snuck into the room where she was staying and polished her shoes, presenting them to her that night. The grandmother was so grateful that she reached into her purse and gave the young man a quarter (which was a lot then – I said it was an old story). The next morning the woman was putting on her shoes and couldn’t get her foot into one of them. In the toe of the shoe was the quarter, wrapped in a piece of paper. On the paper, in a child’s scrawl, was written, “I did it for love.”
Whatever you do or don’t do this Lent, I pray that it will be for love of God your Father.
In Christ,
Pastor Dan
Bible 101
As of this writing, we have 30 people enrolled in Bible 101, the online Bible Class developed by Concordia Publishing House and offered through Shepherd of the Coast. Our Kickoff Sunday was January 29th, but there is still time to enroll and participate. The twelve modules of the program are designed to be completed in twelve weeks. We are building some “down time” into our schedule, so our targeted end date is Mother’s Day, May 13th. Yet, since the subscription lasts for a year, participants would have to the end of the year to complete the course.
Participants will receive weekly e-mails from Pastor Dan to encourage progress. It is possible, since this is entirely done at your own pace, to finish in less than twelve weeks.
Sunday morning Bible class will offer the same content in a traditional format. This Bible class meets at 9:15 in the Library.
Early Communion Classes
It has been the practice at Shepherd of the Coast to instruct young people in either the 5th or 6th grade in order to prepare them to receive the Lord’s Supper. These classes begin the process of confirmation instruction that normally happens at the end of the 7th or 8th grade year.
On February 5th we are having a meeting with parents to find the best time for these classes to take place with the hope that they could be completed during the Lenten season and this “class” could receive their first communion on or before Palm Sunday.
If you missed the meeting or were unable to attend, contact Pastor as soon as possible. Part of these classes would be taught with the parents and students together and some of the classes would be taught with just the students present. We also offer these classes to families who are not members of Shepherd of the Coast.
Thrift Store Open
Hours: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, Monday - Saturday
Contact Marion Hill (954.563.5058)
If you would like to be a part of this ministry
join us at our next
Lydia’s Fellowship meeting
on Saturday, February 18th.
A Big Thank You to
Lydia’s Fellowship
For their generous donation to our School. It was used to replace the worn-out carpet in the 5th and 6th grade classroom. What a great difference in the room’s appearance! We appreciate the hard work of the volunteers in the Thrift Shop which made this possible. The Thrift Shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Food for the Poor, Inc
www.FoodForThePoor.org
Please join us the weekend of February 18th to hear The Rev. David Arthur Mueller speak at all the services about a ministry providing direct relief to the poor throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Pastor Mueller will share what he has witnessed about Food for the Poor’s mission to care for the destitute as a means of living out the Gospel mandate to love one another.
Pastor Mueller was ordained in 1964 for the Florida-Georgia District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. In addition to preaching on behalf of Food for the Poor, he serves on the Board of Directors of Lutheran Services of Florida.
Join us as we welcome Pastor Mueller to Shepherd of the Coast Sunday, February 19th.
Early Childhood News
Our Learning Center serves families from infants through four year olds. God has blessed us with many children this year. The staff of the Early Childhood Center keeps busy by cheerfully spreading God’s Word everyday to all of our children. We ask that you keep our School and Early Childhood Center in your prayers as we continue to serve our families.
It’s almost the end of January and we are working towards enrolling children for the upcoming school year 2012-2013. We are in the beginning stages of re-enrollment and opening our doors for new enrollment. Please keep in mind that we have infants through 8th grade classrooms. We would love to begin our upcoming new school year bursting at the seams. It is up to each one of us to spread the word that Shepherd of the Coast Christian School is a great place to have your children attend school! Spread the word to those that you may know who are looking for a school for their child. Remember we are ready to enroll infants through 8th grade and we want your support to start our upcoming year with a full school!
God’s Blessing to you,
Brenda Sorren, Director
Thirty Years of Ministry for LSF
Thirty years ago, Lutheran Services Florida was resettling refugees fleeing from unspeakably cruel government treatment in places like Uganda, Vietnam and Cuba. Through the prayers and financial support of Lutherans from across the state, LSF now operates more than 60 programs delivering healing, hope and help to tens of thousands each year. For more information about the work of LSF, please visit our website at www.lsfnet.org.
February Celebrations
Happy Birthday to:
7 Jacque Meyer
9 Mimi Geer
13 Jo Hanna Beadle
14 Kent Pierce
From the pages of
the official record book
at Shepherd of the Coast
Wedding:
Brenamin Raymond and Michelle Van My Thai
December 3, 2011
Wedding Vow Renewal Ceremony:
Ryan Lukens and Jessica Bitson
December 31, 2011
Baptism:
Jacoby Russell Weigel – January 22, 2012
Theodore Williams Weigel – January 22, 2012
Death:
Herta B Reilly – January 5, 2012
William Snowden – January 22, 2012
Memorial gifts have been received:
In Memory of William Snowden
From: Marion Hill
Serving at Shepherd of the Coast in February
8:00 AM – Traditional Lutheran Worship
Ushers – Team # 3: Al Linn, Jo Bellhorn, Janet Bluhm
Communion Assistants
Feb. 5 – Pastor Dan
Feb. 19 – Pastor Dan
Feb. 26 – Jay Mindlin
Lectors
Feb. 5 – Pauline Wright
Feb. 12 – Pat Battle
Feb. 19 – Sandy Linn
Feb. 26 – Carolyn Griesse
9:30 AM – Contemporary Worship
Hospitality Team:
Team # 5: Marilyn Dean
Communion Assistant
Feb. 12 – Jay Aamodt
Feb. 26 – Jay Aamodt
Lectors
Feb. 5 – Jay Aamodt
Feb. 12 – Reinhard Mueller
Feb. 19 – Mark Stein
Feb. 26 – Sarah Czaplewski
11:00 AM –Lutheran Worship
Ushers – Team # 4: Kent Pierce, Wes Biggerstaff, Frank Dean
Communion Assistants
Feb. 5 – Pastor Dan
Feb 19 – Pastor Dan
Lectors
Feb. 5 – Larry Annis
Feb. 12 – Roberta Murphy
Feb. 19 – Pat Krumenacker
Feb. 26 – Gayle Hansen
Security for the Month of February:
Reinhard Mueller
Altar Guild for the Month of February:
Irma Quiroz and Romina Quiroz
Counters:
Feb. 5 - Larry and Diana Annis
Feb. 12 – Bill and Angel Bailey
Feb. 19 – Milan and Eva Korcok
Feb. 26 – Dick Dupont and Phillip James
11 Days Lands of Luther
Travel with Concordia College to Germany!
May 15-25, 2012
Only $2,699 from New York
Contact Rev. Gregory Dwyer
at 914-337-9300 x 2198 or
for more information
2012 Florida SeniorFest
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Advent Lutheran Church, Boca Raton
300 E. Yamato Road – 561.395.3632
Registration begins at 8:30 am – the day ends at 4:30 pm
Register by February 6, 2012.
Cost $30.00 includes lunch. Space is limited.
$35.00 at the door (if space is available)