March 2019 - Lord of Life Lutheran Church
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March 2019
Telling the story of how we live, share and celebrate with all people, God’s love in Jesus Christ.
LENTEN STUDIES
Perfect Love
Casts Out Fear
Wednesdays
March 13 - April 10
Worship Noon and 7 pm
Dinner 6 pm
Please join us for worship as we begin our Lenten journey together on Ash A Community of Stories:
Wednesday, March 6. We’ll gather to share an evening meal together at 6 pm before The Sacred Work of
the evening service. Both services include the imposition of ashes and Holy
Conversation
Communion.
March 10 - April 7
Ash Wednesday is a solemn day of prayer that begins the season of Lent. This day
gives us the occasion to admit that we will die and that we are sinners. We are
5:30 - 8 pm
marked with ashes – a sign of our death and of our sorrow for sin – but the ashes St. Anne Episcopal
retrace a cross on our forehead, where the baptismal water first marked us with 6461 Tylersville Road
God's grace. With the cross of Christ on our brow, we make our way through Lent,
washed in God’s mercy and forgiveness. See Page 3 for complete details on
all Lenten activities.
Lord of Life Lutheran Church Scholarship
Lord of Life is excited to again offer a $1,500 college scholarship. This non-renewable
award has been created by church members who, through gifts and memorials, have
endowed a scholarship fund that will award one scholarship each year.
The scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school senior who is a member of
Lord of Life, displays exemplary service to the church and community, who will be
attending a technical college or pursuing a four-year college degree on a full-time basis,
and provides an essay on their faith journey in the application.
Complete details about the scholarship as well as the application are now available and
can be downloaded from www.lol-lutheran.com/scholarship or picked up in the church
office. Completed applications must be turned in to the church office by May 1 for
consideration. The scholarship will be awarded during the graduation recognition worship
service on Mother’s Day, May 12. Please contact the Lord of Life office if you have any
questions.
scholarship@lol-lutheran.com
Lifeline Page 1
This weekend marks twenty-five years of playing music
with my bandmates in the Echelon band. Before I went
to seminary, I was a musician and, even now, I still have
occasion a few times each year to connect with these
long-time friends to play for conventions and retreats.
This anniversary might not sound like a big deal to you, FOLLOW
but a quarter of a century is a long time to stick it out
with the same group of singers, songwriters, and
instrumentalists. Musicians are notoriously
temperamental, opinionated, creative types who fuss
when they don’t get their own way. Life on the road
and “artistic differences” often force individuals to go
their own way. Somehow, the four of us have been able
to remain grounded and creative together.
The Beatles, arguably one of the greatest bands of all time, only could endure each
other for eight years. Nirvana, in their short seven years together, experienced some
personnel changes. Rock super group, Blind Faith, made up of all-star musicians Eric
Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech, survived only one year, before
egos tore it apart. Life in community is hard.
The name Echelon comes from the V formation which geese utilize when they migrate.
As they fly, the flock drafts behind the front bird who creates an updraft for the other
birds. When the lead bird gets tired, it rotates back in the flock and another takes the
lead. Using this rotational model, these geese can fly seventy times further than if it
were a single bird attempting to make the journey solo. It helps that the geese in the
back offer their honks of encouragement as they soar. If a bird becomes sick or injured,
a bird or two drops out of the formation and accompanies that bird, until it is well
enough to travel again or dies.
What a metaphor for the community of Christ! Working together, we can accomplish
so much more than if we try to do it all alone. We take turns leading and guiding. We
pause to help those who are hurting and accompany others in moments of illness and
death. Do the noises we make offer criticism or encouragement?
As Christians, we give thanks that Jesus took the wind on our behalf in his suffering
and death, which now opens up the opportunities for forgiveness, reconciliation, and
new life. We cling to the promises of God as the Spirit invites us to follow, wherever
our journey leads.
This week, as we gather for our Ash Wednesday liturgy, some of the first words that
we’ll hear will be the refrain of God’s loving migration promise from Joel 2:13:
“Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.”
Return. Come back. Fly home. Follow me. God doesn’t send
us off on a journey all alone, but leads us to a place of hope
and renewal. Let’s stick together!
Looking forward,
Pastor Lowell
Page 2 March 2019
LENTEN JOURNEY TO EASTER
Perfect Love Casts Out Fear A Community of Stories:
Wednesdays March 13 - April 10 The Sacred Work of Conversation
Worship Noon and 7 pm Sunday evenings of Lent March 10 - April 7
Dinner 6 pm Together with St. Anne Episcopal Church
We talk about love, but it is often difficult for us to fully 5:30 - 8 pm (Dinner Included)
commit to loving God, our neighbor, or ourselves. Join us as Every aspect of our lives depends on communication and
we learn how perfect love casts out fear. All are welcome and there has never been an era with more options for doing so.
no RSVP is required for dinner. And yet, our inability to hear one another and to listen across
Mar 13: Love of neighbor, Leviticus 19:1-3, 9-18 the distances of opinion, culture, social status, lack of face to
face time, etc., has created great divides in our homes, work
Mar 20: Love of immigrant, Deuteronomy 10:12-22 places, and even faith communities. Plan to join us for our
Mar 27: Love of enemy, Luke 6:27-38 Sunday evening Lenten series where we will work together
exploring the power of stories told and stories heard for
Apr 3: Love of commandments, John 14:15-31 building strong community.
Apr 10: Love of God, 1 John 4:7-21 We hope this series will enrich your season of Lent, deepen
your relationships with those you worship with, and offer you
valuable skills for everyday life. All are welcome. RSVP to
Cara Hasselbeck (office@lol-lutheran.com) so we can plan
food accordingly. The Sunday Evening program will take
place at St. Anne, 6461 Tylersville Rd.
Daylight Sayings Time
Sunday, March 10
Spring Forward!
Lifeline Page 3
FELLOWSHIP
Secret Pal Luncheon New! Lord of Life Co-ed Golf League
Saturday, March 10, 12 pm Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm
Bravo Beginning April 25
9436 Water Front Dr, West Chester Tri County Golf Ranch
It’s the big reveal! The Secret Pals are a group of women who All ages and abilities are welcome to join the new LOL Golf
give gifts to their secret pal on holidays and special occasions League. The 9-hole league meets at Tri-County Golf Ranch,
throughout the year. Join us as we reveal the secret pal and will play for 20 weeks. Cost is $16 per round weekly and
identities and choose new pals for the coming year. Want to be includes a cart.
a pal but can’t make the luncheon? Contact Anita prior to Can’t commit to a whole season? Get on the sub list!
March 10 and she will add you to the group.
Jack Kohler, golfleague@lol-lutheran.com
Anita Chiaramonte, secretpals@lol-lutheran.com
Page 4 March 2019
Urban Immersion
Thirty-seven people from Lord of Life recently ventured around
Hamilton on a Saturday to see and celebrate what God is doing in
the city. Thanks to everyone who welcomed and loved us!
Did you miss the adventure? You can see more of the day on our Facebook
page (@LordofLifeWestChester). You can learn more about these ministries
that are transforming Hamilton by visiting their web pages.
Made to Love www.made-to-love.org
Family Promise Day Center www.familypromisebutlercounty.com
Zion Lutheran Church www.zionhamilton.org
Truth and Life Community Church www.facebook.com/tlcccincy
Haven House www.havenhouseshelter.org
Fringe Coffee House www.thefringehamilton.com/home
Lifeline Page 5
$10 per plant
Orders due by April 7
Provide flowers to decorate
the Sanctuary on
Easter morning.
Seeing Race Through Faith
Saturday, April 6, 10 am - 2 pm
in the Fellowship Hall
This dialogue is designed to aid us in identifying the hidden
symbols and messages in our faith practices that often
perpetuate racism in our church, communities, and world. We
look forward to engaging in dialogue with congregational
members, rostered ministers, and others in the church
interested in exploring how our faith intersects with the racial
tensions in God's work. Attendees will engage in dialogue, ask
questions, and help one another improve our understanding on
race so that we can be better equipped for mission in God's
world. This event is sponsored by the Southern Ohio Synod
Race Relations Task Force.
The cost is $10 per person which covers lunch and materials.
Register by emailing Cara Hasselbeck in the office at
office@lol-lutheran.com. Registration open through
Wednesday, April 3.
Please make checks payable to Lord of Life. You can Something More Youth Event
place your order in the collection plate or email it to the Saturday, March 16, 10 am - 2 pm
church office. in the Sanctuary
Something More is for high school students who wish to go
Cara Hasselbeck, office@lol-lutheran.com
deeper with their faith. Students from across the Southern Ohio
Synod mission territory are invited to come and learn ministry
skills that will help them grow in following Jesus. Together,
they will be equipped and be sent into the world.
Page 6 March 2019
Last month, you sent us to the ELCA Youth Ministry
Network Extravaganza. Held each year, the event’s
goals are to renew, educate, and connect the leaders of
children, youth, and family ministries at ELCA
congregations around the country. The four-day
conference crammed every waking minute with
learning, collaboration and worship. The theme of this
DISRUPTED
year’s Extravaganza was Disrupt, centered around the
life and ministry of Moses.
We met God there in the 600 eager faces of youth
leaders of all ages from all places, in the sharing of
ideas and frustrations, successes and failures. It renewed
us with possibilities and hope, educated us with wise words from youth ministry experts and
connected us with other people like us—people that love Jesus and kids and are called by God to
serve children, youth, and families. The 2019 Extravaganza did not disappoint. God showed up in
big ways!
We share here our Top Three Takeaways, so you can feel like you were there with us.
1. Youth and their families are busy.
You already knew this one, didn’t you? Calendars and inboxes are full, gas tanks and refrigerators
are empty. Our on-the-go families require youth ministry to be relevant and accessible. Today’s
effective faith formation might not look like what you expect. You may see more hands-on activities,
small group projects, online connections and at-home experiences. Each LOL family is different, and
we must embrace and applaud how that shapes our church and informs how we lead God’s work in
the world.
2. Youth Ministry takes a village.
Youth Ministry is all about relationships. It is at its finest when
every church member takes on the challenge to engage its young
people. All adults have what it takes to be youth leaders. Our youth
are asking us to be the three A’s: authentic, available, and affirming.
It’s the little things that make a big impact:
greet youth by name and with joy
carve out time to talk with youth in the pews or halls
share your stories
ask them questions
encourage their gifts, skills, and personalities
invite youth to participate in your favorite ministry area
pray for our students by name
3. Disruptions can be good for us.
Our lives are full of disruptions. We tend to think of them as
negative, chaos-causing disturbances that interrupt, confuse, and play havoc with our lives.
Disruptions command our attention. We disrupted our regularly-scheduled January to attend this
conference. (Just ask our families—it certainly was a disruption to be missing two active moms!)
This event challenged us to view disruptions as times when God breaks through our norm and
connects with us in a new way. The challenges of Youth Ministry are disruptive opportunities that
lead us to evaluate, refocus, and adjust. Even in the chaos, sometimes especially in the chaos, God
shows up.
Thank you for disrupting our lives with this event and the privilege of serving alongside LOL’s youth
and families on a journey of faith.
Peace.
Danielle Beneteau Tera Michelson
Feeling called to Youth Ministry? Contact Danielle Beneteau or Lisa Bacu (youth@lol-lutheran.com)
to get involved, or come join us at the monthly Youth Ministry Meeting: third Wednesday of the
month at 7:30 pm in the Pastor's office.
Lifeline Page 7
OUTREACH
Blood Drive
Saturday, March 23, 9 am - 3 pm
in the Fellowship Hall
300 volunteer blood donors and 40 volunteer platelet donors
are needed every day to maintain an adequate blood supply.
28 Days of Mission in Action To schedule an appointment go online to
www.hoxworth.org/groups.lol or call 513.451.0910.
What an exciting month of living out our mission! During the
month of February, the windows of the gathering space were Ava Fiebig, care@lol-lutheran.com
covered with tags, each listing a task to be completed to help
live out our mission to live, share, and celebrate God’s love
with all people in a tangible way. Over 100 tasks were taken!
Stepping Forward
To celebrate the experience, all were invited to share their Tuesday, March 26
experiences on social media using the hashtag 5:30 pm
#LOLMissionInAction and return the tag in the offering plate Faith United Methodist Church
so that we could post them.
Come and help us prep and serve a
We started things off simple, with items like “Pray for hot meal for our neighbors in need.
someone” and “Shovel your neighbors’ driveway,” then new Stepping Forward, a ministry of the
tags focused on youth oriented ideas, followed by some Faith Alliance, is a weekly community
deeper faith ideas like “Let go of an old grudge” or “Do that meal and enrichment opportunity that
thing God has been talking to you about.” Finally, we equips low-income families with the
wrapped up with some ‘Leap of Faith’ items which required skills, knowledge, and nourishment
you to just grab a tag without knowing what it contained and they need to take the next step
see where God was leading you to take action. forward in life. Hosted at Faith
Lord of Life has a strong history of responding to needs; Community Methodist Church, West
when asked for Christmas angels, back packs, school Chester, Lord of Life takes our turn the fourth Tuesday of
supplies, shoes, or food for pantries the bins are immediately each month. We need your help feeding our neighbors.
overflowing within a few days. We wanted to capture your All you need are willing hands and a willing heart: all ages
actions with the 28 Days Mission, not just how much stuff we and abilities are welcome to serve.
can provide. Celebrating this effort was not intended to pat
ourselves on the back for good deeds, but instead, an attempt Kathy Calihan, steppingforward@lol-lutheran.com
to show the impact each of us can make within our
congregation and places beyond our walls. It also provided a
slight nudge for some of us to get outside our comfort zone Outreach Team Meeting
and take part in doing God’s work, hands-on. Monday, March 25
With over 35 cards returned and a couple dozen social media 7 pm, in the Senior High Room
posts, we can say Mission Success! Check out the Outreach
All are welcome. Come and share your ideas or learn
bulletin board to see just some of the great things we
how you can step into our existing programs.
accomplished in just 28 Days!
Doug and Kathryn Gruver
Doug and Kathryn Gruver, outreach@lol-lutheran.com
outreach@lol-lutheran.com
Page 8 March 2019
OUTREACH Include LOL in Your Summer Plans!
Quilting Ministry
2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 6:30 pm
in the Fellowship Hall
The quilting ministry creates beautiful blankets for local
charities and baptismal blankets for our little ones. Experienced
quilters and those who have never sewn are all welcome!
Ann Popoff, quilting@lol-lutheran.com
Ministry doesn’t stop in the summertime at Lord of Life. It’s
full of fresh new ways to live, share, and celebrate God’s love
in Jesus Christ! Our schedule includes some old favorites like
Vacation Bible School (VBS), along with new opportunities like
Drama Camp! Hosted by Christ the King Lutheran Church,
kids and adults will have the opportunity to put on a musical
based on a Bible story.
Summer Outreach Opportunities
Attention all Quilters and Quilt Lovers!
There are many opportunities for kids and adults to share their
Women of the ELCA (WELCA) Quilt Show time and talents with others this summer. From Stepping
Saturday, March 9, 10 am - 4 pm Forward, to the VEIL Summer Reading Program, and the
Ascension Lutheran Church Community Garden, everyone can find a way an activity that
7333 Pfeiffer Road, Montgomery suits their schedule and their gifts.
The women of Ascension Lutheran Church in Montgomery MAY
invite everyone to attend their first Quilt Show. For those who 20 - 23 Preschool Summer Fun Camp: Safari
love quilting or just love quilts, join them to enjoy new and 26 - June 1 Hosting Family Promise
antique quilts and the stories that go with them. The event also 26 Summer Worship Schedule Begins
includes the opportunity to participate in the Quilt Project for 28 Stepping Forward Community Meal
Lutheran World Relief. The event is free and features live 28 - 31 Preschool Summer Fun Camp: Science
music and light refreshments.
JUNE
5 VEIL Summer Reading Program Begins
9 - 14 LOMO Youth Camp
Boy Scout Troop 947 10 - 13 Preschool Summer Fun Camp: Fun and Fitness
17 - 21 Vacation Bible School (VBS) - Roar!
Soles for Souls Shoe Collection 22 Cincinnati PRIDE Parade
Thank you! 106 Pairs! 24 - 27 Preschool Summer Fun Camp: Art Explosion
25 Stepping Forward Community Meal
30 - July 6 LOMO Family Camp
JULY
8 - 11 Preschool Summer Fun Camp: Science
14 - 20 Summer Mission Trip
19 Gotha Handbell Choir from Germany
21 - 27 Drama Camp
23 Stepping Forward Community Meal
AUGUST
18 Summerfest!
27 Stepping Forward Community Meal
Mark your calendars, and watch the weekly announcements for
more details and additions. If you’re excited to get involved
now, reach out to our Ministry Area Coordinators (MACs),
listed on the back page.
Lifeline Page 9
I love to travel. In any given year, I pick a couple destinations
to visit for a day or even several days. Sometimes my trips are
work-related. I go to a couple conferences each year to keep
myself sharp and to see what is happening in worship and
music outside Lord of Life. Most of the time, I’m excited to be
at a conference or on vacation and it’s “Go! Go! Go!” from the
time I wake up to the time I go to bed. I’m exhausted by the ME TIME
end of the day and while I enjoy my experiences and cherish
the memories, I can’t say that I’m relaxed when I return.
Recently, I went to the Calvin Symposium on Worship and
Music in Grand Rapids. Several denominations and nationalities
are represented, which leads to a lot of diversity and exciting
ideas for worship. It is so easy to move quickly from day to day
and week to week, falling into the same patterns and not trying anything new. The
conference helps us see beyond our everyday worship. Each of the three days consisted of
three different worship times (morning, afternoon, and night,) a plenary, and 3 smaller
sessions/classes.
One of the first sessions I attended was by Dr. Ruth Haley Barton,
who wrote the book, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership. At
first I assumed this would be a session targeting leaders who had
experienced some sort of difficult times in their congregation. But
after a five-page spiritual assessment, I realized that I was in my own
spiritual rut and that I really needed to take some time to reflect for
myself.
Dr. Barton went on to talk about quiet moments in worship when we
could be present, hands open, listening for what God has to say to
us; and also about longer periods of meditation - times when we can
be silent for 15 minutes, an hour, maybe even several hours - to clear
our minds and let go of all the things that keep us from the
connection we so crave with our Creator. She reinforced the idea that
for us to be good spiritual leaders, we need to allow this time to
transform us. In her words, "The spiritual practices are means of
grace that open us to God’s transforming work in those places where
we are not like Christ so we can be Christ in the world."
After two more days at Calvin, keeping this spiritual reflection time
at the front of my mind through the rest of my weekend, I came
home feeling refreshed and renewed. What a difference from past
trips! I've tried, with varying levels of success, to continue mindful reflection during quiet
moments over the subsequent two weeks. I find myself making better decisions not only
for worship moments at Lord of Life, but in my personal life, too.
I encourage everyone to make this a habit - it isn't just for the church leaders who stand
up in front each week to preach or sing. It is for all of us who leave church Sunday
morning, hopefully taking with us some scrap of spiritual nourishment so that we can go
out into the world and be the church.
John Johns, Music Director
Page 10 March 2019RECOVERY GROUPS STEPHEN MINISTRY
Alcoholics Anonymous Stephen Ministers provide one-on-one Christ-centered
Sundays, 7:30 pm, in the Fellowship Hall caring. A few examples of struggles that a Stephen Minister
can walk alongside you through are: grief, divorce, illness,
Child care provided
or spiritual crisis. If you would like more information about
aa@lol-lutheran.com receiving care for yourself or a loved one, please let us
know.
Al-Anon
Ava Fiebig, stephenministry@lol-lutheran.com
Sundays, 7:30 pm, in the Library
Child care provided
al-anon@lol-lutheran.com
Overeaters Anonymous
Mondays, 7 pm, in the Library
oa@lol-lutheran.com
HOPE
2nd Tuesdays, 7 pm, in the Library
HOPE (Hands Offering Prayerful Encouragement) is a
Christian support group for family and friends of those
living with mental illness.
hope@lol-lutheran.com
IN OUR PRAYERS
For health and healing
James Carlson Ron Bacu Meredith Ahlberg Barb Chandler
Richard Carlson Frank Jurkewicz III Triston Phillips Janet Meyer
Mike Harrison Bob Johnson Vilja Thompson Tricia Clark
Zachary Zwarg Liam Smith Paula Heinecke Tammy Jones
Jessica Owens Marshall Hayslip Melodie Yeager Jacqui and Ken Roell
Mary Sadler Fred Sieg Naomi Ashley Wanda Melford
John Payne Faye Ewing Sara Brunner
Joanna Allen Dita Donner The Keester Family
Chester Mastalerz Valerie Chapel Paula Jennings
For those who protect and serve
Sean Young Maggie Clem
For those who grieve, the friends and family of
Donna Hruska, mother of Leah Devin
To make a prayer request you can fill out a Connect Card
Sean Shiner, friend of the Wagonfield family
on Sunday morning (found in the pew racks), email us at
Ray Ellsworth, father of Scott Ellsworth
prayerchain@lol-lutheran.com, or call 513.777.8449.
Tom Yesalavage, father of Teri Ellsworth
Marian Beneteau, mother of Doug Beneteau Prayers remain on the list for four weeks unless you submit
Dorafaye Hershberger a long-term request to the office.
Janet McPherson, sister of Cookie Burke If you would like to receive the prayers via email, send a
Deanne Dalhart, wife of Mark Dalhart, request to prayerchain@lol-lutheran.com
and mother of Adam, Samantha, and Danielle
Matt Blount, friend of Corey Wagonfield
Tammy Watkins, friend of the Kirkpatricks
Lifeline Page 11VEIL Latino Ministry
We are a diverse, bilingual, Christian Latino community, open to all people. Our mission is to be a witness of God’s unconditional love,
striving to empower a worshiping environment, fostering love for our neighbor through teaching and caring relationships,
and welcoming the creativity of the Holy Spirit in conversation and action.
It’s OFFICIAL, Vida E†erna-Iglesia Luterana (VEIL)
is an AMMPARO Welcoming Church!
The word “amparo” in Spanish means the protection of a living creature from
suffering or damage. The ELCA’s strategy to Accompanying Migrant Minors with
Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities (AMMPARO) was
envisioned after witnessing the plight of children who are forced to flee their
communities due to complex and interrelated reasons, including chronic violence,
poverty, environmental displacement and lack of opportunities. AMMPARO is a
holistic, whole church commitment by the ELCA, as a church in the world, to accompany children today and in the future.
Welcoming Congregations make four commitments:
1. Welcome and minister to migrants and identify a contact person in the congregation who has the language skills necessary
for basic communication.
2. Physically accompany migrants as they make new lives in local communities.
3. Pray for justice for migrants.
4. Advocate for public policy that will positively impact the current immigration crisis – including working in partnership with
the ELCA Washington Office and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service on immigration reform.
Welcoming Congregations are not offering shelter, employment, or other financial support, but simply are willing to be a church
home for migrant children and families in the same way that congregations of several generations ago welcomed Lutheran
migrants from Europe and helped them navigate life in their new home. The first meeting of the Southern Ohio Synod
AMMPARO Network was in February. Vida E†erna is anxious to empower other congregations with its experience and witness
as a Lutheran Immigrant Congregation. For more information about AMMPARO, visit www.elca.org/ammparo.
Homework Fellowship Program
Sundays, 2 - 4 pm in the Fellowship Hall
The Homework Fellowship Program continues with new students from Miami and Xavier Universities. These students complete
Service-Learning hours for their Spanish and/or Theology programs. The university students are on Spring Break two separate
weeks during the month of March 2019, so we will need additional tutors on those dates. Sign up online to volunteer at
www.tinyurl.com/2018-19VEILHomeworkFP. Come listen to children read and help with elementary homework. No need to
speak Spanish.
Worship with Word and Eucharist VEIL Ministry Needs
Sunday, 4 pm in the Lord of Life Sanctuary Currently, the VEIL community has a tremendous need
All are welcome! for the following items:
Thin Overnight Feminine Pads
VEIL Women’s Ministry Thin Regular Feminine Pads
The Women’s Ministry continues hosting informational series. Healthy, shelf-stable snacks
In February and March, the women will discuss the AMMPARO 100% juice (boxes or pouches).
strategy and discern the ways in which VEIL can assist and Another way to help VEIL is to sign-up for Kroger’s
grow its advocacy mission at VEIL. Community Rewards Program (either on line or at a
customer service desk). Kroger will send VEIL a check
based upon your purchase of groceries! VEIL’s number
is YG489.
Special thanks to everyone who has contributed to VEIL
Pastora Carmen Colon-Brown Outreach programs! Thank you, thank you! Special
veil2010@ymail.com thanks to all who contributed diapers!
Somos una comunidad de Latinos Cristianos – diversos, bilingüe, abierta a todas las personas. Nuestra misión es ser un testigo del amor
incondicional de Dios, intentando a potenciar un ambiente de alabanza a Dios, fomentando el amor por nuestro prójimo a través de relaciones
bondadosas y estudiosos, dando la bienvenida a la creatividad del Espíritu Santo a través de la conversación y la acción.
Page 12 March 2019First Communion
Congratulations to the children who received their First Communion on February 3. “When we eat and drink this meal, we are
strengthened in faith, receive forgiveness of sin, life and salvation.” We joyfully celebrate this faith milestone as they join us at
the holy table.
Pictured l to r: Pastor Lowell Michelson, Caleb Joseph, Theo Blaylock, Zachary Hill,
Sylvia Gruber, Evan Davis, Lisa Bacu, Pastor Corey Wagonfield
Follow Lord of Life!
Have you noticed? Lord of Life has expanded our social
media presence. Please take a moment to follow us so that
you can stay up to date on the latest news, as well as get an
expanded look at all the ways we live, share, and celebrate,
God’s love in Jesus Christ.
@LordofLifeWestChester
Watch Your Mailbox! @Lord_of_Life_Ohio
Share the Light Update Arriving in Early March
Our quarterly report will include all of the updates from the @Lord_of_Life_OH
recent temple talk, the March 3 Building Committee meeting,
and more!
Lifeline Page 13So many fun things in February! It started off with our 2 nd
annual Sweetheart Dance. This is such a fun event with a DJ,
photo booth, and snacks. Many schools do Father/Daughter,
Mother/Son dances but we chose to include the whole family.
Great memories were made!
We had chapel with Pastor Lowell and he talked about God’s
love for us; the kids always enjoy Chapel Time!
Two of our classrooms have their Community Helpers theme
this month so we have had lots of visitors: Animal Friends,
Pediatric Dentist Dr. Webb, West Chester Police Department
(Including our own Officer Maggie Clem!), and West Chester
Fire Department. The kids always love this month!
The 4 and 5 year-old classes went to the Taft Theater to see
the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s production of The Jungle
Book. And don’t forget Valentines parties. What a fun-filled
month!
Our Summer Camp registration is now open. This summer we
are offering five 4-day camps, for children ages 3-entering
Kindergarten.
May 20-23 Going on Safari
May 28-31 (*Tues-Fri) Curiosity Camp
June 10-13 Fun & Fitness
June 24-27 Art Explosion
July 8-11 STEAM Camp
Children do not need to attend preschool here to attend
summer camp. See Paula for a flyer or find it on our website
www.lolcp.com.
We still have openings for the 2019-2020 school year.
Paula Drake
Preschool Director
preschool@lol-lutheran.com
Page 14 March 2019It’s hard to believe that I am seven months into my internship
here at Lord of Life. A third of my time with you has come and
gone in what seems like the blink of an eye. I could write a
sentimental blog that recaps all of the emotional rollercoasters
from the past few seasons, but instead, I want to continue to face
forward and look to the future of ministry at Lord of Life. There VISIONING
is nothing wrong with embracing the past and remembering it,
but having a vision for the future is what propels us forward into
the work God is calling us to do. FOR THE
I like to think of visioning as “picturing an end result and then
figuring out how to get there.” Over the last year, Lord of Life FUTURE
entered a visioning process, entitled “Share the Light,” and asked
ourselves: Where do we see God leading our congregation in the
next three years? Through that process we realized that our
space, and lack thereof, was a real hindrance to our growth. We envisioned a pathway to
update our building to fire code in order to build an expanded, multi-purpose community
space off of our current welcome area. Without the visioning process, we may have just
continued with the status quo, and continued to wring our hands at the lack of meeting space
needed each week.
This past Saturday, during our Urban Immersion trip to
Hamilton, we met with Pastor Shaq of Truth and Life
Community Church, and she shared with us about how
she recently led a visioning board seminar where
people came to vision where they want to be in mind,
body, in spirit over the next year. They assembled
words, pictures, and Scripture on their boards to serve
as a visual reminder and roadmap of the path they need
to take in order to reach their goal.
As part of my internship project here at Lord of Life, I
want to help develop a scalable visioning process that
can be used by each of our Ministry Areas. Imagine if
we had a two-year roadmap of where we wanted to be
in the areas of Care, Fellowship, Adult Learning,
Youth, Worship, Evangelism, Property, Outreach, and
Stewardship; what is God calling us toward in each of
these areas? To take on all of these at the same time
would be foolishness, so I starting with Stewardship,
and if it goes well, the same process can be used by the
other Ministry Areas. I cannot, nor do I want to, do this
all on my own. I want this process to be empowering to members of this congregation as they
assume roles of leadership and service. If you are interested in serving as part of this new
Stewardship Visioning Team, please contact me: intern@lol-lutheran.com.
Maybe God isn’t calling you to serve on this new visioning team, but take some time in silence
and prayer, and ask God, “where are you calling me to use my gifts, talents, and passions?
How do you want me to grow God? Give me a vision of how I can serve you!”
God Bless,
Pastor Corey Wagonfield, Seminary Intern
Lifeline Page 15LORD OF LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH
6329 Tylersville Road West Chester, Ohio 45069
www.lol-lutheran.com | 513.777.8449
www.facebook.com/LordofLifeWestChester
instagram@Lord_of_Life_Ohio
twitter@Lord_of_Life_OH
Lord of Life Contact Information
Staff Ministry Area Coordinators
Pastor: Lowell Michelson Worship Schedule Adult Learning: Becky Mastalerz
pastorlowell@lol-lutheran.com LaVonda Moore
Traditional 8 am
Contemporary 9:30 and 11 am Care: Ava Fiebig
Office Administrator: Cara Hasselbeck Evangelism: Rick Ponton
office@lol-lutheran.com Nursery is open at all services. Melissa Stidham
VEIL Bilingual Service Fellowship:
Music Director: John Johns Outreach: Doug Gruver
musicdirector@lol-lutheran.com Most Sundays 4 pm
Kathryn Gruver
Seminary Intern: Corey Wagonfield Church Office Hours: Property:
intern@lol-lutheran.com Stewardship:
Monday-Thursday 8 am - 1:30 pm
Worship: Lois Hills
Friday 8 am - noon
Preschool Director: Paula Drake Youth: Lisa Bacu
preschool@lol-lutheran.com Danielle Beneteau
Church Council
Financial Manager: Donna Harvey President: Vasanthi Chalasani
financialmanager@lol-lutheran.com
Vice-President: Eric Zwarg VEIL Latino Ministry
Secretary: Teresa Schleibaum Pastora Carmen Colón-Brown
Financial Secretary: Tyler Keith veil2010@ymail.com
contributions@lol-lutheran.com Treasurer: Lisa Bohorfoush
At-Large: Susan Clem
Custodian: Ava Fiebig Denise Krallman
custodian@lol-lutheran.com Tad Metzger
Nicole Mulloy
Deanna Wilson
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