October 2018 - Lord of Life Lutheran Church
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October 2018
Telling the story of how we live, share and celebrate
with all people, God’s love in Jesus Christ.
BLESSING OF THE BEASTS
Sunday, October 7, 4 pm
Lord of Life Outdoor Chapel
Rain or Shine!
Bring your pet to this joint worship service with St. Anne Episcopal
where we bless and celebrate the animals God created. In the event of
rain we will meet under the front portico.
Several shelters will also be here with adoptable pets -- bring your pet
or take one home!
If you would like to donate supplies to support a local shelter, here is
a wish list of items:
New or used Towels
Canned food for puppies/kittens
Canned food for dogs/cats
Cat and dog treats
RUMMAGE SALE
Saturday, October 13, 8 am – 1 pm
Rummage Sale Donation Drop Off Begins
Next Sunday, October 7, Noon
Lord of Life Preview Night
Friday, October 12, 6 - 8 pm
Mark your calendar and start boxing up treasures to donate!
Don’t miss this sale! Great deals on gently used furniture, kid
stuff, books, kitchen goods, garden gear, sporting goods,
holiday decor, and more! How can you help?
ADVERTISE the sale. Tell your friends and neighbors about
our sale, and share our Facebook post.
DONATE. Drop off your gently used treasures beginning on Sunday, October 7 at 12:30 pm. Anyone is welcome to donate
items to the sale, but we cannot accept clothing or CRT TVs/computer monitors.
VOLUNTEER. We need people to sort and price merchandise on Sunday, October 7 and throughout the week. We also need
people to greet and direct shoppers the day of the sale.
SHOP. Come and discover the bargains. Join us on preview night and get an early start on your hunt for treasures.
Thanks for your support and love of our Youth! Want to help? Have a question? Need help transporting a large donation item?
Contact Lori Krach or Janette Metzger, seniorhigh@lol-lutheran.com .
From the time I had graduated college until the time I started
seminary, if you had asked me if I were interested in going
back to school, I would have just laughed at you. I’m not
sure where and when the disconnect happened but there was
a time somewhere in junior high school where I checked out.
The model of lecture based classroom instruction just did not
appeal to me any longer. I worked just hard enough to get
A LIFETIME
good grades, calculating the exact grade I needed on a final
exam to get an “A” in the class and then only studying hard
OF
enough to hit that mark on the test.
LEARNING
In high school I latched onto theater classes because it gave
me a chance to learn through experience. I had never had a
class before that allowed me to learn on my feet and truly
experience education in an embodied way. I poured all of
my time into the theatrical community and eventually
decided that my calling was to be a professional actor. I was accepted into Wright State
University’s prestigious acting program and attended there for a year. I realized during that year
that while I really did enjoy acting, it was not my ultimate calling. I was more attracted to the
experiential nature of theater than the actual process of memorizing scripts and constant
auditioning.
Over time, I realized that ministry was my ultimate calling, but the idea of going to seminary
was terrifying. I did not want to go back into the lecture-based classroom for three or more
years. The idea of two years in the classroom and a two-year internship is what drew me to
Trinity Lutheran Seminary’s Master of Divinity program. I figured I could power through the
two years of classes in order to engage in the learning that most appealed to me, the
experiential learning of an internship.
A lifetime of learning is important! When we stop learning we stop growing, we stop
flourishing, we accept the status-quo, we allow others to shape us in ways we might not even
realize. As this new year of programming begins at Lord of Life I encourage you to find the
ways that you can grow in faith. It might be a lecture-based class at an online seminary, it
might be a pastor-led Bible study, it might be a women’s Bible study, it might be serving as a
Sunday School volunteer, it might be becoming a Stephen Minister, it might be serving as a
Ministry Area Coordinator (MAC), or any number of possibilities. Find the style of learning that
engages you and plug into it. Embrace the gifts that the Holy Spirit has empowered you with
and grow personally, grow communally, and grow in your relationship with God.
Still learning,
Corey Wagonfield
Page 2 October 2018
DISCOVER LORD OF LIFE COUNCIL NOMINATIONS
New Member Conversation Are you feeling a nudge to step deeper into leadership at Lord
Saturday, October 27 of Life? Consider working with a terrific team of people.
8:30 am - 1 pm There are several council positions on the ballot this
November: Vice President, Treasurer, and three At-Large. If
Are you searching for a place to
you are interested, or know someone who would be an asset
put down spiritual roots? Are you
to the team, contact Kara. Nominations must be turned in by
looking for a church home? Are
Sunday, October 28.
you interested in learning more
about the mission and ministries of Kara Sagedal, treasurer@lol-lutheran.com
Lord of Life? You are invited to
join us for a new member
conversation as we get to know one another and have a chance
to learn more about the Christian faith and specifically about
life together here at Lord of Life. We’ll end with a light lunch MARK YOUR CALENDAR
served at the noon hour.
Childcare is available upon request. COUNCIL ELECTION AND
RSVP to the church office (office@lol-lutheran.com) by
Wednesday, October 24. BUDGET APPROVAL
Rick Ponton and Melissa Stidham
evangelism@lol-lutheran.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11
ALL SERVICES
STEPHEN MINISTRY
I first became aware of Stephen Ministry several years ago at another church. The program didn’t
get off the ground but I knew that it was something I wanted to do. When the program was
getting started at Lord of Life, I volunteered to take the training even before I became a
member. I have been visiting a resident in an assisted living facility weekly, since February. We
have established a good relationship that has been a blessing to both of us. Her face lights up
when I walk in which in turn makes me feel good. I know that she appreciates my visits and feel
that I am making a difference in her life, just by being a visitor she can count on seeing each
week.
As Stephen Ministers, we meet twice a month as a group to talk about our various
assignments. The people we meet with are referred to as our care receivers but never by their
name. We are able to support and encourage each other and offer suggestions that may be
considered for a particular situation for the Stephen Minister who is assigned. Currently I am the
only person who has a care receiver in an assisted living facility. Stephen Ministers also support
people who have a
variety of stressful situations in their lives or people
who just need someone to talk to, someone who isn’t Would you benefit from a Stephen Minister?
there to judge or fix things but rather support the care Almost anyone can benefit from having someone to listen to
receiver as they work to find answers on their own. It is what is on their heart. A few examples of struggles that a
a rewarding program for all concerned. Stephen Minister can walk alongside you through are: grief,
divorce, illness, job loss, loss of a home, military deployment,
loneliness, or spiritual crisis. If you would like more information
about receiving care for yourself or a loved one, please let us
Aleen Miller know.
If you would like to explore being a care giver, please contact us.
Ava Fiebig, stephenministry@lol-lutheran.com
Lifeline Page 3
Choirs and music might be the last things you would associate with the concept of
justice. You show up, you sing, you try to make pretty music, and you go home. It’s
a good evening if that’s something you love to do. But it is so much more than that.
At least the way we do it here at Lord of Life, an ensemble that makes music
JUSTICE together is like a microcosm of God’s kingdom of justice and peace.
Whether we’re talking about choir, the praise band, youth band, children’s choir,
FOR THE hand bells, or the multitude of musicians who offer their talents on special
occasions, each person has an important part to play. The whole group is made
CHOIR better because of the talents and commitment each individual brings to the table.
The diversity of the gifts and backgrounds of our musicians adds a richness and spirit
to our ensembles that wouldn’t be there if everybody had the same education and
grew up in the same neighborhood. And truly anyone can have a role – if someone
wants to sing but has never sung before, they lean on the other singers to learn to
match pitch, to blend their vowels, and to sing at the right time. And we all lovingly
help them along without judging them.
All of these thoughts about music as an example of justice and equality were
swirling through my head when I was downtown for Cincinnati’s Oktoberfest last
weekend. The threat of rain kept the largest part of the crowd away, but there were
still several bands with fun music, stalwart wearers of lederhosen and feathered hats,
and of course all the beer and German food you could possibly want. Operating in
the midst of everyone, but going almost unnoticed, were the employees busily
dragging around and emptying the large trash bins.
As I sat down to eat my $6 sauerkraut balls, I casually thought, “you couldn’t pay
me enough to be one of those employees.” And it hit me right away just how much
there was to unpack in that simple thought. If “you couldn’t pay me enough” to do
that job, what is the right price for the job? The woman who caught my attention
was pushing a can in front of her and pulling another behind her. She was certainly
working hard and the work didn’t stop – there was always more garbage. I’m almost
certain what she was being paid was not what I would have considered “enough”.
Hard work wasn’t enough to make the job more valuable. Even if she was going out
of her way to be a good employee, the best she could hope is that some manager
noticed her and gave her a tiny raise at the end of the year.
If we aren’t willing to pay more for jobs that we wouldn’t do ourselves, what does
that say about what we think of the people we expect to do them? Have we placed
such a low value on certain people that it doesn’t bother us to pay them so little to
do jobs we don’t want to do? I used my privilege and hard work to go to college so I
could make a wage without doing a job I wouldn’t be happy doing. For some
people, no matter how hard they work, they aren’t going to be able to afford a
degree. Or other circumstances might prevent them from being able to go to school.
Those doesn’t make the work they do less difficult or less valuable.
We certainly can’t change the way the economy works overnight. But we can be
conscious of how we think about and treat people who are doing those jobs we
don’t want to do ourselves. They are contributing to the fabric of society just like the
rest of us are.
John Johns
Page 4 October 2018
ADULT LEARNING
Women at the Well
First Monday of the Month
Begins November 5
Cindy Clay’s home
It’s back! Join in as the group reunites and welcomes back old
friends and welcomes new members. They will be reading Box
of Butterflies by Roma Downey as a group at each meeting
and discussing how it applies to the Bible and our lives today.
Cindy Clay, womenatthewell@lol-lutheran.com
Men’s Bible Study
ALTAR FLOWERS 1st & 3rd Mondays of each month
October 7 Given by the Piontek family in memory of 7 - 9 pm, George Bryans’ home
Ron’s father, Siegfried Piontek Begins October 1 with Oktoberfest at Gruver’s Barn
October 14 Given by the Bohorfoush family in honor of Join us! The men's Bible study will start the year off with an
Amy and Julie’s birthdays Oktoberfest celebration to welcome newcomers and welcome
October 21 Given by Nancy Fries back old friends. BYOB and a chair. Can't make it October 1?
No problem. Come as you are able.
October 28 Given in honor of Chrystopher Weisbrod’s
11th birthday George Bryans, mensbiblestudy@lol-lutheran.com
Do you have a special day you’d like to commemorate? How
about someone you’d like to honor or remember? You can sign
Couples’ Bible Study
up to provide altar flowers and have that event or person noted 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of each month
in the weekly announcements. The Flower Chart is on the 7 - 8 pm in the church library
Worship bulletin board in the hallway between the nursery and Begins October 2
rest rooms, or you can email Cara in the office. More than one
individual can sign up for the same day. Cost is a $35 Traveling through life with a partner? Grab your better half and
donation. All monies go toward purchasing and sustaining settle in for some meaningful, Christ-centered learning,
fresh flowers for our worship space. laughing, and talking.
Cara Hasselbeck, office@lol-lutheran.com Deanne Dalhart, couplesbiblestudy@lol-lutheran.com
Thursday Morning Bible Study
9:45 am, in the Library
Join us this fall for a study on 1 Samuel.
Lisa Bacu, adultbiblestudy@lol-lutheran.com
BIBLE PRESENTATION
Congratulations to the following students who received their Adult Sunday School
Bibles on Sunday, September 23.
9:30am, in the Library
Madysen Archer Peri Metzger Come on Sunday morning and join the discussion on What’s
Kael Cox Ella Payne The Difference?: A look at Christian Denominations.
Isabella Horn Joshua Schleibaum
Pastor Ed Williams, adultsundayschool@lol-lutheran.com
At Lord of Life, we provide each student with a Bible, fulfilling
the promises made at baptism to place in our children’s hands
the Holy Scriptures. We believe the age for each child to
receive their new Bible is a decision best made by the parents,
but generally view the 3rd grade as an appropriate age for
opening their minds to the more complex passages and stories
not found in a Story Bible.
Lifeline Page 5
OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
FAMILY PROMISE
Next host date October 14 - 21
Family Promise, addresses the needs of families experiencing
homelessness by providing shelter, meals, and support services. As a
host congregation, Lord of Life will transform into a home for a
week, providing meals, shelter, and hospitality. It takes many
volunteers to make our host week a success, with opportunities to
serve taking place before, during, and after our host week. You can
sign up to be a part of this transformational ministry on the Family Promise board in the church gathering area, or online at
www.tinyurl.com/LOLFP10-18.
Michelle Payne, familypromise@lol-lutheran.com
Family Promise 2nd Birthday Party and Founder Presentation
Lord of Life was the site of a very special celebration, as Family Promise of Butler County celebrated two years of helping
families. The party featured a special guest speaker, Karen Olson, founder of the Family Promise parent organization. She shared
some of the rich history of Family Promise, which began 30 years ago in New Jersey and has grown to over 200 affiliates
throughout the United States. Guests included current and former Family Promise participants, volunteers, and organizers.
LORD OF LIFE VIDEO
Recently, our seminary intern, Corey
Wagonfield, started an online class that is
part of his continuing theological
education. As a way of introducing our
congregation to his classmates, he was
asked to make a short video with a virtual
tour of our space and ministries. Instead of
just recording a walk around our building,
he decided to get creative and blast
through some of the ministries in which we
share. Visit the Lord of Life Facebook page
to check out the video.
Page 6 October 2018
SO MANY WAYS TO SERVE
Fall is a great time to jump into ministry! Are you feeling the
nudge to get more involved? There are so many ways to
serve, from worship assistants and building projects to
ministry area coordinators (MACs). We have service
opportunities with varied time commitments and skill
requirements, including roles with no previous skills
required!
If you are curious about a particular ministry area, would like
to hear about existing opportunities, or would like to talk
about an idea you have, feel free to reach out to the staff,
council, or the ministry area coordinators. You can find a
complete list on the back of the Lifeline, or at
www.lol-lutheran.com.
COMMUNITY GARDEN Cara Hasselbeck, vicepresident@lol-lutheran.com
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 9 am
weather permitting
Help stock local food banks by tending our community
garden. If you would like to learn about gardening or you are
a gardener. we can use your help. Garden helpers plant,
water, weed, harvest and deliver the vegetables to Faith
Alliance Food Pantry and Haven House Homeless Shelter in CALLING ALL QUILTERS!
Hamilton. You can sign up on the Outreach Bulletin Board,
The quilting ministry creates beautiful blankets for local
email your information to Jennie, or just come as you are
charities and baptismal blankets for our little ones. They are
able. There are always weeds to pull!
looking for additional hands to help cut, sew, and knot
Our tremendous gardening team has harvested over 2,000 quilts! Experienced quilters and those who have never sewn
pounds of produce to date this season. are all welcome! If you want to learn more, or are ready to
Jennie Gruber, garden@lol-lutheran.com jump in, let us know. The quilting team will be setting a new
meeting schedule based on the availability of those who are
STEPPING FORWARD interested.
Tuesday, October 23 Ann Popoff, quilting@lol-lutheran.com
5:30 pm
Faith United
Outreach Team Meeting
Methodist Church
Monday, October 22, 7 pm
Come and help us prep and
serve a hot meal for our Senior High Room
neighbors in need. Stepping All are welcome. Come and share your ideas or learn
Forward, a ministry of the how you can step into our existing programs.
Faith Alliance, is a weekly
Doug and Kathryn Gruver, outreach@lol-lutheran.com
community meal and
enrichment opportunity that
equips low-income families
with the skills, knowledge,
and nourishment they need to take the next step forward in
life. Hosted at Faith Community Methodist Church, West
Chester, Lord of Life takes our turn the fourth Tuesday of each
month. We need your help feeding our neighbors.
All you need are willing hands and a willing heart: all ages and
abilities are welcome to serve.
Kathy Calihan, steppingforward@lol-lutheran.com
Lifeline Page 7
GOD’S WORK. OUR HANDS.
Each year, the ELCA has a day of service to kick off the
school year. It is an opportunity for us to be the Church in
the community as we serve and love on our neighbors and
demonstrate God’s love among us and through us. On
Sunday, September 9, we created gift baskets and delivered
them to our local police and fire stations, and painted an
apartment at Haven House homeless shelter.
Union Elementary Day of Service
Sunday, October 7, Noon - 2 pm
Bring the whole family and join us at Union Elementary to
mulch, trim, and maintain the playground. This work was
originally planned as part of the original day of service, but
was rained out.
Page 8 October 2018
On Sunday, September 9, over three dozen youth and
adults from Lord of Life and our partner Latino
congregation, Vida Eterna Iglesia Luterana (VEIL),
participated in an exciting day of service called “Gods
Work. Our Hands.” Presiding Bishop of the ELCA
Elizabeth Eaton says, “This day is an opportunity to
celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran
GOD’S WORK
Church in America – one church, freed in Christ to
serve and love our neighbor.”
At Lord of Life, we had three projects ready to go:
Police and Fire visits, Union Elementary
beautification, and interior painting at Haven
House family shelter. Because of the
unrelenting rain, we delayed the outdoor
projects at Union Elementary. See the
reschedule information on the opposite page.
One group decorated cardboard boxes with colorful paper and then stuffed
them full of dinner fixings, snacks, “Live Generously” T-shirts, and
homemade cards, before wrapping them up and heading out to deliver the
care packages to the West Chester Police Department and five of our West
Chester Fire Stations. One of our people, upon greeting the fire personnel,
said, “Thank you for all you do to protect and serve our community. We
know that it means time away from your families.”
Our other group descended upon downtown Hamilton in order to serve at
Haven House, a shelter for families that are experiencing homelessness. In
just a few short hours, twenty-one of us were able to paint from floor to
ceiling almost all of a five bedroom apartment that is used as gathering and
play space for these families in transition. One worker mentioned, “Laughter,
music, and stories were shared as we bonded through service with our larger
community.”
While we didn’t get to meet the families that were currently staying at Haven
House, we hope that this newly painted commons area will bring them joy
and show them Christ's love. Jesse at Haven House said, “It looks great! We
appreciate everything you all did.”
Other congregations in the area tied quilts, assembled care bags, served hot
meals, worked in gardens, planted flowers, picked up litter, and a whole
bunch of other fantastic and life-giving opportunities. If you missed it, don’t
worry. There will be plenty of other opportunities for you to serve. Not only
will we have other organized moments of serving together, but our hands,
feet, hearts, and minds are part of God‘s redemptive work every day. It’s who
we are created to be! It was great to be part of an event in unity with our fellow
Lutherans as an extension of all the great things we’re always doing at Lord of Life.
We are part of God’s work in this place. Our hands, words, actions, prayers, and lives
all point to the One Jesus Christ who came to give us abundant life and teach us how
to love and serve all people!
With gratitude,
Pastor Lowell
Lifeline Page 9
VEIL HALLOWEEN FIESTA
AND FUNDRAISER FOR
ELCA YOUTH GATHERING
Saturday, October 27
Lord of Life Fellowship Hall
AFTERNOON FIESTA TEEN FIESTA
4 - 6 pm 7 - 9 pm
for ages infants - grade 5 for grades 6 - 12
Youth in grades 6 through 12 are
Join us for games, prizes and treats! invited to an evening of scary fun,
prizes and treats!
SUPPORT VEIL
VEIL has an ongoing need for:
Thin Feminine pads, Overnight and Regular
Plastic Tampons
Baby Wipes
Size 6 Diapers
If you shop at Kroger, you can sign up with their Community
Rewards program and choose VEIL
(Vida Eterna-Iglesia Luterana) as the group you would like to
support. The VEIL Kroger code is YG489. A percentage of all
you spend at Kroger is given to this mission church.
VEIL MUSICIAN NEEDED
VEIL is looking for a musician to accompany worship services.
This part-time, paid position works up to 2 hours per week.
Piano or guitar players preferred, and no Spanish speaking is
required. Interested parties should contact Pastora Carmen at
veil2010@ymail.com.
Page 10 October 2018SENIOR HIGH
Fellowship
CRAFTING FELLOWSHIP
Sundays, 6 - 7:30 pm
1st and 3rd Thursdays, in the Fellowship Hall
in the Senior High Room
Handcrafters of all ages, abilities, and interests are welcome
Faith Learning to come for fellowship, encouragement, and tips. Watch
the announcements for details on start date and time, as
Sundays, 9:30 - 10:30 am
well as group projects.
in the Senior High Room
Teresa Schleibaum, tschleibaum@gmail.com
The goal of our Senior High youth program is to help our
youth grow in faith by teaching them how to apply Faith in
Action as disciples of Christ, while they become more
independent and experience new challenges in life. We will
explore practical ideas to develop long-term faith. The group
meets each week on Sunday evenings for fun and fellowship.
It is our goal to help create a community where teens are
valued and free from the fear of peer pressure and rejection.
We also provide opportunities to recognize and respond to the
gifts God has blessed them with through service opportunities
in many different ministry areas of our congregation, the
larger Church and world communities.
Lori Krach, Janette Metzger, & Tera Michelson
seniorhigh@lol-lutheran.com
FALL FAMILY FELLOWSHIP
Pumpkin Patch
NEW Schappacher Farm
HELP WANTED!
3068 State Route 73, Wilmington
Child Care Provider/Nursery Coordinator
Sunday, October 21, 2 pm
Lord of Life is looking for a Child Care Provider &
Nursery Coordinator. This part-time position works up to Join us at the new farm for some informal family fun. Free
5 hours per week. A High School Diploma or GED is hay ride, free corn maze, pick-your-own pumpkin, and fall
required. Experience in Early Child Education/Child Care décor. Word has it that Timmy the Train is ready to go too
is preferred. A detailed job description is available on our for an additional cost. Stay as long as your family is having
website. Interested parties should send a cover letter, fun.
resume and references to staffsupport@lol-lutheran.com. Lisa Bacu, youth@lol-lutheran.com
Lifeline Page 11NEXT STEPS
Thank you for your support and prayers as we launched the Share the Light
campaign at Lord of Life. With a strong start under our belts, it’s time to get to
work. Planning for projects of this size will take time and many hearts and
minds. As of the latest report, this community has raised over $221,000 of the
$1.1 million goal, with over $900,00 pledged! Thank you for your faithfulness
and generosity in support of God’s mission here.
As we move into autumn, our next step in this exciting journey will be to
assemble two teams that will make plans and continue our forward momentum.
Building Expansion Town Hall These teams will partner with other Share the Light leadership and the Council
Sunday, September 30 as we move forward.
Noon - 1 pm, Light Refreshments DESIGN TEAM: This group will be charged with taking our
vision and creating effective solutions to meet our building
Join us for conversation as we discuss our needs and design the most effective use of the spaces we are
first steps in moving forward with the building and renovating.
Share the Light building expansion. Share
the Light leadership and council members GUIDANCE TEAM: This group will take charge of the details,
will be available to answer questions and such as managing contracts, keeping the project on schedule
outline our next steps. and budget, completing the quoting process, and following
through with the progress.
Pastor Lowell, pastorlowell@lol-
lutheran.com Progress reporting and updates on gifts towards the Share the Light campaign
will be sent quarterly to the community by the Connections Team. Questions
are always welcome as we journey towards our future.
Quarterly Giving Report
The teams will begin meeting within the first two weeks of October, following
Thank you for your continued generosity
the September 30 Town Hall where questions and discussion regarding the
for the Share the Light campaign. Look for
campaign are encouraged. If you are interested in being part of leadership for
the quarterly giving report from the
these next steps, please be in touch with Pastor Lowell.
Connection Team, coming soon. This will
report on donations since the First Fruits If you would like more information, stop by the Share the Light bulletin board
Offering through September. in the church gathering area and pick up a campaign brochure. If you haven’t
made a pledge to the campaign, yet, now is the time to step in and help us
Share the Light. Pledge cards are available in the church gathering area.
“Lord, We look forward to our journey together!
In hope and peace,
what do you
want to do
Nicole Mulloy Molly Keith
through me?” Share the Light Connections Team
connectionsteam@lol-lutheran.com
STEWARDSHIP
Our lives are full of growing
moments: We grow when learn
something new. We grow when we
take a risk. We grow when we reach
out a hand to help. Growing is part
of our lives of faith, too. Throughout
the month of October, we will share
with you how we continue to grow
and invite you to grow with us.
stewardship@lol-lutheran.com
Page 12 October 2018RECOVERY GROUPS
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
Sundays, 7:30 pm, in the Fellowship Hall
child care provided
aa@lol-lutheran.com
AL-ANON
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
Will Noll Dita Donner Melodie Yeager Carrie Dryer
Bill Kley Valerie Chapel Naomi Ashley Tricia Clark
Katherine Lovell Meredith Ahlberg Sara Brunner Tammy Jones
Jonathan Schriber Cathy Gebert The Keester Family Jacqui and Ken Roell
Susan Bergin Triston Phillips Paula Jennings Phil Panning
Fred Sieg Vilja Thompson Barb Chandler Mackenzie Hyde
Faye Ewing Paula Heinecke Janet Meyer Wanda Melford
For those who protect and serve
Sean Young
Maggie Clem
For newborns and their families
Liam Smith, grandson of Jenny Smith
For those who grieve, the friends and family of
Eldene Mericle, aunt of Jeanne Doan
Gabriella Rodriguez, former student of Maria Ripley
Marlene Kruse, friend of Rosemary Kautz
Ellie Weik, daughter of Tam Weik and sister of Laura Weik
Violet Whitmore, grandmother of Julie Comatas and Angie Kovacs
Joshua Mortonstrauss, friend of the Ripley family
Keith Friend, cousin of Cindy Campbell
Sandy Wiesman, friend of Nancy Fries
To make a prayer request please contact: prayerchain@lol-lutheran.com, 513.777.8449.
Lifeline Page 13Wow, what a great start to the school year!! We have almost 100
children and they are settling in very nicely. They are learning their
ABCs, 123s, loving God, and loving each other! We had our first
chapel time with Pastor Lowell and he talked about creation and all
the amazing things God made.
There are many events coming up in October, including picture day,
farm field trips, guest speakers, pumpkin carving with dad, and
halloween parties. So much fun at LOLCP!
Part of a Back to School Prayer:
I know that each child is handpicked for me. You are not a God
of mistakes. You always have a purpose and a plan. Help me to
see each child as a gift; a seed ready to be planted, watered and
bloom. Pour into me words of wisdom , the right things to say
and teach, in order for each child to grow into the beautiful
flower they are meant to be.
You are the Almighty Teacher and whatever comes my way is
Your plan. Please grant me the love, wisdom, joy and peace to
do Your work.
Paula Drake
preschool@lol-lutheran.com
Page 14 October 2018Kids have many questions. If you have ever eaten at a restaurant,
explored the woods on a nature hike, gawked at the zoo, rested in a
restroom, created a craft, read a book, listened to music, fixed dinner,
mowed the lawn, meandered on the beach, pumped gas, or attempted
to take a nap in the vicinity of a precious little one, you know what I’m
saying. The endless barrage of who, what, when, where and why keeps
you on your toes and can wear you down to the bone.
Q&A
Kids are looking for answers to all of life’s problems, puzzles, and
happenings. They are on the hunt. Big or small, they need to know.
Thankfully, they are bold enough to ask and ask and ask. Their
impassioned seeking fuels their quest for answers. If you try to ignore
them, they’ll continue asking, seeking, and knocking until you finally
cannot bear the interruption any longer.
Maybe one of the reasons that Jesus enjoyed time with children was
because they weren’t afraid to open their mouths and say whatever they were thinking. Their brutal
honesty mingled the obscene and absurd in the same breath. They didn’t have the capability to turn on
their interior editor and filter or correct their honest speech before it came spewing forth.
A few years ago, Elizabeth Blair wrote a fascinating piece, Beyond Books: Libraries Lend Fishing Poles,
Pans and People. Leading with the question, “What's the point of a library in the digital age?”, Blair
reveals the creative ways that many libraries are expanding their resources by making sporting
equipment, tools and even people available for check out.
“‘Libraries that are loaning out people often refer to them as ‘human
books.’ Sometimes they even … give them catalog numbers …
Public librarians have contact with all walks of life,’ says Amy Greer,
who coordinated a Human Library event at the Providence
Community Library in Rhode Island. ‘So we created an application,
and we approached people we see every day.’”
“They came up with a collection of 40 human books. Among the
stories, says Greer, ‘Refugee ... woman with a face deformity ... ex-
felon.’ Over 200 people browsed the catalog and checked out books.
‘Then they would go and sit down with that person for 20 minutes
for a one-on-one conversation ... And they would just have a
dialogue,’ says Greer.” You can read the whole article here:
www.npr.org/2013/08/13/211697593/beyond-books-libraries-lend-
fishing-poles-pans-and-people.
What a tremendous opportunity to engage a spectrum of stories and people. This process of lifelong
learning leads to greater knowledge, as well as a deeper understanding of those with whom we live.
We don’t need to shy away from wonder and discovery. We stand in a long line of Christians who are
not afraid to ask questions and wrestle with difficult issues, seek Scripture for hope and inspiration, and
knock on the doors of heaven over and over with our prayers for guidance and peace.
In all of this, we trust that God is pursing us and inviting us to continue learning about the love and
mission of God. What does God ask of us? Where is God seeking us and calling us? Where in our
hearts and minds is God knocking, hoping that doors and opportunities will become open and available
for God’s purpose?
I pray that the Spirit helps us revert to our childhood curiosities. Together, let’s spend the year asking
questions. Who is God calling us to be? Where are we willing to follow Jesus? How can God use us to
bring hope and dignity to all people?
Our asking will push us into new territories where we’ll have the opportunities to seek a broader
picture, listen to other voices, and search for God’s presence in our lives and in the world.
Still filled with wonder and awe,
Pastor Lowell
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
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
Kathy Gruver
Seminary Intern: Corey Wagonfield Church Office Hours: Property: Lori Krach
intern@lol-lutheran.com Stewardship:
Monday-Thursday 8 am - 1:30 pm
Worship: Deanne Dalhart
Friday 8 am - noon
Preschool Director: Paula Drake Lois Hills
preschool@lol-lutheran.com Youth: Lisa Bacu
Church Council Danielle Beneteau
Financial Manager: Donna Harvey President: Vasanthi Chalasani
financialmanager@lol-lutheran.com
Vice-President: Cara Hasselbeck
Secretary: Teresa Schleibaum VEIL Latino Ministry
Financial Secretary: Tyler Keith
contributions@lol-lutheran.com Treasurer: Kara Sagedal Pastora Carmen Colón-Brown
At-Large: Susan Clem veil2010@ymail.com
Custodian: Lori Krach Tad Metzger
custodian@lol-lutheran.com Nicole Mulloy
Dave Payne
Tam WeikYou can also read
