Palm Sunday Services– April 1 at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Prayer Services – April 2, 3, and 4 at 7:00 p.m.

Maundy Thursday Service – April 5 at 7:00 p.m.

Good Friday Service – April 6 at 7:00 p.m. with Choir Contata “The 7 Last Words”

Easter Vigil Service – April 7 at 7:00 p.m.

Easter Sunday Services – April 8 at 7:30, 9:15, and 11:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Easter Breakfast

        Bring your appetite on Easter morning when the Men's Group will once again cook and serve a hearty breakfast.  This year, serving will take place from 8:30-10:30 a.m.  The cost is $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for children under twelve.  Funds raised will help us sponsor the marionette show in December, and support the Angel Tree Christmas gift program.

         There’s still time  to order your florist

         quality  Easter lilies to decorate our wor-

         ship area for Easter Day services.  Sign

               up in the narthex up until April 4

                     noting who your plant(s) are in

                        honor of or in memory of.

                     Your $12.00 contribution can be

                            paid by check anytime up to

                                  Easter morning.  Please

                                  note in the memo portion

                               of your check that it is for

                              “Easter lilies”.

The Power of Prayer                             

“…to give them an ornament of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a heavy, burdened and failing spirit...”  Isaiah 61:3 (Amplified Bible)

                                                                       

The only way to be opened to the abundant blessings of God and to receive a “garment of praise”, or be transformed, is through prayer.  By “praying without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), we grow closer to our loving Friend and Savior, Jesus Christ.  As in any growing relationship, it is important to get to know one another, spending time together, sharing thoughts, feelings and experiences.  This is exactly what Jesus did during his ministry here on earth; he taught his followers about himself and his passions.

 

One of the greatest prayer lessons he taught came from the cross as he suffered an agonizing death on our behalf, for even then he prayed.   He prayed for the forgiveness of his persecutors.   “Father, forgive these people, for they know not what they are doing” (Luke 23:34/TLB).  How incredible it is to think that as he was dying on the cross, he was still teaching us by example to pray for those we feel have wronged or offended us.  This concept is a paradox in the sense that it is nearly impossible to remain angry & bitter towards anyone when you pray for them asking God for His blessing.  Imagine the scene, our Lord disgracefully crucified with the crowd mocking, accusing, laughing, jeering and provoking, yet Jesus, in His wisdom, did not respond in like.   Instead, He prayed.

 

Prayer is such an amazing thing.  It can heal anything from broken bodies to broken relationships.  But healing cannot happen until we pray as Jesus did.  We cannot expect forgiveness unless we practice forgiveness ourselves.  It is only then, when we have “emptied our pockets” of all the resentments, hurts and injustices we have experienced and turned them over to God through prayer that his transforming power can bring us peace and new life.

 

Author, Alma Barkman explains it this way, “We need to develop the habit of emptying our pockets, so to speak.  We must spread out our feelings before the Lord, prayerfully sort things through, and ask Him to dispose of the trash.  In so doing we will discover that we have exchanged our “spirit of despair” for a “garment of praise” (Isaiah 61:3).

 

 

 

Committee Night Set for April 16

 

The next Committee Meeting Night will begin with Council members and Discipleship chairs meeting at 6:00 p.m. with all committees meeting individually beginning at 7:15 p.m. in the fellowship hall.  A special presentation will be made by the renovation task force regarding concepts for a possible second phase renovation project. Please watch the bulletin for announcements concerning any further details and meeting times.

Our schedule for April includes:

April 1 -  Palm Sunday:  We continue a Bible study called "Passion of Christ:  Following His Last Week."

April 8 -  Easter - No class.

April 15, 22 and 29 - We begin an insightful four-part DVD series comparing and contrasting Christianity and Islam.  Today, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, with 13,000 mosques in North America alone.  Now that Muslims are our neighbors, how do we talk to them about Christ?  What do Muslims think about Jesus?  Which beliefs do we share in common with Muslims and where do we differ from them?  Do we worship the same God they worship?  Is the Father of Jesus the God of Muhammad?

Please join us for discussion, fellowship and your own enrichment each Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in Room F-1 of the Fellowship Hall.

Walk For Life

On April 28, the sixteenth Annual Walk for Life will take place at New Hope Center, 228 Thomas More Parkway.  This fundraiser enables New Hope to carry out its ministry to young women in unplanned pregnancies.  If you would like to be a walker, sponsor a walker or want information about the event, contact Bonnie Handahl at bbhand@fuse.net or call 331-7137.

Comings and Goings

 

The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.  (Psalm 121:8)

 

Have you wanted to be involved in "social justice" but keeping up on these political issues seems impossible?  This might be the way that you can respond.  About six months ago I joined the ELCA e-Advocacy Network.  They provide e-mail action alerts on a variety of political topics and they make sending messages to legislators very convenient. Because of our mission support, ELCA Church in Society can provide this advocacy network.  It is a tool that empowers us to live out the baptismal call to strive for justice in all the earth.  To sign up and raise you voice on a variety of issues that affect you, God's creation, and your brothers and sisters in Christ around the world, visit  www.elca.org/advocacy   Together our individual voices CAN make a difference.

 

I would like to have a "social justice advocacy" group that would meet one time a month to discuss and expand upon the current political issues.  If you would be interested please contact me, Walda Helvie, at:  walda.helvie@fuse.net  or 344-0103.  

     

Just want to let everyone know about the fun things the Senior group will be doing the next couple months.  On Tursday, April 12 we are going to the Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati.  We would love to have you join us.
       On Friday, May 11, we are going to the Stained Glass Theatre in Newport.  The play is a drama called "The Parade".  We will have dinner first at the Green Derby, which is just down the street from the theatre.
       Last year 20 people went and we all had a great time.  This year Gail Cato has put 18 seats, front row, on hold for us.  She has to let them know as soon as possible if we can fill that many, or hopefully need more.  Tickets are $16.00 each.  We need to get committed reservations as soon as we can.                                                 

–Shirley Benken

 

We closed the books for 2006 with an excellent year, thanks to a surge in contributions during the last quarter.  Thanks to all for catching up on those pledges, which are important to our financial health. We finished the year with income of $474,743 about $450 over budget and expenses of $443,131. This generated a surplus before renovations and benevolence surplus payments. We are off to a slow start this year.   Please catch up with your contributions now that those Christmas bills are paid.
     The stewardship committee led by Phil Schmidt and Becky Sittason has reported that pledges have rebounded for 2007 to $364,00 and 135 giving units over the $293,00 and only108 giving units of last year.  73% of next years budgeted income of $500,000 has been pledged.   We are grateful to the increased commitment to our financial health. Thank you!

     An active year round Stewardship program is planned including attention to new members joining.  There is a lot of opportunity for further improvements in financial health concentrating on a commitment to pledge from more members. Pledging is the lifeblood of commitment to our church stewardship.  Only about 50 % of giving units currently pledge.

     The computer upgrades were completed in February with new computers; new software and remote secure access for our Treasurer and Financial Secretary.   Thanks to Sue Abramis for organizing the project and to Rob Bosma for completing and installing it.  

     Gerald Pfaner competed his financial review of the Pre-School following his review of the Treasurer's reports.   We thank him for this time consuming and difficult task.

     Paula Ebert our Financial Secretary has arranged for Thrivent's automated giving program to be available to church members.  You can now fulfill your pledges and make donations on a weekly, semi-monthly or monthly basis through electronic funds transfer from your checking account.   More information will be shared soon on how to sign up, or talk to Paula.  

 

 

Men’s Book Fellowship Meets 4/10

 

     For the month of March we will be reading the book "Battle Cry for a Generation: The Fight To Save America's Youth" by Ron Luce.  We have a copy that we are passing around.  If you would like to read this book give me a call. 

     We will meet Tuesday April 10, 6:30 p.m. at Panera's in Crestview Hills.  If you have any questions please call Ed Budrick at 727-6543.

 

Now that the "March Madness" season is over, how will you fill your life with meaning?  Well, I'm halfway kidding of course...but who among us hasn't questioned the meaningfulness of our lives?  Who among us hasn't desired to seek for ourselves a time of spiritual growth and renewal...only to have to put it off or say, “wait 'til next year”?  An old fellow from Eastern Kentucky once told me that as a young man he was hired for a new and rather well paying job only to find out afterwards that it was going to interfere with his fishing.  I asked him, “What did you do”?  He said, "I did the only thing I could do....I got a different job."  Now I'm not suggesting you quit your job, but as author Emiliee Griffin says, "Times come when we yearn for more of God than our schedules will allow...." If this is true for you, the wait is over.  The time is now.  What a great opportunity for the men of Gloria Dei to gather together for a two day, one night men's retreat...a time to listen, a time to share, a time to be still, a time to grow, a time to be renewed...a time to fellowship.

      Still not sure if such an event is for you?  Listen to what some of your Gloria Dei brothers have to say about their past retreat experiences.  Bob Handahl says that it's a "combination of things" that makes the retreat special to him.  "It's a time to get away from the routine...a time to immerse yourself in faith and to learn new things about yourself."  Jim Bianchi says the retreat provides for him “a closeness    to    God"    and    that   he    enjoys   the tremendous feeling of "openness" present among all who attend.  Greg Land sums it up very well by saying that the retreat for him "provokes deep thinking about things, such as faith issues, that one might not think about if they didn't get away."   He also made the point that new relationships/friendships begin at the retreat and continue to develop afterwards.

      This years Men's Retreat will be held on Friday evening, April 20^th to Saturday early afternoon, April 21^st.  For the second year in a row the retreat will be held in the comfortable confines of General Butler State Park in Carrollton, Kentucky.  Make plans now to attend.  Lodging cost will be approximately $45 per person, double occupancy.  Eat dinner at the lodge or come already fed.  The first session will begin at 7:00 p.m.  There is a sign up sheet in the narthex.

 

The 2007 WELCA Directory has been assembled and is available from your circle president or in the church office.  Pick up your copy today!

 

Mary Circle - will meet Thursday, April 19, at the home of Shirley Benken beginning at 7:00 p.m  Charlotte Davis will have the program entitled "Birds of a Feather Flock Together."  All ladies are welcome.

 

Ruth Circle – will not have their regular monthly meeting in April.  Instead they will be collecting clothes for the Dress for Success project.  Please bring your gently used clothing (dry cleaned, pressed, and on hangers) to church during April.  Larger sizes and accessories are greatly appreciated.  They will also have a bake sale on Sundays, April 1 and April 22 after the 8:30 and 11:00 services.  Proceeds will go to Dress for Success with matching funds from Thrivent.  
Their May 3 meeting is on the National Day of Prayer.  They will be attending the 7:00 .m. service at church followed by dessert at Max & Erma's.

Martha Circle – will meet at 7:00 p.m. on April 23 at the home of Sara Kieffner, 806 Ashfield Court in Edgewood.  Her phone is 341-5131 if directions are needed.  Ellen Young's program will be based on the Mary and Martha Bible passages.  All ladies of Gloria Dei are welcome to attend.  

Did you know that the use of your Remke Grocery cards can benefit Gloria Dei?  It’s called “Remke Caring Neighbor Program”.  If you already have a card you can register your preferred customer number under 470 Mary Circle Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and up to 2% of all qualifying purchases will be forwarded to your favorite non-profit group.  Forms are available in the narthex.

  

    WELCA - EAST KY CLUSTER GATHERING

  AT GLORIA DEI LUTHERAN CHURCH

 

      SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2007

 

          9:30 a.m. CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

         (coffee, tea, Danish pastries, muffins, and fruit)

 

          10: 00 a.m. PRAYER, MEETING, SPEAKER

 

          11:30 a.m. BREAK FOR LUNCH

 

          11:45 a.m. LUNCH (free-will offering)

 

          12:45 p.m. MEETING DISCUSSIONS

                           (break out into groups)

 

          1:45 p.m. PRAYER/ADJOURNMENT

 

          FOR RESERVATIONS  CALL:  LINDA            

          GEISSELBRECHT AT 331-7862 (home)

          or 392-1432 (work) 

          or E-MAIL: Lgieselbrecht@gloriadei-nky.org