“Let us hold fast without wavering to the hope we profess, for he who has promised is faithful.  And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some.”  Hebrews 10:23-25a.

            Sometimes the scripture manages to say in just a few words what it takes us a lifetime to live out.  This text from Hebrews is a perfect example.  Three very powerful life lessons immediately jump out at us.

            “Hold fast without wavering to the hope we profess”.  We live in a world that does a real number on our sense of hope.  We are at war.  Gas prices are high and getting higher every day.  High transportation costs create higher food costs.  Flooding in the Midwest is likely to affect both the availability and the cost of food.  Terrorism is constantly in the back of our minds.  People under thirty express a sense of frustration because they believe that the system is stacked against their success.  The divorce rate is high.  We wonder who really does have their hands on the buttons of the many unaccounted for nuclear weapons.  The safety of our food seems to be in question.  The list of events, situations, and people that breed hopelessness seems to be endless.  And yet, the scripture tells us to hold ‘without wavering’ to the hope that we profess because “he who has promised is faithful”.  Everything depends on Christ’s faithfulness!  Not on our circumstance, our strength, our insight, our wisdom, our…., but on Christ!  We can live hope-filled lives because our hope does not lie in any characteristic of the world but rather it rests totally and completely in Christ and his promises.   It is simply really.  If we fill our thoughts with the world and treasure the world above Christ we will be constantly at the whims of the temporary, fickle, self- centered desires of the world.  No wonder we become hopeless.  If we fill our thoughts with Christ and treasure him about the world we will be hopeful regardless of the state of the world because we are centered on the one and only one whose promise is permanent, eternal and never broken.  

            “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds.”  The hope that we receive in Christ motivates a certain way of living that is grounded in love and goodness.  When we are centered on Christ and treasure him above everything else, we love God, ourselves, and others in healthy ways.  And because we love, we desire to live Godly lives. Of course it isn’t always easy to love in such a way.  We are surrounded not only with the hopelessness of a masterfully selfish world but also with temptations to think of ourselves ahead of others, fill our own cups, and do whatever we can get by with. 

That’s why we need one another, as Hebrews advises, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some.”  Every time that we gather in Christ’s name for the purpose of knowing, loving and worshiping him, we have another opportunity to refill our spiritual tank.

If you are feeling hopeless, if you need help to live the way that you would like to live, if you don’t always find it easy to stay Christ centered; come to church, raise your voices in song and adoration of Christ, join together with the whole people of God of all times in proclaiming your faith by your presence and your words, and God will touch even your hopelessness with hope.  It is a promise. 

                                                              -Pastor Vicki

Social Ministry News

Please note! Due to the reconstruction/remodeling of our narthex, we are going to suspend collecting items for United Ministry for the month of August.  However, our low income and no income neighbors still need our assistance. Please continue to help in one of two ways:

            1)  Write a check to Gloria Dei with United Ministries on the memo line. The church will see that UM gets your donation and you will receive a record of your donation on your next quarterly statement.

2) Take your donations to United Ministries located next door to the Erlanger Fire Station at 525 Graves Avenue between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or Saturday between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Food, household products, personal care items, and school supplies are most needed at this time.

Finance News

1.  Book Keeper for 2009 Gloria Dei

Job Description:  Average of 10 hours per month to close the books and publish financial statements for Gloria Dei.   Would work under direction from the Church Treasurer and closely with Accounts Payable function filled by another party. 

2. Church Treasurer for 2009 Gloria Dei

Job Description:  Average of 5 hours per month monitoring Book Keeping and Accounts Payable and providing wide ranging financial oversight to Gloria Dei. Position is an elected officer of Gloria Dei.    (Possible to combine this function with the Book Keeper role for the right candidate)

If we do not find a candidate from within Gloria Dei to fill the bookkeeping role, we will need to hire either an individual or outside accounting firm to take on these responsibilities beginning January 2009.  The expense of doing so will need to be budgeted for subtracting from our means to do other things as a congregation. 

Please come forward and contact either Bob Frey or Steve Kieffner if you can serve Gloria Dei in either capacity next year. 

Choir News

The Chancel Choir will resume participation in the 11:00 worship service on September 7.  However, something new- a Choir Retreat- has been added this year.  Current choir members and prospective members are invited to convene at the church on Saturday, September 6, for a day of rehearsing and socializing.  The tentative schedule for the retreat is:

8:30-9:00 a.m. Continental breakfast and opening devotion

9:00-11:30 a.m. Sing through all anthems for the fall season

11:30-1:00 p.m.  Lunch at area restaurants

1:00-3:00 p.m. Sing through Christmas cantata, "Sing the Songs of Bethlehem"

3:00-3:15 p.m.  Closing Devotion

A choir retreat provides a tremendous kick-start to the season as well as a great way to bring new members into our "extended family."  If you love to sing the Lord's praises, please give prayerful consideration to joining the Chancel Choir as we re-convene for fall.

The Christmas cantata, to be presented at the 11:00 service on December 14, promises to be truly special and will serve as one of the events planned in celebration of the completion of the building project.  The cantata, "Sing the Songs of Bethlehem," will feature the Chancel Choir and soloists accompanied by string quartet, harp, flute, oboe, and piano.  We will be rehearsing pieces from the cantata on Wednesday nights, 7:30 to 9:00, throughout the fall, beginning with the retreat.  There will be one special "dress rehearsal" with the instruments on Thursday, December 11, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.  Choir members and prospective choir members are encouraged to reserve these dates on your calendars now!

                                                          Soli Deo Gloria

The Power of Prayer

“For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.”  (Matthew 18:20)

TRY ASKING GOD…TOGETHER

          Have you ever wondered if praying as a group is really that important?  Is it a struggle for you to step out of your personal prayer closet and into group prayer?  If so, you are far from alone.  To grow in faith means we must be willing to step out of our comfort zones in answer to God’s call to serve, especially through prayer.  This is a responsibility we have as believers to one another.  It is an act of Christ-like love.  Praying as a group is vital because praying for others not only empowers the prayers being offered, it deepens our relationship with God and one another.

         An excellent example of this comes from a book by Charles L. Allen called All Things Are Possible Through Prayer.  He shares the following story about Kate Smith called, “Daring to Ask”…

         “Kate Smith was asked to describe her philosophy of living.  She said it had been the same since she was a little girl and could be stated in just three words, ‘Try asking God’.  Then she told the story of the beginning of that faith for her.

         Once she was out in a rowboat on the Chesapeake Bay with two other girls.  All three were in their early teens.  They did not notice that the outgoing tide had swept them far out from the shore and that it was nearly dark.  They suddenly became filled with fear.  They cried for help but no one could hear.  Then Kate Smith remembered a statement in the Bible that if two or three are gathered together in His name, He is in the midst of them.

         ‘We have the limit,’ she said to her friends.  ‘The Bible says ‘two or three’, we have three.  God will save us if we ask Him.’  They prayed.  And out of the gathering darkness loomed the lines of a boat.  They were taken on board and carried back to safety.  From that time on, in trouble, in need, in disappointment, in every circumstance of life, her philosophy has been simply, ‘Try asking God’.

         If you haven’t yet begun to apply this practice of praying together to your own life, today may be a great opportunity to “Try asking God” with other members of your faith family here at Gloria Dei either in worship or any other time you gather together as a community in Christ.    

As you know, Peggy Fisher and Dolores Kreutzjans have retired as the Co-Directors of the Gloria Dei Preschool.  Early in the spring, Gloria Dei formed a Preschool Task Force that has been working hard over the last several months to search for, interview, and hire a new Preschool Director.  We are very pleased to announce that we have hired a new Director!  Our new Preschool Director is Debbie Bechtol.  Some of you may already know Debbie, as she is also a preschool parent, and taught the Older 4’s for the 2007/2008 school year.  Debbie has a Bachelor of Science in Education, and is currently working on a Graduate degree in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education.  She has also been a member of Gloria Dei for the past ten years. 

The Preschool Task Force and the Church Council are thrilled to welcome Debbie as the Preschool Director.  We are also very excited for you and your child(ren) to meet Debbie and experience her excitement for serving the Preschool. 

In addition, we are eager to inform you that we have formed a Preschool Governing Board.  The Governing Board’s main role is to support the Preschool and Debbie as the Preschool Director.  The Governing Board will also serve as a communication avenue between the church and the preschool and be a new ministry of the church. 

We are so pleased to be able to celebrate the many new blessings of the preschool.  At this time, we do not foresee any delay to school opening due to the church construction.  We are all looking forward to a wonderful school year!

-The Gloria Dei Preschool Governing Board

Debbie Bechtol, Director

Kristin Schmidt, Chair

Steve Kieffner, Vice-Chair

Emily Boomershine, Parent Board President

Pastor Vicki Garber

Jenny Bunnell

Christy Frey

The Gloria Dei Preschool has established an e-mailing list to communicate preschool information to the parents (school closings, newsletter availability, reminders, etc.).  To sign-up, go to http://gloriadei-nky.org/preschool.htm and click on the “E-Mail list” button at the top of the page or the link at the bottom of the page.

Circle News

Mary Circle- will meet on Thursday, August 21 at the home of Virginia Stutzman, 5309 River Road in Hebron. Call 689-4389 for directions or meet at church at 6:30 to car pool.  We will begin a Bible Study titled “Come to the Waters – Water, Water Everywhere”.  Bring a Bible.

Hannah Circle – will meet at Abuelo’s in Crestview Hills on Thursday, August 28 at 7:00 p.m.  Our service project for August will be collecting new or gently used coats.  If you need information about this project or about Hannah Circle, please contact Tina Smith at 261-6030 or hannah@gloriadei-nky.org. Hannah Circle welcomes all women of the church to our meeting. 

Martha Circle- will meet on Monday, August 25 at the home of Lynn Demi, 9664 Manassas Drive in Florence beginning at 7:00 p.m. for desserts and refreshments.  Linda Moore will co-host and give the devotions.   Tollie Chavis will present the program.  Call Lisa Miller at 331-8655 for car pool information.  All ladies of Gloria Dei are welcome to join us for any or all of our meetings.

Ruth Circle- will meet on Thursday, August 7 for an evening of fun.  Contact organizer Pauline Kendrick at 384-6546 for details.

The Quilters- will meet Thursday, August 7 at 6:30 p.m. in room F2.  All interested women are welcome.  You do not need to be skillful with a needle or sewing machine.  We make a very basic quilt and will gladly show you how to join in.  We meet beforehand at Bob Evans (off Orphanage Rd.) for supper at 5:00 p.m.  You’re welcome to join us there, too.

The Stitchers-  will meet on Monday, August 11 and 25.  If you would like to join this group to make premie hats and chemo hats for patients in local hospitals, come to room F2 at 7:00 p.m. Yarn is provided.

Five Women Joined 2000 Lutherans in Salt Lake City

When ELCA presiding Bishop Mark Hanson remarked that 77 percent of Lutherans do not realize they are part of a denomination beyond their congregation, we were stunned. To the more than 2,000 women in Salt Lake City attending the Women of the ELCA Triennial Convention and Spiritual Gathering, it was obvious we were part of something much bigger than our own congregations — and even bigger than our own country.

Sisters from as far away as Japan, Jordon, Kenya, Peru and New Guinea shared stories with us. Women pastors from multicultural, bilingual churches encouraged us to help dismantle poverty. And deaconesses washed our feet.

We learned new songs together, studied Scripture together, and simply embraced each other. Somehow strangers aren’t quite so strange when we worship the same Lord in much the same way.

Five women from Gloria Dei went to the Utah gathering in July at the invitation “Come to the Waters,” an image reminding us that we came to renew our baptismal vows and to be refreshed. And refreshment was abundant: singing by the Mormon Tabernacle choir, 22 workshops to pick from, eight different onsite service projects to take part in, 17 formal group discussions, nearly 40 exhibits to visit and sightseeing tours before and after the gathering.

Picking and choosing activities was difficult, and we each had our personal favorites. Ask Ginny Huenniger how she helped raise $25,000 for women’s health by walking in a 4K event. Ask Shirley Benken about learning to knit so she could make a cap for a premature baby. Ask my mother, Gail Cato, about sewing quilts for others in nearly an assembly-line fashion. Ask Lisa Miller about finding and creating sacred spaces in ways she had never considered.

As for me, the highlight was meeting Sister Joan Chittister, an internationally renowned peace activist and author, who explained that the most devastating impact of war fell  “defenselessly” on women and children — two groups omitted from the decision-making process. The conference gave us a lot to think about.

Bishop Hanson also challenged us, particularly in relation to the ELCA’s 20^th anniversary. “Most of us stumble over the name Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,” he noted, “but you can’t be a Lutheran without being evangelical. It is time, at age 20, that we act our name.”

We listened to such insights for four days. Fortunately for  me, I was there for six days because I was a delegate to the convention before the gathering. (Rather than discuss convention business here, I’ll offer to talk to anyone individually or at a circle meeting.)

In the end, all of us would like to say thanks to the Gloria Dei members who supported the conference in numerous ways. Most of you helped fund four scholarships for registration through fundraisers at both TGI Fridays and the Fair Trade Fair last fall. In addition, the four women’s circles contributed in-kind gifts and money for a love offering.

We’ve returned home with many ideas to share, reams of resources to wade through, and myriad memories of total strangers sharing their love. Some of us can’t wait to do it again. In fact, a few of us have already signed up for the 2011 Triennial Gathering in Spokane, Wash., July 14-17.

Look out; we’ll be trying to talk a lot of you into coming with us.

                -Debby Rieselman, Triennial delegate and                      

                  I-K Synod Triennial Gathering Promoter

There is a Garden of the Soul,
Where God plants loving seeds
That faith and grace will nourish
Into blooms of loving deeds.

Within this Garden of the Soul
Fruits of the Spirit grow;
And they produce new seeds of love
Which you and I can sow.  

MISSION STATEMENT

We are saved by Grace through Faith and are called by the Holy Spirit to make Christ known.  In joyful response, we strive to…

v      Love God

v      Love others as God loves them

v      Live as disciples

v      Grow spiritually

v      Share the good news

SUNDAY SERVICES

Sunday worship services for everyone are offered at 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 5:30 p.m.  Holy Communion is celebrated every Sunday at all services.  A nursery is also provided at all services.  There will be no Sunday School during the summer months.

GLORIA DEI NEWS

The Newsletter of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church is published monthly.  The deadline for articles is the 15^th of the month.  Articles may be e-mailed to the editor, Val Eason, at newsletter@gloriadei-nky.org or faxed to 578-0273.

CHURCH OFFICERS

Todd Kuhse…...……………………………….……..President

Steve Kieffner.…..………………………..……Vice President

Amy Honnerlaw……………..…………………..…..Secretary

Gabriele Vosmeier & Kurt Freyberger……....…Co-Treasurers

Paula Ebert……………………………...…Financial Secretary

CHURCH STAFF

Rev. Vicki Garber…………………………….…Senior Pastor

Rebecca Brode…...……Director of Youth & Group Ministries

Tom Pairan….....Volunteer & Christian Education coordinator

Debbie Hoydal……………………………....Church Secretary

Terri Chapman…………………………………..…..Custodian

PROGRAM DIRECTORS 

Vance Wolverton……………………..Chancel Choir Director

Peggy Wolverton……………………………………. Organist

Mindy Barrett………………………Children’s Choir Director

Lynne & Paul Goodridge…….……….…Praise Band Leaders

Bob & Bonnie Handahl…..Adult Sunday School Coordinators

Shawn Honnerlaw...Children’s Sunday School Superintendent

Nancy Mlinarik……Children’s Sunday School Superintendent

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