Everyone Welcome!
April 19: PLCW Executive Board at 7:00pm
April 24: Spring Gathering at New Leipzig
May 15: Bake Sale
Refugees struggle in shattered economies that can’t provide for their basic needs. Living on $5 a month, they appreciate the gifts that people from far away give in faith: a colorful quilt, a warm sweater, a thick notebook, even the taste of toothpaste. The gifts fill small but important holes in the torn fabric of their lives. Our church, as in past years, is participating in Lutheran World Relief Parish Projects. This will be an ongoing project in our church. Each spring and fall there will be reminders for all of us in the newsletter and bulletin to keep a lookout for school supplies for fall sales and layette items and clothes at rummage sales. There will be a project tree again this year in the narthex. Please help in any way that you can by taking a slip or two and returning items to the box provided before April 30th. There are sheets for all the project kits on the table in the narthex, if you are interested in doing total kits on your own. There are patterns for diapers, receiving blankets, and school bags on each kit sheet. Don’t let making school bags stop you from providing items for school kits; we can make them at the church. We will also need a driver to deliver these packaged items to Bismarck on May 19 or 20. If you have any questions, you may contact Laurie Link or Sue Wegner.
Ruth Meiers Hospitality House is planning a “Cookbook Caper” fundraiser using old and new cookbooks. If you would like to donate to this project please send or deliver a cookbook to Ruth Meiers Hospitality House, 1800 E. Broadway, Bismarck. There will also be a drop-off box in the Fellowship Hall for cookbooks.
Join Ruth Meiers Hospitality House in the “Feinstein Challenge”. The more cash and food items that are donated to Ruth Meiers from March 1 to April 30, 2004, the more funds Ruth Meiers will receive from the Feinstein Foundation. Take the challenge and help Ruth Meiers raise as much cash and food as possible!
God’s Grace!
What a joyous month this is! The celebration of Easter is here. At times it is hard to comprehend what God did out of love for us, the suffering Jesus did out of love for us, and that we can enjoy eternal life with God because He loves us! WOW!
What does Good Friday mean to you? The book I am reading now “Six Hours One Friday” by Max Lucado is very interesting. It addresses that Good Friday holds forgiveness and deliverance and how we can anchor to the power of the cross. A source for Lent can be found
http://www.elca.org/co/lentresources.html.
There is a site regarding people of the Bible with lessons we can learn in today’s world. This website is
http://www.elca.org/wo/resource/devotions/index.html.
The ELCA website also has a spiritual center regarding daily readings and prayers. Check it out at
http://www.elca.org/spiritual.html.
There are great books at the Rainbow Shop the following are a few selections available: “Resurrection Morning” by Max Lucado; “Jesus Wept” by Bruce Marchiano; “What Jesus is All About” by Dr. Henriettta Mears.
Thank you to all the YouthQuake attendees….I had a blast attending! To see our youth, youth and adult leaders having so much fun learning God’s word it just warms my heart and soul. This is my second YouthQuake and I continue to learn if not more than what the youth learn during this incredible energizing weekend. Thanks again! There is a website for YouthQuake so you can see what you all missed
http://www.youthencounter.org/
My bone marrow recipient from Germany is coming to Hazen April 26-May 11! I plan on having an open house or some type of event where everyone can have the opportunity to meet him.
Do you keep a prayer journal? Have you thought about it but didn’t know quite how to start? There is a website to get you motivated and focused http://www.tmch.net/praylstn3.htm. There is also a book “The Power of Praying Together” by Stormie Omartian with Jack Hayford. The book will assist you in strengthening your relationship with God. One issue it addresses is what we should not do to each other. Here is a list:
Don’t lie to one another Leviticus 19:11
Don’t oppress one another Leviticus 25:14,17
Don’t rule over one another Leviticus 25:46
Don’t grumble against one another James 5:9
Don’t betray or hate one another Matthew 24:10
Don’t wrong one another Acts 7:26
Don’t burn in lust for one another Romans 1:27
Don’t judge one another Romans 14:13
Don’t push one another Joel 2:8
Because of Him!
"We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
Bethanie Christmann
Mission Community
A PRAYER IN REMEMBRANCE OF 9/11/01
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home! We
bring before you our sad memories of our fellow citizens who lost their lives during the tragedy of September 11, 2001. We are yet pained when we consider lives ended by the heartlessness of those who believed they were
achieving good, when unspeakable evil was the end result. Our hearts still cry when we recall the countless families who lost loved ones.
Blessed Lord, please grant them an extra portion of your grace and comfort so they may find solace in their sorrow, alleviation in their distress, and light in their darkness. Enable us as citizens of our homeland to rededicate ourselves to supporting one another in concern and love. Stir us awake that we may offer help for the helpless, assurance for those who are losing hope, consolation for those who mourn and fair play for those who suffer injustice.
Prevent us, O Lord, from calling America "one nation under God," and then do little to make it so. Thank you, blessed Creator, for hearing our prayers, for without that assurance, we would be hopeless indeed. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen