May 2019 Newsletter

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All Saints'Scroll
PASTOR'S MAY ARTICLE
I’ve been enjoying deepening my faith
through meditation using an app on my
phone called “Bible Coloring.” It highlights
key verses of scripture throughout the Bible
and has you color a picture associated with
each of the verses. I’ve found it a really
meaningful way to reflect on some important
scripture verses. This week I have found
myself thinking a lot about the Tower of
Babel story from Genesis 11:
4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a
city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and
let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we
shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” 5 The Lord came down to see
the city and the tower, which mortals had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Look, they are one
people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will
do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go
down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s
speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth and
they left off building the city. 9 Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord
confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad
over the face of all the earth."
At first it seems almost unfair what God is doing. Why wouldn’t God want God’s
people to succeed? Why wouldn’t God want God’s people to be the best that they can
be? Why would God purposefully and intentionally thwart our mission?
I think the key phrase to pay attention to is when the people decide to make their
giant tower, they do it “to make a name” for themselves (Gen 11:4). Christians should

never be acting in ways that are puffing themselves up or building up their own
reputations, their actions should always be to the glory of God; making a name for God
and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And when we are doing ministry in the name of God, we usually can tell. God
sends us signs and encouragement in ways big and small that help us to know that we
are on the right path. But when we stray and decide to do it how we think instead of
how God wants God will always throw a wrench in our plans. If something is not
working out the way we want or going the way we think it should, it is important to
remember that what we want is not the same as what God wants. And maybe in those
moments, like the tower of Babel, God is stifling our mission and our endeavors because
they are not what we should be doing in the first place. It is a hard practice, but even in
the midst of failure, decay or nonsuccess, we should learn to accept that what we
wanted so dearly might not be what God wants. Thus, God is working to redirect us and
set us on the right path, the path that will glorify God’s name and bring God’s Kingdom
to the entire world.
So think about the towers you are building in your lives. Where are the places where
you are reaching higher and higher without concern for those who are being left down
below? How are you pushing to be better without recognizing that everything you have
is because of the grace of God and not of your own doing? Who are you excluding when
perfection, reputation and control become the idols in your lives?
So I invite you to humble yourselves and come down from your towers. Come down
and enjoy looking up to God and beside you towards your neighbors. That is where the
view is the greatest and the love is the strongest. And you will find rest when you
realize it is not all up to you and everything does not depend on you. You’ll find relief
when you realize the push and pull to be better, bigger, faster, stronger, richer and
more successful are nothing more than false idols. And you will discover that true
greatness is a man who humbled himself upon a cross, giving up his tower and his glory
for our sake. If he can fall so far to show his love for us, maybe we can come down to
earth too, to show our love for God and for our neighbors with humility, grace and
respect.
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Alleluia! Jesus is risen!
Also, it is spring! Spring is a perfect
time to renew and grow in our faith.
We celebrate the resurrection of
Jesus and of all that God has
made. This year, so far, I have
issued a challenge each month
that will help you become more
missional, that is spread the love of
Jesus around to those you might
not normally.
By inviting friends and family to our
worship or events, by blessing three people each week, by eating a meal with three
people each week, and by taking time each week to sit and listen for the Holy Spirit. To
make these have even more impact, it is important that we KNOW about Jesus’ life. It
is hard to try to walk the path of someone if you haven’t studied where they have been.
I found that while I was writing my sermon in April, that I knew the story, but there was
a LOT I had missed and really needed to LEARN much more. So I studied the verses, I
researched them, I read what other pastors had to say. It is amazing what you can
learn about these passages that we have become so use to hearing. Now I am not
saying you need to do that with with this challenge, that would be a lot, but I will
challenge you to read the gospels in depth.
There are many tools out there you can use. Devotionals, mobile apps (I like
YouVersion), Study bibles, Google, etc. Find one that works for you! Your challenge
this month, to add onto the other challenges, is to set aside one block of time each
week to read the gospels and really learn them. Start with whichever one you prefer or
you can bounce around, the goal being to really understand what it means to follow
Jesus.

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Here is some help to get you started. These verses follow along with the sermons that
Pastor will do throughout the month.
May 1st- May 5th : Luke 12:4-12, John 14:8-14, Luke 14:12-14, John 21:1-19
May 6th- May 12th : Luke 5:1-11, Luke 12:29-32, John 10:22-30
May 13th - May 19th : Luke 6:12-16, John 10:31-42, John 13:31-35
May 20th - May 26th : Luke 10:25-28, Luke 19:1-10, John 14:23-29, John 5:1-9
May 27th - May 31st : Luke 2:25-38, Luke 24:44-53, Luke 1:39-57
I have used the ELCA
Lectionary schedule for these,
if you want to continue with
this set up, let me know and I
would be happy to get you
them!
Blessings and peace,
Anne Pickering
-----------------------------------------
2019 Challenge list
1. Invite a friend to church
2. Be a blessing to 3
people each week
3. Eat with three people
each week
Listen for the Holy Spirit
-----------------------------------------
REPORT ON EASTER
BREAKFAST 2019
We served a Breakfast
before our Easter Service Sunday, April 21. We invited all to come early and have
Breakfast. Our children and youth sold tickets for $5.00 each and $20.00 per
family. We sold 53 tickets and served approximately 71 people including

families. WELCA was inspired to help with a $500.00 donation and we raised
$309.32 from ticket sales and extra donations. Our total donations for the camp
fund was $809.32.
The $250.00 seed money we got from our Thrivent Action Team participant
was used to buy the groceries and paper products we needed to cook and serve
a large hot breakfast. This money will help the children who live in our
community and attend our church go to the wonderful camp available through
Living Waters Ministries; Stony Lake Lutheran Camp.
This camp helps them grow in faith and confidence to take that faith out
into the community. To quote the Living Waters Ministry link in Mitten Synod
website: Our programs are designed to form faith, equip leaders, empower
service, and create communities centered in Christ. Children will grow in faith
and in confidence as they learn to see Christ in their neighbors and in
themselves!
Traditional
Worship
Adult Bible
study, 9am
Sunday
mornings,
10am
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Paul Bible Study
Pastor will be leading a study on the
Letters of Paul starting on Wednesday,
May 1, 6:15-7:30pm and continuing
Wednesdays in May. Childcare will be
available (every Wednesday except May
22).
SAMARITAS
We will be having a guest speaker, Eric
Cole from Samaritas, join us Sunday, May
5 at the 10:00am worship service! We will
be hearing about a new mission
opportunity, High-Fives, and how to
support people in need right here in
our state!
Sewing & Quilting
Tuesday mornings at All Saints,
9am
Meditative Worship Service
Saturday, May 4 th , at 4:00pm,
we are trying out a new service
and would like feedback from the
congregation. This will be a
quiet, reverent, traditional
service, featuring the rite of
healing. Childcare will be
provided in the nursery so parents can worship without distraction.
Christian Education
Tuesday, May 7, 5:30pm

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WELCA
Tuesday, May 7, 6:30pm
We will be discussing the fall Holiday Bazaar. Come ready with ideas to
share!
B.L.A.S.T. (Bible Learning And Sharing
Time
Join us 10:00am-11:30am
The next BLAST dates are:
May 11: We will be planting sunflowers
and rehearsing Apple Red Happiness for
Mother's day the next Day!
Be at All Saints for a rehearsal Sunday
May 12 at 9:00am.
June 8: Details to come!
Don't forget to celebrate the
important women in your life on
Sunday, May 12th!
Council
Tuesday, May 14, 7:00pm

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Social Concerns
Project update
March was a great month for those of us on the Social
Concerns team.
Soles4Vets/Footprints of Michigan
We had two very large loads of shoes, boots, socks, blankets
and warm clothing items. The Leslie Legion members who
work with this organization wanted to me pass on their
heartfelt thanks for all or you’re generosity. They were very
impressed with the way our congregation embraced this
project to help our homeless vets her in the Lansing area.
Ware’s Prescription Gap program/Noisy Offering
During the Month of March we collected $304.94 to help with
this program that helps so many low income people. Thank
You for your generous participation.
A big thank you to all of you for helping us help those in
need.
Cindy Vlasic and the whole Social Concerns Team
For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I
command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your
brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’
Deuteronomy 15:11

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The North/West Lower Michigan Synod
Assembly will begin on Thursday May, 16
and run through Saturday, May 18, 2018.
This year’s theme is Like Living
Stones. Presiding Bishop Elizabeth
Eaton will be the guest speaker.
Jeanne Emens and Christy Mitchell
are our 2019 delegates, along with
Teagan Carl, our youth
representative.
Pastor Christin will be honored and celebrated Friday night
May 17 in honor of her 5 year anniversary in ministry!!!
Congratulations Pastor, we love you and appreciate you, and
are so grateful for your leadership at All Saints!!! ☺
Worship Team
Tuesday, May 21, 10:00am
Graduations & Bible Blessing
Sunday, May 19 we will be celebrating Leaha Sinnaeve's college
graduation from Albion, & her sister Lauren Sinnaeve's graduation
from Mason High School. There will be a Bible blessing for the 4th
graders during the 10am worship service. If your child is in 4th
grade or older and has not received a Bible please let Christy know
ASAP.
We will also be thanking Christian Education volunteers!

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Green Acres
Sunday, May 19, 4:00pm-Kids will be singing Apple Red Happiness!!! ☺
Faith Alive
Sunday, May 26, 3:00pm-4:30pm
We will be working on our Faith Statements in preparation for Confirmation/Pentecost
Sunday, June 9! Only those being confirmed on June 9th are required to attend.
Planning for a pizza party is in the works! Date and time TBD. ☺
SAVE THE
DATE!!!! ☺
Vacation
Bible School
Monday June 24th- Wednesday June 26th
Children ages 4 through 5th grade welcome to The Polar Blast!!!
Where? Mason First Presbyterian Church!
131 E Maple St, Mason, MI 48854
Participants and Volunteers please register here:
https://vbspro.events/p/events/polar-blast-2019
Sponsored By: All Saints Lutheran/The First Presbyterian Church/Sts. James, Cornelius & Cyprian/First United
Methodist Churches

Join us at
the
Cooley Law
Stadium for
their
Faith &
Community
Night!!!
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This event features Lansing's very own professional soccer team in their
inaugural season and will take place Saturday, June 22, at 7:00pm!
Sign up on the bulletin board for attendance and if you'd like a hot dog
voucher (includes a hot dog, chips, & a drink: $5.) orr if you'd like a
hamburger voucher (includes a hamburger, chips, & a drink: $7.)
We hope you can make it, we are looking forward to an exciting and funfilled
night full of faith and family fun!!! ☺
From the Ignite website:
“The Lansing Ignite community is assembling for an Orange Out at the
stadium, along with Faith and Community Night provides a way to connect
with your community and celebrate your faith. This evening will feature a
pre-match Q&A about the intersection of faith and soccer with a number of
players from the team. The pre-match presentation will also include
recognition of faith leaders in our community.”

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Happy Birthday!!! ☺
May 8 - Connie Reinsmith
May 9 - Fred Kleibusch
May 19 - Michael Stevens
May 23 - Lois Martinson
May 25 - Donna Germain
May 26 - Allison Meyer
May 26 - Paul Weesner
May 27 - Russ Stevens
May 1 - Fred & Marilyn
Kleibusch
May 16 - Mike & Stephanie
Meyer
May 29 - Pr.Christin &
Luke Fawcett
All Saints Lutheran Church ELCA
God's Word Put into Action!
Copyright © 2019 All Saints Lutheran Church, All rights reserved.
Monthly Newsletter Subscription
Our mailing address is:
720 W. South St.
Mason Michigan, 48854
Phone #: (517)676-2610

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All Saints Lutheran Church Council Minutes – April 09, 2019
God’s Word put into Action
In attendance: Terry Weesner, Pastor Christin Fawcett, Anne Pickering, Ron Enger, Carolyn Chisnell, Pete Vlasic,
Alison Furton
I. Call to Order & Mission Statement - 7:04 P.M. (Anne Pickering)
II. Five Practices of a Fruitful Congregations: Chapter 1 (Anne Pickering)
a. Main theme is that churches need to reshape their approach to ministry. Instead of telling the people to
come and see their church, they take their church out and GO and DO in the community.
i. Come and See method
ii. Go and Do method
b. Questions posed:
i. What are some third places that come to mind?
ii. What does the Go and Do look like to you?
iii. How can our church better use both methods above?
iv. What is the CRAZIEST idea you can come up with to GO and DO?
III. Devotion and Prayer (Pastor Christin Fawcett)
IV. Celebrations from Previous Month
a. VBS Meeting (June 24 – 26)
b. Lenten services and skits very successful!
V. Recognition of Visitors
a. Pete Vlasic was welcomed
VI. Reading and Approval of Minutes
a. All approved to accept the 3/12/2019 meeting minutes as written
VII. Approval of Agenda
a. All approved to accept the 04/09/2019 council meeting agenda with amendments noted below
i. Amendment #d: Microphones
ii. Amendment #f: Synod Assembly Funding (Pastor Christin Fawcett)
VIII. Executive Reports
a. Council President (Anne Pickering)
i. No official report
ii. Letter was written to the Bishop regarding synod support, and Christy mailed
b. Vice President (Terry Weesner)
i. No report
c. Treasurer (Ron Enger)
i. Report submitted. On the Treasury report, Ron will begin to report the day the funds were posted
at the bank; this will prevent reconciliation issues. 2019 Non Designated Income Received is
$26,560.58. Last Sunday in March largest offering in past 2 years! However, we have spent
$10,200.64 more than we took in still leaving a deficit.
ii. The water bill for March 2019 was 7 times the amount.
iii. Ron sat through the completion of the 2018 audit.

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IX.
d. Pastor (Pastor Christin Fawcett)
i. Pastor Christin presented the Pastor’s Report with some of the following details:
• Worship
o Sunday Worship Services – 3, Green Acres, Holden Evening Prayers
• Pastoral Care (Home Communion (4), Green Aces Communion (10), Pastoral
Counseling, etc.)
• Teachings – Faith Alive
• Meetings (Conference Pastors, Worship, Committees, Music Planning, VBS Planning
• Upcoming – Holden Evening Prayer (Wednesday in Lent), Palm Sunday: Sundaes & Egg
Hunt, Good Friday Community, Easter Vigil, Baptisms of Max Casteel and Julia Vowels,
Easter Sunday, Green Acres, Faith Alive, Meditative Service, Samaritas Guest Speaker,
Synod Assembly, Honoring Graduates/4 th Grade Bibles
Old Business
a. Peachtree Information (Ron Enger)
i. Tabled for the next meeting; the Stewardship Committee submitted a proposal from June 2018 to
review the sale of the property. The zoning configuration still requires confirmation. Ron will
review for the next meeting.
b. Thrivent
i. The Stewardship Team (represented by Pete Vlasic) presented 3 options for the investments of
the Thrivent funds. The goal outlined is to protect the principal while keeping the funds somewhat
accessible (no early withdrawal penalties). The portfolio presented is considered the lowest risk
with greater expected return on investment compared to current savings account at Dart Bank.
Ron motioned to allow the Stewardship Team recommendation to invest the funds in the
3 accounts selected; second motion by Carolyn. Motion approved.
Credit Card (Ron Enger)
Tabled for next meeting
Microphones (Terry Weesner)
Tabled for next meeting
Mutual Ministry (Anne Pickering)
Carolyn is contacting additional people to join this committee
Synod Assembly Funding (Pastor Christin Fawcett)
Additional $200.00 cost for Teagan’s attendance needs to be allocated out of another fund
Terry motioned to allocate funds from the Family and Youth Ministry account to pay for Teagan’s attendance to the Synod
Assembly; second motion by Carolyn. Motion approved
New Business
Bishop’s Pastor Sharing Suggestion (Pastor Christin Fawcett)
The Bishop has contacted Pastor Christin about a Pastor Sharing proposal with the details to be presented and
reviewed at a future meeting.

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Tabled for a future discussion
Team Reports
Council Member assignments has been established for each team as outlined below.
Worship (Terry Weesner)
Report presented notes from 03/19/2019 meeting
Outreach (Terry Weesner)
Christian Education (Alison Furton)
Social Concerns (Carolyn Chisnell)
Report presented notes from 03/21/2019 meeting
Finance (Ron Enger)
Property (Ron Enger)
Stewardship (Sarah Rohr)
Mutual Ministry (Carolyn Chisnell)
WELCA (Paul Weesner)
Fellowship (Sarah Rohr)
Music Planning (Paul Weesner)
Report presented for March – June 2019
Audit Committee (Alison Furton)
Nominating Committee (Terry Weesner)
Next Meeting
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 7 p.m.
Adjournment with Lord’s Prayer (8:56 p.m.)