November Newsletter

CROSSingPATHS
        NOVEMBER, 2016
   Published monthly     Centennial Lutheran Church    Volume 16-11
3595 W Belleview Ave
          Englewood, CO  80110
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
​
“Through Christ, Centennial Lutheran Church fosters growth in faith
by being a home to all, a source of strength to those in need,
a retreat for the weary and a beacon of hope for all.”
 

For all the saints who from their labors rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy name, O Jesus be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
 
We begin each November singing these words as we commemorate All Saints’ Day.  On that day we remember people who have died, often by reading names of loved ones who have died in the past year and lighting candles in memory of anyone we have lost. In the simple lighting of a candle or silent prayer, our memory keeps them alive.  Our memory is evidence that they were, and are still, important. 
 
This day, All Saints’ Day, is not about mourning and weeping for those who have died. (Though mourning and weeping is sometimes helpful and certainly appropriate.) This day is not about glorifying those who have faithfully departed and setting them apart from the world on a pedestal high as the heavens. All Saints’ Day is about remembering these people as ones who have born Christ in our lives—our parents and children, our Sunday School teacher and pastor, that person who sat faithful in the third row from the back of the church and shook your hand every Sunday.
 
We remember that the spirit of the Lord has worked in the world--through our loved ones who have died and through the great cloud of witnesses around us.  We remember that a saint is someone who is made holy and precious in God’s sight, one who is a sinner redeemed.  One, who as the song says, by faith before the world confessed the name of Jesus.
This year, as we light those candles and read their names, let us remember all the saints.  Let us give thanks and praise for God’s work in their lives and in ours.  Let us remember that one day our names will be read alongside theirs, that someone might light a candle in our memory.  Let us work today—let us teach, pray, give and love—for those saints who follow us.  Let us, too, bless the name of Jesus.
 
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Katie
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
FROM OUR PRESIDENT
 
           
Rejoice – Pray – Give Thanks
 
Paul’s letters tell Christians how to be when he encourages them to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16)
 
So especially in this holiday season ahead, I need to follow his guidance and remember what’s most important.  I need to rejoice in all that I have and not compare to what others have.  I need to share my joys and my worries with others in prayer and in person.  We are “Living Together,” as our recent Bible study with Dietrich Bonhoeffer explains to us.  We need to let others know we care by a warm touch of the hand, a hug, a smile, or a phone call.  And, I need to thank God daily for the day and all that I have been given. 
First Things First!  Let’s remember what’s most important! 
 
God’s blessings to you,
 
 Lynnette Reveling, Congregation President
______________________________________________________________________
A “NOTE” FROM OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR
 
The choir will be rehearsing two Sundays in November to prepare for singing during Advent and possibly on Christmas Eve.  If you are interested in joining this group, please let me know.  We will rehearse in the sanctuary at 8:15 AM on November 20th and 27th and then sing starting on November 27th.  Everyone is welcome to join us, all ages, all voices!
 
This fall we have been focusing on the telling of our heritage.  How has being “Lutheran” formed you, re•formed you?  As I mentioned in July, for my part in our Lutheran focus, I am bringing into worship the music of Martin Luther.  Each month we will learn (or re·learn) one or two hymns that Luther wrote text and/or music for, to aid us in being church better together!  By the end of 2017 I hope we can say that Centennial Lutheran Church sings with gusto the hymns of Martin Luther!  In October we used the hymn Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word to open our Reformation Sunday worship and concluded with A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. 
 
Starting on November 30th, we will use From Heaven Above to open our Advent worship each Sunday.  This hymn is #268 in our Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal.  Some background on the hymn:  Martin Luther wrote this for his family’s Christmas Eve devotions in 1534.  It was first published in Joseph Klug’s Geistliche Lieder in 1535 with 15 verses!  Luther wrote this as a kind of Christmas pageant for his 5 surviving children and other members of the household.  The first 7 verses were intended to be sung by a man dressed as an angel and the following verses by children beginning with “Welcome to earth, O noble Guest.”.  The text in our hymnal is an alteration of translation by Catherine Winkworth that was published in 1855 (Winkworth’s life work included translating German hymns into English).
 
Our cantor each week will begin by singing the first verse.  Luther uses the image of an angel coming from far abroad (heaven) into the circle of shepherds keeping watch, offering to share the good news with them.  The choir will follow with a variety of verses each week which then leads to the congregation joining in the song.  By the time we reach Christmas, you will join Lutherans throughout singing one of Luther’s most beloved Christmas hymns.
 
We will sing Luther’s music from now until Reformation 2017, learning hymns and chants that are rich and full.
                                                                                                                                            
Vee Ann Sattler, Centennial Lutheran Music Director

Luther on Music
"Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. She is a mistress and governess of those human emotions...which control men or more often overwhelm them...Whether you wish to comfort the sad, to subdue frivolity, to encourage the despairing, to humble the proud, to calm the passionate, or to appease those full of hate...what more effective means than music could you find?"
        ______________________________________________________________________
 
NOISY OFFERING!
 
 
  The October “Noisy Offering” weighed in at 9 pounds for a total of $100.06.  We will have another noisy offering on Sunday, November 13, so save up those pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters!!
             ______________________________________________________________________
CLC HAPPENINGS
 
CONFIRMATION – NOVEMBER 2016:  We are hosting the Conference Confirmation Class in November.  Pastor Katie will be teaching and our church will be providing supper for 20+ students and parents.  We recommend a main dish, 1-2 sides, and a dessert and we need 2+ volunteers each night to set-up and clean-up.  Volunteers are invited to eat with the group, too! Please sign up on the bulletin board in the hallway.
 
ALL CHURCH MEMBERS should make an effort to attend our Conference gathering on the “Renewal of the Church”, Sunday, November 6, 1:30-4:30pm at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E. Hampden Ave, Cherry Hills Village.  This will be especially helpful for Council members, teachers, or leaders in any capacity.  See the flyer on the hallway bulletin board.
 
ALL SAINTS’ SUNDAY is November 6.  If you have a friend or loved one who died between November 2015 and November 2016, please talk to Pastor Katie and provide the person’s name and date of passing.
 
NEW MEMBERS CLASS — please talk with Pastor Katie for more information.
 
NEEDED:  four pairs, small groups, or families to light the Advent wreath and read a prayer each Sunday in Advent — November 27, December 4, 11, & 18.  Talk to Pastor Katie.
           ______________________________________________________________________
 
A VIEW FROM THE PEW
 
                    This is a new addition to Crossing Paths.  It is where you can express your views, encourage others in their walk with God and spiritual growth, and make suggestions.  In other words, it is a sharing place.   The only rule is that you must send your view, signed with your name, to the church office. It will then be reviewed and printed.
 
            Just read an article in the October 2016 Readers Digest by Lisa Fields called,” The Goodness of Gratitude”.   It was a thought provoking article about being thankful and telling others thank you.  Research has proven that performing acts of kindness and expressing your gratitude have positive effects on your mood, physical well-being, and out-look on life.  It can lower your blood pressure, improve your sleep, improve your relationships, and decrease physical pain.
 
            The effects of just saying “thank you” helps, but doing a little more like writing thank you letters further enhances these effects.  Canadian researchers found that people who wrote thank you notes and performed good deeds for a six-week period decreased their pain, and upped their energy levels and improved their mental health for up to six months.
 
            One man she wrote about felt like his life was not what he wanted it to be. He did not have a good relationship with his children, divorced three times, and his law practice was not producing the kind of income it should despite that hours he worked. He remembered something his grandfather had said about the importance of gratitude.  So he decided he would write a thank you letter every day for a year.  At then, at the end of the year he found that his attitude and his life improved.  He wrote a book, “A Simple Act of  Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life”.
 
            So why don't we try to develop an “Attitude of Gratitude.”  Say thank you every chance you get.  Write thank you notes to people or businesses.  We often complain to businesses when we have a problem, but do we say thank you when they correct the problem or when you get outstanding service?
 
            So to feel better and live better we need to help others, do random acts of kindness, say thank you, and express our thankfulness in letters or notes.  Like ripples on a pond what we do spreads to others and by our actions others will improve their lives.  So let's sow the seed of gratitude and kindness and help change the world one life at a time.
 
1 Thessalonians 5:18 -- In everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
                                                                                                                                                                    

•    

 
 
 
Winter Kare Kits
  
             Did you notice??  A new word was added to the Kare Kit title – “Winter” because just like us, homeless people and others in need get cold in the winter too!!  Therefore, our next “God’s Work, Our Hands” project will be to gather warm gloves, mittens, scarves, hats, and socks for a winter kare kit package.  The focus will be on adults and hopefully in the Englewood/Littleton area. 
 
           There will be an Advent calendar posted on the hallway bulletin board with
examples of the items we’d like to include in the Winter Kare Kits that include not only warm clothing items, but things like deodorant, small packets of Kleenex, hand warmers, hand sanitizer, hand lotion, a small snack such as a candy bar, a mini flashlight with batteries included. 
 
        You can bring an item each week, or save up till the last week and bring whatever you are able to bring.  Many of these items are available at the Dollar Stores, so it’s not necessary to spend a great deal of money.  If you knit or crochet, please consider picking up some yard from the many choices that were so generously donated to CLC by the Shawl Ministry and Bernice Palm’s family. 
 
       A collection basket is in the hallway next to the Food Bank basket.  We’ll put these kits together in January just like we did last time.  Thanks to the Thrivent Action Card, we were able to purchase knap sacks to place these items in, making it easier for the folks who receive them to keep everything together.  Your generosity is what makes this happen, so thank you very, very much!!
 
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed.”
                   Proverbs 19:17
 
                                                                                                                                                                         
 
HAPPY NEWS!!
         
             November is a time to give thanks, and we give thanks to the following people who get to celebrate their birthdays and wedding anniversaries this month:  birthdays --  Roberta Craig, 11/7; Heather Prue and Kris Witt, 11/9; Tom Williams, 11/12; Jimmy Mendez, 11/15; Arlo Bush and Rod Smallfoot, 11/18; Ann Brauer, 11/20; Sonja Berry, 11/27; and Kay DeWerff, 11/28.  Happy birthday to one and all!!
 
And, Tamiko and Bud Anderson celebrate their wedding anniversary on 11/16.    May you have many, many more!!
         ______________________________________________________________________
 
THANKSGIVING EVE WORSHIP
 
 
We will again join with our sisters and brothers from Atonement Lutheran Church and Christ the King Lutheran Church at 7:00pm on Thanksgiving Eve, 
November 23.  Pastor Katie Chullino will be preaching, a pastor from Abiding Hope/Christ the King will preside over communion, and Atonement Lutheran Church will host us all.  Please make every effort to join in giving thanks together for our communities and our communion together.
 
Directions: Atonement Lutheran Church, 6281 W. Yale Ave, Lakewood, CO 80227.  Go north on Sheridan Blvd to Yale Ave.  Take a left onto Yale Ave.  Atonement is on the right hand (north) side of Yale between W Vassar Way and Lamar Way.