Harbor Beacon, April 2015

The light shines in the darkness…

John 1:5

OHLC Staff Pastor: Jeffrey Spencer

Home Phone (360) 279-0413

Pastor of Care Ministries Marc Stroud (360) 632-4243

Volume 62, Issue 4

April 2015

OAK HARBOR LUTHERAN CHURCH a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) nd

1253 NW 2 Avenue

360-678-2264

Oak Harbor, WA 98277

www.oakharborlutheran.org

office@oakharborlutheran.org

Preschool Director: Sara Harbaugh

(360) 941-1484

Parish Secretary: Carol Wiskow

(360) 720-2451

Newsletter Editor: Martha Ellis

(360) 678-2264

Custodian: Salvador Carvallo

(360) 675-3957

Church Fax Church Phone

(360) 679-9795 (360) 679-1561

IN THIS ISSUE Walking in newness of life, pg. 2

Click on these links for the April newsletter inserts:

Schedule for Holy Week & Easter Sunday, pg. 3

The ELCA’s monthly Prayer Ventures: http://www.elca.org/en/Resources/Prayer-Ventures The Northwest Washington Synod’s insert, The Spirit: http://www.lutheransnw.org/files/publications/April2015Spirit.pdf

Time to think about scholarship applications! pg. 4 OHLC commits to SPIN support pg. 8

OHLC’s website: www.oakharborlutheran.org

Lots of news from near and far, pg. 9

This issue was snail-mailed March 30, 2015 1

Pastor’s Page

righteousness, so that we might more closely resemble what we have already been declared to be in our baptism.

Walking in Newness of Life

Walking in newness of life also means living in hope.

Life is hard. It is full of losses, failures, catastrophes, and brokenness. Easter tempers the pain of life’s difficulties by assuring us that on the other side of every cross is an empty tomb. If God can bring life out of the events of Good Friday, none of us are beyond hope! The same God who raised Jesus from the dead also gives new life to us, even now. God comes to us in Christ now through word and sacrament to bring us healing, forgiveness, and renewal. We still hurt, we still struggle, we still grieve – but it is all tempered by hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). We know that whatever we’re facing now, the future is in the hands of the God who raised Jesus from the dead. This good news can’t help but put a bit of a spring in our step, a spring of hope.

“Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that,

just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”

Romans 6:4

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igns of new life are all around us. The grass needs to be mowed.

The cherry trees are in blossom. The tulips are up in the Skagit Valley. We see eggs, chicks, and bunnies all over the place – symbols of springtime. Yes, it is the season of new life.

The church’s liturgical year syncs nicely with the life cycle of creation in that just as the earth is springing with new life, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. For a full seven weeks we sing songs about Jesus’ victory over sin and death. We hear scripture readings about the Risen Christ appearing to his disciples, and the apostles boldly preaching the good news of the resurrection. Our symbols of new life include an empty tomb, a lit paschal candle, white paraments, and alleluias ringing out for weeks on end.

Walking in newness of life also means walking in the peace Christ gives us. When Jesus was raised from the dead, he appeared to the disciples as they were locked in a room in fear.

He breathed on them, saying “Peace be with you.” (John 20:1920) Sometimes we find ourselves locked up like the disciples, overcome by fear and anxiety. Christ’s peace comes to us in the midst of our worry, our confusion, our uncertainty, giving rest to our hearts and setting us free from our fears.

The new life we celebrate at Easter is often thought of in terms of the eternal life Christ has in store for us after death. And it should be – Jesus has conquered death, and has promised to share that victory with us! Now we need not fear the grave! However, Easter is about more than eternal life, as incomprehensibly wonderful as that will surely be.

This new life is about more than heaven and the life to come. The new life Christ has won for us is also something we take part in here and now.

In the passage from Romans quoted above, St. Paul insists that those who have been joined to Christ’s death and resurrection in baptism are raised up to walk in newness of life. The Apostle understands that Easter has implications for how we experience life now, here, today.

Sin, despair, and anxiety will continue to be part of our lives, to be sure. Walking in newness of life is an ongoing effort, and we all stumble in many ways (James 3:2). This is why Martin Luther described the Christian life as a daily dying and rising. The old rebellious Adam or Eve within us must die every day, every hour, every minute, so that the new person we are in Christ might begin to emerge. The good news in this is that because of Christ’s undying grace we are given a clean slate and a new start every day, every hour, every minute, so that we might begin to walk in newness of life once again.

What does it mean to walk in newness of life? It means, in part, that we who have been baptized into Christ begin to blossom in righteousness. As St. Paul instructs just a few verses later: “No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:14). According to St. Paul, walking in newness of life means weeding out the sinful ways from which we have been set free and cultivating a life of obedience and service to God. It means pursuing

Easter gives us the promise of eternal life, to be sure – but it also makes a difference in our lives now, here, today. We never blossom fully in this life, but the signs of new life are all around us even now, for our Risen Lord walks with us on every step of our journey, guiding us in righteousness, giving us hope and peace, calling out of us the new person we already are in him.

Pastor Jeffrey R. Spencer 2

Four lessons of Good Friday

Schedule for

Holy Week & Easter

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he Rev. James Martin, S.J., author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage (HarperOne), writes that Jesus’ suffering and death almost 2,000 years ago are very relevant to our 21st-century lives.

He says Good Friday teaches us that:

April 2, Maundy Thursday Worship Our Maundy Thursday service at 7:00 PM begins the historic Triduum (Three Days) liturgy commemorating the Passion of our Lord. We begin in the Upper Room, where Jesus establishes a meal in which his followers can continue to be connected to him, receiving his love and forgiveness as he comes to us in bread and wine.

1. physical and emotional suffering are part of life; 2. suffering isn’t always the result of sin; 3. Jesus was fully human — and thus understands our humanity; and 4. suffering isn’t the last word.

April 3, Good Friday Worship Good Friday services will be held at Noon and 7:00 PM. The Triduum liturgy continues as we gather to commemorate the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus. This service includes a “mini-cantata” of special music from our choir, and candlelit prayer around the cross.

“The message of Good Friday is incomplete without Easter,” Martin writes. “The story of the Passion is not simply of a man being brutally tortured, nailed to a cross and executed by the Romans. It’s the story of a man who turns himself fully over to the Father’s will, trusts that something new will come out of this offering and receives the astonishing gift of new life.”

April 4, Easter Vigil Our Easter Vigil service will begin at the fire pit behind the education wing at 7:00 PM, and then process into the sanctuary for a service filled with stories of God’s salvation. Some will be humorous, some will be dramatic, some will be set to music. All will foreshadow the greatest salvation story of all: The Empty Tomb. Join us for this celebratory service featuring fire and water, bread and wine. It is a service you won’t soon forget!

The Newsletter Newsletter, April 2015

After Easter

April 5, Easter Sunday Worship Join us Easter Sunday as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord with festival worship services at 8:00 & 10:30 AM. Christ is risen! Alleluia!

fter is every Christian’s middle name. In his autobiography A Song of Ascents, missionary E. Stanley Jones tells of an African man who changed his name to After immediately following his conversion. Because all things were new and different and important after he met Christ, the man wanted to reflect that new reality in his name as well as in his thinking.

A

Easter Sunday breakfast & egg hunt Plan on joining us for a delicious breakfast on Easter Sunday, served in Herrigstad Hall, 9:00-10:00 AM. This year we’re also offering an Easter egg hunt for our Sunday school kids! Preschoolers and kindergarteners will be in the play area adjacent to the Herrigstad Hall. 1st-4th graders will be in the grassy area behind the sanctuary. Kids 5th grade and above are invited to serve as helpers for the younger kids. The hunt will start promptly at 9:30 AM. Thanks to the Duncan family for coordinating this fun Easter activity for OHLC!

Easter is what makes us After Christians.

After Easter, nothing in life is ever the same again.

The Newsletter Newsletter, April 2013 3

Growing & Learning

Scholarship opportunities:

towards higher education and Camp Lutherwood!

The Gospel of John: A Visual Study Our Sunday morning study of John’s gospel continues in April.

Come deepen your understanding of the events of Christ’s Passion as we delve into John’s account of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion. Here’s the schedule of readings and topics for our April Bible studies, 9:15 AM in the library: April 5: EASTER BREAKFAST (No SS classes) April 12 18:1-27 (Arrest, Denial) April 19: 18:28-19:12 (Before Pilate) April 26: 19:13-37 (Crucifixion)

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he Theresa Ferguson Memorial Scholarship Fund of Oak Harbor Lutheran Church can provide monies that can be used for higher education. Students may use the funds to attend junior and community colleges, 4-year colleges, technical colleges and trade schools. The scholarship is reserved for church members who meet the application criteria. Candidates must:  Not abuse alcohol, tobacco, or drugs,  Meet the scholastic requirements of the school to which they are applying, and  Submit a complete application.

Vacation Bible School happenings!

The scholarship is limited to $1000 per school year and is renewable annually. Priority is given to funding new students first, then second and third year applicant renewals. Fourth-year scholarships will be awarded on a funds-available basis. Applications are available in the church office.

“Whatever the weather may be,” says he— “Whatever the weather may be, It’s the songs ye sing an’ the smiles ye wear, That’s a makin’ the sunshine everywhere.” from Says He by James Whitcomb Riley

If you are interested in this financial education gift, please apply

by May 1, 2015. We will try to award some scholarship money to all eligible students.

Sincerely, Shanna Lundstrom, Committee Chair 360-672-1383, the5Lranch@comcast.net

Spring is underway and summer is on our radar! Mark your calendar for VBS 2015 — August 10-14 — a fun filled week of learning with an investigative twist!

Gather together on May 10 for our fundraising Mother’s Day Brunch between morning services. Celebrate motherhood with great food, family, and friends as we raise money to make VBS a terrific success! May 10 will also mark the appearance of a bulletin board display with giving opportunities. Simply sign your name and take a reminder note to make this year a success!

Your support and involvement in Vacation Bible School is always appreciated and I thank you.

Christiane Weber

Think Camp Lutherwood this summer!

Oak Harbor Lutheran Men’s Ministries (Lutheran Men in Mission and the Brotherhood of St. Bernard) has decided to offer 4 scholarships, $150 each, for members of our church for summer camp at Lutherwood this coming summer.

To qualify, we ask that applicants write a 50-word essay on why they want to go to Lutherwood for camp this year. Bring the essays to the church office and leave them in the Men’s Ministry mail slot. The deadline for applications is June 1, 2015.

For more information about Camp Lutherwood near Bellingham, visit their website, www.camplutherwood.org .

Munchy Monday update: record numbers welcomed on 3/23!

We hosted 147 students from Oak Harbor High School on Monday, March 23, our largest gathering to date! Munchy Monday provides snacks, fellowship, and a safe place for OHHS kids to hang out on earlyrelease Mondays when they’re required to leave campus before afterschool activities begin. Beth Stephens, our Munchy Monday coordinator, reminds everyone to check the opportunity form in our Sunday worship bulletins for ways to help and ideas for food to provide. Thank you!

Bob Wall 4

BookMarks

OHLC Women

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Circles

Opportunities for fellowship, study & service

oupeville Book Group will meet Tuesday, April 7 at 7:00 PM in the home of Trudy Decker, 158 Keystone Avenue. Julie Ward will lead the discussion of Nothing To Envy: Ordinary Lives In North Korea by Barbara Demick:

4/2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Deborah Circle meets at 10:00 AM in the library 4/6, 20 Lydia Circle meets at 6:30 PM in the education wing 4/21 Rebecca Circle meets at 10:00 AM in the library

Award-winning journalist Barbara Demick follows the lives of six North Korean citizens over fifteen years – a chaotic period that saw the death of Kim Il-sung, the rise to power of his son Kim Jong-il, and a devastating famine that killed one-fifth of the population. Demick brings to life what means to be living under the most repressive totalitarian regime today – an Orwellian world that world that is by choice not connected to the Internet, where displays of affection are punished, informants are rewarded, and an offhand remark can send a person to the gulag for life.

Demick takes us deep inside the country, beyond the reach of the government censors, and through meticulous and sensitive reporting we see her subjects fall in love, raise families, nurture ambitions, and struggle for survival. One by one, we witness their profound, life-altering disillusionment with the government and their realization that, rather than providing them with lives of abundance, their country has betrayed them. Nonfiction, 316 pgs

Blanket Workshop Blanket Workshop meets Tuesday & Wednesday, April 7&8, beginning at 9:00 AM in the fellowship hall. No experience is necessary; stop by to take a look and see how you might be able to help!

Handwork Group Heart & Hand handwork group meets at 9:30 AM in the prayer room on Friday, April 17. Bring your own projects, help work on baptismal banners, or work on sweaters and hats for baby care kits for Lutheran World Relief.

Men’s Ministry

Lutheran Men in Mission & the Brotherhood of St. Bernard

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econd Wednesday Book Group meets Wednesday, April 8 at 1:00 PM in the library for a discussion of Girl in Transition by Jean Kwok:

LMM Gathering, Saturday, April 4

When Kimberly Chang and her mother emigrate from Hong Kong to Brooklyn squalor, she quickly begins a secret double life.

She is an exceptional schoolgirl during the day but a Chinatown sweatshop worker in the evenings. Kimberly learns to constantly translate not just her language, but also herself back and forth between the worlds she straddles.

Fiction, 293 pages

Hey guys! Here’s a chance to feed both mind and body. Join us Saturday, April 4, at 8 AM (coffee is ready at 7:30!) for a delicious waffle, sausage and egg breakfast with the men of Oak Harbor Lutheran Church. Afterwards, we’ll retire to the church library to watch a video from “The Skit Guys,” presenting short monologues of 6 men who witnessed Jesus’ death. A discussion will follow concerning the reason behind the celebration of Holy Week. We’d be happy to see you there!

- Pastor Marc Stroud

Questions about OHLC’s book groups?

Contact Gaye Rodriguey, 678-3561, gaye@tobysuds.com, for information about the Coupeville group. Leona McKee, 675-5712, bcmac68@comcast.net, can fill you in on all you need to know about the Second Wednesday group. New participants are always welcome!

Brotherhood of St. Bernard, April 14 & 28 See you at noon in the fellowship hall on the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays for a great lunch and interesting conversation, followed by Bible study and prayer. Come and see!

- Tom Piper 5

With Appreciation

Lydia Circle provides much-needed tables Thank you to the women of Lydia Circle for the generous gift of 4 new lightweight banquet tables for fellowship hall use.

Thanks to our Faces at the Cross team

Anita Needler

We had a meaningful series of Lenten gatherings during our midweek services as we listened to classic monologues written by J. Barrie Shepherd portraying the perspectives of those present at Jesus’ crucifixion.

Thanks to all of our “Faces” actors: Marc Stroud (Caiaphas), Martha Ellis & Kate Dodson (Mary Magdalene, 12 & 6 PM respectively), John Fowkes (The Penitent Thief), Dave Meyers (The Centurion), and Carol Fitzgerald (Mary, Mother of our Lord). Thanks also to Martha Ellis for arranging the costumes!

Turnout appreciated for spring clean-up day The annual spring clean-up held on Saturday, March 21 was a rousing success. 32 members of the Operations Team and fellow congregation members donated their time and talent in service to the Lord and their brothers and sisters in Christ at OHLC. A bit of labor, fellowship and food were enjoyed by all. A heartfelt thanks is extended to all those that participated.

Mark Needler

Pastor Spencer

OHLC contributes to successful MOPS fundraiser Thanks to all OHLC members and friends who contributed your textiles and items for our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) fundraiser.

Our goal was to raise 500 bags and we surpassed that goal greatly! We received 706 bags which equaled 14,206 pounds and raised over $2,000 for our group. We are so appreciative!

In Sympathy

Amy Bruce

Our hearts go out to those who have recently suffered the loss of loved ones… …to Bill Schumm and family, following the death of his brother, Marvin;

Nordic Lodge in Coupeville was the venue for Barbara’s 75th Dear Oak Harbor Lutheran friends.

A big thank you for helping me celebrate my 75th birthday with a big bang. Your attendance and many well wishes are truly appreciated.

Thanks to your generosity, I took 206 nonperishable food items to Help House, and they send their thanks as well.

God bless all of you!

…to former OHLC member June Peteroli and family, following the death of her husband, Richard.

Barbara Wilson

Thanks for the loving care

Included in this newsletter are Prayer Ventures and The Spirit for

I want to thank all of you for your prayers, cards, calls and visits when I was recuperating from my recent surgery. I was also very grateful for your prayers and meaningful messages of condolences when my sister, Ginny, passed away last month. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and caring very much.

April. The deadline for articles for the May newsletter is Tuesday, April 21.

Leona McKee

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His Kids Preschool

Nicolas: an airplane CJ: an airplane Iliana: in a car Jeremih: a bike

A ministry of Oak Harbor Lutheran Church

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n like a lion and out like lamb, that has been the ongoing conversation within our classroom this month, along with daily weather reporting from our preschoolers! We have been learning about the season and the changes that it brings.

Recently, we have been getting clues that spring is in the air along with the renewal of plants from their winter sleep.

We cannot forget to add that we have been sharing with the children about the Season of Lent, and that Easter would soon be approaching. Since the children will be on spring break when Easter does arrive, we finished the month with an early Easter celebration.

We are currently registering for the 2015-2016 school year, and we ask you to share with your neighbors and friends about our important ministry of Oak Harbor Lutheran Church and how we have been providing early childhood education to the community for over 20 years!

We look forward to having another successful year, and your continued support by prayers, donations and spreading the word about us is greatly appreciated. We also appreciate the children who attend our program, and with that we’d like to end with our Star Students for the month of March…

During the month of March, the classroom has been filled with finger-painted shamrocks and pictures of Ireland. We borrowed Miss Carol’s shamrock from the church office (a plant that’s visited quite a few preschool classes over the years!) and shared the story of St. Patrick.

We also have been concentrating on transportation and we’ve been busy making sailboats, rockets and school buses to help us remember that transportation comes in many forms. To wrap up our unit study on transportation, we had a couple helpers from Oak Harbor Lutheran Church pitch in. Rita Carter picked the preschoolers up in the Whidbey SeaTac Shuttle for a bus ride to the local Dairy Queen, where Becky Peattie served up some ice cream cones for the children! What a great way to end a unit!

March’s Star Students: Winter Lemme, Danica Aguirre, Chloe Pardington, Reagan Duncan, Lucy Nigro, Daulton Webster, Dominic Morales, Emma Carlile, Amarina Janda, and Jack Taylor.

Wishing God’s blessings to each of you, Miss Sara, Miss Elva, Miss Michelle

Here are our students’ answers to finish the sentence, “My favorite thing to ride is…”

AM class Winter: a bike without pedals Graham: an airplane Danica: a ferry Chloe: my scooter and my bike William: an airplane Andrew L.: a horse Lillian: in a car Willow: a train

Lucy: a ferry Joshua: an airplane Anika: my bike Evelyn: my bicycle Arin: my bike Reagan: a pony Andrew T: a bike Raelee: a bike

PM class Jack: a boat Dominic: a car and a ferry Gabriel: a bike and a scooter Breann: a bike

Torrey: a scooter Codey: an airplane Daulton: the ferry Emma: a bike

Lazlo: an airplane Cora: a ferry boat Mason: a horse Amarina: ferries

April 26 is Preschool Sunday!

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oin us at our 10:30 AM service on Sunday, April 26, as we celebrate His Kids Preschool, a ministry of Oak Harbor Lutheran Church.

We’ll be making a special invitation to our preschool families to come worship with us as the preschool kids sing some of the songs we sing in our weekly chapel services. After worship we’ll have a special fellowship time with balloons and treats to celebrate our preschool.

Pastor Spencer

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Compassion Ministry

SPIN Café is located at 658 SE Bayshore Drive in Oak Harbor.

It is directly behind the Island Transit station, toward the east, and below the upstairs wall that is painted bright blue.

Currently, Judy Fantauzzi is coordinating Wednesdays and I am coordinating Thursdays. Our goal is to have different teams of volunteers take care of each date. Ideally we’d like one person on each team be responsible to touch base with their team a few days before each event.

Thank you to those who started us off with March’s volunteer dates! Please check the sign-up sheets in the narthex for April 29 & 30 and beyond! Let’s work together to keep our commitment to help SPIN Café.

Carol Wall

Be an OHLC volunteer — Help serve at SPIN Café

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hirty people gathered in March to discuss further involvement with the meal program of SPIN Café (Serving People In Need), following a well-attended, informational breakfast there in early February. Karola Cornelius, OHLC member and SPIN Café board member, led us in a discussion of options.

We decided to commit to serving meals on the last Wednesday and Thursday of each month. We need about 6 people for each day. We anticipate a full house each time; SPIN always sees their largest numbers of people at the end of the month.

Please sign up using the sheets by the SPIN donation basket in the narthex (near the mission of the month bulletin board).

You will need to complete a SPIN Café volunteer form and also get a Food Worker’s Card. The cost is $10.00; you can get a card online at www.foodworkercard.wa.gov and the test is very easy. You can initially work without the permit but we do encourage you to get one as soon as possible. Volunteer forms are available by the basket and also in the SPIN Café mail slot in the church office. Take your completed form with you on the first day you volunteer.

SPIN Café opens at 3:00 PM and serves until 6:00.

Different team members will come early, about 3:00, and prepare beverages and serve them, then food service volunteers arrive at 4:00. (The food is already prepared and is delivered between 4:00 and 4:30.) Volunteers will wait tables for the customers, taking their food from the service table to their individual tables. Customers are seated family style at individual tables in the cafe. Service ends at 6:00 PM and clean-up lasts until 6:15.

Generally, two to three people will wait tables: two will serve the food on the plates/bowls and one will fill in where needed. Service needs fluctuate, so everyone needs to be flexible. There may be only two people needed to wait tables. The extra person would either be there to help with desserts, keep the coffee pots going, or wash dishes, etc.

On your first day of service, volunteers should come about 15 minutes early to go over procedures, so if you’re preparing and serving beverages plan to arrive at 2:45 and those serving food at 3:45.

Roadside litter pick-up scheduled for April 11 We’ll meet at 9:00 AM at church on Saturday, April 11 to get our hard hats and reflective vests and carpool to the site north of Oak Harbor to pick up litter along our 2-mile stretch of Highway 20. If you have any questions, call me at 675-9452. Thank you, and may God bless you!

Pat Dallen

Personal care kits will be assembled in April We’ll be collecting items for personal care kits for Lutheran World Relief; look for the donation box in the narthex during the three weeks following Easter Sunday.

Handy lists of personal care kit items will be available on the welcome desk. If you wish to make up a completed kit, combs and nail clippers that meet the LWR requirements are available in the church office. Contact Leona McKee for more information, 675-5712, bcmac68@comcast.net.

Can you help load the bus for LWR? Quilts, layettes and other kits will be loaded on the bus on Thursday, April 30, 7:00 PM at church, and volunteers will be needed.

We’re anticipating a larger than usual shipment -- many hands will make light work! Our thanks to Rita Carter for delivering our boxes to Seattle and to Whidbey SeaTac Shuttle for the loan of the bus!

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News From Near & Far

News about Pastor Johnson!

Wedding bells for Becca Wheeler

1st Lutheran Church in South Bend, WA (near Raymond) since 2007.

Laurie and her husband, Gary, will be leaving soon for New Jersey and we’ll be keeping them in our prayers as they begin this new call.

former Associate Pastor, Laurie Johnson, has accepted a call OHLC’s to St. James Lutheran Church in Pitman, NJ. She has been serving

rejoice with Becca Wheeler and her parents, Loren and Anne WeWheeler, as she is united in marriage to Andrew Goudreau. Pastor Spencer will preside at the wedding, which will be held on April 18 at First Lutheran Church in Ballard. We wish them every blessing as they begin life together as husband and wife!

A bundle of joy coming for Sal & Fatima! custodian Salvador Carvallo and his wife, Fatima, are expecOHLC’s ting a baby girl in late April! Sal will use vacation time to be home to take care of Fatima, their son Adam, and their newborn daughter. He expects to be gone April 20 through May 8. Dave Wiskow has been hired to fill in while Sal is gone. We pray for continued good health for Fatima as they prepare to welcome a new member to their family!

Latest update from Lynne Ogren, OHLC’s seminarian OHLC Family, Dear As you have heard, I was recently assigned to the Montana Synod.

However, Eric and I have decided that we need to stay in California for a few extra months to help my mom move from our family home in the country into a smaller place in town. There are many decisions to make and much work to be done to make that transition happen so I will not be interviewing with any congregations in Montana until this summer. That means that my ordination will likely not take place until late summer or early fall.

We will let you know when it looks like things are moving toward a call. In the meantime I am enjoying singing in a church choir again and have been asked to preach here from time to time. I’m also getting to some of the reading I wanted to do while in seminary. Thank you for your ongoing prayers and encouragement.

Fond farewell to Mary Kay Kay Hallen’s last Sunday with us was March 22. We offer Mary prayers for God’s blessings and wish her all the best as she moves to Arizona. Mary Kay’s new address will be 31 Los Reales Road #248, Tucson, AZ 85756-7461.

Becky checks in after Namibia teaching experience (From Becky Miller’s March 2 e-mail following 2 months of teaching in Africa)

everyone!

Hello I am back in the United States. Seth picked me up from the airport

God bless you, Lynne Ogren

and I am relaxing before starting student teaching here in Tacoma on Wednesday (March 4).

Our last week in Namibia had its ups and downs. Ann and I had a great last lesson for our learners where we had them create reading goals. We had drawn books to put on our reading island and we had our boys sign their names on the books they wanted to be able to read in the future. They seemed to enjoy it. We hope that we helped show our teacher that getting these boys engaged is important. We left all of our reading games with her and I think she will use them. It was a great way to end our time at Pionier Boys School.

It was definitely hard to say goodbye to all of the learners at the

Brian Moore going to nationals with Seattle Slam to OHLC member Brian Moore, whose wheelchair rugby Congrats team the Seattle Slam recently won first place in the Pacific Division of the United States Quad Rugby Association (USQRA). The Seattle Slam will compete in the USQRA nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, April 9 - 12.

You can support Brian and his team’s trip to the nationals by making a contribution at http://www.gofundme.com/2015SeattleSlam .

Go Brian! Go Seattle Slam!

(continued on the following page) 9

(Becky’s Namibia report, continued)

Companion Synod news

schools and all of the kids at the BNC where we volunteered after school.

Leaving the kids behind was much harder than I expected. Most of the boys at school didn’t really show us that they were sad we were leaving, but they enjoyed taking pictures with us during our last class sessions and I am glad that I have those pictures to enjoy for a long time. The kids at the BNC are used to volunteers leaving, but they showed us more that they were sad they wouldn’t see us again.

The one kid that got me the most was a 2nd grade boy named Nemo. I worked with him a few times over the two months because he comes from a difficult family and home life and sometimes carries that out at the BNC. On our last day, I went up to him, gave him a hug and told him that I loved him. He was very quiet but hung around us until we got in the car to leave. I could tell that he understood that he wouldn’t see us again, but he didn’t have anything to say to us and didn’t cry.

Watching him stand at the gate as we left was so difficult.

This was an amazing experience and I will miss all of the wonderful people I met!

- Russia

Ken Grigsby received the following e-mail in late February from Sergei Gundin, our new contact at St. Katharina’s Lutheran Church, Kazan:

Prayers, please, for our companion synod congregation

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ear brother Ken! We were glad hearing from you and we felt a bit jealous of your warm spring weather. In our place it is still snowy and frosty.

Temperatures are up to -20C. Philipp [Philipp Zanko, OHLC’s previous correspondent at St. Katharina’s] is still in Kazan. He needs time to handle some paper business.

We beg you to pray for our church, for God to give us power to evangelize people. If God won’t help us and won’t give us ability to attract people to God, we will simply die out. In less than half year we buried two people. Those who left are mostly people of old age.

Also, I beg you to pray for our pastor David; he has heart problems.

May God bless you with all the blessings he blessed us in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Sergei Gundin, St. Katharina’s Church, Kazan

Love, Becky (Ogren) Miller

Update from Go Missions International

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HLC-sponsored missionaries in Peru, Nick and Shannon Kraft sent news about the most recent graduation of young adults (from Peru, Bolivia, and the U.S.) from the annual intensive 8-week discipleship training program, CORE. Photos are posted on the OHLC Around the World bulletin board in the fellowship hall.

Becky with Nemo

In the meantime, the adobe walls are continuing to rise for Go Missions’ new facility! Please keep Nick and Shannon in your prayers, along with their daughter Maddy, in her first year of college studies in Boston, as well as their sons, TJ, Moisés, and Tucker, who are growing into increasing responsibilities as they assist their parents’ work in Peru.

with fellow student teacher Ann and the local teacher, Ms. Simson

Becky’s photos, including larger versions of these and a handwritten thank you she brought in on March 30 (!), are posted on the OHLC Around the World bulletin board in the fellowship hall.

10

Worship Assistants 4/ 5

4/12

4/19

4/26

8:00 10:30

Asst. Ministers Paul Senness Skip Lycksell

Acolytes Sam Higgins Peter Spencer

Music Morning Glory Senior Choir

8:00 10:30 6:30 8:00 10:30 6:30 8:00 10:30 6:30

Sheila Ryan Jan Heideger Jay Decker Rick Culbertson Trudy Decker Gisela Hawley Tom Piper Carol Wall Margaret Anderson

Johannes Christensen Micah Burrow Benjamin Bruland Katie Norman Sadie Harbaugh Benjamin Bruland Sam Loustaunau Isiah Wiley Benjamin Bruland

Praise Team Senior Choir Cantor: Carol Reafs Morning Glory

Financial Report: Income Outgo

Cantor: Mary McLeod

Date 8:00 AM Mar. 1 87 Mar. 8 62 Mar. 15 77 Mar. 22 61 Average Att. 72

Acolytes for Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, April 2, 7:00 PM, Katie Norman Easter Vigil, April 4, 7:00 PM, Johannes Christensen

Assistants

4/ 5 8:00 AM Higgins family

Communion: Mike Fankhauser Computer: Kathy Ridle Communion: Craig Pedlar Computer: Rick Culbertson

10:30 AM J. Wilcox, P. Michalski No Coupeville service 4/12 8:00 AM Margraf family 10:30 AM J. Wilcox, P. Michalski 6:30: Presider, Marc Stroud 4/19 8:00 AM 10:30 AM 6:30: Presider, Jay Decker 4/26 8:00 AM J. Flowers, L. Forster 10:30 AM R. Wood, M. McNae,

Year to date $ 55,086.75 67,489.07 $ (12,402.32)

Worship Attendance:

Senior Choir Cantor: Carol Reafs

Ushers

February $ 29,776.31 32,727.81 $ (2,951.50)

February

March 10:30 AM 117 100 108 110 109

Cpvl.

18 20 15 16 17

Nursery 3 2 1 3 2

March 29 will be included in next month’s report Average Sunday attendance: 201

Lesser Festivals & Commemorations

Communion: Kathy Ridle Computer: Lisa Margraf Communion: Gisela Hawley Computer: Michelle Tull

April

4 Benedict the African, confessor, 1589 21 Anselm, Archbishop of 6 Albrecht Dürer, 1528, Canterbury, 1109 Matthias Grünewald, 1529, 23 Toyohiko Kagawa, Lucas Cranach, 1553, artists renewer of society, 1960 9 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, theologian, 1945 25 St. Mark, Evangelist 10 Mikael Agricola, Bishop of Turku, 29 Catherine of Siena, 1557 theologian, 1380 19 Olavus Petri, priest, 1552, Laurentius Petri, Archbishop of Uppsala, 1573, renewers of the Church

Communion: Marge Moore Computer: Molly Nagel Communion: Jay Decker Computer: Sheila Ryan Communion: Karen Krotz-Sperry Computer: Kathy Ridle Communion: Bob Wall Computer: Rita Carter

This month’s featured decorative fonts are

6:30 PM: Presider, Jeff Spencer

Freehand & Square Caps

Little Lutheran Bags in April: Gaye Rodriguey 11

SUNDAY

MONDAY

The church calendar is updated regularly on OHLC’s website, www.oakharborlutheran.org

Parish Nurse hours: Thursdays, 1:00-3:30 PM and by appointment 5

The Resurrection of our Lord Healing prayer at both morning services Worship 8:00 Easter Breakfast 9:15 Egg hunt 9:15 Worship 10:30 (no Coupeville vespers) 12 Worship 8:00 Sunday School 9:15 Worship 10:30 Watoto Team 12:00 Worship Brass 4:00 Vespers/Coupeville 6:30 19 Worship 8:00 Sunday School 9:15 Worship 10:30 Worship Brass 4:00 Confirmation Potluck 5:00 Vespers/Coupeville 6:30 26 Preschool Sunday Worship 8:00 Sunday School 9:15 Worship 10:30 Worship Brass

TUESDAY

HIS KIDS PRESCHOOL M,T, W, 9:00-11:30 AM M, T, W, 12:30-3:00 PM Registration is underway for the 2015-2016 school year!

Spring Break, no classes April 6-10 6

5:00 Wolves

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

1 8:45 Pastors’ Text Study 11:30 OHLC Staff

2 Maundy Thursday 10:00 Deborah Circle 4:15 Morning Glory 5:00 Praise Team 5:30 Jr. Girl Scouts 6:00 Knitting Group 6:30 Webelos 2 6:30 Tigers 6:30 Bears 7:00 Worship 9 10:00 Deborah Circle 4:15 Morning Glory 5:00 Stephen Ministry 5:00 Praise Team 5:30 Jr. Girl Scouts 6:00 Knitting Group 6:30 Webelos 2 6:30 Tigers 6:30 Bears 16 10:00 Deborah Circle 4:15 Morning Glory 5:00 Praise Team 5:30 Jr. Girl Scouts 6:00 Knitting Group 6:00 Pack 98 7:00 Council 23 10:00 Deborah Circle 4:15 Morning Glory 5:00 Praise Team 5:30 Jr. Girl Scouts 6:00 Knitting Group 6:30 Webelos 2 6:30 Tigers 6:30 Bears 30 OHLC serves at SPIN Café 10:00 Deborah Circle 4:15 Morning Glory 5:00 Praise Team 5:30 Jr. Girl Scouts 6:00 Knitting Group 6:30 Webelos 2 6:30 Tigers 6:30 Bears 7:00 Bus loading for LWR shipment

3 Good Friday

4 8:00 Lutheran Men in Mission breakfast

5:30 Harbor Bells 7:00 Senior Choir 7:00 Overeaters Anon.

7 9:00 Blanket Workshop

8 8:45 Pastors’ Text Study 9:00 Blanket Workshop 1:00 Book Group 5:30 Harbor Bells

6:30 Lydia Circle 6:45 4-H K-9 Korps 7:00 Solutions

6:00 Patrol Leaders 6:30 Pack Leaders 7:00 Cpvl Book Group 7:00 Webelos 1 7:00 Boy Scouts

13

14

1:00 Munchy Monday 1:45 MMM Relay/Life

10:30 Stamping Group 12:00 Brotherhood of St. Bernard 7:00 Scout Adult Comm.

15 8:45 Pastors’ Text Study 11:30 OHLC Staff

7:00 Vanishing Friends 7:00 Cub Scout Leaders 7:00 Solutions 20 1:00 Munchy Monday 5:00 Wolves

7:00 Boy Scouts 21 Newsletter Deadline 10:00 Rebecca Circle

7:00 Senior Choir 7:00 Overeaters Anon

5:30 Harbor Bells 7:00 Senior Choir 7:00 Overeaters Anon 22 8:45 Pastors’ Text Study 11:30 OHLC Staff 1:00 Library Committee

7:00 Webelos 1 6:30 Lydia Circle 6:45 4-H K-9 Korps 7:00 Solutions 27

7:00 Boy Scouts 28

1:00 Munchy Monday 1:45 MMM Relay/Life

10:30 Stamping Group 12:00 Brotherhood of St. Bernard

5:00 Wolves

7:00 Webelos 1 7:00 Boy Scouts 7:00 Scout Board/Review

4:00

Vespers/Coupeville 6:30 7:00 Solutions

5:30 Harbor Bells 7:00 Senior Choir 7:00 Overeaters Anon.

29 OHLC serves at SPIN Café 8:45 Pastors’ Text Study 11:30 OHLC Staff 5:30 Harbor Bells 7:00 Senior Choir 7:00 Overeaters Anon.

12

12:00 Worship

7:00 Worship

7:00 Easter Vigil Worship

10

11 9:00 Roadside litter pick-up

17

18

9:30 Heart & Hand

24

25