June 2018
I don’t think I have EVER been so happy to see a year end and a new one begin – this past year has been difficult in so many areas for us as a church and a school. The good news is that we have survived and even thrived in so many ways. What has been truly painful is being kept from personal contact with our members and students. We pray that with the vaccine, we may begin to see the end of all of this within this next year. A note of gratitude: On behalf of all our staff, I wanted to thank all who donated for Christmas gifts for our staff and for me as pastor/interim principal. Your generosity was truly appreciated. It is so good to be remembered and to have that connection with you all. We sometimes feel so disconnected that we wonder if people even notice or care about what we are working so hard to accomplish. These gifts helped us realize that we are still connected in every way that we can be with the restrictions we are under.
Thanks from Pueblo de Dios Lutheran Church in Compton: Pastor Samuel Nieva wishes me to express to you their profound gratefulness - you provided over 140 Christmas gifts to children in that community! You will never know how appreciated those gifts were. I have attended a few of their Posada events in years past and can attest to how welcome and needed those gifts were to struggling families and children served by that church. You have been a profound blessing to so many! Church News: While the LA County Dept of Public Health is acknowledging that the recent Supreme Court ruling has determined that freedom of worship is cannot be optional in our society, they are pleading with us to be careful and prudent. Here is part of an update from them received on 12/23/20:
Now, most unfortunately, is not the time to attend indoor religious services. The County of Los Angeles is in the midst of its highest surge of COVID-19 cases. The local emergency rooms and hospitals are over-capacity. And there are no indications of an end in sight to the current surge. It's hard for me as a pastor to argue with that request from them. As difficult as it was, we did hold outdoor livestreamed worship on Christmas Eve. The weather did not really cooperate with our needed setup times or with conducting the service – but we survived, and while it was a bit miserable, it was really kind of ok – but I’d rather not do that much again. Because the rain didn’t stop in our area until after 2:30 or so, we really didn’t have time to adequately set things up. Video lights would have been really helpful, but we just couldn’t get to it. “Best laid plans..” as they say. And have you ever tried to keep candles lit in the wind? Even with that, we’ll continue our weekly Saturday outside worship services at 5 pm (very low tech) and our indoor live-streamed services at 10 am each Sunday. Going forward, as the hospitalization rates drop, we’ll gradually restart indoor worship on Sundays. The numeric and percentage attendance limits have been withdrawn in favor of a more 1.
commonsense approach to worship attendance: we’re allowed to have as many in the sanctuary as we can accommodate and safely distance them by family groups (12/22/20 public health update, masks and health checks required still). With a sanctuary that can hold 800 people, I don’t think we’ll have a problem with social distancing. As to when we can do that – we’ll have to see how bad the post-Christmas virus surge is in a few weeks. We will likely have to wait until late January or early February to restart public worship. As always, if you are health-compromised or in a high-risk group, please stay home and take part in the live-streamed services! School News: I’m sure you’ve heard that our TK-2nd grade waiver allowing kids back on campus has been granted. We await a final inspection from the health department, but I am sure we’re in compliance with their requirements. As the teachers come back from Christmas break next week, we’ll put together plans on just how to change the schedules and get things to mesh together in a more “normal” way. The plan is to start the in-class teaching again for these grades on 1/19/21. It may seem strange that we would be coming back to in-class education while we’re experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases – and it may be that the health dept. closes down even schools as the post-Christmas viral surge hits. It is universally agreed, however, that children are MUCH better off in all ways being in school again, and are actually safer in a controlled environment. That last part will seem a bit strange, but here is what we plan to do to follow the public health mandates: - We have to maintain absolutely strict separation of the different classes/”cohorts” – absolutely no mixing at lunch, recess or even in special classes like art, music and PE. That last part will be difficult, but we’ll sort it out. As we make firmer plans, we’ll roll them out to you prior to opening up. - Health Checks: Coming soon is an invitation to sign up on our Brightwheel App. This will facilitate our required daily health checks for each child and staff member to be on campus. No one can be on campus without a health check and temperature check as they enter the campus. - Drop-off and pick-up procedures are being finalized, and we’ll let you know what those will be shortly. - Lunches: Unfortunately, our hot lunch provider has closed its local kitchens, so we’re going to have to ask parents to prepare lunches for their children. We may be able to sort out some special lunch days (InN-Out?). We’ll have to see. Things get really complicated – every lunch has to be individually prepackaged for each child. - Parents on Campus: Per public health guidelines, children must be dropped off at the drop-off point and parents have to stay in the car. You can’t come into the classrooms at all. It gets worse... avoid coming to the office in person if at all possible. Strict social distancing and masks will be required if you do need to come on campus. -What about 3rd – 8th grades? Good question, and I hear it a lot. We will be making some changes in the 3rd – 6th grade schedules to more closely approximate a normal school day, but the middle school will remain much as it is right now. Again, details are being worked out this week. So, I end with what I began with – We wish you a blessed and wonderful New Year. Focus on the positive, on what we still have and how we can still do what we need to do safely. The restrictions will pass eventually. Let’s make things as “normal” as we possibly can this year. Blessings and Peace,
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Pastor Larry
Commissions, please get your 2020 annual report and 2021 budget proposals turned in to the office in preparation for the annual meeting.
Due date is Jan 24th Send them to Karina, at kmartinez@wlcs.org
Saturday communion service
OPEN January 19, 2021 Now accepting limited enrollment for the current 2020-2021 school year for in-person or hybrid synchronous learning for Transitional Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Interested in enrolling? Contact the office (310) 670-5422 and speak with the registrar, Amy Vaughan. You may also send an email to avaughan@wlcs.org
Sunday livestream service only “Westchester Lutheran Church and School” “Westchester Lutheran School” or “Lawrence Becker”
A Directory List Is available in the Candle-Lite Email. If you would like a hard copy of the directory please contact the office by phone or email, kmartinez@wlcs.org. 3.
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Saturday, January 2nd 9:00 am All are welcome to join us in cleaning up our extensive landscaping! Bring your gardening gloves, pruners, etc. We’ll have bagels for a mid morning snack!
Thank you to all who contributed! We have 300 scarves to be delivered!
Thank you for all the toy donations! Our goal was 100 toys and we collected 140 toys to give to Pueblo De Dios Lutheran Church in Compton.
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January 1st: Enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year begins for Current and New Students January 4th: School Resumes January 8th: Virtual Chapel at 10 am/Early Dismissal January 15th: Virtual Chapel at 10 am January 18th: Martin Luther King Jr Day- No School (Office is closed) January 19th: School Re-Opens for TK-2nd Grade January 19th: Enrolling Now for TK-2nd Grade for in-person or hybrid synchronous learning January 22nd: Virtual Chapel at 10 am January 29th: Virtual Chapel at 10 am/Early Dismissal/End of 2nd Quarter
January 18 th
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Remember and honor loved ones past and present by donating flowers to beautify our sanctuary every Sunday.
Congratulations & blessings! January 12th
When it is your Sunday to donate, please place a check for $35 in the offering plate to cover the cost of the bouquet of flowers. If you would like to take one of the spots available please call the office (310) 670-5422 to get your announcement in the bulletin. Thank you! January 3rd Given by Colleen & Allan Fitzgerald, “thanks for God’s many blessings!” Given by Amy & George Vaughan in honor of Matthew Vaughan’s birthday (alumni of WLS ‘04). January 10th Given by The Sanchez Family in celebration of Ilona’s birthday! Happy Birthday! Given by Joan Anckle in celebration of the anniversary of Scott & Laura Downie! Happy Anniversary! January 17th Given by Donna Anderson to Karina Martinez in being the “right-hand” gal in helping promote Operation Christmas Child in Fall 2020. Given by Donna Anderson to Amy Vaughan for being other “right-hand” gal in helping promote Operation Christmas Child in Fall 2020. January 24th Given by Mary Cairns in celebration of the birthday of her granddaughter, Gianna Sirena. Happy 12th birthday! Given by Joan Anckle to Carol Sime on her birthday. “Birthday Wishes to Carol!” January 31st Given by Donna Smith in celebration of Stephanie’s birthday! Happy Birthday! Available!
A l t a r Fl o w e r s 2 0 2 1
If you would like to reserve a date for this year please email the church secretary, Karina at kmartinez@wlcs.org or call the office Thank you! *All month of February is available *All month of March is available
Scott & Laura Downie
January 6
Colleen Fitzgerald
January 7
Ilona Sanchez
January 9
Cyndi Widmer
January20
Sandra Bray
January 21
Sonja Chandler
January 24
Carol Cohen, Rod Sondreal & John Russo
January 25
Carol Sime
January 27
Stephen Long & Jennifer Stambaugh
Members & friends hospitalized, recovering from illness or surgery, or long-term illness: Doris Brown, Sharon Burk, Rob Button, Susan Cole, Florence Ebright, Amy Gustafson, Robert Jones, Ida Manuel-Stovall, Katie Meyer, Barbara & David O’Hara, Gary Reff, Barbara Roamer, Donald Rousar, Juan Salinas, Mary Lou Schnitzer, Charles Seaberg, Troy Shumaker, Laura Smith, Kathy Tank, Joy Vik, Ruby Williams, Georgiann & Steve Young. Members & friends serving in the military: Richard Appelhans, Desobry Bowens, David Flick, Jeremy Manning, Donald Moe, Deane Stewart, and Kimberly York.
PRAYER CHAIN MINISTRY If you would like to join, or have a prayer request, please contact Ida Manuel-Stovall, at (310) 374-3043
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Thank you for partnering with Operation Christmas Child. The gift-filled shoebox you packed will share God’s love in a tangible way and can impact not only the child who receives it, but also their family friends, and community. Please remember to pray for the child who will receive your gift. When I worked at the processing center over the past three weeks, we were told the shoeboxes were going to Mongolia, the Ukraine, Peru, Ecuador, undisclosed areas, the Philippines, and the Pacific Islands. I logged on to see where the shoeboxes I had packed were going and found out they were sent to Mongolia and Karina Martinez, who works in the front office found out her boxes were going to Ecuador. . . Wow!! If you bought your shipping online and received the “Follow Your Label” tracking label, check yours out by logging on to the Samaritan’s Purse website. When the children receive the shoebox gifts, they are given a booklet and invited back to participate in OCC’s discipleship program, The Greatest Journey. Through this 12-lesson course, which includes Bible stories and Scripture memorization, they learn how to follow Christ in their daily lives as they share Him with friends and family. More than 23.3 million children have enrolled in this program since 2009. After completing The Greatest Journey, children attend a graduation celebration and receive a certificate. Most importantly, they are given a Bible that includes the New Testament and selected Old Testament stories along with a dictionary of Biblical terms and a map of Bible lands. Complete with illustrations, it is often the first copy of God’s Word the child, or their family, will own. Family and friends who attend the ceremony hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Hearing the Good News and testimonies during their loved one’s graduation reinforces the changes they have seen in the students’ lives, and their families often come to faith in Christ. Thanks again for helping to make this all possible.
Please remember your offerings. We greatly encourage you to use on-line giving through the link below.
https://bit.ly/wlcofferings You may still mail in your offering to the church office. If you have any questions, please call the office (310) 670-5422.
Offering envelopes have arrived! If you would like to receive your 2021 offering envelopes please contact the office and speak with Karina. Some were mailed on December 30th.
7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045 Phone: (310) 670-5422 Fax: (310) 670-1476 Website: www.WLCS.org Office Hours: 8:30 am-4:30 pm and please wear a mask Contact List Rev Lawrence Becker, Pastor/Interim Principal Karina Martinez, Church Secretary Amy Vaughan, Registrar, A/P, Webmaster Carol Sondreal, A/R, Donations Traci Cox, Fundraising Coordinator Tom Gerhold, Music and Worship
LDBecker@WLCS.org KMartinez@WLCS.org AVaughan@WLCS.org CSondreal@WLCS.org TCox@WLCS.org TGerhold@WLCS.org
Ext. 112 Ext. 103 Ext. 106 Ext. 107 Ext. 104 Ext. 109
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