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Sean Ewbank, Pastor ST. THOMAS LUTHERAN CHURCH

Edward R. Aller, Pastor Emeritus

9393 Church Road

Grosse Ile, MI 48138

(734) 675-0005; (734) 675-8807

Fax: (734)675-5068

Pastor Sean: (734) 250-1655

Emails: pastorsean@ office@ Website:

JUNE 201

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

With these words the psalmist encourages us to lift our voices and play our instruments in praise to God who has created and redeemed us.

“If you want your church to grow, good music is more important than good preaching.” Bill Easum

This is something that is somewhat hard for preachers like me to hear. Bill Easum is a Methodist pastor who has studied growing churches all over our land and commissioned hundreds of studies on the topic. About 10 years ago I had the opportunity to go and study with Bill, and I desperately wanted to prove him wrong. So I read everything I could find on the topic, and found that every person writing on the topic agreed with Bill. Then I had an experience in my congregation in Philadelphia that attested to the truth of this wisdom.

Music moves us, it helps us transcend the everyday, and when worship music is done well, we can sense something of the divine during worship.

In my almost one year here, music is one area in which we have constantly struggled. Our aging organ finally gave up, the acoustics in our sanctuary are not the best, and the sound system is still struggling. We also have a keyboard and piano neither of which were all that exceptional when they were brand new, and they are no longer brand new. Jeff has shown extremely wonderful spirit stepping up as our accompanist. On one of my first days here he offered to step aside at any time that I wanted to search for a permanent musician. I have not conducted that search simply because we will struggle to find anyone willing to play the instruments that we currently have. Which brings me to the point of this month’s article.

I think that it is time that we pursue finding a grand piano for our sanctuary. I believe that such an instrument will sound great in our space. A grand piano will be able to lead both traditional hymns and contemporary Christian songs. I have not gone and priced a brand new one. Part of the reason for writing is that maybe one of you will know someone who owns a grand piano that they would want to donate or sell inexpensively. Let me be clear, before we accept any instrument we will have it checked by a professional to make sure that it is the piano that is right for our space.

One final note: We do have money sitting in reserve accounts that we might be able to use for this. I would really rather not do this. I would rather that money remain where it is for a truly rainy day need. Once we find the piano that is right for us, let’s raise the money we need through donations and celebrate together our positive step into the future. So, if you know of any pianos out there that you want to make me aware of, contact me as soon as possible. If you want to donate a gift of any size to help us, just mark your check “piano fund” and send it in. Let’s move forward together and make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

Peace, Hope, Love, and Joy, Pastor Sean

SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE

The regular Worship Schedule will

continue through June 26 with

Saturday 5:30pm services and

Sunday 10:15am services

Beginning July 3 services will be

Sundays at 8:00am and 10:15am

No Saturday worship

CONFIRMATION 2011

Confirmation is scheduled for Sunday, June 5 at the 10:15am service.

YOUTH NIGHT

Sunday Night Youth Group will finish for the summer on June 12 with a pool party at Ewbank home.

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SUNDAY SCHOOL

Thank you to our Sunday School teachers who provided loving instruction to our children this year.  Thanks to Darcie Bammer, Joyce Bickel, Diane Bloetscher, Debbie Brown, Lauren Brown, Wendy Brozek, Shelby Brumfield, Carol Cameron, Bob Dickason, Kathie Kline, Marge Noyce and Chris Schade. 

Starting Memorial Day we'll switch to our Summer Sunday School schedule.  All of the kids will be together in one class.  We're looking for volunteers to help run Sunday School this summer!  Sign up on the bulletin board to lead our children in games, crafts, activities, etc. that will go along with the lesson introduced in worship during the Children's Sermon.  The planning will be done for you!  For more information talk to Krista Ewbank. 

2011 VBS IS COMING!

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Set aside August 22-26 9am-noon for another amazing week of Vacation Bible School (VBS). This year’s program, ReNew: The Green VBS will center around the parable of the sower. Children will learn about caring for God’s creation as they also experience how the seed of God’s love grows in them! Registration for kids age 3- sixth grade begins July 1st.

Volunteers Needed

We’ll need lots of volunteers to make this VBS a great experience for our kids! Adults and youth who have finished 6th grade are needed to lead groups of kids, run activity sites, help with tech, prepare snacks, sing, play and have fun with the kids! We can use your gifts all week, for one day, or just a few hours! Talk to Krista Ewbank (307-3278) for more information.

Repurpose your junk into VBS supplies!

ReNew VBS is intent on teaching kids to be good stewards of the wonderful creation God has gifted us. We’ll be using lots of repurposed materials, and we ask you to bring in any of the following items:

SEEDS (leftovers from packets, seeds taken from fruits or vegetables you’ve eaten, seeds from plants in your yard… we will be using seeds for a large variety of activities during the week, and need LOTS of seeds. If possible, bag and label the seeds. But unidentified seeds are welcome, too!)

Old greeting cards, unused church offering envelopes, Egg cartons, empty tomato paste cans, empty yogurt containers, leftover pieces and parts from board games, berry baskets, gardening magazines. Shoeboxes, various junk for junk sculpture (wire, nuts and bolts, empty containers, paper tubes, rubber bands, fabric scraps, etc), solitary light-colored socks (give us your spares!), old crayons, interesting yard items (pinecones, slabs of wood, dried plants, etc)

Items to borrow or donate: gardening spades and other gardening tools, straw hat (that a farmer would wear), gardener’s visor, grocers apron, trucker’s hat, world maps, globes, rope, clothes pins, magnifying glasses (if you’d like your items returned please clearly label them. If you have items to loan but only want to part with them for that week, please notify Krista Ewbank, and she’ll plan to borrow them if needed during VBS.

CLUSTER ASCENSION

WORSHIP SERVICE

THURSDAY, JUNE 2 – CLUSTER EVENT -

ASCENSION OF OUR LORD

WORSHIP SERVICE

TO BE HELD AT ST. THOMAS

7:00pm Service

Followed by Dessert & Coffee

Pastor Heather Holland leading the worship service

CONGRATULATIONS TO

REV. ALLER SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

On Sunday, May 22, St. Thomas graduates were recognized at the 10:15am worship service.

The WELCA Group of St. Thomas Lutheran Church offers a $500 scholarship to St. Thomas graduating seniors in honor of Pastor Aller who presided at our church for 42 years.  This year the group was honored to give two awards.  The recipients of this year’s Rev. Edward R. Scholarships are Lauren Brown and Alex Karrar.  This will make 27, $500 scholarships the ladies group has awarded since 1993.

Congratulations Lauren & Alex!

BACCALAUREATE

The Baccalaureate for the graduating class of 2011 is planned for Tuesday, May 31 at 7:00pm at Grosse Ile Middle School and will be hosted by St. Thomas this year.

"KIDS AGAINST  HUNGER"

Thanks to all those who helped with the Kids Against Hunger on May 7.  The 110 people there put together over 10,000 meals in less than 2 hours! The event was sponsored by The Wayne County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. There were 21 from St. Thomas involved.

NEW ARRIVALS

On May 17

Olivia Marie Corney

Parents are Bethany (Karrar) & Joshua Corney

Grandparents are Jeff & Sherel Karrar

On May 23, 2011

Josephine Elisabeth

Parents are Jeff & Stephanie Wesley

Grandmother is Ann Wesley

Aunt &Uncle are Jeff & Kathie Kline

MEN’S LUNCH GROUP – JUNE 1

 

Men,  mark your calendar for Wednesday, June 1 at 12:00 noon.  Thank you to Bill Swasey for the food that was prepared last month.  Every one enjoyed it.  Don't expect me to live up to Bill.  The weather is getting warmer and I think it may be hot dog time.  I wish to thank the following for their help at the Ladies and Girls Dinner: Bill Swasey, Ed Allard, Pastor Sean, George Nelson and Elmer Malcomson.

~     Dick Withey

JUNE 19 – FATHER'S DAY

LADIES AND GIRLS DINNER

 

Wednesday evening, May 18, our Men's Luncheon group sponsored the Ladies and Girls Dinner and Program.  Thank you to all who came. This year marked the best attendance. A program on the Leader Dogs for the Blind school in Rochester, MI was provided by Dick Withey.  He showed off his new Leader Dog, Bradley.  This year’s first place prize was given back by winner Weezey Ombudsonmen.  She felt the plane trip to Pelee Island for one day on Nov. 10 would be too cold to play on the beach.  Thank you Weezey for returning the gift.  Each table had a prize begonia plant that was won and taken home.  Thank you to Jeff Ruelle and his daughter for the fine food and to the men of the men's luncheon group for the excellent job of serving and clean up.

Dick Withey

BULLETIN BOARD SIGN UPS

• Check out Michi-Lu-Ca and Stony Lake camping opportunities on the bulletin board. Shelley Schuler has been appointed to the position of Executive Assistant for Living Waters camping ministries. New contact information for Living Waters is now at Stony Lake, 7898 W. Stony Lake Road, New Era, MI 49446, (231)861-4138; office@.

• Please sign up to host a coffee hour after a 10:15am Sunday service. It can be simple with a sweet (like doughnuts, sweet rolls – store bought or baked), a non-sweet (like veggies, fruit, cheese & crackers) or both. An individual may sign up or ask another to serve with you. Set up, clean up after. The important part is to get acquainted with others in fellowship.

• Faith Lutheran Church in Brownstown welcomes a new pastor. Pastor Hogan will be installed at a special service on June 26 at 4:00pm.



GROSSE ILE BOAR’S HEAD 2011

Mark your calendar!

Performance Dates:

December 8, 9, 10, 11

Cast sign-ups begin in September; Rehearsals begin in October

LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF

We have completed 25 health kits for 2011 and there have been major changes for the 2012 kits which will be called personal care kits. We will need 52” X 72” bath-size towels, bars of soap, adult-size toothbrushes, sturdy combs and metal nails clippers. No hand towels, wash cloths or Band-Aids will be needed. Thank you for all your contributions and we will still be collecting items for the school bags in July and August.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

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2011 Habitat for Humanity

Monroe Build

Individual volunteers are needed Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for the Monroe Build through September 10. Three new Habitat homes will be built. Meal providers are also needed. To sign up to volunteer please view , click “volunteer now.” or contact Christina at (734) 243-2048 or

Habitat_for_Humanity_of_Monroe_C@mail.

Congregational Opportunity to sponsor/build is also available for the

2011 Thrivent Lutheran Building with Habitat for Humanity – Detroit in July.

Information is available in the office.

PROPERTY

Many jobs were accomplished on our Saturday work day, May 21. A load of bark was spread in the borders, furnace filters were checked and changed, AC units washed and turned on, the beautiful flower bed as you turn into the  church was planted.  

Thank you to Art Wahl (and his beautiful helpers), Kent Kujala, Jay Blackburn,  Gayle Withey, Pattie Wallace, Mel Wallace, and Dick Withey.  The next work day will be soon.  St. Thomas is your home. Your home needs to be maintained.  Please help to maintain your home of worship. 

Thank you,

John Shade

JUNE SERVANTS OF ST. THOMAS

DATE |GREETERS |USHERS |COFFEE HOST |LAY READER |ALTAR CARE |COMMUNION ASSISTANTS |NURSERY |SUNDAY SCHOOL |ACOLYTES | |June 5, 2011 (Communion) |Stu & Denise Keeler |Matt Shelton, George Thompson, George Nelson |Volunteer Needed |Ethel Yops |Agnes Kujala |Bruce Gluski (Sat.)/ Corey & Darcie Bammer (Sun.) |Volunteer Needed |Kathy Benko |Jake Bolthouse

| |June 12, 2011 (Day of Pentecost) |The Bammer Family |Fred Karn, Judy Cemer, Elke Malcomson |Volunteer Needed |Art Wahl |* |* |Volunteer Needed |Volunteer Needed |Brad Wagel

| |June 19, 2011 (Communion) |John & Cheryl Shelton |Al Skrocki, John Shelton, Sandi Loso |Volunteer Needed |Diane Bloetscher |Agnes Kujala |Bill Stevenson (Sat.)/Sandi Loso & Al Skrocki (Sun.) |Volunteer Needed |Volunteer Needed |Alexis Miller | |June 26, 2011 |Judy Cemer & Elke Malcomson |Corey Bammer, Paul Smolak, Adam Bickel, Aaron Bickel |Volunteer Needed |George Thompson |* |* |* Volunteer Needed |Volunteer Needed |Devin Cemer | |

CHURCH DIRECTORIES

Updated Church Directories are now available.

Contact the church office to request a copy of the church directory.

JUNE 2011

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PENTECOST BEGINS JUNE 12

JUNE 2011

3

4

5:30pmWorship

(Communion)

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