Side-by-Side Ministry

sidebysideminstry.com

February 2013

St. Paul Lutheran and St. John Lutheran, Lakeside-Marblehead, Ohio Our vision: To be a vibrant, Spirit-filled people, participating in Gods work in the world Our mission: Loving God and loving neighbor, we witness to Christs saving grace, that others may believe and find life.

From Pastor Chris

Life can change in an instant. We all know that on some level, but in those moments when it happens, the shock and denial and disbelief still show up. Falling on the ice and fracturing ones pelvic bones is not the worst thing that can happen, by far. But it sure changed things in an instant. Instead of me ministering to others, I became the recipient of others ministering to me. And minister to me, you did and continue to do -whether or not you realize it. From a single prayer or thought sent my way, to a hand-picked or handmade card (or a couple of dozen identical St. John Christmas cards sent out-of-season to remind me there are some crazy people in Marblehead), you have made a difference in my life. Whether it is stepping in or stepping up to fill in the gaps left by the missing pastor, or whether it is to watch out after each other with a visit to someone homebound or in the hospital, you are carrying on Christs work. Whether it is dropping off a home-cooked meal or picking up some extra groceries or a phone call or short visit, you show my family how much you care. Thank you is not enough for all you have done, are doing, and will continue to do for me/us/the Church. What an amazing family we have locally and beyond, as the love and care comes from all directions across state lines and across oceans. God is teaching me, and all of us, not to take anything for granted, but to praise God in the good and in the bad. Some of our best lessons come when life changes in an instant, and we are awakened to our dependence on God and each other. With your help and prayers, I will continue to heal and you will see me more often. I look forward to being back in worship this Sunday (God-willing), part-time in the office in February, and hopefully be driving by the end of the month (yippee!). Blessings and love and prayers and thanksgiving, Pastor Chris

Special Events
February 13th, 12:00 p.m. at St. Paul & 7:00 p.m. at St. John Remind us, Lord, that we are dust. And, when reminded, lead us to remember that most wondrous miracle that in your hands, dust lives!

Ash Wednesday Worship

Wednesdays, Meal at 6, Worship at 7 Feb. 20 @ St. Paul***Feb. 27 @ St. John***March 6 @ St. Paul***March 13 @ St. John**March 20 @ St. Paul Overheard Conversations by the Cross Did various people who were involved in our Lords Passion ever have an opportunity to talk with one another about it? People such as Malchus & Mark, Barabbas and Caiaphas, Pilate and his wife, Simon of Cyrene and the centurion, Mary and John, and the two thieves. If you could have listened to their conversations, what might you have Overheard? Come and listen

Midweek Lenten Meal and Worship

Regular Blessing Cup Team Visits are 1st week in February Traveling Easter Party Visits are 1st week in March If you would like to join any of our Blessing Cup Team visits, or know of someone who would like a visit from one of our teams, please contact Marge Bridgett, coordinator, at 419-503-1261. Traveling Easter Parties will be organized by having 2 Blessing Cup Teams combine their visits and schedule visits for the first week in March according to what works for team members and those being visited. Each set of 2 teams together will visit approx.. 3-6 people when combining their 2 lists.

Traveling Easter Party

Lunch with the Easter Bunny and Miss Easter Lily

Saturday, March 16, 1:00 p.m. Hop right up to Lunch with the Easter Bunny on Saturday, March 16th, 1:00 p.m. at St. Paul. Greet the Easter Bunny and Miss Easter Lily as they come to delight little ones with songs and a story, with crafts and photo opportunities, and with lunch. Once again, Netties is providing their famous hotdogs, along with rootbeer floats. This annual event is an outreach of the TGIF group (Team Grandparents Influencing Faith) of the sideby-side ministry of St. John and St. Paul, and is offered at no cost to the community. Call 419-734-1662 for reservations or friend John-Paul Lutheran on Facebook and respond to the invitation. Bring your own camera, please. If you would like to help, there is a sign-up sheet in the fellowship hall at St. Paul or contact Fran Chapman.

Serving Others

If you are on Facebook, please friend us at John-Paul Lutheran and get the lastest updates and reminders. If you have information or pictures to share, please contact Jenna Sandvick at Jennasandvick@gmail.com.

Facebook

Celebration Chorus Please join the group for practices on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul. Voices
from both churches are invited. We sing at both churches on the 2nd Sunday of each month. Noisy Offering for February 10th is for St. John @ the Bay, a Lutheran Mission on South Bass Island. Please remember to keep this outreach effort in your prayers, as this community gathers each week around Gods Word and the Lords Supper, and experiences the wonders of Gods amazing love and the bonds of an emerging Christian community! Our neighbor, St. John in Port Clinton, oversees this mission, and could use help as it continues services on Sundays at 1:30 at Mother of Sorrow Church on South Bass, even in the winter months. You are always welcome to attend and experience this important outreach. For more information go to www.stjohnlutheranpc.com New! Cloth bags for the Food Pantry! Do you plan to give to the food pantry, but often forget. Could you use a visual reminder to help you remember? Iantha Grove has been making cloth bags that can be taken home as a reminder. (Thank you, Iantha!) Each bag will have a tag with a list of monthly donations for our churches. Pick up a bag in the narthex (entrance) at St. John or by the Welcome Center at St. Paul. For February, St. John is to bring applesauce, and St. Paul is to bring canned fruit. Church Councils St. Paul Council meets Thursday, February 14th at 6:30 p.m. and St. John Council meets Thursday, February 21st at 7:00 p.m. Team Grandparents Influencing Faith (TGIF) - Fran Chapman has agreed to, again, head up the Lunch with the Easter Bunny this year hurrah! The date will be Saturday, March 16th, 1:00 p.m., so mark your calendars now and sign up to help on the events board in the fellowship hall.

Internship Committee - The committee is excited and gearing back up in preparation for the possibility of
an intern, and are getting a head start in seeking needed funding. They are happy to announce that St. John has voted to approve their portion of the funding (approx. $8,000) by putting it in their 2013 budget. The committee is well-on-its-way to obtaining commitments from St. Paul to cover their portion (approx. $16,000) and hope to seek a vote of approval from St. Paul membership in the near future. Donations may be made anytime to our seminary fund. If we do not receive an intern, donations will accrue for helping another seminarian at a later date (perhaps even from our congregations). Prayer Chain Help Needed Many thanks to Karen Cieslak for her past efforts as the contact for St. Pauls prayer chain. Many thanks to Joan Harris for stepping up to take her place. If you have someone to put on the prayer chain, you may call Joan at 419-734-3971 or 419-341-6373 for St. Pauls prayer chain. The St. John prayer chain contact is Myra Prokop at 419-798-5101. God promises that our prayers are heard! You may also contact Joan or Myra to be added to our group who pray. Prayer Shawl Plus Ministry - Meets Wednesdays after Bible Study at St. Paul, around noon. we are working on: Red, White and Blue shawls for our armed forced families; White shawls for Baptism; Misc. shawls for our Church family and outreaches. Contact Sandra Reep at 419-732-7846 for patterns and yarn. PSM will take any donations of yarn, hooks, needles. Lutheran World Relief Project Please bring cloth diapers and pins, bath size towels Mission Sundays for Northwest Ohio Synod - The third Sunday of each month is Mission Sunday and an offering basket is set out for donations to assist the ministries of our Synod, which includeTrinity Lutheran Seminary, Lutheran Outdoor Ministry of Ohio, Lutheran Disaster Relief, Global Mission, ELCA World Hunger, and others. Volunteer Opportunities -See www.sidebysideministry.com for more opportunities for serving.

Bible & Discipleship Studies

Sunday Morning Adult Bible Study - Join Roland Berhent and others for this study at 9 a.m. in the
Fellowship Hall for a cup of coffee, a reading of scripture and a discussion of the days topic. You are always welcome!

Womens Bible Studies (WELCA Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America)
All women are invited to participate! St. John Women usually meet on second Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. Next. Meeting is Wed. Feb. 6th with Margaret Stellhorn leading. St. Paul WELCA will meet 3rd Thursdays at 1:00. Next date is Feb. 21s with Betty Easton, hostess.

Monthly Small Group Bible Study

The group is on break until March. Contacts are: 419-341-9811 (Paul Lee) and 419-341-9144 (Patrice Lee). Weekly Wednesday Bible Study The Womens Wednesday Bible Study will begin the study of The Names of God. Books are available for $11.00. We meet on Wednesday morning at St. Paul at 11:00 am. All are welcome we are a very welcoming group join us whenever you can. Sandra Reep 419-732-7846. We are also indexing our Bibles with book of Bible tabs. If you would like to index your Bible please stop by on Wednesday to pick up or work on tabs. Cost is $3.00 per set.
*Note We will meet at Pastor Chriss home, 759 North Harbor Pointe Drive in Catawba, on Wednesday, February 6th!

Spiritual Friendships
Dartball Games start at 7:30 p.m.; 2/4 away at Faith Memorial; 2/11 away at UCC St. Paul; 2/18 home with
Bellevue; 2/25 home with Huron

By Still Waters - Care for the Caregiver

Tuesday, February 12th, 6:30 p.m. at the home of Kay and Jack Tibbels, 6965 East Harbor Road If you are a caregiver of another (or one who wants to offer support), we want to create a safe place for you to come and take a break by still waters. An hour of restoration through conversation, sharing, support, and maybe even a little pampering will greet you, as we encounter a God who cares for the caregivers. Any questions? Please contact Kay Tibbels at 419-656-5093.

Not Older, Just Better - This singles group will meet Monday, February 11th at Brunos in Marblehead
for lunch at 11:30. Call Marge at 419-798-8816 if you have questions, or need a ride.

Hospitality Lunch February 24th following worship at St. Paul will be hosted by Wednesday morning Bible
Study and Sunday morning Adult Bible Study. Others are asked to bring a side, salad, or desert.

Tuesdays at the Danbury Senior Center

Come Tuesdays at 5:00. Call in your reservation in to Paula by the Friday before at 419-798-4101.

Picture Directory Updates - One of our goals is to keep updating this directory with contact information
on new members and changes or corrections on existing members. It is so important that you report any change in the present information to Margaret Stellhorn at St. John or Louise Rogers at St. Paul.

Youth
Senior High B&B - Bible Study and Breakfast First Sundays at 9:00 p.m. Confirmation, Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. and Sundays at 9:00 a.m.:
January 30 February 3 - Who Do You Say I Am? The Gospels, Part 2 February 6th February 10 You Will Be My Witnesses, Acts February 13 No class or meal at 6:00, Attend Ash Wednesday Worship at St. John, 7:00 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 17, 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24 New! Faith-Building for Teens Weds., Feb. 20 - Mar. 20 Lenten Meal at 6, Worship at 7; Table Talk Wed., March 27 Holy Week, no class; attend Maundy Thursday and Good Friday Services Sunday, March 31 Easter; Help with 7:00 Sunrise Service; Help with Easter Breakfast (8-10:30)

DYO (Danbury Youth Organization), Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.

Something New Real and Raw Each night begins with R&R (Real and Raw Questions) and ends with fun activity or service project. R&R gives youth a chance to wrestle with the raw and relevant questions about faith. There is no guarantee we will find all the answers, but we will sure enjoy and learn in the process. January 30 Meet at Pastor Chriss for R&R and then stop at McDonalds for a snack and games February 6 Chinese New Year Feb. 13 Attend Ash Wednesday Worship at St. John, 7:00 p.m. Weds., Feb. 20 - Mar. 20 Lenten Meal at 6, Worship at 7; Table Talk Wed., March 27 Holy Week, no class; attend Maundy Thursday and Good Friday Services Sunday, March 31 Easter; Help with 7:00 Sunrise Service; Help with Easter Breakfast (8-10:30) Any questions, please contact Chrissy French, chrissy.french74@gmail.com or 419-341-4653 (cell)

Sunday School 9:00 every Sunday,

Opening in the Church for Preschool through 6th grade. 7th & 8th grade meet in basement in Youth area. Senior High meets the first Sunday of each month for Breakfast and Bible Study.