A Good Steward of Pain
Mark Twain was taking a train trip.  He didn't want to carry his briefcase with him, so he asked a baggage handler if he thought the briefcase was strong enough to be checked and placed in the baggage compartment.  The baggage handler shrugged, took Twain's case, and promptly hurled it to the pavement.  "That, sir," he said, "is what she'll get in Philadelphia."  Then he picked it up and struck it five or six times against the side of the train car.  "And that," he continued, "is what she'll get in Chicago."  Finally, he threw the case to the ground again and stomped on it vigorously until the author's books and papers spilled out, saying, "That's what she'll get in Sioux City."  As Twain watched in disbelief, the man nodded at his now mangled case and said, "If you're going any farther than Sioux City, sir, I'd suggest you carry it on yourself."   
Have you ever felt like Mark Twain's briefcase?  St. Paul surely did. He writes: "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Cor. 4:8-9).  Here was a man who was having problems!  Afflicted in every way . . . Perplexed . . . Persecuted . . . Struck down.  St. Paul sounds like a living example of Mark Twain's briefcase, and yet he sounds remarkably upbeat.  "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed." No self pity there.  St. Paul seems to take his situation as a matter of course.
One of the most influential religious writers of our time is a pastor named Frederick Buechner.  In his book THE CLOWN IN THE BELFRY, Buechner tells of a painful childhood experience he endured.  Many years later, a man approached Buechner. "You have had a good deal of pain in your life," he said, "and you have been a good steward of it."  Those words struck Buechner.  Like most of us, he had always connected the word "steward" primarily with money.  Could one be a steward of one's pain?  He had never realized that one could manage, share, and develop one's pain in such a way that it could help others and build his relationship with God.   

Stewardship Emphasis
“July is Freedom Month!”  from LCMS Stewardship July E-Newsletter

July 4, 1776 was a memorable day in the history of the United States of America.  On that day, the founding fathers of our nation declared their independence from England and English rule.  Each year we pause to remember the freedoms we enjoy and give thanks for all those brave men and women from 1776 to this date who have risked their lives for the sake of freedom and independence. We enjoy the freedom of religion, of gathering in public, of oppression from the government or any other agency.  We have the freedom of electing our national, state, and local leaders into office as our leaders.  In November, we will have the opportunity to exercise that freedom one more time.  It is our privilege and duty to vote whenever we have the opportunity. History teaches us that national apathy has destroyed numerous empires and America can also flounder and fail if we citizens do not exercise our freedoms in a  responsible way.

Not only are we citizens of probably the greatest nation in the history of mankind, but we are also citizens of the Kingdom of God!  Because of that citizenship, we enjoy countless freedoms and blessings, like the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.  These freedoms and blessings come to us at a great cost--not on our part, but on the part  of our gracious Savior Jesus who offered Himself up to death as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  Even though  we can never adequately express our thanks to Jesus, we can by the power of the Holy Spirit live each day more and more like the children of God.  In Colossians 3:12-17, we find a list of virtues that are appropriate for us as God’s children.

God’s children are stewards or managers of the many blessings that God has bestowed upon us.  Stewardship is not meant to be an oppressive response to God’s grace and goodness, but rather a joyful response.  In our church we have defined stewardship this way:  “Christian stewardship is the free and joyous activity of the child of God and God’s family, the church, in managing all of life and life’s resources for God’s purposes.”  What a beautiful definition for our Christian stewardship!

Because Christ has redeemed us to be the children of God and heirs of salvation, we have the privilege and responsibility to give evidence of this precious freedom through our words and actions.  Jesus changes everything in our lives (relationships, use of money, time, talents, and so much more) so that we practice our stewardship not in order to gain salvation, but rather as a free and joyous response because of what God has already done for us through the sacrifice of Jesus and the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

What a joy to freely and joyfully practice Christian stewardship not because we have to but because we get to!  Enjoy your freedom as a citizen of the United States of America and a citizen of the kingdom of God and let your life show it!

Stewardship for June
Average Attendance:      89        
Year to Date:               103          
Communed:                167
Average Offering:    $2,516   
Year to Date:          $2,943            
Budget:                  $3,261
Budget Deficit :       $82.62          

“Thank you for your Stewardship!”

Also Given in June
Helping Hand Fund:       $247.00      
Other Missions:                   $40         
Building Fund:                     $50
Food Bank:                         $70
Piano Fund:                        $50
TV:                                    $50
Mexican Orphanage:      $141.43
Lutherwood:                  $250.00
Sea Scouts:                        $20
Office Equipment:                $20
Youth Ministry:                    $20
VBS:                                  $20
Choir Music:                       $44
Adult Bible Study Books:     $44
                 
                         
Bread for myself is a material question; bread for my neighbor is a spiritual question.
                  -Jacques Maritain

Hazel’s Mexican Journal Comes to a Close for 2009….
Wednesday, November 18th … 
Took Andrea thru the Market as we needed an album to put the kid’s pictures in.  We always leave an album for them and take a set of pictures home.  Mary finished her art project with the kids.  They drew pictures and painted them with water colors.  We want to take these home and maybe try to sell some of them, all proceeds to go towards the orphanage.  Mary has really done a great job with this  project.
We purchased a key board several years ago so this year we bought a soft case to store it in, a stand to set it on plus a music stand.  These kids have such great voices and more and more they are asked to sing out.  So to have the correct equipment is an advantage for them.
When we were in town today we got to see Juan Carlos a young man who  grew up at this orphanage and is such a handsome young man now at 23 he has finished school and gone thru education to work in a tourism job.  He is currently employed in one of the big fancy hotels in Morelia.  He is polite, hard working and is doing well for himself.  A success story for our orphanage.  He has his own apartment and has a singing career on the side.
Went to the church tonight for supper and took our oldest boy Rafi with us.  He sure enjoyed  going.
Thursday November 19th…
Walked kids to school.  This afternoon I will meet with Linda, she is a volunteer here at the orphanage and tutors  the little ones.  She and her hubby Jim live here in  Morelia.  She is wonderful for the orphanage with many new ideas for improvements.
Got to get bus tickets for PV today plus we are going to take the staff at the orphanage out to dinner.  Hope we can fit it all in.
Next year no shampoo in the bags for the kids, not good for the little ones as they get it mixed up with lotion and then get in trouble.
This has been such a sad and long day as is always on the day we leave.  The kids always seem to know when we are going to leave.  It is sad eyes all around us for sure.  We had 10 new kids this year.  We lost 5 from last year.  Kids whose little faces I still see in my mind and have in my heart.  Some of the 5 went home to parents.  We can only pray that they are being cared for.  Some were transferred to a different facility, but each year I leave, after my week and ½ I am also abandoning them.  Tonight when they had their snack no one talked or laughed everyone was quiet.
Up by 5 and off to the bus station while   everyone was still asleep.  It is my hope to come back in the fall of 2010.  I love these kids.  Please know how much I appreciate all you do and give for these  little guys.  Without your help I could not do what I do and I am very grateful.
Many warm blessings to all.  In His name…Hazel

Walk for Life
On May 8th we celebrated!  417 people of all ages, representing 41 churches came together to participate in the Walk for Life.  We had so many reasons to celebrate at this year’s Walk!
Over the past year we have seen God do some wonderful things.  Hundreds of women facing a possible unplanned pregnancy received real love and support.  Several people came to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior through the Earn While You Learn parenting program.  Approximately 86% of our ultrasound patients chose LIFE for their children.  Just over 1,700 students  learned about healthy relationships and abstinence.
In addition to all of this, we saw God’s protection over the life-affirming pregnancy centers and clinics in Washington State as we faced proposed legislation designed to discredit and close down pregnancy centers and clinics, including the Whatcom County Pregnancy Clinic.  Through generous and faithful donors, God provide for our needs and the WCPC has been able to continue providing services in a tough economic time.  We have so much to celebrate!
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Walk for Life, celebrating with us what God has done!  It was wonderful to stand together and rejoice in what God has done and will do!  Through the Walk over $64,500 was raised to support the WCPC’s ministry to women, families, and the unborn in our     community!
Celebrate!  Those who sponsored Pastor Dennis & Kristi Galbraith pledged $485.  Thank you.

Mission Links
Grace Lutheran is linked to Hungary, where GEO missionary Sarah Cusson serves.  She writes, “This month, I was blessed to be able to witness the Baptisms of five of my friends who have come to know the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!  Included in these five are two girls who are students at one of the universities in my city.  They came to an English-speaking Bible study that I attend, and there they heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The first night, they were so nervous to walk into the room—surrounded by the unfamiliar—but we soon bonded.  I was brave and tried out some Hungarian words, and we helped each other with English and Hungarian.  I am thrilled that they are now part of the family of the living God and that we can now share more than just language practice and laughter—we are united in the body of Christ!           
 “A third friend also came to this Bible study and, in the beginning, he was quite skeptical and guarded. But, through the course of the last year, he kept asking questions and searching for answers in the Bible.  And through the working of the Holy Spirit, he too has come to faith, and I see a change in him.  The way he interacts with people, the words he uses, and the things he does are now grace-filled.  Before I experienced this with him, I knew that, theoretically, people’s lives changed after coming to know the grace of God, but I had never seen what that really looked like.  Now I know, and I praise the Lord for His goodness!”

Christianity for the first time made charity a rudimentary virtue…                              
It effected a  complete revolution in this sphere, by regarding the poor as the special representatives of the Christian Founder  and thus making the love of Christ rather than the love of man the principle of charity.
 -W.E.H. Lecky

The Lutheran Witness:
Subscriptions are now due, payment can be left in the office or with your Sunday offering.  The cost this year is $15, for new subscribers there is a signup sheet posted in the Narthex.

The great mystery of ministry is that while we ourselves are overwhelmed by our own weakness and limitations, we can still be so transparent that the Spirit of God, the divine counselor, can shine through us and bring light to others.
-Henri Nouwen

Confirmation
James Aguirre and Katlyn Carleton publicly confessed their faith in the Rite of Confirmation on Father’s Day, June 20.   
Congratulations and blessings to both of them.

Recent Deaths
Our Christian sympathies are with our families who have lost loved ones recently:  Emily Ellsworth’s mother, Daniel Dehnke’s father, and Jean Thomas’ father.
“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.”

Preschool News
We have been receiving applications for a couple of months now for children who will be 3½ by September.  We are getting close to being full.  We will maintain a “Waiting List.”  Often times a few drop out by September.
The other news is that we will have a change in staffing.  Our teacher, Naomi, has resigned her position.  We are thankful for her faithful service these past years and wish her and her family well.  The Board of Christian Education has started to work on filling the position.

VBS 2010  'PLANET ZOOM'

Where Bee-lievers Zip, Zap and Zoom for Jesus!

July 12-16
9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Ages 3 years to 6th grade
FREE!