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Sunday, July 14, 2024

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Worship Services at 8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.

Amos 7:7-15

The sign of the plumb line: God's judgment on Israel.

Psalm 85:8-13

I will listen to what the Lord God is saying (Ps. 85:8).

Ephesians 1:3-14

Chosen in Christ to live to the praise of God's glory.

Mark 6:14-29

The death of John the Baptist.

Experiencing the Joy of Generosity!

The Joy of Receiving God’s Blessings

What Belongs to God?

Scripture: “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?.” (1 Corinthians 4:7)

Prayer: Dear Father, you are the source of every good and perfect gift, for which I thank you. Amen.

Worship to Go needs additional helpers! You can participate at

1:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, at

Angels Senior Living, 5750 Honore. Volunteers will meet at 12:45 p.m. in the chapel and will carpool to the facility.

Participating is heartwarming and fun. To join in, contact Pastor Eric directly, 716-352-0055. No experience necessary!

Worship To Go will be taking a break for August and will resume in September.

The Prayer Support Group meets at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays in the chapel to pray for all in need, our community, our nation, our world, and to share Holy Communion. You also can join via Zoom: Meeting ID 871 4720 3661. Passcode 041291.

The Bereavement Group meets at 1 p.m. Wednesdays in the chapel. If you or a friend is struggling with grief, this group is for you. There is strength and hope in community. 

Prayer, a beautiful outdoor walk, coffee fellowship and a closing prayer of thanks bring people together during Faith Walk and Talk. Join the group at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday, July 13, and the second Saturday of each month outside of Panera Gulf Gate, 6589 S. Tamiami Trail. If you would enjoy the talk but not the walk, arrive at 10:30 a.m. Questions? Contact Carolyn Francis, 941-400-0083.

Vacation Bible School Day Camp, July 22-26 at Faith, will run 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Thursday of that week, and will conclude at noon Friday with a special program for families and friends. Lunch and snacks are included!

Taught by trained teachers from NovusWay's Camp Luther Springs, the five days of fun will include Bible study, worship, games, arts and crafts, nature studies and more.

Registration is officially closed, but a few enrollments still could be accepted. Click the corresponding button below to get additional info, or to view/print a registration form and a health form. Questions? Contact Pastor Eric, 716-352-0055 or pastor@faithlutheransrq.com.

Please consider donating altar flowers in honor of a special occasion, in memory of a loved one or to glorify God.

The cost is $30 for one vase or $60 for two vases. For each week, we can have either one donor for both vases, or two donors for one vase each. Make checks payable to Faith Lutheran Church, and indicate "altar flowers" in the memo line.

Check the altar flowers donation board in fellowship hall to see if your desired date is available. If not, please choose an alternate date. The next open date is Sunday, September 4.

When you purchase altar flowers, your name and dedication will be published in the bulletin on your selected Sunday. To make a dedication:

• At church, complete an Altar Flowers envelope with your payment, and place it in the offering plate. Indicate your wish to keep or donate the flowers on the donation board in fellowship hall. You also can include a note in the envelope with your donation or call the church office.
• By mail, send payment with a note indicating your desired date and dedication, and if you want to keep the flowers or donate them.
• By email or phone, contact the church office with your desired date and dedication, and whether you want to keep or donate the flowers. Pay through the altar flowers option on the Faith website.

Readers Club will meet at 2 p.m., July 29, in the library to discuss Just for the Summer by Abby Jiminez.

All are welcome! Please join!

From 3 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July. 30, be part of the crew that will cook and serve for about 70 food-insecure and homeless siblings in Christ at St. Paul’s Lutheran in downtown Sarasota.

To volunteer, sign up on the sheet in the narthex or contact the church office.

Coffee hour is an important fellowship ministry at Faith that needs additional volunteers. All you have to do is put out snacks and clean up afterward.

Please sign up on the sheet beside the coffee pot in fellowship hall. Questions? Contact Karen Naulty, knaulty@yahoo.com or 406-334-1063; or Denise Kirkeeng, kirkeengd@verizon.net or 941-468-6668.

Pastor Eric often speaks with people about aid they require. The Pastor's Discretionary Fund allows him to assist financially, when appropriate. If you can, please consider a donation to the fund so those in need can receive assistance. To give online, click here.

 Help care for our hungry neighbors by placing donations of food or paper products in the white food pantry barrel. And please consider volunteering at the pantry as friends help friends with both food and attention. Thank you!

Faith will pay for Uber or Lyft to bring you or others to worship or other events. Contact Pastor Eric to make arrangements, 716-352-0055.

Today, Friday, July 12

8:30 a.m., Jazzercize - gym

Saturday, July 13

8:30 a.m., Jazzercize - gym

9 a.m., Diakonia - conference room

9:30 a.m., Faith Walk and Talk, Panera, 6589 S. Tamiami

Sunday, July 14

8 a.m., In-Person and Live-Stream Worship - sanctuary

10:15 a.m., In-Person and Live-Stream Worship - sanctuary

2 pm., German Congregation Worship and Fellowship

Monday, July 15

Tuesday, July 16

12:45 p.m., Worship to Go Prep - chapel

1:30 p.m., Worship to Go - Angels Senior Living, 5750 Honore

Wednesday, July 17

10:30 a.m., Prayer Support Group - chapel

1 p.m., Bereavement Group - chapel

Thursday, July 18

9 a.m., Receive and Prep Food Delivery - food pantry

9:30 a.m., Finance Committee - conference room

4:30 p.m., Food Pantry Prep

5 p.m., Food Pantry Open

Find daily Prayer Ventures on the ELCA website. Here are prayers for today and the days ahead.

7/12 Thank God for 35 years of the ELCA International Leaders Program, which provides leadership development experiences to current and future leaders through scholarships, the International Camp Counselor Program, leadership development programs and building equitable access to education for systemically excluded groups.

7/13 Pray for young people of color and those whose primary language is other than English as they gather for the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and for youth living with disabilities as they attend the tAble event, both of which precede the ELCA Youth Gathering. Pray that these young people — with their adult companions — will grow as wise, faithful and courageous followers of Christ.

7/14 Pray that we will listen carefully to God and seek to understand God’s ways and commands, which provide guidance for our life and faith and show us how to love and serve our neighbors.

7/15 Remember in prayer the residents of New Orleans and give thanks as they open their community and extend their enthusiasm, assistance and hospitality to youth, adults and leaders during the ELCA Youth Gathering and related events. Give thanks for ELCA congregations and ministries in New Orleans that help make the Gathering a faith-strengthening, life-changing experience for everyone.

7/16 Pray for youth and young adults participating in the ELCA Youth Gathering and Young Adult Gathering as they explore what it means to be created by God as free, brave, authentic, disruptive disciples — all invaluable parts of our faith and identity in a world of ongoing challenge, crisis and suffering.

7/17 Generation Zero-Hunger is a youth-driven fundraising challenge to support the programs of ELCA World Hunger, our church’s ministry to end hunger and poverty. Pray for the Spirit to inspire our generosity and compassion for our neighbors as we respond to this challenge to usher in a world without hunger and futures filled with hope.

7/18 Pray for our neighbors who suffer and long for peace in places of conflict and war. Pray that we will not grow weary in our concern, support and prayer and that we will not rest until there is peace and healing.

7/19 Give thanks for everything that God has revealed and given to us through Jesus Christ that stirs our hope and joy: God’s abundant grace and mercy, God’s will for our present life and future, and the promise of eternal life in the kingdom of God.

Alan

Pastor Steve Anderson, friend of Jan Phillips

Chuck & Tani Banta

Kathryn Bolon, mother of Barbara Bolon

Barbara Brannan, mother of Kim McDonald

Arthur Brucato,

 friend of Karla Lewis & Michael Leonhardt

Michael Burgess, friend of Janice Lorenz’s son

Dee Burlingame

Evelyn Conlon

Jeanine Davis (nee Molella),

 granddaughter of Karen and John White

Eloise Dettmer

Ryan Donahue, friend of Doris Anne Prieur-Lucia

Andrea Gamboa

Jeff Hansen, nephew of Joan Searles

Patricia Head, mother of Wayne Head

Sonja Hickling, mother of Kelly Ashlock

Becky Hilton Heeps, friend of Lisa Olsen

Al Hirsch, husband of Marilyn Hirsch

Kevin Hooks, son-in-law of

 Anita and Jon Wooton

Cliff and Snookie Hornsby

Jesus & Rita Jimenez

Leonard Kotwitz, brother of Janet Falk

Lillian Lapenckas

Diane Lewis, sister-in-law of Karla Lewis &

 Michael Leonhardt

Paul and Debbie Maresch,

 brother and his wife of Patty McKee

Dennis McCaughey, friend of Lois Weaverling

Kim McDonald

Judi Melander

Alison Nommay, friend of Karla Lewis &

 Michael Leonhardt

Terry O’Connell, friend of Marlene Radesk

Meghan Ortega, niece of Lisa and Pastor Eric Olsen

Judy Osborn, sister of Peggy Ragan

Family & Friends of Wally Pina

Cindy Press, friend of Kevin & Linda Fewell

Robin Ryder, daughter of Floyd Ryder and

 sister of Gail Murphy

Lorna Sawyers-Sucra, friend of

Jeremy & Yvonne Mullins

Becky Sciranko, niece of Alice Rush

Joan Searles

Stephanie Sebastyn, friend of Carolyn Winemiller

Rev. John Spittal

Mark Stengel

David Turnbull, husband of Patricia White

Brittany Wanko and her premature newborn

 infants, Olivia Mae and Emmet Walter

Jon Wooton

7/2 Alf & Denise Kirkeeng

7/11 Keith & Karen Ballweg

7i/15 Vivek Adepu & Susmitha Madidi

7/16 Darrel & Mary Lou Huggins

7/18 Gerald & Karen Kolschowsky

7/22 Richard and Ileana Capilla

7/25 Pete & Carole Inkrott

7/1 Joan Searles

7/1 Lois Weaverling

7/2 Evelyn Conlon

7/2 Rev. John Hilficker

7/2 Sue Hosler

7/3 Ellen Marie LaSoda

7/3 Colette Thornbloom

7/4 Alexis Ekberg

7/5 William Brown

7/6 Joey Larson

7/0 Elsa Rappold

7/10 Sarah Patterson

7/10 Eleanor Wallace

7/11 Karen White

7/12 Carl Petersen

7/12 Patricia White

7/13 Heidi Schuhmann

7/14 Karen Knatz

7/19 Amy Nelson

7/20 Rev. Eric Olaf Olsen

7/20 Lauma Brass Stelmahsenko

7/21 Ann Greenwood

7/22 Vivek Adepu

7/23 Linda Fewell

7/24 Jonathan Puebla

7/25 Michael Kulaw

7/25 George Young

7/27 Denver Romano

7/28 Judy Millard

7/30 Suzie Lehmann

If a birthday or anniversary is missing or listed incorrectly, kindly notify communications@faithlutheransrq.com.

Pastor: Rev. Eric Olaf Olsen

pastor@faithlutheransrq.com

Assistant to the Pastor: Rev. Larry Wright

larannw@comcast.net

Retired Pastors in Residence: Rev. John Hilficker, Rev. Marianne Powrie, Rev. John Spittal

Director of Music/Organist: David V. Patrick

musicdirector@faithlutheransrq.com

Lead Cantor/Music Librarian: Tom Tryon

thomas.e.tryon@gmail.com

Interim Operations Administrator: Kelly Ashlock

officeadmin@faithlutheransrq.com

Communications Administrator: Linda Fewell

communications@faithlutheransrq.com

Congregation Council: Scott Rice, president; Lauren Wardach, vice president; Mark Nelson, secretary; Anita Wooton, treasurer; Jane Sanks, assistant treasurer; Jerry Cooper; Quyen Dang; Ann Greenwood; Peggy Ragan; Joan Searles

941-924-4664 | www.faithlutheransrq.com

Office hours: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Friday

Mission – Gathered faithfully to love and serve God and all others

Values – Mutual Respect, Honesty, Kindness, Service, Forgiveness, Commitment, Perseverance, Faithfulness, Compassion, Flexibility

CLICK HERE to view the current Constitution of Faith Lutheran Church.