Transfiguration of Our Lord: 
This Sunday, February 7th


Witnesses to the glory of God in the face of Jesus will be unable to avoid reflecting that glory in the world. It was true for Moses. It was doubtless true for Peter, James, and John. We pray that it will be true of all of us who see the glory of the Lord in the word and in the supper and who are being "transformed into the same image" by the Spirit of God.

Sundays and Seasons v.20151122.2243
Copyright © 2016 Augsburg Fortress. 
 Announcements

Quarterly Statements Have Been Sent

Quarterly Statements were sent out at the end of January. If you have any questions or concerns about your Statement, or if you did not receive one, please call Financial Secretary Bob Norgauer at 818 842-9877 and leave a message or email at  zep632@aol.com .
Welcome Pastor Elizabeth Nees!


This Sunday, we welcome Pastor Elizabeth Nees to American Lutheran Church. Pastor Elizabeth grew up in Evanston, Wyoming.  She recieved her Bachelors in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado and went to seminary at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.  Between college and seminary Elizabeth served as a missionary in Egypt through the ELCA's Young Adults in Global Mission program.  Elizabeth was ordained in 2010 and called as the pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Millville, NJ.  After serving there for five years, Elizabeth and her husband Bill moved to CA when Bill was offered a job at Amgen in Thousand Oaks.  Bill and Elizabeth welcomed their first child, Charlotte in June of 2015.  The three of them just moved into their first home in Camarillo with their golden retriever, Willow.  

Thank you, Pastor Elizabeth, for watching over our flock this week!
Member Spotlight: Melanie Salisbury
My relationship with American Lutheran Church began under rather sad circumstances. The year was 1998 and Thom and I had just got married and I had become step mom to Thom's two young sons from his previous marriage. Unfortunately, the next eight years would prove to be emotionally and financially draining due to a very bitter and nasty custody battle. In these dark days I found peace, spiritual enrichment, and personal strength at American Lutheran Church. In addition to ALC being my sanctuary, it was also conveniently located at the end of my street! For the first five years, Thom and I would slink in at the back and worship privately. It wouldn't be until 2006 when I really started to reach out and get to know people. That was largely due to being hired as the church secretary where I would reside for the next 8 years. 

I believe American Lutheran Church will always be there for us, during the good and bad times. All roads lead to American Lutheran and I have proof of that!
Celebrating a Birthday in February
Vivien Cress 
Carla Szuch 
Tanda Tindell 
Jameson Teen 
Lynda Petitt 
Joaquina Garcia
Mark Baker 
Craig Aumont
Chris Templet 
Christine Valentino
Celebrating an Anniversary in February
Richard & Jean Andersen
Roberta Reynolds & Brian Jorgensen
Cliff & Pauline Meyer
Carol Ann & Darin Heinis

 

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 February Events

Souper Bowl of Caring: Sunday, Feb. 7th

Tomorrow is the last day to donate soup cans for the Souper Bowl of Caring to support Burbank Temporary Aid Center (BTAC) and Lutheran Social Services (LSS). 

We will have special baskets set out to collect our donated soup cans.

You can also donate can openers! 
PFLAG Burbank, February 8th at 7:00pm


You are invited to attend the inaugural meeting of the PFLAG satellite in Burbank on February 8th at 7:00pm in the Conference Room of American Lutheran Church
PFLAG started as a group of parents meeting together to find ways to understand and support their LGBT children. Today, it is a source of education, advocacy and support for lesbian, gay, straight, bi-sexual, transgender and questioning adults and youths, as well as the family, friends and partners who support them. 

EVERYONE IS WELCOME.
Ash Wednesday Service, February 10th at 7:30pm


The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 10th. Lent is  a "springtime of the soul," a 40-day journey of spiritual growth in preparation for our Easter celebration. 

On Ash Wednesday we gather as a community of faith for worship at 7:30pm. A cross is made with ashes on our foreheads as we hear the words,  "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return. The ashes are a reminder of our mortality as well as a sign of our repentance and turning again towards God's mercy. Then we participate in the foretaste of the feast to come, Holy Communion, assuring us of God's forgiveness and grace in our lives.
LWR Baskets of Promise Campaign, Feb. 14th - Mar. 20th


This Lent we're joining Lutheran World Relief's " Baskets of Promise" campaign. Each week, we'll collect a different item that we'll use to assemble Personal Care Kits that give people around the world tools to stay healthy in life's most challenging situations. Our goal is to assemble 50 LWR Personal Care Kits during Lent. 

*We need 1-3 coordinators to help collect, sort, count and organize the weekly donations. Please email Gretchen Rexach at gretchen.rexach@gmail.com if interested. *


Lenten Soup Suppers & Studies, Feb. 17th - Mar. 23rd


Over six Wednesdays between February 17th - March 23rd, we will journey together through the season of Lent, reflecting on hunger, hope, and God's love in a world of both abundance and need. Each weekly session is based on a devotion from ELCA World Hunger's 40 Days of Giving.  Each weekly session will have: an opening prayer, a Scripture reading, a devotion from a leader  that introduces the session's theme, a group activity, questions for discussion and a closing prayer. 

We will partake in a meager Soup Supper starting at 6:15pm each Wednesday night for our studies before moving to the sanctuary for the Holden Evening Prayer at 7:30pm

Your participation is welcomed and encouraged. 

Women of the ELCA  Winter Gathering 
Saturday, Feb. 20th
Women of the ELCA SoCal Synod  WINTER GATHERING  Saturday, Feb. 20th at
Reformation Lutheran Church, 570 E. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena from   8:30 a.m. - Noon.

" Balanced Life" - " Come to me all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest."  9:00 a.m. Brunch.   Registration is $12.00.

Please RSVP   Vi Reardon  818 353-5563  or   billrrdn@verizon.net  no LATER than Tues. Feb. 16th if you would  like to go.  We will carpool from the church at  8:00 a.m.   Offering will split between
the Reformation Mission Congregation and Churchwide Women of the ELCA.
Training for Family Promise Volunteers, Feb. 27th


Family Promise of the Verdugos will offer training for volunteers on Saturday, February 27th from 9:00am to 11:00am here at the church ( in the Conference Room). 

Please contact Bob Nicol 818-845-6943 or r_nicol@msn.com to register.