October 2017 - In This Issue:
Worship Services
Sunday Worship
8:00 am Traditional
10:30 am Contemporary
9:15 am Adult Education
9:30 am  Children's  Sunday School

Holy Communion
Communion is served at both services every Sunday.
Lutheran Church of the Cross
28253 Meadow Drive
Evergreen, CO 80439
PO Box 2800
Evergreen, CO 80437-2800

P - 303-674-4130
F - 303-670-7987

Church Office Hours
Tues thru Fri - 10:00am - 2:00pm

Church e-mail

Church Website
Church Staff
Pastor - Philip Reimers
Ministers - All of our People
Youth Director - Open
Music Director - Patrick Stone
Choir Director - Elinore Quander
Office Manager - Stephanie Park
Council Members
Nonie Willisch - President
Mark Selman - Vice-President
Mike Lofing  - Treasurer
Sara Esau - Secretary
Open  - Business Manager
Claire O'Brien - Education
Gloria Owens - Evangelism
Open -  Activities
Eunice Bollinger-O utreach/Missions
Paul Mohrmann - Prop & Grounds
Open  - Stewardship
Vicki Thompson - Worship & Music
Open - Youth & Family




Welcome Visitors
We want to welcome last month's visitors. Thank you for worshiping with us!
 
  


 
   Sign up to sponsor flowers on the chart posted in the Fellowship Hall or talk to Stephanie in the church office.  The cost is $30 for two bouquets and you get to take them home following the last service!  Thank you for helping make the sanctuary beautiful during our Sunday services.





Pastor's Message
The Results Are In!

We invited the congregation to give us input on what the priorities should be in three areas; the Christian individual, the Church, and the Pastor.  The chart of results are included below.  Since specific areas were not provided to choose from, some interpretation had to be made to fit into categories but the chart should be a pretty good reflection of the input given. 

As you will see the top priorities people see for themselves include Bible Study, Prayer, Evangelism, Loving God, Loving Others, and Worship.  The top priorities for the church are Bible Study, Evangelism, Worship, Fellowship/Connection, using our gifts and caring for others.  Top priorities for the Pastor are Biblical Preaching, leadership, visitation, work/presence in the community, and a whole bunch of other things.

Obviously since we limited the number of priorities the lack of certain things in any given area should not be taken that they are unimportant to people.  For example, not one person said it was important to them to help with the youth of the church.  While to not make too much of that because I do understand when limited to top priorities Bible Study, Prayer, and others rise to the surface.  But it does reveal the challenge we have meeting that need and retaining young families.  This may reveal something that needs to improve if we are to reach families.
On the other end Evangelism and Church growth was a high priority for individuals and the church yet we don't seem to do a great job of it.  If this is truly a priority we must ask ourselves why and seek to improve.  We will spend a month focusing on this topic in September of next year.  I do think it is true that evangelism is harder than it has ever been and few churches do it well.  What has become the new norm is who can attract those who already have faith and want to be involved in church.  While we certainly want to be welcoming and a church that Christians are attracted to I would hope our focus would be more on the lost who don't yet know the joy of having Jesus in their life.

Spend some time reflecting on the results.  What it says and what it doesn't say.  Continue to think about your role in helping LCC to be a strong and healthy church.  What are the areas of greatest need where you can be part of the solution? 

Overall, I would say that the results seemed very positive but also honest about what our strengths are and the areas where we need to grow.  We do have a LOT to celebrate and be proud of as a congregation.  We are generally focused on the things that are most important and strive to be a congregation that is faithful to God's call upon our lives.  Sure, we have plenty of places we can and want to improve, but that is the journey of life, isn't it?  The council will continue to use the results to define where we want the Church and Pastor's priorities to be centered.   We always invite your input and participation in being the best we can for the sake of Jesus.  Thank you for your partnership in ministry.  As people of Church of the Cross, we proclaim the Love of Jesus Christ in all we do for the Glory of God.
See you in Church,
 
Pastor Philip
 
                         
Pastor Philip  

 





Trait Individual Church Pastor
Bible Study 13 9 1
Prayer 10   2
Evangelism/growth 9 9 3
Love God 7 2  
Love Others 6   2
Worship 6 9 1
Use Spiritual Gifts 6 4 2
Care for Others/poor 5 6 1
Stewardship 4 1  
Christian Witness 3   3
Spiritual Growth/Discipleship 3 3 1
Fellowship/connection 4 7  
Community work/Presence   5 6
Youth   5 3
Visitation   1 7
Biblical Preaching   1 9
Leadership   3 9
Family Care 2    
Forgiveness 2    
Self Care 1   4
Follow Gods Commands 2    
Active Participation 1    
Kindness 1    
Honesty 1 1  
Support Missions/Organizations 1 4  
Discernment 1 1  
Sincerity   1  
Provide Programs   1 1
Welcoming   1  
Strong Music    2  
Involve People/Delegate   1 1
Love/Support Members   1  
Events: Wedding Confirmation     1
One on One connection     1
Teach     2
Be Passionate     1
Encourage/Admonish     1
Connect New People     2
Oversight/Management     2
Be Involved in Church Events     2
Evaluate why people leave     1
Regular Office Hours     1
Counseling     3

Men's Bible Study

Our Men's Bible Study is scheduled for the  first and  third Thursday  of the month. 

Conta ct Mike Lofing with any questions - mllofing@gmail.com

Thursday, September 7th -
6:30 am
Thursday, September 21st -
6:30 am

Please join us in the church fellowship hall.
Women's Bible Study
Women's Bible Study meets weekly 9:15 - 11:30 during the school calendar in the Fellowship Hall. Please contact Eunice Bollinger for more information.

All Christian women in the community are welcome to attend!
Prayer Warriors
Every  Wednesday at
2:00 pm we are inviting members to join Cheryl Touryan and Gloria Owens in the War Room to pray for our church, our community and world issues. All are welcome.
Prayer Requests
Please remember to check the Prayer Request page on the back of the Sunday bulletin and contact the church office to update any prayer requests!


Happy Birthday!
10/02      Hope Bergren
10/03      Wendy Barnes
10/05      Roger Tullberg
10/06      Deanna Weisenborn
10/08      Vicki Thompson
10/09      Russ Houston 
10/10      Brad Giles
10/11      Matt Erholtz
10/13      Nate Porada
10/15      Sandy DiBernardo
10/16      Addy Leinen
10/18      Hanna Holt
10/21      Cheryl Touryan
10/25      Mildred Olson
10/26      Rita Powers
10/27      Aden Pashman

ten_striped_candles.jpg
Happy Anniversary!

10/07    George & Donna Wortman

10/24    Jim & Rosemary Neville   

Love Offerings
Each month we will highlight an outreach or special ministry. Loose cash offerings and designated offerings will be given directly to those ministry opportunities.
 
In September we collected
$293.00  for Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity
  
October Love Offering
Lutheran Family Services Refugee Program offers support to people who are forced to flee their countries of origin because of a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality or membership in a particular social or political group.  
 www.lfsrm.org/programs-and-services/refugees



Saints Alive!
"We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all our saints..." Col. 1:4
 
We give thanks for all people who have helped support our life together as a community of faith!

Service Helpers Needed
We are always looking for helpers for Altar Guild, Sacrament Assistants, Ushers, Coffee Hour, Sunday School and Children's Church. If you'd like to share your gifts in any of these catagories please speak to Suzanne Pecoraro.

Operation Christmas Child
Jill Hanson
It is time to start thinking about Operation Christmas Child
and preparing your boxes for donation to the less fortunate in 
the poorest places of Mexico and Central and South America. 
Our Youth Chairmen for 2017 are Kaidan Walters, Sophia Heath,  
Kailyn Pashman and Andy Esau, with help from all of our amazing 
youth here at LCC. If you prefer to donate and let Chari Pashman 
& Jill Hansen do the shopping, please make your checks out to 
LCC and in the subject line write "OCC" drop your check in the 
offering plate or give it to Chari or Jill for processing. Thank 
you in advance for your generosity and support. This is a much 
loved & fun project. Boxes will be turned in on November 19th.
From the Horses' Mouth
Cheryl Touryan
 
Recently I have been reading the Chronicles of Narnia - again. In The Magician's Nephew, there is a scene where the children, Digory and Polly, are riding over the newly created Land of Narnia on the back of a winged horse. After an exhilarating day, they land in a valley, very hungry, but have no food to eat. The horse is joyfully swallowing mouthfuls of delicious grass but the children are dismayed.
"Well, I do think someone might have arranged for our meals," said Digory.
"I'm sure Aslan would have, if you'd asked him," said Fledge (the horse).
"Wouldn't he know without being asked?" said Polly.
"I've no doubt he would, " said the Horse (still with his mouth full). "But I've a sort of idea he likes to be asked."
Here we receive wisdom from a talking horse - God wants us to ask!
"Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." John 16:34
Join us in the War Room on Wednesday afternoons at 2:00 pm when we bring our requests before our Heavenly Father.
September  Service   Helpers   
     
Children's Church Leaders                                            Sunday Fun Teachers
Suzanne Pecoraro                                                                Art  Martin
  Kären Soper                                                                       Suzanne Pecoraro
  Art and Marcee Martin                                                          Chari Pashman
  Sophia Heath                                                                         Jackie Mohr
Cheryl Touryan
Brad Giles
Mike and Carole Lofing
Zach Bryars
Gloria Owens
Jackie Mohr
Claire O'Brien
Elizabeth Reimers
Peter Reimers
Chris and Tammy Theisen
Larry Von Thun
Choir Practice  

Join us for choir practice at 6:30 on Wednesdays  and after the second service on Sundays.  Contact Elinore for more information! 
LCC Library 
Linda Mohrmann

LCC library books are in two locations, the War Room and in the office.  The focus of the books in the War Room is spiritual growth and spiritual inspiration for individuals and families. The office contains books for Bible study, reference books, general topics, fiction, doctrine, CD's, DVD's, audio cassettes.   Also, there are materials for small group Bible study.  If your group has finished a study that you thought was worthwhile, please think about donating the book and or DVD so that other small groups can benefit from that study. The library offers some books geared for teens and children. Both areas have a supply of Bibles.
Care Notes are in the hallway, and are across from the mailboxes. Please take any that you may need or that you would like to share with someone. They cover a variety of topics and there are some for all age groups.
Prayer is a very important part of a Christian's life. A powerful book on prayer that we have in the library is Draw the Circle The 40 Day Prayer Challenge by Mark Batterson. "...There is a way to experience a deeper, more passionate, persistent, and intimate prayer life." Batterson inspires "...through 40 true, faith-building stories of God's answer to prayers, daily scriptures, and prayer prompts." This book is found in the War  Room. You are welcome to sign this book out (a binder has been provided).
Youth Leadership/Glenwood Hot Springs Trip - Saturday, November 4 
through Sunday, November 5
SAVE THE DATE!!! We are in the process of planning our annual Youth Leadership Retreat at Glenwood Hot Springs.  Pastor Philip and Elizabeth have found a fun/easy hike (weather permitting) and of course there will be soaking in the hot springs.  Our devotional focus will be on leadership traits and discipleship.  Price is yet to be determined (we will let you know ASAP).  If you are interested, sign up in the Youth Room.
Alternative Gift Fair
November 11 and 12  Volunteers are needed in all positions to help with this Evergreen tradition that brings non-profit vendors from around the world!  Sign up at  www.gifttwice.org    to volunteer at the fair!  Over 200 volunteers are needed!  Bake sale items are also needed - and this is a wonderful way for LCC to help out and spread your name in the community!  Contact Stephanie in the office for more information.

Mission Statement:

As people of Church of the Cross, we proclaim the Love of Jesus Christ in all we do for the Glory of God.