St. Thomas Update

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Week of January 29, 2024

9393 Church Road

Grosse Ile, MI 48138

Office Hours: 9am-noon T, W, R

Office: 734-675-0005

Quilters -

resumes in April

Bible Study -

resumes February 19

Pastor Kari's Book Club -

resumes in the spring

Annual Meeting -

Sunday, February 4

Following worship service

Men's Monthly Lunch -

Thursday, February 8 @ noon

Sully's, Macomb St. on G.I.

Ashes-To-Go -

Wednesday, February 14

7:30-9:30 AM; 11:30-1:30 PM

St. Thomas Parking Lot

Ladies' Monthly Lunch -

Wednesday, February 14 @ noon

Ramsey's, W. Jefferson in Trenton

Ash Wednesday Service -

Wednesday, February 14 @ 7 pm

Lenten Thirsday Service -

Thursday February 15

Soup and crackers @ 6 pm

Service @ 7 pm

St. Thomas

Lutheran Church

Pr. Kari Rinas

WORSHIP SERVICES

THIS WEEK

5th Week of Epiphany

Thursday, February 1 @ 7 pm

February Food Drive Beginning!

Casual, communion, no music

Sunday, February 4

@ 10 am

(blend of traditional and contemporary)

Live Streaming Available!

Congregational Annual Meeting!

Sunday School for children ages 4 - 10

during worship service

February

Helpers

Ushers

Pam Sanquist

Fred Karn

Sunday School

Anna Gartner

Reader

Karen Skrocki

Communion

Judy Cemer

Lisa Perry

Counters

Diane Bloetscher

Tim Perry

Coffee Hosts

If unable to help as scheduled, please find a replacement for yourself.

LET THERE BE LIGHT!

Thanks to a flurry of work from Jeff Kline, Betty Ruck and John Landis, the altar area in the sanctuary is noticeably brighter! Twenty-two old and expensive lights were replaced with brighter and much more efficient LED light fixtures. The cost of replacing these light fixtures amounted to $190 for the church because a member paid for the other half of the expense. A sincere thanks to them! The old bulbs ran 2160 watts. The new bulbs only 162 watts. This will be an astronomical reduction in electricity!

The life expectancy is also remarkably improved. The new fixtures

are guaranteed for 5 years, but with our usage,-more likely 47 years.

The replaced bulbs were burning out in 4 months.

Service attendees, musicians, and Pastor Kari will all benefit from the savings

and the improved lighting. Even the slides are more vibrant and visible

because the new lights are able to be focused more directly where needed.

Thanks to the diligent members for your investigation, hard work

and thoughtfulness!

The SEMI Synod has requested help with a Venezuelan family.

If you are interested in learning more, please read the information below.

"Some of you are aware that the Southeast Michigan Synod recently welcomed a Spanish-speaking family of five (Dad, Mom, 3 girls ages 8 and younger) from Venezuela, by way of El Paso, TX. The family arrived in Detroit at 1:00 AM on Sunday, January 7.

Days before their arrival, members of the Immigration and Refugee Services Task Force and other volunteers quickly coordinated the pickup and delivery of lots of donations to furnish the space where the family now resides. We received beds, furniture, food and kitchen items, bathroom items and toiletries, boots, clothes, toys, and more!

Soon after their arrival, the children were registered for school and the parents were scheduled for support services to begin the process to apply for asylum.

Until the family is granted affirmative asylum, they will rely on our Synod’s members and congregations for support. Dad cannot work until he receives a work permit, which takes a very long time.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

There are several ways to engage:

• Donate funds for day-to-day needs such as groceries and personal items by going to the SEMI Synod website: https://semisynod.com/, see Donate button and select “Venezuelan Family” or send a check (indicate in the Memo Section: Venezuelan Family) to the Southeast Michigan Synod, 8115 E Jefferson, Detroit, MI 48214.

•Take a look at the Target Wish List with items that have been specifically identified for the family: https://www.target.com/gift-registry/gift/semi-family. Items will be shipped to the Synod office and then delivered to the family.

•Coordinate a fun activity for the family – visit a museum, go to lunch, drive around Detroit to get to know the area better, visit a library in Southwest Detroit or Dearborn. To get on the schedule and to receive the guidelines and responsibilities involved with meeting the family, contact Pastor Sara Freudenburg, pastorsara@emmanuel-livonia.org.

We are excited to help this family and anticipate being a safe space in the future for families who immigrate to the metro-Detroit area to find support here. We pray that you may find a way to support them. For more information that has not been addressed here, contact Robin McCants, Assistant to the Bishop for Advocacy & Urban Ministry at r.mccants@semisynod.com. May God continue to bless us all!"

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:12

The SEMI Synod