WEDNESDAY EVENING LENTEN SCHEDULE

Feed your body and soul during Lent. The Wednesday evening schedule through March 24 is as follows:

     Worship                             5 p.m.

     Lenten Meal                        5:45 – 7 p.m.

     Confirmation                      6:30 – 7:15 p.m.

     Hymn Sing                         7:30 p.m.

     Worship                             7:30 p.m.

Every family attending the Lenten meals should bring a salad, side dish or dessert.  The schedule is:

February 24 – Lasagna (Missions & Evangelism)

March 3 – TBD  (Youth)

March 10 – Chili & Hot Dogs (LWML & MOPS)

March 17 – Baked Potato Bar  (Elders)

March 24 – Pancakes & Sausage (Trustees)

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE

 January 2010

Received:                    $48,343
Budgetary need:          $53,580
Actual expenses:        $48,656

                   SPECIAL VOTERS’ MEETING & OPEN FORUM
                                          MARCH 7, 2010 – 6 p.m.

The Church Council has moved the meeting previously scheduled for February 28 at 9:20 a.m. to March 7 at 6 p.m.  If you have any questions or concerns, please call Dr. Chris Troester, Congregational Chairman.

                                        AGENDA

1.  Opening Devotion – Pastor Jon

2.  Attendance and Signing of Constitution

3.      Presentation of Resolution to Amend Bylaws and Add to Bylaws (to establish governing structure for Early Childhood Ministry)

4.      Discussion and Voting on Bylaw Changes and Additions

5.      Presentation of Candidates to serve on Board of Early Childhood Ministry

6.      Election of Board of Early Childhood Ministry

7.      Announcements

8.      Motion to Adjourn

9.      Benediction

Immediately following the Special Voters’ Meeting there will be an Open Forum.   At the Open Forum, the Contemporary-Liturgical Worship Committee will review the process that led to the development of the resolution to begin a Contemporary-Liturgical worship service at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church.  Following this brief presentation, everyone in attendance will be invited to provide feedback or input concerning the proposed resolution and the “Frequently Asked Questions” handout that was recently distributed. 

March Sunday Morning Bible Studies

Pastor Jon will lead a class in the Sanctuary on Worship, beginning February 28 and continuing throughout March.  In this class, we will study a document that was unanimously adopted by the Council of Presidents (COP) of our Synod.  This document seeks to aid congregations as they discuss the current diversity in worship practices in the LCMS. 

Our Synodical President, Gerald Kieschnick, has said, “This diversity in many instances has resulted in disharmony and even polarization.  In order to foster God-pleasing harmony in this matter, the COP encourages pastors, worship leaders, musicians, and other church leaders to engage in prayerful conversation with one another in submission to God’s Holy Word and the Lutheran Confessions.”  This is exactly the purpose of the class.  Growing in our understanding of the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions will be essential in helping our church family to rise above mere opinions and preferences as we wrestle with the “traditional worship” and “contemporary worship” issue.

Pastor Schwartz will continue his Christian Essentials Class, which covers Christian doctrine as explained in the Small Catechism.  This month he will be leading a discussion of the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Divine Service.  They meet in the Family Life Center classrooms and will finish at the end of March.

The Sunday morning lay-led Bible class meets in the conference room.  They will begin “Drive Thru History with Dave Stotts” after they complete 2 Chronicles.  This 12-lesson video series will give the class more information about the history and geography at the time when the Bible was written. 

                       
                                    MOPS (Mothers Of Preschoolers)

“The Green Planet” Isaiah 11:6-9

How can we protect our planet?  As moms, there are several things we can do to “Save our Planet.”   At this meeting we will be given some recipes on how to make ‘green’ cleaning solutions.  Our guest speaker this month is Elly Gray.  Ms Gray will teach us how to knit and make ‘green’ washcloths. 

Here are some effective ways to help conserve resources: turn off the lights when leaving a room, use both sides of the paper when printing and copying, walk or bike instead of driving, take short showers, drink tap water instead of bottled water, remove unnecessary items from your car to reduce weight, regularly replace the filter on your HVAC system, install faucet aerators, use cold water to wash clothes, stop junk mail and install a programmable thermostat in your home. (Source: U.S. EPA)  

You won’t want to miss this exciting meeting! 

March 11^th, 2010, 6:30PM to 8:30PM
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
Cost for meeting: $5.00 – Your first meeting is FREE if you are new to MOPS.
Child care will be provided at no cost! 

Please RSVP to bslcmops@gmail.com or sign-up in the communication center.

SENIOR CHRISTIANS IN ACTION

2010 CALENDAR

March:  First Electric House, Shawnee, KS, & Lunch

April: Kincaid Bus Tour to Wamego, KS (April 17)

May:   Kincaid Bus Tour to Jamesport, MO (May 11)

June:  KC Royals vs. Anaheim Angels (June 3)

July:  National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill & Lunch

August:  Boulevard Brewery Tour & Meal

September:  Thomas Hart Benton House & Lunch

October:  Fort Osage & Lunch

November:  Luncheon & Canine Cop Visit

December:  Christmas Party @ a Local Restaurant

Look for more information in the bulletin and future newsletter articles.  Questions?  Please contact Pastor Schwartz.

 
BOARD OF HUMAN CARE & MISSIONS NEWS

 Sack Lunch Drive to Benefit Metro Lutheran Ministry
March 1-31, 2010

The Board of Human Care and Missions is once again collecting nonperishable food items to feed the homeless.  These items will be used to fill sack lunches by the Sunday School children in April to be donated to Metro Lutheran Ministries, which serves 200 to 300 low income families and the homeless in the inner city each month.

A signup sheet will be posted to ensure that there will be enough of each item.  Please place items in the tub in the communication center by NO LATER THAN March 31.  Questions?  Contact Bridget Lowrie or Genia Henwood.

 
                                    JESUS IS OUR GUIDING LIGHT

Virtually all of us know what lighthouses are and what they are intended to do.  Even those of us who haven’t visited a lighthouse in person know that they are a tower or building that sends out a beacon of light to ships to protect them from dangerous shoreline or help guide them safely through a passage.  Ship captains can see that light from miles away, and they rely on that light to help them avoid danger.  People build lighthouses because they want to keep ships safe. 

Just like the light from a lighthouse shines specifically for ships as they make their way through dangerous waters, God’s light shines for all of us.  Our journey through life is often filled with difficulties and dangers…some seen, and some unforeseen.  In fact, oftentimes we find ourselves navigating through dangerous waters, just like ships in the dark of night, nearby a rocky shoreline.  The choices we make along the way can sometimes lead us to safe passage, and sometimes they can lead us to trouble.

Well, God wants us to have safe passage through life.  He gave us a light that shines through the darkest of nights and the thickest of storms, and can lead us safely through our lives.  That guiding light is found in His Holy Word and in His very own son, Jesus Christ.  Psalm 119:105 tells us “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”    And in John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  Yes, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to provide a guiding light for each of us.  He stands ready to guide and protect us, and to lead us safely through the passages of life.

Like a lighthouse, in Jesus we can find a light to guide us along our way.  But even better than any lighthouse, in Him, we can also find repair for the damages we incur when we make bad choices and occasionally run aground.  In John, Chapter 3, Verses 16 & 17, Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”  And in Psalm 147:3, the psalmist tells us “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

You see, God not only sent Jesus into this world to guide us along our way, but to be our Savior.  To repair us when we sin, and to pay the price to win our salvation.  And all that is freely available to you and everyone you know……. by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone.  Share the Good News!! Amen.                     --Pat Pijanowski, Board of Elders

                                            BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR
                                 EARLY CHILDHOOD MINISTRY

In August of 2010, Beautiful Savior will seek to Boldly Share the Love of Christ through a new Early Childhood Ministry Program.  We are excited to establish a Christian preschool in order to foster physical, social, emotional, mental, and spiritual growth of the children of our congregation and community.  In the future, we will share more information with you about this ministry, so that you might help “spread the word” and pray for our new preschool!