Pastor Darcy
As part of my continuing education this year, I attended a coaching seminar to grow in the skills of listening and asking questions that help people or groups move forward. In general, a coach is someone who comes alongside to help you discover what God wants you to do, and how to do it. A coach helps individuals and groups answer three basic questions:
* Where am I? Where are we?
* Where do I/we believe God wants me/us to go?
* How will I/we get there?
Later in February, when the council gathers for the annual retreat, these questions will guide the conversation and planning as we take some next steps to embody LCOC's:
Purpose: To build a Christian community that is inviting and encourages and equips people to grow as committed disciples of Christ.
Vision: A community that is focused on: knowing, living, and telling the story of God's covenant relationship with us.
Mission: To strengthen our relationship with God and all people as we: Gather, Grow, Give, Go
Gather
to worship God and fellowship with the community
Grow in our relationship with God through prayer, Bible Study, and service
Give of our resources, time, and talents in response to God's extravagant generosity towards us
Go forth to serve others and share the story of God's love for all
I invite you to pray for the council and ministry teams and to consider how you will be a part of the ministry opportunities.
* How is God calling you to grow as a committed disciple of Christ?
* What would help you to know, live, and tell the story of God's covenant relationship?
* How will you gather, grow, give, and go in 2017?
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Council President
Sharing in God's Mission at
Lutheran Church of the Covenant
Dear brothers and sisters-in-Christ
,
Our new church council met for the first time on Sunday, January 8th. The 2017 Members of the Council are:
President, Jo Ann Rudy Vice President, Dick Zinn
Treasurer, Doug Strack Secretary, Lorelei Ditton
Stewardship, Patti Beattie Property, Mark Gimmi and Roger Rudy
Worship, Phi Overholt Fellowship, Tricia Schilder
Education, Wilbur Snyder Evangelism, Darla Ferris
Youth, Katie Boivin.
Our representatives to the Synod Assembly are Phil Overholt and Stacey Rosenquist. Our Trustees are Les Burroughs, Brian Richard, and Roger Rudy. I am so grateful to be sharing in the ministry here at LCOC with all of these folks and with all of you.
Jesus' invitation, "Come follow me" is as relevant for us today as it was when he extended it to Peter, Andrew, James and John. Becoming a follower of Jesus means turning our lives over to Christ's direction and control. There are as many different ways to follow Jesus as there are followers. Here at our church, we have numerous opportunities to use the gifts that God has given us as we Gather, Grow, Give, and Go. Please join us as we answer Jesus' call to follow him and spread his love by serving him and our neighbors with our God-given gifts.
Please know that I will continue to pray for all of you, and I ask that you pray daily for all your brothers and sisters here at LCOC and that we are carrying out God's will for us in this place, in the community, and in the world. I ask that if you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, comments, etc. that you feel free to talk to me (in person, by phone (703-670-8365), or through email
roger.jo@verizon.net
). But more than anything, I ask that we all remember never to limit what God can do through us in carrying out our mutual missions!
May God bless you all as you are a blessing to me and many others,
Love,
Jo Ann Rudy
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GATHER
to worship God and fellowship with the community
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| Thanksgiving Service 2016 |
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Worship
Upcoming Lenten Drama Series
Ash Wednesday, on March 1 this year, will feature the first in a series of six Wednesday presentations on Martin Luther's motivation, reasoning and content that resulted in his catechisms. The congregation will be oriented each week through a monologue by "Martin Luther" highlighting a different section, followed by leader/congregation scripted dialogues that briefly review and present the meanings for that section. These Wednesday services promise to be a welcome review of Luther's catechism and his enduring role in the Lutheran church as we celebrate its 500th year anniversary.
Phil
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| Chili Cook Off Winners 2017 |
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Fellowship
Highlights from late December/ January
- In late December we hosted a farewell party for Vicki to celebration her 10 years of music ministry at LCOC.
- The Christmas Dinner was very well attended and we enjoyed some delicious Chinese food paied for by a Thrivent Action Team plus the generosity of the restaurant. We collected a freewill offering to go towards our STOP HUNGER NOW event on January 14th.
- Our Annual Chili Cook Off was a big success, the food was fabulous and everyone came away with a full stomach! Our top three winners are:
- Heather Gimmi
- Mark Lamboni
 
- Pastor Darcy
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This is the day which the Lord hath made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it. -
CARD SHOWER for TILLI
Please join with LCOC as we shower
Tilli Smith with cards to celebrate
her
90th Birthday.
Drop off or mail cards to LCOC by February 12th and we will present the cards to her on that Sunday at a special fellowship between services.
Cake, candies and punch will be served.
Help us make this a wonderful day for a very sweet lady!
Contact Tricia with questions: office@lcocdalecity.org or 703-670-4242
Cards can be put in the office door basket, the workroom or given to Tricia!
___________________________________________________________________
COMING SOON to LCOC CINEMA 1: 
February 11th at 6:00 pm
Rick Steves "Luther and the Reformation"
Enjoy some theater foods, popcorn and candy
Youth Group Previews
Discussion after, lead by Youth
Freewill offering to fund youth to the ELCA Youth Gathering in 2018
Hosted by Fellowship, Evangelism, Education and Youth committees.
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| Prayer Breakfast |
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Our next meeting is February 11th
at 7:30 am
in the DFH.
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| LCOC Prayer Garden |
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Community Prayer Group
The LCOC community prayer group meets the second Saturday of each month from 7:30 am to 9 am in the Work Room. We share prayers of concern and numerous praises along with a strong cup of coffee. We invite anyone who has concerns or praises to make them known to Colette L., Rita K., JoAnn R. Or Lorelei D. We offer this time to the community and congregation to join us for prayer, openly or privately. We will meet again on February 11th, at 7:30 am.
Matt. 21:13 - my house will be called a house of prayer,.....
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GROW
in our relationship with God through prayer, Bible Study, and service
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Adult Education
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Feb 5
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Cross | Where God Is | Nadia Bolz-Weber
The cross sits at the center of our faith, and yet our understanding of what exactly happened on that cross remains conflicted and confusing. Was Jesus our proxy? The payment? The only way to appease an angry God? Nadia Bolz-Weber reminds us that our theories about the cross tell us as much about ourselves and our view of God as they do about Jesus and salvation.
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Feb 12
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Bible | A Book Like No Other | Lauren Winner
Why read the Bible? This is Lauren Winner's central question. For Lauren, an avid reader, there remains something odd about the way Christians read the Bible. Why do we keep turning to the same stories in search of some new revelation? What is it about the Bible that makes it worth repeated reading? What gets in our way as we read the Bible and try to make sense of it? These are issues the church has wrestled with for centuries and yet we keep at it. We keep coming back to this book and its strange narrative full of plagues and miracles and destruction and rebirth. So why do we do it?
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Feb 19
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Church | An Imperfect Family | Bruce Reyes-Chow
Bruce Reyes-Chow knows he's not inventing the metaphor of the church as family. So he suggests we take our changing notions about what it means to be a family and let them seep into our understanding of the church. For Bruce, it's the messiness, the dysfunction, and the joy that comes from complex relationships that make church worth hanging on to. So how do we stay connected to this sometimes-broken family system? What does it mean to commit ourselves to the church family, for better or for worse?
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Feb 26
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Hospitality 101
What is hospitality? How does God's welcome shape how we welcome people at the Lutheran Church of the Covenant? All are welcome to an interactive session where we will explore the Biblical understanding of hospitality and also share some practical ways to share this gift.
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New Study on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 am
beginning on December 14th:
Matthew: Being Discipled by Jesus
What would it be like to be discipled by Jesus?
What would he teach us about relationships, priorities,
wealth and his coming kingdom?
What would we learn from his actions?
You are invited to be a part of this study and to deepen our understanding of the Gospel of Matthew which is the focus for this church year.
Join us, the coffee is ready!
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Education
The High School class has kicked off 2017 by producing brief
informational (and hopefully
entertaining) presentations on the major youth activities leading up to the 2018
ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston TX .
We will present these 'shorts' as a preview to the Luther travelogue on February 11th. From that time until the beginning of Lent, the High School class will parallel the adult study of the Gospel of
Matthew.
During Lent, we will switch to a special youth version of the Gospel of John study, and then return to the Matthew study for the remainder of the year. The help that Katie B, Jon S, and Mike R are now
giving has re-vitalized this class, but we continue to search for a long-term High School teacher to share the load.'
Ms. DeGroodt's class
is working on lessons that parallel the Gospel stories.
Last week,
they talked about the gathering of the disciples and following Jesus.
Bible stories will correspond with the church calendar.
The class is looking for
anyone with craft ideas
relating to the stories that they can display on the bulletin board outside the classroom.
At the end of the school year,
class members
can take everything home.
The class would like the
congregation come downstairs at some point to check out the bulletin boards to see what
they
are doing.
Wilbur
You are invited to be a part of the Sunday learning opportunities for ALL ages at 9:45.
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Confirmands participate in Stop Hunger Now 20,000 Meals Event 2017
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Confirmation Corner
The Confirmation class slowed down a little for the holidays but started the New Year out with a bang. First I made their day by assigning their annual book reports, YEAH! In keeping with the Reformation celebration we are doing reports on People of the Protestant Reformation. Once complete, these reports will be published in future newsletters.
You can look forward to reading the following reports:
Desiderius Erasmus by Sarah Sutton
Jan Haus by Sarah Gimmi
William Tyndale by Seth Sutton
Huldrych Zwingli by Alexa White
Thomas Cranmer by Jillian Rosenquist
Michael Servetus by Michael Eberle
I beat most of you haven't heard of these names, huh? I'll admit, I know very little about any of these people, but soon together we'll all know a little more about our Lutheran history.
One of our recent lessons was on Prophets and what qualifies someone to be a prophet. In the Old Testament, prophets were appointed by God (often at a very young age) to speak on behalf of God. Prophets informed the kings about what God wanted for the people-advice the kings didn't always follow. The context for the rise of the prophets is laid out in Deuteronomy 18:15-22, which details the transition from Moses 'leadership among the people to the leadership of others. This passage is God's reassurance that, just as God raised up Moses, God will call others to speak to the people on God's behalf. As with Moses, the prophets' words would be a sign of God's presence in and among the people.
Speaking of signs, I had the confirmands form two teams with each team creating their own sign to wear. Afterwards we walked through all the Sunday school classes displaying our sign with words a prophet might say.
A friendly reminder that our Shrove Pancake supper is set for Tuesday, the 28th of February from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Upper Fellowship Hall. This will be a Thrivent action team event where we will open our doors up to the community. Donations received will go towards the cost of our Shekinah trip in March.
God Bless
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Ray Sutton
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Prayer Opportunities
Prayer Chain Ministry:
Please send an email to prayerchain@lcocdalecity.org
or call the Prayer Chain Lead at 571-210-1979
Free Ceaseless Prayer App:
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Youth Group
The youth has a lot going on in February and we're super excited about it all! February 4th we will be having a movie/pizza night to prep for hoagie sales the next morning. We will be helping out with the Luther Movie Night on February 11th and giving a presentation about what the free will offering is going towards that night. On February 18th we will be manning a booth for a Brain Cancer Fundraising event called Silver Sparkles (all are welcome to attend this event - contact me for more information). We are going ice skating with a other ELCA churches in the area on February 20th. And finally, we will be helping with the Shrove Pancake dinner on February 28th. Thank you again for your continued support of the Youth Group at LCOC. We couldn't do the fun events that we do without your support and generosity. We are all so grateful!
Hoagie Sale Info: Please get your hoagie form turned in by January 29th. Hoagies are $6 this year. We received Thrivent Action Team Seed money for this event so all proceeds will go directly towards getting ready for the Youth Gathering in 2018 and other events.
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GIVE
of our resources, time, and talents in response to God's extravagant generosity towards us
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| Stop Hunger Now 2017 |
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Stewardship
Thanks to the many gifts and talents of our members and their generosity and commitment in using those to glorify God and serve our community, many amazing projects have been completed over the last few months at LCOC. Backpacks and food for Neabsco Elementary, Trunk or Treat fun for neighborhood children, Christmas spirit for many children and their families through Breakfast with Santa and Un-Trim-a-Tree gifts, and 20,000 meal packets for hungry schoolchildren in underdeveloped areas. All these fabulous projects were a success because of the selfless stewardship of time and resources by all of you. There are many more opportunities to serve and make a difference coming up including the serving of food to those at the Hilda Barg shelter, continued support for Neabsco Elementary students and their families, sharing a fun breakfast with the neighborhood children and the Easter Bunny, making the gardens at LCOC thrive in the spring, and many more!
We are compiling the interests surveys that many of you have filled out and have more forms available for those who have not done so. We will have more information on the projects and answer any questions you may have as you sign up.
Remember....
" Be the change you wish to see in the world."- Ghandi
"To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thank you for being this type of person! I look forward to working with all of you.
Patti Beattie
We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.
- Mary Dunbar
As a congregation we have offered support to ACTS in a variety of ways over the years. One of the needs they currently have involves having fresh produce to help boost the nutrition of those being served. During the summer season that is more easily accomplished with the help of local farmers' markets. It is more difficult during the winter so ACTS is using an online donation system to fund purchase of produce items. Please consider this opportunity and share it with your networks.
Here is the donation link.
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Attention Thrivent Members: 
Some of you are entitled to Choice Dollars that can benefit Lutheran Church of the Covenant. Only a small percentage of these dollars have been directed anywhere.
Please see JoAnn Rudy for more information!!
___________________________________________________________________
Amazon Smile:
Amazon members can help support LCOC while you shop! Click on the link below and pick Lutheran Church of the Covenant as your favorite organization and start shopping! We will receive a percentage of the sale.
Good shop:
Support Lutheran Church of the Covenant when you search the Web at goodsearch.com or shop online with Goodshop.com.
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Dear LCOC members
We will be serving meals at the Hilda Barg Homeless
Center on February 5,6 and 7. Once again we ask
that instead of providing a meal, you make a
donation
so that we can purchase the food and do all the cooking. A menu will be posted for you to see what we will be serving. Please sign up, put your donation in the envelope, and give your donation to the church office. Thank you for your continued support to those less fortunate in our community.
Blessings,
Sandy Strychowski
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 Valentine Cards & Cookies
BE MY VALENTINE! We are once again, preparing to send Valentine care packages to our LCOC college students and our military. The pretty boxes and cards have been purchased, and the wrapping for mailing our gifts is on its way. Please provide cookies and candies to put in the boxes and get them to Stacey Rosenquist by early February as we want to mail them a week before this special day. If you can't provide cookies or candies, we would appreciate cash donations to help offset the cost of mailing the packages. Thanks so much for your thoughtfulness and generosity.
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POISE GROUP FITNESS SESSIONS
IF YOU ARE 50+ YEARS OLD, please join us for a beneficial and fun opportunity here at LCOC. FREE GROUP FITNESS SESSIONS will be offered 3 times per week (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday) for a period of 10 weeks to help improve strength, endurance, coordination, balance, and reaction time. Please come out for the Workshop on January 30th at 10:00 in the upper fellowship hall. Fitness classes begin on February 6th from 10-11 in the upper fellowship hall as well. For more information, please see or call Jo Ann Rudy (703) 670-8365. Looking forward to getting more fit with you!
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Property
Thank you to Roger and Sherman for all their hard work clearing and cleaning up the church grounds. Thanks for sharing your talents!
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GO
forth to serve others and share the story of God's love for all
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OPPORTUNITIES TO USE OUR GIFTS
AT LCOC AND BEYOND
We are fortunate to be able to use our gifts that God has provided us through a variety of ways. Ongoing ways to use your gifts are to sign up to be a part of supporting Neabsco Elementary in many ways and in being a part of the gardening team at LCOC to help keep our landscape beautiful. Future experiences involve Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus, Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, (If you have questions, please see Jo Ann Rudy), and helping with Vacation Bible School - (all at LCOC).
When we choose to give our time, energy and talents to serve others, we are taking part in God's work to share the love of Christ and give God glory. With God working in us and through us, we can make a difference!
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| I WALK for ACTS |
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Please note that the Evangelism Team continues to do good works at LCOC through advertisement and outreach to the public through our ministry to the community. Breakfast with Santa and Luther Movie Night. We are also continuing to bring new members to the church by introduction to our activities and gifts that we have as individuals. Praise God for all the people that have helped us this past year. Darla Ferris
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Mend-A-House
October 8, 2016 |
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Project Mend-A-House
Would you like to participate in the next project?
contact Ralph Morse
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In Nature at LCOC
Dear LCOC Family Member ~
If you've never spent time in any of the outside sanctuaries surrounding our church, you are missing an opportunity to feel God's awesome peace and His presence. Even though it may be cold outside, there is still lots going in the LCOC landscape that will delight you in a variety of ways. Allow me to take you on a walk through some of the gardens as we explore what happens in mid-winter:
- Depending on which day we take our walk at LCOC we may experience Old Man Winter at his finest or feel that the Harbinger of Spring is lurking in the landscape.
- Most of the perennials, tubers, and bulbs are content to continue their winter rest. However, as we meander through the gardens, it is very evident that the daffodils are getting restless and poking their heads through the soil and mulch.
- The pansies are showing their strength as they cower down on really cold days and emerge to greet the day when the weather turns a bit warmer.
- Some days, depending on the weather, we will see the resident squirrels gathering bunches of leaves to add to their nests in the oaks and other trees at LCOC. They definitely will remain in the natural environment as there is an abundance of acorns. Perhaps they will snatch some seed from the feeder when no one is looking.
- As we stroll around the property, we may see those same two eager beavers that I spoke of before. They have been very busy cutting down dead trees, clearing areas, cleaning up areas, picking up trash, making lots of trips to the county landfill and enjoying being in nature at LCOC.
- Passing by the bird houses it is clear to see that spring cleaning is in order soon. The boxes are full of all kinds of nest-building materials that are not relevant to what the blue birds (the birds for whom the boxes are intended) use as the foundation for their homes.
- Don't forget to use your listening skills as you are sure to hear cardinals, nuthatches, finches, sparrows, blue jays, juncos, doves and many other birds as they sit in or flit to and from the trees and shrubs. Don't forget to look up as you are sure to see our resident hawk soaring gracefully above the tree canopy.
You are encouraged to take a self-guided tour through our wonderful landscape here at LCOC. But be ready - you are going to experience God's peace and presence - so enjoy this special time with our Creator! Next month, we'll see what's happening as winter winds down and spring's arrival is anticipated.
"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant."
Anne Bradstreet
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Treasurers Report
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Due to an increase in giving starting in August 2016, the church was able to meet all of its financial obligations for the year and end the year with a small reserve to carry into the New Year. At the end of 2016, the church had $2,513,655 in assets, and the mortgage balance was $425,047. In 2016, the church received $308,663 from offerings and other giving. This was $7,903 less than forecast in the 2016 Financial Mission Plan. In 2016, the church had $262,625 in expenses and paid $49,302 to reduce the mortgage principal. This was $5,159 less than forecast in the 2016 Financial Mission Plan.
As of January 22, 2017, the church has received $19,854 in offerings and other giving, and the church has paid $16,354 to cover expenses. In the comparable period in 2016, the church received $14,683 in offering and other giving and
paid $14,908 to cover expenses.
As of January 22, 2017, the Operating Fund is $22,822. There is $35,763 in the ch
ecking account (operating and other funds) and $500 in the savings account.
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Happy Birthday to you!
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FEBRUARY
1 David B.
3 Britt P.
4 Michael A.
5 Coy A.
7 Nathan E.
8 Julie H.
12 John K.
13 Jennifer S.
13 Jonathan S.
14 Tilli S.
14 Winston W.
15 Arianna R.
17 Kathleen P.
17 Erika Z.
22 DeLoris B.
22 Brian R
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23 Michael S.
24
James B.
28
Mel B.
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Happy Anniversary
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Dave & Denise W.
February 14, 1981 |
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Baptism Anniversaries
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Clara C.
Michael E.
Amy M.
James O.
Kaley P.
Kassidy R.
Sydney R.
Tilli S.
Sarah S.
Nicole S.
Angela Z.
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Homebound Members
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Ruth J.
Jean J.
Mary S.
Virginia S. |
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Members in the Military
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Tyler R.
Tom M.
Ryan L.
Samuel B.
Please remember to keep our service members and their families in your prayers as they serve our country. If you have someone to add to this list, please contact the office.
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Flower Calendar
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The altar flowers for this month are given to the glory of God and contributed by:
February 5
February 12
Phil O. in memory of Ernest O.
February 19
Mel B. in honor of DeLoris'
80th Birthday
February26
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OTLWB Book Club
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The Book Club is meeting on February 13th
(at 12:30 p.m. in the workroom)
to discuss
The Perfect Horse
by
Elizabeth Letts
If you would like more information, please see Sandy S. or Diane D.
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Take a look at our web site
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Office Hours:
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Monday - Friday
9:00 am - 1:30 pm
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