Faith's Friday Update

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“Gathered faithfully to love and serve God and all others.”

Faith's Friday Update

August 13, 2021

Sunday, August 15, 2021

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

9:00 AM Bulletin

This Week's Readings:

Proverbs 9:1-6

Invited to dine at wisdom’s feast

Psalm 34:9-14

Those who seek the Lord lack nothing that is good. (Ps. 34:10)

Ephesians 5:15-20

Filled with the Spirit, sing thanks to God

John 6:51-58

Christ the true food and drink

Temporary Worship & Fellowship Modifications:

Congregants are encouraged to wear masks for Worship.
The return of Communion in the Pews.
The suspension of the Coffee and Fellowship Hour.

A MESSAGE FROM THE MURSCH & NELSON FAMILY

We are grateful for your prayers and support during our time of loss and grief. You reached out to us in so many caring and helpful ways throughout our family’s difficult, but faith filled journey. Again, we thank you and commend Karen her heavenly home in the certain hope of the resurrection.

The family has established a memorial fund to support children in need who may not be able to afford dental care. This special outreach was close to Karen’s heart.

Karen Nagle Memorial Fund

“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.”

Checks may be made out to:

Faith Lutheran Church- Karen Nagle Memorial Fund

Faith Lutheran Church

7750 Beneva Road

Sarasota, Florida 34238

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM BISHOP SUAREZ ON INCREASING COVID CASES

Dear Members of the Florida-Bahamas Synod,

It is with gratitude that I write to you, knowing that many of our congregations have been very careful in their protective measures against the Pandemic. At the same time, I understand the disappointment some of us feel just when we thought we were starting to go on with our lives close to what they were before COVID 19.

As most of us know, COVID cases have increased due to the Delta variant, particularly here in Florida. As the presiding bishop of the Florida-Bahamas Synod, I strongly encourage members of our synod to take extra steps to ensure their safety during this time. With the consultation of your doctor, please make sure to be vaccinated. Those who are vaccinated are better protected against the delta variant compared to those who aren’t. It is also strongly recommended that, even if you have been vaccinated, please wear your mask when going to the store, church or anywhere else where there are groups of people. A foundational principle of our faith is to care for one another, and the best way to do that during this time is to wear your mask and get the vaccine, if eligible. Encourage others with respect, to be vaccinated. Wearing a mask is a sign of caring for our neighbors as well as for ourselves. Loving our neighbors as ourselves is a crucial part of our belief as Christians.

I urge congregations to continue to provide video live-streaming of our congregational services and resume our protective processes. I encourage limited singing in our worship services, perhaps only a few cantors. Return to safety practices on Holy Communion, Spiritual Communion being my preferred method, or Communion with the bread alone, when in person. I would ask congregations to limit or eliminate the after-worship refreshments for now. But above all, as I have said all along, pay attention to CDC guidelines and your local authorities. Remember, if we are going to err, in this case it is better to err in the side of safety.

Please continue to pray for our Synod Council during these challenging times as they have the responsibility for our upcoming Synod Assembly. My staff and I after this short time when we were able to travel, must limit our in person visits as well for now.

Let us remember the words of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians, “Let each of you look not only to your interest, but also to the interest of others.” (Philippians 2:4)

In Christ service,

+Bishop Pedro M. Suarez

“I keep the Lord always before me; because [the Lord] is at my right hand, I shall not be moved” (Psalm 16:8).

Friends,

The 2021 wildfire season is devastating the western United States. A prolonged drought and extreme heat waves are causing wildfires to spread rapidly, which makes them difficult to contain. California is currently the hardest-hit state — the Dixie Fire, in Northern California, is already the second largest wildfire in the state’s history, having burned over 505,000 acres. Tens of thousands of people are under evacuation orders, and hundreds of buildings have been destroyed.

The fires are not limited to California; more than 100 wildfires are now burning throughout 15 states. Smoke from these fires is carried across the country, a sign of the far-reaching effects of worsening wildfires.

Lutheran Disaster Response is working with synods and social ministry organizations in California and other western states to develop a coordinated response to the wildfires. We anticipate that immediate needs will include food and other necessities. Long-term recovery will likely take years. Because emotional and spiritual care is a key aspect of disaster response, the Sierra Pacific Synod is developing a Lutheran Chaplaincy Corps, training rostered leaders and laypeople to offer such care to first responders and survivors after a disaster.

Your gifts will support wildfire survivors. Gifts to “U.S. Wildfires” will be used in full (100%) to assist those affected by wildfires, until the response is complete.

You may also designate gifts to “Lutheran Disaster Response” so we can immediately respond to disasters in the United States and around the world whenever they might strike.

We pray that God may comfort and protect those in the paths of wildfires. Together, we can follow Christ’s call to heal and share hope with those who are suffering.

In Christ’s service,

The Rev. Daniel Rift

Director, ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response Fund

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Additional Ways to Give

Checks or money orders can be sent to:

Lutheran Disaster Response

P.O. Box 1809

Merrifield, VA 22116-8009

Write "U.S. wildfires" on your check memo line.

Give by phone at 800-638-3522 or online.

PLEASE GIVE NOW

BUILDING WISH LIST – The Property Committee has identified needs that are not currently in the regular budget but are valuable to keep up and improve our church.

Current needs and estimates, if available:

Urgent Required Lift Station Repair ($6,870)

A Powerful Vacuum with Attachments (cost TBD)

Touch-Up/Repaint the Gym (cost TBD)

Reseal the Parking Lot

Machine Auto-Scrubber for the Gym Floor ($4,700)

Electronic Sign Upgrade on Beneva (cost TBD)

Security Camera for Main Office Lobby ($700)

Upgrade Narthex Restrooms to ADA (cost TBD)

To make a special offering to support the building needs; by check, indicate “Improvement Fund” in the memo; online or via the Give+ mobile app, select the Improvement Fund.

MARY CIRCLE NEWS

HELP US PREPARE SCHOOL KITS FOR LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF.

As in the past we will be collecting supplies to pack in backpacks for LWR.

Each pack requires:

4 70-sheet notebooks (no looseleaf)
1 pencil sharpener
1 ruler with centimeters and inches
1 blunt scissors
*5 pencils, unsharpened
5 pens, blue or black ink
1 box crayons (16 or 24)
1 eraser

*Please do not contribute pencils because we already have an ample supply.

You may bring in any amount of any supply you wish. Mary Circle will be assembling the backpacks at one of our fall meetings. If you would prefer to have us do the shopping just drop a donation in the collection plate or mail to Faith. If using a check please indicate in the subject line this money is for LWR.

A collection basket will be in the narthex of the church for all supplies collected.

URGENT - BLOOD NEEDED

If you are able to donate, tell the Blood Center Staff you are donating on the Faith Lutheran Church Account - Code 078.

ALTAR FLOWERS

ALTAR FLOWERS are a beautiful and meaningful way to honor/remember someone or a special occasion, while decorating our altar for worship. Next available date, September 12!

When you purchase altar flowers, your name and dedication will be published in the bulletin on your selected Sunday and the flowers are yours to keep after the service!

Available upcoming dates are; September 12, 19, 26, all of October, November 7 and 14, and December 19.

To make a dedication: At church, complete an 'Altar Flowers' envelope with your payment, and place it in the offering plate; By mail, send payment with a note indicating your desired date and dedication; or CLICK HERE to order online. The cost is $60, which is for 2 vases. Please make checks payable to Faith Lutheran Church and indicate ‘altar flowers’ in the memo.

Thank you for making Faith Lutheran’s altar beautiful!

DAILY PRAYER

VENTURES

The ELCA offers daily Prayer Ventures, which may be found on their website, https://www.elca.org/en/Resources/Prayer-Ventures. The prayer for today is below. Visit the website if you would like to follow the daily prayers!

13 Give thanks and praise to God, for the Lord is good, delivers us from our fears and offers a welcoming refuge.