Faith's Friday Update

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

Faith's Friday Update

August 05, 2022

Sunday, August 07, 2022

9th Sunday after Pentecost

Worship Services at 8AM & 10:15AM

Bulletin 08.07.2022

Readings and Psalm:

Genesis 15:1-6

God’s promise of a child for Abram and Sarai

Psalm 33:12-22

Let your lovingkindness be upon us, as we place our hope in you. (Ps. 33:22)

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

A model for us: Abraham’s faith in a new home given by God

Luke 12:32-40

God will give you the treasure of the kingdom; sell all that you have

Minutes from the July 21, 2022 Congregation Council meeting are now available.

Click HERE to view them

A snapshot of Faith's Finances

Please click the green button to find the snapshot of the Finance Committee meeting.

Mary Circle meets August 16 at 12 p.m.

Please join us on Tuesday August 16 at Connor's Restaurant (in Siesta Key Mall) on Tamiami Trail at 12 p.m. We need to make reservations, please email Janet Petersen luvstitches55@gmail.com

(Click the green button for information of the last meeting.)

Click HERE to view

Pastor Larry and Ann Wright wedding anniversary is on August 11

Congratulation to the 60th Wedding Anniversary to Pastor Larry and his wife Ann!

Sixty years of giving happiness, love and loyalty to each other must not go unmarked. We all from Faith Lutheran Church wish you Pastor Larry with your wife Ann many more years of love and good health together.

Please enjoy with us our Coffee Hour and help prepare.

One of the joys we experience at Faith Lutheran church is the beautiful fellowship and caring that we share together. If you would like to help us enjoy that time together as we enjoy Coffee Hour, please sign up to help with goodies on Sunday! They can be homemade, or store bought, and do not need to entail a lot of work. Or better yet, grab one or two other members and share in bringing items together for one Sunday! Cleanup is easy too! There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex, on the Greeting Table.

Ways to give......

Please consider donating Altar Flowers in honor of a special occasion or in memory of a loved one, or just to glorify God. The price for one vase is $ 30 and

$ 60 for two vases.

(Next available Sunday is Sept 04)

Ways to serve.......

We are looking for some talented and motivated members to help develop a new Senior Ministry, and

a new Ministry for Children & Youth. Please pray about it and talk with Pastor Eric if you are interested. Planning meetings will begin in August.

A Family that prays together stays together!

Looking for a time to pray with members of our Faith family? Join the this Wednesday, August 10th at 11:00 am in the chapel for a time apart. We will pray for ourselves, our loved ones, those in need, our church community, the larger community that we serve, our nation and the world. We will conclude our time with Holy Communion. Come and bring your concerns and your desire to connect with our loving heavenly father!

We are collecting items for the Food Pantry.

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Last Sunday’s sermon was beautiful by Pastor Larry, and reminds all of us that we may have abundance to share with others. We are collecting items for the Food Pantry. Bring in any nonperishables, that can be gifted to others who may need them. There is a large barrel, in the narthex, just waiting for your items.

BEREAVEMENT GROUP

Faith’s Bereavement Group will meet this Wednesday, August 10th again at 1 p.m. (unless notified) in the prayer chapel. All are welcome. If you or a friend can use some help bearing the burden of grief this group is for you! There is strength in the community! Help spread the word of hope!

SERVICE OPPORTUNITY

Would you consider serving as an Usher, a Lector, or as a Communion assistant? It is a wonderful way to serve and to feed your faith! No experience necessary! If you are interested in serving please call Joan Searles, Worship Committee Chairperson at (941)921-9896 or call the church office. Thank you for your prayerful consideration!

Adult Forum - Christian Education -

Adult Forum began Sunday, June 19th and continues with “That the World May Know” video series. We will meet in the conference room between the two morning worship services from 9:10 – 9:50am.

Pack your bags! We're going on a journey with Ray Vander Laan, a Biblical scholar. A quest to uncover Scripture and its meaning across history. Filmed on location in Israel and throughout the Middle East, the Faith Lessons Digital series is an adventure in biblical learning. You will discover why Jesus turned the world upside down with his compelling call to follow Him. The insights you gain will transform your reading of the Gospels and inspire a deeper faith commitment.

If you are wondering what the title of this series is based on, it comes from last Sunday’s Gospel message in John 17:23, “...May they be brought to complete unity that the world may know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

ALTAR FLOWERS

ALTAR FLOWERS are a beautiful and meaningful way to honor/remember someone or a special occasion, while decorating our altar for worship. The 2022 Altar Flowers signup poster is available in Fellowship Hall.

The next available sponsorship date is September 04.

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!

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!

BUILDING WISH LIST

The Property Committee has identified needs that are not currently in the regular budget but are needed to maintain and improve our church.

Current needs:

1. Upgrade Narthex Restrooms to ADA (cost TBD)

2. Electronic Sign Upgrade on Beneva (cost TBD)

3. Touch-Up/Repaint the Gym (cost TBD)

4. Reseal the Parking Lot

Please consider supporting the church building by making a special offering. Any amount, small or large, is appreciated! To contribute by check, please indicate “Improvement Fund” in the memo. To contribute electronically, please visit our website at www.faithlutheransrq.com/online-giving or using via the Vanco Mobile app (be sure to select “Improvement Fund”).

EMPTY INK CARTRIDGES COLLECTION

Please consider donating your empty ink cartridges to help the church and environment! When we bring the cartridges to Staples, we receive store credit from Staples to help offset office supply costs.

The ink collection bin is on the counter in Fellowship Hall.

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 prayers for this weekend are below. Visit the website if you would like to follow the daily prayers!

7 Praise God that we find our true treasure in God’s love and mercy given through Jesus Christ, a relationship that endures for all eternity.

8 Pray for voting members, leaders, guests and staff of the churchwide organization participating in the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Columbus, Ohio. Ask the Spirit to guide and inspire their decision-making and spiritual discernment together on behalf of the entire church and to strengthen and unify them for doing God’s work in the world.

9 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples There are over 476 million Indigenous people living in 90 countries around the world. They have unique languages, traditions, cultures, knowledge systems, worldviews and systems for governing themselves. Pray that we will value them as children of God; respect their rights, freedoms, dignity and lands; and ensure their right to participate fully in political and economic activities. With repentant hearts, ask God’s forgiveness for our harmful and unjust actions and policies throughout history, for taking what was not ours, and for forcing our own language, culture, religious beliefs, worldview and authority upon Indigenous peoples. Pray that we will work to rectify injustices and inequities, develop new relationships of trust and respect, and do the work necessary for reconciliation and healing.

10 Ask the Spirit to bolster us in praying for worldwide peace and reconciliation and in supporting people, ministries and organizations committed to making peace, providing relief, bearing hope and defending the vulnerable.

11 Pray that God will equip, inspire and sustain new synod bishops for serving in diverse contexts across the ELCA, and pray that they will find support, care and encouragement for their ministry and personal lives.

12 International Youth Day Give thanks for the gifts, wisdom and perspectives of youth around the world, and remember in prayer young people who live in areas of war and conflict, suffer poverty and hunger, long for educational opportunities, provide care for their siblings and parents, and live in hope for a better future.

13 Remember in prayer and give thanks for nurses, who use their gifts and skills in global mission, responding to disasters and serving their communities. Pray for the Evangelical Lutheran Parish Nurse Association and its work supporting and equipping parish nurses, helping congregations develop new health ministries and encouraging people to pursue nursing as a vocation