Affirmation of Welcome
Reformation, a congregation of Christ's Church, welcomes everyone to join with us in a journey of faith. We are committed to providing worship, programs, ministries and pastoral care to all, regardless of religious background, age, color, ability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic status, or national origin. Everyone is welcome in this place, where the love of God is the foundation of all that we say and do!
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The Reporter
Reformation Lutheran Church
ALL Are Welcome & Affirmed Here!
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Worship Service Update
We have resumed the in-person worship service on Sundays at 10:00 AM. Please see the information below for further information on making a reservation to attend the worship service. In addition to this, and in order to ensure the health and safety of our congregation, we will continue to broadcast the service online via Facebook Live. Please join us for worship online HERE.
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The Pastor's Perspective will return next month!
We pray Pastor Tim and Kathy enjoy a much-deserved break and time of relaxation.
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Prayers of the Church
Sick and Homebound: Tracy Hamiter; Dot Perry; Barbara Prosser; Connie Pool Bobbie Black; Carla Ray and Beth Mayer.
Health: Emmy Reeves; Landon Derrick; James Dekle; Rachel Stinnett; Richie Wiggers; Pastor Jim Nichols; Sam Ruff; Thomas Mitchell, diagnosed with throat cancer (son of Vivian Mitchell) a friend of Reformation and Mike Watson.
Congratulations: To Pastor Tim and Kathy Bupp at the birth of their first grandchild. Sadie Ruth Markman was born on May 21 at 2:29 am, weighing 6 lb 14 oz. Proud parents, The Bupps' daughter, Mallory and her husband Alex are well and enjoying their new bundle of joy.
We bid Godspeed to the Ashburn family on May 23. The Ashburn's relocated to North Carolina.
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Council President's Article
Taking a Summer Break - But Still LOTS Happening!
This June will be different from the last June at Reformation! We are worshipping in person again, have several active committees meeting, and have learned a great deal about pandemic, isolation, and meeting online since June 2020.
Some of our regular activities will be on hiatus in June. We will not have Daily Devotions. Our Wednesday 11:00 Bible Study will take a break until the 23rd, and Wednesday evening Wired Word will be on break until July 14. Pastor Tim and Kathy are taking a much needed vacation from May 26 - June 16 to meet their new granddaughter, Sadie. Pastor was going to take two Sundays off, but Council voted to give him a third Sunday off in thanks for his hard work over the last year, so Pastor Tim will be gone for half of June. We look forward to welcoming back a rested and renewed granddad!
While Pastor is away, lots of ministry and planning for ministry are happening! Just look at this schedule:
06/02 Wed — 7:00 PM Transition Team meets via Zoom
06/06 Sun — 10:00 AM Pastor Glenn Palmer leads us in Worship
06/12 Sat — 11:00 AM Church Picnic — Our first chance to socialize together in 16 months!
06/13 Sun — 10:00 AM Pastor Bill Eiwen leads us in Worship
06/14 Mon — 7:30 PM Education Committee meets via Zoom
06/16 Wed — Last day of Pastor Tim’s vacation
06/17 Thu — 7:00 PM Finance Committee meets via Zoom
7:00 PM Servants Committee meets via Zoom
06/18 Fri — 6:00 PM Happy Hour via Zoom
06/20 Sun — 10:00 AM Pastor Tim leads us in Worship; Celebrate Fathers’ Day
06/22 Tue — 7:00 PM Worship and Music Committee meets via Zoom
06/23 Wed — 11:00 AM Wednesday Bible Study resumes on Zoom and in person.
7:00 PM Executive Committee meets via Zoom
06/24 Thu — 7:00 PM Safe Space Dinners Committee meets via Zoom
06/25 Fri — SC Synod Assembly Orientation for our Voting Members: Ginny Eiwen,
Gary Parish, Raelyn O’Briant, and Pastor Tim
06/26 Sat — 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM SC Synod Assembly
06/27 Sun — 10:00 AM Pastor Tim leads us in Worship
11:00 Congregation Council Meeting in Person in the Fellowship Hall
6:00 PM Prime Timers Group resumes meeting at Reformation
In June we also look forward to getting back together more, to meeting in person those who have joined us in online activities over the last year, and to considering how we can extend our reach to our neighbors near and far to share God’s Love. If you haven’t found a place to share your talents or interests at yet at Reformation, please give me a call - we have lots we want to do, from starting Small Groups to forming Caring Teams to support members and neighbors in need. We just need people (like you?) with an interest to share and a desire to make a difference!
Ginny Eiwen, Council President
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Council Update
There are several exciting developments to report from our most recent Council meeting on May 16, 2021. Your council, committee chairs, committee members, and Transition Team are hard at work making our return from pandemic shutdown lively, vibrant, and safe. There is a feeling of a new awakening, the dawn of a brand-new day. We, at Reformation Lutheran, are about to see some new growth within our ministries and some upgrades around the church itself.
The thing you may notice right away, as soon as you enter the sanctuary, is the new lighting. Pastor Tim and Rob Byers spent a significant amount of time replacing burnt out bulbs above the chancel. While the scaffolding is there, new chains for the eternal candle and the Advent wreath will be hung in the chancel. Many thanks to Tim and Rob for taking the time and making the substantial effort to create a visually more appealing worship service. Your efforts are appreciated by the whole congregation.
There are also a couple of great developments from our Servants committee. We will have a picnic and cookout at Dreher Island Park on June 12, 2021. Everyone is invited to join us from 11:00am until ? for a day of food, fellowship, fishing, boating, hiking, swimming, tubing, or of simple relaxation. Everyone is asked to bring enough meat for their own family and a side dish to share. A grill master will cook for you, but it is suggested someone bring an additional portable grill. The one at the shelter is pretty small. We look forward to seeing you there. Please see Ann Kurth for details.
Servants committee is also developing a Care Team. They are exploring the idea of creating a group of people responsible for visiting the sick, homebound, and grieving members of our congregation. This will be a great way to share God’s love and compassion with those in need. If you are interested in being a part of this team, please contact Ann Kurth, Ginny Eiwen, or any Council person.
The last bit of exciting news is the Open Doors Grant. The synod has asked congregations to submit proposals for ministry to meet and engage in our local community. Jim Prater is the lead on this project and suggests we have parking lot concerts for the whole family and possibly a puppet show for the neighborhood kids. As part of this grant, Jim is also seeking input on how we can change the external appeal and presentation of our church to the community. Your council is submitting their suggestions to Jim and is looking forward to many new ideas for fellowship with our neighborhood.
Michael Watson, Council Secretary
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Save the date and join us!
Reformation Lutheran Church Picnic
at Dreher Island State Park
on Lake Murray
Date: Saturday, June 12
Time: 11am until?
Address: 3677 State Park Rd, Prosperity, SC
Shelter #5
Everyone is invited to come and enjoy Dreher Island State Park! We have reserved a shelter that has easy access to the lake for swimming, fishing and boating, as well as hiking trails along the lake. Bring your kayak, canoe or other boat, float or inner tube, hang out at the picnic tables or bring your own chair to sit by the lake. If you want to do some fishing, SC fishing licenses are available at the park store (on the left as you come into the park) for $5. Loaner rods and reels are available there, too.
If you have a portable grill or one that is easy to transport, please bring it along. There is one charcoal grill available, but we would like to have more. We will be able to cook hamburgers and hotdogs or your meat of choice that you will bring for you and your family. Please also bring a side dish or dessert to share.
A reminder that it costs to get into the park unless you have a state park pass:
$3 per adult
$1.50 per senior
$1 per child ages 6-15
Age 5 and under—free
Please call the church office (803-252-1507) to let us know you’re coming, so that we can have a rough headcount, and also if you’re bringing a grill.
Hope to see you there!
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Safe Space Dinners
Generosity! Overwhelming generosity, fully on display. That’s what is happening with our ministry to support Columbia’s homeless LGBTQ+ youths. I cannot possibly express how moving this experience has become for our entire committee. Your inspirational response to our call for donations and participation has truly been a God-sighting for us all. What a wonderful example of His works through our hands. Many months ago, we presented to you this opportunity to be a light in the darkness. Today, I report you ARE that bright shining light.
Since my last report, the support you’ve shown has defied expectations. We’ve received numerous donations, marked for Safe Space Dinners, through the RLC website Giving tab. Many have chosen to participate with purchases from our Amazon wish list and have shipped the items directly to Safe Space Dinners, c/o Reformation Lutheran Church, 1118 Union St. Columbia, SC 29201. Others have contributed with Amazon gift cards. Many thanks go to Gloria Preslar for her extraordinary contributions through generous Thrivent Action Team donations. We have even had Go Fund Me birthday fundraisers on social media dedicated for this ministry. The creativity and commitment everyone has shown to support Safe Space Dinners is remarkable.
Now that Church Council has determined we can safely hold our first dinner on August 12, 2021, we will have additional important opportunities to give of ourselves, including the preparation and serving of dinner to the youth we seek to serve. Thank you again for your generosity to this ministry and your service to others in Christ’s name.
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This mission to serve LGBTQIA+ youth has received incredible support from both our congregation and our community through donated backpack items and financial gifts.
The Growing in God's Mission grant the ministry received from the SC Synod for bus passes, advertising (on city buses and social media) and background checks was a huge investment in the ministry - and greatly appreciated.
The ministry is simple. On the second Thursday of each month, these LGBTQIA+ youth are offered a safe space to gather for a time to rest and recharge, a home-cooked meal, and a backpack of items they will find helpful in their day-to-day life. There is no preaching, no conversion therapy attempts; only support and comfort. This is a ministry of giving – nothing more.
We welcome and seek to serve those who
● Identify as LGBTQIA+
● Are without stable housing or between places
● Are between the ages of 14 and 23
● Would like to attend
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Lector and Usher Schedule
June 6
Lector - Jacob Reese
Ushers - Gary Parish, Robert Ruesga, Lee Amick
June 13
Lector - Gary Parrish
Ushers - Lynn Black, Ginny Eiwen, Eddie Ritchie
June 20
Lector - Steve Asbill
Ushers - Jim Prater, Shirl Lamontagne, Lynn Black
June 27
Lector - Ginny Eiwen
Ushers - Raymond Cook, Sam Ruff, Shirl Lamontagne
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Register Now to Attend In-Person Worship
Sunday, June 6 and June 13 are now available for online registration.
Our current guidelines and protocols, which are intended to safeguard attendees’ health, limit the number of worship participants to 50 people, including 11 spots reserved for worship leaders. Please register now for June Worship Services one of the ways listed below. Members who can access the link on the homepage of the website and have an email address are asked to register electronically.
OPTIONS TO REGISTER
- Register electronically using our reservation online tool -
2) If you do not have internet access or an email address, call the church office at 803.252.1507.
You must sign up for the specific service you will be attending, and indicate the number of people joining you. One slot = one individual, it does not equal a slot per family. For example, if three people wish to worship in-person, you should select three slots for the desired 10 a.m. service.
If you register after Noon on the Thursday before a worship service you are attending, please bring proof of confirmed registration. The slots are first come, first served.
If you happen to develop COVID symptoms, become ill, test positive for COVID or need to cancel your RSVP for any reason, please call the Church Office: 803-252-1507 or reply to your confirmation email immediately.
For those who are not yet ready and feel safer worshiping at home, we will continue to offer worship via live-stream at 10 a.m. each Sunday.
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Worshipping in Person? Here’s What to Expect
— Wearing a mask continues to be required. We wear face coverings in worship so we can love our neighbors as ourselves. Worship leaders will remove their masks while reading or singing.
— All attendees who are physically able to climb steps are asked to enter the Sanctuary by the front steps. Others will have access through the Fellowship Hall.
— An usher will greet you outside and may ask you to wait outside for a brief time to control the number of people in the Narthex.
— Once you enter the Narthex, you will pick up your own Bulletin, Communion cup, and Offering Envelope (if needed), and will have your reservation confirmed before you enter the Sanctuary. An Usher can help direct you in the Narthex and then into the Sanctuary.
— Hand sanitizer and trash cans are available as you enter the Sanctuary.
— Available seating will be marked on the end of pews, ensuring individuals or family groups are seated at least six feet apart and that worshipers are at a safe distance from worship leaders. If hearing is an issue for you, please be aware of possible outside noise impact in the back pews as you select your seat, because all doors will remain open during the Service to increase air circulation in the Sanctuary.
— Communion cups with wafer and wine in a sealed disposable container are available for attendees as they enter. Pastor will instruct us on when and how to commune. Worshipers will remove their masks briefly to eat and drink their communion elements.
— Offering baskets will be available as you enter or exit the Sanctuary.
— At the end of the service, Pastor will dismiss worshippers by row. Worshippers can greet each other outdoors respecting social distancing guidelines. Worshippers are asked to continue to wear their masks until they enter their cars.
— By attending a Service in person, you agree to possible capture on the livestream video, and that the congregation can be notified that exposure could have happened at a Service you attended if you become sick.
— There will be no Nursery or Fellowship Time after Service, as we continue to keep our children, members, and visitors safe.
Reformation’s Transition Team is meeting on Wednesday, June 2, so watch for updates coming soon! Our leadership team continues to monitor DHEC Covid-19 case counts in Richland, Lexington, and Kershaw counties, and will advise us if trends rise, indicating a need to halt in-person activities again. Please follow up with Ginny Eiwen or Pastor Tim if you have questions or concerns.
Our decision to open the Sanctuary for Sunday worship does NOT MEAN it is necessarily a good idea for YOU to come to worship in person. We encourage you to listen to your doctors, your family, your friends, and public health professionals to decide whether or not public worship is a wise option for you at this time. Please do NOT come to church if you feel sick or have been in contact with someone who is sick.
Ginny Eiwen, Council President
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June Celebrations
Birthdays
Parker McLean Hasinger, June 6
Julie Young, June 12
Sharon Turner Baldwin, June 13
Nell Orscheln, June 15
H.B. Eleazer, June 16
Benjamin Bullock, June 17
David Prosser, June 18
Keating Clark, June 18
Mary McCrary-Baylor, June 19
Rebecca McCorkle, June 23
Brad Crain, June 23
Gene Hiers, June 25
Ross Jolly, June 26
Julia Prater, June 27
Anniversaries
Ron Heater & Patrick George, June 10
Helen & Jerry Huber, June 19
Glenn & Shirley Derriso, June 21
Perrine & Richard Hernandez, June 25
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Annual Beach Retreat
COASTAL RETREAT CENTER
ISLE OF PALMS, SC
****SAVE THE DATE***
SEPTEMBER 6-12, 2021
Come and experience spiritual renewal,
Bible studies, fun activities, great food.
Come for the entire week or just a few days.
Cost is $90 per room per night and $10 per day for food-(10 and under -free)
If interested, please contact Kathy Bupp at:
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From the ELCA Website
ELCA Elects its first Transgender Bishop
The Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer (they/their), San Francisco, Calif., was elected May 8 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Rohrer is the first transgender bishop in the ELCA. The election took place during an online synod assembly.
Rohrer was elected on the fifth ballot, with 209 votes. The Rev. Jeff R. Johnson, pastor of University Lutheran Chapel of Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., received 207 votes.
The bishop-elect has served as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in San Francisco since 2014 and as community chaplain coordinator for the San Francisco Police Department since 2018. They served as executive director of the Welcome Ministry in San Francisco from 2002 to 2014, assistant night minister for the San Francisco Night Ministry from 2013 to 2018 and community garden coordinator at Project Homeless Connect from 2010 to 2012. Rohrer also served as pastor of a multiparish call serving the homeless and hungry at Welcome Ministry from 2006 to 2014.
Rohrer received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Augustana University in Sioux Fall, S.D., in 2001, a Master of Divinity degree from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley in 2005, and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2017. Rohrer is currently a doctoral candidate in transformative studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. Augustana is one of 26 ELCA colleges and universities.
Rohrer's installation is scheduled for Sept. 11 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Walnut Creek, Calif.
The Rev. Mark W. Holmerud has served as bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod since 2008 and will retire June 30.
Information about the Sierra Pacific Synod is available at spselca.org/.
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Announcements and Reminders
From the Property Committee
............. Coming Soon! ...........
Little things you can do to make our Church a Happier Place!
If you can:
- use a paint brush
- handle a hammer or a broom
- maybe organize a room
Then you can help. Please stay tuned for more details.
Calendar Updates
Check the calendar on the church's web page (www.reformationcae.org) for the latest updates, changes, cancellations, and postponements in church activities and meetings.
Adult Sunday School - In-Person and Virtual
Adult Sunday School meets from 8:30 to 9:30 each Sunday morning. Participants can join the class in person in the Parlor or by Zoom. This earlier time gives any who want to do Sunday School via Zoom but worship in-person time to drive to the building after Sunday School. The Zoom Meeting ID for the new Sunday School time is: 863 6536 3737. We are exploring various faiths and denominations using Honoring Our Neighbors' Faith materials, but you don't have to have the book to participate.
June Schedule
June 6 Presbyterian Church
June 13 Religious Society of Friends
June 20 Roman Catholic Church
We Will Continue to Wear Masks.
Sarah Trani has offered to supply those who need cloth masks. You may contact her directly at sarah.trani@gmail.com.
Keep in Touch with Your Church Family
Do you need a Reformation Lutheran Church Membership Directory? To request a copy, please contact Mikita at the Church Office at (803.252.1507) or via e-mail at officeofreform@gmail.com.
Reformation Lutheran Church Newsletter
The Reporter is published monthly at Reformation Lutheran Church and is sent electronically or mailed to members and friends who wish to have a copy. A link to The Reporter newsletter is also posted on the church website: www.ReformationCAE.org and on Reformation's Facebook page. A mid-month newsletter is also published and sent electronically with timely information and updates.
The deadline to submit articles or items to be updated, announced, or published is the eighteenth of the month. If you have news to share, please send it to the church office. Please email to officeofreform@gmail.com.
Inspired and Encouraged to Share
Each month a heartwarming story, card or letter from a member, friend or fan of Reformation Lutheran Church will be featured in the newsletter.
The church office receives many cards in the mail, online notes, phone calls and comments throughout the month.
We feel inspired and encouraged to share the powerful, positive impact Reformation offers to so many from all over the country.
If you have something to share, please send your notes or heartfelt comments to the church office by mail or send an email to - officeofreform@gmail.com. We may feature your comments in an upcoming newsletter. Yes, you may remain anonymous.
KarlaDar Sellers, a Facebook fan
The most difficult thing for each of us is to look inward and reflect on who we really are and how that is borne out in our dealings with others. Prayers for you, Pastor Tim, and for everyone. May we find justice and peace.
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1118 Union St. Columbia, SC 29201
803-252-1507
Tim Bupp, Pastor
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