LCC Crosswords November 2014 Reminder: There will be no Worship or classes on Wednesday, November 26th and no classes on Sunday, November 30th 11/6 Joy Bible Study 9:30am 11/11 WAE Team Meeting 4:30pm 11/12 Bible Bake Sale 6pm and 7:15pm 11/14 Kooky Camper Fun Gr 4-6 6pm, Gr 7-12 8pm 11/18 Board of Education Meeting 6:45pm 11/19 Bible Bake Sale 6pm and 7:15pm 11/23 Breakfast for All Bible Fundraiser 8am 11/25 Thanksgiving Dinner for New Americans 6pm, Novel Ideas 7pm 11/26 No Worship or Classes, Holy Hangin Gr 7-12 6:30pm 11/27 LCC Office Closed 11/28 LCC Office Closed 11/30 No Classes Weekly Calendar Items Sundays: Worship 9am and 11am; PreK-6th Grade SS 9am and 10:10am Mondays: Bell Choir Rehearsal 6pm, Choir Rehearsal 7pm Tuesdays: Wednesday Worship Rehearsal 6:30pm Wednesdays: Worship 6:30pm, Wednesday Classes 7:15pm Thursdays: Men’s Bible Study 6:30am, Youth Band Rehearsal 5:30pm, Sunday Worship Rehearsal 6:30pm Pastor’s Message Can you change one thing? During the month of October, we rolled out the exciting plans for Lutheran Church of the Cross to launch us into future. Now it is time for you to prayerfully discern how God is calling your family to be a part of this appeal. It doesn’t matter how small or big a gift is, we want everyone to be involved in this appeal. Our goal is 100% participation from all 580 families here at LCC. In 3 years, our financial goal is to raise $2 million dollars. Every gift will help us build space so that we can provide more ministry opportunities for people of all ages. This might seem like an overwhelming number but if we are all in this together, we can accomplish this goal. So what can you do? Our appeal team came up with the idea “One for LCC.” It is easy! Change one thing in your life to provide new life to LCC and its future. Donate the equivalent of:          One cup of Starbuck or Caribou Coffee a day One meal out to eat each week for you (and your family) Your cable and internet bill per month One tank of gas One game of bowling for you (and your family)per week One hour of your pay per week One movie ticket for you (and your family) per week Your cellphone bill per month Anything you want… One for LCC is a way to get everyone involved. What will you change? How will you impact the future ministry and mission of LCC? Grace and Love, Pastor Laura Henrik President’s Corner Greetings LCC, This is the week! After three years of planning and preparation between the “We are Called” and now the “We are Called; Growing Deeper” capital fund appeals, this is the week that will determine what the future space of LCC will look like. Why this week you might ask? Because with the pledges due this week, even though the plans are in place of what our space might look like, without the financial support of the congregation, what is financially feasible could be very different. We’ve had some large, meaningful gifts to this appeal. However, our goal of $2 million will not be reached from a handful of these large gifts. Our congregation doesn’t have enough members with that type of capacity to donate. What our congregation does have is young, energetic families -- enough families that small sacrifices made on a weekly basis over the course of three years can add up to be a tremendous amount of money. Take one latte/week over the course of three years for a husband and wife and it adds up to more than $1500. Your cable bill at $100/ month for 3 years is $3600. This list can go on and on, but ultimately it comes down to each family taking a look at their finances and making a commitment to LCC that will have a lasting impact. Our vision for a new LCC will be accomplished with participation from all our members and it will be the key to the success of this appeal. Fewer than 25% of our congregation participated in the last appeal with pledges. The problem with that number is that the majority of families did not pledge. It was easy to be a family that didn’t turn in a card and think “I don’t need to pledge, look at all the other families that aren’t doing anything either.” I really hope and believe that this time those numbers can flip flop. Based on some early numbers, we are off to a great start. However, we also have a pretty lofty goal to accomplish everything that our vision calls for with our new space. I’m excited for when these projects are complete and the pride I will have knowing that I played a part in making it happen. Please join me in sharing that sense of pride by committing to this appeal, and know that your contribution, large or small, will make a difference and have an impact not only on your lives, but the lives of many families LCC has yet to touch. Thanks and God Bless, Paul Zenker Youth News It’s A Wonderful Night –ELCA Youth Gathering Fundraiser The youth attending the gathering in Detroit are selling tickets for the West Acres event It’s A Wonderful Night on November 23rd from 6pm-9pm. Tickets are $5 and all of the profit goes towards the youth. They can be purchased after Worship or picked up from the office. Whether you will be attending the mall event or not, childcare will be provided that night at the church from 5:30pm-9pm. The cost for childcare is $10 a head with a $25 family cap. Kids must be potty trained. A form for each family must be filled out before or at drop off. Kooky Camper On Friday, November 14th LCC and Holy Cross will be will be holding an event called Kooky Camper. Grades 4-6 will be from 6pm-8pm and Grades 7-12 will be from 8pm-10pm. Kooky Camper is a series of entertaining and up front challenges and games for youth. Come for the thrill of friendly competition or just to be entertained by all of the crazy stunts performed. This event is FREE! Talk to Chad if more information is needed. 7-12 Grade Holy Hangin' On Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m. when there is no confirmation youth are encouraged to come to LCC for some very...unique...fellowship. Stay tuned for themes of future Holy Hangin times! Hanging Out with Chad I’m looking to get to know everyone better, but it is going to take me till 2020 to do that at the pace of a couple names a Wednesday night. So, what I’d LOVE to do is get together with your family to do something fun in Oct. and Nov. It could be at your house (games, meals, building forts…whatever), at Chucky Cheese rockin with the band, going to a sporting event, or even showing me some of the great spots in Fargo/Moorhead (a lot has changed in 14 years). Morning, noon or night is fine! Whenever, whatever we do is up to you, as long as it isn’t sky diving into a pool of rabid sea cucumbers. Feel free to call or text me at 507-626-0355! Columbarium: A Final Resting Place at LCC? Interest has been expressed for a columbarium at Lutheran Church of the Cross. A columbarium is a structure of vaults designed to hold cremated remains. (See an example below). There are very few options in the West Fargo/Fargo area for cemetery plots and even fewer for cremated remains. Now that LCC has more land to consider using as a resource for ministry, some families are interested in building a columbarium on our property. If you have any interest in this happening at LCC, or would like to be involved in a feasibility study, please let Pastor Joel know. Financial Report October Actual General Offering Other Income Expenses Budgeted $37,795 $38,457 $375 $471 $41,423 $43,014 Mortgage Principal $2,610 October Cash Flow -$5,863 Appeal Reimbursement $0 Cash borrowed from bank $0 Cash paid back to savings $0 Cash paid back to bank $0 Mortgage Principal YTD Cash Flow Actual Budgeted $363,839 $14,727 $413,586 $25,773 -$60,793 Appeal Reimbursement $55,620 YTD Net Cash Flow w/ Reimbursement -$5,173 Net amount owed savings Net amount owed bank -$1,591 -$301 Cash borrowed from savings General Offering Other Income Expenses -$662 $5,562 Net Cash Flow w/ Reimbursement Year-to-Date Difference $0 $0 $379,905 $ 9,602 $446,903 Difference -$16,066 -$33,317 October Fund Appeal Appeal Funds In $3,655 Appeal Funds Out (Staff) $4,102 Appeal Funds Out (Repurposing) $4,187 Appeal Funds Out (Debt Management) $1,460 Total Fund Appeal Total Appeal Pledges (126 families) $473,905 Total Appeal Funds In From Start $457,039 Total Interest Earned $1,175 $458,219 Total Appeal Expenses $51,346 Total Appeal Funds Out (Staff) $88,111 Total Appeal Funds Out (Repurposing) $68,333 Total Appeal Funds Out (Debt Management) $141,993 Net Appeal Fund Balance $108,436 JOY BIBLE STUDY Come join us on Thursday, December 4th in the Hospitality Room at 9:30am. We are now meeting on the first Thursday of the month. No need for any preparation. We read and discuss the study together. Following is the theme for Session 4. Growing Together Spiritual growth happens in communities—home, congregation, school and anywhere people share their experiences of God. Session 4: Faith in the Family Theme verse: “When she and her household were baptized, she urges us, saying ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us.” Acts 16:15. NOVEL IDEAS The next meeting of Novel Ideas will be on November 18th. We will be discussing Mrs. Lincolns Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini. Come prepared with a book suggestion for next year. We will create our 2015 agenda at this meeting. Future reads are: Dec. 16 A Long Way Home by Saroo Baierley Please note the changes for November and December. Due to the holidays we will meet a week earlier than normal. Anyone is welcome to attend; even if you just want to come once in a while to enjoy the discussion of the book-of-the-month if that’s what interests you. Family Fare Receipt Update Our updated total for the Family Fare Receipts is $24,885. Keep up the good work! With Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, remember to save those receipts and drop them off in the box located in the Narthex. We are still accepting both SunMart and Family Fare receipts. Thanks again for your support of this project! LCC Women Save-the-Date Mark your calendars for a Christmas Painting Party on December 19th from 6pm to 9pm in the Crossway Center! The cost will be $25 (If cost is an issue, please talk to Pastor Laura). Child care will be available for $2 per child, they will have their own activities! No painting or art experience needed. This will be a fun and relaxing night and a chance to get to know other women in the congregation. More information and sign-up to follow. ELCA Youth Gathering Fundraiser The youth attending the gathering in Detroit are selling tickets are selling tickets for the West Acres event It’s a Wonderful Night. The event is November 23rd from 6pm-9pm. Tickets are $5 and all the profit goes towards the youth. They can be purchased after Worship or picked up from the office. Childcare will be provided by the youth group from 5:30pm-9pm this evening whether you are attending the mall event or not. The cost will be $10 per head with a $25 family cap. A snack will be provided. A form for each family must be filled out before or at drop off and kids must be potty trained. Calling All Babysitters Do you like to babysit? If you want to be on a list of babysitters that we call for certain events that need childcare, please let Pastor Laura or the office know. You will be paid for your time here at the church. Activities will be planned and it will be a blast! Bible Bake Sale On November 12th and 19th from 6pm-6:30pm and 7:15pm-8pm there will be a bake sale fundraiser in the Narthex to purchase Bibles. If you would like to help, you can sign up to bring a baked good to be sold or sign up to work the table for an evening. Sign up sheets are across from Stacy’s office. LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE CROSS 1402 16th St E ~ West Fargo, ND 58078 (701) 282-0514 www.lcc-wf.com “like” us on Facebook! CONTACT US: Pastor Joel Baranko: jbaranko@lcc-wf.com Pastor Laura Henrik: laura@lcc-wf.com Stacy Christianson, Education: education@lcc-wf.com Jill Polasek, Office Administrator: office@lcc-wf.com Michael Larson, Dir. of Music & Arts Ministry: mlarson@lcc-wf.com Chad Christianson, Youth Director: Christianson@lcc-wf.com Maxine Beseler, Choir Director: maxbeseler@gmail.com