1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

The Lutheran Beacon
St. Matthew Lutheran Church
258 E. Hunter St., Logan, Ohio 43138
January 2015
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
2015 Church Council
The 2015 Church Council will be installed during the 10:15am worship service on January 4. Below are the
members of the council. Thank you for your service to St. Matthew!
President: Bryan Starner
Vice President: Chuck Eaton
Treasurer: Sharon Bell
Financial Secretary: Fran Funk
Recording Secretary: Linda Tatman
Elders: Dave Rauber, Jim Funk, Becky Webb
Sunday Services
Trustees: John Gwinn, Richard (Pink) Johnson, Jim St. Clair
Deacons: Beth Hackney, Nancy Monk, Nancy Thomas,
8:30 am Chapel Service
Carl Thomas
9:15 am Sunday School
Volunteers needed!
Would you like to serve in the ministry of St. Matthew’s? The
following positions need to be filled:
 Newsletter editor
 Social media administrator (website, Facebook public
page, Facebook group page)
 Sunday school superintendent
 Sunday school teacher (kindergarten through 6th grade)
If you would be interested in working in any of these positions,
contact Pastor Baker or the church office. Thank you!
10:15 am Worship Service
Our worship service is broadcast weekly on
98.3 FM in Logan, Ohio
Contact Information
Church Office
(740) 385-2272
Pastor Baker
(740) 603-2150
Debbie Klinebriel, Church Secretary
(740) 974-5428
Bryan Starner, Church Council President
Bible Study resuming Jan. 7
The Wednesday Bible Study will resume Jan. 7. The 11am
group will be learning from the New Testament books of Thessalonians. The 7pm group will continue with C.S. Lewis’ Mere
Christianity. We are on the chapter concerning forgiveness.
Join us as we study God’s Word!
(740) 385-6112
Website:
www.stmatthewlogan.org
E-mail:
stmatthewlogan@frontier.com
HELPERS FOR JANUARY
Date
Acolytes
Altar Flowers
Greeters
Communion
Jan. 4
Dawson Libben
Women’s Group
Chuck and Eva Eaton
Becky Webb
Jan. 11
Brant Lovas
OPEN
Michele Scaparrotti & Deborah Scaparrotti
Jan. 18
OPEN
OPEN
Bea Stallsmith & Pete Hartley
Jan. 25
Clay Risch
OPEN
Jim and Nancy Monk
Altar Care: Nancy and Carl Thomas
Lay Reader: Lynne Risch
Jim Funk
The Lutheran Beacon
Page 2
January 2015
Directory of the Women of St. Matthew
The Women’s Group is putting together a directory of the women of St. Matthew. If you would like to be included in this directory, please contact Lynne Risch, Margaret Mosure, or the church office. The directory is to
be completed by February. Even if you can’t attend the Women’s Group meetings, but would like to have a
connection to the group, please sign up!
2015 Altar Flower Calendar
The 2015 altar flower calendar is posted in the fellowship hall. Please sign up for the dates you would like to
contribute altar flowers. Thank you!
Offering Envelopes for 2015
If you have not picked up your offering envelopes for the new year yet, they can be found on the table at the
back of the sanctuary. Thank you!
Newsletter submissions
The deadline for submissions for the February Beacon will be January 19. Please submit all information to
the church office by this date. Thank you!
Remember in Prayer...
Patty Anderson, Jennie Baker, Alice Beckley, Heather Beckley, Malachi Berry, Pat
Blair, Jacob Braglin, Connie Brooks, Annie Brunston, Greg Byrd, Dianne Campbell, Sherry Christian, Julie Kalklosch Cook, Clayton Cordle, Amy Culberson, Margie Derr, Christy Eckhart, Ella Fouch and family, Alex Funk, Myrna Gabriel, Helen
Garavuso, Ralph Griffith, Mary Jo Hahn, Kelley Hoellrich, Thad Holmes, Laura
Hopstetter, Greg Huston, Ronnie Kimler, Arthur Kuhn, Angie Land, Richard, Bonnie and Brenda Lane, Kelly Leppien, Vera Lindsey, Betty Mowery, Jerry Nafgzer,
Tom Odell, Bob and Brenda Ohrstedt, Lynda Pender, Cheryl Phillips, Pat Porter,
Tom Redd, Michelle Risch, Mick Rogers, Rich Rutherford, Debbie Scaparrotti,
Debbie Shaw, Howard and Mary Frances Sigler, Beverly Smith, Bonnie St. Clair,
Gary & Sandy Starner, Martha Steele, John Switzer, Eva Tatman, Gerald
Thornton, Rose Tucker, Emma Jean Turner, Jim Vorhees, Wib Wallace, Shelly
Zeisler, and the family of Jeannie Zingale.
Also, remember those in military service, especially Mike Scaparrotti, Luke High,
Jeremy Landers, Annie Funk, Dustin Garner, Andy Duus, and Josh McKee.
Please pray for missionaries and staff of the World Missionary Prayer League
(WMPL) each day, asking God to guide and protect them as they spread the Word
about Jesus Christ, the only Way to peace with
God.
Happy Birthday
Jan. 3
Jan. 5
Jan. 8
Jan. 9
Jan. 10
Jan. 14
Jan. 16
Jan. 18
Jan. 19
Jan. 20
Jan. 22
Jan. 23
Jan. 24
Jan. 28
Please pray every day for our World Vision Sponsor Child, Toiba Seid of Ethiopia.
Please spend five minutes every day in prayer for
St. Matthew and for yourself as part of this congregation.
Jan. 29
Jan. 30
Jan. 31
Nancy Monk
Janice Hartley
Tyler Blackstone
Carl Thomas
Debbie Keller
Charles Keller
Maeghan Cordle
Seth Riddlebarger
Susan Huddy
Phyllis Koska
Michelle Risch
Tessa Hunter
Cory Inboden
Tami Bell
Lucinda Cordle
Heidi Swope
Desirae Hartley
Samuel Elhard
Barbara Johnston
Ava Swope
Sophie Swope
Taylor Reichling
Hannah Elhard
John Gwinn
Isaac Gwinn
Megan Gwinn
Crystal Kerns
Lance Bell
Kristen Heft
Randy Hopstetter
The Lutheran Beacon
Page 3
January 2015
THE THREE WISEWOMEN
The three women watched as their husbands disappeared into the distance.
It was night, since their husbands' journey was to follow some mysterious star
that was supposed to announce the birth of the new king of Israel. The husbands had taken gifts fit for such a king. Gold, frankincense and myrrh rested
on the backs of their sturdy camels. The women slowly turned and started to
walk home.
"I still don't understand why they had to go," said the youngest of the women.
"I guess it's all part of being married to a magi," said another.
For a time, they walked toward the village in silence. Then the oldest, who rarely spoke began
bitterly, "For years, he has followed this star and that one. Never does he find anything. I am always
left with the children. I keep the family business going. And now he chases after some foreign king
with gifts that we could barely afford. I know what I would like to give that so-called king. A king living in a comfortable palace somewhere. I'd give him a piece of my ...."
"What would you really give him if you could?" said the youngest woman.
The old woman stopped walking. When the silence began to be uncomfortable, the old woman
finally spoke. "Compassion.....that's what I would give. He should get off of his padded throne and
out of his clean palace and see to the needs of ordinary people. He should care about our hurts and
needs. He should feel our pain. He should cry for us......and with us. Tears of compassion are what I
would give him."
"It's not enough that he should feel, he should act on those feelings," said the other woman. "He
needs to feed the hungry, to heal the sick, to reach out not only to the rich and powerful, but also to
the poor and the outcasts. He should be for everybody, not just a few. Hands of active love that
reach out to all people, that is what I would give."
Both women then turned to the youngest and waited.
"All I know about kings is that they take. They took my father for unpaid taxes and he died in the
mines. They took my brothers for the wars and they died. I would like a king with a heart that would
give, not take. A heart that would grant life, not death. A king that would give his own life to save his
people. I would give him such a heart."
For a time there was a calm quiet, then the oldest woman began to laugh. "We are as bad as the
dreamers that we have for husbands. We talk of such gifts that we cannot give. Who would listen to
the wild talk of three foolish women. There will never be such a king."
Nodding their heads and blushing at their foolishness, the other two agreed. Without a further
word, they went home.
In the stillness of the night, there was one who did hear their desires and God gave their gifts to
the new king. Tears of compassion, hands of active love and a sacrificial heart that gave its life so
that all might live. In a stable, not a palace, was born the king of those three wise women.
Never forget the true Light of Epiphany.
Pastor Baker
The Lutheran Beacon
Page 4
January 2015
ADULT & CHILDREN’S
CLASSES BEGIN
EVERY SUNDAY
MORNING
AT 9:15 AM!
The children’s Sunday School class performed
The Little Angel Choir on December 21. The performers were: Emilee Gallagher, Kobe Mathena,
Sophie Boelk, Avery Moore and Riley Hackney.
Sunday School offering
The Sunday School offering for December and January will be divided between the Inspire Homeless
Shelter, the Women’s
Abuse Center, and Smith
Chapel Food Pantry. A table
is in the fellowship hall for
offerings! Thank you!
Youth Group
News
Are you in 7th grade or older?
Then join the Youth Group!
Youth Group Happenings:
Jan. 4: Youth Group, 2pm to 3:30pm
Jan. 11: Catechism, 2pm to 4pm
Jan. 17: Winterjam, in Columbus, Ohio. Doors open at 5pm.
Jan. 25: Catechism class, 2pm to 4pm.
Women’s Group
Meeting 10am
Bible Study
11am & 7pm
Bible Study
11am & 7pm
Catechism 2pm-4pm
Choir Practice
11:30am
25
Winterjam 5pm
Choir Practice
11:45am
26
Deadline for
February Beacon
27
Church Council
7pm
Bible Study
11am & 7pm
Sarah Smiles Prayer
Shawl Group 5:30pm
28
Sarah Smiles Prayer
Shawl Group 5:30pm
Bible Study
11am & 7pm
21
14
Sarah Smiles Prayer
Shawl Group 5:30pm
7
Wed
18
20
13
6
Tue
Sarah Smiles Prayer
Shawl Group 5:30pm
19
12
5
Mon
Catechism 2pm-4pm
Choir Practice
11:30am
11
Youth Group
2pm-3:30pm
11:45am
4 Choir Practice
Sun
January 2015
Prayer Group 6pm
29
Prayer Group 6pm
22
Prayer Group 6pm
Community Dinner
5pm-6:30pm
15
Prayer Group 6pm
8
Church office closed
New Year’s Day!
1
Thu
30
23
Worship & Music
Committee 10am
16
9
2
Fri
31
24
17
10
3
Sat
St. Matthew Lutheran Church
(740) 385-2272
St. Matthew Lutheran Church
258 East Hunter Street
Logan, Ohio 43138
The Lutheran Beacon
St. Matthew Lutheran Church
Logan, Ohio
January 2015
We, St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Logan, Ohio, as
followers of Jesus Christ, called by the Holy Spirit, celebrate the gift of God’s Grace. We reach out and welcome
everyone to join us in sharing God’s Love.