ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 19, 2020

9:30AM SERVICE ON FACEBOOK LIVE:  CROSS OF CHRIST LUTHERAN,
PETOSKEY MI
“Empowered by the grace of God to love, lead, and serve.”

FLU/VIRUS SEASON:  We are asking that each of us take extra care of keeping the assembly healthy!  You can do the following things for helping us with that according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control):

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or with the disinfectant for at least 20 seconds
• Hand sanitizer needs be at least 60% alcohol
• Cough into your elbow or into a tissue and then throw the tissue away.
• REST AND STAY HOME if you are sick.
• Avoid close contact with people.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Stay at home…stay at home…stay at home

Because of the different illnesses at this time we will continue to pass the peace through word only.  Peace be with you!
And from your pastor:

• Read scripture, books, newspapers…watch concerts or virtual tour art museums
• Pray
• Eat
• Sleep
• Rest
• Walk or exercise in your home
• Play a game or do a puzzle
• Keep a journal or a list of things that you are thankful for
• Make a difference where you are…clean up trash, send a card, reach out beyond yourself
• Know that you are loved and this will change
• Try to do activities that will bring calmness to you life. 
• BE PATIENT with each other! 

 
BIRTHDAYS for APRIL
April 5:  Janece Clark; April 8:  Kyle Grosvenor, Skylar Smith; April 9:  Oktaveon Lind Ryan;
April 11:  MaryKay O’Donnell; April 12: Ken Michelsen; April 13: Collin Somerville;
April 14:  Lyn Engdahl, Dakota Westbrook; April 16:  Kathy Rusche; April 18: Cheryll Morford;
April 22: Mark Grosvenor, Wesley Meckstroth; April 23: Jeff Popp
 
ANNIVERSARIES
April 2:  Joan & DeWayne Cox; April 7: Ken & Mary Michelsen; April 23:  Vicki & Ron Morgan;
April 30: Jean & Shane Brown
 
CHURCH OFFERINGS You can mail your offering to the church at Cross of Christ Lutheran 1450 East Mitchell St. Petoskey, Michigan 49770.  There is also a “Give” app on our facebook page for you to use as a one time giving or you can get automatic giving through VANCO and you will need to contact David Meckstroth at 231-420-4830 or email him at [email protected]  Thank you for remembering the church and its ministry and mission every day!  We are so very blessed.
 
CHURCH RAFFLE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS ON A ROLL!!!! tickets and a flyer have been mailed to you.  Sell away!!!  If you need more tickets, contact Pastor Sherry.  We are raffling “Christmas Memories” by Thomas Kinkade donated by Judy O’Brien, Jean Smith’s sister; a beautiful quilt hand quilted by Karen Hamal; an awesome afghan knitted by Sheri Popp; and a cash prize of $250.  Each family unit will receive 10 tickets to sell for $10 each!  This should be a fun time and the drawing will happen right after Easter. If you do not want to sell your tickets, please place them in Pastor Sherry’s box.  We need to account for all tickets.  All proceeds are for our general fund.  3/4 of our tickets have been sold at this point! THANK YOU FOR SELLING THEM AND SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY
 
WORSHIP BIBLE STUDY AND CLASSES THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK
Our studies and classes will be hosted on ZOOM where we can hear and interact with everyone participating.  So join in!  ZOOM is free to join in and there will always be a link sent on our facebook page.  If you would like the link in an email, please email me at [email protected] and I will make sure that you get the link!  It changes each week.  Please call Pastor Sherry McGuffin for help in navigating this or if you need to talk or if you have questions, or because you want to! 
 
To get onto Facebook Live you need to be a friend of the congregation.  Since starting facebook live sermons and worship we have had an influx of neighbors and friends join us.  This is live.  I do save it so that you can go back and look and I will begin to put them under videos on our facebook page so that you can find them quickly. 
 
Children’s sermons will be found on both of our facebook pages…Cross of Christ Lutheran, Petoskey MI and Cross of Christ Lutheran Youth, Petoskey MI 
 
Sunday, April 19:  9:30AM service Facebook Live
Monday, April 20:  8:15AM Bible Study;
Tuesday, April 21:  Confirmation at 10AM (ZOOM)
Wednesday, April 22:  Senior High ZOOM meeting at 7PM
Thursday, April 23: Middle School ZOOM meeting 7PM
Friday, April 24:  Write someone a note from the church!
Saturday, April 25: Call someone you haven’t heard from from the church
Sunday, April 26:  service at 9:30AM (Facebook live)
 
PAPER PANTRY:  Due to Coronovirus 19 we are changing plans for the Paper Pantry.  We will have one Paper Pantry a month, the 2nd Thursday of the month from 5-6:30PM.  Clients will receive 2 bags so that they only need to make one trip a month.  We are trying to keep people as safe with the least amount of contact as possible.  Our volunteers wear gloves and masks and the clients drive by and receive the supplies in their mode of transportation.  So we still take donations and supplies!  And we served 36 families at our last paper pantry in April.  Please pray for everyone who is vulnerable. 
 
STILL LOOKING FOR A CHAIR TO ORGANIZE SPECIAL COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES TO BE HELD AT CROSS OF CHRIST WHEN WE GATHER AGAIN!  This ministry is now more important than ever.  We need to be present in this community when we return from self quarantine and time away from each other.  We can and will be present in ways that build up community, welcome one another and our friends and neighbors home again…like a block party for this neighborhood and all of Petoskey…a home coming perhaps!
 
MARK THE CALENDAR:  NO MEETINGS ARE BEING HELD AT THE CHURCH AT THIS TIME UNTIL THE QUARANTINE IS LIFTED.  SO WHEN WE RETURN:  When using the church building for meetings etc. please mark the day and time on the calendar, on the bulletin board by the women’s bathroom, so a reminder can be put in the announcements.  It is important for the office to have this information.
 
THE DANIEL PLAN BIBLE STUDY  Dean Tahtinen began teaching this study.  This book is wonderful to read right now and to help us focus on what it means to be children of God in this time and place when it is hard to find a new rhythm to life.  Remember to eat healthy, exercise and PRAY without ceasing!
 
NURSERY VOLUNTEERS We would love to have nursery volunteers during the worship service.  The nursery can be held upstairs if you would like.  Please sign up in the volunteer folder for nursery volunteer for any Sunday that you would like to help!  Thank you.
 
GIFTS TO BE GIVEN!!! When people ask you where you give donations…tell them Cross of Christ.  We welcome all financial donations so give in honor of someone or in memory of beloved. And as you prepare for your future planning remember Cross of Christ in your giving!
 
STEWARDSHIP OF THE CHURCH:  
Due to high winds and wet window frames, one of our windows blew out of the frame.  We are raising funds at this time to replace our windows…even just one at a time.  If you would like to give towards our window campaign or if you know someone looking for a place to donate funds, offer to do so at Cross of Christ!  Remember to make a note in the memo of your check or on your offering envelope. 
 
Thank you for praying about your donations to Cross of Christ.  We are so very grateful!  As we continue to move forward in ministry and mission you will be invited to a cottage meeting/small group meeting.  We really are looking forward to hear from you all!  We are so very blessed. 
 
MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH are planning a mission trip this summer.  We will leave for Chicago the last week of August for 4 days.  We will be working in soup kitchens and with those in need in and through the city with the help of local Lutheran Churches and Elliott Drake! 
 
BIBLE STUDIES:  8:15AM #Metoo Bible study is not meeting but we invite you to join in reading the devotions from “The Virtuous Life (The Holiness Tradition)” in Devotional Classics edited by Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith.  This week we are reading Blaise Pascal’s EXCERPTS FROM PENSEES. If you would like a book, please see Pastor Sherry McGuffin-Bays or let her know and she will place it in your box.  
 
TUESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY will continue meeting once the new books have been chosen and received.  I will let everyone know what the Bible study is going to be a book by Richard Rohr Jesus’ Plan for a New World:  The Sermon on the Mount  You can buy this for Kindle or you can order it through Amazon or even through McLean and Eakin. 
 
 
SHARING HOPE:  Support group for anyone who has a loved one with suicidal tendencies.  Second Thursday of every month, Genesis Community Center, 1124 Northmen Drive, 6:00PM – 7:30PM, contact Wendy Kuebler 231-881-7248.
 
ANNUAL DIRECTORY are in your boxes.  We have an addition:  Merle and Arlene Good 701 Vogel St. D6 Boyne City, MI 49712  (989) 335-0712  Please add the Goods to your directory.  Thank you!
Julie and Ric Pierpont 2214 Elmhurst Rd  Brutus, MI 49716 (address change)
Jean Smith telephone number change:  231-218-1946
Boyd Manges email correction:  [email protected]
Vicki Morgan cell phone is 231-373-7007
Add Aileen and Brandan Ryan, Jack and Adam 10514 Burtlake Trail Brutus Michigan 49716
Janelle Warnemeunde cell phone number correction:  269-838-7152
 
FINANCIALS FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2020:   THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TREASURES

Fund                               Income                          What we budget                              Difference
General                         $10836.43                             $10130.58                                         $708.85
Benevolence                    $289.00                                  N/A                                                N/A
Property                          $620.00                              $1038.00                                        ($418.00)
Totals                             $11,748.43                               $11,168.58                                       $290.85

***So please notice that Property fund is short every month***
 
                                             Fund Status Year to Date: February 2020
                                        General Fund                                   Property Fund
Opening Balance                       $0.00                                                 $0.00                          
+ income                              $24,607.07                                          $1,788.00
-expense                               $28,378.59                                          $4,436.40
Ending Balance                    ($3,771.52)                                         ($2,648.40)

Ending total balance year to date: ($6,419.92)
***After only 2 months we've already spent $6000 more than we have collected.***                                                                        

PRAYER LIST
For those in the armed services:  Michael Drake, Ryan Finley, Jeremy Hamal, Douglas Dinger, Derik Dinger

• Medical field who are our first responders to the COVID -19.  Thank you!  we pray for courage and rest and wisdom and we pray that we are able to serve you in this time.
  
• All those who are suffering from COVID-19, their friends and family and this unknown journey.
  
• Larry “Grouse” Cummings and his wife Shannon and their children
  
• Amy, niece to JoAnn Wilder and Boyd Manges
  
• Joey, cousin of Bryan Young, at home now and healing of COVID 19
  
• Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Godspeed to Father Alan as he moves to Grand Rapids and as they seek discernment for a new priest.
  
• John Rush
  
• Kathy Rusche
  
• Chelsea Duffiney, niece to Jean & Mike Smith
  
• Earl Griffin and Ed Mathews for healing and comfort
  
• Reb Nicholson, Pastor Sherry’s cousin
  
• Mandy Meckstroth
  
• Carrie Swadling, friend of Pam Campbell
  
• Mackenzie Espinoza, family of Pam Campbell
  
• Greg Howard, son of Ann and John Howard, for healing
  
• Sabine, the granddaughter of Lynn and Gordy Engdahl, for healing
  
• John Foltz, brother of Ann Howard
  
• Joe McClatchie, family of Dagny King
  
• Jim Popp, Jeff Popp’s father
  
• Dale Courtney, Kris Olsen’s sister
  

• Rebecca Johnson, friend of Irene Feeley
  
• Marcia Froelich, family of Kathy Phelps-Rusche
  
• Rob Sarki for healing presence
  
• Craig Finley and family, brother of Sue Finley
  
• Ruth Koski, mother of Gail Drake
  
• Erica Riviera, cousin of Dean Morford
  
• The Luke Ulrich family in Malawi.