Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord and Savior.  First, the office computer has a glitch that is being worked on as I type.  So we are letting you know that the announcements will be coming to you on Sunday and this will be a revised venue for the announcements this week!

YES, you may have heard the rumor....there is a POTLUCK on Sunday, April 29th!  It is a Spring Potluck welcoming in the longer days and having time to meet and greet one another again!  The Potluck will follow a meeting updating you on our finances and looking for some ideas from you!  You will be receiving a letter today from our council via email.  Please take the time to read the short letter and to attend the meeting after church and the picnic potluck!

During Sunday School this week there will be a movie that will show for an hour and a half from Sunday School until the Pot Luck.  Please bring the children.

PRAYER REQUESTS:  DeWayne and Joan Cox at the death of DeeWayne's sister Judy.  

Ken and Mary Michelson at the death of Ken's mother in Ohio.

BIBLE STUDIES  The 8:15 #MeToo movement Bible study continues as we study women of the Bible.  There are so many to choose from.  We will work together until the last week of May.   

6PM Bible study is working on the book of revelation beginning in chapter 10.  We will meet at Pastor Sherry's house at 314 W. Lake St.

CHURCH TRIVIA:  Did you know that we collect Olsen Grocery receipts.  We total them and the store sends us a check for a portion of what you spend!  This money goes into the general fund.  There is a black plastic coffee container in the collection bin across from the bathrooms where you can put your receipts...notice that we collect used phones for the Women's Resource Center and tabs for the kidney machines.  We are a group of gatherers...David Jalkanen has been our dedicated mathematician who counts and sends in our different items.  Thank you David for this tedious but rewarding job.

April 26, 2018

Dear Congregation,

Thank you for your stewardship of our property, the Word of God, and our finances.  With your generosity of time, talents, and treasures, we are a church that is moving forward, but we are having some financial setbacks.

When we met in January 2018 for our annual meeting, we focused on our deficit spending moving into 2018.  The congregation passed a budget that invited us into the shared cost of ministry and outreach at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church.  We agreed that this budget was something that we could do together, if we increased our giving.  And while we are doing better, we are still under what we need to bring in to meet our monthly budget obligations.

Paying our bills in 2018 has required the Church Council to approve removing funds from our Memorial Fund.  If we continue in this way, we will completely deplete our Memorial Fund.  If we allow this to occur, we will not be able to continue the critical ministry programs we have established.  We have faith we can raise the funds to meet our bare-bones budget, but need your help and commitment to do so.   

Please attend our one service on Sunday, April 29th at 10AM followed by a brief update on our finances where you can see numbers, vision and goals from the council.  

A Pot Luck will follow the meeting with a spring theme…picnic in the church….we want to welcome in new visions, the possibility of hope in the midst of this last winter bite, and time to talk to one another. 
We have been called by God to be one Body!  Together, where two or more are gathered in the name of Christ, God’s will is done.  So let us pray together, work together, contribute together and play together. 
You will find a Simply Giving form in your church mailbox or click here to download one. Please pray about giving using this format.  David Meckstroth can answer your questions.  

Yes, this is a serious time for our congregation financially, yet we are moved each moment by the Holy Spirit who leads us into all of the wonderful possibilities ahead of us with the vision for the parsonage land, the giving and building of our church physically and spiritually, and the desire to evolve here in this place as God’s vessels of love.  Thank you

​NOISY OFFERING for the month of April will be for our Paper Pantry.  The Paper Pantry is a ministry at Cross of Christ that helps families who are in need to supplement their home cleaners and paper products.  At this time we offer laundry detergent, deodorant, shampoos/conditioners, tooth paste, tooth brushes, toilet paper, paper towels and Kleenex and plastic garbage bags and other items that people cannot purchase with WIC or bridge cards.  We serve 40- 80 families two times per month.  Thank you for your donations and your financial support and volunteer hours! 
 
ALTAR FLOWERS This morning are placed by Cyndi Yingling in loving memory of the birthday of her grandfather.
 
BULLETINS this week are given by Wayne and Priscilla Meyer to the glory of God.
 
Dedications for both the bulletins and the flowers are found at SIGN UP CENTRAL in the green notebook.  $10 for flowers and $10 for bulletin dedications. Each week our flowers are donated to Flowers for Friends to be distributed throughout the community.
 
THANKS BE TO GOD FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS  Please check the volunteer schedule in the green binder at the sign up table.  The volunteer list beginning January 2018 is available in the green notebook.  Please cross your
name off of the list if you are unable to volunteer.  If you can find a substitute please fill in the name.  If you
can’t find one, let Pastor Sherry know.
 
Sunday, April 15
8:30AM:  Greeter:  Wayne & Priscilla Meyer; Usher:  Wayne & Priscilla Myer; Lector: Priscilla Meyer; Acolyte: Head Usher; Head Usher: Trudy Day; Cantor:  Julie Pierpont; Assistant to the Minister: Sue Finley; Coffee Hour:Bev & Gary Engel, Betony & Keith Braddock
 
10AM:  Greeter: Deb & Mark Manker; Usher:  Wesley Meckstroth & Oktaveon Lind Ryan; Lector: Melissa Hansen; Acolyte: Josie Poquette;  Head Usher:  Ron Marshall; Cantor:  Choir ; Assistant to the Minister:;  Coffee Hour:  Emily & Collin Sommerville and Mike & Jean Smith  Recycling:  Bryan Young; Bread Baker:  Trudy Day; Nursery: Olivia Nolff; Counters: Kasi Meckstroth and Gail Drake
 
Sunday, April 22
8:30AM:  Greeter:  Tom & Kris Olsen; Usher:  Wayne & Priscilla Meyer; Lector: Kris Olsen; Acolyte: Head Usher; Head Usher: Gary Engel;  Cantor: Choir; Assistant to the Minister: Lois Ulrich; Coffee Hour: Carol Lemkuhl, DeWayne Cox
 
10AM:  Greeter: Dan Bays & Grant Engel; Usher:  Bill Drake & Mike Smith; Lector: Jean Smith; Acolyte: Alaina Engel; Head Usher:  Melissa Hansen; Cantor:  Jean Smith; Assistant to the Minister:  Jean Smith;   Coffee Hour:  Jeff & Sheri Popp, John & Sommer Poquette; Recycling:  Bryan Young; Bread Baker: Trudy Day; Nursery: Olivia Nolff; Counters:  Gary Engel & Sommer Poquette
 
BIRTHDAY & ANNIVERSARY BLESSINGS!
Birthdays:
April 16:  Kathy Phelps Rusche; April 18 Cheryll Morford
Anniversaries:
 
SOUP KITCHEN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE MONTHS OF APRIL AND JULY: Thank you to all who brought the delicious food to the table!  Please sign up in the green 3 ring binder at the sign up center outside of the church office. 
 
FILL AN ENVELOPE FOR OUR YOUTH! Senior High and the Middle School Youth and Elementary School youth! Our children are beginning to sign up for Middle School Gathering and Summer camp which is open to all ages…there is even a camp for adults with special needs.  Please go to elcalivingwater.com to learn more about the camps.  We ask the families to pay a portion of the camp while we work to raise scholarship. 
 
CHURCH TRIVIA! Have you ever thought about volunteering during our worship service.  Think about these possibilities:  Head Usher:  Make sure every volunteer position is filled on Sunday, make sure the acolyte is lighting the candles, double check after the service for trash and open windows or unlocked doors.  Ushers…our ushers pass out bulletins and collect offerings and help get the rail ready for communion and usher people to the table for Holy Communion.  These two opportunities really help keep worship flowing and helps us to see how even collecting offering has been a part of the worship times even before Jesus!  There are time and talent folders in our green notebook on the cabinet at the church office.  If you did not turn one in, please take one and pray about how you get to serve God through ministries at Cross of Christ.  Thank you for all who have signed up…if you decide that you would like to try something new, go ahead and fill out a sheet as well…put them in the offering plate or give them to the office.  Thank you! 
 
BIBLE STUDIES:  Monday evening Bible Study will meet at the church at 314 W. Lake St at 6PM to continue the study of REVELATION.  Everyone is invited to come…make a plan!  Join the groups!
 
ADOPT A HIGHWAY CLEAN UP Our Adopt a Highway Spring Clean Up will be on Sunday, April 29, 2018.  At 1:00 p.m. we will meet in the parking lot on the left hand side of the road just past the M-68 traffic light in Alanson.  We will be cleaning the road for two miles north of the parking lot.  There will be a sign up sheet in the sign up book on the table next to the church office.  Questions - call Wayne or Priscilla Meyer at 347-8567.
 
ART EXHIBIT IN HARBOR SPRINGS:  THE LIFE OF OUR LORD  -  Pierre has been asking God in his prayers to use him for spreading the word.  God has answered his prayers.  His paintings are displayed in sequence from the Annunciation to the Ascension to Heaven at his gallery at 188 East Main Street, Harbor Springs.  If you get a chance go and see his paintings.
 
 
FINANCIALS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2018:
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TREASURES
                                    Income                           Need                    Difference 
General Fund                 9263.31                   10842.59                     (858.50)
Synod Benevolence      302.00                       782.75                        (480.75)
Property Fund                615.00                      1762.50                     (1147.50)                                                   
                                        10180.31                    13387.84                   (2486.75)
 
HERE IS WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OUR NECK OF THE WOODS! (Don’t forget to sign up on the calendar when you are planning your events.)
 
Sun.,    April 15 :  8:30 & 10AM Holy Communion Sunday School begins for children at 9:45AM; Confirmation 11:30AM-1PM  
Mon.,  April 16:  8:15 AM #metoo Bible Study; 6PM Bible study at the church on Revelation, Council Meeting 7PM
Tues.,  April 17:  Yoga 6:15PM
Wed.,   April 18: Chimes 6PM, Choir 7PM
Thurs., April 19:  Soup Kitchen Lunch 12 Noon
Fri.,      April 20:  
Sat.,    April 21:
Sun.,   April :  8:30 & 10AM Holy Communion Services,  Sunday school for children from 9:45-10:30; Confirmation at 11:30-1PM
 
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
ü  April:  soup kitchen
ü  April 29th ONE SERVICE and meeting after church on financial update.  Forum following the meeting with a pot luck on care giving for ourselves as we get older and life changes happen
ü  Elementary school pool party coming up!!!
ü  Confirmation Schedule:  April 15, April 22, May 6, May 20.

NOISY OFFERING for the month of April will be for our Paper Pantry. The Paper Pantry is a ministry at Cross
of Christ that helps families who are in need to supplement their home cleaners and paper products. At this
time we offer laundry detergent, deodorant, shampoos/conditioners, tooth paste, tooth brushes, toilet paper,
paper towels and Kleenex and plastic garbage bags and other items that people cannot purchase with WIC or
bridge cards. We serve 40- 80 families two times per month. Thank you for your donations and your financial support and volunteer hours!

ALTAR FLOWERS This morning are placed by Gail and Preston Kloss in honor of Dakota Westbrook’s birthday!

BULLETINS this week are given by Wayne and Priscilla Meyer to the glory of God.

Dedications for both the bulletins and the flowers are found at SIGN UP CENTRAL in the green notebook. $10
for flowers and $10 for bulletin dedications. Each week our flowers are donated to Flowers for Friends to be
distributed throughout the community.

THANKS BE TO GOD FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS Please check the volunteer schedule in the green binder at the
sign up table. The volunteer list beginning January 2018 is available in the green notebook. Please cross your
name off of the list if you are unable to volunteer. If you can find a substitute please fill in the name. If you
can’t find one, let Pastor Sherry know.

Sunday, April 8

8:30AM: Greeter: Trudy Day; Usher: Jim & Cyndi Knibbs; Lector: Priscilla Meyer; Acolyte: Head Usher; Head
Usher: Wayne Meyer; Cantor: Julie Pierpont; Assistant to the Minister: Sue Finley; Coffee Hour: Jim & Cyndi
Knibbs
10AM: Greeter: norm Cutshall; Usher: Meckstroth family; Lector: Mary Michelsen; Acolyte: Teague
Meckstroth; Head Usher: Bill Drake; Cantor: Mary Michelsen ; Assistant to the Minister: Gail Drake; Coffee
Hour: Mary Michelsen and Mark & Grosvenor & Mary Kay O’Donnell Recycling: Bryan Young; Bread Baker:
Trudy Day; Nursery: Olivia Nolff; Counters: Mary Kay O’Donnell and Mike Smith

Sunday, April 15

8:30AM: Greeter: Wayne & Priscilla Meyer; Usher: Wayne & Priscilla Myer; Lector: Priscilla Meyer; Acolyte:
Head Usher; Head Usher: Trudy Day; Cantor: Julie Pierpont; Assistant to the Minister: Sue Finley; Coffee
Hour: Bev & Gary Engel, Betony & Keith Braddock
10AM: Greeter: Deb & Mark Manker; Usher: Wesley Meckstroth & Oktaveon Lind Ryan; Lector: Melissa
Hansen; Acolyte: Josie Poquette; Head Usher: Ron Marshall; Cantor: Choir ; Assistant to the Minister:;
Coffee Hour: Emily & Collin Sommerville and Mike & Jean Smith Recycling: Bryan Young; Bread Baker: Trudy
Day; Nursery: Olivia Nolff; Counters: Kasi Meckstroth and Gail Drake
BIRTHDAY & ANNIVERSARY BLESSINGS!

Birthdays:

April 1: Jackson Love; April 5: Janece Clark; April 8: Kyle Grosvenor, Skylar Smith

Anniversaries:

April 8: Kyle Grosvenor, Skylar Smith; April 9 Oktaveon Lind-Ryan;

April 11 MaryKay O’Donnell; April 12 Ken Michelsen; April 13 Collin Sommerville; April 14 Lynn Engdahl,

Dakota Westbrook

ELDERBERRY MEETING will be Friday, April 13 at 12:30 PM at the Perry Hotel. A trip to the railroad museum
might be taken after a short meeting. Please call Joan Cox at 231-526- 6126 to let her know that you will be
attending so she can make a reservation.

SOUP KITCHEN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE MONTHS OF APRIL AND JULY: Thank you to all who brought the delicious food to the table! Please sign up in the green 3 ring binder at the sign up center outside of the church office.
​
FILL AN ENVELOPE FOR OUR YOUTH! Senior High and the Middle School Youth and Elementary School
youth! Our children are beginning to sign up for Middle School Gathering and Summer camp which is open to all ages…there is even a camp for adults with special needs. Please go to elcalivingwater.com to learn more
about the camps. We ask the families to pay a portion of the camp while we work to raise scholarship.
​
CHURCH TRIVIA! Giving your treasures to the church for the ministry of the kingdom of God! On our
envelopes there are three choices as to where your donations go: Property, Benevolence, General. These
three categories help us to budget in our giving to our synod and to the ministries of the building and
community. BENEVOLENCE dollars go directly to the North/West Lower Michigan synod who uses them for
administration, education and scholarships and church start ups and congregational emergencies and needs,
just to name a few. Then our synod tithes those dollars and gives that to the ELCA which goes towards
seminary education, synod outreach, colleges, workshops, Lutheran World Hunger, disaster relief. We send
our benevolence dollars which we have pledged at $782.75 per month toward the building up of the church
outside of our walls here at Cross of Christ…but also…we have used those benevolence dollars. Our church
began, funds came from this benevolence fund through the ELCA and through the North/West Lower
Michigan Synod. These dollars are pretty important. This is the area where we have the greatest shortfall and
we believe that these ministries are really important for the growth of the Gospel. If you are looking for a
place to donate extra money, then maybe add some to this fund!

BIBLE STUDIES: #metoo Bible study will continue at 8:15AM on APRIL 9; Monday evening Bible Study will
meet at Pastor Sherry’s at 314 W. Lake St at 6PM to continue the study of REVELATION on APRIL 9 Read
Revelation 7-10. Everyone is invited to come…make a plan! Join the groups!

ADOPT A HIGHWAY - Look on the bulletin board to see the thank you we received by the Governor of
Michigan for our part in the roadside beautification program.

ART EXHIBIT IN HARBOR SPRINGS: THE LIFE OF OUR LORD - Pierre has been asking God in his prayers to use him for spreading the word. God has answered his prayers. His paintings are displayed in sequence from the Annunciation to the Ascension to Heaven at his gallery at 188 East Main Street, Harbor Springs. If you get a chance go and see his paintings.

FINANCIALS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2018:
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TREASURES
Income Need Difference
General Fund 9263.31 10842.59 (858.50)
Synod Benevolence 302.00 782.75 (480.75)
Property Fund 615.00 1762.50 (1147.50)
10180.31 13387.84 (2486.75)

HERE IS WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OUR NECK OF THE WOODS! (Don’t forget to sign up on the calendar when
you are planning your events.)

Sun., April 8: 8:30 & 10AM Holy Communion Sunday School begins for children at 9:45AM
Mon., April 9: 8:15 AM #metoo Bible Study; 6PM Bible study at Pastor Sherry’s on Revelation.
Tues., April 10:
Wed., April 11:
Thurs., April 12:
Fri., April 13:
Sat., April 14:
Sun., April 15: 8:30 & 10AM Holy Communion Services, Sunday school for children from 9:45-10:30;

Confirmation at 11:30-1PM

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
 April: soup kitchen
 April 29 th ONE SERVICE and meeting after church on financial update. Forum following the meeting
with a pot luck on caregiving for ourselves as we get older and life changes happen
 Elementary school pool party coming up!!!
 Confirmation Schedule: April 15, April 22, May 6, May 20.