9:30AM SERVICE ON FACEBOOK LIVE: CROSS OF CHRIST LUTHERAN, PETOSKEY MI View sermon and songs on our YouTube channel Cross of Christ Petoskey “Empowered by the grace of God to love, lead, and serve” DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS?
If you know someone who would like to receive our announcements, please let our church office know. We are more than happy to share what we do in the name of the Trinity! OR, if you know someone who would like to receive information about the church, please let the church office know or have them call at 231-881-1212 HOSPITALITY takes on a new meaning today! Share hospitality by inviting your family and friends to join us for worship each Sunday on Facebook Live. We are trying our best to post them to YouTube as well and will update you on the new address to find the videos, right now you can find the services under Sherry McGuffin. We can welcome more people in to worship than ever before! We are averaging about 200 views of over 8 minutes for our worship. So invitations and sharing the services sure do help share the Word and Ministry of God. 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):
And from your pastor:
READINGS FOR SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 First Reading: Acts 2:1-21 Pentecost was a Jewish harvest festival that marked the fiftieth day after Passover. Luke portrays the Holy Spirit being poured out upon the disciples before the gathered and astonished people assembled in Jerusalem for the festival. Filled with the Spirit, the disciples were able to witness to the power of Christ’s resurrection. 1When the day of Pentecost had come, [the apostles] were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. 21Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ ” Psalm: Psalm 104:24-34, 35b 24How manifold are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. 25Yonder is the sea, great and wide, with its swarms too many to number, living things both small and great. 26There go the ships to and fro, and Leviathan, which you made for the sport of it. 27All of them look to you to give them their food in due season. 28You give it to them; they gather it; you open your hand, and they are filled with good things. 29When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. 30You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; and so you renew the face of the earth. 31May the glory of the Lord endure forever; O Lord, rejoice in all your works. 32You look at the earth and it trembles; you touch the mountains and they smoke. 33I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will praise my God while I have my being. 34May these words of mine please God. I will rejoice in the Lord. 35bBless the Lord, O my soul. Hallelujah! Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 Paul is helping the Corinthians understand the relationship between our God-given unity and Spirit-created diversity. The Spirit creates the unity of faith and gives all Christians diverse gifts for the common benefit of all. We need one another’s diverse spiritual gifts because the same Spirit has given them to each person for the common good. 3bNo one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. 4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. 12For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Gospel: John 20:19-23 The risen Jesus appears to his disciples, offering them a benediction, a commission, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. 19When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” BIRTHDAYS for MAY May 1: Jill Ryan; May 2: Patty Schmoldt; May 4: Cyndi Yingling; May 6: Bev Engel, Jeff Ebert; May 16: Evelyn Chaveriat; May 18: Keith Braddock; May 19: Rob Manges; May 20: Brad Backus; May 21 Jonathon Norton, Henry Poquette (sweet 16!); May 22: Ron Morgan; May 26: Bill Drake; May 27: Kasi Meckstroth, Tricia Rodgers; May 29: Norm Cutshall and Dean Morford; May 31: Mike Smith; June 1: Rose Morford; June 7: Marty Engel; June 10 Marilynn Smith; June 15: DeWayne Cox ANNIVERSARIES May 7: David & Tricia Rodgers; May 13: Jim & Cyndi Knibbs; May 26: Jeff & Ann Ebert; June 3: David & Evelyn Chaveriat; June 7: Boyd Manges & JoAnn Wilder; June 15: Ben & Wendy Laser NOISY OFFERING Noisy offering for Cross of Christ for our community is so very important and at this time there are many areas of ministry that need our help. Hunger is the first and foremost. Let’s gather our Noisy offering for Manna Project for May. Just gather it in a bowl and then at the end of May we will have you drop it off in a can at the church …a drive by! And we can work out for those who cannot come and drop off the change, we can help get it from you! Thank you in advance for caring for our communities in love and in action. You can drop of your offering any time in the gray cabinet on your left as you walk through the glass doors. PREPARING TO RETURN TO WORSHIP IN THE NEXT MONTHS: No, we are not returning to worship in May and we will discuss with the Health Department, the Bishop and our Presiding Bishop about when is the safest and wisest time to rejoin in worship again in the sanctuary of the church building. BUT…we want to begin the preparations…so we are asking that everyone wear a mask in the church and continue to keep social distancing. We will have some disposable masks available at church, but if you have your own we encourage you to wear yours. Again, the council will be educating us on HOW we will gather as the time comes. The church office building is closed for meetings and for conferencing, so please contact Pastor Sherry McGuffin at [email protected] or 231-881-1212 if you have any questions or concerns. 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 WAS A SUCCESS! Thank you for your time and sales ability and for purchasing your tickets as well. The Raffle made $4,750! That is a huge help to our general fund during this pandemic. Winners were Edie Kauffman of $250.00 which she donated to our congregation!; Gail Kloss won the handmade quilt by Karen Hamal; Janelle Warnemeunde won the hand made afghan by Sheri Popp; and Laura Peterson won the Thomas Kinkade painting donated by Judy O’Brien. 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! Information for joining zoom is also found on our facebook page Cross of Christ Lutheran, Petoskey MI and on our youth page at Cross of Christ Lutheran Youth Petoskey MI. 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. YOUTUBE CHANNEL: We now host a channel on YouTube. You can subscribe to our channel at Cross of Christ, Petoskey. Pastor Sherry had started her own channel but we have moved everything over to Cross of Christ. When you subscribe you will receive notices when something new is posted to the channel. AND, you can make comments when you subscribe. Thank you to Bryan Young for creating this space for our church. There is special music and all of our services so far since we began. FACEBOOK LIVE ON CROSS OF CHRIST LUTHERAN YOUTH, PETOSKEY MI Pastor Sherry is reading children’s books. Feel free to use or share or have your children watch as they fall asleep! If you want to request a book, let Pastor Sherry know and she will begin ordering them! You can text her at 231-881-1212 Sunday, May 31: PENTECOST 9:30AM service Facebook Live Monday, June 1: 8:15AM Bible Study; Tuesday, June 2: Pastor Attending conference via zoom at noon Wednesday, June 3: Confirmation at 2PM (ZOOM) Senior High ZOOM meeting at 7PM Thursday, June 4: Middle School ZOOM meeting 7PM Friday, June 5: Paint some prayer rocks and leave them around town or the church! Saturday, June 6: Call someone you haven’t heard from, from the church Sunday, June 7: PENTECOST service at 9:30AM (Facebook live) TODAY SUNDAY, MAY 31 IS PENTECOST!!!! Let’s make this fun! Get up, put on red, and let’s celebrate the birthday of the church! And I know that we unable to gather, so make a plan at your home. Plan a special meal or even a pretty cupcake for after or during service! AND take a picture and send it in…we can put this together in a montage with music…but we need your participation. I know that this video will come out AFTER Pentecost, but let the wind blow where it may! Kids, have your parents take picture of you blowing bubbles and running with streamers! We would love to share in your joy and energy. 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. SOUP KITCHEN STILL SERVING Soup Kitchen is still serving but we are serving brown bagged lunches. The lunches will be made at the church with volunteers in masks and gloves. Then we will have one or two of the same volunteers serve at First Presbyterian Church in Petoskey right out of the back of your car or near the parking lot. First Presbyterian is going through major construction but they are still serving lunches on Sunday as well in the same manner. Please contact Sue Finley if you would like to help or you can send financial donations to Cross of Christ with soup kitchen in the memo to 1450 E. Mitchell St. Petoskey, MI 49770 You can text Sue Finley at 231-881-0091 or leave her a message. 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! 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: Ron Marshall, Tom Olsen, John Poquette and Gary Engel have been meeting to talk about the needs of our building when we gather again. Ron Marshall has put some hard work in a proposal with this group and we look forward to hearing from them soon. MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH are planning a mission event this summer. Because of COVID 19 and taking care of our family and friends and strangers we will be staying home for mission. This year we can help a lot around our church and neighborhoods. We will meet and work locally this year. Stay tuned for more information. We appreciate everything that you do to raise funds and plan ahead. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS This year we have one graduate: Wesley Meckstroth. Keep him in your prayers or you can send him a card! Tough ending for our Seniors who missed all of the traditional milestones! ALSO…High School students should be receiving a devotion from Pastor Sherry in the mail. If you would rather receive this through email or just on our facebook site, please let me know. Invite your friends to participate. 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 Catherine of Genoa. 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. SMALL COTTAGE MEETING LEADERS Our small cottage leaders are trying their best to keep in touch with you and then they share with pastor Sherry any prayer concerns or needs. Please know that they are working hard to keep you in prayer as well. Our leaders are Sommer Poquette, Melissa Hansen, Kasi Meckstroth, Bryan Young, Gordy Engdahl, Jean Smith and Svetlana Ottney, and Gary & Bev Engel. Thank you for your leadership and checking in with our congregation! CHILDREN should be receiving a letter with activities every week from Pastor Sherry. Please let me know if you are not receiving one. We have been mailing out 18-20 each week and so appreciate receiving notes and pictures back! Thank you!!!! Please contact the office at 231-347-5448 or 231-881-1212 if you would like to receive the activities. ANNUAL DIRECTORY are in your boxes. We have an additions and changes to your directory: Arlene Good 701 Vogel St. D6 Boyne City, MI 49712 (989) 335-0712 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 Aileen and Brandan Ryan, Jack and Adam 10514 Burtlake Trail Brutus Michigan 49716 Janelle Warnemeunde cell phone correction: 269-838-7152 Gordy and Lynn Engdahl: 185 Crooked Tree Dr. Petoskey, MI 49770 David and Nancy Klinger: 4957 Cindy Ave. Carlsbad, CA 92008 Sommer Poquette phone contact number: 231-838-6236 FINANCIALS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 2020: THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TREASURES Fund Income What we need Difference General $18866.58 9,417.15 9449.43 Benevolence $253.00 - - Property $547.00 $1,345.83 ($798.83) Totals $19666.58 $10,762.98 $8650.6 Fund Status Year to Date: April 2020 General Fund Property Fund Opening Balance $400 + income $46165.47 $2745 -expense $36185.10 $4417.94 Ending Balance $9980.37 ($1274.94) Ending total balance year to date: ($8707.43) Note that in our benevolence we have over $12,000 as a gift from Women Who Care for the Paper Pantry.!!! THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING US IN YOUR OFFERINGS. If you need a copy of our council minutes or finances please let the church office know. We will get those to you as soon as possible or you can call Pastor Sherry McGuffin at 231-881-1212. We want to be as transparent as possible especially with the public. People are looking for a place to donate that makes a difference. Tell them about our outreach through feeding people and paper pantry. Tell them about adopt a highway and flowers for friends. We have a lot to offer and support and we would appreciate the blessing of offerings. PRAYER LIST For those in the armed services: Michael Drake, Ryan Finley, Jeremy Hamal, Douglas Dinger, Derik Dinger
9:30AM SERVICE ON FACEBOOK LIVE: CROSS OF CHRIST LUTHERAN, PETOSKEY MI “Empowered by the grace of God to love, lead, and serve.” DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS? If you know someone who would like to receive our announcements, please let our church office know. We are more than happy to share what we do in the name of the Trinity! OR, if you know someone who would like to receive information about the church, please let the church office know or have them call at 231-881-1212 HOSPITALITY takes on a new meaning today! Share hospitality by inviting your family and friends to join us for worship each Sunday on Facebook Live. We are trying our best to post them to YouTube as well and will update you on the new address to find the videos, right now you can find the services under Sherry McGuffin. We can welcome more people in to worship than ever before! We are averaging about 200 views of over 8 minutes for our worship. So invitations and sharing the services sure do help share the Word and Ministry of God. 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):
And from your pastor:
READINGS FOR SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2020 First Reading: Acts 1:1-11 Before he is lifted into heaven, Jesus promises that the missionary work of the disciples will spread out from Jerusalem to all the world. His words provide an outline of the book of Acts. [Luke writes:] 1In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; 5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Psalm: Psalm 47 1Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a joyful sound. 2For the Lord Most High is to be feared: a great king over all the earth, 3who subdues the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet; 4who chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom God loves. 5God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of the ram’s horn. 6Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our king, sing praises. 7For God is king of all the earth; sing praises with a song. 8God reigns over the nations; God is enthroned on high. 9The nobles of the peoples have gathered as the people of the God of Abraham. The rulers of the earth belong to God, who is highly exalted. Second Reading: Ephesians 1:15-23 The risen and exalted Christ reigns over the entire universe. The author of Ephesians prays that we are given the wisdom to know the power of the risen Christ and the empowering hope that the knowledge of this inheritance provides. 15I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Gospel: Luke 24:44-53 On the day of his ascension, Jesus leaves his disciples with a commission, a blessing, and a promise of the Holy Spirit. 44[Jesus said to the eleven and those with them,] “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.”45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” 50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God. BIRTHDAYS for MAY May 1: Jill Ryan; May 2: Patty Schmoldt; Mary 4: Cyndi Yingling; May 6: Bev Engel, Jeff Ebert; May 16: Evelyn Chaveriat; May 18: Keith Braddock; May 19: Rob Manges; May 20: Brad Backus; May 21 Jonathon Norton, Henry Poquette (sweet 16!); May 22: Ron Morgan; May 26: Bill Drake; May 27: Kasi Meckstroth, Tricia Rodgers; May 29: Norm Cutshall and Dean Morford; May 31: Mike Smith ANNIVERSARIES May 7: David & Tricia Rodgers; May 13: Jim & Cyndi Knibbs; May 26: Jeff & Ann Ebert NOISY OFFERING Noisy offering for Cross of Christ for our community is so very important and at this time there are many areas of ministry that need our help. Hunger is the first and foremost. Let’s gather our Noisy offering for Manna Project for May. Just gather it in a bowl and then at the end of May we will have you drop it off in a can at the church …a drive by! And we can work out for those who cannot come and drop off the change, we can help get it from you! Thank you in advance for caring for our communities in love and in action. PREPARING TO RETURN TO WORSHIP IN THE NEXT MONTHS: No, we are not returning to worship in May and we will discuss with the Health Department, the Bishop and our Presiding Bishop about when is the safest and wisest time to rejoin in worship again in the sanctuary of the church building. BUT…we want to begin the preparations…so we are asking that everyone wear a mask in the church and continue to keep social distancing. We will have some disposable masks available at church, but if you have your own we encourage you to wear yours. Again, the council will be educating us on HOW we will gather as the time comes. The church office building is closed for meetings and for conferencing, so please contact Pastor Sherry McGuffin at [email protected] or 231-881-1212 if you have any questions or concerns. 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 WAS A SUCCESS! Thank you for your time and sales ability and for purchasing your tickets as well. The Raffle made $4,750! That is a huge help to our general fund during this pandemic. Winners were Edie Kauffman of $250.00 which she donated to our congregation!; Gail Kloss won the handmade quilt by Karen Hamal; Janelle Warnemeunde won the hand made afghan by Sheri Popp; and Laura Peterson won the Thomas Kinkade painting donated by Judy O’Brien. 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! Information for joining zoom is also found on our facebook page Cross of Christ Lutheran, Petoskey MI and on our youth page at Cross of Christ Lutheran Youth Petoskey MI. 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. YOUTUBE CHANNEL: We now host a channel on YouTube. You can subscribe to our channel at Cross of Christ, Petoskey. Pastor Sherry had started her own channel but we have moved everything over to Cross of Christ. When you subscribe you will receive notices when something new is posted to the channel. AND, you can make comments when you subscribe. Thank you to Bryan Young for creating this space for our church. There is special music and all of our services so far since we began. FACEBOOK LIVE ON CROSS OF CHRIST LUTHERAN YOUTH, PETOSKEY MI Pastor Sherry is reading children’s books. Feel free to use or share or have your children watch as they fall asleep! If you want to request a book, let Pastor Sherry know and she will begin ordering them! You can text her at 231-881-1212 Sunday, May 24: 9:30AM service Facebook Live Monday, May 25: 8:15AM Bible Study; Pastor will be attending a conference for the rest of th4e week on ZOOM for continuing education, but you can still contact her! Tuesday, May 26: Pastor Attending conference via zoom Wednesday, May 27: Confirmation at 2PM (ZOOM) Senior High ZOOM meeting at 7PM Thursday, May 28: Middle School ZOOM meeting 7PM Friday, May 29: Paint some prayer rocks and leave them around town or the church! Saturday, May 30: Call someone you haven’t heard from, from the church Sunday, May 31: PENTECOST service at 9:30AM (Facebook live) SUNDAY, MAY 31 IS PENTECOST!!!! Let’s make this fun! Get up, put on red, and let’s celebrate the birthday of the church! And I know that we unable to gather, so make a plan at your home. Plan a special meal or even a pretty cupcake for after or during service! AND take a picture and send it in…we can put this together in a montage with music…but we need your participation. I know that this video will come out AFTER Pentecost, but let the wind blow where it may! Kids, have your parents take picture of you blowing bubbles and running with streamers! We would love to share in your joy and energy. 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! 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: Ron Marshall, Tom Olsen, John Poquette and Gary Engel have been meeting to talk about the needs of our building when we gather again. Ron Marshall has put some hard work in a proposal with this group and we look forward to hearing from them soon. MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH are planning a mission event this summer. Because of COVID 19 and taking care of our family and friends and strangers we will be staying home for mission. This year we can help a lot around our church and neighborhoods. We will meet and work locally this year. Stay tuned for more information. We appreciate everything that you do to raise funds and plan ahead. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS This year we have one graduate: Wesley Meckstroth. Keep him in your prayers or you can send him a card! Tough ending for our Seniors who missed all of the traditional milestones! ALSO…High School students should be receiving a devotion from Pastor Sherry in the mail. If you would rather receive this through email or just on our facebook site, please let me know. Invite your friends to participate. 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 Catherine of Genoa. 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. SMALL COTTAGE MEETING LEADERS Our small cottage leaders are trying their best to keep in touch with you and then they share with pastor Sherry any prayer concerns or needs. Please know that they are working hard to keep you in prayer as well. Our leaders are Sommer Poquette, Melissa Hansen, Kasi Meckstroth, Bryan Young, Gordy Engdahl, Jean Smith and Svetlana Ottney, and Gary & Bev Engel. Thank you for your leadership and checking in with our congregation! CHILDREN should be receiving a letter with activities every week from Pastor Sherry. Please let me know if you are not receiving one. We have been mailing out 18-20 each week and so appreciate receiving notes and pictures back! Thank you!!!! Please contact the office at 231-347-5448 or 231-881-1212 if you would like to receive the activities. ANNUAL DIRECTORY are in your boxes. We have an additions and changes to your directory:
FINANCIALS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 2020: THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TREASURES Fund Income Budgeted Difference General $18866.58 $9,417.15 $9449.43 Benevolence $253.00 pass-thru $0 Property $547.00 $1,345.83 ($798.83) Totals $19666.58 $10,762.98 $8650.6 Fund Status Year to Date: April 2020 General Fund Property Fund Opening Balance $400 + income $46165.47 $2745 -expense $36185.10 $4417.94 Ending Balance $9980.37 ($1274.94) Ending total balance year to date: ($8707.43) THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING US IN YOUR OFFERINGS. If you need a copy of our council minutes or finances please let the church office know. We will get those to you as soon as possible or you can call Pastor Sherry McGuffin at 231-881-1212. We want to be as transparent as possible especially with the public. People are looking for a place to donate that makes a difference. Tell them about our outreach through feeding people and paper pantry. Tell them about adopt a highway and flowers for friends. We have a lot to offer and support and we would appreciate the blessing of offerings. PRAYER LIST For those in the armed services: Michael Drake, Ryan Finley, Jeremy Hamal, Douglas Dinger, Derik Dinger
9:30AM SERVICE ON FACEBOOK LIVE: CROSS OF CHRIST LUTHERAN, PETOSKEY MI “Empowered by the grace of God to love, lead, and serve.” DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS? If you know someone who would like to receive our announcements, please let our church office know. We are more than happy to share what we do in the name of the Trinity! OR, if you know someone who would like to receive information about the church, please let the church office know or have them call at 231-881-1212 HOSPITALITY takes on a new meaning today! Share hospitality by inviting your family and friends to join us for worship each Sunday on Facebook Live. We are trying our best to post them to YouTube as well and will update you on the new address to find the videos, right now you can find the services under Sherry McGuffin. We can welcome more people in to worship than ever before! We are averaging about 200 views of over 8 minutes for our worship. So invitations and sharing the services sure do help share the Word and Ministry of God. 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):
And from your pastor:
READINGS FOR SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2020 First Reading: Acts 17:22-31 In Athens, Paul faces the challenge of proclaiming the gospel to Greeks who know nothing of either Jewish or Christian tradition. He proclaims that the “unknown god” whom they worship is the true Lord of heaven and earth who will judge the world with justice through Jesus, whom God has raised from the dead. 22Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. 23For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, 25nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. 26From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, 27so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 28For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ 29Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. 30While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Psalm: Psalm 66:8-20 8Bless our God, you peoples; let the sound of praise be heard. 9Our God has kept us among the living and has not allowed our feet to slip. 10For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us just as silver is tried. 11You brought us into the net; you laid heavy burdens upon our backs. 12You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us out into a place of refreshment. 13I will enter your house with burnt offerings and will pay you my vows-- 14those that I promised with my lips and spoke with my mouth when I was in trouble. 15I will offer you burnt offerings of fatlings with the smoke of rams; I will give you oxen and goats. 16Come and listen, all you who believe, and I will tell you what God has done for me. 17I called out to God with my mouth, and praised the Lord with my tongue. 18If I had cherished evil in my heart, the Lord would not have heard me; 19but in truth God has heard me and has attended to the sound of my prayer. 20Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer, nor withheld unfailing love from me. Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:13-22 The author of 1 Peter encourages Christians to remain faithful even in the face of defamation and persecution. In baptism we are made clean to act in accordance with what is right. 13Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; 16yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. 18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, 19in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. 21And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him. Gospel: John 14:15-21 In final words to his disciples on the night of his arrest, Jesus encourages obedience to his commandments and speaks of the Spirit, who will be with them forever. [Jesus said to the disciples:] 15“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. 18“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” BIRTHDAYS for MAY May 1: Jill Ryan; May 2: Patty Schmoldt; Mary 4: Cyndi Yingling; May 6: Bev Engel, Jeff Ebert; May 16: Evelyn Chaveriat; May 18: Keith Braddock; May 19: Rob Manges; May 20: Brad Backus; May 21 Jonathon Norton, Henry Poquette (sweet 16!); May 22: Ron Morgan; May 26: Bill Drake; May 27: Kasi Meckstroth, Tricia Rodgers; May 29: Norm Cutshall and Dean Morford; May 31: Mike Smith ANNIVERSARIES May 7: David & Tricia Rodgers; May 13: Jim & Cyndi Knibbs; May 26: Jeff & Ann Ebert NOISY OFFERING Noisy offering for Cross of Christ for our community is so very important and at this time there are many areas of ministry that need our help. Hunger is the first and foremost. Let’s gather our Noisy offering for Manna Project for May. Just gather it in a bowl and then at the end of May we will have you drop it off in a can at the church …a drive by! And we can work out for those who cannot come and drop off the change, we can help get it from you! Thank you in advance for caring for our communities in love and in action. PREPARING TO RETURN TO WORSHIP IN THE NEXT MONTHS: No, we are not returning to worship in May and we will discuss with the Health Department, the Bishop and our Presiding Bishop about when is the safest and wisest time to rejoin in worship again in the sanctuary of the church building. BUT…we want to begin the preparations…so we are asking that everyone wear a mask in the church and continue to keep social distancing. We will have some disposable masks available at church, but if you have your own we encourage you to wear yours. Again, the council will be educating us on HOW we will gather as the time comes. The church office building is closed for meetings and for conferencing, so please contact Pastor Sherry McGuffin at [email protected] or 231-881-1212 if you have any questions or concerns. 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 WAS A SUCCESS! Thank you for your time and sales ability and for purchasing your tickets as well. The Raffle made $4,750! That is a huge help to our general fund during this pandemic. Winners were Edie Kauffman of $250.00 which she donated to our congregation!; Gail Kloss won the handmade quilt by Karen Hamal; Janelle Warnemeunde won the hand made afghan by Sheri Popp; and Laura Peterson won the Thomas Kinkade painting donated by Judy O’Brien. 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! Information for joining zoom is also found on our facebook page Cross of Christ Lutheran, Petoskey MI and on our youth page at Cross of Christ Lutheran Youth Petoskey MI. 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. YOUTUBE CHANNEL: We now host a channel on YouTube. You can subscribe to our channel at Cross of Christ, Petoskey. Pastor Sherry had started her own channel but we have moved everything over to Cross of Christ. When you subscribe you will receive notices when something new is posted to the channel. AND, you can make comments when you subscribe. Thank you to Bryan Young for creating this space for our church. There is special music and all of our services so far since we began. FACEBOOK LIVE ON CROSS OF CHRIST LUTHERAN YOUTH, PETOSKEY MI Pastor Sherry is reading children’s books. Feel free to use or share or have your children watch as they fall asleep! If you want to request a book, let Pastor Sherry know and she will begin ordering them! You can text her at 231-881-1212 Sunday, May 17: 9:30AM service Facebook Live Monday, May 18: 8:15AM Bible Study; Pastor will be attending a conference for the rest of th4e week on ZOOM for continuing education, but you can still contact her! Tuesday, May 19: Pastor Attending conference via zoom Wednesday, May 20: Confirmation at 2PM (ZOOM) Senior High ZOOM meeting at 7PM Thursday, May 21: Middle School ZOOM meeting 7PM Friday, May 22: Paint some prayer rocks and leave them around town or the church! Saturday, May 23: Call someone you haven’t heard from, from the church Sunday, May 24: service at 9:30AM (Facebook live) SUNDAY, MAY 31 IS PENTECOST!!!! Let’s make this fun! Get up, put on red, and let’s celebrate the birthday of the church! And I know that we unable to gather, so make a plan at your home. Plan a special meal or even a pretty cupcake for after or during service! AND take a picture and send it in…we can put this together in a montage with music…but we need your participation. I know that this video will come out AFTER Pentecost, but let the wind blow where it may! Kids, have your parents take picture of you blowing bubbles and running with streamers! We would love to share in your joy and energy. 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! 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: Ron Marshall, Tom Olsen, John Poquette and Gary Engel have been meeting to talk about the needs of our building when we gather again. Ron Marshall has put some hard work in a proposal with this group and we look forward to hearing from them soon. MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH are planning a mission event this summer. Because of COVID 19 and taking care of our family and friends and strangers we will be staying home for mission. This year we can help a lot around our church and neighborhoods. We will meet and work locally this year. Stay tuned for more information. We appreciate everything that you do to raise funds and plan ahead. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS This year we have one graduate: Wesley Meckstroth. Keep him in your prayers or you can send him a card! Tough ending for our Seniors who missed all of the traditional milestones! ALSO…High School students should be receiving a devotion from Pastor Sherry in the mail. If you would rather receive this through email or just on our facebook site, please let me know. Invite your friends to participate. 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 Catherine of Genoa. 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. SMALL COTTAGE MEETING LEADERS Our small cottage leaders are trying their best to keep in touch with you and then they share with pastor Sherry any prayer concerns or needs. Please know that they are working hard to keep you in prayer as well. Our leaders are Sommer Poquette, Melissa Hansen, Kasi Meckstroth, Bryan Young, Gordy Engdahl, Jean Smith and Svetlana Ottney, and Gary & Bev Engel. Thank you for your leadership and checking in with our congregation! CHILDREN should be receiving a letter with activities every week from Pastor Sherry. Please let me know if you are not receiving one. We have been mailing out 18-20 each week and so appreciate receiving notes and pictures back! Thank you!!!! Please contact the office at 231-347-5448 or 231-881-1212 if you would like to receive the activities. ANNUAL DIRECTORY are in your boxes. We have an additions and changes to your directory: Arlene Good 701 Vogel St. D6 Boyne City, MI 49712 (989) 335-0712 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 Aileen and Brandan Ryan, Jack and Adam 10514 Burtlake Trail Brutus Michigan 49716 Janelle Warnemeunde cell phone correction: 269-838-7152 Gordy and Lynn Engdahl: 185 Crooked Tree Dr. Petoskey, MI 49770 David and Nancy Klinger: 4957 Cindy Ave. Carlsbad, CA 92008 Sommer Poquette phone contact number: 231-838-6236 FINANCIALS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2020: Thank you for sharing your treasures Fund Income Budgeted Difference General $11,126.82 $9,417.15 $1,709.67 Benevolence $263.00 Pass-thru n/a Property $657.00 $1,345.83 ($688.83) Totals $12,046.82 $10,762.98 $1,020.84 Fund Status Year to Date: February 2020 General Fund Property Fund Opening Balance $0 $400 + income $27,298.89 $2198.00 -expense $27,939.47 $3712.99 Ending Balance ($640.58) ($1114.99) Ending total balance year to date: ($2155.57) THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING US IN YOUR OFFERINGS. If you need a copy of our council minutes or finances please let the church office know. We will get those to you as soon as possible or you can call Pastor Sherry McGuffin at 231-881-1212. We want to be as transparent as possible especially with the public. People are looking for a place to donate that makes a difference. Tell them about our outreach through feeding people and paper pantry. Tell them about adopt a highway and flowers for friends. We have a lot to offer and support and we would appreciate the blessing of offerings. PRAYER LIST
9:30AM SERVICE ON FACEBOOK LIVE: CROSS OF CHRIST LUTHERAN, PETOSKEY MI “Empowered by the grace of God to love, lead, and serve.” DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS? If you know someone who would like to receive our announcements, please let our church office know. We are more than happy to share what we do in the name of the Trinity! OR, if you know someone who would like to receive information about the church, please let the church office know or have them call at 231-881-1212 HOSPITALITY takes on a new meaning today! Share hospitality by inviting your family and friends to join us for worship each Sunday on Facebook Live. We are trying our best to post them to YouTube as well and will update you on the new address to find the videos, right now you can find the services under Sherry McGuffin. We can welcome more people in to worship than ever before! We are averaging about 200 views of over 8 minutes for our worship. So invitations and sharing the services sure do help share the Word and Ministry of God. 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):
And from your pastor:
READINGS FOR SUNDAY, MAY 10, 2020 First Reading: Acts 7:55-60 Stephen was one of the seven men chosen by the apostles to serve tables so that the apostles could be free to serve the word (Acts 6:1-6). Stephen does more than distribute food, however. For his preaching of God’s word, he becomes the first martyr of the faith. 55Filled with the Holy Spirit, [Stephen] gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56“Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. 58Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. Psalm: Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 1In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2Incline your ear to me; make haste to deliver me. 3Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe, for you are my crag and my stronghold; for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me. 4Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, for you are my tower of strength. 5Into your hands I com mend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth. 15My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me. 16Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.” Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:2-10 Christ is the cornerstone of God’s saving work and the foundation of our lives. We are God’s chosen, holy people who continuously celebrate and declare the mercy of God we experience through Jesus Christ. 2Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation—3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in scripture: “See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,” 8and “A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Gospel: John 14:1-14 On the night that he is to be arrested, Jesus shares final words with his disciples. As the one through whom God is known, he promises to go before them and act on their behalf. [Jesus said to the disciples:] 1“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4And you know the way to the place where I am going.” 5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” BIRTHDAYS for May May 1: Jill Ryan; May 2: Patty Schmoldt; Mary 4: Cyndi Yingling; May 6: Bev Engel, Jeff Ebert; May 16: Evelyn Chaveriat; May 18: Keith Braddock; May 19: Rob Manges; May 20: Brad Backus; May 21 Jonathon Norton; May 22: Ron Morgan; May 26: Bill Drake; May 27: Kasi Meckstroth, Tricia Rodgers; May 29: Norm Cutshall and Dean Morford; May 31: Mike Smith ANNIVERSARIES May 7: David & Tricia Rodgers; May 13: Jim & Cyndi Knibbs; May 26: Jeff & Ann Ebert PREPARING TO RETURN TO WORSHIP IN THE NEXT MONTHS: No, we are not returning to worship in May and we will discuss with the Health Department, the Bishop and our Presiding Bishop about when is the safest and wisest time to rejoin in worship again in the sanctuary of the church building. BUT…we want to begin the preparations…so we are asking that everyone wear a mask in the church and continue to keep social distancing. We will have some disposable masks available at church, but if you have your own we encourage you to wear yours. Again, the council will be educating us on HOW we will gather as the time comes. 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 WAS A SUCCESS! Thank you for your time and sales ability and for purchasing your tickets as well. The Raffle made $4,750! That is a huge help to our general fund during this pandemic. 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 in the general service. Sunday, May 10: 9:30AM service Facebook Live Monday, May 11: 8:15AM Bible Study; Tuesday, May 12: Wednesday, May 13: Confirmation at 10AM (ZOOM) Senior High ZOOM meeting at 7PM Thursday, May 14: Middle School ZOOM meeting 7PM Friday, May 15: Paint some prayer rocks and leave them around town or the church! Saturday, May 16: Call someone you haven’t heard from, from the church Sunday, May 17: service at 9:30AM (Facebook live) HOW WILL WE GATHER AGAIN? I listened to a workshop held for our synod on what we need to do to plan to come back together. While the stay at home order is through May 26, 2020, our Bishop has asked us to evaluate and decide what is best for our site. Our council will be working on this and will also see the video that the Bishop and his staff hosted. It is informative and asks us good questions from how we will gather, who will gather, how will we continue church and be church? I encourage you to watch it if you can. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pcuM8A2RHOA&feature=youtu.be 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! 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: Ron Marshall, Tom Olsen, John Poquette and Gary Engel have been meeting to talk about the needs of our building when we gather again. Ron Marshall has put some hard work in a proposal with this group and we look forward to hearing from them soon. MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH are planning a mission event this summer. Because of COVID 19 and taking care of our family and friends and strangers we will be staying home for mission. This year we can help a lot around our church and neighborhoods. We will meet and work locally this year. Stay tuned for more information. We appreciate everything that you do to raise funds and plan ahead. 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 Catherine of Genoa. 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. SMALL COTTAGE MEETING LEADERS Our small cottage leaders are trying their best to keep in touch with you and then they share with pastor Sherry any prayer concerns or needs. Please know that they are working hard to keep you in prayer as well. Our leaders are Sommer Poquette, Melissa Hansen, Kasi Meckstroth, Bryan Young, Gordy Engdahl, Jean Smith and Svetlana Ottney, and Gary & Bev Engel. Thank you for your leadership and checking in with our congregation! CHILDREN should be receiving a letter with activities every week from Pastor Sherry. Please let me know if you are not receiving one. We have been mailing out 18-20 each week and so appreciate receiving notes and pictures back! Thank you!!!! Please contact the office at 231-347-5448 or 231-881-1212 if you would like to receive the activities. CHILDREN’S STORIES are found on our Cross of Christ Lutheran Youth Ministry Petoskey, MI facebook page. Each week I read a few stories that you can share with your children or just watch yourself. I only have so many children’s books, but if you or your child would like to read one, please do so and share with our families! 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 additions and changes to your directory:
FINANCIALS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2020: THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TREASURES Fund Income What we Budgeted Difference General $11,126.82 $9,417.15 $1,709.67 Benevolence $263.00 pass thru n/a Property $657.00 $1,345.83 ($688.83) Totals $12,046.82 $10,762.98 $1,020.84 Fund Status Year to Date: February 2020 General Fund Property Fund Opening Balance $0.00 $400.00 + income $27,298.89 $2198.00 -expense $27,939.47 $3712.99 Ending Balance ($640.58) ($1114.99) Ending total balance year to date: ($2155.57) THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING US IN YOUR OFFERINGS. If you need a copy of our council minutes or finances please let the church office know. We will get those to you as soon as possible or you can call Pastor Sherry McGuffin at 231-881-1212. We want to be as transparent as possible especially with the public. People are looking for a place to donate that makes a difference. Tell them about our outreach through feeding people and paper pantry. Tell them about adopt a highway and flowers for friends. We have a lot to offer and support and we would appreciate the blessing of offerings. PRAYER LIST For those in the armed services: Michael Drake, Ryan Finley, Jeremy Hamal, Douglas Dinger, Derik Dinger
9:30AM SERVICE ON FACEBOOK LIVE: CROSS OF CHRIST LUTHERAN, PETOSKEY MI |
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