St. Paul Lutheran Church

Newsletter
  











Dear Members of St Paul

I don’t know about you, but usually when I read the account of the Annunciation from Luke 1 it all seems very
stiff and stodgy and quite frankly a little dull.  I always have this image of Mary sitting peacefully in her room
minding her own business when the angel appears and offers his greeting.  In my minds eye I can see Mary
slowly turn her head, perhaps blink her eyes a time or two, and then offer her response.  Nice. Quiet. Serene.  
And dull.

It was not like that at all.  

The Angel came and instead of some generic and formal greeting, the Angel said “Greetings you who are
highly favored.  The Lord is with you.”   I know, that still doesn’t give us much to get excited about.  But there is
more here than what meets the eye.

What you and I read as “greetings” is actually much more exciting than just saying “hello”.  The angel is
offering a more emphatic and loaded hello.  It is a Gospel HELLO!  

The Angel says “Greetings” (which in Greek is xaire -  chai-ray) which literally means “rejoice”.  While the
basic idea in Gabriel’s greeting is “greetings” it is a super-hello.  We might understand him to be saying,
“Mary, wake up and pay attention.  It’s time to get excited!”

Why?  The best is yet to come!  

“You who are highly favored.  The Lord is with you.”

Other Angles have appeared to people in the past with that same message.  And that message always meant
that the Lord was about to do something big.  And did God ever have something big planned for Mary.

She was going to have a baby.  And not just any baby.  THE baby.  The baby who the world had been waiting
for.  The baby who would be God himself come in the flesh.  The baby who would be the Savior of the World
come to die for the sins of all men.  That was big news.

Today that Word of God for Mary is the Word of God for you, especially as you approach the New Year.  
Greetings you who are highly favored.  The Lord is with you.

Rejoice.  Be glad.  Your God who became a child who would become a man died for you to save you from
your sin and He is with you today, tomorrow, and throughout this coming year.

May God bless you in this New Year.


In Christ,
Pastor Schlueter


THE LUTHERAN HOUR
“Bringing Christ to the Nations and the Nations to the Church”

January 4
"I Can Take It From Here"
Speaker: Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus
God rescues us from our stubborn and sinful independence.
(Matthew 2:8)

January 11
"That's the Way It Works"
Speaker: Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus
Not all religions are the same.  Only Christianity proclaims: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be
saved."
(Mark 1:4-5)

January 18
"Come and See"
Speaker: Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus
Jesus says to those who have overlooked or undervalued Him, "Come and see."
(John 1:50-51)

January 25
"A Change in Plans"
Guest Speaker: Rev. Dr. Paul Devantier
Hear guest speaker Rev. Dr. Paul Devantier of Concordia Seminary.  Once you receive God's wonderful gift of
faith in Christ, you can be sure God has plans for you, and they may involve a change in your plans.
(Mark 1: 14-20)

"The Lutheran Hour" can be heard on: WLW AM (700) Sunday mornings at 7 a.m.  or on the Web at:
www.lutheranhour.org.

BIBLE READINGS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY
January 4
1 Kings 3:4-15
Ephesians 1:3-14
Luke 2:40-52

January 11
Genesis 1:1-5
Romans 6:1-11
Mark 1:4-11

January 18
1 Samuel 3:1-10
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51

January 25
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 1:14-20


CHURCH FAMILY NEWS
www.stpaulchuckery.com

Items for the February Newsletter need to be in the church office on or before Thursday, January 15.  Please
email articles to Cathy Burns at secretary@stpaulchuckery.com

You may email Pastor Schlueter at: pastorschlueter@stpaulchuckery.com


MEETING CHANGE NOTICE
Caring Hearts will meet Monday, January 12 at 6pm.

Sunday School Teachers will meet on January 12 at 7pm.

Calendar changes were made after the January calendar was printed.  Please make note of these if you are
involved with either group.


THANK YOU!
We would like to thank Marilyn and the Ladies Aid for flowers and everyone who came to our open house and
those who send cards for our 50th Wedding Anniversary.
May God bless all of you, Carlton and Margaret Rausch


   Thanks to everyone that made us something after the birth of our twin boys.  The food was wonderful and
thoroughly enjoyed.   Ben & Brenda Stewart & family.


Thanks to everyone who prayed for us, sent get well cards, prepared meals, or visited after our accident.  It
was very much appreciated.         Gary and Mary Burns

We would like to thank everyone who organized, helped, purchased and donated for the sub sale.  I greatly
appreciate everyone's prayers, cards, and support!  Also, thank you so much for the cookies every Sunday- the
boys and I have really enjoyed them.  We are truly blessed to have such wonderful, caring people in our lives!   
Thank you.
                                Kerri, Seth, and Sam Rengert.


JANUARY JOBS

ELDERS
Elder of the Month        Steve Rinehart
Worship Service recording        John Eickhoff
Communion        Gary Burns
              Ted Dellinger

GREETERS  
January 4  8am        Virginia and Kelly Rausch
              10am          Ray & Susie Rausch
      Robin & Susan Rausch

January 11        Jane Reed and Brian & Tonya Rees

January 18        Manfred & Jennifer Rembold
      Kerri Rengert

January 25        Norman & Margia Renner
      Steve & Rita Rinehart

USHERS:  Gary Boerger, Trevor Burns, Bob Kleiber, Larry Nicol and Mark Nicol

ACOLYTES:  January 4- 8:00:  Josh Rausch and Evan Scheiderer   10:00 and all other Sundays in January:
Devon Burns and Karly Low

Sunday School Coffee Schedule
January 4                         Mary Burns
January 11                          Janet Nicol
January 18                             Pam Burns
January 25                      Rita Rinehart

Sunday School Snack Schedule
January 4                 Stacey Scheiderer
January 11                       Angel Agner
January 18                 Anne Scheiderer
January 25              Susan Eickhoff
      

Thank you for serving in this way. The coffee and snacks are much appreciated.
If anyone is interested in providing snacks or coffee, please contact Susan Eickhoff at 349-4535 or email her
at sj76e@aol.com.


JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
1          Rex Toops        1928*
      Barry Boerger        1950
      Kenneth Boerger        1956
      Eliese Rembold        1995
3        Amanda Rausch        1984
      Colin Toth        1998
4        Jackelynn Boyd        1995
      Garrett Dellinger        2004
5        Mark Nicol        1959
6        Mattie DeMatteo        1998
7        Lisa Lash        1961
      Lexi Peterman        1998
8        Rachel Rinehart        1989
9        Tony George        1956
10        Sonya Cross        1970
11        Austin Burns        1991
12        Danielle Burns        1994
13        Nathan Burns        1983
14        Mike Burns        1951
15        Jeff Mitchell        1966
16        Randy Lash        1960
      Jody Geer        1974
      Abigail Underhill        2002
17        Leland Nicol        1926*
19        Raymond Scheiderer        1940
      Wilhelm Rembold        2001
      Taylor Andrews        2005
      Brianne Eickhoff        2008
20        Tyler Boerger        1991
21        Kathy Hornsby        1959
      Paula Lynch        1960
22        Fred George        1954
23        Jim Scheiderer        1940
24        Elton Rausch        1922*
25        Verna Dellinger        1917*
      Carol Tillman        1945
      Jane Nicol        1947
      Debra Lehman        1974
      Mark Picklesimer        1983
26        Karen Nicol        1942
      Allison Boyd        2007
28        Patty Boerger        1952
      Beverly Sue Greenbaum        1957
      Danielle Greenbaum        1992
29        Anita Thiergartner        1961
      Randyl Rausch        1967
      Karla Mitchell        1968
      Jansen Rembold        2008
31        Sharon Berry        1967

*  Special Birthday Wishes go to St. Paul members who celebrate 80+ years!


JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES
4        Arthur & Marjorie Loschky        1985
8        Jerry & Mary Carpenter        1972
24        Eddie & Laura Burger        1994


NEW BABY
Congratulations to Dennis and Rebekah Heading on the birth of their daughter, Anna Christina, born
December 15th.  Her very excited sisters are Madeline and Julie.


HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
The Habitat for Humanity of Union County door offering that was held in November was combined with St
John's, Marysville.  The amount raised was $2148.00.  This amount was supplemented by Thrivent Financial
for Lutherans by $1,092.00, resulting in a total contribution to Habit for Humanity of $3276.00.

Thanks to all who contributed, this will pay for approximately one fifth of the lot that was purchased on First
Street in Marysville.


CARING HEARTS
Understanding How Children Grieve (Part 1)

Children can react in dramatic and intensely painful ways to the death of a loved one, yet they may show their
grief only intermittently.  One reason for this is that children do not have the vocabulary necessary to express
their grief.  Even older children find it difficult to verbalize their painful and often confusing thoughts and
feelings.  A child is more likely to respond to grief by:
        Expressing fears for personal survival (“What is going to happen to me?  What if something happens to
you?”)
        Demonstrating separation anxiety
        Having problems with bedtime, school departure, a parent’s work departure
        Exhibiting problems with social skills
        Having difficulty making friends
        Finding it difficult to trust new caregivers
        Being angry, overactive, or aggressive
        Expressing intense feelings such as sadness, guilt, shame, pessimism, hopelessness, despair
        Demonstrating control issues
        Refusing to follow normal plan for going to bed, doing homework, or eating
        Slowing down in maturation, or even regressing in some behaviors
        Losing self-esteem
        Refusing to try new things or to take on new tasks at school
Perhaps the greatest factor influencing a child’s ability to understand and cope with the loss of a loved one is
age.  We will consider some of the differences among age groups in the next newsletter article.
Children of all ages commonly experience difficulties with learning and schoolwork after the loss of a loved
one.  Parents and teachers need to recognize the persistent effect that grieving has on a child’s learning,
which can last well into the second year after the loved one’s death.  In addition to whatever tutorial help may
be needed, patience and understanding will go a long way toward helping a child handle temporary learning
difficulties.  All children need adults to help them grieve by understanding, acknowledging, and validating their
experience.
Source: “Helping Your Child Cope with Grief” by Beth Sheller and Gretchen B. Watts


Coming events for Ladies Aid
Mark these dates on your calendars ladies:

  January 19, 2009—Ladies Aid Meeting with lunch at Dutch Kitchen at 11:30 A.M.  Dorothy Jean Boerger will
have devotions and Pastor Schlueter will lead a Bible Study.  A sign-up sheet will be in narthex in January.
 
February 7, 2009—LWML Central Zone Winter Retreat at Battelle Darby Creek Park Lodge from 9:30 A.M. to 2:
30 P.M.  Diana Schnack will lead the program.    Details will follow.  She does an excellent job and many of
you heard her at our September meeting.
         

DOLLARS and CENTS

INCOME
Collection                $25,703.00
Member Match                  $4,755.00
Tuition                  $2,508.41
Giving Plus                  $1,250.00
Lunch Fund                     $600.00
Rent                       $62.50
Total                $34,870.81

EXPENSES
Salaries                $21,686.20
Benefits                  $6,397.13
Conferences                     $330.64
Auto                     $236.34
Contracts                     $527.70
Taxes                     $833.89
Supplies                     $243.24
Treasure                       $50.25
Electric                     $774.33
Telephone                     $243.54
Worker Benefits                     $192.45
Music                   $18.88
Church Papers                       $10.62
Total                $31,545.21

Checkbook balance 1/1/08                $47,611.61
Borrowed 1/1/08                $19,707.00
Church balance 1/1/08                $27,904.61
Checkbook balance 12/1/08                $16,319.17
Borrowed 12/1/08                $15,761.72
Church balance 12/1/08                     $557.45


As of  December 1 our income for the year has been  $348,128.70 but our expenses for the 11 months was
$377,325.21.


SCHOOL NEWS   
Mrs. Lois Vollrath.Interim Principal

By now many of you have most likely have heard that we have a chance to buy the modular that Fairbanks has
for $1.00. (You can’t beat that price!)   Why would this be a good asset for our school?  Let me tell you why!
The major reason is that Mrs. Dellinger would like to make kindergarten an all day class.  The time is coming
very soon when an all day kindergarten class is going to be mandatory by the state of Ohio.  Trinity and
Marysville already offer it as well as half day.  We need to be prepared for this.  Going to all day kindergarten
would mean that the kindergarten room could not be used for preschool.  Mrs. Dellinger has done a
wonderful job with the preschool program.  This is the third year of the preschool program and she filled both
classes with a waiting list.  She is also looking for next year to be a big year for the kindergarten class.  This
would be a good year to start the all day class.  

The modular has two rooms that could be used in several ways.  They could be used as classrooms, as a
meeting room for our special service people that come in or our library could be moved out there. One of
these options could possible free up a room for the principal’s office.  When the NLSA did their last evaluation
of our school, the fact that the principal did not have an office was considered a major deficiency by this
committee.   The library is in constant use every day.  Besides being used as the principal’s office, Mrs. Rees
uses it on Monday for her art class in both the morning and afternoon; the speech therapist’s schedule
changed to Tuesday afternoon and the Title I tutor we hired can only come on Tuesday and Thursday
afternoons.  The tutor has to go the kitchen on Tuesday to do her job. Pastor uses it for an hour in the morning
on the second and fourth Wednesday for a Bible study. Thursday morning it is used for library and Tuesday
through Friday Mrs. Rinehart uses it in the morning when it is available to work with students. Otherwise she
too is forced to use the kitchen.  Earlier in the year, our D.A.R.E. officer used it in the afternoon on Tuesday and
Thursday.  These other people that come in bring services to our students just like the public schools have for
their students.  It is not always possible to make their schedule and our schedule work together.

I know that Mrs. Dellinger has included a page with why all day kindergarten is good for children and how
obtaining this modular would be good for our school in this newsletter.  If you have any questions, give me a
call, pastor, the trustees, or the school board.

Preschool News
The children enjoyed dramatizing the Christmas Story for their parents and grandparents. The families
worked together to make a craft and decorate a birthday cake for Jesus. Punch and cookies were served and
all headed home to enjoy their Christmas celebrations.

Preschool registration costs for the 2009-2010 school years will be:
Nonrefundable registration fee-$90
Two-day tuition $100/month
Three-day tuition $125/month
School Board adopted future Enrollment Policy for Preschool
Enrollment for preschool will open for church families on a designated date in December
Church families will be informed of the enrollment date through the church bulletin

Current school families will have a designated date to enroll their children during the first two weeks of
January.

Enrollment for alumni families will open during the last two weeks of January and after that time enrollment
will be open to the public.

Please Note:
Preschool Enrollment for 2009-2010 is January 20 from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the church narthex.

CEA News
CEA and the staff and students of St Paul Lutheran School would like to send a big THANKS to all of you who
helped work the OSU Concession stand this year.  Without you, we would not be able to continue this
fundraiser which brought in more than $7,000 this season!  Again, many thanks for all your hard work and
devotion!  God bless and happy holidays!


Join the St Paul school families on Sunday, January 18th from 3:00pm - 5:00pm at Marysville Lanes for some
good, wholesome family fun!  It's our annual bowling event and we hope you'll join us for fun and fellowship!


Parish Health
New Year’s Resolutions-January 2009
Planning to make a New Year’s Resolution:  Try the START method:
•        Be Specific about exactly what you plan to do – example: I will walk for 10 minutes a day, 3 days a week
the first week and 20 minutes a day the second week and so on.
•        Schedule a Time  for your activity – write it on your calendar or to-do list.
•        Allow some flexibility, but get right back into the routine as soon as possible.
•        Reward yourself – things special to you – treat yourself with a new nail polish, a movie, or a new
tool/gadget.
•        Track your activity – what you did; how long; how you felt before and after.
Some Ideas to help your set your Goal:
        Focus on how you can make your goal a reality, and do small things to keep you motivated toward
accomplishing it.  (Be realistic and choose something that can make a positive influence throughout your life.)
        Make some simple changes to your appearance to make you feel better and boost your confidence.  (A
new hairstyle might be an idea)
        Take consistent action.  (Commit to one thing a day, no matter how small, you will be put in a more
upbeat mindset.)
        Do something for someone else, or volunteer at a local charity.  (You will be surprised how good
helping others will make you feel and motivate you to do good in your own life.)
        Living a healthy lifestyle should be top of mind all year. (Make sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables,
and drink more water.  Getting exercise is also important but avoid the crowded gym and try a new sport or
activity that will hold your interest like bicycling or training for a 5K run.)
(Adapted from Healthy Living – Personal Wellness: New Year, New Smile)
Chuckery Chimes
January 2009                                            ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH & SCHOOL
Volume XXVIII  No. 1                                 7960 St. Rt. 38, Milford Center, OH   43045


Rev. Paul Schlueter                                                                                                    Mrs. Lois Vollrath, InterimPrincipal
Home: 937-349-2428;-Office: 937-349-2405                                                             School:937-349-5939
Fax:  937-349-5939
www.stpaulchuckery.com           
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