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Volume 42, Issue 7 July 2, 2014
Freedom! July fourth and the celebrations remembering our country’s independence from England will soon be taking center stage. It is a day to celebrate the freedom we have as citizens living under the government of the United States of America. My birthday happens to be July 4. It was also the date John Adams, the second president of the United States died, and Thomas Jefferson, the third president died. I was thinking about Adams and Jefferson recently and the bold task in which they participated in a revolution and the formation of a democratic republic. The difficult process went far beyond simply declaring our freedom from England. In fact, the safest bet was that the early American republic would dissolve into a cluster of state or regional sovereignties, expiring, like all the republics before it, well short of the promised land. Something more than declaring freedom in 1776 was needed. The key to the republic’s ongoing freedom then, was not the Declaration of Independence in 1776, but the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The Convention created a consolidated federal government with powers sufficient to coerce obedience to national laws - in effect, to discipline a truly continental union- while remaining true to the republican principles of freedom and independence declared in 1776. Thus our survival as a republic has endured because we became a nation of laws, not simply a group of states or individuals with the freedom to do what we pleased. Without a central government of law, revolutionary freedom would have disappeared a few years after 1776. This dynamic reminded me of Luther’s famous definition of Christian freedom in his treatise The Freedom of a Christian.
“A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.” “A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” The paradox of “subject to none” and “subject to all” drives us to the community gathered around Word and Sacrament, where we listen to God alone who loves the whole world. To exercise our freedom as Christians does not mean that we can do anything we please. It does mean that we pay attention to how we listen and respond to God, which is where we find our true freedom. Pastor Wicks
First Lutheran Church 3939 Cheyenne Blvd. Sioux City, IA 51104
Phone: 712-239-3942 Fax: 712-239-2244 E-Mail Addresses: Al firstlutheran@longlines.com Cindy cindyl@longlines.com Jayne jaynek@longlines.com Larry larryl@longlines.com Linda lindaway@longlines.com
Mark your calendars for the 7th Annual First Lutheran Congregational Picnic, which will be held on Sunday, August 10, at Riverside Park beginning at 4:30 p.m. We are asking people to bring a salad or dessert; and also desserts to auction off. A sign-up sheet will be in the narthex. Of course at 7:00 p.m. we have the pool all to ourselves!
Baptized into the Christian faith on June 1 was Elyse Joyce, daughter of James and Kellee Van Bruggen. Her sponsors are Matthew and Sara Merritt. Baptized into the Christian faith on June 15 was Gianna Marie, daughter of Joe and Stephanie DeBauche. Her sponsors are Russell and Cassie Cowles and Fitzgerald and Jennifer Grant. Baptized on June 22 was Jack Taylor, son of Graham and Emily (Taylor) McGaffin. His sponsors are Jon and Amanda Taylor.
We pray that God will richly bless and guide these children in the years ahead as they continue to grow in the Christian faith.
to our new members Joan Van Nyhuis and Kelly Schroeder who joined First Lutheran on June 8. Congratulations to Brian Noonan and Dessa Champoux who were married June 21 at Christ The King Catholic Church in Omaha, NE. Brian is the son of Candy Noonan-Johnson and the step-son of Gary Johnson. A Patriotic Pancake Breakfast will be served from 9:00—9:45 a.m. in the Fellowship Hal on Sunday, July 13. A free-will offering will be accepted for our youth fund. The ELCA National Youth Gathering is a little over a year away, and all money earned will go towards that and other youth activities. Support our youth. Chef Larry and his crew are cookin’ up a storm! If you have excess produce from our home garden that could help feed a hungry child through our Food Pantry, please drop off your produce at First Lutheran, Monday or Tuesday for distribution on Wednesday. Up From The Earth Committee Page 2
Hospitalized Since The Last Contact Mercy: Shirley Haahr Unity Point: Mary Knudsen Terry Krommenhoek Don Rice
We will continue having Wednesday evening worship at 7:00 which will be held in the Fireside Room. Please join us on Wednesdays if you can not make it to worship on Sundays.
We express our sympathy to Mike and Holly Hesse, Isabelle & Zachary on the passing of father and grandfather, Jay. Jay passed away on June 22. Services were held June 26 in Pender, Nebraska at the Heese Event Center.
During this July 4th weekend we remember in a special way all of our past and present military members. Please note our military display in the hallway by the narthex. If we have missed someone, please let us know.
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Birthdays, birthdays, birthdays‌..Happy birthday to everyone who is celebrating a birthday in July. If I have missed anyone or have a wrong date down, please let me know at 239-3942. Thanks, Linda July 1 Craig Butler Adam Erickson July 3 Ron Nutt Donna Samuelson Isabella Woodford July 4 Greg Thousand Alan Wicks July 5 Craig LaMaster Joan Van Nyhuis July 7 Keith Bales Victoria Beaulieu Larry Dooley Gary Troth
July 8 Amanda Drey July 9 Jim Hollander July 10 Elyse Hawkinson July 11 Collin Goosmann July 12 Elli King-Peters July 13 Brittney Geary Scott Geary July 14 Andrew Hagan Zachary Hagan July 16 Doug Muilenburg
July 16 Jim Oien Tammy Thomas-Mahaney July 17 Shaelee Barreras July 18 Becky Sauer Emily Schneider July 20 Walter Reinholdt July 22 Abby Axthlem Dan Fraley Jonathon Woodford July 23 Doug Flom
July 24 Marlene Martin July 25 Heather Hall July 26 Lincoln Goslar July 27 Doug Woodford July 28 Laura Troth July 29 Marcia Hopp Jacob Johnson Kennedy Lafferty July 31 Larayne Olson Carole Steffen
Happy Birthday to Walt Reinholdt who turns 86 on July 20
HELPING WITH OUR SERVICES IN JULY ACOLYTES: July 6: Jonathan Denne, Jayse Martineck, Ethan Newbrough; July 13: Brittney Geary, Scott Geary, Hannah Gross; July 20: Jessica Sims, Rachael Sims, Emma Webb; July 27: Kaley Hein, Rylee Irwin, Jordyn Lechtenberg COFFEE HOSTS: July 6: Jay and Lisa Schenzel; July 13: Dave and Janet Gross; July 20: Terry and Fran Krommenhoek; July 27: Gary and Candy Johnson COMMUNION ASSISTANTS: July 6: Jason Denne, Jenny Denne; July 13: Tim and Sheila Geary; July 20: Doug Webb and Lori McClaren; July 27: Marc and Michelle Hein GREETERS: July 6 & 13: Rick and Deb Lemmon, Marlus Mammen; July 20 & 27: Mary Knudsen, LaVonne Lundgren; Pam Richards LAYREADERS: July 6: Chris Taylor; July 13: Marilyn Hagberg; July 20: Donna Samuelson; July 27: Dave Gill JULY USHERS: Ken Carlson, Bill Horneber, Gary Johnson, Hillard Knutson RADIO BROADCAST SPONSORS: July 6: Dennis Moore, Elizabeth, David and Emily; July 13: Mary Knudsen; July 20: Kaia and Brad Downing; July 27: Open We need radio sponsors for July 27; August 24 & 31; September 7 & 21; October 12; December 21 The Holy Family Food Pantry of First Lutheran Since the first of the year our Food Pantry has served an astounding number. We have given food to feed 3,052 people! We give each household a bag of non-perishable items. The basics of these bags are cereal, vegetables, fruit, and pasta. They also receive a package or two of meat. Our goal is to provide nutritional food to these families. The first Sunday of every month is designated as Food Pantry Sunday. Suggested items are peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, and mac & cheese. Cash donations are also needed to purchase food from the Food Bank of Siouxland. Thanks to all our faithful volunteers who so graciously help us bag, stock, and give out the food. We could not make all this work without you! Page 3
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First Lutheran Church 3939 Cheyenne Blvd. Sioux City, IA 51104 Return Service Requested
Non Profit Org U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 9 Sioux City, IA 51104
RAGBRAI July 20-26 for TEAM BUFFALO ELCA Pastor Wicks will, for the ninth year, be the captain of TEAM Buffalo ELCA. The Team consisting of ELCA pastors and families will make the trek from Rock Valley to Guttenburg from July 20-26. Let Pastor Wicks know if you are going to be on part or all of the ride this year. Every year we see others from First that are riding on RAGBRAI.
Stewardship We report our monthly offering, from members and visitors, and budget in the Contact every month. Here are the first six months. Income Monthly Budget - Needed to meet budget January $17,365.00 $18,150.00 February $20,722.25 $22,000.00 March $30,124.00 $32,000.00 April $24,028.50 $22,000.00 May $16,301.00 $25,000.00 June $23,527.00 $22,000.00 Total $132,067.75 $141,150.00
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