Hilltop Happenings January 27, 2021

Hilltop Happenings

January 27, 2021

303 N. Church Street Silverton, Oregon 97381 Phone: (503) 873-8656

Website: immanuelsilverton.org Email: immanuelluth@hotmail.com Office Hours: M – Th 8:30 am – 12 pm, 1 pm – 3 pm

Our mission is to welcome, accept and encourage all people as we follow Jesus. Live Streamed Services

Sundays, 10:30 am Holy Communion Worship Sundays, 1 pm Bilingual Misa

Thursdays, 7 pm Rosario Luterano

Ministry Staff

Pastor: Leah Stolte-Doerfler

pastorleahsd@gmail.com Phone: 503-302-7712 Pastor/Latino Mission Developer: Pastor Manuel Borbon

Phone: 971-533-5874

Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry: Keith Amano hangluth@immanuelsilverton.org

Director of Visitation Ministry: Patty MacInnes Keyboardists: Lisa Anderson & Deborah Butler

Nursery Attendants: Julie Mackinnon & Janet Murphy Custodians: Bill Howell & Andrew Bush

Office Managers: Tria Brockamp & Courtney Goode

Service Attendance *live-streamed, views as of 1/26 Date 10:30 am 1:00pm 7:00 pm

Dec 17 (Rosario Luterano) 1.2K views

Dec 20 341 views 1.4K views

Dec 21 (Longest Night) English- 568 views Spanish- 2.4K views Dec 24 (Christmas Eve) English- 933 views Spanish- 2.8K views Dec 27 775 views 3.1K views

Dec 31 (Rosario Luterano) 1.7K views

Jan 3 256 views 2 K views

Jan 7 (Rosario Luterano) 981 views

Jan 10 416 views 1.4 K views

Jan 14 (Rosario Luterano) 827 views

Jan 17 453 views 922 views

Jan 21 (Servicio De Curacion) 907 views

Jan 24 362 views 788 views

Ministry Contacts

Adult Education: Wendy Haugen Altar Guild: Barb Richter

ARK: Briana Hupp ASAP: James Baker Deacons: Dave Miller

Faith & Wisdom: Wendy Haugen GHG: Debbie Eder

Hospitality: Darlene Bass

Latino Missions: Pastor Manuel Borbon Nursery: Chris Conner

Parish Nurses: Mary Miller/Donna Rue/ Audrey Nickodemus

Prayer Chain: Earlyn Moore 503-428-1211 (call/text) President: Denise Leland SACA: Eric Stroup

Shower Coordinator: Shirley Murata Stephen Ministry: Patty MacInnes Sunday School: Julie Woodward Technicians: Keith Amano Trustees: Mark Brenden

Ushers: Jack Conner/Jim Brueckner Van Rides: Jennifer Bielenberg Weddings: Nora Schliske

Worship Planning: Mark Dickman Youth Project Coordinator: TBD

In This Issue... Page

2 Pastor’s Ponderings

3 Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry 4 Director of Visitation Ministry

Parish Nurse/Stephen Ministry 5 Worship Info

6 Prayer Ministry/Condolences Mission Ministry Opportunities 7 Upcoming Ministry Events

Ongoing Ministries

8 Ministry Celebrations/Thank you’s 9-10 Frosig Features

Pastor’s Ponderings

Just Pondering…

I have something I want you to think {ponder!} with me about…

Recently, on a Synod Zoom gathering, we were tasked with thinking about church-life post pandemic. Someday, when there are no longer ‘gathering restrictions', what will it mean to be church? Specifically, what will be retained? What will be left behind? What might/can/should be changed during this opportune moment in time? More and more of my colleagues are rethinking their buildings. Can they afford a building? Do they even have need of one? {Considering how busy this place stays, probably not one of Immanuel's considerations.}

Many of my colleagues are questioning Sundays and Sunday mornings. Will their communities return to a group-gathered worship time? Will that remain in a Sunday morning time-slot? {Since Sunday morning worship never went away, that too seems an odd question for us. But, maybe….}

When asked what ‘wild' ideas are swirling around this ministry, I felt a bit dumbstruck. Like dumb. It is not like you haven't had to live with all sorts of my hair-brained ideas. But seismic shifts?

Thus, I am throwing the question out to you. What do you see? Or dream? Or long for? This is absolutely the time to imagine. And when you do, I look forward to hearing back!

Before you buzz off into ‘what-if-land', I will temporarily ground you in the immediate future. Lent.

Seriously, Lent is coming soon to a church {or Livestream} near you. February 17 is Ash Wednesday and theth

beginning of the Lenten season. Instead of a worship service, Pastor Manuel and I will be offering ashes to everyone who would like to receive them. With proper notification, we can even have ashes for you to take home and distribute to your family. Here at church, we are working through the details to offer a safe, non-touch mode of distribution. Consecrated Communion elements will also be available for participants to take home that day. Wednesdays in Lent {February 24 through March 24 } there will be a Livestreamed evening Vespers service. Ifth th

Covid numbers are conducive, and we have the necessary tech support, we will welcome worshipers into the worship space. This is a moving target but we will stay in communication with you.

On March 28 worship will center on the reading of the Passion of our Lord. The ‘who' and the ‘how' are still toth

be determined.

Easter is the following Sunday, on April 4 . Again, too far out to know exactly what to expect but I absolutelyth

guarantee you that the rock will be moved and the grave will be empty.

Friends, Lent will mark a full year since we entered this season of wilderness isolation. Even when it seemed that it would only be a few weeks or months of the church decentralized, I felt disheartened. Thank goodness we didn't know then what we know now! But I remind myself, and you all, we have not made this journey alone. Lent is an excellent season to be reminded of who we are and of whose we are.

Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth." (Isaiah)

How do we NOT see the Face of God in the majesty and beauty of nature - creation? On February 7, the next JOLT! Sunday, I would like to address this question by sharing your images of you or you and your family in your favorite places - places that give you a sense of God's magnificence, God's power, God's peace, or God's beauty. Places that make you feel like you are in the presence of the Creator. Places where you spend quality time with the God of Wonders.

Would you be willing to share? For one, it will be wonderful to see faces. For another, seeing images of nature will hopefully inspire us and give us comfort and renewal of strength.

Text (503-871-1572) or email (hangluth@immanuelsilverton.org) your photo, along with a sentence or two explaining the location and its spiritual significance to you. This could be a great way to inspire and encourage each other during this time of apartness and isolation.

Aloha ke akua! God is love! Keith

Director of Visitation Ministry

On the phone and in the mail with Patty (DoVM)…

We have come a long way over the last 11 months. We have supported each other through sickness,

drought, fire, flood, and the unknown. We are traveling through the grief process that comes with

loss; moving through the initial state of shock to expressing emotions. We have felt depressed and

very lonely and may still feel isolated. We have felt the aches and pains of distress. We will circle

through these stages as loss continues. All of this is normal.

But now we may become panicky; we may tense at every ring of the phone or ‘news flash’. We are

still grieving. We are not alone. God is with us. We might be afraid, but God is not.

Another stage of grief is the feeling of guilt. Good guilt is the conscience’s way of showing

accountability, confession, and grace. There are times when we feel guilty when we are not

responsible for the situation. Discerning the difference and accepting the difference comes from

trusting in God. Life is often what it is.

Grief stages are uneven, circular, and necessary. It is in the movement through, that we reach the

goal of hope.

Yip! Max here. Or should I say I, Maxwell MacInnes, come

before you, a prince among dogs. I have discovered that I

descend from royalty. I demand more treats and a tempur-pedic

bed.

Parish Nurse Information:

AART is the definition for the Parish Nursing Program A ~ Available to you

A ~ Advocate for you

R ~ Resource in our community T ~ Teacher when needed Mary Miller 503.873.8036 Donna Rue 503.873.4333

Audrey Nickodemus 503.845.2897

A Stephen Minister is...

A caring Christian friend who listens, cares, prays, supports & encourages.

When experiencing a challenge in life such as - a birth, adoption, miscarriage, infertility or a chronic illness, a Stephen Minister can provide emotional/spiritual care.

What can the congregation do? Pray, accept care, tell a friend. Questions?

Worship Info

A Note from the Worship Planning Group

During the COVID pandemic, when we can’t meet together for worship, the Worship Planning Group has continued to meet to help our Pastors plan the livestreamed Sunday services that you’ve been watching and joining virtually. Each Sunday, some of our large community of musicians and worship leaders come into the Sanctuary to bring worship to you. With proper caution and appropriate distance, their work is joined, supported and encouraged by our Pastors, the Office Staff, our tech crew, all of you, and the now larger community of hundreds that join us in worship each week.

We miss each of you so much! We do not see ourselves as performers, but as leaders, here to help all praise God through Word and Song. It’s a real big empty each Sunday morning; singing TO a camera is not like singing WITH you.

We’re starting to wonder if there’s more to do to meet your needs for worship and fellowship. Is there something else that you need? Can we do other things that will help strengthen and encourage your faith in worship?

Our deepest longing is to be back with you in worship. Until that can physically happen, what else might we do? We’d be grateful for your feedback and suggestions. Call the church office, send a note or email, or reach out to our Pastors and worship leaders. God has called us into a marvelous church family, with many gifts, and with technology that wouldn’t have been available a generation ago. Help us to learn new ways to use these things to celebrate our awesome God!

Lent

On February 17 we plunge into Lent with Ashth

Wednesday. This year we will move through the Lenten journey with two emphasis. First and foremost, prayer and second, we will name and share our Covid ah-has.

On Wednesday evenings, during the Vespers Service there will be space for both silent and spoken prayer. Therefore, this is an early invitation for you to convey the hurts and hopes that you {or a neighbor or a friend…} would like spoken in the midst of our worship time. We will also be leaving ‘space’ in which you can step into your own silent prayer time. Of course, this is also intended as a space to listen for what God has to speak to us.

First emphasis, prayer.

Alongside of that, we want to hear how the Covid-Wilderness-Experience has spoken to you. As in… What have you learned? How did you grow? Where have you seen the Face of God in the isolation? What changes do you hope and plan to retain? Of what do you have new appreciation? What did you let go of that you will not pick up again?

Second emphasis, lessons from a pandemic.

In either case, you can call, text or email in your submissions to the office at Immanuel, Pastor Leah or Pastor Manuel.

In the meantime, please be praying that the Holy Spirit swirls mightily among, around and through us this season.

‘By the power at work within us, God is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.’ ~ Ephesians 3:20

Prayer Ministry/Condolences

The hungry. Foster kids. Those who battle addiction.

All who serve our country: Tyler Guzman, US Navy. Gabriel Manning, US Army. Bradleigh Ronning, Naval Officer.

Kenneth Adams, Phyllis Adams, Nettie Donovan Austin, Bill Bain, Sonna Bakke, Kristie Bernabo, Jessica Bradley, Jack Conner, Kyler DeVore, Mark Dickman, Nancy Dickman, Destiny Durbin-Wilson, Jamie Eby, Joann Faanes, Maynard Faanes, Virginia Groah, Wayne Gwyn, Tracy Harris, Michellelisa Bradner Hegney, Dan Henderson, Mary Henderson, Rose Marie Howell, Lucy Hupp, Alta Johnson, Carol Johnson, Caroline Johnson, Dale Johnson, Dee Dee Johnson, Helen Johnson, Janell Johnson, Jane Knorr, Tanya Lawton, Pattie Loe, Loretta Luciano, LouAnn Maass, Ross Mackinnon, Pamela Madewell, Bob McGowan, Shirley McHorse, Able Meyers, Mark Morin, Gayle O'Neil, Elenore Norman, Emilia Panes, Maxine Parr, Keri Peck, Anna Richter, Marty Ronning, Lynette Rounds, Annette Shilinsky, Heidi Schindler, Mary Scott, Gina Shifman, Holly Shifman, George Smith, Lisa Smith, Nola Stark, Linda Stolte, Karen Taylor, Bonnie Thompson, Becky Tomlin, Elmer Valkenaar, Ione Vigeland, Erica Winn, Haley Woods and Nora Woodward.

*If a name on the prayer list should be added or removed, please tell the office. Condolences to:

~ Linda Stolte at the death of her brother. ~ Jean Johnson at the death of her sister.

~ The family and friends of Jane Harper, who passed away January 8 .th

~ Lori Loe and family at the death of her father Wayne Steffen. ~ Ione Vigeland and family at the death of her son Wayne Brosig. Please keep these families in your prayers.

Mission Ministry Opportunities

Offering Counting

Would you be willing to learn to count and assist Immanuel's Trustees with offering? You would be assigned one to two months of Sundays depending upon the amount of interest. Contact Kate Bush at 503-580-4964.

Upcoming Ministry Events

Parking lot on January 31 from 3 pm - 4 pm st

Confirmation

Livestreamed on February 14 at 3 pm th

Ash Wednesday

Individual {Covid-safe} reception of ashes In Spanish at 1 pm and 7 pm

In English at 12 pm and 8 pm Wednesdays of Lent

Vespers February 24 through March 24 at 7 pm th th

Livestreamed and in-person as protocols allow

Lenten Lottery…

If you have interest in attending in-person worship, you are invited to add your name into the Lenten Lottery.

We are envisioning two options. {Of course, we hold all things loosely this season of pandemic.}

1. Sunday morning at the 10:30 service, one family unit can occupy the Wiggle and Giggle Room. 2. Wednesday evenings in Lent, we are planning to

have an in-person gathering even as we Livestream Lenten Vespers. Numbers will be limited, thus the lottery system.

Contact the church office and asked to have your name added to either option or both. You will be contacted when your name is pulled.

Together or de-centralized, may your Lent be a rich faith journey.

Ongoing Ministries

If you currently use offering envelopes, there is a new box for you to pick up in the narthex, during office hours. Let us know if you need to arrange an alternative way to receive yours or would like to be added or removed from our list.

Christ In Our Home Devotionals

These are available to pick up during office hours. Lutheran Prayer Beads, Pocket Prayers, Rosaries All are available in the church narthex. Buzz in during office hours and pick up what you need.

Quilting

Quilters meet every other Wednesday at 8:30 am. Their next meeting will be February 10 .th

SACA Sunday

The next SACA Sunday will be February 14 . SACAth

continues to request money instead of product.

Prayer Shawl Meetings Tuesdays from 2-4pm. ‘55' Good Gifts

Currently, gifts are buying pigs and chickens. How many will we deliver? Money can be slipped into the wooden donation box or designated on your check. Building Use

All building use must be approved by and registered in the Church Office for proper cleaning protocols. Live Stream Worship

See the calendar for schedules and links.

We have laptops to loan out if you have wifi but no computer to watch our services.

Online Directory

Immanuel’s online directory is available at

https://immanuelsilverton.ctrn.co/directory. Individuals should have their own login information. For help, visit https://immanuelsilverton.org/help.

Ministry Celebrations

j We were able to send $22,185 for Growing Hope this year to Mozambique and Nicaragua because our original project with Zimbabwe Mwenezi was already fully funded. Mozambique and Nicaragua are now also fully funded.

j We sent 6 piglets and 17 flocks of chicks through Good Gifts in December. Those gifts were matched to double the impact.

j _{The Red Cross, who uses the Immanuel multi-purpose room every other month, received 63 units of blood at} their drive in December. (Outstanding!)

j Laura Borbon completed her Para-Legal Study Certificate.

j _{As of this month, 11 students of our citizenship classes have gained their US Citizenship.}

Know a reason to celebrate, call 503-873-8656 to report ‘who’ and ‘what.

I thank you for all your prayers of late. The last couple years has been a little bumpy.

My kidney transplant is doing well. It took a bit of time to get going. It is functioning well now. I had good experiences at OHSU.

I have so many to thank. I thank the donor for giving his sacrifice for me, his family and give prayers. I thank the Lord for his gift and grace.

Carl Sullivan

Thanks to my Immanuel family for the birthday cards. It was great to hear from you and I enjoyed the birthday wishes.

Lou Ann Maass

Lou Ann Maass celebrated her 90 birthday on January 1 ! If you wouldth st

like to send her a card, her mailing address is: Lou Ann Maass

C/O: Prestige Senior Living

695 Orchard Heights Rd NW, Rm. 351 Salem, OR 97304

Because of the generosity of you and many others, the Silverton Lions Club and the Silverton ELKS Lodge served free meals to fire victims, responders, and workers in the Gates Wildfire Kitchen following the Beachie Creek Fire which destroyed much of the Santiam Canyon from Detroit to Stayton/Sublimity.

Thanks to your donation, we were able to provide an average of 200-500 hot meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) each day from September 21 through November 21, 2020. Without your commitment to those who lost so much, we would not have been able to offer these meals, or the much-needed space for folks to begin to connect with others and begin the healing and rebuilding process during this challenging time. You made a real difference. With sincere appreciation,

Frosig Features

As I have been thinking about what to write, I went back to read what I wrote about last time. Seems so long ago. The Three Wise Men had been here for the first week in Advent, and had left of their journey to the nativity. My dog, my pal, was gone too and my heart was so sad. I was waiting for Mary and Joseph to come spend the 3rd

week of Advent in my yard.

They did come here to rest, and Christmas felt so near while they were here. Then off they went to one more stop before arriving at the nativity too.

On New Year's Day while pondering, I thought about what 2020 isolation has taught me or at least reminded me. Making my own joy is fun.

I have so much more than what has been taken away. It's true what Pooh said - I am braver than I believe. To watch for those small miracles.

How much I love. How much I am loved.

To celebrate, decorate, and make every day a great day.

And in the stillness here on that first day of a brand-new year, I thought probably paying closer attention to each day would be a good New Year's Resolution. To be more aware of the small miracles, those unexpected gifts. They certainly came at Christmas, and many since then.

Christmas Eve without hugs turned into a wonderful evening thanks to a new webcam that came to me as an early Christmas present. So many of us all together on the computer screen. Even separated by miles, we can sure make a lot of joyful noise.

And then the Christmas Eve worship service. A quiet time with voices born to sing together I think, and the Christmas story told. It was the joy and peace I would like every night to be.

On Christmas Day, my neighbors around the corner brought a Christmas dinner to me. So sweet and so thoughtful of them, and it was fabulous.

Two days later, while my heart still felt crushed and my house so empty without Jake, I was given a precious gift in a dream. A vision of my sweet Jake running up the middle of our street. He was beautiful and healthy and seemed to be smiling as he looked straight at me. The vision ended before I could touch him, but I could hear his words - Mommy, see me run. I believe I received a glimpse of heaven.

My white Camellia bush has bloomed through Halloween and Thanksgiving and Advent and Christmas and now into the New Year too.

Hummingbirds come there for breakfast nearly every day.

Little birds will wait their turn to play in the birdbath in the front yard.

Before my seed wreath fell from the tree and shattered, there was a little bird who loved to come sit in the middle and feast.

it near the sidewalk by the driveway, in less than two days the entire wreath was gone. Even broken, it was a feast for many.

After a night of powerful winds, I noticed a stepping stone partially lifted from the ground as if the wind had blown it up on a rock. When I lifted it from the ground, I found a clump of daffodils under it.

Remember what Helen Keller said. "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much".

At some time while raking the leaves, I had set a stepping stone in a place on the ground that looked a little bare. What I had forgotten was that space is in the Land of the Daffodils. So underneath the stepping stone was a multitude of daffodils trying to lift that stone off their heads. Some of the daffodils were a bit yellow, but all are fine now and much taller.

One daffodil would not have been able to do that, but many together were making a difference. Lesson learned from Helen and the daffodils - Together we can do so much.

Now as I get ready to send this Feature to the church office, I am also preparing for a very special day. My brother reminded me that having a dog in my life is in my genes. So tomorrow I will pick up a little 8-week-old buff colored cocker spaniel puppy and will call him Charlie. Puppyhood, where curiosity comes in a little bundle and a new love grows.

Joy lives on and memories become treasures. We know what Matthew 6:21 says about treasures - For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Hoping for good health and togetherness in this New Year. Be safe. See you soon

Marilyn Frosig

A White Camellia that just keeps on giving Peacefully feasting alone in a wreath

Charlie waits for me

Immanuel Lutheran Church

February, 2021

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 Autry Kitchen Use, 9 am-1 pm 2 Staff Mtg, 9 am Autry Kitchen Use, 9 am-1 pm Prayer Shawl Mtg, 2 pm ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm Youth Group, 6 pm Deacon Mtg, 6:30 pm 3 ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm 4 ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm Livestream Rosario Luterano, 7 pm 5 Larry Rivers Rehearsal, 7 pm 6 7 SACA Sunday Livestream Worship, 10:30 am Livestream Misa, 1 pm "Souper Bowl Sunday" 8 Autry Kitchen Use, 9 am-1 pm 9 Staff Mtg, 9 am Autry Kitchen Use, 9 am-1 pm Prayer Shawl Mtg, 2 pm ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm Youth Group, 6 pm Trustee Mtg, 7 pm 10 Quilting, 8:30 am ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm 11 ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm Livestream Rosario Luterano, 7 pm 12 Larry Rivers Rehearsal, 7 pm 13 14 Livestream Worship, 10:30 am Livestream Misa, 1 pm Livestream Confirmation, 3pm 15 Office Closed: Presidents’ Day Autry Kitchen Use, 9 am-1 pm Council Mtg, 7 pm 16 Staff Mtg, 9 am Autry Kitchen Use, 9 am-1 pm Prayer Shawl Mtg, 2 pm ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm Youth Group, 6 pm 17 Ashes to Go English with Pastor Leah at 12 pm & 8pm; Spanish with Pastor Manuel at 1 pm & 7 pm ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm 18 Red Cross Blood Drive, 12-7:30 pm Newsletter Articles Due by 3 pm ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm Livestream Healing Service, 7 pm 19 Larry Rivers Rehearsal, 7 pm 20 21 Livestream Worship 10:30 am Livestream Misa, 1 pm 28 Livestream Worship, 10:30 am 22 Autry Kitchen Use, 9 am-1 pm 23 Staff Mtg, 9 am Autry Kitchen Use, 9 am-1 pm Prayer Shawl Mtg, 2 pm ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm 24 Newsletter Mailed Quilting, 8:30 am ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm 25 ASAP (Online), 3-6 pm 26 27

2 Mike Dickman Brett Miller 4 Jessica Brenden 5 Amy Doerfler Reid Gilliam Adair Hollingsworth 7 Travis Grimes 9 Destiny Durbin-Wilson Ashley Graves 10 Harlan Garrett Greg Kramer 10 Diane Schaber Toby Tucker 13 Jann Andres Kerry Smoot Dan Henderson 14 Kyle Hannon 15 Trey Carstensen George Smith 17 Scott Hamblin Joel Rue 18 Jeremy Kluth 19 Travis Brueckner Marty Ronning 21 Scott Eder John Gilliam 22 Leslie Martin 25 Jacob Brueckner 26 Cindy Johnson Robbie Brockamp 28 Ione Vigeland 9 Brian & Lacey Eder

Live Stream Links: www.facebook.com/immanuelsilverton

-or- www.youtube.com/immanuelsilverton

View Past Services Links: www.facebook.com/immanuelsilverton/videos

-or- www.youtube.com/ImmanuelSilverton/videos

Pastor Leah’s Blog Link: www.immanuelsilverton.org/blog

Giving Options:

• For those of you who pay bills online, add Immanuel to your list. • If you choose the US Postal Service, the mailing address is

303 N Church St. Silverton, OR 97381

• To use a credit card, call in during regular office hours for assistance. * • Online giving is available at the following link: www.tinyurl.com/skqf89k *

*Please print your emailed receipt for tax purposes. Calendar events are subject to change.

We are sorry for any mistakes.