THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD

Preacher Pastor Allison Pastor Allison

Liturgist Pastor Allison Pastor Akers

Organist David Britton Florence Moeller

Acolytes Audrey P Heather S Carley B

Sebi B Amanda S

Nursery Volunteer Needed Volunteer Needed Volunteer Needed

Sanctuary Stewards Marjie Sullivan & Jane Sipe

PRELUDE – “Prelude & Fugue in F Major” – J.S. Bach

OFFERTORY – “God Himself is Present” – arr. Michael Burkhardt

POSTLUDE – “Our God Our Help in Ages Past” – arr. Paul Manz

LAST WEEK’S ATTENDANCE

Sat. 5:30 [101] / Sun. 8:15 [141] 10:45 [205] = 447

ALTAR FLOWERS

This weekend’s alter flowers are in memory of two special people, Bill Moeller, from Nancy Cox and Jane Fisher; and Fred Tucker, from Kathy Tucker. Also for God’s many blessings, including the blessing of a new school year at Redeemer Lutheran.

PRAYERS FOR HEALING, STRENGTH, PEACE AND COMFORT

We remember Jim Durr, Shirley Gross, Susan Evans, Rosemarie Baughman, Tami Brooks, Jonas Miller, and John Folkers in our prayers for healing, strength, peace and comfort.

PASTOR RUDY BLANK – COMING WEEKEND OF AUGUST 22^ND

Pastor Rudy & Romona Blank, longtime missionaries to Venezuela will be visiting Our Redeemer the weekend of August 21^st & August 22^nd. Pastor Blank will be preaching at each worship service and leading Adult Bible Class.

STOCKHOLDERS’ BANQUET

Today (Sunday) at 12:30 PM the youth who attended the LCMS National Youth Gathering are hosting a stockholders’ banquet in Fellowship Hall to thank all those individuals who provided financial support for their trip.

YOUTH-LED WORSHIP SERVICE

Fresh back from the LCMS National Youth Gathering in the Big Easy, the high school youth are eager to share with you the excitement of “We Believe” at the 10:45 AM worship service today!

ADULT BIBLE CLASS

Adult Bible Class continues the DVD video series by Dr. Del Tackett with lesson 8, “Unio Mystica: Am I Alone? The class meets in Mission Hall at 9:30 AM each Sunday.

SILENT DAY OF PRAYER – AUGUST 25^TH

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone--" 1Timothy 2:1. Paul tells us how important it is for us to Pray for each other. Join us to pray for the needs of our church on Day of Silent Prayer, Wednesday, August 25^th from Noon until 6 PM. Fill out a Blue Prayer Request Card for concerns you would like for us to pray for.

THE NEXT ADULT INFORMATION CLASS WILL BEGIN

THURSDAY – SEPTEMBER 9 AT 6:30 PM IN MISSION HALL

U For Those Who are Interested in Joining the Church

U Course is Free and Without Any Obligation

U For Those Who Do Not Know Christ

U For Those Who Would Know Him Better

U Classes are Informal

U Plan to Attend and Bring Someone With You

By your sharing and inviting, others will know that Jesus

died for them and more people will have eternal life.

Please contact Pastor Allison at the Church Office [453-0969]

to register for the class or for more information.

BIBLE CLASSES BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER

Ladies’ Koinonia – Thursday – Sept. 9 – 9:30 AM

Men’s Thursday Bible Study – Thursday – Sept. 9 – 10:30 AM

Adult Information Class – Thursday – Sept. 9 – 6:30 PM

Ladies’ Bible Class – Tuesday – Sept. 14 – 10:00 AM

Tuesday Evening Bible Class – Tuesday – Sept. 14 – 6:00 – 7:00 PM

FINK & 8^th Grade Confirmation – Sunday – Sept. 19 – 4:30 PM

MARRIAGE BLESSINGS

Brittany Ponder and Shane McCorkle will be united in marriage this Saturday, August 21, here at Our Redeemer. We ask for God’s direction and blessings to be upon this young couple as they witness their vows before the Lord and begin their journey as husband and wife.

Children: Don’t forget to pick up the new Bible Bookmark at the

Welcome Center. The topic for this week is “Visiting Angels.”

THE GROUNDS

The Grounds for high school youth meets today [Sunday] from 6:30 - 8:30 PM in the Youth Room above the Fellowship Hall kitchen. Join us for fellowship, prayer, devotion, and fun. Talk to Jonathan Guse or Pastor Akers if you have any questions.

THANK YOU FROM THE MISSISSIPPI MISSION TEAM

Mississippi mission team members, Rick Ponder, Jim Lemke, Kitty Davis, Amy Shrack and Bev Beahrs extend their appreciation for the prayers, encouragement and financial support given them while serving the Lord and His people with Hurricane Katrina Relief.

HANDS OF LOVE: KNITTERS & CROCHETERS

“Knitters and crocheters, get ready for a start up season. Diane Turner is planning an all-day workshop on Monday, August 23^rd at her home from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM. A sandwich, chip, relish, fruit and cookie lunch will be provided. If you want to join and learn a new skill, please come and we’ll help you get started. If you can’t be there for the whole time, that is alright too. Please contact Diane Turner to let her know if you can come.

BRIGHT STAR SCHOOL FUNDRAISER

This Friday, August 20, Sara Cleary and Dillon Waggoner will have a lemonade stand outside of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, to raise money for Bright Star School. Good Shepherd is located at 121 Santa Fe Blvd., Kokomo, IN. Please call Melanie Waggoner for questions and information.

ORDINATION / INSTALLATION INVITATION

The congregation is invited to the ordination and installation of Thomas A. Ludwig to the office of the ministry as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, on Sunday, August 29^th at 3:00 PM. Zion is located at 6843 W. 400 N., Kokomo, IN 46901. RSVP at thomasaludwig@aol.com.

STEWARDSHIP MINUTE

The saints who have gone before us demonstrated that by faith they were the children [stewards] of God who delighted in doing those things that are characteristic of God’s children. Only the grace of God in Christ can save us, but the witness of other Christians—those already dead or still living—can encourage us not to grow weary of living as God’s redeemed stewards. Hebrews 11:17-31; 12:1-3

J FAMILY FRIENDLY IDEA

J Babies can also share in singing! Today keep time with the music by tapping your child’s feet or clapping his or her hands. Be sure to smile at them as you do. Worship is a work of God’s people, but it is a happy thing that we do!

WATCH #7

We Are The CHurch is a spiritual renewal weekend designed to further your relationship with God and other Christians. It is a rare opportunity to escape from the temptations and traps of the world. WATCH #7 will take place September 24-26 at Sangralea Valley. Register by filling out a lift off lemon form and place it in the box marked WATCH at the Welcome Center.

WATCH COMMONLY ASKED QUESTION

A commonly asked question about WATCH: “I suppose we’ll sit in little groups and share our feelings. I don’t like to do that!” WATCH guests are encouraged to absorb, think and pray, and to apply what is learned to their lives. The sharing of feelings may happen, but that is certainly the choice of the guest. There is no direct or indirect pressure to do so. Next week's question: How much “touchy-feely” stuff is involved?

THIS WEEK AT OUR REDEEMER

Sun. 11:30 AM WATCH #7 Team Meeting – MH

12:30 PM NYG Stockholders’ Banquet - FH

6:30 PM Grounds – YR

Tues. 7:00 AM Men’s Bible Study – CL

6:00 PM Cub Scouts - FH

7:00 PM Boy Scouts - FH

Thurs. 9:30 AM Quilting – CR

5:00 PM RLS Back to School Night /

PTL Ice Cream Social – FH

6:00 PM Deaf Bible Study - CL

Fri. 6:00 PM Ponder / McCorkle Rehearsal – S

Sat. 3:30 PM Ponder / McCorkle Wedding – S

5:30 PM Communion - S

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

Vida Peirce – August 23

Diane Turner – August 31

COMPUTER MONITORS

Available in the School Art Room, [first room past the Narthex], older style computer monitors. If you have a need for a monitor or know of someone else who has a need, please feel free to take one, first come, first serve. All that are not taken will be sent to be recycled on August 16^th. J

NURSERY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We would like to be able to offer childcare for children under the age of three to parents and visitors during the 10:45 service on Sunday mornings again, starting August 22nd. In order to do this we need volunteers! Please prayerfully consider volunteering for one Sunday during the quarter. Whether you’re the parent of a little one, or whether your children are grown and gone, please consider making a difference in our church! While it may seem like a thankless job, be assured that it can make a world of difference for moms and dads of little ones to have time for uninterrupted worship and reflection while their young child(ren) are cared for in a safe and loving environment.

Keep in mind that many parents only take their children to the nursery if they are becoming a distraction to others. If you are scheduled for nursery duty and no children show up in the first 15 minutes of the service, feel free to go back to the sanctuary. We only ask that you sit in the back where an usher can easily get your attention should you become needed in the nursery.

If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the information below. Return it to an usher or the white box in the Welcome Center no later than August 8th. There will be a sign up sheet hanging on the bulletin board in the nursery if you have specific dates you want to go ahead and volunteer for, otherwise I will call you to make sure the date(s) I’ve put you down for will work for you.

Name: _____________________________________________________________

Phone: _____________________________________________________________

Email: ______________________________________________________________

I am willing to volunteer:

_____ Sunday(s) per quarter _____ Sunday(s) per month

_____ As needed _____ Call me ONLY if you get in

a pinch. (You won’t be

called more than once per

quarter if you checkmark here)

*** If you’re not quite sure you want to volunteer and would first like to speak with someone, please call Mindy Conner.

6^TH & 7^TH GRADE CONFIRMATION – FAITH INKUBATORS

The family has been, is, and always will be the primary inkubator of faith. Parents are teaching faith every day. The question is, what faith are they teaching? When parents give children $20 for a movie on Saturday night and $2 for the offering on Sunday morning, they are teaching faith. When they drop children off at Sunday School and go out for coffee, they are teaching faith. When they say, “Just get through confirmation and you can decide for yourself if you want to go to church,” they are teaching faith. There is very little a church can do to teach faith in 90 minutes a week that isn’t undone the other 9,990 minutes. The church, at best, can be a marvelous ally to families in children’s faith development. We can be part of their Dream Team, but we can no longer be expected to do their job for them.

In the FINK program, we are giving parents back to their children. It is high time the church gave faith education, pastoral care, and youth ministry back to parents. It’s time parents were challenged to do and be what they promised God they would do and be when they first held their baby at the baptismal font. It is Faith Inkubators’ mission to restore parents as primary teachers, mentors, and role models for their own children with the church as reinforcement – not replacement – of parents’ duties. To become the chief ally rather than the chief spiritual mercenary, you may choose to become more involved.

Your Help is Needed in Building a Dream Team

We are seeking parents and other interested adults to help with Faith Inkubators in the following areas:

Music Teams: People with musical talents are enlisted to serve as a Music Team. These folks set the mood, run Openings and Closings, and assure that key verses are taught in memorable fashions. They create background music for prayers, skits, and Prayer Journeys. At a minimum, we need someone who can place a CD in a player and hit the on button. At a maximum, we’d love a band. Music is a huge part of young people’s lives. We want to make it a part of every gathering.

Theme Teams: Head to the Heart can’t be pulled off as a one-person show. To do it well and maintain energy and variety, we need great teachers, actors, and storytellers unveiling each topic twice a month. Host (Pastor Akers) and Theme Teams work to convey each theme through an assortment of Images & Analogies, Bible Times, and Creative Interruptions. Teams may include senior high youth, a Crazy Parents Committee, and other gifted presenters we pull in from time to time.

Care Teams: In the FINK system, one out of four or five parents is needed to serve as a small group Guide for his or her children and four or five of their classmates. A Grade Director is enlisted to oversee each grade. The Guides are the frontline care-givers. High school age junior guides are also needed. All other members of the Care Team exist to give care to the Guides.

Please prayerfully consider whether or not God is calling you to assist in this ministry to our young people. Use the form below or contact Pastor Akers (church: 453-0969; home: 457-5539; email: PastorAkers@RedeemerKokomo.org) to receive more information.

I would like to help, and would like more information on the following area(s) of Faith Inkubators:

_____ Music Team

_____ Theme Team

_____ Care Team

NAME:___________________________________ PHONE:_________________

PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO THE CHURCH OFFICE NO LATER THAN SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5^TH.

REDEEMER LUTHERAN SCHOOL

SATURDAY EVENING WORSHIP SERVICE: 5:30 PM

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES: 8:15 & 10:45 AM

SUNDAY SCHOOL AND BIBLE CLASS: 9:30 AM

Your Help is Needed in Building a Dream Team