April 2024 Newsletter

From Pastor’s Desk

FY24 March Financial Summary

March Financial

Council Update

Membership and Financial Data March 2024

Director Reports

Spiritual Oversight – Elders are gathering data for discovery on insights about weekly service frequency.  Chairman Cook also reported on the work of the nominations committee for exploring upcoming ballots for council positions this summer.  Elders are also reviewing potential candidates willing to serve on the Board for Spiritual Oversight.

School Board – Math and Science night was a success although less people attended compared to other years.  There is an ongoing discussion and review of the Divine Call and staffing.

Outreach – Sarah Smith is doing some outreach to school families and providing some Bible resources. Food truck planning is underway.  The board is also exploring open gym and other events for adult activities.

Properties – The school entrance project is nearly complete. A Properties committee has been formed and will gather input from many members.

Treasurer – Attached

Chairman– Dave is reviewing roles and duties for office staff with changes in school programming.

TLC/Office–  The office will be relocated to the entryway soon.

Heritage Lutheran School Grades K-2 Update

TLC – The Ladies’ Connection

Member Photo Directory

The photo directory is in the process of being updated. If you have a recent picture that you would like us to use, please send it to Katie & Kevin Henricks – 2k2nhenricks@charter.net

Adult Bible Study Opportunities

Women’s Bible Study. 

All the women of Heritage are invited to join us on Monday night, April 8th @ 6:30 p.m. as we start a study of  Equipped: The Armor of God for Everyday Struggles. Contact Ruth B. for further details. Contact Ruth B. with questions or to join virtually.

Men’s Bible Study

The Men’s Thursday Morning Bible Class is studying 1 Kings and meets at church on Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m.

Members Helping Members

Companions in Prayer 

My Prayer Story

I have not recently updated the congregation on the activities of Companions in Prayer.  This is a group of members who have gone through education related to intercessory prayer, the process of how requests are communicated,  and the importance of confidentiality.  There are 3 goals as described below including activities that took place in 2023.

• Goal 1: Establish a group of individuals who will actively participate in intercessory prayer for individuals/groups of the congregation as well as family and friends of the congregation members.  (This includes prayers for healing, for thanksgiving, for celebration, for strength, recognition of special events,  )
  • A total of 55 individuals were prayed for. (Sometimes 1X up to all year long.)  These include those having immediate need for intercessory prayer and those who have the potential to have the concern returning.  About half of the individuals were members and half friends/family of members.  An additional 9 group/general prayers were offered.
  • 57 cards of encouragement, congratulation or condolence were sent.
• Goal 2: Foster an active and effective prayer life of Heritage members through on-going communication that encourages individuals and families to expand their prayer life. (This could include notes in the newsletter, bulletin boards, bulletin inserts, facebook postings, etc.)
• The monthly Newsletter has continued with a “story” related to prayer each month.
• The monthly Newsletter also continues to include suggestions for congregation intercessory prayers.
• Goal 3: Develop and maintain resources that will assist individuals and groups in enriching and expanding their prayer life.  (This could include samples/illustrations of prayers, scripture references for specific types of prayer, a retreat on prayer, bookmarks, notecards, etc.)
• Individualized bookmarks that commemorate Baptisms and Confirmation.

If you have a request, questions or an interest in participating, please contact Alice Schmidt or the office.

Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer!  That calls me from a world of care,

And bids me at my Father’s throne  Make all my wants and wishes known;

In seasons of distress and grief,  My soul has often found relief;

And oft escaped the tempter’s snare, By thy return, sweet hour of prayer;

And oft escaped the tempter’s snare, By thy return, sweet hour of prayer.

Congregation Prayer Suggestions: 

Intercessory prayer – prayers on the behalf of others – are a part of a Christian’s life.  If you have a request for Companions in Prayer at Heritage to pray for you or someone you know, please contact Alice Schmidt, Pastor Anderson or the Office.

Each of you have a list of those you pray for, but consider adding these to it.

• Several of our members and their families have gone through very difficult times in the last months. Please continue to pray for them – that they will find comfort in God’s promise of salvation to all who believe in Him.
• A revised call has been sent to McKenna Adsit for the open pre-school teacher position. Pray that God give her guidance to her In her deliberating to do what is best for both schools and for her.

Thank You

Dear Heritage church family,
I don’t even know where to start in thanking you for everything that you have done for Bruce, my
family and me! You blessed us with many prayers and cards while Bruce was sick. You offered
to bring meals, come visit and come over and pray and sing with us, help with finances if
needed, and probably more things that I can’t remember right now.
After Bruce went to his new home in heaven, you gave more prayers and cards. You have
offered help with whatever our needs are. You helped make his funeral service beautiful!
Besides making and bringing all the desserts, taking care of the drinks, setting up everything in
the gym including cloth tablecloths, flowers and Bibles on the tables, serving for the lunch, and
making sure the church was clean, I’m sure there were numerous other things that I can’t even
think of. I cannot thank you enough! We truly have a church family here at Heritage! We are so
blessed!
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,
Ginny, the rest of the Voigt family, and the Hermanns, Shaws and Laverys

Serving in April

April Greeters

4/7 – Dennis & Ruth Braun

4/14 – Chapman

4/21 – Henricks

4/28 – Nikoley

Greeter Guidelines

To provide a consistent, friendly, and sincere greeting every Sunday to all members and visitors to Heritage Lutheran Church, guidelines have been developed to help accomplish that goal.  Following are some of those guidelines:

• Please mark your calendar for the date you are assigned. The date assigned will be published in the Heritage Newsletter for a two-month period.
• Please be ready to greet no less than 20 minutes before each service for which you have been assigned.
• As you greet visitors, please encourage them to sign our guest book. If there are two people greeting, one of you could escort them to the guest book while the other continues to greet.  Ideally you should try to introduce them to another member standing nearby.  Sometimes this is difficult to do as the service is starting.  In that case, try to chat with them after the service and introduce them to other members after the service.
• Stay at the door until the service is underway; visitors quite often show up late and really need extra help in getting bulletins and a place to sit. Feel free to involve the ushers as needed.
• If you have a chance, get their contact information from the guest book or by asking them for it, and then follow up with a thank you text, email, or note sent to them thanking them for visiting our church. If you inform the church office, they could help with this task.
• If you are unable to greet at both services, please ask someone to fill in for you. If you find out at the last minute, text the following who are willing to help –  Remus 651-800-5827, Braun 612-237-1064, Fahning 952-200-2870, Eisenbeis 651-230-4423, Barb Oachs 952-465-5272
• If you have a conflict with the date you were assigned, please contact someone from your month or the next month and trade with them. This helps those doing the scheduling with juggling all the rescheduling. Thank You!

April Ushers & Acolytes

4/7 – 8:00 – Dave Paulsen, Jef Sutton/Cooper Sickmann

10:30 – Steve Cook, Elijah Cook/Josiah Mears

4/14 – 8:00 – Kurt Arehart, Jacob Calhoun/Ushers

10:30 – Jesse & Fischer Chapman/Ushers

4/21 – 8:00 – Kevin & Nicholas Henricks/Jaycen Steward

10:30 – Josh Mears, Phil Holz/Josiah Mears

4/28 – 8:00 – Micah Steward, Tim Oachs/Ushers

10:30 – Dan Schwanz, Luther Krueger/Ushers

April Recording

4/7 – Stan Miller

4/14 – Martin Paulsen

4/21 – Libby Paulsen

4/28- Stan Miller

April Altar Guild

Shirley Schwanz/Sondra Frimanslund

April Fellowship

4/7 – Kooy

4/14 – Merseth

4/21 – Calhoun

4/28 – Magda, Cori & Libby

April Birthdays

April Calendar 

April-2024-Calendar