June
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| and Auction Well, we’re doing it all again! It is back yet again by popular demand! Save the date of June 27th for a time of fun, fellowship and helping Lutheran Health Ministries of the Foothills, Inc. (LHMF). The event will again be held at St. Matthews Church in Glendale at 4:00 PM. Last year’s Courtyard reception and silent auction was a huge hit and fun for all! So, put this date on your calendars now and watch for more information. Tickets will remain $10 and will be available throughout June at the church. Contact Steve Seekins at 818-526-7753 or email steves3@pacbell.net if you just can’t wait! QUILTER'S CORNER with Estelle Segaitz At the May 2nd Women's luncheon, we were happy to raffle off one of our nicest quilts. The delighted winner was Adelaide McNutt, who coincidentally has been part of our quilting group for years. We want to thank those who have helped contribute the necessary items needed to make up the health kits that will be sent at the same time the quilts are shipped to Lutheran World Relief. We continue to collect your generous offerings for the health kit items. Please see Elsie Roberts' article. Our heart-felt "Thanks" go to Carl Mattson for being our "right hand man" by checking in with us on Tuesday for various duties - driving, packing quilts for shipment, being our storage manager and cheering us on. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY - We need to enlarge our sewing circle of friends enabling us to make more quilts. All are welcome to join us on Tuesday at 10am in the Fifth Grade School Room. An interest in sewing is all that is needed. Bring a sandwich for the social lunch hour and join in the fun. We will train "on the job". No previous experience with quilting is necessary. For further information or car pooling, call Estelle at (818) 248-8480. Health Kits Update Elsie Roberts reports that the health kits are coming along nicely. If you are in a store where hand towels and wash cloths are sold, try to pick up some in dark colors for the kits. We have tried to set ourselves a time-limit of September 15, 2009 as the last day we will collect. That gives us time to take an inventory and to get organized. Knowing this, please help us to assemble 100 health kits to be sent to those to whom these kits mean so much. Thanks to all who have contributed so far. You cannot know how much it means. May the light of the Holy Spirit shine upon you. We have received from the generosity of a few members all we need for the health kits EXCEPT for dark colored towels and washcloths. If you can locate some inexpensively, please bring to church on Sunday and locate either Elsie Roberts or Estelle Segaitz. If you wish to participate monetarily, we will shop for you. Our enormous THANK YOU to all who have made this a great year for health kit donations. People who have NOTHING are so grateful to you. The kits are sent to Lutheran World Relief headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota in October at the same time we send the quilts. "To each who has two cloaks, let me give one to him who has none" Office Assistant Betty’s Corner We are desperate for readers, ushers, eucharistic assistants, acolytes, volunteers of all descriptions for Sunday morning worship. Contact Betty on Monday or Wednesday at (818) 240-9000 to hear her friendly voice and a brief description of your duties. This is an excellent way to participate in God's work and it takes only a few minutes of your time to do this. May the Peace that surpasses understanding be with you all now and forever. ABOUT 200 POUNDS... ..of food, including 36 cans of corn, 33 cans of different vegetables 19 cans of soup, 16 cans of green beans, and other healthy items like peanut butter, juices, tomato sauce, various beans, etc. was brought in by the children and parents of First Lutheran School at the time of their musical production which featured a wonderful segment about Oliver Twist who asked for "More". THANKS for this wonderful contribution to the Food Pantry. Food for Thought… "No matter how just your words may be, you ruin everything when you speak with anger." - John Chrysostom "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt Part-Time Summer Help Wanted—No Experience Necessary Some of our regular volunteers will be gone in June, July and August so new people are needed to "man" the Food pantry. Needed: Intake person to help greet and keep accurate count of the number of clients coming in for food; Driver, preferably with small truck or car with large trunk, to pick up donations from Trader Joe's in Eagle Rock, need not do lifting but should be an early riser on Friday mornings; Bagger to fill bags according to the size and special needs of the applicants' families; Sorter to assist in checking the quality of and putting the food out on tables and in appropriate size zip lock bags. See Lillian Simons or Lois DuPont for more information about the days you will be needed to fill these important positions. Visit the Food Pantry on Friday morning between 8:45a.m. and Noon. Saying Farewell... We offer our prayers and hopes for Verdugo Valley Baptist Church as they move to a new setting in Burbank. Pastor Jesse Johnson and his whole family have worked very hard to reach our neighborhood - Pastor Ken has received two visits at his home! Candace, Pastor Jesse’s wife, is expecting their fifth child. May the Lord go with them. Treasurer's Notes: It's the simple things that help save money. One of the results of the Mites for Maintenance program has been the upgrading of our lighting in the Fellowship Hall and other parts of our campus. Let's try to remember to turn off the lights and other equipment when not being used. Treasurer’s Report Total Offering in April, 2009: $10,005.56 Total Income in April, 2009: $22,793.04 Total Expense in April, 2009: $26,074.14 For a more detailed report, please see Treasurer Lillian Simons in the church office. Thank you. Congrats! Congratulations to Dr. Bryan Choi! Audrey's husband, Bryan, was just awarded his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology for his research of the corpus collosum after defending his dissertation! In fact, the reviewing team returned quite quickly from their deliberations to share the good news. He will begin working at a brand new substance abuse clinic in Downtown, L.A., directing a team of psychologists and social workers. Together, they will help those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. He will begin his new position in September, after returning from his year-long internship at the V.A. Sierra Nevada Hospital in Reno. Congratulations to Bryan and to his assistant in study, Audrey! Habitat for Humanity ReStores Check out the two stores handling a great deal of merchandise to help in your remodeling programs, and at the same time help Habitat build more homes in the area. ReStores are open Monday-Friday from 9-5 at 770 N. Fair Oaks in Pasadena and at 410 S. Irwindale Ave.in Azusa. Women of the ELCA invites you to bring your ideas for speakers, retreats and events to the next Board Meeting Thursday, June 4th at 12:30p.m. Media Room B REGISTER NOW AUTUMN RENEWAL event scheduled at Casa de Maria in Montecito October 16,17 and 18. Registration forms are available now. Questions about the retreat?? Contact Lillian Simons (323) 254-6632 Patio Dining & Bible Study— Monday, June 15th, 11 a.m. Mary: A Woman for all Seasons Thank you, Dorothy Quentmeyer, for hosting the June Bible Study at your home! Monday, June 15th at 11:00 a.m. Be prepared: Bring a sandwich or salad, and if you have one, a copy of your “Lutheran Woman Today” magazine. Indulge in tasty desserts and refreshing drinks. For directions and rideshare information, call Jean at 626.300.0571 or Karen at 818.248.9610 Prayers Needed for Loraine Clark, Cathy Beaumont and others Loraine Clark is at a convalescent home for a short time. Check with office for the address if you wish to visit her. We are reorganizing the Prayer Chain Past members included Clara Anderson, Lucille Becvar, Adelaide McNutt, Lillian Simons, Kay Veeh, and Evelyn Werklund Contacts are made by phone, but we might also include e-mail and visits. A brief meeting will be scheduled soon to reorganize and also make plans to incorporate a regularly scheduled brief intimate prayer session between the two services on Sunday mornings. Please call Audrey in the church office to tell her you would like to participate. First Lutheran School News by Principal Julie Sanchez WOW…the school year is almost over; time once again has rapidly slipped away into the final phase of our academic year. I am extremely proud of the growth of our students as they conclude their studies and prepare to be promoted to their next year of study. Teachers, Parents and STUDENTS – you all did a GREAT job! May was indeed a very full month for us. We opened the month with great fun at our first ever Cinco de Mayo Arts Fiesta. The evening highlighted our 4th grade students’ California Mission Projects and Middle School travel posters from their Geography elective class featuring Mexico. Our courtyard came to life with beautiful decorations created by our students, and wonderful white lights thoughtfully draped throughout the courtyard by Sherri and Bruce Miller. Entertainment was provided by and directed by Dr. Prado’s Folklorico Mexican Folk Dancers. Dr. Prado is the uncle of Ramon, 7th grade, and Kimberley Padilla in 6th grade. Both Ramon and Kimberley are members of the dance group – they did beautifully! Our dinner was prepared by Janine Busby, the mother of 6th grade student Ilana. Thanks to all who could join us and make our evening so enjoyable! MUCHOS GRACIOUS A TODOS! On May 15th our students hosted our Spring Musical, “On Broadway.” Many thanks are extended to students, teachers, and to Zee Tholl, for all her hard work in producing and directing our program. Gratitude is also extended to Pastor Ken for assisting our students with accompaniment, and to Mr. Reuben Lizarraga for providing the microphone sound system, videos, and technical support needed to make our show shine! Additional thanks are extended to Mr. Andrew Sanchez and Kate Didier for their assistance in video work that evening. Another great job by all! We concluded the month of May with trips to El Camino Pines outdoor school and Catalina Island Marine Science Camp for our 5th through 8th grade students. Our 2nd grade students took their yearly outing to Brand Park where they toured the Doctor’s House, followed by a picnic lunch and a short hike. This month, I will accompany our 8th grade students to Boston and New York for U.S. History studies. On June 10th we will host an 8th grade graduation dinner for our graduates and their parents, followed by our second 8th grade graduation ceremony and 5th grade promotion to Middle School on Thursday, June 11th at 10am. David Sanchez, the President of the California Teachers Association will deliver our Key Note speech. Immediately following this ceremony, we will hold our Pre-K graduation at 11:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary. You are warmly invited to join us for these significant events! We are very proud to celebrate our 8th graders as they transition to 9th grade. Our students will be attending the following schools: Hoover High School, Clark Magnet High School, Flintridge Preparatory High School, Glendale Adventist High School, Los Angeles High School of the Arts, Maranatha High School, and Las Vegas Academy of the Arts High School. We wish them much success in their upcoming academic journeys! FLS Summer School will begin on June 22nd. Classes will be held for 10 weeks. This year’s theme is “Splish, Splash~Under the Sea,” and “Out of This World.” If you know of any families looking for a school home this summer or in the fall, please have them call or visit our school office. Additionally, we are accepting applications for enrollment in the fall. The school office phone number - (818)244-7319. As I conclude my June news to you I would like to thank you for your continued prayers and support! It is only together as a united ministry that we have been able to go forward each day serving the lives of God’s precious children! May your summertime be filled with much joy, peace, excellent health and abundant blessings! Blessings and Peace! Julie Sanchez, Principal From Our Parish Nurse, Elsie Ford... As I write this, influenza A (H1N1) or “swine flu” is currently in the World Health Organization’s Stage 5, meaning that it is one stage away from pandemic status. Scientists can’t tell us exactly what to expect in the coming months, but the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is predicting that these illnesses will continue for some time. We’d best be prepared! The symptoms of this new flu virus are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. The illness lasts for a week or longer. The CDC believes this influenza, like seasonal influenza, spreads by respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes. This can happen when droplets from a cough or sneeze from an infected person are propelled through the air and land on the mouth or nose of a nearby person. It can also spread when someone touches respiratory droplets on another person or an object and then touches their own mouth or nose. That’s one reason why it’s important to keep your hands away from your face! Infected persons may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to seven days after they get sick or 24 hours after they are symptom-free, whichever is longer. The incubation period – the time from when you are exposed till the time you develop symptoms – is thought to be seven days. Our chief protection from seasonal flu is our annual flu vaccination. To date we do not have a vaccine for this new type of flu, though one is being developed. So what can we do to keep from getting it? First and most important, wash your hands frequently! Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try to not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick (stay about six feet away). And avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. The H1N1 flu virus is not transmitted by food, meaning that you cannot get it from eating properly handled and cooked pork or pork products. WHO guidelines for hand washing state that you should use soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty or after using the toilet. Wet your hands under running water and apply enough soap to cover all surfaces. Rinse your hands with running water. Dry your hands thoroughly with a single-use towel, and turn off the faucet with a towel. If you use bar soap, be sure it is placed in a rack that allows it to drain dry. If your hands are not visibly dirty and at a time other than toileting, WHO recommends using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Rub a half teaspoon of sanitizer over all hand surfaces until dry. Soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizer should not be used together. Influenza is a lower respiratory tract infection caused by a virus. This means that antibiotics are not effective against it (antibiotics are effective only against bacteria). Antiviral medications can help lessen symptoms, but most people don’t need these drugs to fully recover from the flu. However, if you develop severe illness or are at high risk for flu complications, contact your doctor. |