October 2020 Sunday Morning Mass Moves to 9:00

:30Beginning October 4th, the first Sunday in October, our Sunday morning worship time moves to 9:00.

This is the result of the action taken by our Voters’ Assembly on September 6th. After some discussion the voters determined that it would be in the best interest of everyone to return the time of Sunday mass to 9:00 a.m.

This is the time mass was held before we changed it several years ago. At that time the movement from 9:00 to 8:30 was to accommodate our organist, who at the time was Ryan Van Wassenhove. If we had not made the change at that time, he would have been forced by his own circumstances to resign. Since we wanted to keep his services (and he was happy to stay), we made the change. Then, as members know, he moved on a year ago, and we were left without an organist at all. In the meantime, I have made arrangements that allow me to play the opening myself, and also to provide recordings to be used. The need to have the time at 8:30 no longer existed, though many of our people do prefer the time. Yet in the end, all agreed that a move back to 9:00 would be beneficial, and there was no dissenting vote.

So the change is made and is official.

Time of Bible Class is also adjusted accordingly, and is still scheduled for when it reasonably follows. This means it moves to 10:45, when people have settled down to breakfast in the gym.

Members are to be commended for their polite and reasonable discussions, and a willingness to do what was considered the best option without serious dissent. The kindness and compassion of people for one another is worth noting and being thankful for.

+ Pastor Eckardt

Michaelmas to be Celebrated on Tuesday, September 29th, at 7:00 p.m.

Our usual practice is to schedule Midweek mass at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, but this year a change in the schedule during the week of Michaelmas to Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. has been made for two reasons.

First, Michaelmas itself is on Tuesday, September 29th, so it is fitting to hold Midweek mass on the day itself.

Second, Pastor and Carol plan to travel to the Chicago area on Wednesday in preparation for her scheduled surgery on Thursday, October 1st. We anticipate a return home on Friday the 2nd.

A Reformation Festival on Sunday, October 25th. (Little Oktoberfest)

Some sadness accompanies our loss of Oktoberfest, a decision we made earlier this year, due to the lessened capability our members have for putting on such an event. Ironically, this year’s COVID mess intervened as well, and while it may not have prevented us, it may have complicated things.
 
But members have been talking, our plan is to have a festival banquet for our members on Sunday afternoon, October 25th, as a further celebration of Reformation Sunday.
 
The time of our event is set for 3:30 p.m., which is early enough to honor the wishes of people would like it to be held during the daylight hours. Sunset on that day is about 6 p.m., so 3:30 p.m. seems reasonable. In addition, if there are some visitors, this would afford them a little time to travel here.
 
The planned event is to include a bratwurst feast similar to our Oktoberfest meal, though obviously on a smaller scale, since it is planned for the membership and possibly some friends or family members. Pastor will have some banquet remarks to make as well, also similarly to what used to transpire at Oktoberfest.
 
This event is more on the order of a second church-picnic of the year. It is customary to hold a church picnic on the last Sunday in June, either at a local park or at the home of member. This event will simply be held in the gym.
 
We plan to have bratwurst, potato salad, and beans, and people will be asked to volunteer for other side dishes and desserts, and to be on hand to clean up afterwards. This should be much simpler and easier than at Oktoberfest.
 
The event is smaller and simpler than our former observances of Oktoberfest, and thus the following changes can be expected, if comparing:
 
1) there will be no separate worship event. We will be observing the Festival of the Reformation, as usual, at our Sunday morning mass at 9:00. October 25th is Reformation Sunday.
 
2) the meal is to be held in the gym, but we expect far fewer in attendance, mostly members.
 
3) Sunday’s activities will be finished before dark.
 
4) no events on Monday or Tuesday.
 
Pastor Eckardt will be the banquet speaker, similarly to what we have done during past Oktoberfest Sunday evenings. His topic is yet to be determined.
 
This year our church picnic was held out at the Andersons’ home, and it was another successful event. So let’s do it again, with a twist, in the gym.
 
Let’s have some fun! Let’s call it “Little Oktoberfest” in nostalgic remembrance of our 24 prior famously successful Oktoberfest celebrations.
 
October Ushers:

Jim Hornback, Tom Wells, Steve Kraklow 

October Birthdays
 
10/1 Richard Melchin
10/1 Sue Murphy
10/2 Diana Shreck
10/24 Eric Meaker
10/28 Carmen Sovanski
10/29 Svetlana Meaker
10/30 Sharon Hartz
 
October Anniversaries
 
10/4 Linda and Larry Rowe
10/23 Otis and Deanne Anderson
 
In Our Prayers

Our current list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists here following.  To update the list please inform the pastor
 
in our parish:
Emilie Ricknell, John Ricknell, Linda Rowe, Emmy Wear, Sue Murphy, Don Murphy, Dick Melchin, DeAnne Anderson, Bea Harris, Allan Kraklow, Sandra VerPlaetse, Derek Baker, Carol Eckardt, and Barb Kraklow
 
and beyond our parish:
Anna Rutowicz [granddaughter of Harrises]
Katy Rutowicz [granddaughter of Harrises]
Jody Rutowicz [Harrises’ daughter]
Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter]
Elizabeth Godke, Sharon Field’s mother
Brandt and Oneda Hendrickson [Ricknells’ relatives]
Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister]
Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson]
Dennis Hoag [Adam Shreck’s father-in-law]
Rachel Smith [Emmy Wear’s cousin]
Matthew and Yvette Baker [Dale’s son and wife]
Warren Williams [relative of the Kemerlings]
Theresa Moore [Ricknells’ niece]
Carol Grigsby [friend of Jewneel Walker]
Tim Newman [Kemerling relation]
Melinda Fisa [Monroe Kemerling’s granddaughter]
Kathy Boeger [re Harrises]
Allison Leezer [relative of the Kraklows]
Christopher Lewis [nephew of the Eckardts]
Floretta Reynolds [Jim Watson’s aunt]
Laura Koch {cook] [friend of the Eckardts]
Kimberly Johnson [friend of Derek Baker]
Dana Conley [relative of the Kraklows]
Roger Wear [Emmy’s father]
Les Murphy [re Murphys]
Bud Harfst [Sue Murphy’s brother]
Everly Stoner, great grandchild of the Murphys
David Ricknell, who broke his ankle
and those we name in our hearts.

in the military:

John Eckardt
Donny Appleman [at request of the Ricknells]
Richard Heiden [at request of the Eckardts]
Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin]
Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden]
Eli Wetzel, Traven Wetzel, Shawn Wetzel
Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson]
Jake Mahaffey, Trevor Shimmin, Shad Draminski
Brett Armstrong, James Armstrong Jr., and Ann Lee Armstrong

in trouble:
any unborn children in danger of abortion
those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Syria, Sudan, Nigeria, Eritrea, China, Vietnam, North Korea, and elsewhere.
 
Some persecution details. see www.persecution.net for more.
 
CHINA: Summer Camp Raided
17 September 2020
 
A church-run summer camp was raided on august 23rd, resulting in the confiscation of personal and church property, as well as the temporary detention of the pastor and his wife. The police and religious bureau officials claim that the church in Gushi was organizing religious events without authorization. According to one church leader, Wang Guangming, the students were learning music theory when the raid occurred.
 
PAKISTAN: Zafar Bhatti Recovers from Heart Attack in Prison
17 September 2020
 
Zafar Bhatti has been in prison since 2012 after being charged with sending blasphemous text messages. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017. Diagnosed with diabetes, the 56-year-old Christian had two minor heart attacks in 2019 and suffers from eyesight problems. It was recently reported that he had another heart attack on September 3rd. Though he received swift medical attention in prison, there are ongoing concerns for his physical and mental health, as well as apprehension over the medical care he is receiving outside of the hospital setting.
 
ERITREA: 31 Christian Prisoners Released
17 September 2020
 
The Eritrean government has released 31 Christians from Mai Serwa prison who were detained without charge or trial for years. It is believed there were 21 men and 10 women in this group, and that none of them were church leaders. At least two of the women were minors when first imprisoned -- one was only 12 years old (age 28 today); and the other was 16 (now 30). This action follows the release of 22 Methodist Christians from another prison in July.
 
Many Eritrean believers are compelled to pray in secret.

Altar Guild Notes

• Color is GREEN for all Sundays and Wednesdays except:
• Color is WHITE for Tuesday, September 29th, for Michaelmas, the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels. This is a change from previous scheduling. No Midweek Mass on Wednesday, September 30th.
• Color is RED for Sunday, October 25th, which is Reformation Sunday.
• Color remains RED for Wednesday, October 28th, SS Simon and Jude.
• Color remains RED for Sunday, November 1st, All Saints’ Day

 
Church Council
 
The council will be meeting on Wednesday, October 14th which is the usual third Wednesday.
 
Please make a note of it.
 
Progress in the Music of St. Paul’s
 
We continue to restore the place of the organ accompaniment in the Sunday morning life of the parish. We have now made regular the live organ preludes and opening hymn, with pastor playing on our fine Cassavant pipe organ in the balcony. To accommodate his descent to join the opening procession, the bells are rung a second time after the opening hymn and the procession ensues in silence. This may even be said to enhance the solemnity of the opening of the service, as people reverence the procession.
 
The remaining hymns are played on the electric keyboard in the back, or as the playback of previously recorded hymns. Sometimes the tempo needs a bit of work, but this has been a work in progress. Your patience is appreciated.
 
Soon we hope to try accompanying also the singing of canticles and other parts of the service, though for some of this the timing is a bit tricky. Until that can be figured out, we will continue to sing responses a capella, which we seem to be pretty good at doing.

Catechism Continues, and Sunday Morning Bible Class Looks Ahead
 
Catechism is on Tuesdays, at 5:00 in the afternoon; anyone may attend, and members sometimes do, for a lively discussion and learning opportunity.
 
In addition to studying the catechism, we are reviewing the Old Testament.
 
Our review of the Old Testament has been especially focused on Genesis and Exodus, and if there’s time, we’ll move ahead to later Old Testament events.
 
The course planning of this review will also be used on Sunday mornings, as our next topic for Sunday morning Bible Class. A significant amount of time has been spent considering Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the three great patriarchs, and then the twelve sons of Israel (Jacob), and in particular his son Joseph. Joseph is a key Old Testament figure, whose history lays down the same pattern as the history of our Lord Jesus Christ as seen in the Gospels. 
 
The stories are fascinating to review, as we search the Scriptures, and see how they testify of Jesus, as he himself said they did in St. John 5. Also St. Luke 24 recounts how Jesus showed the disciples all the things concerning himself.
 
Right now our Sunday morning study of the Gospel of St. Mark finds us in chapter 11, which means we’re getting closer to the end. Mark has 16 chapters in all.
 
Have you been to Bible class? If so, you know how fascinating our studies are, and how full of gems the Bible is. If not, come join us, and see for yourself!
 
Shut ins
 
Emmy Wear at Williamsfield Home in Williamsfield; Emilie Ricknell at home, Dick Melchin at Hammond-Henry Extended Care in Geneseo, Bea Harris, from time to time, at home. Dale Baker, at home.
 
Your Trustees at Work
 
On a sunny Saturday in September, some trustees and other volunteers took in hand to tackle the concerns expressed at September’s Council meeting about the leaky wall in the church basement below the sanctuary. The north wall at the east end has significant leaking and leeching of water through the bricks into the basement during storms.
 
Efforts in the past have been made to solve this problem, which was thought to be due to leaking of a pipe in an area an area where an underground pipe was used to divert the church’s runoff water into the storm sewer. At that time, the rainwater was diverted to above-ground gutters, but the leaks persisted. This has now been determined to be due not merely to the church’s rain runoff, but to a backup of the city storm sewers during heavy rainfall.
 
Although the members of the Council are prepared to spend well over a thousand dollars to repair this, the trustees and volunteers decided to try a cheaper fix first. The downspout formerly leading from the gutters to the underground connection to the storm sewer was located, and concrete mix was poured in at the junction, in hopes of shutting off the leak area from the storm sewer system altogether, since we are no longer using it.
 
It remains to be seen whether this will work, but we are hopeful. Pray for your congregation meanwhile!
 
St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church
   109 S. Elm Street
   Kewanee, IL 61443