Shepherd News
Monthly Newsletter of Shepherd of the Valley LCMS
801 E Denver Avenue, Bismarck ND 58504
WOODSIDE WELCOME!
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. 1 Timothy 3:1-7
These words from 1 Timothy outline the expectations of pastors. St. Paul is writing to young Pastor Timothy encouraging him in his work for the Lord Jesus. We rejoice that the Lord has brought Pastor Woodside to serve Bethel and Shepherd of the Valley as shared Assisting Pastor.
The Lord has blessed Pastor Woodside with wonderful gifts that he now has the joy of using in full-time ministry with us. Pastor Woodside will partner with Pastor Walla and myself in preaching and administration of the Sacraments, praying for members, teaching the faith, setting an example of an excellent life as an example as well as care for the sick and shut-in. Please know that both Pastor Woodside and I are available to you to care for you as we rejoice in the forgiveness of sins and promise of eternal life won for us by Jesus at the cross.
The Ordination and Installation service will take place on August 2, 4:00pm at Bethel Lutheran. Shepherd of the Valley will also welcome Pastor Woodside with a Wednesday Woodside Welcome on Wednesday, August 26, starting at 5:30 PM. Grilled brats and compliments will be served by leaders of the congregation. This will be an opportunity for us to welcome the Woodside family back to Bismarck. Games and other activities are also being planned. Pastor Woodside will lead liturgy for the 7:00 PM worship service on August 26 and Pastor Walla from Bethel Lutheran Church will preach for the service.
In Christ’s service with you,
Pastor Wolfgram
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
You may have heard the term “new normal” recently, I know I certainly have. So just what is this “new normal” and what will it look like; wearing masks in public? social distancing? limited occupancy in stores, restaurants, churches? distance learning for schools? other? After thinking about “new normal”, I don’t see it as a “new” normal, but rather, it’s now what is “accepted” compared to what was previously accepted, at least by society. If we look back 50 years ago (I can actually remember things that long ago) or even 10 or 5 years ago, how different things were when looking at what was accepted as “normal” compared to today; things like television, movies, language, social media, family unit, churches. As things changed over the years, we did not refer to it as the “new normal” and maybe that is due to the fact that the change was subtle and occurred gradually, so we didn’t notice it so much. We certainly live in chaotic and uncertain times, especially now! But, no matter what the “new normal” brings, we have the same assurance that Jesus gave the disciples when he sent them out into the world to preach the gospel; “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
With all that is going on in our country and around the world we still have so much to be thankful for! Just a short while ago, we said goodbye to Vicar Dailey and his family and within a couple of days of their departure we welcomed back soon to be Assisting Pastor Woodside and his family. What a blessing the Dailey’s were to our church family and we look forward to what God has in store for us with the addition of Assisting Pastor Woodside. We are also thankful for Pastor Wolfgram and his faithful devotion to proclaiming God’s Word and demonstrating God’s love among us. We are also thankful for our partnership with Bethel Lutheran Church and look forward to the many opportunities that await us for shared ministry. With the addition of Assisting Pastor Woodside we now have WWW (Walla, Wolfgram, Woodside) and that is a pretty awesome combination!
On a more personal note, I am grateful for Justin Dever and his leadership and devotion as your Congregational President over these past years and I pray that I can continue that same leadership during the coming year.
Your Brother in Christ,
Doug Hintz
A NOTE FROM DANE WOLFGRAM
Hello everyone! I just wanted to say that I have had a great time working with our youth over these past few months. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve the church and grow in my abilities as a servant of the church. This week I am heading back to school down at Concordia University, Nebraska to finish of my education as a Director of Christian Education. Your support has always and continues to mean a lot to me. So, thank you again for that support and the opportunities given to me over this summer. You all will continue to be on my heart and in my prayers. May God keep blessing you as He has for me!
-Dane Wolfgram
MAIN STREET LIVING FOR AUGUST, 2020
Aug. 2 – Rev. Jonathon Durkopp – Trinity LaMoure, ND
Aug. 9 – Rev. Ken Hobbie – Zion/St. John’s Ada, MN
Aug. 16 –Rev. Richard Bieberdorf – Grace Carrington, ND
Aug. 23 – Rev. Andrew Ratcliffe – St. Paul, Perham, MN
Aug. 30 – Rev. Paul Preus – Zion, Ellendale, ND
Mainstreet Living is aired each Sunday morning at 10:00 am on WDAYextra, cable channel 594, followed by “This Is The Life”.
SUMMER MIDWEEK WORSHIP
August 5 Pastor Woodside
August 12 Pastor Marcis (Holy Communion)
August 19 Pastor Wolfgram
August 26 Pastor Walla (Holy Communion)
September 2 Pastor Wolfgram
The Crisis Care Chaplaincy has initiated an effort to raise awareness and support for Emergency Services with their “Sirens and Lights” campaign.
When you hear the sirens and see the lights, pray…
“Lord, protect those running toward the danger. Comfort the victims and be with them. Give strength to those in need and those who serve. Amen.”
LUTHERANS FOR LIFE REGIONAL
CONFERENCE IN WEST FARGO …
When: August 29 – 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Registration from 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.)
Where: St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 1005 First St., West Fargo, ND 58078
Speakers: Pastor Chris Brademeyer, Heather Ruesch, Pastor Scott Licht, Col. John Eidsmoe
Lunch is included in the registration fee.
Speakers and Topics:
Pastor Scott Licht, National Executive Director of LFL
Title: “Invisible to Indispensable”
Overview: God doesn’t make spare parts. He has a vocation for ALL people regardless of their age, stage, ability, or life experience. Let’s look together at how indispensable everyone is, including those who may be “invisible” within our church and society at large.
Heather Ruesch, Life issues educator & author
Title: “My Body, My Life, My Value in Christ: A Discussion on Life and Sexuality”
Overview: We are in a battle! If you are a parent, a grandparent, pastor, youth leader, or teacher, you are well aware of the battle being waged against this generation. Let us arm ourselves with knowledge, train ourselves with good teaching, gird our loins with truth, and take up our swords and FIGHT. Fight to change the skin-deep culture surrounding our youth and replace it with the deep, deep love and protection of Jesus Christ. “It’s just sex.” “It’s just a choice.” “It’s just a piece of paper.” These are the lies destroying our families from the inside out. In this session, Heather Ruesch uncovers the lies of Satan and exposes the ways in which he attacks the things on which God has placed the most value on in our earthly lives: human life itself, sexuality, marriage, and family. The value God places on human life is the most important issue on the table; everything else radiates out from and comes back to that foundational truth. Satan knows it and God knows it, too.
Rev. Chris Brademeyer, President of LFL North Dakota Federation, Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Oakes, North Dakota
Title: “Wisdom: Supporting Life in the Face of Death”
Overview: Supporting life is sometimes more difficult than we would like. As life-affirming people, we are sometimes made uncomfortable by circumstances beyond our control as we know we need to take up the defense of life. What do we do when standing for life gets difficult…when it gets personal? When death and tragedy stare us down, how do we remain faithful? Learn how standing for life hits home when death, suffering, and hardship seek to hold us back from making a good confession of the sanctity of all lives.
Col. John Eidsmoe, member of the LFL Board of Directors, AFLC Pastor, law professor & retired Air Force Lt. Colonel
Title: “Looking at Abortion through Luther’s ‘Two Kingdoms’ Lenses”
Overview: Does “Two Kingdoms” theology mean separation of church and state? Topics will include: How do we use the Bible to form our view of the sanctity of life? How do we use the Bible to defend the sanctity of life in the public arena? Do the Bible and medical science conflict? How to we defend our pro-life convictions in court? Will the Supreme Court ever overrule Roe v. Wade? If it does, what then?
MARTIN LUTHER FANS: We have a few outside projects that we would like to have completed before school starts. Tasks include pulling weeds from out of the playground (Zion campus and Shepherd of the Valley), cleaning up and trimming the bushes and plants on the west side of the building a painting the bench. We would also like to clean up the brick patio area by the west door. These can be done on a time that works for you, so let me know if you’d like to help! If you are interested , please contact Denise Wolfgram at wolfgram@lutherschools.org or call the school office at 224-9070.
ORIENTATION FOR Catechism Instruction will take place on Wednesday, August 19, 7:30 pm for parents and students in grade 6-8. We will meet in the Sunday School area of the church as the mid-week service with Pastor Zellers will be drawing to a close in the sanctuary.
Youth Volunteer to Serve on Board of Youth
The Board of Youth is looking for senior high youth to help serve on the Board. Those interested are encouraged to attend the next Board meeting August 12th at 7:45pm after the Wednesday evening service at Shepherd of the Valley. This is your opportunity to help shape youth events and steer the direction of the group. Any questions, feel free to contact Laith Hintz at 701-426-0817 or laith_hintz@hotmail.com.
SOTV Youth Night!
Shepherd of the Valley youth and their families gathered for a time of fellowship on Sunday, July 26th. This included prayer and devotion, discussion of how we’re coping with challenges that we’re facing and time to enjoy each other’s company by playing table tennis, pool, pinball, and other fun activities. A special thanks to Adam Dever for providing his shop. The Board of Youth would also like to extend appreciation to Dane Wolfgram for all of his effort working with youth this summer and wish him best of luck in his final year of college as he prepares to become a Director of Christian Education.
LCMS Stewardship Ministry
Newsletter article – August 2020
Winston Churchill reportedly said, “we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” According to Churchill then, our lives are defined less by what we have gotten and more by what we give away.
Our Lord’s life is defined in this way. He gave completely of Himself for us. He became man for us. He taught the truth of God’s Word. He healed those with many and various diseases. He died the death that we deserve because of sin. He gave of Himself in order to save us from sin, death, and hell. So it is that by giving completely of Himself, He got us for Himself, making us citizens of His eternal kingdom by grace.
As it was for Jesus, so it is also for us. We get more from giving than we do from simply getting. Giving softens our hearts and frees us from the worries of this world and making a living. For when we are singularly focused on making a living, we are singularly focused on what we get.
That mindset begins to bleed into all areas of our lives – our relationships with friends and family, with neighbors and coworkers, and with the Lord. It shifts our focus from asking “How can I be a friend, family member, neighbor, and servant to others?” to “What have they done for me lately?” We become more selfish instead of selfless.
But, when we give, we do not have less, and we do not become less. We have more and become more. Because when we give, we join in the bond of friendship and family, the bond of service to those around us out of love for them. And love is the fulfillment of the Law. It is the nature of God Himself, for God is Love. Thus, we are participating in the divine nature. As Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
August Acolyte List
*Aug 2 Taylor B. 815am
Gavin V. 1045am
Aug 9 Shaylee C. 815am
Jensen H. 1045am
*Aug16 Emma V. 815am
Daisy A. 1045am
Aug 23 Zeva B. 815am
Kallen H. 1045am
*Aug 30 Blake N. 815am
Reese D. 1045am
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AUGUST BIRTHDAYS Kya Ekstrom Lily Dever Heather Ziebarth Kurt Hauf Lyn Krecklau Eliot Reinke Marion Reinke Andrea Pansegrau Michelle Kimmes Paul Vukelich Leslie Watson Brandy Peterson Molly Fetzer Cindi Bechtold Andrew Kalonick Shelia Kalonick Eldon Unrath Don Bitz Carla Unrath Doris Leno Bernice Rehling Sophie Boespflug Sherry Hawley Wayne Doll Connie Hoffman |
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AUGUST BAPTISMAL BIRTHDAYS Don Bitz 8/1 Amy Sicble 8/2 Larson Davis 8/3 Casey Miller 8/8 Daisy Aarhus 8/10 Jacob Fetzer Jr. 8/11 Reese Dever 8/17 Marilyn Sutheimer 8/17 Gabriel Lawyer 8/21 Curt Krecklau 8/28 Bryanna Kitzman 8/29 Dax Lewis 8/30 Eliot Reinke 8/30
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| THE PURPOSE OF SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH IS TO PROVIDE SPIRITUAL NURTURE THROUGH WORD AND SACRAMENT, LIVE THE FAITH AND REACH INTO THE COMMUNITY WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. |
| Elders
1-15 Martin Bjergaard 16-30 Ken Purdy |
| AUGUST ANNIVERSARIES
Joy & Wayne Doll 08/04/72 Pat & Doug Hintz 08/07/76 Michelle & Justin Dever 08/10/02 Laura & Bill Prokopyk 08/13/03 Charlotte & Ted Schields 08/14/55 Tiffany & Michael Kapla 08/16/08 Sara & Mike Nelson 08/30/03 Julie & Roger Lawyer 08/31/01 Jean & Jim Leuwer 08/31/90 |