Sunday Morning Services
8:15 am and 10:45 am
8:15 am and 10:45 am
Saturday, October 8th
Now that the dust has settled...It has been an exciting six months! We have been so blessed to have amazing guest pastors and musicians! We have also had fantastic volunteers helping in a multitude of ways! There have been many changes in 150 years and there will continue to be changes in years to come! As we move forward, we pray that God keeps us focused on the ministries of HIS church because, although our world is ever-changing, our GOD and HIS Word remain the same! May God bless St. James Lutheran for the next 150 years and beyond!
Things to watch for in November
Time Change Sunday, November 6thTurn your clocks BACK!
Congregational Meeting
Wednesday, November 16th, at 7:30p
Becky's last work day
November 18th
Thanksgiving Worship Service
Wednesday, November 23rd, at 6:30p
People of God!
November brings a change in weather as the beautiful fall foliage falls from the trees and temperatures begin to drop. We may even see our first snowflakes arrive.
But this November 8th also brings a vital election cycle to us as Americans. And what we should all be aware of and alarmed about is Proposal 3 on our Michigan Ballot. The following are some excerpts from an Issue Brief from the Great Lakes Justice Center published on September 21, 2022:
The ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and other pro-abortion activists are promoting a ballot proposal to amend Michigan's Constitution (Proposal 3). The “Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative” (RRFI), if passed, creates a new, unlimited, and unregulated right to abortion and an additional, undefined “right to reproductive freedom.” This radical proposal is not solely about abortion; rather, this poorly worded change to our State Constitution will create additional new rights and invalidates numerous existing laws protecting women, children, and parents.
The proposed amendment to Michigan's Constitution will do the following:
1. Allows a minor child to have an abortion without the knowledge or consent of the child's parents.
2. Because of the all-encompassing exceptions, the amendment effectively guarantees the right to abortion at any time right up to the moment of birth. Further, it effectively guarantees the right to partial birth abortion and the right to terminate a child's life in the womb at any time based upon a child's disability, gender, race, or for any other reason.
3. Violates parental rights in directing their children's upbringing and education (MCL 380.10), especially in the area of sex education (MCL 380.1507, 1507b). Public schools will now have the legal right to refuse to inform parents about any issue relating to “reproductive freedom” and sexuality. Parents will no longer be able to excuse their children from sex education classes (MCL 380.1507a) because minors will have their own “fundamental right to reproductive freedom” separate and distinct from his/her parents.
4. Creates a right for a minor child to procure a sex change via permanent and irreversible sterilization without the knowledge or consent of the child's parents.
5. Allows school clinics to provide contraceptives to children without the knowledge or consent of the child's parents.
6. Creates new sexuality rights based on “reproductive freedom” that would be elevated over all other fundamental constitutional rights like freedom of speech, the freedom to exercise one's religious conscience, and the fundamental right of parents to control and direct the upbringing of their children.
10. Elevates any type of sexual activity relating to “reproductive freedom” to the status of a fundamental constitutional right. This will include transgender rights and many other forms of sexual expression. Minors will be entitled to access puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, gender transition surgeries, and similar medical treatment as they all relate to “sterilization” and “reproductive freedom.”
There is more but this gives you the main points of what this Proposal stands for. It is DEMONIC! I urge you, as your pastor, to make a stand and VOTE NO on Proposal 3. This is a spiritual war against the forces of evil and those who promote it. We must defeat this! Please Vote and Pray!
November also brings the start of our Holiday Season. As soon as Halloween is over we start to hear Christmas music on the radio. We gather as God's people for our Thanksgiving Worship on Wednesday evening, November 23rd, at 6:30 pm to thank God for His many blessings as we prepare for our National Day of Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24th. And on Sunday, November 27th, we enter the Season of Advent that will lead us to the manger and the celebration of our Savior's Birth!
Live as God's people out in the world in all you do ... even how you Vote!
God is so good!
~ Pastor Brooks
| OFFICIAL ACTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Baptisms | 1 | Beau Freeman (10/30/22) |
| 0 | ||
| Weddings | 0 | |
| Funerals | 2 | Carol Kolbe (10/7/22) Lee Strahl (10/21/22) |
Grace, mercy, and peace to you all through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!
October was a beautiful month! We had so many opportunities to gather together. From celebrating our Anniversary with a German fest - to youth events at Lewis Farms, bonfires and Trunk & Treat - and every Wednesday night having time to connect, eat, and laugh together. Thank you to everyone who coordinated these opportunities. Thank you to all our volunteers who put countless hours into planning all of these.
We are truly blessed to live in such a wonderful place. Not just because of the location of St. James Lutheran but because of the people of our community. We have an amazing fellowship of believers here at St. James. Don't forget to build one another up in faith. As the author of Hebrews says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
As we prepare for another month of ministry, be in prayer. Pray for our community and leaders. Pray for open hearts and hands as we share the gospel.
Please mark your calendar as we prepare for this upcoming month...
November
Every Monday - Men's Bible study at 8:30 am
Every Tuesday - Bible study at 5:00 pm
Every Wednesday - Bible study at 9:00 am (Pew Sisters)
Every Wednesday - Bible study at 6:30 pm (Women's study)
10th - Will seminar 6:00 pm (Fellowship hall - dinner provided)
13th - Youth Night 6:00 pm
27th - 29th - Adult Ark Encounter
We will be getting ready for the Annual White Lake Christmas parade, organizing college care packages, planning for Sunday School Christmas programs, postcards and Advent handouts and so much more. The end of the year is coming up, if you have Thrivent cards, make sure you use them. Every card is worth $250! Let's put together some amazing outreach opportunities.
In Christ,
Russell Baumann
GOOD SHEPHERD PRESCHOOL
THANKSGIVING - One of my favorite Holidays. Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family and friends and give thanks! In this world of "hurry up", I enjoy pausing and spending time with those we love. May your Thanksgiving be filled with our Lord's love, family, and time to be thankful for the little things that He blesses us with on a daily basis.Our 4 year old class recently visited Spookley at Weesies Bros. Garden & Landscaping Center. What a fun time! Thankful that all were able to join us including parents & grandparents.
Coming in November - Parent/Teacher Conferences (mid-November) and Family Night (Monday, 11/28, at 6:30p).
We will be learning what Thanksgiving is all about and why it is important to say THANK YOU!
Join our display in the hallway with a few items that you are thankful for. Stop by and write down your list and we will post on our "Tree of Thanks!"
A Blessed Thanksgiving,
Ellen Grimm
Midweek News
Just a few reminders...There is no Midweek on November 23rd.
The first midweek Advent service is Wednesday, November 30th. Midweek will be ending at 7:15p throughout Advent. Church will then start at 7:30p for anyone that can stay!
Sunday School News
Sunday School is off to a great start! We are having fun and getting into the swing of things. The teachers are doing a great job connecting with students and providing great learning opportunities for them. We've started planning for the Christmas program and I really think it will be a great show! Save the date now, for December 18th at 4pm. We'll also have a Christmas dinner afterwards and a canned food drive connected to it. The kids are learning a lot right now about the importance of giving to others and helping their community. We have dedicated our weekly offering to raising money to donate an agricultural animal to a village in need. They are also very excited to promote the canned food drive and compete with each other to collect the most cans.There are a couple faces I haven't seen yet downstairs. If you haven't come to Sunday School yet, its not too late! We'd love to see all our kiddos!
Amber Lanning
St. James Custodian/Maintenance Position
There is an updated job description for the Custodian/Maintenance position here at church. They are on the bulletin board. If you are interested in this position, please call the church office and leave your name. Thank you!Creation Museum and Ark Encounter
There is a planning meeting on Sunday, November 6th, at 9:30 am in the conference room!Pew Sisters News
Pew Sisters will begin the study of Proverbs on Wednesday, 11/9, at 9:00 am.Congregational Meeting
Wednesday, November 16th, at 7:30 pmIf you would like to add an item for discussion to the agenda, please call the church office by Monday, November 14th.
Will Class
Thursday, November 10th, @ 6:00 pm, meal provided. We will learn:1) What the difference is between a will and trust.
2) What is all needed in preparation for your assets and properties.
3) The different kinds of wills available and what is best for you situation.
4) The steps needed to ensure that your will and or trust is set up and active... and more.
This is a free event. Take advantage of this class and help set yourself and your family up for success.
Thanksgiving
Join us for our Thanksgiving Worship Service Wednesday, November 23rd, at 6:30 pmQuilters News
Quilters shipped 208 quilts and 30 backpacks to Lutheran World Relief. We gave 14 quilts to local missions plus bar soap and socks. Thank you so much for your bar soap donations. In November we will be collecting socks for men/women/kids for locals missions!Pastor Brooks & Becky Winters Retirement Well Wishes
Starting in November, we will have a WISHING WELL box for Pastor Brooks and also for Becky Winters. Cards will be provided to leave congratulation messages, well wishes, or a thank you for the years they have served us!Save the Date...
Farewell Pancake Breakfast for Pastor Brooks and Becky WintersJoin us on Sunday, December 11th, as we will have just ONE worship service at 9:00 am that day with a Farewell Pancake Breakfast to follow in the fellowship hall. Please sign up on the bulletin board if you plan on attending!
November is Long-term Awareness Month
CareForward: a long-term care solution with a life insurance benefitCareForward is a powerful new approach for extended care planning because it can help to safeguard your family's future with a combination of long-term (LTC) insurance and life insurance. CareForward allows you to pay for qualified expenses should you ever need care, while also providing a death benefit if you don't.
CareForward offers these benefits:
- Dual features—Able to receive benefits for long-term care expenses and a death benefit—depending how much care you need.
- Care preference—You decide if you want to receive care at home, in a facility—or both if your situation changes.
- Premium stability—Your premiums are guaranteed to never go up.
- Cash value—CareForward offers guaranteed cash value that will grow—even if interest rates change or markets decline.
- Elimination period—CareForward has a 0-day elimination period for both home care and adult day care and 90 days for residential care facilities.
Having a plan to cope with long-term care needs helps our families face potential hardships as we age. That's why it's so important to start long-term care planning today.
For more information on this exciting new CareForward product or other Long-Term Care options available from Thrivent, contact your Whitehall Thrivent Financial Advisors Marci Bentz and Tony De Nicolo by calling 231-894-8886, texting 231-760-8246, or email whitehalloffice@thrivent.com.
Online Service Directions!
How to watch our services online step by step: on Facebook Live on Sundays at 8:15 am- In the top search bar... Go to https://www.facebook.com/stjamesmontague/videos
(You do not need to have a Facebook account page to access this) - Close the popup box asking to login to your Facebook account.
- Scroll down through the Facebook page until you come across the most recent videos
- Click on the Live video of the church service.
- Explore the rest of the Facebook page and watch other videos. 😊
| October Birthdays | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/01 | Julie Kessler | 11/17 | Louie Mayville |
| 11/02 | Jay Mulder | 11/18 | Ben Huls |
| 11/02 | Ron Bailey | 11/18 | Millie Baumann |
| 11/03 | Heidi McLaughlin | 11/19 | Kaelyn Lohman |
| 11/06 | Rex Allen | 11/19 | Wesley Hasenbank |
| 11/08 | Jeremy Goodrich | 11/22 | Casey Seymour |
| 11/10 | Lauren Mills | 11/22 | Ellery Mayville |
| 11/10 | Paul Schroeder | 11/26 | Bowen Goodrich |
| 11/11 | Tom Kring | 11/27 | Brad VanBergen |
| 11/14 | Lisa Siedenstrang | 11/27 | Hailey Jones |
| 11/15 | Mary (Drachus) Buckley | 11/28 | Dianne Lohman |
| 11/16 | Carolyn Koski | 11/29 | Ken DuBois |
| 11/17 | Gary Schlager | 11/30 | Sue Miller |
| SERVING IN NOVEMBER | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:15 | 10:45 | ||
| ELDERS | Keith Ramthun | Chris Hasenbank | |
| TRUSTEES | Josh Huls | ||
| ACOLYTES | No Acolyte Scheduled | Garrett Birkhofer | |
| USHERS | Jim Silvis | Ken DuBois | |
| Bill Treptow | Brian Bentz | ||
| Jason Cooper | Avarie Bentz | ||
| Rich LaFrance | Mike Griffith | ||
| ALTAR CARE | Sue Streblow & Karen Neubauer | ||
| PRAYER PARTNER | 6th | Ray Grow | Brian Bentz |
| 13th | Jake Wackernagel | Merle Bernhardt | |
| 20th | Sam Wackernagel | Jeff Boulet | |
| 27th | Frank Morningstar | Henry Friday | |
| GREETERS | 6th | M/M Tim Ross | M/M Brian Bentz |
| 13th | M/M Scott Miller | Angie Wigren | |
| 20th | Leah Stevens | M/M Chris Hasenbank | |
| 27th | M/M Paul Schroeder | Ruth Ann Francis | |
| MULTIMEDIA | 6th | April Lipka | Jill Squire |
| 13th | Jeri Wonders | Lizbeth Bentz | |
| 20th | Alicia Koski | Eric Lindstrom | |
| 23rd | Eric Lindstrom ~ Thanksgiving Service (6:30pm) | ||
| 27th | Eric Lindstrom | Friday Family | |
| COFFEE HOUR | 6th | Mary Albrecht & Cathy Hissong | |
| 13th | Diane Babcock & Erika VanBergen | ||
| 20th | Connie Kring & Karen Chamberlain | ||
| 27th | Ruth Ann Francis & Gloria Alvarez | ||
| NURSERY (Service Only) | 6th | Deb Brooks | |
| 13th | Lauren Mills | ||
| 20th | Jim Squire | ||
| 27th | Amber Lanning | ||
| ALTAR FLOWERS | 6th | Tyler Grover | |
| 13th | Winters | ||
| 20th | Jeri Wonders & Sandy Veltman | ||
| 27th | |||