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Fellowship and Ministry Center News
December 2011 and January 2012
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December 2011
Being a congregation of mostly seniors, we really appreciate our young families. We especially pray for our families who are dealing with high-risk pregnancies. We pray that God would protect mothers and the babies they are carrying. Our campus is coming alive with young children and new babies on the way. We had the opportunity to enjoy a baby shower for Jeanette Christi and family in October.
The annual Golf Tournament went well. We served a spaghetti dinner to 78 people including guests and help. We thank the many volunteers who helped make the event such a success.
Our annual Thanksgiving Day dinner was wonderful. We thank you for all the yummy foods that you added to our traditional turkey and trimmings dinner. The gross freewill offering given on Thanksgiving Day was $625.00. Our total food costs were $528.65, (food costs jumped by $100.00 for the same food items and quantities this year!). We had a net profit of $96.35, which will be forwarded to the Pastors Discretionary Fund that helps needy families. We served approximately 160 dinners including carry-outs. In addition, the Publix Super Market on Kings Highway donated 9 full turkey dinners, which were distributed to nine families in our congregation. Publix will be doing the same for us just before Christmas. We will be portioning out the dinners into single serving containers. Who knows, you may be one of the lucky ones to get a dinner this time around. It was amazing to help celebrate the 106th birthday of a special lady, a guest who came with our friends from Promenades West. We wish to thank the many diligent and dedicated volunteers who made the dinner possible. It took approximately 30 people working a total of 120 hours to make this a truly wonderful Thanksgiving event.
We served 86 dinners for December's Second Sunday Brunch that included a breakfast casserole, pancakes, and fruit toppings. Our gross freewill offering was $224.00. Our total food expenses were $99.20, which left us with a net profit of $124.80, which will be forwarded to Youth and Young Families. Thank you all for your tasty potluck dishes that you added to the meal to make it a great success.
The Lutheran Child Development Center meal program is moving right along. We are currently serving 7-8 meals a day. We are on a 5-week rotating menu plan. Once in a while we change food items when we discover new favorite food preferences. Sorry, no fast food served here. The kids are really starting to eat their baby carrots. Now on to disguising broccoli. We wish to thank the Parish Guild for the new items purchased for our kitchen. The 3 Crock Pot unit and the non-stick skillets have been put to good use.
New Member Sunday was held on December 4th. Cake was served instead of donuts after late service. We thank the people who donate the cakes for special celebrations. We occasionally get asked why we still have the donation basket out when donuts or cakes are donated. The answer is that the price of the coffee and juice has skyrocketed over the last year. Normally the funds that we take in for the donuts just barely cover the cost of the donuts, so getting a few extra dollars now and then helps us to recoup the beverage cost.
January 2012
Winter has descended upon us, but luckily, it is sunny, mild, and mostly delightful here in our corner of the world! Some of you who traveled north for the holidays surely were relieved to return to our southwestern Florida paradise following Christmas and New Year’s Day. Aren’t we blessed to experience this area?
The Lord is doing some amazing things in our midst. Think of where we have come from and about where we are going. Think of the many miracles we have witnessed in our families and in our church family. Think of the joy we have experienced in caring for the ones we love among us. Make a list every day of one or two blessings you have had that day or the day before, and see just how good it makes you feel inside. Thank you, Jesus, for loving us so much that we continue to receive these special gifts!
We want to thank the Stephen Ministers and Donna Rogers for preparing and delivering 15 single-serving Christmas dinners to our homebound. We also wish to thank our Publix Super Market (Peachland) for once again supplying 7 Christmas turkey dinners for some of our church family and friends.
January’s Second Sunday Dinner is planned for the 8th. The Kitchen Committee will prepare baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy. You are asked to bring salads, sides, and desserts. After all the Christmas cooking, you’re sure to have a stack of favorite recipes all ready! Please remember to bring a dish to serve 8-10 people.
A baby shower for Angela Nicholson is planned for January 14th in the FMC. She and Keith are anxiously awaiting the birth of their baby girl.
A Free Family Fun Fest / Touch-a-Truck event is planned on January 21st. A light lunch will be served. If you would like to volunteer, please contact David Gruntman or the Church Office.
David Anderson will present an evening concert on January 29th in the church sanctuary. Make your plans to attend this very special musical presentation. Watch for additional details in the worship folder.
We are looking for a few able-bodied people who would be willing to help in the dinning area with the blue trays. Some of our people have a hard time handling trays and really need assistance. While you are waiting for your table number to be called, please be on the lookout for someone whom you might be able to assist. We could also use some tray collectors as people unload their food at their tables.
We spotted many guests at our dinners. We are so grateful to see these wonderful people enjoying our campus. Please do not ever hesitate to invite guests to any of our events. It is truly a part of our ministry.
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