WHAT'S ENOUGH?
 This is a four week course that begins on Thursday, October 11th at 7:30 p.m.  You are welcome to attend one or two sessions, or the entire course.  Come and see!

10TH ANNIVERSARY
 Did you know that St. Luke's Zion is 10 years old this year?  The opening service was held on the first Sunday in Advent in 1997.  A 10th Anniversary celebration is planned for the first Sunday in Advent this year:  December 2, 2007.  Mark the date on your calendar now, and watch for more details!

SATURDAYS AT 4
 This is a new initiative for youth approximately 10 to 15 years of age.  Any interested boys or girls are invited to come to the church on Saturdays at 4 pm for an hour of hockey with Pastor Lynne.  The first time we'll gather will be Saturday, October 6th.  Please speak to Pastor Lynne for more details or to indicate your interest in participating.

DID YOU KNOW?
 There is now a weekly newsletter from the MNO Synod which is published online.  It is called "CrossWord."  Any interested person can receive it by sending an e-mail to Rick Scherger (rscherger@elcic.ca).  The newsletter contains information about events that are happening in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, as well as news from other Lutheran congregations.

A PROMISE OF HOPE
 Dana and Autumn Stringam will present a lecture related to their journey in dealing with bipolar disorder and mental illness on Friday, October 12th at 7:00 p.m. at the Gas Station Theatre (445 River Ave at Osborne).  Flyers about this event are available in the narthex of the church.

THANK YOU!
Thank you to everyone who husked, cooked, served, set up, baked, cleaned up, picked up the food and helped out in any way to make our annual Corn & Wiener Roast such a success.  This event wouldn't happen without you and we appreciate you very much!

MITTEN TREE
 There is still time left if you would like to knit items for the mitten tree.  Distribution of these items usually takes place at the beginning of December.  There still is some wool available.  If you have wool at home, that you are not using, please consider donating it.  If you wish to make a monetary donation towards covering the cost of the wool, please note the donation on your envelope. 
Any questions or concerns please talk to Linda Edel.

FOOD BANK
 Our church Food Bank still takes place every second Thursday afternoon.  We are now located at St. Johns Presbyterian Church on Bannerman and Charles.  Things are definitely a little easier at this location, no stairs and a larger hall space.  We average about 80 - 85 families each time.  A big THANKS to all who have donated money and food to the food bank over the summer months.  It was definitely needed as donations from Winnipeg Harvest are down over the summer months.  Plastic bags are needed again.
 A big THANK YOU to Sharon, who has been coming to help us at our Food Bank on a regular basis.  She is working the desk where people come to register.
Linda Edel

JUNIOR CHOIR
The Junior Choir will try to meet on Sundays after church for about 30 minutes.

COIN BOXES
 The coin boxes that were given out last fall can now be brought back during the month of October.  Please indicate either your name or envelope number.  At the back of the church on the table, are coin rollers; it would be very much appreciated if you could help us in rolling the coins.  Also at the back are new boxes for the next year.
 All proceeds are equally shared by C.L.W.R. and N.E.S.T.
Linda Edel

LADIES GROUP
Since it is so cold and dark in the winter evenings we have decided to switch our meetings to Saturday mornings at the church.
Our next meeting will be on October 20th at 10:30 am.  We are busy sorting and cataloguing the banners.  After our meeting we plan on having lunch together at the Country Porch.  See you on the 20th.

Lutheran Urban Ministry (LUM)
Lutheran Urban Ministry has just been incorporated!  Now, that this important step so necessary to the functioning of the ministry has been achieved, the First General Meeting was held Sunday September 23. Annette Kletke attended as the representative from our congregation. All congregations of the MNO Synod, by virtue of their status as congregations of that synod, are members of LUM.
Some important information:
The board has been able to find affordable appropriate facilities to house the ministry.
On Nov. 1 LUM is scheduled to move into 605 Notre Dame Ave.  That is right across from Extra Foods, very close to Health Science Centre formerly the Montecassino Legion building. The committee sees this as a God sent. Not only was it affordable but also it has the necessary facilities like a kitchen, several meeting areas on two levels and lots of washrooms right as you come in the door!
Opportunity for Mission:  LUM provides us with accessible opportunity to minister to the urban poor in our midst. This is person-to-person ministry where you can choose to actually see with your own eyes the people you are reaching out to. (You may choose to send sandwiches with someone else or donate funds…but you know this outreach is helping your community! LUM needs volunteers. And I quote from the report: "The more varied the interests of the volunteers, the more varied the programs we can offer. We have a team of board members ready to coordinate these efforts and a small team of volunteers willing to welcome you to their midst. We have plans for ongoing, appropriate training of volunteers to ensure all feel well supported. Meetings for volunteers are held the second Monday of each month."  Weekends are especially needful times.
"Lutheran Urban Ministry needs ongoing financial support: LUM is different from other congregation in that expenses can not be met by the participants."  No amount is too small. It is hoped that congregations, as well as individuals, sponsor this mission with a monthly gift, but not at the expense of existing congregational or international missions. There is the sense that God calls us to this critical ministry… and with everyone chipping in a lot can be accomplished. (Also, GIC's can be bought from the ELCIC and interest earned.)
For further information regarding volunteering, etc please contact:

Meliny McGlade (volunteer contact) at meliny4@mts.net  or 783-2807

Judy Dikkema, chair at judydikk@mts.net  or 261-9015
Yours in Christ,
Annette Kletke
 
NEWSLETTER ITEMS
Items for the October newsletter can be given to Teresa Rumley or emailed to treerumley@shaw.ca by Sunday, October 21st.

 Thank you!

CLERGY APPRECIATION MONTH
I found the following and wanted to share this with you.
Teresa

Thank You, Pastor

You work vigorously, often neglecting personal needs to give us comfort and direction. You do so much, yet you receive so little in return. This National Clergy Appreciation Day, we take time out to acknowledge and celebrate the efforts of your leadership.

 May God bless you as you continue to guide us into a deeper relationship with Him.

8 WAYS TO ENCOURAGE YOUR PASTOR
Simple acts that feed a shepherd. 

by Victor Parachin

Sometimes pastors are the loneliest people in the church. Often their hours are long, the pay minimal, the criticism considerable and constant. Feelings of disappointment, discouragement, and defeat may begin to plague the best of them.
Paul's admonition to "serve one another in love" (Gal. 5:13) should encourage us to remember our shepherds. Here are eight ways to make their lives better.

1. Cut the criticism
Presbyterian minister Fred Rogers, creator and host of television's "Mr. Roger's Neighbourhood," recently gave an address describing the time he was a student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and attended a different church each Sunday in order to hear a variety of preachers.
One Sunday he was treated to "the most poorly crafted sermon (he) had ever heard." But when he turned to the friend who had accompanied him, he found her in tears.
"It was exactly what I needed to hear," she told Rogers.
"That's when I realized," he told his audience, "that the space between someone doing the best he or she can and someone in need is holy ground. The Holy Spirit had transformed that feeble sermon for her-and as it turned out, for me too."
Unlike most workers who are evaluated once or twice a year, clergy are often critiqued weekly after each worship service. It's not unusual to hear people say: "the music was poor," "the hymn selection was awful," or "the sermon was boring." We would do well to remember that most spiritual leaders work hard to make worship a unique celebration each week.

2. Pray regularly
Ask God to shower your pastor with an abundance of love, hope, joy, faith, peace, power, wisdom, and courage. Pray for your spiritual leader's maturity and growth in the faith. As you pray keep in mind this wisdom from German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: "If you treat a person as he is, he will stay as he is; but if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be, he will become what he ought to be and could be."

3. Express appreciation in writing
A spoken compliment is always welcome, but a written one can be read over and over again for years. So, when you hear or see something you like from your minister, write an appreciative note.

4. Use your skills to bless
Are you proficient with computers? Help your pastor master the church's new computer. Are you a mechanic? Offer to service the car free of charge or at a reduced fee.
One pastor I know recalls: "I was pastoring my first church-a small congregation with limited resources. While there, I developed a series of dental problems and could not afford treatment. What a joy it was when a dentist in the church offered to treat me for free. Correcting my dental problem involved nearly a dozen visits. He treated me carefully and cheerfully each time. I have thought of that dentist many times since then and the memories of his kindness continue to bless my life."

5. Squelch gossip
If you hear a negative comment, respond with a positive one. If misinformation is being spread, correct it with the accurate information. Or, if people are gossiping, just walk away. Remember the Bible soundly condemns gossip and careless speech. James 1:26 says, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." And Psalm 34:13 reads, "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies."

6. Offer to meet a need
Some people make their spiritual leaders defensive and angry by saying, "You need to … " That approach is seldom welcome and almost always counterproductive. If you see a need, approach your spiritual leader by saying, "I'd like to help by … " If you see an area that can be improved, take responsibility for working on it.
Be an active participant in your church. Get involved by teaching a class, leading a workshop, singing in the choir, feeding the hungry. Ask your spiritual leader where and how you can employ your gifts.

7. Be openly responsive
Nothing so animates and excites a spiritual leader as seeing people respond to the preaching and teaching. Imagine the surprise and delight of a pastor, who, when greeting a visitor to his church, found she came because of the kindness of a church member who was her neighbour.
"I'm recently divorced, a single parent and new to this community," she told the pastor. "To keep up with rent and provide for my three children, I must work two jobs. That leaves me very little time for yard work. I was relieved when the weeds didn't overrun my yard as I had feared they might. However, when I made an unscheduled trip home in the middle of my workday, I discovered the reason why the weeds had not taken over my yard.
"My 86-year-old neighbour-a member of your church-was on his hands and knees pulling my weeds. I barely knew this man and he was embarrassed to be caught in this anonymous act of kindness. He explained that he heard you preach a sermon on the importance of living a life of compassion and kindness and decided to put that sermon into practice by weeding my lawn."
One pastor's heart filled with joy when a group of women responded to a sermon preached from the words of Jesus-"Do not judge, or you too will be judged" (Matt. 7:1). After hearing the sermon, the women decided to give a baby shower for the young woman who provided childcare while they met for Bible study. She was unmarried, close to going on welfare, and without support from her family or the father-to-be. The young woman was moved to tears by the surprise baby shower.
Later, the women explained to the pastor, "Your sermon taught us that it's possible to reach out to someone in need-in this case, an unwed mother-without judging or condoning the situation."

8. Throw away the measuring stick
Don't expect that your present spiritual leaders will do things the same way their predecessors did. Lay aside personal agendas and preferences. Instead, focus on how your leader is being used by God to do effective ministry now. By serving your shepherds, you will ensure that they will not only be encouraged but will feel appreciated and continue to minister with enthusiasm and energy.

"They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness."
~Psalm 145:7~

GOOD HUMOUR

From one pumpkin to another!!!!!!!!!!

A woman was asked by a coworker, "What is it like to be a Christian?"
 The coworker replied, "It is like being a pumpkin."  God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off you.  Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff.
 He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed.  Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."
 This was passed on to me by another pumpkin.  Please pass it on to other pumpkins!