The Epistle
Newsletter of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Random Lake, WI ELCA
705 Grand Avenue, Random Lake, WI 53075
Volume XLVI, #2, February, 2023
Church Phone: (920) 994-4043
Website: www.stpaulsrandomlake.com email: stpaulsrandomlakewi@gmail.com
Pastor Elizabeth Jaeger (920) 331-0874 Pastor Dale Erickson (262) 376-0037
Email: jandejaeger2@gmail.com Email: daerickson29@gmail.com
Pastor’s Article
No sooner is Christmas over and we begin seeing Valentines everywhere. It’s the season of love.
There are four Greek words for love that people in the time of the Bible would have been familiar with: eros or romantic, sexual love; storge or family love; philia or friendship love and agape is the kind of sacrificial, unconditional love that God has for us and models for us by sending His Son. The writer of 1 John proclaims that God is the source of every kind of love: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.”
When we seek to love others without their having to earn it, unconditionally, that is God’s love showing through us, “being perfected in us.” Of course, only Jesus reveals God’s perfect love, but God wants that love to go on living in us through our loving actions toward others.
At our last Confirmation session, Edward, Charli, Lisa and I had the opportunity to put God’s love into action at Project Angels Hugs in Plymouth. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, it is “an organization dedicated to nurturing a passion for service in the hearts of our youth while ministering to the emotional needs of children with cancer and their families.” PAH’s mission is to send cards and “hug boxes,” care packages to children with cancer and their siblings. We helped by stamping mailing boxes with hearts and messages for the upcoming Valentine boxes that will send lots of love their way. Project Angel Hugs was founded in 1999 while Vanessa Jensema was undergoing
chemotherapy. Vanessa noticed that other children weren’t getting the support she was, and she started to change that by collecting toys and making cards and crafts for her friend at the hospital. Now that’s love in action! And this project continues in Vanessa’s memory even after she died from leukemia. PAH is always looking for Junior Angels and Adult Volunteers year round for all holidays and birthdays, making cards and crafts and putting together hug boxes. Such a lovely way to make God’s love real to kids and families who can really use it.
Make a point this year to recognize that Valentine’s Day is not just for couples, but a perfect time to nurture and water God’s love in the world and make it bloom to perfection.
A blessed Heart’s Day to all.
Love,
Pastor Elizabeth
The Epistle article deadline for March, 2023 is Monday, February 20th at Noon.
Sunday Bulletin article deadline is every Monday at Noon.
FROM YOUR PARISH NURSE – Nancy Eberhardt
Dear Friends of St. Paul’s Lutheran,
In February we recognize Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month. This month I would like to share some thoughts with you on Heart Attacks.
What Is a Heart Attack?
A Heart attack (or myocardial infarction) refers to an interruption in the blood supply to the heart which is so severe that some of the heart muscle dies. Heart attacks are usually caused by a blood clot in a heart artery. The blood clot attaches to deposits of cholesterol in the artery and blocks the blood flow to the heart muscle.
What Are the Symptoms of a Heart Attack?
Heat attacks can cause a variety of symptoms, but the following are the ones most commonly associated with heart attacks.
Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing, or pain in the center of the chest (it may spread to the arms, shoulder, neck or back) which lasts for more than a few minutes.
Lightheadedness, weakness or fainting.
Sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.
A person having a heart attack may not have all of these symptoms, but if you experience any of them, you should consider the possibility of a heart attack.
Happy Heart Month
Our health ministry this month focused on caring for our hearts. May you be blessed with God’s heart healing peace. “A heart at peace gives life to the body…”Proverbs 14:30.
Prayers from the people for the people.
We pray especially for…
Dave Torrison, Sr., Candace Snider,
Joanne Hafemann, Pastor Dale Erickson, John Knuth (Lorna’s cousin), Art & Sherry Jaeger (Pastor Elizabeth’s mother- and father-in-law), Darla Jean Kraus, Dianna Maerz (Pastor Elizabeth’s friend), Karen Mole, Jim Engel
Jim Engel, John Wulff, Alba Torrison, Tim Torrison
those on our prayer list and those we name in our hearts.
We pray for all serving in the military, especially:
Derek Kumrow
HOLY COMMUNION will be celebrated on the first Sunday and third Sundays of the month. Wafers and wine are in disposable cups.
SERMON NOTES If you have missed a Sunday and would like to have a copy of the current or previous sermon, see Sandi Wulff.
GLOBAL WORSHIP will be February 12th. All of our hymns will be from different parts of the world. We will hopefully have people to read the lessons in a different language. After worship we will once again have our Global potluck. Any dishes will be welcome but something with a global flare would be fun. If anyone has any items from other countries to put on display, please bring them for all to enjoy. Please plan on joining us on this fun day.
ASH WEDNESDAY is on February 22nd this year. St. Paul’s will be holding a service on this day. More details to come in the early part of February.
BIBLE STUDY On February 19th, we’ll resume study of the prophet, whom a couple of us called “weird.” Ezekiel was instructed to do strange things to get people’s attention, sort of like advertisers do today. But his message is unforgettable. He knows our God, who speaks judgment and grace. Check out the material on Ezekiel on the table at the back of church (by the red arrow). Plan to join us for an animated discussion. Pastor Dale