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GETTING READY FOR LENT
After the worship service on Transfiguration Sunday (Feb. 14) in preparation for the beginning of the Lenten Season, we will bury the ‘alleluia’, burn last year’s palm branches (which will be used for the Ash Wednesday Service), and set up the large Lenten Cross by the highway.

Lent will begin on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17th. There will be a worship service with the imposition of ashes at the Vashon Presbyterian Church. We will start with a soup supper at 6:30pm followed by worship at 7 pm. 

LENTEN STUDY: LUTHER’S MARKS OF THE CHURCH
Join us for fellowship (with bread and soup) and a time of study on Wednesday evenings at 6pm during the season of Lent. In five weeks, we will deal with the following aspects of our Christian faith and set them in relation to Lent and our individual and communal Christian life.
 February 24th – Scripture
 March 3rd – Baptism and Ministry
 March 10th – Communion and Forgiveness
 March 17th – Worship
 March 24th – the Cross

PULPIT SWAP SUNDAY
Several pastors on Vashon will be preaching at a different church on Sunday, February 7th. We want to make this an expression of a growing ecumenical effort. The following churches and pastors are involved:

• Pastor Dan Houston (Vashon Presbyterian Church) will be at Vashon Lutheran Church
• Pastor Kimbrough Besheer (Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit) will be at Vashon United Methodist Church
• Pastor Bjoern Meinhardt (Vashon Lutheran Church) will be at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit
• Pastor Darryn Hewson (Vashon United Methodist Church) will be at Vashon Presbyterian Church

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY GROUP
We will meet at Karen Rae’s home (11628 – 103rd Ave. SW) at 2p.m. on Feb 18th to continue our study of the Book of Acts. Read Acts 13 - 18. Bring your Bibles and Study Guide. We will discuss the events at the Council of Jerusalem and Paul’s two missionary journeys. In March we will have a pot-luck luncheon at the church at noon and put together kits to assist in the relief efforts of Lutheran World Relief.

HAITI EARTHQUAKE HELP
On February 12th, Haiti was struck with a devastating 7.0 earthquake. People around the world have sent assistance. Individuals and congregations of the ELCA have contributed more than $1.2 million to fund relief efforts of Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and partner organizations working in Haiti to ensure that the people get immediate access to water, food, and shelter. Lutheran World Relief is also committed to the long-term recovery of the people of Haiti. LWR partner Lutheran World Federation is already working to evaluate the needs outside Port-au-Prince and reports that damage in the rural communities is also extensive.

LWR reports a further opportunity to help. Health kits and layettes were sent to Haiti which depleted their stock. Help fill the need for health kits, quilts and school kits. The Women’s Bible Study Group will meet in March to assist in this need. To learn how you can become part of the recovery effort visit lwr.org/Haiti. 

You can help by praying for those affected and those there to help. You may also help aid Haiti by making a donation to Lutheran World Relief. They will accept donations by phone at 800-LWR-LWR-2, online at lwr.org or by mailing a check or money order to:

Lutheran World Relief
Haiti Earthquake
P. O. Box 17061
Baltimore, MD 21298-9832

ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
Following the worship Service on Sunday, Jan 31st, we will have our annual congregational meeting. Please plan to attend.

A FEW APHORISMS TO PONDER THAT DEAL WITH THE WORK OF COMMITTEES

• To get something done, a committee should consist of three (people), two of whom are absent (Robert Copeland)
• A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours (Milton Berle)
• To kill time, a committee meeting is the perfect weapon (Author unknown)
• And finally, a thoughtful reminder, also for the work in the church, how important it is to work for the common good and to uphold the aspect of communal salvation:
• Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there (Virginia Burden)

A SERVICE of PRAYER and HEALING
We will have the opportunity to quietly gather for prayer and healing in the Lutheran church sanctuary from 6 – 6:30 p.m. the first Sunday of each month. Our next service will be February 7th at 6pm.
Regardless of who you are and what you carry, you are welcome in this place. Come to pray aloud or silently.
Come forward to be prayed for through naming your concerns or retaining your silence.
Or...simply come to sit for a while and unwind with your own thoughts.
No pressure, no intrusion...A simple service without music...without liturgy...in a candle-lit sanctuary where we gather to hear a few readings, pray and be prayed for, and sit and just be.

The Rev. Jeff Larson, Ph.D. is a Lutheran minister and clinical psychologist called by Vashon Lutheran Church to provide counseling services to the community. As a member of the body of believers he feels that spiritual health in its many shapes and forms is key to attaining psychological and physical health.

2010 ALTAR GUILD ROSTER
February:  Gretchen Yates
March:    Susan Lincoln
April:    Karen Stamper
May:    Stephanie Lee
June:   H. Nelson & B. Snaza
July:    Neil Jungmann
August:   Dorothy Topp
September:  Jill Dubois-Fultz
October:  Pattie Wagner
November:  B. Snaza & H. Nelson
December:  Laura Goth 

PASSION PLAY TOUR & MORE IN 2010
The Passion Play takes place every ten years and the next time in 2010. I will lead a group trip June 21- July 2, 2010. Goodspeed & Bach have put together a spectacular trip. The trip is custom-made and includes entrance fees to the play, many museums, a garden, and Heidleberg castle. Breakfasts and some meals are included.

We will visit the following cities: Heidelberg, Strassbourg, Colmar, Geneva, Zurich, Konstanz and Mainau, Neuschwantstein, beautiful Alpine village of Graswang (during the passion play), Berchtesgaden, and Salzburg.

We put a cap amount on the expenses for land-travel The more people who go on the trip, the less expensive it will be. Land Tour Cost (double occupancy) for 25 travelers is $2699. per person. Each traveler will need to make their own flight arrangements.

BAPTISM SCHEDULE FOR 2010
During 2010, baptism will be a special part of our worship on:

• April 3rd, Saturday, Easter Vigil
• May 23rd, Sunday, Day of Pentecost
• November 7th, Sunday, All Saints Sunday
• December 25th, Saturday, Christmas Day

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS:
Ray and Gerri White (cancer); Blanche Heien and son-in-law Robert Smith; Barbara Steen; Nancy Weishaar (friend of Marsha Morse); Fred Losornio; Terri Hitch; Karen Rae; Doug Clark and his daughter (friend of J. Lincoln); Stephanie Lee & family. Also remember those in care facilities: Lelan Lau, Carl Nelson, & Oda Sorensen. Contact Gail Larson (567-4779) to initiate a prayer request.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER GROUP meets every Thursday at 9:00 am. Please call Gail Larson (567-4779) for prayer requests.

REFRESMENTS AND FLOWERS          
We need people to sign-up for refreshments and flowers for Sundays in February. Please see the list in the Fellowship Hall.

STAFF AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
STAFF
Rev. Bjoern E. Meinhardt     
Rev. Jeffrey Larson, PhD (Counseling)
Secretary Cheryl Prescott     
Church Office: 463-2655        

CHURCH COUNCIL 
President: Jack Lincoln
Vice-President: Susan Lincoln
Secretary: Jill DuBois
Treasurer: Elaine Lester
Property Manager: Michael Wagner
Stewardship: June Langland
Member at Large: Michael Goth

LESSONS FOR JANUARY

5 Epiphany  Feb 7, 2010
First Reading  Isa 6:1-13
Psalm   138
Second Reading  1 Cor 15:1-11
Gospel   Luke 5:1-11

Transfiguration Feb 14, 2010
First Reading  Exod 34:29-35
Psalm   99
Second Reading 2 Cor 3:12-4:2
Gospel   Luke 9:28-43

Ash Wednesday Feb 17, 2010
First Reading  Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Psalm   51:1-17
Second Reading  2 Cor 5:20b-6:10
Gospel   Matt 6:1-6, 16-21

1 Lent   Feb 21, 2010
First Reading  Deut 26:1-11
Psalm   91:1-2, 9-16
Second Reading  Rom 10:8b-13
Gospel   Luke 4:1-13

2 Lent    Feb 28, 2010
First Reading  Gen 15:1-12, 17-18
Psalm   27
Second Reading  Phil 3:17-4:1
Gospel   Luke 13:31-35

HAPPY FEBRUARY BIRTHDAY
Gary Peterson   Feb.  1
Elaine Lester   Feb.  3
Terry Chappell   Feb. 17
Don Ward   Feb. 17
Pam Brown-Ebright  Feb. 19
Nathaniel Larson  Feb. 22
Gail Larson   Feb. 23 

HAPPY FEBRUARY ANNIVERSARY
Jack & Susan Lincoln  Feb. 02
Frank & Patricia Erickson  Feb. 14
Michael & Laura Goth  Feb. 15

DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE
2/2 Tues The Presentation of Our Lord
2/3 Weds Ansgar, Archbishop of Hamburg, missionary to Denmark & Sweden, 865
2/5 Fri Martyrs of Japan, 1597
2/14 Sun Cyril, monk, 869; Methodius, bishop, 885, missionaries to the Slavs
2/18 Thurs Martin Luther, renewer of church, 1546
2/20 Sat  Rasmus Jensen, first Lutheran N.A. pastor 1620
2/23 Tues Polycarp, Bishop Smyrna, martyr, 156
2/24 Weds St. Matthias, apostle
2/25 Thurs Elizabeth Fedde, deasoness, 1921

VASHON THRIFTWAY 1% COMMUNITY DONATION PROGRAM
Remember to save your Vashon Thriftway receipts to be used for our missions program. Thriftway will donate 1% of the total to VLC. Remember the rules:
• Cash register receipts must be from Vashon Thriftway.
• Cash register receipts must be for purchases made by members of Vashon Lutheran Church.
• Receipts turned in cannot be more than one year old.
• Purchasers must sign each receipt, and indicate their phone number.
• Receipts may be placed in the indicated receptacle in the Fellowship Hall.
Thanks for helping
Stewardship Chair

Articles for The Mouse, due Feb. 20th