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FOOD BANK GARDEN UP AND GROWING
Our garden that helps provide fresh produce for the food bank is in need of volunteers to help tend and harvest food. There is a work party every Thursday & Saturday at 9:30am. Please plan to help when you can, with planting, harvesting, and clean-up.

PARKINSON SUPPORT GROUP
A support group for people with Parkinson’s, their families, and care-givers will meet the first Friday of each month from 1-2:30pm at Vashon Lutheran Church. This is an opportunity to share concerns, resources, support, and have discussions. Different topics will be featured each month. The next meeting is May 7th. For more information contact Lynn Chapman, 206-277-5516.

SYNOD ASSEMBLY
This year the Synod Assembly will be held May 14 & 15th. The theme will be “Living the Good News of God’s Welcome” based on Amy Oden’s book God’s Welcome: Hospitality for a Gospel-Hungry World. Dr. Oden is the keynote speaker and Dean and Professor of History of Christianity at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC. Our congregational representatives to the assembly will be Michael and Laura Goth. If you have any concerns or questions please let them know.

WORSHIP AT THE CARE CENTER
Our next opportunity to lead worship at VCCC will be May 23rd at 9:15am. If you are interested in assisting with scripture reading, leading in singing and providing fellowship support, please see Pastor Bjoern.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY GROUP
Our next meeting will be Thursday, June 3rd for a potluck in Kathleen Odekirk’s beautiful garden. Come enjoy women’s fellowship with food to share and ideas for our next study. There will be a brief informational presentation on Rachel’s Day, and their storybook project.

ECUMENICAL YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL
This group (for youth grades 6 and above) meets from 9-10am Sunday mornings. If you are interested, their schedule of topics and locations can be found on the Vashon Methodist Church web-site, under ‘calendar’.

PACIFIC LUTHERAN PEACE, LOVE, AND UNDERSTANDING YOUTH WEEKEND
On Saturday and Sunday, May 8-9 PLU hosts a high school youth weekend featuring a concert by Agape. The program begins with registration at noon on Saturday at 1:00pm and includes an afternoon of educational workshops and service opportunities. Dinner is in the campus dining commons before the performance by Agape. Local Lutheran churches will provide overnight accommodations. Sunday morning enjoy a pancake breakfast and then join the PLU community for worship. The cost is $20. And includes dinner, concert and breakfast. Contact 253-535-7423 for more information.

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
The National Day of Prayer will be held at noon on Thursday, May 6th at Vashon Theater. The mission of the National Day of Prayer is to communicate with everyone the need for personal repentance and prayer, Christian community, and mobilize the Christian community to intercede for America and its leadership.

VOLUNTEERS FOR CHICKEN COOP TOUR NEEDED
This event to raise money for the Interfaith Council on Homelessness (IFCH) will be held on Mother’s Day weekend, May 8 & 9. There will be two shifts of three hours for each day. Volunteers check tickets and offer IFCH handouts. For more information, contact Emma at 463-4060.

PASTOR BJOERN ON LEAVE
Pastor Bjoern will be on vacation May 18-27th. Pastor Larson will handle any emergencies during this time.

COMPASS CENTER DONATION NEEDS

The Compass Center is asking for:

• new or gently used bath towels.
• all necessary hygiene items
• Men’s underwear (larger sized preferably)
• Art/school supplies (for their Art Class at the Day Center and are in need of supplies: markers, colored pencils, construction paper, paints & paint brushes, embellishments, etc. pens/pencils and lined notebooks).

CONSIDERATION OF OTHERS
Please refrain from wearing fragrances to worship services or church events. Many persons suffer from allergies.

LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF (LWR)
Lutheran World Relief is an international nonprofit organization and joint ministry of the ELCA and LCMS. Through its partners in 35 countries it promotes sustainable development by helping communities increase the quality of life, engage in fair trade, and provide aid in emergencies, especially by responding to disasters, such as the 2004 SW Asian Tsunami and in Haiti after their horrific earthquake this year. LWR is currently helping communities north of Port-au-Prince, where most of the displaced peoples are migrating, by focusing on providing food, water, temporary shelter and sanitation. Since the earthquake LWR has also sent thousands of health kits, layettes, and quilts to Haiti. Thanks to the generous donations and support of Lutherans LWR has raised six million dollars for immediate and long-term recovery work in Haiti.

Current projects include a partnering with Nothing But Nets in an effort to end malaria in Africa. You can assist by contributing. Ten dollars buys an insecticide treated bed net, delivered with instruction as to its use.

You can continue to help LWR continue to provide its valuable services by mailing a check or money order to:
 Lutheran World Relief
 P. O. Box 17061
 Baltimore, MD 21298-9832

MAY IS NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH
Lutheran Community Services provides loving, forever homes for abused and neglected children through two programs: Permanency Planning Foster-Adoption and Refugee and Immigrant Children’s Program.

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.

PASSION PLAY TOUR & MORE IN 2010
The Passion Play takes place every ten years and the next time in 2010. Pastor Bjoern 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.

Winter Worship Assistants
April through June

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS:
Matt Gaspers (lost employment); Karen Rae; Ray and Gerri White (cancer); Nancy Weishaar (friend of Marsha Morse); Fred Losornio; Terri Hitch; 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 will meet at 9:00 AM on Tuesdays during the month of May at the home of the Larson’s. 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 May. 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 MAY

5 Easter          May 2, 2010
First Reading  Acts 11:1-18
Psalm   148
Second Reading  Rev 21:1-6
Gospel   John 13:31-35

6 Easter         May 9, 2010
First Reading  Acts 16:9-15
Psalm   67
Second Reading  Rev 21:10; 22:1-5
Gospel   John 14:23-29

7 Easter      May 16, 2010
First Reading  Acts 16:16-34
Psalm   97
Second Reading  Rev 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21
Gospel   John 17:20-26

Day of Pentecost     May 23, 2010
First Reading  Acts 2:1-21
Psalm   104:24-34, 35b
Second Reading  Rom 8:14-17
Gospel   John 14:8-17, 25-27

Holy Trinity    May 30, 2010
First Reading  Prov 8:1-4, 22-31
Psalm   8
Second Reading  Rom 5:1-5
Gospel   John 16:12-15

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
June Langland   May 1
Luella Lodahl   May 8
Norm Matthews   May 9 
Flo Ann Wittman   May 10
Carl Nelson   May 18
Pippa Koch   May 20
Donna Botten   May 22

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Ron & Martha Hills  May 9
Ray & Gerry White  May 21
Gary & Linda Peterson  May 27

DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE
5/1 Sat St. Philip & St. James, apostles
5/2 Sun Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, 373
5/4  Tues Monica, Augustine’s mother, 387
5/18 Tues Erik, King of Sweden, martyr, 1160
5/19 Weds Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, 988
5/21 Fri John Eliot, missionary to American Indians, 1690
5/23 Sun Ludwig Nommensen, missionary to Sumatra, 1918
5/24 Mon N. Copernicus 1543 & L. Euler, 1783, teachers
5/27 Thurs John Calvin, renewer of the church, 1564
5/29 Sat Jiri Tranovsky, hymnwriter, 1637
5/31 Mon The Visitation

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

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

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 May 20th