Easter decorating donations will go into one special donation fund that the Altar Guild will use to decorate our church during the Easter season.  If you wish to contribute to these decorations, please fill out the following form and turn it in either to your Sunday usher or to the church office no later than Sunday, April 17th to be published in the Easter bulletin.  All checks should be made out to the ALTAR GUILD.  

If you would like to take your plant home you may do so after the 10:30am (second) service.

The gift is made:

  In honor of:  _______________________

  In memory of:  _____________________

  In thanksgiving for:  _________________

  To the Glory of God:  ________________

Your information:

  Name:  ____________________________

  Address:  __________________________

  Phone #:  __________________________

  Amount of gift:  ______________

Save Thursday, May 12th for the 7th annual "Mission Classic" Golf Outing, of our New Jersey District, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, to the Transforming Congregations Network "revitalization" effort in our congregations.  Last year, SHLC had at least 3 foursomes, and grand time was had by all.  The Outing will be held at Heron Glen Golf Course, Ringoes, NJ.  Cost is about $175.  Sponsors are also being sought.  Call the Church office (908-766-2858) to reserve your spot, or for a brochure.  Speak to Pastor Bob about being a sponsor. 

HOUSE CHURCH UPDATE FROM VICAR DANIEL FENCO

Two weeks ago the Salazar family from Livingston worshipped with us at our Bernardsville House Church.  This week, the Figueroa family and some members of our other house church members will join the Salazar's for worship in their house in Livingston.   It is amazing how God has brought these two families together and how He placed us, SHLC, in the right place and the right time to share the Gospel of Christ to them.  You and I may know these families recently, but God, through His Holy Spirit has been working in them for years.  You have seen the Figueroas during our regular worship services and in our Wednesday lent services; they feel part of our family and they are.  But our work does not end there; we are continually working to find ways in which we can help them.  One of the ways is teaching them the language.  Some of our members have stepped up and will start helping on a monthly basis to teach them the language. 

Also, recently Manuel Figueroa (father) gave his first Bible lesson.  He did a tremendous job and he is willing to keep learning about God and the doctrines so he can continue leading our Bible studies.  After seeing their father, head of the family, lead our Bible study, everyone was excited and they also wanted to participate and learn more about God so they too can lead a small Bible study.  They are not only learning about God and growing in faith, they also want to reach out to others and lead them in the same way Christ has led them to Him.

As you know, on Easter we will have two services in the morning, one contemporary and one traditional.  We will also have our second Spanish Easter service at 5:30pm in the evening.  This will be our second Easter Spanish service since we started our Spanish speaking house church and our third since I joined SHLC.  Some of you may remember David Quispiroca.  He was here about 6 or 7 years ago.  I was invited to a Spanish service at SHLC led by David and Pastor Bob.  After my visit to the Spanish service, I visited our regular services and fell in love with SHLC, our congregation and our pastor.  We are continuing the work that God started years ago, and the Figueroas and the Salazars are very excited about our Easter service.  I am excited too, and so should you.  God is doing great things in our church.  God is using us to bring people to Christ, people that you may have seen at the grocery store or at a restaurant, people that do not speak the same language, but need God in the same way you and I need Him.  These families are learning our faith and they are also learning to live by faith in Jesus.  You are part of this, with your prayers and support, you also make this possible.  Let's praise God together for his marvelous works.

Thinking forward, the Salazars also want to have a Spanish service in their church, Grace Lutheran in Livingston.  And with God's help, we will probably do something in April or May.

Thank you for your continuous prayers and support.  You are more than welcome to join us in our Spanish Easter service.

Pictured above our joined worship two weeks ago.

Daniel Fenco

Come for a steaming hot bowl of soup and some much needed time together in The Lord, each Wednesday in Lent from 6-6:45 in Fellowship Hall prior to the worship service.  Do you make a great pot of soup?  We need your soup!  Please see our sign up board near the church library to bring soup or just eat soup.  Lent, like life, goes by so quickly, so be sure to save the dates:  April 6 and 13.

Our Confirmation students are looking forward to serving you, so please support them and enjoy good fellowship (even if you don't bring soup or sign up to attend).  Yes, we will also have "kid-friendly" soup, too!  Questions?  contact Melanie Richard (908-204-9638) or Debra Sahadi (908-306-0802).

"What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God."  Psalm 55:14

THANK  YOU TO ALL who made preschool Sunday a wonderful celebration of Gentle Shepherd  Christian Preschool. The dedication of Somerset Hills Lutheran Church to the school mission was evident through so many helpers that day!  We are grateful to the hospitality committee under the guidance of Jodi Kokenge, Judie Crawford , and Jan Pomplun for supplying refreshments after the service. Carmen Scialla provided wonderful music to accompany the songs our children are learning during their preschool days under the guidance of Pastor Bob, Music Teacher Elona Pendell, and the preschool staff.  Thank you to the staff at Gentle Shepherd Christian Preschool for their daily dedication to the children.  The staff provides a nurturing and Christian environment to all our preschoolers so they can learn knowing the love of  God.  Thank you to Cheryl Delgado for preparing all the school statistics for the bulletin. The Richards family did an amazing job focusing on our school's scholarship fund that provides people in need the ability to obtain a Christian Education at our preschool.  We are proud of our alumni, as reflected in Sarah Richards generous act of kindness in thinking of people in need at the preschool. It was a pleasure to work with Sarah and her family as they generously committed their time in showcasing our school in their video. Thank you, Richards, your enthusiastic work helped replenish our scholarship fund with donations that totaling $2,500!  We have been so blessed in the ability to continue to provide families with scholarships. Our deepest appreciation to so many of you who made donations that day!   It was a beautiful service. May God bless you all for your continued commitment to the preschool. 

from Martha Gilmore, Director

April 2011

Dear Friends:

Last month we wrote about how the Lord brought it about that the Haruai, Kobon and Minimib people have His Word in their language, and that there are Haruai, Kobon and Minimib teachers to teach His Word.  Thirteen years ago we could not have envisioned what has come about.  Looking back, we have absolutely no doubt that this is the Lord's work not ours.  A key component has been the faithfulness of the school coordinators to the Lord's call.  Every one of the current leaders was at that first training course thriteen years ago!  The Lord called them and they caught the vision.  Today they have a vision for the expansion and extension of the ministry.  Please continue to pray for them - Timothy, Hibru, Lukson, Lindon, Joel, Sakias and Philip - and for all the teachers.

Timothy's wife Boos with Wanyink

Timothy and his wife Boos were both children of our neighbors at Salemp and grew up with our children.  In 1997 Timothy, by then a grown man, attended our first teacher training course.  He earned the best grades of all the trainees!  We asked him to lead the school program and conduct the training of new teachers.  His response was he did not think he could handle it.  We tried to reassure him that the Lord would make up for whatever he felt he lacked.  He accepted the challenge.

Timothy and I taught the second teacher training course together.  At the time of the third course, I was unavailable and Timothy organized it, enlisting the help of other school district coordinators.  Together they successfully conducted the course.

Timothy conducting teacher training

Timothy has been fulfilling these and additional responsibilities for the past thirteen years.  During that time the staff for which he is responsible has grown to about seventy.  Timothy's responsibilities have expanded to keeping track of finances and school materials and supplies, in addition to overall coordination of the school program.

What Timothy has achieved is remarkable by any standards, and especially for someone who felt the initial task was too big for him!  The Lord surely equips people for the job he wants them to do.

In His Love and Grace,

Pastor John and Maila 

SOMERSET HILLS LUTHERAN CHURCH

The next Prayer Group meeting is on April 12th at 10:00 am.

Soup Suppers (5:30-7pm) followed by Worship (7-8pm) will be held on April 6th andApril 13th

Confirmation Brunch is Sunday, April 17th, 10:30 am - noon.

Thanks to all those who contributed Easter Baskets for Lutheran Social Ministries.  You have until April 3rd to bring yours in!

They will bring joy to many children!

The quilters will meet on the following Fridays:  April 1, and April 15.  Please note these are not the regularly scheduled dates of the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month.

FELLOWSHIP BRUNCH OUTING 

Our National LWML Convention is coming up in Peoria, IL on June 23-26, 2011.  The theme for this convention is "Being with Jesus:  Living on the Edge"...Acts 4:13 & 20.  The NJ District is sponsoring a bus to Peoria which will stop at SHLC on June 21st at 4pm to pick up anyone interested in going.  For further information, contact Arlene Price or check the convention website at www.lwml.or/convention.