Welcome to Pastor Girma to the SED

 On Sunday evening, November 5, 2017 

Pastor Girma Allemu was installed as pastor of 

Ethiopian Evangelical Mekane Yesus Lutheran Church

in Cary, North Carolina.

 Pastor Girma with SED President John Denninger

 and congregation host- 

Rev. Mark Drengler

 at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 

Cary, North Carolina.

This was also the chartering service 

for  Ethiopian Evangelical Mekane 

Yesus Lutheran Church.

May the Lord bless Pastor Girma 

and his family and his ministry

 in Cary, North Carolina.

Sharing Jesus- IRL

President John Denninger at Tending the Flame 2017-
 Glen Allen, Va

Southeastern District Prayer Quilt

This prayer quilt represents the prayers of many 

who are lifting up the names of loved ones,

 of people who walk 
without knowing Jesus as Savior, 

on mission and ministry. We have sheets that list

 the Circuit Visitors 

and our iNeighborhood congregations. 

Our goal is to make them available 

at District events

 and then have a wall of prayers for display

 at our Convention in May 2018.

This quilt will next be a part of the LWML 
gathering of the Chesapeake District Fall Retreat.

Participants may want to pray for congregations
 in their zones, for the various zone leadership, 

for the mission work of LWML –

 both locally, nationally,

 and internationally. 

As you stop to color, 

think of someone, a concern, 

a ministry and pray

 for them while you work. 

You may wish

 to add their name to the design – 

or a prayer thought.

 These gifts of prayer 
will be added to the Prayer Quilt.

 Thank you for your partnership as together 

we pray for the work of God

 in and through His people-
 so that all will know.

Thank you to Sally Hiller
 for contributing this update.

Carol Ritchie -The Banner Lady

Carol Ritchie- The Banner Lady

It doesn't take very long

 after walking into

 Our Savior Lutheran Church -

 Laurel, Maryland 

to notice that a Visual Artist

is a part of this community.

A Banner for the Ordination 

and Installation of Rev. Derrick Miliner.

The Pentecost Banner

Like most visual learners, 

I see pictures when speakers use words

 that evoke mental images. 

Some Pastors are quite adept 

at bringing images to mind as they speak, 

and I usually draw in my bulletin 

when I’m moved by the words they’ve used. 

The doodles, though quite small, 

often remain virtually unchanged 

when translated into a 

full-size design for a banner. 

The Pastor’s words become my

 “homilies on the wall”. 

 I prefer not to include words, so many are left to be interpreted by those who stop to see them, 

though I do offer an explanation

 in the bulletin when they are first used. 

Some ideas spend quite

 a long time being worked and reworked 

in my head before being made,

 others seem to come fully ready

 for immediate pattern design.

 On the other hand, a number of my banners

 have grown out of

 LWML convention themes 

when I was asked to create

 a banner for that purpose. 

Those designs developed as I worked

 with how each particular theme 

could best be portrayed.

Christ has set YOU free!

I’ve used many materials in the banners 

I’ve made but continue

 to appreciate the base structure

 able to be achieved with well-made felt. 

Some banners have many layers, some are quilted,

 many are three dimensional. 

Our banner stands require a six-inch casing

 at the top, and felt can be squared

 to hang properly without fear of its stretching in some undesirable way.

 I use stitching or fusible web between layers -

 I don’t use glue. 

On one banner, I couched endless yards

 of decorative yarn

 into intricate patterns by hand 

while sitting on the floor on top of the banner. 

Ideas can sometimes get out of hand that way!

For a church celebration- anniversary.

For the Grief-Share Ministry

Celebrating ministry with children.

A Lenten Altar setting prepares
hearts and minds for worship.
Carol certainly sees how all things-
visual- fit together.


Carol is a member of 
Our Savior Lutheran Church,
Laurel, Maryland.
We give thanks for her God-given talent
 and her work that gives Glory to her Creator.

65th Ordination Anniversary- Done Right

Pentecost Sunday was June 4, 2017

 and this was also the celebration day

 for the 65th Anniversary of Ordination

 for Pastor Kenneth Schwengel.

In honor of this landmark-

sixty-five handmade doves

swirled in honor of the 

Pentecost Celebration.

 Pastor Schwengel has been faithfully serving

 (in retirement) 

First Lutheran Church, 

Bowie, Maryland since 1993.

 Deaconess Sally (Meyer) Hiller 

and SED President John Denninger 

bless Pastor Schwengel with prayer.

 A beautiful worship celebration 

and luncheon was put together

 by a congregation currently

  worshipping an average of 10-15 per Sunday.

 The handmade doves were Pinterest inspired 

and made by Chuck and Sally Hiller 

and Sally's sister-Sue Meyer. 

Chuck served as installation engineer.

 Sue Meyer created the beautiful ordination brochure
 and coordinated the stunning floral arrangements. 

Sue serves as the office administrative assistant.

Penny Meyer gathered folks

 to put together a wonderful luncheon

 after the service.

Gordon Meyer serves as usher 

and communion assistant.

Tags were made by the Meyer family

 using Joanne Fink wrapping paper 

and collaged napkins onto tags.

  People could then write blessings and prayers 

for Pastor Schwengel.

This prayer and blessing

 hangs on the walls of the church as you exit.

 This small congregation

 has sent 4 people into full-time ministry.

This Meyer family continues

 to give their gifts, bless the congregation and 

"hold things together."

There is a community/neighborhood

 gathering at the church about every 6 weeks.

Lately, Sister Sally has been introducing

 Visual Faith and Bible Journaling to the group.

Connections go "way-back" 

here for the Meyer- Hiller crew.

Chuck and Sally met here when Sally 

began teaching Sunday school 

after Confirmation and Chuck came to be a "helper."

Both of Chuck's parents and Sally's dad 

are buried in the cemetery out back.

 There is a long-time love 

for the ministry of this location.

There is wondering about what the future holds....

But, in the mean time...

this Meyer family will continue to

serve when needed,

bless all,

love well, 

and keep on celebrating. 

Baptism- Holy Spirit Calling

At the 11 am service

 at Grace Lutheran Church,

 La Plata, Maryland

on Sunday, February, 26, 2017

there was an infant baptism scheduled.

Then the father asked to be baptized also.

Then three other young adults 

asked to be baptized.

 And two young children in the family.

Rev. Charlie Long

at the Baptismal font.

His conversations began discussions.

Seeds were planted.

The Holy Spirit used open doors.

And now we pray that this congregation

 continues to surround these newly baptized 

with a spirit of encouragement and teaching.

We give thanks, Lord,

for the power of your Holy Spirit 

to move in your people.

Amen.