Worship With Us!

February looks like a very busy month! Sunday Schedule

First, the month of February is Black History Month.
Please read the article about a young African American
leader of the Lutheran church in Alabama in 1912 on
page 5.
We also have a few fun celebrations with Groundhog
Day & Superbowl Sunday, but don’t worry! Superbowl
Kickoff isn’t until 3:30 so you’ll have plenty of time to
join Saron’s online worship on Facebook at 9:00am!
We have Valentine’s day too! Read about St. Valentine
on page 6!
And of course, Ash Wednesday will be the start of Lent
leading up to Holy Week and Easter. Be sure to watch
the Ash Wednesday service on Facebook at 7:00pm on
2-17-21.
Also, be sure to look for an Information Packet from the
Call Committee concerning the hiring of a new Pastor
and compensation. Voting will be on 2-28-21. More
information on that on page 3.
9:00am
Praise & Thanksgiving
Communion
Presiding: Pastor David Hill
Livestream on Facebook
Due to current statewide COVID
Restrictions, In-door service has
been suspended until further
notice.
You will continue to receive a
weekly email every Friday with the
upcoming Sunday’s Bulletin, which
you can use to follow along on
Facebook Sunday mornings at 9am.
https://www.facebook.com/SaronLu
theranEscalon
If you have any further questions,
please contact the church office at
(209) 838-7695

Table of Contents:
Stained glass Pr’s Note, Lent Outreach pg. 2
window Call Committee Message pg. 3
depicting Preparing for Easter Schedule pg. 4
Saint Black Lutherans in America pg. 5
Valentine St. Valentine’s Story pg. 6
blessing a Bits of Info pg. 7
man and a Birthdays! pg. 8
woman KKM Monthly Craft pg. 9
Upcoming Events,
Crossword Answers pg.10
Bible Crossword pg. 11
Scripture Word Search pg. 12
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Message from Pastor David:

Dear Saron Family, we will be coming
into the Lenten season soon. Ash
Wednesday initiates the beginning of
Lent. This a day in which we are
reminded that we are in need of our
Lord's forgiveness and healing.
LENT OUTREACH
The scripture passages for this day are
As everything else in our lives are different
Isaiah 58:1-12, 2nd Corinthians 5:20-
due to COVID, so is our Lenten Outreach.
6:10 and Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21. This
This year, instead of asking for your generous
day is given to us for our preparation for
donations when we are all struggling, we are
Holy Week. It is time in which we are
asking for you to give of yourself!
called to confession and forgiveness,
Instead of ‘Giving Up’ something for Lent,
and admonition to engage in fasting. We
let’s ‘Do Something!’
are also cautioned not to show our acts
Each person in their own heart can do
of contrition before others, but only
something Charitable:
before God. These acts of humility and
• Send a letter to someone who is housebound
discipline are spiritual guidance to help
• Bring baked goods to a neighbor or friend in
us grow in our relationship with our
need
Risen Lord and Savior!
• Plant flowers for someone who can’t garden
anymore
I hope we all can be blessed by the
• Walk someone’s dog
power of our Lord's gracious
• Phone calls! “Reach out and touch
forgiveness and loving reconciling
someone!”
presence during this Lenten Season!
• Offer to pick up groceries or other shopping
Christ has Risen! Blessings to each of
you and your loved ones!
And when Lent is over, you don’t need to stop!
Pastor David A Kind Gesture is always welcome &
appreciated

Thank You
I want to thank Saron folks for
the Christmas greetings,
prayers and cards, for recovery
during my latest medical
problems. I am so much
looking forward to the time
when we can once again be
together.
Peace;
Betty Farver
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Congratulations!
We are pleased to announce that Jerry Emery had his first book
published in mid-November! "There is No Lower Human Life Form
Than an Immature 7th Grade Boy" is available at both Amazon and
the Barnes and Noble websites, and is easiest found using Jerry's pen
name, Russell C. Morrow. The B & N site also has a couple of nice
reviews at the bottom of the page. Jerry presented a copy of his book
to the church, which is available in the library for your perusal.

Semi-autobiographical in nature, Jerry also utilizes his 38 years in

Education to offer parents and school personnel insights into the
mindset of this classical student anomaly; one often described in staff
lounges and administrative offices, in textbook Educational vernacular
of course, as just "brain dead."

Call Committee Message to the Congregation

The Call Committee is preparing to send you
information in early February about a candidate for
Pastor at Saron.
We need you!
Details will be sent with information about the
Pastor and compensation package. You will receive
a packet which will include two opportunities for
church members to vote:
1 - Compensation packet for the pastor
2 - The hiring of a pastor
• Voting must be in person.
• You will be asked to drive by and hand in your
ballot on Sunday, February 28th.
• Members of the Call Committee will be available
to answer any questions.
Please mark your calendar for this very important
congregational meeting.
The Call Committee:
Ruth Cohagan, Delores Grabow, Deborah Grochau-
Wright, Jennie Spears and Dave Strand.
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RIDDLE:
Something New for
Why did the girl throw the Worship!
butter out the window?
Beginning Wednesday
January 27th, Pastor Hill will
provide a mid-week message
each week on Facebook at
Note from Treasurer Dave 10:00 am. Mark your
The Church Council and I would like to calendar for each Wednesday
thank you for faithfully sending in your at 10:00am for services.
offerings each month. The year 2020 was
a little less difficult as we did not have the
expenses of a full-time pastor. However,
in 2021 we are planning for a full-time
Pastor, and therefore will begin paying
salary and benefits. It is important that you
continue to send your offerings to the
church each month. Thank you for your
part in helping us to meet our financial
obligations at Saron.
Dave Strand

Services preparing for Easter

Mid-week Worship Service on Facebook
Every Wednesday at 10:00am
Ash Wednesday - February 17th
Live stream on Facebook at 7:00pm
Palm Sunday - March 28th
Outdoor Worship Service at 9:00am
Maundy Thursday - April 1st
Live stream on Facebook at 7:00pm
Good Friday - April 2
Live stream on Facebook at 12-noon
Bring flowers for Easter Cross - April 3
Please leave in kitchen
Easter Sunday - April 4th
Outdoor Worship Service at 9:00am
Easter Egg Hunt following the service
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The “mother of black Lutheranism in

America”
Four hundred years of Lutherans in North
America
By Mark Granquist

In the first decades of the 20th century, African

Americans faced grinding poverty and harsh racial
C.A.R.E. requests for the month of
restrictions. Many African American leaders fought
February 2021
against these evils and worked to bring justice to their
“Monetary Donations are always
communities. One such leader was Rosa Young of
welcome!”
Alabama, whose drive and determination enabled her
to spearhead the development of black Lutheranism in
the South.
In 1912, Young, then a 22-year-old Methodist, started a
school for black children in Wilcox County, Ala., but
bad economic conditions threatened its survival. Young
sought assistance from a number of groups and, in
1915, wrote a letter to the Lutheran Synodical
Conference (a grouping of Lutheran synods) asking for
assistance. To her surprise, the conference responded
positively, supporting her school and sending pastors to
the area to start Lutheran congregations.
Heartened by these developments, Young embraced
Lutheranism with a passion. In Black Christians: The
Untold Lutheran Story (Concordia, 1991) author Jeff
Johnson describes Young as “determined, patient,
persistent, and pushy in that unique southern manner
that was always cloaked in polite, good manners. She
was committed to one thing throughout her life: lifting
up black people in rural Alabama.” Young was
responsible for more than just one school, becoming
the driving force behind new black Lutheran
congregations and parish schools across the county.

To continue reading this story, please follow this link

https://www.livinglutheran.org/2019/01/the-mother-
of-black-lutheranism-in-america/
excerpt taken from LIVING LUTHERAN, January
22nd, 2019
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Saint Valentine's Story
By Whitney Hopler, Updated January 31, 2019
Saint Valentine is the patron saint of love. Believers say God worked through his life to perform
miracles and teach people how to recognize and experience true love.
This famous saint, an Italian doctor who later became a priest, inspired the creation of the holiday of
Valentine's Day. He was sent to jail for performing weddings for couples during a time when new
marriages were outlawed in the ancient Rome. Before he was killed for refusing to renounce his faith, he
sent a loving note to a child he had been helping to teach, the daughter of his jailer, and that note
eventually led to the tradition of sending Valentine's cards.

Biography
Saint Valentine was a Catholic priest who had also worked as a doctor. He lived in Italy during the third
century AD and served as a priest in Rome.
Historians don’t know much about Valentine’s early life. They pick up Valentine’s story after he began
working as a priest. Valentine became famous for marrying couples who were in love but couldn’t get
legally married in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II, who outlawed weddings. Claudius
wanted to recruit lots of men to be soldiers in his army and thought that marriage would be an obstacle to
recruiting new soldiers. He also wanted to prevent his existing soldiers from getting married because he
thought that marriage would distract them from their work.
When Emperor Claudius discovered that Valentine was performing weddings, he sent Valentine to jail.
Valentine used his time in jail to continue to reach out to people with the love that he said Jesus Christ
gave him for others.
He befriended his jailer, Asterious, who became so impressed with Valentine’s wisdom that he asked
Valentine to help his daughter, Julia, with her lessons. Julia was blind and needed someone to read
material for her to learn it. Valentine became friends with Julia through his work with her when she came
to visit him in jail.
Emperor Claudius also came to like Valentine. He offered to pardon Valentine and set him free if
Valentine would renounce his Christian faith and agree to worship the Roman gods. Not only did
Valentine refuse to leave his faith, he also encouraged Emperor Claudius to place his trust in Christ.
Valentine’s faithful choices cost him his life. Emperor Claudius was so enraged at Valentine’s response
that he sentenced Valentine to die.

The First Valentine

Before he was killed, Valentine wrote a last note to encourage Julia to stay close to Jesus and to thank her
for being his friend. He signed the note: “From your Valentine.” That note inspired people to begin
writing their own loving messages to people on Valentine’s Feast Day, February 14th, which is celebrated
on the same day on which Valentine was martyred.
Valentine was beaten, stoned, and beheaded on February 14, 270. People who remembered his loving
service to many young couples began celebrating his life, and he came to be regarded as a saint through
whom God had worked to help people in miraculous ways. By 496, Pope Gelasius designated February
14th as Valentine’s official feast day.

Famous Miracles of Saint Valentine

The most famous miracle attributed to Saint Valentine involved the farewell note that he sent to Julia.
Believers say that God miraculously cured Julia of her blindness so that she could personally read
Valentine’s note, rather than just have someone else read it to her.
Throughout the years since Valentine died, people have prayed for him to intercede for them before God
about their romantic lives. Numerous couples have reported experiencing miraculous improvements in
their relationships with boyfriends, girlfriends, and spouses after praying for help from Saint Valentine.
https://www.learnreligions.com/st-valentine-patron-saint-of-love-124544
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Portals of
Prayer
The Portals of
Prayer for
January-March
2021 have
arrived. They are
available in the
church office or if
you prefer having
one mailed, just
let Ann know.

Finance
We wanted to thank those
that have sent their offerings.
If you are able, please send
your offering to the church.
Thank you
The Messenger, Saron’s monthly
newsletter is for all the family of Saron.
If you have anything you’d like included
such as a committee announcement,
family update, interesting tidbit, photos,
personal experience or anything you
think others might find interesting,
please feel free to email all information
to Karen Peters at
saronmessenger@gmail.com
We will do our best to include it in
upcoming Messengers. Please include
“Messenger” in the subject line on your
email.
Deadline to send information
for March 2021 MESSENGER is

2-20-21
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Prayer to St.
Valentine
Patron of Sweethearts, You Might be Lutheran if…
Young People, Love & Change means wearing your brown suit
Happy Marriages instead of your blue suit to church
Dear Saint and glorious
Martyr, who are so
popular with lovers, be
kind to those whom we
love and to us. Teach us
to love unselfishly and to
find great joy in giving.
Enable all true lovers to
bring out the best in
each other. Let them
love each other in God
and God in each other.
Amen.
Birthdays!
February
02 Mark Olson
02 Trinity Thomasser
06 Johanne Irvin-Gade
09 Dave Strand
16 Katelyn Cunningham
18 Garrett Bomer
19 Scott Armstrong
19 Mark Olson
21 Nena (Dahlin)
21 Gary Thomasser
28 Karen Bartolomei
Join us on Facebook!
Search for us by “Saron CORRECTION:
Lutheran Church,” our icon Abigael Pendleton’s
is the front of the church. birthday was incorrectly
listed as January 13th;
Kristopher Pendleton’s
birthday is January 13th.
Abigael’s birthday is in
June!
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1)

2)

KKM CRAFT CORNER

Remember, every month we will offer a new simple
craft for you to do at home. Make as many items as 3)
you’d like & donate to our Kris Kringle Sale in
November. Please contact Becky Emery, Karen Peters
or Jenlane Matt if you have any questions! 4)
“QUICK FABRIC CORNER BOOKMARK”
1) You need two 4” by 4” pieces of iron-on interfacing
and three 4” by 4” squares of fabric. Cut one of the
interfacing squares in half diagonally and save one half
for your next bookmark.
5)
2) Iron the triangle of interfacing onto the fabric you
want for the corner. Iron the square of interfacing onto
the piece you want to face the front behind the corner.
3) Fold the fabric with the triangle in half diagonally,
where the interfacing edge is, and press. 6)
4) Lay the square with interfacing on it face up. Add
the triangle on top in the upper right corner.
5) Lay the other square on top, face down. Pin. 7)
6) Stitch around the outer edge with a ¼” seam
allowance, leaving 1 – 1 ½” open at the bottom.
Clip the corners.
7) Turn right side out and press, turning in the opening.
8) Stitch all the way around, close to the outer edge.
Slide a gift card inside or slip it onto a book.
Keep Crafting everyone! 8)
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FUTURE DATES:
Upcoming Events March 11th
THIS MONTH: 6:00pm – Council Meeting
Feb 2021 March 14th
Black History Month Daylight Savings
Feb 2nd March 17th
Groundhog Day St. Patrick’s Day
Feb 7th March 28th
Super Bowl Sunday Palm Sunday
Feb 11th 9am - Outdoor Service
6:00pm – Council Meeting April 1st
Feb 14th Maundy Thursday
St. Valentine’s Day April 2nd
Feb 17th Good Friday
Ash Wednesday Service 12-noon – Livestream on FB
7:00pm – Live Stream on FB April 4th
Feb 15th Easter Sunday
President’s Day 9am – Outdoor Service
Feb 28th Easter Egg Hunt following the service
Drive-by Voting for New Pastor
& Compensation Pkg

RIDDLE ANSWER:
Because she
wanted to see the
butterfly

January 2021 Crossword Answers

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