July 2023

Monthly Messenger
Saron Lutheran Church

From the Pastor’ Desk

Who made the world?
Events in July
Who made the swan, and the black bear? 1 Women’s Breakfast
Who made the grasshopper? 4 Church Office Closed
This grasshopper, I mean— 8 Crafting
the one who has flung herself out of the grass, 20 Council Meeting
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand… 22 Ice Cream & Games Night
I don't know exactly what a prayer is. 30 Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, Mark your Calendar
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done? 8/1 National Night Out
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? 8/11 Fundraiser Drive-Thru Dinner
Tell me, what is it you plan to do 8/20 Bible Study Resumes
with your one wild and precious life?

As the summer season continues, I find myself thankful for

the way that God stretches the days as if to welcome more
time to pay attention, to ponder, and to pray. This excerpt Join us for Worship!
from a poem from Mary Oliver, “The Summer Day,” Sundays at 9:30 am
captivates me and invites me to wonder about the In the Sanctuary or
intricacies of creation and to take long drinks of on the “Saron Lutheran Church”
appreciation for all God has given us. Facebook page
I hope and pray that in this and all seasons you are able to Bulletins are sent via email every
enjoy all the moments of wonder in your life, to be fully week.
present with friends and family, to allows your senses to be
enraptured in worship as we sing, pray, and feast on the
goodness of God’s grace together. What else should we do
with the one wild and precious life that the creator of the
universe has gifted us? Saron Staff
In Love and Peace,
Rev. Callie Torres, Pastor
Louise Spurgeon, Secretary
Pastor Callie Torres Melanie Tunison, Office A ssistant

Office Hours
Saron Lutheran Church
1742 North Street, Escalon CA95320 Tuesday through Friday
saronlutheranescalon.org 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
209-838-7695 | saronlutheran@att.net
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President’s Message
Your church council met and spent time reviewing
the goals that had been established at a recent
retreat.
Goals:
 Increase in person worship attendance to an
average of 40 people
 Identify and make contact with three
organizations for mutual ministry and support
As a group we were pleased with the many positive
things that are happening at Saron. We have
reached out to the community and invited them to
come to our events. The church sponsors the
Escalon Senior Fun Bunch. Families of small
children are bonding and happily participate in the
children’s time during the service. Members and
friends are being sent cards, plants, etc. in support
during a time of need. The congregation and friends
are prayed for regularly.
We now would like to hear from you. Do you have
thoughts that may bring added life to Saron?
Please read the Ministry Team reports for more
specific information and make note of events
planned.
Thank you for your financial support as we address
the many major repair issues due to our aging
building and equipment.
We look forward to seeing you on Sundays. One of
the purposes of a council member is to represent the
congregation with ideas and suggestions brought
forward. We welcome and need your input.
Peace and love,
Ann
Ann Shaddix, Council President
Treasurer’s Report
Our May 2023 expenses exceeded our income.
This is because we paid our budgeted annual
insurance policy premium in May.
After reviewing our January through May revenue
and expenses, I am pleased to report our revenue is
greater than our expenses for the first five months
of 2023. Praise God!
Treasurer’s Tips of the Month
Thoughts about Legacy giving
 Did you know you can list Saron Lutheran
Church as a beneficiary on your accounts? You
can assign a percentage to go to Saron upon
death. For example, if I have three children,
each child could receive 33% and Saron could
receive 1%.
 Another idea is to set up a Saron Lutheran
Church memorial fund with a specific purpose
in mind. For example, I may want to request a
Saron memorial fund be created in my name
upon death to benefit future repairs to our
beautiful church. Or maybe my memorial fund
would be to enhance our beautiful outdoor area
in some way. Or maybe my memorial fund
would be to benefit our congregations’ children
and youth.
 If you have a 401(k), or 403(b), or IRA with a
Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), you
can make Saron Lutheran Church the recipient
of your RMD. This action may be a tax benefit
to you. Please consult your tax advisor for
specifics.
Blessings!
Sylvia McGowan
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Property Report
Our back lot saw the removal of some tree stumps
that had been buried by unknown individuals,
thanks to Matthew Spurgeon. We also replaced the
smoke detector in the social hall and had some
maintenance completed in the women’s bathroom.
We thank Dave Strand and Johanna Ervin-Gade for
their help.
Our next big project will be to repair the ceiling is
the sanctuary. The problem was pointed out to me
after our May council meeting. When you look at
the ceiling, you will notice the panels are separating
on the 5 ft ends. A contractor was brought in to
discuss what needs to be done. It was determined
that the best fix would be to attach wood strips over
each joint. The strips will be stained to match the
perimeter strip at the base of the ceiling beams. This
job will include the rental of scaffolding and repair
of water leak in the ceiling. Total estimated cost is
$1600. This work should be completed in July.
Property Co-Chair, Kathy Pendleton
Sermon Series: Just Jesus
“Just give them Jesus.” This was a piece of advice
offered to one of our council members and was
shared at a past meeting. It has resonated with the
council and continues to guide our work.
But who exactly is Jesus? Who are we sharing with
people? Jesus is a complex figure whose fullness
continues to mystify even the most well-read
scholars. In an effort to begin to answer these
questions, Pastor Callie will be leading us through a
five-week sermon series under the theme “Just
Jesus.”
July 30 - Just a Teacher
August 6 - Just a Provider
August 13 - Just a Lord
August 20 - Just a Healer
August 27 - Just a Messiah
This summer let’s explore more about who Jesus
was and why it continues to matter to us today!
Pastor Vacation
Pastor Callie will be out of the office from July 3
through July 17th. She is going to Miami to visit
with friends and family. Pastor Victor Haglund and
Pastor Sheri Delvin will lead worship in her absence
and Pastor Peggy Bosch from Escalon/Farmington
United Methodist Church will be available for
pastoral emergencies.
New Office Assistant
We are so excited for Melanie to be joining the
staff! Melanie has lived in Escalon with her
husband Peter for 3 years. Most recently she has
been a stay at home mom to daughter Adelaide
while also working part time at Learning Tree. She
joins us with a background in nonprofit and
education administration and is excited to get more
plugged into our church community and help in the
office! She will be working in the office on
Thursday mornings from 9 am - noon for a few
more weeks and will switch to remote work after
her second baby is born in July.
Enrich our Summer Worship
Do you sing? Do you play an instrument? Do you
like to write poetry? Do you have any artistic gifts
that you would like to share with your Saron
family? Through the remainder of the summer, your
musical and artistic offerings are needed in worship.
Performances will be placed between the first
reading and the Psalm. If you are interested in
contributing to worship please let Pastor Callie
know!
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Women’s Breakfast
July 1st at 8:30am
Mark your calendar for the next breakfast on
Saturday July 1st. at 8:30am at Perko’s Café in
Riverbank (2120 Patterson Road)
Please RSVP to Dorene at 209-605-0951, as we
need to let the restaurant know how many to
expect.
Crafting Gathering
July 8th at 9:00 am
Last month’s crafting gathering was a lot of fun! A
group of folks came together and put together hot
glue, burlap, buttons, rick rack, and more to make
Christmas-themed ornamental stakes.
The next crafting gathering is going to be on
Saturday, July 8th starting at 9:00 am. This month
Jenni will be teaching crafters how to decorate
rocks. No experience necessary and no materials
needed. Just come and enjoy a time of fellowship
and creativity. Crafting begins at 9:00 am in the
Fellowship Hall, but feel free to stop by later that
morning.
Escalon Senior Fun Bunch
July 19th, 2pm-4pm
Escalon Community Center
Country Western Days
Y’all come now and wear your western gear!
Enjoy food, prizes, and having fun.
Ice Cream & Games Night
July 22nd at 5:00pm
I Scream, You Scream,
WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!
Did you know that July is National Ice Cream
Month? Let's celebrate!
Please join us for an Old Fashioned Ice Cream
Social. Build your very own delicious ice cream
sundae from a virtually endless combination of ice
cream and toppings. Yummy!!!
And....if ice cream alone wasn't a enough...there
will be games. We will have an assortment of
game tables set up for you to choose from. Is
Yatzee your passion? Scatagories? Cards?
Bring the whole family to this "cool" event!
Thanks from Becky
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and
pray for each other so that you may be healed. The
prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective.” James 5:16
I would like to extend a huge thank you for all the
prayers, cards, calls, and meals that I received
during my recent illness. I feel incredibly blessed
to have such a wonderful church family!
Becky Emery
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Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing
July 30th at 4:00 pm
Come and enjoy an evening of songs and snacks
with friends from other churches! At 4:00 pm we
will gather in the sanctuary at Saron for a time of
singing beloved hymns. You’ll have a chance to
look through the hymnal and shout out your
favorites for our pianist to play. Afterward, we will
enjoy a reception and fellowship to get to know our
neighbors. Please bring a finger-food to share! If
you are interested in helping set-up or clean-up
please let Pastor Callie know!
New Growth by the Playground
Thanks so much to Dave Strand for putting in an
awesome garden box for the Learning Tree
Preschool complete with an irrigation system! The
students have already planted squash, tomatoes,
cantaloupe, basil, and other plants and are
enjoying watching them grow!
In addition, there are wine barrels with more herbs
and flowers which support a lovely shade cover.
Underneath the shade, the students are able to
enjoy a newly painted track for bicycles and
scooters.

On Break for July
We will be taking a Bible Study, Prayer Meeting,
and Young Families break in July and will start
again in August!
We are so grateful that we get to share our church
with the Learning Tree and we are excited for the
ways that we will continue to grow together!

ELCA Youth Gathering

The next ELCA Youth Gathering is coming July
2024 and thousands of Lutheran youth will descend
on New Orleans. Youth entering 8th-12th grade this
fall are eligible to attend this awesome event with
inspiring speakers, moving worship, powerful
service opportunities, fun adventures, and more!
Concurrently, there will also be a first-ever Young
Adult Gathering for adults 18-35. You can find
more information on the website elca.church/
gathering or talk to Pastor Callie.

C.A.R.E. Donations
Thank you for your continued support for the vital
feeding ministry provided by C.A.R.E. This month
our church is being asked to bring boxed potatoes to
share with individuals and families in need in our
community. Please bring your donations to the
church by Sunday, July 30th and place it in the
basket marked “C.A.R.E. Donations”. Monetary
donations and any other non-perishable food items
are always accepted.
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Give your family the gift of a Will
and/or Trust.
I want to take a few moments to share with you my
current experience, then ask you to give your family
the blessing of your Will and/or Trust while you are
still able to do so.
My husband’s only brother and sibling, Bill, passed
away suddenly last September with no Will or
Trust. He was single with no children. My
husband and I are working through the California
Probate process with an attorney in Riverside
County (the county of Bill’s death). The probate
process will take one to two years and is very time
consuming. We were paying for some of Bill’s
debts out of our own pockets until the Court
appointed my husband as Administrator of Bill’s
estate and we could have access to Bill’s bank
accounts and assets.
With Bill’s death, my husband and I were prompted
to update our own Wills and Trust after 20 years of
not looking at them. We also contacted our banks
and money accounts to update our beneficiaries.
FYI, if Bill had named my husband or me as
beneficiary, we could have had immediate access to
Bill’s bank accounts/assets and would not have had
to pay his debts out of our own pockets. If Bill had
a Will and/or Trust, we could have avoided
California Probate.
Recently I read an article from Legacy Deo’s
Controller, Gretchen Kroesch, and I want to pass
along to you her words titled, “Don’t do this with
your will”.
Spiritual Practice: Centering Prayer
Centering prayer is an opportunity to find rest and
be reminded of God’s love for you. It is an involves
sitting quietly in a contemplative state and inviting
God to speak to your heart. The prayer can be long
or short, a few minutes is all you need to connect
with the presence of God in the innermost part of
your being.
Don’t put it off until later. You really need to
handle this while you are able. It needs to
be done for your loved ones and is a great
gift that you can give them.
Don’t do it by yourself. In the end, the money
you save by not going to a reliable estate
planning attorney may cause problems for
your executor and cause undue taxes to be
paid.
Don’t rely on it solely. Remember also to
update insurance policies, 401K’s, IRA’s
and other accounts. Also get your health
care directives at the same time.
Don’t put it away and forget about it. It should
be a document that gets reviewed so that
your wishes are current and able to be
followed.
Don’t put it where no one can find it. It would
be a real shame to have gone through all this
preparation and then have your loved ones
not be able to find it. Let them know where
you are keeping it and other information that
they will need.
God loves and blesses each of us. Make sure the
legacy of your life is a joy, not a burden, for those
who will live on after you die.
Sylvia McGowan
Treasurer
Four Guidelines
1. Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your
intention. Examples can include words like
peace, love, or way.
2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle
briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as
the symbol of your consent to God’s presence
and action within.
3. When engaged with your thoughts, body
sensations, feelings, images, or reflections,
return ever-so-gently to the sacred word.
4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in
silence with your eyes closed for a time and end
with a prayer or a line of scripture.
Adapted from the “Centering Prayer” app.
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 We are a congregation called to faithfully follow Jesus Christ by sharing the
inclusive love of God with our neighbor using our gifts joyfully in worship and
service.

Together we use our gifts to move into God’s future inviting all we encounter
with the hope of the Gospel

July Birthdays Saron Lutheran Church Council

02 Ron Cohagan Ann Shaddix, President
Adeline Anderson Gary Thomasser, Vice President
03 Eric Scholz Kathy Pendleton, Secretary
04 Alexandra Peters Krista Adametz
12 Marlin Moreno Lori Armstrong
13 Karin Reenstierna Janet Casaus
15 Karen Peters Louise Spurgeon
Kyle Rose Sylvia McGowan, Treasurer
16 Salvacion Dahlin Heather Thomasser, Recorder
19 Pat Strand
23 Michelle Thomasser
31 Lisa Alessi August Messenger Deadline
Jameson Bomer
If you have any news or announcements that you
would like included in next month’s messenger
please submit it to saronlutheran@att.net by
July 26th.

Find Us On Facebook
Search for
@SaronLutheranEscalon and
look for the photo of our church.
Follow for Sunday worship
livestreams, news from our
church, and more!

Contact Pastor Callie

If you have any questions, suggestions, or prayer
concerns please feel free to contact Pastor Callie at Saron Lutheran Church is part of the
pastorcallie.saron@gmail.com or 209-425-3390 Evangelical Lutheran Church
(text/call). She is eager to hear from you! in America.