September 2023

Monthly Messenger
Saron Lutheran Church

From the Pastor’ Desk Events in September

When I awaken, I say, “Lord, here I am. What do you want 9/2 Breakfast Bunch
to say to me?… Is there something you want me to do?... Is 9/9 Bunco
there someone you want me to call? What do you have in 9/10 Undie Sunday
mind for me today? You’ll be amazed at God’s answers!” Young Families Gathering
- Evelyn Christenson, from What Happens When Women 9/13 Prayer Circle
Pray 9/15-17 Synod Assembly
9/21 Council Meeting
Every day is a new opportunity to be open to what God has 9/24 Baby Shower
in store for us. By taking a moment each morning, before
the busyness of the day sets in, we can hear what God has Mark your Calendar
to say to us, even if it is just a reminder that we are one of
10/8 Commitment Sunday
God’s beloved children. This may not tackle items on our
11/19 Thankoffering Sunday
to-do lists or take away the stresses that we carry, but it can
1/21 Congregational Meeting
help us to remember that we are not alone and we all have
something to share with the world.
Join us for Worship!
We can contemplate God’s will for us as individuals, and
we can also ponder what God wants for the church in its Sundays at 9:30 am
many expressions. My heart and mind are especially on our In the Sanctuary or
Synod this month as we approach the Assembly and the on the “Saron Lutheran Church”
Bishop’s Election. We can certainly ask, What do we want Facebook page
from the Synod? and What do we want from our next Bulletins are sent via email every
Bishop? But perhaps it would be better to consider what it week.
is that God wants from the Synod and we can pray that
God’s will is revealed. The Synod is all of us and we are all
together called to ponder and move towards God’s will. Saron Staff
As we enjoy time together playing Bunco and raising funds Rev. Callie Torres, Pastor
for families in our communities, as we worship and pray Louise Spurgeon, Secretary
together, as we serve our neighbors and celebrate the gifts Melanie Tunison, Office A ssistant
that we are given as a community, may we continue to ask
what it is that God has in store for us and let us faithfully Office Hours
follow, as best we can.
Tuesday through Friday
In Love and Peace, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Pastor Callie Torres

Saron Lutheran Church

1742 North Street, Escalon CA95320
saronlutheranescalon.org
209-838-7695 | saronlutheran@att.net
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President’s Report
It has been a pleasure to watch our congregation
grow and many returning to worship and activities
of the church. Our doors have been open for many
fun events and the members of the community have
been invited to participate. I hope you purchase
your Bunco tickets for September 9th at 4:30 pm.
This will be an evening of socializing, fun, prizes
and enjoying a wonderful baked potato bar prepared
by Lori Armstrong.

The Church Council voted to recognize Trinity

Church in Escalon for all the fine work that they are
doing providing meals to those in need. To show
our appreciation a $100.00 check was sent to say
thank you.
The Fellowship Hall will be unavailable during the
week until 3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. This is nap
time for the children of the Learning Tree.
If you need assistance cleaning the church,
following an event, please coordinate with Kristi,
our housekeeper (contact church office for phone
number). Arrangements should be made, along with
the rate of reimbursement, one week prior to the
event.
We look forward to seeing you at worship. If you
would like prayers or a visit from Pastor Callie,
please call the church office. My love to all of you.
Remember that your church council welcomes your
questions and comments.
Property Report
The outside hallways solar powered motion sensor
lights have been installed and activated. New
motion sensor lights will be installed outside the
kitchen door and the office. Next step will be to
contact a solar company to decide how to best
improve the lighting of the parking lot.
The repairs to the sanctuary ceiling should be
completed by the end of the month.
Michael Peterson has been hired as our maintenance
man. He will take care of cleaning our parking lot,
basements, compressor areas, and rain gutters as
needed. He will also be on-call for any additional
repairs or maintenance. To facilitate his duties, the
church purchased a battery operated blower, a shop
vac, and a special sprayer wand for the rain gutter
cleaning.

Ann Shaddix Property Co-Chair, Kathy Pendleton

Treasurer’s Report Treasurer’s Tips of the Month

Our July 2023 revenue was greater than our July
expenses. Thank you to each of you for your
faithful offerings! Praise be to God our Provider
“Jehovah-Jireh”!
I am happy to report our Spaghetti Dinner
Fundraiser was a huge success, contributing to our
Major Repair Fund. After expenses, we deposited
$1,665.66. Thank you to everyone who participated
and helped with this wonderful community event.
And…the Pancake Breakfast we held to contribute
to the Parking Lot Fund was also very successful.
After expenses, we deposited $1,617.07.
Appreciation goes out to all the volunteers and
pancake-eaters!
I recently found a quote that resonated with me.
“Everyday is a bank account, and time is our
currency. No one is rich, no one is poor, we’ve got
24 hours each.” (Christopher Rice) This made me
think about what the Lord wants me to spend my
time on today. What “deposits” will I make by
using my time, talent, and treasures today to glorify
God?
Blessings!
Sylvia
Service and Support Report
It was a busy month in August with several events
including National Night Out, Lucille’s 100th
birthday celebration and the Spaghetti Dinner. A big
thank you goes to all who participated in making
this a successful fundraiser. The saying “many
hands make light work” was certainly evident that
evening. We want to extend special accolades to
Lori Armstrong for making this fundraiser possible.
We have a couple of events planned for September.
There is the Bunco September 9th for all those who
enjoy playing Bunco. Please see Becky Emery for
details.
Our second event will be a celebration of the arrival
of Theodore Russell with a shower scheduled on
September 24th. The baby shower will be held
following the service and will include lunch. If you
have a specialty dish that you would like to offer for
this event, please call me at 209-531-8762. All are
invited to attend this wonderful and joyous event for
Melanie and Peter.
I have another reminder that the Kris Kringle
Market is approaching. As Julie Rose mentioned in
her temple talk a couple of weeks ago, contributions
can be monetary or sharing something that is not
monetary when you contribute to Saron with a
special food dish or a project that you have been
working on from home. As Kris Kringle
approaches, please let me know if you have
something you will be offering for this event.
Respectfully submitted, Pat Strand
Choir Practice Resumes
Come and make a joyful noise! Saron’s Church
Choir is back after a break for the summer.
Practices resume on Sunday, September 10th after
worship and will continue to be held after worship
for about 20-30 minutes each Sunday. For more
information contact Karin R.
Breakfast Bunch
Saturday, September 2 at 8:30am
Mark your calendar for the next breakfast on
Saturday September 2 at 8:30am at Perko’s in
Riverbank. Please RSVP to Dorene at 209-605-
0951, as we need to let the restaurant know how
many to expect.
Bunco
Saturday, September 9 at 4:30 pm
Don’t forget that Bunco will be Sept. 9th at 4:30.
Tickets are available in the office. Please purchase
ahead if possible. We will need help setting up and
taking down and will need several people to bring
cookies or brownies for dessert. There will be a sign
up sheet on the bulletin board if you can help.
Young Families Gathering
Sunday, September 10 at 11 am
The next Young Families Gathering will be on
Sunday, September 10th at 11:00 am in the Fireside
Room. Come and enjoy a time of fellowship, fun,
and learning as we hear the story of “David and
Goliath” and give thanks for God’s presence with us
no matter our size!
Prayer Circle
Wednesday, September 13 at 12 pm
The next prayer circle meeting will be on
Wednesday, September 13th at noon. All are
welcome to come as we pray for the church, the
world, and the concerns of our community. No need
to pray aloud if you are not comfortable, your
presence would be blessing enough. If you would
like a person or a situation to be prayed for at the
next meeting please contact Mary B. or Pastor
Callie.
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Escalon Senior Fun Bunch
Wednesday, September 20 at 2 pm
All seniors are invited to the Escalon Senior Fun
Bunch on Wednesday September 20 at 2 pm.
Come to the Escalon Community Center for “Rock
Around the Clock”. This is a free event. Plan to
come and bring a friend.
Bible Study
There will be no Bible Study in September but we
will resume our exploration of the Apostles’ Creed
in October. We will meet twice in October, once
on the 15th to discuss the second article “I believe
in Jesus Christ…” and the 29th to discuss the third
article “I believe in the Holy Spirit…” Mark your
calendars and hope to see you there.
Crafting Gatherings
There will be no crafting gatherings held in
September or October, as instead we will be
preparing for the Kris Kringle Market!
Succulent Pumpkins
We are taking orders for the succulent pumpkins
from now thru Sep. 13th. Please call Becky at 480-
1562 to order. We will call between Sept. 20-30
when your order is ready for pick up.
Book Nook at Kris Kringle Market
At this year’s Kris Kingle Market, we will be
selling gently used books and puzzles. If you have
books or puzzles that you would like to donate to
the KKM sale, please bring them to the church or
speak to Rosemary!
Pastor Vacation
Pastor Callie and her family will be traveling over
Labor Day weekend and will not be in worship on
September 3rd. Pastor Victor has graciously
offered to preside in Pastor Callie’s absence.
Undie Sunday
Sunday, September 10
On Sunday, September 10th ELCA churches
around the country are participating in “God’s
Work. Our Hands.” Sunday. This year Saron will
be doing God’s work by supporting Lutheran
Social Services of Northern California and
collecting donations of underwear for foster youth
and homeless youth (ages 16-24). Please bring
your donations of new underwear (no socks) to
church on September 10th.
C.A.R.E. Donations
This month our church is being asked to bring
bread and canned vegetables to donate to C.A.R.E.
Please bring your donations to church by Sunday,
September 24th and place them in the basket
marked “C.A.R.E. Donations.” Monetary
donations and other donations of non-perishable
food items are always appreciated.
Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly
The Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly is being held
on September 15th - 17th in Burlingame. Pastor
Callie, Ann S., and Kathy P. are attending as
Saron’s voting members. The weekend will
include worship, workshops, a keynote speaker,
and the following business items:
 Sierra Pacific Synod Bishop’s Election
 Synod Council Elections: 1 At-Large Position,
1 Youth Position
 Resolutions: Compensation Guidelines,
Geographically-Constrained Positions on
Synod Council, Facilitating Healthcare
Options for Rostered Ministers.
For more information about the Synod Assembly
please check out https://www.spselca.net/2023-sps
-synod-assembly. Please hold all who are
attending the Synod Assembly in your prayers as
we come together to make important decisions
about the future of the synod and the future of the
church.
Pastor Sheri will lead worship at Saron on
September 17th
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National Night Out Success
Another successful National Night Out is in the
books! Saron shared our hospitality with our
community and celebrated our First Responders
with a delicious taco bar.
Thank you to all who helped make this event
wonderful! To Lisa for organizing the event, the
volunteers who brought items for the taco bar and
helped set up and clean up, all who came to enjoy a
tasty meal, Gene for his wonderful accordion music,
and, of course, all of our First Responders and local
officials who serve our community.
Apostles’ Creed: “I Believe in God”
Every Sunday in worship we recite the Apostles’
Creed. These words of faith have been passed
down through generations of faithful Christians
since the 5th century CE. It is one of the three
creeds that are considered “Eccumenical Creeds”
accepted by almost all mainstream Christian
denominations in the West including the Catholic,
Reformed, Anglican, and Lutheran churches. The
word creed comes from the Latin credo meaning “I
believe” and is intended to define correct belief,
but by no means does it contain the fullness of what
we believe.
The first article of the Apostles’ Creed is about
God and is the shortest of the sections. It reads:
“I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of
heaven and earth.”
Birthday Celebrations
A church that celebrates together stays together! We
were so thankful to celebrate two significant
birthdays as a church family last month! Lucille
turned 100 and a delicious dinner and wonderful
celebration brought many together from her family
and church family. Betty turned 95 and her family
shared a wonderful cake with us after worship.
In his explanation of the first article of the
Apostles’ Creed found in his Small Catechism,
Martin Luther adds that God made all creatures and
cares for them. God also provides all of us with the
things that we need to support our bodies and our
livelihoods. God does this only because of his
goodness and love for what God created and we
can respond by serving and praising God.
This is most certainly true and yet does not
describe the fullness of who God is and how God
acts in the world. God is infinitely more than we
can ever understand or comprehend, so, of course,
the fullness of God can never be contained in any
words assembled by humans. What about you?
What do you believe about God? Who has shaped
your understanding of God? What hymns or Bible
verses shape your understanding of who God is?
Let us continue to grow in our understanding of
God together through worship, service, study, and
prayer.
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Stewardship of Our Money
And Jesus said to them, “Take care! Be on your
guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does
not consist in the abundance of possessions.” --Luke
12:15
Jesus often uses words of caution when teaching
about money. Jesus warns us of money’s power to
capture our souls and turn us from loving God first
and most, and then our neighbors as ourselves.
Because we North Americans live in a wealthy
culture, the temptation to love money more than
God and neighbor may be worse than it was for the
folks of Jesus’ time. So, we need to take Jesus’
warnings to heart and be sure to keep money in its
proper place. Here are some ideas:
Develop gratitude: Be happy for (and with) what
you have. Dwell on your blessings rather than your
wants. Constantly entertaining thoughts of your
unfilled desires leads to scarcity thinking and
unhappiness.
Celebrate sufficiency: Learn to live on what you
earn. Excessive debt corrodes our wellbeing by
causing us stress and hunger for more. Strive to live
without credit cards and make choices to help your
income match expenses.
Embrace generosity: Our culture tells us that the
more we have the happier we will be, but that’s
really not so -- once we have enough to meet our
true needs. Miserly people tend to be miserable no
matter how much they have, while generous people
tend to be happy even if they have modest means.
Giving generously is a spiritual discipline that
breaks the power that money has to control us.
Good stewardship of our money helps us avoid the
traps that Jesus warns about. Stewardship means
managing our wealth rather than letting it manage
us. Free from money’s traps and lures and lies, we
are free to love God first and then our neighbor as
ourselves.
--Rob Blezard
Copyright © 2018, Rev. Robert Blezard. Reprinted by
permission. Pastor Blezard serves as an assistant to the bishop
of the Lower Susquehanna Synod and works as content editor
for www.stewardshipoflife.org.
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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

September Birthdays Saron Lutheran Church Council

1 Jerry Emery Ann Shaddix, President
Sylvan McGowan Gary Thomasser, Vice President
3 Jorge Torres Kathy Pendleton, Secretary
4 Samantha Shipley Krista Adametz
10 Richard Jilbert Lori Armstrong
11 Turner Hewitt Janet Casaus
17 Berger Pearson Louise Spurgeon
20 Stan Bruederle Sylvia McGowan, Treasurer
22 Sharon Harrison Heather Thomasser, Recorder
30 Shari White

October Messenger Deadline

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
September 23rd.

Find Us On Facebook
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@SaronLutheranEscalon and
look for the photo of our
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our church, and more!

Contact Pastor Callie

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

Saron Lutheran Church is part of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America.