March 2023

Monthly Messenger
Saron Lutheran Church

From the Pastor’ Desk Events in March

“Lent is a time for discipline, for confession, for honesty, 4 Women's Breakfast
not because God is mean or fault-finding or finger- Welcome Dinner
pointing but because he wants us to know the joy of being 5 Young Families Gathering
cleaned out, ready for all the good things he now has in 8 Prayer Meeting
store.” - N.T. Wright 11 Crafting Gathering
12 Bible Study
As I make the drive from my apartment to the church I am 23 Council Meeting
struck my the beauty of the blossoms of the almond trees 25 Spaghetti & Bingo
that line both sides of 120. Even on mornings when I am 26 Book Club
tired or frustrated, my heart is gladdened when I see the
little pink and white flowers on the trees that had been so
bare. Mark your Calendar
4/6 Maundy Thursday Service
We are also in the season of Lent, a time of fasting, 4/7 Good Friday Service
almsgiving, and prayer to prepare ourselves for the death 4/9 Easter Sunday Worship
and resurrection of Jesus. These weeks carry a kind of and Egg Hunt
spiritual gravitas, there is a kind of weighty sacredness 4/22 Pancake Breakfast
that hangs over these days. But even in the midst of the 4/29 Love Escalon Day
seriousness of the season, just like the almond blossoms,
the promise of Easter breaks through.

We already know how the story ends. We already know Join us for Worship!
that Jesus has risen and that death no longer has power Sundays at 9:30 am
over us. We know that God’s love for us has no bounds. In the Sanctuary or
That is something that can certainly bring gladness to all on the “Saron Lutheran Church”
our hearts in all seasons. Facebook page
In Love and Peace, Bulletins are sent via email every
Pastor Callie Torres week.

Saron Staff
Rev. Callie Torres, Pastor
Louise Spurgeon, Secretary

Office Hours
Tuesday through Friday
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Saron Lutheran Church
1742 North Street, Escalon CA95320
saronlutheranescalon.org
209-838-7695 | [email protected]
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President’s Message Lenten Services and Soup Suppers
The church council elected the following officers: March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
Ann Shaddix, President; Gary Thomasser, Vice Supper at 6:00 pm, Service at 7:00 pm
President; and Kathy Pendleton, Secretary. Other Every Lent we gather together to share a meal and
members on the council are Krista Adametz, Lori worship together in the middle of the week, this
Armstrong, Janet Casaus, and Louise Spurgeon. year we will gather on the Wednesdays in March.
Pastor Callie provides guidance and spiritual Supper begins at 6:00 pm and the service begins at
support and Heather Thomasser records the 7:00 pm. Services will be in the style of Taize,
minutes. including simple songs, prayers, and scripture
readings. If you are interested in bringing soup,
The Property Committee is working on resolving bread, or dessert for one of the evenings or you are
the issue of motorized vehicle riding on the back interested in helping to set-up or clean-up please see
lot. It is a hazard to the grounds and could the sign up sheet in the social hall.
endanger the safety of those walking through the
lot. Also, poses a possible danger to our Learning
Tree children.

The Council voted to replace two heating and air

conditioning units for the sanctuary. The purchase
and installation has been completed.

The new office schedule will be Tuesday – Friday

from 9 am until noon. Telephone calls to Pastor
Callie are welcome at any time.
Women’s Breakfast
Our treasurer, Sylvia McGowan, made the council
aware that checks sent to the Synod had not been March 4th at 9:00 am
deposited. The Council is waiting for information Mark your calendar for the next Women’s Breakfast
about the current structure of the Synod Office on Saturday, March 4th at 9:00 am at Marie
under the leadership of the Presiding Bishop. This Callender’s on 3500 Coffee Rd. Please call Ann at
primarily includes how funds are received and 209-505-7854 to RSVP as we will need to let the
distributed. Synod funds will be deferred until there restaurant know how many to expect.
is an understanding of the process.

For your information, the approved minutes from

Welcome Dinner
the previous Council meeting, has been posted on March 4th at 5:00 pm
the bulletin board. All prospective new members and folks who are
interested in learning more about the ministries of
The next Council meeting will be March 23rd at 5 Saron are invited to a welcome dinner at 5:00 pm on
pm. Members are invited to attend. All Council March 4th. Please RSVP by contacting the church
members welcome your feedback and office. Childcare will be provided for those that
encourage questions. need it.
Ann Shaddix, Council President Young Families Gathering
March 5th after worship
The next Young Families Gathering is on Sunday,
March 5th. We will be going on a field trip to the
Stockton Children’s Museum after worship.
Admission to the museum is $6 per person (over the
age of 1). Supplies to put together sack lunches will
be available before we leave.

Next month we will have a special Easter-themed

Gathering on April 16th at 11:00 am!

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Prayer Group Farewell to Suzanne
March 8th at noon On Sunday, February 19th we said our goodbyes to
Each month a group gathers to pray for our church, Suzanne and sent her off with our blessings. She
the world, share individual prayer requests, and was celebrated with a beautiful cake and prayer
support one another. The next prayer group meeting during worship! She will be missed.
will be on Wednesday, March 8th at noon in Pastor
Callie’s office at church. All are invited, please join
us!

Bible Study
March 12th after worship
The next Bible Study meeting will be on Sunday,
February 12th after worship. We will be continuing
our study of the 10 Commandments, focusing on the
third and fourth commandments. Let us explore
together what it means to be a “covenant” people.

Book Club
March 26th after worship
Our next discussion of the book W aking Up W hite
will be on Sunday, March 26th, after worship. All are
welcome to reflect on our nation’s history of race, our
own upbringing, and the perspectives that have been
taught. Our discussion will focus on the fifth and
sixth sections (pgs. 113-184).If you need a copy of
the book, please contact the church office.

Thanks to Phil
A huge thanks to Phil for coming out to level the
ground of our back lot after some tracks were left by
some bikers! He faithfully tends to our back lot and
keeps it from getting overgrown and free of tripping
hazards for the many walkers in our community to Escalon Senior Fun Bunch News
use it.
The Senior Fun Bunch is gathering again on March
15th from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm at the Escalon
Community Center. The theme is “Blue Skies.”
Please wear your ESFB T-shirt or any blue T-shirt.
Come and have some fun and enjoy meeting new
friends!

March C.A.R.E. Donations

The number of individuals needing assistance have
increased at C.A.R.E. This month we are asked to
bring Rice-A-Roni and other boxed food items.
Please bring your donations to the church by
Sunday, March 26th and it will be delivered to
C.A.R.E. Monetary donations are welcome as you
are able.

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Bingo, Spaghetti, and More! Craft Supplies Needed
March 25th at 5:00 pm Wendy is in need of plastic 6-pack soda can rings
Join us for an old-fashioned spaghetti feed for a turkey craft that she is putting together for our
including salad, garlic bread, and dessert. Kris Kringle market. If you have any rings to space
please bring them to worship or bring them to the
Following dinner, we will be having a WHITE office.
ELEPHANT BINGO EXTRAVAGANZA!

We are combining a White Elephant Gift Exchange

with Bingo! All of us have a few items that we
have received as gifts, but cannot use. Wrap up a
couple and bring them to the bingo event!

(If you do not have a gift to bring, no

problem! Some of us will bring more than one.)

A winning bingo will get to choose a gift off of the

table…but don’t open it! The next bingo winner
can pick a gift off of the table OR steal your gift,
making you choose a new one. But be careful…
history shows that sometimes, good things come in
small packages! You never know…

Please plan on attending this event that will be full Addition to February Messenger
of fun and laughs! In last months article about our processional cross,
made by Case Reitveld, there was an omission.
The crowning glory of Case’s woodwork was the
huge filigree Apostle’s Clock he made, and was not
included in the article. It was approximately 4 feet
wide and equally as high. Case made a special table
to display it. A turntable enabled his apostle figures
Spiritual Practice: Examen to rotate to enter and exit the elaborate church. It is
The examen is a reflective practice inspired by St. grand!! And now it is housed at his daughter Judy’s
Ignatius to help us connect to ourselves and the house in Woodland.
presence of God all around us. The examen usually
takes about 5-15 minutes and is typically practiced
at the end of the day, although it can take place at
any time. The examen consists of six steps:

1. Give Thanks - pause and give thanks for

something in your day (even if it is small).
2. Review - review what happened in your day and
how you felt about it.
3. Reflect - reflect by asking: when did I feel
connected to and disconnected from God?
4. Mend - listen to where you need mending or
need to make amends.
5. Intend - set an intention and move on with love.
6. Gratitude (again) - give thanks (again).

You can practice these steps anytime you need to

find your center and want to be more connected
with God!
Adapted from the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education.

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 Calling All Crafters
March 11th at 9:00 am
February’s crafting gathering was a
huge success and lots of fun! Several
folks came together to make ornaments
for the Kris Kringle Market and enjoy
fellowship with one another.

The next crafting gathering will be on

March 11th at 9:00 am. Craft TBA. All
are welcome! No crafting experience or
special skills needed.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” - John 3:16

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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

March Birthdays Saron Lutheran Church Council

3 Gene Bartolomei Ann Shaddix, President
5 Becky Emery Gary Thomasser, Vice President
10 Heather Patterson Kathy Pendleton, Secretary
14 Kelli Armstrong Krista Adametz
16 Kristin Gonzalez Lori Armstrong
17 Sherri Cole Janet Casaus
21 Anna Soliz Louise Spurgeon
29 Shannon Grossi Sylvia McGowan, Treasurer
30 Heather Thomasser

March Messenger Deadline

If you have any news or announcements that you
would like included in next month’s messenger
please submit it to [email protected] by
March 20th.

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

Contact Pastor Callie

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