People of Faith

Camp Noah for the Young Victims of the Vilonia Tornado Disaster

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 14:41:29 -0500

Camp Noah begins August 1 for the young people impacted by the tornado in the Vilonia area this spring. Kids, particularly the hard hit Black Oak Ranch subdivision are being invited to participate in a program that is designed to be therapeutic for youngsters that have suffered trama and loss. The day camp is based on Noah camps established in the upper midwest by Lutherans after floods and similar disasters. The Minnesota Noah website describes the Noah program as follows:
“Camp Noah’s five-day curriculum celebrates each child’s unique gifts and talents, provides an opportunity for them to share their own story, and offers a safe place for them to face their fears and grieve their losses...
Since all children express themselves differently, we use a variety of creative ways for them to express themselves, all within the context of having fun through games, art, reading, drama, writing, small group discussion and recreational play.”
Faith Lutheran, Shepherd of the Hill- NLR, and Advent Lutheran in Conway have been instrumental in initiating the camp. However, nearby churches, have enthusiastically joined in the effort. Camp Noah will be held at the Center Point Free Will Baptist Church in Vilonia.
The camp will be staffed by a Illinois team of volunteers trained by Lutheran Social Services to run Noah camps. On July 31 our three ELCA congregations in the region, above, will host a welcome meal for the volunteers.
Setup volunteers are still needed. Setup for the Welcome Supper is at 2:30 PM. After the meal starting at 4:30 PM an ecumenical Worship Service will be held at Center Point Baptist Church. Contact Don or Marilyn Lee at 517-8638 to volunteer or for more information.

Michael Girlinghouse

Tue, 3 May 2011 14:44:16 -0500

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Michael K. Girlinghouse was elected to a six-year term as bishop of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at the synod assembly inTulsa, Okla.
More in our newsletter and at:
http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4760

“As your Bishop, it would be my intent to be seen primarily in that pastoral role. I want to do what I can to support the important work of ministry that goes on in your congregations and ministries day by day. I believe that the Gospel work that you do in your local ministries is the center of God’s work in the world and that the Gospel work we do together can extend that work to the four corners of the globe,” a statement from the Bishop’s elect letter to churches in the Arkansas - Oklahoma Synod.

Crossroads of Faith

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:28:14 -0600

Fund Raising for LED Sign
It has been 5 centuries since the reformation split the the holy catholic church, but only within the last couple of decades have we been coming together again as Christians across sectarian lines in worship, shared eucharist and acts of Christian love. Luther himself was adamant that his people not be followers of Luther, but disciples of Christ.
Faith is a big word in our mission and identity, Being Lutheran is not so critical here at Mississippi and Markham. In fact we do no want to be viewed as old world ethnic. Yet on our sign at our urban crossroads, the word “Faith” is the little word and “Lutheran” is the word written long and large. We want to change that with a sign refresh that includes a LED message board. “Faith” will be written large in white on a blue background on the new sign.
The LED messages will let strangers know we are open in worship, praise and active in the community.
The evangelism committee and church council want to fund a LED sign that is bright and gives more information about Faith. The LED on this sign mockup shows one possibility. We can also announce our support for Habitat, ecumenical communion, or Via de Christo etc. in many strings of messages that we can edit and stream wirelessly. We have set a $10,000 LED fund raising goal by January, 2011. We are over $7,800.

Remembering Ben Tice

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:30:47 -0600

After a long decline in health Ben Tice passed away last weekend. Ben was 90. He enjoyed a rich, long life of music and dedication to education and service to others. He was an accomplished violist, and quite talented with a coronet as one can tell by playing the recording (he’s trumpeting the solo) above of Who’s Sorry Now. Even in his eighties he was a member of the Natural State Brass Band.

He did not want anyone feeling sorry for him or bemoaning his passing, so he asked his wife Francis to keep his memorial service upbeat and in line with what he enjoyed in life, mostly making good music. So for your memories and enjoyment I have pulled the recordings of the live performance of the Natural State Brass Band and singers at his memorial service for inclusion here:

Just A Closer Walk With Thee - Brass Band

Surely the Presence of the Lord is in this Place - Cousins

Nimrod

Rememberances of Ben

Message by Pastor Hoffman

On Eagles Wings led by Ruth and Barbara

The Lord’s Prayer - Cousins

Amazing Grace - Natural State Brass Band

Who’s Sorry Now - Ben Tice (cornet) and friends

Old Time Religion - Brass Band

Our House - Children and Gift Giving God Parents at Faith

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:34:49 -0600

Our House is a small residential community of 80+ families who have minimal income but not yet a permanent place to call home. Having a family to care for; but, not being able to pay rent allows little in the way of Christmas gifts under the tree.

So when Rosann Quilty volunteered to sign on Faith members as gift giving godparents, so to speak, the staff at our house was enthusiastic. It was just the early Christmas morning joy that the children needed.

So the Our House staff and parents gathered the lists and Rosann found godparents for all the children. The gifts were purchased and brought to the Little Learner’s Center at Our House where the parent(s) received them for Christmas day giving.

For may of us at Faith whose children have grow up it was a treat to shop the lists of simple needs and desired toys. So yes, Virginia, there is a joy in giving anonymously in the spirit of the original St. Nicholas.

Martinez Family - Habitat Home Raising

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:03:32 -0600

After a three month delay, mostly due to wet weather, the first walls finally went up for the Martinez family (family photo on home page). There was lots to do, but also many willing hands to help from the Lutheran congregations in our area. Volunteers wore their Thrivent /Habitat white T-shirts. A volunteer list and dates to work have been assigned on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Hopefully, construction will be complete by mid October. For more info contact John Knuteson.

Blessing of the Animals

Sun, 4 Oct 2009 11:02:39 -0500

This afternoon we had our first Blessing of the Animals. A little rain did not dampen the spirits of those who attended. Shown here are Kim and Andreas Muller with their dog Ellie Mae being blessed by Pastor Hoffman.

Del Rio-Jones Wedding

Sat, 1 Aug 2009 13:26:49 -0500

Chris Del Rio and his bride Emili Jones were married on August 1 at Faith Lutheran. Chris and his parents Steve and Becky del Rio have been members of Faith since his early childhood.

The marriage celebration included a service of word and of sacrament distributed by the bride and groom.

Chris is a member of the Naval reserves. The couple will be living in Hawaii.

Wells - Sanders Wedding

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:01:56 -0500

Benjamin Wells and his bride Patience (Sanders) Wells were married in Raleigh, North Carolina on July 18, 2009. Pastor Michael McCarthy, pastor at Faith Lutheran until 2007, presided over the wedding.

The couple will be spending their first year in Raleigh, NC where Patience will be teaching algebra at the ninth grade level. Ben graduated with a master’s degree in statistics in May from North Carolina State University and is currently looking for a job.

Members of the Church Council

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:43:15 -0500

Members of our Church council seated left to right are: Barbara Bambrick, Trudy Kumpe, Eric Myrene, Ralph Allen, John Knuteson, David Werling, Steve Del Rio, Ruth Anderson and Karen Cornwell.

Rev. Carl Hoffman and wife, Connie, the call to Faith

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:44:10 -0500

Palm Sunday was a special time for Faith. We have arrived at a cross roads. Along with our bishop and our call committee we are well into the process of seeking our first full-time candidate. So It was a special honor to host Reverend Carl Hoffman and his wife Connie.

A call is delicate process of getting to know each other, enjoying each other’s company while still asking some hard questions. It is a process of discernment for both Pastor Hoffman and for our congregation to see if we can grow in spirit and ministry together. He gave the sermon Sunday which you can hear on the Music & Worship page.

Pastor Carl Hoffman is presently serving as interim pastor for Community Lutheran Church in Bull Head City, Arizona. Prior to that service, he served as a called solo pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He graduated from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2003.

Pastor Hoffman grew up in Fayetteville, Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences campus in 1973. While he attended medical school, Carl and Connie were members of Faith. He practiced ophthalmology in Northwest Arkansas until 1999 when he discerned his call to become a pastor. Connie and Carl have three daughters, two of whom live in Northwest Arkansas. They have two grandchildren.

UPDATE May 17 th: By recommendation of the Faith Call Committee the Church Council voted this past week to hold a congregational meeting immediately following worship on Sunday, June 7th to present Pastor Carl Hoffman’s name to the congregation for call to minister full time to Faith Lutheran church. The vote will be held immediately after worship.

UPDATE June 14 th: The congregation voted on June 7th by more than the required two thirds majority to call Rev. Carl Hoffman. Carl Hoffman has given his intention to accept the call to Faith Lutheran, hopefully starting in July. Definitve plans are in the works.

UPDATE June 18th: Pastor Hoffman will lead his first services as minister at Faith Lutheran July 5th, 2009. He will be installed by Pastor Jean de Voll Donaldson on August 9.

Fiftieth Anniversary Story

Sun, 17 May 2009 19:50:41 -0500

We began as a United Lutheran Church when our first families met at the downtown YMCA under the mission and guidance of Rev. Clarence Rhoda in 1956. By 1959, the year Faith finished its first constitutional framework and its first home at 4942 West Markham across from the then relatively new War Memorial Stadium, we were part of the Lutheran Church in America, called to minister not only to people of Norwegian, Danish and German descent but to “persons in any denominations who are presently not active in their churches”. Rev. Chesmond Bade was the first called minister to our new church. Rev. Bade began a long and strong tradition in our church of doing our own construction. We remodeled an old church of the Nazarene cinder block structure as a small neocolonial sanctuary. The original altar, lectern, pulpit and communion rail were built by our church members. The original benches can still be found in our contemporary design sanctuary today, itself built with many member hands performing “sweat equity”.

Nevertheless, as Faith grow in Little Rock it attracted many new congregants from outside the Little Rock area, many of them professional businessman, lawyers, educators, doctors and healthcare workers migrating to the south. Rev. Claudius Jensen (65-68) oversaw the relocation of the congregation to its current location at Mississippi and Markham. Under the able leadership of the likes of Rev. Dean Sudman (69-78), Marvin Langeland (82-86) and Harlan Kaden (87-91) the church flourished in membership. Nevertheless the church still struggled financially to reach its goal of building a new sanctuary while fulfilling old debts.

Revitalization of Faith’s building efforts began in 1992 after the arrival of pastor Michael McCarthy. Our current property was improved with new landscaping and parking. The old mortgage was paid off and burned. But, most importantly we were given the grace, faith and courage to build anew. In 1998 we launched “A Time to Build” with a new fund raising campaign. The first initial effort brought in over $270, 000 in capital laying to the rest the idea that we could not afford to build. Construction of a new sanctuary, fellowship hall and narthex and the remodeled conversion of the old building to an expanded kitchen, choir room, library, youth room, larger pastor and secretary’s offices and more classroom and workspace began in the late spring of 2000. The first Sunday worship service was held in the new sanctuary on March 18, 2001, Dedication of the entire new facility was held on September 16, 2001.

During Rev. Micheal McCarthy’s ministry we were also nurturing our faith by turning to the the spiritual growth paths of Via de Cristo and Alpha. Since 2000 three members of Faith have become ordained ministers: Tracey Breashears, Carrie Hoth and Jim Stelzl. And, two women -- Rachel Ringlaben and Dorothy Bambrick -- are in seminary or about to start.
In total over fifty years there have been eleven persons who have called to be ordained from Faith Lutheran including our current minister, Rev. Carl Hoffman. And, though there is no such thing as a professional singer in our choir, one of our members grew up as Shelley Phillips and now sings with the contemporary Christian group Point of Grace.

Sadly, Rev. Michael McCarthy , who had led us through this this crucial period of building church and faith, was called away to Charlestown, South Carolina. In late summer of 2007 he left our congregation, to pursue goals in his ministry there under Christ and the cross. Within a few months Rev. Melinda Harlow became the interim minister for our congregation. Pastor Melinda brought compassion, light heartedness and a beautiful voice along with her bright Christ light to our congregation in her service as a interim minister. Her ministry rounds out the fifty years of life’s, real bittersweet memories, leading now to the arrival of Rev. Carl Hoffman and the start of the next fifty.

More details of our history can be found in our historical foreword to the bulletin for May 17th, on which we celebrated our Fiftieth Anniversary.

Our Fiftieth Celebration In Photos

Sun, 17 May 2009 18:08:56 -0500

These are six of the 79 photos taken largely by member Don Lee and some by Bonnie Wells. The photo gallery is accessible online where they can be downloaded for printing: Faith Lutheran- Fiftieth Celebration 2009
The online photo gallery is always a work in progress so some photo titles and edits may be not done. Click the letter “i”- the “i” or information button - for the photographers name.

Fiftieth History Photo Collage

Mon, 11 May 2009 16:27:20 -0500

This is just a small selection of photos used in the slide show. Full size, printable pictures can be found by clicking here: Faith Lutheran Web Photo Gallery. One can also pay a slideshow at the web gallery by clicking on slideshow at the bottom left of the screen.

Students Cleaning it up at Our House

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:50:55 -0500

University of Minnesota students, of many faiths, stayed with us Sunday night and worked on landscaping at Our House today. They are doing a service tour of the South. In talking to the students they apparently never know their next destination. So what work they did here and elsewhere is always a surprise. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we were always open to surprising our neighbors, rich and poor, with the joy and enthusiasm that these students showed in their service to others. They were having fun. A Christian life
is not a burden for the Christians among them.

Habitat for Humanity

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:13:59 -0600

John Knuteson describes the call to Faith to support Habitat for Humanity in the Little Rock area. Thrivent and Lutheran churches are committing financial support in addition to our volunteer support. Our first wall raising for the Matinez family is scheduled for April 25th. Call John at 835-8920. Volunteer construction workers are wanted. Most Recent photos of the work on our Habitat houses can be found at http://volunteerbuild.posterous.com/.

Snow Day made for Iraq Vet Ralph Allen

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:38:19 -0600

Normally I don’t like to spend excessive time on the computer. But when there is sleet on the ground I tend to experiment with new things such web blogging site development.

Ralph Allen, a friend and member of Faith Lutheran, is home on Christmas leave from Iraq. Ralph is a lawyer working with re-construction and contracts in the Corps of Engineers in Iraq so he has gotten to know a lot of local projects and seen the best and worst of what we are getting for Iraqis. He is also an avid photographer and is bringing about 7000 photos of life in Iraq home with him.

His tour started with the sudden drop in violence so his many photos should document progress in general on the streets of Baghdad. His tour has ended and he is about to return home for which we are very happy. His work and communications with many of us here have given us a new insight into the country of Iraq. It will be doubly an honor to having him serve with me on the church council. We have many interests in common.