First Hearts
Published by First Lutheran Church	April 2016

Jesus' Crown

What sort of garland did Christ Jesus. . . submit to on behalf of humanity? One made of thorns and thistles – a symbol of our sins, produced by the soil of the flesh. However, the power of the cross removed these thorns, blunting death's every sting in the Lord's enduring head. Yes, even beyond this symbol, contempt, shame, disgrace, and fierce cruelty disfigured and lacerated the Lord's temples. This was so that now you might be crowned with laurel, myrtle, olive, and any famous branch – with roses too – and both kinds of lily, violets of all sorts, and perhaps with gems and gold – garlands that will rival even the crown Christ obtained afterwards. For after the gall, He tasted the honeycomb. He was not greeted in heaven as the King of Glory until He had been condemned to the cross as King of the Jews. The Father first made Him a little lower than the angels for a time and then crowned Him with glory and honor. If you owe your own head to Him for these things, repay it if you can. He presented His for yours. Otherwise, don't be crowned with flowers at all; if you can't be crowned with thorns, you may never be crowned with flowers.

Tertulian (early church pastor)

And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe. And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. (John 19:2-3)

Worship This Month

– He is Risen! He is Risen, indeed! Alleluia! Come worship the Risen Lord this Easter Season

– 2nd Sunday of Easter: Acts 5:12-20; Revelation 1:4-18; John 20:19-31.

– 3rd Sunday of Easter: Acts 9:1-22; Revelation 5:8-14; John 21:1-14.

– 4th Sunday of Easter: Acts 20:17-
35; Revelation 7:9-17; John 10:22-30.

– 5th Sunday of Easter: Acts 11:1-
18; Revelation 21:1-7; John 16:12-22.

who were confirmed on Palm Sunday: Dylan and Nathan Baum, Paul Hunze, Annie and Robbie Miller, and Ronnie Sanderson.

Prayer List

OUR PRAYER LIST SHOULD INCLUDE: Sick or Burdened Members: General: Jim Beck, Don Weaver Margot Bridges, Gladys Frankenberg, Evelyn Haynes, Ralph & Dottie Mertz, Blaine Smith, Jerry Stewart, Harold & Katherine Whitaker; *Jerry Wing : Brett Anthonijs, Robert Boatman, Isaac Davis, Chad Kaiser, Matt Kaiser, Adam Smith, Jeff Stone

MEMBERS WITH SICKNESS OR BURDENS:

Inez Anderson (cancer)	Kim Robinson (liver disease)

Brion Bissell (blood disorder)	Carl Testerman (cancer)

Connie Bowling (cancer)	Judy Testerman (cancer)

Gene Franklin (having tests)	Bob VanDervort (cancer)

Arnold & Donna Korte	the Varner family

Sharon Mueller	Don & Carolyn Weaver

Gabe Blake (Kara Sircy's friend, cancer free after

6 rounds of chemo; pray for continued

healing

Vicki Basler Booth (Shirley Watson's niece) with

cancer of the ear

Diane Baum's mother, who is ill

Julie Brummitt (Jim & Rosa Beck's daughter)

Toni Capparelli (Lawrence Capparelli's father)

B. Cox (Mary Acuff Croes' friend) experiencing health diagnostic procedures

Carroll DeArmond (Karen's husband) with

dementia

Steven Dew (Carolyn Weaver's friend)

Dawn Duckett (Wendy Slifka;s friend),

undergoing surgery and 8 weeks recovery

Susan Elseroad (Pastor Elseroad's wife) with lung cancer

James Flanigan (Eric's brother)

Jenny Frazier (Carla Poore's boss's niece), has

completed a round of radiation at UAB and

went to Vanderbilt for evaluation; her mother

indicated UAB is confident Jenny will be

accpeted into clinical trial at Vandy

Glen Haynes (member of Richard Haynes'

family), who is very ill

Madison Haynes (Joy Witt's relative)

Brian Hinkel (Art Poisal's friend) with

complications after back surgery

Helen Linderfelt (Lynda Graves' friend)

Joyce Lipscomb (the Elmores' friend)

Annette Lotivio (Marc Blais's friend) with

pancreatic cancer

Beryl Lusbay

Joanne Mattingly

Barbara Mills (the Rodenbeck family's friend),

having emergency surgery in Nashville

Phil Moore (Mary Acuff Croes' friend)

Darlene O'Brien (Art Poisal's co-worker) with

lymphoma

Tom O'Brien (Marissa Wilson's co-worker's

husband) with prostate cancer

Evie Ortmeyer (Mary Acuff Croes' relative)

Tom Roberts (Sara's grandfather) with

Alzheimer's

Susan Rodenbeck's sister, with cancer

Daniel Rule (the Slifkas' friend) suffering from

RSD

Jason Rutledge

Connie Warren (Slifka family friend), undergoing

breast cancer treatment

Jennifer Wells (Bob Hotaling's co-worker)

having 2-3 hour surgery for brain & spine

injuries with 6-8 weeks recovery time

Renate Wille (Elisabeth Krueger's sister in

Germany), who had a bad fall

Lorrie (Tiffany Smolter's mother)

The family and co-workers of Rich Poff (Marissa

Wilson's co-worker) who committed suicide

Jackson (Art Poisal's friend) with leukemia

Joel (newborn son of Jennifer Elmore's customer)

struggling with health problems

UPDATE – Thank you for your continued prayers and support during this past year while Brion has been sick. We wanted to give everyone an update. Brion's kidneys have not shown any improvement. At this time we are going to start the process of getting his name on the kidney transplant list. Doctors don't suggest having his siblings donate because his disease is genetic. We are hoping and praying that a kidney comes available soon. Thank you for the continued prayers, love and support it means a great deal to us.	In Christ, AnnMarie and Brion Bissell

meeting and workday at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 9.

will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12

will meet at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12.

55 ALIVE – Douglas Rodenbeck, our member at FLC, will give a presentation on "The National Debt, How it Affects You Personally" on Thursday, April 14, at 12:00 noon with a delicious luncheon at $7.00/person. He was a government official for over 30 years with responsibility for financial administration. Mr. Rodenbeck was also an Extension educator with Purdue University in the Department of Consumer and Family Science. What a special time to fellowship and learn more how to manage our pocketbook!

BRIDAL SHOWER for Bekah Wolford on Saturday, April 16, at 2:00 p.m. at Karen Varner's house, 4713 Crippen Rd., Knoxville, TN 37918. She is registered at Target and at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

for a Progressive Dinner on April 23. Stay tuned for more details.

Our Stephen's Ministry is going well. Leaders are Susan Spicer and Sherril Hunze, and members are Wendy Slifka, Tiffany Smolter, Sally Collver, Beth Buckner, Dan Jordan, and John Mueller. Remember that they are available to help anyone, including families of our school children who are not members of FLC. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue their ministry.

A member has generously provided several copies of The Lutheran Witness for use by the congregation. If you would like to have a copy, please see an usher.

CALENDAR

6 – 1:00 Dismissal for Teacher In-Service – ECE and Student Services closed

8 – Read-a-thon Kick-off

8 – NoUniday – theme: favorite book character

11-15 – Stanford Testing for K-8

18 – Family night

22 – NoUniday – theme: career day

22 – Progress Reports for 4th Quarter

22 – Little Lions Banquet

24 – 2nd - 4th Grades sing at FLC

27 – 4th Grade presents Chapel

29 – Athletic Banquet

NEWS FROM FIRST LUTHERAN SCHOOL

Members and Friends,

Spring is a beautiful time of year with new life all around us. Spring is always a great reminder of the new life we have each day in Christ! This Easter Season I pray you are feeling renewed and strengthened for the wonderful opportunities that lie ahead.

It seems March has come and gone in the blink of an eye. The fourth quarter has arrived and preparations for the next school year are underway. Fortunately, we still have plenty of time this year to continue to help our students learn and grow in our loving, Christ-centered environment!

April will hold our annual Read-a-thon which will conclude with a Family Night. This year during the week of our Read-a-thon, each class will focus on a Beverley Cleary book. In fact, the week of our Read-
a-thon is Beverley Cleary's 100th birthday! I look forward to this fun event and invite all of you to join us for Family Night on April 15th when we will watch Ramona and Beezus.

The E.C.E will be celebrating the Week of the Young Child April 11th-15th. Mrs. Eimmerman and her staff have planned many fun events for the week and even have a special treat planned for the E.C.E students! Please be sure to check out the FLS Facebook page or our new school website at www.firstlutheanschool.com for pictures and other school information!

Another event you will not want to miss is our Spring Musical on May 6th. All are welcome to join us for this production put on by our E.C.E -8th grade students! We look forward to praising God with song and teaching about his love with this year's musical.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each member of First Lutheran Church for your loving support of our school ministry. Whether you purchased Butter Braids, attended the Chili Cook-off, or have been in prayer for our school your support has been felt and is appreciated. God has truly blessed us with a special ministry for HIS children. I thank you for your commitment to spreading the word of Christ and building up the Kingdom of God through your school. God has been good to us, and I am excited to see what HE has planned for us!.	In HIS Service

Lindsey Hofman, Interim Principal

BIRTHDAYS

2 – Chris Dalton, Ralph Mertz

5 – Becky Hodson

6 – Art Poisal

7 – Brio0n Bissell, Louise Hodson

9 – Carolyn Milligan

10 – Chuck Baum, Jason Collver, Jackson Killian

12 – Ingrid Capparelli, Imogene Fincannon

14 – Mekenzie Day, Gerene Jones

15 – Betty Lyke, Ed Niedens

16 – Jennifer Hodson

18 – Tonya Knopps, Mary McKenzie

19 – Mary acuff Croes, Judy Testerman, Brandy Warwick, Rebekah Wolford

22 – Kelsie Reed

23 – Alexander Blais, Stephanie McKenzie

25 – Larry Farris

26 – Jeff McKenzie

27 – Ann Bushur

28 – Isaac Davis, Shannon Milbourn

30 – Lois Blais, Jeremiah Davis, Brittany Johnson, Tiffany Smolter, Gene Stern

ANNIVERSARIES

1 – Steve & Shellia Byrd

2 – Harold & Katherine Whiteker

5 – Carlyle & Dolly Roth

6 – Bill & Rosie Rosen

13 – Barry & Melissa Lyke

24 – Doug & Wendy Slifka

28 – Doc & Kelly Sternberg

29 – David & Susan Rodenbeck

30 – Joe and Angela Lukens

Paul J. Bushur, Pastor; Ceci Steele, Editor.

Worship Services are held Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Children's Sunday School and Adult Bible Classes are held on Sundays at 9:15 a.m.

First Lutheran Church

1207 Broadway NE

Knoxville, TN 37917

(865) 524-0366

e-mail: office@firstknoxville.org

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
April 2016

1

6:00 Soccer	2

3:00 Soccer

3

8:45 First Bells Rehearsal

9:00 Fellowship

9:15 SS & Bible Classes

10:30 Worship Service

NO SCHOOL / NO ECE

4

6:00 Book of Isaiah

6:00 Soccer

NO SCHOOL / NO ECE	NO SCHOOL / NO ECE	5

12:30 I Kings Bible Class

6

8:30 School Chapel

3:45 Word & Song

5:30 Lutheran Ring. Rehears.

6:30 Worship Service

7:30 Choir Rehearsal

7:30 Board of Trustees

7

8

6:00 Soccer	9

9:00 Workday

3:00 Soccer
10

8:45 First Bells Rehearsal

9:00 Fellowship

9:15 SS & Bible Classes

10:30 Worship Service

11

9:30 Quilting

6:00 Book of Isaiah

6:00 Soccer	12

6:00 Day School Board

7:00 Board of Elders

13

8:30 School Chapel

3:45 Word & Song

5:30 Lutheran Ring. Rehears.

6:30 Worship Service

7:30 Choir Rehearsal	14

12:00 55 Alive

15

6:00 Soccer	16

2:00 Wolford Bridal Shower

3:00 Soccer

17	MITEBOX SUNDAY

8:45 First Bells Rehearsal

9:00 Fellowship

9:15 SS & Bible Classes

10:30 Worship Service

18

6:00 Book of Isaiah

6:00 Soccer

19

12:30 I Kings Bible Class

20

8:30 School Chapel

3:45 Word & Song

5:30 Lutheran Ring. Rehears.

6:30 Worship Service

7:30 Choir Rehearsal

-	21

-	22	DEADLINE FOR MAY

NEWSLETTER

6:00 Soccer

Little Lions Banquet	23

3:00 Soccer

24

8:45 First Bells Rehearsal

9:00 Fellowship

9:15 SS & Bible Classes

10:30 Worship: 2-4 Choir	25

9:30 Quilting

6:00 Book of Isaiah

6:00 Soccer	26

27

8:30 School Chapel

3:45 Word & Song

5:30 Lutheran Ring. Rehears.

6:30 Worship Service

7:30 Choir Rehearsal	28

29

6:00 Soccer

Athletic Banquet	30

3:00 Soccer