As announced in church this morning, Sychar Lutheran has been broken into. We are, as yet, unsure how they entered the building - whether by key, sneakiness, or a door that wasn't closed all the way. We are sure that they broke in the door to the custodian's closet, borrowed some tools, and then used those tools to destroy the door jam of the office door and the handle of the safe.

We aren't exactly sure what they were looking for, as all of the valuables that we could think of were still in place. No flagrant vandalism took place, except for the destroyed door ways and safe handle.

We have been blessed in two ways:

1. The culprit, for unknown reasons, did not destroy or deface anything extra, nor steal anything we've noticed yet.
2. Somebody, with a note in the offering plate, has volunteered to pay for fixing the safe and re-keying the church.

To the somebody that broke in:

• Please, next time you want something out of the office, ask first...we'll probably just give it to you.
• Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU for not defacing, desecrating, or otherwise causing severe damage to this House of God.
• Forgiveness can be found -- Heaven is near -- I know a good church that can help you take care of those things.

This year's Fantasy Football season is upon us!  Some of you enjoyed competing in our youth league last year, and this year we are doing it again.  Any of the youth from middle school on up ... including those 75+ year old youths.  If you like, you can even buddy up with a youth so that you can add your football expertise with their computer clicking ability.  This is an inter generational fun ministry, with a slight nudge of competition. 

Please click the following link to sign into the Sychar Fantasy Football Leauge:  Sychar Fantasy Football

Click on Football '08 FREE Join a League. 

DO NOT pick the Football PLUS '08...as that is a pay league system with a few more options than what we have. You want FREE, not PLUS.

If you don't have a YahooID yet, they are free.  Go ahead and make one up.  Just remember to write down your login name and password.

The League ID for Sychar is:  29886

The password is the first book of the Bible...capitalized.  Very similar to the second book...such as Exodus.  Except the FIRST book.  :)  

After you get in to the league page, please bookmark it so that you can get their quickly and easily from then on.  Again, this is totally FREE.  Usually for $10 you can get live scoring as you go throughout the day each Sunday.  Nathan buys this at the parsonage so that we can have football parties and such, but you are by no means obligated to pay for it if you don't want it.    

Below you can see last years playoff scenario (click the 'read more').

When Pastor Teber O. Hill arrived in 1953 to organize the congregation, a lady came to him asking if she could teach Sunday school. She felt if she would take an active role, her son would go to Sunday school with her. The Sunday school superintendent felt this was a bit risky, knowing the reputation this woman had. Pastor Hill preached a very passionate sermon the following Sunday.

He used the Gospel of John, 4^th chapter, as his text. Jesus was traveling through Samaria and came to Jacob's well near the town of Sychar to rest. A Samaritan woman of shady character came to the well to draw water. Jesus asked her for a drink. She was startled, and this started their dialogue. She found the “Living Water” and rushed back to the village forgetting her water pot to tell everyone about her encounter. “Can this be the Messiah?” she asked. And the towns people went out to see for themselves. Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to Him because of the woman's witness.

That's why we have the name Sychar. We invite people of all races, all ages, and social status to come to the Well where they will taste the “Living Water” and go to bring others who are thirsty to that same Well.

                                                ---Vallie

The ReClaim Lutheran Hymnal is a name you might recognize. It seems that our entire staff has become involved with it. Between mailings, administrative tasks, and technical/computer issues,

Quoting ReClaim's website:

Reclaim is a non-profit organization and a hymnal project to help Lutherans reclaim our heritage, our purpose, our future, and our passion as Christians.

ReClaim is made up of concerned pastors, seminary professors, and laypersons whose backgrounds are in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). ReClaim’s purpose is to offer a hymnal that reclaims the insights of the Reformation for use in congregations and homes. ReClaim’s language and content are in but not of the 21st century. The crucial need for an alternative, theologically sound hymnal was first recognized in the growing movement calling for reform within the ELCA. Realizing that Christians are MADE not born, we seek to evangelize particularly through Sunday services and special services such as funerals and weddings.

The ReClaim, Introductory Edition, is available NOW. It was published in June of 2006. Also available is an electronic edition that includes settings 1 and 2.

Check out the ReClaim website:  reclaimlutheranworship.org