Transcript Overview of the Home Congregation

Overview of the Home
Congregation - ILLC
ILLC 8th and 9th Grade Sunday School
Overview of the Home Congregation
 Vocabulary
 Congregation
 A group of people gathered together for
worship.
 Organization
 A group of people gathered together for
a particular purpose.
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Overview of the Home
Congregation - ILLC
 Main points
 The local congregation has established an
organization, our church, according to the laws
of the State of Michigan. Our church is also part
of the LLC.
 Become familiar with the Ishpeming Laestadian
Lutheran church history, mission and operation
 Be able to relate how one becomes an official
member of the church organization and be able
to state the reasons for becoming a member.
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Overview of the Home Congregation
– A Legal Organization
 Ishpeming Laestadian Lutheran
Church
 ILLC is organized under the laws of the
State of Michigan.
 Is a non-profit organization.
 LLC – Laestadian Lutheran Church
 The LLC is organized under the laws of
the State of Minnesota
 Is an organization made up of member
LLC churches.
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 What is the relationship between the
ILLC and the LLC?
 The ILLC is a member congregation.
 We, together with other member
congregations, make up the LLC.
 We are the LLC.
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Overview of the Home Congregation
- Organization and Mission
 To preach the gospel of repentance and
remission of sins to the people of our
communities.
 To nurture and strengthen the faith of the
believing and root our children in Christian
faith in God’s kingdom.
 To awaken and inspire Christian values and
ethics, soberness of mind, love of
homeland, and responsible citizenship
among the people of our nations.
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Overview of the Home Congregation
- Organization and Mission
 Scriptural Basis for our Mission
 Jesus mission command
 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost” Matthew 28:19
 “And that repentance and remission of
sins should be preached in his name
among all nations, beginning in
Jerusalem” Luke 24:47
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Overview of the Home Congregation
- Organization and Mission
 Other Bible Passages that relate of
the mission
 “Feed the church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood” Acts
20:28
 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God” Romans
10:17
 “Feed my lambs” John 21:15
 “Feed my sheep” John 21:16 & 17
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Overview of the Home CongregationChurch Board of Trustees
 Chairman
 Treasurer
 Duane Wisuri
 Vice-chairman
 Pete Kuopus
 Vice-Treasurer
 Ken Jacobson
 Secretary
 Ed Rintamaki
 Other Trustees
 Matt Rintamaki
 Bob Erickson
 Mike Kuopus
 Walt Lampi
 Vice-Secretary
 Steve Laiho
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 What are the duties of the board of
trustees?
 To oversee the temporal matters of the
congregation.
 Most importantly to oversee the spiritual
matters of the congregation
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 How does the congregation generate funds?
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Collections
Dues
Fundraising events
Donations
 How are they used?
 To pay for the upkeep of the church building,
wages of pastors, care of member needs,
humanitarian aid to believers in other countries.
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 Speakers in your
Congregation
 Can you name
them?
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Steve Laiho
Walt Lampi
Tom Prophet
Dan Rintamaki
 Bernie Johnson,
retired
 Jim Keplinger
 Mike Kuopus
 Pete Kuopus
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 What are the duties of speakers?
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Preach the Word of God
Serve Holy Communion
Baptize
Soul Care
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 The Laestadian Lutheran Church
 Who are the members of the LLC Board of
Directors from your area?
 Dan Rintamaki, Jim Frantti
 Who are the delegates this year to the LLC
Annual Meeting from your congregations?
 Duane Wisuri and Bob Erickson
 How long do they serve?
 Two years
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 Other Congregation Officers and Committee
Heads
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Sunday School –Lorin Riutta
Maintenance – Mike Kuopus
Day Circle – Rita Edwards
Deaconite Committee – Bob/Carol Haapala
Youthwork – Pete Kuopus
Organist –
Song Leaders - none
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Overview of the Home Congregation
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Food Service – Mary Ann Mederith
Publications
Book Sales
Other
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Overview of the Home Congregation
- History
 Our congregation was established in 1895.
 Prior speakers
 Ishpeming Ministers - Mikko Kuusela, Raymond
Tulkki, Usko Petaisto
 Visiting ministers - AL Heideman, PA Heideman,
W Johnson, Gust Salminen, Ivar Lehtinen plus
many other American and Finnish speakers
 Founding members – Matti Huuskonen,
Mikko Kuusela, Eliel Wierimaa, Jacob
Harvala, Titus Honkala, Jacob Wisuri, Adam
Heikkila, Gust Itaniemi, Abraham Toppila
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Overview of the Home Congregation
- History
 Original name – Apostolic Lutheran Church
 Pollarism Heresy – 1920’s to 1930’s
 Very lenient – once saved always saved
 Kirkkokunta or Small First Born Heresy1920’s to 1930’s
 Very law minded. Doctrine of works. Selfrighteous
 Torola Heresy – 1973
 Very lenient – love of this world: TV, sports,
Peter’s denial, sins unto death, no care of the
conscience or of each other
 Ruonavaara Heresy- later 1970’s
 Law mined, dry, self-righteousness
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Overview of the Home Congregation
- Church Building
 Our present church was built and
dedicated in 1981.
 The first church was lost to heresy.
 Pollarism Heresy
 The second church was lost to heresy.
 Torola Heresy
 The third church was sold.
 The church we have now is the
fourth.
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 Describe your church organ and
music in our services.
 Pipe organ with five ranks
 Songs and Hymns of Zion
 Open and close w/ a song or hymn
 What other facilities do we have?
 Kitchen-Yes
 Dining room-Yes
 Classrooms-No
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 How does one become a member of
the church?
 Every believer is automatically a spiritual
member. All that is required is living
faith. This is true for both childhood
Christians and for those converted.
 To become a member who can
participate in the decision making of the
congregation he or she must become a
dues-paying member.
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 Why should you financially support
the home congregation?
 To help financially support the work of
the gospel is probably the greatest
reason. The work of the home
congregation relies on each member’s
generosity and sharing of temporal gifts.
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 The widows mite
 “And there came a certain poor widow,
and she threw in two mites, which make
a farthing. And he called unto him his
disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I
say unto you, That this poor widow hath
cast more in, than all they which have
cast into the treasury” Mark 12:42-43
 Two mites are worth less than on cent.
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 How much are dues?
 $5/year to be a voting member
 The recommended amount to support
the congregation’s financial needs is:
 Adults - $65/month per adult
 Students – ½ the adult amount
 Remember, it is not the exact amount
that we give but that we give what we
are able and with a cheerful heart.
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Overview of the Home Congregation
– Serving in the Congregation
 How can you serve?
Church cleaning
Help with kitchen work
Help with Sunday School or Day Circle
Visit the elderly and offer to help them
Help at home so your mom or dad can
volunteer for camp work.
 The Holy Spirit will help you find many
ways to serve the other children of God.
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Overview of the Home Congregation
– Serving in the Congregation
 Can you think of other ways in which
to serve?
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Overview of the Home Congregation
 Review
 What is the relationship between the ILLC and the
LLC?
 The ILLC is a member congregation of the LLC.
 What is the mission of our congregation?
 Preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins.
 Strengthen the faith of all believers
 Inspire Christian ethics and values in our community
and government
 How does one become a member of this organization?
 By paying dues
 Why should one become a member?
 Support the work of the church financially.
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