Miscellaneous/In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)

All Saints Lutheran Church Staff and Council Members for December 2025 – December 2026
Synod Authorized Ministers (SAM): Matthew, Wanda, & Julie
Director of Communications: Kristen
Director of Music Ministries: Matthew
Organist/Pianist: Wanda
Church Council Members: Julie (President), Kirk (Vice President), Jim (Financial Officer), Wanda (Worship Ministry Team Lead), Marilyn (Service Ministry Team Lead), & Brenda (Proclamation Team Lead)

From the Director of Music Ministries

Do you play an instrument or sing? Would you like to help lead all or part of worship on Sunday morning? If so, contact the church’s Director of Music Ministries or the church office.

From the Director of Communications (church office)

Do you know someone that should be added to the prayers? Are there other items you would like to see in the publications from the church? If so, contact the church office (office@allsaintsdavenport.org).

Do you have an announcement or article that you would like included in future publications? If so, please submit them for the Wednesday e-weekly and Sunday morning bulletin to the office by 8 am on Mondays so the Director of Communications can plan their work week. Thank you!

Our Daily Bread Ministries

Did you know that “Our Daily Bread Ministries” offers a Discovery Series? This series has various topics and articles to explore and read. Click the link below to explore more items offered by Our Daily Bread Ministries.

https://www.odbm.org/en/discovery-series

Information about the Season of Lent

Preparing for Lent

During the season of Lent many Christians turn their attention to fasting, prayer, and almsgiving—activities meant to quiet our minds, still our hearts, and allow us to draw near to God. On Ash Wednesday we hear the words “You are dust and to dust you shall return,” and so it is. We recognize the frailty of human existence, the reality of our personal and corporate sin, and our deep need for Jesus, who forgives our sin and gifts us with eternal life.

Throughout the season, we are called to put our priorities in order. Throughout scripture we receive the invitation to examine ourselves. Are we storing up treasure in heaven (Matt. 6:20)? Are we bringing our questions to Jesus with hearts wide open to being transformed (John 3:1-17)? Are we being as rigorously honest in all our doings as the woman at the well (John 4)? Have we truly embraced the good news as both Martha, sister of Lazarus, and Mary, Mother of God, did (John 11:27; Luke 1:38)? Are we celebrating Jesus with the pilgrims in Jerusalem, crying, “Hosanna! God save us!” (Matt. 21:9)?

Lent is a forty-day reminder that it is God who saves. God saves us through the ministry of almsgiving as our hearts are opened to the injustices of our world. God saves us through fasting as the concerns of our hearts are reorganized when we meditate on Jesus and all that we truly hold dear. God saves us through prayer as we join Nicodemus in learning that in Jesus we are reborn; we join the woman at the well in understanding God’s unconditional love for her and the entire neighborhood; we stand with the blind man in receiving God’s healing of body and restoration to beloved community. In all the stories of this Lenten season, let us remember that the agency always belongs to our God.

This truth leaves us with naught but to follow the Holy Spirit into the neighborhood, our hearts aflame with the good news. We are in solidarity with our neighbors, following the example of both Martha and Mary, who choose to actively align themselves with the promises and purposes of God. We join the crowds in glad jubilation—and desperate hope—as we declare, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matt. 21:9). We stand in awe with the centurion who exclaims at Jesus’ death, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” (Matt. 27:54).

Lent is an invitation from God that requires a response. It is not a response to “choose salvation”; as Lutherans, we know we don’t have to feel such pressure! Instead, it is the response of a heart overflowing with gratitude as we continually encounter Jesus, who was willing to go to all lengths to redeem us.

Right now, and at all times, God is at work redeeming the world and inviting us into a deeper relationship and ministry with God. In all cases, when human beings encounter the spirit of the living God in the work and ministry of Jesus, awe is inspired. Perhaps the woman at the well said it best: “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” (John 4:29).

Later we learn that upon this woman’s testimony to her fellow villagers, and after hearing Jesus teach for two days, the villagers declared, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).

At the end of this Lenten season, what profession of faith will flow out of the hearts of our hearers? How will it inspire them to come alongside God’s Holy Spirit, who is already at work bringing greater justice and peace to all

the earth?

Booklets Available

There are various booklets and devotional booklets available in the gathering space for you to take home with you. Our hope is that they help draw you closer to God by assisting with Bible study, prayer, and devotions.

For the season of Lent there is a devotional book titled “love outpoured: devotions for lent”. This book has daily devotional for the entire season of Lent.

Love Outpoured: Devotions for Lent 2026
Love Outpoured focuses on portions of the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans. In words that continue to speak to us today, Paul lays out foundational beliefs for a life of faith in Christian community.

The daily devotions for each day, from Ash Wednesday to the Resurrection of Our Lord / Vigil of Easter, begin with evocative images and brief scripture texts. The writers then bring their diverse voices and pastoral wisdom to the texts with quotations to ponder, reflections, and prayers.

May God’s love pour out into us and through us to our neighbors, churches, communities, and all creation!

Thank You – Many Hands Make Light Work!

Thank you …

Matt, Wanda, and Julie for going through the Synod Authorized Ministry program (SAM) in 2025 and for continuing with the future training in 2026. The church is grateful for your calling to lead worship, preach, and visit those in need.
to everyone who helps in any way during the worship service each week
to all the volunteers that help, not only on Saturdays but throughout the week, organizing and getting the Food Pantry & Clothing Closet ready to be open on Saturdays. This includes ordering food, loading and unloading food orders, picking up toilet paper to hand out weekly, ordering/picking up laundry detergent (once a month), ordering/picking up milk (once a month), ordering/picking up bar soap (once a month), and ordering/picking up eggs (once a month)
to the individuals who help tend to the outside property. We appreciate you for doing these sometimes mundane, never-ending tasks
financial officer and financial team for meeting monthly to keep all the finances in order for the church
to the council members and ministry teams for all your hard work throughout the year
to the worship planning team for all your work in planning the worship services throughout the year
for the grants that have been awarded to the All Saints Lutheran Church Food Pantry! We thank Scott County Regional Authority (SCRA), Bettendorf Rotary Club, Doris & Victor Day Foundation, ELCA World Hunger, and many more.

Monetary Donation Opportunities

If you are unable to attend worship in person, please consider sending your gift through the mail to the church office (5002 Jersey Ridge Road, Davenport, Iowa 52087).

All unspecified donations will be put into the church’s general fund, which covers the operating expenses for the church. If you would like to donate to a specific fund, please write your check to All Saints Lutheran Church and specify the specific fund’s name on the memo line.

General Fund – undesignated revenue used for paying the bills for the church
Helping Hands Fund – helps families in need
Food Pantry Fund – operating fund for the food pantry to purchase food and items for the food pantry
Food Pantry Discretionary Fund – covers any expenses that food pantry individuals might need other than food i.e. gas money, hotel money, et cetera
Memorial Garden Fund – helps maintain the Memorial Garden on the church property
Happy Hearts Hopeful Future Fund – directs monies directly toward the principal balance of the mortgage

Southeastern Iowa Synod

The Synod publishes a weekly newsletter. If you are interested in looking at what is happening in the ELCA and more specifically with our local synod, you may take a look by clicking on the link provided below or typing the information into your preferred web browser.

https://mailchi.mp/seiasynod/southeastern-iowa-synod-enews-10334004?e=bf1d166102

Living Lutheran

All Saints Lutheran Church used to receive the Living Lutheran Magazine but has opted to not continue receiving the print copy. You may access the magazine issues by clicking on the link provided below or typing the information into your preferred web browser: https://www.livinglutheran.org/voices-of-faith/