HOSANNA NEWS

NEW WORSHIP TIME!!!  12:00noon - SUNDAY​


*Organist Ray Miller is scheduled to play our pipe organ during weekly worship! (only pipe organ in Columbia)!​  Ray is a master at the keys and we are thrilled to have him join us!


**Hosanna has regrouped with a new Administrative Team: Peter Tallos and Kevin Barnard.  Pete and Kevin are long term members of Hosanna and have been serving our Lord in various ways.  Both are working in a volunteer basis, so our current office hours are by appointment only.  Please call us directly to assist and serve you: Pete (440)343-4851 or Kevin (440)328-7167. 

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March 5, 2023
 
Dear Friends in Christ,

It has been some time since we have seen each other and I would like to check-in and see how you are doing.  You may have heard that Hosanna has changed in several ways over the past year which is true, but many of the changes are helping Hosanna to refocus on it’s true purpose.  Many positive, faith driven activities are happening at Hosanna.  Hosanna continues to be strong in mission emphasis in the community through the preschool and in other community relationship activities.

If you were not aware, Hosanna is working closely with Ascension Lutheran Church in North Olmsted, and we are being led Spiritually by Pastor Joshua Ulm.  In order to partner with Ascension, we are hosting traditional Christian worship at Hosanna starting at 12-noon every Sunday, followed by a light lunch and an amazingly robust Bible study.  Please consider joining us, but if 12-noon is a challenge for you, consider the 9:45am service at Ascension.  In either case, you will have a rewarding and spiritually nourishing experience that will strengthen your relationship with the Lord.

I have realized that my spiritual faith is a constant work in progress.  I would believe that is true for all of us.  If you are actively worshipping and have transferred to another congregation, please remind us of your transfer and we will pray for your service there.  If you have not transferred and would like to revisit the congregation Hosanna, please allow us an opportunity to reconnect.  We miss worshipping together and are actively relaying to the community that we are here and positioned to help each other in our spiritual growth.

Please consider worshipping the Risen Lord with us in-person at Hosanna or at Ascension.
Peace,
 
 
Kevin Barnard, Elder Hosanna Lutheran Church.
(440)328-7167 – cell

The following is a copy of the letter to Hosanna from Vacancy Pastor Ulm:​

Ascension Lutheran Church
And Early Childhood Center
28081 Lorain Road
North Olmsted, OH  44070
440-777-6365
[email protected]
Pastor Joshua Ulm

 

May 15, 2022
                                                                       
Dear Saints of Hosanna,
 
Grace and Peace to you from our Risen Lord!
 
I am beyond excited to be serving you during your pastoral vacancy. It is a true joy to do work in the Lord’s Kingdom, especially at the time of Easter, and I eagerly anticipate sharing this Easter joy with you. I bring you greetings from the saints of Ascension Lutheran Church in North Olmsted, where I have been serving for nearly four years. We look forward to walking together as partners in mission.
 
I am looking forward to getting to know you better in the coming weeks, but for now I’ll introduce my family to you. The Lord has blessed my wife Mary and I with Hannah (7), Joseph (5), Bethany (3), and Abraham (3 months). Mary and I met in 2010 as prospective students at Concordia University- Ann Arbor, and married in 2013, a few weeks after I graduated with my Family Life-Church Work degree. Following Hannah’s birth in 2014 we moved to St. Louis for Seminary, and after a stop in Pittsburgh for vicarage in 2016-17, God called me to serve at Ascension in 2018. My favorite part of ministry is studying the Bible, both in preparation for sermons and together during Bible study. I look forward to sharing this with the people of Hosanna. I also wait with great excitement to see what opportunities God will allow for our two congregations to serve our communities together.
 
As your elders will communicate, during this time of vacancy, services will take place at Noon at Hosanna, followed by Bible Study at 1pm (with a light lunch).
 
While I serve as vacancy pastor, my door is open to you. You may contact me at 330-419-2720 or via email at [email protected].
 
Grace and Peace in Christ,
 
 
 
Pastor Ulm

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Hosanna Lutheran Church, Columbia Station Ohio……  2022 year in review:
 
Pastoral Leadership:
The year started Blessed with Pastor Mark Renner’s leadership.  Pastor Renner faithfully led the congregation that remained after the pandemic and was actively working to minister to new potential members.  Pastor Renner skillfully incorporated the talents of the members to actively participate in worship and in outreach activities.  In May 2022 Pastor Renner answered a Divine Call to serve at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Janesville, Wisconsin.  We continue to Pray for Pastor Renner, his family, and the Christians that he continues to serve.

At the end of May 2022, with intense prayer and the assistance of President Wilson, Hosanna was successful in receiving Pastor Joshua Ulm (Pastor of Ascension – North Olmsted) as Vacancy Pastor.  We are very thankful for the generous congregation at Ascension to help us! 

Pastor Ulm has continued in-person, traditional worship at Hosanna.  Hosanna modified worship time to start at 12:00 noon, followed by light lunch and a robust Bible study.   Pastor Ulm is active with Hosanna’s Early Childhood Center by leading monthly Chapel activities, engaging the students and parents.  Pastor Ulm is very supportive to all at Hosanna and is helping Hosanna’s leadership team to explore future opportunities for Hosanna to fulfill its mission.
 
Administrative Team:
In early February 2022, it was decided to discontinue the part-time employment of Hosanna’s secretary, Karen Midkiff.  Karen left peacefully but did not willingly share administrative knowledge of financial or Church operational information.  The additional side effect from the departure of the secretary was the resignation of the Treasurer, Bill Engelmann, and the departure of his family and their involvement at Hosanna. 

A New volunteer administrative team was formed, which included newly appointed Treasurer, Pete Tallos, and remaining Elder, Kevin Barnard.   Access to all office equipment, financial accounts/records, email, website, and social media accounts was obtained through timely successor procedures.  A professional CPA was hired to oversee all financial activity at Hosanna and to provide professional payroll services for Pastor, the organist, and the ECC staff.  Treasurer, Pete Tallos, reviews and pays all utilities and reoccurring financial obligations responsibly and timely.  Office phone rings directly to voice mail with direction to contact Pastor Ulm, Pete, or Kevin directly in emergent situations or to schedule a meeting time.
 
Worship:
The worship style at Hosanna started in 2022 with mostly traditional services that included simple piano music or recorded organ music that accompanied our Lutheran Hymnals.  Weekly attendance ranged from 15-25 worshippers – some were Hosanna’s regular members, and some were visitors.  Worship time originally started at 9:30am and then we moved it to 10:00am in an effort to attract more visitors and members.

In March of 2022, Hosanna’s original organist, Ray Miller returned.  Hosanna’s pipe organ has since become the musical foundation during the regular traditional service with Holy Communion.  Worship time has been adjusted to start at 12:00-noon to allow Pastor Ulm to lead 9:45am worship at Ascension and then time to travel and lead worship at Hosanna.  Light lunch fellowship is offered to all after worship and a very inspiring Bible study led by Paster Ulm is started around 1:15.   Weekly worship attendance is between 6-12 and attendance at the Bible study afterward is sometimes higher!

Prayer led meetings with Pastor Ulm and Hosanna’s members to seek traditional and new, innovative methods to fulfill Hosanna’s purpose is ongoing.  All opportunities are being evaluated and considered.
 
Missions – Early Childhood Center
2021 school year started and concluded with good enrollment in both age groups (3-year-old and 4-year-old).  2021-2022 activity summary attached as submitted by Amy Said. 

Discussions regarding Hosanna ECC for 2022 found that Amy was resigning her position as Preschool Director.  Ohio District ECC Specialist Lori Schneider, assisted in the formation of a new ECC committee and advised on strategies to keep Hosanna’s ECC mission active.   With much prayer, the committee was led to interview and hire Tanya Rindfleisch as Hosanna’s new ECC Director.  Shortly after Tanya was hired as Director, Tanya announced that the other ECC teacher vacancies at Hosanna were filled, and Hosanna’s ECC would be ready to operate on schedule fall of 2022.  Soon afterward, Tanya timely enrolled in specific education with the goal to credential as Hosanna’s ongoing ECC Director.  Tanya is scheduled to be completing this training shortly.

Lori continues to assist with valuable advice.   During the summer, Lori helped Tanya with the vision to develop an ECC dedicated fundraiser (golf outing).  In addition, with Lori’s insight, Hosanna was able to apply for and be awarded a significant grant to help pay for ECC salaries, ECC improvements, and expenses.  Many of the ECC improvements have already been completed by Hosanna’s leadership team and include new paint to the entire ECC learning facility, new water fountain, new ECC kitchen refrigerator, new ECC office printer, new ECC media center including 65” wall-mount TV with DVD.

Tanya has relayed a mid-year summary report for the ECC. (Similar to Amy’s last year summary, but for the last several months). 

Please note -Hosanna has been very blessed in the mission of ECC.  Many activities have taken place that have been very positive in various ways – !!!!

Missions - Local
Hosanna has directly served the local area by allowing several local groups to use the Church fellowship hall for their meetings.  Two main groups, the local Alcoholic Anonymous group uses the fellowship hall as a safe space to hold their weekly meetings every Saturday evening, and the local Girl Scout group meets every month in the fellowship hall to conduct their meetings and coordinate their activities.
 
Missions - Outreach
Hosanna was blessed to be awarded an Outreach Grant from Ohio District – late 2021 / early 2022.  Extensive meetings with Pastor Derrick Hurst were held in-person to specifically design meaningful activities to fulfill this grant’s purpose.  An “outreach calendar” was developed that included activities designed to engage community members and hopefully give us an opportunity to grow our Christian community at Hosanna.  
Social Events:
A list of the outreach social events includes Bible and Brews (Bible study at the authentic German Club), a Spring Hymn Sing event, spring family cookout, parking lot party, Annual Car show, Fall Clambake/Cookout, “Reformationfest” (family cookout with reflection based on Reformation), and Christmas in Columbia Hymnfest.  We have found that we are fairly successful entertaining several larger groups of people, but still have not been able to fully engage many to attend worship regularly. –  We have noted that we are becoming well known in the community and are developing a positive reputation, so we have decided to continue this style of focused activities into 2023.  Pray for continued positive outcomes in the future.

 Outreach Barn:
An additional opportunity to expand Hosanna’s outreach activities was the vision to clean and repurpose an old vintage auto repair building that is located on Hosanna’s property.  This building has always been known as the “barn” and was found housing several items of junk and was in extreme need of repair.  Hosanna’s leadership team went to work by extensively cleaning out all of the rubbish, dirt, and grime with the vision to use the renovated “outreach barn” for social and family outreach events.  Although this has been recognized as a work in progress due to time and responsible financial constraints, many improvements have already been completed.   Some improvements to the outreach barn are: new security door installed, new electrical service and lighting installed, chimney repair, minor roof repair, new wood burning stove installed, and minor floor repairs.  Future repairs expected are to replace many of the deteriorating windows, paint the exterior, add water service and install a working toilet.  The barn was used in 2022 for the Clambake/cookout and had received very positive feedback.

Food Baskets:
In the past, Hosanna was contacted directly from the local food bank in efforts to identify individuals who would benefit from food donations during the Christmas holiday season. This year, Hosanna used a small amount of the outreach grant funds to purchase meal items, hygiene items, and gift items for potential families that would benefit this season.  Teaming up with the ECC staff, Hosanna was able to assemble several food “baskets” and distribute them directly.

Current Financial Outlook:
Hosanna’s Leadership team has worked up a modest, but realistic budget for the 2023 year.  The budget document is included in this review file.  Although current tithe trends are very low and dwindling, Hosanna was blessed in the past by very generous members who were able to secure some limited cash savings.  The cash savings has been used in the past as encumbered funds as a start-up fund for our previous pastoral call.  The remainder of those funds have been re-allocated to assist with current financial obligations, mainly the mortgage and monthly utilities.  Dedicated but limited outreach funding remains as we have been careful to use those encumbered funds for direct outreach needs.  An additional small reserve fund has been established with the donation of monies from the Richard Hantel Estate. 

The leadership team believes that Hosanna is positioned to remain in operation for the foreseeable future, based on our current operational expenses and if we do not experience any extreme unforeseen challenges.  We are vigilant to be considering every and all opportunities of income to continue funding the foundational mission work at Hosanna.
 

• Respectfully submitted,

 
Kevin D. Barnard
 
Kevin D. Barnard, Chairman Hosanna Lutheran Church

 
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