· web viewreformer martin luther used the word “vocation” or “calling” to refer to all...
TRANSCRIPT
ST. STEPHENLUTHERAN CHURCH –
ELCASt. John/St. Stephen Lutheran Parish ELCA
PASTOR GAIL SOWELLJoint Mission Statement: Saints united to be the body of
Christ in the world, freed by grace to live faithfully, witness boldly, and serve joyfully.
424 N. 3rd Avenue, PO Box 95Edgar, WI 54426-0095
Telephone: 715-352-2491 (St. Stephen Office) 715-352-2492 (Pastor Gail Home/Cell/Emergency)
Church Web Site: www.ststephenedgar.com
prepare the way of the lord advent
ST. STEPHEN – ELCAHonoring the Past – Welcoming the Future
INSIDE THIS ISSUEParish Staff/Council Officers.........................................1Contact Information.......................................................1Pastor Gail’s Ponderings................................................2January Birthdays and Anniversaries.............................3Thank Yous/In Memory/Wedding Wishes....................3Adventures of the Church Mice.....................................3New Member/Pastor Thank You/First Communion......4Ladies’ Luncheon/Ladies Bible Study...........................4Thankofferings/Well Update/Evening Bible Study.......5Senior Day/Quilting/Church Council/Meetings............5Annual Meeting/Reports Due........................................5Children’s Christmas Program.......................................5United Way Blood Pressure Screenings........................6Thrivent Choice Dollars/Soldier Resources...................6Ski Lessons/First Christmas After Loss.........................6January Calendar
Sunday, January 26 @ 9:15 AM2020 Budget to be approved;
Council Trustee and Secretary positions need to be filled
2019 COUNCIL OFFICERSPresident Vicki Maurer 715-574-0527 [email protected]
Vice-President Keith Paul 715-297-5883 [email protected] Sherry Gayken 715-355-9039 [email protected] Rod Zietlow 715-680-8608 [email protected]
Financial Secretary Julie Haanstad 715-581-0308 [email protected] Mark Schreier
Dale PilgrimClarence Werner
715-352-2392715-352-2968715-432-0997
Trustees Roy GuralskiWarren BraunelOpen Position
715-352-2706715-352-3233
PARISH STAFFPastor Pastor Gail Sowell
Home/Cell/EmergencySt. Stephen Office
715-352-2492715-352-2491
Secretary Sherry [email protected]
715-355-9039
Outside Custodian Steve Doran 715-393-5080Inside Custodian Rachel Doran 715-393-5076
Organist Charlotte Otto 715-443-2007Handbell Director Marla Berg 715-302-4768Altar Guild Millie Borchardt/
Marge Copeland/Deb Pilgrim715-352-2451
Media Team
MaryAnn Aschbrenner, Sherry Gayken, Dale Pilgrim, Michael Maurer, Mark Schreier, Kathy Schreier, Kristin Zietlow, Rod Zietlow
Pastor’s Ponderings for January, 2020
“The Power of Hope” was the theme of the Rose Parade on this New Year’s Day. Having grown up in Southern California, I’m an avid fan of this annual extravaganza. My grandparents lived just a block south of Colorado Street, the main parade route, and as a toddler (I’m told), I sat on my Grandpa’s shoulders (he was 6’2”) and wanted “more horses” and “more music.” (Things haven’t changed much: I still love horses and music!).
“The Power of Hope” is one of the foundations of our Christian faith. Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God (Psalm 43:5). We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance produces character; and character produces hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us (Romans 5:3-5). May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
“The Power of Hope” is what I wish for all of you reading this, and indeed, for all members of St. John and St. Stephen. (Of course, I wish that for all people everywhere—but true hope begins at home.) And I have to ask, do you have this hope, this trust in the power of God’s love, in the promise of forgiveness of all sin? I ask this because in my 20 years of ordained ministry I’ve stood at many a bedside of a dying member who was simply terrified of death. It makes me so sad to realize that some Christians aren’t taking advantage of the enormous “power of hope” that’s offered so freely and fully to us.
Do you know God? I don’t mean, do you know about God—do you know God in a personal way, as your loving heavenly Father who desires only good for you? Do you know Jesus in a personal way, as your loving Savior who died so that you don’t need to fear death? “There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment” (I John 4:18).
If you make a New Year’s resolution for 2020, may it be to get more deeply acquainted with God, with Jesus, so your whole life can be lived in the “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), and in the joy that knowing Christ can bring!
Pastor Gail
JANUARYBIRTHDAYS
12 Kohel Reid19 King Katie
21 Haanstad Rick24 Schreier Kathy26 Kohel Jace27 Heiden Rachel27 Knetter Brynn
JANUARYANNIVERSARIES
06 - Pilgrim, Doug and Denice20 - Aschbrenner, Allen and Mary Ann
THANK YOU to Charlotte Otto for organizing the Musical Prelude this Christmas Eve.
THANK YOU to the Handbell Choir – directed by Marla Berg, and members – Pastor Gail Sowell, Kathy Schreier,
Charlotte Otto, Andrew Steffen, Sarah Steffen, Ally, Chentaly, Ashley, and Chenpieng Phakitthong
THANK YOU to the following individuals for sharing their special musical talents during Christmas in honor of Jesus’ birth: Marlena Strasser, Charlotte Otto, and Andrew Steffen.
THANK YOU to all St. Stephen members for your donations of socks and mittens for the needy in the community. These were distributed with the Circle of Joy food/pantry day on Wednesday, December 18th, at the Edgar Village Hall and were much appreciated.
This is a Thrivent Financial Action Team Project … whereby Thrivent donated $250 seed money for the project for expenses and purchases.
THANK YOU to Ruth Paul
for the memorial donation in remembrance of Gertrud (Gertie) Hendler.
BEST WISHES to Katie Heiden and Joel Barboza who were united in marriage on Saturday, August 31st, 2019, at Hillview Farms in Merrill, WI – Pastor Zach Burris officiating.
May God continue to bless your marriage with love, joy, and happiness!
ADVENTURES OF THE CHURCH MICEHappy New Year to all of you from all your Church Mice! This is Frederick writing from St. Stephen to tell you all the things we mice have been talking about the last few weeks.
Like Christmas Eve, when the Little Baby Jesus was born and there were angels and shepherds and sheep and Mary and Joseph and that funny bed they put the baby in, something the animals could eat out of. It’s a good thing the cows weren’t hungry that night, what if they ate Baby Jesus all up?
THAT is what we talked about most, what if something happened to Baby Jesus and he never grew up at all. Little Timothy from St. John got pretty scared when we thought about that, cause he can’t imagine not having grown-up Jesus as his FRIEND. So we all decided the very best Christmas present in the whole wide world is JESUS. And the other thing we wondered was if people have Christmas trees because the first bed for Baby Jesus was wood, like from a tree. Maybe people don’t know how to make those feed thingies so they decorate a tree instead. Anyway, we all hope you all have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!
NEW MEMBER SUNDAY – Sunday, February 9th. Are you or anyone you know interested in becoming a member of St. Stephen? Speak with Pastor Gail.
WITH MANY SINCERE THANKS AND APPRECIATION to members of St. Stephen and St. John for all the
Christmas cards, gifts, and good wishes.
With wishes for peace, hope, and joy in the new year for all! Pastor Gail
FIRST COMMUNION – First Communion will be celebrated at St. Stephen on Sunday,
February 2, 2020. There will be two classes to prepare, to give instruction and training for your child (and family) to fully understand what the sacrament means and what is taking place before receiving first communion. Those classes will be: - Wednesday evenings, January 22nd, and January 29th, 2020, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM. Someone will pick up pizza and all will contribute to that; bring your own beverages. There is no set age to receive First Communion at St. Stephen. Youth of any age are welcome.
Are you interested in your child receiving First Communion? Please give Pastor Gail or Sherry a note if you have not already done so.
THE CHRISTMAS SALAD LUNCHEON, hosted by St. Stephen ladies – followed by St. Stephen and St. John Ladies’ Bible Study – was held on Tuesday, December 10th at Stephen. A good time of fun and fellowship was had by all !!
Every woman who is a member of St. Stephen and St. John is a member of the women’s group and WELCOMED and encouraged to participate in the Tuesday Bible Study. The Study is held the 2nd
Tuesday of each month – alternating between St. Stephen and St. John. January and February Bible Studies will be held at St. Stephen – January 14th and February 11th.
LADIES’ BIBLE STUDY – Gather offers three multi-session Bible studies per year in winter, summer and fall and two, one-month devotional studies in May and December. Summer studies are free to download and try. All others require a subscription to Gather. A selection of past Bible studies are also available for purchase.
Winter 2020: We are called! by The Rev. Kathryn A. Kleinhans, Ph.D., Dean of Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University, Columbus, Ohio.
Reformer Martin Luther used the word “vocation” or “calling” to refer to all aspects of human life. We are called to respond to God not just in our personal relationship with God but in our relationships with family and friends, in our work, and in our communities.
This four-part Bible study will explore stories from both the Old and New Testament. As we reflect on how our biblical forebears heard and responded to God’s call, we will gain insight into how God is calling us—and how God may be calling others through us.
Session 1: Hearing God’s CallThis session focuses on men and women in the Old Testament. Some of them heard and recognized God’s call clearly. Others struggled to realize that it was God who was calling them or exactly what God was calling them to do. What can we learn from their stories?
Session 2: The Call of JesusThis session focuses on Jesus’ calling of the disciples, on Jesus’ call to Saul (Paul) on the road to Damascus, and on Jesus’ call to all Christians to take up the cross and follow. As Christians, how do we see ourselves in these stories today? How do we respond to the call of Jesus?
Session 3: Called to ServeJesus is clear that one of the central ways we respond to God’s call is by serving others. When we serve others, we are recognizing Christ present in their need. When we serve others, they see Christ visible in our loving service. This session engages scriptural texts that help us focus on the questions, “Who is my neighbor, and what does my neighbor need?”
Session 4: Calling NetworksThe title of this Bible study, “We Are Called!” reminds us that calling is not something private or individualistic. Our callings are always interwoven with our relationships and our communities. This session focuses on how we support others in hearing and responding to God’s call.
THANKOFFERINGS (to show God joy and thanks for blessings) collected from the Thankoffering Service of November 18 totaled: $265.66
ON “WELL WATER FOR VIZINGA VILLAGE”
GOAL HAS BEEN REACHED -- PLUS !!
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO DONATED !!
2 ND & 4 TH THURSDAY EVENINGS of each month at 6:00 PM at St. Stephen.ALL ARE WELCOME !!
SENIOR DAY – sponsored the 3rd Wednesday of each month at St. Stephen from 1:00 – 3:00 PM. Next date: January 15th. Champion for the month of December was:
Mike Beattie Join the group for some old-fashioned fun !!
All area seniors are welcome !!!
QUILTING is done the 1st and 3rd
Thursdays of each month through May at 1:00 PM in the St. Stephen basement. Next January dates are the 2nd and 16th. More willing hands are needed. Sewing may also be done at home. Material for
quilts may be dropped off downstairs at any time.
COUNCIL MEMBER NEEDED – a position of leadership on the Church Council remains open for the next term – Trustee.
Also, if anyone is interested in the Council Secretary position, speak with Sherry.
Both of these would be for a three-year term.
ST. STEPHEN COUNCIL meets once a month. The next meeting for all Council members is scheduled for Sunday, January 19th, @ 9:15 AM.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR for the Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 26th, 2020 @ 9:15 AM. Non-
financial annual reports should be submitted by: Sunday., January 12th. Financial reports must be submitted NO LATER than: Wednesday, January 15th. They may be given “copy ready” directly to Sherry BUT
preferably sent to her at her email address: [email protected].
Following are the reports due: Audit Committee (who are the members?)Council President Endowment FundSt. Stephen Treasurer’s ReportsFinancial Secretary Counting CommitteeFaith & Daily Life/Mission & Outreach ReportsMemorial Committee Nomination CommitteeParish Education Chairperson/Confirmation/YouthPastor’s Report Property CommitteeWomen of St. Stephen Report/Treasurer’s Report
CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
THANK YOU to Jeff Reiche, Jill Riehle, and Lori Guralski for coordinating and directing the Children’s Christmas Program this year, “Did You Hear What’s Been Going On In Nazareth?”.
THANK YOU to the youth volunteer helpers, to all the children/youth, to Charlotte Otto, organist; to Pastor Gail; and …
THANK YOU to all the parents for their help and continued support.
The participants were:Narrator-Jeff Reiche Angel-Ashley KrauseMan 1-Wade Kohel Innkeeper’s brother-Reid KohelMan 2-Nick Falkowski Palace Guard-Zachary MartinMary-Abby Falkowski Shepherds-Mitchell Martin,Joseph-Kodi Werner Johnny Krause,
Jackson HineExcellent program !!
UNITED WAY FREE BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS – Held monthly every 2nd Monday 9:00-11:00am – starting January 13, 2020, at Stark's Floral, 109 W. Redwood St., Edgar. No registration is required. Educational support is provided by a registered nurse. For more information contact Susan Krolow @ 715.298.5721.
THRIVENT CHOICE DOLLARSEligible members can recommend where Thrivent distributes a portion of its charitable funding by directing Choice Dollars®. Members become eligible More Information for Thrivent Choice based on insurance premiums, contract values and Thrivent volunteer leadership.Don’t forget to direct Choice Dollars®
Grant funding from Thrivent Financial through its Thrivent Choice® program can help support organizations you care about. Don’t let Choice Dollars expire.
Eligible Thrivent Financial members who have Choice Dollars available have until March 31, 2020, to direct any Choice Dollars. Go to Thrivent.com/thriventchoice to learn more. Or call 800-847-4836 and say “Thrivent Choice” after the prompt.
ECSW PASTOR AND ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY CHAPLAIN CLAY SALMELA SEEKS RESOURCES FOR SOLDIERS
Rev. Clay Salmela is seeking protestant religious booklets and materials to for his Unit Ministry table in Ukraine. Pastor Salmela serves at Grace Lutheran Church in Ripon and was recently called to active duty service as a ministry chaplain in Ukraine. His table is stocked with the Prayer Book for the Armed Services, but other materials would be very welcomed. Materials may be sent to the address listed below. All materials must be under 10lbs.
32nd IBCT Unit Ministry TeamJoint Multinational Training Group - UkraineYavoriv Annex5850 Kyiv PlaceDulles, VA 20189-5850
FREE ADULT XC SKI LESSONS AND EQUIPMENT RENTALTuesday Evening, January 14th Equipment Checkout 6;30pm. On Snow instruction 7:00-8pm.
Sunday Afternoon, January 19th Equipment Checkout 3:30pm. On Snow instruction 4:00-5:00pm.
9 Mile Forest and Chalet-County N and 8704 Redbud road, Mosinee.
This is a great program if you have never Cross County skied before or if you would like to learn some new techniques. 9 Mile Ski Area has a great lighted trail system and Marathon County is graciously waiving the trail pass fee! Cookies and hot beverage social afterwards!
No reservation needed, For more info and on additional Wausau Nordic Club Member lessons see:www.wausaunordic.org. 9 Mile Chalet 693-3001 or call Rick @693-4280 or 715-297-5650. Rain dates: 1/21/20 and 2/2/20.
The first Christmas after you lose someone is hard.
You will feel like not celebrating, but you will go along with it for the kids, for the family.
It will hurt.
The presents not bought. The chair not sat in. The memories of past Christmases that threaten to suck the joy out of the whole day.
But you will get through it. You may even raise a smile between the tears.
If you can – thank God for the Christmases you had with them. Light a candle. Cry. Start a new tradition in their memory.
