Faith Forum
March 2012
Returning to Dust
Sunday Worship
Times
8:00 a.m.
Traditional
10:30 a.m.
Voices of Praise
9:00 a.m.
Coffee Fellowship
9:15 a.m.
Education Hour
Come and Join Us!
Wednesday Worship
4:30 Worship
5:15 Soup Supper
6:30 Worship
Mission
Statement
Our mission is
to be a community
of loving people
who spread
God’s grace
by teaching
God’s word,
Recently, members of an ELCA e-mail devotion group received
a devotion written by The Rev. Dr. Kimberly Leetch, founder, of
the group. In this newsletter, I am including much of what she
wrote. If you feel as blessed as I was, know the credit goes to her!
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. This a day we come to worship knowing we
need to do some serious self-reflection, to take a long hard look at the sinful things
we've done and our sinful nature. The fact is, usually everyday – at work, school,
even at home, we are told we're worthless, not good enough or smart enough, told
we are sinful and do horrible things. Often the church is the only place every week
where we get a reprieve from all that negativity. Yet coming to church on Ash
Wednesday is very hard sometimes.
When we come in to church on Ash Wednesday already knowing we will
immediately be confronted with the realization of our deep sinfulness: we receive the
sign of the cross traced on us with ashes. Why ashes? Marked with ashes because
ash is a sign of repentance. Ashes afford us an opportunity to enter the church not
only with our sin, but with a repentant spirit.
We are also reminded that we are dust and to dust we shall return, a bold
declaration of the inevitability of our mortality. These words found in Genesis, in the
story of Adam and Eve; words God speaks to the two of them as they are expelled
from the Garden of Eden. This is a story meant to forever remind us we are sinners
and we are mortal. Our sin leads to death; we are dust, will die, and return to the
earth to become dust again.
We hear these words addressed to us as a curse. But it is also a blessing. It
begins, "remember that you are dust…" We are DUST! The very dirt, soil and earth
God used to make humankind. Human beings were created out of the stuff of God's
good creation! When reminded we are dust and to dust we shall return, it's like
hearing we are God's good creation and will return to becoming God's good creation.
This means we journey through Lent not only with a repentant heart, but
knowing we can lay the burden of our sin at the foot of Jesus Christ, saying, "I don't
want to be a sinful person, to live with this burden of sin. It's too much for me to
bear any longer." We also journey through these 40 days repentant spirit, knowing
we can be forgiven. Knowing we can be made whole; we can be made clean.
God's work of forgiving, making us whole, making us clean is given as gift to
be received, not something we can do for ourselves or ever earn.
As you make your journey through Lent, remember you were marked with
ashes. Remember you were told you are dust. Remember you are part of God's good
creation and to God's good creation you shall return!
connecting
followers in faith,
and serving others.
Pastor Tricia
Parish Education & Youth News—
There will be no Sunday school on Sunday,
April 1 & 8, due to spring break and Easter.
Jennifer Smith
What does Easter
mean to me? Is it
chocolate bunnies and
colored eggs soon eaten
and forgotten? What is
so powerful about the
Easter story that it can
transform my life
forever? These are questions to which children will
discover the answers in the upcoming Easter rotation:
I Am a Believer beginning on Sunday, March 4.
Children learn that Jesus’ Resurrection story gives them
Faith, Hope, and Love. Through the Cooking
Workshop children make a tasty reminder that Faith in
Christ’s resurrection is essential as food to their life. In
the Storytelling and Science Workshops they discover
how the resurrection story gives us Hope for a new life
both now and eternally. In the Art Workshop children
learn of the greatest love – that God so loved the world
that God gave God’s only son. Through an Art activity
children learn that the light of the Resurrection of Jesus
illuminates God’s love for us.
As a special enhancement, in
each workshop the children will
collect a different “Jelly Bean
Card” to glue on to their “Jelly
Bean Card Book. Each “Jelly
Bean Card” has a special
scripture to remind them of
living a life of FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE in Jesus.
The sign up is out for our
final rotation Paul:
Believers You’ve Got
Mail! Check out the board
and see if one interests
you. If you have a child in rotational Sunday school and
have not taught a workshop this year, this is your last
chance volunteer!
Thank you to everyone who has
volunteered to teach a
workshop in our Rotational
Sunday school. Your generosity
is greatly appreciated by the
Parish Education Mission Team,
as well as the parents of our
congregation’s children!
Seventh and eighth grade
confirmation students are asked to
attend a retreat on Sunday, March 25
from 12:00-3:00pm. Parents of 8th
grade students are asked to stay for
lunch to discuss the Confirmation Sunday
service. See you there!
Seventh grade confirmation students and
families: Confirmation camp materials were sent
out in early February. If you plan to attend, all
completed registration materials must be
returned to church by March 4. Camp will run
the week of June 10-15.
Parish Education has signed up to host a Soup Supper
March 28. Anyone involved in a Parish Education Program is
encouraged to sign up to help out!
FLY has signed up to host a Soup Supper on April 5.
Anyone involved in Youth activities is encouraged to sign up
to help out!
ATTENTION MIDDLE SCHOOL
STUDENTS! This year's middle school
gathering is around the corner! So save
the dates—April 13-14 at Wapogasset
Bible Camp in Amery. Registration
materials are on the Youth table in
the Narthex.
Sunday school families: in the
month of March, all Sunday school
offerings will be donated to the
Feed My Starving Children
mobile packing unit which will be
in Marshfield in April. Thank you
for the support of this amazing
organization!
ADULT
My thought was, ‘Oh, no, when I get to eternity,
I was hoping that I would be done with going to the
doctor.’ I guess we don’t know what lies ahead, exactly,
but I thought that I had that one figured out.
EDUCATION
ETERNAL, INFERNAL, INFERNO, INTERNAL?
I have been in the Clinic more that I care to be
lately, but one day I just had to laugh. I was waiting, as
one must do at times, and a little man pushing a
wheelchair (which I think he should have been seated in)
with wife in tow came out into the waiting room after
being seen. The receptionist was very kind and cheery
and said to him, “My you have a long way to go to get
home yet. Can you go now?”
The little man said, “Oh no, I haven’t been to
‘Eternal Medicine,’ yet. I chuckled over that each time I
thought of it that day. What a difference a letter can
make in a word!
But, what do you think that you will be doing for
eternity? It’s a thought-provoking question. Will we be
treated as we have treated others here? Is that scary?
If it is, I’m glad that isn’t the case. But, one does
wonder what it will be like, doesn’t one? Will there be
golden streets and jewels everywhere? But Jesus says
that only the Father knows the time and what is in store
for us.
So, I say, maybe it won’t be like I think it will be,
but what we should do is make our lives count for others
while we are here, that is what Jesus’ followers are to do
in thankfulness and praise to God for His grace to us.
Maxine Madison
Our Easter worship services will feature two distinctive music styles. The 8:00 service
will be traditional in style with organ accompaniment, along with two anthems sung
by the Senior Choir. The 10:30 service will be a Family/Contemporary service with
the Voices of Praise band accompanying the congregation, along with two anthems
sung by the Senior Choir. We look forward to sharing music that will ring out our
praise on Easter!
Beth Bahnke– Seper,
Music Director of Voices of Praise
CIRCLE DAY INFORMATION
Ruth Circle
Tuesday,
March 20 at 7:00 P.M.
Bible Study:
Pat Anderson
Hostess:
Marilyn Baumgart
Elizabeth Circle
Wednesday
March 21 at 9:00 A.M.
Bible Study:
Pastor
Hostess:
Esther Riedel
Miriam Circle
Wednesday
March 21 at 9:00
A.M.
(Time change)
Bible Study:
Julaine Varsho
Hostess:
Joyce Cesar
Priscilla Circle
Wednesday
March 21 at 1:30
P.M.
Bible Study:
Pastor
Hostess:
Notice to all women of Faith Lutheran: The
Chequamegon Conference Spring Rally is
scheduled for Saturday, April 14, 2012, at
9:00A.M. Marcia Lindseth and Diane
Kaufmann will be our keynote speakers with
a theme of “Racial Justice Advocacy and
White Privilege”. This event includes
morning coffee with baked goodies and
concludes with noon lunch. Registration
forms are located in the narthex on the table
underneath the Women’s bulletin board. The
cost is $10.00 but this will be paid by our
Faith Lutheran Church Women’s Group. You
only have to sign the form and we will get
you registered. The registration deadline is
Saturday, March 24, 2012. Please join us for
a morning of inspiration and fellowship.
NOTE FROM
PIECE CORPS
Another year finds Piece Corps
busy making quilts and
assembling layettes. Several
changes have taken place. We
no longer can request sheets
and blankets from Land’s
End. They do not make such
donations anymore. The donations of cotton sheets were
used for quilts and the flannel sheets for making receiving
blankets and diapers for layettes. Another change mandated
by Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is the quilts are now tied
with crochet yarn rather than knitting yarn.
We welcome donations of sheets in any condition. Sheets of
poor quality are used for quilt liners. Donations of yarn are
used for the making of baby caps.
LWR now calls layettes Baby Care Kits. The following
additional items now need to be included: two bars of soap
instead of one, one hand towel, two pair of socks, a baby
cap with a sweater, or a jacket, sweater or sweatshirt with
a hood. The kits also include two receiving blankets, four
diapers, two diaper pins, two t-shirts and two gowns or
sleepers. The sleepers must not have feet in
them . Members of Piece Corps cut the feet off the sleepers
and cut the bottoms off the onesies to make t-shirts. They
than serge or zigzag around the bottoms of these items.
LWR states diapers can be purchased or made from
flannel. Instead of purchasing diapers which are costly and
of thin quality, flannel that is purchased or flannel sheets
then are donated are now cut into diapers.
A special thank you to Elnora Schultz for
keeping us supplied with her hand knitted
sweaters. Other volunteers have been great
in making baby caps for the Baby Care Kits.
Since we are funded by donations, we greatly appreciate all
the donations by the congregation and the community of the
items for quilt making and Baby Care Kits. Garage sales,
Goodwill, and St. Vincent's are great places to purchase
these items. We are grateful to Thrivent Insurance,
memorials, church circles, and individuals for their generous
donations.
Faith Forum—
Published monthly by Faith Lutheran Church
Church phone:
715-387-3757
Next issue:
April 2012
Articles Due: March19h
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor: Renee Thompson
Newsletter Articles: Submitted by church Members
Newsletter Mailing Preparation: Maxine Madison & Jan & Randy Olson
The Lenten Soup/Sandwich
Suppers will again be served
between the 4:30 and 6:30
Wednesday evening Lenten
services beginning on Ash
Wednesday, February 22. Serving
will begin at 5:15 p.m.
FLC is looking for all that time and
talent! There are lots of spots to
get involved.
Hosting/coordinating the meal and preparing soup .
Donating dessert.
Assisting with making the sandwiches, setting up the
dining room, and/or cleaning up.
I'd like to encourage everyone, experienced and new, to
host a supper. It is a fun and challenging event for groups
of friends, families, and Mission teams. As always, I will
be available to help you with any questions you might
have. The sign-up board is in the Narthex. Contact
Clayton Kalmon at 715-676-2283 with questions.
Care Fund - $620.41
Mary’s Place—$2..00
SOS—$20.00
Hunger—$240.00
Malawi—$50.00
Share The Faith—$597.00
Memorial Fund
Piano—$300.00
Thank you to Diane Herron who is now the
coordinator of ”bringing homemade
goodies” for coffee hour. If you would like
to be added to the list call the church
office and Renee will pass it on. Thanks so
much!!
CONGREGATIONAL
MEETING
March 11, 2012
following the
8:00 worship
To approve the
2011 Financial Report.
Buck-a-Chick
This spring, our congregation is
joining congregations from across the nation by hosting a
“Buck-a-Chick” sale. For $1, you can purchase and
decorate a paper chick for yourself or in honor of a
friend or family member. Return to the basket in the
Narthex and all the colorful chicks will be hung in the
nest.
A dollar is all it takes to provide a family living in poverty
with a little chick. Soon enough, the chick begins producing eggs. Its eggs
make nutritious, protein-rich meals, and can be sold at
the marketplace for income – helping a family escape
hunger for good.
You can get your picture at church on Sundays in the
Narthex.
Update… We are half way to our goal. So far the No
Bake Bake Sale for the dishwasher has brought in close
to $2200.00. If you are still interested in donating or
wish to donate again, please put your donation in a blue
envelope and write “Dishwasher/kitchen” on it and put
it in the offering plate on Sundays, mail it, or drop it off at the church office. Please make checks payable to Faith Lutheran Church, with Kitchen
Fund on memo line. Because this is a joint effort of the women and the
entire congregation, your donation will be much appreciated.
Clarification on Cancellation —- in the past our rule was: Meetings held at
church and worship services will be cancelled IF school is cancelled or dismissed
early due to inclement weather conditions. If the weather turns bad after a regular
school day, call the church (to hear a message regarding possible
cancellations) or listen to the local radio station [WDLB 1450 AM]
where Faith Lutheran Church cancellations will be listed. This was
put in place because we had confirmation classes during the week.
Now that confirmation is only held on Sunday morning we are
modifying our cancellation policy.
With that in mind, if school is cancelled and the weather improves throughout the
day, evening activities will still be held. If the weather deteriorates throughout the
day, then evening activities will be cancelled. Any cancellation will be announced
on WDLB 1450 AM.
Faith Lutheran Book
Club will meet
Sunday, March 25,
2012, at the home of
Ruth Stram, 1507 N.
Shawano Drive, 7
p.m. Jill Meilahn will
facilitate the
discussion of CAN'T
WAIT TO GET TO
HEAVEN by Fanny Flagg. It's a
great story!
All are welcome!
Sunday school families: in the
month of March, all Sunday school
offerings will be donated to the Feed
My Starving Children mobile packing unit which will be in Marshfield in
April. Thank you for the support of
this amazing organization!
How to contact us
Pastor Bob Lesher (305-3075)
[email protected]
Pastor Tricia Turner (305-7789)
[email protected]
Renee Thompson, Secretary
[email protected]
Jennifer Smith, Parish Education & Youth
Director
[email protected]
Beth Behnke-Seper, Director of Music
[email protected]
Wednesday Worship
4:30 Worship
5:15 Soup Supper
6:30 Worship
Contract Custodian, Harry Wallis
Website
[email protected]
[email protected]
Our Faith Lutheran Church Library has added
three new titles for your reading pleasure:
In Cod We Trust by Eric Dregni
A young Minnesota couple travel to Norway to search for the author
husband's Norwegian roots. Their story is hair-raising, hilarious, and
sometimes poignant; the land of the midnight sun is far stranger than
they previously thought, and their encounters show that there is much
we can learn from its unique and surprising culture.
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
(A Washington Post Best Book of 2008)
Kidnapped from Africa as a child, Aminata Diallo is enslaved in South
Carolina but escapes during the chaos of the Revolutionary War. In
Manhattan she becomes a scribe for the British, recording the names of the blacks
who have served the King and earned their freedom in Nova Scotia. But the hardship and prejudice of the new
Colony prompt her to follow her heart back to Africa, then on to London, where she bears witness to the injustices
of slavery and its toll on her life and a whole people. It is a story that no listener, and no reader, will ever forget.
The Faith Club by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver and Priscilla Warner
Three women mothers, one a Muslim, one a Jew, and one a Christian, reach out to one another to write an interfaith
children's book that would highlight the connections between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. After a few
meetings, they realize they need to meet in an open and honest environment where they could admit and discuss
their concerns, stereotypes, and misunderstandings. After hours of soul-searching about the issues that divided
them, they grew close enough to discover and explore what united them. It will make you feel as if you are eaves
dropping on the authors' private thoughts, provocative discussions, and often-controversial opinions and
conclusions.
We recently added some pamphlets into the library. They are entitled, “Hard Choices for Loving People” CPR, Artificial Feeding, Comfort Care, and the Patient with a Life-Threatening Illness. These are a guide for people that are faced with
difficult life decisions .
Pastor Tricia is donating copies of a magazine she subscribed to called, “The Christian Century” Thinking Critically Both of
these two things are free.
Call for scholarship applications
Members of Faith Lutheran Church
planning to attend a church college are
invited to submit a letter of application
for a $500.00 scholarship to the FLC
Endowment Fund Board. Application deadline is April 30.
You may request an application by calling the church
office.
To donate Easter Lilies to beautify the
Chancel area on Easter Sunday, please
pick up a donation form from the table in
the Narthex – by the elevator. If you
have any question call the church office
387-3757 Last date to receive funds and
forms is April 2nd . Thank you! If you are
bringing an Easter lily please drop them
off by 9am Saturday, April 7.
Date
Sunday,
Mar. 4
Sunday,
Mar. 11
Greeters
8:00am
Herron Family
8:00am
Bill Olsen
8:00am
Bill & Dori Olson
8:00am
Simon Family
8:00am
8:00am
10:30 am
Karen & Tom Olsen
Altar
8:00am
Jim Legge
10:30 am
Mark Zimmerman Family
10:30 am
Tom & Darlene Krake
Sunday
Mar. 25
Lector
10:30 am
Pat Anderson
Judy Rhodes
10:30 am
Kracht Family
Sunday,
Mar. 18
Ushers
10:30 am
Tom & Karen Olson
8:00am
Jim Legge
10:30 am
Steve Lysne
Jeff Johnson
8:00am
Heron Family
10:30 am
Sharon & Virgil Tyrolt
Acolyte
8:00am
Tyler Mess
Michael Hargens
10:30 am
10:30 am
Lucas Brown
8:00am
Christa Thompson
8:00am
Macey Smith
Zach Hanson
10:30 am
10:30 am
Avery Haugen,
Elizabeth Klement
8:00am
Jessica Geiger
8:00am
Megan Wipfli
McKensie Dietsche
10:30 am
8:00am
Brian Hanson
10:30 am
10:30 am
McKensie Vrana
Olivia Devadas
8:00am
Kendra Tremelling
Tyler Mess
10:30 am
Gage Hergert
Ben Simon
Technology
Projectionist
8:00am
Sue Shane
Communion
Assistant
Coffee Hour
Host
8:00am
Bill & Dori Olsen
Heron Family
10:30 am
Kim Vrana
10:30 am
Jeff Johnson
Tammy Simon
8:00am
Lisa Helstein
8:00am
Steve Schmidt
Jim Legge
10:30 am
Adam Voss &
company
Christa Thompson
Family
Goodies for
Coffee Hour
Janet Cook
Tammy Simon
Waverly Peterson
Lisa Behling
10:30 am
8:00am
Jeff Johnson
8:00 am
10:30 am
Adam Voss &
company
10:30 am
8:00am
Dale & Karen
Bohm
8:00am
Donna Immerfall
Karen Bohm
10:30 am
Sharon & Virgil
Tyrolt
Women of Faith
Treva Tisdell
Tammy Voss
10:30 am
OPEN
Janet Carlson, Julie Volker and Karen Bohm
Multimedia Worship Coordinator
Kim Vrana
If you cannot serve when you are scheduled please find a replacement and contact the church office with the change so it can be noted. Thanks!
March 2012 Serving Schedule