The First Word
November 2016
First Lutheran Church — Hayward, Wisconsin
November Happenings

Financials page 2

Congregational Council page 3

New Member Recognition page 4

Scandinavian Dinner page 5

Winter Address Changes page 5

Youth Ministries pages 6 & 7

Operation Christmas page 8

FIAT pages 9 & 10

POTLUCK—New Members
page 11

Communion Bread Schedule
page 12

Bake Sale page 12

FLCW page 14

“Staying Connected” article by
Renay Jonjak pages 17 & 18
Daylight
Savings
Time ends
Sunday,
November 6.
Be sure to turn
your clock back 1-hour on
Saturday night, November 5
Mission Statement: A congregation of Christ’s baptized people being led by the Spirit to serve God within our broader community by:
Celebrating the presence of God; Cultivating the spiritual growth of members; Caring for the needs of all people; and Communicating
Christ to all.
Member Congregation—this congregation is a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Northwest
Synod of Wisconsin, the Heart of the North Conference, and is a companion synod with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi.
Congregational Council
Highlights

Jan Wege was granted permission to
promote a vacation trip to Norway in spring
2018. This should be a popular destination
for many in our church and community.

The Salvation Army criterion for helping those
in need has been posted on the church news
bulletin board. How we contribute to this
effort as a church is being determined and
new recommendations will be forthcoming.

Please visit our FLC website often to see the
exciting changes being made
October 10, 2016
Renew,
Refresh,
Rejuvenate

Per invitation, Pastor Roger Pittman visited
with the council and shared his life
experiences with us. The council welcomed
him as our bridge Pastor starting November 1,
2016. Roger will serve on a limited basis;
Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
and any emergency needs that may arise.
Contract terms will be finalized and sent to the
Synod before November 1.

We received a letter from our Sister Parish in
Bvumbwe, Malawi asking us to keep them in
prayer as they struggle to expand their house
of Worship, (over 1,000 members) in the midst
of dealing with a severe drought. The council
voted and approved to donate the entire
Thanksgiving offering to the Bvumbwe Parish.

Brad from Family First Construction assured
the property committee and the council that
the unfinished work on the church and
parsonage will be completed when he has
equipment and workers in this area. This
damage is the result of the September 4th
2014 hailstorm that did much damage to the
Hayward area.

During the first weekend in
November we celebrate All
Saints Day at all three
services (Saturday,
November 5 and Sunday,
November 6). This is a
time for our congregation to
gather as a family of faith in
worship to remember the Saints among us who
are now forever with God and to remember that
God is forever with us as well.
We will be celebrating the named individuals’ life
among us and celebrate the new life they now
have in Christ:
Erika Juhl
John “Jack” Moreland
Fred Worman
Arlene Temple
Carol Jensen
The council decided we should revive the
tradition of giving 3rd graders their first Bible at
an autumn worship service. The Pastor
symbolically places the Bible in the parents or
sponsors hands to be passed to the child’s
hands to fulfill promises made at the child’s
baptism.
Isla Egge
Scott Hockel
Calvin Gordon
Florence Pederson
Mary Kairies
Donald Harms
Cheryl Williamson Haupt
2
Lilly Schmidt
Music and Worship
The Spirit Within will be sharing
their music at the 10:45am service on
Sunday, November 13.
Welcome New Members!
New Member Recognition
This will be the only time they will sing
in November due to the
Thanksgiving holiday.
November 20, 2016
at 10:45am service
Potluck immediately following worship service!
New members will be received on Sunday, November
20, 2016 at the 10:45am worship service. If you are
interested, or know of someone who is interested in
joining our church family, please contact the church
office soon. We have several individuals joining by
letter of transfer. Everyone is welcome to join our
church family.
New member orientation sessions will be held on
Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at 4:00pm in the
church library and another on Sunday, November 13,
2016 at 9:30am in the church library. New members
are not “required” to attend the sessions (you only
need to attend one), but are strongly encouraged to
attend as it will help to familiarize you with all that our
church has to offer.
There will be a potluck lunch immediately following
the worship service on this day to celebrate not only
our newest members, but our entire church family!
Please plan to come and bring your favorite hot dish,
salad or dessert to share! Help us to welcome our
new family members with great food, fellowship and
fun.
NOTE: If you are interested in being a sponsor for a
new member, please let the church office know.
3
Choir
Schedule
During November the Choir will sing at the
following worship services:
Sunday, November 6 @ 10:45 AM
Sunday, November 13 @ 8:15 AM
Sunday, November 20 @ 8:15 AM
Calling All Tenors: Elvis has done a
good job for us, but we are still in need of
singers to help in the tenor section
especially; but also the soprano section.
Thank you to the new choir members and
welcome!
In November the choir will be taking a
field trip to the MPLS Institute of Art to view
the Martin Luther/Reformation exhibit, in
recognition of the 500th Anniversary of the
Reformation. Minneapolis is the only city in
the United States to get this honor so we
want to take advantage of this unique
opportunity.
Miscellaneous
MOVING TO
WARMER
CLIMATE FOR
THE WINTER?
Scandinavian Dinner
and
Bake Sale
If you spend your
winters elsewhere,
and need your
address change.
Please contact our
office at:
[email protected]
or 715-634-2141. This way you won’t miss
any editions of the First Word newsletter.
November 4, 2016
First Lutheran Church Women are hosting
their annual Scandinavian Dinner and Bake
Sale on Friday, November 4, 2016 from
4:00 to 7:00 PM
The Bake Sale, featuring Scandinavian
delicacies opens at 3:30 PM
The menu includes lutefisk, Swedish
meatballs and all the trimmings.
Library news:
Dinner tickets are $16 for adults, and $6 for
children under 12. Children under 5 and
adults over 90 may eat for free.
With the Scandinavian Dinner coming up
on Friday, November 4th, the following
books have been placed on a table in the
church library for you to check out and
enjoy.
Tickets will be available before or after all
services, or mail your check for the number of
tickets needed to First Lutheran Church, P.O.
Box 346, Hayward, WI 54843. Tickets will be
held for you at the door. Ticket sales will be
closed when 350 tickets have been sold.
Last Word on Lefse: Heartwarming Stories
and Recipes Too - Gary Legwold
The Last Toast to Lutefisk! – Greg Legwold
The Last Toast to Lutefisk! – Greg Legwold
November 27th is the 1st Sunday in Advent.
Media materials for Advent will be on
display in the library by mid-November.
Scandinavian Dinner
Friday, November 11, 2016
4
Note from Youth & Family Ministries Director
by Tiffany Chipman
Happy November to
each and every one of
you. I cannot believe
we are already in the
month of November.
The years continue to
go so quickly by! I wanted to take this article
and give our congregation and families a little
sense of what we have been doing the first
quarter of the school year here at the First.
November is a month of healing for me. As I am
writing this note, I am a couple days away from
my surgery day on my arm, and thinking about
what I should say about my healing process
and what is going on… So, with my positivity in
place I say to you…healing is going great!
Surgery was successful! And I am slowly but
surely getting back to all my busyness and
excitement. Thank you for all the thoughtful
prayers, words of encouragement, and help
along the way. It was, and still is, you to have
my healing moving in such good strides with
the guidance of our Father.
Terrific Tuesdays have been learning from
the parables of Jesus. Through the stories, we
have talked about many ways on how to share
the word of the Lord and how to be humble. We
also took some time to make birthday cards for
our Compassion Child King Kenneth Mandal.
These cards and a letter were sent out and
should arrive to King right around his birthday in
January. November and December bring rushed
time as we will practice for the Christmas
program and learn about the spirit of the holiday
season and how the birth of our Lord fits into
that. I truly hope all of you are able to hear from
our youth on our learnings.
Thank you again to all of you. Let God’s
strength continue to shine through you.
Blessings & Love,
Tiffany Chipman
Wednesday Nite Live is off to a great start!
Confirmation students are learning about the Old
Testament. Pre-Confirmation students have
been working on the Ten Commandments.
Throughout November and December our preconfirmation class will dedicate most of our time
to the rehearsal for the Christmas program as
well as learning what Advent means.
Youth Calendar of Events:
November 22: NO Terrific Tuesdays
November 23: NO Wednesday Nite Live
December 4:
Advent Fair
December 21: FLC Youth Christmas Program
Sunday school classes have been snacking
away on the “cereal” knowledge of the Bible.
“Taste and see the goodness of the Lord;
blessed is he who takes refuge in Him”— Psalms
34:8. This set of lessons will be coming to an
end in time for Christmas break.
December 22 — January 8:
Christmas Break….no youth classes
5
Youth
Advent Fair
Sunday, December 4
9:30—10:30am in the narthex (in lieu of Sunday school)
Kids of all ages...please be sure to join us as we celebrate the Season of
Advent by creating fun Christmas crafts and decorating cookies.
Christmas Program Rehearsals
Rehearsals have begun for our FLC Youth Christmas program.
Please have your children at classes to practice for another dynamite program.
Rehearsal times will be during:
Terrific Tuesdays: every Tuesday, after school until 5pm (for K-3rd grade students)
Wednesday Nite Live: every Wednesday, 6pm—7:30pm (for 4th & 5th grade students)
Sunday School: every Sunday, 9:30am—10:30am (All students Pre-K through 5th grade)
CDs with music will be sent home with your child to help them learn the songs by mid-November.
Kid in the Kitchen Cookbook Sales
Our FLC Youth cookbooks will go on sale throughout the month of November. We will be pre-selling
the cookbooks with pick up for the actual books in December. FLC Youth...please watch for sign-up
sheets on helping sell. The money raised from the book sales will go to the Youth Fund for activities,
events, and outings.
Thank you
so much to all that helped
make our FLC Youth Halloween Party a
great success! Events like this would not
happen without the support and help of our
congregation and youth families.
6
Faith In Action
Operation Christmas
Operation Christmas 2016 is underway. First Lutheran church along with the
caring help of Hayward United Methodist Church and Accession Episcopal
Church again is undertaking the annual Operation Christmas project. Last year
we gave boxes of food, along with mittens, hats, and children’s gifts to 200
families in Sawyer County.
This year once again we plan to provide Christmas Blessings to 200 families with
your help. We will begin taking telephone calls and completing request forms for
food boxes on November 28, 2016, with the last day to take requests on
December 9, 2016.
Distributing this year will be Friday December 16 from 2:30 p.m.—6:00 p.m.
and Saturday December 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We are fortunate again
this year to purchase food through Feed My People at a much reduced price.
Because of this we are asking you again to consider a monetary donation.
The Operation Christmas Bulletin Board will have red and green tree tags for the
needed $10 to $15 gifts for children, through grades 12. Please take a tree tag,
purchase and wrap the gift and tape tag back on the gift. Gifts can then be
placed in the large gift wrapped box by the bulletin board. Because of size
variation, clothes are not recommended. Gift cards are a great idea for teens!
The LAST day to bring gifts in will be Monday December 12, 2016.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?

DONATE CASH TO OPERATION CHRISTMAS

BRING GIFTS OF FOOD WE CANNOT PURCHASE: Powdered Milk,
Pancake/ Muffin/ Brownie/ Cake/Pudding / Stuffing mixes, Instant
potatoes/ rice, Jell-o, Coffee/Tea, Granola/breakfast, Pancake syrup,
jams & jellies, and Bisquick.

BUY AND WRAP GIFTS FOR CHILDREN

BRING HATS, AND MITTENS

VOLUNTEER BY SIGNING UP TO WORK

BAKE COOKIES (NO NUTS) FOR SHUT-INS

INCLUDE THIS FIRST LUTHERAN OUTREACH PROJECT IN YOUR
PRAYERS
Sign-up sheets will be in the narthex in the near future.
7
The next
committee
meeting will
be at
First Lutheran
Church
at 4:00pm on
November 16
Thank you,
Kathy McCoy
Faith In Action
CARD LADIES
PURLS OF PRAYER
The Card Ladies meet on the first
Tuesday of each month at 9:30am.
Our November meeting is on
November 1
Purls of Prayer is an on-going outreach
ministry for those in need of comfort and
prayer, or are celebrating a special
occasion. We knit or crochet prayer
shawls from yarn that has been donated
to us. These beautiful creations are
then blessed and given to friends and
relatives so that they may feel the love
of our Lord and Savior.
Card Ladies create new greeting cards
out of donated birthday, anniversary and
sympathy cards (no Christmas cards
please). A display of our creations is
located in the narthex near the main
entrance. You will find the prices are very
reasonable.
We will meet Saturday, November 19 at
9:30am in the church library. Kay Sieh
will be our Hostess and Nancy Grothe
will lead a devotion.
We enjoy fellowship and devotion and
we warmly welcome everyone.
COVER GIRLS
Team up with
NorthLakes
Community Clinic
Recently the Cover Girls were asked by
NorthLakes Community Clinic if we would
make covers for mothers who are nursing
their babies. They wanted 30 covers to
give to mothers who are taking their
prenatal course. We had some material
to use, but not enough to make 30
covers. Thanks to Gayle Meisner, who
had Thrivent funds to use for a
community project, we were able to buy
the rest of the material needed, along
with buttons to complete the project.
We, Maxine Poppe, Vivian Melby, Carol
Nelson, and Betty Beckman have been
busy making the covers. Kortney from
NorthLakes is receiving the covers for
nursing mothers.
The Cover Girls meet at 9:00am on the second and third
Thursday each month in Fellowship Hall.
Everyone is welcome to join our group!
8
Faith In Action
COMMUNITY MEAL
Every Wednesday Night
at 5:00pm
Everyone is welcome!
A community meal is served in
Fellowship Hall here at First
Lutheran Church every
Wednesday evening at 5:00pm.
The meal is free of charge, or if
you wish, you may make a free
will donation. The meals are
nutritious and are prepared and
served by volunteers from the
church congregation, as well as
volunteers within the community.
If you wish to help in this
important ministry, please look
at the sign-up sheets on the cart
located left side of the church as
you enter. See who is in charge
for the month and give them call
or sign-up to help. There are
four months of sign-up sheets
posted on the cart, so one can
plan around other activities.
Many hands make the service
easier.
Many Thanks to Kim
Molitor for overseeing the
Wednesday night suppers
during the month of October!
FIAT Organizational
Meeting
FIAT held its first organizational
meeting of the year on October
5, 2016. Sandy Okamoto will
chair the committee and Laurie
Jacobs will act as secretary.
We discussed in detail the many
projects that the Faith In Action
Team has been involved in
throughout the past few years,
and also discussed projects that
several committee members are
currently working on. This
includes (but not limited to) the
collection of paper products and
detergent for two local food
shelves, the school supplies/
backpack project for the
community schools, letters to
visitors, donations to “Day One”
radio service, sale of Fair Trade
coffee and chocolate, and
collection of hygiene products
for families in need. Future radio
advertising will be discussed
with our new pastor.
Ideas for new projects were
submitted and will be discussed
at future meetings. If anyone
has an idea for fundraising or a
new outreach program, please
feel free to share it by leaving a
message for FIAT in the church
office. We would welcome any
new ideas for consideration!
9
A food donation bin is located in
the narthex at all times and the
food is picked up each Monday
morning. Your food or monetary
donations would be greatly
appreciated. Please note that
monetary donations for the food
shelf should be brought to the
church office.
Jubilee Circle
Jubilee Circle will meet
this month on
Tuesday, November 15
at 6:00pm
in the church library.
Contact Rhonda Passolt at
715-634-1062
with any questions.
Hope to see you there!
Miscellaneous
FRIDAY NIGHT MOVIE
November 18, 2016
Fellowship Hall
5:30—8:00pm
Mark your calendars!
NOW SHOWING
We’re having a potluck to celebrate
our newest members—and our
entire First Lutheran church family!
2015
94 minutes (PG)
Sunday,
November 20, 2016
immediately after the
10:45am service.
“Inside Out”
When her family relocates across the
country, tween Riley Anderson
struggles with the stress of her new
situation and her animated emotions
get carried away—quite literally—on a
fantastic journey through her mind.
JOIN US!
Come and bring
your favorite hot dish, salad or
dessert to share and to welcome
our newest church members!
Pizza and beverages will be served for a
suggested $5.00 free-will offering.
PIZZA
Please sign up at the maroon announcement
cart in the narthex if you plan to attend so that we
know in advance how much food to order.
Host: John Rusch
Sunday,
November 27, 2016
10
Miscellaneous
You Missed the Boat!
November 2016
Communion Bread
Schedule
Classic Danube Holiday Cruise space is filled.
If you have an interest to travel with us, your
name can be put on a waitlist. Please contact
me if you have any questions.
November 5-6…….
November 12-13….
November 19-20….
November 26-27….
Jan Wege
715-634-8101
[email protected]
First Lutheran Church sponsors the
“Day 1” weekly segments on radio
station WRLS-FM (92.3).
These
segments air at 8:30am every
Sunday.
“Day 1”, a voice of mainline Christian churches,
presents messages by clergy representing mainline
Christian faiths, including those of the ELCA. Peter
Wallace, host for each broadcast, facilitates discussion
with clergy on timely topics. This radio ministry reaches
our shut-ins, visitors to the area, and others for whom
regular worship and church affiliation are not a part of
their daily lives.
The cost per broadcast is $30.
The sponsorship of a broadcast may be in honor of a
person, or special occasion, or in memory of a loved
one and is open to all.
Kris Neumann
Pam McClelland
Grete Schuenzel
Liz Robbins
BAKE SALE
We are looking for
men, women, and
kids to bake for the
bake sale on
November 4
Whether your
specialty is cake,
cookies, bars,
brownies, small breads, yeast breads, stolen,
pies, etc., it’ll be loved by all!
Please deliver your baked goodies to the
church on November 4th by 2:00pm. Wrap
them and we will do the pricing.
PRAYER REQUESTS
From time to time the office staff receives requests
from members of the congregation and community to
include people in our church’s Sunday prayer petitions,
bulletin and/or prayer chain.
There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex if you
would like to indicate what you will be
donating.
Thank you so much—every “little morsel”
helps!
While we are more than happy to solicit prayers for
those in need, please understand that for privacy
purposes we are unable to include submitted names
without permission from the individual or from one of
their immediate family members.
Nancy Woodbeck, Chairperson
11
Miscellaneous
Boy Scout Wreaths:
We regret to inform you that our troop will not have
Green Wreaths available this year. There are several
other local groups that offer them and need your
patronage. Thank you so much for your faithful support
every year. We are very grateful!
Our troop will be offering Pinecone wreaths again and
possible Birch Yule Logs and Rustic Birch centerpieces
with candles. Thank you FLC Family!
Matthew Neff and Colton Jacobsen
UWSuperior Choir Concerts:
You are invited to come hear Stephen Neff
Colton Jacobsen
sing with the UWSuperior Music
Eagle Court of Honor
Department.
Thank you members of First Lutheran
for supporting me in my Boy Scout
journey to Eagle. Your prayers,
guidance, donations of resources,
and what is more valuable—your
time, have helped make my Eagle
journey possible and successful!
Thank you everyone who attended
my Eagle Court of Honor on Sunday,
October 15, 2016 and to those of you
who were unable to be present but
were with me in thought and prayer.
I have been humbled by your kind
generosity of spirit. I plan to live up to
my Eagle Oath and Law and want to
be a positive force in the community,
as you have been to me.
God Bless all of you!

Chorfest: Thursday, November 3 at 7:00pm in
Thorpe Langley Auditorium/Old Main. (Superior, WI)

Opera Scenes (Musical Theater): Tuesday,
November 22 at 7:30pm in Thorpe Auditorium/Old
Main. (Superior, WI)

Christmas Concert, “A Season of Song”:
Two dates— Sunday, December 4, at 4:00pm at
Christ the King Cathedral; Tuesday, December 6 at
7:30pm at Christ the King Cathedral. (Superior, WI)
Sincerely,
Colton Jacobsen
12
First Lutheran Church Women
When God’s not fair: Coming to terms with a merciful God
November, a month we see the
first snowflakes telling us winter
is around the corner, but it is
more than that. We begin the
month with the wonderful
Scandinavian Dinner on the 4th—
a special time for our church, the
end to Day light Saving Time on
the 6th, Election Day on the 8th
when we elect a new President
of our country, a voting privilege
for all of us, Veterans Day the
11th when we honor those who
have served our country and
those still serving, and last but
not least, Thanksgiving Day the
24th when WE ARE GREATFUL
for all our freedoms, our families,
First Lutheran Church where we
are fed and nourished with God’s
Word and Sacraments.
November is filled with special
dates and events that are
important in our lives not just the
start of winter, enjoy this month.
Our Bible Study Session Three,
the last in this series from the
Gather Magazine:
When God Chooses The
Unlikely-Paul and the power of
Failure.
We will answer these questions
as we study this lesson:
Why might God have chosen
Saul?
What is the value of learning
from someone who has failed?
What weakness might help to
better reveal God’s strength and
power?
How does Paul recommend that
unity be found and maintained?
These Bible passages may help
you find the answer: Acts 7: 588:3, Acts 22:6-21, 1 Corinthians
1:25, 2:1-5, 1Corinthians 12:1226. Come join us for the study,
you will be blessed.
Circles meet on
Tuesday, November 8th
Peace Circle — 9:30am
Leader: Ardela Littlefield
Hostess: Patty VanLandshoot
Faith, Hope & Love Circle
1:30pm at the church
Leader: Carol Knudson
Hostess: Maxine Poppe
Jubilee Circle has changed
their meeting date. They will now
be meeting the third Tuesday of
the month at 6:00pm in the
church library. This is a
permanent new time. Please
note.
Jubille Circle — 6:00pm
November 15 in church library
Leader: Rhonda Passolt
Hostess: Kim Molitor
Jubilee Circle is enjoying a DVD
“An Invitation to the Journey”.
REMINDERS & UPDATES:
Nov. 4th the Scandinavian
Dinner. A special thank you to
all who make it a special event.
It takes a whole community and
it took many members of First
13
Lutheran Church to make this
happen. Thank you leaders and
workers.
July 13-16, 2017 The Women
of The ELCA, Tenth Triennial
Gathering in Minneapolis entitled
All Anew. You can go on line
now as they are taking
reservations. It will never be any
closer for you to attend.
Rumor has it that Peace Circle
will delight us with another
Christmas Tea. We will
update you with the plans and
date. We are looking forward to
this in early December.
In December we will be looking
at a devotional around the theme
of Advent— Waiting: What
wants to be born in you?
Pray for our church, the new
Bridge Pastor, and our call
committee as they review the
candidates for our permanent
Pastor. Keep our country in your
prayers as we choose a new
President, and always pray for
one another and those in need of
our prayers. Bless each one of
you as we look to Jesus our
Savior and Lord.
One of His children,
Linda Gordon, FLCW President
Lectionary Readings for November 2016
November 6, 2016
Time after Pentecost
All Saints Sunday
November 13, 2016
Time after Pentecost
November 20, 2016
Christ the King
Last Sunday after Pentecost
In holy baptism God makes saints
out of sinners. In Holy communion
God forgives the sins of all the
saints. In the assembly today we
give thanks for all the saints “who
from their labors rest,” who have
fought the good fight, who have
gained the crown. In the same
breath we petition our God for the
strength to hear and to heed the
admonitions of the Lord Jesus in
today’s gospel. Recalling that we
have been sealed by the Spirit and
sustained by the Savior’s body
and blood, we keep on keeping on
as God gives us breath, to the
praise of God’s glory.
The end is near. There is no doubt
about it. The warnings are dire.
The tone of today’s texts is
ominous. But the baptized know
how to live in the “meantime.”
The baptized are strengthened for
the living of these days in word
and sacrament. The baptized rally
around the invitation of the
apostle: “Brothers and sisters, do
not be weary in doing what is
right.”
Jeremiah’s promise of the
execution of “justice and
righteousness in the land” finds
ironic fulfillment in the execution of
Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the
Jews. It appears so utterly
contradictory that the king should
be crucified with the criminal. This
victory appears for all the world as
ignominious defeat. Yet through
the gate of death our Lord opens
the door to paradise.
Malachi 4:1-2a
Psalm 98
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Luke 21:5-19
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 46
Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
Psalm 149
Ephesians 1:11-23
Luke 6:20-31
November 24, 2016
Day of Thanksgiving
November 27, 2016
First Sunday in Advent
Every gathering of worship has elements of
thanksgiving. When we are nourished with
God’s bounty in holy communion, when we
partake of Jesus’ word that gives life to the world,
and even when two or three of us simply join our
hearts in prayer to make our requests known to
God, we do so “with thanksgiving.” Let us give
thanks to the Lord, who is good and whose
mercy endures forever.
The new church year begins with a wake-up call:
Christ is coming soon! In today’s readings both
Paul and Jesus challenge us to wake from sleep,
for we know neither the day nor hour of the
Lord’s coming. Isaiah proclaims the day when
God will gather all people on the holy mountain
and there will be no more war or suffering.
Though we vigilantly watch for the promised day
of salvation, we wait for what we already have:
Christ comes among us this day as the word and
meal that strengthens our faith in the promises of
God.
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Psalm 100
Philippians 4:4-9
John 6:25-35
Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalm 122
Romans 13:11-14
Matthew 24:36-44
14
An Evangelical Minute
Supporting the Establishment of New Congregations
Here is another way in which we, as a congregation & joined with others, play
a part in putting our faith in action. The greater Church (ELCA) lends help to
a new faith community attempting to establish a church. The following story
illustrates this ministry.
In late August, 2014, members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in
Pittsburg, PA, held their last worship service before merging with another
congregation. Meanwhile, Abiding Ministries, a new ELCA faith community
was searching for a larger space. When they heard that the 100 year old
church was to be torn down, they ended up acquiring the building, in spite of
some immediate & daunting repairs. Christine Rotella, mission developer for
Abiding Ministries, said, “We came in, worked hard, got some help where
needed, and cleaned up.”
In less than a year, the new congregation has become an important part
of the neighborhood, offering a meal and worship on Sundays and financial
workshops during the week. Abiding Ministries has become a source of hope
where many experience extreme poverty. Moses, a member there, said,
“God has provided me with new spiritual and physical energy here.” Another
member, Patrick, added, “(This church) has restored my faith, something I
had given up on since I was a child.” Children are showing up after school for
fellowship, snacks and support in a safe place. More and more, older
children stop in for some of the same reasons. One of them recently asked
Rotella if his funeral could be held in the church and if she could be part of
the service. Her thoughts afterwards were, “We are right where God wants
us to be.”
Right where we need to be indeed! Unless we might be fortunate enough
to have a personal connection to some newly established congregation, we
must rely on others to offer their observations. Hopefully this vignette into a
newly formed faith community will serve to remind us that a portion of our
offering is used by our synods and the ELCA to support these new
congregations like Abiding Ministries and the mission developers who lead
them.
O God Most High,
Bless new congregations and all those involved in their formation. Help us all
to realize how this portion of our offering towards missions touches lives of so many
here and worldwide with hope & caring.
In Christ, Amen
15
“Staying Connected”
by Renay Jonjak
In 1917 the citizens of Brantford,
Ontario, unveiled the “Bell
Telephone Memorial.” This
monument paid tribute to native
son Alexander Graham Bell’s
historical achievement of
“transmitting sound through
space.” On August 10, 1876, Bell
placed the first telephone call.
Unwittingly, this was the catalyst
for the gradual evolution of our
21st century society’s obsession
with the cell phone. Today’s
“smart phone” is now a ubiquitous
device affording instant
communication, information, and
gratification. A veritable
appendage of the millennial
generation, this cell phone fixation
at first glance appears merely to
feed some superficial, narcissistic
need. Upon closer scrutiny,
however, a deeper need emerges.
We now live in a more fragmented
society. Countless children of
divorce are routinely shuttled back
and forth between their biological
parents’ separate homes.
Meanwhile, many young adults
casually float in and out of fleeting
romantic relationships. In this
fluid, unstable atmosphere,
individuals often feel cast adrift
and isolated. They grapple with
humanity’s intrinsic need for
stability and to stay connected to
those we love. Superficially, the
cell phone provides that immediate
connection. The emotional void,
however, is more difficult to fill.
Two stories follow which emanate
from recent catastrophic world
events. Both underscore the
important healing aspect of the
human connection, especially in
the face of great tragedy and its
aftermath. Surprisingly, central to
that theme in each story is simply a
telephone.
This year on September 11th, we
Americans marked the 15th
anniversary of the al Qaeda attacks
on our nation. In 2001 nineteen
terrorists hijacked four commercial
US planes, crashing two of them
into the upper floors of the World
Trade Center in New York. A
third plane hit the Pentagon in
Arlington, Va. When the
passengers and crew aboard
hijacked United Airlines Flight 93
received news of the three other
deadly attacks, they decided to
fight back. First, however, they
made a series of calls on their cell
phones and in-flight phones.
Thomas Burnett told his wife over
the phone, “I know we’re all going
to die. There’s three of us who are
going to do something about it. I
love you, honey.” Flight attendant
Sandy Bradshaw contacted her
husband. Her last words to him
were, “Everyone’s running to first
class. I’ve got to go. Bye.” These
hurried yet poignant calls afforded
some small measure of closure for
both caller and recipient alike.
Moments later the hijacker crashed
the plane at 580mph into an empty
field in Shanksville, Pa. Although
40 persons died on Flight 93,
countless more victims were
spared, The heroic efforts of its
crew and passengers diverted the
plane from crashing into its
perceived targets of the White
House or the Capitol in
Washington, D.C. In total the four
attacks killed 2,977 people from 93
nations.
Similarly, in March of this year the
Japanese commemorated the 5th
anniversary of the tsunami and
earthquake which devastated their
country in 2011. That disaster
killed six times more people than
died on “9/11”- 19,000 victims,
with an additional 2,500 persons
missing. Hardest hit by this
calamity was the small Japanese
village of Otsuchi. The entire town
was destroyed, and 421 persons are
still missing. On September 23,
2016, National Public Radio aired
a program
www.thisamericnlife.org/radioarchives episode 597 citing
excerpts (in translation) from
Japanese news station NHK’s
recent documentary. It dealt with
how the survivors in Japan are
coping five years following this
unfathomable devastation and loss
of life in their country.
The story of Otsuchi’s road to
recovery actually begins one year
prior to the tsunami events. In
2010 resident Itaru Sasaki was
mourning the death of his beloved
cousin. To that end, Itaru
purchased an old-fashioned
English-style telephone booth and
placed it in his garden atop a windy
hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
It was square, painted white, and
complete with glass window
panels. Inside was a black rotary
phone, resting on a wooden shelf.
Surprisingly, this phone connected
to nowhere and didn’t work at all.
But that didn’t matter to Itaru. He
just needed a place where he felt
like he could talk to his cousin, a
place to air out his grief. “The idea
of keeping up a relationship with
the dead is not such a strange one
in Buddhist Japan.
(continued on next page)
16
“Staying Connected” —by Renay Jonjak (continued)
The line between our world and
their world is thin,” Itaru notes.
“Because my thoughts could not be
relayed over a regular phone line, I
wanted them to be carried on the
wind. So I named it the wind
telephone.
Soon after the tsunami and
earthquake happened, word got out
about Itaru’s special wind
telephone, that he was using it as
another way to stay connected to
the dead. Soon people began
showing up randomly on his
property and walking right into the
phone booth. Over the last five
years Itaru estimates that thousands
of people from all over Japan have
come to use his phone. A TV
station asked Itaru and people who
came to use his phone for their
permission to videotape their calls
from a distance, and to put an
audio-recorder in the phone booth.
The calls recorded proved
remarkable and moving for just
how simple they were. What
follows is a transcription of the one
-way conversation by a young
father who lost his entire familyboth parents, his wife named
“Mine,” and their one-year-old son
named “Issei”- during the tsunami.
The young man’s name is not
spoken aloud during the recording,
so he is referred to here as “Issei’s
Father.” Wearing rectangular
glasses and a long, black jacket,
Issei’s Father enters the booth.
Astonishingly, he first
meticulously dials a number, then
begins to speak.
“Dad?”
“Mom?”
“Mine?”
“Issei?”“It’s already been five
years since the disaster.”
“If this voice reaches you,
please listen.” Issei’s
Father now begins to cry.
“Sometimes I don’t know what
I’m living for.”
“Issei, please let me hear you
call me Papa.”
“Papa…”
“Even though I bought a new
house, without all of you it’s
meaningless.”
“I want to hear your reply, but I
can’t hear anything.”
Issei’s Father then exhales
audibly, sniffles, and hangs up
the receiver. Next he removes
his glasses and covers his eyes
with his hands. Softly he
whispers aloud,
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t save
you.”
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
whom do you call when tragedy
strikes and the love and support of
family and friends fails to assuage
your unrelenting grief? Our Lord
lovingly invites us to pour out our
pain to Him in prayer. It’s rather
like having your own, personal
“wind telephone,” but with one
important difference – prayer is
never just a one-way conversation.
Jesus says, “But when you pray, go
into your room and shut the door
and pray to your Father who is in
secret, and your Father who sees in
secret will reward you” (Matthew
6:6). Prayers emanating from a
faith-filled heart will be carried
heavenward by the Holy Spirit.
Imagine: no dropped calls, no
17
roaming charges, and no dead
batteries! Furthermore, God is
available and will talk with you at
any hour of the day or night; He is
only a heartbeat away. Softly God
will whisper His reply in your
heart, but you must wait patiently
in the stillness to discern it. Oh,
there is one final piece of proper
prayer etiquette that is essential.
Before you jubilantly call/ email/
message/text or contact your
friends and family on Facebook
with good news of answered
prayer, first connect with God and
offer Him your humble thanks. It
is imperative that you maintain that
primary connection with Him, for
in the end, the Lord is our ultimate
Life-line.
What a Friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our Refuge,Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a Friend so faithful?
Who will all our sorrows share?
In his arms he’ll take and shield
thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
Caring and Sharing
Aspen Acres
10214 Rock Creek Rd
Hayward, WI 54843
Irene Ahrenkiel
 Marlen Kaiser

CHRONIC/LONG-TERM ILLNESS
15497 Pinewood Drive
Hayward, WI 54843
John Jaeckel, May Farley, Ed Braun, Brad
Johnson, Art Saxum, John Swanson,

Margaret Rockwood
ILL / RECOVERING
CARE CENTERS
10775 Nyman Avenue
Hayward, WI 54843
Bob Woodbeck, Rich Henchel
Water’s Edge
11044 N State Rd 77
Hayward, WI 54843
Welcome Alice Charlotte
Laberee through Holy
Baptism on October 23,
2016. Alice is the
daughter of Adam and Krystina Laberee. Her
sponsors are Nathan Gall and Katie Huberty.
Care Center
Irene Byerly, Louise Williamson,
Ralph & Carol Cornell, Jane Hoivick,
Don Jacobson, Colleen Moreland
VISITATION MINISTRY
Assisted Living

Frank Grebner, Vi Jacobson, Arliss Nichols,
Paul Pedersen
Country Terrace
If you are homebound and would like to receive
a visit and holy communion from one of our
visitation ministers, please contact the church
office and a visit will be arranged for you.
WORSHIP SERVICE DVDs
10260 White Birch Lane
Hayward, WI 54843

The congregation extends its
sympathy to family and friends of Lilly
Margarete Schmidt who passed
away on October 5, 2016. A
memorial service was held at First
Lutheran on Saturday, October 8,
2016 with Pastor Neil Weltzin
officiating.
The sympathy of the congregation is
extended to Ruth Mendiola on the
death of Mike Mendiola. Many will
remember them as active members
for some time here at First Lutheran.
Ruth’s address is available in the
front office if you would like to send a
card.
Golden Living Center

Edna Wittmus
Sympathy
Nancy Grothe, Mark Pitzele, Renee Tomal,
Kathy Rasmussen, Jo Dahlin, Connie Henning,
Jenny Thorhaug, Colleen Moreland, Tiffany
Chipman, Harry Hodgkinson

Care Partners Assisted Living
Liz Webber
18
DVDs of First Lutheran worship services are
available! Call the church office if you would
like to receive a DVD each week.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
God's work. Our hands.
We are a church that is deeply rooted—and always being made new.
…there is a new creation
If anyone is in Christ...
We are deeply rooted. The Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America is still comparatively new as a
church body, and yet our roots are much deeper
than our 25 years together. The taproot of our life
extends through the histories of predecessor
churches in the United States, through the
formative witness of the 16th century evangelical
reformers and their confessional writings, to the
Scriptures and the word of Christ. Our life is in
Jesus Christ. We are deeply rooted in his word of
forgiveness and the promises of God’s steadfast
love and mercy. The word of Christ dwells in us
richly. God nourishes us as one body in Jesus
Christ with companions from around the globe
who meet us at Christ’s table of grace.
OFFICE HOURS
We are being made new every day. In Jesus Christ we
are not unchanged. What God does in Christ is as
radical as the death and resurrection of baptism, where
new creatures in Christ rise to live “no longer for
themselves, but for him who died and was raised for
them.” God is bringing that new creation to life
among us in the ministry of reconciliation. In that
service we no longer see each other as we did before.
We are no longer strangers, competitors or enemies to
each other. We are beloved companions in one body,
restored to a communion where the rich diversity of
our experiences, wisdom and abilities serve the
common good in Christ. The new creation in Christ
rises to life among us every day.
WEEKLY BULLETIN

Mon—Thurs….8:30--4:00

Fridays … 8:30—3:00
If you would like to submit
information for the weekly
bulletin, it is due to Carol
Williamson by 4:00pm each
Wednesday
FIRST WORD
Information for the First
Word newsletter is due to
Ruth Lindner by 4:00pm on
the 20th of each month at
[email protected] or
drop off in the church office.
FIRST LUTHERAN STAFF
Roger Pittman
Bridge Pastor
[email protected]
Carol Mooney Williamson Business Manager
[email protected]
Tiffany Chipman
Youth & Education Director
[email protected]
Ray Austin
Building & Grounds
[email protected]
Patty Van Landschoot
Choir Director
[email protected]
Becky Iverson
Organist
[email protected]
Patty Treland
Volunteer Coordinator
[email protected]
19
N OVEMBER 2016
Sun
6
Mon
7
Time after Pentecost
All Saints Day
8:15 Worship
9:15 Coffee & Fellowship
9:30 Faith Formation
10:45 Worship
13
14
8:15
9:15
9:30
9:30
Worship
Coffee & Fellowship
Faith Formation
New Member
6:00 Congregational
Orientation (Library)
Council
10:45 Worship
21
Last Sunday after
Pentecost
Christ the King
8:15 Worship
9:15 Coffee & Fellowship
9:30 Faith Formation
10:45 Worship with
Installation of new
Members
POTLUCK to
follow service
27
First Sunday in Advent
8:15 Worship
9:15 Coffee & Fellowship
9:30 Faith Formation
10:45 Worship
Wed
1
8:00 MOFL & WOFL
9:30 Card Ladies
2
9:30 Staff Meeting
3:15 Terrific Tuesdays
5:00 Community Supper
5:30 FIAT
6:00 Wednesday Night
Live (WNL)
6:30 Choir Rehearsal
Thu
Fri
Sat
3
6:00 Lutefisk prep
9:00 Vegetable prep
9:45 Aspen Acres
Communion
10:30 Golden Living
Communion
11:15 Water’s Edge
Communion
3:00 Table setup
6:00 Dinner setup
4
5
3:30 Bake Sale
4:00 Scandinavian
Dinner
5:00 Worship
9
9:30 Staff Meeting
4:00 New Member
Orientation (Library)
5:00 Community Supper
5:30 Memorial &
Endowment
Committee (Library)
6:00 Wednesday Night
Live (WNL)
6:30 Choir Rehearsal
10
9:00 Cover Girls
11
12
15
8:00 MOFL & WOFL
16
9:30 Staff Meeting
17
9:00 Cover Girls
3:15 Terrific Tuesdays
5:00 Community Supper
6:00 Wednesday
Night Live (WNL)
6:30 Choir Rehearsal
8
8:00 MOFL & WOFL
9:30 Peace Circle
1:30 Faith, Hope,
Love Circle
3:15 Terrific Tuesdays
Time after Pentecost
20
Tue
6:00 Jubilee Circle
22
8:00 MOFL & WOFL
23
9:30 Staff Meeting
1:00 Grief Support
Fellowship Hall
5:00 Worship
6:00 The Spirit Within
18
19
9:30 Purls of Prayer
5:30 Friday Night
Movie
5:00 Worship
6:00 The Spirit Within
24
25
26
Thanksgiving Day
OFFICE CLOSED
5:00 Worship
5:00 Community Supper
28
29
8:00 MOFL & WOFL
30
9:30 Staff Meeting
3:15 Terrific Tuesdays
5:00 Community Supper
6:00 Wednesday
Night Live (WNL)
6:30 Choir Rehearsal
20