The Voice - Pentecost Lutheran Church

May 2013
The
Voice
Of Pentecost Lutheran Church
www.pentecost-racine.org
As forgiven children of God, we, the Pentecost Family of Faith, are committed to show everyone Life in Christ.
Dear friends in Christ,
I can’t help but feel like we’ve been here before.
We are once again reminded of the gravity of sin in our world this past week in both Boston and Texas after
explosions took the lives of several people too soon. Seeing the images of people running in sheer panic in
Boston makes my heart ache. So many innocent people’s lives have been turned upside down because of the
decisions of two individuals.
I have to admit I found myself glued to the TV on Friday as I watched the events unfold. I woke up that
morning to find the news coverage of the manhunt that had started in the middle of the night. The ordeal
sounded something like a Bruce Willis movie with car chases, explosives being thrown from the car, a shootout,
and then a lock-down manhunt for the missing suspect.
I kept waiting with baited breath to see what events would unfold. How and when would they catch him?
Throughout the day reporters had tracked down family and friends to try and uncover a motive behind their
actions. And finally, as the darkness of night began to settle in the manhunt ended with his successful capture.
At the end of what was a long day, I found two distinctly different perspectives on the outcome:
“So, scum bag #2 in custody. Who wouldn't use torture on this punk to save more lives?”
And
“Have you prayed for your enemies lately? I'm sure Dzhokhar Tsarnaev could use them.”
The first reply is from New York Senator Greg Ball who tweeted this for the public to see. The second is a
friend’s posting on Facebook. Beyond the initial shock of each statement, it’s interesting to juxtapose them
against each other. Notice how the Senator refuses to recognize the individual’s name, he simply calls him
“scum bag #2.” Compare that to my friend who admitted he had to look up and confirm the spelling of
Tsarnaev’s name before posting. It shows a personal interest and concern for an individual. It would have been
far easier to call him a scum bag or the Boston Bomber than using his real name.
I can’t help but feel like this would be a parable that Jesus would use in our modern world today. To convict us
of our own sin. To show us the difference between our retribution against his abundant grace and mercy. I can
just hear Jesus asking, “Which of these two responses would be better to serve your neighbor?” or “Which of
these two responses would you like to hear if it were you?”
Heavy hearts just got heavier. Pray for peace. Pray for comfort. Pray for justice both earthly and eternally.
- Pastor J
Gianni Greco – 05/03
Mike McCray Jr-05/04
Kevin Erb – 05/06
Hannah Heldt -05/06
Judy Mueller – 05/06
Dorothy Klingenmeyer-5/10
Butch Cichosz – 05/13
Sheri Werner – 05/13
Kelley Grant – 05/17
Charles King – 05/19
Ian Barclay – 05/21
Zach Christensen – 05/21
Kathy Merrill – 05/22
Sue Beno – 05/25
Hannah Perez – 05/25
Dan Geyer - 05/27
Richard Walters – 05/27
Ellen Geyer – 05/27
Shane & Cindy Honore – May 8th – 9 years
Tom & Sue Hasko – May 15th – 20 years
Wes & Diane Larsen – May 16th – 43 years
Butch & Carol Cichosz – May 18th – 39 years
PYTHON
SOFTBALL
-OPENING DAY - The boys of
summer return to the diamond as the
Pentecost Python Men's softball team
takes the field for their third Racine City League season with
an opening day game on Sunday, May 5th -- just two weeks
away! Should the fields dry up between now and opening
day, we may even organize a practice. Great seats still
available for opening day. Can you hear the Python
hissssssssss?
Thursday, May 9th at 5pm at Buona Vita –
All ladies 18 and older are welcome to
gather for an evening of good food and
fellowship. All new lady members please
join us. What a better way to get acquainted
with everyone! Sign up with Kathy Foss at
554-6111.
May 18th – 8am-2pm. You can bring
your donated items to the Parish
House anytime during office hours or
after church on Saturday or Sunday.
Please no winter items.
Garden Club: We are gathering on Saturday
morning, June 1st at 9:00am. Can you help
plant or mulch? We also need people to water
this summer. Can you volunteer for 1 week
during the summer? We will also need people
to pull the weeds. Sign up and help us beautify our church
grounds. The sign-up sheet is on the narthex table.
Thank you to everyone who has helped me through giving to
the Food Pantry. Your generosity is very much appreciated. –
Vicki Sems
We have a privilege to host the LWML SELC District
Western Zone Spring Rally. It will be
held here, at Pentecost, on Saturday,
May 11th from 9am-3pm. The cost is
$7.00, which covers the cost of the
continental breakfast and lunch. We
encourage all ladies from Pentecost to attend. Look for the
LWML table at the Stewardship weekend. We will need
ladies to do some muffin baking. Sign up at the LWML table.
If you have a computer look up their website at:
http://www.lwml.org/
55+ Club – In May, we will be
touring Wingspread on Wednesday,
May 15th at 10:30am Wingspread is
located on 33 E. 4 Mile Road, Wind
Point. It is a self-guided tour except in the beginning a little
group talk. After the tour we are planning on going to
Infusino’s for lunch. Please sign the sign-up sheet in the
narthex so I can give them a count of how many people are
going. In June, we will have our annual picnic at Armstrong
Park on Tuesday, June 18th. More information to follow.
.
The next Fellowship Friday will be June 7th.
Grilled hamburgers and hotdogs will be on the
menu. Please bring your favorite salads and
desserts. Bring your own outdoor games for
entertainment.
A HUGE THANK YOU to Shane Honore of ACCS Painting
for painting the Fellowship Hall and making it look beautiful!
If you have any painting projects indoors or outdoors give
Shane of ACCS Painting a call at 262-902-7739.
SELC District “Luther League”
Youth Gathering
July 18 – 21
Concordia University Chicago, IL
Tentative Theme: “8”
Tentative Motto: “I am making everything
new!” (taken from Rev. 21:5) What does the
number “8” have to do with making
everything new? Come to Chicago and find
out! The youth groups of Racine, WI and Whiting IN are
teaming up to host this year’s district “Luther League” youth
gathering. Come for fun, fellowship, and learning about God
with teenagers from around our district. Tentative excursions
to the Hancock Tower and Navy Pier are planned (schedule
still being finalized and subject to change). Questions?
Contact Tim Hasko 262.497.0496.
There is a sign-up sheet on the table in
the narthex. If you need any assistance
in learning how to use the equipment,
please contact one of our Trustees.
Thank you in advance for
your help.
Stewardship Corner
How nice it was on Palm Sunday (picture), Easter,
Ski Trip weekend, and Concordia Sunday to see so
many people in church. Let’s make that our goal
every Sunday!
As I’m writing this article, I’m also finishing up
some things for our Stewardship Sunday, which
features the people of Pentecost. While Pastor Jacob
could just get up in front of a group of people and
start talking, that’s not what happens each week for
our Worship services. It takes YOU, the people of
Pentecost to also make it happen.
First of all, we need people attending the services
and supporting our church with their offerings. But,
did you ever stop and think of how many people work
together to make each service happen? 1 Corinthians
12:27 says “Now you are the body of Christ and
individually members of it.”
As the “body of Christ,” here are some of the
people who make our services happen: Trustees,
janitor, Pastor, elders, worship committee, children’s
message presenter, secretary, ushers, acolytes,
communion assistants, altar guild, greeters, lectors,
Oplatky committee to make communion wafers,
musicians…
That’s just for a Saturday or Sunday worship
service, and I’ve probably missed a few. In addition
to that, our church has many groups and projects that
all take people to make them happen – Fellowship
Fridays, Book Club, rummage sales, Sunday School
and VBS, Youth Group, Bible Classes, Food
Pantry… Even if you can no longer work on the
projects, we also need people to attend or all the
planning is for nothing.
It’s easy to see why the People of Pentecost are so
important to our church!
Stewardship by Action
Have you ever wondered if our Dimes for Christ
offerings really help? From Rev. Tom Konz, our first
recipient in 1982, to our present Dimes for Christ
recipient, Leah Kosmala, this program has been an
important part of our church. Here’s a brief look at the
beginning, middle, recent, and present recipients.
The Konz family sent this message when we
celebrated our 100th Anniversary – “In 1982, Tom felt the
call to go into the ministry and the Konz’s moved to St.
Louis where he attended Concordia Seminary. Pentecost
Lutheran Church supported them throughout the four years
and faithfully sent $75 a month from their “Dimes for
Christ” ministry. What a blessing that was!” Rev. Konz is
pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Stephenville, Texas. He
is on the board of Big Brothers/Big Sisters, active in
Optimists, hospital chaplaincy, ministerial alliance and
spends lots of time working with the Faith School children
and staff.
Missionary Sharon Owens is a director of Christian
education (DCE). She serves the Lord in Macau as the
volunteer coordinator. Sharon has visited our church
several times on her trips back to the USA. In December,
2009, she gave the Sunday School the wooden cross that
was on the bulletin board until our floor project last
summer.
Rev. Scott Firminhac wrote, “I think it is a really great
idea for you to catch up on the people you have sponsored
with your Dimes for Christ project. I know the support
you have shown me and others is greatly appreciated.”
Rev. Firminhac is pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church,
Torrington, Wyoming. He has also served the Wyoming
District on the Commission for Mission Services for the
past 12 years and is currently Chairman-Elect.
Rev. Jason Zirbel, a more recent recipient wrote this
when asked if he would tell us what he is doing now. “I
would love to share with the people of Pentecost. Our
Lord used your dimes to help get me where I am today!’
Rev. Zirbel is at Grace Lutheran Church in Greenwood,
Arkansas. His congregation has doubled in size in the 5
years he’s been there! He is also working on his PhD and
writing a book. Wonder what he does in his spare time??
Leah Kosmala is a student at Concordia University,
Wisconsin. She is studying early childhood education with
a minor in psychology and hopes to become a first grade
teacher. Leah is following in the footsteps of her mother
and grandfather who were also Lutheran teachers.
For several years, Dimes for Christ money was given
to the SELC District and they chose the recipients. As
more people we knew went into church work, we decided
to choose the recipients ourselves. During the vacancies,
some of the vicars serving in Cudahy and helped them.
That was how we met Vicar Biber who later became our
pastor.
Countdown to November
First church sign
Sign with Pastor Babel’s name, and how proud our new,
young pastor was when his name was on the sing in
time for his installation –
Pastor Biber!
Our current sign was
purchased in 2005 and
has served for many
different notices!