FAITH CONNECTION January 2016

FAITH CONNECTION
January 2016
New Year, New Possibilities
The angel Gabriel assured Mary that "nothing will be impossible with God". As we begin a new calendar year,
prepare for the congregational annual meeting and continue to follow Jesus, we too need to be reminded that
"nothing will be impossible with God".
One of the helpful insights I gained in my training as an Intentional Interim pastor is that systems, or
congregations, are more open during the time of transition. During this transitional time, it will be good to
reflect on some of the habits or traditions at Faith and wonder together if these traditions still make sense, if
they still serve a purpose or if some things need to be redeveloped. Often "traditions" are not consciously
created, rather they evolve because something needs to be accomplished, that happens and then whatever
was done to accomplish the task, evolves into a "tradition", the "way we do things". It is good from time to time
to reflect on the way we do things to ask questions and reflect. What are your thoughts?
Faith will also be welcoming new members in January and as we reflect on how things are done now, it may
also be a good time to hear the voices of newcomers who have fresh perspective and new ideas and
energy. Most important will be the continued focus on what it is God would have us do now at this time and
this place as God continues to make all things new.
I think the following prayer written by ELCA Pastor Ted Schroeder communicates a similar idea:
Lord, we come into your presence seeking a gracious blessing. But we dare to ask for an outrageous portion of your
grace. We ask that you not simply equip us, but that you chase us out into your world.
Make us people of vision who look not in but out, not backward but forward, not down but up, not at what cannot be done
but at what might be accomplished by your Spirit.
Make us those who seek narrow paths instead of wide and easy ways, sending us new places instead of resting places,
starts instead of finishes, horizons instead of waysides, tomorrows instead of yesterdays.
Give us running shoes instead of slippers, alarm clocks instead of sleep switches, accelerators instead of brakes, sailboats
instead of sand castles.
Make us startle even ourselves with the power that you give. For all we do is moved by your breath, enveloped by your
Spirit, filled with the wind of Your grace, and resounding to your glory and not ours.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen
God's Peace, Pastor Gisele
P.S. Thank you for sharing your Christmas joy with us; your kind words, beautiful cards and thoughtful gifts reflected the
true LIGHT. We are blessed and so thankful to be part of this community. Pastor Gisele & Tim
WORSHIP TIMES
8:00 a.m.
Traditional
10:30 a.m.
Voices of Praise
9:15
Education Hour
Coffee Fellowship
Come and Join Us
New Member Sunday—January 17th
If you are interested in joining Faith Luthern please contact the office.
The Annual Meeting of Faith Lutheran Church
Will be held on February 7, 2016
immediately following the 10:30 a.m. service.
We strongly encourage all members of Faith to attend!
Annual Reports will be in the Narthex for you
to pick up mid– January.
Parish Education &
Youth News
On January 10th we will begin our new rotation, “John the
Baptist, Preparing for the Light.” Throughout this rotation the
children will learn about John the Baptist, the
one who prepares the way for the Light of the
World. They will follow John’s life from the
foretelling in Isaiah’s prophecy to Jesus’
baptism. Workshops include Art, Movie,
Cooking, and Bible Variety.
We are still in need of teachers for the
Bible Variety workshop in the upcoming
rotation beginning on January 10th. If you are
interested in teaching the Bible Variety
workshop either the primary or intermediate
classes please contact Megan Sterzinger at
[email protected] ASAP.
In December we collected Sunday School offering for ELCA
World Hunger, we collected $29.50!! Our 7th Grade Confirmation
Class also went on a shopping trip in early December to buy gifts
for Homme Home. It was a wonderful month of giving for the
youth at Faith!
Confirmation News:
On January 10th we will be having Acolyte training between the
services. Our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade confirmation classes will all
be participation in this training along with their parents.
7th Grade Parents: We have received the registrations for
Confirmation Camp. Look for info about Confirmation Camp in
the mail in the next few weeks.
Thank you to all who volunteered to teach in our
January rotation. The donation of your time and talent
is greatly appreciated!
FLY News and
Upcoming Events
Check out the Faith Lutheran Church FaceBook page for pictures
from many of our meetings and events.
December was another busy month for the Faith Lutheran Youth.
On Wednesday, December 2, eleven youth, Kim and Pastor Gisele
helped prepare, serve and clean up after the Fellowship Dinner at St.
Vincent DePaul for our December Service Project. Over 60 members
of the Marshfield community in need attended dinner that evening.
On Wednesday, December 16, we gathered for O Come All Ye Faith
Lutheran Youth. We enjoyed supper together and participated in a
Bible Study on some of the modern day misconceptions about the
Christmas story.
FLY wrapped up the year with a Holiday Gathering on December 29
(after a slight reschedule due to some snow). We enjoyed
bowling (congrats McKensie on high score), a pizza supper
(thank you Sue Vrana and Lisa Behling), a Christmas Mug gift
exchange and some games. We had a great time and were
thrilled to have some past members of FLY come and join
us! Thanks to everyone that helped support our Faith
Lutheran Youth in 2015 – it was truly an awesome year!
Coming Up
Wednesday, January 6 – Our first FLY Meeting of 2016 will
include supper at 6:00 PM and our Bible Study theme is Fear
Factor: FLY Edition.
We will begin work in January on our February Youth Sunday
Service, present the Candlelight Dinner (see info on the Dinner
in this newsletter) and enjoy some time “brushing up” on our
curling skills on January 24.
Don’t forget our meetings on the first and third Wednesdays at
6:00 PM. Youth in Grades 7-8 make sure to mark your
calendars for Saturday, February 27 for ChristJam 2016 (the
Middle School Youth Gathering) in Rice Lake. We are about
200 days away from leaving for Mission Trip 2016 from July
23-29.
Candlelight Dinner: Mark your calendars. Chef Joel
Olson will be joining the youth again this year for our
Annual Candlelight Dinner. It will be held on Sunday
evening, January 18. A great menu is planned. Joel will
be offering some special cooking classes on Saturday as
well. See pg 3.
NOTE FROM THE TREASURER:
General giving thru Dec 28th 2015 $325,806.64
2015 budgeted general giving
332,384.44
Deficit for 2015
(6,577.80)
Loan draws thru December
Electrical
Roof
Parking lot
Total loan draw thus far
July thru Dec payments
Balance 12/28/15
$13,331.00
14,154.26
20,200.00
47,685.26
(11,801.40)
$35,883.86
If you can, please contribute towards the capital
improvements by putting money in the blue
envelopes noted “capital improvements.” The sooner
we can pay down the debt the less strain we put on
the general fund. Thank you in advance and thank
you to those who have already contributed.
God’s peace, Bill Olsen, Treasurer.
Faith Lutheran Youth
Candlelight Dinner
January 17, 2016 6:00 p.m.
Menu : Classic Caesar Salad with Parmesan Touilles,
Open-Faced Pork Tenderloin and Mushroom Wellingtons
with Port Sauce; Potato Gratin and Braised Winter
Vegetables, Caramelized Apple Mouse with Cinnamon
Crisps and Candied Cranberries. Wine, Water, Coffee
Tickets are $20 and will be available on Sundays. Call church office for more info.
Cooking Classes with Chef Joel Olson
International Soups and Sandwiches (Adult Class) Saturday Jan 16th -- 9:30 a.m.-Noon
Cuban Black Bean Soup with Crispy Onion Rings and Lime Cream & Classic Cuban
Sandwiches (with pork, ham, cheese and pickles); Tuscan Onion Soup & Roasted Tomato,
Goat Cheese and Bacon Panini; Avoglemono Soup (Greek Lemon and Chicken Soup) &
Grilled Greek Vegetable Sandwish with Olive and Feta Vinaigrette. Class Cost: $60
Teen Ravioli Party (Teen Class—ages 13-17) Saturday Jan 16th -- 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Teens join Chef Joel learning how to make egg pasta dough from scratch and then prepare
delicious fresh Ravioli with these three different fillings: Three Cheese; Roasted Butternut
Squash; and Spinach and Feta. Two different sauces will also be prepared: Marinara Sauce
and Alfredo Sauce. Class Cost: $40
Sign-up with Joel at [email protected] or call church office. Proceeds benefit Faith Lutheran Youth
The Faith Lutheran
Book Club plans to
discuss "The Invention of Wings" by Sue
Monk Kidd on Jan 18,
2016 at 7 PM at the
home of Jean
Swenson. Facilitator
is Pat Anderson.
SOS Treasurer
The Soup or Socks board is looking to fill the Treasurer
position. Bill Crist has served as our treasurer but has
expressed the need to resign.
He would train whoever steps forward so they could
take over the job soon… no later than October 1, 2016.
Please contact Bill—715-387-6848,
Christine—715-387-3502 or
Cheryl at SOS—715-387-1796 if you think you might be
able to fill the position. Christine Stromme
How to Contact Us
Office Hours: 9-3 M-TH
Church Office—715-387-3757
Pastor Gisele Berninghaus (387-3757)
[email protected]
Dar Schubert, Secretary (387-3757)
[email protected]
Beth Behnke-Seper, Director of Music
[email protected]
Roger Keller, Choir Director
[email protected]
Megan Sterzinger, Parish Education
[email protected]
Kim Vrana, Youth Director
[email protected]
Website [email protected]
Woman of the ELCA
Next Planning meeting is Monday, January 11th at 6:30 pm.
Our Thankoffering service will be held on February 28, 2016 and we need volunteers to greet,
usher, and lector. Contact Karen at 715-387-4230.
Empty Bowls
A Fundraiser for Soup or Socks
11 am—2 pm
March 12 at the Hotel Marshfield
Call Christine at 715-387-3502 for more details.
Sewers Needed
Quilt block pieces are in
narthex for those
who would like to pick up
a set to sew together for
Piece Corps.
Info on meetings cancelled due to
inclement weather
conditions:
Check our
Facebook page
or listen to the
local
radio station
[WDLB 1450 AM]
Altar Care Needs
As we walk into church, on a Sunday morning, the
altar area is inviting and the Supper is ready. The
area is welcoming us to join in prayer, to hear the
Word and to share in the Lord’s Supper. This is the
worship space we look to, for our encounter with the
Holy One. The Altar Teams, as servants of God,
assist in creating a climate of worship for you.
The teams are the ones responsible for preparing the
chancel area for worship, setting up for communion
and doing all of those things that make the area
inviting. Do we take it for granted that all will be
ready when we come to worship? Sorry to say we
are suffering a shortage of people on the monthly
teams. As I write this we need 10 people to fill out
the various teams. Oct. has no one. The
commitment is for one month serving with two
others. Come, serve the Lord
and join this dedicated group of
people. A sign-up sheet is in
the narthex.
Questions call
Sharon Tyrolt
Automatic Giving
Consider signing up with your bank for
automatic giving for 2016. You can set it up
for free and your offerings can be automatically deposited into the Faith Lutheran account
on whatever schedule works for you. Check
with your bank to see what they need. Some
only need the church’s name. Others need our
account and routing number. Call the office
for more information.
Council Highlights for December meeting:




Update on membership changes
Update on nominations for 2016 council members
Approve designation of Christmas Offerings to
Transitional House and Malawi
Reviewed 2016 Budget Proposal
"Thank you to all who gave gifts to the people listed on our
Operation Christmas Tree. It may have been a record number of
people with 91 requests given to us by Lutheran Social Services
and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Community Services. Kim
Vrana's office was piled high with gifts. Your generosity made a
Joyous Christmas for many people."