Good News

Good News
AUGUST 2016
GOOD NEWS
PAGE 1
AUGUST 2016
Combined Sunday Worship at 9:00 a.m.
(Our Staffed Nursery is ALWAYS available!)
Jeff Blain, Pastor (920) 922-3353 - Office; (920) 539-3353 - Cell
Tina Tollard, Children’s & Family Ministry (920) 602-3393 - Cell
901 County Road V
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54935
Plates, Corners and Church Health
I don’t exactly know why or how I got to thinking about what you will read below. I just know that the more I did
think about it, the more I wondered if God was perhaps “nudging” me to share it with you. So here goes...
There’s a rather common expression out there — I’m guessing from baseball — that refers to “stepping up to the
plate.” It’s an intriguing phrase because it not only has the sense of movement or doing, but it also has the sense of
choice and decision. You might hear someone say, “I decided it was my turn to step up to the plate…” as they explain
why they have either volunteered or consented to do something. And yet while “stepping up to the plate” is itself an
action, it brings you to a place where now more action will be required. Indeed, you’ll also need to be watching,
thinking, preparing and a host of other mental endeavors as you get ready to physically “take a swing” at whatever
might be coming your way. So when a person decides to “step up to the plate,” they are putting themselves into a
position where further discernment and action are needed. And keeping the baseball metaphor going for a bit longer,
depending upon when you “step up” you will either be starting something or trying to keep something going.
There’s another common expression about “turning a corner.” (No idea where this one comes from? Do you?) This one also
has a sense of movement to it. But here the movement is not so much the start of something as it is the “fruit” or
“progress” that comes — sometimes “finally!” — from an extended period of effort or labor. “Turning a corner” most
often seems to be a good thing, a sign that you are accomplishing something or moving closer to a desired goal. It
seems to usually be said after a time of frustration or disappointment or doubt. It also seems like this phrase is used at
a time when renewed energy and/or hope and/or expectation are born. When a person or group “turns a corner” you
know a desired outcome is at least a step closer. You are not there yet, but you ARE getting there!
Plates and corners. We need people to step up to them and turn them in the church — at least if we want our church to
be healthy! Most of you have probably heard of the “20-80 rule” where 80% of the work gets done by 20% of the
people. This “rule” seems to apply to all kinds of organizations and not only churches, but I can tell you that it is
DEADLY in churches. Any churches I have been part of or observed who were living by the 20-80 rule were either
discouraged, dying or all but dead. And for that to change, people need to step up of the plate and turn some corners.
Here at Ascension, I don’t think there has been a time when we were living — or should I say “dying”?!? — by this
deadly rule. But I CAN tell you that without intentionally trying to work against it that it is always the direction a
church will naturally travel. (For you “science” folks out there, it’s the law of entropy at work. But that’s fodder for another article!) So
assuming we want to avoid this trap, we need to take steps to work against it. And how do you do that? By having
people step up to the plate so we can turn some corners.
I am blessed to serve as a Pastor in a healthy church! I am grateful to God for that blessing. (Sadly, I have many colleagues
who are NOT in healthy churches!) And call me selfish, but I want to continue to serve in a healthy church!!!
And because of that, I promise to do what I can to step up to the plate so I can help this place to keep turning some
corners. Likewise, I want to invite, encourage and challenge YOU to also step up to the plate so you can help us keep
turning corners. And especially for you who might feel like it’s been a while since you have “stepped up” to a plate,
now is a GREAT time to join us! Listen for God’s voice and pay attention to His gentle “nudges” — especially since
that can help you avoid any 2x4’s that God might otherwise need to use!
Office e-mail = [email protected]
Pastor Jeff’s e-mail = [email protected]
Visit our website at www.alcfdl.org
PAGE 2
GOOD NEWS
AUGUST 2016
“Regular” Worship Schedule
Lawn Mowing Help Wanted
On Sunday, September 11, we return to our
“regular” school year schedule with Worship
services at 8:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. We will also
have our Education Hour at 9:00 a.m. for all ages
from 4 to adult. As always, our staffed nursery will
be available during all of those hours for any
children 4 and under.
A sign-up sheet is by the CARE 2 board outside the
sanctuary. We need 2 people each week: 1 on the
riding mower and 1 on the push mower. Minimum
age is 16 and training is required.
Weather
permitting, we’d like the lawn mowed between
Thursday and Saturday. (When there are Saturday
weddings, we hope to have it done by Noon!) For questions,
please contact Gary Voigt at 579-8243 or Dave
DeWitt at 922-3463. Thanks!
Confirmation Orientation Meeting
(New students & parents only!)
On Sunday, August 28, there will be an Orientation
meeting for new confirmation students and their
parents. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and
meet in the Sanctuary.
Pastor Jeff will be present to share the vision and the
scope of the Confirmation Program as well as the
various expectations and goals. There will also be
time for any questions that people have.
At the conclusion of the Q&A time, Pastor Jeff will
also provide Acolyte Training. It is anticipated that
we will finish by 8:00 p.m.
A letter will be sent to all known households with
7th grade students. If you do not receive a letter by
August 7, please contact the Church Office. If you
CANNOT make this meeting, please contact Pastor
Jeff to discuss other possible arrangements. Thanks!
Ascension Discovery Classes
If you or someone you know is interested in joining
Ascension, please know that our Discovery Classes
will begin on Sunday, September 25 at 6:00 p.m.
Watch the September newsletter for more details!
KOG invites all College bound
students…
Bring your backpack to church service on Sunday,
August 14th for your Ascension family to bless you
before you leave for College and allow your KOG
family to attach a backpack blessing tag to your
backpack which we have made and prayed over!
Back To School 2016
School supplies time is almost here, and Ascension
is again helping by collecting school supplies for
disadvantaged students in our area prepare for the
2016-17 school year. Our collection box will be in
the Fellowship Area soon. You may also drop off
supplies in bins located at area stores, or bring them
to the ‘Fill the Bus’ event at Shopko on August 6
from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Back to School also has a Facebook page and a
website (backtoschoolfdl.org). If you would like to
volunteer on Distribution Day, which is Saturday,
August 20, please sign up at either of these sites.
Contact Linda Mussell at 907-8956 with any
questions. Thank you to everyone for your help with
this much-needed program!
Winter Hats and Scarves
Are you a knitter? A crocheter? Help out Back to
School 2016 by making hats and scarves for area
school students! Place donations in the collection
box next to the school supply box in the Fellowship
Area. This project was started a few years ago by an
area church and quickly spread to other
congregations — including ours! Thanks for being a
part of this important and necessary effort!
Questions? Contact Linda Mussell at 907-8956.
AUGUST 2016
PAGE 3
GOOD NEWS
Christmas in Haiti
Worship Ministries Schedules
We have once again accepted the challenge to help
provide Christmas Gifts for the students and staff a
the Village of Hope School in Gaunthier, Haiti.
Because of a growing emphasis to help the Haitian
economy as much as possible, they are looking to
purchase as many items as possible within Haiti
itself so we are seeking to send at least $500 to help
them out.
If you are NOT currently involved in a Worship Ministry,
please consider stepping forward to help. Our desir e
for many of these ministries is to have people serve once
every 3 months — but we need more volunteers to reach
this goal in the following areas:
If you want to help out, please see the display board
on the trophy case in the Gathering Area outside the
Sanctuary and grab the sheets which reflect your
desire to help. Donations can be made in $1, $5, $10
and $25 increments. All donations need to be
received by Sunday, August 14. Please include your
slip(s) with your donation. Checks can be made
payable to “Ascension Lutheran” with “Haiti
Christmas” in the memo line.
For more information, please talk to Pastor Jeff.
Thanks for your help in sharing our blessings with
the kids at Village of Hope!
Softball Fans Wanted!!!
If you have an open Monday evening, come and
cheer on our Ascension Softball Team!
The schedule is:
7/25
8 p.m.
Cutler Field (Lakeside Park)
8/1
6 p.m.
Sabish
8/8
6 p.m.
Cutler Field
August 15 & 22 Playoffs! (TBD)
Calling All Green Thumbs!
Lutheran Campus Ministry at UW-Oshkosh is
gearing up for their annual plant giveaway for
incoming freshmen students this fall.
Please
consider planting some easy-to-grow houseplants
this summer & have them ready by the beginning of
September for delivery to The Gathering Place, 620
Elmwood’s back porch on campus. Label with plant
type, include name, church & address. Deliver Sat.
9/3-Mon. 9/5.
Can you help out with any of these?!?
1st Service
2nd Service
Altar (1/mo.)
Nursery
Nursery
Refreshments
SS Hour Nursery
Ushers
Refreshments
Video/Sound
Summer Noon Organ Recital Series
The Noon Organ Recital Series is on Thursdays,
from 12:15-12:45 p.m. Sponsored by the FdL Area
Organists Association, the concerts are free of
charge with a free will offering being taken for the
continuation of the summer recitals & for
development/scholarships to young people. Come
hear some of the wonderful instruments found in our
community!
July 28, Rev. Thomas Lijewski @ St. Paul’s
Cathedral
August 4, Kris Bartelt/Georgene Antos @ First
Presbyterian
August 11, Ken Hill @ Hope Lutheran
August 18, Dale Kastberg @ St. Paul’s Cathedral
August 25, “Organ Building Show & Tell” by Arpad
Muranyi @ former St. Patrick’s (39 E Follett St.)
Friendship Sunday = 9/11
The date September 11 will likely always be
associated with the tragic events of 2001. And well
it should! But since this is also the date we resume
our “regular” worship schedule this fall, how about
we turn it into a “Friendship Sunday” as well?!? Be
thinking about people you know — at your job, in
your neighborhood, among your family and friends
— who do not currently have an active connection to
a local church and INVITE them to come and join us
for Worship and/or Christian Education.
PAGE 4
AUGUST 2016
GOOD NEWS
Children’s & Family Ministry Page
For Kids Birth Through 6th Grade and Their Families
We are asking families to
bring a “fruit” donation each
night of programming for our
local food pantry.
(canned
fruit,
jarred
applesauce,
individual fruit cups, jelly,
etc.) Aren’t registered? ~ you
are still invited to come and
join us during the week of
August 1st through the 4th
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm! Nursery
is available for those under
4yrs old.
IT”S FOR ALL AGES!!
4yrs old on up ~ even adults!
Let’s gather and grow together!.
Join the Great Volunteers on the
Sunday School Team!
Do you LOVE to sing or play an
instrument?? Then I have the
perfect volunteer role for YOU!!
Assisting our AWESOME Music
Directors on Sunday mornings with
our children!!
Building Blocks
It’s our last play date
this summer so you don’t
want to miss out on a
great opportunity to meet
other families with 3yrs
and under! Come and connect at the park! If you
have older siblings please
be sure to bring them
along! This date will be
cancelled if it’s raining.
Questions please contact
Lori Tschetter 920-5393004
August 3rd @ 9:00
am@ Butzen
Memorial Park
(located on Danbury &
Kingswood)!
KOG invites all 4K-12 grade
students…
Bring your backpack to church service on Sunday,
August 28th for your Ascension family to bless
you before school starts and allow your KOG
family to attach a backpack blessing tag to your
backpack which we have made and prayed over!
Did you know??
Sunday School Volunteer
Training Dates
*Tuesday, August 16th @ 6:30 pm
*Wednesday, August 17th @ 6:30 pm
Downstairs in the 1st Sunday School pod
Please try and attend one of these and if you
cannot make one of these then call to arrange
another time with Tina.
91% of 5th & 6th graders say they feel they have
a great future ahead of them, due to relating to
the children’s messages on HOPE at their church.
4 out of 10 The number of adults in the
U.S. who say they rarely or never talk
about religion, even with their own families.
YIKES!
How can you encourage
conversations about Jesus in your family?
pewresearch.org
We have purchased our 4th
Simple Water Well!! That is
about 2,000 families we have
helped with safe clean
drinking water!
gallup.com
Tina Tollard, Director of Children’s & Family Ministries
Please call or email at:
(920) 602-3393 [email protected]
AUGUST 2016
PAGE 5
GOOD NEWS
Operation Christmas Child
Fiscal Year End Financial Moves
Shopping Reminder for Shoebox Christmas! It's
once again time to think about Operation Christmas
Child while back to school shopping! Did you know
that many of the same school supplies you buy for
school would also be great for an OCC shoebox?
Boxes of crayons, pens, notepads, markers, stickers these are just a few of the fun things that can be great
for filling a shoebox to surprise a child for
Christmas. Also consider hygiene products such as
bar soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, or hair brushes
(no liquids, please.) Hard candy or gum is a great
treat!
So perhaps while you're shopping and
checking off your back to school list, consider taking
advantage of those sale prices and buying a few
extra items to fill a shoebox too.
Thanks to the generous support of our members, our
congregation ended the 2015-2016 Fiscal Year in
strong fashion. Because of this, the Church Council
was able to make the following decisions at their
meeting on July 18:
Operation Christmas Child
Shoeboxes
Please save and bring your shoe boxes to church for
our upcoming Operation Christmas Child project this
fall. You may leave them under the table outside the
church office. Please empty any contents from the
shoe boxes you donate. We especially like the onepiece Nike boxes as we can pack paper, folders, etc.,
flat inside this size. Please contact Sherri Gysbers
with any questions at 921-1396.
$6,000 was added to the New Mower Fund.
(Balance is now $11,000 and a new mower will be purchased
sometime this summer or fall!)
$10,000 was added to the Cash Reserves.
(Balance is now at $28,000, not quite 1 month worth of
expenses. We are working our way towards 3 months of cash
reserves.)
$2,000 was added to the Building Fund.
(This fund not only serves as the source of our $8,200/month
mortgage payments but also as a “major repairs” fund. Balance
is just over $42,000.)
Praise God!
Council Goals for 2016-2017
The Church Council is currently working on setting
goals for the coming year. They hope to finalize
things at a Retreat on August 13.
Watch for more information to follow, including the
likelihood of some congregation informational
meetings being held in October.
Feed My Starving Children
Belize Week Thank You
A huge THANK YOU Ascension friends for making
the 2016 Youth ’Reverse’ Mission Trip happen July
17-24. It was an absolutely incredible experience
and we couldn’t have done it without your support.
It was such a blessing to watch the youth and adults
from Belize become even more a part of our family
here and we know that for our team members there
were some lifetime memories and friendships made.
The next MobilePack event is planned for Saturday,
April 1, 2017.
Marriage Strengtheners
(From Jay & Laura)
Buy flowers or a power tool
Go on a bike ride
Take a nap
Give back rubs
Thanks again for all your prayers, help and financial
and moral support.
Have a tickle party
PAGE 6
AUGUST 2016
GOOD NEWS
Compassion Corner
Loaves & Fishes – August 3rd
Each month as I write this column, I have been using
a resource called “52 week prayer guide” from the
Compassion International website for the focus verse
and a suggested prayer. It has led us through a great
variety of topics.
These were meant to be
suggestions for people who are sponsoring students
through Compassion International to guide them in
the prayer support of the child they sponsor. Often
as I read them, I think that they are so appropriate for
ALL of our children…those we sponsor, those in our
families (children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces),
those in our church and neighborhood, those who
attend school or play on teams with our children…
the list is endless. Today as I read the verse from
Isaiah and the accompanying prayer suggestion, it
struck me that we need to pray this prayer for
everyone, not just the children we sponsor or
children we see in our community, but ALL OF
GOD’S CHILDREN, no matter their age.
We serve again for Loaves & Fishes on Wednesday,
August 3rd. Help us serve our community by
providing a meal to anyone wanting one.
Here it is: Pray about WORDS. Pray that the words
of the child's mouth will minister to the hearers, that
this child will speak words of encouragement, hope,
kindness and love; and avoid words that would
demean others or not speak unkindly to family and
friends.
If you have a son or daughter in college or serving in
the military who does not use your home address,
please contact the Church Office with their current
information.
We are especially interested in:
mailing address, email, & cell phone. Thanks!!!
"The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed
tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear
to listen like one being taught" (Isaiah 50:4).
The sign-up sheet and pans for the casserole are on
the table by the Care 2 board in the main entry area.
You can either bring the food to Ascension before
3:00 p.m. on August 3rd or bring it to St. Paul’s
Cathedral, 51 W. Division St., FDL, after 4:00 p.m.
that day.
Questions? Please contact Bob Kissinger, Barb
Hartl, or Don and Linda Mussell.
Updated Information for College
Students and/or Military
Personnel
For the Record…
Ordinations:
The next time you write to your sponsored child, talk
about the importance of his words. Tell him again
how precious his letters to you have been and that
you hope your words are an encouragement to him.
Thank you for helping to change the lives of the
children you sponsor,
Lindsey and Rich Hofer
Child Advocates for Compassion International
07/10/16
Daniel Flucke
Funerals:
07/02/16
Joe Becker
Members Transitions:
Transferred Out:
Daniel & Christin Flucke
St. Peter Lutheran, Greene, IA
AUGUST 2016
GOOD NEWS
General Fund Report — June 2016
On Being A Steward
“Each citizen should plan his part
in the community according to his
individual gifts.”
Plato, Greek Philosopher
(approx. 428-348 B.C.)
“To each is given the manifestation of
the Spirit for the common good.”
Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:7
PAGE 7
PAGE 8
08/01
08/01
08/02
08/02
08/03
08/03
08/04
08/04
08/04
08/05
08/05
Alex McGrath
Sawyer Salzman
Bob Berryman
Ashley Blain
Jim Krell
Abigail Tschetter
Jessica Barnes
Norah Durkin
Brooke Parent
Jonah Gutzmann
Chuck
Widdicombe
08/06 Jim Chiesa
08/06 Jon Humleker
08/03
08/04
08/06
08/07
08/10
08/11
08/12
08/14
08/14
08/17
08/18
AUGUST 2016
GOOD NEWS
08/06
08/06
08/06
08/07
08/07
08/07
08/07
08/08
08/08
08/08
08/08
08/09
08/09
08/09
08/12
08/12
08/12
08/13
08/14
08/14
David Linstrom
Kim Muellenbach
Dave Sampson
Joyce Bartelt
Karen Martin
Audrey Roeder
Alan Roetker
Sue Hoehne-Bate
Carol Kulhanek
Pat McGowan
Kory Volbright
Tina Duehring
Eric Vande Slunt
Jeff Zehren
Bob Becker
Beth Wettstein
Mackenzie White
Jeff Gibson
Teresa Emery
Allie Fischer
Nora & Adam Uttech
Dan & Melody Matty
Marty & Kim McAuly
Will & Kay Vande Slunt
Travis & Kylee Ernst
Rod & Vel Hynek
Steve & Rev. Paula RamckeWilke
Mark & Joan Cavil
Mark & Amy Thompson
Mark & Nikki Davis
Jeremy & Kim Muellenbach
Church Funnies
A father was approached by his small son who told
him proudly, “Daddy, I know what the Bible
means!”
08/14 Rena Schalk
08/15 Jonathon
Gutzmann
08/15 Adam Kulhanek
08/15 Chris McKinney
08/16 Joe Maramonte
08/17 Jill Krell
08/17 William Linstrom
08/18 Brennan Burnell
08/18 Ken Schmitz
08/19 Amy Harmsen
08/19 Jill Kostac
08/20 John Hau
08/21 Connor Williams
08/23 Heather Linstrom
08/23 Linda Schiessl
08/24 Ian Ledger
08/25 Julie Walker
08/27 Margie Dichraff
08/27 Molly Hoffmann
08/18
08/18
08/20
08/20
08/23
08/23
08/25
08/25
08/26
08/28
08/29
08/31
08/27 Shalome
Stettbacher
08/28 Roy Krueger
08/28 Jeremy
Muellenbach
08/28 Pansie Olson
08/29 Frank Mielke
08/29 Buff Volbright
08/29 Crystal Wagner
08/30 Nikki Davis
08/30 Zach Kejo
08/30 Eric Quackenboss
08/31 Elijah Freund
08/31 Angela Salzman
Jim & Tracy Mueller
Nate & Dani Portratz
Jeff & Carol Blain
Dan & Pat Herdt
David & Julie Boelter
Cheryl & Tom Kruncos
John & Marcia Behrendt
Melissa & Tim Schneider
Joel & Amy Wondra
Trisha & Dan Schmitt
Kurt & Ashley Klaske
Sara & Mark Bertram
Answered Prayers
You are encouraged to share how God has answered
your prayers by filling out a blue “Answered
Prayers” form in the Gathering area. Here are a few
answered prayers that people have recently shared:
His father smiled and replied, “What do you mean
you ‘know’ what the Bible means?”
“My father’s health issues have been resolved!”
The son replied, “But I DO know!”
“I can run again and healing well!”
“Okay,” said his father, “what does the Bible
mean?”
“My cousin has his wrist cast off!”
“My family and I survived nursing school!”
“That’s easy, it means ‘Basic Information Before
Leaving Earth’.”
☺
“Our son is in remission!”