November 2015 - St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church

We are more than 50% of the way to our goal of
raising $1.5 million for our Building God’s
Tomorrow campaign! What a blessing to hear how
members of our faith community have generously
opened their hearts to support our future and
mission.
Save the Date:
Our Congregational Luncheon will be held on
October 25th at Noon in the Fellowship Hall.
Attend for a good meal, fellowship with members,
and insight into the Building Toward God’s Tomorrow campaign. Hear stories
from within our church on how the campaign will impact our families, mission,
and future. Generosity packets for the campaign, as well as the annual stewardship
packets, will be available for pick up at the luncheon.
Campaign Timeline:
10/25 - Congregational Luncheon - Generosity packets will be handed out.
10/25-11/8 - Packets will be available for pick up at the church during the week
and at services.
1114-15 - Celebration weekend - return packets to the church.
12/5-6 - Fundraising attainment announcement.
October 25
8:30 am New Members Received
12:00 pm Congregation Luncheon
November 1
All Saints Day
6:00 pm Hope & Healing Dinner
November 8—15
The Road Home Buddy Week
November 14—15
Celebration Weekend
November 14
Feed My Starving Children Event
Sunday, November 22nd at 6:00 pm
The community Thanksgiving service will be held at St. James this year! For the
past several years, four churches in the Verona community have gathered together
to celebrate Thanksgiving in a combined worship service. This year, we are again
joining with area churches for the service, and it will be held at St. James on
Sunday, November 22, at 6:00 pm. Following the service, we will share Fellowship
time with beverages, conversation…and pie, a favorite past tradition! We hope you
and your family can join us as we give thanks with our neighbors in a service of
Word, prayer, and music. And— watch for a sign-up in November for pie
donations!
A Monthly Newsletter
Volume XV, No. 10
November 21
Women of St. James Luncheon and
Bake Sale
November 22
6:00 pm Community Thanksgiving
Service
7:00 pm Thanksgiving Pie Fest
November 2015
M
FROM THE PASTOR...
Building Toward God’s Tomorrow
has been our theme for the upcoming
project to improve and expand our
facilities.
But Building Toward
God’s Tomorrow is also our task and
calling as people of god. 130 years
ago the founding members of St.
James committed themselves to
constructing a facility where they
could gather in worship and
fellowship, sensing the call of the
Holy Spirit to offer a space where
God’s love could be received and
shared. They built it not only for
themselves but for all the generations
that would follow, a place of welcome
for all. And now we are blessed
because of their faithfulness, their
clear vision and their hope for future
generations.
Now it is our turn. Now it is our
time to improve and expand these
facilities in order to enhance our
ministries and provide improved
spaces for all ages. Now is the time to
build upon the early commitment
and vision of previous generations.
Why now?
First, because the environment in
which we do ministry ahs changed
greatly in recent years. There was a
time when weddings, funerals, and
Sunday worship provided the main
reasons for gathering. Now, ministry
happen Monday Through Sunday in
a variety of settings for a variety of
reasons. In order for St. James to
remain relevant and have a solid
place in this new environment, it is
vital that we upgrade our facilities.
Expanded and improved space for
the Preschool, an activity center,
along with an improved kitchen and
Sunday School rooms will help us
better meet ministry needs both now
and in the future.
Second, because we live in a world
where people hunger for meaningful
relationships, with God and with one
another,.
In worship, we are
connected with God, the source of all
life. Following worship, we connect
with God’s people. Currently, our
facilities do not enhance and support
our life of fellowship. The expansion
of our gathering space as well as our
dining area, along with the addition
of “soft places” where people can sit
and have conversations, will mean
that our facilities will no longer
impe de deeper and growing
relationships with one another.
These spaces will serve to help create
and strengthen relationship within
our community.
ST. JAMES EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Phone: 608.845.6922
www.stjamesverona.org
Fax: 608.845.6903
WORSHIP
Saturday - 5:00 pm
• Sunday - 8:30 am & 10:45 am
OFFICE HOURS
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday — 8 am to 4 pm
Wednesday — 8 am to 12 noon
STAFF
Kurt Billings, Pastor
Cell: 235-8122
Peter Narum, Pastor
Cell: 469-9625
Michelle Lichty
Parish Administrator
Emily Jeremiason
Office Assistant
Barb Roberts
Office Assistant
Kelly Rodger
Youth Education Coordinator
Paulette Spoon
Adult Choir & Handbell Choir
Susan Bubolz
Youth Choir Director
Marilyn Doerfer, Alex Ford
Rhonda Chalone & Jim Erickson
Accompanists
Barb Rasmussen, R.N.
Parish Nurse/Visitation Coord.
Heather Pearl
Director, St. James Preschool
Lynn Hauski, Holly Parker,
Stacy Zimmerman & Lori Rudy
St. James Preschool
BOARD OF MINISTRY
David Polet, President
Karen Breitnauer, Vice-President
Kim Feller, Treasurer
Sue Martin-Zernicke, Secretary
Dennis Beres
Lee DeBaillie
Sheri Doyle
Jon Schellpfeffer
Elise Taft
316-5519
848-8297
845-6425
246-2025
845-9305
848-1012
848-5466
845-9449
437-7954
From the Pastor Continued
Third, because expanded facilities will help us be a more welcoming place in the eh Verona-area community. At St. James,
we receive a number of requests from people in the community to use our facility and there are a number of times we say
no because we simply don’t have adequate space. Additionally, in a growing community of young families, parents who
visit St. James seek a place where their children are welcomed and space where their children can play.
We firmly believe this is the direction in which God is calling us and we recognize that it will be a challenge. But God
does not call us to stand till or to be complacent. So we ask you to give serious thought and prayer to our ministry
together and respond with joy and generosity to our Building Toward God’s Tomorrow stewardship and building
campaign.
— Pastor Kurt Billings & Pastor Peter Narum
A grateful “Thank you” to Pastors Kurt & Peter for their visits to the Hospital and our home. Thank you for the Prayer
Shawl and phone calls. Also the prayers from the Congregation. All is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Alfred A. Gerbitz
Rob Frederick is looking to put together a team to make this coming Chili Cook Off bigger and better than last year. If
you are interested in being on the committee please contact him at [email protected] or 845-8661 or sign up in the
Narthex. The first committee meeting is planned to be held in November.
On October 10, a train boxcar was loaded with supplies to deliver to those in need around the world. The Women’s
Circles in our congregation work throughout the year to purchase, make and prepare Health Kits, School Kits, Personal
Care Kits, Layettes, and Quilts to donate. This year they donated 21 Layettes, 56 School Kits, 50 Personal Kits, and 76
Quilts. Thank you to all who participate in this wonderful ministry.
ALL THINGS YOUTH AND FAMILY
This year Advent Fest will be on November 29th in the place of Sunday School. On this
special day we learn about what Advent is. We will have crafts, movies, games and a
treat! Advent Fest will take place between services, beginning at 9:45 am. Parents
should attend with their youth, as this is an opportunity for all families. confirmation
students are being asked to help with this event.
Mark your calendars for the Sunday school Christmas Pageant. The pageant will be
December 13th at the 8:30 am service. Dress rehearsal for all participating in the
pageant will be December 12th from 10:00 am—11:30 am.
If you would like more information on either Sunday School or Confirmation please contact Kelly
Rodger at [email protected] or at 608.845.6922
NOVEMBER YOUTH GROUP DATES & TIMES
November 4: Middle and High School Activity Night
6:00 pm—8:00 pm
Activity TBA
November 11: 4th & 5th Youth Group @ St. James
5:00 pm—6:30 pm
November 18: Middle School Youth Group @ St. James
6:00 pm—7:30 pm
No High School Youth Group @ St. James this month.
Devotion: Giving thanks, more than just Thanksgiving.
Dinner: Pasta Party!
Wednesday, November 4 at 6:00 pm
The menu this month includes Mashed Potatoes, Meatballs, Green Beans, Salad and a dessert surprise! Coffee, Milk, &
Lemonade will also be available. All are welcome. Please join our St. James Community for dinner.
VOLUNTEER & SERVICE OPPORTUNITY
Feed My Starving Children MobilePack Help
Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and
spirit. The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and
we ship these meals to our distribution partners.
Feed My Starving Children MobilePack events allow people across the United States to pack life-giving meals. In 2014,
nearly 250,000 MobilePack volunteers packed nearly 63 million meals, with more than 230 events in 37 states.
There is going to be a MobilePack site right in our community, November 14th! St. James is signed up to help from 2:00
pm—4:00 pm. As volunteers we will help fill, seal and pack these meals that get distributed all over the world for those who
are hungry. There are only 30 spaces available so it will be necessary for you to sign up! There is also a need for help with
clean-up which is 4:00 pm—5:30 pm. This MobilePack event will take place at Good Shepherd West. Sign up is located in
the Narthex. For more information visit the Feed My Starving Children website at www.fmsc.org
Middle School/ High School Activity Night
at the Corn Maze. This photo is post maze,
everyone made it out!
4th and 5th grade Youth Group
painted pumpkins!
WAYS TO SERVE
Get ready to shop as once again Mary Circle and Women of St. James will be
sponsoring the Christmas Gift Bags. Members of St. James will have the
opportunity to help put smiles on kids faces. Bags will be available at the
Welcome Center the first weekend in November. Last year we donated
approximately 160 gift bags and the need is even greater this year. THANK
YOU St. James! Any questions, please contact Loretta Docket at [email protected].
This is how it works: Each bag is labeled for the appropriate age with a list of
gift items. You can wrap a few items or just put them in the bag. Please note
how big the bag is when doing the shopping as we would like to have items fit
in bag. Return your bags to the Welcome Center by Sunday, November 29 th. These Christmas bags will be delivered to
the Badger Prairie Needs Network for distribution the first week in December.
Greetings to all who faithfully serve our needy families through your help with the Road Home. The weather is cooling
down and our ability to house families for our host weeks is even more important as winter is getting closer. The sign up
is now available on line at the Road Home signup (http://nordengs.com/ihn/group.asp?eg=35&u=true)
Thank you for your service!
Please consider warming up this autumn and winter by knitting or crocheting a prayer shawl and you will also warm up
someone else’s life in a loving way.
The growth of the prayer shawl ministry has been a blessing for both recipients and stitchers. If you know of anyone who
is in need of a shawl, or you are in need of one, please contact us. Many people have said they feel the comforting presence
of Jesus when wrapped in their prayer shawl.
November Prayer Shawl Workshops are Wednesday the 4th and 18th.
All workshops are held at the Sow’s Ear, 125 S. Main Street in Verona on the first and third Wednesday of the month.
All are invited to join this group of dedicated stitchers who knit or crochet over a cup of coffee or tea. Yarn is provided by
St. James and is available in the church office. The Sow’s Ear offers a variety of knitting and crocheting classes. Check
their website for more details: www.knitandsip.com.
The next Prayer Shawl Blessing Service will be held the weekend of November 28th and 29th. Please bring your
completed shawls to the church office before Thanksgiving; Thursday, November 26th.
If you have any questions about this ministry please call our church office, at 845-6922.
Save the Date!
Please mark your calendars: Carols and Dessert, our St. James Christmas concert, will take place on
Saturday, December 19, at 5:00 pm. Join the choir… bring a dessert… or simply come and listen.
We hope you will find time to celebrate the sounds of the Christmas season with us!
Holiday Choir Rehearsals
The vocal choir for Carols and Dessert, our St. James Christmas concert, will rehearse on Sunday afternoons in November
and December. We will meet in the sanctuary, at 4:00 pm, on November 15 and 29, and December 6 and 13. (We will
NOT meet on November 22, the afternoon of the community Thanksgiving service.) Please join us! Contact Paulette
Spoon at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Saturday, November 21, 11:00 am — 1:00 pm
The Annual Bake Sale and Luncheon, sponsored by the Women of St. James, will be held on Saturday, November 21st
from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. Homemade baked goods will be on sale upstairs in the narthex and will include lefse, pies,
peppernuts, fudge, breads, and much more. The luncheon held downstairs in the fellowship hall includes pulled pork
sandwiches, scalloped potatoes with ham, along with a wide selection of fresh salads and homemade pies. The cost is
$8.00 and proceeds raised are used to help fund various needs in the church, as well as several local charities. Please come
and support our church women’s group and enjoy delicious homemade food and goodies!
Note to All Bakers/Helpers: If you would like to provide food for the bake sale/luncheon, please sign up on the board in the
Narthex. You may choose to bring your homemade baked goods to sell at the bake sale (please price them using the
suggested price list available on the sign up board) and/or contribute a salad or pie for the luncheon. For planning
purposes so we know there are enough salads and pies, it is important to use the sign up board. Sign up today!
Sunday, November 15th at 5:00 pm
Dead Wake, by Erik Larson
On May 1, 1915, with WWI entering its tenth month, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an
English country house sailed out of New York, bound for Liverpool, carrying a record number of
children and infants. The passengers were surprisingly at ease, even though Germany had declared
the seas around Britain to be a war zone. For months, German U-boats had brought terror to the
North Atlantic. But the Lusitania was one of the era’s great transatlantic “Greyhounds”—the fastest
liner then in service—and her captain, William Thomas Turner, placed tremendous faith in the
gentlemanly strictures of warfare that for a century had kept civilian ships safe from attack.
It is a story that many of us think we know but don’t, and Erik Larson tells it thrillingly, switching
between hunter and hunted while painting a larger portrait of America at the height of the
Progressive Era. Full of glamour and suspense, Dead Wake brings to life a cast of evocative
characters, from famed Boston bookseller Charles Lauriat to pioneering female architect Theodate
Pope to President Woodrow Wilson.
Gripping and important, Dead Wake captures the sheer drama and emotional power of a disaster whose intimate details
and true meaning have long been obscured by history. This book is for sale at the Welcome Center for $20.
FROM THE PARISH NURSE...Barbara Rasmussen, RN.,CPN
The year is going by so quickly and now it’s NOVEMBER!! The weather is changing. Roads, sidewalks, and other places
we travel will be wet with leaves, snow, and ice once again.
We will be more aware of our “aches and pains.” Our complaints can be the chronic condition of arthritis and broken
bones due to osteoporosis, an older person’s complaint. Did you realize that those musculoskeletal disorders, such as I
mentioned, are among the most common conditions and reasons for visiting a healthcare professional and include teens
and young adults as well as our older population.
With our younger people, it can lead to time away from school, chronic pain
and disability later in life. Many of these conditions can be prevented, and
measures taken to lessen the chance of occurrence in our youth. There is a
program called (PB&J) Protect Your Bones and Joints, aimed at improving the
November 8
knowledge of teens and young adults to encourage them to learn about
Blood
Pressure
prevention activities. For example, it is now known that osteoporosis is not
Checks are taken the
inevitable. Osteoporosis can be prevented by building bone mass in your teen
second Sunday of each
years. By the early 30’s it is too late. The stage for osteoporosis is set in
month at 9:45 am in
the Church Office.
adolescent years. They have found that bone loss and muscle function
contribute to osteoporosis. The same is true for arthritis. Viewed also as an
old person’s disease, the stage is often set by activities and injuries occurring during younger years. Some types of arthritis
can affect people of all ages.
It is imperative that we exercise regularly and appropriately for our age as well as including an optimal healthy diet with
enough calcium and Vitamin D to improve our wellbeing. We cannot change our genetics, but we can improve our
lifestyle to the best of our ability.
Hope and Healing
Dinner and Candlelight
Service
The community of St. James cordially invites
those who are grieving the death of a loved one or
any other type of loss in your life.
This is an evening ecumenical candlelight service with an opportunity to experience peace, spiritual nourishment,
and fellowship. Dinner will be served in the narthex before the service.
Our guest speaker is Petra Streiff and her presentation at the service will be “Grief and Faith: From Anger to
Hope.” Petra is a United Church of Christ pastor who was first an RN and then a parish nurse. She has
considerable experience walking people of faith through their losses, and leading workshops on issues that connect
faith and health. She is married with children and four grandchildren.
For meal planning purposes reservations are requested but not required by Monday, October 26. Please call the
church office at 845-6922 to do so.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
TREASURER’S REPORT
September 30, 2015
The 2015 Budget approved by the congregation at the semi-annual meeting on February 1, 2015 totals $546,375, which
represents a 5% increase from 2014. $506,000 of the income budget is from Operating Envelopes and/or those
contributions received through Electronic Funds Transfer.
September, 2015 Attendance:
September, 2014 Attendance:
907
1,007
YTD 2015 Attendance:
YTD 2014 Attendance:
YTD Receipts
Total
Offering Envelopes
Actual
$366,157
$343,678
Budget
$369,008
$341,500
YTD Receipts
Total
Offering Envelopes
Increase (Decrease) from Budget
Dollars
Percent
$(2,851)
(0.77)%
$ 2,178
0.64%
10,196
11,103
Prior Year (P/Y)
$345,640
$325,627
Increase (Decrease) from P/Y
Dollars
Percent
$20,517
5.9%
$18,051
5.5%
The following graph shows the Operating Envelope Receipts by Quarter for 2015 in comparison to the Budget and the
Prior Year:
Although Total Receipts YTD as of September 30, 2015 are running slightly behind budget by $2,851 or just
0.77%, Total Expenses are running favorable to budget by $14,819 or 3.6%. At the three-quarters point of the year,
the overall results are tracking very close to the Budget.
The general operating reconciled cash balance at September 30, 2015 is $17,228, which is an increase from the prior
month August 31, 2015 balance which was $15,029, and a slight decrease from the prior year September 30, 2014
balance which was $20,084.
We would like to invite the congregation to stop by during our Open House. It is November 5 th with two different time
options. 11:15 am—12:15 pm or 6:00 pm—7:00pm. The Preschool and Ms. Lori’s classroom (the nursery in the church) will
be open. You can stop in and see what the kids have been doing at preschool, mingle with preschool families and staff or
just check out the preschool building. We look forward to seeing you there!
Last chance to get your Bucky Books. They will be available for sale through 11/8 at the Welcome Center for $35. The
Preschool receives $15 profit for each book sold!! You can also contact Heather at [email protected] to purchase a
book. There are a lot of great coupons in the Bucky Books. In fact you will save more than $35 when using the book.
There is a sample book for you to view at the Welcome Center.
The Pre-K class is making the letters
of the alphabet using their bodies.
Check out their letter D!
The kids get busy hammering golf tees into pumpkins.
In Residence: Four Winds - Lorraine
Crownhart; Girlie’s Manor at Ingleside Duane Eliason; Heritage, Monona Marlys & Vern Awes. Orchid Home—
Olga Ascher. St. Mary’s Care Center —
Bill Gilbert.
Oakwood West—Lorine
Kahl. Willow Pointe - Russell & Betty
Burgenske, Margaret Hendrickson,
Roberta Miller, Vera Schreiner and Marv
& Cookie Thompson. Willow Pointe
Memory Care - Bob Miller, Doris Stuber,
Dodie Syvrud.
S
erving in the Military: Dan Sullivan,
Adam Jeziorski, Casey Biggins, Justin
Holmes, Mark Nyhus, Ryan Nyhus,
Adam Pechan, Casey Pulver, David
Pulver, and Shandra Pulver.
C
hristian Sympathy is extended to
the family of Helen Dignan as they
mourn the death of her cousin, Tom
Miller and to the family of George
Vroman as they mourn the death of his
brother, Larry.
427 South Main Street
Verona, WI 53593-1492
e remember in our prayers — Members of St. James:
Marlys Awes, Duane & Margaret Eliason, Lauren Geier,
Kirsten Hansen, Kathy Marking & family, Monica Pechan,
Charles & Ruby Reuter, Dale Thompson, and Chery Vroman. Friends of
St. James: Kathy Angerman, Janet Earley, Eric Jelinek, Patty Oskorep,
Heidi Peterson, Deb Rikli, Laura Schurman and Bev Thom. Relatives of
Members: Helen Abplanalp (mother of Chuck Abplanalp), John Bittrich
(father of Elise Taft), Anne Bloomer (Rob Frederick’s grandmother), Harry
Chaudoir (father of Kate Pederson), Eberta DeBaillie (mother of Lee
DeBaillie), Bob, Donna & Mark Evans (parents & brother of Cindy
Waldbillig), Molly Fuglestad (sister-in-law of Erin Joanis), Janine Gerke
(sister-in-law of Red & Diann Chapman), Brad Hafermann, (brother-in-law
of Sandy Saether), Richard Johnson (father of Jeff Johnson), Hillary
Knobloch (niece of Sandy Saether), Don Koch (brother of Cookie
Thompson), Bob M. (father of Carol Ann McArdell), Al Miller (brother-inlaw of Cookie Thompson), Tom Miller (cousin of Helen Dignan), Leela
Mitchum (niece of Mindy Storch), Doug Mosser (father of Abbey Weiss),
Sandy Opsal (daughter of Burnell & John Morton), Craig Parman (brotherin-law of Sandy Saether), Kristin & Brad Reinke (niece & nephew of Laura
Lee Hames), Laurie Ronning (mother of Beth Jonjak), Erica S. (daughter of
Carol Ann McArdell), Donald Smith (father of Mark Smith), Sydney
(granddaughter of Jim & Sue Zernicke), Mary Taft (mother of Nat Taft),
Don Waalen (father of Karen Breitnauer), David Wallace (father of Sheri
Doyle), Chris Watters (brother of Ben Watters), and George Welsh (father
of Val Welsh).
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
W
PARISH NOTES