- Pilgrim Ev. Lutheran Church
Transcription
- Pilgrim Ev. Lutheran Church
THE PILGRIM HERALD December 2014 PILGRIM EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod 462 Meadowbrook Dr., West Bend, WI 53090 (262) 334-0375 Rev. Joseph M. Fisher, Pastor (262) 335-6736 Rev. Christopher Raffa, Pastor (262) 353-3375 www.pilgrimlutheran-westbend December 2014 FROM THE DESK OF PASTOR FISHER Luke 2:1-14(ESV) 1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Greetings in the name of Jesus, the babe of Bethlehem, whose coming we are preparing to celebrate! I look forward to celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior with you. It is always wonderful to see the children, as they continue to clearly confess the Christian faith to their neighbors through their Christmas program. So, an early thank you goes to the Sunday School teachers and aids who give of their time to help the children, also I would like to thank the parents who work so hard with their children to get them ready for the program and bring them to Sunday School, practice, and to Church. Finally I would like to thank the children themselves who willingly and boldly confess their faith using their God given talents. Thank you all and God Bless!!!! This year I would like to share with you something by the Rev. Bo Giertz on The Nativity of Our Lord, from an article dad) Blank music CD’s and jewel cases or paper sleeves Magnet backed photo holders and small personal albums Letters of support, cards form students, scouts or church groups Pens, preferably black ink, stationary, post cards & greeting cards to send to families Nerf footballs, volleyball & net, soccer balls, basket balls, whiffle ball and bat Dominoes, cribbage boards, trvial pursuit & other board games Velcro dart game for their tents & other indoor type games Music and movie DVD’s & CD’s or CD-rom computer games, electronic games, game boy, and taped sporting events Use the Sunday comics and sports sections as packing materiel 1/2 gallon size plastic bags to mix the drink mix in. Febreeze (help kill odor of their stinky uniforms. Self-adhesive envelopes (others don’t adhere well, especially fi sand gets on them Decorations for any upcoming holidays from dollar store entitled What the Bible Says about The Birth of Jesus, from the book Preaching From The Whole Bible. (Please note that Rev. Giertz has in the margin of his text, Biblical text that he says is the more important read, the text listed are Luke 2:1-20, Matthew 1:18-2:11, Luke 1:2ff, Mark 1, Matthew 26, Luke 2:34 -39, Micah 2:6, Acts 7:51ff, Luke 15:4, Acts 1:10, 5:19, Luke 1:26-56.) We all know the Christmas Gospel. But all men do not hear it in the same manner. Some listen to it as though it were only a lovely legend, with perhaps only a bit of historical truth. Let us first make it clear to ourselves that the evangelists tell us all of this because they are convinced that these things happened. Luke expressly calls upon eyewitnesses and states that he has carefully done research about everything from the beginning. The Scriptures are speaking of history, but they tell the event in fashion much like an artist painting a picture. In a few vivid flash-pictures the Scriptures tell the important facts. The background is stylized. All superfluous items recede into the shadows or into forgetfulness. The Scriptures give us no precise secretarial records. Therefore it is always proper to ask any question we like if we wish to know the things the Scriptures choose not to relate. But what the Scriptures do tell, in all the precise simplicity of the story, is better than what any long stenographic record could have given. Jesus was born in the beginning of the great censustaking of Caesar Augustus. That is well known to the historians. About the year 7 B.C. Quirinius was given the governing power in the East. (Jesus was very probably born in that year. Our reckoning of time – derived from the 6th century – has an incorrect reckoning of time from this period. Egyptian records show that each person had to travel to his home town at the time of this great census – taking. The Christmas Gospel states the same. And since Joseph was of the lineage of David, he traveled to Bethlehem from the town of Nazareth, where he probably lived only on a temporary basis. (Matthew and Luke give only slight suggestions of this, from which we cannot make a clear picture.) We are told that Joseph also went up to the city of David, since Bethlehem, for here the Christ was to be born. Since Joseph and Mary were not the only travelers who came to Bethlehem fro the registration, there was no room for them in the village inn, and evidently no other home had vacancy. The evangelist no doubt sees this as something typical. People do not see the greatness in what God is doing. But out in the field – in the desert, which sends a portion of itself to the very edge of the terrain at Bethlehem – there were some shepherds, a few of the proletariat of Israel, men doing the roughest kind of work, and receiving little pay. It was to such that God sent a message. The angel is here, as always in the scriptures, the messenger of God (which is the meaning of the word angel). In the heyday of the period of biblical criticism the stories of the birth and childhood of Jesus were considered to be an addendum to the Gospels. From a scientific viewpoint that theory is untenable. These stories were no doubt first told in the Semitic tongue. They belong to the materials that were used in the earliest congregation of Christians in Jerusalem when they spoke of Jesus. And anyone who reads them today without a prejudiced bias can scarcely fail to note that Matthew told the story simply and faithfully the way that Joseph told it to him, while Luke must have had his original record from people who had heard the story from the lips of Mary. We too need to read and hear the story afresh and anew and let its artless message find its way to our hearts and minds. God bless and I pray you have a very Christ filled Christmas!! Rev. Joseph M. Fisher (Heb. 12:1-2) Please make note of our schedule for this Advent and Christmas season is changed: All Advent mid-week services will be on Thursday at 1pm and 7pm The Sunday School program will be on December 21st nd at 4pm Christmas Eve December 24th will have a 6pm service with communion and a 10pm service of Lessons and Carols. Christmas Day December 25th we will have 9am service with communion. Please note that there will not be Services on Thursday the December 26th or January 2nd On Sunday December 28th will have our regular 8 and 10:30am services but no Sunday School New Year’s Eve December 31st will have a 6 pm service with communion New Year’s Day January 1st will have a 9am service with communion. DEATHS Our sympathy and prayers to the family and friends of Margaret Ahlers who was called home to heaven by her Lord and Savior on October 31 , 2014. We welcome to Pilgrim Mr./Mrs. David Pajewski and Joseph from St. John’s in West Bend. Let us all welcome them to their new Church home. SOMETHING NEW We will now be having Midweek Advent Services at 1:00 pm and at 7:00 pm.. These services are completely different from the Sunday Advent services. Hope to see you there. YEAR END/ANNUAL REPORTS Please have your Year End/Annual Reports to the Church office by December 15. I would like to have them in the January Pilgrim Herald. Thank you. Potato sticks Individually wrapped cookies, snack cakes, (i.e. Twinkies, Rice Krispie treats, oat meal cookies, nuter butter cookies, graham cracker sticks Pretzels Flavored popped corn, fiddle faddle, cracker jacks Salsa and canned dips (Not Refrigerated) Cheese & crackers and peanut butter & crackers in individual plastic cups Crackers & cheese spread in bottles Gum - lots of it regular & sugar free Trail mix Nuts—all kinds Granola cereal & bars Hard candy, mints jolly ranchers Poptarts (all flavors) Red licorice Power bars (all types that WONT melt) Sweet tarts, starbursts, life savers Beef & Turkey jerky Dried fruit & fruit roll ups Cold drink mixes—powdered presweetened drink mixes, Crystal lite, Wylers Lemonade, Tang All types of chocolate Hot Beverages in individual packets both regular and diet: Flavored instant coffees & teas (herbal); Gourmet coffee ground (ALWAYS requested); powdered coffee creamer, plain and flavored; Instant hot cocoa mix; spiced apple cider mix OTHER NEAT THINGS TO INCLUDE They really appreciate AT &t phone cards so they can call home. It MUST be AT & T. Disposable cameras Batteries AA and AAA ONLY AT & T phone cards Comic books Liquid laundry detergent Fly swatters Travel size electronic games Hand pumps to inflate balls Mouse traps and Fly paper BEEF Slim Jims (NO pork allowed) or beef sticks, beef salami or pepperoni Duct tape (green, black or gray) Funnels to get drink mix into canteens Cup of soup, cup of noodles, top ramen, any type that is instant Cigars ( to keep insects away) Neck coolers ( still in the 100’s in Bagh- Individual serving sized fruits– No refrigeration needed CEREALS, including instant oatmeal in “fun flavors”, sweetened dried cereal individual or big boxes - for snacks Individual servings of chili, mac & cheese, stews, etc. They are microwaveable but they also heat in the sun SUPPORT OUR TROOPS We at Pilgrim will be collecting items for the men and women who are serving in the United States military starting Sunday, December 7, 2014 and ending on January 18, 2015. This is being done through the LCMS World Mission Ministry to the Armed Forces with LCMS Military Chaplains. The men and women serving in the United Sates military face times of separation from their families, communities, and churches. A simple care package can go a long way in helping our chaplains reach out to our men and women in uniform. With simple daily items, chaplains can build relationships to spiritually support our service men and women. Your support of our U.S. troops will make a difference! PERSONAL CARE ITEMS Toiletries Must be UNSCENTED! Chapstick– Blistex Non-medicated eye drops Lens cleaner Hand & foot cream & body lotion Shampoo and conditioner (small sizes) Hand sanitizer such as PURELL Emery boards, nail clippers Facial cleansing pads Large Baby Wipes (soft packs are best) Kleenex packets Q-tips Hand and feet warmers (as used by ski- ers, hunters, etc.) Athlete’s foot medicine, such as Lotrimin Deodorants After shave gel or lotion BLACK or WHITE tube socks Boxer shorts (small, medium. large, and x-large) Mole skin & blister packs Gel insoles for their boots SOFT toilet paper Dental floss Vitamin C drops Bath gel Toothpaste Tooth brushes Disposable razors Shaving cream Foot and body powder (Gold Bond is a favorite) Brown army T-shirts (med, lg, and x-lg, must be bought at PX or army surplus store) Zinc tablets (Cold-eezz cough drops & throat lozenges) FOOD /SNACKS DORITOS Pringles (all flavors), Tostitos, chex mix & cheese nips SPICY snack foods CHRISTMAS SHOPPE: Now is the time to start planning for the annual Pilgrim Christmas Shoppe. You can start bringing in new or look like new items for the Shoppe. Baked goods and snack items are always appreciated. The Christmas Shoppe will be open Sunday, November 30—Sunday, December 21. If you are able to help with the Christmas Shoppe on Thursday evenings or for set up please contact Norma Benz at 334-4274 or contact the church office. Thank you. HELP WANTED: Snow Shoveler to clear driveway and sidewalk. You can use our snow blower and shovels, Please call or see Ron Klumb 262-334-4229. Located in the area north of Regner Park. THRIVENT CHOICE For those of you enrolled I the Thrivent Choice program, please remember to renew your designation of your dollars for 2015. This must be done yearly or your dollars will not be designated. Thank you. COOKIES, COOKIES, COOKIES Our Christmas Cookie will soon take place. We are hoping you will bake a double batch of your favorite Christmas cookies! This is a cookie sale no bars or candy. Please bring your cookies to the Church by 11:00 am. promptly on Saturday, December 13th!! Our Ladies Guild will pack the cookies at 12:00 pm. on Saturday, December 13th. We will sell the cookies on Sunday, December 14th, after the 8:00 am. service. We sell our 1# box for $6.00. Thank you for baking, buying and enjoying the cookies! LADIES GUILD/LWML Our Christmas Dinner Party will be held on Tuesday, December 9th at noon in the Fellowship Hall. Please come and enjoy the afternoon with us and be sure to remember your Secret Pal exchange gift. We thank our committee; Joanne Haller, Barbara Jennrich, Julie Raffa and Janet Meisenheimer. We have planned an enjoyable afternoon! A Winter Getaway Retreat– Women ages 12and up are invited! Location: The Racine Marriot in Racine, WI on February 6th (Friday) and February 7th (Saturday) 2015. Don’t wait until the last minute! The cost of registration is $70, includes Saturday breakfast and lunch. Invite a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, a sister! Open to the public! Plese visit www.swd-lwml.org or call Nancy 262-639-6377 or Diane 262-632-5557 for more information, or see back bulletin board. Scholarships available! Dishwasher? Or Sanitizer? Some of the Ladies Guild/LWML members have been questioning whether the Dishwasher/Sanitizer that is in Pilgrim's kitchen can be used to wash the dishes, or is it just a Sanitizer. I used the model number of the machine and looked up the Owner's Manual on the Internet. This is what I learned. Our machine is a Sanitizer only. It sanitizes by heating water hot and rinsing the dishes. No detergent is required. This means we must wash the dishes before putting them in the machine. Instructions for operating the machine are posted on the wall above the machine. Beverly Hanson Christian Education Sunday School It’s hard to believe that the Fall Quarter is almost over. We have been having a lot of fun in Sunday School with a terrific group of students. We have begun preparing for our December 21st Christmas Program. Join the angels, shepherds, and sheep at 4 p.m. (note time change) as they present “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”. Participants should arrive by 3:45 p.m. Rehearsals will be held from 9:3011:00 a.m. on Saturdays, December 6, 13, and 20. Attendance is very important. Just a reminder that toys, gum, candy, etc. should be left at home. As we begin the Winter Quarter our Bible stories for December will be: An Angel Visits Mary – Luke 1:2638An Angel Visits Joseph – Matthew 1:18-25 The Birth of Jesus – Luke 2:1-10 The Presentation of Jesus – Luke 2:22-40 Please note: NO Sunday School on Sunday, December 28th. Classes resume on January 4th. Church Council Meeting minutes from 11-10-2014 Financial statement ending October 31, 2014 was presented. Attendance: Scott Densow, Suzanne Stadelmayer, Ron Virchow Jr., Fred Leffin, Pastor Raffa, Mary Schwittau, Joanne Haller, Allen Latall, Jerome Sommers Pastors Report – given by Pastor Raffa The meeting began with prayer by Pastor Raffa. New Business Minutes from last meeting were approved. Elders Report – given by Allen Latall Schedules made out through early December Letter sent to Pastor Fisher from Samaritan home requesting donations of Ipod shuffles. Elders approved 1pm Thursday afternoons for additional Advent services on 4th, 11th, and 18th of December. Special “thank you” to Norma Benz and Ken Frank for designing the 60th anniversary banner and logo. Trustee Report – given by Ron Virchow Jr. Roof repairs completed on Fisher residence. Roof repairs on North side of Church to be done as soon as temperatures allow. Investigation on bringing in a repair man to look at the main church doors. Essig estate inventory and estate accounting paperwork presented to church council. Board of Education – no updates Treasurer Report – given by Fred Leffin No updates. Motion made, 2nd and passed to have a debt retirement event for December. Announcements to be made in the bulletin and church newsletter. Envelopes to be available to those willing to donate above and beyond their regular church donations. Motion passed to adjourn the council meeting. Pastor Raffa closed with prayer. Respectfully Submitted – Scott Densow DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS 12345791011- 121415161718- 1920212223- Michael Zenda Brittany Meinburg Keefe Olig Thomas Becker Jennifer Molter Dorothy Young Beverly Hanson Carol Kurtz Richard Reeck David L. Olson Angela Torre Nancy Kleinke Paul Tarvin Tom Kabitzke Orville Gierach Loretta Waechter Sarah Schober Braycen Nitzke Patrick Schnabel Betty Voelzke Dennis Hausmann Edith Frank Gilbert Maffit John Meilahn Richard Reich Haley Ringgenberg Richard Lewandowski Paige Daley Lucas Milis Carl Belling Anne Farrington John Mckay Ashlyn Olig Gary Jenovai Evelyn Schleif Bruce Gilbert Jeanne Tarvin Marilyn Meylor 242526272830- Lynne Lange Gabriel Baker Patricia Faul Ryan Mayer Carol Jenovai Sally Volkman David Carey Brad Eifert Caroline Reich Gabriel Kempf Tom Sumner Daniel Grosskreuz Gary Erdman Parker Roell Paul Soat ANNIVERSARIES 5- Franklin & Betty Schroeter 17- Paul & Jeanne Tarvin 28- Gary & Sue Erdman 29- Harlan & Connie Hackbarth NEW BUSINESS ELECTION OF OFFICERS: PRESIDENT - nominee for President, Jerome Sommer, who had been on Board of Elders for 6 years should sit out a year before running again. This was motioned that he didn’t have to sit out a year, that he could run again by David Boehlke and seconded by Michael Schwittau. All approved. Then Gary Erdman motioned to cast a unanimous ballot voting him in for President, this was seconded by Fred Leffin - all approved. Jerome Sommer is our new Voters Meeting President. TREASURER POSITION Was motioned to reelect Fred Leffin with a unanimous ballot, Michael Schwittau seconded it. All approved. ELDERS John Heger and Allen Latall have served 6 years, motion to let them run again was made by Dennis Engmann and seconded by Dave Boehlke. All approved. Also Dave Fellenz, and Brian Skrentny and Howie Glassel, motion to move and Suzanne Stadelmayer seconded it. All approved. Was suggested to get back on track with having 9 elders. Them and the Church Council will get together to set the terms and recommendations. Motion to move by Anne-Marie Gierach and seconded by Ron Klumb. Congratulations gentlemen. TRUSTEES Ron Virchow was motioned to reelect to serve with a unanimous ballot by Michael Schwittau and seconded by Mary Schwittau. All approved. BOARD OF EDUCATION Carolyn McAfee will continue to serve 3 years and Laurie Ringgenberg was motioned to get reelect to serve with a unanimous ballot by Suzanne Stadlemayer and seconded by Allen Latall. All approved. CHURCH COUNCIL Judy Frank was motioned with a unanimous ballot by Anne Marie Gierach and seconded by Allen Latall. All approved. ADOPTED BUDGET FOR 2015 with a needed balance of 6,406 each week to sustain our budget. {attached} Was motioned to accept the budget by Dennis Engmann and seconded by Dave Boehlke. All approved. Diane Swanson motioned to adjourn meeting and seconded by Mary Schwittau. Pastor Raffa ended with prayer. Sincerely submitted by, Nancy Rosenthal Nancy Rosenthal, Secretary Pilgrim Lutheran Church’s Voter’s meeting. Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran Church Voters Meeting Minutes for October 26, 2014 SIGNING of the Constitution and new voting member is Jane Rockrohr. SECRETARY’S REPORT printed in the Herald was motioned to move by Dennis Engmann and seconded by Karen Haufmann. All approved. REPORTS: ELDERS REPORT by Allen Latall states that they are still discussing the every Sunday communion issue. Also, Pastors ok’d to do Francis Fry funeral { a baptized member of our church}. Jim Behrens comments where we stand right now with the every week communion issue. This is something we really don’t feel should be voted on, so sorta leaving it to the elders, altar guild and Pastors to decide on the issue. TRUSTEES REPORT by Roger Kossert begins with the thanking of Ron Virchow and Dan Shay for all their hard work and efforts in keeping up the church grounds. Other things taken care of was furnace, filters, fixing in the parsonages such as Pastor’s roof and an air conditioner. There was also a water main break in the church that needed to be taken care of. Roland Essig’s house has not sold yet {house that was donated to the church}. The house will need to be heated thru out the winter. Judy Frank who is listing Roland's house reports that selling is going slow. A very slow season and the house is a little out- dated. Have tried different price changes. House is valued at 181,300, have come down to 172,500 and now the listing is at 164,500. She will keep trying to sell it before winter, so the church wouldn’t have to heat the house thru winter. BOARD OF EDUCATION Carolyn McAfee reports that we have the Christmas program that we will start working on and that there are around 20 some kids attending Sunday School each week. PASTOR’S REPORT by Pastor Raffa visiting shut-in people like Dorothy Miller {surgery}, Margaret Ahlers, Francis Fry {now deceased}, Lillian Kletzine. Bible Studies are going good. There are 3 possible children to be confirmed this year. A very big THANK YOU to the 60th anniversary committee for all their hard work in making possible a very successful celebration. Was mentioned that the children’s Christmas program this year is changing time. It will be at 4 pm. rather that 6 like its’ been in the past. Still on Sunday, December 21st. FRIENDS OF CONCORDIA No report CAMP LUWISOMO no report UNFINISHED BUSINESS: none Dec. 12 Dec. 13 Dec. 14 This outline is a devotional reading plan that covers the entire Sacred Scriptures each year. The selections are based on ancient models and are generally in harmony with the liturgical church year. The average reading is three chapters daily. The lectionary is in accordance with Martin Luther’s suggestions:“But let the entire Psalter, divided in parts, remain in use and the entire Scriptures, divided in lections, let this be preserved in the ears of the church”. Also: “after that another book should be selected, and so on, until the entire Bible has been read through, and where one does not understand it, pass that by and glorify God.” Decembers Readings Dec. 1 Luke 1: 46-55 Revelation 1 - 2 Dec. 2 Psalm 1 Revelation 3 - 5 Dec. 3 Psalm 2 Revelation 6 – 8 Dec. 4 Psalm 3 Revelation 9 – 11 Dec. 5 Psalm 4 Revelation 12 - 14 Dec. 6 Psalm 5 Revelation 15 - 17 Dec. 7 Psalm 6 Revelation 18 – 20 Dec. 8 Psalm 7 Revelation 21 – 22 Dec. 9 Psalm 8 Isaiah 1 – 3 Dec. 10 Psalm 9 Isaiah 4 – 6 Dec. 11 Psalm 10 Isaiah 7 – 9 Dec. 15 Dec. 16 Dec. 17 Dec. 18 Dec. 19 Dec. 20 Dec. 21 Dec. 22 Dec. 23 Dec. 24 Dec. 25 Dec. 26 Dec. 27 Dec. 28 Dec. 29 Dec. 30 Dec. 31 Psalm 11 Isaiah 10 – 12 Psalm 12 Isaiah 13 – 15 Psalm 13 Isaiah 16 – 18 Psalm 14 Isaiah 19 – 21 Psalm 15 Isaiah 22 – 24 Psalm 16 Isaiah 25 – 27 Psalm 17 Isaiah 28 – 30 Psalm 18 Isaiah 31 – 33 Psalm 19 Isaiah 34 – 36 Psalm 20 Isaiah 37 – 39 Psalm 21 Isaiah 40 – 42 Psalm 22 Isaiah 43 – 45 Psalm 23 Isaiah 46 – 48 Psalm 24 Isaiah 49 – 51 Psalm 25 Isaiah 52 – 54 Psalm 26 Isaiah 55 – 57 Psalm 27 Isaiah 58 – 60 Psalm 28 Isaiah 61 – 63 Psalm 29 Isaiah 61 – 63 Luke 1:46-55 Mark 1 Isaiah 64– 66