CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH
| Your Weekly E-Newsletter -- Thursday, June 1, 2023 | |
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“There is a time for everything, and a
season for every activity under heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)
This is my next to last missive to you – so it seemed appropriate to do a little musing about retirement - before I retire. There is only one passage in the Bible that I could find that discusses the retirement of priests (and none that talk of retirement/
retirement years in general. What does that tell you about Bible times?). Numbers 8:24-26 says”… men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the Tent of Meeting, but at the age of fifty, they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves must not do the work…”
Well, for the record, I am in my 24th year of parish ministry, so I guess I have more or less fulfilled the Biblical mandate of no more than 25 years of service! 😊 I find this passage compelling not for the apparent early retirement age of 50 (long past for me), but for the fact that old priests simply were assigned other duties, to assist the younger priests and also to remain active in the worship of God’s house. That is what I intend to do – remain active in ministry, albeit in other forms of ministry at the outset, and as opportunity beckons, contribute to the work of the house of the Lord. Well, there is no mention in Numbers of when the old priests stopped doing that. I’m guessing they never did!
That in and of itself is instructive not only for the retirement of pastors/priests, but all of us. Luther famously said all Christians are priests. He borrowed that image from I Peter that calls the church “a royal priesthood.” Occupations may cease, or change, but vocation never does. Christians just keep on keeping on until our membership is transferred to the church triumphant. That truth is very compelling for me, and together with Marcella I truly am looking forward to “other ventures” but of the same vocation – living out the faith in sanctified service to Christ, wherever that may be.
Paul famously criticized some Christians in II Thessalonians 3 about idleness. He said some Christians were not busying themselves with productive labor or Christian work but had become “busybodies.” In Titus 2, elders, both men and women, were entrusted with the task of teaching and training younger men and women, to set an example for them in conduct, speech, and faith. That calling was entrusted to all Christian elders. I suppose I can call myself one of those now – though I shall never warm to the term “elderly”!! Truly, as Ecclesiastes 3 says, “There is a time for every activity under heaven."
My time doing full time ministry is ending in two weeks. I am eager to begin the “what’s next” phase of my life, even as parting with you is anything but sweet – more like sorrow actually. But I’ll be leaning into the good counsel of Scripture for how to conceive of retirement and shape my days. There are activities under heaven still to be taken up as I follow the Lord's way in what I do : tasks to learn, and people to touch. In Acts 2:47 it says the Christians enjoyed the favor of others who saw their way of life. And there is no mention of that ever ending. That is our gift and task until the gift of eternity comes our way.
May God bless you all richly.
Because of a cross,
Pastor Ken Nelson
I have so enjoyed these past six plus years …
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There's still time to sign up!
Golf with Pastor Ken
THIS Sunday, June 4
Greenfield Park Golf Course
12035 W. Greenfield Avenue, West Allis
2:00 p.m. tee time
Don't let that big old golf club scare you ... it's more about the fun and fellowship!
Cart rental is $12; the cost for the 9-Hole Outing is $24. (The cost may be less if you have a County discount card.) Both fees can be paid at the course before play begins.
We have open spots for three more individuals. No handicaps will be used. Fellowship will be encouraged at the 10th hole. All ages and genders are encouraged to participate. Prizes will be awarded!
If you'd like to play, please contact Larry Bonier at (262)271-3916.
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Four of our youth will publicly make their Affirmation of Baptism this Sunday, June 4 at the 9 a.m. worship service. Please keep these youth in your prayers.
William Dudzik
Kyle Gall
Addison Meyer
Ellie Sayas
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Pastor Ken delivered a blessing for Ben, Amy and Josiah Blobaum to recognize the end of his internship. Following worship, Council President Scott Grossman presented Ben with a red stole, as a gift from the congregation. Ben will use this stole for his ordination (once he accepts a call), as well as on Pentecost and Reformation Sundays.
There is a basket on the table in the Narthex for any cards that you'd like to pass along to Ben and family. Ben will be with us as our Pastoral Intern until June 15th. He and his family will continue to worship with us until he receives a call.
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Pastor Ken's and Marcella's Retirement Send-Off
Saturday, June 10
6 p.m.
Fellowship Hall
You can RSVP here or sign up sheets are on the glass doors in the Narthex.
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We invite you to join us, even if you didn't sign up.
The weather should be perfect!
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We will be cleaning up our church property by raking, trimming bushes/shrubs, weeding, cutting down a tree and hauling the refuse to the Recycling Center. There's something for everyone. Bring your rakes, trimming tools and gloves. Refreshments and a free-T-shirt will be provided.
Questions? Please reach out to Ernie Kretschmann.
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Celebrate Megan Schatz's
high school graduation on
Sunday, June 11 in Fellowship Hall following the worship.
Megan will be graduating from Brookfield East High School next week and will be attending UW Stout in the fall with a major in Construction and a minor in Architecture.
We also thank Megan for her service as our Hospitality Coordinatior for the last several years.
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Day of Pentecost
Holy Trinity Sunday
Affirmation of Baptism
June 3-4, 2023
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PRESIDING MINISTER: Pastor Ken Nelson
ASSISTING MINISTER: Ben Blobaum
DEACONS: Saturday: Larry Bonier
Sunday: Diane Grundman, Bill Graffin, Lenny Graffin
ACOLYTES:
- Amelia Evert and Xavier Griese
CHILDREN'S MESSAGE:
USHERS:
- Tom and Mary Ellen Thiede
LECTOR:
ALTAR GUILD:
- Marge Tyne and Shirley Brodell
GREETERS:
- Wayne and Bonnie Johnson
- Scott and Peggy Langelin
FELLOWSHIP:
- Affirmation of Baptism Cake
FLOWERS:
- Judy Sayas in memory of Dave Sayas' birthday
POWERPOINT TECH:
- Jeanette Kalupa/Saturday
- Sallie Schulz/Sunday
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Pastor Ken's Weekly Bible Study
Pastor Ken invites you to join him every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall for his weekly Bible Study.
He will present the readings for the upcoming weekend, followed by discussion and insight.
The last Bible Study will be next Wednesday June 7th.
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Register today for this summer's VBS!
Launch kids on a cosmic quest where they’ll have a blast shining Jesus’ light to the world. Stellar rockets kids on an out-of-this-world adventure that’s light years of faith-building fun.
Volunteers can also sign up via the link below. We couldn't do our VBS without the help of so many wonderful volunteers. Please consider helping us again this year!
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Vacation Bible School
July 31 - August 4
9:00 a.m. - Noon
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New prayers requests or any updates to this current list should be directed to Cindy Zilske in the Church office (office@calvarylc.com).
New prayer requests: Ron Parker (brother of LInda Thorpe); Laura (daughter of Hugh and Jane Taufner)
Please continue to pray for: God’s guidance and support for our Call Committee, and that the Holy Spirit is working in the heart of the pastor He wishes to call as the next pastor of Calvary.
Ongoing short-term prayer requests: Carol Rooney, Shirley Mahn; Sue Rowe; Maxine Weisbrodt; Jan Chesner; Grace Gunnlaugsson; Jonni Roush; Laura Burger (Calvary member and twin sister of Linda Richmond); Amanda (daughter of a friend of Jonni Roush'); Sharon Anderson (mother of Deron Anderson); Lou Dangler (friend of Evelyn Ceci); Andy Jacobs (friend of Evelyn Ceci); Kim (daughter of Maxine Weisbrodt); Paul Mahn (son of Shirley Mahn); Hunter Green (nephew of Andy and Angie Schatz); Tom Schatz (father of Andy Schatz); Susie Barnhart and Amy Clark (friends of Megan Scott); Delores Seel (mother of Keith Pierce); Karen (daughter of Linda Thorpe's neighbor); Gary Zikmund (friend of George Sedivec); Mary (sister-in-law of Jane Taufner); Lynn Strickland (father of Nicole Moritz);Tony Shemberger (father of Amy Blobaum); Ray-Ann, granddaughter of David Ernst
Serving in the Military: Dan Berger (serving in the U.S. Marines); Kevin Butler (son of Heidi Powers, serving in the U.S. Army); Ben DeYoung (son-in-law of George and Kay Sedivec, serving in the U.S. Air Force); Alex Olson (U.S. Air Force, grandchild of Ardath Olson); Kyle Pierce (son of Karen and Keith Pierce, serving in the U.S. Army); Karmen Thomas (friend of Tony and Krista Dentice serving in the U.S. Army); Nicole Wahlgren (serving in the U.S. Army National Guard); all military chaplains; and all veterans suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
For All Men and Women Serving: Police Officers, Firefighters, EMT's; Health Care workers and First Responders.
Serving in the mission field: Our NALC missionaries and missionaries everywhere bringing the gospel to the ends of the Earth.
Long-term prayer list:
Calvary members: Pat Corcoran; Ron Foster; Tom Kurtz; Beverly Lawson; Donna Schroeder; Nadine Schuelke; Gloria Strei; Pat Treutelaar; Janet Zastrow
Non-members: Jan Janchan (friend of Jonni Roush); Gerry Fosdal (friend of Linda Thorpe); Lauren (granddaughter of Scott and Peggy Langelin); Nicole Sayas (daughter in law of Judy Sayas); Dennis Reich (friend of John and Mary Lau); Curt (friend of Larry Bonier); Pastor Mark Gehrke (son of Lois Gehrke); Barb Anderson (friend of Lisa Grossman); Gareth George (cousin of Judy Sayas); Rose Luther (friend of Nicole Moritz); Judy Grospitz; Monica Barchus (niece of Ernie Kretschmann); Michael Rossa (Lucy Dallman's son); Karen (friend of Lydia Trudell); Susan Petropoulos (sister of Wayne Johnson); Tom Dallman (husband of Lucy Dallman); Laura Lynn (friend of Pastor Jerry and Nancy Wittmus)
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Kathy Gall, 6/1
Gordy Gunnlaugsson, 6/3
Preston Meyer, 6/5
JoAnn Phillips 6/5
Mary Smith, 6/8
Claire Gall, 6/9
Curtis Klade, 6/9
Fay Heyen, 6/17
Tom Kurtz, 6/18
Rebecca Warber, 6/23
Jan Tschetter, 6/24
Glori Kurth, 6/25
Keith Pierce, 6/25
Caryl Braatz, 6/26
Harold Rose, 6/30
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Bruce and Dawn Hanke, 6/6 (36 years)
Tom and Kris Springer, 6/7 (26 years)
Lee and Marge Tyne, 6/9 (61 years)
Ken and Marcella Nelson, 6/15 (38 years)
Don and JoAnne Krause, 6/17 (62 years)
Randy and Sue Wizner, 6/18 (41 years)
Dale and Marty Altmin, 6/19 (58 years)
Terry and Sandy Moths, 6/20 (42 years)
Ray and Jan Chesner, 6/21 (65 years)
Gordy and Grace Gunnlaugsson, 6/25 (57 years)
Deron and Lynnette Anderson, 6/26 (29 years)
Bob and Ann Jazgar, 6/27 (58 years)
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Janet Zastrow, expert seamstress, invites the women of all ages to join her for Sewing Circle this summer (date and time to be determined). Janet has been teaching Amruth Busi, daughter of Radha Vaddavalli, how to sew. Several examples of what they have made together are pictured here.
Janet is looking for adults who sew to participate, as well as donations of patterns, which have become quite expensive to purchase!. There is a bin in the Narthex to collect the patterns, This is a great opportunity for inter-generational fellowship.
If you're interested in helping Janet with this wonderful ministry, please send an email to her at janetzastrow@att.net.
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June Mission of the Month
NALC International Mission
through the World Mission Prayer League
The World Mission Prayer League (WMPL) is an official ministry partner of the NALC. WMPL grew out of a God-given burden to pray for the unreached interiors of Africa, Asia, and Latin America in the 1930’s. A band of students, pastors and friends in the Minneapolis area joined together in prayer that the Lord of the harvest would send laborers into his harvest.
WMPL says of itself … we are committed to pray, as Jesus commands his followers in Matthew 9:38 – “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” We are a … community of men and women who are committed to prayer - the “working method” of our mission.
The World Mission Prayer League exists to see that populations with limited or no access to the Gospel experience the love of Christ and that believers and communities of believers in the Americas and elsewhere engage in active and collaborative participation in living out their roles in the great commission.
This month, we are supporting missionaries from WMPL who will be our guests at Calvary in worship the weekend of June 24-25. The Nelsons met our missionaries in 1995 while studying at Luther Seminary.
Our Mission of the Month offerings will:
1. Directly support the work of the World Mission Prayer League;
2. Support a “Ministry Fund” for our missionaries and support for orphans whose parents died of
COVID.
We hope you will learn more about WMPL – their website is www.wmpl.org, and generously support the mission work Calvary does in India through this wonderful Lutheran ministry.
To support this important Mission for the Month, you may include it in your weekly offering envelope or designate the donation for Mission of the Month in your online giving.
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Worship Attendance and Giving Options | |
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Online giving provides options!
While cash and checks are always welcome, the “Give Online” button on the Calvary Lutheran Church website provides another option. And, with the expansion of our vendor’s software, the options are now expanded and customized. In addition to giving to the General Operating Fund, Building Fund and Mission of the Month, you can now specify contributions for Altar Flowers, Sunday Morning Fellowship Treats, NALC, etc.
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Please note that contributions to the Mission of the Month are allocated to the organization for the month in which the donation is made
If you have any questions or would like to make a pledge, please contact Cindy Rooks, Finance Secretary, via email at finance@calvarylc.com or (262) 786-4010.
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Giving to the NALC Campaign | Just a reminder that contributions to the NALC's 20/20 Vision Campaign need to be designated as "NALC" either on your giving envelope or on your check. If you have any questions, please contact Cindy Rooks at finance@calvarylc.com. | |
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Weekly Men's Breakfast
Wednesdays at 7 a.m.
Maxim's Restaurant
18025 W. Capitol Drive
Brookfield
The restaurant seating has been reconfigured in compliance with social distancing requirements.
All men are invited to attend!
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Fellowship Hall
Thursday, June 15
6:00 p.m. Supper
Study to follow
If you have any questions, please contact Ernie Kretschmann at erniekretschmann@gmail.com
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Facing tough times? Need a Christian Friend?
Stephen Ministry is here to help. Free, just like God's love.
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Stephen Ministers are congregation members trained by Stephen Leaders to offer high-quality, one-to-one Christian care to people going through tough times. A Stephen Minister usually provides care to one person at a time, meeting with that person once a week for about an hour.
If you, or someone you know, could benefit from this important ministry, please contact Scott or Peggy Langelin at 262.853.0018.
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Sanctuary Flowers
A wonderful way to celebrate a special occasion or remember a loved one is by sponsoring flowers at our altar. The cost is $35 and you may take them home following the Sunday morning worship. (If you'd prefer, you can leave the flowers at church to be enjoyed in the church office.)
The sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex, near the door to Fellowship Hall.
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We invite you to provide
Hospitality Treats on Sunday
We invite you to stay after worship on Sunday mornings and enjoy fellowship time and a treat/cup of coffee in Fellowship Hall.
If you'd like to provide treats (donuts, bagels, etc.) for Sunday hospitality time, there is a sheet on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall. You may bring the treats (six dozen) and drop them off in the kitchen, or simply add a “P” behind your name, pay $30 to the church office and the treats will be purchased for you.
The sign up sheet for 2023 has been posted on the bulletin board. Thank you for your support!
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Do you need a new Church Directory? | |
The Calvary Church Directory is available electronically or in paper format. If you'd like an electronic copy, please send an email to Sue Rowe at communications@calvarylc.com.
There are also printed copies available in the church office.
If there are any changes to your phone, email or address, please advise the Church office. Any updates should be submitted to Cindy Zilske at office@calvarylc.com.
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Live Stream Attendance Link | |
If you watch our services via the Live Stream, please take a minute to let us know. There is now a link called "Online Worship Attendance" on the page where you access each week's service.
We appreciate you taking the time to complete this each week. It helps us know that our Live Stream is being viewed and by whom.
Thank you!
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The right side of the Sanctuary (as you face the altar) is equipped with a hearing loop system which transmits an audio signal directly into a hearing aid via a magnetic field. This greatly reduces background noise, competing sounds, reverberation and other acoustic distortions that reduce clarity of sound.
Most hearing aids are equipped with a t-coil and connecting to this system is an easy switch on the hearing aid. If you need assistance during worship with this system, please reach out to an usher or any staff member.
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The church office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. The door that is closest to the office (NW corner) will be open during those hours.
Please check in with the office staff so we know you are in the building.
The office phone number is (262) 786-4010. Feel free to leave a message if you call after hours and we will contact you the next day.
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