CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH

Your Weekly E-Newsletter -- Thursday, December 22, 2022

Christmas Worship Opportunities

Christmas Eve

Family Service

4:00 p.m.

This service will be available via livestream.

Christmas Eve

Candlelight Service

10:00 p.m.

This service will not be available via livestream.

Sunday, December 25 at 9:00 a.m.

This service will not be available via livestream

Poinsettia plants can be taken home any time after the 9 a.m. service on Christmas Day. The office will be closed on Monday, December 26.

This Week's Message

Dear Pastors, Congregations, Partners in Ministry, Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Greetings in the name of our God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - as we look forward to the celebration of our Lord’s birth at Christmas and His glorious and victorious return when the Father will call us all home to be with Him forever!

The purpose of this letter is to thank you for your ministry and for your partnership in the work of the Gospel. It is my deepest and most sincere desire and prayer that this Christmas season will be one in which we offer a strong and encouraging word of hope to a world that is in desperate need of what only our Lord Jesus can give.

As you know, there are more personal messages sent during the Christmas season than any other time of the year. More than 2 billion Christmas cards will be sent in North America alone. There is something about Christmas that encourages people to stay in touch with those they love. There’s also a built-in opportunity for us, during the Christmas season, to share the message of what God has done and accomplished for us in Jesus.

The Bible says, “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). The message of Christmas is a word spoken directly to us from God. It is also a word that offers and promises stability and hope, when so much of world is hopeless and unstable.

It is mindboggling how fast our world is changing. Many of our college students are studying for jobs that do not yet exist. Not only that, but they are also doing so in a world where there is more information at our fingertips than information available less than a generation prior.

When I was growing up, it was nothing like it is today. When we needed to know something, we pulled out our encyclopedias and looked it up. Now, you just google it and there it is. One click on the screen and the information is there.

What’s fascinating is that with this advance in technology we also have access to more relationships with more people than was ever before possible. It used to be that your friends were those who lived next door or down the street. You went to the same school or the same church and those were your friends. Today, you can have friends on the other side of the world. You can have relationships with people who live in places you’ve never been and with whom you’ve never met.

Do you know what else is fascinating, almost frightening? In this world where there’s more information available and accessible than ever before, and where it’s now possible to have more friends in more places and have more contact with them than we’ve ever before had, there’s also a growing number of people in our world, individuals in this connected and friend-filled society, who are feeling less-connected and more de-friended than they have ever been.

Recent studies have shown that for many there’s more anxiety over losing a phone than there is over losing a friend. For many, their best friend has become their phone. And their phones are the main and the primary connection they have with their best friends.

It’s not surprising that some of the same studies have also shown that there’s a longing in our society, like never before, for connections and communities that actually care for each other. In this increasingly more-connected-than-ever world, there’s a longing for more connections that are truly real.

On that first Christmas, God was careful and intentional in making the connection He did when He sent His Son into our world. And He was personal in doing it because He was doing it in the person of Jesus Christ. He was connecting with us, so we could connect with Him. He was becoming a person with us, so we could begin to see Him and know Him in a personal way.

As challenging as it is for us in our society today to reach the hearts of people for Jesus, let us not forget that the relationship we have with God, in Christ, is the kind of relationship people are longing to find. God came into our world to make an incarnate and in-person connection with us. It was also the reason, and still is, that God has called us together in the Church. Let us not forget or neglect the importance of gathering together as the Body of Christ.

As you proclaim the name of Jesus this Christmas and as you bear witness to the relationship God has established with us in His Son, do so with boldness and confidence that the Holy Spirit is working through your proclamation to connect with and draw people to Christ. Do it also with a sincere desire and prayer that God will open new doors for new relationships to be established with those for whom our Lord Jesus was born.

Thank you for your faithful witness. Thank you for the work you do and the partnership we share. It continues to be a joy and an honor to serve as your bishop. Know that my prayers are with each of you.

Have a blessed and a hope-filled Christmas, as we celebrate the incarnate relationship that is eternally ours with God in Jesus!

In Christ,

Bishop Dan Selbo

North American Lutheran Church

Worship Resources

Calvary's Website

Live Stream Link

NALC Daily Devotion

This Week's Reflection from Martin Luther

Therefore it is a high article to believe that this infant, born of Mary, is true God; for nobody’s reason can ever accept the fact that He who created heaven and earth and is adored by angels was born of a virgin. That is the article. Nobody believes it except he who also knows this faith, namely, that this child is the Lord and Savior.

- Martin Luther

Christmas Sermon, 1530

Online Resources

Note: If you give online to the Mission of the Month, your funds will be applied to the MOM recipient at the time of your gift.

See the monthly calendar by clicking on the image below.

Harpist Janelle Lake to play on

Christmas Eve at the 10pm service

Janelle Lake plays harp professionally throughout Chicagoland and the United States. Her days are filled performing, teaching, and traveling. Performances include her positions as principal harpist of the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra since 2005 and the Southwest Symphony Orchestra since 2007 working under many batons including Dr. Alltop, David Crane, Jay Friedman, Ricardo Muti, and Cliff Colnot (Civic Orchestra).

Memorable experiences include performing with Van Dyke Parks (song writer for the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson), playing the daily tea and demitasse at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island (audience included Rudy Guillani and Mitt Romney), and regular performances at Julius Meinl, and the Drake Hotel in Chicago (audience included President Obama).

Janelle Lake served as the Artistic Director at the Venus Harp Factory for eight years where she tested each new harp before it was sent around the world. Liz Cifani, retired Lyric Opera harpist, taught Janelle Lake at Northwestern University during her course work for Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Music Performance. Janelle recently released her first CD of French and Czech harp music titled Moonlight in a Pool.

Year-end 2022 Contributions

As a reminder, contributions for 2022 will need to be made by the end of the year.

Any questions can be directed to Cindy Rooks, finance@calvarylc.com or (262) 786-4010.

The Church office will be closed on Monday, December 26 and will re-open on Tuesday at 8:00 a.m.

Christmas Services

December 24-25, 2022

4:00 p.m. Family Service

PRESIDING MINISTER: Pastor Ken Nelson

ASSISTING MINISTER: Jessica Dudzik

DEACONS:

Mary Ellen Thiede, Linda Thorpe, Sue Rowe

ACOLYTES:

William Dudzik and Ellie Sayas

USHERS:

Jon Sayas and Tom Thiede

LECTORS:

Karen Pierce

CHILDREN'S MESSAGE:

Kyle Jones

ALTAR GUILD:

Jan Lukasik

POWERPOINT TECH:

Sue Rowe

LIVESTREAM TECH:

Kyle Jones

10:00 p.m. Candlelight Service

PRESIDING MINISTER: Pastor Ken Nelson

ASSISTING MINISTER: Scott Langelin

DEACONS:

Terry Bzdusek, Sue Rowe

ACOLYTES:

Kyle and Jackson Gall

USHERS:

Ed Ramthun and George Sedivec

LECTORS:

Peggy Langelin

ALTAR GUILD:

Jan Lukasik

POWERPOINT TECH:

Cindy Rooks

9:00 a.m. Christmas Morning

PRESIDING MINISTER: Pastor Ken Nelson

ASSISTING MINISTER: Scott Langelin

DEACONS:

Lisa Grossman, Ernie Kretschmann, Judy Kestly

USHERS:

Jane Krause and Mark Trudell

LECTORS:

Marcella Nelson

ALTAR GUILD:

Jan Lukasik

POWERPOINT TECH:

Lydia Trudell

Save the Date!

Calvary's 4th

Soup and Chili Cook Off

Saturday, February 11

6:00 p.m.

It's time to start looking through those cookbooks and recipe cards for that winning entry! Our 4th Soup and Chili Cook Off is on the calendar. Entry forms and more information will be available after the first of the year.

But be sure to save the date - whether you are a contestant or a participant, it's always a great time!

Women's Ministry Book Group

Monday, January 9, 2023 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.

Brookfield Library – Harnischfeger Room

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan

Please join us as we begin the year with what Kirkus describes this way: "Hogan’s writing has the soothing warmth of the cups of cocoa and tea her characters regularly dispense…old-fashioned storytelling with a sprinkling of magic.” A nice way to begin a new year!

Lime green plastic flower-shaped hair bobbles - Found, on the playing field, Derrywood Park, 2nd September.

Bone china cup and saucer—Found, on a bench in Riveria Public Gardens, 31st October.

Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidently left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.

Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.

Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious—a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made.

As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?

A charming, clever, and quietly moving novel of endless possibilities and joyful discoveries that explores the promises we make and break, losing and finding ourselves, the objects that hold magic and meaning for our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us.

Faith Formation

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER JOINT SERVICE

Calvary will join our neighbors and friends from St. John Vianney for a joint worship service on Wednesday January 18 at 11 a.m. The service will be held at St. John Vianney this year.

This is the annual service marking the week of International Prayer for Christian Unity. We are asking for non-perishable food items for the SJV food pantry. These items can be dropped in the shopping cart in the Narthex after January 1st, or you can bring with you to the joint service on January 18.

Please note that there will be NO adult Bible study at Calvary that day.

Our Church Family

Dean Schmelzer, 12/22

Rick Treadwell, 12/22

Ed Witzke, 12/23

Lynnette Anderson, 12/24

Mike Anderson, 12/24

Wayne Dieck, 12/25

Joe Grundman, 12/25

Hannah Ware, 12/27

Trinity Cebertowicz, 12/28

Lenny Graffin, 12/28

Gabrielle (Hanke) Hollis, 12/29

Judy Klade, 12/31

Sallie Schulz, 12/31

Al and Rhonda Rodriguez, 12/23 (50 years)

Ron and Jean Holman, 12/26 (69 years)

Bob and Donna Siderits, 12/26 (62 years)

Jeremy and Nicole Nowicki, 12/28 (12 years)

Ben and Amy Blobaum, 12/29 (2 years)

Rick and Carol Treadwell, 12/29 (49 years)

Ken and Amando Olstinski, 12/31 (1 year)

Prayers of sympathy and God's peace to: the family of Amy and Ben Blobaum on the tragic passing of Amy's 13-year-old son Noah Kucinski and her mother Patricia Shemberger.

New prayer requests: Tony Shemberger (father of Amy Blobaum) who is recovering in the hospital after train/car accident; and Ray-Ann, granddaughter of David Ernst

Ongoing short-term prayer requests: Grace Gunnlaugsson; Jonni Roush; Doug Keddie (friend of Janet Zastrow); Susie Barnhart (friend of Megan Sayas); Pastor Tim Peterson (friend of Ken and Marcella Nelson); Torrie and her unborn daughter (cousin's daughter of Lisa Grossman); Elizabeth Stem (niece of Evelyn Ceci); Dennis Heimdahl (son-in-law of Marilyn Hermann); Julie Niederbaumer (friend of many Calvary members); Sarah Green (sister of Andy Schatz); Laura Lynn (friend of Pastor Jerry and Nancy Wittmus); Gerry Fosdal (friend of Linda Thorpe)

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; Shirley Mahn; Myrna Mavroff; Donna Schroeder; Nadine Schuelke; Gloria Strei; Pat Treutelaar; Ruth Young; Janet Zastrow

Non-members: Tom Bruns (brother of Carol Rooney); Lauren (granddaughter of Scott and Peggy Langelin); Isabelle George (wife of Judy Sayas' cousin); Joe Dentice (father of Tony Dentice); Mike Andrae (husband of former Calvary member Luisa Andrae); 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); Joseph Franko (friend 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); John Nielson (brother of Judy Kestly); Susan Petropoulos (sister of Wayne Johnson); Tom Dallman (husband of Lucy Dallman); Delores Seel (mother of Keith Pierce)

If you have any new prayer requests, please contact the church office at 262.786.4010 or via email to office@calvarylc.com.

Worship Attendance - December 17-18. 2022

December Mission of the Month

In December we raise up a vital Mission of the Month supporting the training of pastors for service in the North American Lutheran Churches. We have been blessed to have Ben Blobaum with us this year as a pastoral intern. Ben is a graduate of the North American Lutheran Seminary in Ambridge, PA.

Why is this important? The NALC is growing and the need for pastors trained for our Synod is crucial to us and congregations like ours in the NALC. Current pastors in other Synod traditions have received training in preparation for serving in NALC congregations; however, many of those pastors are nearing retirement. The NALC has grown from 17 congregations at inception to over 500. Initially there was only one seminary in Ambridge, PA; however, due to growth and demand, the Lutheran Institute of Technology (ILT) in Brookings, SD also trains pastors for the NALC. The ILT is an online institute with undergraduate, graduate and seminary programs.

Please consider supporting NALS/ILT seminaries n their godly work. Click here to be directed to their website for more information. To support this important Mission of the Month, you may include it in your weekly offering envelope or designate the donation as "Mission of the Month" in your online giving.

Mission and Outreach

Winter Clothing Collection

Cleaning out your closet as we transition to winter? Calvary's Mission and Outreach Committee is collecting winter coats, sweatshirts and sweaters, caps, gloves and scarves for all ages. Please put your items in the tub in the narthex. Items can be new or gently-used condition.

Thanks for helping those who are without winter clothing in the Milwaukee area.

The "Mitten Trees" are in the Narthex and ready for your donations of new and gently-used mittens, gloves, scarves and hats.

All donations will be distributed to our outreach partners in the Milwaukee area.

A few reminders ....

Severe Weather Announcements

With winter in full swing, we are reminded that weather can definitely impact traveling to church. And with that, inclement weather could necessitate the cancelling of worship.

In the event this should happen, you will receive an e-mail stating that the church is closed. We will also be sharing this with WISN-TV 12 and FOX6 so that it will be included in their scrolling list and on their website of closures.

Hospitality Treat Sponsors

Are Needed!

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!

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!

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, etc.

We can also include other limited-time event payments such as the Disaster Response Training and the WI & Upper MI Mission District Convocation being held at Calvary on October 28 and 29.

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, please contact Cindy Rooks, Finance Secretary, via email at finance@calvarylc.com or (262) 786-4010.

Online Giving Link

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!

Monthly Men's Gathering

Thursday, January 19

6 p.m.

Fellowship Hall

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mark Trudell at mtrudell@reagan.com.

Church Directory Is Available

The Calvary Church Directory is available electronically or in paper format. If you'd like an electronic copy, please send an email to communications@calvarylc.com requesting it.

There are also printed copies available in the church office.

Any corrections or updates should be submitted to

Cindy Zilske at office@calvarylc.com.

Facing tough times? Need a Christian Friend?

Stephen Ministry is here to help. Free, just like God's love.

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.

Sunday mornings at 9 a.m.

The link to the Live Stream is available on the home page at www.calvarylc.com

If you watch the livestream service, please take a moment to log your presence via the link that is available above the livestream link.

Sanctuary Flowers

We invite you to sign up for flowers to beautify our altar each weekend.

The sign-up sheet for 2023 is now posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex.

Flowers are $35 and you may take them home following the 9 a.m. worship on Sunday morning. If you'd prefer, you can leave the flowers at church to be enjoyed by the office staff.

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.

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.

CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH www.calvarylc.com

Regular office hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - noon 262.786.4010

Questions or comments? Email Sue Rowe at communications@calvarylc.com

This Week's Message

Harpist Janelle Lake to play on

Christmas Eve at the 10pm service

Year-end 2022 Contributions

Save the Date!

Women's Ministry Book Group

Faith Formation

December Mission of the Month

Mission and Outreach

Winter Clothing Collection

Live Stream Attendance Link﻿

Live Stream Attendance Link