CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Your Weekly E-Newsletter Thursday, December 9, 2021
“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you, but do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach … Everything they do is
done for the people to see…” 
 Matthew 23:1-2,5a


Once again, I am reproducing my reflection from our mid-week Advent Vesper’s service. Do take the time to read through the Bible lessons we use each week on your own. For this week, December 8th, they were Amos 8:1-14, Revelation 1:17-2:7 and Matthew 23:1-12.  Dwell silently for a few moments after each reading.  If you can, do this in the evening and light a candle.  A good way to confess the faith when you light the candle and center yourself on the message of Advent is to say, “Jesus Christ is the light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome.”   

I hope you enjoy your time in the Word, and perhaps also my thoughts for this week, once again based on the reading from Matthew:


“Everything they do is for people to see.” Jesus spoke of religious leaders of his day. Religion is largely practiced in the realm of the visible.  Today, we have our churches, our pastors and, in many traditions, the resplendent robes they wear. We dress up our altars in colorful raiment for the eye to see.  We have the magnificent pipes of our organs, the choice wood and stone of our floors and ceilings, the icons, stained glass, the gold-and-silver-plated vessels for our rituals, that we cover with fine linen, fonts for baptizing and candelabras of brass to burn colorful candles.  
 
Religion in that form is a feast for eye and ear.  It’s all good of course – in that it’s all intended to engage the senses of the worshipper, and to draw us heavenward. To be precise, it mimics the intricate instructions of God to Moses and Aaron for the priesthood, congregation and tabernacle in which gathered Israel to remember the mighty acts of God in creation, and most of all their rescue in the exodus.  Religion is not the “opiate of the masses” as Marx so scornfully concluded - religion is the natural condition of the human race.  We long to be drawn to the invisible, so we must employ the visible.   
 
But woe, Jesus says, if all our religion does is parade our faith. Woe, Jesus says, if what we show the world in our religion is reverence for God but do not accompany it with compassion and kindness and charity for God’s people.  Religion has attained that reputation, a soiled one at that, and when the word is preceded by “Christian” and thus disdained, it is a particular sorrow to say the least.  The Lord's apostle James wrote: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: To look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” 
 
These are the things that God sees – they are done unto others and to some extent ourselves, but if they be done in faith, they are not, as opposed to the religious practices of the teachers of the law and Pharisees, “done for people to see.”  There is more than enough of our religion for people to see – and it is not a vain hope we retain that these “things visible” might lead someone to faith in, and reverence for, our invisible God.  Let's commit ourselves to do that part of our religion with enough care and reverence to assist that cause.  
 
But in this season when culture’s siren call of excess is so easy to follow, let us pray our faith will urge upon us instead the kind of humility that sees greatness in service to those for whom James says, religion was intended in the first place. “
 

Pastor Ken Nelson
Worship Resources
Online Resources
NOW HIRING -- FINANCE CONTROLLER
Our Financial Secretary Cindy Rooks has decided that she would like to enjoy her time in retirement with a more flexible travel schedule and will be leaving her position early next year.

The Personnel Committee is working to identify candidates for the position of Financial Controller. This is a part-time position working 20-25 hours per week.

The job posting has been listed on Indeed.com (see link below) and is also on our website. Please share this information with anyone you know who is qualified and interested in the position.
Poinsettia Orders are Due by Monday, December 13th!
We invite you to purchase one or more poinsettia plants to decorate our altar for Christmas Eve/Day services. We are again working with Shady Lane Nursery to provide top quality red, white or "jingle bell" (red with flecks of white and gold) plants with two plants per pot and wrapped in colored foil.

The cost is the same as last year ($25/plant). Order forms can be found on the table in the Narthex. You can also access a form to print at home by clicking on the order form shown here.
Completed forms are due by Monday, December 13th.
Free Christmas Cards!
We have accumulated many, many greeting cards over the years in the church office. Special thanks to Mary Ellen Thiede for taking the time to organize the supply we have so that the Deacons can utilize them.

A bin of Christmas cards is on the table in the Narthex - help yourself if you need a card or two this year!
December 11-12, 2021
Third Sunday of Advent
Sunday: Lessons & Carols
Presiding Minister:  Pastor Ken Nelson
Assisting Minister (Saturday): Larry Bonier
Lectors (Sunday): Lynette Anderson, Larry Bonier, Ruth Brostowitz, Lenny Graffin, Bill Graffin, Chuck Lukasik, Marcella Nelson, Jon Sayas, Sallie Schulz
Acolytes: Ellie Sayas and Xavier Griese
Special Music: Beth Screnock (guest organist), Rick Brostowitz (trumpet), Carol Meves (flute) Chris Dudzik and Lizzy Dudzik (percussion), Celebration Ringers and Psallite Choir
Deacons:   
·       Saturday: Ernie Kretschmann
·       Sunday:   Jonni Roush
Ushers (Sunday): Marti Altmin and Andy Schatz
Altar Guild:  Norene Giuliani
Altar Flowers: None
Fellowship Treats: The Meyer Family
PowerPoint Tech: 
·       Saturday: Lydia Trudell
·       Sunday: Grace Gunnlaugsson
LiveStream Tech:  Kyle Jones
Financials and Worship Attendance - December 4 - 5, 2021
Music Ministry
Lessons & Carols
Sunday, December 12
9:00 a.m.

Special Guest Musicians:
Organist Beth Screnock, PhD (*Her bio is below)
Rick Brostowitz (trumpet)
Chris Dudzik (percussion)
Carol Meves (flute)
Psallite Choir
Celebration Ringers

*Beth Screnock is an organist, pianist, conductor and composer with degrees from the North German Organ Academy (Harald Vogel), Oberlin Conservatory of Music (BA in Harpsichord, Lisa Goode-Crawford), and California State University (MA in Organ, David Rothe; and in Composition, Alfred Loeffler). Her compositions include religious songs and Psalms. She was awarded a prize for excellence in organ performance from the Westfield Center for Keyboard Studies and worked for 10 years as an organ voicing assistant for builder Munetaka Yokota. Her featured, live performance of Handel’s Concerto in F on The Schiorlin Organ in Jonsered (Sweden) is available on Amazon or Apple. She was co-founder and conductor of the Sierra Nevada Camerata, Chico, California. She lives in Brookfield with her daughter, Rose Stackhouse, a student at Brookfield East High School.


I’d like to introduce you to another wonderful Latin carol for the Advent and Christmas season! I just recently came across this.

Here is the carol in Latin with its translation, and a link to a wonderful rendition in English.


-Nicole Moritz


Melody and words, Qui creavit coelum,from 'The Chester Mysteries;' fifteenth century.
English translation by the Rev. Ronald Knox.
A processional by the nuns of St. Mary, Chester
Also known as 'Lully Lully Lu' and '
The Carol of the Nuns of St..Mary's, Chester'
Our Church Family
Nadine Schuelke, 12/11
Caleb Liu, 12/14
Amanda Kalupa, 12/15
Brian Kretschmann, 12/15
Bob Smith, 12/15
Ray Chesner, 12/17
Donnie Dentice, 12/17
Pat Treutelaar, 12/18
Ingrid Nelson, 12/19
Judy Sayas, 12/19
Ron Holman, 12/20
Carol Rooney, 12/20
Margaux Barmgarten, 12/21
Dean Schmelzer, 12/22
Rick Treadwell, 12/22
Al and Rhonda Rodriguez, 12/23 (49 years)
Ron and Jean Holman, 12/26 (68 years)
Bob and Donna Siderits, 12/26 (61 years)
Jeremy and Nicole Nowicki, 12/28 (11 years)
Rick and Carol Treadwell, 12/29 (48 years)
Ongoing short-term prayer requests: Ruth Young, Fay Heyen, Janet Zastrow; Kay Sedivec; Megan Schatz; Mary Smith; Ginny Cox; the Waukesha community; Susan Petropoulos (sister of Wayne Johnson)Matt (friend of Larry Bonier); Tom Frank (brother of Mary Ellen Thiede); Taylor Czerwinski (granddaughter of Bill and Lenny Graffin); Lisa Haggadone (daughter of Sallie Schulz); Tom Dallman (husband of Lucy Dallman); Marie Traxler (mother of Sue Meyer); Eric (friend of Larry Bonier); Dale Hermann (son of Marilyn Hermann); Father Patrick Malone (Holy Cross Anglican Church); Delores Seel (mother of Keith Pierce); John Nielson (brother of Judy Kestly)

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, 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: Don Heyen; Shirley Mahn; Donna Polizzi; Nadine Schuelke.

Non-members: Nancy Myers (friend of Judy Sayas); Paige Yeager (friend of Sallie Schulz's family); Rose Luther (friend of Nicole Moritz); Judy Grospitz; Jan Janchan (friend of Jonni Roush); Monica Barchus (niece of Ernie Kretschmann); Michael Rossa (Lucy Dallman's son); Karen (friend of Lydia Trudell)

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

Women's Christmas
Open House

Women of Calvary are invited to come
and share a cup of coffee or cider
at Marcella Nelson's home.

19245 McAllister Lane Unit A
Brookfield, WI 53045
Saturday, December 11
1 - 4 p.m.

Come when you can, and leave when you must. Feel free to bring your daughter
or a friend. 
Hospitality Treats
We invite you to stick around after worship on Sunday mornings and enjoy fellowship time and a treat/cup of coffee in Fellowship Hall. We are taking great care to provide safe food items for you (poured cups of coffee and plated breakfast snacks).

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 (3-4 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. 

For the time being, we are asking that any donated food be something that can be easily cut and placed on individual plates for serving.
Faith Formation
Middle School and High School Youth Nights are on the calendar for January and February. RSVP through the Faith Formation website link below.

Middle School Youth: January 30, 5-7pm
High School Youth: January 16, 5-7pm

Students are always encouraged to bring a friend to any of the youth nights. If you have any questions, please reach out to Kyle at youth@calvarylc.com.
Pastor Ken's Weekly Bible Study
Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall
Pastor Ken's weekly Bible study is held each Wednesday from 12:30 -1:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. He will lead discussion around the Scripture lessons that will be read in worship the following weekend. Please bring your Bibles - other materials will be provided. There will not be a Bible Study on Wednesday, December 29th.

Copies of the text study sheets will be available on the table in the Narthex if you can't attend the Bible study, but would like to refer to it for the weekend worship.
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 were been blessed to have Lynnae Douglas with us during the past year as a pastoral intern. Lynnae and her husband Caleb are both graduates of the North American Lutheran Seminary in Amhearst, PA and have moved to western Pennsylvania where Caleb has taken a call to serve. Pictures of Caleb and Lynnae from Caleb's installation are shown below.

The NALC is growing and the need for pastors trained is crucial to us and congregations like ours in the NALC. Initially there was only one seminary in Amhearst, PA; however, due to growth and demand, the Lutheran Institute of Technology in Brookings, SD also trains pastors for the NALC.

We have a goal this year to increase our giving to $7,000. Please prayerfully consider an end-of-year gift in support of these vital seminarians. To support this important Mission for the Month, you may include it in your weekly offering envelope or designate the donation as "Mission of the Month" in your online giving.
Below are three examples of the value of your support of NALC Seminary.
Caleb Douglas' Ordination was held at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Export, Pennsylvania.

We received this message from the church staff at Emmanual regarding the Douglas family:

They're a very special family. 
After four years of mayhem regarding church leadership here at Emmanuel, they have been welcomed with open hearts and arms. Pastor Caleb is kind, dedicated, and very spiritual. A definite keeper!
Both Lynnae and Caleb Douglas are graduates of an NALC Seminary.


Sophia Grace was baptized at the same service as Caleb's ordination. This family photo taken that day will definitely make you smile!
Meet a Seminary Student:

My name is Hailey Halmstad. My husband and our five boys currently live in Northern Wisconsin where I serve two churches: Bethany Lutheran in Catawba and Bethel Lutheran in Hawkins. I am endorsed through the NALC Candidacy Committee and am a full time student at the Institute of Lutheran Theology where I attend online classes towards my Master of Divinity degree. My goal is to graduate in December of 2022.


There's more information about Hailey on the Mission of the Month bulletin board outside of Fellowship Hall.
Are you interested in attending seminary? Local congregations like Calvary are the source of future seminarians. We need to identify, encourage and support prospective seminarians as they consider their educational choices. Calvary's Endowment Fund is poised to do just that. Up to one-third of its annual disbursable funds are available for tuition support of Calvary's members who attend seminary.
Men's Ministry
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

On hiatus until January 27, 2022


If you have any questions, please reach out to Ernie Kretschmann at kretschmann@att.net.
Community Outreach
Thank You Calvary for your generous support of the New Berlin food pantry collection. Our congregation shared 50 bags of groceries from our Thanksgiving food drive!

The Mission and Outreach Committee is also thankful for the 50 Christmas child boxes shared with the Samaritans purse ministry in November.

Pictured above at the food pantry are (L-R) Paula Altman, Mary Lau, Marcella Nelson and Tami Kohls (Mary Lau's sister).
The 'mitten tree' will be in the Narthex ready for your donations. Needed are Men's gloves and hats.

In addition to mittens, hats and scarves for all ages (which can be placed on the tree), we are collecting the following winter clothing donations (children, teens, men's and women's sizes):

  • Coats and jackets
  • Sweatshirts, sweaters
  • Long underwear, socks

Items can be new or used and should be placed into the collection bins which are under the tables in the Narthex. Please bring your donations by December 19th. 

All donations will be distributed at the annual New Year’s Eve Day outreach sponsored by B.A.S.I.C.S. (Brothers and Sisters In Christ Serving). Let's all help keep our Milwaukee neighbors warm!
A few reminders ....
Sunday mornings at 9 a.m.

The link is available on the home page at www.calvarylc.com
Sanctuary Flowers
We invite you to sign up for flowers to beautify our altar each weekend. The sign-up sheet for 2022 is 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.
Severe Weather Announcements

With winter coming, 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.
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.
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