CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH | |
Your Weekly E-Newsletter - November 21, 2024 | |
Thanksgiving Eve Worship and Pie Social
Wednesday, November 27 at 7:00 p.m.
Please sign up on the Coming Events kiosk in the Narthex.
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REMINDER: If you haven't returned your pledge card, please place in the offering baskets or drop in off the church office. Extra pledge cards are on the table in the Narthex. Thank you! | |
This Week's Devotional - Listening for the Promise | |
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“Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was
and who is to come...” -Revelation 1:4a
When Luther writes his first introduction to the book of Revelation in 1522, he is apprehensive to consider it among as an apostolic book. Indeed, most Christians who read the book approach it with trepidation and regularly come away from it perplexed. However, several years later (1530), his tune had changed and with a lengthier preface asserts that Christians can profit from it in terms of comfort and warning, law and gospel (Luther’s Works 35, 407). In Revelation we are shown how, in the midst of monstrous attacks of the evil one in the world, Christ is not only with us in the battle against the tyrants of sin, death, the devil, wrath, and the law, but that he has the final victory. The author seems to want, from the outset of the greeting of his letter, to demonstrate that this is ultimately a book about Christ and his cross. Specifically, in what way a crucified God does what no temporary earthly ruler ever has: he establishes a new kingdom of grace and peace. Christ establishes this new kingdom, not through earthly politics, a voting populous, military might, or even the spread of democracy in the world. Rather Christ establishes his kingdom, the new Jerusalem, heaven itself, in that he has “freed us from our sins by his blood” (verse 5). While earthly freedom paves the way for human progress, leading more and more into the arena where we engage in activities our hearts desire, Christ arrives to snatch us out of our idolatry and bring us into true freedom: freedom from sin and death that follows.
“Grace to you and peace,” is a new, apostolic greeting among the New Testament letters. Grace and peace are like Siamese twins: grace is the forgiveness of sins on account of Christ’s blood and peace is the joy of the quieted conscience that follows. There is no forgiveness apart from grace and without grace there is no peace for the troubled conscience. Because Christ alone issues this grace that brings the peace which passes understanding, he is the ruler over all kings of earth.
From time to time, the world can bring peace in a limited fashion: peace to property and community, to lands, and to the body. In this way there is an outward appearance of peace. But when terror strikes the depths of the soul and we forget or even despair of the promises of God to us, the limited peace the world brings is not enough. The peace of the land still does not forgive and release us from our sins. Only the blood of Christ can accomplish that sort of peace. When the word of grace comes to you, “I love you. You are forgiven on account of Christ’s cross,” then we are at peace, faith is strong, and we shall bear both suffering and the cross for Christ has overcome them for your sake.
Sola Worship Resource — Weekly Devotional © 2024, Sola Publishing
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Christ the King
November 23-24, 2024
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PRESIDING MINISTER: Visiting Pastor
ASSISTING MINISTER: Larry Bonier
DEACONS: Saturday: Ed Ramthun
Sunday: Pat Foy, Everett Lambert, George Sedivec, Andy Foy
ACOLYTES: Bristol Nowicki and Grace Moritz
LECTOR: Ruth Brostowitz
CHILDREN'S MESSAGE: Angie Schatz
USHERS: Caryl Braatz and Andy Schatz
ALTAR GUILD: Norene Giuliani
GREETERS: George and Kay Sedivec, Paula Altman
FELLOWSHIP TREATS: Chet Elliott and Juanita Osowski
POWERPOINT OPERATORS:
Saturday: Jeanette Kalupa
Sunday: Sue Rowe
LIVESTREAM OPERATOR: Chris Dudzik
This weekend's hymns: "Splendor & Honor"; "How Great Is Our God"; "We Praise and Acknowledge You"
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Advent Devotionals Available | |
Two options for Advent devotionals are available on the table in the Narthex. The first Sunday of Advent is just around the corner - Sunday, December 1st.
Please feel free to pick up your copy when you're here!
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New Entry Door Policy
Church Council, along with representatives from the Brookfield Police Department, recently conducted a review of our building security. As a result of this review, the door by the nursery (Door #2) will remain locked at all times, beginning Sunday, December 1st. (This door will always be available as an exit door.)
Please use one of the other doors to enter the church.
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Altar of Remembrance
The communion of saints is a theme that runs throughout the month of November. An "Altar of Remembrance" will be in the Narthex by the Angel windows where people may bring in pictures and mementos that the tell the stories of all the saints in your lives, both living and dead.
You may bring your pictures and mementos any time throughout the month and place them on the "Altar of Remembrance" for all to see, read, enjoy and remember.
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New prayer requests or any updates to this current list should be directed to Cindy Zilske in the Church office - office@calvarylc.com
New Prayer Requests: Lisa Grossman
Ongoing short-term prayer requests: Linda Richmond; Judy Kestly; Shirley Mahn, Ka Thao; Nadine Schuelke; Pat Treutelaar; Sue Dindorf; John Schwartz; Laura Burger; Micaela (daughter of Scott and Lisa Grossman); Paul Queck (sponsor of Ka Thao); Chris Bogusch (son-in-law of Pastor Jerry and Nancy Wittmus); Nate Kreiter (friend of Rick Kegel); Bonnie Nelson (former Calvary member); Barbara Runge (friend of Jeanette Kalupa); Nancy Berth (friend of the Calvary Knitting Group); Jack Banker (brother-in-law of Mary Lau); Brian Nowak (cousin of Ernie Kretschmann's niece); Creig Moritz (brother of Bryant Moritz); Taylor (granddaughter of Lenny Graffin); Edward Hermann (son of Marilyn Hermann); Larry Larsen (brother of Kris Larsen); John Kretschmann (brother of Ernie Kretschmann); Lou Dangler (friend of Evelyn Ceci); Paul Mahn (son of Shirley Mahn); Amy Clark (friend of Megan Scott)
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.
The Hindi-speaking Yadav Hindus in India, who have limited or no access to the Gospel, with our partners at the World Mission Prayer League.
The victims of hurricane Helene.
Serving in the Military: Marshall Owen (nephew of Ken Miller serving in the U.S. Marines); ITC Agustin Juarez (son-in-law of Ken Miller serving in the U.S. Navy); 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 (grandchild of Ardath Olson serving in the U.S. Air Force); Kyle Pierce (son of Karen and Keith Pierce 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.
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: Jan Chesner; Pat Corcoran; Wayne Dieck; Jonni Roush; Sue Rowe; Jan Tschetter; Janet Zastrow
Non-members: Jean Asleson(friend of Linda Thorpe); Kathy (friend of Judy Sayas' sister); Christine (cousin of Judy Sayas); Jan Sperry (friend of Judy Sayas); Ron Parker (brother of Linda Thorpe); Lauren (granddaughter of Scott and Peggy Langelin); Dennis Reich (friend of John and Mary Lau); Curt (friend of Larry Bonier); Pastor Mark Gehrke (son of Lois Gehrke); Monica Barchus (niece of Ernie Kretschmann); Michael Rossa (Lucy Dallman's son); Karen (friend of Lydia Trudell); Tom Dallman (husband of Lucy Dallman); Laura Lynn (friend of Pastor Jerry and Nancy Wittmus)
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Pat Dieck, 11/23
Terry Bzdusek, 11/24
Bonnie Johnson, 11/26
Sarah Gall, 11/27
Diane Grundman, 12/1
Nicole Moritz, 12/1
Shelby Rose, 12/2
John Foley, 12/5
Nadine Schuelke, 12/11
Caleb Liu, 12/14
Brian Kretschmann, 12/15
Amanda Olstinski, 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 Baumgarten, 12/21
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Bill and Lenny Graffin, 11/24 (35 years)
Al and Rhonda Rodriguez, 12/23 (52 years)
Ron and Jean Holman, 12/26 (71 years)
Bob and Donna Siderits, 12/26 (64 years)
Jeremy and Nicole Nowicki, 12/28 (14 years)
Rick and Carol Treadwell, 12/29 (51 years)
Amanda and Ken Olstinski, 12/31 (3 years)
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Weekly Bible Study with Pastor Jerry Wittmus
Pastor Jerry's weekly Bible Study is held on Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. You will be studying the scripture readings for the coming weekend. Study text will be placed in the Narthex prior to the Study.
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Women's Bible Study
First and Third Tuesday of the Month
Janet Zastrow has resumed a Women's Bible Study on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. The Study is based on the book "The Battle Plan for Prayer".
"The Battle Plan for Prayer" begins with prayer’s core purpose, its Biblical design, and its impact throughout history. Participants will be guided scripturally through the fundamentals of how effective prayer works. They will be inspired towards a closer, more intimate relationship with God, while being shown how to develop specific prayer strategies for each area of life. Prayer can accomplish what a willing God can accomplish. It should be our first plan of attack in all of life’s battles, not our last resort. If you want to experience the joy of mightily answered prayer, then it’s time to engage with God at another level.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Janet Zastrow at janetzastrow@att.net.
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Care Net Pregnancy Center is a newer mission for Calvary and we are thrilled to be part of those helping to fund and spread its good work. Several of us have visited and volunteered on site and have witnessed the work of God that this group does. A representative from CareNet will be with us on Sunday to share more information on the important work they are doing.
Mission: To share the love of Christ and the hope of the Gospel with women facing an unplanned pregnancy.
Services: Pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, life-affirming options counseling, material support for mom and baby, classes and groups for pregnant and new moms and post-abortion counseling.
Last year they performed 904 pregnancy tests and 967 ultrasounds. They gave out over 60,000 diapers and met with 1,474 different women.
So far this year they have had over 160 women take classes, and each woman takes an average of about 10 classes.
Approximately 70% of women considering abortion choose life after visiting Care Net.
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To support this important Mission of the Month, you may include it in your weekly offering envelope (designate donation next to Mission of the Month) or select the donation as "Mission of the Month" in your online giving.
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Women's Book Group
Monday, December 9
12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Media Room
"The Bridge of San Luis Rey"
by Thornton Wilder
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“On Friday noon, July the twentieth, 1714, the finest bridge in all Peru broke and precipitated five travelers into the gulf below.” So begins The Bridge of San Luis Rey, one of the great achievements in American literature, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and a novel still read throughout the world.
By chance, Brother Juniper, a Franciscan monk, witnesses the tragedy. He then embarks on a six-year-long quest to determine whether it was divine intervention or happenstance that led to the deaths of the five victims–the Marquesa de Montemayor, obsessed with regaining the affections of her estranged daughter; young Pepita, a humble and lonely orphan assigned by the local Abbess to be the companion of the aging Marquesa; the grief-stricken Esteban, mourning the untimely death of his identical twin, Manuel; Uncle Pio, who has recently taken seven-year-old Jaime into his care as a way of maintaining a lost relationship with the boy’s mother, Camila, once the greatest actress of her day.
Brother Juniper’s search for answers leads him to more questions, and, ultimately, to his own death. “There are a hundred ways of wondering at circumstance,” Wilder writes, challenging the reader to question and to wonder about a story that novelist Russell Banks says in his Foreword is “as close to perfect a moral fable as we are ever likely to get in American literature.”
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Weekly Men's Breakfast
Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m.
Maxim's Restaurant
18025 W. Capitol Drive
Brookfield
All men are invited to attend!
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Monthly Men's Gathering
Fellowship Hall
Thursday, November 21
If you have any questions, please contact Ernie Kretschmann at erniekretschmann@gmail.com
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Worship Attendance and Giving | |
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 your taking the time to complete this each week. It helps us know that our Live Stream is being viewed.
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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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Your 2024 Board of Deacons
Front row (l-r) Lenny Graffin, Sue Rowe, Darlene Louison, Joanne Schultz, George Sedivec
Back row (l-r); Ed Ramthun, Judy Kestly, Andy Foy, Pat Foy, Ruth Brostowitz and Bill Graffin. Not pictured: Everett Lambert
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Your 2024 Church Council
Front row (l-r) Joanne Schultz, Peggy Langelin, Jan Lukasik
Back row (l-r); Ernie Kretschmann, Andy Schatz, Scott Langelin, Pat Dieck, Keith Pierce Not pictured: Chris Dudzik
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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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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.
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 is posted on the bulletin board. Thank you for your support!
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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. THE CHURCH OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON THANKSGIVING, NOVEMBER 28.
Please check in with the office staff so we know that 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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