CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH
| Your Weekly E-Newsletter -- Thursday, August 24, 2023 | |
Reflection on this weekend's Scripture reading | |
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As we patiently wait for the pastor God has chosen for us, we will be featuring a devotion or other commentary on a verse or section from the readings for each weekend. Each devotion will note its source.
This weekend’s New Testament reading is from Romans. The reflection below is from "Come Boldly: Timeless Daily Encouragements on Prayer" and was written by R. A. Torrey who was an American evangelist and Bible scholar. He studied at Yale College and Seminary, and in 1889 he assumed the role of superintendent at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.
Beholding Jesus
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. - Romans 12:2
One of the most instructive and suggestive passages in the entire Bible, showing the mighty power of prayer to transform us into the likeness of our Lord Jesus Himself, is found in Second Corinthians 3:18: “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
The thought is this, that the Lord is the Sun, you and I are mirrors, and just as a mischievous boy on a bright sunshiny day will catch rays of the sun in a piece of broken looking glass and reflect them into your eyes and mine with almost blinding power, so we as mirrors, when we commune with God, catch the rays of His moral glory and reflect them out upon the world “from glory to glory.” That is, each new time we commune with Him we catch something new of His glory and reflect it out upon the world.
You remember the story of Moses. He went up into the Mount and tarried alone for forty days with God, gazing upon that ineffable glory, and caught so much of the glory in his own face that when he came down from the Mount, though he himself knew it not, his face so shone that he had to draw a veil over it to hide the blinding glory of it from his fellow Israelites.
Even so we, going up into the mount of prayer, away from the world, alone with God, and remaining long alone with God, catch the rays of his glory. When we come down to our fellow men it is not so much that our faces shine (though I do believe that sometimes even our faces shine), but our characters, with the glory that we have been beholding. And we reflect out upon the world the moral glory of God from “glory to glory,” each new time of communion with Him catching something new of His glory to reflect out upon the world.
Oh, here is the secret of becoming much like God, remaining long alone with God. If you won't stay long with Him, you won't be much like Him.
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Day of Pentecost
13th Sunday
after Pentecost
August 26-27, 2023
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PRESIDING MINISTER: Pastor Mark Knappe
ASSISTING MINISTER:Jessica Dudzik
DEACONS:
- Saturday: Pat Foy
- Sunday: Mary Ellen Thiede, Linda Thorpe, Marilyn Hermann
ACOLYTES:
- Noah Ciszewski and Xavoer Griese
CHILDREN'S MESSAGE:
USHERS:
LECTOR:
ALTAR GUILD:
GREETERS:
- Paula Altman
- Judy DeBruine
FELLOWSHIP :Pat and Carol Corcoran
FLOWERS:
- Ed and Carol Witzke in celebration of their 55th Anniversary
POWERPOINT TECH:
- Sue Rowe/Saturday
- Sue Meyer/Sunday
LIVESTREAM:
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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: Peter Vang (relative of Ka Thao)
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: Wayne Dieck; Bev Lawson; Sue Rowe; Donna Schroeder; Maxine Weisbrodt; Jan Chesner; Grace Gunnlaugsson; Edward Hermann (son of Marilyn Hermann); Becky (friend of Jane Taufner); Courtney Cook (friend of Lenny Graffin); Dennis Krupa, Nate Kreiter, Matti Beilfuss (friends of Rick Kegel); Laura Burger (Calvary member and twin sister of Linda Richmond); Ron Parker (brother of LInda Thorpe); Sharon Anderson (mother of Deron Anderson); Lou Dangler (friend of Evelyn Ceci); Andy Jacobs (friend of Evelyn Ceci); 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); Gary Zikmund (friend of George Sedivec); Tony Shemberger (father of Amy Blobaum)
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; Shirely Mahn, Nadine Schuelke; Gloria Strei; Pat Treutelaar; Janet Zastrow
Non-members: Mary (sister-in-law of Jane Taufner); Jan Janchan (friend of Jonni Roush); 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); Barb Anderson (friend of Lisa Grossman); Gareth George (cousin of Judy Sayas); 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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Marcella Nelson, 8/25
Jessica Himsel, 8/26
John Schwartz, 8/26
Sara Kalupa, 8/27
Shirley Mahn, 8/27
Jayden Day, 8/28
Kathleen Firzlaff, 8/28
Julie Matthes, 8/29
Bob Jazgar, 8/30
Jan Chesner, 8/31
Joel Richmond, 8/31
Dale Berger, 9/2
Lizzy Dudzik, 9/2
Kian Leonard, 9/2
Pat Foy, 9/3
James Ware, 9/3
Aaron Duch, 9/4
Jeanne Duch, 9/4
Grace Gunnlaugsson, 9/4
Emma Leonard, 9/4
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Ed and Carol Witzke, 8/24 (55 years)
Mark and Diane Knappe, 9/2 (34 years)
Mitch and Beth Foster, 9/7 (32 years)
Joe and Diane Grundman, 9/7 (49 years)
Dave and Carolyn Schuelke, 9/12 (31 years)
Andy and Angie Schatz, 9/23 (23 years)
John and Mary Lau, 9/27 (54 years)
Bob and Caryl Braatz, 9/30 (62 years)
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Gemutlichkeit Night!
Saturday, September 23 at 6:15 p.m.
Fellowship Hall
Calvary members who traveled to Oberammergau last September invite you to an adult-only evening of fellowship, fun and some German food, beer and wine!
Photos from their trip will be shared.
No cost to attend; however, a Free Will Offering will be accepted to offset the costs of food and beverages.
Sign up deadline is September 16 - look for the sheet on the Opportunities kiosk in the Narthex.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ruth Brostowitz.
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Backpack and
Back to School Blessing
Sunday, August 27
9:00 a.m. service
Anyone who carries/uses a backpack is invited to bring a backpack to be blessed! Please place your backpack on the altar before the worship begins.
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Please mark your calendar for our
Rally Sunday Fun Day
September 10!
We will be having a fun filled morning with our Calvary Family. There will be a meal provided and fun for all ages. The activities will begin following the 9:00 am worship service. We hope you can join us as we enjoy time together and look forward to another year of sharing God’s many gifts.
If you have any further questions, please contact the church office (262) 786-4010 or email Angie Schatz at youthdirector@calvarylc.com.
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Celebration Ringers - We are recruiting!
Several members of the bell choir took time this week to clean and polish the handbells so they are ready for the next performance in September. We are looking for several more ringers to add to our choir. You don't need a musical background, or strong music skills to successfuly play and all ages can participate.
If you're interested or want to learn more, please contact Nicole Moritz at music@calvarylc.com.
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Save the Date ... October 7 Organ Concert with James Kealey
More details to come
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School Backpack Collection for
NALC Disaster Response
Calvary will again be collecting school backpack supplies. These are distributed to families who have experienced natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and fires. The empty backpacks and lists of needed school supplies are in the narthex. If you have a gently-used backpack to fill and donate, feel free to use that as well. Filled backpacks can be placed into the plastic tubs under the tables in the narthex - please put a note on the outside of the backpack indicating ELEMENTARY or HIGH SCHOOL.
The school supply shopping list is shown below and copies are on the table in the Narthex.
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August Mission of the Month | |
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. | To learn more about Opportunity International, click HERE. | | |
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Opportunity International is helping to end extreme poverty in our lifetime. They believe that empowering individuals to work their way out of poverty and give their children a quality education is the most sustainable way to transform their lives, their families, and their communities.
Opportunity International serves 10 million hardworking families in 23 countries around the world. They have big plans for the world: A place without poverty where people can live with dignity and purpose. Their clients have ambitious dreams for their futures, but lack the opportunities needed to make those dreams a reality. They go where others won’t to give these inspiring people access to business loans, savings accounts, financial training, and community support—all which empower these entrepreneurs to work their way out of poverty and build a new sustainable future for themselves and their families.
To date, they have created or sustained more than 20 million jobs by giving entrepreneurs the tools they need to thrive. With our support, they will reach millions more clients—and those clients will change the world.
•Vision: Their vision is a world in which all people have the opportunity to achieve a life free from poverty, with dignity and purpose.
•Mission: By providing financial solutions and training, they empower people living in poverty to transform their lives, their children’s futures and their communities.
•Motivation: They respond to Jesus Christ’s call to love and serve the poor. They seek to emulate the Good Samaritan, whose compassion crossed ethnic groups and religions. They serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.
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Women's Book Group
September 11, 2023
12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Media Room
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
(Books are available in the kit in the church office.)
Looking at real estate isn’t usually a life-or-death situation, but an apartment open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. The captives include a recently retired couple who relentlessly hunt down fixer-uppers to avoid the painful truth that they can’t fix their own marriage. There’s a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else and a young couple who are about to have their first child but can’t seem to agree on anything. Add to the mix an eighty-seven-year-old woman who has lived long enough not to be afraid of someone waving a gun in her face, a flustered but still-ready-to-make-a-deal real estate agent, and a mystery man who has locked himself in the apartment’s only bathroom, and you’ve got the worst group of hostages in the world.
Each of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. And all of them - the bank robber included - desperately crave some sort of rescue. As the authorities and the media surround the premises, these reluctant allies will reveal surprising truths about themselves and set in motion a chain of events so unexpected that even they can hardly explain what happens next.
Proving once again that Backman is “a master of writing delightful, insightful, soulful, character-driven narratives” (USA Today), Anxious People “captures the messy essence of being human….It’s clever and affecting, as likely to make you laugh out loud as it is to make you cry” (The Washington Post). This “endlessly entertaining mood-booster” (Real Simple) is proof that the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope can save us - even in the most anxious of times.
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Worship Attendance/Giving and Giving Options | |
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.
For an update on the NALC's 20/20 Vision campaign, click on the link below to watch an update from Bishop Selbo. This video highlights the work we are doing, the ways in which gifts to the initiative are already being used, and the impact future gifts will have in our shared witness and mission.
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Contributions statements showing pledges and giving through July 31, 2023 were emailed to members on Wednesday, August 2. The email is from automail@360members.com. Please contact Cindy Rooks, Finance Secretary, at finance@Calvarylc.com or 262 786 4010 with any questions. | |
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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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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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Monthly Men's Gathering
Fellowship Hall
Thursday, September 21, 2023
6:00 p.m.
If you have any questions, please contact Ernie Kretschmann at erniekretschmann@gmail.com
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Who is your Deacon? Who is on our Church Council?
Who are the Call Committee members?
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Check out the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall where we have photos of the members of these ministry teams.
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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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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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Message from Pastor Jerry Wittmus
The Council's decision regarding supply preaching and congregational pastoral care is deeply appreciated. I will preside and preach the first weekend of every month, and any other time as needed. I will also be providing pastoral care, as outlined below:
- Pray for Clavary, its members, and the mission of the church.
- Call/visit members who request pastoral care, hospitlized, family death, etc.
- Consult with Visitation Committee
- Preside over Funerals, weddings, baptisms
- Attend the monthly Stephen Ministry meetings
- Provide monthly communion to Calvary members at Ruby Commons apartments
- Any other duties/responsibilities as directed by the Council.
If you have any pastoral needs, I am the pastor on call and can be reached in the following ways:
- My cell phone is (262) 818-6792 (call or text)
- My email is nanjer248@hotmail.com
- Through the Church office (262) 786-4010
My motto is "We do ministry together". With the Holy Spirit guiding us, God's work will be done and ministry will continue here at Calvary Lutheran Church. Good communication is the key as we serve and help each other.
Peace and blessings to all.
Pastor Jerry Wittmus
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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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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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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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