The Fifth Sunday of Easter

April 28, 2024

Evangelism Lessons

“Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” That quote is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. You may have heard that before and it certainly sounds nice. It is not, however, something St. Francis ever said. (See THIS ARTICLE for a more extensive discussion.)

The statement is also misleading and overlooks some basic teachings of the Bible. It is absolutely true that our actions should match what we say, but actions alone don’t “preach the Gospel.” The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a message, and a message uses words in one way or another.

As we continue to make our way through Acts during this Easter season, Sunday we come to Acts 8:26-40. These verses tell us of an encounter between Philip (not the apostle, but the deacon/evangelist – see Acts 6:5-6 and Acts 21:8-9) and an Ethiopian court official.

This encounter has twists and turns that we can’t fully explain. This is a significant event because this man was the first Gentile convert to Christianity and the first African convert to Christianity. Why the Ethiopian was worshipping in Jerusalem and what happened to him when he returned home, we are not told. What we are told does provide some important lessons for how we share the Gospel.

One of those lessons is use words. Philip used words: “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.” - Acts 8:35 Listening is important; caring in tangible ways is important; being open to people and the nudge of the Holy Spirit is important. But sometimes you need to, like Philip, open your mouth.

There is much more in this text and I’m looking forward to digging into it with you tomorrow.

In Christ,

Pastor Dan Czaplewski

For those at in-person worship:

If you would like someone to walk you to your

car after services, please tell an usher.

Altar Flowers

The Altar flowers are given to the glory of God by Joyce Kaestner in memory of sainted family members.

The 2024 Flower Chart Is posted in the elevator lobby.

Sign up!

Adult Bible Class resumes tomorrow,

as Pastor Czaplewski continues a study of the

book of Philippians.

No videos this time, so bring your Bibles

or use one of ours!

WORSHIP ATTENDANCE

April 14, 2024

9:00 a.m. - Worship Service -71

Youth - 22

April 21, 2024

9:00 a.m. - Worship Service - 55

Youth - 20

Changes Coming to

East Parking Lot/Playground

The school is no longer able to use the playground on 53rd Street that is in front of the classroom building. They are using the east playground (or parking lot) for their afternoon recess. In order to provide a safe area, fencing will be installed in a week or two. This will mean that the area will not be available for parking on school days. We will open it up for parking on Sundays and for evening events.

Mount Calvary Community Development Corporation

Fundraising Gala

Thursday, May 2, 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Tickets Now on Sale

Click HERE

OR Jason Crayton will be selling tickets after church on Sunday. Deadline is Monday, April 29th

In 2025 Mount Calvary will mark our 100th anniversary. We are already at work putting together a year-long celebration of our centennial. Our theme for this celebration is Forward in Hope. Dr. Larry Sohn has combed our archives and put together a kind of "This Week in Mount Calvary's History" feature for the e-news. Below is the next installment for this series that will run throughout 2024.

May 5, 1964

Northwest playground is regraded and resurfaced with cement.

In an effort to strengthen family bonds and instill lasting values, the South Wisconsin District’s upcoming Family Life Conference under the theme “Passing on the Faith” aims to provide attendees with invaluable insights and resources. 

Scheduled to take place on June 8, 2024, at Concordia University Wisconsin, the conference will feature keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Todd Biermann and several break-out sessions covering a wide range of topics relevant to family life and faith, toward equipping families with the tools needed to navigate life's challenges while staying grounded in their faith. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, or guardian, this event offers a unique opportunity to connect with fellow believers and reaffirm your commitment to fostering a strong faith-based foundation within your family. 

Learn more about the conference and register to attend at www.swd.lcms.org/FLC before May 20.

(The conference fee is $5.00 a person; but church and school groups are invited to take advantage of a group discount, so please be prepared to enter the name and email address of each registrant.)

For more information and questions, contact: Karen Rayner, Administrative Assistant to Rev. Dr. John C. Wille (District President) at 414.464.8100.

Mount Calvary Lutheran Church

2862 N. 53rd Street, Milwaukee, WI 53210 | 414.873.3931 | www.mtcalvary-mke.org