P a g e 1. PASTORAL REPORT Pastor Jeffery S. Schubert October 28, 2013

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4 P a g e 1 PASTORAL REPORT Pastor Jeffery S. Schubert October 28, 2013 MEMBERSHIP Baptized membership (all souls) number 2,118 as of today. Communicant membership (confirmed adults only) number 1,564. Divine Redeemer continues its trend of overall net growth as it has for the last five years. Transfers or releases of members have been due to understandable reasons (i.e. job transfers; moves; retirements, etc.) Exit interviews have not been problematic. LAPSED MEMBERS Inactive members are being sent yellow pre-addressed postcards to give them the opportunity to inform our office of their intentions regarding their membership. It is hoped that the return of these cards with their responses will help us further clean up our membership rolls by dropping those who have opted to attend other churches, but have not, as yet, informed us. NEW MINISTRIES Three (3) new ministries are ready to launch. Caring Hearts, headed up by Patti Healy, a registered nurse, is a respite ministry which will provide respite care for caretakers of loved ones with terminal or permanent debilitating diseases. Grief Share is a support group ministry for those recently bereaved, or those struggling with loss. Divorce Care, another support group ministry, will provide strength and counsel for those experiencing the break-up of their marriages. Facilitator training and materials will be provided by Divine Redeemer. MEN S MINISTRY Tuesday morning Bible Studies continue with success; special study groups around the book, Crazy Love, are being held throughout the week; February 2014 will mark the No Regrets Men s Conference, and the annual Men s Retreat in Manitowoc. In September, the annual Men s Fishing And Golf Retreat in Three Lakes, Wisconsin will again be held. WOMEN S MINSTRY The Christmas by Candlelight event brings in 200+ attendees each year. About 40% of those women are guests. The Jill Briscoe Evening was attended by 140 with about 30% guests. Six of seven Bible studies have women who are not members 15% or so. Two church-wide Servant Saturdays were organized last

5 P a g e 2 year with 80 and 120 people involved respectively. The MOCHA group has about 40% of the women who are nonmembers. (Women are bringing their neighbors!) Women s Ministry give offerings at all of their events to A Place of Refuge. Last year they gave them: $2872. Karen Lipper is striving to involve more volunteers into all activities. MARKETING - ADVERTISING The DR website is updated daily with news, information, and added features (i.e. calendar, improved mapping, all recorded sermons, photos, forms, etc.) The Guest Packets are at the printer and will be ready for distribution in the next two weeks. Our Director of Communications has also increased our presence in the Lake Country Reporter and other periodicals. Ruth Sternemann continues to do an absolutely outstanding job in her role as Director of Communications. COMMUNITY OUTREACH Halloween Introduction to DR cards were printed and distributed to all members for inclusion in children s Trick or Treat candy bags, in order to raise our visibility in all neighborhoods. Servant Saturdays (Servant Events) are being planned for 2014 to mobilize our membership in putting their faith into action. And, our Annual Operation Christmas Child Packing Party will take place in November which will be advertised and promoted throughout the entire State of Wisconsin. WORSHIP Presently, worship attendance (all total) is hovering in the upper 780 s. With the holiday season approaching, I am confident we will be within the 800 to 1000 range, with Christmas, of course, typically 1,200-1,500 in worship. Speaking of Christmas, a variety of special worship opportunities are upcoming: Thanksgiving Eve (November 27; 6:30pm); Thanksgiving Day (November 28; 9:00am); Midweek Advent Worship every Wednesday until Christmas at 6:30pm (entitled, The Bright Star of Bethlehem ); Five (5) Christmas Eve Worship Services (1pm; 3pm; 5pm, 7pm, and 9pm); Christmas Day Worship (9am); and New Year s Eve Worship at 5pm. In addition, four (4) Special Christmas Concerts will be held, directed by Ms. Heidi Graf, our Director of Music. Besides all of the above, Breakfast with the King, which will be a special breakfast Christmas presentation, including role-playing Biblical characters will be presented in the gymnasium during a meal event (Amy Bronner is the chairperson of this event.) BIBLE STUDIES All of our Bible studies, with the exception of the Bible study on Christian Stewardship, have been very well attended, with several that have requested

6 P a g e 3 additional chairs. I am encouraged by the renewed interest in the study of Scripture by our members. However, I am disappointed that only two (2) members of our congregation (Chuck Howard and Brad Baker) are presently in the Christian Stewardship Bible Study, since stewardship is one of our critical targets. It was hoped that our leadership would have attended at the very least. STRATEGIC PLAN Outreach, Stewardship, and Assimilation continue to be high priorities for your staff. Outreach is being addressed through such things as marketing, advertising, mailings, and special emphases such as the Halloween cards, visitor follow-up, direct mail, etc. Stewardship is being addressed through the Stewardship Bible Study, Commitment Sunday emphasis, letters of encouragement with the Contribution Statements and soon-to-b ed pledge cards and the Above and Beyond Close Out Event. Assimilation is being addressed through Doris Egan s office with contacts made to both new and existing members for increased involvement in all of our church and school activities. Staff continues to inform me of their persistent focus on their goals. FINANCES Contribution Statements with a letter from me have been mailed for the period ending September 30 th. While many have kept pace with their pledges to the General Budget and Above & Beyond, many others have fallen behind. My letter is one of encouragement to finish 2013 strong. SIEBERT GRANT Our Siebert Grant Request for $ 4,000 to begin a mission emphasis in our Good Book Store has been denied. We are re-evaluating our next steps relative to this venture. COMMITMENT SUNDAY November 17 th, at all services, our members will be given the opportunity to present their Annual Pledges during worship. A letter and pledge cards will be mailed to all households within the next two weeks with a reminder to have them filled out for presentation at our worship services. ABOVE AND BEYOND Mr. Jim Healy, Chair, and Mr. Dennis Doyle, Co-Chair, are heading up the Close Out Event for Above and Beyond. Their report will be given during the BOD meeting.

7 P a g e 4 ANNUAL REPORT All staff have completed their reports for the 2013 Annual Report. The auditors report will be included. The BOD needs to provide the material they would like included in the Annual Report. HOSPITALIZED, SHUT-IN, CRITICALLY ILL MINISTRY Mr. Fred Kandler (Renee Kandler s father) is critically ill and is only a short-time from going to heaven. Pastor Wenzelburger and I have split the shut-in Private Communion Calls and hospital visits 50/50 and everyone is being visited with Communion every month without fail. Please keep all of our ill members in your personal prayers. Respectfully submitted, Pastor Jeff Schubert Executive Pastor

8 Total Baptized Membership: 2118 Communicant Members: 1564 Membership Changes Oct Baptisms: None Weddings: Oct. 5th: Amy Mueller & Mark Savageau Wenzelburger Oct. 12th: Kayleigh Baird & Nicholas Kaiser Wenzelburger Oct. 26 th : Annika Mooers & Nathan Wilson Wenzelburger Members Received by LCMS Transfer: Bill & Priscilla Boelter from Brookfield Lutheran (Former members of Elm Grove, then attended here for many years, then transferred to B.L. and now back to D.R.) Daniel & Carolyn Deutschendorf from Beautiful Savior. Shawn & Rayna Jobe; Emma, Jackson, Matthew, Samuel & Zachary from Faith Lutheran in Georgia Rachel Seider from Emmanuel Lutheran. Members Received by Profession of Faith: Members Received by Re-Affirmation of Faith: Members Received by Adult Confirmation: Amanda Kojis (and daughter Kacy) Brenda Cole Members Removed by Transfer - Nancy (Koopman) Glatczak to Trinity Lutheran in Sheboygan. (Moved to West Bend and is attending church with her new husband as he attended Trinity all his life). - Paul Brammer to Divine Savior in Hartford. (Moved to Hartford and D.S. is closer to his home) Members Removed by Release to other Lutheran Churches: Members Removed by Release to join non-lutheran Churches: - Members Removed due to moving out of State or elsewhere in Wisconsin Members Removed by Death:

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