The Ponderings of Pastor Beth

Transcription

1 Dear Members and Friends, The Ponderings of Pastor Beth Perhaps you too have been swept up in tidying your home thanks to Marie Kondo s organizational instructions via Netflix or her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Her theory is to discard things that do not bring you joy (eliminating from your closet the scratchy sweater that never fit quite right but consumes space) and, in turn, fill your home with only things that spark joy for you (keeping the bright blue button down shirt). Nay-sayers might respond, Well, of course your home would get organized if you removed a bunch of stuff. No one needs an expert to tell them that. While that may be true, there is something magical about clearing out, discarding, letting go of what was. This truly creates space for what can be, what brings joy, what works. As we begin Lent, we have a holy season of facing our cluttered lives and prayerfully taking out what s not necessary. This is holy time of diving into the wilderness and taking only the essentials. This is a season of letting go and then hanging on only to what matters our faith in God, our relationship with the divine, and our love for others. Join us as we begin Lent on Ash Wednesday (Mar. 6). We ll gather in Fellowship Hall for a meal in solidarity with our neighbors who are hungry and homeless. We ll make ourselves sandwiches at 6 PM for dinner then worship (including ashes) then assemble 200 more sandwiches and full lunches for Guest House (Milwaukee s largest men s homeless shelter and center for resources). This will be a meaningful night of worship. All ages are welcome. Arrive/leaves as needed. This counts for service/volunteer hours if youth need them for school, etc. Blessings and peace to you and to the church as we enter Lent. Pastor Beth ( Friend me on facebook.com: Beth Abbott)

2 Who s Serving When in Worship? March 3 Opening the Church Veronica Shea Ushers Anne Frei & Kelly Hansen Communion Crew Steve & Kelly Hansen Communion Servers Jeanette Lemieux & Veronica Shea Pam Rossi Closing the Church Need Volunteer March 10 Ushers Kids Korner March 17 Ushers Fellowship Time Ray & Connie Draver Michele Sodemann Steve & Kelly Hansen Addy Bonnetti Pam Rossi Pete & Chris Maguire March 24 Ushers Lori Mierendorf & Janet Mierendorf Connie Draver Kids Korner Kathy Immel March 31 Ushers Jeanette Lemieux & Wendy R. Kelly Hansen Kids Korner Anne Frei What s Happening in Worship in March? March 3 Transfiguration Sunday Rev. Deb Howland will bring C.S. Lewis into the story of the Transfiguration when the disciples head to the mountain with Jesus and have a powerfully dreamlike, divine encounter. Feast also at the communion table in this last Sunday before Lent begins. March 6 Ash Wednesday Fellowship Hall 6-7:30 PM Simple Supper, Ashes, Sandwich/Lunch-Making for Guest House March 10 Luke 4:1-13 As we begin our Lenten journey with Jesus into the wilderness, we encounter his story of the time spent famished and tested for 40 days. He needed to rely on his core spiritual truths to withstand it all. To what do we cling in trying times? (Plus we ll collect the Noisy Offering for One Great Hour of Sharing.) March 17 Luke 13:31-35 Our lesser known scripture for today allows us to see what Jesus did in the face of fear. Even though King Herod was breathing down Jesus neck threats of ending his life (foreshadowing!), Jesus did not stop his ministry. How do we respond in the face of fear? March 24 Luke 13:1-9 We often live our lives comparing ourselves to others. How is our suffering worse or better than others? Do the troubles we have pale in comparison to others or do they stack over and above what others experience? Jesus tells a compelling story as a caution against comparison. March 31 Joshua 5:9-12 As we draw closer to Holy Week, we remember again our Christian faith runs through Jewish roots. We ll hear of the Jewish tradition of Passover and absorb its rich offerings for our Christian faith.

3 Pastor Beth s Ministry Highlights from February: Commissioning (blessing) our Board Leaders on Feb. 3, as well as the whole church, as they begin another season of serving Planning Ash Wednesday (including submitting the grant proposals to the Southeast Association s Mission Team and Kwik Trip for the bagged lunch items) and preparing for Lent Hearing the clinks of your generosity as we collected the Noisy Offering for Human Concerns Feb. 10 & the Opportunitree and Sharing Sunday Feb. 17) Super Caring Collections (in honor of the Super Bowl) for our neighbors in greater need. Thank you for the ways you love and care for our neighbors. Thank you St. Luke s UCC for your monetary donation to South Milwaukee Human Concerns. Thank you for your generous gift of $ to help defray the cost of hosting General Synod 32 in Milwaukee. Your support and commitment to the Wisconsin Conference is greatly appreciated. March s First Sunday Our Hungry Neighbors After children s time on Mar. 3, our young disciples can participate in fun, Biblethemed activities in Fellowship Hall. They return for communion. Praise Dance Practices Our 2-12 year-olds are preparing a praise dance for Easter Sunday! Practices are every Sunday following worship/sunday School until Apr. 14. All practices conclude at noon. Ash Wednesday Wed. Mar. 6 Fellowship Hall 6 PM Assemble 200 sandwiches* for Guest House Milwaukee s largest men s homeless shelter & center for resources Plus assemble & eat a Simple Dinner* of a sandwich, chips, drink, etc. to be in solidarity with our neighbors who are hungry and homeless. Brief Worship (including Ashes) Assemble 200 bag lunches* for Guest House likely until 7:30 PM This will be a meaningful night of worship & service. All ages are welcome. Arrive/leaves as needed. This counts for service/volunteer hours if youth need them for school, etc. *Everything will be provided that night through our Mission Grant from the Southeast Association of the WI Conference (UCC) & Kwik Trip s bread donation.

4 A Super Caring Collection! Thank you for all the ways throughout February that you have responded to our Opportunitree collection for Human Concerns desperately needed items: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, Q-tips, shaving cream, toothpaste, cleaning supplies, paper towel, etc. If you haven t yet returned your items, feel free to do that at any time. A special thanks to Kelly Van Dam and Kelly Hansen for coordinating this. More Than We Can Imagine Our global offering for One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS), collected on Sun., Mar. 31, will transform lives throughout the world. Our special UCC offering supports our mission partners in more than 70 countries. Through your generosity, these partners help fund development projects, feed victims of famine, provide services for displaced people, and respond to natural disasters. Will you give to OGHS? Last year we collected $465! Let s do that again! OGHS envelopes will be available in the narthex on Sun. Mar. 24 and inserted in your bulletin Mar. 31. Our Noisy Offering on Mar. 10 (combined with January s) will benefit this collection too. Thank you in advance for your generosity! Spring Craft/Vendor Fair! Sat. Apr. 10 AM- 2 PM Suicide Prevention & Awareness Event Thurs. March PM South Milwaukee Administration Building th Ave., South Milwaukee, WI Learn to recognize the risk factors and warning signs associated with suicidal thoughts and how to offer hope and help. Free and open to the public. Presented by the South Milwaukee Health Department and Prevent Suicide Greater Milwaukee Registration not required to attend event. Sharing Sunday: Mar. 17 (third Sunday of each month) Suggested Items: Breakfast Foods (oatmeal, cereal, granola bars, etc.) Your donations will be collected during children s time and shared with our neighbors in greater need through Human Concerns. Thank you for your generosity! What s Ahead for Sunday School: March 10 March 17 March 24 Palm Sunday Last Supper In the Garden/Prayer

5 Serve Breakfast at the Gathering Wednesday, March 27th This will be our 8 th year serving a meal at the Gathering which last year moved to St. Ben's on 9th and State. It's a roughly 4 hour commitment and I could use your help. We like to bring 8-10 of us to help. More info will follow and a sign-up sheet will be in the Narthax. Any questions, please contact Ron Petrus. Our Church to Offer Safe Space for Healing Nar-Anon will begin meeting in our building every Thursday 6-8 PM starting March 7. This is a 12-step support group for families and friends of addicts (not the addicts themselves). Any adult is invited to take part. A free will offering is collected. Meetings allow attendees to share, to the extend they desire, about what they are going through in facing their loved one s addiction, the impact it has had on their own life, and resources for coping. May the use of our building for this support group truly be an extension of our ministry of healing. Financial Report for January 2019 Balance as of 12/31/18 3, Receipts 5, Endowment Checks 3, Total Receipts 8, Expenses for January 12, Balance as of 1/31/19 (491.40) Free Community Meal for South Milwaukee Residents seeking or needing a hot meal and fellowship First Congregational Church United Church of Christ 1111 N. Chicago Ave. South Milwaukee The 3rd Thursday of each month: March :30 PM Please enter through the parking lot door Sponsored by city religious communities, civic agencies and private businesses. Our Monthly Potbelly s Fundraiser Our 3rd Tues. of the month fundraiser at Potbelly s in Oak Creek (in strip mall between Chick-fil-A & Five Guys) from 5-8 PM continues Tuesday, March 19. Show a paper voucher (see table in narthex every Sunday prior), our facebook page Potbelly s post from your phone, the voucher posted on our website, or at least mention St. Luke s. Encourage friends to join us the tasty fundraiser! March s Board Meeting: Wednesday, Mar. 13 6:30 PM

6 It s Time to Think About Camp! Camp is not just for kids. There are Grandparent & Me, Mom & Me, cooking, and many more themed weekends and weeks scheduled at our two UCC camps (Pilgrim Center near Ripon and Moon Beach between Eagle River and St. Germain). Camp is rejuvenating and spiritually uplifting. See ucci.org for more info. Like Our Facebook Page! Find St. Luke s United Church of Christ (see picture with communion cup) and check in when you re worshipping! Join us and invite friends to follow us. Do You Have an Idea to Share? A Question? A Concern? Contact a Board Member: Brad Uelmen (President), Amy Wheelock-Brodzik (Vice President), Kaye Povlich (Treasurer), Veronica Shea (Financial Secretary), Pam Rossi (Secretary) Kathy Immel (Building & Grounds), Kelly Hansen (Christian Education) Or a Pastoral Relations Committee Member: Janet Mierendorf, Michael Osborne, Ron Petrus, or Jilloyn Sodemann Boy Scouts Fundraisers! Boy Scout troop Spring popcorn fundraiser. Orders can be placed from March 1 to April 1, orders to be delivered in April. Please see the order form on the bulletin board in the hall or contact Scoutmaster Mike Rolefson by texting or calling Cousins Subs Donation Night for Boy Scout Troop 252 being held at the Howell and Rawson Avenues. Thursday, March 7 from 4-8pm. The troop will be receiving 10% of all sales. If you have a daughter, granddaughter, or know any girls aged that might be interested in joining a Scouts BSA girl troop, please call or text Scoutmaster Mike Rolefson at There are specific age/school grade joining requirements for youth under 11 years old. Church Contacts: Pastor Beth s Office Hours: Tues., Thurs., Fri. 9 AM Noon Church: (414) Website: stlukesucc.us Pastor Beth s stlukesuccpastor1@gmail.com Pastor Beth s cell (920) Office Administrator Jennifer s stlukesuccoffice@gmail.com