Spirit! March Pleasant. In this Issue. Blessed to Welcome, Worship and Serve. Worship Times: Coffee Fellowship Sundays: 9:30 10:00 a.m.

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1 Pleasant Spirit! March 2015 Blessed to Welcome, Worship and Serve In this Issue From the Pastor Worship & Education.4 Lent at MPLC.5 Music News 7 Sunday School News 8 4 th & 5 th Grade News..7 Confirmation...8 Middle School News...8 High School News..8 Social Ministry...10 Fun & Fellowship..17 Church News.19 Staff & Council.22 MPLC Birthdays...23 Worship Times: Weekly Saturday: Sunday: 5 p.m. 7:15 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Wednesdays during Lent 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Coffee Fellowship Sundays: 9:30 10:00 a.m. Church Office Hours: Monday Thursday: 9 a.m. 3 p.m. Friday: 8:30 a.m. 1 p.m. Other times by appointment; call the church office at Our Website Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church eranchurch

2 March 2015 Page 2 From Pastor Dave Welcoming How important is it to be welcomed? When I see a visitor in our congregation it is my goal to treat them as a valued guest. I say simply: Welcome, it is good to have you here today. Thank you for coming. If they want to talk more, I ll go farther. I am Pastor Dave, and we will go from there. The key is to be genuinely welcoming and allow it to grow from there. We are so glad you are here. Worship with us. Commune with us. Have some coffee. We want to get to know you! I have read countless times that the main factor in people joining a congregation is that they feel welcomed. This is important for all age groups but especially for young families with young children. Our congregation does a marvelous job of welcoming young families. Often parents are concerned about their children s behavior and sometimes they apologize to me. I tell them: There is nothing happier than the sounds of small children. Without small children, we are over. The sound of small children is the greatest joy it is life itself. It all comes back to that single word: Welcoming. This past year, the members of our congregation s Evangelism Committee have changed their name to the Welcoming Committee. Our recent new member class, where we received twenty-seven new members, underlined what a good decision this was. It is my experience with this new member class that has me reflecting on the nature of welcoming. At the last new member orientation, I heard new member after new member state that the reason they were joining Mount Pleasant is because our congregation is Welcoming. They used the word welcome, over and over. Welcoming in the name of Christ is Evangelism. The people joining our congregation talked about how people they did not know welcomed them, invited them to coffee hour, or gave them a tour of the building. When you welcome a person, you do not know that with your kindness and your invitation, you are helping to bring people into this faith family,

3 March 2015 Page 3 and some of those people are committing to be part of the fellowship of Jesus Christ for the first time. We welcome best by sharing what we love about our congregation, about what is important to you. As you continue to do this, the Lord will continue to add to our numbers. I found myself saying this to someone yesterday: I absolutely love our congregation, I love its people, I love its mission. This is a great church. That s the good news we d like to share, it is good news that builds up. It is good news that is welcoming. One of these days when you walk through the doors of MPLC in the narthex you will notice some new signs. Hanging over the Welcome Center will be the word: Welcome. As you go into the sanctuary up the ramps will be the word: Worship. Over the sign-up and volunteer tables with be the word: Serve. Our Mission Statement is Blessed to Welcome, Worship and Serve. These are not merely nice ideas; this is a reality at Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church. It envelops you when you walk in the door. May you all be enveloped in the love that is here and welcome others to share it. Blessed to be in a Congregation that Welcomes, Pastor David L. Echelbarger The Annual Congregation Meeting was held January following the 11:00 worship service. This year we did not have a lunch preceding the meeting and so far the feedback we have received is that it was a welcome change to move directly into the meeting. The congregation heard various reports. Pastor Dave highlighted some of the missions and future directions our congregation will take in the future. Secretary Rebbeca Cairns told of some of the new office initiatives they are planning for the future as well, including new Time and Talent Drives. The following people were elected to three year terms on the congregation council: Gary Francis, Karen Kromm and Chris Ryshkus. The following people were elected to two year terms on the nominating committee: Becky Arndt, Chesterlyn Kelsey and Sue Weishoff. The 2015 budget was approved.

4 March 2015 Page 4 Tuesday Bible Study will Resume after Easter Pastor Dave will be finishing up the Bible Study Class: The Resurrection of the Son of God. Be sure to check the bulletin, the April newsletter, or call or the church office or Pastor Dave for the exact start date. Times will be as usual: 10 to 11:30 a.m., and repeated again from 6:30 8 p.m. Adult Education with Pastor Dave Sundays, 10 10:35 a.m. in Fellowship Hall Renewing Our Faith Continues The Theme of our 2014/15 program year is Renew! One of the best ways to renew is to look at basics. Foundations are the most important part of our homes. If something is wrong there, it impacts everything. Chances are most of us have added on to our understanding of faith through the years in ways which may or may not have been helpful. What really is the essence of how we understand what it means to be a child of God? What does it mean to be a member of the church? What is the incarnation about really? What does the resurrection of Jesus mean for my daily life? What are the Spiritual Gifts and why are they important? What is Baptism? What is Holy Communion? What does it mean to converse with God? This is a chance to renew foundations. Join us. Led by Pastor Dave. Baptismal Class The next baptismal class will be held on Thursday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. If you would like to attend, please contact the church office to sign-up. Next Healing Service is Tuesday, March 24 at 5:45 p.m. Our healing service is intended for any who suffer from infirmities of body, mind or spirit. The service includes an opportunity for prayer, scripture, hymns, and anointing for the person attending or on behalf of another. The service is held once, every other month.

5 March 2015 Page 5 Brave Questions A Lenten Sermon Series Do you ever have a question? Do you wonder if it s ok to ask THAT question in church? Sometimes it takes courage to ask a question, you need to be brave. That s where our Sunday sermon series, Brave Questions comes from. We will begin on Ash Wednesday with Is it ok to doubt? / Can I ask questions? The series will continue through Easter Sunday see schedule below. If you have an additional brave question, be sure to ask one of the pastors. We d be glad to think it over with you. Pastor Christine Saturday/Sunday, February 21/22 Does God Tempt Me? Saturday/Sunday February 28/March1 Is God calling me? Saturday/Sunday March 7/8 Am I really forgiven? Saturday/Sunday March 14/15 Is there Grace enough for me? Saturday/Sunday March 21/22 Do I really need the church? ( Can I be spiritual but not religious? ) Saturday/Sunday March 28/29 Palm Sunday Blessing of the Palms Thursday, April 2, 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday: Jesus answers our question: Is God Real? Good Friday, April 3, 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. My God, My God, why have you Forsaken me? Easter Sunday, April 5, 7, 9:15 and 11 a.m. Why do you seek the living among the dead?

6 March 2015 Page 6 Lenten Midweek Services and Potlucks God s Grace renews us daily often in surprising, unexpected or even ordinary ways. Come hear the faith stories of people who have been renewed by God s Grace, during our midweek Lenten Services, at both 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. February 25 ~ Bishop Jeff Barrow, A Bishop s Faith Story March 4 ~ Alex & Krystyna Sarrazin, Our Story in Spoken Word March 11 ~ Bill Mahnke, Three Defining Moments March 18 ~ Jennifer Gonzalez, Loss, Grief, Grace March 25 ~ Pastor Krista Zimmerman, The Winding Way There will be a potluck meal preceding each of the Wednesday Lenten services, starting at 5:30 p.m. The main dish and beverages will be provided, please bring a dish to share for the potlucks. Running short on time? Feel free to stop at the deli! Each week there will be a clean-up host group who makes our dinners possible. Please remember to thank our volunteers! Here s the main dish line-up for our potlucks: February 25 Soup and Bread March 4 Taco Bar March 11 Pasta Bar March 18 Baked Potato Bar March 25 Fried Chicken from The Farm HELP NEEDED! We need lots of hands to make these meals happen! Can you help? We need volunteers each Wednesday, at the following times: at 10 a.m. to set the tables in fellowship hall, at 5 p.m. to help get the meal out, and at 6 p.m. to help clean up. All work will be completed in time for worship at 6:30 p.m. Please see the sign up sheet in the narthex. Thank you!

7 March 2015 Page 7 Men s Lenten Bible Study Breakfasts February 28, March 7, 14, a.m., Fellowship Hall Men's Bible Study Breakfast returns for four Saturdays during Lent. Pastor Dave will provide devotions and a brief study. In this year of "Renew", Renew your faith understanding and your fellowship connections. Pastor Dave's specialty coffee and a wonderful breakfast will be served. Kitchen helpers needed. Please sign up in the narthex. Brave Women Around the Cross An Event for Women Sunday, March 15, 6:30 8 p.m. Come to share this time to learn more about the brave women who surrounded Jesus, to pray and worship together and to encourage and enjoy one another. Sign up in the narthex. The Cherub and Messenger Choirs have both concluded for the season, and will return again in the fall. A big thank you to Cherub choir director Kim Haigh, and to Messenger choir Director, Stephanie Mitchell, for another fabulous year of making special music with the children of MPLC! Senior Choir: All voices are welcome to join the MPLC senior choir at any time! Senior Choir rehearsals take place each Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. (7:30 p.m. during Lent). The senior choir is directed by Director, Dr. Eduardo Garcia-Novelli.

8 March 2015 Page 8 SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS Save the Date For VBS 2015! August 3 7, 9 a.m. Noon at MPLC God s Love is Out of this world! 4 th & 5 th GRADE NEWS 4 th & 5 th Grade Retreat at Lutherdale, April Join Pastor Krista April for a great time at Lutherdale Bible Camp in Elkhorn, Wi. Cost is $70. Sign up in the narthex! See Pastor Krista with any questions. CONFIRMATION NEWS Confirmation class is now over for the school year. Thank you so much to everyone who helped make it a great year! Don't forget to get the rest of your Worship Response Forms and Service/Fellowship Connections in! If you're interested in being a small group guide next year, please let Pastor Krista know!

9 March 2015 Page 9 MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS Bake Sale! On the weekend of February 28 and March 1, Middle School Youth will be hosting a bake sale to raise funds for Youth Quake on March 20-22! Please support them! Middle School Minute to Win It Night Friday, March 27, 6 9 p.m. Come play fun games with us like those seen on the TV show- Minute to Win It! Compete in funny games where you have to pick up rice with chop sticks, toss cards into a watermelon, stack plastic cups as high as you can and do relay based races! Dinner included! See Pastor Krista with any questions. Sign up in the narthex. HIGH SCHOOL NEWS High School youth will be serving at the Our Savior's Community Meal on Sunday, March 15. Youth, please sign up to volunteer and bring food in the narthex. See more information on the meal on page 9. Calling all Easter Breakfast Volunteers! We're looking for youth in 4 th 12 th grade AND their families to help us with Easter breakfast! Money collected at the breakfast will be divided between all volunteers to go toward Lutherdale this summer (any age) or The National Youth Gathering in Detroit! See Pastor Krista if you are interested in helping!

10 March 2015 Page 10 SOCIAL MINISTRY at MPLC Our Savior s Lutheran Church Community Meal Our Savior s Lutheran Church Sunday, March 15 Please consider helping others in our community by volunteering to prepare food and/or serve at the March 15 community meal at Our Savior s Lutheran Church, 2219 Washington Ave. Our Savior s serves a meal each Sunday evening, with a different area church helping out each week. Serving takes about two hours - servers need to arrive at Our Savior s by 4:30 p.m. Donations of food can be left in our church kitchen by 3:00 p.m. (please make sure you mark them for Our Savior s), or hot dishes can be dropped off at Our Savior s Church (2219 Washington Ave.), at 4:30 p.m. Don t cook? Easy donations include: * A bucket of fried chicken * A hot entrée from Sam s Club * Heated pizzas * Bagged salad/bottled dressing * Coleslaw or potato salad * 1-3 gallons of milk * Cut up fresh vegetables or fruit * Ready-made lasagna Sign up in the narthex if you can help serve or donate food. If you have any questions, please contact MPLC community meal coordinators, Mike and JoAnn Brown at or michael_and_jo_ann_brown@yahoo.com St. Patrick s Community Meal Thursday, March 19 Come to help prepare food for more than 150 people right here in the MPLC kitchen starting at NOON. We need help to chop, grate, mix, cook and clean up. Bring along a cake for dessert to go with the meal, which will be served at St. Patrick s Church later that evening. To help serve, meet Burt Blomgren here at church at 4:30 p.m. Call Burt with any questions at

11 March 2015 Page 11 Hospitality Center St. Luke s Episcopal Church, 614 Main Street A gracious thank you to all at Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church who donated more than 300 items of winter clothing to be distributed to those at the Hospitality Center! So how can you participate in this amazing ministry? 1. The next first Saturday brunch at St. Luke's will be Saturday, March 7. You are invited to come for brunch (and help). Please Sign up in the narthex to volunteer, to bake or to donate other food items. 2. Overnight Shelter during the Frigid Season: Two volunteers are paired each night as hosts for those seeking overnight accommodations at St. Luke s. If interested, Contact Rev. Kevin Stewart, at clerickevin@me.com 3. Or join with other community leaders to develop a long-term response to this need. Thanks! Nancy Eggert - njeggert@gmail.com ( ). Wine Tasting Thank You! Thanks to the congregation for your generous support of our sister congregation, Cristo Salvador in Argentina. Fun was had by all who attended the Wine Tasting and Small Plate Event at Uncorkt! on Friday, January 30. Thanks also to everyone who bought raffle basket tickets and to those who supplied the raffle baskets. We raised $1100 to benefit Cristo Salvador through the Wine Tasting event. Relay for Life Racine ~ 2015 SAVE THE DATE June 12 13, 2015 We are returning to the Racine Relay for Life this year, which is held at the Racine Zoo. Sign up in the narthex to be part of the MPLC Relay for Life Team!

12 March 2015 Page 12 Environmental Stewardship Articles: For many years, John Berge of MPLC s Environmental Stewardship Committee has written a monthly column focusing on issues relating to caring for God s earth, in terms of public policy options and personal ways we can aid in keeping the gift of God s creation sustainable. The Committee meets with a consortium of other Racine Churches quarterly to discuss ways to creatively leave a life filled creation to our children. Pastor Dave Environmental Stewardship by John Berge Not too long ago, at least in geological terms, it was generally believed that the world was only about 6,000 years old and that all the animals and plants in the world were created then and still existed. Since then, the evidence has become overwhelming that our earth is about 4.5 billion years old and that the first life on this earth showed up around 3.85 billion years ago, just a short time (relatively) since the earth cooled enough to have a solid surface 3.9 billion years ago. My apologies to those who accept the Genesis narratives as literal and the Bible as a scientific text. For me, an infinite and eternal God would have no problem with this change of scale and interpretation. Life was just single-celled organisms for the first 2 billion years, but they changed this world for ever. Blue-green algae found a new and more efficient photosynthesis process, taking the light of the sun and the CO 2 of the atmosphere to gain an improved source of energy, spewing out the waste product, oxygen. This was toxic to most of the other organisms, but obviously was a necessary first step for the eventual arrival of animals, including us. The oxygen also removed most of the iron from the oceans and the methane from the atmosphere, allowing the world to cool off and form the first ice age. The tree of life was changed forever. Stephen Porder (PhD in ecology), in an excellent article in the November 2014 Natural History magazine, called these algae World Changers 1.0, the first of three.

13 March 2015 Page 13 World Changers 2.0 were the plants that crept out of the sea and slowly brought life to the land about 450 million years ago. The impact on the world was slow, but land plants had greater access to the sun s energy and rock-derived nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium. By 350 million years ago, forests proliferated. What was once only rock and blowing sand now had rich and abundant soil. The land plants absorbed CO 2 ; its concentration dropped tenfold and another ice-age ensued. The trees became the victims of their own success. Which leads us to the World Changers 3.0, humans. The huge and many varieties of pre-historic creatures, the dinosaurs, mammoths, mastodons and giant insects had little effect on the chemistry of the earth. But our success stems from the discovery of a new source of energy fossil fuels and the harnessing of that energy to get nutrients to feed a rapidly growing and spreading population. We release CO 2 and nitrogen compounds into the atmosphere as waste products and so cause climate change and global warming. To change the world we have borrowed techniques from our two previous world changers in ways we seldom recognize, and which are more complicated chemistry than I can go into here, but there are ways we can reduce the amount of those wastes that we pour out into our air, water and land. The environmental stewardship suggestions I have included in these columns over the years are still valid, but we also recognize that much of what happens to our environment is caused by actions of governments and businesses, seemingly beyond our control. Some municipalities have adopted a program called The Natural Step. On the evening of April 30, at the Golden Rondelle Theater, Karl van Lith will give a presentation entitled How to Become an Eco-Municipality. He is the trainer and consultant for The Natural Step in Madison which has already seen major gains in energy and cost savings. Make your reservations at the Rondelle for this important presentation. The program is co-sponsored by Johnson Wax, Racine Green Congregations and numerous other environmental organizations. ###

14 March 2015 Page 14 Our Congregation in Mission Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church is making a difference in our community and around the world through the contributions it makes in the lives of others. Some of these contributions fund projects that greatly improve the quality of people s lives. Some of our gifts go for disaster relief or the funding of missions around the world. Other contributions are made through the volunteer activity of our members in the community. Look for this regularly appearing emphasis: Our Congregation in Mission, on our web page, or in our newsletter and see the multi-dimensional mission that you help make possible through Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church. World Water Day is March 22 In biblical times, water was a mixed blessing at best. Necessary for life, and often seen as a blessing, it was also associated with chaos and death. The waters of the flood were both promise and destruction. The Red Sea was a symbol of both liberation and death. In Nicaragua where Lutheran World Relief works, water can also be a mixed blessing. The water is swimming with life, but it is far from life-giving. Parasites, bacteria and other microorganisms lurk in the waters, causing a multitude of illnesses. Children, whose bodies lack the resistance of their elders, are especially vulnerable. For them, drinking this living water can be the beginning of a downward spiral that includes malnutrition, school absences and sometimes even death. Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with 78% of the population living on less than $2 per day. In this region many people lack access to safe water and sanitation facilities. That creates an economic burden on families in terms of increased health costs (from going to the doctor after becoming sick from unsafe drinking water) as well as lost

15 March 2015 Page 15 productivity - sick time that could have been spent working or going to school. Our support helps Lutheran World Relief reach people in Nicaragua with things like latrines, water storage facilities and training on good sanitation and hygiene practices. Together, we are not only extending God's gift of water to people who need it, but empowering communities with information they can use to stay healthy for a long time to come. This year on the weekend of March 21 and 22, our noisy offering will again go to the Lutheran World Relief water project in Nicaragua. Please be generous toward this worthy project. Tom Waldoch, Social Ministry Team The next Noisy Offering will be March 21 and 22, to benefit a Lutheran World Relief Water Project. Keep saving your change! If you d like an UGLY WATER BOTTLE to use for saving change, they are available in the narthex on the sign up table The High School Youth Group Wants Your Aluminum Cans! We ve received another $41 for the 75 pounds of aluminum cans that were donated to our youth group for the 2015 Summer Trip to the ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit. (Our Super Grand Total is over $2,453!) Please remember to bring in your bagged empty aluminum soda cans and put them by the soda machine in Fellowship Hall. It is a simple way to raise lots of money for the high school summer trips, and care for creation all at the same time. BUT..Please make sure there is NO GARBAGE in the bags. Also Please do NOT include any other type aluminum (aluminum foil, aluminum pie tins, etc.) or other recycling (plastic bottles, glass, paper, etc.) as the recycling center will not accept our bags if those items are included. Thank you!

16 March 2015 Page 16 Mitten Tree Our Mitten Tree is located in fellowship hall, just as you enter down the main ramp. Our tree has been very active this winter! Thank you to all those who have made and donated mittens, hats and scarves! Please take the items and give them to children in need. Hunger Never Takes a Vacation Thanks to everyone who remembers the food pantry when they shop for their own families. Holy Communion Food Pantry is asking for the following items in March. March 1- toilet paper, bar soap March 8-15 oz corn, 15 oz pears March oz. fruit cocktail, 15 oz canned pasta with meat March 22 - cereal, saltines March 29 - Tuna, 15 oz. pork & beans Campbell s Labels/Box Tops for Education Please save Campbell labels and box tops to help West Ridge Elementary School! For a complete list of eligible items, visit Place labels and/or box tops in the boxes at the welcome center in the narthex. MPLC SCRIP make mission happen As Pastor Dave likes to say You re going to spend the money anyway: Make Mission Happen! Scrip is Blooming for Spring! As we prepare to welcome spring and Renew our lives and homes, remember that Scrip also helps to Renew our mission work here at MPLC. Are there some home improvement or home organization projects on your to do list? SCRIP can help! Here s a list of some popular stores and what they pay:

17 March 2015 Page 17 Ace Hardware 4% Bed Bath & Beyond 7% Container Store 9% (ScripNow ecard option) Lowe s 4% (ScripNow ecard and Reload options) Menards 3% Target 2.5% (ScripNow ecard and ReloadNow options) The Home Depot 4% (ScripNow ecard option) WHAT IS ScripNow? It s an ecard that you can print from home shortly after a purchase using your PrestoPay account. You don t have a PrestoPay account? Please see the Scrip Team in the narthex during the educational hour on Sundays; March 1, 8 and 15, to see how easy it is - we ll even help you set up your account. The Great Lakes SCRIP program provides a very SIMPLE way to raise money for youth and adult missions here at MPLC. To participate, just buy gift cards for things you purchase every day, like groceries or gas. For each purchase, the church earns a rebate on your purchase, from that company. It s that easy! Stop by the SCRIP table in the narthex today! Thank you for your support! FUN FOOD & FELLOWSHIP Mosaic Art Project Update The Renew Mosaic tiling has begun! Check out the progress and lend a hand! The Mosaic is at the North entrance to fellowship hall and available to tile on Sunday mornings during coffee fellowship. If you are a Sunday School class that would like to help, 10:30-10:45 is set up just for you. A Sign-up will go around so one group can work on it at a time. The Mosaic will also be available on Wednesday nights during Lenten meals. Join us to make this all church mosaic part of our journey to Renew this church year!

18 March 2015 Page 18 Friday, March 6 6 p.m. Renew your spirit! We will look at Lent in different ways which will help to RENEW our spirit. Join us for crafts, including making a personal mosaic, and scavenger hunt. Dinner begins at 6 p.m., then stay for fellowship and fun! This event is for families with children ages three 5 th grade. Please sign up in the narthex. Dining Out Group Dining out is taking a trip to Ireland this month! Join us at County Clare s on Saturday, March 21 at 6 p.m. This Irish Pub is located at 1234 N. Astor Street, on the East side of Milwaukee. Sign up in narthex by Wednesday, March 18. Please indicate whether you would like to carpool from church. Save the date April 25 ~ Japenese Cooking with Michie. Please cast your vote in the narthex for what meal we should cook next. There are 4 delicious meals to choose from. Suunday, May 3 ~ Wine Glass Painting Event Saturday, April 4 Easter Egg Hunt for ages 3-3 rd grade We are re-inventing the Easter Egg Hunt for our youngest children this year. Please join our committee as we finalize details for this Egg Hunt for children 3 years old 3 rd grade. This year we will add a food drive to our event. Let us know if you would like to help! In the narthex you can sign-up to: join our committee, help stuff treat bags (this is a great service connection for confirmands), and deliver our food donations to the food pantry that day just in time for Easter. Please contact Kathy Kaesermann at Kaesermann@wi.rr.com, or , for details on this old, but improved idea!

19 March 2015 Page 19 Candy Donations Needed Can you help? Please drop off your individually wrapped candy donations in collection box marked Easter Candy in the narthex. Your donations and generosity are what makes the Easter Egg Hunt happen at MPLC. Thank you! Quilters News The quilters are busy tying quilts to be sent to Lutheran World Relief this fall. We are also working on quilts to donate to the Lutherdale Quilt Auction. We have more than 50 quilts done so far. We what to thank all of you who have donated fabric for our mission. We especially what to thank Ryan and Jamie VanDeLoo, Naomi Miller, Alice Rainwater, and Joyce Herringer for their donations of fabric. We are always glad to get fabric, so if you have fabric to donate please put it in the quilting room. We would also encourage anyone interested in joining the quilting group to please come on Thursdays, March 12 & 26 from 9 a.m. to noon. If you can tie a knot you can help put the quilts together. Any questions call Joyce Friend at or Linda Berger at Crafter s Corner The crafters group will meet again in March on Thursdays, March 5 and 19, from 9 11:30 a.m. in Mygatts Corner. Come join us as we work some awesome new projects for our sale in November! Project Night News Come to work on any project (scrapbooking, stamping, painting, stitching, organizing) in Fellowship Hall on Friday, March 13, from 6:30-11 p.m. There is plenty of space and lots of tables to work on. Come join this great group for fun and fellowship!

20 March 2015 Page 20 Flower Calendar for 2015 Have you ever wanted to provide a beautiful floral arrangement for the altar or organ? It s super easy and we d love to help you! What a great way to honor, celebrate, or remember loved ones! In the Narthex on the west pillar there is a sign up Flower Chart with instructions on How to. We would love to have an arrangement every Sunday! Any questions please contact the church office ( ). and Address Updates Please help us keep our member addresses and home addresses up to date. If you have recently changed your address, or if you have moved, please give us a call at or send an to Julie Rossman, at jrossman@mplc.us and let us know of any changes. Thank you! Church Bulletin Requests The deadline for announcements in the weekend bulletin is each Tuesday by noon. If you would like your announcement to be included please send your request to Julie Rossman jrossman@mplc.us or call Ramp Walking Workout Looking for a place to walk indoors this winter? Come walk the ramps of Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church and you ll have a good cardio workout up and down our ramps. A course map is located in the narthex, which maps out 2/10 of a mile around the church (5 times around = 1 mile). Come and bring a friend to walk any time the staff is in the office. Here, you can listen to a podcast from previous church services, look at photos of recent church events, read this newsletter and much, much more! Check it out!

21 March 2015 Page 21 March 15 If you have a submission for the April Pleasant Spirit Newsletter, please mark your calendars for Sunday, March 15. Please or drop off your articles in the church office by the end of the day on the 15th, to Julie Rossman (jrossman@mplc.us). Thank you! Our sympathy and prayers are extended to: Chuck Clausen on the death of his sister-inlaw, Ann Clausen, on January 31; and to the friends and family of Mary Orlovsky who passed away on February 6. Congratulations and best wishes to: Eric and Keri Simonich, on the January 26 birth of a son, Connor Brennan Anton Simonich. Connor joins brothers Garrett and Aiden; and to Christopher and Alexandra Dollar on the January 28 birth of a son, Christopher Joseph Dollar. Recently Hospitalized Vicki Niemczyk, Cindy Green, Cindy Skovsted

22 March 2015 Page 22 Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church 1700 S. Green Bay Road - Racine WI Phone: Fax: Website: STAFF: David Echelbarger (DEchelbarger@mplc.us)...Pastor Christine Thomas-Echelbarger (CThomasE@mplc.us)...Pastor Krista Zimmerman (kzimmerman@mplc.us)......pastor Eduardo García-Novelli (eduardo@mplc.us)... Sr. Choir Director Michael Becker (michael@mplc.us)... Organist/Accompanist Holly Hess (hhess@mplc.us)... Director of Faith & Life Stacy Mortensen(StacyKathleen.218@gmail.com)... Sunday School Director Amy Zuelke (zuelkezoo@wi.rr.com)... Parish Activities Coordinator Melissa Kane (youth@mplc.us)... VBS Coordinator Stephanie Szabo (sszabo@mplc.us)... Parish Administrator Rebecca Cairns (rcairns@mplc.us)... Secretary Julie Rossman (jrossman@mplc.us)... Publications Director Sue Cawley... Assistant Organist Josh Martin... Sexton Cindy Green.... Sexton CONGREGATION COUNCIL: Bob Kolesar ( or bobnrobk@yahoo.com)... President Casey McIntosh ( or cpmcintosh@gmail.com)... Vice President... and Social Ministry Ryan VanDeLoo ( or ryanvandeloo@gmail.com) Financial Secretary Larry Berger ( or lwlkberger@gmail.com)... Treasurer Cherise Hart ( or cherisehart@hotmail.com)...secretary Jayne Armbruster ( or jayne.armbruster@sbcglobal.net)...worship/music Gary Francis ( or garysalfran@sbcglobal.net)... Property Tim Graves ( or tgraves4883@att.net)... Youth Karen Kromm ( or karenkromm@wi.rr.com)... Education Chris Ryshkus ( or chris.ryshkus@gmail.com)... Welcome

23 March 2015 Page 23 Happy March Birthdays to the following MPLC Members! March 1 Russ Fergus Chris Nielsen March 2 Kathy Mudroch Ralph Gentile Bryan Murdoch Lori Stafford- Thomas Todd Hauge March 3 Jennifer Miller March 4 Connie Syslack Chris Christensen Brandon Boerner March 5 Gary Francis March 6 Sue Freeze Josh Johnson Jenny Maier March 7 Bob McGregor Joyce Malko Pat Jensen March 9 Kristine Shirk Sue Hess Gary Christman March 11 Maria Sell Scott Lehmkuhl Laura Hilbrink Sue Schacht Jan Abrahamson March 12 Jeanne Main March 13 Ruth Ann Miller Elaine Klandrud Scott Reske March 14 Laurel Freimuth March 15 Claranna Vytlacil Dave Brussat Ryan VanDeLoo March 16 Phyllis Fergus Janelle Schowalter Victor Mitmoen March 17 Dave Cawley Betty Moretti March 18 Pat Madsen Jeri Scott Renee Beck- Santiago Karen Tyykila March 19 Gina Godlewski March 20 Rick VanSwol March 21 Bonnie Anderson Burt Blomgren Dan Fleming Ken Flones Nicki Lyman March 22 Gary Scott Barb Welch March 23 Dale Armbruster Drew Johnson

24 March 2015 Page 24 Happy Birthday! March 24 Dave Banks Corky Nelson Barb Daanen March 25 Carrie Douglas March 26 John Finger Russ Skovsted Jamie Pfeiffer Ginna McKnight Wendy Kauten Dana Poepsel March 29 Sue Cooper Beth Jensen March 30 Kim Hintz Kathy Kusters Amy Malczewski March 31 Frank DeCesaro Janell Smith Josh Mains March 27 Lois Solberg Theresa Weiss Brittney Kisley Danielle Waterworth March 28 Gary Cooper Maxine Silvius Harold Solberg Dan Moen Heather Gehrke