Bible translator from Milwaukee returns home for medical treatment

Transcription

1 Mar./Apr IN THIS ISSUE SWD receives $100K grant to spur charitable giving page 3 Bible studies at jail nearly triple in 2007 page 3 CUW professor continues Congress race solo page 4 Have a heart supports troops Peace, Ft. Atkinson page 16 Project12Baskets auctions donations page 16 Visit our website at swd.lcms.org Madison members receive open letter from Zimbabwe A call to help one of God s Gifts My name is Gift Mudzingwa, the letter begins. I am 36 years old. I am a father of two small children Nigel, 7 years old and Vimbai, 6 years old. My wife Miriam is 28 years old. I am writing this letter on suggestion of Chido Muzorewa, who you all know as Charles. He suggested that I write to all of you for assistance and help. Charles Muzorewa is a friend of Gift and a member of Christ Memorial, Madison. Charles knows firsthand what life is like for families like Gift s. Charles father was in the same circumstance and, thanks to the grace of some missionaries in what was then Rhodesia, he was able to come to the United States to pursue higher education. Charles was born in Nashville, Tenn., while his father was studying at Scarritt College....The hardships brought on by our Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugave s oppressive Marxist/communist regime have affected all of Zimbabwe s citizens, the letter continues. The government here is structured after the Chinese and North Korean system My reason for contacting you all through Charles, with permission from Gift Mudzinbwa (right) and his family hope to come to Madison so he can study computer systems. Pastor Jeff Meyer [of Christ Memorial] is to ask you all to please help me financially to attend Madison Area Technical College (MATC) for 24 months to study IT computer systems. Zimbabwe has seen a great deal of turmoil over the last half century. The consequences of this political up- heaval have been severe. As Americans, we take pride in our right to an education. In Zimbabwe, not everyone has that right. While all children can start out in school, only those whose parents are close supporters of the government officials, or who can afford to pay bribe money, can continue their education. Christians are especially under fire by the government, and no one may speak openly about the abuse they suffer. Gift and his family do not have the right connections or the money for further (continued on page 6) South Wisconsin District LCMS 8100 West Capitol Drive Milwaukee, WI ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Bible translator from Milwaukee returns home for medical treatment Lutheran Bible Translator (LBT) Paul Schroeder is back in the United States for medical evaluation after being diagnosed with reactive arthritis. Reactive arthritis is a form of arthritis that, in addition to joints, can affect the eyes. Typically it is triggered by an infection. Schroeder was first hospitalized and treated for dysentery, sepsis, and typhoid, but when he returned to Ekumtak, his village, he found that hip pain kept him from walking. LBT missionaries Ed and Wilma Rupprecht, who have been mentoring Paul and Wendi Schroeder since their arrival last September, then drove them to the hospital in Jos, Nigeria. Jos is about an eight hour drive from their village. After monitoring his condition and evaluating the long- term effects it could have on him, Schroeder was told by the doctor to see a specialist in the United States to make sure he has proper treatment. LBT arranged for a nurse to travel with him along with his wife Wendi and sons Joshua and Moses. They will be staying with Schroeder s family in Lafayette, Ind., as he seeks treatment. The Schroeders were members of Mission of Christ, Milwaukee, at the time that they were commissioned for this ministry. Many people are able to return to regular activities within 2 to 6 months after the first symptoms appear. Schroeder and family hope to return to Nigeria as soon as possible. They have been in Nigeria for about 5 months doing orientation and learning Paul and Wendi Schroeder with sons Joshua (now two and a half) and Moses (one year). the Mbe language in preparation for translating the Bible into Mbe. Subscribe at swd.lcms.org Day care worker s death in fire spurs outpouring of support Pilgrim Child Development Center, a ministry of Pilgrim, Wauwatosa, experienced a tragedy affecting one of its child care workers. On New Year s Day, staff member Lawana Lark lost her life in an early morning fire. Lark was a 26-year-old mother of two girls, ages five and eight. Her daughters were staying with their grandfather at the time of thee fire. Efforts to raise money to support her family were immediately undertaken. Parents of children at the day care center contributed generously, as did members of the church. Proceeds from the church s Sunday Coffee Hours in January were earmarked for the effort. In total, $7,400 was raised to help pay for funeral expenses, as well as material support for the girls. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans matched the first $3,500 in gifts through its Care in Community program.

2 2 South Wisconsin News March/April 2008 THE PRESIDENT S CORNER Thorns. Thistles. Crowns. One of the traditions that many congregations have is that of hanging a crown of thorns on the Lenten Rev. John C. Wille cross. Thorns have always been an image of sin and its curse. Think back to Genesis 3. God tells Adam: Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, You must not eat of it, Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you. Before Adam and Eve sinned there was no death, and no sin. There were no thorns and no thistles. Thorns and thistles are here because of God s curse against sin. Thorns and thistles bring pain and bleeding. When God talks about thorns and thistles, he is not just talking about the actual plants. He is talking about the sting of sin, the brambles of temptation. We understand what that means. It s not only our legs and fingers that have been torn apart by thorns. Our heart and our emotions have felt the sting of temptation. Our soul and even our lives have at times been torn to shreds by the sharp edges of sin. The words of a strained relationship can be like sharp barbs of a thorn bush. Escaping temptation can be like trying to get rid of those burdock balls that stick to everything. Freeing ourselves from a guilty conscience can be as difficult as entangling as our arms and legs from the entangling vines of a briar patch. Understanding that thorns and thistles are part of God s curse upon this world in the wake of sin, we can better understand what that crown of thorns that is placed on Jesus head is about. That crown of thorns, as dreadful and as horrifying as it is, is not the brainstorm of some sadistic Roman soldier. The crown of thorns is about sinners beginning with Adam and Eve wanting to be the masters, the kings and queens of their own lives. Our Lord s head was crowned with our thorns because we wanted things our way and not God s way. His hands and feet were nailed to the cross because we wanted to be free from God s interference in our lives. We wanted to run our own way. And look at what Jesus takes upon himself because of us. The Prophet Isaiah writes, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. That is an amazing picture of our Lord s love for sinners like us. That crown of thorns is part of God the Father s judgment against our sin; and it is a measure of the Father s love for us. The King of kings wears our crown of thorns so that sin might no longer reign in our body. He is crowned with thorns so he might endure the curse of our sin. He is crowned with thorns so we might be crowned with glory and life. He is cursed for us, so that we might be blessed by God. In the suffering and death of his Son our God takes us from thistles to forgiveness. In the suffering and death of his Son our God takes us from thorns to crowns, from disgrace to glory, from death to life. Because Jesus wore our crown of thorns, St. James writes, Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. Because Jesus wore our crown of thorns, St. Paul writes to his young friend, Timothy: Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. Upcoming early childhood events Teaching the Faith workshops April 7 St. John, Random Lake April 21 Good Shepherd, East Troy May 5 Pilgrim Child Care Center, Wauwatosa Literacy festival Celebrate August 1, 2008 Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon Keynote speaker: Kathy Poelker For more information, visit the early childhood website: eccportal.net Apply now for LCEF outreach, stewardship event grants There are fifteen Lutheran Church Extension Fund outreach event grants available to South Wisconsin District organizations. Each grant is worth up to $1,000. LCEF is a nonprofit ministry of the LCMS whose fiscal year end operating results are put right back into mission and ministry. LCEF is blessed by strong investors and faithful borrowers it s a partnership that is working. All South Wisconsin District congregations, schools, and ministry organizations are eligible. The application deadline is March 15, To be considered for a grant, the organization must: Conduct a specific outreach/evangelism or stewardship/discipleship effort event designed to reach lost or encourage the body of believers to grow in their understanding of the gifts that God has given them for his purpose. This effort must be completed within one calendar year of receipt of the grant. Reflect the goals of the LCEF mission statement. Promote investment in the work of LCEF. Provide photos and a written summary of LCEF grant funded outreach event within one calendar year of receipt of the grant for promotional purposes. A completed application must be accompanied by a typed description of the congregation s specific outreach event. This narrative should describe the outreach event as well as provide reasons why your congregation should be selected as an LCEF outreach grant recipient. Call Barb Slak at (414) to request an application form, or download a copy from swd.lcms.org. Submit application to: LCEF South Wisconsin District LCMS, Attn: Barb Slak, 8100 W. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee, WI ; slak@swd.lcms.org. Completed applications must be received by March 15, Winners will be selected by April 1. Entries will be evaluated by a panel of LCEF staff and volunteers including the LCEF District promotion committee. CLASSIFIED FOR SALE: Glenview Memorial Gardens, Ixonia two burial plots in the Garden of Devotion, $600 each. Contact (989) or (989) FREE: Lowery Theater Spinet Organ, model HR-10 to anyone for the removal. Pickup in Menomonee Falls. Call Ernie Fischer (262) or Marge Kressin (262) CALLS & V A C A N C I E S CONGREGATIONS CALLING PASTORS: Brookfield Brookfield (assoc.) Milwaukee Gospel (eval.) Elkhart Lake Grace Oshkosh Good Shepherd Glenbeulah Zion Pleasant Prairie Lamb of God Hartland Divine Redeemer Plymouth St. John (eval.) Lebanon St. Peter Poy Sippi Emmaus Madison Mt. Olive (eval.) Stoughton Good Shepherd Menasha Trinity Waukesha Christ the Life Milwaukee Beautiful Savior West Bloomfield Christ (eval.) PASTORS WHO ARE CONSIDERING CALLS: Donald Johnson Sheboygan to Zion, Glenbeulah John Schmidt Racine to St. John, Hanover, IA Alexander Whitfield Canton, MI to Brookfield, Brookfield PASTORS WHO HAVE ACCEPTED CALLS: Dale Boening Royalton, MN to Trinity, Montello; St. John, Neshkoro; St. Paul, Westfield Sean Smallwood St. Matthew, Calgary, AB to Lamb of God, Pleasant Prairie Mark Wenzel Herscher, IL to Peace, Beaver Dam PASTORS WHO HAVE DECLINED CALLS: Ken Albers Merrill, WI to Grace, Elkhart Lake Peter DeMik Laurel, MD to St. Peter, Lebanon David Groth Watertown to Trinity, Menasha Aaron Koch Mt. Zion, Greenfield to St. John, Decatur, IN Timothy Steckling St. Paul, Winside, NE to Christ, West Bloomfield Jason Zobel Braidwood, IL to Christ the Life, Waukesha PASTORS RETIRING: Bryan O Connor, Christ the Life, Waukesha 1/31/08 David Wood, Chapel of the Cross, Milwaukee 1/31/08 PASTORS CALLED TO GLORY: Robert A. Schmidt (emeritus) 1/8/08 Brookfield trunk show May 31 Support SOS Center s summer youth camp On Saturday, May 31, Brookfield Lutheran (18500 W. Burleigh Rd., Brookfield) will host If Our Grandmothers Could Talk a trunk show presented by Linda Honsberger of Racine in support of the SOS Center s 2008 summer youth camp program. Honsberger, an American Quilt Society certified appraiser, will present quilts from pre-civil War to the present. Area quilters and anyone interested in supporting the youth camp are invited. Doors open at 9 a.m. for refreshments, followed by the trunk show from 9:30-11 a.m. and SOS presentation until 11:30. Free will tax deductible donations will help fund the SOS Center s youth camp. Please reserve your place by calling Barb after 5 p.m. at (920) or bak_5495@tds.net. Milwaukee s SOS Center summer youth camp gives disadvantaged youth the opportunity to have fun and learning experiences in a safe, caring environment where they are taught by Christian mentors. On the first day of camp in 2007, 140 children gathered in the building which has a licensed capacity of 142. Due to a lack of funding, the desired number of mentors could not be hired. Director Armita Harmon found it necessary to cut children 13 years and older, then children who had no reliable transportation. These children needed Christian care and nurturing as much as those who remained in the program. The camp provides supervision to many children whose parents cannot afford child care. That gives parents an opportunity to work without worrying about their children. Nutritious meals are also provided. Without the SOS camp many of these children would go hungry, wandering the streets and getting into trouble, and they would not have the mentally challenging experiences provided. Published bimonthly by the South Wisconsin District The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Volume 32, Number West Capitol Drive, Milwaukee, WI (414) In Wisconsin, (800) Fax: (414) swd@swd.lcms.org Visit our website at swd.lcms.org Production Manager... Barbara Balwinski The South Wisconsin District of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod connects, resources and equips God s people for bold witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. NEXT ISSUE: MAY/JUNE 2008 SUBMISSION DEADLINE APRIL 1 Send your news to: editor@swd.lcms.org

3 March/April 2008 South Wisconsin News 3 South Wisconsin District receives $100,000 grant to spur charitable gifting The South Wisconsin District in an effort to generate endowment and charitable gift planning recently received a $100,000 grant designed to generate thousands more in financial gifts to urban based congregations and inner city missions and ministries. Focusing on the great commission, these gifts will continue to build and uplift these congregations and support them in the work that they are doing to reach out to the lost in their neighborhoods. The grant is one of 62 awarded by the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation as part of its $4 million charitable gifting initiative program. It is our hope that this grant will strengthen the South Wisconsin District s ability to inform potential donors of various options available to them to financially support the mission work of the church, said Brad Hewitt, president of the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation. As people come alongside the South Wisconsin District with charitable gifts, they will become increasingly effective in carrying out their ministry and mission. The 2007 charitable gifting initiative grants ranged from $7,000 to $100,000. The 62 grants are expected to generate a total of more than $177.6 million in immediate or deferred monetary gifts to Lutheran institutions. Helping organizations communicate the benefits of tax-advantaged charitable giving to their potential donors is what this grant is all about, said Karen Coonen, executive Bible studies at House of Correction nearly triple in 2007 If studying the Bible is a resolution you made for 2008, consider this challenge: can you triple your study time this year? That is just what the prison population at the Milwaukee County House of Correction (HOC) did in The number of Bible studies completed almost tripled from 2006 to Surprisingly, one of the most important and popular activities at the Milwaukee County House of Correction in Franklin is Bible study, reports South Wisconsin District Chaplain Gary Ruckman. A Bible is available to every inmate at the HOC, and the Bible study series that they use are available from Wisconsin Lutheran Institutional Ministries (WLIM). The process involves calling a prisoner down to the chapel to receive the study, calling him back when it is completed, grading tests, printing a certificate, and giving an award Bible for doing a set of 17 Bible studies. Since the Bible studies average 50 to 70 pages in length, that is over 1400 pages completed! Ruckman also leads Bible studies with men who are study leaders in their various dorms. This is set up in a cell group structure format based on HOC rules. In 2007 over 15,000 Bible studies were completed. This is exciting news because the only effective way for a person to change one s life in a positive way is through the power of Jesus Christ. With a daily turnover of 60 to 80 prisoners, the harvest field is ripe and the seed is faithfully being planted. As shown by the remarkable figures of Bible stud- Get involved! You might be wondering how you or your congregation can get involved in this exciting ministry opportunity. Last year several congregations and LWML groups partnered with Ruckman to mark Bibles to be used at the HOC. A marked Bible directs a person through Scripture to quickly show the verses which guide them to the truths of salvation. For men and women who are not familiar with God s Word, a marked Bible is a light to the path of salvation through Jesus our Savior. Bible studies completed ies completed last year (see graph), these men and women hunger for the life-changing message of a loving and forgiving Savior and Lord. Most of the nearly 6000 Bibles available at the HOC yearly are purchased with grant money from the District LWML. Others come from congregations, groups and individuals who are aware of this great need. Award and gift Bibles are greatly needed because they are an important motivation to these men and women who are new to God s Word. It is interesting to note that the most popular version of the Bible at the HOC is King James. Chaplain Gary Ruckman (left) leads a group Bible study at Milwaukee s House of Correction in Franklin. It will be exciting to see what Jesus will accomplish through this ministry in South Wisconsin District s prison ministry needs prayer, Bibles and devotional materials, marked Bibles and award Bibles. Please contact Ruckman at (414) , gruckman@ milwcnty.com or 8885 S. 68th St., Franklin, WI director of the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation. We are delighted to support the urban-based congregations and ministries that the South Wisconsin District through this grant will utilize in helping to multiply the support it receives from those who believe in this work. President John Wille agrees: We are very thankful to Thrivent Financial for their support in helping us to fund this initiative, which will in turn bring many more resources to those ministries. There has been an ongoing movement within the SWD since the beginning of 2007 to connect our inner city ministries with both our suburban congregations and other resources. This movement focuses on a shared vision that incorporates competencies of both people and organizations as they walk alongside each other within a partnership arrangement. We praise God for this special gift which he has entrusted to us for Kingdom work. The Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation is a private foundation funded by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. As a 501(c)(3) organization with its own board of trustees, the foundation is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary and educational purposes and makes grants and gifts to 501(c)(3) exempt organizations. The foundation does not provide grants to individuals. To learn more about the foundation and its programs, visit: Multi-ethnic symposium held in St. Louis Expressions of Hope Watch it on itunes visit itunes.csl.edu Representatives from multicultural ministries of the South Wisconsin District attended the Expressions of Hope symposium at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Jan Attending were SWD Missions Executive Rev. Dan McMiller, Rev. Chris Ikanih, Rev. Pedro Lopez, lay ministry students Deacon Dennis Harmon and George Lessmann, EIIT student Gui Kasongo Kabeo, and guest Walter Fields, who is assisting Ikanih in music ministry at Bethany, Milwaukee. The presenters were from around the globe. Retired geography professor, Dr. Jonathan Ngagba Lengar from Sierra Leone, West Africa, spoke on the issues of diversity of races and cultures within the African context. Rev. Dr. Elwin Johnson Rethinasamy, born in Kottaiyur in the southern part of India, is now serving in New York City. Rethinasamy leads Atlantic District efforts coordinating the disaster response to help Tsunami victims in South Asia. In 2005, he was honored with an Outstanding Ministry Award by the Council of Churches in the City of New York for his human care and relief work initiatives. Rethinasamy also is the director of Concordia Institute for World Religions and Evangelism at Concordia College, Bronxville, N.Y., which strategically equips clergy and laity towards practical methodologies of reaching Mission exec., Rev. Dan McMiller, receives EIIT award The Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT) of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, recognized Rev. Dan McMiller for his support of and contribution to its program of instruction. The recognition was given Jan. 24 as part of a banquet following the graduation service of 14 EIIT students. EIIT provides specialized education leading to ordination for men engaged in pastoral missionary contexts in ethnic immigrant and urban cultures in North America. The director, Rev. John S. Loum, presented the award to McMiller. The South Wisconsin District currently has four students enrolled: first year students Gui Kasongo Kabeo of the International Lutheran Church of Zion at Benediction; Afam Ikanih of Mission of Christ; Benjamin Adetiba of Hope; and fourth year student Elijah Ndon of Gospel. All of these congregations are in Milwaukee. out to the people of other faiths. Rev. Dr. Leopoldo Sanchez, born in Chile and raised in Panama, received his Ph.D. from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind. Sanchez has worked with congregations in Venezuela and San José, Calif. He has been teaching systematic theology at Concordia Seminary since 2004 and was appointed director of the Center for Hispanic Studies in The mission of the Center is to promote and implement theological education in the Lutheran tradition from and for Hispanic/ Latino contexts. Rev. Dr. Dien Ashley Taylor from New York City is a graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo. He received his Ph.D. in 2005 from Fordham University in New York. Taylor is the pastor of Redeemer in The Bronx, N.Y. and has served as an instructor for Concordia College, Bronxville, N.Y. In 2007 he was elected to the Concordia College board of regents, Selma, Ala. These last three presenters, being pastors, spoke very specifically about how to use expressions of hope within our Lutheran theological context for the sake of multicultural outreach and church planting. About 80 people from around the Synod attended the symposium. A central theme was the need on the part of the entire Synod, particularly our seminaries and synodical leadership, to understand the multicultural nature of the mission field that surrounds many of struggling LCMS congregations. The fields are white unto harvest but they reflect a rainbow of colors! Such appreciation was expressed for the new understanding and emphasis on the reality of the new face of Lutheranism and how it is beginning to reflect the new face of Christianity around the globe.

4 4 South Wisconsin News March/April 2008 District pastors bring God s Word to Thailand From Jan , Rev. Jeff Prewitt (New Hope, Neenah), and Rev. Yia Vang (Hmong Hope, Milwaukee), visited Chiang Mai, Thailand. Their purpose was to teach the Thai and Laotian Hmong students who are studying to become mission pastors in Thailand and Laos. They taught the last course of a three-year program which included church polity, biblical leadership, Buddhism, Islam, other Christian denominations, how to prepare Bible studies, the Gospel of John, Christian discipline, Christian counseling and how to lead a worship service. Two of the students will be ready to graduate in August 2008, while another eight are either in their first or second year of studying. This visit was part of the Hmong International Mission (HIM), a ministry of the LCMS Hmong Mission Society. The mission of HIM is to develop Hmong spiritual leaders to Rev. Jeff Prewitt performs a baptism at the training center. share the Gospel and to plant mission congregations among the Hmong people throughout Southeast Asia. Prewitt and Vang spent six days teaching three two-hour sessions per day at a new training center. Vang served as interpreter for Prewitt, and was able to repeat lessons for the students in the Hmong language. The students then wrote the lessons down in their notebooks in Thai, Lao or Hmong. The students are anxious to learn about God and Lutheran doctrines. When they return to their villages they share with their people what they are learning, and by doing this, more people learn about salvation through Jesus and want to be baptized. On this trip nine people were baptized. Five of the new Christians are children and four are adults. These people had been waiting to be baptized. There is no other Christian ministry in this village. Prewitt and Vang were told that many other people want to learn more about Christianity, but Rev. Jeff Prewitt (front left) sits with Hmong Lutheran doctrine students under the porch of the new training center in Chiang Mai. The weather is quite warm in January, and studying is easier outside where it is cooler. they want to wait until the village has a pastor and a church building for worship before they are baptized. They also want to make sure that the Lutheran pastors are serious about starting a church in their village and not just visiting them once in awhile. They want to have their own Lutheran pastor to nurture them and to pray for them when they are sick or need pastoral care. There is a 22-yearold man named Fong Chang from this village who is attending the training. He hopes to become the pastor in the village. Please pray for him! Camp LuWiSoMo seeks new executive director Camp LuWiSoMo in Wild Rose is seeking candidates for the position of executive director. For a job description, please go to the camp website at luwisomo.org/executivedirector.htm. If you have an interest in the position or know of someone who would be qualified, please contact the camp office at (920) or send an to camp@luwisomo.org. Deaf mission team in Ghana builds on previous efforts On Jan. 4, 2008, Rev. Bud Palmer, Linda Zoiss and Betty Jo Lucero, all members of the Ghana deaf Lutheran mission team, set out on another trip to continue their work of speaking and signing the Good News in Africa. They spent almost three weeks there. The mission trips to Ghana began several years ago. As one of the team members, Linda Zoiss puts it, their purpose is to Teach the deaf about Jesus, so they in turn can teach others! The fact that so many people they visit remember what was learned from earlier mission team visits is what it s all about. That is how I truly know this is all worth it! said Zoiss in a recent from Ghana. You can learn more about their trip and this ministry at deafjesus.org. Villagers in Adomorobe, Ghana, West Africa CUW professor continues campaign for Congress Burkee solo now that Walz is out By Sarah Holtan (Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon) Jim Burkee, the Republican Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) professor running for the Fifth Congressional District seat, will remain a candidate in the race despite the departure of his Democratic co-campaigner. Jeff Walz announced publically the decision to end his campaign Dec. 28, He cited the primary reason as the time commitment needed in order to keep pace with the expectations of the members of the congressional district. Anybody can be a candidate. But if you want to do it I think legitimately and with a certain purpose then there s a certain commitment that you need to do a whole number of things, Walz said. Finances were an additional factor in ending his campaign. Walz said he was heartened by the pledges he received and offered his appreciation to those who supported the concept of the joint campaign. What I really liked about the campaign is that people really seemed to fasten on to the idea of a Republican and Democrat running together, said Walz. It was heartening to see people you don t know, people you call on the phone, people you see at the few debates we did, things like that, really support not necessarily me or Jim but support the idea that there s a better way to do politics in America. And that s what we were trying to do. Hopefully we ll see more of that. Burkee, who will run individually Jim Burkee now, said he is as committed as ever to the campaign. He acknowledged Walz s exit was disappointing in that we have such a good working relationship. The two remain close friends and are working on a research project together. Burkee added he felt no negative judgment toward Walz for his decision. There s a better way to do politics, Walz said, reaffirming his position that change is needed in the political system. In order to give the country and the district the candidate that it wants, it s going to require certain efforts and that effort is one I couldn t give the time and money especially I couldn t keep pace with. People are clamoring for change, Burkee said. I think we offered something that was really unique in politics. We saw that from the national attention and the fact that the Federal Elections Commission had to actually take up our case. We created a whole area of case law, he said. I think this is the kind of thing people are looking for. But at the same time, I think we accomplished something in that aspect of our campaign by certainly creating a model that others can now use. Walz said he had no major regrets about his campaign but stated, When I ran I was a bit naive in the sense of understanding of course it was a congressional race but I don t think I understood up front the time commitments and the money commitments. I understood the process intellectually as someone who teaches political science and teaches this stuff but to actually be doing it full-time I think I didn t understand the gravity or the enormity of what the commitment would take. The end of this historic bipartisan campaign prompted some necessary changes to Burkee s campaign. At the launch of their campaign, Burkee and Walz had pledged to debate regularly around the District if they won the primary election Sept. 10. My hope is that churches will still be open to having that discussion, said Burkee. He is preparing an invitation to send to churches, offering his services in a different format, rather than the anticipated debates between the two candidates. As for the future, Walz intends to relax, continue to teach full-time, serve as interim chair of the social sciences department at CUW, work on research, and enjoy quality time at his Ozaukee county home with his wife and four-year-old son. He did not rule out the possibility of running for public office at the local level. CUW officials stated the University has a nonpartisan role in this election but look forward to the teaching and learning opportunities with Burkee s continued campaign. We hope our students continue to learn about the political process by the opportunities to watch the campaign in action, said Rev. Dr. Patrick Ferry, CUW president. Burkee and Walz officially entered the race in July The bipartisan campaign was the first of its kind as Burkee is running on the Republican ticket while Walz is a Democrat. Both men are professors at CUW and had received the Federal Election Commission s permission to campaign jointly, sharing headquarters and staff personnel. The Fifth Congressional District seat is currently held by longtime incumbent Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, a Republican from Menomonee Falls. The Fifth District of Wisconsin includes all of Ozaukee and Washington counties, and parts of Jefferson, Waukesha and Milwaukee counties.

5 March/April 2008 South Wisconsin News 5 AROUND THE DISTRICT AROUND THE DISTRICT AROUND Women s Night Out: Every Woman Needs a Funny Bone Jan Struck is delighted to have been given a lifetime of bizarre experiences and an ability to see humor in her journey. Her presentation for the annual Women s Night Out on March 7 will include Scripture verses that help us to face everyday life with a cheerful heart and a funny bone. The event begins at Davian s (16300 W. Silver Spring) with cash bar at 6 p.m. and dinner at 6:30. The cost of $25 is due with reservations by March 3. Include your name and address with the reservation. Mail to: Mt. Olive School, 5301 W. Washington Blvd. Milwaukee, WI The Passion according to St. Matthew at Mt. Olive, MKE The senior choir of Mt. Olive, Milwaukee, featuring tenor Lee Henning and bass Russell Koptizke will perform on Palm Sunday, March 16, 2008, during the 8:30 a.m. service. Mt. Olive is located at 5327 W. Washington Blvd. Call (414) for more information. MLHS guild annual shrimp dinner March 28 The Milwaukee Lutheran High School ladies guild will host their annual shrimp buffet dinner on Friday, March 28, 2008, in the school cafeteria, 9700 W. Grantosa Dr. The hours are from 4-6:30 p.m. The steady increase in food prices has forced the guild to raise the ticket price to $15 for adults, but the $5 ticket price for children 11 and under remains the same. This all-you-can-eat buffet includes delicious boiled shrimp, homemade salads, homemade desserts, bread and beverages. Advance tickets are required; call (262) Reserve by March 24. The public is invited to the April 15 meeting in the MLHS library at 12:15 p.m. when Carolyn Blum will share her experiences at an eyeglass clinic in Puerto Rico. Blum participated in the MOST (Mission Opportunities Short Term) Ministries mission trip with 28 other members of the SWD LWML. Over 1800 pairs of corrective vision glasses were distributed. Each person also received a personal witness about the love of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Luther Memorial and Univ. Student Center will host intelligent design conference at UWM April 1 On April 1, 2008, the students of Lutheran Student Fellowship are hosting an intelligent design conference in the UW Milwaukee student union's Wisconsin Room from 7-9 p.m. (hors d oeuvres will be provided). The student union is located at 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. Dr. Angus Menuge (chair of philosophy at Concordia University Wisconsin and author of Agents Under Fire) and Dr. Paul Nelson (Ph.D. in philosophy from University of Chicago) will engage the discussion about intelligent design vs. Darwinism. For more information e- mail lmc_vicar@yahoo.com or call Luther Memorial at (414) Parish nurse network meets April 15 The next meeting of the SWD parish nurse network group will be April 15, 2008 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Mark, Sheboygan (1019 N. 7th St.), hosted by Carolyn Eiden. A public health nurse will speak on the role of faith communities in case of a flu pandemic. To make sure you're on the e- mail list to receive meeting notices, contact Sara Peters at sjmpeters@charter.net or (608) Seminar on the ministry of healing April Rev. Paul Teske, pastor of St. Paul, Westport, Conn., will present a seminar on the ministry of healing, both the biblical background and present-day application, at Divine Shepherd, 9741 W. Beloit Rd., Milwaukee on April 17-19, Thursday evening (7 p.m.), Friday luncheon (11:30, please call the church office for reservation, $5 cost), Friday evening (7 p.m.) and Saturday sessions are planned. A free-will offering will be taken for Teske s ministry. Topics will include The Healing Ministry of Jesus and The Church in Transformation. The Saturday session will include a service of prayer and healing. In May 2004, while speaking to 200 businessmen, Teske suffered a cerebral hemor- JOB BULLETIN rhage that left his left side para- BOARD lyzed. He was miraculously healed three weeks later at a healing service. Now he and his wife, Rivers, speak and minister in healing, which includes spiritual, physical and emotional healing. They have ministered on six continents. For more information, please contact Divine Shepherd at (414) , or visit divineshepherdlc.org. Trinity, Beloit, hosts April youth retreat Higher Things, a Lutheran organization that assists parents, congregations, and pastors in cultivating and promoting a Lutheran identity among youth, invites youth to attend a retreat April 18-19, 2008, at Trinity, Beloit. The theme is Not ashamed, based on Romans 1: The youth retreat will celebrate the gift of God known as Lutheranism. The retreat is open to grades Teaching sessions will be divided into junior senior high groups. The speakers are Rev. Charles Mallie of Tomball, Texas; Rev. Edward May of Beloit; and Rev. Todd Peperkorn of Kenosha. For registration information, call (608) or e- mail htretreat@ trinitybeloit.org. Also visit trinitybeloit.org for further details. LCFS Visions of Chocolate at the Zoo Lutheran Counseling and Family Services annual fundraiser Visions of Chocolate will be held at the Milwaukee County Zoo on Friday, April 25 from 7-10 p.m. It is a fun evening in which you will have the opportunity to taste a wide variety of chocolate items as well as samples of other foods (sandwiches, pizza, etc.). In conjunction with the food fair, a silent auction is held showcasing over 100 items and certificates from the local community. Tickets are $45 per person and include food, beverages, free parking, and access to the Zoo s outside exhibits. Call LCFS at (414) or (800) for tickets. Proceeds are used to support the ministries of LCFS. Golf outing May 19 supports Lutheran Special School As Lutheran Special School & Education Service (LSSES) heads into its 50th year of ministry to students, their families, and teachers, it continues to be an advocate and resource for students from all backgrounds with specific educational needs. LSSES relies solely on donations, grants, fund-raisers and fees to finance its programs. Each year, LSSES is responsible for raising over $500,000 beyond tuition and direct service fees. Many of these needed funds come from the annual golf outing, this year slated for Monday, May 19. The 19th annual Play A-Round for Special Kids golf tournament will be held at North Hills Country Club. Golf and door prizes will be awarded during the evening program. Besides enjoying the day, there are other ways for individuals and companies to participate in the outing. Anyone who has an auction item or would like to donate to the outing is encouraged to call the school. Invitations and registration materials are available online at lsses.org or by calling (414) Parish nurse conference at CUW May The 16th annual parish nurse national conference will be held on May 27-29, 2008, at Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon. The theme will focus on Be Well, Serve Well. The conference offers Christ-centered information to help parish nurses develop their ministries in serving the whole person. For more infor- mation, please contact Carol A. Lueders Bolwerk at (262) St. Bartholomew, Brillion, 150th anniversary in June St. Bartholomew will celebrate its 150th anniversary June 29, 2008, with a service at 9 a.m. The celebration is under the theme To God Be the Glory! (1 Peter 4:11). Pastors Harley Kopitske, William Meilner, and Eberhard Klatt will participate in the service. A coffee hour will follow. An anniversary dinner will be held at 11:30 a.m. at Cobblestone Creek Restaurant. Anyone wishing to attend the dinner should contact the church office at (920) to purchase tickets. Boening installed at St. Paul, Westfield Rev. Dale D. Boening was installed Feb. 2, 2008, at St. Paul in Westfield as pastor of the triple parish which also includes St. John, Neshkoro, and Trinity, Montello. Boening, a 2003 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Ind., previously served a triple parish in the Royalton, Minn., area. Rev. Dale Boening Grace, Omro, installs new pastor Rev. Richard Bartholomew was installed as pastor at Grace, Omro, on Jan. 27, The congregation welcomed Bartholomew and his wife Susan to the area with a reception and supper following the installation service. They also held a pantry shower for the couple. Bartholomew graduated from Association Free Lutheran Theological Seminary in 1979 and was ordained in Minneapolis. In 1993 he entered the LCMS via colloquy, serving churches in Wisconsin, Montana, Minnesota, Georgia and Ohio. He married Susan Kross in They have three children, Andrew, Caleb and Jana. In a letter to the congregation, Bartholomew told the members of Grace that his attitude in preaching is to preach the law in all its sternness and the Gospel in all its sweetness. He also said his goal was to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comforted. Rev. Richard Bartholomew with (from left) daughter Jana, wife Susan, son Caleb and daughter-in-law Carissa (front). Anniversary Corner Birthdays (90, 95, 100 & above) MARCH 3 Lorraine Phyles, 90, Benediction, Milwaukee 11 Vernon Weltz, 90, Trinity, West Allis 22 Lorinda Bartelt-Kreif, 90, St. John, New Fane APRIL 3 Willard Johnson, 90, St. Peter-Immanuel, Milwaukee 8 Erna Zimmer, 90, St. Stephen, Horicon 9 Norman Kindschuh, 90, Pella, Waupun 24 Bernelda Husman, 102, Faith Lutheran Church, Sturtevant George Nuoffer, 95, St. Peter-Immanuel, Milwaukee 25 Luella Hoffmann, 90, Berea, Milwaukee 30 Ethel Nordmeyer, 90, Our Redeemer, Delavan Anniversaries (50, 55, 60, 65 & above) MARCH 1 Ernest and Dianna Witt, 50, Luther Memorial, Sheboygan 4 Marion (Bud) and Patricia Schuettpelz, 65, Grace, Menomonee Falls 6 Lester and Shirley Nickel, 60, St. Peter-Immanuel, Milwaukee 26 Edwin and Elaine Harmsen, 55, Pella, Waupun 27 Paul and Peggy Johnson, 65, Trinity-Freistadt, Mequon APRIL 5 Gerald and Patricia Peschke, 50, Pilgrim, Wauwatosa 8 Norman and Eleanor Kindschuh, 69, Pella, Waupun 10 Larry and Audrey Hunt, 50, Grace, Omro 11 Elton and Dorene Huck, 65, St. Stephen, Horicon 18 Wayne and Marion Krause, 60, Zion, Neshkoro 19 Gerald and Althea Hartzheim, 50, Mt. Olive, Milwaukee Jack and Carol Witzigmann, 50, Calvary, Princeton Send us the names of people who will observe a May or June 2008 birthday (90, 95, 100, or above) or anniversary (50, 55, 60, 65, or above). Deadline is April 1, Mail to: South Wisconsin News, 8100 W. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee, WI editor@swd.lcms.org.

6 6 South Wisconsin News March/April 2008 Easter care packages for the military Have a heart campaign supports the troops By Mark Droegemueller (Peace, Fort Atkinson) Collecting Easter care package items for military personnel In February 2004 my little congregation at Peace, Fort Atkinson, with my encouragement and ideas sent 15 care packages to the military including LCMS chaplains. Donation boxes were placed at the Fort Atkinson Kmart and at our church. The military personnel who received packages sent thank you letters with their appreciation. In 2005 we did not do the project, but in 2006 it was revitalized and two cosponsors jumped on board. Three stores had donation boxes Shopko, Kmart and Walgreens. Wish lists with suggested items that can be sent overseas were handed out at the stores by members. Nearly 2,000 items were collected, sorted and sent to military personnel whose families shared their names and addresses with us. Over $1,000 in donations was received, as were matching funds from Thrivent Financial. Local newspapers and NBC Channel 15 in Madison gave us excellent coverage. The have a heart campaign in 2007 included good visibility in local media newspaper, radio and TV. Wish lists were distributed. Volunteers helped sort, pack and seal the Easter care packages, which included devotional books from Lutheran Hour Ministries. Again over 2,000 items were collected and over $2,000 donated. Monetary donations were given to the USO, which handled the shipping. Gift cards were purchased for the Disabled American Veterans of Wisconsin. Those who received the packages were very appreciative at being remembered at Easter. This February we re again handing out wish lists to the community. I encourage all of us from the South Wisconsin District to have a heart for the troops, pray daily from the heart for these people and give from the heart to those who serve or have served our country. SWD President Emeritus Karl Barth publishes blog book By Jan Brunow (Immanuel, Brookfield) A blog is a personal online journal that is frequently updated and intended for the general public. When Rev. Dr. Karl L. Barth began his musings, blogs were just gaining popularity. And because he was among the computerchallenged of his generation, he wrote by long hand, on a typewriter and eventually a word processor. Last fall he decided it was time to fine tune the many short commentaries he had written over the years and put them together in a volume to be published for others to read. He decided on the contemporary title Just a Chip Off the Old Blog. I know it isn t a blog in the true sense of the word, Barth said, but I wanted the Christian community and other readers to gain a nugget or two that would be helpful for their spiritual journey. After months of editing, proofreading, seeking and finding a printer/publisher, the book has been published and is for sale. It can be purchased at the bookstore at Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon and at Northwestern Publishing s retail store in Wauwatosa. The cost is $ The book contains short essays on people, places and events written from The people mentioned are as diverse as President Theodore Roosevelt and NBA Hall of Famer George Mikan. Sophia Lauren is discussed, as are the members of the Lutheran Women s Missionary League. Some pages will give the reader a look at life in a Cincinnati parochial grade school; others tell about what goes on in a small village in the Alps above Montreux, Switzerland. Many of the pieces, especially the earlier ones, have to do with Christian doctrine, worship and life; some are directed primarily to the Christian pastor and his office. Barth also includes a few family references to his father s ministry and also to both sets of his grandparents. But, he says, central to all we do, say or think is the mercy of the triune God, our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier. From , Barth was president of the South Wisconsin District. In 1975 he was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree by Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, Ill. He served as president of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., from Rev. Karl Barth Barth served 16 years on Synod s commission on theology and church relations and was its chair from He has also been a member of the LCMS board of directors, the board for mission services, and represented Synod on the division of theological studies of the Lutheran Council USA. In 1997 he directed the 150th anniversary of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and has served on various boards of the church. His duties for Synod have afforded him the opportunity to travel extensively to partner churches and seminaries in Europe, Africa and Asia. Today Barth and his wife, Jean, reside at Harwood Place in Wauwatosa and are members of Mt. Calvary, in Milwaukee. They have been married for 61 years and have five children, four of whom live in the Milwaukee area, 10 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren, with another one due in June. High school youth explore church vocations High school student Elizabeth Eberhart (First Immanuel, Cedarburg) attended the most recent exploring church careers event (ECCE) held at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Youth participated in Bible studies, worship, prayer and discussion, and visited ministry sites in the St. Louis area to hear presentations by people currently serving in church vocations. The ECCE was made possible by a grant Concordia Seminary received to assist in encouraging high school youth toward service in church work careers. This grant allows us to address the declining number of students who are preparing to serve, said Rev. Kyle Castens, director of ministerial recruitment. Everyone who has watched the shortages in these vocations increase over recent years is Elizabeth Eberhart alarmed. The 2008 ECCE and ECCE Amplified are scheduled for July and July respectively. Nomination forms may be printed from the Concordia Seminary website at csl.edu. For more information, contact the Concordia Seminary admissions office at ecce@csl.edu. You are needed! Short-term mission opportunities LCMS World Mission has short-term mission team opportunities available. Calling all LCMS congregations, universities, small groups, mission responders, families, and members to respond to the urgent need for more than 200 international short-term mission teams in the coming year. Visit lcmsworldmission.org/ service for more information or to start the process of becoming a missionary. Gift from Zimbabwe (continued from front page) education, but Gift does have talents and the desire to help correct the wrongs of his country and make life tolerable for its citizens. The members of Christ Memorial wish to help Charles bring the family to Madison so that he can attend MATC for two years. While they are here, the congregation also hopes and prays that Gift and his family will grow stronger in their faith and become courageous witnesses for Christ and his saving grace. This is a huge commitment and they are asking others to join in supporting this effort. So far, the members of Christ Memorial have committed to covering much of the cost for the family s living expenses for at least ten months. They have also promised to pay $5,000 per year towards Gift s tuition for the two years. Some of this is being raised through fund-raising efforts. Some of it is in the congregation s budget. Gift will need to get a visa through MATC, and that will come only after MATC has $7,000 in hand toward his tuition. He needs the help of many people to make his dream for his family and his country become reality. If you can help with a financial commitment, please contact Dan Haupt, director of operations at Christ Memorial, 2833 Raritan Rd., Fitchburg, WI You can call him at (608) or dhaupt@ christ-memorial.com.

7 March/April 2008 South Wisconsin News 7 Fan Into Flame Gifts and pledges to Fan into Flame continue to increase as more LCMS districts initiate their participation in the effort. Articles on this page highlight how Fan into Flame monies are being used internationally ( Ends of the Earth ), nationally ( Samaria ), in the District ( Judea ), and in congregations ( Jerusalem ). Participating congregations are encouraged to share their mission outreach efforts with Rev. Larry Myers (lmyers@egl.org), SWD Fan into Flame communications coordinator. Read the full-length versions of these articles online at swd.lcms.org. Jerusalem : St. John, Sullivan Rev. Dean Zemple of ceived to support three mission Sullivan shares the results of St. John s participation in Fan into efforts at the District level. The first project is the ministry of Chaplain Thomas Flame, begun in the fall of 2006 with a six-week campaign effort. Fleischmann at Sheboygan St. John s realized an astounding County Health Care Centers. 469 percent of its goal of Fleischmann conducts weekly $10,000. worship services and Bible The Lord opened the studies in area nursing homes. hearts of our members to give of the resources with which he has blessed us in order to support the mission work of our Synod, said Zemple. The second mission effort supported is the campus ministry services offered by Rev. David Emmrich through Calvary on the campus of UW St. John s prayerfully considered Whitewater. St. John s is where and how to use the offerings that would be returned back to the local congregation from the Fan into Flame efforts, Zemple continued. The congregation is still discussing how best to use the offering for local outreach. However, the relatively close to this college campus, and some members attend classes there. The third ministry is Camp LuWiSoMo. Because of all the activities offered by LuWiSoMo, which ministers both to the body and soul, this ministry is congregation did decide to use considered part of St. John s a portion of the 15 percent re- outreach to families. Judea : Mission Hill, Waunakee By Rev. Jeff Corder Even thought this winter has been dreadful, the Gospel seeds that you have helped us plant at Mission Hill in Waunakee are bearing fruit. Thanks to your partnership with us, we currently have ten adults in our explorers (adult confirmation) class. Seven of them are new to the Lutheran faith, and three are taking a refresher course. Several other families are in the process of transferring into our congregation. This past summer I reported that we felt that God was leading us to act on a long term goal to start an outreach ministry to young children and their families through means of a child development center. With funds from the Fan into Flame campaign we were able to commission a market feasibility study. The study concluded that we would be able to establish a child development center for 90 children ranging in age from zero to five years old. There is a real need for child care in our community, and there is an even greater need for Christian child care. We are being guided in our efforts by the Open Arms Institute, an LCMS recognized service organization (RSO). Open Arms uses innovative approaches for quality Christian child care to encourage and enable church planting and the inauguration of bold outreach ventures. Now we are developing a business and mission plan for the child development center. The plan will have to demonstrate the financial feasibility of the project over a three-year period. We envision serving families in Waunakee and Westport in a number of ways: providing an effective Word and Sacrament ministry as an LCMS congregation; full-time and parttime child care for children from six weeks through five years of age; preschool programs for children ages three through five; before and after-school program for children kindergarten through age 12; summer programming for all children including various specialized camps. The child care ministry will be Christ centered, of high quality, and state licensed. The planned facilities will enable us in time to offer outreach programming for families of our center and the community: seminars (parenting, marriage, time management, career opportunities, etc.); support groups; athletic programming designed to attract unchurched teens and adults; full programming for middle and high school youth; whole family events designed to build communication and closeness in families through shared activities. This is a formidable and exciting undertaking, and yet we are confident that with your prayers and God s help we will be able to establish a Christian child development center at Mission Hill. Through our child care ministry we intend to create an environment that brings children and their families closer to the Lord and to the full life he offers for each of us. We will provide care for children and also for their families. Samaria and Ends of the Earth : Sharing Christ with our nation s heroes Rev. Kurt Taylor is a CUW graduate and served in the South Wisconsin District prior to moving to Michigan. Now at St. John, New Boston, Taylor also serves as chaplain with the Michigan Air National Guard. He recently returned from a fourmonth mobilization and deployment with the United States Air Force in Kyrgyzstan. He shares his experiences in his own words. While the mission of our base is to get fuel, people, and cargo to Afghanistan, my mission as chaplain was to get Christ to as many people as possible. In a military environment, one has limitations. I cannot go into work places and the perimeter telling people to repent and believe. But I can show my face, let people know I care, and pray that the Holy Spirit will lead them to my office or one of our services. As a Missouri Synod Lutheran in a deployed environment, I felt theologically well trained to do my job... The diversity of my responsibilities was challenging, but enjoyable. For example, the Protestant chaplain (me) does three services on Sunday: traditional, contemporary, and gospel. The traditional was no problem. In fact, it was quite Lutheran. The contemporary service featured an excellent Chaplain Kurt Taylor especially enjoyed sharing Christ with Kyrgyzstani orphans. praise band comprised of Airmen who are dedicated to Christ. The gospel service had an outstanding African-American gospel choir, again comprised of our Airmen, swaying back and forth, singing of their love for Jesus... One of the primary emphases of chaplains in deployed environments is visitation... Most enjoyable were my frequent trips to the Wire (perimeter of any compound in a combat zone). There I find Airmen fully armed, ready to respond to any threat. And yet, for all their hardness and battle attitude, they were always quite welcoming... On more than one occasion, I joined them in their prayers. It is interesting how, in our circles, we are trained to pray with eyes closed, head bowed, and hands folded. These Airmen pray with eyes open, head erect, and fingers on the trigger... An important ministry done by the chapel is the administration of the Manas Air Base Outreach Society. This organization supports a number of orphanages and children s hospitals in our host nation. Many Airmen from our base spend their day off visiting the children of Kyrgyzstan in these places. They bring them gifts, repair their run-down buildings, or just play with them......[i]t became quickly obvious to me that this was where God wanted me at this particular time... Be proud of your soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. They are doing difficult jobs in often difficult environments... And thanks to all of you who pray for us...

8 8 South Wisconsin News March/April 2008 From Our President Each One, Bring One to Convention! The Good News Bible states an obvious fact: Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. (Ecclesiastes 4:9) Work always goes better when it is shared with another person! It s true in our societies, zones and district LWML, too. But it s often difficult to recruit willing and able workers, partly because they don t know the depth and breadth of the LWML and the meaningful work that we accomplish through the Lord working in us. We can tell them verbally, have them visit our website and supply them with reading material, but to fully comprehend the LWML, they need to experience the excitement that is generated at our events. Go, Gather, Glorify! is DISTRICT OFFICERS President Carolyn Blum cjblum@bicyclerider.us VP, Servant Resources Judy Paulson ; judykay1@ix.netcom.com VP, Gospel Outreach/ Christian Life Florence Harms ; fharmslwml@triwest.net VP, Human Care, Grants Ruth Krueger hrkrueger11@peoplepc.com VP, Communications Mari Ann Colburn ; clc@chorus.net Recording Secretary Linda Ault (M-F a.m); copi1kitty@aol.com Corres. Secretary Verna Jordan vernjordan@att.net Financial Secretary (Receives all funds) Janis Mattson 3557 S. 43rd St. Greenfield, WI jmm11098@aol.com Treasurer (Pays all bills) Lorraine M. Koch lorko@centurytel.net Senior Counselor Rev. Robert Busse revbusse@yahoo.com Junior Counselor Rev. David Totsky tots_brkfld@yahoo.com Carolyn Blum, President Mission Lamp Lutheran Women s Missionary League News Here is what Lutheran Women in Mission are doing! our June 27 & 28 South Wisconsin District LWML convention theme. What an awesome event this will be! An event to share with your friends, whether or not they belong to the LWML. They will be amazed by the various forms of mission work that we do; they can become involved with servant events, the convention choir or a mission pledge walk; they will be inspired by reports from missionaries who work in the harvest fields. And, they ll have fun, too! I d like to suggest that each of us pray for guidance from the Lord, and then invite a new person to this convention. Bring them and show them what we do. In fact, you may not need to do anything other than help them register and provide transportation. Once they arrive, they will see for themselves why you have chosen to serve the Lord through the LWML. And, hopefully the next time you ask them to help with an LWML project, they will remember the spiritually-rich convention in Oconomowoc and will happily say Yes! to your request! New Items Added To Recycling List More items have been added to our SWD list for recycling. In addition to the ink cartridges (no Epson cartridges), cell phones, laptops and other items listed in the last issue, you may also send Palm Pilots/ Blackberrys, DVD video games, portable players, and digital cameras. Do NOT send cords with cell phones but DO send cords and accessories with PDAs (Palm Pilots/Blackberrys), MP3 players/i-pods, digital cameras, DVD video games/players, and laptops. Because the district LWML has a new recycling company, when you have a box ready to go, please contact Linda Ault for a label at: copi1kitty@aol.com or call M-F mornings: Send news for May/June Mission Lamp by March 15 to: Marlys Taege, Editor 7120 W. Dove Ct. Milwaukee, WI marlyst@sbcglobal.net Our Mites: Sharing Christ s Love Around the World Goal: $190,000 Needed by end of January $150, Received: $153, Overage: $2, Everyone s Welcome! Unique mission experiences and opportunities will be shared by speakers at the Spring LWML zone rallies throughout the district in April and May. Rallies are open to everyone and offer a special way to make friends, enjoy Christian fellowship, and learn about LCMS missions at home and abroad. 1 (Metro-South Shore) - Nancy Schwalenberg: Puerto Rican Mission Trip. April 28, with 6:30 coffee and 7 p.m. program, at Mt. Zion, Milwaukee. 2 (Metro-South) - Michelle Wagner: Lutheran Special School - Making a Positive Difference. April 20, registration at 2 p.m., at St. Paul, West Allis. 3 (Metro-Southwest) - Chaplain Gary Ruckman: Milwaukee House of Correction. April 12, at 9:30 a.m., at Elm Grove Church. 4 (Metro-West) - Norm and Betty Rose: Helping Missions through Mission Central. April 15, registration at 6 p.m., supper at 6:30 p.m., at Our Redeemer, Wauwatosa. 5/6 (Metro-Northwest & North) - Norm and Betty Rose: Missionary Experiences. April 12, registration at 8:30 a.m., breakfast at 9 a.m., followed by program, at Grace, Menomonee Falls. 7 (Metro-North Shore) - Chris Miller: MOST Ministries Trip to Puerto Rico. April 19, at 8:30 a.m., at Holy Ghost, Milwaukee. 8 (Ozaukee/Washington) - Edward and Janet Hessler: MOST Ministries. April 12, at 9 a.m., at St. John, West Bend. 9 (Horicon) - Karol Selle: See you there! June District LWML Convention, Olympia Resort, Oconomowoc Oct Fall Retreat Holiday Inn, Manitowoc National LWML President To Address Convention Latest news of national LWML plans and events will be shared at the SWD LWML convention by National President Jan Wendorf. The convention will be held Saturday, June 28, at Olympia Resort, Oconomowoc. Other speakers will include Rev. Dan McMiller, SWD Mission Executive, and Kristy Grannis of the LCMS World Mission staff. A resident of Grafton, WI, where her husband, Kent, is pastor of St. Paul Church, Jan was elected to her current office at the 2007 national convention in Sioux Falls, SD. Her first real exposure to LWML came at the 1983 convention in Detroit. Curious about LWML, Jan decided to go to Detroit to see what all these women she admired were talking about. Rallies Highlight Mission Experiences The Joy of Sharing a Mission Heart. April 19, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, at Immanuel, Mayville. 10 (West Bend/Random Lake) - Norman Rose: Mission Central Wisconsin. April 23, at 6 p.m. with light supper, at St. John s, New Fane, N665 Hwy. S, Kewaskum. 11 (Sheboygan South) - Rev. Earl Bleke: Bethesda Lutheran Home. April 15, registration/supper at 6 p.m.; program at 6:45 p.m., at St. John, Port Washington. 12 (Sheboygan Central) - Jan Dankwardt and Emajean Kuhlow: Experiences as Goers on MOST Mission Trip to Puerto Rico. April 17, dinner at 5:30 p.m., program at 6:30 p.m., at St. Paul, Sheboygan Falls. 13 (Sheboygan North) - Speaker from Veterans Home in King, WI; ingathering. April 22, with 6:15.m. registration, at Luther Memorial, Sheboygan. 14 (Plymouth) - Bible Study by Rev. John Schenck. April 29, at 6:30 p.m., at Trinity, Rantoul. 15 (Winnebago) - Rev. Arthur Callies: Faithfully Leading All to Christ the Rock. April 22, registration at 6 p.m., program at 6:30 p.m., at Hope, Fond du Lac. 16 (Berlin) - Bonita Sanders: Most Eyeglass Mission Trip; Bible Study by Rev. Brian Fritsch. April 22, from 3:30-8 p.m., Emmaus, Poy Sippi. 17 (Marquette) - Diane Rohde: Home Schooling. April 26, with 9 a.m. registration, program at 9:30 a.m., at Grace, Hancock. 18 (LaCrosse) - Trish Kagerbauer: A Place of Refuge. April 19, registration at 8:30 a.m.; program at 9 a.m., at Faith, La- Crosse. National LWML President Jan Wendorf Little did she know that her life would change forever as a result. At the SWD gathering, Jan will not only share national news but also speak at the Young Women s luncheon. Pastor McMiller will tell about new mission starts, cross cultural and multicultural mission projects and pastoral training, campus ministries and congregational partnerships. 19 (Southwest) - Theme: Angels (attendees are asked to bring a favorite angel to share). April 12, registration at 9:30 a.m., program at 10 a.m., at St. John, Loganville. 20/21 (Madison North/ South) - To be announced. 22 (Oconomowoc) - Rev. Douglas Fleischfresser: Experiences as a Chaplain in Afghanistan. April 29, registration at 6:30 p.m., program at 7 p.m., at Bethlehem, Wales. 23 (Watertown) - Louise and Dan Kenevan: MOST Ministries Trip to Puerto Rico. April 26, from 9-11:45 a.m., at Trinity, Reeseville. 24 (Janesville) - Rachel Thompson, Deaconess Intern at Meriter Hospital, Madison. May 5, Prayer Service at 5 p.m., registration at 5:45 p.m., meal at 6 p.m. with program to follow, at Our Savior, Janesville. 25 ( Beloit) - Carolyn Blum and Betty Ainger: MOST Ministries Trip to Puerto Rico. April 23, at 9:30 a.m., at St. John, Beloit. 26 (Kenosha) - Bernice Steffens: Highlights of National LWML convention and Video, Rock. May 1, registration at 1 p.m., program at 1:30 p.m., at St. Peter s, Waterford. 27 (Racine) - Paula Duveneck, YWR at 2007 national LWML convention: Young Women of LWML. April 17, supper at 5:30 p.m., program at 6:30 p.m. at Faith, Sturtevant. Check our Website! For the latest LWML news between issues of the Mission Lamp, be sure to check the SWD LWML website:

9 March/April 2008 South Wisconsin News Theme: Faithfully Leading All to Christ, the Rock From the ends of the earth, I call to you. I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61: District LWML Grants Paid: Orphan Grain Train Emergency Response Vehicle - $15,000; CAME - $10,000 Aid for SWD Students at Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, $10,000 SWD Church Work Student Grant, $15,000 (owe $15,000 yet) A Place of Refuge - $7,500; Alaska s Copper Valley Mission Outreach - $8,500 Deaf Outreach Centers - $12,000; Int. Friendship Center - $3,840 (owe $10,000) School Supplies for Lutheran Schools in Guinea, West Africa - $6,000 Milwaukee County House of Correction Scripture Fund - $7,500 (owe $7,500) SWD LWML CONVENTION GENERAL INFORMATION REGISTRATION Convention registration will be open Friday, June 27th, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, June 28th, from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., at Olympia Resort, Oconomowoc. Please pre-register if at all possible. On-site registration/walk-in guests will be subject to availability of seating, materials, and meals. CONFIRMATION If you provide an address on the registration form, an confirmation will be sent. Otherwise, your cancelled check will serve as your confirmation. HOTEL DIRECTIONS The Olympia Resort is in Oconomowoc. From the east or west, take I-94 to Hwy 67, exit #282. Travel north on Hwy 67. The resort will be on your left 1½ miles north of I-94. SERVANT EVENTS Join other women for fellowship and mission outreach. Mark Bibles and make a craft for children on Friday afternoon from 1:30 3:30. Please mark your interest in the servant event on your registration form. CHOIR The Convention Choir will sing two anthems on Saturday. Choir practice will take place at 3 p.m. Friday. To participate and receive additional information, including music, please note your interest on the registration form. EXHIBITS Visit numerous displays and shop at the Christian Life Store. Exhibits and the Christian Life Store will be open Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday early morning from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and Saturday mid-day from 11:30 a.m. to 1p.m. MISSION WALK Enjoy a walk Saturday on morning, 5:30 a.m. - 7 a.m., with Lutheran women friends and raise money to support mission grants for the next biennium. Please note your interest on the registration form, and the Mission Walk Chairman will send you additional information. MENU Friday Dinner: Raspberry Chicken (not included in registration fee; must be purchased on registration form) Saturday Luncheon, included in registration fee: Tenderloin Tips Stroganoff on Noodles Saturday breakfast will not be provided. Please allow yourself time to purchase breakfast in the hotel restaurant or offsite. The hotel restaurant at Olympia offers a hot breakfast buffet for about $10. INGATHERING Please bring school supplies, Bibles, catechisms, children s Christian videos, Christian coloring books, personal hygiene toiletries, and non-expired nonperishable food items. Ingathering items will be donated to SWD LCMS Urban and Cross-Cultural Ministries and the St. Paul s Lutheran Church Food Pantry, Oconomowoc. OFFERINGS Convention offerings will be split evenly between SWD LCMS Urban and Cross-Cultural Ministries and The Love of Christ Fund (TLC). SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Friday: Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. Mission Medley Program follows dinner. Evening closes with Vesper Service. Saturday: Convention begins at 8 a.m. with singing. Convention closes at 4:30 p.m. REFUND POLICY Refunds will be granted if postmarked by June 6, After June 6th, written requests for refunds will be considered by the Executive Committee and if granted, the refund will be mailed to you. No refunds will be given on the day of the convention. Mission Lamp Vol. 57, No. 4 March/April 2008 Nominees Announced for District LWML Offices Nominees for six district LWML offices who will be on the ballot at the June convention have been announced by the Nominating committee. The committee is composed of the presidents of zones 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25. Terms of office are four years. Duly authorized delegates from each society will have voting privileges. Biographical information on all nominees follows. Members are encouraged to let their delegates know their preferences. For President Jan Dankwardt Sheboygan President, Christian Growth, Vice President. Zone: President, Vice President, Christian Growth. SW District: Christian Growth Chairman, 1 st Vice President, Recording Secretary, Meeting Manager. NW District: Convention chairman; founded new LWML in Marshfield. Church: Assimilation Committee, Bible/Journal-Bible studies, and Bible study renewal program. Community Service: Relay for Life, Volunteer Hope Lodge, Meals on Wheels, Interfaith Retreats and Conferences, Servant Events. Personal: Recently retired from Hope Lodge Cancer Facility. Also worked in the travel industry. Was a church secretary and currently assists SWD LWML meeting manager on Conventions and Retreats. This past Fall, Jan went to Puerto Rico on the SWD LWML MOST Ministries eyeglass mission trip. Vision Statement: My vision for the South Wisconsin District of the LWML is to see us grow in three areas: First, to assist women in finding effective ways to grow in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Second, to encourage women to bring the joy learned at the feet of Jesus to their areas of service. And finally, to prepare and challenge women to step out boldly to share their faith. Lorraine Koch Onalaska Christian Growth Chairman, Treasurer, Co-President, Bible study leader. Zone: Treasurer, Secretary. District: Current treasurer, Financial Task Force; Corresponding Secretary, Convention Exhibits Chairman. Church: SS Superintendent, Teacher of adult class and confirmation, Recording Secretary of Council, Financial Secretary, Education Committee, VBS Teacher/coordinator, Choir member. Community Service: La- Crosse LEA Rep., Relay for Life, Crop Walk, Cancer Walk, La- Crosse-Russia student exchange. Jan Dankwardt Lorraine Koch Barbara Kurth Linda Christensen Barb Kaun Personal: Graduate of Concordia-Seward with a degree in education. Has taught in both parochial and public schools, was active in extra curricular activities and sports as well as being the registrar for two teachers conventions. Loves gardening, cross-stitching and making quilts and Jesus Loves Me pillows for cancer patients and the needy. Vision Statement: As Lutheran Women in Mission, my goal, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is to involve all women in the mission through prayerful mite giving, in activities of the church and LWML with willing hearts using their God-given gifts in a variety of activities as they rest in Christ the Rock, but especially in taking time for worship and Bible study with their sisters, which leads to growing together in Christ and increased care giving. God has granted us 60 years of serving Him with gladness in our organization. May this blessing continue. For Vice President, Communication Barbara Kurth Menomonee Falls Christian Growth-Bible Study Leader. Writes LWML articles for church newsletter. Zone: Secretary. District: Current editor, Christian Life News- (continued on next page) GENERAL REGISTRATION FORM 2008 Convention, South Wisconsin District LWML Olympia Resort, Oconomowoc - June 27-28, 2008 Name (Print name as you would like it to appear on your name tag) Address City State Zip Phone Zone# Church name/city SPECIAL NEEDS: (We will try to accommodate special needs if notified by May 1, 2008) Large Print Manual Sign Language interpretation Dietary - please describe Other please describe REGISTRATION FEE (includes Saturday lunch) If postmarked on or before May 1...$40 $ If postmarked after May 1...$50 $ FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER Dinner/Program ticket...$20 $ (Includes P.M. Program) No. of Extra Dinner/Program tickets for family members or guests...# x $20 = $ SERVANT EVENT (Bible Marking/Mission crafts)...$10 $ MISSION WALK (detailed information will be sent later)...$10 $ CHOIR PARTICIPANT (detailed information will be sent later).. $10 $ HOTEL ROOM (You may have up to four people per room)... $110 $ Please send all roommate registrations together in one envelope. My roommates will be: TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED: $ Please make all checks payable to: SWD LWML 2008 Convention Mail to Convention Registrar: Kristen Kolell W173 N5340 Ravenwood Dr., Menomonee Falls, WI kolell@netzero.net Phone: ***Your cancelled check will be your confirmation*** Or: request confirmation: CLEARLY print address Survey question: A hot breakfast buffet will be available for purchase on June 28 at Olympia (about $10.00). Are you interested? yes no I am over the age of 18 yes no ML 03/04

10 10 South Wisconsin News March/April Nominated For District LWML Office (continued from previous page) letter; SWD LWML Task Force for Communications. Church: Milwaukee Lutheran Guild Program Committee, Elm Grove book discussion group leader, organist, Golden Friends member, VBS, Teachers Conference Committee-SWD. Community Service: Organist for various churches, speaker and consultant on early childhood. Personal: Graduate of Concordia Teachers College with a degree in Education and Music; has Masters Degree from Concordia, River Forest in Music. Retired Lutheran School teacher (37 years) who continues to work part time subbing and playing the organ at area churches. Member of Milwaukee Genealogy Society and German Interest Group. Has been a teacher in Wisconsin, Illinois and Tennessee. Taught at St. Peter-Immanuel, Milwaukee, for 22 years. Vision Statement: Serving the Lord with gladness is so evident in the LWML, whatever office or position one may be in. Very important to all offices and positions is communication. For it is with communication to each other on the society, zone, district or national level, we grow and work together effectively. The VP of Communication works within her committee to see that this happens in the various levels of the SWD LWML. I see this office as being important in interacting with the other offices on the Executive Committee. For Vice President, Human Care, Mission Grants Linda Christensen Belmont President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Christian Growth. Zone: President in North and South WI Districts. Current Zone 19 president. District: Scholarship Committee, Mission Outreach Committee. Church: Secretary, Choir, SS Teacher and Substitute, VBS Arts and Crafts Teacher, Evangelism Committee, Call Committee, Building Committee. Community Service: Executive Committee Marathon Farm Progress Days, Marathon Holstein Association Editor and Advertising Editor, 4-H Leader, AAL Zone President, Communications Committee for WI Holstein News Magazine. Personal: Graduate of North Central Technical College. Currently employed at Cummins Emissions Solutions in Human Resources and Reception. She and her husband were dairy farmers for 31 years. Has completed continuing education courses in Desktop Publishing, Front Page and Eunice Matter Debbie Netz Marie Pierce Barbara Strenger Rev. Brian Beardsley Rev. Donald Stein QuickBooks. Vision Statement: My vision for SWD LWML is to continue doing what we do best spreading the Gospel message of Jesus Christ through our prayers and mites. We need to encourage women everywhere, that with God s guidance we can enrich the spiritual and physical lives of families all over the district, country and the world. We need to show women that they can become missionaries without leaving their homes by praying for those in the mission field and by sending their mites to fund grants that reach lives all over the world. We need to continue to support each other in our LWML efforts and in our own lives. Barbara Kaun, Neenah President, Vice President. Zone: Secretary. District: Currently Human Care Committee Chairman. Church: Board of Christian Education, SS Teacher, Mission Project Committee. Community Service: Mentor to International Students from Haiti, Visiting Seniors at Assisted Living Facility, Member of local Quilter s Guild. Personal: Graduate of Fox Valley Technical College with a degree in Early Childhood/ Family. Certified Nursing Assistant and state licensed Childcare Provider. Owns and operates Mrs. K s Day Care. Her passion is Human Care and Missions. Vision Statement: My vision for our SWD-LWML is to have the love of Christ conveyed to our neighbors and hearts turned, and then through our giving of mites, reach those who currently are lost. Each one reach one should be our life-long goal, bringing more women into LWML, and subsequently bringing more souls in touch with God through our mission work. To God be the glory, great things He has done! For Treasurer Eunice Matter, Racine Mission Service/Human Care. Zone: Mission Service/ Human Care. District: Cochairman and Public Relations Chair for district convention; Historian, Public Relations and Exhibitors Chairman for 2007 Fall Retreat. Church: Mission Service Chairman, Senior Choir, Hand bell Choir, and Trumpeter. Community Service: Trumpeter in the Racine Concert Band, Band Librarian. Personal: Graduate of Concordia University, Seward with a degree in Elementary Education. Works as a substitute teacher, as a cashier at Kohl s, as well as a grounds keeper at a local golf center. She has taught music to preschoolers and plays trumpet in the Racine Concert Band. Enjoys golf, biking, camping and doing plastic canvas. Vision Statement: My vision for the Lutheran Women s Missionary League in the South WI District is to continue reaching out to all nations, preaching the Good News of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, through our mites and other ways. To reach locally, nationally, and worldwide and to continue having and showing the excitement of being a Lutheran Woman in Mission and to bring more women to be part of that excitement and joy that we all show. Debbie Netz Fond du Lac President, Christian Growth, Mission Service/Human Care. Zone: Current President. District: Young Women s Representative, YW Retreat Registrar, Current Nominating Committee Chairman. Church: Board of Education, Stewardship Committee, SS Teacher, Choir, Women s Bible Class, VBS Director and Teacher, Youth Group Teacher/ Leader. Community Service: Relay for Life supporter, International Student Host, LAWP Women s Group President. Personal: Attended UW Milwaukee studying Speech Pathology. Worked for several years in the Cedarburg School District with Special Education Students. Currently in the banking industry, Debbie has been a Teller, Receptionist, Personal Banker, Account Receivables/ Payables and now is in the Operations area. Enjoys gardening, water sports, and peaceful walks with her husband and their St. Bernard Bernie. Vision Statement: I look for the spread of the fire and enthusiasm of the Women of the LWML, locally, and to all reaches of the world, through their support of missions. Women of the LWML are impassioned for Christ and the spread of His life saving message. I pray that more and more women, young and old, become personally involved in this endeavor, and that those currently serving bring them into the fold. Our world is fast paced these days, women have more responsibilities outside the home than ever before, and our LWML must adapt to these changing lifestyles, without compromising our mission. Scripture says, When two or more are gathered together in my name.. Let s gather together and serve the Lord with gladness! For Corresponding Secretary Marie Pierce Mauston President numerous times, Secretary. Zone: Secretary. Church: Organist, SS Superintendent and Teacher, Church Council Congregational Committee, Secretary, Organist for weddings and funerals at numerous churches. Community Service: School volunteer in the LMC, Choir Accompanist. Personal: Graduate of UW Stevens Point with a Bachelors degree in Music. Currently retired but serves as substitute teacher. Gave private piano lessons for almost 30 years. Was a Vocal/General Music Teacher in Mauston School District; worked as an aide with the learning disabled, as well as tutored and substitute taught. Vision Statement: Missions start at home and are encouraged by education and fellowship with those having the same goal. To gain members that care to join LWML and are restricted by their congregation, Article III D states may form a society in a setting other than a congregation We should encourage these women from different congregations to join together forming a society that would join us in helping spread the news of salvation in Christ through our projects, our mites, our fellowship and prayers. Barbara Strenger Sheboygan Falls President, Vice President, Christian Growth, Mission Circle Chairman. Zone: President, Vice President, Christian Growth, Bylaws Committee. District: Current Archivist/Historian, 2006 District Convention Co-Chair, President, 1 st Vice President, 2 nd Vice President, Retreat and District Convention Chairman, Human Care Committee. National: Mission Service and Mission Project Committee, Co-chair 1981 National Convention in Milwaukee, Board of Directors. Church: Member, Bethany, Kohler. Board of Finance, Chaired Capital Campaign, Treasurer, Stewardship Committee, Choir, Altar Guild, Life Light Bible Study Coordinator, SS Teacher. Community Service: Lutheran High School Board of Directors, Recruitment Committee, Capital Campaign Committee. Personal: Currently retired; Owned and operated Barb s Stitch and Fit Shoppe; worked in various dress and bridal shops. A trained infant nurse, having worked in several hospitals in the 60s and 70s. Vision Statement: My vision for the LWML is that it will continue to be a strong mission arm of the LCMS, especially here in South Wisconsin. That we encourage more women, especially young women, to experience the joy of service, the depth of Christian growth and the blessing of giving mites so many will come to know the message of God s love in Christ Jesus. For Counselor Rev. Brian Beardsley, Berlin Education: B.A., Concordia College, Ann Arbor, 1977; M. Div., Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Personal: Married to Michelle for 27 years, they have 2 children and one granddaughter. Loves being a Grandpa. Coaches youth soccer; enjoys camping. Prior to becoming a fulltime pastor, he worked with developmentally disabled people. Is circuit 16 Ablaze coordinator and on SWD Ablaze Steering Committee. Since ordination in 1991, has been actively involved with the LWML on each of his three calls. Currently pastor of Trinity and Immanuel, Berlin. LWML Statement: The value I see in the LWML is its great enthusiasm for missions. Another value is the spiritual growth that takes place in the lives of the LWML members and the opportunities for leadership that are given to the ladies. I appreciate the numerous opportunities that are given to the women for service in God s church. They carry great value for me. Rev. Donld Stein Onalaska Education: B.S. in Biology, UW Whitewater, 1972; M. Div., Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, 1978, D. Min., Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Personal: Married to Margie since college; 5 biological children, 2 adopted children, 72 foster children, 9 grandchildren, and hosted 3 foreign exchange students. Has served several congregations and as campus Pastor at UW Whitewater. Enjoys reading fiction, golf, table tennis, fishing and hunting, motorcycling off road, and general fix-it projects. His focus is pastoral care and counseling, having led groups struggling with cancer, death of loved ones, depression, and sexual abuse. Currently serves Shepherd of the Hills, Onalaska. LWML Statement: Christian fellowship that the LWML provides on the local, regional, national, and international level has no equal among Christians. Added to that, LWML provides a means to support ministries that actively provide the lost with the loving message of our Lord and Savior. Members of the LWML learn to care about the spiritual needs of others in their community and throughout the world. LWML fosters Bible study to enrich the individual s walk with Jesus and encouragement to live the Christian life as the women meet regularly and share their faith walk. Get the Latest LWML News! Visit our website:

11 March/April 2008 South Wisconsin News 11 UPCOMING DISTRICT EVENTS 11th Annual Cedar Valley Gathering May 13-14, 2008, in West Bend Dr. Paul Maier will speak at gathering With all world religions claiming to teach the truth, what makes Christianity any different? A Day with Dr. Maier will answer that question and more at the 11th annual Cedar Valley gathering, May 13-14, Dr. Paul L. Maier will lead the retreat in Looking at Christ s clear credentials and the competition. Sponsored by the District older adult ministry committee, the retreat welcomes active retirees, pastors, lay ministers, Bible class leaders, and other adults seeking to increase their understanding of Christianity amidst the challenges of the world today. Free brochures are available by calling (414) or (800) Brochures are also available online at swd.lcms.org/registration. Due to space limitations, registration is limited to the first 100 registrants. At a time when books, movies, media, and magazines present caricatures of Christ, Maier presents Christ s genuine portrait in the light of evidence from history and archaeology. The annual Cedar Valley gathering features great speakers, delicious dining, pleasant facilities, scenic trails and warm fellowship. Anyone may attend only the Wednesday sessions or Rev. Dr. Paul L. Maier stay overnight Tuesday for a fireside chat with Maier. Cedar Valley Retreat Center is a scenic retreat center in the heart of the Kettle Moraine. Meeting rooms, lounges, dining room, single or double occupancy rooms are modern and stylish. The 100-acre setting is the perfect place to relax, unwind and reflect. The beautifullymanicured trails with thoughtprovoking sculptures make a pleasant setting. One of the nation s leading authorities and popular speaker on biblical history, Paul L. Maier, Ph.D., is the Russell H. Seibert professor of ancient history at Western Michigan University. He is second vice president of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. A graduate of Harvard University and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Maier studied at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and Basel, Switzerland. He studied under scholars Karl Barth and Oscar Cullmann. His interests include the ancient Near East; ancient Greece; ancient Rome; Christianity and the Roman Empire; and the Reformation era. Maier s nonfiction work includes translation of Josephus: The Essential Works and The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius of Caesarea. His historical fiction includes the #1 national bestseller in religious fiction, A Skeleton in God s Closet, More Than A Skeleton, Pontius Pilate, The Flames of Rome, and children s books such as The Very First Christmas. He is a son of Walter A. Maier I ( ), founder and longtime speaker of the Lutheran Hour. Like his father, he strongly identifies as a Christian and his role as an apologist has become apparent in his co-writing of The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction? with Christian apologist Hank Hanegraaff. He is one of the nation s leading authorities on the biblical world and a widely acclaimed author and speaker. His seminars add a fresh dimension to the Scriptures, illuminating them with important evidence from archaeology and secular history. Cedar Valley gathering registration A retreat for active adults. A lighthearted getaway with great fellowship and growing in Christ. You are welcome to copy this form. If making reservations for two, please list each person separately. Registration is limited to the first 100. Please print legibly. Name Name Address City State Zip Phone Congregation City Amount enclosed Registration fee: $60 per person. Registration covers all events for the day including sessions, meals and breaks. Deadline: Friday, April 28, Make checks payable to: South Wisconsin District LCMS. Mail to: Cedar Valley Gathering, South Wisconsin District LCMS, 8100 W. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee, WI Optional Tuesday lodging/dinner Reserve and pay directly to Cedar Valley Call Cedar Valley Retreat Center at (262) and pay direct for optional Tuesday night accommodations and dinner. Ask for the $55 conference rate for single rooms or $80 for double occupancy. Dinner on Tuesday is $9.50.

12 12 South Wisconsin News March/April 2008 lll.swdlcms.org SOUTH WISCONSIN LUTHERAN LAYMEN S LEAGUE PRESIDENT S REPORT Greetings in the name of our Risen Savior! The comment frequently heard is How do we interest new people to attend our annual LLL Conventions? Indiana LLL District President, Martin Henrichs presented a Family Scholarships proposal to their District and it s a great idea. I urge you to read his proposal and with His help, put the plan into action Family Scholarships We encourage churches and districts to raise funds to send one or more young families from their congregation to this year s convention in Lexington, Kentucky. What s in it for the family? Like the National Youth Gathering, Int l LLL conventions inspire people to Live by the Spirit, says Martin Henrichs, Indiana District President. The convention provides a much-needed spiritual renewal for children and adults and also a much-needed vacation. There are activities for the kids and youth during the day and time for the families to spend together at night, including a special family night excursion to the famous Lexington Horse Park. New this year, LHM Reach Conference activities will interest younger adults. LHM will offer age-appropriate outreach workshops and events to help them reach their friends, family members, and co-workers more effectively. More details will be available soon. During the day, parents attend International Convention or Reach Conference workshops (their choice) and learn about how they can help reach a dark and dying world through Lutheran Hour Ministries many outreach programs. As Christians, we should be sharing our faith on a daily basis since so many people in this world do not know Christ as their Savior, and the international convention shows Christians how they can actively and intentionally spread the Good News of Jesus Christ with the lost in their own community and throughout the world. What s in it for the church? The international convention offers opportunities for families to worship together and learn about congregational and personal outreach. Workshops teach them how to relate their faith to others with diverse world views, how to use electronic communication to your church or school s advantage, and how LHM s outreach resources can help your church. Bulletin inserts to promote the Family Scholarship in your church are available from the LLL! How much should the church raise? $1,000 to $1,200 per family (includes lodging, registration fees, meals, and events) Guidelines for arranging a family scholarship Assign a facilitator: May be Pastor, LLL Ambassador, LLL Zone President, or go to person. Be time sensitive: Organize the scholarship opportunity quickly. Vacation schedules and church budgets are in process. Two decisions must be made: how to pick a family and how to raise the funds. How do we pick a family? Promote the family scholarship opportunity in your church, and sign up interested families. Decide how to select the family. Partner with other churches to share the costs or pick a family. (One might have generous members, the other young families.) Consider a scholarship for a seminary family. Students are available in the summer. Both seminaries are enthusiastic about cooperating on this project. How do we raise the money? Do what works for your congregation--consider a combination of the ideas below. Pampered Chef Party ( Pasta supper, pizza party, best chili contest, barbecued/roasted chicken sale Auction congregation contributes nice items including food silent? Walkathon, Super Bowl party, car wash, work day Golf tournament (mini golf?) Yard/rummage sale serve lunch and sell baked goods to add value Start up money from church budget. (Evidence of congregational support) Identify a benefactor who will match donations up to $500 Door collection Always consider projects which will qualify for supplemental funds from Thrivent. For more information about the family scholarship opportunity, contact Martin Henrichs at or mhenrichs@earthlink.net. If you would like more information on our upcoming 2008 LLL Convention on July that will be held in Lexington, Kentucky go to and click on International LLL Convention. Now is the time to begin planning for the trip. Take a few extra days and build your vacation around this year s LLL Convention. LHM's 'Woman to Woman' Radio Program to Return to the Airwaves Lutheran Hour Ministries will be bringing back the Woman to Woman weekly syndicated radio program hosted by Phyllis Wallace. As many of you may recall, Woman to Woman was a very popular program when it aired from the mid 1990s through Woman to Woman shares helpful advice and practical tips to enable women to meet the challenging demands of everyday life. The anticipated restart of the program, featuring all new episodes, will begin airing on stations in March LLL International Convention Lexington, Kentucky July District Ambassador Coordinator The face is the same but the job description has changed. Last year the International LLL in a cost cutting action, discontinued all District Manager positions leaving our LLL South Wisconsin District Manager, David Martin without a job. At our recent January LLL SWD Board meeting, we created the volunteer position, SWD LLL Ambassador Coordinator. Dave Martin graciously accepted the position and will continue his capable coordination of our LLL Ambassadors. Ambassadors will continue to hear from Dave and he will be available to provide a ready resource for our workers in the field. If you are interested in becoming an Ambassador in your church, feel free to contact Dave at demartin56@att.net or by phone at Dave and his wife Elmyra make their home in West Bend Wisconsin. GLOBAL CARE PACKAGES - INDIA Global Care Packages - India received 15,000 orders, which was an increase from the previous year. These packages will be shipped to India in March 2008 and will be distributed by the LHM-India staff and volunteers in India, enabling them to share the Gospel with thousands of children devastated by the tsunami that hit southern India in Special thanks to all who participated in this exciting project GLOBAL CARE PACKAGES - CHANGES Global Care Packages (GCP) program will be changing in 2008 to make the program more accessible. Key changes include: Drawstring Bag - all care packages will be packed into drawstring bags (provided by LHM) instead of boxes. Children can reuse the bag as needed. More than One Destination - in partnership with Orphan Grain Train, LHM will now be sending the care packages to a variety of countries where LHM has ministry centers. Other humanitarian aid may accompany the package. This will allow more flexibility to meet needs as, where, and when they occur. No Deadlines - participation can now take place any time of the year. Packages will be shipped throughout the year, as sufficient quantities become available. Packages will still be sent to OGT in Norfolk, NE. Lower Contents Costs - Prayerfully, this will make the program more affordable to more potential participants. LHM ministry centers will provide Gospel materials with the care packages when distributed. United Bible Society is being contacted to explore the possibilities of them providing some Bibles locally. Timely Reports - an annual report each February and ongoing current updates will be provided through and on the website throughout the year as and when distributions occur. Parent Involvement - teachers will be provided with a letter that they can send home to parents to let them know about LHM and the Global Care Packages program. Partnership opportunities beyond their involvement with GCP will be encouraged. Continue to encourage EVERY congregation and school to participate in this project. Questions can be directed to Peggy Kraase peggyak2002@yahoo.com Calendar corner South Wisconsin District-LLL Saturday, April 5, LLL Board of Directors at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 243 Linden St., Adams, Saturday, June 7, 2008-LLL Board of Directors at Peace Lutheran Church, Beaver Dam Thursday to Sunday, July Int l LLL Convention, Lexington, KY Saturday, August 9, 2008-LLL Board of Directors to be announced Thursday to Saturday, October Int l Board of Governors, St. Louis Friday, Saturday, October 17 & 18, 2008-LLL-SWD District Conference (Tentative)

13 March/April 2008 South Wisconsin News 13 LuWiSoMo and Director Prepare for Transition By Kurtis Bueltmann, Executive Director At the age of 23, I began opportunity to search for a serving as the Executive new Executive Director with Director at LuWiSoMo. It is strengths in areas where I hard to believe that twelve lacked. My family and I have years have already passed. the opportunity to serve the Before coming to LuWiSoMo, Lord in a fresh and completely I had spent two years at new setting. I will most likely Concordia Seminary in St. be placed in a congregation, Louis. Since the LuWiSoMo and my family and I are Board believed having a excited about the possibilities. pastor on staff would be a As I look back at the past benefit to the Lord s ministry twelve years at LuWiSoMo, I at LuWiSoMo, I was am humbled. During this encouraged to finish my time, over 100,000 people seminary work, which have walked the gravel roads. continued at Concordia Every program at LuWiSoMo Theological Seminary in Fort has placed an emphasis on Wayne. I am excited to proclaiming the love of God announce that, Lord willing, I shown to us in Christ Jesus will graduate on May 16, through His death on the 2008! cross and His resurrection, With my impending securing for us the promise graduation, the LuWiSoMo and hope of forgiveness and Board unanimously voted to eternal life with Him in request me for placement, Heaven! Many ministry and the Placement Director at opportunities have grown, the seminary expressed a such as the Joyful Hearts strong willingness to place program for people with me at LuWiSoMo. However, developmental disabilities, in a split vote, the SWD Board which now serves over 120 of Directors refused to people each summer and has forward this placement expanded into a winter request to the seminary. program. New facilities have Apparently, the vote centered been built, including a large on the appropriateness of picnic shelter, four tree calling an ordained pastor to houses, a home for the serve as a camp director. Maintenance Director, eight While some may not youth log cabins, and two agree with the reasoning summer staff cabins. The behind this decision, it campground has been presents an opportunity, both expanded by adding 38 sites for LuWiSoMo and for my with water and electrical family. LuWiSoMo has the hookups, three family log Please color in up to 32% on the cross and write in $801, for pledges received through January 1, Camp LuWiSoMo W5421 Aspen Rd Wild Rose WI Phone: (920) Fax: (920) camp@luwisomo.org Web: cabins, a new shower house, a dump station, and a new playground. Crosses have been built at all the major fire pits. The Chapel of St. Barnabas has been beautifully remodeled into an incredible facility for year-round use. With Feeding His Flock, the groundwork has been laid for a much needed dining hall and kitchen, as well as new accommodations for families. While I cannot take credit for anything the Lord has Enjoy a Taste of Elegance at LuWiSoMo By Kurtis Bueltmann, Executive Director Most people come to LuWiSoMo in a t-shirt and shorts (or maybe jeans if the weather is cold). One of the beauties of LuWiSoMo is the opportunity to kick back, relax, and be casual. However, on Saturday, Sept. 27, you will want to come to LuWiSoMo wearing your best suit or dress. While the atmosphere will be relaxed, the dining will be exquisite, and the attire will be formal. Sept. 27 is LuWiSoMo s first Taste of Elegance! This dinner event will begin at 12 noon in the Chapel of St. Barnabas and features both a live auction and a silent auction. The menu will be prepared by Chef Paul Sattler. The cost per plate is $35. You can also reserve a table of six for $200 or a table of 10 for $300. This is a great opportunity to show your support for the Lord s ministry Pledges Rising accomplished at LuWiSoMo, it has been an honor to be His servant in such an exciting place of ministry. I have been privileged to serve under the LuWiSoMo Board of Directors and alongside the dedicated staff. The Lord has truly blessed LuWiSoMo with many fine people that I have grown to love and respect. I have especially appreciated the love and support of my wife and children through all the joys and challenges. It is my prayer that LuWiSoMo continues to be dedicated to providing faithgrowing opportunities in a Christ-centered outdoor ministry setting for all ages to refresh the whole person through the blessings of people, facilities, and most importantly, God s Word. LuWiSoMo continues to offer many exciting opportunities for you and your family, and LuWiSoMo still needs your support as the Lord s ministry here continues to grow and flourish! at LuWiSoMo while experiencing LuWiSoMo in a whole new light! Seating is limited, so you will want to make your reservation early. LuWiSoMo is also seeking items for the auctions. All new and antique items are welcome and greatly appreciated! Donors will be publicly acknowledged. This provides a great opportunity for your business to get some additional exposure. For more information about a Taste of Elegance or making a donation for the auctions, please contact the LuWiSoMo office. By Joan Voigt, Campaign Coordinator With over $800,000 in pledges, we estimate we will need an additional $500,000 in pledges to be able to complete the next phase of the Kitchen and Dining Hall building project. Please make a prayerful decision to continue your pledge. Would you like to increase your donation up to $300? If you or someone in your household is a Thrivent member, they will supplement half of your dollars up to $600 per person yearly for two organizations when you complete a Giving Plus form. If you have questions about making a pledge to support the new Dining Hall Project, please joan@luwisomo.org or call (920) Ext 223 or print a campaign pledge form from our website under Feeding His Flock at luwisomo.org. Upcoming Events at LuWiSoMo Confirmation Retreats Feb 29-Mar 2, 2008 Mar 7-9, 2008 Mar 28-30, 2008 Women s Scrapbooking & Stamping Retreat Apr 4-6, 2008 Men s Retreat Apr 11-13, 2008 Spring Work Weekend Apr 18-20, 2008 Pancake Brunch Apr 20, 2008 Luther Hostel Apr 21-23, 2008 Boundary Waters June 14-21, 2008 July 12-19, 2008 July 26-Aug 2, th Annual Family Weekend Celebration Aug 8-10, 2008 Luther Hostel Sept 8-10, 2008 Golf Marathon Sept 19, 2008 A Taste of Elegance Dinner & Auction Sept 27, 2008 Confirmation Retreats Oct 3-5, 2008 Oct 10-12, 2008 Oct 24-26, 2008 For a full calendar of events, visit luwisomo.org

14 14 South Wisconsin News March/April 2008 Grand Reunion 2008 Set for June The Grand Reunion 2008 committee has already had a planning meeting in Portland, Oregon in July of Those in attendance were John Sorensen, Dan Parschel, Manfred, Stibbe, and Ty Miles. These members of the Class of 1958 and others have been involved in the planning of Grand Reunion The committee is looking to add activities, like golf, to the weekend s schedule. Prior to Homecoming, October 19-20, 2007, Ty Miles penned a Homecoming message with a Save the Date reminder for next June s reunion. Class of 1958 letters will be sent out early in 2008; by then the activities will be designed for another Grand Reunion. As in the past, other classes will have an opportunity to join the Class of These classes are men that were on campus before and after the Class of Alumni from the Class of and would have shared Concordia s Milwaukee campus. These men shared meals together as well as learned from each other. Other anniversaries that will be celebrated at the Grand Reunion 2008 include the Class of 1942 (65th anniversary), Class of 1948 (60th anniversary), Class of 1952 (55th anniversary), Class of 1962 (45th anniversary), Class of 1968 (40th anniversary), Class of Alumni! Bring your family for some great times and catch up with old friends at the Wilderness Hotel and Golf Resor esort t located in the Wisconsin Dells! Stay with us April 25 th & 26 th 2008 Rooms for a family of four are $109 per night and you receive unlimited access to the three indoor water parks and four-story dry foam playhouse. Secure rooms with a credit card by calling the resort at Tell them you are part of the Concordia Wisconsin Alumni room block. Mark your calendars now Check the CUW website and watch your mail for further details SPONSORED BY THE ANNUAL FUND 1972 (35th anniversary), Class of 1978 (30th anniversary), and the Class of 1982 (25th anniversary). Invitations will be sent to these classes in the first quarter of Alumni from all classes are always welcome. Alumni could join in on the events with the anniversary classes or you can schedule your own events. Call Diana Raasch ( or ), Director of Alumni & Parent Relations, if you would like to be a part of the Grand Reunion 2008 or any future reunion. Watch the Concordia alumni events page for more details on the Grand Reunion 2008 and other alumni activities. Register by March 12 for 2008 Jesus Retreat Jesus Retreat 2008 will be taking place this year on the 4th-6th of April at Concordia University Wisconsin. The Theme this year is Whatever! and it is based on Philippians 4:8-9. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. We would love to have you and your youth group join us for a fun, fellowship filled weekend as we dive into scripture with speakers, Bible study, music, and games. Cost is only $75 per person and covers housing, 3 meals on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday, t-shirt, speaker, bands, and other fun surprises during the weekend. Contact Danielle Sedlmayr or Tysen Bibb at , e- mail Jesus.retreat@cuw.edu, or check out our new website at campus_ministry/jesus_retreat.html for more information. Hope to see you there!! Friends of Concordia are invited to Ring in the Spring with the Concordia University Wisconsin Alleluia Ringers April 24 27, 2008 The Alleluia Ringers are one of the finest handbell choirs in the Midwest, comprised of Concordia University Wisconsin students under the direction of Dr. John A. Behnke. TOUR HIGHLIGHTS: Sweet Charity musical Drury Lane Dinner Theatre, Downers Grove, IL Alleluia Ringers Concert St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, Frankenmuth, MI City Tour of Frankenmuth, MI Bronner s CHRISTmas Wonderland Frankenmuth, MI Tulip Tour Holland, MI The Piano Lesson drama Grand Rapids Civic Theater, Grand Rapids, MI Sunday morning Church Service Immanuel Lutheran Church, Grand Rapids, MI Prices include bus transportation, hotel, 3 breakfasts and 3 dinners and special stops. Tour will originate from Concordia University Mequon. Deadline to sign up is March 15, Cost per person: $450/double occupancy, $610/single occupancy. For more information, please call the Friends of Concordia office at For more information about Concordia University Wisconsin visit us on the Web at:

15 March/April 2008 South Wisconsin News 15

16 16 South Wisconsin News March/April 2008 Lutheran Counseling & Family Services Childhood or adolescent depression: What does it look like? By Dr. Chuck Meseck (CEO, LCFS of Wisconsin) These are some of the possible symptoms: Over or under eating Too much or not enough sleep (wanting to stay awake all night and then trying to sleep all day) Low energy or fatigue Low self esteem Poor concentration or difficulties making decisions Ongoing feelings of hopelessness Rapid mood changes Children and adolescents are different than adults as they may act out via their depression. Drug use/abuse, sexual acting out or activities such as aligning with gangs may be further signs of depression. Recurrent nightmares or awakenings in the night are a sign that they are holding too much inside. If they procrastinate in going to bed they may be controlling you, but they may be very afraid of their own thoughts when they are alone trying to fall asleep. Many times other disorders mask or worsen a child s depression. Disorders such as learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, or oppositional defiant disorder can start of worsen a depressive episode. What are some common questions parents or teachers of these types of children have? Q. Why don t they tell me? A. They themselves don t understand what is happening to them. Many children won t say anything about their inner most feelings because they see themselves as a burden to the family. Q. Where do we start? A. The best thing to do is to get the child accurately assessed by someone who truly works with children. Q. Who do we get to work with our child? A. Ask questions of prospective therapists. Find out how they will work with you and your child. Many therapists say they work with children, but they treat children like small adults. If your child is going to get the best help possible, he or she should see a therapist that understands the world of a child. Children can discern quite quickly whom they can trust and those that they cannot. Keep in touch with the therapist for accurate updates. You should always have an understanding of the flow of therapy. When screening therapists ask how they were trained to work with children and what kind of a success rate they have. Please also keep in mind that distressed adolescents who have gone on medication are not out of the woods as far as being a danger to themselves. If you have questions about a family member or friend who might be depressed please feel free to call us at any time at (800) LEA names James Van Dellen distinguished Lutheran elementary teacher James R. Van Dellen, eighthgrade teacher and vice principal at Our Redeemer Lutheran School in Wauwatosa, is the 2008 Lutheran Education Association distinguished Lutheran elementary teacher. Van Dellen earned a bachelors in education from Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Mich., and has completed LCMS school leadership development (SLED) training. He will complete work toward a masters in leadership from Capella University in June Van Dellen previously served in Ohio and Michigan. Supporting his nomination, one colleague wrote, The total commitment exhibited by Jim is Lake Country Lutheran High School secures $20.5 million in financing; will open in A $20.5 million loan will help Waukesha County s first Lutheran high school open some time in the school year, school leaders announced. The Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee has raised about $10 million of the financing needed for the $30 million project, said Lori Land, the association s director of advancement. The $20.5 million in financing from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will help provide the rest of the money needed to a model for all of us. He recognizes the need to be a servant to his children, their families, his colleagues and the church/ school community at large... He is recognized for the multitude of ways that he has contributed to move our school program to the next level in both program offerings and professionalism, all the while exhibiting sound judgment. Jim Van Dellen s willing servant heart and exemplary performance in the classroom, athletic arena, church leadership of Bible studies and youth, and commitment to the relational ministry he emulates has been a true blessing to our entire school and church family! Van Dellen says that his greatest joy as a teacher is when students come back to visit. He says, I feel that this indicates that I have done my most important job, which is to build relationships with students that will lead them toward a closer relationship with Christ. He sees his greatest challenge as trying to determine and follow God s direction for my life. I only want to serve him in any way that he wishes and, with myriad opportunities that present themselves to a Lutheran teacher each day, determining what God wants to be done in each situation can be challenging. build a main academic wing, gymnasium and commons area that will be a permanent home for Lake Country Lutheran High School. The site for the new school in Hartland already has been graded, utilities have been put in place, and the footings and foundation have been started, said Tom Buck, the association s superintendent of schools. The association s strong organization was a large factor in Thrivent issuing its largest loan in the company s 105-year history, said Fred Johnson, portfolio manager for Thrivent s lending program for Lutheran schools, churches and institutions. Buck said the association plans to pay back the loan through money raised from donations. There is still a need for individuals and groups to play a significant role by contributing to the Lake Country Lutheran building program. Contact the association development office, (414) , for more information. Odds and ends turn into funding New model for giving generates thousands of dollars for charities Think of it as tossing your no-longer-used exercise equipment, china pieces or vintage clothing into the church collection basket or charity's return fund-raising envelope, said reporter Laurel Walker in a Jan. 30, 2008, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel JS Online story. Let somebody else fold in the savvy of the ebay or Craigslist online auction world, where some buyer out there will pay hard cash for your things. It's money you didn t have on hand to give but, thanks to you, will still end up with your favorite charity. Michigan-based Project12Baskets (P12B) raised more than $60,000 in funds for 38 charitable organizations across eight states during the fourth quarter of Local participants in the year-old start-up include Divine Redeemer, Hartland; First Immanuel, Cedarburg; and Martin Luther High School, Greendale. P12B works with charitable organizations to generate funds using proprietary software to turn leftover items donated by corporations and individuals into dollars. P12B determines the best online auction or other sales channel for gift liquidation, generating a maximal return for its charity partners. Items net approximately 60 percent of their sale price for the designated charity, after auction and P12B expenses. There is no setup cost and charities can choose how much of the auction preparation process to handle themselves or leave up to P12B, such as sorting donations, taking photos, shipping, etc. P12B challenges people to look closely at their abundance to determine if what was once precious may better serve a more useful cause. P12B provides a marketplace where people can give generously, but do so without giving money. The company creates a new currency for charities. For a list of current P12B charities, to donate an item or to register your organization, visit project12baskets.com or call (877)