All Saints Newsletter

Transcription

1 All Saints Newsletter All Saints Lutheran Church Fitchburg, WI March 15, 2017 Voices... Pastor Rich s Letter... Easter Season: Running On Empty. In Luke 21, the first day of the week started with women bringing spices to anoint Our Lord s body. That morning, they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, and they went in, they did not find the body. Luke 21:1. The women were stunned. Then The Resurrection of Our Lord, Easter Sunday April 16 8:00 a.m. Easter Sunrise Worship 9:00-10:30 a.m. Light Breakfast 9:30 a.m. Classic Easter Worship 10:45 a.m. New Song Easter Worship

2 Voices... Pastor Rich s Letter... What s on Your Lenten Journey? Last week I was speaking to a fellow pastor from Minnesota. We were discussing plans and prayers for the Lenten journey. He said that this year he was not giving up anything for Lent. Rather, this year, in the forty days prior to Easter Sunday, he was taking something up. For some of us, giving up something is a healthy spiritual habit. Giving up something is a little no for a better yes. For others we need to take something up. My friend was committed to walking alongside immigrants in his hometown. He was going to try and walk with them, meet them, and understand issues from their view. Our partners at Santa Maria and Deacon Einstein Gonzalez (mission-developer, Santa Maria) are hosting an Anti-Racism workshop on Sunday, March 19, 4:00p.m-6:00p.m., Fellowship Hall. All are invited. Members from Santa Maria, Pastor Neddy Astudillo, Beloit, and an immigration attorney will be present. It will help me understand, as a brother in Christ, how I can be helpful as a fellow Christian. Won t you join me? This is part of a synod-wide initiative stemming from our Assembly in I am inspired by the words of a recently concluded Women s Bible Study at All Saints that I led on I Thessalonians. Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.we urge you beloved, to do so more and more I Thessalonians 4:9-10b. Prayers of Joy and Concern... Prayers of resurrection comfort for the families of mission partner John Troia (wife Nicki, daughter Angie, and son Nathan). John passed away suddenly at home on Feb. 15. Services were held at All Saints on Feb. 20 to Rob Wangard and Patti Meyer at the death of Patti s father, Dr. Eugene Meyer, Stoughton, WI. Services were Feb. 18 in Blanchardville. Healing prayers for Sonja Markiewicz, recently hospitalized Madison Area Jail Ministry Chaplains (MAJM), Rev. Dr. Julia Weaver, and Chaplain Christs Fisher, the inmates, Sheriff s Staff and families - for God s healing and restoring power We rejoice with brothers and sisters at Santa Maria Lutheran as they prepare for their one year anniversary, April 24 May God grant healing care and skill to physicians, staff, and volunteers at Veterans Hospitals especially the Willian F. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Middleton, WI.

3 Lent 2017 at All Saints: Wednesdays, March 8 - April 5 Potluck 5:30-6:20 p.m. in Fellowship Hall prior to service. Bring a dish to share. All are welcome! Thank You... Midweek Services 6:30-7:10 p.m. Featuring the Tree of Life, a Lenten drama written and directed by mission partner Gary Kriesel and assisted by Sarah Belt. Offerings gathered at these services will be shared with the Madison Area Jail Ministry. Thanks also to the cast members of this year s Lenten drama: Bill May, Will Simonson, Cailin Ahnen, Vanessa Carda, Jack Quartaro, Tristan Schoohs, Sarah Belt, Bob Beggs, Tracy Schoohs and Brooke Barakat. Special thanks to Leigh Leudtke for the tree design and creation, and Roxie Kriesel for makeup. Coming soon: The weekly dramas will be posted to the All Saints website at under the Worship / Drama tab. Holy Week at All Saints: Palm/Passion Sunday, April 9, is the gate to Holy Week. Please gather in Fellowship Hall as we proceed to the sanctuary with palms and song. This is for both Classic (8:30 a.m.) and New Song (10:45 a.m.) worship services. Maundy Thursday Worship with Holy Communion April 13 7:00 p.m. Good Friday April 14 7:00 p.m. All Saints Choir presents a Good Friday Cantata: Harvest of Sorrows

4 To Know... _ Adult Discussion: A.D. A.D. (Adult Discussion) is open to all on Sunday mornings, 9:45-10:30 a.m., in Fellowship Hall, where we consider issues of faith and life, along with suggested topics. Upcoming topics include: March 19: March 26: April 2: April 9: April 16: Service Teams: Greeting Guests and Members In Support of Military Personnel, Veterans and Their Families: What is PTSD? Fellowship Time Palm Sunday Please gather in Fellowship Hall prior to 10:45 a.m. service. Easter Sunday A light breakfast will be served from 9:00-10:30 a.m. Welcome New Mission Partners! We are grateful for these new mission partners received at All Saints on Sunday, March 5: Laurie Busse Kristin Warner 37 Patrick Way 5323 Westport Road #106 Fitchburg, WI Madison, WI New Council Members for 2017 New Council Members were elected at the January annual meeting and officers were chosen at the January Council meeting. They are (new members are denoted with an *): Jeff Cherwinka President jcherwinka@psl.wisc.edu Kervin Soko - Vice-President km_soko@yahoo.com Ron Miller* - Secretary RonFMiller@aol.com Michelle Slawny Treasurer slawny@tds.net Bob Beggs rjbeggs@sbcglobal.net Renee Degelau* ReneeDegelau@msn.com Matt Gramse mgramse@yahoo.com Jim Greenwald drbonebender@yahoo.com Jon Warren jbwarren2@att.net Pastor Rich Johnson pastorrich@allsaints-madison.org

5 To Follow... Lenten Offerings to Support the Madison Area Jail Ministry (MAJM) During the season of Lent, Wednesday Lenten offerings are shared with MAJM. MAJM is an ecumenical, Christ-centered, Ministry of Presence, born out of Lutheran tradition. It serves an interfaith population at the Dane County Jail, Madison, WI. WHO FINANCIALLY SUPPORTS THE JAIL MINISTRY? We do. The Dane County Jail Chaplains are not county employees. They are hired and financially supported by the Madison Area Jail Ministry (MAJM). Without contributions from MAJM member congregations, chaplains would not be available to be God's presence with incarcerated men and women, their families, and jail staff. Not only do the chaplains listen to and pray with them, they provide worship services, support groups, Bible studies, counseling, grief support, and connection with community re-entry resources. The chaplains are our presence in the jail. We may not visit those in jail as Matthew 25:43 calls us to do but by supporting the chaplains through MAJM, we are present. Here are some words shared by women about their experiences with the Jail Ministry...*Uplifting *Hopeful *Loving *Stress Reducer *Empowering *Motivating *Blessing *Comforting *Wonderful *Caring *Kind WHAT CAN WE DO DURING THIS LENTEN SEASON? All Saints mission partners and guests can continue to support the chaplain's valuable work through our free-will offerings to MAJM at Wednesday Lenten Services. We can truly be a presence in this ministry through our giving. Thank you for your caring and generosity as you share your financial resources. To learn more about MAJM, visit the website at If you have questions, contact Karen Julesberg at kejulesb@wisc.edu God s Global Barnyard All Saints stands on what was once part of the large McKee Farm. Once again, red barns will appear. During the Lenten Season, as part of All Saints mission to know, follow, and share Jesus, Sunday School children will save coins in red barns as part of God s Global Barnyard for ELCA World Hunger. Your donations help feed people through the gift of animals, agriculture and education on caring for the animals and making them a sustainable resource. The barns are to be returned on Sunday, April 3, and the children will select the animals to purchase for the program.

6 To Share... Seeking Volunteer Servers for St. Mark s Meals Four times a year, volunteers from All Saints help to serve the Friday meals at St. Mark s Lutheran Church. On our days to help, All Saints volunteers comprise 90% of the participants for serving meals to 100+ attendees. Helpers are needed for all, or part of the shift from 10:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Our remaining 2017 service dates are: April 28, August 4 and November 3. All Saints has been generous with its help in the past. We hope you will continue sharing your time with this ministry and invite new friends to join us. The Sunday School Program is Looking for Teachers! Proverbs 22:6 Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. The Sunday School team is looking for loving and enthusiastic teachers to guide our children and teach them about God s kingdom next year. Don t think you have enough time or knowledge? All you need is a yearning to teach and the desire to share with our youngest members! Our program is taught by teams of teachers so you do not need to teach every Sunday. We have easy to follow lessons and crafts which are prepared in advance. Love to do arts and crafts? We are also looking for individuals to prepare craft materials, which can be done in the comfort of your home. Please contact Ronda Beggs (rondabeggs@sbcglobal.net) or Leigh Luedtke (jimandleigh@gmail.com) for more information or to set up a classroom visit. Youth Are Invited to Share Their Time Attention Middle and High School Youth! The kids want YOU to lead VBS! Our VBS attendees LOVE their youth leaders and want more opportunities to be with you! Please join us for three nights of fun, games and fellowship where YOU lead the way. This year s VBS dates are: T-Th, June 13-15, 5:30-8:00 p.m., Grades K-5 There are also plenty of opportunities for adult involvement in VBS. To learn more, contact Ministry Coordinator Jennifer Barakat at: jenbarakat@allsaints-madison.org. All Saints Community Garden Kickoff Meeting The seed catalogs have arrived and temperatures are warming. Time to begin planning for this year s growing season! Please attend the annual All Saints Community Garden kickoff meeting on Saturday, March 25, from 10:00 a.m. noon in Fellowship Hall. These meetings are a great way for gardeners to get to know each other and to talk about gardening techniques, opportunities, and etiquette. Coffee and snacks will be provided. If you would like to garden with us but do not have a plot, please send a request to: allsaintsmadisongarden@gmail.com or contact Heather at our church office ( ).

7 All Saints News & Notes... Thank you to the families of John Troia and Jeff & Ida Mae Kriesel for recent gifts to the All Saints Memorial Fund honoring their loved ones and giving thanks to God for their life and memory. Thanks be to God for the Lenten altar paraments given in memory of the late Mrs. Josephine Donaghy, mother of mission partner Nuala Doty and to the Banner Team for preparing and placing them in the sanctuary. The Good Neighbors Personal Essentials Pantry (GNPEP.org) is open to serve our neighbors on Fridays, 10:00a.m.-1:00p.m. and the third Thursdays of the month, 5:30p.m.-7:30p.m. All Saints partners with other congregations and the pantry is located at Arbor Covenant Church, 2509 McDivitt Road, Madison, WI. A NEW hearing assistance system is running and available for use in the sanctuary! Please visit the projection booth located in the back of the sanctuary to check out a unit and your choice of an ear bud, a neck loop or BTE head set. Contact Dan Drake for additional information at: thedrakes@ymail.com. Welcome Heather Quartaro, interim part-time secretary at All Saints! Heather started February 28. Her hours are listed in the Church Staff portion of this newsletter. Congregation Council Meeting Approved Minutes: Copies are available in the church office. Newsletter articles are due at 9:00 a.m. the first Monday morning of the month to the secretary, Heather, in the church office at office@allsaints-madison.org. The April due date is Monday, April 3rd. Items are subject to editing due to space availability. Synod News: Would you like to read stories of the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin s ministries, timely news updates and invitations to learning and ministry opportunities in the synod? If so, follow this sign-up link: Thank you for your prayers and financial giving to and through All Saints. General Fund offerings through February, 2017: 2017 Actual Giving 2017 General Fund Budget General Fund $58, $42, Thank you for prayers and generous support of our capital appeal, Building Your Faith & Future, for the mortgage debt reduction. Totals for the appeal since Fall, 2014 are: Actual Giving Since Fall, 2014 Three-Year Faith Promises $ $388,592.00

8 All Saints Lutheran Church 2951 Chapel Valley Road Fitchburg, WI (608)276-PRAY Published Monthly Issue No. 369 Save These Dates! April 23: Combo worship & potluck with Santa Maria May 7: 8 th Grade Confirmation service June 4: 4th Grade First Communion Jun : Vacation Bible School (Grades K-5), 5:30-8:00 p.m. Jun. 24: Steeple to Steeple Bike for Hunger Questions? Contact: Jen Barakat Jul. 9: All Saints Mallards Game (first pitch 4:05 p.m.) and Potluck Picnic (1:00 p.m.) Questions? Contact: Ben or Tracy Schoohs Church Staff Pastor Richard A. Johnson...Phone: Home Phone: pastorrich@allsaints-madison.org Congregational Council President...Jeff Cherwinka Phone: ; jcherwinka@psl.wisc.edu Ministry Coordinator.....Jennifer Barakat (Office Hours: 9:30-4:30. M-W) Phone: ; jenbarakat@allsaints-madison.org Adult Choir, Joyful Noise, and Handbell Choir Director. Nancy Pokorney, Phone: New Song Director....Melanie Wulfekuhle Melanie.wulfekuhle@gmail.com Accompanists. Yana Avedyan-Lead Pianist, Janet Johnson, Nancy Pokorney and Kristin Warner Sunday School...Ronda Beggs and Leigh Leudtke rondabeggs@sbcglobal.net and jimandleigh@gmail.com Church Secretary. Heather Quartaro (Secretarial Hours: 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., M-R) Phone: ; office@allsaints-madison.org Childcare Staff Person...Chris Carollo-Zeuner (Sundays, 8:30-11:45 a.m.) Custodian Dennis Ahnen For a calendar of All Saints activities, go to