T h e C h u r c h M o u s e

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1 T h e C h u r c h M o u s e Ascension Lutheran Church Newsletter February 2012 Table of Contents Page 1 Pastor s Letter Page 2 President s Letter Sabbatical News Finance Report Page 3 Mission Report Obituary Page 4 Children, Youth & Family Ministry at Ascension Page 5 Stages of Faith Page 6 Peace Candles Mardi Gras Invite Page 7 Thank you, thank you Page 8 Worship Participants Celebrants Page 9 February Calendar Ascension s Vision Ascension Lutheran Church celebrates faith and trusts in God s grace and salvation through Jesus Christ. Our Mission We worship in word and sacrament, care for God s creation, serve people in need, and respect differences. Sabbatical Plans To drink again from God s creative, life-giving fountain. This is the wonderful purpose of sabbatical, for Ascension, for all of us! As everyone knows, Ascension received a grant for $50,000 from the Lilly Endowment Inc. for a clergy and congregational sabbatical. Here are the things that Lilly believes make a high-quality proposal, which you ll see reflected in our successful proposal, Living Water : Good sabbatical proposals have: 1. A sense of purpose. They are grounded in a central vision or idea, grown out of the particular soil, or situation, of the church and its leader. 2. Good proposals reflect a sense of balance between attention paid to both the pastor s personal and professional life during the renewal period. Also, they include several activities, with a retreat or reflection component. 3. Good proposals show evidence that the congregation understands and affirms the value of a renewal program for its leader, but also how the congregation took time to understand sabbatical purposes and possibilities. 4. Strong proposals benefit both the pastor and the congregation. (for more information, see Ascension has a sabbatical committee, overseen by Bill Valliere, which worked with the Mutual Ministry committee, and finally the council, to develop our proposal. We were rejected for our first proposal and a year later reapplied after talking with the grants officer and modifying the sabbatical plans, making a better sabbatical. Briefly, Ascension s focus is on living water, both spiritual and real H 2 O. Pr. Nancy is almost obsessed with the story of Jesus and the woman at the well (John 4). What is living water? How can we get it? What about all the women who walk for hours to find clean water for their family? How can we more passionately tell everyone about Jesus living waters? We hope to grow in our faith and trust in God through these experiences: Pastor Nancy returns to the Holy land with Prs. Susan and Michael Thomas, leaving Burlington on May 6. They will stay at our sister church, Christmas Lutheran church. They will follow Pr. Mitri Raheb around for a day in his ministry to learn from his leadership. They will also visit Lutheran World Relief well projects that benefit especially women and girls. Further, the Jordan River, where we renew baptismal vows, is very polluted. What are churches and other groups doing about that, and about unequal and unjust water distribution in the region? After visiting several World Heritage sites (Petra, Istanbul,) and other biblical sites in Turkey, Pr. Nancy travels to Scotland. There she will stay for several days at the sustainable community, Findhorn, and also at the ancient Christian pilgrimage site, Iona. Pr. Nancy will attend the synod assembly (June 9-10) on her way home. She returns for six weeks to Vermont, to wade in Potash Brook behind her house, pray around the theme of water, read, reflect and also work with people involved with water restoration projects around Vermont. During this time she will attend the National Youth Gathering, with Valerie and Ascension youth. The third part of the sabbatical period is time spent in Alaska, to visit the Native American Lutheran church in Anchorage, the Denali National Park, and finally take a week-long contemplative Pr. Nancy Wright kayaking trip. ( She returns to Ascension August 23. During the entire sabbatical time, Pr. Nancy will send weekly meditation texts and thoughts for enews. The congregation will read a book on Sabbath, and pray more deeply, while considering justice issues around water. In September the grant pays for a catered meal, during which the sabbatical can be digested by Pr. Nancy and the congregation and the future implications of it for the congregation considered. Also, in September the grant pays for the congregation to take a trip on the UVM research vessel on Lake Champlain. Council is making final plans for the sabbatical pastor, who also is paid out of the grant. A brochure giving all these details, and a week-byweek description of the sabbatical period will be developed. What a great opportunity for us! One grant recipient says, See this as the extraordinary thing it is. The renewal program speaks the language of grace. My fervent hope for all of us is to feel showered by grace. I hope that any fatigue we feel will be replaced by refreshment, and the Christ s living water will bring us strength and joy. After all, it is the Source of Life! Faithfully, Pastor Nancy 9 5 All en Ro a d, S o. Burl ingt on, VT Ph o n e : ( 8 02) F a x: ( 80 2) em a il: chur ch. of fic l cv t. or g W eb : h ttp: // w w w. a lc vt.or g

2 President s Letter Page 2 I think it s safe to say that this is the first Church Mouse letter from an ALC Council President ever sent from Liberia. I send greetings from a country that has just inaugurated Africa s only woman president for a second term. The weather is sunny and cool, but the dusty winds off the Sahara Desert, which are called the Harmattan, bring the promise of hot days to come. During my absence Tom Bruno, our Vice President, has been covering the duties of the President. I thank him for that. Since the last issue of the Church Mouse I have with Walter Grant signed the signature cards at the bank, so that I am able to sign Sabbatical Information checks in case of need. That if nothing else means I am now installed in office! I interrupted the 9:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service to present Pastor Nancy with a card containing the generous gift from the congregation. From her startled expression I wonder if Pastor Nancy has ever had a parishioner interrupt the service before. Council is planning a special meeting on January 23 to review the expenditures, attendance, and giving statistics from This will enable us to project more accurately what we can expect to have for our 2012 budget. This exercise of comparing a budget to actual expenditures will enable Council to review Summary Statement of Operations Year Ended December 31, 2011 the 2012 budget, and make an informed decision whether a budget revision is called for. Thanks to Doug Dreibelbis for putting all the data together in an easy-to-understand format. I look forward when I am back to meeting Pastor Dan Steinbauer, who will be serving our congregation during Pastor Nancy s sabbatical leave. Sincerely yours, Steve Snook Most of you probably know, that Pastor Nancy has received a grant for a sabbatical leave. A sabbatical leave is a time of contemplation and renewal for both Pastor Nancy and our congregation. The purpose of the renewal program is for the pastor and the congregation to experience Jesus living water. Pastor Nancy will begin her sabbatical leave in May, 2012 and return to us in August. During her sabbatical, she will visit the Holy Land, and while there, attend to issues of justice surrounding distribution of water in this region where water is scarce. She will visit water projects conducted by Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and Friends of the Earth Middle East. She will meet again with parishioners of our sister congregation, Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, and their pastor, Dr. Mitri Raheb. From there, she will travel to Scotland to seek relaxation and inspiration at Findhorn and Iona. She will then travel back to Vermont for several weeks, where she will explore Vermont s living waters. After her time in Vermont, Pastor Nancy will travel to Alaska, a place she considers a destination of hope, where she will seek inspiration from the majestic landscapes, and will explore issues of water and environmental justice, particularly as they apply to indigenous peoples. The trip will deepen connections to the natural world, cultivate inner spaciousness for more fully opening to the power of place, and conclude the sabbatical pilgrimage by allowing for deep meditation on water and all the sabbatical experiences. While she is away, Pastor Nancy encourages us to read books like Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives, or Sabbath: Restoring the Sacred Rhythm of Rest and to engage more deeply in prayer. The sabbatical pastor will preach on living water and on Sabbath. Ripple, our ecumenical youth ministry, will focus on worldwide water issues for the spring hour Fast and consider water issues throughout the year. Parishioners will also be encouraged to keep journals of what spiritual living water means to them, and reflections of times spent in or on water. ALC council committees will consider water as they plan activities for program year 2012/13. The fourth annual clean up of lake tributary Bartlett Brook (contiguous to ALC s land) with university students will occur prior to the sabbatical on Earth Day. Submitted by Bill Valliere Report submitted by Walter Grant, Treasurer

3 ALC News Page 3 Mission Information Spotlight on the Cooperative Christian Ministry at the University of Vermont (CCM at UVM) Donna Ellison from Good Shepherd Lutheran in Jericho and I are the two Lutheran board members on the CCM at UVM board. CCM at UVM is an ecumenical ministry of six Protestant denominations: American Baptist Churches, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, and United Methodist Church. Pastor Abby Gackenheimer is the part-time CCM chaplain. She is an ordained UCC minister and also serves as part-time pastor at the UCC church in New Haven, Vermont. To describe the goals and work of CCM, I quote below from the CCM at UVM website. "No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!" The Cooperative Christian Ministry at the University of Vermont is a welcoming and inclusive Christian presence servicing all the Protestants, as well as seekers and inquirers. The ministry seeks to build spiritual community, create safe and engaging environments for reflection, discussion, and action, and nurtures connections between faith and daily life. Its ministry is highly ecumenical and is sponsored by six mainline Protestant denominations. CCM is dedicated to serving as a stimulus for the spiritual journey of UVM's students, staff, administration, and faculty and is a voice of conscience within the university community. CCM does this regardless of gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, age, religion, and able bodiedness. CCM at UVM provides the following activities for students, faculty, and staff: Outreach opportunities, such as CROP Hunger Walk, COTS (The Committee for Temporary Shelter), JUMP (Joint Urban Ministry Project) and the Women's Prison Ministry. A safe place for students to engage in open dialogue with others as it relates to questions about God, spirituality, the place of religion and faith in daily life, either in individual conversations or a group meeting. Fellowship opportunities, such as outdoor snow activities, meals together, guest speakers, coffee houses, and Sunday evening worship service and Bible study. Former ALC parishioner dies in Dallas OBITUARY - ANDREW D. WUTKA September 16, 1972-October 3, 2011 Andrew D. Wutka, 39, died unexpectedly on October 3, 2011, at Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas, TX. He was born September 16, 1972, in Poughkeepsie, NY, the beloved son of Anthony D. and Nancy C. (Roth) Wutka. He is survived by his wife, Tammy L. (Smith) Wutka and their precious daughter, Hannah N. Wutka; his sister Amy D. (Wutka) Moore and brother-in-law, Mark J. Moore of Pownal, VT; his brother, Adam D. Wutka and sister-in-law, Aimee R. (Anderson) Wutka and their two sons (Andrew s nephews) Nathaniel A.. Wutka and Benjamin C. Wutka of Great Bend, KS. Andrew spent his childhood in Fishkill, NY, Burlington, VT, and Coral Springs, FL. He graduated from Taravella High School in Coral Springs in He attended the University of North Florida. He joined the Navy in November He was a nuclear mechanic and served on the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). He and Tammy moved to McKinney, TX, in Andrew has worked for Marlow Industries, Inc., since 2000, as a network systems administrator. He was also active in database development groups, including AccessD, where he was a member of the board of directors. The viewing was held at Turrentine Jackson Morrow Funeral Home on Thursday, October 6. The funeral service was held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at Preston Meadows Lutheran Church, followed by internment at Ridgeview Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Hannah Wutka education fund at Valliance Bank, 5900 S. Forrest Dr. #100, McKinney, TX Nancy and Tony Wutka's address, for condolence cards is: Tony and Nancy Wutka, 2639 Valley Creek Trail, McKinney, TX Please note: Tammy, Andrew's widow, and their 13-year-old daughter Hannah, are living with Tony and Nancy.

4 Children, Youth, and Family Ministry at Ascension Page 4 The Christian Education Committee is now the Children, Youth and Family Ministry Team This is the new Christian Education committee, revitalized! The new name, passed by council, tells us that all parishioners are involved in learning and teaching!!! We want to grow this team, and we need members. Please consider becoming a part of this team; you can help us for the spring or fall semesters, so it needn t be a long-term commitment. Thank you to these parishioners who will teach at 9:30 a.m. in upcoming months: Jo White, February; Kay Antos, March; Kathe Bruno, April; Joyce Gallimore, May;. And Sarah Peake, Heidi Western, and Kim Fry will be responsible for Kid s church. From the ELCA Effective Youth and Family Ministry document: Effective Youth and Family Ministry is adults and young people walking alongside each other in relationship, as both grow and mature in faith in Christ. Biblical Basis: Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity (Hebrews 6:1) Remember: Our children and youth are our future!!! Pr. Nancy RIPPLE Events, Topics for Discussion, and Potlucks (Both Groups) - The Parent Perspective February 7 Question: Why do my parents seem to be so stupid compared to other adults? Answer (via Mark Twain): When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. (Ripple Current) - Awareness About Youth in War Torn Places February 21 (Ripple Immersion) - Heartbreaking Healing Stories from Sudan with guest speaker Abraham Awolich, Founder and President of Sudan Development Foundation and one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. (This date is not yet firm and may switch with the topic on Feb 7 or March 6 or 20. Stay tuned.) March 6 (Both Groups) - The Story of Stuff: Changing the Way We Consume as Earth Stewards March Hour Fast for the Hungry! Join other church youth groups at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Colchester. We will participate in a juice fast together, raise money and awareness for hungry people around the world, and have loads of fun together!! March 20 (Both Groups) - Healing the Church - How do we reconcile or reclaim our faith in the Jesus traditions when others monger hate in Jesus' name? THE LORD OF THE RINGS -Thursdays 6:00-9:00 p.m.- February 2, February 16, March 1, and March 15 LOTR fans and otherwise interested folks are invited to watch and discuss The Lord of the Rings on Thursdays 6-9 PM - February 2, February 16, March 1, and March 15. with the 20- and 30-somethings potluck community at 25 Buell Street in downtown Burlington. The extended trilogy is about 12 hours long and we will watch it in two-hour installments followed by discussion. Bring a dish to share and settle in with some good community and a great movie. Drop in once or make it every week: And on Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. I will be hanging out at Muddy Waters on Main Street in Burlington. Drop by it you would like to chat. Make an appointment or just stop in. I am always happy to talk with you about whatever! Go to the Ripple website for upcoming events Rachel Stampul

5 Useful charts Page 5 Band Conductor, Cathy Gottschalk

6 Useful Charts At Ascension Page 6 Letter to the Free Press Editor Sunday, January 8, 2012 Thank you for running the article about Christmas Eve in Bethlehem ("Thousands pack Bethlehem," Dec. 25). It was especially enlightening to read about how Palestinian Christians the first Christians celebrate in the city of Christ's birth. Some readers may not know that Bethlehem and Burlington have been sister cities since Another local connection is the sister congregation relationship between our church, Ascension Lutheran of South Burlington and the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. This Christmas Eve worshippers at Ascension Lutheran Church lit candles from a special Peace Light that was transported from the eternal flame in Bethlehem's Grotto in the Church of the Nativity and distributed to churches all over Europe and North America, including ours in Vermont. Indeed, many of us in the Burlington area have a special interest in the Middle East, and we particularly appreciate your efforts to keep us well informed of the news from this important region of the world. Peace Candles Photo: Courtesy of Charles Child MOUSA ISHAQ Essex Junction Mousa Ishaq is chairman of the Burlington-Bethlehem-Arad Sister City Program. Invitation to the Mardi Gras Party Come join the Ascension family at the Ascension Annual Mardi Gras Dance Everybody needs to be there. THAT MEANS YOU! Corey Gottfried will again provide great DJ music. We had so much fun last year; Let s do it again. Pot-luck: hor d oevres, entrée, or desert Dress up or dress down; it s Mardi Gras, so come as you would like. This Year: We invite First United Methodist Church to join us. February 10, :00 to 9:00 p.m. Prizes for best costumes!

7 ALC Page 7 Thank you notes Thank you Denise Puisto it s good to laugh!

8 Worship Participants for the Month of February Page 8 February 5 8:00 a.m. Holy Communion 10:30 p.m. Contemporary Service with Holy Communion Friday February 12 8:00 a.m. Service of the Word 10:30 p.m. Holy Communion February 19 8:00 a.m. Service of the Word 10:30 p.m. Holy Communion February 22 7:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday February 26 8:00 a.m. Service of the Word 10:30 p.m. Holy Communion Celebrant Pr. Nancy Wright Pr. Nancy Wright Pr. Nancy Wright Pr. Ann Larson Pr. Nancy Wright Altar Guild Communion Asst. Jean Fahrenbach Kris & Mousa Ishaq Cheryl Couillard Lydia Wisloski Julie Valliere Lucy Beck Lector Joyce Gallimore Bonnie Lombardi Jon Huener Paul Lombardi Sam Swanson Kathy Kemp Cheryl Couillard Walter Grant Anna-Marie Carter Liturgical Asst. Organist Denise Puisto Charles Child Charles Child Charles Child Charles Child Coffee Hosts Anneliese Koenig The Carters Greeters Ushers: Team 3 Greta Krag/ Doug Dreibelbis Kris Peterson-Ishaq and Mousa Ishaq Sharon, Sarah, and Laura Sturm, Elias Carter, Doug Dreibelbis Suzanne Furst and Marcia Gustafson Sarah Sturm/Jake Hansen If you think you're too small to be effective, you've never met a mosquito." February Celebrations Birthdays 1 John Ishaq Cathy Gottschalk 3 Rob Hondal Jane Heyerdahl 4 Derek Hanson 5 Kate Peake 9 Valerie Rittershausen Bob Hanson 11 Gene Heyerdahl 12 Sam Schroeter Kay Vascik 14 Verna Wittman 15 Jim Wilhite 16 Rebekka Bruno 18 Bill Valliere 19 Rob Wilhite 20 Michael Johnson Jackson Tylenda Benjamin Tylenda 21 Ron Uttecht 22 Stephen Franklin Wisloski Jody Wuensch 23 Meghan Kimball 23 Karen Martin 24 Margaret Madden 25 John Menzel Baptismal Anniversaries 1 Molly Burke Ellen Wilhite 2 Aaron Bergdahl 7 Holly Heppner 9 Eva Williford 10 Kris Peterson-Ishaq 14 Leah Burke 15 Douglas Dreibelbis Elizabeth Dreibelbis Jamie Wilhite Natalie Tylenda 20 Audrey Brevik 20 Paul Farrar, Jr. 24 Paul Farrar, III Wedding Anniversaries 10 Fred & Lil Schleede 14 John & Margaret Madden

9 Calendar Page February 2012 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday :30 p.m. Contemporary Practice 7:30 p.m. Bells Practice Meals On Wheels :00 a.m. Holy Communion 9:15 a.m. Adult Forum 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Contemporary Service with Holy Communion 12:00 2:00 p.m. Mutual Ministry 5:30 p.m. Ripple Current (5th-9th grade) 6:30 p.m. shared Meal 7:00 9:00 p.m. Ripple Immersion (8th-12th grade) 6:30 p.m. Choir 7:30 p.m. Bells 7:00 p.m. Finance Committee 7:00 p.m. Mission Committee 6:00 9:00 p.m. Mardi Gras Dance Party 10:00 a.m. Conference Meeting at ALC to discuss the Assembly election of the new Bishop :00 a.m. Service of the Word 8:00 1:00 p.m. Confirmation 9:15 a.m. Adult Forum 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion 7:00 p.m. Council Meeting 6:00 p.m. Property committee 6:30 p.m. Ripple Leaders 6:30 p.m. Choir Practice 7:30 p.m. Contemporary Practice :00 a.m. Service of the Word 9:15 a.m. Adult Forum 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion 7:00 p.m. Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday Service 6:30 Worship and Music Committee :00 a.m. Service of the Word 9:15 a.m. Adult Forum 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion NO Sunday School School Vacation Week 7:00 Care for Creation Committee 5:00/6:00 p.m. Soup/ Supper Service 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Practice A WORD FROM JUMP JUMP s mission is to promote the physical, emotional and spiritual well being of people by providing spiritual care, direct assistance to meet basic needs, and advocacy. JUMP receive significant support from 27 fait communities in the form of volunteer time, financial resources, and donated goods. Thank you to Ascension Lutheran Church for being a part of the JUMP story in Your faith community donated: Volunteer Time: 599 hours, thanks to Beth and Doug Dreibelbis and Mark Schroeter Financial Resources: $1,200 in pledges, $410 additional; $1,072 Chittenden/Feinstein Value of donated goods: $2,506.37, including 55 food bags.

10 The Church Mouse A Good News Letter From Ascension Lutheran Church Published Monthly By Ascension Lutheran Church 95 Allen Road, South Burlington, VT Staff Ascension s Winter Worship Schedule 8:00 a.m. Service of the Word 9:15 a.m. Adult Forum 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion On the first Sunday of each month Holy Communion is celebrated at both services. And a service of Contemporary Worship is celebrated at the 10:30 service. This publication can be viewed on our website at If you DO NOT wish to receive a hard copy please contact us via phone at 802/ or at Church.office@alcvt.org so that we might cut down on paper and cost. Thank you. Rev. Nancy Wright Rachel Stampul Sandra Short Charles Child Denise Puisto Jeri Bergdahl Kathy Kemp Steve Snook Stephen.snook@tetratech.com Tom Bruno Joyce Gallimore and Sarah Gottschalk Gene Heyerdahl Walter Grant Officers Congregation Council Members Pastor Director of Youth & Family Ministry Administrative Assistant Organist Organist Director of Bell Choir Custodian President Vice President Co-Secretaries Financial Secretary Steve Snook Joyce Gallimore Walter Grant Sarah Gottschalk Joe Oppenlander Gene Heyerdahl Steve Peake Tom Bruno Sharon Sturm Valerie Rittershausen Pr. Nancy Wright Treasurer