St. Peter s Lutheran Church Pastor Christopher Miller prcmiller@wicw.net Parsonage phone: 727-2260 Cell phone: 608-415-8633 Council Members President Bonnie Haag Deacon/Parish Ed Sue Wobschall Deacon/VP David Schlieckau Deacon Rachel Niemann Secretary Joyce Knuth Financial Secretary Becky Henke Treasurer/Trustee Pam Judd Trustee/Property & Main Peter Giese Trustee/Finance Hank Elfers Congregation Staff Janitor Mike Wobschall Office Secretary Vicky Baumgarten Asst. Office Secretary Carol Myers Choir Director Dawn Webber Organists Sharon Schlieckau Marge Schmidt Bonnie Haag Luther League Advisor Liesa Stienmetz Tracy Simacek KFC Superintendent Sue Wobschall Parish Education Tracy Simacek Vicky Baumgarten Becky Riberich Sunday Greeters LaVern & Darleen Harms Sunday Ushers Ryan Suemnicht Jamie Haag Gary Krueger Cody Schulte Sunday Readers Jan 2 Youth Jan 9 Bill Schuette Jan 16 Kathy Geffert Jan 23 Liesa Stienmetz Jan 30 Glenn Schulte WELCA Committees for January 2011 Communion Preparation: January - February Shirley Baumgarten & Vicky Baumgarten Post Communion: January - February Rachel Niemann & Janice Ripley Visiting Committee: Shirley Baumgarten & Margaret Roecker Flower Committee: Jane Muchow & Isabelle Reimer Quilting Day Serving Marge Schmidt
St Peter s Lutheran Church Worship Hours ~ Saturday Evenings at 5:00p Sunday Mornings at 10:00a Also on Sundays: KFC at 9:00a & Adult Bible Study at 9:00a Pastor Christopher Miller prcmiller@wicw.net Cell phone: (608) 415-8633 Church Office: 727-3721 Office hours: Vicky Wednesdays 5:00-7:00p Saturdays 8:00-10:00a Carol Thursdays 9:00-11:00a Annual Church Meeting January 23rd Our Annual Church Meeting is set for January 23 rd, after service and following a bar-b-que lunch furnished by the youth. Business will start approximately at 12:30pm or whenever the lunch is done. From our Constitution. This is for informational purposes to you the congregation. The definition of a voting member as written in our church Constitution: From Chapter 8. *C8.02. Deadline for information to go into the Annual Report is January 9 th. If this deadline does not work for you, please contact Vicky at (727-4141) or (vickybaumgarten@aol.com or stpeters@wicw.net) I do need to have the Report out for distribution by January 16 th. MEMBERSHIP Members shall be classified as follows: c. Voting members are confirmed members. Such confirmed members, during the current or preceding calendar year, shall have communed in this congregation and shall have made a contribution of record to this congregation. It is important to fill out your Communion card and to use your Offering envelopes as a way for the church to show record. Youth Service on Jan 2 10:00a Some of our young adults will be providing the service on Sunday, January 2 nd at 10:00a. The service will be a communion service and special music will be provided along with a short play called: What, No Angels? By David Stienmetz
Church cancellations. If the need arises again to Cancel church.. The policy for church cancellations due to dangerous weather conditions, is decided by the church council. Once the decision is made, the church will list it on the answering machine, the church website and if possible the WNFM/WRDB radio station. However, when in doubt call a Council member or someone in the congregation. KFC News Hope everyone has survived Christmas and the holidays. Now, we have to get back to our normal routines and get through the month of January, which seems to me to be the longest month of the year. Sunday School resumes January 9th, 2011. Our Rotation lesson will be the Parables "The Lost Sheep" and "The Lost Coin." Our goals or objective for this rotation is for the children to learn and understand, God seeks out all who are lost, God calls us to celebrate with Him when the lost are found, and God loves us and never gives up on us so we shouldn't either. Our rotations will be six Sundays. We plan to have a mission speaker come on one of the Sundays to share their experience with the children. If anyone has a suggestion for speakers, please contact me at 608-495-1399. Children will sing in Church on Sunday, February 13, 2010. We encourage all children to sing. We are always looking for volunteers to lead our workshops. If you are interested please contact me. I have the materials and will help you in any way. Popcorn Report Again thanks to all to help keep our Sunday School going. KFC Superintendent Sue Wobschall The children sold a lot of popcorn and the top ten sellers were awarded a $15.00 Culvers coupon, one coupon per family from the Men's Club. Thanks kids and thanks Men's Club. Also the children got to vote to where the money from the sales would be used for and the results were to split the profit between the Mosquito netting for their mission and the church roof.
Sledding Party and Pizza Potluck ~ Because of the way the holidays fall and the school schedule it is scheduled for Saturday, January 1st, 2011. There is no Saturday service. Hopefully there will be snow for sledding. The plan is sledding will start at 4:00 p.m. Families will bring a pizza and a snack. Hot chocolate will be provided. We will eat at 6:00 p.m. so if you don't like the snow feel free to join us for pizza. Also I encourage you to bring a favorite game or movie to share. Thank you to all for a job well done Greeters: Brayden Judd & Lucas Riberich Narrators: Brett Knuth, Emily Knuth, Carley Suemnicht, James Suemnicht, Jordan Crary, Kari Cattle, Brittany Ogden, Hannah Hahn, Danny Meyer, TJ Pierce The Angel Scene: Darin Gease, Jordan Schuette, Claudia Damasche, Kaylee Strutz, Alyssa Delp, Sierra Harris, Jenna Engel, Kaylee Engel, Shelby Henke, Jenna Thieding, Halle Hahn, Loraun Delp, Baylee Judd, Summer Schlieckau. The Village Scene: Dalton Hahn, Mason Judd, Ross Roecker, Lucas Muchow, Hayden Hahn, James Suemnicht The Shepherd Scene: Thomas Koenig, Sawyer Hahn, Natasha Harris, Olivia Thieding, Dilon Judd, Logan Judd, Carrina Delp, Ephraim Albers, Andrea Schlieckau. Our Little Nativity: Morgan Henke, Summer Haag, Mariah Delp, Nicole Riberich, Devin Judd, Thomas Albers, Jase Engel, Lilyanna Kast, Ashley Cunningham, Victoria Slama This is one of the hardest things that I ever do: trying to put together our Christmas program for your children. And I can t say in words how much your kids mean to me. To see Christmas through the eyes of a child is the only way to see Christmas. Thank you for allowing me to grow with your children as we worked toward the end result. Snow and cancellations brought on new challenges this year for sure. But, we do live in Wisconsin and that risk is always there. I have so many people to thank and so I will try to not miss anyone. My many thanks to: Sue Wobschall for allowing me the time from KFC to work on the program and your unending support Ruth Roecker for your creativeness and your talents costuming the kids Jess Bauer for your amazing dance style and bringing fun movements to our program. Mom is so proud. KFC staff your assistance and suggestions during this past month were so valuable Liesa Stienmetz for the wonderful scenery you created Ron Kruse for helping to make all things possible Parents thank you for delivering your kids to practice and understanding when the time got long Pastor Miller you continue to see everything that is good and help whenever the need arises Bill Schuette thank you for capturing the moments. It s what I will be able to go back to and savor when everything gets packed away. www.stpetersloganville.org Dean for those visits at the church when I wasn t home as often during the past month Katie & Ryan Knuth and Ryanne Roecker for offering to help with the back stage and sound All the kids for without you our Christmas would not be quite the same at St. Peter s ~ Vicky
COUNCIL CORNER I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that the New Year is good to you. Becky Henke is our new financial secretary. She will be receiving training from Rich for a couple of weeks, but basically will be taking over the job completely on January 1. Council has approved a new form for accepting in-kind donations. This form is available in the office and should be completed any time an in-kind donation is made to avoid any misunderstandings regarding the use of the donation. The annual meeting is approaching quickly mark your calendars for January 23, following Sunday service. There is still time to get your name on the ballot if you are interested in running for a position on Council or the Parish Ed or nominating committee. If you are interested, please let me know soon. Remember, any time you have questions or want to share your comments or concerns, feel free to contact me or any other council member. God s blessings, Bonnie Haag, President Thank you Thank you all for remembering me following my accident and surgeries this past year. Thank you to Pastor Miller for the prayers and visits. Also, the Get Well cards, food, prayer shawls, cheer pail and visits from the congregation. Thank you all for making transportation possible that I could spend Thanksgiving with the family Bob Nobbs Thank you I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and well wishes during my illness. Also, for meals, visits, cards and phone calls from the congregation. Thank you, Pastor Miller, for your many visits. Thank you to the Prayer Shawl Ministry for the beautiful shawl. Everything was appreciated very much. Lorraine Kerschke
2010 CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS GIVEN BY: Diane & Dan Geffert GIVEN BY: Dean & Vicky Baumgarten IN CELEBRATION OF: The Birth of Teaghan Alexandrea Geffert IN HONOR OF: Our Family GIVEN BY: Ron & Jeanette Kruse Harvey & Carol Myers Audrey Ogden & Family IN MEMORY OF: Our Loved Ones Parents & Grandparents Marvin & Ruth Kruse Family & Friends Leon & Brenda Statz Family Loved Ones & Peace in our World GIVEN BY: Peter Giese & John & Rachel Niemann & Families Ewald & Elva Gluth Jim & Arlene Gregory LaVerne & Darlene Harms Mark, Carrie, Mason & Brayden Judd Vernon & Joyce Knuth & Families Steve & Patty Koenig Family Mabel Krueger Louise Krueger IN MEMORY OF: Ed & Yolanda Giese John & Naomi Niemann Paul & Meta Gluth Lucas & Marie Muchow Herman & Verna Knuth Jim & Rosella Gregory Herb & Edna Harms Eleanor Reinecke Walter & Martha Ribbke Rita Kreger Emma Judd Eugene Judd Kevin Knuth Paul Kraemer Roger Krueger Oscar & Leona Krueger Carol, Roger & Arthur Krueger Gerald Radke Norma Radke Mark & Becky Radke Jess & Laurie Eastman, Olivia & Jenna Marion Roecker Randy, Ruth, Ryanne & Ross Roecker Friends & Family Marjorie Schmidt Marjorie Schmidt Judy Holly-Schroeder Roy Schroeder David & Marilyn Stevens Mike & Becky Riberich Family Joe & Kim Heron Family Lucinda & Nicholas Yanke WELCA Edwin Roecker Richard Roecker Martin & Ella Roecker Gordon Kopf Augie Schlieckau Esther & Harold Ott Geraldine Ott Curtis Schmidt Richard Holly Mr & Mrs Henry Holly Mr & Mrs Lawrence Rettgen Charlotte Schroeder Ervin & Wava Schroeder Art & Hilma Behn Estella & Helen Walter & Margaret Stevens Ronald Seamans Robert & Alicia Yanke For our sisters that are no longer with us Many photos on our website Bill Schuette has done a wonderful job capturing moments from the holiday season. Take some time to enjoy the faces of Christmas. www.stpetersloganville.org
Thank you for the Christmas Trees A special thank you to Marge Schmidt for donating the Christmas Trees this year. Thank you to Harold Haag, Chuck Muchow & Arold Hamburg for getting them in place. Thank you WELCA for decorating them so beautifully. The trees were purchased at Lally s Christmas Trees outside of Wonewoc. Our deepest sympathy to our Church family. Our Church family s loved ones. The family of August Schlieckau Thank you Dear Pastor Miller and Members of St Peter s, We wish to thank you so much for your visits to the hospital and to our home, Pastor. It meant a lot to us to be able to have communion even though we were unable to attend church. Thank you to the church members for the wonderful cheer pail. We have been enjoying the delicious treats made by so many of the people from the church. We also very much appreciated the visits from the visiting committee. We look forward to being able to return to church in the near future. God Bless. Sincerely, Don & Nancy Hamilton Simply Giving The Simply Giving Program is a simple way to give to St Peter s and in giving gifts to the Lord. With the Simply Giving Program, you may chose to give weekly or monthly or semi-monthly, with deductions coming out of your checking or savings on the days that you designate the withdrawal. You may make choices as to the amount you want to give for individual accounts; Be it the General Fund, Property & Maintenance, LSS, Missions, etc. The form is just one page and the rest is automatically taken care of for you. All information is kept privately by those individuals involved in setting up your account. See Carol Myers for an enrollment form and to answer any questions you may have. An effective date of three weeks is allowed for the paperwork to be processed. We encourage you to consider this way of truly giving the Biblical first fruits to the Lord. We are sure you stewardship will be enhanced by this convenient, consistent way of giving. Thanks be to God. Pastor Miller
2011 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday January 1 st ~ Sledding Party & Pizza Potluck January 1 st ~ We WILL NOT be having our regular evening service 2 nd Sunday after Christmas NO KFC NO ADULT BIBLE STUDY 10:00a Worship Service w/ Communion 2 3 4 5 6:30p Worship Committee Meeting 5:30/7:00p CAT Classes 7:30p Choir 6 4:00p Sledding Party & Pizza Potluck NO EVENING SERVICE New Year s Day 7 8 5:00p Evening Worship w/ Communion 1 Baptism of Our Lord 9:00a KFC 9:00a Adult Bible Study 10:00a Worship Service 9 10 7:00p Prayer Shawl Ministry 7:25p Mutual Ministry Meeting 1:30p Bible Study 11 12 5:30/7:00p CAT Classes 7:30p Choir Epiphany 13 7:30p Council Meeting 14 15 5:00p Evening Worship w/ Communion 2 nd Sunday after Epiphany 9:00a KFC 9:00a Adult Bible Study 10:00a Guitar Worship w/ Communion 16 23 3 rd Sunday after Epiphany 9:00a KFC 9:00a Adult Bible Study 10:00a Worship Service ~following service / the Annual Meeting 4 th Sunday after Epiphany 9:00a KFC 9:00a Adult Bible Study 10:00a Worship Service 30 7:00p Bible Study 17 Martin Luther King Jr. Day 24 7:00p Prayer Shawl Ministry 31 25 1:00/6:00p Quilting 18 19 5:30/7:00p CAT Classes 7:30p Choir 26 5:30/7:00p CAT Classes 7:30p Choir 20 7:00p Health/JOY/Care Meeting 21 22 5:00p Evening Worship w/ Communion 27 28 29 5:00p Evening Worship w/ Communion Remember the Annual Meeting on January 23, 2010 ~ following our Sunday Worship Service ~ youth are providing a Bar-B-Q Lunch before the meeting
(Jesus Others You) To Proclaim Christ s Love In the World With Joy Pastor s Sermon on Christmas Eve 2010 Pastor considers his Christmas Message part of his Gift to us. Because weather or family plans and other obligations didn t allow everyone to be here for 9:00pm worship ~ his sermon is printed below. Christmas Eve Sermon ~ December 24, 2010 Haven t you just seen some beautiful Nativity scenes over the years? Sometimes they are finely painted plaster casts, sometimes of fine porcelain, sometimes carved in olive wood, and sometimes cut-outs from plywood. They are displayed under the Christmas tree, or on a coffee table or an end table, sometimes out in the front yard. Oh yeah, We know the scene = Mary & Joseph, the Baby Jesus, a couple shepherds, three Wise Men, an Angel, a donkey with several sheep, and maybe a cow or a goat. The image is so vivid we can imagine THAT IS what the scene looked like. YET, we would be wrong ~ on several levels. First of all, all our characters have an Anglo-featured look not a Semitic-look. Secondly, our crèche scenes are IDYLLIC & STERILE / Idealized & Sanitized. The first thing we overlook must be the aroma in that first stable-cave. That had to be OFF- Putting as you entered that sacred space that Holy Night. Then, consider the atmosphere (and I m not talking about ambiance ). We never consider all the air-born particles that must have been floating around. Oh my the straw-dust & dander, the bacteria and a wet lamb shaking himself dry. It s surprising Jesus didn t have asthma or allergies or something as an adult. And then there are all those Visitors = nasty, filthy shepherds and Arab wise men. Who knows where those sheep-herder s hands had been, and what odor the Easterner s diets must have given off through their skin & sweat not to mention the flavor the camels bring to our imaginative senses. I know couples - hesitant to bring their babies to church the first time to be baptized. After all, those precious babies have no immunities and are so vulnerable. And Jesus was no different being true man ~ in addition to being true God Immanuel which means God with us. Yet ~ GOD WAS DETERMINED to COME in the Flesh AT that specific time. God had DECIDED to live among us to SAVE us from our dirty, sinful lives. Maybe it was JUST THIS KIND of WELCOME that he DESIGNED as well. If not so chosen ~ Jesus could have been sent to a royal couple & be born in a palace. BUT, then, would the Miracle of Jesus Birth have been any less? Maybe on a biological / socio-economic level but NOT on a spiritual level. THERE STILL would have been the Miracle and Mystery THAT: GOD chose to become human, a man with the glory as of a father s only Son full of Grace & Truth as the light, shining in the Darkness of this World. YES ~ THAT is the Miracle & Mystery of Christmas of a loving, forgiving father. WHAT LOVE our Heavenly Father has for us = his Creation & his beloved creatures. Isn t it a Wonder and a Marvel? But we re NOT ALL THAT BAD are we? Not THAT stained with sin? So Repulsive? THAT reminds me of a story that I ve received several times via e-mail. Perhaps you ve received it as well this December or before. It s about an incident a mother shares - eating out with her 1 or 2 year old son. She says =
We were the only family with a small child in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair & noticed everyone was quietly sitting & talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth bared a gapped-toothed grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment. I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell him ~ but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,' the man said to Erik My husband and I exchanged looks like, 'What do we do now?' Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.' Everyone in the restaurant noticed & looked at us & then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo.' Nobody thought the old man was cute. In fact, he was probably drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cutesy comments. We finally got through the meal and were headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check & told me to meet in the parking lot. Regrettably, the old man sat poised between me & the door. I prayed 'Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to us'. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and trying to avoid any air he might be exhaling. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's 'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik had crawled from my arms to the man. Suddenly a very old smelly man & a very young baby consummated their newly discovered love and kinship. Erik, in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears appear beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain & hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked my baby s back. No two human beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked & cradled Erik in his arms. Then his eyes opened and locked squarely on mine. He said in a firm, commanding voice, You take care of this baby.' Somehow I managed I will, from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby back, and the man said, 'God bless you, ma'am, you've given me the best Christmas gift' I said nothing more than a muttered & insincere thanks. With Erik in my arms, I literally ran for our car. My husband wondered why I was crying & holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive me, please, forgive me' I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin & who made no judgment; a child who saw a fellow soul & a mother who saw a raggedy bum. I was a Christian ~ who was blind & cautious holding a child who was not. Then I felt the Voice of God asking me a profound question, 'Are you UN-willing to share your son for a moment when I shared Mine for a lifetime & for all eternity? It seems to me THIS IS LIKE our Christmas Story we heard again this evening. As we IDENTIFY with characters in this contemporary restaurant - story, we might see ourselves as that young mother trying to protect her baby, or as the other patrons, un-amused by the old man s presence; or we may see ourselves - as the innocent, playful, carefree baby.
BUT ~ at Christmas time we are reminded that WE ARE THE BEGGARS, We are really the BUMS covered with the sins of Life & and the dirt Living ENAMORED with the sight of a precious little baby with innocent love HOWEVER on this Eve let us REALIZE, unlike that reluctant mother our Heavenly Father WILLINGLY shares this BABY with each of us IF ONLY we will reach out to Him to receive him and to embrace him. As Jesus begins his earthly ministry some 30-years later We will come to see that THIS BABY is not UN-AWARE of our condition On the contrary = HE IS ALL TOO AWARE OF OUR CONDITION & NEED YET STILL he reaches out to HUG US and to HANG on a Cross for us. THAT is truly the MIRACLE of CHRISTMAS the one we celebrate here, at the nativity of HIS life on this Magical Eve of Christ s Birth. May YOU have such faith in this BABE BORN IN BETHLEHEM that you will RECEIVE Him ~ as unlikely as we each are to fully recognize HIM. Even so, Remember the words of the Carol we are about to sing = How silently, how silently ~ the wondrous gift is giv n! No ear may hear his coming ~ But, in this world of sin, Where meek souls will receive him, still ~ the dear Christ enters in. [dear God] Cast out our sin, and enter in ~ be born in us today. Oh, come to us, abide with us, ~ Our Lord Immanuel! ( O Little Town #41 vss 3,4) AMEN. Pr Christopher Miller