The Joyful Noise I just finished reading The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. I rarely pick up

novels longer than 300 pages these days; but I made an exception since, at 512 pages, it made the New York Times “Best of 2011” list. Plus, it’s about base-ball. You know how I love baseball!

Of course, a good novel is seldom “about” what it seems to be about. Some-

thing more usually hides below the surface. In this case, that “something” is how we face our flaws and imperfections – the proverbial bad hops hit our direc-tion on the ball field of life.

At the start of the book, any mention of flaws would hardly fit Henry Skrim-

shander, the main character. He is a gifted shortstop, who nicknamed his mitt “Zero” since that is how many errors he makes in any game. In his junior year of college, he ties the record for most error-free games in a row. Yet in that same game, with professional scouts in the stands, luring him with huge signing bonuses to turn pro, Henry uncorks a throw that nearly kills his roommate sitting unaware in the dugout. From that day on, Henry’s play suffers.

The team surges to victory after victory, but Henry grows unsure of himself,

double-clutching every ball hit his way, and finally quitting in shame as his error total mounts. He can’t accept the team’s success if he himself is not perfect.

Other characters have self-doubts too. Henry’s best friend and teammate, Mike, is ready to graduate, yet is

rejected by every law school that receives his application. Rejection may be Mike’s secret wish, since he ap-plies only to the top law schools in the country. Don’t we all have times when we try to create an everlasting present to avoid an uncertain future?

Even the college president is sadly unfulfilled. He has settled for a life of few friends, no adventure, broken

family, and one scholarly publication – which will be forgotten in twenty years. Inwardly too, he hides part of his nature, allowing it to flourish only briefly (and at great ethical cost) before his untimely death.

For 500 pages, these characters exhibit no religious impulse, and no church influence. So I was surprised at

page 503 when Owen, who was injured by Henry’s throw, gives a makeshift eulogy for the deceased school president. He vows not to “invoke any bread-based religion” (i.e., Jewish manna or Christian communion). But he then suggests that “a soul isn’t something a person is born with but something that must be built, by effort and error.”

I think Owen misleads his friends by saying there is no “bread-based religion” in that. “Effort and error” are

central to our faith, or we leave no room for God’s forgiveness and healing. The only other theological reflection in the book comes five pages later. And it is hilarious (at least to this

baseball loving preacher). A female psychiatrist tries to help Henry put his life back together. They are talking about sacrifice, but misunderstand each other. He thinks “sacrifice” is a baseball term, as in “laying down a bunt.” To her it is much more: “I [find] it interesting,” she says, “that you chose to say Laying down a bunt the way a person might say Laying down my life. You’re familiar with this passage from the Gospel of John? Great-er love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

When we understand life on those terms, we can stop trying to be perfect, allow ourselves

a few errors, and begin to “build our souls” as fully and fruitfully as God intends.

Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church

What’s inside …

Session Meeting Notes 2 Mission News & Updates 3 Summer Plans 4 Get Involved 5 Thank You Notes 6 June Calendar 7

IN MEMORIAM

WITH GRATITUDE

FOR HIS LIFE AND IN

THE HOPE OF THE

RESURRECTION OF JESUS

CHRIST

KARL ABENDROTH

MAY 13, 2012

EDWARD STURM

MAY 14, 2012

Page 2 The Joyful Noise

Session Meeting Notes - April 23, 2012

Submitted by Dottie Anderson, Clerk of Session

The Session of Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church met for its regular meeting on April 23, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. in the gathering space of the church

The following actions were taken by Session:

Approved the baptism of Claire Christie, daughter of Lauren & Chris Christie;

Approved the motion by the Nominating Committee to call a Congregational Meeting prior to the 10:30 a.m. worship service on May 6, 2012, for the purpose of electing congregational representatives to serve on the Nominating Committee for one year;

Approved the motion from the Building and Grounds Committee to allow the Gray Panthers to replace the garbage bin enclosure at no expense to the church.

From Mission, approved the continuing sale of Ghanaian goods and have all proceeds go to the Presby-terian Ghana Partnership for the purpose of offsetting the travel costs for the visiting delegation from Ghana in 2012;

From Personnel, accepted with regret Jody Jossie’s resignation as Office Manager. Jody plans to continue working to complete certain projects and expects to end her work in June.

From Fellowship, approved a free-will offering taken during the annual church picnic to help cover expenses and the work of the Fellowship Committee;

From Finance, approved the disbursement of $2,000 from the church’s scholarship funds for students’ use during the 2012-13 school year.

Presbytery of Milwaukee Meeting Notes - April 24, 2012

On Tuesday, April 24th, a special meeting of the Presbytery was held to vote on the recommended proposal from the "What's Next" committee. After much discussion a vote was taken and the recommendations were passed. The complete minutes of this meeting are available at www.pbymilwaukee.org click on minutes. The next regular meeting of the Presby-tery was held May 22nd at Kenosha First.

General Assembly: WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DOES IT DO?

The General Assembly consists of commissioners elected by presbyteries. Half of the commissioners will be Ministers of Word and Sacrament, half will be elders. Few will ever have been commissioners to the General Assembly before, but most will have served in one of the other governing bodies of our church: the session, which provides care and oversight of a local congregation; the presbytery, which provides care and oversight of a group of congregations; or the synod which provides care and oversight of several presby-teries.

It reviews the work of synods, resolves controversies in the church, is responsible for matters of common concern for the whole church, and serves as a symbol of unity for the church. The General Assembly presents a witness for truth and justice in our community and in the world community. It sets priorities for the church and establishes relationships with other churches or ecumenical bodies. Laura will be attending the General Assembly in Pittsburgh this year, singing for several events with the Princeton Seminary Touring Choir. Check out the links from our church’s Facebook page to her notes about the assembly. There you will find reflections on the events, people, worship and news from the national church.

The Joyful Noise Page 3

Mission News & Updates Extending the Table on Sunday, June 3 - Canned Fruit and Fruit Cups

Please help the church to offer the bread of life to the our community as we offer daily sustenance to the hungry. Please bring canned fruit and fruit cups to church on Sunday, June 3rd or on any Sunday in June. Note from Pantry: Please carefully check dates and condition of donated items. The pantry is unable to use any out of date food, home canned food, or damaged containers. Thank you!

Spiritual Formation Corner

I’m a big fan of reflecting on what we do, why we do it, and what we learn from it. I see this cycle of experiential learning as an important compo-nent to our spiritual growth, as well. When the Mission Blitzers came back from volunteering at Voces de la Frontera, from river-keeping and beading and sandwich-making, we took a few moments over a meal to-gether to reflect on what we had done. Reflections included:

“Our destiny is to serve others” “I saw the face of God in the hard work of those preparing to become citizens, and in the tireless volunteers…” “I saw the hand of God helping those for whom the system is not ben-eficial…” “Our hosts treated us to food totally unexpectedly—breaking of bread with new friends touched my faith journey.” “I saw the hand of God in my sandwich-makers!” “I feel I am using my talents-- gifts from God—to help others become citizens. It makes me thankful for God’s gift to me.” “I was humbled by the graciousness of the clients and their hunger to learn English and about citizenship.” “I was impressed by the grace as displayed in the forgiveness of one another’s foibles.” “This helps my faith to grow by having feet, hands and brains to express my belief in Christ.” “By caring for our planet, partnering with community and with God to grow plants, I’m working on my spiritual journey.” “I enjoyed spending time with people from other cultures…” “I saw my faith fulfilled with how this mission blitz came together.” “I learned how to give back to the community.” “I saw my faith journey in talking to strangers about what our church is doing…and what the church is.” “I have a renewed appreciation for overcoming barriers, such as language, to work with each other.” “This makes me realize how to give to the community.”

These are awesome testimonies! Not only did the Mission Blitz help the community, it also helped members and friends of Wauwatosa Presby-terian Church to move forward on a journey of faith. Take some time af-ter a task you do for the church—mowing the lawn, serving coffee, serv-ing as liturgist, making a quilt, etc. to ask…”How has this contributed to my faith? What more do I know about God? Where did I see the face of Jesus? What did I learn from this?” Peace to your households---Laura

A Taste of Ghana – Sunday, June 10th at 11:30 a.m. WPC Mission Committee is sponsoring A Taste of Ghana luncheon and program. Come taste some traditional foods, see sights via multi-media displays, hear sounds and music, and learn about our presbytery’s partner.

The proceeds from the lunch will benefit the Delegation Hosting Fund. A delegation of four Ghanaians is scheduled to visit our presbytery Aug. 27 – Sept. 23. Come to learn more about our partners in ministry and

support this partnership. Please sign-up in the Gathering Space.

Page 4 The Joyful Noise

SUMMER PLANS!

Join us for Worship, Education Hour & the Church Picnic - Sunday, June 3rd

On May 27th we began the summer Worship schedule with worship at 9:30, and no Sunday School. However, on Sunday, June 3, worship will take place at 9:30 a.m., with the final Education hour from 10:40-11:30 a.m (Adults will learn about our survey results) followed by the Church Picnic at 11:30. So grab your lawn chairs, sunscreen, and appetites! Kick off the summer with delicious food, a chance to get to know fellow members, and let the kids run. A free will offering will be held to support the work of the Fellowship Committee. Watch for the sign-up sheet in the Gathering Space and details to come in the weekly bulletins.

Vacation Bible School June 18 – 22, 9:00am - Noon

Think about all of the Bible stories that feature water. Noah and the Great Flood. John’s baptism of Jesus. Jesus’ call to Peter and his friends to “fish for people.” We’re going to explore these stories and more at our VBS Operation Overboard: Dare to Go Deep With God! The kids are grouped by age and led by "Crew Members" to each of the areas - arts and crafts, music, story, recreation and snacks. We welcome children who turned three by 9/2011 through children who just finished 5th grade. We really appreciate older kids as volunteers! We have a new, modern approach to registration! Go to our VBS website http://overboard.cokesburyvbs.com/wpc to register your child and to sign up to volunteer. (Your information will go to the WPC Christian Educa-tion office. We’ll also have registration forms in the Gathering Space.) The kids can also preview some of the songs for this exciting program on that website. The activity fee is $25.00 for each child. Please make checks payable to Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church and indicate VBS on the memo line. You can drop off a check any time before VBS begins or on the first day. Can’t wait!

For a week of Presbyterian immersion this summer go to Synod School, July 22-27 at Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, Iowa. Synod School is a learning and enrichment ex-perience designed for laity and clergy, individuals and families. This year’s theme is Sing-ing the Lord’s Song in A Strange Land. Expand your horizons. Study everything from for-giveness or spirituality to the art of smoking meat or qigong! For more information, talk with Laura. She will be leading #20 Grown-up Faith in Children’s Literature and Bill Hum-phreys will lead #36 God at the Box Office. Sounds interesting!

FIRST FRIDAYS for Prayer: Morning Prayer Opportunities with Reverend Laura Loving

Summer dates for a short service of Morning Prayer are June 1, July 6, August 3 @ 9 a.m. We will meet in the chancel of the church sanctuary and enjoy conversation and refreshments

following a 20 minute service. Wherever two or three are gathered, Christ is in our midst.

Summer Music Musicians who would like to share their talents with the congregation during summer worship services are

encouraged to contact Martha Stoner (mstoner@wi.rr.com or 414-873-0204) to arrange for a date.

The Joyful Noise Page 5

Men’s Conversation Last Meeting Until Fall

Weekend Group

1st Saturday of the month at 8am in the WPC meeting room (June 2)

Bring food to share, if you want

Ask Jim Rand about the topic.

Join Hands of Praise!

Come for the conversation and to practice signing the Doxology and other material for upcom-ing appearances during services. Also look for us to return during Coffee Hour with more signs to share in the late spring. We’d love to see you there!

On Tuesday, June 12th and 26th at 4:30 p.m. we will be meeting at Alterra on North Avenue.

Come Cheer for WPC’s Team (& maybe even play!)

The WPC Co-ed Softball Team has returned to the field for another season of hustle, fun and

fellowship. Here’s your chance to play on a team that always enjoys itself regardless of the outcome. There are no talent or experi-ence criteria - the only requirements are to

play hard, do your best, be reliable, and have fun. See the Church Calendar for Monday

night game times at Whitman Middle School. Questions?: Please contact Rick Moon via

email at rmoon5@wi.rr.com

It’s that time of year again. The grass is growing and your help is needed for

mowing. A sign-up sheet is in the Gathering Space. Help on

your own time. Thanks in advance for helping us out!

July 18th - Lunch at Saz’s & Brewers vs. Cardinals Game Join us for a dutch-treat lunch at Saz’s at 11:30 a.m before the

game & then we’ll take the FREE shuttle bus to and from the

1:15 game. Please sign up in the Gathering Space.

A warm smile, a friendly face, an extended hand welcoming us to church each Sunday. Greeters are so cher-ished at WPC. Often we have children greeting with their Sunday School classmates, families and friends tak-ing turns to welcome one another as we gather to worship. There are so many members at WPC who are interested in helping out, but, with so much going on, we often forget to sign up! That’s why the Worship Committee is looking for 10-12 individuals who would be willing to help schedule greeters by signing up to coordinate just one month, please contact Heidi Hudson-Mairet (shudsonmairet@wi.rr.com or 259-0315.) Thank you for extending your hand in this very important aspect of worship.

Page 6 The Joyful Noise

Thank you for the flowers! Nan Braun

Thank you tor our WPC friends for their cards, pray-ers, weekly sermons, and the Easter Lily. God’s Blessings to all! Nick & Alice Knickelbine

Thank you for the gift of flowers and the signed card. I enjoyed reading all the names. I also want to thank Reverend Rand for the nice card. Shirley Abraham

Through the warmth of God’s presence and His love I gratefully give my thanks to WPC for the beautiful flow-ers given to the church by Carl & Mary Deutsch on 4/15. Also, a very special thank you to Ryan Mayrand & his son for delivering them and their extended visit. Knowing I am thought of and remembered by the church is a great gift and a true blessing to me from God. Audree Gronback

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to the successful Hymn Festival held at our church on May 6th. It was an inspiring and joyful celebration of our faith. Members from First Presbyterian in Racine, South-minster and West Granville joined Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church in singing new and old hymns that cele-brated the call to engage ourselves and others to follow the teachings of Jesus. The 60 singers were joined by our handbell choir, brass, oboe, flute and Martha Brown's inspired organ playing. Also, thank you to the many supporters who came to the Choir Tour Fundraiser on May 6th. The food and fellowship was wonderful and the funds received will help with expenses for the trip to Europe. Martha Stoner & the WPC Choir

Thank you for the Good Friday offering of $454.50 to the Sojourner Family Peace Center. With this gift we are able to fulfill our mission to create peaceful communities in which domestic respect and a life free from vio-lence is the right of every woman, man, and child. Angela Mancuso, Executive Director

A Chance to Help the Elderly

There’s still time to volunteer as a helping hand for the Greater Tosa Interfaith program to assist the el-derly. Interfaith helps seniors to stay in their homes, giving them a caring connection with the communi-ty. GTI needs a few more volunteers for such things as Telephone Chats, Home Visits, and Transportation to the Supermarket, Doctor and Bank. It requires as much time as you choose to give.

To find out more, call GTI Director Diane Euting at

414-453-5750.

Thank You Notes Congratulations To

Proud Grandparents

Lloyd & Jessie Jung

On the birth of their grand\son

Graham Vincent Jung

on May 15th

He weighed 6.6 lbs. and was 20.5” long.

Parents: Ryan & Heather Jung (Rensselaer, New York)

May 2012 CCNS Update Dana Biasi - Administrator

We continued our Zoo unit from last month and we taught the chil-

dren about spring. Each classroom had 4-5 live cat-erpillars that they were able to watch grow! Then school year came to an end on May 23/24th. The staff truly enjoyed getting to know all of the children this year.

We are currently taking applications for the 2012-2013 school year. Registration forms are available online at www.ccnstosa.com/enrollment.html Please spread the word about CCNS to your friends and neighbors! For more information please contact the school at 774-5005 x 113 or email me, Dana Biasi at: admin@ccnstosa.com.

Thanks to all of you who attended Adult Enrichment sessions over the course of the past year. We hope that you will tell others about your experiences, post a note on WPC Facebook page about

what you've learned, and plan to join us again in the fall. Keep stretching your mind and nurturing your spirit over the summer months!

The Joyful Noise Page 7

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Statement of Welcome We open our doors to all persons to join in worship, fellowship, educational programs, and service.

We welcome into membership all who profess faith in Jesus Christ, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, worldly condition, sexual orientation, disability, or any other human condition.

We elect and ordain persons who are called by God and committed to serving the Lord Jesus Christ in the Church.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Permit Number 3352 Milwaukee, WI

The Joyful Noise is published 11 times a year by Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church.

Articles for the July/August 2012 issue are due by Monday, June 18th.

Pastor: Dr. James M. Rand, Ext. 102 Associate Pastor: Laura Loving, Ext. 103 Administrator of Christian Education: Denise Fried, Ext. 104 Office Manager: Jody Jossie, Ext. 100 Office Assistants: Angela Ulrich & Hillary Townsend Ext. 101 Custodian: Jean Tushar, Ext. 105 Part -Time Custodian: Gary Hodel Director of Music: Martha Dodds Stoner Assistant Dir. of Music: Don Weinberg Organist: Martha Brown Handbell Director: Jean Miller Rainbow Choir Director: Joanne Weinberg Nursery Caregivers: Beth Parkansky & Christine Ratkowski Curiosity Corner Nursery School Administrator: Dana Biasi, Ext. 108

2366 North 80th Street Wauwatosa WI 53213

Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church

Phone: 414-774-5005 Fax: 414-774-5320

Email: tosapres@tosapres.com Website: www.tosapres.com

June 2012

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

DATED MATERIAL

Church Office Hours: Monday -Thursday: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm Fridays: 8:30 am - Noon

Sunday Schedule: 8:15 am Contemporary Worship Service (School Year) 9:20 am Education for all Ages 10:30 am Traditional Worship Service

(1st Sunday of each month)

We are accessible Sign Language Interpreter Listening system

Pastors’ Pub

A new opportunity to talk about the recent sermon and/or discuss the Scripture readings for the coming

Sunday in a casual and comfortable environment.

When? Thirsty Third Thursdays: June 21, July 19, and August 16 @ 5:00 p.m. Where? Juniper 61 (6030 W. North Ave. Milwaukee) Who? Adults who want to study and chat together. We will provide the readings for the upcoming Sun-day and some commentary. Listen to hear if your ideas show up in Sunday’s sermon! Please speak with Laura Loving if you’d like to help

make this happen!

Free Pre-Tour Concert! Saturday, June 16th at 7:00 p.m. Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church

Come join us as we share the music the choir will be performing at the churches in Hungary and at the Czech Music Museum!

This is your only opportunity to preview this music before the choir leaves on June 18th under the leadership of Martha Stoner. The group has been practicing bi-weekly since January and looks forward to sharing Ameri-can Sacred Music with the people of Hunga-

ry and the Czech Republic. They’ll sing in three different venues including a worship service at a reformed church outside of Bu-

dapest on Sunday, June 24th.

SAVE THE

DATE!