Our Saviour Lutheran Church – 120 S. Henry Street Green Bay, Wisconsin, 54302 - 920-468-4065

June, 2013

“For years, the trail was littered with pianos, grandfather clocks, books, fancy dishes, and other

remnants of a life left behind. “

From the Oregon Trail: Our love for stuff sticks to us and it needs to almost be scraped from us before we will let it go. Here is an excerpt from a history account of the Oregon Trail, describing how folks are attached to what they own, and strain to take it with them, until they are finally forced to let go…

“People who move to a new place cannot resist bringing along sentimental items from home. These pioneers, many of whom would never again see their families back east, were no exception. Most brought Bibles, quilts, nice clothes, furniture or paintings that reminded them of the loved ones they left behind. As they got farther West, however, the Trail became more difficult, and most items that were not completely necessary had to be dumped out to lighten the load for struggling oxen. For years, the trail was littered with pianos, grandfather clocks, books, fancy dishes, and other remnants of a life left behind.”

Prairie Schooners run aground? If those pioneers did not leave those things behind, they would have halted their Prairie Schooners at the foot of the Rocky Mountains and played their

Our Saviour’s Voice

piano to the sound of an old clock, read books and died there, being surrounded by what they loved the most. Stuff. To move forward, they had to let go.

“One has to love where they are going more than where they are and what they own” - Anonymous

Sprint Storms take things away: By the time the digital ink dries on this virtual paper, the devastation from the Moore, Oklahoma tornado will be weeks old. When we see the images of such tragic losses, we grieve. We pray that no such suffering ever comes our way or to those we love. Imagine, going home to a concrete foundation and the four corners of your once cherished home. More than likely, another dozen or so cities will be impacted by spring storms before this text makes its way to your eyes. Wow. Some storms force us to let things go. Leaving things behind is hard for us: Just ask a kid from the fifties when he loses his bag of marbles; or a teenage girl from the sixties when she accidently drops her favorite record album; or a man in his seventies when the only hair left on his head are his eyebrows; or a person in their eighties when they have their car keys taken from them; or a person in their nineties when a big trip is to the activities room at the nursing home for a round of bingo, and they cannot hear the caller or see the bingo card. Hang-on to the good stuff: We have a very hard time letting go of stuff. But let’s not let go of our faith or our sense of humor!

“The reason food prepared in a cast-iron frying-pan tastes like Grandma’s cooking is that her food is still stuck to the bottom” - Anonymous

We leave this world with empty pockets. Actually, we leave this world with no pockets at all. “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” – I Timothy 6:7. The sooner we grasp the truth of that, the freer we are of the attachments, be they pianos, grandfather clocks or old books. Meet St Ignatius of Antioch (Born 35 AD martyred circa 108 AD). Ignatius was an early Christian martyr. Near the end of the reign of the Roman emperor Trajan (98-117 AD), Ignatius was arrested, taken in chains to Rome, and eventually thrown to the wild beasts in the arena. On the way to Rome, he wrote letters to the Christians. Ignatius knew that he would have to let go of everything in this world in his pursuit of the highest love, Christ. Ignatius, perceptive of his death, welcomed it with courage, saying these stirring words…

“May I enjoy the wild beasts that are prepared for me; and I pray they may be found eager to rush upon me, which also I will entice to devour me speedily, and not deal with me as with some, whom, out of fear, they have not touched. But if they be unwilling to assail me, I will compel them to do so… Let fire and the cross; let the crowds of wild beasts; let tearings, breakings, and dislocations of bones; let cutting off of members; let shatterings of the whole body; and let all the dreadful torments of the devil come upon me: only let me attain to Jesus Christ.” Some things we let go of are very heavy. Ignatius knew about laying more things aside than pianos and grandfather clocks in his

love of Christ above all things. Ignatius left here with no pockets, in the Arena in Rome, just as

he imagined. Letting loved ones go is super difficult, as is leaving them behind for those who know they are going to die soon. We moderns may have no genuine concept of the cost of discipleship. In a very real way, we live on Easy Street when it comes to being asked to set things aside to take up our crosses. No one is asking us to lay down our physical life much these days. Do you agree? We are called to set other things down besides our lives and pianos. Heavier things, like hatred, gossip, lust, envy and so on. As we lead lives that model Christ, that calling may put us in situations where we lay down our self-inflated pride.

“I would rather work with broken lawnmowers than broken people” - Anonymous In working with difficult people, Ignatius saw those beast-like people as a means to improve his faith and put what he learned into practice. About working with unpleasant individuals, he said this…

“From Syria even unto Rome I fight with beasts [In this case he meant mean people], both by land and sea, both by night and day, being bound to ten leopards, I mean a band of soldiers, who, even when they receive benefits, show themselves all the worse. But I am the more instructed by their injuries to act as a disciple of Christ…”

Ignatius teaches us to leave behind grumpiness, impatience, hatred, bitterness and the like, just leave them beside the road, tossing them off. When you encounter someone who is hard to work with, consider asking yourself, “What is God asking me to use in this situation, anger or patience?” Until we actually cross over, the Scripture directs us to toss bigger burdens than pianos and grandfather clocks over the side on our journey.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything [sins, bad habits, bad thinking] that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” - Hebrews 12:1-3

Oregon Trail quote source: http://www.ci.tumwater.wa.us/researchOTpg4.htm

St. Ignatius quote source:

http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0107.htm

July 2013 OSLC Usher Schedule

Day: Date: Service: Lead Usher Team: Sun. 07-Jul 7:45 am M. Dalebroux Andrew Prescher; Al Brietlow; Barry Dalebroux Sun. 07-Jul 9:15 am W. Chamberlain Randy and Roxanne Dyle; Alex Chamberlain; M Waniger; N Scholz Sun. 07-Jul 10:45 am R. Bruhn Rich Ryman; Sue Bruhn; Richard Christianson Thu. 11-Jul 7:00 pm C. Arthur Carl Zimonick; Gary Kirchman; Dick Zimonick Sun. 14-Jul 7:45 am M. Morgan Vernon Siech; Gloria Morgan; Ralph Hoerchler Sun. 14-Jul 9:15 am D. Wians Lonnie Peerenboom; Davis LaMarche; Dan Richer Sun. 14-Jul 10:45 am G. Buechner Carmen Leuthner; Lloyd Leuthner; DeVonte King; Rich Spangenberg Thu. 18-Jul 7:00 pm P. Kuehl Bill Baneck; †UN; †UN Sun. 21-Jul 7:45 am A. Knaus Clarence Ney; Josh VanKauwenberg; Jerry VanKauwenberg Sun. 21-Jul 9:15 am R. Vande Hei Walter Juhnke; Tiffany and Brian Duff; Chelsea and Rachel Vande Hei Sun. 21-Jul 10:45 am M. Charles Don Larson; Karen Kiekhaefer; Hunter Alft Thu. 25-Jul 7:00 pm N. Krueger †UN; †UN; †UN Sun. 28-Jul 7:45 am J. Kielpikowski Chad Kielpikowski; Ron Klumb; †UN Sun. 28-Jul 9:15 am D. Bitters Robin and Shelley Williams; F Helebrant; D Schultz; T Boerschinger Sun. 28-Jul 10:45 am R. Bruhn Rich Ryman; Sue Bruhn; Richard Christianson † UN -Usher Needed: If you'd like to volunteer as an usher; Please contact the Lead usher of the group you'd like to join, contact Rich Spangenberg (920) 857-3014 or email "spangenr.ret@uwgb.edu"

 

OFFICIAL ACTS

Baptisms:

Levi Christian Petersen Born: November 3, 2012 Baptized: April 14, 2013 Son of Jeff and Victoria Petersen

Brayden Joseph Lynch Born: April 21, 2012 Baptized: April 21, 2013 Son of Frank Lynch and Deedra Melotte

Membership Changes IN: Jack Grant, Profession of Faith

Gary Brewton, Profession of Faith Amy Brewton and minor, baptized child, Henry, transfer from Grace Lutheran

Church, Green Bay, WI (ELCA)

OUT: Julianne (Kiekhaefer) Heyroth, release Received their Crown: Judith Mae Mueller February 10, 1962 ~ April 18, 2013 Funeral service held on April 25, 2013

Robert Keyser October 30, 1929 ~ April 30, 2013 Funeral service held on May 4, 2013

 

 2013 Confirmation Class - May 5, 2013

Our Saviour Lutheran Church Green Bay, WI

Ericka Brandsma - Philippians 4:13 - I can do everything through him who gives me strength. David Cantwell - Psalm 28:7 - “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.” Krista Groth - 2 Timothy 1:7 - For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. Hannah Rae Luepke - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a - Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. Olivia Christine McDaniel - Romans 8:38-39 - For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Kylie Rose Medenwald - Zephaniah 3:17 - The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Morgan Lorann Meerstein - 1 Corinthians 9:24 - Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Devin Parks - Philippians 4:13 - I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Samuel Pinchart - Psalm 23:1 - The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Tiffany Rose Polzin - Psalm103:11 - For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; Taylor Ann Steffel - Philippians 4:13 - I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Deborah Clara Watt - Isaiah 42:16 - I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.  

 

IT WON’T BE LONG NOW – That is what the dog said when he got his tail cut off by the lawnmower. Depending on personal financial gifts toward the Audio-Visual project, it won’t be long now until we are up and running with our visual learning tools in the sanctuary.

Our advantage in worship with these tools will be numerous, including learning more through visuals and enjoying new worship formats.

We are seeking gifts for a projector, connection boxes and installation. Considerable time and energy has been given toward the decisions of equipment and the

installation. We are receiving quotes from two vendors. One of those quotes is not in yet, but will be

shortly. The best probable quote for the initial setup comes in about $24,503.99. The other quote,

we are confident, will be close to this same number. Gay Pivonka, Treasurer, reports, "We currently have $11,067.30 [unspent accumulated

gifts]". That leaves outstanding needed gifts approximating $13,436.69.

There are some memorial monies tucked away from one of our late members that may be

tapped into. However, before we use those funds, again we are seeking gifts from the membership.

There will be a second phase to the equipment, with the hoped for installation of several flat screen monitors at a later date.

Should you or your family be willing to make a gift toward the $13,436.69, please contact either of the pastors or place your gift, of any amount, in an envelope in the collection plate clearly marked, "Audio/Visual Fund."

VBS TO BE HELD JUNE 24-27! - Registrations would be appreciated by June 3 but please DO register your child even if you are late! We want everyone to have fun with us this year at Vacation Bible School. Registration forms can be found at the Welcome Center at church or online at www.oslc-gb.org. The cost is $10 per child with a maximum of $20 per family. VBS will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. each day. Prekindergarten (must be 3 by September 1, 2012

and potty-trained), kindergarten and first grade students will use the “Kingdom Rock” theme led by Our Saviour volunteers. Camp Luther will lead our children in second through fifth grades. If you have any questions, please call Mike Charles at 337-0940, send him an email at mwcharles62@gmail.com or contact the church office at 468-4065 or info@oslc-gb.org. DONATION ITEMS NEEDED FOR VBS: This year's VBS will keep with the tradition of connecting the snacks with the Bible theme for the day (most of the time). Below is a list of items needed this year. Descriptions and quantities needed for each item will be posted in the Welcome Center. Please write in your name and the amount of each item that you can donate; after purchasing the items, please place them on the cart by the elevator coat room no later than Thursday, June 20. Sliced bread Strawberry jelly Paper plates Raisins Mini-marshmallows Mini-pretzels M&M's Snack-size zipper bags Plain bagels Blueberry cream cheese Ice cream cone cupcakes Cool Whip Yellow sprinkles Capri-sun drinks Plastic ware Fresh blueberries or raspberries

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME! - On Sunday nights, the Christian Softball League will play at three times – 4:15, 5:30 and 6:45pm – at the Ashwaubenon Sports Complex. With four ball fields, there is enough room for all 24 teams in Division I/II and Division III to play in those three time slots! We are off to a great start with both teams holding a 1-0 record. We boast the same great fellowship as before and there is room for more onlookers. For a schedule of times, dates and opponents, check the office hallway bulletin board or call the office.

Come to cheer us on…with two teams, it’s twice the fun!! Sorry, no pets are allowed on the grounds so leave Fido and Poopsie at home.

There is comfort in knowing you're not alone.

That's the reason for GriefShare, a 13-week Christ-centered group for people grieving the loss of a loved one. The group is lead and attended by people who understand the experience of a loss and want to offer encouragement to one another. Previous cycles of GriefShare have gone over well. People leave feeling better about their situation.

Each session of the program includes a video seminar and group discussion. GriefShare videos feature interviews with authors, counselors, speakers and pastors with expertise in grief recovery. Participants also receive a workbook with devotionals and weekly journals. GriefShare is an opportunity to move through the pain and go forward.

Rather than focusing on the "Why?" questions after a loss, GriefShare encourages participants to ask "What's next?" That's where healing starts to take place.

GriefShare caters to people experiencing all levels of grief. The loss doesn't have to be recent for individuals to benefit from the group. It is best suited for teenagers to adults dealing with the death of loved ones.

GriefShare will be offered beginning June 5, 2013 in the parlor at Our Saviour Lutheran (120 South Henry Street, Green Bay.) The group will meet from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. weekly on Wednesday evenings for 13 weeks. There is no cost for attendance, but there is a suggested donation of $20 to cover the cost of the GriefShare workbook. GriefShare is part of the Whole Man ministry of Our Saviour Lutheran Church and is sponsored by the Board of Evangelism.

For more information, contact Pastor Greg at 468-4065 or greg@oslc-gb.org. To register, contact the church office at 468-4065 or info@oslc-gb.org. You may register directly or watch a promotional video at http://griefshare.oslc-gb.org.

June 2013 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 3:30pm Open Gym

2 Eliot and Serena Derricks Missionaries 7:45am Trad Worship 9:15am Bible Study 9:15am Praise Worship 10:30am Bible Study 10:45am Trad Worship 4:15pm Softball

3 4 7am Bible Study 9am Bible Study

5 12pm Staff Meeting 6pm Praise Band 6:30pm GriefShare

6 12:15pm Worship 6pm Aumann/ Brzezinski Wedding Rehearsal 7pm Trad Worship

7 6pm Aumann/ Brzezinski Wedding

8 3:30pm Open Gym

9 MITE BOX SUNDAY 7:45am Trad Worship w/Holy Baptism 9:15am Bible Study 9:15am Praise Worship 10:30am Bible Study 10:45am Trad Worship w/Holy Baptism 6:45pm Softball

10 6pm P&F 6:30pm Church Council

11 7am Bible Study 9am Bible Study

12 9:30am Chicks w/Stix 12pm Staff Meeting 6pm Praise Band 6:30pm GriefShare 7:30pm Youth Board

13 12:15pm Worship 7pm Trad Worship

14 15 8:45am Youth Service – Paul’s Pantry 3:30pm Open Gym

16 FATHER’S DAY 7:45am Trad Worship 9:15am Bible Study 9:15am Praise Worship 10:30am Bible Study 10:45am Trad Worship 4:15pm D1 Softball 6:45pm D3 Softball

17 7pm Board of Education

18 7am Bible Study 9am Bible Study

19 12pm Staff Meeting 6pm Praise Band 6:30pm GriefShare

20 12:15pm Worship 7pm Trad Worship

21 22 3:30pm Open Gym

23 7:45am Trad Worship 9:15am Praise Worship 10:45am Trad Worship 4:15pm D3 Softball 5:30pm D1 Softball

24 9am VBS 6:30pm GBLSA 7pm Board of Stewardship

25 7am Bible Study 8am OLM Meeting 9am Bible Study 9am VBS

26 9am VBS 12pm Staff Meeting 6pm Praise Band 6:30pm GriefShare

27 9am VBS 12:15pm Worship 7pm Trad Worship

28 29 NYG Leaves Today 3:30pm Open Gym

30 7:45am Trad Worship 9:15am Praise Worship 10:45am Trad Worship w/Holy Baptism 5:30pm Softball

June 2: Eliot and Serena Derricks, missionaries to Macau, SAR, will join us for the morning to share their work with the congregation. Please plan to stay after the service to visit with them. June 5: Beginning June 5 for 13 weeks, GriefShare will meet in the parlor. To register, contact the office (468-4065). June 12: Chicks with Stix needs more members to do more projects. All levels welcome. Contact Caroline (469-3140).