united Methodist EBRUARY 2016 Albright Mosaic

Inside This Issue:

Word from Pastor Thomas 1, 2

Birthdays 3

Calendar / Sun. Servants 7, 8

Monthly Health Article 10

FEBRUARY 2016

Growing a loving, diverse community, where every voice is valued.

THE Albright Mosaic

PASTOR THOMAS Pastoral Letter for February 2016

The newsletter of

Albright

united Methodist

church

Sunday WORSHIP SERVICE:

9:30 AM

Joint Sunday School:

(all ages)

11:00 AM (after Coffee

Hour)

Black History Month

WHAT IS LENT? (Edited from March

2013 Newsletter Article to New Hope Hmong)

The etymology of the word Lent comes from the old English word, “lencten,” meaning “spring” as in the Spring season. It’s meaning, which is related to the Dutch word, lente, and the German word, Lenz, comes from the root word meaning “long” as in “length.” Thus, the word Lent itself refers to the lengthening of days as the earth moves from the winter solstice toward the spring equinox.

In the Christian Church calendar, Lent is the season or period of 40 days of preparation before Easter. It is a time of fasting, not only an abstinence from certain types of food, but an abstinence from certain activities as well. The Lenten season, or Spring, has become confused with the 40 days of preparation, because they are coincidental. It used to be called Quadragesima in Latin, but now it is known as Lent. Lent, then is 40 days before Easter, excluding Sundays, because each Sunday before Easter is considered a “mini-Easter Sunday.” For example, this year, 2016, Easter falls on March 27. (Easter always follows the Jewish Passover, and it changes every year according to the Jewish Festival calendar.) Thus, if we count 40 days backwards, not counting Sundays, we will arrive at February 10 as day 40.

Therefore, February 10, is the 1st day of Lent. And Lent always begins on a Wednesday, which has come to be known as Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the day we remember that we are merely ashes, or dust, and are utterly dependent upon our maker who formed us from the dust of the earth. Every day throughout Lent, we are to be reminded that without God, we are only dirt. Lent also reminds us that one day we will become ashes, hence, the phrase, “ashes to ashes.”

Not all denominations celebrate Lent. Generally, “High Church” or liturgical churches such as Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox (Greek), celebrate Lent, whereas “Low Church” or “free church” denominations, who do not follow a set liturgy, or a strict church calendar. All Christian churches celebrate Easter and Christmas, except for groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and Seventh-Day Adventists.

There is in mythology, a creature called the phoenix. It is said that “the phoenix rises from the ashes” This mythical creature has fiery feathers and lives up to 100 years. Near the end of its life, the bird settles into its nest of twigs which then burns fiercely, reducing itself and the nest to ashes. And out of those ashes rises a young phoenix – a renewed and reborn creature. ==>

THE Albright Msaic Page 2 February 2016

Continued from Page 1

EPIC CHURCHES TO HOLD

ECUMENICAL LENTEN SERVICES

Healing Prayers Around the Cross

Finding healing for the Mind—Body—

Relationships—Community—Creation

through the word, prayer, and song

6 pm - Soup Supper; 7 pm - Prayer Service

Feb 17 @ Good Shepherd-Trinity Luth / Presb

3302 N. Sherman Blvd. Feb 24 @ Capitol Drive Lutheran 5305 W Capitol Drive

March 2 @ Albright / New Hope UMC 5555 W Capitol Drive March 8 @ Bethel Bethany UCC

2878 N 54th Street March 16 @ Spirit of Peace Lutheran 5505 W. Lloyd St

(Descriptions of services on page 6)

Each Wednesday night gathering will start with a

soup dinner, followed by a guest speaker from area

community partners and ministries, and ending with

a Holden Prayer service around the Cross. The prayer

service creates a space for healing and renewal

through Taize songs, scripture readings, and candle-

light around the cross. Join us weekly as we seek to

renew and refresh our minds, our body, our relation-

ships, our community, and creation.

This year, we have three community partners to share

our weekly offering and a third to share our time and

talents.

United Methodist Children’s Services of WI—organized in

1962, the UM Children’s Services serves women, children, and

families through the Growing Tree Children’s Center, a Transi-

tional Living Program, and a Family Resource Center

http://www.umcs-wi.org

Bread of Healing Clinic at Cross Lutheran (ELCA) -

began as a ministry of Cross Lutheran Church and now holds

clinics at two locations—Cross Lutheran Church and Eastbrook

Church “God calls us to healing in every arena of human life,

and we seek to respond to that call in this ministry”

http://breadofhealing.org/

Tricklebee Café –our newest EPiC community is the Trickle-

bee Café, a Moravian Ministry in Milwaukee. Look for ways to

assist in the opening of the shop—we will have opportunities

throughout Lent.

To me, this mythical creature is a metaphor for our existence as humans. No matter how intelligent, no matter how powerful, no matter how rich we are, we will end up as ashes. Literally, humans have burned down the planet by the consuming its natural resources. No matter how intelligent we are, we can’t seem to solve the climate change problem. At the rate we are consuming oil, trees, coal, and other natural resources, pretty soon the planet will be reduced to ashes. . There would be no hope for us without a rebirth, not as in the understanding of New Age thinkers, but in the understanding of the Christian Celebration of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, which is our very hope of new life.

Therefore, as we celebrate Lent, may it be for us a true self-reflection. Indeed, as we reflect on

ourselves, we find that we are merely fallen human beings, incapable of redeeming our own fallen nature. We can only escape this fallen nature by accepting the free gift which comes only through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23). Consequently, it is Easter that gives us our ultimate hope. Amen! Easter is, then, a celebration of victory over the flesh! In Lent, we are like the phoenix who is consumed by its own fire. However, it is on Easter that we are reborn through new life in Jesus Christ. Listen to the Scriptures: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Cor. 5:17, NIV).

~~Pastor Thomas Thao

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE Albright Msaic

Pastor / Rev. Toua (Thomas) Thao [email protected]

Church Office [email protected]

Christian Education Team [email protected]

Custodian - Frankie Jones [email protected]

Esmie Brown, 2-1

Della Eddington,

Marilyn Kruchell 2-3

Yasmine Sahid 2-3

Geoffrey Bender 2-6

Joyce Williams 2-7

Sandra Berg 2-11

JoAnn Holtz 2-15

Jerry Slocum 2-16

Terese Robinson 2-21

Colleen Werns 2-21

Richard Christian 2-24

Jaiden Williams 2-25

Rick Plitzner 2-27

Jaiden Williams 2-25

Rick Plitzner 2-

Rick Plitzner, 2-27

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS AND

ANNIVERSARIES

Albright News Articles Do You Have a Submission?

SEE: “GOD IS GOOD” ===>

To contact Albright Staff, email us at:

Please let us know if you have any

additions or corrections to this list.

Enjoy the convenience of reading your

Albright Mosaic via the website or through

your email? Please call the church office at

414-442-8540, or email us at:

[email protected] if interested

in this option.

*Help save postage by signing on to

the E-Mosaic list! Contact us at:

[email protected]

Page 3 February 2016

FOOD PANTRY FOCUS FOR FEBRUARY is:

Soup (cans, dry or Ramen). Of course, any

non-perishable food items are always need-

ed, and this year more than ever. Please leave

your donated items in the basket provided in

the parlor. Thank you!

~~ GOD IS GOOD ~~

God is working good in the lives of people through

the ministries of Albright Church. If you have a

story of how your life or someone else’s has been

blessed by God or affected by a ministry at

Albright Church, please share that witness with us

so God can be glorified. Email or leave a note in

the Office.

Kenneth & Kathleen Christian, 2-8

Hilbert & Marilyn Faber, 2-11

Sandra Berg & Randy Nott, 2-14

Page 4 • February 2016 THE Albright Msaic

Highlights of the Church

Council Meeting

January 12, 2015

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION/YOUTH

There has been an average of 35 children

attending Sunday School each Sunday.

Sunday School focus for January is “Liturgical

Colors”. The rest of the year will be “Deep

Blue”. If you want to know what that is, just

join the Sunday School helpers.

There will be a future bulletin insert on Children’s

Church or other options for children.

TRUSTEES

Chuck Anyanwu has been unanimously elected to

chair the Board of Trustees.

Interior insulating of the parsonage is completed.

Plaster work and exterior insulating to be done

soon.

Projects to be looked at: one security camera and

flooring in balcony bathroom.

$10,000 has been transferred from the Bequest

Fund to checking account to support Daai

Christian Fellowship projects. More will be

needed to complete parsonage insulation

projects.

Trustees will be meeting the first Tuesday of

every other month. Next meeting: March 3rd.

FINANCE

John Hart is now the Finance Chairperson.

We have paid 100% of our reduced apportion-

ments for 2015.

We voted to send $100.00 to Rising Sun Camp,

(for children of incarcerated parents).

WORSHIP

Albright and New Hope will have a joint Ash

Wednesday service, February 10th at 7:00p,

Also there will be a morning service in the

Hearth Room.

Albright and New Hope will also share a Maundy

Thursday service on March 24th.

M.O.V.E.

Christmas report: We delivered Angel Tree gifts

and food to 14 families. We delivered 25

Christmas gifts to Northcott Neighborhood

House. We supported Daai families with food

baskets. Great job; people of Albright.

PASTORAL REPORT

Two families will be joining Albright soon.

We will join the EPIC churches for rotating

Wednesday Lenten services. Albright will

host on Wednesday, March 2nd. We will be

supplying soup and bread for 6:00p and

worship at 8:00p. [ 7 pm — kf]

District Annual Conference will be Saturday,

February 6th at Christ UMC in Watertown.

DISCUSSIONS We discussed plans for the MLK event here on

Sunday, January 17th, we will do refreshments.

We will be looking into possibly changing our

Church Council structure.

We will do a short poll in the very near future on

possible changes to our service times.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

We will have a joint (Albright and New Hope),

Council Meeting on Tuesday, January 26th to

discuss service times and coffee hour.

We will have another strategic planning session

with Enrique Gonzalez of the Wisconsin

Conference on Saturday, January 30th from

9:00a to 1:00p with lunch provided. Please

come.

Respectfully submitted by Linda Hurt


Preparing for Worship

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Transfiguration Sunday

Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99

2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-43a


2nd Sunday in Lent

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27

Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35

Sunday, February 14, 2016 1st Sunday in Lent

Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 91

Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13


3rd Sunday in Lent

Isaiah 55:1-9; Psalm 63

1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13-1-9

ONGOING PRAYER NEEDS: We come to You in prayer: For cities and people in strife and

all victims of violence; For all recovering after extreme weather conditions; For Ona Barnes,

Theresa Robinson, Rev. Mallothi and Esmie Brown; Marilyn Faber, Eileen Freshley, Ronnette

Nelson, Veronica Nelson, Marcella Trakel — our sick and shut-in members; Prayers for our

Albright and New Hope Families, Pastor Thomas, and our ministries here, as well as the Daai

Christian Fellowship and Power of God Ministries who also worship in this place; and the

many unspoken prayers from the congregation. We ask all of this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

ASH WEDNESDAY, February 10, 2016

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 51

2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10;

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21


Lord, who throughout these forty days For us didst fast and pray,

Teach us with Thee to mourn our sins And close by Thee to stay.

As Thou with Satan didst contend,

And didst the victory win, O give us strength in Thee to fight,

In Thee to conquer sin.

As Thou didst hunger bear, and thirst, So teach us, gracious Lord,

To die to self, and chiefly live By Thy most holy Word.

And through these days of penitence, And through Thy Passiontide,

Yea, evermore in life and death, Jesus, with us abide.

Abide with us, that so, this life Of suffering over past,

An Easter of unending joy We may attain at last.

United Methodist Hymnal #269

Lord , Who Throughout These Forty Days

Week 1: Wednesday, Feb 17th—“Sighs

Too Deep for Words”

Join us at at Good Shepherd -Trinity

Church, (3302 N. Sherman Blvd) for our

first Lenten worship. Our worship this

evening focuses on emotional and mental

healing —Romans 8.

Week 2: Wednesday, Feb 24th—“Healer of

Our Every Ill”

This evening at Capitol Drive Lutheran

Church, (5305 W. Capitol Dr .) focuses on

physical healing. During prayers around the

cross there will be opportunity for

personal healing rite—Luke 5. Side note:

during dinner, The World Handcraft Shop

will be open.

Week 3: Wednesday, March 2nd—“A

Heart of Flesh”

We meet at Albright / New Hope United

Methodist Church (56th and Capitol) for

our third week of worship. Our theme of

relational healing leads us into reconnecting

with friends, family, and neighbors—Ezekiel

36 and Psalm 51.

Week 4: Wednesday, March 9th—“Healing

of the Nations”

We continue at Bethel Bethany United

Church of Christ, (54th and Locust).

During our Healing of the Nations worship,

we pray to heal the peoples, lands, and

nations of the world—Isaiah 65 and

Revelation 21.

Week 5: Wednesday, March 16th—

“Healing of Creation”

We conclude our series at Spirit of Peace

Lutheran Church, (55th and Lloyd) in

song and prayer for healing for creation—

Psalms 104 and 145.

Find more information about EPiC at

http://weareepic.org

EPIC CHURCHES TO HOLD ECUMENICAL LENTEN SERVICES Healing Prayers Around the Cross

(Continued from Page 2)


FEBRUARY 2016

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat

Black History Month

1

NO Worship

Committee

2 Groundhog Day

6 pm - Christian Educ. 7 pm - NO Board of Trustees

3 4 9:30 am—JAC’s -The Joys and Challenges of Aging / Art Therapy

5 6 9:30 am— Capitol Heights

7 Communion Sun.

Transfiguration 8:00 am—Adult Bible Study 9:30 am—Albright Worship 11:00 am—Sunday School 12 Noon—New Hope Worship

8

9 9:30 am—Stitching Group @ Sherman Perk 6 pm – Finance Committee 7 pm – Church Council

10

Ash Wednesday

10:30 am Service / Hearth Room;

7 pm Joint Service w/NH

11 5 pm— Faith-Based Initiative @ Islamic Da’Wa Center of Milwaukee, 5135 N Teutonia Avenue 6pm - (In FH) Candidates’ “Meet & Greet”

12 13

14 Lent 1 8:00 am—Adult Bible Study 9:30 am—Albright Worship 11:00 am—Joint SS w/ New Hope 12 Noon—New Hope Worship

15

Presidents’

Day

16

Spring Election

17 6 pm/Soup Supper 7 pm/EPiC Lenten Service @ Good Shepherd-Trinity 5:30 pm Grasslyn Manor

18

12 Noon—AUMW Salad Lunch

19 20

21 Lent 2 8:00 am—Bible Study 9:30 am—Albright Worship 11:00 am—Joint SS w/ New Hope / 12 Noon—N H Worship

22

23

9:30 am—Stitching Group @ Sherman Perk

24

6 pm/Soup Supper 7 pm/EPiC Lenten Service @

Capitol Drive

25

26

27

28 Lent 3 8:00 am—Adult Bible Study 9:30 am—Albright Worship 11:00 am—Joint SS w/ New Hope 12 Noon—New Hope Worship

29

Leap Day

MARCH 1

6 pm -

Christian Educ.

7 pm - Board of Trustees

2

6 pm/Soup Supper 7 pm/EPiC Lenten Service @ Albright UMC ~~~~

[3-9 @ Bethel -

Bethany; 3-16 @

Spirit Of Peace]

3

9:30 am—JAC’s -The Joys and Challenges of Aging

4 5 9:30 am— Capitol Heights


Transfiguration

Feb. 7 Communion

Sunday

Lent 1 Feb 14

Lent 2

Feb. 21

Lent 3 Feb 28

Liturgists

Suzanne Freshley Bob Berg Lucille LaChance David Cannon

Greeters Debra Hawkins JoAnn Holtz Margaret Brown The Christian

Families

Visitor

Center Judy Pier-Lybeck

Karen Kirk

Joyce Williams Adaku Anyanwu Joan Robinson

Counters Carol Tate

John Hart

Margaret

Brown

Debra Hawkins

Jean Tippey

Judy Krueger

Margaret

Brown

Liz Cannon

Communion

Stewards

Suzanne Freshley

Ada Anyanwu

Bob Berg

Bertha Carlson

Nursery

Helpers Carol Bensick Tammy Hart Rick Plitzner Lynn Powers

Ushers Team #3 Team #4 Team #1 Team #2

Children’s Suzanne Freshley Pastor Thomas Lynne Levy Judy

Pier-Lybeck

SUNDAY SERVANTS FEBRUARY


In everything give

thanks!

SOUPER BOWL SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2016: This is the Sunday we ask everyone to bring

cans or packages of soup to Church. All soup is donated to the food pantry at United Methodist

Children’s Services. Also, the youth will be banging the soup kettles (your ears may still be ringing

from last year) after church services to collect $1 bills. All proceeds will go to United Methodist

Children’s Services Food Pantry. So please remember to bring soup and $1 dollar bills to church

on February 7th.

FEBRUARY 7, 14, 21 - BLANKET SUNDAYS: A $5 dollar donation will supply a wool blanket

that will be given out by Church World Service to people in times of natural disasters, all around

the world, for shelter and comfort. Thanks to your support, we can affect many people here and

around the world.

ALL'S BRIGHT AT ALBRIGHT PROJECT: Scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday &

Thursday, 10 am-5 pm, when the temperature drops below 20 degrees. Donations of

sandwiches, baked goods, munchies, bottled water, and Volunteers would be

greatly appreciated. Speak with Lynne Hines-Levy.

~~Please note that

the DEADLINE for

ALL ISSUES IS

THE 20th

OF EACH

MONTH~~

THE Albright Msaic Page 10 • February 2016

LIFE ON THE FROZEN TUNDRA

Lynne Hines-Levy

Yes, it's February and winter is technically coming to an end — but, HEY!, this is Wisconsin. This is the

legendary "Frozen Tundra" where winter can last until, uummmm, July? Some may say that this is not a

health related article but they would be wrong. Possibly dead wrong. If you happen to be stranded for any

length of time (as I just was and don't particularly care to repeat the experience) what you have in your car can

make the difference between staying warm and comfortable and cold and miserable. In extreme cases it could

mean the difference between life and death. Sounds health related to me.

So, the best and safest way to handle winter driving in Wisconsin? Make like a Boy Scout and "Be Prepared."

A well prepared Wisconsin car for winter should, according to the old Farmers Almanac, at all times contain:

Battery-powered radio, flashlight and extra batteries;

Blanket

Jumper cables

Bottled water

Non-perishable foods, such as granola bars

Small fire extinguisher

First Aid kit

Maps, shovels and flares

Tire repair kit and spare tire

Snowbrush or ice scraper

A bag of sand or cat litter to assist with traction when your vehicle is stuck in snow or on ice

Extra windshield fluid; and

Winter boots and warm clothes.

In some cases, you may consider including extra food, water, clothes, blankets, etc. For example, vehicles

often driven to transport multiple people should have extra supplies in their emergency kit.

So, whether you slip off the road on ice, are caught in a blizzard, or simply find yourself the victim of a failed

battery (like me) or someone forgetting to fill the tank (someone ELSE of course), a well supplied "Tundra

Mobile" could be your saving grace.

THE Albright Msaic Page 11 • February 2016

The Library of Congress, National Archives and

Records Administration, National Endowment for

the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National

Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United

States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying

tribute to the generations of African Americans who

struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in

American society.

As a Harvard-trained historian, Carter G. Woodson,

like W. E. B. Du Bois before him, believed that truth

could not be denied and that reason would prevail

over prejudice. His hopes to raise awareness of

African Americans’ contributions to civilization was

realized when he and the organization he founded,

the Association for the Study of Negro Life and

History (ASNLH), conceived and announced Negro

History Week in 1925. The event was first celebrated

during a week in February 1926 that encompassed

the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick

Douglass. The response was overwhelming: Black

history clubs sprang up; teachers demanded materials

to instruct their pupils; and progressive whites, not

simply white scholars and philanthropists, stepped

forward to endorse the effort.

By the time of Woodson's death in 1950, Negro

History Week had become a central part of African

American life and substantial progress had been

made in bringing more Americans to appreciate

the celebration. At mid–century, mayors of cities

nationwide issued proclamations noting Negro

History Week. The Black Awakening of the 1960s

dramatically expanded the consciousness of African

Americans about the importance of black history, and

the Civil Rights movement focused Americans of all

color on the subject of the contributions of African

Americans to our history and culture.

The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976,

the nation's bicentennial. President Gerald R. Ford

urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor

the too-often neglected accomplishments of black

Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our

history.” That year, fifty years after the first celebra-

tion, the association held the first African American

History Month. By this time, the entire nation had

come to recognize the importance of Black history in

the drama of the American story. Since then each

American president has issued African American

History Month proclamations. And the association—

now the Association for the Study of African

American Life and History (ASALH)—continues to

promote the study of Black history all year.

(Excerpt from an essay by Daryl Michael Scott, Howard

University, for the Association for the Study of African

American Life and History)

Carter G. Woodson

albright

united

Methodist

church

5555 West Capitol Drive

Milwaukee, WI 53216

Phone: 414-442-8540

Email: [email protected]

THE Albright Msaic

February 2016

Volume 70 Issue 2

Transfiguration Holy God, upon the mountain you revealed our

Messiah, who by his death and resurrection would fulfill both the law and the prophets.

By his transfiguration enlighten our path that we may dare to suffer with him in the service of

humanity and so share in the everlasting glory of him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy

Spirit, One God, for ever. Amen.

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

8:00 am—Adult Bible Class

9:30 am— Albright Worship

10:00 am Daai Christian Fellowship

10:30 am — Joint Fellowship w/New Hope

11:00 am Joint Sunday School w/New Hope

12 Noon—New Hope Worship

Documents

united Methodist EBRUARY 2016 Albright Mosaic