The St. Olaf Caller

August 2008                       


Click Here for Youth News

From the Desk of Pastor Matt

                             God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God’s nature.
                                    He created them male and female. God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!
                              Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.” Genesis 1:27-28 (The Message)

             I’ve been reading the book Souled Out: A Memoir of War and Inner Peace with much interest and fascination.  It’s the story of a West Bend Vietnam Vet, Michael Orban, and his struggle with post traumatic stress disorder.  Even though the book is about his struggle with PTSD, he does not take a clinical approach but a spiritual one.  The question he wrestles with is who has God created him to be and how might he live out that being after the devastating effects that the war has had on his soul?  After his journey takes him through the failure of the dreams that sustained him during war (an idealistic home and marriage, and a college education), Orban joins the Peace Corps and heads to the rainforest of Africa .  Here he finds healing beyond expectation, and here his story grabbed me in a way I didn’t expect.  In an interaction with the pygmies of the rainforest, Orban shares their life-style that more closely reflects what God is calling us to be than what I see in the American-Christian life, including my own.  Listen to his words:

            Then, finally listening to the interpreter, I learned that to remove them (the pygmies) from here would destroy them; to these people the jungle is justifiably their god that fulfills every need of food, water, shelter, clothing, companionship, medicine and tools of survival.  They had no other wants.  In return, they were caretakers of this jungle, their god.  And before this god they were not afraid.  I was stunned to think that this was one of the most plausible, realistic, applicable religions that I had come across…I was fascinated to notice that these people, living under the jungle canopy, would not have experienced celestial events, they would not have spent centuries studying the stars and deciphering “the meaning of it all.”

They simply loved their forest and life as it was, and had no complaints…

I was most appreciative of the gifts of understanding that opened up inside me from my experience with these remarkable people.  I came away more open to celebrating life, not complaining about it; determined to live every moment instead of being a victim; to love, respect, appreciate and take care of life; to stop relying on material possessions for happiness; to simply live life and not try to control it; and especially, to enjoy the simple things around me and stop thinking life to death.  I was learning not to be afraid of life, but to be afraid not to live it.  And all of this was from a people who have never seen, heard of, nor could read a self-help book.  A curious thought crossed my mind as I wondered, if they could read self help books would they ask, “So when did you guys forget all this stuff?”

             Biblical images flooded my mind as I read this passage:  God commissioned us to be caretakers of this earth (Gen 1:28 ).  Adam and Eve lived without fear or shame before God (Gen 3:7-8).  The angel said to Mary at the announcement to carry our Lord, “Be not afraid, I have good news for you!” (Luke 2:10)   Jesus says to his followers, “Fear not little flock, it is the father’s good pleasure.”; “Will worrying gain you a single minute of life?”  “Look at the birds and the flowers and how you Father cares for them, and you are worth so much more” (Matthew 6:25 -26).  I could go on, but I think you get the idea.  God is calling us to live in a good and trusting relationship with himself, and taking care of God’s good, green earth as we were created to in the beginning and recreated to in Christ. 

            We can trust God to take care of all our needs: the same God who created the heavens and the earth, the same God who left the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, the same God who showed mercy on Cain, the same God who cleansed the earth of its violence and hostility with the flood, the same God who sent his Son to do for us what we could not do for ourselves—be the kind of people God is calling us to be, the same God who renews the face of the earth one person at a time through the cleansing waters of baptism through which we are raised up in the image of Christ, the same God who sent the Holy Spirit into the world to renew us in this new life by guiding, leading, reminding and training us in this new life so that God’s mission will continue,  the same God who promises that one day all things will be made new. 

            If God is for us who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)  We can completely entrust ourselves in the living God, for God will take care of us.  All that there is left for us to do is to be caretakers of  God’s earth and spread the good news through both word and deed.  The question that remains is ‘What is the next step for living out that trusting and loving relationship with God?’

God’s Peace,  

Pastor Matt

RALLY DAY
Rally Day is coming fast.  Mark your calendars for our worship service on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008 , at 9:00 a.m.   We are once again having John and Diane Windle and their puppets, Hairy and Co., doing our worship service.  John and Diane’s ministry is to young and old alike. They combine music, comedy, and teaching to drive home the truths of scripture. 

After our worship service, they will do the opening for Sunday School and everyone is invited to stay for that as it will be a totally different program.

Nursery News
Please be advised that during the summer months of June, July, and August there will not be Childcare staff during worship.  Please use the Nursery on a self-serve basis. 

We ask you to please respect others by supervising your children and cleaning up after yourselves.  There will be sign-up sheets for Nursery staff volunteers starting again for September.  If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Monis 262-670-0731.

Habitat Home Store
Habitat HomeStore is a retail outlet where quality used and surplus building materials are sold at a fraction of normal prices. Proceeds from HomeStores help the local affiliate fund the construction of Habitat houses within the community. Materials sold by us are usually donated from building supply stores, contractors, demolition crews or from individuals who wish to show their support for Habitat. In addition to raising funds, they help the environment by rechanneling good, usable materials into use.

NOW OPEN! Thanks for being patient as we overcame various hurdles to open our store! Perhaps not the most organized, our prices make up for any short-coming. Shop from an assortment of new and used: electrical components, light fixtures, sinks, doors, pvc plumbing, tools, ceramic tile, and much more.

Store Hours (Shopping Hours)
Sunday, Monday, Thursday - closed
Tuesday, Friday, Saturday – 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday – 12 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Receiving Hours (Donation Drop-Off)
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday – 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Please call ahead if you have questions, 262-521-5711, to make sure we can accept your material donation.

Your donations could be tax deductible. The material donations should be something that would be desirable for purchase by another individual. It does not necessarily need to be new or unused, but still functional and in good condition. Our address is 222 W. Saint Paul Ave. , Waukesha , WI 53188
in-between North and St. Paul , next to the Waukesha Food Pantry. Please come during receiving hours or by appointment only - we may be out in the community. Contact Michael to work out a convenient time to drop off your goods or call 262-521-5711.

August Anniversaries
1          Gerald and Jessie Bohen                             
2          John and Lisa Christenson                           
3          Glen and Brenda Houghtaling                      
6          Duane and Barbara Schuett                        
7          Benjamin and Amy Hoffmann                     
7          David and Joan Uhlman                              
8          Jon and Karen Hoppe                                 
10         Jennifer and John Guenther                         
11         Bruce Benson and Denise Cairns                 
12         Tony and Stacy Brakob                              
12         Jeffrey and Tiffany Brewer                        
12         Karl and Claudine Scheife                           
13         Randy and Heidi Sikkema                           
16         David and Lisa Sutrick                                
18         Glenn and Elaine Mason                             
18         Chad and Carrie Smithyman                        
22         Mary and Mike Davy                                 
22         Wayne and Judy Kielisch                            
25         Dennis and Debra Uhlman                          
26         Bob and Lori Christel                                  
26         Tonya and Corey Werner                           
28         Dennis and Dorothy Portz

 August Birthdays
1          Gabriel Hoffmann, Kathy Johnston
1          Oscar Kraft
2          Deonne Eske
3          Olivia Radtke
5          Blakeslee Holbrook
6          Ruby Christenson
7          Ethan Birkel
8          Frank Downing, Rachel Kraemer, 
9          Nicholas Hills , Benjamin Hoffmann
10         Michael Reitz
11         Sandra Henninger, Cheryl Radtke
15         Eugene Connell, Rodney Downing
17         Alaina Roth, David Uhlman
18         Sarah Johnston, Connie Leinberger
20         Patricia Trimborn
21         Benjamin Guenther
22         Michelle Towey
23         Marley Kreger
24         David Sutrick
25         Jayden Smithyman
26         Karl Scheife, Johnny Wolf
28         Laura Sander
29         Jessie Bohen, Marlene Connell
29         Ryan Dauss, Grant Rettler
30         Patricia Davies
31         Dorothy Portz

August Lay Ministry Schedule

Altar Guild: Liz Laack
Counters:  M. Bliss, L. Christopherson, R. Johnson

For questions regarding the following, please call:
Acolytes:   Robyn Cowell 262-673-9693
Assisting Ministers: Gwen Downing 262-673-6717

VBS Is Almost Here!
This year's Vacation Bible School will be held Sunday, August 3-Thursday, August 7 from 6:15 p.m.-8:30 p.m.   We will be visiting SonWorld Amusement Park and going on "The Ride of Your Life" with God.  Any children, ages preschool (4 years by 9/1/2008 ) through the completion of 6th grade, are invited.  GET YOUR TICKETS SOON AND BUCKLE UP as we prepare to hear God's Word during this fun-filled week.  Please look for your ticket (registration form) in the CALLER, fill it out, and return it to the church office or to the ride supervisors - Tiffany Brewer or Laura Lee.  See you there!!!

Adult Class: “Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage”

Taking Discipleship Home
Family Sabbath By Marilyn Sharpe (TYFI.org)

What was God thinking of, commanding a Sabbath? It’s 2008 and demands on our family’s time cover every waking moment – and then some. Doesn’t God know how busy we are, how much we have to do, how hard it is to keep track of everyone’s schedule?

So, what was God thinking of? God wasn’t tired after six days of creating. God wasn’t trying to ruin your fun by claiming your time and attention. God wasn’t giving you just one more rule to live by.

So, really, what was God thinking of? God was thinking of you and your family… and of

Ø      God’s love for you and desire to be in relationship with you

Ø      Your need for rest and restoration, for pausing to reflect, for savoring the joyous things in life, for delight

Ø      Time to experience the abundant life Jesus came to bring

Ø      Recharging you before sending you back into the world

What is Sabbath? It may be a day (or week or month) or it may be one deep, intentional, God-filling-you breath. It is an intentional time to slow down, to step out of the torrent of life rushing past, to be still, to be in the presence of God, to be with those you love, to savor silence and beauty and good food and delight, to emerge refreshed.

Why Sabbath? God knew we’d burn out, lose focus, worship other gods, slight our relationships if we didn’t practice Sabbath. It is one of the ways God cares for us.

Where do you experience Sabbath? Lying awake in bed on Saturday morning. Worshipping with your community of faith. Joining beloved family and friends at the dinner table to savor delectable food and the even more delicious time together. Perhaps it is on a tranquil lakeshore as dawn evaporates the mist. Or, perhaps you light a candle and curl up on the couch to read and ponder and pray a verse of scripture together.

God was thinking of you. Won’t you open your life to receive God’s gift of Sabbath?

FAMILY ACTIVITIES:
By its very nature, Sabbath is a practice of the Four Keys for Nurturing Faith.

1. CARING CONVERSATIONS – Use Sabbath time to be really present with one another, listen deeply, share your deepest dreams and joys and concerns.
2. FAMILY DEVOTIONS – Spend intentional, focused time with God as a family, naming the people, places and experiences that have been the face of Jesus in your lives. Read scripture together. Collect prayer requests from one another.
3. RITUALS AND TRADITIONS – Sabbath is drenched with rituals – candles, eating together, a walk in the beauty of God’s creation, a restoring nap. All of these remind you that you are on holy ground.
4. FAMILY SERVICE – Plan together the ways you will serve God’s family and its needs after you are refreshed. Thank one another for the loving acts of service you have done for one another.

Treat your family to a resource to help you get started. (I am absolutely smitten with Wayne Mueller’s book on Sabbath. It is gentle, inviting, sharing stories of how others have found God’s refreshment in Sabbath and a wide variety of Sabbath practices to braid into everyday life. This is a wonderful way to prime the pump of Sabbath.)

THANKS TO ALL
To ALL those who donated items and/or precious time and worked to make our annual Ice Cream Social a wonderful event.  A special thanks to the Eifler’s “Busy Berry” Strawberry Farm for all the strawberries and those who picked and prepared them.  Hope you had your favorite ice cream dish and enjoyed working alongside your fellow brothers and sisters here at St. Olaf.  Profit amount will be shared with you in the weekly bulletin.

            God’s Peace and Love to All

It’s Time for School Kits
Once again we will be collecting items for school kits.  Please bring items to church and place them in the box in front of the nursery.  These kits go around the world to help students who do not have their own supplies.  Thanks for your donations.

·   Padded or spiral notebooks of ruled paper approximately 8" X 10-1/2" totaling 150-200 sheets (if using 70-count notebooks, please include three); do not include loose-leaf paper

·   One blunt scissors (safety scissors with embedded steel blades work well)

·   One 30-centimeter ruler, or a ruler with centimeters on one side and inches on the other

·   One pencil sharpener

·   Six new, unsharpened #2 pencils with erasers; secure together with a rubber band

·   One eraser approximately 2-1/2" long

·   12 sheets of construction paper in assorted colors

·   One box of 16 or 24 crayons

·   One sturdy cloth bag approximately 12" X 14" with cloth handles or drawstring

Blessed to be a Blessing
The ELCA has initiated a program called Blessed to be a Blessing.  The intention of the program is to have people give a portion of their tax rebate to support ministries, particularly ministries for the poor.

“The Federal Government’s tax rebate program provides us with an opportunity to embrace a ‘stewardship of abundance’ and use this unexpected gift to strengthen our ministries.”
Bishop Paul Stumme-Diers (G.M.S.)

St. Olaf has designated alternatives that you can use to support ministries and stimulate our local economy as well:
Good Samaritan Fund, St. Olaf General Fund, St. Olaf Building Fund, Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and UP, P.A.V.E, Hephetha and the Hartford Food Pantry.

If you have never tried it, this is a great time to try tithing – or giving 10%. 

Envelopes will be handed out during services to make it easy to contribute.  Please complete the instructions on the envelope and drop it in the offering plate.  If you wish, you may mail in a check to the church office with your designation.

Ride the Pontoon Boat with Us
On Wednesday, August 20 we have a scheduled group tour of Horicon Marsh on the pontoon boat.  Horicon Marsh is 32,000 acres of water, woods and prairie (we won’t see it all on our hour-long tour!) and is one of North American’s most important wetland habitats.  We live so close to it and often don’t realize it’s there.  So join our boat ride and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation.  We will meet at church at 8:45 a.m. and carpool to Horicon.  We will see a 30 minute video about the marsh and then go on our guided tour.  They also say there are no mosquitoes on the marsh, so it will be an escape!  Afterwards we will have a picnic, so bring a lunch.  The cost of the boat ride is: adults $9.50, students 12-15 $6.00, and children 4-11 $5.00.  Please sign up on the kiosk.  50 people maximum, so sign up now!  Call Laura Lee at 920-474-4317 if you have any questions.

Rally Day!

 Featuring Hairy & Company

Sunday, September 7, 2008

9:00 a.m. worship

 Sunday School to follow

Joyful scripture songs will encourage worship and praise form the hearts of young and old alike.

 “Hair & Company” was created by John & Diane Windle.

 Their unique program offers enjoyment for every member of the family.  They combine music, comedy. And teaching that drive home the truths of scripture.

 An Outreach Ministry of Camp Forest Springs

Bring the Family!

St. Olaf’s 2^nd Annual

Golf Outing

Picnic & Campfire

Saturday, August 16, 2008

1:00 p.m.

Deertrack Golf Course

You DO NOT have to know how to golf or have your own golf clubs.

You will be playing with 3 other people who will show you the way to A GREAT GAME!

 Bring a non-member guest with you and be eligible for a GREAT prize!!!

Save the Date

Generations Of Faith

October 25 & 26

Fundraiser for the Building Fund

 
Saturday Oct. 25
Food & Craft Fair ( 10:00 a.m. )
Antique & Quilt Auction
Turn of the Century Worship Service at 5:00 p.m.

Sunday Oct. 26
Old Fashioned church Dinner
Stories on the History of St. Olaf
Cemetery tours
Special Program

Specialty Foods &
Craft Booth volunteers wanted

 Call Roger Johnson for more information 920-474-3168

Listen to Grace Matters on Sundays at 7:00 a.m. on 104.9 FM or 1540 AM
Click here for Grace Matter Radio Broadcast information.