December 2010

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From the Desk of Pastor Matt

"Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."                    (Luke 2:1-20)

The sleepy shepherds must have jumped out of their skins. Working late in the evening, trying to stay awake late into the night, counting sheep in the darkness as they had done night after night for more seasons than they cared to remember, when an angel appears. What that looked like, we don't know. Years later, all that the shepherds would be able to say was that the glory of the Lord shone around the angel--and they were scared out of their minds, so much so that the first words out of the angel's mouth were, "Don't be afraid. I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people." They would be the ones to announce the good news. "To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

Even an ordinary birth announcement changes a person's life. When a child is born, your life changes. The family is never the same. Parents are almost overwhelmed by incredible responsibilities and even more incredible joys. It doesn't matter if it's by birth or by adoption or by marriage. When a child comes into your life, everything changes.

And the angels announced to startled shepherds, "To you is born in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." To you is born this child. Not just to Mary and Joseph and their extended families. Not just to the fine families of Bethlehem. To the shepherds, complete strangers, working the night-shift, way out in the sticks. The angel sounds like a new father running down a hallway in the hospital, grabbing complete strangers and saying, "It's a boy!" so everyone can share in his joy.

But more than that, the Christ child was born to them. Jesus was born to the shepherds’ families, too--and to all families. The angels reassured the shepherds that the announcement was good news for all the people--for them and for everybody else.

And the birth of that child changed lives. The shepherds went to the stable and saw with their own eyes what the angel had told them. God was with them and God was up to something good. Yes, after that night, they probably went back to their flocks, and much of their lives may have looked a lot like it did before--long hours, low wages, harsh living conditions. Yet their lives changed on Christmas night. Never again could they doubt that God cared for them. Never again, could their lives be reduced to boring jobs with a small salary.  There would always be something more--something holy and godly and wonderful. They had heard the joy of angels.

To you is born this day, in the city of Bethlehem, a savior who is Christ the Lord. And that is the angels' joy for us, as well. The birth of Jesus was not just good news for Mary and Joseph or life-changing news for a bunch of sleepy shepherds on a cold Judean hillside. It is good news for all people. It is good news for us.

To us was born a savior, Jesus the Lord. Jesus was born as God's gift to us--to each and every one of us and to all of us together. And this gift is meant to change our lives. Yes, our lives will go back to normal--maybe long hours, low wages, and harsh living, or maybe not. But whatever our lives become, they will be changed because in the angel's good news, we, too, have gotten a glimpse of something holy and godly and wonderful. To us is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. However other things turn out, that good news is ours to keep. Like the shepherds, we don’t know how God’s plan will unfold, but this we do know: God is up to something good, for us, because Christ was born in Bethlehem.

 God’s Peace!

Pastor Matt

A Song Is Born

You won't want to miss this beautiful cantata by Douglas Nolan presented by the combined choirs of St. Olaf and St. Jacobi Congregational Church.   This lovely retelling of the Christmas Story in song and verse will take place during worship on Saturday, December 18 at St. Olaf.  If you are not able to attend that service, but would like to hear the cantata, it will be performed again on Sunday, December 19 at St. Jacobi.  The Outreach Committee of St. Olaf is sponsoring a meal after the Dec. 18 service.  Spread the word to your family and friends and let's pack the sanctuary that evening.  If you have any questions, please contact Sue at 262-644-8394.

Bethlehem! Nothing Ever Happens Here!

Join us for another Christmas program where we hear from two Bethlehem residents about how boring it is to live in this small town where nothing ever happens.  They'll be visited by shepherds, angels, wisemen and a host of other characters--leading up to the most exciting event of all time.  The program will take place on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m., followed by a Bethlehem Christmas Party in the Fellowship Hall.  Come and support our youth and see the Christmas story in a brand new way.  
 

Bake Dates for Lutefisk

(All locations at St. Olaf)

Contemporary Worship

Our Praise worship services will continue with the first Sunday of each month at 10:30 a.m.  Get the word out, pray for us, and join us! 

St. Olaf Caroling

Join us on Saturday December 11^th at 6:00 after our Saturday evening worship service.  We’ll meet at St. Olaf’s and sing to members of our congregation and members of the community – snow or shine!

Everyone is invited to join in, open to merry singers of all ages.  Bring your friends, family and neighbors. 

Music and lyrics will be provided.  Bring lanterns or flashlights, weather-appropriate clothing and gloves, festive hats and scarves and your good cheer!

Organized by Outreach Committee.  Contact Elaine Monis 920-474-4092 with any questions.  Our goal is to have 20 singers!

Soup Supper & Service

Our next Oil Lamp Service and soup supper will be December 26^th.  Soup will be served at 5:00 p.m., all are invited as our guests.  Oil lamp service begins at 6:00 p.m.  More information is available -  Lyn 920 474 3168 or Pat 262 569 7341.  Join us for a spiritual evening of the past.

Joyous Light                  
On the third weekend of every month, the worshippers attending the Saturday evening service will have the opportunity to participate in something very special.  Join us on December 17^th, for our evening prayer service called "Joyous Light" written by Ray Makeever.  Ray is a graduate of Luther Seminary and a well-known musician.  This worship service is a beautiful way to center ourselves and celebrate God's Light in our life and in our world. 

St. Aidan's Holiday Fair

Saturday, December 11, 10 am - 2 pm
Christmas sweets and holiday crafts
Lunch available 11 am - 1 pm
670 E. Monroe Ave, Hartford

Christmas Concert at Holy Hill

The Hartland Community Band will have their concert on Sunday, December 5, 3:00 pm in the upper church of the Holy Hill National Shrine, 1525 Carmel Rd., Hubertus, WI.  Special guest performance by the Waukesha West High School Concert Choir.   FREE ADMISSION.

Enter the Season with Song

St. Catherine of Alexandria invites you their concert.  Join them for the 18^th year of holiday music ushering in the season of Christmas.  A free-will offering is appreciated.

Sunday, December 5^th at 2:00 p.m.

St. Catherine Catholic Church

W359 N8512 Brown St. Oconomowoc

Live Nativity

St. John’s Lutheran and Kettle Moraine United Presbyterian Churches invite you to the 16^th Annual Live Nativity Pageant on Sunday December 5^th, 4:00 p.m. at Stone Banks School, N68 W33866 Hwy K in Stone Bank.  The drama lasts about 35-40 minutes and is help outside the school so plan to dress warmly.  Chili, sandwiches, cookies and beverages will follow the pageant in the School.  Please bring non-perishable food items that will be distributed to the local food panties.

St Olaf Scrip

Christmas is coming – how about a gift card?!  Don't forget you can place an order from St Olaf's Scrip.  It not only is a great way of getting gifts but you can also use it for your shopping and gasoline.  It is also great for the kids for their needs.  Ask for an order form at the Scrip desk.  Also available at times are extra gift cards for gas and Walmart.  This is a great way for St. Olaf to fund our ministry plan while you do your everyday or Christmas shopping.  

 St. Olaf Giving Tree

Let’s load the tree with gifts.  Socks for Pine Ridge residents, gifts for teens at PAVE, and more.  See the list on the kiosk at church and look for the tree in the gathering area.

Christmas Cactus Available

Six inch Christmas cactus plants are available for $10 each.  Information, details, and pre-order forms can be found in the lobby.  All proceeds will go toward the mortgage reduction fund.  Purchase a plant that will bring many years of beauty to your home AND help reduce our church’s mortgage.  If you have questions contact Becky Schuett at bschuett@plbb.us or (920) 583-2253 or Tim Schuett at (920) 474-7642.  Thank you!

December Lay Ministry Schedule

November Altar Guild: Kathie Howell & Joan Uhlman
November Counters: Larry Christopherson, Lyn & Roger Johnson

Time and Talent Needed

Lutherdale would like help remodeling some of their cabins between now and opening of camp this spring.  If anyone could give time, please call Kathy at Lutherdale at 262-742-2352.
 

December Anniversaries

2     Mark and Kathy Larson
2     Randy and Joanne Parlee
4     Austin and Jennifer Becker
5     Scott and Lori Wolf
29   Alan and Patricia Davies

December Birthdays

  2      Amanda Stuettgen
  3      Esther Christenson
  5      Charles & Nathaniel Houghtaling, Carolyn & Peyton Roraff
  6      Patricia Haarmann
  7      Janet Reitz
  8      Joanne Parlee, Rachel Wolf
  9      Elizabeth Lee
  10   Tatum Kluewer
  12    Donald Christopherson
  13    Janet Reed
  15    Noelle Kraemer, Eleanor Monis, Leah Savatski, Jerry Wentz
  16    Amiah Brakob
  17    Sara Braunschweig
  18    Mary Clark, Leigh Downing, John Guenther
  19    Thomas Guenther
  20    Hunter Wentz
  21    William Guenther, Kenneth Nelson
  22    Bob & Lori Christel
  23    Michelle Kluewer
  24   Russell Roraff
  25    Rachel Buth, Michael Cadena
  26    Linda Feutz
  28    Wayne Kielisch, Wendy Mesner, Nicholas Solveson
  30    Lisa Sutrick
  31    Cindy Schlieve

Altar Guild Looking for New Members

The responsibilities of the Altar Guild are to prepare the trays of wine and sacraments and also do the clean-up following communion.  Call Liz Laack at 262-707-4424 if interested.

Everyday at 6:33 p.m.
Every day at 6:33 p.m. we want to know what all of our members are doing.  Starting on January 1, 2011, St. Olaf is implementing a set congregational time to pray. 

The Women of the ELCA in our synod have resolved to start a time for the women to pray.   The Women of Grace at St. Olaf want to extend that to our entire congregation. 

Why 6:33?  It’s taken from Matthew 6:33 which states, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  Jesus tells us that where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.  Prayer works miracles and if our congregation is united in prayer, there’s no telling what may happen.  

It only takes one minute a day, seven days a week.  The time commitment is minimal, but the benefits are endless.  There are other churches and other synods that have done a program like this, and they have seen prayers answered time and time again. If you miss it for a day, don't worry.  You can still pray anytime.  Maybe setting an alarm on your cell phone or watch will help you remember.    

Whatever it takes, take one minute a day to pray for our congregation, for God's work to be done through the members of St. Olaf and for any other prayer requests you may have.  Let's start praying.  (Feel free to begin immediately, but our big kick-off will be in January!)

 Shorehaven News

Join local churches and Shorehaven residents for the Community Christmas Sing-Along on Sunday, Dec. 12^th at 6:30 p.m. at Shorehaven Health & Rehab Center at 1305 W. Wisconsin Ave.  Punch and Christmas cookies will be served.

“Books Are Fun” Book Fair

Thursday Dec. 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and
Friday Dec. 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Great Room at Shorehaven.  Offering a wide variety of books and gifts at great prices.

Taking Faith Home  

Giving Good Gifts
By Marilyn Sharpe (TYFI.org)

      Our grandson Hayden is three years old this Christmas. Our granddaughter Erica is ten months old. I want to see wonder and delight on their faces ... and I want them to see the same on mine! What will it take to make that happen? Will you join me in the resolve to do Christmas differently this year?

      For this season, in which we celebrate God giving Jesus Christ, the best of all gifts, let’s reevaluate our gift giving. How can we mirror giving good gifts, in the midst of a consumerist culture?

      Turn off the television and don’t read the cascade of catalogs that arrive. Don’t stroll through the stores, wondering what you want. There is only one goal of advertising: to make you dissatisfied with what you already have. Don’t feed that green-eyed monster. Don’t invite dissatisfaction into your home.

      But isn’t that almost un-American, to not shop ‘til we drop, stressed about what to give the people who have everything already; exhausted from entertaining, shopping, cooking, and decorating; and arriving at December 26th, weak with relief at having run the month long marathon and dreading next Christmas?

      But this is more than a list of “don’ts.” What do you have to give that passes on the legacy you intend, that models the values you hold dear? SPEAKING OF GIFTS...

      SIMPLIFY AND DOWNSCALE – The list of those with whom we exchange gifts can take on a life of its own. Talk now about sharing time, rather than giving a tangible gift. (Bonus: nothing to eat, wear, dust ... or to exchange!) Give simpler gifts.

      HOMEMADE – Do you have a special recipe for cookies, appetizer, cocoa mix, bread, or snack? Or, how about a collection of favorite recipes? If you knit, paint, or do needlework, share your gift. Every parent and grandparent loves some refrigerator art by their favorite young artist!

      FRAMED PICTURE – A picture of you and the recipient or of you and your family is always appreciated.

      HONOR WITH A PHILANTHROPIC GIFT – Give a gift to a charity or cause that reflects the interests, values, or passions of the receiver.

      COUPONS FOR TIME TOGETHER AND/OR SERVICES – Think about giving the gift of a leisurely day together or deliver a meal, do a load of laundry, run errands, or give a backrub.

      TICKETS FOR A SHARED EVENT – Is there a movie, concert, play, or art exhibit you’d both enjoy? Give tickets or a promise of that shared experience.

      MEMBERSHIP – For families you love, give a membership to the zoo or arboretum or museum (science, art or children’s). You are giving them the gift of time and experience together.

      SOMETHING YOU ALREADY OWN – Once, a friend gave me a sweater of hers that I had admired. I was thrilled! At 16, my grandmother gave me a beautiful necklace of hers, and watched me wear it for the next 14 years. I still cherish it, as part of her legacy. An older friend gave her adult children some of her treasures as Christmas gifts. There was pleasure in the giving and the receiving.

      GIVE LESSONS OR CAMP – Here is something that kids love and don’t expect. Think about an interest, sport, or skill in which they have expressed an interest. Camp will make memories for a lifetime.

      DO SERVICE TOGETHER – Shovel snow for a shut in neighbor, visit a friend or relative in a nursing home, serve a meal at a soup kitchen, or plan a mission trip together. This captures the meaning of the season.

      BAKE OR SHOP OR WRAP TOGETHER – We all do these things over the Christmas season. Turn a chore into a memorable time by doing it together.

Lutherdale Bible Camp

      For those of you that do not know, Lutherdale Bible Camp, located in Elkhorn and less than an hour away from St. Olaf, was prayed into being in 1944.  The beautiful scenic camp is located on Green Lake with many opportunities for everyone, including youth and adults, in addition to retreats and summer camp.

They even have a High and Low Ropes Course, a climbing Tower, and a Tobaggan Run which adds fun and excitement to the programs offered. Check out their website at www.lutherdale.org

       Our Confirmation Classes have used the camp many times for their annual retreats, sometimes doing our own programming and at other times, using Lutherdales's programming.  While we were there for our Confirmation Class retreat in November,  the girls were assigned to stay in the DeBack Family Lodge,

a beautiful facility on Lutherdale's grounds.  This facility came into fruition from the support of the Harold DeBack Family.   Harold & Carol are the parents of Dean & his wife Carmen and the grandparents of Carlie, Logan, Madison and Payton DeBack whom you know from attending church and Sunday School here.

     We were so lucky and felt spoiled to stay in the Lodge with new bunks that were also donated by various people.  Even the bunks were covered in quilts made by the Sewing Bee Group at Our Savior's Church in Racine. 

     When we opened the door to one of the hallways, there was a picture of another donor to one of the wings of the building.  It was the picture of Oscar and Carolyn Kraft, members of St. Olaf's who have now passed away.   The picture told the story of how Oscar would go to Lutherdale and sit by the lake and think about his loving wife and all the memories of their years together.  He wanted to see that Lutherdale carried on its important ministry of sharing the Gospel and love of Christ with those that went to camp.

       Some of our St. Olaf youth have had the opportunity of going to summer camp there and now there are others in our Confirmation Class that are talking about going back there for camp.  Summer Bible camp is a fun, learning adventure that all youth should experience in their lifetime.  We will soon have brochures with all the dates and info regarding their programs, so Parents, please check them out and let Justine know if you and your child are interested in attending.  We'd like to coordinate so our youth can attend camp together if possible.  We can fundraise to offset the cost of the registration.  And of course, we would always take donations from anyone wanting to HELP SEND A KID TO CAMP!    Camp offers memories to last a lifetime and builds on a life of faith!