The St. Olaf Caller

May 2009

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From the Desk of Pastor Matt

“Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.  And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’”  (Luke 15:1-2)

 One of the common denominators among churches that are growing is EVERYONE is welcome.  They are places that allow all to enter their doors and embrace them with warmth and hospitality while they are there.  While that is comforting in theory, it can be discomforting when we look at that idea in all of life’s diversity.

I read a story about a congregation that was developing a welcoming mission statement.  In it they stated that ALL people were invited at their church.  The mission statement was overwhelmingly approved at the council.  The following Sunday, one of the council members who was most excited about the statement was a greeter at the door.  The congregation was located at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains and the town folk thought of those from the mountains as hillbillies or backward folk.  Well, in came one of those “hillbillies.”  The council member who was greeting went right up to her face and said, “Oh, sweetie, I think it would be better if you went somewhere else where you would feel more comfortable.”

Everyone is welcome can make us feel quite uncomfortable.  That is what was going on in Jesus’ day.  The church folk in Jesus’ day probably had no problem inviting everyone, just so long as they could define who those ‘everyone’ were.  When they saw Jesus, who was called a Rabbi—a church leader, hanging out with those people,  they felt uncomfortable: ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’  What would happen if things got out of control?  What if these people feel so welcomed by this leader that they come in droves?  How will that affect what goes on around here?  What if they get a majority voice? 

It can be quite discomforting.  What makes it even more discomforting is that things did get out of control.  The people were so welcomed that they
came in droves.  It did change how things were done and the majority voice changed as well.

It got so out of control that the Son of God was hung on a cross and raised from the dead.  People were welcomed in by those open arms and came in droves.  Lives were changed as they met the resurrected Christ working among God’s gathered community.  Things were done differently as they lived that new life in Christ.  And the majority voice became Christ’s voice in all that was said and done.

Everyone is welcome.  We are called to embrace ALL others as Christ has embraced us.  Hospitality, warmth and open doors—things St. Olaf is pretty good at.  Let us work at championing at it as we live with our resurrected Lord.

Christ makes life exciting,

Pastor Matt

St. Olaf’s Weight Loss Challenge

Join us in the St. Olaf’s Weight Loss Challenge. The kickoff will be Saturday, May 9^th at Church.  We will form teams of willing contestants.  The specifics of how we choose to run the contest will be up to the participants, but we have proposed the following:

Each person will set a target they wish to achieve which will be added together to get a team total.  Every two weeks or so we will have a weigh in.  Only your teammates will know your weight.  After six months the team closest to their goal wins.

Pastor Matt and Bruce Benson will be heading up one team.  Denise Cairns has agreed to start another team.  You can join one of these teams or start your own.

We will plan some kind of activity on the days of weigh ins such as a hike, guest speaker, or have people share their ideas on diet, exercise, or latest research.

May Anniversaries
2     Tito and Justine Cadena                                               
3     Tom and Chris Ziebell                                                  
5     Mark and Linda Fredrick                                             
5     Roger and Lynette Johnson                                          
8     Aldon and Phylliss Schlieve                                          
10    Eric and Patricia Kraft                                                 
13    Todd and Cynthia Birkel                                              
14    Laura and Mark Savatski                                             
15    Karl and Kathy Monis                                                 
20    Eugene and Marlene Connell                                        
22    SaraAnn and John Smeaton                                         
24    Roy (Tom) and Marie Galbraith                                    
25    David and Terri Much                                                 
27    Brian and Dorothy Solveson                                         

May Birthdays
  2      SaraAnn Smeaton, Mabel Solveson
  3      Kerry Freiburger
  4      Marion Hermanson
  5      Andrew Azad
  6      Nicholas Beierle
  7      Terry Borden, Tiffany Brewer
  7      Judith Christenson, Gregory Homulos
  8      Paul Slade
  9      Stanley Christopherson, Heidi Sikkema
  12    Robyn Cowell
  13    Joseph Buth
  14    Janet Jahnke, Randy Solveson
  17    Barb Becker, Douglas Morrissey
  18    Nickolaus Murray, Jessi Rohlffs
  19    Keith Solveson
  20    Wayne Pederson
  22    Destiny Krueger
  23    Alaria Anderson, Jamie Christenson, Scott Eifler
  24    Anne Feutz
  25    Thomas Badovski, Mitchell Kraemer
  26    Hertha Ziebell
  27    Cheryl Monnahan
  28    Trevor Reed
  29    Leah Schlieve, Cory Voight
  30    Ella Jane Smithyman
  31    Alec Cowell, Pearl Hermanson

Cemetery Plots Available
The church has two cemetery plots for sale in Wisconsin Memorial Park on West Capitol Drive in Brookfield .  The gravesites are $1695 each and are in a valued part of the park which is almost filled. If you or someone you know is interested in these plots, please call the church office.

May Lay Ministry Schedule

 Altar Guild: Jon Evert & Paula Olson
Counters:  Rob Howell & Jim Lumsden
For questions regarding the following, please call:
Acolytes:   Robyn Cowell 262-673-9693
Assisting Ministers: Gwen Downing 262-673-6717

Join us for UFF-DA
Sunday, May 17^th will be our last UFF-DA (Uniting Faith and Forty Developmental Assets) day until the fall.  This special day incorporates EVERYONE in the church, not just our Sunday School students.  Through fun activities, stories and games we learn about characteristics and values that help us in our lives.  Since we're all living, everyone is invited!  We start in the sanctuary after church and then move to the fellowship hall.  Join us.  This will also be the last day of Sunday School for this school year.   

We’re Taking Lefse Orders
Fresh homemade lefse will be available on May 17^th.  Please place your orders in advance to Carol Evert at 920-696-3459 or in her box at St Olaf.  Each package contains three large rounds and costs $6.00 per pkg.  Proceeds benefit our building fund.  Also canning jam and jelly jars are needed, either pint or half pint.  Please place jars and new lids/rings in the basket provided at church.  Thanks.

Spring Cleaning
It’s time again for our annual outdoor Spring Clean Up!  We will be working on Saturday, May 2, 2009 starting at 8 a.m. until ?? Please come dressed for the weather bringing your wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels, pruners etc.  We will be pruning, raking and spreading mulch in our garden beds around the church.  Lunch and refreshments will be served.  Come and enjoy the outdoors!  Please call Peggy Morrissey @262-443-0306 with questions or just come when you can – we always appreciate the help!

Third Thursday
Mark your calendars for Third Thursday on May 21 at 11 a.m.   Don't miss this special time for fellowship, fun and food. 

Thank You! Thank You!
St. Olaf’s is so blessed with many people that share their talents.  The Music and Worship Committee would like to say special thanks to:

Sue Laubenheimer (our Saturday night musician) for making our new communion and our Good Friday banner;

Bob Laubenheimer (Sue’s husband) who made the hand crafted banner hanger;

Linda Fredrick for making our new Easter banner;  

George Birkel for making the new banner stand and pole used for our processionals;

Tiffany Brewer who was our “trumpet” for our Easter services;  and

Gwen Downing, Clara Birkel, and the Easter Choir.

All these things enhanced our Holy Week services.

What is Life Giving?
            In another article in this Caller, the Life Giving Committee announced that Sunday, May 31^st  will be Kick-Off Sunday for an ongoing Life Giving effort.  What is meant by the term, Life Giving?  Life giving can also be called whole life stewardship.

             All that we have are gifts from God.  These gifts include our time, talents, home, property, job, ability and strength to earn income, and accumulated assets.

We practice stewardship of one of the gifts from God, our income, through our regular giving to the general fund and building fund of our church.  Most of us, however, do not practice stewardship of our accumulated assets which are also gifts from God.  Accumulated assets include accumulated, inherited, and appreciated resources such as real estate, certificates of deposit, stocks, bonds, bank accounts, IRAs, etc.  Practicing whole life stewardship means practicing stewardship of our accumulated assets as well as our yearly income.

            As people of God, just as we are encouraged to give proportionately for the Lord's work from our annual income, so we are encouraged to give proportionately from our accumulated resources during life or at death.

            As we do our planning for the distribution of all our lifetime accumulations through estate planning and writing wills, we can take a vital step in completing our whole life stewardship through asset stewardship.

            Many congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have initiated a mission endowment fund to encourage gifts to the ministry of the church through accumulated, inherited, and appreciated financial resources.  These mission endowment funds provide support to the church's mission beyond the operating budget.  St. Olaf's is establishing such an endowment fund.

            The concept of whole life stewardship is not new to St. Olaf's.  There are several members who had included St. Olaf's in their estate planning long before we decided to encourage life giving.  In addition, within the last month, several more members have decided to make a commitment to whole life stewardship and are talking with an ELCA gift planner to determine how they can live out their stewardship through an estate plan gift.  

On Sunday, May 31st, church leadership will kick off an ongoing effort to encourage the rest of the congregation to have their estate planning and wills in place and to consider one or more of the options available to practice whole life stewardship. 

Stay tuned for more information in the Caller, bulletins, and announcements about the various ways one can commit to whole life stewardship.  Educational seminars will be scheduled for later this summer where testimonials from members who have made commitments to Life Giving will be heard, and a gift planner from the ELCA will be available to discuss in detail estate planning, wills, and the various options of Life Giving / whole life stewardship / asset stewardship.      

Taking Faith Home
The Gift Of May 7^TH
By Marilyn Sharpe (TYFI.org)

            It was a little hurt … at least, in retrospect. 

            The first year that Les and I were married, nothing went right on my birthday.  My parents, who had always made my birthday a “Queen for a Day” experience, were in Europe , their first trip abroad together, and they hadn’t sent a card, they hadn’t sent a present.  My husband of nine months was in medical school and distracted and not good at remembering things like that anyway.  I bought steak and a bottle of wine … and waited.  At 11:00pm , he called to say that he wasn’t going to make it home from the hospital that night.  Oh, well, I had a brother who loved me.  For heaven’s sake, he was 20 and in college, and it never occurred to him.  But it was all going to be okay because my precious mother-in-law loved me.  She made things special.  She wouldn’t forget … but, she did.  Oh, did I have all the ingredients I needed for a pity party!

            The next month, we were in Ohio , visiting Les’ mom.  She turned to me with her 1000 watt smile, and beamed, “Well, girl, I know someone who has a birthday next month.”  I responded, quizzically, “Who?”  “You!” she crowed, with delight.  “May 7^th.”  “No, Mom,” I responded.  “It was March 7^th.”  Crestfallen doesn’t begin to describe her face.  Mom never hurt anyone intentionally.  All who knew her described her as thoughtful and caring.  Then, I poured out my woes of a birthday gone bad.  She was loving and empathetic and apologetic. She said, “I am so sorry.  I wouldn’t have hurt you for the world.  You know that I never forget how much I love you.”  It was a balm, and I felt so much better.

            Needless to say, she never again forgot my birthday.  She was the woman who read every card in the store, to select just exactly the right one.  She kept her eyes open all year for just the right gift.  They were always there.  On time.

            But that wasn’t all.  Beginning that year, every May 7^th, I also received a beautiful card and a check from Mom Sharpe.  It was our special holiday, to celebrate the love between us that healed a sorrow.

            Les’ mother died eight years ago.  Not a single May 7^th has come without remembering her special grace.  An apology.  Making up for it.  Transforming pain into a special shared holiday.  This May 7^th, I’ll smile at the memory, thanking God for this amazing woman.

            I only hope that I have passed on the same grace-filled legacy of recovering from unintentional hurt to my children, to my friends, to my colleagues.  As much as I wish it had been otherwise, I have missed the birthday of a cherished friend and not one, but two of my treasured colleagues.  But there are other hurts I’ve caused, sins of both omission and commission.  Mostly with my family.  I have learned to say, “I am sorry.  Can you forgive me?  What can I do to make it right, to make it better?”

            One of the treasures of our faith in Christ, a gift bestowed with the waters of our baptism, is to name and claim our sin, to ask for forgiveness, to heal.  Let’s use this gift generously, especially in our families.

Family Activities

1. With your children, model saying, “I am sorry.  Can you forgive me?”
2. When someone asks for your forgiveness, don’t dismiss it with, “Oh, that’s okay.” Learn to say, “I forgive you.” 
3. Tell your kids about times you made a mistake or hurt another person.  Let them know that even now you are sorry about it.
4. Admit how hard it sometimes is to say, “I am sorry.  Can you forgive me?”

May Day Celebration
Join us for a May Day Celebration on Friday, May 1 at  5:30 .  We will begin with a casual meal, have a program by Michael Drake, a very talented comic and musician, at 6 and end with a dessert buffet.  Our May event has typically been a Mother/Child event, but this year everyone is included, and you can still bring your mother!  It will be a night to laugh and eat and have fun together so try not to miss it.  Tickets are $3 and will be available soon.  Please bring a dessert to share and your sense of humor! 

Grocery Receipts
St. Olaf Lutheran Church is now registered with Sentry Foods in Oconomowoc to receive a percentage of your grocery bill.  Please deposit your stamped grocery receipt in the coffee can near the kiosk.

Mark Your Calendars
        Pentecost Sunday, May 31^st has been declared 100% Attendance Sunday at St. Olaf's Church.  Let's fill the sanctuary.  Let's fill the balcony.  Let's make the ushers work hard setting up chairs in every available space.  Let the story be told in the years to come that the singing at St. Olaf's on May 31, 2009 could be heard as far away as Mapleton and Thompson.

            Lots of inspiration, education, and fun are planned for this special Sunday.  Church service will at 9AM .  It is Pentecost.  So look for something unexpected.

            It will also be Kick-Off Sunday for our exciting new "LIFE GIVING" project.  "LIFE GIVING" will be an ongoing effort to encourage and educate the congregation on the importance of estate planning, having an up-to-date will, and considering asset stewardship.  Pastor Larry Westfield will return to St. Olaf's to give us a message on "LIFE GIVING" in what promises to be a very interesting sermon.  (Please read the article in this Caller titled WHAT IS LIFE GIVING?  This article explains the concept of life giving and asset stewardship.)  

Right after the morning service, we will all go outside for a congregation picture.  The last congregation picture was taken in 1988.  It is time for a new one. 

Picture taking will be followed by a tasty breakfast sponsored by the Stewardship and Life Giving committees.  Plan to stay for food, fellowship, and a short presentation by the Life Giving committee in which we will further explain the concepts and benefits of participating in one or more of the options of "LIFE GIVING".

After the breakfast and Life Giving presentation, there will be an information table where additional information on "LIFE GIVING" will be available and questions can be answered one on one.

            For those interested in signing up for Simply Giving, there will be an information table where questions can be answered and assistance given to those who wish to participate.

            The church officers and a representative of each committee of the church will be available to answer questions, explain committee projects, and receive your ideas and recommendations relative to the function of each committee.

            Other church organizations are invited to provide informational tables.

Adult Education Committee News
Members of the Adult Education Committee are Marlene Connell, Pat Haarmann, Dorothy Portz, June Sumnicht, Pastor Matt, and Cindy Schlieve (chairperson).

As a group brand new to this committee, we have been working on some ideas for adult education for St. Olaf. One of the things that we have created is a survey for members to complete. Our goal for the survey is twofold: to find out what types of programs the congregation would like to have presented; and to find out what St. Olaf can offer members of the congregation, or the community at large, who are experiencing difficult times. All programming created from the survey responses will fall within the guidelines of the St. Olaf mission statement: “Sharing God’s Love . . . Caring for Community”. The survey is included with this newsletter, and will be distributed at worship services through May 17. Please take the time to complete a survey by May 17^th and place it in the box located between the south entrance doors (main entrance from the parking lot). Your input is vital to making St. Olaf the best it can be.

The Adult Education Committee is also offering an opportunity to participate in a book study. The name of the book is THE SHACK, written by William Paul Young. The book jacket describes the book in the following words. “In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant THE SHACK wrestles with the timeless question: Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain? The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!” The dates for the 4-week book study are June 3, 10, 17, and 24 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Olaf’s. The books are available for purchase from any book store or on line at Amazon.com. Please contact any member of the Adult Education to let them know you would like to participate in the book study.

Hanging Baskets
Baskets will be available for pick up at the parsonage on Saturday morning, May 2^nd, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thank you for supporting our St. Olaf youth.

 St. Olaf Sunday School presents Easter!

April 26 – May 10

Now we can rejoice in the Easter story!  This part of the story is significant because in no other religion has a 'god' ever raised himself from the dead.  He triumphed over sin and death, and He has the power to take us to be with Him when we die.  During Lent and Holy Week we have focused on the Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion and now on Jesus'  Resurrection.

The message of Jesus dying on the cross to save us, and then raising from the dead is, like Christmas, very important, maybe even more so.  The message is a life-changing one, and gives us forgiveness and hope for a future with God.  This is a great time to talk to your children about Jesus’s death and resurrection. 

Sunday School Classes

• In the Oasis Café we will have Resurrection Buns and tell the whole story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
• In Colors of Faith we will concentrate on butterflies as a wonderful sign of new life, just as Jesus brought us new life with Easter! 
• In Creation Exploration we will see the power of the resurrection and God’s love come alive. 

 Our focus verse:

 Do not be afraid,  for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

He is not here; he has risen,  just as he said.  Matthew 28:5-6

Thank You for the VBS Donations
We have received quite a few of the items needed for VBS arts and crafts.  The theme this year is Gospel Light's Son Rock Kids Camp.  Your child will let their creativity flow as they create crafts that emphasize Bible stories, the daily truths, and more!  I'm asking for everyone's help to make the adventure come alive for all VBS students.  The Art area still needs the following supplies to make this happen. 

Wrapping paper tubes- 40
Paper towel tubes- 25
Toilet paper tubes- 20
circular magnet with hole in it- 40 of them
wooden dowels ¼ in. diameter by 18 inches long-40 of them
glitter- colors blue, silver, gold- 3 of each color
blue food coloring- 1 bottle
wide ruled spiral notebooks- 30 of them
pine needles, acorns, twigs, leaves- as many as you can get
stick or branch 18 to 24 inches long- 30 of them
large blue disposable plastic plates ( 2 per child)- 80 of them
cardboard oatmeal canister with lid-40 of them
flat brown spray paint- 4 cans
clear acrylic spray-3 cans
stones 2 or 3 inches-30 of them
craft glue- 10 bottles
solid color ceramic tiles 3x3 or bigger-need not to match- 40 of them
window screen-cut into sizes of 5 ½ x 13inch rectangles one for each child-40 of them

 A bin will be labeled outside the nursery door for any items you can donate! 

Thank you!

Questions?  Please call Art Coordinator, Kathy Monis at 262-670-0731

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1