The St. Olaf Caller

September 2009

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From the Desk of Pastor Matt

Dear Members and Active Participants of St. Olaf,

 “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them.  There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served.  There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to everyone for their particular service.  The Spirit’s presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-6

We are ready to implement a new ministry in our church—St. Olaf Stewards.  You may have heard it talked about as Congregational Care Groups or Shepherding Groups.  It is a way of getting some of the activities done that will help us grow and prosper, and help us grow in that intimacy for which St. Olaf is known. 

Here is how it works.  We have taken all the members and active participants of our church and divided them into groups for each month of the year.  These Steward Groups will be responsible for all custodial duties, ushering, serving communion, altar guild, acolyting and reading the scriptures in church.  This list may seem threatening at first, but it is aimed at making the church run more smoothly with all members taking part in our community, which is what we are called to do in Christ.  All of you have been blessed by God in many different ways, and we glorify God when we use our talents to help our church. 

Each group will meet prior to their month of service.  They will divide the tasks among themselves.  In this way, everyone will be able to take part in the church and choose what they would like to do, using their talents and blessings.  With the number of people in each group, it should not be a strain on anyone.  It also condenses most of your responsibilities into one month which will help everyone’s busy lifestyle.  Steward groups involve people of all ages as well. 

There are jobs such as baking communion bread and praying for others that are easier for some members, while other more physical jobs such as shoveling snow are needed too. 

Some of these tasks will be new to some members, but especially during the first year there will be others to help you through.  Each group can divide the tasks as they see fit.  Some may want to continue doing custodial duties for the entire month, while others may want to take one week at a time.  There are many possibilities to fit each individual group. 

These groups are used in many different churches (including my past church) and have been found to be very helpful to the members and the functioning of the church.  If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact me.  God’s blessings to each of you as we transition into a new ministry at St. Olaf Lutheran Church.

In Christ,

Pastor Matt

St. Olaf’s Weight Loss Challenge
Join us in the St. Olaf’s Weight Loss Challenge. We are meeting ever other Saturday at 9:00 a.m.   You can join anytime and there is room on all teams. 

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.

Upcoming meeting dates are September 12^th and 26^th.  Hope to see you there.

Life Giving
Wills are not just for the wealthy.  They are for the poor and everyone in between.  Without a will, it can take several years to settle your estate and cost your family unnecessary expenses.  Yet 70% of families have no will.  For the sake of your family, WRITE A WILL.

Contemporary Worship
Since Wednesday Night Recharge faded out, St. Olaf has not had an alternative style of worship.  Yet there are those who still yearn to hear God’s same Word within that style.  Starting on the first Sunday in October and continuing on the first Sunday of each month, we will be adding a 10:30 contemporary service.  Get the word out, pray for us, and join us if you feel comfortable with that style.

September Anniversaries
3     Kelly and Mark Senfleben                             
7     Dale and Deonne Eske                                  
7     Jeremy and Michelle Kluewer                        
14   James and Cheryl Monnahan                         
14   Scott and Jessi Rohlffs                                   
14   Mark and Debra Solveson                             
15   Jerry and Cindy Schlieve
15   Douglass and LaVonne Schuett                      
17   John and Andrea Roth                                   
19   Earl and Deborah Christenson                        
22   Jeff and Robyn Cowell                                   
24   Randall and Jean Bates                                  
27   Douglas and Peggy Morrissey

September Birthdays
3      Diane Wolf
4      Colleen Snowberger
5      Gregory Pietila, Chelsea Schuett
7      Matthew Lee
9      Peggy Morrissey, Haley Pietila
11    Alyssa Kreger, Bruce Schell
12    Douglass Schuett
13    Larry Christopherson, Alan Davies
13    Mary Ellen Nelson
16    Amy Mason, Krista Stewart
17    Morgan Kielisch
18    Allen Warnecke
21    Jean Bates
22    Lauren Senfleben
23    Mary Millikin, Samantha Solveson
24    Cody Millikin, Eric Rettler
25    Josie Ray, Melissa Schultz, Brock Solveson
26    Cameron Meier
28    Emma Grochowski, Christie Johnson
28    Tracy Marx, Debbie Stephan
29    LaVonne Schuett, Nate Stewart, Tonya Werner

Big Thanks for VBS
Thank you so much for everyone who helped to make SonRock Kids Camp VBS a great success.  We had about 65 children and many, many volunteers who made the week an exciting time to learn more about God.  We couldn't have done it without all the help. Thanks to our teachers, helpers, guides, students, painters, cooks, idea people, and everyone who donated their Christmas trees and other decorations. We are blessed to have so many dedicated helpers in our midst.

September Lay Ministry Schedule

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

Recharging the Building Fund
Recharging the Building Fund is a continuous campaign.  Saving spare change in your small battery at home and occasionally emptying it into the large battery just outside the sanctuary is an easy and effective way to help pay down the principal on the mortgage, and you'll never miss the change.  So far this campaign has collected about $2,400.

Business Directory
Those who are advertising in St. Olaf's Business Directory, please submit your ad to Karl Scheife at competitor@wi.twcbc.com.  If you want him to help you design your ad, call him at 262-369-5800. Profits from the sale of ads will go to the building fund to pay down the mortgage.

Membership Directory
Our latest Membership directory is available on various tables in the gathering area.  Stop by and pick one up so you can have the most updated list of addresses, phone numbers and emails.  Please notify the office of any changes in your contact information.  Thanks.

It's Time for School Kits
We’ll be collecting school kits again for Lutheran World Relief.  A school kit may provide the only supplies for children returning to school after the disruption of war. School kits help parents continue their children's education, even while living in a refugee camp, for example. A school kit may also be used in adult literacy classes.  We need the following supplies:

►   Notebooks of wide- or college-ruled paper   
       approximately 8" x 10 ½" totaling 150-200
       sheets (if using 70-sheet notebooks, please
       include three); no 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" long

►  12 sheets of construction paper in assorted colors
      (if necessary, fold in half to fit into the school kit
       bag)

►   One box of 16 or 24 crayons

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

 Please bring items to church and leave in box by the nursery.  Thanks in advance for all the wonderful donations.

Adult Education News
The Adult Education Committee (AEC) has been working on creating several opportunities for congregation members, as well as guests, to participate in some exciting offerings.

A self defense class will be offered on Wednesday evenings for six weeks beginning mid-September through October. Watch the weekly bulletin for the exact dates. The class will be taught by Pastor Matt and Wally Friedl. All age groups may participate.

On September 20th, the AEC committee will introduce a wonderful book to the congregation. It’s called FOR EVERYTHING A SEASON. The book includes a wealth of information on blessings that members and their families can use throughout the year. The blessings cover everything from blessing the change of season to blessing a new house, and just about anything you can think of that you may wish to have blessed. This opportunity to learn about blessings, and the many ways we can offer blessings, will begin at 10:30 a.m. on September 20th, and will be approximately 30 minutes in length. Please consider including this wonderful opportunity in your calendar. You’ll be glad you did.

Another exciting offering will be a discussion of the book THE RAPTURE EXPOSED. This book gives a very different viewpoint of the book of Revelation. The discussion group will be held on Sundays from October 25th through November 15th, from 10:15 to 11:15 A.M. Please contact any member of the AEC to let them know of your interest in the discussion group.

Thank you for giving our committee the opportunity to serve. Members of the AEC are Marlene Connell, Pat Haarmann , Dorothy Portz, Cindy Schlieve (chair), June Sumnicht, and Pastor Matt.

Bonds Of Love
The finance committee is studying the feasibility of issuing bonds to congregation members for the purpose of paying down the mortgage principal.  The interest rate would exceed rates on CDs and it would be better to pay interest to church members rather than the bank.  However, if there is not large scale participation, it will not be possible to issue the bonds.  Pick up a bond survey sheet.  If you want to receive a good interest rate and really help your church, return the survey to the survey box in the main church entry or call Roger Johnson at 920-474-3168 for more information. 

Contractor Donation
Kyle Johnson Remodeling and Handyman Services LLC Roofing, Gutter-guards, decks fences, rec. rooms, ceramic tile, screen doors, garage door openers, design / build, interior / exterior remodeling, garages, home maintenance & repair, shelving & storage 414-550-5502.  johnsoky@yahoo.com.  For any job bids accepted by any member of St. Olaf for the remainder of 2009, I will donate to St. Olaf’s 10% of the price of the job.  This is over and above our family’s weekly giving.

Rally Day September 13, 2009

9:00 a.m. worship with Sunday School opening to follow.

 Featuring

Hairy & Company

With John & Diane Windle

Bring the Family!  Joyful scripture songs will encourage worship and praise from the hearts of young and old alike.  Their unique program offers enjoyment for every member of the family.  They combine music, comedy and teaching that drive home the truths of scripture.

2009 Oconomowoc Area CROP Walk
Again this year in the United States people in over 2,000 cities and towns nationwide will be joining together in interfaith community CROP Walks to help raise the awareness of poverty in our communities and in the world.  The goals of these walks are not only to raise awareness of poverty, but more importantly to raise funds to help people overcome poverty. 

The Oconomowoc Area CROP Walk will be held on Sunday, October 11, 2009.

The course of the walk will again be around Fowler Lake in Oconomowoc.  Registration will begin at 1:00 p.m. at Fowler Park Shelter, and the walk will begin at 1:30 .  The goal this year is to increase the number of walkers from St. Olaf’s up to 30 people and to raise $2,000.00 for the hungry and underfed people of our area as well as around the country.

We are asking members of our congregation to prayerfully consider your involvement in the 2009 CROP Walk to help our goals become reality.

For more information, please contact Randy Sikkema, 262-370-0997, randy_sikkema@yahoo.com

Thank you for your time in helping CARE about others and making the 2009 Oconomowoc CROP Walk a success.

Taking Faith Home
Back To School: A Passion For Lifelong Learning
By Marilyn Sharpe (TYFI.org)

How is it possible that summer is over? Leaves are starting to change color. We’ve flipped the calendar to September. The days are getting shorter. The sale flyers in the newspaper say “Back to School”. School supplies are purchased, backpacks are loaded, first day of school outfits are selected, parents are urgent about getting on a school year routine, bedtimes are earlier. Some of the kids are incredibly excited, some are apprehensive, some are dreading the start of the school year. So, what can you do that will make a difference to your child or youth, to their learning, to their school experience this year?

First, let’s identify the real issue: How do we help the kids we love to develop and sustain a passion for lifelong learning? Look at any two year old. They have an absolutely insatiable appetite for learning. They explore everything. They wonder. They speculate. They clap their hands with glee and excitement. What goes wrong? How do kids move from that enthusiasm to being bored, anxious and turned off about learning? What makes some of our kids drag off reluctantly to school, dreading each day? And, more importantly, what can we do about it?

Here are some ideas for parents and other adults who care about children and youth:

Ø      Model a love of learning. Let them catch you reading, tackling a new topic or interest. Share delight in something new you’ve learned.

Ø      Be curious together. Learn together.

Ø      Have reference books or computer tools available, like a dictionary, encyclopedia, thesaurus, and others and use them often.

Ø      Listen, listen, listen when they share something new they have learned and are passionate about with you.

Ø      Give each child the opportunity to explore an interest, whether that is at the library, visiting someone who does professionally what they are interested in, taking a class, or visiting a museum.

Ø      Provide support for their learning by creating a space and time that is conducive to learning.

Ø      Make learning fun and playful, not always deadly serious or filled with threats or negative comparisons to other kids.

Ø      Affirm improvement, effort, and persistence, not just perfection.

Ø      Create a refrigerator display or scrapbook to feature interests, learning and accomplishments.

Ø      Learn how your child learns. Some learn primarily from what they see, some from what they hear, some from what they do. Share your insights with your child’s teachers. Also share the things that are intimidating and defeating to your child.

Ø      If your child is struggling, get help.

The most important thing that you can do for your children is to love them unconditionally and uniquely … and assure them that God loves them, too.

Family Activities

1. Bless the backpacks of all of the students in your home.
2. Send each child off with a prayer and a blessing, reminding them that Jesus goes with them.
3. Send a little, loving note in lunch bags.
4. Greet each child at the end of the day (not with, “Do you have any homework? Where are your running shoes? Did you hand in your math assignment?”, but) with, “I love you. I’ve missed you today. I’ve been praying for you.”
5. Don’t ever stop praying with your child. If there are challenges at school, ask God to be present in the problem and in its solution. If things are going well, say, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Thanks from the Financial Secretary
I don’t need to tell you how challenging this past summer has been for St. Olaf Lutheran Church financially.  All of us have been feeling the economic pinch of our current recession to one degree or another.  By the grace of God and the faithful stewardship of our members, we have made it through this summer.  I want to thank each of you for your donations to our ministry.  I want to add a special thanks to those of you who have taken our financial challenges to heart and have stepped up your individual giving.  We have added to the list of those who give through the Simply Giving program, and several of those on Simply Giving have authorized increases in their giving.

We have seen several different specific financial appeals this summer.  Each of them has brought in additional funds, and together, have made a small but significant dent in our financial need.  Who would have thought that we would raise over $10,000 to pay down our mortgage principal under these economic circumstances?

Certainly we don’t know what the future holds for the country or St. Olaf, and I don’t want to give the impression that we are out of the woods yet.  But the activity over the last 3 months has shown me we have the ability to make it through these tough economic times if we all work together.  I wouldn’t have said those words 3 months ago.  Thank you for making a believer out of me once again.

Denise Cairns

St. Olaf Sunday School presents

Creation

September 20 – October 11

Why is the sky blue? What are clouds made of? How do tadpoles turn into frogs?  Children are naturally curious and full of questions.  These questions provide an excellent opportunity to talk about your faith: “Isn’t it an amazing world God created!? Everything fits together so well!”  Our study of creation will include a look at how God created everything. We will do some creating ourselves, and will consider what it means to be created in God’s image. We will talk about Genesis meaning “beginning” and that it is the first book in the Bible and includes many stories, including the creation story.

We invite everyone to explore the world that God created for us. Spend some time with your children or grandchildren exploring the miraculous wonders that God created with some simple projects.

Ø      Plant a seed. Watch how the seemingly dead seed with the addition of water, soil and sunlight becomes a green plant — and colorful flowers or yummy food, too!

Ø      Lie in the grass and watch the clouds float and the birds fly.

Ø      Taste some fruits and vegetables. Smell them. Think about all the thousands of different tastes your tongue can detect. Think about all the different smells your nose can detect.

Ø      Scratch a cat behind the ears. Feel its soft fur. Listen to it purr. Or pat a dog and watch its tail wag. Feed your pets, or volunteer to feed a friend’s pets. Remember that God commanded us to be responsible for creation and to take care of it.

 Sunday School Classes

• In the Oasis Café we will enjoy a Seven-Day Snack Mix as we look at the days of Creation.
• In Colors of Faith we will make fresco paintings that show God’s wonderful creation.
• In Creation Exploration we will go on a hike and find hidden wonders of creation and make our own terrariums.
• In Jammin’ with Jesus we will play some exciting games and learn more about how God created everything around us. 

 Our focus verse:

God saw everything he had made. And it was very good.

Genesis 1:31