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ST. ANDREW LUTHERAN CHURCH Missouri Synod 7750 N. Hwy. 144 West Bend, Wl 53090 (262) 335-4200 |
Pastor's Message"What we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done… so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.” Psalm 78:3-4, 6-7 NIV It is already the month of September. Where has the time gone? Very soon, (September 7) our Early Childhood Campus resumes for the fall. On Saturday, September 11 we will hold our first Confirmation Class of the new class year. And on Sunday, September 12 our Sunday School will resume its sessions. All three of these programs deal with Christian education. They deal with something that should be very important to all of us. Our young people need to learn more about God, his love and the way he wants us to live. As adults we should never stop growing in our knowledge and faith. Especially since the world around us and even our human nature lead us away from God we all need to make a deliberate effort to learn more. This education should take place at home. Parents and baptismal sponsors need to keep the promises they have made. This education continues here at St. Andrew. To help you teach your child about God, we offer a number of educational programs and opportunities. Worshipping together and attending religious instruction together we also support each other. If you have been away from St. Andrew a lot this summer now is the time to return to Sunday School, our Sunday Adult Bible Class, one of our many other Bible study groups and Confirmation instruction. None of us can afford to get in touch with God when it is convenient. We all need to humble ourselves and allow God to speak to us frequently. Pastor Korytkowski CONFIRMATION CLASSOn August 29 Pastor and a number of elders met with prospective Confirmation Class students and their parents. This meeting was to allow everyone to ask questions and understand what this class was about. If your child is in 7th or 8th grade this year and we are unaware of it – please let us know. Class meeting dates for September are Saturdays, September 11 and 25. We may possibly be able to have a Confirmation Weekend at LuWiSoMo. If many efforts come together we would go the weekend of October 1-3. Please contact Pastor or one of the elders if you have any questions. Pastor Korytkowski WORSHIP HOURSWednesday, September 8 will be our last Wednesday evening worship service for the summer. Soon that evening will be involved with choir rehearsals. Our 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. worship hours will continue. If you enjoyed worshipping on Wednesday evenings be sure to tell an elder. Pastor Korytkowski ADULT CLASSPastor will soon begin another series of adult classes for individuals who wish to become members of St. Andrew. So if you have not been confirmed in the LCMS and wish to know more about what we believe, be sure to ask Pastor about this class. The targeted meeting night is Tuesdays. Pastor Korytkowski VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2010As so many of you know, the theme of this year’s VBS program was Son’s Harvest, which focused on the fruits of the Spirit. This congregation, itself, seemed to grow with love, joy, and kindness as we prepared for VBS and then conducted the program. It was a very successful program that served between 60 and 70 children each day, but clearly it took almost the same number of people to make it all work smoothly, so here is a very heartfelt thank you to all our members of St. Andrew. Some of you might have seen the church when it was decorated with a tractor and hay wagon out back, helium cows bobbing at their tethers, and scarecrows guarding their produce. However, those were merely the trappings. The reality of the program was that children learned about:
Hopefully you have had a chance to look at the photo display in the narthex that showed participants and volunteers in action. Children enjoyed daily singing, crafts, recreation, snacks, and Bible stories. About 80% of these children were not from our congregation. It was a wonderful opportunity to do mission work in our own backyard. Speaking of missions, a new component this year was a segment called “Missions,” during which our goal was to teach students how they could serve in different capacities. In this light, they made witness bracelets, Christian survival kits, fleece blankets for the Linus Project, and assembled “hush” bags for Redeeming Grace Lutheran Church in Munford, Tennessee, a congregation that had been literally flooded with hardships. As their ingathering, they donated books, stuffed animals, and crayons. In all, $497.70 was raised to send to Redeeming Grace. Our “harvest” for the mission project was very successful. Children made over 30 hush bags, over 25 survival kits, over 10 bracelets to pass on, and also made cards for the members of Redeeming Grace’s congregation. Thank you once again to all of the members of St. Andrew who helped us make this year's VBS a success. We could not have done it without all of the people who came forward with their time and talents, donations and gifts. When we tried to count all who volunteered to help out with this summer’s Vacation Bible School program, we ended up with well over forty, and there were many more who helped behind the scenes as well just with their donations. Our VBS program continues to be a wonderful outreach tool within the community. The evaluations we receive continue to be positive. Please pray for the families that we served this year and ask God's continued blessings on them. In the words of one of the favorite songs of the children this summer, “Lord, because I know You love me, It’s like I’ve got strong roots; Like an orange, banana or apple tree, I’m gonna grow good fruit!” It is our prayer that these children continue to grow in the Lord and that we have planted seeds of faith. In Christ, NEWSLETTER DEADLINEPlease have all newsletter articles in by Tuesday, September 21st to Nancy Taft at Confirmations will be sent for articles sent via e-mail. Thanks. Nancy Taft WELCOMESince May, Bill & Amber Schellinger, Lynn & Kathy Jeske, Donna Krueger and Ruthann Gray became members of the St. Andrew family. Please welcome them and make them feel at home! Sorry, I forgot to welcome them during the months they became members. Nancy Taft CONGRATULATIONS!!On Sunday, August 22, Jameson William Schellinger was baptized. He is the son of Bill and Amber Schellinger. On Wednesday, August 25, Wade Edwin Janssen was baptized. Wade was born on August 2 and weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces and was 20 inches long. Wade is the son of Corey and Abby Janssen and little brother to Ian, Meredith, and Georgia. On July 30, Owen Cooper Donath was born. He weighed 5 pounds 2 ounces and was 18 inches long. Owen is the grandson of Dave and Pam Schall. Congratulations to all! OUR SYMPATHYOur sympathy to Carla, Jim and Sarah Peterson on the death of Carla’s father, Clifford Derksen. Also, our sympathy to Ron and Evelyn Nuoffer on the death of Ron’s mother, Evelyn Parent. Nancy Taft BOARD OF EDUCATIONMany thanks to everyone who has volunteered to teach Sunday School this year! It takes a willing heart with a love of Jesus to teach our young ones. We are so happy that you will share both. Vacation Bible School reached out to 70 children this year with an extraordinary experience learning about Jesus. Thanks to each and every volunteer who helped make this a huge success! A special fun night is being planned for Friday, September 10 at 6:30 p.m. The "Family Harvest Party" is open to everyone of all ages and is sure to be lots of fun. IT IS TOTALLY FREE!! Get ready to paint your own pumpkin and enter the Pumpkin Bake-Off by bringing your favorite pumpkin recipe for samplin'! God encourages us to fellowship with one another and give thanks for the abundant harvest that he supplies us with each and every day. Come and be part of the celebration! (Be sure to sign up on the bulletin board.) Kathy Muth, CHOIR AND HANDBELLSMusic is in the air once again! Let this be the year that you give it a try. Both choir and handbells will start back up in September. Tom and Diane Osberg are hosting a "Welcome Back to Choir" party on September 11 at 3pm. Anyone interesting in singing with the choir is welcome to attend (bring your spouse or significant other) - both returning and new singers. Check the bulletin board for more details. After that, our first choir practice will be Wednesday, Sept 15 at 6:45pm at church. As always, a love of singing and desire to serve are most important. All are welcome regardless of ability! If you are interested in playing handbells, please see Corey Janssen before or after church soon. We need more ringers to fill out the group, so if you've ever been curious about bells, this is the year to give it a try. We typically rehearse for an hour once a week in the evenings. Corey Janssen GREETING CARDSKathryn Parker would like to retire as the person who orders and organizes the card display in the Narthex. Ordering is usually two times a year. If you are interested or for more information please call Kathryn or the church office at 262-335-4200. RETOLD BIBLE STORIESA while ago I was wondering: what if people in the Bible were pro-choice? What if the Bible stories took place today? What would have happened if the inconvenient of unwanted pregnancies of Bible times took place now? Below is a little poem. Each verse retells a Bible story from a pro-choice perspective. You can read how the story really happened by looking up the verses after each poem stanza.
In two of these cases, women were far too old to have babies. In two they were unmarried. One was a threat to the life of the mother. One was very much unwanted. Yet in no case did anyone ever consider an abortion. Thankfully my little poem never happened, but it probably would have happened in our culture today. What a different attitude toward children we see in the Bible. Sadly, many Christians carry the weight of the guilt over abortions. Some were done thoughtlessly, some ignorantly, some with indifference, some with deep pangs of conscience. All were tragic. All ended life. The last verse in my poem tell of a little baby whose birth made possible the lifting of that guilty load which we feel over abortion, or which we feel over any sin Christians find themselves caught in. That little baby frees us to love life and live with courage and faith. Pastor Klemet Preus STAMPS FOR MISSIONS$112 was recently collected from the cancelled stamps that were sold from the various South Wisconsin District congregations. $56 of this amount was sent to Lutheran Blind Mission and $56 was donated to Lutheran Deaf Mission. Please continue to save cancelled stamps and drop them into the containers below the mailboxes. If you plan to trim them, please allow 1/4 inch on all sides. Foreign and antique stamps are especially valuable. Esther Oehme COME = JOIN USSummer is a busy time but now, as activities are getting back to normal and we think about what we will become involved in once again, be sure to include those times for Bible Study. Still studying the Parables, under Pastor Korytkowski's leadership, all are invited to join us as we continue to search for the lessons Jesus taught the people of His day, to help them understand what He would have them do, by telling them. With the same lessons for us, it is a joy to find out what they mean to us in our present day. Available on the first and third Tuesdays of the month, you are invited to join us, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at 2186 Wallace Lake Road. Bring a friend with you as you become better acquainted with what Jesus is teaching in these parables. Come as often as possible. This month the dates are September 7 and September 21 and we pray that you will accept our invitation to join us as we grow in our knowledge of Scripture. Lauraine Bruss COLLEGE STUDENTSWill your son or daughter attend college at one of these schools? If so, please contact one of the following LCMS pastors regarding what they can supply for your child.
ADULT IN-DEPTH BIBLE STUDIESAdult in-depth Bible Studies will be presented by the Concordia Bible Institute in the Friends of Concordia Room at CUW on six consecutive Mondays beginning September 20th and ending on October 25th. On September 20th, Rev. Dr. John Saleska will present “The Temple as a Place of Worship.” September 27th will feature Rev. Dr. Randy Raasch speaking on the topic, “Stewardship by Parable.” On October 4th, Rev. Dr. John Oberdeck will present “Eutychus Youth: Reaching the Next Generation.” Dr. Jim Freese will present “Hymns: Backdrop of Eternity” on October 11th followed on October 18th by Rev. Dr. Dan Paavola speaking on the topic, “Images of Jesus Outside the Gospels.” Rev. Dr. John Saleska will round out the series on October 25th when he speaks on “Joseph, the Beloved Son.” All classes run from 3:00-6:00 pm, and the cost is $150 per person for all six classes. For CUW staff/faculty, the cost is $40 for all six classes. If you choose to register for individual classes, it costs $25 per class. Classes are free for CUW students and LCMS High School students. Fee includes speakers, materials, snacks, and meeting space. For more information contact Ellen Leslie, 262-243-4343 or or toll free at 866-559-0002. FALL GATHERING IN REEDSBURGOur spring gathering at Cedar Valley was so well attended that the Senior Gathering committee has decided to offer it again this fall in a new venue with a “Fall Gathering in Reedsburg.” The theme is the same–God’s Gifted Seniors—Yesterday and Today. It will be held at the Voyageur Inn and Conference Center, 200 Viking Drive (county Hwy H), Reedsburg, WI 53959. At our spring gathering a capacity crowd enjoyed hearing Rev. Mark Jeske, of Time of Grace ministry, share his insights about what’s happening with Lutherans Today. He will do this again at our Fall Gathering in Reedsburg right after the morning devotional Bible study with Rev. Mark Meier of Emmaus Lutheran Church in Poy Sippi. After lunch, Rev. Ron Riemer will coax you into filling in the blank space in his God’s __?__ Servants presentation. Some good Lutheran-style singing (that would make Garrison Keillor smile) will be a prelude to Pastor Jeske’s afternoon chat about God’s Gifted Seniors to round out your day. Fall colors will be at their peak in early October, so you might like to enjoy the whole weekend or at least Sunday, in Reedsburg. Golfers checking in at the Voyageur Inn enjoy a special $38 rate for 18 holes and a cart at the lovely Reedsburg Country Club. Quilters alert! The Quintessential Quilts store is within walking distance. Or take a tour of the Wollersheim Winery which is 40 minutes away. You can take advantage of the Voyageur’s special weekend rate of $59 per night (double or single occupancy) that they are offering our Fall Gathering participants. Please make your own reservations by calling the Voyageur at 800-444-4493 and mention that you will be attending the South Wisconsin District Fall Gathering on October 4. More information about area attractions in and around Reedsburg can be found at www.voyageurinn.net. Registration for this event is $50 for the day that will begin at 9:30 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. Breaks and lunch are included. If you have questions, please call Peg Raabe at the District Office, 414-464-8101. You may register using the form below or online, swd.lcms.org/registration. Deadline is September 22, 2010. Name _______________________________ City/State/Zip _________________________ Phone ______________________________ Email _______________________________ Church______________________________ Location _____________________________ Registration fee is $50.00 per person. This includes all of Monday’s activities including speakers, materials, breaks and lunch. Please make check payable to: LCMS-South Wisconsin District, and Mail to: Reedsburg Fall Gathering, LCMS South Wisconsin District, 8100 W. Capitol Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53222. SISTER'S IN CHRISTAll ladies of St. Andrew are invited to join us as we work together on mission projects and service activities for our congregation and community. On Saturday, September 18th at 8:30 am we will meet at Grasshoppers Coffee Shop, located in the downtown area of West Bend, for breakfast and a meeting. Please bring your ideas for mission and service work for the coming year. This is a great time for some fellowship and fun. If you haven't come before, please do, we want to welcome you! Sign-up sheet is on our bulletin board. On Monday, September 27th at 6:30 pm at Sandy Ruback's home we will gather together to work on our prayer shawl project. This is a continued project throughout the year, making knotted, fleece, prayer shawls for those who need comfort, healing or are celebrating the birth of a new baby. If you can tie a knot or cut you can help make them, and we want you! Please consider joining us for some delicious snacks and many laughs, all while doing service to our Lord with a great group of Christian women. If you have any questions regarding Sister's in Christ, please, talk to Judi Bastian or Sandy Ruback. Women Serving Christ, CONSECRATION SUNDAY IS COMING!SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14THMark that date on your calendar as a time of spiritual growth, fellowship, and commitment here at St. Andrew. November 14th will be “Consecration Sunday,” the culmination of a biblically based stewardship education and commitment emphasis called Consecrated Stewards that focuses on raising people in Christian discipleship, not just raising money for the work of the church. To understand the Consecrated Stewards approach, you need to know that it is based on the biblical philosophy of the need of the giver to give for his or her own spiritual development, rather than on the need of the church to receive. It is not based on the budgetary needs of the church, but on the desire to have each person grow in discipleship. Opportunity for growth in discipleship will take place during the Sundays October 17th through November 7th.
The encouragement to commitment on Consecration Sunday takes place within the context of the morning worship service. Our Guest Leader will conduct a brief period of instruction and inspiration, and then ask our attendees and members to respond to God’s leading through a financial commitment that will enable our church’s missionary, benevolent, and educational ministries in this community and around the world. Every attendee and member who completes an Estimate of Giving Card does so voluntarily by attending morning worship on Consecration Sunday. We also urge people to attend who feel strongly opposed to completing a card. The procedure is done in such a way that no one feels personal embarrassment if he or she chooses not to fill out a card. Consecrated Stewards works with people where they are and when they are ready. Members make their commitments as a confidential act of worship. We will do no home solicitation to ask people to complete cards. Since we will make no follow-up visits to ask people to complete their cards, we will make every effort to inform, inspire, and commit everyone to attend Consecration Sunday worship. Thanks in advance for your enthusiastic participation in the upcoming St. Andrew Consecrated Stewards events. Diane Osberg,
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