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2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly Guidebook
Pastor Marcia attended the 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in New Orleans, August 8-13. The theme was “Freed & Renewed in Christ – 500 Years of God’s Grace in Action”. The following link will take you to an online copy of the guidebook from the assembly. It is chock-full of useful information! To learn more about what the ECLA stands for, who it stands with, and how we can participate as partners in the national/global organization of believers – click here: 2016 Churchwide Assembly Guidebook
Pet Blessing Service – Monday, August 1st
Fish Fry Funds to Help Fire Department
Neva Rublee, chairperson of our Schwai’s Fish Fry, presents Hartford Fire Chief Paul Stephans with a check for $500. The money will help his department pay for a new Smoke House – to train young and old how to react in a smoke filled building. The previous training aid is no longer useful. These funds were generated from Redeemer’s most recent Fish Fry. The next Fish Fry is October 4th.
“If God Is Love” – Monthly Book Review with Pastor Marcia
Pastor Marcia is offering a book review the 4th Wednesday of each month beginning, September 28th. So that everyone has the opportunity to participate, Pastor is offering the study at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. “If God Is Love”, by Philip Gulley and James Mulholland will enlighten readers to know the difference between Faith and Religion. You don’t want to miss this!
Mime Group Performs at Redeemer
CRASH (Christians Reaching And Sharing Hope) Senoir High Youth Ministry Team from Ascension Lutheran Church in Waukesha performed during the ecumenical worship service for Lent on Februray 24th. These high school students did a passionate and extraordinary job of sharing their “faces” and telling the passion story in mime.
Our 2016 Council Members
Mac & Cheese Prep for Boys & Girls Club
Alex Burton Eagle Scout
On Saturday, December 12th, Redeemer was blessed with the Eagle Scout Ceremony for Alex Burton. If you have never had the privilege to witness an Eagle Scout Ceremony, you should put it on your Bucket List. It is filled with pageantry, reverence and respect. For a young man to have achieved this status is something he can draw on for all his life.
Alex was not the first member of Redeemer to achieve the Eagle Scout rank. The following Scouts achieved Eagle Scout status through Redeemer from 1969 until 1988: John Wallesverd, Jr., Kevin Gehring, Tim Buchholz, Steven Wallesverd, Jeff Gresenz, Todd Gehring, Brian Baldy, James Smith, Eric Ostetag, Robert Gehring, Keith Gehring, Troy Kluge, Randolph Gehring, Mark Gehring, Kenneth Krueger, Arthur Gehring, and Edward Krueger.
Alex shared with us his appreciation for all the members of Redeemer and the support they have given him. He is in the process of applying to colleges after he graduates in June. Alex will major in engineering. If you haven’t wished Alex well on his journey he and you will be better for it.
A Wise Word From Our Bishop
Response to Governor Walker:
In a polarized political climate where minds are pretty much made up when it comes to politics, I find letters written by church leaders to be less helpful than they used to be. After all, our Governor has a right to his political views and in fact represents the views of some of the good people in our synod.
At the same time, I find it difficult to say nothing at all about a statement in which the Governor plans to deny Syrian refugees a place in the state of Wisconsin. This is a pastoral issue which goes far beyond the limits of political differences.
Isolationism of any kind, especially when it involves turning away innocent, often desperate people, does nothing to make the world a safer place.
A blanket refusal, whether or not it is within one’s power, seems to play perfectly into the hands of terrorists around the world. If indeed the goal of terrorism is to make people fearful, then we have been invited to live in fear rather than freedom.
In an unsettled world I have witnessed a clear path which begins with ignorance, embraces fear, evolves into hatred and eventually erupts in violence. In my mind that was exactly the path followed in the senseless act of violence at the Sikh temple here in our own state. It is a path that I have seen duplicated time and again in senseless acts of violence around the country.
Isolationism of any kind, especially when it involves turning away innocent, often desperate people, does nothing to make the world a safer place. It only invites ignorance and increases fear of the other. Furthermore, it cuts off a path to the building of relationships which I consider to be the true building blocks of a more peaceful world.
This great nation has been built on the backs of immigrants, many of them refugees, who have found welcome and safety in coming to this country. I dare to believe that caring about others rather than shunning them is who we are still called to be.
In my mind, the choice to ignore the cries of those seeking asylum runs contrary to the values of this country. I am most certain that it runs contrary to the way of Jesus.
– Bishop Jeff Barrow, Greater Milwaukee Synod ELCA
Good News – Redeemer Tithes !!
At their September 10th meeting, our council approved the recipients of the 10% tithe of the nearly $130,000 that was bequeathed to Redeemer in the last year.
$4000 will go to our Milwaukee Synod’s support of Gabriel Marcano. He is a former Catholic priest who is working toward his American citizenship, enrolled in ELCA seminary, and in his internship year at Emmaus Lutheran Church in Racine. The Synod has decided to support Gabriel in his efforts to become an ELCA pastor with the specialty of Hispanic ministry in the Milwaukee until he gets ordained. That will be next summer. The Synod gives him a stipend as well as pays his expenses. They have done this because there is such a need for Hispanic pastors – and especially in the metro area.
$4000 will be given to a newly formed program between Hephatha Lutheran Church, Reformation Lutheran Church, and the prison ministry in Milwaukee at the Cheney Correctional Center. The object is to put a church presence in the prison and build worshiping connections with the churches in the surrounding area – so that the inmates have a continuum of congregations to welcome and receive them when they get out of prison. Another purpose is to reduce recidivism and assist in returning them to the community – as they enter life without prison boundaries and a life which will ultimately include making responsible decisions.
$4000 will support our Milwaukee Synod’s Outreach for Hope project. Outreach for Hope came into being in 1995 by action of the Synod Assembly, to strengthen financial support for congregation-based ministries among the poor, located within the Synod. The focus is on congregations that bring people into community around the Word of God and the Sacraments. Funding has included seed money to initiate the work of Neighborhood Ministers, homework help programs, creative arts camp, “Good Samaritan” money, meal programs, development of worship designed to draw in the community, and creative Bible study programs, to name just a few examples.
$1000 will be donated to ShelterBox. This organization provides emergency shelter and vital supplies to support communities around the world overwhelmed by disaster and humanitarian crisis. Since ShelterBox was founded in 2000, they have responded to more than 270 disasters and humanitarian crises in almost 90 different countries. ShelterBoxes include a range of items designed to help families who have lost their homes and belongings regain a sense of normality. The contents are altered, depending on the disaster – but a ShelterBox typically contains a disaster relief tent for a family, thermal blankets and groundsheets, water storage and purification equipment, solar lamps, cooking utensils, a basic tool kit, mosquito nets and a children’s activity pack. $1000 will buy an entire ShelterBox and its contents – as well as the warmth and protection or extra thermal blankets and groundsheets to help people stay warm.
As Saint Paul reminds us in the 1st chapter of his letter 2nd letter to the Corinthians:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ, we share abundantly in comfort as well.”
Sunday Adult Forum
The Adult Forum meets between services at 9:15 a.m. in the Fireside Room. We will discuss subjects of interest to the group including items from Bible Study, Lutheran Theology and Faith, Issues in Contemporary Faith and Life. Consider joining us. You don’t have to be there every Sunday so please come when you can.
Community Free Lunch
Served the last Saturday of each month at St. Aidan’s starting at 11:30 a.m. Come for community fellowship and a good meal. If you are interested in volunteering, please talk to Barb Menden.
Food Pantry Sunday
The third Sunday of each month has been designated as Food Pantry Sunday. Please bring non perishable items and place them in the barrel in the Information Area.
Pastor and Anne – can we get the new High School Grads pictures on here with their blankets?
This is Rick. If you or someone can send me the photo(s) – I will put them on the website right away!