October 2012 Tidings

TRINITY

EVANGELICAL

LUTHERAN

CHURCH

7 1 0 4 3 9 t h A v e n u e K e n o s h a , W I 5 3 1 4 2

T R I N I T YT R I N I T YT R I N I T Y T I D I N GT I D I N GT I D I N G SSS

October 2012

Volume 61 Published Jan.-Dec.

Saturday Morning Study ............. 2

Sunday’s Com’n ............................. 2

Sunday School ............................... 2

Confirmation Ministry .................. 2

New Members ............................. 3

Fall Cleanup .............................. 3

Blood Drive ................................ 3

Lutheran World Relief .................. 3

Care for Creation ....................... 3

Adult Lunch Bunch ...................... 4

Getting into the “Tidings” .......... 4

Opportunities for Ministry ............ 4

Financial Stewardship ................. 5

Social Ministry/CUSH ............. 5

Memorials .................................. 6

Holy Failings ............................. 6

Calendar of Events .................... 7

Whetting Our Appetite

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Psalm 90:14

If something whets your appetite, it interests you and makes

you want more of it. The allusion is to the sharpening of tools

on a whetstone (grindstone) and to whet means to sharpen. So,

'whetting our appetite' is 'sharpening our appetite'.

On October 14th at 9:15 am our Worship and Music ministry

team will seek to whet our appetite for a contemporary worship

service by offering a test run of our New Traditions Service in

the Great Hall.

I call it a test run for two reasons. First, we want to share an

example of the type of service (music, style, etc) that we have in

mind when we speak about contemporary worship. After all, it’s

hard to discuss anything without first having some experience

on which to reflect. Hopefully this test run will “whet your

appetite” sufficiently to either get involved in the creation of a

sustainable New Traditions service or motivate you to invite

others for whom a traditional service is not a preferred or

familiar style of worship to come and see for themselves.

My second reason for calling it a test run is that we won’t

have everything in place by October 14th! With Jurg’s

resignation, we entered a time of transition in music

leadership. Our focus has been seeking a new Minister of Music

(first things first).

So faced with the desire to offer a new worship style option

and the desire to do it well even though not fully staffed, we

have chosen to offer a test run to whet your appetite!

Please come with open hearts and minds as we begin this

journey toward offering a New Traditions worship service all to

the Glory of God and for the sake of the good news of Jesus

Christ! We will continue to have our usual traditional services

at 8:00 and 10:15 every Sunday. Come, whet your appetite for

worship and let God fill your heart with joy.

Blessings and love,

Pastor Tom

Table of Contents

New Worship Times

Beginning Sunday September 16th

Traditional: Sundays at 8:00am and 10:15am

Beginning Sunday, October 14th

In addition to the traditional services, we will have New Traditions on second

Sundays at 9:15am, in the Great Hall.

Baptism

Adults who desire to be baptized, or those who want to have their child baptized, are

invited to contact the church office. In the case of Adult Baptism, candidates are

encouraged to worship and attend a Sunday morning Bible Study. Those who want to

have their child baptized are asked to schedule a Baptism Preparation session with

Pastor Tom prior to the baptism. P.T. looks forward to talking with you! Please speak

with him if you have questions.

Saturday Morning Study

Saturday, October 13th and 27th, 8:30-10:00am

Downstairs in the Great Hall

How do Lutherans understand baptism? Why do we make such a big deal about it?

How does it tie to how we live? For answers to these and more questions, we continue our

5-session audio series from Rev. Susan McArver, Lutheran Theological Southern

Seminary. You do not need to attend every session. Come for coffee and conversation as

your schedule allows. For additional information, contact Tammie at

[email protected] or 654-3256.

Sunday's Com'n

Each Wednesday morning at 8:30am, gather with Pastor Tom in the Gathering Space

to reflect on the scripture reading for the coming Sunday. No experience necessary. We

read the text and share how it makes us feel and the thoughts and questions it

generates. It's all good!

Sunday School

Sunday School is in full swing this fall. We meet from 9:15 -

10:00am in the upstairs Sunday School area. It is open to

children from three years old to grade 5. Right now we are using

the SKY curriculum which was very popular during VBS.

Starting October 21st, we will start our study of the seasons of the

church. Hope to see you soon! Contact Krista Lichtenheld at 654-

3940 or by e-mail at [email protected] if you have any

questions.

Confirmation Ministry

The date for the fall retreat at Lutherdale is December 7th-9th with the theme of the

Lord’s prayer. Registration and $100 is due by November 21st. Drivers are still needed.

Worship and Christian Education

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mailto:[email protected]

3

New Members

The next New Member Sunday will be

October 21, 2012, at both services. Anyone

wishing to join at this time is asked to

attend Trinity 101: Welcome to our

Church on Thursday, October 18th, from

5:30 – 6:30pm, in the Gathering Space.

Members of church council and Pastor Tom

will give an overview of the many

programs available at Trinity, and you will

have a chance to ask questions. Please

contact the church office at 694-5050 if you

are interested in attending. You may also

contact Krista Lichtenheld at 654-3940 or

by e-mail at [email protected]

if you have any questions.

Fall Clean-up

It's that time of year! On Saturday,

October 27th from 8:00am to Noon, we will

be having an outdoor clean-up. We will

trim bushes, rake leaves, mow the grass

and get the outside in shape for next year

before winter sets in. Please come and join

us. There will be doughnuts and coffee to

get everyone started. If you have rakes and

hedge trimmers, please bring them. Hope

to see you there.

Bruce Milne, Property Ministry

Blood Drive

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church is holding a

blood drive on October 1st from 2:30 to

7:00pm. A signup sheet is in the Gathering

Space. Contact Scott Blanchard if you have

any questions.

Lutheran World Relief

Bob and Lucille Brenneman will be

collecting layettes for Lutheran World

Relief now through October 2012. Listed

below are the items needed for ages 6

months through 24 months. A display

table is set up in the entrance. Please put

your donation in the basket provided.

Contact Lucille with any questions.

Lightweight Cotton T-Shirts

Long or short-sleeve gowns or sleepers

without the feet

Receiving blankets, medium-weight

cotton or flannel, or crocheted or knitted

with lightweight yarn, up to 52” square

Cloth diapers

Jackets, sweaters or sweatshirts with

hoods or baby cap

Hand towels, dark in color

Bath-size bars of gentle soap

Diaper pins or large safety pins

Socks

Care for Creation

Let’s make our holidays a little GREENER this year!

Come to Kenosha Green Congregations Fall Meeting, Sunday, October

21st, 4:00 to 5:30pm (after the Packers game), at Trinity Lutheran Church.

We will share ideas for making this holiday season more meaningful by being better

stewards of our environment. We will also discuss ways to be more effective recyclers in

our congregations and at home.

For more information on Kenosha Green Congregations call Polly Waara at 694-8736

or e-mail at [email protected].

Did you know… if every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon the 38,000

miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet?

Did you know… if every household in America wrapped just three gifts in reused

materials, it would save enough paper to cover forty-five thousand football fields?

Did you know… if each family reduced holiday gasoline consumption by one gallon

(about 20 miles), we’d reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one million tons?

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Equipping Ministry—Who do you call? Within our congregation there are many ministries to serve God and others.

Pastor Pastor Tom Smith [email protected] 287-8098

President Linda Kluck [email protected] 653-9491 Vice-Pres Mike Spitzer [email protected] 859-2032 Treasurer Jim Lichtenheld [email protected] 654-3940 Finance Mike Spitzer [email protected] 859-2032 Secretary Linda McKinney [email protected] 843-2851

Property Bruce Milne [email protected] 694-5859 Social Scott Blanchard [email protected] 945.2756 Stewardship Open Youth Sue Torres [email protected] 515-1844

Witness Rhonda Brennan [email protected] 942-0587 Worship & Music Tom Johnson [email protected] 652-7476

Children, Youth and Family Minister Mike Van Laningham [email protected] 653-1282 Adult Ed Open Opportunity Altar Guild/Flowers Donna Dezoma 298-5464

Bowling Woody Knutson [email protected] 658-3052 Busy Bees (Quilters) Donna Dezoma 298-5464 Care for Creation Dru Spitzer [email protected] 859-2032 Choirs Open Opportunity

Communion Asst [email protected] 694-5050 Co-op Pre-School Lea Ann Taber [email protected] 694-5192 CROP Walk Rhonda Brennan [email protected] 942-0587 CUSH Jay Labedz [email protected] 654-8852 Lenore Baumann [email protected] 654-1261

Nancy Lehrke [email protected] 694-2624 Fair Trade Coffee Nancy Lehrke [email protected] 694-2624

Grace Safe Place Summer Lunch Program Scott Blanchard [email protected] 945.2756 Health Ministry Cindy Johnson [email protected] 652-7476

Lectors Office [email protected] 694-5050 Library Dru Spitzer [email protected] 859-2032 Lutheran World Relief Lucille Brenneman 694-4097 Memorials Linda McKinney [email protected] 843-2851 Money Counting Ken Larsen [email protected] 654-4801

Mutual Ministry Jay Labedz [email protected] 654-8852 Parish Visitors Cindy Johnson [email protected] 652-7476 Saturday Bible Study Tammie Sorenson [email protected] 654-3256 Senior League Linda Kluck [email protected] 653-9491

Soup Kitchen/Shalom Center

Linda McKinney [email protected] 843-2851 Sunday Morning Coffee Rhonda Brennan [email protected] 942-0587 Sunday Morning Nursery Kaley Gerou Sunday School Open Opportunity

Tidings & Website Sheri Villers [email protected] 697-8238 Urban Outreach Center Scott Blanchard [email protected] 945-2756 Ushers Woody Knutson [email protected] 658-3052 VBS Mike Van Laningham [email protected] 653-1282

Women of the ELCA Roseann Knutson [email protected] 658-3052

Opportunities for Ministry

Getting into

TRINITY TIDINGS

The deadline to receive information for the November 2012 issue:

Sunday, October 21st

Articles may be left in the church office or E-mailed to Sheri Villers at

[email protected].

Trinity Adult Lunch

Bunch

41st

Year

Oct 11th

Chicken noodle soup, bread and

brownies for dessert.

Oct 25th

Happy Halloween! Beef stew with

bread. Tapioca Pudding and birthday

cake for dessert. Let’s play Bingo.

Nov 8th

Chicken and dressing with bread

and whip cream salad. Pumpkin pie

squares for dessert and we will

celebrate November birthdays. Let’s

play Bingo.

Dec 13th

Chicken wrapped in foil, rolls and

birthday cake for dessert.

*If school is cancelled due to bad

weather, there will be no lunch served

that day.

Linda Kluck, 262-653-9491

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Dear members of Trinity,

August was a very bad

month for Unified Giving

and the Mortgage Fund—

we were short in both.

We did have a large

expense that was paid

($2,718.27) for the last

computer payment.

Also the expenses for

September will be lower

due to not needing to pay a

music director salary.

Overall, we are short over $10,000 in our unified goal; we need to step up our giving.

Please make sure to keep up with your Unified Giving and Debt Reduction please.

Also keep everyone in your prayers; they help!

Thanks,

Jim Lichtenheld

Treasurer

How are We Doing?

August 2012 YTD 2012

Income $15,521.47 $139,590.62

Expenses $20,828.08 $144,591.29

Unified Overage (Shortage) ($5,306.61) ($5,000.67)

Estate Gift Transfer $0.00 $2,447.96

Building Debt Reduction Funds $4,237.50 $39,177.00

Mortgage Payment $4,900.83 $38,736.95

Mortgage Overage (Shortage) ($663.33) $2,888.01

Financial Stewardship

The Social ministry and CUSH committee will

meet on October 7th so we will not conflict with

the new contemporary service that begins in

October. Please join us in the library at 9:10am.

Please remember CANS FOR CUSH on

October 7th. Please drop off any bagged

aluminum cans in the back hallway of the church

on the first Sunday of each month. The recycling

money will benefit CUSH.

CUSH will hold it’s annual meeting on

Thursday, October 25th from 7:00 to 8:30pm at

Bradford Unitarian Universalist Church, 5810

8th Avenue, Kenosha. The focus of the annual

meeting will be to work with community leaders

to encourage focus on alternatives to

incarceration. WISDOM has a statewide

campaign to decrease the prison population and

use the money for treatment of non-violent

offenders. Using local money for treatment

programs instead of incarceration is

recommended. All are welcome to

come and see CUSH in action

advocating for social justice.

Social Ministry will hold a Bingo party at

Brookside on Thursday, October 18th. Volunteers,

prizes, and baked goods are needed. Please

contact Nancy Lehrke if you can help.

The CUSH committee will make a decision at

the October meeting on whether or not we will

sell pecans this fall. If we decide to sell them,

order blanks will be in the lounge the last two

Sundays in October. They will be $11.00 per

pound.

Social Ministry will adopt the volunteers at

the Urban Outreach Center again this

Christmas. A tree with ornaments containing

names and gift ideas will be in the gathering

space at the end of November or early December.

Social Ministry and CUSH Corner

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Memorials and Gifts

Offerings were made towards the Memorial Fund in memory of Roberta Haug from Johanna and Harlan Armson and Janine Hradsky.

Funerals Lyle M. Krahn Passed away 8/30/2012 Funeral 9/5/2012

Baptisms Henry Beam, son of Clint and Jennifer Beam 9/23/2012 Nash Michael Schmitz, son of Donald and Kelly Schmitz 9/30/2012

Holy Failings

Reprinted from The Altar Ego (http://thealtarego.wordpress.com/) by Jason Chesnut

Every time I mention that wonderful biblical quote from Jesus, “Where two or three are

gathered in my name…”, I usually see people struggling to stop rolling their eyes.

It normally comes at the beginning of a (seemingly) embarrassingly low-attended group, or

meeting, or brand-new ministry that I was absolutely sure was going to rock God’s own socks off.

Months of planning; PR’ing the heck out of it; …and two people show up.

Plus me, and that’s three! As Jesus said, “Where two or three are…”

Yeah, that’s all fine and good, but where are the numbers? I can hear people thinking. (Or are

those just the voices in my head?) We see the evangelical church down the road running their

multitude of ministries with standing-room-only crowds. Where’s our success?

Now, before I allow myself to fall into that negative black hole that sucks everyone in the 100-

foot vicinity down into that other old, old story – the one usually beginning with, “Back in the day,

churches were overflowing…” and ending with, “…nowadays, people are just too selfish/secular/

lazy/busy to do anything…” – I want to take a second, and invite us, as the body of Christ, to

embrace holy failings.

When did the Kingdom of God become all about success and numbers? I know it’s hard to see

through the veil of our modern worship-of-Western-capitalism, winner-take-all, young-man-go-

west, self-made society – but our Christian story originated from the margins of an oppressed,

exiled community. Before we were ever sanctified with power through Constantine, our ancestors

in the faith lived on the edge.

And they didn’t do this in spite of the biblical witness, but because of it.

I challenge successful modern-day peddlers of the health-and-wealth gospel to show me a person

used by God who was a model of success and numbers. As David Lose wisely points out, if we “read

the Bible even for a little while, [we'll] soon realize that most of the major characters are, shall we

say, less than ideal.” Ruth was, in the eyes of her society, a failure; Joseph tried to dismiss Mary

quietly to avoid a Jerry Springer-like scandal; just last week we heard Jesus himself

embarrassingly call a Gentile woman a dog; and that’s just the start of this miss list.

When I read about these holy failings, I’m inspired to try crazy, off-the-wall, outside-the-box

things myself, regardless of the numbers or the success rate. Why do we want to play it so safe in

the kingdom of God?

Jesus has a response to this – he reminds his disciples that following him isn’t going to be easy –

it wasn’t automatic success along with impressive numbers to send in with that annual

congregational report. Totally the opposite, actually. ”Those who lose their life…”

Are we afraid of what might happen if we fail? Jesus has a response to that, too. I’ll paraphrase

him: “Don’t be afraid.” He says that a lot.

I think we’re called to stop being so concerned about numbers and success rates. Let’s be open to

failure. God knows what might come out of it. Literally.

Ca

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Monday, October 1st

6:00pm Boy Scouts Troop 525

Tuesday, October 2nd

6:00pm Cub Scouts 525

7:00pm Venture Group

Wednesday, October 3rd

8:30am Sunday's Com'n

Saturday, October 6th

9:00am Cupboard Bound Food Pick Up

Sunday, October 7th

8:00am Worship

9:00am Hospitality & Coffee Hour

9:10am CUSH/Social Ministry

9:15am Sunday School

10:15am Worship

10:15am Pre-School Sunday - Open House

Monday, October 8th


Tuesday, October 9th

5:30pm Worship & Music Ministry


6:30pm Witness Ministry


7:00pm Pre-school Board Meeting

Wednesday, October 10th


Thursday, October 11th

9:00am WELCA Bible Study

11:30am Trinity Lunch Bunch


8:30am Saturday Morning Bible Study

Sunday, October 14th

8:00am Worship


9:15am New Traditions Service


10:15am Worship

Monday, October 15th


6:30pm Care For Creation


5:30pm Finance Ministry

6:00pm Council Ministry






5:30pm Trinity 101 for New Members

6:30pm Social Ministry Bingo Party

Sunday, October 21st

New Member Sunday

8:00am Worship



1 0:15am Worship

4:00pm Kenosha Green Congregation Meeting

Monday, October 22nd


Tuesday, October 23rd






No School

11:30am Trinity Adult Lunch Bunch

Friday, October 26th

No School

4:00pm Soup Kitchen


8:30am Saturday Morning Bible Study

James Parker/Jennifer Hausen Wedding

Sunday, October 28th

Fall Festival

8:00am Worship



10:15am Worship

Monday, October 29th





Wednesday, October 31st


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October 2012

TRINITY TIDINGS Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church

7104 39th Avenue

Kenosha, WI 53142

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TRINITY TIDINGS October 2012

Volume 61

TRINITY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH Phone: (262) 694-5050

Website: www.trinitykenosha.org Email: [email protected]

STAFF Pastor, Rev. Thomas Smith ........................... ext. 24 Cell: 262-287-8098 Email: [email protected]

Parish Administrator, JoAnn Konkle .......... ext. 21

Children, Youth and Family Minister,

Mike Van Laningham ................................ 653-1282

Co-op Preschool Administrator, Lea Ann Taber Co-op Preschool Financial Administrator Misty Van Laningham

Custodian, Sue Torres Health Ministry Coordinator, Cindy Johnson, RN

SUNDAY WORSHIP TIMES Worship with Holy Communion .... 8:00 & 10:15am New Traditions ............ Second Sundays at 9:15am Hospitality & Coffee Hour ........................... 9:00am

Attended Nursery is available Sundays from 7:30 am to 11:45 for children 6 weeks to 4 years of age

Saved by Grace through Christ

to Serve

October New Worship Opportunity

Second Sundays

starting October 14th

New Traditions

at 9:15am in the Great Hall

Documents

October 2012 Tidings