Calvary Lutheran Church
675 Shell Creek Road
PO Box 159
Minong, WI 54859
Calvary Lutheran
A church to call home!
the Epistle
February 2014
CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH E.L.C.A.
PO BOX 159 MINONG, WI 54859
The Ministers: All members of Calvary
Pastor: Reverend Sara Pearson
Church Office: 715-466-2366
Pastor Sara: 402-990-9973
Email:
OFFICE HOURS:
Pastor: Monday- Pastor’s day off
Tuesday – Friday 9am to 3pm*
*These are the normal hours … any number of schedule conflicts, i.e. funerals, pastor’s conferences, etc. may cause these times to vary.
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COMMITTEE HEADS
Evangelism – Linda Olson
Memorial – Bob Larson466-2517
Property – Mike Hopkins376-2752
Stewardship –Stacey Vig
Worship/Music – Pastor Sara
Education – Connie Visger
Mutual Ministry-John Hermeier
CHURCH TREASURER
Connie Visger466-5480
FINANCIAL SECRETARY
Marge Waggoner466-2250
CHURCH COUNCIL
President Scott Hill
Vice President John Hermeier
Secretary Denise Waggoner
Members
Mike Hopkins, Linda Olson,Denise Waggoner, Scott Hill, John Hermeier, Brody Waggoner, Connie Visger, Stacey Vig, P{eachy Hall and Ryan Hill (alternate)
FEBRUARY VOLUNTEERS
Altar Guild–Julie Hermeier
February 2nd
Ushers – Roger & Lorna Wilson
Acolyte – Payton Miller
Lector –Lorna Wilson
Communion Asst. – Pat Kahut
Tabulator – John Hermeier
February 9th
Ushers – Martha & Emily Larson
Acolyte- Noah Miller
Lector – Terry Turek
Tabulator – Linda Olson
February 16th
Ushers – Connie & Muggs
Acolyte –
Lector –
Tabulator – Peachy Hall
Communion Asst. –
February 23rd
Ushers – Jean Richards & Patti Kahut
Lector – Jerry Scribner
Tabulator – Scott Hill
Fellowship- Jennifer Miller
*If you need to make a change in the schedule please contact the church office with the changes by Thursday. Thank you!
Time After Time
Where do the days go? …There isn’t enough time in a day…I do not have time for this!...I’ll sleep when I die!
Have you uttered any of these phrases in the past week or even day? Does time feel as though it is speeding by, unmeasured and harried? Do you wish that you could just make the world stop? Or is time an agonizingly slow movement for you, seemingly without meaning or purpose? Our relationship to time and the movement of life is quite theological. Since the beginning of “time” how we measure it and its passing is important to consider. In the creation story, God makes the entire universe in 6 days; as people of science and faith, we hold that day is not 24 hours, but that it is a metaphor for a span of time…God’s time. In the New Testament, which was written in Greek, there are two words for time, kairos and chronos. Chronos is measured time, like hours that pass as the earth revolves. Kairos is much more complicated, referring to God’s timing or something that is timeless and ready for fulfillment. This idea is probably rather strange to us who wear watches, punch the clock for work, or have appointments to make. (Although, perhaps the cable company knows what kairos is, for they show up when they are ready! )
I think for us today, who live in a digital, instant-gratification culture, kairos can be especially stressful. We want answers and clear expectations, and we do not want to wait for them! I find myself getting frustrated with my phone if it does not instantly respond to my commands, or inordinately annoyed when I have to wait in lines anymore. Time is precious, and to feel as though I am wasting time when I could be at home with my family, or accomplishing the eternal list of things that I need to get done can be agonizing. In short, I am impatient! But the idea of kairos, God’s time is different, and it is explored quite beautifully in Ecclesiastes chapter 3:
”For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up;a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;”
These verses can serve as a powerful reminder that although we may think that we are stuck in a time (and polar!) vortex, we can choose to mentally and spiritually step outside of the chronosof the world, and accept that there are things outside of our control. We can make conscientious decisions to take a deep breath and feel God’s presence in the moments of life. We can (and should) turn off our screens and phones and engage with one another. And we most definitely can forget that pile of laundry or dog hair on the floor and just be. We can say no to some of the ridiculous expectations that we are trying to live up to…you know the ones around our kids’ needing to be involved in every sport, activity, and club? Down time, kairos time is so important for the revival of our spirits and for the sanity of our minds. And it starts with deliberate decisions…inviting the neighbors over for a meal instead of plopping in front of the television. Waking up to come to church on Sundays or Bible study on Thursdays. Allowing ourselves the freedom to sit with a good book, or pray while we knit or sew. As was so eloquently put in an article I read in Parenting magazine…”sometimes we just need to lean back” from the supposed requirements and expectations of the world and trust that we will not fail at life. Indeed, and as the New Year continues to unfold with all of its surprises and wonders, may we all and each make the time to have Godly days!
Peace,
Pastor Sara
What’s happening at calvary
New Member Sunday is coming in February. If you would like to join Calvary Lutheran, please talk to Pastor Sara!
The quilters will meet in the church basement at 9:00AM onFeb. 3 and Feb. 4. We welcome newcomers! No sewing skills are necessary.Any questions, contact Jean Richards at 715-466-4237.
Wendy’s with Pastor Sara! Join Pastor Sara the first Friday’s of the month for breakfast/coffee/conversation. We will begin at 9am and end around 11am.
Bible Study Continues throughout the winter at the church. Again, Bible study is at 10am on Thursdays. We are reading Paul’s letters together!
Help!with Worship! Please sign up for ushering, lecturing, screens, and communion assistant. Also, if you would like to sponsor and dedicate a bulletin the new sign-ups for the year of 2014 are up! If you would like to be trained to do any of these tasks, please speak with Patti Kahut or Pastor Sara.
Do you have aheart for the elderly and people in nursing homes? Did you know that every month a group from Calvary goes to one of the area nursing homes to share an hour of storytelling and singing? It is a wonderful ministry that we do and one that now needs a person to coordinate. The responsibilities are light and include emailing folks and getting the word out. If you can help with this, we would love it! Please talk to Pastor Sara.
Senior Outreach will be on February 11thwe are scheduled at Benedictine Health Center in Spooner.
Containers needed: Save your cool-whip or other reusable plastic containers and bring them to the church kitchen. We use them to portion out leftovers after a funeral. Thanks!
Financial:December-14YTD
Revenue$12,910.65 $61,478.91
Expenses$ 9,037.45 $66,241.78
Over/Under$ 3,873.20 ($-4,762.87)
Youth Corner
Lock-in was great fun! We had 26 youth running around and enjoying one another’s company. Big thanks to Martha Larson for spending the entire night awake with the kids, Chris Derrickson and Marge Waggoner for cooking, and all of the Sunday worship attenders for dealing with sleepy kids at church!
February youth event…tubing anyone! This will be a family outing, so parents and grandparents are welcome!
Confirmands, don’t forget to do your sermon notes for your confirmation requirements!
Calvary Lutheran Church Council MeetingSunday January 12, 2014
Present: Scott Hill, Pastor Sara, Denise Waggoner, Mike Hopkins, Linda Olson, John Hermeier, and Connie Visger
Absent: Brody Waggoner, Stacey Vig, Peachy Hall
The council meeting was called to order by Scott Hill. Opening devotions and prayer lead by Pastor Sara.
Secretary’s Report: No December meeting
Treasurer’s Report: Discussion held. Northwood Shopper is going to online delivery and will be dropped at various locations around the village. Council discussed whether to continue advertising at a cost of approximately $1200 a year. Council will re-visit this at next meeting.
Pastor’s Report: January 6th there was an Epiphany celebration at the Longbranch. Father Kinney led a few folks from each church who are ecumenically minded, 15 all together from the Gordon, Minong, Solon and Wascott churches. The River church has invited Calvary to take part in their kids against hunger activity that will be held at the school.
Unfinished Business: The people that are in the Link house now will be closing on their new home on March 29th. Discussion held on getting the windows in, carpets cleaned, etc. after the family moves. Hill suggested that Hopkins order the windows, and when they come in store them in the Link garage until they get put in (March, April). Tentative dates for window install would be the week of March 31st. Suggestion by Olson for Randy’s carpet cleaning to come in and steam clean both the old parsonage, and link house. Will also get a bid to clean the church carpets. Waggoner is to check with WELCA as to their financial help with the replacement of the carpet at the altar. April 7th , tentative cleaning date, April 26th, tentative moving party complete with barbequeing. Motion by Hermeier, seconded by Olson to have Pastor get separate quotes from Randy’s carpet cleaning for the old parsonage, link house, and church carpets. 7-Ayes. Motion carried. Max Ericson has offered his covered trailer and some volunteers to help with move. Hermeier will check with jack to make sure that appraisal is being taken care of.
Mission Vision: Hermeier discussed with council the need to figure out where the church is now and where it wants and needs to be going in the future. Congregation should be able to help with this. Suggestion made to have the Synod be a facilitator for a kind of council retreat to address this. Will have more information for next meeting.
WELCA: Will re-convene in March
Property: Hopkins will put together a rough list of maintenance tasks, so that we can stay on top of basic care of our church. Bill Fye, this past week, was helping to thaw the incoming water pipes on the kitchen side of the church. The window downstairs has been replaced, this was due to the break-in.
Christian education: No report
Stewardship: No report
Worship and Music: No report
Evangelism: No report
Mutual Ministry: No report.
Youth: 12-18 year old youth are invited to the annual lock-in on January 18th. P Sara is planning on taking the kids to Jack Links theatre first, then back to church. The planned summer trip is an urban plunge, summer camp, and VBS. Would like to see the youth representatives at council meetings.
Social Concerns: The need for comfort for families this winter has been great and the Terry McCoy fund is running low. Will have it announced in Epistle of upcoming wicker baskets going to theTerry McCoy fund.
New Business: Annual meeting date set for May 18th. We need to have a formal approval from congregation on the Link house swap before that. Officers that are not returning for another term need to let council know by February meeting. Nominating committee will be notified at that time.
Bank of the West is closing in the village on January 17th. When Waggoner takes the deposit in she will ask for a night deposit key for the Spooner location and Olson, who goes to rice lake daily, will take the deposits. Motion by Visger to purchase a floor safe, seconded by Olson. 7-Ayes. Motion carried. This will cut out a safety deposit box. Would like to look at a touch key pad at a site to be determined within the church. Hopkins will bring information to February meeting.
Natural Gas will be coming to Minong. Postcard needs to be sent in to get a meeting with WE energies. The parsonage (Link house) and the church would be included. Motion by Olson, seconded by Hermeier to refer this to the property committee. 7-Ayes. Motion carried.
Tabulators: 1/19-Waggoner1/26-Olson2/2-Hermeier 2/9-Olson 2/16-Peachy?
2/23-Hill3/2-Hermeier
Time for next meeting:Sunday 2/23 after church servicesSunday 3/30 after church services
Sunday 4/27 after church servicesSunday 05/18 Annual meeting after church services
Adjourn: Lords Prayer, Motion to adjourn . All ayes. Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted by,
Denise Waggoner