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CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH

Your Weekly E-Newsletter Thursday, October 7, 2021

This week's Pondering

Ken Nelson, Senior Pastor

"They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "then who can be saved". Jesus looked at them and said "For you mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible." Mark 10:26-27

There are certain parables and lessons of our Lord that have come to be called "the hard sayings of Jesus." They would include things like in Matthew 5:22 where Jesus says "if you are angry with a brother or sister you will be liable to judgment", the implication is that in being angry you have committed murder. Our Lord's parables of the kingdom - in which he says "anyone who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me" would be another example. Matthew 7:8 says "Ask and it will be given you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you, for everyone who asks, receives". Some find this hard because of unanswered prayer for a loved one, or for direction in life that seemed to elude.

Mark 10 contains "hard sayings." In 10:11-12 Jesus equates divorce and remarriage with adultery, and in 10:21 Jesus tells a rich young man to sell all he has and follow him if he wants eternal life. He goes on to tell his astonished disciples it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Hard indeed.

So what is the proper way to interpret these things? Well, on the one hand we tend to view the following as warnings:

the corrosive and potentially destructive power of anger,
the call to remain steadfast in faith particularly when it is not rewarded with what we ask, seek or knock for,
esteem marriage highly and dissolve it only as a very last resort, and
heed the enticing power of wealth, employing any abundance we enjoy to alleviate need.

But these sayings are also intended to orient our faith towards what the Book of Hebrews calls "the author and perfecter of our faith" - Jesus. In Mark 10:24 Jesus says, "How hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!" Why would God do that - make his very will and the things he longs for every man, woman and child to enjoy - so hard? Chapter 9 and 10 of Mark includes a whole host of things that beset humans - pride of place, envy, disregard for the weaker ones of our society (namely children), strife in the home and particularly between husbands and wives, and the lure of money - the possession of which is one thing but the over-reliance upon another.

How hard it is for folks who bring such things with them to enter the kingdom of God, which is not a place but a way of life. It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for anyone who harbors these things to enter God's kingdom. When Matthew speaks of the kingdom (of heaven), Mark and Luke the kingdom (of God), they are almost always referring to the place where faith resides - the place where God is (or isn't as the case may be).

This is precisely why Jesus says "with mortals it is impossible, but not with God. With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26. And not just possible - as if Jesus were giving it the old college try to save us. Assured. But even after saying that our salvation through the forgiveness of sins is impossible for us but possible for God, Peter still protests, the "old Adam" in us still oozing out, and says, "Lord, we have left everything and followed you." (Mark 10:28)

If Bibles came with certain words capitalized for effect, I imagine that word "EVERYTHING" would be a candidate. But even if a chastened Peter had been able to muster no more than a sheepish "most things", or "a whole lot of stuff", the kingdom belongs to the King, and those he chooses to bring into it.

For reasons we can only wonder at ... and simultaneously be thankful for, he chooses sinners. Lord, take my hand and lead me...

Because of a cross.

Pastor Ken

Technical Difficulties with Our Livestream

We have been experiencing technical difficulties over the last few weeks with our weekly livestream. We ask for your patience as we work through this issue with our internet provider.

In the event the issue is not resolved by the weekend, we have made plans to record the service on Saturday night and will have it available to watch on Sunday morning. The link to the recording will be sent out via email on Sunday morning.

In accordance with current CDC guidelines, it is strongly recommended that all persons, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask while inside our facility.

October 9-10, 2021

Pastor Recognition Day

on Sunday

Printed copies of the weekend's readings are available at the entrances to the Sanctuary.

Presiding Minister: Pastor Ken Nelson

Assisting Minister: Larry Bonier

Lector (Sunday): Larry Bonier

Acolytes: Addie Meyer and Matt Schatz

Children’s Message (Sunday): Kyle Jones

Deacons:

Saturday: Ernie Kretschmann
Sunday: Mary Ellen, Terry Bzdusek and Glori Kurth

Ushers (Sunday): George Sedivec and Ed Ramthun

Special Music: Psallite Choir (Sunday)

Altar Guild: Norene Giuliani and Lorna Reiter

Altar Flowers: Mark and Lydia Trudell in celebration of their 39th wedding anniversary

Fellowship Treats: Pastor Ken Appreciation Day

PowerPoint Tech:

Saturday: Cindy Rooks
Sunday: Sue Meyer

LiveStream Tech: Kyle Jones

Fellowship Time

October is Pastor Appreciation Month!

We are blessed to have Pastor Ken Nelson at Calvary and look forward to celebrating him this Sunday, October 10 following the 9:00 a.m. service. Please join us in Fellowship Hall for special treats.

Special cards were created for you to express your appreciation to Pastor Ken and they are available on the table in the Narthex. Please deposit your signed cards into the plastic box near the cards by the end of October.

2021 BOARD OF DEACONS

If you haven't met your Deacon, or just want to catch up, you're invited to stop by Fellowship Hall following worship on October 23-24. Coffee and special treats will be available!

"COFFEE WITH YOUR DEACON"

October 23-24

Monday Afternoon Movie - October 18 at 1pm

Please join us to step back in time to one of the brightest lights during a dark time as we watch “Top Hat” together at 1:00 pm in the Media Room (Room 110) on Monday, October 18th.

Showman Jerry Travers is working for producer Horace Hardwick in London. Jerry demonstrates his new dance steps late one night in Horace's hotel, much to the annoyance of sleeping Dale Tremont below. She goes upstairs to complain and the two are immediately attracted to each other. Complications arise when Dale mistakes Jerry for Horace.

Smiles will abound along with some familiar tunes and a good old-fashioned mistaken identity plot.

Fellowship Time Treats If you'd like to provide treats (donuts, bagels, etc.) for Sunday hospitality time following worship, there is a sheet on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall. You may bring the treats (3-4 dozen) and drop them off in the kitchen, or simply add a “P” behind your name, pay $30 to the church office and the treats will be purchased for you. For the time being, we are asking that any donated food be something that can be easily cut and placed on individual plates for serving.

Music Ministry

Hymn Festival for All Saints with Dr. John Behnke, Organist

Sunday, November 7 at 9:00 a.m.

Join us for a Hymn Festival led by well-known organist and composer, Dr. John Behnke. Calvary's choir, Celebration Ringers and instrumentalists will also be participating in this service of music. The community is welcome to join us for this wonderful event which will feature the debut performance of “Remembering,” an original composition written by John Behnke to honor the victims of the pandemic.

John Behnke is a frequent organ recitalist, handbell clinician, and festival director. He enjoys composing and arranging having nearly 450 handbell, choral, and organ compositions in print with seventeen different publishers in the United States, Germany, and Taiwan. To learn more about Dr. Behnke, please click HERE.

Plan on joining us for this festival of organ, instruments, choir and congregation joining together to sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs! Note: This will replace the regular service that morning - there will be Scripture readings; however, there will not be a sermon or communion. Invite a friend or neighbor to experience this delightful hymn festival.

We're looking for additional temporary choir members for the Behnke Hymn Festival. If you are interested, please contact Nicole as soon as possible so that she can get the music to you. There will be two rehearsals (10/27 and 11/3 at 4:15pm). Participants would need to be at church on 11/7 around 7:30am.

Reasons to love Choir! First of all, it’s just plain . . . FUN! This applies to bell choir, as well! When Pastor Jerry and I found Calvary, I was hoping they had a choir to join, and to my delight, I was able to join both vocal and bell groups - double the fun! I have enjoyed (and I miss) every choir I’ve been part of.

No time? Choir only takes up an hour per week. Our director is pretty punctual to start and end on time.

Teamwork! Nothing builds teamwork like a musical ensemble. We get to know each other as singers. When we sing in unison, we make one sound. When we sing parts, many notes at once, they do not conflict, but we still sound unified. We learn a variety of musical styles, and we learn vocal technique enabling us to breathe and sing better, skills that carry over into other parts of life.

Think of choir as a group voice lesson! Nobody is expected to be a polished singer upon joining the choir, but we learn as we go with a little coaching from our director.

Finally, unlike the air traffic control tower, there is no mandatory retirement age! We can keep singing long after we’ve retired from the job, for as long as we’re able.

-Nancy Wittmus

Do you have a knack for decorating?

Creative assistance is needed to decorate the Sanctuary this year for our Advent Vespers services. Please contact Nicole Moritz (music@calvarylc.com) if you are interested in helping.

The Reformation Sings!

When Luther published an evangelical revision of the Latin Mass (The Order of Mass and Communion, 1523), he called for poets to write new hymns. A prolific period of Christian hymnody began almost immediately. Some hymns were German translations of earlier texts. Some were adaptations of religious folk songs, and some were newly written. (One of the most enduring myths of the Reformation is that Luther turned drinking songs into hymns. Despite the popularity of this idea, there is no evidence to support it.)

Luther himself wrote 38 hymns, many of which are still in use today. His most famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is our God,” is a paraphrase of Psalm 46. He wrote both the words and the music.

Luther’s first known hymn is less familiar. On July 1, 1523, two Augustinian friars in the Netherlands were burned at the stake when they would not recant the evangelical teachings that they learned from Luther. Deeply moved by their faithful confession, Luther wrote a ballad so that their story would be remembered. It begins with a common line for opening a ballad and continues with their story.

A new song here shall be begun—The Lord God help our singing!
Of what our God himself hath done, Praise, honor to him bringing
At Brussels in the Netherlands By two boys, martyrs youthful
He showed the wonders of his hands, Whom he with favor truthful
So richly hath adorned. (LW 53:214–216)

In twelve stanzas, he goes on to tell the story of their martyrdom.

Luther penned many more hymns. He wrote songs that paraphrased the major parts of the liturgy. Each chief part of the catechism had a corresponding hymn that helped people learn and remember the Ten Commandments, the Apostles Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and other teachings. And, of course, he wrote hymns that summarize biblical texts.

Like many others before and after him, Luther used music to worship God and to communicate Christian teaching effectively.

Still today, many carry out this same work of creating music for the Church. You will find three new hymns and other music in this link: musical resources. The Reformation sings as the Church is always reforming.

Reprinted with permission from Concordia University Irvine.

Worship Attendance - October 2-3, 2021

Our Church Family

Mitch Foster, 10/7

Cathy Roldan, 10/8

Zack Griese, 10/9

Jill Voss, 10/10

Shirley Brodell, 10/11

Judy Kestly, 10/11

Carolyn Schuelke, 10/11

Heather Wirtz, 10/11

Gideon Himsel, 10/12

Elise Baumgartner, 10/16

Randy Wizner, 10/16

Adam Kershek, 10/19

Norm and Audrey McGarvie, 10/7 (60 years)

Rich and Cindy Rooks, 10/9 (34 years)

Mark and Lydia Trudell, 10/9 (39 years)

Jeanne and Kurt Duch, 10/10 (40 years)

Brian and Kara Kretschmann, 10/10 (1 year)

Herb and Judy Grospitz, 10/11 (46 years)

George and Kay Sedivec, 10/16 (50 years)

Erik and Erica Zipp, 10/20 (14 years)

Lesly and Roger Evert, 10/22 (10 years)

Matt and Hannah Ware, 10/26 (2 years)

Mark and Sheila Kershek, 10/27 (26 years)

Bob and Diana Streicher, 10/28 (32 years)

Prayers of God's peace and healing to: the family of long-time Calvary member Russ Bassel, who passed away on October 3rd.

Prayers of joy and thanksgiving to: John Foley and his family on the addition of a new granddaughter, Kaia Juliette Foley who was born on September 29th.

New prayer requests: Marie Traxler (mother of Sue Meyer)

Ongoing short-term prayer requests: Janet Zastrow; Mary Lau; Kay Sedivec; Megan Schatz; Rhonda Rodriguez; Donna Schroeder; Mary Smith; Ginny Cox; Marion Youngquist; Bernice Gilbert (friend of Linda Thorpe); Eric (friend of Larry Bonier); Dale Hermann (son of Marilyn Hermann); Jill (friend of Lydia and Mark Trudell); Father Patrick Malone (Holy Cross Anglican Church); Delores Seel (mother of Keith Pierce); John Nielson (brother of Judy Kestly)

Serving in the Military: Dan Berger (serving in the U.S. Marines); Kevin Butler (son of Heidi Powers, serving in the U.S. Army); Ben DeYoung (son-in-law of George and Kay Sedivec, serving in the U.S. Air Force); Alex Olson (U.S. Air Force, grandchild of Ardath Olson); Kyle Pierce (son of Karen and Keith Pierce, serving in the U.S. Army); Karmen Thomas (friend of Tony and Krista Dentice serving in the U.S. Army); Nicole Wahlgren (serving in the U.S. Army National Guard); all military chaplains; and all veterans suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

For All Men and Women Serving: Police Officers, Firefighters, Health Care workers and First Responders.

Serving in the mission field: Our NALC missionaries and missionaries everywhere bringing the gospel to the ends of the Earth.

Long-term prayer list: Calvary members: Don Heyen; Shirley Mahn; Nadine Schuelke; Marge Skarie; Donna Polizzi; and Janet Zastrow.

Non-members: Nancy Myers (friend of Judy Sayas); Paige Yeager (friend of Sallie Schulz's family); Shirl Gordon (friend of Cindy Rooks); Rose Luther (friend of Nicole Moritz); Judy Grospitz; Jan Janchan (friend of Jonni Roush); Monica Barchus (niece of Ernie Kretschmann); Michael Rossa (Lucy Dallman's son); Karen (friend of Lydia Trudell)

If you have any new prayer requests, please contact the church office at 262.786.4010 or via email to office@calvarylc.com.

Faith Formation

Sunday, October 31 - 11:45 am

Calvary's South Parking Lot

It's time to start thinking about your costume for this year's Trunk or Treat fun in the parking lot. Decorate yourself and/or your vehicle and load up your trunk with treats for the kids. (There isn't a Packer game that day.)

Parking spots will be marked off for participants to remain socially distanced. More information and a link to sign up will be in the October issues of the CONNECTIONS . In the meantime, please save the date!

SPECIAL PODCAST RECORDINGS!

The Spiritual Realms Bible Study

Session 2: Heaven

Pastor Ken and Kyle continue walking through a study called The Spiritual Realms: A Bible Study on Heaven and Hell and Places Beyond This World produced by Sola Publishing. In session 2, they talk about heaven, who's there, and where it is.

A participant guide is available for purchase HERE, though not needed to listen along.

Click here : FORETASTE OF THE FEAST PODCAST

Pastor Ken's Weekly Bible Study

Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall

Pastor Ken's weekly Bible study is held each Wednesday from 12:30 -1:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. He will lead discussion around the Scripture lessons that will be read in worship the following weekend. Please bring your Bibles - other materials will be provided.

Copies of the text study sheets will be available on the table in the Narthex if you can't attend the Bible study, but would like to refer to it for the weekend worship.

Women's Ministry

WOMEN'S BOOK GROUP

Monday, October 11

1:00 p.m. in Media Room

Four friends gathered in a cold, dusty attic on Christmas day to make a solemn pact. “Our dreams for the future,” they whispered, placing tiny pieces of paper into a shimmering blue bottle.

But that event happened in 1929, and it is decades later when local news reporter Brenna Delaney stumbles upon that bottle . . . and into the most meaningful story of her career.

Life has taken those four girls’ dreams of love, fame, and faith on a path fraught with seduction, betrayal, and loss. Little has turned out as expected―and yet every choice, every tear has led each of them to a special place.

Brenna’s search will uncover the secrets of that Blue Bottle Club . . . and her own life will never be the same.

November's Book Group Selection

November 8, 1:00 p.m.

"...And Ladies of the Club" is a novel about a group of women in the fictional town of Waynesboro, Ohio who begin a women's literary club, which evolves through the years into a significant community service organization in the town.

The novel, which looks at the club as it changes throughout the years, spans decades in the lives of the women involved in the club, between 1868 and 1932. Many characters are introduced in the course of the novel, but the primary characters are Anne Gordon and Sally Rausch, who in 1868 are new graduates of the Waynesboro Female College. They marry soon after the opening of the book, and the decades that follow chronicle their marriages and those of their children and grandchildren. Santmyer focuses not just on the lives of the women in the club, but also their families, friends, politics, and developments in their small town and the larger world.

Men's Ministry

Weekly Men's Breakfast Wednesdays at 7 a.m.

Maxim's Restaurant

18025 W. Capitol Drive

Brookfield

The restaurant seating has been reconfigured in compliance with social distancing requirements.

All men are invited to attend!

Monthly Men's Gathering

Thursday, October 28

6 p.m.

Come for fellowship, food and devotion time. Dinner will be provided. Invite a friend. Social distancing will be respected and practiced.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Ernie Kretschmann at kretschmann@att.net.

Community Outreach

It's easy to support our local Food Pantry!

Food items collected in our big Food Pantry box are taken to the Waukesha food pantry on a regular basis for distribution to their clients. Food items can be deposited any time into CALVARY'S CUPBOARD, the big wooden box located in the hallway by the choir room.

A good rule of thumb for donating: If you’d serve it, they want it. Please do not donate expired or damaged food.

The Waukesha Food Pantry handles all types of perishable and shelf-stable foods. A short list of their most needed items follows.

Most Commonly Needed Food Items

Shelf stable fruits

canned in water or its own juice, especially popular are pineapple and mandarin oranges

Whole grain cereals

Boxed meal kits

Ready to eat soups with meat

Canned pasta with meat

Shelf stable milk alternatives

coconut, soy or almond milk

Shelf stable proteins

tuna, chicken, ham, tofu

100% fruit juice

Infant & Toddler Needs

Formula

especially Similac® formula
no baby foods are needed at this time

Diapers

particularly size 5 & 6
Any size Pull-Ups

Baby Wipes

Pediasure

October Mission of the Month

Wouldn't you like to help in making possible a counseling ministry for the restoration of hurting

clergy couples and other professional church workers? Is there a need for such a ministry? Absolutely! Check out the facts below.

20% of pastors are "in crisis" - they are just "hanging on," coping with the issues they face day-to-day
Among Protestant clergy, an incredible number quit the ministry every month!
Only 50% of pastors entering the ministry today will make it five years
8O% of pastors say that the ministry has had a negative impact on their family
Upwards of 70% of pastors fight depression

October's Mission of the Month supports two ministries who are focused on providing pastoral retreat ministries. Read more about each one below. To support this important Mission of the Month, you may include it in your weekly offering envelope or designate the donation as "Mission of the Month" in your online giving.

Each Shepherd's Canyon seven-day retreat includes up to four client couples (singles are welcome), two counselors - male and female - and a retreat chaplain. Our twelve retreat therapists have a combined 250 years of counseling experience! All counseling is Bible-based. Shepherd's Canyon Retreats are held at Standing Stones Retreat Center near Wickenburg, AZ.

Learn more about Shepherd's Canyon at www.StandingStonesAz.org.

Broom Tree Ministries provides spiritual retreats for pastors and their spouses. The retreats are designed to provide uninterrupted time with God in rest, reflection, and beauty.

Broom Tree prioritizes good food and lots of time with spouses. Our guests consistently experience "aha" moments that bring clarity and challenge for the next season of ministry. Since 1997 we have been strengthening the church one pastor at a time.

Broom Tree retreats are held in Michigan and more information can be found at http://broomtreeministries.org

A few reminders ....

Sanctuary Flowers

We invite you to sign up for flowers to beautify our altar each weekend. The sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex.

Flowers are $35 and you may take them home following the 9:00 am worship on Sunday morning. If you'd prefer, you can leave the flowers at church to be enjoyed by the office staff.

WORSHIP LIVE STREAM AVAILABLE EVERY SUNDAY!

Can't make it to worship? We are live streaming the 9:00 a.m. service on Sunday mornings, and it's almost like you're with us in person.

You can access it at any time from the home page of our website (www.calvarylc.com), or by using the link below. You'll also receive a link on Sunday mornings via email.

Link to Weekly Live Stream

Facing tough times? Need a Christian Friend?

Stephen Ministry is here to help. Free, just like God's love.

Stephen Ministers are congregation members trained by Stephen Leaders to offer high-quality, one-to-one Christian care to people going through tough times. A Stephen Minister usually provides care to one person at a time, meeting with that person once a week for about an hour.

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from this important ministry, please contact Scott or Peggy Langelin at 262.853.0018.

The right side of the Sanctuary (as you face the altar) is equipped with a hearing loop system which transmits an audio signal directly into a hearing aid via a magnetic field. This greatly reduces background noise, competing sounds, reverberation and other acoustic distortions that reduce clarity of sound.

Most hearing aids are equipped with a t-coil and connecting to this system is an easy switch on the hearing aid. If you need assistance during worship with this system, please reach out to an usher or any staff member.

The church office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. The door that is closest to the office (NW corner) will be open during those hours.

Please check in with the office staff so we know you are in the building.

The office phone number is (262) 786-4010. Feel free to leave a message if you call after hours and we will contact you the next day.