Volume 18, Issue 6
JULY 2006
The South-Central Newsletter
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Volume 18, Issue 6 |
JULY 2006 |
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The South-Central Newsletter
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NEWS |
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IN THIS EDITION CARE OF CREATION TEAM RECONVENES BISHOP'S CONVOCATION IN SEPTEMBER PRAYER PETITIONS FOR WALKING PARTNER, NELC SYNOD MEMBERS TO SERVE OVERSEAS CENTER FOR CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP EVENTS CHURCH WORLD SERVICE SEEKS DONATIONS "SEE THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES" WORKSHOP WHEAT RIDGE MINISTRIES GRANTS AVAILABLE Inserts |
From Pastor George Carlson, Bishop
I turn the faucet in my home and water gushes. We have safe, clean water in Mount Horeb. We use it for drinking, cooking, washing, cleaning. I rarely think about the abundance and blessing of water in my life. Solveig and I recently saw the movie “Water.” Filmed in Sri Lanka, “Water” is about Indian widows in the 1930s. In the past and present, many women whose husbands have died are forced to enter “widow houses.” Labeled as worthless without a husband by whom to measure themselves, they struggle to survive by begging and often turning to prostitution. In the film, water plays a prominent role on several levels, including the importance of the holy river for people of the Hindu religion. While celebrating our 41st wedding anniversary in mid June, Solveig and I spent time in a cottage overlooking the Mississippi River. That water plays a prominent role in the commerce of the Midwest and entire country. Many enjoy the water for recreation and refreshment. In the bible, six passages refer to “living water”; three of those revolve around Jesus. Perhaps best known is the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. After some initial conversation, Jesus said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:10) After her surprised response, Jesus continues, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14) Just as our planet needs water for life, so we humans need Jesus for life as God intends. Each of us, each congregation in the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, can see the thirst of people for that which satisfies, that which quenches our deepest hopes and longings. We ourselves get caught up in the distorted values and pursuits that do not satisfy, that offer false hopes of joy and fulfillment. Jesus meets us at the places we go to quench our thirst. He offers an alternative. He offers himself, the one who gives himself for the sake of others. He calls us to receive the living water; then we will know that spring of water that gushes up to eternal life. As congregations finalize fall plans this summer, I invite you to look carefully and prayerfully at how you serve as faucets through which the living water flows. Like Jesus, you can meet people where they think their thirst will be quenched. Then your words and actions can introduce them to Jesus, who gives living water, the source of eternal life. Cherish water. Drink deeply of living water.
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On Aug. 11 and 12, the South-Central Wisconsin Synodical Women’s Organization will sponsor a “Paths to Wholeness” retreat for all women of the synod. Many think that they may not attend because their congregation does not have an active Women of the ELCA unit. However, events sponsored by the Synodical Women’s Organization are open to women from any congregation in the synod. One of Women of the ELCA’s more seasoned program, “Paths to Wholeness” provides an opportunity for exploring spirituality. What is your preferred “path”? Do you know enough about spiritual paths to know if one or more of the paths might enhance your own spirituality to help you accept and understand other’s preferences? The Paths to Wholeness materials suggest we fall into one or more of four spiritual paths: head, incarnation, heart, mystery. After completing a spiritual paths inventory, we better understand the ways we (and others) worship and experience God. See the registration form “inserted” in this issue for more information. |
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After a two-year hiatus, the synod’s Care of Creation team has reconvened. Members of the team so far include Peter Bakken, Dick Blomker, Dennis O’Brien, Nick Utphall and Meg Nielsen. The group hopes to add more committed members, so if you are interested in becoming part of the team, please contact Meg Nielsen at (608) 838-3184, ext. 109 (work) or (608) 838-8274 (home). At its initial meeting, the Care of Creation team set several short-term goals. They are: forming a network of environmental advocates, developing an education/worship event for Earth Day 2007, initiating an energy collaborative in outlying cluster congregations, researching a “place-based” display, and creating and publicizing ideas for energy offsets. |
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A Bishop’s Convocation will be held Sept. 25-27 in New Glarus. Internationally known theologian and Bible scholar, Mark Allen Powell, is the featured speaker and his primary topic will be Homiletics. The event begins Monday morning and will end with a closing worship, with Powell as preacher, before noon on Wednesday. The time will include a discussion with Bishop George Carlson, who will preach at worship Monday evening. The event also includes the 4th Annual Bishop’s Invitational golf outing on Tuesday afternoon, with other recreational opportunities available for those who do not golf. With registration each participant will receive Powell’s most recent book, “Giving To God: The Bible’s Good News About Living A Generous Life” (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005) Look for registration information in the August newsletter. |
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By
Michael Rehak In spite of the encouragement, “Let go and let God,” I have a hard time letting go. My ideas, my concerns, my projects; let go of them? Recently the council was working on a change to a personnel policy. I initially raised the issue about four years ago. Several different committees had to discuss it. Research of ELCA policies and practices was gathered. A motion was passed, then a policy had to be written and scrutinized before it was approved, and finally a “take affect date” had to be established. It takes time—too much time, too little time—depending on what side of the issue you are on. The longer the process seemed to drag on the more it became an emotional issue for me. The more a situation is infused with our emotional responses—fear, greed, anger, love, excitement—the greater the difficulty in letting go; in trusting God. Rather, our tendency is to politicize it, creating sides and causing divisions. This is played out in each of our congregations as councils make decisions. Often people find themselves at odds over issues long after a decision was made. Letting go is difficult because of the emotional investment we place in our opinions. Angeles Arrien in her book “The Four-Fold Way” observes that we live in a culture where people can no longer agree to disagree; where your “yes” has come to mean you are for me and we can be friends and “no” means you are my enemy and I need to try to destroy you. I sense we live in a climate where it is all about the decisions made or not made, and not about the relationships that are formed and nurtured through a process that engages disparate views. We live in a time that is all about now without much regard for our future or the next generations. We have substituted having people agree with us for learning to love our neighbor as our self. We tend to reduce life to the black or white dichotomies of right or wrong, good or bad, and we fail to see the rainbow of life in between. The story is told in Acts 5 of how the church council of the day wanted to kill the apostles for teaching about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, offered some wisdom. Eugene Peterson in “The Message, The Bible in Contemporary Language” translates it: “If this program or this work is merely human, it will fall apart, but if it is of God, there is nothing you can do about it—and you better not be found fighting against God.” It is a far too common experience not only to have congregation members second-guess a council decision, but for council members to continue to support division by saying, “They decided, but I think they are wrong. We should have...” If the congregation is God’s, and if the decisions are made in prayer and led by the Holy Spirit, then would it not follow that for any of us to hold onto our emotional investments in something contrary may put us at odds with God? Might we be inviting others to fight against God? Gamaliel would not say that all decisions made by a council in the church are of God. But what I hear him saying is that we have to trust God more than any decision and allow for the test of time to determine whether or not it was an appropriate one. The challenge of attempting to reconcile our lives with God’s future for us invariably leads to discoveries that decisions we made for an immediate response turned out to be wrong for the future and that which was decided based on the future became a stumbling block today. Such a realization can only drive us deeper into the grace of God and to heed the wisdom in Gamaliel.
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By Lori Richardson
Mission Support: May 2006 $
117,805 Our mission support was down again in May. Our fiscal year will be done June 30, 2006. The complete fiscal year finances will appear in the August newsletter. Hopefully we can break even for the fiscal year. A reminder for congregational treasurers and financial secretaries: Who is counting your offering? Here are suggestions from the ELCA Web site: Income handling principles Handling of congregational funds involves several steps. Some general principles: 1. No individual should be required or allowed to handle the congregation’s income alone at any time. 2. It is preferred that no cash be stored in the church. 3. It is preferable for several people to be involved on a rotating basis in handling income. 4. All income transactions (receipts and disbursements) should be properly recorded and verifiable. It is understood that the recording of income/gifts from individuals of the congregation is a confidential matter and such records are only available to the pastor, financial secretary, and the stewardship committee when required. 5. It is suggested that the pastor should not serve in the position of Treasurer and should not have check signing authority over any church account. Suggested steps in handling income 1. Immediately following the service, two persons carry the contents of the offering plates to a room for counting or placed in an adequate safe for counting the following day. Church funds/offerings should never be taken to a private home for counting. 2. The envelopes are immediately opened by at least two persons. Envelopes are marked as to intent and purpose if for other than undesignated offerings. 3. Balances between envelope totals and cash/check totals are reconciled. 4. A summary report outlining the various accounts income is to be credited to, is prepared and initialed by at least two persons. 5. A deposit slip is prepared and at least two persons bring the deposit directly to the bank. 6. A copy of the deposit slip and the summary report are given to the treasurer and to the financial secretary . 7. Persons in the above steps should be rotated periodically. It is best if the treasurer and the financial secretary are not personally involved in the above procedure. 8. The term of office, served by the treasurer, should be limited to a specific period of time. The successor to the treasurer should not be from persons of the same family nor should this office be rotated between the same individuals serving as financial secretary and treasurer. 9. Persons involved in handling income should not be involved in any way in the handling of expenditures. 10. Funds collected from other activities (fundraisers, special events, etc.) should be directed to those responsible for recording and making bank deposits of these funds. A copy of the deposit slip and summary report is given to the treasurer and financial secretary. 11. Members should be encouraged to make their offering by check, not cash. Please try to follow these steps if possible. It will make things better for your treasurer, your financial secretary, your pastor, your congregation, your synod and the Churchwide organizations. Please check out the ELCA Web site at http://www.elca.org/treasurer/congregations/index.html for a great reference to print for your financial people! |
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By Rolfe Nervig Assistant to the Bishop for Stewardship, Mission Support, and Outreach rolfen@scsw-elca.org “… whatever gifts we have, big or little, they are not our possessions; they are bestowed.” That statement stood out in the funeral bulletin for Gordy Myers—a respected businessperson and dedicated community member who passed away in January. It continued, “… they are not just for us, but must keep moving. So we receive them, and then we hand them on; they flow through us.” That is a wonderful image for stewardship—that we are part of an interconnected whole, a biological system, the body of Christ. In our better moments we live by this value, sharing our gifts of money and time—realizing that “ownership” is a deceiving and fleeting concept. But, much of the time our individualism gets in the way of generosity. That is why “stewardship reminders” and programs are useful. We need reminding that the gifts and abundance that God has shared with us are meant to be shared around and back, because “they flow through us.” The people who take on the responsibility for those stewardship reminders and programs in our congregations—stewardship chairpersons, committee members, pastors—deserve thanks for their efforts. It’s not easy work—organizing programs, talking about money, looking for fresh approaches for the message, tallying time and talent surveys. In addition, there is communicating the mission and ministries carried out by the ELCA on our behalf throughout our communities, the nation and the world. That work is the stewardship leaders’ gift to each of us and to the church of Jesus Christ. In order to provide a forum for sharing stewardship ideas, discussing stewardship programs, and finding mutual support, I will be inviting stewardship chairpeople/key contacts in some clusters to get together. The format will be informal, small, information-sharing—in effect, Stewardship Networking. If you or a stewardship leader that you know would like to try stewardship networking in your cluster, please contact me at rolfen@scsw-elca.org or (608) 270-0201, ext. 106. Together we can facilitate the flow of our gifts in order to keep them moving, because they are not our possessions. |
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FREE CHAIRS: Trinity Lutheran Church, Madison, has about 40 folding chairs with sturdy arms available just for the asking. These chairs are like new. If you could use all or just a few, contact Pastor John Ruppenthal at (608) 249-8527 or at RevRupp@Aol.com. SEEKING HYMNALS: Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, Walworth, is looking for about 50 hymnals, both LBW and With One Voice. If you can help, e-mail the church at felc@charterinternet.com or call (262) 275-3445. YOUTH AND FAMILY LIFE COORDINATORS: Peace Lutheran Church, Waunakee, seeks two part-time Youth and Family Faith Life Coordinators. One position is the “Youth and Family Early Childhood/Elementary Faith Life Coordinator;” the other is: “Youth and Family Adolescent Faith Life Coordinator.” Submit a letter of interest along with a resume to Peace Lutheran Church, 701 Century Avenue, Waunakee, WI 53597 or send these things via e-mail to peacelutheran@tds.net by June 30. |
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By Bea Haagenson, Global Health Ministries volunteer and board member One of the many blessings at the Synod Assembly in May was the collection of 1,726 midwife and hospice kits and several boxes of bandages for Global Health Ministries. The donations were boxed up by volunteers during the assembly, packed in a van Saturday morning and taken to the parking lot at West Koshkonong Lutheran Church. The next morning, Pastor Richard Dowling and the congregation prayed by the open van and asked the Lord to bless the contents and the many people overseas who would benefit from the gifts—and prayed for a safe trip to the GHM warehouse in Minnesota. On Monday morning, Dowling, his son and a West Koshkonong member drove the van to Fridley, Minn., where the content was unloaded in the GHM warehouse. On behalf of Global Health Ministries and our overseas partners I wish to thank the many congregations in South Central Wisconsin who gave so generously of their time and funds to make this wonderful gift a reality. And a special thank-you to the West Koshkonong congregation for providing transportation. It was a joy to be present during the assembly and at the church Sunday morning. GHM has again been blessed by our partnership in “Helping the Hands that Heal.” |
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Beginning process and/or in interims: Trinity, Arkdale—Interim Jim Steinbrecher; Primrose, Belleville; Brooklyn, Brooklyn—Interim Rebecca Ninke; Rockdale, Cambridge—Interim Melissa Markquart; Spring Prairie, DeForest/United in Christ, Morrisonville; Trinity, Lake Mills; St. Paul/St. John, Mazomanie—Supply James Schwarz; St. Luke, Middleton (Associate); Grace, Monroe; Bonnet Prairie, Rio—Interim Dean Phillips; Redeemer, Rio; First English, Whitewater (Associate) Study process: Bethlehem, Brodhead—Interim Richard Thickpenny; Lake Edge, Madison Awaiting name/Interviewing candidates: Faith, Columbus (Associate); Norway Grove, DeForest—Interim Brad Pohlman; St. John, Evansville—Interim Ron Weber; Trinity, Pell Lake (Associate); First English, Platteville—Interim Terry Larson; St. John’s, Reedsburg (Associate); Covenant, Stoughton (Associate); Bristol, Sun Prairie—Interim Lisa Nelson; St. James, Verona (Associate); Immanuel, Watertown Recommended a candidate: St. John’s, Oregon
In transition:
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Take a virtual trip to India with a delegation of ELCA employees, leaders and members of ELCA churches that are companions to churches in India. The group will travel to Chennai (formerly Madras) and Tranquebar July 1-10 to celebrate 300 years of Lutheran ministry in India. Participants in that delegation will post their thoughts and reflections on the Web by way of a blog (shorthand for “web log”). You are invited to check the blog frequently and follow the delegation as they travel. The blog is at http://lutheransinindia.blogspot.com/ or learn more about the trip at http://www.womenoftheelca.org/060609woupdate.html Please keep this group of travelers and the Lutheran Church in India in your prayers. |
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By Pastor Richard Dowling, West Koshkonong, Stoughton, Wisconsin July 2 We pray that we might journey with our Walking Partner, the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church of India, to be a part of its vision, life and mission goals and they with us in the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin of the ELCA. July 9 We pray that we and our Walking Partner, the NELC of India, may be renewed and empowered in faith and commitment to mission by one another’s witness to Christ. July 16 We pray that our journey with our Walking Partner, the NELC of India, may serve as an opportunity to be educated and challenged by one another’s joys and sorrows. July 23 We pray that we might be encouraged by the Holy Spirit to participate in each other’s ministries through prayer, communications and exchange of resources and people with our Walking Partner, the NELC of India. July 30 We pray for the leaders of both our synod and our Walking Partner, the NELC of India, respectively Bishop George Carlson and Bishop Shibal Soren, Moderator, and the respective members of each synod. *At the joint Synod Consultation in Chennai, India, Oct. 11-12, 2005, it was agreed to define the relationship of Companion Synod to “Walking Partner.” As such I incorporated the idea of walking partner into the prayers for this month, which are taken from the agreement that was created and signed at Chennai. |
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Two synod members will be serving overseas for the next year as volunteers in the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission Program. Sally Franson, a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church, Middleton, has been appointed by the ELCA to serve in the UK for one year beginning in August. Catherine Rabenstine, a member of Luther Memorial Church, Madison, was appointed to serve in India for the same time period. They are two of 39 program participants who will serve in Argentina, Germany, India, Kenya, Mexico, Slovakia, the Philippines and the United Kingdom during the next year. Each of these young adults will work in a church, school or social service ministry. This program has received strong backing from the ELCA Church Council, who believes these young adults will provide leadership in the ELCA for years to come. |
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Leadership Retreat on September 30 The Center for Congregational Leadership is offering an “Opening Your Gifts Leadership” retreat on Sept. 30 at Midvale Community Lutheran Church in Madison (Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m). Open to all congregations of the synod, this leadership retreat will offer a strategy for identifying and developing lay leaders in congregations and will be led by David Mayer, author of a book published by Augsburg Fortress entitled “Our Gifts.” Registration fee for a congregation’s team of pastor and two leaders is only $50 and includes lunches and a copy of Mayer’s book. To register, send the registration form to Lori Richardson at the Synod Office. If you have not received a retreat brochure and registration form, contact Lori Richardson or CCL director Jim Bailey at (563) 557-1793 or jimjudybailey@mwci.net. The planning team for the September event is also designing a follow-up process for a selected number of congregational teams. This process will include plenary learning sessions, on-site visits to congregations with effective lay leadership, and more help in implementing leadership development in the local congregation. This leadership project, honoring the memory and work of Dr. A.C. Schumacher, will unfold over a 12-18 month period. If your congregation is interested in learning more about this long-term leadership development project, contact Jim Bailey (see phone and e-mail above). Discernment Day on October 14 Those who are interested in learning more about the Lay School of Ministry held at St. James Lutheran Church in Verona should mark Saturday, Oct. 14, on their calendar. The Lay School staff will host another “Discernment Day” to share about the Lay School and introduce its biblical and theological courses for lay persons interested in education for ministry in daily life, Congregationally Recognized Partner in Ministry, and Associate in Ministry designations. Kim Eighmy, Lay School coordinator, will provide more details about Discernment Day soon. Watch for these announcements or contact Kim directly at (608) 845-6922 or keighmy@stjamesverona.org. |
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Lutheran Social Services will hold an adoption informational meeting on Monday, July 10, at 4:30 p.m. at their Madison office. Come and learn about domestic and international adoption including programs in Guatemala, Mongolia, Russia, The Philippines, China and more! Phone (608) 270-6653 or e-mail Hvannatt@lsswis.org to register. |
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Needs stemming from the earthquake in Southern Asia in October 2005 and the hurricanes that affected the Gulf States last fall are prompting Church World Service to urgently ask its member denominations to help replenish CWS’s supply of “Gift of the Heart” baby and school kits and CWS emergency clean-up buckets. Health kits and kid’s kits also are needed for what is predicted to be another busy hurricane season. CWS continues to respond to needs following earthquakes in Pakistan, and supports long-term recovery efforts in the Gulf States and Indonesia. Cash donations through congregational giving and the Tools of Hope & Blanket Program are appreciated. Visit the CWS Web site for kit directions at www.churchworldservice.org or call the Wisconsin Regional office at 1-888-297-2767. |
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Mark your calendar for Sept. 9, when Harry Wendt, founder of Crossways International, will lead a daylong workshop titled “See Through the Scriptures.” The workshop will be held at First Lutheran Church, Beaver Dam. More information will appear in the August newsletter. Call Pastor Paul Lindau with questions at (920) 885-9843. |
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Wheat Ridge Ministries invites and encourages Lutheran congregations to submit applications from July 1 through Sept. 30 for its Congregation Health and Hope Grant program. The purpose of the Congregation Health and Hope Grants is to facilitate the initial development of congregation-based health and wellness ministries. All Lutheran congregations—individually or in partnership with other congregations—are eligible for these grants. The maximum amount per grant is $2,000 for a single congregation and $6,000 for collaborative efforts involving two or more congregations. The amount granted by Wheat Ridge must be matched dollar for dollar by the congregation. Approximately 20 grants will be awarded to congregational projects in November. Grant funds may be invested in health-related events and leadership development; staff training; planning; materials, resources or equipment directly related to program development; or contract services or new staff essential for program development. The grant is not to be used for existing staff salaries; congregation or school building programs; or general church or school expenses. Congregations interested in applying for a Wheat Ridge Congregation Health and Hope Grant can visit www.wheatridge.org to download a complete list of guidelines as well as the proposal format. Any questions may be referred to the Wheat Ridge office at (800) 762-6748. Deadline for submitting applications is Sept. 30. |
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July 4 Synod Office Closed July 13 Education Social Statement hearing, St. James, Verona, 7-9 p.m. July 18 Interims
meet at Synod Office, 1:15 p.m. July 26-29 Prism 2006 at Lutherdale August 15 Outreach Committee, Synod Office, 4 p.m. August 17 Youth workers meet, Synod Office, 10 a.m. to noon August 21 Youth workers meet, 6 p.m. August 23 Executive Committee, Synod Office, 10 a.m. August 25 Candidacy Committee, Synod Office August 31 Deans & Conveners meet, Synod Office, 9 a.m. |
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The South-Central is published electronically 10 times per year by the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, ELCA, 2909 Landmark Place, Suite 202, Madison, WI 53713. Submit all articles and inserts by the 10th of the month preceding publication to address above, or send via e-mail to the editor at debra_greene@sbcglobal.net. For more information about inserts, call the Synod Office at (608) 270-0201. Visit the synod’s Web site at http://www.scsw-elca.org. |
