June 29, 1997
It's been a little over a month that First Congregational Church has had a home on the Internet. On average, we are getting 75 visits, called 'hits' in the cyberworld, per week. The site is a wealth of information for members of our church, and for people looking for a new church.
Anyone with access to the Internet, (i.e. America On-Line, CompuServe, and Omnifest,) can view our site. Internet access costs vary depending on your provider and the amount of time you spend online. If you would like more information on connecting to the Internet, call the Church office at 258-7375.
When you log on to www.FirstChurchTosa.org, you'll see a rainbow hued table of contents to the left of the screen and a welcome page on the right. Included here is a brief description of what's on the website, a map and directions to our church, and ways to upgrade your computer's Internet applications. Now its time to 'surf' our site. Selecting a category from the table of contents takes you to a more detailed listing of each area.
Beliefs: What our Church is based on.
Our Covenant, Constitution, and Bylaws are here.
Activities: What's happening in our Church.
Worship schedule, Sunday's Order of Worship, Calendar, Congregationalist, Columns, Sermons, Adult Education, Pilgrim Fellowship, Music in our Church, Volunteer and Outreach opportunities.
Staff: Our Church Office on the Internet.
Staff duties, biographies and e-mail addresses are listed.
Lay Leadership:
How we participate in our Church.
Our Church Council, Boards, Committees, and Funds, along with their members and meeting minutes.
History: 155 Years Old
and going STRONG!
Our First 150 Years are online. Also read the year-in-revue for 1993 to present.
Links
This is a springboard to other sites on the Internet including the NACCC page, the local Tosaweb, an on-line Bible study, even to a site that plays hymntunes on your computer.
Anytime you see blue underlined text on a screen, called a 'hyperlink,' you can 'click' on it with your mouse, and jump to another related area. This is the idea that the Internet is built on, the ability to rapidly move from one related area to another. On www.FirstChurchTosa.org you can be reading the duties of the Church Administrator, and see that the boards she serves on are highlighted. One click takes you to those Boards, where you see the membership, their mission, and with another click, you can read their latest meeting minutes.
Our Internet site was created by the website task force, and is now under the direction of the Communications Committee. Our office staff takes care of updating the information. Websites are an evolving entity, always changing, and ours is no different. In the near future, we will be adding photographs to the site, a virtual tour through the church. Eventually we would like to add audio, which would enable a virtual visitor to hear the sermon and other staff messages.
As more and more people get connected to the Information Superhigh-way, we'll be ready to deliver our historical Church's relevant message at www.FirstChurchTosa.org. *
by Jim LaBelle
This is a springboard to other First Congregational Church is blessed with many volunteers who give so much time, talent and effort to make this Church work. While we can't name every individual, your efforts are very much appreciated!!
Often times we don't even realize the time others have donated. Some of the recent volunteer time has been donated through:
Painting
Web Task Force
Pig & Chicken Roast
Ice Cream Social
Choirs
Again, we thank you all.
The thirty-seventh annual meeting of the Wisconsin Congregational Association took place on April 25 and 26 in the meetinghouse of First Congregational Church of Oshkosh. Rev. Lonnie A. Richardson, senior minister, and Rev. Dr. Steven Peay, teacher, represented First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa at the meeting. Reports were heard from the various organizations about activities sponsored at the state association level: youth work, camping and retreat programs, the Wisconsin Congregationalist newsletter, Wisconsin Ministers' Association, and the newly formed Wisconsin Congregational Theological Society.
The learning time focused on ministry to "Boomers, Busters and X-ers," with some interesting insights on music and worship styles. There was "informal discussion" of the proposed restructuring of the National Association. As always, the fellowship was grand and the meeting closed with a lovely celebration of the Lord's Supper.
Officers elected for the upcoming year: Rev. Karl Schimpf, Moderator; Rob Frederickson, Moderator-elect; Rev. Lloyd Hall, Secretary; Joelle Sommers, Treasurer; Dr. Anita Dahlke, Immediate Past Moderator; Rev. Steven Peay and Don Richard, Members at Large; Tony Browne, Youth and Camp Cmte. Chair; Rev. Ruth Lyons and Pam Johnson, Youth and Camp Cmte. Members at Large; Anita Williams, Editor of the Wisconsin Congregationalist.
First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa's meetinghouse will be the site for next year's meeting. *
Our church just launched a new ministry called Men Ministering to Men. At 6:30 a.m. on June 11, forty-eight men gathered for breakfast and to learn of the new opportunities for spiritual growth.
First Congregational Church has done a lot for men. Several years ago, the Wauwatosa Retired Men's Club was initiated by Rev. Norm Ream. Later, the Suburban Retired Men's Club was formed and hosted at Congregational Home. The two groups are very strong, drawing hundreds of retired men twice a month for fellowship and presentation. Men Ministering to Men compliments our outreach to men by being organized for men of all ages with an objective to enable and enrich spiritual development and interpersonal relationships with men.
Future gatherings will be the second and fourth Wednesday mornings of the month from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. The chapel is available from 5:30. At each gathering, a catered continental breakfast is served, and a presentation given on modeling the Christian faith. On the weeks in which we do not have a larger gathering, the men are encouraged to meet in smaller groups to share their joys and concerns in living the faith and provide prayer support for each other.
Topics will be published in print as well as listed on our web site in the activities area. Reservations are requested to assist our caterers, but the last minute guests are always welcome. There will not be formal memberships or dues. Funds for the breakfasts and programming will come from a freewill offering at each meeting.
Our next gathering will be July 9, and I will be the speaker. I look forward to meeting with all the men of the church and sharing my journey in the Christian faith. I ask for the prayers of the entire church for this venture. It is exciting, and we can expect great things from God.
Your pastor,
Lonnie
(an all-church outing for church members and friends)
Saturday, August 23, at the Paganica Golf Course, Oconomowoc
Golf from 12:004:00; Supper at 5:00
Please fill in this form and leave at the church office.
$45 each - 18 holes of golf & supper: # coming_____ Amt._________
$35 each - 9 holes of golf & supper: # coming_____ Amt._________
$15 each - supper only: # coming_____ Amt._________
Name(s)__________________________________________________________
Phone number______________________________ Carts are $11 extra: #_____
Deadlines: August 9 for Golf; August 16 for Supper
Call Nancy Harmon, 778-1994, for more information. If you cannot attend and would like to support the trip to the Honduran Mission, you may do so by leaving your contribution at the church office. Checks should be made out to First Congregational Church and indicate the "Honduran Mission" on the check corner.
The time I have spent with this year's Covenant Class has been quite enlightening. A quiet, yet in their own way, lively group, they have grown in faith and personhood. I feel very blessed to know them and to have had the opportunity to watch them grow.
Their insights into the structure of the program and their ability to articulate their needs as Christ's followers have led to some changes in the program for the next class. It is my hope that we will continue to grow as a church...and our Covenant Classes will help to teach us the way!
Rev. Dr. Steven Peay
Laurie Bergum is now a junior at Brookfield East. At school she participates on the soccer and skiing teams as well as a service club for the Milw. Debu-tantes. She is also working part-time as a secretary.
Laurie said that the most valuable thing she learned in Covenant Class is how to communicate with God and what He means in her life.
Ryan Fetterolf is a New Berlin Eisen-hower junior, planning on continuing to college in a computer field. He participates in soccer, wrestling, tennis and P.F. He said that he found Covenant Class to be fun and easy. He values the friendships (including Steve) that he developed through the class.
Amelia Hahn, a Tosa East student, plans to go on to college to study history. Through Covenant Class, she said she learned what it means to be a member...having a vote and being part of the whole. She feels she got a lot out of the classes.
Betsy Holtz enjoyed gaining a further understanding about religion through Covenant Class. At
Wauwatosa East she is on the pom pon squad, softball team, and plays in the orchestra.
Max Idzikowski is in the marching band at West Allis Central and plans to go to college. He is involved with the P.F. group at church. The most important thing Max learned in Covenant Class is that he can find God in knowledge. He also added that he enjoyed Steve as a teacher.
Ann Montguire is a member of track, band and peer tutors at Tosa West. She is also on the Tosa Youth Commission and belongs to a dance club. Planning to go on to college she is considering work with animals, ministry, teaching, or photography. She was most interested in learning the history of religion in Covenant Class.
Steve Owen also enjoyed learning about the history of religion in Covenant Class, but found it to be a lot of work in the final year. Steve is a student at Tosa East and plays on the baseball team. He plans to go to college, possibly studying engineering.
J.B. Koenings (Not able to contact.)
Congrats to all these new members!
Tuesday, July 1
Communion with Staff 9:30 a.m.
Friday, July 4
INDEPENDENCE DAY Building Closed
NO St. Vincent Meal program today.
Sunday, July 6
Chapel Communion 9:30 a.m.
Worship Service, 10:00 a.m.
Sunday School, Nursery 10:00 a.m.
Coffee Hour 11:00 a.m.
Monday, July 7
Communications Committee 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 8
Communion with Staff 9:30 a.m.
Bd/Christian Stewardship 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 9
Men's Breakfast Group 6:30 a.m.
All-Church Dinner 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 13
Worship Service, 10:00 a.m.
Sunday School, Nursery 10:00 a.m.
Coffee Hour 11:00 a.m.
Information on Trip to Greece 7:00 p.m.
Monday, July 14
Board of Trustees 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 15
Communion with Staff 9:30 a.m.
Sunday, July 20
Adult Ed
"Congregationalism 101" 9:00 a.m.
Worship Service, 10:00 a.m.
Sunday School, Nursery 10:00 a.m.
Coffee Hour 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday, July 23
Men's Breakfast Group 6:30 a.m.
Sunday, July 27
Worship Service, 10:00 a.m.
Sunday School, Nursery 10:00 a.m.
Coffee Hour 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, July 29
Communion with Staff 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday, July 30
Staff Planning at Cong. Home 93:00
Late in May, seventy-five volunteers gathered for our traditional recognition luncheon of four-layer sandwich loaf and fresh fruit with macadamia nut pie for dessert. The vast majority of these volunteers are members of First Congregational Church who have put in wonderful service at the Home for many years.
Before our recognition program, Lee Jacobi and his Chamber Choir from Muskego High School gave a stunning and utterly delightful program. This select group of about 18 clarion soprano and rich bass voices sang a program of classical as well as contemporary music including several touching solos from "Fiddler on the Roof". The audience quickly perceived the mutual admiration and affection between Lee Jacobi and his students. Excellence was the only word for the performance.
Highlighting a few volunteers who had reached certain benchmarks in our recognition system, Claudine McGinley earned her gold tone name tag for totaling 335 hours as Congregational Home Librarian. Leonard Genger qualified for a ruby in his gold logo pin for totaling more than 1000 hours driving residents to appointments.
Other church members who have served more than 1000 hours over the years and have faithfully recorded them are Georgia Buchta, Jeanne Huber, Virginia Hutton , Gladys Mae Preston, Betty Storma, Eleanor and Lee Tolg, Amy Van Pietersom, Janice Wittig, and Helen Zentner.
The Volunteer Circle met each month on the first Tuesday for lunch with a group of residents. The circle's interest in the residents and their discussions about world events and their lives always turn a routine lunch into a luncheon party appreciated by all.
Carrie Laubenheimer, herself a volunteer with Wisconsin Literacy, organized the group of church members who faithfully helped the Congregational Home Laotian employees improve their literacy. The church volunteers she introduced and thanked were: Brooks Boyce, Aliceon Branch, June Ericsen, Virginia Mason, George Wells, Win Williams, Nancy and Tom Winkel.
Given a daisy - our traditional badge for going above and beyond the call of duty - were Jim Haire and Barbara Stieghorst as friendly visitors, Esther Wiegratz for her work in the gift shop, and Jan Jacobs for answering any needs we have in activities as well as spearheading the annual Congregational Home Auxiliary fund raising Strawberry Luncheon.
Our Volunteer Recognition Luncheon always ends with a quote from Pablo Cassals, "The capacity to care gives life its greatest meaning." Congregational Home is rich in volunteers, and we thank them mightily. *
by Sally Wells
Single Power Picnic
Sunday, June 29, 3 8:00 p.m.
Lake Nemahbin
Open to career-age singles seeking spiritual growth and lively fellowship. Sponsored by First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa. Call Betsy C. for details, 860-0580.
The Editor Thanks:
Jim LaBelle and Sally Wells for articles and the office staff for their assistance.
Death
Pauline McKnight, June 17, 1997
Support Our Softball Team
The church softball team plays at Hart Park, 70th and State, and at West Field, 11400 W. Center St. Be sure to check the article in the Congregationalist each week for time and place! All games are played on Tuesday evenings.
July 1, 6:50, at Hart Park:
vs. Redemption Lutheran
July 8, 6:00, at West Field: vs. St. Pius X
1511 Church Street
Wauwatosa, WI 53213-2593
Editor, Beth Linscott
Communications Committee
Karl Stieghorst - Chairperson,
René Klumb, Joyce Orr,
Jeannie Sherman,
Win Williams
*
Rev. Lonnie Richardson, Senior Minister
Rev. Dr. Steven A. Peay, Associate Minister/Teacher
Chris Rygh, Pastoral Intern
Rani Gusho, Financial Administrator
Roy Brouwer, Building Superintendent
Lee Jacobi, Director of Music
Betty Dethmers, Organist
Betsy Isenberg, Secretary
Nancy Gross, Secretary
Rev. Norman S. Ream, Minister Emeritus
*
Congregational Columns (USPS 010-493) is published monthly by The First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa, 1511 Church St., Wauwatosa, WI 53213-2593, 414/258-7375. Periodical Postage Paid at Milwaukee, WI 53203-9998. Postmaster: Send address changes to Congregational Columns, 1511 Church St., Wauwatosa, WI 53213-2593.
Vol. 6, Issue 6