June 28, 1998
Adult ed "lite" summer program
Lee Jacobi article partial reprint
College internship position approved
Time to register for Family Camp
Summer softball schedule/sports dinner
The Board of Trustees offers heartfelt thanks to the 50+ volunteers who came to our first Volunteer Work Day. The workers took advantage of the beautiful day and worked on a variety of projects. They planted, painted, polished the pews, washed windows, cut down a dead tree and made major carpentry repairs to the columns and door frames in the front of the church. There was something for every skill level.
Members of the Board of Fellowship provided a welcome picnic lunch. Before eating, the Ruth Godfrey Davidson bells were rung for 95 seconds in honor of the 95th anniversary of Harley-Davidson and in memory of William H. and Ruth G. Davidson. Chatting over lunch about the different tasks being tackled, several people mentioned the next volunteer day and most agreed it should be in the fall rather than waiting for next spring.
The crew left tired and achy but feeling very satisfied to have helped make a difference around the church building and grounds! *
While, the June "BAG" series, Believing as a Christian, Acting as a Christian and Growing as a Christian will conclude on June 28, there is still time to get involved in the end of that series.
In conjunction with the dialog sermons of the summer, the July adult education class, offered at 9:00 a.m. on the 12th, will examine "worship." The related sermons will be July 12, 19, 26 and August 9. Following each service there will be an opportunity for further feedback with Lonnie, Steve and Chris.
To conclude the summer series, the August 9 adult education class will then discuss what it means to be "church." Try not to miss these interesting education sessions with our teaching minister, Rev. Dr. Steven Peay and the unique dialog sermons of the summer. *
- a reprint of excerpts from a Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel article by Maureen Mertens
It's lunchtime, but Muskego High School music teacher Lee Jacobi won't be having lunch. He'll be doing what he's done for the last 32 years. Jacobi will teach.
"I really believe how you live your life is reflected in the classroom," he said. "I teach honesty and integrity. I teach values. I know people say you can't, but you can. Musical ability is only a part of it."
The students are relaxed during class as Jacobi asks them questions and tells jokes, but they pay close attention and stay focused.
"When I'm on the podium, I am very serious," he said. "Art is an important issue. I believe that art explains to us who we are. It establishes in us what is meant by quality of life."
Jacobi said he tells his students how intellectual learning compares to a physical workout.
"The day after you work out, your muscles hurt," he said. "It also hurts when you grow intellectually and spiritually."
"I tell them, 'If it ain't sore, you're not growing.'"
Jacobi, who has taught thousands of youngsters, was named the Wisconsin high school teacher of the year in 1983.
"I teach, but every day I learn from my students," he said. "They teach me that life should be exuberant and fun."
Principal Bob Rammer says he knows why Jacobi is so well-liked and such an excellent teacher, but adds that it would take a few hours to explain.
"Lee is probably the finest teacher I've ever known, and I've known many," Rammer said. "He's a gentleman and a gentle man. His legacy is a legacy of life. He cares that each child does well. He will not accept mediocrity."
Recently, the school and community honored Jacobi with a farewell concert, presenting him with, among other gifts, two notebooks filled with comments from former students on how Jacobi changed their lives and how they are better people because he was their teacher.
For his retirement, Jacobi hasn't made many plans, except a trip to Italy with his wife, Barbara.
"Where else would a music teacher go?" he said. "And I want to get smarter. I have a list of books I want to read."
He will continue as director of music for First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa and is contemplating some other opportunities.
Sunday, June 14, the Church Council unanimously approved a proposal to pilot a college internship at First Congregational Church this summer. The proposal, initiated by Chris Rygh, director of student ministries, had been previously approved by the Personnel Committee.
According to Rygh, the internship is designed for students exploring careers in professional ministry and who wish to experience ministry in a multiple staff church. "We have a terrific place in which to study ministry. For years now First Church has done a remarkable job of shepherding seminarians, and many of our sister churches in the NACCC have benefited from our graduate internships. Though it's been a while, we've also had a number of undergraduate interns; however, the college intern arrangement was never really formalized. The Council's vote on Sunday took a good practice and made it official."
Though the student will experience many different facets of ministry, this summer's intern will be asked to focus in the area of children's and youth ministry. "I consider this a real blessing," says Rygh, "With my summer
school schedule, time is tight. I really need help preparing for the 1998-99
program year. Having some extra help with research and planning will be a winwin. Obviously the church wins, and the student wins by gaining some valuable hands-on experience."
Four students have expressed interest in the 1998 position. "I'm not surprised that we have several students who have expressed interest in doing an internship here," said Lonnie Richardson, senior minister. "We are an attractive site, and we have a lot to offer. This is a great place."
If you're looking for a great family vacation - campfires, hiking, archery, tennis, swimming, boating, and more - Family Camp has it!
"It's camping, but with many of the amenities you might otherwise miss," said René Klumb. "We had a wonderful time last year and we're looking forward to this year's trip."
Accommodations are in lodges with private bedrooms and shared bathrooms, living room (with fireplace), and kitchenette. Meals are served family-style in the retreat center. "It's a great way to get to know other church families on a different level," said René. "It's very casual, but you still have a level of privacy when you need it."
Scheduled for Friday, August 14Monday August 17, Family Camp is held at beautiful, spring-fed Lake Lucerne in Neshkoro, WI. There is plenty to do, rain or shine.
Space is limited to four cabins which each house several families. For price and details, call the office, 258-7375 or Cathy & Gary Kebbekus, 475-1634. Reservations needed by 6/30! *
June 30, Hart Park, 6:00
July 7, Hart Park, 9:30
July 14, Whitman -North Field, 6:00
July 21, NO GAME
July 28, Whitman -North Field, 7:00
August 4, Hart Park, 8:30
The next will be held on July 8th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. It will be an outdoor barbeque with burgers, hot dogs, brats and chips. Sponsored by the sports teams, this dinner will benefit the baseball and basketball teams. Price is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children. Call the church office to make your reservations, 258-7375.
Adding to our booming nursery, Chris and Patty Bartholf bring one-year-old, Hannah. Chris is a designer/ architect and Patty is an advertising print buyer. When looking for a church to join, they found the people at FCC to be very friendly, liked the ministers and appreciate the diversity.
Kelly Bartley joined the staff at FCC as the second shift custodian nearly one year ago and has decided to also join as a member. From restoring classic cars and motorcycling, to playing sports, to attending concerts and movies, Kelly has a wide variety of interests.
Twelve years ago, Ernest Baumgart Jr. was married to Marie in the chapel here. He has now decided to join the Church, noting the friendliness of the pastors and membership. A retired accountant and member of the National Association of Tax Practitioners, Ernest now volunteers as a tax return preparer in the AARP Tax Aide Program and provides bookkeeping for several small restaurants as a hobby. He has two children, David and James.
Jennifer Berg recently married FCC member David Wareham. Away on their honeymoon, she was not available for an interview.
Jody and Randy Brunner were high school sweethearts, born and raised in Wauwatosa. Now with a 3-1/2-year-old daughter, Alison, they wanted a church/religion which was better suited to their beliefs. Jody's great aunt (Amy Van Petersom) is a long-time member. After attending some services, they both felt incredibly welcomed. "The first Sunday I came by myself," said Randy. "Someone came up to me and said, 'You look new, would you like to sit with us?'" Randy was very impressed by the caring attitude and they wish to thank everyone who did so much to make them feel welcome.
Jody is already active in the Mom's Group. They are looking forward to Vacation Bible School and Jody plans to help as a support person to new parents - a program Chris Rygh is starting in fall.
Jody works for M&I and Randy for Renner Oldsmobile. Jody enjoys downhill skiing (and instructing) and Randy likes car racing. They all bike together.
Jeff and Kris Dalen-Bard had their first child, Spencer, on May 24, 1998. Jeff works with Physician Group Management and Kris is an attorney. Wauwatosa residents for the past two years, they first came to FCC because of the location and stayed because of the ministers. Interests include running, exercise, gardening, reading and cooking.
Michael Elwing was married here 11 years ago and has been sporadically attending with his wife Holly (who is a member) for the past six years. He says he likes the sermons and some help with family events from Rev. Steve Peay aided him in his decision to join. Michael attended the Active Parenting group and Holly is in the choir. Outside of church, he is a board member of the Wauwatosa Curling Club and interested in stamps, coins, the Packers and gardening.
Russ Fleenor and Lisa Gauger plan to be married here on June 27. Commenting on the beautiful church to a friend while at TosaFest, Lisa got some information about the church from friends who were married here a while back. They say the members were so warm and friendly they decided to join.
Lisa is an office assistant for the Milwaukee Police Department and Russ is a sheet metal apprentice at Winkler Mechanical. They enjoy volleyball, hiking and walking Louis, a Great Dane/Doberman mix.
Mark Hickok and Heidi Koehler are engaged to be married. Mark is a mechanical engineer working in product safety liability and planning to pursue his Masters in fall. Heidi is an X-ray technologist. A friend referred them to FCC and they like the commitment to family, message of the sermons and the welcome feeling they experienced here. Heidi enjoys golfing and rollerblading while Mark enjoys a variety of sports. Both have a strong commitment and enjoy spending time with family.
Carol Hudson used to attend church here and when she and husband Hugh came to a service in January, they loved it. Hugh said it has something for the whole family. Hugh's daughters, Katharine-12, and Lesley-11 like the Sunday school classes and have friends here. Emma, their 2-year-old likes the nursery and Carol and Hugh like the people, style of worship and the size. They said it's big enough to have lots of activities yet small enough to know everyone.
Carol and Hugh have enjoyed parenting classes and Kouples Klub while Carol and Emma attend the playgroup. A CPA, Carol now stays home with Emma and is expecting another child. Hugh is a manager at Johnson Controls. Most of their "free time" is spent with the girls' activities and house projects said Hugh.
Congregationalists for 25 years, Phil and Michelle Jackson, along with their children, Leslie-19 and Stephen-17, have joined FCC. Michelle became more involved due to her position here as parish nurse. The position was funded as a gift last year from Congregational Home (where Michelle also works) in gratitude for the volunteerism the church has provided the Home for the past 25 years.
Phil, associate executive secretary of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, works with pastoral relations and was also quite familiar with this church. He now attends the men's morning breakfasts. Steve is a junior at Whitefish Bay High School and is also involved in P.F. Leslie attends Piedmont College in Georgia.
Debra Kent is a materials planner with a 16-year-old son, Graeme David. Debra was confirmed here in 1969. Her late sister's connection to the church and Lonnie brought her back. She said the spirit of church members and sense of community flowing in the halls is what she came to like about this church.
In her spare time, Debra enjoys walking, hiking, hunting for mushrooms, reading and origami.
Looking forward to meeting everyone, John and Julie Lucey said the friendly outgoing membership and ministers, as well as the well-rounded youth program, brought them to FCC. Morgan, their 5-year-old daughter, is enrolled in Sunday school and they have been to one of the All-Church dinners. They are looking forward to more opportunities for involvement.
John is the director of financial reporting for Alternative Living Services, Inc. Julie is a sales representative for Digitrace Care Services. While most of their time is spent with Morgan, John enjoys golfing and Julie is a runner and likes to shop!
Milton and Margaret Patchett are new to FCC but were very active members of their last church, a Congregational United Church of Christ, for 42 years. Quite impressed with the ministers, services and friendly congregation at FCC, the Patchetts decided to join. Margaret is a retired home economics teacher and worked as a home economist for the University Extension program. Milton, a retired superintendent of schools, was in the education field for 42 years.
Due to health reasons, the Patchetts' participation in activities or groups is quite limited, but they enjoy time with their grandchildren. Their children are Mary Hamill, Nancy Andrews and Bill Patchett.
Laura Lee Rogers and daughter Alison both found the sermons at FCC to be very meaningful and applicable to their lives, drawing them to this church. Laura Lee is a teacher and likes to read, golf and garden. Alison, a senior at Tosa East and is on the swim team.
Chris Rygh, our director of student ministries, was now eligible for membership. As Chris has been profiled in the past, an updated piece of news is the child he and wife Mary Beth are expecting in October!
Coming from First Congregational Church of LaCrosse, Michelle Truscott liked the familiar services, friendly environment and level of involvement here at FCCWauwatosa. A customer service manager with Fleet Mortgage Group, Michelle is engaged to be married here in October, 1999.
Michelle plans to help out in the nursery or with Sunday School next fall and enjoys hiking, golfing, rollerblading, tennis, camping, reading and volunteer work.
Covenant Class Confirmands
Julie Jacobsen is going to be a junior at Waukesha West High School. Her plans for the future include college in pursuit of an Art Psychology major. Swimming, singing, painting and making pottery are some of the activities she enjoys. Julie said that she believes the church has taught her that decisions she makes in her daily life need to be a reflection of her Christian beliefs. "By doing this," said Julie, "I am sure that I'll be able to live with myself later on."
Jenny Pozayt said she appreciates the support she has received at FCC and believes it has aided greatly in her spiritual growth. Currently a junior at Wauwatosa East, involved in cross country, track, National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society, Jenny would eventually like to work in some type of ministry.
Unable to contact Cindy Borch & Emily Boyd for interviews.
Family and Friends,
God's richest blessings on your summer! I hope your schedule allows you the opportunity to take some time for yourself and your loved ones. The days of July and August pass quickly, and soon enough they will be a memory. This month I would like to take the opportunity to talk about self-esteem.
What is Self-Esteem?
Self-Esteem is the belief that you are lovable, capable and valuable. This belief should not be based on what you do or who/what you know. When we have self-esteem, we have a healthy respect for ourselves.
Where does self-esteem come from?
If self-esteem is not based on our behavior or who/what we know, then we must consider what other sources exist. Healthy self-esteem is based on the unconditional love God has for us in Christ. We can share the thoughts of the psalmist, "...The Lord is compassionate and gracious, ...abounding in steadfast love...He does not treat us as our sins deserve... For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those that fear Him" (Ps. 103: 8, 10, 11). St John also reminds us, "God is love...Whoever lives in love lives in God...perfect love drives out fear" (I Jn. 4:16,18). God then invites and enables us to love Him, ourselves, and others with his perfect love.
What role does the family play in the development of self-esteem?
The family plays a very important role in self-esteem. Most of us learned early on, that we were either valuable or worthless based on how our family responded to us. Our families have the opportunity to support us when we have difficult times, in a way that no other person or organization can. In today's world, we desperately need God's perfect love in our families.
What can we do to develop a healthy self-esteem?
There are several things we can do to develop our self-esteem.
* First we can recognize that we are valuable because God made us and loves us! There really is no source of unconditional love other than our loving God. As we nurture our faith, our self-esteem may become more healthy.
* Second, we can develop an affirming program for ourselves. We can learn to have positive self-talk. Among the messages we can give ourselves are: "I am lovable, capable and valuable," "My needs are important," and "I can develop and grow at my own pace."
* Third, we can seek counseling if the other strategies don't seem to help. There are times when professional help is necessary in order to develop a healthy respect and love for ourselves. (adapted from "Self-Esteem and Your Family," 1986)
May we all experience God's healing presence in our inner selves.
Fondly,
Michelleyour parish nurse
The recent Home Box Office series "From Earth to the Moon" reminded me of an important lesson from the Apollo 13 mission. On day six of the ill-fated mission, the astronauts needed to make a critical course correction. If they failed, they might never return to earth.
To conserve power, the on-board computer that steered the craft had been shut down. Yet the astronauts needed to conduct a thirty-nine-second burn of the main engines. How were they to steer? Astronaut Jim Lovell determined that if they could keep a fixed point in space in view through their tiny window, they could steer the craft manually. That focal point turned out to be their destination - Earth. As shown in the 1995 hit movie, "Apollo 13," for thirty-nine agonizing seconds, Lovell focused on keeping the Earth in view. By not losing sight of that reference point, the three astronauts avoided disaster.
Scripture reminds us that to finish our life mission successfully, there is a reference point of which we are not to lose sight. "Fix your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). I am convinced that effective, successful ministry requires a clear consistent connection with Jesus the Christ of God. We are thankful for the many in our fellowship who are entering the life of Christian faith with a fix on Jesus. Keep focused and soar! *
In Him,
Lonnie
The Mystery of Noah's Ark is the title of this year's VBS program. Children will enjoy singing, crafting, reading, eating and playing.
Children ages 3 years by February 1, 1998 through children entering 5th grade are invited to participate. Cost is $10.00 for the first child and $5.00 for each additional child. Time is running out, so register at the church office now. If you wish to contribute your time and talents, contact Tom Rondeau, 879-0687. *
No St. Vincent meal program in July
Because of the July 4th weekend, the St. Vincent Meal Program site will be closed. Please plan to help on August 7! Meal preparation is done here in the church kitchen beginning at 8:30 a.m. Call Barbara or Ruth Dunham, 774-7147. Or call Mary Jane Montguire, 466-4311, to help serve at the site, 931 West Madison (1 block north of Greenfield Ave). You can meet here at the church at 4:30 and carpool with others, or meet at St. Vincent's at 5:00 p.m. on August 7.
Interested in "Baby Talk"?
If you had a baby within the past year and are interested in getting together to talk with other recent moms about your baby, experience and faith, join parish nurse Michelle Jackson June 30, 1998 at 2:00 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. in Friendship Lounge. The treats are on us. Please call the church office so we can prepare for 2:00 p.m. child care and food.
Can you bake some cookies?
Bereavement committee needs help with cookies for memorial services. If you can help, please call the church office, 258-7375.
Baptism
Russell Scott Mason, son of Sarah Elizabeth DeYoung and Scott Thomas Mason, was baptized on June 14, 1998.
Birth
Shannon Marie Woods, daughter of Kent and Evie Vitek Woods; granddaughter of Marilyn and Dick Vitek, was born on June 15.
Career seminar
Dave Swanson will again be holding a career seminar, free of charge, at our church on June 29. This is a great opportunity for all you May grads, as well as for anyone who may be looking for a different job in the future. Call the church office for details, 258-7375.
The editor thanks:
Julie Peay for article information, René Klumb for pictures and the office staff for their assistance.
www.FirstChurchTosa.org
Editor, Beth Linscott
Communications Committee
René Klumb - Chairperson,
Julie Peay, Bruce Smith, Dave Swanson, Jennifer Wakefield,
Win Williams
*
Rev. Lonnie Richardson, Senior Minister
Rev. Dr. Steven A. Peay, Associate Minister/Teacher
Chris Rygh, Director of Student Ministries
Rani Gusho, Financial Administrator
Roy Brouwer, Building Superintendent
Lee Jacobi, Director of Music
Betty Dethmers, Organist
Michelle Jackson, Parish Nurse
Betsy Isenberg, Secretary
Nancy Gross, Secretary
Charles Nelson, Administrator, Congregational Home, Inc.
Rev. Norman S. Ream, Minister Emeritus
*
Vol. 7, Issue 6
