Special Easter Offering to Benefit
Tosa Food Pantry and Hosea Fund
Minister's Musings
Order Your Easter Plants
Alice Kannenberg Turns 100
PF Place
Breakfast with the Girls
Special Easter
Offering to Benefit
Tosa Food Pantry and Hosea Fund
Dear Fellow Members of First Congregational Church:
This Lenten season we are writing you to ask for your support of two worthy
benevolences for the Easter special offering during Lent. Both these groups
work hard to help the less fortunate and it’s our hope that you will
give generously so we can meet our goal of $12,000.
`Tosa Community Food Pantry has been a favorite of our congregation and we
have a long history of supporting their work. Seventy-five percent of our special
offering collection will go to the food pantry. Eighteen Wauwatosa churches
sponsor the pantry with contributions of food, money, and volunteer help. The
pantry gives food to about 70-80 families each month.
The Hosea Fund is a neighborhood outreach run by Pilgrim Congregational Church
at 51st St. and North Avenue in Milwaukee. Staff and members of the congregation
go door to door in their neighborhood to invite people to bring their families
to church. In some instances the children are fed a meal during the church
service. The congregation then works to help address the spiritual and material
needs of some of these families in an attempt to bring them some stability.
This type of urban outreach is some of the most difficult mission work there
is.
Our special offerings this year make up 50 percent of the Board of Benevolences
budget. We would ask that you prayerfully consider continuing this spirit of
giving for the Easter offering. God bless you!
In Him,
The Board of Benevolences
Kathy Collis, Ed Probst, Rebecca Haefner, Brian Bahr, Dick Berger, Lyle Dobberke
Holy Week Worship
Palm/Passion Sunday April 9
8:45 and 11 a.m.
Maundy Thursday April 13
10 a.m. (Lounge) and
7 p.m. (Social Hall)
Good Friday April 14
Tenebrae 7 p.m. (Nave)
Easter Sunday April 16
8:45 and 11 a.m.
No classes
“Now the green blade riseth” is an Easter hymn of which I’ve grown quite fond. Its author was J.M.C. Crum, an Anglican priest and Bible scholar, who died in 1958. The hymn really captures, I believe, the essence of the Lenten-Easter journey. The first verse has us sing:
Now the green blade riseth, from the buried grain,
wheat that in the dark earth many days has lain;
Love lives again, that with the dead has been:
Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.
The Lenten journey is the waiting time. The seed has been planted in our hearts and we till the soil of our lives until the seed of God’s Word blossoms for into faith and
right action.
As winter gives way to spring, so Lent leads to Easter. New life springs forth within us and we realize, again and again, that God’s power to raise us to life is undiminished. So the hymn concludes, and reminds us:
When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,
Jesus’ touch can call us back to life again,
fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been:
Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.
There is truth in those words – the winter of our hearts, the cold that
comes from grief or pain, that brown and grey foliage of our actions or attitudes
can be changed. If we open ourselves to the reality of God’s Love living
among us, living within us as individuals and as a community of faith, we green-up,
grow and bear fruit.
As I write this we are still at the early stage of our Lenten journey. As you
read this, Easter is yet two weeks away. Still, I see the green blade rising
in those attending worship or involved in the various Lenten exercises. And
there is always time to get involved and to reap the harvest of prayer, study,
and good works which our Lent and Easter journey provides for us. As the great
preacher, John Chrysostom (the second name means “golden-mouthed”)
preached to his people on a long-ago Easter day (and our Eastern Orthodox brothers
and sisters hear each year):
Let all pious men and all lovers of God rejoice in the splendor of this feast;
let the wise servants blissfully enter into the joy of their Lord; let those
who have borne the burden of Lent now receive their pay, and those who have
toiled since the first hour, let them now receive their due reward; let any
who came after the third hour be grateful to join in the feast, and those who
may have come after the sixth, let them not be afraid of being too late; for
the Lord is gracious and He receives the last even as the first. He gives rest
to him who comes on the eleventh hour as well as to him who has toiled since
the first: yes, He has pity on the last and He serves the first; He rewards
the one and praises the effort.
Do you hear what Chrysostom says? “. . .let them not be afraid of being
too late; for the Lord is gracious and He receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him who comes on the eleventh hour as well as to him who has
toiled since the first: yes, He has pity on the last and He serves the first;
He rewards the one and praises the effort.” In other words, it’s
never too late to join the Lenten journey. While it’s good not to wait,
it’s even better not to just sit it out. God is gracious and wants all
of us to experience the wonder of the Love that rises within us, like the “wheat
that springeth green.”
Holy Week promises to be a wonderful opportunity for growth. We will gather
in a special way to celebrate the Lord’s new “maund” (command)
on Maundy Thursday. The morning service (10 a.m.) will be in Friendship Lounge
and the evening service (7 p.m.) will be in the Social Hall. We’ll gather
around the table and remember what the Lord said and did on that long-ago night
when he told his disciples, “This is my new commandment, that you love
one another.” Good (God’s) Friday will be marked by the Office
of Tenebrae in the nave at 7 p.m. Tenebrae is a simple, but powerful, service
which recounts the events of that day through Scripture and music.
We will celebrate Easter with special music and the reception of new members
into our fellowship. This year we will have a Festive Coffee Hour, rather than
an Easter breakfast, since so many of our people do Easter brunch and our youth
are with their parents on Spring Break travels. What’s important on that
day is to remember the wonder of the new life which is breaking forth within
each of us!
The green blade rises – I hope the growth of Lent and Easter continues
throughout the year for, “Love IS come again, like wheat that springeth
green”!
Yours on the journey to Life!
Steve
Rev. Steven A. Peay, Ph.D.
Minister
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Bring springtime into your church and home. Plants will decorate
the Nave for Easter services on April 16 and may be taken home after the 11:00
service. Return this form to the office with your check for $14.00 for each
plant ordered by Thursday, April 6.
____Tulips ____Daffodils ____Lillies ____Hyacinths Total = $_____________________
Given by __________________________
In Memory of _____________________________
In Honor of _______________________________
o Check here if you’d like your flowers delivered to member shut-ins.
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Contents
Church member Alice Kannenberg turned 100 on March 25! Alice celebrated this
milestone at her winter home in Bonita Springs, Florida. Her daughter, Yvonne
Locker, shared that Alice "is an example of early female entrepreneurs.” Alice
owned and operated a floral business in West Bend for 36 years. At the age
of 74, Alice retired and moved to Wauwatosa. She has been a member of First
Congregational Church for approximately the past 20 years.
“
She loves flowers, painting, playing the organ and spending time with friends,” said
Yvonne.
Congratulations Alice and a very happy birthday!
Summer is almost here!
It’s time to sign up for WCA Youth Church Camp, First Church All-Church
Camp, and the Nehemiah Project’s Summer Civil Rights Tour. Rev. Carrie
has forms and applications for all of these great summer opportunities!
WCA Youth Church Camp at Mt. Morris Camp and Conference
Center, July 9–15
Junior High Camp is for students completing grades 6-8 in the spring of 2006.
Learn about Jesus while exploring how he lived, ate, learned, spoke, and taught.
Senior High Camp is for students completing grades 9-12 in the spring of 2006.
Rob Fredrickson is directing this camp on “Jesus’ Five-Point Guide
to Life.” Camp also includes crafts, worship (with a band!), swimming,
sports, campfires, discussions and meeting new people. If you register before
May 1 you get a free water bottle to use at camp!
First Church All-Church Camp at Lake Lucerne Camp, August 11-13
This camp is for everyone – parents, children, youth, couples, grandparents,
singles, EVERYONE! At camp we will have programs for all ages, swimming, boating,
good food, lots of fun fellowship, campfires, hiking, sports, crafts, worship
and so much more.
Nehemiah Project’s Summer Civil Rights Tour, July
16-22
Experience history in the places of history. Travel from Milwaukee through Atlanta,
Selma, Montgomery, Birmingham, and Memphis with a group of urban and suburban
youth to hear about the civil rights movement from people who were there. This
trip is limited to 36 youth from Milwaukee. A short application is required and
the trip costs $600 per youth. Fundraising opportunities will be available and
each youth will need to raise a minimum of $100 through fundraising.
Youth Calendar
April
2- 6:30-8 p.m. Senior PF – Knitting Service Project
5- Senior PF Study at Starbuck’s (in Tosa Village) 7-8 p.m.
8- Second Saturday – 6-9 p.m. Games
9- 3:20-6:30 p.m. All-PF Service Opportunity at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission
16- Easter! No PF
23- No PF – Welcome home from Spring Break!
30- 4:30-6 p.m. Junior PF, 6:30-8 p.m. Senior PF Dinner & Discussion
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Contents
Our March morning together with Jane Mayer of Outpost foods was
both entertaining and very informative… healthy too! The muffins, fruit,
nuts, organic coffee and tea were a treat as she answered our many questions
and provided helpful suggestions.
On April 1, Marilyn Auer will be with us to share her experiences from visiting
the Lunts at their lovely home, “10 Chimneys.” We’ll be meeting
in Friendship Lounge once again. As always, any bakery contributions (healthy
or otherwise) are greatly appreciated. Sign up in the office and we look forward
to seeing you at our last gathering of the season.
~Char Schweitzer
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Contents
The annual spring clean up day is that time of the year when
the Board of Trustees looks for volunteers of all ages to spend all or part
of the day sprucing up our church …inside and out. There are activities
for any and all skill levels.
There’s plenty of cleaning to be done on the inside of the building.
For example, Sunday school room furniture and toys in the nursery need scrubbing.
All of the woodwork in the nave needs a good cleaning and windows need washing.
Furniture in the Parlor, Resource Center, and Friendship Lounge needs cleaning
and polishing. The kitchen also needs to have cupboards and appliances cleaned.
Outdoor activities include lawn and garden work. Bring along your lawn and
garden tools, carts, and ladders. Getting ready for spring will include raking
the debris from the flowerbeds and preparing for the perennials to come up,
as well as doing the spring plantings. First floor windows on the outside also
need to be washed.
Children are welcome. It is a wonderful way for them to use their energy and
give something back to the church. They can work with their parents, other
adults or youth, depending on their level of independence.
The schedule is:
•
Donuts and coffee at 8 a.m.
•
Work starts anytime after that.
•
Lunch will be served around noon.
•
Finish around 3 p.m.
We always need help in the afternoon to get things put away so the church is
ready for worship on Sunday morning. Please come for just a few hours if your
schedule permits.
Childcare will be made available if we know in advance that there is a need
for it. Please register for the workday event with the number of children requiring
child care. We need to know how many childcare providers are needed and give
them proper notice. Please register by e-mail or in the church office.
Join us for this day of fellowship and fun. Sign up at tables in the atrium
in April or at the church office so we can plan for meal quantities. See you
on the 29th!
Scott Wittig
Board of Trustees
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You may have had this feeling when you visited the church on
recent weekdays. We are sorry to report that our church office was broken into
one evening last month. Although the damage was minimal and there was nothing
stolen, the event prompted the staff to take a look at how open our building
is all day long during the week. Further investigation of other area churches
and their procedures made us realize that we have been the only church with
an open door policy in Wauwatosa.
We are in the process of changing security guidelines at First Congregational
Church. The Trustees will be working with the staff and making decisions about
locking entrances and purchasing surveillance equipment that will allow the
office staff to monitor visitor entrance to the building during time when events
are not scheduled. Some stairwell access will be limited from outside entrances.
We will inform you as procedures are put in place. This will be a change for
all of us, but we ask for your cooperation, patience and understanding as we
transition to making our church safe for our staff and membership.
Back to the Table of Contents
10 a.m. Sundays
Friendship Lounge
April 2
Rev. Carrie Kreps Wegenast and PF YouthThe Church:
An Inter-age Discussion
What is the church? Join us as the Covenant Class and Sunday Symposium engage
in this question.
April 9
Dan Schowalter
Who's Afraid of The Da Vinci Code?
April 16
Easter Sunday
No Symposium today. Join us for a festive coffee hour in the Social Hall.
April 23
Rev. Steven Peay, Ph.D.
Lay Aside Alll Earthly Care: An Introduction to Byzantine theology
April 30
Dan Schowalter
Evidence for Meeting Space: House Churches in Corinth and Elsewhere
How archaeology and literature combine to inform us about assemblies in
the early churches.
Schowalter Lectures
On Omrit Excavation
A temple under excavation at Omrit in northern Israel is yielding fascinating
clues about culture, society and religion in a part of the world that was in
the first century, the crossroads of major trade routes. Could this be the
temple of Augustus built by Herod the Great?
Our own Dan Schowalter will lecture on the subject on Tuesday, April 25, at
7:30 p.m. at Wisconsin Lutheran College. This is a meeting of the Milwaukee
Area Biblical Archaeological Society, but it is open to the public.
Dan, professor of religion and classics at Carthage College in Kenosha, lectures
widely on archaeology and Biblical studies.
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The lectionary is a weekly selection of Biblical texts to use in worship and
study. We follow the Revised Common Lectionary, developed by the Consultation
on Common Texts, an ecumenical group of scholars. The readings follow a three-year
cycle, so every three years they repeat. We usually use three of the four
lessons each Sunday. If you want to go deeper in understanding these texts,
join our Lectionary Bible Study at 7:45 a.m. each Sunday in the Parlor.
April 2 5th Sunday in Lent
Old Testament Jeremiah 31:31–34
Psalmody Psalm 51:1–12
New Testament Hebrews 5:5–10
Gospel John 12:20–33
April 9 Palm Sunday
Processional Gospel Mark 11:1–11
Old Testament Isaiah 50:4–9a
Psalmody Psalms 118:1–2, 19–29; 31:9–16
New Testament Philippians 2:5–11
Gospel Mark 14:1–15:47
April 13 Maundy Thursday
Old Testament Exodus 12:1–4 (5-10); 11–14
Psalmody Psalm 116:1–4, 12–19
New Testament 1 Corinthians 11:23–26
Gospel John 13:1–17, 31b–35
April 14 Good Friday
Old Testament Isaiah 52:13–53:12
Psalmody Psalm 22
New Testament Hebrews 10:16–25
Gospel John 18:1–19:42
April 16 Easter Sunday
First Lesson Acts 10:34–43
Psalmody Psalm 118:1-2, 14–24
New Testament 1 Corinthians 15:1–11
Gospel Mark 16:1–8
April 23 2nd Sunday of Easter
First Lesson Acts 4:32–35
Psalmody Psalm 133
New Testament 1 John 1:1–2:2
Gospel John 20:19–31
April 30 3rd Sunday of Easter
First Lesson Acts 3:12–19
Psalmody Psalm 4
New Testament 1 John 3:1–7
Gospel Luke 24:36b–48
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Contents
Captain’s Crew Gears Up!
Dust off the bicycles, it’s time to ride again! The Captain’s Crew
is getting ready for the MS150. This Waukesha to Madison bike ride takes place
on August 5 & 6. Call Harry Collis, Carol or Scott Wittig, or Tom Stacey
or sign up and details.
4 O’Clock Concerts
On April 2, Kurt Ollmann and Jack Forbes Wilson present “You Don’t
Know What Love Is,” a cabaret with songs by Cole Porter, Jacques Brel,
Burt Bacharach and others. Jack is well-known in Milwaukee as a singer, actor
and pianist. Kurt has recorded classical and theater music. After the concert,
come to the reception to greet the performers. There is no charge for the concert,
though we invite your freewill offering.
Faith and Film
Our final film in the special Lent series of Hollywood spectaculars is April
9, with the 1973 rock opera Jesus Christ, Superstar. The movie is resplendent
and energetic in the color and music of that era’s youth culture. Ted
Neeley portrays a countercultural Jesus. 1 hour, 47 minutes.
Women of the Church
Please Save the Date for Congregational Home’s Annual Spring Strawberry
Luncheon
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Noon Reception, Twelve-thirty Luncheon
Musical performance by Marj and Dean Fowler
Reservations can be made through the receptionist at Congregational Home.
Invitations will be sent the first week in April • Eighteen Dollars
For further information, please call (262)-781-0550
Monday, April 17, noon.
Please email to Beth
Linscott at ddinc@wi.rr.com or Sam Schaal at schaals@firstchurchtosa.org.
Hard copy may be brought to the church office and left in the Columns mailbox.
Rev. Steven Peay, Ph.D., Minister
Rev. Samuel Schaal, Associate Minister
Rev. Carrie Kreps Wegenast, Associate Minister
Rev. Charles Goldsmith, Ph.D., Congregational Home Chaplain
Cindy Payette, Administrator
Lee Jacobi, Director of Music
Betty Dethmers, Organist
Anne Callen, Office Manager
Sharon Cook-Bahr, Secretary
Charles Nelson, Pres./CEO, Congregational Home, Inc.
*
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. 21, Issue 3
