VBS Registration
Open
Rev. Brink Joins FCC
Minister's Musings
WCA Summer Camp, July 9–15
Directory Update
A Note of Thanks
Registration Still Open for Vacation Bible School, a Summer Fiesta!
Join us for a Fiesta at First Congregational Church from July
31 – August 4th. Fiesta is a place where kids entering 4K -6th grade
get fired up about Jesus. We will have an exciting celebration learning about
Jesus’ love for us with lively mariachi bands, colorful folklorico costumes,
spicy chili peppers, and warm friends.
Fiesta is overflowing with fun for kids, teens and adults. Everyone involved
in this year’s VBS will jump into God’s Word…and will never
be the same again! As kids explore amazing Bible adventures, they’ll
take part in Daily Challenges that encourage them to apply Bible truths to
everyday life. Kids will start each day by forming groups called Fiesta Crews.
All the Fiesta Crews will gather at 9 a.m. to sing fun, upbeat Bible songs
that introduce kids to the concepts they’ll be learning that day. Then,
Fiesta Crews will visit five different Fiesta Stations where they’ll
sample tasty treats, go to Hot Bible Adventures, visit the Cactus Craft Station,
the Desert Drive-in Theatre and play Grande Games. Everyone will come together
for the closing Fiesta Finale. Each day participants will be dismissed by 11:45.
On Friday there will be a special Fiesta Finale for parents, grandparents and
anyone else who would like to attend. There will be moon walks, bungee runs,
pinatas, fiery food and more, so make sure you don’t miss out on the
hottest event in town by registering today. For more info or to volunteer call
Carla Cummings at 258-7375 and remember, neighbors and friends are always welcome.
Rev. Rob Brink Joins Staff at First Church
On July 1, Rob Brink will begin with FCC as, "Associate Minister
for Youth and Family." While he is taking over Carrie Kreps Wegenast’s
position, Christian Education (children's ministry) will also fall under
his leadership. Carrie Sgarlata, who recently took a sabbatical as a
co-director of children's ministry, will continue on as an assistant.
In Rob, FCC families will be getting an energetic, witty leader well
suited to this position. Rob is already well acquainted with Rev. Steve
Peay through the Congregational Foundation for Theological Studies. “Rev.
Peay largely influenced my development as a Congregational Minister,” said
Rob. A key member of the CFTS program, Steve has been equally impressed
with Rob. In fact, Rob is also familiar with Sam and mentioned the opportunity
to work with this staff as one of the primary reasons he found this position
desirable. Additionally, he is familiar with the kids from camps and
WCA meetings where he always found FCC to be “well represented.”
Rob was born in Michigan and grew up in Janesville, WI. He met his wife
in junior high. “I repeatedly asked her out in High School, but
she kept turning me down. Finally, while I was studying at Minnesota
Bible College, she broke down and agreed to a date.” About a year
later, Jess and Rob were married at Second Congregational Church, in
Beloit, where he worked for the past six years, during which time he
received an M.Div. from the University of Dubuque Theological seminary.
They have two boys, Aiden and Eli. They’re two years and two months
old, respectively. “We’re all very excited about the move
to Tosa. Well, except maybe Eli, who is mostly excited about supper and
clean diapers, and Aiden, who is mostly excited about a little superhero
car named Brum and hitting golf balls in the back yard. But Jess and
I, anyway, are very excited about our upcoming move to Tosa.” They’ve
already found their house in Tosa.
What are Rob’s hopes and dreams for our future together?
In his words...
I’m very excited about the opportunities awaiting us. You already
have a strong Sunday School, so I foresee less “changing” and
more “tweaking” as we try to build on the strengths of the
program rather than revamping it. From the conversations I’ve had
with several people, you have a storied PF program with lots of institutional
memory. This is different from Second Con, where I developed the youth
program from the ground up. In this case, I hope to draw upon the shared
experiences and memories of the adults. Don’t get me wrong. I’m
not at all interested in going back to the good old days. And I’m
definitely not interested in having a youth group run by parents for
parents. What I do want is for every adult who remembers what it was
like to be a teenager, who remembers what a turbulent, exciting, fun,
and scary time that could be, who remembers what it meant to have a youth
group that was full of friends and hope and truth in the middle of that
crazy time, who remembers how it felt to have responsibility for (as
in control of, and accountability for) something that really mattered,
I want all those people to step up and get involved. Together, I believe
we can create a safe place for our young people to try out their faith,
to explore it and experience it in ways that are meaningful to them.
When it’s all said and done, it may not look anything like the
youth group you remember as a kid. But, that same memory that lives in
your heart of a faith that’s real, of a life that matters, of a
church that loves, will burn in their hearts too.
Welcome, Rob!
Considering Freedom
In my family July was THE summer month. It was the month
when my mother and father took their vacation, the car was loaded up, and
we went adventuring. Unlike some, our adventuring didn’t involve
campgrounds and the like, but it did involve visits to far-flung family
members and taking in interesting sights along the way. I also have distinct
memories of Fourth of July picnics, parades, and fireworks. July is the
quintessence of the “lazy, hazy, crazy” summer days that the
great Nat “King” Cole used to sing about.
Part of that wonderful sense of July might be the weather or the time off,
but I think there is also the timeliness of our nation’s birth. A
hot day in Philadelphia, long before air conditioning was ever dreamed
of (though Dr. Franklin had, at least, discovered electricity by then!)
and men with prices on their heads crowded into a room hardly seem to be
the stuff of greatness. But out of those humble beginnings a great nation
has arisen and a great part of its greatness is that it continues to examine
its founding, examine the principles behind it, and take a long hard look
at itself on a regular basis. I am reminded of that quality of self-examination
as I read the paper, various magazines, journals, or listen to the news
media. We may hold with Stephen Decatur, “my country – right
or wrong,” but we still ask questions about it. The ongoing self-examination
is part of the vigilance that is the price of liberty.
Thus, the liberty we have as the American people is a freedom for or a
freedom to, as opposed to simply a freedom from. We have our liberty for
the sake of the common good. We have our freedom to grow and develop as
a nation, as communities, and as individuals. Our freedom is a positive
thing. Our freedom is a productive thing, not only of this great nation
state, but of a heritage of democracy, free inquiry, industry, technology
and on and on. The freedom we have, bought at a price, does something for
us and for others – which is why we have to constantly remind ourselves
whence it comes and what it does.
Our freedom, like our federal system of democratic government, is based
in sacred scripture (remember that ‘federal’ comes from the
Latin word for covenant, ‘foedus’). We read in Paul’s
letter to the Galatians, (5:1) “For freedom Christ has set us free.
Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery,” and
(5:13) “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only
do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through
love become slaves to one another.” It was reading those verses,
and others like them, that inspired our spiritual forebears to gather themselves
into a “church estate” in the sleepy little Nottinghamshire
village of Scrooby back in 1606. This year marks the 400th anniversary
of their covenant, which reads as follows:
It is good to remind ourselves that we are “the Lord’s free
people,” but even better to remind ourselves that the love which
frees us also binds us to serve God and one another for the common good,
the greater good. This Fourth of July holiday recall our freedom and also
remember, and celebrate, our spiritual ancestors who helped bring it to
birth, first in the town of Scrooby and then on Cape Cod in Plymouth Colony.
As we celebrate our freedom and our great land, I would ask you to be mindful
of the work of our gathered fellowship here at First Church. This month
we welcome our new Associate Minister for Youth and Family, the Reverend
Rob Brink, and his family. We also will be working on developing and promoting
a program for planned giving, designed to increase our endowment funds.
A great deal of good work is done here on Church Street and also under
our sponsorship in various places. Growing our endowment funds is an effort
we undertake to assure that future generations will continue to be served
and blessed by the ministry of this church as we, and those before us,
have been for some 164 years. You’ll be hearing more about this program
as time goes on, but let me just gently encourage you – if you haven’t
remembered the Church in your estate plans, please give prayerful consideration
to doing so.
If you can join us on July 2nd for worship, we’ll look forward to
seeing you. If your plans take you hither and yon to the lake, or family,
or friends – travel safely. Regardless, have a glorious Fourth and
may God bless and preserve our land!
Yours for the Congregational Way,
Steve
Rev. Steven A. Peay, Ph.D.
Minister
On July 9, youth from all over Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota
and Illinois will gather at Mt. Morris Camp and Conference Center, Wautoma,
WI for a week of campfires, worship, programs, games, crafts, new friends,
old friends, swimming, hikes, sleeping in cabins, and learning more about God
and Jesus. Youth exiting sixth grade through twelfth are invited for this fun
and faith filled week of July 9–15.
Even if you are staying home you can still participate. Write our young people
a letter. You can address it to “Youth from First Congregational Church
of Wauwatosa” or ask around and learn about one of our many youth who
are going. The camp’s address is Youth’s Name, c/o Mt. Morris Camp
and Conference Center, W6016 Blackhawk Road, P.O. Box 676, Wautoma, WI 54982.
You can also participate by offering a prayer that our youth will form lasting
relationships with God and the friends that they make during the week and for
the staff as they share God’s love with our young people.
Plans continue for our new pictorial directory. The tentative dates for taking
pictures here at the church are September 18 – October 8. Schedule times
have not been firmed up, but look for information about the exact dates and
times this summer in the Green Sheet, the e-mail “This Week” and
future Columns.
One new feature this year will help families with busy schedules, especially
those with college-age family. We are working with a local photographer who
has a studio on the west side of Milwaukee (Lovers Lane Road) and another one
in Oconomowoc. Families may make appointments during the summer to have their
picture for the directory taken at the studio at a time that is convenient
for them. This is an option that any church member may pursue. Specific information
about the photographer and phone numbers will be published in the near future.
We will be looking for volunteers to help with telephone reminder calls and
to manage the registration tables along with serving as hosts and hostesses
when pictures are being taken. Please let the office know if you are available
to help and someone will contact you when assignments are being made.
Betty Dethmers who recently retired from the bench as our organist
of 32 years, sends this thank-you note:
June 7, 2006
Dear Staff and Congregation of First Church Tosa,
Thank you so much for the wonderful tribute May 14th for “Betty Dethmers
Day,” gifts and special wishes.
I arrived safely in Colorado Springs at 5 p.m. Saturday. John (with his van)
and I drove to Buena Vista Tuesday to unpack the U-Haul and returned by 2 p.m.
to work and baby-sit. Roman is so cute, smiles a lot and is a strong kicker
in the pool. I’ll stay here until Sunday and then face the job of unpacking
all those boxes.
The organ lamp and tea set are in storage for Florida in the fall. I have the
church picture with me and really appreciate having it. I enjoyed the staff
lunch last Thursday also.
Please let everyone know how blessed I feel to have enjoyed their love and
support over the last 32 years. It has been a privilege to serve you.
Love,
Betty D.
P.S. Special thanks to Bill Edens, Rich Raymond and Steve Russ for all the
packing!
Correction: The story in last month’s Columns said Betty’s tea
set was given by the choir. It was given by the church with some contributions
from the music staff.
“The miracles of the church seem to me to rest not so much
upon faces or voices or healing power coming suddenly near to us from afar
off, but upon our perceptions being made finer, so that for a moment our eyes
can see and our ears can hear what is there about us always.”
Willa Cather, Death Comes for the Archbishop
In the summer, I am always amazed at how many people are suddenly outdoors—walking
along the parkway, going to lakeside festivals, eating al fresco. We want to
be outside after the winter, to luxuriate and warm our bodies and senses and
souls.
Maybe it’s easy to be spiritual in the summer, for the evidence of God
seems so obvious. The early pagan religions found their evidence of the gods
heavily in nature for it was nature which both nurtured them and bound them.
The Christian testament has carried forth some of that pagan perception of
seeing God in nature, or in God’s works, but the paramount testament
of our faith is that God is not confined to creation, though powerfully active
within it. The idea of resurrection releases us from the tyranny of the seasons.
God is here now and always.
It seems to me that the novelist is right—that the miracle of the church
is opening our perception, or our hearts, to see God’s presence in the
world. This is seeing the God active amid the sensual glories of summer as
well as in the stark dead of winter. This is seeing the God who is present
in our own private winters of the soul. When all seems bleak, God is there.
Summer amid winter, perhaps. But the trick is having, at least momentarily,
our perceptions pried open to this. The church can help, as it is in Christian
fellowship, in worship, study and prayer, that we learn to open ourselves to
the activity of God among us. This God is about us always, summer and winter.
Rev. Samuel Schaal
Associate Minister
Back to the Table of
Contents
Representatives from the churches of our National Association of Congregational
Christian Churches (NACCC) will gather in Costa Mesa, Calif., June 24-27 under
the theme “This Is the Way; Walk In It!”
Congregationalists speak frequently of “The Way.” But what is that
Way? Our own Dr. Peay approaches this topic as he has been chosen to give this
year’s Congregational Lecture. His title is “Finding the Way Again.” He
suggests that in our wider fellowship, “We don’t know who we are.” In
the anxiety of the difficult merger years of the mid-1950s which resulted in
most historic Congregational churches going into the merger that created the
United Church of Christ, those of our churches who wanted to continue a more
pure Congregational tradition, in fact, left behind many historical Congregational
practices. So in many ways we are not who we say we are. It is sure to be a
much-discussed topic at Annual Meeting.
In another workshop, Steve and Sam Schaal will present our church’s covenant
renewal program of last fall, “Rekindle the Gift” which has attracted
some interest from other churches looking for a fresh approach to stewardship.
The duo will also appear on a panel sponsored by the Division for Ministry,
in conjunction with the Institute for Congregational Studies, on the credentialing
of ministers. Steve also sits on a panel discussing “The Value of an
Educated Ministry.” Serving as the voting delegate from our congregation
is incoming moderator Butch Boyd. Revs. Peay and Schaal also serve as alternate
delegates.
Baptisms:
May 20, 2006. Grace Elliott Pasdera, daughter of Tyler and Molly Pasdera.
May 28, 2006. Allison Claire Hieb, daughter of Robert and Kristin Hieb.
June 4, 2006. Shaun Robert Friis Stacey, son of Thomas Stacey and Sonya Jensen-Ruiz.
June 11, 2006. Cayleigh Elizabeth Kennelty, daughter of Travis and Kristen
Kennelty.
Deaths:
Arthur Carter, died June 1, 2006.
Andrew D. McGinley Jr., died June 3, 2006
July 2 4th Sunday after Pentecost
Old Testament 2 Samuel 1:1, 17–27
Psalmody Psalm 130
New Testament 2 Corinthians 8:7–15
Gospel Mark 5:21–43
July 9 5th Sunday after Pentecost
Old Testament 2 Samuel 5:1–5, 9–10
Psalmody Psalm 48
New Testament 2 Corinthians 12:2–10
Gospel Mark 6:1–13
July 16 6th Sunday after Pentecost
Old Testament 2 Samuel 6:1–5, 12b–19
Psalmody Psalm 24
New Testament Ephesians 1:3–14
Gospel Mark 6:14–29
July 23 7th Sunday after Pentecost
Old Testament 2 Samuel 7:1–14a
Psalmody Psalm 89:20–37
New Testament Ephesians 2:11–22
Gospel Mark 6:30–34, 53–56
July 30 8th Sunday after Pentecost
Old Testament 2 Samuel 11:1–15
Psalmody Psalm 14
New Testament Ephesians 3:14–21
Gospel John 6:1–21
Back to the Table of
Contents
Congregational Home Needs Communion Volunteers
Congregational Home is in need of volunteers to serve communion at
their chapel service on the second Sunday of each month. The chapel service
begins at 10:30 a.m. and lasts 30 minutes. Three people are needed to help
with communion. Please call Carol Wittig (414-771-6459) or e-mail her at swittig1@wi.rr.com
to sign up for a particular month. Please find it in your hearts to help with
this very important event.
“Boys of Summer” Continue July Play
Support your home team on
Tuesday nights! Our church league softball team plays:
July 11, 6:15 p.m. Whitman Field
July 18, 7:30 p.m. Hart Park
July 25, 6:30 p.m. Whitman Field
August 1, 9:30 p.m. Hart Park
The church office will be closed on Tuesday July 4 to celebrate our nation’s
Independence Day.
(It will be open on July 3.)
Monday, July 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 5
