November 2009
If it’s not about things…
It really is true – “the best
things in life are not things.” It’s a
truth that we are reminded of throughout the month of November – as we
celebrate Thanksgiving, reflect on stewardship, and enter the Advent season.
That truth challenges us since our reality is shaped by a “things” oriented
culture. We desire and value “things” - new things, better things, more
things. Things provide entertainment, comfort, ease, enjoyment, a sense of
achievement, and importance. The flip side of this is that “things” can
complicate our lives and orient our priorities and values in a way not at all
consistent with the Christian faith.
I’m not at all saying that “things” are
bad or that we shouldn’t have “things.” I do believe, however, that “things”
aren’t the best of life and that we place too much value on them. So then, if the best things in life are not
things, what are the best things?
The creation story in the Bible proclaims
that God created many “things” – heaven and earth, vegetation upon the
earth, oceans, seas and rivers, animals on land and fish in the water. The
“things” God created were all good things. But God’s creative efforts didn’t
end with “things.” After creating things, God created human life and then
others to share life with.
During the month of November we reflect
upon the gift of live and life together. As families and friends gather to
celebrate Thanksgiving, gratitude is expressed for all of God’s creation – all
of God’s good gifts – especially the gifts of God’s presence with us and the
gift of relationships with others.
Toward the end of the month, as we enter
into the season of Advent, we anticipate the coming of Christ to dwell among
us, to guide us, teach us, and show us how to live life at its best and how
best to live together.
Volume 9
November is also the month
when we highlight what it means to be good stewards (caretakers) of the gifts
that God has entrusted to our use and management.
November – a month in which to celebrate
and give thanks to God for giving us good “things,” and something much better
than “things.”
Celebrating and giving thanks with you,
Rev. Roger
Remember our
members at home in our prayers and expressions of concern
Gert & Jim
Feldhusen
Clarence Reimer
Tong Roh
Jean Wright
If you know of
someone who should be added to this list, please notify the church office.
If you know or hear
of a prayer need and would like to have one started on the prayer chain, notify
the Deacon on Call for the month (listed in your Sunday Bulletin or monthly
Messenger) to initiate your request. If
you cannot reach that Deacon, call the Church Office and speak to Pam, or leave
a message on the answering machine to be retrieved by her or Roger.
The deacon on call
for November is Jodi Godsell 262-895-7609
The
Gospel reading for the first Sunday of this month is again from John’s gospel,
Jesus’ raising of Lazarus. I am very pleased
that the choir will be able to sing a wonderful anthem by K. Lee Scott that
fits this text perfectly. It is called
“I Am the Resurrection” and is arranged for choir, organ, brass, handbells,
timpani, and congregation. As I count
it, we should have four out of the six, counting the congregation, which gets
in on singing the final refrain, which is from John 11, but not included in the
appointed gospel reading: “I am the
resurrection and the life,” words of comfort to Martha before the actual
raising of Lazarus, where the appointed gospel reading begins (v. 32). The text of the choir anthem begins with the
miracle itself: “At Lazarus’ tomb our
weeping Lord gave thanks to God on high, then called his friend to rise from
death, restoring him to life and breath; the dead had heard his cry: “I am the resurrection and the life.” The following verses sung by the choir are
interpretative of this event. Christ’s
descent into hell, as referenced in the Apostle’s Creed, Christ the “second
Adam,” his Ascension to the right hand of the Father, and the eternal day of
joy for all believers, are addressed before the congregation joins the choir in
singing the final refrain: “I am the
resurrection and the life.”
Martha answered, "I know he
will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her,
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even
though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. John 11:24-26
-Roger Meyer
Worship & Music Meeting
The next meeting of Worship and Music will be on Thursday, November 19th at 6:30 PM. Please feel free to join us -
or talk to Kristen Tan if you have any concerns or questions for the committee.
November Birthdays
11/2 Deloris Butka
11/2 Andrew Ellingen
11/3 Griffin Simpson
11/4 Benjamin Tan
11/4 Elizabeth Tan
11/5 Kaitlin Soto
11/6 Ron Reuteler
11/7 Betty Peterson
11/7 Nick Dolan
11/14 Carol Krogmann
11/17 Erin Simpson
11/19 Pat Otte
11/19 Denine Dulde
11/22 Liz Dombeck
11/25 Lee Tan
11/27 Jeff Krogmann
A Healthy Congregation
During this up-coming flu season we would like to avoid passing viruses
to fellow congregation members. Please be considerate of others if you
are not feeling well by following these basic guidelines:
-When greeting others or during passing of the peace, simply smile and say
hello, without hugs or handshakes.
-Wash hands or use hand sanitizer to avoid spreading germs. (Hand
sanitizer will be available at the usher’s table and in the hospitality room.)
-If you are not well, especially with a fever of 100+, please stay home to get
your rest.
Let's strive to maintain a healthy congregation during this season.
ANGEL TREE CHRISTMAS
Applications should be arriving by the end of the month. Please be praying about how God would have you and / or your family be involved in Angel Tree this Christmas. Some ideas to help are buying gifts for the children, writing letters to people in prison, buying gifts for the people taking care of the children, wrapping gifts and or delivering the gifts. Watch for further announcements.
-Karen Zobel
Daylight Drivers
November 20, 2009
We will meet at O’Sullivans Public
House, 12525 W. North Avenue, November 20th at 11:30 a.m.
We are inviting Roger and Peg to be our guests to show our appreciation
for all that they have done for us.
Please come and be a part of the fun and sign up in the narthex so we
can add your name to the reservation.
December 11, 2009
(a week early to avoid the Christmas rush)
This December will mark the 100th time we have planned
a Daylight Driver restaurant outing! We
will celebrate at the Silver Spring Golf and Banquet Center, N56 W21318
Silver Spring Road. Our in house
restaurant advisor says they have a great buffet. Sign up in the narthex and be a part of the
celebration. The fun will start at 11:30 a.m. on December 11th.
For more information, or to carpool, call Deloris Butka at
262-786-8988 or Sally Daugherty at 262-786-6041.
Thanksgiving Worship
Sunday, November 22nd 6:30 PM at Faith Presbyterian Church
Please join us in a service of Thanksgiving
hosted by Faith Presbyterian Church in Franklin (3800
W. Rawson Ave). The Fab
4 churches will gather together on Sunday, Nov. 22nd at 6:30 PM. If you would like to attend, but will need
a ride, please let the Deacon on Call know.
Hanging
of the Greens
Friday, December 4th at 6:30 PM
"Come one and all to decorate the hall!" We will get together
on Friday, December 4th for a festive evening of decorating for the Advent and
Christmas season. We will gather at 6:30
and work until we are done! Bring your favorite holiday treat and a
friend!
Then...
Plan to return on Friday January 8th at 6:30 PM
for another night of fellowship as we take down all of our decorations.
Bring "leftover" Christmas treats and your remaining holiday
spirit. We will quickly take down decorations and enjoy fellowship and
maybe a few Christmas carols as we say goodbye to the holiday season.
Again, feel free to bring a friend - the more hands, the quicker we're
done!!
Announcing: The 2009
Sunday School Christmas Pageant
It’s
a Wonder-Full Life
A
musical about the best gift at Christmas…Jesus!
All Sunday School Children of Forest Park church are invited to be a part of this year’s pageant!
Rehearsals will begin on Saturday, Nov. 7th
and run until Saturday, December 12th. The pageant will be
presented during Sunday morning worship on December 13th.
Here is the complete schedule of dates and times:
Saturday, Nov. 7th -12:30-2:30
Saturday, Nov. 14th – 12:30-2:30
Saturday, Nov. 21st -12:30-2:30
Saturday, Nov. 28th – 12:30-2:30
Saturday, Dec. 5 – 2:00-4:30**
(different time)
Saturday, Dec. 12 – 12:30-4:00***
(Dress rehearsal)
Sunday, December 13th – arrive 8:45 AM –
Pageant at 9:30
Please check (and clear) your calendar, as it is
extremely important that we have our actors there each week in order to achieve
success!
We
have already started learning some of the music during Sunday school classes
and we hope to have everyone take part in this year’s pageant!
Please
call Heidi Todd (414-235-4298) or Kristen Tan (262-797-8278) if you have any
questions or would like to lend a hand for rehearsals, props, costumes
etc. (*We do have a few 1 line roles for 3-4 adults as well)
Looking forward to getting started!!
ENERGY
{MONEY} SAVING
We are looking for a
person or persons who would look at our energy consumption and see if there is
a way we can conserve and therefore reduce our electric bill. There are companies that will help guide us
at no cost but we need one, two or more people to put it together. Please talk with Sally Daugherty if you have
an interest.
Forest Park Presbyterian Church’s Session appreciates the
grant $$ approved by Milwaukee Presbytery’s Session Partnerships
Committee. This $$ is funding our
Consecration Sunday Program, including the Celebration Luncheon.
The Session Partnerships Grant Fund was established using $$
from churches that have closed. It is designed to allow churches to experience
new approaches, programs and events that would not otherwise be possible. Their generosity truly allows us to enjoy
this free lunch symbolizing God’s gracious generosity to each of us!
"Alleluia!" Christmas At
Carroll- Dec. 5 & 6
Carroll University in Waukesha
has offered us the opportunity for free tickets to their concerts on Saturday,
December 5th, and Sunday, December 6th, at 7:30 PM. A group of members went last
year and really enjoyed a terrific seasonal concert! If you are
interested in attending one of the programs, there are a limited number of
tickets. We need to request seats by November 10th. Please check
the bulletin board in the Narthex and sign up for this great opportunity.
If you have questions, please see Kristen Tan.
Thank you from Jeremiah’s Crossing”
Dear Mike, Jodi and Crew,
Thank you for putting the trip together to come here and
help us out. The buildings look so much
different and so much nicer too! Please
thank your congregation for funding the project and all of your crew for all
the work they did! It all made a huge
difference.
Take care and thanks again!
Roger & Kathleen Harris
(The card is hanging on Parish Life bulletin board.)
Grow One Step
This year, with Consecration approaching on November 8th,
we are asking ourselves “What percentage of my income is God calling me to give
to his work thru this congregation?”
Consecration Sunday is designed to
force us to take time from our busy lives and look inside ourselves and our
families and reflect on how blessed we are.
We make one of two choices in life.
We either become emotionally attached to our money, or we become emotionally
attached to the God who gives us our money.
Although we often hope to do both, in our hearts we know that cannot
happen. Consecration Sunday lets us look
at ourselves and determine which choice we’ve made.
Part of this look inside ourselves is to challenge us to Grow One Step. On Sunday October 25th we looked
at where we were in our weekly giving.
The step chart bulletin insert and information provided during the
service let us find where we were and allows us to look at growing one step and
allowing God’s work to continue to grow thru this church. The additional insert allowed us to see what
percentage of our weekly income we are giving and allowed us to determine if we
can grow by a percentage or a step on the chart.
An added facet to Consecration Sunday will be a celebratory
lunch with our church family after Consecration Sunday on November 8th. On the 8th we will privately
complete our estimate of giving cards at the end of the church service. This is done on your own and at your own
pace; you are not called forward, or directed by an usher. You privately complete your card, come
forward and place it on the communion table and join the rest of our family in
fellowship hall for a provided lunch.
The lunch will be provided, it is not a pot-luck, so if you have not yet
completed a “reservation card” or been contacted by somebody about it please
contact the church office right away so you can be part of that day. This is not only open to members; anyone who
attends regularly, is interested in joining, children of members, or is a
friend of the congregation are welcome to join us!
Giving is private, spiritually and self motivated and it can
be uncomfortable for some to discuss.
Our intent is not to draw discomfort, rather comfort; the comfort of
knowing that God has provided each of us with gifts on this earth. The early church was not only sustained by
their faith in God, but by their faith in each other. As they shared their resources with each
other they discovered that there was not only enough to go around but there was
enough “leftover” to meet the needs of those hurting beyond their immediate
community.
Please take a moment and reflect on how blessed we are, and
ask yourself “What percentage of my income is God calling me to give to his
work thru this congregation?” Can I Grow One Step?