LAMPLIGHTER Winter 2021
A God-Lived Life by Pastor Joel Leyrer In one of his Christmas sermons Martin Luther speculates how difficult and lonely it must have been for Mary and Joseph on the night they arrived in Bethlehem. Tired, hungry, and in the last hours of a full-term pregnancy, the couple found shelter in a stable because “there was no room for them in the inn.” After describing the forlorn conditions under which Mary and Joseph delivered baby Jesus, Luther goes on to make this application: There are many of you in this congregation who think to yourselves: “If only I had been there! How quick I would have been to help the Baby! I would have washed his linen. How happy I would have been to go with the shepherds to see the Lord lying in a manger!” Yes, you would! You say that because you know how great Christ is, but if you had been there at that time, you would have done no better than the people of Bethlehem. Childish and silly thoughts are these! Why don’t you do it now? You have Christ in your neighbor. You ought to serve him, for what you do to your neighbor in need you do to the Lord Christ himself. The point he makes is clear: Living as a Christian, a little Christ and one who sees Christ in others, we have the privilege of demonstrating what God looks like in how we live our lives. By the time you receive this edition of the Lamplighter we will be half-way through our four-part “God-Lived Life” stewardship initiative. Its purpose is not to call into
question our relationship with Christ or “guilt” us into action; rather it is encouragement to increasingly represent him well in every aspect of our lives. In October we considered the life of being a disciple and what that looks like. In November we considered how we honor Christ through a life lived shrewdly. In January we will consider a life lived for others. In February we will conclude by considering a life of hospitality. The first Sunday of each of these months features a sermon and special video presentation devoted to the four emphases above, followed by a special mailing with suggestions, or “challenges,” on how we can prayerfully carry out this particular aspect of a God-lived life for the rest of the month. How will we receive these challenges? Not as a sterile checklist of “things to do that prove we are Christians.” Rather, they will provide us with a menu of practical guidelines to more intentionally put the words of James 1:22 into practice: “Do not merely listen to the word . . . Do what it says!” And since this stewardship initiative involves our entire family of faith, we will also be an encouragement to each other as, together, we practice a “God-lived life.” May God bless us as we grow in his Word and in our lives of living it!
Pastor’s Corner
A Pastor’s Prayer Life by Pastor Eric Schroeder What does a pastor’s prayer life look like? The simplest answer is that it probably looks a whole lot like yours, for better or for worse. It would sure be nice to have special powers so that my prayers carried more weight due to the responsibility of my position, but here’s another way to look at it: all of us who pray in Jesus’ name have the same blessed opportunity to “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). My prayers aren’t more powerful than yours; the good news is that in Christ, all of our prayers are powerful. At the same time, pastors do get asked to pray for the need of others on a regular basis, and we’re happy to do so—in our own personal prayer lives, on the prayer list that goes out in the weekly emails, and in church services as well, where we have the humbling honor to voice a congregation’s requests to the Almighty, and he promises to hear every time and answer according to his good plans for us. If you’d like prayers for any occasion, be sure and let us know (and feel free to give guidance on which of the above settings you’d like them included in). If you’d ever like us to pray with you, we’d be happy to do that as well. As for my own personal prayer life, I try to be intentional about staying in touch with God all day long. Daily Bible readings always provide much to think and pray about. Challenges throughout the day are much more bearable if they are ours—mine and God’s—than if they were mine alone. Thanksgiving and praise are included, but never as much as they ought to be, since I end up asking more than I remember to be grateful (but I’m working on it . . .). And of course, I have plenty of reasons to ask for forgiveness and rejoice in God’s promise of cleansing and strength for future battles with temptation that are sure to come. Like you, I have questions to which I’d love the answers, I have decisions to make—both large and small—that I ask God to guide and bless, and I pray especially intently when I am aware of great needs. I ask God to watch over my family and bless our home, and keep my children close to God, to their parents, and to each other. Lately I’m reminded to pray for our continued health and not take it for granted. I ask God to help me see the opportunities that he has prepared for me to serve him, even if they don’t fit my plans for the day. And, as mentioned before, I pray for you.
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Pastor’s Corner
I hope this article leads us all to pray more—myself included. Finally, let me echo Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3: “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Memorials In Memory of Howard and David Baumann From Delores Baumann (undesignated) In Memory of L. Virginia Langfield (friend of the Schmals) From Dan & Mary Schmal (Lau Tuition Assistance Fund) In Memory of Lawrence & Adelein Birmingham (parents of Darlene Tarmann) From Ernest & Darlene Tarmann (AV improvements) In Memory of Alan Hilker From David Hilker & Lisa Walter (undesignated) In Memory of Alice Eggebrecht From Cal & Lynn Kozlowski and Mike & Marlene Cox (hymnal project) In Memory of Daniel Eick From Jeff & Yvonne Quint (hymnal project), Jon & Kelly Johnson, John Frailing, Lyle & Cynthia Haferman, Peter & Lorrie Hansen, Mark & Sue Naumann, Jeff & Karen Sitz, Jesus & Susan Mariscal, Dennis & Lois Maurer, and Sue Johanning (operating/church technology) In Memory of Arlene Baumann From Barbara Weihing, Mark Baumann, Delores Baumann, Keith & Cheryl Thompson, Sandy Hemp, Sue Johanning, Kristine & Phil Siwek, and Mike & Marlene Cox (hymnal project) In Memory of Arlene Baumann and John & Martha Ellenberger (Parents of Lori Meiers) From Dan & Lori Meiers (hymnal project) In Memory of Shucheng & Zhongnv Yu (Grandparents of Pastor Joshua Yu) From Pastor Joshua & Jean Yu (hymnal project)
Board of Outreach
Mornings With Mommy by Kerry Ognenoff The program is currently run by St. John’s member Jessie Leyrer. Jessie joined Mornings with Mommy three years ago as a new mom looking to meet other moms. A former kindergarten teacher, Jessie now considers Mornings with Mommy her opportunity to do community outreach. Her passion for sharing Jesus with his littlest lambs shines through her interactions with both kids and moms.
The COVID-19 pandemic put a temporary stop to many activities geared toward younger children, including a number of activities at St. John’s. Earlier this fall, though, Mornings with Mommy was able to start back up in the St. John’s Early Learning Center (ELC). Moms have been looking forward to returning to activities for their young children that also offer opportunities for socializing with other moms. Mornings with Mommy offers just that! Mornings with Mommy is a program designed for moms with children from infants to preschool age. For 90 minutes every other Tuesday, the group of eighteen moms and kids meets in a classroom of the ELC. Moms are able to enjoy coffee, time with other moms, and enriching time for their kids. Kids’ activities include free play time and more structured learning time featuring nursery rhymes, felt board stories, books, and sensory bins.
The fall session of Mornings with Mommy features themes such as All About Me, Fall Fun, On the Farm, and Preparing for Jesus. Games, songs and activities are planned around each theme. Pre-registration is required, and the cost is $5 per week or $35 per seven-week session. This fee covers materials and snacks which are provided for the group each week. The fall session ends in December, and registration will open then for the spring session.
The popular program restarted in October at capacity of eighteen kids and currently has a waiting list. This session’s attendees include some St. John’s members, some members of other local WELS churches, and some families currently looking for a church home. With so much interest, Jessie indicated she would like to expand the program to additional days in the future in order to reach more community members.
With this year’s expansion of the ELC and the obvious need for activities geared toward moms with young kids, Mornings with Mommy is poised to become a great outreach tool for St. John’s. Board of Outreach Adam Goede, chair
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Andrew De Longe
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Bret Harttert
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Matt Hobler
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Jon Leyrer
Board of Outreach
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Board of Elders
Changes, Changes, and More Changes by Pastor Kyle Bitter
Our world has always been changing, and that has been more apparent than ever over the last couple of years. Even though the teachings of the Bible and God’s promises to his people do not change, the habits and practices of God’s people can and do continue to change along with everything else.
Changing Technology Some changes happen naturally. Technology is constantly changing, and the pandemic accelerated this trend. At St. John’s, worshipers now enjoy improved equipment for conducting and broadcasting worship services and Bible studies. Those who worship and study online have seen the benefits of higher quality cameras and modern video production technology. Those attending worship in person have also seen new screens in the front of church. In worship, these screens primarily function as a 21st century supplement to our beautiful church banners by displaying an artist’s digital rendition of the gospel of the day. Future additions may include images from a wider variety of artistic styles and visual sermon illustrations when appropriate.
Changing Procedures Some changes were forced upon churches during the pandemic. Most of these were in place for a time and are now gone, but a few are still being evaluated. One such example is continuous-flow communion distribution. Originally enacted to facilitate social distancing, this practice has provided some additional benefit along the way. Some have expressed appreciation for intimately receiving communion in small groups with immediate family or close friends. Continuousflow distribution has also reduced service length significantly, alleviating the time crunch that affected fellowship time and Bible study in years past.
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Board of Elders
Another example is the use of Connection Cards. Originally put into place as a way for worshipers to record their attendance without passing items between people, this practice too has provided additional benefits. All worshipers – in-person or online, member or guest – fill out the same form. This makes office data management simpler and has proven very successful in encouraging more of our visitors to leave contact information than in the past. Connection Cards also provide a way for members to submit prayer requests. Situations highlighted in prayer requests are included in the personal prayers of pastors and church staff, and pastors can follow up to offer encouragement, visitation, and pastoral council when needed.
Changing Resources Some changes are planned well in advance. One such change showed up in our pews on Reformation Sunday with the arrival of our new hymnals. This project has been in the making for 10 years and offers many new resources to enhance our worship. Over the next couple of months, look for small changes to the order and flow of existing service settings. Listen for the gradual introduction of new hymns, psalms, and a new three-year lectionary (the pre-planned set of Scripture readings that sets the theme for each service). Finally, anticipate the opportunity to learn a new musical setting of the worship service that will eventually be used on the first Sunday of each month. For more information on the new hymnal, see the article on page 5.
Board of Elders
What’s in this New Book? by Kristi Meyer
It’s been a long time coming, and it’s finally here — we are now using Christian Worship ’21 (or simply Christian Worship, as we’ll call it) in our worship services. As you start to become more familiar with Christian Worship, here’s some background material to help with understanding and appreciating this new resource.
Some of these “new to us” hymns are truly new, such as hymns by Keith & Kristyn Getty, David Haas, and Matt Papa. Others, such as “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” or “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” are hymns that are well-known throughout Christendom but were not in our previous hymnal.
Starting with the obvious, the overall design and layout of the book has changed: it’s more colorful than the previous hymnal, especially the red text in the liturgies. These red words are rubrics: the “rules” governing the worship service. That is, we do the red text and speak or sing the black text. The page numbering is also different: after pages 1-300 of front material, the hymns begin with #301. Although this might seem odd, it makes the hymnal much easier to navigate – especially for those unfamiliar with the difference between “page 26 in the front of the hymnal” and “hymn 26.”
When it comes to singing, about 70 of the hymns only have a melody line printed. Some of these were designed by their composers to be sung in unison, while printing only the melody line for others saved space and did away with awkward page turns. Those wanting to sing in harmony can still do on the vast majority of the hymns, as well as on some parts of the liturgies and various psalm settings.
Speaking of the front material, the main liturgy — now known simply as “The Service” — has three different settings (pages 154, 172, and 188). With only a few exceptions, the text in each of these services is the same; only the musical setting changes. This consistent text makes it easier to learn the words of “The Service” by heart, while the different musical settings bring variety to worship services. As with Christian Worship ’93, there are also a number of other liturgies, such as Morning Prayer (Matins, page 207), Evening Prayer (Vespers, page 215), and Prayer at the Close of the Day (Compline, page 225). Moving on to the hymns, about 2/3 of the 658 hymns are carried over from Christian Worship ’93 or Christian Worship Supplement, and about 1/3 are new to us.
Finally, Christian Worship is intended to be used more broadly than “just” on Sunday mornings. It contains a number of resources to be used by families or in one’s personal devotional life, such as Martin Luther’s Small Catechism (page 286), daily devotions (page 235), the daily lectionary (page 248), and personal prayers (page 255). Whether in church or at home, we hope you’ll spend some time paging through Christian Worship. This book is the exciting culmination of years of work, and we’re looking forward to its use for years to come!
Next Time Some aspects of “The Service” are different than what we’re used to. What is the philosophy behind these specific aspects? And how will we introduce the new elements of Christian Worship here at St. John’s?
Board of Elders
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Board of Education
School Events
Bedtime Blessings, Fall Festival, soccer and cross country success
“Good Things” at St. John’s Three Good Things That Will Happen 1. We will begin a new church year. Starting with the first Sunday in Advent (November 28), we’ll also begin introducing elements from the new hymnal into our worship services. Check out Kristi Meyer’s article on page 5 for more information. 2. We will celebrate the service of our adult choir director, Dr. Bill Braun. As of December 31, Bill is retiring from both directing choir and playing organ for worship services. Watch for more information on how we as a congregation will mark Bill’s many years of service. 3. We will hold our traditional children’s Christmas Eve service. Like so many other events, last year’s service was entirely virtual. We’re looking forward to being back at Wisconsin Lutheran High School on December 24 at 4:00 p.m. again this year!
Two Good Things That Happened 1. We celebrated forty years in the ministry for Pastor Joel Leyrer. Twenty-three of those years have been here at St. John’s, and we are thankful for Pastor Leyrer’s faithful and dedicated service to our congregation. 2. Our grade school sports teams wrapped up their fall seasons. Cross country, volleyball, and soccer all had strong seasons, with our girls cross country team winning nationals and our volleyball A team finishing out their season at the state tournament. Check out www.sjtosa.org/CrusaderTV for sports highlights!
One Good Thing That You Might Not Know About
Board of Education Casey Holtz, chair | Nick Cutting Kerry Kuehn | Jon Phillips | Troy Schulz
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Board of Education
1. There’s a new club at St. John’s! Art Club was created for 3rd – 8th grade students who love art and want to grow in their artistic knowledge and abilities. Art Club meets once a month on Wednesday evenings; contact Angela Glaeske at angela.glaeske@yahoo.com for more information.
Board of Outreach
Being a Welcoming Church by Kristi Meyer
I’m a little too young to have watched the sitcom Cheers, but I remember the theme song: “You want to go where everybody knows your name.” For many of us, that describes our experience when we walk into St. John’s for worship. But what about for visitors? What can we do to make St. John’s a place where they want to go too? As Pastor Kyle Bitter explains, the first step often takes place outside the walls of St. John’s. “Talking positively about what you like at St. John’s has a big impact,” he says. “You took the time to share something that you like, and that will give people a positive impression.” Following up with an invitation is a natural next step — but this doesn’t have to be an invitation to church. “Think of an invitation to St. John’s as being broader than an invitation to a worship service,” says Pastor Bitter. “It can be an invite to check out the ministry and meet the people in whatever events are going on: school events, church events, etc.” Meeting the people reminds us of what the church truly is: not a beautiful building, but people. Pastor Eric Schroeder sees that as a key point in cultivating a welcoming attitude. “We are here to serve one another and to reach out with Jesus,” he points out. “That means we look for ways to be active and inviting, to tell people the good news: the gospel that we appreciate and value.” So what are those ways? Thankfully, we are blessed with pastors who model those ways every week: by engaging in conversations with people in the narthex before and after church. “A welcoming church begins at the top,”
says Pastor Joel Leyrer. “I’ve always felt that it’s important for the pastors to be welcoming their people as they come into church and as they leave.” That’s all well and good, you might say. But it’s natural for our pastors to introduce themselves to visitors. What about me? You don’t have to say more than a few words if you’re not comfortable introducing yourself. “Having a smile and an upbeat attitude makes the atmosphere feel friendly,” says Pastor Bitter. “You can just smile and say hello.” And if you’re ready to do more than that, Pastor Schroeder has some suggestions too. “Realize that it’s as simple as remembering your own name,” he says. “If you tell someone your own name, most people are kind enough to reciprocate.” I’ll admit it: the above advice pushes me out of my comfort zone. But Pastor Schroeder reminds us to consider the alternative: “If somebody comes and worships and leaves without anybody talking to them, that’s a far worse outcome than you being uncomfortable for a short period of time.” That doesn’t make it any easier — but it does remind us why being a welcoming church is so important. Because in the end, we’re a Christian family. And what do families do? “They greet each other,” says Pastor Leyrer. “If someone new comes into the family, we want to introduce ourselves and make them feel welcome.” This might be uncomfortable. It might be difficult. It might even be scary. But it comes with far more positives than negatives – and therefore, it’s a worthy goal for each of us to set for ourselves. Board of Outreach
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Board of Elders
Worship Opportunities
Membership Changes
Sundays, November 28 – December 20 When the Lord Comes Near . . . November 28 – He Humbles Himself December 5 – He Humbles His People December 12 – He Humbles His Enemies December 19 – He Lifts Up the Humbled
NEW MEMBERS BY TRANSFER Lauren Feuling, August from Bethlehem, Oshkosh, WI John & Brooke Halbach from Resurrection, Verona, WI Melinda Scott from St. Paul, Muskego, WI Jaden Wendt from First Lutheran, La Crescent, MN MEMBERS LEAVING BY TRANSFER Matt & Jenny Bahr to St. Marcus, Milwaukee, WI Kirstin Binner, Madison & Matthew to David’s Star, Jackson, WI Allison Bovee to Star of Bethlehem, New Berlin, WI Stephen Eick to Intown, Atlanta, GA Brian & Alexi Groth to St. Paul, Muskego, WI Matt & Victoria Klieforth to St. Peter, Appleton, WI Heidi Kostrzewa to Salem, Stillwater, MN Paul Schoeneck to Peace, Green Lake, WI Marc & Kate Shambeau, Jonathan & Malachi to Living Word, Waukesha, WI Dan & Carley Young, Gabrielle & Annelise to Redeemer, Cedarburg, WI
Midweek Advent Services on Wednesdays December 1, 8 & 15 • 3:30 & 6:45 p.m. Christmas, New Year’s & Epiphany Services December 24 – Children’s Christmas Eve Service, 4:00 p.m. at WLHS December 24 – Lessons & Carols Service, 7:00 p.m. December 25 – Christmas Day worship, 10:00 a.m. December 26 – Worship at 8:00 & 10:30 a.m. December 31 – New Year’s Eve worship, 6:45 p.m. January 1 & 2 – Epiphany worship, 5:30 p.m. / 8:00 & 10:30 a.m.
Pastoral Acts ASLEEP IN THE LORD Dan Eick September 22, 2021 Arlene Baumann October 1, 2021 Karen Lory Stark October 16, 2021 BAPTISMS Lainey Rae Herbst Owen Lee Suwalski
October 12, 2021 October 23, 2021
MARRIAGES Brett Michaels & Clarissa Johnson September 3, 2021 David Rogowski & Susan Ciszek September 5, 2021 Brett Zemplinski & Samantha Thompson October 30, 2021
Sundays, January 9 – February 27 Uncovered January 9 – Anointing Uncovered January 16 – Delight Uncovered January 23 – Reception Uncovered January 30 – Agenda Uncovered February 6 – Uncovered Messengers February 13 – Definitions Uncovered February 20 – Reactions Uncovered February 27 – Glory Uncovered
A sincere word of thanks to the congregation for remembering my 40th year in the ministry with the beautiful service and reception on October 4. There are occasions when words can fail, and simply saying “thank you” for all the cards and sentiments expressed seems woefully inadequate, but that’s what we’re left with. So, again, a very heartfelt thank you.
Pastor and Lorna Leyrer and family Board of Elders Greg Martin, chair
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Bill Braun
Board of Elders
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David Close
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Terry Paul
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John Peterman
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Brian Treichel