Notes from Pastor Clare
Who Is Your Superhero?
Thursday, April 25th, 2024
On Sunday, April 28th, Dr. Martin Luther is “celebrating” National Superhero Day by inviting our Sunday School kids to dress up as their favorite superhero. I’m typically not much for dressing up in costumes, but I am a little sad I won’t be at church on Sunday to see all the kids.
If I had to choose a person who I look up to as my superhero, it would definitely be my mother, Susie Cheney, who died almost 27 years ago. She was larger than life, and taught her children important life lessons about hard work, trustworthiness, and faith. I am grateful for the positive aspects of both my parents that have been passed to me and all of my siblings.
A number of years before she died, my mom created a calendar to give to friends, selecting different scriptures, etc. to put on the calendar. I have included the image of what she chose for her birthday. I think it speaks of the legacy she wanted to leave to her family and friends.
See you in church!
O Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Thursday, April 18th, 2024
The psalmist shares their awe of our Creator God in Psalm 8:
1 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are humans that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Six years ago, there was a storm that dumped four inches of snow on the ground. Last week we experienced a solar eclipse. Today, the leaves are budding and birds are chirping. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
See you in church!
Are You Curious About Faith?
Thursday, April 11th, 2024
I have listened to the Holy Post Podcast for the better part of three years, hosted by Phil Vischer who was the creator of Veggie Tales. Vischer began the Holy Post Podcast with Skye Jethani, a pastor in the Reformed Church, in 2012, and they have recorded over 600 episodes to date. In 2020, the Holy Post interviewed Kaitlyn Schiess, a young theologian who wrote The Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor, while she was still a graduate student at Dallas Theological Seminary.
The Holy Post team just announced that Kaitlyn would be launching her own podcast called, Curiously Kaitlyn. According to the website, each episode will feature “a question from an inquisitive kid about God, the Bible, or theology and brings on a scholar to answer the question in a way that makes sense even if you don’t have a PhD in Theology.” Think of it as a Children’s Message on steroids! As Kaitlyn says, “We’re too intimidated or embarrassed to even ask our questions [about faith we don’t understand], fortunately, kids don’t have that problem.”
The Holy Post Podcast has been an enjoyable and informative resource for me, and I think anyone who listens to it will feel the same. Curiously Kaitlyn might be a fun thing for kids to listen to with their parents or grandparents. As Kaitlyn says, Theology isn’t just for theologians, it’s for the whole church.” Give it a try!
See you in church!
Easter Season
Thursday, April 4th, 2024
This week I have been reflecting on the inspiring worship our congregation experienced during all of Lent and especially during Holy Week and Easter. I wanted to take this opportunity to say “Thank You!” to all the people who made it such a special time.
My first note of gratitude goes to Rev. Matt Schneider-Adams from the First Congregational UCC Church here in Oconomowoc. It was wonderful sharing the pulpit with Pastor Matt and having a partner in worship. It’s been four years since I was an intern and shared pastoral duties. It’s kind of fun (funny) that Karl Kay, the Director of Music at First Congregational has been playing for many of our Wednesday night services the past three years, so it wasn’t strange to have Pastor Matt join us in worship. Thanks also to Karl for bringing his people so that we could have a couple of pop-up choirs!
A HUGE shout-out to Lukas Jaeger, our Praise Team Coordinator, for all his efforts during the past two months. Lukas played for quite a few of our Mid-Week services along with all the special music for Palm/Passion Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Lukas also arranged the song the Easter Festival Choir sang! Our congregation is blessed to have Lukas sharing his many talents with us and leading us in worship. Lukas and Steve Krenz coordinated the music for Easter Sunday, and we were fortunate to have other talented musicians join in the fun.
Thanks to everyone who participated in preparing the church for Easter Sunday, especially to those who got up early on Easter morning to make breakfast! Much of what we do as Easter people is gathering around the table. Although Shrove Tuesday is technically not Lent, it seems appropriate we begin and end the season around the table. Of course, we are all invited to share in Christ’s table each time we come to church as we share in the Lord’s Supper.
Blessings abound!
See you in church!
Join us for worship!
Thursday, March 28th, 2024
When I was younger I never considered myself to be a church nerd, but as I reflect on growing up in the church, I would say that, yes, that is exactly what I am. Approaching the most holy weekend of the church year, I find myself in great anticipation for our worship that will occur at Dr. Martin Luther Church.
It all begins tonight at 6:00 pm when we will gather in the sanctuary for Maundy Thursday. The term “Maundy” refers to the Latin for “Mandatum” which is the origin of the English word, “mandate.” In the ecclesiastical setting, “Mandatum” is the ceremonial washing of feet by a priest or bishop, who represents Jesus Christ.
Tonight, the events of Jesus’ betrayal, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection are set into motion beginning with the remembrance of Jesus and his disciples gathering for Passover, which normally is a time of celebration. As writer Diana Butler Bass says:
This table is the hinge of history. The table is the point.
Thursday is the Last Supper and the First Feast.
The Holy Thursday Revolution.
Pull up a chair. Bring a friend.
The Disciples Peace Fellowship shares its prayer for this day.
And so our prayer this day, as we prepare to eat, drink, and remember,
is that we, in turn, might find the courage and the strength
and the passion-filled desire to welcome someone;
to in turn extend a glimpse of your radical hospitality,
starting with just one person.
By your grace and through the nourishment of your table,
we might begin reordering the brokenness, reigniting the extinguished lights,
and bringing a measure of wholeness to a broken and fragmented world.
In our chaos, O God, we pray this day that we will listen and hear you speak.
Amen.
Tonight, we enter the sanctuary with song and depart in silence.
See you in church!
Holy Week
Thursday, March 21st, 2024
Holy Week begins this Sunday, March 24th, as Christians remember and celebrate Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Holy Week is the biggest week in the church year, and at Dr. Martin Luther Church we will spend time on Maundy Thursday to celebrate the Last Supper, and on Good Friday we will mark the last words of Jesus Christ on the cross at his crucifixion.
For the past five weeks at our Midweek Lenten Services our congregation, in conjunction with the First Congregational Church of Oconomowoc, explored the commandment Jesus gave his disciples to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love their neighbor as themselves. Pastor Matt Schneider-Adams and I enjoyed sharing the pulpit and the altar at the noon and 5:00 pm services. We also welcomed members of the First Congregational Church’s choir with two pop-up choir opportunities.
As Holy Week begins and as I look back at our time in Lent, I think about how all Christians have spent time considering Jesus’ journey to the cross and our response to his crucifixion, death, and resurrection.
See you in worship!
Happy PIE/PI Day!
Thursday, March 14th, 2024
Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) around the world. Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159. Pi Day is an annual opportunity for math enthusiasts to recite the infinite digits of Pi, talk to their friends about math, and eat pie.
At my daughter’s high school, they celebrate PI Day by allowing students to make donations to pie teachers in the face during an assembly and each other throughout the day. There is an assembly where the teachers/staff are “pied” according to the amounts donated. All the money raised was donated to a chosen charity. Most students memorize 10 to 40 digits of pi, in 2019, a student recorded 1,050 digits, a new school record.
I saw a meme on Facebook with this message: “Love is not pie, hand out your eight slices, and then you’re done…love is pi, irrational & never-ending,” not unlike the song, “Reckless Love.”
Oh the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
It chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn’t earn it, and I don’t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up
Coming after me
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
Lie You won’t tear down
Coming after me
See you in worship!
First Communion
Thursday, March 7th, 2024
Each year, our Fifth Graders receive instruction in preparation for celebrating their First Communion. They learn how the elements used in Holy Communion are placed and used. They also filled communion trays and washed the communion cups that will be used on Sunday!
For Lutherans, a sacrament is something Jesus commanded us to do, in addition, it uses a physical element—something we can see, touch, or sometimes taste; and is connected with God’s promise, the word of God. We believe that God encounters us both in word (scripture, preaching, song, prayer) and sacrament.
Lutherans celebrate two sacraments; baptism, and Holy Communion. Infants, children, and adults become a part of the Christian community in Holy Baptism, a ritual of word and washing with water. Christians encounter Christ weekly not only in words but also by Christ’s promise paired with sharing bread and wine in Holy Communion.
In both Baptism and Communion, we encounter Christ. The sacraments are wonderful ways in which Christ is present to us. In the sacraments, we receive the gift of Jesus Christ, signs of God’s mercy and forgiveness. As we celebrate them, we are marked and nourished as Christ’s body and strengthened for our life together. In sharing the sacraments each time we come to worship, we affirm their centrality to our faith.
See you in worship!
Quilting at Dr. Martin Luther Church
Thursday, February 29th, 2024
There are numerous ways for members and friends to be part of the mission of Dr. Martin Luther Church. One of the longest-running ministries of DMLC is the quilting ministry. Meeting on the third Wednesday of each month, our quilters gather to put together some of the more than 100 quilts sewn every year. The quilts are distributed to different non-profit organizations, including Lutheran World Relief (LWR).
The quilters are celebrating National Quilting Day on Saturday, March 16th, from 9:00-11:00 with an event to show people how we have been putting our “faith into action!” There will be snacks to share, a quilting demonstration, a video about LWR’s quilting ministry, and even an opportunity to learn how to make a quilt.
The seasonal publication for LWR, God’s Love in Action, highlights ways our donations of quilts and other items provide for people in need of our compassion and prayer. The quilts from DMLC are shipped to Minnesota, with final destinations of:
Angola, Dominican Republic, Republic of Georgia, Guatemala, Liberia, Mali, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and The Gambia.
The Outreach Ministry Team’s Wishing Well Focus for March will be collecting items for Baby Care Kits, including items pictured below. There is more information posted on the bulletin board in the gathering space outside of the sanctuary.
Read more about the Baby Care Kits in the link:
https://lwr.org/kits/baby-care-kits/instructions
See you in worship!
Worship at Dr. Martin Luther Church
Thursday, February 22nd, 2024
Our congregation has been blessed over the years with so many talented people who provide music for worship. From the beginning of my time as pastor for DMLC, we have had several musicians leading worship. Shortly after I arrived, we hired Lukas Jaeger, Steve Krenz, and Joshua Parman to lead our Sunday morning services. Steve and Joshua rotated playing on Sunday mornings, giving us the unique opportunity to experience two different styles. Karl Kay initially served as organist on Saturday evenings, which we eventually moved to Wednesdays in 2022.
In the fall of 2022, we were blessed again to welcome a new musician to our midst as Thomas Heidenreich, the Organist-in-Residence at Nashotah House joined us as our regular Wednesday musician. Karl continued to play for DMLC in the summer, when he was available, as well as serving during our midday Lent services in 2023.
At the beginning of this year, 2024, I was informed by Joshua Parman of his decision to move out of the area. Then, just two weeks later, Thomas informed me that he had accepted a new position out of state and would be moving the following month.
With Lent on the horizon, I approached Karl Kay to see if he might be able to serve as our Wednesday evening organist. He indicated his desire to play, however, with his other responsibilities as the Choir Director at First Congregational Church, we would need to change our worship times. So, that is what we had to do. Our Worship & Music Ministry Team will continue to reassess the situation, and we are in the process of securing another accompanist for Sundays.
I want to express my gratitude to all Lukas and the Praise Team for continuing to work with whoever has sat at the piano with them each Sunday. I also want to thank Steve Krenz for his work not only as an accompanist but also in working with our soundboard to improve our livestream.
See you in worship!
Bad Day, Good Day
Thursday, February 15th, 2024
A couple of weeks ago, a video popped up on my Instagram of a young man sitting at a picnic table with a rudimentarily written sign, “Sit Here if you’re Having a Bad Day.”
A moment later a man walks by and says, “That’s me.” He sits across the table, grabs a set of headphones and the young man starts to play his piano/synthesizer, creating the beat and background music before he starts singing,
I’m ‘bout to have a good day
No matter what they say
The sun is shining down on me
Birds are singing praise
I’m ‘bout to have a good day
In every single way
The God who made the universe
Knows me by my name
So it’s a good day.
The man rocks back in response and says, “I needed that…thank you, bro!”
What would it mean for us to wish a “good day” to someone who needs a lift?
We have that opportunity, if we choose when we come to worship, to offer a sign of peace, a handshake, or a hug to those who are worshiping around us.
That’s not to say we can’t offer God’s peace to anyone, at any time, it’s just that when we come to worship we welcome God’s presence and wish others to share in that knowledge with us. It’s a good day.
YouTube Shorts, Forrest Frank, Good Day
See you in worship!
Transfiguration
Thursday, February 8th, 2024
In preparation for this week’s sermon, I found myself down a little bit of a rabbit hole considering the word “transfiguration” and came upon the story of Nanny McPhee.
Nanny McPhee is based on the book series Nurse Matilda written by the British children’s author Christianna Brand. Nanny McPhee arrives at the home of widower Cedric Brown in an attempt to corral his seven rather unruly children. The children have managed to dispatch several nannies with their incorrigible behavior, not unlike the Banks children in Mary Poppins. Upon meeting the children, Nanny McPhee, with an exterior that seems to match the children’s abhorrent behavior, tells them,
“When you need me but do not want me, then I must stay. When you want me but no longer need me, then I have to go.”
Over time, like Jane and Michael Banks, the children under Nanny McPhee’s care are transformed, bit by bit; so too, is Nanny McPhee.
There are many aspects of the story of Nanny McPhee for us to ponder, such as the sadness we feel when someone we love is no longer with us. Although Jesus Christ will physically leave the disciples after the resurrection, his presence through the Holy Spirit remains.
See you in worship!
Our Mission
Thursday, January 25th, 2024
I hope all of you will make plans to attend worship and the Annual Meeting this Sunday, January 28, 2024. We will have ONE worship service this week at 10:00 am, followed by our Annual Meeting, which will begin at approximately 11:30. The Annual Meeting is an opportunity for the entire congregation to gather together in worship and then reflect on the year we have just come through as we look forward to the coming year.
Thank you for the support each of you has given the church through your time and talents. Each member of our congregation adds something unique and special to the life of the church, and it is good and right to celebrate what that means for last year and the year to come!
I am so grateful for the work of our staff, the Church Council and our ministry teams; Administration & Finance, Empower to Grow, Outreach, Technology, and Worship & Music, as they lead our congregation. Let’s continue to be a beacon of light in our community!
See you in worship!!
Centered on Christ
Thursday, January 18th, 2024
One year ago, artist Cheryl Baker created the mural that is in our nursery. Cheryl said her general idea would be choosing something that would make it appealing to children and their parents. She hoped the mural would spark conversations between parents and their children. When we discussed what it might look like, the most important thing to me was having a tree featured prominently in the mural. In our exploration of the direction of the mural, she sent to me a number of images to give me some possibilities of the design. Included was a tree with words essentially forming the trunk and branches. That was perfect for the vision we both had. Anchoring the background is the steeple and front steps of the church.
At the base of the tree, in wispy grasses, are the words, fellowship, witness and encouragement. Those are wonderful images for what our congregation hopes to be. Through our worship, our outreach, and our opportunities to gather as community, we are living out our mission statement, that, “Centered on Christ, we are called to be an inviting beacon of light in our community.”
See you in worship!!
It was worth the wait.
Thursday, January 11th, 2024
It was worth the wait.
I woke up this morning to a beautiful carpet of white covering the ground and clinging to the trees. I could tell from the snow piled on the railing of the deck that it was not the wet, heavy snow that fell on Tuesday, this was the fluffy stuff I don’t mind shoveling.
It hasn’t felt too much like winter, with mild temperatures in the second week of January, when we are normally below freezing during the day, and many times below zero. Today was a good day to have to drive down pretty country roads and enjoy the beauty of winter.
Before we get to the really cold temperatures that will be coming soon, today is the kind of day that makes a person want to linger outside and enjoy the winter landscape. It’s the kind of day to give thanks for the beauty of creation — and a reminder of why some of us love living in Wisconsin.
God nourishes our souls with God’s creation, and the sun, moon, and stars remind us that God’s light and love shine continue to shine on us, even when we feel as if we are in darkness.
What hymn or song do you sing to yourself when you encounter a day like today. Here is the third verse of one of my favorite hymns, “Beautiful Savior.”
Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight, bright the sparkling stars on high;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer, than all the angels in the sky.
See you in worship!!
Where do you fit in?
Thursday, January 4th, 2024
One year ago I was recovering from surgery after tearing my rotator cuff. I remember feeling so fortunate to be able to have my shoulder put “back together.”
As we approach 2024, it is my hope that our congregation will continue to stitch ourselves together so that our community of faith functions as part of the body of Christ.
We are about four years past the effects of when the pandemic hit. One of the things that the pandemic did for us was to help us find ways to share time together, and one of the things that became popular was putting puzzles together.
Have you ever worked on a puzzle, but upon getting to the end discover there is one piece missing? You might have felt a little disappointed that after all that work, there is no satisfaction to see the completed picture.
Dr. Martin Luther Church is a congregation that depends upon all of its members to continue to “be an inviting beacon of light in our community.”
Where do you fit in?
Happy New Year! (Almost!)
Thursday, December 28th, 2023
Our New Year’s Eve blended-worship will be at 10:00 on Sunday, December 31st. This is an opportunity to join with friends from the other worship services you might not see otherwise.
We will begin the New Year with the way we always welcome the first week of every month, by serving a meal at St. Ben’s in Milwaukee, on Wednesday, January 3rd. Our St. Ben’s team could use help with making the stuffing that is part of the turkey dinner we provide each month. If you would like to help continue the ministry that has been serving at St. Ben’s for almost 30 years, please contact Beth at the church office.
This month there are a number of new ways we can connect with each other outside of worship. On Monday, January 8th, at noon and 6:30 p.m. there will be a book club featuring Rachel Held Evans’ Searching for Sunday. This book club will meet on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of January, February, and March. You must purchase your own copy of the book — buy local!
We are going to host a Chili Challenge Cook-Off at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 14th. Sign-up if you want to enter a chili recipe for others to try or to bring other side items. The winner will receive two tickets to a future Lake Country Dockhounds game!
If you have other ideas our congregation can serve the community or join in a social event, please don’t hesitate to talk to me.
See you in worship!!
In Those Days...
Thursday, December 21st, 2023
While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The most wonderful news, of the greatest joy, for all the world, is remembered by us this weekend as we celebrate with Christians everywhere on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Messiah promised to us, Jesus Christ, came into the world in the most humblest of circumstances. The news of his birth was first shared by angels to shepherds in a field, who were keeping watch over their sheep. It is recorded by the Gospel of Luke that the shepherds were the first to visit the new baby.
The stories and songs of the shepherds invite us to consider how we would receive the news they heard. The sights and sounds of the Christmas Story encourage us to stop and stay for a little while at the manger, remembering the moment when we understood the promise that came to earth. Joy to the world, the LORD has come to all who receive him.
See you in church!
Celebrating the Longest Night
Thursday, December 14th, 2023
We are approaching the end of Advent and preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus — at the same time as we mark the Longest Night — the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere which occurs on December 21st or 22nd. The Winter Solstice is a significant time of year celebrated by many cultural festivals and rituals as it marks the symbolic death and rebirth of the sun.
While this time of year can be difficult for some, we live in the hope of Jesus Christ. Each time we gather as a community, we create a sense of belonging around our shared beliefs and expressions of faith, providing meaning and purpose for ourselves and for others.
As much as I am not fond of the long, dark days of our winter, I enjoy the anticipation of getting to the Longest Night, especially as it coincides with the Celebration of Christmas. I think it is the watchfulness, the waiting, the expectation, and the hope of Advent that answer the question of how to find our way in the dark.
See you in church!
Advent and Christmas Schedule
Thursday, December 7th, 2023
We are in the second week of Advent, and before we know it Christmas will be upon us! This information has been communicated to you in the December Newsletter, and if you receive the email blasts each week, it will be repeated there. However, I would like to take this opportunity to invite each of you to attend our special Advent and Christmas worship services.
On Sunday, December 17th, there will be only one service at 10:00 a.m. as our children will present their Annual Christmas Program, “The Christmas Story — Jesus is the Same, Yesterday, Today, and Forever!”
We will celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent on Wednesday, December 20th, at 6:00 p.m.
Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year, so there will not be a service in the morning, as we will celebrate The Nativity of Our Lord at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. There will be a Children’s Message at the 3:00 p.m. service.
Pastor Gary Liedtke will preach and preside at our 10:00 a.m. service on Christmas Day.
We will have our normally scheduled Midweek Service on Wednesday, December 27th at 6:00 p.m. On New Year’s Eve, Sunday, December 31st, there will be just one service at 10:00 a.m.
Please invite your family and friends to join us for worship! We look forward with anticipation for the arrival of Emmanuel, God with us.
See you in church!
Advent Blessings!
Thursday, November 30th, 2023
This week marks the beginning of the four weeks of Advent, an important time in the liturgical season and the life of the church. As we anticipate the arrival of Jesus Christ on Christmas Eve, the church enters into a season of preparedness.
Our four weeks of Advent is an opportunity to take time out of your day to prepare on your own! In the image below, I have shared two ways to keep Advent.
The Advent Calendar was shared on our social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) so you can save that image to your phones/iPads/computers and create your own time of devotion. adventword.org also put out a list of words for you to consider as well.
Please share these with your family and friends. Moses encouraged the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 6:6-9 to enter into discussion about matters of faith and God’s word.
“Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
See you in church!
Time, Talents & Treasure
Friday, November 24th, 2023
Recognizing that everything we have belongs to God and is entrusted to our care, the congregation of Dr. Martin Luther Church is called to joyfully share our God-given time, talents, and treasures. We willingly share our gifts both in the church and with the world.
Sharing our treasures with others through our contributions ensures that God’s work will continue to grow and thrive. Dr. Martin Luther Church uses our gifts of time, talent, and treasure to proclaim God’s love to others, both within the walls of DMLC and with the greater communities in which we live. There are endless opportunities for all to share their gifts through the work of Dr. Martin Luther’s five ministry teams:
Administration & Finance
Empower to Grow
Outreach
Technology
Worship & Music
There will be more information coming soon about how to get “plugged in.”
See you in church!
First Call
Thursday, November 16th, 2023
This week I was in Wausau for my last First Call Theological Conference with my Greater Milwaukee Synod colleagues. It was a wonderful two days, spent in the shadow of Rib Mountain, in fact, you can see the church where we gathered (St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church) from the top of Rib Mountain.
First Call Theological Education (FCTE) is a three-year structured personal and leadership development program designed to assist newly called leaders in the transition to rostered ministry. It involves continued biblical, theological, and practical continuing education; intentional reading to support that ongoing education; and the formation of intentional collegial connections.
At the end of our time together, we gathered for worship and renewed our ordination vows, which was very impactful. Here is part of the charge given to me on the day of my ordination:
Clare, care for God’s people and witness faithfully in word and deed to all people. Give and receive comfort as you serve within the church. And be of good courage, for God has called you, and your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
It is my joy to serve the congregation of Dr. Martin Luther Church.
See you in church!
Stewardship of Time
Thursday, November 9th, 2023
We are busy people! God has given us 24 hours each day to live, work, serve, and praise. How are we using our time? How might we best steward the time that God has given to us, as individuals and as a congregation, to love God and our neighbor?
We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work. It shows each month through the responses we have for each Outreach Ministry Team/Wishing Well focus. By participating in each month’s campaign, we are living out the call to love our neighbor.
In our Gospel text two weeks ago Matthew 22:36-39, Jesus was asked:
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
If we focus on these two commands, we realize you can’t really love God without loving your neighbor, and if you love your neighbor, then you love God. We all need to discover the vertical and horizontal relationships that go together— reaching up to God, and reaching out to our neighbor.
See you in church!!
Stewardship of Talents
Thursday, November 2nd, 2023
The Apostle Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians is always offered by the Revised Common Lectionary during the Time after Epiphany in Year C. The letter begins with Paul appealing to the Church in Corinth for unity among them. This provides the backdrop for what will come later in the letter, in chapter 12.
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
5 and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord;
6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.
God has given each of us unique gifts and talents. One of the primary places that God has called us to use these gifts and talents is through our vocations. We are also called to share the ways with which we are gifted in other ways. The congregation of Dr. Martin Luther Church is dependent on the sharing of the gifts and talents God has given to each member. It is through sharing those gifts that God’s love is spread both inside the church and outside to our communities. We are so grateful for how each of you chooses to share those gifts and talents with us.
See you in church!!
Reformation
Thursday, October 26th, 2023
This Sunday we celebrate the 506th Anniversary of the Reformation. Here are some of the basic facts about the Reformation, taken from The Lutheran Handbook, part of the Here We Stand confirmation curriculum:
FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE LUTHERAN REFORMATION
Most people in medieval times had low expectations. They didn’t know anything about advanced medicine, modern psychology, or what it was like to live in a democracy. They didn’t expect to live very long. They didn’t think they had much power over their lives. And they didn’t think being an “individual” was very important.
The “Lutheran” reformers were Catholic. The reformers wanted to make changes within the one Christian church in Europe, but they wanted to stay Catholic. None of them ever expected that their actions would lead to the dozens of Christian denominations around today.
People in medieval times weren’t allowed to choose their own religion. You could believe whatever you wanted, but you could only practice the faith your prince or king chose. After the Reformation, only the regions whose princes had signed the Augsburg Confession could practice any faith other than Catholicism.
Martin Luther wasn’t the only reformer. Luther wanted the church to rediscover the good news of Jesus that creates and restores faith. Other reformers fought for these changes: separation of church and state, a mystical relationship with God, better-educated priests, and more moral leaders in the church.
Luther and his colleagues cared about what you hear in church today. They taught pastors how to tell the difference between law and gospel so the Word of God would hit home and create faith. This skill has been taught to Lutheran pastors ever since.
Lutheran Handbook: A Field Guide to Church Stuff, Everyday Stuff, and the Bible (pp. 56, 59-60). Augsburg Fortress.
See you in church!!
Core Values
Thursday, October 19th, 2023
A year ago at this time, I made a visit to Urgent Care after injuring my shoulder. The nurse practitioner at the clinic after looking at my x-ray made a comment about how we both knew because the x-ray was negative what the results of an MRI would be in a month’s time, a torn rotator cuff. She was right. After having surgery in January, the orthopedic surgeon cautioned me about the length of recovery for an injury and surgery like mine. One year. One year!! While we have passed a year since I first injured my shoulder I am still more than two months away from when I had surgery.
Every time I begin the Words of Institution in preparation for Holy Communion, I am reminded of how far I have come since the injury. There was a lot of pain along with a physical impairment, as I wasn’t able to lift my right arm. I am so grateful to my care teams for all they have done for me over the last few months to put me back together.
The experience of the last year and the two surgeries continue to remind me how we can’t always see the injuries that people have experienced on the outside, the work they have put in to recover from those injuries, and all the people along the way who have assisted them in recovery.
This morning I was at another appointment at St. Luke’s in Milwaukee and had occasion to pause and be thankful for the gifts of this experience. I visited the Healing Garden on the 8th floor and was fortunate to see the beauty of the changing seasons.
See you in church!!
Where do I turn?
Thursday, October 12th, 2023
In the wake of the events this past weekend in the Middle East, I have attempted to make some sense of why things like the attacks in and around the Gaza Strip happen in the world today. The truth is there are no easy answers to these difficult times or questions.
My favorite tour guide, Rick Steves, well-known for his guidebooks and travel videos, produced a PBS special, “The Holy Land: Israelis and Palestinians Today,” eight years ago. It focuses on the three million Palestinians who live in the West Bank, which is politically distinct from the Gaza Strip, where Hamas is the ruling party.
Conflict is nothing new to the region and the history is long and complicated. I share this resource in hopes it will help create an understanding of why the region is so fraught with dissension and hostilities.
In the meantime, we continue to lift our prayers to God for peace and understanding.
Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison
Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy.
The Holy Land: Israelis and Palestinians Today: https://youtu.be/wg1unr6eNpQ?si=JcrjdY3c9ReGyoj8
See you in church!!
Imagine...
Thursday, October 5th, 2023
On the mural in the nursery, there is a tree in the foreground and an image of Dr. Martin Luther Church in the background. When this mural was imagined by the artist, she asked me for a list of words that I thought described the church and what they mean for our community.
I have blurred out the words on the image posted here so that you can fill in those words for yourself.
Think about these things:
For the roots, where did this church come from? What cultures have influenced this congregation?
For the ground, what are the things that have influenced the growth of the church?
For the trunk, what are the values of this congregation?
For the branches, for you, who are the people who have made a significant contribution to the life of the church?
For the leaves, what are the hopes and dreams you have for this congregation?
For the seeds that will be spread from the tree, what are the legacies you hope to leave?
Have fun with this — if you have young children or grandchildren — ask them the same question.
See you in church!!
Homecoming Weekend
Thursday, September 28th, 2023
I have been coming back to Oconomowoc for my reunions ever since I graduated in 1978. This is the first year we will be having our reunion on Homecoming Weekend! There are a lot of events planned, including the opportunity for my classmates to attend worship together on Sunday morning.
My sister remarked to me the other day that this would be the first time I am living in Oconomowoc for one of our reunions, as I used to stay at my dad’s or my sister’s house when I would come back to town. I am looking forward to walking from our home to the parade — it’s nice to not have to worry about finding a place to park.
If you are planning on watching the Homecoming Parade, come to church and welcome others to watch the parade from the church steps.
See you in church!!
Back to Normal?
Thursday, September 21st 2023
This past Sunday, September 17th, the last piece of the puzzle indicating the summer is over, as Sunday School was back in session! It was great to have the kids back in church.
Even though today feels like it is still summer, the Fall Equinox is Saturday, September 23rd. On this day, the sun shines directly on the equator, and the northern and southern hemispheres get the same amount of the sun’s rays.
The other day as I rode across the bridge from Oakwood Avenue, I noticed the first signs of autumn, as the trees change from their deep greens to various shades of red, orange, and yellow.
In the change from the busyness of summer activities to a more regular schedule of school and work life, join us in worship on Wednesday nights at 6:00 p.m. and Sunday mornings at 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. All are welcome.
See you in church!!
Outreach For Hope
Thursday, September 14th 2023
During the month of September, we are raising money for the Greater Milwaukee Synod’s Outreach for Hope, with a goal of $1,000:
“Outreach for Hope supports life-giving ministries that serve the people of low-income communities in the Greater Milwaukee Synod, ELCA. These ministries not only provide help with daily necessities, but most importantly, they are centers in the heart of their communities for providing transformation and hope.”
We will also support Outreach for Hope’s Annual Run-Ride-Walk “Miles for Hope,” as we serve breakfast at Cory Municipal Park in Dousman. Sign-up sheets to participate in the Run-Ride-Walk or to help with the breakfast are in the gathering space. The deadline to sign up is Monday, September 25th.
See you in church!!
Ready, Set, Go!!
Thursday, September 7th 2023
This Sunday, September 10th, essentially marks the end of summer and is the kick-off for the fall. There will be an all-church breakfast at 9:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall followed by a unity worship service at 10:00 a.m. In recognition of the ELCA’s “God’s Work, Our Hands” we are having a one-day food drive for the Oconomowoc Food Pantry. Please take a look at the list provided and bring those items with you to church.
About six months ago we began utilizing the screens that had been installed in the sanctuary and both our worship services on Sunday morning began going live on our DMLC YouTube channel. Since then we know we are getting 4 or 5 people viewing both of the services “live.” If you know someone who is unable to attend church in person, please help them watch on their Smart TV, computer, tablet, or phone. We have also increased our presence on social media with Facebook and Instagram posts every day. If you are on either of those social media platforms, make sure you follow and like the posts — that way more people will see what is happening in the life of Dr. Martin Luther Church.
Join us this Sunday and each week for worship. All are welcome!
See you in church!!
Long-Time Traveller
Thursday, August 31st 2023
Most of you will already know how I am apt to connect songs with the stories I share, and this week it is a song from the Wailin’ Jenny’s called “Long Time Traveller.”
In my experiences over the past five years as a chaplain and pastor, I have had the opportunity to sit with parishioners and patients in their last days. There have been many occasions, especially during the height of the pandemic, where I was in the room as a patient passed from one life to the next. I’m always amazed at the thin veil that separates the two.
After assisting with a funeral for a friend a week and a half ago and presiding over my first wedding in the sanctuary at Dr. Martin Luther Church this past weekend, more than one person remarked to me how much easier it must be to preside over a happy occasion like a wedding rather than a funeral. While the emotions are different for each of these services, there are definitely similarities in both. Tears of joy are certainly shed at funerals and weddings, as we look back during one and look forward during the other.
I’m so grateful for the opportunity to serve families during all the different milestones of their lives.
See you in church!!
Up North!
Thursday, August 24th 2023
There are many definitions for “up north” here in Wisconsin. Our family began taking that vernacular to another level in 2005 when we ventured to the North Shore of Minnesota, invited by our friends from Georgia who have a cabin in Lutsen, right on the shore of Lake Superior. It has been nine years since our last trip to the beautiful spot.
Many of you are finishing up the summer’s last trips, and I hope the memories you are making will last a lifetime.
See you in church!!
Buckle Up!
Thursday, August 17th 2023
We are winding down the summer with the last two weekends of August upon us!
September will start rather quietly because it is a holiday weekend. We will have one blended service on September 3rd at 10:00 am. The office is closed for Labor Day on Monday, the 4th, and then we kick things into gear.
We are back serving at St. Ben’s on Wednesday, September 6th, but there is NO WORSHIP Wednesday evening. On Sunday, September 10th, we will all gather together for breakfast at 9:00 am, with a unity worship service beginning at 10:00 am.
During worship on the 10th, we are asking everyone to bring items for the Oconomowoc Food Pantry. Let’s fill our baskets full for our neighbors in the Lake Country area.
Did you know that September 10th is National Grandparents Day? We will have a special blessing for all grandparents during worship. All families are welcome to join in the fun.
One of the things we heard from our Worship Survey was that people felt our congregation could do more to connect with each other. There are many opportunities for the whole of the church to connect in ways they feel comfortable.
There are Adult Bible Studies, Women’s Circles, Dartball, Softball, Quilting, and B.A.G.S., to name just a few of the weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly activities.
If you are interested in helping with worship, there are many ways to be involved! Sing in the Praise Band, help with the chancel (communion/decorations), or be an assisting ministry or communion assistant.
Some of our most important work is done outside the walls of the church, and the month of September offers many opportunities: St. Ben’s (as always the first Wednesday of the month), we are also back at the Hope Center in Waukesha on Friday, September 15th, and then serving breakfast for the Greater Milwaukee Synod’s Outreach for Hope Ride/Run/Walk at Cory Park in Dousman on Saturday, September 30th.
Individually, and collectively, we are like the pieces of a puzzle…we come in different shapes and sizes, using the gifts and talents with which God has so richly blessed us. When we all put all the pieces together there is a beautiful picture.
Where do you fit in?
See you in church!!
God's Work Our Hands
Thursday, August 10th 2023
It is hard to believe we are in the last few weeks of summer! The advertisements for Back-to-School sales are already out, and I even saw a display of decorative pumpkins at a local grocery store. While Vacation Bible School just finished, plans are already in the works for the start of Sunday School for the kids, and adults should keep an eye out for some additional Adult Bible Study opportunities!
We are making a change to our worship schedule for the week of September 6th/10th. There will be no Wednesday worship that week and we will have a Unity Service at 10:00 am so our whole congregation can come together for God’s Work, Our Hands Sunday. This is the 10th Anniversary of the ELCA initiative:
“This day is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.
Service activities offer an opportunity for us to explore one of our most basic convictions as Lutherans: that all of life in Jesus Christ – every act of service, in every daily calling, in every corner of life – flows freely from a living, daring confidence in God’s grace.”
Because this is our first year, we are going to a simple one-day service project, a food drive for the Oconomowoc Food Pantry. Let’s fill some shopping carts with these items:
Canned Products/Fruits, Meats, Sauces, Soups
Dry Food Products/Breads, Crackers
Baking Products/Spices
Nutritious High Protein Foods
Pasta, Boxed Pasta/Peanut Butter
Soap, Shampoo/Conditioners
Toothpaste/Toothbrushes
Toiletries/Toilet Tissue
Baby Wipes and Diapers
Feminine Personal Products
Lotion/Deodorant, Shaving Soap
Sandwich Bags/Paper Towel
Prior to worship we will have breakfast in the Fellowship Hall beginning at 9:00 am. There will be sign-ups for opportunities to donate items, make and serve breakfast beginning next week.
See you in church!!
Where Joy Meets Need
Thursday, August 3rd 2023
Kaitlyn Schiess said on a recent Holy Post Podcast when talking about the opportunity to help out her pastor as he was wrangling his five kids. Schiess took the baby while he took care of the other kids. When the pastor came back to take the baby, effusive in his determination to release Schiess from the duty she offered, Schiess commented to him, “Your need meets my joy at this exact place, I would love nothing more than to hold this baby.” Schiess continued, “It doesn’t always work out that way, in a broken, fallen world, the joy and the need doesn’t always meet. The miracle of the church…this call to sacrifice and commitment…is rooted in love and joy.”
We have seen that commitment rooted in love and joy this week at Vacation Bible School! Blessings abound as needs were met with joy and love by our volunteers. Smiles abound as the kids learned the stories of love embodied in Jesus Christ. Thanks to everyone who participated and made it such a great week. Thanks be to God.
See you in church!!
The Dockhounds & National Root Beer Float Day
Thursday, July 27th 2023
Next Tuesday there will be more than 60 members of Dr. Martin Luther Church (and friends) on “The Beach” at the Lake Country Dockhounds game. The following Sunday, August 6th, is National Root Beer Float Day. Those are just two of the events DMLC is participating in during August. (See the rest of this email and the newsletter for more!)
There is little doubt our congregation likes to gather for events such as this because it is fun to connect with other members in a social setting. The work of the church also explores new ways to create community. It is in our meeting with each other outside of worship that allows us the opportunity to connect in a different way, and get to know each other better.
The same goes for other activities and events that are more “church” related, such as attending a Bible study, serving on chancel, being an usher or greeter, helping with VBS or Sunday school. None of these things would happen without people using their gifts and talents to serve the church and love our neighbors.
I am incredibly grateful for all who attend worship, who pitch in when they see a need, or provide prayer support. All those things are ways of creating community and sharing our faith.
See you in church!!