Come to worship

Sunday, November 5
All Saints Sunday

On this All Saints Sunday, we remember all those saints in faith who have gone before us. We will celebrate Holy Communion at 8:30 a.m. , using With One Voice liturgy, and featuring the Sanctuary Choir, and at 10:45 a.m. with Electric Gospel. This morning at Donuts & Dialogue, we will conclude our discussion on the death penalty question.

Sunday, November 12

On this Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost we celebrate Holy Communion at 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. using the liturgy from Feast and Celebration, featuring the Christus Choir at 8:30 a.m. and the Sanctuary Choir at 10:45 a.m. Adopt-a-Family kick-off today!

A Word from our Pastor: Is God Green?

In recent weeks I have had the opportunity to learn more about the environmental crisis our planet is experiencing and our necessary response to that crisis as Christians. Barbara Rossing, a professor at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago , offers a vision of healing and peace from the book of Revelation, which depicts lush green space with the tree of life by the flowing river of God . She urged the audience of rostered church leaders to envision and work towards this kind of sustainable life while we are still on this earth, to cut our consumption, and to recognize that global warming will create an environmental refugee crisis if we do not radically modify our behavior. Revelation describes such a renewal of the earth, led by the Lamb who offers healing rather than destruction.

The recent PBS documentary, “Is God Green?” told the story of a growing movement amongst evangelical Christians to care for creation. No longer an issue exclusively for “liberal” Christians to embrace, the protection of the environment is seen by these more “conservative” Christians as a biblical imper-ative to care for that which God has given us. This has caused division within their ranks, as many of their evangelical brothers and sisters downplay the threat of global warming. It is a fight with political and religious implications, not to mention the impact it could have on our planet.

Finally, David Rhoads, also of the Lutheran School of Theology, shared with over thirty congregations across the Greater Milwaukee Synod ways that the church can take seriously our responsibility as stewards (not dominators!) of the earth. From prayers in worship to reducing the amount of paper used in the church office to educational opportunities for all ages, we learned how to make care for creation an integral part of our mission as a congregation.

As one who believes that God is green, that God loves the creation God has made and desires that we live long and well in the lands that God has given us, I will be working with a group of individuals here at First United to find ways to further “green” our congregation. If you would be interested in working with such a “Green Team” on a monthly basis, please contact me at church (452-2401).

The call to renew the earth and its resources is an urgent one for people of our time and we as Christians have a God-given mandate to respond. As we work towards changing the world, in great and small ways, may we be inspired by God’s vision of a new earth, as written in Revelation 22: “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”

-Pastor Gail

Thank you for supporting Lutheran World Relief!

Thank you to everyone who supported our 2006 Lutheran World Relief Boxcar Drive ! A special thanks to all who donated clothing and kits, and to the Quilters who made and donated hundreds of beautiful quilts, and to everyone who helped load our donated items and quilts on the LWR boxcar. Your generosity and help is very much appreciated! Thanks again!

WOW!!

A couple of times each year we are responsible for Emmaus Meals, and we look to you to help supply the food and supplies needed for the meal. Well...for the first time in all the years we’ve prepared this meal, ALL the items needed were provided by the congregation, AND it was all brought to the church ON TIME!! There was no need for additional shopping! And for that, the committee is truly grateful!
And a special thank you to our volunteers! On Saturday, October 14, First United volunteers served 141 guests at Sheboygan ’s Salvation Army Emmaus Meal. Thank yous go out to the valued volunteers who cooked, served, helped with set-up and clean-up, as well as those who donated food. We couldn’t have done it without you! Your hard work is appreciated. If you’d like more information about Emmaus Ministry please contact the coordinators: Michelle Nolan Olmsted at 457-5190 or Beth Stockdale at 452-0338.

225 quilts!!

Our very loyal Quilting Ladies are to be commended as they produced over 225 quilts, which were donated to Lutheran World Relief to provide warmth to the less fortunate in our world! They meet just twice a month on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month to put together these quilts for LWR. If you’d care to become a quilter, please contact Eunice Goettel.

Are you looking for a good daily devotional?

The Upper Room Disciplines is one of the most popular daily devotional books available. “Disciplines” follows the same revised common lectionary that we use for our Sunday morning worship. It offers daily scripture reading, wonderful stories and reflections from 53 different Christian writers. Each scriptural and real-life based meditation includes suggestions for prayer and further reflection that will help you be more open to God’s love and guidance. The Upper Room Disciplines are $11.50 each ($9.75 each if we have an order of ten or more). Please sign-up on the kiosk by Sunday, November 26, to order.

Toy Donations: TWO Opportunities to share with others!

Can you believe that Christmas is just around the corner? Well, as you prepare your hearts and minds (and homes) for the holidays, please remember the needs of those less fortunate. You’ll have two opportunities to do just that here at First United!

The first opportunity is Christmas Treasures on Sunday, December 3. On that day we invite all of you to bring an unwrapped toy or gift to church, which will then be given to the children in the Sheboygan area. There is always a special need to remember the teenage youth when selecting gifts. Gifts will be collected during worship at both services on that day.

The second opportunity to share is Adopt-a-Family. Names will be available for adoption beginning Sunday, November 12! Through our Adopt-a-Family program, individuals and families of First United are given the opportunity to “adopt” one or more individuals and families from the Sheboygan area who, because of their financial situation, are not able to afford Christmas gifts for themselves and their family. Beginning November 12, you may receive names for Christmas adoption each Sunday morning in the Gathering Area, or by calling Cindy Van Akkeren at 458-3761.

If you are able to adopt an individual or family, we ask that you please plan to spend an average of $50 per child and $25 per adult. This is very important, because it helps ensure that the gifts will be equally distributed between families and between individuals within a family.

For those who would prefer to have someone else do the shopping, financial contributions are also appreciated and very much needed. We also depend on financial support to purchase food certificates, which are given to each family with their gifts. Last year our Adopt-a-Family program provided additional joy to 78 families (320 people) in the Sheboygan area! Thank you for sharing your gifts with those in need!

It will take many hands to make this year’s Adopt-a-Family rogram a success. Please sign-up on the kiosk, or call the church office (452-2401) if you are able to help in any way. Thank you!

• Adopt-a-Family Dates
  
  Listed below are important Adopt-a-Family dates. Please mark your calendar!
  
  November 12: Kick-off Sunday
  November 12-December 3: Names will be available for “adoption”
  December 3: Last day to select names for “adoption”
  December 3: Youth shopping 2:00-5:00 p.m.
  December 6: Fill out Food Certificates
  December 10: All “adopted” gifts need to be wrapped and brought to church
  December 12: Gift wrapping 5:00-7:30 p.m. in Youth & Quilter’s rooms (for the gifts purchased by our youth)
  December 13: Sorting of gifts
  December 14: Delivery and pick-up of gifts

All Saints ORNAMENTS

On All Saints Sunday, November 5, First United remembered all our beloved saints who have gone before us in faith. Each year we construct a special ornament for each of our “saints” and they will be placed on our Christmas trees.

If you would like an ornament made for a loved one who passed away this past year, please call the church office with their name/s below and an ornament will be made for them as well. These ornaments will be available to you following Christmas.

Help needed at Bridgeway

We are need of ONE MORE volunteer on Tuesday, November 7, to help prepare an evening meal at Bridgeway, a transitional housing facility for women with children. Bridgeway is located at 1251 Geele Avenue , and is run by the Sheboygan County Interfaith Organization (SCIO). First United is a member of SCIO, and has agreed to help with their evening meal program on the seventh of every month. This may include helping the moms prepare, serve and clean up the evening meal, or it might be playing with the children so the moms can make dinner. The food is provided by Bridgeway, and the volunteers are invited and asked to stay for dinner to eat with the family. Can you help? Please sign up on the kiosk, or call the church office (452-2401). Thank you!

Congratulations!

Our congratulations to Krista Koch and Jeffrey Cira who were married Saturday, October 21; and to Jaclyn Lewis and Eric Stuart who were married Saturday, October 28. May God bless them as they establish new lives as husbands and wives!

Harvest Feast for VILs!!

You are invited to usher in the holiday season by dining together at City Streets Restaurant on Monday, November 13, at 12:00 noon . There will be a Thanksgiving feast, pie and enter-tainment! The cost is just $13 per person. Please call the church office at 452-2401 to make your reservation.

There is also a waiting list for the up-coming Fireside Christmas Show on December 6, leaving church at 8:00 a.m. If you’d like to add your name to the list, please sign up in the church office as soon as possible. The cost is $69 per person.

CONFIRMATION CAMP 2007

The date is in! Confirmation Camp for 7 th Graders will take place June 24-29 at Pine Lake . More details will be forthcoming!

Thrivent Cookie & Bake Sale
December 3

Our congregation’s Thrivent members will be hosting their 13 th Annual Cookie & Bake Sale on Sunday, December 3, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. here at First United. All proceeds will go to help support our Adopt-a-Family program.

Please help make this year’s event a success by donating some of your favorite homemade baked goods! Please sign up on the kiosk in the Gathering Area to indicate what you plan to bring. Thank you in advance for your support and donations!

Congratulations - It’s a boy!

Our congratulations go out to Mike and Wendy Gorges at the birth of a baby boy, Brenton Michael, born on October 7. May God bless this new addition to their family!

(We would love to share your good news of new births with the congregation as they happen. Please call the church office with the information and we’ll include it in the following issue of the Good News. Thank you!

Jazz for Justice

If you’re interested in an evening of jazz, fellowship, food and a silent auction, you might want to check out Jazz for Justice on Saturday, November 11, at Faith Lutheran Church in Cedarburg, featuring the music of Musically Yours! The Reception and Silent Auction begins at 5:30 p.m. , with the jazz concert beginning at 7:00 p.m. Tickets (which include the reception and concert) are $20 for adults and $10 for seniors/students. For tickets or information, please call LHRA at 414-536-0585, or email at lhra@lhra.org.

With Deepest Sympathy

We offer our Christian love to the family of Milvina Voecthing at her death; to the family of Rose Speckman at the death of her mother; to the family of Kathy Warburton at the death of her sister-in-law; and to the family of Patty Aker at the death of her brother.

Monday Night Books

Order your book now! Our next Monday Night Books meeting will take place on Monday, January 22, but with the busy holiday season fast approaching it might be a good idea to read ahead! We will be discussing Pope Joan by Donna Cross, a favorite of many church book groups across the country. The legend of Pope Joan says that she disguised herself as a man and rose to rule Christianity for two years. A full book description can be found on the kiosk in the Gathering Area, along with a sign-up sheet. Join us!

Donuts & Dialogue
The Death Penalty: How should we respond?

Wisconsin voters will consider this advisory question on the November 7 ballot: “Should the death penalty be enacted in the State of Wisconsin for cases involving a person who is convicted of first-degree intentional homicide, if the conviction is supported by DNA evidence?” While the Christian tradition has much to teach us as we consider this important question, within most Wisconsin congregations opinions vary widely about the use of the death penalty. This ballot measure presents an opportunity for all of us to once again consider our faith in Jesus Christ and how that faith informs the choices we make about one of the most important public policy issues of our day.

On November 5, we will continue to discuss the death penalty question during Donuts & Dialogue at 9:40 a.m. in the Genszler Room. We are using a resource from the Wisconsin Council of Churches that presents both sides of the issue, enabling participants to make informed decisions before November 7. Please join us for this challenging and crucial conversation!

Welcome Back, Deaconess Deb!!

Deaconess Deb is returning from her three month sabbatical on October 28, just in time for worship the next day! We have missed her gracious presence and her vital ministry at First United, but we hope that her time away was renewing and refreshing. We look forward to hearing what she experienced in the past three months. Please welcome Deaconess Deb back when you see her!

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

“Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.”
~Psalm 86:6-7

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We conclude our series of newsletter articles with some guidelines for conversation if you are approached by someone who has been abused. The number one help for healing from abuse and its consequences with someone who is willing to listen.

• Don’t pry or push. Be supportive and let the victim know you are willing to listen when she would like to talk about it.
• Don’t be judgmental. Do not ask, “Why do you stay?” The decision to stay or leave is difficult and dangerous.
• Do leave the decision-making to the victim.
• Don’t smother the victim with sympathy. This may be disabling and cause the victim to feel less than capable.
• Do learn more about the topic of domestic violence.
• Do tell the victim they do not deserve to be abused.
• Do tell the victim about Safe Harbor Domestic Abuse Shelter.

Domestic abuse is a serious situation. Do not attempt to handle this problem on your own. Seek help from trained professionals specializing in this area. Safe Harbor Domestic Abuse Shelter is available at 920-452-7640.

“Responding Anew to God’s Grace”

Thanks to all of you who have filled out your 2007 Stewardship Responses! We appreciate your gifts to the Lord. Those of you who have not yet made your response, please pray about your giving for 2007, and return your response form at your earliest convenience. If you have not received a form, you may pick one up at the kiosk near the Welcome Center , or call the church office at 452-2401, and we will mail a form to you.

If you are interested in giving electronically through the Simply Giving Program, the application is on the back of the pledge form. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans underwrites the cost of this program.

Please consider increasing your percentage of giving to God through First United. When we “respond anew to God’s Grace,” We can do so much more to help those in our church family, our community, and around the world!

Bread Bakers

We are looking for Holy Communion bread bakers for the coming year! Please sign up on the kiosk in the Gathering Area. Bread recipes are available in the church office, if needed.

FREE Thanksgiving Meal

Don’t spend Thanksgiving Day alone, and don’t miss out on Thanksgiving dinner! The 19 th Annual Ecumenical Free Thanksgiving Day Dinner will be held at Immaculate Conception Church, 2722 South Henry Street , Sheboygan , on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. EVERYONE is welcome!! Transportation is also provided if needed, and meals can be delivered to shut-ins. Reservations are necessary ONLY if you need a ride to and from the church or if you want a meal delivered, and should be made by Monday, November 20, by calling 457-1405.

Volunteer help is also needed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, November 21, 22 and 23, at Immaculate Conception Hall. You will be assigned to prepare and cut turkeys and other food; set tables; serve meals; clear tables; visit with the people partaking of the meal; clean up after dinner; deliver meals; and provide transportation. Volunteers are encouraged to join in the meal. If you can help, call 457-1405.

If you cannot help in any of the above ways, you can still help by baking a pumpkin pie (please bring in a disposable container), or making bars of any kind. These should be brought to Immaculate Conception on Wednesday, November 22, between 1:00 and 6:00 p.m. , or Thursday, November 23, before 10:00 a.m. Thank you!

Great Beginnings “We Care” Program

Great Beginnings Preschool is currently involved with the We Care Program through Pick & Save grocery stores. We Care is a donation program which allows non-profit organizations to raise additional funds simply by shopping at Pick & Save. In order for us to benefit from this program, all you need to do is use your Advantage Saver’s Club Card and designate the Great Beginnings Preschool identification number with your card. This can easily be done at the customer service counter. Our ID number is 292900. Thanks for helping our preschool program grow!

Youth and Family - The search is on!

The Youth & Family Education Committee is looking to expand and add more people to our list of committee members. This committee meets on All Committee Night, and its focus is on the Sunday School and Confirmation programs and activities for the youth of our congregation and helps out with all the events and classes. If you are interested in the children and youth of our congregation, especially the Middle and High School youth, please contact Mary Gorges or Thom Nicla for more information.

Help Wanted for Kiddie Keep

First United Lutheran Church is seeking to hire a warm, nurturing person(s) to be in charge of our Kiddie Keep program. The ideal candidate will love caring for children and be our primary care giver on Sundays from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon , along with our adult and youth volunteers. Salary and flexibility in scheduling is negotiable. Please contact Mary Gorges in the church office to discuss specific details.

Advent & Christmas Program Help

We are already busy planning the Advent Event and Christmas programs for the children of First United. Help is needed to make these programs and events a success. If you are interested in helping prepare for the Christmas Programs, or if you can help out during the morning of the Advent Event, please contact Mary Gorges for more information.