At age 90, Pablo Casals, the great cellist, would begin his day by playing Bach. (I begin my day by listening to sports talk radio, or by listening to my Bon Jovi C.D.s!) Back to our story. As the music flowed through Pablo Casals fingers, his stooped shoulders would straighten and joy would appear in his eyes. Music for Casal was a wondrous experience that made life a never-ending adventure. Casals said, “Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

As Turkey Day (Thanksgiving) approaches, let us, together with enthusiasm, give thanks for:

Our family, our friends, our home, our food, our jobs (even if it is not all of the time!), great church music at FULC, wonderful Family & Youth opportunities at FULC, fantastic and generous social ministries that change lives at FULC, awesome “behind the scenes” support staff that cares for the whole church family of FULC, and a nice clean church facility at FULC.

And then, with enthusiasm, give thanks for yourself! For the love, care, and support you give to First United. We have been blessed with a wonderful congregation!

God has blessed us well. Let’s give thanks enthusiastically by helping those who have very little to eat. You can do it by donating items to the food barrel, or a donation earmarked for “World Hunger.”

Like for Casals, it would be music to God’s ears, and joy to His eyes!

In God’s Grace, Pastor Todd Smith

Getting to know you...

Once or twice a month, we will be asking the congregation to wear a NAME TAG on Sunday morning. We are hoping that name tags will make it easier for our newer members, our guests and our Pastor to get to know us. Please help us by wearing a tag so that everyone has a chance to learn the names of the familiar faces we see at worship each week!

Donuts & Dialogue

Join us in the Genszler Room at 9:40 a.m. every Sunday morning for Donuts & Dialogue! Check out our up-coming topics:

November 11: “Ending Hunger: A Real Possibility.” We will complete our study of the book, Give Us This Day... by looking at how the church can engage in specific development projects and advocacy groups.

November 18: “Q&A” with Bishop Paul Stumme-Diers. Please welcome Bishop Paul as he answers any questions you may have about our synod or church-wide events and issues!

November 25: “Christ the King.” Join us for an interesting Bible study on Sunday’s text!

Thank you for supporting
Lutheran World Relief

Special thanks to organizers Bob Thiel and Mikk Mikkelson and to everyone who supported our 2007 Lutheran World Relief collection! A special thanks to the Quilters who made 225 beautiful quilts, to all who donated layettes and kits, and to everyone who helped load the semi trailers. We completed 42 layettes, 3 health kits, 2 school kits, and 1 sewing kit. Your generosity and help is very much appreciated! Thanks again!

“Grow in Response to God’s Grace”

Thanks to all of you who have filled out your 2008 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 2008, and return your response form at your earliest convenience. If you have not received a form, you may pick one up at the kiosk in the Gathering Area, 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 this program.

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

Grief Group - November 26

Join us on Monday, November 26, as we support one another and learn some specific ways we can better cope with the holidays. We will meet in the Genszler Room from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Friends and family are always welcome!

Good News Deadline

The deadline for the next issue is Monday, November 12. This next issue will begin announcing Advent and Christmas events. Please submit your article/s to the church office either by mail or email at: office@firstuni.org.

Great Beginnings “We Care” Program

Great Beginnings Preschool is currently involved with the “We Care” Program through the 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 our preschool to benefit from this program, all you need to do is use your Advantage Saver’s Club Card and present the Great Beginnings Preschool identification number with your card. This can easily be done at the customer service counter. Our I.D. number is 292900. With your assistance we can help our preschool program grow!

Daily Devotional Book

Are you looking for a good daily devotional? The Upper Room Disciplines is one of the most popular books available, which follows the same lectionary we use for our Sunday worship. It offers daily scripture reading, stories and reflections from 53 Christian writers. The cost is only $9.60. Please sign up on the kiosk by Sunday, December 2, to order.

Christmas Eve
10:00 p.m. worship
HAS BEEN CHANGED TO
10:00 A.M. worship!!

Please take note that we will no longer offer the 10:00 p.m. worship service on Christmas Eve. Attendance at this service has been falling over the years, so the Worship Committee, together with Pastor Todd, decided on a 10:00 a.m. service instead. Services will still be offered at 4:00 p.m. , 6:00 p.m. , 8:00 p.m. , as in years past. Volunteers are needed at the 10 a.m. service, including Sound & Lights, Greeters and Communion Helpers. Call the church office!

Thrivent Christmas Cookie & Bake Sale

Our congregation’s Thrivent members will be hosting their 14 th annual Cookie & Bake Sale on Sunday, December 2, from 8:00-11:00 a.m. All proceeds will 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 to indicate what you plan to bring. Thank you in advance for your support and donations!

Please help us help you!

Our local hospitals have been very helpful in letting us know who’s in the hospital, but ONLY if you give your permission to allow them to do so. To insure that the church office and the pastor are made aware of hospitalizations in the most error free and speedy manner (especially for those who are in out of town hospitals), you and your family members are responsible for making those notifications directly by calling the church office at 452-2401, and please leave a message if no one answers, or if you call during the evening. Thank you!

Give Thanks to the Lord

Celebrate Thanksgiving by worshiping together with our brothers and sisters of First Congregational Church. The worship service will be held here at First United at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening, November 21. Following the service of Thanksgiving, all are invited to the traditional Pie Feast in Fellowship Hall. If you are able to bring a pie for the feast, it would be greatly appreciated! Please deliver your pre-cut pie to the Fellowship Hall kitchen prior to the worship service. Volunteers are also needed to help set-up, serve and clean-up. Please sign up on the kiosk if you can bake or serve.

A Letter of Thanks from Pastor Howard and Wellington Park Lutheran Church

“On behalf of the congregation of Wellington Park Lutheran Church and the 150 or so neighborhood people, I want to again thank First United for the gift of so many lovely clothes for both children and adults. You can’t imagine how much fun it is to give these away, and work with the people who come. ... The main thing was the joy from elementary aged children and teeny-boppers who found lovely clothes to wear to school, church, etc. and not be embarrassed by their poverty.

We ask for a voluntary donation of $1 from the families who come to the clothing distribution as a way of “giving back to the community.” We use these monies to purchase food at Second Harvest of Milwaukee (18 cents/lb. or more) for our emergency food pantry (operated twice per week). ... I have enclosed a list of the staple foods that are needed (see list below) that are needed, if First United would like to do a food drive (especially at Thanksgiving), or provide an offering (especially to buy turkeys). ...

Again, a million thanks for the clothes. ... What a gift of love.”

~Rev. Dr. Howard E. Fintzen

Can you help Wellington Park ??

The following items are needed in our emergency food pantry:
Canned: fruit, meat, pasta meals, pork ‘n beans, soups, tuna, vegetables;
Rice - white/wild/brown, dry pasta/noodles, pancake mix & syrup, powdered milk, black beans, spaghetti sauce; juice, macaroni & cheese, instant oatmeal, cereal, peanut butter, jelly, crackers.

First United’s Food Pantry

First United also collects non-perishable food items for the local food pantries of Sheboygan , as well as assisting those who come to our church looking for help. If you are able, please bring an item or two with you each Sunday, and place it in the food barrel located near the triple door entrance of the church.

A further challenge... to “Walk with the Poor”

Each of us is being presented with a tremendous opportunity to “walk with the poor” and to support central city ministries An anonymous donor has made a gift of $5 million to Outreach for Hope Inc., a ministry to the urban poor of southeaster Wisconsin that is affiliated with the Greater Milwaukee Synod. However, monies from the endowment being created with this gifts will be available to Outreach for Hope ONLY to the extent that matching donations are received. Therefore, we ask that you prayerfully consider meeting this challenge by making a donation and seeing its value multiply. For more information or to make a donation, call the synod office at 414-671-1212, or visit their website at outreachforhope.org. Together we can reach out to people bringing spirituality and hope where it is desperately needed.

2 Opportunities to Share with Others

First United offers two opportunities to help those less fortunate for Christmas. As you prepare your hearts and minds and homes for the holidays, please remember those who have little.

Christmas Treasures

On Sunday, December 2, we invite you to bring an unwrapped toy or gift for children 0-18 years of age. There is always a special need to remember babies ages 0-2, and teenage youth when you are selecting gifts. These toys and gifts will be given to the needy children of Wellington Park Lutheran Church of Milwaukee, and to our local Salvation Army. Please place your gifts in the playpens in the Gathering Area on Sunday, December 2.

Adopt-a-Family

Beginning Sunday, November 18, First United members 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. Please select an individual or family for Christmas adoption on Sunday mornings in the Gathering Area.

If you are able to adopt, we ask that you please 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 with individuals within a family.

For those who prefer to have someone else to the shopping, financial contributions are also appreciated and very much needed. We depend on financial support to purchase food certificates that are given to each family. Last year we assisted 310 people from the Sheboygan area through our Adopt-a-Family program! Thank you for sharing your gifts with those in need!

It will take many hands to make this year’s Adopt-a-Family a success! Please sign up on the kiosk, or call either Cindy Van Akkeren (458-3761), or Deaconess Deb (452-2401) if you are able to help in any way. Thank you!

Important Adopt-a-Family dates:

*November 18:
Kick-off Sunday

*November 18-December 2:
Names will be available for “adoption”

*December 2:
Last day to select names for “adoption” and Youth shopping from 2:00-5:00 p.m.

*December 9:
All “adopted” gifts need to be wrapped and brought to church

*December 11:
Gift wrapping - 5:00-7:30 p.m. in the Youth & Quilter’s rooms (for the gifts purchased by our youth)

*December 12:
Sorting gifts - 9:00 a.m.

*December 13:
Gift delivery/pick-up

The Youth & Family Education Committee needs your help!

The Youth & Family Education Committee of First United is looking to expand and add more people to our list of committee members. This Committee meets on All Committee Night, which meets on the second Monday of each month, and its focus is on the Sunday School and Confirmation programs and activities for the youth of our congregation, as well as helping out with youth events and classes, if necessary. The children and youth are our future! Please contact Mary Gorges or Thom Nicla if your have an interest in the Christian education of our youth here at First United, especially at the Middle and High School level. Thank you!

Four Star Rotation Sunday School

We are looking for willing adults and youth leaders to teach in the different classrooms of our Four Star Sunday School. The different classes include: Food; Arts & Crafts; Games; Music; Movies or Science. It’s SO easy! The teaching commitment is only 2-3 Sundays! And you teach the same lesson to two to three different classes! If you need to know more, please contact Mary Gorges in the church office, or see the sign-up sheet on the kiosk in the Gathering Area.

CROP Walk Update and Thank You

Thank you to all who walked and to those who sponsored our walkers for this year’s CROP Walk for Hunger! First United not only sponsored this year’s event, but was well represented with 97 walkers and over $6,000 has already been collected on behalf of our church!! Thank you!! First United was awarded the Golden Tennis Shoe trophy at this year’s walk, for raising the most money at the 2006 CROP Walk for Hunger.

Thanks also go to all who donated apples and bottled water, and to Sargento Cheese for donating cheese. Special thanks to the Social Ministry Committee for organizing this year’s event as well as for helping with set-up and clean-up on the day of the event. As the saying goes, “Many hands make light work,” and that certainly proved true here!

There’s still time to contribute to this year’s CROP Walk. Checks made payable to CWS/CROP or Church World Service can be placed in the offering plate or dropped off at the church office. Or, if you prefer, go to their web page: www.churchworldservice.org and pledge our team on-line!

Jazz for Justice

KYROS, Jackie Scully with Eileen Hamilton, Poetry by John Dubord, and more will be the entertainment at the 8 th annual “Jazz for Justice” fundraiser for the Lutheran Human Relations Association. The annual meeting, to be held at Prince of Peace Church, 4419 S. Howell Ave., Milwaukee, begins at 4 p.m., with dinner at 5:30, and the concert at 7:00 p.m. Advance tickets are $20 for adults; $10 for seniors!