NEWSLETTER….FALL 2012

PASTOR SCHROEDER…..The Life Of The Church The second half of the Church Year is referred in general as the Non-Festival half of the Church Year. This portion of the season is also known as the Season. It begins with the “birthday” of the Christian Church on earth, the Festival of Pentecost and concludes with the Last Sunday of the Church Year. There are a number of celebrations that can be found in this half of the church year including Reformation, All Saints and Christ the King Sunday or the Sunday of the Fulfillment, depending on your pastor’s choosing.

Whereas the Festival half of the church year celebrates the Life of Christ, this part of the church year celebrates the Life of the Church. The focus is that of discipleship training. Sometimes pastors (myself included) may opt to prepare a series on any given topics of Books of the Bible.

Unfortunately, many members of God’s congregations take the summer off. This is unfortunate as the discipleship training is of great value. Do all you can to assist your pastor(s) and spiritual boards in encouraging regular attendance throughout the summer. This can only be a wonderful blessing of health for your parish.

In this newsletter are some additional notes that pertain to this season in reference to other additional traditions or practices deployed in liturgical churches like ours.

Though we are nearly half way through this season, enjoy the instruction that comes from God’s Word in the various liturgical parts of the worship service and especially the sermons.

To God be the glory!!

THE LONG SEASON….. The longest season of the Church Year begins with Pentecost and ends as the first Sunday in approaches. While this season does not have multiple festivals, it nevertheless holds much to refresh, renew, and strengthen us.

The first Sunday after Pentecost, Holy , celebrates the mystery of God, three in person but united in substance. The remaining Sundays can be referred to in three different ways….the Sundays after Pentecost, or the Sundays after Trinity. Some Christians refer to the Sundays by number or “ordinals” as they refer to the Sundays in .

The Gospel readings for this season show us Jesus teaching and preaching, helping and healing, caring and sharing - even stilling storms and raising people from the dead. It is this Lord of might and mercy who calls and equips us to be children of God and sends us out into the world to be servants of God.

In liturgical art the number of tongues of fire are usually depicted as nine which represent the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) or the gifts of the Spirit (I Corinthians 12:8-10).

The color for Pentecost Sunday is red, the color of fire; Holy Trinity is white, the color of divinity and perfection; but the primary color for Pentecost season is green, the color of things that are alive, just as the Holy Spirit gives new life to all who are children of God. Other than Reformation day (red) and Thanksgiving Day (white), green paraments are used through the Sunday of the Fulfillment. If Christ the King Sunday is celebrated, the paraments are again white. Because of the length of Pentecost, the altar guild may want to use two sets of green paraments. The lighter (but not lime) green for the first part of the season, signifying new life and growth. A second set, in a deeper green, symbolizing the teachings of the Lord in the later Sundays showing the growth toward maturity that it requires.

The Pentecost season reaches its conclusion as we are taught that this same Lord who came to be our Savior will come again to take us to himself forever. That is the message of the Advent season, with which our Church Year began, and is about to begin again.

PRAYER…..to use at your meetings…. 2012 MEMBERSHIPS Almighty God, Beautiful Savior – Milwaukee Benediction - Milwaukee Grant that we may handle holy things with Bethlehem – Sheboygan reverence and that we may perform our work with Brookfield Lutheran - Brookfield such faithfulness and devotion that it may be Christ - Gillett acceptable to Thee and receive Thy blessings Divine Savior - Hartford through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord Elm Grove – Elm Grove Faith - Merrill Amen First Lutheran – Rice Lake . Mt. Olive - Milwaukee THANK YOU! Oklahoma Avenue - Milwaukee Peace – Neenah To Trinity, Wausau for the hosting our annual meeting St. John’s – Glendale on Saturday, April 14th, 2012 St. John’s – Mayville St. John’s – North Prairie Everyone enjoyed coming together for worship, fellowship, St. John’s – Portage information, and your gracious hospitality St. Luke’s - New Richmond St. Paul – Wittenberg . “the Board” St. Paul’s – Amherst St. Paul’s – Colby NEXT ANNUAL MEETING… St. Paul’s – Grafton . SATURDAY, APRIL 20TH, 2013 St. Paul’s – Sheboygan ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH St. Paul’s – Tomahawk 312 NORTH MAIN STREET St. Paul’s – Union Grove NORTH PRAIRE, WISCONSIN St. Peter – Antigo St. Peter – Hilbert Trinity – Wausau

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( QUESTIONS & ANSWERS…..from our Annual Meeting 1. Where can you have silver refinished or cleaned? A. Werner 1241 North Water Street Milwaukee WI 53202 414.276-0053 www.awerner.com

2. Where can you have brass refinished or cleaned? Band Instrument Repair Specialists 3380 Cty. Hwy WW Wausau, WI 54401 715-675-6394 www.bandinstrepair.com