Weddings, Part 2

This afternoon, I will be meeting with a couple, as we prepare for their wedding coming up this Friday at 2:00PM. They decided to move the date from early spring to October to accommodate the some scheduling issues. Although we have not mad as much time to meet and work as I would like, they have been a lot of fun to talk to, and a lot of fun to work with.

They have a rehearsal scheduled for 5:00PM on Thursday at the church. Then I have Lay Leadership Committee at 6:00PM and Church Council at 7:00PM. I know that I'll be bringing dinner with me...I may also bring a sleeping bag and just stay at the church :-D!

Regardless, I really do love weddings :-).

The Dunnemans

It was wonderful to have Gretchen and Reg Dunneman here in Oakfield and Eden to lead worship yesterday. They are both deeply spiritual people that sing, preach and speak the word of God. They are very engaging and provided a lively and meaningful worship service for both congregations. I can see why we have had them here so many times before!

They joined Christa and I to watch the second half of the Packer game. Sadly, the Packer game did not end in a victory for the Pack, but it was a nice time to chat. We are both glad to have had the opportunity to get to know them better. They have a wonderful music ministry going!

October 17 Service Schedule

Morning Worship

The Dunnemans will be providing a musical worship experience at our morning services. They have provided worship and concerts before at both Oakfield and Tabor. Sunday School will still take place and the Mission Moment & Children's Sermon will be incorporated into the service. In addition to our regular Sunday offering, a freewill offering will be taking at the end of the worship service to thank the The Dunnemans for sharing their talents with us.

Here is a little information from their website:

"History is filled with tales of traveling musicians. In the Middle Ages the minstrel was a primary means of distribution of news from far lands. Well The Dunnemans are not medieval minstrels, but they bring a message from a land that is as far as the end of the earth, or as near as your heart. Through their songs the bring the message of hope in Jesus Christ.

Reg has always been singing for the Lord, starting with “Christian Cowboy” sung when he was four. In his teens he organized The Victors Trio, and in his twenties, he organized The Tabernacle Trio, both of which ministered in Ontario, Canada. U.S. and Canadian fans of Canada’s Galileans trio/quartet then enjoyed his voice and piano for twenty years.

Gretchen has always been singing for the Lord, starting with Caesar Franc’s “Panis Anglicus“ when she was nine years old. She was active in school, church, college and community choirs, and then sang with The Friendship Trio in Montrose, PA for fifteen years.

Since their marriage in 1992, Reg and Gretchen have, together, given their hearts, talents, and repertoires to the Lord and He has blessed their efforts. The ministry became full time in 2002 and was recognized as a non-profit ministry in 2006."

Evening Worship

At 7:00PM at Tabor UMC, we will have an evening worship service focused on Preparation for Worship. Our Bible readings and discussion will look at making the most out of your worship experience. We will look at what you can do on Saturdays, what you can do in the pew before the service starts, what you can do to be ready to focus in worship, as well as what to do to maximize putting into practice what you learn and experience in worship.

Even if you were at the morning service, there is still something new to be gained by attending this service. We will also be taking Holy Communion as a part of worship. If you miss it on the 17th, we will have a similar service at Oakfield UMC on the 31st.

Church Growth!

I am meeting with someone tonight who is interested in becoming a member of Tabor UMC. The plan is to have her officially join on Laity Sunday. This would be appropriate as that service lifts up the countless ways that lay people truly are the church. She is one of quite a few folks that have joined our churches in 2010.

I am also working on getting materials ready for Charge Conference. When we gather, we can celebrate that both churches have grown in membership over the last year. Tabor church has overall gained two members and Oakfield has overall gained six members. Ok...it's not a whole lot, but it is nice to see membership heading up as it has been going down over the last few years.

I realize that it is not all about more members. Just because you have more members, it does not mean a church is more vital or better than it was before. But, it is exciting to introduce more people to the church. As they join and help out in the church, there is potential for the churches to become more vital.

Can It Be November 2nd Already?

We have the opportunity to vote on November 2nd. There are a lot of important elections coming up. We are electing a new governor. One of our US Senate seats will be decided. There are many Wisconsin seats in the US House of Representatives that are hotly contested. The political environment in Wisconsin, and the United States is intense. With this being a mid-term election during the Obama administration, many are using the results as a barometer for his performance as president. There's a lot of money being spent and a lot of ads are out there. It would be hard to not realize that there is an election!

My hope is that you vote! You are welcome to vote for whoever you see as most qualified. I look forward to that day when we can fulfill our civic right and duty to vote. By then we won't have to listen to these political ads any more. Each year, candidates seem to outdo themselves with the vitriol and hate that they put into ads that bash their opponent. This year seems especially bad. Given our ability to fact check through the internet and others sources, some of these attack are being revealed as being partially or completely untrue.

Why would people resort to attack?

Why wouldn't their advertisements focus on what makes them qualified for the position?

Is the political environment simply built for us to be about as un-Christian as we can be?

What makes me sad is that many of these very politicians consider themselves to be Christians. Sad. They should act like it.

Wedding Celebration!

On October 9th, 2010 at 1:00PM Jeff Burmeister and Jessica Sommerfeldt were married at First Presbyterian Church in Fond du Lac. I was honored to be the officiant for this ceremony. It was wonderful to meet with them together and plan their wedding ceremony. It was wonderful to meet with and talk about marriage. It was wonderful to get to know each of them. It is now great to see them together as husband and wife!

A Saturday wedding means a Friday evening rehearsal. What would otherwise be my days off were partially filled with this wedding. This was certainly a time when I did not mind. To be a part of this wonderful day for Jess and Jeff was so gratifying. To see the happiness and excitement on their face made it all worth it. As a pastor, I am honored to have the opportunity to participate in a wedding and the preparation of marriage.

Congratulations Jeff & Jessica!

October 10 Service Schedule

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11

The prophet Jeremiah writes a letter to some troubled people. The people of Judah were taken from their homeland and forced to live in Babylon under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar. Everything they had known was gone...homes, farms, culture, resources...they were in a foreign land. Certainly they were a people in despair. In Psalm 137 they lament, "How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?" (verse 4)

God wanted to let the people know that although they were in exile, although they were being punished for their generations to neglecting God's law and decrees and putting their faith in idols and other gods, God assures them that they are not forgotten! They will be restored. God remains with them.

Come to our morning worship centers around a message of God's continuous presence in our lives. In centers around a realization that no matter our circumstances, God will always be with us. No matter how we might feel in life, God has a plan for us!

The Bible readings for this Sunday are:

• Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
• 2 Timothy 2:8-15
• Luke 17:11-19

Evening Worship Service

We will be having our evening worship service at 7:00PM at Oakfield United Methodist Church. The Scripture readings and message of the service will look at the Sabbath and we will discuss the importance of Sabbath even in our modern busy lives. Communion will also be incorporated in the worship service. Whether you are a part of the Tabor or Oakfield community, you are welcome to join us for this service. Even if you came to church in the morning, you can join us at night!

Other News

• The Oakfield Visioning Team had its first meeting this past Monday. They begin a spiritual journey and discussion that will hopefully end with a new vision for the future of Oakfield UMC. Please pray for this group as they continue with six future meetings and look toward a promising future!
• We had 13 folks join us for Wednesday evening's Bible study at Tabor in which we looked at our readings from Jeremiah and Luke. Please check your October calendar and join us for an upcoming Bible study. We meet at both Oakfield and Tabor.