ST. STEPHEN – ELCAHonoring the Past – Welcoming the Future

NEWSLETTER1

april, 2017

ST. STEPHEN LUTHERAN CHURCH –

ELCAPastor Gail Sowell

424 N 3rd Avenue, PO Box 95Edgar, WI 54426-0095

Telephone: 715-352-2491 (St. Stephen Office)715-352-2492 (Pastor Gail Home/Cell/Emergency)

715-352-2524 (St. John Office)Church Web Site: www.ststephenedgar.com

MAUNDY THURSDAY: 6:30 PM (at St. Stephen)GOOD FRIDAY: 1:00 PM (at St. Stephen)

6:30 PM (at St. John)EASTER SUNDAY (April 16):

6:00 AM – Sunrise Service (at St. Stephen) 7:00 AM-8:00 AM – Easter Breakfast 9:00 AM – Communion Worship (at St. John)

10:30 AM – Communion Worship (at St. Stephen) NO SUNDAY SCHOOL

PARISH STAFF

2017 COUNCIL OFFICERSPresident Kathy Schreier 715-352-2392 schreiermk@frontier.comm

Vice-President Vicki MaurerSecretary Sherry Gayken 715-355-9039 sarshe2@frontier.comTreasurer Rod Zietlow 715-370-7681 rszietlow@gmail.com

Financial Secretary Kristin Schreier kristins@live.comDeacons Dale Pilgrim

Clarence WernerMark Schreier

715-352-2968715-432-0997715-352-2392 schreiermk@frontier.com

Trustees Vern SpauldingDavid HarmDennis Lang

715-680-0063715-370-5463715-573-2974

hhddrc4431@aol.com

Youth Liaison Volunteer Needed

INSIDE THIS ISSUEParish Staff/Council Officers..................................1Staff/Officer Contact Information...........................1April Birthdays and Anniversary............................2In Memory/Sympathy/Thank You..........................2Quarterly Meeting/NW Synod Assembly...............2Volunteers Needed/Address Update/Mission Stmt.2Pastor’s Ponderings................................................3Women’s Spring Event/Souper Bowl Challenge....4Church Dinner/Rummage Sale...............................4Easter Flower Orders/Kings Korner Champs.........5On the Calendar/Colorvision..................................5Synod Assembly Service Projects..........................5Thrivent/Found/Summer Concerts..........................6Community Events.................................................6Life Community Survey/Asercare..........................6April Calendar........................................................7

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PastorGail Sowell

Home/Cell/EmergencySt. Stephen Office

St. John Office

715-352-2492715-352-2491715-352-2524

Secretary Sherry Gaykensarshe2@frontier.com

715-355-9039

Outside Custodian Steve Doran 715-393-5080Inside Custodian Rachel Doran 715-393-5076

Organist Charlotte Otto 715-443-2007Handbell Director Marla Berg 715-302-4768Altar Guild Millie Borchardt/

Marge Copeland/Deb Pilgrim715-352-2451

Media

Team

Dale Pilgrim, Mark Schreier, Vern Spaulding, Rod Zietlow, Kristin Zietlow, Mike Maurer, Sherry Gayken

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

01 Thorn Shannon04 Karlen Jerry08 Guralski Steve12 Reif Amber12 Niewolny Travis12 Reiche Jeff14 Strasser Gerald17 King Hallie17 Werner Lucas18 Krause Jonathan19 Paul Ruth20 Reiche Will21 Schmidt Jill24 Spaulding Vern25 Gayken Sherry27 Rajek Bob29 Strasser Sheryl

APRIL ANNIVERSARIES07 - Bob and Pat Ringle

IN MEMORY of Rozie Weisenberger – memorials received from: the Women of St. Stephen and the St. Stephen Quilters – for the Table Fund.

Memorials also received from family and friends for – the Table Fund, the Quilting Fund, and toward the Bell Tower louvers.

IN MEMORY of Vern & Marilyn Spaulding’s daughter, Suzie, a memorial has been received from the St. Stephen Ladies’ Bible Study Group – for the Projector Fund.

IN MEMORY of Verlyn Ross, a memorial has been received from Jane Ross – for the Endowment Fund.

QUARTERLY MEETING – Sunday, April 23rd, at 9:15 AM. NW Synod Assembly – Saturday, April 22nd. Speak with Kathy Schreier if interested in attending.

THANK YOU for all your prayers, cards, and condolences in the recent loss of our beloved daughter, Suzzanne Spaulding-Wright. All donations went into the St. Stephen Table Fund.

Love and Blessings, The family of Suzzanne Spaulding-Wright

Suzzanne Marie (nee Spaulding) Wright daughter of Vernon & Marilyn Spaulding, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. A celebration of life was held Sunday, February 19, 2017, in Oklahoma.

OUR SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS to the family and friends of Suzzanne Spaulding-Wright.

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OUR SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS to the families of the Marathon County shooting rampage of March 22nd.

VOLUNTEER(S) NEEDED: Three (3) males’ voices for the GOOD FRIDAY readings – voices only, probably off-stage (speak to Pastor) … also READERS needed for Sundays in April – PLUS Maundy Thursday; and PROJECTOR OPERATORS for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday 1:00 PM, Easter Sunrise, and Easter 10:30 worship. Sherry has the sign-up sheet.

MAILING ADDRESS UPDATE – for St. Stephen Lutheran Church. The street address remains 424 N. 3rd Avenue … but the mailing address is now PO Box 95 …

St. Stephen Lutheran Church424 N. 3rd AvenuePO Box 95Edgar WI 54426-0095

A NEW JOINT MISSION STATEMENT for St. Stephen/St. John is being generated; and we need your help. This should be a short 2-3 line message that defines our congregational purpose and tells what we hope to achieve, focusing on the personality of the church and how God sees our local church fitting into the larger context of the global church … OR ?? What do you see as mission statement for the joint parish of St. Stephen/St. John? Write down ideas and place in container in back.

PASTOR GAIL’S PONDERINGS FOR APRIL, 2017

Hola, mis amigos! What a fantastic vacation Rose and I had in Spain and Portugal! It’s always amazing, and very educational, to see how people live in other lands and cultures, to experience different values, new foods (some yummy, some I wouldn’t care to try again), and amazing landscapes.

God was very much a part of our days away (as he is at home), so it was easy for us to exclaim, “That’s a God-thing!” or “Don’t you just love how God’s fingerprints are all over this?” If you’re familiar with C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, you may remember Aslan, the Lion (who represents Christ). In one of the seven books, the children set out with the comment, “We’ll take the adventure that Aslan sends us.” Rose and I have held this as our motto during the last few trips we’ve enjoyed together. It stood us in good stead when we arrived from Chicago to London too late to catch our connecting flight to Madrid—and again when we arrived in Madrid and our luggage didn’t! And when we tried to shop, at 11:00 p.m. in Portugal, for replacement clothing, not knowing a word of Portuguese . . . . (We were

finally reunited with our bags five days later; then we each had to wrestle two suitcases to and from the airport.)

Let me share just one of our adventures of “wandering in the wilderness” (which Rose and I do a lot of). We spent two nights in Seville (our favorite city), staying at the “Hotel Don Paco.” We had an entire afternoon free to explore the city (following a morning bus tour with information and an overview of the many wonders there). Before leaving us “downtown,” our tour guide gave us small photocopied maps with notes on where to go and what to see. She told us we could walk back to our hotel in just 20 minutes, even though it took our bus almost half that time, making its way up and down one-way streets and turning really sharp corners (we were blessed with a very skilled driver!).

We had a lovely time walking through one of the main business sections, then riding in a horse-drawn carriage for a 50-minute tour past beautiful churches, flowery hotels, and a large municipal park. (The carriage ride was necessary for very tired feet and a chance to sit!) Then we found our way to the entrance of the third largest cathedral in the world, Santa Maria (after St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London). We got thoroughly lost inside, going in circles around portions that were fenced or screened off for various reasons. When it was closing time, everywhere we went someone official would tell us to leave and point us in a different direction. That happened three times, leading us to dead ends, before we found someone who walked us to the exit.

By then it was too late to visit another historic site, so we pulled out our maps and followed them about two blocks. Then the reality we were seeing was vastly different from the images on paper. We walked, we hobbled, we limped, and we were probably as close to an argument as we have ever been, trying to figure out how to get to the next recognizable segment on the map. Somehow we made it, but by then we were both tired and hungry as well as footsore, so we stopped for supper at an outside café, where we shared paella, a typical Spanish dish of rice and either meat or seafood. (While we sat outside eating, we saw probably two dozen dogs on leashes, being walked mostly by men; lots of dachshunds and yorkies and golden retrievers.)

Thus fortified and rested, we set out on the final leg of our journey back to “Hotel Don Paco.” The map was easier to follow at this point until we got almost to the end; then the map went straight but the street didn’t, and we weren’t sure which way to go. And our feet were again weary and sore. I took a guess and headed down one street and practically shouted for joy when I saw ahead of us “Hotel Don” (the rest of the name was covered by another building). Energy renewed, we plowed ahead, doing our final window-shopping of the evening until we came to the next street corner—where we looked up and saw, in the very place our hotel was supposed to be, “Hotel Dona Blanca.” Even

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though we could barely stand at that point, we laughed at this newest adventure Aslan had brought us. Then we looked again at the map, found the name of the street we were on, and knew our hotel had to be there. Again we debated which way to go—until I turned around and saw “Hotel Don Paco” right behind us.

There’s a theological interpretation to this long-winded story of our adventures. Like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness after being delivered from slavery in Egypt, we had wandered a foreign city and been delivered. But like many Christians who deeply desire to be faithful to God, we had almost reached the wrong destination (“Blanca” instead of “Paco”). Yet when we turned around, we found what we had been seeking right where it had been all the time.

Somehow this doesn’t sound as powerful written down as it felt when we were experiencing it. But it was, for us, a powerful reminder that when we seek God, God is always willing to be found if we just look in the right way or place.

Photos are printed and sorted and will soon be whittled down (from 217 for me and 206 for Rose) to a more manageable number. If you’d like to look through them, just let me know! Hasta la vista!

WI RIVER VALLEY CONFERENCE WOMEN’S SPRING EVENT – Saturday, April 22nd, at St. John Lutheran Church, 5304 North 44th Avenue, Wausau. Registration begins at 8:00 AM; events start at 8:45 AM. Event concludes after lunch (served at 11:45 AM).

“An Improbably Journey: From Bethlehem to Wausau, Wisconsin” – guest speaker Reverend Dr. Niveen Sarras of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Wausau, will present her story of struggle and faith leading her to Wausau, Wisconsin. She’ll speak with personal experience about Christ’s birthplace in Bethlehem because that is where she was born too! Join with other women of the Conference to learn the answer of how a

woman from one of the most historic, war-torn and religiously conflicted places on earth could end up in a small central Wisconsin church!

Registration fee: $13.00 per attendee (due April 5). In-kind gifts requested day of the Event: shampoo, bar soap, or hand lotion for The Neighbor’s Place, Wausau.

SUPER BOWL CHALLENGE RESULTS

ST. STEPHEN’S ANNUAL CHURCH DINNER – was held this year on Sunday, February 19th, and was a big success. About 100 people attended including take-outs. $1,000 was raised, with one-half (1/2) going to the Table Fund and one-half (1/2) to the Souper Bowl Challenge for the Circle of Joy.

A BIG THANK YOU to Lori Guralski and Jill Reiche for doing the prep and cooking, thanks to Kathy Schreier, to Vicki Maurer, Shirley and Denny Lang and the Mroczenski family for serving. And thanks to Ruth Paul and Deb Harm for cleaning up and Kristin Schreier and Mitchell Butalla for being the cashiers.

Thanks to all the people that helped make this event successful – TO EVERYONE who donated the ingredients and desserts. If anyone has any ideas for next year, please let Lori Guralski or Kathy Schreier know.

Looking forward to making next year's dinner even more successful.

EASTER ALTAR FLOWERS – Sheets with prices are available in the narthex. Orders must be turned in to Sherry by Monday, April 3rd. Last-minute orders? Call her @ 715-355-9039.

RUMMAGE SALE – St. Stephen will be participating in the Edgar Community garage sales – to be held Friday and

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Church Money Food TOTAL AvgAttn

Points Place

GoodShepherdWausau

5590 927 6517 164 40 1

BethanyAniwa

1066 3390 1405 38 37 2

St. StephenEdgar

950 272 1222 51 24 3

Mt CalvaryRothschild

1622 416 2038 134 15 4

St. StephenWausau

619 369 988 120 8.2 5

First EnglishWausau

700 461 1161 144 8.1 6

ImmanuelWausau

0 263 263 97 3 7

CalvaryMerrill

42 86 128 71 2 8

CONGRATULATIONS – St. Stephen members on a job well-done. 3rd Place finish !!!! All moneys and food items were donated to the Edgar Circle of Joy. THANK YOU !!

Saturday, May 19th and 20th. A food stand will also be set up. Contact Marge Copeland for more information.

CONGRATULATIONS to KINGS KORNER CHAMPION FOR FEBRUARY – GISELA RINGLE AND FOR MARCH – MARGE COPELAND

Sunday, April 2: 9:30 AM – Sunday School10:30 AM – Communion Worship Baptism of Brynn Leigh Knetter

Wednesday, April 5:5:30 PM – Soup Supper6:30 PM – Lenten Worship (at St. John)

Thursdays, April 6 and April 20:1:00 PM – Quilting – Quilting work sessions are held

in the church basement on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays from October thru May from 1:00 – 4:00 PM.

Sunday, April 9: 9:30 AM – Sunday School 9:30 AM – Handbell Practice10:30 AM – Communion Worship (Palm Sunday) Procession with Palms

Tuesday, April 11:1:00 PM – Ladies’ Bible Study – Ladies’ Bible Study

is held the 2nd Tuesday of each month in the St. Stephen Church basement starting at 1:00 PM with the Bible study lesson from the Gather magazine. Charlotte Otto will be hostess for Tuesday, April 11th. Every woman that is a member of St. Stephen is a member of the women’s group. All are WELCOME and encouraged to participate (and any family or friend).

Thursday, April 13:6:30 PM – Maundy Thursday Worship

at St. Stephen

Friday, April 14:1:00 PM – Good Friday Worship @ St. Stephen6:30 PM – Good Friday Worship @ St. John

Sunday, April 16: EASTER SUNDAY 6:00 AM – Sunrise Service @ St. Stephen 7:00 – 8:00 AM – Easter Breakfast @ St. Stephen

9:00 AM – Easter Communion Worship@ St. John

9:30 AM – Handbells Practice and PlayNO SUNDAY SCHOOL10:30 AM – Easter Communion Worship

@ St. Stephen

Tuesday, April 18:5:30 PM – Council Meeting

Wednesday, April 19:1:00 PM – Senior Day is held the third Wednesday

of each month @ St. Stephen. Senior Day is open to all seniors of St. Stephen … and seniors in the surrounding Edgar community are also invited.

6:30 PM - Confirmation

Saturday, April 22:8:30 AM – Women’s Spring Event - St. John’s, Wausau

Sunday, April 23: 9:15 AM – Quarterly Meeting 9:30 AM – Sunday School10:30 AM – Communion Worship

Saturday, April 29Northwest Synod Assembly, Eau Claire

Sunday, April 30: 9:30 AM – Sunday School (Last Day)10:30 AM – Communion Worship

Sunday School Staff and Lay School Graduation Recognition

COLORVISION – a check has been received for $136.52 for Colorvision participation. More volunteers are always needed. Please speak with Jane Ross if you have any questions.

SYNOD ASSEMBLY SERVICE PROJECTS – each year donations are requested to be received at the annual Synod Assembly. This year the Shawano, Tomorrow River, and Wisconsin River Valley Conferences will be collecting items for the Homme Youth and Family Services, Wittenberg, WI.

Following is the list of items:

Fabric scissors Cutting matRotary cutters PinsNeedles Thread (multi-purpose) Drummel Tool w/attachments (for wood crafts)Patterns for crafty items (ie. Stuffed animals, purses, etc.)Buttons FabricsPillow stuffing Scrapbooking paperPaper scissors Glue dots

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Scrapbooking albums Die cuts

Assembly attendees will transport these items to the East Central Synod Assembly on Friday, May 19. Please have any donated items placed in the basket in back of church by Sunday, May 7th.

DIRECT CHOICE DOLLARS® – to St. Stephen Lutheran Church. Direct as follows: 1. Direct Choice Dollars online at www.thrivent.com/thriventchoice 2. Or, call 800-THRIVENT (800-847-4836) and state “Thrivent Choice.”

FOUND: Glass bowls and miscellaneous items from funeral luncheons and potluck. Please pick up your item in the downstairs kitchen.

EDGAR SUMMER CONCERTS IN THE PARK – sponsored by the Edgar Fine Arts Association:July 27 – Keith Allynn will perform “Not Really Willy!!”August 3 – KT CountryAugust 10 – Steve “Shoes” SchumackerAugust 17—Acoustic country by Rod Parsons

WISCONSIN WOODCHUCKS BASEBALL - baseball season is right around the corner, and it is not too early to start planning if St. Stephen wants an outing with the Wisconsin Woodchucks in 2017. What do you think? Share your thoughts!

  FIRST ANNUAL CHALK FEST AND ART SHOW – Friday and Saturday, June 23rd and 24th, on Edgar sidewalks. Individuals and groups will purchase chalk sets with brushes and sponges for $15.00 and be given a 4x4 foot area on sidewalks near the Village Hall to create artworks. For more information, contact Karen Schmitt (715-352-2577 @ Stark’s Floral, OR Amanda Albrecht (715-680-1245).

RUMORS – Neil Simon’s production coming to the Chestnut Center for the Arts in Marshfield. Marshfield Area Youth Actors presents this comedy March 18, 19 & 25 at 2:00 PM and March 20, 23 & 24 at 7:00 PM. Information and tickets available by calling 715-389-8999 or at the door. All seats $10.00.

FINE ARTS NIGHT – for the community at Edgar Elementary School – Tuesday, April 25th. There will be an exhibition of student artwork from 5:00-7:30 PM. Students in grades K-2 will give a concert at 6:00 PM; followed by grades 3-5 concert at 6:45 PM. The Edgar Middle School Band will perform at 7:30 PM.

THE EDGAR POLICE DEPARTMENT in conjunction with the DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE will participate in a Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative in the Village Hall kitchen on Saturday, April 29th, from 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM. The goal is to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposal of prescription medications.

LIFE COMMUNITY SURVEY -- The 11th LIFE in Marathon County Report project was launched with the mailing of the LIFE Survey to 2100 randomly selected households in Marathon County. The survey is being conducted by UW-River Falls Survey Research Center. “We strongly encourage people who receive the survey to fill it out and return it,” said Karen Katz, Chair of the LIFE Committee. “By participating in this important survey, respondents have the opportunity to help influence the 2017-2019 LIFE in Marathon County Report which sets a road map for future improvements in our County.”The survey garners Marathon County resident’s opinions on a variety of topics addressing the quality of life in Marathon County. It includes a variety of questions on topics such as health insurance coverage, transportation concerns, and what services residents value in our community.

ASERCARE HOSPICE seeking compassionate people to share their time with homebound hospice patients in the community. By being trained, volunteers can provide the companionship and emotional support needed. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Shirley Bungert at 715-355-4797.

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APRIL, 2017MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

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2 Fifth Sunday in Lent

9:3O AM Sunday School10:30 AM Communion WorshipBaptism of Brynn Leigh Knetter

Easter Flower sheets due

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Pastor Gail’s Day Off

4 55:30 PM

Soup Supper

6:30 PMLenten Evening Worship@ St. John

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1:00 PMQuilting

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9 Palm Sunday

9:30 AM Sunday School 9:30 AM Handbells Practice10:30 AM Communion Worship w/Palms Processional

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Pastor Gail’s Day Off

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1:00 PM

Charlotte Otto -hostess

12 13MAUNDY THURSD

AY

6:30 PMCommunion

Worshipat

St. Stephen

14GOOD

FRIDAY1:00 PM

Worship atSt. Stephen

6:30 PMWorship at

St. John

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16 Easter Day 6:00 AM – Sunrise Service @ St. Stephen 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM –Easter Breakfast @ St. Stephen 9:00 AM – Communion

Worship @ St. JohnNO Sunday School

9:30 AM – Handbells Practice and Play10:30 AM – Communion Worship @ St. Stephen

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Pastor Gail’s Day Off

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5:30 PMCouncilMeeting

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1:00 PMSenior Day

6:30 PMConfirmation

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1:00 Quilting

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8:30 AM – Noon(River ValleyConference)Women’sSpring Event@ St. John’s,Wausau

23 Second Sunday of Easter

9:15 AM – Quarterly Meeting 9:30 AM – Sunday School10:30 AM – Communion Worship

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Pastor Gail’s Day Off

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NW SynodAssembly

30 Third Sunday of Easter

9:30 AM – Last Day of Sunday School10:30 AM – Communion WorshipSunday School Staff/Lay Ministry GraduationRecognition