Newsletter - JANUARY 2009
www.salemucc-verona.org

From the Web Master

Calendars

• This Month's Calendar

• Week-at-a-Glance

What's Happening...

Salem’s Men’s Fellowship will gather at Chris Richards’ home at 7 PM on Monday, January 19. At these simple meetings we enjoy conversation, refreshments, a brief Bible study, and one another’s company. Please join us.

Sunday Service Broadcasts

The Mark-et Place
Rev. Dr. Mark E. Yurs

The new year brings with it new opportunities for our lives as Christians and for our life together as a church.

As we move into this new year of life and service, I can think of nothing better for us to do than to go fishing. Given that we are in the teeth of a Wisconsin winter, it may have to be ice fishing we think about just now, but I do want us to think about going fishing. It is the best thing we can do.

I am not thinking of actual fishing on a lake or river but of fishing as a metaphor. As I am using the term in this Mark-et Place, I want fishing to mean whatever it is we see we can do.

My thought springs from John 21:3. At some point after the resurrection of Jesus, and after Jesus had appeared to the disciples a time or two, the believers were together and Peter said to the others, "I am going fishing."

From one point of view, his determination to go fishing was remarkably odd. He and the others had just come face to face with the resurrection of Jesus, the most powerful and wonderful event heretofore known. Peter responds by doing the most ordinary and mundane thing he knows. One might think he could have chosen some activity higher, holier, more religious, more dramatic, more in keeping with the resurrection. He did not. He went fishing, and the others went with him.

While that is odd from one point of view, it is tremendously helpful from another. Contrary to what we might think, the disciples did not have their respective acts together. Sure, they experienced the resurrection in terms of direct visitations from Jesus, but there is nothing in any of the texts to lead us to suppose they knew exactly what all that meant, whether in terms of Jesus’s own being or in the way their lives were going to be henceforth. They did not know any more than we know.

So they went fishing. They did what they could. They did what they knew how to do. They did the best they had opportunity to do. Fishing may not have been everything, but it was practical and it was potentially a productive use of their time.

And Jesus met up with them as they went about doing this very thing. And he acted as if this indeed was the very thing they were supposed to be doing. He helped them with it and fed them afterwards.

Back to us. We are coming off Christmas. We are heading into a new year both as persons and as a church. What does God want us to do as people of Christ today? What do we do with the truth we have? How can we come away from Christmas, move into the new year, and build a snappy and successful life and church program? By fishing. By doing whatever it is we see we can do.

What is that exactly? You’ll have to figure that out for your own. It at least begins, though, I think, with worship, prayer, and some other simple tasks that may not seem to be immediate keys to the kingdom. Bringing food to the pantry, volunteering there or somewhere else in the community, hosting a cottage meeting, or going about your daily life with the idea that you are a Christian right there in the front of your thinking. You know, fishing, doing the next thing you can do. Christ will meet you along the way.

Associate in Ministry
Laura Kolden

Youth News

Youth Calendar for 2009!

~ All Youth…who participated in the Christmas Program, encouraging younger children with your leadership, and inspiring us all with your talents, your dedication,
and your message. Thank you!
~ Kati Hart, Zach Nechvatal, Conner Sell…performing at a December band concert at Savanah Oaks Middle School.

~ Tyler Wilbricht…working at newly opened Megan’s of Verona on Main St., Verona. Stop in and say hi!

~Michael Fiez, Josh Hart, Abbey Wilbricht, Laura Kolden, attending the Jesus Core High School Retreat at Pilgrim Center January 9-11.

~The Youth of Our Community…who are homeless.

~Colleen Bass, Gary Nechvatal, Frank Westphal, chaperoning our Christmas party!

Friday, January 9-Sunday, January 11 – Jesus Core HS Retreat, Pilgrim Center
Sundays, January 18 & 25 – JC Superstar Discussions
Sunday, February 1 – Super Bowl of Caring Offering
Sunday, February 8 - Serve Meal for the Crossing (tentative)
Saturday, February 14 – Jesus Christ Superstar, Overture Center
Sunday, February 21 – Youth Meeting
Sunday, March 8 – Youth Sunday

This Month's Servants

Usher Captain – Kris Wilbricht

   Ushers should plan to arrive between 9:30 & 9:45am

    January 4^th - Youth (Kris Wilbricht - contact)

    Johnny Halverson, Matthew Gust, Emma Hill, Keltie Kryka

January 4^th - Barb & Doug Smith
January 11^th -
January 18^th -
January 25^th -

January 4^th – Youth
January 11^th – Chad Malueg
January 25^th – Sue Castle

January 11^th – *Dan Durnen (lead), *Kris Wilbricht,
*Barb Smith, *Sue Castle, Frank Westphal,
Kevin Booth, Bill Thiede, Becky Hagenston,
John Cashman (choir)
* - indicates current Council member

Happy Birthdays!

Woman Guild

Thank You!

We would like to extend a special Thank You to Pastor Mark, Members of the Congregation and the Women’s Guild for the Cards, Expressions of Sympathy and the wonderful Luncheon provided upon the Death of our Father and Grandfather, George Scholze.

Lectionary Readings 

January 6: Epiphany
Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12

Week of Jan 11:
Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm 29
Acts 19:1-7
Mark 1:4-11

Week of Jan 18:
1 Samuel 3:1-20
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51

Week of Jan 25:
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62:5-12
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 1:14-20

            (can be found online HERE)