A New Year – New Opportunities

Equipper
Equipping God’s people as we celebrate, teach, and share God’s Grace.
A New Year – New Opportunities
Each new day brings promise of a new start. For many,
the start of a new week is the time to begin that diet, get serious
about exercising, or forego TV viewing. For a vast majority,
though, there’s something especially motivating and invigorating
about seeing the JANUARY calendar on the wall. This is the year
we’ll accomplish great things.
God doesn’t necessarily call us to do great things, however.
He asks that we be trustworthy in small things (Luke 16:10-11).
To that end He gives us gifts to use to build up the Body of
Christ and to reach out to the lost.
Some of us have many gifts. People like Michelangelo –
painter, sculptor, and poet – and Thomas Jefferson – architect,
statesman, and scientific farmer – come to mind. God, the Giver
of gifts, knows that the number of gifts each of us has varies.
Jesus told the Parable of the Talents pointing out this fact and
teaching us that success lies in using what we’ve been given, not
in having the greatest amount.
Our gifts also differ in degree. There are many sculptors
but few, if any, compare to Michelangelo. Yet their art can bring
satisfaction and inspiration to others. You may not be able to
sing opera, but you can sing God’s praises. You may not be a
great orator, but you can witness to the love and grace of God in
Christ. You may not be a mechanic, but you can provide transportation for someone needing to get to an appointment or to
church.
That’s why God gives us gifts and abilities – that we may
be equipped to serve others. The start of a new year offers us an
opportune time to assess those gifts and see how we can use
them for God’s glory and the good of His people. The motivation
to do this comes from the same One Who gave the gifts! Just as
He was motivated by love for us to give us, not just our gifts, but
His greatest gift, His Son, so we are motivated by love for Him to
serve those He calls us to serve.
Volume 57 Issue 6
Grace Lutheran Church
School, & ECC
Oak Creek, Wisconsin
Pastor
Rev. Dean A. Dummer
Principal
Mr. Steve Gettelman
Early Childhood Center
Rev. Dean A. Dummer
www.graceoakcreek.org
Table of Contents
Devotion
1
New Year Resolution
2
ECC Director Uupdate
3
Ladies Guild
4
Sunday Bible Study
5
Poinsettia Donors
5
GriefShare Update
6
Your help is needed
6
“Life” Baby Shower
7
60th Anniversary Offering 8
Calendars
Click on link for
January Calendar
Articles may be submitted:
pastor@graceoakcreek.org
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RESOLVE TO
CELEBRATE
THIS NEW YEAR!
JOIN US FOR
WORSHIP
THURSDAYS AT 6:30PM
SUNDAYS AT 8:00 AM & 10:30 AM
BIBLE STUDY
Sunday morning Study at 9:15 am
Tuesday Men’s Study & Wednesday Women’s Study
Don’t allow anything or anybody to keep you from the spiritual nourishment that God
gives us through Word and Sacrament! Commit yourself in this new year to regular
attendance at Worship and Bible Study.
“Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing,
but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.´
Hebrews 10: 25
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Please include prayer for:
Brad Zacharias
The Voter’s Assembly has offered the position of ECC Director to Brad. He currently serves as an “Early Preschool Master Teacher” at the Child Development
Center at Waukesha County Technical College.
Brad is currently a member of Hales Corners Lutheran Church. He graduated
from Martin Luther High School in 1997. He completed his Associate’s Degree
in Early Childhood Education at Waukesha County Technical College in May,
2007. He received His Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education at UWM
in June, 2012..
If he accepts this position, Brad will begin the colloquiy program through Concordia University. Through this process he will become, like our teachers at the Day
School, a rostered member of Synod.
We’ve had the opportunity to visit a few times with Brad, and He’s had the opportunity to stop in briefly to our ECC for a visit as well. We’re excited at the possibilities this will bring for our center. We hope to have a decision from him soon!
Continue your prayers. As we seek God’s direction for both Brad and our ECC!
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At the December meeting 93 boxes of cookies were packed for the Milwaukee
Rescue Mission.
A recent search into Ladies Guild archives found notes from 1976 that stated
the December meeting would be Cookie Packing for the Rescue Mission.
What a blessing to be able to help others for the past 38 years (if not longer)!
Every year the folks from the Rescue Mission look forward to our call about
the cookies, they are greatly appreciated!
Coming up in January…
NO MEETING!
Stay home and stay warm- see you in February!
Mite Boxes…from The Time is Now- LWML
Lutheran women all over the world gather offerings (mites) in their Mite Boxes. As they give their mites, they pray for those missionaries who will share
Jesus’ love with those who may not know Him. They pray for those who will
be fed, physically and spiritually, with the help of these gifts. As women gather together for Bible study or mission service, they combine their mite offerings with others and the offerings grow. The mites continue to multiply as
each group sends their offering to support district grants. Their districts then
send a portion to national, and mission grants are prayed and paid for! And
the Word of the Lord is shared.
Grace’s large Mite Box is in the narthex of church the 1 st weekend of the
month…help us to spread God’s Word!
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SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY
9:15 AM
Begins January 18th
Noah - The Man, The Ark, The Flood
(Includes subtitles in English) A five centuries-old man building a huge boat on the startling news of coming floodwaters sounds like the makings of one remarkable story. It is. Jump in and get your feet wet with Noah: The Man, The Ark, The Flood,
the latest Bible study from the Men's NetWork.
Hosted by Rev. Kurt Klaus and filmed on location at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, this four-part Bible study
from the Men's NetWork looks at the biblical character of Noah, his life and times, and the remarkable vessel he built to escape
the waters of the flood. Along the way, commentary from numerous specialists considers the issue of extreme human age, how
building such a watercraft was possible, the extent of the flood's reach, how a single vessel could hold such a multitude of animals, and the phenomena of far-flung flood stories in other cultures.
The Genesis account of a cataclysmic flood in chapters six through nine is one of the Old Testament's more timeless sagas. It
chronicles Noah and his devout righteousness, contrasting his blameless fidelity to God with the wanton corruption and violence
God saw at work in the world around Noah. Along with his immediate family, Noah is singled out for God's blessing-and salvation-from the waters of a flood let loose to wipe out every living thing-except the people and creatures aboard the ark. The story
is an extraordinary one to be sure and ends with God blessing Noah and his family for their obedient faithfulness, making a covenant with them to never again destroy the earth by a flood.
Thank you to those who purchased Poinsettias to
help make our Altar beautiful this Christmas.
Tom & Judy Born
In Memory of Dorothy Koeller and Esther Born
Pastor, Susan & Jonathan Dummer
Larry & Kelly Fischer
In Memory of Ken Dorow
Mike & Kelly Gehrke
Stan Gumm
In Memory of Sylvia Gumm
Sandy Hamburger
In Memory of Del Hamburger
Tom & Lisa Hengst
In Memory of their Grandparents
Larry & Sandy Herte
Mike & Barb Huber
Richard & Elizabeth Jackson
Gloria Kilponen
Doris Krumpos
Carol Loveall
Mark & Rachel Miliaccia In Memory of Donald and Yvonne Soldner
Mark & Jennifer Olen
Chet & Pauline Parker
In Memory of their daughter, Karri
Diane Pielsnik
In Memory of Bernice Janes
Heinz & Evalee Poellet For Blessings Received
Shirley Rayeske
Bill & June Roewer
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A ChristCare Group ministry of Grace Lutheran Church
The presentation of the GriefShare support seminar and discussion group at Grace Lutheran Church has been suspended for the time being, due to having no facilitators
available. We recognize that the need for this program, which features biblical teaching on grief and recovery topics, may still exist for anyone who grieves the death of a
loved one.
We encourage anyone interested in GriefShare to go to the GriefShare website:
www.griefshare.org. Under the “Find a Group” tab, a complete listing of the available
programs at other churches in our area can be found.
If you have any questions about the program or need more information before you seek
a new site, please contact Bev Buretta at (414) 764-2923, or call the church office at
(414) 762-8990 to leave your name. Someone will return your call as soon as possible.
HELP NEEDED FOR A CONGREGATION MEMBER
A member of our congregation is in need of some assistance due to physical infirmities. The assistance needed is, primarily, some meal preparation at times,
but may also include some occasional errands either for or with the individual.
A secondary, but equally important part of the program is the one-to-one contact between the member and the volunteers.
An online program, called Meal Train, is being used to create a calendar with
dates and listings of needs. Any volunteers can “sign up” to assist with as
many or as few of the needs as they are able to provide, whether for one-timeonly or on a regular basis.
If you are interested in helping in any way, or would like more information
about participating, please contact Bev Buretta at (414) 764-2923 or via email:
bevburetta@yahoo.com or leave your name and number with Dawn in the
Church office at (414) 762-8990.
This is a chance for us to continue the spirit of Christmas giving into the New
Year, and for someone in our own church family!
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Items needed are:
Infant and newborn diapers
infant clothes
baby shampoo
baby powder
small baby toys
size 2 & 3 diapers
infant socks
baby wash
baby wipes
Gift cards
baby sleepers
infant toys
baby lotion
(new) pacifiers
Please bring your items to church and there will be a box marked in the Fellowship Hall for
the donations. Any questions? Call Evalee Poellet at 414-764-6984
Sponsored by Grace Lutheran Ladies Guild and Grace Lutheran Sunday School.
A Place of Refuge Ministries is a Recognized Service Organization of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod based in Milwaukee, WI and providing services to women facing crisis pregnancy in Milwaukee and 5 surrounding counties. APOR provides loving, caring volunteer advocates
who work with women facing crisis pregnancy and their families to provide for their physical,
emotional and spiritual needs. When shelter is needed we provide Refuge House, a loving home
where women can stay with their families during pregnancy and up to 6 mos. beyond and have
their needs met so that, whether they make adoption plan for their baby or chose to parent. They
are equipped to live independently and make good choices for themselves and their children in
the future. To further serve the needs of our moms
and to help provide income for our ministry we run
Blessed Again Resale on 76th and Hampton Ave. in
Milwaukee.
GRACE WILL CELEBRATE
LIFE SUNDAY ON
JANUARY 25th.
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Envelopes can be found on the table in the narthex as we gather a special offering to make improvements on
our Lord’s House. This will be above and beyond our regular weekly giving to the Lord.
Join us as we give thanks to God for His blessings.
Anniversary
Offering
Celebrating
$60,000
60 years of Grace
1955—2015
$55,000
$50,000
$45,000
$40,000
$35,000
$30,000
$25,000
$20,000
$15,000
$10,000
$ 6,897
Jan 1st
$ 5,000
OUR GOAL
$60,000
Toward
Improvements on
God’s House
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
Psalm 96: 8,9
Equipper
Grace Lutheran Church, School & ECC
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Radio Worship Services
“The Lutheran Hour” can be heard every Sunday
Morning at 6:00 AM on WGN 720 AM, Chicago or at 6:30
AM on WTMJ 620 AM or at 11:00 am WRRD 540 AM,
Milwaukee.
“The Lutheran Hour,” which began in 1930, is the
world’s oldest continually broadcast Gospel radio program.
This weekly half-hour program, now heard on more than 1,200 radio stations, pro-claims
the message of Jesus Christ to a world-wide audience.
“Woman To Woman” is a nationally syndicated weekly half-hour radio talk show
that nurtures and provides encouragement for women throughout North America. It
can be heard on Saturday at 7:00 PM on WGLB 1560 AM, Milwaukee or on Sunday
at 11:30 AM at WRRD 540 AM, Milwaukee.
Stimulating conversation between host Phyllis Wallace and her interesting guests
explores issues which impact women. “Woman To Woman” promotes the spiritual
growth of its listeners while providing practical lifestyle information. It equips
women to live and share the truth of God's Word in their many relationships: friends,
spouses, parents and children.
Prayer
Hot Line
In order to
request prayers by members of Grace,
please contact one of the following people. Your request will be made known to
all members of our Prayer Line. Prayer
requests for worship service should be
directed to the church office or Pastor
Dummer.
10 AM-3 PM
Carol Thurber —762-9615
3 PM-9 PM
Chet & Pauline Parker — 764-5574
Lutheran TV — “On Main Street”
(WTMJ, Channel 4 Sunday 4:30 AM)
Internet Prayerline
Pauline Parker
paulinemom@aol.com
Or
graceoakcreek.org
INFORMATION LINKS
Click on any of these Hyperlinks.
You’ll be taken to the appropriate spot on our website!
2015 Altar Flower Sign-up
January Church /Birthday Calendar
Tip….
Just above the Month and Year you will find a Selection Box.
Click and choose “Church” for our monthly calendar or “Birthday-church members” to see who is celebrating this month!
ECC Newsletter
School Newsletter
Go On-Line to Request a Prayer