Newsletter

THIS WEEK:

June 23 - June 26: Vacation Bible School 9:00 - 2:00.

Sunday, June 29: Worship service 9:00A. Coffee/rolls following service.

Tuesday, July 1: Youth Group serving ice cream floats at Roll In at Roadhouse.

Sunday, July 6: Worship service 9:00A. Coffee/rolls following service.

Tuesday, July 8: Youth Group serving ice cream floats at Roll In at Roadhouse.

Wednesday July 9: Miriam Circle 9:000A

Sunday, July 13: Worship service 9:00A. Coffee/rolls following service.

Next fundraiser for the Youth takes place on Tuesday Nights starting in June and ending in August. Youth will be manning an ice crem booth at the Roadhouse Roll-ins. We need volunteers who are willing to come and sell ice cream from 5:00P – 8:00P on those nights. If you are willing to help, please sign up on the sheet located on the youth board in the fellowship hall.

Vacation Bible School will be on June 23– 26 (9:00 - 2;00) with the Green Lake Ministries. Please contact the church office or Pr. Jon if you would like to register (507) 342-5327.

New Church Office Hours: Starting Aug. 5 office hours will be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8:30 am – 10:30 am.

Visits from Pr. Jon: Would you like a visit from Pr. Jon, please call the church office (507-342-5327) or Pr. Jon’s cell (563-564-7249) and let us know.

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Volunteers Needed: We need volunteers to donate meals for Wednesday nights and Sunday morning coffee/donut help. Sign ups by Sanctuary entrance. We also need help for all of our church ministries (i.e. readers, acolytes, altar guild, ushers, musicians, organists. WELCA, etc.).

Pr. Jon's July letter - - - - - - -

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various

forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so

with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the

power for ever and ever. (1 Peter 4:10-11)

It is now summer. Plants are growing (and so are the weeds), the world is getting greener, and the familiar “Road Closed” signs have come out for the construction crews. Around our house, it has become more silent. Garcia has gone home and Matthew is busy with his practices and games. Being on the swim team, baseball team, 4H gatherings, and shooting sports, he is constantly getting ready to head somewhere or do something. With so much action, he is tired and often laying in his bed when at home.

With that being said, I often find myself sitting on the couch in the living room, staring at the television, or at the live action of the bird feeders right outside the large glass windows that face the church. I have come to realize just how much of a battle ground this little area is. Not to us, but for the birds.

Barb has graciously put out birdfeeders for all the animals to come to. Over this past few weeks, I have seen yellow finches, orange orioles, grayish-white doves, black wrens, robins, a woodpecker, blue jays, and even a couple 4 legged furry squirrels come to feast on the free food that is provided. Soon, Barb will put out the hummingbird feeders and try to attract the tiny winged birds with the sugary meal.

But what has me pondering lately is how territorial and mean that some of the birds can be. There are 3 different “troughs” for the birds to sit and feed at. Each trough has at least 2 sides for them to perch upon and graze. Yet, as I watch, the black birds of the area have taken control of all 3, and seem to guard them with their lives. Each time one of the other colorful birds lands upon a site, it is soon chased off with quick squawks and a flurry of feathers.

I have even seen these birds chase off others, and while gone, watch a different set of colorful birds sneak in for a quick bite. What is so fascinating to me is that Barb has provided so much food that none of them would go hungry, but this sense of ownership translates to violence in the aviary world.

Isn’t that just like how we handle the Grace of God? The gift of God’s pure grace is plentiful, available, and free to us all. Yet, we cherish it, scare others off, and defend it as though it were ours, and only ours. As humans, we can be proud, self-centered, envious, and even volent when it comes to something we deem is ours. Instead of expressing our gratitude, showing humility with a free gift, and sharing it with the world, we fight to keep others away. Sometimes we know we do it, other times we do it without thinking.

The whole situation has become a sort of parable in my mind. A parable that is not unlike the many that Jesus told to his listeners 2000 years ago. Here is an example of grace: Barb bought the feeder; I supply the food (or rather Runnings does, but I put it out at times). The birds do not earn it; they receive it all FREE. Yet, day after day, they fight over who may enjoy it. Even when the birds are hungry at the same time, there is plenty of space to eat, even away from the others, but they still feel the need to shoo others away.

In the face of our current world, we often grasp onto any good gift and will defend it with our lives. We act like the large black birds, scaring away the other birds; the smaller, the weaker, the ones who are oppressed, the ones we deem scary or violent. It shows in the many ways we treat each other. And though we are given so much grace and love, we try to hoard it, keeping it from anyone who doesn’t fit our own descriptions of “who deserves it”.

So in my parable, I can teach that we should use the free gifts we are given and not keep them to ourselves. We don’t hoard our talents, but share them with the world. If I can create something, I create for others as much as myself. If I can cook, I can create a healthy meal for someone who is sick and not just my family. If I can play, I can invite others to play alongside, even if they are not very good. I can include rather than exclude. And I can love instead of despise.

Though I would like to take all the credit for this revelation, it is not mine to claim. Christ had been teaching this concept to his disciples, and to the people of the time, throughout all his ministry. “Love one another as I have loved you”, and “use your gifts for one another”. Not only will this benefit others, it will benefit you. And through it all, it will glorify God, whose grace and mercy is not something to squabble over, but to share.

- Pastor Jon Wendt

The Pastor’s Recorder

In Mark 12:30-31, Jesus says, “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Each time I read this, I am reminded of the song that came across my television as a child, sung by the great Mr. Rodgers; “Who are the people in your neighborhood? They’re the people you meet each day.”

So I thought it would be a good idea (with the encouragement of many others) to spotlight a couple neighbors of St. Matthew Lutheran church each month. They have been given a questionnaire with 15 questions so that we can get to know them a little better.

This month, I asked Monica Jensen and Jan Remiger to share who they are.

Getting to know: Monica Jensen

1) Describe your family.

My family is amazing. They are funny, kind, caring, and I know I can trust them with anything. They are always willing to help out in the community and always there when I need them.

2) What was/is/hopefully will be your career?

I am going to college to be an elementary teacher, so that will hopefully be my future career.

3) What is your favorite childhood memory?

My favorite childhood memory has to be when we would go sledding and being pulled around on the sled during the winter.

4) What is your favorite pizza topping? The worst?

Pineapple definitely has to be my favorite, and the worst is either olives or jalapeños.

5) What is the worst movie you’ve ever seen?

Maybe not the worst, but I really don’t like the IT movies.

6) What is the best advice you ever received? Who gave it to you?

That no matter how people think of you or what they say about you, how I see myself is what matters. My mother.

7) Dog or Cat? I’m definitely a cat person.

8) What is your favorite Bible Verse?

Psalm 46:5, “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.”

9) Do you have any good jokes you like to tell? Not really. I’ve never had the best jokes.

10) What is the scariest animal? I really don’t like spiders. They have always creeped me out.

11) If you opened a restaurant, what would you call it, and what’s on the menu?

I would call it Grandma’s Kitchen. I would serve a bunch of food based on my grandma’s recipes that I have loved since childhood.

12) What is your favorite church hymn/song?

I have two, Praise and Oceans.

13) What is one thing you own that you should really throw out?

I probably still have some toys from when I was little that could be tossed out.

14) Have you ever asked anyone for their autograph? I don’t think so.

15) Any advice for others? That I know things maybe hard now, but things get better.

Getting to know: Jan Remiger

1) Describe your family. Husband, 2 children, and 1 grandson.

2) What was/is/hopefully will be your career? Retirement

3) What is your favorite childhood memory?

It has to be Christmas Eve. Mom would block the tree in the living room with curtains until Santa came and delivered presents. Santa would ring a bell when he had come, and then we had to wait for Dad to come in from the barn to open presents.

4) What is your favorite pizza topping? The worst?

All meat pizza. The worst would be anything with Avocado – I don’t like avocados.

5) What is the worst movie you’ve ever seen? We don’t go to many movies. My first movie was with the class at school. We went to Gone With the Wind. Wait. Dances with Wolves was the worst. It just went on and on forever.

6) What is the best advice you ever received? Who gave it to you?

Never go to bed angry. Mother.

7) Dog or Cat? Neither.

8) What is your favorite Bible Verse? Not really a verse, but I like the Serenity Prayer.

9) Do you have any good jokes you like to tell?

No. I can’t think of punch lines, so I don’t remember jokes well.

10) What is the scariest animal?

Buffalo. (You’ll have to ask her about her encounter in S.D. on her bike).

11) If you opened a restaurant, what would you call it, and what’s on the menu?

Brandel buffet. It would serve German food – especially brats and kraut.

12) What is your favorite church hymn/song? Amazing Grace

13) What is one thing you own that you should really throw out?

I’m not a saver, so I don’t have much. Probably a pair of shoes.

14) Have you ever asked anyone for their autograph? No.

15) Any advice for others? Forgive. Live for today and forgive.

If there is information you would like in the Newsletter, the deadline for getting things in to the newsletter is the 20th of the month. Thank You!

You can find information as well as service livestreams for St. Matthew on our Facebook page: St. Matthew Lutheran Church Wabasso.

We also have a new website: www.stmatthewwabasso.com. Here you will find all the information about church and schedules.

You can also e-mail the church office at stmatthewwabasso@gmail.com If you could please send an email to the church office with your name and phone number, that will help us update our church directory (name, phone, email).