“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the

training and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 (Catechism Table of Duties)

“The (Catechism) as the head of the family should teach it to His household.” -Martin

Luther’s Small Catechism “Introduction to Each Chief Part.”

Fatherhood is more than providing half the genetic material at conception;

it's being there for the long haul. Many of America’s societal ills have been

attributed, at least in part, to dead-beat dads who have abandoned their respon-

sibilities to their children altogether. Christian fatherhood is a demanding pur-

suit with a heavenly goal - raising kids who know Jesus as their Lord and Sav-

ior. Still, if this is what the divine calling of fatherhood is all about, why are

many fathers – and men in general – so often disconnected from the church?

(Note: I write this to you from the perspective of a son whose father never took

the family to the church. That was mom’s job…thank God for faithful mothers!)

I suspect that part of the attitude men have toward the church is informed

by the cultural expectation that church isn’t for men, or that it’s the woman’s job

to tend to faith matters. Jesse “the Body” Ventura, the former pro-wrestler and

former governor of Minnesota, once famously quipped that religion was for the

weak. I think that Ventura’s quote (while completely wrong!) gets us closer to

the truth about men and faith. Look at how men of faith are portrayed in the

secular media? Ned Flanders of the Simpson’s comes to mind. He’s portrayed

as weak, as a wimp, and as extremely weird!

Could it be that men do not identify with much of the popular expressions

of the Christian faith because they aim at the emotional experience of God? Or

the focus is therapeutic “making people feel good?” Is the Gospel being com-

municated to men in a way that actually makes them feel uncomfortable?

(cont. on page 2)

From the Heart of Your Shepherd

St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church & School

June/July 2012 Newsletter

Page 2 St. Paul Lutheran Church & School

(cont. from page 1)

God created families to be the building blocks not only for society, but for the

church. God created the husband and father to be the spiritual head of the family.

It is his responsibility to be “Christ” to his family. He is to guide the family in a self

-sacrificing way of humble love and service. He is to lead the family in worship, to

see to it that he, his wife, and children know the Bible and the catechism, that the

children are taught how to pray, and that all attend Divine Services regularly.

A household of faith should therefore be a place where family members treat

one another with kindness, love, and respect as members do in the “Church”. It is

a place where each one bears another’s burdens, tolerates their weaknesses, confess-

es their sins to one another, and forgives one another’s sins again and again, just as

Christ does in His Church. Fathers can do this only by the grace of God, knowing

that at the cross, Christ has forgiven their fatherly failures, and all failures.

But how can men possibly do this if they themselves are not being spiritually

cared for? The central teaching of the Bible is the gospel of God’s love for sinners,

the forgiveness of sins. This is the great treasure which has been won by the life and

death of Christ and given to the Church to give out in the Word and Sacraments.

This is not a “weak” message, but the very power of God to salvation. The message

of the cross embraces the reality of sin and it’s cost – the very blood of God’s Son.

Quite the opposite of weak, Jesus did not come to make people feel good, but to be

the Savior and Friend of sinners, who valiantly lays down his life for his friends.

The ministry of the Gospel is what men need to receive from the church, frequently.

God’s grace, the forgiveness of sins, the truth of God’s Law & Gospel is what will

encourage and sustain men in the calling they have to be God’s representative in the

family.

This Father’s Day, please join me in praying for Christian fathers, that God

would strengthen them for their calling to their families! Please pray that the

Church would be more intentional about providing spiritual care for men with

God’s powerful gifts of Word and Sacrament.

You servant in Christ Jesus,

Pastor Grams+

Page 3

Upcoming Events:

Wisconsin Dells, Brat Fry July 7th, American Concert July 8th, Movie Night/Lock In mid-late July. If you would like more information about any of these events or would like to join our Facebook Group please contact Brian or Rachel Patrycia at 737-2592.

All upcoming fundraisers will help participants who what to go to the 2013 National Youth Gathering in San Antonio raise funds. If you are planning on attending it is encouraged that you participate in as many fund-raisers as possible. If you would like more information about any of these events or would like to be on our email and distribution list, please contact Brian or Rachel Patrycia at 737-2592.

TUITION ASSISTANCE

Financial donations are now

being accepted for student

tuition aid for the 2012-2013

school year. St. Paul member

children in grades 5K-8 receive

priority consideration. Tuition

assistance makes it possible for

some member and non-

member families to be able to

afford the increasing cost of

partnering with St. Paul to

provide a quality Christ-

centered education for their

children. Please place your do-

nation in the offering plate or

mail it to the office.

Thank you for your support!

Page 4

Christian Service Guild

St. Paul Lutheran Church & School

RUMMAGE—CRAFT—BAKE SALE UPDATE

Our 2nd annual rummage, craft and bake sale will be held August 4th from 8am-4pm

and Sunday August 5th from 10:30am-2pm. Sunday will be 1/2 off or fill a bag for $5

day. Coffee and soda will be available on Saturday and on Sunday we will offer a

plate lunch.

Drop off dates for items will be any day the Church/School office is open from July

16th to July 31st. Donations will also be acceptyed July 21 from 1-3pm and July 28

from 1-3pm.

Bake sale items can be dropped off Friday afternoon on August 3rd or before 8am on

the day of the sale.

Save all those gently used articles of clothing, as well as toys, tools, hunting and

fishing gear, furniture, jewelry and household items. It’s amazing what sells!

Profits from the sale will be given to help resurface the parking lot.

BLOOD DRIVE

July 18, 2012

12:00 noon—6:00 p.m.

St. Paul School

Fellowship Hall

Hosted by Christian

Service Guild

VBS DONATIONS

Please check the bulletin

board at church for items

needed for VBS.

As there is no charge this

year for VBS, any cash

donations are appreciated.

St. Paul Lutheran Church & School Page 6

$150,000 By The 150th Anniversary Pledge Drive

In 2015 St. Paul Lutheran Church and School will be celebrating its 150th anniversary!

This yearlong celebration will kick off in October 2014 with a celebration of the 125th

anniversary of our current church building. We are striving to raise $150,000 by the

150th anniversary. These funds may be used for the elimination of the debt on the

new school building and future projects that will help take our church and school

through the next 150 years. Your help is needed to reach that goal! We hope to see

100% participation from all families in the congregation during the course of this

pledge drive as everyone has a reason to give thanks to God for the blessing of St.

Paul congregation.

Stewardship News and Views

The 150th Anniversary Pledge drive is depending on your support and generosity. Any donation you can make is a sign of commitment to God’s work at St. Paul Lutheran Church and School.

The following is a breakdown of a three year obligation;

Bachman Club $5,000 $1667 per year $139 per month

Martin Luther Club $2,500 $ 834 per year $ 70 per month

Sesquicentennial Club $1,500 $ 500 per year $ 42 per month

Walter League Club $1,000 $ 334 per year $ 28 per month

Chargers Club ` $ 500 $ 167 per year $ 14 per month

You can make a gift based on your ability. Every pledge makes a difference. Every person makes a difference. A pledge to God binds you to the good work done in His name.

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Grams, Renette Brand, Bonnie Lannbrecht, Lon Fager

Page

St. Paul Church & School Picnic Sunday, June 3rd

Page 8 St. Paul Lutheran Church & School

CHURCH BROCHURES: are available

in the Narthex from the Stewardship

Committee. If you know of a business

that would be willing to help us

advertise and make our information

available to the public, please take and

post them.

DVD OF CHURCH SERVICE

Anyone wishing to receive a DVD of our Church Service,

call the church office . One of our volunteers will deliver

it to you.

Cookbooks: We still have some cookbooks available, and for just $10 you can have the perfect gift to give for that hard to shop person on your holiday list. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy, please contact the church/school office or see Dianne Kilgore, Tina Kilgore, Linda Prahl, or Richelle Pribek.

2012 APRIL & MAY SCRIP REPORT

April $22,592.65 Sales $937.60 Profit 112 Orders

May $29,780.08 Sales $804.49 Profit 109 Orders

Total YTD $123,932.13 Sales $4,311.29 Profit 580 Orders

SCRIP: will once again be holding a month-

ly drawing this summer during June, July,

and August for anyone purchasing $200 (or

more) per order. Each time you purchase

$200 (or more) of Scrip your name will be

entered in the drawing for the month in

which you purchased your order. The win-

ner will get to select a $25 gift card from

one of the three following businesses: Shell,

Piggly Wiggly, or Stodola's IGA. Remember

the more purchases of Scrip you have for

$200 or more, the more times your name

gets entered in the drawing. Wouldn't you

like to have an additional $25 free to spend

on gas or groceries? Purchase Scrip and get

your name entered in the drawing!

MEMORIALS:

In memory of Lavern Mueller:

Debt Fund $10

Video Fund $45

St. Paul School $ 5

LAKESHORE LUTHERANS

FOR LIFE

Meeting on July 10th, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. in

the meeting room at St. Paul Church.

We will be making plans to have a guest

speaker here in Septembe5r regarding Life

Issues.

The Ladies Guild will be in conjunction

with us. You are welcome to join us.

St. Paul Faculty/Staff Contact Info Pastor: Daniel Grams revgrams1@mac.com Cell Phone (920) 883-9523 4K Teacher: Tiffany Dart tdart@stpaullux.org

4K Teacher: Beth Budnik bbudnik@stpaullux.org 5K Teacher: Sherry Byrne sbyrne@stpaullux.org 1st & 2nd Grade: Heidi Schneider hschneider@stpaullux.org 3-4-5th Grade: Ruth Bernau rbernau@stpaullux.org 6th, 7th & 8th Grade: Sarah Shin sshin@stpaullux.org School Secretary: Kathy Kinnard kkinnard@stpaullux.org Church Secretary: Bonnie Kratz bkratz@stpaullux.org For Funerals: Tina Peterson 863-5137 Arlene Gruetzmacher 845-5048

Church Office 920-845-2095

Fax: 920-845-9075

N4118 Cty Rd AB Luxemburg WI 54217

W E ’ RE O N T HE W EB ! W WW .STPAULLU X . ORG

Newsletter deadline is the 15th of the month.

RIDE TO CHURCH? Anyone in need of transportation to

and from church, please notify the church office.

2012 St. Paul 8th Grade Graduates

Jordan Kramer, Nick Lozinski, Caleb Shin