Volume 84, No. 3 - March 15, 2015

The Remaining Wednesdays in Lent Through March 25, 2015Mornings 10:30 a.m. Lenten Worship Service Sanctuary 11:00 a.m. Social Gatherings with Refreshments Commons

* * * * * *Evenings 5:30-6:30 p.m. Dinner continuously served (menu-pg.7) Fellowship Hall 6:00-6:45 New Generation Choir Sanctuary 6:00-7:00 New Creation Choir Choir Room 6:15-7:00 Adult Education: “The Power of Forgiveness” Upper Room 6:15-7:00 Lenten Time for Families of all kinds 1st Floor Educ. Wing 7:15-8:00 p.m. Lenten Worship Service Sanctuary A peaceful service to close your day in prayer

St. Matthew’s Mission StatementCalled to fulfill the Great Commission, St. Matthew’s Welcomes all to faith in Jesus Christ, Nurtures our faith journey, Equips us to serve others, and Sends us into the world to make a difference in Jesus’ name.

The Voice of St. Matthew’sThe newsletter of St. Matthew’s Ev. Lutheran Church

Christopher Manke, Matthew Kruse and Margaret Schoewe, Pastors

1615 Wauwatosa Avenue, Wauwatosa, WI 53213414-774-0441 fax 414-774-0989

E-mail: office@stmattslutheran.orgVisit our website: www.StMattsLutheran.org

Sunday worship at 7:30, 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. USPS 662-800 -- Published Monthly - Twice monthly in March, July, October and December by St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1615 Wauwatosa Ave., Wauwatosa, WI 53213 (phone 774-0441) Periodicals postage paid at Milwaukee, WI. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Voice of St. Matthew’s, St. Matthew’s Ev. Lutheran Church, 1615 Wauwatosa Avenue, Wauwatosa, WI 53213. Submit articles to the church office in care of Sonja Mohr, Newsletter Editor, or sonjamohr@me.com

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Pastor’s VoiceTransforming Your Stakes!Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their stake and follow me. —Mark 8:34Abraham did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as good enough.”—Romans 4:19-22

For most of my life, I’ve understood Lent to be a time of deep reflection and self-examination—a time, as my friend Mary says, “to look down deep into the well of my soul” and see what lies at the very bottom. And as someone who has struggled with feelings of shame and wrestled with negative self-images, a part of me has always yearned that Lent might bring me the right practice, the right perspective, even the right amount of prayer so that at the end of the forty days, I could leave those painful pieces of me behind. Those shame-filled marks of my identity I’ve always wished I could leave behind. But a few weeks ago, as a group of colleagues studied the story of Mark 8—the very turning point of Mark’s good news account, that place where we mistakenly assume take up your cross is equivalent to

“suck it up and try harder,” I found myself humbled by the mystery of God’s word of life in the midst of darkness.

The word Jesus speaks in Aramaic for cross, stauron, is usually meant to point us to the cross (how Lenten!) but could also mean “stake” or “standchion.” One of my dear colleagues pointed out that Jesus may have been speaking not only of his cross, but of those times in our lives—those shame-filled places and hurtful memories. I know I’d rather leave some of my past stuck in the ground far behind me; I’m certain there are parts of each of our lives we’d rather plant in the ground like a stake and move forward from—it would make our lives and relationships easier to bury them under a tent-stake.

As yet we come closer to the cross, as we explore God’s mysterious gift of forgiveness, Jesus calls us to follow him while bringing all that makes up our lives—even the shame-filled, shadowy, dusty, darkened, left behind unresolved long ago parts. For they are a part of us, and with our whole selves, will be transformed by God, who fills us with the courage to pull those pieces up like tent stakes, and to bring them with us toward Jerusalem—toward Good Friday—toward the cross of Christ. Where we know God will take those things we have covered, hidden, and left behind; those places we wish and hope and pray weren’t part of our identities, those stains at the bottom of our heart’s well, and through the Cross, the ultimate image of shame and pain, bring about life from death. May God accompany you in your journey with Jesus toward Jerusalem. Let’s pull up the stakes we think aren’t worthy of redeeming—Jesus tells us our whole self is worth it in God’s eyes. A fellow-stake leaver-behind, Pastor Matt

Look at this great Adult Education Line-Up

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Sunday Mornings from 9:45-10:45March 15-March 29

Heaven Can’t Wait (Read this Book Now): The Near Death ExperienceDan Bice, Pastor Matt Kruse, Britt Peterson, Sue Swing, Conor WilliamsMarch 15We’ll explore the history of the Near Death Experience (NDE) as it was coined in 1975 by Dr. Raymond Moody and what may account for the increase in stories, books and even movies on the subject. We’ll review the characteristics of an NDE, some personal accounts and why science is having a hard time chalking it all up to altered brain chemistry when the body dies.

March 22Share your stories on physical death and the life beyond in a respectful and safe environment as we utilize the listening circle model to reflect on the phenomenon and personal experience.

March 29The third part of our discussion on Near Death Experiences will focus on what scripture, theology, and our faith offer to help us understand these kinds of experiences. Bring your questions and join in a discussion, mediated by Pastor Matt, of how the stories of scripture shape our understandings of the afterlife.

Coming in April after Easter...Lutheranism 101In advance of the Germany trip and Lutherland adventure, all are invited to explore the basics of Luther’s thought, what it means to be Lutheran, and how our Lutheranism offers us a unique way of viewing the world! Using history, Luther’s writings, and recent Lutheran developments, we’ll explore what it means to proclaim, I’m a Lutheran Christian!Led by Pastor Matt Kruse

The Best Yes! Twenty four women of all ages participated in a 6-week small group study using The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst. We shared our stories and prayed for one another as we explored the difference between saying ‘yes’ to everyone and saying ‘yes’ to God. In the book and in the Scripture readings we were encouraged to choose wisdom and to apply that to our daily decision making. One of the highlights of the study was the Proverbs challenge, a weekly goal to read a chapter from the book of Proverbs each day. We had a great time together and look forward to moving forward with more knowledge and support from new found friends that were made in this group. We hope everyone can join us next time! “It’s not the activities or accomplishments we string together that make lives well lived as much as it is the hearts of wisdom we gain and use along the way.” Lysa TerKeurst

First Fridays Book Club meets Second Friday for last two meetings All are welcome to join the discussion. The discussion begins in the Upper Room at 7 p.m. April 10 When “Spiritual but Not Religious” Is Not Enough:

Seeing God in Surprising Places, Even the Church by Lillian Daniel (224 pages)

May 8 The Orchardist: A Novel by Amanda Coplin (426 pages)

These women are some of the participants in “The Best Yes” study on Monday evenings, led by Sue Swing.

Reflections on Holy WeekMarch 29 - April 5

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Palm Sunday - March 29, 2015The Palm Sunday liturgy has its origin in the fourth-century Jerusalem practice of following the steps of Christ through the city. The Christian community would gather outside the city in the hills to the east, listen to the Gospel account of Christ’s entrance, and then walk into the city waving palms.Of significance today is the congregation’s entrance into the communal worship of Holy Week and the Three Days. (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday) Christians cannot return to first-century Jerusalem and simply watch the events of the past. The liturgy proclaims Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. The crucified and risen Lord is with us now, in the present moment. Our worship is not a Passion play.The Sunday Gospel reading focuses and frames the congregation’s vision of the liturgical celebrations of the week; in word, baptism, and supper, the church celebrates Christ’s passage from death to life and our passage from sin to grace. The church proclaims that the fragmented, deathly, and dark rhythm of human life has been suffused with the Redeemer’s gracious, merciful, and enlightening presence.This Palm/Passion Sunday our worship will center around the passion story of the Gospel of Mark. A special liturgy has been prepared for you to start your personal faith journey of Holy Week leading to that glorious Easter Morning.

If you “give up something” for Lent, consider giving to St. Matthew’s Lenten Meal Appeal Throughout the history of the church, the forty days of Lent have been a time of fasting and refraining from food. It’s not uncommon still to see Lent as a time of saying ‘no’ to chocolate, ‘no’ to fried foods, and ‘no’ to alcohol. Regardless of the season, our ministries and our partnerships reveal that for many of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, having enough to eat is a constant issue, and there is a prevalent anxiety about where one will find their next meal. This Lent, we invite you to prayerfully consider an additional financial gift towards St. Matthew’s Lenten Meal Appeal. All gifts received for the Meal Appeal will be shared to support emergency food shipments to our partners in El Salvador, the food pantry at Cross Lutheran Church, and Just One More Meal Ministry (JOMM). Thank you for your generosity and support. Please indicate Meal Appeal on your offering envelopes or check memo lines.

Join Us for Breakfast on Easter Sunday, April 5 Breakfast will be served from 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. on Easter morning and will include Egg Bake, fruit, donuts, pastries, juice, and, of course, plenty of coffee. Proceeds will support the youth mission trip to Denver, CO this summer. Suggested donation for the meal is $5 for ages 10 and up and $3 for ages 3-10.

LENTEN MEAL APPEAL

St. Matthew’s Lenten Meal Appeal seeks to fight hunger & provide support for three important meal ministries! Bureaucratic changes, economic issues, & increased demand have created challenges for our meal partners. Please prayerfully consider giving—please use a purple envelope and/or put Meal Appeal on your check. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

SUPPORTING: —EL SALVADOR EMERGENCY FOOD —CROSS/BOHEM FOOD PANTRY; —JUST ONE MORE MEAL MINISTRY

The TriduumFrom the beginning the Church has seen the event of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection as the centerpiece of its faith. Accordingly, the Church’s worship also reflects this, and reflects it most in its Holy Week Worship. To show the unity of Christ’s redemptive work, the three services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday are actually designed as one service, called the Triduum (Tri-dee-um), from the Latin meaning “Three Day.”

Maundy ThursdayOn Ash Wednesday, the season of Lent began with the imposition of ashes and a reminder of our “dusty future.” Consequently, that day set into motion a season of penitence and self-examination and reflection upon an alternative future in Christ. And just as on Ash Wednesday we were invited to receive ashes on our head as a sign of our penitence; so on Maundy Thursday we are invited to receive communion as a community of faith, believing in the hope of resurrection. Maundy comes from the Latin word meaning mandate or commandment and is given in reference to the Gospel of John 13:34. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another… We conclude the service with a stripping of the Altar. Everything that is in the Chancel area is taken away. This symbolic action prepares us for the transition from Eucharist to the observance of our Good Friday. We exit in silence because we only pause until the service of the Triduum continues the next day…

Good FridayIndeed, the cross is Jesus’ hour of Glory. As such, the focus is not one of mourning Jesus’ death, that is, on our grief. Rather the focus is one of standing in awe of Jesus’ sacrifice. In a real sense, we are this day celebrating the depths to which Jesus goes to secure our salvation. We offer solemn prayer this day, summed up by the Lord’s Prayer and adore the cross in silence so that we may meditate on the love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus. We leave in silence again this night as a pause until the service of the Triduum continues the next day…

Holy SaturdayThe great Vigil of Easter is the climax of the three days of worship. It is the oldest, richest and most solemn of liturgies, drawing on a host of biblical themes and metaphors. It is the church’s passage with Christ from darkness into light. The Service of Light gathers the people around fire… the first act of creation… creating light. Into the darkened church we enter and bring the light of Christ into our hearts. The Service of the Word then recalls stories from the Old Testament recalling God’s great mercy and saving act upon us. We then turn to The Service of Baptism and our focus on the Font. We highlight the fact that baptism is nothing less than our immersion into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.We end our Vigil here which has led us through the death and resurrection of Christ, taking us from deep darkness into the marvelous light of Christ on the glorious Easter Morning.John R. Paradowski, Minister of Music

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Youth Mission Trip Dinner Auction a huge successPage 6

The Dinner Auction in February was a great event thanks to you! Your support through donations, bids, and dinner attendance made this year’s event an especially successful fundraiser for the summer youth mission trip to Denver. We are thankful to the congregation of St. Matthew’s for your consistent and generous support that makes these annual trips possible.

Thanks for your support of the Youth Mission Trip this summer!

Tee Stallings, Annika, Jenna

and Claudia Strand

(Far right)Donna Gifford

and Emily Chiesa

(Below)Linda & Jerry

Wunderlich and daughter

Lauren

Conor Williams and Mike Gifford

Steve & Karen Gastrau and

daughters Katie and Emily

(left to right) Cassie Smith, Quinten Clement, Madeline Serafin

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What will the 2015 Youth Mission Trip Participants Do in Denver? In even the most beautiful of places in the United States – places that make it to the top of people’s vacation lists because of natural beauty, landmarks, art, etc. - there is poverty. Denver, Colorado, surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains and boasting the nation’s most highly educated population, is no exception. In the midst of this thriving city are those who struggle daily with food insecurity, with economic instability, and with homelessness. Denver Urban Ministries, a non-profit crisis center, is an agency that walks with those who are confronting those issues. They provide help with basic needs, including food, infant items, rent or utility assistance, and employment services This June, St. Matthew’s group of 61 youth and adult chaperones will spend a week volunteering with non-profit organizations in the Denver metro area through the Denver Urban Education Program of Denver Urban Ministries. In addition to working with these agencies, the group will learn more about the issues surrounding homelessness, hunger and poverty in Denver and urban areas in general. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us that when we respond to the needs of those who are the hungry, poor, lonely, or sick: “just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” By serving and working with those in Denver who face challenges of poverty, hunger, and homelessness, our prayer is that our eyes and hearts will be opened to the presence of Jesus in those we meet in Denver, in Milwaukee and in every place we live and serve.

Pizzeria Piccola Fundraiser on April 12th will support Mission Trip - again! Mark your calendars now for the spring mission trip fundraiser at Pizzeria Piccola on Sunday, April 12th from 4:00 – 9:00 P.M. Just getting back from spring break? Focused on getting organized for the school week after a week off? Don’t worry about dinner. Just phone in your order or, better yet, drop in and have dinner with other St. Matthew’s members. A portion of all proceeds on that day will be donated to the 2015 Youth Mission Trip to Denver, join us for good food, a good time, and a good cause – it’s a win-win event! The support that St. Matthew’s offers at this fundraiser continues to amaze the Pizzeria Piccola staff. We are grateful for your past support, and we ask for your continued participation in this fun – and delicious – way to support our annual mission trip!

Lenten Dinners Continue Through March 25th Join us for dinner on Wednesdays in Lent before you head to choirs, Adult ed., and worship. Each Wednesday, we serve a healthy dinner from 5:30 – 6:30. Suggested donation for the dinner is $5 for adults and $3 for children aged 3-10. If you sign up to bring food, you receive a free meal. Proceeds benefit the youth mission trip to Colorado. The weekly menu is below.

March 11th: Soup, salad, breadMarch 18th: Baked potato bar, salad, fruitMarch 25th: Build-your-own-sub, fruit, vegetables & dip

Noah Manke, Alexis Falci, Lilly Manke and Lexi Schmidt have some fun on the bus during the Ski trip. It was a cold weekend for skiing, but the skiers had fun inside or out.

Children and FamiliesPage 8

Has your 1st - 5th grader come to KFC/DOC? Be part of St. Matthew’s Children’s Ministry GroupsKids for Christ and Disciples of Christ Children’s Ministry Groups meet monthly. Our children’s ministries KFC (Kids for Christ - grades 1-3) and DOC (Disciples of Christ - grades 4-5) come together for fun, fellowship, devotion and food. Friends can also come along. Bring $4 for lunch. Led by Donna Gardner Manke. Please RSVP to the church office. The next meeting dates and times are:

Kids for Christ (grades 1-3)Sunday, April 26- 12:15-2:00 p.m.Sunday, May 3- 12:15-2:00 p.m.(with DOC)

Disciples of Christ (grades 4-5)Sunday, April 12 - 12:15-2:00 p.m.Sunday, May 3- 12:15-2:00 p.m.(with KFC)

Baptism Anniversaries“We Promise to Pray for You...” Several times each month, babies, children and adults are baptized during our worship services. During the service of baptism, after the person is baptized, the congregation welcomes him or her and promises to pray for him or her during his/her faith development. We re-print these baptism names and dates from the previous three years as a reminder of those baptized.Nathaniel Richard Dolan March 9, 2014Madison Mae Passint March 16, 2014Oliver Daniel Welch March 30, 2014Quinn Elizabeth Farrell March 10, 2013Dylan Mann March 30, 2013Phoebe Jane Mann March 30, 2013Owen August Ziemer March 18, 2012Jack Preston Wians March 25, 2012Emmett William Zimmer March 25, 2012

Families: We invite you to Wednesday Evening Lenten Family Time on the remaining Wednesdays: March 11, 18, 25 Following the Wednesday dinners, from 6:15-7:00 p.m., there is family time for families with smaller children (up through third grade) with stories, songs, projects, prayers and a brief worship. We encourage families to come for the dinner (at 5:30), stay for the family time and then return home in time for children to go to bed.

Andy Cherney (left) reads a book to Jackson Reuter (middle) and Caleb Cherney (right) on the steps of the library entrance.

The First Communion glasses stand ready for their students and families at the First Communion Service on February 1. Fifth graders decorated glasses with symbols for communion and then took them home after the service as a keepsake of their First Communion.

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Men, Come to the Men’s Retreat Saturday, March 14th, 8:30am-3:00pm Relationship Care through the help of a veteran marriage care leader Men, how many times have you wondered what you could do to be a better marriage partner? Chuck Shantz, a St. Matthew’s member and 14+ year veteran leader for marriage preparation retreats for LSS (Lutheran Social Services) will go through the many aspects of relationships and how to be a better partner. Whether you’re in a marriage now or preparing for marriage down the road, this retreat will help us all learn to be better mates. Join us on Saturday, March 14th from 8:30 till 3:00pm for this day long retreat at St. Matthew’s focusing on relationships. Cost of $20 for breakfast, snacks and lunch requested. Friends are always welcome! Pick up a registration form at the Welcome Center or across from the office, fill it out, and return it to the office with your $20 fee. We’ll look forward to seeing you.

Greater Tosa Interfaith, serving seniors in our community, holds jewelry fundraiserCould you donate items to benefit their sale? Greater Tosa Interfaith will be participating in a fund raising event in May. St. Pius X hosts a large rummage sale in their gym. Greater Tosa Interfaith will have a table there to sell used jewelry and invites you to donate any items to sell. They need bracelets, necklaces, earrings, watches and pins. They need not be in perfect condition. Proceeds go to assist the programs for older adults in our area. Please bring your items to church and place in the “red basket” at the Welcome Center nearest the library. Contact Jane Sandstrom (262-790-1652 or email: Farmorjane @aol.com) with questions or if you need the items to be picked up.

Sign up now - Reserve your spot!Annual St. Matthew’s Women’s Retreat, April 17-18-19“Now With God’s Help, I Shall Become Myself”Keynote: “Clear Your Clutter – Release and Heal” Led by Kerri Weishoff, the morning workshop will focus on letting go of our physical, mental and emotional clutter. Kerri is an Integrative Health Coach, a workshop leader on clarity and visioning, and teacher of The Art of Healing and Self Care at UW-Milwaukee. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality & Healing Program.

Breakout opportunities: • Create A Vision Board – Use

images to reveal insights on who you are and where God might be calling you. Led by Erin Weileder and Mary Thomae

• “Read the Book of Nature” – Read a passage from scripture. Walk the grounds of Benet Lake Retreat Center. Observe how God might be speaking to you. Led by Lora Dow

• Create A Prayer Space – gather materials to create a prayer space for your home. Led by Ginny Cleppe

Open the day with Universal Dance for Peace and close with worship and communion. There are gift certificates available for all or part of this retreat if you wish to give this as a gift. Men? A gift idea for the woman in your life.

Saturday onlyFriday evening and Saturday Friday evening – Sunday Morning

Inquire in the church office for amounts of each of these.Includes meals and lodging. Friday evening will focus on relationship building, Saturday evening we’ll view and discuss the movie “Philomena,” and Sunday attend worship with the Benet Lake community before departing.

Theme Bible Verse: “I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:14a

Quick Bits:Sustainable Crafters will meet in Fellowship Hall on March 18th and April 15th. We will be working on cards, tin

punch lanterns and more. All are welcome!

Sustainable Crafters are collecting used wooden spoons. You can drop them off in the church office. Thanks!

Women Together In Prayer: Please save the date for our annual Prayer Breakfast – May 16, 2015 – 8:30 – 11:00 a.m. Details to follow.

Men’s Mini-Bowling Thanks to the men who joined in on the mini-bowling in February. It was a lot of fun and it would be a great activity to try again. Join us next time!

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Last Call for 2015 Activities & Ministries forms...! While that is not actually true, we’ll gladly take your response anytime, it’s still an important reminder to anyone who has not returned their 2015 Activities & Ministries form. The form, which was part of the fall stewardship drive packet, is the tool that is used to get volunteers connected with and removed from all ministries, including Sunday morning schedules. We don’t assume that if you don’t return your form we should remove you from all activities. Many people also think a “no reply means no change” and they’ll be kept in all of their previous ministries if they don’t return the form. The only reliable way for us to honor your time and preferences is for you to return the completed form! If you have any questions or would like to discuss further contact Sue Swing, Volunteer Coordinator, at sueswing@sbcglobal.net or 414-774-0441.

A New Chorus - With a Familiar Face Come to hear a concert by the Chant Claire Chamber Choir, a new choir in the Milwaukee area. Pastor Matt Kruse, who is an experienced choir singer, discovered this choir and joined it last fall. Come hear the group at their spring concert:

Saturday, April 18th at 7:00 PMAlverno College Chapel

Here’s some information about the concert and the group: Founded in the Fall of 2013, Chant Claire Chamber Choir is a new Milwaukee chamber choir dedicated to bringing challenging, high-quality choral music to singers and audiences in southeast Wisconsin. The group began rehearsing in September 2013, and performed its first concert in December 2013. The group was begun by Benjamin Bedroske, who is now the chorus director. The repertoire for our Spring concert is quite unique. It’s all music by composers who are from Wisconsin! This means that a lot of the music is going to be unfamiliar to the majority of our audience, but it’s a great chance to showcase some talented musicians from our home state. We’re looking forward to performing their pieces and give tribute to the place we call home.

The photos show ways that these people have found to serve using their time and talents. Left - Bret Rockenbach helped with the plumbing at the Zeuske Home. Middle - Anjeni Kirchner went to El Salvador and made connections with adults and children and helped with the teacher training workshop. Right - Ed Bross irons the cloth for the Lenten cross. Ed’s talents encompass both decorative and technical tasks.

Social Ministry

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Lenten Reflection: Thinking about food in a time of fastingby Mary Minette, Director for Environmental Education and Advocacy, ELCA“You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together with joy.” Psalm 65:11-13 For Lent, some people give up a favorite food as a way to reflect on scarcity and abundance, the gifts that God has given, and the sacrifice embodied in Christ’s life, death and resurrection. I’ve done this myself because I thought it was a good way to focus on the meaning and purpose of the Lenten season (although my husband says that the year I gave up chocolate I became unbelievably cranky). Rather than giving up a food this year, my plan for Lent is to try to be more mindful of and thankful for the food that blesses and feeds me and my family. I aim to do this by finding ways to eat more sustainably and avoid waste. In our world of abundance, many still don’t have enough to eat. In our country and in the developed world as a whole, we waste a lot of food. This waste has economic, environmental and moral costs. Each year an average U.S. family of four wastes an estimated $1484 in food. In our slowly growing and wage-stagnant economy, that’s not a small amount! In 2010, the USDA estimated that 153 billion pounds of food with a retail value of $161 billion was wasted by U.S. consumers and retailers, more than one-third of our food supply. Wasted food also wastes all of the resources that go into growing, shipping, packaging and refrigerating food before it even reaches your table—and this also includes a lot of energy, much of which comes from polluting fossil fuels. Most wasted food ends up in a landfill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, food thrown away by consumers, restaurants, grocery stores and others at all points along our industrial food chain is the largest single component of landfills. Food waste not only takes up space in landfills, it also produces methane as it decays. (Methane is one of the most potent of the greenhouse gases that is causing climate change, and landfills are the third largest source of U.S. methane emissions.)Then there is the moral cost of food waste. Wasting food shows disregard for the farmer who grew the food, to all those who played a role in bringing it to the table and to our God whose creation offers us food in abundance.

In a world where many of our neighbors are hungry, wasted food seems to embody an indifference to their suffering. When your mother told you to “think of the starving children” if you refused to clean your plate, she was making a moral point that deserves further reflection. How should we as Christians view a food system that allows millions of tons of food to rot in landfills while billions go hungry? And what role does our own wasted food play in that system? Lent and its focus on spiritual discipline is a good time to ponder the role of food in our lives and to try some new, more sustainable practices Here are just a few: • Find ideas and resources from the USDA/EPA

Food Waste Challenge • Eat down your refrigerator, freezer and pantry.

Oh and here’s some good information on what “use by” and “sell by” dates really mean and which foods are still safe to eat.

• Try new ways of cooking that use leftovers and food scraps.

◦ Smart Cooking Trounces Food Waste: How to Make Mincemeat - or Just Lunch - of Leftovers

◦ Tamar Adler, An Everlasting Meal, Cooking with Economy and Grace

• Read a new (and potentially controversial) report from the scientific advisory panel that helps create the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines that, for the first time, urges consumers to consider the environmental impact of their food.

• This year’s Earth Day Sunday resource from Creation Justice Ministries focuses on the relationship between food and climate change.

See more at: http://www.elca.org/News-and-Events/blogs/ELCAAdvocay/118#sthash.DMvyay8M.dpuf

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“Seeking Guidance from the Holy Spirit”The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg We are in the season of Lent. A time to reflect on our faith and spend intentional time contemplating the gifts of God given to us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. One of the richest blessings we have received is the constant companion of the Holy Spirit. When we switch from auto-pilot to mindful listening and actively seeking spiritual guidance we come closer to living the life we’ve always wanted. In his book that we read as a congregation last fall John Ortberg says that a key test to know whether we really want God’s guidance is to ask, “How often do I seek God’s guidance when I’m not facing trouble or a difficult decision?” If the answer is “not often at all” then we may be moving through life under the direction of our own guidance. We can choose to do that but there is a better way. God is available to us, all the time. He desires for us to seek guidance not just to make a decision but to seek guidance for the growth of our soul. God’s purpose in guidance is not to get us to perform the right actions. His purpose is to help us become the right kind of people. How do you make your soul a place where God can easily be heard? One way is to listen for the Spirit continually, when a free moment in your day opens up pause and ask God, “Do you have anything for me to do?” Then be relentlessly responsive, so that the prompting to write a note or make a call becomes an action and not just a thought that slips away. We can also listen for the voice of the Spirit in others, paying attention because God not only speaks to us but through us. One of the simplest and most profound suggestions that was offered in The Life You’ve Always Wanted was to write the word LISTEN on a note and put it somewhere where you will see it frequently. The dashboard of the car, the computer screen, the bathroom mirror. This reminder to listen for the voice of the Spirit is critical to remaining open to the guiding power of the Holy Spirit, the presence that has the power to transform us in little ways each and every day.

Saving Paper on Sunday mornings: Making good use of our resources and ultimately, the earth’s resources! A couple of years ago, we made the decision to separate the Sunday morning bulletin announcements from the section of the bulletin containing the order of service. Then we began printing fewer bulletin announcements, and added the opportunity for people to recieve the bulleitn announcments on their computers in .pdf form on Fridays and also access the document through our website. In doing so, we have been able to save about 30% of the paper we used to use. We are a Caring for Creation congregation, always looking for ways to reduce our footprint in our environment, and using less paper is an easy way to do that. Thank you! if you’ve reduced the number of bulletin announcement packets you take to one per family. If you do take a pack of announcements at 7:30 or 8:30 on Sunday morning, could you return it to the Welcome Center after the service? Then the 11:00 people could use them. If this became a practice, we would be able to run fewer bulletin announcements than we do now. We currently run approx 350-375 (from a high of 600) packs of bulletin announcements. Attention 11:00 Worshippers: If you are not able to find any bulletin announcements, please let the welcome center people know, or the office staff know. If you missed out on a Sunday’s bulletin, email the office or sonjamohr@me.com and it will be promptly emailed or mailed to you.

“Can’t we all just get along?” Well, yes. We can, and we do. If you’ve come to church an extra few minutes and found your seat before the start of worship, you may have noticed a lot of people getting along very well, indeed! People are actually excited to see one another and are chatting and laughing; sometimes very loud! It’s wonderful to see all the connections people have in our congregation. We hear from guests and new members how friendly and welcoming and enthusiastic our people are. It’s a blessing to our ministry in so many ways. We also have people who come to church for an opportunity to reflect, meditate and pray, particularly before the service. Some people would simply like to sit quietly to calm themselves and enjoy some moments of quiet, or listen to the organ prelude. So that we can all “just get along,” if you’d like to hold an extended conversation before worship, it would be considerate to hold it away from other people. If you are chatting briefly in the worship space, please consider the volume and length of your conversation in respect for those who are quietly preparing for worship.

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Our Church Family Recently hospitalized: Irma Brandt; Bob Okern; Pat Schumacher; Jo Gialdini; Lee Meyerpeter; Sandy Richter; Mike Baierl We rejoice with Jeff and Kat Dillie in the birth of a daughter, Lucy; welcomed by Jacob, Genevieve and Benjamin. We remember Walter Wilde in his death on February 15 after a long illness. Walter was a long-time member of St. Matthew’s and a faithful worshipper at the 7:30 service. He was a friend to many, and our condolences are with both his friends and his family. Services were held at St. Matthew’s on February 19. Our condolences to Ray Heard in the death of his wife Marlene Heard. The Heards have moved to the Minocqua area, but Marlene had been very involved at St. Matthew’s and led a rug hooking class for quite a few years here before her health issues restricted her activities. She had many talents; rug hooking was an art for her. We remember Madelyn Fuerstenberg a long time active member of St. Matthew’s, whom in recent years spent every winter in Florida with her husband Arnold. Madelyn died a few weeks ago. Recently they lived in Avalon Square in Waukesha. We remember in our prayers Arnold and their adult children Lynne and Richard. Our condolences to Robin Cox and Kelly Mathwick in the death of their father Lloyd Mathwick a few weeks ago. Keep in your prayers their mother Alice, in the loss of her dear husband. Services were held in their parish, Hales Corners Lutheran Church. Peace and comfort to Sarah Scheiber in the death of her mother; grandmother to Amelia. Our sympathy to Sharon Thiel in the death of her mother Joyce Appanaitis.

Welcome to Harwood Place!Pastors to offer service at Harwood three times a year Our pastors, for many years, have given a service three times a year at Luther Manor for our members who reside there. It is a great opportunity to get together with those who don’t get to come to St. Matthew’s, but appreciate being together with other members and our pastors. The services are followed by a time for coffee and cookies. Recently, the first of these services was held at Harwood Place, a senior living community just a half-mile from St. Matthew’s on Harwood Aveue. The pastors look forward to offering these services about three times a year. All are welcome to attend. If you have a relative or friend who lives at Harwood or Luther Manor, or perhaps you’re considering moving there, you are most welcome to come along to be part of the worship time.

VALENTINE THANKS: The church office received many cards of thanks for the beautiful Valentine paper-folded baskets. Here are a few excerpts:

“Thank you very much for the Valentine. It is real nice. I like the candy.” “Thank you so very much for remembering us at Luther Manor with your very special Valentine’s gift. We so appreciate the work of all who make this special effort so many times during the year.”“You left a beautiful Valentine basket hanging on my apartment door! What a wonderful surprise! It is lovely and has some pastel colored stationery decorated with paper lace in it, along with some good candy! Whoevery made the basket did some intricate paper weaving. You did such nice work. It was very thoughtful of you to remember me with such a nice gift.”“Thank you for the pretty handmade basket full of goodies. It warmed my heart right away, it’s so clever and sweet. Thank you for thinking of me at St. Valentine’s Day! My son came from Arizona, which made it special. Blessings to you all!”

Middle School Sunday School classes turned old bulletins into art by making these beautiful folded paper cross cards. The cards will be given by the pastors to St. Matthews members who are hospitalized or dealing with serious illness.

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Assistants for Sunday, March 29, 2015Sunday of the Passion/Palm SundayNursery: 8:30, Gail Freeborn, Erin Merklein, Ana Michaelson. 9:45, Laura Hyland, Erika Slager. 11:00, Kamrynn Lamontagne, Abby Mucha, 1 more needed.Acolytes: 8:30, Emily & Nick Koranda. 11:00, Alexis Falci, Abby Hughes.Coffee Hosts: 8:00, Dan & Allison Byrne, Scott & Michelle Hoffman, Bill, Sam, and Mia Kodzik.Communion Preparers: 7:30, Marcia Cornnell, Suzanne Hansen.Communion Assistants: 7:30, Margaret Crawford, 1 more needed.Greeters: 8:30, Helen Kinsey, Bill & Beth Brown, Steve & Lisa Winters. 11:00, Robert, Abby and Heide Hughes, Anne-Marie Nickel, Christa Gensler.Lay Readers: 7:30, Margaret Crawford. 8:30, Marion Heinz. 11:00, Heide Hughes.Ushers: 8:30, Flash Gordon (captain) Mark Rutkowski, Dale Renaud, Larry Herte, Chris Herte, Mary Ann and Daniel Gordon, Don Birschel. 11:00, Paul De Young (captain), Robert & Christine Mochel, Steve and Jack Mielke, John and Claire Geertsen, Matthew Doberstein, Mark Bjorgo.Communion Bread Baker: Adam & Heather Bastjan.Welcome Center Host: 8:30, Judy & David Holmes. 11:00, Mary Ellen & Don Ralfs.Welcome Assistant to the Pastors: 8:30, Karen & Chuck Crook. 11:00, Robert Beecher.Library Assistant: Dee Birschel.

Assistants for Sunday, March 15, 2015Fourth Sunday in LentNursery: 8:30, Emma Karras, Ava Zovic, 1 more needed. 9:45, Laura Murray and Laura Petersen. 11:00, Tessa and Lexi Schmidt, Angela Tillman.Acolytes: 8:30, Savannah Nielson, Silas Rudig. 11:00, Grant & Adam Fendos, Nora Murphy, Natalie Tennessen. Coffee Hosts: 8:00, Jim & Katie Karls, Martha Moore, Bob & Theresa Zwaska.Communion Preparers: 11:00, Ruth Kallio-Mielke, Jack Mielke, Joy Wedel.Communion Assistants: 11:00, Robin Grady, Kelly Kirtley, Sarah Timmerman.Greeters: 7:30, Shelly Jones. 8:30, Larry Herte, Helen Kinsey, Kathleen O’Leary. 11:00, Amy Schmidt, Rosalind Rouse, Jean Hautala.Lay Readers: 7:30, Shelly Jones. 8:30, Kevin Ede. 11:00, Joanne Ziarek.Ushers: 8:30, Robert Kettler (captain), Rob Zillmer, J.P. and John Swenson, Fred Reinke, Grace Mann, John Kuhlmann, Tim Goetsch, James Blomquist. 11:00, Tim Muehlfeld (cap-tain), Joseph & Ben Wehrley, Michael Thomae, Judith & Joseph Sayrs, Jon Langenstroer, Craig Johnson, Katie Gastrau.Communion Bread Baker: Sandra & Don Reynolds.Lay Assistant: 11:00, Annette Olson.Welcome Center Host: 8:30, Patti Cimermancic. 11:00, Christine & Robert Mochel.Welcome Assistant to the Pastors: 8:30, Eileen & Carl Lund. 11:00, Debra Endean.Library Assistants: Arlene Hastings, Julie Schmidt.

Assistants for Sunday, March 22, 20155th Sunday in LentNursery: 8:30, Brad Iding, Megan Kimps, Alia Van Lith. 9:45, Needed. 11:00, Matt Staff, Amy Stolarski, 1 more needed.Acolytes: 8:30, Peter Hewett, Brian Koebel, Emma Ralfs, Matthew Ralfs. 11:00, Alec Kirtley, Ben Zeuske. Coffee Hosts: 8:00, Karen Freiberg, Doug & Lori Sauter. 9:30, Tracy Loechler.Communion Preparers: 8:30, Leslie & Patrick Gardner, Steve Reuter. Communion Assistants: 8:30, Sandy Cristan, Lynn Howard, Jane Sandstrom.Greeters: 7:30, Janet Chandler. 8:30, The Strand Family, Maisey Michelz, Susan Van Lith. 11:00, Paul, Jennifer and Hannah Kramer.Lay Readers: 7:30, Charles Shantz. 8:30, Scott Falk. 11:00, Mary Thomae.Ushers: 8:30, Brian Due (captain), Tim Schoewe, Lisa Krekling, Jacob Kimps, Emma Gifford, Dave Fagerberg, Frank Cimermancic, Chris Capper. 11:00, Barrey Swing (captain), Ethan Wooster, Rob Wedel, Quinn Wedel, Richard Tennessen, Nick Tennessen, Nohle Stewart, Ethan Stewart, Eric Oquist.Communion Bread Baker: Wendy Falk and Carrie Ralfs.Lay Assistant: 8:30, Al Van Lith.Welcome Center Host: 8:30, Rob & Erin Weileder. 11:00, Tom Geib.Welcome Assistant to the Pastors: 8:30, Ken & Sue Voigt. 11:00, Joyce Biehn.Library Assistant: Bridget Smith.

“Confronting Segregation” - Tuesdays in March: A luncheon/Lecture series from Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee:Confronting the Realities of Segregation March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 2015 Noon until 1:30 p.m.Location: First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, 1342 N. Astor St., Milwaukee. For more information check out the Interfaith Conference website at: www.interfaithconference.org

* * * * * * * * * * *Save the Date: God’s Work, Our Hands Sunday will be September 13th. If you are interested in helping to plan this fun service event, please contact Pastor Matt before Easter.

God’s Work. Our Hands

PERIODICALS RATEMail Carrier: Please deliver by March 14, 2015.

The Voice of St. Matthew’sWe are called to welcome, nurture, equip and send

Next issue of the VOICE is dated March 31, 2015.

Wauwatosa, Wisconsinwww.stmattslutheran.org

Front row, left to right: Kristin Hanson (Youth), Tracy Michaelson (Education), Eileen Lund (Communications and Council Secretary), Pastor Margaret Schoewe. Those standing, left to right: Darla Hium (Social Ministry), Gordon Moehling (Finance), Kristin Schneider (Worship and Music), Curt Brewer (Stewardship), Jerry Wunderlich (Property), Pastor Matt Kruse, Vince Prantil (Evangelism), Frank Cimermancic (Human Resources and Vice President), Ruth Kallio-Mielke (President), Pastor Chris Manke.

Thank you to our Council Leaders!St. Matthew’s Church Council 2015

Instruction Page for:

St. Matthew’s Ev. Lutheran Church#9805151615 Wauwatosa AveWauwatosa, WI 53213414-774-0441Sonja Mohr

Issue Date March 15, 2015Volume 84Issue # 3

# of Pages: 16

Special Instructions:

Quantity Needed = 950

To Be Shipped to:

c/o United Mailing Services Inc.3655 N. 126th St. Ste. CBrookfield, WI 53005