FAITH'SFOUNDATIONS

FEBRUARY 2018

Working to spread the Gospel here and throughout the world.

6995 US 45 S · P.O. Box 436 · Three Lakes, WI 54562 · 715-546-2770 · Parsonage: 715-546-2795http://faithlutheran-threelakes.org · https://facebook.com/faith3lakes · office2770@frontier.com

LENTEN PREPARATIONBy Pastor Ken Ranos

This year presents a few interesting oddities ofthe calendar. The most obvious (and frankly themost amusing) is that this year, Easter Sundayfalls on April 1—April Fools’ Day! It remindsme of a children’s sermon my father-in-lawonce did. He asked the kids what Jesus saidwhen he came out of the tomb, and one kidstood up, put his hands out wide, and yelled,“TADA!”

The second oddity is on the other end of theLenten season, the beginning. This year, theseason of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (as italways does), which falls on February 14—Valentine’s Day! Oh dear…

I’ve been giving this oddity of the calendarsome thought the past few weeks. How do wereconcile two seemingly-opposing messages onthe same day: “Remember that you are dust, andto dust you shall return,” and “I love you!”?Putting aside for the moment that Valentine’sDay was originally a Christian Feast Daycommemorating at least two saints with thename who were killed in the late 200s CE, andthat it was Geoffrey Chaucer in the 1700s CE

who connected the day with romantic love,these two messages aren’t in nearly as muchopposition as one might assume.

The season of Lent for Christians is a season ofpreparation. These forty days have been setaside for those preparing for baptism, and forthose already baptized to remember theirbaptisms and what they mean. They have beenset aside specifically to prepare ourselves for thecelebrations of the death and resurrection ofJesus Christ. They have been set aside,restrained as solemn as they are, to remind us oflove: the love of Jesus Christ.

During Lent, we get to hear these words: “Godloved the people of this world so much that hegave his only Son, so that everyone who hasfaith in him will have eternal life and neverreally die. God did not send his Son into theworld to condemn its people. He sent him tosave them!” (John 3:16-7 CEV) What love!What compassion! This is a secret message—ifyou read it, come to Pastor Ken’s officesometime during the week for a treat! If this iswhat we proclaim about our Lord Jesus Christ

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(and it is!), how can we say that the beginningof this season, occupying the same day asValentine’s Day, is inconsistent with a messageof love? We cannot!

Even so, it is a season of restraint and a seasonof preparation. The love shown us in Jesus’slife, death, and resurrection is a little moreserious than a Happy Valentine’s Day message,and the preparation for it is also more serious.But, the payoff is also bigger.

Traditionally, there are three main ways inwhich Christians have prepared themselves overthe forty days of Lent. This year, I invite you tojoin me in these disciplines as we prepareourselves for the tragedy of Good Friday,followed by the joy of Easter.

Fasting: Most of the time this ancient custom isreplaced by “giving something up” for Lent, butit used to mean giving up most food during theday. Sometimes the practice was to only eat onemeal in the middle of the day. Sometimes itmean giving up all food during the day and onlyeating before sunrise and after sunset. This year,I’m going to try this pattern: a small breakfastwhen I get up, water during the rest of the day,and my big meal after sunset. I also intend toblog about my experience—this should beinteresting!

Prayer: Last month, I wrote an article on prayerpractices and what’s been working for merecently. I am happy to report that I’m still at it.As a season of preparation, Lent is a time whenwe can focus on our prayer lives. I stillrecommend Bread for the Day, a prayer bookpublished by Augsburg Fortress based on theDaily Lectionary that provides readings, ahymn, and a prayer for every day, as well asother prayer resources. Our Daily Bread is abooklet available in the basket next to the FoodPantry cart in the narthex. Lenten devotionalbooklets are also available. The important thingis to find something that works!

Alms-Giving: The last of the traditional Lentendisciplines is alms-giving, or supporting ourneighbors in need. Through your time or money,find ways to support our local, national, andinternational communities. You can volunteer atCaritas or the Three Lakes Christian FoodPantry, or donate money to them. Help makequilts on Wednesday afternoons here at FaithLutheran. Consider sending a donation toLutheran Immigration and Refugee Service,Lutheran Disaster Response, ELCA WorldHunger, Lutheran World Relief, ReconcilingWorks, or increasing your weekly offering.“You will always have the poor with you,” Jesussaid, so there are always opportunities to serveour neighbors in need.

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LENT AND HOLY WEEK

Lent is the season of the church that precedesthe Easter season, a forty-day season ofpreparation. Because Easter is a movable date,i.e., it doesn't always fall on the same date, thestarting date of Lent always changes too. Thisyear, Lent begins on February 14.

As part of a church that values the strong,historical roots of the ancient liturgies, we atFaith Lutheran join with the wider church incommemorating and observing these holy dayswith worship and prayer. If you have neverattended either a mid-week Lenten service orany of the Holy Week services, this is the yearto do so. Holy Week especially is the mostsacred time for Christians all around the world.

MIDWEEK SERVICES

For centuries, Christians have gathered on days other than Sunday to pray together,to sing together, and to declare God's mighty acts of salvation. By long tradition inthe church, Lent is a season in which communities gather during the week in theevening for contemplative prayer.

This year we will be hosting a soup supper before praying through Evening Prayerfor our mid-week worship services. Come and enjoy some food and discussion!

DINNER & WORSHIP: Wednesdays, February 21—March 21 6:00 pmFaith Lutheran Church

SUNDAY OF THE PASSION (PALM SUNDAY)

On this day, united with Christians around the world, we mark Jesus's triumphantentry into the holy city of Jerusalem to complete the work of salvation. We followin his footsteps as we enter the church, our Jerusalem, acclaiming the one whosethrone was the cross. In today's gospel reading we hear the passion narrative ofJesus's suffering, death, and burial for our sakes.

WORSHIP: Sunday, March 25 9:00 amFaith Lutheran Church*Weather permitting, the service will begin with an outdoor procession.

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MAUNDY THURSDAY

On this night we begin the Three Days during which we participate onceagain in the saving power of Jesus's passing over from death into life. TheMaundy Thursday service includes the words of Jesus's new commandment(mandatum, from which Maundy comes) to love one another. As a sign ofour calling to follow Jesus's example of humility and service, we wash ourfeet as Jesus washed the disciples' feet. On this night in which Jesus washanded over to death we also gather around the Lord's Supper. At theservice's conclusion, the altar is stripped of furnishings as a sign of Jesus'sabandonment.

WORSHIP: Thursday, March 29 7:00 pmFaith Lutheran Church*Footwashing will be offered for those who wish to participate.

GOOD FRIDAY

The Good Friday service continues the journey through the Three Days of Jesus'ssuffering, death, and resurrection. At the heart of this service is the passion readingaccording to John, which celebrates Christ's victory on the cross. As Jesus drawsall people to himself, we pray for the whole world for which Christ died. Finally,we honor the cross as the sign of forgiveness, healing, and salvation. With allGod's people we are invited to bow before this mystery of faith. Christ has died, sothat we may live.

Our primary worship service on this day is an ecumenical worship service with theother churches of the Vacationland Ministerial Association, when we gathertogether as a sign of the whole church to commemorate this holy day. Please notethe time change! The afternoon service is at 12:15 PM!

WORSHIP: Friday, March 30First Congregational United Church of Christ 12:15 pm105 N First StreetEagle River, WI 54521

Faith Lutheran Church 7:00 pm

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VIGIL OF EASTER

On the night before Easter Day, Christians around the world gather tocelebrate Christ's passage from death to life. The service includes strongsigns: new fire in the darkness, light spreading from the light of Christ,the water and Word of baptism, the first resurrection meal. And powerfulwords: the great saving stories of Hebrew scriptures and the first Eastergospel. We keep this wondrous night in the spirit of vigil, our lamps lit,awaiting Christ's coming both now and at the end of time. Alleluia!Christ is risen! And Christ will come again.

WORSHIP: Saturday, March 31 TBDPrince of Peace Lutheran Church5030 Highway 70 WestEagle River, WI 54521*This ecumenical service is our celebration of the Vigil of Easter

RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD

This day, the celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord, is the template which allSundays follow. Every Sunday is the celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord, butthis Sunday marks the beginning of a season devoted even more passionately to thatdivine truth: that Christ, having suffered death and been buried, rose again. As Christnow lives, so do we too live! The story of the resurrection is best understood when thestory of Christ's Passion precedes it. Thus, Easter Sunday is best experienced afterexperiencing the Three Days: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Vigil of Easter.

WORSHIP: Sunday, April 1 TBD & 9:00 amFaith Lutheran Church

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KINDOMCommunal Sin. Communal Repentance. Communal Transformation.

During the season of Lent our liturgy will include pieces written by contributors to the Disrupt WorshipProject, a project that seeks to challenge our rote understanding of the liturgy and lift up voices oftenmarginalized in the church. Most of the contributors, as well as one of the founders, are pastors in theEvangelical Lutheran Church in America from all across the country. This article introduces the themeof the Lenten season, “kindom”.

In the United States of America, we aremyopically focused on the individual and thepersonal. In our culture, we speak of individualresponsibility, personal welfare, and pickingourselves up by our bootstraps. Accordingly, wehave a tendency to talk about communal efforts-- from public education to paying forhealthcare for children -- as though they areburdensome, and the people who receiveassistance from their community are seen asirresponsible or needy (a view only amplified ifthe person receiving the assistance is a person ofcolor). To be a person who needs is to beshamed. To be a person who gives is to be weak.There seems to be little consideration of thecollective, of the community, of ourresponsibility to one another based out of ourbasic humanity.

This cultural phenomenon exists like weedsstrangling flowers in the church. We speak ofpersonal salvation, claim Jesus as our own whilewe sing Jesus loves me, and focus on the sinswe commit as individuals (all too often on thesins of others, not ourselves) instead of the sinswe commit as a community and the ways weparticipate in structural sin. It’s about you or it’sabout me, but rarely is it about us. It is this wayof thinking that leads to people saying, “not allmen…” when we talk about sexual harassment& “not all white people…” when we talk aboutracism. In doing this, we abdicate ourresponsibility for the well-being of others anddeny any role we play in systems that oppress.Adam bit an apple, a personal choice thataffected all of humankind. Our actions and

inactions resonate for generations -- and yes, itis up to us to make corrections for the sins ofour people. It is up to all men to act againstsexism and misogyny, it is up to all white peopleto act against white privilege and racism (or forracial justice), it is up to all of us with financialprivilege to work to eradicate poverty. It is up toall of us to work for communal transformation.As long as we are preach an individual gospel,far too many will be left to fight oppressionalone. Far too many will die.

This erasure of communal sin and emphasis onpersonal sin, this denial of community isbreaking apart the family of God. This brings usto the word we are using as our focus: kindom.This term, brought into popular use by AdaMaria Isasi-Diaz (who said she learned it fromher friend Georgene Wilson, O.S.F) has beenused for decades by mujerista, womanist andfeminist scholars and theologians in place ofkingdom, often seen as too militaristic (moreinformation about this here). The word alsoreminds us that we are all siblings in Christ. Weare members of God’s kindom: living in thiskindom Jesus envisioned for us. No matter howwe shout about our individuality, the factremains, we are siblings in Christ and we arecalled to live accordingly.

Racism, sexism, homophobia, poverty… theseare communal sins. These sins exist not onlybecause people intentionally and brazenly act inways that harm their neighbor, but also becauseso many “good” people refuse to recognize theroles they play in situations that perpetuate

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injustice. Our focus on individualism bothwithin and outside of the church disconnects usfrom the kindom for which God has preparedus, the kindom Jesus brought to us, the kindomwe are called to live towards. Christians arecalled to community. We are called to recognizeand act upon our connection to one another tocare for those in our midst and to disrupt anddestroy structures that perpetuate injustice. Weare called not only to root sin out of our ownindividual lives, but to act in opposition to thestructural sins which oppress our siblings inChrist.

Liturgy is, by nature, communal. This Lent wewill bring you litanies, confessions, prayers ofthe day, service music and stuff to sing togetherthat focus on drawing our attention back to thewhole and the kindom of God.

Look for pieces of our liturgy that are seasonalto begin popping up in mid-January. We areexcited to share this Lenten season with you,together.

© Disrupt Worship Project 2018. Used withpermission.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

FACEBOOK

It's true! Faith Lutheran Church nowhas a Facebook page. "Like" us athttp://www.facebook.com/faith3lakes/and watch the page for updates aboutwhat's happening in the life of our faithcommunity.

PICTURES FOR WEBSITE

We are looking for pictures from differentevents this past year to put on our website:www.faithlutheran-threelakes.org . If you haveany, we’d love to put them up so those visitingour website will have a better idea of what wedo here. Please email them to:pastor2770@frontier.com.

PRAYER SHAWLS

To give comfort and peace. There is a tote ofprayer shawls under the shelf when you walk in.If you know someone who is lonely and woulduse one, feel free to take one. Once wrappedaround their shoulders it feels like a hug fromJesus and their friends.

FELLOWSHIP

During Fellowship a basket is usually on thetable to collect donations from coffee drinkersfor the purchase of the Fair Trade decaf coffeewe use. Individuals or groups who hostFellowship do not have to provide coffee.Occasional contributions to the fund areencouraged.

QUILTERS

A huge thank you to the anonymous donor for the Generous donation for quilting supplies! It will be put to good use for supplies for layettes and quilting materials.

The quilters meet every Wednesday at 12:30pm

ASH WEDNESDAY WORSHIP

There will be two worship services on AshWednesday, February 14. Morning worship willbe at 10:00 am and evening worship will be at7:00 pm. Ashes will be used and HolyCommunion offered at both services.

LENTEN MIDWEEK MEAN AND PRAYER

You read that right! This year for the seasonLent, we will meet on Wednesdays at 6:00 pmfor a soup supper. Discussion and fellowshipwill be head during dinner, and we'll close outthe night with Evening Prayer. Lent midweekstarts on February 21. Look for a sign-up sheetsoon!

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SYNOD EVENTS

2018

February 11-12—Winter Theological Event

February 18—Marked! Event at Gloria Dei, Hancock

February 25—Marked! Event at First,

Gladstone

March 16 -18 – “One Year To Live”, Men'sRetreat

April 22—Healthy Congregations Workshop

at All Saints, Wakefield

April 23—Healthy Congregations Workshop at Bethany, Ishpeming

April 24—Boundaries Workshop for

Clergy/LLMs at Prince of Peace, Marquette

April 25—Healthy Congregations Workshop

at Immanuel, Escanaba

April 26—Boundaries Workshop forClergy/LLMs

at Porterfield, Porterfield

May 17-19—Synod Assembly in Marquette

June 27-July 1—National Youth Gathering in Houston

September 14-16—SWO Fall

Convention/Retreat

MONTHLY OFFERING

Year: 2017 Month: DecemberNumber of Sundays: 4Average Attendance:

DECEMBER

MONTH YTD

Budget Income **** ****

Expenses **** ****

Net Income **** ***** not available at the time of printing

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IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS

All those who struggle with illness, pain, loss of health in mind, body, and spirit including: Cole Bailey, Colleen and Duane Bonack, Galeand Martha Crow, John Effa, NormFrauenfelder, Natalie Gerharz, Jessica Healy,Nicky Heiland, Ann Mason, Debbie, Jordan, andPastor Ken Ranos, Kyle Ranos, Kristin Rolls,Kyle Smith, Hunter St. Louis, Shannon Votis,Donna Weiss, Sonia Dionne, Mike Mertz, BruceSchuelke, Dianne Hoffman, Paul Kragh, CarlaHuebner, Thor, Briana, and Laken Wick

Our home-bound including: Bob Williams

Our armed forces including:David Bredesen, Ashley Ebann, TylerKaltenberg, Nick, Brandy, and Nathan Lamal,Jamie Madl, Jared Malda, Jon Priem, BrandonPaulick, Charlie Starke and Nicole Young

ALL THOSE WHO ARE ANXIOUS ANDWORRIED ABOUT MANY THINGS

Our Church Ministries:Congregational CareCongregation CouncilBoard of Worship LifeBoard of OutreachStewardship Committee Board of Trustees

Our partners in the gospel of Jesus Christ including: St. Theresa's Roman Catholic ChurchThree Lakes Evangelical Free ChurchUnion Congregational Church

Congregations across our synod including: All Saints Lutheran Church, Wakefield, MIBethany Lutheran Church, Norway, MIGood Shepherd Lutheran Church, Peshtigo, WISharon Lutheran Church, Bessemer, MIZion Lutheran Church, St. Ignace, MI

BAPTISMS WE REMEMBER THIS MONTH

We thank God for the beauty of the summer! Wethank God for the beauty of life, and the gift ofeternal life given to us through our savior. Wehank God for our baptisms, and we pray forthose who have baptismal anniversaries wecelebrate this month.

• 10th Kailyn Fogerty

• 15th Jean St. Lawrence & Ken• 22nd Tim Rutzen Jr.

Other members and friends of Faith this month:Bob Spehr, Jennifer Kortenhof, Linden Fraser, Duane Bonack, Bob St. Louis, and Scott Wick

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STEWARDSHIP CALENDARS

FEBRUARY2/4/18 2/11/18 2/18/18 2/25/18

AssistingMinister

SteveYahr

MissyWick

ChuckRadtke

MissyWick

LayReader

JanLederhaus

MargeAnderson

BettyRoth

JanHarris

Acolyte Lily Mederios-Harris

KayleeGraves

LoganErikson

KailynFogerty

AltarGuild

MissyWick

SueSorg

JanLederhaus

MissyWick

Greeters Wick Family Marge & PerryAnderson

VolkFamily

Sue Sorg /Jan Harris

Music Kim Peterson Kim Peterson Kim Peterson Debbie Ranos

Fellowship Trustees Swansons Radtke Outreach

MARCH3/4/18 3/11/18 3/18/18 3/25/18

AssistingMinister

ChuckRadtke

MissyWick

SteveYahr

MissyWick

LayReader

MargeAnderson

SoniaDione

Jan Harris

BettyRoth

Acolyte TraetonFogerty

WillowSchroeder

KayleeGraves

KallieVolk

AltarGuild

MissyWick

SueSorg

JanLederhaus

MissyWick

Greeters Joanne & PaulMatthiae

WickFamily

SchroederFamily

VolkFamily

Music Rhonda Buss Rhonda Buss Rhonda Buss Rhonda Buss

Fellowship Radtke Roth Wick TrusteesIf you cannot serve on your assigned day, please find a replacement, then notify the

church office.

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FEBRUARY 2018

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

11:00 pm Board of Worship Life Meeting

2 3

48:00 am Confirmation9:00 am Holy Communion

Fellowship: Trustees

5 6 7

12:30 pmQuilters

8 9 10

118:00 am Confirmation9:00 am Holy Communion

Fellowship: Swanson

12 13

Council Meeting

14

10:00 amWorship

12:30 pmQuilters

7:00 pmWorship

15

9:30 am Outreach Meeting

16 17

188:00 am Confirmation9:00 am Holy Communion

Fellowship: Radtke

Newsletter Articles Due!

19 20 21

12:30 pmQuilters

7:00 pmEvening Prayer

22 23 24

258:00 am Confirmation9:00 am Holy Communion

Fellowship: Outreach

26 27 28

12:30 pmQuilters

7:00 pmEvening Prayer

14

15

16

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