The Spring season which leads into Summer is a season when there is a lot of change that takes place in our world. There are the obvious changes we see and feel. The cold of winter gives way to the rains of spring, and eventually to the warmth of summer. (OK! So this year the warmth has been a little slow in coming)

There is the change we see, as everything that appeared to be dead springs back to life. The dormant grass becomes green again. The barren trees sprout new life and new leaves. The daffodils and hyacinths and tulips pop out of the ground and bloom. Soon the

perennial plants start poking their way out of the soil. And we can’t forget the hardy dandelions that keep resurrecting even though we tried our best last year, and the year before, to kill them off!

Then there is the time change, so that we can enjoy more daylight hours. The suns rays become more direct as the seasons change, and consequently we feel more heat. Now you add to that the changes that happen in our families at this time of year. That little boy or girl who grew up in your home is now graduating from High School, and is preparing to move on to the next chapter of their lives. School will be out, which means that your routine changes around the house. Change, change, change!

Now the interesting thing about change is that we embrace some of it, and some of it we resist. But the reality is that change will always be with us. To grow is to change. To live is to experience the changing of the seasons. To live is to experience the change our families go through as they grow up, and we eventually have to release them to begin their own lives. Is that painless? Not always! But it is a necessary part of life. The church is not immune from change. People come and go. Leadership changes. At times, death invades our ranks and brings change. Our kids grow up and move

away. Are these things painless? No way! But they are a part of growth. Anything that grows is going to experience change.

Having said all that, we are currently facing some changes in personnel and positions here at CLF. Our long-time church janitors, Pat and Donna Dillingham, are retiring after serving close to 13 years with us. I cannot tell you what an incredible blessing they have been to this church. They have been so valuable because they haven’t viewed what they do as just a job. They viewed it as ministry, and what a ministry they have

had! I can honestly say that in all those years of working closely with Pat, I have never once heard him complain about his work. That is remarkable! And the challenge ahead will be to find a like-minded person to replace him. I would ask all of you to pray with us for wisdom in making this selection. This position is critically important to the ongoing work here at CLF. A clean and well-maintained building is a good testimony to those who attend or visit here. So thanks, Pat and Donna, for all the wonderful work you have done around here. We will miss you and your work greatly, but we’re glad you will still be with us in this great church family. Another area of change has to do with our children’s ministry. Julie Overturf has been overseeing this area since Michelle Sweet concluded her time with us at the end of 2010. Julie has enjoyed getting to know, and work along side, the large team of volunteers who truly care about the spiritual and emotional needs of children. Since taking on this task, God has been birthing a vision for the Children’s Ministry at CLF in Julie’s heart, and consequently, she has agreed to stay on in the role of overseeing this vital area of ministry. We are delighted with her decision, since she brings to this position a passion for the well-being of families, as well as the

Senior Pastor’s Column

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children in those families. Her goal is to continue to raise up and resource leaders who will build teams to do ministry among our children. The following leaders are continuing to give vision to the areas where they are called to minister:

Doug Freeberg Ranger Commander

Michele Iverson M’Pact Girls Coordinator Jim and Ronda Alft Impact Church Coordinator

Sharon Hansen Christian Education Coordinator Travis and Michele Iverson 2011 VBS Coordinators

To those who volunteer in the children’s area, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for all you do. Only time will reveal the fruit that grows from the seeds you are faithfully planting and nurturing in the lives of our kids.

Since Julie has not been a part of the Kids Candy Carnival in October, we will need to put a team together to make this event happen. If you would be interested in being part of a 6-7 person team to plan and implement this outreach event I invite you to our initial meeting on Monday, June 20th at 6:30 pm at CLF.

Before I put a wrap on this article, let me change the subject a bit. (We just can’t seem to escape that word “change”, can we?) With the rising gas prices, along with the price of just about everything, we are receiving increased calls for benevolence help. We try to help wherever we can, but we have pretty much tapped out our benevolence fund. So, if you are able to contribute a little something extra to that fund, it will be greatly appreciated by those we are able to help.

Thanks for taking the time to read this lengthy piece.

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Early on May 6th, 22 women gathered in the CLF parking lot to load up 2 vans and a trailer for a 2 day missions trip to City on a Hill. City on a Hill was founded 10 years ago when the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District of Assemblies of God was given an abandoned 350,000 square foot hospital in Milwaukee’s blighted inner city. Under the direction of Diane de Los Santos and her staff, the mission has ex-ploded! With the convic-tion that only Jesus Christ can change broken lives and break addictions, they serve the poverty-stricken of the surround-ing neighborhoods through health clinics, outreach events, and pro-grams for children and teens, pregnant women, drug addicts, and prostitutes - all unashamedly in the name of Jesus. Michele Iverson and Lori Fuchs had worked hard to prepare for our roles as volunteers for Queen for a Night, City on a Hill’s second largest outreach of the year. With our gear stowed in dormitory accommo-dations, we met the staff and rolled up our sleeves to prepare for the more than 100 mothers and daughters who would be dined and pampered that evening. Using six plastic bins full of colorful fabric, velvet

drapes, tablecloths, and candles, a little duct tape, some safety pins, and a lot of ingenuity, my team created a banquet hall fit for a queen. In the child care area, others set up the toys, carnival games, and snacks we’d brought. Another team

set two rooms up with everything needed for mani-cures and massage. Three ladies worked in the kitchen.

At 5:30 volunteers from Milwaukee churches joined us as hostesses, child care workers, and manicurists. The place buzzed with the chatter of over 100 women! After dinner, mothers and

daughters went off to be pampered, returning to hear the two speakers for the evening, one of which was our own Alonna Hoogesteger. The Holy Spirit moved as Alonna spoke about the healing and forgiveness that God gave her after years of imprisonment by guilt and shame fol-lowing abortion. After Alonna finished, a tal-ented, young woman worshipped God in dance to a song called “Smile”. The second speaker was a single mother of four whom God had re-

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Mother’s Day Missions Trip

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cently set free from drug addiction and prostitution through the min-istry of City on a Hill. Her joy touched everyone in the room! Her unbridled testimony of God’s redemption made our hearts sing.

Each mother left with a new outfit they had “shopped” for from among the lovely, do-nated clothes two of our gals had spent the afternoon pressing and stylizing. They also each received a basket of things for the home, donated by Bed, Bath and Beyond. Chatting as we cleaned up, it was obvious that we received more blessings that eve-ning than we came to give. But that was only the half of our blessing. Next morning, we gathered in the chapel for devotions. Diane de Los Santos shared her personal testimony and sto-ries of lives changed at City on a Hill. So many miracles have happened in ten years! During an ensuing tour of the facilities, we were astounded at the breadth of ministries housed and supported there. If you haven’t been to City on a Hill, you must visit soon!

Still munching on sandwiches, we were loaded into vans and taken to another light shining in the darkness of the inner city, Adul-lum Ministries. Inside what ap-peared to be a condemned ware-house, we met Steve and his wife, Priscilla, parents of eight and founders of this brand new

ministry operating completely by faith. Steve explained that Adul-lam was the cave where David hid when King Saul was trying to kill him. Adullam means “place of ref-uge”, which is the ministry’s vision. Despite innumerable obstacles, Steve’s excitement for what Adullam would one day become was infec-tious. As he walked us through the three floors of this unheated, vandal-ized building they were leasing miracu-lously for $1 a year, we were able to see what his eyes saw. Donated tables and chairs from Starbucks would one day be a café where the down and out could get warm and enjoy a meal for free. A room piled with rolls of upholstery fabric and a few industrial sewing machines would become a cottage industry to create job skills for single moms. Old couches and chairs beneath the leaky warehouse ceiling would become a welcoming place for Bible studies and praise gatherings for men newly released from prison.

The room where our hands were needed was heaped sky high with so much donated clothing that the

small staff hadn’t been able to keep up and organize it. As we began to sort, fold, and organize, people came in to choose as much clothing as their families needed- at no charge. At last, out of time and energy, we had to say good-bye, but first, we took up a collec-tion of our own to give to Adullam, along with the promise to return. Exhausted and happy, we headed for home, profoundly stirred by God, with a new heart for our lost and hurting neighbors in Milwau-kee.

By Cathy Conger

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W Grand IGA...................... June 18

Father’s Day........................ June 19

Youth Guatemala Trip Brat Fry at

Copps................................. June 24

VBS ................................ July 18-22

CLF Family Night at Clancy’s...........

........................................... July 24

Jr High/Sr High Camp ..........Aug 1-5

Kids Camp ........................Aug 8-12 Ch

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