The Messenger
The Monthly Newsletter of Blessed Savior Lutheran Church
A Message From DCE Jaime Greene
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” Matthew 2:11
With Christmas behind us, our focus turns to Epiphany and visit of the Magi to our Savior. I love the way it is written in Matthew 2:11, “….They opened their treasures…” They didn’t bring just any gift to the Savior, they brought their treasures-only the very best! Countless artistic depictions of this event help us to picture 3 elaborately dressed men, down on their knees, handing off richly ornamented containers to the Holy Family. You just know that what was in them was valuable, and costly. These weren’t just any gifts, they were gifts for a King!
We too have the opportunity to bring our treasures to Christ, each and every day, but too often we confuse the idea of treasures with physical things. In our minds, we think that the picture of us giving our treasures should look like the pictures created of the Magi giving theirs. However, I would say that the majority of us treasure our time more than we treasure the “stuff”. We often talk about how there isn’t enough of it around to accomplish the things that need to be accomplished, or how we wish there were just a few more hours in each day. If we are to give to the Lord our best, does it not make sense then that our best would include our time?
Giving God our treasures means giving Him the best and the first. If that includes our time, that means we honor Him throughout our entire day with our words and actions. It means starting the day in His Word and teaching it regularly to our children, grandchildren, and those who are in our care. And it means giving Him the best of who we are-His creation. How will you find ways to honor Him this year?
May God bless you as you serve Him!
Jaime
January Calendar
Serving Us in Worship
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Preschool News
Just a Day at a Time
Deuteronomy 33:25
Your strength will equal your days.
An anxious patient, lying on her sickbed, turned to her doctor, and asked: “Doctor, how much longer must I lie here and suffer?” “Just a day at a time,” replied the wise physician.
Just a day at a time! What a wonderful philosophy of life. Just a day at a time the new year will come to us with its new burdens, duties, hopes, and fears. As we stand today upon the threshold of a brand-new year, which, if it continues the pace of the year now past, will record great changes in the history of our country, in the history of us as families and as individuals, let us not be discouraged or dismayed by the overwhelming greatness of its possibilities. Let us rather find comfort and encouragement in the fact that God has cut the coming year into smaller pieces, and we shall have to live it “just a day at a time.”
We cannot live tomorrow today. Nor can we live next week tomorrow. But, with God’s help, we can bear the burdens and the challenges that come to us today!
As our days, so shall our strength be. We have God’s own assurance that each day throughout the coming year will find us equipped with that amount of strength that will be necessary to bear its burden, to endure its trial, to fight its battle through. We have this assurance because we have a FRIEND who has promised to be with us in His love and His omnipotence “even unto the end of the world” Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. So, confident in this let us live “just one day at a time” and live it to the fullest!
In His Service,
Jennifer Leinss
National Lutheran Schools Week
We will be celebrating National Lutheran Schools Week January 23rd-29th. It is a week for us to gather with the rest of the nation and celebrate not only being a Lutheran preschool but being a part of a bigger circle. Thank you, Blessed Savior, for the many opportunities and support you give to your preschool and for offering Lutheran education to many families. Join us Sunday, January 29th for Lutheran Schools Fair! You will get the chance to check out several of our Lutheran schools and hear from our students that attend them!
Preschool Enrollment
Open enrollment of the 2023-2024 school year will begin on Monday, January 23rd as we kick-off Lutheran Schools Week. We have 2K, 3K, and 4K openings and would love to add your child to our educational family. Spread the word about this wonderful preschool! If you are interested or would like more information concerning the preschool and childcare, please see Jennifer Leinss!
Thank You
Preschool has been working very hard this school year and we love learning! With all that we are learning we can say the best part of our day is learning about Jesus. We love chapel time as well as the other opportunities we get throughout the day to talk about Jesus. Thank you for being a nursery of faith where we can learn and grow not only academically, but spiritually as well!
Childcare Teachers Needed:
Blessed Savior is still looking for lead childcare teachers to join its team! We are looking for fun, energetic, kid-loving, team players! Early childhood courses and experience is needed. We are looking for morning and afternoon teachers. Hours are flexible and wage is based on experience. If you or someone you know is interested, please see Director Jennifer Leinss
Sunday School
Sunday School Offering:
Second quarter Sunday school offerings will be going to support youth clubs in India. We have the opportunity along with our preschool students to participate in a global adventure through the wonderful program Gospel Adventures by Lutheran Hour Ministries. Students will get the opportunity to meet kids from India, see how they live, work, and play. Most importantly we will get to see how they love the same Jesus that we do! Offerings collected will ensure these youth clubs can continue! For more information check out https://www.gospeladventures.org/fundraising.asp. If you would like to support this cause, place your donation in an envelope marked India - Gospel Adventures!
Song of the Month:
Bible Study Opportunities
Sunday Mornings at 9:15am: Noah and the Flood
Tuesday Mornings at 6:30am: The Gospel of John
Tuesday Ladies at 9:00am: Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story
Women's Home Bible Study on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 6:30pm: LWML Bible Studies
Wednesday Evening at 7:00pm: Hebrews
Thursday Morning Bible Study: Gospel of Mark
Men's Bible Study on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays at 8:30am: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy
The Blessed Savior Extended Ministry Endowment Fund
The Blessed Savior Extended Ministry Endowment Fund has approved the following grants:
1. $5,000.00 to the Historic Trinity Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. They still need to fix their windows and the interior of the church after the fire five years ago.
2. $2,000.00 to the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Bristol, TN. Before they get an occupancy permit for their church, they need to build a large culvert where their driveway joins the parkway.
3. $3,000.00 to the International Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. They need the money for van repairs and marriage seminars. They teach the Biblical concept of marriage to the French African families that they serve.
4. $3,000.00 to the Benediction Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. This is to help support a new Social Ministry Coordination of the Church.
5. $2,000.00 to the Lutheran Bible Translators. They work around the world translating the Bible into the language of the region.
Thank you,
Maribeth Saeger
Quarterly Missions
For the first quarter of 2023, our Special Mission Offering will support Lutheran Braille Workers (LBW). LBW works to ensure that all people throughout the world who are blind or visually impaired will have access to the Good News of salvation, by providing Bibles, pamphlets, and other materials in Braille, Specialized Large Print, and Audio Christian materials. To sponsor Special Missions, please sign up on the bulletin board.
Warming Tree Thank You and Update
The Warming Tree Ukrainian Shipment is on its way to Ukraine! Several weeks after we started this collection, many Ukrainians lost their electricity and heat. Pastor Larry Myers said the Russians targeted and bombed power plants in many parts of the country and it will be a long time before they get them back. All those knit hats, mittens, coats, and other items will be life-savers.
These acts of kindness will also warm many hearts as well. The Ukrainians have seen the hands of Christ in your donations of funds as well as winter clothing the past year (the picture with people around a table are Ukrainian refugees, members of a Lutheran Church in southern Ukraine, right after they arrived in Romania). Helping Hands had been working with a couple Ukrainian Lutheran pastors for the past two years. When Russia invaded Ukraine, many Ukrainians crossed the border into Romania. Thousands of them were met by Pastor Trifa's son Sergiu (pictured with a trunk full of supplies) who got them food, water, and the Word. All those devotions translated by Ukrainian Lutheran pastors were delivered to them. Many came to faith, and many discouraged Ukrainian believers were encouraged by the help they received.
Thank you for being the hands and heart of Jesus to these dear people. I wish you could meet some of the Ukrainian believers such as Pastor Oleksiy Navrotskyy. He has been delivering food packages to needy families, shut-ins, and others as well as reaching out into his community with the Word. His church is growing despite being close to Russian-occupied Crimea. He asked me to thank you too. I wish each of you a blessed Christmas.
Linda Phillips
Chair, Helping Hands Eastern European Ministries and fellow sheep of the Blessed Savior flock
Raise Right
Winter Picnic
Christmas Decoration Takedown
On Sunday, January 15th following the late service, we will be taking down the Christmas decorations. Please plan to stick around and lend a hand, as many hands makes the job go faster!
Young at Heart
Save the dates for some of our upcoming events:
February 2- New Berlin Police Presentation on avoiding scams
March 2-Mitchell Park Domes
March 30-Les Paul Presentation (please note the date change due to Easter)
All our events are held at 11am.
Youth Group
On January 15th, we'll meet at church for dinner and games at church.
On January 29th, we'll head over to Brookfield Square for Whirlyball! We'll meet at church to carpool over at 6pm, and return at 8pm. Cost is $25/person and includes an hour of Whirlyball and dinner before. For more information on whirlyball, please see: www.whirlyball.com/brookfield. Watch for more details to come in the Youth Newsletter and future bulletins.
Partners in Prayer
In the Community
Back in Time Book Club
Thursday, January 19, 2023
Discover the days gone by with the Brookfield Public Library’s historical fiction book club. Books are available at the Circulation Desk about 1 month before the meeting. Meetings are normally held in the Rotary Room but may move to another room if necessary (on the date of each meeting, please check the sign in the lobby for meeting location). Everyone interested in reading and discussing historical fiction is welcome!Liam Nugent
Saturday, January 7 - SHARON LYNNE WILSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS
New Berlin Winterfest
The New Berlin Rec Department and the New Berlin Public Library are hosting a fun-filled winter day on Saturday the 7th at City Center, Malone Park, and Valley View Park. For more information on the events and timing, please see: www.newberlin.org
Financial Update
General offerings: $457,418
General Expenses: $420,166
Net: $ 37,252
(Designated: formerly other)
Designated income: $67,657
Designated expenditures: $77,166
Net: ($9,509)
Net for General and designated is: $27,743
Preschool income: $245,188
Preschool expenses: $233,195
Net: $11,993
Membership
Average Weekly November Attendance: 210
Average YouTube Worship Views: 52
Official Acts
Ella Mae Accola
New Members:
Christoph Myers
Darrell and Grace Kahl
Membership Loss Due to Transfer:
Craig Robinson
Membership Loss Due to Death: 0
Vice Chairman - Donald Kazel
Secretary - Pat Hurlbut
Treasurer - Laura Schmitz
Board and Committees:
Altar Guild - Janet Steinhaus
Education - Terry Ratayczak
Elders - Sean Malone
Evangelism - BobbieJo Koski
Stewardship - Laurie Cataldo
Trustees - Matt Birr
Endowment Committee - Jason Herried
Greeter Coordinator -
Lay Reader Coordinator -
Carla Herried
Personnel Committee - Donald Kazel
Women's Ministries - Joy Ward
Worship Schedule
The Sunday services will be at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. with our educational hour in between at 9:15 a.m.
The Thursday evening service will remain at 7:00 p.m.
Holy Communion
2nd & 4th Sundays (Thursdays)
Pastor Stanton,
Vacancy Pastor
Jaime Greene, DCE
Jennifer Leinss,
Preschool Administrator
Kim Woller, Music Director
Julie Luetzow
Teaching Staff:
Jennifer Otto
Laura Kidd
Angela Heisler
Blessed Savior Lutheran Church
Email: blessedsavior.nb.lcms@gmail.com
Website: www.blessedsaviorwi.org
Location: 15250 West Cleveland Avenue, New Berlin, WI, USA
Phone: 262-786-6465
Facebook: facebook.com/BlessedSaviorNBWI
Twitter: @BlessedSaviorWI