Deily News

January 2010

Dear Friends,
The above picture of the shattered ornaments isn’t from one of my prouder moments in the
past year. In fact, it was one of those moments shortly following someone telling me to wait until
somebody could come help me take our Christmas ornaments down from the storage space. But I
didn’t listen! I kept thinking about the volunteers coming to decorate, how I could save them time
by bringing the ornaments down, how nobody would even ever have to know who took them
down, just that they were ready to go when it was time to hang them on the tree.
My plan worked well until with the last container of ornaments in hand, my jeans got
tangled in the bottom rung of the ladder. Down I went, with time almost seeming to go in slow

.03
motion as I watched the ornament container soar out of my arms and smash onto the ground. The
crash was symphonic! What is the sound of forty or so ornaments breaking?! I know the answer my
friends!
I stood up, thankfully unwounded, as soon as I could untangle myself, my jaw agape at the
mess in front of me. I couldn’t believe it! I just couldn’t believe it!
Then I started to laugh! I laughed and laughed and laughed at myself, because at that point,
really, what else could I do? The damage was already done. There was no rolling back the clock
and unsmashing, untangling, undoing the mess.
Next, I did the only other thing I could do at that point. I started picking up the pieces. I
managed to save what ornaments miraculously were spared despite hurtling to the ground with
great force, and told them they were lucky to be able to celebrate another Christmas! Then I
gathered the larger pieces and put them in the trash and vacuumed up the tiny fragments
remaining.
I didn’t do the above before, as you can see, I snapped a picture. There was some metaphor
in this moment I wanted to preserve to think about later. .05
I couldn’t help but think, also, that even though the ornaments were in fragments, the whole
scene, in its way, was kind of beautiful. The ornaments, even in pieces, gleamed in the sunshine
with all their vibrant colors. In fact, when I posted the picture on facebook later that evening, two
people told me it looked like art – that I should frame the picture and hang it proudly!
The Deily News January 2010

Now, as I look at the snap shot of the moment, I can’t help but
think how like life the whole experience was. Sometimes in life we
offer the gift of ourselves – our time, our talent, our resources, with the
best of intentions and yet still – CRASH! The ornaments smash!
Things don’t go the way we planned! Life can get, in a hurry, pretty
darn messy!
Some like to attribute these times to the wrath and anger of
God. They try to divine some reason for God’s displeasure with them; Not Yet Ready For Divine
or some purpose for their suffering. Some will chase after the equation Time Players
of bad works that made the “ornaments smash” and seek the good
Dinner Theater
works that can piece them back together again. They will work and
work and work at solving the problem and strive and strive and strive
It’s time to start planning
to be “good enough” for the “ornaments” never to smash again, only
to become more disillusioned and frustrated when they inevitably do,
our annual Dinner Theater
as life is filled with much we cannot control, despite the illusion for
which we constantly cleave, that we can. and I need to know who is
The truth is, I believe, we don’t know reason the ornaments
sometimes fall and smash (I hope at this point you get that I’m talking interested in helping. We
about far more than ornaments!).
All we can know for sure is that even when the ornaments will be having an
smash, we are still loved. All we can know for sure is that even amid
the tangled mess, that sometimes we maybe even helped create, or that organizational meeting right
sometimes just falls upon us, our God is a God that looks on us with
mercy and forgiveness, not vindictive spite, and sees us within the after church on January 3.
mess as still God’s beautiful child. All we can know for sure is that
when our minds and hearts beat against heaven’s door with the “why If you cannot attend that
me?!” our God cradles us in God’s arms with a peace that passes
understanding bursting into our lives now (often in small mercies meeting please talk with me
delivered from our neighbors in love!) signaling to life in the fullness of
God’s reign to come. before that. If you cannot
Our call in this Christmas season is to be one’s rejoicing in our
God’s eternal hope. We celebrate with full hearts again the advent of attend this meeting please
the Christ, the anointed, who came to us in God’s Son Jesus, to
remind us that even amid life’s disappointments, like ornaments fallen contact Al or Dianne
and smashed on the ground, God’s love for us remains eternal! With
God’s love cradling us in times of greatest rejoicing, or even in life’s Fett. Our contact info:
biggest messes, we can endure with persistent hope and proclaim that
hope to a world in need! Al 920-418-0227

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Love in Christ, Pastor Vicki
Dianne 920-898-5103

e-mail

aldiann@verizon.net

Thanks

Dianne

2
The Deily News January 2010

Prayers of Thanks!!!
• To Jerry and Pat Jensen for donating the Christmas tree, to Tim Argall for delivering the tree
and to Dick Welsch, Blanche Brenwall, Cheryl and Craig Heller, Don and Coleen Allee, Mike
Hetzner, Louie and Emily Kolberg, Mary and Trevor Agnew, Miki and Marcus Wise, Austin
Barrett, Carolynn Kuske, Ellen Kildsig, Abby Sabel,Max Kornetzke and PV for decorating the
tree!
• To Tara Leithold and Annette Pleshek for preparing the Children’s Christmas program!
• To Donna Lee who created the gorgeous Advent banners and Deb Coopman the designer!
• To Craig Heller, Louie Kolberg and PV for chaperoning the confirmation class Christmas
caroling mission break!!
• To Sarah and Fred Muermann for donating the wreath and Dee Langohr for making it!
• To Mike and Carol Field, Cheryl Heller and Anne Sellen for SCRIP selling!
• To Blanche Brenwall for setting up the Christmas crèche!
• To Rachel Barrett for leading worship while PV is away!
• To Al Fett for arranging our septic system pumping!
• To Doug Everson and the Gloria Dei choir for the beautiful sounds of the season!
• To Coleen Allee our financial secretary who has been working on end of year/beginning of
year projects!!
• To Mike and Carol Field & Cheryl Heller for selling Scrip! $700 was recently deposited into
the building fund from SCRIP sales!
• To Mike Stephany for running the Gloria Dei-wear fundraiser!
• To Kris Stephany for her secretarial assistance!
• To Cheryl and Craig Heller, Dick and Kathy Welsch and Kris Stephany for doing carpet
cleaning and to Don and Coleen Allee who lent their cleaner!
• To Dee Langohr and Mary Agnew for managing our Memorial and Gift committee!
Prayers of Congratulations!!!
• To Doug Everson & Christine
Klein on their marriage!
• To Jenn Everson & Hunter Brown
on their engagement!
PLEASE REMEMBER TO TURN IN
YOUR PLEDGE CARDS & TIME &
Christmas Eve Worship 7:00PM TALENT SHEETS!!!!!!

Prayers of Healing: Stewardship Sound Bites

• Julie Schumacher, finger infection and
surgery
• Patrick Lloyd, recovery
• Tim Kolberg’s mother, peaceful death
• Braden Rockow & Jackson, spinal cancer
• Payton Lenhardt, continued healing
Save the Date!!!!
Our annual ecumenical Empty Bowls for
Hunger hosted by Gloria Dei is on Sunday
February 21. See Kris Stephany or Miki
Wise to help!
3
• A reminder that all 2009 contributions
must be received by 12/31 to count as a
deduction for this tax year.
• Changes are coming to Simply Giving
and watch for new packets & updates!
• The 2009 envelopes are not dated, so
when you receive a new box, use as you
need them until they run out.
• We are currently accepting donations for
bulletins. One quarter worth of bulletins
are $100. Thanks to the Schumacher and
Stephany families for their donations!
The Deily News
Events at Gloria Dei
Junior High Youth Gathering
The annual Junior High Youth gathering is coming up
on Saturday February 20-Sunday February 21. All
junior high youth are invited to sign up. Chaperones
are needed. Please see the kiosk for more information!
Confirmation class will resume on
Wednesday January 13 at 5:30pm.
Council Meeting Time Change
A reminder to the council that we
meet on Tuesday January 19 at 7pm.
Nominating Committee & Exec Council
The council nominating committee and
executive council will meet on Sunday, January
17 following worship in order to review the out-
going council positions and begin inviting
members to serve.
Pastor Vicki at Continuing Ed 1/11-1/15
Pastor Vicki will be doing an Emotional
Intelligence/Human Resources continuing
education internship at the Cenacle Retreat Center
in Chicago following worship January 10 until
Friday evening January 15. Because I will be co-
facilitating 12 students at the event, Rev. Dorcas
George will be providing full emergency coverage
while I’m away. If you have a pastoral emergency
please contact her: 920-8981855(cell) or 920-286-
1200.
4
January 2010
Epiphany Undecorating Party
Join the worship committee in
“undecorating” the church following
worship on Wednesday, January 6th!
Gloria Dei Book Club
Join us in reading Have A Little Faith by
Mitch Albom. We’ll meet on Tuesday,
January at 7pm . As has become our January
tradition, we’ll have an Epiphany “white
elephant” gift exchange. Did you receive
something … unexpected over the holidays?!
Here’s your chance to pass it on!
People with Aging Parents
One of the things I’ve been noticing in a lot
of pastoral conversation with members is
many are facing issues regarding caring for
aging parents. As these transitions in life
occur, relationship dynamics shift and it
can be very stressful empowering our
parent’s care. If you would be interested in
a small group meeting around discussing
these issues please sign up on the kiosk and
plan to attend an initial meeting on
Thursday, January 22. Karen Ebert is
willing to be a co-facilitator of this group,
and we can have several groups if needed.
The Deily News January 2010

Annual Meeting January 31!!!

Please plan to join us for breakfast and the
annual meeting following worship on Sunday,
January 31! We will celebrate the ministry
done in 2009 and look forward to 2010 by
presenting a new budget and electing new
council members! Come celebrate with us
another year of making Christ known!
Gloria Dei Calendar for January 2010
Jan 1 Happy New Year Counters for January
Jan 3 Worship 9:00am Jan 3- Al Fett
Not Yet Ready for Divine Time 10:15am Jan 10 – Julie Schaefer
Jan 5 Gloria Dei Book Club 7:00pm Jan 17 – Dean & Jayne Meyer
Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom Jan 24 – Roxie Ruechel
Epiphany White Elephant Gift Exchange Jan 31 – Al & Jennica Krebsbach
Jan 6 No Confirmation
Choir Rehearsal 6:00pm
Worship 7:00pm
Jan 7 Early Morning Bible Study 6:30am
Terre Verde in Chilton
Have a Little Faith discussion
Jan 10 Worship 9:00am
Rotation Sunday School 10:15am
PV leaves for Chicago EQ continuing ed.
Jan 12 Council Meeting moves to 1/19
Stewardship 7:00pm
Jan 13 Confirmation 5:30pm
Choir Rehearsal 6:00pm
Worship 7:00pm
Jan 14 Early Morning Bible Study 6:30am Sign up on the kiosk for:
Jan 16 PV back from Chicago Snow shoveling!
Jan17 Worship 9:00am
Rotation Sunday School 10:15am Church cleaning!
Nominating Committee meets Treat sharing!
Jan 19 Church Council 7:00pm
Jan 20 Confirmation 5:30pm Seasonal Cancellations
Choir Rehearsal 6:00pm If we need to cancel church events,
Worship 7:00pm including worship, because of the
Jan 21 Early Morning Bible Study 6:30am weather we will do mass emails, phone
Jan 24 Worship 9:00am calls & run the announcement on channel
Rotation Sunday School 10:15am 2 WBAY news. If we’re able, we’ll put
Jan 27 Confirmation 5:30pm the announcement on the church
Choir Rehearsal 6:00pm answering machine. If you feel you are
Worship 7:00pm putting yourself at risk, stay home! If you
Jan 28 Early Morning Bible Study 6:30am are sick – stay home!
Jan 31 Worship 9:00am
Breakfast & Annual Meeting

5
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
Making Christ Known!