Author: ourredeemerchurch

I’m sure that most people are in the midst of Christmas shopping already at the beginning of December. I know people who begin their Christmas shopping during the after-Christmas sales the previous year. I also know people who shop for Christmas gifts year-round, buy them, and hide them away until December.

We human beings put a lot of time and effort into Christmas shopping and trying to find the perfect gift for everyone on our list. Worldwide each year, people go over 1,000,000,000 (that’s one trillion) dollars in debt buying Christmas gifts. The average American spends almost $1000 each year purchasing Christmas gifts.

We begin the month of December in the middle of Advent. The season of Advent is the four weeks leading up to Christmas Day. Traditionally, it was meant to help us to prepare our hearts and lives to meet the Christ Child born in a manger once again. It is meant to be a time of meditation and reflection as we anticipate the birth of Christ.

However, too often we are so wrapped up in all the festivities of concerts and parties and gift shopping and visiting with family and friends that we forget what Advent is supposed to be about. Back in 2006 there was a group of pastors who wanted to change that. They wanted to take the season back from overstuffed schedules, credit card debt, stress, and dread and return once again back to the hope, peace, and joy which the angels of old spoke of. This group of pastors came up with “The Advent Conspiracy.”

They wrote a book and put out a series of videos, all geared toward changing people’s attitudes about what the season of Advent should be all about. Over the years, the Advent Conspiracy has become a movement of congregations, families, friends, and organizations which have made the declaration to celebrate Christmas in a radical, God-honoring way. The four tenets of the Advent Conspiracy are: Worship Fully. Spend Less. Give More. Love all.

During worship this Advent we are going to examine the four tenets of the Advent Conspiracy. The Wednesday evening Bible study is going to study these four tenets also. I’m excited for this series and for the discussions that will happen around it. Please make a point to join us and invite your family and friends to join us also.

May this Advent and Christmas truly be a blessing to you!

Pastor Beth
920-562-2853
pastorbmacha@yahoo.com

I am so very grateful this very moment,
to have a roof over my head,
food to eat, clean clothes to wear,
a warm bed to sleep in,
drinkable running water, electricity…
We take so much for granted,
when there is so much to be grateful for.
Unknown

   In November, our minds turn to gratitude because Thanksgiving is just around the corner. In addition to the turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie, we are reminded to give thanks and to remember to be thankful for what we have in life.
   I have a friend who is a Presbyterian pastor in Iowa. When she was newly ordained as a pastor, she remembers that every time she went home for a family function, she was asked to say grace, just because she was a pastor. It didn’t take long before she got tired of always being the one who had to say grace, so she decided to do something about it.  When she went home for Thanksgiving that year, she was once again asked to pray.  So she did… for all the food, each dish individually by name… for each and every person around the table by name… for each relative that was not there… for the dogs and cats in the family, each by name… for the doors and windows and ceiling… for the vehicles that brought each family member to the Thanksgiving celebration… for the chandelier overhead and the pretty wall paper on the wall… for the houseplants and the harvest from the garden…. You get the idea. Her prayer went on and on and on.
   She made her point, and I don’t know if she was ever asked to say grace at a family function again. However, she also wasn’t wrong. As we look around our homes, our families, our friends, our lives we have a lot to be thankful for. Many of these things we overlook.  Many of the people we take for granted.
   We need to stop and take note of all the blessings that surround us, not just at Thanksgiving but always.  In October my husband and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary.  During those 30 years we have had ups and downs like all people. We have had times of plenty and times of want. It is those times of want that have taught us the most. We really appreciate the fact that we have food in the house, not just the ability to go out to eat. We really appreciate the jobs we have had which have helped us to get through the tough times. We really appreciate the family and friends who have been supportive, especially the ones to whom we could tell the truth about what was going on in our lives. We really appreciate the medical care we have received when we’ve needed it. We really appreciate the ability to simply go for a walk together and spend time surrounded by God’s beauty.
   I am happy to have the month of November and the celebration of Thanksgiving to remind us of our blessings. But I also hope that we pause periodically all year long to do that, also.

Thanksgiving blessings to you all!
Pastor Beth
920-562-2853
pastorbmacha@yahoo.com

The Covid pandemic has taken its toll on everyone in one way or another. Many people have gotten the disease. Some people died from it. All of our lives were disrupted in some way, shape, or form, at least for a time. Mental illness surfaced. People lost jobs. The way in which we do any of a variety of thing has changed and may never return to the way we used to do them. Even though much of life has returned to more normality, there are still areas of our lives that have not.

In last month’s article for the newsletter, I mentioned that I jazzercise several times a week. At the beginning of the pandemic, all jazzercise studios across the nation shut down. However, in place of in-person classes, we could stream Jazzercise on Demand and take classes in our own homes, which I did. Quite often the instructors on JOD would say, “Put your hair up in a ponytail and join me on the dance floor.” It struck me that I hadn’t had hair long enough in 20 years to be able to put my hair up in a ponytail.

At the same time, all hair salons were closed for several weeks. In the midst of all that, I decided to let my hair grow for a while. I didn’t have a plan. I just decided to let it go. In 2000 when I last had long hair, I had it cut and donated 16 inches to kids with cancer. In the summer of 2020 two friends each donated their hair to cancer patients. Still, I had no plan. My hair just grew. Then this past spring I realized how long it was getting. In early July I had my beautician trim it up, and then we set an appointment for September 14 to get it cut off for donation. Once she cut it off on September 14, we discovered that I had 11 inches of hair to donate to kids with cancer.

Originally, I had my heart set on donating my hair to women with cancer to honor so many friends and family who have needed wigs while going through chemotherapy. However, I discovered that most of the donation sites for women with cancer only ask for financial donations and are no longer taking hair donations. Instead, after due diligence I decided on a site for kids with cancer, and I mailed my 11 inches of hair off to them.

In general, I tend to be much more of an optimist than a pessimist. I seem to always try to find a silver lining in whatever the situation. At the beginning of Covid I tried diligently to find silver linings, but it was difficult after a bit to do so. But once I decided to donate my hair, I figured that at least one good thing had come out of the pandemic. I would have never grown my hair long again had it not been for the pandemic. Now there’s a wig-making charity which has 11 inches of thick healthy hair to use to make a wig for a child with cancer.

We never know what opportunities may come our way. Sometimes we are looking for them. Sometimes they fall into our laps when we aren’t looking. The goal is to take the opportunities that come our way and use them for good.

As the pandemic took hold of our lives in 2020, I came across this saying: “Don’t give up on this year. Keep fighting for the good. Keep showing up. Keep loving. Keep giving back. Keep being kind. Keep being brave. Keep caring. Keep trying new things. Keep showing grace. Keep on. This world needs you to believe in the good.” Amen.
Pastor Beth

Greetings, Our Redeemer’s!

My name is Beth Macha, and I am your new pastor! For most of you, you already know me. It’s been ten years, but I was your interim pastor. Plus, I did have a few preaching gigs here earlier this spring. I’m looking forward to being your settled pastor now.
I have been thinking a lot lately though about how much we have all changed over ten years. For instance, when I started as your interim pastor I was recovering from having my knee scoped. Now I have a whole new knee. Then I had 3 dogs, Maggie, Emmie, and Daisy. Now I have 2 dogs (Genny and Angel) and 2 cats (Rocket and Comet). Then I had no regular exercise routine. Now I Jazzercise several times a week. Then I had no food allergies. Now my body is gluten intolerant so I have to be very careful with any foods made with wheat, barley, or hops.
You get the idea. Our lives change over the span of ten years. We are the same and yet we are different. I will try to remember that as I reenter the Our Redeemer’s Church family. You all have changed over the years, too. That means that we know each other, but we also will have to re-meet and re-get to know each other. I look forward to that.
There are other things that are the same, of course. I’m still married to the same man, Art Hanson. We will celebrate our 30th anniversary in October. We still live in Green Bay. We still love to travel, though Covid interrupted much of that. We are still huge sports fans and love to go to Brewers games and football games.
I am still working on figuring out a regular church schedule. I plan to have some set office hours which will be posted on the door of the pastor’s office. I have to remember that I am ¾ time, and the members of the call committee keep encouraging me to remember that. Because I am ¾ time, I will be continuing to work part time in the deli at Festival Foods, mostly Fridays and some weekend evenings.
I look forward to my time serving with you. See you soon!
Pastor Beth

Dear Family of Our Redeemer’s

I am very excited and thankful that Pastor Beth Macha has accepted the Call from Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church to serve as Pastor of the congregation as we move into the future. We were blessed by her ministry a few years ago when she served as the Interim Pastor while the congregation was in transition between “called” pastors. Our future as a congregation has just brightened with hope and anticipation as we plan for a new era of ministry with her in this community. It is an exciting time to be a member of Our Redeemer’s.

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your Interim Supply Pastor for the past two and a half years. You have been supportive, patient, forgiving, kind, accepting, loving. Your gracious spirit has given me energy and joy. As we have experienced the highs and lows of life in community through worship, fellowship, births, baptisms, confirmations, hospitalizations, weddings, life milestones, funerals, and other daily activities that are shared between a Pastor and People, I have experienced an intimacy with you that has made this time very rich for me. Thank you, again, for the honor and privilege.

It is interesting for me to look back at some of the history of these past two and a half years. On February 17, 2019 Pastor Bethany Rutten-Kampees concluded her ministry with Our Redeemer’s. I was asked to serve as Interim Supply Pastor beginning on March 3, 2019. That continued until June 16, 2019 when the Covid 19 Pandemic forced much of the world to go into quarantine, prohibiting public gatherings. After a few Sundays with no worship gatherings at Our Redeemer’s, we have used a combination of parking lot short range FM broadcasting for participants in cars and lawn chairs, live stream worship accessible worldwide on the church website, as well as in-person worship inside the church. That pattern continues with all three options available to members and friends for their blessing, comfort and safety.

Even though each of us is free to study in depth the assigned Bible readings for each Sunday (the Next Sunday ‘s Readings are always indicated near the bottom of the back page on each Sunday bulletin), my forced study of the scriptures in preparation for the Sermon is always an enriching, deepening, inspiring, blessed discipline that is a rewarding part of serving as the Interim Supply Pastor. I will miss that.

Leading a congregation in worship is also a holy privilege. To keep the worship experience from becoming an empty recitation of words, the worship leader tries to enable all participants to feel the holy encounter with God that each Sunday is meant to be for every worshipper. Of course, the Holy Spirit is the true “worship leader”. For me, leading worship at Our Redeemer’s has given me “holy communion with God”.

I am excited about having Pastor Beth as my Pastor. I did a “happy dance” when I heard that she had accepted the Call. Someone asked me if I would be willing to repeat that “happy dance” for the congregation. The answer is NO! I would not want to put anyone through that embarrassment and pain. I will continue to dance in private.

Blessings and “thank you”,
Fred Mai

July 26, 2022

Dear Family of Our Redeemer’s

“LIVE GENEROUSLY”

It would be interesting to hear what the market research from Thrivent Financial has learned about the impact the above slogan has had on peoples thinking and behavior. I have seen their T-shirts with the now familiar slogan being worn in our community by people of various churches, not just Lutheran. The mind-set of generous living is certainly at the heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

As I prepare for the sermon this coming Sunday, July 31, the Gospel Reading from Luke 12:13-21, often called the Parable of the rich fool, portrays the natural tendency that all of us struggle with every day. Our first inclination is to live a selfish life rather than a generous life. Jesus calls the rich man a fool because he is focused on storing up treasures for himself but is not rich toward God. Jesus goes on to make it clear that all who live with that mindset are fools.

I recall a church member in one of the congregations I served who used every opportunity possible to encourage fellow parishioners to include the church in the distribution of their assets after they died. He, himself, had already made those arrangements in his will and felt strongly that it was the right thing to do to assure that the ministry of the Church, which had been so meaningful to him, could continue to fulfill its mission when he was gone. This same member would often remind people that he had never seen a U-HAUL TRAILER being towed behind a Funeral Hearse so that the treasures of the deceased could be buried with the body of that person. How do we manage the treasures that God has entrusted to us while we are living? What arrangements have we made for the distribution of money and property that is left behind when we die?

The contrast between a “rich fool” and one who is “rich toward God” is worthy of some consideration. In which category do you fit? In which category do I fit? What standard or model do we use to determine if we are living as a “fool” or a “faithful manager“?

The life of Jesus himself is always the “gold standard” for trying to live as faithful managers of our lives. What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do? He gave up all “privilege” and became a servant. He demonstrated that life is to be “spent” not “hoarded”. He poured out His soul in love for others. His total life sacrifice led to his death. But God raised Him from the dead. The total self-giving of Jesus continues to give life and empowerment to us. God’s living presence in each of us each day also enables us to be “rich toward God” instead of a ‘rich fool“. It is helpful to remember the song that was often used as part of our offering: “All that we have is thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from Thee“.

Blessings on your journey as a faithful manager,
Interim Supply Pastor, Fred Mai

June 21, 2022

Dear Family of Our Redeemer’s

As we move toward July, one of the big dates on the calendar that jumps out at us and that we celebrate with many loud noises is July 4–Independence day. The word freedom is used in many conversations to emphasize the importance of the observances and we feel a deep appreciation that we are the beneficiaries of this priceless gift in our daily living.

Freedom is certainly an important word in the Christian faith as well. Our most frustrating and depressing daily problem is that “we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves“. Even though there will be large celebrations and loud explosions throughout the land to proclaim our independence and freedom, we discover that we are not free. Jesus came to bring us a higher and more personal experience in all aspects of life when He announced: “If you continue in my word, you are my disciples indeed and you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free. . .So if the Son shall set you free, you will be free indeed”. (John 8:31, 32)

I am grateful to be living in the “land of the free and the home of the brave”. I have never experienced life in a world that controls who I am, what I can do, and how I can spend my life. My parents were immigrants and came to the United States because they were being controlled by authoritarian tyrants. “Give me liberty or give me death” was their universal cry. Life without freedom is considered “worse than death”. In these 21st century times, citizens in many authoritarian countries are risking and sacrificing their lives to preserve and spread freedom. We support and applaud their courage and commitment.

Yet, in spite of the blessings of living in the free world, there is need in our lives for truth and freedom that only Jesus can bring. The global trauma between nations, the widespread violence within our communities, the turmoil in climate conditions–these all point to a need for reconciliation and healing that the Son came to bring to a sick and dying world.

The truth and freedom that has been given to us through the Son is an even greater GIFT than the freedom and independence of July 4. Please notice the big “if” at the beginning of Jesus announcement in John 8:31. Our faith and life is shaped by our thinking. Even though the Son has already given us these gifts, we are not able to get the benefit of them if our thinking is still dominated by self help systems, fear, doubt, or worry. The word of Jesus shapes our thoughts, creates faith, brings peace, builds on the foundation of truth, and propels us on our way in joy. How important it is then, to “continue in Jesus Word. . . to know the truth. . . to know freedom. . . So if the Son shall set you free, you will be free indeed.“

Blessings on your journey of freedom and independence.
Interim Supply Pastor, Fred Mai

April 19, 2022

Dear Family of Our Redeemer’s

“EASTER CHANGES EVERYTHING!”

At a recent gathering that I attended, the person giving the opening prayer used the above words as he offered thanks for the powerful influence of Easter.  It was a reminder of what we know but take for granted, that the resurrection of Jesus is the most significant event of all times.  We worship on the first day of the week rather than the seventh because Jesus transformed all of life for all people when He rose from the dead.  Our church calendars give us fifty days of Easter to spread and celebrate this news before we move on to the next part of the Jesus story.  The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians put it this way:  “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. . . If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.  But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.” (I Corinthians 15: 17-20)

Do we live as if we really believed that this is true?  We know that life can be hard. There are some days that we struggle to keep going.  There are some days that we question whether we will make it.  At times, we may even wonder if we want to keep trying.  Is it worth the effort, or should we just surrender.

For twenty centuries the Church has been shouting: “Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!”  We have been encouraged by knowing that Jesus is alive and walks with us through each day.  Jesus living presence takes a sad day and turns it into a day of hope.  It makes us excited to think about the future instead of dreading what is to come.  It gives our journey purpose, energy, enthusiasm, strength, and joy to look ahead.  We are no longer afraid of tomorrow.  There is nothing that cannot be faced when we know that the living Jesus walks with us.  We are not alone today, tonight, or the next day.  We are not afraid to look down the road into the coming weeks, months, or years.  With the certainty that Jesus is living and shares each moment of each day and night, our outlook, disposition, personality and character is changed.  It is not too much to say that we are EASTER PEOPLE.

EASTER PEOPLE are excited about the future. We are set free from past mistakes and bad choices.  The heavy load of guilt and fear is taken away when Jesus is on the road with us.  The joy of His living presence awakens flowers along the path.  The sun shines brightly, revealing the beauty of the moment.  The night is transformed into the glory of another new day because He lives.  Our steps are lively and quick.  Our songs fill the air as we cherish the moment.

It has been so gratifying to open the doors of the church and welcome you back to “in-person” worship.  Our joy is multiplied when we are together.  Thanks for being part of this great journey at Our Redeemer’s.

Blessings on the Easter Road,

Interim Supply Pastor, Fred Mai

March 25, 2022

Dear Family of Our Redeemer’s,

“a time to weep. . .a time to mourn”.  Ecclesiastes 3: 4

“Jesus wept.”  John 11:35

There have been several funerals at Our Redeemer’s recently.  Members and friends who have been deeply attached in our community and congregation are no longer with us in this world.   We are feeling loss and sadness.  There have been many tears.  Trying to continue a meaningful life without their presence is not easy.   An emptiness persists.  Weeping and mourning will be part of our journey during the weeks and months to come. 

We are moving close to the time in the Church Year that we call Holy Week.  We have found hope, beauty, affirmation, mission, and love in this person who demonstrates “God with us”. The journey of Jesus among His friends and disciples will end in a very ugly and painful crucifixion.  There will be darkness in the middle of the day.  Sorrow, loss, tears, weeping and mourning will invade and dominate the lives of those who had found love, purpose, and meaning in their relationship with Jesus.  Unanswered questions and confusion will cast a cloud over the future. 

Our world is again experiencing a time that feels like it is the “day of crucifixion” all over again.  The millions of people who are suffering and dying in the Ukraine and other similar situations around the world causes us to weep and mourn.  Our tears flow in sorrow as these brothers and sisters experience horrendous suffering.  We share the pain with them. We pray for an end to the war.  There is no way that we can ignore what is happening in the world or pretend that it doesn’t hurt.  We weep! We mourn!

Where shall we find hope?  As dark as it was on that day we call Good Friday, when “God with us” was put to death, we have learned that God made all things new on the third day.  Easter has come!  Life will triumph over death!  Easter will come into our lives again and again.  Morning will break! 

In the meantime, it is truly “a time to weep. . .a time to mourn”.  All nations of the world are feeling the effects of the war.  It affects every part of the globe.  There have been generous and sacrificial efforts to help those who are wounded, suffering, hungry, lonely, dying,   Our Lutheran partners around the world are on the scene.  We can join them with our support.  We can pray without ceasing.  “May God bring peace and hope!

Blessings on your journey to new life and hope,

Interim Supply Pastor, Fred Mai