The South Wisconsin District connects, resources and equips God's people for
bold witness of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In this issue:
• From the president
• Missions & evangelism
• LCMS Foundation
• Schools, youth & family
• Stewardship
• Pastor calls & vacancies
• Prayer list
 
South Wisconsin District
The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod
8100 W. Capitol Dr.
Milwaukee, WI 53222
Web: swd.lcms.org
E-mail: swd@swd.lcms.org
(414) 464-8100
In Wisconsin, (800) 793-3678
Fax: (414) 464-0602
 

The President's e-Newsletter is sent monthly to pastors and school administrators in the South Wisconsin District and to others upon request.
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Congregations calling 
  • Brookfield - Brookfield (associate)
  • Elkhart Lake - Grace
  • Glenbeulah - Zion
  • Hartland - Divine Redeemer
  • Lebanon - St. Peter
  • Madison - Mt. Olive (evaluating)
  • Menasha - Trinity
  • Milwaukee - Gospel (evaluating)
  • Oshkosh - Good Shepherd
  • Pleasant Prairie - Lamb of God
  • Plymouth - St. John (evaluating)
  • Poy Sippi - Emmaus
  • Stoughton - Good Shepherd by the Lake
  • Waukesha - Christ the Life (calling seminary candidate)
  • West Bloomfield - Christ (evaluating)
Pastors considering a call
  • David Gehne - Trinity, Racine to Trinity, Menasha (3/3/08)
  • Donald Johnson - Sheboygan to Zion, Glenbeulah (2/12/08)
  • John Kelling - St. Paul, Brown Deer to St. Peter, Lebanon (2/27/08)
  • Peter Peitsch - Waconia, MN to Grace, Elkhart Lake (03/02/08)
  • Alexander Whitfield - Canton, MI to Brookfield, Brookfield (2/10/08)
Pastors accepting a call
  • Richard Raabe, Jr. - Candidate, Milwauke to Beautiful Savior, Milwaukee (3/9/08)
  • John Schmidt - St. John, Racine to St. John, Hanover, IA (3/6/08)   
Pastors declining a call
  • Douglas Fleischfresser - St. Paul, Oconomowoc to St. John, Clarinda, IA (3/11/08)
  • Douglas Fleischfresser - St. Paul, Oconomowoc to Peace, Nebraska (3/11/08)
  • David Groth - Good Shepherd, Watertown to Trinity, Menasha (2/8/08)
  • Aaron Koch - Mt. Zion, Greenfield to St. John, Decatur, IN (2/20/08)
  • John Laux - Decatur, IL to Good Shepherd, Oshkosh (3/9/08)
  • Jason Zobel - Braidwood, IL to Christ the Life, Waukesha (2/25/08) 
Prayer list

Please keep in your prayers/petitions: 
  • Lisa McMiller, wife of Rev. Dan McMiller as she recovers from surgery
  • Gail Groth, wife of Rev. David Groth as she under goes cancer treatments
  • The son of Attorney Walter Tesch as he is hospitalized
  • Rev. Marv Ahlborn and family on the death of his wife Helen
  • Rev. John Reinke as he is having some medical testing done and dealing with some medical concerns
  • Rev. Michael Henrichs and his family on the death of his mother-in-law
Short-term mission opportunities: LCMS World Mission has an urgent need for more than 200 international short-term mission teams in the coming year. Could this be you or someone you know?

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Rev. Dan McMiller
Missions and evangelism
 

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John Meyer
Gift planning
 

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Gary Janetzke
Schools, youth and family

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Tim Dittloff
Lutheran Church Extension Fund and Stewardship
MARCH 2008
 

Because Jesus lives…

Dear friends and members of the South Wisconsin District:

Anxiety rises within us when we are threatened. The heart pounds harder. Adrenalin flows when our lives are placed in danger. All of our systems go on high alert when we find ourselves threatened. David certainly understands those symptoms. Many times his life was in danger. As a shepherd keeping watch over his father's flocks, David contended with predators like bears and lions. But it wasn't just animals that threatened David's life. Without a doubt David is best known for the way he fought the giant named Goliath. His life was in danger when King Saul put a price on his head. Once Saul hurled a spear at David and just missed. Later in life David's own son Absalom rebelled against him and tried to kill him.

David crossed death's path many times in his life. No wonder he freely talks about it in many of his Psalms. Listen to David's anxiety as he flees from Saul, "The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me" (Ps. 18). In Psalm 23 David talks about walking "through the valley of the shadow of death." In Psalm 55 David confesses, "My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me."

David is a man acquainted with death. His companions died. Soldiers died around him in battle. Others died at the edge of his sword. One of his children died in his own arms. David's enemies want him dead. David knows that someday he will die. His body will return to dust in the ground. Yet listen to the way David talks to God about death, "You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay" (Psalm 16:9-10).

It's an amazing confidence that David has in God. David never witnessed the crucifixion. David never heard the message of the angels from the tomb of Easter Sunday as we have. David never witnessed a dead person come back to life. Yet look at David's faith. Listen to his conviction. David believes in the resurrection. David knows his Savior. David is convinced that his Savior will live even though he dies. David is convinced that because his Savior lives, he (David) will also rise from the grave.

Unlike David, we have been to the empty tomb. We have heard the message of the angels. St. Mark quotes them: “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.” It’s no wonder Jesus isn't there. As the angel says, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?" Jesus himself says in Revelation 1: "I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!"

That news of the Easter resurrection of our Lord Jesus changes the way we look at death. That news changes the way we look at the cemetery. Because Jesus rose we can leave the cemetery after the graveside service with hope of an eventual reunion with our loved ones. Because Jesus rose Easter is a tremendous victory celebration. Because Jesus rose our loved ones will rise. Because Jesus rose we will rise from our grave. It's the faith of the Apostle Paul, "The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed" (1 Cor. 15). That is the faith that Job expresses. He says, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" That is our faith. That is our conviction. Have a blessed Easter.

Christ is risen!
President John C. Wille, SWD

Financial update: Decreased 2008 intentions present challenges
As this e-news is written the audit is underway for the 2007 SWD financials. As soon as we receive the final report we will give you an update on how we closed out the fiscal year 2007. Initial indications are that because of "Fan into Flame," the Thrivent gifting grant, and the sale of the old Waunakee property, we should be on the positive side. However, we await the official audit.

On another level, when elected I promised openness and transparency regarding our financial condition. That's why I am writing this article. While there has been some improvement in our financial condition, there is still a great challenge for us to face.

Here are the facts: The congregational intentions are in for fiscal year 2007. While we are still awaiting word from a handful or so of congregations, the numbers that we do have are revealing and a source of concern.

At present the 2008 intentions of unrestricted congregational gifts to SWD are $2,280,000. That is down from the actual 2007 unrestricted congregational remittance of $2,541,000.

Here's the rub. Our 2008 SWD financial responsibilities include:

$341,882

        15% comes off the top to honor our commitment to the LCMS.

$240,000

     Annual cost of $3.6 million indebtedness held by LCEF on buildings and land (which is down from $5.5 million dollars since June 2006).

$2,109,000

    Subsidies, salaries and Concordia Plans for mission and ministry in our deaf congregations, campus ministries, cross-cultural work (Hispanic, Hmong, African immigrant and others), and new mission starts, as well as those who work in the District office.

Those fixed costs add up to $2,690,882.

That imbalance presents us with some difficult decisions. Those are our financial challenges. This is in spite of the fact that the SWD board has already approved the reduction of two full-time workers in 2008. Unfortunately those numbers mean that we cannot do things the way we used to. The numbers demonstrate that there will need to be additional reductions in various areas of our SWD mission and ministry.

As we move forward to address these financial challenges, I ask for your prayers and your understanding, for your insights, and for our God's blessing. It has taken years to reach this point, and it will take some time to make our way to firmer ground; and we will with God’s blessing.

Fortunately not one of us has to face this alone; our Lord has blessed us with each other. He has blessed us with Himself, His love and forgiveness. He has also blessed us with the resources to accomplish his mission of "bold witness" in our time. As St. Paul reminds us: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." It is up to us to honor our vocation as his people. Then there is the passage from Ephesians 3: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Congregational remittances for 2007 
Part of the good news is that many of our SWD congregations stepped up generously in support of our mission and ministry efforts. Below is a short listing of those for whom we give thanks:
  • The top ten congregations for 2007 in financial gifts are: Our Redeemer, Wauwatosa; Brookfield, Brookfield; St. Paul, Grafton; St Paul, West Allis; Trinity-Freistadt, Mequon; St. Paul, Sheboygan Falls; St John, Plymouth; St. Peter, Reedsburg; Good Shepherd, Watertown; St. Paul, Janesville.
  • The top congregations in per communicant giving: Hope, Milwaukee; Brookfield, Brookfield; Lamb of God, Pewaukee; Living Word, Jackson; Mission of Christ, Milwaukee; St. John, Horicon; Mission Hill, Waunakee; St. John, Sullivan; Our Savior, Janesville. 
  • The following circuits are at 100 percent plus of their commitments: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 12, 16, 17 19, 21, 24, 26 and 27. That is 14 of our 27 circuits! Thank you!

Notice in the above that smaller congregations and larger congregations alike are working together in partnership for "Bold witness to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus." I thank each of our SWD congregations and pastors for your generous support of the ministry that we do together here in South Wisconsin. Your love for our Lord and his work is appreciated. I applaud you. I give thanks for you and your gifts! Thank you!   —Rev. John C. Wille, SWD president
Thrivent grant for gifting
You may have seen the news release that the South Wisconsin District has received a $100,000 from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to fund a gifting process. As part of that process we are drafting a job description for a "development/gifting position" here in SWD. This person will be involved in working with urban congregations and their leaders to fund their ministries. As the grant application explains, this person will use "the tools and resource of financial planning, establishing immediate and deferred gifts through will bequests, gift annuities, and other tools along with cultivating and requesting funds through granting programs." We are among several other LCMS districts that have received similar grants for similar purposes. The aim is to better fund our mission of "Bold witness to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus."
 

Baptisms are always special!
The International Friendship Center at the UW campus in Madison is always a beehive of activity. There are English conversation classes, Bible study groups, and special events—and sometimes an international student just stops in to use the phone. Please rejoice with us as you read more about how the Holy Spirit has been at work there recently!

Rev. Pedro Lopez receives Hispanic business professionals award
On February 23, the Hispanic Business and Professionals Association (HBPA) presented missionary-at-large Rev. Pedro Lopez a community enhancement award at their 2008 banquet. The award was given in recognition of his contribution to the community of Racine. Lopez is pastor of Primera Iglesia Luterana congregation in Racine and is also a board member of the HBPA.  Read more
Pray for Calvary, Madison, spring break mission trip
Twelve people from Calvary Chapel in Madison will be spending their spring break on a mission trip to Saltillo, Mexico. The trip is being coordinated by Can-Do Missions. Saltillo is about four hours from Laredo, Texas, and is a large city of over 700,000 people. It was founded in 1575, so it has a lot of history. The group will do whatever they can to help with maintenance or construction work at the Buen Samaritano and the Filadelfia mission sites there. They will also help with children’s ministry. Please keep these people in your prayers during their trip March 15-22. And watch for them to share their stories about it when they return.

Luther Memorial and Univ. Student Center will host intelligent design conference at UWM April 1
On April 1, 2008, the students of the Lutheran Student Fellowship are hosting an intelligent design conference in the UW—Milwaukee student union's Wisconsin Room from 7-9 p.m. (hors d'oeuvres will be provided). The student union is located at 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.

Dr. Angus Menuge (chair of philosophy at Concordia University Wisconsin and author of Agents Under Fire) and Dr. Paul Nelson (PhD in philosophy from University of Chicago and whose thesis will be published as On Common Descent, vol. 16 in the University of Chicago department of ecology and evolution's "Evolutionary Monographs" series) will engage in discussion about intelligent design vs. Darwinism.  Read more
Ablaze! challenge
By Rev. David A. Davis (from the Center for US Missions "Mission Moments" newsletter)
Ablaze! What a challenge: Share the Gospel with 100,000,000 people by the year 2017! But then, challenge is part of our heritage. Martin Luther challenged people. The 95 theses together with the Small and Large Catechisms challenged both the establishment of the church and the congregations of the countryside. These formative documents pushed people! And by God's grace, the Church and her people thrived. Are you ready to be challenged?   Read more    Subscribe     Website  
Do you own shares of stock that have appreciated in value?
If you do, you may want to consider using some of those shares as gifts to your favorite ministry. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Foundation is able to assist you in redeeming shares of stock for your gift and distributing the proceeds to the Foundation or other ministry of your choice. There are various tax laws to be concerned with when giving shares of stock. You will have the joy of knowing that you have used the assets that God has given you to manage to further the work in His kingdom. If you are interested in making a gift with shares of stock, please contact John Meyer, gift planning counselor for the South Wisconsin District. He is located at 8100 W. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53222 and his phone number is (800) 793-3678.

SWD recognizes teachers of the year
Two outstanding teachers received SWD educator of the year awards: Paula Pierce for early childhood educator (St. John Lutheran Preschool and Day Care, North Prairie), and Mark Newman for secondary school educator (Lake Country Lutheran High School, Hartland). Pierce and Newman were recognized at a dinner Sunday, March 2, 2008, at the Silver Spring Country Club in Menomonee Falls.

Below: Paula Pierce, Superintendent of Schools Gary Janetzke and Mark Newman
Backpack collection thrills children during National Lutheran Schools Week
During National Lutheran Schools Week Mary Beth Terhaar, Hales Corners primary school director, and Jeraldine Dobbs, teacher, delivered about 90 backpacks from their schoolwide (middle, elementary and primary) effort to collect desired items for three schools in need in the greater Milwaukee area (Faith, Germantown; Oklahoma Avenue, Milwaukee; and Sherman Park, Milwaukee). The children were amazed. "Do we really get to keep the backpacks? Forever?" they asked. They were very happy to receive a gift "just because." Terhaar said, "It was just sharing the love of Jesus with others that brought us to their door."
Sherman Park (Milwaukee) students received backpacks during National Lutheran Schools Week, celebrated this year from March 3-8.
Lutheran schools day at Miller Park
Saturday, May 10, 2008 • 2:45 p.m.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. St. Louis Cardinals 
Ticket information will be online after Easter. Please check the SWD website for order details. A pregame professional church worker softball event will be at Helfaer Field. If you would like to play in the PCW game, please e-mail jennifer.wolff@stjohnglendale.com.
Stewardship learning communities keep growing and GROWING
Like the Energizer bunny that keeps "going and going," the stewardship learning community events keep growing and growing. So far 78 people from 33 congregations have attended the learning communities. Fourteen have attended more than one session.

Saturday
April 12
Endowment funds promote mission & ministry
On Saturday, March 8, 43 people learned how to multiply the number of people involved in the work of their congregation as Jon Lorenz of LCEF strategic ministry planning led the "1000 Fold" workshop. Participants discovered how to break ministry tasks into small elements that allow more people to take part in the work of the congregation. The concept of "each one" using their gifts in service to the Lord was stressed, so that the leaders would empower and see the value of the whole body being involved in service.

The next learning community event will be Saturday, April 12. The focus of the presentation will be using endowment funds and planned gifts in the ministry of the local congregation. To register, e-mail Barb Slak in the stewardship department at slak@swd.lcms.org.

The President's e-Newsletter is sent monthly to pastors and school administrators in the South Wisconsin District and to others upon request. Click here to subscribe.

The contents of this newsletter may be freely copied and reproduced. Please share the information with your staff, leaders and membership.