Thu, 24 May 2012 07:25:04 -0800WeeblyThu, 05 Apr 2012 12:04:33 -0800http://www.rlcnb.net/2/post/2012/04/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit1.html 
RLC:  One of Our Greatest Challenges –
Part One

 

Resurrection is a place of many wonders.  It’s a wonder that we are able to get so much accomplished through volunteers.  It’s a wonder that we’ve been able to attract three such talented staff members and maintain such a beautiful facility on our annual budget.  It’s a wonder that we have such a robust outreach program with our partners at Reformation and Kikwe.  It’s a wonder that we have such strong

worship, nurture and educational programs.  It’s a wonder that we have such generous members and that we’ve weathered the recession as well as we have.  It’s a wonder that God’s grace has been so abundant on the corner of 124th Street and Coldspring.  And it’s a wonder, to me anyway, that with all the great things happening at RLC, why we haven’t been able to attract more interest and new members from New Berlin and the surrounding communities of Greenfield, West Allis and Hales Corners.

 

Growth can be a precarious word for congregations and one that I now use very carefully with the council.  What I’m speaking of is not large growth, but a slow, steady controlled growth that helps us not only maintain our annual membership, but conservatively grow it each year.  I’m not speaking of leaps and bounds, but of perhaps 5-7 new individuals/couples/families each year.  With planned growth, comes an ability to steer our course with a more sure hand.  Planned growth can help us maintain and expand our pastoral leadership, our musical staff, and our administrative staff.  It can help us grow our support to our outreach partners as well as enhance our celebration of God’s grace through the remaining two cornerstones; worship and nurture.  It can also help us build a stronger foundation for the future and help to even better ensure the long-term viability of RLC itself.  Don’t get me wrong, RLC is strong and thriving, but what better time to spread the good word and build for the future?

 

 

 

Our location is ideal, situated at a crossroads that includes busy 124th Street.  I’m not sure what the daily traffic numbers are on 124th, but I believe cars pass us by every day and have no idea what is going on with this, what appears to be on the outside, sleepy little congregation.  The warmth on the inside is obviously not radiating to the outside.  So maybe, that’s one of the first places to start?  What can we do on the outside to help spread the great message of what’s taking place on the inside?  When the youth’s fundraising efforts for New Orleans are complete and our wish list is reinstated, one of the first items will be a wish for dollars to add additional temporary and maybe even more permanent signage streetside.  People need to know what is happening and when it’s happening at RLC, so let’s make that easier for them to learn.

 

I’d be very curious to learn more about what our perception is within the community.  As the weather gets better and you’re outdoors and talking with your neighbors more, please take a moment and ask them about their perceptions of the little church on 124th and Coldspring.  What does our building, our grounds, our signage say to them?  Do they know what kind of church we are?  Lutheran?  What synod?  Does the place look inviting?  Does it look like a place they would be inclined to visit, or join?  Does it look like an active congregation?  Does it still look like a Dentist’s office?  (I say this somewhat tongue in cheek, no pun intended, but a bit of seriousness too.).  Bottom line is, do people get who we are and what we’re about by our appearance?

 

If there’s any interest on your friends and neighbors parts, invite them to look at our website at www.rlcnb.net.  This is a great place for them to get a quick feel for RLC.  Better yet, invite them to a service if they express any interest.  Getting them inside the doors can make all the difference!

 

A little friendly neighborhood research is a quick and easy place to start.  I welcome all input and ideas and invite you to join me in a new task force that I will be creating in the next month to help us look at ways to increase our awareness in our communities with the ultimate goal of driving visitation and membership.

 

Together, we can spread the great word of God’s love and grace even more strongly!

 

Ben

 



 ]]>Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:22:51 -0800http://www.rlcnb.net/2/post/2012/03/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit.html
This Summer, the youth of RLC will again travel to New Orleans for the ELCA National Youth Convention.  As a chaperone on the last trip, I can tell you that it was not only a life changing
experience for my son Jay, but a life changing experience for me as well.  38,000 ELCA youth and adults in the Superdome, just a couple years post-Katrina was both a happy and a sobering sight.  Happy in that I had been in New Orleans in February of 2006, just a few months after the hurricane hit and the Superdome was still a shambles, black streaks 2/3 of the way up local building’s walls were a telltale sign of the water’s progress and the 9th ward had homes displaced from their foundations that had moved blocks away by the power of the rushing water.  The sting of death was still very much in the air on that visit and on 2 more visits over the next couple of months.

Enter 2009 and my first trip back to New Orleans with a great group of kids and adults in our extended passenger van, nicknamed “The Beast.”  New Orleans still was, and still is
recovering from Katrina, but a renewed sense of hope and a much brighter presence and future were evident.  The Superdome looked like it’s old self again and provided a cool haven for all 38,000 each evening, allowing us to escape the 95 degree humid heat of July.  Much of the damage that I witnessed in 2006 had been repaired or cleared away, but there was still a long way to go.  New Orleans was the perfect spot for our youth convention and I believe, it is again in 2012 the perfect place for the youth to gather.

I bring this up at this time because our youth group has a sizable task ahead of them to raise the funds for the trip.  With over $8,000.00 standing between them and their goal, we need
everyone’s help in helping to make this trip happen.  The youth will work hard to make it happen and there will be numerous opportunities for you to contribute.  Not only that, but the youth will encourage their families, their friends and their communities to contribute as well.

Many of you had children who went on youth trips in the past and many of you experienced them for yourself as a youth or a chaperone.  You know first or second hand how important these trips are for our youth.  They’re important on so many levels: first, they bring our RLC youth closer together through such an eye-opening shared experience.  Next, they bring our youth together with other youth from around the country, exposing them to new friends, new ideas, new perspectives and new opportunities for faith-based interactions.  The group is also
exposed to wonderful speakers and church leaders each evening providing worship, music and inspiration in the Superdome.  Most importantly, the youth will be exposed to the people and the challenges in New Orleans and will work together to make the world better for people who have gone through so much in the last few years.  Those who visited New Orleans the last time will tell you how special these people are and how much they still need our help.

Jerry Wick, Char Kozlowski and Pastor Mary will be chaperoning the group and can answer any questions that you might have and make suggestions on how you can help.  Collection envelopes
are available in the Narthex and I encourage you to prayerfully consider what you might be able to contribute.  Also, I urge you to support the youth in their upcoming fundraising efforts.

This will truly be a gift that will keep on giving!

Ben

]]>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:03:58 -0800http://www.rlcnb.net/2/post/2012/02/sharing-our-beautiful-rlc-facilities.htmlWith the finishing touches being put on the Fellowship Hall, I felt it timely to talk a bit about the RLC facility and putting it to good use.  Now that renovations on the last of the major rooms in the church is complete, we stand ready to share with others and the best way to do that is to host an event at the church.

We’ve always done a good job of hosting showers and parties in the Fellowship Hall and the Multi-Purpose Room is home to at least two regular weekly meetings for local organizations.  These parties and meetings are great opportunities for others to see our facility and get a taste of what happens at RLC and now is a great time to think about other ways to share our facility.  Let’s look at some of the options…

Hinkforth Fellowship Hall:  This recently renovated room is fresh, bright and as nice as any other mid-sized room in the area.  The new round tables allow the room to seat up to 90 and with the addition of our remaining rectangular tables, can easily be arranged to add a dais or buffet line.  The attached kitchen provides a great space for food prep or for a caterer to set up shop.  And while a mid-summer event may be a bit steamy, the remainder of the year, the room would be great for a small wedding reception, a bridal or baby shower, a family reunion, an anniversary party, a graduation party, a club meeting, a speaker program or an adult’s birthday party.  Please keep these uses in mind for your own events or for those of your friends and family.  We would just ask at this point that an RLC member be attached to the event in some way.  And since RLC cannot charge a rental fee, a free-will offering will gladly be accepted for room use.

The RLC Multi-Purpose Room:  Still fresh from a renovation a few years ago, the Multi-Purpose Room is a great self-contained space for smaller meetings and parties.  Between the large conference table and the comfortable seating area, this room is perfect for groups up to 12-15.   The mini-kitchen provides the necessary facilities for refreshments and the options of fluorescent or incandescent lighting give the opportunity for bright or more home-like lighting.  Please consider this space for your next group meeting, smaller shower, birthday party or other smaller event.   Remember, it’s a great way to showcase RLC and what we have to offer.

The RLC Grounds:  While the current state of the grounds is a bit disheveled with the Pipeline FROM Jesus project in full swing, the Summer of 2012 will see a newly smoothed and seeded lawn replacing much of our formerly bumpy grounds.  What a beautiful place for a small wedding, a family reunion or a company picnic.  Unlike our interior spaces, outside elements like tents, tables, chairs and the like would need to be rented or brought in.   Combine those outdoor spaces with the convenience of our rest rooms and kitchen though, and you have a great spot that’s as nice as a local park.

Please consider though, that with an increased use in the rooms, it becomes even more critical that the rooms be returned to their normal settings after uses by internal or external groups.  It also will take a more concerted effort of clean-up by the users.  We’ll be looking at our options here and publish some guidelines, but please, return the room to it’s layout if you move furniture and please do not use the rooms for storage.  We’ve carved out space in one of the former Sunday School rooms for storage items that used to sit in the Fellowship Hall – let’s keep these rooms clean and clutter free!!

My intention with these comments is to get everyone thinking about how we can better share our facilities with the community for the good of both the community and RLC.   We have a beautiful spot that’s currently being used only a few hours each week.  With some creative thought and promotion, we have the opportunity to not only give our RLC family and neighbors a great space for their events, but to also use these spaces as a way to promote RLC and help underwrite the cost of future capital expenditures.  I welcome any creative thoughts on how we can make this happen!

Wishing you continued blessings,

Ben

]]>Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:28:20 -0800http://www.rlcnb.net/2/post/2012/01/the-pipeline-from-jesus.htmlI trust that you are having a wonderful holiday season and as we continue with Christmas (long after the retailers and radio stations have given up on the holiday) we also look to the possibilities of the new year and the highlights of the outgoing year.

At RLC, 2011 meant a year of departure, a year of welcome and a year of substitution.  We learned early in the year that our wonderful Director of Music, Amy would be leaving us to pursue new opportunities in Nashville.  While we were thrilled for her and the possibilities, we were sad to see she and her family depart the RLC family.  Fortunately for us, our own capable Pam Crawford and Caitlin Scherbert filled in beautifully during the Summer and Fall months.  And now, we’ve recently welcomed Linda Jakubowski as our new Director of Music and are already enjoying her musical gifts and leadership of the choir.  I guess the old saying is true, when God closes a window, he opens a new one!

Also during the course of 2011, our Pastor Mary was able to enjoy a 3 month sabbatical, allowing her to focus on her writing pursuits.  While I’m sure Anita Marlin had more than a few moments of challenge, to the rest of us, her fill-in schedule of Pastor Steve, Pastor Marilyn, our own Pastor Ken and lay preachers appeared seamless and we are all richer for the diversity of style and message.  With Pastor Mary’s return can a renewed spirit and a cache of new ideas that she is implementing within worship and other RLC programs.

The year also saw the loss of RLC member Lowell Anderson, always a
difficult loss, but especially difficult with such a long-term member.  Health circumstances have kept other members from being able to be as active as they have been in the past, but their physical absence hasn’t diminished our warm feelings for Jerry, Dale, Ruth and others who remain close to our hearts.

From a partner perspective, our relationship with Reformation has grown even stronger and our first-ever RLC delegation of Dave, Pam and Mary visited our partners in Tanzania over the summer, closing the distance between our congregations.  Harvest Sunday and HarvestFaire were successful in the harvesting of treasures grown from the “Seeds of Love” and making substantial contributions to both of our partners.  Thank you to all involved in our outreach efforts.

I am happy to report that our new RLC “Wish List” has already paid
dividends with donations of three key wish list items; a new microwave for the main kitchen, new table cloths for the Fellowship Hall and a new computer for the office. 

While on the subject of the Fellowship Hall, our thanks have to go out to Andy and Sue Toth for the donation of the new carpet that will soon grace the Hall’s floor, adding aesthetic and acoustic improvements to the room.  Also, thank you to Dave and Renee for the new paintwork in the space which has provided a clean, fresh look to this well-used space.  Thank you too to Lynnette, our office administrator for her continued great work for RLC.  There are just too many other people to thank for all their contributions of time, talent and treasure over the past year, so on behalf of the congregation, I will simply say to you all, Thank You!

We remain thankful for all the blessings that have been bestowed upon our RLC family and the families of our partner congregations over the past year and look forward to the continued blessings that will undoubtedly continue to flow in the coming year.

Looking forward to 2012, some immediate changes will be taking place at our Annual Meeting (Sunday, January 22, 2012) later this month.  We’ll say thank you to our outgoing council members; June Gumm, Al and Jan Larsen and Jonathan and Katie Petersen and welcome their successors.  Work will begin on the “Pipeline FROM Jesus” on 124th Street and our church property will be home to a great deal of construction and pipe storage activity.

On a longer-term basis, committees, task forces and council positions will continue their work on a variety of activities that support our cornerstones of; worship, nurture and outreach.  Music will continue to flow forth from RLC and Linda will have a chance to put her mark on our services and musical groups.  We will all learn, grow and be spiritually enriched by Pastor Mary’s teachings as well as those provided each week at the Caring Conversations Café.

It is a time to continue our optimism for the future at RLC.  We have such a wonderful thing going at 124th and Coldspring in New Berlin, as well as 35th and Garfield in Milwaukee and on the African continent in Tanzania.  God has been good to us and so, as we end each week’s service, I urge you to love the sentiment; Thanks be to God, our service has just begun!

]]>Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:46:58 -0800http://www.rlcnb.net/2/post/2011/10/2011-provides-a-bountiful-harvest.htmlI truly hope that you were able to attend both Harvest Sunday and HarvestFaire recently.  This special Sunday proved to be an enjoyable day of both sharing and celebration.  During the traditional Harvest Sunday service, the RLC family shared their financial gifts for our partners at Reformation and Kikwe.  Then everyone retired to the Fellowship Hall for a celebration that included Bingo, auction items, a table raffle, Time&Talent Auction, the Sweet Treat Trot and the Men’s Harvest Dessert-Off  (Congrats Ross Wick for winning!).   Additionally, the RLC Youth Group provided a delicious soup luncheon to the crowd.

This is the third annual Harvest Sunday, our replacement for the perennial Sewerfest of yore.  But Harvest Sunday is not a stand-alone event.  It is the culmination of an almost year-long program entitled “Seeds of Love,” our outreach program.

For 2011, I was happy to hand the reigns of the Seeds of Love program over to Ron Reichert.   Ron’s previous involvements at RLC had demonstrated his passion and organizational abilities and I am so happy to see that the program was in such good hands over the past year.  Ron stepped up and took this program on with full force, getting involved in a year of activities and educational opportunities.  While we are still awaiting the final numbers for Harvest Sunday, initial reports indicate this will be a very substantial year for support to our partners.  Even beyond the financial support though, the past year helped strengthened partner relationships, provided a wealth of fellowship opportunities and increased our understanding of the challenges that our partners face on a daily basis.  Ron, I think I can speak for the entire congregation when I say “thank you” for your devotion and efforts in this key RLC program.  Outreach is at the core of the RLC mission and your efforts have helped us live our mission even further - Well done, my friend!

There’s a whole other layer of people who deserve thanks for their work on the Seeds of Love Program as well, and to name them would undoubtedly result in leaving a couple of key people out.  Recognizing this, I will not attempt to name them individually.  So “Team Seeds of Love,” please accept our collective thanks for all of your efforts!

As mentioned earlier, our partnerships are core to our mission and 2011 has been a critical year for these partnerships.   Last year, we celebrated Pastor Steve being installed at Reformation, and adding another dimension to the RLC/Reformation relationship.  This past summer, Dave Chappell, Mary Ackerman and Pam Crawford travelled to Tanzania, opening new doors for that partner relationship and providing a much greater understanding of Kikwe’s needs and challenges.  Where these partnerships will lead in the upcoming year remains to be seen, but I am confident that Resurrection’s outreach commitment will continue to grow as will the seeds of love.

Wishing you peace, love and joy in this harvest season,

Ben

]]>Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:35:57 -0800http://www.rlcnb.net/2/post/2011/10/our-music-program-finds-a-new-leader.htmlI am happy to report that RLC has hired a new Director of Music. Linda Jakubowski will be coming to RLC after spending nearly 35 years at a neighboring ELCA congregation. A shared connection brought Linda to our attention and after meeting with her several times and hearing her both play and sing, Pastor Mary, Anita Marlin and I all agreed that she was an ideal fit for the position and the RLC family.   As you might imagine, after all those years, Linda has requested a later start date to help her current congregation with their musical transition. As such, Linda will be joining us on Sunday, December 1st for the first time.  

Linda’s responsibilities will include providing music for our worship services, as well as leading the choir and working with the praise band. As with our previous Directors of Music, Linda will be very involved in the planning of worship and music in conjunction with Pastor Mary and Anita Marlin, our Worship and Music Director. Linda will carry on our rich tradition of music and infuse her own personal style into our music. Linda is equally comfortable with both the traditional and electronic pianos and her demonstrations on both were a joy to experience. Her repertoire includes a wide range of musical styles that will be showcased in her prelude and postludes.   The beauty of her prelude music will no doubt enhance our new focus on quiet contemplation before our worship services begin. I am eager for everyone to meet Linda and experience her music and I feel that we have been blessed once again with someone who will enhance our “Celebration of God’s Grace.”    

No mention of music would be complete without another round of thanks to the wonderful group who has been carrying on our music program in the absence of a Director. First, a huge thank you to Anita Marlin, who has gone far beyond her worship and music role on the church council. Anita took the bull by the horns for both Amy’s departure and Pastor’s sabbatical and has coordinated interim people in both roles for the past few months. Anita, I offer my sincere thank you for all the hard work you have put into this and I know the entire congregation shares my feelings – Thank you!    And then there are our interim musicians, Pam Crawford and Caitlin Scherbert. These two have kept music alive and well at RLC and we appreciate both of your efforts and the joy that you have brought to our worship. Our thanks for what you have done and will continue to do until Linda arrives – Thank you, Thank you!!  

That’s the good news for now. Please note that I will be off the grid for a short time in early October following gastric bypass surgery. God has provided an opportunity for me to make a major change for the better in my life. I am excited and a bit nervous about the changes to come, but with God and my family’s love and support, I look forward to what lies ahead.  

One more note: Please prayerfully consider sharing your gifts of time and treasure on Harvest Sunday. Ron Reichert has put together a wonderful line-up for HarvestFaire, but please don’t forget about the Harvest Sunday service that same day and the spreading of the Seeds of Love. Our partners need our help and our contributions really do make a difference. Hope to see you there!   May God’s blessings continue to provide you with a bountiful harvest of life.   Ben   ]]>