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Council President
Tom Scherbert Keeping in touch with the the living body at Resurrection |
 Last year as both a congregation and council we began the first steps in what would be a part of what our synod calls Adventures in Renewal. Among the steps we took as a congregation was to view one of the synods video resources. That video introduced the concept that the social landscape of our world is changing and discussed how churches can respond to these changes. Adventures in Renewal is a spirit lead process that empowers churches to be renewed through listening, ministry experimentation, and deep connections in the community. As hopefully people will recall, in 2024 we made our first ventures into ministry experimentation with Suds and Stories of Faith, Coffee and Conversation, and our Community Pet Blessing.  This year we have a few ideas that we are developing including Rooted in Love Yoga, a community yoga class that will be offered in our building. This will be a “gentle yoga” class suitable for beginners, that will include a brief spiritual message by Pastor Matt at the end. If you, or someone you know, might be interested in participating in this contact Pastor Matt. It is also our hope to assemble a small team of people to help engage the rest of the congregation in the work of following the Spirit’s lead into future listening activities, ministry experiments, and building relationships in the community. I am reminded of one of Pastor Matt’s favorite quotes “We don’t think our way into new behavior, we behave our way into new thinking”. It is through going out into the community and listening to the stories of others that we will find ways to engage with them as the body of Christ. With the ultimate goal of sharting the freely-given, love and redeeming grace of our Lord and Savior. More information about Adventures in Renewal is available at by clicking here: Adventures in Renewal Resources If you are interested in being a part of this team please speak to Pastor, myself, or Sally Weiland, our Building Relationships Council Chair.
Looking ahead: ● Simple Soup Suppers and midweek Lenten Services have begun and will continue on Wednesday evenings through April 9th with soup at 6 and service at 7pm. ● Just a reminder that there is now a Thursday 10 am and a Sunday 8:45 am Bible Study! ● Learning Together intergenerational in person education session March 23rd after worship. ● The most sacred part of the church year will be here before you know it:. April 13th is Palm Sunday and we will gather to recount the story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem and His passion and crucifixion. ● The story flows into our Holy Week services, which are really one service over three days (the Triduum). On Maundy Thursday (4/17 @ 7pm), we will remember the last supper and Jesus’ establishment of the Eucharist. ● Good Friday (4/18 @ 7pm) will bring us back again to Calvary in a solemn service commemorating Christ’s crucifixion. ● But then, Easter Morning (4/20 @ 10am) brings a festival worship service celebrating Jesus’ resurrection from the dead! We will also enjoy Easter Breakfast together (watch for sign up for attendance and to help out in the announcements and your emails). Blessings, Tom
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As you drive through Wisconsin farm country this time of year the seas of green from soybeans
and swaying corn stalks have given way to planes of barren earth. The farmers that have planted and tended the seeds have brought in the harvest. What remains is the brown earth and the promise that the cycle will begin again in spring. That may be all we see out the window of the car as we pass by, but lessons from our upbringing remind us that this time of year we should also be grateful for that harvest. Memories of Thanksgiving past and sharing “what we are thankful for” around the table also reminds us of the many other objects of our gratitude. There are many things that we are thankful for. I often see gratitude as a two-fold gift. Our heart is warmed by the memory but also gratitude opens our hearts to the many other things God has so generously provided. I would like to share some of the things that I am grateful for this year. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer. – 1 Timothy 4:4-5 I am thankful for who we are. We are God’s people, both broken and blessed. We recognize that we are a gift and that even our flaws are part of a beautiful story. In response to the questions “Who we are?” and “Why are we here?” on our Ministry Site Profile the MET said we have a feeling of family that is shared with members and visitors alike. Individuals are accepted where they are, broken and blessed and that we extend our love to our community. I am grateful for us. O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures for ever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34 I am thankful for what we have. Out of love, God richly provides. I could not share the things for which I am grateful without acknowledging the positive aspects of our lives together and recognizing the blessings we possess. You are an extremely generous people. When there is a need or a job to do, you always amaze me. From financial appeals to the little things you do for your Resurrection family that nobody knows about, you are a gift from God. I am grateful for the good things we have together no matter how big or small often because of your generosity. I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. – Psalm 9:1 I am thankful for all God has done for us, his beloved children. Just pause for a moment and think about what God has done around Resurrection Lutheran Church this past year: Experiments with being more present in our community, the work to improve our grounds, development of a campus plan, the work of the Mission Exploration Team, the work of the Call Team, and the calling of a new pastor just to name a few. God has done marvelous things for which I am truly grateful. May your gratitude be a two fold gift this Thanksgiving that transforms your perspective and fills your heart. Thanksgiving Blessings, Tom (Please note that ways to get involved or help out are in italics.) Calendar in Brief: ● Thanksgiving Service Sunday November 24th 10:00 am. Come ye thankful people come. ● Baked Goods Auction to benefit our partners Sunday November 24th 11:00 am. Come for the fun – bid high! ● Midweek Advent Service Wednesday December 4th and 11th at 7:00 pm. Come enjoy a break from the hectic holiday rush. Refresh yourself with the Holden Evening Prayer. ● Thank you Lunch for Pastor Steve Sunday December 8th 11:00 am. Come show your appreciation for Pastor Steve before we bid him farewell. ● Longest Night Service Thursday December 19th 6:30 pm. Experience this special Christmas service for those coping with grief and loss during the holiday season. Fellowship with friends during the warm cider and cookie gathering after the service. ● Intergenerational, No Rehearsal, Christmas Program 2.0 Sunday December 22nd 10:00 am. Children of all ages are encouraged to participate. ● Christmas Eve Service Tuesday December 24th 5:30 pm. ● Pastor Steve’s Last Sunday with us December 29th. Well, this October newsletter is late for a couple of reasons. First, your Church Council and Call Team have been very busy the last couple of weeks. Second, I wanted to wait to write this letter until that important work had been completed. By now hopefully most of you have heard that the Call Team and Church Council are excited to present Pastor Matt Short as the recommended candidate to be our next pastor. Pastor Short has 19 years of pastoral experience. Pastor Matt’s wife, Jessica, is also a Pastor. They have two children ages 17 and 19. The Short’s first calls were in North Dakota. They have been in Milwaukee since 2008. Pastor Matt’s first call in the Greater Milwaukee Synod was at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Slinger. For the past 7 years he has been Assistant to the Bishop for Evangelical Mission at the Greater Milwaukee Synod.
Some of you may remember Pastor Matt from his visit with us last November. He was here to preach and present information about the synod’s program for Adventures in Renewal. At the time he said we were a very joyful church, with a good sense of humor and that he could feel our energy. Pastor Matt shared a story about that day with the call team. He said that he remembered going home that day and telling his wife that if he could get back into congregational ministry at a congregation like Resurrection, he would. The Call Team had the opportunity to interview 5 candidates, all of which expressed a strong desire to be our next pastor. This was a lot of work and required a great commitment of their time and energy for which we all owe them an extreme debt of gratitude. When the Call Team met with the Council to present Pastor Matt, it was clear that they were all very excited about their choice. They each spoke of his infectious enthusiasm for ministry and his genuine enthusiasm for who we are as God’s people. Pastor Matt liked that, because of our size, he would be able to connect with members of the congregation directly. He was very supportive of our status as a Reconciled in Christ congregation and was excited about our ministry partnerships. The Call Team all viewed Pastor Matt as fitting well into our Resurrection Family. The Call Team also viewed Pastor Matt as an excellent resource to meet the goals put forth in our Ministry Site Profile. He brings lots of synod experience and resources from contacts with other congregations over the past 7 years. He emphasizes teaching people to live their faith outside the walls of the church in very positive ways in his ministry. Pastor Matt has lots of ideas about community building and he is passionate about it. He describes his mode of operation as blurring the line between church and community and modeling ways of grace and love. A long list of Pastor Matt’s positive personal and professional qualities were identified by the Call Team including; compassion, collaborative skills, organization and preparedness, dynamic speaking and preaching skills, and a good sense of humor. It was said that he clearly loves the Lord, is authentic about God’s love, and speaks so very positively about the gift of grace. Everyone will have the opportunity to meet Pastor Matt at a Meet and Greet event on Friday November 1st at 6:30 pm. Pastor Matt will be introduced by members of the Call Team and there will be time for those in attendance to meet and visit with him. (There will be a sign up for a few people to bake some treats for that evening.) Then, we will have a Special Congregational Meeting on Sunday, November 3rd (immediately following the service) so that the congregation can vote to authorize us to extend a call to Pastor Matt Short to be our next pastor. We are nearing the end of a long process that has involved the work and support of each and everyone of you. I am so grateful to have been on this journey with such a great group of loving and caring children of God. Peace and Blessings, Tom (Please note that ways to get involved or help out are in italics.) Calendar in Brief:
In preparation for the Outreach for Hope bike ride, I’ve been trying to get out there and pedal a bit each week. I was conveniently using the wet spring and hot summer as an excuse for my laziness. But the ride is coming up and there is no putting it off. I was riding along a heavily wooded segment of the Oak Leaf Trail. Parts of it sometimes make you forget you are riding in the city. I came across a tree. All of its leaves had already turned the brightest yellow. That was the trigger for me that, despite the warm temperatures, fall is here. Intellectually I know it’s fall but I always try to hang on to summer until something tells me otherwise.
I guess there is no reason to doubt the calendar as we have had a very productive summer and are looking ahead to our usual many fall activities. Summer progress includes the significant work of the Call Team. By the time you are reading this they will have completed their first round of interviews with the pastoral candidates. They are excited by the quality of the candidates and the desire of each of them to be our pastor. This summer we have also been actively reaching out to our community. We offered outdoor services and hosted a very successful Food Truck Night and Community Picnic. We have also begun experimenting with being present in our community through our Suds & Stories of Faith and Coffee & Conversation events, held in local businesses. We rekindled our relationship with Reformation in Milwaukee by hosting a Faith Fellowship Dinner with them. On top of all that, we made significant improvements to the look of our campus by cutting and trimming trees and bushes that were dead, overgrown, and/or too close to the building. Last weekend (though this is really a fall event) we donated, made, and delivered 100 bag lunches to Street Angles as part of our God’s Work Our Hands service. Whew, I thought summers were supposed to be quiet. I am grateful for each of you that have played a part in any of these accomplishments, thank you! Looking ahead to fall, after service on September 15th we will view a video and discussed how the church and the world are changing and just what God is calling us to do in response. We will continue to make brief presentations about our ministry partners at the start of Sunday services. This is both part of our stewardship emphasis leading up to Harvest Sunday in November and an effort to explain to newer members how these partnerships have developed over the years. We have a Coffee and Conversation scheduled for 10am on September 25th and will be scheduling a Suds and Stories of Faith event in October. Also in October we are hoping to put together a “Trunk or Treat” event for the community. For those not familiar, we will have this event in the parking lot. We’ll be asking members to decorate their vehicle trunks (we may have help for that) and hold a trick or treat-like event for kids from the community. We are looking for a food truck to be a part of this event too. Also this fall, Bible study is back on Thursday mornings as is our Learning Together intergenerational Sunday School. The choir is back rehearsing, and Dart Ball will begin on Monday, September 23. There is lots going on so pay close attention to the announcements and emails. (Please note that ways to get involved or help out are in italics.) Calendar in Brief:
Blessings, Tom (Please note that ways to get involved or help out are in bold italics.)
Calendar in Brief:
Pastoral Transition Updates:
Events in More Detail:
Tom This month updates on a medley of topics. Please note that ways to get involved or help out are in italics.
On the calendar this summer:
Pastoral Transition:
Clearing up misconceptions about the Campus Plan There is a lot of misunderstanding and resulting negative feelings out there about the Campus Plan. I feel this stems from several issues. First, everyone should be viewing the Campus Plan as a very long-term plan. The objective is to evaluate our outside spaces and make some determination about how we can use that space to better do ministry in the next 10, 15, or 20 years. It is not something we are looking to implement tomorrow. Second, there is the notion that this is just a landscaping plan. In fact it would be better to consider it a land use plan. It includes; using native plantings in various places to improve drainage and cut down on lawn care and landscape maintenance, evaluating and adding a few ADA and some "reserved for senior" parking spaces, building a structure that is already partially funded as a memorial to a member, improving the appearance of the Community Garden, as well as dreaming a little bit about decks and other hard scape, construction, and garden projects. The timetable for any and all these projects is undetermined and would certainly be in stages as we could afford them (like I said a long-term plan). For right now it is important to have a cohesive plan so that if we are in a position to do even one of these projects, we won’t regret location and placement of that aspect of the design down the road. Third, there seem to be concerns about the impetus and motives of the “Cutting and Chopping Crew.” In the early stages of the Campus Plan Committee work, it was acknowledged during brainstorming sessions that there were some things we could do ourselves to improve the look of our exterior spaces that wouldn’t cost a lot of money. Those ideas included some simple signage and removal of overgrown and dead trees and bushes around the building (many of those trees were too close to our foundation as well). I am grateful to Ron R. and his crew for the work they have completed so far this summer. There is only a little bit of that work left then attention will be turned to trimming up some of the remaining bushes. We are not clearing things out because we are going to turn around and plant some more. For right now less is more. Fourth, some have indicated a concern that we are pursuing this Campus Plan and ignoring other significant buildings and grounds needs we have at this time. The truth is that we are in need of major parking lot repair (or replacement - probably not financially viable) and the asphalt shingle roof on the church is in need of replacement. These are both very costly items and will likely require us to look at financing those expenses. This is just like when we used our current mortgage to buy new windows and replace the mansard and the flat roof years ago. Such financing will require congregational approval when the time comes. We have just begun to investigate our options and like many homeowners we are hoping the rates will go down a bit. Fifth, there are concerns about implementing any land use plan that would create more work for an already strapped crew of volunteers that maintain the landscape we currently have. This is a very legitimate concern! There is definitely a need for more “Weekly Weeders” and volunteers to trim and maintain our bushes. Here I would like to thank the ladies that have stepped up to beautify our memory garden. They have, and are, working very hard to make that space back into something we can be proud of. They would also welcome some more help and are looking for perennial plants. I have asked the Buildings and Grounds Chair and his committee to prepare a comprehensive list of the things that need to be done and a schedule of how often those tasks need to be completed in order to maintain our grounds. We will be looking to have informational meetings to share these needs, recruit more volunteers, and discuss concerns people may still have regarding the campus plan in the not-too-distant future. Hopefully, this helps to clarify things regarding the Campus Plan. If you have any questions or concerns don't hesitate to reach out to me. I would much rather talk about things face to face than hear about grumbling second hand. Reaching out to be present in our community (Faithful Innovations):
Blessings, Tom Garrison Keillor used to begin his stories by saying, “It’s been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon.” I think it’s appropriate to begin this month’s letter by saying, “It is not going to be a quiet summer at Resurrection Church. We have much planned and even more planning is still in the works. In addition, our pastoral transition process has reached a very active phase as well.
Regarding the transition, as most of you know the Mission Exploration Team has completed its work and their Ministry Site Profile (MSP) has been reviewed by council and the congregation, accepted by the bishop, and published on the ELCA web site. The completion of their work puts us solidly into the call process. The Call Team has been installed and has begun their work. I would like to again thank the following individuals who have stepped up to do this important work: Kat Woods, Andy Toth, Arlene Tesmer, Karen Mannisto, Melissa Leighton, Aidan Leighton, Sue Koloske, and Larry Gnatzig. I had the opportunity to sit in with them on their first organizational meeting as well as their training with Pastor Afi Dobbins-Mays from synod staff. They are a spirit filled group with a sincere drive to select the right candidate to be our next pastor. At this point, the team is meeting to review the MSP and draft interview questions for candidates that will be sent to us by the synod. Please pray for these individuals and their work. The calendar is full of activities and events this summer (and there are a few others still in the works)! May 15th will be our Suds and Stories of Faith Event at Cleveland Pub. This will be an opportunity to listen to God, one another, and our neighbors while being present in the wider community. The discussion question for this event is “Where do you see God in your life?” We would like to plan a similar event at a local coffee shop and call it Coffee and Conversation. If you would be interested in helping to plan this event, please speak to a council member. As a trial for the summer only, we will be switching to an earlier worship time. From June 2nd to August 25 worship will begin at 9:15 am. June 2nd during the worship service we will be welcoming 6 new members into our Resurrection family. Some of these folks have familiar faces that have been around for a while, but it is exciting to formally welcome them into our community. Please also join us after the service for some fellowship and to listen as mentors introduce us to our new partners in faith. Jane Fredach was an active and loved member of our Resurrection family for many years. On June 9th during the worship service we will have a brief remembrance of her and a prayer in her memory. Monday evening, June 10th (6 to 7:30pm), we will be hosting a Faith and Fellowship Dinner with our partners from Reformation Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. Long time members of Resurrection will remember we have an extensive history of partnership with Reformation including active participation in various aspects of their ministry (meal and food pantry programs, women’s Bible study, summer youth programs, and more) as well as hosting and facilitating events (evenings in the garden, partnership worship services and fellowship, an annual Christmas event, and more). Most recently we have officially been in a covenantal three-way partnership between us, Reformation, and our Tanzanian partners. This three-way partnership has languished a bit during and since Covid. On June 10th, our goal is to rekindle old friendships and make new ones with members from Reformation and begin discussions on how we can reactivate our three-way partnership with them and Tanzania. We will be providing the main dish that evening and Reformation will be bringing sides and dessert. So even if you are a newer member to Resurrection, and don’t have “old friends” to catch up with, please come and join us for what promises to be an evening of good food and fellowship. June 16th will be the first of our outdoor services for the summer. The other outdoor services will be July 21st, and August 18th. In place of a June Community Picnic, we are working on a Food Truck night on a weeknight evening during the week of June 17th. We are still putting together the details, including some ideas about exciting live entertainment during the event so watch your emails, announcements, and my June message for details! It should be great fun, and who doesn't enjoy an evening when you don’t have to cook dinner? (We are hoping to be able to have a second Food Truck Night in September. More to come on that as well.) Mark your calendar, our Community Picnic will be after the outdoor worship on August 18th. We will cook out and ask members to bring side dishes and desserts. Of course there will be silly games! There will also be opportunities for those that want to roll up their sleeves and do a little work this summer. May 19th after service will be a Spring Cleaning Day for the interior of the church. May 25th, June 22nd, and July 27th (from 8-11:30am), weather permitting, are designated as Landscape Clean Up Days. We will continue to remove old, overgrown or dead bushes & trees to continue our work to beautify our church and church grounds setting us up to implement future landscape and hardscape plans being developed by our Campus Planning Committee. If you have questions about the spring clean-up day contact Brad Nelson and for the landscape days Ron Reichert. As you can see. There is a lot going on and, as they say in the commercials, “We hope to see you there.” Blessings, Tom One of our new members asked, “What are the perks to joining a church vs. just attending and participating?” The response that was given was a beautiful one and centered on these two points. Church membership confirms/affirms your faith and provides an opportunity to join a community. This got me thinking about being in community with my Resurrection family. I was reminded of my Catholic upbringing when we didn’t ask, “What church do you attend?” But asked, “What church do you belong to?” I firmly believe this same sense of belonging and being in community is at the root of our success and strength as a congregation. I mean, where else does pretty much every member of a congregation have a key to the building? This is our second home, and we care for it as such.
But our sense of community goes well beyond just being in a group and our care for the building and grounds. Our sense of community creates a sacred bond that holds us together by God’s love. It connects us to one another. We acknowledge that we are all broken and blessed. We celebrate together in times of great joy, and we try to restore wholeness by showing that unconditional love of God in times of need. Jesus’ command to love one another as I have loved you must be fulfilled in the company of others – in community. Our sense of community has also refreshed the feeling and flow of our corporate worship. I was struck by this notion after worshiping elsewhere. I really feel our connection to each other strengthens that worship experience of the heart which brings us closer to God. For me, and I think many of us, it rekindles and revives the spirit in a way that it doesn’t in other churches. Striving to become a community where God’s love and our lives connect strengthens us in our work as a church. While in community, we become our best selves, and by accepting ourselves and others there is that opportunity to encounter God’s love and heal. This reforms and refreshes our Resurrection family and equips us for our journey together as His church. In this relationship we live out a journey to educate, inspire, encourage, strengthen and serve one another, our community, and our partners. It is through living out of our mission that we become a collective resource for helping others that really makes a difference. We not only meet our needs, we also meet the needs of others. We are the church! I’m not sure if these observations qualify as “perks.” But I feel they are a reflection of our Resurrection community. As we advance through this pastoral transition, I pray that the power of God’s love will continue to restore, refresh, and strengthen our community of faith. As we continue to be more present in our community, I further pray that our roots in God’s love will become an attraction that pulls others toward a faith in God. May that love be the measure of true discipleship and what Jesus pointed to when he said, “by this all people will know that you are my disciples (John 13:35) Blessings, Tom Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. -Psalm 119:105 We are clearly on a path moving forward guided by the Word. I believe there are three major milestones in the pastoral transition process: the calling of an interim pastor, the completion of the Ministry Site Profile (MSP) by the Mission Exploration Team (MET), and the calling of a permanent pastor. Within the last week or so we can now say we have crossed two of those milestones. Our Mission Exploration Team consisting of Cindy Duffin, Tracy Hahn, Karen Mannisto, Pat Marohl, Mary Sukopp, Karen Leighton VanDomelen, and Matson Wick have completed the Ministry Site Profile. They have worked with great enthusiasm and purpose and have completed a profile that is a good reflection of us as a congregation and what we are looking for in our next pastor. I want to thank all these individuals for their excellent work and to especially thank Cindy Duffin for her leadership of this team. The next steps are to have the council approve the draft profile and make it available to the congregation and the synod. The congregation will receive the MSP through email and by having several paper copies available. This is not for revision by the congregation but to receive input should there be any major concerns or omissions that members think should have been included. Please watch your email for this document and take the time to look it over. It is a very extensive document but an important one. The MSP will formally be presented to the congregation at a Town Hall Meeting after service on April 21st. The bishop and his associate will be joining us for worship and the meeting. As the MET process comes to a close the call process ramps up. The following members have been elected to the Call Team (Committee); Kat Woods, Andy Toth, Arleen Tesmer, Karen Mannisto, Melissa Leighton, Aidan Leighton, Sue Koloske, and Larry Gnatzig. The Call Team will interview candidates and make a recommendation to the council and congregation of a candidate to be our next pastor. This is a very exciting time for us in the life of this congregation. Please thank these individuals for their commitment to this process and pray for their work together. Even with all of these important pastoral transition updates it is also important to remind you that the most sacred part of the church year approaches (a little bit early this year). March 24th is Palm Sunday, and we will gather to recount the story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem and His passion and crucifixion. The story flows into our Holy Week services, which are really one service over three days (the Triduum). On Maundy Thursday (3/28 @ 7pm), we will remember the last supper and Jesus’ establishment of the eucharist. Good Friday (3/29 @ 7pm) will bring us back again to Calvary in a solemn service commemorating Christ’s crucifixion. But then, Easter Morning (10am) brings a festival worship service celebrating Jesus’ resurrection from the dead! We will also enjoy Easter Breakfast together (sign up for attendance and to help out is on the kiosk). Easter Blessings, Tom |
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