ST. MATTHEW’S MESSENGER

Pastor Silas Schmitzer

Little Keys, Big Responsibility

A key is power, and it is great responsibility. It’s just a tiny piece of metal, probably a few ounces, but it isamazing what such a small thing can do. If you’ve ever lost your keys you know exactly what I’m talkingabout. In your garage you have a fully-functioning car that you have purchased with your own money, and du-tifully taken care of. However if that one little key is missing the entire vehicle is useless. It may as well be agiant rock in your garage or driveway. You’re stuck! That little key allows you to make use of your car. A dif-ferent key opens the door to your home and gives you (or anyone else) access to everything you have inside.Keys are small, but they are powerful and hold great responsibility.

This past Sunday at our semi-annual meeting we had a bit of discussion about keys. It has come to our atten-tion that no one knows who has keys to your church building—and therefore everything inside. Some membershave had keys and moved away, others have passed away, some have left. As responsible caretakers of the fa-cilities that God has given us, we ought to be keeping track of who has the power of a key to access yourchurch and everything that you have provided for it with your offerings. So a list has been started on the bulle-tin board, next to my office door, asking anyone who has a church key to let your leaders know that you haveone. And remember what a great responsibility you have with that little key in your pocket, to do your best toprotect and care for the property we share together, remembering its chief purpose is for worship, giving gloryto the Lord.

Considering what a privilege and responsibility it is to have a key to God’s house leads me to marvel that Godhas so freely handed out the keys to his kingdom. He told Peter and the rest of his disciples, “I will give youthe keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever youloose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19) Some may try to say Jesus was only giving keys toPeter, but he repeated these same words to all of them later in Matthew 18:18.

Wasn’t God being a bit careless handing out keys to his kingdom so freely? Would you hand out keys to yourhouse, your car, or your church as liberally as he did? I doubt it. With these keys he has given us each greatpower and responsibility. He commands us to use the key to open heaven’s door for each repentant sinner, toassure them of Jesus’ love and forgiveness. We don’t have the option to hold a grudge, or give them the silenttreatment so that they suffer for their wrongs against us. Unless God has placed another person under our caresuch as a child to a parent, or student to a teacher, we never have the right to try and punish someone for theirsins. That’s God’s job. God commands that we love our neighbor, and that means releasing them from the guiltof their sin when they repent. That same love also leads us to call our brothers and sisters to repentance whenthey are caught in sin. Again the goal is not to embarrass, shame or belittle them, but to lead them to repent-ance and forgiveness and a right relationship with their loving Savior once again. The goal is to rescue theirsoul from sin. This is the power that God has given to you!

Having keys is a huge responsibility. So please, let us know if you have one for the church doors. And when-ever you are faced with sin, having the keys of heaven in your possession means you have a huge responsibil-ity to act. Lovingly call your brother or sister to repentance, and joyfully assure them of their forgiveness.

JULY 2016

St. Matthews Church CouncilHighlights

JULY 2016

PASTORAL SERVICES

If our members have need of Pastoral Services due to hospitalization or otherneeds, please contact Pastor Silas Schmitzer at 608-457-2711,cell 608-304-9265 or email pastor.schmitzer@gmail.com

Staff Contact List

President - Jerry Shepard 608-498-2372Vice President - Perry Kilmer 608-457-2574Secretary - Doug Miller 608 386-9803Treasurer - Bruce Harle 608-397-1306

Miss Lisa Carmichael 608-397-4385Miss Sonja OldreMr. James OttoMrs. Jackie Otto

Church Secretary - Chelsie Vanden Heuvel 608-632-0680

We are truly blessed to have our St. Matthew’s School called workers for the upcoming2016/2017 school year and beyond.

Miss Lisa CarmichaelMiss Sonja OldreMr. James OttoMrs. Jackie Otto

A special thank you to Mr. Chris Avila and Mrs. Mary Schalow for their years of service.

Thank You

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JULY 2016

Notes from June 21, 2016, Board of Control Meeting:

1. 2016-17 Enrollment: Enrollment is 226 as of June 22, 2016 (This includes 52 freshmen)

2. New Website & Logo: The Board approved developing a new website and logo (The currentKnight logo and portions of the current website have outdated limitations) The Administrative Council inconsultation with others will determine the new logo.

3. New Tag Line: “Keeping Christ in High School Education” will replace “Keeping Christ in HigherEducation” as Luther High’s tag line. (“higher education” is more often understood to refer to college oruniversity education)

4. Onalaska Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) Program: The city is considering the adoption of aPayment in Lieu of Taxes Program Ordinance. The purpose of the program is to provide the city with ameans to be compensated for lost revenues resulting from tax-exempt properties and reduce the subsidy ofservices provided to tax-exempt properties by owners of taxable properties. A meeting to further discussthis matter will be held 7 PM on Tuesday, June 28, in the Onalaska City Hall Council Chambers. All arewelcome to attend.

5. Dual Credit Bethany Lutheran College & Luther High School: Bethany Lutheran College isinitiating a new dual credit program, which enables students to take college courses and also receive credittoward high school graduation. Several Luther High students plan to participate in this program during the2016-17 school year.

Dr. Raabe Golf OutingThe twenty-second annual Dr. James Raabe Golf Outing will be held at Cedar Creek Country Club in Ona-laska on Monday, July 11, 2016 at noon. All are invited to join for this day of fellowship and fun. Lastyear we raised a record amount of $26,608 for tuition assistance at Luther High School. What a bless-ing! Registration forms were mailed to all who participated in the past. Anyone who has questions orwould like to request a registration form should contact Pastor Roger Sachs at church@firstlacrosse.org .

Luther NotesYou're invited to an important meeting about Luther High

The Luther High School Board of Control and the Wisconsin Parental Choice (Voucher) Program Ad HocCommittee are reaching out to you with some important information. So that we all have opportunity to dis-cuss and ask questions about these important topics, they are planning various regional meetings on Sep-tember 18, 2016, all around our Luther High Association congregations.The three-fold purpose of these meetings is to:

1. Provide a general update regarding the opportunities to strengthen our financial support ofLuther High

2. Share information about the “Rise Up & Build” Chapel/Auditorium building project at Luther High, and

3. Share and receive information about the Wisconsin Parental Choice (Voucher) Program.

Information and input from these meetings will assist our Conference of Delegates as they formally consid-er this matter at their November meeting. Our congregation is invited to attend the regional meeting hostedby our brothers and sisters at St. Peter's in Chaseburg on Sunday, September 18 at 5:30 PM. If you are in-terested in attending this meeting, please speak with Pastor Schmitzer. The presenters would like an esti-mated head count in advance of the meeting.

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WELS NOTES

New President of the Western Wisconsin District: Rev. Michael Jensen of Watertown, Wis.

The district president is, in many ways, the pastor of his entire district. He is elected to his posi-tion by delegates at a district convention who represent every congregation in the district. Hiselection is not just a selection by called worker and lay delegates. It is, in fact, a divine call fromGod himself.

Rev. Phil Hirsch was elected president of the Nebraska District, succeeding Prof. Earle Treptow,who accepted a call to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. Rev. Michael Jensen waselected as the president of the Western Wisconsin District, replacing Rev. Herb Prahl, who re-tired as district president. Rev. Charles Westra has been elected the new president of the SouthAtlantic District, succeeding Rev. John Guse, who served as president of the district since 1984.Rev. David Kolander has been elected as president of the Southeastern Wisconsin District, suc-ceeding Rev. David Rutschow, who has served as the district president since 1992.

In 2008, WELS first took up the challenge of eliminating $22.4 million in debt that had accu-mulated through school capital projects and amalgamations as well as internal borrowing. Rid-ding the synod of monthly debt and interest payments would mean those funds could instead beused for Christ’s gospel ministry. The Lord blessed that initial effort by moving his people togive $4.1 million in special gifts. Since then, gifts and payments on the debt have continued.As of June 30, 2015, the debt was reduced to $4.7 million.At the 2015 synod convention a new effort was undertaken to eliminate the debt by July 1,2016. WELS Ministry of Christian Giving Director Rev. Kurt Lueneburg, reports that with alittle over one week to go, we’re close to meeting the goal. “Christ’s people have given him$2.26 million in offerings while another $1.6 million in debt payments have been made sinceJuly 1, 2015. This means we’re now prayerfully seeking approximately $840,000 to reach the$4.7 million goal. Since we serve the Lord, who does immeasurably more than all we ask orimagine according to his power that is at work within us, we’re confident that God will enableus to complete this offering in the near future—to his glory and the benefit of his gospel work!”Lueneburg is grateful to everyone who has contributed over the years to help bring WELS tothis point. “I thank our Savior and you for your Christian love in action that helps train gospelworkers, open missions at home and abroad, and strengthen our congregations and schools.”If you would like to make a donation toward eliminating the final $840,000 of synod debt, visitwels.net/oneinchrist.

WELS debt nearly eliminated.

JULY 2016

Ladies Aid

President: Donna Shepherd 608 804-0025Treasurer: Elaine Wrobel 608 457-2242Vice President: Mary Stellick 608 457-2279 or 608 317-1371Secretary: Sharon Michalski 608 788-5986 or 608 792-1432

The Ladies Aid met on Wednesday, June 15th, at 4 p.m. After a delicious lunch, served byLinda, Rosie and Sharon, Pastor Schmitzer gave a devotion based on passages from Romans5,verses 1 and 2. "Blessed are they" - translated - happy is the person whose sins are forgiv-en. Sins are gone, taken away. God's grace and forgiveness should make us happy. Stand inGod's grace.

President Donna Shepherd then opened the meeting and roll call was taken. We had 12 mem-bers and 1 guest present. We welcomed Jeanne Carter back. The secretary Sharon Michal-ski's minutes were read and approved. The treasurer Elaine Wrobel's report was read and ap-proved.

Mr. Avila's farewell dinner was discussed. It will be a congregational potluck in the gym, afterour semi-annual meeting. Chaseburg people are also invited. Parents of Mr. Avila's class arewelcome to help out.

Wednesday, July 20th will be our Ladies Aid Picnic. It will be a potluck at the Stoddardpark. At 4 p.m. in the second shelter. All women from our congregation and friends are invit-ed and welcomed to attend. Lots of good food and fellowship.

We received an invitation to Nodine's ladies aid picnic on Thursday, July 14th at 6:30. Moreinformation is on the bulletin board by Pastor's office. Always fun to go there.

We meet again here at church on August 17th at 4 p.m. Please join us, all ladies are welcome toattend. Your help and input are much appreciated. Thank you !

The meeting adjourned with The Lord's Prayer and the singing of the doxology, led by our Vice-president, Mary Stellick.

This Month in History - July

1 U.S. postage stamps went on sale for the first time. (1847)1 Taxes begin to be withheld from paychecks. (1943)1 ZIP codes go into use. (1963)2. President Garfield is shot. His struggle to survive lasted 80 days until his death on September 19th.(1881)2 The Lawrence Welk show premieres on television.(1955)3 The first cultivated strawberry is displayed by Michael Kent (1806)4 After being displayed or over a century, the torch on the Statue of Liberty is removed so it ca be replaced.(1984)5 Baseball great Joe DiMAggio hits his first grand slam. (1937)5 The bikini makes it's debut at a Paris fashion show. (1946)6 In the very first All Star Baseball game, the American League wins 5-2. (1933)7 The United States annexes Hawaii. (1898)8 The U.S. State Department issues the first passport. (1796)9 Dick Clark hosts American Bandstand for the very first time. (1956)10 After an unsuccessful attempt to change it's formula, Coca-Cola brings back the ever popular originalformula as"Classic Coke". (1985)11 Former Vice President Aaron Burr kills Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in a duel. (1804)11 Skylab space station re-enters the earth's atmosphere. Pieces land in the Indian Ocean and in Australia.(1979)12 Etch-a-Sketch goes on sale. (1960)13 The radio is patented by Guglielmo Marconi. (1898)14 Alfred Nobel demonstrates dynamite. (1867)14 Liquid rocket fuel is patented. (1914)15 Vulcanized rubber is patented by Goodyear. (1844)15 Margarine is patented. (1869)16 John F. Kennedy Jr. dies in a plane crash off Martha's Vineyard. (1999)17 The Harvard School of Dentistry becomes the first dental school in the U.S. (1867)17 The air conditioner was invented. (1902)17 Walt Disney's Disneyland opens in Anaheim, Ca. (1955)18 Adolph Hitler publishes Mein Kampf (1925)19 Samuel Colt, invented the revolver (1814)19 Winston Churchill uses the two finger "V" for victory sign. (1940)20 In "one small step for man, one giant step for mankind", Astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the firstperson to walk on the moon. (1969)21 Jesse James and his gang rob their first train (1873)22 Bank robber John Dillon was shot dead. (1934)22 An act of Congress restores Civil War Confederate General Robert E. Lee's citizenship. (1975)23 Charles E. Minches of St. Louis, Missouri fills a pastry cone with two scoops of ice cream, and the icecream cone is invented.(1904)23 Air Force Colonel Eileen M. Collins becomes the first woman to command a space shuttle. (1999)24 Pres Hoover announces the Kellogg-Briand Pact which renounces war. (A lot of good that did....) (1929)25 American forces defeat the British at the Battle of Niagara Falls (Lundy's Lane) (1814)25 Louise Joy Brown, the First "Test Tube" baby is born in Oldham General Hospital, UK (1978)26 Benjamin Franklin became the first Postmaster General. (1775)26 Mickey Mantle hits his first "Grand Slam". (1952)27 Bugs Bunny debuts in Warner Brothers animated cartoon "A Wild Hare" (1940)28 World War I began. (1914)29 Walt Disney's "Steamboat WIllie" premieres. (1928)30 President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Medicare bill. (1965)31 Mariner 6 flies past Mars (1969)

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