The Messenger
The Monthly Newsletter of Blessed Savior Lutheran Church
A Message from Pastor Sander
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
Psalm 126.
My Dear Friend:
I think it is safe to say that many of us have sown in tears and put up with all kinds of discomforts and losses during the past year. The pandemic inflicted deep wounds in so many families, especially in our country, where the death toll due to the pandemic is the highest in the world. Many lost their income, and many stood in the food lines.
But here we are, doing the Lord’s work in His church locally and throughout the world. Christians set their eyes on the ultimate goal – life in heaven – and are not easily discouraged by present and earthly circumstances. This is because our Lord Jesus Himself promised to be with us until the very end of the age! At His side, we fear no enemy!
History teaches us that the world goes from one calamity to the next. If it is not a pandemic, then it is a war. Racial inequality, economic unbalance, famines are all part of our history and present reality. Unfortunately, this will not change as long as sin exists. Sin separates us from God and from each other. But God announces good news for us! The Son of God, our dear Lord Jesus came into the world to heal us from something much worse than any epidemic: He cleanses us from sin! He heals us from death. In Jesus, death becomes a curable disease!
Lent affords us a special opportunity to walk with Jesus during these forty days of His passion. It brings us into the light and the joy of having a Savior who loves us and heals us and saves us. No more gloom and doom by earthbound news. The Good News puts the pandemic and all ills into perspective.
Midweek Lenten services will be online, just like we did in Advent. I pray the Lord to keep you strong in your faith and healthy in body. May His word comfort and nourish us to His glory and to our benefit.
A reminder: Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday will be held in church and posted online.
The Lord guide, protect, and enrich us with His love and compassion! Lord, have mercy!
Pastor Martinho Q. Sander
Serving Us in Worship
Elders
Sunday (8:00am)- Dennis Kutz (primary) & Jack Welter (secondary)
Sunday (10:30am) - Matt Birr (primary) & Jerry Sutton (secondary)
Ash Wednesday-February 17-Rick Krause and Chuck Boie (11:00am) & Jerry Sutton and Dan Gutenberger (6:30pm)
Ushers
Sunday (8:00am) -Cleve-Team 5
Sunday (10:30am) - Dwyer-Team 4
Ash Wednesday-February 17- Congregation (11:00am) & Wondisford-Team 3 (6:30pm)
Preschool News
LOVE One Another - John 13:34
Lately I find myself referring a lot to God's great big love, not only in my personal life, but here at school as well. This past year and all the events that took place, I see that God’s great big love remained a constant. Through the ups and downs, joys, and trials that we faced and continue to face we see that God still loves us! In fact, He loved us so very much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to suffer and die in our place. God also made sure that we get to spend eternity with Him by raising Jesus on the third day to grant salvation to all! Yes, that is correct, God’s great big love is for all people! God’s love is not just for the poor, or the lonely, or the rich, or children, or the elderly. God’s great big love is for all people!
As we read John 13:34 we see that Jesus gives us a new command: Love one another. Jesus does not stop there though, He continues with, as I have loved you! First, can you imagine where we would be if we did not have God’s great big love? Secondly, Jesus goes on to say as I have loved you, the second half of that command is a tougher pill to swallow. Sure, it is easy to understand and know that God loves us, but we are to turn around and love everyone around us just as Jesus does! Jesus, do you mean love my enemy? Yes, child! Jesus, do you mean love someone that is mean to me? Yes, child! Jesus, do you mean love someone that has different opinions than me? Yes, child. It is important to reflect here that Jesus does not discriminate or pick and choose who He loves, Jesus simply loves everyone all the time! And for this great big love we should all be thankful and remember to love just as Jesus does!
As Jesus goes on in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”. Let us then, everywhere we go, with everyone we see, and with reckless abandon show that we are loved by God. Do not keep this great big love to yourself, but rather share and show it to others in everything you say and do! To God be the glory!
In His Service,
Jennifer Leinss
Star Readers
National Lutheran Schools Week
We had fun celebrating National Lutheran Schools Week. We are grateful for the opportunity to teach, learn, and talk about Jesus every day. We don’t have to be ashamed to mention the name of Jesus, pray multiple times, have chapel services together, sing praises to God, and read from the Bible. We had many fun activities to celebrate this week including special dress days, an ice cream party, daily classroom deliveries from our NLSW fairies, and so much more! Thank you for your support!
Open Enrollment
Open enrollment of the 2021-2022 school year is now underway. We have 2K, 3K, and 4K openings and would love to add your child to our educational family. Spread the word about this wonderful preschool! Below you will find our promotional video as well, please feel free to share! If you are interested or would like more information concerning the preschool and childcare, please see Jennifer Leinss!
Ash Wednesday Worship
Midweek Lenten Worship
Holy Week Worship
Maundy Thursday, April 1st: In-Person Worship at 11am and 7pm. Online Worship will be posted in the early afternoon.
Good Friday, April 2nd: In-Person Worship at 1pm and 7pm. Online Worship will be posted mid-afternoon.
Easter Sunday, April 4th: In-Person Worship at 6am, 8am and 10:30am. Online Worship will be posted by mid-morning.
Sunday School at Home
February 7 - Jesus Walks on Water
February 14 - The Ten Lepers
February 21 - Jesus Blesses the Children
February 28 - Zacchaeus
Sunday school families will also work on the hymn "On My Heart Imprint Your Image". It can be found in the One and All Rejoice hymnal #201.
Interested in Serving?
Board Members for the Stewardship Committee, Evangelism Board, and the Board of Trustees.
Board Chairperson for the Stewardship Committee and Elders.
Council Leadership including a Vice Chairman and Secretary
If you are interested in serving, please contact the Church Office!
LCMS Youth Gathering
Lent Devotion Packs
Happy Anniversary! Jennifer celebrates 15 years in the ministry
1. She has known that she was going to be a teacher since she was in the 3rd grade.
2. She graduated from Concordia University Wisconsin in 2005.
3. As part of her student teaching, Jennifer taught at Blessed Savior Preschool, and Joan Sander was one of her supervising teachers!
4. Her happy place is up north at her family's cabin, where she gets to hang out with her sister, Courtney.
5. In her 15 years, she has served at 2 schools-Good Shepherd in Pleasant Prairie, and Blessed Savior in New Berlin.
6. When she's not teaching, she loves crafting, traveling, and being with her family.
7. In 15 years, she's taught roughly 700 kids in her classroom!
8. While at Concordia, Jennifer's major was Early Childhood Education and she minored in Athletic Coaching and Music.
9. Jennifer's mom, Cheryl, volunteers in her classroom every Wednesday. Her dad, Jeff, helped to remodel her classroom from a nap room to the classroom she's in today.
10. She's a product of Lutheran Education-she attend Our Redeemer Lutheran School in Wauwatosa for Elementary School, Milwaukee Lutheran High School, and then finished up at Concordia University Wisconsin.
11. In 2019, she won the Administrator of the Year award from the South Wisconsin District.
12. Growing up she played basketball, softball and volleyball. She even played softball in college!
13. Her favorite part of teaching is Chapel Time.
14. She loves music and can play the piano, clarinet, autoharp, handbells AND sings!
15. Her favorite children's books are Pete the Cat, Brown Bear Brown Bear, Rosie's Walk and Mrs. Wishy Washy.
Special Missions
We began a new year of Special Missions supporting upcoming publications of Editora Concordia Porto Alegre (Concordia Publishing House), Brazil. For the past 15 years Blessed Savior has sponsored the publications of theological books, children’s Bible Story books and daily devotional books in Portuguese. These are distributed not only in Brazil but anywhere in the world where Portuguese is spoken. The Lord bless our joint efforts to His glory and the benefit of the church!
Financial Update
General Offerings: $540,599.48
General Expenses: $630,988.67
Preschool Income: $185,739.40
Preschool Expenses: $184,453.02
Other Offerings: $174,725.16
Other Expenses: $25,342.63
Total Offerings, Less Expenses: $58,993.34
Membership
Average Weekly December Attendance: 108
Average YouTube Worship Views: 112
Official Acts
New Members:
Ronald and LouAnn Meyer
Membership Loss Due to Transfer:
Brian and Melissa Schnell, Henley and Finley
Membership Loss Due to Death:
Dominic Sellitto