Archives for October 2024

This Week’s Calendar of Events

October 25, 2024 by BayshoreLutheran Leave a Comment

Our Church Calendar

Our Zoom activities and events are linked below; we post videos on our YouTube Channel as well.

Sunday, October 27 – Confirmation Sunday
9:30 a.m. – Reformation Worship (Wear RED) with Holy Communion
J.A.M. for ages 3 through 5th grade

We will continue to have our worship livestreaming on our YouTube Channel beginning at 9:25 a.m.
The Prelude will begin at 9:25 a.m. You may view our worship live, or after as a recording by click here.

If you click on before 9:25 a.m., please refresh your screen (as often as needed) until you see the livestream video.

10:30 a.m. – Special Reception for Confirmation Celebration

10:45 a.m. – Hand Bell Rehearsal

4:30 p.m. – Scout Leader Meeting

NO ABC Class this week.

Monday, October 28

Tuesday, October 29
8:30 a.m. – AA Meeting in Lounge

9:30 a.m. – Bay Shore quilting group

7:00 p.m. – Cello Institute

Wednesday, October 30
9:30 a.m. – Pastor’s Bible Study in Luther Room & via Zoom

10:30 a.m. – Ukuladies Rehearsal in Fellowship Hall

Thursday, October 31 – Happy Halloween!
7:00 p.m. – Choir Rehearsal

Friday, November 1
4:00 p.m. – Suzuki Strings in Fellowship Hall

7:30 p.m. – AA Meeting in Youth Room

Saturday, November 2
9:30 a.m. – Suzuki Strings in Fellowship Hall

3:00 p.m. – Hephatha Partner Appreciation at Hephatha

5:00 p.m. – AA Meeting in Youth Room

Change your clocks! Fall back one hour!!!

Sunday, November 3 – All Saints Sunday
9:30 a.m. – All Saints Worship with Holy Communion
J.A.M. for ages 3 through 5th grade

If you click on before 9:25 a.m., please refresh your screen (as often as needed) until you see the livestream video.

10:30 a.m. – L.I.F.T. Fellowship

10:45 a.m. – Hand Bell Rehearsal

10:45 a.m. – MLK Meeting in Luther Room

From Pastor Sarah

October 22, 2024 by BayshoreLutheran Leave a Comment

Do you, or don’t you? Oh, it’s that Sunday again!

Do you preach Reformation, and remember the history of the Lutheran Church? Or do you preach Reformation for a future and perhaps call the church to action? Or, do you not preach Reformation at all and hopefully have some confirmation students and preach about that instead?

I have done them all. Some Sundays it’s been a solid historical reminder of Luther and our traditions, and other times it has been a strong (I felt it was strong) call to continue to reform the church NOW since we were/still are at a pivotal time.

And, yes, I have skipped it all and preached to just to the classes of confirmands, too.

I do love Confirmation Sundays. Each one is special, I carry stories of the students in my head as I lay hands and offer a blessing over them. Over the years, I have confirmed over 200 students. I am friends with most of them, still, on Facebook. As time goes on, I see them graduate from High School, then often secondary school of some kind, and I see them move into their first place, first home, see their first pet, perhaps a wedding and sometimes even a baby or two. I have relearned new names, I have shared birthday greetings, and I have sadly even mourned the loss of a few, too–way too soon.

For these reasons alone, I love Facebook because it keeps me connected. I keep track of the one who couldn’t spell Genesis. I watch and pray over the one who lost a parent in middle school. I follow the pictures of their lives as they live them out loud online, and I smile. I remember.

Teachers and pastors are alike in many ways. But most teachers have a student or two for one year, maybe 2, and then the students move on. Pastors, if we are blessed, we see a child from baptism through confirmation, perhaps even a wedding, and if we can, we comfort the grown-up child when a parent or grandparent dies.

More than any other time, truly, Confirmation Sunday reminds us that a church IS a community. It’s a third space, as the younger generations call it. But church is UNIQUE! It’s a place where people of all ages come, know one another, watch each other grow, and share in each other’s milestones like confirmation.

Clubs and other places are not the same in this. Here in a church community, we offer a place for babies and the oldest to be cherished. The familiar rites create memories we didn’t know we needed, until they aren’t there. I am always surprised when people share with me memories of long ago church events, that meant so much, but that they have not personally continued wherever they are.

And if they don’t continue them, then the newly baptized children will not have them at all.

Yes, I said that.

You see, if we do not continue to teach and be church together, then who will?

Heavy thoughts, I know. Perhaps you have struggled with them, too.

I don’t have any quick answers, but I do have faith and hope. And I do believe that communities like Bay Shore Lutheran Church are too important to leave to others to hopefully continue. It’s our job, wherever we are, to keep community going and cherish these milestones and keep the memories alive.

I pray that this year, as you see the three students be confirmed, you will remember your own confirmations, and perhaps the people who helped you reach that day, who may no longer even be alive. But guess what—they did what they did, for YOU, and you now can do what you can do for others who will follow YOU, TOO.

Because churches have always been about community. And communities, they require people.

See you on Sunday,

Pastor Sarah

This Week’s Calendar of Events

October 18, 2024 by BayshoreLutheran Leave a Comment

Our Church Calendar

Our Zoom activities and events are linked below; we post videos on our YouTube Channel as well.

Sunday, October 20
9:30 a.m. – Worship with Holy Communion
J.A.M. for ages 3 through 5th grade

If you click on before 9:25 a.m., please refresh your screen (as often as needed) until you see the livestream video.

10:30 a.m. – L.I.F.T. Fellowship in Fellowship Hall

Monday, October 21

Tuesday, October 22
8:30 a.m. – AA Meeting in Lounge

8:30 a.m. – First Word for Men in Luther Room

9:30 a.m. – Bay Shore quilting group

7:00 p.m. – Cello Institute

Wednesday, October 23
9:30 a.m. – Pastor’s Bible Study in Luther Room & via Zoom

10:30 a.m. – Ukuladies Rehearsal in Fellowship Hall

Thursday, October 24
7:00 p.m. – Choir Rehearsal

Friday, October 25
4:00 p.m. – Suzuki Strings in Fellowship Hall

7:30 p.m. – AA Meeting in Youth Room

Saturday, October 26
10:00 a.m. – Suzuki Strings in Fellowship Hall

5:00 p.m. – AA Meeting in Youth Room

Sunday, October 27 – Confirmation Sunday
9:30 a.m. – Reformation Worship (Wear RED) with Holy Communion
J.A.M. for ages 3 through 5th grade

If you click on before 9:25 a.m., please refresh your screen (as often as needed) until you see the livestream video.

10:30 a.m. – Special Reception for Confirmation Celebration

10:45 a.m. – Hand Bell Rehearsal

4:30 p.m. – Scout Leader Meeting

NO ABC Class this week.

This Week’s Calendar of Events

October 11, 2024 by BayshoreLutheran Leave a Comment

Our Church Calendar

Our Zoom activities and events are linked below; we post videos on our YouTube Channel as well.

Sunday, October 13
9:30 a.m. – Worship with Holy Communion
J.A.M. for ages 3 through 5th grade

If you click on before 9:25 a.m., please refresh your screen (as often as needed) until you see the livestream video.

10:30 a.m. – L.I.F.T. Fellowship in Fellowship Hall

10:45 a.m. – Soup’R Books

4:30 p.m. – Scout Troop Meeting in Youth Room

5:00 p.m. – Youth Group!

Monday, October 14
7:00 p.m. – Outreach Committee via Zoom

Tuesday, October 15
8:30 a.m. – AA Meeting in Lounge

9:30 a.m. – Bay Shore quilting group

7:00 p.m. – Congregation Council in Luther Room

Wednesday, October 16
9:30 a.m. – Pastor’s Bible Study in Luther Room & via Zoom

10:30 a.m. – Ukuladies Rehearsal in Fellowship Hall

4:00 p.m. – Staff Meeting via Zoom

Thursday, October 17
7:00 p.m. – Choir Rehearsal

Friday, October 18
4:00 p.m. – Suzuki Strings in Fellowship Hall

6:00 p.m. – Staff Gathering in Lounge

7:30 p.m. – AA Meeting in Youth Room

Saturday, October 19
10:00 a.m. – Suzuki Strings in Fellowship Hall

1:00 p.m. – Visitation & Funeral for Eugene Kealty

5:00 p.m. – AA Meeting in Youth Room

Sunday, October 20
9:30 a.m. – Worship with Holy Communion
J.A.M. for ages 3 through 5th grade

If you click on before 9:25 a.m., please refresh your screen (as often as needed) until you see the livestream video.

10:30 a.m. – L.I.F.T. Fellowship in Fellowship Hall

From Marissa…Hello again!

October 10, 2024 by BayshoreLutheran Leave a Comment

Dear Bay Shore,

It’s me Marissa again! I hope you all had a great week and hopefully you got outside to enjoy this gorgeous weather. As most of you know, Pastor Sarah is on vacation this week and because of this, my schedule looked a bit different. Instead of sitting in the office all day working on the computer, I was given the opportunity to help at Hephatha church for the day on Tuesday.

First, I was able to help with the Veterans food pantry which was so wonderful. I was able to help distribute food between boxes and carry boxes out to people’s cars who could not lift them for themselves. It was incredible to see the generosity of organizations in the city that helped to provide immense amounts of food for people that are in need. I was also able to briefly meet a group of high schoolers that pick up one of the food deliveries every week and bring it over to Hephatha. They were all eager to help, carrying in boxes upon boxes of food, which was extra impressive at 9am. It’s always so exciting to see youth getting involved in helping others in their communities.

The second part of my day was spent working at a phone bank with COLE, which is the Coalition on Lead Emergency. Hephatha will be hosting a town hall meeting this Saturday (October 12th) at 11:30am discussing the overwhelming childhood lead poisoning rates in Milwaukee. Earlier this week, President Biden visited Milwaukee to discuss the horrific problem that lead pipes and service lines are causing in our communities and nationwide. He has set a 10-year deadline to remove all lead pipes and service lines throughout the United States. But this is a problem that is affecting people right here and right now. That is why this town hall is so important, it will give people in the community a chance to speak with elected officials and find out what their plans actually are to help stop and reverse the damage that lead is causing. I got the chance to make phone calls and let people know about the town hall meeting and lead testing that will be provided at the event. Although making phone calls seems like a silly little task, I loved getting to interact with new people and getting to make a real difference in my community.

Lastly, I got to help with the children’s praise time which is held every Tuesday at Hephatha. I couldn’t stay the whole time but even the thirty minutes that I got to spend with those children and their families was so special. We celebrated birthdays with a huge cake, read a bible story, and just talked about how school and life were going. I really appreciated the time spent with these children who didn’t know me at all but welcomed me to sit with them and wanted to know things about me like my favorite bible story.

Overall, I had a wonderful time getting to know the people at Hephatha and got to spend some time with Pastor Mary Martha, which was a delight. Don’t forget, families of middle schoolers! We are having a pizza and game night this coming Sunday the 13th from 5pm to 7pm. I can’t wait to lose at Mario Kart and have lots of fun! I hope you are all having a great week, and I hope to see you at worship on Sunday!

God’s peace and love to you,
Marissa Knopick

This Week’s Calendar of Events

October 4, 2024 by BayshoreLutheran Leave a Comment

Our Church Calendar

Our Zoom activities and events are linked below; we post videos on our YouTube Channel as well.

Sunday, October 6
9:30 a.m. – Worship with Holy Communion
J.A.M. for ages 3 through 5th grade

If you click on before 9:25 a.m., please refresh your screen (as often as needed) until you see the livestream video.

10:30 a.m. – L.I.F.T. Fellowship in Fellowship Hall

10:45 a.m. – Special Adult Forum: Understanding the LGBTQ+ Alphabet

Monday, October 7
7:00 p.m. – Outreach Committee via Zoom

Tuesday, October 8
8:30 a.m. – AA Meeting in Lounge

8:30 a.m. – First Word for Men Bible Study in Luther Room

9:30 a.m. – Bay Shore quilting group

5:30 p.m. – Social Ministry via Zoom

Wednesday, October 9
10:30 a.m. – Ukuladies Rehearsal in Fellowship Hall

Thursday, October 10
7:00 p.m. – Choir Rehearsal

Friday, October 11
7:30 p.m. – AA Meeting in Youth Room

Saturday, October 12
5:00 p.m. – AA Meeting in Youth Room

Sunday, October 13
9:30 a.m. – Worship with Holy Communion
J.A.M. for ages 3 through 5th grade

If you click on before 9:25 a.m., please refresh your screen (as often as needed) until you see the livestream video.

10:30 a.m. – L.I.F.T. Fellowship in Fellowship Hall

10:45 a.m. – Soup’R Books

4:30 p.m. – Scout Troop Meeting in Youth Room

5:00 p.m. – Youth Group!