Archives for October 30, 2026

Dear Bay Shore,

What a busy, fun Fall we have had! There are not many spaces and places where you can still gather with people, serve the community, and worship God with such joy.

This has also been evident with YOUR help in inviting others to join us at Bay Shore. Yes, you are inviting others and they are coming! This too is joyful. If you haven’t been to Sunday worship in a while, come soon. Meet our newest members, and make new connections.

Much needed work has continued on our building the past 6 months, and next year, there will be more projects. So far, we are holding our own—but this is mainly due to our dedicated Building and Grounds Committee, our volunteers, and the careful use of our available funds and your continued generosity.

Yes, November heralds in Gratitude, Thanksgiving, and Stewardship. I have never served a congregation that has enjoyed a stewardship appeal, but I also have never served or attended a church that didn’t need one. Our appeal will begin November 1, and our theme is Built on a Strong Foundation.

A foundation is not just a building, but also the people. Bay Shore is built upon the past generosity of our members, and our current members. Bay Shore is built through the visions and dreams of others, and now our own dreams for the future.

Please consider how you can help the strength of Bay Shore and its future with your 2027 pledge. Perhaps you cannot help now, but you could include Bay Shore in your giving plans. Perhaps you are afraid to pledge, not knowing what your own future holds. We understand that. Pledges can change as needed. If you are interested in discussing these things privately, please connect with me.

As Bay Shore moves forward in joy, I continue to pray for you and your loved ones. May God bless us and Bay Shore.

In faith, we believe that God will!

Pastor Sarah

Our Congregation Council met on Tuesday, October 20, and would like to share the following items from the Agenda and Reports.

• We are hosting The Corner House’s Fundraiser for the academic year. The Corner House is the only remaining campus ministry on the campus of UW-Milwaukee, and is funded mostly from donations from the synod and local congregations. Please mark your calendar for Friday, November 13, with the doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Bingo games are free to play, there is a suggested door donation of $15.00. There will be many “baskets” for the raffle, and you do not need to be present to win. So come early, buy your raffle tickets and support The Corner House!
• Our Nominating Committee led by Carrie Waxler has a slate to share with the congregation for the next 2027 Congregation Council. Two current members are willing to return, Lea DeVillers and Billy McCarthy, and a new nomination is Matthew Petering to serve as well. The Congregation Meeting for the Election of our 2027 Congregation Council will be Sunday, Dec. 6, at the end of our worship service. Nominations will be taken from the floor that day as well. If you have any questions, please connect with Susan Foran, Council President.
• The work of the Strategic Plan has officially closed after 5 years of hard work. There are too many people to mention who were a part of this process, but the Council shared its gratitude for all of the servants of Bay Shore who worked for the goals. The Council discussed how in the last 5 years, the changes needed were made: to make our church more inviting, more connected to the community, and more connected to one another. Thank you, Bay Shore, for living into our mission statement: Sharing God’s Love with All (and All Means All).

The Council would like to share with the congregation the required work on our physical building. This year, many delayed projects became necessary: roof work, sewer cleaning, painting, tuckpointing, pothole filing and more. All of this has added to a great deal of expenses for the church which the Council approved. Our building has more needs that will be addressed in the coming year, and we pray that the congregation will respond generously in the upcoming Stewardship Appeal, Built on a Strong Foundation