LAMPLIGHTER Summer 2022
New Opportunities and Challenges by Kristi Meyer “Change is the only constant in life.” This quote from the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus certainly applies to our current situation at St. John’s. As of the beginning of May, here’s what’s in store for our church and school . . . Church News At the end of April, we said farewell to Pastor Kyle Bitter as he transitioned to his new call at Luther Preparatory School. Our initial call for Pastor Bitter’s replacement was returned, so we have requested a graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. If our request is not filled on Call Day (May 26) due to the small class and many requests for graduates, we will extend a pastoral call shortly thereafter. Pastor Joel Leyrer has announced his intention to retire from St. John’s no later than June 30, 2023. Watch for more information towards the end of 2022 as we look to begin the calling process for Pastor Leyrer’s replacement early in 2023. School News Mr. Dave Leyrer and Mrs. Renee Pastorek will be leaving us at the end of the school year. We will be requesting a graduate from Martin Luther College to fill part of Mr. Leyrer’s duties (upper-grade religion and math).
If our request is not filled, we will consider other options for covering these classes. In addition to his work in special education, Mr. Andrew Duncan will also be taking on the role of Athletic Director (the other main aspect of Mr. Leyrer’s call). Currently, our large 4th grade class is split into two classrooms in the afternoon. With these students transitioning to a departmentalized schedule next year, the class no longer needs to be split. Therefore, we will not be replacing Mrs. Pastorek, which will have a positive effect on our budget. The continued growth of our Early Learning Center means we will be adding a second K2 classroom next year, with Mrs. Stephanie Goede coming on board as our additional K2 teacher. As this K2 growth trickles up to K3, we tentatively plan to add a second K3 classroom in the 2023-2024 school year. Finally, the Board of Education has approved the creation of a committee to explore entering the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program. This committee is currently being formed, and more information will be available soon.
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Pastor’s Corner
Green and Growing by Pastor Joel Leyrer The phrase “green and growing” is used as a slogan by various educational and corporate enterprises. Behind it is the idea of advancing or building on something that is already there. As those whom the Holy Spirit has called to faith, we can utilize this phrase in a spiritual sense. This is especially true as we soon enter the “non-Festival” half of the Church Year. Let’s review . . . The “Festival” half begins in late November with the season of Advent and ends sometime in May or June. During these months we devote ourselves to following the life and ministry of Jesus. We remember and relive what our Savior accomplished for us and the world through his life, death, and resurrection. We celebrate the two great church holidays: Christmas and Easter (three, when we include Ascension). We mark these different occasions with appropriate church decorations and altar cloth colors (paraments). One season leads to another in an uninterrupted and sequential narrative until we get to Pentecost . . . Then we stop. And for the next half of the Church Year (with a few exceptions), we become less structured and thematic. We mark the weeks as simply being “after” or “of” Pentecost and turn our attention to a variety of Scripture readings, each of which “is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).
Memorials In Memory of Marion Schweitzer (Paula Rauth’s mother) From Ken and Naomi Stein (hymnals) In Memory of Carol Hanson From Thomas and Loris Gabel (undesignated) In Memory of Sue Pappalardo From Mark & Susan Naumann, Greg & Carla Martin, and Mike & Marlene Cox (undesignated) In Memory of Roberta Hahn (Annette’s sister) From Annette Birkholz (school)
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Pastor’s Corner
The color of the altar paraments throughout the “non-Festival” portion of the Church Year is green. Symbolism is involved: green is the color of growth and new life. Through continued contact with Word and Sacrament during these months, we deepen our relationship with Jesus and grow in our faith. And, as the writer to the Hebrews reminds us (10:25), our presence at worship during both halves of the Church Year serves the additional purpose of providing encouragement to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. While God urges us to live with the knowledge that we’re not home yet, he also makes it clear that while we’re on this earth, we have a purpose. Ours is the distinct privilege of serving as Christ’s ambassadors and representatives before a watching world. How do we prepare for this blessed task? By staying green and growing. May God so bless each of us as we move into this “lesser” — but no less important — half of the Church Year. continued from front page . . . Long-Range Planning The Long-Range Planning Committee has resumed their charge to explore and address how we might best enhance our campus to carry out our ministry goals. At this point, we have engaged the services of MSI General for preliminary ideas and plans. The growth of our Early Learning Center, together with the desire to facilitate fellowship opportunities for our St. John’s family, are the driving forces behind these potential building enhancements. Watch for more information to be shared with the congregation in late summer or early fall. An Exciting Time Pastor Leyrer sums up all these changes well: “It’s an exciting time for the life of St. John’s as we look forward to new opportunities and challenges. As the Lord has seen St. John’s through challenges and opportunities in the past, so we are confident that he will see us through them in the future.” Please keep our St. John’s ministry in your prayers as we continue to navigate the changes ahead, always trusting that our God holds the future firmly in his hands!
Board of Outreach
Hot Tips for Summer Outreach by Adam Goede As warm weather returns, neighbors emerge from their homes — and with this comes the opportunity for evangelism. Here are ways you can do outreach this summer.
Branch out What about everyone beyond our inner circle? It’s clear from the hurt we see around us that the mission is urgent. You can be a part of the St. John’s outreach strategy to our community.
Fuel up Step one is not only wanting to socialize with your neighbors, but also being intentional about your Christian witness. But maybe you’re not feeling it. If that is the case, consider Jesus’ offer to help: “Your Father in heaven [will] give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Luke 11:13). God will fill our hearts and energize our faith if we ask. And we know “faith comes from hearing the message” (Romans 10:17), so being in the Word of God strengthens us with peace, hope, joy, and purpose, leaving us well nurtured and bearing fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
St. John’s has plenty of great activities on the spectrum of social to spiritual. We produce attractive fliers and Facebook posts for inviting people to these events. You can help by volunteering at an event or sharing these invitations. You can even verbally proclaim the gospel to strangers by taking the flyers door to door. When you say your name and that you’re from St. John’s, it’s natural to add, “We teach God’s love, that you are fully forgiven by what Jesus has already done for you,” then give them the flier and say, “And we just wanted to invite you to our upcoming event.” People won’t necessarily be streaming to St. John’s that week, but you’ve planted a seed (1 Corinthians 3:5-7).
Bloom where you’re planted “Personal evangelism” among friends, relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors (FRANs) is the best way to do outreach because, with a foundation of trust in place, these people are especially willing to listen. WELS Evangelism director Eric Roecker gives the example, “If I’ve never played golf but my good friend asks me to go golfing, I might try it because he asked.” In the same way, our FRANs are more willing to hear what we have to say on spiritual topics — and maybe accept an invitation to a church activity or Bible information class. While making the most of close relationships you can be building up new ones by welcoming new neighbors with a gift or inviting people over for a drink or meal.
What a privilege to be entrusted with sharing the good news of salvation in Jesus. “We are Christ’s ambassadors” (1 Corinthians 5:20)!
Summer is a great time to start.
Board of Outreach Adam Goede, chair
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Andrew De Longe
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Bret Harttert
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Matt Hobler
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Jon Leyrer
Board of Outreach
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Board of Discipleship
A View from Vicaring by Christian Willick May 19, 2021: Vicar Call Day
April 19, 2022: Today, as I write this . . .
The big countdown on our classroom whiteboard read “0.” Only now did it hit me: Today I’d learn where I’d be living and serving for the next year.
. . . I can only marvel at God’s grace shown to me these past eight months.
In the hours leading up to Call Service, I found myself alone confronting all my nervousness and uncertainty. So I prayed and prayed some more. I prayed until, like a warm sun finally breaking through the clouds in my mind, I realized: “Lord, you know me and what is best for me much better than even I do. That’s why it is a supremely good thing that this call is not mine to make, but yours. You know the plans you have for me — to prosper and not to harm, to give hope and a future, to work all things to the good of me and all my brothers and sisters. Lord, you know, and that is more than enough for me.”
August 15, 2021: Vicar Installation Day When I woke up in my new Georgia apartment before being installed as the vicar at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Marietta, I was a little nervous again. I knew there would be a focus on me and my name in the bulletin. But that morning, I realized something else: “Today is not all about me, what I can do or bring to the table, how I can improve myself or even how I might fall short at times. Today is all about God and his people. He has called me exactly as he has made me, led me, and shaped me thus far, to this very moment and this very place and these very people to be his vicar.”
I knew by God’s grace I was where I was meant to be, and that took all
I’ve presided over the liturgy and spoken the blessing over my new church family. I’ve preached 12 sermons and am working on my 13th. I’ve taught Catechism and Bible classes and helped start our newly-approved home mission in Canton, GA. I’ve made visits to homebound and hospitalized members and shared God’s Word of comfort at a graveside service. And, most recently, I’ve had the privilege of walking through the deep meaning of Holy Week. I’ve lived life! I’ve joined an Atlanta chorus and concert band. I’ve taken part in our church campout, youth ski trip, and many fun outings with members. And (less fun) I’ve gotten COVID and was hit in Atlanta traffic, needing to replace a car door. In all this, I’ve learned that I am loved and that I love this congregation. My service is as simple as that: I’m serving the gospel, in everything, to those I love. Whether I’m with my St. John’s family or my Beautiful Savior family, I know we’ve got an eternity together. That’s the beautiful truth I’ve been privileged to share here, and — by God’s grace — I’m looking forward to sharing that again with you all in August! Christian’s Installation Service
my nerves away. Board of Disciplehsip John Warnke, chair
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Matt Pastorek
Board of Discipleship
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Steve Wolf
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Dave Todor
School Events Wrestling season wraps up, USA Olympic Speedskating Team visits, Grandparents Day, and school play
“Good Things” at St. John’s Three Good Things That Will Happen 1.
Mission trip will take our teens back to Morristown, TN, to assist with Vacation Bible School and neighborhood canvassing. Some of our teens will be embarking on their first mission trip; others are looking forward to renewing friendships made last summer.
2.
We will conclude the school year and celebrate the service of two of our teachers: Mr. Dave Leyrer and Mrs. Renee Pastorek. Check out the articles on pgs. 6 and 7 for more information on the new ministries for Mr. Leyrer and Mrs. Pastorek.
3.
As is our tradition, we’ll organize our summer worship services around a sermon series. This year’s series will focus on the Minor Prophets. Through sermons based on the Bible Jesus read, we’ll explore these lesser-known but no less important books of Scripture.
Two Good Things That Happened 1.
Our 8th graders publicly professed their faith and were confirmed as communicant members. Please keep these young people in your prayers as they continue to grow and mature in their faith.
2.
Our grade school students presented their spring plays: BUGZ! (grades K5-2) and “I Need a Vacation!” (grades 3-5). The performances were fantastic — thank you to all our teachers and parents for their help in prepping our students for their performances!
One Good Thing That You Might Not Know About 1.
Summer is almost here, and with that comes lawn mowing and garden care. Many thanks go out to our dedicated Rooted & Mowing volunteers for their hard work in keeping our campus beautiful. Contact the church office if you’d like more information on volunteering with Rooted & Mowing.
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Board of Education
Farewell, Mr. Leyrer! By Kerry Ognenoff In 1995, Dave Leyrer was assigned to St. John’s School as the 5th grade teacher and athletic director. As the school grew and the upper grades became departmentalized, his role evolved into 6th-8th grade math teacher. After 27 years of service at St. John’s, Dave has accepted a call to Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School (KML) to teach science and math. He will also coach track and assist with another sport to be determined in the future.
Mr. Leyrer at DMLC Graduation
Early classroom picture of Mr. Dave Leyrer
Perhaps Dave’s greatest impact at St. John’s has been the creation of Crusader Olympics. This annual event is fun from start to finish and really brings the entire school together as a whole: faculty, students, and parents. Teams composed of students from a mix of grades compete in various track and field events, as well as a few added fun events, throughout the day. The event fosters a spirit of friendly competition and gives students of all ages a chance to bond with and support students from other grades.
With almost three decades of service at St. John’s, Dave has been part of huge change and growth at the school. When Dave began teaching at St. John’s, all the classrooms were in one hallway of the old school building. He recalls an extra “family” feel about the setup then, as there was only one way in and out of the school, so all teachers and families interacted with each other frequently. Dave also recalls the cold winter days and extra-hot summer days with the lack of weather-proofing and air conditioning in the old building.
Crusader Olympics
Dave was part of the last graduating class of Dr. Martin Luther College (DMLC), before they combined with Northwestern College of Watertown to form Martin Luther College. He is also the most recently assigned teacher to St. John’s. Dave has seen the school’s athletic department become much more competitive since he joined the faculty. As the competition grew, so did the amount of time required to manage the teams and schedules. He’s seen both curriculum and athletics impacted by technological advancements. Though Dave appreciates technology, he says he finds that it doesn’t always make things easier.
At KML, Dave will be teaching freshman physical science as well as earth science and environmental science to juniors and seniors. He’ll also teach algebra 2. He is looking forward to a new challenge and to branching out from what he’s always known as a teacher. Working with older students is also a new dynamic he’s excited to undertake. Dave, from the many students and families you have impacted through teaching and athletics at St. John’s over the last 27 years, thank you for your dedication, patience, love and service! May God continue to bless you at KML.
Board of Education Casey Holtz, chair
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Greg Beyer
Board of Education
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Nick Cutting
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Luke Sankey
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Troy Schulz
Board of Education
Farewell, Mrs. Pastorek! By Kerry Ognenoff
Early classroom picture of Mrs. Renee Pastorek
May 2022 marks the end of Renee Pastorek’s fifth and final year of teaching second and third grades at St. John’s, Wauwatosa. Starting this fall, she will be headed to Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Appleton to serve in their Special Education Department.
As a graduate from Martin Luther College with a degree in High School English Education, it was always a dream of Renee’s to go back to school for an advanced degree in Special Education. Helping individuals with special needs has always been her passion. Renee worked with Easter Seals during high school and volunteered with Jesus Cares during college. She also completed her education clinical in a special education classroom. After college, Renee was assigned to teach second grade at St. Paul’s in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. There she taught second grade for three years and third grade for seven years. In 2017, Renee accepted a call to St. John’s, Wauwatosa, to teach second grade. She, along with her husband Matt and three children (Evan, Dylan, and Mikayla), moved from Fort Atkinson to Milwaukee. Here she taught second grade for three years and third grade for two.
Mrs. Pastorek with students
Some of Renee’s favorite memories from her time at St. John’s include Zoom chats with her second grade class during the COVID shutdown of 2020; 2021’s Curriculum Cafe night, when her students acted out the book “Tacky the Penguin”; getting to socialize with other families at the grade school basketball games; teaching the Super Kids reading curriculum to her students; and last year’s field trip to the Shalom Wildlife Zoo. She still laughs, too, about the time she had to leave a voicemail for a parent after their child caught a chipmunk at recess. Renee would like to share this message with the families and members of St. John’s. “Dear St. John’s Family, Over the past five years, you have welcomed my family and me into your church, your prayers, and your hearts. One of my fondest memories is my first year of home visits. Before the school year had even started, I met families who told me how thankful they were that I was their child’s teacher that year and how much they appreciated me. They had just met me and already I felt so much love and appreciation! What a welcome! Since then, the love and appreciation has never stopped. You are an amazing family of believers and a congregation that values its school and called workers, and I will miss you all so much.”
May God richly bless you, your family and your students, Renee. Thank you for your service at St. John’s!
USA Olympians visit Mrs. Pastorek’s class room
Board of Education
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Board of Elders
2022 8th Grade Confirmation Class Back row: Pastor Bitter, Clara Schulz, Eva Kriese, Andrew Duncan, Kager Knueppel, Jeremiah Alejandro, Seka Kostrzewa, Emma Close, Pastor Schroeder Middle row: Pastor Leyrer, Max Kuhn, Finley Buege, Simon Lamas, Olivia Burghardt, Joel Goede, Will Gehl, Karsten Cook Kammholz Front row: Zuzanna Eft, Sydnee Sweet, Lily Stauffer, Dalton Rost, Sydney Brown, Anna Ognenoff, Annalise Kuehn Not pictured: Zavier Zens
Membership Changes
Pastoral Acts
NEW MEMBERS CONFIRMATION CLASS
MARRIAGE Dillon Forester & Marlie Campbell
Listed in italics, Finley Buege will become a member of St. James Lutheran Church and Karsten Cook Kammholz will become a member of Grace Lutheran Church
Jeremiah Alejandro Finley Buege Olivia Burghardt Sydney Brown Emma Close Andrew Duncan Zuzanna Eft Will Gehl
Joel Goede Kager Knueppel Seka Kostrzewa Eva Kriese Annalise Kuehn Max Kuhn Simon Lamas
Karsten Cook Kammholz Anna Ognenoff Dalton Rost Clara Schulz Lily Stauffer Sydnee Sweet Zavier Zens
ASLEEP IN THE LORD Carol Hanson Sue Pappalardo
March 5, 2022
February 5, 2022 February 27, 2022
BY TRANSFER Dan & Mary Warnke from Holy Cross, Madison, WI
Summer Sermon Series
BY ADULT CONFIRMATION Nicole Braegelmann Zimo (Tony) Chen Kevin Davis Dillon Forester
When Jesus walked among us, the Bible consisted only of what today we know as the Old Testament. Of the 39 books that comprise it, the last 12 are perhaps the least known or understood for us as New Testament Christians. This summer (beginning on June 19), we will draw our sermons from the Bible Jesus read and consider what God continues to teach us through each of these little-known but important Minor Prophets.
MEMBERS LEAVING BY TRANSFER Jessica Gromacki to David’s Star, Jackson, WI
Board of Elders Greg Martin, chair
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Dave Allerheiligen
Board of Elders
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John Frailing
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Terry Paul
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John Peterman
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Brian Treichel