The Visitor Page 1 July 2020

The Visitor CHRIST Evangelical Lutheran Church | 500 Park Street - West Salem, WI

608-786-1250 facebook.com/CSJWS christlutheranwestsalem.com

2020

Find lots of church information at christlutheranwestsalem.com

Romans 8:22-23 22For we know that all of creation is groaning with birth pains right up to the present time. 23And not only creation, but also we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we eagerly await our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

COVID-19 . . . . Protests and riots . . . . Economic uncertainty . . . . The world is definitely groaning. We are groaning, too. Just when it seemed like things were beginning to go back to some semblance of normalcy, something else happens and we’re right back into uncertainty. I suppose it’s always been that way, maybe not to the current extremes, but this life has been uncertain and groaning ever since we, God’s creation, determined we know better than God. Even now, we find ourselves questioning God and demanding that he “fix this” so we can go back to what we want to do. God will (and has!) “fixed this,” not so we can go back to what we want to do, but so that he can bring us to his heaven. In his grace, we have the firstfruits of the Spirit. We have faith in Jesus. We have forgiveness for every sin, including our faithless groaning. Jesus stepped into this groaning world and fixed it with his gift of perfection and his gift of atonement. Both gifts – his life and his death - he gives to you in Word and Sacrament. We are redeemed. We are adopted. Heaven is our home. Our current groaning is another reminder that our final home is still coming. We’ll get there. Our Triune God will make sure of that. In the meantime, stay where the Spirit found you. Keep reading your Bible. Make use of Holy Communion. Remember your Baptism. The Gospel is where your God will keep you safe through all this groaning and bring you home to him. -Pastor Riediger

The Visitor Page 2 July 2020

BIBLE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES

As summer approaches, we are wrapping up our studies in preparation for the summer break. Just because our formal studies stop for a while, doesn’t mean our need for God’s Word stops! Don’t “vacation” from worship! The joy of our risen Savior is something we love to hear with our fellow Christians week after week!

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY

TUESDAY MORNINGS ⎯ 6AM RESUMES SEPT 8th

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY

THURSDAY EVENINGS ⎯ 6PM RESUMES SEPT 10th

FAMILY BIBLE STUDY

SUNDAY MORNINGS ⎯ 9:15AM RESUMES SEPT 13th

BIBLE INFORMATION CLASS

TBA

SUNDAY MORNING FAMILY BIBLE HOUR: Thank you to all who joined us this past year! Keep your eyes on the weekly update for what we’ll be studying when we come back together next fall.

TUESDAY MORNING MEN’S STUDY: We have one more section to go in our study of Romans. We'll pick up at chapter 12 when we resume in September.

THURSDAY EVENING LADIES STUDY: We are working our way through the Gospel of Luke. Even if you haven't had a chance to join us yet, it's not too late to review Jesus' life and death. Join us in September!

BIBLE INFORMATION CLASS: This class is a wonderful review for anyone wanting to brush up on the basic teachings of God’s Word. It’s also the class designed for those interested in membership in our congregation. Contact the pastor for upcoming classes.

Special Bible Study/Fellowship Opportunities

JULY 30TH VBS WEEK PICNIC AT CHRIST | Bring your family for a relaxing evening as we wrap up our week of VBS! The children will share some songs, and we’ll all share time together in faith and fellowship. Church will provide hotdogs, buns, and water. Please bring any additional picnic items for your family that you may want. Fun begins at 5:30PM

AUG 12TH BIBLE STUDY PICNIC AT VET’S PARK; Shelter #2

Bring your family and a food item to share and join us for an evening with our Lord and each other! Picnic begins at 5:00PM.

May our GOD bless our time in his Word.

SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE: Our summer worship schedule began Memorial Day weekend. Worship is at 8:00 and 9:30AM now through Labor Day weekend, Sunday, September 6th. The Monday service remains at 6:30PM. However, there will be no Monday service on September 7th (Labor Day)

WELS SUMMER WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Summer is busy and it can, at times, be challenging to make it to your regular worship service. Consider visiting a sister church for worship!

Christ – Burr Oak Sunday | 9AM Monday | 7:00PM

First – La Crescent Sunday | 9AM Thursday | 6:30PM

First – La Crosse Sunday | 8AM, 10:15AM & 6:30PM Thursday | 7:00PM

Mt Calvary – La Crosse Sunday | 9AM Wednesday|6:30PM

St. John’s – Sparta Sunday | 8AM & 10:30AM Monday | 6:00PM

St. John’s – Barre Mills Sunday | 8AM & 10:30AM Thursday | 7:00PM

St. Paul’s – Bangor Sunday | 8AM & 10AM Monday | 7:00PM

Join us for food, fun & fellowship at our summer picnics: July 30th VBS closing at church

August 12th @ Vet’s Park, shelter #2

The Visitor Page 3 July 2020

Remember our website!

christlutheranwestsalem.com

July 3rd David Loging, Corinne Scriver

July 4th Bradley Hoyer

July 5th Jackson Kendall, Garrett Krause

July 6th Danielle Dale, Navianna Davis, Cole Hoyer

July 7th Jessica Easterday, Brent Torris

July 8th Brittany Dummer

July 9th Jeanette Hoyer, Loren Logan

July 10th Ed Hemker

July 11th Larry Stello, Charlene Vian

July 12th Barbara Gilbertson, Gregg Leece

July 13th Kristin Kenowski

July 14th Heidi Dummer, Susan Hoffman, Thomas Jostad

July 15th Daniel Frame, Helen LaSarge

July 16th Jordan Hemker, Jim Witte

July 17th Ashley Niebuhr

July 18th Joyce Adams, Edith McBain

July 19th Barb Thill

July 20th Doris Kastenschmidt, Nancy Lautz, Vern Tranberg, Austin Weber

July 21st Donna Olson

July 22nd Richard Kastenschmidt

July 23rd Samantha Frame, Emma Gerdes, Scott Kaiser

July 24th Jim Gorniak, Jaxson Hauser

July 25th Debbie Rommel

July 26th Mike Manke, Larry Schwier

July 27th Colton Buisman, Kathryn Scriver

July 28th Makenna LaFleur, Richard Wehrs

July 29th Dean Buchanan, Richard Hemker,

July 31st Joe Angell, Delores Buisman

If you have recently moved, please remember to inform the Pastor or church secretary of your new address information and phone number so that we may keep contact with you. Thank You.

Sunday Morning 8:00 am 9:30 am

Monday Evening 6:30 pm

HEADED FOR THE HOSPITAL? ATTENDING ANOTHER CHURCH? MOVING?

Your pastors are here to serve in all of these areas, so please let us know when changes take place! We’d love to take you to God’s grace; a grace that doesn’t change even when our life situations do!

The Visitor Page 4 July 2020

NOTES & NEWS Our next ALL MEMBER MEETING will be July 14th at 6:30PM.

Ladies Aid will not meet in July or August. The next meeting is

Thursday, September 3rd at the church.

CARING CHRISTIANS MENTAL HEALTH will meet Monday, July 6th @ 6:30PM we gather at First Lutheran, 400 West Ave South, La Crosse. The topic will be on forgiveness.

GRIEF SUPPORT meets July 7th at 7 PM at St John’s – Barre Mills. Those grieving the loss of a loved one are welcome to attend.

Children and Parents

Join Us for VBS 2020: Science Camp

July 27-30, 2020

9 - 11:30 am

Science Camp will be held at:

Christ Lutheran Church

500 Park Street

West Salem, WI 54669

Please register at christlutheranwestsalem.com

Call with questions: (608) 786-1250 Ex. 118

Enjoy receiving encouragement and prayer requests by participating in our Prayer Chain! Submit prayer requests by:

EMAIL prayers@christlutheranwestsalem.com DROP them in the prayer box in the narthex CALL the pastor (608-786-1250 x113)

JULY Altar Guild Servers

Sharon Fuller Pat Gums

Joyce Wehrenberg Carol Thompson

JULY

Women of CHRIST GROUP 4

Gi-Ha

The Visitor Page 5 July 2020

Monthly Bible Readings

The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan offers special features that will help you in your journey through the bible. By reading from four separate places in the Scripture every day, you should be able to better grasp the unity of the Scriptures, as well as enjoy the variety of seeing four different viewpoints. Don’t become frustrated if you fall behind. Each month lists only twenty-five readings. That offers several “free days” each month for catch up if they are needed. Here are the passages for JULY.

NEW TESTAMENT OLD TESTAMENT

LUKE COL PSALMS 1CHRON

1 7:11-17 1:1-14 123-124 1-2

2 7:18-35 1:15-93 125 3-4

3 7:36-50 2:1-7 126 5-6

4 8:1-15 2:8-15 127 7-9

5 8:16-25 2:16-23 128 10-11

6 8:26-39 3:1-14 129 12-14

7 8:40-56 3:15-25 130-131 15-16

8 9:1-17 4:1-9 132 17-19

9 9:18-27 4:10-18 133-134 20-22

1 THES

10 9:28-36 1 135 23-35

11 9:37-50 2:1-9 136 36-28

12 9:51-62 2:10-20 137 29

2 CHRON

13 10:1-16 3:1-6 138 1-2

14 10:17-24 3:7-13 139 3-5

15 10:25-37 4:1-10 140 6-7

16 10:38-42 4:11-18 141 8-9

17 11:1-13 5:1-11 142 10-12

18 11:14-28 5:12-28 143 13-16

2 THES

19 11:29-36 1:1-7 144 17-19

20 11:37-54 1:8-12 145 20-21

21 12:1-12 2:1-12 146 22-24

22 12:13-21 2:13-17 147 25-27

23 12:22-34 3:1-5 148 28-29

24 12:35-48 3:6-13 149 30-33

25 12:49-59 3:14-18 150 34-36

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. (Malachi 3:10)

May Financial Summary

Needed Monthly to meet budget $ 39,128

May Income Received $ 33,409

May Expenses $ 43,055

Income (vs) Expense $ -9,645 Outstanding Debts

Church Mortgage $ 152,936

Church line of credit $

Church Commitments $

CHRIST LUTHERAN CONTACTS

Pastor Don Frelitz Ph: 608-786-1250 Ext. 118 Ph: 262-864-1266 (cell) E: pastor.frelitz@gmail.com

Pastor Galen Riediger Ph: (608) 786-1250, Ext. 113 E: griediger@christlutheranwestsalem.com

Church Secretary – Katie Rasmussen Ph: (608) 786-1250, Ext. 114 E: secretary@christlutheranwestsalem.com

CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS

President – Dean Buchanan Ph: (608) 386-7222 E: busybs@charter.net

Vice President – Jim Witte Ph: (608) 451-2613 (call or text)

Christ-St. John’s Lutheran School Ph: (608) 786-1250 Web: www.christstjohns.org

Principal – Nate Livingston Ph: (605) 520-1281 E: nlivingston@christstjohns.org

Luther High Principal – Paul Wichmann Ph: (608) 799-0283

The Visitor Page 6 July 2020

Christ-St. John’s Lutheran School Serving: Christ Ev. Lutheran Church, West Salem & St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church, Barre Mills

Are you starting school in the Fall?

I have been asked this question more and more recently. I sincerely wish I could give a definite answer. My

hope is that we do start school in the fall the way we are used to having school. I feel that is the best course of

action for the students and their education. At this time, we are planning for in-person instruction starting

August 26th, our regular starting day.

At the same time, we can plan for that all we want, and external factors could prevent that from happening. We

still aren’t sure what course the coronavirus will take or what it will look like two months from now. I will tell

you that it is pretty difficult to plan for an upcoming school year, knowing your plan could change in a month,

week, or day. But we are prepping for a normal school year while preparing for changes that we will need to

make due to the coronavirus.

I have also been taking part in the county-wide weekly meetings with school district administrations and the

county health department. The county as a whole is working toward solutions and working together for support.

All of these things going on are very strong reminders of who to trust and look to for the best guidance. We can

plan all we want, but God’s Will will be done. Isaiah 41:13 says: For I am the Lord your God.I am the one

who is holding on to your right hand. I am the one who says to you, “Do not fear. I myself am helping you.”

God is always with us when we aren’t sure what is going on.

I can also look to the county and other school administrations for advice and support, but they don’t have all the

answers. They are helpful for issues going on in this world now, but while we live in this world, we also look

ahead to our eternal life.

We will work to update you as we finish plans for the upcoming school year. I leave you with my confirmation

verse which I have been reminded of more and more lately. John 14:27 - “Peace I leave with you. My peace I

give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let it be

afraid.”

-Nate Livingston

Teaching Christ’s Love

Pre-Kindergarten – 8th Grade

The academics are challenging.

The teachers are nurturing.

The lessons learned are for a lifetime.

The Visitor Page 7 July 2020

Dear members of Christ,

Due to the COVID spread we are experiencing in La Crosse County, we learned this week that we are limited to 50 guests for Rachel's wedding. We are now limiting our guest list to the wedding party and immediate family. We are sorry you won't be able to share our joy with us on July 10, but we are thankful for your continued prayers for Rachel and Brad as they begin their married life together.

In Christ, Pastor and Sue Riediger

JULY 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

28 29 30 1 2 3 4 8:00 AM Worship Ushers –F 9:30 AM Worship Ushers – N

6:30 PM Worship

Usher – Cook

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

8:00 AM Worship Ushers –G 9:30 AM Worship Ushers – H

6:30 PM Worship

Usher – Osgood

6:30PM Caring Christians Mental Health @ LaX

7:00PM Grief Support @ Barre

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 8:00 AM Worship Ushers – A 9:30 AM Worship Ushers – I

6:30 PM Worship

Usher – McGuire

7:30PM Elders Meeting

5:00PM Evangelism Mtg

6:30PM All Church Mtg

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 8:00 AM Worship Ushers –B 9:30 AM Worship Ushers – J

6:30 PM Worship

Usher – Miller

6:30PM Ladies Aid Too Meeting

26 27 28 29 30 31 1 8:00 AM Worship Ushers –C 9:30 AM Worship Ushers – K

6:30 PM Worship

Usher – Cook

5:30PM VBS

closing Picnic

I know what it is to live in humble circumstances, and I know what it is to have more than enough. I have learned the secret of

being content in any and every situation, while being full or hungry, while having plenty or not enough.

Philippians 4:12 (EHV)

VBS 9:00 – 11:30AM Monday-Thursday