Chimes

During the month of May, the Portage Lions will be collecting used prescription eyeglasses & sunglasses as part of a recycling program conducted throughout the United States and Canada. Children’s glasses are especially in high demand. Hearing aids will also be collected. The glasses and hearing aids will be refurbished and distributed to the poor in developing countries where eye care is often unaffordable and

inaccessible.

The glasses collected will be sent to the eyeglass recycle center at Wisconsin Lions Camp at Rosholt WI for preparation. They will be cleaned, categorized by prescription and prepared for distribution by Lions and other groups. According to the World Health Organization, the eyesight of approximately one-fourth of the world’s population can be improved through the use of

corrective lenses or glasses.

A collection box will be available in the narthex during the month of May. Please bring your eyeglasses and hearing aids to church and deposit them in the marked container.

Sunday School News &

Updates

Sunday School Celebration–

Come and join with our Sunday School youth for a picnic brunch, games and activities on May 18^th.

Vacation Bible School - (Ages 3 years – 6^th

Grade)

Save the date, August 4 - from 8:30 to 11:30am. This year’s theme is “Power Lab: discovering Jesus’ Miraculous Power”. We will again be joining Portage United Methodist Church for this fun adventure and will be located at their facility on New Pinery Road.

We are looking for volunteers! Still needed are adults for the drama session, outdoor games, art, day care help and group leaders. Youth going into 7^th grade and up are also needed for group leaders and helpers.

With the theme surrounding science, we are looking for pairs of goggles kids can wear, big white T-shirts to use as lab coats, and any other science related items to help decorate. Donation of these items can be brought to church, and if you’re interested in working, please call me at 742-7819, or see me in church.

Kerry Melby,

VBS Coordinator

SEASONS OF THE FIELD ...

It is the season when the geese are returning north for the summer, with that in mind I would like to share an article published in the Wisconsin Reading Update. Many of you may have read this before and it bears

repeating and remembering.

"... you might be interested in knowing what scientists have discovered about why geese fly in a 'V' formation. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By

flying in a 'V' formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

Basic Truth #1: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going

quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and

quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.

Basic Truth #2: If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the

same way we are going.

When the lead goose gets tired it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.

Basic Truth #3: It pays to take turns doing the hard jobs ... with people or with geese flying north.

The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

Basic Truth #4: We need to be careful what we say when we honk from behind.

Finally, when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow it down to provide help and protection. They stay with it until it is either able to fly or until it is dead, and

then they launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up with their group.

Final truth: If we have the sense of a goose we will stand by each other like that."

I pray that the Bethlehem Lutheran flock that makes its home on this field has the sense that God gave geese.

In Christ,

Pastor Dick

The following people have volunteered to Sponsor a coffee hour during the

month of May:

5/ 4 – George & Kathleen Sparks

& Bobbie Goodman

5/11 – Hank & Nancy Brouette &

???????______________

5/18 – Sunday School

5/25 – Fran Nelson & Dianna Bush

* * * * *

NURSERY VOLUNTEERS

Listed below are the Nursery Volunteers for the

month of May:

5/ 4 – & Andrea LaBella

5/11 – & Lauren Gaffney

5/18 – & Marcus Thompson

5/25 – & Mariah Colburn

COMMUNION ASSISTANTS for the

month of May are:

5/ 4 – Jim & Kathryn Crawford

5/11 – Clark Cupery & Bill Barreau

5/18 – Dan Kucksdorf & Josh Inglett

5/25 – Bob & Hope Fenske

* * * * *

GREETERS for the month of May are:

5/ 4 – Betty Ring

5/11 - Pat Geltemeyer

5/18 – Jack & Ginny Paulson

5/25 – Del & Margaret Molden

USHERS – The following people have

volunteered to be ushers for the month of May:

5/ 4 – Bill Swift

5/11 – Bill Swift

5/18 – Bill Swift

5/25 – Bill Swift

Altar Guild -Listed below is the Altar Guild schedule for the month of April:

5/ 4 – Joan Meister

5/ 7 – Carol Anacker

5/11 – Joan Meister

5/14 – Judy Donahue

5/18 – Judy Huebner

5/21 – Denise Derey

5/25 – Judy Huebner

5/28 – Judy Haase

* * * * *

Listed below are the confirmation students scheduled to Acolyte

during the month of May.

5/ 4 – Noalyn Martin & Paige Ringelstetter

Runner – Teagan Olson

5/11 – Matthew Peterson & Leah Barto

Runner – Holly Boaz

5/18 – Kenny Jones & Anne Ritter

Runner – Joshua Smythe

5/25 – Kyle Kjorlie & Amy Ryde

Runner – Isaac Zarecki

* * * * * * *

SERMON BROADCAST

The sermons broadcast on Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m. on Radio Station WPDR AM 1350 are being

sponsored this month by:

5/ 4 – Jim & Angie Buchholtz

5/11 – Duane & Joan Meister

5/18 – Patrick & Amy Strain

5/25 – Don & Judy Henrich

* * * * * *

CHANCEL FLOWERS

The following people will be supplying our flowers

during the month of May:

5/ 4 – Tom & Denise Derey in memory of Albert

Schmidt.

5/11 – Charles & Pat Nelson to the Glory of God.

5/18 – Wayne & Sarah Borstad in honor of their

9^th Wedding Anniversary.

5/25 – Patrick & Amy Strain in honor of their 13^th

Wedding Anniversary.

Alana May Brandsma, daughter of Joshua & Minta

Brandsma was baptized on Sunday, April 6^th.

And

Emily Elizabeth Morgan, daughter of Michael & Rebecca Morgan was baptized on Sunday, April

13^th.

Please remember Alana & Emily in your prayers.

* * * * *

A Sincere “Thank You” to all the ladies who worked and supplied food for the Baraboo Conference Spring Gathering held here on April 5^th. It was a

good day in every respect.

The officers of WELCA.

Tuesday Morning Text Study

Tuesday mornings at 11:00 a.m. you are invited to join with others to study the Sunday Morning Bible readings. This study is open to anyone in the community who wants to study God=s word together. Please attend as you are able and pass the invitation along to others. We meet in the class room across from the offices. Our last time together before a summer break is May 20.

* * * * *

The current church office hours are 9:00am to Noon – 1:00 to 4:00pm Monday through Thursday. Friday

hours are 9:00am to Noon.

Beginning Tuesday, May 27 through Friday, August 29th the office hours will be 9:00am to 2:00pm Monday through Thursday, and 9:00am to Noon on Fridays.

* * * * *

One Memorial Day, some children were asked what the holiday meant to them.

“That’s the day the swimming pool opens!” answered one eager boy. What he didn’t realize or appreciate was that he can freely go to the pool because more than one million people have put their lives on the line to preserve America’s democracy. Many of them have died so citizens of other countries might also enjoy the privileges of political, social and economic freedom.

Memorial Day is our opportunity to pause and remember the sacrifices of many of America’s best citizens. They made the supreme sacrifice on our behalf, so please remember to honor these heroes on May 26.

WRITERS WRITE II
“God Does Answer Prayers”

My husband, Jim, and I had booked three major vacations for the upcoming year with our time share weeks. The weeks were paid for, but the airline tickets and all the expenses that go with a vacation weren’t. Had we bitten off more than we could

asked? We asked ourselves.

“We need to economize,” my husband said. “The first place we need to start is in our freezer. Think of all the food in there that we store and then throw

out.”

He was right. There were lots of other places where we could cut corners as well, like the frivolous spending I did on eBay. Plus my clothes shopping that could be curbed, as well as all those technology gadgets that I had purchased but never had time to figure out, like my Dragon Naturally Speaking, the FlipAlbum program, plus MasterCook Suite. I vowed to stop my impulse spending and make better

use of our money.

When it was my turn to host the Writers at the Portage, our local writing group, I wanted to have fresh flowers on my table. Instead of buying from a flower shop, I purchased a bunch from Wal-Mart for only $5. When trying to arrange those flowers in a vase, I discovered that the carnations that I had purchased didn’t look good in any of the vases I had. There were too many for my small vases and

there were too few for my larger vases.

When I came home from teaching my technical college class the night before our writers’ meeting, I was tired. I looked at the flowers in the large vase and prayers. “Oh dear God, please help me. I don’t want to spend another $5 on flowers. We are trying to economize.” I had no flower beds to pick from because the rabbits and deer. Discouraged and

disgusted, I went to bed.

The next morning when I looked out my kitchen window, it was as if a light bulb went on. There, in the marsh behind our house, were large patches of Queen Anne’s Lace, beautiful white wildflowers, dainty and small. Yes, there were those who saw them as weeds, but tucked in between my carnations, they would not only fill the vase but add

an element of splendor as well.

God does answer prayers, “Ask and ye shall receive,” Jesus said. That night at our writers’ meeting, everyone wanted to know where I got the

beautiful flowers. My husband was pleased as well.

by Barb Jensen

Member of Writers at the Portage

A mother's prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the blessings of my children. Help me rely on you for guidance, patience and even-temperedness throughout my days.

I want my children to love you, worship you and serve you as best they can. Grant me the wisdom to

know how to influence them to live godly lives. Prevent me from provoking my children to anger and from manipulating or nagging them.

Fill our household with abiding love and respect, and help us all be united in purpose to do your will. In the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.

Confirmation

Can you believe that there are only three weeks left of confirmation? May 21 is our final confirmation class for the 2007 - 2008 school year. This year-end celebration will be a confirmation potluck. 6^th graders please bring a dessert to share. 7^th Grade families are asked to bring a Salad or dessert and 8^th grade families are asked to bring a main dish. 5^th graders you and your families are also invited as our guests to attend. This time together will also function as a review of the past year and an orientation to the confirmation program that 5^th graders will be starting this summer and as they enter 6^th grade this fall.

* * * * *

Baccalaureate Sunday – On Sunday June 1 we will celebrate with our High School Seniors as they look toward their graduation. Please keep them in your prayers as they begin making adult decisions about their future journey through this life God has so graciously provided.

Summer Mission Trip

Fund Raising Activities

In the summer of 2008 Bethlehem Lutheran is sponsoring a mission trip to Inner City Minneapolis, MN. The dates for the trip are July 6-11^th. 15 youth

and adults are registered for the trip.

On Sunday, May 18^th their will be a fundraiser for

this summer’s mission trip.

1. Need some new plants? Come and buy hardy perennials, deer resistant plants, tomato plants and house plants.

2. Brat Sale – stay for lunch after church! Buy a brat or a hotdog and get all your side dishes

free!

You can help be bringing donated outdoor & indoor plants to be sold and/or by providing empty 4” or 6” repotting pots for others to use as they transplant their perennials, starter plants, etc. Please bring the empty pots to church as soon as possible. You can bring your plants for donation on Saturday, May 17^th after 5:00 p.m. and on Sunday Morning. Our mission trip participants need your prayers and monetary support.

* * * * *

A tip from the Care of Creation Committee to keep deer from eating your plants……

1 egg

½ cup milk

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 tablespoon dish detergent

1 gallon water

Beat egg and milk together, then add cooking oil and detergent. Add mixture to water and stir or

shake well. Store in a covered 1 gallon container.

Apply liquid to plants (except for food plants) using a spray bottle. Reapply every 2 weeks or after heavy rains.

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." Genesis 1:31

Indeed, God's creation is amazing! By now, your garden is blooming, and full of life. Birds are singing, the insects are back, and so are the weeds. Yikes! Of course, not all insects are bad, and everyone has their definition of what a weed is, but what can be done to keep unwanted "visitors" out of your garden?

This month, let’s talk about maintenance, pest control, weeds, and disease. At some time or another everyone has, or will experience problems with one of the above. Regular maintenance and care can help lower the risk of developing disease or pest infestations.

Maintenance 101

1. Watering- water according to each plants need.

-use a soaker hose to avoid wasting

water, or water each plant individually.

*quick tip - water in the morning to prevent root

rot and fungus growth.

Also, collect rain water in a barrel

and use that to water your plants!

2. Weeding- keep up with the weeds, so you and

your garden don't become over-

whelmed.

*quick tip - a 3" layer of organic mulch not only

helps keep moisture in the soil, it also

keeps out the weeds. Yeah!

3. Fertilizing- some plants may need extra

nutrients. Be sure to always look for

earth friendly products, or try a

homemade recipe.

*Homemade fertilizer- fill a 5 gal. bucket 1/3 full

with fallen oak leaves, add

water almost to the top.

Place bucket in a sunny

spot (paved surface is

best), and let sit for a week

or until water looks like

iced tea.

Speedy version- add boiling water to leaves, let

cool. Pour the leaf "tea"

around base of your plants.

Leftover leaves make a great

mulch, especially when

shredded first. (Paul James,

host of Gardening by the yard).

4. Pests and Disease- check regularly for either of

these problems. A plant that

has been overtaken may just

need to be thrown away- place

in garbage to keep disease or

pests from spreading.

*quick tip- These quick and easy home remedies

could do the trick.......

· For slugs try filling a spray bottle with 1/2 ammonia, 1/2 water- kills slugs, and fertilizes plants (spray directly on slugs to kill).

· To get rid of cabbage worms shake 1-2 cups of flour in a paper bag and sprinkle on infested plants.

· For certain types of fungus or black spots, try filling a spray bottle with 1/2 skim milk, 1/2 water.

· Keep moles and other pests away from your flower bulbs with chili powder. Just sprinkle around bulb, and on top of dirt.

· For deer and rabbit issues there are special sprays, not harmful to the animals or plants, that just leave a bitter taste in

the mouth of the muncher.

5. Deadheading- removing faded blooms can help

promote new blooms. It also keeps

your plants looking healthy, and

free from disease!

6. Staking- use pea stakes, metal hoops or bamboo

stakes with strings to support tall and

top-heavy plants. Storms can cause

flowering plants to collapse, so staking

them can help avoid the battered look.

7. Dividing- some plants can be divided in the

summer after blooming, and replanted.

8. Enjoy- always remember to take the time to

enjoy the beauty of your garden with

friends and family, and thank God for all

he has given us.

In Christ,

Liz Enerson - Care of Creation Committee

For more great gardening tips, check out Organic Home Gardening at www.hgtv.com

Is Church getting crowded?

For the past 5 years Bethlehem Lutheran has held two services per week: 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and 9:00 a.m. on Sundays. In that time we have moved from 130 average attendance per week to 230 average weekly attendance. This was also the time that we grew closer together as God’s family serving Christ with love and transitioned into a new worship

facility.

It seems that we have arrived at that time in our development when we are experiencing growing pains. As with adolescence we know that the pain part will pass as we mature. In the mean time we need to listen to and address these growing pains. Your church council leadership and worship committee have been having these conversations for about a year and now it is time that we have this

conversation as a church family.

Please give prayerful thought to the following the questions. Would it be best for us to add another worship service starting in the fall? When would that worship service be? What would the worship service look like? What would the impact of an additional worship service have on Christian education/Sunday School? What is needed in terms of volunteers etc. with the addition of another service? Where can and will you use your gifts to serve in the worship life of your congregation? How will we continue to nurture church connectedness within the family of God at Bethlehem? These are

just a few of the questions for you to consider.

On Sunday May 18, the last day of Sunday School, we will have a church family conversation around these issues. We will begin the conversation at 8:50 a.m. Please come early to church so that we can hear your input. If you want to give your input or have other ideas about the worship life of the church please share them with Tim Peterson (Worship and

Music Church Council Liaison) or Pastor Dick.

Are there People Who Share Your Interests?

In the previous article we talked about the growth of Bethlehem. One reason for that growth, we are told by new members, is that Bethlehem is a warm and welcoming place. People feel connected to each other and the church is open to people using and sharing the gifts God has given them. There is no “old guard” shutting people out or boxing people in.

As we continue to grow the challenge will be to maintain that connectedness. I would like us to be proactive in this area and am suggesting the following.

1. On Sunday, June 1 there will be a series of sign-up sheets listing areas of interest. They might include such things as: quilting, sing in a choir, men’s breakfast, join with people once a month to do odd jobs around the church, Bible Study, exercise class, Christian weight watchers, gluten-free support group, Loss and Grief group, parenting support, play group, walking, gardening …. If you have interest areas that you want on the sign up sheets please let the church office know.

2. We would invite people to sign-up for as many of these areas as might interest them and list other areas of interest that are not listed.

3. Each person who signs up would be contacted and invited to join with others around these areas of interest and receive guidance on how you might form a small group or function to accomplish the tasks you enjoy.

4. Over the s