Category Archives: Pastoralia

Always Making Decisions

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In 1949, African American theologian Howard Thurman published Jesus and the Disinherited, a book that contributed to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King theology of nonviolent resistance.  

“Following Jesus’s “love-ethic,” Thurman taught, “breaks the cycle of fear and hatred. Real love does not mean passive submission; it means active, courageous goodwill that can disarm the oppressor and preserve the soul of the oppressed.”

I have a thin book of Thurman’s devotions I often read to begin church meetings. The deep insights of these devotions speak to the challenges we all face as we discern what it means to follow Jesus in the complexities of our lives.

Thurman says, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

To come alive amounts to an ongoing process of making choices, which add up to something more than each individual decision.  We are always making decisions, Thurman says, and it is a miracle when these decisions lead us to life.

Always Making Decisions
Howard Thurman

Always, I am making decisions. There are some decisions that are deliberately negative. They cut across everything in me that is positive and affirming. They may involve much or as little as far as my immediate destiny is concerned. It is a crucial thing to come to a point of decision, to weigh causes of action, to sense the meaning of direction. It is in such a moment that man knows whether he is on the side of life or death, and the choice is his to make. To affirm life is to accept growth, to accept challenge, to move with all one’s full-orbed intent in response to the deepest that stirs within. Then the miracle takes place. The deepest thing in man somehow makes contact with the deepest things in life. And he knows that the decision is right. The decision is on the side of life and not death. Of course, a life giving decision may be difficult. It may cause much heartache and disturbance, even upheaval, but the issue is never in doubt. It is a terrible thing to make a decision which one knows somewhere in the profound recesses of one being is against life.

Teach us to overcome our fear of life, and in that freedom, may we learn to understand life, and in our understanding of life, to love life. Steady us our father, that we may cast our vote for life and not against life. 

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock and I my redeemer.

May God bless and guide us all in our miraculous, live-giving decisions.

Council Decision to Continue 9am Worship in Fall

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In our Church Council meeting last night, August 17, it was decided to continue with one worship service in the fall at 9am, with Sunday School and Fellowship at 10am.  

This was not an easy decision to make.  Our Council recognizes changing worship times affects the lives and time of our members. This decision was not made lightly, yet there was a common agreement that to continue with one worship service in the fall is what is needed for St. Paul’s at this time in the life of our congregation.

Council is especially grateful to the congregation for participation in our St. Paul’s Conversation on Sunday, August 16.  Thank you for sharing your perspectives on this important decision.

Our next St. Paul’s Conversation will be on September 20th.  We hope you will again join us. In the meantime, our Council is always glad to hear from you.

Continue One Worship Service in Fall

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When the Church Council meets on August 17th, I will recommend that Saint Paul’s continue with one worship time in the fall for the following reasons:

  1. Worship attendance does not support two services. <<2026 Attendance>>
  2. Worship with a full church is uplifting.
  3. One worship service time is  especially meaningful for special occasions such as All Saint’s Sunday, Reformation Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, Baptisms, Confirmation Sunday.
  4. Holding meetings to talk about changes, share updates such as those provided by the Call Committee, will be essential to keep the congregation together.  One worship time provides a common time for all to meet.
  5. With the growth of youth ministries, one worship time allows focusing resources on Sunday School.

Time: If Church Council approves this recommendation, the Youth Committee advises that worship be at 9am, with Sunday School and Fellowship at 10am.

Goodbye Good Shepherd

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Interim times present opportunities for transformation and renewal, but these kinds of changes are no easier for us than they were for Nicodemus. 

Change brings Nicodemus to Jesus.  

He can see God at work in Jesus in a new way, “no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with that person” (John 3:2d).

Jesus says Nicodemus must be born from above. But spiritual rebirth, transformation from one state of being to another, is beyond human control.

The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. –John 3:8

When by faith we are open to rebirth in the Spirit, we transcend our own human limitations, as we recently experienced with the call of a new Lead Pastor.

It was a culminating moment, the voice of the congregation was the sound of the Spirit bringing new life to Good Shepherd, carrying us forward in the life-long process of transformation and rebirth. 

We might list all we accomplished in two years, more than we could have foreseen, but it is not about what specifically we accomplished that matters anyway.

What matters is Good Shepherd choosing to be led by the Spirit, remaining open active in a season of change. An active church is an attractive church, a quality candidates look for, a sign the congregation is ready to join with the new Lead Pastor as they follow the same Spirit that brought them together.

Thanks to our church leaders and the support of the congregation, Good Shepherd remained strong and vibrant through the interim period. 

Thank you Good Shepherd for the many ways you welcomed me and for your openness and courage through the many transitions of these past two years. 

I will carry in my heart and all that I learned with you to where I next serve as Interim Pastor. Where that may be, I don’t know. 

The wind blows where it chooses. 

Joe Disch

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Interview by Luke Sather, Confirmand

Where were you born?
New Glarus wi on a farm

Where were your parents from?
Mom-Blanchardville
Dad-New Glarus

What did your parents do?
Mom- housewife
Dad-farmwork

Where did you go to school?
One-room country schoolhouse


When were you confirmed?
June 7, 1953

How many were in your confirmation class
One

What were confirmation classes like/what did you do?
A sit-down session with the pastor

Which pastors do you remember?
Reverend Chudy

Do you have any children? 
Two boys; One girl

Where are they now,?
Oldest (Boy)- Alabama
Middle (Girl)- Marshfield
Youngest (Boy)- Sun Prairie

Grandchildren?
Six grandchildren, and four  great-grandchildren

What sports did you enjoy growing up and now?
Basketball
Softball
Golf

Joan Rice

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Interview by Hailey Sutherland, Confirmand

Joan Rice was born November 5, 1949 near Green Bay. She lived there for the first few years of her life. She was one of eight children. Her dad owned a jewelry store and her mom stayed home with her and her siblings. Both of her parents died at a very young age. She went to a few Catholic schools. She went to Sacred Heart for elementary. For intermediate school she went to Xavier high. She attended UW Madison for college. She was confirmed in 7th grade, with all of the kids in her class which was about 30 to 40 . In her confirmation class she had to memorize a lot, also the bishops came to help with confirmation. The one pastor Joan remembered was Pastor Schmidt.

Joan has two children and they both live in California. Sara is the oldest, and has a talent agency. She also teaches workshops about the arts, and nature education. Sara also has a 16 year old son named Riker. Her other child Nick does background acting. Joan has lived in many different places in Wisconsin. Those include Green Bay, Appleton, Spooner (Which is up North), Madison and now Deforest.

Joan and I went to El Charro for dinner and conversation. Joan is very nice and easy going. This interview was great because I met someone new. I felt the interview could not have gone any better because we were similar people. I would love to do it again.

Kathy Boebel

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Interview by Anabelle Stravinski, Confirmand

Kathy Boebel was born in Madison, Wisconsin, started school in a country school in Milwaukee, and then moved to downtown Windsor for her father’s work. She later moved to Sun Prairie. She was taught in one classroom with 8 other grades in her first country school. She was the only 1st grader in her school. When she moved to Sun prairie she was in 2nd grade, where she was amazed to see there was more than just her in her 2nd grade class. Everyday for school, she would walk a mile there and a mile home, however she was involved in multiple school activities so she wasn’t home very often. She lived in a multigenerational home.  This means she lived with her mother, father, grandma, grandpa, and older sister. Her father worked as a farmer salesman, but later got his license for selling homes and became a realtor. Her mother didn’t really leave the house and stayed at home taking care of her family. She has 2 children (one girl and one boy) and 5 grandchildren (plus a grand-dog).  

Kathy was confirmed in 1959, with four kids in her confirmation class. Kathy was able to remember so many pastors. She was able to remember the following: Pastor Dave MacDonald, Pastor Dave Moyer, Pastor Bob who married them, Pastor Dan Randle who she hired and fired, and Pastor Reverend Caseman. 

Kathy worked as a PE teacher for a few years before raising her kids. She was a synchronized swimming, track, tennis and gymnastics coach.  Later she worked for UW and retired from the School of Education where she had been assistant to the dean.

Once the pandemic hit, she realized how much the church really meant to her.  When we were all worshiping online, no one was 100% connected within the church. She realized what was amazing was the fact that she was able to have that family within the church when she needed it most.  For example, she needed support when her mother died and also when her husband had cancer.

One amazing story that she was able to tell was about her father and sister. As WW2 ended, and word made it back to Windsor, her dad was at home with her sister. When he heard the news, he grabbed her sister’s arm, ran to the church and rang our church bell until he couldn’t do it anymore. This meant that as WW2 ended, our church bells rang to celebrate it! 

Some advice she gave to me was to stick with the program. Even if I wasn’t enjoying it now and I still had questions, I should just stick it through and be able to find that the church family is the most important part of a church. Overall, I loved this interview and she was very nice.

Confirmation Interviews

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The final assignment of our Confirmation class was for each confirmand to interview someone in our congregation they didn’t already know.  Here is how I explained the assignment to the class: 

There are a lot of wonderful people in the congregation who have long and faithfully supported the church.  It is easy to attend for years without meeting people  who are not friends or relatives or who sit on the other side of the church.  The purpose of this assignment is to give you an opportunity to meet some of these people.  I trust they will inspire you--they sure inspire me  (-:

I am proud to share these interviews with you over the next few days.

With Great Hope,
Pr. Craig

Installation

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There are times when what is true and good is clear to see, and the Service of Installation on Sunday the 19th was such a  time for us. 

Three challenging years after we began our journey together, filled with disruptions too many to count and with strains too general to measure, we at last made an official start as pastor and congregation.  

Our Conference Minister, Rev. Franz Rigert, preached a sermon that continues to resonate in my soul. >>>Rev. Franz Rigert, Sermon of Installation<<<<.

None of us would have chosen to start this way, and yet here we are, called to walk together, making promises for what we cannot see in advance–this is the heart of the installation liturgy:

Pr. Craig: I am willing, and I promise to serve this church faithfully, preaching and teaching the word of God, administering the sacraments, and fulfilling the pastoral office, according to the faith and order of the United Church of Christ. 

Windsor UCC Members: We, the members of Windsor United Church of Christ, receive Craig as our pastor and teacher, promising to labor with him in the ministry of the gospel and give him due honor and support.  >>>Rev. Wayne Shannon, Service of Installation<<<

I believe we have been called together for a purpose, convinced that the hardships we faced inside and outside the church prepare us for the road ahead. 

With the Holy Spirit to guide us, gathered as a church in Christ’s name, we will walk this road together. 

Peace,
Pr. Craig Jan-McMahon

Windsor Word, April 2021

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Dear Congregation,

In the past month, I have given my full attention to meeting the target Council set for reopening our sanctuary for in-person worship: April 18th. Thanks to the help of many, I gladly report that we will meet this target, though not as we had expected or planned.

This article summarizes plans and decisions for reopening. This summary served as an outline for my Zoom presentation on Sunday, March 28th. Further details will come as we progress toward reopening and then adjust as we go.  

We all know the approach we are taking won’t please everyone in our congregation, but I believe that working together to create a safe worship environment is how we as people of faith serve God in these challenging times.  

With God’s help, your cooperation, and mutual sacrifices, our congregation will emerge from this pandemic stronger and more united.

Peace,

Pr Craig

NOTES ON REOPENING

Number of Worshippers: As more of our members are vaccinated, the number of members ready to join us for in-person worship has grown.  Thirty-five (pink) of the 84 members who planned to return to in-person worship after they had been vaccinated have been vaccinated, bringing the total number of members ready to attend in-person worship to 135.

Given our current capacity limit, two worship services are needed.

Capacity Limits: We are unsure how many worshippers can be seated in sanctuary with social distancing. One hundred chairs are set up.  The total number of worshippers in the sanctuary will depend on the size of family units, as three chairs between each family unit is required. Capacity also depends on ushers maximizing seating. 

Additional seating in the Narthex may be needed as capacity limits increase, as determined by our Medical Advisory Team.

Ten percent of capacity will be reserved for our guests.  

Worship Service Times: Worship service times will be 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.  Questions about these times tend to rise from expectations that by default we would worship at the pre-pandemic times of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.  There are several reasons for these worship times: 

  1. Ushers and greeters will need extra time to prepare for worshippers to enter and be seated.  
  2. Extra time is needed between services for ushers and greeters to sanitize frequent-touch, hard-surface areas. 
  3. Extra time is needed for 9:00 a.m. worshippers to visit outside of the building and depart from the parking lot to open spaces for 11:00 a.m. worshippers.

Intermediate Technology and What to Expect:  The new sound and video system has been ordered. The expected installation date is the week of April 18th. We will devote our resources to setting up the new system rather than also setting up an intermediate system. As a result, as we begin in-person worship, we will continue to livestream worship using an iPad. This decision will affect the way we conduct worship in ways we will discover as we go. 

Also, as we launch our new system, there are sure to be glitches and problems to solve we cannot see in advance.  

Online Registration for In-person Worship: Worshippers will sign up for weekly in-person worship using an online system. 

  • Phone and email support will be provided for those for whom technology is a barrier to participation.  
  • The registration system will be open to the congregation for a trial run after Easter.
  • Online registration is required to attend in-person worship. 
  • A process is in place in case of cancellation.
  • A process is in place in case capacity limits are reached, enabling those who are unable to attend because of limits to be first in line to attend in-person worship the next week.  
  • Help and explanation documents will be available before registration begins.
  • There are sure to be adjustments needed as we go.  

Serving in Worship: In-person worship depends upon support of safe worship through active participation of our members. The following roles for serving in worship are needed, totaling 17-20 per service, 25-27 per week: 

  • Online Registration Support: 3 per week. (may not attend)
  • Ushers: 4 per service, 8 per week.
  • Greeters: 2 per service, 4 per week.
  • Tech Team: 3 (estimate) per service,  6 per week.
  • Musicians: 2-3 per service, 4-6 per week.