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PARISH OFFICE
W4950 State Highway 86
Ogema, WI 54459
715-767-5155
email: [email protected]
Web site: www.1stfamily.org
Office Hours: 8:30AM—12:30PM
Monday - Thursday
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH —OGEMA
W4950 State Highway 86
Ogema, WI 54459
Worship Service: 9:00 AM
3rd Sunday: 11:00 AM
Fellowship after worship.
Sunday School: 10:30 AM
3rd Sunday: 9:30 AM
(September to May)
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH—WESTBORO
N8909 Business Hwy. 13
PO Box 214
Westboro, WI 54490-0214
Worship Service: 10:30 AM
3rd Sunday: 9:00 AM
Fellowship after worship.
Sunday School: 9:30 AM
3rd Sunday: None (September to May)
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH —PRENTICE
670 Main Street
Prentice, WI 54556
email: [email protected]
Office Hours: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Tuesday-Thursday
715-428-2575
Worship Service: 10:30 AM
CYF Wednesdays 3:30-5:30 pm (Sept-Apr)
ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH—BRANTWOOD
N5090 County Road D
Brantwood, WI 54513
Worship Service: 8:30 AM
Rev. Dr. Bob Giese, Associate Pastor
847-899-7122 (cell)
Email: [email protected]
Rev. Dr. Karen Rendall, Transitional (Bridge)
Pastor
715-824-4504 (home) 715-377-2583 (cell)
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Visitors and new members are always welcome!
DECEMBER
2018
December is filled with a time of expectant waiting and
preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus.
For us here at Northwoods STaR Ministries, it is also is filled
with many wonderful opportunities to worship together
this season. Please join us!
Wednesday Advent Services:
Wed., December 5
5:30 pm at Prentice
Wed., December 12
5:30 pm at Zion Brantwood
Special Children’s Worship Services & Programs:
Sunday, December 16
•9 am—Westboro Sunday School
Christmas Program –Brunch following
service
Wednesday, December 19
•5:30 pm CYF Christmas Program at
First Prentice-Spaghetti Supper following service
Sunday, December 23
•9 am—Ogema Sunday School Christmas Service
Live Nativity In the Barn:
Saturday, December 22
5 pm—at Palmquist’s The Farm,
N5136 River Road, Brantwood
(Sponsored by Zion Lutheran Church, Brantwood)
Christmas Eve Service Times:
Monday, December 24
•7 pm Zion Brantwood
•9 pm Prentice
•9 pm Ogema
Christmas Day Service Time:
Tuesday, December 25
•9 am Westboro
(Candlelight Services)
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Dear members and friends of Northwoods STaR Ministries:
Advent/Christmas greetings to you all!
Another Year of Change!
Rather than a lot of words about what we’ve been doing, I’d like to just share a few photos of what
we’ve been doing. These by no means will include all the ministry we’ve accomplished this year but just
give you a flavor. For more, browse through the 2018 issues of our newsletters at our website:
www.1stfamily.org.
We have been treated to a wide variety of pastors this year:
1. Luther Seminary Intern Quinlan Koch;
2. Interim Pastor Lowell Bolstad;
3. First Ogema Member and Estonian Lutheran Pastor Sara Bishop;
4. Retired Pastor and First Prentice Member Michael Meier;
5. Luther Seminarian Rachel Sieja;
6. Missionaries to Thailand Debbie & Patrick Gray;
7. Me (Pastor Bob) as Intern Supervisor and part-time pastor.
From Pastor Bob…
Intern Pastor Quinlan Koch at First Westboro
Pastor Bob & Intern Pastor Quinlan at First Ogema
Seminarian Rachel Sieja at Zion Pastor Sara Bishop at First Prentice
Thailand Missionaries Debbie & Patrick Gray
Children’s Message at First Westboro
Interim Pastor Lowell Bolstad
at First Westboro
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Live Nativity at Palmquist’s The Farm December 2017
World Day of Prayer March 2018
Gen & Ernie Luedke Scholarship Recipients 2018
From Pastor Bob…
Confirmation College Care Package Night—1st Prentice—November, 2018
FCA Sports Camp Commissioning
Joint Service at Pioneer Park
June, 2018
CYF Christmas Service—First Prentice—December 2017
Sunday School Christmas at First Ogema—December 2017
As I write this, The call committee is working diligently with ELCA
Northwest Synod of Wisconsin staff to find us (a) new pastor(s). I ask
of all of you who read this to keep our parish and its congregations
in our prayers as the process continues.
In Christ, Pastor Bob Giese
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Bishop’s Christmas Message
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Women of the ELCA News
Upcoming Meeting—PRENTICE
NO W/ELCA MEETING IN DECEMBER
Upcoming Meeting—OGEMA
Wednesday, December 12 at Noon
Potluck Christmas Party
Cooking Packing—(bring 3 dozen wrapped cookies)
Upcoming Events, Opportunities and Information...
Attention Ogema and
Westboro members:
It is time to order your
Christmas Poinsettias.
Forms are available at
both churches or an order
form is attached to the last
page of this newsletter. You may also call in
your order to the Parish office at 715-767-
5155. Orders should be placed by Decem-
ber 12. Plants are $15.00 each.
Live Nativity in the Barn Saturday, December 22, 2018
5 pm (Refreshments will follow)
Palmquist’s “The Farm”
N5136 River Road, Brantwood, WI
Sponsored by Zion Lutheran Church, Brantwood (Northwoods STaR Ministries)
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Upcoming Events, Opportunities and Information...
Wine and the Word
There will not be a
Wine and the Word
gathering in
December.
Bible Study Opportunities
Pastor Karen will holding bible
studies each week on Thursdays at
the following locations:
First Lutheran Prentice at 9 am
Brantwood Community Center at 12:30 pm
Each study will be on various books of the
Old Testament, so participation every week is not
necessary. These Bible studies are open for
members and non-members.
Noisy Offerings For
DECEMBER
You can make a joyful noise at worship services this
month to help support the chosen ministries at your
church:
Prentice: Embrace (see below)
Zion: Price County Food Pantry
Westboro: International Heifer Project
Please help support these ministries by dropping
your change in the Noisy Offering containers at
church. We can all help one coin at a time!
Friends in Faith
Bible Study
When: Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at 5:30 pm
Where: First Lutheran Church—Ogema
Fellowship Hall
Join us for a potluck dinner, fellowship and bible
study. Come try it out while it’s in Ogema!
Please RSVP to Sadie at 715-905-0719
if you plan on attending.
Bread From the Heart
Bread from the Heart will provide a home cooked
meal, as well as a prayer of healing and hope to
people in need in our community. Please call one
of the following coordinators, they will make the
necessary arrangements.
Amy Esterholm 715-428-2200
Shawnda Hora 715-428-2026
Rebekah Koch 715-922-0374
Dallas Severson 715-564-3328
PLEASE HELP DONATE TO OUR PARKING
LOT FUND
We are still looking for donations to
help cover the cost of blacktopping
the church parking lot. If you would
like to donate to the parking Lot Fund,
please send or bring in a check
(earmarked parking lot blacktopping)
to First Lutheran Church—Ogema
W4950 State Highway 86 Ogema WI
54459.
We currently have $8,300 in donations
to help cover the cost. Our goal is
$12,000.
Since 1980, Embrace, formerly the
TimeOut Shelter, has been providing
safe shelter and services to survivors
of domestic abuse and sexual as-
sault in the tri-county area of Rusk, Washburn and Price
Counties. For over 30 years, Embrace has worked to pro-
vide much more than just safe shelter to our communities.
We provide outreach and community awareness efforts,
preventative education, safe shelter, 24/7 crisis support
and a variety of comprehensive and sensitive direct ser-
vices to help survivors navigate the systems. Ultimately,
Embrace’s goal is to inspire social change and eradicate
violence.
Embrace is the only domestic violence and sexual assault
survivor services provider in the extremely rural and low-
income service area. To best reach out and serve survi-
vors in our communities, we have three offices with Staff
equally spread throughout the tri-county area–There’s an
outreach office in Spooner and Phillips with the main Shel-
ter and office located in Ladysmith.
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Sunday School, Confirmation and Youth...
Upcoming Confirmation Schedule:
December 5, 2018 Elective-Christmas Cookie Baking at OGEMA at 6 pm
December 12, 2018 Elective-Being Good Stewards of God’s Gifts at ZION at 6 pm
December 19, 2018 Elective-What Is Christmas? Christmas Party at PRENTICE at
5:30 pm
December 26, 2018 NO CLASS
January 2, 2019 NO CLASS
Opportunity to serve this month for “Faith Sharing”:
Live Nativity at Palmquist’s The Farm–volunteer to be an “actor” on December 22
There are Wednesday Advent worship services on December 5, and December 12. Please try to attend
the Advent worship services. Also, as part of the Christmas Party Elective Class on December 19 we are
having Confirmation Students attend the CYF Christmas Program. (Watch for additional emails with in-
formation regarding the Christmas Party.)
CYF Christmas Program
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
5:30 pm at First Prentice
PLEASE NOTE:
THERE WILL NOT BE CYF CLASSES
ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26.
First Ogema:
Sunday School Christmas Service
Sunday, December 23, 2018
9 am
Please join us for an enjoyable Christmas
worship service!
After the CYF Christmas Program,
please join us for fellowship and
Spaghetti Dinner.
EVERYONE is invited!!
First Westboro
Sunday School Christmas Program
“The Angel Dream”
Sunday, December 16, 2018
9 am
(There will be brunch following the service.)
Please do not miss this delightful Christmas
worship service!
No Sunday School classes for Ogema and Westboro on December 23 and December 30.
Sunday School classes will resume on Sunday, January 6, 2019.
NOTICE TO ALL KIDS AT NORTHWOODS STAR MINISTRIES…
On Saturday, December 22, 2018, Zion Lutheran Church, Brantwood will be hosting a Live Nativity In the Barn at
Palmquist’s “The Farm”. Children are needed to be “actors” - Angels, Shepherds, Mary & Joseph. Costumes will be
provided. Just dress warm and be at Palmquist’s The Farm (N5136 River Road, Brantwood) around 4:30 pm. The
Nativity starts at 5 pm. You do not have to recite anything because the service consists of everyone singing Christ-
mas songs and pastor reading scripture about the birth of baby Jesus. It lasts about 1/2 hour with refreshments af-
ter the service. If you are interested in participating, please contact any of the Zion council members:
Linda Heikkinen 715-564-3241 Sherry Sarkkinen – 715-564-2236 Sarah Pfarr -715-564-2522
Karin Kivela 715-564-2415 Don Gustafson 715-453-3572
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DECEMBER WORSHIP LEADERS &VOLUNTEER SCHEDULES
1 Wendy Cummings
Tim Dunlop
2 Gary Westberg
3 Rachel Nikkila
Ron Larson
4 Noelle Foster
James Wiles
Rachel Carlson
5 Kyle Cummings
Jody Hartmann
6 Jeanne Cummings
Ralph Lucht
8 Francis Dums
Marlene Johnson
10 Roxanne Peterson
11 Trevor Komarek
12 Nancy Beard
Bobbie Pipkorn
Brandon Rumberg
Amy Esterholm
15 Jessica Kestler
16 Walter Dahlke
17 Amanda Holm
Beverly Hartmann
18 Ken Pearson
Chris Finkler
19 Dolores Olson
20 Ron Arkola
21 Tarek Scott
Lindsay Shaw
Joey Nelson
Kimberly Ertl
23 Olivia Bishop
Ryne Gerstberger
Tim Peterson
Craig Cummings
25 Holly Hakala
Serena Moore
26 Daiahna Nikkila
27 Matthew McCormick
28 Kacen Moore
30 Gerald Beaumont
Danny Nikkila
Claryssa Moore
30 Tyler Nikkila
Karen Pearson
1 Bob/Dawn Pipkorn
2 Larry/Jan Walters
4 Neil/Sharon Carlson
19 Rick/Carol Dering
29 Kevin/Jamie Hawkins
31 Kreg/Kathleen White
1 Karagan Esterholm
2 Nicholas Cravaack
Duwayne Wiles
3 Caelyn Ulrich
9 Jay Esterholm
13 Jason Steliga
15 Alice Nelson
16 Kiah Kalander
Kim Kalander
Miranda Kalander
Sheridan Kalander
21 Rachel Carlson
22 Courtney Carlson
Jessica Wear
27 Audrey Bant
31 David Ellis
Stacy Esterholm
First Lutheran—Ogema
Greeters/Ushers
Mark Nyberg, John & Adam Granberg
Acolytes
Dec 2 Emilie Hallstrand & Ryan Griebel
Dec 9 Leah Nehls
Dec 16 Adam Raab & Ayriel Foster
Dec 23 Emilie Hallstrand
Dec 24 Ryan Griebel & Leah Nehls
(Christmas Eve—9 pm)
Dec 30 Adam Raab
Altar Service
OPEN
Food Service
Rhonda Cummings, Sara Griebel,
Wendy Cummings
Lawn Mowing N/A
December Birthdays & Anniversaries
First Lutheran—Westboro
Greeters/Ushers
OPEN
Acolytes
OPEN
Altar Service
OPEN
Food Service
OPEN
Reader
OPEN
Cleaner
OPEN
Lawn Mowing
N/A
First Lutheran—Prentice
Shepherding Group
*Dick & Linda Zielke,
Bob & Bev Hora, Terry Teeters,
Sophia Wiles, Jim Wiles
Acolytes
Dec 2 Ryan Bergman
Dec 9 Kal Esterholm
Dec 16 OPEN
Dec 23 OPEN
Dec 30 OPEN
Food Service
All Women of the Church
Zion Lutheran—Brantwood Cleaning Duty
Karen Kivela and the Ladies of Zion
NSM Newsletter Deadline
The 15th of each month is the deadline for all arti-
cles and information to be submitted to the North-
woods STaR Ministries Newsletter. Any information
received after this date is not guaranteed to be
printed in the newsletter. You may email newsletter
items to [email protected] .
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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu F r i Sat
25 8:30 am Worship (Z)
9 am Worship (O) 9:30 am Sunday School (W)
10:30 am Worship (P)
10:30 am Worship (W) 10:30 am Sunday School (O)
11:30 am Council Mtg (W)
26 Noon
Sewing
Circle (O)
27
28 7 am Men’s Prayer Group @
OPL
10 am Health Group(O)
3:30 pm CYF (P)
6 pm Confirmation Class
Worship & the Church Year
(O)
29 9 am Bible
Study (P)
9 am Quilters
Group @ First
Prentice 12:30 pm Bible
Study (Z)
30
1
2 8:30 am Worship (Z)
9 am Worship (O) 9:30 am Sunday School (W)
10:30 am Worship (P)
10:30 am Worship (W) 10:30 am Sunday School (O)
3 Noon
Sewing
Circle (O)
6:30 pm Council
Mtg (P)
4
5 7 am Men’s Prayer Group @
OPL
10 am Health Group (O)
3:30 pm CYF (P)
5:30 pm Advent Worship (P)
6 pm Confirmation Class–
Christmas Cookie Baking
(O)
6 9 am Bible
Study (P) 12:30 pm Bible
Study (Z)
7
8
9 8:30 am Worship (Z)
9 am Worship (O) 9:30 am Sunday School (W)
9:30 am Council Mtg (Z)
10:30 am Worship (P)
10:30 am Worship (W) 10:30 am Sunday School (O)
10 Noon
Sewing
Circle (O)
11 5:30 pm
Friends in
Faith @ First
Ogema
12 7 am Men’s Prayer Group @
OPL
10 am Health Group (O)
3:30 pm CYF (P)
5:30 pm Advent Worship (Z)
6 pm Confirmation Class
Being Good Stewards of
God’s Gifts (Z)
13 9 am Bible
Study (P)
9 am Quilters
Group @ First
Prentice 12:30 pm Bible
Study (Z)
14
15
16 8:30 am Worship (Z)
9 am Worship (W)
9:30 am Council Mtg (O) 9:30 am Sunday School (O)
10:30 am Worship (P)
11 am Worship (O)
5 pm Parish Council Mtg
(W)
17 Noon
Sewing
Circle (O)
18
19 7 am Men’s Prayer Group @
OPL
10 am Health Group (O)
5:30 pm CYF Christmas Ser-
vice & Supper (P)
5:30 pm Confirmation
Christmas Party (P)
20 9 am Bible
Study (P) 12:30 pm Bible
Study (Z)
21
22 5 pm Live
Nativity @
Palmquist’s
The Farm (sponsored by
Zion Lutheran,
Brantwood)
23
9 am Worship (O)
10:30 am Worship (P)
10:30 am Worship (W)
24 7 pm Worship (Z)
9 pm Worship (P)
9 pm Worship (O)
25 9 am
Worship (W)
26 7 am Men’s Prayer Group @
OPL
10 am Health Group (O)
27 9 am Bible
Study (P) 12:30 pm Bible
Study (Z)
28
29
30 8:30 am Worship (Z)
9 am Worship (O)
10:30 am Worship (P)
10:30 am Worship (W)
31 Noon
Sewing
Circle (O)
1 2 3 4 5
PB on call PB on call PB on call PK on call PK on call PK on call PK on call
PB on call PB on call PB on call PK on call PK on call PK on call PK on call
PB on call PB on call PB on call PK on call PK on call PK on call PK on call
PB on call PB on call PB on call PK on call PK on call PK on call PK on call
PB on call PB on call PK on call PK on call PK on call PK on call PK on call
PK=Pastor Karen
PB=Pastor Bob
December 2018 Calendar of Events
PB on call PB on call PB on call PK on call PK on call PK on call PK on call
Pastor Bob will be on vacation—January 2019
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Northwoods STaR Ministries
W4950 State Highway 86
Ogema, WI 54459-8340
WORSHIP SCHEDULE FOR DECEMBER 2018
Sunday, December 2 1st Sunday of Advent 8:30 am Zion Brantwood 10:30 am Prentice
Pastor Bob leading worship (Communion) 9:00 am Ogema 10:30 am Westboro
Pastor Karen leading worship (Communion)
Wednesday, December 5
Special Advent Worship Service 5:30 pm Prentice Pastor Bob leading worship
Sunday, December 9 2nd Sunday of Advent 8:30 am Zion Brantwood 10:30 am Prentice Pastor Karen leading worship
9:00 am Ogema 10:30 am Westboro Pastor Bob leading worship
Wednesday, December 12
Special Advent Worship Service 5:30 pm Zion Brantwood Pastor Karen leading worship
Sunday, December 16 3rd Sunday of Advent 8:30 am Zion Brantwood 10:30 am Prentice
Pastor Bob leading worship (Communion) 9:00 am Westboro 11:00 am Ogema
(Sunday School Christmas Program—Westboro)
Pastor Karen leading worship (Ogema) (Communion)
Wednesday, December 19
Special CYF Christmas Service
5:30 pm Prentice (spaghetti supper following)
Saturday, December 22 Live Nativity in the Barn 5 pm at Palmquist’s The Farm
Sunday, December 23 4th Sunday of Advent 10:30 am Prentice Pastor Karen leading worship
9:00 am Ogema 10:30 am Westboro
(Sunday School Christmas Service—Ogema) Pastor Bob leading worship (Westboro)
Monday, December 24
Nativity of Our Lord—Christmas Eve (Communion) 7 pm Zion Brantwood 9 pm Prentice Pastor Bob leading worship 9 pm Ogema Pastor Karen leading worship
Tuesday, December 25
Christmas Day (Communion) 9 am Westboro Pastor Karen leading worship
Sunday, December 30 8:30 am Zion Brantwood 10:30 am Prentice Pastor Bob leading worship
9:00 am Westboro 11:00 am Ogema Pastor Karen leading worship
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$15.00 per single plant in a
6½” pot
ORDER FORM - First Ogema - 2018
In memory of / in honor of: (circle one)
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Given
by:__________________________________________
# of plants
$ paid
Make checks payable to First Lutheran Church. Drop this form with your check in the
offering plate or mail to the church office by December 12 (or call the office at 715-767-
5155)
First Lutheran Church
W4950 State Hwy. 86
Ogema, WI 54459
ORDER FORM - First Westboro - 2018
First Lutheran Church
N8909 Business Hwy. 13
PO Box 214
Westboro, WI 54490-0214
Make checks payable to First Lutheran Church. Drop this form with your check in the offering
plate or mail to the church, ATTN: Mary Wagenknecht by December 12. Or you may call the
Parish office at 715-767-5155.
(Mark your choice.)
I will bring a poinsettia to church.
I donated money toward a poinsettia.
$15.00 per single plant in a
6½” pot
In memory of / in honor of: (circle one)
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Given
by:__________________________________________