St. John’s United Church of Christ Lighthouse Newsletter

April 2020 St. John’s on Madeline Island

Holy Week at Home

The holiest week of the Christian year begins on Palm

Sunday and culminates with joy on Easter. This year,

because we are showing our love for each other by

sheltering in place and maintaining social distance, we

will not hold our

regular in-person

Holy Week or

Easter programs.

Once we have

heard from the CDC

and State Health

Department that it is safe for us to be physically close

again, we will celebrate the resurrection mightily with

sunrise service on the beach, brunch in the fellowship

hall and Alleluias that raise the roof tops. In the

meantime, because we know many of you will want to

mark these sacred days April 5 - April 12, Pastor Rachel

is curating some ideas for "holy week at home." Please

watch your email inbox for more information!

Palm Sunday and Communion – April 5

Pastor Rachel will

present a Palm

Sunday and

Communion worship

service on Sunday,

April 5 at 10:00

Central time. She

invites you to bring

a palm, branch, leaf,

feather – anything

that represents the

natural world. To

share Communion

together, Pastor

Rachel suggests

bringing bread, an

Oreo cookie, or

other morsel of food

as well as coffee,

juice, or water.

To stream the Palm Sunday Communion service, go to

our website and click on Worship with Us to find this link:

https://stjohnsmadelineisland.org/worship-with-us/

Giving Thanks for All People

Below is an excerpt from

Pastor Rachel’s service on

March 29. These are the

Prayers of the People. They

highlight the extraordinary work

and glorious beneficence of

people in our community.

God, we pray for:

• those of you who pray, are praying mightily without

ceasing for healing for the world;

• those of you who write letters, are amping it up –

sending out notes near and far to help people know

they are not alone;

• those of you who organize and think systemically

are putting those powers to good to help us rethink

systems so that they can work safely and better in

our new environment;

• those of you who are artists are thank God still

making art and finding ways to share it virtually;

• those of you who teach are offering wisdom and

presence to students in new ways;

• those of you who are agitators and advocating and

interrogating our leaders so they continue to serve;

• those of you who have resources and are

discerning unbelievable creative ways to stretch

and leverage and share those dollars.

St. John's Celebrates the 50th Anniversary

of Earth Day

Join us for (online) on Sunday,

April 19 for a special worship

service celebrating the 50th

anniversary of Earth Day and

our sacred covenant to care for

creation.

In honor of Earth Day, your

Church Council has endorsed the following Earth Day

Proclamation written by clergy in the Chequamegon Bay.

Staying Connected

Dear Friends,

In the midst of this ever-evolving national health

landscape, I am working with your Church Council and

other Madeline Island leadership to develop resources

and programming for the needs of our entire community,

both near and far.

During a recent special Council meeting, we agreed that

at this time, our most important need is staying connected

– to God, to ourselves, and to each other. Please be in

touch with me if I can support you in any way.

Below is a list of outreach

opportunities available for all.

We invite you to use these

services as needed AND to

volunteer to help support

those in need.

Support/Resources

Caring Circle – a network

of community volunteers available to support islanders

in a variety of ways (e.g., meal delivery, errands,

creative solutions for companionship during these

days of social distancing, etc). Contact Gloria Fennell

(FENNELGL@uwec.edu or 715-456-9369)

Food Shelf – provides donated food stuffs and some

toiletries for islanders in need. Replenished regularly.

Open 24 hours a day, located outside Fellowship Hall

on lower level of St. John’s. New Covid-19 directive

limits us to pre-packaged products only; no fresh food.

(To help support this ministry please contact Michael

Childers michaelfraychilders@yahoo.com or

608-576-8426)

Phone Tree – a network for islanders to stay

connected and in touch during this time of social

distancing. For more information or to add your name

to the Phone Tree, contact Julie Stryker

(strykerjf@yahoo.com or 715-209-0417)

Pastor’s Discretionary Fund - financial support for

short-term, one-time emergencies for people in our

community. For more information or to help support

this ministry contact Rachel Bauman.

Programming

Sunday Morning Worship Livestream!

Sundays, 10:00 am

As always, we are live-streaming our worship service.

https://stjohnsmadelineisland.org/worship-with-us/

Your financial support

is especially

appreciated right now

when we are increasing

our outreach. You are

invited to make your

offering by online giving

or by mailing your gifts.

Here’s the link for

online giving. https://stjohnsmadelineisland.org/give/

Community “Office Hours” with Pastor Rachel

Tuesday – Friday, 2:00 – 3:00 pm

https://zoom.us/j/671422483?pwd=clhEQURLN0Mrc0

hTRHRuOHFNcG0yZz09

Come be in community (virtually) via Zoom. Join any

time during the hour, stay as long or as little as you’d

like. For more information or to set up an individual

appointment contact Rachel.

Centering Moments with Rachel via Facebook Live

Tuesday – Friday, 10:00 am

Join Rachel on Facebook Live for a centering moment

of inspiration and prayer.

Go to Facebook and search Rachel Bauman. Rachel’s

Facebook Live will appear as soon as she begins her

invitation to her centering moment.

Bible Study via Zoom

Fridays, 10:30 am - Noon

Join us via this Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/486508665

For more information, contact Rachel.

Serenity on the Rock AlAnon Meetings via Zoom

Tuesdays, 3 pm – 4 pm

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/256780222

AlAnon is a mutual support organization for the

families and friends of alcoholics. All are welcome.

Questions? Contact Rachel.

I am honored to be your pastor and blessed to be in

community with you. May you be well.

Pastor Rachel Bauman pastor@stjohnsmadelineisland.org

831-566-0353

https://stjohnsmadelineisland.org/

Rachel’s Column

Dear friends,

This is the message I want to send to you, over and over

again, during these complex and dynamic times:

God is here with you.

I am here with you.

We are here together.

Over these past few weeks, I

have been moved beyond

measure by the ways you all

have “been church” for each

other and our wider

community.

You have moved quickly and

nimbly to create networks of

connection and care during this time of physical

distancing. You have given generously of your time and

your treasure. You have transitioned (seamlessly it

seems) to connecting online rather than in person,

learning Zoom in order to participate in Bible Study,

Community Office hours and many organizational

meetings. You have shifted to attending worship online in

rather astounding numbers (150-200 people these last

couple of weeks!).

In addition, each of you is finding ways to use your

particular and unique gifts in service of the greater good,

bringing light and love and peace into these unsettled

and unsettling times. I am so proud to be the pastor of St.

John’s on Madeline Island at this time. You truly are the

love of Christ made manifest for each other and the

world.

As you continue to do the work of Christ and hold

compassionate space for those around you, I want to

encourage you all, to take very good care of

yourselves – this is, as we say, likely to be a marathon

and not a sprint. Attend to your bodies and your spirits.

Take the time you need to rest and recharge. Take a

break from the news and make intentional choices about

how you will engage in social media – paying attention to

what is really connecting and nourishing vs depleting.

And please don’t hesitate to reach out if and when you

are needing support. We all will have days (or maybe

even a series of days) when the amount of change, the

lack of face-to-face connection, the fear for ourselves or

our loved ones becomes too much. That does not make

us weak – it means that we are living open-heartedly in

the world.

I am here with you:

• to receive your prayer requests by text, phone,

email, or through our website

• to talk on the phone

• to meet with you via Zoom or in-person on the

island (in a socialy-distant walk together)

Lastly, I offer you this beautiful meditation by Spanish

Mystic & Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) set to music

and sung by the Taize Community in France. Video

images from the Taize Sanctuary during Ecumenical

Christian Worship.

https://youtu.be/go1-BoDD7CI

Nada te turbe,

nada te espante,

Todo se pasa.

Dios nose muda.

La paciencia todo alcanza.

Quien a Dios tiene nada le falta.

Solo Dios basta.

Let nothing disturb you,

nothing frighten you,

All things are passing.

God never changes.

Patience obtains all things.

Whoever has God lacks nothing.

God is enough.

God’s love and peace to you,

Rachel

Need Help with Livestreaming?

By Glenn Carlson

To watch our Livestream channel, go to our website and

click on Worship with Us, or click the link below.

https://stjohnsmadelineisland.org/worship-with-us/

You can also save this link to your Internet favorites: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/76AxbRFaCf2

As we fine-tune our new Livestream system, please let us

know if you experience any issues with the broadcast.

We are still experiencing occasional glitches on our end,

but far fewer than before. So, it's possible one of the

following troubleshooting tips might solve the problem:

Rachel jumps for joy knowing you are

“in church” via Livestream.

• If there's no image at all, or the website shows that

we're off-the-air, please check that the broadcast

hasn't restarted in a new window on the app. If we

lose our internet connection at St. John's, we must

restart the livestream in a new window. Sometimes,

you might be able to simply refresh your screen to

rejoin.

• If you can see the service, but not hear it, check

BOTH of these audio controls: the one for your

tablet or laptop, and the one in the broadcasting

app's window. Make sure they are turned up, and

not muted.

• If you experience moments of screen "static" or

freezing, it's most likely a buffering or bandwidth

issue at your end. You might try moving closer to the

internet router in your location. If it's a buffering or

memory issue with your computer, rebooting it might

solve the problem.

• If none of the above restore the livestream, you

should still be able to access the recording of the

service, which we try to publish immediately

afterwards. Please let us know if you're unable to

access the recording, or if you believe the livestream

issue is on our end of things.

Bible Study – Fridays, 10:30 am via Zoom

We are starting the book of Romans and also will be

reading together "The First Paul: Reclaiming the Radical

Visionary Behind the Church's Conservative Icon" by

Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/486508665

Lots of familiar faces at a recent Bible Study!

Stories of Our Hearts

A circle of conversation, Stories of Our Hearts, is

continuing to gather on Zoom at 5:00 pm.

https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/3776879538

Join facilitator Penny Gill

on Thursday afternoons

to share stories and

conversation about life

journeys and reflect on

what gives meaning to

our lives and how we come to recognize the shape and

direction of our lives. Come!

BAZAAR – Treasures Abound

It’s never too early to put this exciting event on your

calendar!

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6 & 7, 2020

And, if you’re sorting through closets this winter, make a

“pile of treasurers” for the annual Bazaar. Your donations

are someone else’s treasurers!

Follow St. John’s

Website: www.stjohnsmadelineisland.org

Instagram: @stjohnschurchmi

Twitter: @stjohnschurchmi

Facebook: facebook.com/stjohnsonmadelineisland

Streaming:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/76AxbRFaCf2

Website: www.woodshall.com

Full Moon Circle for Women

The next Full Moon is Tuesday, April 7th. At 8:00 pm on

April 7th (later than usual), let’s step outside, and light our

candles, look to the moon and say our prayers in

solidarity with all the women of the world. I am asking this

month, that we all gather in our own homes (or outside if

you can) and light a candle and first pray for ourselves

and then for the world at large as we continue to deal

with this unprecedented

pandemic that we all find

ourselves in. Scary times

indeed. But if we “hold” each

other in love and prayer and

support our family, friends

and neighbors in any way we

can, then we share

persevere.

It is the Full Pink Moon, so named after the pink flowers

known as Phlox that bloom in early Spring. In Ojibwe it is

the sugar bushing moon or Iskigamizige-giizis. We have

been sugar bushing on the island, though I can’t say how

much we will be producing given that much of our crew is

choosing to self-isolate.

The Full Moon Circle for Women is a time when we light

candles for all the prayers of women who gather in

person and in spirit. The glow of candlelight brings

healing and peace. Julie Stryker leads the monthly Full

Moon Circle for Women. Contact Julie at

strykerjf@yahoo.com for more information.

Handwashing: Our New Normal

Thank you to John Apitz for submitting this “Hymn for

Handwashing” sung to the tune of “Amazing Grace”

Amazing soap!

How sweet the smell,

That keeps our hands germ free!

Please wash your hands,

And dry them, too,

That we might healthy be.

We offer a few other songs for your hand-washing

enjoyment. Be well.

Tops and Bottoms (tune: Frere Jacques)

Tops and bottoms, tops and bottoms,

In between, in between,

All around our hands, all around our hands,

Then we wash, then we wash.

Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands (tune: Row, Row,

Row Your Boat)

Wash, wash, wash your hands

Wash them nice and clean.

Scrub them here, scrub them there,

And scrub them in between. Hey!

Wash, wash, wash your hands

Play our handy game.

Rub and scrub, scrub and rub,

Germs go down the drain. Hey!

If You’re Happy

If you’re happy and you know it,

wash your hands

If you’re happy and you know it,

wash your hands

If you’re happy and you know it,

then your face with surely show it,

If you’re happy and you know it,

wash your hands.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Look how clean my two hands are

Soap and water, wash and scrub,

Get those germs off rub-a-dub,

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Look how clean my two hands are.

The Soap on Your Hands (tune: Wheels on the Bus)

The soap on your hands goes sud, sud, sud.

Sud, sud, sud. Sud, sud, sud.

The soap on your hands goes sud, sud, sud.

And germs go down the drain.

News from St. John’s UCC Centennial

Celebration Committee

Here is your opportunity to use this time of "sheltering in

place" as a gift to our community.

We are going to update the 75th

Anniversary "A Short Historical

Sketch and Memories of St. John's

UCC" (1996) and publish it for the

Centennial Celebration in 2021.

So...we need your help.

Our former pastor, Marina Lachecki, has offered to work

on this project, as she created the first sketch. Over 40

people contributed to the last project. Can you help?

Your assignment:

Write a paragraph

describing a memory (or

two or three) you have

of your involvement with

St. John’s.

Your memories can include special services or events,

family anecdotes, what drew you to come to St. John's.

Tell us the decade or year of the memory, and add your

name, and address.

All ages are welcome to submit...from elementary to

elderly. A great family project for this next month!

Send your reflections to Marina

at: mdlachecki@gmail.com by May 31, 2020.

St. John’s wishes you a happy (virtual) Easter

The Tenacity of Trees

By Bill Green

These incredible photos prove the results of tenacity.

They show us that when one is determined to survive and

persist, despite impediments, then, we can do it. Nature

is telling us what we can accomplish when we are

determined.

A Place of Enchantment

Tree Roots Spill Over Sidewalk

Palm Tree Fell Over and Curved Right Back Up

Click HERE to see more amazing trees.

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St. John’s United Church of Christ

P. O. Box 14

Madeline Island

La Pointe, Wisconsin 54850

(715) 747-3945

St. John’s on Madeline Island ~ Celebrating 100 years in 2021

Photo credit: Bill Green

No matter where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.

St. John’s is a Christ-centered church and a spiritual center that welcomes all.

NON-PROFIT

ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID Permit No.1

LaPointe, WI 54850