North and East Michigan District Pastors' Conference 2010

Joshua and I attended a regional Pastors' conference at the beginning of May. The topic was: Youth Ministry: Our Failures and Our Future. It was a great conference! The keynote speakers were President of the Michigan District, Rev. Maier, and author Mark Oestreicher. Mark Oestreicher has written many books concerning Youth Ministry, but the one we focused on was Youth Ministry 3.0. If you are a youth worker we HIGHLY recommend this book.  We gained wisdom and encouragement from the speakers and breakout session leaders. We are looking forward to using what we learned. 


Not only was the conference a learning experience, but a great "networking" experience. We enjoyed connecting with fellow pastors and church workers in our district. Joshua was able to meet some of the wives Stefani met at the Katie Conference in April. 


We are really excited to see what God has in store for our Youth!


God's Blessings,


Joshua and Stefani

Our "First" Vacation

Joshua took his first Sunday off and we went on a road trip. 

We started in Dearborn, MI to visit The Henry Ford Museum. Stefani enjoyed the antique car displays. Her grandfather used to work on and restore antique Ford cars. Joshua enjoyed the plane exhibit as well as the cars. We didn't make it to Greenfield Village, but we hope to take a weekend trip to enjoy it. 

Hot Dog anyone?

The bus where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat.

 

Stefani driving a train. 

Our next stop was Cincinnati, OH.  We visited the Creation Museum and the Cincinnati Zoo. The Creation Museum was amazing! If you visit allow a whole day to enjoy. Joshua explained it as a Christian natural history museum. The museum is the vision of Ken Ham, a founder of Answers in Genesis. The following day we went to the Cincinnati Zoo. What a great zoo! Stefani was thrilled they had manatees, her favorite animal. Joshua enjoyed the white lions. 

                                   

This is Martin Luther at the Creation Museum. We were thrilled he was featured.

These are the grounds of the Creation Museum. It was raining so we didn't get to enjoy them.

Manatee! The zoo had two very young manatees. One was two and the other was three years old. 

 

Two male white lions. They are very majestic.

Our last stop was to visit Joshua's family in the Akron, OH area. The girls had a shopping trip with lots of good deals. Joshua and Stefani were able to worship at Zion on Sunday. It is a VERY rare occasion that Joshua and Stefani attend church together. After church we a lovely lunch with the Ketelsen clan minus John. (We missed you!) We headed back "Up North" on Monday. 

We really enjoyed sight seeing and getting to spend time with family. 

God's Blessings, 

Joshua and Stefani

Call Day 2010 Article

Stefani's parents and former co-worker passed this article on from St. Louis Post Dispatch. It explains Call Day well with some appropriate humor. Enjoy!

Lutheran seminarians wonder: Will God call them to a warm climate?

Bill McClellan
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Bill's Biography

BILL McCLELLAN

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

05/02/2010

The Rev. Glen Thomas had a devilish task in front of him. He was giving the sermon Tuesday evening at the Assignment of Calls service at Concordia Seminary.

This is a most drama-laden night for seminarians and their wives. It is the night they are called — assigned — to their first church. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has churches in all 50 states and Canada. For reasons that perhaps only Lutherans understand, many of these churches are in very cold places.

The LCMS is split into 35 districts. There is a Minnesota North and a Minnesota South, a Wisconsin North and a Wisconsin South. Meanwhile, California shares a district with Nevada and Hawaii.

So as Thomas looked out at more than 100 anxious seminarians and their equally anxious wives, he understood that most of them, despite their appreciation of a good homily, just wanted to get on with the program. Where would they be going? How cold would it be?

 

Yet if Thomas were to glance to his left, he could see assembled the officials of the church, including the presidents of the 35 national districts. Stern-looking men, I thought. Men who have looked winter in the eye and not blinked. Some of them had traveled a long way for this, and they probably expected a full-fledged sermon.
Perhaps recalling his own anxiety when he wore a seminarian's robe in 1982 — he was called to Mascoutah — Thomas opted for brief. He spoke of the joy the seminarians would feel when they fed the flock the pure spiritual food of God's word, but he kept the sermon light by building it around the words of Yogi Berra: It isn't over until it's over.

Then the Rev. Gerald Kieschnick, president of the LCMS, rose from the ranks of the church officials. He looked stern, but was not. He acknowledged that seminarians on the cusp of Call pay scant attention to sermons. I can't recall who was in the pulpit or what he said at my Call, Kieschnick said. I think he talked about sin, and I think he was against it, he said.

By the way, Kieschnick was called in 1970 to Biloxi, Miss. His wife, Terry, told me that her mother-in-law had leaned over and said to her, "That's where the hurricanes come in."

Then it was time for this year's Call.

The Rev. Robert Hoehner did the honors. He is Concordia's director of placement. In March and then again in April, he gets together with church officials and the placement director of the other LCMS seminary, in Indiana, to fit the men to the churches. Actually, not just the men. Hoehner and his colleagues try to take into account the wives, too. Some have careers or educational opportunities that must be factored into the placements. But in the end, a pastor goes where the church needs him.

Hoehner understands that. He was hoping for a missionary position in Europe when he was called in 1972. Instead, he was called to Linn, Kan., a town of about 400. The church lacked indoor plumbing. In fact, church officials were thinking of closing the church. They did not, and last year, Hoehner placed a man at his old church.

By the way, there are two tracks. A man can go to a small church and be the pastor, or he can go to a larger church and be part of a team ministry. Churches that are looking for associate pastors are allowed to interview candidates.

The first call Tuesday night was to a church in Ohio. Then Texas. Then California, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Louisiana and Minnesota.

Next up was Stephen Carretto. I had spoken with him earlier. He and his wife, Jessica, were hoping for Florida. After a seminarian's second year of academics, he does a vicarage — sort of a pastoral internship — at a church for a year. Carretto had done his at a church in Boca Raton. "It was great," he said. But he had been interviewed by other churches, as well, and had no guarantee he'd go back to Florida.

Now it was his turn. He was called to Boca Raton.

Another man I had spoken with earlier was Todd McMurry. He's from St. Louis and was a firefighter before going to the seminary. He said he was on track to be a solo pastor. His wife, Kristin, is an optometrist. They were hoping for an urban area so she could more easily find work. Also, no place too cold.

Now it was his turn. He was called to Brooklyn Park, Minn.

That's a nice-sized city, and it's close to Minneapolis. Not exactly warm, but McMurry was smiling broadly as he shook hands with the officials, and I recalled what he had said earlier. "God will use us for his purposes."

That could have been the theme of the evening. There was an undercurrent of good-natured laughter when one man was called to Juneau, Alaska, and another to Fairbanks. But there was an overwhelming feeling of excitement and anticipation as a new batch of pastors prepared to enter the far-flung world.

"We'll miss all of you," said the Rev. Dale Meyer, the seminary president, who was called to Venedy, Ill., in 1973.

Katie Conference 2010

Stefani attended her first Pastors' Wives Conference. It is called the Katie Conference.  For those of you that are not Lutherans, we will explain who Katie is...Katharina (Katherine) Luther is the wife of Martin Luther. Real complicated, eh? Therefore, we have a conference in honor of the first Lutheran pastors' wife.

The theme of the conference was "Building Each Other Up" based on I Thessalonians 5:11. The main speaker was Terry Kieschnick. Terry is the wife of the president of the LCMS, President Gerald B. Kieschnick. Our Saturday night entertainment was Elaine Bickel. If you ever get a chance to listen to her speak, go! She is hilarious! Our worship service was led by the President of the Michigan District, President David P.E. Maier. Stefani had the privilege of eating Sunday morning breakfast with him and his awesome wife, Pat. The conference took place at The H Hotel in Midland, MI. It was a very nice hotel. Stefani will be back there when she attends the North and East Michigan District Pastors' Conference with Joshua. 

One of the many ways the theme was carried out was through Legos. Lutheran preschools through out the state were asked to build table centerpieces out of Legos. They could be a Bible story or a representation of the theme. Preschoolers are creative! Here are few:

These are Lego dudes building a person.

This is a representation of the disabled man being lowered through the roof. This one won first place in our competition. Which was a $100 Visa gift card.

This one is the Crucifixion. Notice the cowboy criminals. This won second place and received a $50 Visa gift card.


Friday we had a Pajama Party complete with a slipper contest. Saturday we heard Terry Kieschnick speak. We had a some free time to explore Midland. Stefani, of course, went shopping. Saturday night there was a delicious banquet. Where Stefani said the prayer in front of everyone! After dinner and the entertainment, there was a meeting to plan next year's conference. Stefani decided to join. So, she will have a hand in planning for next year. 


It was great weekend with some amazing women. Can't wait for next year!


God's Blessings,
Joshua and Stefani

Stefani's 27th Birthday

We decided that after a long Lenten season that Stefani's birthday was the perfect time to take a day trip. We headed to Traverse City. We started out visiting consignment shops in the hopes of finding a bookshelf. Our mission was successful. 
Then we had lunch at a Chinese place. Here was our view...

After our yummy lunch/dinner we went to Target! Stefani's favorite store. She even took a picture.

There should be a beam of light shining on it. 


When we got home Joshua had some great gifts for Stefani. She received grown up coloring books. One of her favorites has patterns to color. Which can be made to look like stain glass.


All in all it was a great birthday!


God's Blessings, 
Joshua and Stefani

Easter 2010

Our Holy Week did not begin under ideal conditions. Stefani was so kind to have past on a nasty cough to Joshua right when Holy Week began. With the help of medication and lots of rest, Joshua made it through the week just fine.  The services went smoothly and everything fell into place nicely.

After years of planning to dye eggs we finally were able to make it happen. Stefani was tickled pink!

 Before

 After

On Easter Sunday we received a few invitations for dinner. We decided to take the Siebels up on their offer of a delicious steak dinner.  They live on Black Lake. We had to take a picture of the view.

The view of Black Lake, which is about 15 minutes from our house.  Beautiful!

We hope you and yours had a Blessed Easter! 
He is Risen!!!

God's Blessings,
Joshua and Stefani 

Scam Alert

This ad was found in a local paper here in Northern Michigan.

"Experienced Teacher needed to tutor a 13-yr-old girl, 6th grader. $50 per hour. Instruction can take place in my home or public library three times a week, with flexible hours, lessons should last about 60 min. Subjects: Math, Science, and English reading. If Interested kindly contact me bradsonandrewss@aol.com"

Then we found these....

http://www.cookcountynews-herald.com/common/classifieds/HELP_WANTED_025.html

http://www.27east.com/classifieds.cfm?category=1255

http://www.threeriverspublishing.com/TRP/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=228 

http://www.moorefieldexaminer.com/default.asp?contentID=579

http://www.harlanonline.com/classifieds/help_wanted/

http://www.scribd.com/doc/27731412/CSN-3-3-10-issue

The same ad! Found in papers in Iowa, Minnesota, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Downstate Michigan. Stefani personally contacted these papers and told them of the scam. Many are looking into and removing the ad.

Here is the email that was sent to Stefani by the "father":
"Hello ,
   
Thank you for the email, At present, i seek an experienced private tutor for my daughter in Math, English, Science and  reading tutorial. I would be happy to have my daughter under your tutorship, I have made contacts with my daughter( girl of 13 yrs) concerning the arrangement of the tutoring and it's pretty cool with her. Please advise on your fees (per hour/per day) depending on how you've rendered your services in the past. I want you to know I'm paying for 1 month ($50.00/hr) is what I have in mind, let me know if this is okay by you . I hope you understand this as total deposit to BOOK your services. Also am planning for you to tutor her 3 times a week, which is 2hrs per day, so get back to me with the total fee for the subjects and the days you will be available to teach her during the week. At present i am making arrangement with the school my daughter will be attending when she gets to United state as she presently stays here with me in United Kingdom (UK) she will be arriving in the states on the 18th of March 2010 and i want her to study more while there in the states because am planning a relocation for us, I took her with me after I lost her mother some years ago, that was a single painful experience in my life time .
       I want you to know I'll be sending you the payment inform of a check for the tutorials while I'll also pay tshe Nanny that will look after her in the state while i join her later on, so as soon as you get the  money/funds cleared you'll deduct cost of  tutoring for the month and send balance to the nanny that would be looking after my daughter in the state.
  
If you are ready and willing to accept the offer, which is in the best interest of my daughter and yourself, kindly send your full  information to receive the payment so it can be made out on time as she will be arriving soon , also I want you to know she's my only daughter and I love her more than I love myself , I would have accompany her if not that am in the middle of a big project. So I hope i can trust you with my life because she's my life and reason why i work, also i made a promise to her mom to take very good care of her and see that she has a very bright future, she's aspiring to be a Lawyer but her mom would have loved to see her in a doctor's suit ...I want you to teach her good morals and academic, also I want you to help me make her discover herself and follow the path of what her heart tells her to be, I want the brightest future for her, I truly hope I can trust you with my daughter and with the nanny's payment although my daughter is of most importance.
   
Thanks for willing to help, I will be waiting for you to e-mail me with the following details so we can make concrete arrangement very soon .
  
Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip code:
Home phone number:
Cell phone number:
Age:
   
Will be waiting to read your mail soon.

Very Respectful

Egnr. Bradson Andrews"


Joshua did some more digging and found that this scam has been running for about 5 years. They run the same ad and send out the same email. It appears they want a "money mule".  
According to Wikipedia a "Money Mule or a Money Mule scam refers to a type of online scam that involves the victim unwittingly transferring either stolen money or stolen merchandise from one country to another. Characteristically, it is from the country of the victim where the money or merchandise was originally stolen, to the country of the scammer."

After Stefani's "investigation" it appears that the organization targets small towns and small newspapers. Please pass this information along to any of your teacher friends whether they are "big city" or "small town". Thanks!

God's Blessings,


Joshua and Stefani