Where You Meet Your Savior and Find a Friend

News & Notes

Sunday Worship - 9:00 a.m. Monday Worship - 7:00 p.m.

www.portagelutheranchurch.org crossofchristportage@hotmail.com

Church: (608) 742-5609 Pastor Scott Schultz: (608) 617-8409

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Inside This Issue

Daily Walk with God 2

Pastor’s Article 3

Holiday Worship 4

Decoration Removal 4

Annual Meeting 4

January Mission 4

Epiphany 4

Stay Connected 5

EHV Bible 5

Thank You 5

School Calendars 6

Tuition Assistance Fund 6

NPH Item 7

WELS Websites 7

Committee Reports 8-9

New Members 10

Shut-Ins 10

Church Council 10

Thankful Giving Opportunities 11

January 2021 Issue

My Daily Walk With God

Jan. 1 Matthew 1 - 4 2 Matthew 5 - 6 3 Matthew 7 - 9:26 4 Matthew 9:27 - 11 5 Matthew 12 - 13:30 6 Matthew 13:31 - 15:28 7 Matthew 15:29 - 18:14 8 Matthew 18:15 - 20 9 Matthew 21 - 22:40 10 Matthew 22:41 - 24:31 11 Matthew 24:32 - 26:16 12 Matthew 26:17 - 27:31 13 Matthew 27:32 - 28; Psalm 69 14 Genesis 1 - 3 15 Genesis 4 - 7:5 16 Genesis 7:6 - 7:24; 2 Peter 17 Genesis 8 - 10 18 Genesis 11 - 13 19 Genesis 14 - 17 20 Genesis 18 - 19 21 Genesis 20 - 22 22 Genesis 23 - 24 23 Genesis 25 - 26 24 Genesis 27 - 28 25 Genesis 29 - 31:16 26 Genesis 31:17 - 33 27 Genesis 34 - 36 28 Genesis 37 - 39 29 Genesis 40 - 41:15; Psalm 1, 54 30 Genesis 41:16 - 43 31 Genesis 44 - 46

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Pastor’s Article

“We Can Be Certain Jesus Is Our Savior” How Can We Be Certain Bible Critics Are Not Correct?

Many of us had people criticize us without knowing the truth. At times, our parents or spouses yelled at us because they thought we didn’t do what they asked, when we did. At times, our bosses and coworkers criticized us for the work we did because it didn’t turn out the way they anticipated it would. But that was because there were factors and extenuating circumstances they didn’t know about. The reason people, including ourselves, do this is because they only see things from their perspective. This is true when it comes to what the Bible says about Jesus. There are many people who criticize what the Bible says about Jesus because they only see things from their perspective. For this reason, these people are often referred to as Bible critics.

In this monthly article entitled, “Questions About Christianity”, we answer questions people have about Christianity. Our current topic is entitled, “We Can Be Certain Jesus Is Our Savior.” In this month’s article, we will learn how we can be certain Bible critics are not correct by answering this question, “How can we be certain Bible critics are not correct?”

Bible critics are found in all walks of life. They are university professors, scholars, factory workers, farmers, friends, family members, and neighbors. Some Bible critics are members of Christian churches and consider themselves to be believers. They generally criticize what the Bible says about Jesus to prove their beliefs are correction when they contradict Bible teachings. Other Bible critics are unbelievers. They criticize what the Bible says about Jesus to prove they are correct for not believing what the Bible says.

One of the more well-known groups of Bible critics is the Jesus Seminar. The Jesus Seminar is a group of people who try to make Jesus relevant in today’s society. They say Jesus was just a human being and not God. They say Jesus did not actually perform miracles like walking on water, raising people from the dead, rising from the dead himself, etc. because science proves these things are impossible to do. The Jesus Seminar says the miracles Jesus performed, his death on the cross, his resurrection from the dead, etc. are symbols which are to inspire people today to live a good life, to be kind to others, to realize new potentials in themselves, to give them hope in times of trouble, and to give them the courage and strength to persevere. The Jesus Seminar misinterprets what the Bible says and quotes the Gospel of Thomas, Secret Mark, the Cross Gospel, Q, and other non-Biblical resources from the first several centuries A.D. to support these beliefs.

Unfortunately, people are always going to criticize what the Bible says about Jesus. This is because as sinful human beings we don’t want to believe what the Bible says is true. By God’s grace, we who are believers do believe what the Bible says is true because it is God’s holy and inspired Word. However, God has given us more scientific evidence than we will ever need to support that what the Bible says is true, especially about Jesus. The Bible was written over thousands of years and yet it does not contradict itself. The authors of the New Testament were either eyewitnesses of Jesus or who talked to people who were. These authors had nothing to gain from writing the books of the Bible. In fact, it only led them to be imprisoned, tortured, and put to death. The early Christians carefully chose the books in the New Testament because they were remarkably different than all the other spiritual books at that time. There are thousands of manuscripts of the Old and New Testament that have been preserved for thousands of years because people knew their importance. Archeology has revealed many of the places and events recorded in the Bible are true. The list of examples is endless.

Many Bible critics will claim we only believe what the Bible says because we see things from our perspective. However, the actual facts prove what the Bible says about Jesus is true and we can be certain Jesus really is our Savior.

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Decoration Removal

On Sunday, January 3 at 10:15 a.m., we will remove all the Christmas decorations from church. Everyone is invited to come and help!

Cross of Christ Annual Meeting

The annual Cross of Christ Voters’ Meeting will be held on January 31 at 10:15 a.m. following church. At this meeting we will approve the yearly calendar and long range plans, and the 2021 church budget. We will also elect new Church Council members. Please plan to attend!

WLCFS Christian Family Solutions—January Mission

Since 1965, the mission of Wisconsin Lutheran Child & Family Service, Inc. has been to heal and help people in need through the ministry of Jesus Christ. They provide:

Christian Family Counseling (Mental health care & assistance to WELS members) Helping Called Workers (Counseling & support to called workers and their families.) Educational Presentations (Presentations and work shops on timely topics.)

Member Assistance Program

(Services ranging from health and wellness to live online counseling) Senior Continuum of Care (A skilled nursing facility, two assisted living facilities, & retirement community apartments)

Holiday Worship Schedule

There are several opportunities to worship our newborn Savior this holiday season. The dates and times are listed below.

Thursday, December 31 New Year’s Eve Worship w/ Lord’s Supper - 7:00 p.m.

What does Epiphany mean for Christians?

The church season of Epiphany begins on January 6. The word Epiphany means “to manifest oneself”. During the season of Epiphany we focus on how Jesus manifested or showed himself to be true God and the Savior of all people.

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Stay Connected

Finally, as we continue to live in these trying times, the Cross of Christ Church Council will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic to see when things can get back to normal at church or if any further changes are needed. For this reason, stay connected to Cross of Christ on the church website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get important updates about worship services and other news and events. Regardless when things get back to normal, find comfort in your risen and ascended Savior Jesus who has forgiven your sins and who uses his almighty power to rule all things for the good of his people so we can one day join him in heaven. There we will all gather together and worship him in his presence safe and healthy forever.

Thank You

WELS Campus Ministry, a ministry of WELS Home Mission sent a thank you for our donation, which was directed to WELS-CMC-Campus Ministry Project Fund.

Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV) Bibles Available

A new translation of the Bible—the Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)—is now available from Northwestern Publishing House (NPH) and we have two copies in our church library. One is for signing out and one is for reference and will stay in the library.

More than one hundred people—pastors, professors, teachers, and laypeople—have worked on this translation since 2013, all under the direction of the Wartburg Project, an independent Lutheran Bible translation effort by WELS and Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) pastors and professors. About 40 WELS and ELS pastors and professors were involved in translating, and 100 people served as proofreaders and popular reviewers. “By the time it was done, at least ten people have read every book,” says John Brug, general editor and Old Testament editor. All are volunteers, except Brug, who worked full time on the project. The EHV aims to provide a balanced translation that is good for all uses in the church, according to Brug. This means it preserves traditional familiar Biblical idioms while also looks for better ways to say things that may be confusing in other translations. Being balanced also means that “sometimes you have to be a little more literal in your translation, and sometimes you have to be a little more free,” says Brug. “We tried to look at each passage in its own case and not have one rulebook that covered everything.” (from WELS.net)

https://wels.net/new-bible-translation-available-ehv/

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School Calendars

231 Woodland Beach Rd. Lake Mills WI (920) 648-2321 www.llhs.org

St. John’s Lutheran School 505 E. LaFollette St. (608) 429-3636 Pardeeville WI 53954 www.stjohnspardeeville.org

Tuition Assistance Fund

In order to assist parents in sending their child(ren) to one of these schools or another WELS school, Cross of Christ has established a Tuition Assistance Fund. The goal of this fund is to give $125.00 per child a month for 10 months each school year to the school their (child)ren are attending for their tuition. If you would like to receive assistance from this fund, talk to the Education Chairman. If you would like to contribute to this fund at any time, please mark on the front of your weekly offering envelope how much you want designated to go to this fund.

JANUARY EVENTS

Jan. 1-4` Christmas Break

Jan. 5 Classes Resume - 2nd semester

Jan., 20 No School - Warrior for a Day

Jan 31 Enrollment ends for all students at standard fee

Jan, 31 Pops Concert 2:00 pm East Gymn

JANUARY EVENTS

Jan. 1-3 Christmas Break

Jan,. 4 Classes Resume

Jan, 18-22 Winter MAP Testing (Gr. 1-8)

Jan, 22 Half Day of School; End of 2nd Quarter

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WELS Websites

www.wels.net The website for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. www.nph.net Northwestern Publishing House’s website that sells religious materials. Forwardinchrist.net The website for the WELS magazine Forward In Christ. www.whataboutjesus.com Learn more about Jesus, the Bible, how to deal with social concerns, etc. www.christianliferesources.com Stay up-to-date with important life issues and get answers to difficult ethical questions. www.lwms.org The website for the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society. www.goodsearch.com A search engine (comparable to Google or Yahoo) that donates money to the Wisconsin Synod when it is used.

Sweet the Moments Reflections for Women on Everyday Things

If you are a creature of habit, it's easy to get drawn into the routine of everyday life. We start to take things for granted instead of appreciating even the smallest moments.

The book Sweet the Moments is a collection of Bible passages, narratives, and poems that will remind you of God's presence in your life and will inspire you to live for him every day. From the ordinary to the extraordinary, see every moment of life as a gift from God. Sweet the Moments is an excellent choice for women who reflect on their roles as children of God. This book aims to share power, faith, and joy with everyone who reads it.

OL-121777 $11.99

You can place your order by visiting www.nph.net or call Northwestern Publishing House at 1-800-662-6022.

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Church Council December Meeting Recap

At the December Church Council meeting, the Church Council came up with the 2021 budget for Cross of Christ. They also reviewed the 10 For 10 Stewardship follow-up letter.

Evangelism Committee December Meeting Recap Current Members: Chairman Joshua Veglahn, Don Graham, Sarah Hochmuth, Dave Kreklow

At the December Evangelism Committee meeting, the Evangelism Committee met with a WELS woman from Illinois who will help their committee redesign the church website.

Fellowship Committee December Recap Current Members: Chairman Joshua Veglahn, Sandy Beimborn, Vi Burmeister, Joan Klappstein, Judy Trebatoski, Johanna Veglahn.

The annual Valentine event will take place on Sunday, February 14, during Sunday School. More details will be announced later.

The next meeting will be on January 10 following the Bible Study.

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Stewardship Committee December Recap Current Members: Chairman Scott Crosby, William Beimborn, Bonnie Dorniak, Dan Heckmann

Scrip orders are due January 10.

The next Stewardship Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 4, 2021 at 5:00 pm.

Cross of Christ Ladies December Recap Officers: Joan Klappstein, Sandra Beimborn, Jill Schultz, Judy Trebatoski, LWMS Reporter: Sandra Beimborn

At their December gathering, the Cross of Christ Ladies assembled Christmas gift bags for Cross of Christ’s shut-in members and the residents of Hamilton Park Place. Thank you to all who donated items for the bags.

We will receive new Befriend a Missionary assignments in January .

lMissions Risen Savior, Mansfield, Ohio (Pastor Brad Wright

These past few months Risen Savior has been reminded over and over again that God is in control. Many plans were made for the spring and summer and then came Covid-19. We learned how to do online videos. The remodeling of our church happened over the summer. The following months are uncertain for our nation but Risen Savior will continue to share the precious gospel. One member suggested using Isaiah 55:10-11. “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

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Questions or Concerns?

If anyone has questions, concerns, or comments about our church, please feel free to talk to someone on the Church Council because God has provided these men to assist you.

Shut-Ins

Elmer Glaeske Lois Plath

Marian Kreitzman Norman Stump

Margery McCluskey Lisa Vahradian

Julie Moran Audrey Zunker

Even though these members are unable to come to regular worship services, please continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Cross of Christ Church Council Members

Dan Heckmann President & (920) 992-5692 Financial Secretary Matthew Buchholz Secretary/ (608) 354 - 8708 Education Comm. Chairman William Eckert Treasurer (608 )742-2547 Chase Spillner Elders’ & Worship (608) 408 - 7105 Comm. Chairman Joshua Veglahn Evangelism / Outreach & (608) 697 - 6526 Fellowship Comm. Chairman Tim Scharenbroch Property Comm. Chairman (608) 742 - 2421 Scott Crosby Stewardship Chairman (414 ) 791 - 2567

New Members

John Gorsuch was accepted by transfer from St. John’s Lutheran Church in Pardeeville, WI. Please make John feel like a part of the Cross of Christ family.

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Newsletter

Cross of Christ’s News & Notes monthly newsletter will be mailed by the Sunday before the first of the month. If you have an article, meeting recap, note, or flier for publication, please either email your newsletter item to crossofchristportage@hotmail.com or place it in Sandra Beimborn’s mailbox by January 15, 2021.

If you do not wish to continue receiving this newsletter, please e-mail Cross of Christ at

crossofchristportage@hotmail.com or call the church office at (608)742-5609 and leave a message. Thank you!

Thankful Giving Opportunities

In 1 Corinthians 16:2 God encourages believers to give their first fruits as offerings in church in proportion to their income. Believers do this to thank God for what he did for them and to support the gospel ministry.

Cross of Christ encourages all of its members to give their offerings for these reasons. It also offers other programs for its members to give to the church above and beyond their offerings, which do not support our church’s budget.

SCRIP: We offer a SCRIP program where members can buy gift cards for many different stores. A percentage of the money our members pay is given to the church. SCRIP deadline is always the second Sunday of the month. Order forms are available at church in the mailbox labeled SCRIP. If you need help, talk to Jeannine Heckmann.

NPH Extra Rewards Program: One of the ways Northwestern Publishing House (NPH) can support the ministry of Cross of Christ is through the EXTRA Rewards Program. EXTRA allows NPH customers to contribute a portion of their purchases to a church or school of their choice. If you have not already, we encourage you to sign up for EXTRA. This program is free! For more information visit www.nph.net or call Northwestern Publishing House at 1-800-662-6022. Then, when ordering online, your EXTRA Rewards card number will be applied automatically. When purchasing by phone, simply give your customer service representative your EXTRA Rewards card

number.

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0010Hzv8TXnTjebALduk9OKw0RtUPn8SKBWoqBICa1Fe2wgXbjhaZ2wwKQnVXPj8k85x5PPxuGeHYiqZ233690fvKbF8qnDeEnvn8sm4Y6JdU8M0y47dShvq64NhaL-raOgvo4276dmlXc=&c=gGgEEc30Xwb_iFLswn_PAOlFVo9TzHjG5dSQ792xcOW-c04XB_hhsA==&ch=CeXFwieh_l1uL1jXmsw-_FM84http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0010Hzv8TXnTjebALduk9OKw0RtUPn8SKBWoqBICa1Fe2wgXbjhaZ2wwKQnVXPj8k85OZsvB8cKxLDSwfFR8QJDniKIDeEvWU9JwXnRAH88xWp_rPR_jLkFYbrjWpkU1O9sWX-MpqawIj0=&c=gGgEEc30Xwb_iFLswn_PAOlFVo9TzHjG5dSQ792xcOW-c04XB_hhsA==&ch=CeXFwieh_l1uL1jXmsw-_FM84tel:1-800-662-6022

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