Vol. 81 • No. 2 APRIL / MAY 2019 a publication of Kingo Lutheran Church The terrorist attacks in two Christchurch, New Zealand mosques ripple waves of lament throughout the world. Fifty-one dead and countless traumatized. Terrorism seeps into every corner of the world, even in unassuming New Zealand. We experience the tension between fear and lament; however, vigils across the world give rise to resurrection unity. Just one week after the attacks, New Zealanders observed the Muslim call to prayer, an act that the Al Noor mosque's imam, Gamal Fouda, told the massive crowd had left the country “broken-hearted but not broken.” Terrorists threaten to divide a nation through evil ideologies, but, as many religious and non-religious leaders remind, we are united through our common humanity, no matter race, creed, or status of citizenship. Adding to the countless vigils in the wake of the attacks, more than 500 people of different faiths and races gathered at the Islamic Society of Milwaukee’s Community Center on March 21 st to lament and hope. Too many senseless deaths have been committed at the hands of terrorists filled with hate. When one of us is attacked, we all are attacked. The time is now to disarm hate. (Continued on page 2) by Pastor Carolyn Sellers Rizzo R ESURRECTION U NITY We stand together and mourn the lives of 51 innocents killed in terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand mosques on March 15, 2019. Mucad Ibrahim, Sayyad Milne, 14 Khaled Mustafa and son Hamza Mustafa, 16 Naeem Rashid and son Talha Rashid, 21 Ansi Alibava, 25 Arif Vora and son Ramiz Vora Farhaj Ahsan, 30 Mojammel Hoq, 30 Atta Elayyan, 33 Syed Jahandad, 34 Hussein Al-Umari, 36 Osama Adnan Abu Kwik, 37 Kamal Darwish, 39 Haroon Mahmood, 40 Husne Parvin, 42 Mohammad Imran Khan, 47
Transcript
Vol. 81 • No. 2 APRIL / MAY 2019 a publication of Kingo Lutheran Church
The terrorist attacks in two Christchurch, New Zealand mosques ripple waves of lament throughout the world. Fifty-one dead and countless traumatized. Terrorism seeps into every corner of the world, even in unassuming New Zealand. We experience the tension between fear and lament; however, vigils across the world give rise to resurrection unity.
Just one week after the attacks, New Zealanders observed the Muslim call to prayer, an act that the Al Noor mosque's imam, Gamal Fouda, told the massive crowd had left the country “broken-hearted but not broken.” Terrorists threaten to divide a nation through evil ideologies, but, as many religious and non-religious leaders remind, we are united through our common humanity, no matter race, creed, or status of citizenship.
Adding to the countless vigils in the wake of the attacks, more than 500 people of different faiths and races gathered at the Islamic Society of Milwaukee’s Community Center on March 21st to lament and hope. Too many senseless deaths have been committed at the hands of terrorists filled with hate. When one of us is attacked, we all are attacked. The time is now to disarm hate.
(Continued on page 2)
by Pastor Carolyn Sellers Rizzo
RESURRECTION UNITY We stand together and
mourn the lives of
51 innocents killed
in terrorist attacks in
Christchurch, New Zealand
mosques on March 15, 2019.
Mucad Ibrahim,
Sayyad Milne, 14
Khaled Mustafa and
son Hamza Mustafa, 16
Naeem Rashid and
son Talha Rashid, 21
Ansi Alibava, 25
Arif Vora and
son Ramiz Vora
Farhaj Ahsan, 30
Mojammel Hoq, 30
Atta Elayyan, 33
Syed Jahandad, 34
Hussein Al-Umari, 36
Osama Adnan Abu Kwik,
37
Kamal Darwish, 39
Haroon Mahmood, 40
Husne Parvin, 42
Mohammad Imran Khan,
47
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APRIL / MAY 2019 the
When people unite in vigilance, thwarted is terrorists’ ideology of hate. Thwarted is the plan to divide and instill fear. Thwarted is evil. Hope abounds. In the wake of this terrorist event, worshippers of all denominations gathered on Sabbath days and proclaimed hope, peace, and love. We are God’s people. As the Apostle Paul states,
God claims humanity as his children told through creation texts, sealed by the covenant made with Abraham, and through Jesus’ death and resurrection into which we are baptized.
An effective way to disarm hate is for God’s people to stand together in vigilant hope and advocate for change (see the Pledge of Unity and Solidarity on page 5). Prayers rise to God like fragrant incense. Songs move us to restore peace. Sacraments are means of God’s grace for all people. The Spirit calls and gathers us together to disarm hate through loving each other, even the terrorist. God is God of resurrec-tion unity. No one is exempt.
(Continued from page 1)
Dr. Amjad Hamid, 57
Abdelfattah Qassem
Al-Doki, 59
Linda Armstrong, 65
Ali El-Madani, 65
Daoud Nabi, 71
Lilik Abdul Hamid
Sohail Shahid, 33
Syed Areeb Ahmed, 27
Ghulam Hussain, 64 and his wife Karam Bibi, 63 and
their son Zeeshan Raza, 38
Maheboob Khokhar
Ozair Kadir, 24
Hafiz Musa Patel
Mounir Suleiman, 68
Ahmed Gamal-Uddean
Abdulghani, 68
Abdus Samad, 66
Zakaria Bhuiyan
Muse Nur Asle, 77
Mohsen Al-Harbi
Junaid Ismail, 36
Mathullah Safi, 55
Abdulkadir Elmi, 70
Hussein Mustafa, 70
Tariq Omar, 24
Mohammad Omar Faruk,
36
Ali Eisa Houry
Hafiz Shuib, 17
Ashraf Al-Morsi
Ashraf Al-Masri
Abdullah Dirie, 4
Ashraf Ali, 58
“Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal
with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek,
a slave or a free person, a man or a woman.”
Galatians 3:28 CEV
A statement of unity from faith leaders, led by Rabbi Marc Berkson of Congregation Emanu El B’ne Jeshurun, standing in solidarity at the March 21st Vigil for New Zealand Victims.
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Pastor Visits
Each year Kingo Quilters make over 250 quilts that are donated to local hospitals. The quilts become part of the care given to patients and families experiencing difficult medical situations, even death. It’s not unusual for quilt recipients to send a note of thanks weeks or months later, expressing how valued that gift of com-fort was and continues to be. This is the story of how one quilt stitched together a grieving family and wrapped them in a story of resurrection love, a story of the Light of Christ breaking through the darkness.
Late fall 2018, the Church received a call from Julie. Julie shared that her mother had received a Kingo quilt in fall 2017 while receiving hospice care at Froedtert Hospital. Julie’s mother died a few days later. Julie and her two siblings cherished the quilt and the memories of their mother’s last days that it held. One year later, Julie and her siblings lost their dad on their anniversary of their mother’s death.
The process of cleaning out their parents’ home and sorting through clothing and personal items was draining. The three siblings were struggling through grief and letting go. Julie reached out to the Quilters and asked for help in healing — would the Quilters consider making three quilts for the siblings, incorporating fabric from the original quilt and her parents’ clothing? Quilter Evelyn Burdick took on the task. She met with Julie to select the pieces that could be used. Evelyn listened to Julie’s stories about her parents’ lives, then went to work piecing together three quilts with those stories in every stitch.
After several weeks, the three quilts were finished, and Julie came to quilting at Kingo to pick them up. She brought homemade cookies and a donation for the quilters in gratitude for the important work they do. Julie was visibly excited with anticipation to see the new quilts! As the first quilt was unfolded, Julie was overcome with emotion. Tears of sadness and joy and laughter flowed as she recalled stories that each quilt square represented, and amazement over the beautiful new life that was created by the box of old clothes and memories. Julie sensed that those quilts represented not only the lifetime of love and memories of her parents, but would also allow the siblings to heal as they were literally wrapped in love.
RESURRECTION LOVE
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Some of us are from the "clean plate" generation. Maybe that wasn’t always a good thing for our relationship with food, but very little food was thrown away. Today, American house-holds throw out 14-25% of the foods and beverages they purchase (How the US Manages to Throw Out $165 billion in Food Each Year, The Washington Post, 8/22/2012).
In 2008 Chris Capper was asked to deliver a box of bread to a church feeding the hungry. This simple act inspired Chris to begin a “food rescue” ministry, which eventually became Just One More Ministry. Chris is now the Executive Director, leading Just One More Ministry from that humble beginning to rescuing prepared food, fresh produce, and bakery and repackaging the donations to provide over 6,000 meals per month to 13 Greater Milwaukee inner city churches supporting pantries and community meal ministry programs. Food that would be wasted is put to use sustaining life.
On a recent brisk February morning, Kingo’s Ending Hunger Task Force and friends spent a hands-on, informative half day at Just One More Ministry. The group learned about the organi-zation and then went to work repackaging lots of food — smaller portions for individuals, larger servings for families. As one participant stated, “It felt right — and ‘green’ — that this food would help feed hungry people in Milwaukee. I wonder what God is inviting us to do here in the future?”
Considering the large amount of food that is wasted in the US, it is good to know that this food rescue ministry is taking place here in Milwaukee. Learn more about how you can be part of this resurrection life ministry at jomministry.org.
Understanding God of the Old Testament Wednesdays | 5:30pm-6:45pm | 7-8 weeks, beginning May 1st
The God of the Old Testament can be confusing. Sometimes God seems remote, angry, or even vindictive. Are these true perceptions? Are they simple caricatures? Or, do they reflect a true portrait of how ancient Israel understood its diety?
Understanding God of the Old Testament is a video series by FirstPresEDU, a ministry of First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. Taught by Dr. Ryan Bonfiglio, this series takes a close look at how this ancient understanding of God enriches Christian spirituality today. Conversation follows the video. No homework! Soup and bread supper served.
Food Focus The food pantry shopping cart is in the sanctuary the 1
st Sunday
of every month, collecting non-perishable items for Isaiah 55 Food Ministries at our partner congregation All Peoples Church.
April
• Boxed Potatoes
• Baked Beans
• Toilet Paper
June
Carolyn Bobke
Walt Chossek
Kathy Jeans Glaser
Lars Neilson
Garrett Smith
Pamela Wronski
May
• Tuna/Chicken Helper
• Tuna
• Canned Chicken
• 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner
Pledge of Unity and Solidarity written by the Islamic Society of Milwaukee recited at the Vigil for New Zealand Victims
We pledge to stand in solidarity with one another, to serve our communities and to stand against any attempt to attack or harm the well-being of any
community. We will not allow our spirits to be crushed or our commitment to be compromised.
We commit to celebrating our shared humanity. Solidarity between racial, ethnic, religious and other communities is what binds us together and inspires
us to move forward toward a more inclusive and peaceful future.
We pledge to maintain our houses of worship — all of them regardless of religious affiliation — as places of refuge, safety and tranquility.
We pledge to help this community come together, united across varying backgrounds and political ideologies. We pledge to reject and confront
hateful speech and political rhetoric that seeks to dehumanize, divide and isolate our communities.
We pledge not to be passive, indifferent or silent observers when we see or hear hate. We pledge not to be intimidated from
speaking out for the rights of the powerless in our society, the oppressed and those who have been victimized by hate or violence.
We pledge to speak out in defense of our shared ideals and values and to speak truth to power and evil. The call in our faiths to “love thy
neighbor” contains no limitation, boundary or wall.
We commit to embracing the humanity of one another, despite any differences that may exist in our beliefs, views, traditions or politics.
Where we disagree, we pledge to uphold the principles of civil discourse and dialogue, devoid of hate speech and disparaging language.
We pledge that we will not allow xenophobia, racism, bigotry, islamophobia, anti-Semitism or any other form of hate to cause us despair or hopelessness. We pledge to strengthen our resolve and our commitment to uphold what is right as we work to reinforce the diverse fabric of our community and country.
We pledge to vote and hold our elected officials accountable to the values we all share.
We pledge to educate ourselves, our families and our communities against all forms of ignorance and intolerance and to stand together,
united for peace and justice.
KINGO LUTHERAN CHURCH
1225 E. OLIVE STREET
SHOREWOOD, WI 53211
address label
(fold here)
Church Council 2018-2019 Mary Lou Zuege, President Aleta Chossek, President-Elect Steve Jacobi, Secretary Members-at-Large:
Eric Schubert Jackie Davit Lou Ann Madson Jeanne Larsen
Church Staff Pastor Carolyn Sellers Rizzo Carolyn Karl, Cross+Generational Ministry Jonathon Gideon, Minister of Music Maria Koester, Organist Danette Braun, Parish Administrator Jim Hooten, Maintenance Technician
Kingo Lutheran Church
1225 E. Olive Street
Shorewood, WI 53211 Mission: Kingo Lutheran Church is a community centered in the Good News of Jesus Christ and led by the Spirit to walk joyfully with our diverse world in living out God's life-giving inclusive love.
Sunday Worship 10 AM Office Hours 9 -2, M-Th | 9-noon, F
Committee / Ministry Contact Altar Guild Jeanne Larsen Book Club Dennis Larsen Capital Fund Appeal Walt Chossek Ending Hunger Walt Chossek Mt. Meru Coffee Kathy Hoth Gracious Spaces Troy Jacoby Kingo Garden Mary Lou Zuege LGBT Welcoming Sara Kruschke Bishop Luther Manor Aux. Viki Olsen Prayer Chain Ellen Greever Quilting Evelyn Burdick Sanctuary Arts Pr. Carolyn Sellers-Rizzo Stewardship365 Pr. Carolyn Sellers-Rizzo Ushers Dan Martinson Worship Planning Pr. Carolyn Sellers-Rizzo P
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14
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60
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