A good chilly Fall morning 5th Avenue UMC family and friends,

I greet you in Jesus joy on this Good Shepherd Morning!

My sincerest appreciation for your acknowledgement of Clergy Appreciation Sunday – each of you continue to provide committed affirmation of my ministry and a wonderful blessing to my life. Thank you!

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, I wholeheartedly recommit myself to Staying on the Ship – my call to Pastoral ministry, serving God and God’s people. The Shepherds protect and feed the sheep with the Word of God. We are servants in the Lord’s house. Pastors are the under-shepherd of the Chief Shepherd. When you hear your pastor speaking in worship, that is the voice of Jesus you hear through His called servant.  People of God, you are not following the under-shepherd (Pastor), but the Good Shepherd.

There is no greater calling than being an under-shepherd for the Good Shepherd. What could be better than talking about Jesus every day? Better than offering Christ’s forgiveness? Better than sharing Christ’s comfort with a person who’s sick? Better than deepening a person’s faith? Better than baptizing a baby or adult? Praying with overwhelmed parents or ministering to an out-of-work person or ushering a saint’s soul to heaven?

Yes, a pastor’s job is a difficult one. Leading stubborn sheep and guarding against the wolves and chasing down straying lambs is draining. But it is the divine comfort of God’s gracious Word that calms my pastor’s heart and allows me to close my eyes in peace at night. And the beautiful blessed start of every new day begins with the knowledge that I, your humble Pastor-servant leader, once again gets to be the under-shepherd for his Good Shepherd. That’s my humble calling, my absolute joy! Thank you for this awesome opportunity to serve you.  Let the people of God say – Amen!

Blessings and Peace,

Pastor Clarissa

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Bulletin – 21st Sunday after Pentecost 25 Oct 2020

Stay On the Ship – Good Shepherd Sunday Oct 2020

Devotionals -Ecclesiastes – Week -1 Oct 2020

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Rev. Clarissa Martinelli

Pastor, Fifth Avenue UMC

323 South Fifth Avenue

West Bend, WI

262.334.2059

847.721.1826 (M)

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. I am a child of God.” marianne williamison

TO:  Members and Friends of Fifth Avenue:

A blessed Sunday morning beloved people of God.

This is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it. Today and this week we celebrate the amazing gifts, talents, and discipleship of LAITY!

I am truly grateful for each and everyone of you, my Sisters and Brothers in Christ. I pray for you daily and hope that even in this pandemic you will hear God’s call in your life and not get weary or tired in doing God’s work here on earth. God does not desire for any of us to be perfect. Countless examples make clear that God calls and uses imperfect people to carry out the ministries God wants done. That’s fortunate, isn’t it, because if perfection were a requirement for being called by God and accepting the call, then none of us would qualify. In fact, God would have a very severe shortage of people to use as leaders. 

So the question is how do we hear God’s call? How do we adjust our antena with so many negative messages being transmitted so we can hear God’s voice calling us to love one another?  Will it be with thunder and lightning and voices calling down from heaven, as it was for Paul. Or will it be from a burning bush that is never consumed, as it was for Moses? Maybe not.   

The way in which we encounter God is going to be when we least expect. Like the disciples, God is likely to come up to us in the form of a passing stranger or a close friend. It was that way throughout Jesus’ entire ministry.  

Following God requires faith and commitment. If we have the faith to believe and we make the commitment, we can do anything. Ask Noah or Samuel or any of the earlier disciples what faith meant to them. Ask the early circuit riders of the Methodist Church in America what commitment to their call meant. Could they have survived the weeks traveling from town to town, in all types of weather, were it not for their own faith or their commitment to the Gospel message? Where would 5th Avenue UMC be were it not for those early circuit riders? 

So how will we hear God’s call?  There’s an old gospel song about Jesus calling. He does not call loud and strong but softly and sweetly; it is a call that does not go away easily. And just as God kept calling on Samuel, so too will he keep calling on each one of us until we answer that call. Will you answer, YES?

5th Avenue UMC Laity, may you be encouraged, energized, revitalized, and ready to serve God and God’s people. Amen.

Note: Ms. Alana will send out Ms. Ellen’s sermon tomorrow, 19 October 2020.

Pastor Clarissa

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Bulletin – 20th Sunday after Pentecost 18 Oct 2020

Oct. 18 Sermon – Ellen Johnson

Devotions 19-24 October 2020

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My humble appreciation for the lovely Frog Cookie jar filled with sweet notes of support and affirmation that can later be filled with the Hershey’s Kisses and Hugs in recognition of Clergy Appreciation Sunday. It is my humble honor to serve as you Pastor. My God richly bless each of you.

Rev. Clarissa Martinelli

Pastor, Fifth Avenue UMC

323 South Fifth Avenue

West Bend, WI

262.334.2059

847.721.1826 (M)

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. I am a child of God.” marianne williamison