Music for Holy Week at LOTI
Dear Friends of Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church,
Today the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Germany are inseparable. From 1723-1741, Bach served as the primary organist or cantor in the city’s four principle churches, as well as the director of the Thomas Boys Choir School, and the chief musician of the city of Leipzig and prolific composer. His contract of employment was actually with the city of Leipzig and not with the church. Surprisingly, as much as Bach’s music flows through the churches in Leipzig today, and draws musicians and audiences from around the world, he was not the preferred candidate of the city of Leipzig when the former cantor died. Instead, Bach was asked to apply for the position and provide an audition.
After the death of Johann Kuhnau, the previous St. Thomas organist, in the summer of 1722, the City Council offered the music contract to Georg Philipp Telemann. When he turned it down, they presented seven additional candidates for the position as City Musician. Bach was the only one with a university degree. Still, he was not the preferred candidate even among the seven.
In January 1723, the City Council invited all seven candidates to write cantatas for performance at St. Thomas Church. Bach and one other candidate were invited to perform two cantatas each. For Bach, both cantatas were performed as a part of the worship service in February, one before the sermon and one afterwards. A press review of the audition at the time read, “On Sunday last in the morning the Hon. Capellmeister of Cöthen, Mr. Bach, gave here his test at the church of St. Thomas’s for the hitherto vacant cantorate, the music of the same having been amply praised on that occasion by all knowledgeable persons.” Bach, however, left Leipzig without hope for the position. It had been offered to the other, more preferred candidate instead. In a surprise twist, however, this organist’s employer, Ernst-Ludwig of Hesse-Darmstadt, refused to let his court musician go. Again, it was written in the press, “Since the best could not be obtained, a mediocre one would have to be accepted,” thus Bach received an offer to sign a preliminary contract with the City Council of Leipzig. Bach’s work was certainly not mediocre, which can be attested to by his audition work.
On Palm Sunday, April 13th, Dr. Kristina Rizzotto, guest musicians and the LOTI Church Choir will present BWV 22, Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe, Jesus Took the Twelve to Him,one of Bach’s audition pieces for the cantor position in St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. The work beautifully demonstrates that, in spite of the City’s reservations, Bach had mastered the composition of a dramatic scene, an expressive aria with obbligato oboe, a recitative with strings, an exuberant dance, and a chorale in the style of his predecessor in the position as Thomas kantor, Johann Kuhnau. It is a fitting and majestic musical beginning to our Holy Week services.
At 3:00 on Good Friday afternoon, April 18th, the traditional hour commemorated as Jesus’ death on the cross, Hymnus Angelicus, under the direction of Paul McKenzie, will offer a choral remembrance of Jesus’ crucifixion. Music often conveys the emotion, pain and mystery of the events that words alone cannot describe. This musical service will surely inspire you with wonder of God’s love.
Join us on Holy Week for these two special musical worship services. Then join us again on Easter Sunday, April 20th for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.
Peace, Pastor Arden Haug
Kenwood Elementary 4th Grade Kindness Retreat at LOTI
On Tuesday, March 25th, Kenwood Elementry School held their 4th Grade Kindness Retreat here in Fellowship Hall. The day was buzzing with enthusiasm, joyful music, sounds of laughter, connecting and kindness from sixty fourth graders and sixteen adults and high school youth leaders. We are delighted to provide space to our neighborhood school helping kids explore ways to share kindness with others.
Children’s Ministry April 2025
April 6th—First Communion Class after Worship
April 13th—Pancake Breakfast in Fellowship Hall
Easter Egg Hunt at the Parsonage
April 17th—Seder for First Communion Class Families 6:00–7:30 PM
April 20th—Easter Sunday No Sunday School
No Nursery Staff
First Communion Classes
Sunday, April 6th
10:45 AM
Thursday, April 17th
6:00 PM
First Communion Classes for our second grade and older kids will be held on April 6th with Pastor Haug after worship. Parents/guardians attend with their child. The second gathering will include children and their families for a Seder meal on April 17th at 6:00 PM with Pastor Haug as the second part of their preparation. Children will receive their First Communion on Easter Sunday, April 20th.
Palm Sunday Festivities
April 13th
Children will gather in the Narthex at the beginning of worship to prepare for the palm processional before going to Sunday School.
The Pancake Breakfast will be held after worship. Proceeds go towards the Luther Park Summer Camp Scholarship Fund.
The annual egg hunt at the Parsonage will be after the pancake breakfast
Summer Camp Opportunities at Luther Park, Danbury WI
For registration and details go to www.lutherpark.com (type carefully and use .COM to get to Luther Park located in Danbury, WI)
Cabin Camp: Completed Grades 1-6
Beginning Sundays: June 22nd, July 13th, July 20th
Campers spend a half or full week in cabins (with electricity, bathrooms and showers). They will play games, do arts and crafts, swim/boat in the lake, worship and sing by the campfire, build relationships, hear stories, and develop their faith. Full week campers will participate in a banquet and variety show on Thursday.Pastor Haug will attend Cabin Camp beginning July 20th.
Horse Camp: Completed Grades 4-12
Beginning Sundays: June 22nd, July 20th
All the great things of camp, plus horses! Campers will stay at Luther Park and be shuttled daily to Frontier Stables in Frederick, WI to learn all about horses.. After a day at the stables, campers will participate in the evening camp activities. Whether you’re new to horses or have some riding experience, our All-Skills Horse Camp is designed for riders of all levels. Beginners will learn the fundamentals while more experienced campers will build on their existing skills.
Grand Camp: Grandparents & Grandchildren
Sunday, August 3rd—Wednesday, August 6th
All the fun things of camp but with your grandparent or grandchild. Grandparent-grandchild camp is a heartwarming and unique experience designed to strengthen the bond between generations. Our skilled staff will lead the camp activities and games, while our fabulous cooks will provide all the delicious meals. Guests are welcome to freely enjoy the waterfront and recreation areas. Additionally, there will be staff-led worships, campfires, engaging Bible activities, and much more for everyone to participate in.
Camp Getaway: Families
Fridays—Sundays: June 27th–29th, July 11th–13th, July 25–27August 1st–3rd
Plan a weekend getaway this summer with your family and invite your friends too! These weekends are what you make of them – swim and use the watercraft in the beautiful Lake 26, participate in activities hosted by the staff, relax in the fresh air or just enjoy being at camp with your family and others!
Find more details on lodging choices and fees at lutherpark.com
Easter Flowers
Easter flowers will be displayed in the sanctuary on Easter Sunday and can be taken home after the 11:00 AM service or anytime the church is open during the last week of April.
The list of donations will be posted on the Christy Room door.
The Lenten Journey to Easter
Greetings!
Many centuries ago, on the gigantic rocks rising from the plains of Thessaly in northern Greece, Orthodox monks established the monasteries of Meteora. The Greek word Meteora means suspended in the air and this phrase aptly describes these remarkable communities.
At the end of the 14th century, Christian rule over northern Greece was being increasingly threatened by Turkish raiders who wanted control over the fertile plain of Thessaly which they finally secured in the second half of the 15th century. The hermit monks, seeking a retreat from the expanding Ottoman empire, found the inaccessible rock pillars of Meteora to be an ideal refuge. More than 20 monasteries were built on the rock projectiles, of which six remain today. Their sanctuaries were the resting place for important relics such as the finger of St. John and the shoulder blade of St. Andrew. More importantly, they protected the treasure of Greek Orthodox iconography.
During these centuries, the monks developed a school of icon painting, and continued an unbroken chain of Byzantine art. Using egg yolks, tempera pigments and vinegar, the monks replicated the images of earlier generations of painters. Icons of Jesus, Mary and the disciples were painted in the same style for hundreds of years. Many were created for each Sunday of the church year.
In preparation for our spring tour to Greece in the Footsteps of St. Paul, I would like to explore some of the icons that the Orthodox Church of Greece uses for their season of the Great Lent. Some of the icons and stories will be familiar, and some not at all. Still, the icons give us an insight into early Christianity and the purpose of the Lenten season. For Orthodox believers, the Great Lent was intended to be a workshop where the character of the believer was spiritually uplifted and strengthened. It was intended to prepare the faithful for Holy Week so that they could journey with Christ to the cross and be resurrected from the tomb.
I invite you to join us Ash Wednesday and 7:00 on Wednesday evenings throughout Lent. We mark the season with Marty Haugen’s Holden Evening Prayer and will explore the icons of Greece’s Great Lent.
Peace, Pastor Arden Haug
Children’s Ministry March 2025
March 16th— Tom Klein, uilleann piper, visits Sunday School
March 23rd— Luther Park Camp Visit
March 30th— No Sunday School~Spring Break
Tom Klein Returns
Sunday, March 16th
We look forward to our annual visit from Tom Klein. Tom will give a demonstration of his uilleann bagpipe to the Sunday School children during Sunday School on this day!
Lenten Devotions 2025
Pick up yours today!
…available at both Sanctuary entrances.
Donations Needed
This month’s most needed items include peanut butter, cooking oil, canned fruit, whole grain cereal and oatmeal, paper grocery bags and empty egg cartons. Joyce accepts all non-expired shelf stable foods. All donations make a huge difference.
Bring donations to the wooden cart in Fellowship Hall. We will have volunteers take them to the food shelf on Friday mornings. If you are interested in helping with transporting donations, please contact the church office.
joyceuptownfoodshelf.org
Drivers Needed
We need drivers to provide occasional transportation to/from church for our elderly members.
Please contact Pastor Haug if you are interested and available to help.
Easter Flower Orders
Due Sunday, March 30th
$9.50
$8.75
$9.25
$16.50
White Lilies, minimum 5 blossoms
Purple, red, or yellow Tulips
Purple, white, or yellow Mums
Pink Hydrangeas
Purchase flowers to adorn our chancel for Easter. Take them home after Easter services. Use the buttons below or the order form in Sunday bulletins. Note that Vanco pricing includes 3% processing fee.