Celebrate the Real Christmas!

Dear family in Christ Jesus,

Isn’t the Christmas season wonderful?! Sometimes it may not feel that way as you hustle and bustle to get all the cooking, the planning, the gift getting, and the gift wrapping done! It may not feel so wonderful when family is away or not getting along. It may not feel so wonderful no matter how many cheesy movies you watch on Netflix, TV, or from your old movie collection. All of those things can leave you feeling empty and exhausted.

However, this is why Christmas is still wonderful. Christmas is NOT the food, the events, the gifts. Christmas is NOT even about family or stories of holiday cheer. All of those can be wonderful blessings, however, they are not what the real Christmas is. Christmas is so much more. Christmas is a Savior being born for you. Christmas is about Jesus, God made flesh, coming to die for you that you might live. That is why the Christmas season is always wonderful, no matter how busy, different, lonely, or sad it may feel this year. A Savior has still been born for you. He is Christ the Lord. The real Christmas means you have peace with God, you have God with you, you have hope!

This Christmas season, take time to celebrate the real Christmas. There you will truly find reason to say, “This Christmas season is truly wonderful!” Or in the words of the angels, “Glory to God in the highest and peace to men on whom his favor rests!”

Make use of these wonderful opportunities at St. Paul to celebrate with your family and friends the real Christmas:

Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols Service - Sunday, Dec. 24 @ 9am

Christmas Eve Morning will be a lessons and carols service consisting primarily of prophesies that point to and describe the Messiah who would come into the world. These prophesies help to prepare our hearts to welcome the babe born in Bethlehem as our King and Lord.

Christmas Eve Children’s Service - Sunday, Dec. 24 @ 6:30pm

Christmas Eve Evening will feature the children of our congregation telling us the account of that first Christmas and what it means to us. This is one story that never gets old and must be told! “Today in the town of David, A Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord!”

Christmas Day Communion Service - Monday, Dec. 25 @ 9am

Christmas Day will give us a chance to delve deeper into what it means that God became man, the Word became flesh! What makes the incarnation of Jesus so beautiful, mysterious, and especially meaningful to me and all people? Coupled with this service is the Lord’s Supper, where we partake in the mystery of the God-Man for the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of our faith. 

Along the way, we will sing many if not all of your favorite Christmas and Advent hymns! Young and old will be reminded of how our lives were forever changed that first Christmas morning. Come celebrate the real Christmas with us!

May God bless you and yours this Christmas,

In His service,

Pastor Titus Buelow

“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Luke 2:15

Christmas for Kids - Saturday, Dec. 2nd at 9am!

Christmas for Kids

This Saturday, beginning at 9am, we have an awesome opportunity for you and your young ones to have fun and remember the reason for the season! Crafts, ornament making, Christmas story time and singing await for children and parents until noon! Food will also be served at about 11:30am. All of this is free of charge! This event is for children 5 & up, 4 and younger with an adult. 

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call us at 715-460-3148 or email us at saintpaulclintonville@gmail.com. To pre-register, simply click here that you are going so we have an idea of how many to expect.

Merry Christmas!!!

Advent Midweek Services - Wednesdays @ 6:30pm (Dec. 6, 13, 20)

Join us this December for three extra opportunities to gather together and meditate on the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is not about the tree, the lights, the gifts, or even the delicious meal and cookies... Those things are great! However, Christmas is about so much more. Christmas is about peace, true and heavenly peace! Because God was born on earth that first Christmas day, peace came to mankind! This is a very different peace than what the world gives. 

This year's Advent Midweek Series is going to meditate on the peace Jesus came to give that Christmas morning and how that applies to you. Here is what you can expect!

Dec. 6, Wednesday @ 6:30pm - "Peace for Eternity"

Dec. 13, Wednesday @ 6:30pm - "Peace in Poverty"

Dec. 20, Wednesday @ 6:30pm - "Peace Despite Conflict"

Please join us for these wonderful midweek opportunities to dwell on the "peace that transcends all understanding!"

Thanksgiving Eve Service - Nov 22nd @ 6:30pm!

Join us for a special evening service to give thanks for all the things God has given us. We are NOT very good at remembering to say, "thank you." We ARE very good at asking for things that we feel we need. Even when we get some of those things, do we remember to say, "thank you?" No... not very often. Let us use this special service as a way to take extra time this Thanksgiving to look back and see all of the things God has given and also to look forward at all the things God promises to give us tomorrow and forever. You will leave with a full heart, thinking about all that God has poured out on you, phsyically and spiritually. You are invited and welcome!

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

Trunk or Treat! This Sunday, Oct. 29, from 4-7pm

Community! If you are trick or treating in our area on Sunday from 4-7pm, swing through our parking lot and load up on extra goodies. If you need a bathroom break or a drink of water, don't hesitate to stop in and make use of our facilities. 

Members and friends, deck out your trunks and yourselves and join us to give a boost of goodies to those trick or treating in the area. This is a great opportunity to spend time with your church family and to represent our church and our Savior to our community!

Hymn Sing, Pie & Ice Cream Social - Sept. 24 @ 1pm

Join us this Sunday at 1pm for some good old hymns, pie and ice cream! All are invited and welcome to join us for a great afternoon of singing, eating, and fellowship. We hope to see you there!

Sunday School / Bible Study Kickoff: Sept. 10!

The first weekend after Labor Day we return to our full school year schedule here at St. Paul! After worship each Sunday we offer Sunday School for all ages and Bible Study for all adults. Both of these are perfect opportunities to make Sunday the perfect time to worship our Lord and to grow deeper in his life giving Word. 

To kickoff our normal schedule, we will have a special kickoff session where both the kids and the adults will together look at what the Bible says about how important it is to never stop learning and studying God's Word to us! After our kickoff study and games, we will have a potluck meal provided for all who stay to eat with us! 

Plan to join us, Sept. 10, for worship at 9, kickoff study and games at 10, and potluck meal at 11! You are invited to grow in the grace of your Savior with us!

A Return to Grace: New Luther Movie Showings Sept. 6, 7

This entertaining new film follows the great adventure story of Luther’s life, packed with political intrigue, kidnappings, secret hideouts, and life-or-death showdowns. At the same time, it's a story about the most important questions of life. "Who am I?" "What is my purpose?" "How do I get right with God?"

It’s a must-see for any lifelong Lutheran, and a chance to share the message of our Lutheran heritage with others. You have two opportunities coming up to view this new movie, one in New London and one in Shawano. On Wednesday, September 6 at 7pm, the movie will be showing at the New London HS Auditorium. Ticket cost is $5. On Thursday, September 7 at 6:30pm, the movie will be showing at the Shawano theater for $10 (For this screening, tickets must be purchased in advance at www.tugg.com/titles/a-return-to-grace or by speaking to Pastor Buelow).  These screenings are the perfect outreach opportunity—a chance to invite friends and neighbors to an entertaining event in our area.

This is the first time in more than 60 years that Lutherans have made a feature-length film about Martin Luther and the Reformation. Filmed in historic locations across Europe, this movie brings Luther’s story to life with exquisite attention to detail. It’s a way to strengthen our faith by revisiting the birth of the Protestant Reformation, and a chance to share that experience with others. 

Check out the trailer below:

50th Anniversary Service - June 18, 4:00pm

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Hebrews 6:19

Please join us in celebrating 50 years of God's grace at St. Paul in Clintonville! We are having a special anniversary service on June 18 at 4pm followed by a fellowship meal. All are welcome to join us for the service and for the meal afterwards. Help us give thanks to God for the hope that has anchored us for 50 years and will continue to be our foundation and motivation in the years to come! Our preacher for the service will be Pastor Bob Sawall, missionary, former shepherd, and great friend of the congregation.

Here is also an article prepared by Nick Boughton for print:

St Paul Lutheran (WELS) Celebrates 50 Years Serving the Clintonville Community

The year was 1967, Green Bay defeated Kansas City in the very first Super Bowl, gas cost 33 cents per gallon, and the Beatles were at the top of the pop music charts. Also happening in 1967 (though slightly less known) a small group of Christians put up the collateral to build a church named St Paul Lutheran on North Park St. in Clintonville, Wisconsin. Back then the congregation was part of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod and was under the leadership of Pastor William W. Werling. As we all know, a lot can change in 50 years. St. Paul has seen several changes in leadership, a change in Synod, and has endured tragedy. Not to unlike our country and the world. Through it all two things remain unchanged: God’s love for us and our need for Him. By God’s grace, St. Paul’s simple message of salvation through Faith alone by Grace alone through Christ alone has remained steadfast. Curious about St. Paul? Come join us Sunday June 18th as we celebrate fifty years serving the Clintonville community, everyone is invited! Our regular worship service is at 9am and then a special celebration will begin at 4pm with a festival service followed by a catered meal.  We would also like to extend a special invite to you, our neighbors and friends.  Exciting things are happening at St Paul Lutheran, we look forward to meeting you and to the next 50 years in Christ alone.

Midweek Lent Suppers and Service

Let's face it, we have extremely busy lives and we so often forget the things that really matter. When we do, we also forget the ONE who can help us deal with all the pressure and stress of each day and who also can point us confidently to our sure future in heaven.

That is the reason Lent is such an awesome opportunity to refocus our lives around Jesus and what he has done for us. Without him, everything else in our life falls apart. Lent is a special time, not for us to prove our commitment to God, but for us to meditate on the awesome price Jesus came to pay for our redemption.

To help us do that, we have midweek suppers to fill our bellies (one less meal to prepare at home!) with wonderful food. After supper, we have midweek Services to fill your soul with Word of God and God's beautiful promises fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Through him, we are forgiven, restored to God's family, and renewed daily for our everyday life.

Join us Wednesdays throughout Lent (Mar 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Apr 5) for Supper at 5:30pm and Worship at 6:30pm!

During Holy Week, join us on Maundy Thursday for worship at 6:30pm and Good Friday at 6:30pm as well! 

God will bless you through the time you spend with him in his Word!