Call updates
Minister for Nurture Mark Kjenstad returned his call to serve as principal of Salem Lutheran School in Greenfield, Minnesota. He says, “Jessica and I are pleased to continue serving in God’s ministry at St. Andrew, which includes Westside Christian. God made it clear that his plan is for us to remain here. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Please say a prayer that God would soon fill the vacant position at Salem Lutheran.”

St. Andrew has extended a call to Hannah Zabel to serve as 5^th grade teacher at Westside Christian School. She currently serves at Nebraska Lutheran High School in Waco as a dorm supervisor and social studies instructor.

Pastor Andrew Stuebs was called to serve as our Pastor for Outreach. He currently serves at Living Word Lutheran Church in Johnson City, Tennessee. His acknowledgement letter is below.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ at St. Andrew in Middleton, Wisconsin,

Grace, Mercy, and Peace.

On Sunday, April 12, I was humbled to receive a divine call from your congregation to serve as your pastor. With Isaiah I acknowledge that “I am a man of unclean lips.” It is only through the grace and mercy of God that I can serve. It is also humbling to know the amount of time and prayer that went into the decision of your congregation to extend this divine call to me.

In the coming weeks, I look forward to conversations with your leadership, as well as the leadership team here at Living Word.

As I deliberate these calls from the Lord, I ask for your patience and prayers. Please keep myself and my family in these prayers, as well as the people of Living Word in Johnson City, Tennessee. I will remember you in mine.

Serving with you in Jesus,
Pastor Andrew Stuebs

Construction update
Ceiling grids are almost complete, and we have functioning lights in most rooms in the new addition. Cabinetry and countertops arrive this week and will be installed soon. With the nice weather, exterior site work has resumed. You’ll soon see landscaping begin around the new church and sidewalks poured.

Upcoming move
After our last worship services in our current sanctuary on May 17, comes the first big move of the summer. After worship on May 17 and throughout that entire week we will need to move everything out of the sanctuary, Soul Café, Cry Room, and hallway. Stay tuned for ways you can get involved. If you are interested in helping to lead this effort, please reach out to Minister of Worship Naomi Laabs.

A Place of Peace giving
Giving can be set up like other offerings. Go to “Give” at the website, and you can set up a one-time or recurring gift. Choose “A Place of Peace” as the “Fund.” If using a check, please put “A Place of Peace” in the memo line. If using St. Andrew offering envelopes, use the designation “Ministry Expansion.”

Even if you didn’t make a formal pledge, you can still give. Every bit helps, as St. Andrew will still carry some debt, and the less debt, the more ministry.

Adult Choir
Join your voice with others as we give thanks for all the blessings God showered upon St. Andrew in our current sanctuary. The Adult Choir will sing for our final services in that space on Sunday, May 17. Rehearsals will be Wednesdays April 29 and May 6 & 13 at 7 PM in the Soul Café. Questions? Contact Minister of Worship Naomi Laabs.

Good Shepherd Sunday
Young, old, and in-between, we are all little lambs of the Good Shepherd. Good Shepherd Sunday is April 26. Join the flock for church-wide fellowship from 9:00 – 10:30 AM. Visit the sheep pen out front and enjoy food and drink. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Worship check-in
If you worship on-site, please fill out the Connection Card attached to your worship folder. Online worshipers, please continue to check in here.

Weekend worship songs
Preview some of the songs we will use for worship on Sunday. Obviously ours won’t sound exactly like this, but listening to the links provided will certainly help you be more comfortable participating in the service.

“Jesus Christ Is Risen today” arranged by Lifeway Worship
“Great Things” by Phil Wickham
“Hymn of Heaven” by Phil Wickham
“In Christ Alone” by Keith Getty, Stuart Townend

40 Weeks with the Word
A new church-wide Bible-reading plan will begin May 6. We will spend 40 Weeks in the Word together. Find more information and sign up with this link. You can also sign up in the atrium. Minister for Nurture Mark Kjenstad can answer your questions. Remember, spending time in the Word is the last thing Satan wants you to do. That alone makes time in the Word time well spent.

Grow in Grace
The Bible doesn’t answer all questions about hell or heaven, but it certainly is not silent on either one. Hell and Heaven is our next Grow in Grace. We will spend a week on each topic exploring what God reveals about hell and what God reveals about heaven. Both destinations are real. Both destinations are mysterious. Both destinations are important to know about. Join us in the sanctuary at 9:30 on May 10 and May 17 for Grow in Grace.

Forward in Christ
The April issue of Forward in Christ is in the atrium. Each month, FIC offers wonderful Scripture-based articles on timely and relevant topics. Please help yourself. In this month’s issue you will find the following topics:

• We have nothing to fear in death.
• How to talk about tough topics (like illegal immigration) with your teen
• A look at Lutheranism in the Unted States

Impact
God declared that blood must be shed for sins to be forgiven, and then he sent Jesus to do just that. Hebrews 9 – 10 are before us this week with Pastor Greg Lyon from Wisconsin Lutheran College as our guest. You can listen to Impact here or by searching for “Kjenstad Impact” wherever you listen to podcasts.

PowerHour
The next PowerHour is Friday, April 17, with a theme of “April Showers”. PowerHour is for parents and their young children. It begins at 10:15 AM in the St. Andrew gym. For more information on PowerHour, click here.

Service opportunity | Brat Fest
St. Andrew will be a Brat Fest 2026 charity. Volunteers interact with the community and earn donations toward St. Andrew mission trips and/or the teen youth rally. Every day May 19 – 25 has many opportunities for individuals, families, or Growth Groups. Sign up here and then please let Pastor Clinton know your shift.

Service opportunity | baptism blankets
Since 2007, St. Andrew has a tradition of giving baby blankets to our youngest members at their baptisms as a keepsake of their special day and a reminder that they are a redeemed child of God. In addition, the group makes a baby blanket donation to the Care Net Pregnancy Center, a local organization that supports women with unexpected pregnancies. More recently, lap blankets have been made for homebound members of St. Andrew. If you would like to join this ministry, contact Lois Solverud for more information.

LWMS Capitol Circuit Spring Rally | April 18
This event will be held at Eastside Lutheran Church in Madison, 8:30 AM – noon, with lunch to follow. There will be a presentation by Pastor Daniel Simons of Ascension Lutheran Church in Macomb, Michigan. No cost and no advance registration needed. Contact Amanda Taticek for more information.

LWMS Convention coming to Madison
The 63^rd Annual Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society Convention is June 25 – 28 in Madison at Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center. It features workshops, devotions, fellowship, and much more. There will also be many opportunities to serve both before and during; if you are interested in serving, please contact Amanda Taticek. Visit 63.lwms.org for more information about the convention.

Monthly Mission Partner
Our April partner is Central Africa Medical Mission, a ministry that uses needed medical care as a bridge to the gospel of Jesus, primarily in Zambia and Malawi. Find more information and lots of exciting news about this ministry at camm.us.