Principal’s Pen: Oh so relevant

Some say, “Christianity is irrelevant!”

They believe that the Church’s primary mission is to solve humankind’s ills. So, when it does not address and resolve hunger, disease, war, and other earthly problems, they label Christianity as “irrelevant.”

Sin is the root of life’s problems. Evil forces—including our flesh—continually foster sin. James writes, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (James 4:1). Moses directly states that the “inclination of the thoughts of the human heart [is] only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5). We are naturally selfish. Our interests lie within. We place ourselves first thinking we are always correct. After all, it’s easy to point out life’s problems until we realize that we are the cause.

Some assume that Christianity will solve every earthly trouble. They think that God should destroy sin at their whim. When he doesn’t, they declare that he is uncaring, unknowing, and irrelevant.

We know that God does great things. He fed 5,000. He brought two million Israelites safely through the Red Sea. He raised Lazarus. He saves you, me, and all believers. Still, he did (and does) these things in his own way at his own time to glorify his name.

Throughout Scripture, God instructs us to wait patiently. “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14). “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Eccl. 3:1). “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand” (John 13:7).

God has a plan for everything, including life’s problems. His solutions are timely and relevant. After all, they “transcend all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Really, Christianity is relevant!

Jim Grasby is principal of Lakeside Lutheran High.
Reach him at 920.648.2321 or jgrasby@llhs.org

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“Volley for Hope” benefits Tomorrow’s Hope

Members of the Warrior Varsity, JV and JV2 volleyball teams hosted Volley for Hope on September 25 and raised more than $3,000 for Tomorrow’s Hope, a nonprofit that supports local health care organizations.

The Lakeside Lutheran High School volleyball teams and a crew of parent and other volunteers raised $3,010.50 for Tomorrow’s Hope on the evening of their conference match against Luther Preparatory School on September 25. The event, called “Volley for Hope,” raised funds through a raffle and concessions as well as a variety of sales: mums, t-shirts and a bake sale, run by students from St. Paul, Lake Mills. The night also featured Lutheran grade school volleyball teams from surrounding communities.

Tomorrow’s Hope, headquartered in Jefferson, is a non-profit that supports local health care organizations who help those touched by Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other life-limiting illnesses. They also foster health-related research, education, and support activities. A gallery of photos from the evening can be viewed and downloaded from llhs.smugmug.com/Sports/Volley-for-Hope-2018

Homecoming celebrations planned

Lakeside Lutheran High School announces its Homecoming activities and events for 2018, beginning with all-school activities on Monday, September 24 and ending with a dance on campus the evening of Saturday, September 29.

Members of the Lakeside Lutheran 2018 Homecoming Court include (couples from left) freshmen Aaron Fritz, Middleton, and Lydia Bilitz, Madison; senior reps Lucas Schneider, Waterloo, and Madelynn Klug, Ixonia; King and Queen Carter Buchta, Ixonia, and Alyssa Fischer, Watertown; junior reps Maximus Bennett, Fort Atkinson, and Maria Saavedra, Watertown; and sophomore representatives Nathan Chesterman, Sun Prairie, and Emma Strohm, Watertown.

The 2018 Homecoming Court includes two representatives from each of the freshman, sophomore and junior classes, and four representatives from the senior class. Members of the court include freshmen representatives Aaron Fritz, Middleton, and Lydia Bilitz, Madison; sophomore representatives Nathan Chesterman, Sun Prairie, and Emma Strohm, Watertown; junior reps Maximus Bennett, Fort Atkinson, and Maria Saavedra, Watertown; senior reps Lucas Schneider, Waterloo, and Madelynn Klug, Ixonia; and King Carter Buchta, Ixonia, and Queen Alyssa Fischer, Watertown.

Lakeside will celebrate homecoming with student activities throughout the week of September 24-28, both during the school day and after school.  The theme for this year is “Decades.” Each class has been assigned to decorate halls, doors and windows and create class floats and videos according to styles, trends and sayings associated with certain decades, including the ‘20s for the freshmen, the ‘50s for sophomores, the ‘80s for juniors and the ‘60s for seniors. Students will decorate the school throughout the week as well as participate in class competitions.

After a 5:00 p.m. parade Friday through downtown Lake Mills, the varsity football team plays Lake Mills High School at 7 p.m. The Warrior Marching Band and the Dance Team perform halftime routines. A semi-formal dance is planned for Saturday evening on the Lakeside campus beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Activities include:

Monday, 9/24: Senior Friend Day | PJ Day | Dodgeball | JV Football game v. LPS 5 pm

Tuesday, 9/25: Crazy Dress-up Day | Musical Chairs | Soccer at Columbus | Home Volleyball match v. LPS, including “Volley for Hope” fundraising bake sale, raffles and other activities that will raise funds for Tomorrow’s Hope

Wednesday, 9/26: Class Workday to complete decoration of school in the morning with banners, hallway murals, window and door banners | Powder Puff Football | Boys Volleyball | Talent Show 1:50-3 pm

Thursday, 9/27: Decades dress (students dress in styles from assigned class decades) | Handball | JV2 Football at LPS

Friday, 9/28: Dress Warrior Wear | Pep Rally | Downtown parade 5 PM | Alum Zone in East Gym 5:30-7 PM  | Football game v. Lake Mills 7 PM | Dance team, Marching Band Field show at halftime

Saturday, 9/29: Semi-formal dance at Lakeside 7:30-10:30 PM

Principal’s Pen: Living Prayers

Nearly everyone knows the Lord’s Prayer. It is the model on what to pray.

However, in the verses preceding the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us how to pray.

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:7-8).

Our Savior makes two points. First, prayer does not have to be lengthy and ornate. The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 is just 53 words in four sentences. Not only is it simple and to-the-point, but it comes directly from Jesus.

Secondly, Jesus teaches that prayer is not an if, but a when – as in, “And when you pray.” God rescued us from our sinfulness when we did everything possible to fight him. We did nothing to deserve his grace and mercy. Yet, he bought us back from sin, death, and Satan with his holy life. As his redeemed children, we now have the freedom to pray to him. God knows us and he knows our needs. He loves us and he continues to do so even when we fail. He even encourages us to address him “our Father” (Matthew 6:9).

Prayer is not dry and sterile. It is living and enriching. Through it, we speak with him “who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope”
(2 Thessalonians 2:16).

God, give us lives of active and meaningful prayer.

Jim Grasby is principal of Lakeside Lutheran High. Reach him at 920.648.2321 or jgrasby@llhs.org

LLHS ready to begin ’18-19 school year

Lakeside Lutheran High School will open its doors to incoming freshmen on Friday, August 17, 2018. Freshmen begin their school year a day early to get a chance to learn their schedules, meet other incoming freshmen and explore co-curricular opportunities. Classes begin for 427 students on Monday, August 20. That’s an increase of 22 from the close of the 17-18 school year, a 5% increase. This is also a 22.7% increase in the past five years.

The theme for the 2018-19 school year commemorates the 60 years completed as a ministry with the phrase, “Decades of Faithfulness” that invokes Psalm 86: 11: “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” The theme will be a focus in devotions and other events throughout the anniversary year.

The Opening Service and installation of new faculty will take place as part of the first day’s events on August 20 at 10 a.m. in the west gymnasium. Pastor Timothy Schwartz from Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Columbus will offer the devotion during this special chapel service. The community is invited to attend.

Lakeside Lutheran faculty number 35 for the 2018-19 school year, including back row, from left: Damon Tracy, Science; Hannah Uher, Science; Ruth Hirschfeld, Director of Extended Learning; Pastor Mark Toepel, World Languages; Jenny Krauklis, PhyEd, Math; Phil Dretske, Math, Computers. Second row from top, L-R: Pastor Clark Schultz, Religion; Jim Buege, Director of Choirs, English; Nate Sievert, PhyEd, Math; Phyllis Huska, Librarian; Darice Brumm, Extended Learning Aide; Pastor Don Schultz, Assistant Principal, Religion. Middle row, L-R: Jeff Meske, Career and Technical Education; Lori Tetzlaff, Art; Glen Pufahl, Director of Bands, English; Nathan Koerber, World Languages; Cameron Ausen, Social Studies; Steve Lauber, Director of Admissions, English. 2nd row up, L-R: Tim Matthies, Math;  Matt Doering, Social Studies; Justin Vanderhoof, English, Social Studies; Pastor Mike Helwig, Religion; Dan Kuehl, Director of Instruction, English; Todd Hackbarth, Math, Videography. Front row, from left: Jodie Schommer, English; Andy Asmus, Social Studies; Andrew Willems, Technology Director, STEM Academy, Computer Science; Sandi Corlett, FACS, Health; James Grasby, Principal, Religion; Paul Bauer, Science, Math. Missing are Kirk DeNoyer, Activities Director, PhyEd; Pastor Chris Koschnitzke, Religion; Andy Rosenau, Guidance Director, Computer Science; Gerry Walta, World Languages.  

New faculty that will be installed include Mr. Nathan Sievert, instructor in the Math and Phy Ed departments, as well as basketball and track coach. He and his family moved to the area from St. Joseph, Michigan, where he taught at Grace Lutheran School. Mrs. Hannah Uher, who will teach Science and coach soccer and cross country, is a December 2017 graduate of Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn. She double majored in Secondary Chemistry and Life Science Education. Pastor Michael Helwig served at Crown of Life, Hubertus, for the past 15 years. He will be teaching Religion and coordinate Operation Go, a mission-minded program to help LLHS students share the gospel. Also being installed is Justin Vanderhoof, who taught at Martin Luther School, Neenah, Wis., for the past 15 years. He will teach English and geography, as well as coach football and track.

Along with several new faces this fall, Lakeside Lutheran is in its inaugural year of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Academy, a special program for students interested in taking engineering or biomedical sciences in their post-secondary education. The Academy is designed to add classes yearly as the first-year cohort ages through the school using Project Lead the Way (PLTW) curriculum. The first year class, Introduction to Engineering Design (IED), will be facilitated by Technology Director Andrew Willems.

Lakeside Lutheran High School is a four-year high school located in Lake Mills, operated and supported by a federation of 31 congregations affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. For additional information about Lakeside, log on to www.llhs.org or call 920-648-2321 and ask for Principal James Grasby.

Principal’s Pen: Stop squirming

“Stop squirming!” How many times have you said that, witnessed someone saying it, or wished someone would say it—perhaps to a restless child or two? Some may even recall hearing those words directed at them.

God also says, “Stop squirming!” The psalmist writes, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Although our circumstances may differ from those of a fidgeting child, the message has a similar intent.

Life often distracts us from our true purpose to “love the Lord [our] God with all [our] heart and with all [our] soul and with all [our] strength and with all [our] mind” (Luke 10:27). We frequently live life, not considering the consequences of our actions. When we focus only on the here-and-now, it is only a matter of time before we begin “squirming” after the world’s allurements. Soon we find ourselves completely drawn away from our true purpose, only to follow an ungodly course.

At these times, God says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” His power, his wisdom, his goodness, and his righteousness are all we need. Furthermore, he makes them ours by grace through faith in Christ. When we are tempted to focus more on the present than on the hereafter, God’s voice calls us back to the reality of making him our highest treasure.

“Stop squirming!” God gives us all we need for this life and the life to come.

Jim Grasby is principal of Lakeside Lutheran High.
Reach him at 920.648.2321 or jgrasby@llhs.org

Principal’s Pen: But first…LOVE

When items are listed, often the chief one is first. This may well be true even in Scripture.

In Galatians 5, the Holy Spirit moved Paul to enumerate the fruit of the Spirit. He writes, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” [v. 22-23a].

Did you notice which one led the list? Love!

Why is love important? Isn’t joy from forgiveness, forbearance to withstand provocation, or goodness to avoid temptation as important? While these—along with peace, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—are part of Christian living, love encompasses them all.

Earlier in the chapter, Paul writes, “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” [v. 14]. This quote from Deuteronomy places love front-and-center in Christian living. A corollary command—“Love one another”—appears 12 times in the New Testament, three of them spoken by Jesus himself.

However, we would miss Paul’s point if we did not first recognize that love is not in our nature. By nature, we are unlovable. Sin also leads us not to love others. It is “Christ’s love [that] compels us” to love because “he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him” [2 Corinthians 5:14-15].

Love heads the fruit of the Spirit for a reason. It is Christ’s primary command as demonstrated by his boundless love for sinners.

God, give us loving hearts like our Savior’s that reflect his selfless love.

 

Jim Grasby is principal of Lakeside Lutheran High. Reach him at 920.648.2321 or jgrasby@llhs.org.