The Savior's Sermon: Trust In God's Strength
 Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with a series of blessings. “Blessed are…” Jesus says, again and again. In the Latin Vulgate, these all begin with the word “beati” which translates as “blessed” or “happy.” Thus, this portion of the sermon is often called “The Beatitudes.” It had to give Jesus’ listeners pause. For what Jesus calls blessed, the world never would. The world praises the strong and the self-sufficient. Jesus calls blessed what others would see as weak or stupid. But, like any good preacher, Jesus is trying to drive home one crucial point. The weaker you are, the more ready you are to rely on God’s strength. The more difficult your present circumstances, the likelier you are to yearn for future reward.
All the readings for this Sunday teach this truth. We have no real strength or wisdom of our own. But we don’t need it. Because God’s strength is enough to give the kingdom of heaven to the humble and poor in spirit. Join us for worship this Sunday at 8:00 or 10:30 am. We will also celebrate the Lord's Supper together.
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Prayer Requests
Please keep the following in your prayers:
- Jeff Theimer, who is scheduled for a pacemaker to be installed on Wednesday, February 1.
- Brian Werth, who continues to wait for a kidney transplant
- Lois Little, who is recovering from shoulder replacement surgery.
Congregational Voters Meeting this Sunday
Our mid-fiscal year congregational meeting will be held on January 29 after the 10:30 service. Click here to view the agenda and other meeting information. All members are encouraged to attend.
RLS B Team Basketball Tournament -Help Needed Riverview is hosting the B Team basketball tournaments for both boys and girls on Friday night (4 games) and Saturday (multiple games), Feb. 3-4. We'd love to have some help from the congregation for this event. We have a few spots left for scoreboard and scorebook volunteers. If you are able to help with either of those things at 1:00 PM on Saturday, 2/4, or with just the scorebook at 7:45 PM on Friday, 2/3, or 9:00 AM on Saturday, 2/4, please contact the office ASAP. Thank you!
Divine Calls
On Sunday, January 22, two of our called workers received divine calls to serve in other ministries. Pastor Wagner received a call to serve as Associate Pastor at Resurrection & Life Lutheran Church in Rochester, Minnesota and Mr. Witte received a call to serve as Third Grade Teacher at St. Matthew Lutheran School in Spokane, Washington. Click here to read their letters. Please keep them in your prayers, as they deliberate where they can best serve their Savior.
Divine Call Meeting TIME CHANGED
Our next divine call meeting will be February 7 at 7:30 pm. This meeting time changed due to the boys A team basketball game that had to be rescheduled due to a snow day. Please make note of the time change and plan to attend.
Thank You
The amount of love and support this congregation has shown to my family over the last month overwhelms my heart. I can't thank you enough for the meals and visits, phone calls and cards, helping to take care of Kylee and the gracious monetary gifts we have received and above all, your prayers! Being a member of the Riverview family and the Christian love that surrounds us is such a blessing. To God Be the Glory. Jeff Theimer
Interested in Bible Basics?
Pastor Wagner is working on scheduling a new Bible Basics class. Are you looking for a refresher? Do you have an unchurched friend you would like to invite? Help him find a time that works for you. Click here for information and to share your interest and availability.
Volunteers Needed
We are in need of Worship Volunteers! Greeters, altar guild assistants, ushers, powerpoint assistants, and livestream assistants are needed every week for both services. If this is something your family is available to help with please email Jo Theimer at church@riverviewlutheran.org or by calling the church office 920-733-3728. We will then get you set up for training and instructions. Thank you!
JULIETS Update
Due to the lack of attendance, we will no longer be meeting the last Tuesday of the month for breakfast.
Ministry Recruitment Sunday
 "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest fields." That was Jesus' encouragement for his disciples, as he also sent them out to carry out mission work. The need for workers in the church (pastors, teachers, staff ministers, missionaries) is great (hundreds of vacancies throughout the synod). Riverview is blessed to have six of our members currently preparing for ministry at Martin Luther College or Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. But more workers are needed. On Sunday, February 5, Pastor Evan Chartrand from Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, WI, will be our guest preacher at Riverview for a special Ministry Recruitment Sunday. He will also be presenting information about our worker training system during the bible study hour. Join us. And be sure to encourage members (young or old) who might have the gifts for ministry to be here as well!
Barb Arndt - 40th Anniversary in Ministry
 On Sunday, February 12, we will celebrate God's blessings upon 40 years in the teaching ministry for Miss Barb Arndt, one of our 2nd grade teachers. Special services will be held at 8:00 and 10:30 am. A meal and program will follow the late service in the Activity Center. Sign up to attend the meal in the church entryway or by calling the school office.
Kwik Trip
For the month of February only, Kwik Trip has increased the rebate percentage for their Scrip cards. If you prepay for cards by 10:00 am each Monday in February, Mrs. Diersen will order them at that time and have them ready later that week. With this special deal, you earn a 10% rebate instead of the usual 5% on gas cards and 20% instead of the usual 15% on grocery only cards. Orders for this deal MUST be pre-ordered and prepaid. You can place orders by stopping in the office on Sundays or during the week, emailing Mrs. Diersen at accountant@riverviewlutheran.org, or calling 920-733-3728. The ABSOLUTE last day to order for this special deal is Monday, February 27 by 10:00 am.
AppleValley Food Pantry
The February 2023 collection for the pantry will be held on Saturday, February 11. Items needed by the pantry are: boxed potato sides, canned chicken, canned mandarins and pears, 1 lb bags plain rice and 14 oz boxes instant rice, 16 oz peanut butter, helper meals, pancake mix & syrup and bath tissue, facial tissue and paper towels.
Serving this Weekend
- Altar Guild - Cindy Wundrow & Jill Miller
- Organist - Paula Krueger
- Livestream -
8:00 Service
- Greeters - Inniger Family
- Powerpoint Assistant - Annie Inniger
- Ushers - Peter Wolfgramm, Don Eichsteadt, Steve Lehmann, Levi Wolfgramm, Pete Wolfgramm, Will Toshner
10:30 Service
- Greeters - Loroff and Proctor Families
- Powerpoint Assistant - Meredith Proctor
- Ushers - Mike Melso, Aaron Melso, Ethan Melso, Ryan Melso, Rob Walker, Lucas Walker, Reagan Walker
Worship Links:
Worship Times: Sundays 8:00 am (with livestream), 10:30 am
Fox Valley Lutheran High School Notes
- VEX Experience volunteers are needed. FVL hosts its annual VEX Experience on Saturday, 2/11. FVL will host 160+ teams from elementary through high school from around the state. Interested in volunteering? Sign up at fvlhs.org/vex. Contact Nathan Nolte (nnolte@fvlhs.org) if you have any questions.
- The Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP) offers families the opportunity to have their FVL tuition fully funded. The application period for WPCP and for FVL's Tuition Assistance Program runs from February 1-April 20. Visit fvlhs.org/tuition-help for details. Email Admissions Director Joe Blum (jblum@fvlhs.org) or Executive Assistant Heather Knoll (hknoll@fvlhs.org) with questions.
- Incoming freshmen and new students for the 2023-24 school year are eligible to apply for the Ladies Guild Memorial Scholarship. The application window runs from February 1-April 20. Details are on the website (fvlhs.org/lg-mem-scholarship).
- FVL 8th Grade Course Scheduling 2/21 - Families who missed the fall scheduling nights should go to fvlhs.org/enroll and complete the online enrollment application. Then you will receive an email with instructions for scheduling classes. Questions? Contact Freshman Guidance Counselor Laura Gucinski (lgucinski@fvlhs.org.
- Registration is open for boys in grades 7-8 for baseball (registration extended to 1/31). Go to fvlhs.org/youth-sports for details and to register.
- 14U Summer Softball League registration is open. Girls age 14 or younger as of 12/31/2022 are invited to register. Registration deadline is Friday, 3/3.
- FVL's Open House is Monday, 2/20, from 6-8 PM. Families are invited for our once-a-year Activities Fair, tours, and a presentation. Check online at fvlhs.org/open-house for info and registration.
- FVL Musicfest 2023 will be held Sunday, 2/5, from 1-4:30 PM. Admission is free for all. Join us to enjoy music, fellowship, and homemade desserts. A generous donor has made it possible for a matching fund of $5,400 to be set up for the event. Event donations will go toward replacing 25-year-old tuxedo jackets for the band and for performance risers. Find out more at fvlhs.org/fvl-musicfest.
- Last call for nominations for FVL's Trout Educator Award—the deadline is Tuesday, 1/31. This annual award recognizes an outstanding FVL teacher and assists with their professional development. For details, go to fvlhs.org/Trout-Award.
Area WELS News
- Praise Him Concert You are invited to the annual Praise Him concert at St. Matthew Lutheran Church (129 S. Mason Street, Appleton) on Saturday, February 4th at 1:00 pm. Join area WELS choirs as they come together to sing praises to our Savior!
- The Wisconsin Herd are excited to be hosting our annual WELS Night on Saturday, January 28, 2023! There will be some in-game promotions to celebrate WELS and we wanted to invite you out to enjoy the game together. All congregations are invited to take a photo together on court after the game to commemorate the experience together. For tickets, visit https://fevo.me/welsherd.
- TBRI® 101 Course Especially for Adoptive and Foster Parents Coming Soon! This course offers an informal, yet thorough approach to Trust-Based Relational Intervention®, an evidence-based intervention for children from hard places of abuse, neglect, and/or trauma. Videos will be shown to guide the viewer through the principles and strategies of TBRI® and offer practical tips for implementation. Topics include Understanding Trauma, TBRI® Empowering, Connecting, and Correcting Principles, as well as real-life examples and testimonials from caregivers and professionals who use TBRI®. Through the blessing of a grant from the Antioch II Foundation, the WELS ministry Light for Parents is able to present this course to a group of parents in the Fox Cities area. The course will be presented on three consecutive Saturday mornings--February 4, 11, and 18, 2023--from 9 a.m. - Noon at Eternal Love Lutheran Church, 1011 E. Midway Road, Appleton, WI 54915. The course will be presented from a Christian perspective by an adoptive couple trained as trauma practitioners, one of whom is also a TBRI® Practitioner. The course is free, but participants are asked to register by emailing staff@LightforParents.com with the names of those who will be attending.
- It's time to register for the 2023 Oshkosh Men of His Word Conference: MAN UP: in a man down world. It will be Saturday, February 18, 2023, 7:15 AM – 3:30 PM, at the Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel and Convention Center, 1 N. Main Street in Oshkosh, WI. The day includes a keynote from Pastor Dan Solofra (CrossWalk Lutheran Church in Laveen, Arizona), your choice of sixteen heart-hitting, soul-searching sessions based on God’s Word, continental breakfast and buffet lunch, and worship led by Koine. Spend the day growing and bonding with Christian brothers. Find more information and register at www.menofhisword.org
- Save the date! The WELS United annual meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 7th at 7:00 pm at Martin Luther, Neenah.
- The Otter Lake OWLS (Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors) of Bethlehem, invites you to join us for our March 16th speaker at 2:00 in the fellowship hall of our Church at 752 E. Grandview. Nathan Dahm from the Outagamie sheriff's department will talk with us about keeping safe and local fraud scams. Questions to Peg Boettcher pgboet1@gmail.com.
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