A Full Week After Easter

Candy and Norm packed a lot of productive activity into the week after Easter.
   

·         Two visits to Norm’s Mom in Batavia, IL, one of which celebrated her 93^rd birthday (a day early) that included their son, David’s family from Milwaukee, IL and Norm’s nephew Tom Williams and his family from Virginia Beach, VA as well as Norm’s sister, Elaine, and brother-in-law, Max.

·         While in Milwaukee with Rachel and David, Sam and Elizabeth, Candy’s Dad drove down from Minneapolis for some family time and to work on coordinating our plans for the next couple of years.

·         Saturday was the celebration of “Gotcha Day” – the 5^th anniversary of Elizabeth’s adoption into the Stolpe family through Rachel, David and Sam.

·         Norm preached at Milwaukee Mennonite Church (Rachel and David’s congregation) on “Doubting Thomas.” The script of that message is available at http://ndsworshipmessages.blogspot.com/2013/04/missing-out.html

·         Thanks to the generous hospitality of John and Susan Ritland (parents of Rebecca Ritland Keiser of Milwaukee Mennonite Church) Norm and Candy had wonderful accommodations, breakfast and made wonderful new friends in St. Louis, MO both ways of an almost 2,000 mile round trip.

 

Chinese Clothes for "Gotcha" Party

Norm has been the interim pastor for First Christian Church of Midwest City, OK since August, and if all goes well, he will finish there the end of May and the new pastor will come in June. The Elders graciously allow Norm a week’s vacation to make this trip. Thanks to Rev. Julia Jordan Gillett, Associate Pastor, for preaching on April 7. The other Associate Pastor, Andy Beck, will be leading the youth as they present worship on Youth Sunday, April 14. Andy will graduate from Phillips Theological Seminary and be ordained in May. Norm will get to be “host pastor” for Andy’s ordination, a rare opportunity for an interim pastor. On April 21, the worship service will be the choir’s presentation of Faure’s Requiem. This preaching break has given Norm the opportunity to prepare his last five messages designed to get the congregation ready to welcome a new pastor.

Sam played "Happy Birthday" for Great Grandma Stolpe



Tom (right) and his wife Tricia (left)

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birthday supper with Norm's Mom (left)

 

While a welcome vacation, the purpose of this trip was practical: to get together with Candy’s Dad and with David and Rachel to coordinate our planning for the next couple of years so Candy’s Dad can have family support and backup should an emergency occur and to map out what will happen as Norm continues his interim ministry journey with the expectation of finishing that around 2016. A real bonus was to spend time with Norm’s Mom both coming and going. The first leg of the trip allowed for birthday dinner with her the evening before her birthday.

Three Stolpe Gilrs Enjoy Breakfast Together

Norm’s nephew Tom and his family happened to be there at that time as well. He will have 20 years in the US Navy in January, and the whole family is headed to Guam for 30 months for his next assignment. David and Rachel came with their family too. Making these extended family connections doesn’t happen all that often.

Candy and Norm visited Norm’s Mom on the return trip as well. While celebrating her birthday with 6 kids and 7 adults was fun, the second visit was calmer and more conducive to conversation.

David explains digital technology to Grandpa Miller

Sam's portrait of his favorite bacon breakfast

Though there was planning work to be done with Candy’s Dad, it was also a time for just being together and having some fun that included a day at the Milwaukee Art Museum (on free Thursday). Norm enjoyed the Georgia O’Keefe exhibit, but the kids had the most fun in the studio where they could paint their own pictures.



 

After Candy’s Dad returned to Minneapolis, Norm and Candy helped Rachel and David get ready for the “Gotcha” party. In between chores, they enjoyed fun with their grandchildren, Sam and Elizabeth: girls together lunch and guys together lunch. David and Sam went with Norm to take Gus to the dog park. Sam tried to teach Grandma and Grandpa how to play Wii Bowling. The house was full for the party that celebrated Elizabeth’s adoption and featured a variety of Chinese foods, decorations and clothes. Rachel’s parents, Kent and Fran Hadley, and her brother Nigel and his fiancée Amanda were also at the party.

 

Merry Christmas from Midwest City, Oklahoma!

December 2012                                                                                                                                  

To All Our Stolpe Star Friends and Family,

Norm’s last day to preach as interim pastor for 1^st Christian Church of Duncanville, Texas (20 miles directly south of our Dallas house) was August 12. On August 19 he preached for the first time as the interim pastor for 1^st Christian Church of Midwest City, Oklahoma (200 miles almost directly north of our Dallas house). In that week we packed, loaded the cars, drove to Midwest City, moved into house and office. In between, Norm wrote his sermon for our first Sunday at the new church.

 

One of the joys of having had pastoral ministries in Illinois, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Texas and now Oklahoma is accumulating a vast treasury of friends which interim ministry accelerates. You who are receiving our Christmas greeting are valued assets of this treasury. With gratitude for the intersection of our lives, this Christmas we wish all of God’s best for you in the year ahead.

Interim ministry is all about helping congregations in transition. The realization that far more is in flux than the identity of the pastor stirs feelings of uncertainty and instability. The opportunities for transformation or retreat are up front. Sharing life with these congregations highlights our personal and family transitions. Rather than trying to freeze time at a cherished moment, Christ calls us forward into our new challenges and adventures.

Here are some snapshots of the transitions for us and our family.

Erik is living in our Dallas house while we are in Oklahoma. He continues to be an assistant manager with Pei Wei Asian Diner, starting at a new (for him) restaurant in north Carrollton, Texas. Besides continuing to play with The Raven Charter, he has branched out into some other music opportunities.

David and Rachel continue their leadership roles with Milwaukee Mennonite Church. Sam (11) swims competitively and plays piano. Elizabeth (Bitsy – 6) has started violin. David is still Dean of Students at Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate School in West Allis, Wisconsin, and Rachel continues as a night time nanny for infants. We did get a brief visit with them extended from a trip to see Norm’s Mom. 

 

Jon continues in management with Siemens automated building controls, and Leanne does one-on-one support for special needs children. Hannah (15) is a high school freshman and has raised a seeing-eye puppy, Irwin. She went with Jon on a mission trip to Guatemala. She continues to pay violin. Isaac (12) plays trumpet, piano and basketball, and is active in Boy Scouts. They are active at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Royersford, Pennsylvania. They visited us for Holy Week.

Still in his own home in Minneapolis, Candy’s Dad has been talking with us about coordinating our plans for so our transitions will bring us together. At 92 years old in skilled care at the Michaelson Health Center of the Holmstadt in Batavia, Illinois, Norm’s Mom has slowed down considerably.

Merry Christmas!

Norman and Candy Stolpe

3154 Flowerdale Lane

Dallas, Texas 75229

 

315 East Harmon Drive

Midwest City, Oklahoma 73110

 

Norman

214-793-5224

nstolpe@sbcglobal.net

 

Candy

214-793-2572

cstolpe@sbcglobal.net

 

April Was Family Month

Flung far south in Dallas, Texas, we don’t get a lot of opportunity to see extended family in the north. Our last Pennsylvania trip to see our son Jon, his wife Leanne and their children Hannah and Isaac was September 2010. Our last Midwest trip to see Candy’s Dad in Minneapolis, my Mom in Batavia, Illinois and our son David, his wife Rachel and their children Sam and Elizabeth was June 2011. What a treat to connect (well almost) all of these dots in April 2012.

We concentrated some important extended family interaction in just two weeks. Leanne and Jon, Hannah and Isaac came to Dallas April 2. I drove them to the airport early the morning of April 10 and Candy and I headed north that afternoon. Our purpose was to see my Mom as at 92 her health and strength are noticeably declining. As several days of prolonged conversation was just too exhausting for her, we headed to Milwaukee for a couple of days to see David’s family and give Mom a break. They had just returned from a trip even farther north that included a couple of days with Candy’s Dad in Minneapolis. They connected that last dot for us.

For mechanical convenience, I have posted about each part of this journey separately and chronologically. Thus, three posts follow this introduction.

• Exploring Together with the PA Stolpes
• In Solidarity with my Sister for our Mom in IL
• Serendipitous Side Trip to the WI Stolpes

Exploring Together with the PA Stolpes

Hannah (14) and Isaac (turning 12 on May 6) missed a couple of days of school to see us, so we planned some educational events which also served to get us out of the house every day. Young adolescents do not fare well sitting around a cluttered house with 60s something grandparents.

Their family had enjoyed Geocaching (if this word is new to you, go to geocaching.com on the web, of course). They introduced us to this outdoor tech sport which took us exploring around White Rock Lake in the center of Dallas on a beautiful day. This got them their most southerly and westerly finds to add to their record.

 Riding the DART train (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) was part of the adventure of downtown Dallas. With Grandpa on senior citizen fare, the train cost less than parking for the two cars we would have needed. We started at the John F. Kennedy sites and memorial but also saw some of the earlier history of Dallas and Rosa Parks Plaza. I think all agreed that the highlight was the visit to ThanksGiving Square. I had served for a few years on their Interfaith Council, which happened to meet that day, so our children and grandchildren got to meet some of these interesting people. Lying on the floor of the chapel to look at the stained glass spiral ceiling windows was a bigger hit.

We ate lunch at the Pei Wei Asian Diner where Uncle Erik is the Assistant Manager so they could see him at work. We played a couple of rounds of croquet in memory of my Dad. Hannah and Isaac wanted to dye Easter eggs for me to hide so they could hunt. I must not have lost my touch as a 14 and 12 year old had to search pretty hard to get the last half, and I had to show them where the last one was hidden. Perhaps a form of entertainment more than altruism, Hannah and Isaac washed the Blazer.

Of course, we enjoyed showing off our grandchildren (Leanne and Jon too) to the people of First Christian Church of Duncanville. The Maundy Thursday communion (and hand washing rather than foot washing) service was informal enough to allow plenty of conversation. Good Friday Tenebrae was somber and silent, so less social. Easter morning was a delight that included a baptism at the second service.

In Solidarity with my Sister for our Mom in IL

My sister Elaine lives about 15 minutes from the Holmstad Retirement Community in Batavia, Illinois where my Mom is in the Michaelsen Health Center (skilled care). She has been responsible for Mom’s day to day affairs since Dad died five years ago, and she had the power of medical attorney. A degreed nurse, my sister recently left a more administrative job to become the day nursing supervisor for the assisted living unit at Holmstad, which is adjacent to Michaelsen. That means Elaine sees Mom every day. I really appreciate that she has handled this responsibility so well and willingly, and I try to make sure she knows I support her. Her husband Max has had some persistent health concerns the last couple of years and is starting early retirement. Elaine’s proximity to Mom and her nursing profession is a real gift to Mom and to me, though I know at times this gets stressful.

So when Elaine called me the week before Holy Week to ask that Candy and I come up to see Mom, we had to do some juggling so we could come right after Jon’s family left. The people of 1^st Christian Church in Duncanville were amazingly generous and encouraging in their support and prayers to facilitate us making this trip on such short notice.

On Thursday morning, April 12 we all participated in Mom’s quarterly care conference with the staff of Michaelsen. This helped give us all a better picture of Mom’s situation and made us even more thankful for the care she has receive there and how positive she feels about that care. We enjoyed visiting most of the rest of that day. On Friday she needed a rest, but we had a wonderful afternoon and evening. Before leaving that night, I read St. Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian elders from Acts 20, and we talked about the spiritual legacy Mom has left on three generations.

During Mom’s Friday afternoon rest, our niece Helen (Elaine’s youngest daughter) came down from Madison, WI. She and I had a nice chat while Mom slept. Helen was also with us for Friday dinner (as was our brother-in-law Max) and for our prayer together at the end of the day.

In keeping with Mom’s level of strength, Candy and I had brief visits with her on Saturday morning before driving to Milwaukee to see David’s family and on Monday early afternoon as we began our return journey to Texas.

Serendipitous Side Trip to the WI Stolpes

Rachel and David had invited us to come up to Milwaukee for a visit while we were in Illinois, but we did not make a definite decision until we were in Illinois and saw that Mom could handle a few shorter visits better than longer one. This turned out to be an unexpected and happy surprise for our trip.

 Rachel and David, Sam (10) and Elizabeth (5) had just returned home after their own northern trip. First they went to see Candy’s Dad in Minneapolis. This was Great Grandpa Miller’s first chance to meet Elizabeth. He told us by phone how much he enjoyed her lively, friendly personality. He also told us how impressed he was with Sam’s maturity. By having them debrief their visit with Grandpa Miller and talking to him by phone ourselves, we felt we connected the dots with the whole Midwest branch of our family.

Grandpa Kent entertains Elizabeth and Jenna

 They also went to Ashland at the northern tip of Wisconsin to visit friends from their Milwaukee church who have moved up into the north woods and to enjoy climbing around on the many waterfalls of that area.

After visiting with Mom on Saturday morning we headed to the South Shore WMCA in Cudahy, Wisconsin where Sam had a swim meet. He started the opening medley relay with the back stroke and opened up such a lead the other teams had no way to catch up. He swam well in a couple of other events as well.

That evening we all went to Rachel’s parents to celebrate her birthday (which was actually on Sunday, April 15 – tax day). Her Mom made a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting covered with chocolate chips. Get the idea?! The top was surrounded with yellow “Peeps”® (yes you read that right) so it looked like a sunflower. Such fun to watch Elizabeth and her “twin” cousin Jenna (Rachel’s brother Nigel’s daughter)!

At Rachel and David’s we got to see their wonderfully remodeled kitchen, which features the sun painting I did in our first apartment 43 years ago. It fits right in with the décor. Now that it is much more spacious we enjoyed not only eating there but also playing games together.

Rachel and David are active (and in leadership) with Milwaukee Mennonite Church, and we enjoyed worshipping with them on Sunday afternoon. They meet at 4:00 pm in a Lutheran Church’s building. We’ve come a long way in church unity since the 16^th century!

STOLPE STAR - a year of transitions

Extended Family Trip South to North and Back

I have posted our 2011 Christmas letter content here with pictures, but the layout is not the same as what we emailed. Each article is a separate post, all done on December 29. Someday I may figure out how to put a pdf into blogger.

· With Candy’s Dad in Minneapolis enjoying an old-timey music concert in the park. (2 pictures)
· Lunch with Rachel, David, Sam and Elizabeth in their Milwaukee kitchen being remodeled.
· Norman and Candy with their niece Helen Williams in Rachel and David’s back yard.
· Lunch with Candy’s Aunt Vonnie and Uncle Roger in Grand Island, Nebraska.
· Sand Hill Cranes stop on the Platte River in Nebraska during migration.