| The Giese Christmas Letter 2007 |
Dear family and friends:
What an exciting year for us!
We’re over half way through our third
year in Ogema. Bob is pastor of First
Lutheran Churches of Ogema and
Westboro and loving it. He’s still Vice
President of the Board of Directors of
Racetrack Ministries, Inc. and now
Associate Dean of the Chequamegon
Conference of the Northwest Synod of
Wisconsin ELCA. He was part of the
Bishop Bob Berg Bye-bye Bee-bop Band
at the synod assembly in June and
represented the synod as a delegate to
What an exciting year for us!
We’re over half way through our third
year in Ogema. Bob is pastor of First
Lutheran Churches of Ogema and
Westboro and loving it. He’s still Vice
President of the Board of Directors of
Racetrack Ministries, Inc. and now
Associate Dean of the Chequamegon
Conference of the Northwest Synod of
Wisconsin ELCA. He was part of the
Bishop Bob Berg Bye-bye Bee-bop Band
at the synod assembly in June and
represented the synod as a delegate to
In March Bob and
Rachel explored Utah
together during spring
break—especially
Capitol Reef National
Park. They’ve enjoyed
adventures like this
together since Rachel
was about 5 and are
already planning their
2008 adventure. This
time they’re planning
on allowing both Jo and
Joe to go, too
In one of this year’s
milestones, Rachel
graduated from Luther
College with a degree in
art in May. At the
moment she’s putting
her art to work as a
“sandwich artist” at
Subway in Decorah,
Iowa. Next she’s
hoping to get a
certificate in massage
therapy so she can use
that skill to earn money
to go to graduate school
in art.
In June Jo traveled to
upstate New York with
her parents and brother
Paul and his family for
nephew Corey’s high
school graduation.
While there she went
white-water rafting.
Rachel explored Utah
together during spring
break—especially
Capitol Reef National
Park. They’ve enjoyed
adventures like this
together since Rachel
was about 5 and are
already planning their
2008 adventure. This
time they’re planning
on allowing both Jo and
Joe to go, too
In one of this year’s
milestones, Rachel
graduated from Luther
College with a degree in
art in May. At the
moment she’s putting
her art to work as a
“sandwich artist” at
Subway in Decorah,
Iowa. Next she’s
hoping to get a
certificate in massage
therapy so she can use
that skill to earn money
to go to graduate school
in art.
In June Jo traveled to
upstate New York with
her parents and brother
Paul and his family for
nephew Corey’s high
school graduation.
While there she went
white-water rafting.
| Unless otherwise credited, all Photos in this letter copyright 2007 Bob Giese |
the 2007 ELCA Church-wide Assembly in Chicago in August. In the community he’s a bass
(sometimes soloist) in the Ecumenical Community Choir, and he also portrayed Bob Dylan at
the Christmas Tree Festival show in September. In the greater community he joined an
ecumenical area group trip to New Orleans again this fall to help rebuild. Besides all his
“regular” church work, Bob helped facilitate an ecumenical education experience last winter that
spent two months working through Christian Caregiving - a Way of Life, a book for those who
want to be better Christian helpers by Bob’s seminary mentor Dr. Ken Haugk. Looking into
2008, Bob and the two Firsts will be working with First Lutheran, Prentice and Zion, Brantwood
and their new pastor, Sandy Johnson, on a program called “Cherish Our Children.” Bob was
also the presiding minister at the ordination of his intern for the past two years - Craig Nehring,
who has a call to a congregation in Minnesota. 2008, Bob and the two Firsts will be working
with First Lutheran, Prentice and Zion, Brantwood and their new pastor, Sandy Johnson, on a
program called “Cherish Our Children.” Bob was also the presiding minister at the ordination
of his intern for the past two years - Craig Nehring, who has a call to a congregation in
Minnesota.
(sometimes soloist) in the Ecumenical Community Choir, and he also portrayed Bob Dylan at
the Christmas Tree Festival show in September. In the greater community he joined an
ecumenical area group trip to New Orleans again this fall to help rebuild. Besides all his
“regular” church work, Bob helped facilitate an ecumenical education experience last winter that
spent two months working through Christian Caregiving - a Way of Life, a book for those who
want to be better Christian helpers by Bob’s seminary mentor Dr. Ken Haugk. Looking into
2008, Bob and the two Firsts will be working with First Lutheran, Prentice and Zion, Brantwood
and their new pastor, Sandy Johnson, on a program called “Cherish Our Children.” Bob was
also the presiding minister at the ordination of his intern for the past two years - Craig Nehring,
who has a call to a congregation in Minnesota. 2008, Bob and the two Firsts will be working
with First Lutheran, Prentice and Zion, Brantwood and their new pastor, Sandy Johnson, on a
program called “Cherish Our Children.” Bob was also the presiding minister at the ordination
of his intern for the past two years - Craig Nehring, who has a call to a congregation in
Minnesota.
Jo is into her second year as after school
librarian at Medford Area High School
and occasional substitute teacher (any
grade K-12 and any subject). It’s easy to
imagine Jo behind a desk reading a
book. But can you imagine her leading
class after class out to the track all day
long? How about teaching chemistry?
Jo’s in the Ecumenical Community
Choir as an alto (sometimes soloist) and
got to read the Gettysburg Address (with
Bob) at this fall’s concerts. She’s part of
the quilting group at church and
secretary of the Women of the ELCA
group at First Ogema and part of the
Ladies’ Aid at First Westboro.
librarian at Medford Area High School
and occasional substitute teacher (any
grade K-12 and any subject). It’s easy to
imagine Jo behind a desk reading a
book. But can you imagine her leading
class after class out to the track all day
long? How about teaching chemistry?
Jo’s in the Ecumenical Community
Choir as an alto (sometimes soloist) and
got to read the Gettysburg Address (with
Bob) at this fall’s concerts. She’s part of
the quilting group at church and
secretary of the Women of the ELCA
group at First Ogema and part of the
Ladies’ Aid at First Westboro.
| Bob & Jo were Mr. & Mrs. Santa explaining the true meaning of Christmas at the 2006 First Ogema Sunday School Christmas Service |
| We made progress on our "hovel" this year. Bob got a pitched roof on with the help of Rachel, Paul & Paul. Jo painted the propane tank, got the gas hooked up, and did lots of yard-work and landscaping. |
| Rachel & Bob at an overlook on one of their many hikes at Capitol Reef National Park in March, 2007 Bob, Jo, Rachel, Joe & Auntie Karen at Rachel's graduation from Luther College in May, 2007 |
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