Melnik Presbyterian Church

Melnik Presbyterian Church JOIN US SUNDAYS @ 9AM! A family of Christians to do justice, love kindness & walk humbly with God.

This month, flying about Melnik Presbyterian Cemetery, is an American flag to honor Donald A. Detmer, US Navy. His daugh...
09/06/2026

This month, flying about Melnik Presbyterian Cemetery, is an American flag to honor Donald A. Detmer, US Navy. His daughter Liz is the pastor's wife.

His notice:
MADISON - Donald Arthur Detmer, age 97, passed away on Nov. 9, 2020, at Oakwood Village East, Madison, Wis.
Don was born on Aug. 5, 1923, in Hamilton, Ohio, to Grover and Ida (Rahe) Detmer. Following graduation from high school, he enrolled at The Ohio State University. His college career was interrupted by World War II, and he served his country in the U.S. Navy in Brazil. He returned to The Ohio State University after the war and graduated with a degree in accounting. He worked as an accountant for his entire career and took pride in his reputation as a world-class penny pincher. Don was a very gregarious person and thrived on personal interactions. In retirement, he worked as a bagger at a grocery store until his late-80s so that he could get out of the house every day and talk to lots of people. After retiring as a bagger, he continued to volunteer as a Salvation Army bell-ringer into his 90s, using his out-going personality to help others.
Don started corresponding with Bette Reed while in the Navy, before he had even met her. They met after the war and were married following college graduation in 1947. Together, they raised two children and enjoyed living in Hamilton, Ohio; Watertown, N.Y.; Huntington, W.Va.; and various cities in Wisconsin. After Bette's death in 2010, Don moved to Oakwood Village East, where he continued to make friends and flirt with the ladies.
Don is survived by his children, Tom (Rose) Detmer and Elizabeth (Warren) Kraft; grandchildren, Jessica (Craig) Bergner, Carolyn Detmer, and Nathan Kraft; great-grandchildren, Lawson and Taytum Bergner; brother, Norvin "Chalk" (Aline) Detmer; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bette; sister, Betty (Frank) Hamilton; brother Grover junior (Janet); sister-in-law, Helen (Maurice) Lambert; brother-in-law, Edward (Barbara) Reed; and their spouses.
The family wishes to thank the dedicated staff of Oakwood Village East and Agrace Hospice for the special care that they gave to Don. A private memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorials may be sent to Oakwood Foundation or Agrace Hospice.
Please share your memories of Don at www.InformedChoiceFunerals.com.
Informed Choice Funeral & Cremation Alternatives
3325 E. Washington Avenue, Madison
(608) 249-6758

09/06/2026

Welcome to Melnik Presbyterian Church
Service for the Lord’s Day/Communion & Blessing of Backpacks
September 06, 2026

Judging/Forgiving: Help Me Out Here
Pastor Warren Kraft, CRE/CLP

Readings:
Ezekiel 33:7-11
Psalm 119:33-40
Romans 13:8-14
Matthew 18:15-20


Reprinted/Podcast/Streamed with permission under OneLicense.net. License M-400780.
All rights reserved.
Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) License #223789.

Good Sunday morning from MelnikToday, we celebrate Communion and the new school year with the annual blessing of the bac...
09/06/2026

Good Sunday morning from Melnik
Today, we celebrate Communion and the new school year with the annual blessing of the backpacks. bE sure to join us at 9AM. You are ALWAYS welcome here.

Watchword for the week — From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised. Psalm 113:3

Grace and Peace this Saturday morning from Melnik!Be sure to join us for 9AM worship. We will celebrate Communion and as...
09/05/2026

Grace and Peace this Saturday morning from Melnik!
Be sure to join us for 9AM worship. We will celebrate Communion and asked God's blessings on our students, their teachers and support staff, and the administration for a blessed new school year.

Justice for All
Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with the wicked to act as a malicious witness. You shall not follow a majority in wrongdoing.”
— Exodus 23:1-2a

I can’t help thinking of the state of discourse in our nation, in which seemingly enormous numbers of people absolutely believe a series of malicious falsehoods that wreak havoc on the well-being of this country and its people.

God calls us to be people of discernment. For me in our modern context, that means having dialog with others, listening to experts about things I am not trained in (like epidemiology and climate science, for example), and always erring on the side of honoring the personhood and rights of my neighbors, no matter who they are.

When I hear about not following a majority in wrongdoing, I think of the old saw our parents frequently used to respond to our desires to cave into peer pressure: “If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump, too?” I feel at times like we as a society are standing on the guard rail of a bridge over a raging river, and so many of us are ready to jump based on the advice of a few people who, themselves, would never dream of jumping. It’s distressing if I think about it too much.

So I lean back into the arms of God. I acknowledge that there are things I am powerless over (most things, actually) and that my job is to keep my side of the street clean and to be of love and service to God and neighbors in any way I can. The rest is none of my business and up to God who, by the way, is standing on that guard rail with all the potential jumpers, holding them in grace, mercy, and love, regardless of whether they choose to take the leap into oblivion.

How do I navigate the current challenges in our society with my faith and sanity intact?
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff

Good Thursday morning from Melnik!Grateful that the heatwave broke; now get rid of this humidity!Today's meditation from...
09/03/2026

Good
Thursday morning from Melnik!

Grateful that the heatwave broke; now get rid of this humidity!

Today's meditation from Pastor Steve: Creator prayer

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.

Creator prayer

You of the Great Breathing In:
Aahh! We praise you.
You of the Great Breathing Out:
Yes! We thank you.
You who swirl us in your interstellar dust:
Alleluia! We glorify you!
You who well up your ocean currents in us:
behold, we serve you.
Hand of all the world's great migrations:
Holy One, we trust you.
You who move in threads beneath the roots:
Beloved, we reach for you.
You who fruit forth in a million varieties:
we feast on your grace.
You who spark the Life Force in all things:
we listen for your voice.
You who speak “Let there be light”:
let us be light.

Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
Unfolding Light

Greetings this Tuesday morning from Melnik!Stay safe and hydrated these days, even if it is "cooler by the Lake"And keep...
09/02/2026

Greetings this Tuesday morning from Melnik!
Stay safe and hydrated these days, even if it is "cooler by the Lake"

And keep alert to the overnight storms.

God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are. 1 Corinthians 1:28

Loving God, you cherish and protect your people as the apple of your eye. You lift up the lowly and confound the mighty. Keep us in your care, strengthen our hearts in humility, and guide us in your steadfast love. Amen.

08/30/2026

Welcome to Melnik Presbyterian Church
Service for the Lord’s Day
August 30, 2026

What Kind of Christian Are We?
Pastor Warren Kraft, CRE/CLP

Readings:
Jeremiah 15:15-21
Psalm 26:1-8
Romans 12:9-21
Matthew 16:21-28


Reprinted/Podcast/Streamed with permission under OneLicense.net. License M-400780.
All rights reserved.
Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) License #223789.

Good Sunday morning from Melnik!Join us at 9AM right here, or better yet, in person right here on Melnik Road. Come shar...
08/30/2026

Good Sunday morning from Melnik!

Join us at 9AM right here, or better yet, in person right here on Melnik Road. Come share our joy in Christ. You are always welcome here.

Watchword for the week — Jesus said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

Grace and peace from Melnik this Saturday morning!Join us for worship tomorrow at 9AM. You are always welcome to join us...
08/29/2026

Grace and peace from Melnik this Saturday morning!

Join us for worship tomorrow at 9AM. You are always welcome to join us in person, here on Melnik Road. Of tune in to our livestream as we give thanks and praise to God.

Sabbatical Year and Sabbath

Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the wild animals may eat. You shall do the same with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.”
— Exodus 23:10-11

We don’t do rest very well as a society. Well, speaking for the U.S., I guess. Lots of other places do a far better job of this. But here, we push and push and try to wring every last drop of time, money, things, validation, you-name-it out of life, which leaves no time to just “be.”

This law of Moses holds incredible wisdom. Not only do the people rest every seven days, but the land rests every seven years. This is not only agriculturally sound practice, but here it carries a spiritual and societal significance—do this so that others may have what they need, too. Instead of trying to wring every last drop out of your land for yourself, let it rest and share your abundance with those who have little. This is only one of many laws concerning the care and wellbeing of others who don’t have fields and vineyards and olive orchards. Moses got that it was the responsibility of the whole community to make sure everyone’s needs were met. We need to do better at this today.

Where do I see connections between rest and caring for others?
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff

Good Thursday morning from Melnik!Did you know that yesterday was National Dog Day? Nor did we. So, here is to all the d...
08/27/2026

Good Thursday morning from Melnik!

Did you know that yesterday was National Dog Day? Nor did we. So, here is to all the dogs and puppies out there, and their owners. What treasures they are.

Today's message from Pastor Steve: Unheld

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.

Unheld

When you fell and skinned your knee
and your mommy kissed it and made it better
it really did make it better.

How much of your agony is not the hurt
but the need for someone to hold you?

Friend, we live in a crowd unheld.

You have been given the heart
to kiss the world better,
to seek the hurting
one child at a time,
and hold them and their hurt.

Do so, and even at a distance, with strangers,
as in any good embrace,
you find yourself miraculously
held.

Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
Unfolding Light

Address

12320 Melnik Road
Whitelaw, WI
54247

Opening Hours

9am - 10am

Telephone

+19207554201

Website

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