Besto Pesto Making
Thursday, July 22, 6:00 p.m. in St. Matthew's kitchen

The Care for Creation Committee is branching out this year (literally, if you’ve noticed the basil plants growing at the Education Building entrance!) – we’ll be making pesto and selling it on Sunday morning, July 25.

What is pesto? Just about the best thing you’ve ever tasted! A paste made of fresh basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, pine nuts and olive oil – it’s an Italian staple that everyone should have in their kitchen for quick sum­mertime meals. Use it on pasta (hot or cold), in combination with chicken or shrimp or vegetables, for a quick salad or entrée. Top broiled/grilled fish (salmon is particularly yummy!) or chicken with a tablespoon or two for an elegant dinner presentation! Top slices of grilled or toasted bread with pesto, chopped fresh tomatoes, and a parmesan cheese curl for bruschetta -- an easy appetizer for those impromptu patio parties! Eat it on a spoon!! (Well, I did say it was good!)

Pesto made now can be kept in your refrigera­tor for a week (you’ll use it up faster than you think), or – if you have any left over – freeze it in an ice cube tray and keep the cubes in a plastic bag in the freezer for those times you need a quick and easy meal (the cubes thaw quickly, especially when you place them in a small cup and then put the cup in warm water).

We’re looking for people who would like to help make Besto Pesto with us on Thursday, July 22 and sell it on the 25th. If you’re un­available to help make or sell, we’re also look­ing for donations of fresh basil, garlic, good quality parmesan cheese (not Kraft or anything in a red or green container, sorry), pine nuts, and olive oil. Contact Jeanne Collins (work: 414/727-2669; home: 414/774-6627) or sign up on today’s bulletin sign-up panel.

 

Canning Classes
“I always wanted to learn to do that!” Canning classes offer a great way to eat local and enjoy the produce of the coming season all year round. All classes are held at St Matthew’s beginning at 6:00 p.m. Each class has a cost, and you can sign up for one or all of them.

Contact the church office to sign up.

Details are in brochures [here]

Classes are:

• Jam - June 29
• Tomatoes - August 24 and 31
• Pickles - September 14 and 21
  

Informational brochures with registration forms can also be seen and downloaded on our website: www.stmattslutheran.org.

 

Local altar flowers to benefit urban agriculture programs
St. Matthew’s will be trying a new approach to altar flowers in Spring 2010. While signup and bulletin recognition will continue in the same way, our plan is to use native and garden flowers during the months when flowers are available.

Sunday, May 16 through Sunday, Oct. 10 altar flowers will be arranged from flowers donated from members’ gardens and from the St. Matthew’s/ Reformation garden.The $30 given for flowers on those Sundays will be donated to promote urban agriculture. If you would like to donate flowers or help with arranging them, therewill be opportunities on the sign up panel in the spring.

Thanks to Leslie Giordano for organizing this initiative to care for God’s good creation.

 

What is "Urban Agriculture"?
The trend toward urban agriculture is born out of the need to increase the availability of healthy, affordable food in our central cities and throughout metropolitan areas. Join us to prepare and plant the St Matthew’s/Reformation garden. This year the garden is moving to Reformation. Watch for planting dates.

Please contact the church office [here] if you can help us get any of these plants:

• Greens (collard, turnip)
• Radishes • Tomatoes
• Cucumbers • Onions
• String beans • Peppers
• Basil and herbs • Sunflowers
• We also have need of a dump truck to haul dirt

A study in 1997 in Milwaukee (Food System Assessment Study) showed low availability of healthy food in our central city. Few supermarkets were available and most food was purchased from corner convenience stores at prices 29% higher than in suburban stores. In response organizations such as Walnut Way, Alice’s Garden, Fondy Food Market and Growing Power [see below] have worked to create urban gardens to teach residents to grow food and to increase the availability of fresh produce. Smaller gardens are also springing up around churches and schools.

 

Meet your neighbors at the 2010 Tosa Farmers Market!
Starting June 5, Wauwatosa will have its own farmers market. “Tosa Farmers Market,” a volunteer-run open-air market that brings locally-grown fruits and vegetables and foods crafted by Wisconsin artisans directly to the people of Wauwatosa and surrounding communities. The market is located across from the historic “The Little Red Store” (7720 Harwood Avenue).

Pick up a flyer when you go to the market to see all the extra activities you can take part in at the Market.

Stop by between the hours of 8 a.m. and Noon every Saturday (no market on July 3 and September 11) from June through October to experience this dynamic market.

For more information about the Tosa Farmers Market, please visit the website at http://www.tosafarmersmarket.com.

 

Care for Creation visits nationally-honored “Growing Power” program in Milwaukee
Care for Creation team sponsored a visit to Growing Power on Saturday, June 5. Growing Power transforms communities by supporting people from diverse backgrounds through the development of Community Food Systems and by providing training, active demonstration, outreach, and technical assistance.

Will Allen, Chief Executive Officer believes, “We cannot have healthy communities without a healthy food system.” The cost per person for the tour is $10. Will Allen was recently honored in Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Will was invited to the White House in May to meet with the President and Mrs. Obama to discuss his work.

Some photos of the event are below. (Click photo to enlarge.)

 

Toy Swap!
What a great idea! A St. Matthew’s Toy Swap has been scheduled for Sunday, November 7.
Based on the Clothing Swap model, the toy swap will allow parents to donate outgrown toys and choose more age-appropriate ones. Watch for more details to come.

 

Photos Children's Clothing Swap April 25
The Care for Creation Team held its Third Annual Children’s Clothing Swap, Sunday, April 25 in the Upper Room. The event was an opportunity to recycle gently used children’s articles while finding other gems for one's own tykes. All unclaimed items will be given to Reformation’s Neighborhood Store.

Thank you to all who made the third annual Children’s Clothing Swap a success! Your clothing donations were truly appreciated. All remaining clothing from the swap was donated to Reformation’s Neighborhood Store. In addition, we raised $95 for the Neighborhood Store. A special thank you to our clothing sorters, Terri Suchy, Linda Wunderlich, Julie Abrahamson (& kids), Amelia Scheiber and Beth Gissibl.

Some photos of the event are below. (Click photo to enlarge.)

 

No more collections of alkaline batteries
Please note that we will no longer be collecting alkaline batteries. These batteries tend to be AAA, AA, C, D, 6V and 9V - the kind that are used for flashlights, calculators, toys and clocks. These batteries are now classified by the federal government as non-hazardous waste and can be placed in normal trash. If you use a number of these batteries you may want to consider rechargeable batteries.

We will continue to collect and recycle lithium (found in cameras, calculators, computer memory backup, tennis shoes) and nickel metal hydride (rechargeable) batteries. Nickel-cadmium (rechargeable) batteries are considered hazardous waste and should be disposed of at your nearest hazardous waste site. Thank you for all you do to Care for Creation.

 

What does one do with burned out fluorescent tubes?
We have gotten a number of questions regarding florescent tube recycling. Florescent tubes, often in 4 ft and 8 ft lengths, contain mercury and need to be recycled as hazardous waste. They can be taken to one of the hazardous waste sites in your community. From those sites the components are recycled – glass, metal and mercury. Please do not bring these tubes to St Matthew’s. We will continue to recycle the smaller compact florescent bulbs.

Recycle Used TVs and Computers at Goodwill
Wauwatosa residents can dispose of their used televisions (working or not) at no cost through the Goodwill Store and Donation Center, 12121 W. Feerick St. Goodwill also accepts computer towers and laptops for recycling, as well as accessories like printers, monitors, keyboards, mice, speakers, scanners, and fax machines. Televisions and computers are on the list of electronic devices the state will soon ban municipalities from putting into landfills. Electronic waste is the fastest growing component of waste in the United States, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. Electronic devices can contain harmful chemicals as well as chemical flame retardants.

 

 

More Green links [here]

 

Lug-a-Mug each week

There is now a labeled shelf in the upper kitchen for your “lug-a-mug” coffee mug or thermos that you bring from home. After you have enjoyed your coffee, feel free to wash/dry your mug and leave it on the shelf labeled “lug-a-mug” in the kitchen. Your coffee mug will be waiting for you on the shelf every Sunday! No need to remember your cup every Sunday and you’ll be helping us cut down on the use of paper products!

 

Recycling continues at St. Matt’s "Recycling Center"!

Remember the many items which you can recycle at our Recycling Center inside the southwestern entrance of the building, where Reformation food and Neighborhood Store items are also collected.

Recycling items accepted are batteries, ink cartridges, cell phones, empty pill bottles, CFL bulbs, Ronald McDonald soda can tabs, and eyeglasses. Check out the neatly organized area and take care of the earth by recycling these items responsibly to prevent them from sitting in landfills.

© 2010 St. Matthew's Ev. Lutheran Church 1615 Wauwatosa Ave., Wauwatosa, WI 53213 Phone: (414) 774-0441     Fax: (414) 774-0989 Email: office@stmattslutheran.org	Designed by St. Matthew's Communications Committee based on a design by Andreas Viklund JavaScript slideshow by BarelyFitz Designs DHTML scripts by Dynamic Drive