eflectio ns eflectio ns - Redeemer Lutheran Church

Redeemer Good News
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August 2013
August 2013
REDEEMER
Redeemer Lutheran Church & School in Wayzata, MN.
Sharing the Changeless Christ in a Changing World!
.
Matthew Mitchell
Redeemer Lutheran
School Update .......................... 2
Fox9 Features RLS ........................ 3
August Music Notes ...................... 3
Thrivent Builds with Habitat for
Humanity .................................. 4
Lutheran Night at the Twins .......... 5
August Wednesday Morning
Summer Bible Study ................. 6
Redeemer Auction ....................... 6
August Calendar .......................... 7
Summer Midweek Worship.......... 8
Redeemer Mondays ..................... 8
We have finished our task for the
week over two hours early, but we
cannot yet return to Arecibo because
the adult leaders from the church in
Madison have gone to a different
worksite. Pastor José seems
comfortable killing time—showing
videos on the bed sheet screen,
discussing his decision to become a
pastor (the calling hit him while he
REFLECTIONS
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
NS RR
I think I’ve had the same song
stuck in my head for the past two
months now. It’s called “Lost In
My Mind” by a group called The
Head and The Heart. It’s got a
line that I wish I had written
myself: “How’s that bricklaying
coming? How’s your engine
running? Is that bridge getting
built? Are your hands getting
filled? Won’t you tell me, my
brother, because there are stars
up above…” That’s perfect—the
casual weave between the
smallness of the daily human
concerns and the wonder of the
stars above. I think one of the
reasons I love this song so much
because I am reminded of this
verse above that I return to
frequently, from Isaiah, where
God invites us to consider His
unfathomable power and
strength, blowing to bits the
smallness of our human
concerns.
The following is taken from my
journal in the summer of 2011,
when “Wild” Bill Mueller, Wendi
Bottiger, Danielle Hanson, and I
lead a mission trip to Puerto Rico
for a dozen Redeemer high
school youth group kids. My
group of teenagers was serving
at a church just outside of a city
called Arecibo, at which a
remarkable man named José was
the pastor. I remember it fondly
because of my obsession with
details, and how I genuinely
believe God speaks through
them, but also because it
reminds me of God’s complete
control and sly wisdom. It’s a
beautiful story. I hope you think
so, too:
REFLEC TIO
“‘To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy
One. Lift up your eyes and look to the
heavens: who created all these? He
who brings out the starry host one by
one, and calls them each by name.
Because of His great power and
mighty strength, not one of them is
missing.”
– Isaiah 40:25-26
was eating a chicken
sandwich) and asking
questions. Now he is
unfolding a story—
“God is in the tiny details,”
Pastor José says. Growing
up, José’s church had a
Christmas pageant every
year. It was a major event,
and as a major member of
his church youth group, José
was expected to participate.
The pageant required its
members to attend a
weekend retreat in a town
far outside of Hatillo so they
could learn parts and
rehearse, but also so they
could study the Bible
together. The retreat
featured several speeches
from pastors of both Iglesia
Alianza Cristiana Y Misionera
de Hatillo and neighboring
churches. Going on the
retreat at age 15, José
remembers a consistent
theme: every speaker, for whatever
reason, repeatedly and passionately
spoke on the importance of finding a
good and godly spouse.
There was a girl José “loved very
much.” Her name was Tamara.
Throughout the speeches, José kept
looking over at her, hoping she
would look back at him. Tamara did
not seem to notice. Confused by the
feelings he was convinced God had
(Reflections continued on page 6)
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Redeemer Good News
REDEEMER LUTHERAN SCHOOL UPDATE
ENROLLMENT UPDATE
We rejoice that our school enrollment for next year is actually
ahead of where it was at this
point last year, even though we
graduated a large class of 16
eighth graders. This past year
we have had more families tour
our school than ever before. This is tremendous evidence of the strength of Redeemer's foundation of the past
and enthusiasm for the future.
Be sure and let the school office
know if you or someone you
know is interested in instilling in
your child:
Teachings for a LIFEtime
Learning
Integrity
Faith
Excellence
It's what we do at Redeemer
Lutheran School - and we do it
well! Enrollment is open for
pre-school through grade eight
with options for full or half day
kindergarten.
Since 1978, Redeemer Lutheran School has provided affordable faith-based education. Our Christ-centered environment offers small class sizes
and exceptional instruction from
caring teachers who pray for
and with the students.
FAREWELL
We encourage you to acknowledge the service of those
who have recently left Redeemer Lutheran School in the
teaching/leadership capacity: Lori Schroeder, Curt Boeder and Jeni Zimmer. We wish
them well as they seek God's
guidance in using their gifts and
talents in new ventures. You
may send a card or note to them
in care of Redeemer Lutheran
School, 115 W. Wayzata Blvd.,
Wayzata, MN 55391. We will
forward this mail to them.
MAKING A GODLY DIFFERENCE IN CHILDREN'S AND
THEIR FAMILIES' LIVES
Recently the teachers met to
plan for an exciting new school
year. Among the items worked
on were:
 Affirming each other and confirming our willingness to do
what it takes at Redeemer
in making a Godly difference in children's and their
families' lives. That's the
driver - the bottom line – it’s
why we do what we do. That's
the "filter" through which we
put everything we're planning.
 Being one – being focused as
a team. We have a history of
working well together and we
complement each other’s gifts
and abilities as a team.
 Committing to our family focus. It has not changed, and
we most definitely value you
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August 2013
Submitted by Linda Wiebold
as a member of our family.
 Planning a Vision Night for all
Redeemer school parents to
share our plans with you in the
next few weeks. We're excited to let you know what's in
the works. The time will be
announced to you soon, but
we want you to know that the
Vision Night will take place a
few weeks from now.
 Doing what it takes to plan for
an exciting, successful 201314 school year. Every teacher
stepped forward as part of the
team to take on extra responsibilities according to their
gifts and talents. It was amazing to witness each and every
task being willingly taken up
so that they could begin to
carry out these tasks even
though we are technically on
summer vacation. We will
share our progress and who
has what responsibilities at
our Vision Night.
 ·Making sure each teacher
had the opportunity to teach to
their gifts and talents. A staffing model was put together
and will be shared at Vision
Night.
 ·Filling open positions in the
smartest way and with the best
people available. Names of
potential teachers are being
gathered. We already have
six strong candidates who will
be interviewed in the next few
weeks. Our goal is that they
be in place soon to plan for a
(Continued on page 3)
CHECK OUT OUR SCHOOL WEBSITE AT: school.redeemerwayzata.org
Redeemer Good News

August 2013
(Continued from page 2)
successful coming school
year.
 ·Rededicating ourselves to
growing Redeemer Lutheran
School one family at a
time. We still have some very
interested potential families
who have toured our school
and been contacted by Parent
Ambassadors and also teachers. Please join us in praying
for these families. We also
pray that you will spread the
word that Redeemer is a place
that is making a Godly difference in children’s and
their families’ lives.
FOX9 FEATURES REDEEMER
LUTHERAN SCHOOL
This spring Redeemer Lu-
theran School was featured on
Fox9 TV for our innovative
learning practices. Check us
out at: http://
school.redeemerwayzata.org/
smart-program/ . Our Early
Childhood teachers, which include preschool through first
grade, are trained in using
SMART activities to help a
child learn better. (SMART
stands
for Stimulating
Maturity
through Accelerated Readiness Training.)
The SMART Program is a
multi-sensory approach to
learning based on brain research. The SMART Program
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emphasizes stimulating the
brain and body to promote
richer connections among the
neurons. In a nutshell, movement anchors learning.
SMART activities include an
obstacle course of crawling,
rolling, spinning, bouncing and
jumping, vision tasks, eye-hand
coordination, and balance
beams. The activities are fun for
kids, making participation play
rather than work. SMART activities also encourage and improve a child's physical fitness
and body strength. The repetition and frequency of these activities create new opportunities
for the body and brain to learn.
The teachers have seen a remarkable improvement in the
students’ readiness to learn,
learning retention and ability to
sustain tasks.
♫ AUGUST MUSIC NOTES ♫
Speak to one another with psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and
make music in your heart to the
Lord, always giving thanks to God
the Father for everything, in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
–Ephesians 5:19-20
Deo Gloria Choir and Redeemer Bells will resume rehearsals on Thursday, September 5. The bells meet
from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and
the choir from 7:30-8:45
p.m.
There is a place for
you in the music ministry at Redeemer. If you
are invited to a rehearsal, I pray that you will graciously accept the invita-
tion! The bells generally appear in worship once a month at
the 8:30 service. The choir
sings 2-3 times per month, also
at the 8:30 service. We particularly need additional singers in
December (Advent & Christmas) and during Lent as we approach Easter Sunday.
Please speak with
me if you are interesting in sharing the love of Jesus Christ through
our music ensembles. It’s not necessary to ring bells
or sing in the choir
every week; a short-term commitment is also possible.
In June an appeal was made
to raise $2,100 to fund maintenance of our handbells. The repairs will replace moving parts,
which
include
portions
of the
inside of
each
bell. I’m happy to report the full
amount was raised in about two
weeks. Thanks be to God! I’m
thankful for your gifts, and maintaining the bells will ensure they
can be used for many years to
come.
In Christ,
Matt Anderson
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Redeemer Good News
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August 2013
THRIVENT BUILDS WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Seventeen volunteers from
Redeemer worked on a Thrivent
Builds with Habitat for Humanity
project in Chaska, July 11 and
12. The project was nearing
completion so work involved
interior paint preparation along
with painting and installing interior trim. All came away with a
good feeling of accomplishment.
Thrivent Financial has
pledged $6.8 million to help
fund 113 projects in 31 states for
2013. Locally, they have com-
mitted $425,000 to build five
homes in the metro area.
While Redeemer doesn't
have further volunteering
planned for 2013, if you are interested, you may volunteer
with other ongoing projects. Contact Hank Radintz for
further information at 612-8652130.
Redeemer Good News
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August 2013
LUTHERAN NIGHT AT THE TWINS
A few tickets remain for Lutheran Night at Target Field, MONDAY EVENING,
AUGUST 12. Watch the Twins play the Cleveland Indians from the
upper deck behind home plate. Ticket cost is $23. Transportation is on your own. Ticket availability is on a first come, first
served basis. Contact Hank Radintz, 612-865-2130, for further
information.
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(Reflections continued from page 1)
given him, José grew desperate and
began to pray. (“Now, I must warn
you: it was a…a…how do you say?
Juvenile? Yes. It was a very juvenile
prayer. I do not recommend.”) José
requested some very specific things
from God. If José found a note on
his pillow that said, “José, te
amo” (José, I love you), he would
know Tamara was meant to be his
wife. José would not tolerate
anything less from his God. It had to
be those words, on that pillow.
Surely, it was impossible. There
were strict rules about boys’ and
girls’ sleeping quarters on this
retreat; Tamara would have no
chance to leave such a note on
José’s pillow. But José had faith, and
Redeemer Good News
on this weekend retreat, he checked
his pillow habitually to see if his
prayers were answered. After
looking at his unadorned pillow again
and again, José began to lose hope.
Before going to bed, he checked his
pillow one last time. No note. The
girls were tucked away safely from
the boys. Heartbroken, José left the
room to take a shower. Washing his
arms and legs, he first questioned his
faith, and then cursed his own
foolishness. He felt like crying, but
made an effort to laugh instead. He
put his towel over his head and
walked back to the sleeping quarters.
It was Saturday night. They would
return to Hatillo in the morning.
Without turning on the light in the
boys’ room, José saw a napkin on his
pillow. He picked it up to find, “José,
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August 2013
te amo” written on it in lipstick. He
could not believe it. He danced
around and woke every boy in the
room. He threatened to murder any
boy who had played a trick on him.
José’s brother told him there was no
trick; Tamara had written the note
earlier in the evening, given it to
José’s brother and told him to give it
to José when he got a chance. The
brother had forgotten about it until
José left the room to shower, and
rather than waiting for José to
return, his brother just put the
napkin on the pillow. Over twenty
years later, Pastor José looks back
and calls it a miracle. “Do you see?
God is in the tiniest of details,” he
says.
In His Grip,
Matt Mitchell
LISTEN TO OUR TRADITIONAL SERVICES FROM WEBSITE
Enter http://redeemerwayzata.org/ into your browser,
click on “Worship,” and then click on “Sermon Audio.” Adjust your volume accordingly.
AUGUST WEDNESDAY MORNING SUMMER BIBLE
STUDY
So far this summer we have
been looking at the connection
between Passover and Holy
Communion. We looked at the
history behind Passover,
the outward preparations
needed for Passover and
the inward preparations
needed for Holy
Communion, and
we've tasted roasted
lamb and unleavened
bread.
God continues to rescue us from
all harm and danger, and we'll
also talk about why frequently
repeating Holy Communion
strengthens our faith.
In August we will look at the
importance of remembering
the event that the Lord's Supper
celebrates, the ways in which
For more information contact
Linda Krantz at 763-476-0587 or
Mary Sund at 763-479-2208.
Even if you've
missed the first
two sessions,
come join us on
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21ST, at 10:00
a.m. in the Multi-Purpose
Room. And bring a friend!
REDEEMER
GARAGE SALE!
AUGUST 7 AND 8, 2013
Donations and volunteers are welcome.
Contact Judi Micoley at
952-476-0214 or 952-452-3592
or email at
[email protected].
Redeemer Good News
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August 2013
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Redeemer Good News
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Dated Material
115 Wayzata Blvd. West  Wayzata, MN 55391
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
Office Numbers: (952) 473-1281 or (952) 473-5356
www.redeemerwayzata.org

August 2013
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Wayzata,
Minnesota
Permit No. 15
Pastor Paul Causton
Email: [email protected]
Linda Wiebold
Email: [email protected]
Matt Mitchell
Email: [email protected]
Matt Anderson
Email: [email protected]
Jodi Bening, Office Administrator
Email: [email protected]
We invite you to worship with us!
SUNDAY WORSHIP & PRAISE: 8:30 am and 10:30 am, CHRISTIAN EDUCATION-All Ages: 9:30 am
WEDNESDAY SUMMER MIDWEEK WORSHIP: 6:30 pm
WEDNESDAYS AT 6:30 P.M.
REDEEMER MONDAYS
Worship-Based Prayer
Gatherings continues to
alternate on Mondays at 6:30
p.m. and are open to everyone.
This is a wonderful opportunity
to deepen your relationship
with Our Lord and our Redeemer family.
Hearalk will resume in the
fall. This is a transformational
small group experience focusing on authentic
relating
and helping
each other seek
Christ’s immediate presence in
our lives.
Our Worship-Based Prayer
Gatherings combine worship,
scripture, and
prayer in seeking God’s
glory as the
manifestation
of Christ’s
presence
among his people.
Redeemer Good News is a
monthly newsletter for
members and friends of
Redeemer Lutheran Church &
School in Wayzata.
Newsletter articles are due the
second Monday of the month.
Submit articles, news, and
event items to Jodi Bening at
[email protected] .
Comments and suggestions
are welcome.
SCRIP