here - Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
Transcription
here - Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
September 2015 Look Inside for… Worship, Service, Fall GroupLife for Adults, Children, and Youth, Sandbox Cooperative, and More! Sunday Schedule, beginning September 13 1212 12th Ave NW Rochester, MN 55901 507-289-1841 www.gloria-dei.com Wednesday Schedule, beginning September 16 Staff PASTORS Charles Ortloff Karna Hagen Moskalik Dave Berg [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] LEGACY WORSHIP AND MUSIC Julie Stevens [email protected] Cheryl Strande [email protected] Pat Anderson [email protected] Harold Vetter [email protected] Duane Sauke [email protected] Deb Renfrow [email protected] EPICONEEIGHT WORSHIP AND MUSIC Chris Roberts [email protected] CHILDREN Kristelle Behle Julie Cohrs Lisa Derr Christy Boyer Carrie Ostman Leanne Pederson and Mike Thompson [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] YOUTH Joshua Poencet Chris Schmit [email protected] [email protected] WOMEN Chantel Remick [email protected] ADMINISTRATIVE Carol Fisher Staci Magnuson Erin Gibbons Walt Allen 8:45 amLegacySanctuary 9:00 am EpicOneEight Worship Center 10:00 am Kids Sunday School Classrooms Epic Adult Ed Worship Center Daily Faith Practices Conference Room Coffee and Conversation Sanctuary 11:00 am The Bridge Sanctuary EpicOneEight Worship Center [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] CUSTODIAL John Dornack Zach Boyer Cathy Esberg 4:00 pm 5:00 pm 6:00 pm 6:45 pm 7:00 pm 7:30 pm A Fresh Look at Jesus Study Dinner Catered by Hy-vee Water’s Edge Worship Kidz Resort The EDGE Confirmation Sanctuary Singers Rehearsal Epic Band Rehearsal Fireside Room Fellowship Hall Sanctuary Classrooms Meet in The Loft Worship Center Sanctuary Worship Center What’s Inside? 3 Welcome to the Test Kitchen • • • Worship 4 5 This Year at Water’s Edge: A Fresh Look at Jesus What’s Next at EpicOneEight? Continuing the Journey at Legacy and The Bridge Senior Generational Worship • • • Service 6 7 8 9 10 11 LSS Celebrates 150 Years Fall Opportunities Thoughts from Detroit Spotlight on Serving: Nancy Haroldson A Word from the Iversons in Ethiopia Summer Scrapbook • • • GroupLife Council Mike Seaberg, President Linda Stockwell, Vice President Rob Fuqua, Secretary Dale Amy Brad Behle Noelle Tripolino Roberts Phyllis Rusley Larry Tarnow Gary Zander 12 16 18 Adult Children Youth • • • And More 20 Coming Up at Sandbox Cooperative 22Labs 23 Kids’ Activity: Tangram Puzzles Welcome to the Test Kitchen Much of the food we enjoy today—at restaurants, in cookbooks, and from the grocery store—was born in a test kitchen. A chef might experiment with ingredients, cooking times, and techniques. She might consider some herbs and spices while avoiding others altogether. Eventually the test kitchen chef reveals a final product, a new dish to sample. How does it taste? If it tastes good, the recipe might be shared, replicated, or even mass-produced. If it tastes bad, the recipe might be changed, tweaked, or scrapped altogether. Great tasting food often has its origins in the trial, error, and creative space of a test kitchen. The end goal is to make a new thing, and create a fresh new dining and culinary experience. I know it’s a strange question, but could Gloria Dei be seen as a Test Kitchen for faith? Could this be a creative environment designed to experiment, explore new concepts, and try fresh ideas? Rather than making a delicious recipe, we are exploring creative ways to share the message and love of Jesus. A Gloria Dei Test Kitchen explores new ways of experiencing God’s presence in our world and in our lives. If an idea works, we will share, replicate, and develop it. If it doesn’t work, we might adapt, change, or scrap it. Success is exciting. Failure is fascinating. We learn from both and continue working to create deeper understanding and relationships with God and one another. The pages of this quarterly are filled with emerging recipes from our Gloria Dei Test Kitchen. We are so excited to be working, developing, and growing ministries together in this community. Some will be great. Others will be a work in progress. Whatever the case, we will be striving to build community, grow faith, and transform lives in some surprising and creative ways. Bon Appetit, Dave Gloria Dei Lutheran Church / September 2015 / 3 THIS YEAR AT WATER’S EDGE Our first look at an individual may not be the most accurate picture. When we meet someone for the first time, we form an opinion. Then, we meet them again, under different circumstances or later in our lives, and we may form a different opinion of that person. Many of us have formed a picture of who Jesus is for us. We may have formed this when we were very young. Or, we may have formed this from the example of those who were our teachers or parents. Quite often, a fresh look at Jesus leaves us with some new insights, and at times, a completely different Jesus than we had assumed. This year for Water’s Edge, we will take a fresh look at the Jesus we see in John’s Gospel. The stories all have a familiar ring to them. We have heard most of these stories, some many times. But this year, we will look for the parts 4 \ Gloria Dei Lutheran Church \ September 2015 A FRESH LOOK AT JESUS of the story that we had overlooked the first time. We will look at Jesus with what some call “beginner’s eyes.” Seeing what is there rather than what we assume is there. Join us, beginning on Wednesday, September 16 at 6:00 pm for worship in the sanctuary. We will follow a video presentation of John’s Gospel that will help us “see” Jesus in a way that reading about his life may not always provide. Join us this year as we travel through John’s Gospel, taking a fresh look at Jesus. What’s next at EpicOneEight? Over the past year at EpicOneEight, we’ve tried some experiments. We hosted a Service + Worship Sunday, where we worshiped by living out the sermon through doing service projects together. And then we tried EpicToGo, where we honored the need for time away by offering a worship service you could download and listen to in the car, at your cabin, or in the living room in your jammies. We look forward to this new year, where we can continue to grow, learn, and try new things together. For now, here’s a peek at the next two sermon series we’ll be exploring at worship. Welcome (September 20–October 11) A good party starts with an invitation. When you arrive, a host shows you around and you connect with other guests. But the party isn’t complete until all the guests are there. What if our welcome looked more like a party, where everyone is invited and an important guest? The Secret of Happiness (October 25–November 15) We are often looking for the next experience or thing to make us happy. Is there a secret to happiness, or are we asking the wrong question? Continuing the Journey at Legacy and The Bridge Worship at Legacy and The Bridge follows the Revised Common Lectionary, a schedule of scripture readings that takes us through the liturgical calendar. This year will especially focus on readings from the Gospels of Mark and Luke. Senior Generational Worship October 8, 11:00 am, Sanctuary Join us for the second senior generational worship service of 2015. This worship service especially honors our senior members, many of whom are homebound or live in senior living places and can’t make it to church regularly. Volunteers help host this event by providing transportation, making food, or serving the meal. Sign up to volunteer or attend by contacting the church office (507-289-1841). Gloria Dei Lutheran Church / September 2015 / 5 LSS Celebrates 150 Years Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota is celebrating 150 years of inspiring hope, changing lives, and building community in Minnesota. LSS provides services for children and youth, people with disabilities, and older adults. They work to provide safe and stable homes for all kids and youth, access to needed services for people with disabilities, and help for older adults to be an active part of their community. Gloria Dei supports the work of LSS through annual giving. If you’d like to learn more about the work of LSS or their upcoming “Celebrating Changing Lives” event and funraiser on September 26, visit lssmn.org. 6 \ Gloria Dei Lutheran Church \ September June 2015 2015 SERVIC CE Food for Friends In the Rochester public schools, 32% of children receive free or reduced price lunch, a service that ensures that all kids are able to eat. But what about the weekends? The Food for Friends Backpack Program provides backpacks of food for kids to take home and eat over the weekend. It ensures that kids have meals at home, not just at school. Gloria Dei provides backpacks for Washington and Elton Hills Elementary Schools. Volunteers are needed to pick up the food from Channel One, set up, pack backpacks, and deliver them. Contact Carol to sign up ([email protected]). We also collect one food item per month throughout the year. September’s food item is a family size can of spaghetti sauce and one pound of noodles. Grab a few when you’re at the store and drop them in the bin outside the church office. EMPTY BOWLS This past summer at Vacation Bible School, kids painted more than 200 bowls that were donated to Channel One for the annual Empty Bowls fundraising event. Consider supporting Channel One by attending this event, and look for the bowls made by the Gloria Dei kids! 10th Annual Empty Bowls Thursday, October 8, 11:00 am to 8:00 pm Rochester Art Center Tickets are available at channel-one.org in advance for $10 or at the door for $15. FOOD FOR KIDZ MEAL PACKING Food for Kidz provides prepackaged meals to kids in developing countries all around the world. Gloria Dei supports this organization through our Sustenance Fund, and you can participate by packing meals at the local Food for Kidz Event. Sign up at gloria-dei.com or at the Hospitality Desk. Contact Dale Massey (507-288-5537). Food for Kidz Meal Packing Saturday, October 10, 9:00-11:00 am or 11:00 am to 1:00 pm Bethel Lutheran Church (810 3rd Avenue SE) CARE TEAM Members of the Gloria Dei Care Team provide visitation, hospital calls, phone calls, and hospice. The first training event this fall is on September 23 at 5:00 pm in the Fireside Room, with additional training provided throughout the year. Contact Karna (hagen@ gloria-dei.com). PRAYER MINISTRY As a community, we can offer support, celebrate joy, and help others through prayer. Gloria Dei has two prayer chains, one via phone and one via email. Or if you’re handy at knitting or crocheting, consider putting those skills to use creating prayer shawls. The shawls are given to families walking through health challenges. To participate in a prayer ministry, contact Carol ([email protected]). Gloria Dei Lutheran Church / September 2015 / 7 Thoughts From Detroit Participants Reflect on the National Youth Gathering Detroit opened the eyes of our youth to the larger picture of the how the ELCA comes together to praise Jesus and serve others. Youth saw how God works in our world and in our lives and how we can help make a difference by following Jesus’ example. Our group of 49 (43 youth & 6 adults) got to explore Detroit, have fun at the Gathering, and serve in a neighborhood that rarely sees help. Along with another 30,000 Gathering participants, our group cleaned up abandoned houses, cleared alleyways for residents to feel safer, and restored a neighborhood in one day. We don’t always get to see or feel the difference we make on these trips, but our leaders and youth came back changed. We are so blessed to have a community at Gloria Dei that supports our youth in serving Christ all over the country! “I was mostly surprised at how nice Detroit actually is. Everyone talks about how horrible it is, but it’s very nice actually. My favorite part was how thankful all the locals were. Several went out of their way to thank us and tell us how appreciative they were.” -Andrea Thayer “Big mama was nice, and we helped her clear her alleyways so that people couldn’t hide.” -Ross Faber “For service day, our group had one of the worst houses on that street, and we basically uncovered an entire driveway that was covered in weeds growing through the cracks in the sidewalk. It was very hard work but so worth it once we saw the end result.” -Jenna Adams “We have truly wonderful kids. It is one thing just to ‘know’ that as a parent, but to truly witness these kids in action was, to me, overwhelming at times. They were gracious, polite, positive in challenging situations, and truly took in the trip for everything that it was, which was just glorious to witness.” -Laurel Schacht 8 \ Gloria Dei Lutheran Church \ September June 2015 2015 Spotlight on Serving Nancy Haroldson Touches Lives with Humility and Grace Nancy Haroldson has lived in Rochester since 1962 and has been a member of Gloria Dei since 1967. She worked as a nurse at Methodist Hospital, which was eventually incorporated into Mayo Clinic. If there’s one word that best describes Nancy’s personality, work, and spirit of generosity, it’s “nurturing.” When I mentioned that to Nancy, she laughed and said, “It’s just sort of a habit, I guess.” It would probably be easier to list what Nancy isn’t involved in at church than to list what she is involved in. She runs MediaShout for Legacy worship, attends Daily Faith Practices, puts her sewing and knitting skills to use in the quilting and crafting groups, and is a member of the book club. And that’s just some of what she’s involved in inside the Gloria Dei community. Beyond our walls, Nancy makes an impact in our local community and around the world. She sews book bags for the back of every student’s chair at Jefferson Elementary School, knits hats for cold hands, warm heart and for the Cronin Home, makes baby blankets to give away, and sews diapers made from old t-shirts that are sent to Honduras. Nancy finds fulfillment in keeping herself busy, but, she says, “I don’t do much on a schedule.” When she retired in 2007, she was determined to do whatever she wanted to do, but that also meant keeping her schedule open. After more than 40 years of working full time and caring for her family, she was ready to build flexibility into her life. “If somebody needs help today, I drop what I was going to do and go help,” she says. Church has been important to Nancy throughout her life—as a child and a youth, then as a parent, and now as a retired person. She loves being part of Gloria Dei, where she has found a community of close friends. Plus, she says, “You can always find somebody new to talk to.” Drastically different from the angry God she learned about in the church where she grew up, Nancy is thankful for the God of love and grace she has come to know at Gloria Dei. In her almost 50 years of membership, she’s seen a lot of pastors and a lot of changes, and she praises the willingness of this community to grow and change. As she says, “If you don’t try and change, you get stuck way back where.” Nancy has made an impact on countless lives through her work and service. But for her, it’s no big deal. She finds joy in serving and helping others. Without even realizing it, Nancy models humility and gratitude, spreading God’s love simply through how she lives her life. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church / September 2015 / 9 frica ast A ds in E Frien ave d we h d n a , a i ttle op ore se in Ethi m n o h s c a u e ” more m n ys i g n i n g i i a l r d e f “ e ol idst o e are f eing able to e kids’ scho m W e . r h t a e a ye gb . Th It is in n here e’re enjoyin e here to do hing part-tim e e b dw am now nd eac ays, an e work we c s year K. is t will also spe at d e s e th th th thi he slators ghly to ESL. S st, and thorou n mid-Augu upport and he Bible tran providing s i t y started ing learning English with es to be bus a pile of u r g do there, er time doin ile, A. contin buried unde “ h h , f anw ts it part o ith. Me (or, as he pu . w k r o r safety ort p iated fo we w v p e r u b . s ) b a ter ers” ve been compu den comput aries ha n io s is id iopian M virus-r our Eth mes of our m o r f d A Wor te that no Please the na m nd fro a o t e e (or ik n i b h s s i r h o s A. ride ry day—rain ve work e n!). ai more r d ore an m n r a Le uch at o t n i y sta et oms.n o l b t r dese 10 \ Gloria Dei Lutheran Church \ September 2015 on Smiles the fi hool. of sc rst day Summer Scrapbook Mission Trips, Camping, Rochester Bike Club, and More! A Gloria Dei Summer filled with Service, Fellowship, and Fun Gloria Dei Lutheran Church / September 2015 / 11 Sunday Morning, beginning September 13 Coffee and Conversation, 10:00 am, Sanctuary Dig deeper into the morning’s scripture and sermon. Daily Faith Practices, 10:00 am, Conference Room (by Fellowship Hall) A study based on the Lectionary, written by ELCA pastors. Epic Adult Ed, 10:00 am, Worship Center Conversations on faith and life, using a variety of media. Wednesday Evening, beginning September 13 “A Fresh Look at Jesus” Bible Study, 4:00 pm, Fireside Room A conversation with Pastor Charles that follows Water’s Edge weekly themes. GROUPLIFE: ADULT Forever Forty, beginning September 17 September 17, 12 pm, Quarry Hill Nature Center Presentations, excursions, and conversations with friends. In September, Forever Forty will enjoy a box lunch ($6.50) and presentation from Jill Danielson, director at Quarry Hill. Sign up by September 13. Contact Mary Sorum (507-289-8222). Book Clubs, beginning September 1 and 8 Evening Book Club, September 1, 7:00 pm, Fireside Room Read a book each month, then meet for discussion the first Tuesday of the month. Contact Dawn Johannsen (507-286-9102). September’s book is “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt. Afternoon Book Club, September 8, 2:00 pm, Fireside Room Read a book each month, then meet for discussion the second Tuesday of the month. Contact Shirley Doyle (507-280-8194). September’s book is “A House in the Sky” by Sara Crobett and Amanda Lindhout. 12 \ Gloria Dei Lutheran Church \ September 2015 Music Groups, beginning in September Glorious Bells A handbell group that performs in Legacy and The Bridge the second Sunday of each month. Rehearsals are Tuesday at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary, beginning September 1. Contact Deb Rentfrow ([email protected]). Sanctuary Singers A mixed choir that sings in Legacy on the first and third Sundays of each month. Rehearsals are Wednesday at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary, beginning September 2. Worship Teams Instrumentalists and vocalists who help lead music during The Bridge, EpicOneEight, and Water’s Edge worship. Weekly participation is not necessary. Join when you are available. The Bridge, Sunday at 11:00 am, rehearses at 7:00 pm on Thursdays. Contact Pat ([email protected]). EpicOneEight, Sunday at 9:00 and 11:00 am, rehearses at 7:30 pm on Wednesdays. Contact Chris R. ([email protected].) Water’s Edge, Wednesday at 6:00 pm, rehearses at 5:30 pm on Wednesdays. Contact Julie S. ([email protected]). Mondays, 2:00 pm, Fireside Room Bring your crafts and join the conversation. Meets every Monday. Men’s Theology Pub, beginning September 21 September 21, 7:00 pm, Whistle Binkies On the Lake Meet one Monday a month to enjoy a brew and a conversation on faith, life, and what’s happening in the world. Contact Pastor Dave ([email protected]). GROUPLIFE: ADULT Conversation and Crafts, ongoing group Gloria Dei Lutheran Church / September 2015 / 13 WELCA, beginning September 15 Groups of ELCA women who meet monthly for Bible study and fellowship. September 15 Elizabeth Circle, 9:00 am, at church Rachel Circle, 9:00 am, at church Anna Circle, 9:00 am, Barbara Swart Home Naomi Circle, 1:00 pm, Gloria Schaar Home Esther Circle, 7:00 pm, Carol Fisher Home September 16 Sarah Circle, 9:00 am, Room 10 Ruth Circle, 12:30 pm , Ann Peterson Home GROUPLIFE: ADULT Quilters, beginning September 10 Create and donate quilts to local and international organizations. Meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month in Fellowship Hall. Quilting Retreat, October 16-17, 9:00 am, Fellowship Hall Take some time to work on those projects! Cost is $10 per day for food. Contact Rita Clark (507-288-4130) or Beth Skalisky (507-951-3611) to sign up. Men’s Bible Studies, beginning September 3 September 3, 6:15 am, Room 10 A study for men using the “Master Builders Bible for Men.” Meets every Thursday. Led by Pastor Charles. September 10, 9:00 am, Room 10 A study for men using videos as a launch point for discussion. Meets every Thursday. Led by Dave Swart (507-289-5846). 14 \ Gloria Dei Lutheran Church \ September 2015 Senior Huddles, beginning September 14 Pastor Karna visits Samaritan Bethany and Homestead one Monday a month for fellowship, music, a devotional, and communion. Samaritan Bethany Huddles are the second Monday of each month at 10:00 am in the Chapel, beginning September 14. Homestead Huddles are the third Monday of each month at 10:00 am in the Club, beginning September 21. Starfish Community, beginning September 20 One Sunday a month, 6:30 pm, Fireside Room W E Join Charles, Julie, Kristelle and other adults as we embark on a faith journey N IS TH LL FA together. Why “starfish?” We’ll center ourselves with a large group presentation (at the “center” of the starfish), then break into small groups for discussion (the “arms”). Come for an optional light supper at 5:30 pm. Nursery care is provided. The Friends of Jesus, beginning September 14 EWS N THILL FA Women’s Study, Mondays, 6:30 pm, Fireside Room Women are invited to take part in this emotionally powerful, thought-provoking, 6-week study about the friends who traveled, taught, and served with Jesus, including video by Karen Kingsbury. The study will help you to appreciate the Bible more and understand how it applies to your relationships with the most important people in your life. Sign up online or at church. Led by Pastor Karna. Contact Cheryl ([email protected]). GROUPLIFE: ADULT In September, we’ll explore “The Meaning of Life: Resume Virtues or Eulogy Virtues?” Resume virtues are the skills that you bring to the job market and that contribute to external success—the part of you that wants to build, create, produce, and discover. The eulogy virtues are deeper, the ones that are talked about at your funeral, that exist at the core of your being—the part of you that desires to live in obedience to some transcendent truth and to have a cohesive inner soul that honors creation and one’s own possibilities. We’ll talk about how we see these virtues taught and lived out in our culture and, more importantly, how we choose to live them our in our lives. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church / September 2015 / 15 We love kids! Being creative, interacting, learning how to love God and each other, and making a difference in the world around us. It is our hope to create an environment where kids feel safe to have fun, to grow in their relationship with Jesus, and to celebrate the unique individual God has created them to be. Whether on Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings, children will experience God’s love through relationships, activities, and creative Bible stories. Sunday Morning, beginning September 13 All kids age 3 through 5th grade are invited to participate in Sunday morning activities between worship services. Kids who are interested in singing will start with choir from 10:0010:20 am, then join the rest of their class afterward. Kids who aren’t intersted in singing will go straight to their classrooms at 10:00 am. These are great opportunities to learn and grow in faith together! Shepherd’s Singers (Age 3-Grade 1) Directed by Carrie Ostman ([email protected]). King’s Kids (Grade 2-5) Directed by Mike Thompson and Leanne Pederson ([email protected]). GROUPLIFE: CHILDREN No programming on October 18, November 27, January 3, February 14, March 27, or April 3. Wednesday Evening, beginning September 16 Wednesday evenings are a great time for fellowship, worship, and learning at Gloria Dei. With dinner, worship, and Kidz Resort, there’s something for all ages to join as we learn and grow in faith together. Kidz Resort starts at 6:40 pm, and Aftercare and Nursery are available until 8:00 pm. Contact Kristelle ([email protected]). No programming on October 14, November 25, December 16, 23, and 30, March 23, or April 6. 16 \ Gloria Dei Lutheran Church \ September 2015 Backpack Blessing Sunday, September 13, All Worship Services Kids are invited to bring their backpacks to worship on September 13. We’ll take time during worship to celebrate back-to-school and bless backpacks. 3-year-old Open House Saturday, September 12, 9:30-11 am Christmas Program, rehearsals begin in fall Too early to talk about Christmas? No way! The children’s Christmas program this fall will be called “The Christmas Clinic.” Rehearsals begin October 25. GROUPLIFE: CHILDREN All 3-year-olds and their parents are invited to come explore the Sunday school wing of Gloria Dei. You’ll get a chance to see their classroom, play around, and meet other kids and parents. Then we’ll share faith practices and a snack together. Each child will receive a Spark Story Bible to read, share, and enjoy at home and at church! Contact Kristelle ([email protected]). Gloria Dei Lutheran Church / September 2015 / 17 To know and be known…this is our desire for every youth. We believe we were created for love, to know God and be transformed by God so that we may give love away with life-changing influence. We choose to live in community together with peers and adults who are thoughtful, authentic, and born to change the world. Through life together, youth will experience a variety of opportunities to grow deep in learning and love, while reaching out to impact their world and beyond. HIGH SCHOOL WednesdayS, Beginning September 16 The EDGE, Wednesday, 6:40 pm, Meet in The Loft Wednesday night at the EDGE is a great time for our high school youth to have fun, grow, serve others, and build lifelong friendships. This year we’ll go out into the community to serve with different organizations, have fun, and build a stronger community within our group. All high school youth are welcome to join at 6:40 pm each Wednesday (that includes friends). If you’re an adult excited about the EDGE and would like to volunteer as a leader or driver, contact Josh ([email protected]). GROUPLIFE: YOUTH No programming on October 14, November 25, December 16, 23, and 30, March 23, or April 6. MIDDLE SCHOOL WEDNESDAYS, Beginning September 16 Confirmation, Wednesday, 6:40 pm, Worship Center Confirmation at Gloria Dei is “different.” We don’t have a long list of requirements, and we don’t treat Confirmation Sunday as graduation. Confirmation is an opportunity for youth in grades 6-8 to gather on Wednesday nights,first as a LOUD/LARGE group and then as a small group with peers and an adult mentor. We talk about life and faith. We ask questions. We look at who God is and how God is working. We serve together. Join this exploration and discovery as a youth or an adult mentor. Contact Chris S. ([email protected]). No programming on October 14, November 25, December 16, 23, and 30, March 23, or April 6. 18 \ Gloria Dei Lutheran Church \ September June 2015 2015 WEEKEND SERVICE ADVENTURES, COMING SOON We’re excited to introduce weekend service adventures for our youth this year. There will be two for high school—one in October and one in February—and W NE IS one for middle school next spring. Youth will travel somewhere in Minnesota to H T R serve, play, and have a great time together. In addition to serving others, our YEA youth will learn more about God and themselves and build relationships with friends and adults in faithful and meaningful ways. Look for more details to come about this new adventure we’ll be sharing! If you are an adult excited about these adventures and you would like to volunteer as a leader, food coordinator, or trip coordinator, contact Josh ([email protected]). GROUPLIFE: YOUTH Gloria Dei Lutheran Church / September 2015 / 19 20 \ Gloria Dei Lutheran Church \ September 2015 Coming Up at Sandbox Cooperative Heatherlyn Sunday, November 22, 7:00 pm Heatherlyn is a singer, song artist from Minneapolis with a Soul ~ Roots ~ Rock vibe. In concert, Heatherlyn leads the audience on a refreshing journey of connection—from whimsical laughter to thoughtfulness, inviting listeners to consider how they are conduits of peace and hope in the world. Heatherlyn will invite us to explore music and creativity as an expression of faith. Shane Claiborne Sunday, May 1, 2016, 7:00 pm Shane Claiborne is a founder and board member of The Simple Way, a faith community in inner city Philadelphia that has helped birth and connect radical faith communities around the world. He has served on peace delegations in some of the most troubled regions in the world. Shane will lead us in a conversation about social justice, peacemaking, and Jesus. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes or listen at sandboxcooperative.com/listen. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church / September 2015 / 21 LABS Our way of life often leaves us with a feeling of being busy or overwhelmed. This was the topic for the summer trial of a new ministry opportunity that we’re calling “Labs.” In Labs, we gather people together to explore a topic or challenge and engage in a short-term, practice-based community. Over five weeks we gathered around the idea of being busy. We shared our stories of what life looks like—where are the stress points? Why do I feel like I don’t have enough time? How can I manage in the midst of being overwhelmed? We also shared together practices that came from both a practical need and from precedent modeled by Jesus. Time away, time in silence, time for prayer, and reading scripture. A technology fast, meditation, and building time into our day for the things we enjoy. Sharing these experiences gave us each new insight into how to deal with this challenge as individuals, and also led to more encouragement of each other. One of the keys to this ministry will be empowering leaders who will lead similar groups. By having more leaders, we hope to connect further into the Rochester community and with topics that matter to those leaders and their friends. We’re also hopeful that, through these leaders and their own gifts, Labs might serve as an invitation into Christian community. We’re excited to explore more topics throughout the coming year. ABOUT LABS Labs are opportunities for exploration. Each Lab begins with a question like, “What is the ‘ache’ of our community?”, “How can our faith have a positive impact on our community?”, or “How can we dig deeper into a piece of our faith?” We explore these questions with conversation and faith practices aimed at showing us what our faith can teach us about a given topic. 22 \ Gloria Dei Lutheran Church \ September 2015 Labs build community. Because Labs begin with a common interest or concern, the process quickly leads to discussion around how we can encourage each other and explore a topic together. Working together allows us to know each other better and invites deeper conversation. Labs empower leaders. Because our faith story relates to every aspect of life, Labs can be about anything. But as a leader, you don’t have to be an expert, only willing to explore a topic with others. Lab leaders are supported by previous leaders and participants are invited to lead a group in a future Lab. Labs are focused outward. Labs can be a great model for members of a congregation wanting to further explore their faith and get to know others. But the model of Labs is intended to be an open invitation to Christian community— one that allows people to explore faith in a non-threatening way through their relationships with other participants. Tangram Puzzles Cut out the tangram puzzle below and cut the shapes apart. Use the shapes to create the items pictured below. You’ll use every shape each time! Chalice Altar Candle Prayer Heart Gloria Dei Lutheran Church / September 2015 / 23 1212 12TH AVE NW ROCHESTER, MN 55901 Non-Profit Org U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit #20 Rochester, MN 55901