Centering. Community. Where we explore the promise of God for all, working towards a transforming, nur turing, life-giving communit y.

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1 Centering NEWS OF CENTRAL LUTHERAN MINNEAPOLIS Community Where we explore the promise of God for all, working towards a transforming, nur turing, life-giving communit y. SPRING 2017

2 community PASTOR MELISSA POHLMAN Trinity Institute 2017: A Global Theological Conference Partner Site: Water Justice Wednesday - Friday, March Be part of Trinity Institute 2017: Water Justice here at Central, a global conference held in New York City and webcast all over the world. With a sharp focus on the need for water justice initiatives in areas of access, droughts, pollution, rising tides, and flooding, Trinity Institute aims to offer actionable guidance for individuals, congregations, and the larger faith community surrounding these issues. We will host a live webcast at Central. There is a nominal cost to attend one or both days. To register, please visit www. centralmpls.org/trinity2017. We are created for community. As far back as the stories in Genesis we hear that Adam is lonely and needs another created one like him for the sake of community. The Bible is full of stories of when one person is left to their own devices and the resulting disaster that tends to create. It also contains the many stories of what caring communities united in God s name can accomplish. God, in God s very self has community in the Trinity. At its very best, the church is a life-giving community where we share what it is to be the body of Christ. We come together to discern the will of God for our church community and for the larger community of our city, our state and our nation. Then together, we work to bring that vision to fruition. At Central this has many different ways of happening. Community is created over a meal, a garden, a little foot care, a night out, around a conference table, at a march, in people s homes, on the street, in the dayroom and more and more and more. As we look forward to spring, we have some new and returning opportunities for you to engage in the Holy Spirit s work of calling us into and co-creating community with us. The Heading Home Central Ministry Team and the Street Voices of Change invite you to join us on Tuesday, March 14 for Homeless Day on the Hill. Organized by the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, this is a yearly event where we travel to Central Presbyterian Church for a time of being educated on the issues at stake in our state government that most affect people experiencing homelessness. Then we walk up the block to the Capitol where we have meetings set up with our legislators to address the issues. We will provide transportation, you should bring a lunch and your voice. Please sign up here: org/advocate and receptionist@centralmpls.org so we can get you the transportation information. The Trinity Institute is coming back to Central again for our third year. This year the Institute will focus on water justice. Our own Central Creation Cares (C3) Ministry Team is working with the Heading Home Central Team to host this great event. It will be live-streamed in our sanctuary and fellowship hall beginning Wednesday, March 22 and continuing through March 24. We are joining forces with the Minneapolis Area Synod and the Episcopal Earthkeepers to facilitate small group breakout sessions, Eucharist, and great speakers like Senator Barbara Boxer and author Kim Stanley Robinson. You can register on our website. As a community we are also getting ready to say goodbye to our education wing, parish house and south commons. We will have the opportunity to say goodbye in many ways including being helpful with the garden team, the moving of the Free Store and Health Commons and the like. Please watch the Spirit and espirit for ways you can be involved in this effort. I am always amazed at the ways we are created for and called into community at Central. Thank you for your being a part of this community of Christ. 2

3 community Our Security Team Here at Central, we have a very dedicated security staff that ensures that all possible measures are taken so that everyone who enters into the building is as safe as possible this includes staff, members, and guests. Depending on the time of day, you will be greeted by one of our security staff, Dwayne, Tariq, and the newest addition, Fred. Get to know them a little more by reading below. DWAYNE WRIGHT TARIQ RAUF FRED COLEMAN Dwayne is director of security at Central. He has been with us for 10 years. He is originally from Waterloo, Iowa and is the youngest of seven children. Dwayne is a proud dad of five daughters and is engaged to his fiancé Alisha. Dwayne loves Central and the best thing about it is to see everyone together in one place. Doesn t matter who you are, where you are from, or the color of your skin, we welcome everyone. Tariq is a security officer and he started over a year ago. He is from Sri Lanka originally and came to Minnesota in the late 70s. He is married to Ramya and has one daughter, Senuri. Senuri is 21 years old and in college at the U of M. They live in downtown St. Paul. He loves living in the heart of the city. When asked what he likes about Central, he says that Central s outreach to the community has become very powerful to him, and he is proud to work here. In his downtime, he likes going to the movies and to the theater with his family and he loves collecting art from his native homeland. Fred is a security officer and just joined the team in December. He is from St. Paul and he lives there with his wife, Misty, who he has been married to for 21 years. He has three kids and two grandchildren. Fred previously worked at St. Stephen s Lutheran Church in Bloomington where he met the Rev. Kathie Nycklemoe, Pastor Peter s wife. When he isn t at Central he loves to spend time with his kids and grandkids, and loves sports. Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness The Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness (DCEH) is an interfaith collaboration of 14 downtown Minneapolis churches, synagogues and mosques working together to end homelessness and poverty. DCEH focuses on shifting from an immediate needs approach to long term solutions through a combination of education, advocacy and action. Through learning and volunteer opportunities for congregants, community partnerships, and development of effective strategies and programs, the DCEH is committed to impacting the community around us to end homelessness. Restoration Center The Restoration Center is a drop in center for people in downtown Minneapolis experiencing homelessness and poverty. Services include: resource assistance, employment services, clothing, meals, worship, Bible study, computer access, support groups, yoga, and more! The Augsburg Central Health Commons, which provides basic medical services, is a collaboration with Augsburg College. Free Store Hours Monday: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tuesday: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Donate Donations of clothing (especially men s), towels, sheets, small household items, jackets, hats, luggage, backpacks, new socks and underwear, as well as other items are needed. We always need paper bags with handles! Donations may be brought to the main south entrance of the church anytime the campus is open. Financial contributions are also appreciated. 3

4 generosity Building Renewal and Spiritual Renewal Renewed Joy in Both PASTOR PETER NYCKLEMOE Renewed Joy, Renewed Vessels Conversations In January and February members of the Building Renewal Task Force provided presentation boards of the project after worship for comment and conversation. This latest round of input will be collated and shared with the architect for their planning as we move to the next phase in design and drawings. Thank you to all who were able to stop and share their questions, provide feedback and share their excitement. Another series of open meetings will be offered in the spring on the plans to keep you informed and the process transparent. The dates and times are not set yet, but will be shared when we have the updated drawings to share. For now, you can still ask questions and share your joy with the Building Renewal Task Force when you see them after worship on the weekend: Hazel Reinhardt (chair), Ron Fiscus, Paul Troselius, Kari Lyle, Franklin Dietrich or Kevin Lile. An invitation to be a part of a spiritual renewal initiative One of my favorite words is and. It is a classic Lutheran word. As followers of Jesus who live in faith with a Lutheran style (I think there is such a thing) and a Lutheran substance (this is definitely a thing), we know that and is an important word. We talk about Word and Sacrament, Law and Gospel, and saint and sinner, to name a few. As the Building Renewal Project brings us to the work that will begin this summer and potentially dominate our attention for a year, it is a great time to consider the Lutheran and. How can we tend to the Building Renewal Project s many moving parts and have a sense of joy in the midst of some chaos? How can we see the project as a sign of healing and as a step into the next chapter in Central s history? How can we focus on the important work of the project and begin to prepare for ministry and mission in the new space? At this point it looks like the Building Renewal Project will be completed by August We will walk into the new facility and begin celebrating Central s 100th Anniversary year. What a perfect time to launch a renewed spiritual initiative, strategic goals that rise up from who we are as the children of God in this place and at this time. Building work and visioning work, what a great way to live with Lutheran style and substance. I invite you to consider serving on a Renewed Joy Spiritual Initiative Team. If you have a background or passion for some strategic visioning and planning, your gifts and insights are needed at this moment in the congregation s history. If you are interested, you can send me an at pnycklemoe@centralmpls. org so I can pass your name along to the Congregation Council. They will affirm a task force for this work this spring. You can also questions or insights, as well. I am looking forward to the renewed joy we will experience through the Building Renewal Project and looking forward to listening to how God is calling us to live this joy in strategically new and exciting ways. Invitation to Leadership You are invited to prayerfully discern if you hear a call to leadership here at Central. You are also asked to reflect on who you might recommend for leadership. The Nominating Committee has begun their work to recommend leadership for Congregation Council, Synod Assembly, Audit Committee and Nominating Committee. If you are interested in serving or would like to recommend someone, the 2017 Recommendation Forms are available in the church office. The deadline for recommendations is Sunday, March 12. 4

5 formation Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. These words, originally spoken or written by Benjamin Franklin capture the ways in which faith formation happens here at Central. Whether you re hearing Bible stories for the first time or looking to deepen your faith through study or experience, we invite and encourage everyone to get involved in something. Here are some of the highlights from these past few weeks and some of what s ahead in formation. In mid-january, our high school students travelled together to spend a weekend at Camp Amnicon. For our high school seniors, it was a beautiful time of looking back at all the ways their experiences at Central have shaped and formed them. It was also a time of looking forward and imagining how they will continue to live out their faith. Later in January, a number of our families gathered at Camp Wapo for Family Camp. We ate together, played together and worshipped together in the warm and relaxed atmosphere of a great camp setting. One of the many great moments that weekend came at the end of dinner at a supper club near Amery. A man came to our table and asked if he could have a word with us. Fearing that we had been too loud, the man said how heart-warming it was to see families gathered around the table and enjoying each other laughing, talking and connecting. In early February, our newly formed young adult group met at The Dangerous Man Brewery in northeast Minneapolis. This group meets consistently each month and welcomes new members to join them. This informal group of 20-somethings to 40-somethings gathers for conversation and connection seeking ways to connect and make a difference in their church and in the world. Looking ahead, we continue to host children and youth in a variety of programs every Sunday. In addition to Sunday morning formation, our high school and middle school students gather for fun and fellowship on the second Sunday of each month. Upcoming events include: March 12 Second Sunday for youth April 9 Second Sunday for youth May 7 Confirmation Sunday May 14 Sunday school wrap-up June Service and fun days for youth And, opportunities abound for adult involvement as well. There are weekly opportunities for Bible study and adult education. For days and times check the weekly Spirit or the website. There are monthly opportunities including outings with the OWLS (Older Wiser Lutheran Seniors), Caregivers Support Group and enrichment through A Different Kind of Book Club. For more information on any of these or other ways to get involved, contact Pastor Stephanie Friesen. PASTOR STEPHANIE FRIESEN Sunday Morning Adult Lifelong Faith Formation The theme for Lent this year is Welcomed and Fed. We will enter into a time of intentional conversation on baptism, confession and holy communion through the lens of Martin Luther s Small Catechism. March 5: Welcomed and Fed: Baptism Led by Pastor C March 12: Welcomed and Fed: Baptism Led by Pastor Stephanie March 19: Welcomed and Fed: Forgiveness Led by Pastor Peter March 26: Welcomed and Fed: Holy Communion Led by Pastor Melissa Lenten Small Groups You are invited to sign up at the church office to join a Lenten Small Group. The small groups can begin meeting any time after March 12. Reading Ahead: A Different Kind of Book Club Meetings are in the fireside lounge, 1:30-3:00 p.m. on the dates noted below. All readers are welcome. March 9: Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer. April 13: The Fractured Republic: renewing America s social contract in the Age of Individualism by Yuval Levin. May 11: Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri. 5

6 worship 6 PASTOR D. FOY CHRISTOPHERSON Worship at Central during Holy Week and Easter Passion/Palm Sunday April 8 - Holy Communion at 5:00 p.m.; focus on the Palm Sunday story April 9 - Holy Communion at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.; Procession with palms around the building; The Passion according to Matthew follows The Great Three Days Maundy Thursday Holy Communion - April 13, 7:00 p.m. Good Friday Adoration of the Crucified - April 14, 12:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter Holy Saturday, April 15, 7 p.m. (no 5 p.m. service) Resurrection of Our Lord Sunday, April 16 First Light Devotions in the Columbarium at 7:30 a.m. Holy Communion at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Continental breakfast at 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 a.m. All services are audio live-streamed on our website. Welcomed and Fed: bath word table is our focus for Lent and Easter in 2017 as we seek to renew our engagement with Christ crucified and risen. Lent and Easter are the central days that form the church as a community of disciples. These days are also central days to welcome new disciples, and to renew our sense of God s call to the church in baptism. Lent this year (this set of lectionary readings) is Lent at its best, Lent at its most basic, closest to its origin, Lent at its core. This set of readings is the one that shaped Lent as a season (one could almost say the original Lent readings). They make the most sense when set in relationship to baptism and for that reason we have chosen the sacraments as our focus this year from Luther s Small Catechism. March Worship Worship on Ash Wednesday (March 1) at noon or at 7:00 p.m. Imposition of ashes is an optional spiritual discipline. Lent s forty days of fasting, prayer, and works of love continue for the next five weeks. Lunch follows the noon service only. Saturdays and Sundays in Lent will be simple celebrations of the Lord s Supper. As Easter draws near notice the baptismal images growing in the Year of Matthew (and John) lectionary. Remember our weekly Saturday evening service, with music from Holden Evening Prayer, as you plan your Lenten journey. Wednesdays in Lent (after Ash Wednesday) we will gather for Bible study, fellowship and prayer. Worship at 12:15 p.m. is followed by lunch and Bible study. Wednesday evenings will see us invited into Lenten small groups looking at Holy Baptism, Confession and Forgiveness, and Holy Communion through the lens of Luther s Small Catechism. Meet three times off campus and on your own small group schedule. Join us in our Lenten journey of forty days of fasting, prayer, and works of love: Welcomed and Fed - bath word table. Upcoming Public Events National Lutheran Choir Winter Concert Sunday, March 19, 4 p.m. Bach s Ein feste Burg and Music of Early Lutheran Masters. More information and tickets at Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra Beethoven and Nazaykinskaya: Symphonic Firsts Sunday, April 2, 4 p.m. The world premiere of Russian composer Polina Nazaykinskaya s First Symphony, commissioned by the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra Concert is free, and donations requested. msomn.org. Mater Dolorosa: An Evensong for Holy Week Sunday, April 9, 4 p.m. The event will highlight works of two important Finnish composers. Toivo Kuula s Stabat Mater (1915) in its American premier will serve as the centerpiece. The Central Choir and members of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra will be under the direction of Cantor Mark Sedio. Oskar Merikanto s rarely heard Passacaglia in F# Minor will be performed by organist Stephen Hamilton. The concert is free.

7 March 1 The practice of faith Ash Wednesday Holy Communion at 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. Reading: Matthew 6:1-6, March 4/5 The temptation of Jesus. Baptismal image: renunciation Lent 1 Reading: Matthew 4:1-11 Worship Life March May 2017 March 11/12 The mission of Christ: to save the world. Baptismal image: rebirth March 18/19 Baptismal image: the woman at the well- living water March 25/26 Baptismal image: the man born blind - new sight Lent 2 Lent 3 Lent 4; healing Reading: John 3:1-17 Reading: John 4:5-42 Reading: John 9:1-41 April 1/2 Baptismal image: the raising of Lazarus - dying and rising Lent 5 Reading: John 11:1-45 April 8/9 The passion of our Lord Passion/Palm Sunday; afternoon Central Choir concert Reading: Matthew 3:13-17; 27:11-54 April 15/16 He is risen! Easter begins; Saturday Easter Vigil at 7 p.m. Reading: Matthew 28:1-10; John 20:1-18 April 22/23 Beholding the wounds of the risen Christ April 29/30 Eating with the risen Christ May 6/7 Christ the Shepherd Easter 2 Easter 3; healing Easter 4; confirmation Reading: John 20:19-31 Reading: Luke 24:13-35 Reading: John 10:1-10 May 13/14 Christ the way, truth, and life Easter 5 May 20/21 Christ our advocate Easter 6; blessing of graduates and quilts; new members received May 27/28 The Ascension of our Lord Easter 7 Reading: John 14:1-14 Reading: John 14:15-21 Reading: Luke 24:

8 CENTRAL LUTHERAN 333 South 12th Street Minneapolis, MN Presorted First-Class Mail U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities, MN Permit No Center Our Lives in Faith This publication follows the way God calls us to center our lives in faith. We center in worship, lifelong faith formation, community and generosity. Each of these mission areas invites us to ways we personally center as well as how we center as a congregation. By centering, by deep listening to God, by lives shaped by daily prayer and in the ancient ways congregations grow in love and care for all, we will explore the promise of God for all. Generosity Worship Exploring the promise of God for all Cover Photo The cover photo is a collage of our exploring the promise of God through advocacy, care of the earth, caring for the neighbor, fellowship, food service and public safety. Community Lifelong Faith Formation Exploring the promise of God for all CENTRAL LUTHERAN 333 South 12th Street Minneapolis, MN centralmpls.org CENTERING A quarterly publication of Central Lutheran. Questions or comments may be directed to the editor, Sara Masters at smasters@centralmpls.org Member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness