The Messenger. Volume 52, Issue 9 October Dear Members,

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1 The Messenger Volume 52, Issue 9 October 2015 Dear Members, INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Strategic Planning Team... 1 A Word from the Pastor... 2 October Readings... 2 About Our People... 3 Giving Together... 3 October Birthdays... 3 October Anniversaries... 3 Community Meal... 4 Community & Neighborhood... 4 Missionary Circle... 4 Reading Circle... 4 Worship & Music Update... 5 Lake Wobegon Brass Band... 6 TRUST Youth... 7 Great TRUST Auction... 7 Poetry by Ann Paulson... 7 The Strategic Planning Team is continuing to work to answer the question What is God calling the people of St John s to do? There seems to be a sense in the congregation that there is a need to connect Sunday to the rest of the week and determine the focus for St John s resources time, money, and talent. This summer there was a second series of cottage meetings to discern that focus. The discussion was around what the congregation is passionate about and what paths do we use to support that passion. The paths included partnering with another church, partnering with other existing organizations, or selecting a cause and developing our own programs. As the discussions evolved, it became apparent that selecting a single path was less important than focusing on a cause. A number of causes were discussed including hunger, homelessness, and children. Ultimately, a strong theme that emerged from multiple sessions that seemed to combine multiple ideas, but still provide focus, was supporting disadvantaged youth. This theme appears to align well with many things that are in place at St. John s including the multi-generational focus, the Child Care Center, Metropolitan Boys Choir, and Camp Chi Rho. It also reflects our location. We are literally across the street from hundreds of youth at Ramsey and Washburn, many of whom may benefit from support of our congregation. The committee is looking for feedback on whether this theme of supporting disadvantaged youth makes sense as a focus for St. John s. We are planning a congregational discussion on October 25 to share our findings and validate whether this theme is one that resonates with the congregation. If so, the goal would be to move forward with action planning to integrate this theme into the life of St John s. We hope that you can join us on Sunday, October 25 after church for the discussion. If not, please reach out to any of the committee members listed below and share your thoughts on the theme we are considering. Yours in Christ, Eric Willette Julie Hurbanis Lori Johnson Mark Gebhardt Pastor Mark Tiede

2 T HE M E S S E N G E R Building and Nurturing a Faith Community P A G E 2 October is here. This is the season of harvest and plenty. It is the season when fall leaves turn brilliant colors and when rural roads are littered with rich, black clumps of soil spit from the tired wheels of tractors and combine harvesters after long days and nights of work. The grain bins will be filled to capacity. Corn will be piled 60-feet high in vacant lots and school parking lots. Soybeans will be filling semis at record rates. Sugar beets will provide an obstacle course on roads, amusing teenage drivers and causing pious senior citizens to curse. Churches everywhere will be talking about abundance. Faith-filled people will be inundated with abundance, metaphor and not. Pastors will have a hay day (pun intended) with what is happening across the land because it is not just the abundance of produce that happens. The volume of abundance creates a plethora of activity in order to collect and distribute the cornucopia of all that the land has produced. The seemingly empty, vacant land of rural farms flowers and begins to teem with life and activity. The Lord of the harvest has produced an enormous bounty. The sheer scale of the harvest has delivered an emerging opportunity for life and energy to sprout. It s almost as though fall is the Easter of the earth. Easter is when we rise from death to life. Easter is the day of the resurrection to a new reality. Easter is a season of restart, new days, and new life. Harvest time I mean Easter is the new life for God s people, and there is always enough! There is more than enough. There is life. There is opportunity. There is hope. As Easter People we have been brought together and have formed ecclesiastical communities. Those communities evolved into churches which exist all over the place, in all different kinds of ways. But one thing that is shared is that these ecclesiastical communities provide opportunities for its people to give and to grow. This October you will hear from members of St. John s about the many and various ways that participating in this shared life together has given them meaningful ways of worshiping, welcoming, growing, and serving. Perhaps you, too, will uncover ways that you have felt blessed to be such a blessing. October is the month of collecting and distributing. It is the time of extravagant generosity received and given. Abundance is here. Yours in Christ, Pastor Mark Narrative Lectionary Readings for October October 4, 19th Sunday after Pentecost: Exodus 1:8-14; 3:1-15 October 11, 20th Sunday after Pentecost: Deuteronomy 5:1-21; 6:4-9 October 18, 21st Sunday after Pentecost: Ruth 1:1-17 October 25, Reformation Sunday: 2 Samuel 5:1-5; 6:1-5; Psalm 150

3 T HE M E S S E N G E R Building and Nurturing a Faith Community P A G E 3 About Our People Remember in Prayers We ask for your continued prayers for healing and comfort for Betty Schibilla, Margaret Thompson, and Charles Nelson (grandfather of Mary Ites and Katherine Wacker). With Sympathy Condolences to Nancy Biele, Executive Director of TRUST, on the death of her mother, Nancy McHaffie Fride (age 88), on September 11. Visitation and memorial service were in Duluth on September The family dedicated memorials to TRUST or donor s charity of choice. Our thoughts and prayers are with Joyce and Merwyn Larson. Joyce s father, Arthur Schumacher (age 100), passed away on September 17. The funeral service was held on September 21 at Salem Emmanuel Church in Long Lake, South Dakota. Longtime member Evelyn Canfield died on September 25. A memorial service will be held at St. John s on Friday, October 2. We extend our sympathy and prayers to Evelyn s family and friends. Thank You A Note from Ken Marsh: I wish to thank Pastor Tiede for his visit after my back surgery. Also, thanks to friends for their calls and cards. Please let the church office know if you would like to share information with the congregation. Giving Together Dear Members of St. Johns, We are a remarkable, generous, giving congregation. We are very grateful for the dedication of so many members giving of their time, talent, and treasures to accomplish the ministry of this Church. The Stewardship Committee would like to recognize and give thanks for all the opportunities for people to give of themselves, signs of God's generosity. This fall's campaign theme is "Giving Together" through St. John s. You will hear more in the weeks ahead of our accomplishments this past year and the opportunities before us. Pledge Sunday is November 15. Sincerely, Stewardship Committee Eric Willette, Tamara Gebhardt, Andy Tellijohn, Phil Roe, Bonnie Conrad, Pastor Mark Happy Birthday! 2 Laura Melcher 4 Anna Carlson Ellen Dosdall 5 Maria Nordstrom 6 Julie Krogh Stacia Stromberg 7 Desiree Hamilton 9 Kit Kercheval Kari Marsh 11 Joseph Ackman Lia Gambucci 12 Marlys Goebel Betty Johnson 13 Eric Willette 14 Finley Megal 15 Lauren Kind Brian Lensch Bryce Stromberg 17 Troy Smith 18 Kenneth Floberg 20 Stephanie Megal 22 Estella Juelfs 23 Mackenzie Bestler 24 Jill Landin Kirsten Nordstrom 25 Jack Hurbanis 29 Kelly Budd Scott Prescott 31 Vicky Ercolani Happy Anniversary! 1 Scott & Jennifer Belz 7 Dan & Deborah Dunham 8 Brian & Becky Falk 18 John & Dannell Nordstrom 24 Jared & Heather Andrews 28 Steve Fricke & Bridget Jacques- Fricke If your birth date and/or anniversary has not been included or is incorrect, please call Torey at

4 T HE M E S S E N G E R Building and Nurturing a Faith Community P A G E 4 Missionary Circle The next Community Meal is October 24 Sign up today! St. John s hosts a Community Meal on the fourth Saturday of each month at 12:00 PM. Volunteers welcome guests, help to prepare and serve food and beverages, bus and wash dishes, and clean up. The time commitment is approximately two hours. If you are interested, please sign up on the poster outside the Fellowship Hall or call the church office at Community and Neighborhood Committee is on the Grow! After several organizing meetings over the year, the Community and Neighborhood Committee is ready to roll up its sleeves and get to work, especially in anticipation of the congregational dialogue on Sunday, October 25. The current plan is to have a short meeting following worship (11:30 - Noon) on the second Sunday of each month. The first meeting will be in the Lounge on Sunday, October 11. Come and join chair Mark Gebhardt, members Steve Dosdall, Jack Hurbanis, Mark Nervig, Elizabeth Roe, and Pastor Mark Tiede, as we explore the boundaries of these ministries and our benevolence. New members are always welcome! Missionary Circle met on Wednesday, September 2 at the home of Sonja Ashner where they enjoyed her beautiful gardens and a potluck lunch. Marj Sethna brought a craft project envelopes with materials to make bookmarks for St. John s pew Bibles. Diane Rooney, Louise Carlson, Elaine Taylor, and Vicky Ercolani took the envelopes home and assembled the bookmarks with help from Katie and Carmen, too. Ann Paulson organized the project and the bookmarks were in place for the first worship service using the new narrative lectionary. Thank you Ann! The Circle invites everyone to join them on Wednesday, October 7 for a tour of Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) at 9600 Aldrich Avenue South in Bloomington. Plan to meet at 11:30 AM for lunch and a business meeting at Applebee s Restaurant at 9601 Lyndale Avenue in Bloomington prior to the tour. See you then! Join the St. John s Reading Circle on November 8 Circles have a long tradition in the Lutheran Church, most frequently associated with women s groups. But this circle is open to everyone women, men, young, old, members, non-members come one, come all! The inaugural season of the new St. John s Reading Circle will focus on two books by Robert Lupton: Toxic Charity and Charity Detox. We will discuss the first one at 11:15 AM on Sunday, November 8, in the Lounge. Grab your doughnut and beverage of choice and join in what should be a lively conversation that may impact the way our congregation does God s work as we move forward. Robert D. Lupton published Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Reverse It) (191 pages) in Dr. Lupton (Ph.D in Psychology) is an author, activist, strategist, and founder of Atlanta-based FCS Urban Ministries (Focused Community Strategies - He writes, speaks, and acts on 40+ years of first-hand experience in urban settings. His followup book, Charity Detox: What Charity Would Look Like If We Cared About Results (196 pages), came out in Please read the first book or both books before our November 8 meeting. If we decide we want to continue the discussion, we can schedule more sessions later in November (22, 29) or December. Both books are available through the Hennepin County Library, Amazon, Thriftbooks ( Half Price Books ( and for Kindle and Nook. If you have questions, please contact Suzanne Jebe or Pastor Mark Tiede.

5 T HE M E S S E N G E R Building and Nurturing a Faith Community P A G E 5 Samuel Grace s First Choir Rehearsal September 9, 2015 Worship and Music Update Greetings, St. John s Family! If I haven t had the opportunity to meet you, my name is Samuel Grace. I m your new Director of Worship and Music. I m eager to get to know all of you, your families, and to hear about what makes worship especially meaningful for you. As many of you know, my great passion lies within music in worship. We have a strong musical identity at St. John s, and I look forward to working with all of you to share that identity with our community. There are many ways to be involved in music at St. John s. Our choir welcomes singers of all ages and abilities. Rehearsals are weekly on Wednesday nights from 7:30-8:30. Children are welcome to attend rehearsals. We have plenty of toys in the Fellowship Hall. Our brass ensemble meets almost weekly on Wednesdays from 6:45-7:30 PM. Is it time to dust off that old trumpet? Maybe you love music but don t like singing? Our bell choir rehearses and performs only once per month playing bells is an easy and fun way to get involved with music at St. John s without a big commitment. Finally maybe you have a musical talent that I don t know about. I d love to hear about it! I m always looking for creative ways for people of all ages to be involved in leading worship. After all, we are all one church family. If you have any ideas you d like to share with me for how we can improve or support our worship at St. John s, I d love to hear from you. I m in the office Monday through Thursday and would love to chat over donuts on Sunday. I m looking forward to meeting you! Samuel Grace Director of Worship and Music

6 T HE M E S S E N G E R Building and Nurturing a Faith Community P A G E 6 presents Lake Wobegon Brass Band St. John s Music Series is pleased to kick-off its season with the Lake Wobegon Brass Band (LWBB) on Friday, October 9 at 7:30 PM in St. John s Sanctuary. On the heels of a fantastic England tour this past summer, the LWBB is recharged and ready to kick off its season with Richard Strauss exciting fanfare Fest Musik der Stadt Wien. Other selections to be performed include the lively Black and White Rag, William Himes stunning setting of Nicaea ( Holy, Holy, Holy ), An American Tale, a musical tribute to the American Civil War, as well as Norwegian folk music. In July, the Lake Wobegon Brass Band (which includes St. John s own Ron Hasselman) made a pilgrimage to the land of brass bands the Yorkshire region of England where communities passionately support their hometown band during concerts, festivals, and competitions. During their tour, the LWBB was honored to share the stage with The Black Dyke Brass Band, the award-winning band that has not only captured first place awards in England, but throughout Europe. And then they marched... in a parade. With some trepidation, but much enthusiasm, the band participated in the March and Hymn Tune Contest with 25 other selected brass bands in the charming town of Brighouse on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Conductor Mike Halstenson proudly led his musicians down the town s streets and a member of the parade committee followed, holding the American flag high. They were met with enthusiasm and cheers by the crowd who had never before seen an American brass band (average age: 58) marching down their streets playing Stars and Stripes Forever. Come join us for an evening of beautiful brass music. Admission is free and a free-will offering will be taken. All are welcome!

7 T HE M E S S E N G E R Building and Nurturing a Faith Community P A G E 7 Both Sides, Now To err is human Err on the side of hope Err on the side of humility Err on the side of mercy Come to the Great TRUST Auction! To forgive is divine Forgive as you ve been forgiven Forgive in order to be free Forgive for life Human -- Divine Together in Spirit Where two or three are gathered.. Friday, October 9 at 6 PM The Great TRUST Auction will be on Friday, October 9 at 6 PM. This year it will be held at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, rd Avenue South, Minneapolis. Come join us for great food! Entertainment! Wine! Heads & Tails! Bid on great items! The cost is $20 in advance or with reservations, $15 for seniors 65+/youth, and $25 at the door. It is free for kids 10 and under. For reservations contact or trustinc@visi.com. Reserve a table of eight for your group! Ann Marie Paulson 1/7/15

8 St. John s Lutheran Church 4842 Nicollet Avenue Minneapolis, MN Periodicals Postage Paid T HE M E S S E N G E R Building and Nurturing a Faith Community P A G E 8 Information Church Office Church Office Fax Child Care Center Chi Rho Camp Website... Parish Staff PASTOR Mark A. Tiede DIRECTOR OF WORSHIP & MUSIC Samuel Grace PARISH COORDINATOR Torey Johnson OFFICE ASSISTANT Ann Paulson ORGANIST Peder Flaten CUSTODIANS Joseph Sahai Jon Dosdall Jose Portillo CHILD CARE CENTER DIRECTOR Tina Shear CHI RHO CAMP MANAGER David Helm St. John s Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). We believe in the Triune God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and the Gospel as the power of God for salvation for all that believe. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God, inspired by God s Spirit speaking through their authors, recording and announcing God s revelation centering in Jesus Christ. We believe the Church to be a people created by God in Christ and sustained by the Holy Spirit. Sunday Worship Service at 10:00 a.m. Nursery care is provided. Traditional worship that is joyful and welcoming to all. Church Council Nancy Adams Andrew Berg, Vice President Bonnie Conrad Steve Dosdall, President Vicky Ercolani, Secretary Jesse Fanciulli Bob Holden Jack Hurbanis Mark Nervig, Treasurer Sean Stagg The Messenger, St. John s Lutheran Church (USPS ) is published monthly by St. John s Lutheran Church, 4842 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, MN Periodicals postage will be paid at Minneapolis, Minnesota. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Messenger, St. John s Lutheran Church, 4842 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, MN