Living Branch Lutheran Church April 1st, 2013 Inside this issue From Pastor Steve: A Living Hope God s peace to you! Pastor Steve

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1 Living Branch Lutheran Church Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Inside this issue Help for Haiti Parachuting the Gospel into Colombia A New way to study the Word: E-DiBS! Marriage Rally At the Capitol I Am Second Campaign in April! What Pastor Steve is reading Haiti Mission Trip Meet The Hillerns Family Confirmation Retreat Mission: WINGS Mission: Youth Group April 1 st, 2013 From Pastor Steve: A Living Hope On January 12 th, 2010, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck the nation of Haiti. 250,000 people died; millions more were horribly affected. 3 years later, hundreds of thousands still live in temporary shelters. The poorest country in the western hemisphere was dealt a severe blow. But God s merciful hand was at work, helping the suffering and hopeless citizens, whose average income is less than $2 per day. Through Organizations such as Food For The Poor (FFTP), many Haitians have received the help they need to start a new life. Last year, friends and members of Living Branch worked through FFTP to provide a new home for a homeless family in Haiti. Led by the efforts of Beth Torgerson, Living Branch raised nearly $4,000. This money provided a new home for the Oraville family of Corail, Haiti, pictured above in front of their new dwelling. Besides their new home, the money donated from Living Branch also provided rice and beans for a full year, a small business project to help them earn income, school supplies for two children, and clothing and shoes. Thank you to the many compassionate souls at Living Branch who supported this awesome project of hope. When I think of the meaning of Easter, the word hope jumps to mind. Scripture says, In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (Romans 1:3). The resurrection of Christ proves that He is the divine Son of God. His death on the cross, the perfect sacrifice of God s Son, paid the penalty we deserve because of our sins. Through faith in Jesus we are forgiven; the resurrection to eternal life in Heaven is God s promise to all who hope in Christ. Out of love for Christ, we who have been given a living hope spend our time giving others a living hope by sharing the love of Christ, in Word and deed, to the hurting. Inside this newsletter you ll find more opportunities to share God s living hope. God s peace to you! Pastor Steve

2 Ministry Opportunity: Last month we learned how to write letters of encouragement to our persecuted brothers and sisters imprisoned around the world for their faith in Christ. This month we learn of another way to encourage believers, those who live in restricted or hostile nations, where sharing the Gospel is either illegal or highly restricted. By partnering with The Voice Of The Martyrs, an international organization dedicated to ministering to persecuted Christians, we can help bring the Gospel to those who have little or no opportunity to hear it. One of VOM s partners in Colombia is a pilot named Russell. VOM helped Russell purchase an airplane, and today that plane flies over FARC-controlled areas of Colombia, a nation hostile to Christ, dropping small packages attached to parachutes. Pictured at left is Russell on one of his flights. The packages, which float down into FARC camps and villages, each contain a selection of Christian books as well as a solar-powered Galcom radio pre-tuned to a Christian station. Before the parachutes are dropped, the radio is turned on so that even if the parachute catches in a tree, someone will hear the radio and climb up to retrieve it. The Voice of the Martyrs has invited our newsletter readers to make parachutes to help Russell in this important ministry. To date, more than 62,000 parachutes made by American Christians have been sent to VOM for distribution. Some church groups have worked together to make hundreds of parachutes, and some families have sent one or two. Each one provides a critical opportunity to present the gospel to a lost soul. But there are still many FARC guerrillas who haven t heard the gospel, and there is still a need for more parachutes. If you d like a downloadable pattern to make the parachutes, as well as more information about VOM s work in Colombia and a video of Russell talking about reaching guerrillas for Christ, visit

3 A New Way to Feed On The Word! Feel like you re not being fed? The Word of God, that is. Most Christians struggle with personal devotions and Bible study. What resource do I use? How do I study the Bible? How can I fit Bible study into my daily schedule? If so, E-DiBS is for you. E-DiBS is a short (8 minute) bible study based on a verse-by-verse study of the Bible. When you sign up, you ll receive a daily (Monday thru Friday) bible study delivered directly to your inbox. The video teacher is a Lutheran pastor, Rev. Paul Stark. He is excellent! This resource is highly recommended by Pastor Steve. When you wake up, or go to work, it s available for you first thing! Once you open the you can watch the video, or print and read the transcripts... or both! To sign up please go to Living Branch can become more and more a people of the Word as we commit to studying it on a regular basis and applying it to our lives. Join Pastor Steve as he studies Scripture the E-Dibs way! Rally For Marriage At The Capitol On Thursday, March 7 th, over 1,000 supporters of traditional marriage jammed into the rotunda of the State Capitol building in St. Paul. The rally was sponsored by Minnesota For Marriage, an organization committed to family values that honor God, protect children, and promote healthy marriages and relationships in the state of Minnesota. A half-dozen members of Living Branch attended the rally. They began the day by visiting Bob Barrett, member of Living Branch and state representative from District 32-B. Bob was kind enough to invite them into his office and chat for a half hour. The rally began at 2:30 p.m. A number of legislators spoke, along with a few clergy. One of the pastors was a Democrat who favors traditional marriage, based on the teachings of God s word. A Muslim assistant principal of a charter school in the Twin Cities also spoke in favor of traditional marriage. Although the rally was a huge success, organizers warned participants that the real battle begins March 12 th when hearings on the same-sex marriage bill begin. Contact your legislator today. Let them know that you oppose any changes to Minnesota s marriage laws.

4 Coming This Month! I Am Second Sunday, April 7 th is the beginning of a 4-week series called I Am Second, a look into the lives of real, modern-day people as they relate to real people in the Bible. Some are celebrities, many are average, every-day folks like us. All have been deeply affected by tragedy (some of their own making, some of it not). All have been touched by the healing grace of God as they have come to know the secret of living the fulfilled life: Christ is first, they are second. Pastor Steve will preach this series at both the 8 and 10:30 a.m. services. In addition to the sermons, an I Am Second Bible study will begin April 7 th. This 6-week, video-based study will be offered during the Sunday morning Bible study hour at 9:15 a.m. What Pastor Steve Is Reading: Two Wars We Must Not Lose Secularism and the rise of Islam around the world are hotbutton issues in society today. Two Wars We Must Not Lose, written by Mr. Bill Hecht, addresses radical Islam and radical secularism. Mr. Hecht has worked more than 40 years in Washington, D.C., first as a congressional aide and then as a lobbyist. He also served as a (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) pastor in Illinois and Oklahoma until After working in the Reagan for President Campaign, he started Hecht, Spencer & Associates, a lobbying firm, in 1981, and still serves as its president. The book, published in 2012 and 533 pages in length, presents a wealth of information on the history of Islam and the present-day infiltration of radical Islam into American society. Hecht also does a masterful job teaching the essentials of the founding of America to show that, indeed, our country was founded on Christian principles by men who had every intent of including religion in government. Separation of church and state was never meant to erase Christianity from the public square. Indeed, it was meant to protect its free expression! I highly recommend Two Wars We Must Not Lose. It s a wake-up call to see the truth of the great danger of radical Islam and radical secularism, and to act to protect our freedoms. Pastor Steve

5 Possible Ministry Opportunity 2014 Mission Trip To Haiti After learning about the dire situation of millions of Haitians following the 2010 earthquake, members and friends of Living Branch stepped out in faith and gave to the great cause of providing a home for a homeless family. There is so much need in Haiti! Through Food For The Poor, we can go and see first-hand, and get involved in changing the world for those in need. Here s what Food For The Poor has to say on its website about the mission trips it sponsors: Join us on a journey you will never forget. We invite you to see firsthand the desperate conditions of Third World poverty. See how you can partner with Food For The Poor to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of the poor one person, one family at a time. Be the change that you want to see in this world! More than 8,000 people have traveled on over 540 Food For The Poor mission trips to the Caribbean and Latin America. We invite you to be a part of this very unique and blessed opportunity. Trips are typically Monday through Friday in length. Participants fly to Florida on Monday and spend the day in orientation at the Food For The Poor International Headquarters. Tuesday through Thursday are spent working at orphanges, handicapped homes, elderly villages, etc. Participants also work on projects that promote housing, fresh water, animal husbandry, and agriculture. Friday is the day to return to Florida and catch connecting flights home. The cost of the trip is $1,150, all-inclusive from Florida, including the flight to Haiti. Plane fare from Minnesota to Florida is additional. This is just an idea, but if enough people from Living Branch have an interest, perhaps it could become a reality! Then your 2014 vacation could turn into what the slogan says: Don t just travel the world; change it! Getting To Know The Living Branch Family: Alex & Beth Hillerns The Hillerns family was proud to become members of Living Branch in October. They live in Sandstone, MN and are happy to call Living Branch their church home even though the drive is a long one, 46 miles. They found Living Branch through the church website and joined because the people were friendly, God s Word was preached faithfully, and a contemporary service was offered.

6 Alex and Beth met in college in Moorhead and have been married for over 10 years. They are both currently working on their master s degrees (his in teaching, hers in literacy education) at Hamline University. Alex teaches math at Connections Academy in St. Paul. He enjoys drawing, gaming, and snowboarding. He has set himself a goal to become a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Beth teaches elementary enrichment, technology, and high school Spanish classes at East Central Schools in Finlayson. Beth loves to read and enjoys social media. Aidan is nine years old in fourth grade. He loves to play outside and read books and graphic novels. Carissa is seven years old in first grade. She likes to read or play with friends and loves fairies and ponies. Toby Mac CDs are often heard coming from their bedrooms. Together, the Hillerns enjoy audio books, board games, road trips, and Tae Kwon Do. Confirmation Retreat: Adventures In Faith! As Living Branch s Confirmation retreat drew near, Pastor Steve and Diane Minor continued to check the weather forecast. Should they cancel because of the weather advisory? Should they go? Two churches planning to go to the retreat pulled out at the last minute. After prayerful consideration, 2 adults and six confirmation students loaded up the Minors van and began the trip to Lutheran Island Camp, an hour north of Alexandria. The first leg of the trip was snowy but uneventful. After a stop at Subway in Alexandria for supper, the trip got interesting. The group stopped to help a motorist whose car was stuck in a snow bank in the middle of Alexandria! As they drove out of the city, conditions deteriorated, but were still good enough to make it to LIC. Praise God! When they arrived at camp, the real fun began their van got stuck in the snow 4 times! Living Branch wasn t the only church to make the trek: 78 young people and a couple dozen adults braved the weather and gathered to sing, study the Word, play, and eat. LB s group studied the subject of spiritual gifts, in preparation for writing their Confirmation day speeches. It was a good way to start thinking about the day they confirm their faith in Christ on Sunday, May 5 th. A big THANK YOU to Diane Minor for donating the use of her van, as

7 well as driving much of the way. She has a love for the Lord and a gift for working with young people. What a great way for 2 nd -year students at Living Branch to get away and focus on serving the Lord! Ministry: WINGS WINGS is a children s group for preschoolers up to 5 th graders. Our curriculum includes, singing, memory work, crafts, games, snacks and story time We meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Throughout the year we do service projects and even have a pizza party. We teach around children and have at least 8 adult volunteers each week. If you are interested in volunteering or providing snacks, please contact Kelly Doohen or Lori Berglin. Our theme for has been the Names of God. Check out the orange poster in the fellowship hall for a list of the names we have learned so far. While you are there, take a look at the 50+ pictures of smiling faces with wings on them. This month we are working on the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Lamb and most importantly, Our Savior. Jesus will return like a Lion one day as Revelations teaches us, but he came as the Lamb, pure and holy and became a sacrifice for us. He truly is our Savior! We ordered t-shirts this year. There are still some available in both kids and adult sizes. Suggested donation is $10. We will not meet on March 27 th as this is Holy Week. WINGS ends the first week I May with a potluck picnic, awards and games. If there are any questions, contact the church office ( ) or contact Kelly Doohen ( ) or Lori Berglin ( )

8 Ministry: LBLC Youth Group Building relationships with each other, our community and most importantly, Christ. In January and February we did some relationship building with each other and our congregation with a snow tubing trip to the Wild Chutes at Wild Mountain, a youth group Lock-In and our Youth led Services! In March and April we are working on building relationships with Christ and helping others to do the same through The Way of the Master video series. The Way of the Master is an evangelism resource and training program that helps Christians share their faith (evangelize) effectively, biblically the way Jesus did. You can visit for more information. In March we were also building relationships with our community with a friendly food drive competition between our different age and gender groups! Join Us! Wednesdays 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Thru May 1 st! and Directions From I-35, take the North Branch exit. Go east on Highway 95. Go to County Road 30 (Forest Blvd.) Turn north, and go one block. Turn right on Elm Street. Go two blocks to 6 th Street. Website: pastorsteve@livingbranch.org Office phone: (651) Address: 6486 Elm Street, North Branch, MN 55056