Connection. The Resurrection ISSUE. What s in Worship? in this. The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection

Transcription

1 The Resurrection Connection The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection A Reconciling in Christ Congregation in the St. Paul Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America DECEMBER 2015 NEWSLETTER in this ISSUE Message from Pastor Tim: page 2-3 What s in Worship? December 6 READINGS AND PSALM: Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 1:68-79 (for Psalm), Philippians 1:3-11, Luke 3:1-6 December 13 READINGS AND PSALM: Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah 12:2-6 (for Psalm), Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:7-18 December 20 READINGS AND PSALM: Micah 5:2-5a, Luke 1:46b-55 (Psalm), Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:39-45 [46-55] Mission of the Month: Page 3-4 Reaching Out to Others: pages 5-6 Our Life Together: Pages 6-7 Upcoming Events: Page 8 December 27 READINGS AND PSALM: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26, Psalm 148, Colossians 3:12-17, Luke 2:41-52 Page 1

2 Adult Forum Schedule 12/6 Engage: A Conversation about Gun Violence Prevention with Dennis Stolp, Rev. Ron Letnes, and Jay Thacker. 12/13 Home Health Care 101 with Sara Laube from Living Life Home Care 12/20 Technology in Policing, Privacy, and the Internet with Jason Koering 12/27 Christmas break No forum Bookworms Bookworms will meet on Wednesday, December 2 at 12:30 to discuss the book I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. Bring a bag lunch to eat at 12:30. Book discussion begins at 1 pm. All are welcome! Sign up for Altar Flowers for 2015 The altar flower sign up calendar is available for sign up for It is located on the information kiosk in entrance to the sanctuary. Flowers are $20 and you are encouraged to take the bouquet home after worship with you on the Sunday that you purchase it. message from Pastor Tim Baptism as Orient-ation The Advent hymn, People, Look East, begins: People, look east, the time is near of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able, trim the hearth and set the table. People, look east, and sing today Love, the Guest is on the way. I will admit it. I consider myself geographically challenged. I used to be a delivery driver and I drove everyday from Rochester, Minnesota to LaCrosse, Wisconsin. The day my supervisor trained me the whole Mississippi River valley was fogged in until mid-day. While he was supposed to train me for a few days, one guy unexpectedly quit and left them shorthanded. My manager apologized at the end of the first day and said, You are on your own. The problem was that in the dense fog of that first morning I had gotten into my head that a certain direction was north. It wasn t. I was a quarterturn off and it was east. For two full weeks the mornings were foggy and the beginning part of my route left me baffled and frustrated. Why can t I find any of these places? I screamed inside the delivery van. The maps didn t make sense with the landmarks and the street names; geographical incoherence pervaded my brain. Then one morning the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and there was no fog. I could see the lay of the land and then everything became clear. I must say that I am a little disoriented by this hymn, People, Look East. Eleanor Farjeon, who was British, wrote this hymn, so I guess she is correct. Bethlehem is east of Britain. For those in North America, I guess you could say that we, too, look east, though it is a really, really long way. I suppose you could say that people in Asia, they, too, can look east, even though it would be much closer for them to look west to see Bethlehem. I don t know what people in the southern hemisphere think of this hymn. People, Look Mostly North by Northwest just doesn t roll off an Australian s tongue. Matthew s Gospel is the only one that tells the story of the wise men. It says they were wise men from the East and that they came to Jerusalem asking, Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? We all know this story of the Magi from the iconic hymn, We Three Kings: We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star. I wonder why it was not included in our current hymnal? Was it because it uses the word Orient which is as derogatory for Asians as the n-word is for blacks? We do not call people oriental anymore as it harkens back to a colonial period of Westerners conquering Asia. The word orient, however, comes from the Latin word orientem meaning, the part of the sky where the sun rises, the east. Mark, the oldest of the gospel accounts, writes, And very early on the first day of the week, when Page 2

3 the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. It is no coincidence that the oldest and most important festival in the Christian church is named Easter. The word grew out of the Old English word eastre. We often hear Christians referred to as Easter people. If it weren t for the colonial baggage we could just as easily say that we are Oriental people, meaning eastward facing people. Liturgists know that we call the wall the altar is placed closest to, the east wall. This confuses many people when I say people this. There is always an engineer, or an architect, or a geographer who will say, No. Sorry, pastor, but you are mistaken. That is the west wall, not the east wall. You are turned around. Then I will say, No. Sorry. The church is not talking geography. The church is making a statement of faith. The altar is always on the east wall and it is from the altar that we get the sanctuary s directions. In other words, the altar is what orients us. I wish the font marked a sanctuary s orientation and not the table. I can see why the table - with its theological proximity to Easter - marks the east wall. But isn t it the washing at the font what really orients us? Whenever I meet with parents to discuss baptism I don t talk about the water saving our souls as much as the water is a sign of the promises made and the covenant formed in baptism. This covenant is what orients our daily lives. In our baptism liturgy from Evangelical Lutheran Worship we affirm the responsibilities: to live among God s faithful people, to hear the word of God and attend the Lord s Supper, to teach the Lord s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments, to physically give the holy scriptures, and to nurture the baptized in faith and prayer. These create direction for our daily lives in ways that the table doesn t. The font orients us. So let every Christian no matter where we live in the world - look east. Let us see the font as our true orientation in the world just as the magnetic nature of the poles create a geographic true north and a true south. May we orient our lives around the disciplines of baptism, so that the relationship - created and nurtured with God - helps us navigate life s wild terrain. May this orientation save us from our wayward and even lost - ways. People, Look East! reaching out TO OTHERS December Mission of the Month: ELCA World Hunger For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. Matthew 25:35 Did you know over 800 million people in the world do not get enough food each day to live healthy lives? (World Food Programme) in the United States, nearly 16 million children are not sure where their next meal will come from? (Bread for the World) about HALF of all adults in the United States aged will need federal assistance to buy food at some point during their lifetime? (Food Research and Action Center) Did you ALSO know the world produces enough food to give every living person 2,868 calories per day? (Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N.) the number of people living in chronic hunger worldwide has fallen 17 percent since the early 1990s? (World Food Programme) in 2014, gifts to ELCA World Hunger helped support over 380 anti-hunger ministries in the United States and 250 programs in over 50 other countries from food pantries to community gardens, from health care clinics to job training programs, and so much more? God richly provides for daily bread the earth can produce enough food for everyone. Yet, many of our sisters and brothers still go hungry. By providing immediate relief to those who are hungry, we meet basic needs and recognize the universal human right to food. But ending hunger is about more than food. By connecting people with the resources they need to produce food and gain access to clean water, education, health care and sources of income, long-term, sustainable change can be accomplished. We start with relationships marked by conversation and Page 3

4 listening. We believe people know their own communities best. It is our congregations and our global companion churches that first identify the local needs and related solutions to help make a difference. Then, we partner with communities to help make those solutions a reality. Working through ELCA congregations, global companion churches, The Lutheran World Federation and other partners like Bread for the World, Church World Service, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and Lutheran World Relief, the ELCA reaches more places more effectively than we could ever do alone. In addition to funding relief and development projects that assist our sisters and brothers in need, we engage members of the ELCA in education and advocacy to help change the systems that perpetuate poverty. Your gifts to ELCA World Hunger are making a difference. As a partner of churches, social ministry organizations and development and advocacy organizations, ELCA World Hunger helps reach communities most in need throughout the world. Our relationships in the U.S. and around the world create an infrastructure that allows us to be very cost efficient and effective less than 10 cents of every dollar is used for program administration and fundraising. From Alaska to Alabama, from Chile to China, your gifts are hard at work helping our neighbors near and far break the cycle of hunger and poverty. Your generous giving makes it possible for ELCA World Hunger to be present throughout the United States and throughout the world. We support projects and programs in 43 U.S. states and 56 countries (including the United States). From health clinics to microloans, food pantries to soup kitchens, advocacy to community organizing, your gifts are supporting innovative solutions that get at the root causes of hunger. Last year, your gifts to ELCA World Hunger supported at least 636 projects around the world, including: 388 food pantries, homeless shelters and other projects in the United States; 239 sustainable development, health and other projects around the world; and 15 education and networking programs in the ELCA. Learn Learn and teach. We each have a role to play in ending hunger and poverty. Throughout the ELCA, people are doing some great work battling hunger and they inspire the creation of ELCA World Hunger resources. A wide variety of educational resources from ELCA World Hunger are here to help both individuals and congregations learn more. Use these lessons, hear the stories of our sisters and brothers from around the world, and learn how daily choices from prayer to energy consumption and working together can make a difference. Attend an event. Events offer a great opportunity for education and networking. ELCA World Hunger strives to offer events that enhance and encourage meaningful ministry from leadership training to farm-based events on the ethics of eating. When we are gathered we have the opportunity to share our best ideas and practices, realizing that we do more when we work together. Advocate Speak out! Together, we achieve things on a scale and scope that we could never do otherwise. When we act as a coordinated network of advocates and reach out to officials on relevant, timely issues, we effectively impact public policies that help people living in poverty. Lead Share the story. We depend on volunteer ELCA World Hunger Leaders across the ELCA to raise awareness, share the story and promote the mission we are part of through ELCA World Hunger. Individuals, congregations and synods all play unique roles in eradicating poverty and hunger, and we leverage those networked efforts to make a difference. Join thousands of ELCA members by signing up for the e- advocacy network at: Work/Publicly-Engaged-Church/Advocacy Donate Every year, your gifts make it possible for ELCA World Hunger to respond strategically and help people living with hunger and poverty in more than 50 countries around the world, including the United States. Make a difference in your community. Through the ELCA World Hunger-funded Domestic Hunger Grants program, we support local, regional and national programs that work to alleviate poverty and hunger. Learn more about how your congregation or organization can apply for support. Page 4

5 reaching out TO OTHERS Christmas Wish Lists for Residents at LSS It has been a long-standing tradition at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection to show support for those who reside at Lutheran Social Services Home & Community Housing with gifts each Christmas. LSS relies on our congregation s continued support of this important ministry. LSS Home and Community Living is a program that supports and houses adults with disabilities. The purpose of the Christmas gift program is to provide each of these special people with gifts of clothing, games and personal items that they would otherwise not receive. We ask that you continue this tradition and select a resident s wish list from our Gift Tree. Our goal is that each resident receives at least one gift. The wish list can be removed from the ornament card holder hanging on the Gift Tree (please do not remove the hanging ornament) and used as a shopping list for each individual. Please sign your name (on the sign-up list by the tree) next to the resident s name that you have chosen so we have a record to check. You can cross off the gifts on the wish list you are giving and return the wish list card to the Gift Tree so others can buy remaining gifts on the list. It is not necessary to purchase all items on the list. Please wrap and clearly label each gift with the person s name and return to church by Sunday, December 20 noon to allow time for delivery. Monetary gifts or gift cards (Target, Cub, etc.) are also appreciated and can be used to benefit all those who reside at LSS with needed household items. Please make checks payable to The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection and designate LSS gift on the memo line. These gifts can be placed in the Sunday offering plate or mail them to church. Contact Kathy Brown if you have any Thank-you for your help! Equal Exchange Chocolate The middle school Sunday school class will be selling chocolate bars during Advent. The bars are $3 a piece. Purchasing equal exchange benefits small farmer co-ops, strengthens equitable trade systems, and goes a long way toward building a better world. We hope you will consider buying some fair trade chocolate! Cookies for Loaves & Fishes Needed for 12/14/2014 Volunteers are needed to provide cookies for a meal at Loaves and Fishes when members of Resurrection serve at the Dorothy Day Center on Monday, 12/14/2014. Twelve dozen large cookies (3 inches in diameter or greater) are needed (no bars or small cookies, please). The cookies should be dropped off in the church office on Sunday, December 13. If you're able to participate, please contact Meredithe Hedenstrom at with the number of cookies you'll be able to donate. Tube Sock collection for Loaves & Fishes We are once again taking up a collection of white tube socks for the folks who use services through Loaves and Fishes. The White Sock is up in the Coat Room. Please bring white tube socks by Sunday, December 13, and do not wrap them. The socks will be distributed to Loaves and Fishes guests on December 14. ELCA Good Gifts What is on your Christmas wish list this year? If you are looking for alternative gift giving ideas to the traditional stuff this year, consider ELCA Good Gifts. ELCA Good Gifts provides more than 50 different giftgiving options that grow the church, fight hunger and transform lives. These gifts, starting at just $10, provide direct support for the churchwide ministries of the ELCA. Take a look at the Good Gifts catalog on the kiosk! - See more at: Good-Gifts#sthash.9RlEdol4.dpuf Page 5

6 our life TOGETHER Advent, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day worship We will be doing Holden Evening Prayer on Wednesday, 2, 9, and 16 at 7:00 pm. Our contextual education student from Luther Seminary, Jacob Sefton, will be preaching on the 9 th. Thank you Jacob! Christmas Eve worship with Holy Communion will be at 4 p.m. with the Treble, Adult and Bell choirs all participating. Christmas Day worship with Holy Communion is at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Laurel Bernard preaching. Epiphany Pageant It's time for Epiphany Practice! ALL Sunday school students are invited. We will practice during the Sunday school hour from 10:30-11:30 am on the following Sundays: Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3 Poinsettias If you would like to purchase a poinsettia to give to a loved one or to grace your Christmas Day table, pick up an order envelope from the poster in the foyer. They will be offered in both red and white this year for $10 each (4-7 blooms). You can leave the envelope with payment in the offering plate or in the church office. Your poinsettia will decorate our chancel for Christmas services and you can pick up your order following our Christmas Day service. Deadline for ordering is Sunday, December 13. Time and Talent Forms, and Financial Pledge Cards Thank you to the numbers of people who pledged to financially support Resurrection for We are still collecting pledge cards, as well as Time and Talent forms, so if you have not dropped them off yet, please do so. Thank you. Why do we pledge? First of all, it is committing a portion of all of what God has given to you for the common work we do in Christ s name. Second, it helps us support those ministries, both in house and through the wider church, that are near and dear to our hearts. And third, it helps us chart our course for the coming year as we work on our budget. If you have never pledged to the church before, please consider doing so. A commitment of any size is greatly appreciated. It works best if students come to as many rehearsals as possible and work on their lines or music at home in addition to practicing at church. This year s pageant will be presented on Wednesday, January 6 at 7:00 pm here in our sanctuary. There will be a meal at 6:00 pm for any interested families and students should arrive at 6:30 to prepare for the program. Following the program will be a simple cookie reception. Families are asked to bring one dozen cookies to share. The youth look forward to sharing the story of Christ's birth! Page 6

7 our life TOGETHER National Lutheran Choir Christmas Festival The Spotless Rose Join the National Lutheran Choir for their annual Christmas Festival at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis. Known for the experience, this sacred program removes the listener from any sense of time and space and draws them into a place of awe and beauty. This year s program is entitled The Spotless Rose and will feature music of Herbert Howells, Dale Warland, David Conte and others as well as carols for congregation and choir. Friday, December 11, :30pm and 8pm Saturday, December 12, :00pm Basilica of Saint Mary (88 N. 17 th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55403) Ticket: $28 Adult $25 Senior (62 and over) $10 Students 17 & under FREE Call Brown Paper Tickets (800) or order online at A limited number of tickets will also available at the door on the day of the concert. The box office opens one hour prior to the concert. Groups of 10 or more are eligible for a discount. For information about group sales, contact the NLC office directly at The National Lutheran Choir, under the direction of Dr. David Cherwien, seeks to strengthen, renew and preserve the heritage of sacred choral music through the highest standards of performance and literature. December Birthdays 80 and over At Resurrection: 12/02 Dorothy Thompson 1471 Brenner Ave Roseville, MN /10 Jim Stensgaard 4710 Cumberland St #238 Shoreview, MN /12 Betty Danks 3076 Farrington Ct Roseville, MN /22 Lil Doenges 541 Lovell Ave Roseville, MN At LSS Home and Community Living: 12/11 Daniel Beck 785 Larpenteur Ave St. Paul, MN /14 Mark McKenzie 1968 Foxridge Rd Funerals St. Paul, MN Longtime Resurrection member and Roseville historian, Eugene Richter, died on November 17, at the J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice. His funeral was on Saturday, November 21 and body interred at Roselawn Cemetery. We will certainly miss him. May the peace of Christ comfort the Richter family at this tender time. To learn more about the choir, visit and search Facebook and Page 7

8 Monthly Worship Leaders upcoming EVENTS December Bookworms: December 2, 12:30 pm Usher Team: Team 2 Wayne Griesel, Greg Ensberg, Ben Brown, Teri MacNabb Altar Guild: Jodi Harpstead, Brenda Washburn Communion Bread Baking: Jodi Harpstead Sacristan: Nancy Lind Cookie Providers December 6 Emily & Brian Gaylord and Ray & Gay Geist December 13 Steve & Sara Hasse and Jonathan & Vanessa Hausman December 20 Linda Hildebrant and Dianne Hoon December 27 Neil & Kirsten Johnston and Jodi & Stan Harpstead Holden Evening Worship: Wednesdays, December 2, 9 and 16 at 7:00 pm Reading Luke: December 3, 6:00 pm St. Paul Needleworkers Brunch: December 5, 10:00 am Youth & Learning committee: December 6, 11:30 am League of Women Voters holiday party: December 6, 6:00 pm Buildings & Grounds Meeting: December 14, 9:00 am Loaves & Fishes: December 14, 2:30 pm Phoebe Circle: December 15, 1:30 pm Congregational Council Meeting: December 15, Reception 6:00 pm, Potluck 6:30 pm, meeting 7:30 pm League of Women Voters: December 16, 9:30 am Meals on Wheels: December 17 Worship, Music & Arts Meeting: December 20, 11:30 am Newsletter deadline: December 21, 4:00 pm The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection A Reconciling in Christ congregation (651) Ruth Circle: December 21, 7:00 pm Christmas Eve Worship: December 24, 4:00 pm Christmas Day Worship: December 25, 10:30 am Follow us on Facebook Page 8