A New Creation Pastor Melissa

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1 April 2018 THE SERVANT SPIRIT verse of the month From the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2 inside this issue 2-3 Worship and Learning 3 Worship & Music Ministry 4 Faith Walk & Talk 5 Ministry & Mission 6 Congregation News 7 Children s Ministry 8 Junior/Senior High Ministry 9 Outreach & Fellowship Events 9 Servant Schoolhouse 10 Calendar of Events 11 Camp Wapo & VBS Easter Worship Easter Worship Services: April 1 7:00, 8:00, 9:15 and 11:00 a.m. Worship Services (Childcare for infants through 3 years old provided at 8, 9:15 & 11:00 a.m. services/no Sunday School) 7:30-11:00 a.m. Easter Breakfast (Free will donations help fund the 2018 Youth Mission Trip) A New Creation Pastor Melissa So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 2 Corinthians 5:17 The Resurrection of Jesus is a sign of God s purpose and power to restore his creation to its full integrity. Just as death could be seen as the culmination of all that is wrong with the world, so the resurrection can be seen as a pledge of God s ultimate victory over the disorder which plagues his creation on account of the fall. Death is the greatest enemy, and yet death has been defeated by God through Christ. And so we are given hope that the remainder of the powers and forces that confront us are similarly being defeated and their power broken. The cross spells freedom. It brings liberation from false understandings of God. It shows that God is there despite all the suggestions that he is not. Good Friday seemed to confirm the idea that God was dead, asleep or indifferent. Easter Day showed that God was alive, well and caring. The cross frees us from the idea that human nature is somehow too sinful, or the human dilemma too complex, for God to do anything about it. The bonds which tie us to these deeply pessimistic views of God are torn apart by the cross. The creator becomes a creature within his own creation, in order to recreate it. In the aftermath of Gethsemane, we catch the fragrance of the garden of Eden. Jesus was betrayed within the garden of Gethsemane, in order to undo the disobedience of human nature within the garden of Eden. The resurrection is like the first day of a new creation! May you experience this new creation in your life! Blessings, Pastor Melissa

2 worship & learning resources Prayer Resources on the WEB Visit our website for a resource on prayer. Go to which is part of the ELCA website. The page provides resources for individuals seeking to expand their prayer life. Contents of the page include meditation, healing, prayer requests, daily Bible readings and a short course called Prayer 101. This is an EXCELLENT resource, check it out! our mission Servant of Christ Mission Making Disciples We are committed in every aspect of life to encourage the ministry of the congregation and individuals to grow in the following biblical marks of discipleship: Prayer, Weekly Worship, Biblical Literacy, Spiritual Friendship, Serving and Giving. communion Bringing Communion to People in Their Homes! Please let Pastor Eric or Pastor Melissa know if there is a Servant of Christ member unable to attend worship due to medical reasons. The Pastors would be happy to bring communion to them in their home. Just call the church office at Upcoming Preaching Themes Easter Sunday Sunday, 4/1 He Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed! Worship Services at 7:00, 8:00, 9:15 & 11:00 a.m. Easter Breakfast 7:30-11:30 a.m. Childcare available for infants through 3 year olds at 8:00, 9:15 and 11:00 a.m. Text Mark 16:1-8 Theme Easter is the highlight of the Christian year. While there is much more emotion around Christmas with the many family celebrations and presents it is Easter that gives Christmas it s real meaning. So the real question on this and every Easter is this: What Does It Mean? Questions to Think About as You Read: 1) What do you understand the core message of Easter to be? 2) How does that message impact your daily life? 3) How is it a source of hope and inspiration for you? Sunday, 4/8 Tangible Reminders Text Matthew 26:26-30; 28:16-20 Theme Whether it s a birthday, Christmas or anniversary present or a wedding ring, tangible reminders of someone s love are very important in our lives. They are a sign of that person s love even when things aren t going well. The Lord has given us tangible reminders of grace and mercy in the form of baptism and communion that we can carry with us throughout life. Questions to Think About as You Read: 1) When taking communion have you ever experienced an emotional moment? 2) Why do you think some people feel like they can t come to church if they ve messed up? 3) Why do some denominations baptize infants and others don t? Special Event: First Communion Sunday, 4/15 The Prayer part 1 Text Matthew 6:5-10 Theme The Lord s Prayer is beloved by Christians throughout the world. It s also one of the first prayers we learn and also very easy to pray without really thinking what it means. Jesus gave us this prayer for a reason. Questions to Think About as You Read: 1) When was the last time you prayed the Lord s pray slowly and contemplated it s meaning? 2) What are the different elements of the prayer? 3) How does praying this prayer compare with Just praying what s on our hearts? 2 THE SERVANT SPIRIT

3 worship & learning Sunday, 4/22 The Prayer part 2 Text Matthew 6:5-13 Theme Like The Ten Commandments the first part of The Lord s Prayer is all about God. Beginning with verse 11 it shifts to our needs. Once again underscoring the importance that being right with God and making God our first priority is what s most important before turning to our own needs. Questions to Think About as You Read: 1) As you read the last part of the Lord s Prayer what does Give us this day our daily bread mean to you? 2) How is the last part of The Lord s prayer different from conventional wisdom? Sunday, 4/29 Back to Basics Text John 1:1-14 Theme Whether it s dance, music, athletics, math or any other subject at school the basics are always important. Without basic competency in the basics a person can t continue to move forward in their particular discipline. The Apostles Creed is a reminder of not only the basics of Christianity but of what binds us together despite our vast differences. Questions to Think About as You Read: 1) If you were going to write your own creed about the basics of your life what would it include? 2) Why do we use The Apostles Creed so frequently at church? 3) If someone were to examine your outward and inward life what creed would that write about your life about what you actually believe? Baptism Class May 6 at 12 Noon Learn about the meaning of baptism and how to arrange for a baptism here at Servant of Christ. We invite all ages to be baptized. Classes are held on the first Sunday every other month at 12 noon in the Family Room at the back of the Sanctuary. If you have further questions or would like to RSVP for a Baptism Class please call the Church Office at worship & music ministry from Susan & Cathy Happy Easter Everyone! And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. 1 Cor. 6:14 Thank you to everyone who helped make Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter a very special time at our church. We want to especially thank all of our musicians, youth choirs, adult choir and band. Without their hard work and dedication, the services would be very quiet! If there was a group that you are interested in joining, please let us know. We are already busy making plans for the upcoming school year ( ). There is room for you if you love music. Please contact me at cathyy@servantofchrist.com or Susan Huemann at sueh@servantofchirst.com. God s peace to you! Cathy Yseth cathyy@servantofchrist.com Susan Huemann sueh@servantofchrist.com THE SERVANT SPIRIT 3

4 faith walk & talk Tuesday Adult Bible Study beginning April 10th Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado Lifetree Café April Topics Lifetree Café is an hour-long experience where you can meet with others to discuss a variety of engaging topics. It usually meets in the Fellowship Hall from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Questions? Contact the Church Office Apr. 3rd: The Struggle to Forgive: Finding a Way Forward Apr. 10th: In the News Apr. 17th: How to Live Before You Die: Embracing Life to the Fullest Apr. 24th: Pass or Faith: The State of Education. A Student and Educator Crusade for Change Stress is part of life but it doesn t have to control you! In this 5 session study Max Lucado unpacks seven admonitions from Philippians 4:4-8 to help experience the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Discover how to rejoice in the Lord, give thanks to God in all circumstances, and more. Meeting Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. or 6:30 p.m. April 10th, 17th, 24th and May 1st, 8th. Sign up on the sheet in the outer narthex or contact Pastor Melissa with more questions. worship & hospitality ministry bible studies Young At Heart Young at Heart will meet on Monday, April 9th in the Family Room at the back of the Sanctuary. We will continue our study of the book of Romans. Don t forget to bring your lunch, the coffee and conversation will be Super HOT! Worship Hospitality Ministry Volunteer Recognition April 22 If you have served in any of our Worship Services as a Worship Coordinator, Welcome Center Host, Greeter, Usher, Acolyte, Reader, Counter, Communion Server, Projectionist, Soundboard, Prayer Ministry and/or Donuts/Coffee cup washers we would love to take a moment to say Thank You for sharing your time and talent with us. We will be recognizing you and your volunteer service on Sunday, April 22 at both worship services. This thank you recognition is for anyone who volunteers every Sunday and for those who helped out for our seasonal worship services. Thank you all for your faithful commitment and support! 4 THE SERVANT SPIRIT

5 ministry & mission Blessing of the Quilts Recently at a Sunday worship service, 215 quilts and 19 pillows were blessed before being delivered to the following places: Anoka Hennepin Family Center in Coon Rapids and from there given to homeless students in the school district. Several are given to Bags of Love in Anoka County (and from there given to children who have been removed from their home because their parents are on meth). Baby and lap quilts are given to Clearwater County Home Nursing Services and Community Health Centers in northern MN which also includes high risk moms and babies of teenage moms. Thanks to the following: Men s Game Feed and Thrivent Financial who generously support our ministry financially. If you are interested in tying knots!! you are invited to come and help us quilt. That is all the talent you need. During the school year we usually meet 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month starting at 9 a.m. Come when you can and leave when you need to. If you have more questions call or We would love to have you come and check us out! bible studies 6 a.m. Wednesday Women s Bible Study Women of all ages are welcome to join our group every Wednesday morning at Mill Pond Gables in Champlin for about an hour to study God s Word. It is a great way to start the day. Don t worry if you cannot stay for the whole hour please come and go as your schedule allows. For further questions call the church office at Servant Supper Sunday, April 22nd 5-6 p.m. Come eat or volunteer at our Servant Supper meal. Enjoy getting to know our guests and in that visiting time with one another there can be a deeper understanding of Christ s love for all people. This meal is for those in need in the surrounding community and is open to everyone. Meal time is from 5-6:00 p.m. Look for sign up on the bulletin board of opportunities. If there are other groups or a few families that want to volunteer in the future for a particular month we would love to have you. Meals are planned, you just need to cook and serve. Servant Supper Donations We can use the following items: Toilet Paper Soap Tooth Brushes Toothpaste Combs/Brushes Dish Soap Dish Cloths Napkins Misc. Hygiene Products Cash Donations Accepted in the Church Office Generously serving our community! Servant Supper serves at: 5:00-6:00 p.m. 4th Sunday of the month Servant of Christ L UTHERAN C HURCH Making Disciples THE SERVANT SPIRIT 5

6 congregation news New Member Lunch April 15 If you have been visiting or you have been attending regularly we consider you an important part of Servant of Christ and we invite you to consider becoming a member. A new member class and luncheon is scheduled for April 15th, at 12 noon. If you are interested in attending the New Member class, please check interest in joining in the black Friendship Folder on Sunday morning or contact Barb Ames in the church office at barba@servantofchrist.com or (x601 after hours). New Members will be received on Sunday, April 29th during the worship services. Summer Worship Hours Mark Your Calendar Just a reminder: Summer Worship hours are 9 & 10:30 a.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend! We will return to the 9 & 10:45 a.m. worship times on Rally Day September 9. Donuts and Coffee Just a reminder that without the support of generous people like you, we would not be able to have donuts and coffee each Sunday in the Fellowship Hall. A Special Message for Summer Travelers Would you find it helpful to have your offering debited directly from your bank account as you probably do with other obligations? Servant of Christ offers electronic giving for those of you who wish to have contributions transferred electronically to the church s account. Simply complete and return an electronic giving authorization located at the kiosk in the narthex or go to and click on the giving page. Simply Giving Reminder Please remember that if you changed your giving amount for your 2018 pledge and are on Simply Giving we ask that you fill out a new automatic giving form so that gets changed as well. You need to authorize us to debit the new amount. Thank you for your generous financial support. Father Hennepin Days Volunteer Coordinator Needed Champlin s Father Hennepin Days will take place June 8-10 with the parade being held on Saturday morning, June 9th at 11:00 a.m. We are looking for a volunteer to coordinate decorating of the SOC float and also walk in the parade. Please contact the church office at if you have any questions or want to volunteer. 6 THE SERVANT SPIRIT

7 children s ministry from Anne DATES TO REMEMBER Family First Sundays These Sundays are for 1st grade through 6th grade. On these Sundays parents come with their children to class. As families, you experience and grow in your faith together. This year our theme is MARTIN LUTHER. We will meet once more on April 15! First Communion Classes and Service 4th Graders First Communion Service for 4th grade will take place on April 8th at the 10:45 a.m. service. Stepping Stones of Faith Stepping Stones of Faith take place on Sundays when we take a few minutes in service to recognize where children are in their faith journey. On each of these dates, the children come with their class to service and we give each child a gift and a blessing. The children return to the classroom with their group. April 15 5th grade ( this Stepping Stone will be given during our Family First Sunday in class) May 13 6th grade 4th grade Stepping Stone is the First Communion Sacrament Dates for Your Calendar April 1 No Sunday School April 8 First Communion Service for 4th Graders April 15 Family First Sunday, 5th Grade Stepping Stone April 22 3, 4, 5 y.o. and Kindergarten will be singing in service April 29 Hallelujah Choir will be singing in service Looking to the summer Vacation Bible School June Our theme is SHIPWRECKED Where kids learn that Jesus rescues! Vacation Bible School is an adventure that helps kids (and adults) begin or deepen their faith by discovering that Jesus cares about them personally and rescues in life s toughest circumstances. The week will be full of fun, music, games, experiments and more! As always, we will be in need of many volunteers, especially adults! Please consider helping this summer. Talk to Anne Larsen for more information. THE SERVANT SPIRIT 7

8 junior/senior high ministry from Calvin & Mary Senior High News The Camp Wapo dates for the High School students this summer are July Senior High night resumes Wednesday, April 4th at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall and runs through May 23rd. We will be honoring our seniors on May 6th during the service and have cake and coffee after the 10:45 a.m. service. Chicago Mission Trip 2018 Thank you to God s Guys for the generous donation from the Wild Game Feed! That helps our team out immensely! The Senior High Mission trip students are bagging groceries at Cub Foods in Champlin on Saturday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. where we get the chance to serve people and bring a smile to their face! Come and visit us and we ll bag your groceries for you!! The next mission trip meeting is Sunday, April 15th at 10 a.m. in the downstairs conference room. Mary EQUIP Parent Nights! Hey parents of Confirmation students, EQUIP Parent Nights are back in action! Woohoo! EQUIP stands for Encouraging QUality Interactions in Parenting. 4 times a year we will be inviting a guest speaker to come in and speak on a certain topic. Come at 5:30 p.m. for pizza, hang out in large group that starts at 6 p.m., and sneak out a bit early at 6:30 p.m. for the guest speaker. The final date and topic: April 18th Drug and Alcohol Use and Abuse Monday, April 16th is Pizza Ranch Night! On Monday, April 16th grab the family and head over to the Champlin Pizza Ranch for the Jr. High Mission Trip Fundraiser! 10% of all of the profits made from 5-9 p.m. go to the Junior High Mission Trip to Minneapolis, and 100% of all tips given go to us, too! We ll be there to bus your table and make sure that the pizza and fried chicken are to your liking. We hope to see you there! Changes to Confirmation Fall of 2018 Hey folks, this coming year we ll have a big change to our Confirmation program. All 7th and 8th graders will be required to go on a fall retreat to Camp WAPO the third weekend in November, (this is optional for 9th graders). The Confirmation donation will go up to $65 for the year to help cover the cost. We want every student to experience camp, so all the students and volunteers will head up for a weekend. More info will be coming as time gets closer. Confirmation Service Dates and Times There will only be one Confirmation Service this year with all of the 9th grade students. The rehearsal will be for Parents AND Students on Friday, May 11th from 6-8 p.m. We ll take pictures that night, so be sure to have them wear nice clothes under their robes. (Contact me with attire questions). The service will be on Saturday, May 12th at 10 a.m. and students will show up at 9:20 a.m. Calvin 9th Graders Will Join Senior High Shortly After Lent When the students come back from Lent after Easter, the 9th graders will spend 2 nights with the Junior High, then join Mary and the Senior Highers starting on April 18th. The times for Senior High are the same for Junior High, so there won t be any difference in drop off or pick up time. The current 9th grade small group leaders will also join Mary and the Senior Highers to help out, so the students will still have their leader that they know and love. We re making this change so that the students have a chance to experience the Senior High program and all that it has to offer. Knowing that 59% of students leave the church after turning 15, we thought that allowing them to get to know Mary and the senior high students was a good idea. Building those relationships early on will be a foundation to help us show them Christ s love long after their 15th birthday. If you have any questions about this, please give me a call! 8 THE SERVANT SPIRIT

9 outreach & fellowship events Scrapbook & Craft Weekend April 6 & 7th Planning a High School Graduation Party and need some space to create those photo boards or finishing up a special gift? Then this weekend could work for you! You are invited to work on photo albums/scrapbooks, craft projects, cards, quilting, etc... Friday, April 6 at 3:00 p.m. and ending Saturday, April 7 at 3:00 p.m. Please bring a treat to share. You are welcome to spend the night at church or go home to sleep and return in the morning come and go as your schedule allows. We meet downstairs. For more information please call Teale Colston at or Karen Capra at SOC Red Hatters April 19 The Red Hatters will meet in the Fellowship Hall at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 19. We welcome all adult women to come check out our group theme colors are Red & Purple for women 50 and above and Pink & Lavender for 49 & below. We will be working on Birthday Bags for CEAP and ACBC, time permitting we will also play some games. Hope you can come for a fun night of fellowship and laughs! Please contact Teale Colston at Jeannie Hendricks at for more information. We are excited to announce that Servant Schoolhouse Preschool was voted 2018 Reader s Choice Award for Best Preschool by the Champlin Dayton Press! It s April, and the end of our school year is rapidly approaching! Our preschoolers are really starting to blossom this time of year. It truly is incredible to see their advancements since the fall in all academic, social, and spiritual aspects. We are so very proud of them all! Hopefully the weather will be warming up and we can get outside and enjoy all that spring has to offer. We will be looking for buds on the trees, grass turning green and flowers starting to bloom. Our cup of caterpillars will arrive this month! It s always fun to see them transform into butterflies! If you are interested in having your child join the fun and learning that takes place at Servant Schoolhouse Preschool, please call Diane at for more information. If you haven t noticed our bulletin board by the church entrance, check it out! Also, like us on Facebook to see the fun we have together! Diane Poling dianep@servantofchrist.com You may also visit our website: THE SERVANT SPIRIT 9

10 calendar of events Ongoing Events Sundays: Worship Services 9:00 a.m. Traditional 10:45 a.m. Contemporary 9 & 10:45 Sunday School 3yr-6th Childcare available for infants through 3 year olds Mondays: 6:30 p.m. Celebration Choir Practice/ Fellowship Hall 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Team Practice/ Sanctuary Tuesdays: 11:00 a.m. Staff Meeting Noon Bulletin Deadline 7:00 p.m. Lifetree Café *7:00 p.m. Al-Anon *7:30 p.m. AA Meeting Wednesdays: 6:00 a.m. Women s Bible Study/ Mill Pond Gables in Champlin 5:30 p.m. Confirmation 6:00 p.m. Senior High School Meets *Not a church function Holy Communion Services are 1st & 3rd Sunday Upcoming April Events Apr 1, Sunday Apr 2, Monday Apr 6, Friday Apr 7, Saturday Apr 8, Sunday Apr 12, Thursday Apr 15, Sunday Apr 19, Thursday Apr 22, Sunday Apr 25, Wednesday Apr 26, Thursday Apr 27, Friday Apr 28, Saturday Apr 29, Sunday Apr 30, Monday Easter Sunday Services 7, 8, 9:15 and 11:00 a.m. Easter Breakfast 7:30 11:30 a.m. Office Closed 3:00 p.m. Scrapbooking starts 3:00 p.m. Scrapbooking ends First Communion Service 10:00 a.m. Quilting 5th Grade Stepping Stones of Faith 10:00 a.m Mission Trip Meeting 12 Noon New Member Class & Lunch 6:00 p.m. SOC Red Hatters Worship Volunteer Recognition 5:00 p.m. Servant Supper NO Confirmation 5:30 p.m. Faith Guide 10:00 a.m. Quilting 7:00 p.m. Junior High Hangout Night Wedding Hallelujah Children s Choir Sings Receive New Members 8:00 p.m. Litany Team You can download an SOC monthly calendar from our church website ( Brookdale-Champlin Worship Services On the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 1:15 p.m. Pastor Melissa Maltman or Pastor Eric Walbolt leads worship for the residents and visitors at the Brookdale-Champlin Senior Living Complex. The worship service is open to all who wish to attend. If you know someone there, please feel free to invite them. Current worship service dates are listed below. Tuesday, April 10 Tuesday, May 8 10 THE SERVANT SPIRIT

11 Camp WAPO 2018 DATES WAPO Youth (4 9th grade) July TIM Team (9 12th grade) July Ox Lake (6 9th grade) July SEEDS (2 3rd grade) July Store Card (Canteen) Money At the end of each camp session remaining store card funds will be applied to any outstanding balances or refunded to the credit card or bank account on file. If there is no electronic method on file, a paper check will be mailed. No cash refunds will be given to campers. Campers are given an opportunity to use their balance up following closing worship at all sessions. If the balance of the store card is less than $3.00, those funds will be considered a donation to our campership fund. Payment All forms of payment must be received TWO WEEKS PRIOR to the camper s arrival. These forms of payment include: church payments (fundraising/scholarships) and individual family payments. Vacation Bible School June Our theme is SHIPWRECKED Where kids learn that Jesus rescues! Vacation Bible School is an adventure that helps kids (and adults) begin or deepen their faith by discovering that Jesus cares about them personally and rescues in life s toughest circumstances. The week will be full of fun, music, games, experiments and more! As always, we will be in need of many volunteers, especially adults! Please consider helping this summer. Talk to Anne Larsen for more information. THE SERVANT SPIRIT 11

12 740 East Hayden Lake Road Champlin, MN ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE P A I D TWINCITIES, MN PERMIT NO Time Value church contacts Servant of Christ Lutheran Church 740 East Hayden Lake Road, Champlin, MN Phone: Fax: Website: First Communion April 8 10:45 a.m. Worship Service New Member Class & Lunch April noon in the Fellowship Hall Summer Worship Time Change Starts Memorial Day weekend 9:00 & 10:30 a.m. Remember to invite a friend to Servant of Christ! Scan this barcode with your smart phone and it will bring you directly to our website. Pastor Eric Walbolt: pastorhook@servantofchrist.com Pastor Melissa Maltman: melissam@servantofchrist.com Anne Larsen, Children s Ministry Director: annel@servantofchrist.com Calvin Konop, Junior High/Confirmation Ministry Director: calvink@servantofchrist.com Mary Monsrud, Senior High Ministry Director: marym@servantofchrist.com Susan Huemann, Choir Music Ministry Director: sueh@servantofchrist.com Cathy Yseth, Contemporary Music Ministry Director: cathyy@servantofchrist.com Pat Gallagher, Nursery Care Ministry Director Servant Schoolhouse Preschool Diane Poling, Director: dianep@servantofchrist.com Church Office Tammy Lund: tammyl@servantofchrist.com Barb Ames: barba@servantofchrist.com