Blessed is the one who is not offended by me. (Matthew 11:6)

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1 Blessed is the one who is not offended by me. (Matthew 11:6) To be a follower of Jesus Christ means that you will offend those who are not followers of Jesus Christ. After Jesus explained the true meaning of God s word to the Pharisees and the scribes, His disciples came up to Him and said, Do you not know that the Pharisees were offended by what you said? (Matthew 15:12) What Jesus taught was offensive to unbelievers. The message of the cross is itself an offense to unbelievers. (1 Corinthians 1:23) The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees both the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech. Our freedom of speech cannot be limited because some may find it offensive. This past month Brigitte Gabriel, an expert Global Islamic Terrorism, spoke at the Little Falls High School and warned us about the dangers of allowing political correctness to subvert our freedom of speech. We are called to speak the truth of God s Word even in the face of persecution and death. Our freedoms are about to be tested in Minnesota. A letter from the Minnesota Family Council reads: The Minnesota Department of Human Rights states that the gay marriage law offers no religious liberty protection for people outside the walls of the church, specifically that nonreligious organizations are NOT exempt from the law and that nondiscrimination laws can (and will) be used as a weapon to punish people of faith. For example, if a Christian, Jewish, or Muslim florist refused to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding based on his religious beliefs, the same-sex couple can file a claim with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights against the entity that discriminated against them. Brigitte Gabriel ( noted that when we look at history and the rise of radical leaders who imposed Nazism, Fascism, Imperialism, etc., they silenced the majority. They made the majority irrelevant. The Christian faith would not have spread if the disciples had remained silent. The sacrifice of our veterans and those who died in service to our country was not done so that we could remain silent. In silence, we will lose the freedoms they fought to keep. Now more than ever we need to speak the words of Truth! And remember, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. (Matthew 5:11-12) Free in Christ, Pr. Nate Bjorge Volume 4, Issue 5 September 2013 Upcoming Events September 2 Labor Day September 15 Sunday School begins September 15 Congregational Picnic at Belle Prairie Park

2 Page 2 Happy Anniversary to: Jim and Debbie Nelson September 16 Bill and Michele Andringa September 17 Ryan and Stephanie Scholl September 17 Andy and Emily Pantzke September 20 Steve and Julie Hanson September 22 Joe and Amanda Hyatt September 26 Chris and Amy Scholl September 28 Brandon and Jodi Johnson September 29 Josh and Alissa Erdrich October 2 Jack and Marylou Ruff October 3 Howie and Bev Larsen October 5 Greetings in Christ, The other day I saw a TV documentary about a pair of eagles. It followed them as they worked together (as a team) to build a nest; the turns they took to incubate the eggs; the collective efforts to feed the eaglets; and finally, teaching the young ones to hunt. There were moments of squabbling as this process went on but it was obvious that their unified goal was to successfully complete their mission in this case, to bring new life into being. As I thought about these eagles their struggles against nature (storms, predators, injury), their occasional fights and their ultimate triumph it brought to mind the process of building our new church. A few weeks ago we informally selected the colors of siding for the church. It was kind of chaotic but the job got done. And, for me anyway, it was fun and exciting to picture how our church would look like on the outside. There was some discussion, a little disagreement, and an eventual choice. Nobody got all upset and we all went on our way. Some questions the next day brought up something I d like to remind people of. Everything about building our church is new and it s all exciting. As the project moves along, we are going to have struggles (remember the rain delays and the problems with the roof trusses); we are going to have discussions about colors and materials; we might have disagreements as to flooring. In the end, though, we need to remember what we re doing. This is God s house we re building. This is an exciting project we ve set ourselves upon. We will have a multitude of sweat equity projects to work on together before this Lord s house is finished. No bickering is required, necessary, or helpful. There s no need to dwell on this because this Family of Faith has always worked well together on whatever project we ve taken on. I know we ll continue that tradition because the Holy Spirit moves among us. God has blessed us in everything and as long as we put Him first, He will continue being our source of strength. Work well together in unity of purpose. God bless you all, Howie Larsen Children s Ministry Team Summer is already waning and therefore Vacation Bible School is already past and Sunday School is right around the corner! Wow! It s hard to believe. Vacation Bible School was a success, with about 90 kids learning of God s love for them. There were about 25 volunteers from Alliance and Faith each. The time was spent learning of God s perfect love for each of us, making crafts to give away to spread that love, playing games and having a lot of fun! The kids had the opportunity to play many Minute to Win It games that caused a lot of excitement. It rounded up with a picnic lunch the last day. Hot dogs, chips, cookies and juice from McDonald s were served. Thank you very much to all of the volunteers and to the parents, relatives and/or friends who brought the children to enjoy time with fellow believers and become closer to God. Now back to Sunday School! The kickoff will be September 15. We re looking forward to another great year and eventually meeting in OUR building s classrooms! Please let Cheri Scepurek know if you re interested in helping in any way. For the Children s Ministry Team, Mrs. Lyn Kull Attendance and Offerings August $3, August $ 3, August $ 2, August $2,602.00

3 Mission and Outreach Ministry Team Volume 4, Issue 5 Building Committee We started August with great anticipation. Kitchen floor trusses were originally scheduled to start to go up on Aug. 5, followed by roof trusses. We ran into all kinds of issues with snow loads, plate compression issues and communication issues between all parties involved. Issues were finally resolved and engineer approval was given on Aug. 15. Floor trusses and decking were installed and on Aug. 23 the "short" rafters over the kitchen area were installed. Monday, Aug. 26, the crane was on site and the trusses over the fellowship hall were put up and by Tuesday afternoon the east wing was also done. Lookouts, facia and sheeting are on. The trusses over the narthex are scheduled for installation on Sep. 3. So it looks like progress will be made. There were a couple of other things that got done this month. The area around the pond was seeded with a pasture-mix grass seed and a rye cover. Environmental rules told us it had to be seeded or erosion mats purchased and installed. Thanks to Steve Pantzke for letting us borrow his gas-powered water pump. We seeded on Aug. 12 and with lots of volunteers watering on a daily basis, the grass and rye are growing. Thelen Heating stopped at the site and reviewed a couple of areas where some duct alterations may have to be made to fit the additional floor truss and rafter configuration. They seemed to think they could adapt without any issues. I also went to their shop to sign off on some of the equipment they have purchased for our project. All items reviewed were to the mechanical engineer s specifications. I got a tour of their facility; very impressive with all the automated duct-making equipment, from a round roll of stock to a specified rectangle duct out the other end. Breth-Zenzen, the fire sprinkler people, were on site to do a water flow test at the city hydrant and they were happy with the flow rate and pressure. This info is incorporated into their plans, which are submitted to the state for approval. According to Jim Kalisch, the flooring committee has chosen tile for the kitchen, restrooms and entryways and has narrowed carpet selections to a couple of styles and colors. Cheri Scepurek and Maureen Miller are working on classroom items. Jim Kalisch has done a revised building schedule (after the floor/rafter truss issues) which has been sent to all of the contractors and suppliers. Even if we don't see the progress on the building that we think we should see, there are things getting done behind the scenes. We must remain positive and seek God's guidance, which is tough for me to do at times. Nothing gets resolved by walking the floors or tossing and turning from 2 to 4:30 a.m. If awake at that time of day, I MUST use that time to meditate and pray, not to worry and think of all the things that could be said to others to explain their shortcomings. Remember, for every time I point a finger, there are three pointing back. I did explain to a couple of the people about the turtle. The turtle can make no forward progress when he has his head pulled into his shell. He cannot move at that time. In order for him to make forward progress, he must stick his neck out and he will leave a track behind him. He doesn't need to cover his tracks and he has survived for how many years? Peter Larsen, Building Committee Youth and Family Ministry Team Page 3 GoodSearch and GoodShop When doing your shopping online, please remember to do it through Good- Shop so that Faith will receive a percentage of your purchase! Last year we raised $ If you have not downloaded the GoodSearch toolbar, please visit the Faith Lutheran website and click on GoodSearch on the left and follow the directions there. Funds we receive through GoodSearch will support our Youth Ministry!

4 Page 4 Building Fund $225,000 Pledge Drive Building Fund amount pledged: $228,975. Amount given to date: $257,173. Congregational Life Ministry Team Our youngest granddaughter spent several days with us recently. One day as we were riding in the car, she said to me You are the funnest grandma. When you play with me you make my heart happy. How sweet is that! Wouldn t it be great if we all could have a happy heart? Jesus would like us to have a happy heart, but so many things get in the way as we get older. Stop and think about it... let Jesus into your heart. Give yourself a happy heart. Our brat sale at Coborn s was successful. The temperature rose to 90 degrees, so it was very warm standing out there grilling and serving brats and hot dogs. However, it did not rain!! Fifty percent of the money taken in, plus tips, is ours. Our total is $ Half of that will go to support Faith youth activities and half goes to our building fund. Thank you to all who helped and supported this event. Two things to look forward to will be the beginning of Sunday School picnic at Belle Prairie Park on Sunday, September 15 following the first day of Sunday School. New member Sunday is set for October 13. Any ideas, questions, and comments are welcome. Contact any of the Congregational Life Team members. Bev Larsen for the Congregational Life Team Reminder for Communion If you prefer grape juice instead of wine during communion, it is available. Please tell the person who is distributing the communion BREAD that you would prefer grape juice, and that person will take care of it for you. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 NIV Worship and Prayer Ministry Team Because of the bottleneck that sometimes happens at the entrance to the commons area (our church gathering space), we are asking that after being greeted at the entrance, you proceed further into the room for the bulletin and visiting. However, we DO want you to look at the sign-up sheets after worship for opportunities to serve! In the absence of comments or complaints, our services are running smoothly and thanks be to God! we never lack for volunteers to help. Thank you to all who set up, help with communion, sing and play the music, bring treats or coffee, and also for taking time after service to visit. I think our personal connection with our other members is one way of keeping us strong. As we grow, we must not forget to do this. We are lifted up by this connection. As always, I thank God for Faith Lutheran and for each one of you. We are the church of the living God! Cheryl Zarns for the team

5 Volume 4, Issue 5 Council Meeting Highlights August 2013 Volunteers are needed for help with seeding and watering by the holding pond. Watering is done right from the pond by a pump provided by Steve Pantzke. Volunteers for sheet rocking, taping, painting and finishing trim will be needed soon. The trusses are ready to be installed. Sunday School materials will be ordered as soon as registrations come in. A mission trip will be planned for next year, possible an adult/youth trip to Jamaica led by Adam and Heather Klever. Confirmation Sunday will be (as is our tradition) on Reformation Sunday, Oct. 27. Pastor Nate asked that our statement regarding gay marriage include that weddings at Faith Lutheran be for members only, exceptions being approved at the discretion of the Church council. The statement follows: FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH OF LITTLE FALLS, MINNESOTA STATEMENT REGARDING SAME-SEX MARRIAGES Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) and this church (Faith Lutheran Church of Little Falls, Minnesota) have a conviction that the Bible defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. With this conviction, we do not intend disrespect toward any group of persons, for our God loves all people and we are equally in need of God s mercy, forgiveness and amazing grace. In accordance with the newly enacted marriage law of Minnesota, which gives clergy members and churches the right to follow their own consciences and convictions without legal repercussions, Faith Lutheran Church ministers will not be performing marriages for same-sex couples nor will Faith Lutheran Church facilities be used for ceremonies involving same-sex couples. In addition, all weddings conducted at Faith Lutheran Church will be limited to members of Faith Lutheran Church and any exceptions will be determined at the discretion of the pastor and the Faith Lutheran Church Council. Adopted by Faith Lutheran Church Council on 15 August It was approved to pay a $975 increase to Epsky Woodworking for the new building s kitchen cabinets. At the recommendation of the Finance and Management Team, the bank and the title company, a motion passed that $30,000 of the Building Fund money in the bank be set aside for contingencies. It was approved that all pledge money coming in will now be managed in the old building fund. This will give our treasurer flexibility to pay bills for the new building that are not included in construction cost, i.e.: furnishings, equipment, etc. It all still goes into the new church building. It will still be tracked as pledge money from the giver. New Member Sunday will be October 13. Pastor Nate read a letter from Jaxine Norlander who wishes to make regular contributions to Faith Lutheran because she believes in and supports our stand. It was approved that contribution envelopes will be available to non-members who want to contribute to Faith Lutheran church. An in-kind contribution statement will be issued to Kyle and Lisa Christensen, who paid for the flowers for the Father/Daughter Ball. Share the Bounty has begun. Proceeds from these donations go into the building fund. Vacation Bible School, held at Alliance Church, had an attendance of 94 kids. There were 26 volunteers from Faith, 27 from Alliance. Maureen Miller and Cheri Scepurek have found twelve 3 x 6 tables, chairs included, enough for all six Sunday School rooms, for under $3,000. The Sunday School Picnic on Sep. 15, will be held at Belle Prairie Park. Discussed a kitchen shower, registering at various stores, to equip the new kitchen. There will be a pie social on Thanksgiving Eve and a Christmas Boutique on Dec 7. A motion passed to give Aaron Olson $500 to help fund a trip to Nashville, Tenn. to attend a conference, On My Honor on September 6-7. The purpose of this conference is to create an alternative to Boy Scouts of America, a new scouting group which adheres to the organization s original values. The council discussed the probability of Faith Lutheran sponsoring such a new scouting group if one forms. The brat sale took in $184 for the youth, $184 for the building fund. Discussion was held concerning a training session for operators of the new computer/overhead during worship service. To reduce the amount of congestion in the entrance area where the greeters are located, ushers will hand out bulletins inside the doors. The next regularly scheduled Council Meeting is 6 p.m., September 19 at Hurrle Hall THIS IS AN ABBREVIATED REPORT. For a complete copy of the minutes, contact Council Secretary, Orrine Hanson. Her address is: orrineh@yahoo.com Page 5 Be on guard. Stand strong in the faith. 1 Corinthians 16:13 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me. 2 Timothy 4: 17-18

6 Organization P O Box 466 Little Falls, MN Worship with us at at 99 a.m. each Sunday during at the Middle summer School at the Commons High School in Auditorium in Little Falls Find us online Worship services are televised on Central Minnesota Access Television, Channel 6 in Little Falls at 3 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Sundays and 5 p.m. on Mondays Mission Statement As children of God, we are called to love, glorify and submit to the living Christ, ministering to others by the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. Finance and Management Ministry Team As the building project moves along, there are many things for us to monitor in the Finance and Management Ministry Team! We praise God for the progress that has been made so far and ask God to watch over and bless the project as it continues to move forward. The monies going into our building pledge fund can only be used for the church building. None of the funds in the account can be used for furniture or fixtures or interest payments that will be coming due as soon as we begin drawing on our construction loan. At the last meeting of the Finance and Management Ministry Team, we voted to hold $30,000 in that building pledge fund as a contingency fund as had been recommended by the bank and the title company. The rest of the money in that fund will be used on the building project and then we will begin drawing on the construction loan. From this point forward, all monies coming in marked for the building pledge fund will be deposited into the old building fund account so that it can be accessed for interest payments or other building project bills as needed. We will continue to track and post that money so that we can see how much has come in for the building pledge fund and where it ends up when the pledge drive is completed at year end. Thank you for your continued generosity and support of our church! For the Team, Renee Miller Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:13-18 NIV Meals On Wheels Praise God for Meals on Wheels deliveries! Faith no longer shares a week with St. Mary s, so we especially welcome new volunteers. THANK YOU to our volunteers!. Delivery dates for 2013 are: October and December If you would like to be a part of this mission, please call Ed Ososki for more information at This is the church of the Living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth. 1 Timothy 3:15 NLT Go in Faith, to love and serve the Lord!