OCTOBER The BEACON. Music Ministry Update. The Marks of Discipleship

Transcription

1 The BEACON Music Ministry Update OCTOBER 2018 The monthly newsletter of Light of Christ Lutheran Church, Delano, MN The Marks of Discipleship Pray daily Worship weekly Read the Bible Serve at or beyond Light of Christ Relate to others for spiritual growth Give of my time, talents and resources Over the last three months we have been working to find a new music director. We received four applications for our music director position, only one of which was qualified for the position. We invited her to interview and audition with us but before we could meet with her she took a position at another church. As a result, despite our best efforts, we have been unable to find a new music director thus far. The dearth of qualified candidates has forced me to think differently about music director and music ministry. I m beginning to think that this may be an opportune time to explore the possibility of moving toward having a full-time, rather than a part-time, music director. I shared my thinking with the Church Council and they agreed. So, we ve decided to use this school year as an interim period for our music ministry. Michelle Bunker, Sue Fink, and Bridget will play the piano for our worship services. Kirsten Kelly, our Director of Children, Youth, and Family and David Schneck, our Associate Director of Children, Youth, and Family will lead our children s music program. In addition, David will lead our junior/senior high choir. We are still seeking an interim adult choir director and/or accompanist. During the interim we want to accomplish several tasks. The Music Director Search Committee is working right now on crafting a vision for our worship and music ministry. Where do we believe the Lord wants us to be in three to five years? What should our music and worship ministry look like? The Committee sent out a ten-question survey to the congregation to solicit your feedback on that question. We are also open to receiving spoken and written comments as well. We are also contacting several Lutheran churches around the nation who have vibrant, growing music ministries to find out what we can learn from them. Once we have a better idea of the what of our worship and music ministry then the Committee will address the question of who. Who is the kind of music director/minister that best fits our vision? Who can lead us into the worship and music life that we imagine? What kind of experience, education, and competencies are needed in a music director to grow our music and worship ministry? Then the Committee will wrestle with the question of part-time or full-time. Can we attract the kind of music director we believe we need by staying with a part-time position? Or do we need to move to a full-time position to attract top-flight candidates? (continued from previous page) The Committee will be working hard on these questions in the next two months and we hope to have a preliminary recommendation to the Church Council by early November. We want this recommendation to fit in to the larger vision/strategic plan that we are working on with Tim Johnson and Kairos. Thus, if you have thoughts on the future of our worship and music ministry both in terms of the what and the who please contact one of the members of the committee in the coming weeks. The Committee members are Laurie Brown, Michelle Bunker, Sue Fink, Bridget, Marcus, JoMarie Williamson and me. Grace and peace always, Pastor K (continued on next page)

2 MONTHLY SERVICE TEAM Members of Light of Christ are dedicated to serving the Lord by sharing, caring and loving, and do so through the work of Monthly Service Teams, serving at funerals, Sunday morning coffee time and other functions. October Service Team families: Chris & Lisa Andrews Penny Bailey Brian & Beth Beardsley Jess Binkley & Andy Dormanen Laurie Collings Scott & Brenda Dallmann Marcus & Carmen Dave & Katie Henson Janine Holter Matthew & Briana Johnson Carol Kocina Peter & Patricia Krebsbach Todd & Cherie Kuechle Timothy & Cameron Leonard Ellie Loux Paul & Marcie Ludwig Troy & Angie Malo Sarah Mielke Kevin & Vicki Noetzelman Jeffrey & Tara Olson David & Sandy Parpart Jeremy & Lori Prickett Jason & Diane Schmidt Joe & Stacey Schramel Mike & Kelli Uecker Nathen & Gina Will David & Heidi Wuerger Worship Assistance Shared Leadership Worship services are a shared responsibility between Pastor and congregation with participation needed from all. Each Sunday morning Light of Christ requires a minimum of 31 persons to assist in a variety of ways. To make services flow smoothly and provide a welcoming atmosphere we need greeters, ushers, lectors, acolytes, communion assistants, altar guild, sound board and hospitality hosts! Most tasks are assigned prior to each Sunday with volunteers using SignUp Genius to choose their own dates and times to assist. However, there are Sundays where signups fall short and we find ourselves without the necessary number of persons to fill all roles. On those Sundays there will be a table in the narthex with laminated cards showing what jobs need to be filled for worship service. As you enter church please note what assistance is needed and volunteer your service! If tasks are not covered the council representative or another volunteer will ask someone in attendance to fill the need. Thank you for responding positively when asked to assist participation in worship gives a more meaningful experience for everyone! FALL PANCAKE BREAKFAST The Community Life Committee will be serving breakfast on Sunday, 28 th between services. Please come for pancakes, eggs, sausage and fellowship, and to welcome LOC s newest members! Sisters of LOC October Event Make a sign, enjoy a treat & take a Sip! We will be going to Mama's Happy in Independence to make a sign for your house or to use as a gift. Annie Hayes will lead us in making our personal sign. There will be two sizes and different designs to pick from, either for $15 or $25. More information to come. Thursday, October 25 th from 6-8 pm at Mama's Happy in Independence Meet at church at 5:45 pm if you would like to carpool Pay that evening Sisters of LOC will provide the refreshments & treats Please RSVP by Monday, 22 nd to Jennifer Grant (text or call) or at sunshine41@frontiernet.net Sisters of LOC November Event Our November event is scheduled for Thursday, November 15 th at 6:00 pm and will be at Crow Valley Market in Delano to see LULU's Retail Therapy. Laurie Schaust will show us the latest in fashions while we enjoy appetizers and refreshments. CHECK YOUR 2018 PLEDGE STATUS The 2019 Stewardship Campaign is now underway. Just a reminder that members can check the status of their pledges for 2018 by logging in to the online member portal ( lightofchristlutheran/login). You can also access the portal log in page from the Light of Christ website ( by clicking the My Church icon on the top toolbar. If you need assistance or if you need another invitation link ed to you to create your sign in, please contact Terri in the church office. Invitation links expire after 2 weeks.

3 MAP Missional Assessment Profile--Discoveries Our MAP congregational survey revealed a number of important things about Light of Christ and how we experience ministry. Here are a few comments/observations: Most indicators fell within the range of normal (or slightly below), when compared with other ELCA churches. Our overall experience of belonging was assessed, to include members sense of being integral to the life of the congregation. Being a part of something bigger than oneself, accompanied with the extent to which members feel that we are a cohesive community, all reveal that some growth can be had in this area of membership. Energy and excitement are so often springboards for being able to make ministry happen. People like to feel the presence of the Spirit and the vibe of the gathered congregation. Touch-points include the extent to which we feel that the church is making a difference in people s lives, whether we like telling others about what is going on at LOC, our own personal sense of being energized as we participate, and the like. Again, the results indicate some room for growth. The culture of Light of Christ shows that the permeability of LOC s ministry indicates that most feel that it is easy to get involved as they find interest. Allowing for diversity of option is about average, and most feel that leaders are transparent in their decision-making and that they reflect the desires of the congregation. Faith integration reveals that faith informs most all people s daily behaviors and that faith is a part of members entire lives. What people experience at church influences life throughout the week is true for the vast majority. Yet, there is room for growth in enthusiasm or passion, as we can imagine even stronger levels of response here. Clarity of purpose and the congregation s sense of mission (for decision-making) show opportunities for improvement, as many respondents are on the fence in assessing how central or clear these are for the church. Yet, the vast majority have a high level of belief in the mission of our congregation. Outreach opportunities are important for most members, and a strong majority feel that there are opportunities to develop deeper relationship. About half of the congregation is uncertain whether LOC is willing to take risks to fulfill our mission, though that would improve with greater clarity of purpose. Fully 2/3 of those surveyed feel that it s important to make changes to live out our mission. The top missional priority is Exploring new and innovative ways to be church in today s culture. Two of the top five have to do with growth. Experiencing God at work in daily life is #3, indicating members want a faith that works. And #4, as well as others just outside of the top five, have to do with improving the situations of those facing poverty. Finally, there are significant opportunities to grow financial giving to the mission and ministry of the church, as a higher-than-average household income accompanies mainline denominational giving of about 2.25%. These, and other points of discovery, will help leadership as we chart the course forward for Light of Christ. Watch for more discoveries from our Group Sessions and individual member input into the matter of what we sense to be most important for us as a congregation. CHILDREN & FAMILY NEWS Spark for 5 th grade begins October 24 th and continues for 4 weeks! Bus transportation from Delano Intermediate School is provided. A $10 donation is requested to cover snacks, booklet, and transportation thank you gift to the Stahlke Bus Company. Operation Christmas Child - November we will be participating in this project again this year. Watch for more information in upcoming church publications. Faith Grows at Home (by Kirsten Kelly, Director of Children, Youth, & Family) This past April, our third son (Andrew) was born. One night, shortly after he was born, we were getting ready for bed and decided to say our nighttime prayers as a family instead of individually with each boy. So we gathered on mom and dad s bed and as we said the Lord s prayer, Andrew (who was less than a week old), was lying in the middle of the bed between all of us and became incredibly quiet, still and his eyes got huge. Afterwards, my husband, Dave, said it was like he knew the prayer. And both of us agreed, he probably does. See, he had heard this prayer pretty much every day over the 9 months while he was growing inside of me. And it sort of has a rhythm to it... there s no doubt in my mind that he recognizes it. He may not know the words yet, but it is familiar to him. We have been passing on our faith to Drew even before he was born. Incredible. Are you saying prayers at nighttime with your kids? If you re not, what s holding you back? It s never too late... and what was reinforced for us through this experience is that it s NEVER too early. Faith that grows at home with mom and dad is faith that will last for generations to come. Pass it on!!! Confirmation Retreat November 3-4 YOUTH NEWS (Grades 7-12) 7-9 th Grade Confirmation students will be spending the weekend at Green Lake Lutheran Ministries playing games, exploring the beautiful site, and having meaningful Bible studies! This will be an amazing opportunity for the youth to get out and enjoy some wonderful Fall weather and share in God s glory with their classmates. The students will also be holding their own worship service on Sunday morning that they constructed! We will be taking off from the church at noon on Saturday, Nov. 3 rd and returning at noon on the 4 th. Cost is $50. Talk to Pastor Bruce or David if you have yet to sign up!

4 We rejoice as we welcome into our church family through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism: Brynlee Rose Crawford Born: June 21, 2018 Baptized: September 9, 2018 Parents: Devin Crawford Emily Daluge Sponsors: Travis Bodine Madisen Weller Liliana Grace Burbach Born: August 1, 2018 Baptized: September 16, 2018 Parents: Sponsors: Jim & Jen Burbach Justin & Megan Kopetsky Brad & Jackie Steffen Maia Maria-Jean Nee Born: September 23, 2011 Baptized: September 16, 2018 Parents: Sponsors: Patrick & Gina Nee Wiliam Kiewel Olivia Nolan Dalton Anthony Curtis Born: August 23, 2002 Baptized: September 23, 2018 Parents: Dan & Traci Torgerson Sponsors: Jay & Kelly Bares Jerried Joseph Curtis Born: December 9, 2005 Baptized: September 23, 2018 Parents: Dan & Traci Torgerson Sponsors: Santy & Candice King Book Study and discussion presented by the SOCIAL JUSTICE MINISTRY Join us on November 4 th at 9:30am as we discuss the book Trouble I've Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism, by Drew Hart. We will meet in the Adult Education room (106). Copies of the book are available in the church library or you can borrow from the public library system. Refreshments provided. All are welcome! The Delano United Diversity Task Force (DUDTF) is hosting two FREE workshops presented by the YWCA of Minneapolis that we thought everyone should know about! Unconscious Bias: Thursday, October 11 th ; 6:30 8:30pm at Delano Senior Center Intersectionality and Identity: Saturday, November 3 th ; 10:00a 12:00pm at Delano Public Library Both events are free, but registration is requested. You can register and find more info on the Community Education website. SAVE THE DATE!! Women s Advent Brunch Saturday, November 17 th 10:00 am-12:00 pm at Tavern on the Marsh in Buffalo A special request for centerpieces if you have a nativity set you are willing to share, we would love to use it on our tables more would be better. We have a great space to display them. Remember guests are always welcome. Call Ginny Iverson ( ) or MaryAnn McKay ( ) for more information. ADULT EDUCATION SUNDAYS, 9:30-10:30, Room 106 Being a Twenty-First Century Church will be the topic of our Sunday morning adult education hour this fall. Light of Christ was founded in 1984, which is the same year that I (Pastor K) was ordained. Much has changed in the intervening thirty-four years. Being a pastor is not the same as it was in 1984 and being a thriving congregation is not the same either. What has changed in these last three decades? How did we get to where we are at today both as a congregation and as a larger church body? What is the path forward for us as a congregation? How do we hold on to the things that are worth keeping and at the same time embrace the new things the Spirit is doing? Join us on Sunday mornings this fall from 9:30-10:30 for prayer, study, and conversation around these questions. WOMEN S BIBLE STUDY The Holy Spirit: Past, Present, and Future is the topic for our Women's Bible Study this year. We will explore questions like "What does the Bible and Christian history teach us about the power and presence of the Holy Spirit? How is the Holy Spirit at work in our lives and our world today? Where is the Holy Spirit leading us as we move into a new future?" Come and join us for prayer, study, and conversation about the least known and least understood person of the Holy Trinity. We meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 AM. POSITION OPENING: We are currently seeking an Interim Adult Choir Director. The Choir Director position is 4 hours per week at $25 per hour. The period of the interim is September 15, June 1, Please send your resume to Light of Christ Lutheran Church at lochrist@frontiernet.net. For further information contact Pastor Bruce Kuenzel at locpastor@frontier.com or QUILTING 10:00 am in Room Join in the fun and fellowship while making quilts for several organizations! No quilting experience necessary! Honoring our Veterans Light of Christ would like to honor our Veterans on Sunday, November 11 th. If you are a Veteran and your name is not already on file, please notify the church office by Monday, October 15 th, so we can recognize your service. Along with your name, please provide the branch, years served, and location of your service.

5 WORSHIP ASSISTANTS OCTOBER 2018 Worship assistants are now scheduled via SignUpGenius.com. If you have not received an invite via to sign up, please contact the church office. If you are unable to serve on your assigned day, please arrange for a substitute or notify the church office. Thank you! Telephone: lochrist@frontiernet.net Council Rep Andrea Quandt Brenna Demeules Greeters Ushers Communion Assistants Brad & Heidi Amber Andrews Wendy Caslavka Goldbeck Ann Bassett Cynthia Kuenzel Grace Horeis Grant Horeis Robin Olson Carol Kocina Mary Robinson Dave Wuerger Gary Prinsen Dan Langner Mary Robinson Linda Moore Vicki Noetzelman Charlene Warne Linda Moore Matt Coyle Harlan Grimm Dennis & Ginny Iverson John Zerull Leo Loree Kinney John & Tracy Magner Carmen Leo Darrell, Gwen, Julia, & Nicholas Egly Mary Allen Carmen Sue Stahlke Stacy VanCura Carmen Vicki Noetzelman John Zerull Acolytes Joey Coyle Madeline Engel McKenna Allen Ashlynn Kley Ben Engel Ella Frake Willie Magner Sidney Schmit Jack & Luke Tuchtenhagen Jake Heinzen Carmen Austin Kramp Alex Schramel Lectors Altar Guild Soundboard Cynthia Kuenzel Bonnie Lotzer Bonnie Snaza Loree Kinney Hunter Allen Carmen Ginny Iverson Bea Zerull Becky Coyle Cynthia Kuenzel Jo Williamson Sally Torfin Lisa Hemmer MaryAnn McKay Jan Styve Lisa Hemmer Kim Niedzielski Kim Wortz Cheri Ashfeld Marcus Marcus Dave Wuerger Brad Spencer October Birthdays 1 Taylor Berscheid Kennedy Menz Sarah Rubertus Michael Warmuth 2 Kristy Cardinal 3 Hannah Burgstaler Doug Laddusaw Jordan Spencer 4 Lesley Berscheid Abigail Farniok Scott Kohls Eric Parpart Doug Schuette Aaron Sievers 5 Jamey Boecker Kamryn Donahue Dennis Lohmann Henry Marketon 6 Madison Halluska Tom McKay Nate Meyers 7 Virginia Dally Vince Pavik Emma Ulferts 8 Mary Buenger Lydia Sievers 9 Heidi Hiltner Rod Schmidt 10 Steve Brown Tim Johnson Jack Magner 11 Miles Eicthen Lynn Eidahl Casey Schmidt Ashley Stahlke Savage 12 Sarah Bersie Gwen Egly 13 Hannah Williams 14 Jen Peterson Sonja Wahl 15 Chris Anderson Brad Czock Randy Durick Sydney Imamura Anna Krause 16 Kirk Reierson 17 Christian Eidahl 18 Eric Anderson Joanne Flaten Jack Prinsen Karly Schmidt 19 Brad Wiyninger 20 Michelle Bunker Dale Russenberger 21 Maya Carson Addison Dallmann Jonathon Franklin Suzann VanDenEinde 22 Christopher Bingea Ailsa Boyack Alexandria Frake 23 Megan Dallmann Sam Fillmore Jessica Holmer 24 Jeremy Christenson Shane Johnson Erin Olson Janie Thompson 25 Kent Bartels Mary Johnson Jeremy Prickett 26 Charlotte Beltrand 27 Mitchell Cayler Hailey Ness 28 Erin Johnson Kari Magaard Scott Nelson 29 Brad Bruhn Claire Bruhn Katherine Bruhn Mariah Todd Kurt Truax Ellie VanDenEinde 30 Ben Farniok Carol Heyen Carol Nelson Liam Olson Sam Schluter Jan Styve 31 Aaron Bingea Brannon Imamura Max Lotzer October Anniversaries 2 John & Jessica Allaire 3 Dave & Lynn Eidahl 3 Vince & Betty Pavik 4 Dan & Jodi Lind 6 Jon & Jamie Holzer 6 Benjamin & Lee Raskin 6 Kurt & Steffany Truax 8 Scott & Deanna Olson 9 Dave & Stacie Nelson 10 Tim & Erin Johnson 11 Richard & Rebecca Farniok 15 Cal & Zhanna Brandt 15 Steve & Anne Farniok 15 John & Brenda Schroedl 16 Mark & Paula Anderson 16 Nate & Gina Will 17 Mike & Rachel Boyack 17 Terry & Dawn Cook 17 Sam & Ashley Nordlie 19 Ben & Sarah Evjen 19 Josh & Heidi Hiltner 19 Pete & Patti Krebsbach 19 Merrill & Lynda Pavlovich 21 Bev & DeWayne Bauman 21 Len & Dee Beilke 21 John & Annette McClelland 22 Ken & Rhonda Almquist 24 Doug & Helen Campbell 24 Marc & Elizabeth Kohlhof 26 Brad & Carol Bruhn 26 Don & DeeAnne Palan 28 Shane & Kristen Johnson 28 Gary & Amy Kroells 29 Kevin & Erin Olson