April Inside this issue:

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1 April 2016 Newport Lutheran Church B e a c o n Inside this issue: Blood Drive 1 Easter Egg Hunt 1 Pastor Ponderings 2 God s Story-Our Story 3 Stewardship Snippets 4 Thank You Stories 5 Social Concerns 6 Annual Meeting 7 Thrivent 7 Yeah for Youth 8 Building and Property 9 February Expenses 9 Fellowship 10 Morning Woodcarvers Men s Discussion Group Quilters Book Club Women s Bible Study Council 11 We are hosting another Red Cross Blood Drive in our fireside room on Friday April 22 from 12:30-6:30PM. All eligible donors are encouraged to come and donate. The requirements to qualify are on a table in the church entry along with the sign-up sheet. The Double Red Cell machine will once again be available. I am in need of volunteers to help me with the drive - if you are available please see me after the service, or call me at I truly appreciate all of helpers I have had in the past, as well as the faithful donors who give this gift of life. Thank you, Jane Benson Easter Egg Hunt Success! Thank you everyone for all your donations and volunteer work in making another successful Easter Egg Hunt! We had 3500 filled eggs and 77 prizes! The families that came had such a great time. Council Positions 11

2 Pastor s Ponderings Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Luke 24:5 He is risen! He is risen indeed! What glorious news for all of us to hear that Christ has risen. These three words carry the hope we have in our faith. Hope for a future with God in heaven and also hope for a future now. April is an exciting month. We have our annual meeting and our budget meeting. We have the opportunity to vote on replacing our roof so our building can stay in good shape to serve the needs of the community. It is an exciting time for us as a congregation and a way for all of us to invest in the mission and ministry of Newport Lutheran Church. Prayerfully consider how you may be able to assist financially with this much needed replacement. 2 Our annual meeting helps us to reflect on the past, hear the words, he is risen! and go forth into the future God is calling us to. Some may consider meetings boring or unnecessary, yet this is your chance to have a voice in how you see God calling us into the future. What is more exciting than partnering with God to learn and serve him! As part of this future we will be hosting cottage meetings to talk about how you would like to shape the ministry and outreach of NLC. How do you see us going forth to share the word of the risen Christ? In addition to this, in the fall we will be launching an inter-generational component. What this will look like is still being determined. We have begun this process with Lenten Mentoring. This has been quite successful. One young man stated, I don t want to be confirmed I still want to do Lenten Mentoring. Others have asked why we can t do Lenten Mentoring all the time. Our kids like the adults in the congregation. It is an exciting time to be the church. God continues to show us new life through the risen Christ. I thank you for your faithfulness to the Lord s service. He is risen!!!! He is risen indeed!!! Blessings,

3 God s Story Our Story What: Exodus (the second book of the Bible) When: Approximately 1250 B.C.E. Where: Egypt and the Wilderness Summary: The book of Exodus is a fascinating book as it details the story of Moses and the Israelites. When Moses is introduced in Chapter 2 of Exodus he is just another Hebrew baby whose life is threatened by Pharaoh s ordinance to kill the Hebrew baby boys. The story then takes a turn when he is adopted by the Pharaoh s daughter who finds him in a basket in the Nile. Although raised by an Egyptian, Moses is still a Hebrew but soon he becomes an outlaw after killing an Egyptian (Exodus 2:11-15). He flees, losing everything he had. He starts over as an alien residing in a foreign land (Exodus 2:22) much like Abraham in Genesis. It is while in Midian that Moses first speaks with God. God calls Moses to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. Moses protests that he is not worthy to be God s agent (Exodus 3:11) and seems to think he is doomed to fail (Exodus 3:13). But God helps him (Exodus 3:15), making talking to the Israelites almost like a repeat after me poem. Still Moses doubts his own ability as a speaker (Exodus 4:10) but God does not get frustrated, rather he helps Moses again, letting him use his brother Aaron as a helper (Exodus 4:14). God gives his agents help when they need it, like the creation of woman as a helper to man in Genesis 2: Still Moses struggles when the Hebrews get mad at him when their labors are increased (Exodus 5:21-23), he feels like a failure but God reassures him and helps him grow. Slowly Moses works up to helping publicly perform God s signs. The first 3 plagues are initiated when Aaron makes a motion, the 4 th and 5 th are enacted by God alone but on the 6 th plague God says let Moses throw it [the dirt] in the air (Exodus 9:8) to set off the plague of boils. You can see God coaching Moses toward a position of leadership, he says let Moses much like you say to children let Betty have a turn to try such and such a thing. It was Moses turn to try to set off a plague, and he did it. Through this Moses becomes more confident and he gestures for the following 3 plagues as well. By the time Exodus 18 rolls around Moses is the Leader of the Israelites. This once timid person slow of speech and slow of tongue (Exodus 4:10) is single-handedly the judge for all of Israel (Exodus 18:13-16). No longer does he go to the people, now they come to him (Exodus 18:16). With God s help he has developed a skill and overcome some of his flaws. Now, at the advice of his fatherin-law, he takes the next step in leadership: learning to delegate tasks to others (Exodus 18:25). 3

4 Stewardship Snippets As we approach our annual meeting and the approval of a budget for the fiscal year , our attention immediately turns to finances. How can we fund the continuing mission and ministry of Newport Lutheran Church? Where do we want to expand? What things have run their course? The budget team and council have worked hard to put together a budget that propels us into the future, while taking into consideration the resources we have available. Now this is where the congregation comes in. We all have a part to play in this ministry. We give of our time (volunteering, praying, helping outside of the church), our talents (leadership roles, music, cleaning, helping in the office, making cards and phone calls, etc.) and our resources (money). All are important. Think about what you are passionate about is it kids, bible study, worship, social activities, building faith, outreach to the community? Newport Lutheran Church does all of these things! As you consider approving the budget for next year, you are encouraged to look carefully and mindfully at your own contributions. Are you able to give up one Caribou or Starbucks coffee a week? This will make $150 difference in giving each year. One less dinner out at a restaurant a month could make a difference of $120 or more a year. If each family did this, we could increase our giving by over $11,000!!!! Be creative and have fun coming up with ways to increase your giving. Rather than go out, plan an activity that doesn t cost a thing go to Como Zoo. Many museums are free. The state parks and regional parks are a great place for hiking. Invite a friend over for coffee rather than go out. Volunteer at Feed My Starving Children or Loaves and Fishes. It is fun and free! You may be amazed at the results. You just may find you are happier and healthier in the process. Give it a try! Have fun! 4

5 Thank You Stories of Changing Lives Dear Friends I m very happy to move to our new house, because I get to have my own room and space for my own stuff. I used to share a room and that it is not fun. Thank you Yursa age 10 We simply can t say thank you any better than Yursa does in her letter to the Twin Cities Habitat when her parents purchased their new Habitat home. Your gift of $ on 2/24/2016 means that, this year, hundreds of Twin Cities kids like Yursa will have a new Habitat home they love. A home means kids can stay in one school, be free of health issues caused by substandard living conditions, and invest in their own future and the future of their community. The backyard to play in is a plus, too. Thank you for your faith in Yursa s future, and your dedication to Habitat s mission. Blessings, Stephanie Nelson Dear Neighbor, This Easter season, along with spring and signs of renewal, I am deeply grateful for your continued commitment to the mission of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. Every day, we step into caring for our neighbor, fostering hope and possibility. Many of us know the challenges life can bring an unexpected job loss, health issues, or struggles in our family. Coming together, we can help others change their lives and build community. Your caring matters. Your dedication inspires hope and provides practical support for your neighbors. Thank you for all you do to love the neighbor. We can do so much more together. As we welcome spring in this Easter season, we wish you a beautiful time of reflection and celebration. Sincerely, Jodi Harpstead Chief Executive Officer A huge thank you to all the volunteers that helped with shoveling and keeping our sidewalks free of ice this winter. Your service was greatly appreciate! Thank you to everyone who designated Newport Lutheran Church for their Thrivent Choice Dollars. Because of this we have received, $5,298 to use for matching funds for Malaria relief, community outreach projects such as the Linus Project and making sandwiches for 363days.org, purchasing a new freezer, bell pads, and fixing the cracks in the parking lot. THANK YOU!!! A special thank you to those that have led Holden Evening prayer during our midweek Lenten services: Delaney Hoke, Cassie Klinga, Nancy Weissner, Jennifer Gravelle and Ben Winkler. A huge thank you to Ben Winkler and all the participants in the Lenten skits. Ben along with Pastor Sue wrote the skits. Actors included Chris Vick, Pastor Sue, Ben Winkler, Emily White, Amy Schall, Jennifer Gravelle, Sandy McAllister- Thank you we couldn t have done it without you!!! 5

6 Social Concerns SOCIAL CONCERNS -Our church's mission emphasis for the month of April is "world missions" and the recipient is Lutheran World Relief, a ministry that began over 60 years ago that works to provide lasting solutions to poverty, injustice, and human suffering. Throughout its history, LWR has worked to improve health, agriculture, and education to over four million people in 35 countries each year, training local women and men to produce foods, dig wells, and to protect and restore their environments. Over 2,000 refugees from Northern Africa, Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq are arriving into Europe daily, and LWR is assisting these people with emergency shelter, personal care kits, quilts, blankets, winter coats, and baby care kits. The need is crucial! Mission Sunday is April 10th and your generous help is needed and very much appreciated. Feed My Starving Children We will be doing a session at FMSC on Friday, April 15th, 8-9:30pm. If you are interested please sign-up on the board across from the office. If you are interested in meeting for Pizza at a restaurant or here at church before please indicate that on the sign-up. Also if you would like to participate and need a ride or would like to carpool please indicate that on the sign-up. You must be 5 years or older to pack food. If you are 15 years and under you must have an adult with you. FMSC is located in Eagan at 990 Lone Oak Road, Suite 136. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Sara Korpi in the office or at You can also go to if you would like to check it out or make a donation. Loaves and Fishes-Mark your calendars - we will be serving at River Heights Vineyard Church, Inver Grove Heights, on Thursday, April 7. We will need two cook helpers (working 2:30 to 5 p.m.) and 7 servers (4:45 to 7:30 p.m.). Interested? Contact Marty Wells. 6

7 Annual Meeting The annual meeting will be held on Sunday, April 17 th following worship. A budget overview meeting will be held on Sunday, April 10 th. During the budget overview we will also discuss the options and costs for repairing or replacing our existing roof. Thrivent Join special guest speaker Arlene Myers, CFP, CASL, LUTCF, Financial Associate Thrivent Financial 20 years of experience. This event covers the basics of legacy preparation. During the presentation you will: Receive a complimentary Legacy Planning Guide which will assist you in preparing for your funeral and other final expenses. Learn about other complimentary tools offered by Legacy Safeguard that can assist your family when you pass away. Discover how Thrivent and Legacy Safeguard can assist you and your family during your time of need. This event is hosted by Thrivent Financial and your local representatives Arlene and Dan Myers. Tuesday, May 3, 2016 Dinner at 6:00 PM Workshop at 6:30 PM Newport Lutheran Church th Street Newport, MN Please call Pam Eisele at (651) or pamela.eisele@thrivent.com to reserve a place for yourself and a guest. Feel free to bring a guest. This event is appropriate for those individuals who want to help their family navigate one of the most difficult times in their lives. 7

8 A Letter to All Our Adults! YEAH! We recruited you! What? You did not know? But, you said, "Yes!" You are now on our youth ministry team. Thanks for agreeing! Are you excited? Fear not, you do not need to sleep on floors or play laser tag! We need you to say, "Yeah!" "Yeah!" by knowing young people's names! "I know I am loved by the sound of my name in your voice." "Yeah!" by finding and affirming all that is good. "Everyone else is telling me what I do wrong." "Yeah!" by telling young people's parents all you see that is good. "You see things my parent's don't." "Yeah!" by showing up for me. "Thanks for coming. It tells me I count!" "Yeah!" by telling me you lit a candle and prayed for me. "I am lucky to know people who actually practice faith." "Yeah!" by sharing your faith stories. "You became real when you shared your stories with me." "Yeah!" by listening to a young person's stories. "You make me real when you take time to listen to me." "Yeah!" by asking for a young person's help. "I need to be needed." "Yeah!" in as many ways as you can! Why is this essential? Because youth learn faith through people who live it. Relationships with our adults of all ages and stages of life are essential. You provide the sticking power for faith! "Kids don't care what you know until they know you care." Young people need a church full of people who all are saying, "Yeah!" We need your help. It is simple, but it must be intentional. Youth ministry is much more than program ministry; it is about connecting young people to people of faith. Thank you for joining the youth ministry team. Thanks for your intentional face-to-face, heart-toheart, person-to-person, "Yeahs!" for our youth. 8

9 Building and Property As some of you may know our roof here at Newport Lutheran Church has seen its last days of sunshine, rain, and snow. We will be discussing this issue at our annual meeting and felt that it was important that the congregation was informed prior to the meeting. The estimated cost is above $125,000 and we are currently getting bids. In the spring we will start fundraising to save our roof! If you have any questions or concerns please contact Dave Partch. February Expenses The good news is that we are in the black for the year! In February our giving did not meet our expenses. Some of this is due to increased utility bills for the winter months. Also, during Lent and Easter our worship expenses increase so we are able to provide a meaningful worship services. All of these expenses are still within the budgeted amount, however giving did not meet our financial needs this past month. Overall, we are having a successful fiscal year. THANK YOU!!!!! Your generosity makes all the difference! February Expenses Year-to-date income $192, February Income $14, Year-to-date expenses 177, February Expenses 16, Year-to-date profit (loss) $ 14, February profit (loss) ($ 2,102.02) 9

10 Morning Woodcarving Wednesdays, 8-11 am Wednesdays from 8-11 am. in the Fireside room. Come and join our group for a fun filled morning of carving, fellowship and coffee. Women's Evening Circle Bible Study will meet on Monday, April 11th, at 7:00 p.m. All women are welcome to join in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fellowship Join the men of Newport Lutheran to discuss the issues of the day and discover how the Bible is relevant to the issues we face in the 21st century. Join us for refreshments, Christian fellowship, stimulating discussion and life long friendships. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 8:00 9:00 am at Newport Lutheran Church. Call Gordy Urdhal (651) or Neal Wells (651) with questions. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BOOK CLUB NEWS Tuesday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m. Be prepared to discuss your winter reading. We will select a number of book titles for summer reading and discussion. Quilters Quilters meet the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month from 9-11am. All are welcome! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Women s Morning Bible Study will meet Tuesday, April 14th, at 9am at church. All women are welcome. 10

11 Council Members President: Emily White, Vice President: Kalee McKusky, Secretary: Amy Schall, Evangelism: Jane Benson, Pastoral/Staff: Lin Gisselquist, , cell Property: Dave Partch, , cell , Worship and Music: Ben Winkler, Youth and Family Ministry: Brian Klinga, Announcements From the Treasurer To request a copy of the Treasurer s Report, Treasurer at treasurer900@comcast.net Beacon Items for the Beacon are due in the church office by the 20th of the month. Any items you want in Sunday s bulletin are due by Tuesday of that week. Prayer Requests To be part of or to make prayer requests on the prayer chain, contact Vicki Gardner at (651) or vicki.gardner68@gmail.com Are you interested in being on Council or joining a committee? We have several openings that need you! Social Concerns Worship and Music Evangelism Stewardship and Finance If you are interested please contact Emily White or Pastor Sue to find out what a great opportunity it is to be involved in all our great work! 11

12 Newport Lutheran Church 900 Fifteenth Street Newport MN Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Permit # 1 Newport, MN Address Service Requested 12 Our Mission We are a caring community that shares faith, shows love, and lives as disciples of Christ. Newport Lutheran Church Pastor Susan Gravelle Phone: Fax: newportlutheran@comcast.net Web Address: Office Hours Tuesday-Friday 9a-Noon Worship Sunday: 9:00 a.m. Saturday: 5:30 p.m. Holy Communion Served: 1st & 3rd Weekends