From Pastor Michelle Rem

March 2015 Inside Page 2-3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 News/Events Council Minutes Reports/Article Ministerial Acts Memorials/News We are Central to Winona, disciples of Jesus living a vibrant faith. From Pastor Michelle Rem Do you ever find yourself thinking some odd things? I find myself there now. I ve been thinking about new life. That isn t the odd part. It makes sense to think about new life as we anticipate Easter, Plants, springtime, little chicks and brightly colored eggs it s a season of new life. What I think is kind of odd is that I ve been wondering whether new life is experienced differently from the perspective of the soil rather than the plant. We often talk about the struggle of the plant to push up through the soil, how new life sprouts from a seemingly dry and lifeless seed. But how do you suppose the soil would describe new life. There I was minding my own business when suddenly I cracked wide open, that hurt, but then this incredible thing happened and it was beautiful. New life isn t always comfy, cozy, rocking the sleeping baby. It s 3:00 am feedings and smelly diapers too. (Now that s a nice image for Easter.) Sometimes it s being molded and cracked wide open. Sometimes the process isn t all that pretty. Just ask any laboring mom about that. I would much rather immerse myself in thoughts of the beauty and wonder that comes with new life. I d much rather focus on oohing and aahing over the sleeping baby and ignore the messy side of things. But perhaps that does a disservice to the whole process. It s like wanting Easter without the cross. It s a theology of glory. Enter Martin Luther. One of his most lasting contributions to the faith is the distinction between the theology of glory and the theology of the cross. The idea didn t originate with Luther, it s as name. (Continued on page 2) Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 March Dates to Remember March 08: Worship Matters Child Care Center News Calendar Daylight Savings Time March 14: 6:30 Bach Dinner/Forum March 15: 3PM The St. John Passion March 16: 5PMCaring Casseroles March 25: 7PM First Communion Dinner March 29: 10:30 Sunday School Sings 259 W. Wabasha Winona, MN 55987 www.centrallutheranchurch.org 507.452.5156 1

(cont. from page 1) old as the hills, he just gave it a name. Theologies of glory approach Christianity (and life) trying to minimize painful or diffcult experiences, to move past them rather than looking them square in the face. As Martin put it, theologians of glory fail to see God hidden in suffering. A theology of the cross accepts the diffcult, looks directly into the pain. It identifies God hidden in the suffering. Luther actually took it further. He said that God is not only hidden in the suffering, but at work in our anxiety and doubt. When you are at the end of your rope, that is when you run into God and find mercy. The theology of the cross defines life in terms of giving rather than taking, self-sacrifice rather than self-protection. It s winning by losing. The religious house of cards that glory builds collapses at the first sign of adversity. Not so when we know that life is made up of crosses and Easters both. Painful though it sometimes is, maybe there is honor in being the incubator of new life? Maybe it s okay to be the soil, to be broken so that something greater can emerge? I don t know, maybe? What do you think? The Hannah circle will be having a bake sale on Saturday March 28th & Sunday March 29th. We will be selling before and after all services. Book Club Why trust the Gospel accounts? Aren't the Gospels full of contradictions? Two questions the book group will be discussing in the next few weeks. Join us Mon., March 2nd at 9:30 am at CLC to add your thoughts to the conversation we are having based on the book "Letters from a Skeptic". All are welcome. D I N N E R & F O R U M S AT U R D AY MARCH 14 6:30 PM BACH AS PREACHER D R. P A U L W E S T E R M E Y E R, PR O F E S S O R OF W O R S H I P E M E R I T U S, L U T H E R S E M I N A R Y, ST. PA U L Bach s sacred music is not only beautiful, it also preaches in the best sense of that word. Enjoy dinner & conversation with Dr. Paul Westermeyer, prolific Bach lecturer and former Luther Seminary (St. Paul) faculty member. Fully catered meal at Central Lutheran. $18 per person. Reservations required. Contact CLCMusic@hbci.com. Entrée options: Grilled Pork Loin OR Roasted Salmon Salad - Wild Rice - Dinner Roll - Dessert & Beverages We are Central to Winona, disciples of Jesus living a vibrant faith. 259 W. Wabasha Winona, MN 55987 www.centrallutheranchurch.org 507.452.5156 2

DO YOU HAVE TIME? DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? The Lutheran Campus Center is looking for two board members who have a passion for young adults and preparing the hands and hearts of those who will be our future for the church. This is not a passive, rubberstamp kind of board. You will be asked to invest both time and money into the success of this ministry. You will also find this can be one of the most rewarding and gratifying experiences of your life. If you feel like this is something God is calling you to pursue, please contact Pastor Corrine Denis at pastorcorrine@gmail.com St. John Passion Tickets Tickets to the Bach Society of Minnesota Presentation of the St. John Passion at Central (March 15, 3pm) are priced as follows: $25 Adult $20 Senior $10 Student Advance Tickets are available by contacting the Bach Society at 651.428.5170 or through their website www.bachsocietymn.org Tickets will also be available at the door. If you know someone who wishes to attend, but for whom cost is a hindrance, please contact Erik Floan at church. We often find Angels who can help! (And if you are someone who wishes to be an Angel call Erik too! ) Feeding Body & Soul Wednesdays in Lent 12:10 pm & 6:30 pm Lenten Lunch 11:30 am Feast 5-6:15 pm Evening Prayer with reflections on self-denial, hunger, and what it means to live as a faithful Christian in a hungry world. Welcoming All Engaging Worship Growing Faith Compassionate Service 3

Council Minutes: February 19, 2015 Call To Order at 5:43 p.m. The council moved into executive session at 5:43 and resumed the regular council meeting at 6:23. Present: Jack Richter (via phone), Sean Gotz, Ed Berkley, Michelle Rem, Julie Palubicki and Judy Davis. Excused, Samantha Wagner and Carol Kramer Action items: The council approved the slate of members who have agreed to serve on the call committee: Chris Dahlke, Jay Duresky, Cody Duresky-youth representative, Mia Martin, Susan Zeller, Hanna Lepper-youth representative, Tammy Lepper, Steve Everson, Pastor Michelle Rem, attending alternate, Linda Garrison. Discussion items: The council approved an annual meeting change that would begin 2016. The meetings are planned for the end of April. The council approved a recommendation from the personnel committee for a one year contract with the services of HR Support They provide access to unlimited phone and electronic support provided by certified payroll and human resources professionals. They provide answers to employee relationship and law compliance questions, unlimited document customization of forms, letters and job descriptions, employee handbook development, clergy and employee payroll questions. This organization is a faith based company working with ELCA congregations. The council approved a one year membership costing $600. It will be determined if their services will be needed after the initial year of services. Pastor Rem shared an update on the Web site. The web site is now active and is being updated as needed. Pastor Rem reported that the first installment of the insurance allotment has been received and that progress is being made in all areas of the recent water damage. Pastor Rem shared that there is now a wish list generated by staff and program areas that can be referred to as donations are made by members and non members that are designated beyond the general fund. These gifts will be granted according to CLC policy established as donors contribute. The meeting was adjourned at 6:35 with prayer. The next council meeting is March 19 th at 5:00 p.m. Judy Davis, acting secretary REPORTS: Child Care Report: The New Year s Flood We are still moving steadily ahead with all cupboards being installed in all three classrooms and offce the weekend of Feb 21 st. The following week cupboard doors and countertops will be ordered and we should receive them within 2 weeks after. We are still waiting on certain specifics from insurance. A 63 page content loss report was sent in, with lost wages, additional repaired items that were not on the original settlement, but were needed in order for the walls to dry mold free. We are hoping that all work and equipment replacement will be completed by mid-april. Staff Appreciation Events: As a team we celebrated special days to keep spirits up and celebrate our staff while working around the conditions of the remodel: Jan 19 th We celebrated National Popcorn Day by having a Popcorn bar with all the fixings! Feb 3 rd Ice Cream for Breakfast day by inviting all to our Ice Cream Bar Feb 12 th All Staff got a pat on the back award, with a peppermint patty in honor of Peppermint Patty Day Feb 16 th We celebrated Bubble Gum Blowing Day by having staff blowing their biggest bubbles and submit in a selfie! Winona Post: One of our Students was in the Winona Post during our Valentine s Day celebration. Annual reviews have been completed with wage increases to start on 3/2/2015. This is one of my favorite times of the year to have open and honest communication with our team about our future and how we can best utilize our gifts to the best of Winona s children and our team! I am very proud of our team and what they stand for. Possible Pending 2015 Projects (all put on hold at this time until current project is completed): Installation of toddler height railings in the stair case per Licensing request Lower level classroom bathrooms retiled and upgraded Installation of Infant/Toddler playground Possible additional Toddler classroom Sunday School Report-Vickie Everson, Tammy Lepper, and Judy Davis: The opening session of Sunday School is a place to be on Sunday mornings! Thanks to the efforts of the teachers and parents along with Erik at piano and Tammy leading the sessions based on the lectionary readings for the day. (Continued page 5) We are Central to Winona, disciples of Jesus living a vibrant faith. 259 W. Wabasha Winona, MN 55987 www.centrallutheranchurch.org 507.452.5156 4

Council Reports (continued from page 4) Parents participate in the general lesson and in the singing. On February 15 th the Gotz family made a presentation on their recent trip to Columbia. Angela shared before and after pictures of their trip and the impact their visit made to the Columbian children and families they visited. The children sang on the 15 th at the 10:30 service. All members of the congregation seemed to be engaged by joining in on the song, Praise Ye the Lord. Service, Social & Small Group Report by Connie Larson: Ministries have some events planned. First Mon., March 16, 5:00 pm the Caring Casseroles Group is going to meet to cook, bake, and freeze meals. The plan is to make extra for everyone to enjoy a meal together. It will be publicized to encourage new people to join this important group. We have planned a Women s Mini Retreat for April 18, 9:00 am. We will have a continental breakfast, short devotional speaker and activities for women of all generations to get to know each other better. Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 13, our second annual God s Work Our Hands day of service. The Feast had the Winona Exchange Club come on Feb. 11 to help serve and clean up the meal. They were kind enough to bring desserts. We hope to make this an annual or semi-annual event. Cedar Valley Lutheran is helping on Feb. 25 in conjunction with Barbie Izquierdo. Barbie Izquierdo, is a nationally recognized expert on hunger and poverty. She is coming to Winona on February 25, speaking with students, joining us at the Feast and speaking at our Lenten service and being part of a panel discussion after that. Barbie is featured in the film, A Place at the Table. I hope you can join us. I ve Often Wondered... I ve often wondered what church was like for many CLC people when they were younger. I wonder what their history was that makes them so deeply dedicated to their faith and acting out their faith. So I ve decided to start asking people. Fred Welke was the first person I asked. You see Fred here a lot, whether he is helping usher, serving communion, cooking for the Feast and breakfasts, or running the minnow race at the Kid s Carnival, he does it with a giving heart. I asked Fred what church was like when he was growing up. He said he spent a lot of time at his church especially after school because they had a gymnasium to play in. Their church was in the neighborhood and both of his parents were involved. His father was on council and building committee and his mother taught Sunday School. And as here, family friends were made and Christmas was a very special time. Now we don t have a gymnasium and Christmas traditions change from church to church, but we can make those lasting friends and connections. Let s all be the face of Jesus to everyone who walks in the door! Peace, Connie Larson Mark your calendars for The Women s Mini-Retreat, April 18. More details in the April newsletter or stop in the Church Offce Welcoming All Engaging Worship Growing Faith Compassionate Service 5

Ministerial Acts Baptisms- 1-25-2015 Temperance Adam, daughter of Jason and Ashley Spitzer 2-01-2015 Marisa Ann, daughter of Nicholas and Sarah Suhr 2-08-2015 Joshua Gregory, son of Brian and Rachel Ness 2-21-2015 Grayson Alan, son of David and Sally Olson 2-22-2015 Eloise Lynn, daughter of Dylan and Emily Kildow Memorials UNDESIGNATED: In memory of Dale Gjerdrum Given by Conway and Elizabeth Elton, Jerry Whetstone In memory of Bev Wenzel Given by Don and Joan Roessler In memory of Jeff Highland s mother Given by Rita Lehnertz FEAST In memory of Dale Gjerdrum Given by Mr. and Mrs. Merl Hokenstrom In memory of Bertha and John Rohs Given by Margaret B. Eckblad Caring Casseroles Gathering Monday, March 16, 5:00 pm We ll be baking, eating & freezing casseroles for people in need. Please sign up in the Church Offce, centluth@hbci.com or 452-5156. We are asking people to bring ingredients (meat precooked) to make a large casserole. We will divide into 2-8 containers. One to share with the group and one to freeze. Tin foil pans and wrapping will be provided for use. You can also choose to make muffns or cookies to share & freeze. Please consider joining us. Welcoming All Engaging Worship YOUTH FUND In memory of Margaret and Otto Henning Given by Margaret B. Eckblad SECURITY SYSTEM In memory of Emma and George Apel Given by Margaret B. Eckblad FLOOD RESTORATION In memory of Marilyn Olson Given by Don and Linda Olson Growing Faith Easter Flowers The Hannah Circle will be selling flowers to decorate the church for Easter. Orders will be taken between the Sunday services beginning March 8th. The last day to order will be March 29th. There will be order forms available in the offce and at the welcome desk. Orders may be mailed to Nancy Hauschildt. If you have any questions call Nancy at 452-1764. Compassionate Service 6

Worship Matters: Keeping A Good Lent Erik Floan, Director of Worship Music & Arts Lent is sometimes a troublesome season. Many people remember Lent as a strictly penitential time to endure: fasting, deep solemnity, sacrifice - giving up something for Lent, Ashes smeared on your forehead, and a lot of Friday Fish-Fries. It s also a chance to reflect on life, deepen worship & prayer practices, and prepare for Easter. For much of church history Lent was a time for intensive baptismal preparation, of hearing God s repeated promises and covenants, and our weekend worship texts reinforce this: We hear the tail end of Noah s Ark, the covenant sealed with a Rainbow; God promises Abraham and Sarah an heir; Moses receives the Ten Commandments; finally Jeremiah declaring that God will make a New Covenant and write his law upon our hearts. Our worship practices and environment reflects Lent s simplicity. Gone are the glittering Epiphany stars. We have put away Alleluia. We take time for thoughtful Confession. The organ will be restrained I won t use the trumpets or bells until Easter, then it s Pull Out ALL the Stops! The hymns and service music are decidedly choral, and calmer A Russian Orthodox Kyrie, the Holy Holy Holy and Lamb of God: from Schubert s Deutche Messe. Two hymns we will sing all through Lent help support our Lenten Journey. Worship will begin with Hymn 811 On my heart imprint your image penned by Danish hymn writer Thomas Kingo (1634-1703). After the sermon we sing a hymn written especially for this Lent s readings by Seattle Pastor Paul Hoffman (text) and Valerie Sheilds (tune). The hymn is progressive: we sing certain stanzas for each week, clear into Holy Week. Finally, we live in hope hope of resurrection, of new life, of renewed spirit. It s sometimes tough to feel hopeful with such bloody-cold winter temperatures. But little by little, day by day, the sun appears just a bit sooner and sets a bit later. We sing about this, too, at Offering, Hymn 506 which includes this turn of phrase: The Word of God is source and seed; So make your dark earth welcome warm; root deep the grain God bent to sow. Blessed Lent to You & Yours. Feast Menu March 4-Stew, Salad, Dessert March 11-Hot Dogs, Chips, Relishes, Dessert March 18-Soup, Salad, Dessert March 25-Scalloped Potatoes & Ham, Salad, Dessert We are Central to Winona, disciples of Jesus living a vibrant faith. 259 W. Wabasha Winona, MN 55987 www.centrallutheranchurch.org 507.452.5156 7

Central Lutheran Church Child Care Center Here are photos of current construction! Mission: Provide the building blocks of child care by creating learning opportunities infused with faith while supporting the whole family. Center construction update we have cupboards galore! Friday, Feb 20 th all cupboards were delivered and installed the week of Feb 23 rd 26 th. It will be a few more weeks as we work with insurance and funding to order the door fronts for the cupboards and countertops. All classrooms are in a waiting period as we wait for insurance resolution. Please bear with us a little longer as we start to wrap up our construction. We have great news! The Toddler classroom is offcially back in their classroom starting Feb 24 th! You will see the preschool classrooms spend more and more time apart as the Preschool classroom finishes up. Last but not least, the content. We lost a lot of equipment and supplies. We sent in a 63 page Content Loss Report and are waiting on insurance...what does this mean? As construction starts to come to a close, we will still be upgrading a lot of equipment. Our hope is we are completed by the end of April. Questions? Please contact us: Phone:452.5493 Thank YOU We thank you for your patience with working with us through this challenging time. We appreciate each and every one of you! We want to send a special thanks to Brian Calteaux (Calteaux Construction) for fittng our situation into your schedule! We know you have gone above and beyond and so appreciate you and your guidance through this! Also, thank you to Richard Exe for making our flooring installation a priority! Richard even, re-carpeted the big wooden loft in Fellowship Hall that so many children church wide have a safer place to play! Thank you! Splish! Splash! Bash! Event We are hosting a pancake breakfast and craft fair on Sat, March 21 st from 8:30am-11:00am. Pancake tickets are $5. Come for breakfast and stay for fun kid friendly activities and adult friendly crafts! Reserve your ticket at 452-5493. Wear galoshes or a raincoat and get 2 free tickets to activities! We have a Teddy Bear Clinic, have your child bring their teddy bear for a check up! Email: childclc@hbci.com Please continue to keep our Center and children in your prayers as we continue to make the center a better place for each and every child! Welcoming All Growing Faith Engaging Worship Compassionate Service 8

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Weekly TV Broadcast Mon. 7:00 pm Charter Channel 986 Wed. 5:00 pm HBCI Channel 20 Central Lutheran Church 259 West Wabasha St. Winona, MN 55987 Phone: 452-5156 E-mail: centluth@hbci.com website: www.centrallutheranchurch.org 8:00 Worship 9:15 Sunday School/ Adult Ed 10:30 Worship 1 9:30 Book Group 12:00 Small Group 7:00 TV Broadcast Charter #986 2 3 9:00 Quilters 12:00 Personnel 6:15 Hims Rehearsal 7:00 Communion 4 10:30 Staff 11:30 Lenten Lunch 12:10 Lent Service 1:30 St. Anne 2:15 Callista Ct 5:00 Feast/HBCI Bdcast 5:30 Girl Scouts 6:00 Sunrise Singers 6:30 Lenten Worship/ Wed. Nt. Wkshp(Elective) 5 6:45 Men s Ec Bible St 2:00 Luth Woman Today 3:00 LWT Circles 5:00 Life Skills/Dance Class 5:45 Choir 6 7 5:30 Worship 8 Daylight Savings Time 8:00 Worship 9:15 Sunday School/ Adult Ed 10:30 Worship 10:00 Prayer Chain 6:00 Girl Scouts 7:00 TV Broadcast Charter #986 9 9:00 Quilters 6:00 Crafts & Quilts 6:15 Winona Hims 10 7:00 Communion 11 10:30 Staff 11:30 Lenten Lunch 12:10 Lent Service 5:00 Feast /TV Broadcast HBCI #20 5:30 Girl Scouts 6:00 Sunrise Singers 6:30 Lenten Worship/Wed. Nt. Workshop (Elective) 12 6:45 Men s Ec Bible St 12:00 Social Concerns 5:00 Life Skills/Dance Class 5:45 Choir 13 14 5:30 Worship 6:00 Bach Dinner & Forum 15 8:00 Worship 9:15 Sunday School/ Adult Ed 10:30 Worship 3:00 Bach - St. John 7:00 Youth Fundraiser Meeting 16 9:30 Book Group 5:00 Caring Casserole 7:00 TV Broadcast Charter #986 9:00 Quilters 6:15 Hims Rehearsal 17 7:00 Communion 18 10:30 Staff 11:00 Watkins 11:30 Lenten Lunch 12:10 Lent Service 1:00 Esther Circle 2:30 LWM Comm 5:00 The Feast/HBCI TV 5:30 Girl Scouts 6:00 Sunrise Singers 6:30 Worship/WNW Elect. 19 6:45 Men s Ec Bible St 5:00 CLC Council/Life Skills/Dance 5:45 Choir 20 21 8:00 CCC Bazaar 10:00 First Communion Class 5:30 Worship 22 8:00 Worship 9:15 Sunday School/ Adult Ed 10:30 Worship 29 8:00 Worship 9:15 Sunday School/ Adult Ed 10:30 Worship 10:00 Prayer Chain 7:00 TV Broadcast Charter #986 23 30 9:30 Book Group 7:00 TV Broadcast Charter #986 24 9:00 Quilters 6:00 Crafts & Quilts 6:15 Winona Hims 7:00 Sons of Norway 31 9:00 Quilters 6:15 Hims Rehearsal 25 7:00 Communion 10:30 Staff 11:30 Lenten Lunch 12:10 Lent Service 5:00 The Feast/HBCI TV Broadcast #20 5:30 Girl Scouts 6:00 Sunrise Singers 6:30 Worship/Wed. Nt. Workshop (Elective) 7:00 First Comm. Dinner 26 6:45 Men s Ec Bible St 5:00 Life Skills/Dance 5:45 Choir 27 28 8:30 Marriage Retreat 5:30 Worship Palm Sunday 9

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit #145 Winona, MN 55987 259 W. Wabasha Winona, MN 55987 www.centrallutheranchurch.org CentLuth@hbci.com 507.452.5156 Return Address Requested Looking ahead to Holy Week & Easter March 28 & 29: Palm Sunday weekend, Sat. 5:30, Sun. at 8:00 &10:30 Monday-Wednesday Morning Prayer 7:00 am Noonday Prayer 12:10 pm Evening Prayer 6:30 pm (except Wed.) April 1: Holy Wednesday Service of Healing 6:30 pm April 2: Maundy Thursday Worship 12:10 pm & 6:30 pm April 3: Good Friday, 12:10 and 6:30 pm April 19: Saturday Easter Vigil, 6:30 pm April 20: Easter Sunday The Resurrection of Our Lord 7:00, 8:00, 9:15, 10:30 am Come on Central! Be a Hero. Fight Hunger. This March, The Winona Volunteer Services Supplement Food Shelf is challenging businesses, faith communities, schools, and other organizations to Be a Hero and Fight Hunger. We need your help to meet our goal for our first major food drive of the year, the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign. Please consider a food or cash donation to help us raise $30,000 and 20,000 pounds of food from now until April 5. Winning church or organization will receive dinner for 6 Signatures, so when you bring your food or check, put your name in the drawing box. 10