Calvary Lutheran Church Rapidan, Minnesota November 2017 Newsletter Interim Pastor Gerry Giese Ministers: All Members Church: 278-3317 E-Mail: calvary@hickorytech.net Web site: www.calvaryrapidan.org Adult Study at 9:00 am Worship at 10:15 am Fellowship/Coffee Hour following worship A Letter from Interim Pastor Giese: Dear friends, grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Risen Lord Jesus. So my friends, as we begin our interim journey together, there are three questions that we will place our focus: 1. Who are we? 2. What is our mission? 3. How are we going to accomplish this mission? What are our resources? The message for November is to bring before you the core elements of faith that I shared with you my first Sunday a couple of weeks ago. As we work through the study phase of our interim time, we focus on God s Word. In the following passages, God s Word centers on these questions for us. In reading, studying, and prayerfully reflecting, the Holy Spirit works through the power of the Word to help us discover in a new way and ask, who am I and whose am I? Then as a response we ask, what is my mission, my purpose? Then, we can begin to consider the plural as a congregation together, serving our Lord and neighbor in this place and in this faith community. Our theme verse in 1 Peter 2:9 gives a clear description or a clear formula to our questions. The Who: 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God s own people, The Purpose: in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
I propose the following as a study as the beginning study of our interim time together. I propose this study to be held on Sunday mornings at 9:00 before worship. I will lead the conversation when I am with you and leading worship. The other two Sundays, members of the congregation will be our study leader. So the following are the individual faith statements. As we go through each statement, keep in mind our three core questions. 1) To trust in the Good News of our crucified Lord, Jesus Christ, who calls us to confess our sins and brings us forgiveness, salvation and new life. That is to trust in the baptismal promises and the Words of Absolution. Here is where it all begins. We read Romans 6:1-1-7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 1 John 1:8-10. 2) To share God s story with one another, our neighbors and our world. That is, we tell the story through our ministries of the gospel. Matthew 28:16-20; John 15:9-17; Acts 1:7-8. 3) To be a worshipping people gathered around Word and sacraments. During worship we sing... Lord to whom shall we go, you have the words of eternal life. What does that mean in our daily journeys? John 6:68-69; Acts 2:42-47 4) To live as gracious followers of Jesus Christ encouraging one another as we live out our vocations in joyful and challenging times. You and I are called to proclaim in word and deed through our vocations. How has God called us through our vocations? Matthew 25:34-40; 1 Corinthians 12:7-10; Colossians 3:15-17; 5) To regular and faithful prayer as individuals and communities of faith. One of the greatest gifts is the power of prayer. How is our daily prayer a faith statement in our lives? Luke 11:1-4; Psalm 141:1-2; Romans 8:26-27 Philippians 4:4-7; Colossians 4:2-6 6) To focus on God s grace while working together to transform lives, churches, and this world in Christ s name. The community of Calvary is the strength that transforms lives. Together we embody the life of our Lord Jesus with and through our brothers and sisters. Matthew 18:20; Romans 12:4-5; I Corinthians 12:12-13; 7) To remember we are broken people confident that our loving God can use us in spite of our sinfulness to be his faithful ambassadors. We remember as forgiven people of God; the Blessed Absolution frees us to boldly proclaim the good news of our Lord Jesus. Mark 8:27-30; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-16; 2 Timothy 4:1-2 2
8) To be faithful stewards of all God has entrusted to us, inviting, encouraging, generously supporting one another. We remember that God calls us to be good stewards of all creation. We proclaim, God has been gracious to us with his gifts, and we return our gifts to him. Genesis 1:26-28; Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Peter 4:8-11. 9) To continue to reform our life together in the light of God s Word as we seek to be faithful and fruitful Lutheran Christians. As we celebrate 500 Anniversary of the Reformation, we remember that we are diverse with many traditions within our Christian community. Above all we are family, children of our heavenly Father. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 3:26-29; 10) To be filled with humility in our relationships with God and one another, striving to discern God s will, to be alert and open to God s surprising work. It is through the Holy Spirit, that God empowers us in our ministry. Transition time is a time to listen, dream and discern God s call. Acts 2:1-4; 1 Corinthians 12:1-12. 11) To respect and treasure all generations of the baptized people of God., discerning, celebrating and nourishing their unique gifts, needs, cultures and callings. You and I, young and old are one in Christ. We are united in Christ which is center of the gospel message. Jesus calls us to remember our baptismal promise. Romans 1:16-17; Romans 3:21-26; Romans 12:1-2. So my friends we ask, who am I and whose am I? Then collectively as the body of Christ his church we ask: Who are we? What is our mission? How are we going to accomplish this mission? What are our resources? And above all, remember, God has walked with you yesterday, he walks with you today and will walk with us tomorrow and tomorrow s tomorrow. God s blessings to you in your work and in your play and in your rest. Peace and Joy; Pastor G Prayers: During the month of September we prayed for: Esther Kunz, Vicki Reedstrom, Rachael Nelson, Jessica Reedstrom, Kathy Diesch, and Sheila Scharping. Our sympathy to the family of Gene Griffin who passed away Friday afternoon at Hillcrest Health Care Center. Funeral arrangements are pending. We remember Jane and family in our prayers. 3
Luther League: Thank you to everyone that contributed to our Luther League Egg roll and Cinnamon roll fundraiser, along with silent auction. Thank you to everyone who shopped, chopped, wrapped, fried, baked, served and cleaned up; and a big thank you to those who came and supported our youth!! Luther League made over $600 toward their trip to Holden Village in July 2018. The dates we will be at the Village are July 11th through July 14th. Our next fundraiser of baked goods will be near Christmas. St John Lutheran, Rapidan, will hold their Annual Christmas Tea on Sunday, December 3rd at 2 p.m. Cost is $7 per person for the tea items and the program. Please pre-register to: hugybear@hickorytech.net November Calendar: Sunday, November 5: Learning Hour 9:00 am 10:15 am Worship with Holy Communion Fellowship time after worship Monday & Tuesday, November 6 & 7: Pastor Giese will be attending SE MN Fall Theological Conference in LaCross, WI. Wednesday & Friday, November 8 & 10: Pastor Giese Office Hours at Calvary Sunday, November 12: Learning Hour Worship (Pastor Paul Meierding) Fellowship time after worship Sunday, November 19: Learning Hour Worship (Dave Reedstrom) Fellowship time after worship Tuesday, November 21: Council meeting Wednesday, November 22 Thanksgiving Eve with Holy Communion (Pastor Giese) Sunday, November 26: Learning Hour Worship with Holy Communion (Pastor Giese) Fellowship time after worship 9:00 am 10:15 am 9am 10:15am 7pm 6:30 pm 9am 10:15am 4
November 2017 Worship Assignments DATE GREETER LECTOR COFFEE HOUR USHERS ACOLYTE Communion Assistant 11/5 Preis Family Heather Pasbrig Preis Family Preis Family Carla Diesch 11/12 Kittelson Family Erica Kittelson Lucille Doss Kittelson Family 11/19 Brian Tryhus & Mary West Tim Howland Tim & Jeanne Howland Thanksgiving Eve 11/23 Joan Diesch Christ the King Sunday 11/26 Dean & Kay Ulrich Carla Diesch Jim & Carolyn Marble Carla Diesch 5
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 10/ 31 / 2017... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 As an English major, I know about singular and plural. "Fruit" and "is" are singular. This list of nine characteristics of a Christian life are plural. So what are we to make of this? In this passage from Galatians, Paul exhorts us to bear fruit. Which one? All of them! As a reflection of God's abundance, we are created to bear all of these virtues to God's world and to plant the seeds of these traits in future generations. This is a recurrent theme in Scripture. From Genesis 1:11, in which "trees bear fruit with the seed in it," to Revelation 22:2, in which the "tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit 8
... and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nation," the Triune God plants and tends and harvests the fruit trees in God's orchard. The fruit is God's food for God's people. The seed in the fruit is to assure the perpetuation of this fruit for the next generation... and the next... and the next. Considering the nine characteristics of a life of following Jesus named by Paul in Galatians, how have you experienced them in others? Who has planted the seeds deep in the soil of your life? Let's explore how we have tasted this fruit. Here are some of my mental snapshots: LOVE poured into me from my beloved parents - words of tender love, caring touch, confidence that I could do anything I put my mind to accomplish, and their presence with me through all of life. Through them, I learned of God's agape love, that is unconditional, unearned, undeserved, and unmerited. JOY bursts from my daughter and son-in-law's car every Sunday evening, as five-year old Gwynnie arrives for dinner, calling, "Papa! Nana!" Sheer, exuberant joy! Every fiber of her body is filled with celebration, as she dances, twirls, and sings her way into our home and our hearts, scattering delight in her wake. PEACE flows from my middle daughter, Kathryn, as she teaches my yoga class, framed in faith, practicing breath that fills all of us with Christ's profound peace. Each practice brings peace to mind, body, and spirit, so it is only fitting that we close each time together with Namaste, the Sanskrit word that announces that the holy in me honors the holy in you. PATIENCE was not an attribute of Alison, my first born, as a young child. It has become her hallmark as an adult. A clinical psychologist, she works with truly challenged and challenging adults with mental illness, chemical dependency, and eating disorders. Her clients believe in future possibilities, because Alison believes in them and journeys with them. KINDNESS is our son, Jon's, way of being in the world. Always willing to help a neighbor, even and especially the ones who have not been particularly kind or willing or connected. He is a creative problem solver, with a huge heart to make the lives of others better, whether or not they are grateful or ever choose to reciprocate. GENEROSITY is how my beloved husband Les navigates life. As a practicing physician, he was generous with his time and expertise in teaching his residents the things that made them superb physicians. As a retired physician, he has become an always willing and available "house doctor," ready to help family, friends, and neighbors with any project. FAITHFULNESS is my friend Joyce's way of walking with me, as church colleague and beloved friend. From her, I have learned and experienced God's surprising invitation to 9
ask hard questions, to explore faith boldly, to use the gifts of God I did not know I possessed, until she named them and journeyed with me on paths as yet untrodden. GENTLENESS was my Gramma Carlson's approach to life. Widowed young, she came to visit my parents for two weeks when they were expecting me... and she stayed for 25 years! A woman of deep faith and very little formal education, she made God's story come alive to my brother and me, as she connected us every single day to God's love, God's word, God's care, God's gentleness. SELF-CONTROL was Mike Efron's loving, patient smile for each of the boys in the MIT Upward Bound he headed fifty years ago. The boys, who lived in the housing projects behind MIT, pushed every one of his buttons. Mike persisted in loving these boys, even and especially when their behavior was less than lovable. Exercising great self-control, Mike taught me to affirm the best God had created in each person, until they became their best person! Now, it is time to get out your personal memory album of those who have been your role models, your teachers, your encouragers. Who were they? Be ready to name them and thank God for the gift they have been in your life. If they are still alive, call them or drop them a note, telling them the difference that they have made in your life. Then, build the next volume of those for whom you hope and pray and strive to plant the seeds of those attributes, water them well, and watch them bear fruit for God's world. Consider to whom God is sending you to plant these seeds. Imagine for a moment the children, youth, and adults of all ages that you already love. Wrap each one in prayer. Walk your neighborhood, looking for those who might need a kind word, a gentle smile. When you wince at the day's news about lives untouched by these qualities, pray for God to pour out these gifts on them. And look for opportunities God provides for you to touch the lives of others with the fruit of the Spirit! Remember, in baptism, the pastor addressed you by name, "child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever." You. Yes, you! Now, bearing the imprint of Jesus, go out and share God's abundance with the world, so in need of this spiritual food. * This was first published as an article in Gather, the magazine of Women of the ELCA. 10