MAY 2018 The Echo UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 2122 University Avenue Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203 A few years ago, I was at a sizeable church conference. Each morning we broke into groups of ten for Bible study. My group consisted of eight lay people and two clergy, one of these clergy was me, and the other was a fairly influential pastor in the church. This pastor was our Bible study leader. As we sat around the table, he began to lead us in a discussion about heaven. He made the statement that he did not believe heaven was a physical place, but rather a spiritual realm. Then he asked the rest of us what we thought. I was surprised all eight lay people said they agreed with this pastor. Then finally all eyes turned to me, and waited for my answer. I must admit, I was nervous to speak because my understanding of heaven was different. So, I cleared my throat, said um once or twice, and finally admitted that I believe what we say almost every week in the Apostles Creed, that there is a resurrection of the body, a physical body and not a ghostly apparition. I confessed to them that as I see it, heaven must also be a physical place, as well as a spiritual realm, because it will need to hold our physical bodies. So, I am wondering, is this old-fashioned, outdated thinking? When Jesus spoke of his father s house with many rooms, was he only talking about a spiritual house with spiritual rooms? John 14:2 states, In my Father s house there are many dwelling places. This seems to be a physical description, but I suppose it could be interpreted differently. Still, when Jesus was raised from the dead, even though his body was different, it was still physical. Thomas touched his hands which had been pierced by nails (John 20:27), and Jesus ate fish (Luke 24:43). Though some disciples thought Jesus might be a ghost or spirit, he continues to show them his physical body. I am rarely accused of being a biblical literalist, but I must admit, I believe the disciples actually touched Jesus hands, and I believe that Jesus actually ate fish. I believe his physical body was raised from the dead, and I believe heaven is a physical place that exists in the spiritual realm of God s holy presence. I cannot prove this because I am still here in this world with you. But as I see it, when we confess what we believe in the Apostles Creed, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting, resurrection and heaven are not simply spiritual matters. They are physical as well. Now, I am not arguing that in heaven we are just the same as we are today. A young child asked me at a recent Children s Time, Will we go to the bathroom in heaven? I love this question because it shows he is really thinking about what we believe. Even the Apostle Paul admits in I Corinthians 15:40, There are heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies, so indeed, what we experience as a physical body here on earth will be different in the resurrection and heaven. We see this in Jesus himself. While his disciples can physically touch him, physical walls cannot keep him outside a room. So, what about Jesus today? Why is he not physically present with us now? It s a good question that we cannot fully answer. He told his disciples he must ascend to God in heaven, but that he would for now send another, the Holy Spirit, to be with us, help us, comfort us, and inspire us in life. This Holy Spirit, which is the holy presence of God is not physical, but it is with us, and because of that Jesus is with us too. Another child asked me at a recent Children s Time, Where is Jesus? Her older brother was laying on the floor in front me. He answered her, He s right here, laying on top of me. Isn t faith beautiful? This young boy with complete confidence witnessed to 148 people, that though we cannot touch Jesus physically today, that he is right here alongside of us in this world, and in our lives. This means that while we wait for the day when we will be in God s house in heaven, in one of those dwelling places, we still live in the risen presence of our Lord Jesus this very day. Whatever joys or sorrows we face, whatever challenges or hardships we are going through, we are not alone to face them, because as a young boy proclaimed, the Lord is right here, laying on top of us! You are in my prayers,
Worship Matters 25 Years at ULC - May 2 and 6 Please join us for worship on Wednesday, May 2 or Sunday, May 6, as we mark 25 years of Pastor Tom serving as pastor at ULC. We will share a moment of recognition and reaffirmation at worship, and also celebrate with cake. Cake will be served with the meal on Wednesday and at fellowship on Sunday. Mother s Day and Church School Music - Sunday, May 13 We hope you will join us for worship on Mother s Day! The day will include a variety of special things and events that you will not want to miss: A Mother s Day Litany of Thanks A special gift for moms and all adult women of ULC Special music by our Sunday School classes Lunch after the worship service: Chicken salad croissant, fresh fruit, dessert and beverage (Free will offering for ELCA World Hunger) WWJ Music - Wednesday, May 16 Can you believe it? The Church School year is almost done! We will celebrate another year of sharing the Gospel with ULC children, as our WWJ students share special music and lead worship on Wednesday, May 16. This will be a great way for us to finish out the Church School year, as we celebrate our children and youth. The Day of Pentecost - Sunday, May 20 The Day of Pentecost is the third great holy day of the Christian year. It is, however, often surpassed in recognition by the more popular celebrations of Christmas and Easter. Pentecost is the day we celebrate the coming of the promised Holy Spirit with power to the church and to each one of us who follow the Lord Jesus Christ. This day is really the birthday of the Christian church. As part of the celebration, we encourage you to dress in red, the color of the day. We will also have red balloons, red flowers, and other Pentecost fun. Picnic and Praise - June 6 After a 2-week Wednesday break, summer Wednesday Worship will begin on June 6. We will worship at 6:00 pm, with a picnic style supper served beforehand at 5:00 pm. The cost is $1. During the month of June, we will worship with Holden Evening Prayer. Also, the sermon series this summer is, Let There Be Grace. We will be studying the prehistory of the Bible, which means Genesis 1-11. More details will be available in the June newsletter. We hope you will worship with us and invite coworkers, neighbors, and friends. Confirmation Confirmation in May is simply a pizza party! Both Sundays and Wednesday students are invited to come to Happy Joe s on Wednesday, May 2, 7:30 pm, for pizza, pop, and a celebration of our 2017-18 year together. Please bring $3 with you to help with the cost of pizza, and yes, you may bring a friend with you if you so choose. We will have one group event, and then the rest of the time will be spent on pizza and fun.
Feed My Starving Children Our FMSC event in April was a huge success for the eighth year in a row! Greater Grand Forks raised $93,469 which was well over the $88,927 we needed for the event. This money paid for the over 400,000 meals we packed for hungry children in our world. On our part, ULC members and friends contributed $3,780.50 toward this event. This means we paid for 17,184 meals, which is the equivalent of feeding 48 children for one year. Thank you to everyone who packed food April 7-8, for everyone who contributed money, and to Ann Shallman who serves for us on the local FMSC committee. Ministry of the Month - ELCA World Hunger Our Noisy offerings for May will go toward ELCA World Hunger. ELCA World Hunger not only feeds people, but provides them with seeds, farm animals, tools, and other necessary items to raise their own food. Furthermore, ELCA also helps stock food pantry shelves across our own country. Some of what you give will even stay in North Dakota, feeding some of the hunger challenged people in our communities. Thank you for the loose change and paper money you offer for this important ministry. Food Pantry Ideas for May At ULC, we are supporters of local efforts to feed hungry people, families, and children. During May, here are some suggestions for food items to share: May 2 and 6: Canned fruits and vegetables May 9 and 13: Boxed meals, canned meals, and macaroni May 16 and 20: Cereals and other breakfast foods May 27: Soups and stews Men Serving West School 5 th Graders ULC men will be helping to serve the West School 5 th grade breakfast on Thursday, May 24. This event marks the end of elementary school for these children, and the beginning of Middle School. Our ULC men have served this event for about 17 years. If you would like to help with the breakfast this year, please contact Pastor Tom. Change Makers Bike Ride - For ELCA World Hunger Our GF Conference Annual Change Makers Bike Ride to raise awareness and receive offerings for ELCA World Hunger will be happing June 23. Stay tuned for details about the ride. There will be snack stops, water, and meals for riders all along the way. As a synod, we will have rides in all eight conferences, seeking to raise a total of $40,000 for ELCA World Hunger. High School Graduate Recognition Yes, it is high school graduation time once again! We will be honoring Community, Central, Red River and EGF graduates who are ULC members on Sunday, June 3, at our 10:00 am worship service. On that day, we will celebrate the accomplishments of these students at worship, give them their graduation gift, and host a cake reception in their honor.
Adult Education Opportunities Women of the ELCA Bible Study - All Are Welcome Our May Bible study is on hospitality. We will consider how God reaches out to us with love and kindness, and then wonder how we might be equally compassionate and welcoming to each other. Through Bible passages we will reflect on God s call even to welcome those who are strangers, or very different from us. Please join us on Friday, May 11, 10:00 am in the lounge for this study, and bring a friend. Sunday Adult Class - Parables of the Land Bruce Bohlman is leading a class on PARABLES OF THE LAND, a study of the teachings of Jesus through his parables based on the rhythm of agricultural life in Israel. These timeless parables still speak to us today here in the Red River Valley, one of the great crop production areas of the world. Come and share your stories of the land and learn how to farm in the Kingdom of God. Please join him for conversation, this study, and of course, coffee, on May 5, 12, and 19. Calling All Men - I m Going Fishing Hey, you ULC guys, you don t have to be fishermen to enjoy this summer s monthly meetings. We are going to explore God s gift of rest (Sabbath) in May, June, and July. Sometimes our concept of work means we do not take time to enjoy the little things the Lord has provided us. Maybe a trip to Devil s Lake to fish, a run on the greenway, a round of golf at Lincoln Park, or a baseball game in Minneapolis, is just what we need. Come and see how God builds rest into creation and commandments, because everyone needs time away from hard work. Join us for breakfast pizza, conversation, prayer, as well as this study beginning on May 12. Please note the different day! Thursday Morning Bible Study - Resurrection Conversations In the month of May, we will study the resurrection experience of Jesus, as well as consider our own resurrection future itself. This will be a very biblical and personal look at what the Apostles Creed says, I Believe in the resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Here are the individual weeks of study: May 3: Breakfast on the beach with the risen Jesus May 10: The Apostle Paul sees the risen Jesus too May 24: The Church and its message of resurrection May 31: I believe in the resurrection of the body (for me too) Education Update for April 2018 Our year has flown by so quickly! These are some important dates for you: May 13 th : Sunday students (3 years-6 th grade) will be singing in worship. May 16 th : WWJ students (3 years-6 th grade) will be singing during worship. May 16 th : Last day of WWJ May 20 th : Last day of Sunday School Don t forget about Vacation Bible School this summer August 6 th -August 9 th.
Mother's Day Brunch Sunday, May 13, 2018 11:15 a.m (following worship) Menu: Chicken Salad Croissant, Fresh Fruit, Dessert, Punch or Coffee Free will offering will be taken to benefit ELCA World Hunger. Financial Update Oops! We did slip some in March. Our income was $26,525, and our expenses were $34,054, which means we now have a general fund shortfall of $5,838 at the end of the month. We did have three months in a row which we ended the month with a positive balance! Wow! Thank you! However, we are now facing a small challenge. Yes, we are ok because our reserve funds are backing us up, meaning all bills are paid. Even so, we could use your help in catching up. Thank you for all your generosity! Blanche Evenson Funds We recently received our yearly gift from the Blanche Evenson Fund. The total gift was $7,084.20. What a wonderful gift! Thank you, Blanche! This year the Church Council decided to wait to decide what to do with these funds. There are a couple possible needs, as well as boosting our reserve funds. Stay tuned for future details. EasyTithe Giving University Lutheran is entering the world of online giving. This means you will be able to give to ULC in three new ways from an app on your phone, through our website, or through a text message. We do this for several reasons: 1. Many people are now in the habit of shopping and paying bills from their computer and phones, and now this same thing is available for church contributions. 2. This is a very convenient way of giving. At any time of day, gifts can be made to ULC at home in front of a computer, at a restaurant from a cell phone, etc. 3. When people are in Arizona for winter, at the lake during summer, or on vacation anywhere in the world, they will be able make their contributions. Of course, you may still give contributions with checks and cash through your envelopes. This online giving is not meant to replace such offerings we receive every Sunday and Wednesday. Instead, they are meant to supplement them. Here is how to get involved with EasyTithe Giving: Mobile Giving Apps can be downloaded onto your cell phone. Once you do this, you simply press the app, enter University Lutheran Church, Grand Forks, North Dakota, enter the requested information (first time only), and give whatever amount you want to give. There is Link on our Website which you can click, enter in the requested information (first time only), and give whatever amount you want to give. Text Giving is also available. All you do is text the amount you want to give to 701-401-2022. The first time you do this you will need to enter the requested information. Once the text is complete, a confirmation text will be sent to confirm your contribution. Why not give one of these a try? It might even be fun! We truly appreciate all the gifts you give to ULC for so many reasons. Your generous support is the only way we are able to continue this Gospel ministry that we share.
WELCA (Women of the ELCA) NEWS! Spring has arrived and that means our 26 th Annual Rhubarb Festival is just around the corner Saturday, June 9 th. This event attracts avid rhubarb aficionados from throughout the region. Over the next few weeks, you ll hear and see announcements requesting assistance with preparations prior to and on the day of the event. Other news: Our Spring Luau Salad Luncheon on Saturday, April 7 th was a great success. We served 187 individuals and made #3125.75. Funds were raised from the following: luncheon-$1371; quilt raffle-$470; quilt sales-$270; cards/napkins-$366.75; bake sale-$508; and other donations-$140. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of the event by baking, preparing salads, and assisting the day before and day of the event. It was great to see women of all ages dropping off salads and baked goods for the salad luncheon. In God s love, Patty Olsen, WELCA president WOMEN OF THE ELCA Purpose Statement As a community of women created in the image of God, called to discipleship in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, We commit ourselves to grow in faith, affirm our gifts, support one another in our callings, engage in ministry and action, and promote healing and wholeness in the Church, the society, and the world. WELCA Bible Study Friday, May 11@10:00 a.m. in the lounge. Led by Pastor Tom. All women and friends of ULC are encouraged to attend. Naomi/Rachel Circle 11:00am Friday, May 11 at the church Mary/Martha Circle 9:30am Wednesday, May 16 at Pauline Bondy s home (2310 8th Avenue N.) Joy Circle Sunday, May 20 3:00pm at the church Women and friends of ULC please join us for a Personal Safety Skills Course for Women on Sunday, May 20th from 3:00-5:00 pm in the church narthex. Our teacher for the afternoon will be Denise Piker-Gordon, a second degree black belt in Taekwondo and previous victim advocate. We will learn some verbal, mental, and physical skills in self defense. This class is for all women 13 years old and older ONLY! These skills are very good to have and could help you someday. Bring a friend, teenage daughter, college friend, mom, or sister. You don t want to miss this fun and educational afternoon. Snacks and beverages will be provided too. Hope to see you all there.
UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 2122 UNIVERSITY AVENUE GRAND FORKS ND 58203-3399 NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE PAID GRAND FORKS ND 58201 PERMIT #330 (current as of today)» «Mailing Label» «Address 1 (current as of today)» «Address 2 (current as of today)» «City State (current as of today)» «Zip code A Celebration in honor of Pastor Tom Colenso for 25 years of ministry at University Lutheran Church Wednesday, May 2 nd 5:00 p.m. or Sunday, May 6 th 11:15 a.m. Pastor Tom began his call to ULC on May 2, 1993. We are honored to celebrate with him and to acknowledge his 25 years of service with a cake and punch reception on Wednesday during the supper hour or on Sunday following the 10:00 a.m. worship. Please come and celebrate with us! Ministers: Every Member of the Congregation Pastor: Thomas W. Colenso Education Coordinator: Jen Hanson Youth Minister: Heather Kallestad Administrative Assistant: Seanne Voracek Organists: Lauri Shimpa and Jane Traub Choir Director: KariJo O Keefe Custodians: Harold Stoller Stephen Ministry Leaders: Bonnie Peterson, Wayde Anderson Evelyn Clark, Jane Traub UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 2122 University Avenue Grand Forks ND 58203 www.universitylutherangf.org Phone: 701-775-4745 Email: ulcoffice@midconetwork.com