Grand Meadow Lutheran Newsletter APRIL 2018 WORSHIP CALENDAR SUNDAY April 1 7:45-8:30 am Youth Easter Breakfast 9 am Easter Worship with Holy Communion No Sunday School No Confirmation SUNDAY April 8 SUNDAY April 15 SUNDAY April 22 with Holy Communion SUNDAY April 29 1:30 pm GMHCC Worship 115 1st ST. NE Grand Meadow, MN 55936 507-754-5203 officegml@arvig.net GrandMeadowLutheranChurch.org
Message From Pastor Marie As a general rule we do not like to find things empty. Finding the cookie jar, the gas tank, one s wallet, or the refrigerator empty is annoying. It means that we need to take extra time, do more work, go out of our way or lose rest to fill up the empty space. When the three women arrived at the tomb of Jesus in the early morning hours to finish anointing his body they did not expect to find the tomb empty. Taking care of their dear teacher s body was to have been the last loving task they could do for him and now the tomb was empty. This was far more than annoying. IT WAS HORRIFYING. Who would steal his body? Why would they steal it? What were they doing to his body? The women had come to honor Jesus life and ministry by caring for his human body and now they feared it was being desecrated by some unknown villain. And yet, as horrified as they were, they listened to the glowing strangers who suddenly appeared at Jesus empty tomb. The men who said, Jesus is not here, he has been raised up. If these strangers know what they are talking about, empty is not horrifying. It is not even annoying. It is good news. In fact it is the BEST Good News ever! We Easter People, who have lived our whole lives on this side of Easter, have always known the empty tomb to be the Good News on which we stake our eternal lives. The empty tomb fills us with unconditional love, supports us in sorrow, gives words and direction when we don t know how to go forward and sends us out equipped to share the Good News of the empty tomb with a world that needs to be filled. This Easter Season, celebrate the empty tomb and be prepared to be used, by the One who is not in the tomb, to fill empty places in the world. Shalom Pastor Marie AK Anderson Transition Task Force Is Identified The time between called pastors is an opportunity for congregations to reflect together on where we have been, where we are now, and where we believe God is leading us. It is a time to build on and recommit to current ministry. It is a time to be open to the Holy Spirit calling us into new adventures and tasks. It is a time of prayerful discernment. This process of self-study and reflection will be led by a Transition Task Force under the guidance of the church council. The Transition Task Force for Grand Meadow Lutheran includes: Polly Glynn Diana Monty Margene Myhre Lisa Nesbitt Paul Persons Pastor Marie Jean Jech Dillon Denisen As members of Grand Meadow Lutheran, your participation is essential in discerning a vision for the future, as well as determining what gifts and skills are desired in a new pastor to partner with Grand Meadow Lutheran. What is God calling the people of Grand Meadow Lutheran to do and be in this time and place? What kind of leadership do we need to help us live into that calling? This is an exciting time to be a member of Grand Meadow Lutheran, as we open ourselves anew to God s call in our lives. Stay tuned for more information as the Transition Task Force begins it s work! Please continue to pray for the transition process and for the new pastor that will be called to serve you in God s time. Shalom Interim Pastor Marie AK Anderson 2
ANNOUNCEMENTS REMINDER GRAND MEADOW LUTHERAN WOMEN OF THE ELCA The Grand Meadow Lutheran Women of the ELCA met Wednesday, March 14, at 1:30 pm at the Meadows Assisted Living. Pastor Marie led the Bible Study with 15 in attendance. Seven residents from the Care Center and Assisted Living attended. Following the meeting members joined the residents in the dining room for dessert and coffee. Dorothy Christensen and Eleanor Riedemann have volunteered to serve as WELCA Co- chairwomen for 2018. Kathy Berge reported that new water glasses and coffee servers have been purchased and paid for from the Dar Benson Memorial Kitchen Fund. The Zumbro River Conference Women's Spring Retreat will be Thursday, April 19 at Trinity Lutheran Church In Ostrander MN. Registration begins at 4:45 pm with dinner at 5:30 pm and program and worship to follow. Guest speaker will be Pastor Emily Carson from the SE MN Synod Office. Pastor Emily is also a columnist for the Rochester Post Bulletin. Her theme is "Be Kind To One Another." Registration is $15 (includes dinner) and must be sent in advance. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, PLEASE GIVE YOUR REGISTRATION MONEY TO PAT LESTER OR DOROTHY JACOBSON BY APRIL 3. CHECKS MADE PAYABLE TO SE MN The Grand Meadow Lutheran Women of the ELCA will be having a "BAKELESS BAKE SALE" during the month of April. More details coming soon. The Next meeting of the Grand Meadow Lutheran Women of the ELCA will be at the Meadows Assisted Living Wednesday, April 11, with Bible Study at 1:30. No Sunday School on Sunday, April 1 G.A.P. UPDATE On April 4, G.A.P. will be joining Bear Creek Lutheran Church Youth and packing meals in Mapleview. Please watch your email for details regarding time, meeting place, etc. -Joanne Dimick HEALING MINISTRY FOR THE WIDOWED, DIVORCED, AND SEPARATED Beginning Experience offers a weekend retreat to help with the process of grieving the loss of a love relationship. A grief resolution process for adults, who have suffered a loss of a marriage through death, divorce or separation, is being offered as a weekend retreat at Assisi Heights in Rochester, Minnesota - April 20-22, 2018. Participants step into an opportunity to love themselves, others, and God in a renewed way. For more information for yourself or someone you know: contact Beginning Experience Rochester by visiting http://www.beminnesota.org emailing beminnesota@gmail.com or leaving a message at 507-261-8248 Registrations will be accepted until April 16th. Accommodation for late registration may be possible, call for details. February Council Minutes PASTOR S REPORT: The council assisted Pastor Marie complete the Annual Synod Report Part A for the year of 2017. baptismal sponsors have former commitments for the 20 th. The council agreed to move this year s confirmation date from 5/20 to 5/13/2018. OPEN ISSUES: Transition Team Members: The transition team task force will consist of 5-6 members and it will take approximately a three month commitment. Pastor Marie will guide the group. One person from the task force will move to the Call Committee. The council members will be asking congregation members if they are interested in being on the task force. Ceiling Fan: Seabright has ordered a part to fix the ceiling fan in the back of the church which has not been working appropriately. Preschool Screening: Preschool screening will be held at GMLC 10-18-2018 and 2-1-2019. Pastoral Supply: Shirley Gangstad will be filling in for Pastor Marie during her absence on April 8 th. NEW BUSINESS: Communion: Communion will be served at the communion rail during the season of Lent. Confirmation Date: Eric & Sara Lee asked Pastor Marie and the church council if it would be possible to change Confirmation from 5/20/2018 to 5/13/2018. Their son Nils is the only student being confirmed this year and his Lenten Project: During the season of Lent, GMLC will be collecting pens, pencils, crayons and backpacks for the children in Haiti. Noisy Offering: The coin collection taken by the children will be designated for different sources each month. March: The Food Shelf. April: Shipping items collected for Haiti. May: Sunday school and Magdaliana. Mission Trip: Stephanie Persons will be taking a mission trip to Tanzania in 2019. She is looking at projects she can do through our congregation to help her raise monies. 3
April Volunteers DATE ACOLYTES USHERS LECTOR GREETERS WORSHIP TECHS CONFIRM. P. HELPER APR 1 Cameron Nesbitt Connor Munson Dan & Leslie Hendrickson Family Gerald Denisen Gerald & Marcia Carman Paul & Pam Persons No Confirmation APR 8 Cayden Reed Jennifer Skifter Stacy Jech Max Jech Mackenzie George Dorothy Christensen Dorothy Ferguson Angela Ludemann Blake Ludemann Leslie Hendrickson APR 15 Caleb George Hunter Dimick Brian Johnson Matthew Johnson Max Jaszewski Jim Clemons Family Eric & Sara Lee Susan Queensland APR 22 Max Jaszewski McKenna Hendrickson Mackenzie George Dick & Darlene Steinhorst Mitch Baldus Joyce Monty Mary Monty Paul & Pam Persons Sara Lee APR 29 Nils Lee Connor Munson Einar & Margene Myhre Eleanor Riedemann Jeff & Renee Skifter Family Angela Ludemann Blake Ludemann Todd & Dawn Reed Head Usher: Mark Jacobson Altar Guild: Diana Monty / Kathy Berge Communion Assistant: Ila Johnson Southeastern Minnesota Synod / Lutheran Men in Mission Sixteenth Annual Breakfast with the Bishop Saturday, April 21, 2018 9-11 am at Calbela s in Owatonna $10/person Send reservations and check by Friday, April 13 to: Russell Tesch, 906 4th Ave SE, Waseca, MN 56093 Questions: Call 507-835-3843 or email: marietesch@mchsi.com Al Batt of rural Hartland, MN is a writer, speaker, storyteller and humorist. Al writes four weekly award-winning humor and nature columns for many newspapers and does shows about nature on a number of radio stations. He writes a number of popular cartoon strips that are syndicated nationally. He is author of the book A Life Gone to the Birds. He is a columnist for Bird Watcher s Digest and Watching Backyard Birds. He hosted TV shows for many years. He speaks at various festivals, conferences and conventions all over the United States and Canada. He has received the Ed Franey Conservation Media Award from the Izaak Walton League and was given the Thomas Sadler Roberts Award by the Minnesota Ornithologists Union for outstanding contributions to birding. Al speaks to anyone who will listen. His mother thinks he is special. The Lord works in mysterious ways. We are each proof of that is the title for Al s presentation. He is guaranteed 4