M a r c h 2 0 1 6 G A C h u r c h w w w. g a c h u r c h. o r g Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church In this month s Newsletter Greetings from Pastor John, p 2 March at GA, p 3 Easter Memorial Garden, p 6 Holy Week & Easter at Gustavus Adolphus Thursday, March 24, Maundy Thursday 10:30am Morning Worship with Communion 6:50pm Evening Worship with Communion and Children s First Communion Celebration Friday, March 25, Good Friday 7:00am Morning Worship & Breakfast 10:30am Children s Good Friday Worship & Program: crafts, games, and lunch 7:00pm East Side Lutheran Tenebrae Worship with all 8 ELCA congregations: Arlington Hills, First, Good Samaritan, Grace, GA, Hope, Our Redeemer, and Shobi s Table. The service will be hosted at GA with fellowship after worship. Sunday, March 27, Easter Sunday 8:00am 9:30am 11:00am Worship with Communion in the Sanctuary with Instrumental Ensemble Worship with Communion in the Sanctuary with Instrumental Ensemble, Chancel Choir, Nursery available Worship with Communion in the Sanctuary with Instrumental Ensemble, Chancel Choir, Nursery available and ASL interpretation NOTE: The Prayer Labyrinth will be in the Olsenius Fireside Room all week for personal devotion during church office hours and evenings. There will be no Family Faith Night on March 23. The church office will be closed on Easter Monday, March 28.
Page 2 Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Chur ch From the Pastors It is with great excitement and honor that I write to you today and with wonderful anticipation of serving as your next pastor. My entire family looks forward to meeting you and getting to you know as we slowly discover Gustavus Adolphus and all the amazing things you as a church are up to. I thank you for gift you have given to me by calling me to serve there, alongside your talent and committed staff and leaders. Over the past few weeks, as I have shared with friends and colleagues about this new and exciting opportunity for me, many have asked what is it about GA that I am excited about? In my mind, I always think to myself, Well how much time do you have, because the list is long. Honestly, from the moment I met with the call committee for the first time, it was clear to me all the amazing things happening at GA and I had a strong sense this was the place God was calling me to. I was struck by your commitment to faith and how you are continuingly finding new ways to live out your faith. I saw this happening by the ways you serve your neighbors in need, by providing space for other churches, like Shobi s Table and supporting the work they do, as well as an eagerness to live out the new mission statement. As I listened to the conversations we had, I sensed a congregation who has a clear picture of who they are, who they want to be and a desire to move in that direction. Then I think to myself, wow, I get to be a part of this work God is doing and is going to do on the eastside of St. Paul. I also need to tell you, that you as a church have quite a positive reputation in the community. As I have shared with pastors that I was going to serve GA, those that knew you seemed to make the same statement again and again- that is a great church, doing a lot of great things! You can imagine this only helped my excitement grow. Spring is in the air! I can feel it. Can you? Today was my third day of running as I prepare and train for a 5K this month and I can feel the season of spring in my steps. In January I decided that 2016 was going to be a great year for me. As many of you know 2015 wasn t my favorite year. It was a difficult year with my father s rapid decline to the final stage of Alzheimers and his death. It was also a year of great transition for our congregation as we said farewell to Pastor Bonnie, entered a time of interim, welcomed Pastor Lon and entered our second year of our Gateway of Faith capital campaign. We also said goodbye to many saints of our congregation, including council member Wes Johnson. 2015 was a year with a whole lotta love and a lot of God s grace, but I sure am excited for 2016. I m excited for fresh starts for our congregation with the arrival of Pastor John Hierlinger, the visioning and excitement of the Building Facilities taskforce chaired by John Haller and Brian Slawick, the enthusiasm I hear from you about embodying our Gateway of Faith mission with strategic planning and year two of our early Gateway dreams with the community garden, the Sheridan Story Project and LSS Homeless Youth Services. It s going to be a great year! Personally I ve dedicated 2016 to being a year of adventure and living into my identity as a beloved child of God. That s my personal goal for this year. I ve already started by saying yes to running a 5k this month and training for it daily. Spring is my favorite season and I know that the promise of spring is what draws me outside in the chilly winter air to run. I want to be ready for adventures that are coming. So now finally, we get to start our ministry together. I am so eager to get started in on this journey. Together we get to discern what it is God is calling us to. We get to walk, side-by-side in ministry as we deepening our relationships with God, with each other and with our neighbor, using the love of Jesus to be our strength and our purpose. I look forward to meeting you in the weeks and months to come. Be sure to stop by and say hello during the week or after worship on a Sunday. Together we continue to allow Gustavus Adolphus to be THE Gateway of faith with our city, neighborhood and each other. Your partner on this journey, Pastor John Hierlinger I love this season of spring that reminds me that new life comes after the winter and its time of rest, its time of waiting in the tomb. I love the buds on the trees that develop into fresh, green leafs that nourish the earth, feed the birds and provide shade during summer days.as the birds tweet and sing again, I hear God s creation coming alive as a chorus and saying God s promise is here! New life again. Can you hear it? Can you feel it? How are you looking forward to the season of spring? How do you experience God s Easter promise of resurrection through creation, scripture, adventures and relationships? What adventures are you looking forward to this year? May God s peace and joy be with you as you journey through Lent to the cross and empty tomb this season. Pastor Amanda
Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Chur ch Page 3 March at GA Communion Instruction for Children and Parents Saturday, March 19 from 9:30am 12 noon Learn about the meaning of the Sacrament of Holy Communion Bake communion bread Receive A Place For You a book for you to personalize and keep Who should participate? Children who have been baptized and parents who would like to grow in their understanding of Holy Communion. Children participating in this workshop with their parents will receive their First Communion on Maundy Thursday, March 24, 6:50pm service. Sign up at the Tree House or Welcome Center or contact Sherrie Nordquist at the church office for more information (651-289-9882). Children s Good Friday Program Friday, March 25 10:30am 12:30pm All preschoolers through sixth graders (& parents/ adults!) are invited to a Good Friday children s event. Minnesota FoodShare: A Different Kind of Food Fight March is Minnesota FoodShare month. This is a statewide effort to collect food for over 300 food shelves conducted by churches, businesses and other organizations across the state of Minnesota. GA will participate again this year by conducting our "Meal in a Bag" drive. On Sunday, February 28 grocery bags will be distributed as you leave church in the morning. You are asked to fill the bag with enough NON-PERISHABLE food items to feed a family of four for one meal and then return the bag to church during the month of March. Cash donations are also welcome and be placed in the offering plate. Extra bags will be available on the food collection table in the Gathering Area or just fill a bag from home and bring it in. GA Women s Book Club meets the 4 th Tuesday of each month, at 1:00 p.m. New readers are always welcome. Stop by the church library for more information. We usually have copies available to borrow. Our next meeting will be on March 22. MARK YOUR CALENDARS! 2016-7th Annual Youth Garage Sale Friday, April 22, 2016 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Saturday, April 23, 2016 8:00 am - 2:00 pm Worship, crafts, games, and lunch are included. We ask for donations (suggested = $5 per person) to help defray costs, and a non-perishable food item for the Food Shelf. Volunteers are needed to help lead activities at the event. Please pre-register for this event by filling out a registration form at the Welcome Desk or by calling the church office. Invite friends, neighbors, grandchildren to join you!
March 2016 Children, Youth, & Family Ministry Wednesdays Family Faith Nights Young or old, or somewhere in between, there is something for you and your faith on Wednesday nights: 5:00 pm Community Meal (suggested donation, $5person or $15max per family) 6:00 pm FAITH FORMATION for everyone Adult Book study Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time Sr. High Youth Confirmation for youth in grades 6 9 K.I.N.G.S. for children in grades K 5 Nursery care 6:50 pm-7:15pm WORSHIP for all!* February 17-March16 Lenten Wednesdays at GA Soup supper served from 5-6pm; Faith Formation activities from 6-6:45pm; Worship at 6:50 pm. Nursery care, 6:00 7:30pm every Wednesday Our nursery is staffed by an experienced caregiver who provides a safe environment for play. LET S GO TO CAMP ONOMIA THIS SUMMER! There is a camping experience for GA kids of all ages and their families at Camp Onomia this summer! Summer Bible Camp is a proven, significant tool in the faith development of our children and youth! Faith is not just taught at camp it is nurtured, lived and experienced all day long! Well-trained summer staff are the kind of college aged adults you d love to call your own, and they make wonderful, positive role models for your children. Give your child a meaningful experience this summer an experience that will last a lifetime! June 19-24: Beginners, Pioneers, & Explorers for grades K-6 (shortened weeks for grades K-3 or and overnight for beginners with a parent). June 19-24: LTE (Leadership Training Event) for grades 9-12 July 3-8: Hotel Onomia for grades 9-12 July 10-15: (Adventure Camp or Night Owls for grades 6-8) Check out the descriptions for these and more exciting camping opportunities for youth and families listed in the Love Like Jesus Camp Brochure! Sign up by March 15 to receive the Early Bird discount. GA Youth Ministry Team will pay for $200 of the cost of a full week of camp (or 50% of the cost of shorter weeks) for GA kids attending if registered by June 1 st. Pick up a Camp Brochure and a GA discount request form at the Welcome desk! Don t miss Camp Onomia Sunday at GA on March 13! Executive Director, Jim Schmidt will be here with a Temple Talk message at both services and will be available to answer questions about camp between services too. Page 4 THE TREE HOUSE Sunday School for Pre-K Grade 5 SPARK Bible Time for Preschoolers Workshop Rotation for Children in Grades K-5; Sunday mornings from 10:10 11:10am March 6, 13, 20 Banquet With Simon We will read the story about Jesus having dinner with Simon and learn that all people are important and equal to Jesus. God forgives and forgets mistakes of all sizes. If Jesus were coming to your house, how would you get ready for his visit? Luke 7:36-50 Spark Story Bible pages 354-357 Spark Bible pages 1139-1140 Coming to the Tree House! Apr. 3, 10, 17, 24 Jesus Feeds 5,000 May 1, 8, 15, 22 Fruit of the Spirit THE BIBLE BUCKS STORE will be open from 9:50-10:10am on March 6 & 20! Bring your SPARK Bible to Sunday School every week to collect more Bible Bucks!
Page 5 Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Chur ch Children, Youth, & Family Ministry We Love hearing Our GA Kids Sing! Our Tree house Children s Choir rehearses as part of Sunday School on Sunday mornings from 10:10am - 10:30am under the direction of Camille Farinella and is open to any child in grades K-5! The choir performs once a month at the start of the New Life Service. Next Peformance: March 20 (Palm Sunday), 11:15am New Life Worship K-5 kids! We want you to be a part of the spring musical... Performance Date: Sunday, April 24 9:00 & 11:15 AM Worship Rehearsals: 6-6:45 PM on Wed. during Lent (Mar. 2, 9, 16) and on Sunday mornings at the Tree House 10:00-10:30 AM. Musical Director: Mrs. Camille Farinella, Contact Sherrie Nordquist at the church office for more information. Next Parents Night Out Saturday, March 5, 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. Bring your child to a fun-filled night while you have some time to yourself, go to a movie, out to dinner, or just read a book without interruption. Your child will get to hang out with Children s Ministry adult leaders and youth. We ll play games, watch a movie, play in the gym or just sit and chat. $10 per child, $5 for each additional child. Sign up at the Welcome desk or e-mail sherrie@gachurch.org or lojehoward@comcast.net. March Birthdays March 1 Taya Johannsen Grant Johnson March 2 Triston Garbe Ray Lundgren Audry Nordwall Eric Sanft March 3 Joanne Svendsen March 4 Kayla Capeder Daniel Chapdelaine March 5 Harriet Mueller March 6 Giselle Bell Luther Nelson March 7 Tom Balyk Beverly Lindner March 8 Regina Wittenberg March 9 Nancy Bjork Jeffrey Blomquist March 10 Otis Blyton March 11 Peyton Franzmeier March 12 Denise Hassenstab Stacy Hill Christine Johnson Mila Johannsen March 15 Eugene Johnson March 16 Isaiah Richie March 17 John Josephson Wendie Sederstrom Barbara Surine March 18 Paige Donnelly March 19 Emmett Haller Arlene Higgins Nancy Johnson March 20 Clara Bordsen Diane Hawthorne Evie Lipetzky March 22 Margaret Gustafson Allison Teachout Charlotte Treanor Isabelle Wirth March 23 Christopher Stordalen March 24 Jonathan Challgren Gabriel Krueger March 25 Barb Garbe Arianna Smith March 26 Jerry Brakke Mary Kinner March 27 Tyanne Hitchcock Colman Rees Troy Weber March 28 Joan Berglund Doug Schwartz March 29 Jean Muehlenthaler Taylor Rees March 30 Paula Schulze For more information about Sunday School and Confirmation programs, contact Sherrie Nordquist by calling the Church office 651.289.9882 (direct line) or sherrie@gachurch.org
March 2016 Page 6 Easter Memorial Garden at Gustavus Adolphus Be a part of the Beauty of Easter Fill our worship spaces with the beauty of flowers, symbolizing resurrection! The money you give will be used to purchase enough flowers to make the sanctuary and Luther Hall look festive, and to purchase additional plants for home-bound members. The remainder will be used to help with decorations for the church throughout the year. I would like to contribute $ for the Easter Garden. (Memorial garden plants cost $15-$20 each, but all gifts are appreciated) Please print clearly. Thank you! In Memory of LOVED ONES, given by or - In Memory of (specific names) UPDATED INFORMATION FOR NEWSLETTER MAILING Beginning in April we would like to start sending out the newsletter via e-mail to those members who would prefer to receive a copy electronically. We are therefore asking that you complete this form and return it to the church office by March 1st. You may also e-mail this information to info@gachurch.org Please mark the box you prefer. Receive Newsletter by E-mail Receive Newsletter by regular mail Name: Address: Phone Number: Primary e-mail address
Gustavus Adolphus (GA) Lutheran Church 1669 Arcade St St. Paul, MN 55106 651.774.5954 - www.gachurch.org Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage P A I D Twin Cities MN Permit No. 585 Gustavus Adolphus (GA) is a member of the Saint Paul Area Synod (www.spas-elca.org), of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), www.elca.org. Church Staff & Contact Information John Hierlinger, Senior Pastor Amanda Simons, Associate Pastor Maggie Novak, Interim Visitation Pastor johnh@gachurch.org 651.289.9880 a.simons@gachurch.org 651.289.9881 visitation@gachurch.org (none) Jerry Brakke, Dir. of Music Sherrie Nordquist, Dir. of Christian Education Maggie Kidnie, Accountant Brit Barkholtz, Administrative Assistant Judy Hitchcock, Administrative Assistant jerry@gachurch.org 651.289.9886 sherrie@gachurch.org 651.289.9882 Maggie@gachurch.org 651.289.9885 brit@gachurch.org 651.289.9884 judy@gachurch.org 651.289.9883 Nelson Tracey & Kevin Berglund, (none) Custodians 651.289.9889 Kendra Nielsen, Diana Williams, ASL Interpreters 125 years...and forward. We are inspired by the Spirit to: GROW in spiritual vitality WORSHIP creatively and faithfully together EMBRACE our wonder BUILD authentic Christian relationships