February 2011

St. Paul’s Lutheran MESSENGER

We Love because

God first loved us.

1 John 4:19

____________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: 952-938-4683 Email: stpauls@saintpaulslutheran.org Fax: 952-938-1141

Website: www.saintpaulslutheran.org

Our mission is to be an open and inviting church spreading the Good News of Christ.

St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

WHO WE ARE A Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Minneapolis Area Synod, Western Parks and Lakes Conference. MISSION STATEMENT Our mission is to be an open and inviting church spreading the Good News of Christ. WORSHIP TIMES You are invited to join us regularly on Sunday mornings for 9:30 AM worship followed by refreshments and Christian education. Please check the enclosed calendar for days and times of activities and events. Also, an interactive calendar is available on our website: www.saintpaulslutheran.org. Just click the “Calendar” button at the top of the web page and click on the time and event for details and map. CONTACT INFORMATION The office is lightly staffed. Regular office hours are 9:15 AM to 1:15 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. Please call before coming in case of unexpected closure. Phone: 952-938-4683 Fax: 952-938-1141 email: StPauls@saintpaulslutheran.org , MAILING LIST Please notify the church office when you notify the Post Office you will be temporarily away. This is because our newsletters are not forwarded but are returned to us at a cost. St. Paul’s congregation is pleased to send you this newsletter. However, if you prefer not to receive it, please call the church office or e-mail us. The newsletter is also available on our website. Save paper and postage; view it online.

CONGREGATION RELATIONSHIPS Partners Igelsia Vida Abundante en Cristo, (Abundant Life in Christ), provides a worship service in Spanish at St. Paul’s on Sunday, 1:00 – 3:00 pm and Friday, 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Bet Shalom Reform Congregation, Interfaith Thanksgiving Eve service Lutheran Church of the Reformation, Vigil of Easter Mizpah United Church of Christ, Interfaith Thanksgiving Eve service Oak Knoll Lutheran Church, Confirmation Ministry Spirit of Christ Community Lutheran Vacation Bible School 2010 Westwood Lutheran Church Vacation Bible School 2010 Companion Mount Olive Lutheran Church Mission Agora Ministries Augustana Chapel View Care Center in Hopkins Augustana Emerald Crest Feed My Starving Children Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Intercongregation Communities Association (ICA) Lutherans Concerned/North America (LC/NA), (RIC) Lutheran Social Services (LSS) Lutheran World Relief (LWR) Meals on Wheels Our Saviour’s Housing ResourceWest of Hopkins Sojourner Project Thrivent Financial for Lutherans West Metro Grief Support Coalition ARTICLE SUBMISSION Please submit articles as Word documents with your clip art to stpauls@saintpaulslutheran.org. Include your contact information. For pre-printed fliers or brochures, provide a condensed version that can be directly inserted into the newsletter. Submission deadline is the fifteenth of each month. All submissions are subject to editing for space and content. All rights reserved by St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church.

ST. PAUL’S CHURCH COUNCIL & ASSISTING ADMINISTRATORS

Pastor Rev. Louise Mollick Officers President – Vince Jacobson Vice President – Mary Hromatka Secretary – Jeanne Moe Treasurer – Mike Mikulay Council Members At-Large Connie Hessevick Kathy Powers Eric Reishus Michael Smith (Youth Representative) Finance Committee Assistant Treasurer – Bernie Johnson Financial Secretary – Shirley Schaller Staff Administrative Assistant – Linda Dundas Choir Accompanist – Linda McGee Music Director – Steve Mollick Worship Accompanist – Rachel Mollick Facility Use Coordinator Mary Hromatka Webmaster Vince Jacobson AUXILIARY BUILDING USE St. Paul’s encourages use of its facility by groups that will support our mission statement. Examples are the 12 Step recovery programs, local neighborhood organizations, and congregations seeking meeting space. Please contact us for more nformation if interested. PUBLICATION The Messenger is a monthly newsletter published by St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church ELCA, 13207 Lake St. Extension, Minnetonka, MN 55305.

Stepping Away This article originally began with the title, “Time Scales” and was beginning to take form exploring implications of living our lives in highly compressed “technology time”, and the danger of thinking “relationship time” can be compressed as well. It began exploring how our frantic lifestyles can get in the way of hearing the Holy Spirit’s prompting. The article was interrupted and I stepped away from my frantic lifestyle due to an overwhelming sense of the Holy Spirit’s prompting. The prompting led me across the country to visit dear friends in need. Well, I think of them as dear friends, but I am undeserving of that moniker because my frantic life has deterred me from investing seriously enough in the relationship. None the less, the relationship is sanctified and raised to a level of dear friendship through God’s blessing and grace. My friends were not actually in need when I arranged the trip. I sensed the prompting to visit them and contacted them, but due to their hectic schedule, they suggested that we try to get together in a couple of months. I continued to have a great sense of urgency in the prompting and we ultimately scheduled the visit for within a few days. My friends were in need when I arrived. The husband was in the hospital with an unexpected medical emergency. And I discovered that the wife has been developing health concerns that call for attentive care. I was blessed with the opportunity to spend nearly the entire time with her, giving (and receiving) care. We spent most of our time sharing stories of our respective journeys and witnessing to one another. She shared stories about classes on miracles that they have been teaching for many years. As with all encounters attended by Christ’s love, we each came away nourished and filled with fresh insights and each of our lives was changed.

We believe that there is no such thing as a coincidence. If we look and listen intentionally, we will see God’s hands everywhere, leading us to people and circumstances that offer opportunities to share a small measure of Christ’s love, to share the Word, and to be changed as a result. This experience deepened that belief. Was this the work of the Holy Spirit? YOU BET! Was this a miracle? I learned that I have never really thought much about whether something is a miracle or what would qualify it as such. Perhaps one of the ways I am changed is to be more aware of the miraculous blessings that I too often take for granted. What would have happened had I failed to step away? I believe that we are only allowed to know about the path we choose. I am thankful that I chose this one. As I see it, I set out to visit a topic touching on lifestyle, intentional listening, and acting upon prompting of the Holy Spirit … but the topic visited me instead. Praise the Holy Spirit for the perseverance and patience to continue whispering to us and prompting us, especially in the midst of our failure to listen. Blessings, Vince Jacobson Thrivent Choice Dollars Reminder

Do you know where your Choice Dollars are going? Thrivent members who own certain Thrivent Financial products may choose where to distribute these charitable funds. Make sure you know where your 2011 Choice Dollars are going.

Visit www.thrivent.com/thriventchoice or call 1-800-847-4836.

A MESSAGE FROM

OUR PRESIDENT

COUNCIL NEWS

St. Paul’s Church Council meets at 7:00 PM the second Tuesday of each month. Members of St. Paul’s Community are welcome to attend and/or submit items for the agenda by contacting one of the council members.

Council Meeting Highlights

January 11, 2011

Gathering: President Vince Jacobson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Present: Pr. Louise Mollick, Vince Jacobson, Mary Hromatka, Connie Hessevick, Eric Reishus, Mike Smith, Kathy Powers. Absent: Mike Mikulay, Jeanne Moe. Business: 1. Parking is a problem for many of the groups that use our facility. The volume of cars and the random parking style have, at times, made the entrance to the building inaccessible for emergency vehicles. Wednesdays seems to be the worst.

Suggestions:

• Hand out parking diagrams to all groups using the property.

• Post parking diagrams in a highly visible area in the building and discuss them with each group using the property.

• Post “No Parking Fire Lane” signs at the sidewalk.

• Strongly suggest that the groups consider carpooling whenever possible.

• Find parking lot alternatives close to church for near future and temporary solutions.

• Create a committee that will address and find solutions to the ongoing and future parking issues.

• Vince Jacobson and Mike Smith will look into ideas.

2. One church council position is still open for 2011. The nominating committee continues to search for candidates.

3. Mike Mikulay made a motion in absentia that Bernie Johnson continue as Assistant Treasurer and Shirley Schaller as Financial Secretary for 2011. Mary seconded the motion and the vote passed. (These are assisting positions and not council positions.) 4. The money collected from the fair trade coffee sales will go into the Sunday coffee donation proceeds. The Sunday coffee donations for first quarter 2011 will be donated to “Feed My Starving Children”.

Annual Meeting: Preliminary 2011 budget was discussed. It will be finalized via email by council for the Annual Congregation Meeting on January 30th. Pr. Louise, Vince and Mary will create the 2010 Annual Report.

Disclaimer: Highlights are not official meeting minutes and are subject to correction and change. They are provided for timely informational purposes only. Approved minutes are filed in a labeled green binder in the church office for your perusal.

Annual Report of the Congregation For those that missed the meeting, copies of the annual

report will be available on the entryway table in the narthex following January 30, 2011 meeting. Copies were mailed to the homebound.

2011 Church Directory An updated phone & address directory was available at the annual meeting. As this contains personal information, copies are

now only available in the office upon request. Please stop in or call if you did not receive one. Again, copies were mailed to the homebound.

Sunday Service Teams NEED you!

There are several opportunities to serve before, during, or after the worship service.

Before the service, the altar care person prepares the sanctuary and meal (bread, wine, and grape juice). A member provides the unleavened bread, either made or purchased. The kitchen staff makes the coffee and plates the refreshments that members provide. The greeter welcomes the members and guests to the church and invites the guests to sign the guest book. The ushers distribute the worship booklets and help late arrivals find seating. During the service, the acolyte lights the candles and accepts the offering. The assisting minister leads several prayers, accepts the bread and wine, and serves the communion bread. The cantor leads the singing during the liturgy. The lector reads the lessons for the day. The ushers count the number of worshipers, collect the offering, and direct worshipers to the altar for the meal. Communion servers serve the wine and grape juice. Musical offering provides music during the offering, prelude, or postlude. The nursery staff cares for the youngsters (up to age 3) in the nursery during the service. After the service, the altar care person cleans up after the meal and waters the plants. The kitchen staff serves the refreshments and cleans the kitchen. The ushers collect the worship booklets and completed friendship pads, and distribute the weekly announcements and prayers, leaving extras on the entryway table for pick-up during the week. The money counters prepare the offering summary and bank deposit. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the service as they are able to share their talents. Please see Laura Eggert if you have any questions about how you can participate in the service team. Especially needed are acolyte, communion server, altar care, and nursery. The sign up sheet is on the office door. Please sign up every month . Laura EggertLaura EggertLaura EggertLaura Eggert

Tax information for Our Saviour’s meal providers

Tax season is upon us, so I just wanted to remind you and your volunteer teams that any food you bring to OSH is a tax-deductible donation. Here is some more detail about how to claim that deduction:

If anyone plans to deduct $250 or more from their taxes for food donated to OSH, the IRS requires that you have on file a donation acknowledgement letter from our organization. Amounts under $250 can be deducted without an official letter from OSH, though I’m still happy to send one if anyone wants one for their records. If you or any of your volunteers would like one of these letters, please let me know. You don’t need to tell me the amount of your donation as I’m not legally allowed to mention it in the letter; I just describe your donation (food) and you assign your own value.

Please help me by passing on the word to all of your generous meal servers. I’m happy to provide an acknowledgement letter for anyone who would like one. Thank you!

Colleen O'Connor Toberman Volunteer Coordinator, Our Saviour's Housing 612-872-4193 x25 volunteer@oshousing.org

2011 Owinski Award for Community Service

Award: Certificate of Recognition, Optimist Achievement Plaque, and $1,000 cash.

The Glen Lake Optimist Club is chartered by Optimist International to promote an active interest in good government and civic affairs; to inspire and respect the law; to promote patriotism and work for international accord and friendship among all people and to aid and encourage the development of youth, in the belief that the giving of one’s self in service to others will advance the well being of all people, the community, and the world.

See the entryway kiosk for details, eligibility, and application. (This different than the “Caring Youth Award”) Application deadline is March 31, 2011.

The Funny Side of Parenting When Mr. Johnson stopped the school buss to pick up little April for preschool, he noticed an older woman hugging her as she left the house. “Is that your grandmother?” Mr. Johnson asked.

“Yes, she’s come to visit us for a week.” “How nice,” Mr. Johnson replied. “Where does she live?” “At the airport,” the little girl replied. “Whenever we want her, we just go out there and get her.

On the cover…

With February come thoughts of hearts and flowers, chocolate candies and cards gushing with extraordinary words of love and affection. On February 14 people throughout North America and parts of Europe celebrate friendship, romance and marriage. Certainly exploring the meaning of this day can lead us into a landscape of fantasy and delight. But exploring the meaning of love can take us to a different place.

In his book, Crazy Talk: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms, Rolf A. Jacobson says that love “is not a sentiment or an emotion. It is not something you feel, but action you take on behalf of others. And love certainly isn’t blind. Love stares at the suffering and needs of the neighbor – and even of the enemy!—hard in the face. And then does something about them.” Very succinctly, he defines love as “…actually seeing the needs of others and putting their needs higher than yourself or your needs.”

The truth is that we are able to love, really love, genuinely and authentically, because God first loved us. God’s very nature is love and all of God’s actions are continuous gifts of love. God stares into our faces, sees our need for forgiveness, affirmation, mercy and compassion and does something about it. That means that on February 14 God will not send candies and cards with flowery thoughts of affection to us. Instead, every day God will give to us his own heart -- gushing with an extraordinary Living Word that will lead us into the discovery of a landscape of love that is beyond our imagining. Happy Valentine’s Day – every day!! Pr. LouisePr. LouisePr. LouisePr. Louise

Reach out to someone who needs God’s love!

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church welcomed seven new members to our midst on January 9, 2011.

Mic Abbot – Companion Eric Reishus Teddy Gonzales – Companion Bonner family Jessica Harris – Companion Vince Jacobson David Kalliger – Companion Howard Rand Howard Rand – Companion Jim Uden Lillian Rand – Companion Kris Jacobson Ximena Scherz – Companion Mary Hromatka *

*The role of companion is reaching out in welcome; praying for the new member and helping them find a significant place in the mission and ministry of St. Paul’s.

7 Cassidy Streater 12 Sammi Anderson 14 Eric Campbell 16 Elsie Hanning 18 Lorraine Smith 21 Peter Tollefson 22 Mike Mikulay 25 Jeanne Moe 26 Bernie Johnson

& & & & Happy Happy Happy Happy AnniversaryAnniversaryAnniversaryAnniversary 2 Ray & Jean Olson 4 Dean Bonner & Mary Hromatka 28 Tom & Kim Streater Phil Eckhert & Sheri Brenden

Season of Epiphany

Some Christians call Epiphany “Little Christmas,” and in the North American context it might be wise to celebrate this season as such. The greens and lights and tinsel

of the Christmas holidays ward off the encroaching darkness of winter, but these are, by and large, tossed out on the curb by December 26, right at the time when winter gets genuinely cold and dismal. Robust celebration of the time after Epiphany might counteract this trend. In other words, leave the lights on and hanging! …

Epiphany, which, though officially “low” days in the church calendar, can also be celebrated in a way comparable to the twelve days of Christmas, as the continuing unfolding of the manifestation of the son of God. So to be clear, Epiphany is a showing of the manifestation of the glory of God in Jesus Christ to the nations. It can take a whole season to unpack such a confession.

SUNDAYS and SEASON

2011, Year A, Guide to Worship Planning Copyright 2010 Augsburg Fortress

Page 71 “Aha Moments” with Pr. Howard

Striking "aha moments" and meaningful questions keep arising within the Wednesday study of the lessons appointed for the following Sunday. These 10 AM gatherings have become solidly established under the guidance of Eric Reishus and Pr. Howard Rand. The readings and sermon for the following Sunday grow in understanding through these endeavors. The worship experience itself becomes enhanced. These encounters will continue this month, ordinarily for an hour each Wednesday, through Epiphany.

The study will also be offered during Adult Forum following the Sunday worship service February 6th, 13th and 20th. Our study will focus on the Gospels for these Sundays, Matthew 5-7, Christ's Sermon on the Mount. The time frame will be 1/2 hour. ALL ARE WELCOME. BRING YOUR COFFEE & REFRESHMENTS. COME AND SEE!

February 6 – 5th Sunday after Epiphany Isaiah 58:1 - 9a [9b - 12] Psalm 112:1 - 9 [10] 1 Corinthians 2:1 - 12 [13 - 16] Matthew 5:13 - 20 February 13 – 6th Sunday after Epiphany Deuteronomy 30:15 - 20 Psalm 119:1 - 8 1 Corinthians 3:1 - 9 Matthew 5:21 - 37

February 20 – 7th Sunday after Epiphany Leviticus 19:1 - 2, 9 - 18 Psalm 119:33 - 40 1 Corinthians 3:10 - 11, 16 - 23 Matthew 5:38 - 48

February 27 – 8th Sunday after Epiphany Isaiah 49:8 - 6a Psalm 131 1 Corinthians 4:1 - 5 Matthew 6:24 - 34

Lector Readers Practice,

1st Saturdays

Lectors (or readers) for each month continue to meet with me on the Saturday that precedes the first Sunday of the month. Our venture toward more effective communication consists of listening to each other’s readings for their Sunday. All are welcome to read . Please sign up the month before and share in this effective rehearsal.... Pr. HowardPr. HowardPr. HowardPr. Howard

February readers meet 9:30 AM, Feb. 5 th

Ash Wednesday is coming on March 9th.

Sunday Bible Readings

Ash Wednesday is coming on March 9 th !

For more information, please call the coalition co-coordinator, Darcie Rodman at (763) 546-4404 or find us online at www.westmetrogriefsupportcoalition.org

• St. Paul’s Lutheran Church for your act of love. I have never felt so… blessed and so… surprised. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. God bless you, leVleVleVleVeda Pompeyeda Pompeyeda Pompeyeda Pompey GrandFamily Connection

• Many thanks to all who participated in the “Grand Giving Tree” this year. All families where overwhelmed by your thoughtfulness and generosity.

• On behalf of ICA – Thank you for your support in 2010. In our current economic climate we are faced with a record-breaking number of neighbors in need for our food and financial assistance. With your help we have been able to be proactive; last year at this time we opened our Eisenhower Community Center satellite site; this fall we received approval from the city of Minnetonka to keep our doors open longer, and now we have opened an additional site in Excelsior. Simply put, the need has outpaced our giving and we hold fast to the belief that our presence in the community makes our neighborhoods more stable and secure.

Continued…

By the Numbers: Food given to clients: 1,764 households 1.2 million lbs. Financial Assistance: Housing 282 households Utilities 98 households Miscellaneous 296 households Total $429,614 We are amazed at the kindness of our community – and know that we are blessed with a people who always rise to the challenge. ICA StaffICA StaffICA StaffICA Staff • ELCA – Thank you for the special way you are impacting the mission and ministries of the ELCA. I gratefully acknowledge your ELCA Good Gift of $820.30 received in November, 2010.

ELCA Good Gifts support our church’s mission work to equip those who share the Gospel, nourish neighbors near and far who are hungry or need clean drinking water, nurture children in need of care and protection, heal those affected and infected with HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases, and inspire future church leaders and partner with ministries around the world. Cynthia Halverson,Cynthia Halverson,Cynthia Halverson,Cynthia Halverson, ELCA Foundation

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Saturday Grief Support

January 8 – March 26, 2011

West Metro Grief Support Coalition invites all persons experiencing grief due to a death. Grief support groups offer hope and healing through education, listening, sharing, prayer and fellowship.

9:30 – 11:30 AM St. Joseph’s Catholic Church

1310 Mainstreet Hopkins, MN 55343

DATE SPEAKER TOPIC February 5 Renee Compo, RN Wellness during Grief

February 12 Susan Thompson God’s Presence in Grief

February 19 Judy McCabe Personal Story

February 26 Brenda DeMotte, MSW, LICSW Gender Differences

St. Paul's Lutheran Church 13207 Lake Street Extension Minnetonka, MN 55305 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Please deliver within 5 days

of February 1, 2011

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Permit #532

Hopkins, MN 55343

WELCOME STATEMENT

We at St. Paul’s are committed to welcoming you . . .

• If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersexual, transgendered or straight.

• If you are seven, seventeen, forty-seven or one hundred and seven.

• If you are black, brown, red, yellow, white or any shade in between.

• If you are broken, healed or in recovery.

• If you are rich, poor, or somewhere in between.

• If you are able-bodied, disabled or differently-abled.

• If you have a strong faith, have doubts about your faith or aren’t sure you have any

faith at all.

• If you have accepted Christ’s love, question Christ’s love or don’t know if you are loved.

• If you are looking for a church home, have never had a church home or need a place to

find peace.

We are committed to welcoming everyone, living as a reconciling people

in our life together and in our outreach to the community.