Our Saviour’s Housing Meals 2023
For many years, Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church has provided a meal on the first Friday of
each month. Due to COVID-19, our monthly meals are by donation. The shelter orders &
serves the meal. Cost per meal is $250.
Thank you to Carol Kuehn & Family for the December contribution.
Our 2023 schedule:
| JAN 6 | Lizbeth & Mark Brown |
| FEB 3 | Mary & Dave Goplen |
| MAR 3 | Ellie Holmquist, Heather Jacoby, Ruth Lee, & Gretchen Robinson |
| APR 7 | Rick Gripentrog |
| JUN 3 | Jim Olson |
| JUL 7 | Debby & Dr Remi Pizarro |
| AUG 4 | Denise Wilkens, Mary Jubenville, Mary Flynn, Twyla Hobbs & Linda Nelson |
| SEP 1 | Kathy & Mark Hering |
| OCT 6 | Bruce & Jean Carlson |
| NOV 4 | Mary Sabatke |
| DEC 1 | Elizabeth Hansen |
For information, contact Cheri Moe, or (952) 431-5226. oscs-mn.org
The Gift of Generosity
This holiday season, we thank everyone who has supported LOTI this past year with their time, talent and financial contributions and look forward to support from all of our members in the year ahead. If you need a convenient way to make regular offerings or if you plan to make an additional gift before the end of the year, we encourage you to look into our electronic giving options. As the pace of life speeds up, especially around the holidays, you may find electronic giving a most welcome way to make contributions. Contact the church office for more information.
End of the year gifts to LOTI must be received by Saturday, December 31st.
Greetings!
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, my neighbors and I set up the Advent wreath outside the church for the third time. Surprisingly, for a structure that was built from an old architect’s drawing table, cardboard forms for pouring cement and coat hangers, it is holding up amazingly well. Back in 2020, during the first year of the pandemic, I created the wreath as a reminder to everyone who passed by the church that our congregation was still active and worshiping. There is no doubt, those were dark days. In comparison, a year later, the future seemed bright. Many were vaccinated, boosted, and ready to return for Christmas services. Then came the Omicron variant. Before then, I barely knew a soul who had Covid, but suddenly I could name a dozen with personal connections. Now, nearly 70% of Minnesotans have had Covid, and new cases occur every day. Yes, this December the ongoing pandemic is more of a nuisance than a fear. So, the ramshackle Advent wreath has found its place outside the church again announcing to the neighborhood that in spite of life’s trials and sorrows and war, Christ is coming to the world anew.
Our congregation has been active and thriving through these Covid years. Nowhere has this been more apparent in the care and restoration of the sanctuary windows. Join us for worship on
Sunday, December 4th as the first of the side windows will be rededicated. The images, patterns and colors are stunning.
Appropriately and serendipitously, the first window to be rededicated features a unique image appropriate to the season of Advent. It was difficult to see the finer details in the uncleaned, stained glass, but the image is that of a unicorn. In Christian thought, the unicorn represented the incarnation of Christ, a symbol of purity and grace that could be captured only by a virgin. Many Renaissance artists painted pictures of the Virgin Mary and the unicorn. The two side panels of the Rose of Sharon and the lily portray flowers described in the Bible as traditional symbols of purity.
Every window has a story to tell, and over the year ahead we will endeavor to complete this restoration. We are fortunate at Lake of the Isles to be surrounded by such beauty, and by a congregation committed to maintaining and renewing the wonders entrusted to our care.
Peace, Pastor Arden Haug
Children & Family Ministry December 2022
Winter Gear Drive
Thank you for your amazing response to this year’s winter gear drive and helping to meet the specific needs of the families that Project for Pride in Living (PPL) serves. While our process was different this year, your generosity was steady in abundance! You directly, positively impacted the lives of 138 people. The donations went to PPL just before Thanksgiving.
College Care Packages
Twelve care packages will be heading to our college age young adults in the next week – just in time for finals preparation. Thank you to the Sunday School children for helping pack them and thank you to the families who donated the snacks. The college students love receiving this gift of love from LOTI.
This year the Sunday School children will present the nativity scene during the Lessons and Carols service on Sunday, December 18th. Details will be sent via email to Sunday School families for this very special day.
Sunday School Calendar Notes
| DEC 11 | Children process in worship with Sancta Lucia |
| DEC 18 | Children present the nativity scene during the Lessons & Carols service |
| DEC 24 | Christmas Eve Family Service (4:30 PM) |
| DEC 25 | No Sunday School (Christmas break) |
| JAN 01 | No Sunday School (Christmas break) |
| JAN 08 | Sunday School resumes |
Valley Grove Tapestries Come to LOTI
Valley Grove Lutheran Church, outside of Northfield, Minnesota disbanded as a congregation in the early 1970’s, but its iconic placement atop a secluded hill just north of the Big Woods State Park continued to claim a place of people’s imagination. Concerts, weddings and occasional services were held there.
During the pandemic, local weaver, Robbie LaFleur, was commissioned, through Nordic Churches Project, to create a series of four tapestries honoring the two historic church buildings at Valley Grove.
Minnesota filmmaker, Paul Krause, created a documentary for TPT about the history of the Valley Grove Preservation Society and included the development and creation of the tapestries.
On Sunday, November 20th at 11:00 am artist Robbie LaFleur and former LOTI member, Valley Grover and painter, Tom Maakestad, will display the tapestries and an original painting of Valley Grove as the opening of a six-week exhibition at Lake of the Isles.
As an aside, this is where the Haugs have owned cemetery plots since in 1987.
LOTI Sermons Podcast
Check out our new podcast series on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, or Google…wherever you listen. You can find it by typing LOTI Sermons in the search bar of the platform you are using for podcasts. Listen to any of the sermons wherever you are, anytime!
Paccard Bell Foundry Visit
Christoph Paccard, the 7TH generation bell maker, visited Lake of the Isles to hear the bells forged in the Paccard Bell Foundry in Annecy, France on September 12TH. He was in the Twin Cities for the inauguration of the bells at Westminster Presbyterian.
Paccard bells are now placed in churches and temples around the world. Christoph Paccardwas traveling later to Viet Nam and Japan. Surprisingly, Paccard’s largest bell is in Japan in the World Peace Garden.
Children’s Ministry October 2022
Blessing of the Animals
October 2ND
Our annual Blessing of the Animals event in honor of St Francis will be held outdoors near the patio after worship (approx. 10:45 am) This event is for all ages! You can bring your live animals and/or your most favorite stuffed/plush animals for a special blessing by Pastor Haug. If the weather is rainy, we will take turns under the cloister.
Mark Your Calendar
October 23RD: No Sunday School (MEA break)
Winter Gear Drive Begins
October 30TH
Please consider donating gently used or new winter gear to help those less fortunate stay warm this winter. We need winter coats, boots, snow pants, hats, gloves, scarves and socks for all ages. There will be collection bins at both entrances to the Sanctuary. Our drive will end on November 13. Donations will go to Project for Pride in Living
For many years, Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church has provided a meal on the first Friday of each month. Due to COVID-19, our monthly meals are by donation.
The shelter orders & serves the meal. Cost per meal is $250.
Thanks everyone who contributes!
Our 2023 schedule:
| JAN 6 | Lizbeth & Mark Brown |
| FEB 3 | Mary & David Goplen |
| MAR 3 | Ellie Holmquist, Heather Jacoby, Ruth Lee, & Gretchen Robertson |
| APR 7 | Rick Gripentrog |
| MAY 5 | Chanda & Lars Olson |
| JUN 2 | Jim Olson |
| JUL 7 | Dr. Remi & Debby Pizarro |
| AUG 4 | Denise Wilkens, Mary Jubenville, Mary Flynn, Twyla Hobbs & Linda Nelson |
| SEP 1 | Kathy & Mark Hering |
| OCT 6 | Jean & Bruce Carlson |
| NOV 3 | Mary Sabatke |
| DEC 1 |
For information, contact Cheri Moe, or (952) 431-5226.
oscs-mn.org
LOTI Member Featured in Star Tribune
Dr. Brenda Weigel, longtime LOTI member is featured with her patient, Sara, in the Star Tribune and U of MN’s monthly series, Where Discovery Creates Hope on September 9. Click here to see the eEdition.