The Lenten Journey to Easter
Greetings!
Many centuries ago, on the gigantic rocks rising from the plains of Thessaly in northern Greece, Orthodox monks established the monasteries of Meteora. The Greek word Meteora means suspended in the air and this phrase aptly describes these remarkable communities.
At the end of the 14th century, Christian rule over northern Greece was being increasingly threatened by Turkish raiders who wanted control over the fertile plain of Thessaly which they finally secured in the second half of the 15th century. The hermit monks, seeking a retreat from the expanding Ottoman empire, found the inaccessible rock pillars of Meteora to be an ideal refuge. More than 20 monasteries were built on the rock projectiles, of which six remain today. Their sanctuaries were the resting place for important relics such as the finger of St. John and the shoulder blade of St. Andrew. More importantly, they protected the treasure of Greek Orthodox iconography.
During these centuries, the monks developed a school of icon painting, and continued an unbroken chain of Byzantine art. Using egg yolks, tempera pigments and vinegar, the monks replicated the images of earlier generations of painters. Icons of Jesus, Mary and the disciples were painted in the same style for hundreds of years. Many were created for each Sunday of the church year.
In preparation for our spring tour to Greece in the Footsteps of St. Paul, I would like to explore some of the icons that the Orthodox Church of Greece uses for their season of the Great Lent. Some of the icons and stories will be familiar, and some not at all. Still, the icons give us an insight into early Christianity and the purpose of the Lenten season. For Orthodox believers, the Great Lent was intended to be a workshop where the character of the believer was spiritually uplifted and strengthened. It was intended to prepare the faithful for Holy Week so that they could journey with Christ to the cross and be resurrected from the tomb.
I invite you to join us Ash Wednesday and 7:00 on Wednesday evenings throughout Lent. We mark the season with Marty Haugen’s Holden Evening Prayer and will explore the icons of Greece’s Great Lent.
Peace, Pastor Arden Haug
Children’s Ministry March 2025
March 16th— Tom Klein, uilleann piper, visits Sunday School
March 23rd— Luther Park Camp Visit
March 30th— No Sunday School~Spring Break
Tom Klein Returns
Sunday, March 16th
We look forward to our annual visit from Tom Klein. Tom will give a demonstration of his uilleann bagpipe to the Sunday School children during Sunday School on this day!
Lenten Devotions 2025
Pick up yours today!
…available at both Sanctuary entrances.
Donations Needed
This month’s most needed items include peanut butter, cooking oil, canned fruit, whole grain cereal and oatmeal, paper grocery bags and empty egg cartons. Joyce accepts all non-expired shelf stable foods. All donations make a huge difference.
Bring donations to the wooden cart in Fellowship Hall. We will have volunteers take them to the food shelf on Friday mornings. If you are interested in helping with transporting donations, please contact the church office.
joyceuptownfoodshelf.org
Drivers Needed
We need drivers to provide occasional transportation to/from church for our elderly members.
Please contact Pastor Haug if you are interested and available to help.
Easter Flower Orders
Due Sunday, March 30th
$9.50
$8.75
$9.25
$16.50
White Lilies, minimum 5 blossoms
Purple, red, or yellow Tulips
Purple, white, or yellow Mums
Pink Hydrangeas
Purchase flowers to adorn our chancel for Easter. Take them home after Easter services. Use the buttons below or the order form in Sunday bulletins. Note that Vanco pricing includes 3% processing fee.
Worship Volunteers March 2025
Altar Servers
02 Linda Nelson, Mary Jubenville, Twyla Hobbs
05 Kathy Hering & Linda Nelson
09 David & Mary Goplen
16 David & Carolyn Hagford
23 Cathy Carlson & Kathy Hering
30 Twyla Hobbs & Mary Jubenville
Technical Assistant
Jim Olson
Ushers
02 Don Holzschuh
05 Mike Huttner (7pm)
09 David Ackerman
16 John Olson
23 David Hagford
30 Lars Olson
Readers
02 Janna Haug
09 Marnie Huntley
16 Kim Olson
23 Mary Jubenville
30 Bill Fredell
Worship Assistants
02 Mark Duff
05 AM Michelle McCreery, PM Kathy Hering
09 Michelle McCreery
12 Marty Carlson
16 Marty Carlson
19 Michelle McCreery
23 Cindy Huttner
26 Kathy Hering
30 Philip Friedlund
Communion Assistants
02 Michelle McCreery
05 PM Philip Friedlund
09 Mark Duff
16 Cindy Huttner
23 Marty Carlson
30 John Olson
Coffee Hour Hosts
02 Ellie Holmquist, Ruth Lee, & Eivor Lund
09 Casey & Andrea Christy
16 Frahm/Gallop Families
23 Chanda & Lars Olson
Joint Neighborhood Safety Forum Held at LOTI
The Kenwood Neighborhood Organization, CIDNA, East Isles and Lowry Hill associations hosted a public safety meeting at LOTI on January 23rd. Roughly 160 people were in attendance and over 70 viewing the livestream from these and other Minneapolis neighborhoods. Speakers included Park Police Lt. Calvin Nobles, Chief Brian O’Hara, Fifth Precinct Inspector Christie Nelson, Fifth Precinct CPS Faith Randal, as well as 911 Dispatch Center staff. Additionally, Sgt. Garrett Parten, Minneapolis Public Information Officer, gave an update on MPD’s approach to handling juvenile offenders. Aileen Johnson spoke on her latest efforts concerning public safety and community outreach. Todd Barnette, our Community Safety Commissioner, informed us of the city’s latest public safety initiatives, including discussion of the Behavioral Response Unit. Watch here
Second Annual LOTI Wine & Song!
Marcus Hanson presented five delicious German wines along with food and song pairings to a group of 39 LOTI members and friends at the home of the Reisbergs on January 26th. The evening’s musical pieces ended with a Tuba solo by Marcus! Truly a man of many talents, he sang The Lord’s Prayer in our worship service earlier in the day. Michelle McCreery and Kim Olson prepared foods, with help and advice from Renate Amann and Susanne Haas. Pastor Arden was called into service to brown the special Nuremberg brats from Kramarczuk’s. Fresh pretzel bites from Aki’s BreadHaus were enjoyed with braunschwieger and pickle, in addition to other German fare.
Children’s Ministry February 2025
Sunday, February 16th
NO Sunday School, President’s Day Weekend
Fastelavn
Sunday, March 2nd
10:45 AM
Fellowship Hall
Who will break open the barrel this year? Come with your muscles, kids! We will gather in Fellowship Hall after worship to see who can break open the barrel and see what’s inside.