Children’s Ministry October 2024

---

---

Winter Gear Drive Begins

October 27th

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 10. Donations will go to Project for Pride in Living.

---

Rally Sunday September 8th 

Greetings!

The story of Eutychus is a comfort to pastors who fear their preaching is not always engaging. If, even the Apostle Paul had listeners nodding off during a sermon, why shouldn’t we be surprised when a parishioner accidentally dozes off. Fortunately today, they don’t often fall three flights to the pavement below. Anyone who has ever experienced the challenge of staying awake during worship, can appreciate St. Luke’s sly description that “Paul talked still longer.” Eutychus must have begun nodding off and then eventually drifted into a deep sleep. At that point, he fell out of that window which proved fatal.

Paul, however, interrupted his sermon to go down to the young man, kneel beside him and put his arms around him. Through the miraculous power of Jesus, Paul was able to raise Eutychus from the dead and to say confidently to the crowd, “Don’t worry. He is alive now.” And with that, the Apostle went right back upstairs to continue preaching through the night. 

This may sound like an odd story to read for Rally Sunday. No doubt, we would like to announce that the pastor’s sermons at Lake of the Isles are always exciting, and that the children in the congregation are never bored. We would like to state that every member is fully engaged in worship and that no one tires of volunteering even if a meeting extends to the midnight hours. But that wouldn’t be an accurate depiction of life for any church- even at Lake of the Isles.

Of course, the story of Eutychus would be tragic if it had ended differently, but because he is raised from the dead, it seems almost humorous. That is the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ worth sharing on Rally Sunday. God is always turning sorrow into gladness, and sadness into joy. Ironically, even the young man’s name is filled with a whimsical surprise. Eutychus’ name means “Good Fortune.” 

My friends, I believe the author of Acts decided to include this story because it reminds us why we gather week after week as the people of God. It proclaims the power of God even over death. It also shows us how eager the early Christians were to be taught whenever they had the chance to gather regardless of the inconvenience of the hour. And on a lighter note, it reminds us not to fall asleep in church, or at least not while sitting in an open window on the 3rd floor. Join us for Rally Sunday on September 8th for toe-tapping music from the Flagstone Dixieland Band, good food, and hopefully, an inspiring sermon that doesn’t put you to sleep. 

Peace, Pastor Arden Haug  

---

Children’s Ministry September 2024

Sunday School Begins 
September 8th

---

Back to School Blessing 
September 8th

---

Bible Presentations
September 15th

---

Foodshelf Donations Needed

This fall we will begin highlighting opportunities to provide donations to the Joyce Uptown Foodshelf. They accept non-expired, shelf stable foods and household items.  

This month’s most needed items include peanut butter, cooking oil, canned fruit, whole grain cereal and oatmeal, and paper grocery bags with handles. Donations can be brought to the cart in Fellowship Hall. We will have volunteers bring them to the food shelf on Friday mornings. If you are interested in helping with transporting donations, please contact the church office.joyceuptownfoodshelf.org

---

2024-25 Conversation & Cuisine

Sign up by Monday, September 30th 

Conversation & Cuisine is a casual evening of getting better acquainted, while enjoying a meal in each other’s homes or a restaurant of choice. Groups made up of 6-8 members & friends of Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church gather for three meals during the course of the year. If you would like to participate in the 2024-25 groups, please let Janna Haug know. You can connect with her at Coffee Hour, or contact the church office.

---

In the Footsteps of Saint Paul

Although these words are attributed to St. Peter, they certainly do reflect the life of St. Paul. On his four missionary journeys, including his imprisonment in Rome, Paul travelled nearly 10,000 miles over 14 years. The majority of this was by foot. His willingness to travel great distances to preach of Christ helped establish Christianity across the Mediterranean.

Throughout the summer in our sermon series, we have been reminded that Paul’s challenges, however, were not merely the distances. He faced significant resistance, both from Jewish and Gentile believers. It is a courageous and inspiring testimony of faith. In his Second Letter to the Corinthians, he wrote, “Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea.” He was also arrested and imprisoned three times. In spite of it all, Paul could dare write to the Church in Philippi Rejoice! And again, I say, rejoice!

In the last Sunday of summer, we will continue to follow in Paul’s footsteps as he completes his work in Greece and returns to Asia Minor and the ancient Greek city of Ephesus. Today, Ephesus is only ruins in modern day Turkey, but it was once the most important Greek city on the eastern side of the Aegean. It was home to a large Jewish community, as well as the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Paul spent three years in Ephesus, the longest time he spent in any one place. From there he wrote many of his letters to the churches he established in Greece, including his letter to the Philippians, Thessalonians the Corinthians, as

well as his personal pastor letters. As was his usual pattern, Paul began his ministry in the synagogue, and then his presentation moved into the great city library. Finally, the discussions moved into the outdoor theatre where it ended in a riot with the worshipers of Artemis. This time Paul walked away unscathed.

Although, Saint Paul, was never as revered as the Apostle Peter and James, through his missionary journeys and his letters, Paul’s role was solidified as the Apostle to the Gentiles, the primary theologian of the Christian Church and the founder of the Church in Europe.

Peace, Pastor Arden Haug

---

Children’s Ministry August 2024

---

Our Saviour’s Housing Meals 2024

Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church provides a meal on the second Saturday of each month. Our monthly meals are provided by donation. The shelter orders & serves the meal. Thanks to Jim Olson for July.

AUG 10	Laura Nortwen & Kathy Greenbank
SEP 14	Remi & Debby Pizarro
OCT 12	Richard & Kristie Eklund
NOV 9	Mary Sabatke in memory of Bruce Sabatke
DEC 14	Mary Flynn, Twyla Hobbs, Mary Jubenville, Linda Nelson & Denise Wilkens

oscs-mn.org

---

In The Footsteps of the Saint Paul in Greece— by Land & Sea
April 23rd – May 4th, 2025

---

Delta Airlines Chairman’s Club Gala & TEAM USA A350

LOTI member Mark Duff, is Captain of the flight crew that is flying Chairman’s Club members from Toulouse to Atlanta on May 3rd. Delta Chairman’s Club members are nominated and elected by their peers for exemplary service for Delta Airlines. They are awarded the experience of visiting Toulouse (home of Airbus) to attend the Chairman’s Club Gala— the aircraft acceptance ceremony with fine food & wine, before returning to the US on the maiden flight. This year’s Gala is unique in that the aircraft’s paint scheme is TEAM USA for the Summer Olympics. It will be used to transport athletes to Paris. Congratulations, Mark! Today, Thursday, May 2nd the event was featured on NBC’s Today, 3rd Hour.  today.com

---