The Sunday School children and their families are going to prepare care packages for our LOTI college-age students. The Care Packages will contain hand-made cards from our Sunday School kids, a letter of encouragement from Pastor Haug, healthy snacks and other fun items. The packages will be mailed early in December just before finals.
Parents, if you would like a care package to be sent to your college-age child, please send an email to Diane LaMere, Children’s Ministry Director ([email protected]) with their mailing address no later than Wednesday, November 16. Please include the date that your child has finals week as well.
Reserve a month in 2017 to provide a meal for Our Saviour’s Housing. Our congregation provides the meal the first Friday of every month. If you are a Thrivent member, you can get a grant from them to help you cover costs. Any questions or sign up with Cheri Moe (952-431-5226 or [email protected]).
Thank you to Sean and Margaret Coleman who served the Shelter Meal on October 7th.
The prayer ministry group would welcome anyone who would like to join them
on Friday mornings in the Christy Room at 9:15-10:00 a.m. Please contact
Deb Gilroy, Janna Haug or Linda Nelson for more information.
Sean Coleman has volunteered to take pictures for an updated church directory. Pictures will be taken on Sundays November 6th and 13th. We invite everyone to participate–whether this will be the first time you have your picture taken or to update what is in the old directory. He will be set up in the Christy Room at about 10:45 right after the service.
Please join Dawn Allan and the LOTI choir on Wednesday evenings for rehearsal at 7:30 p.m. Newcomers are welcome. The choir rehearses in Fellowship Hall.
We welcome the following newly baptized infants to Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church:
Nolan Richard Fawver
Baptized: July 31, 2016
Parents: Jason and Kristin Fawver
Avery Aileen Nelson
Baptized: August 21, 2016
Parents: Ryne and Jennifer Nelson
Luca Alexander Ducuns
Baptized: September 18, 2016
Parents: Meredith and Christophe Ducuns
Harper Jacqueline Long
Baptized: September 26, 2016
Parents: Anne and Robert Long
Please keep these new little members and their families in your prayers.
On Reformation Sunday, October 30th, members were confirmed during our worship service.
Stephanie Christine Amann
Daughter of Renate and Eric Amann
Katherine Frances Mechels
Daughter of Naomi and Eric Mechels
Jorgen Lars Olson
Son of Lars and Chanda Olson
Ethan Thomas Rand
Son of Sarah Rand and Matthew Rand
From left to right: Stephanie, Jorgen, Pastor Haug, Kate & Ethan.
Please welcome the following new members who were received into the congregation on
Sunday, October 16th:
Jon, Susan and Isabelle Einess
Andrew, Megan, Winifred and Jackson Ulland
Cindy and Michael Huttner
Eivor Lund
Laura Nortwen
Then we your people, the flock of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
From generation to generation we will recount your praise.
Psalm 79:13
Dear Friends and Members of Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church,
“What is stewardship?” People often consider stewardship to be a form of fund-raising. For others, it is simply the way congregations turn to their constituency each year to ask for the funds necessary to run the programs that the congregation has decided are important. Still others believe that stewardship is nothing more than the managing of user fees and dues. There may be a bit of truth in all of these views, but I think there is something more.
For me, stewardship is a matter of faith. Stewardship is my disciplined response of praise and thanksgiving to God for all that he has entrusted to my care. Perhaps the most impassionate definition for stewardship is this “Stewardship is about the growth in your relationship with God through the use of the gifts he has entrusted to you.”
As we prepare for Stewardship Sunday on November 16th, the day in which we offer our stewardship and financial commitments for the new year, I would like to challenge you with a few thoughts drawn from this definition of stewardship.
1) Stewardship is returning to God a portion of the gifts he has entrusted to you first is an act of faith. This is a biblical call to offer the “first fruits.” Many people, however, wait until they have covered all their desires and necessities, and then they may turn over a portion of what is left to God. Truthfully, we never really grow in faith when we only offer what is left to God. Faith is nurtured and grows when you begin by offering a portion from the very beginning. In this way, you learn to know God’s providence. You learn to trust that he will provide all that you will need. In this way stewardship becomes a way of knowing God and growing in a relationship with God by leaning on him. And you become more daring as God’s servant.
2) Return to God a portion of your gifts is more than simply giving money. In many churches, we define gifts as time, talents and treasure. They are all important. The kingdom of God needs your time. God desires your worship and praise. He knows that your presence in worship is important for your spiritual growth. It is where you come into contact with his word. Your talents are needed to touch the lives of other believers struggling in their journey. In the ELCA, we say, “God’s work. Our hands.” You and are needed to be the human touch of God’s mission. And yes, gifts do include your treasure. Jesus speaks about money more than any other topic in the Bible. People are always trying to hold onto their treasure, and keep it for themselves. And Jesus is always reminding them that it can be doing so much more- if they would simply return it to God’s service. Giving gifts is a part of the spiritual discipline which allows you to grow in faith.
3) Stewardship is a reminder that God has created all things, and that you and I are merely entrusted to take care of these gifts. That may surprise you. From our first years of childhood, we learn to say, “It’s mine” and “That’s yours.” It would be a different world if we learned to say, “It is God’s and he has entrusted it to me.” That is ultimately what we believe and hope to be our everlasting future.
My friends, God entrusted to you many gifts. What will you embrace as yours, and what will you dare to return to God? Stewardship is an act of faith which will allow you to grow in your relationship with God.
Peace, Pastor Arden Haug
Daylight savings time ends this weekend at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, November 6. Remember to set your clocks back one hour.
The prayer ministry group would welcome anyone who would like to join them
Sean Coleman has volunteered to take pictures for an updated church directory. Pictures will be taken on Sundays November 6th and 13th. We invite everyone to participate–whether this will be the first time you have your picture taken or to update what is in the old directory. He will be set up in the Christy Room at about 10:45 right after the service.
Daylight savings time ends this weekend at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, November 6. Remember to set your clocks back one hour.