“And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord,, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.”   Matthew 28:2

Throughout the ages, Christians have discussed what truly happed at the moment of Christ’s resurrection. Some theologians have pondered whether it was a mighty wind that filled Jesus’ lungs that caused him to rise from the dead, or perhaps a mighty bolt of lightning. Others have suggested that the resurrection was as slight and unseen as a human breath.   St. Matthew’s gospel offers its own colorful and dramatic portrait. The evangelist compares the resurrection to an earthquake, and an angel descending from heaven to roll back the stone from the tomb and releasing Jesus from the bonds of death. It is a powerful image.

Of course, there were no eye witnesses to the moment of Christ’s resurrection. In scripture we have only the accounts of those who saw the resurrected Jesus and we read how his resurrection changed their lives.   For the Church, the resurrection remains the great mystery of the Christian faith. The resurrection was the final explanation and exclamation point that all Jesus’ promises and teachings were true.  It offered a glorious assurance that there was a possibility for all of us to begin a new life.   It states that God can and will dramatically enter into our broken lives and give new life.

As we prepare to celebrate Holy Week and Easter at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church, I invite you to join us for worship as we remember the mystery of Christ’s passion, death and burial and to meditate on the meaning of Christ’s journey to the grave and his resurrection. Listen again to the scripture and discover what new insight you see in the Easter journey.

April 17th, Maundy Thursday, 7:00 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Together with our neighboring church at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, we will celebrate the Institution of the Lord’s Supper which we hear every time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper … “in the night in which he was betrayed.”  The word Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum.  Not only did Jesus celebrate a Passover meal with his disciples, but he also gave them a new commandment or mandate.  The worship service will follow an Episcopal order. Our two choirs will combine for an anthem, organist Kenneth Vigne, and Pastor Haug will preach.

April 18th, Good Friday, 7:00 pm at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church

Together with our neighboring church, we will celebrate the mystery of the Cross. Many people are acquainted with Roman Catholic practice of the Stations of the Cross. In ecumenical discussions there was concern that only half of the stations were based on scriptural reference. In 1991, John Paul II instituted a new series of fourteen Stations of Cross, each of which was based on Scripture alone. Our Good Friday Service, which will be led by Rector Marlene Jacobs from St. Paul’s, will incorporate these readings, choral anthems and hymns.

April 20th, Easter Sunday, 9:30 & 11:00 pm

At last, we celebrate the fulfillment of the Easter journey’s end with Christ’s victory over death- and our promise of life over death, and good over evil.   It is a day in which we celebrate the angel rolling the stone away, and proclaiming the good news, “He is not here: for he has been raised as he said.”

It is a familiar story to be sure, but one continues to renew life and hope.  It is in studying and meditating this great that our own faith is resurrected anew.

Peace, Pastor Arden Haug

CARITAS CONCERT

Greetings, fellow LOTI members,

LOTI hosted the annual Caritas fundraising concert on March 23 for Neighborhood Involvement Program (NIP), and it was wonderful!

Many of you know that LOTI was one of the six congregations which founded NIP in 1968, in the true spirit of neighbors helping neighbors.  Today, NIP is a comprehensive health and social services agency offering primary and preventive health care, dental care, behavioral health services, and programs for seniors and youth.  It serves people in our community without health insurance, or whose insurance has deductibles or co-pays too costly for them to access more traditional health care services.  I have the privilege of serving as the LOTI representative to the NIP board of directors, a role held by Mary Sabatke before me.  LOTI used to make an financial donation to NIP, but is not able to now; instead, we offer our congregational support in other ways, including hosting the Caritas concert and through individual donations.

The Caritas concert was free, but a good will offering was collected, with donations matched by Thrivent.  It’s not too late to support NIP and get your donation matched – please include a donation in next week’s offering, or mail a check to the church, with “Caritas/NIP” noted on the subject line.

Thank you those who attended the concert and have made a donation, and I encourage those of you could not be there to show LOTI support through a donation.

Jennifer

http://www.neighborhoodinvolve.org/

Glimpses of spring are starting to happen! Hooray! Before we know it, we’ll be enjoying summer weather. This past month we had some fun thinking about summer and the opportunities for our children and youth here at Lake of the Isles. Information sheets and Registration forms are available on the Children/Youth table in Fellowship Hall and on our website. There is something for everyone from 3 yrs old to high school graduates! We are looking forward to being playful and creative as we explore God’s Word together this summer.

The season of Lent is a “moveable period” in the church year.  It is a preparatory season for the festival of Easter, and since Easter is determined the lunar calendar and not a calendar date, the entire Lent and Easter season shifts from one year to another.  This year the first day of Lent known as Ash Wednesday begins on Wednesday, March 5^th.   Historically, churches have chosen to mark the 40 days and Sundays of Lent as a penitential period focusing on the agony of Jesus’ death on the cross. Originally, the period of Lent was intended was to be a period of growth.  Men and women dedicated a tenth of the year to learning and growing in faith.  The English word “Lent” actually comes from the old English phrase to “lengthen.”   This implies both the light and days in spring growing greater, but also that Christians grow greater in faith.

At Lake of the Isles, we will explore this growth in faith, with an intentional time of fellowship and worship in Lent.  Each Wednesday evening, there will be an opportunity to gather together with friends and eat a simple meal of soup and bread.  This will be followed by a worship service in the sanctuary.  Ash Wednesday service on March 5^th will follow the traditional service of reflection, confession and the imposition of ashes.  The remaining five Wednesday evening will be celebrated with Marty Haugen’s Holden Evening Prayer service and will include an original sketches written by Neil and Ellen Johnson.  These will be performed and directed by the members of the congregation.  With such titles, “A Desperate Housewife” and “The First Ever Lutefisk Dinner,” these sketches are intended to help you think about the Christian faith in new ways.

Our Holy Week service for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday will be celebrated together with St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.  Maundy Thursday will be held at St. Paul’s and Good Friday will be held at Lake of the Isles.

This Lent, let us grow in faith together at Lake of the Isles.

If you wish to purchase Easter flowers for display around the altar (which you can then take home with you after Easter Services), order forms will be in your  bulletins on Sunday or in Fellowship Hall.  Please enclose your money with your form and either drop it in the offering plate in a pew envelope or leave it in the church office.  Our estimated order is due March 25th and final orders will go in April 8th.  In order to be guaranteed you will get the plant you want, please have your order in by March 25th.

The Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign goal is a constant:  To raise enough money and food to provide more than half the food distributed annually by 300 food shelves statewide.

The weather outside might still be winter, but we are going to think about summer on Sunday, March 9! Come in your summer gear (underneath your winter gear) and let’s get excited for hot summer days filled with God’s love at Lake of the Isles.   We are excited to share with you some new summer offerings for kids at Lake of the Isles on this day.

Another Sparkhouse Animation, background filmed at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church.