- Location: Feed My Starving Children, Chanhassen.
- Date: A 2-hour shift on a Saturday between mid-March and mid-May, followed by an optional Social Hour at Jill and Charlie’s home in Minnetonka.
- Details: If people are interested in volunteering, please e-mail Jill atJill.Gruys@target.com for more information and to let her know your availability. She will then determine 2 dates that work for the majority of people and we will go from there!
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:5
Albrecht Dürer was a German painter, engraver, printmaker, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg. When he was still in his twenties, his high-quality woodcuts established his reputation and influence across Europe, and he has since been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of
the Northern Renaissance. Two of his works can be seen today in the Albertina Museum in Vienna. The first is the woodcut of the Praying Hands of the Apostle, and the second is a water color of the Young Hare.
Of course, both works are worthy Easter images- and I am not referring simply to the hare as the Easter Bunny. Surprisingly, Dürer once used three rabbits in a woodcut of the Holy Family to represent the Holy Trinity. The more important image for the season of Lent, however, is the praying hands. Today Dürer’s woodcut can be seen around the world. 
It has been recreated in countless forms including plaster sculptures. The original drawing was created in 1508 as a study for an altar piece featuring a variety of apostles and saints gathered around the Virgin Mary, hence the name- “The Study of the Praying Hands of the Apostle.” The sketch depicted both the hands and the face of an apostle. Art historians believe that the hands may have been Dürer’s own hands. Sadly, the altar painting was lost, burned in a fire in 1729.
In spite of the fire, the simple study of the praying hands which Dürer drew for one single detail, has remained a part of our cultural and spiritual heritage 500 years later. For me personally, that is a wonderful and powerful statement of faith. The face of the apostle has been lost to time, but the faith of the apostle in prayer has survived. Perhaps that is because of our life long journey in prayer. We never feel that we get it quite right, but we realize that it is our most important way of sharing our needs and cares with God. That is the primary purpose of our own Lenten journey at Lake of the Isles.
Through the season of Lent, we are focusing on the discipline of prayer. This is the theme for our Sunday morning worship services as we walk through the Lord’s Prayer, as well as our Wednesday evening Lenten Services using Holden Evening Prayer when we meditate on the words of Martin Luther’s explanation to the Lord’s Prayer. Once again, this year we are enjoying sketches by Neil and Ellen Johnson during worship, and a soup supper beginning at 5:45.
Come and let us enjoy this Lenten journey together.
Peace, Pastor Arden Haug
We begin February with the kids singing in worship for Candlemas (Feb 1)! The Sunday School children will sing during worship to celebrate this special day. Children will go to Sunday School after the Children’s Sermon and will return at the end of worship to sing.
Fastelavn will be celebrated on February 8. Kids are welcome to bring their own costumes or use the ones provided after worship for some fun festivities. Bring your strong arms to try and break open the “Fastelavn barrel.” Candy is sure to follow!
It is never too late to start thinking about summer camps! We are delighted to welcome back Joel Legred, Executive Director at Luther Park Bible Camp in Danbury, WI. Joel is coming on February 15 to share the fun in store for your kids this summer at Luther Park.
Here is a summary of children and family events in February:
February 1: Sunday School children sing in worship
February 8: Fastelavn activities after worship
February 15: Summer camp Sunday
Warm Christmas greetings to everyone! We are looking forward to resuming Sunday School on January 4. We’ll welcome everyone back with a PJ/Movie day! Children are welcome to come in their comfy PJs, bring pillows or favorite stuffed animals to snuggle with while we watch our movie.
We will be watching a beautifully animated movie called The Very First Noel. It is narrated by Andy Griffith telling the story of the three wisemen following the magnificent star in search of the newborn King.
During the month of January, we will be preparing our songs to sing in worship on February 1 for Candlemas Day. While learning about the season of Epiphany we’ll also learn about house blessings and remembering our baptisms this month.
January is a time for new beginnings! Consider being part of LOTI’s new Bible Study beginning the end of January. To help us choose a day and time(evening), please contact Debra Gilroy: www.debragilroy@comcast.net regarding your interest and availability
We will be using Beth Moore’s Believing God: Experiencing a Fresh Explosion of Faith based on Isaiah 43:10. Beth explores what it means not only “to believe in God” but “to believe Him.” She encourages women to deepen their own trust in God and receive a fresh word from Him. Our first Bible study will last 10 weeks. The cost for materials is $16.00.
Lake of the Isles Lutheran has been a partner with Our Saviour’s Housing for several decades. On the first Friday of every month we provide a hot meal for the approximately 40 people who are staying at the shelter.
There are several options for your involvement:
- You can be responsible for cooking the meal and serving it at the shelter.
- Team up with another family or some friends to make and serve a meal one of the months.
- If cooking for a crowd seems intimidating, Cheri Moe will be willing to help prepare the meal at the church. You can then take it to the shelter to serve. Or Cheri will go with you to help out.
- Some people don’t have the time to cook the meal, but would be willing to help serve. We can use you too.
- You can donate funds designated for the Our Saviour’s meal.
At this time, all of the dates in 2015 are available. It would be good to have someone commit to January 2 as soon as possible. Recipes for cooking for a crowd are available. Contact Cheri Moe (952-431-5226 ormoeclana@aol.com) to volunteer or for more information.
The children have been working hard preparing for their Christmas pageant which will be on Sunday, December 14 during worship. It will be sure to get all in the Christmas spirit as the story of Jesus’ birth is told through the eyes of our children with singing, reading and bell ringing – complete with costumes, of course!
Here is a look at the month ahead:
Saturday, December 13 (10:00-11:30): Final dress rehearsal for Christmas pageant
Sunday, December 14: Christmas pageant; children arrive at 9:00 on this day
December 21 and 28: No Sunday School
January 4: Sunday School resumes with a PJ Movie Day!
Shelter Meal – First Friday of the Month!
LOTI volunteers have served dinner the first Friday of every month for years! This local outreach is a great way to get together with someone at church to help others in our neighborhood. We serve about 40 people once a month at Our Saviour’s Housing, 2219 Chicago Ave. S.
As you are thinking ahead to the upcoming school year and looking at your calendars, please consider serving a dinner with your family and friends at Our Saviour’s Housing as part of your Volunteerism this year. We have families signed up for serving in October, but need servers for the following dates:
- Friday, January 2
- Friday, February 6
- Friday, March 6
- Friday, April 3
- Friday, May 1
- Friday, June 5
If you have questions about how you can become involved, please call me at my number below. I would be happy to chat about the program.
Thanks for your consideration!
Susan Melbye
There is a lot happening in the world of Children’s Ministry at Lake of the Isles! The children have been busy preparing to sing in worship on St Martin’s Day, November 9. They also made the lanterns they will use on that day too! Did you see the Martin Luther Seals they made for Reformation Sunday? This month we will begin our preparation for the Christmas program (on Dec 14) – yes, Christmas will be here before we know it!
Here are some things to note on your calendar for the month of November:
Nov 9: Sunday School children sing in worship. This is also the completion of our winter warmth coat drive.
Nov 23: “Family (Advent)’ures- Finding new family faith rituals from Thanksgiving to Christmas” (See article for more details)
November 30: Advent calendars (with chocolate!) will be distributed to children
Looking ahead: Christmas program is Sunday, December 14. Final Rehearsal will be the morning of Saturday, December 13.
New opportunity for families on Sunday, November 23!
“Family Faith (Advent)’ures -Finding new family faith rituals from Thanksgiving to Christmas”
We hope you can join us after worship on November 23 for a new event geared towards families with children from toddler age to elementary age children. We will gather in the library after worship for a hands-on experience that educates families on ideas and rituals to take home focusing on the season from Thanksgiving through the season of Advent.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask Diane LaMere, Children’s Ministry Director or Pastor Haug.
On Reformation Sunday, October 26th, the following young people celebrated their confirmation at the 9:30 a.m. worship service: Allison Sundeen, Jake Rand, Jack Messerli, Alexander Skold, Maddie Rondestvedt, Kiera Sundeen and Nicolas Amann.
The Isles Ensemble accompanied the LOTI choir on a cantata based on Luther’s hymn “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word” by Dietrich Buxtehude.
Congratulations Confirmands!