February 2015 Lent 2015 Shrove Tuesday, February 17 Pancake Dinner at 6:00 pm What does Shrove Tuesday mean to Christians? Come for food, music, and to find out more. See page 2 for more information. Remember Journey to Jerusalem last year? We’re taking on another fitness/prayer challenge this Lenten season. Praying Paul's Paths (P3) Please see page 3 for all the details. Lent Begins Ash Wednesday, February 18 Come and bring a friend on Ash Wednesday: 5:15-6:15 pm Simple Soup Supper 6:15-6:45 pm Teaching for families of all shapes and sizes around Ash Wednesday and Lent 7:00 pm Service of Ashes and Reconciliation Lenten Taizé Worship Series Wednesday Evenings 6:00-6:25 p.m. See page 2 for more information. Lenten Adult Study Wednesday Evenings, 6:30-7:45 p.m. During Lent, the Adult Study will be come-as-you-are, no-priorexperience-necessary, study on prayer. See page 2 for more information. PASTOR’S PEN It’s Monday, my day off, and I am dancing around my kitchen baking bread. It’s a new recipe, with old-fashioned oats, whole wheat flour, regular flour, a bit of brown sugar, and oldfashioned yeast. This is one of those images of heaven for me—baking bread for loved ones, warmth on a cold winter day, kneading a glorious loaf of bread, and for the introvert in me, silence. Bread baking is also special because my husband made my wonderful breadboard for me, and my paternal grandmother taught me how to bake bread when I was ten years old. Bread baking isn’t difficult—before the 1930s, sliced bread wasn’t even available; most people made their own of various types. Though bread-baking isn’t difficult, it can be a bit daunting in keeping the ingredients at the proper temperature, kneading just the right amount of time, and having the time to let it rise once or twice before baking. My grandmother patiently showed me how it was done, and so now bread recipes don’t intimidate me. Following Jesus is kind of like making bread. It helps a whole lot to have someone show you how—a spiritual mentor that is either a family member or friend that you can watch and imitate. Following Jesus is done as a communal activity— yes, there are parts of it that can be done in silence and solo, however, those times are not for personal spiritual growth alone, but also for preparation for the public part of our ministry. Even in the private times, it is helpful to have someone show us the way. Then, we can take the basics and move on to more complicated things and not be intimidated. Many of you have learned your faith practices (prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness) from others, and all of us who have are called to pass these on to those who are following after. Others will put their own unique twists on the practices (my grandmother didn’t make Croatian potica, for example, but I do, and I probably would not have tried had I not learned the simpler stuff first) but the basics are helpful for all. I pray that each one of you is willing and excited to share your spiritual journey, your God-moments, with others. If we don’t tell people, they simply don’t know why we do what we do. They don’t know how yummy that fresh bread is, when store-bought will do. But you know what a rich life you have in Christ! Pass it on! -Pastor Pam 2 SHROVE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 PANCAKE DINNER What does Shrove Tuesday mean to Christians? Come for food, music, and to find out more. Suggested Donation $3 children, $5 adults 5:30-6:00pm 6:00-7:00pm Children, Youth, and Families Shrove Tuesday Activities and Learning Pancake Dinner for All Ages LENTEN TAIZÉ WORSHIP SERIES WEDNESDAY EVENINGS Come away to a quiet place to worship on five Wednesdays during Lent from 6:00-6:25 p.m. Date February 25 March 4 March 11 March 18 March 25 Focus Prayer Longing Trust Healing (with an opportunity for anointing) Communion Taizé is a quiet, introspective service of prayer; simple, meditative hymns; silence, and reflection. Bring a friend, and stay for the study on prayer! LENTEN ADULT STUDY WEDNESDAY, 6:30-7:45 P.M. During Lent, the Adult Study will be come-as-you-are, noprior-experience-necessary, study on prayer. Nothing required but a yearning for a deeper connection with the Holy. All are welcome! Date February 25 March 4 March 11 March 18 March 25 Focus Discovering your Prayer/ Spiritual Type Searching Prayer Experiential Prayer Relational Prayer Innovative Prayer Pastor Pam will lead the series based on Patricia D. Brown’s Paths to Prayer: Finding Your Own Way to the Presence of God. You do not need the book to participate! FROM THE PARISH NURSE 2. Any type of aerobic exercise for 20 minutes equals 1 mile, e.g. shopping, cleaning, gardening, tai chi, physical therapy, etc. Praying Paul's Paths (P3): Our Lenten Journey 3. Kids can help reach our total by including their basketball, volleyball, soccer, or other sports practice/game time. Again, 20 minutes of aerobic activity equals 1 mile. Please join us as we take on another fitness challenge this Lenten season. Last year, over 100 members and friends, signed up to be part of our Journey to Jerusalem program. Together, we "walked and prayed" 10,640 miles . . . simply amazing! Let's do it again! God has made us to live in balance and completeness. God's grace is always available but we need to make space in our lives to receive it. The Lenten fitness challenge is about finding joy in discipline and support in community to create balance and space. Lent is a time for soul searching to deepen our faith and find new ways of being. New habits only take 6 weeks to develop. As these new habits begin to take place, and we care for our mind, body, and spirit, our faith grows and we find balance and space for grace. Starting Ash Wednesday, February 18th, you have an opportunity to go on another amazing journey, as we kick off our new fitness challenge we are calling Praying Paul's Paths (P3 for short). Paul traveled 10,282 miles spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. His 4 journeys on land and sea took him primarily through present day Israel, Syria, Turkey, Greece, and Rome. These were years of persecution and strife for Paul, but he held steadfast to his purpose of proclaiming God's grace in forgiving sin through Christ. God used Paul's ministry to bring the gospel to the Gentiles and establish the church. The communities of faith Paul fostered would evolve into the Christian churches we know today. Paul's letters to the churches, recorded in the New Testament, still support church life and doctrine. Our goal will be to collectively "walk and pray" all 4 of Paul's journeys, a total of 10,282 miles, or roughly 234 miles a day, by Easter. Those numbers would be daunting if this were a solo journey, however, there will be comfort in the knowledge that we do not walk alone. To renew and nourish our spiritual life along the way, we will be able to reflect and pray guided by a daily Lenten devotional written by Pastor Pam. Walking is a great time for prayer and meditation; after all, it is a journey towards inner peace and well-being. How does this program work? Each week, every participant records how many miles he or she has walked and sends the results to church. For this journey, the definition of "walk" is an expanded one. Miles can be earned in the following ways: 1. Walking, running, biking, swimming, or any other activity that is measured in miles. 4. Prayer, meditation, and/or scripture reading for 20 minutes equals 1 mile. Miles will be recorded collectively and tracked on a map in the Commons area, posted online, and in the bulletin each week. There is no doubt that our healthy community is "walking" these 234 miles a day, but you need to let us know that you are moving and praying, and there are several ways to do this: 1. Fill out the weekly log slip and drop in the box in the Commons area. 2. Email or call Kay Bergeland, Parish Nurse, at [email protected] or 612-861-6086, with your weekly total. 3. Join the RUMC Facebook Paths (P3) group and log your miles. Praying Paul's Praying Paul's Paths is a great community building event that engages the imagination, gets people moving, and encourages a positive practice as a Lenten discipline. This event is fun, inter-generational and free. Members can participate as individuals, as a family, or as a small group ministry. We need everyone to join this Lenten fitness challenge! Sign up at a table in the Commons between services on Sunday, February 15th or Sunday, February 22nd. The devotional booklet and individual log cards will be available at this time. Included in the devotional will be a passport that you can stamp each week when you have completed your personal "miles" goal. So walk and pray! Enjoy the journey! Think about getting up on Easter morning, to awaken not only to the joy of new life in the resurrection, but to a new healthier and whole you! 3 ADULTS Lunch and Learn Series "The Gift of Planning One's Own Funeral" Thursday, February 12th from 12 Noon - 2:00 pm At our February 'Lunch and Learn' event, we will learn about funeral planning and how making decisions now can provide peace-of-mind to you and your family. The program will be a presentation and discussion of the values and resources for planning one's own funeral or memorial service. Doing this planning and conversing about it with those you love can be a very helpful and caring gift for them at a time when decision making can be difficult. Issues such as music, whom to involve, the nature of the service as worship, cremation, Christian traditions, symbolic acts, and questions of personal interest will be addressed. Materials will be provided. The program will be led by Rev. Pam Serdar and Rev. Wayne Albertson, retired. Our lunch will begin at 12 Noon and the program will end no later than 2:00 pm. The cost is $10.00 for the luncheon and presentation (scholarships are available). For planning purposes, please sign up by Monday, February 9th in the Commons area, by email to [email protected], or call Kay at 612-861-6086. Please join us as we learn about this important topic of funeral planning! Wednesday Evening Adult Education Wednesday Evening Adult Study—Hot Topics 6:00 p.m.-7:15 p.m. Date Topic February 4 Poverty February 11 Holy War February 18 No Class—Ash Wednesday February 25-March 25 Lenten Study on Prayer. Please see page 2 for more information. April 8 4 Hot Topics resumes-- OUTREACH/SOCIAL JUSTICE Families Moving Forward Volunteer Training Sunday, Feb 1, 10:00am, Heritage Room Twice a year our congregation has the opportunity to keep a group of families from being homeless. Through a traveling shelter program called Families Moving Forward we are able to help shelter, feed, and get to know our brothers and sisters in Christ. If you are already signed up to volunteer Feb 8 – 15 or are considering giving your time, please come to our volunteer training. Important information about host etiquette, boundaries for our guests, and building safety and usage will be shared at this gathering. There are still available spaces to volunteer. See the FMF bulletin board in the commons to sign up. Please pray for our guests and for all those who will be volunteering. 363 Sandwich Making – Thursday April 2, 7:30pm Tie a string, set a calendar reminder, write on your hand in permanent marker – do whatever you need to in order to remember that our next opportunity to make sandwiches for the homeless will be on Maundy Thursday after the 6:30pm worship around 7:30pm. Car Kits to Give to the Homeless The social justice team along with private donors will be gathering supplies for kits that can be kept in your car to give to those who are homeless that you may encounter at exit ramps or while you are driving. Please contact Marcia Henningson or Gail Johnson if you would like to give input to what we might put into these kits for these colder months or if you would like to be part of gathering supplies. Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC) Day on the Hill Tuesday, March 10, 2015 is JRLC's Day on the Hill. The annual policy briefing and lobby day. Participants are briefed on the JRLC issues that are being debated and voted on at our State Capitol. Clergy and lay people from across the state attend Day on the Hill to show our interfaith commitment to social justice and to participate in the lawmaking process. Registration is required. Participants gather in the morning at RiverCentre in downtown St. Paul for inspiration and issue briefings. Buses then transport us to the Capitol for a short rally. Meetings are held with legislators in the afternoon. Buses shuttle between RiverCentre and the Capitol until 4 p.m. Last year's Day on the Hill was attended by 800 people! 2015 Registration is now open. Visit the JRLC website to register. jrlc.org/day-on-the-hill CHILDREN Movie Morning In February we will be having a movie morning. Come in your pajamas, bring your favorite blanket and enjoy a screening of the new Veggietales movie Veggies in Space. This movie is all about the power of sharing. The movie morning at church will be on Saturday, February 21st at 10:00 am. We hope to see you there! F.R.O.G. Hop Children in Kindergarten – 5th grade are encouraged to explore Lenten practices each Wednesday night 6-7pm. We will use crafts, activities, stories, and games as we learn faith practices together. Adult volunteers are needed to guide these sessions. Please contact Marcia Henningson to volunteer. Note that there will be a soup supper for all ages Feb. 18 at 5:15 – 6:15 pm Date Focus Feb 4 Making Old Things New Feb 11 Sharing God’s Love Feb 18 Ash Wednesday 6:00pm learning, 7pm worship Feb 25 Repentance / I’m Sorry God March 4 Temptation March 11 Prayer Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner Tuesday, February 17 Suggested Donation $3 children, $5 adults 5:30-6:00pm Kids Shrove Tuesday Activities & Learning 6:00-7:00pm Pancake Dinner for All Ages Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day is the last day before the Season of Lent begins. It always falls on a Tuesday and is always 47 days before Easter. During Lent people traditionally give up rich foods like butter and eggs, and so we will feast on a pancake dinner and share in fellowship with bright music and festivities before the season of Lent begins. Ash Wednesday Learning & Ashes for Children and their Families Wednesday, February 18, 6:15-6:45pm (Additional worship service at 7pm) 5:15-6:15 pm Simple Soup Supper Does the traditional timing of Ash Wednesday get too late for your children? We invite you and your children to experience Ash Wednesday in an age-appropriate manner. We will explore what this special day means and receive our ashes early. Series of 3 Parenting Classes coming to Richfield UMC Parents / Caregivers of 3 – 13 yr olds are invited; child care provided. Each Class suggested donation $5.00 Information and Registration at: richfieldumc.org Your Instructor: Toni Schutta is a National Speaker, Author, Parent Coach and a Licensed Psychologist with a Master’s Degree in Psychology who has 20 years of experience helping families. “Get Your Child to Listen the FIRST Time!” Your kids aren’t listening! They’re not doing what you asked. You’re saying the same things over and over and you’re losing it! Reduce your stress now by learning 23 real-life, practical solutions you can use immediately to get your child to listen the FIRST time. Guaranteed! Wed., Feb. 11, 6-7 PM “How Understanding Your Child’s Temperament Can Make You a Better Parent” Is one of your kids giving you a run for your money? Baffled as to why s/he can’t get with the program? It could be a temperamental trait that’s making it tough to parent this child. Come to this class to learn the nine temperamental traits, complete a free assessment and learn how to work with temperament rather than against it so you and your child can both be more successful. Wed., March 11, 6-7 PM “Curb Back Talk and Whining Now!” For many parents, back talk and whining rate highly on the irritation scale. Learn how you can improve the way that you and your child communicate so you’ll both be happier! You’ll leave with 9 easy-to-implement strategies for reducing whining and 8 for getting rid of back talk. Wed., April 8, 6-7 PM My Changing Self: Exploring Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality Saturday, April 11, 8:30am – 3:30pm Grades 3 – 8 Richfield UMC in collaboration with Minnehaha UMC and Lake Harriet UMC would like to invite you to a daylong retreat for 3rd - 8th graders to explore – in a safe and loving environment – who we are as individuals and how we live in relation to others. We’ll discuss being made in God’s image, looking at our changing bodies and how that impacts our interactions with others. We’ll equip our young people with skills to filter messages received from peers and the media. We’ll also provide them with resources, and work together to identify their support network. My Changing Selves will take place at Richfield UMC on April 11, 8:30-3:30pm with groups dividing by age and gender. We invite you to a parent / guardian info session on Wednesday, March 25 at 6pm in the Fireside Room. Register online by Sunday, March 29. http://www.jotform.us/Minnehaha/MyChangingSelf 5 YOUTH Wednesday Nights, 5:30 – 7:00pm Join in for games, activities, art, service projects, and growing in faith together. We meet in the middle school youth room each week. Friends are welcome. who we are as individuals and how we live in relation to others. We’ll discuss being made in God’s image, looking at our changing bodies and how that impacts our interactions with others. We’ll equip our young people with skills to filter messages received from peers and the media. We’ll also provide them with resources, and work together to identify their support network. Youth Coffee Time Leaders Needed My Changing Selves will take place at Richfield UMC on April 11, 8:30-3:30pm with groups dividing by age and gender. Youth Group for Middle School and High School Sundays, 10:00 – 10:30am, Higher Ground Room Do you attend 9am worship? Are you encouraged by the ideas and viewpoints of our young people? Volunteer to meet with high school youth following worship to talk about what you experienced in worship and guide them in life applications of the worship text. Contact Marcia Henningson to volunteer with this insightful group of young people. Youth Group Sponsors FMF Activity Night Wednesday, Feb 11, 7:00-9:00 pm All middle school and high school students are invited to lead our FMF guest children in games and valentine crafts. Youth will be planning this night at the prior youth group gatherings. Remember these children are our guests and we want to make our time with them full of good memories and positive thoughts. Lake Traverse Mission Trip Meeting Sunday, Feb 15, 10:00am Higher Ground Room All youth interested in going on the Lake Traverse Mission Trip on July 1218, 2015 should make every effort to attend our first gathering with a parent / guardian. We’ll discuss total cost of the trip, commitment from families, and answer key questions about our mission and travel. My Changing Self: Exploring Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality Saturday, April 11 8:30am – 3:30pm, Grades 3 – 8 Richfield UMC in collaboration with Minnehaha UMC and Lake Harriet UMC would like to invite you to a daylong retreat for 3rd - 8th graders to explore – in a safe and loving environment – 6 We invite you to a parent / guardian info session on Wednesday, March 25 at 6pm in the Fireside Room. Register online by Sunday, March 29. http://www.jotform.us/Minnehaha/MyChangingSelf GROTH MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP Music Scholarship Opportunity The Chester E. and Marion D. Groth Scholarship Scholarships will be awarded for tuition for the 2015-2016 school year. Previous recipients are eligible to reapply for the scholarship for up to three additional years or until a Bachelor’s Degree is earned, whichever occurs first. The purpose of this Fund is to award annual post-secondary scholarships for qualified students desiring to matriculate and pursue careers in music education, performance, or music therapy. These scholarships are made possible by the generous gift of Marion Groth on behalf of her husband, Chester. To be eligible to receive this scholarship, an applicant must: Be a graduating high school senior from a Minnesota high school; Be entering college as a freshman; Applications must be received in the church office no later than noon, Friday, February 27, 2015. Applicants will be notified if invited to a finalist audition on April 18, 2015. For more information and an application form, please contact the church office. (612)861-6086 or check the church website at: www.richfieldumc.org If you know of anyone that might be interested in this scholarship, please encourage them to apply. TRUSTEES UPDATE Lighting You may have noticed improved lighting in the sanctuary chancel area. A huge thank you goes out to Margaret Kersteter for coordinating two lighting projects -- in both the sanctuary and the exterior of the church campus. In the sanctuary, we have replaced over 100 can lights and spot lights with new LED lighting, with the financial support of an anonymous donor and utility rebates. The annual energy utilized for the old lighting was 28,764 KWh versus only 1,790 KWh for the new, more efficient LED lighting. This is a reduction in CO2 emissions of 45,856 lbs annually, reducing not only our energy costs, but also reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping to mitigate global climate change. Plus, we now have a better view of our pastor, and others leading worship! All exterior lights on the church campus, including parking lot lights, are being updated to more efficient lighting. Similar to the sanctuary lighting, this will result in significant energy efficiency and a reduction in our carbon footprint. The monthly utility savings from the reduced energy will fund the cost of the new lighting via utility rebates and a short-term 0% interest loan that is funded via our monthly utility bill savings. After the loan is paid off in 2 years, RUMC will continue to benefit from reduced utility bills. Thank you to Margaret Kersteter, Sandra Overland, T.Y. Moore, Dale Olson, Greg Locke, Bill Johnson, Nancy Dierauer and Susan Ross for your efforts to improve the lighting! Stair Railings You may have also noticed the beautiful stair railings at the front of the sanctuary. These railings were built by Jerry Burmeister, with the design assistance of Steve Restemayer and installation by Jerry Burmeister and Jerry Schilling. These railings improve safety and accessibility of the sanctuary chancel area and enhance the finished appearance of this space. Thank you to Jerry, Steve and Jerry for your efforts to enhance the sanctuary! -The RUMC Trustees WOMEN’S RETREAT APRIL 24 AND 25 It is time to sign up for the women’s retreat! This is our first retreat with Pastor Pam and what a wonderful way to get to know her better and for her to get to know us better. When: 7:00 pm Friday, April 24th through Saturday, April 25th, 2015 until 9:00 pm Where: Mount Olivet Retreat Center There are two options this year. 1. There is room for 30 to attend from Friday night to Sat night. 2. There is also an opportunity for 10 people to come out for the day on Saturday. The Costs are: Double Room is $125.00, Dorm Style Room is $100.00 Saturday day only, including 3 meals is $75.00. Sign up in the notebook in the commons area. We need a non refundable deposit of half of the amount when you sign up and the final amount is due on Sunday April 12th. Scholarships are available to cover half the cost of a dorm room space. Contact Kate Currie at questions. [email protected] with any FROM THE CHURCH STAFF Thank you for the gifts and kind words given at Christmas time. We appreciate your support throughout the year. Linda Delph, Susan Ross, Kay Bergeland, Marcia Henningson, Nancy Dierauer, Ben Riggs, Victor Zupanc, Larry Stowes, Nikki Hecht 7 SUPPORT OUR YOUTH ON THEIR SUMMER MISSION TRIP! This summer our youth will be traveling to Lake Traverse, SD to serve the people there. We will be working to help facilitate kids' programming through local schools, serve with local assisted living/nursing homes, and help out with other work projects in the community. Throughout the week we will learn about Native culture, travel to Sica Hollow State Park, and join the community for a cookout. In order for our young people to experience meeting the people of Lake Traverse Reservation and learn from them throughout the week, we need your support. At this time we have 10 people signed up for this trip. The total cost of this trip includes meals, lodging, vehicle rental, gas, project materials, resources, evening activities, t-shirts, and Youth Works staffing of projects is $5,350. We have asked each family to contribute $75 for each student attending, keeping in mind that some families are supporting multiple young people for this trip. How can you support us? Chocolate Chip Cookie Fundraiser Sunday, Feb 1 and Sunday, March 1 10:00am Youth will make warm, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and sell them at 10:00am in the commons to help support their mission trip. Buy a few cookies for the morning or cookies to last you all week long. Cookies will be sold for $1/ cookie or $5 for half a dozen. Remember this cookie bake is to support the youth mission. Flamingo Flocking Flocking Sales and Flocking Insurance will be sold March 1 – March 29. Flocking will take place in the month of June. Things may be looking gray and dull this time of year, but you can brighten up your friends or neighbors yard (and faces too) 8 by Flamingo Flocking their yard. Don’t forget, friends, relatives, teachers, coaches, and coworkers can all be “flamingo-ed” you don’t have to belong to Richfield UMC. H e r e ' s h o w t h e flamingo flocking works To Flamingo someone's yard....simply fill out a Flocking Form directly with a youth or on the table outside the office with: 1) Name of Recipient 2) "Flamingo-ing" Address 3) What size flock you would like delivered (up to 50 birds) 4) Fee Paid to Richfield United Methodist Church Youth Richfield UMC Youth will place the flamingos in the yard of the friends that you have paid to have "Flamingoed." Each of the flocks will have a note explaining how a friend has paid to have them "Flamingoed" in support of our fundraiser. The flamingos will mysteriously take flight and move to another lawn within a few days. To buy "Flamingo Insurance".... If you would rather not have the flamingos visit you, you may purchase Anti-Flocking Insurance. Anti-Flocking Insurance Forms will be available at the table outside the church office. The purchase of this Anti-flocking Insurance guarantees that no flock of flamingos will roost on your lawn as they migrate around the city during the course of this fundraising event. The cost of this insurance requires a premium of only $15.00 Remember we can only deliver flocks to Minneapolis, Richfield, Edina and areas within 8 miles of the church. Special Offering for Youth Mission Trip (only if necessary) If by April 1, we have not reached the funding necessary to complete our mission trip to Lake Traverse we will take a special offering at both worship services on Sunday, April 12. WOMEN WHO READ T.C. Boyle’s “Tortilla Curtain” is the February Book choice for Women Who Read. “In this explosive and timely novel, Boyle explores an issue that is at the forefront of the political arena when he confronts the controversy over illegal immigration head -on, illuminating through a poignant, gripping story the people on both sides of the issue, the haves and the have-nots.” Please join us Monday, February 2, at 1:30 p.m. in the Heritage Room as we delve into the juxtaposition of the haves and the havenots in today’s society and whether the book deserved to be listed as a ‘banned book.’ If you like to read ahead, the book choice for March is “Welcome to the Great Mysterious” by Minnesota author Lorna Landvik. “Megastar of stage, screen, and television, Geneva Jordan has a command performance in Minnesota, when she agrees to look after her thirteen-year-old nephew, a boy with Down’s syndrome, while his parents take a long-overdue vacation. But so accustomed is she to playing the lead, finding herself a supporting actress in someone else’s life is strange and unexplored territory. Then the discovery of an old scrapbook she and her sister created long ago starts her thinking of things beyond fame. For The Great Mysterious is a collection of thoughts and feelings dedicated to answering life’s big questions—far outside the spotlight’s glow.” Women Who Read Recommend: At their January gathering, WWR discussed their favorite books, series and authors and wanted to share the list with others who enjoy a sitting down with a good book. As you can see, we do like our mysteries! Books: Andrews, William, Daughters of the Dragon; story of the Korean ‘comfort women’ of WWII. Boyle, T. C., Tortilla Curtain (February 2015 selection) Brunt, Carol Rifka, Tell the Wolves I’m Home; Named one of the best books of the year. Chamberlain, Diane, Necessary Lies; A breakout book about a small southern town fifty years ago, and the darkest—and most hopeful—places in the human heart. Cron, Ian M., Chasing Francis (April 2015 selection); What happens when the pastor of a mega church loses his faith? Krueger, William Kent, Ordinary Grace; Artfully layered story set in 1961 small town Minnesota that examines family life, death, fury, spiritual fiber and redemption. Landvick, Lorna, Welcome to the Great Mysterious (March 2015 selection) Wilkerson, Isabel, The Warmth of Other Suns; A chronicle of one of the great, untold stories of American history: the decades -long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life. Authors: In particular writers of numerous books and/or series Baldacci, David—Mysteries; many of his books have been adapted for film and TV. Connelly, Michael—Mysteries; series features detective Harry Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. Geye, Peter—Minnesota author; uses a North Shore setting to chart the whole of the human heart. Grisham, John—Legal thrillers; also writes novels including Skipping Christmas and A Painted House. Housewright, David—Mysteries; home state of Minnesota is the setting for series featuring detective Holland Taylor. Krueger, William Kent—Mysteries; Minnesota author; series features Cork O’Conner and is set in northern Minnesota; includes aspects of Native American culture. Spencer-Fleming, Julia—Maine author of bestselling religious mystery series set in the Adirondack region of upstate New York; title of each book taken from a hymn. Tremayne, Peter—Pseudonym of the Celtic scholar/author Peter Berresford Ellis. Series features Sister Fidelma, a reliqieuse (former member of the community of St. Brigid of Kildare) and a qualified dalaigh (advocate of the ancient law courts of Ireland) who solve crimes of murder and greed by observing what took place and the reactions of those impacted by the death. West, Stanley Gordon—Minnesota-born author of stories about survival, adversity and how people manage in spite of what life throws at them; Blind Your Ponies about small town basketball, Until They Bring the Streetcars Back, which takes place in 1949 in St. Paul, MN. HAPPY FEBRUARY BIRTHDAY Thompson, Thomas A Doncavage, Ron Olson, Devon Henningson, Josh Sack, Danielle Claussen, Lori Knutson, Cynthia Larson, Ron Schatschneider, Lois Fors, Rodney Heim, Clifford Cashman, Jennifer Hudson, Stacey LaBelle, Katie 1 2 4 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 Teal, Jennifer Vinge, Barbara Smith, Richard R. Gardner, Sharon Hamilton, Peggy Gieseke, Jessica Gillespie, Connie Hudson, Mark Schmidt, Mary Friesen, Betty Williams, Sandra DeFreese, Dorothy Peterson, Amber 9 9 12 13 15 16 18 19 22 23 25 26 26 9 CELEBRATIONS Van Ministry I would like to send out a heartfelt thank you to our van ministry team. Every Sunday, without fail, rain or shine, our drivers arrive early and stay late, because they believe that bringing some of our dear members to church, who otherwise would not be able to worship or fellowship with us, is important and it matters. And isn't that the truth?! We have up to 15 riders on the van any given Sunday, and their presence here is a gift to not only them, but to each one of us. Our drivers are dedicated and caring men and women who give of their time and do their work with devotion and care. Please take a moment to thank our team of van drivers: Ron Doncavage, Cynthia Knutson, Sally Knutson, Russ Ruona, John Sells, Jason Teal, and John Wittenborg. Also, a big thank you to Martha Jane Prottengeier. Martha Jane has been a faithful volunteer to the van ministry team for well over 10 years. Every Thursday afternoon, she calls each of our riders to see if they plan on riding the van on Sunday. She takes that information and communicates it to the scheduled van driver and the church office. She is a caring connection every week with each of our riders. Martha Jane is so grateful she can continue to serve RUMC in this way . . . and we are so thankful to have her in our midst! -Kay Bergeland Care Notes Thanks A special thank you to Donna and Pat Eder for spending countless hours reorganizing our reference care notes in the library. I approached Donna one day with a simple question of where we should put the care note box in the library. On her own, without any hesitation, she took it upon herself to volunteer, and enlisted the help of her husband, Pat, to look through the hundreds of care note titles and sort and label them in a much more user friendly way. Please take a moment to look at the box of care notes in our library which are available for both information and support. Thank you again, Donna and Pat! -Kay Bergeland Richfield UMC Youth Pack 37,152 Meals Our youth volunteered their Saturday night to pack meals for children in Haiti who are hungry. Through Feed My Starving Children 14 young people from RUMC were part of group that packed 172 boxes of food that will feed 101 children for 1 year. Great job youth! Thanks for living out Jesus’ call to feed the hungry! 10 2014 VEAP Results Starting the year with our Souper Bowl competition and VEAP’s March Food Drive and continuing through the Summer Youth Food Program, RUMC donated 2,183 pounds of food and household products (over a ton!) in 2014. Late in the summer, VEAP’s Back to School Drive collected school supplies for needy children and provided filled backpacks for 3,175 students. RUMC contributed 100 backpacks to the total, as well as many, many other supplies. The 2014 Holiday Toy Drive was also successful, serving 4,616 children from 1,813 households. The generosity of VEAP’s supporting organizations enabled VEAP to provide each child with two gifts, two winter wear items and a book, plus a game for the household. VEAP does not tally the number of items donated by individual organizations like RUMC, but RUMC contributed several carloads of gift items and $380 in gift cards. Finally, RUMC made $2,521.25 of cash donations to VEAP in 2014, with $500 from Outreach and Social Justice, $410 from the David Malmberg concert and $1,611.25 from individual member contributions made through the church. Thanks to all for your participation. -Mick and Marlys Hudson Sledding success! The children had a perfect day for sledding at Adams Hill Park! Participants enjoyed each other’s company, meeting other parents, and piling as many as they could on a sled. We shared hot cocoa with all who were at the hill that morning. Richfield UMC Christmas Offering Gives $ to Small Sums Our Christmas offering was able to support our budget commitment and give an additional $3,765.00 to support Small Sums, a local non-profit, who serves those who been facing housing instability and now have a job. Smalls Sums will use this donation to help people get appropriate clothing, shoes, and tools for work so that they can work in the jobs they have been hired for. Thank you Richfield UMC for your generous spirit! It will make a difference in the lives of so many! Many thanks to the WINGS Circle of UMW for hosting the Potluck on Sun. Jan. 25th. The meal went smoothly and we are thankful for your help with this event. Each Saturday in February 9:00 am Yoga 9:00 am God's Hands Thrift Store 9:45 am Alanon and Alanon Beginners Sunday, February 01, 2015 8:00 am Youth Cookie Baking 9:00 am Sanctuary Worship Service 10:00 am FMF-Furniture Moving 10:00 am Chocolate Cookie Youth Fundraiser 10:00 am Families Moving Forward Volunteer Orientation 10:00 am Homebound Communion 11:00 am Living Waters Worship Service 12:00 pm LW Small Group Monday, February 02, 2015 9:30 am TOPS 10:00 am Tai Chi 1:30 pm Women Who Read 6:00 pm Alzheimer's Caregiver Group 6:30 pm Parish Minister Team Meeting Tuesday, February 03, 2015 9:30 am Women's Bible Study 10:00 am Maxson Visitation 11:00 am Marian Maxson Funeral 6:00 pm SPRC Meeting Wednesday, February 04, 2015 9:00 am Men's Bible Study 4:00 pm Covenant Discipleship Group 1 5:30 pm High School & Middle School Youth Groups 6:00 pm Children's F.R.O.G. Hop (K - 5) 6:00 pm Adult Education-Hot Topics: Poverty 6:30 pm Chancel Bell Choir 7:30 pm Chancel Choir Thursday, February 05, 2015 9:00 am Common Threads Group 6:30 pm Nominations Friday, February 06, 2015 10:00 am Women and the Sacred Group Saturday, February 07, 2015 9:30 am Wesley Meals 10:00 am FMF Room Set-up Sunday, February 08, 2015 9:00 am Sanctuary Worship Service 9:15 am Children's Sunday School (PreK through 8th Grade) 10:00 am Senior High Coffee Hour 10:00 am Blood Pressure Screening 11:00 am Living Waters Worship Service 12:00 pm LW Small Group 12:15 pm Stewardship Committee 4:15 pm Families Moving Forward Monday, February 09, 2015 Families Moving Forward 9:30 am TOPS 10:00 am Tai Chi 6:00 pm FMF Dinner Tuesday, February 10, 2015 Families Moving Forward 9:30 am Women's Bible Study 5:00 pm UMW Wesleyan Circle Wednesday, February 11, 2015 Families Moving Forward 9:00 am Men's Bible Study 9:30 am UMW Redbird Circle 4:00 pm Covenant Discipleship Group 1 5:30 pm High School and Middle School Youth Groups 6:00 pm Children's F.R.O.G. Hop (K - 5) 6:00 pm Toni Schutta Parenting Class Series-Get Your Child to Listen the FIRST Time 6:00 pm Adult Education-Hot Topics: Holy War 6:30 pm Chancel Bell Choir 7:30 pm Chancel Choir Thursday, February 12, 2015 Families Moving Forward 12:00 pm Lunch and Learn 6:30 pm Trustees Friday, February 13, 2015 Families Moving Forward 11:00 am Faith Circle Saturday, February 14, 2015 Families Moving Forward Sunday, February 15, 2015 Families Moving Forward 9:00 am Sanctuary Worship Service 9:15 am Children's Sunday School 10:00 am Youth Mission Trip Meeting 10:00 am Heritage Society 11:00 am Living Waters Worship Service 12:00 pm LW Small Group Monday, February 16, 2015 9:30 am TOPS 10:00 am Tai Chi 6:00 pm Alzheimer's Group Tuesday, February 17, 2015 9:30 am Women's Bible Study 11:45 am Men's Lunch Bunch 5:30 pm Shrove Tuesday Craft Time 6:00 pm Shrove Tuesday Pancake Meal Wednesday, February 18, 2015 9:00 am Men's Bible Study 4:00 pm Covenant Discipleship Group 1 5:15 pm Simple Soup Supper 6:15 pm Learning for all families about Ash Wednesday 7:00 pm Ash Wednesday Worship Service Thursday, February 19, 2015 9:00 am Common Threads Group Friday, February 20, 2015 10:00 am Women and the Sacred Group Saturday, February 21, 2015 10:00 am Children's Movie Morning Sunday, February 22, 2015 9:00 am Sanctuary Worship Service 9:15 am Children's Sunday School 10:00 am Senior High Coffee Hour 11:00 am Living Waters Worship Service 12:00 pm LW Small Group Monday, February 23, 2015 9:30 am TOPS 10:00 am Tai Chi Tuesday, February 24, 2015 9:30 am Women's Bible Study 6:30 pm Outreach and Social Justice Cmt. Wednesday, February 25, 2015 9:00 am Men's Bible Study 4:00 pm Covenant Discipleship Group 1 5:30 pm High School and Middle School Youth Groups 6:00 pm Children's F.R.O.G. Hop (K - 5) 6:00 pm Adult Education-Discovering your Prayer/Spiritual Type 6:30 pm Chancel Bell Choir 7:30 pm Chancel Choir Thursday, February 26, 2015 Friday, February 27, 2015 11:00 am Faith Circle 12:00 pm Groth Scholarship Deadline Saturday, February 28, 2015 Richfield United Methodist Church Web Site: www.richfieldumc.org Phone: (612) 861-6086 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichfieldUnitedMethodistChurch Twitter: http://twitter.com/RichfieldUMC DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT HEARTLINE IS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9 11 NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 91532 Date Sensitive Material Return Service Requested 5835 Lyndale Ave S. Minneapolis, MN 55419 612-861-6086 office [email protected] www.richfieldumc.org Windom Elementary School Needs Richfield UMC Windom is located on the corner of 58th and Wentworth, just 5 blocks from Richfield UMC. Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser for Windom School at Richfield UMC Saturday Morning, March 7 Please plan to come and enjoy pancakes at the pancake breakfast to support our neighbor school. Contact Jill Williamson, [email protected] or Marcia Henningson, [email protected] if you would like more information about volunteering for Windom Elementary.
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