Lord of life lutheran
DECEMBER 2019
C O M P A S S
Christmas Cantata “God Near Us” During all worship services on December 7/8, enjoy the Canticle Choir and orchestra for this annual holiday tradition. The Craft and Bake Sale will also be held during this weekend.
Christmas Family Celebration December 15, 3-5pm
Come hear the Christmas story and participate in a sing-along with the children's choir and church school kids. Activities will include: • coloring wall • cookies and punch • ornament making • photo booth • prayer activity • sensory nativity The event is free and no registration is required. Donations of non-perishables for CROSS foodshelf are welcome.
jesus. only. him. ...................2-3 Bible 101: god IS with us........4-5 community life............................6-7 a serving of hope..................8-9 all wrapped up........................ 10 contacts/calendar................. 11 2
by Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren (peter@lordoflife.org)
J E S U
We get a lot of Christmas cards at the G-L house. Perusing them, it is my observation that many of you seem to be more attached to your dogs than to your children. When I was a kid, Christmas cards were mostly artistic depictions of Jesus and Mary with angels, shepherds, a little glitter, and a Bible verse thrown in. Today the cards we receive are almost all pictures of families. These greetings at Christmas are a great way to stay in touch with people we don’t see very often. And just to be perfectly clear, considering where this article is going: Karen’s and my card this year will be a picture of Peter, Karen, Matt, Maddy, David, Elizabeth, Maren, and Britta.
S .
O N L Y .
H I M .
And that’s OK. Christmas is a great family holiday. But family is not what we celebrate this month. What we celebrate is Jesus. The old cards were dull, but they actually got it right. Christmas is about Jesus and Mary, angels and shepherds. It is about this Bible verse: And the Word (God) became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth. John 1:14 Christmas celebrates the fact that God left the comfort of heaven to come into our world. Jesus came to save us from our sin and show us how to live. God came to be with us so that we would never be alone again.
At the center of our Christian faith is Jesus. In our worship: Jesus. In our relationships: Jesus. In our working for justice: Jesus. In our forgiveness: Jesus. In our comings and our goings: Jesus. In our living and our dying: Jesus. Jesus is the delight of our morning, the trust of our nights. Families are a great gift that God gives us. You are not going to get this Lutheran pastor to write anything negative about families. But make no mistake about what we celebrate at Christmas. There is just one thing: Jesus. Only. Him.
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G O D
I S
W I T H
U S
by Elizabeth Pedersen (elizabethp@lordoflife.org)
When I was in college, I had the opportunity to study abroad in London. I cannot quite imagine how it felt for my parents to put me on a plane that took me much farther out of their reach than I had been at school in La Crosse, Wisconsin, but they were supportive nonetheless and sent me on my way. The day I arrived in London, I was overwhelmed and tired. I had moved into my dorm and had taken a nap to try and shake off some jetlag; when I woke up, nobody was around. This is when the weight of being an ocean away from home hit me. I fumbled through the coins I had acquired earlier that day and pushed them into the payphone I found in the hallway to call home. The moment I heard my mother’s voice, I fell apart. I didn’t know if I could do it. I was alone and afraid. What if this was a mistake? As the years have stretched on from that lonely moment in a hallway in London, I’ve found those same questions circling back again and again at different points of change and uncertainty in my life. And through many rounds of trial and error, with a bit of resignation on my part and an (un)willingness to be vulnerable, what I’ve found is that no matter the outcome of the season of life I am in, one thing is always true: I cannot do it alone.
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Before I went to seminary, I always had a bad taste in my mouth for the Old Testament. I didn’t like the harsh language and judgmental God it portrayed on the surface and so as a result, I mostly ignored it. And then after taking a class on the prophets—which invited me to consider God’s perspective—I began to understand. As you read through the prophets, you find warning after warning from God about what is coming if the people don’t change; and you see God’s heartbreak and frustration at the decisions they make instead. What I learned from my professor, though, is that God’s anger and exasperation at their actions is not a result of the insult to God’s power over the people; it is the result of what their actions mean for their own future and wellbeing. The God of the Old Testament is not a power-hungry dictator. The God of the Old Testament is the God who desperately loves God’s people and will try anything to bring about good for us. It is the God who will send prophet after prophet to try and show us the way until, one day, God sends Godself. Now, this is where my anecdote from the beginning breaks down a bit because, after all, my mother did not fly to London to rescue me from my fear and loneliness. But she did give me the words I needed to hear: “You are going to be ok. I believe in you. You are not alone.”
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I M M A N U E L
These are the words God gives to us as well through the prophet Isaiah: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 God is with us. The Christ child has been born. We are not alone.
dig deeper A prophet is someone called by God to bring a message to God’s people. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’” Isaiah 6:8 In the Bible, “the prophets” refers to the 15 books in the Old Testament named after those who are considered major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) and minor prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi).
Bible 101
Overall, the message in all the prophets is one of both warning and hope. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2
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C O M M U N
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I T Y
L I F E
baptisms
weddings
At Lord of Life, we baptize individuals at any age. For the next baptism class or to schedule a baptism, call the church office (763.420.5015).
For details on having your wedding at Lord of Life, visit lordoflife.org/weddings. To schedule a wedding, contact Wedding Supervisor Michelle Tomlinson at 763.420.5015 x118.
October 5
Thomas Edward Engel
October 6
Blake Robert Healey
October 13
Sloane Eyre Hillery Beckett James Lee Emily Jean Letich Beau Wallace Nystrom Grace Miller Thelen
October 4 October 11 October 12 October 19
October 19
Caelan Bret Rehl
October 20
Harper Ann Kohler
Karen Anderson
October 26
Casey Arthur Rettinger
Mitch Booth & Karla Estrem-Booth
October 27
Joanna Carol Forster
Gerry Gendreau
bereavements Prayers of sympathy for those grieving the loss of a loved one; may they be comforted in the promise of the resurrection. Chad Anderson and family at the death of his mother Kara Anderson and family at the death of her mother Larry Anderson and family at the death of his wife Alexandra Battina and family at the death of her mother Chris Gaffron and family at the death of her mother Cheryl Gilbertson and family at the death of her sister Dan Liesmaki and family at the death of his father and his aunt Dale Mallberg and family at the death of his brother Mary Parker and family at the death of her mother Tom Seidner and family at the death of his daughter Chris Stamp and family at the death of her son
Hanna Greimel & Andrew Smith Erin Nicklow & Ian Price Stacy Backstrom & Jacob Denman Grace Bymark & Jeffrey Nelson Kathryn Baldwin & Keenan Meade
welcome new members Ellen Anderson
Aaron & Jennifer Jacobson with Brady and Matthew Clifford & Roxy Janke Andrew & Christina Kortkamp with Ella and Jack Joe & Brianna Palmer with Jagger Graham & Kara Schultz with Jameson and Mathias Matt & Jen Strobel with Liam and Evan Philip & Lydia Troy with Iona Membership at Lord of Life means you make a commitment to be an active participant in congregational life. The expectation of not only new members but all members—is to worship regularly, grow in faith, serve others, and support the church and its programs financially. For more information, contact Katie Gartzke (katieg@lordoflife.org or 763.420.5015) or visit lordoflife.org/membership. You are invited to become a part of the Lord of Life faith community.
Cory Stroup and family at the death of his wife Erik Willis and family at the death of his stepmother
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A
S E R V I N G
O F
by Margot Storti-Marron
The holidays are coming. I have such a mixture of feelings. I keep giving myself permission to find my own way through the grief landscape this holiday season after the unexpected death of our son.
the smell of fresh sheets, the taste of chocolate. Be a pilgrim traveling across a new, gray landscape who stops to smell a flower.
There are three sentences I use to live with grief.
Faith in God. Faith you will have good days with beautiful sunrises, chocolate, and clean sheets in your future. You will go fishing with your family and catch the biggest fish. You will smile, you will enjoy again.
First, accept suffering. I find accepting that you hurt a lot, and will hurt for a long time, works better than denying pain or keeping it all inside. Accept suffering because we choose to love with our whole hearts. I don’t regret loving my son, my daughter, my husband, or my family and friends. Most of the time loving the people I love makes my life very good. I am trying hard to give up looking for an explanation for what has happened to me. Once in a while, “Why?” taps on the door trying to get in. I talk sternly to it and send it away.
Second, keep moving. Yes, it’s impossibly hard some days. Focus on the moment, lift your head up and look around you. See the smile on a child’s face, a sunrise, 8
Third, faith not fear.
I hope these words help you navigate the landscape of grief. To me, it’s more of a rough map. You see, I have a horrible sense of direction. I’ve been lost a lot. My children teased me about it. Now, I take a deep breath. I tell myself it’s okay to be lost in this gray, grief landscape. I’ll find a way. I’m learning, with the loss of my son, I have to find my own way through grief. It may mean eating Chinese food this Thanksgiving. It may mean saying yes to a holiday event then leaving early because I’m exhausted. (Grief is physically hard.)
H O
P E
T H I S
H O L I D A Y
All of this is different from how I used to be. I believe grief is transformational. I don’t know where, or to some extent, who I will be in this landscape a year or even a few years from now. I know what’s helped in the past. Accept suffering. Keep moving. Faith not fear. And I know, when grief feels lonely, I’m not alone even if I’m lost for a while. Grief is universal. We grieve as part of living and loving. It always helps when I’m lost to remember the people who love me—here and not here on earth. I encourage you to honor the process of grief. After all, they love(d) us for who we are. So, through the holidays, allow yourself to find your own way. My son left me hope on a piece of paper (see photo at right). It says “Shoot for the stars! Even in the dark, there’s always a light.”
Thank you to Margot Storti-Marron who wrote this piece with hope that it will be helpful for others experiencing grief, particularly during the upcoming holidays. Margot and her husband, Ray, have been Lord of Life members since 1998. Along with their daughter, Nadia, they have experienced grief over the years—most recently this past summer with the loss of their son and brother, Andrew. Prayers of strength and hope for the Marron family as well as all who may be grieving the loss of a loved one this holiday season. 9
A L L W R A P P E D U P
“So, this is Christmas . . .” every year this John Lennon song helps to calibrate me when the chaos of Christmas bombards us. It’s a challenge not to get all wrapped up in the expectations of parties, the perfect gift, decorating, baking, sending cards, and on and on. I respect that there are many people who love all this commotion. For those of us who might not have that stamina, there are ways to approach this truly special time with calm, intentional savoring of small moments. Start by asking yourself . . . “so, this is Christmas—Lord, what do you want it to be?” Yes, ask the One who sent God’s only Son into the world, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life. How might the answer to, “so, this is Christmas” change? Celebrations surrounding Christmas are meant to be just that, a celebration of the love that God has for us. This love includes the love we have for family and friends. It does not include overspending, over-eating, over-engineering gatherings, over-the-top busyness . . . getting all wrapped up. After you have reconsidered the question, “so, this is Christmas” pick one thing you can release from your to-do list. I choose to stop sending Christmas cards. Then, take the time you spent doing what you released and replace it with a pause—a still time to savor the gifts already given. The gift of eternal life through Jesus. The gift of family and friends. I am sure you have many other things on your thankful list to treasure. Pause to appreciate and admire them. The song continues . . . “And so, this is Christmas, I hope you have fun. The near and the dear one, the old and the young. So, this is Christmas and what have you done, another year over and a new one just begun.”
Merry Christmas!
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Pastor Karen Greimel
LORD OF LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH (ELCA) 7401 County Road 101, Maple Grove, MN 55311-4313 phone 763.420.5015 fax 763.420.7286 web lordoflife.org Visit lordoflife.org/staff for a full staff listing with photos. Prayer requests may be submitted to prayernetwork@lordoflife.org. Compass is a monthly ministry by Lord of Life Lutheran Church (ELCA) printed by Wallace Carlson Printing using ecofriendly inks. To receive Compass in the mail or electronically—call 763.420.5015 or email office@lordoflife.org. Copyright 2019 Lord of Life Lutheran Church
PASTORAL STAFF Rev. Dr. Joel Wight Hoogheem, Lead Pastor, joel@lordoflife.org Rev. Kaitlyn Forster, kaitlynf@lordoflife.org Rev. Dr. Karen Geisendorfer-Lindgren, Pastor Emeritus, karengl@lordoflife.org Rev. Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren, Senior Pastor Emeritus, peter@lordoflife.org Rev. Karen Greimel, ksgreimel@lordoflife.org Rev. Charles ‘Chick’ Lane, chickl@lordoflife.org Rev. David McCarty, davem@lordoflife.org Rev. Donna Rohrer, donnar@lordoflife.org
See below and back cover for Christmas worship schedule. Saturdays at 5:30pm includes holy communion and music led by David Frank. Sundays at 8:30, 9:45, and 11am with holy communion on the first and third with music leaders David Frank at 8:30/9:45am and Brian Schroeder at 11am.
/lordoflifelutheran /lolcyf
office@lordoflife.org
lordoflife.org
WORSHIP/MUSIC SCHEDULE
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Photo credits include Lightstock and the Marron family.
DECEMBER Calendar of events
To connect with an adult ministry representative, contact Karen Nelson at 763.420.5015 x138 or karenn@lordoflife.org. To connect with a children, youth, and family representative, contact Chelsey Grandstand at 763.420.5015 x128 or chelseyg@lordoflife.org. As event details are subject to change—for the most current dates, times, details, event locations, and registrations—please visit lordoflife.org.
SUNDAYS:
12/2
Cancer Support Groups
12/16
The Food Group Volunteering - Offsite
12/3
Surviving the Holidays
12/17
Fellowship with the Fellas
C3 Confirmation
12/3
Connect Life - OMNI Brewing - Offsite
12/17
Job Transition Group
C3 Family Meal
12/3
Fellowship with the Fellas
12/17
Pause for Prayer
High School Dinner Groups
12/3
Pause for Prayer
12/18
OWLs - Yellow Tree Theater - Offsite
SUNDAYS/MONDAYS:
12/4
345 @ LOL
12/18
Source MN Meal - Offsite
Crossways Bible Study
12/5
OWLs Christmas Party
12/19
FreedomWorks Meal - Offsite
SUNDAYS/WEDNESDAYS:
12/6
Parent Night Out
12/21
Pop Up Family Event - Movie Night
C3 Confirmation
12/7
Mittens on a Mission
12/23
Christmas Travelers’ Worship: 5:30pm
C3 Family Meal
12/7-8 Adult Ministries Craft & Bake Sale
12/23
Hope Lodge Vounteering - Offsite
TUESDAYS:
12/7-8 Cantata Worship “God Near Us”
12/24
Christmas Eve Worship: 11am, 1, 2:30, 4, 5:30, 8,
Celebrate Recovery
and 9:30pm (details on back cover)
Grief Share
Christmas Day Worship: 9:45am
Love to Paint
12/8
Learn with Pastor Chick
12/9
Hope Lodge Vounteering - Offsite
12/9
NAMI Support Group
12/9
Nourishing Our Neighbors
12/11
12/25
WEDNESDAYS: Bel Canto Rehearsal
345 @ LOL
ONGOING SATURDAYS/SUNDAYS:
12/12
MOMSnext
Church School
Word for Women
12/12
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Worship
THURSDAYS:
12/13
Kidpack for CROSS
Alleluia! and Joyful Noise Rehearsals
12/14
Sharing and Caring Hands - Offsite
Ring and Sing
12/15
Baptism Class
VARIOUS:
12/15
Family Christmas Celebration
Men’s Bible Studies, various days/location
Canticle Choir Rehearsal
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Lord of Life Lutheran Church
Loved by God. Sent to Serve.
NonProfit Org. U. S. Postage
7401 County Road 101 Maple Grove, MN 55311-4313
PAID
Twin Cities, MN Permit No. 4665
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED TIME SENSITIVE MATERIAL
Name Address City, ST 00000
. . . and Goodwill to all this Advent and Christmas season. May the new year bring peace within our hearts and peace to the world .
CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SCHEDULE Travelers’ Christmas, Monday, December 23: 5:30pm: children's sermon, candlelight Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24: 11am, 1pm, 2:30pm, and 4pm: children’s sermon, childcare 5:30pm: candlelight, childcare 8pm and 9:30pm: candlelight Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25: 9:45am
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All Christmas worship includes holy communion.