January 2013 Lord of Life LifeTIMES

LifeTIMES

A monthly ministry of Lord of Life Lutheran Church of Maple Grove, Minnesota

Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old is gone! The new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

A New Creation

by Lynn Leisen, Faith in the Home

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ake a faith walk. On the first half of your walk, look for all the ways the world seems to be asleep or dead for the winter—bare branches, brown grass, shorter days. On the second half of your walk, look for signs of a new creation— fresh snow, evergreen trees, animal tracks, birds...

...and when you return home, read the entire Scripture passage above from 2 Corinthians. God the Creator continues to create and take care of creation, even in the winter. These words explain what it means to be a new creation. What does this mean for you? How does this change the way you live every day?

Pray for God’s Spirit to help you in keeping one or two New Year’s resolutions. When you stumble, and you probably will, remember that you are a new creation, beautiful in the sight of the Lord.

Start afresh each day!

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

January 2013

Lord of Life exists to proclaim the saving grace of Jesus Christ and for its faith community to witness and serve God gratefully in daily life.

—Lord of Life’s Global Ends Policy spirit 2-7

generosity 8

  

   

worship Saturdays at 5:30 pm with Holy Communion Sundays at 8:30, 9:45 and 11 am with Holy Communion the first and third Sundays Third Sunday worship at 9:30 am on January 20 at Good Samaritan Society Ambassador in New Hope Third Monday Healing Service at 6:30 pm on January 21 in Lord of Life’s Prayer Room Third Wednesday worship at 2 pm on January 16 at Rose Arbor Assisted Living in Maple Grove

January 5/6 Preaching: Pastor David Lippitt Special Music Saturday: Praise Band Sunday: Canticle Choir (8:30 am), Northstar Boys’ Choir (9:45 and 11 am)

adult children youth family (cyf) 9-11 12-14 contact us 15

January 12/13 Preaching: Pastor Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren Special Music Saturday: Praise Band Sunday: Joyful Noise (8:30 am), Canticle Choir (9:45 and 11 am), Bel Canto (all services) January 19/20 Preaching: Pastor Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren Special Music Saturday: Praise Band Sunday: New Life Ensemble

Over 80 youth performed “I’m Dreaming of a Right Christmas” musical in December— more photos at lordoflife.org and on facebook!

January 26/27 Preaching: Pastor Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren Special Music Saturday: Praise Band Sunday: tbd (8:30 am), Canticle Choir (9:45 and 11 am) Please note worship & music schedules may be subject to change. pastoral staff Rev. Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren, Senior Pastor, x105, peter@lordoflife.org Rev. Todd Buegler, Pastor, Children Youth Family, x109, todd@lordoflife.org Rev. Dr. Karen Geisendorfer-Lindgren, Pastor, Adult Ministries, x104, karengl@lordoflife.org Rev. Dr. David Lippitt, Pastor, Congregational Care, x122, davidl@lordoflife.org Rev. Dave McCarty, Pastor, Outreach and Mission, x147, davem@lordoflife.org Karen Greimel, Pastoral Associate, x144, kareng@lordoflife.org

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Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

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The Covenant Journey From the Service of Holy Baptism

Q: “Do you promise to place in their hands the Holy Scriptures? To teach them the Lord’s Prayer, the 10 Commandments...and to faithfully bring them to the services of God’s house?”

A:

“We do.”

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hese words are words both of duty, and of joy. With these words, parents, young people, the community called Lord of Life and the God of promises embark on a new relationship together. These are binding words that tie us together into community. These words are not just ceremonial. They mean something significant. They mean that as people of God, we are entering into the new Covenant, the new promises, that God makes with us through Jesus: • The promise that parents will fully participate in the faith lives of their children • The promise that Godparents will enter into a faith relationship with this child • The promise that Lord of Life will partner with and support the parents • And most importantly, the promises that God makes: To forgive sins, to bring the gift of eternal life, to know this child by name, and to create this community of love and grace around the child How does this happen?

We encourage parents to bring their children both to Church School and to worship each week. These two hours focusing on our relationship with God, if done together, will create a deep faith relationship between you and your child. Come and volunteer to lead or assist in your child’s Church School small group. If your child sees you passing on the faith to them and others, they will grow in their own faith in powerful ways. You might find yourself growing in your faith as well!

Go to worship together. When children see their parents modeling worship, they will grow to be worshipers as well.

Parents can help interpret the worship experience for their kids, and can create a place of deep understanding.

And at home, engage in faith talk, devotions, caring conversation, and service together. (We’ve got tools and resources that can help you with this—visit lordoflife.org/gff.)

Faith formation at Lord of Life is designed to be a time and place where families grow together in their relationship with God, continuing the journey that they began at the baptismal font. We are very excited to be on this journey with you.

God bless you and your family!

Lutheran Liturgy

by Alice Woodard, Director of Worship

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he pattern for Lutheran worship, the sequence of things we do every week as a congregation, is called the liturgy. The word liturgy is Greek for “the people’s work” or “the work of the people” and indicates the prescribed worship service of the church. In our liturgy we use words and actions to honor and praise God and the work God has done for us as our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. As the Word of God is proclaimed and the sacraments are enacted among us, the Holy Spirit touches our lives. Our worship book, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, provides a liturgy, a step-by-step sequence for corporate worship, which establishes continuity with the apostolic faith and communication with the contemporary world. Parts of our liturgy are reminiscent of early Jewish worship and parts come to us from Jesus’ Last Supper with the disciples in the upper room. It has existed in roughly the same form since the middle of the second century, and, has its roots in Scripture. The liturgy has four main parts: Gathering, the Word, the Meal (Holy Communion), and Sending.

The first part of the liturgy is the gathering.

We gather each week following God’s third commandment given to Moses, found in Exodus 20:3, “Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy.” We begin with a musical prelude and an opening hymn, as prescribed for us in Psalms 100, 122 and 150: “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing.”

After our musical opening, we greet each other in God’s name, as Paul did in I Corinthians 13:14.

We pray for God’s mercies using the words of the “Kyrie” (Lord Have Mercy), and then sing a hymn of praise. Following the hymn of praise, we again greet others in God’s name and pray together the prayer of the day. This prayer summarizes the readings or theme for the day. The service continues with readings from Scripture, which will be described in a future article.

Pastor Todd

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

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spirit

Health & Wellness Ministry at Lord of Life—

Faithfully FIT! A

by Beth Kanthak

s a new year kicks off, we often look back and reflect on the year that so quickly passed us by and while we have many blessings to be thankful for I encourage you to ask yourself, “What one goal can I make in 2013 that will be life-changing?” For some that question may be an easy one, but how to do it might be the challenge. For others, you may be ‘stumped’…what could be so profound to change my life?

Let me ask you…is your life filled with passion and joy?

How is your relationship with Christ? Have you been too busy to include Him in your day? What would you say if I asked you to put aside 1% of your day to spend with Christ?

from paula “Beth worked with me to identify the barriers that prevented me from making a change.

With her help, I was able to create manageable goals and a concrete plan for action. With her prayers and support, I was confident that I could do it. She was genuinely interested in my success and me!”

—Paula, a Lord of Lifer

Do you believe that spending 15 minutes a day with Christ would transform your life? Perhaps you need help with your unbelief? Would your golf game improve if you spent 15 minutes a day with Jack Nicklaus? Would your singing improve if you spent 15 minutes a day with a Voice coach like Blake Shelton?

Of course it would. So isn’t it time to get serious about your relationship with Christ and start spending 15 minutes a day with Him? Need help with that goal? Here is your chance—with the New Year upon us there are two opportunities for you to grow in your relationship with Christ. Starting with Sunday, January 13 at 11 am, our L5 adult education offers Exercise Daily…Walk With The Lord. This class is designed to enhance your health…your ‘whole’ health, which includes your spiritual, relational, emotional, and physical health. Visit lordoflife.org/ L5 to register.

The second opportunity is for the FaithfullyFIT 40-day Journey developed by the Health & Wellness Ministry starting Sunday, January 20. This is an opportunity to incorporate five small steps into your daily routine and ‘jumpstart’ your journey to wholeness. Your 40-day commitment of consistent action for Christ will develop godly habits that will build extraordinary outcomes…life-changing outcomes. Visit lordoflife.org/faithfullyfit for guidelines and to register.

Making the decision is the spark that ignites action! Action is spending 15 minutes a day with Christ! By making a commitment to this ONE goal, your day becomes Christ-centered and love-powered…that is life changing! be

active for the

purpose of

godliness

We are called to be champions for Christ—our goal is to love God and others the way God loves us every day. We can only do that through Christ. Each day we are given many opportunities to respond like Christ in our everyday situations by choosing what decision is most important in God’s eyes and then by being obedient to that choice. Your relationship and passion for Christ will deepen and you will be filled with joy as you honor Him with your godly choices. This takes time, effort, discipline, and perseverance, so isn’t now the perfect time to make 1% of your day with Christ a non-negotiable priority… it’s time to get fit for Christ—FaithfullyFIT!

If you have questions regarding the FaithfullyFIT 40-day Journey, there will be a 30-minute informational session on Saturday, January 12 at 9 am in the Theater. If you are unable to attend the informational session or would like to contact Beth directly, she may be reached at beth@lifefit-coach.com or 763.229.4896. See Page 13 for information on the FaithfullyFIT Family Edition.

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Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

spirit SESSION 3 Week of January 13 - Week of February 10 SUNDAY MORNING 8:30 1. Prayer School Pastoral Associate Karen Greimel and Larry Pivec 2. I Don’t Have Time to Talk with God David Chase 9:45 1. Minor Prophets but a Major Message, Part 1 Pastor David Lippitt 2. Called to be Disciples!

Gehry and Jan Sower 11:00 1. Adult Confirmation/Lutheranism, Part 1 Pastor Karen Geisendorfer-Lindgren and Ina Barton 2. Exercise Daily...Walk with the Lord Beth Kanthak SUNDAY EVENING 6:00 The Marriage Course - 10 Weeks to a Better Marriage, Part 1 Pastor Karen Geisendorfer-Lindgren and Pastor Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren TUESDAY EVENING 6:45 What Can We Learn from the Wayward Women of the Bible?

Wendy Showalter WEDNESDAY EVENING 6:30 Tough Questions of Life and Faith Pastor Todd Buegler 7:30 Minor Prophets but a Major Message, Part 1 Pastor David Lippitt

Happy New Year

by Donna Rohrer

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e have been so pleased with the interest in L5. So many people have taken the opportunity to try a class. Now a new session is about to start. We hope that you will try a class and see how it can enrich your life and strengthen your faith.

Sign up for a five-week session and you can check off a resolution. (You can write the resolution after the session and then note that you have stayed with it for five weeks!) There are so many topics to choose from and if something doesn’t grab you, look at Session 4 or 5. We also would like to hear topics that you are interested in as we plan for next year.

Remember, Life Long Learning is for all of us. The world changes, our children ask questions, the years pass by, but God is always a constant presence. And God wants you to be learning and growing and sharing and worshiping with your brothers and sisters here at Lord of Life.

So SIGN UP! Take the step and join us. Keep the excitement going as we begin 2013. God’s power and peace to you in this new year.

For more information about L5 classes and instructors as well as Sessions 4 and 5, please visit lordoflife.org/L5.

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

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spirit

Lord of Life Lives Christ Together baptisms

bereavements

November 3

Avery Grace Dahl

Sophie Elizabeth Thompson

Prayers of sympathy for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one; may they be comforted in the promise of the resurrection.

November 4

Joel Daniel Welter

Chris Blake and family at the death of his grandmother

November 7

Manijeh Haghayeghi

George Centko and family at the death of his father

November 10

Aiden James Hosker November 11

Brynna Lea Cordes

Ainsley LuAnn French-Rosson

Elizabeth Ann Ibarra Amador

Hudson Paul LeClair

Ryder Alan Smith November 18

Ellie Mae Cahill

Elsa Ann Lorenz

Case Raymond Vershum

Diana Curtiss and family at the death of her father-in-law

November 25

Avaya Jacquelyn Bahen

Jacob Mark Spaude

November 3 Alissa Nelson & Brent Krause

welcome to new members Shell & Lorry Anderson Sandy Cornelius Jamie & Tara Gualdoni

Shelly Dill and family at the death of her mother

James Lindquist & Lindsey Niesen

Rick Haagenson Bradley Linnell & Dana AndersonLinnell with Taylor Hinton and Jaide Linnell

Jeremy Jordet and family at the death of his mother

Mark & Roxanne Robinson with Caleb

Dana LaPlante and family at the death of her father

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 & its programs financially.

Contact Lori Schwartz or Karen Klevar or visit lordoflife.org/newmembers for more information. You are invited to become a part of the Lord of Life family of faith.

Dave Linde and family at the death of his mother

At Lord of Life, we baptize individuals at any age. The next baptism class is on Saturday, January 12, from 10-11 am; no preregistration is necessary. To schedule a baptism, please call the church office.

weddings

Judy Curtiss, Meredith & Michael and family at the death of their husband and father

Lynda Hawkinson and family at the death of her mother

November 24

Cienna Charleen Christie

Deb Sundin and family at the death of her mother

Nick Omeish and family at the death of his mother Sue Simonett and family at the death of her mother Patrick Spence and family at the death of his sister

Tom & Carolyn Seidner

Ed Stec and family at the death of his father

Would you like to share an original photo or artwork or poetry or a God moment with your Lord of Life faith family? We would love to share it in a future issue as space allows; you are encouraged to contact LifeTIMES Editor Bev Mello.

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Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

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Counseling Services at Lord of Life

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utheran Social Service Metro Counseling and Family Resources is pleased to announce the provision of counseling services at Lord of Life. Beginning in December, counseling services will be available on Fridays.

Duane Bjerke, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), is a mental health professional with experience working in both clinic and in-home settings. In addition to providing individual, couple, and family therapy, Duane has extensive experience in collaborating with parish teams. He currently provides counseling at Faith Lutheran, Coon Rapids, and Westwood Lutheran, St. Louis Park, as well as the Lutheran Social Service (LSS) Center for Changing Lives, Minneapolis.

Duane obtained his master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Argosy University. He is a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, and the National Registry of Marriage-Friendly Therapists. To schedule an appointment with Duane at Lord of Life, please call 612.879.5320. Questions? Feel free to visit lsscounseling.org.

Save the dates: February 22 from 7-9 pm and February 23 from 9 am-4 pm

Rekindle the Fire:

strategies to nurture the spark in couples’ relationships

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his seminar is for couples at any stage of their relationship who struggle with finding resolution to their points of disconnection. It is most helpful with couples who wish to establish a more secure emotional connection with one another, but find themselves at an impasse in certain key moments.

This program will help you and your partner to move away from cycles of conflict, increase emotional responsiveness, and rekindle desire and affection.

Couples will learn about: • romantic attachment style • three stages of a relationship • managing conflict • communication: couple dialogues • intimacy and sexuality • mindfulness techniques for couples

Via de Cristo

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ia de Cristo is a spiritual retreat.

It is designed to strengthen and renew your faith and to bring you a new awareness of living in God’s grace. You will live in community with other Christians for three days.

Activities include worship with communion, singing, listening to talks, reflecting, laughing, sharing, eating, and sleeping. The first set of Via de Cristo weekends for 2013 will be held on January 17-20 for men and on January 2427 for women. This would be a great way to start the new year. Please contact Tony and Diane Sjolander at 763.494.3433 or Merle and Michelle Waldron at 763.420.5388 for more information or to get an application. Applications for the January weekend are being accepted now.

The seminar will include mini-presentations and structured periods of interaction between partners. No one is required to share any personal experiences with the group. Cost is $25 per couple for materials and meals/snacks. The registration deadline is February 20. Dates for this couples seminar are February 22 from 7-9 pm and February 23 from 9 am-4 pm held here at Lord of Life. Facilitators for the day will be Pastor David and Linda Lippitt. Dr. Lippitt is a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice. He and Linda have been married for 42 years and have experienced the power of these principles in their marriage. Questions? Please contact Pastor David.

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

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generosity

november 2012 budget year-to-date Actual

Budget Difference

Total member contributions $2,611,536 $2,590,589

$20,947

All other

($2,300)

Total receipts

$188,216 $190,516 $2,799,752 $2,781,105

$18,647

Be Generous with Your Time in the New Year 4G network Many thanks to all who have completed your financial pledges.

If you have not turned in your pledge yet, there is still time to plan your giving for 2013. Pledge cards may be returned to the church office or completed online at lordoflife.org/ generosity.

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ith the New Year now upon us, it’s a great time to evaluate how you’re spending your time. Are you sharing your gifts with those around you? Are you spending too much time in activities that don’t bring you joy? Are you giving back to the communities that support you? Maybe it’s time to try something new. Here are ten ways to be generous with your time at Lord of Life:





Influence a child and grow in your faith - lead a small group for Church School

Build relationships with young people - be a one-time chaperone for Club 56 or other youth activities such as: Release Day, AWOL mission trip, skip trip, Jr. High Ultimate Lock-in

 



 

 



Prepare the elements for the sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism - serve on the Altar Team

Take a behind-the-scenes role in preparing for worship - print the worship bulletins weekly Share your gift of hospitality – help in the kitchen on Sunday, Tuesday or Wednesday evenings or for funerals Make a difference in the life of a child with special needs - be a Buddy for Ministry of Inclusion Serve others by providing transportation to events - be an occasional bus driver Help provide a great worship experience for everyone - participate as a member of a Worship Team one time per month as an usher, greeter, reader, or server Explore what faith means with a group of teens - be a C3 (Confirmation) small group leader Provide a warm and welcoming experience for those with questions – assist at the Welcome Desk in the narthex

Visit lordoflife.org/generosity to connect with any of these opportunities. May God bless your new experiences!

Lord of Life Weekly Giving — November 2012

congregational meeting

Sunday, January 27 at 12:15 pm in Fellowship Hall to discuss 2013 budget and the pastoral call of Karen Greimel.

You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. —2 Corinthians 9:11

$90,000 $80,000 $70,000 $60,000 $50,000 $40,000 $30,000

finance staff Colleen Anderson, Finance Director, x103, colleen@lordoflife.org Lenora Little, Finance & Stewardship Assistant, x139, lenoral@lordoflife.org Sandie Saar, Finance Assistant, x101, sandie@lordoflife.org

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$20,000 $10,000 $0

11/4 11/11 11/18 11/25

Actual $85,877 $51,274 $69,932 $83,579 Budget $59,665 $59,665 $59,665 $59,665

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

Mittens on a Mission

adult

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o you have old wool sweaters that are still in great shape, just out of style or the wrong size? Donate them to Lord of Life’s new ministry, Mittens on a Mission.

Sweaters should be about 80% wool. They will be washed and shrunk and then made into mittens to be distributed to individuals who are homeless. Drop off your clean sweaters in the Service Center. Be sure to look for the clearly marked bins. Watch for more information in February’s LifeTIMES on how you can help make mittens. Questions? Contact Michelle Welinski.

Consider the Stats

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ord of Life’s ministry is much more than numbers yet sometimes the numbers can tell a story of faith foundation and continuing spiritual growth. For instance in 2012 consider these statistics—36 funerals/celebration of life services, 43 weddings, and 180 baptisms (through December 2) were held at Lord of Life. And here’s more: • 36 families/138 people were at the Kalahari family retreat in November • 814 Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box gifts were contributed • 180 fifth graders received Holy Communion for the first time in April • 138 third graders received The Adventure Bible on Reformation Weekend in October • 97 two- and three-year-olds received My Good Night Bible of family devotions • 63 parents and kids learned about bullying in October through Growing Families of Faith • Over 1,100 kids registered for Church School in September

Quarterly Breakfast

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lan now to attend the REAL Men’s Quarterly Breakfast on January 19 from 7:30-9 am. Our guest speaker that morning will be Duane Bjerke from Lutheran Social Service (see article on Page 7). Duane will lead us in a discussion on the timely topic: Identifying and Managing Your Anger. How we manage anger is critical to our health and wellbeing—physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational. As always, a freewill offering will be taken for the breakfast. In order to plan accordingly for food, we need participants to register by January 16 at lordoflife.org/ breakfastregistration. For more information, contact Pastor David.

• 168 youth affirmed baptismal promises during confirmation services • 10,205 pounds of fresh produce from LifeGARDEN was donated to our local foodshelf • 4,350 sandwiches were made for individuals who are homeless

May we reflect on all of these 2012 facts as an active, living faith statement within our Lord of Life family.

adult ministries Jane Bergstrom, Administrative Assistant, x142, janeb@lordoflife.org Karen Nelson, Administrative Assistant, x138, karenn@lordoflife.org Michelle Welinski, Missions/Ministries/Pastoral Care/Wedding Supervisor, x118, michellew@lordoflife.org

one mission one world jamaica italian dinner On Saturday, January 5, from 6:30-8 pm, come join us in Fellowship Hall for a delicious Italian meal of soup, salad, pasta buffet and dessert. Your freewill donation will be used to purchase daily care items for our Jamaica partners West Haven Children’s Home, Clifton Boys Home and medical ministries. “a touch, a prayer, a meal, a mission”

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

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adult

...older, wiser, or Lutheran?

Even if you are not, you will be warmly welcomed at all of the OWLs’ events.

Sign up for all activities is on the bulletin board near the hospitality desk in the narthex. Visit lordoflife.org/owls for more photos as well as stories of recent events. Questions about this vibrant seniors’ American Swedish Institute ministry? Contact Joyce November 15 or Gordy Martin directly at grjsmartin@embarqmail. com or 763.497.7355.

Annual Christmas Party on December 6 featuring the Benson Family Singers

january events Thursday, January 10: Lunch and a Movie beginning at noon in Fellowship Hall. Freewill donation lunch plus popcorn during movie.

Thursday, January 17: See Perfect Wedding at the Old Log Theatre.

Cost of transportation, lunch, and play is $39.

Leave church at 11 am.

Friday, January 25: Service project at 9:30 am labeling LifeTIMES. Fellowship along with coffee and treats!

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Join in with the OWLs on Thursday, February 7—

OWLs’ Save the Date: Thursday, March 21

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Capitol & Raptor Center 101 Market

ear stories about the capitol’s history, architecture and art. See the government chambers and walk to the quadriga, the golden horses, on the roof of the capitol, weather permitting.

And at the Raptor Center, a raptor education specialist will help us explore the different raptors found in Minnesota and their role in the environment. Learn the three key features of all raptors and why they are different from other birds. Learn about The Raptor Center and its important role in protecting raptors and the world we share. Lunch will be on your own at D’Amico Café. The cost is $14; we will leave Lord of Life at 10 am and return about 4 pm.

et ready for spring by planting your own 12-16” pot with instructions from the gardening experts at the 101 Market. Bring your own pot; soil will be provided; you pay for only the garden plants that you use. The pots will be stored at the greenhouse until mid-May when you can pick them up and put them outside. The cost is $2; we’ll leave church at 10 am and return about 2:30 pm. Lunch is on your own at Rockwoods Grill.

It was a power sandwich service project—600 sandwiches in 30 minutes— thanks to Michelle & Merle Waldron for heading it up!

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

Celebrate Recovery

adult

by Michelle Welinski

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ood news! You can start Celebrate Recovery at ANY point in the year. But for those who like to “start at the beginning” (which by the way is “a very good place to start”), we will begin our study of Step 1 on January 8. In Step 1 we learn what it means when we say, “We admitted we were powerless over our compulsive behaviors or hurts and that our lives had become unmanageable.”

Denial is a crazy thing. We can actually live there for quite a while. For many of us it is uncomfortable, but it is familiar. And that familiarity is what stops us from seeking the courage and support of others to change. Denial does many things to us. Read through the list and see if any of these symptoms of denial speak to you.

D E N I A L

isable our feelings. When we repress our feelings we freeze our emotions. nergy lost. A side effect of denial is our anxiety over the situation. Anxiety causes us to waste precious time and energy running from our past and worrying about the future. egates growth. We are as sick as our secrets. We do not grow in recovery until we are ready to step out of our denial into truth.

emergency foodshelf network Volunteer to sort or package food at EFN on January 14 at 7 pm in New Hope. C3ers—you can earn service hours!

Sign up at lordoflife. org/efn or contact Jane Bergstrom.

solates us from God. God’s light shines on the truth. Our denial keeps us stuck in the dark. lienates us from our relationships. We think we are “getting away with things.”

Our relationships are not real and authentic. engthens the pain. We have a false belief that denial protects us from our pain. In reality, denial allows our pain to fester and grow and turn into shame and guilt.

I don’t know about you but the last one really spoke to me—who wants their pain lengthened? God tells us in Jeremiah 6:14, “You can’t heal a wound by saying it’s not there!” Step out of denial and into God’s unconditional love and grace. Your life will be forever changed!

Celebrate Recovery meets every Tuesday night beginning at 6 pm with dinner, followed by worship, teaching, and small groups. There is programming for children and teens through Celebration Station and the landing, as well as Childcare for children under age 5. For more information, please contact Michelle.

women’s cancer support ministry We will be meeting back at Byerly’s in Maple Grove for our January 7 meeting.

If you’ve been newly diagnosed and would like to talk, we would love to connect with you. Feel free to contact Jessica Nord at nordj@me.com or 763.494.9469 or Jayne DeGroote at degroote@comcast.net or 763-670-9060. God bless!

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

word for women God is calling you… ring in the New Year with an eye for love!

Starting Wednesday, January 2 at 9:30 am, Word for Women will be studying Francis Chan’s book, Crazy Love. God is calling you into a passionate love relationship with Him, how will you answer?

For more information, contact Karen Nelson.

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children youth family

Sr. High Sundays!

Every Sunday at Lord of Life, sr. highers gather for worship, hanging out, having fun and talking about Jesus.

7 pm is Ecclesia worship then 7:30 pm is Express sr. high youth group time.

Sundays @ 7 pm Wednesdays @ 6 pm

Facebook & Faith Formation

by Elizabeth Pedersen, Senior High Ministry

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t’s true, people spend many, many hours mindlessly perusing Facebook (I’m guilty of it myself), but is that all it’s good for? I’d argue no. With the way social media and technology have infiltrated our lives, along with the advancements made in connecting with people virtually, I think we’re moving away from the idea that the only way to have a meaningful interaction with someone is in person. Yes, it’s always better to talk face-to-face, but within the current realities of our culture, what a blessing it is to have more options!

Facebook specifically has the ability to not only supplement and enrich our relationships, but our ministry as well. The Lord of Life Sr. High Youth Facebook page is a case in point! Over the last few years, the page has existed more as an information center—reminders of dates, announcements about trips, etc. This year, we’ve tried to be more intentional about using the page as a faith formation tool.

We’ll post Bible verses, questions on a certain topic and, of course, some silly stuff as well with the goal of providing an additional connection to our community of faith.

One of the most notable additions to our page this year is Pastor Todd’s Questions. He has a long list of questions from youth who attended our 10th grade retreat this past fall; he has been answering them one-by-one on Facebook. Questions range in topic, but each of them tackles an idea or issue that our youth, and probably some adults as well :), are wondering about. Each time he posts an answer, Pastor Todd receives responses from youth who either have comments or more questions about what he said. How amazing is that?! Facebook: a faith formation tool.

Who knew?

Hey, senior highers—find us on facebook.com/lolsrhigh!

Come be a part of this time when we explore stories that Jesus told and wanted us to learn lessons from— January 6, 13, 27 Start with worship from 7-7:30 pm then fun, lesson, devotion, group game and challenge question from 7:30-8:30 pm

J-Term Classes for C3

January 6 and 9: Speaker Hans Wiersma, Crazy Talk. This class is going to be about the not-so-stuffy way of talking about theological words.

January 13 and 16: Speaker Karen Stevenson, When Stuff Goes Wrong? When things happen in our life and it seems to have no end. How do we deal with these circumstances and use our faith as a tool to cope?

January 27 and 30: Mike Endres, Science and Faith. Connecting Science and Faith.

ski retreats

Registration is open for both the sr. high (February 14-18) and jr. high (February 15-17) ski retreats. For more details and to register, visit lordoflife.org/jrhighskiretreat or lordoflife. org/shskiretreat. Questions? Contact Elizabeth or Raul.

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ultimate lock in

Hey junior highers—come to the lock-in on Friday, January 18, 2013 from 10 pm-6 am. Cost is $25 plus a canned food item. Deadline for sign-up is Sunday, January 13 at 11:59 pm. It’s at the Maple Grove Community Center with swimming pool, ice skating, great music, inflatable games, laser tag, karaoke, dodgeball tourney, dance, movies, food, and more!

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

children children youth youth family family

Let’s Go Skating...and More!

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inter Release Day is Monday, January 21 from 9 am– 4:30 pm. Cost is $20 and bring a bag lunch. Children in grades 1-6 are invited to go ice skating at the Maple Grove Community Center. We will have the rink to ourselves and skate rentals are provided. We will also see a magic show about prayer and winter, do a winter craft, and have fun hanging out with our friends at Lord of Life! Please register at lordoflife.org/releaseday or in the CYF office downstairs.

after school program

The winter semester of Lord of Life’s After School Program begins on Tuesday, January 15. This faith-based after school program includes drama, science, cooking, games, and more for all children in grades 1-4. Busing is provided for Basswood and Rush Creek Elementary schools. Parent pick up is at or before 6 pm. More information and registration is at lordoflife.org/asp. Questions?

Contact Julie.

1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

club 56 Club 56 is for all 5th and 6th graders and their friends. February’s event will be snow tubing on February 20 at Elm Creek Park! Cost is $18 and check-in is 4:30 pm with pick-up is 8 pm. Visit lordoflife.org/club56 for more details and to register. Registration will be closed on Thursday, February 7. Save the date for March 28 and Brunswick Zone—more details to come. Questions? Ask Clancy!

Club 56 at the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis bringing blankets, breakfast bags and pop tabs to help support families.

FaithfullyFIT

Family Edition

Join in on Sunday, January 13 at 5 pm for families with kids from birth through grade 6 for the FaithfullyFIT Family Edition.

5-6 pm: Freewill offering dinner will be provided in Fellowship Hall.

6-7 pm: FaithfullyFIT presentation by Beth Kanthak in which kids and parents can discuss, interact, move about, etc.

Modeling is a great way to show families how easy it can be! Visit lordoflife.org/gff for more details and to register for this event.

See article on Page 4 for more information about Lord of Life’s FaithfullyFIT 40-day journey.

children youth family (cyf) Amanda Clancy (“Clancy”), Grades 5-6, x106, amandac@lordoflife.org Kirstin Delp, Early Childhood and Childcare, x113, kirstind@lordoflife.org Raul Garcia III, AiM, Confirmation (C3) and Grades 7-9, x121, raul@lordoflife.org Julie Hagen, AiM, Grades 1-4, x129, julieh@lordoflife.org Heather Hjelmstad, Ministry of Inclusion, x143, heatherh@lordoflife.org Lynn Leisen, Faith in the Home, x107, lynnl@lordoflife.org Elizabeth Pedersen, Grades 10-12, x130, elizabethp@lordoflife.org Pennie Soppeland, CYF Support, x132, pennies@lordoflife.org Debbie Zaic, CYF Office Manager and Registrar, x128, debz@lordoflife.org

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

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children youth family

January Book Pick: “Ten, Nine, Eight“

by Molly Bang

A New Year’s resolution for your family—

Childcare

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hildcare is offered at many Lord of Life programs, events, and worship services! Lord of Life’s Childcare is a safe, welcoming, and clean environment staffed by trained and screened team members. During all regular worship times, Childcare is available for children ages birth through 3 years old. As part of Childcare during worship, children experience stories and songs that nurture their faith. During other events, Childcare is offered for children ages birth–6th grade.

Resources and activities are available for all ages of children. Please call the church office to confirm the availability of Childcare during any event at Lord of Life.

Questions? Visit lordoflife.org/childcare or contact Kirstin Delp.

Got Five Minutes?

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ry this faith building, family building exercise for a week. It just may change your life! Take five minutes each day to do the following five steps: 1. Share the best thing about your day. (Do you have time to share the worst, too?)

2. Read a verse from the Bible aloud. Start with Joshua 1:9. (Or choose ANY verse.)

3. Discuss the verse. What does it mean?

Listen to each family member.

4. Pray together. The Lord’s Prayer. Your bedtime prayer. Your mealtime grace if you’re at the dinner table. Any prayer.

5. Bless each other. Hold hands and say, “God bless our family.” Or make the sign of the cross on each other’s foreheads and say, “God loves you and so do I.”

January Bible Verse: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

Count down to bedtime with this award-winning book about important nighttime rituals from pj’s to good-night kisses.

Registration for the 2013-14 school year begins on Monday, January 7 at 8 am for currently enrolled families.

Alumni families may register on Wednesday, January 9 at 8 am. Open enrollment for the general public begins on Monday, January 14 at 8 am. For more information, please call or email Karing Kingdom.

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Happy New Year!

by Angie Schiebel, Director of Karing Kingdom Preschool

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nd happy January 2013! We begin our month with the wonders of winter, using the letter ‘W’. Next, we saddle up our bucking broncos as we lasso the letter ‘R’ for rodeo. An all-school picnic on January 22 featuring WonderWeaver Storytellers is followed up by Pajama Days.

Don’t forget to wear your pj’s! We round out our month with the letter ‘O’ as we travel around “Our Big World”. A special trip to the Maple Grove library is also in store for our preschool friends.

karing kingdom preschool Angie Schiebel, Director, x127, kingdom@lordoflife.org Teachers: Jennifer Ellingson, Maureen Murphy Hanson, Carly Tappe

Dragon puppet fun in Karing Kingdom!

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

contact us WEB lordoflife.org PHONE 763.420.5015 FACEBOOK facebook.com/lordoflifelutheran ADDRESS 7401 County Road 101, Maple Grove, MN 55311-4313 PRAYER NETWORK prayernetwork@lordoflife.org FAX 763.420.7286 Visit lordoflife.org/lolstaff for more specific contact information plus photos of all Lord of Life staff.

1978 Lord of Life Lutheran Church Charter (ELCA) Lord of Life is a community of people called together by God’s Holy Spirit who confess Christ as Lord. We wish to be a church whose door is open to all people. And with the guidance of the Holy Spirit we will strive to educate, comfort, aid and spread the word of love in Christ’s name. We believe worship is of most importance in our life together as we receive God’s love through Word and Sacrament. We will be involved with seeking justice in our community, state, nation, and world. We hold high the dignity and worth of every human being as created in God’s image and forgiven in Christ. We hope to be a serving church, in the name of Him who came as Servant of all.

Looking Ahead at Lord of Life in 2013 january 1: Tuesday, New Year’s Day 5: Mission Jamaica Italian Dinner (see Page 9) 10: OWLs Lunch and a Movie 12: FaithfullyFIT Information Meeting (see Page 4) 13: Growing Families of Faith: FaithfullyFIT Family Edition (see Page 13) 17: OWLs Old Log Theater 18: Jr. High Ultimate Lock-in 19: Men’s Quarterly Breakfast (see Page 9) 19-26: 1M1W (One Mission One World) Dominican Republic 21: Winter Release Day (see Page 16) 21: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 26-Feb. 2: 1M1W Dominican Republic 27: Congregational Meeting (see Page 8) february 7: OWLs Valentine party “Hearts and Humor” 13: Ash Wednesday 14: Thursday, Valentine’s Day 14-18: Sr. High Ski Retreat 15-17: Jr. High Ski Retreat 16: Lenten Prayer Experience 18: President’s Day 21: Thursday Midweek Lenten Worship 21: OWLs Capitol and Raptor Center (article Page 10) 22/23: Rekindle the Fire couples seminar (article Page 7) 28: Thursday Midweek Lenten Worship march 7: Thursday Midweek Lenten Worship 7: OWLs “Sing Away the Winter” 14: Thursday Midweek Lenten Worship

16/18: First Communion Festival for Fifth Graders 16-23: 1M1W Jamaica Week 1 21: Thursday Midweek Lenten Worship 21: OWLs 101 Market (see Page 10) 23/24: Palm Saturday/Palm Sunday 23-30: 1M1W Jamaica Week 2 29: Good Friday 30/31: Easter Saturday Vigil/Easter Sunday

7-12: Jr. High Camp Week 8-11: Preschool VBS Week 2 10-11: Jr. High Summer Stretch 13-24: Sr. High AWOL 2 17-18: Jr. High Summer Stretch 19: Relay for Life 22-25: Grades 1-6 VBS Week 1 24-25: Jr. High Summer Stretch 29-Aug 1: Grades 1-6 VBS Week 2

april 4-7: Inspired Images Retreat 6-7: First Communion for Fifth Graders 12-14: Jr. High Youthquake 20: Men’s Quarterly Breakfast

august 1: Summer Stretch Valleyfair 2-4: Family Camp at Shores of St. Andrew 5-8: Grades 1-6 VBS Week 3

may 12: Mother’s Day 27: Memorial Day june 1: CYF Fun Run/Walk 10-14: Grades 1-4 Adventure Camp 12-13: Jr. High Summer Stretch 14-24: Sr. High A Work of Love (AWOL) Trip 1 15-30: 1M1W Tanzania 16: Father’s Day 16-22: Jr. High Mission Trip 19-20: Jr. High Summer Stretch 24-27: Preschool Vacation Bible School (VBS) Week 1 26-27: Jr. High Summer Stretch july 4: Thursday, Fourth of July 7-12: Elementary Camp-Grades 1-3 half week/ Grades 3-5 full week

september 2: Labor Day 7/8: Rally Weekend - Church School Begins october 26/27: Reformation Weekend/Confirmation Services/Third Grade Bibles november 8: Armed Forces Recognition during worship 11: Veterans Day 15: Veterans Appreciation Dinner sponsored by the Military Family Support Ministry 27: Thanksgiving Eve Worship 28: Thanksgiving Day december 24: Tuesday, Christmas Eve 25: Wednesday, Christmas Day

Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a

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LifeTIMES is a monthly ministry of Lord of Life Lutheran Church (ELCA) printed

by Wallace Carlson using ecofriendly inks. To receive LifeTIMES in the mail or electronically—call 763.420.5015 or stop in the main church office or email office@lordoflife.org with your name and address. We invite you to share faith stories, Lord of Life ministry events, photos, poetry & artwork. Submissions may be edited. The deadline for the February issue is January 1.

Copyright © 2012 Lord of Life Lutheran Church

caught reading lifetimes

Mary and Gary Prazich are caught reading LifeTIMES after visiting the Vatican in Rome, Italy.

Klara Zimmerman (95 years old) and Danny Petrie at Alango Cemetery in northern Minnesota. Klara’s son, Todd, found this rock on his Lake Vermillion property; the Alango Town Board wanted it at the cemetery entrance. People ask how the cross was made to stand out of the rock, and he says, “We didn’t do this, God did this!”

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Januar y 2013 “For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a