Inspire: Growth

INSPIRE GROWTH

School Back TO SUPPLIES

Each year just before school begins, both Interfaith Outreach (in the local community) and Messiah Lutheran (in Minneapolis’ Phillips neighborhood) distribute school supplies to children in need. Donated items should be dropped off in the Fellowship Hall of St. Philip the Deacon by Sunday, August 11. Email serve@spdlc.org with any questions.

Items Needed

Backpacks HEAVY DUTY, SOLID COLORS

Loose-Leaf Paper

Spiral Notebooks

Markers & Crayons

Pocket Folders

Calculators

Flash Drives

3-Ring Binders

Colored Pencils

Watercolors

Highlighters

Glue & Glue Sticks

Pens & Pencils

Socks

Underwear

Gift Cards for Haircuts

INSPIRE

Vol. 6 , Issue 4 , Summer 2024

Published by St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church 17205 County Road 6 Plymouth, MN 55447 (763) 475-7100

editor in chief

Tim Westermeyer managing editor

Amanda Berger design

Malley Design staff writers

Cheryl Mathison contributors

Cindy Carlson, Nancy Carlson, Beth Dudycha, Renee Putnam, Cheryl Mathison, Mark Schmid

website spdlc.org/inspire

email editorial aberger@spdlc.org on the cover

Photo by Taisiia Shestopal

©2024 St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church. All rights reserved.

submissions

Do you have an idea for a story or love to write? Contact our managing editor with your submission, but please keep in mind the following guidelines:

(A) Your article may be edited for length and content. (B) Articles must fit in the larger themes of our publication and reflect the mission of St. Philip the Deacon. (C) All submissions will be reviewed by our editorial staff to determine the suitability for our publication.

While we would love to include all submissions, space and cost limit our ability to do that. Submissions will not be returned.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

“What do you make of this?

A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn’t put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.”

MATTHEW 13:3-8

program year at SPD, where I was richly blessed by the Women’s Retreat, our Taste and See class, and another year of Holy Grounds and YogaFaith classes.

The summer stretches ahead. I have a couple new projects beginning, but right now I’m feeling a spaciousness and sense of fulfillment. I feel like my roots are sunk deep into fertile soil and I’m eagerly waiting to see what will grow.

What I know from my training as a spiritual director—and from my own observations in 20 years of ministry—is that spiritual growth rarely looks like we expect it to. It is cyclical and meandering. The path of our journey with God is full of more loops and turns than straight lines, and truly that’s a beautiful thing if we are willing to trust God and lean into the journey.

Irecently learned about Google’s “20% Project.” As I understand it, it allows a worker to spend 20 percent (one day a week) at work to cultivate a side project or learn new skills—may be of personal interest that could be tangential to the work they do. This creates space for creativity and growth, leading to new ideas and initiatives.

I’ve been doing that my whole career—and I only just realized that it had a name! From prioritizing girls’ ministry to yoga teacher training, to pursuing my spiritual direction certification, these “20% Projects” have turned into a life of evolving ministry and passion for my work here at St. Philip the Deacon.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what comes next. In April, I wrapped up my spiritual direction certification course. I survived the first year of parenting a middle schooler—no small feat; I see you middle school parents! We’re wrapping up a busy

In this issue, I pray that you find inspiring ways to grow in your own faith—and to support one another as you are drawn deeper into relationship with God. What does faith look like throughout childhood? Learn about stages of faith development on pg. 10. I am fascinated by the potential for growth as SPD continues to lean into our call to form disciples in our digital campus—which Beth Dudycha shares on pg. 14 . I also loved hearing from confirmation guides about how companioning our middle school students has shaped their own faith (pg. 24).

In what ways is Jesus present to you in this growing season? How is he cultivating the “good earth” of your heart? What does the “harvest beyond his wildest dreams” look like for you?

CLUB

The SPD Book Club does not meet throughout the summer months, so here are three books that will challenge your mind and engage your faith. Perfect for those lazy afternoons in the hammock or by the lake!

By Michelle Huneven

MADE TO GROW SCRIPTURE CONNECTION

BY CHERYL MATHISON

First, I invite you to take out a piece of paper and write down at least 10 of your spiritual practices. Now that you have that list, make a second list of as many ways you can think of that you nurture your soul. What kinds of things do you do to refresh your spirit?

If you are like the participants in author and workshop leader Jane Vennard’s classes, you might have been unable to come up with more than five for the first prompt but easily named 20 or more for the second. Her conclusion: Our understanding of spiritual practices and what they are needs to be broadened.

Ways people nurture their souls include walking the dog, exercising, baking bread, coffee with a friend, listening to music, gardening, playing with the grandchildren, and even chopping wood. When asked to consider whether any of these soul nourishing activities were spiritual practices, participants initially sat in stunned silence. Then, as they considered this possibility, the discussion grew animated as they began to see that any of those things that nurtured their souls could, in fact, be a spiritual practice.

As a child I learned one way to pray: head bowed, hands folded, eyes closed and words memorized. Over the years, having been introduced to different postures for prayer, spontaneous prayer, praying in color, lectio divina, and prayer while walking, to name

a few, my understanding of how to pray has grown and expanded significantly. Perhaps you can tell a similar story about prayer, or about how to worship, or what makes a conversation holy.

A seminary professor surveyed pastors and congregants about the holy places in the church building. Pastors typically identified the sanctuary, the altar, the pulpit and the baptismal font as holy and sacred. No surprises there.

But congregants? Their number one answer: the church parking lot! It is a place where open and honest conversation happens after a meeting, after Bible study or after worship. For them, that was the epitome of sacred.

Broadening our understanding of what constitutes a spiritual practice may encourage and invite growth and transformation in the ways we tend to our faith. Vennard writes in her book Fully Awake and Truly Alive that the definition of a spiritual practice is “those ways of seeing and being in the world that help us wake up and become fully, truly alive.”

This summer, be awakened to the many things you do that draw you into the presence of God. And if you should want to explore and experience a variety of spiritual practices, consider dropping in to our Holy Grounds class beginning September 16. Holy Grounds meets Mondays at 9:45 a.m., begins with coffee, ends with conversation, and in the middle we tend to our souls.

Search

Decision Making & Spiritual Discernment:

The Sacred Art of Finding Your Way

By Nancy Bieber

Joan

By Katherine J. Chen

Faith & Life

While we take a break from our Faith & Life Lecture Series during the summer months, it does give you the chance to catch up with past lectures—or listen again to one that inspired you many months ago. Our 2023-2024 speakers were amazing, so we invite you to revisit conversations with Mark Birch, Tori Hope Petersen, Margaret Feinberg, Allen Hilton and Kevin O’Connell. With our media archive (which goes back to 2008!), you can hear each lecture at your own pace, from downloadable podcasts and video recordings.

Catch up with these inspirational voices as you drive to the cabin, walk along the lakeshore or putter in the garden. Archives and podcast links can be found at faith-and-life. org/media-livestream/.

Read

QUEEN’S GAMBIT

By Elizabeth Fremantle. Divorced.

Beheaded. Survived. This is the historical fiction retelling of the story of Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII. Parr

navigates political secrets and religious upheaval, ultimately surviving Henry’s reign and finding love of her own.

LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY Watch

Apple TV, MA. This challenging and emotional limited series follows the career of Elizabeth Zott, chemist and reluctant TV star, as she navigates career,

love, motherhood and social change in 1950s and 1960s California. A faithful screen adaptation of the NYT Bestseller by Bonnie Garmus.

Listen TRACTUS

By Arvo Pärt. Named one of the best classical albums of 2023, this choral collection features the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Tallinn Chamber

Orchestra. Haunting and uplifting, the ambient sounds soothe mind, heart and spirit.

BY TIM WESTERMEYER

I’m writing this just a week or so after the conclusion of this past season’s Faith & Life series— which ended with Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell reflecting on servant leadership from a Christian perspective.

I’d commend that talk to you, but I’d also commend all of the other talks from the season, which included an inside look at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the Coronation of Charles III, an exploration of what it means to be a beloved child of God even when you haven’t had a stable family growing up, a conversation about how we stay connected in an increasingly polarized culture, and—maybe most important for this issue of Inspire —a conversation about food in the Bible.

Second, she shared that, contrary to our expectations, the best and most flavorful grapes are grown not in nutrient-rich soil which makes growth easy, but rather in soil that is hard and difficult. This forces the roots of the plant to go deep for nutrients, which strengthens the grapevine and results in the best grapes. Reminder to us: Maybe we can reframe how we think about challenges and difficulties in our lives—recognizing that perhaps God can use them to create something beautiful.

In her talk about Faith & Food, Margaret Feinberg focused on a couple of food items commonly found in the Bible—grapes and olives. The whole talk is, as I say, definitely worth a listen, but given that this issue is about “Growth,” I’ll just lift up a few quick points she shared about vines and branches and grapes. Jesus, most famously, draws our attention to this as a metaphor for the life of faith in John 15.

First, she shared that vines require pruning. This may seem painful or negative—God harming or cutting or taking something away. As Feinberg points out, though, the point of pruning, which is actually a very focused and gentle procedure, is to maximize the growth of the healthiest grapes—allowing them to get the sun and rain and nutrients they need to flourish and thrive. Reminder to us: Maybe our own lives need periodic pruning, too.

Finally, she shared that vines and grapes—and the wine they eventually become—are not a quick proposition. When a cane is first grafted onto a vine, it can take four or five years before the vintner actually harvests any grapes, and it can be years later before those harvested grapes are enjoyed as wine. It is a slow, quiet, methodical process. Reminder to us: Maybe we need to be more patient—with ourselves and with God—trusting that just because it might be slow, quiet and hard to see, important growth is still happening.

Friends, with you, I celebrate that we have been grafted onto the great vine who gives us life, who nourishes us, and who allows us to bear fruit. I pray that you may enjoy the grand adventure of becoming the wine God intends you to be.

Patiently Yours,

MEDITATION

“Seasons is a wise metaphor for the movement of life … It suggests that life is neither a battlefield nor a game of chance but something infinitely richer, more promising, more real. The notion that our lives are like the eternal cycle of the seasons does not deny the struggle or the joy, the loss or the gain, the darkness or the light, but encourages us to embrace it all— and to find in all of it opportunities for growth.”

PARKER J. PALMER

DEVOTED LIVING

Where Does the Money Go?

BY AMANDA BERGER

From the beginning, Christians have gathered their resources together to accomplish the work of the church—to worship, to serve the poor, and to share the Gospel.

ATSt. Philip the Deacon, the financial giving of our members is divided broadly into three categories: annual giving, capital appeals and legacy giving.

Annual Giving, or our General Fund, accomplishes the ongoing, day-in and day-out ministries of the church. These offerings allow us to teach our children and youth, to provide ministries to our shut-ins and hospitalized, to offer educational opportunities across all ages, and to support our vibrant worship life.

Our Capital Appeal giving allows us to focus on some specific mission priorities, to make periodic improvements to our physical plant, and to tend to our mortgage. Currently, we are in the third

and final year of our Being Made Whole appeal, which is supporting three mission priorities: Mental Health Connect, the Rise Early Learning program in St. Louis Park, and Emerson Village affordable housing in North Minneapolis.

Legacy Giving allows members to leave a gift through their wills or estates. Through these types of gifts, individuals or couples are able to make a meaningful contribution to the congregation they loved and supported during their lifetimes. Legacy gifts can be left either directly to the church, in which case the gift will be used for the daily mission and ministry of the congregation, or to the St. Philip the Deacon Foundation, in which case the gift will be protected and—along with the rest of the corpus of the Foundation—will be used to support the congregation’s mission and ministry in perpetuity.

“Financial giving allows the church to accomplish its work,” Pastor Tim Westermeyer said. “But it also allows each of us to exercise the muscles of our faith in a very concrete way. I heard long ago—and I still believe this to be true—that you need to give more than the church needs your money. My prayer for everyone at St. Philip the Deacon is that they might come to understand and experience the joy that comes from giving.”

As base a thing as money often is, it yet can be transmuted into everlasting treasure. It can be converted into food for the hungry and clothing for the poor … Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality.” A.W. TOZER

About the Foundation

Gifts to the St. Philip the Deacon Foundation are made through estate, memorial and living gifts. As the endowment grows, a percentage of the returns on those funds are disbursed to support specific ministry needs each year.

The SPD Foundation document states: “Endowment funds link us in an ongoing procession of the saints of old who have bequeathed to us the faith and the resources to sustain [the church] into the future.”

Lynn Stranghoener, current President of the SPD Foundation, said, “I believe that those of us who make legacy gifts to St. Philip do so out of love for, and appreciation of, this wonderful church. It is a gift from God. And our response is a desire to leave a gift that outlasts us, out of gratitude to God.”

If you would like to learn more about giving a gift to the St. Philip the Deacon Church or Foundation, you are encouraged to speak with one of the board members or Pastor Westermeyer.

Planting Seeds at Every Age

BY AMANDA BERGER

“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”

1 CORINTHIANS 3:7

This verse reminds us that it is God who makes things grow, and it is up to us to entrust that growth into God’s hands. However, as people of faith we are invited to “plant some seeds,” particularly as we nurture children and grandchildren. But what does that look like?

We know that even the youngest children can learn about Jesus and what it means to be a disciple; it just needs to meet them

where they are. One thing that Kathy Hagedorn, Children’s Ministry, encouraged is, “In addition to saying ‘I love you’ repeatedly, tell [children] that God loves them, Jesus loves them, and the Holy Spirit (who IS God) guides them when things get tough.” It’s a simple thing but has a deep impact on kids of any age.

We also learn the faith that we see modeled. In hearing our own desire to know God through scripture, seeing our quiet time in prayer, making time for worship and Sabbath practice, or witnessing our own acts of service to others, young people learn by that example. Trish Arndt, Children’s Ministry Special Events, said, “Be involved with modeling a life of faith: how you pray, in your music choice, show kindness to others, in your conversations with your kids and read Bible stories together.”

Regular worship together as a family has been cited by studies as the single most important thing you can do to contribute to your child’s faith development—at any

age. “As a congregation, our welcome and hospitality extends to the youngest of our worshippers. A welcoming smile or showing a young family where the rainbow bags and children’s bulletins are goes a long way in sharing our faith in worship,” said Arndt.

“St. Philip the Deacon is here to support parents, grandparents, guardians and caregivers of children,” said Hagedorn. Our children’s ministry team is a ready resource—and we invite you to reach out to them anytime.

At Every Age 

In this age-by-age breakdown, you will find examples of how to share faith with children and young people. Although not an exhaustive list, it gives us a place to start as we “plant seeds” of faith—and do note that this journey is unique to each child!

Age 3-4 

Stories and songs about God and Jesus help to share the message of the Gospel. By

imitating the loving adults in their lives, small children learn how to love others. The rituals of family religious celebrations, like Christmas, Easter and baptism also have a lasting impression.

Age 5-6 

Prayer and the actions of worship feel familiar. Caring adults who model patience, love and care become the children’s example of God. Stories and songs are still important; adding movement is even better. They understand that God is available to talk with them anytime, anyplace—a regular practice of prayer at mealtimes or bedtime (or any time!) is formational.

Age 7-8 

Now beginning to read, children are better able to participate in worship—reading the prayers, hymns and creeds. By worshipping regularly, they begin to know parts of the worship liturgy by heart. It’s a great age to learn basics about their Bibles—how to look things up and beginning to ask questions about what they read.

Age 9-10 

The more interactive the learning, the better! Acting out stories, retelling Bible passages, and opportunities for leadership—like reading in church or serving others—help young people feel a sense of belonging and a purpose. They begin to apply what they know about God’s love, forgiveness, compassion and service to reallife situations.

Middle School 

As kids grow into middle school and early adolescence, they are asking one question: Do you like me? Accepting, loving and encouraging young people models how God sees, knows and loves them. They are also trying on a variety of experiences at this age so that they can figure out who they want to be. Encouraging opportunities for fellowship and making new friends (youth group!), trying out new things (camp or mission trips!), or expressions of kindness and compassion (service projects!) help this age group to find ways that their interests intersect with their faith.

High School 

In later adolescence, youth are asking, “Do I like you?” Young people are carefully watching the adults in their life to see if they are living their Christian faith. Is it just something you say? Or is it something that you do? Look for opportunities to lead, worship and serve together as a family. This is also a beautiful age for young people to step into leadership experiences, like teaching younger children in Sunday school or confirmation, reading or sharing music in worship, serving as a member of church council or synod committees.

And Beyond 

Until the day that we meet Jesus face-toface, we continue the journey of faith. Each person’s journey is unique and something to be supported, encouraged and celebrated. As Barbara Brown Taylor writes in her book Holy Envy, “The way to make a disciple is to be one. If your life does not speak, your footnotes will have limited impact. Become worthy of the message.”

ONLY WORKS ON SUNDAY

BY AMANDA BERGER

Ofcourse, the long-standing joke is that pastors only work on Sunday. And though our four pastors admit that they don’t hear this as often as they used to, the role of pastor still feels mysterious to many people.

Traditionally, pastors have four main parts to their job: preaching (homiletics), planning and leading worship (liturgics), catechesis (the teaching of the basics of the Christian faith to the young or newly converted), and finally pastoral care (reaching out to those in crisis). In the Lutheran church, this is expressed as a calling to Word and Sacrament, and these areas are listed as the defining characteristics of their role.

SPD’s four pastors have a total of 114 years in ministry, combined. Invited to reflect on their years in ministry, each of the pastors shared some thoughts on their calling.

Tim Westermeyer noted, “When I was still in seminary, one of my mentors recommended a little book called The Art of Pastoring: Contemplative Reflections. There is all kinds of wisdom in the book, but one short section that has always stood out for me is the following passage:

‘Your task is impossible. Consider the demands: “Show us God.” “Tell us what God wants.” “Lead us to God.” If you think you can do these things you are already deceived. But you can find your own soul and perhaps show others how to do that.’

“I’ve always liked the honesty of that passage—how it names so directly the utter impossibility of what others may mistakenly expect of us as pastors, or how we may deceive ourselves into believing we can do more than we really can.”

Westermeyer continued, “So, I think I’ve become more comfortable with the ‘impossibility’ of the task of pastoring, while simultaneously becoming more convinced than ever of the need for all of us to ‘find our own souls.’ Even if—as that passage so clearly states—I can’t show people God, I do believe that pastors have a critically important role to play in the lifelong search for each of us to discover who God has made us to be. And I feel more grateful than ever for the opportunity to serve in this kind of role.”

For Mark Schmid, the essentials of his calling as a pastor have remained much the same since ordination, but his context has radically influenced how he lives that out. He said, “My first call out of seminary was to a small, inner-city church in Minneapolis. It was a small congregation with a big and generous heart. I was the only full-time staff member ... I did a little bit of everything. I have a tremendous amount of respect for solo pastors, and I am so grateful for my colleagues and the amazing people who work at and volunteer at St. Philip the Deacon.”

Cheryl Mathison talked about her growth as a preacher and a storyteller, and the way that she has found her own unique voice—and the wisdom that age brings to this part of her calling as well. She said, “I would say that when it comes to parish ministry, it is really more of a lifestyle than a job … The rewards are rich and the demands are many and together that has made it the most fulfilling and challenging work I can imagine.”

Valerie Strand Patterson shared her biggest area of growth: “I think I am more accepting of others, just as they are, than when I was younger. I am also more accepting of myself.” She continued, “Honesty about all the foibles, questions, struggles, things that just don’t make sense—honesty about all of that is a blessing. And walking with each other through those realities and supporting each other in faith and love and humility seems better than trying to be more perfect than we are.”

As human beings, we cannot be other than we are created—even as a pastor. It is in living into how we are created individually and how that shapes the calling that is critical to healthy, lifelong ministry.

Mark Schmid said, “I learned early on that I can take the very things that bring me joy and weave them into my ministry ... Because of this, I am reminded time and time again that God shows up every day in some of the simplest things we do and can take the ordinary and make extraordinary.”

Mathison shared what for her has been the most life-giving part of ministry, “I get to enter into people’s lives at some of the most celebratory and grief-stricken and challenging times. To be able to bring a word of scripture that helps to make meaning out of the senseless or to tell a story from the Bible that provides comfort and hope, or to offer a word of forgiveness or share the sacrament of bread and wine ... there is no greater privilege than this.”

Schmid shared a story from his son, Trygve. “Several years ago, a parishioner asked my son, ‘What’s your dad like when he’s not leading worship or at church?’ My son replied, ‘What you see on Sunday morning or here at church is the same person I see at home.’ I strive to be an authentic, genuine, honest individual and not something or someone I am not.  I have my share of imperfections and need God’s love and grace every day, too.”

Westermeyer also noted, “I think that people assume that pastors or ministers are ‘holier’ than other people. But that really has nothing to do with what ministry is about.”

In illustration, Westermeyer quoted one of his favorite authors, Frederick Buechner, who reminds us that the first ministers were the 12 disciples, and “there is no evidence that Jesus chose them because they were brighter or nicer than other people ... Their sole qualification seems to have been their initial willingness to rise to their feet when Jesus said, ‘Follow me.’”

VALERIE STRAND PATTERSON

THE PASTORS AT A GLANCE

Education: College of Saint Benedict, Theology; M.Div. Luther Seminary

Ordination Date: July 13, 1986

Foundational Bible Verse: Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.”

CHERYL MATHISON

Education: Gustavus Adolphus College; Sociology with minor in Religion, M.Div. Luther Seminary

Ordination Date: September 25, 1988

Foundational Bible Verse: Proverbs 24:3-4 “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”

TIM WESTERMEYER

Education: St. Olaf College, B.A. in English, University of Notre Dame, M.A. in Theology and Ethics, M.Div. Luther Seminary

Ordination Date: October 28, 2002

Foundational Bible Verse: Isaiah 43:1 “Thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.’”

MARK SCHMID

Education: Luther College, B.S. Psychology, M.Div. Luther Seminary

Ordination Date: February 18, 2006

Foundational Bible Verse: Psalm 121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”

TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL FOR CHURCH

There are 167 hours a week outside of worship where we have opportunities to make connections, grow in our faith and inspire others. Whether you spend that one hour of worship quietly sitting in a pew or listening to the service from the narthex with a cranky toddler on your lap, or watching the livestream from your phone with an elderly relative, those other hours remain the same. Though we have a consistent following on our livestream service, there is some mystery around it. Who worships there? How can we be the church for our digital attendees aside from the one hour they’ve chosen to worship with us? Is there a way to utilize online tools to support people during the other 167 hours a week?

What role does technology play in the life of a church? Well, it depends. Technology is a tool, so it depends on how and most importantly why it is being used. We wouldn’t use a 15-foot ladder to put something on the top shelf if a step stool would suffice. And a tall person might not even own or see the value in a step stool, whereas a 6-year-old might love it so much they want one in every room. Perspective is key when we are evaluating tools.

Accessibility might be the most dominant benefit for digital tools—something the Church can use to the benefit of all of God’s people, enabling us to be inclusive by design, not as an afterthought. The areas of need that big tech companies tend to categorize

BY BETH DUDYCHA

when discussing digital tools are vision, hearing, neurodiversity, learning, mobility and mental health. Knowing this gives us a lens to think about how we can utilize these tools to help all people access church. Most people relied on technology during the pandemic out of sheer necessity … and consequently many also walked away from that time frame with disgust toward technology. Aggravated by passwords, logins and unstable connections, some things just weren’t worth the trouble. And some things were worth it, but they needed help figuring out where they wrote down that darn password or help trying something out for the first time. Yet, with all those complications, there is still a sustaining thread of benefit in our lives with technology: It can create the option to not be somewhere physically when we need it.

When we meet in-person, we can get some residual feedback about who is there and possibly what needs were met, or maybe even what could be done differently next time. With our digital campus, we don’t currently have as many ways to gather this information. The Digital Café has been a synchronous opportunity to find out about the participants behind the screens in the digital campus. Sometimes, the Digital Café is a place to chat and connect with others who are also joining digitally. Other times, like during Lent, we had a topic of focus to guide our discussions.

So far, most of the people joining these discussions are already members or familiar with St. Philip the Deacon. Most participants, if not all, have been to the physical sanctuary for worship, but were joining online for various reasons. It was a simple experiment, and now we have some simple information we can use to determine the forward movement of our digital campus. The potential for future growth with the digital campus is vast and teeming with possibilities.

But that endless possibility is almost more challenging as we get curious about:

What opportunities can the digital campus offer to help worshippers?

01. Grow spiritually. 02. Make connections and build community with each other. 03. Take the first step if they are new to SPD. 04. Learn about their faith in a safe space. 05. Receive support in times of need or crisis. 06. Be of service to others. 07. Reach out.

Proclaim. Inspire.

This is an ongoing conversation, full of “What-ifs.”

Do you wonder how our digital campus can reach out, proclaim and inspire? Do you have new ideas for ways our digital community can engage, learn and connect? Or if you simply want to connect with someone, send an email to Beth Dudycha, Digital Hospitality, at bdudycha@spdlc.org.

Worshipping online or in-person may be a simple, no-brainer decision for one person, yet a complex, layered and fraught decision for another. Here are some reasons why people might choose to worship online:

Avoid being around others if you’re sick or concerned about getting sick.

Don’t have reliable transportation.

They don’t want to walk into church alone.

Intimidated by being new to Christianity.

Concerned about what to wear.

Don’t want to feel awkward about passing the peace.

Unsure about communion rituals or if they can participate in communion.

Poor weather.

Been away from church for a while and cannot remember people’s names, or nervous about judgment from being away.

Unsure about the standing, sitting or kneeling practices.

Concerned about being asked to volunteer.

Snowbirds or traveling.

Nervous about being singled out as new.

Concern about loud noise level for sensitive ears.

Concern about not being able to hear or see.

Mobility issues, fear of falling, or getting inside safely.

At a child’s soccer tournament.

Uncertain how to engage in small talk with new people.

Fear of being in large crowds or fear of violence.

GROWING IN FAITH: SHAPED BY GOD

BY CHERYL MATHISON

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

ISAIAH 64:8

Mrs. Forsman was my fourth grade Sunday school teacher. We sat in cold metal chairs around a table in the multipurpose room at Holy Nativity Lutheran Church. There were at least six other classes seated around tables in the same room with no dividers. Everything about this set up was counterproductive to what one might recognize as a good learning environment!

And yet, I remember so very much about that year.

First, Mrs. Forsman never sat down. She stood as she taught, and she moved around the table helping each of us find our way in our Bibles. Every single week, we took turns reading from the Bibles that had been presented to all the fourth graders in church. I still have mine with my name handwritten on the first page in my very best fourth grade cursive.

Next, Mrs. Forsman’s Bible was bound in red leather; old and well-worn, it was floppy in her hands. There were notes scribbled in the margins and many passages were underlined. As a child, I remember being horrified that she was so brazen to actually write in a Bible! If you

have seen my Bible, you know that I have recovered from that horror.

Lastly, we memorized and learned about the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments and the Apostles’ Creed. We read scripture aloud, did word puzzles, celebrated each classmate’s birthday, and we prayed the Lord’s Prayer and for one another at the end of every class.

I am so grateful for Mrs. Forsman and the impression she made upon me at age 9. My love of scripture, desire to study and learn and teach, is, in a very large part, due to her.

After I was confirmed, I began teaching Sunday school in that same room around a table with students who were just years younger than I, and I have not missed a year teaching since. Which means I have taught Sunday school, vacation Bible school, confirmation, baptism, first communion instruction and adult Bible studies for nearly 50 years!

Why? Because a volunteer in the church inspired me and, most importantly, challenged me to grow in faith. And because I wanted to do the same for others.

This issue of Inspire is about growth and this article is about the ways in which adults have experienced growth in their own faith through Christian education. To gather information, participants in classes offered at St. Philip the Deacon this past year were asked to complete a questionnaire. What follows is a summary of their thoughtful and faithful comments.

Please note respondents were given the option of including their names or remaining anonymous. While there are more women’s names attached to quotes below, please know that responses from both men and women are well represented.

Responses to a question about the benefits of participating in Christian education and personal study and devotion resulted in a long list which included the following:

growth in faith, being surrounded by Christians who openly talk about God, discovering new prayer practices, hearing God speak, “becoming more comfortable in who I am and less reliant on what people think of me,” being inspired to read the Bible, fortification, engagement, seeing scripture in a new way, learning from others, and becoming more confident in sharing faith with others.

Karen Brakke wrote about how participating in Bible study gives scripture a chance to “reach deep down inside and cause change in my ability to love others.”

Sue Johnson said, “Each and every session of Bible Art Journaling has aha moments! I can relate the scripture to my own life. It is an added plus to incorporate art and techniques.” And Kathy Pease noted, “Participation in faithful learning gives me the desire and confidence to share with others. Empathy, nurturing, attentiveness are all enhanced.”

Perhaps it is not surprising how many identified community as a significant factor in adult learning. Sondra Howe wrote, “Participating in group activities is important for experiencing spiritual growth.” Another person explained, “A benefit of learning experiences is meeting more people ... Somehow being able to call more people by name makes St. Philip the Deacon feel more like the best, big, small congregation!” And another, “Conversation with other participants has been key for me. Others’ insights in scripture and their personal stories are very memorable to me.” Many members of the choir responded and spoke to not only learning scripture and theology through the music but being deeply grateful for the community shared there.

And speaking to the balance between community and solitude, Bryan O’Neil wrote, “I have found participating in retreats to be especially profound at this time in my life. The focused time away inspires and helps me to figure out simple ways to integrate faith practices into my normally very full schedule.”

One person wrote, “I always learn more by teaching something.” Me, too. And another, “I love to learn and grow and to share my learning with others.”

Several people reflected on learning at different seasons in life. While several remarked on having more time to read and study and participate in classes in retirement, one wrote, “In the past when we were raising our kids, the opportunities for learning looked interesting but there was no extra time for multi-week commitments. Even then I found ways to grow my faith.”

Of course, not all Christian learning takes place at church or in community. A number of people shared the structure of their own private daily devotion including things like reading the entire Bible over a year, establishing and maintaining a dedicated quiet time each day, reading faith-based books, and listening to podcasts. Cindy Luukkonen journals at least three pages each day for self-reflection and examination.

And, finally, respondents expressed interest in learning all kinds of things, including how hymns are written, what other faiths believe, Christian art, symbolism and imagery of Christianity, couples Bible study, how to explain your faith to another, how to navigate successful life transition, and ways to serve, give back and pay it forward.

The image of God as potter, molding, shaping and fashioning us into the people we were made to be, is an important reminder that we do not make ourselves. We are made in community, shaped by God through the Word, and formed in delightful and surprising ways by the dedication of our teachers. May your own faith journey continue to mold and shape you.

well done,

good

AN INTERVIEW WITH CHERYL MATHISON

BY TIM WESTERMEYER

In May 2024, we celebrated the retirement of Cheryl Mathison, our teaching pastor. Her incredible gifts of creativity and storytelling, biblical knowledge and faithfulness through 21 years of ministry at St. Philip the Deacon make this a bittersweet time for our congregation. It has been an honor to have her leadership, and it only seemed right to spend some time with her reflecting on her life of pastoral ministry.

First, heartfelt congratulations, and well done, good and faithful servant. Let’s start with a broad and openended question: How are you feeling as you close one chapter of life and prepare to begin another? As one might imagine, I have mixed feelings about the transition from full-time ministry to retirement. I am very excited about what retirement holds, but I will grieve the loss of this faith community and its worship life as the place my family and I have called home for 21 years. More than anything I will miss the many people with whom I have built and established valued relationships over two decades at St. Philip the Deacon.

How did you know this was the right time to retire? I felt the call to ministry while a student at Gustavus Adolphus College and began seminary at Luther Seminary in St. Paul the summer of 1982, studying Greek. On September 25, 2023, I celebrated the 35th anniversary of my ordination. On February 19, 2024, I began my 22nd year at St. Philip the Deacon. After deep reflection and prayerful consideration, I feel God is now calling me into retirement.

& servant faithful

What do you think you’ll be doing in retirement? How do you plan to spend your time? Time will tell. I have lots of hobbies and interests; more than enough, I think, to fill my days. A recent text exchange with my wise mother went like this:

Me: I just got home from a 12-hour day at church. Phew. Mom: What will you do when you have 12 hours and nothing to do? Me:

My husband and I love to travel, bike, and spend time together and I look forward to doing more of these things. Our kids and grandchildren live close,

and we look forward to being more available to them.

As you look back over your decades of ministry, what are some highlights that come to mind? There is so much I could speak to after nearly 36 years in ministry. The highlights and memories are many. So, I will say this: As I reflect on my ministry, most of all I feel honored to have been invited to bring God’s Word of love, comfort, hope and promise at some of life’s darkest, and at some of its most joyful, times.

The call to parish ministry has been rich and rewarding, and I am so grateful for the many, many blessings that have come

with it. I celebrate that I have been called to serve in four different Twin Cities congregations, including Cross of Glory in Brooklyn Center where I was ordained by the pastor who confirmed me, Normandale in Edina, Immanuel in Eden Prairie, and here at St. Philip the Deacon. In each congregation I have been fortunate to work alongside deeply faithful colleagues and church members.

I have loved to teach since I first taught Sunday school the fall after I was confirmed and have not missed a year teaching in the church since. These years now number close to 50! I taught Sunday school through junior high and high school, confirmation in St. Peter for four years while in college, Sunday school, vacation Bible school, and Bible studies at my home congregation while in seminary, and adult classes during my internship— and at every church I have served. I have taught Crossways Bible Study, a 60-session walk through the Bible, more times than I can count. I have taught books of the Bible, the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Ten Commandments along with classes to prepare for the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. I have prepared and traveled with five different groups to the Holy Land, Germany for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, and walked in the footsteps of Paul in Greece. Each one of these trips

Most of all I feel honored to have been invited to bring God’s Word of love, comfort, hope and promise at some of life’s darkest, and at some of its most joyful, times.“

included great learning opportunities; but even more, the deep bonds that formed when traveling as a group are something I will always cherish.

Serving as a parish pastor during the pandemic would most certainly not be characterized as a highlight, but I would be remiss if I failed to note the remarkable challenges and discoveries that came daily as we, to use a popular word from that season, pivoted ... often. Preaching to a camera in an empty sanctuary was strangely intimidating to say the least. And I will never forget presiding over the service the first time people were back in the pews (just 30 of them as mandated).

As I spoke the invocation, tears streamed down my cheeks. I don’t believe I will ever again take the gathering of community in worship for granted.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with everyone at St. Philip the Deacon? The only way I can imagine closing nearly 36 years of ministry, 21 of them here, is to say thank you. I will forever be grateful for:

• All the ways each congregation received and welcomed not only me but also my family.

• All the ways each congregation challenged me to grow and become a stronger pastor.

• The joy of working alongside faithful colleagues.

• The privilege of presiding over worship, baptisms, weddings and funerals, as well as the sacraments of holy communion and confirmation.

• The blessings of facing life’s deepest questions together with all the people of St. Philip the Deacon, and of each one of the congregations I have served.

Thanks be to God for the life together we have shared, for the church’s mission and ministry in the world, and for the great privilege, honor and blessing of serving as a parish pastor. Soli Deo Gloria!

be to God thanks

THE VIRTUE AT THE HEART OF OUR FAITH

BY MARK SCHMID

August of 1995, I boarded a Northwest/KLM Airlines flight bound for Oslo, Norway. It was the start of my junior year at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and I would be spending my fall semester immersed in the Norwegian language and culture. After landing in Oslo, I boarded a train headed west for Bø, in the region of Telemark. Little did I know at that time, the next five months studying abroad would have a powerful and profound impact on my life.

Not long before I departed for the land of breathtaking mountains, majestic waterfalls and magically sculpted fjords, my uncle Luther told me about a well-known Norwegian woodcarver who lived in Lunde (just a soap-stone’s throw south of Bø), that he and my aunt Marilyn befriended on their travels to Norway. His studio was in Bø, the same town where I was going to school, and it looked like it could have been right out of a Hans Christian Andersen book. The day after arriving in Bø, I walked to visit this family friend, Kjell Øyen. When I arrived at his address, I entered the gray, wooden shiplapped building through a bright red door, made my way up the staircase where Kjell, wearing a red Norwegian sweater, welcomed me into his studio.

Kjell’s studio was simple. There was a large, wooden workbench where he did most of his carving, a bench light and his collection of woodcarving tools ... and a cup of black coffee, always a cup of black coffee. Uncle Luther had written to Kjell before I left, letting him know about my pending arrival that fall. The only English Kjell knew was a simple phrase he would chuckle and say as the sun was going to bed and the streetlights began to awaken, “Bø, by night!” My Norwegian on the other hand was a little better (I had two semesters of Norwegian at Luther College before studying abroad), but early on most of our conversations were fairly simple.

As time passed, my grasp of the Norwegian language grew and subsequently so did our conversations. I spent three days a week after classes at Kjell’s studio watching a master carver create something beautiful out of a

blank piece of birch wood. Michelangelo said about carving, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” That is what Kjell did day in and day out: He carved until he set his beautiful creations free. Kjell’s iconic Acanthus style carvings were stunning. Standing at his workbench, I would say to Kjell, “Du er en finne treskjærer!” (You are a fine woodcarver!) Kjell would stoically stare at the floor and simply say, “Takk, jeg prøver. (Thanks, I try.) Not only was Kjell a phenomenal woodcarver, but he was faithfully and authentically humble, too.

The term “humility” comes from the Latin word “humilitas,” which may be translated as “humble,” but also as “grounded,” or “from the earth,” since it derives from the word “humus” (earth). Kjell was grounded in who he was, and he was grounded in the work he did. I admired that about him.

Humility is a virtue that lies at the heart of our faith. It is a virtue that calls us to acknowledge our own limitations, to recognize our dependence on God, and to live in service to others. At the very core, humility is the awareness of our own insufficiency and the willingness to let God be God. Humility is not about self-deprecation or false modesty, but rather an honest recognition of our limitations as human beings.

When we embrace humility, we cannot help but be transformed in the process. Frederick Buechner, a renowned theologian and writer, says, “Humility is often confused with the polite self-deprecation of saying, ‘I’m not really very good at this,’ and with the social self-deprecation of saying, ‘I’m not really very much,’ but it is neither of these.” True humility, according to Buechner, is not an act of false modesty or self-effacement. It is a deep inner transformation that comes from recognizing our brokenness and acknowledging our need for God’s grace. Humility enables us to embrace our imperfections and weaknesses, allowing God’s strength to work in and through us.

During my five months living and studying in Norway, Kjell taught me humility is not a one-time achievement but a lifelong

journey. It requires constant self-reflection, surrender, and the willingness to learn from our mistakes. Humility empowers us to confront our vulnerabilities and face challenges with resilience and grace.

Seven years after meeting Kjell, having lost his eyesight to cancer and no longer able to carve, this remarkably humble and talented woodcarver passed away far too soon. I had the privilege of visiting him one last time, just a year before he died. Sitting on the front porch of his house, my fond memories took me back to the warmth of Kjell’s studio and the time we spent together. I told him once again, “Du er en finne treskjærer.” (You are a fine woodcarver.) Holding a black cup of coffee, with a slight, modest smile, he simply said, “Takk, jeg prøvde.” (Thanks, I tried.)

Twenty-nine years ago, in a Norwegian woodcarver’s studio, as he carved to set his beautiful creations free, I learned an important life lesson: I learned humility. I learned what it means to be grounded in not only who you are but, more importantly, whose you are. Pride is often considered the root of all sin and evil; it leads to self-centeredness, arrogance and a sense of superiority. On the other hand, humility flings the door open to genuine love, compassion and empathy for others. It is through humility that we can recognize the inherent worth and dignity of every individual, regardless of who they are, what they do, where they come from and where they are going. In other words, when we are grounded in humility, we can see through all the distractions of life and see the other first and foremost for whose they are, a beloved child of God.

Like a Norwegian woodcarver, may we embrace humility, be grounded in whose we are, and be transformed by God along the way so we can be the best in and for the world.

When we embrace humility, we cannot help but be transformed in the process.” “

In Giving We Receive

INTERVIEW BY AMANDA BERGER

Asure way to grow in your faith is to be a part of intentionally teaching about and modeling that faith to others. In this interview, I reached out to five confirmation guides, volunteers who show up each Wednesday night throughout the program year to walk alongside our middle school students as they grow in faith. Asking each of them the same five questions, I was inspired by the honesty and faithfulness of their answers—and even more so by how they have been shaped by the middle schoolers in return. Truly, it is in giving that we receive.

A special thank you to Anna Ingemann (AI), Laurie Nordseth (LN), Jane Suhr (JS), Anne Christianson (AC) and Joan Harper (JH) for being a part of this interview!

Why do you volunteer as a confirmation guide?

Initially, it was because I had a child starting confirmation. Another parent suggested that we could be co-guides and keep an eye on our middle-schoolers—that was over 15 years ago! Now my children are grown and I volunteer because it’s gratifying to be there and offer acceptance

and hopefully be a positive presence in the lives of our young people. I also do this for me. I really like hanging out with these crazy kids! It keeps me connected to an age-group that I’m not around in my daily life and helps me have a wider perspective of the world and life.

The church has always been a place of acceptance, love and support for me and hopefully I can share that with the students. I want them to know that they are a child of God and they are loved. My husband and I volunteer as confirmation guides because my children are in the confirmation program. We led our son’s group for three years and now lead our daughter’s group. We find it easier and helpful to lead as a team.

After graduating college, I was looking for a way to get involved in my church community again. In college I had joined a Bible study group and went to a nondenominational church—both of which I loved and I felt were very impactful in my faith journey. But I also missed my home church, and I wanted to return to/ get involved in the St. Philip community again. I had volunteered as a confirmation guide in high school, and I saw there openings again so I went for it!

Who was someone, besides your parents, who had an impact on your faith life?

Youth choir directors. I was in church choir from kindergarten through high school. Music has always been a way for me to express my faith, either by listening or singing.

Mr. Fisher, he was our high school Sunday school teacher. He spoke to us as an adult who respected our opinions and wanted to stretch our thinking of God. Faith was more than remembering Luther’s Small Catechism word for word. The conversations were about being closer to God.

My grandparents have been very influential in my faith journey. While they have all been committed members of their own church, they have encouraged me along my own faith journey. They’ve reminded me that my relationship with God is a constant in life; while situations and circumstances may change, God does not. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been able to see my relationship with God flourish.

What do you love about working with middle school students? What challenges you?

They have thoughts and views on what their faith is right now.  While some are willing to share, some are just soaking in the information, and it is expressed in other ways weeks later.  What challenges me is questioning “Am I doing all that I can to bring faith alive to them?”  But then I remind myself it is the Lord that is doing the work.

Middle schoolers are an interesting breed! In one instant you can be watching/judging a belching competition and the next you are in a thought-provoking conversation on what it means to have faith and be a follower of Jesus. Their energy level at times can be challenging but also invigorating to be around.

They just want acceptance and to be liked. Who doesn’t? It seems that middle schoolers and adults are seeking the same things in their lives … I get to see them and interact with them in their element, not mine. I get to know them more personally and in a very different relationship than, say, as friends of their parents or another adult at church visiting with them at fellowship time. It gives me the chance to learn how they see God and the world they live in— to see things from their perspective. What challenges me? Trying to figure out how to make students feel included, engaged, interested. And keeping up with the high energy levels!

How has your own faith grown because of being a confirmation guide?

As adults, we don’t always have the time to dedicate to our faith learning. These Wednesday nights have given me that opportunity. I have loved revisiting the lessons and Bible stories I learned in my youth. Each week, through the conversations I have with my small group, I reaffirm and deepen my faith.

What I came into this understanding and believing has changed and expanded. I’ve learned that, to me, being a Christian is much more than worship, reading the Bible and praying. While that is important, serving others and experiencing Christ in my daily life puts these things into practice in the world. I am experiencing the concept that by giving, I am receiving.

I’ve noticed that my faith feels simplified, yet stronger. Being a confirmation guide helps me remember that while we can grow in our faith personally, God created us to be in community. And this type of community may look different throughout life. What remains the same is that surrounding yourself with people who want the best for you and will walk beside you in your faith journey.

Describe a time when you’ve experienced the Holy Spirit at work in your small group.

Even though our group of girls go to four different schools, they have formed a bond and look forward to being together each week. This showed when we went to Feed My Starving Children in January. They were engaged and excited to work as a team to help kids in other countries. It was great to get the kids out into the community to share God’s love.

We were talking about our prayer life and several of the students just shared how their prayer life was going. The group is very respectful of each other and their ideas.

There have been so many times I have seen the Holy Spirit at work in my group! One that sticks with me is when one of my youths was grieving the loss of a close relative who had died by suicide. Death is always difficult to deal with but with a suicide it adds so much more complexity. This group of young men gathered around and quietly supported him, letting him share stories about his relative and how he was hurting. The fact that he felt secure and comfortable enough to share such a traumatic life experience with the group was truly a blessing.

If you would like to know more about volunteering in our youth ministry as a volunteer leader or in other roles, please reach out to Charlie Olson (colson@spdlc.org) or Olsen Pancoast (opancoast@spdlc.org).

“I’ve noticed that my faith feels simplified, yet stronger.”

Modern Day Pilgrims Go When

You Can

BY NANCY CARLSON

People always say, “Go when you can.” So, we did!

My husband, Jim, and I spent three weeks in New Zealand, three weeks in Australia and two weeks in Indonesia (Bali). We saw amazing sights, met lovely people and ate delicious food. Along the way, we grew in our awareness of God-signs and holy moments, partly because we had time to be more observant and partly because they were so obvious!

I lost both of my siblings in 2022 and my parents before that. Right away on the trip, I saw reminders of all of them. It was uncanny how many there were. Those reminders were comforting and surrounded me with love.

In the Catlins in New Zealand, we spent a Sunday morning with a sheep farmer, Nathan. He picked us up and gave us a tour of the farm to see his sheep. Then he invited us into his home and his 13-year-old daughter Abigail served us tea and cookies. She and I played the piano. We got to feed

and hold their baby goats and we sat and talked. It felt like the light of Christ was shining down on us during our conversation. It was a holy moment.

There were times when we really needed a God-sign and God provided. We parked our car in a lot in the Whitsundays (Australia) while we went to a resort for a few days. When we came back, there was a sign on our car saying that someone had hit our car and was very sorry. Thankfully, she was very helpful and everyone has been great. But it was worrisome, not knowing how it would all work out. As we were heading up to Cairns, I saw signs in the trees (of all places!). They were wooden signs with these messages painted on them: “REMEMBER HOW MUCH GOD LOVES YOU,” “GOD IS GOOD,” “JESUS IS LORD.” They were exactly the God-signs we needed at that time.

Another highlight was snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It was like raining fish from heaven. We saw so many beautiful fish, all different sizes and colors

and shapes. We felt like we were one with the fish and it felt like a holy moment.

Once we got to Indonesia, I came down with a sinus infection and bronchitis. I prayed hard all night for God to send help. In the morning, Jim called an urgent care doctor and nurse to come to our room. The doctor gave me a nebulizer treatment and medication and told me if it happened again, I would be in the hospital. That scared us. Even though the medical care was excellent, I did not want to be in a hospital in Bali.

So we changed the end of our trip to fly home sooner than planned. We see it as a blessing now, a holy moment even, and had an amazing time in Bali. It was a place of healing for my body, mind and soul. As I was recovering in Bali, we saw butterflies everywhere, flittering on our path, like “Hello! I’m a sign of new life.”

Growing in awareness of God’s presence made this an experience we will always remember. As they say in Australia, “It was a cracker of a trip!”

Walking With God

BY AMANDA BERGER

arlier this year, our Holy Grounds class took a field trip to St. Edward the Confessor Episcopal Church (just west of SPD, at County Road 6 and Ferndale Road). Covering the floor of their sanctuary is a classic, seven-circuit labyrinth which offered our group a beautiful space for walking with God. With ambient music playing the background, the dance-like movement of the walkers was hypnotizing as they swirled around one another.

Walking the labyrinth has been a Christian practice since medieval times but has experienced a resurgence in use in the past 20 years. Unlike a maze, there is only one path into the center, and one path out, so you cannot get lost or “do it wrong”—it is not a puzzle to be solved.

The practice of prayerful walking invites us to move out of our head space and into our bodies, bringing more than just our minds and rational thought to God with our prayer concerns. In fact, St. Augustine said, “Solvitur ambulando” which translates from the Latin to mean, “It is solved by walking.” Though you could walk anywhere with God, using the labyrinth to guide your steps allows you to not focus on the direction or make decisions about where you will go; you simply move one step at a time.

There is a standing invitation from St. Edward’s that people are welcome to come and walk the labyrinth anytime their office is open (so call ahead). If you’d like to try it out, here is a simple starting practice.

Take a few moments to pause and reflect. Notice if there is a particular question or prayer concern that you would like to bring before God.

Stepping on to the labyrinth path begin to move, following the twists and turns. You set the pace—slow and meditative, quickly and with purpose; any way of moving is correct.

Continue to hold your question or prayer concern in conversation with God as you walk. When you reach the center of the labyrinth, you may linger there for as long as you like. Listen with your heart for any word or response you may receive from God.

When you are ready to exit the center, begin to walk the same pathway back outward, releasing your question or prayer concern into God’s hands, and carrying any word or response from God with you.

As you reach the end of your walk with God and exit the labyrinth, you may want to take a few minutes to journal or reflect on your experience. What did you notice? What did you feel? How was God present with you during your walk?

If you are curious about more of the history of labyrinths and prayer practices to accompany them, we recommend the following resources:

Exploring the Labyrinth: A Guide for Healing and Spiritual Growth

By Melissa Gayle West

Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice

By Lauren Artress

LABYRINTHS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Wayzata Community Church

Outdoor, but located through the church in an inner courtyard

Open during office hours—Call 952-473-8877 for availability 125 Wayzata Blvd E Wayzata, MN 55391

Plymouth Creek Center

Outdoor, Millennium Garden

Open 8 am to 9 pm daily

14800 34th Ave. N. Plymouth, MN 55447

Mt. Olivet Lutheran

Church-Plymouth

Outdoor

Always open

12235 Old Rockford Road Plymouth, MN 55441

BEST ZUCCHINI BREAD EVER

BY AMANDA BERGER

I got this recipe from my sister, who used to have an enormous garden, which meant lots of zucchinis. Even the most modest zucchini patch produces more than you can ever eat fresh—which makes this quick bread a perfect solution. Of course, you can eat it right away, but since it makes two loaves, you can also freeze or gift the second loaf for a friend or neighbor.

Ingredients

3 cups All-purpose Flour

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

3 tsps ground Cinnamon

3 Eggs

1 cup Vegetable Oil

2 1/4 cups White Sugar

3 tsps Vanilla Extract

2 cups grated Zucchini

1 cup chopped Walnuts (optional)

Directions

Grease and flour two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans. Preheat oven to 325°F.

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.

Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a second large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour half the batter into each of the prepared pans.

Bake for 60-65 minutes or until the tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and cool completely.

Store in an airtight container. Eat or freeze within three days. (It might last longer, but because of the moisture of the bread and humid summer air, it can mold quickly.)

LOVE + SERVE + GROW

THE GIVING GARDEN

BY RENEE PUTNAM

The Giving Garden is just one example [to paraphrase John Muir] of nature bestowing us with more than we seek. I love knowing that the produce goes to those unable to garden and recall how grateful I am when someone shares their bounty with me. Big shoutout to Lory Dornbusch for making sure it gets harvested every week!”

MARY STEINBICKER

Every square inch of ground is used on the campus of St. Philip the Deacon. Or in this case, the ground is raised to standing height! Located on the southwest corner of the building, you may have noticed the raised garden beds lovingly tended by SPD volunteers. The harvest is donated to Interfaith Outreach which distributes fresh produce to the clientele.

There are many layers of benefits from working in the Giving Garden: the joy of nurturing a living thing, the positive impact on mental health of getting our hands in dirt and sharing much needed fresh vegetables with others in the community—to name just a few. Interfaith Outreach gladly accepts donations from your home garden’s bounty as well, so let the Giving Garden be your inspiration!

GARDENING OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

• Giving Garden—Raised produce garden beds

• Mission Nursing Home Gardening

• SPD garden bed maintenance weeding, watering, fall clean-up

• Share your own garden produce. Interfaith Outreach Community Partners gladly accepts your fresh garden abundance. Interfaith Outreach is located on Hwy 101 and County Road 6. Check iocp.org for hours and donation information.

Contact serve@spdlc.org for more information.

“I decided to serve on this ministry as I love the outdoors, and gardening in general. Knowing that fresh vegetables are not always available for others in our community is why I do it. We are here to serve others, and this is just a small way to be part of a big idea. Helping others brings joy to my heart and the Giving Garden is joy.”

LYNNETTE HAWKINSON

THE GIVING GARDEN

“

I chose to help with the Giving Garden because I was raised on a farm and spent many hours in the garden helping to raise vegetables for our family. At my current home, I love spending time outside in the dirt. Last year we delivered an abundance of green beans and tomatoes. It was gratifying to be able to deliver this fresh produce to those who don’t always have access.”

CONNIE FUST

OUT & ABOUT

One of the most anticipated parts of Lent at St. Philip the Deacon is our weekly Soup Suppers, which offer the congregation time to enjoy a meal, serve others and connect midweek before worshipping with Holden Evening Prayer. We have the most amazing team of people who help to make these gatherings a success. A big shout out and thank you to our soup team: Deb, Olsen, Jude, Martha, Kay, Carmen and Valerie.

SUMMER CALENDAR

JUNE 24-28

KIDS’ ADVENTURE WEEK

A jam-packed week of fun and adventure. Each day will have its own theme and activities. The daily themes will include: Safety Day, All About Summer, Music and Theater, Animals and Olympics.

JUNE 17, JULY 15 & AUGUST 12

ART AS PRAYER WORKSHOPS

6 p.m. We have invited three guest artists to explore artistic and meditative practices as a way to connect with God in new and different ways. The classes are stand alone and will include mandala stone painting, neurographic art, and collage art journaling.

MORNING IN THE GARDEN

We will visit different gardens in the Twin Cities at different points of the summer to see, smell and experience God’s creation in full bloom.

June 20 Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

July 18 Lyndale Park Rose Garden

August 15 Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Event Registration

Scan the provided QR code and navigate to the event of your choice to register.

JUNE 10-13

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

9–11:45 a.m. Join us for four days of adventure-filled learning at Scuba VBS. The days will be filled with music, stories, games, friends, learning, growth and more. We will be both indoors and out. You can register at spdlc.org/register.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 26

MIDSUMMER LAWN BOWLING

Brookview Golf Course, Golden Valley, 6:30 p.m. Enjoy a summer evening of lawn bowling. It is not difficult to learn and it is tons of fun! No experience is needed, and all equipment is provided. This is an event for all adults—singles and couples.

MONDAY AUGUST 12

MINNESOTA TWINS BASEBALL

The Minnesota Twins will take on the Kansas City Royals this evening. Our seats will be in the Legends Landing, which is on the third base line.

1675) only has 37 paintings accepted as autographed works, which I have been “chasing” over the last several years. Last year, after seeing the large Vermeer exhibition in Amsterdam, I have only six more to visit to have seen them all!

FAMILIAR FACES SUSAN PATH

Susan Path serves SPD as our parish nurse, overseeing our lay visitation ministry and providing programs that support and nurture the health and well-being of our congregation in so many ways.

1.

Describe when you knew you’d be going into ministry. After years in the nursing profession and the death of my only brother in 2015, I met with Pastor Cheryl. I mentioned serving as a health advocate for my brother in the hospital during his last days, which had inspired some thoughts about being a parish nurse. Pastor Cheryl had me talking to Pastor Westermeyer in no time! It has taken me a lifetime of God-given experiences to find my perfect place in ministry. I am honored to serve SPD as our parish nurse.

2.

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to know about you? I love to hike. My husband, Greg, and I have finished hiking the 310 miles of the Superior Hiking Trail from Grand Portage on the Northern Canada/Minnesota border to SE of Jay Cooke State Park on the Minnesota/ Wisconsin border. We accomplished it in sections with another couple. Moving through the natural spaces of our great state, one foot at a time, surrounded by the flora, fauna, scents, sights and sounds of God’s creation compels my whole being to erupt in praise.

3.

What are three things on your lifetime to-do list? First, I am fascinated by art and art history. Johannes Vermeer (Delft-1632-

Second, I have four hikes/pilgrimages on my bucket list: Mount Blanc (France), Machu Picchu (Peru), Patagonia (Chile/ Argentina), and the Camino de Santiago (Spain).

Lastly, my uncle was a missionary in Tanzania since I was 2 years old. I longed to visit him and my aunt, a Lutheran missionary from Denmark in Tanzania. I was able to do this in 2004 when a small group from SPD traveled to see SPD sponsored projects in Madagascar and Tanzania. It went beyond my expectations and was gratifying to see the powerful, lifegiving work that our church and the Lutheran Church were accomplishing and the beauty of the land and people of Africa. (I’ve checked this one off!)

4.

How do you take care of yourself—spiritually, emotionally and physically—so that you stay healthy in ministry? I start my day with a meditation, devotional or spiritual reading. I usually move in some form early in the day or go for a walk in the evening. I believe that food heals, so we eat organic foods, clean proteins, and lots of vegetables. Most every day, I call my mom who is 90 and lives alone in her own home in the town I grew up in. I love to spend time with Greg, our daughters and their Bens, our grand dogs and friends. I am renewed by reading, making art or creative projects.

5.

What are you passionate about right now? I am passionate about letting people know they matter, they are heard, valued, respected and needed. I am passionate about helping people to have opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ within our community and presenting them with tools to live a healthy life.

SPD Summer ORGAN RECITAL SERIES

Begins July 10 at 12:15 PM

JULY 10

Philip Brunelle

Organist/Choirmaster

Plymouth Congregational Church Minneapolis, MN

JULY 17

Brenda Sevcik Organist/Director of Music

Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church Savage, MN

JULY 24

Matt Haider Organist/Director of Music

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Chicago, IL

JULY 31

Kraig Windschitl Organist

Holy Name of Jesus Wayzata, MN

All concerts are free and open to the public and available via livestream at spdlc.org/livestream. Reception with cookies and lemonade following the recital.

MUSIC

IN PLYMOUTH

Saturday, June 29

5K Walk/Run

Beginning at 8 a.m.

Wednesday, July 10

Free Communitywide Event

Beginning at 5 p.m.

Hilde Performance Center, Plymouth

The evening includes a variety of music, including the Minnesota Orchestra and concludes with fireworks. St. Philip the Deacon will host a booth again this year, so stop by to say hello!

17205 County Road 6 Plymouth, MN 55447

“God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. … His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.”

EPHESIANS 4:15-16 (THE MESSAGE)