Inspire: Return

INSPIRE

RETURN

a m a g a z i n e f o r t h e s t. p h i l i p t h e d e a c o n c o m m u n i t y

Home Again • Clogging in Cowboy Boots • What I’m Keeping • On the Backroads • Face Who We Are: An Interview with Naomi Tutu summer <¤<+

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IN EVERY ISSUE

3 Editor’s Letter

SPD OUTDOORS

4

Kayaking the Rum River

Scripture Connection

August 15, 4-7pm Register at spdlc.org/register

5 Read, Watch, Listen

6 Ref lections on Faith

WORSHIP SERVICE

28 Modern Day Pilgrims

34 Giving Thanks

In-Person Worship 8:30 and 9:45 am Space is limited; reserve your seats at spdlc.org/register.

Or from wherever you are with our 9:45 a.m. livestream. Livestream is available for replay anytime you are.

35 Out & About

36 Familiar Faces

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INSPIRE

F E AT U R E A R T I C L E S

R E C OV E R

RECONCILE

R E S O LV E

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14

24

Devoted Living: Back to the Basics

Returned to Grace

What I’m Keeping

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16

26

Clogging in Cowboy Boots

Face Who We Are: An Interview with Naomi Tutu

Breaking the Internet for Jesus

12 Home Again

20 No Place Like Home

30 Recipes: Lighten Up!

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INSPIRE

Sunrise Yoga

Vol. 3, Issue 4, Summer 2021 Published by St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church 17205 County Road 6 Plymouth, MN 55447 (763) 475-7100 editor in chief

Tim Westermeyer m a n ag i n g e d i t o r

Amanda Berger design

Malley Design s ta f f w r i t e r s

Cheryl Mathison, Kate Sterner website

spdlc.org/inspire email editorial

aberger@spdlc.org o n t h e c ov e r

Photo by Shifaaz Shamoon ©2021 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:

Join Amanda Berger (YA-200) for lakeside sunrise YogaFaith practice at Wayzata Beach.

M O N D AY, J U LY 2 6 , 6 : 3 0 A M M O N D AY, A U G U S T 1 6 , 6 : 3 0 A M

Pre-registration required. Class fee is $5.

Reserve your spot at spdlc.org/register.

(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.

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St. Philip the Deacon

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Returning to church has, for me, felt a little bit like anticipating a class reunion. There’s an excitement—catching up with friends, seeing how things have changed, expecting to fall back into familiar patterns and rituals.

But return also comes with some reservations—just like a 20-year class reunion.

Maybe we’ve gained a few pounds and have a few more gray hairs. Or simply wondering: how do you catch up after all we’ve been through? Perhaps a little fear that what was so comfortable and familiar before, now feels strange—how do you fit in now when so much is different?

And, like a reunion, our return will be as marked by the faces that are there, as by those that are missing. There will be some who just are not ready to come back yet or have moved on to another faith community or who really like worshiping from the comfort of their home. There will also be those who are missing from our vision, because they’ve gone home to our God in heaven. There will be both grief and joy in our return.

In some ways, we’ve been exiles barred from our homeland. Like the Israelites in the desert, we’ve wandered in unknown and rocky territory for months. We’ve lost so much of our sense of control and certainty, that maybe it feels a little bit safer to hold back. Just in case. But, also like the Israelites, through all the hardest things of this season, we have never been alone. God has led us, preserved us, and held us despite our whining, fear and lack of faith.

When we considered the theme for this issue, “Return,” we had no idea if we’d actually be returning by this point. We were hopeful, but uncertain. And yet, we decided to pursue the theme because coming back to our home at St. Philip the Deacon after pandemic is only one story of return. Our lives are full of comings and goings, leavings and returns.

In this issue, we’re telling stories that encompass so much more than a return to familiar physical spaces. Return signifies going back and, I think, an expectation of sameness. Personally, I’m not sure we can go back; we can only come again to places and people that are dear to us.

All that we’ve encountered in between times changes us—physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually—and we are never the same person we were yesterday, last month or a year ago. It will take time to get to know one another as we are now.

A rather pointed quote from Henry S. Haskins keeps reasserting itself in my mind: “Normal is the wrong name often used for average.” I pray that as we move to return to “normal” life, may we consider that there is nothing truly normal—that all of this life we have is extraordinary and not to be taken for granted.

Many happy returns,

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SPD BOO K CLU B The SPD Book Club does not meet throughout the summer months, so here are three great reads that we know will inspire you. Perfect for those lazy afternoons in the hammock or by the lake!

SCRIPTURE CONNECTION COME AS YOU ARE

BY C H E R Y L M AT H I S O N

The Giver of Stars

By Jojo Moyes

The God Who Sees

By Karen Gonzalez

If you’ve been feeling all the feels over the last year and a half, you’re not alone. As we return to work in the office, learning in the classroom, living on campus or participation in extracurriculars, eating out or shopping or traveling, or to in-person worship at church, we’re likely to experience a wide range of emotions—and not just joy, relief and excitement, but there also may be feelings of fear, anger, worry and even grief.

It has been said that the book of Psalms is an exhaustive collection of poetry giving voice to the full diversity of human emotion. In the preface to his commentary on the Psalms, John Calvin wrote: “I have been accustomed to call this book, I think not inappropriately, An Anatomy of the Soul; for there is not an emotion of which anyone can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror.” Indeed, it is so.

When it comes to human emotion, the gifts of the Psalms are many. They show us that we are not alone in our feelings. They remind us that we can bring any emotion before God. They give us words for when we have none. And perhaps most importantly, they demonstrate that it is possible to be faithful and angry, or faithful and scared, or faithful and troubled at the

The Vanishing Half

By Brit Bennett

very same time. The Psalms never ask the reader to hide a feeling or to pretend even when the feelings are strong. The Psalms make it clear that before God you may come as you are. Always.

Here is a simple guide to some of the emotions of the Psalms that are likely to be a part of post-pandemic life. There are others, of course, and a quick keyword search in a Bible concordance or on Google will also point you in the right direction.

Read and then pray the Psalms that speak to your heart. Re-read them often until they become a part of you. Share this list with someone you know who is struggling with deep feelings. And above all, know that as people of faith, we can put our trust in the fact that no human emotion is too big for God; no human feeling is off-limits. God speaks a holy and sacred word into it all.

EMOTION

PSALM

Grief and Loss Joy Worry Fear Anger Abandonment Thanksgiving Lament

4, 5, 6, 16, 31, 77 24, 30, 100, 103 23, 103, 116,121 56, 91 35, 37, 69, 109, 137 13, 22 34, 95, 28 44, 57, 74

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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. Over the course of its 18 years, we’ve had the chance to hear the stories of faithful people from all walks of life in subjects as diverse as science, literature, health, sports and so much more.

Faith & Life curates a video and audio library of lectures with past speakers, going all the way back to 2008. If you missed wonderful lectures by people like Fr. Richard D’Souza, Glennon Doyle or Jo Saxton, you can hear their lectures 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 faithand-life.org/media-livestream.

Read G I F TS FROM THE SE A

By Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

Originally published in 1955, this book’s ref lections on American life, love, marriage, solitude and peace are, perhaps, even more relevant now than when originally

written. Whether new to you or an old favorite, the wisdom within invites you to return to it again and again.

Watch TH E BI G G EST LIT TLE FAR M When filmmaker John Chester and his wife, Molly, a chef, leave the big city for their dream of living in perfect harmony on a farm, they cannot imagine all the

beauty and struggle they will face. This award-winning documentary is available for streaming on Hulu and for rent/purchase on Amazon.

Listen RETURN TO MIND

By Eyolf Dale. Dancing between shadow and light, this 2018 album by Norwegian jazz pianist Eyolf Dale will provide the perfect

chill backdrop for summer evenings on the patio, inviting you to sit back and relax.

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BY TIM WESTERME YER

I still know the address. 232 Alexander Blvd in Elmhurst, Illinois. It’s the address of the first house I lived in—from the time I was born until I was in second grade, when we moved to a neighboring suburb.

This should not surprise us as Christians. After all, we trust and believe and hope that our true home is not behind us—somewhere we can no longer visit—but instead is still ahead of us.

I remember the house fondly, but even if I ever wanted to return to visit it, I wouldn’t be able to. The house was on the campus of the college where my dad taught, and some years after we moved, it was torn down to make room for new campus buildings.

Novelist Madeleine L’Engle writes beautifully about this: “Where is the home for which we are so homesick?” she asks. “It is something that is still to come; it is that toward which all Creation is groaning in travail. It is the kingdom of God that will be ready when Christ comes again.

We are homesick not so much for something that was, and was lost, as for something that will be, and is to be found.”

It’s strange: I can still look the address up on Google maps, and the little red location mark points to exactly where the house should be. But there isn’t anything there.

All that’s left is a memory of it.

In some ways, you could say something very similar about our first—and true— home as Christians. That home, of course, was the Garden of Eden, and ever since we were kicked out of it, we’ve never been able to find our way back. It isn’t there anymore. Despite that, we all have—somewhere deep in the fiber of our being—a distant memory of it.

And not just a memory of it, but a desire to go back to it.

This is a theme throughout scripture—this sense of displacement, this sense of homesickness, this longing to return. And yet, we also recognize and understand that—like that first home of mine, which no longer exists, or the Garden of Eden, from which we’ve been banished forever—there are some places to which we can no longer return.

We are, it is true, currently experiencing a time of return. But it isn’t a return to “normal”—whatever that even means any more. And it isn’t a return to our idealized view of the past. Instead, it is a return to a world that has changed following the events of this past year.

Some places in this changed world—like the house I grew up in—may not be there anymore. But maybe that’s ok.

After all, as L’Engle reminds us, the home we’re longing for was never in the past anyway. With you, I’m looking forward to following where God leads us as we return to our new home, in the future.

Expectantly,

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M E D I TAT I O N

“It’s a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes.

Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realize what’s changed is you.”

F. S C O T T F I T Z G E R A L D

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DE VOTED LIVING

BACK TO THE BASICS

BY AMANDA BERGER

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Sometimes, when life gets complicated, it is necessary to return to the basics. Since early 2020, our lives have been a maelstrom and the normal patterns of life have yet to fully resume. Each of the marks of discipleship below are key parts of our identity as believers and followers of Jesus and takes on additional meaning as we approach them through a post-pandemic lens.

SCRIPTURE

God’s story of love for humanity reads differently every time we encounter it— because our own experiences focus the lens through which we view it. Psalms and stories of exile, lament and loss took on new depth as we moved through the past year. God’s Word provided comfort and hope as we navigated new terrain. It will continue to shape our hearts, minds and spirits as we move forward as well, providing us with a hope and a future.

GIVING

The generosity of our members has time and again been a sign of God’s good work in the life of our congregation. As we come back together, God will no doubt reveal ways in which our giving can continue to bless and support those in need locally and around the world. The support of our members to the mission and ministry we pursue together is critical to the life of the church. Whether financial gifts or gifts of time and talents, this generosity extends far beyond our walls to bless the poor, the homebound, those in need of healing, and so many others.

SERVICE

Many organizations, including St. Philip the Deacon, had to dramatically cut back on how people were able to physically serve others in the past year. In lieu of those service hours, monetary gifts were able to help make up for people power.

But as we re-emerge, the ability to serve and love others in person is a great place to begin rebuilding so much of the con-

nections lost during pandemic. Consider how serving at a food shelf, as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, as a Meals on Wheels driver, as a lay ministry visitor to the homebound, as an usher or communion server, or volunteering in youth or children’s ministries will help to rebuild the relationships within our church and the wider community.

FELLOWSHIP

Just being together, sharing life with fellow believers, is fellowship. Now that we are slowly able to return to life together, it will take intentionality to reconnect and get to know one another as we are now. The isolation of pandemic life has, in many ways, eroded our trust in casual encounters and maybe we’ve forgotten how to be present with those not of our own family.

We will have to relearn what it means to sit face-to-face, to relax and chat and be at home in groups, large or small. We’re working hard to provide opportunities for fellowship over the coming months to help all of us get reacquainted.

WORSHIP

In worship, we take time to come together in thanks, praise and honor of our good God who provides abundantly for God’s people. It is also when we can come together in lament, mourning and supplication. Our worship life together has been enriched and blessed by all of those who’ve joined us via livestream over the last year and half. Our community is bigger, and better, than ever because of each person’s presence. As those of us who are local are

able to return to in-person worship, let us not forget the presence of those who will continue to worship virtually, for whatever reason. We are all united in faith and belong to the body of Christ.

P R AY E R

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘thank you,’ it will be enough.”

This quote from Meister Eckhart points out that prayer doesn’t have to be long or include all kinds of fancy words. In fact, Jesus basically gives the same instruction right before he teaches us how to pray in what is now known as The Lord’s Prayer.

Get quiet, allow your prayers to be private and simple—and that’s enough. Over the past year, prayers have included so many petitions in the face of illness, loss, grief, injustice, fear, loneliness and so many diverse emotions. As we move forward, may we not forget to say prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude for where we are now and for God’s faithfulness in getting us here.

We have the ability to create a stronger, more diverse, and farther-reaching community at St. Philip the Deacon. As we navigate our life together moving forward, it is prudent to use these markers of discipleship to remind ourselves what it means to be church together after so many months apart, and to be the church to a world in need.

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G O G L ING C IN

COWBOY

BOOTS

BY K AT E S T E R N E R

A

t age 13, young Jim R a mlet grew like the prov erbi al w eed—six inches in eight months. Ev en after the grow th spurt slow ed, the accompan ying joint pain continued to pl ague him during his teenage y ear s, affecting his participation in high school sports. During his college y ear s his difficulties in sports drov e him to seek a consultation w ith an orthopedist, and he ended up h aving t wo surgeries in as m an y y ear s for torn cartil age and arthritis in his left knee. In the 1980s it was not common to at temp t to repl ace da m aged cartil age, so thereafter Jim walked around on a bone-on-bone knee joint for about 40 y ear s.

Abov e

Jim reciting the words of Winston Churchill in All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. Photo by Dan Norman.

Jim is a talented singer and actor whose career has taken him around the country, performing in operas and plays for more than 40 years. He has performed off-Broadway, in regional and local theater

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St. Philip the Deacon

(including the Guthrie and the American Repertory Theater), nationwide opera venues (including Washington National Opera, Kennedy Center and Chautauqua), participated in opera recordings for Deutsche Grammophon (including “La Bohème,” conducted by Leonard Bernstein), and sung in choral productions by multiple nationally acclaimed orchestras and choirs, as well as on television and radio (including “A Prairie Home Companion”).

Over the years Jim has played a number of active, physical roles. But in 2008, while performing in “Little House on the Prairie: The Musical,” he was obliged to dance in a chorus of pioneer gents while clogging in cowboy boots. That did a number on his knee. He saw his doctor about getting a knee replacement but was encouraged to put it off for 10 years, until he was in his 60s. The reason was that knee replacements at the time were predicted to last only 20 years and having a second replacement in his 70s would likely not go well.

Jim finally underwent total knee arthroplasty surgery in January of 2020. It was the first event in a succession of daunting complications that would try the patience of an angel: allergic reactions to surgical dressings; development of both staph and strep infections; surgery to remove the original knee replacement and insertion of a temporary cement spacer joint; six

weeks in a transitional care unit (Jim called it “The Stir”) with a thrice daily pic-line IV drip of powerful antibiotics.

And then the pandemic hit: no visits; nothing to do. A norovirus invaded the care facility. Everyone got sick. The entire place was swabbed down regularly with bleach. Jim entered a cognitive fog—he couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t read, couldn’t do anything. He watched hours of Turner Classic Movies and struggled to keep his sense of humor and perspective. Due to the drain the pandemic put on the health care system, his surgery to re-replace the knee joint was delayed nearly two and a half months. Finally, in June he received his second knee replacement surgery.

Although this surgery was successful with no infection, he did not get enough range of motion out of the new joint. In August he underwent a manipulation under anesthesia to tear through the scar tissue. This was followed up with weeks of physical therapy.

Those who know Jim Ramlet are familiar with his positive attitude and sardonic sense of humor. Throughout this monthslong ordeal, he has continued to keep a sense of perspective: it could be worse.

Lots of people have it much worse. He has his family, good friends, doctors who listen, and he has health insurance.

But how does a long recovery affect what Jim sees ahead for himself? What does the future hold?

RETURN

Now at the end of his recovery, Jim is looking for opportunities to return to his performing career. But the professional world he is returning to looks very different than it did when he initially set aside the time to address his health concerns. Even though his career was put on hold for much longer than he originally expected, Jim has been paying attention to

all the turmoil that year 2020 had to offer.

“The world is not the same place that I knew when I had my first surgery. I’ve had nothing but time to observe the changes in culture.”

Among the many changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is the curtailment of the performing arts.

Theaters and musical venues have shuttered their productions and are waiting to see how many of them will reopen as the pandemic eases. Almost all theaters, even for-profit companies, are dependent on corporate grants, national and regional arts boards and private endowments to cover their expenses and pay their performers and staff. Even at maximum audience capacity, these funding sources are critical to their survival. Without being able to gauge audience participation in a socially distanced post-pandemic world, performers, directors and producers, theater and venue workers are all left to wonder whether it’s time to seek other careers.

Jim remains philosophical. “Professionally, it’s hard to see what kinds of roles there are for an old white guy who can’t dance anymore,” he says, wryly. While supporting the growing f lexibility in gender and ethnic representation in casting roles in theater, it is hard to predict where his opportunities might come from. “It will be interesting to see the world unfold now. It’s important to remember how blessed we are. Perspective is key. There are so many people who have it worse, much worse. But we have each other, and we have the next generation coming through. I have gotten so much hope and encouragement from watching our young people. They really are working to make a better world.”

L e f t Jim as Judge Trupin in Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Photo by George Byron Griffiths.

A b o v e Headshot by Heidi Bohnenkamp

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2.

HOME AGAIN

BY C H E R Y L M AT H I S O N

W

hen St. Philip the Deacon moved exclusively to online worship in March of 2020 in response to the pandemic, we were grateful that we already had a framework in place that allowed us to make that transition very quickly. We had, after all, been livestreaming our Sunday 9:45 a.m. service for nearly five years and before that recording it and copying to DVDs that were mailed to those who requested.

Until the pandemic, with two mounted cameras and a computer, it was pretty much a push-and-play experience.

Over the years we have continually made investments in technology to best support livestream worship, and the last year has been no different. As a result of generous donations, we have been able to purchase additional cameras, more microphones, and make improvements to the lighting.

We have established a talented tech team that includes two camera people, a sound person, and a computer support person.

All of which is to say, we have come a long way from push and play.

Besides worship, we have livestreamed a variety of ministry events including Morning Prayer, Daily Devotions, SPD Podcast, Faith & Life Lectures, and the Restore series. We have turned to Zoom for Bible Study, fellowship, circle meetings, SPD Book Club, support groups, Confirmation, and so much more.

And now, even as we make plans for our glad return to in-person worship, we remain committed to maintaining our online presence for worship as well as for other ministry events. Here’s why: Churches have operated under the assumption that members would live nearby. As we made the move to online worship, we discovered that geographical boundaries disappeared. Over the last year we have welcomed worshipers from all 50 states and from 11 countries including England, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Australia and Italy.

And besides that, we have welcomed “home” former members who moved away and have since returned to SPD for worship, and, among other things, book club, Faith & Life events, choir meet ups and morning prayer.

1. LYNET TE & L ARRY R AS MUSSEN belonged from 2002-2014 and were active in choir, Bible Study and Faith & Life. They have established a church home in Golden, Colorado, where they now live but pointed out that “the loss of in-person worship opportunities prompted an exploration of online substitutes.” They have revisited all their former church homes online. They have been especially grateful for “the beautiful blend of the Word and music and the sharing of important messages of ‘be not afraid’ and ‘grow in relationship with each other and God’ from SPD.” LyNette said, “Instead of separation from our congregational families, we’ve come to appreciate and reconnect with a larger family of believers.”

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2 . LOREN & DEE BERG were active members at SPD from 1988-1993 when they moved to Dallas, Texas. Loren was very involved in an early construction project of the church and served as an usher. Along with his two brothers he regularly ushered on the biggest attendance Sunday in the church year, Easter.

He says he was unafraid to ask worshipers to “move together” on those crowded Sundays so more people could fit in the worship center.

Loren and his wife, Dee, now live in Rio Verde, Arizona, where they have been worshiping with us every single week since the pandemic began. He said, “We find it both fulfilling and meaningful.

More to the point, it is HOME.” The Bergs plan to continue to worship with SPD even after their local churches return to in-person worship.

3. JIM & DIANE MILL S , members since 1989, moved to Faribault, Minnesota, during the pandemic. Were it not for

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livestream and Zoom, their participation in the life and ministry of SPD might have waned. They continue to worship weekly and Diane continues to bring leadership to the Elizabeth Circle. She remarked, “It is amazing what a significant part of our lives St. Philip the Deacon has become.”

4 . JACK & MARY THOMPSON

were active members (choir, altar guild, circle, men’s group) from 1990-2019 when they relocated to San Marcos, Texas.

Like Dave and the Bergs, they have been attending worship nearly every week since the pandemic began pointing to “the familiar hymns, excellent special music and meaningful messages” as the things that drew them back. They too plan to continue to participate in online offerings going forward.

5. DAVID BARSTAD was an active member (choir, men’s group and many service projects) at SPD from 1985-2020 when he moved to Naples, Florida. He says that he was already familiar with the

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practice of livestreaming worship long before the pandemic, having made use of it during his summers in Brainerd. But he returned to it last March from Naples because it was “familiar.” He explained, “I sing harmony from memory visualizing in my mind that I am sitting there in person, with familiar pastors and meaningful messages to ref lect on.” Dave is grateful for the online presence as it has helped him “get through” the pandemic.

Technology has certainly been a blessing during the pandemic and it has allowed us to ask new questions about engaging a faith community both local and distant, and both in-person and virtual. To be sure, long-distance church comes with some trade-offs. If you are hospitalized, the pastor won’t be at your bedside and catching up with faithful friends (easily done before and after worship in the narthex or parking lot) takes a bit of intentionality and planning. But for now, we have each other and continue to be at work as the ever-expanding body of Christ.

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PICTURED

“The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt

Returned to Grace

BY AMANDA BERGER

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J

esus’ parable of the lost son, also known as the Prodigal Son, (found in Luke 15:1132) is one of those profound stories that resonates with so many layers of meaning that it changes each time it is read. This parable occurs as a part of a series of three parables, all of which are centered around something that has been lost (sheep, coin, son) and the lengths to which one (the shepherd, the owner, the father) will go to ensure their return.

These parables are stories of God’s relentless pursuit of his own children, illustrations of God’s desire that not even one should be lost or left behind. While the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin are about being found, the story of the prodigal son is about the freedom to leave, and then return without fear of condemnation. But there’s more here, too, because the younger son is not the only one who’s lost.

The story has an interesting twist to it in that it could just as easily be titled the Parable of the Two Lost Sons. For while the younger son is physically lost, the older son who remains doesn’t seem to know that he is also lost—to judgment, bitterness, to not seeing the blessing in which he resides.

The father, however, who is all goodness and mercy and forgiveness, extends his compassion and grace to both sons: one son in need of the physical graces of food and shelter and the emotional grace of forgiveness; the other son is in need of the father’s compassion and truth so that he might see how he has been living in grace the whole time. The father seeks the restoration to loving relationship with both sons.

It is not a hard argument to make that we all have been, at times, each son. We have lived squandering the freely given gifts and relationship of the Father. We have also lived coveting the grace offered to others, without realizing that we’ve been standing knee-deep in mercy and goodness all along.

Consider the following:

I AM LIKE THE P RODIGAL SON WHEN I ...

• Sacrifice generous, loving relationships to the idols of the world.

• Look far and wide for affirmation and love outside of God. • Believe that I am beyond love, mercy or grace.

I AM LIKE THE OLDER BROTHER WHEN I ...

• Covet or withhold, from my place of abundance, that which is freely offered to the poor in body, mind or spirit.

• Keep score of who is doing the “right” thing.

• Believe that I am owed something for good behavior.

Or fill in the blank for yourself. Both sons are lost. WE are all lost. But the grace and mercy and compassion of our God is not limited or conditional; it is freely offered.

What this story reveals about God is that our God is not a God of anger, wrath or stinginess when we’ve been foolish and childlike, but rather about God’s unfailing, unconditional mercy and grace.

“The difference between mercy and grace? Mercy gave the prodigal son a second chance.

Grace gave him a feast.”

MAX LUCADO

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FACE WHO WE ARE AN INTERVIEW WITH NAOMI TUTU

BY TIM WESTERMEYER

In May, we were joined by Naomi Tutu for the Faith & Life Lecture Series. The third daughter of former South African Anglican bishop and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Desmond Tutu, Naomi grew up in apartheid and saw the power of forgiveness, reconciliation and racial justice at work. A priest in the Episcopal church, Naomi is a sought-after speaker and also is a consultant, educator and coordinator for programs that seek racial and gender reconciliation and justice. In this interview, she shares more of her story of faith, calling and seeking the truth and goodness of who we are as God’s children.

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The theme for this issue is “return.” When you think of the word return, is there something that word prompts for you in your own life? Well, I have just returned from [being] home to South Africa with my parents, who are struggling with health issues in their old age. So right now, return for me is that combination of having returned to be part of a care team for my parents and then returning to my, more or less, regular life.

In terms of larger issue of return, one of the themes that I find myself going to in sermons, in presentations, and in conversations is the return of God’s creation to the time that God looked and said “It is good.”

That is what I think we are all called to be working toward—to a time and a place when our God can again look at the world and say “It is all good.”

Moving from personal to the life of faith, or the Biblical witness, are there ways that you think of that theme of return in those terms? I think this time of pandemic has offered us an opportunity to return to the important things of our faith. [All of us] have felt the loss of being able to gather together in worship, but I think it has made us [realize] the church is not the buildings that we meet in. In that sense, return means remembering where we come from—that we come out of a history of a people who wandered in the desert for 40 years. We come from a tradition of a people who gathered in people’s homes, who gathered in the catacombs of Rome—who gathered wherever they could meet.

So for me, this opportunity has been a chance to return to what it really means to be a person of faith. Worship has never been the be-all and end-all of being a Christian.

Could you expand on that and maybe articulate what beyond worship constitutes the life of the Christian? First of all, there’s a kind of problem with the whole idea of what we call worship—that worship is only what we do on Sundays. Just to share a story, that for me, kind of encapsulates this: When I was living in Nashville, I took [a group] to South Africa from a church in Nashville. They were interested in partnering with a church in South Africa and I chose a church in the commu-

nity where my maternal grandmother lived, in a township called Kagiso.

The church from Nashville was one of the wealthiest churches in the diocese of Tennessee, and the church in Kagiso—just the church building—could have fit, with room to spare, in one of their classrooms.

And in our first meeting with the rector of this church—St. Thomas in Kagiso—the people from Nashville asked about the church’s outreach. And the rector said, “Oh, no, we don’t have an outreach.”

But then the rector went on to talk about all the things the congregation was doing in the community. They had a feeding program where they took hot lunches to children in a neighboring school, where most of the children came from squatter camps. Many of those children were members of children-headed households. They had a ministry to those dying of AIDS, where members of the parish went to clean homes and cook meals. They bought school uniforms and books for children at the school. They served as guardians for the c h i ld re n-he a de d households, to make sure they were not cheated out of their homes and the income they were supposed to get from the government.

When the people from Nashville asked about all of these programs, the priest said, “All of that, for us, is not outreach. All of that is part of our worship of God.” And so that is what I mean when I say that—while I don’t dispute or minimize the joy of gathering together for worship—to me worship is how we live in the world. How do we show the world that we are followers of Christ?

which was an Anglican seminary and was run by the Community of the Resurrection.

My father was getting ready to graduate and was not able to come home for my birth. But a friend of his, who became a great family friend, came just after I was born; and the message he took back to my father was, “You know, with this one, all we need to do is put glasses and a cassock on her and she would be you.” That is my origin story, right? So that is the story I’ve heard all my life. And my reaction to that was, “Well, the one thing that I do know about myself is I will never be a priest!”

Growing up in a priest’s home and seeing the extent of service—there is no 9 to 5 priestly life. There were so many occasions when we would plan something as a family, and then something came up for one of my father’s parishioners—and what we had planned had to be put aside so that he could do his pastoral duties.

And also, part of my father’s training was a very strict prayer life. The Community of the Resurrection where he trained is a monastic order, so he was trained in monastic prayer.

And I used to tease him and say, “You know, as many times as you pray, God is really bored of hearing from you. Give other people a chance.”

And so, you know, the combination of the amount of prayer and the amount of time that is given to others just added to my determination that I was not going to be a priest.

But just as I finished my master’s degree was when my father won the Nobel Peace Prize, and the opportunity to speak grew for me. And included in that came invitations not just to speak, but to preach.

And I discovered that preaching was a place where I could—this is going to sound weird—but it was a place where I could let myself go. I did not have to be in charge. And in that experience, I thought, “Ah, maybe this is something about a call to ministry.”

I needed to step out and stop being afraid of being seen as stepping into my father’s shoes…

You were ordained as a priest later in life.

Could you share a little bit about your own call to ministry? It’s been an almost lifelong struggle with a call to ministry. At the time of [my] birth, my father was in seminary. He was at St. Peters in Rosettenville at that time,

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I finally was convinced by a spiritual advisor who said to me, “Are you not tired?

You are fighting as though you are fighting for your life. So how about you stop fighting, turn around, face the possibility that this is indeed a call? And just go to seminary and be in conversation with people around this.”

Do you think that the life of faith very often is running away from where God wants us to be only to find that we need to go back to God somehow? Again, maybe playing with that return language again? I think that for most of us the struggle with what is God calling us to be and do in our lives is an ongoing struggle. In my own case, I think particularly that I needed to stop being afraid of being seen as stepping into my father’s shoes, but rather that this was an opportunity to step out into my own faith. It felt like a return to who I was wholly meant to be.

I presume you’ve discussed all of that with your father? What has he said? What has his counsel been to you? Is he happy for you? He’s definitely happy, and I think surprised. But with my parents, the conversation has been about the joy and responsibility of ministry.

I assume you would say that this experience of figuring out God’s call in our life could be extrapolated beyond a call to ministry and would include all Christians, correct?

Definitely. Definitely. You know, and that was part of the reason that I chose divinity school rather than the path set up by the church. I thought, well, there is a call on my life, and maybe this is the way to find out what this call is. I still thought very clearly that the ordained ministry was NOT that call. But to be able to be with people who are talking about scripture, who are struggling with scripture, who are struggling with God in different ways—that was what was inviting about divinity school for me.

And I think that is what we are meant to be to one another as Christians. To allow each other to struggle with what scripture says. To struggle with God. To encourage one another. To listen to where that call is calling each of us. I believe completely that God has a call on each person. And that it is

in the community of the body of Christ that we find out what that call is meant to be.

Switching gears, I’m calling from Minneapolis, where the jury in the George Floyd trial is being seated. So this is a two-part question: 1. If you can say a word about your sense of where we find ourselves a year after that event? 2. Are there lessons we should be learning based on you and your father’s experience in South Africa? Yeah, wow. Heavy questions. Yes, you know, I’ve been preparing myself for a presentation that I’ve been asked to do and the theme is “Truth Be Told.” And in thinking about that theme, one of the things that kept coming to me is how very often I hear in this country leaders—political, community, religious leaders—when something like the murder of George Floyd happens, that the response is, “This is not who we are.” And for me that is part of the problem. Right?

That if we start from a place of denying the reality—that we call it an aberration, that this is something that is not normal—and yet, it IS normal, and it has been normal. This is who we are.

This is the story of this country. This is the experience of Black people with the justice system, historically, and in our present day. And so for me one of the things that I pray is that for us to be able to move forward, we stop saying, “This is not who we are,” but rather be willing to face fully that yes, this system of racism is embedded in our society. It is embedded in our justice systems. And if we are going to change it, then we must first admit it.

And I guess that leads to the second part of your question. For me, part of the experience of the truth and reconciliation commission in South Africa, is the fact that people of South Africa were challenged to face the dark side of the [our] story. And maybe nobody challenged us to do that more than former president [Nelson] Mandela.

He was an amazing human being. For instance, one of the things he said to us is that we could not claim to be the country of Mandela—which is what we did as South Africans. Straight after the first democratic elections, if you met a person anywhere in the world and they asked, “Where are you from?” you would say, “Oh, I’m from South Africa, the country of Mandela, the man who came out of jail and was willing to forgive his jailers and wanted to build reconciliation.”

But Mandela said, “You can’t say that you are the country of Mandela unless you say you are also the country of De Klerk,” who was the head of one of the death squads in South Africa. Because those are BOTH the stories of South Africa, and you cannot separate them. You cannot choose which part of your history you are going to highlight. If we are really going to move forward, then we have to face who we are in the places of glory, and who we are in the places of shame. And that, I think, is the lesson that I would hope that we would share from our experience into the U.S. experience.

You can find the audio and video recordings of Naomi’s talk on Faith & Reconciliation: Healing the Wounds of Racism at faith-and-life.org/media-livestream.

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No Place Like Home

BY AMANDA BERGER

“There’s no place like home…” And it’s true—there is no place like our homes which offer us shelter, security, safety and a place to belong. However, the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area has an affordable housing crisis—due to rising rents, flatlining wages, and extremely low vacancy rates—making it difficult for low-income families to find affordable rentals or own their own home.

This is where Habitat for Humanity fills a deep need within our community.

Since 1976, when Habitat for Humanity was established in Georgia, they now have affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Their mission is clear: to build homes, to keep people in their homes and to advocate for affordable housing. SPD has been volunteering with our local affiliate, Twin Cities Habitat for

Humanity, since 2016. Although many Habitat homes are new builds, Habitat also works to renovate homes, creating spaces that homeowners can be proud of and feel at home in.

Pastor Mark Schmid brought his passion for Habitat for Humanity to SPD when he joined our staff. “I received my first toolkit when I was 3 or 4 years old; and I have had a passion for building, woodworking and DIY projects ever since. I am in no way a master builder, electrician, plumber, painter, etc. But sharing my love for this work, when it intersects with an important need and hunger for affordable housing and home ownership in our community, is a calling, a privilege and a blessing,” said Schmid. He went on to express his gratitude to the many high school and adult volunteers who have supported the Habitat builds over the past five years.

The experience of volunteering on a Habitat build is unique. Volunteers do not need any special skills as site leaders will show you how to do the work needed for the day. And it’s low pressure—there are no quotas to meet or an expectation of how much work will get done; volunteers simply pick up wherever the previous day left off. There’s a role for each person on site, regardless of your skills. “Every year when registration for our summer week-long build opens, there are always a few people who ask, ‘Can I participate if I am not handy?’” said Pastor Schmid.

“My response is always a resounding ‘Yes

... no experience necessary—just a willingness to participate, learn, grow and of course have fun!’ The site supervisors do a wonderful job teaching and encouraging the work crew. It is so much fun watching people grow in their skill, confidence and knowledge throughout the week. Almost everyone, including me, learns something new every year.”

According to the Habitat for Humanity website, homeownership contributes to healthier families, greater success in school, more economic opportunity for families, and revitalized neighborhoods.

In 2015, Habitat for Humanity (national) and Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota partnered with Wilder Research to better understand the impact that homeownership has on families. The data was impressive (see page 22).

For families looking to buy a home, Habitat offers coaching and support for connecting families with homes that they love at a mortgage they can afford. As a part of their homeownership requirements, those receiving homes are also asked to volunteer their time to “pay it forward” contributing service hours to their own home, or by volunteering on another Habitat build.

This summer a group from SPD will volunteer in early August. Register online at spdlc.org/register or contact Pastor Mark Schmid at mschmid@spdlc.org for more information.

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“ I am in no way a master builder, but sharing my love for this work is a calling, a privilege and a blessing.”

MARK SCHMID

The Impact of Homeownership on Families Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota Wilder Research 2015

65 % 74 % Say their kids’ grades have improved

Are more confident about paying for college

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41% 92% 90 % 80 % Have to go to the doctor less now

Have an adult family member who has returned to school or is planning to return

Feel better about their children’s futures

Feel connected to their community

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W H AT I’M KEEPING

BY AMANDA BERGER

S

o many of the gifts of God are simple joys, easily taken for granted, lost in the busy rush from here to there of modern American life. Many people, myself included, will admit that our pandemic year provided us the space and time to slow down and ref lect on what shape we desire for our lives to take.

While I don’t believe that God gives us hard times as punishment, I do believe that God gives us the ability to look for lessons and gifts from hard seasons, to point out how our challenges can shape us and form us, as in Isaiah 30:20-21:

“Even though the Lord may allow you to go through a season of hardship and difficulty, he himself will be there with you. He will not hide himself from you, for your eyes will constantly see him as your Teacher. When you turn to the right or turn to the left, you will hear his voice behind you to guide you, saying, ‘This is the right path; follow it.’”

In the spirit of full disclosure, I am an introvert, very content with avoiding crowds and spending time alone. I take delight in being in my home, but even so, limitations of being forced to stay home caused some major chafing. Not that I wanted to go anywhere, but I at least wanted the option!

Some of my favorite memes from 2020 were ones drawing comparisons between our pandemic situations and Jane

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Austen novels. From her books, like Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Mansfield Park (and the movie adaptations of them) I realized that social distancing, idle long evenings at home and being all dressed up with nowhere to go but the dining room were deeply reminiscent of Austen’s storylines.

It seems to me, dear reader, that there are some incredible lessons to be gleaned from this strange season, things that it would be a shame not to intentionally carry forward into post-pandemic life.

L E T ’ S TA K E A T U R N ABOUT THE GARDEN.

Never have I been so attuned to the changing seasons: spring’s tiny sprouts of green curling and unfolding from damp earth; the lusciousness of summer with its ripening gardens and exploding blossoms; the first crispness of autumn in your lungs with its intense cobalt sky. Even short winter days were not without a brisk walk and a moment of gratitude for fresh air.

It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy nature before (I did!), but not the deep connection and love for my immediate surroundings.

That kind of expansive joy was reserved for mountain vistas and rushing waterfalls, swelling oceans and toes sunk deep in sand. In staying home, I found that same beauty and freedom in my own suburban garden, a walk around the block, and the trails close to home.

Also, where previously my default to get together with a friend would have been to meet up at a coffee shop, we instead found ourselves outside walking. Together we discovered beautiful places—sharing gorgeous sunsets, staring wide-mouthed at the soaring of eagles, and giggling over the frantic busyness of muskrats. Shared experiences that we never would have found over a cup of coffee at our local Caribou. And, of course, the time and conversation were more precious for the lack of people and experiences that normally populate our day-to-day lives.

And, perhaps weirdly, I met more neighbors simply by being outside in my own yard. Solitary commutes were replaced with daily walks, friendly greet-

ings, and sitting out on the driveway (six feet apart, of course) to chat with those in our immediate community.

I hope to keep the practice of daily walks as the preferred activity of time with friends going forward, and eagerly anticipate a neighborhood gathering w ith a ll of our new acquaintances, getting to know them better and finding deeper connection.

M A D A M , T H E P O S T.

As activities ground to a halt, there were both extended soft summer evenings and long, dark winter nights to figure out how to spend our newfound leisure time.

With more time, dinners could be spent lingering on the patio just enjoying the warmth and easily transitioning to yard games like badminton or batting practice, or going for an after-dinner walk or bike ride.

In the winter, we found ourselves playing board games and cards, seated at the piano playing and listening to music, all of us reading together in the living room, or working jigsaw puzzles. And, in most evenings, there was time to do a little of all of the above.

And let’s be real. In our family of three, the company is not varied. I worried about running out of things to talk about, but somehow even with all the simplicity and quality time at home, we still managed to share about our days, ask deeper questions, or simply learn how to be with one another in silence.

Prior to pandemic season, there was always an impulse to look for the gifts of

The mail—whether an overnight order from Amazon or familiar handwriting on a card or letter—never failed to bring joy. I found myself sending more cards or writing long emails to connect with family and friends who live far away, sharing details from daily life that previously would have simply gotten lost in the shuff le or were relegated to a quick Instagram post.

After dear neighborhood friends moved away, my daughter and her friends even revived the art of pen pals, with handwritten letters zooming across the miles multiple times a week.

I also found myself exploring and supporting more small businesses. With more time to browse online (and less impulse to pop out to Target), birthday gifts and Christmas shopping brought not only the joy of giving more unique and meaningful gifts, but the knowledge that I was supporting artisans in their JANE AUSTEN, small businesses.

MANSFIELD PARK

“Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.”

SHALL WE GO THROUGH TO THE D R AW I N G R O O M ?

Normally, say in summer, our home life looks like hurried dinners (eaten around 4 p.m.) before various members of our household dash off to softball and baseball practices and games. Then, all return home after dark, depleted, hungry, and dirty to quickly clean up before falling into bed. And, the other seasons are similar.

beauty, love, friendship and contentment somewhere outside of my immediate surroundings. As if those things close to home were somehow unsatisfactory, when truly those are the most important and beautiful things—available to me 24/7.

For the first time, maybe ever, there were enough hours in the day: for work, for play, for rest.

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Breaking the Internet for Jesus

feel more like a natural part of everyday life rather than compartmentalizing our spiritual lives into one morning a week.”

And that makes sense—sharing the Good News has never been easier. A like, a follow, a share or a double tap allows our faith community to share our mission and ministry in the digital space where people already spend a significant portion of their days. Inviting a friend to worship or to join a livestream event or participate in a daily devotional reading becomes the work of seconds.

BY AMANDA BERGER

When we talk about our “digital campus” at St. Philip the Deacon, we are referring to all of the ways the congregation worships, learns, grows and serves on the wide variety of our digital platforms. It is our mission and ministry—what we have always done—being lived out online through social media, livestream, our website, Zoom and other digital platforms. Throughout the last 18 months, it has become apparent that even as we move back to in-person worship and other activities, this new space we occupy on digital platforms is essential to our work as the church.

“It’s non-negotiable. The church has to embrace this means of communication,” said Pastor Tim Westermeyer. “If we don’t embrace and affirm our digital presence, we are missing a big opportunity to share the Gospel. It’s one of the ways we need to ‘be’ church now and into the future.”

And the data from 2020 supports this impulse to increase and build our digital presence. We had more people worshiping with us via one service livestreamed in 2020 than we did in all five of our in-person services during 2019. Westermeyer is quick to point out that while this by no means compensates for in-person connections, it is still a point that can’t be ignored when it comes to reaching new people.

We know that people joined us for worship from all 50 states, as well as several countries around the world, during 2020 as well.

“It’s exciting to reach that many people, and to know that our reach is not limited geographically,” said Westermeyer. “This allows us to be innovative in sharing the Gospel and we can literally meet them where they live—giving them ways to engage that

During the past year, SPD has made important investments in our digital campus, including additional staff resources, a recording studio, as well as improved sound and lighting equipment in our sanctuary. These are just the beginning of our continued investment in our presence in virtual spaces.

We’re not currently at a point where every ministry has a virtual or digital version, but that is something that we need to consider and live into. “It’s not unreasonable to expect that that is where we are headed, and as we navigate that vision, to ask: how do we grow into this new reality in a way that is healthy and scalable?” said Westermeyer.

But this is also what makes our digital campus so exciting. Previously, any event— from worship to Faith & Life—was ultimately confined by the capacity of our physical space: how many seats are available? Will people be able to see and hear? Will our parking lot accommodate everyone who wants to participate? These are no longer constraints or concerns when we can easily host thousands or tens of thousands, via livestream.

At St. Philip the Deacon, we frequently talk about our mission statement, “Reach Out. Proclaim. Inspire.” Our digital campus allows us to do all those things more expansively than we ever have before. It allows us to do the work of the church in new ways and by casting a wider net.

With your partnership in ministry, we look forward to breaking the internet for Jesus.

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Digital Campus Priorities

1

A continued commitment to our digital presence, pursuing creative means of engagement

2

An intentional effort to host events and experiences that have both in-person and virtual ways of participating

3 Continued exploration of how we can use our digital resources to advance the work of the church

4 A recognition that some things won’t translate. There will be things that work best in-person and there will be some things that remain completely online, but we are committed to both ways of interacting with our members

5 Investment in a digital camera and systems that allow us to easily livestream from the CFL and Learning Center, as well as the Sanctuary

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ON THE BACKROADS

BY AMANDA BERGER

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sites. After that, they journeyed through the hill country of northwestern Tennessee and into rural central Kentucky.

When it comes to seeing the world, Lori and Jack Churchill prefer the road less traveled. The former business consultant and recently retired dentist have spent their lives exploring via the backroads, looking for experiences that indulge their passions for hiking, history and the exquisite details of the natural world.

When the pandemic postponed their fall 2020 plans to travel to the Holy Land with St. Philip the Deacon, they decided, instead, to hop in the car. After studying a map of the United States and feeling drawn to the enormous swaths of green in southern Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, they set out for two weeks to see where the road would take them, making only one reservation.

“We always take the backroads as much as we can—you can’t see anything from the freeways,” said Lori. “Jack does the driving; I do the navigating and logistics. He’s the dreamer—picking out destinations and I figure how to get there.”

They ended up exploring the state parks of southern Illinois, lush with woods and rocky, adventurous trails and even finding a cypress swamp. They continued to the charming riverside town of Paducah, Kentucky, spending four days there and taking day trips to explore nearby state parks, the National Quilt Museum and historical

The Churchills are especially interested in historical places connected to the Civil War. While they’ve visited many sites throughout the southeastern United States, one particular place on this trip has forever imprinted itself on their memories: Fort Defiance. This Union camp, set on the southernmost point of Illinois located at the conf luence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, is now marked only by a plaque noting its history. Having arrived during a rainstorm, Lori waited in the car as Jack went to read the plaque. “As I was reading the plaque, there were huge bands of lightning bolts off in the distance,” said Jack. “The rain was pouring down, and as I headed back to the car, I decided to start running. I just made it into the car as a lightning bolt struck down next to the car with three earth-shaking booms. It rocked the car. If I hadn’t run, that bolt of lightning would have done me in.” Lori added, “Talk about a God moment. Our hearts were just pounding!”

Along with historical sites, they also like to visit college campuses (for their beauty, history and youthful energy) as well as arboretums and botanical gardens. “We’re both plant people, so we love to see and learn about the f lora in a place,” said Lori,

to which Jack added, “You go to the Grand Canyon or the ocean or see the big starry sky and feel the wonder and expansiveness of God. But then looking at f lowers, berries or unusual plants—we see God in his creative details, too.”

When asked about their penchant for not planning every moment of their itinerary, they noted that the most amazing experiences of their travel have always been unplanned. As an example, they related the story of a dairy farmer in New Zealand who came to their aid when their rental car broke down. “The farmer helped us; invited us back to his home for dinner— and his wife wasn’t even home. She was in the hospital having just had their first baby!” That was in 1988 and the Churchills still exchange letters with the family at Christmastime every year. “It could have been so disappointing and bad, but it turned into the most amazing part of our trip,” said Lori.

“Road trips have been something we’ve done since the beginning of our marriage,” said Lori. “It’s just our style, and we love to play music as we drive which inevitably becomes the soundtrack to that adventure. Once a place is linked with a song, you can’t help but revisit that place and time whenever you hear it.”

The hardest part: deciding where to go next.

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Lighten Up! FOOD AND PHOTOGRAPHY

BY AMANDA BERGER

Summer, with its return of garden abundance and farmers markets, patio meals, and lots of outdoors activities, invites us to keep meals quick and simple. Each takes little prep time—and is perfect for inviting young cooks into the kitchen with you!

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Thai Red Curry Noodles Summer calls for light, easy meals that get us in and out of the kitchen quickly as we go between the outdoors, summer sports and being on the water. Kid-approved, the delightful combination of spicy curry, sweet coconut and tangy lime make this quick noodle dish one that we return to over and over. Keep it meat-free or add grilled or sauteed shrimp or chicken.

Servings: 4 1 package Rice Noodles (about 14 oz) 3 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste 1 tbsp Garlic, minced 1 can full-fat canned Coconut Milk 1/4-1/2 cup low-sodium Vegetable Broth 2 tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari 1 tbsp Maple Syrup ½ Lime, juiced (about 1 ½ tbsp) OP TIONAL

Cilantro, sliced green onion, lime wedges and sesame seeds Place the rice noodles and a sprinkle of salt in a large bowl of hot water. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften until noodles are pliable.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add curry paste and cook for about 1 minute, allowing the aromas to come out. Then add the garlic and sauté for one more minute.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the coconut milk, whisking to combine. Add in the soy sauce, maple syrup and lime juice, stirring to combine. Drain the noodles and add them to the pan, coating them with the sauce.

As the noodles cook and begin to absorb the sauce, stir while adding the vegetable broth, 2-3 tablespoons at a time. Cook just until the noodles are softened, but still have a bit of a chewy bite to them.

(About 3-4 minutes.) Serve immediately.

(The sauce will continue to thicken as the

noodles sit. To loosen the sauce or when you reheat, add another tablespoon or two of vegetable broth.

toss to cover with marinade. Allow to rest for about 30 minutes. While you wait, prepare cabbage slaw and other toppings.

Top with cilantro, chopped green onions, lime wedges and sesame seeds, if desired.

When ready, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute brief ly, until cooked through and opaque.

Remove from heat and assemble tacos.

Shrimp Tacos with Cabbage Slaw With fresh, bright f lavors these quickcooking shrimp tacos are perfect for a quick summer evening. Recommended sides: Spanish rice and watermelon. Servings: 4 (3 tacos each) SHRIMP MARINADE

1 lb frozen Shrimp (uncooked, peeled, deveined and tails removed), thawed 1 tbsp Olive Oil 1 Lime, juiced 1 tsp Chili Powder 1 tsp ground Cumin ½ tsp Paprika 1 Clove Garlic, minced ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper In a bowl or measuring cup, add all ingredients except shrimp and whisk to combine. Add the shrimp to the bowl and

C A B B AG E S L AW

½ cup Mayonnaise ¼ cup Sour Cream (or plain Greek yogurt) ½ tbsp White Vinegar 1 clove Garlic, minced ¼ tsp Onion Powder ½ tsp Kosher Salt 2 ½ cups Cole Slaw Mix ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, garlic, onion powder and salt. Whisk to combine. Stir in cole slaw mix and cilantro. Set aside.

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS

12 small soft Flour or Corn Tortillas 1 14 oz can Black Beans, rinsed and warmed in the microwave 1 Avocado, diced 1 Tomato, diced To assemble tacos, fill each tortilla with a few shrimp (like 4-5, depending on size).

Add a spoonful of black beans, avocado, cabbage slaw and tomatoes.

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Easy Greek Gyros Greek f lavors are a go-to during hot summer weather. In addition to the ingredients listed in each part of this recipe, you will also need a package of pita bread—enough for four servings—which varies by brand. Nice gluten-free variations are to serve the chicken over a bed of lettuce as a salad using the tzatziki sauce as a dressing, or over cooked brown rice.

Servings: 4 CHICKEN

4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts 2 tsp Olive Oil 2 tsp Greek Seasoning (purchased or see recipe below) 1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata Olives, halved 1/2 cup sliced Greek Pepperoncini (usually found on the condiments aisle) 3/4 cup Feta Cheese crumbles Fresh-ground and Black Pepper to taste Preheat oven to 375° F. Trim four large chicken breasts. Rub chicken on both sides with Greek seasoning.

the chicken strips. Then top with Feta crumbles and a few twists of fresh-ground black pepper.

Heat olive oil in frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook about 2 minutes on first side, until they start to brown. Turn chicken over and cook a few minutes on the other side, until just browned, being careful not to cook too long (or chicken will be overdone after baking).

Bake 25 minutes or until chicken is hot and cheese is starting to melt. Spoon chicken mixture into the pita bread, top with Tzatziki sauce and serve.

than you need (about ¼ cup). Store extra in a small jar in a cool, dry place.

T Z AT Z I K I S A U C E

Remove chicken to cutting board and let cool a minute or two until it’s cool enough to handle. Then slice each chicken breast into 4-5 thin strips. While chicken cools above, drain olives, slice tomatoes and drain pepperoncini.

Spray an 8”x13” or 9”x12” casserole dish with non-stick spray and arrange chicken breast strips across the dish. Sprinkle tomatoes, olives and pepperoncini over

GREEK SE ASONING

2 tsp dried Oregano 2 tsp dried Basil 1 tsp dried Parsley 1 tsp dried Dill 1 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Garlic Powder ½ tsp dried Rosemary ½ tsp dried Thyme ½ tsp dried Cinnamon 1 tsp Black Pepper 2 tsp Salt Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. This will make more

1 large Cucumber, peeled, ends and seeds removed 2 tsp Kosher Salt 2 cups whole-milk Greek Yogurt 2 tbsp Lemon Juice 2 cloves Garlic, minced 1 tbsp fresh Dill, chopped Grate cucumber into a strainer and sprinkle with salt. Allow the strainer to sit over the sink or a bowl for at least 15 minutes. This releases some of the water from the cucumber. Squeeze cucumber shreds to remove additional liquid.

Combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in the cucumber until combined. (Best if made a couple of hours ahead to allow f lavors to blend. Keeps for 2-3 days covered in the refrigerator.)

GIVING THANKS

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We receive countless notes, emails and thank-you’s to our staff each week thanking our whole congregation for the many ways that your gifts make a difference at St. Philip the Deacon. We make it a goal to reach out to people of all ages and situations, sharing God’s love throughout our local community. You, the members of SPD, make these ministries possible!

“ Thank you so much for the generous donation … you gave to Wayzata-Plymouth Meals on Wheels. We are especially grateful for your gift this year during the pandemic as we are serving many more people who, sometimes unexpectedly, find themselves to be new recipients of Meals on Wheels. I am so thankful for the support from SPD. It’s been a crazy, mixed-up kind of year and you came through again to support our local neighbors. … Thank you for your support in making it possible to serve all those who need a helping hand!”

JO RIMMEREID

Wayzata-Plymouth Meals on Wheels

“ Thank you so much for always thinking of us, showing up right when I need you. The smiling faces are so inspiring and uplifting to me! It truly keeps me going! You are my angels!”

LINDA O’BRIEN

Mission Lodge

“ Dear SPD Quartet, Thank you for the wonderful music you have been providing since I first started watching livestream on Palm Sunday. I’ve been singing in some choir since I was 12 years old and I really miss it, but quite often I can sing along with you!

Blessings to all of you.”

MARIE KING

“ I just wanted to say ‘thank you’ to you and all the staff at St. Philip for the weekly mailings, especially for the kids. They love getting mail addressed specifically to them every week and the activities included are great. I’m sure there is extra effort and time spent to get these all out as opposed to having parents print things, but it is so appreciated. It is a wonderful reminder that we have a church family waiting for us when this is all over and we get back to regular life.”

K E L L I J O , N AT E , J E S S A & GRAHAM MILLER

INSPIRE

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St. Philip the Deacon

O U T & A BO U T

F

ollowing the police shooting of Daunte Wright, many people—including children and families—in Brooklyn Center needed basic supplies with many businesses closed due to riots and looting. As always, the St. Philip the Deacon community stepped up to serve and love our brothers and sisters with donations at a drive thru held on April 18, 2021. A special thank you to our high school volunteers and all those who participated—your gifts make a difference in our community.

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FA M I L I A R FA C E S K AT H Y H A G E D O R N

1.

Describe when you knew you’d be going into ministry.

Remember when Jonah was called to follow God ’s instructions and runs the other way? That has been my journey. I have been a Sunday school teacher, a Christian preschool teacher, a parochial school kindergarten teacher, a volunteer Sunday school coordinator and now the Director of Children’s Ministry. God always pulls me back to do his work.

I would be in various positions for a few years, decide to try another avenue of life and God pulls me back into the ministry.

I stopped f leeing from his guidance when I came to St. Philip’s and have been here over 20 years. God ’s plan always wins out.

2.

Kathy Hagedorn has led our Faith Creek Children’s Ministry for over 20 years, providing children and families with opportunities to hear God’s Word, be supported in their faith formation journey, and grow through love and service in the world.

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to know about you? I am adventuresome. I have backpacked the Porcupine Mountains in Michigan, kayaked in the Pacific Ocean, bicycled across the state of Colorado, hot air ballooned in California, rollerbladed 75 miles for MS, traveled a subway train in a foreign country by myself, rafted the Snake River in Wyoming and the Arkansas River in Colorado, traveled on many road trips, and participated in a hot yoga challenge, completing 375 classes in 365 days.

3.

What are three things on your lifetime to-do list?

1. Visit Ireland and Scotland!!! 2. Road trips to different parts of the United States. 3. Write a children’s book.

4.

How do you take care of yourself—spiritually, emotionally and physically—so that you stay healthy in ministry? Chocolate. I talk to God in a “conversational” manner. He knows what my shoulders can handle, and I must constantly be reminded that he knows! “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10. I am also a certified Vinyasa yoga instructor. My favorite type of yoga is known as Bikram yoga, where you practice a series of 26 postures in a room heated to 105° F with 40% humidity. This hot yoga detoxes my body, challenges me, and forces me to focus.

What are you passionate about right now? Planning destinations to explore when areas open. I heard the phrase, “Live Life Like A Tourist.” That is how I want to move forward after the pandemic.

5.

Are you looking for an avenue to walk as a humble servant in the footsteps of Christ? “ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.”

2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-5

SPIRITUAL GROWTH RETREAT R E V E A L I N G R E V E L AT I O N : D R A W I N G B A C K T H E C U R TA I N O N T H E B I B L E ’ S MOST MYSTERIOUS BOOK

July 29-August 1 St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN We explore how Revelation is misunderstood in many ways in modern culture and how it can help us deepen our faith and grow in relationship to Christ with guest presenter Dr. Michael Chan.

Contact Kristine and Jim Houtman (kristine.houtman@gmail. com) or Pastor Valerie (vstrand@spdlc.org) to learn more. For more information and to register visit spdlc.org/register.

Join us for a six-week training session to become a member of the SPD Lay Ministry Team this fall. Delve into prayer, communication, listening, feelings, compassion, empathy, dementia, grief and healing. Areas of service for lay ministry team members include: prayer shawl delivery, All Saints package delivery, walking through life with a homebound visited friend, assisting in packaging up of monthly deliveries for lay ministry team members, assisting with being the hands and feet of Christ for SPD members.

For more info, contact Parish Nurse Susan Path at spath@spdlc.org.

17205 County Road 6 Plymouth, MN 55447

“Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.”

JOEL 2:13

V I S I T U S O N L I N E AT S P D L C .O R G