Son Times Spring 2025 by St. Andrew Lutheran Church

SON TIMES

SPRING 2025

Stories ofFaith

Stories of Faith

Over the years, my father and I often shared a familiar conversation at the end of the day. This was during his time as a Senior Pastor in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, while I was a young, newly ordained pastor serving my first church in Rochester, New York. To reconnect, he would consistently ask me: “What did you do to further the Kingdom today?”

This question wasn’t a judgment or a call to work harder, nor was it meant to make me feel as though I hadn’t done enough. Instead, it was a grace-filled reminder of the countless ways the Spirit of Christ is present and active in the world through me and within the church I was serving. It was an invitation to reflect on and celebrate the many ways God’s blessings unfolded around us.

St. Andrew Lutheran Church is a community brimming with stories of faith—people who see God at work and live out their faith in unique and meaningful ways. Each person bears the Spirit of Christ in their own way, sharing God’s love with the world. This happens because God comes alongside us in grace, inspires purpose, invites us to serve in countless ways, deepens our relationships, and blesses us with the fulfillment that comes from faithful work.

In this Lent 2025 newsletter, we celebrate how God is creating stories of faith within and through the everyday lives of people at St. Andrew. Together, we embody and share God’s goodness and love with the world.

In this issue, you’ll read how:

• Our Early Learning Childcare and Preschool programs are celebrating 30 and 35 years, respectively, with second-generation families now participating.

• St. Andrew’s story is being shared on social media in new and far-reaching ways.

• New staff members—Pastor Jeanne Aamot, Visitation Pastor and Scott Searl, Stewardship and Development specialist—are bringing their faith experiences into service within our congregation.

• Read how children and youth are invited and inspired to faith through the ongoing ministry of St. Andrew.

So, sit back and enjoy these stories of how St. Andrew equips servant leaders in daily life of all ages and backgrounds. Join us for Wednesday night Lenten worship at 6:30 PM, beginning March 12, for a time of simple worship and firsthand accounts from those who humbly and faithfully witness to God’s work in the world.

May these God-inspired stories of faith encourage each of us to live lives of hope, generosity, and joy.

Blessings to you all,

Peter Johnson Senior Pastor

Following the Way

Sermon Series | Lent 2025

The season of Lent is an invitation to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. This year, we will be studying perhaps the most important but least known words that Jesus shared in his lifetime: The Sermon on the Mount. Each week, Jesus will issue a challenge to follow in the provocative, life-changing, freedom-giving, hope-inspiring way of love. Step by step, we will pick up the tasks that Jesus has for us and let go of the burdens that the world might want from us in order to find the love at the center of our faith.

We follow ........................................ Ash Wednesday, March 5

We obey Sunday, March 9

We love (everyone) ....................... Sunday, March 16

We pray (in secret) ........................ Sunday, March 23

We give (it all) Sunday, March 30

We trust........................................... Sunday, April 6

We walk (the narrow path) .......... Sunday, April 13

Wednesdays in Lent

Every Wednesday during Lent, we invite a member of St. Andrew to share their faith story. Surrounded by singing, prayer, and community, we will listen attentively to how the Spirit moves in each of our lives. You won’t want to miss the powerful stories of faith shared by our community members. Join us for a home-cooked meal in the Fellowship Hall and worship in the Sanctuary on the following Wednesdays: March 12, 19, 26, and April 2, 9, at 6:30 PM. This meaningful 30-minute worship service is not to be missed!

Welcome, Pastor Kristin Skare!

“As a baptized, beloved child of God, I joyfully proclaim in word and deed the good news of Jesus’ transformational love through building relationships and serving my neighbors inside and outside the church walls. I believe all people are created in God’s image, and nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus,” Pastor Kristin’s personal ministry statement reads.

Kristin’s call to ordained ministry began in the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church, where, at eight years old, she felt the distinct call to work in God’s church. Her journey in vocal music performance, teaching middle and high school communications, book publicity, children, youth, and family ministry, motherhood, and as a pastor’s wife led to her becoming an ordained Pastor in the Lutheran Church.

Pastor Kristin comes to St. Andrew with a depth and breadth of ministry and pastoral experience from Word of Peace Lutheran Church, where she began serving in Children’s Ministry in 1999 and, beginning in 2017, took on a pastoral role. Word of Peace is a large, thriving, growing congregation in Rogers, MN, with core values similar to St. Andrew. A hallmark of Kristin’s work at Word of Peace has been developing and sustaining innovative and vibrant ministry. Kristin also served in the Minneapolis Area Synod writing Synod Day curriculum for the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering and as a Synod Day leader for the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering.

Pastor Kristin’s expertise includes all areas of Youth & Family Ministry, Visitation & Spiritual Care, Women’s Ministry, Stewardship, Teaching, and Preaching, including supervision of staff and lay teams with a collaborative approach where every voice is heard. She

is passionate about teaching, preaching, leading and educating, supporting all areas of intergenerational ministry, advancing social justice initiatives, and creating an environment where all feel welcome. Kristin is an approachable, positive, compassionate leader.

Kristin grew up in Eagan, attended St. Olaf College and Luther Seminary. Her family includes her husband Rick (Senior Pastor at Word of Peace), children Lauren and spouse Brian, Anna, Martin, and beloved grandson Harvey. With Martin attending St. Olaf, she and Rick are empty nesters in the process of downsizing and building a townhome in Corcoran.

In closing, a personal story gives insight into Kristin, an exceptional person of faith, in her own words.

I’m like Keera, my one-eyed dog who we rescued. You and I are products of a world that is often unkind. We are not in control of what we are born into or often what life hands us. We, too, live with limited vision much of the time. But this God sees us just as we are and calls us beloved. This God scoops us up and says, ‘You are mine.’ After living on this planet for nearly 58 years and being a mother, pastor’s wife, grandmother, friend, sister, daughter, teacher, performer, and pastor, I am still in awe of the miracle of how Jesus takes what is dead in us, is imperfect in us, or seems impossible to us and makes us new. I’ve watched friends, family, congregation members, and communities’ lives be resurrected from the ashes of broken relationships, addiction, and pain through God’s love and redemption. This love, God’s love, changes the world. The idea that God calls you and me into bringing this radical love to the world together is beautiful. Thank you for the opportunity to share a little of my story with you. I am excited to partner in ministry with you and look forward to meeting the beautiful people of St. Andrew.

Pastor Kristin will officially start at St. Andrew on March 10th.

Sandy Perkins Call Committee

The Church is a Forest

Church Anew has been working closely with congregational leaders. Our Lead Coach, Meta Herrick Carlson, uses a poetic metaphor to describe this coaching program. Coaching is what happens behind the scenes and underneath the surface, always affirming and amplifying what is already flourishing and vibrant on the surface.

The coaching program might go largely unnoticed in a congregation, but the impact does not. While coaches are paying attention, asking powerful questions, and building up a network for resources and relationships, the pastor and the congregation’s agency is primary. This accompaniment model supports the discernment and leadership of the ecosystem that will remain long after the coaching program ends.

What’s happening beneath the surface?

Pastors and Congregations spend a lot of time and energy paying attention to what leadership and church look like on the surface: programming, worship attendance, demographic trends, financial giving, etc. If the ministry we can see is to be healthy, it also needs to be grounded, rooted, and nourished in things we cannot see.

This coaching program pays careful attention to the ecosystem below the surface, the abundant network of resources necessary for maintaining health, and accessing ancient wisdom that cannot be manufactured on the surface. When this system is honored and tended to, we are anchored in strength from our source, its fuel, and the sacred community that reminds us that we already have everything we need to be fully ourselves and alive in our unique calls.

What can we learn from forest systems and apply to the church?

Forests are dynamic and diverse ecosystems where every tree is uniquely stationed and sunned. Different generations with root systems reach different depths in the soil. The flora doesn’t need to compete or all be alike. That’s not the point of a forest. And, thanks to a vast network of fungal mycelium in the soil, they don’t have to abide by the myth of scarcity.

“Mycelium are incredibly tiny threads of the greater fungal organism that wrap around or bore into tree roots. Taken together, mycelium composes what’s called a “mycorrhizal network” which connects individual plants together to transfer water, nitrogen, carbon and other materials.”

– National Forest Foundation

What do mycelium do when no one is looking?

• Recognize the strengths and needs of each organism

• Resource the whole forest so that trees can share what they have

• Leverage hub/mother trees that can reach deeper into the soil for the sake of young saplings and the well-being of the whole forest

• Help trees communicate with one another and maintain a sense of “enough for all”

• Retain about 30% of what it transfers between trees so that it can continue to produce unique fuel for the whole network

Prayer for the Church Forest

Creating God, we have heard that you are the vine and we are the branches. Nourish your church, that we would

be signs of your generous provision for those who fear there is not enough, connection for those weary from competition, source and life for all who long to bear good fruit. By your scripture and Spirit, strengthen the roots of every living thing with the good news of Jesus, the Word who weaves us all together with love. Amen.

Meta Herrick Carlson Church Anew Lead Coach

A New Front Door

When I was a new mom in a new community twenty-two years ago, I longed for a place where I could go to connect, ask questions, look for recommendations on things to do in my community with my kids, meet other moms and get support and parenting advice when I needed it. I eventually found a mom’s group that filled that niche for me; however, as the only working mom in that group, there were some challenges with scheduling and participating in some of the activities.

When I started working in Eden Prairie two years ago, I quickly discovered the “Eden Prairie Moms” community, an online Facebook group for moms in the community where local moms can connect, ask questions and share recommendations. This very active group serves as a go-to resource for many community members to inquire about activities for their children. I joined the group so that I could occasionally share community events about our congregation with members of that group and so that I could help learn more about the things that were going on in Eden Prairie. I was surprised to find some amazing evangelism in that group! When moms are looking for the best childcare in the city, St. Andrew Early Learning is consistently recommended by our families as being one of the very best. Melanie Eggers, our Childcare Director, is on the

board and ready to answer questions. Still, many other families have typically chimed in with glowing recommendations, leaving Melanie to offer answers to any questions they might have about the process. She does it whether or not they choose our program. Recently, a mom in our group sought a new faith community. She was hoping to find a community that lined up with her values, and that was supportive and inclusive. She attended “A More Just World” at St. Andrew and realized she had found the right place. She wrote a lovely post for the message board, talking about her search for an open, and inclusive church and how she landed at St. Andrew, but then also made a list of other churches she would consider in the area. People on the board gave rave reviews of our camp, the Children, Youth, and Family ministry programs, and the welcoming spirit they feel in our worship spaces. These posts have encouraged others to “come and see” and provided a new front door for people to enter. I encourage you to find a space to tell others about St. Andrew and invite them in. Make sure the story that people are hearing about who God and the Christian community are in the world is one of loving God and loving their neighbor.

Shawna Berg Director of Children, Youth, & Family

Not-so-familiar Stories from Scripture

This fascinating story in the Old Testament is one of my favorites. It takes place in the temple, where God’s presence resides, waiting for the people of Israel. Eli is the prophet who hears God’s voice and speaks to God’s people, but there is a young boy named Samuel who is ministering with him in the temple. But rather than a cozy opening, it begins with an ominous proclamation:

“The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.”

–1 Samuel 3:1

God’s word means the presence of life, creation, and all things good. If God’s word is rare, it means that God’s life-giving presence feels more like an aching absence, leaving people wondering where God might be or how God might be moving in this time and place. The boy falls asleep in the temple but is awoken by a voice that calls out his name, “Samuel, Samuel!.” He runs back to Eli and shares the phrase that every prophet responds with, “Here I am!” But Eli wasn’t calling the boy. Samuel falls asleep again, only to be awakened by the same voice. Again, he goes to Eli with the same phrase, “Here I am!” It isn’t until the third time that Eli finally gets smart and coaches Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

The word that God finally gives Samuel is a difficult word to bring and to bear, but Samuel persists, sharing the message with Eli. At the very end of the story, the text shares this cryptic conclusion:

“As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.”

–1 Samuel 3:19

Sometimes I feel like these stories from scripture speak right into our moment and time. It feels like visions are not widespread, like the call of Christian community is not engaging people as it once did. It feels like the Word of the Lord is rare, like communities of faith wonder about their future and the promise.

And yet, there are those among us, often younger folks, who can hear clearly the call that is put in front of us. Like Samuel, our youth oftentimes can lead the way in times of trouble. Indeed, God is always up to something new, always blazing a new trail and always calling the people to a new form of faithfulness. Or, as the Lord said to Samuel:

“See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.”

–1 Samuel 3:11

What is God doing in your life that might make your ears tingle? How is God showing up in our world with challenging but dynamic calls? What message might you be called to share?

Matthew Ian Fleming Pastor of Teaching Church Anew Director

My Journey of Faith and Music

My faith story started with my parents, who instilled in me the importance of being in church on Sundays to praise God for all the blessings we receive. With that said, it is somewhat of a miracle that I chose church music as my profession since my experience of music in church when I was growing up was mostly that of the hymns being played on the organ at dirge-like tempos! But I can’t overstate the Lutheran camp ministry’s role in my faith development. When Sarah Blasing talks about the lifelong impact of camp ministry on shaping our identity as people of faith, I can relate to that. I grew up in western New York, and Camp Pioneer (LCMS- now called Pioneer on the Lake) was a very special place for my faith formation and still is. Besides being where I met my wife Julie when we served together on the camp staff in 1991, it was also where I learned what church music could be. Two of my mentor figures, Dr. Ralph Schultz and Gerry Coleman (think of them as being like a Karle Erickson of the LCMS!), would be there each summer for the Music Week program and I was given a great deal of encouragement through them over the years when I was growing up. I was also exposed there to some of the musical treasures of our Lutheran heritage, like Bach and Buxtehude, that led to a deep love for the sacred choral tradition.

My musical identity has always been

split between my work as a professional church musician and a singer/songwriter, composer, and performer. From a young age, I began to write songs to express my faith, and I have always felt that part of my calling is to share these songs with audiences all over the country. A college friend and I had formed a musical partnership and spent about 10 years working in a two-person band called Victory (once described as Lost And Found for adults!). We traveled around the country sharing our music with churches and campus ministries, and we even did this full-time in the year 2000. Speaking of Lost And Found, I’m very grateful to Michael Bridges and George Baum for being such great role models and encouragers in that type of concert ministry that we were doing, much in the same way that Ralph Schultz and Gerry Coleman were inspirational to me on the church music side of things.

When I think about my faith journey, I also remember with gratitude all the opportunities that God gave me to help shape me as a Christian leader. Circling back to Camp Pioneer, it was a vibrant and rewarding experience to form lifelong friendships with fellow staffers and to serve youth, teens, and developmentally disabled adults as a camp counselor for three summers. When I was reaching the end of my college days, the question was, “what kind of job will I be

able to get with a degree in music composition?” I felt God calling me to use my gifts in a church setting. I’m not sure I would have taken that path if not for all the formative experiences that deepened my faith and sharpened my desire to serve God with my talents. Before coming to St. Andrew, I served congregations in California, Wisconsin, and Michigan before moving to Minnesota in 2005 to serve at Redeemer Lutheran in Wayzata for seven years before landing here at St. Andrew in 2012. Through all of this, God has been so faithful to me in surrounding me with great people of faith who inspire me, challenge me, and care for me. We don’t do faith in a vacuum, and I also believe we “stand on the shoulders of giants” in many ways. We’re never quite sure what impact we make on others, but I believe that God uses us in ways that we’ll never fully comprehend. I feel a tremendous sense of gratitude for the work that God has given me to do here at St. Andrew. The gift of working with such great staff and incredible musicians (not to mention a wonderfully supportive congregation) keeps me energized and inspired all along the way.

See you in church!

Tim Graf Director of Worship & Music

My name is Scott Searl, and I am pleased to come on board at St. Andrew in the role of Stewardship and Development. For me, stewardship and fundraising are simply announcing God’s vision for us as a family of faith and inviting people to join us in that mission with their heart, soul, time, talent, and gifts of treasure. And, after only a few days with St. Andrew, I am already inspired by the mission that God is calling you into, and I have discovered a warm, welcoming, excited congregation ready to join in! As I look forward to engaging with you personally over the coming months, here is a bit of my background I bring to St. Andrew

When I was a kid, I remember waking my parents on Sunday mornings and asking if we were going to church. At the time, my entire neighborhood went to the same church, Shepherd of the Grove Lutheran Church on Hemlock Lane in Plymouth. It was a mission church of the Missouri synod in the mid-1970’s. We worshiped in the Cedar Island Elementary School gym until the new sanctuary was built across the street. And, not

only did all my neighborhood friends attend, but the new church building was designed by our next door neighbor architect, Jim Rydeen!

I remember the music; my neighbor Charlotte Sween was the organist. I loved the hymns and the warm sound of the small pipe organ. I remember vacation Bible school where all my neighbors brought their tents and set them up outside, creating a little tent city. We went from Mrs. Essen’s tent to Mr. Schneider’s for all the lessons. And I remember singing “I’m in the Lord’s Army” as the theme song, which likely wouldn’t pass muster these days, but I still remember all the words!

Through the power of community, church continued to be central in my life into college as I served on the church council at Luther College, and joined a small group of students who helped lead retreats at local churches around Decorah. I found myself heading off to seminary in 1994 and graduated in 1997. After working for my family business for a couple of years, I served as the Director of Development for Youth Leadership, a

partnership of Luther and Bethel seminary that offered master’s degrees for youth directors. In 2000, I found myself in an interview with Mount Calvary in Excelsior to be their pastor of stewardship and development. I served in that role for almost eight years. Then, in about 2009, I joined the Shepherd of the Hills staff in Edina/Hopkins as their senior pastor. Together, we implemented three capital campaigns to fix the roof, bathrooms, common spaces, kitchens, parking lots, and the commissioning of new sanctuary art. For the last three years, I’ve served as the Director of Philanthropy at ICA Food Shelf, serving Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Excelsior. And now, I am grateful to be serving as a part-time consultant with you, thinking about how to inspire congregational generosity for St. Andrew and the world.

In this all, I still love the church. I love the impact that churches have in the world. Churches like St. Andrew love people when they are ill, suffering, or facing death. You love middle and high school kids when they are vulnerable, insecure, and anxious. You bring healing and hope to marriages, divorces, families, and kids. You provide a camp where young kids learn they are rooted in God’s love, and older students learn they can be leaders in God’s kingdom as counselors. I love your spirit of innovation for the church through Church Anew. And I still love coming to worship to sing hymns and the experience of being inspired through sermons and kids leading prayers.

I look forward to serving with you, caring with you, and helping us all share generously what God has given us so that all might know of God’s love.

Scott Searl Stewardship & Development

ROOTED & GROUNDED

TOGETHER AROUND THE CAMPFIRE

Every week at camp during the summer is a rich intersection of faith stories. On the one hand, this happens quite literally as we gather around the campfire every night. As the sun sets, we gather and listen to a campfire talk given by one of the camp staff about an important moment in their life. On the other hand, faith stories intersect at camp in ways that can easily go unnoticed.

During the course of a full week at camp, you can see snapshots of all kinds of people getting a chance to build a beloved community together and, therein, write new stories for themselves. In one cabin last summer, I saw young hockey players leaving camp, deeply inspired by having a high school team player as their counselor all week. In another cabin last summer, I saw cousins who, though they thought they knew each other, become even more connected, having had the time to really share more about their lives. And in so many cabins all summer long, I saw kids who would have never met otherwise, leaving with new and potentially lifelong friends. For one week in time, the faith stories of all these people intersected, and everyone was better for it.

Another way that faith stories intersect at camp is generational. We are now starting to see past generations of staff and campers sending their own kids to camp. Faith stories from the past are inspiring new faith stories today. This isn’t just true for parents who are former campers, it is true for all the parents who choose to send their kids to camp. Somewhere along the way, something inspired every parent to give the gift of camp to their kids. Maybe it was a different camp. Maybe it was a special hiking trip. Once in a while, I hear about these past experiences from parents who call to inquire about Spirit in the Pines, and it is always very special for me to make that connection. Ironically, my parents did not send me to summer camp as a kid. I often tell this story at camp because it’s a good one. My faith story of falling in love with camp happened a different way. My college had an option for incoming first-year students to go on a two-week hiking and canoeing trip in early August through the camp it owned called Honeyrock. I read the part that said “make new friends”; I did not read the part that listed “past outdoor camping experience” as helpful. Ha! However, over the course of two weeks, in addition to facing and surmounting so many physical challenges, the ten of us who traveled together formed a community that continues to this day. After this trip, I returned to Honeyrock to work as a summer camp counselor, and now here I am at Spirit in the Pines, watching my faith story intersect with the emerging stories of all of our campers. So, no matter how old your kid is, even if they are about to start college like I was, it is always the right time to give them a chance to grow their faith story at camp!

Sarah Blasing Outdoor Ministry & Youth Leadership Director

We still have camp openings for each week this summer!

Camp Registration

Our website has a chart of all camp openings that is updated every week (spiritinthepinescamp.org/current-openings). We are happy to process session switches at any time with no additional fees, provided space is available. While many of our sessions later in the summer fill up very quickly, we encourage you to join the wait-list even if camp is less than a week or two away. We always have a few last-minute switches or cancellations.

Camp Questions?

Sarah Blasing

Outdoor Ministry & Youth Leadership Director

W: 952.697.7108 | C: 612.759.8493

sblasing@standrewlu.org

spiritinthepinescamp.org

“Every family has a story, welcome to ours.” As I walked through our neighborhood, I noticed this sign at the front door of one of the houses. It resonated with me and made me curious. What was their story? Indeed, every family has a story, and every person has a story. While my story is rooted in God’s unfolding story of Jesus Christ and his love for the world, it took some life events for me to discover it.

I grew up in a loving family but only attended church occasionally. However, we prayed at mealtime, and at Christmas, we read the Christmas story from Luke 2. My parents modeled service and generosity. It was in my college years that I started attending church regularly. After the death of a friend, I had a lot of questions for God and wondered how that could happen. My friend was a person of deep faith, and so was his family. Somehow, it didn’t seem right. So, I started attending church.

In 1992, while a member of the Mayflower Congregational Church, I

traveled on a mission trip to Russia, delivering food and medical supplies to people affected by the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident of 1986. It was a life-changing experience. I served with people of different ages and Christian denominations. We attended a Russian Orthodox worship service. While the service was very different from a Lutheran service (lots of incense, priests chanted behind the altar facing away from the congregation, it lasted 3 hours, and we stood the entire time!), I learned that God is present in many ways, places, and through all kinds of people.

Eventually, I joined the Colonial Church of Edina, where I married my first husband. Sadly, his funeral service was held there, too, after he died from cancer. After his death, I became involved in church life and served as a Deacon, visiting homebound members, praying for people, serving communion, and offering gifts of hospitality. When I first was asked to be a Deacon, I thought, “I’m not equipped; I don’t know the Bible

well; surely someone else is more qualified.” The woman who asked me kindly said, “Think and pray about it; you’d be a great fit.” So I did, and those 3 years led me to seminary.

Although my path to public ministry has been nontraditional, I have loved being a pastor and chaplain! While society tells us we must work our way into God’s grace and love, scripture tells us God’s grace is a gift. 100% gift! “For by grace you have been saved, through faith, this is a gift from God.” (Ephesians 2:8) Over the years, I became aware of God’s presence and grace, not only in my life but in places and people near and far and in good times and hard times. Thanks for letting me share a bit of my story.

I look forward to hearing yours.

Jeanne Aamot Visitation Pastor

“For by grace you have been saved, through faith, this is a gift from God.”

-Ephesians

2:8

The Spirit of Invitation

St. Andrew has a long history of inviting faithful leadership. The invitational spirit of this beloved community has been present from its earliest days. My husband and I joined St. Andrew in 1987 and were wrapped in love immediately. The first Children’s Minister, Randi Griner, welcomed me with a hug and a smile when I offered to teach Sunday school, despite having zero experience with kids – much less 4th graders! After an auspicious start with my class collapsing a table, breaking pencils, and generally causing a ruckus – Randi thought I was suited for more responsibility (!), so she made me a grade-level coordinator. That meant that besides teaching 4th graders, I chose the activities we would do and prepped all the supplies. Her trust in my abilities to lead far exceeded my belief in myself, and through the process, I discovered my passion for ministry and kids, made lifelong friends – left a career in laboratory medicine, and dove into all things children’s ministry-related.

Fast forward almost forty years and the invitational spirit is thriving here. During my time at St. Andrew, I have borne witness to dozens of people, including children and youth discovering their passions and living their faith because they have been welcomed and invited to participate in this faith community. God’s Spirit moves in and through each of us, and most of the time, we have no idea of the impact our interactions with each other will have. That’s how God’s Spirit works – mysteriously, little by little until you stop to reflect and realize the power and presence of the Spirit.

A few stories stand out.

• Nora, who is now in high school, was asked what experiences impacted her faith life the most and she responded instantly with stories about her time at St. Andrew as an assisting minister in worship when she was in 4th grade. Nora was trusted to lead the liturgy, write and share prayers, and serve communion. God’s Spirit moved through her, and she knew she belonged.

• Brooke contacted me when she was a first-year kindergarten teacher in Grand Forks, ND, to let me know how important teaching Sunday school and Vacation Bible school was in her life. Through those two activities, she discovered her passion for teaching young children. She is currently in her fifth year teaching kindergarten in North Dakota and loves it. She is also still teaching Sunday school in her home church in Grand Forks.

• Tyler is a senior in high school. He loves football and public speaking and will attend college for business. His mom shared that he loves public speaking, and the crowd size makes no difference to him. She believes this passion of his got its start at St. Andrew because he was invited to read the lessons in worship when he was in 2nd grade and was warmly encouraged and thanked by the pastors and people in the congregation whenever he did it.

So, my beloved St. Andrew community—I give thanks for you. I am grateful for the presence of God’s Spirit in my own life because God’s people here saw something in me. I am grateful that we continue to welcome, invite, and trust God’s Spirit to work in and through all of us. I wonder what wonders God will work in and through us next.

Arlene Flancher Children’s Minister

Our preschool program celebrates 35 years of ministry at St. Andrew Lutheran Church. I have been fortunate enough to have been on staff for 34 of those years. It is almost inconceivable to think that 34 years have passed. As the famous quote by Albert Einstein goes“Time flies when you are having fun.” I can certainly say this is true because I have the best job in the world! Teaching young children about Jesus, getting them excited about learning, and preparing them for school is the best! I have been touched by so many special students, families, and staff from my many years as a preschool teacher and now the director. I frequently see former students and families out and about. It puts a smile on my face when hearing them still calling me “Miss Kathi.”

When I started teaching preschool right out of college, I was blessed to

work and be mentored by some amazing teachers. People referred to me as “the young teacher.” I learned so much from these women, and I love that we have stayed in touch for all these years. Many of these retired preschool teachers have a once-a-month bowling outing and lunch. You can become an “official” member of this special group once you are retired. Every once in a while, I can join them for lunch. It is so great connecting with them; of course, there is lots of laughing and reminiscing about those wonderful years of teaching preschool together. They still want to know everything about preschool, and some still love attending our annual Christmas Program. Many of them had their grandchildren come to preschool at St. Andrew, and it was such a joy! These women have become lifelong friends because of teaching together at St. Andrew Preschool!

We also have several former students enrolling their children in our preschool. I’m not sure who is more excited about this—the parent or the grandparent. Many of the grandparents will come along on the tour. What an honor it is that they are choosing to send their children to the same preschool they attended. This fall, we will have a preschool student whose parents met when they were students at St. Andrew Preschool.

I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember, and being a part of St. Andrew Preschool has blessed me in more ways than I can ever imagine. Thanks be to God!

Kathi Wieman Preschool Director

The Heartfelt Mission of Messiah Holiday Baskets

For many years, the Messiah Holiday Baskets ministry has been providing special gifts and delicious food to those in need. This initiative is a joint effort between St. Andrew, Messiah Lutheran Church, and Community Bridge, a nonprofit organization that offers healthcare services and food pantry support. The program ensures that low-income families can enjoy a complete holiday meal.

The tradition dates back before 2008 when Messiah was located in their old church. Now operating from the Center for Changing Lives in Minneapolis, they continue to spread cheer through their dedicated holiday food basket initiative. Baskets are distributed on the Saturday before each holiday.

St. Andrew member Kathy Olson has been volunteering with the Messiah Holiday Baskets program for many years and finds the work fulfilling each time.

“I’ve been doing it for many, many years, even when they were in their old church,” Kathy said. “Now they’re combined with the Center for Changing Lives, where Messiah worships, and they work alongside Community Bridge.”

Volunteers can sign up through Sign-Up Genius to help pack grocery bags. The packing week is an opportunity for community bonding, as friends and family members of all ages come together to fill bags with a complete meal and additional gifts when applicable.

“It’s fun because you can be with friends or family members, and it’s very family-oriented,” Kathy said. “Even little kids can help out by carrying a can of corn and putting it in the bag.”

For the day of distribution, volunteers sign up to deliver the baskets. Helpers carry the food to the cars and provided a list of recipients’ addresses.

“The recipients are absolutely delighted because they receive a whole holiday meal they otherwise wouldn’t have,” Kathy mentioned. “It’s amazing to see their joy.”

Kathy highlighted that the experience is not only rewarding but also deeply fulfilling, providing a sense of satisfaction that truly enriches.

“I would invite new participants to come with me,” Kathy said. “It’s a wonderful way to give back, and the

positive feelings from what you’re doing are immense.”

Kathy mentioned that anyone interested in contributing to the community can get involved with the Messiah Holiday Baskets program. This program offers a rewarding opportunity to make an impact, whether you choose to pack bags, deliver baskets, or assist in the bookroom. Every contribution truly makes a difference.

Zack Benz Social Media & Communications Manager

48th Annual Congregational Meeting

We were busy on Sunday, January 26th, at our 48th Annual Congregational Meeting! Usually, the agenda only contains Council and Financial votes. We also voted on an associate pastor call and a constitutional amendment this year! We had 169 voting members in attendance in person and online—a record!

Results

Associate Pastor Call

Presented by Patrick Aaberg, Chair of Call Committee, and Brendan Dolan, Council President

The call committee followed a robust process of creating our congregational profile for the synod’s employment portal and defining the critical skills and experience a pastoral candidate should bring. Twelve candidates were screened for the position, and after several rounds of interviews with the call committee and pastoral staff, Pastor Kristin Skare emerged as the perfect fit for St. Andrew! She was introduced to the congregation through a prerecorded video message. The vote was conducted by written ballot. The decision to call Pastor Kristin as our Associate Pastor was unanimous! Pastor Kristin will start her ministry at St. Andrew on March 10th.

Constitution and Bylaw approval

We brought our outdated constitution into compliance with the latest version of the ELCA and created bylaws. Under the leadership of Pastor Sue, a committee comprised of Bob Webster, Lori Brown, and Barb Carroll worked on this project during the second half of 2024. The updates were reviewed by Council several times. We approved the updated Constitution and Bylaws.

Council Votes:

Two Council Members were confirmed for an additional 3-year term: Laura Hoffer and Steve Galleger. In addition, Gary Spears was elected as a new Council Member. We thanked our outgoing Council President, Brendan Dolan, for his great work in 2024, who skillfully and successfully navigated the Council through the many transitions and changes we saw last year. PresidentElect LoriAnn Gillick is taking over from Brendan as President in February.

Financial results 2024

Operating Results, presented by Meggy Wagner, Sr. Dir. of Church Operations

We finished the year with a balanced budget and stable reserves! Year-end giving was strong and above expectations, and the Give-to-the-Max campaign for camp also exceeded its goal. Thank you for your ongoing generosity and support of our ministries! Unfortunately, the strong year-end rally could not fully make up for softer giving in October and November and a challenging Camp season with record cancellations caused by a team-sports season that stretched into the summer after a rainy spring. Early Learning came in above revenue targets and helped offset some of the shortfalls.

So, how did we close the year with a balanced budget? With careful cost management. We operated lean in 2024, especially with staffing. With transitions in several key positions—including Senior Pastor, Associate Pastor, Children, Youth, & Family (CYF), Marketing, and Human Resources—we took time to discern what our ministries need now and in the future. Instead of rushing to hire, we brought in part-time consultants where needed and stayed under budget on staffing by $186,000 in the church

fund. Thank you to Pastor Peter for his inspiring and collaborative leadership that encouraged staff to come together as a team and start catching the Vision of Nurturing the Future of Faith!

All funds together produced a $27k surplus to be transferred to the General Reserves, vs. a budgeted $20k.

Balance Sheet, presented by Sara Ross, Treasurer

Our Fund Balances have grown significantly in 2024 due to the grants Church Anew received from the Lilly Foundation. All Church Anew funds are fully restricted and not available for St. Andrew’s regular operations. However, Church Anew contributes to our personnel costs for shared staff and supports St. Andrew’s general operations with a contribution to Shared Services. All Grant Funds and Operating Reserves are conservatively invested in Money Market and US Treasuries. The Congregation approved the Financial Results for 2024.

Budget 2025:

Presented by Steve Moen, Chair of the Finance Committee

Leaving the transitions of 2024 behind, our focus in 2025 will be on adequate staffing in program and administrative support functions. We are excited to welcome our new Associate Pastor, Kristin Skare, and our new part-time Visitation Pastor, Jeanne Aamot! Our CYF team has been complete since September and is bringing great energy to all age groups of this vital ministry! Adding a stewardship consultant and a database coordinator will significantly enhance our development and connectivity with our congregation. Additional paid help in our Hospitality ministry will ensure our gatherings are welcoming, uplifting,

and inclusive. To sustain our growth in programming as well as in complexity with the Lilly grant administration, we are also adding vital support in our Finance and Admin functions.

To support this investment in our staff, giving will need to increase $186,000, or roughly 6.7%, over Actuals 2024. Additional revenue is also budgeted from Early Learning and Camp for a total revenue growth of 6.3%.

St. Andrew is growing in all areas of ministry, and we need to lean into supporting and strengthening this wonderful forward momentum. Having all program positions filled is the right investment into our Vision of Nurturing the Future of Faith in our congregation and community. Our people are our program! Thank you for your continued generous and faithful partnership! Please prayerfully consider the possibility of increasing your giving today to come alongside our vision for the future. Thank you for supporting this mission! The Congregation approved the Budget for 2025.

Meggy Wagner Senior Director of Church Operations

How do we create our budget?

Budgeting is a complex and collaborative process that takes months of careful planning. We begin in the fall by assessing inflation rates, Early Learning and Camp tuition benchmarks, salary inflation adjustments recommended by the Social Security Administration and the Synod, and anticipated increases in benefits—especially health insurance. We also review our current financial performance, plan for building projects, negotiate vendor contracts, and gather proposals for services. At the same time, we engage with all ministries to discuss their goals, expected attendance trends, and key events for the coming year.

All these data points are meticulously detailed in independent spreadsheets before being integrated into the master budget in our accounting system. By November, we share initial budget outlines with the Staff Support and Finance Committees, at which point tuition rates and CPI adjustments are approved by the committees and Council. In early December, individual ministry budget drafts are presented to the Finance Committee, incorporating further refinements. The final budget draft, alongside actual results from the prior year, is reviewed by Staff Support, Finance, and Council in January. And finally, the Annual Report—hot off the press—is printed just days before our Annual Meeting on the fourth Sunday in January.

I am deeply grateful for Pastor Peter’s leadership in this process and for the collaboration of my incredible colleagues. I also want to extend heartfelt thanks to the Staff Support and Finance Committees members for their invaluable guidance and support. A special shoutout to Sara Ross, our Treasurer, and Steve Moen, Chair of the Finance Committee, for their wisdom, strategic insight, and generous commitment of time. Their trust and encouragement all the way to our presentation at the Annual Meeting make all the difference! Thank you! St. Andrew is truly blessed with outstanding servant leaders!

Meggy Wagner Senior Director of Church Operations

Easter Floral Splendor!

A burst of colors will once again fill the chancel on Easter morning. You are invited to contribute to this aspect of beauty and celebration of the Risen Lord through the purchase of tulips, mums, and Easter lilies. Keep watch for the opportunity to order and dedicate your purchase of flowers in celebration, honor, and memory of your loved ones and events. Information will be available via monitors, emails, the St. Andrew website, and the Welcome Wall. Keyword: Flowers

Orders will be accepted in person at the reception desk or online through the St. Andrew website from Wednesday, March 5th through Sunday, April 6th.