Son Times Summer 2022 | Vol. 2

SON TIMES ST. ANDREW LUTHERAN CHURCH

SUMMER 2022 | VOL.2

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S E I S M P O R .

S E I S M P O R .

S E I S M P O R

Promises, Promises, Promises

Leadership

Promises. Promises. Promises.

There are so many different messages that hit us every day of our lives.

When someone says to us, “Did you see the news?” you and I likely wonder, “What happened now?” Being that we live in the same world as all of you, here’s what we, who plan worship, thought one day – How about for six weeks in a row, someone who attends St. Andrew will say to someone: “Did you hear the news?” “No, what news are you referring to?” “I’m talking about the great, wonderful, and fulfilled promises given to us,

by God, through the Holy Bible.” “Okay, I’m all ears.”

What is so great about the selected promises is that is very clear in what will be given and by whom. For example: • “I will strengthen the weary.” (I don’t know about you, but there are times when I feel beat and spent.)

• “I will fight for you.” (Even though I don’t condone fighting – exceptions can be made for fighting cancer and God helping us combat sin and doubt.)

• “I will give you rest.” (More than a nap. Here we are talking peace of mind, body, and soul.)

• “I will make your paths straight.”

(Pure and simple – we’re all supposed to be playing and living Follow the Leader – as in – Jesus.)

• “I will set you free.” (Free from whatever holds up back or captive.)

• “My love will never fail you.”

(Nothing better. Ever.)

At the very least, I hope that your interest is peaked as we spend six weeks spreading nothing but good, great, and completely true news!!!

Be well and God bless, David Lillejord Senior Pastor

Promises.

Promises.

Promises.

Sermon Series July 24 “I Will Strengthen the Weary” July 31 “I Will Fight For You” August 7 “I Will Give You Rest” August 14 “I Will Make Your Paths Straight” August 21 “I Will Set You Free” August 28 “My Love Will Never Fail”

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“Notes” From the Music Office

Worship & Music

The Restorative Power of Worship But the difference when we are moved in the context ome to me, all you that are of worship is that we are more prone to see the weary and are carrying heavy world’s suffering through burdens, and I will give you rest.” the lens of hope, the lens of God’s grace and goodness, – Matthew 11:28 despite the brokenness that we see and that we feel. We do not “grieve as others Where do we as Christians find in- who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13) spiration and meaning these days to fuel Christ through his word becomes the lens our faith and restore our world-weary through which we see and address all the souls? Where do we go to reconnect with world’s deep sorrows. our brothers and sisters in Christ? Where God’s promises are for us all. We all do we hear the word of God proclaimed need to hear the life-giving promises in faithfully to remind us of the truth of the God’s Word. Our second summer sermon Gospel that still so often sounds too good series dives deeply into the amazing promto be true? Where else can we go to re- ises of God that serve as both the antidote ceive the sacrament of Holy Communion, for the seemingly hopeless state of our to receive forgiveness for our sins, and to world and the rallying cry for us to get out lift our prayers up to God for the good there and do what we can to bring justice of those who need our prayers? Where and mercy into our own small corners of else do we go to tap into the God-in- the world. There is great good for us to acspired wisdom of Christian hymnwriters complish in the world but we need to be from across the ages as we sing together fed and strengthened for this task through the great hymns of faith? Yes, here is your our times of worship together.

Worship Director once again making the case for why attending worship still mat“But how are they to call on one in ters even when there are so many options whom they have not believed? And for our time on Sunday mornings. how are they to believe in one of Worship is a safe, restorative place. whom they have never heard? And With our world so filled with tragedy these how are they to hear without somedays, I have seen many occasions where our sanctuary becomes a true Sanctuary where tears are shed and we can let our guard down as the emotions flow. Does this only happen in worship? Of course not. A good drama has the power to move us (I hate to say it but sometimes more than music); the newscasts these days sometimes overwhelm my emotions when I see how much suffering is happening every single day in our own community (let alone in our country and in the world).

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one to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:14-17) Worship is a verb. We Lutherans usually think of the word “worship” as a noun only but I believe it also needs to be understood as a verb. My prayer is that our worship services will always point us to God, who is worthy of all of our praise and worship. May we continue to grow together in the light of God’s truth and grace and may we find the Sabbath rest that Jesus brings us as he keeps each and every promise he has ever made. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) See you in church!

Tim Graf Director of Music & Worship

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Promises, Promises, Promises

Service

“Hungriest Summer in History?”

Pastor Mary Brown, a member of St. Andrew, staff member at PROP, and a champion for people in need in our community, sent me an article that contained a quote from Allison O’Toole, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland, “We could be headed into what could be the hungriest summer in history.”

St. Andrew has had a long and meaningful partnership with PROP. I am grateful for Pastor Mary Brown for our frequent conversations that keep me abreast of the needs of our neighbors.

I hear, for instance, that in-kind food drives are great ways to keep the shelves stocked at PROP. However, these drives are not yielding the quantity they did pre-pandemic because fewer people are working in office buildings or coming to church. Higher traffic usually means more generous total contributions.

The pinch felt by people is not only at the food shelf, but also at the gas pump and cashier. Michele and I were in a local grocery store just last night and as we were walking down one aisle, she said, “Peter, there is no peanut butter.” How 3

many times have you seen or said this.

Supply chains are wonky, product is not always available, staffing in grocery stores is not the same as it used to be. With fixed costs like mortgages/rent and childcare, families on the edge are cutting corners at the grocery story. Without access to the school’s free and reduced lunch program, many children are experiencing hunger like never before.

We draw from our faith the call to intersect challenging times with love and generosity. A common table grace said around our tables is “Come Lord Jesus, be our guest and let these gifts to us be blessed”. A second verse not as commonly known is “Blessed be God who is our bread; may all the world be clothed and fed.” The first verse focuses on ourselves; the second on our neighbors and the world. We Christians do not have a monopoly of the concept of caring for our neighbors. All the major religions have this spirit of service instilled within them. But, we can be reminded through this prayer that we can help God feed the world.

I’d like to think that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. It is good to be informed about circumstances of need around us. We strive at St. Andrew to stay informed about the needs of the world. Our partners like PROP give us eyes and ears into communities so that our hearts are moved to bring hope and healing. While we grow in our understanding, so does our empathy grow.

When our faithful calling is inserted into this, we show up as we are able.

So, check out the PROP website for times they accept in-kind donations at their location. Or, make a monetary gift.

Or better yet, come to St. Andrew with a bag of food and we will make the delivery for you. At the same time, have your heart fed with the Word of God and provide some food for the food shelf. When love grows, it is always a win.

In Christian Service, Peter Johnson Pastor of Small Groups & Service

Promises, Promises, Promises

Small Groups

Getting Going Again with Intentionality Michele, my wife, was helping lead a conference at her work this past month.

When she got back, she brought with her some of the conference swag. One of the items was one of those cell phone battery chargers with the conference logo: Power Up. When I think about it, Power Up is a pretty good motto for a sales team attending the conference as they get fired up for their season of work.

When I think about this spring and summer in our family life as well as life in the church, I think about how we are getting powered up again with relatively normal summer of activities. What makes this summer different is the 2 ½ year hiatus we have experienced since March of 2020. While pandemic realities still exist, we are reengaging in the things that we love. We are getting going again!

How often do we get a chance like this to start anew again? I invite you to think about what might bring renewed purpose and intentionality to life. What might we do differently or more deeply that will bring renewed purpose and fulfillment? As yourself some questions.

What brings you fulfillment? What inspires you to be your better self ? What might you merge into intentionally to scratch that itch with more than just wishful thinking?

Let me give you some examples from St. Andrew, your church home. As a community of faith, we are committed to growing in faith, togetherness, and Christian service. People are already starting to power up and looking forward toward fall. One member looks to start a basketball league in great gym

this August or fall. He wants to play basketball as he did at his other church in the city, so wants to start a group here.

Another member of St. Andrew wants to get singles in their 40s and 50s together for fun and fellowship. People are looking to start some new groups in this season of opportunity.

On the side of Christian service, a renewed dedication to serving others is powering up, too. For instance, a group of volunteers have joined me to help plan our Feed My Starving Children Mobilepack event we are hosting on October 7-8. Volunteers totaling 450 people and packing 101,000 meals for the world’s hungry children will be marvelously fulfilling. Think what we can do when we do things together! Also, our Forest Hills Elementary School Supply Drive is set for August, too. Their social worker needs supplies to give to families in need. Let’s power up together and make a difference.

Welcome aboard.

So, as we reemerge into life these days, we can follow our traditional passions and hobbies. There is nothing wrong with this. But, perhaps there is a way that you can engage in a new way that will bring life and energy to your person, heart and soul. Let’s see what happens.

God bless, Peter Johnson Pastor of Small Groups & Service

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Children’s Ministry

I Will Give You Rest Starting all the way back in January, plans for Vacation Bible School were already in the works. Can you imagine how strange that is? It’s snowing, freezing cold out, you are trying to recover from the busyness of Christmas, but yet you have to start planning for Summer.

Conversations about; what the theme should it be, what week will it happen, and when should registration open, all start happening. Once the theme is figured out and the dates and times are set, and registration finally opens you think it will be smooth sailing here on out. But no.

An email pops up into your mailbox titled “Registration for VBS not Open”. So, you are trying to figure out what happened from two days ago when it was working while also trying to figure out how many volunteers we need and where we need them. Once you feel kind of confident on how many volunteers you need and sign ups for volunteer positions are open, you start getting really excited. Excited because it all seems like your little project is finally coming to life. But the sign ups for volunteers is filling up very slowly.

Communication about the big theme reveal starts coming out. Social media is flooded with different hints of what the theme could be. You start creating some hype about Vacation Bible School. The families that you work with are discussing with one another their Summer plans. And before you know it,

registrations for the kids and sign ups for volunteers start pouring in.

All of a sudden it’s the week before Vacation Bible School. The curiccullum is ready, volunteers are trained, supplies and decorations are all set, families know drop off and pick up procedures, and tee shirts and name tags are ready to be worn. Everything seems to be in place but there’s still fear of what could go wrong.

Then Monday morning comes along. Tuesday quickly passes. Wednesday is a little crazy, but we get through it.

And Thursday flies by! All of the planning, stress and the many prayers were all worth it. Vacation Bible School was the most fun we have had all year, it really was a Food Truck Party!

Though it was fun, it was very tiring.

I needed my rest. Even God needs rest from time to time. Rest for me was; treating myself and the Vacation Bible School volunteers with Tropical Sno, relaxing with family on the lake and of course lots of sleep. We have God to thank for times where we find rest. We are reminded of God’s promise of rest in Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Sarah Dorr Children’s Ministry Coordinator

“Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

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Promises, Promises, Promises

Early Learning

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romise. What a strong, scary but faith filled word. As Christians we know that the greatest promise of all is the promise of unconditional love from God, no matter what. In the eyes of a child, promises could mean so many things. It is the promise that Moms and Dads always come back during a sad, early morning drop off. It is the promise of being patient because I promise your turn is coming next. It is the promise of trust because I promise you, we will sing your favorite song again today. As educators we promise parents each day that we will protect, teach, and guide their greatest treasures, their children. As staff of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, we promise to Live Out Our Faith In Daily Life, just like other members of this congregation. See, promise can be a strong, scary but faith filled word! But what a gift to be able to have, to be the giver of promises. Nothing is better than watching that sad face light up when you promise them that Moms and Dads always come back, and we have so much fun planned for our school day so let’s get it started. Some of the saddest goodbyes on those first days of school are followed up by the best hugs and the promise that everything will be ok, and we will love your child like they were our own. See, that is what God did for us. He sent his only son so that we too could be saved and have the promise of eternal life. So do not be afraid to make those promises, give those hugs and remember the promise of unconditional love that each of us was given.

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our kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.”

Melanie Eggers Childcare Director

– Psalm 145:13 Melinda Eddihi Childcare Assistant Director

Kathi Wieman Preschool Director

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Promises, Promises, Promises

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Stewardship & Evangelism

n all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

– Proverbs 3:6

Maybe Straight Doesn’t Always Mean “Straight” They say the shortest distance between two points is a straight line . . . and I guess it is, but I’ve gotta tell ya, I’m not all that fond of straight lines.

Jim and I love to go for walks in the woods. And if you’ve taken some of those walks, you know that a simple straight path through the woods is a rare find. Some follow creeks that wind back and forth. Others take turns to get around rocks and trees or to avoid steep hills and drop-offs. And sometimes I have no idea why a path takes the turn it does—but it does.

Though there’s often no rhyme or reason to its course, we almost always enjoy the journey. All those twists and turns allow you to see things you never would have seen. The crooked path will take longer, and it is usually more difficult, and I sometimes wish there was an easier route . . . but in the end, I’m glad it took me where it did.

Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Maybe the author isn’t talking about the shortest distance between two lines, but instead simply a way that is good—a path that might not be easy and one that might have a lot of twists and turns—maybe even a walk in the woods. But whatever path you take, with God it’s sure to be one worth taking.

Gail Bach Pastor of Stewardship & Evangelism

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Promises, Promises, Promises

Visitation Ministry

Promises that can last a lifetime I was invited last week to join a couple I take holy communion to each month who was celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. They had their wedding albums on display and they were, of course, much younger. They said, “We loved each other then but we love each other better now.” In those 60 years they learned how to keep alive their marriage vows and promises they made to each other when their relationship hadn’t been tested by time or by adversity.

This inspired me to stop and think about how seldom we make promises that we intend to last a life time. So many of our promises or commitments in life are short term or we compromise on the promise to make it easier on ourself.

Last week Wes Johnson, the Minnesota Twins Baseball team’s head pitching coach suddenly resigned and will become the head pitching coach at LSU. This comes at a bad time in the Twin’s season where pitchers are doing well and have a significant relationship with Johnson.

What will his absence mean to all those

young men whom he mentors? Johnson said, “I have three life commitments and promises: the first is to Jesus Christ, my Lord; the second is to my dear family; the third is to my work and the team I’m coaching.” How many of us could publicly state what our top commitments and promises are?

I read that there are 8,810 promises made in the Bible—7,487 of them are made by God to humankind. Many of us fall into the description that the apostle Paul gives of our human dilemma in Romans 7:15, “That which I will not to do, I do and that which I will to do, I don’t do.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

This is a way of saying that we’re good at making promises and are sincere about them but we fall short of keeping them, especially for a life time.

The apostle Peter, on the night Jesus was betrayed, promised Jesus that he’d die before he’d ever betray him. Jesus said to him, “Peter, before this night is done you will betray me three times.” Jesus was right for that’s exactly what Peter did.

I hold on to Jesus’ promise to us, “I will never fail you or forsake you.”

I hold on to Jesus’ promise to us, “I will never fail you or forsake you.” Yes, we all fall short of the glory of God—we’re not perfect but God loves us anyway. What are the promises we’re working to sustain and keep until we draw our last breath? What are we doing to strengthen and nurture those promises?

Roger Schindel Visitation Pastor

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Do you know?

A column featuring useful-in-jeopardy information from our teaching pastor.

Sabbatical

You’ve perhaps gotten used to hearing about clergy going on sabbatical. It’s my turn to take leave this summer. I know I am speaking alongside my colleagues that I am so grateful for the policies and people of this congregation to provide such a time of rejuvenation and respite.

But did you know that it is also a Biblical practice?

You don’t need my help seeing where the word sabbatical comes from. In fact it is one of the things that Jesus taught the most about, the Sabbath. Many of us have grown up with some idea of a Sabbath day, a day set apart for rest and worship.

Commonly known as Blue Laws, local regulations in Minnesota and a number of other states codified these practices with no sale of cars on Sundays and (up until a few years ago) no sale of alcohol. I don’t know what Jesus would have thought of these laws to protect Sunday.

Sabbath in Jesus’ time was a much different tradition stretching all the way back to the first few verses of scripture.

God creates the world and everything in it in just six days, but on the last day: “And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work

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Do You Know that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.” –Genesis 2:2-3 God hallows the seventh day, makes it holy, set apart for something different, for rest and God’s intentions for us and the world. Sabbath in the Hebrew Scripture is the way that the people of Israel form their identity and their relationship to God. After working and working for the Pharoah in slavery in Egypt, God provides a different working order for the people.

Grounded in the third commandment,1 it’s spelled out even more in the book of Leviticus, which is perhaps the most captivating read of all the Bible (anyone who has tried to read the Bible cover-to-cover might sense my sarcasm). The number seven resonates throughout the book, with the seventh day each week being a sabbatical celebration of God’s good creation. Seven major festivals divided the Hebrew calendar. And every seven years, the whole people of Israel was expected to free slaves, forgive debt, and let the land lie fallow to rejuvenate the goodness that God creates with. But that’s not all. On the 7 times 7th year, Levitical law calls for a year of Jubilee, where immigrants were made citizens, all debts were forgiven, land returned to people who had fallen into debt, and all was restored.

This year of jubilee seems to amazing to be true. But it is the call of scripture to tend to the weariness of humans and of creation itself by providing time for rest. In every aspect of life in community, from economics to agriculture, God’s vision is for rest.

Jesus redefined the practice of Sabbath of his day, scandalizing the Blue laws of the ancient world, teaching and healing and feeding on the Sabbath day. But all of his rabble-rousing was for a purpose: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” –Matthew 11:28 To live as followers of the one who embodied the Sabbath, we can learn from the practices of the ancient world, from the vision of Jubilee, and from Jesus invitation to rest.

We are a people who need rest, living in communities that need rest, in a world that ultimately needs rest.

Matthew Ian Fleming Teaching Pastor

“Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.” This commandment is the hinge-commandment between how humans ought to worship God and how humans ought to treat one another.

Promises, Promises, Promises

Church Anew

Interns from St. Olaf!

Church Anew has been blessed with youthful enthusiasm and partnership of interns for the past three years. In our third class of interns, we are joined by Ikaay Ugbodaga and Grace Tillmann who have introduced themselves here.

My name is Ikaay Ugbodaga, and I am a rising junior at St. Olaf College studying Quantitative Economics and Econometrics. A few of my hobbies include hiking and soccer.

I am currently interning at Church Anew, and it has been exciting so far because it has given me the opportunity to understand the incredible detail that is needed in digital marketing, and how effective it is in retaining members, and attracting more members to Church Anew. I look forward to both learning and growing as an individual as I continue my Internship with Church Anew.

Hello everyone! My name is Grace Tillmann, and I am incredibly humbled to have been welcomed into your community to take part in the Church Anew program. I am a junior religion and sociology & anthropology major at St. Olaf College. Working with your church has been an incredibly humbling experience so far; I grew up in a very small, fundamentalist church that initially drove me away from Christianity, and so it’s all at once very overwhelming and healing to see a congregation and a program so focused on caring for marginalized groups pressing concerns of our day. I hope to use my work here as a springboard for my career. I want to work with people and learn more about how spirituality (whether in or outside of Christian traditions) shapes the way we view our future and how we interact with everything around us.

In gratitude to the Lutheran Center for Faith, Values, and Community at St. Olaf College, our interns asked its director, Dr. Deanna Thompson a bit more about the center’s work: The Lutheran Center’s vision is to advance a compelling vision for Lutheranism in the 21st century, as well as nourishing faith, values, and community to build a more spiritually engaged, religiously inclusive, and harmonious world. What does this look like in practice, and how does it contribute to the future of the church? The Center educates students, faculty, and staff on the animating values of graciousness, inclusivity, and continuous questioning that are hallmarks of 21st century Lutheran tradition. We partner with several faith-based organizations in the Twin Cities, including Church Anew and the Center for Leadership and Neighborhood Engagement, that immerse St. Olaf student interns in real-life social, cultural, and spiritual challenges facing our communities. These experiences deepen our students’ commitments to institution-building (religious and otherwise) that nourish and help to heal our communities.

These partnerships, along with the experiences our students bring back with them, help shape our work with congregations through our Nourishing Vocation Project where we walk alongside congregations as they imagine church anew in this constantly-changing post-pandemic time.

Church Anew is glad for the ongoing partnership with the Lutheran Center and looks forward to more collaboration in the coming year! Feel free to reach out to our interns or to Josh Linman (support@churchanew.org) if you have any further questions about Church Anew.

Matthew Ian Fleming Teaching Pastor

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Congregational Council

What do you get out of a promise?

Sometimes I wonder if Jesus ever had a curfew. And did he negotiate it vigorously with his earthly parents?

With a teenager in the house, “curfew” is a common word. Our kids have come to expect three questions from their parents before they leave the house: Where are you going? Who are you going with? When will you be home? The answer to the last question is often negotiated (by both parties), but ultimately the answer becomes the curfew—the “promise” of when the teen will return.

Of course, it’s not always foolproof. Yes, my husband and I have had to define (and enforce) consequences when curfew isn’t met. More than we care to admit. Yet, in this world of “perils unknown” and especially when dealing with underdeveloped prefrontal cortexes of said teens, these parents deem curfew and consequences necessary.

Contrast curfew to the love of God. Lamentations 3:22 says “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end”. There are no qualifications, no stipulations, when God says, “I love you.” Even if we, as God’s children, miss the mark, or don’t “come home” when we should, God’s love remains.

By the time college rolls around, curfews are essentially non-enforceable. As parents, we hope that we have instilled enough common sense and good judgment in our kids to know when to be “home,” but we aren’t there anymore to negotiate a promise for return. Maybe that’s why, when I was a college student, testing those waters with no boundaries, I found comfort in the following prayer. Each semester, the University Lutheran Church in Ames, IA would pray this prayer over the graduates. It has become one of my favorites and with each passing year this side of heaven, it has taken on deeper meaning. As believers, we have hope for each new day—and we press on through hardship—because of the promise that God’s never-ending love, through Jesus, supports us. Thanks be to God!

Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

-Lutheran Book of Worship

Juli Hermanson Congregational Council

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Safety Team

Our Safe Harbor Our St. Andrew Lutheran Church is a live, vibrant, relevant community of faith that strives to provide a safe harbor at all times. Our loving community allows space to safely question, discuss, and grow along our individual faith journeys. We are a community that harbors and shares the love and grace of God through Jesus.

For several years, there has been a team of people working to create policies and procedures that reflect the best safety practices for our family of faith. This Safety Team has concentrated on creating St. Andrew’s Safety Manual. The Safety Manual provides important information and direction for all types of situations and circumstances—severe weather, first aid, medical and fire emergencies, evacuations, power outages, entrance security, suspicious behavior, and the list goes on. Many thanks to these Safety Team members for their past and present dedication to this process: Barb Carroll, Ross Gilbertson, Mark Ford Dan Gorski, Rhonda Allen, Steve Crouse, Monte Thue, John Kirk, Carter Staaf, Steve Starks, Burke Hancer.

Volunteers of all types and abilities are needed to breathe life into the Safety Manual and to help provide a safe harbor at St. Andrew. All of us have a part to play as we care for and support one another during the calm, but also during a “storm”. Being friendly, welcoming, aware, and available is always important and needed including if something would come up. Training will be provided in all volunteer areas. To find out more and to sign up, please go to: signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4FA9A62BA64-safety

Safety Projects

Other areas of safety in and around St. Andrew that are happening this summer include: • Restriping the parking lot • Replacing parking lot lighting with LED lights • A more long term repair of the eastern parking entrance • A new updated fire panel • A new chiller that provides AC to the entire building • A new double convection oven that also provides hot food holding temps • New irrigation configuration & fountain repair Burke Hancer Ministry Coordinator

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oth Kasey and I come from small towns with historically small minds to match, so it’s our mission to foster an inclusive and accepting environment in St. Andrew’s High School Ministry.

I’ve only known my colleague, Kasey, for a short while, but I think it’s safe to surmise that she’s an open thinker with acceptance in her heart. We both applied for the original posting of Communications Coordinator but grew ecstatic when the High School Ministry position was tacked on.

I grew up in a Lutheran household in Hibbing, Minnesota. In my later teens and early twenties I volunteered as a youth group leader, Sunday school teacher, Bible Bowl coach, secretary, communications coordinator, VBS teacher, camp leader, and more. I loved every minute and my time there taught me a lot. It was at church where I learned my true talents in life.

Kasey is from central Iowa. Melbourne was the first town in the United States to have an openly gay mayor, and Kasey said people from her hometown are conservative, but accepting. For the past three years Kasey has lived in Clear Lake, Iowa. A close knit community that’s pulled directly from a Hallmark movie.

High School Ministry “I want to create a space where every kid knows that they have someone to talk to, regardless of what they’re dealing with,” Kasey said to me. “I want to help the High School Ministry grow into something for everyone. I want them to feel heard, because I’d want to be heard.

I’m loud.”

Kasey previously worked at Zion Lutheran Church in Clear Lake. Her many hats included Administrative Assistant, Preschool Director, Social Media Specialist, and production based tasks as well.

My previous professional experience centered around journalism, I even started my own multimedia news site just to curb my appetite for storytelling. Personally, I’ve seen what the loss of community does to someone. I recognize the importance of love and acceptance and wholeheartedly wish I had experienced that from my own church growing up.

Both Kasey and I are excited to grow into our new roles while creating a new High School Ministry program worthy of this great congregation. From my short time here, I’ve learned that people love you. They truly love to care for you, and they want to help you grow. We want to reflect the church’s mission statement

to our youth, encouraging them to live out their faith in daily life.

Kasey and I are currently hard at work planning events, youth group meetings, service projects, and more, but are open to hearing recommendations from everyone, especially high school teens.

This ministry is for them, and we’d love to hear what they want from this group!

“I hope teens know that they will always have someone to support them, love them, and care for them here at St. Andrew,” Kasey said.

It’s important we listen, and Kasey and I intend to do just that.

Zack Benz Communications & High School Ministry Coordinator

Upcoming High School Events Lunch with Kasey & Zack Wednesdays in August 12:00–1:30 PM Coffee @ Starbucks August 9 8:00–9:30 AM Coffee @ Caribou August 11 8:00–9:30 AM Back to School Bonfire September 7 8:00–9:30 PM WNYG Wednesdays Starting Sept. 14 8:00–9:30 PM Feed My Starving Children Event October 7/8 TBD

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Promises, Promises, Promises

O

ur theme at for this summer at Spirit in the Pines is “Finding God & Being Found”. We are at the midpoint of our time together, and it has been such a joy to see this theme take on meaning and expression in our community.

The Parable of the Good Shepherd has been a go to story for exploring this theme. Jesus says that he is like the Good Shepherd, and that he knows every sheep by name. But no two sheep are the same.

Some sheep run straight to the pen, eager almost. Other sheep are more meandering, enjoying the grass, and in no hurry when the Shepherd calls. And still other sheep are actively heading away from the pen, getting lost among the rocks.

In our spiritual journeys, we will each find ourselves being all three kinds of sheep. We might be eager to “Find God” and run towards him, other times we are less interested, and still other times we may be avoiding him. Once in a while we might find ourselves taking all three approaches even on the same day. And all three approaches are just fine; they are an expected part of our journey. There is no right or wrong way to be a sheep, just like there is no right or wrong way to be a camper.

From here, this is where the second part—the “Being Found” part—of our theme becomes so important. Because no matter which sheep we are, the Good Shepherd is going to come find us. God’s unconditional love will always find us, no matter where we happen to be and no matter if we are looking for it or not.

God leaves the 99 and goes to find the 1 sheep still missing.

Spirit in the Pines When I tell this story to campers on the first night of camp, I remind them that this unconditional love is even bigger and better than they have imagined yet. I tell them that this unconditional love, which always comes to find them, is wholly unearned and wholly irrevocable. You cannot even increase it or decrease it. The best thing they will ever do in their lives will not make God love them any more than he already does today. And conversely, the worst thing they will ever do in their lives will not decrease God’s love at all.

Ironically, one of our beloved camp songs is “I just want to be a sheep, baa, baa, baa, baa.” And so that has been a perfect pairing for this story and this theme. So whether you are a sheep that is eager and waiting, one that is distracted, or one that feels accidentally or willfully lost, know that God loves you, and that God will come find you just as you are. And just like we tell our campers, all you really need to do is stay open to the unexpected. At camp that can often look like staying open to making new friends, trying out new skills, and hearing God’s still small voice through campfire talks, devotionals, and more. I wonder what it might look like for you, wherever it is that you find yourself this summer?

Sarah Blasing Outdoor Ministry & Youth Leadership Director

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13600 Technology Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344 952.937.2776 | standrewlu.org

PROMISES. PROMISES. PROMISES.

Sunday | 9:00 & 10:30 AM In Person & Online July 24.............. “I Will Strengthen the Weary” July 31............................“I Will Fight For You” August 7........................ “I Will Give You Rest” August 14......... “I Will Make Your Paths Straight” August 21........................“I Will Set You Free” August 28................ “My Love Will Never Fail”

/standrewlu @standrewlu @standrewlu St. Andrew Lutheran Church