"And he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal" (Luke 9:2)
When was the last time you, as a follower of Jesus, healed someone?
Every Sunday we "proclaim the kingdom" in our churches. The good news is read, preached about, and prayed about. Yet it seems that Jesus is asking something more of his disciples and the church.
Our Episcopal tradition includes a service of prayer and laying on of hands. In our churches this year we will including in our Sunday worship, regular, monthly laying on of hands for healing.
Perhaps you think that healing belongs to other traditions – where there's a lot of loud prayer or weeping statues; then people jump up out of wheelchairs and throw away crutches. And we proper Episcopalians wouldn't dare have that here in our liturgy!
And yet we all need to be healed. "Healing" is something more than "curing" or "fixing." In Biblical terms, "healing" means to come to a place of "shalom" – a place of peace and goodness. Healing means that we are brought to the place where God means for us to be at that particular moment in our journey.
That healing might, indeed, include a "cure" – tossing away crutches or vanishing pain. Or it might mean rolling away in a wheelchair with a broken heart suddenly filled with joy. Sometimes healing -- the place God means us to be right now -- may feel painful, a even a cross to bear, but always it is good. And, like the cross, it gives us new life.
The healing is a gift that is ours to share. During worship all are invited to participate. You may choose to receive laying on of hands for yourself, including loved one if you like, or you may simply be present in prayer. The gift is given. There are many ways to receive.
May we all know the healing power of God's love in our lives.
Shalom !
MEET OUR MINISTRY TEAM
Cynthia Evans
Good Samaritan, Sauk Centre
Called as Intercessor
I grew up in Southwestern Kansas during the dust bowl days. I was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Ulysses, Kansas. My mother died when I was 8.After my Mother died my senile Grandmother cared for my sister and me. I wanted to play the piano we had but my Grandmother kept it locked and would not unlock it so that I could play it. When I was in the 5th grade we had a music class. Each student had a cardboard keyboard. The teacher told my Grandmother that I should have piano lessons. My grandmother finally unlocked the piano and allowed me to take lessons.
When I was 13, I taught myself to play the pipe organ. I played at that church for a few years. Several years later I took organ lessons and have studied with several organists. I moved a lot and usually ended up playing for the church we went to: Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational. One time in addition to a regular 40 hour work week I played for a Christian Science church to make enough money to take organ lessons.
One summer I was asked to substitute at the Episcopal Cathedral in Laramie, Wyoming while the organist was on vacation. I fell in love with our liturgy. I was confirmed in 1966. I have been active in the Episcopal church ever since.
The last eight years before I retired I lived in Berkeley, California. I worked the night shift in the emergency room. I was the organist at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church. I met many students and faculty at "C.D.S.P." -- Church Divinity School of the Pacific.
When I retired two years ago I moved to Osakis. (What a culture shock that move was.) My sister and a cousin help me financially. I am a single woman. I have two children and one grandchild. My son and his family live in California. My daughter and granddaughter live in Kansas.
Part of the discernment to be called to the team included a scripture given to each of us. The one given to me, in part, was: Amos 7:12-17. "To Amos himself Amaziah said, ‘go away, seer take yourself off to Judah, earn your living there and there you will prophesy! But never again will you prophesy at Bethel for this is a royal sanctuary, a national temple.' ‘I am not a prophet,' Amos replied to Amaziah, ‘nor do I belong to a prophetic brotherhood. I am merely a herdsman and dresser of sycamore-figs. But Yahweh took me as I followed the flock, and Yahweh said to me, "Go and prophesy to my people Israel."
I feel that God has called me to be on this team at this time in my life and I will do my best.
WHERE'S OUR TEAM
We ended up meeting in Little Falls as some of our team members were unwell. We talked about the postulancy of the team, and discussed some ideas for the ember letter to the bishop. All postulants write quarterly letters to the bishop, discussing where they are on their spiritual journey, we write a joint one for the team.
We attended the Diocese of Minnesota Total Ministry Summit on the 27th, where there were representatives from the diocese, as well as from other total ministry churches. As a team we felt the summit to be beneficial as we are in the unique position to be avoiding the pitfalls of Total Ministry suffered by earlier churches, as well as leading the newer team formations by example.
All in all it is a very exciting time to be part of The Spirit of the Heartland Ministry Team. Please join us at our next meeting on April 14th at St. John's St. Cloud at 2pm. The topic for discussion is Systems and Sanity: Understanding Parish Dynamics. Holy Eucharist is at 4pm.
MEET OUR PARISHIONERS
Jon Lovdahl
Our Saviour's, Little Falls
Junior Warden
I am a lifelong Episcopalian raised in Little Falls and attending Our Saviour's filling various roles from acolyte to senior warden over a period of many years.
In 1948-50, I left for 2 years at Shattuck, prep school Then I attended and graduated from SDSU at Brookings SD in pharmacy. While at SDSU I met my wife Carol. We were married in 1957. The first place of residence was living for 2 years in Colorado while I was serving in the Army at Ft Carson.
After which we moved to Little Falls, began working in the family drug store, began raising a family and became involved in local activities.
Carol and I have four children, Jon, Ann, Tom and Amy. We now have four grand children ( ages 8mo. - 2yrs) all living in Mn. We are fortunate to be able to see them often. For the last 3-4 years Carol and I have spent 3 months or so in Phoenix. attending church of The Advent.
At Little Falls I have been involved in most of the offices as it happens in a small church. Presently I am Jr Warden. Other interests are skiing, tennis, golf and a little gardening.
CHURCH DIRECTORY ON LINE
When our Picture Directory arrived belatedly, it was already out of date. The ministry team added some sticker updates in the back. Your newsletter included some corrections. But many of us probably didn't get around to recording them. And things keep changing. So, for those of you with computer access, the most recent updates of our Spirit of the Heartland directory are available online. This directory is available for our community and our friends only. The directory is password protected. It will not be available through internet searches.
The URL (address) for the Church Directory is:
http://www.motherflash.com/directory/
When you go there, you will see a window with blank spaces for UserName and Password.
Send an email to any team mister to find out what to type
in the UserName and Password spaces.
Then click on "OK" or hit the Enter Key.
Use only lower case and don't add any blank spaces.
If this makes no sense to you, ask any team minister or plan to attend a "Computers and Church Work" workshop in Little Falls (see below).
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Good Samaritan begins a bible study of the Book of Tobit on Tuesday mornings, February 13 & 273, at 11:00 am. Meets at the church.
Here's your chance to find out about the Bible's weird apocryphal books.
St. Stephen's begins a series on Dance of the Spirit by Maria Harris on Thursday mornings, February 1 and 15. Meets in nearby homes; location will be posted on the church door.
Our Saviour's is having a midwinter break. Why not make a trip to Sauk Centre find out about Tobit?
THEATRE & THEOLOGY
St. Stephen's in Paynesville will be showing The Matrix on Friday, February 16th, at 7pm. A post-show discussion will take place with Rev. Pat Gillespie.
All are welcome.
If you need directions log on to motherflash.com and click on St. Stephen's, or ask a Team Member.
The Last Temptation of Christ will now be shown during Lent. See the next Newsletter for Details.
WARM SPIRITS, COLD CHURCHES
The huge increase in fuel costs has hit our church budgets hard.
Consider adding a bit of warm-up money to you winter offerings. An extra $15 each for each month of beautiful Minnesota cold would warm our churches as well as our spirits.
FIFTH SUNDAYS
Our Saviour's in Little Falls will now have regular Sunday morning worship at 10 am, every Sunday, including fifth Sundays of the month. Pat will alternate fifth Sundays between Good Samaritan and Our Saviour's. We will continue to have occasional evening services, including some beautiful liturgies. Look for details in upcoming newsletters.
SUMMER ANNUAL MEETINGS
Because many of us are away during the Minnesota cold, we are planning to have Annual Meetings in the summer. Our Saviour's has been doing this for some time. This year St. Stephen's and Good Samaritan will each have an "Annual Meeting Review" in the summer and begin regular summer annual meetings in 2002.
NEW FACES
There are some new faces in our church family. Our Saviour's welcomes Sandy Coe from Brainerd. Good Samaritan welcomes Jenni and John Pelkey and kids, Rachel, Cheyenne, and Thomas from Holdingford.
LENTEN PROGRAM
Details in next month's newsletter. Save the dates:
Wednesday evenings at 6:00 pm
St. Stephen's on March 21
Good Samaritan on, March 28
Our Saviour's on April 4
CONGRATULATIONS
Our parishes have elected new representatives to the Spirit of the Heartland Council: Fran Svardahl from Good Samaritan, Mary Ann Erdmann from St. Stephen's, and Virginia Berguson from Our Saviours.
WHERE'S PAT?
It seems that we're seeing less of our priest in our parishes these
days. Like it or not, that's part of the plan. As we come closer to having a total ministry team commissioned and ordained to serve in our parishes, we will be seeing more of them and less of Pat. It isn't easy for anyone because we want "our priest," and because Pat loves her ministry with us. She is still hard at work, just working more behind the scenes supporting our team ministers, while leaving room for them to minister.
Remember those "Where's Waldo?" pictures? Waldo, in his loud striped shirt, seemingly disappears in a crowd of other people, yet he's always there somewhere. That's how ministry is meant to be. Our pastoral mentor is still there and working away, but there is such a crowd of other ministers that we have trouble finding her in the crowd.
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
Church of Our Saviour, Little Falls
February 3 Barb Griffith
February 9 Dick & Millie Thomson
February 15 Quentin Starin
February 18 Nancy Dobmeier
February 21 Mark Lemme
February 24 Luanne Tax
February 27 Ralph & Laurie Freeman
February 28 Peter Tax
Church of the Good Samaritan, Sauk Centre
February 4th Paul Schlauderaff
February 19th Jim Larson
MINISTRY SCHEDULES
Good Samaritan
Our Saviour's
St. Stephen's
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