PASTOR'S NOTES
We like the old ways. It's familiar, comfortable, and secure. That successful advertising line "all new" doesn't sell much in the church. Bibles, Prayer Books, and Hymnals are changed only at great risk. People leave churches over new words, and singing a new song to the Lord is usually painful.
But look again at the God we see in the Bible. Wherever God shows up it seems that things change – there is repentance (turning around, a change of heart), transformation, and a chance to have a whole new life. With a God like that it is no wonder that we long for some stability and changelessness.
Christ, the Word, transforms our words and our lives. Yet God's love does remain the same. In our own transformations, the godly love in us remains. The godly truth underneath and behind the ever-changing words of our worship books remains the same. The prayer that Jesus taught us is seldom prayed in Aramaic as he probably prayed it or in Greek as the gospel writers recorded it, but it's truth in all its translations remains. We've prayed those familiar words over and over, but have we really made them our own yet?
Daddy,
You are so far above us, even your Name is awesome.
Come, take charge of the world,
so Your dreams for us come true, here and now,
just as You want it to be.
Give us what we need to live,
and free us from the ways we hurt You and Your creation;
in the same way,
help us to let go of the hurts others have caused us.
Keep us from all hurtful ways.
Because everything -- all life, all power, and all love --
belongs to You, today and always.
Amen.
The Word is constantly re-translated so that we can hear and speak God's word for us today. And sometimes the unsettling new words allow God to break through the walls we may have built around ourselves with the old familiar words. Your own new words may allow Christ the Word to transform someone's life, perhaps even your own.
"The word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart ..." (Deuteronomy 30:14)
Blessings
pat +
MEET OUR MINISTRY TEAM
Rob Cavanna
St. John's, St. Cloud
Called as Priest-Sacramentalist
DANCING WITH JOYOUS EXCITEMENT AND ANTICIPATION!!! My name is Rob Cavanna and I am a licensed preacher and discerned for the priesthood. My parish church is St. John's in St. Cloud where I have been a member since 1985. If everything goes according to schedule, I will be ordained a deacon in March 2002 and to the priesthood in October 2002. I have a very special interest in Hispanic ministry because I think there is a need for it especially in the Sauk Centre and Little Falls areas. As the team continues to learn and grow, I'm hoping we can seriously discuss and consider with all of you the possibilities of beginning an Hispanic ministry in two of our churches. I have gotten to know many of you either at coffee time or at your annual meetings. You can easily recognize me - I'm the tall team member with glasses. I'm excited for all of us and especially for what the total ministry team can bring to the Spirit of the Heartland Churches. Personally, I'm finding it difficult to remain calm and act sanely as the team approaches commissioning and ordination next year. If you find me dancing in the aisles anytime soon, you'll know it's "excited" Rob. I'm excited for the team, for each of you and for the potential that we have together in not only growing our churches but also in bringing Christ's message of love and compassion to all the people of Central Minnesota! I hope to see and get to know each one of you better in the months and year ahead. Pray for me and the team that we may live up to this awesome honor and responsibility. See you soon. Rob Cavanna
WHERE'S OUR TEAM
Jan Zeman, Our Saviour's
The ministry team met at Harriette Burkhalter's house near Paynesville in July.. We welcomed a new team member, Amy Huber, newly ordained deacon from St. James Church in Fergus Falls, who will be helping Pat with mentoring the team and with other areas of the team's formation. We discussed need for each of us to have a Spiritual Director during our formation. We also spent some time discussing areas of concern regarding commitments and expectations of the Team. We discussed Pastoral Mentor’s Ministry priorities and balancing team support and parish life and of the extent to which we go in reaching the “lost sheep”. We reflected on where the authority lies for us as team ministers. We each shared how “The Tradition” was passed on to us and how we pass on what we have received including how do we halt unhealthy traditions. Another discussion was on The Minister as cheerleader: support, resources and affirmations of gifts. Who cheered for me and why did it work? And explored patterns of congregation formation.
At our Fall Retreat, September 7 - 9, we will be following up on a number of these items.
On July 28th, we traveled to St. Matthew's in Chatfield for a Diocesan Team Ministry Summit. This was a gathering of all the Total Ministry teams in the Diocese. While we were there, we were given a tour of their new parish hall and was very pleased in what we saw, especially important to the congregation at Our Saviours as we study options for our new parish hall project..
ALPHA is going strong in all three churches thanks to the very able work of our Outreach and Evangelist Minister, Harriette Burkhalter. There is still time to join us for this course. It is not important that you may have missed other classes because each meeting is a “course” in itself. So come join with us in this meaningful experience. See ALPHA Holy Spirit Day elsewhere in this newsletter.
We pray for each of you that together, the ministry we share will bring us all into a closer walk with God.
Jan Zeman
ALPHA
ALPHA, which was introduced to Spirit of the Heartland Churches in June continues being regularly attended. Weekly meetings are scheduled as follows: Good Samaritan - 6 p.m. Thursdays, St. Stephen’s - 6:30 p.m. Fridays, Our Saviours - 7:00 p.m. Wednesdays. However, due to the Accessibility Building Meeting on August 1st, the Little Falls group will meet Thursday August 2nd. Anyone interested in having something to eat before is invited to meet us at the Black & White Café at 6 p.m. For more details on meeting places at Good Samaritan and St. Stephen’s call Harriette Burkhalter at 320-453-7805.
ALPHA HOLY SPIRIT DAY will be celebrated on Saturday, August 4th at Church of the Good Samaritan, corner of 6th and Main, Sauk Centre. Beginning at 9 am. coffee and donuts will be served, followed by prayer at 9:30. Video presentations and discussions will include: What does the Holy Spirit Do?, How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit? And How can I resist evil? The celebration will conclude with worship at 3:00 p.m.
BREAKAWAY CHURCHES?
Do you have parishioners asking you about recent news stories about conflict in the Episcopal Church?
The Rev. Walt Gordon, priest-in-charge at St. James, Hibbing and former diocesan Communication Officer, has put together a series of short articles for parish bulletin or newsletter. Following is one of those articles that seem fitting to small congregations such as ours:
Have recent news stories about people leaving the Episcopal Church to affiliate with the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA), the newly-formed conservative church movement, left you puzzled, distressed, or concerned? To put the story in context consider the following numbers: The AMiA claims to have 37 congregations, a number equal to one half of one percent of the 7,368 congregations in the Episcopal Church. In fact, no parishes have left the Episcopal Church, only individual members. In the vast majority of cases it is only a portion of the congregation which has left, sometimes with their clergy and sometimes without. This would be like a fraction of 1 person in a congregation of 200 leaving because of disagreement with the church's policies or teachings. Or, in the case of a congregation, which has about 70 regular attenders, a fraction of 1/3 of a person leaving.
To find good news about the church nationally and internationally, go to the Episcopal News Service website at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/ens. While there, you can subscribe to email lists that will give you news from the Episcopal News Service and/or the Anglican Communion News Service. In addition to fair, accurate and professional reporting about controversies in the church, and the church's official statements in regard to these issues, you will find news about what the other 99.5+% of the church is doing and saying.
VESTRY HIGHLIGHTS
Good Samaritan Meeting July 15
Our Saviour's Meeting July 8
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
Church of the Good Samaritan, Sauk Centre
August 9th Dorothe Lane
August 27th Monica Schulzetenberg
Church of Our Saviour, Little Falls
August 2nd Jack & Jean Lemme
August 2nd Adele Starin
August 8th Heather Ketsch
August 10th Judi Welle
August 24th Dick & Debbie McCrudden
St. Stephen's, Paynesville
August 21st Lura Webb
August 28th Lloyd McMillan
St. John's, St. Cloud
August 4th Rob & Gina Cavanna
OUR SAVIOUR'S NOTES
Thanks to Marge Hayden, Debbie McCrudden, Carol and Jon Lovdahl, and Jean and Jack Lemme for cleaning the church the last several months. Any offers for August? Please contact any Vestry person if you can help with this . Doing these tasks is a wonderful ministry gift to our church.
Reminder to anyone who may have taken church linens home for laundering - we are running short of linens. If you have forgotten them please return all, stained or not, to the church. Thank you.
Little Falls Annual Arts and Crafts Fair will be on the weekend of September 8 and 9. IMPORTANT NOTE: Our Saviours Sunday Service will be conducted at 8:30 am on September 9th.
Volunteers are needed to help park cars in the church lot on the south side of the church on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the fair. Please contact Virginia Berguson, 320-632-4265 if you are able to help in this project with proceeds benefitting our parish. Thank You.
MINISTRY SCHEDULES
Good Samaritan
Our Saviour's
St. Stephen's
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