PASTOR'S NOTE

"For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease" John 3:29c-30

John the Baptist spoke those words about Jesus, when John's disciples came with the complaint that everyone was going to Jesus instead of John.

Like, John, I came to our churches to prepare the way. Now, don't get the idea that your team ministers are the Messiah, come to save you all! Yet together they do shine with the reflection of Christ's presence among us.

Like John, baptizing Jesus, I got the team ministers started on the way to taking over my work, but in a new and more glorious way. And what a joy it is to see! It's like having a dozen children all graduating with honors at the same time. And more: my "children" have chosen to do the work I most love to do. I am so proud of them.

Of course there is a down side for me. Not as bad as ending up with my head on a platter, as John did. But it does mean stepping back from active parish ministry. And I shall miss that greatly. These three parishes have brought great blessing into my life.

The blessing will increase as you grow together. After their commissioning and ordination on October 6, the team will do all those things one ‘old-fashioned' rector used to do, but with the gifts, talents, and energy of many. They must increase, but I must decrease.

Until the end of the year, I will minster full-time in support of the team ministers as they take on their new responsibilities. In January, I will continue as Pastoral Mentor and as Priest in Charge of all parishes, but serving in our churches only quarter-time. My primary ministry will be supervision and support, while the active ministry in the parishes will be done by the people, led by the team ministers. now, like John the Baptist, my joy has indeed been fulfilled.

Blessings !
pat+

SUNDAY WORSHIP TIMES

9:00 am St. Stephen's in Paynesville
(320)243-2012
320 Wendell Street, Paynesville, MN 56362

10:00 am Our Saviour's in Little Falls
(320)-632-5731)
113 NE 4th Street (PO Box 344) Little Falls, MN 56345

11:00 am Good Samaritan in Sauk Centre
(320)-352-6882
529 Main Street (PO Box 205) Sauk Centre, MN 56378

WEDNESDAY NOON PRAYER

12:00 pm Our Saviour's in Little Falls

SPECIAL SERVICES:

3:00 p.m. Our Saviour's, October 6th
Ordination and Commissioning!

Noon Our Saviour's, Animal Blessing, September 29th

12:30 p.m. Good Samaritan Animal Blessing, October 13

Everyone is invited to our Team Ministry Ordination and Commissioning on October 6th at 3 p.m.! A Reception will follow. Please call Maren Kay Wesland for more information on the Reception.

St. Stephens's Homecoming

Sunday Celebration!Join us on October 27th as we gather to celebrate our new Total Ministry Program at the 9 a.m. service. Everyone is invited! Coffee and Cookies will be served after the service so everyone will have an opportunity to renew old friendships and meet newcomers. Contact Harriette or Jack Burkhalter for more info.

GLBT, St. Thecla's Guild Continues!

Join us every fourth Friday of each month at 7 p.m. This month we meet on October 25th. Anyone wishing to be notified of gathering specifics (like where we're meeting!), should contact Zippy at 632-5567 or zippy@fallsnet.com.

Animal Blessing Fun!

Please come to any or all of our three Animal Blessing services listed in the Worship and Music Corner for October. Each promises to be a joyful event!

PRAYERS FOR:

Quentin & Charlene, Amy Grant, John & Jenni Peike, Rachel, Cheyenne & Tommy, Lloyd & Joan McMillian, Heather, Jack, Lisa, Delaney, Ruby, Gerry

CELEBRATIONS FOR:

October Birthdays
New Baby! Chanin Andres Quillo, September 15
Marge Austin, October 7 Nancy McCrudden, October 14
Roger Phillips, October 8 Robin Wood, October 26
Paul Schulzetenberg, October 8 Carol Lovdahl, October 27
Maurine Pederson, October 8 Stacy Barker, October 28
Debbie McCrudden, October 10 Charlene Starin, October 30

October Anniversaries
Max and Lois Kaufman, October 6
Pete and Lucia Wilson, October 28

Ordinations and Commissionings
Doris Dodds, Maren Kay Wesland, Hariette Burkhalter, Cynthia, Evans, Lu Tax, Jan Zeman, Johanna Morrigan, Cedar Morrigan, Randy Wesland, and Rob Cavanna.

Special Congratulations To:
Bill and Maxine Henderson, October 6 Received
Nancy McCrudden & John Carlson, November Wedding
Michael Botz, Buried and Raised to New Life in Christ
Linda Maloney, October 15 Ordination
Received at our Saviour on September 11th:
Georgianna Campbell, Marge Campbell, John Carlson, Melissa Woidyla, Noreen Mitzel, Robin Wood, Sandy Coe
Thanks to Carol Lovdahl for desert!

Stop the Hate and Start the HealingInterfaith Vigil

Wednesday, October 9, 2002 Lake George pavilion St. Cloud, MN 5:00-6:00 p.m.

Minnesota FoodShare Sets Up Fund to Help Northwestern Minnesota's Food Shelves

Not only were four shelves lost in the summer floods, but also refrigerators, freezers, shelves, and the use of their facilities. Those interested in restocking and restoring the food shelves may mail cash donations directly to Minnesota FoodShare labeled "flood fund" or may donate online at www.gmcc.org/MFS. Donors may also call (612)721-8687 ext. 324 to make a credit card donation.

LISTEN! PROCLAIM! SERVE! CELEBRATE!

"Living Into a New Vision" The 145th Annual Convention The Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota October 25-26, 2002 Historic Church of Gethsemane Minneapolis Convention Center Visitors Welcome! Visitors are welcome to attend all convention sessions and meals. Contact www.episcopalmn.org/Covention2002_Home.htm

Vestry Meetings in October:

Good Samaritan: October 20, 12:10 p.m.

This meeting we'll be voting to change our convention delegate. Other news includes that the remodeling of the Parish hall is done with new molding, lights, carpet, paint, flooring in kitchen, etc. The team member attending should be Roger & Rosemary Phillips. Call Gunther Austin for more information!

St. Stephen's: October 6, 9 a.m. Meet the Bishop, 10 a.m.

Vestry will be holding a reception for the Bishop at 10 a.m. The Bishop visits congregations only once a year so be sure to catch this Sunday! The team member attending should be Jan Zeman.

Our Saviour's: October 9, 7 p.m.

The team member attending should be Johanna Morrigan. Building project information from Jan Zeman: After months of planning and meetings with diocesan committees, our building project is now well under way. The excavation, pouring of footings and building the foundation were exciting to watch and now even the walls and trusses are up. Each day brings us closer to completion.

Credit for our Building on History goes to all of you who voted, with your pledges and your time, to support our vision of growth here in Little Falls. The project reaches far beyond Little Falls in supporting our ministry within the Spirit of the Heartland.

Architectural services were donated to Church of Our Saviour by Fry and Associates Architects, Inc, a firm located in Ann Arbor, MI. Richard Fry is a member of the Doug and Kay Johnson family, in whose memory the handicapped accessible space is being built. General Contractor for the project is Jensen Builders of Little Falls. Thanks to all of you for your continued support.

New Staff Member

Hello all! I'm Kathy Bies-Jaede; my family and I moved to Minnesota from Buffalo, NY in August. We consist of Mark, who is teaching history at SCSU, Colin age 7, Glenna age 4, and Barney T. Dog a 12 year old Lab mix. I have a B.A. in psychology/philosophy, an M.A. in communications and am certified to teach school. have been working for the last 8 years in children and youth ministry. My role with the Team to start will be to produce the monthly newsletter and help with Christian Education! You can reach me at 251-4400 or biesjaede@yahoo.com.

October in the Liturgical Calendar

I truly love the month of October! Not because of "Halloween," but because of the old Anglican traditions of "Harvest Thanksgiving" and "Michaelmas." Do any of you know about these fun celebrations?

To be very brief, the basic theme is: "thanking God for the gift of mother nature and the bounty we receive each harvest." One thing that makes it different than a traditional American Thanksgiving holiday is that it can be celebrated earlier when the leaves are just falling.

A few fun activities you might try as a church group or family include: baking a Harvest Loaf; making a Conker Dragon (with chestnuts); corn dollies; baking blackberry and apple pies; waxing leaves; and decorating with nuts and Fall seed pods, etc. Kathy Bies-Jaede

Continuing Christian Education (C.E.) Classes

Come grow as a Christian in a relaxed group learning atmosphere. Kathy BJ will be visiting each group in October with some new C.E. ideas!

Bible Study on Psalms Group:
Good Sam., 2nd & 4th Tuesdays each month at Noon

Book Study on Christian Denominations Group:
St. Stephen's, 1st Thursdays at 11 a.m., Joan McMillians

World Religions Study Group:
Our Saviour's, October 28th, 7 p.m. at B&W Hamburger S.

Who are we?

Pat Gillespie, Pastoral Mentor, Priest in Charge, Webminister
Mary Ann Erdmann, Finance Administrator (Staff)
Kathy Bies-Jaede, Communications/Christian Education(Staff)
++++++++++++++++++
Harriette Burkhalter, St. Stephen's, Lay Evangelist and Outreach Minister
Doris Dodds, St.Stephen's, Lay Evangelist and Outreach Minister
Rob Cavanna, St. John's, Priest Sacramentalist and Preacher
Cynthia Evans, Good Samaritan, Lay Intercessor
Cedar Morrigan, Our Saviour's, Priest Sacramentalist
Johanna Morrigan, Our Saviour's, Deacon Preacher
Roger Phillips, Good Samaritan, Sacramentalist in Formation
Lu Tax, Our Saviour's, Lay Liturgist
Maren Kay Welsand, St. John's, Lay Community Life Minister
Randy Welsand, St. John's, Priest Sacramentalist and Pastoral Care Minister
Jan (Zippy) Zeman, Our Saviour's, Lay Preacher

---

This Month: Who is Doris Dodds?

Doris is called to be a Priest/Sacramentalist with "Spirit of the Heartland" through St. Stephen's, Paynesville! Her story is printed below!

Greetings to all my brothers and sisters in Christ!

I am a "cradle" Episcopalian, born and raised in Milwaukee and attending All Saints Cathedral from my baptism forward. The Cathedral is a very, very High church and that is my background. Sunday school and the church choirs have always been part of my life. At one time, when I was about 13, I was told I had to wait to join the Senior Choir until I was at least 16. For three years, I sang Evensong every Sunday night with just the organist, the priest and a handful of people. What an experience and what a joy!! My voice matured and finally I sang with the Senior Choir.

Moving to Minnesota, I have been involved and honored to serve in the choir, as choir director, Sr. Warden, Treasurer, President of the ECW, Acolyte, Youth Leader, Lay Reader and"sometimes" janitor at St.Martin's by the Lake; Trinity, Excelsior; St.David's, Minnetonka; St. Patrick's, Bloomington and St. Stephen's, Paynesville. My involvement with all these churches began with music and evolved from there.

God's call has been with me as long as I can remember, but like many, I was too busy–raising a family , or whatever excuse was handy. My involvement with the Cursillo movement and later my becoming a Hospice volunteer and money raiser moved me again toward God.

When my husband and soulmate, David, died in 2000, God's "nudging" became even stronger. When anger, fear, despair and loneliness were overwhelming, He gave me rainbows and a glorious sun shining thru the clouds simultaneously! The gifts of God, and this was a gift, cannot be received with clenched fists and my hands and heart opened to His call. The call and support of the Churches of the Spirit of the Heartland and the discernment committee, plus the Education for Ministry program, helped me grow spiritually.

On Sept 10, the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Minnesota affirmed my call to Priest Sacramentalist . Words cannot express the joy and the trembling that kind of recognition of my call is like. The words of the hymn "Here I Am, Lord" states it very clearly. I will go where He calls me and hold all His people in my heart.

I look forward to continually getting to know all of you and serving our three churches in growing and thriving thru Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Total Ministry means "all" of us working together and going forward under His banner.

Yours in Christ, Doris

---

Family Fun Page!

Things we can do with Kids and Families in October!
(Kathy BJ will be calling families for help)

---

Make a Pumpkin Lantern:

Try a variation on the usual pumpkin carving this year. Focus on the Christian belief of life after death this Halloween by carving either a cross in the face of the pumpkin or the word "love." The candle you place inside can be the "light of Christ" and the mush you take out of it "all the sin or bad stuff" we need forgiven for, etc.

---

Have a Story Bonfire:

Make a large but safe fire with suitable seating for everyone just before dusk or at the end on a meal, etc. Ask people to bring family stories to share or try telling a couple "progressive stories" where someone starts it and then everyone contributes as it moves along. Things may get a bit silly but that's okay!

---

Bake Soul Cakes:

Soul Cakes are an Anglican tradition that can be fun and kids love to work with dough. The way the tradition works is for the "beggar" to say or sing "A soul cake, a soul cake, I pray thee, good mistress, a soul cake!" You then give them each a soul cake in return for prayers for loved ones who have departed. 3 lbs. Flour, 8 oz. Softened butter, 8 oz. sugar, 1 oz. Yeast, 2 eggs, 1 tsp. Allspice, milk. Work flour and butter. Cream yeast with tsp. of sugar. Mix previous with eggs, yeast and some milk to make a light dough. Let rise covered in warm spot for 30 min. Work in the sugar and spice and form into flat bun shapes. Let rise 15 min., then bake at 425 for 15 min.

---

Brief Linear Calendar

October 2002 1 Ministerial, Good Sam.,11:45 a.m.
3 Ministerial, St. Stephen's, 9 a.m.
St. Stephen's Book Study, 11 a.m., Joan's
EFM, Our Saviour, 6:30 p.m.,St. John's, 6:45 p.m.
5 Ordination, Commissioning Rehearsal, Our Saviour's, 5 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m.
6 Worship: 9,10,11 a.m.
Coffee Hour, Noon, Good Sam.
Bishop Visit, S. Stephen's, 9 a.m.
Vestry Reception, St. Stephen's, 10 a.m.
Ordinations, Commissioning 3 p.m., Our Saviour
8 Bible Study, Good Sam., Noon
H.E. Worship, St. Michael's Home, 11 a.m.
9 St Stephen's Guild, 10 a.m. (Joans)
Vestry, Our Saviour's, 7 p.m.
10 EFM, St. John's, 6:45 p.m.
12 Team Meetings, 9-4 p.m.
13 Worship: 9, 10, 11 a.m.
Animal Blessing, Good Sam., 12:30
15 Linda Mahoney Ordination, Minn., 7 p.m
. 17 EFM, Our Saviour, 6:30 p.m.
18 Local Ministry Mtg., Winnipeg
, 20 Worship: 9, 10, 11 a.m. Vestry, Good Sam., 12:10
22 Bible Study, Good Sam., Noon
24 EFM, Seekers, St. Stephen's, 9 a.m.
EFM, Our Saviour, 6:30 p.m.,St. John's, 6:45 p.m.
25 St. Thecla's GLBT Guild, 7 p.m., various homes
25/26 Diocesan Convention
27 Worship: 9, 10, 11 a.m.
Homecoming Celebration! St. Stephen's, 9 a.m.
28 World Rel. Study, Our S., 7 p.m., B/W Shop
29 Animal Blessing Service, Our Saviour, Noon

---

MINISTRY SCHEDULES

Good Samaritan
Our Saviour's
St. Stephen's

---

Read our Region News
Check our Calendar
Newsletter Archives

Return to Spirit of the Heartland INDEX