September, 2013
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September, 2013 THE COMMUNICATOR St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church St. Paul, Minnesota A community of believers joyfully serving God, one another and the world Dear Friends in Christ, Inside this issue: In August it was a privilege for me to travel with our 8th graders to the Apostle Islands, guided by the staff of Camp Amnicon. Please imagine you’re also on Choir School 2 that trip. Listening 3 Picture yourself on the shores of Lake Superior, settling in to your seat on the huge Montreal canoe. You are leaving Red Cliff, on the mainland, for the first Rally Day 4 night’s visit to Stockton Island. Stockton is the second largest of the Apostle Islands. It’s a long pull, over three hours of paddling. Crop Walk 5 You are aware of both exhilaration and nervous energy. Nerves cause you to Tutors Wanted 5 ask yourself questions. Can I keep paddling for that long? Will the weather Choirs 6 hold? Exhilaration helps you focus on the beauty of the surroundings, the syn- ergy of paddling in rhythm with the group. You’re a part of something bigger School Kits 7 than yourself. You’re on an adventure. You join in singing songs that express joy and keep the group in sync. Women’s Retreat 7 Now use that scene from your mind’s eye as a metaphor for the congregation. Amnicon Photos 8 We are embarking. A new journey has begun. Barn Dance 9 There will be paddling - the established schedule of activities that keep us mov- Blue House and 9 ing. There will be songs we sing together as we go. This month will bring the Thrivent Dollars return of our many regular programs including the choirs, Sunday School, the return to two worship services, confirmation classes, adult forums, and many Faithfully Fit 9 others. New Presiding Bishop 10 There will be nerves. Many of you are wondering about the who, what, when Parish Nurse 12 and how questions that arise from having a pastoral vacancy. Other questions arise from the building improvements in progress. I want to address those Choirs in Worship 13 questions. Book Sale Coming! 13 PROGRAM LEADERS Financial Report 14 For the immediate future, we have able and willing people to step in to leading roles in confirmation and youth ministry. Lisa Gruenisen has agreed to work September Calendar 15 with me at leading confirmation classes. Lisa has been working with Pastor Marc and is already familiar with the confirmands and with the teaching materi- Coming up in October 16 als. I am happy she agreed to stick with the kids and the program, and I hope you will add your thanks to mine. I will be involved in confirmation classes and - continued on page 3 Page 2 THE COMMUNICATOR St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church News from our Choir School By Mari Espeland, director of Alleluia Singers & the Joy Singers Those who sing, pray twice. –St. Augustine Singing, praying, dancing, and playing instruments fill to overflowing the time our children spend in choir school. The St. Anthony Park Lutheran Choir School strives to blend music education and Christian faith formation for children from birth through sixth grade. Through music classes and choir rehearsals designed for each age group and developmental stage, we empower children to participate in worship, serve as worship leaders, and sing God’s praise throughout their lives. Our choir school is a unique and powerful ministry. Seeing trained musicians marvel at our program gave me a new appreciation of what is happening in our midst. This summer I taught the Children’s Choir Technique and Repertoire class offered through Luther Seminary. Molly Breen, our Baby Music and Ho- sanna Singers teacher, graciously arranged to teach a demonstration class of babies and toddlers with their caregivers as part of the Technique and Repertoire class. The seminary students were nothing less than amazed to witness Molly’s work with these young children and their caregivers! The children’s en- gaged participation and obvious learning is a testament to Molly’s teaching and the importance of our music ministry with very young children. Musical skills are acquired just as language skills at this age. By being immersed in an environment full of singing and dancing, young children imitate and internalize music as a language. At choir school this musical language is also the language of the Christian faith. It is the voice of the Church that is heard in singing together. It is not you that sings, it is the Church that is singing, and you, as a member of the Church, may share in its song. –Dietrich Bonhofer As our children grow older we empower them to join the song of all Christianity by teaching them to sing beautifully, read musical notation, and navigate the hymnal. With these tools our children can partici- pate actively in worship and serve as worship leaders. They internalize texts from the Bible and state- ments of our Christian faith by singing music from our Lutheran tradition and music from Christian tradi- tions around the globe. We cannot predict when a child will connect with God through the Church’s song. All we can do is prepare the ground and allow the Holy Spirit to work. Once a child has connected with God in worship, no one can take that away from him or her. The music of our faith can express more than words alone can ever say. When we understand God’s gift of music as a dynamic means of transforming people’s lives, then our music ministry is informed by the responsibility this understanding creates. Just as we provide food and shelter for our children, we must also feed and shelter the children’s souls and spirits. The St. Anthony Park Lutheran Choir School opens the door to the music of our faith for all the children in our midst. The children, families, choir directors/teachers, and our whole church staff are a blessing to our choir school. Together we learn of God’s love through song. Please consider inviting or bringing a child you know to choir school. Molly, Sara, and I are so excited for the musical journey of faith we will take with the choir school children this year! Page 3 September, 2013 Dear Friends in Christ continued from page 1 activities as long as necessary, with the goal of turning it over to the interim pastor when the time comes. Along with our executive committee, I am in touch with our Synod office, and the process of finding well suited candidates for our needs is under way. Synod staff members are now in conversations with possi- ble candidates. After those conversations we will receive the names and profiles of those candidates who express interest. From there it will be a straightforward hiring process, to be handled by the executive committee. Please keep in mind these will be candidates for an interim ministry or a term call. There is a more thor- ough process of extending a permanent call which will happen after a significant period of time for heal- ing, adjustment, and goal setting. The early phases of our capital campaign will allow us time for signifi- cant conversation about our future, and this is too valuable to hurry through. An interim position fills the need for leadership in the near term. ROOF The pitched roof area is nearly finished. Most of the shingles have already been replaced. There are a few small areas that have been left unfinished until work begins on the flat roof surfaces. This is so the seams between flat and pitched roofing can be tied together in a coordinated way so we have a complete seal. The unfinished areas do have weather protection for now. Work on the flat surfaces will begin after the State Fair has finished. SOUND SYSTEM Our sound contractor is coordinating with us as to timing the start of that project. Some of the rough wiring will be accomplished, once the flat-roof has been torn off, allowing better access for running wires. Once that is accomplished the sound system workers prefer to wait until the dust settles from the roofing job. (Yes, literally.) Many of the new sound components have internal cooling fans which draw air into the unit. There is no sense drawing in dirty dusty air inside brand new components, so this work is best accomplished after the roofers are finished. The work will continue speedily once the roof is ready. SO dear friends, get situated; and join in the paddling. The Montreal canoe is great for teaching us that we need everyone. I am confident that this phase of our life together will remind us that Christ is always at the center of what we do and who we are. Thanks be to God that we don’t need to worry about the end of the journey. While we are on it, we need each other, we use everyone’s gifts, and we move to- gether as the body of Christ. I continue to count it a privilege to serve as your pastor, and I give thanks for your prayers and your par- ticipation. God’s Peace to you Pastor Glenn Page 4 THE COMMUNICATOR St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church Capital Campaign Begins with Listening The leaky roof is fixed, the sound system is coming, and we are in the midst of staff changes. What now? The Long Range Planning Team invites you to share in the work in shaping the vision of our future minis- try and the capital campaign necessary to help us move into that with our new roof and sound system.