Chrysalis Becoming in Christ May 2017 Volume 39 Issue 5 Youth-Led Worship May 6/7 “There is one body Join us the weekend of May 6/7 for a service led by the youth of and one Spirit, just Resurrection! RLC youth will lead us in worship using their special talents. Anneliese Barton will preach for us, and our youth will read, share musical gifts and as you were called to provide worship leadership. the one hope of

your calling, one Graduates! On Sunday, May 21, we will recognize our graduating Lord, one faith, one high school seniors, Anneliese Barton, Isabel Ollie and Maggie Potter, in worship. baptism, one God We also recognize and congratulate our other recent or and Father of all, upcoming graduates: Juliet Becker, Mercy College of Nursing, Kara Califf, University, Amy Donaghy, who is above all and Iowa State University, Grace Heimerdinger, Marquette University, Jay Fieser, The University of Iowa, Cameron Leisinger, Des Moines Area Community College, Hannah Vagts, University of Redlands and Kaylinn through all and in all. Willson, Iowa State University. Please keep all of them in your prayers and take a moment to offer them your best wishes. But each of us was given grace Congregational Meeting May 21 according to the Beginning about 9:40 a.m. measure of Christ's Please plan to attend the May 21 semi- annual congregational meeting. At this gift.” meeting we will hear reports from our boards and president, approve a slate of Ephesians 4: 4-7 candidates to serve as leaders for the 2017- 18 program year and accomplish other im- portant business. 1

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

I have only one academic Catholic church, St. Mary’s. A few times I also went book left from my under- to Faith Lutheran Church with my roommate. graduate years. It’s from a While I attended parochial school from 1-6th grade, philosophy course, is called “The Existence of God” from the age of seven on, I didn’t have the opportu- and includes essays from philosophers like nity to attend worship with my family, Plato, Descartes, Kant and Kierkegaard. like so many here at RLC. I didn’t have my Here is a sample sentence, “It is evident, own Bible until I graduated from college, from what has been said, that the concept of didn’t pray regularly and never went on an absolutely necessary being is a concept any kind of mission trip or service project of pure reason, that is, a mere idea of the through the church. So it might be easy to objective reality of which is very far from imagine that I didn’t have very deep roots being provided by the fact that reason re- when it came my faith, to the church, to quires it.” (Now don’t go beating my door understanding Christianity, or to having a down to borrow this book…) relationship with Jesus Christ. Like many people, during my college years, I asked But I remember the moment, during the summer be- some tough questions about faith and God’s presence tween undergraduate and graduate school, that I in the world. I didn’t go to church much, continuing a asked myself, “do you believe in God? Do you really pattern that had begun in high school when my sister believe?” And I did. I knew I did. I always have. and I would sneak over to the local 7-Eleven during (Continued on page 9) church hours. I went very occasionally to the local

Resurrection Lutheran Church Council and Board Chairs, 2016-2017

President —Linda Baker, 515-419-3021 Christian Education – Melissa Varangkounh, [email protected] 515-971-9075, [email protected] Vice President —Kevin Petersburg, 515-965-5792 Congregational Life —Mary Jo Frazier, 515-964-3848, [email protected] [email protected] Secretary —Vicky Payseur, 515-480-5961 Evangelism —Keri Bolles [email protected] 515-720-9557, [email protected] Treasurer —George Stevens, 515-635-0371 Social Ministry—Don Erpelding [email protected] 515-783-7738, donjanerpelding