The Lazy Church Days of Summer Summer Is Always Interesting in the Church
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Salem English Lutheran Church Late July-August 2019 The Lazy Church Days of Summer Summer is always interesting in the church. Here we are in mid-July and while we all are finally settling into summer and the different rhythm it brings to life, we are also looking at the calendar and wondering “How did it get to be mid-July?” as we look toward fall. While things take on a slower pace that meets up with the lazy days of summer, while we sit back and realize that on Sundays in the summer many church folks find themselves worshiping from a boat in the middle of the lake or under the canopy of trees up north, while we know Brainstorming or coordinating current and new season of that programming slows down and even takes a summer hiatus, giving partners? we know that fall is the “day after tomorrow”...it’s coming and Helping with coffee hour between services? will be here before we can adjust to the heat of July in Minnesota. (*One might ask, after today, if one CAN actually Helping plan worship? We will have a meeting August 11 adjust to the heat of July in Minnesota—but I digress.) for fall planning—join us! Yes, here we are in mid-July, but fall is just around the corner. Taking part in a book study in the fall? The state fair—that MN tradition that launches us into fall is only Helping lead worship on Sunday? 35 days away! So much for the lazy church days of summer...it’s Writing a “member” column on a rotating basis for the time to get to work. Scene? So—where is God tapping you to be part of what we do as a Doing a “kids time” during our 10:30 worship? community of faith? I realize it’s hard to think about what is Helping curate information from the myriad of coming this fall when we are still in vacation mode...but I community and church partners we have for members. promise these opportunities to help plan and maybe even lead (i.e. What can we glean from Lutheran Immigration and are pretty laid back and do not involve a life-time commitment. Refugee Services that would inform us and help us Would you consider… engage in gospel work?) Helping plan God’s Work, Our Hands Sunday (9/15)? I know it’s still summer and days are long, the sun is warm, and Meeting with 3-4 folks a couple times to help shape our lazy seems to be agenda of the day as often as possible. But I stewardship conversation for the year? also know that fall is right around the bend and as we continue Volunteering to coordinate people to stay and clean up to strive to be a vibrant, relevant, and faithful community of communion after 10:30 am worship? (Or just volunteering the gospel, we have work to do. But it’s good work—work we to be one of the people who cleans up?) are called to do—among friends—infused by the Holy Spirit—for the sake of our neighbors—in the name of the Creator of the Helping to plan a fall fellowship event around stewardship Universe. What better work could there be? or Reformation or harvest or whatever might be fun? Blessings on your lazy days of summer. I hope to see you in Looking at boxes of banners Salem has had in the attic to worship! see what we want to keep? Peace, Working on a new storage system for our paraments? Pastor Rhonda Important Dates for your Calendar! THIS Saturday July 20: Help clean up the Greenway at 10 am! Many hands make light work! Sunday July 21 : Antone Melton-Meaux will be our guest preacher and presider in worship! Sunday July 28: Join us for worship and get in on the introduction to the Theology of Dr. Seuss Sunday August 4: Pastor Craig Simenson will be our guest preacher for the day! Sunday August 11: Worship Planning at 10:30 am to plan our fall worship experience Wednesday August 14: Theology on Tap at Lago Taco (6:30 pm) Sunday August 18: Joint SpringHouse Worship in the Park and Potluck Meal Salem Scene Late July-August 2019 Salem News Summer Worship Stewardship Stuff Just a reminder that we will continue to worship together at Welcome to the newest regular ONE service for the remainder of the summer at 9 am. It is corner column that will be found in different, fun, and provides a great opportunity for all of us to our Scene publication. This is where see each other during this season of cabins, vacation, and you will find capsulized news about enjoying the summer sun! budget and giving information, Highlights to look for include: news about pledging and giving, information about special gifts, and Our own Antone Melton- a hodge-podge of other items that Meaux will be preaching may fit into our picture of stewardship at Salem. and presiding THIS week, July 21. At the time of this publication, the council had not had a chance to discuss what information we may be able to put in Pastor Craig Simenson (our the Scene—so watch for our next column in September for a interim youth minister) will be preaching on August 4. more detailed snapshot. But it can be said in June it was Worship with all of SpringHouse in the Park (10:30 am) on reported by our treasurer that special Easter giving (above and Sunday August 18. beyond pledged gifts) helped to keep our financial picture The Theology of Dr. Seuss will begin on Sunday July 28 looking good in April and May. Thank You! and run through Labor Day. On another note, Pastor Rhonda would like to pull together a few folks willing to gather in August and/or September to talk Community Partners about a stewardship focus and theme for fall. If you would like At our Salem to have a voice in how we talk about stewardship this coming Conversations in July, year, contact Pastor Rhonda to get in on the fun! Salem’s seasons of giving was brought up as a topic ZOOM House Toilet Paper and Paper Towel Drive for discussion. We talked THANK YOU! Thank you all for your generous donations to about some of the ZOOM already this summer. We will continue to do our paper organizations that we want to continue to partner with and product drive through the summer because it is easy and the we celebrated the giving we have done this year to simple fact is that ZOOM cannot keep these items in stock in organizations like LWR and ELCA World Hunger. their pantry. This fall we hope to partner again with LIRS, (Lutheran Several ways to participate: Immigration and Refugee Services) and RIC (Reconciled in Bring toilet paper and/or paper towels to Christ). We are also looking for ideas you may have. Is there a worship and we will collect and deliver them to partner in our community that touches your heart—that you ZOOM. have a passion for? Talk to Pastor Rhonda or one of our council members to see if we can make them part of our Donate a gift card to ZOOM to purchase seasons of giving work.. these items. Stay tuned for our September Scene for information on our Order the products at www.amazon,com partners for the upcoming year! (or another online retailer) and simply have them delivered to ZOOM House. Salem English Lutheran Church Salem Scene Late July-August 2019 More News The Theology of... Yes, you read that correctly! Pastor Rhonda is joining several of her clergy colleagues around the Twin Cities and beyond in a series using Dr. Seuss classic books and scripture to share the gospel. God’s Work. Our Hands Sunday Make sure your plans for September include joining us for worship on Sunday September 15. The ELCA-wide day of service for congregations is a yearly event that is celebrated by Lutherans in all different kinds of contexts and in a myriad of different ways. Salem participated for the first time last year and it was such a great success that we are doubly excited for this year’s event! We are currently working on several different projects that can be done during worship and/or as a group outside of Make sure to join us from July 28 through Labor Day to see worship. Lutheran World Relief School Kits, MARS food how these wonderful stories can help us hear the gospel in packing, bee houses, advocacy letters, blankets, foster care kid new and exciting ways. kits, ZOOM birthday/welcome baskets...all are possible hands Worship Planning Meeting -on projects we are looking at doing together as we worship. We are entertaining ideas for outside service as well. Feed My Be part of the process! Join us Starving Children, or another group service outing would be a to help plan worship. great opportunity for us to get together to serve outside our Sunday August 11 at 10:30 am: walls. Join us to shape our worship If you are interested in helping plan, or know of a project that experience for fall. What stays would be appropriate for our setting, please be part of our the same? What new things can we try? What should we use planning and contact Pastor Rhonda ASAP. We would like to for art, paraments, and worship enhancements? Don’t let have 2-4 projects that can be part of our day of service at your opportunity to have a voice pass by.