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February 2015
Lent 2015
Shrove Tuesday, February 17
Pancake Dinner at 6:00 pm
What does Shrove Tuesday mean to Christians? Come for food,
music, and to find out more. See page 2 for more information.
Remember
Journey to Jerusalem
last year?
We’re taking on another
fitness/prayer challenge this
Lenten season.
Praying Paul's Paths (P3)
Please see page 3
for all the details.
Lent Begins
Ash Wednesday, February 18
Come and bring a friend on Ash Wednesday:
5:15-6:15 pm Simple Soup Supper
6:15-6:45 pm Teaching for families of all shapes and sizes
around Ash Wednesday and Lent
7:00 pm
Service of Ashes and Reconciliation
Lenten Taizé Worship Series
Wednesday Evenings
6:00-6:25 p.m. See page 2 for more information.
Lenten Adult Study
Wednesday Evenings, 6:30-7:45 p.m.
During Lent, the Adult Study will be come-as-you-are, no-priorexperience-necessary, study on prayer. See page 2 for more
information.
PASTOR’S PEN
It’s Monday, my day off, and I am dancing
around my kitchen baking bread. It’s a new
recipe, with old-fashioned oats, whole
wheat flour, regular flour, a bit of brown sugar, and oldfashioned yeast. This is one of those images of heaven for
me—baking bread for loved ones, warmth on a cold winter
day, kneading a glorious loaf of bread, and for the introvert in
me, silence.
Bread baking is also special because my husband made my
wonderful breadboard for me, and my paternal grandmother
taught me how to bake bread when I was ten years old.
Bread baking isn’t difficult—before the 1930s, sliced bread
wasn’t even available; most people made their own of various
types. Though bread-baking isn’t difficult, it can be a bit
daunting in keeping the ingredients at the proper
temperature, kneading just the right amount of time, and
having the time to let it rise once or twice before baking. My
grandmother patiently showed me how it was done, and so
now bread recipes don’t intimidate me.
Following Jesus is kind of like making bread. It helps a whole
lot to have someone show you how—a spiritual mentor that is
either a family member or friend that you can watch and
imitate. Following Jesus is done as a communal activity—
yes, there are parts of it that can be done in silence and solo,
however, those times are not for personal spiritual growth
alone, but also for preparation for the public part of our
ministry. Even in the private times, it is helpful to have
someone show us the way. Then, we can take the basics and
move on to more complicated things and not be intimidated.
Many of you have learned your faith practices (prayers,
presence, gifts, service and witness) from others, and all of
us who have are called to pass these on to those who are
following after. Others will put their own unique twists on the
practices (my grandmother didn’t make Croatian potica, for
example, but I do, and I probably would not have tried had I
not learned the simpler stuff first) but the basics are helpful
for all. I pray that each one of you is willing and excited to
share your spiritual journey, your God-moments, with others.
If we don’t tell people, they simply don’t know why we do
what we do. They don’t know how yummy that fresh bread is,
when store-bought will do. But you know what a rich life you
have in Christ! Pass it on!
-Pastor Pam
2
SHROVE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17
PANCAKE DINNER
What does Shrove Tuesday mean to Christians? Come for
food, music, and to find out more. Suggested Donation $3
children, $5 adults
5:30-6:00pm
6:00-7:00pm
Children, Youth, and
Families Shrove Tuesday
Activities and Learning
Pancake Dinner for All Ages
LENTEN TAIZÉ WORSHIP SERIES
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS
Come away to a quiet place to worship on five
Wednesdays during Lent from 6:00-6:25 p.m.
Date
February 25
March 4
March 11
March 18
March 25
Focus
Prayer
Longing
Trust
Healing (with an opportunity for
anointing)
Communion
Taizé is a quiet, introspective service of prayer; simple,
meditative hymns; silence, and reflection. Bring a friend,
and stay for the study on prayer!
LENTEN ADULT STUDY
WEDNESDAY, 6:30-7:45 P.M.
During Lent, the Adult Study will be come-as-you-are, noprior-experience-necessary, study on prayer. Nothing
required but a yearning for a deeper connection with the
Holy. All are welcome!
Date
February 25
March 4
March 11
March 18
March 25
Focus
Discovering your Prayer/
Spiritual Type
Searching Prayer
Experiential Prayer
Relational Prayer
Innovative Prayer
Pastor Pam will lead the series based on Patricia D.
Brown’s Paths to Prayer: Finding Your Own Way to the
Presence of God. You do not need the book to participate!
FROM THE
PARISH NURSE
2. Any type of aerobic exercise for 20 minutes equals 1 mile,
e.g. shopping, cleaning, gardening, tai chi, physical
therapy, etc.
Praying Paul's Paths (P3):
Our Lenten Journey
3. Kids can help reach our total by including their basketball,
volleyball, soccer, or other sports practice/game
time. Again, 20 minutes of aerobic activity equals 1 mile.
Please join us as we take on another fitness challenge this
Lenten season. Last year, over 100 members and friends,
signed up to be part of our Journey to Jerusalem program.
Together, we "walked and prayed" 10,640 miles . . . simply
amazing! Let's do it again! God has made us to live in balance
and completeness. God's grace is always available but we
need to make space in our lives to receive it. The Lenten
fitness challenge is about finding joy in discipline and support in
community to create balance and space. Lent is a time for soul
searching to deepen our faith and find new ways of being. New
habits only take 6 weeks to develop. As these new habits begin
to take place, and we care for our mind, body, and spirit, our
faith grows and we find balance and space for grace.
Starting Ash Wednesday, February 18th, you have an
opportunity to go on another amazing journey, as we kick off our
new fitness challenge we are calling Praying Paul's
Paths (P3 for short). Paul traveled 10,282 miles spreading the
gospel of Jesus Christ. His 4 journeys on land and sea took him
primarily through present day Israel, Syria, Turkey, Greece, and
Rome. These were years of persecution and strife for Paul, but
he held steadfast to his purpose of proclaiming God's grace in
forgiving sin through Christ. God used Paul's ministry to bring
the gospel to the Gentiles and establish the church. The
communities of faith Paul fostered would evolve into the
Christian churches we know today. Paul's letters to the
churches, recorded in the New Testament, still support church
life and doctrine. Our goal will be to collectively "walk and pray"
all 4 of Paul's journeys, a total of 10,282 miles, or roughly 234
miles a day, by Easter. Those numbers would be daunting if
this were a solo journey, however, there will be comfort in the
knowledge that we do not walk alone. To renew and nourish
our spiritual life along the way, we will be able to reflect and
pray guided by a daily Lenten devotional written by Pastor
Pam. Walking is a great time for prayer and meditation; after
all, it is a journey towards inner peace and well-being.
How does this program work? Each week, every participant
records how many miles he or she has walked and sends the
results to church. For this journey, the definition of "walk" is an
expanded one. Miles can be earned in the following ways:
1. Walking, running, biking, swimming, or any other activity
that is measured in miles.
4. Prayer, meditation, and/or scripture reading for 20 minutes
equals 1 mile.
Miles will be recorded collectively and tracked on a map in
the Commons area, posted online, and in the bulletin each
week. There is no doubt that our healthy community is
"walking" these 234 miles a day, but you need to let us know
that you are moving and praying, and there are several ways to
do this:
1. Fill out the weekly log slip and drop in the box in the
Commons area.
2. Email or call Kay Bergeland, Parish Nurse,
at kbergeland@richfieldumc.org or 612-861-6086, with
your weekly total.
3. Join the RUMC Facebook
Paths (P3) group and log your miles.
Praying
Paul's
Praying Paul's Paths is a great community building event that
engages the imagination, gets people moving, and encourages
a positive practice as a Lenten discipline. This event is fun,
inter-generational and free. Members can participate as
individuals, as a family, or as a small group ministry. We need
everyone to join this Lenten fitness challenge! Sign up at a
table in the Commons between services on Sunday, February
15th or Sunday, February 22nd. The devotional booklet and
individual log cards will
be available at this
time. Included in the
devotional will be a
passport that you can
stamp each week when
you have completed
your personal "miles"
goal. So walk and
pray!
Enjoy the
journey! Think about
getting up on Easter
morning, to awaken not
only to the joy of new
life in the resurrection,
but to a new healthier
and whole you!
3
ADULTS
Lunch and Learn Series
"The Gift of Planning One's Own Funeral"
Thursday, February 12th from 12 Noon - 2:00 pm
At our February 'Lunch and Learn' event, we will learn about
funeral planning and how making decisions now can provide
peace-of-mind to you and your family. The program will be a
presentation and discussion of the values and resources for
planning one's own funeral or memorial service. Doing this
planning and conversing about it with those you love can be a
very helpful and caring gift for them at a time when decision
making can be difficult. Issues such as music, whom to involve,
the nature of the service as worship, cremation, Christian
traditions, symbolic acts, and questions of personal interest will
be addressed. Materials will be provided. The program will be
led by Rev. Pam Serdar and Rev. Wayne Albertson, retired.
Our lunch will begin at 12 Noon and the program will end no
later than 2:00 pm. The cost is $10.00 for the luncheon and
presentation (scholarships are available).
For planning
purposes, please sign up by Monday, February 9th in the
Commons area, by email to kbergeland@richfieldumc.org, or
call Kay at 612-861-6086.
Please join us as we learn about this important topic of funeral
planning!
Wednesday Evening Adult Education
Wednesday Evening Adult Study—Hot Topics
6:00 p.m.-7:15 p.m.
Date
Topic
February 4
Poverty
February 11
Holy War
February 18
No Class—Ash Wednesday
February 25-March 25 Lenten Study on Prayer. Please see
page 2 for more information.
April 8
4
Hot Topics resumes--
OUTREACH/SOCIAL JUSTICE
Families Moving Forward Volunteer Training
Sunday, Feb 1, 10:00am, Heritage Room
Twice a year our congregation has the opportunity to keep a
group of families from being homeless. Through a traveling
shelter program called Families Moving Forward we are able to
help shelter, feed, and get to know our brothers and sisters in
Christ. If you are already signed up to volunteer Feb 8 – 15 or
are considering giving your time, please come to our volunteer
training. Important information about host etiquette, boundaries
for our guests, and building safety and usage will be shared at
this gathering. There are still available spaces to volunteer. See
the FMF bulletin board in the commons to sign up. Please pray
for our guests and for all those who will be volunteering.
363 Sandwich Making – Thursday April 2, 7:30pm
Tie a string, set a calendar reminder, write on your hand in
permanent marker – do whatever you need to in order to
remember that our next opportunity to make sandwiches for the
homeless will be on Maundy Thursday after the 6:30pm worship
around 7:30pm.
Car Kits to Give to the Homeless
The social justice team along with private donors will be
gathering supplies for kits that can be kept in your car to give to
those who are homeless that you may encounter at exit ramps
or while you are driving. Please contact Marcia Henningson or
Gail Johnson if you would like to give input to what we might put
into these kits for these colder months or if you would like to be
part of gathering supplies.
Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC)
Day on the Hill
Tuesday, March 10, 2015 is JRLC's Day on the Hill. The annual
policy briefing and lobby day. Participants are briefed on the
JRLC issues that are being debated and voted on at our State
Capitol. Clergy and lay people from across the state attend Day
on the Hill to show our interfaith commitment to social justice
and to participate in the lawmaking process. Registration is
required. Participants gather in the morning at RiverCentre in
downtown St. Paul for inspiration and issue briefings. Buses
then transport us to the Capitol for a short rally. Meetings are
held with legislators in the afternoon. Buses shuttle between
RiverCentre and the Capitol until 4 p.m. Last year's Day on the
Hill was attended by 800 people! 2015 Registration is now open.
Visit the JRLC website to register. jrlc.org/day-on-the-hill
CHILDREN
Movie Morning
In February we will be having a movie
morning. Come in your pajamas, bring your
favorite blanket and enjoy a screening of
the new Veggietales movie Veggies in
Space. This movie is all about the power of
sharing. The movie morning at church will
be on Saturday, February 21st at 10:00
am. We hope to see you there!
F.R.O.G. Hop
Children in Kindergarten – 5th grade are encouraged to explore
Lenten practices each Wednesday night 6-7pm. We will use
crafts, activities, stories, and games as we learn faith practices
together. Adult volunteers are needed to guide these sessions.
Please contact Marcia Henningson to volunteer. Note that there
will be a soup supper for all ages Feb. 18 at 5:15 – 6:15 pm
Date
Focus
Feb 4
Making Old Things New
Feb 11
Sharing God’s Love
Feb 18
Ash Wednesday 6:00pm learning,
7pm worship
Feb 25
Repentance / I’m Sorry God
March 4
Temptation
March 11
Prayer
Shrove Tuesday
Pancake Dinner
Tuesday, February 17
Suggested Donation
$3 children, $5 adults
5:30-6:00pm Kids Shrove Tuesday Activities & Learning
6:00-7:00pm Pancake Dinner for All Ages
Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day is the last day before the
Season of Lent begins. It always falls on a Tuesday and is
always 47 days before Easter. During Lent people traditionally
give up rich foods like butter and eggs, and so we will feast on a
pancake dinner and share in fellowship with bright music and
festivities before the season of Lent begins.
Ash Wednesday
Learning & Ashes for Children and their Families
Wednesday, February 18, 6:15-6:45pm
(Additional worship service at 7pm)
5:15-6:15 pm Simple Soup Supper
Does the traditional timing of Ash Wednesday get too late for
your children? We invite you and your children to experience
Ash Wednesday in an age-appropriate manner. We will explore
what this special day means and receive our ashes early.
Series of 3 Parenting Classes
coming to Richfield UMC
Parents / Caregivers of 3 – 13 yr olds are invited; child care
provided. Each Class suggested donation $5.00
Information and Registration at: richfieldumc.org
Your Instructor: Toni Schutta is a National Speaker, Author,
Parent Coach and a Licensed Psychologist with a Master’s
Degree in Psychology who has 20 years of experience helping
families.
“Get Your Child to Listen the FIRST Time!” Your kids
aren’t listening! They’re not doing what you asked. You’re
saying the same things over and over and you’re losing it!
Reduce your stress now by learning 23 real-life, practical
solutions you can use immediately to get your child to listen
the FIRST time. Guaranteed! Wed., Feb. 11, 6-7 PM
“How Understanding Your Child’s Temperament Can
Make You a Better Parent” Is one of your kids giving you a
run for your money? Baffled as to why s/he can’t get with the
program? It could be a temperamental trait that’s making it
tough to parent this child. Come to this class to learn the nine
temperamental traits, complete a free assessment and learn
how to work with temperament rather than against it so you
and your child can both be more successful. Wed., March 11,
6-7 PM
“Curb Back Talk and Whining Now!” For many parents,
back talk and whining rate highly on the irritation scale. Learn
how you can improve the way that you and your child
communicate so you’ll both be happier! You’ll leave with 9
easy-to-implement strategies for reducing whining and 8 for
getting rid of back talk. Wed., April 8, 6-7 PM
My Changing Self:
Exploring Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality
Saturday, April 11, 8:30am – 3:30pm Grades 3 – 8
Richfield UMC in collaboration with Minnehaha UMC and Lake
Harriet UMC would like to invite you to a daylong retreat
for 3rd - 8th graders to explore – in a safe and loving
environment – who we are as individuals and how we live in
relation to others. We’ll discuss being made in God’s image,
looking at our changing bodies and how that impacts our
interactions with others. We’ll equip our young people with
skills to filter messages received from peers and the media.
We’ll also provide them with resources, and work together to
identify their support network.
My Changing Selves will take place at Richfield UMC on April
11, 8:30-3:30pm with groups dividing by age and gender.
We invite you to a parent / guardian info session on
Wednesday, March 25 at 6pm in the Fireside Room.
Register online by Sunday, March 29.
http://www.jotform.us/Minnehaha/MyChangingSelf
5
YOUTH
Wednesday Nights, 5:30 – 7:00pm
Join in for games, activities, art, service projects, and growing in
faith together. We meet in the middle school youth room each
week. Friends are welcome.
who we are as individuals and how we live in relation to others.
We’ll discuss being made in God’s image, looking at our
changing bodies and how that impacts our interactions with
others. We’ll equip our young people with skills to filter
messages received from peers and the media. We’ll also
provide them with resources, and work together to identify their
support network.
Youth Coffee Time Leaders Needed
My Changing Selves will take place at Richfield UMC on April
11, 8:30-3:30pm with groups dividing by age and gender.
Youth Group for Middle School and High School
Sundays, 10:00 – 10:30am,
Higher Ground Room
Do you attend 9am worship? Are you
encouraged by the ideas and viewpoints of
our young people? Volunteer to meet with
high school youth following worship to talk
about what you experienced in worship and guide them in life
applications of the worship text. Contact Marcia Henningson to
volunteer with this insightful group of young people.
Youth Group Sponsors FMF Activity Night
Wednesday, Feb 11, 7:00-9:00 pm
All middle school and high school students are invited to lead
our FMF guest children in games and valentine crafts. Youth will
be planning this night at the prior youth group gatherings.
Remember these children are our guests and we want to make
our time with them full of good memories and positive thoughts.
Lake Traverse Mission Trip Meeting
Sunday, Feb 15, 10:00am
Higher Ground Room
All youth interested in going on the
Lake Traverse Mission Trip on July 1218, 2015 should make every effort to
attend our first gathering with a parent /
guardian. We’ll discuss total cost of the trip, commitment from
families, and answer key questions about our mission and
travel.
My Changing Self:
Exploring Identity,
Sexuality, and
Spirituality
Saturday, April 11
8:30am – 3:30pm,
Grades 3 – 8
Richfield UMC in collaboration with Minnehaha UMC and Lake
Harriet UMC would like to invite you to a daylong retreat for 3rd
- 8th graders to explore – in a safe and loving environment –
6
We invite you to a parent / guardian info session on
Wednesday, March 25 at 6pm in the Fireside Room.
Register online by Sunday, March 29.
http://www.jotform.us/Minnehaha/MyChangingSelf
GROTH MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP
Music Scholarship Opportunity
The Chester E. and Marion D. Groth Scholarship
Scholarships will be awarded for tuition for the 2015-2016
school year. Previous recipients are eligible to reapply for the
scholarship for up to three additional years or until a Bachelor’s
Degree is earned, whichever occurs first.
The purpose of this Fund is to award annual post-secondary
scholarships for qualified students desiring to matriculate and
pursue careers in music education, performance, or music
therapy.
These scholarships are made possible by the generous gift of
Marion Groth on behalf of her husband, Chester. To be eligible
to receive this scholarship, an applicant must:

Be a graduating high school senior from a Minnesota high
school;

Be entering college as a freshman;
Applications must be received in the church office no later than
noon, Friday, February 27, 2015. Applicants will be notified if
invited to a finalist audition on April 18, 2015.
For more information and an application form, please contact
the church office. (612)861-6086 or check the church website
at: www.richfieldumc.org If you know of anyone that might be
interested in this scholarship, please encourage them to apply.
TRUSTEES UPDATE
Lighting
You may have noticed improved lighting in the sanctuary
chancel area. A huge thank you goes out to Margaret Kersteter
for coordinating two lighting projects -- in both the sanctuary
and the exterior of the church campus.
In the sanctuary, we have replaced over 100 can lights and spot
lights with new LED lighting, with the financial support of an
anonymous donor and utility rebates. The annual energy
utilized for the old lighting was 28,764 KWh versus only 1,790
KWh for the new, more efficient LED lighting. This is a
reduction in CO2 emissions of 45,856 lbs annually, reducing not
only our energy costs, but also reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and helping to mitigate global climate change. Plus,
we now have a better view of our pastor, and others leading
worship!
All exterior lights on the church campus, including parking lot
lights, are being updated to more efficient lighting. Similar to
the sanctuary lighting, this will result in significant energy
efficiency and a reduction in our carbon footprint. The monthly
utility savings from the reduced energy will fund the cost of the
new lighting via utility rebates and a short-term 0% interest loan
that is funded via our monthly utility bill savings. After the loan is
paid off in 2 years, RUMC will continue to benefit from reduced
utility bills.
Thank you to Margaret Kersteter, Sandra Overland, T.Y. Moore,
Dale Olson, Greg Locke, Bill Johnson, Nancy Dierauer and
Susan Ross for your efforts to improve the lighting!
Stair Railings
You may have also noticed the beautiful stair railings at the
front of the sanctuary. These railings were built by Jerry
Burmeister, with the design assistance of Steve Restemayer
and installation by Jerry Burmeister and Jerry Schilling. These
railings improve safety and accessibility of the sanctuary
chancel area and enhance the finished appearance of this
space.
Thank you to Jerry, Steve
and Jerry for your efforts to
enhance the sanctuary!
-The RUMC Trustees
WOMEN’S RETREAT
APRIL 24 AND 25
It is time to sign up for the women’s retreat! This is our first
retreat with Pastor Pam and what a wonderful way to get to
know her better and for her to get to know us better.
When: 7:00 pm Friday, April 24th through
Saturday, April 25th, 2015 until 9:00 pm
Where: Mount Olivet Retreat Center
There are two options this year.
1. There is room for 30 to attend from Friday night to Sat
night.
2. There is also an opportunity for 10 people to come out for
the day on Saturday.
The Costs are:
Double Room is $125.00,
Dorm Style Room is $100.00
Saturday day only, including 3 meals is $75.00.
Sign up in the notebook in the commons area. We need a non
refundable deposit of half of the amount when you sign up and
the final amount is due on Sunday April 12th.
Scholarships are available to cover half the cost of a dorm room
space.
Contact Kate Currie at
questions.
katecurrie2@gmail.com
with any
FROM THE CHURCH STAFF
Thank you for the gifts and kind words given at Christmas time.
We appreciate your support throughout the year.
Linda Delph, Susan Ross, Kay Bergeland, Marcia Henningson,
Nancy Dierauer, Ben Riggs, Victor Zupanc, Larry Stowes, Nikki
Hecht
7
SUPPORT OUR YOUTH ON THEIR
SUMMER MISSION TRIP!
This summer our youth will be traveling to Lake Traverse, SD to
serve the people there. We will be working to help facilitate kids'
programming through local schools, serve with local assisted
living/nursing homes, and help out with other work projects in
the community. Throughout the week we will learn about Native
culture, travel to Sica Hollow State Park, and join the
community for a cookout.
In order for our young people to experience meeting the people
of Lake Traverse Reservation and learn from them throughout
the week, we need your support. At this time we have 10
people signed up for this trip. The total cost of this trip includes
meals, lodging, vehicle rental, gas, project materials, resources,
evening activities, t-shirts, and Youth Works staffing of projects
is $5,350. We have asked each family to contribute $75 for
each student attending, keeping in mind that some families are
supporting multiple young people for this trip.
How can you support us?
Chocolate Chip Cookie Fundraiser
Sunday, Feb 1 and
Sunday, March 1
10:00am
Youth will make warm, fresh baked
chocolate chip cookies and sell
them at 10:00am in the commons to help support their mission
trip. Buy a few cookies for the morning or cookies to last you all
week long. Cookies will be sold for $1/ cookie or $5 for half a
dozen. Remember this cookie bake is to support the youth
mission.
Flamingo Flocking
Flocking Sales and Flocking Insurance will be sold March 1 –
March 29. Flocking will take place in the month of June.
Things may be looking gray and dull this time of year, but you
can brighten up your friends or neighbors yard (and faces too)
8
by Flamingo Flocking their yard.
Don’t forget, friends, relatives,
teachers, coaches, and coworkers can all be
“flamingo-ed” you don’t have to
belong to Richfield UMC.
H e r e ' s
h o w
t h e
flamingo flocking works To Flamingo someone's
yard....simply fill out
a Flocking Form directly with a
youth or on the table outside the
office with:
1) Name of Recipient
2) "Flamingo-ing" Address
3) What size flock you would like delivered (up to 50 birds)
4) Fee Paid to Richfield United Methodist Church Youth
Richfield UMC Youth will place the flamingos in the yard of the
friends that you have paid to have "Flamingoed." Each of the
flocks will have a note explaining how a friend has paid to have
them "Flamingoed" in support of our fundraiser. The flamingos
will mysteriously take flight and move to another lawn within a
few days.
To buy "Flamingo Insurance"....
If you would rather not have the flamingos visit you, you may
purchase Anti-Flocking Insurance. Anti-Flocking Insurance
Forms will be available at the table outside the church office.
The purchase of this Anti-flocking Insurance guarantees that no
flock of flamingos will roost on your lawn as they migrate around
the city during the course of this fundraising event. The cost of
this insurance requires a premium of only $15.00
Remember we can only deliver flocks to Minneapolis, Richfield,
Edina and areas within 8 miles of the church.
Special Offering for Youth Mission Trip
(only if necessary)
If by April 1, we have not reached the funding necessary to
complete our mission trip to Lake Traverse we will take a
special offering at both worship services on Sunday, April 12.
WOMEN WHO READ
T.C. Boyle’s “Tortilla Curtain” is the February Book choice for
Women Who Read. “In this explosive and timely novel, Boyle
explores an issue that is at the forefront of the political arena
when he confronts the controversy over illegal immigration head
-on, illuminating through a poignant, gripping story the people
on both sides of the issue, the haves and the have-nots.” Please
join us Monday, February 2, at 1:30 p.m. in the Heritage Room
as we delve into the juxtaposition of the haves and the havenots in today’s society and whether the book deserved to be
listed as a ‘banned book.’
If you like to read ahead, the book choice for March is
“Welcome to the Great Mysterious” by Minnesota author Lorna
Landvik. “Megastar of stage, screen, and television, Geneva
Jordan has a command performance in Minnesota, when she
agrees to look after her thirteen-year-old nephew, a boy with
Down’s syndrome, while his parents take a long-overdue
vacation. But so accustomed is she to playing the lead, finding
herself a supporting actress in someone else’s life is strange
and unexplored territory. Then the discovery of an old
scrapbook she and her sister created long ago starts her
thinking of things beyond fame. For The Great Mysterious is a
collection of thoughts and feelings dedicated to answering
life’s big questions—far outside the spotlight’s glow.”
Women Who Read Recommend:
At their January gathering, WWR discussed their favorite books,
series and authors and wanted to share the list with others who
enjoy a sitting down with a good book. As you can see, we do
like our mysteries!
Books:
Andrews, William, Daughters of the Dragon; story of the Korean
‘comfort women’ of WWII.
Boyle, T. C., Tortilla Curtain (February 2015 selection)
Brunt, Carol Rifka, Tell the Wolves I’m Home; Named one of the
best books of the year.
Chamberlain, Diane, Necessary Lies; A breakout book about a
small southern town fifty years ago, and the darkest—and most
hopeful—places in the human heart.
Cron, Ian M., Chasing Francis (April 2015 selection); What
happens when the pastor of a mega church loses his faith?
Krueger, William Kent, Ordinary Grace; Artfully layered story set
in 1961 small town Minnesota that examines family life, death,
fury, spiritual fiber and redemption.
Landvick, Lorna, Welcome to the Great Mysterious (March 2015
selection)
Wilkerson, Isabel, The Warmth of Other Suns; A chronicle of
one of the great, untold stories of American history: the decades
-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern
and western cities, in search of a better life.
Authors: In particular writers of
numerous books and/or series
Baldacci, David—Mysteries; many of his
books have been adapted for film and
TV.
Connelly, Michael—Mysteries; series
features detective Harry Bosch and
criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller.
Geye, Peter—Minnesota author; uses a North Shore setting to
chart the whole of the human heart.
Grisham, John—Legal thrillers; also writes novels including
Skipping Christmas and A Painted House.
Housewright, David—Mysteries; home state of Minnesota is
the setting for series featuring detective Holland Taylor.
Krueger, William Kent—Mysteries; Minnesota author; series
features Cork O’Conner and is set in northern Minnesota;
includes aspects of Native American culture.
Spencer-Fleming, Julia—Maine author of bestselling religious
mystery series set in the Adirondack region of upstate New
York; title of each book taken from a hymn.
Tremayne, Peter—Pseudonym of the Celtic scholar/author
Peter Berresford Ellis. Series features Sister Fidelma, a
reliqieuse (former member of the community of St. Brigid of
Kildare) and a qualified dalaigh (advocate of the ancient law
courts of Ireland) who solve crimes of murder and greed by
observing what took place and the reactions of those impacted
by the death.
West, Stanley Gordon—Minnesota-born author of stories
about survival, adversity and how people manage in spite of
what life throws at them; Blind Your Ponies about small town
basketball, Until They Bring the Streetcars Back, which takes
place in 1949 in St. Paul, MN.
HAPPY FEBRUARY BIRTHDAY
Thompson, Thomas A
Doncavage, Ron
Olson, Devon
Henningson, Josh
Sack, Danielle
Claussen, Lori
Knutson, Cynthia
Larson, Ron
Schatschneider, Lois
Fors, Rodney
Heim, Clifford
Cashman, Jennifer
Hudson, Stacey
LaBelle, Katie
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2
4
6
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7
7
7
8
8
9
9
9
Teal, Jennifer
Vinge, Barbara
Smith, Richard R.
Gardner, Sharon
Hamilton, Peggy
Gieseke, Jessica
Gillespie, Connie
Hudson, Mark
Schmidt, Mary
Friesen, Betty
Williams, Sandra
DeFreese, Dorothy
Peterson, Amber
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9
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9
CELEBRATIONS
Van Ministry
I would like to send out a heartfelt thank you to our van ministry
team. Every Sunday, without fail, rain or shine, our drivers
arrive early and stay late, because they believe that bringing
some of our dear members to church, who otherwise would not
be able to worship or fellowship with us, is important and it
matters. And isn't that the truth?! We have up to 15 riders on
the van any given Sunday, and their presence here is a gift to
not only them, but to each one of us. Our drivers are dedicated
and caring men and women who give of their time and do their
work with devotion and care. Please take a moment to thank
our team of van drivers: Ron Doncavage, Cynthia Knutson,
Sally Knutson, Russ Ruona, John Sells, Jason Teal, and John
Wittenborg.
Also, a big thank you to Martha Jane
Prottengeier. Martha Jane has been a faithful volunteer to the
van ministry team for well over 10
years. Every Thursday afternoon, she calls each of our riders to
see if they plan on riding the van on Sunday. She takes that
information and communicates it to the scheduled van driver
and the church office. She is a caring connection every week
with each of our riders. Martha Jane is so grateful she can
continue to serve RUMC in this way . . . and we are so thankful
to have her in our midst!
-Kay Bergeland
Care Notes Thanks
A special thank you to Donna and Pat Eder for spending
countless hours reorganizing our reference care notes in the
library. I approached Donna one day with a simple question of
where we should put the care note box in the library. On her
own, without any hesitation, she took it upon herself to
volunteer, and enlisted the help of her husband, Pat, to look
through the hundreds of care note titles and sort and label them
in a much more user friendly way. Please take a moment to
look at the box of care notes in our library which are available
for both information and support. Thank you again, Donna and
Pat!
-Kay Bergeland
Richfield UMC Youth Pack 37,152 Meals
Our youth volunteered their Saturday night to pack meals for
children in Haiti who are hungry. Through Feed My Starving
Children 14 young
people from RUMC
were part of group that
packed 172 boxes of
food that will feed 101
children for 1 year.
Great job youth!
Thanks for living out
Jesus’ call to feed the
hungry!
10
2014 VEAP Results
Starting the year with our
Souper Bowl competition and
VEAP’s March Food Drive and
continuing through the Summer
Youth Food Program, RUMC
donated 2,183 pounds of food
and household products (over a
ton!) in 2014.
Late in the summer, VEAP’s Back to School Drive collected
school supplies for needy children and provided filled backpacks
for 3,175 students. RUMC contributed 100 backpacks to the
total, as well as many, many other supplies.
The 2014 Holiday Toy Drive was also successful, serving 4,616
children from 1,813 households. The generosity of VEAP’s
supporting organizations enabled VEAP to provide each child
with two gifts, two winter wear items and a book, plus a game
for the household. VEAP does not tally the number of items
donated by individual organizations like RUMC, but RUMC
contributed several carloads of gift items and $380 in gift cards.
Finally, RUMC made $2,521.25 of cash donations to VEAP in
2014, with $500 from Outreach and Social Justice, $410 from
the David Malmberg concert and $1,611.25 from individual
member contributions made through the church.
Thanks to all for your participation.
-Mick and Marlys Hudson
Sledding success!
The children had a perfect
day for sledding at Adams
Hill Park! Participants
enjoyed each other’s
company, meeting other
parents, and piling as
many as they could on a
sled. We shared hot cocoa
with all who were at the hill
that morning.
Richfield UMC Christmas Offering Gives $ to Small Sums
Our Christmas offering was able to support our budget
commitment and give an additional $3,765.00 to support Small
Sums, a local non-profit, who serves those who been facing
housing instability and now have a job. Smalls Sums will use
this donation to help people get appropriate clothing, shoes, and
tools for work so that they can work in the jobs they have been
hired for. Thank you Richfield UMC for your generous spirit! It
will make a difference in the lives of so many!
Many thanks to the WINGS Circle of UMW for hosting the
Potluck on Sun. Jan. 25th. The meal went smoothly and we are
thankful for your help with this event.
Each Saturday in February
9:00 am Yoga
9:00 am God's Hands Thrift Store
9:45 am Alanon and Alanon Beginners
Sunday, February 01, 2015
8:00 am Youth Cookie Baking
9:00 am Sanctuary Worship Service
10:00 am FMF-Furniture Moving
10:00 am Chocolate Cookie Youth
Fundraiser
10:00 am Families Moving Forward
Volunteer Orientation
10:00 am Homebound Communion
11:00 am Living Waters Worship Service
12:00 pm LW Small Group
Monday, February 02, 2015
9:30 am TOPS
10:00 am Tai Chi
1:30 pm Women Who Read
6:00 pm Alzheimer's Caregiver Group
6:30 pm Parish Minister Team Meeting
Tuesday, February 03, 2015
9:30 am Women's Bible Study
10:00 am Maxson Visitation
11:00 am Marian Maxson Funeral
6:00 pm SPRC Meeting
Wednesday, February 04, 2015
9:00 am Men's Bible Study
4:00 pm Covenant Discipleship Group 1
5:30 pm High School & Middle School
Youth Groups
6:00 pm Children's F.R.O.G. Hop (K - 5)
6:00 pm Adult Education-Hot Topics:
Poverty
6:30 pm Chancel Bell Choir
7:30 pm Chancel Choir
Thursday, February 05, 2015
9:00 am Common Threads Group
6:30 pm Nominations
Friday, February 06, 2015
10:00 am Women and the Sacred Group
Saturday, February 07, 2015
9:30 am Wesley Meals
10:00 am FMF Room Set-up
Sunday, February 08, 2015
9:00 am Sanctuary Worship Service
9:15 am Children's Sunday School
(PreK through 8th Grade)
10:00 am Senior High Coffee Hour
10:00 am Blood Pressure Screening
11:00 am Living Waters Worship Service
12:00 pm LW Small Group
12:15 pm Stewardship Committee
4:15 pm Families Moving Forward
Monday, February 09, 2015
Families Moving Forward
9:30 am TOPS
10:00 am Tai Chi
6:00 pm FMF Dinner
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Families Moving Forward
9:30 am Women's Bible Study
5:00 pm UMW Wesleyan Circle
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Families Moving Forward
9:00 am Men's Bible Study
9:30 am UMW Redbird Circle
4:00 pm Covenant Discipleship Group 1
5:30 pm High School and Middle School
Youth Groups
6:00 pm Children's F.R.O.G. Hop (K - 5)
6:00 pm Toni Schutta Parenting Class
Series-Get Your Child to Listen the
FIRST Time
6:00 pm Adult Education-Hot Topics: Holy
War
6:30 pm Chancel Bell Choir
7:30 pm Chancel Choir
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Families Moving Forward
12:00 pm Lunch and Learn
6:30 pm Trustees
Friday, February 13, 2015
Families Moving Forward
11:00 am Faith Circle
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Families Moving Forward
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Families Moving Forward
9:00 am Sanctuary Worship Service
9:15 am Children's Sunday School
10:00 am Youth Mission Trip Meeting
10:00 am Heritage Society
11:00 am Living Waters Worship Service
12:00 pm LW Small Group
Monday, February 16, 2015
9:30 am TOPS
10:00 am Tai Chi
6:00 pm Alzheimer's Group
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
9:30 am Women's Bible Study
11:45 am Men's Lunch Bunch
5:30 pm Shrove Tuesday Craft Time
6:00 pm Shrove Tuesday Pancake Meal
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
9:00 am Men's Bible Study
4:00 pm Covenant Discipleship Group 1
5:15 pm Simple Soup Supper
6:15 pm Learning for all families about Ash
Wednesday
7:00 pm Ash Wednesday Worship Service
Thursday, February 19, 2015
9:00 am Common Threads Group
Friday, February 20, 2015
10:00 am Women and the Sacred Group
Saturday, February 21, 2015
10:00 am Children's Movie Morning
Sunday, February 22, 2015
9:00 am Sanctuary Worship Service
9:15 am Children's Sunday School
10:00 am Senior High Coffee Hour
11:00 am Living Waters Worship Service
12:00 pm LW Small Group
Monday, February 23, 2015
9:30 am TOPS
10:00 am Tai Chi
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
9:30 am Women's Bible Study
6:30 pm Outreach and Social Justice Cmt.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
9:00 am Men's Bible Study
4:00 pm Covenant Discipleship Group 1
5:30 pm High School and Middle School
Youth Groups
6:00 pm Children's F.R.O.G. Hop (K - 5)
6:00 pm Adult Education-Discovering your
Prayer/Spiritual Type
6:30 pm Chancel Bell Choir
7:30 pm Chancel Choir
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
11:00 am Faith Circle
12:00 pm Groth Scholarship Deadline
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Richfield United Methodist Church
Web Site: www.richfieldumc.org Phone: (612) 861-6086
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichfieldUnitedMethodistChurch Twitter: http://twitter.com/RichfieldUMC
DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT HEARTLINE IS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9
11
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US POSTAGE PAID
TWIN CITIES MN
PERMIT NO. 91532
Date Sensitive Material
Return Service Requested
5835 Lyndale Ave S.
Minneapolis, MN 55419
612-861-6086 office
rumc@richfieldumc.org
www.richfieldumc.org
Windom Elementary School Needs Richfield UMC
Windom is located on the corner of 58th and Wentworth, just 5 blocks from
Richfield UMC.
Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser for Windom School at Richfield UMC
Saturday Morning, March 7
Please plan to come and enjoy pancakes at the pancake breakfast to support our
neighbor school.
Contact Jill Williamson, jill.williamson@minnesotaumc.org or Marcia Henningson,
mhenningson@richfieldumc.org if you would like more information about volunteering for
Windom Elementary.