Food = Community? 

"Every day they continued to gather together in the temple courts.  They broke bread and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people."  Acts 2:46

Have you ever heard the one about Lutherans and eating? "If you feed them, they will come!"  Well it's not just a joke, it's Biblical!  God created us to be in community with others, and one of the ways we can build community is to eat together.  Can it really be that simple?  The people involved in the early church knew the power of a shared meal, and they ate together often.  There is something about sitting around a table with good food that brings out the conversationalist in all of us.  This sharing of food and conversation builds community by creating spaces where connections can be made and new bonds can be foraged. 

On Sunday we have an opportunity to break bread together and create and strengthen our community of faith. I encourage you to sit at a table with a few people you don't know, and a few that you do. Bring your family to a table with someone sitting by themselves, break out of your normal group and share a brunch story with those around you.  Linger for an extra cup of coffee, keep talking, and let's see how our community grows! 

Come to the CLC after worship and support the youth ministry summer mission trip by offering your free will donation generously and then eat the best darn baked French toast ever.  Best of all, its secret ingredient is love (with a dash of nutmeg), which has been scientifically proven to grow community. 

Be blessed,

Natalia

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY NEWS

• Operation Christmas Child -   On Sunday, November 13th we came together, as an entire congregation, to fill 515 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. This not only surpassed our goal of 500, but it tops the number that we have done in the past three years. Thank you for your energy, excitement and dedication to this wonderful opportunity! If you would still like to fill a box at home, we will accept them through December 4th.
• Children  Ministry News -    

  Children's Ministry EVENTS are taking a back seat to the Advent/Christmas Season, but we have some GREAT CONGREGATIONAL Events that are geared towards the whole family!!!!!

  • CEAP Toy Drive began on Sunday, November 13th.  How to participate in the toy drive:
  • Grab an ornament off the tree by December 7th
  • Buy the gift that is listed on the ornament
  • Return the gift (UNWRAPPED) by Sunday, December 11th.
  • Rejoice in the fact that you have helped make Christmas special for someone in need

  The ornaments are simply suggestions, and all NEW gifts will be accepted.  You can use the ornament as a reminder of the joy that you helped spread this Holiday Season! CEAP has always been grateful for the support that Prince of Peace has given them, and we hope to continue that support through our TOY Drive this year.  Keep your eyes open for other ways that you can take part in this annual tradition!

• Tickets are available in the Welcome Center.  Cost is $5 per person with a $20 family maximum.  If you would like to help with this event (with food or crafts), please contact Kim Cozad.
   

   

• November 23: No Programs - Happy Thanksgiving!
• November 30: 7th/8th - Numbers 10 - Deuteronomy, 9th - Apostles Creed, article 1
• December 7: 7th/8th - Joshua-Judges, 9th - Apostles Creed, articles 2 and 3

• November 23: No Programs - Happy Thanksgiving!
• November 30: Ultimate Lightening
• December 7: Dodgeball

Broomball Event - December 9th

Come join the youth as we take over the ice and play broomball! We don't have ice yet, so keep a lookout for updates!

 

Youth Ministry Questions?   

For basic youth ministry information the web is updated often and the facebook pages are a constant flow of information too!  If you need dates, times, future events, etc., just check there.  For information sent right to your facebook feed "like" any of our groups (Revolution or Axis) on facebook, or from the POP Youth webpage!  If you are interested in joining Axis, Revolution or iRev stop by and talk to Natalia on a Sunday morning!      

 

 

 

C.E.A.P. Donations
 Thank you POP for faithfully supporting CEAP! Did you know that...

• 12 members deliver our bin donations to CEAP, serving monthly?
• We are the only church staffing two Meals-on-Wheels routes?
• Several members serve CEAP on an "on call or need" basis?

 Thank you for serving our community.

CEAP Snowbird Help
 We are in need of "snowbird subs" for the months of January-March. A "snowbird sub" would drive once or twice a month. The route takes approximately an hour beginning at 11:00 am on Thursday. If you can spare an hour or two each month and have reliable transportation we could use your help! Please call Ken Lundgren, 763-424-9654 or call the church office at

763-560-8958.

STEWARDSHIP:   "Good and Faithful" stewardship campaign began Oct. 30. Please mark your calendars to join the Prince of Peace family as we plan support for our 2012 ministry program. The following dates are important!    

• Nov. 20: Consecration Sunday, speakers are Dan Ficken, Sue Fodstad, and Kim Hoffer. Estimate of Giving Cards received, Communion shared, and Brunch served as a Youth fundraiser. We will also honor our Veterans.

Our Goal: 1000 Sandwiches!

We're starting at 5:45 pm on Wednesday, November 23rd with the sandwich assembly line followed by the Thanksgiving Eve Service at 7:00 pm. Bring your family and your friends, it will be a great way to reach out to others by making sandwiches for 363 Days during this time of great Thanksgiving. We are asking that each adult contribute $5 to help purchase supplies. This truly is an event for everyone to enjoy, so we hope you will join us.

WE NEED YOU: We are in need of help to decorate the church for Christmas and other upcoming holidays. Our committee consists of 4 people and this is NOT enough. Everyone enjoys the beauty of the trees at Christmas and the flowers at Easter, so we need to keep this going. All we need is for volunteers to be able to help. No previous experience required. Just a willingness to help out. Please sign up in the office.
 

Christmas Information:

• We're looking for families that would be willing to read the Advent Readings and light the Advent candles. If you're interested, please leave your name and phone number or email in the office.
• The Worship Enhancement Team will be decorating the church on Saturday, November 26th. Can you help? Leave your name in the office. Sue or Barb will give you a call.
• The CEAP Holiday Program where families can "shop" for gifts and receive food, is Tuesday, December 20th. POP has 2 shifts, 9:45-noon and 11:45am - 2 pm. You can sign up for one of the shifts POP has by checking the board in the office. Thanks!!

A NOT SO SILENT NIGHT is BACK!  Last year we had a great turnout at our first ever "A Not So Silent Night".  In fact, the turnout was so great that we have decided to do it again!  This year the event will take place on Saturday, December 10th. Below is the schedule for our event:

• 4:30 pm-Crafts & Cookie Exchange
• 5:30 pm-Dinner
• 6:30 pm-Service & Carol Sing Along

 Tickets will start selling in the Welcome Center THIS WEEK. Cost is $5 per person with a $20 family maximum.

If you are interested in helping with food or crafts, please call Kim Cozad, 763-535-8273.

Sunday School is in the midst of our Holiday preparations and all that come with it. Here is a brief run-down of our activities in the next few weeks.

November 20th - Program Rehearsal (PreK) and Advent Wall (1st - 6th) 

November 27th - No Sunday School - Happy Thanksgiving
 

Sunday School Christmas Program Information  Yes it's only November, but Christmas Program time will be here before you know it. Below is the schedule for rehearsals and performance.

December 3rd - Program Rehearsal

• 9:00 am - 9:00 Sunday School Hour Music Rehearsal
• 10:00 am - Speaking Part Rehearsal - Both Hours
• 11:00 am - 10:30 Sunday School Hour FULL Rehearsal

December 10th - Program Rehearsal

• 9:00 am - 9:00 Sunday School Hour FULL Rehearsal
• 10:30 am - 10:30 Sunday School Hour FULL Rehearsal 

 December 11th - Christmas Program - during BOTH morning worship services.

Church Library News....

In November we express appreciation for our nation's veterans and also for the men and women currently serving our country and their families. Good reads in the Library include:

• "Flags of Our Fathers," both book and CD - by James Bradley
• "Our Hallowed Ground, World War II Veterans of Fort Snelling National Cemetery"
• "The Greatest Generation" - by Tom Brokaw

Stop in the library today. 

WOFAL BOOK CLUB -

Join Senior Choir and release the Spirit's voice within you!

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! Psalm 95:1-2

Senior Choir needs voices in every section, and it's likely that you're the person we've been waiting for! Won't you please consider joining Senior Choir on Wednesday evenings from 7:00-8:30 p.m.? The people of Choir are some of the most compassionate, caring, and especially fun-loving people you will encounter. They've been waiting for you! Secondly, in many ways they're just like you - students, parents, grandparents, retirees in a wide range of occupations and walks of life. We have a number of members who travel periodically or have occasional work conflicts, so we have learned to be flexible, and we almost always need a large pool of members to cover every Sunday. Check out Senior Choir this Wednesday -- you will be welcome!

Do you enjoy playing catch, learning about Cricket, or pushing a child on a swing? Maybe you would like to do something quieter like color, read or just sing together with a group of children. If you feel more confortable painting, doing some repair projects, or help complete Cottage 5 - construction and handyman work is always available with no experience necessary. Mission Jamaica provides these opportunities.

If you are interested in sharing God's love and joining 16 other Prince of Peace members, please contact Terri Revell,

763-566-0807 or Vicki Weber, 612-859-9169. Thank you for your prayers as we begin our preparation for our trip March 10-17, 2012.

The Sunday Morning Experience Team has developed a Visitor Welcome program that began September 11th.  With the help of Thrivent Choice Dollars, we put together a Welcome Bag to hand out to our visitors. It includes a cloth shopping bag, a pen, a devotional book, a POP magnet, information about POP, and a letter from the Outreach committee along with some lifesaver mints.

If you see someone with a Visitor Bag, be sure to introduce yourself to them and welcome them to POP.

For more information on the above events and or other activities/events at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church visit: