Reach Out. Proclaim. Inspire.Aug. 19, 2015
Opportunities to Serve!

Contact: Pastor Valerie Strand Patterson, vstrand@spdlc.org or Cindy Carlson at ccarlson@spdlc.org. To learn more, visit our website.
  • Feed My Starving Children - Aug. 25
  • Messiah Food Pantry - Aug. 22
  • Interfaith Outreach - Sept. 9 and Oct. 14
  • Guides for Confirmation
  • Faith Creek teachers and helpers
  • Prayer Partners for 3-year-olds
  • Families Moving Forward, Sept. 27-Oct.4
The Texts this Weekend

 

This weekend is the 13th Sunday after Pentecost. The readings include Joshua 24:1-2, 14-18Ephesians 6:10-20 and John 6:56-69:

 

"Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever." He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.  

 

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father." 

 

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

 

Lighting Upgrade Project Starts Today

Starting today, we will be upgrading the sanctuary lighting system to more energy efficient LED fixtures. This renovation will save the congregation significant resources both in energy consumption and in maintenance costs for bulb replacement (which always requires us to rent special equipment, given the ceiling height). We also hope that worshipers will notice better lighting in the sanctuary once the project is completed.

During this project, which should last about a week, only daylight and candlelight will illuminate the sanctuary. We plan to have more large-print bulletins available for services, making the worship notes easier to read in lower light.

We're pleased to make improvements and be good stewards of our church's resources at the same time! Many thanks to all of the families who have generously helped to underwrite this project!
Susan Path, Parish Nurse

This week we welcome SPD member Susan Path to the staff as our new Parish Nurse. Susan will be continuing to develop our Lay Visitor ministry, which was started by Rebecca Hinz during her internship year. Susan will developing new programs that tend to the needs of our membership in all stages of life. Welcome, Susan, to the staff!
Register Now for Fall Faith Creek

Fall Faith Creek will begin Sept. 12-13. It's time to get signed up! Faith Creek is Christian education and fun for children aged 3 through 5th grade. Don't miss the fun! Sign up online today!
Register for Children's Choirs

Do your kids love to sing? It's time to get them signed up for choir this fall. Dynamic Deacons is a choir for kids aged kindergarten through 2nd grade, and Chancel Choir is for kids in grades 3-5. These choirs meet on Tuesday evenings. Sign up online today!
Register for Child Care

Child care is offered during worship services at St. Philip the Deacon for little ones aged 6 weeks to 3 years. All children must have new registrations for fall. Sign up online today!
Register for Confirmation

Confirmation kicks off on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Sign up online today!

Wednesdays
  • 5:30 p.m. Pizza and play
  • 6:30 p.m. Large and small groups
Sundays
  • 11 a.m. Class format
Bike Club Rides Again - Aug. 20

Bike Club has a few more great rides to enjoy. We meet Thursday morning, setting off at 9 a.m. to explore one of our local bike trails, and enjoy God's creation and fellowship with one another. Our next rides:

Thursday, Aug. 20 at 9 a.m.
Meet at the Dakota Junction in Mound and bike West to Waconia. This is a beautiful ride! This route is paved.

Thursday, Aug. 27 at 9 a.m.
Meet at the head of the Dakota Rail Trail in Wayzata (parking lot by the restaurant 6Smith). This ride is paved.

Thursday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m.
Meet at Baker Park. Take 24 West to 201 South. You will pass Alpine Farm on your left. Shortly after that, there is a sign that reads HORSE TRAIL PARKING on your right. Pull in there. It is a gravel lot with immediate access to the paved Baker Park Trail. Since it is getting darker earlier, this ride will last just an hour.

Contact Pastor Cheryl Mathison for more information: cmathison@spdlc.org or 763-475-7128.
Thank You, Rebecca! - Aug. 30

Join us in worship and at coffee hours on Sunday, Aug. 30 to thank Rebecca Hinz and bid her well. Rebecca has served her internship year at St. Philip the Deacon as our Pastoral Care Intern. She has been instrumental in creating SPD's new Lay Visitation ministry. In September Rebecca will return to Luther Seminary for her final year of classes in preparation for ordination as a pastor in the ELCA. God bless you, Rebecca, and Godspeed!
Book Club - Sept. 15

Join Pastor Mathison for a discussion of Roz Chast's memoir, Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant, as she brings her wit to the topic of aging parents. Spanning the last several years of their lives and told through four-color cartoons, family photos, and documents, Can't We Talk is as full of laughs as it is with tears. For anyone experiencing the life-altering loss of elderly parents, this book and our discussion is sure to bring comfort, and a relief that you are not alone.

We meet Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Nook. Participants can purchase a copy of the book at the SPD upper level hospitality desk ($20) or borrow it from the library in the Nook, or acquire one from a bookstore or online.

Read more about Book Club on our website.
DivorceCare Group for Women - Sept. 22

Separation and divorce are painful and stressful experiences. They are confusing times when you feel alone and have lots of questions. DivorceCare is a confidential group support program to help participants discover hope and experience healing. Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Sept. 22 through Dec. 15. This group will be for women. A men's group will be offered in the spring. Contact Pastor Valerie Strand Patterson at 763-475-7126 or vstrand@spdlc.org to sign up. Learn more about DivorceCare.
Opportunities to Serve - Families Moving Forward

Your gifts of time, talent and money make a difference in the lives of families who are experiencing homelessness. We will once again be hosting a group of adults and children for one week beginning Sept. 27.

Your participation is a key part of making this ministry successful! Now you can sign up online for various tasks at our CareCalendar site. To learn more about signing up for tasks, visit our website.

You can also sign up at the table in the narthex to host or make a dinner, do activities with families, provide groceries, stay overnight, or launder linens. Contact Sandy Dockter with questions: sandymdoc@gmail.com.
In This Issue
Lighting Upgrade
Susan Path, Parish Nurse
Register for Faith Creek
Register for Children's Choirs
Register for Child Care
Register for Confirmation
Bike Club - Thursdays
Thank you, Rebecca!
Book Club
DivorceCare for Women
Families Moving Forward
 
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The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,


And his ears are open to their cry.

The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.

The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord rescues them from them all.

He keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken.

Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalm 34:15-22
For Reflection
 
"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."
 - John Muir
 
See more thoughts like this at fb.com/spdlc.
  
Faithful Parenting
 
Want Kids to Value Your Advice?

When kids ask for our input or advice, how we respond can communicate messages (intentionally or unintentionally) about our beliefs about them. Open-ended questions convince kids they can learn to think for themselves, while lectures convince them of their incompetence.

If you have questions about anything you've read here, or want to know more about St. Philip the Deacon and its ministries, please contact us at info@spdlc.org or 763-475-7100.