Reach Out. Proclaim. Inspire.

April 20, 2016

Opportunities to Serve

We have great opportunities to serve! You can make a difference in the community and in the city. Learn more. Contact Cindy Carlson.

Messiah Food Pantry, April 23 and May 13
Sharing and Caring Hands, May 7
IOCP Food Shelf, May 11, June 4

The Texts this Weekend

This weekend is the Fifth Sunday of Easter. The readings include Acts 11:1-18 and John 13:31-35:

When he had gone out, Jesus said, 'Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, "Where I am going, you cannot come." I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.'

Faith & Life - TOMORROW!

Dr. Caroline Leaf, a leading researcher of the Mind-Brain connection, will present the final Faith & Life lecture of the 2015-2016 series TOMORROW, April 21 at 7 p.m. Her talk, "Faith & Neuroscience: Why Your Mind is Not Your Brain," will explore the Mind-Brain relationship in the context of a life of faith. This is sure to be a popular event, free and open to the public. Learn more at faith-and-life.org.

Your Gifts Make a Difference!

We are pleased this weekend to welcome Lina Guzman and Alba Yineth Trujillo, both from Opportunity International in Colombia -- one of St. Philip the Deacon's mission partners for our current three-year Capital Appeal, Let Your Light Shine.

Opportunity International is a global Christian non-profit that helps people in developing countries work their way out of poverty, strengthen their families and improve their communities. Opportunity International currently provides financial services and training to more than 5 million clients in 28 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe.

For the past five years -- the last two of our three-year Capital Appeal cycles -- St. Philip the Deacon has partnered with Opportunity International in Colombia to empower people there by helping them to create small businesses and -- by employing other families and friends in these businesses -- to build healthier and more vibrant communities.

Thank you for your support of Opportunity International through our current Capital Appeal. As you will hear from Lina and Yineth, your gifts are making a difference in Colombia. Learn more

Thank You, Volunteers!

This weekend we'll be celebrating and thanking two groups of volunteers: the ushers, as part of the hospitality ministry; and the Faith Creek teachers, buddies, helpers and volunteers.

Remember to thank these volunteers for their service!

An April Weekend of Concerts!

St. Olaf Philharmonia
Friday, April 22 at 8 p.m.
The St. Olaf Philharmonia performs music from all periods, including repertoire for string orchestra, chamber orchestra and symphony orchestra. Virtually every academic major offered on the St. Olaf College campus is pursued by one or more students in this musical organization. The concert is free and open to the public.

Minnesota Symphonic Winds
Sunday, April 24 at 3 p.m.
The Minnesota Symphonic Winds (MSW) is an adult concert band serving the greater Twin Cities metro area. Join us for a program of musical storytelling that will feature some familiar favorites as well as some less frequently heard but engaging pieces. The concert is free and open to the public.

Spirit Beads - April 26

In this Spirit Bead workshop we will make a Sound Wave bead, which mimics the sound wave of your own voice saying a favorite Bible verse or prayer phrase. We record and print out your sound wave and you use colorful vinyl discs of varying sizes to recreate the wave. The resulting bead is about an inch and a half long, and can be used as the feature in a bracelet or necklace, or as a zipper pull. Register online for either the 3 p.m. or the 6:30 p.m. workshop on Tuesday, April 26. Cost $10 per person.

New Member Workshops - April 30 and May 22

We have two New Member Workshops coming up this spring. If you are interested in becoming an member of St. Philip the Deacon, or know someone who is interested, you can contact Pastor Tim Westermeyer at 763-475-7136 or twestermeyer@spdlc.org. The upcoming workshops are:

Saturday, April 30 at 9:30 a.m.

Sunday, May 22 at 9:45 a.m.

New members who attend either of these workshops will be received on Sunday, June 12 at the 9:45 a.m. worship service.

The Haiti Kids Project - Black School Shoes!

Children in Haiti are required to wear black dress shoes with their government-required uniforms to attend school. The dress code is strictly enforced. Besides being a school requirement the shoes also protect the children's feet from disease and injury.

We have 452 specific children on our shopping list! We need:

New or gently used black dress shoes, not tennis shoes or sandals. Girls' shoes must be flats and closed toe.
All sizes, for ages 3-18, for both boys and girls; and we especially need kids sizes 9-3 (ages 4-9 years)
They must be sturdy, as the children may walk miles in these shoes.
Another option is to provide financial support, and others will shop for the remaining needed shoe sizes.

Please bring shoes to the collection table in Fellowship Hall. Your gift makes education -- and a good future -- possible for a child in Haiti!

Chair Yoga Class

Are you interested in attending Chair Yoga at St. Philip the Deacon? Chair yoga is a great practice for everyone, as it deepens flexibility and strengthens personal body awareness. After the positive response from our chair yoga session at The Conversation in March we're looking into the possibility of having a weekly Chair Yoga class here at SPD Tuesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. with Instructor Denise Schaff. The cost will be $3 a week. If you are eligible for the Silver Sneakers Program, your costs would be fully covered. Please contact Parish Nurse Susan Path at spath@spdlc.org or 763-475-7168 if you are interested in attending chair yoga classes starting on May 3.

The State of Health Care - May 5

The St. Philip the Deacon Foundation invites you to a timely and engaging talk by Dr. Kevin Croston, CEO of North Memorial Health Care, on Thursday, May 5 at 7 p.m. In his talk, Dr. Croston will discuss the intent of the affordable care act and its impact on our current health care, draw comparisons to the health care systems in other countries, and explore the effects of the ACA on the provider/payer relationship. This event is free and open to the public, so invite your friends to come with you for this thoughtful presentation from a respected leader in the health care field. Learn more at spdlc.org/croston.

The Watoto Choir - May 6

We are excited to announce that St. Philip the Deacon will be hosting the reknowned Watoto Choir for a concert on Friday, May 6 at 7 p.m. The Watoto Choir is made up of 18 child missionaries and 10 adults who are touring the world to raise awareness and funds to support programs that help children who have lost their families, or are vulnerable for other reasons. Through dance and song, they bear witness to what God is accomplishing in their mission, and they share the love and grace of God with all who hear them. The Watoto choir offers an amazing, powerful and faithful experience you will not soon forget! There are no ticket sales; the choir receives a free-will offering at the concert.

Enjoy this YouTube video of The Watoto Choir.

You can help provide hospitality for the choir:

Serve dinner at the church for the choir on Friday, May 6 from 4:15-6:15 p.m. Arrangements have been made for the food.
Reception, help with either the set-up prior to the concert, or serving/clean-up following the concert.
Provide bag lunches for the choir, to be delivered to church on Saturday, May 7 by 10 a.m.

Contact Cindy Carlson at ccarlson@spdlc.org or 763-475-7115 if you can help.

Save Lives! Give Blood! - May 11

About 1 in 3 of us will need blood in our lifetime. Think about that! If not you, it could be your spouse, child, parent or friend. You can help keep the supply of blood from falling to critical levels by donating a pint of blood on Wednesday, May 11 at SPD. Just visit the Memorial Blood Center website, and enter sponsor code 0567 to make an appointment between 3:30-6:30 p.m. Thank you for making a difference and saving lives!

Spring Plant Sale - May 14

Our annual spring plant sale will be Saturday, May 14 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in our parking lot. All proceeds from the sale go to support our mission partner, Interfaith Outreach Community Partners, IOCP.

Do you have plants that you'd like to contribute to the sale? You can donate pre-potted plants and good quality garden items on Thursday (5/12) and Friday (5/13), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Want to volunteer? Have questions? Contact Jackie Archbold at 612-280-8873.

Book Club - May 17

Pastor Valerie Strand Patterson will lead a discussion of Lauren Winner's book,
Wearing God: Laughter, Fire, and Other Overlooked Ways of Meeting God, on Tuesday, May 17 at 7 p.m. This explores some of the lesser known metaphors for God and how they can open new doorways for our lives and spiritualities. Exploring the notion of God as clothing, Winner reflects on how we are "clothed with Christ" or how God "fits us like a garment."

Baptism Workshop - June 12

Our next baptism workshop will be Sunday, June 12 at 10:45 a.m. The workshop is designed for families who are having a child baptized at St. Philip the Deacon for the first time. Please contact Liz Nelson at lnelson@spdlc.org to sign up.

Summer Fishing Retreat - June 25-28

A wonderful way to set aside some quality outdoor time with your family or buddies this summer! Join the 2nd annual SPD Outdoors Summer Fishing Retreat, June 25-28. We'll be fishing on beautiful Leech Lake and enjoying the accommodations at Brindley's Harbor Resort. Learn more and register online by May 27.

Summer Retreat - July 28-13

Registration is now open for the Summer St. John's Retreat! Our summer spiritual growth retreat at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn. will begin Thursday evening, July 28, and run through Sunday noon, July 31. This retreat is for men and women, singles and couples. We will spend time together in the mornings, exploring faith-filled spiritual practices around a theme. Afternoons are free for whatever you want and need for yourself: walks around the campus, forest and lake, naps, reading, swimming, exploring the book store, pottery shed, library, etc. Evenings include home-made dinner together followed by evening prayer in the Abbey Church. Join us in the beautiful campus setting, where we will enjoy comfortable accommodations and excellent meals. Register online today. Questions? Contact Kristine and Jim Houtman at Kristine.Houtman@gmail.com or Pastor Strand Patterson vstrand@spdlc.org. Cost is $195.

SPD's Habitat for Humanity Build - Aug 1-5

Sign up now for your spot on this summer's Habitat for Humanity building crew! We have room for 15-18 volunteers on each of the five days of our build, from Monday, Aug. 1 through Friday, Aug. 5. Volunteers need to be at least 16 years of age at the time of the event. No building experience is necessary -- just a willingness to participate, learn, grow and have fun!

In This Issue

Faith & Life: Caroline Leaf

Guests from Colombia

Thank you, volunteers!

April Concerts

Spirit Beads Workshop

New Member Workshops

Haiti Kids Project

Chair Yoga Class

The State of Health Care

The Watoto Choir

Blood Drive

Spring Plant Sale

Book Club

Baptism Workshop

Summer Fishing Retreat

Habitat for Humantiy

Faithful Parenting

Parish Nurse Health Tip

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!

Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!

Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!

Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.

He established them for ever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps,

fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!

Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!

Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!

Young men and women alike, old and young together!

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.

He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the Lord!

- Psalm 148

For Reflection

"I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time -- waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God -- it changes me."
- William Nicholson, Shadowlands

See more thoughts like this at fb.com/spdlc.

Faithful Parenting

Is Your Child Entitled to a Trophy?

What do you do about the culture around us that guarantees that every child is a "winner" at participating and receives a trophy, even for last place?