Reach Out. Proclaim. Inspire.

April 27, 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.

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

The Texts this Weekend

This weekend is the Sixth Sunday of Easter. The readings include Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 and John 5:1-9:

After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids -- blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me." Jesus said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was a Sabbath.

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!

Registration for Fall Faith Creek Opens May 2

All children who are three years old by Sept. 1, 2016, through those entering fifth grade this fall are invited to participate in the 2016-2017 season of Faith Creek church school. Faith Creek meets during worship services on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 8:30, 9:45 and 11 a.m. Registration for the fall session opens on May 2. 2016-2017 Faith Creek will begin the weekend of Sept. 10-11.

Chair Yoga Class - May 3

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've decided to have a weekly chair yoga class here at SPD Tuesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. beginning May 3, 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.

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:

Help with unloading of the choir's equipment when they arrive on Friday from 2-4 p.m. Or help with reloading after the concert.
Reception, help with either the set-up prior to the concert, or serving/clean-up following the concert.
Help make bag lunches for the choir on Saturday, May 7 at 9 a.m. at church.

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!

Jesus Crew - May 11

Let's go bowling! The last Jesus Crew event of the spring is Wednesday, May 11 beginning at 6 p.m. We'll meet up at the Medina Ballroom for an evening of nachos and munchies, while trying out our bowling skills with our friends. Cost is $10 for 2 games of bowling and food. Register online now!

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. Drop off is in the west parking lot at church.

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."

Lilly Pad Story Time - May 18

Little ones love to be read to. Bring your pre-school child to Lilly Pad Story Time on Wednesday, May 18 at 10 a.m. for a wonderful time with books and stories. A special guest will read to the children, and there will be a puppet show and time to check out a book from the lending library. No need to register!

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 St. John's Retreat - July 28-31

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!

Let's Go, Twins!

We are planning two SPD group events at Twins baseball games this summer:

Minnesota Twins Game
Tuesday, May 24

Join others from SPD as the Minnesota Twins play the Kansas City Royals. The seats are in the Skyline Deck. The bus will leave church at 5:45 p.m. The cost is $28 per person, which includes the ticket and transportation/parking. To register contact Cindy Carlson at ccarlson@spdlc.org or stop at the Hospitality Desk on the upper level.

Bike to the Twins Game!
Saturday, June 4 -- An afternoon game

The SPD Bike Club is headed to see the Minnesota Twins play the Tampa Bay Rays. Bikers will meet at The Depot in Hopkins at 1 p.m. and bike to the game at Target Field. This is approximately a 10-mile ride on a smooth, flat surface. There is a secure area for bikes at Target Field. If you choose not to ride a bike to the game, you may still join the group at the ballpark. There is NO bus to this game.

All tickets for the game are $28 per person for Skyline Deck seats. Registration is available online or by stopping at the Hospitality Desk in the Atrium. The deadline to register is Thursday, May 12. Register online at spdlc.churchcenteronline.com.

In This Issue

New Member Workshops

Haiti Kids Project

Register for fall Faith Creek

Chair Yoga Class

The State of Health Care

The Watoto Choir

Blood Drive

Jesus Crew

Spring Plant Sale

Book Club

Lilly Pad Story Time

Baptism Workshop

Summer Fishing Retreat

Summer St. John's Retreat

Habitat for Humantiy

Faithful Parenting

Parish Nurse Health Tip

May God be gracious to us and bless us

and make his face to shine upon us,

that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.

May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.

- Psalm 67

For Reflection

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."
- Maya Angelou

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

Faithful Parenting

What Do I Do when My Child is Always Negative?

Knowing that children (and people in general) are rarely "always" anything, I recognized that Kyle and Ella had stumbled into the pitfall of extreme thinking and were bringing their judgments about Maya's negativity to their interactions with her.