Worship This Sunday 

Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. Luke 15:4-5

The 15th chapter of Luke focuses on being lost and found. A lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. At each instance there is great rejoicing when the lost are found. In various ways we all can be lost: physically we can become disoriented, emotionally we can become overwrought, and spiritually we can become adrift. The good news is Jesus seeks the lost and welcomes us home. Join us Sunday as we consider the joy of being welcomed and the call of seeking the lost.

Each year, Penn Ave shuts down to cars for an afternoon filled with food trucks, activities, shows, music, games, and tons of local organizations and businesses. It is Sunday, Sept. 15 from 1-5pm; will you be there? HOP will have a tent set up with games, free water & granola bars! If you'd like to help with set up, take down, or just hang out at the tent to talk with neighbors, please contact Ben Whalen ( [email protected] or 612-500-9523). If you attend, please make sure to stop by and say hello!

House of Prayer's RIC (Reconciling in Christ) Task Force is planning a series of welcoming / inclusion forums for this fall. These forums will be offered to continue HOP's growth towards awareness of the LGBTQ community. The first session will be Wed., Sept 25, at 6:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. The topic will be How the LGBTQ Community Identifies (including pronouns by which individuals identify themselves). Please plan to join these important sessions! For questions, contact Brent King at [email protected].

The menu for Wednesday, Sept 18th is breakfast for dinner: sausage and egg bake, garden salad, French toast sticks, apple cake, mandarin orange cake, and drinks. Plan on joining us each Wednesday night in Fellowship Hall at 5:30 for food, fellowship, and fun! Contact DuAnn at [email protected] if you would like to help serve.

This Sunday the Sunday School children begin learning about Creation and how amazing it is that God created everything! Next Wednesday the youth group has their first learning night with their peer groups on these topics: 5th/6th graders - Adam & Eve, Confirmation - Ten Commandments intro, High School - "Minefield" trust building.

House of Prayer Preschool opened on Tuesday, September 10th and welcomed a mighty group of 6 to our room! We've been getting to know each other and working with our new materials. We can't wait to spend the year together! Contact Director Nicole Olson with questions ( [email protected]).

This fall will be House of Prayer's third year partnering with Sheridan Story at Centennial Elementary in Richfield to provide weekend food for students experiencing food insecurity. We have committed to donating $3,124 for the program throughout the 2019-2020 school year. Through your contributions we can follow through on our commitment to feed hungry kids. Any amount you can give would be greatly appreciated. To donate, you can send in a check to House of Prayer or put a check in the offering plate. Please make the check out to House of Prayer with Sheridan Story in the memo line. You also can donate online at www.hoplc.org. To do so, select the menu "Give," at the top of the page, then select the fund "Sheridan Story." You can give by credit card or use your check's routing and account numbers. To volunteer with packing backpacks on Fridays for Sheridan Story at Centennial Elementary, please contact Pastor Kelly at: 612-866-8471 or [email protected].

This summer the RCHT knocked on a lot of doors and made over 70 new contacts with Richfield renters! Now they will regroup with these new folks, unpack what is currently happening with Richfield's housing, and what this group should work on next to create positive change. If you'd like to be part of this conversation, reach out to Paula Hall ( [email protected]) or Ben Whalen ( [email protected] or 612-500-9523).

Upcoming education programs are presented by the Alzheimer's Association and take place at the collaborative churches. Please call HOP Office (612-866-8471) to sign up for all classes.  Contact Pastor Kelly ( [email protected] ) with questions.

• Understanding Alzheimer's And Dementia. Saturday, Sept 28, 10am, Woodlake Lutheran Church. Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging. Join us to learn about the impact of Alzheimer's, the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia, stages and risk factors, current research and treatments available for some symptoms, and Alzheimer's Association resources.  
• Effective Communication Strategies. Saturday, Oct 26, 1pm, House of Prayer. Communication is more than just talking and listening - it's also about sending and receiving messages through attitude, tone of voice, facial expressions and body language. As people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias progress in their journey and the ability to use words is lost, families need new ways to connect. Join us to explore how communication takes place when someone has Alzheimer's, learn to decode the verbal and behavioral messages delivered by someone with dementia, and identify strategies to help you connect and communicate at each stage of the disease. The Effective Communication Strategies program of the Alzheimer's Association was designed to profile practical information and resources to help dementia caregivers learn to decode verbal and behavioral messages from people with dementia.
• Understanding And Responding to Dementia-Related Behavior. Saturday, Nov 23, 10am, Woodlake Lutheran Church. Behavior is a powerful form of communication and is one of the primary ways for people with dementia to communicate their needs and feelings as the ability to use language is lost. However, some behaviors can present real challenges for caregivers to manage. Join us to learn to decode behavioral messages, identify common behavior triggers, and learn strategies to help intervene with some of the most common behavior challenges of Alzheimer's disease.

The HOP Foundation will meet on Monday, October 14th at 7:10 pm to discuss business and review funding requests. At the end of July 2019, the Foundation had total assets of around $600,000. We will be discussing funding requests at this meeting. If you'd like to make a request, CLICK HERE for the funding request form. The HOP Foundation meets quarterly the 2nd Monday of the month at 7:10pm (January, April, July, October) and takes funding requests at the April and October meetings. Current board members are: Ernie Lindstrom, Charles Hatfield, Jill Johnson, Steve Pierson, Charles Robbins, Sandy Williams, Zack Olson and Scott Wright. 

Come one, come all to the first SALT event of the programming year on September 21, 2019 5:00pm in Woodlake's Fireside Room. We will have a potluck and games, as well as plan our events for the year. The group gets together about once a month for a social event or service project. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun! Please RSVP to Cheryl at 612-270-0371.

You are cordially invited to House of Prayer Lutheran Church for a concert by the Augsburg Centennial Singers on Sunday, October 20, at 7:00 p.m. A 50-voice men's chorus, the Singers' concert features well-known gospel music, folk songs, familiar hymns, sacred selections and a spitirual or two. The Singers are men of faith and conviction. Through their music listeners are encouraged to establish and deepen a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We hope to see you at House of Prayer Lutheran Church for an inspiring evening. Contact David Steenson at  [email protected] with questions.

The VEAP Collaboration Team, with a VEAP representative from each church - Oak Grove, House of Prayer, and Woodlake - asks you to bring diapers from now until the end of September. The diapers can be any size and quantity. If you would prefer they be purchased by others, please contribute with a check made out to House of Prayer and designate "VEAP Donate & Do" in the memo line.  We will pick a Saturday in October for volunteers to meet at the VEAP warehouse to repackage the diapers for distribution. During this repackaging, VEAP gives the volunteers a tour of their facilities so we can see the whole operation and how they serve our neighbors in need. Volunteers of all ages are welcome, so plan to bring your whole family. Thank you for your continued support of this awesome organization.

Thursday, September 26, 2018 - November 14, 2019, 4:30-6:00 p.m.
Nativity of Mary Catholic Church
9900 Lyndale Ave. S.
Bloomington, MN
(952) 881-8671
September 26-Overview of Grief, Steve Sims
October 3-How Grief Affects the Family System, Steve Sims
October 10-The Mind-Body Connection, Lorry Lundborg
October 17-Why Do I Feel Like I'm Going Crazy? Judy Young
October 24-The Courage to Ask: Embracing Help on the Path to Healing, Dr. Renee Garpestad
October 31-Where is God in My Grief? On the Path to Healing, Stuart Walker
November 7-What's Left? Bob Bartlett
November 14-A Time to Remember or Service of Remembrance, Joan Apt

The back of our weekly attendance card gives you the opportunity to request prayers for yourself and/or someone else each week. Please check the "Prayer Chain" and/or "Staff Prayer Chain" on the prayer concerns side of the yellow "Welcome," card. If you are attending ReFuel worship please check the box on the green card under "How Can We Pray For You".  If you would like to be in the prayer chain email to pray for others please write your email address on the card and include "Add me to the Prayer Chain Email List." For ongoing prayer requests, please fill out a new card as prayer emails are updated each week.