Gather in Grace • Grow in Faith • Go Forth to Serve
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SUNDAY, MAY 19
Worship Times
8:15, 9:30 & 11:00am
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“A new command I give you: … As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
-John 13:34
Jesus said these words on Maundy Thursday, the day before he was crucified. It was right after Judas excused himself from the table to go do his dirty work. Jesus looked lovingly at his disciples and called them his children. He literally said,
“My dear little children, I will be with you only a little longer.”
(John 13:33).
He then went on to say,
“Love one another.”
No, he didn’t just say it, he commanded it. By giving a command here, Jesus did not focus on the feeling of love, but on the decision to love. Jesus knew that we would not always feel like loving each other, so he commanded it. Love is first a decision, not an emotion.
Consider Jesus loves these men who would betray and abandon him. He loves his own people who will call for his death. He even loves the hated Romans who carry out this wrongful death. Jesus demonstrates the kind of love he means with his life, on the cross. Self-sacrificial love. Dying for others.
But just because he commands it doesn’t mean it’s easy. This is something we need to work at and keep working at. Being human we struggle. It’s hard to love sometimes. How do you love people who want to hurt you? How do you love people who want to kill you?
With a lot of help from God, that’s how.
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
–John 13:35
Lord Jesus, may my love for others attract them to you. May my church be a loving community to those who seek you. May we all be faithful models of your love and to know you love us still when we fail. Amen.
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MUSIC GROUPS BRING SUNSHINE ON SUNDAY
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Rob Reid
Director of Music
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Dreary, rainy weekend?
Come to TLC to feel the warmth and light of our joyful music of this Easter season!
The TLC Handbells will ring "Allegro Spiritoso" and "Be Thou My Vision." Our Chancel Choir will sing British composer Martin Shaw's, "With a Voice of Singing," and the heartfelt spiritual, "We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace." And organist Carmen Englert will lift our spirits with her Prelude, Postlude and exciting hymn arrangements of, "Now the Green Blade Rises," and, "Christ is Risen, Alleluia!"
And that's just our 8:15 and 9:30 services!
😃
Then have a cup of coffee and come on back for all the music of the Praise and Worship Team at 11:00am!
"Build Your Kingdom Here," "I Come with Joy," and their jazzy version of, "Be Thou My Vision," will keep you happy the rest of the day, even with all of that rain!
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A JOYOUS OCCASION
Stephen Ministers Commissioned This Sunday
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-By Erin Pommeranz
We are happy to announce that TLC has completed training of nine Stephen Ministers. They will be commissioned to begin their work this Sunday, May 19 at the 9:30am service.
The Stephen Ministers have spent 50 hours of training that involves equipping them with essential caring and relating skills. Participants have learned how to listen to, care for, and walk with those going through difficult times in life.
After the Stephen Ministers are commissioned they will then be assigned to a care receiver. Care receivers are people, congregation members and others in the community, who are struggling through a difficult time in life. This can be due to experiencing grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or some other life crisis.
We are thankful for the support of members who generously donated to the Capital Campaign to make this ministry possible. We are also grateful for the Stephen Leaders and Stephen Ministers who have given their time and hearts (and many Saturday mornings) to this ministry.
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Click above to find out more about Stephen Ministry Care Receivers.
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Elaine Rowe
July 25, 1938 ~ May 12, 2019
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A Celebration of the Life of
Elaine Rowe was held at TLC this past Thursday, May 16.
You are invited to visit her TLC Memorial Garden Tribute page by
[Clicking Here]. There you may view the live-stream archive of the service, her Bulletin, Pastor Arthur's Homily, and family photos in the form of a Video Memorial. There's also a message area where you are invited to participate.
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Odd name, Bloomington Bird Lady,
or “My Life With Eight Feeders”
About 15 years ago now, my friend from choir said she had started counting birds for Cornell University's “Project Feeder Watch” and she was really enjoying noticing the birds, watching how many of each kind there were, and sending her data to Cornell on line. She thought I might enjoy it too. So, I signed up, paid a small fee, and got all the material... including a large bird calendar, and places to write all the varieties I might see in our area. I enjoyed actually saving my counts, and not sending them in on-line, only at the end of the counting season.
It's not as easy as it sounds. If you saw one robin, and then later saw two robins, you couldn't combine those numbers... What we counted was the largest number seen at one time, and never adding to that unless you cancelled that number and started fresh. It became easy to quickly count what I saw, and I still do that even though I stopped being in the Feeder Watch project.
Minnesota is great for bird watching. We live close to the MN River and Nine Mile
Creek, so we do get some plain, wet-area loving varieties. You can always tell
when spring arrives, as the red-winged blackbirds show up at the feeders. Later there will be cow birds, and flocks of starlings and blackbirds. Perhaps these undesirable types keep the lovely ones away at times. In winter we have chickadees all the time, and their metabolism keeps them having to eat constantly. Poor little things only take one seed at a time, fly to a nearby birch tree, eat that one seed, and fly back again and again... I always wonder about their little feet when it's below zero.
We have many goldfinches, whose summer color has now returned. In winter they look very dull and kind of brownish. The mourning doves stayed around all winter, and so did the bluejays...They don't get along too well. Pecking order in birds?? Yes! One other bird we love to see is the pileated woodpecker. So large but easily scared away by any motion behind a window. I used to say pill-ee-ated, but the proper way is pie-lee-ated. They look like I'd think Woody Woodpecker would look, and so big. The cardinals stay all year round, look so nice in winter and we have a lot of them especially at dusk, when they love to feed.
We heard a large “whomp” hit our window two days ago. Scared me until I looked out to see feathers flying and a sharp-shinned hawk, not too big, sitting on its prey, a sweet mourning dove: his noon lunch. I thought to open the door and scare away the hawk but he was not about to leave his picnic behind, and carried the dove away, still alive, too.
Peaceful birds have a hard life.
-Bloomington Bird Lady
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TLC’s Activities Group for Seniors and Friends
June 12 @ 2pm
ALIVE & KICKIN (see promo below) AT THE SCHNEIDER THEATER IN THE BLOOMINGTON CIVIC PLAZA (City Hall). RESERVE TICKETS AT TLC ($26) BEFORE MAY 23.
July 10 @ 2pm
BIRTHDAY BASH! COME CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY, NO MATTER WHAT THE MONTH. WE'LL HAVE CAKE AND ICE CREAM AND SOME FUN THINGS TO DO AND TALK ABOUT. NO COST.
August 14
TLC'S NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY! COME FOR FOOD, MUSIC, FUN, CONVERSATION, AND EVEN SOME PRIZES.
Contact Renee Jefferson for further information:
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SEND TO OTHERS
View past issues of the TLC Weekly.
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[CLICK HERE]
to visit the TLC web page where you can choose to read from the past eight months of weekly E-newsletters from Transfiguration Lutheran Church. This is also a great way to share TLC Weekly with those that don't receive it in email. Tell them to visit
tlcmn.com/tlcweekly
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GROUNDS EFFECT
When you’re not using them for compost, used coffee grounds are an easy, greener alternative to poisonous pest repellents. Just sprinkle some grounds around any areas of the home that are prone to ants and you’ll get rid of a pesky problem without inhaling toxic fumes.
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-PROGRESS REPORT-
COURTNEY CHASE RAISED $40,000
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Courtney, now 16, spoke
at TLC this past January.
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At 4 years old, she was diagnosed
with blood cancer.
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This past January, TLC welcomed guest speaker, Courtney Chase, to the worship services. Many will recall her story of being diagnosed with
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia - Blood Cancer - at the age of four. She fought the battle and won, thanks, in part, to the support and prayers of TLC. The day of her presentation at TLC, Courtney had a goal: To raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, thereby qualifying her as a LLS Student of the Year. Between worship services Courtney was at a table in the Narthex answering questions and accepting donations for her cause.
Courtney was in touch with TLC staff earlier this week to provide an update on her efforts.
She writes:
I ended up raising almost $40,000, and my biggest event was when I spoke at TLC, everyone was incredibly generous and I’m so grateful. I did not win the title of Student of the Year. However, I did receive an award called the Mission Integration award which means out of all the candidates, they felt I integrated the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s mission into my campaign the best. I feel so honored and blessed to have been able to be a part of this campaign and effort to find a cure for cancer.
I knew that I wanted to continue to be involved in Students Of the Year, so when i was asked to join the Students Of the Year leadership team, I jumped at the opportunity. I met with Jennifer Anderson, the wonderful woman who runs Students Of the Year, a few weeks ago when she asked me to be the Honored Hero for the Students Of the Year 2020 campaign. I was so honored to have been asked to do this as I had previously had the opportunity to do this for the Man and Woman Of the Year campaign in 2018 and it was an amazing experience. What this entails is doing several speeches, going to candidates events, supporting and encouraging candidates, and many other things.
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Ben Cherland
TLC Youth & Family Minister
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UPDATE - MAY 19
THE TLC SCHOLARSHIP FUND
This is a scholarship that a certain TLC couple awards to a graduating senior upon completion of their degree and on the cusp of a new course of study (college or university). If you are graduating this year, and if you’re going on to more schooling, you are eligible to apply.
Contact Ben for the application. You are encouraged to apply. The scholarship is $1,000 - which can go a long way toward making your first year of further study more affordable (It could cover your first two semesters of books).
Applications will be accepted
through until May 28.
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TAKING FAITH HOME
WEEK OF MAY 19, 2019
Use this friendly tool to enrich your family times with conversation, rituals, prayer, blessings, and service ideas.
[Click Here]
for this week's edition. See below for all the great things you can read and do!
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Please join us for a Potluck lunch following worship on
Sunday, June 2, 11:00am – 1:00pm.
We will enjoy food, fun and fellowship as we celebrate
TLC’s high school and college graduates!
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SPEAKERS NEEDED ON JUNE 9
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Pentecost Sunday Speakers Needed. We're looking for people willing and able to translate and read a bible verse in a language other than English for our Pentecost Sunday worship services June 9. Please email your interest to Rob Reid, Music Director:
Rreid@tlcmn.com
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CHERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE
By Mrs. Leroy Hjelmstad
& Mrs. Bill Dempster
1 fudge cake mix
1 can cherry pie filling
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs, beaten
Mix together and pour into greased 9x13" cake pan.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes at 350.
Frosting:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
6 Tbsp margarine
Cook together. Boil one minute, stirring constantly.
Add one 6 oz. pkg chocolate chips and stir well.
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BOOK 'EM DONATION SITE AT TLC
Help Support Crime Prevention Activities
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TLC is a “Book ‘Em” drop-off location for your used books, cds, dvds, records, games and puzzles for the Bloomington Crime Prevention Association annual Book ‘Em used book (etc.) sale. This year the sale will be held June 1 through June 15 at the former Toys ‘R Us store on the NE corner of Southtown Center in Bloomington (494 & Penn Ave S.).
The Book'Em used book sale has been held annually since 1992. The purpose of the sale is to generate funds that are awarded as grants to Bloomington organizations for crime prevention activities. The sale has increased in size each year and is now one of the largest of its kind in the Upper Midwest.
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For adults, youth and children. Test your knowledge of the Bible in each issue of TLC Weekly.
Answers can be found on the last section of this issue.
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THE GREATEST COMMANDMENTS
Youth Quiz
1)
What did Jesus say is the most important of all God's commandments?
- Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.
- Love God with all your heart, soul and mind.
- Love your family above all else.
2)
What did Jesus say is the second most important commandment?
- Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.
- Love God with all your heart, soul and mind.
- Love your family above all else.
3)
Who is your neighbor?
- The person who lives next door
- Your family and everybody who is your friend
- Everybody in the world
4)
What did the "Good Samaritan" do that was so good?
- He helped a man who was hurt, even though he was an enemy.
- He was a disciple of Jesus.
- He led an army that defeated a great enemy.
Answers in the last/bottom section of this issue.
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EAGLE SCOUT SUPPLY DRIVE FOR LIGHTSHINE CANINE
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MAY 1 THRU MAY 31
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Guillermo Gonzalez Shelton, a Life Scout with Troop 446 at TLC, is organizing and leading a supply drive for Lightshine Canine, a non-profit organization that rescues stray, abandoned and/or injured puppies, dogs, kittens and cats from the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations in South Dakota.
During the month of May, a donation box will be placed at TLC to collect much needed, life-saving supplies for the rescue animals, such as:
Dog food, cat food, puppy pads, flea & tick medicine, used/new small crates, puppy pens, puppy milk, kitty milk, cat playpen tower, clean used or new towels, and gas cards to help cover the cost of transporting and relocating the rescues.
On Sunday May 12 and May 19, Shelton and Troop 446 will be conducting Donation Supply Days at TLC from 8:00am to 12:30pm. Please bring a donation and help save the lives of the animals and reduce the number of pets in need.
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COMING SOON!
Vacation Bible School
JUNE 17 - JUNE 21
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Online Registration
Now Available
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Daily Themes
Ready, Set, Go—Beginnings
Hitting a roadblock—Babel
Only one race—People
Jesus is God’s sign of love
Green light to kindness
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Information brochures with registration forms
now available in the church Narthex.
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TLC ELC Families – We Need Your Help!
Summer is quickly approaching, and TLC Early Learning Center has several openings. As you know, having a full center is critical to our financial health. A full center is also a straightforward way to ensure we maintain our budget.
How can you help?
Referrals are one of the best and easiest ways to fill openings. Talk to your co-workers, friends, family and neighbors; it would be great if you could share this information on social media or any other way you think you can help promote our nationally accredited Christian childcare and preschool program. Also, please share our web address:
www.tlcelc.com
If your referral joins TLC-ELC you earn a $200 bonus toward tuition!
Summer Openings
-Chipmunks (born in 2016): 2 openings
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Aardvarks (3-4 years old, born in 2015): 3 openings
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TAC (school-age Kindergarten thru 5th grade): Full-time only
For more information, call TLC-ELC at 952.884.7955
Thanks for helping TLC-ELC by getting the word out!
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ALTAR FLOWERS
ONLINE ORDERING
The TLC website has a new and easier online form to order Chancel/Altar Flowers for any Sunday in 2019.
[Click Here] to access the form now, or visit
www.tlcmn.com later and look for the "Purchase Altar Flowers" button at the bottom of any page.
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Free Subscriptions, sign up to be a volunteer, request care ministry and more!
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Subscribe a friend to this newsletter, TLC Weekly, or subscribe yourself and others to the bi-monthly Transcripts. Interested in TLC membership? Sunday school? Our renowned TLC music program, volunteering and more are choices on this easy online TLC Request Form. Just
[Click Here]
or the "Sign Me Up" button on the left.
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Pastor Ed is leading an 11-day tour of Italy and Germany the summer of 2020. Sites include Rome, Assisi, Florence, Venice, Salzburg, and Munich. The trip concludes in Oberammergau, Germany, to see the longest running theatrical production in the world--the Passion Play at Oberammergau. This is a rare opportunity to see an amazing and powerful spectacle.
For more information, pick up a brochure at the welcome desk or
[Click Here]
to visit the special page on TLC's website.
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ANSWERS FROM QUIZ EARLIER IN THIS ISSUE
1)
What did Jesus say is the most important of all God's commandments?
Answer #2: Love God with all your heart, soul and mind. In Matthew 22:34-40, someone asked Jesus which of those Commandments is most important. Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
True happiness comes from being one of God's children; not from having a lot of money, fancy clothes, or other material things; not from being powerful or respected. The Commandments are as important today as they were 3000 years ago.
2)
What did Jesus say is the second most important commandment?
Answer #1: Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself. In Matthew 22:39, Jesus says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." In other words, don't be selfish; care as much about other people as you care about yourself !
"Love God and love all God's people" is the message that all the Commandments, all the prophets, and Jesus have tried to make us understand.
3)
Who is your neighbor?
Answer #3: Everybody in the world. Jesus had a different meaning of "neighbor" than we often do. When He said, "Love your neighbor," he meant everyone in the world. That means mother, father, sister, brother, friends, classmates, teachers, even people we don't like and even people who are mean to us! We should never tease, make fun or be unkind to anyone, for any reason. When people are unkind to us it is often because they are unhappy and feel worthless. We should just forgive them and never try to get even.
4)
What did the "Good Samaritan" do that was so good?
Answer #1: He helped a man who was hurt, even though he was an enemy. The Samaritans and Jesus' people, the Jews, had been enemies for hundreds of years. In Jesus' story of the "Good Samaritan," in
Luke 10:30-37, a Jewish man had been beaten by robbers and left bleeding beside the road. Two different religious leaders passed by, but did nothing to help the man. Finally, a Samaritan man came by and took pity on the injured man, even though he was an enemy. He gave him water, patched up his wounds, put him on his own donkey and took him to an inn where he could rest and recover.
Jesus said we should be like the Samaritan man; we should care about and be kind to
anyone in need, even our enemies!
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MAY-JUNE 2019
TRANSCRIPTS
Now Available Online
~ ~ ~
[Click Here]
to subscribe to Transcripts, our bi-monthly magazine (hard copy) mailed to your home or business.
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