We don't change the message • The message changes us |
|
|
|
ADDICTION AWARENESS SUNDAY
~ ~ ~
September 27, 2020
Live-Stream Only
10:00am Worship with Communion
|
|
|
Heartfelt Music for
Addiction Awareness Sunday
|
|
Rob Reid
Director of Music
|
|
This coming Sunday, September 27, we will participate in a service of healing and hope for those who are affected, directly or indirectly, by addiction, substance abuse or codependency. We pray for all persons and their families who find themselves trapped in the web of disease, and we rejoice with those who have found hope and serenity in the gift of recovery. Our music seeks to lift up those messages of hope, grace and peace.
Organist Carmen Englert will play a setting of the beloved Psalm 23 for her prelude (“The Lord is My Shepherd”), “There Is a Balm In Gilead” for communion, and “Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer” for her postlude. She will lead Sunday’s hymns, along with the Socially Distanced Quartet of Kevin Erickson, Mary George, Jill Reid, and Rob Reid: “Amazing Grace,” (such an important hymn to the Recovery Community), “Change My Heart, O God” and “Come and Fill Our Hearts with Your Peace” all offer their healing words and melodies to our worship.
During the Offering we will hear a moving recording of an anthem from last year’s Addiction Awareness Sunday, “Let Us Pray for Peace,” sung by Kevin, Jill, Rob and also Nancy Shemanek, and accompanied by Karen Daniels on the piano.
In addition to Pastor Ed preaching and presiding over communion this week, we will also hear a personal story of addiction and grace from TLC member, Griffin Myslivicek, and liturgy and prayers from Addiction Awareness Team Chair, Beth Rahn.
|
|
|
|
|
COFFEE AFTER CHURCH
After watching the live-stream of TLC's Sunday Worship, join your friends online via Zoom for virtual coffee and conversation, hosted by Marilyn Erickson.
Type this link in your browser to download and use Zoom for FREE:
zoom.us/j/9921615891
Or use this "Join Meeting" ID if you already have Zoom: 992 161 5891
|
|
|
Live-Stream Viewer Data
Last Sunday, September 20, 2020
|
|
|
|
Estimated viewers: 426+
~ ~ ~
213 Media Devices Linked
to TLC Live-Stream on Sunday
|
|
|
IT'S COMING!
Friday, October 2nd
|
|
Willing and able to volunteer? |
|
|
From left, Mary Mahre, Keith Swanson and Kathy Hamp went back into action as volunteers at the Global Health Ministries warehouse in Fridley, MN. |
|
—By Mary Mahre
Global Health warehouse is now open to volunteers. Three members of our group went to check things out a week ago. Their rules are strict regarding COVID precautions. Only four persons are allowed in the warehouse area at a time. Sign-up time slots for three hours are done online ahead of time. We each had our own working area; kit with the supplies we would need; cloths and sanitizer. Of course, masks at all times. It was strange, but safe, and we all felt good to get back to this volunteer opportunity.
The work goes on at GHM. For example, since the start of the pandemic, GHM has sent PPE (personal protective equipment) and N95 masks as well as high grade medical cloth that local seam-stresses can use to create masks for 50 Lutheran health centers in Madagascar and Sudan. So many needs exist to “Help the Hands That Heal”.
|
|
|
—By Linda Meyer
During theCOVID-19 shutdown, the K3P3 knitters have been socially distancing at various locations. The TLC parking lot was too sunny, hot and also noisy from the lawn service doing their work on the same day. So, we moved onto Linda’s garage, Boby’s oak tree shaded driveway and Karla's driveway.
Transfiguration has had a prayer shawl ministry, K3P3, for over 20 years. An estimated 1,500 shawls have been knitted during this time period. One needs to be a knitter to understand the reason for the name K3P3. It is the letters for the two types of stitches used in anything that is knitted. The K is for the knit stitch and the P is for the purl stitch. Adding the number 3 reminds us of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Prayers are said during the knitting of each shawl. We never know who will get the shawls, but as they are given, the recipient is receiving the prayers that were prayed as the shawl was being knit. We hear touching stories. One that was especially touching was a woman from TLC who was dying. She had herself wrapped in the shawl she had received. Then at her funeral her family wrapped that shawl around the urn that held her ashes.
K3P3 knitters also knit baptismal shawls that are presented to a child at hers/his baptismal day, a time of wrapping the child in prayers.
Members of the K3P3 group in the above photo are Karen Daniels, Kathy Herron, Marilyn Erickson, Boby Hill, Karla Larson, Marilyn Rundberg. Empty chair and photo-Linda Meyer. Other members of the group are Anita Kohrer, Becky Dunwiddie, Bonnie Foley, Gaylen Pirri, Jan Weber, Jay Juergens, Jo Benson, Karen Johnson, Lori Luoma, Marcia Stroman, Nadine Grabanski, Sharon Jacobson, and Terry Nelson. I recently joined this group, so anyone is welcome to join.
For information on joining, contact Marilyn Erickson at TLC (952) 884-2364.
|
|
IT'S COMING!
Friday, October 2nd
|
|
|
|
Not often are women given the honor of having our flag lowered to half-staff when they die. Why was Ruth Bader Ginsburg the only one I can now remember?
Part of my interest in RBG is that she was my age, and my size, and that's where the similarity ends. Wouldn't it be something to think that your career in law caused women's rights to really take hold?
How did she ever do that?
|
|
|
Changing the way women are thought of: occupations, salaries, etc., must have been a tough subject to take on. People would be bound to say, “But we've always had this problem,” and give up before even starting. Not RBG!
I've been reading about her life and gotten a feel for how she worked through the fact that women were “second rate” and were just lucky to have a job, much less be on an equal level with the opposite sex.
When you are a small woman, a mother, and Jewish besides, you can come up with ways to get justice accomplished that would work for other problems that anyone has. I think what she did that was different was to first listen and then act. Don't rush in and hope for the best... first figure out what would work! The notorious RBG had a method we could all use. First, talk slowly. I can imagine her
arguing with other justices about problems, but instead of trying to get a word in, would just wait, think what to say, and add her ideas to the conversation. She would also leave room for silence, instead of just getting her point across. Tempting for us to talk too much at times, don't you think? Somehow silence is rather threatening, so there's someone wanting to talk... waiting to talk, and I hope their ideas will be heard!
We will miss her, and someone new will be picked, but no one can ever fill the spot she left.
-Bloomington Bird Lady
|
|
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN
FOR US?
-a continuing series-
By Pastor Al Dungan
|
|
The
Church's
Half Year
Read Exodus 3:1-6 The story of Moses and the Burning Bush
|
|
|
Born under a death sentence. Set adrift on the Nile River in a basket. Rescued by an Egyptian princess. Raised as a member of the Egyptian royal family. Killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. Exiled from Egypt and cast out into the Wilderness of Sinai. Rescues the daughters of a Midianite priest. Marries into his family. Becomes a shepherd in that family. And then…then…there was that burning bush that didn’t seem to burn up. So he went to check it out. And…his life changed forever.
That was the story of Moses.
The question I pose to you is this: What has been the “burning bush” episode in your life? It may have been earth-shaking like the experience of Moses. Or, it may have been like the “still, small voice” that Elijah heard in his own desert experience. Or it may have been something else.
Whatever it was, it changed our lives from what they were before—plain, ordinary, everyday lives—into lives dedicated to God.
It may have occurred at our baptism or at our confirmation or when we reached adulthood or at some later point. But, whenever it happened, it marked us out as devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
That following has taken many different paths; as many different paths as we are different people.
Some of us became teachers or first responder's or bus drivers or pastors or health care workers or parents or volunteers with a variety of charitable organizations. But as God “called” us to our respective places in life we may not always have felt comfortable with that calling. But, as the Exodus text that follows the burning bush episode tells us, neither did Moses. In fact, he tried all kinds of ways to “wiggle out” from the place towards which God was calling him. And maybe we have done the same thing—trying to argue with God to “find someone else please because I’m just not up to this”.
Each of us has had at least one “Burning Bush” episode in our lives. Some of us, more than one. Take some time this week to reflect on what that episode(s) was/were. And then, find a way to rededicate yourself to that calling.
No matter how young or how old you are, God has a plan for you for as long as you’re on this earth. Find ways to live out that plan. Moses did and look how that has affected our world from that day to this.
|
|
IT'S COMING!
Friday, October 2nd
|
|
You're invited to the 5th annual fundraiser for
Center for Changing Lives - Liberia (CCLL)
Thursday, October 8, 2020
6:45PM (CDT) "Doors" Open
7:00 - 8:00PM (CDT) Program
|
|
|
|
This will be a Zoom Live Event.
Please visit pactmn.com for information, to RSVP and to contribute donations through PayPal.
|
|
|
You're Invited!
STEWARDSHIP
FEST
This coming Friday,
October 2nd
|
|
|
|
Kick off Stewardship Season at TLC with your TLC family at the annual StewardshipFest!
There will be brats and hotdogs, beverages, live polka music from John Rosenow, and treats for the kids.
Where: TLC Parking Lot
When: Friday October 2, 2020
Time: 5:00pm-6:30pm
Register for this event by emailing
|
|
|
A Thank You from
VEAP
to:
|
|
|
Jo Benson, Linda Meyer and Carolyn Clark for donating handmade masks and to Marilyn Erickson for donating masks made by Bloomington’s own 'Rocket Man'.
Since the onset of COVID, VEAP has had more than 12,000 households access food support through drive-up pantry visits and home food deliveries.
They have also issued an astounding $1.1 million in rental assistance grants to keep community members safe in their homes in the midst of job loss and reduced hours-a ten-fold increase from pre-pandemic times.
We don't have to look far to help many in crisis.
Some are our neighbors and in our community.
We can't go wrong supporting VEAP
|
|
Imagine you’re home and you hear a knock at the door. An official tells you to pack your essentials and evacuate, as a wildfire is speeding toward you. This is the situation many of our neighbors in the western part of the country are facing right now.
Fueled by a heat wave and unfavorable winds, devastating wildfires are raging across California, Oregon, Washington and other western states. At least 20 people have died, hundreds of thousands of people are under evacuation orders and more than 3.5 million acres have burned across the three states. Some evacuees face the difficult decision of whether to stay in a shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lutheran Disaster Response is engaging with at least three Lutheran social services agencies and five synods to assess the situation and determine the best ways to respond. We expect immediate needs may include food and other necessities, as well as emotional and spiritual care for those who have been traumatized.
Even as we face multiple crises, together we can reflect Christ’s light and hope to our neighbors in their time of need.
|
|
Your Virtual Subscriptions are Welcome |
|
|
|
The National Lutheran Choir welcomes you to participate in a unique and meaningful season of programming with a VirtualSubscription offering twice-monthly content and open-to-all streamed concert programs. At $10/month ($90 for the full season) a virtual subscription is your ticket to music and messages of faith, hope and love. Subscribe at NLCA.com.
|
|
|
"Water Waves"
by Kerrigan
|
|
By Pete Erickson
Interim TLC Youth Minister
|
|
|
Confirmation and Youth Ministry in 2020-2021
Sunday School Sign-Up
~ ~ ~ ~
CALLING ALL YOUTH!
The Stewardship Team at TLC is organizing its fall dinner and needs help with set up, cleaning and disinfecting tables after use, and clean up/putting tables away.
Details: October 2nd from 4:30-7:30PM at TLC parking lot
We are in need of help:
- setting up tables prior to the event
- taking them down after the event,
- having some people sanitize table seating as people come and go.
The need is for 10-12 people. We will provide masks, gloves and dinner for you that night.
This can be a fun service opportunity for your confirmation small group or the Peer Minister Crew to get together and serve your church. Please send email to Pete Erickson if you can help: perickson@tlcmn.com
TLC Sunday School Registration is Open! Here are dates and details…
REGISTRATION AND KICK-OFF
Here is the registration link to sign up for Sunday School 2020. We will have a short kick-off parent/student meeting before the Drive-In Service on October 11 from 9:30-10:00 AM (Note: Time Change) to preview the year, play a couple of games, and give you some things to take home. I will also send a calendar for the next three months to you via email in the next week.
This year will take some creativity and grace from all of us. If you would like to consider providing leadership for Faith 5 this year, please reach out to me (perickson@tlcmn.com).
I would love to have more partners with this!
If you have questions ahead of October 11, please connect with me. I look forward to meeting you in person soon. Be safe, well and hopeful as we walk this faith journey together.
TLC Confirmation Registration is Open! Here are dates and details as we kick of the year
- Sunday, September 27 ~ Confirmation Small Group Leader and Peer Ministry Zoom Training (7PM)
- Wednesday, September 30 ~ 7-9th Grade Orientation Meeting (7PM) on Zoom
- Wednesday, October 7 ~ Confirmation kick-off (7PM), and Peer Ministry/High School Kick-off (8PM)
-
Saturday – Sunday, February 1-2, 2021 ~ All Youth Lock In! You’ll be hearing more about this early in the new year.
You can register through this Confirmation Link. The program fee for the year will drop to $75 for this year. Please mail cash or checks payable to “Transfiguration Lutheran Church” soon.
|
|
Dear TLC Sunday School Families –
The staff at TLC has been praying for you as you have kicked off a fall that continues to be uncertain and somewhat experimental. We feel your anxiety, longing for hope, and desire for community. This fall at TLC, Sunday School will look different than it did last fall. The hope, however, is to provide you with meaning, fun, and connecting through both online and in person (safe, outdoor) gatherings.
OUR 2020 THEME:
As we kick-off fall 2020, Sunday School will be focusing on practices of the Faith 5: Share, Read, Talk, Pray, and Bless. The goal is to connect you to each other, your faith community and God. The overall theme at church this fall is “A time for…”. Each month in Sunday School will have a different sub-theme that will be grounded in the Faith 5 practices with the scripture verse aligning with the Gospel lesson from worship each week.
There will be some experiential lessons on Zoom, time for students/families to gather safely outdoors as weather permits to do some spiritual practices you can take home, and some community connecting time for fun and fellowship.
REGISTRATION AND KICK-OFF
Included here is a registration link to sign up for Sunday School. We will have a short kick-off parent/student meeting before the Drive-In Service on October 11 from 10:00-10:30AM to preview the year, play a couple of games, and give you some things to take home. I will also send a calendar for the next three months to you via email in the next week.
This year will take some creativity and grace from all of us. If you would like to consider providing leadership for Faith 5 this year, please reach out to me (perickson@tlcm.com). I would love to have more partners with this!
If you have questions ahead of October 11, please connect with me. I look forward to meeting you in person soon. Be safe, well and hopeful as we walk this faith journey together.
Peace and Promise,
Pete Erickson
Interim CYF Director
|
|
|
|
HELP WANTED FOR TLC'S
CALLING CHAIN
|
|
|
Since the Coronavirus closed the doors of TLC, it did not close the church! There has been a calling chain for these past months. Each volunteer has regularly called a few people off and on during this time. Thank you to the 30 members who have been a part of the calling team.
Now, we are reaching out again to invite you to be a part of this team of phone callers. If you were on the team and want to continue, or if you were not on the current chain but are interested in extending God’s love and care by connecting with other TLC members, please send an email, a text, or a phone call to Marilyn Erickson (merickson@tlcmn.com, 952-884-2364, ext. 10, or 612-360-7066) and you will be assigned as many names as you request (1-5 is the suggested amount). A sample script will be provided.
If you are new at being a part of the Calling Chain here is a sample script.
Hello, this is ____________________. I am calling from Transfiguration Lutheran.
I am part of the phone ministry team and am calling to say hello and to see how you are doing. Do you have a moment to chat with me?
A few questions that you might use:
- How are you doing with these days?
- How is your support? Do you have people that are checking in on you?
- We have volunteers at the church who are willing to help. Is there anything that the church could assist you with?
Thank you for being willing to talk with me. Would it be OK for me to call again? How often would you like a call (weekly/monthly)? Here is my phone number in case you need to reach me_____________.
Following the call, make a few notes to yourself and be sure to let the church know if there are any needs. Callers do not need to fulfill any requests they receive. Their only role is to report back to the church what the needs are. We have others who are willing and able to run errands, etc. Pastors are also available to make follow-up phone calls for those who need to speak at greater length about their challenges.
Thank you for being a part of this vital ministry!
|
|
Committees - Ministries - Small Groups |
|
|
|
Thanks to the Faith, Fact and Fiction Book Club, the K3P3 group, Stephen Ministry, Welcome Diversity Team, and Global Health Ministry for submitting photos and stories to the TLC Weekly.
Other committees, groups and ministries, we want to hear from you! Share your stories with the TLC community.
Are you meeting?
How have you adapted your meetings to keep everyone safe?
What projects are you working on?
|
|
|
Send a story and some photos to tlcmedia@tlcmn.com and we will share your news in the TLC Weekly. Be sure to provide names of people in your photos.
|
|
|
|
TLC is closed to all visitors unless by appointment. It's important that we maintain this rule during the pandemic crisis. Spontaneous visitors, regardless of well-meaning intentions, may cause complications in the church environment or compromise the health of church staff or ELC staff and children, and, vice-versa. Any questions or concerns, please contact the TLC office at 952-884-2364 or:
office@tlcmn.com
|
|
|
Please Visit TLC's Memorial Garden |
|
Since 2012, loved ones who had their funeral or memorial service at TLC now have a place and a webpage on our TLC Memorial Garden website. Please visit these saints, honor and remember them; read their obituary, the bulletin and homily, watch the live-stream archive of their service, browse their personal photo album, and, if so inclined, leave a personal message on their page.
|
|
Do you ever need an extra prayer for yourself, a loved one, or a dear friend? TLC has a prayer team that prays often for members, their families and friends of the congregation. Send your prayer requests to merickson@tlcmn.com or on the TLC website here. Your prayer needs are sent on to the Prayer Team and kept confidential – just between you, the pray-ers, and God. If you would like to be a member of the prayer team, please sign up on the yellow Life@TLC bulletin insert.
|
|
|
Back Issues of the TLC Weekly
including this issue (Today!)
|
|
[CLICK HERE] to visit the TLC web page where you can choose to read from the past 16 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
|
|
ELECTRONIC GIVING HELPS SUPPORT TLC
It’s important to know that we can depend on financial support from TLC members. Electronic giving is fast, secure, and reduces administrative costs, allowing more of every dollar to support the important work we are called to do. You can give anytime, anywhere to specific funds with our GivePlus Mobile app (free from the app store). You can also schedule and manage recurring donations by visiting our website and clicking on TLC ONLINE GIVING icon at the bottom of any page, or [Click Here] to start the process, or contact the church office. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
|
|
|
|
Free Subscriptions, sign up to be a volunteer, request care ministry and more! |
Subscribe a friend to this newsletter, TLC Weekly, or subscribe yourself and others to the TLC publication, 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.
|
|
|
A Reconciling in Christ Congregation
|
|
A Culture of Diversity and Inclusion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
