In This Email: Worship / Faith Formation Survey Results The Results Are IN! A Tour of Sacred Sites Worship at Advent A Reminder About Wearing Masks Financial Forum Documents Reflecting on COVID / Managing Anxiety in a Pandemic RENEW Capital Campaign UPDATE Wednesday Prayer Service Summer Faith Learning 500 Card Club Quilters Resume in September Gift of Love Serving with Us Bible Study

Worship & Faith Formation Survey Results We received 168 survey responses and the data is so helpful. With the information we received through the survey, it has been determined that Sunday worship will be at 9:30 am followed by Faith Formation at 10:45 am Thank you for participating in the survey! HERE is the link to the results.

The Results Are IN! What's next? The results are in! You want options and we are working to make that happen. At this time we don't have the option to meet virtually and in-person at the same time. We are learning about the possibilies and determining which provider offers the best solution for Advent. In the meantime, we are able to meet in-person or via Zoom. We'll keep you updated!

A Tour of Sacred Sites ~ an intergenerational opportunity ~ Led by Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs (Mohecan) and Bob Kanderud (Dakota) __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Saturday, August 21 | 9:00am – 2:30 pm This is an amazing opportunity to participate in a tour led by Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs (Mohican) and Bob Klanderud (Dakota). With these knowledgeable guides we will learn about Minnesota history from a Native perspective through story-telling and experiencing the sites in silence / meditation / reflection. We will visit sites located around confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, what the Dakota refer to as Bdote, or “meeting place of rivers,” including: Fort Snelling State Park Dakota Internment Camp following the The Dakota-U.S. War Pilot Knob Hill, a traditional burial ground ***Though you may have been to these places before, your experience will be remarkably enchanced by our incredible guides.*** REGISTER HERE  OR call the church office: 763-425-4243 Please register by August 9th COST $40.00 each (Advent will supplement $20 more)  Contact Pastor Peter if you need help with scholarships (petercs@adventlutheran.com)    Bring your own lunch  Bring a lawn chair (If you cannot stand for 20-30 minutes)  Wear shoes (no sandals) (minimal walking)  We will carpool* to and from Advent Lutheran Church (*by carpool we mean that we will follow one another to the sites)

The PRAYER-GROUND Is Open!   At Advent Lutheran Church we welcome children of all ages as integral members of the Body of Christ, just as Jesus did. They are not the “future” of the church, they ARE part of our church right now.   Children learn to worship by hearing and seeing worship and by participating (in fact, that is how we all learn, no matter your age!). Watch in the next few months as young children learn to imitate the Pastor’s movements, or play “air-handbells” or pretend to direct the choir or direct the congregation to stand even before the worship leaders signals you to stand. WHAT IS THE PRAYER-GROUND? The Prayer-Ground is an area in our sanctuary specifically set aside for young children during worship. It consists of foam rugs, a small table, coloring sheets, crayons, foam blocks, fabric books, and soft plush toys. Go and look! We realized that many young parents sat in back pews and tried to keep their kids entertained and quiet, rather than feeling comfortable in the service. Now there is a comfortable, worshipful space for families with young ones.   We have excellent preachers and worship leaders! They all know how to deal with the noises of children and adults during worship. There are a number of places in the sanctuary where you can sit and not see the Prayer-Ground. If you think you will be distracted by the children’s movements, change where you usually sit. Or change where you usually sit in order to see them better!   We trust families to decide whether they sit in the pew, with a busy bag or use our “Prayer-Ground” during worship. We give thanks for the families and children who are worshipping together. We welcome the sounds and activity that accompany them! It is truly “the choir of angels”.   Grace & Peace Kirsten Patterson

Sunday Worship Services are Indoors Wednesday Worship will continue to be outside (weather permitting!) and will be in person only. Sunday Worship Services will continue indoors. Wednesday Midweek Worship will be outside (weather permitting) and will be in-person only.      Live stream services will continue on Sundays. Share an invite with these simple links:  You may listen to worship in your vehicle, on 103.3 FM, in the church parking lot.   Start live streaming worship by tapping Watch Online  Click Worship Recordings to share or see a worship service again  The Give link provides a place for you to make a monetary donation to Advent’s mission.    Download the worship bulletin here.

A Gentle Reminder We are so pleased to be back in church together again. With the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus on the rise we're especially concerned about those in our church who cannot get a vaccine because of their age or personal circumstance. As an intergenerational church we need to consider all ages in our decision making. One way we can honor God's desire for us to love our neighbor and care for those around us by wearing a mask when indoors at Advent.

RENEW Advent Capital Campaign Update Carpet and Exterior Signage Great News! Anderson Hall has a new roof! The sanctuary and prayer ground carpet installation has begun! Carpet throughout the building is in process and is disruptive. Thank you for your patience during this time. Additionally, a decision has been made and our NEW church signage (along Jefferson Highway) has been ordered! Our new exterior sign will be installed in approximately 8 weeks. Thank you for supporting the Capital Campaign!

Reflecting on COVID and Managing Anxiety in a Pandemic July 25th and August 1st Reflecting on COVID and Managing Anxiety in a Pandemic It has been a year+ of stress, anxiety, and change during the COVID-19 pandemic. As our lives continue to change and we move towards a new normal, join Ruth Foster-Koth, LICW to spend some time reflecting on the past year and learning valuable coping and resilience skills for moving forward as our world opens up. Ruth Foster Koth is a Clinical Social Worker at the University of Washington Medical Center. In that setting she counsels patients in coping with chronic illness, emotional eating and managing complex medical systems. She serves as a guest lecturer within the University of Washington's Schools of Medicine and Social Work for her expertise on therapeutic group formation. In her free time she enjoys travel (when not in a global pandemic), yoga, singing, and knitting with her daughter while watching Netflix. She is a proud Lutheran so – as a proud Lutheran – when she exercises, her reward is a cup of coffee. If you would like to read more about Ruth before her talk, feel free to visit her private practice website. https://fosterkothcounseling.com/about/ Join us on ZOOM from 11 am – 12 pm on these Sundays for learning and discussion. We realize that some of you would like to have attended this class but are unable. The class has been recorded. If you would like to have a link and passcode sent to you, please contact Nancy in the main office and she will send it to you [office@adventllutheran.com]

~ Summer Faith Learning and Reflection ~ August 8th – September 5th – New Book Study! Have you enjoyed our previous book studies on Dear Church, Manna and Mercy, and Braving the Wilderness? Join Pastor Elizabeth and Pastor Peter for a new book study on 12 Tiny Things - Simple Ways to Live a More Intentional Life. We'd love to see you there! Sign up HERE or call the church office, 763-425-4243.

500 Card Club Starting Again! the 500 Card Club will meet on the 1st, 3rd (and 5th) Thursday of the month at 1:00 PM. Please contact Jim Kirchner with questions about Card Club: js_kirchner@comcast.net

Quilters Will Reconvene the Thursday after Rally Sunday! Join the Quilters on Thursdays at 9:00 am with coffee & treats at 10:00 am beginning September 13! As they say, "If you can tie a knot, you can quilt!" Please contact Sandy Cutler with any questions you may have: sandracutler11@comcast.net

Gift of Love ~ Avenues for Youth May – August For 25 years, Avenues for Youth has partnered with young people experiencing homelessness to achieve their dreams. They support young people ages 16-24 in Hennepin County, whether they need a place to stay for one night or for up to a year-and-a-half. By providing a stable home, trusting relationships, and assistance in navigating education, career, health, wellness, and housing goals, Avenues empowers youth to find their way out of homelessness. Since 2013, Avenues has operated Brooklyn Avenues, a home for youth experiencing homelessness in Brooklyn Park. During the summer, our Gift of Love project will support Avenues for Youth through giving, education, and relationship-building. Look for opportunities soon to learn more about Avenues for Youth and how you can support Avenues this summer!  Avenues for Youth recognizes that youth who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) desire culturally responsive housing. Abule is a collective housing (host family) program for youth who identify as BIPOC where community members share their home and resources with youth experiencing homelessness. Abule (A-boo-lay) translates to “The Village” in the Yoruba language. Abule centers BIPOC wisdom by re-learning cultural approaches and utilizing youth leadership. It supports housing youth who are experiencing homelessness through community ownership and partnership. In the program, youth and community members create a shared experience and approach power collaboratively. This means that power is not held over youth, but shared. We recognize that youth in the program have much to teach us, and that community members have much to teach them. Go to their website to learn more about Avenues for Youth https://avenuesforyouth.org/

Pastoral Care - Easy to Schedule! In the case of an emergency: ** Call the church office. ** In the event the church office is closed, please call the church office, 763-425-4243, and you will be directed to a way to reach a pastor. We have an easy way to request an appointment for a one-on-one conversation with a pastor. Simply go to www.adventlutheran.com/pastoralcare. You will see a request form. Fill in the requested information and select a time, and one of the pastors will reach out to confirm the appointment with you.

SERVING WITH US We believe that the love God shows us through Jesus Christ moves us to show love to our neighbors in service to the world. This weekly e-mail will highlight ways you can serve with us each week.

Volunteers Need for Sanctuary Cleaning As Advent is now joyfully meeting in person, we are looking for a few volunteers to help tidy and clean the sanctuary regularly. We'd like to set up at least four two-person teams to dust, vacuum and straighten the worship space each week. Ideally, each team would be asked to clean only once a month and the time commitment is estimated for two hours each time. Cleaning days and times can be flexible to each team as schedules permit. Please contact Volunteer Coordinator Betsy Cardinal or Custodian Ted Wurtz if you are able to help with this, thank you!

Prayer Prayer is our personal connection with God and guides us individually and as a church. It is a vital part of our faith life, and an important way we can continue to minister to one another in this time of social distancing. We know that God hears our prayers and will empower us to see God’s will in our lives!  Pray for our church and our world this week: for our community as we celebrate worship back in the sanctuary; for doctors and nurses as they work to control the Delta variant; for all of us as we work to continue to stay safe during this time in the pandemic; thanks for our ability to gather, learn, and serve together in person again; for our community as we seek ways to live justly and safely together, for all people on our weekly prayer list: Jeff D., Jan N., Mary B., Mark P., Connie S., Sharon L., Barb, McKenzie, Cory, Julie, Jeni F., Deanna G., Dave C., Kim T., Marlene I., Charlotte G., Marliss E., Pat D., Benjamin T., Pat E., Gary W., Ed M., Linda G., Kathy J., the family of Shirley A., the newly baptized, and for all to be blessed by the Holy Spirit's faith.  (Due to privacy concerns and internet safety protocol, we cannot publish last names.) For confidential prayer requests, you may leave a private voice mail by calling 763-425-4243 and pressing “2” when the answering machine picks up. You can also e-mail our Prayer Chain leaders.

Bible Study Opportunities Pastor led Bible Study will take July and August off and resume in September.