NOVEMBER | 2022

BECAUSE OF YOU In this month of Thanksgiving, we all get the opportunity to practice an “attitude of gratitude.” It’s a time of year where we can reflect on all the many things we can be grateful for: family, friends, food, clothing, roofs over our heads, and so much more. We have an invitation in this month of Thanksgiving to count our blessings, and I hope you find ways every day to pause and remember the many things for which you want to give thanks to God. As I consider this invitation, one of the greatest gifts I can think of is you who make up our church. It is because of you that we are able to do some great things together. On Wednesdays, after school we gather 50 children every week for Wednesday Live! to share the story of God’s love, to sing, to play, and to build relationships with each other and God. It takes volunteers and staff members showing up week after week to make that happen. Because of you and your gifts of time, talents, and money, we can have multiple opportunities like this one to reach our youngest members. Because of you, we get the opportunity to share the good news of God’s love in worship in multiple ways, week in and week out. We not only have our regular Sunday and Wednesday worship opportunities where people like you show up in our building, but we gather across the airwaves and the internet to allow people to join us who cannot be there in person. It takes many volunteers not only ushering, setting up communion, and offering their musical gifts, but also people running slides, cameras, and a soundboard that allow us to reach people in ways we could not otherwise. Because of you, we get to make an impact in the community around us through meaningful partnerships with organizations we care about. We not only support the work of our synod, but we also partner with Green Lake Lutheran Ministries, United Community Action Partnership, Lutheran Social Services, Family Promise, the Kandiyohi County Food Shelf to do meaningful ministry outside our walls. Because of you, together with these partners we are able to do so much more than we could do as individuals or as a congregation. I know that every day you give of yourselves in so many ways at Vinje and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others. Because of you, I give thanks today. Thanks for being a blessing to me and to many others. Thank you for sharing the gifts you have with our church and with our neighbors. Most of all, thanks be to God for you. -Pastor Dane

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23 | VINJE 5 PM SOUP SUPPER 6 PM COMBINED WORSHIP WITH CHURCH OF ST MARY 7 PM PIE SOCIAL Join us for Thanksgiving worship at Vinje followed by our traditional pie social! A processional food offering will take place during the worship service. You are invited to bring non-perishable food offerings to benefit local hunger agencies. Also, If you’d like bring a pie for the pie social, please drop it in the kitchen before worship.

WHS MUSICAL: AIDA NOV 10-13 | WHS THEATRE Tickets are on sale now for Willmar High School’s production of Elton John & Tim Rice’s Aida. The talented cast includes Vinje’s own Ceci Buzzeo! Tickets can be purchased here.

LOOKING FOR LEGOS... We are in search of used Legos for a confirmation project. If you happen to have any that you’d be willing to donate, please drop them in the church office. Thanks!

LUTEFISK & MEATBALL SUPPER TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 3-7 PM ADULTS—$19, KIDS 6-12—$8, 5 & UNDER—FREE We hope you are able to join us for this delicious all you an eat buffet including lutefisk, meatballs, corn, potatoes, gravy, lefse, cranberry relish and buns. There will also be a bake sale and quilt drawing! Baked goods needed! Please deliver items, packaged to sell, to Vinje by 2pm on November 8th. Volunteers needed! This meal would not be possible without the help of many volunteers! If you’re available, please consider joining us for one (or more!) of the following shifts: 2:30-4:15pm, 4-6pm, 6-8:15pm or 7-9pm. To sign up, please call the church office at 320-235-1441 or email us!

By Director of Music, Karen Wojahn We are invited to join in an ecumenical evening prayer service of sung, spoken, and silent prayer centered around the theme of “Jesus Christ is the Light of the World.” This service will be held on Sunday, November 6 at 7:00 PM at Eagle Lake Lutheran Church. A newly composed musical setting of Evening Prayer, composed by local musician Carol Meier, will be used. A time of fellowship will follow the 30 minute prayer service. All are welcome! At the Thanksgiving Eve service, we will be having a joint choir with St. Mary’s. Come join us for practice On Wednesday, November 23 at 5:30 PM! All voices welcome.  Love to sing Christmas music? Beginning on Sunday, November 20 at 8:30am, we’ll be practicing music for the Advent/Christmas season. Come join us in the choir room to learn anthems for the first Sunday in Advent, for Lessons & Carols and for Christmas Eve.

NOVEMBER QUILTING Vinje Quilters will meet on November 10th. All are welcome! Come join us!

Solitude Late at Night in the Woods by Robert Bly (from Silence in the Snowy Fields The body is like a November birch facing the full moon And reaching into the cold heavens. In these trees there is no ambition, no sodden body, no leaves, Nothing but bare trunks climbing like cold fire. My Last walk in the trees has come. At dawn I must return to the trapped fields, to the obedient earth. The trees shall be reaching all the winter. It is a joy to walk in the bare woods. The moonlight is not broken by the heavy leaves. The leaves are down, and touching the soaked earth, Giving of f the odor that partridges love.

EXPLORING VINJE'S HISTORY This month pastor Andrés asked Stuart Ness to share why he decided to join Vinje years ago, and how his recent experience of dealing with skin cancer confirmed to him that he had made the right choice and connected him more deeply to other members. Back in the Fall of 2014, I thought that the church I was attending was not meeting my spiritual needs. I decided to start looking for another church home. Since I was brought up Lutheran, I would concentrate my search on the three largest Lutheran churches in Willmar. So, in the Fall of 2014, I attended worship services at Calvary, Bethel, and Vinje. In January of 2015, I chose Vinje. I liked that traditional hymns were sung at the services and that there was a choir in which I could participate. The church I had attended did not observe the church seasons such as Advent or Lent, and Vinje did. I had missed these seasons as they helped me prepare for important church holidays. Also, the congregational size was right for me, not too big and not too small. I was also asked to share about how my medical journey through skin cancer helped me get to know some Vinje members better. I needed a driver to take me to my appointment in Minneapolis. I asked a church member who had commuted to the Cities for his career to help. He willingly volunteered even after finding out how early in the morning we would have to start out to arrive there at 8.30 am. During the drive, we talked about our careers and people we knew in the Willmar area. The conversation we had during the commute allowed both of us to get to know more details of each other’s lives. I was grateful he was willing to give of his time to help me out. After surgery, I needed daily assistance to clean and re-bandage my incisions. I called two retired nurses and one retired doctor from Vinje, and they all agreed to help. They were diligent in coming every day. When they were at my home, I got to know them better through our conversations about their church life and daily activities. They too were willing to give up their time to help a fellow Vinje member. Much of the time, I am reluctant to ask for help. But when I did ask for help for a serious issue, I found Vinje members more than willing to come to my aid. I am thankful for their Christian desire to help others. I was not sure who to turn to help me with this medical issue. But members of my church family supplied the assistance I needed.

COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS At their meeting on October 24, the Vinje Council… Approved the purchase and funding of a columbarium using a combination of funds from designated donations made by members, a distribution from the Vinje endowment, and Vinje general fund (which will be reimbursed when spots in the columbarium are purchased). More information will be shared with the congregation in the coming weeks. Received an update on the possible purchase of solar panels. Council referred the matter to the Property and Finance committees for further review. Discussed the process for the creation of the 2023 budget. Heard a presentation on the 2022 Stewardship campaign, “Because of You.” Approved a five-year agreement to lease space at MinnWest Technology Campus to operate Discover Hills preschool ministry. Called a congregational meeting following worship on Sunday, November 20. The meeting will consider two resolutions: 1) Changing Vinje’s legal status from a 315 to a 317A organization. 2) forming an LLC for Loving Arms Childcare. More information will be shared with he congregation in the coming weeks.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20 | FOLLOWING WORSHIP Please plan to attend a brief meeting after worship on November 20th. See above for more info.

NURSERY CARE NOW AVAILABLE! Just a reminder that staffed nursery care is now available during all worship services in Loving Arm’s Pre-K Room located in the east hallway.

Make a one-time contribution or set up reoccurring giving here. Need help? Call the church office!

VINJE ON THE GO! RADIO Listen on Sundays at 9:30 am on KWLM, 1340 AM. INTERNET Watch anytime! (go to YouTube and search Vinje Willmar).  TV Watch local access channel, 180 Sundays at 2:30 pm and 8:30 pm and Tuesdays at 8 am and 5 pm.