We don't change the message • The message changes us |
|
Sunday, October 11, 2020
Sunday morning worship service with communion,
two baptisms and welcomes for new members.
TLC west parking lot. Watch from your vehicle and
listen on 87.9 FM, or bring a chair and sit up front.
Also on live-stream with the broadcast beginning at 9:55am
|
|
|
Altar flowers for Sunday are given by Bill and Florence Head
in honor of their 60th wedding anniversary.
|
|
Come Gather at TLC for our October Drive-In Worship |
|
Rob Reid
Director of Music
|
|
This Sunday, October 11, we will be worshipping together in the West Parking Lot at 10am. Lively, joyful music will be led by our Praise and Worship Team, including This Little Light of Mine, Just a Closer Walk with Thee, and Lord Reign in Me. We will also celebrate our first outdoor set of (two) Baptisms, welcome New Members, and hear a God Moment from Chip Smith. Pastor Grace will preach, and Pastor Arthur will lead the other parts of the service. It looks like the weather will be wonderful, so come on over and enjoying gathering with your TLC Family!
Peace,
|
|
|
Meet & Greet After Church |
|
|
|
After Sunday's drive-in service you're welcome to join others on the north lawn for some safe-distance socializing. Bring your own coffee or beverage, a lawn chair, and please wear a face mask. Meet and greet our new members, too! |
|
|
Live-Stream Viewer Data
Last Sunday, October 4, 2020
315 total YouTube & Facebook viewers
|
|
|
|
170 Media Devices Linked
to TLC Live-Stream on Sunday
|
|
|
Philip Nushann, who attended Luther Seminary in Minnesota, founded Center for Changing Lives - Liberia (CCLL) when he returned to Liberia in November 2016. Transfiguration is the primary community support for CCLL, leading a partnership of Minnesota Churches supporting Philip’s vision. CCLL was inspired by Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota to bring Health Services, Education, Housing, Counseling, Empowerment, Resource Building, Hope and Love to the children and families of West Africa. |
|
|
|
On Thursday, October 8, the annual CCLL fundraiser was "virtually" held via Zoom.
You'll need this passcode: CHk5x8g#
|
|
|
Remembering Caryl Minnetti |
|
December 1936 ~ September 2020 |
|
We said a final goodbye to Caryl Minnetti this past Tuesday, October 6 at TLC. She is now a saint on TLC's Memorial Garden website. Please click_here to view her page where you can watch a memorial photo montage; the pre-produced stream of Tuesday's service; the bulletin, homily, family photo album, obituary and leave a comment if you wish. |
|
|
|
|
What's Going on with the Birds? |
|
|
Yes, it's been a beautiful fall, and today the paper says it will get up into the 80's soon. We do need some rain, but let's enjoy a brief return to summer.
Yesterday I saw two robins. Are they coming or going? They'll get a rude surprise if they don't migrate as usual. Would not have seen them at all, except a mountain ash tree lives right outside my bedroom window, and the beautiful orange berries are hanging about two feet away.
I have written before about never seeing the cedar waxwings gobble those berries in the fall. They'd hang there, tempting birds to come and make them just suddenly disappear overnight... It happened for years, and I'd given up ever even catching one sneaking a berry.
Well, this year I can finally say that I did catch a whole flock of waxwings in the process of devouring very quickly every single berry on the tree. At one time there were three birds on the branch nearest the window! They are not colorful birds, and easy to miss... no red head or white breast... average size, and they don't ever stay long either.
My lucky next-door neighbor called to ask if I had seen the bluebird in her birdbath. No, I had not, and have never even seen a bluebird in our yard. Since our new back-yard neighbor has three cats and a large dog, probably every bird will now know it, and there will be only some chickadees for a while. What we have seen every day this fall is the pileated woodpecker, beak in the suet, enjoying a real feast... Can't tell if it's male or female, but the “pecking order” has the pileated at the top of their list. If there are bluejays or crows, they all disappear the second the woodpecker comes by for suet.
I hope you have bird feeders in your yard, as it's always much more interesting to look away from the TV, the computer, or one's phone, and see how Mother Nature is giving the birds, not just us, a beautiful fall.
-Bloomington Bird Lady
|
|
Farewell Pastor Grace
Save the Date
|
The end of October is quickly arriving, bringing us to the end of Pastor Grace’s internship at TLC. Please save November 1st for an outdoor celebration at the church following that day's live-stream service. |
|
|
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN
FOR US?
-a continuing series-
By Pastor Al Dungan
|
|
|
|
The Gospel text for last Sunday (Matthew 21:33-46 The Parable of the Wicked Tenants) has its origins in the Isaiah passage (Is. 5:1-7 The Song of the Unfruitful Vineyard).
Both passages address the issue of how the love of God was spurned by those whom God had called to bring God’s message of love and compassion to the world.
Hebrew is an interesting language because it is so filled with plays on words. A good example is this Isaiah text.
In verse 7 the Vineyard is a metaphor for God’s beloved people which is a common figure of speech in Israelite poetry. The hillside has been cleared of stones, planted with choice vines, a watchtower was built to make sure that no one would break in to do any damage and then a wine vat to press the grapes was dug usually out of solid rock, which was no small effort.
Now, you would think that after all that effort the vines would produce rich, full to bursting with juice, grapes. But what??? It only produced small, bitter grapes, good for nothing.
God had shown Israel that to be God’s servants in the world, Israel was to reach out with love and compassion and so show that world how to be caring and compassionate.
In verse 7, after recalling all that God had done, Israel is reminded that they are the vineyard of God and in the second half of the verse they are confronted with this: God expected justice (mishpat) and instead saw bloodshed (mispach); righteousness (tsedaqah) but instead heard the cry (tse’aqah) of the oppressed.
These words were proclaimed in the 700’s of the years before the birth of Jesus. That makes them nearly 3000 years old.
You would think that by this time our world, and specifically God’s people, would have learned that God desires mishpat and tsedaqah but the cries of the oppressed and the blood of innocents continues to be shed with impunity. The most recent example of both is the young, unarmed Black man in East Texas who was trying to break up a conflict and was shot dead by a White police officer.
Where is the love of God and the compassion of God being shown by the Church of Jesus Christ for the oppressed and those who continue to be treated unjustly?
The question I pose to you is this: after all that God has done for us, why is our world, and specifically the Church, continuing to produce wild grapes?
|
|
Save the date!
VEAP's annual Gala is going virtual on November 13, 2020
|
|
|
Due to the pandemic, VEAP has made the decision to move our biggest yearly fundraising event completely online. Will you join us for a fun virtual evening featuring one-of-a-kind auction items, live entertainment and much more? Everyone is invited to tune into this free streaming event, which will include diverse opportunities to financially support our mission of ending hunger and homelessness in our community. |
|
The evening's events will kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 13 with Emmy-award winning emcee and entertainer, Jearlyn Steele, who will lead our audience through an action-packed 30 minutes. You'll experience live music, a special video featuring volunteer and participant voices, and interactive ways to engage with VEAP. Please early bird register today. We'll "see" you then!
|
|
"Cutie Pie Horse"
by Braxton
|
|
This unusual looking equine at the Walker Art Center Sculpture Garden was photographed by 6-year-old Braxton, now in his first year with the ELC Photo Club. Braxton said that he liked this picture because it looks like the horse was made out of sticks. He said that he didn't know how it was standing up, if they used glue on it or something else, or maybe nothing, but he thought it was really cool. (Actually, the horse is made out of metal and what is really cool is how all of the pieces were made by hand to look like sticks and then are soldered together. It is truly amazing.)
|
|
By Pete Erickson
Interim TLC Youth Minister
|
|
|
SUNDAY SCHOOL 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.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PEER MINISTRY BRAINSTORM – OCTOBER 11 AT 6PM
What: Youth Ministry Brainstorm Event
When: Sunday, October 11th
Who: High School Students
Drop off: 6PM
Pick up: 7:30 PM
Church will provide Jimmy John's and beverages.
|
|
—By Linda Meyer
Another TLC group that has been "active" during this pandemic is the Coffee and Conversation group. We used to meet for a Bible Study with Deacon Renee Jefferson (ret.) after the Wednesday evening service. That Bible Study always started with an icebreaker so we could get to know each other. Renee has continued the icebreaker part via email during the COVID-19 shutdown. Each week on Wednesday, she sends us a topic and we "reply all" to get each person's story. Some topics have been a bicycle story, a childhood illness, school lunches, learning to drive, Memorial Day memories, motorcycles, sandwiches, MN State Fair, a memorable birthday, our dad, favorite teacher, VBS, sports and worst job. All very fun topics.
Members are Pat Kielb, Donna Hedlund, Linda Meyer, Louise Olson, Marilyn Erickson, Rose Bodhaine, Shari Cummelin and Renee Jefferson. New members are always welcome. This last week we welcomed Sue O'Reilly to our group. When she was 16, her cousin took her on a scary motorcycle ride and her favorite sandwich is a good tuna melt on sprouted wheat bread. Renee is the leader and contact person of the group.
|
|
Who will you remember during NLC's All Saints virtual program? |
|
|
Tune in NLC's All Saints Virtual Program offering music of remembrance, perseverance and hope for all who have experienced loss in this difficult year.
With the very breath of so many being silenced by illness and injustice, NLC commissioned artist in residence Paul Rudoi to compose a new setting of the hymn text “Breathe on me, Breath of God.” This work--and the undying yearning to be comforted and changed by the breath of God--forms a through-line for the program.
A core component of the program resides in a set of powerful African American spirituals by composer Moses Hogan and arrangers Marques Garrett and William Dawson. These works have much to teach us about God’s love through hardship and loss. Music by John Tavener and Heinrich Schütz round out this newly curated, virtual program that will feature new performances by NLC singers in physically-distanced settings.
|
|
names submitted by October 15 will be included on screen during the Virtual All Saints Program on November 1st.
|
|
Committees - Ministries - Small Groups
WRITE YOUR OWN ARTICLE
FOR THE TLC WEEKLY
|
|
|
|
Thanks to the Faith, Fact and Fiction Book Club, the K3P3 group, Stephen Ministry, Welcome Diversity Team, Global Health Ministry, Coffee and Conversation, and the Nutty Knotters (TLC Quilters) 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 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
