This Sunday, January 31, 11:00am
2021 Annual Meeting
Watch and Participate via ZOOM
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You'll need this info when you arrive:
Join Meeting ID: 890 2827 7369
Passcode: 123
PLEASE MUTE YOUR AUDIO UNTIL YOU WISH TO SPEAK
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Click below to view/download pdf of the document |
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Yes, there will be the 10:00am Church Service Online |
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Dear Friends,
If you're able, please consider your financial contributions to TLC during this period of COVID restrictions on attendance. Despite the canceling of activities, your church has expenses and utility bills that continue each month.
Many have provided gifts by clicking the 'Online Giving' icon above. We're extremely grateful if you would, too.
Thank you!
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Rob Reid
Director of Music
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Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Healing, Wholeness, and Hope!
As we continue our journey through Epiphany, The LIGHT REVEALS the divine nature of Christ born within us, and Jesus shows just how much he loves us. There are stories of Healing and Hope in our Gospel Lesson today, along with our heartfelt hymns and service music led by organist Karen Daniels and the Socially Distanced Quartet: Scott Knight, Shelley Smith, Rob Reid and Jill Reid.
Our concluding hymn invites us into this year’s Annual Meeting (which will be on Zoom), as we sing “The Church’s One Foundation is Jesus Christ, our Lord. Pastor Arthur will share a Time for Children involving a surgery, really! He will Preach, Pray and Preside over Communion.
Looking forward to virtually worshiping together with you on Sunday!
Peace,
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Live-Stream Viewer Data
Last Sunday, January 24, 2021
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512+ viewers of the 10:00am worship service.
Percent watching on specified device:
- Computer 45.2%
- Smart TV 34.6%
- Mobile phone 12.5%
- Tablet 7.7%
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TONIGHT!
College Planning 101- January 31 at 6:30PM
Dreaming of college? Your path to graduating with less debt starts here. Join us for a FREE College Planning 101 workshop. Learn how to save on the cost of college and avoid excessive debt.
- The value of college and having a plan.
- Tips and tricks to lower your college costs.
- The basics of college financial aid.
The workshop will be held in Zoom:
Meeting ID: 819 251 7181
Passcode: 393992
Sponsored by TLC Children Youth & Family Director, Pete Erickson and Thrivent Representative, Durk Peterson on Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 6:30PM.
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Big Bins to Fill!
Hi! My name is Taylor English. I have been a member of TLC for over 10 years. I also attended TLC-ELC as a child and I currently work there as well. I am now a senior at Kennedy High School and I am a Boy Scout in Troop 439 here in Bloomington.
As I am coming to a close on this chapter of my life, it has lead me to reflect on my experiences:
I started scouts when I was in Kindergarten at Westwood Elementary School. My favorite part of Cub Scouts was participating in the Annual Pinewood Derby.
Building my own race car was so much fun. Being a part of scouts has been a long and rewarding journey. I have done a ton of camping, seen some amazing sights and “behind-the-scenes” of a few places, and have met some pretty amazing people and friends along the way. I have also had the privilege of sailing around the Florida Keys on a 75 foot schooner while at Florida Sea Base.
I am now at the end of my scouting career. For my Eagle Project, I have coordinated a project to make donation bins for a few local churches. These bins will be on wheels for easy transport of donated items to vehicles or to move the bins if needed.
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I will be holding a food drive using the bins. All food that is collected will be donated to VEAP. Please consider donating any food items between February 8 thru February 25. The bins will be located at TLC just outside the office door. Your donations may be dropped off Monday thru Thursday, 9:00am- 3:00pm.
Thank you to TLC for helping me to achieve the Eagle Scout Rank.
~ Taylor English
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It seems lately like we need more patience than ever before. Something as simple as being put on "hold" and then hearing the same message over and over while we wait, and are told many times how "important" our call is, but we must wait for the "next available staff person." Time seems to stop and our patience wears very thin. Have to take a deep breath and relax... It may help a bit.
Last Sunday's live-stream mentioned fishing, a fun thing that also takes a lot of patience. Fish just don't bite as often as we'd like them to. I have done some ice fishing which takes a lot of patience, plus warm clothes, and a lake where the ice is thick enough to support a vehicle. I have nightmares about our son's van suddenly going nose down into Lake Minnetonka! He knows enough to wait for sufficient ice, but mothers always worry.
Fishermen have learned to be patient, and so when Sunday's message was also about Jesus choosing his first disciples, I wondered if "patience" was what they'd need. Those first four disciples, Simon, Andrew, James and John, were all chosen while they were out in their boats fishing. Not only that, but Jesus wanted them to join Him right away, and not even go home to say goodbye! He must have known that they'd be patient with people, the message, and whatever hardships might come their way.
In our Covid-19 lives, patience is really needed quite often. Did you forget your mask? Have you gotten a vaccination yet? Will you get one soon? People are even trying lotteries to get an appointment. The website went down for anyone online as there were too many people trying to use it. Want to eat out? Hmmm, you'd better try "take out" unless you're sure they have indoor seating now. Have a doctor appointment? You'll get your temperature taken before you even go in the door sometimes. What if it shows you have a fever? You may end up just going home. I'm sure you all have your own stories to tell; most pretty similar to mine.
One final "patience-trying" daily activity... praying. It's nice to think our prayers will be answered, but many times the answer is "No." It doesn't mean "stop" either... Praying can be as natural as breathing , and you would never stop that. Persistence is good, and when our prayers are answered after all, we finally learn to be patient, just like the disciples of long ago.
-Bloomington Bird Lady
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- Have you dropped your landline phone?
- Changed your email address?
- Moved and have a new street address?
TLC records are only as accurate as the updated information you provide. Please contact the church office (952-884-2364 / office@tlcmn.com) with any changes to your contact information since our last directory was published in 2017. Thank you!
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Why was the Bible Written?
A Hebrew story about creation
(Genesis 1-9)
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I can just imagine Hebrew children, like all children do when they are curious, asking the question “why this?” and “why that?” when they would press their parents about why things were the way they were in the world.
And, as is true in all oral tradition cultures, those questions were answered with stories.
For instance:
To answer the question “How did the world come into being?” the first oral tradition story of the Hebrews began like this:
“In the beginning, before anything existed, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth had no form or shape. And to the swirling mass of water and chaos our God, the greatest of all the gods who other nations worship, spoke a word and it happened. That’s how powerful our God is—our God speaks and it happens. None of the other nations around us have such a powerful god.
Then our God said to the swirling mass of waters, “Let there be light.” And light appeared! Next our God separated the light from the darkness and saw that the light was good. And the light was called ‘day’ and the darkness was called ‘night’.
The Hebrew story of creation then went on to show that the God they worshipped was a very orderly God and this was expressed in “days of creation” which God pronounced GOOD and finally, VERY GOOD.
So then, in a continuing series of actions this God created all that we see around us: the dome above us which is the sky and the dry land below where we live. We know that there is water above the sky which comes down in the form of rain. And, we know that there is water below the dry land because we have seen springs bubble up and when we dig a well it fills up with water. Our God has separated the waters and keeps them from returning to the swirling chaotic mass before the beginning. That’s how powerful our God is.
Next came the earth in which we live, the sea that borders our land to the west; then plants and fruit bearing trees. Following this came the lights that we see in the heavens: the sun, the moon and the stars. Other nations worship these lights but we worship the One who made them. Then our God created all the creatures that swim in the sea and the birds that fly in the air. Next came all the animals that live on dry land. And, finally when God was nearly finished, human kind, men and women, you and me and all the people around us were created.
And then, God rested.
It was masterful and it was beautiful.
BUT WAIT!! THERE’S MORE! And that’s what we’ll talk about next time.
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TLC's
Addiction Awareness Team
Update
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Mission: “This ministry exists to provide a safe environment for those seeking hope and restoration from addiction and codependency.” |
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When you don’t know what you don’t know, it’s really hard to make any changes in your life.
The beauty of recovery is that it helps us to know One Day at a Time what we need to know to begin and continue in recovery.
For some, becoming aware is like a bolt of lightning hitting their lives. That’s what it was for me.
For others it’s a gradual coming to awareness that if our lives are going to have any meaning we need to set our feet on the path of recovery and just keep putting one foot ahead of the next. That’s also what it has been for me.
What a blessing it has been to no longer live in an ongoing lack of awareness.
Prayer for the week
I give thanks for becoming open to the path of recovery which leads me to a greater awareness of living a meaningful life.
– Al Dungan
To learn more about this ministry, or if you or someone you care about is in need of support, please reach out to one of us.
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American Historian
Carter G. Woodson
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To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week (then called “Negro History Week”) nearly a century ago. The event was first celebrated during the second week of February 1926, selected because it coincides with the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and abolitionist/writer Frederick Douglass (February 14). That week would continue to be set aside for the event until 1976 when, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, it was expanded to a month. Since then, U.S. presidents have proclaimed February as National African American History Month. |
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Minnesota Seniors is an amazing, FREE resource service for seniors as well as family caregivers who have questions and need answers. There is a wealth of information and help -- too numerous to list. [Click Here] and see for yourself.
It's something to do and you don't need to wear a mask while browsing.
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Join our Guided Discussion |
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There is still time to join the guided discussion of “My Grandmother’s Hands” by Resmaa Menakem. The deadline for signing up is February 6, 2021. Please contact Jordan Zahrte (612) 810-6665 or email at: jzahrte@tlcmn.com
The structure of the study is facilitated large group discussion on Zoom every second Sunday at 11:00am. The large group schedule for the first two months is Feb 7, Feb 21, Mar 7, Mar 21. The schedule will be updated every two months. We expect the discussion to last the better part of a year. Participants will be assigned to small groups which will meet on the off-weeks, also via Zoom. Participants may create their own small groups, or will be assigned. The facilitators are Laura Thelander, Irene Amon and Jordan Zahrte.
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A bit about the book:
“The body is where our instincts reside and where we fight, flee, or freeze, and it endures the trauma inflicted by the ills that plague society. In this groundbreaking work, therapist Resmaa Menakem examines the damage caused by racism in America from the perspective of body-centered psychology. He argues this destruction will continue until Americans learn to heal the generational anguish of white supremacy, which is deeply embedded in all our bodies. Our collective agony doesn’t just affect African Americans. White Americans suffer their own secondary trauma as well. So do blue Americans—our police.
“My Grandmother’s Hands is a call to action for all of us to recognize that racism is not about the head, but about the body, and introduces an alternative view of what we can do to grow beyond our entrenched racialized divide.”
We invite interested folks to purchase a copy of “My Grandmother's Hands“ available in the church office for $15.00 A limited number of copies are available for loan upon request.
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Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) was founded in 1987 and is a Christian non-profit that provides nutritionally complete meals specifically formulated for malnourished children in over 70 countries throughout the world.
TLC has supported FMSC efforts over the last several years through benevolence giving and volunteering. FMSC offers volunteers a one-of-a-kind experience. You’ll hand-pack rice, soy, dried vegetables and a nutritionally complete blend of vitamins and minerals into bags which are then sealed, boxed, placed on pallets and shipped to our incredible partners, working hard to reach the neediest children around the world.
Want to get involved? Come pack with us! Watch for sign-up dates in the TLC bulletin insert, Life@TLC and the website, www.tlcmn.com in 2021 as COVID allows us to again do group packing.
While packing is possible, it should only be done as a family group due to the close proximity of the packers. Click here to contact the FMSC and schedule your family.
We pack at the Eagan site (990 Lone Oak Rd #136, Eagan, MN 55121).
Meet in TLC’s West Parking Lot a half-hour prior to start time if you want to carpool.
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A great gift Pastor Grace shared with TLC was her “Hope for the Day” devotional. I for one found it very enlightening and healing during this Pandemic. I found myself looking forward to receiving and reading it daily. I so enjoyed the different writings penned by different TLC family members!
I have been asked by Pastor Arthur to keep a form of this devotional going. We have agreed to make it a weekly [e-mailed] publication called “Hope for the Week”, which is sent to your email every Tuesday at 6:30am.
If you would be willing to share an inspired devotional(s) going forward with your TLC family, please contact me at weeyin57@aol.com. I’d love to hear from you! Blessings,
Norma R. Macdonald-Ockwig
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Hello fellow TLC members! Allow me to introduce “Pathways to Justice,” a new weekly short article e-mailed every Thursday morning. Pastor Arthur has asked me to take the lead with members from the Racial Justice and RIC teams assisting with writing. We will tackle and explore -in small chunks- ideas that may be new to some of us. In doing so, we will be allowed opportunities to ask ourselves and each other how we really actively can, as Micah 6:8 states, “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.” Please feel free to let me know if there are any topics that you would like addressed and please do consider contributing your own thoughts on what it means to be on a Pathway to Justice. I look forward to hearing from you!
Shelley Smith
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The Church office is staffed with Marilyn Erickson and Michelle Reber available Monday through Thursday, 9:00am - 4:00pm. You need to call ahead for an appointment, wear masks, use hand sanitizer (available at the entrance to the office) and practice social distancing during your visit.
Please call: (952) 884-2364
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Committees - Ministries - Small Groups
WRITE YOUR OWN ARTICLE
FOR THE TLC WEEKLY
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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?
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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.
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Do you ever need an extra prayer for yourself, a loved one, a world situation or a dear friend? TLC has a prayer team that is waiting to pray with and for you. Your prayer needs are sent on to the Prayer Team and kept confidential – just between you, the pray-ers, and God. If you have a prayer request, or if you would like to join the prayer team, please contact Marilyn Erickson at merickson@tlcmn.com or on the TLC website here.
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ONLINE GIVING HELPS SUPPORT TLC
It’s important to know that we can depend on financial support from TLC members. Online 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 top of any page, or [Click Here] to start the process, or contact the church office. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
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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 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.
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A Reconciling in Christ Congregation
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A Culture of Diversity and Inclusion |
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