TRANSFIGURATION LUTHERAN CHURCH
11000 France Ave. S. - Bloomington, MN 55431
Office: (952) 884-2364 (Also 24-hour Pastoral Emergency Service)
Office Open Monday-Thursday, 9:00am to 4:00pm
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Important Interim Process communications from Pastor Arthur and Pastor Eva.
A TLC Stewardship article by committee member, Dan Larkin, and
Interim Youth Minister, Pete Erickson has updates.
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In-Person Worship this Sunday at both 8:30 & 10:00am Services.
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Rob Reid
Director of Music
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In-Person Worship at 8:30 and 10:00am!
It was so wonderful to gather together in the Sanctuary last Sunday to sing, pray, commune and greet one another! The extremely hot weather moved what was supposed to be an outdoor service inside, and everything came off without a hitch - we celebrated our Graduates, three children were Baptized, and the Praise and Worship Team led us in joyful song!
Beginning this week we will have two services. Sunday morning at 8:30am, Masks will be Optional for fully vaccinated people, but Required if you are not. At 10:00am, Masks will be Required for Everyone, in order to allow un-vaccinated people to be safe, especially our children and youth who are still not able to receive their vaccinations.
We also ask that you wear a Nametag - it's been a while since we've seen each other! And on your nametag, please place a Colored Sticker to indicate your comfort level:
o Green – handshakes and hugs are welcome
o Yellow – fist or elbow-bumps only, please
o Red – wave or Peace Sign only, please
[Name tags & Colored Stickers will be in the Narthex]
Jill and Rob Reid will lead our Psalm-singing and will sing a beautiful song for our Special Music, and Organist Karen Daniels will share her uplifting music during the Prelude, Communion and Postlude, and will lead our joyful hymns - come feel the majesty of singing "Holy, Holy, Holy" supported once again by our Holtcamp Pipe Organ! Let's join together again and let God know "We Are Back!"
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If you are in need of prayer or have the name of someone you would like to add, please ask permission from that person first. Then, contact Marilyn Erickson, Care Ministry at 952-884-2364 ext. 10, or merickson@tlcmn.com.
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Dave Merrill
Jane Kinyon
Joel Wigstadt
Larry Granger
Barb Halverson
Kevin Erickson
Jerry Hanson
Jean Nyberg
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Walt Thomsen
Irene Amon
Dunwiddie Family
Don Jacobson
Judy Hanson
Ron Schultz
Ron Schroeder
Lavern Nornes
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From Pastor Arthur & Pastor Eva
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Sunday, June 13 – Celebrate the Early Learning Center in Worship
This Sunday we are giving thanks for the faithful service of the three longest serving full-time staff members TLC has ever had! They are Barb Wigstadt, Leslie Jones and Karen Wenge, all of whom having been sharing their love with generations of TLC children for 30 years or more. Let us join together in giving thanks for them and this vital ministry to the broader Bloomington community.
COVID Protocols for In-Person Worship in June
8:30am Service – Masks are encouraged, but not required. Please do mask if you are not vaccinated.
10:00am Service – Masks are required to provide the safest possible environment for those who are not yet vaccinated, including children.
Singing is welcome. Social distancing is optional. Pre-registration is not required. All are welcome.
Color coded nametags will be available: Green – open to hugs and handshakes, Yellow – elbow bumps only, please, Red – please keep 6 feet away
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Transition Update
There are five Imagination Events remaining. All are Sundays, 1-4pm. Every TLC member is asked to make this process a priority and attend at least one of these events along with the final Congregational Full-Day Event on October 9. Please save the dates that work for you and prioritize the ministry areas that speak to your heart!
Schedule is:
- May 23 – Children, Youth and Family (complete)
- June 27 – Building and Property
- July 11 – Seniors and Care Ministry
- July 18 – Diversity and Neighbor Engagement
- Aug 15 – Mission and Outreach
- Aug 22 – Financial Sustainability
Child care will be provided for all sessions. In-person attendance is preferred. All events will also be accessible by Zoom.
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HOW WILL YOU STAY CONNECTED?
HOW WILL YOU GIVE?
We are blessed to be back in person, in church, and together as a community. The past 15 months have been a challenge for everyone. We’ve been challenged personally, professionally, and spiritually. We’ve experienced ups and downs. With adversity, we adapt, and new opportunities come into focus. We’ve adopted new best practices, and learned to do more than we could have imagined from home through innovation and technology.
Today, we welcome back into Church those that have participated remotely. Today, we also must acknowledge that some may not be comfortable coming back into the building, or simply prefer the remote experience. So, how do we extend that sense of church community outside of these walls and into homes? How do we encourage consistent participation and financial support? How do we each feel the connection to the church, and to each other? There are no easy answers. But there are opportunities. Opportunities to connect with each other and participate in strengthening this community, our community, your community.
Giving is one answer. Giving of ourselves is valuable. It’s an uncomfortable ask, and not an easy one. Our time, our thoughts, our friendship, and yes… our dollars. We all have something to offer. We have to think about tomorrow, and how our community will continue to grow together. How can we continue to expand our TLC family?
Remote participation isn’t going away, but it does offer an incredible opportunity to accept members from outside our normal geographical barriers. Those families that have moved away can now remain a part of our TLC family. We are now able to welcome new members that aren’t living in the Twin Cities metro area to join us. We are also able stay in touch with those that winter down South, or spend weekends at the cabin.
We all should be thinking of new ways to stay connected, to participate, and to invite others into our great TLC community. It starts with us, with each of you! How will you impact others? How will you stay connected? And, how will you give?
Blessings,
Dan Larkin
TLC Stewardship Committee Member
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A Culture of Diversity and Inclusion
New Banners Celebrate June Pride Month
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Many thanks to TLC member Linda Meyer for the creation of our new rainbow liturgical banners.
They will be used in worship on occasion to celebrate the radical expansiveness of God’s love and God’s covenant of grace and mercy with all humanity as first expressed in the story of Noah.
They will he displayed throughout the month of June in recognition of Pride month and in support of our LGBTQ siblings in Christ.
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Pete Erickson
Interim Youth & Family Minister
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TLC Summer Ministry Opportunities.
Get connected to what’s happening this SUMMER!
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Are you looking for a faithfully fun way to connect with your TLC friends this summer? Here are the dates for summer ministry opportunities this summer. As always – feel free to bring friends! Here’s what’s happening:
- June 22 MN Twins Game: 11:00am-4:00pm. Cost: $20 plus food money. (SPACES ARE FILLING)
- June 29 Pool Party at Sandy Stooke’s. 5:30pm. Cost: $5 for pizza.
- July 13 Second Harvest Service Event. Time TBA
- July 27 Pool Party at Sandy Stooke’s. 5:30pm. Cost: $5 for pizza.
- August 3 Valley Fair 9:00am-5:00pm. Cost: $30 plus food money.
- August 17 Pool Party at Sandy Stooke’s. 5:30pm. Cost: $5 for pizza.
You MUST register to participate – Click here to sign-up for the summer fun! Look forward to seeing you IN-PERSON this summer! PLEASE NOTE: we will be adhering to the current policies of the organizations we will be using for summer ministry when it comes to masks. Stay tuned for more info as we get closer to the dates.
TLC/ELC Community Nights –
Wednesdays, June 23 & July 21, 5:30-7:30pm
Sunday, August 8, 10:00am – Blessing of the Animals Service
Transfiguration Lutheran Church and the Early Learning Center are partnering together on THREE community events this summer designed to connect in community, celebrate our resiliency over the last year, and imagine a new, exciting day for our community of faith.
We invite the whole ELC/TLC community to come for dinner, games, stories, music, and to meet your neighbors and our community partners at TLC. Here are the details:
- June 23 and July 21 (5:30-7:30pm) – in the TLC Parking Lot
- August 8 (10:00am) – In the TLC Parking Lot – this will be a worship that includes a blessing of the animals!
The planning team is looking for help to make these events happen. Here are some areas we’d love your partnership:
- Set Up/Clean Up
- Leading games
- Food support
- Engaging/inviting our neighbors to attend
TLC Children, Youth and Family Survey
Please share your hopes and dreams!
The TLC CYF Transition Team invites your thoughts and feedback on the past, present and future of Children, Youth and Family Ministry in our community of faith. We would love for you to complete a survey that will help inform our work going forward. Click here to participate in the survey. It should only take about 15 minutes to complete! Thanks, in advance, for your partnership with us!
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Pastor Grace Pardun Alworth
Ordainment!
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Pastor Grace, who was a recent intern pastor with TLC, departing our church in the fall of 2020, received a call and is being ordained. St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Paducah, Kentucky, has voted to call Grace as their pastor. She communicated with the TLC Weekly, saying that the church is a small, loving, welcoming community that is service oriented and inclusive to all.
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Discover a place where your
children know they are home.
Schedule a virtual or in-person tour.
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Congratulations KinderPlus class of 2021! We celebrated our KinderPlus students by taking a neighborhood walk to DQ and having a party ar Moir Park.
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When is time wrong, okay or just right?
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Can those "lost weeks" of the pandemic ever be found? No, they are gone forever, and we will never get them back. Kids are being shot, sometimes in the car or just out playing. I always think of that little girl on the trampoline----Jumping joyfully, and then getting shot. The evening news always has another example to give us. People are "acting out" in frustration maybe? Where has our patience gone?
No one wants their guns taken away, of course, but there are way too many guns in the hands of people who are not quite up to even owning one. Are there guns allowed on the light rail?
We used to ride light rail into Minneapolis, have lunch, and use our same ticket to go back to Bloomington. It was relaxing and fun: Now we are scared enough of getting robbed or shot to just stay home. I wonder how others feel about these incidents---Will this go on and on?
Patience is sometimes hard to find. Waiting in line for even grocery check-outs makes people edgy. Ordinary day to day happenings need patience too. Waiting for the coffee maker to be finished....Wanting dessert right now, not in two hours, etc. The list is long. What makes you want time to go faster? We're all different, so just relaxing and waiting calmly will work well.
One of the worst scenarios is when someone we know has had a biopsy, or is waiting for surgery to be healed. The time seems to slow down, and worry can cause sleepless nights. Patience is needed. There's always something to fret over... cars have problems, the lawn mower needs sharpening, the A/C needs to be "looked at" before turning it on for summer... I'm sure you have your own list. Remember, adults should be a good example for kids, so if your kids see you at your worst... what have they learned?
Let's take deep breath, relax, realize all will be okay, and show how patient we can be. Not always easy!!!
-Bloomington Bird Lady
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With some nice summer weather and more freedom to go places and do things that we haven't been able to for so long, it's easy to get too busy and forget that we have neighbors who are still struggling to feed their families.
The need is always great and helping is so easy, by donating food and essentials to VEAP and dropping them off at TLC. The bins are inside and you're welcome to come into the church with your donations. Please wear a mask if you're unvaccinated.
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Thoughts by Pastor Al Dungan
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Who Wrote the Bible?
-A Continuing Series-
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As Jacob traveled toward the east he came to a well where there were several flocks of sheep. As he waited there, Rachel, the younger daughter of Laban brought her flock to be watered.
Jacob was immediately stricken with her beauty and came up and kissed her.
From that point the story went downhill at a rapid pace.
Laban had two daughters, Leah (who had beautiful eyes) and Rachel (who was graceful and beautiful). Jacob was in love with Rachel and agreed with Laban to work seven years for him in order to have Rachel as his wife.
On the night of the wedding, Laban substituted Leah, the older daughter, and when Jacob woke up in the morning to discover the older sister in bed with him he was more than a little unhappy. But Laban said that it was the custom in his land that the younger daughter couldn’t be married before the older. He pulled a tricky switcheroo.
The cheater had been cheated.
Jacob then agreed to work another seven years for Rachel and was given her for his second wife.
Both wives each had a maid and if you thought the story was convoluted at this point there was definitely more to come.
Leah had four sons in succession: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah.
This was intolerable for Rachel who, as the story goes, God allowed her to be barren. So she gave her maid, Bilhah, to him so that she might have children through her maid.
This was not an unheard of practice in those times. Remember that when Sarah couldn’t conceive, she gave her maid Hagar to Abraham for the same purpose. And just as in the case of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar so also in the case of Jacob, his two wives and their maids, it caused internecine warfare between them to see who could have the most children at the expense of the other.
In addition to the above-mentioned four sons of Leah, there were the sons of Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali; the sons of Zilpah: Gad and Asher; another son and daughter of Leah: Zebulun and Dinah. Finally, Rachel was able to conceive and bore a son, Joseph and later another son, Benjamin and died giving birth to him.
Too put it mildly, it was a family zoo and one never knew from one day to the next what stew of problems would boil over. They put a capital D in the word dysfunction.
But the best (??) is yet to come. And that’s what I’ll relate next week.
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Transfiguration Lutheran Church
Addiction Awareness
Team
-Our Mission-
This ministry exists to provide a safe environment for those seeking hope and restoration from addiction and codependency.
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As Minnesota is opening back up, so are support meetings including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Several groups that have been meeting virtually for the past 15 months are now meeting in person. You may find an AA meeting near you by accessing the Greater Minneapolis Intergroup AA website at: https://aaminneapolis.org/meetings/. There you are able to search for meetings in your area, by day of the week, time of day, men’s meetings, women’s meetings or mixed, and yes….some groups are still meeting via Zoom if that is your preference. Similarly, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are opening some of their gatherings for in-person meetings. You can search for NA meetings at this website: https://findrecovery.com/na_meetings/mn/minneapolis/. There are so many options available, you are certain to find one that suits you!
If you are new to recovery or are just interested in finding out what AA or NA meetings are all about, and would like for someone to attend a meeting with you for the first time, please contact our group. We are here to support and guide you!
- Chris Campo
- Dave Dickson
- Al Dungan
- Mary George
- Griffin Myslivecek
- Louise Olson
- Beth Rahn
- Rick Zeidler
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- June 16-20 –Our annual TLC guided trip out of Ely. Suggested contribution $200 per paddler. Open to: Youth finished 6th grade and up. Adults. Younger kids with a parent accompanying. Sign up soon – spaces still available!
- August 2-7 - Partnering with Wilderness Canoe Base. Suggested contribution $300 per paddler. NOW FILLED! Contact Pete Erickson (perickson@tlcmn.com) to add your name to the waiting list.
- August 28-31 – Family Mission Camp at Wilderness Canoe Base. Approx. cost $100 per person. Open to: All ages and abilities.
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Meals on Wheels is a non-profit service organization with a simple mission: to provide hot, nutritious mid-day meals to people in Bloomington and Eden Prairie who are elderly or disabled, homebound and unable to manage their own meal preparation. TLC has supported Meals on Wheels since 1971 with volunteers and funding.
During the pandemic it has been a priority to make sure that all of our neighbors receiving meals did not see a disruption in service. MOW was able to handle an increase in meals delivered with safety protocols in place.
Volunteer drivers from churches, corporations and the community continued to give their time week in and week out. Delivery routes increased from 11-12 routes and in April of this year over 2,800 meals were delivered, the most since August of 2005. Funding sources have grown more vulnerable with the changing financial landscape so we know the money raised at TLC through the One+One Benevolence Campaign will be greatly appreciated. $9,000 will be given to MOW following the wishes of the congregation.
The success of MOW is reliant on the volunteers who deliver meals and we thank all the drivers from TLC who volunteer to drive as needed once every six weeks.
For more information about becoming a driver for MOW, please call one of the following: Ingrid Swanson (952-944-5696) or Jo Benson (952-884-9881) or email blepmn@gmail.com.
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TLC Memorial Garden
A place of peace and reflection, honoring and remembering those close to our hearts. Please click here to visit our website dedicated to those who have passed on -- from 2012 to the present. Each person -Saint- has a page with their obituary, video photo collage, the funeral service bulletin, homily, photo album, and in more recent years, a video of the entire funeral service that was held at TLC.
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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. 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
A Culture of Diversity and Inclusion
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