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CREATED TO BE DISCIPLES
Recently, I was walking through my house and came across a small army of minions that were lined up along the window ledge. I assumed one or more of my children was responsible. If you aren’t familiar with minions, they are small, yellow, cylindrical creatures from the "Despicable Me" movie franchise. They are known for their mischief, their childlike behavior, and their love for bananas. They have become beloved fictional heroes as they are loyal, fun-loving, and often clumsy. The minions are henchmen in service to their boss, a supervillain turned hero named Gru. My kids had taken time to line these minions up and then to declare that they are “not for sale.” Stumbling on this was endearing for me; I love to see evidence of their playful creativity. But then I wondered: what was going on here? Who was trying to buy the minions in this make-believe context of theirs?
As we draw to the end of the summer worship series, Created to Be, we are focused on how we are created to be disciples. Our bravery, freedom, authenticity, and disruptive characteristics allow us to follow Jesus in true discipleship. Of course, a minion is not very different from a disciple. They tend to be a little more yellow and a little funnier than most of us are. But as disciples of Jesus, we could certainly say that we are minions of Jesus just as easily as we say that we are followers of Jesus. Which makes me wonder: are we for sale?
A while back, I was listening to an interview with a Muslim man. As he described certain aspects of his life, he said that he often is asked by others: are you an American Muslim or a Muslim American? The question is designed for him to reveal his priority, which identity his real loyalty is tied to and which just serves as an adjective. And while that is a question that is not often asked of American Christians or Christian Americans, what is our priority? Of all the things that make claims on our identity, that beg for our attention and time, what are our top priorities? And while some of them may not often conflict with our faith, the image of the minions lined up reminds us that evil is always lurking somewhere nearby.
I shared in a recent sermon a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was one of the faithful individuals who protested the many atrocities of Nazi Germany. He clearly knew that as a minion of Christ, he was a German Christian, yet he understood how deep a struggle it can be when our faith conflicts with other aspects of our identity. Bonhoeffer wrote: "Christians in Germany will have to face the terrible choice of either willing the defeat of their nation in order that a future Christian civilization may survive, or else willing the victory of their nation and thereby destroying our civilization and any true Christianity. I know which of these alternatives I must choose."
Seeing that these plastic minions were not for sale was a lighthearted reminder of the serious choice that we all have as followers of Jesus. Is our identity as a disciple a primary part of who we are, or can that be compromised when we face hard choices? It turns out there is a reason that this worship series reminded us that God created us to be brave, free, authentic, and disruptive. We will need all of those things as we strive to be a minion of Jesus.
- Pastor Justin
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DIRECTOR OF FAITH FORMATION HIRED!
Vinje is excited to announce the hiring of Erica Mathews as our new Director of Faith Formation. Erica, who grew up in Willmar, joins us from Calvary Lutheran Church, where she has held leadership roles for numerous years. In her new role, Erica will collaborate with Vinje volunteers, parents, pastors, and staff to coordinate programs that foster spiritual growth for children and youth.
We are eager to see Erica's leadership in action with Wednesday Live, Confirmation, and the high school youth group. While our pastors and volunteers will continue their involvement, we are thrilled to have Erica on board, especially after the recent growth of these programs. Last year, we saw a 30% increase in Confirmation attendance, a 13% increase in Wednesday Live attendance, and a doubling of high school youth group participation. Erica is also interested in exploring new ministry options for families with young (preschool) children, which we believe will enhance our faith formation offerings at Vinje.
Erica lives in Willmar with her husband, Mike, and their children, McKenna, Brooklyn, Aria, and Asher. She spends most of her free time taking her girls to dance competitions or her son to soccer. Erica is dedicated to making youth of all ages feel like a part of the church and loves seeing how deeply they want to participate and grow in God’s love.
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REGISTER FOR WOMEN’S FALL BIBLE STUDY
MONDAYS OCTOBER 7-DECEMBER 2 | 12:30 PM | ROOM 102
Join us for a bible study based on Images of the Spirit. This study looks at word pictures of the Holy Spirit from Scripture in an effort to expand our understanding of the holy trinity. This Bible study is open to any women in the congregation. It’s an opportunity to practice multi-generational ministry. If you are interested in participating in the Fall Women’s Bible Study, please contact the church office at (320) 235-1441 or by email by September 12th so study guides can be ordered. You are welcome to contribute towards the purchase of study guides ($10 each) if you’d like.
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COMMUNITY WORSHIP SERVICE
SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 | 10 AM
ROBBIN’S ISLAND
Mark your calendars for August 18 and join Vinje, Bethel, Calvary, and Paz y Esperanza for worship at Robbin’s Island. Since we are so excited to worship together, there will be no worship services at Vinje that morning. Grab your lawn chairs or blankets and join us for worship!
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SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE
NOW-AUGUST 22ND
We are once again collecting school supplies for our local schools as well as for our Loving Arms preschool program. Some suggested items are: crayons, markers, pencils, watercolor paints, glue, glue sticks, folders, notebooks and scissors (of course, all supplies are welcomed and will be put to good use). Thanks!!
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VINJE PROVIDING PASTORAL SUPPORT FOR KERKHOVEN LUTHERAN CHURCH
At their July meeting, Vinje’s Council signed a one-year agreement with Kerkhoven Lutheran Church to provide pastoral services. Kerkhoven’s previous pastor resigned in the spring, and our Synod suggested the possibility of the congregations working together. This agreement follows multiple conversations among the leaders of Vinje, Kerkhoven, and Saint John’s and is designed to provide interim pastoral coverage for Kerkhoven as they determine their next steps.
We live in a changing world, and "being church" is certainly different than it was even ten years ago. Smaller congregations in rural communities are finding it very difficult to call a pastor in the same way they did in the past. Vinje is blessed to be able to share quality preaching and worship leadership with our neighbors during this transitional time. The relationship Vinje has with Kerkhoven will be much the same as the relationship Vinje has with Saint John’s.
Throughout this process, we have been careful to ensure that adding Kerkhoven to our pastor’s preaching schedule does not reduce the amount of time they preach at Vinje. To achieve this, we will add a very part-time preacher to our team. This will fill the gap in the schedule created when Pastor Seyward completes her time with us and focuses on her role as Synod Minister.
As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to any of the pastors or your council leaders.
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VINJE QUILTERS
Vinje Quilters will not meet in August but will begin meeting again on Thursday, September 12th at 9am. All are welcome! Join us!
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LOVING ARMS UPDATE: WE’VE GOT OPENINGS!
We are thrilled to be fully staffed which means we’ve now got openings at all three locations (Loving Arms at Vinje, Discovery Hill on the MinnWest Campus and Praise & Play at Faith Lutheran in Spicer)! If you or someone you know is looking for care for your children in the Willmar or Spicer area, call or email Samantha today at 320.235.7271 or samanthar@vinjechurch.com.
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Make sure to turn off and unplug items when they're not in use. The socket draws electricity even when items are "turned off." Some items that are often plugged-in when not in use are blow-dryers, phone chargers, electric kettles, and coffee pots. Other items that are often left in the "on" position when not in use are televisions, computers, and video game consuls. Using the battery-saving function on smart phones and computers helps them last longer, as well as saves energy. Look around your house and find what can be unplugged. You might be surprised by your energy savings! This is from the Creation Justice Ministries newsletter, 52 Ways to Care for Creation, 1/1/21
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Here’s what happened at the July 22nd meeting:
- Received an update on tree removal at the Vinje Cemetery.
- Approved a one-year agreement with Kerkhoven Lutheran Church to provide interim pastoral services.
- Received a report from the interview committee on the hiring of Erica Mathews as Director of Faith Formation.
- Confirmed new insurance coverage. The coverage comes with a higher deductible and a significant increase in the premium due to changes in the insurance industry.
- Discussed plans for August 18th worship at Robbin’s Island.
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EXPLORING VINJE'S HISTORY
This month Pastor Andrés tracked down another “Vinje.”
When visiting with Shirley Brandt, she told me that she used to stop by a place in Iowa called “Vinje” long before she and her husband Don settled in Willmar and decided to join our “Vinje.” There was a grocery store there called “Vinje” where her family had shopped at.
I came home after visiting with Shirley and googled “Vinje.” Shirley was of course right. “Vinje” is not only our church. It is also an unincorporated community in Logan Township, Winnebago County, Iowa, near the Iowa/Minnesota about 170 miles south of Willmar.
The current population of Vinje, IA is two, and it hosts two important institutions that are located .2 miles from each other, Bethel Lutheran Church, founded in 1878, also called by people in the area as “the Vinje Church,” and the “Vinje Pub and Grub.”
I spoke with Darris Peterson, a Bethel Lutheran Church council member who had lived in the area his whole life. He did not know about our “Vinje.” The place, he told me, was named “Vinje” after a person called “Vinje,” who was one of the first residents of the area. That “Vinje” was the son of a Norwegian immigrant who named him after the place in Norway he had come from, presumably the same place the founders of our “Vinje” came from.
Darris told me that they worship at Bethel Lutheran Church every Sunday, and that the Vinje Pub and Grub is a thriving business, with many friendly patrons and known for its excellent burger. It is not located on a main highway, so people have to know about its existence in order to find it. Darris shared that prior to becoming the Vinje Pub and Grub, 25 years ago, the building was once a grocery store, likely the store that Shirley remembered.
Shirley’s daughter, Renee confirmed that her mom grew up on a farm in Leland, Iowa, 11 miles south of Vinje, and that they had relatives in Lake Mills, approximately 10 miles southeast of Vinje. Lake Mills, with a population of 2,100, is one of the bigger towns in the area. Many of the worshipers at Bethel Lutheran Church in Vinje drive from Lake Mills, Darris explained.
If you happen to be close to “Vinje” in Iowa, please pay it a visit. They worship at Bethel on Sundays at 10 am and the Vinje Pub and Grub is open from Friday to Monday.
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Make a one-time contribution or set up reoccurring giving here. Need help? Call the church office!
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VINJE ON THE GO!
RADIO Listen on Sundays at 9:30 am on KWLM, 1340 AM.
INTERNET Catch worship or our podcasts anytime right here.
TV Watch local access channel, 180 Sundays at 2:30 pm and 8:30 pm and Tuesdays at 8 am and 5 pm.
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