February 2013

PPPPASTORASTORASTORASTOR’’’’S S S S CCCCORNERORNERORNERORNER By Pastor Diane Roth

I‘ve been working on this sweater (as in, knitting) for over two years

now.

I didn’t start out wanting to learn to knit sweaters. I started out wanting to learn to knit socks. But when I would go to the yarn store to buy yarn, or ask a question, or just knit together with other people, there would always be these beautiful sweaters hanging up all around the shop. Many other people would be working on their sweaters, which gave me the impression that someday, I too, might be able to knit a sweater. The store owner would also say to me, over and over, “I don’t understand why you aren’t knitting sweaters.” Other people would say to me, “Your stitches are so even and pretty”, a form of flattery that often makes people decide to do something they were not going to do at first.

It was not long after I broke down and decided to knit a sweater that my colleague decided to retire. Perhaps that is why it is taking me so long to finish the sweater. Perhaps not.

The sweater is going to be a pretty green tweed wool. The yarn feels in my hands as if it would

make a good sweater for a cold day like today. I now have a back, two side panels, and two sleeves. I am now learning how to sew seams in knitting, which is not as easy as it might sound.

When I wonder if I will ever finish this sweater, I think two things: I think of the beauty of the yarn, and I imagine what the sweater will look like when it is finished. Sometimes that keeps me going. Other times, it is the people at the yarn store, who tell me they will not allow me to quit. I don’t know what they plan on doing, actually. I imagine them hunting me down where I am hiding with my miserable unfinished sweater, and threatening me with those shiny circular needles they like so well.

One thing is certain: I didn’t know what I had gotten into when I bought those nine balls of yarn and began. I didn’t know what I had gotten into, and if I had, perhaps I wouldn’t have begun at all.

So it is often a grace that we don’t know what we are getting into when we begin. No one asks us if we want to be born, and, in my tradition, at least, most of us don’t have the opportunity to be asked

if we want to be baptized. Our parents, for better or for worse, just bring us to the font – and there were are – smack dab in the middle of the mission of God.

Even those of us who get to answer the question, “Do you want to be baptized?”, and answer, “Yes” - I’ll wager really don’t have any idea what they are getting into. Do we really know what the baptismal life is all about? It is a life where we

reflect the glory of God, a life where we sometimes walk on long and lonely roads, a life where we might be caught standing around in a circle saying prayers at a cemetery on the coldest day of the year. Sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes we might even be tempted to give up.

In those times, I imagine our brothers and sisters in Christ, saying to us, “We will not let you give up. You can do this. You reflect the glory of God in your life. You do. We can see it.”

So, I’ll let you know when I finish the sweater. And you reflect the glory of God in your life. Preach it to one another. Let’s keep each other going.

Quilters Need Your Help The quilting group at Woodlake would love some helpers to come and help tie quilts. No need to be and expert, they will show you how. They meet Tuesday mornings at 9:00am in Room 4. Please call Delores Cornelius at 952-949-8831 if you would like to come, or just show up!

Timberlodge on Feb 5Timberlodge on Feb 5Timberlodge on Feb 5Timberlodge on Feb 5 Timberlodge Day is here again! Come on February 5 and help Woodlake by eating at Timberlodge. They will donate 15% of the cost of your meal to Woodlake just for your coming on that day. Plus, other Woodlakers will be there, and you’ll have fun!

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Sunday School Sunday School Sunday School Sunday School ScoopScoopScoopScoop

SPREAD A LITTLE LOVE TODAY! Spread a Lot of Love in an easy

way! This month, Children's Ministry is sponsoring a fundraiser that will allow everyone to spread a little more love this Valentine's Day! The children of Woodlake (and their supportive parents,) will be spending Sunday afternoon, February 10th, from 11:15-1:15, lovingly creating home-made valentine cards. Beginning this Sunday, January 20th, pick up your order form in the church office! On the form, there will be a place for you to provide: ~ a name and address for your Valentine. ~Then, here's the cool part....wait for it… We will

create a custom card and send it FOR YOU! ~Individual cards will cost $3 each (this will

include the stamp, so that's WAY cheaper than Hallmark)!

~ You can also purchase a 4-pack for $10! There is no reason not to participate! Pick up your form soon!

Parents and kiddos: This is going to be successful, so we will need all hands on deck on Sunday, February 10th. We will have a Snacks

Potluck to keep us "fired-up" and creative. Plan to bring your energy and a bag of chips, cookies, or another fun treat!

Congregation: Donations of Valentine paper, stickers, ribbon, and other notions will be gratefully accepted through the 10th of

February!

DUE TO ASH WEDNESDAY (yes, already,) there

will be no Children's Choirs on Wednesday, February 13th!

LOOKING FOR A CREATIVE OUTLET? The Lenten

Photo Exhibit will begin soon. The participation in the Water Marks exhibit from last year was so awesome! Let's see if we can do even better this year. :) Watch for a theme and guidelines to be published in the bulletins on upcoming Sundays. Hope we have piqued your curiosity!

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Finally, thank you for your continued support of the Peace Cafe. The families are really enjoying the task, and the congregation has been so receptive to the change!

Financial Update$

BUDGET UPDATE A balanced budget in the amount of $685,875 was approved at the January 13, 2013 congregational meeting. This budget is based on 234 pledges totaling $489,953, as well as anticipated donations of over $85,000 by non-pledging members, plus other revenue sources. It is not too late for members who have not submitted their pledge to do so. By knowing more accurately what you are willing to commit financially, we are able to better plan for the future. Keeping your pledge current will help the church meet its financial obligations.

“OUR TIME TO REACH OUT” The REACH campaign currently has received 190 pledges totaling $347,350. With the addition of $15,300 from the Endowment Fund we now have a total of $362,650 pledged. So far, over $70,000 of these pledges has been received, and we are off to a good start on paying for the roof repair and sanctuary lighting. The heating system repair will be addressed with the return of milder weather.

SIMPLY GIVING Members are reminded that Woodlake Lutheran Church has an electronic option for making regular offerings. Through the “Simply Giving” program, contributions can be debited automatically from your checking or savings account. This program offers convenience for you and much-needed consistency for our congregation:

1. If you are currently giving on a weekly basis, you will no longer have to write out 52 checks a year or prepare 52 envelopes!

2. And, when you travel, or when illness or other circumstances prevent you from attending services, this program will allow your weekly offerings to continue on an uninterrupted basis.

See our financial coordinator Julie Windler about starting electronic giving at any time. By giving electronically we can all help conserve our natural resources that are consumed in the production, transportation, processing and disposal of paper checks. This program provides a unique and excellent connection between financial stewardship and environmental stewardship.

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Matins Programs for February 2013 Wednesdays at 9:00AM

Feb. 6 - Fred Johnson - The C.F. Ewing

(Steamboat) Lake Pepin Disaster

Feb. 13 - Kevin Cavanaugh - Bedbugs

Feb. 20 – Sara Dzisak ~ Making College Possible

Feb. 27 – Sandra Brick ~ Block Activity

(Social Security)

Feb. 21, 12:00 Noon – Luncheon & Show - Glenda Reid ~ The Glenda Reid Show - Variety of

Music

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Families…Make sure to check the youth web-site

(http://woodlakechurch.org/youth) for more

updated information. Important dates to put on

your calendar:

On February 8-9 we will have a small group of high school students attending a “Do Justice” retreat. At the retreat, the high school students will be in a journey of discovery, awareness and action around the realities, issues and solutions of homelessness, with special attention given to other factors that may accompany homelessness, such as: hunger, racism, health care and human trafficking.

The major goal of this retreat is to engage young leaders in conversations and shared learning, and also advocacy and shared solutions.

Feb 13: Ash Wednesday:

~ NO CONFIRMATION ~

~NO SENIOR HIGH YOUTH GROUP ~

Feb 16: 7-9 grades will be tubing. Watch for details in Confirmation in the coming weeks!

Feb 20 & 27 LENTEN SCHEDULE:

Confirmation 6:00-6:30pm Large Group 6:30-7:00pm Small Group 7:00pm Worship with small group High School 7:00-7:30ish Worship as a group 7:30ish-8:15pm Discussion

Mar 2 & 3: 8th Grade Retreat – Mailing will go out next week.

FAITH AND FICTION Our February book will be The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot. Next month,

watch for a full list of books for the remainder of the year. Please note: In March, we will meet one week earlier than usual (the 4th Thursday is Maundy Thursday); please mark your calendars for March 21.

A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY Remember getting cash for glass pop bottles? Well, now we can recycle our ink and toner cartridges at Staples, and they give us cash for them! Pretty easy. Please bring your old ink and toner cartridges to the Woodlake office for us to recycle. Thanks!

ADULT FORUM SPEAKERS Feb 3: Thomas Lalim – Historic Fort Snelling

Mr. Lalim will talk about the history of Ft Selling and his duties as Program Manager. He writes programs and/or manuals for places such as the summer day camps program for children. At Huck Finn Camp campers explore the book, The

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and its themes of adventure and fun through hands-on activities in the setting of the Fort.

Feb 10: Sherry Mohamed World Relief Minnesota

World Relief Minnesota assists refugees in their transition to the U.S. Sherry Mohamed is the director of Rajo (“hope”) Ministries, a ministry to Samalian refugees. She is from Somalia and so is uniquely positioned to reach out with understanding to Somalis and share what God has done in her life.

Feb 17: Lyall Schwarzkopf Race Records and Black Preachers Race records are actually phonograph records made by Blacks in the 20s and 30s. Many were made for fundraising purposes. Black preachers also made them so that the many Blacks who moved to the North after WWI would be able to hear preaching by Black preachers from the South.

Feb 24: DeDe Tollefsrud Faith and Work

DeDe is the Lead Business Analyst for Western National Insurance Group - The Relationship Company. She will share her story of how her faith life guides her work life.

ONE “FAMILY MOVING FORWARD”! From Interfaith Housing Collaborative

“Thank you for your gift of $1,000 for the Families Moving Forward

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program. Your generous support has an incredible impact on the lives of the families we serve, like Ciara’s. Ciera came to Families Moving Forward in February after she lost her job at Costco due to problems with her child care arrangement. (She) is now working as a receptionist, and she and her children live in a two bedroom house in Minneapolis.” Laura Vitelli, Dir. of Advancement

LENT BEGINS…WITH QUESTIONS Some people say that more important than having the answers is having the right questions. In fact, a good leader is known more by the questions he or she asks than by the answer they bring. Do you know that Jesus asked at least 40 questions during his ministry? At least.

During Lent on Wednesdays, we are going to consider, ponder, and wonder about some of the questions Jesus asked during his ministry. Every Wednesday, the theme will be a different question Jesus asked people, and that Jesus asks us as well. Some of the questions are: "What are you looking for?" (Ash Wednesday), Who do you say that I am?" "What do you want me to do for you?" "Do you love me?"

When we consider the questions Jesus asks us, our lives begin to be transformed, over and over again. And isn't that what Lent is all about?

P.S. Lent begins on Wednesday, February 13.

NEW MEMBERS!

Below is a list of our newest members here at

Woodlake. Please take the time to welcome

them!

Richard Arlen Carlson

8319 Russell Ave. S.,

Bloomington MN 55431

Ph: 952-884-3852

Karen Thompson Carlson

8319 Russell Ave. S.,

Bloomington MN 55431

Ph: 952-884-3852

Laura J. Kasper

Jessica L. Kasper ’99, Anna M. Kasper ’01,

Amanda L. Kasper ’06

3936 Brunswick Ave. S., St. Louis Park, MN

55416, Ph: 612-310-9054

Julie Ann Page

7530 Oliver Ave S. #5, Richfield, MN 55423

Ph: 612-388-6338

Cecilia A. Mylerberg

4401 W. 82nd St., Bloomington, MN 55437

Ph: 952-412-1540

Anne Rhoda Romstad

7501 Newton Ave. S., Richfield, MN 55423

Ph: 612-869-4137

Rebekah Elisabeth Grace Romstad

10840 York Ave. S., Bloomington, MN 55431

Ph: 952-866-0447

Carol Ann Stark & Todd Jeffrey Stark 10111 Clinton

Ave. S., Bloomington MN 55420 Ph: 952-884-

6665