June 2013

Five things I learned [or re-learned] in confirmation this year: 5. Snacks are important. Dr.Pepper and anything with sugar are very highly favored. Red vines make some youth super excited; others not so much. Ice cream sundaes top the list. 4. The youth are asking BIG questions and it is super important that we listen and share our own questions. We are bombarded by studies that say youth and young adults dont believe in God; studies that say they are leaving the church at record rates. One of the reasons these studies cite is that the church is not an open place for questioning and doubt. The youth are filled with questions about faith and the Bible and what it means to be a Christian; the church needs to be a safe place for those questions. We need to listen. 3. Blessing each other even if it ends in a fit of giggles in a holy thing. At the end of each confirmation class, we stand in a circle and bless each other with the sign of the cross on each others foreheads. Sure, its a little awkward. Sure, sometimes we laugh. But it is an action grounded in our identity as children of God. Its a holy place. 2. Confirmation isnt only about seventh and eighth graders; its about the whole family and the whole church. We rely on parents and grandparents to bring the youth to church on Wednesday nights. We rely on adults to be present as leaders during the class time. We hope that what is talked about in confirmation is taken home in conversation. We also need the whole church on board, listening to the youth voices and inviting them to be a part of the whole community, not just the Wednesday night kind. 1. Red Oak Grove has a great group of children and youth. Your support for them and their ministry is incalculable in their lives of faith. Thank you for the support you have given and will continue to give to these awesome confirmation students. You are sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the + cross of Christ forever. Pastor Lindsay

Red Oak Grove Council Meeting May 14, 2013

In attendance: Nancy Schwartz, Ardell Swenson, Diane Maxwell, Bill Maxwell, Pastor Lindsay, Gary Ulland, Bob Kittelson, Dean Christianson, Shad Rudlong, Larry Helgeson, Scott Basness. The Council Meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. Pastor Lindsay led devotions. Pastors Report: Confirmation is wrapping up and so is Sunday School. Potluck brunch planned for Sunday to celebrate the last day of Sunday School. Wear red and wear a hat! Day Camp is planned for this summer on one Wednesday in June, July and in August. Pastor will be on vacation June 14 th through the 21st. Tammy Harber and Pastor will work on a new pictorial directory. One wedding is planned for next spring. There were two funerals, 15 visits, one internment and one baptism this past month. Secretarys Report: A motion was made, seconded and passed to accept the report. Treasurers Report: A motion was made, seconded and passed to accept the report. Coffee money will be used for the Improvement Fund. Next years offering envelopes will not have Improvement Fund envelopes. After hymnals are paid for, there will be $2,000 left to go towards the new doors and the remaining Roof Fund will pay for the remainder of the door cost. WELCA Report: Strawberries were cleaned Sunday for the Strawberry Festival. $50 will be given for each camper going to camp. Deacons Report: None Trustees Report: Galen Peterson will be the auctioneer for the September church auction. Old Business: Historian job description discussed. Pastor will order the new hymnals. The old hymnals that were donated can be given back to the family with the remaining hymnals being available to the congregation. Collection period for the auction will be from the middle to the end of July. New Business: Motion made, seconded and passed to accept Laura Tjomsland to finish out Katie Zipses secretary term. Motion made, seconded and passed to open an Improvement Fund. June 8th from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. bring rakes and leaf blowers to the church for a spring clean up. On June 9th, Amanda Herdina will be presenting information on her up-coming move to Rwanda. An offering plate will be placed in the back of the church for donations for Amanda. A motion was made, seconded and passed to adjourn the meeting. Meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m. The Lords Prayer was prayed. Respectfully submitted, Diane Maxwell - President

Upcoming:

June 8th: Clean-up Day at Red Oak Grove is scheduled for June 8th starting at 9 a.m. Please bring rakes, leaf blowers etc. We will be picking up sticks and cleaning the flower beds around the church. June 9th : We will hear from Amanda Herdina as she prepares to go to Rwanda to serve the children and people there. She will speak during worship and greet people afterwards. A freewill offering will be taken for her mission. A formal presentation from Amanda will follow the coffee hour at 11 a.m. A lunch will follow. June 11th: Red Oak Grove will have its 72nd Annual Strawberry Festival on June 11th. Work days have been scheduled for June 9th when we will peel and cook potatoes and eggs. June 10th we will be setting up for the Festival starting at 8:30 a.m. Remember your bake sale items. Waiters and waitresses are needed from 3:30-7 p.m. on June 11th. If you can help out, please let Karen Johnson know. June 30th: PLEASE NOTE that due to a scheduling conflict Big Ben and Brian will lead us in a polka worship service on Sunday, June 30th. We have received many positive comments on this service and are glad they will be with us again. Bring your dancing shoes!

New Members:
We give a hearty welcome Connie Benson who has recently joined Red Oak Grove! Know of anyone else who is interested in joining? Ask them, encourage them, and let Pastor Lindsay know. We will seek to have a New Member Sunday in the fall.

Pastoral Acts Thank you

Funeral Keith Larry Schewe May 11th

Bernice Thompson thank you?

Please also note:

Pastor Lindsay will be on vacation from June 15th through June 21st. If you have a pastoral emergency, please contact Pastor Dick Hegal at 507.583.2527. A generous memorial has been given to Red Oak Grove to purchase new hymnals. They will be ordered soon. Also, new doors will be put in on the north and south ends of the Sunday School hall from the same memorial gift. The new shingles have been put on the parsonage and insulation added. Thank you to all who have been a part of making these projects happen! The Boys and Girls Club of Blooming Prairie has many needs. A list of them can be found on the bulletin board. Proceeds from the 3rd Annual Blooming Prairie Ribfest Cook-Off will go to the club. The Cook-Off is June 29th at the Servicemens Club. To sign up call Eric Lofthus at (507) 251-9951.

CYF at ROG is doing things in THREES this summer

1. Day Camp returns! Day Camp will meet at ROG three Wednesdays throughout the summer: June 26th, July 10th, and August 7th. Save those dates and watch your mailbox for registration information! Want to help? Many volunteers will be needed! Let Pastor Lindsay know if youre willing. 2. Summer Stretch! Whats Summer Stretch? Its for youth who have completed 6th grade through 12th grade. Summer Stretch will consist of THREE events s-t-r-e-c-h-e-d throughout the summer. We will kick it off on Saturday, June 29th with a day trip to the Cities for a session at Feed My Starving Children and an afternoon at the Mall of America. Other events in the summer will include a campout and biking on the Root River. Watch your mailbox for more info! 3. Summer Sunday School! On three Sundays during the summer, please join us following worship for super fun special sessions of Sunday School. Watch your LOG calendar to know the dates. The first is coming up on June 16th and will be led by Tammy Harber. Would you like to lead a Sunday in July or August? Talk to Pastor Lindsay.

Also
Thank you to those of you who joined us for the first CYF Team meeting last month. There is still room for you to serve on this team which meets quarterly to evaluate and plan the CYF ministry at ROG. Please talk to Pastor Lindsay if you are interested. Youth are needed to help serve at the Strawberry Festival on June 11th! Confirmation students should especially consider this service project. Talk to Pastor Lindsay or Karen Johnson ASAP. It will be fun! Check out the youth bulletin board in the education hallway to see what the children and youth of ROG have been up to in the past year! Heres a sneak peak at our awesome confirmation youth