Dear Friends,

This week we are called to ponder the over-the-top love of our God in The Story of the Prodigal. This isn’t a giddy, bubbly love, but one based on truth–it’s tough love really that begs us to be our best –wants us to be our best. The over-the-top love of our God can only come to fruition when we make the choice “to go home” realizing that we can only be our best selves with God’s help.

Come; celebrate with us the love of our God that allows us t be so much more than we could be alone.

Peace and love,

Pastor Kathy

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Readings:

• Joshua 5: 9, 10-12
• 2 Corinthians 5: 17-21
• Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32

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Note:  Remember to sign up for the Soup Supper after the 4:30 p.m. Mass on March 19!

Dear Friends,

Lent moves inexorably onward just as our earth in Minnesota struggles toward spring. The dark days this past week seem a good symbol for how at times we must wade our way through the Scriptures of this Lenten Season. We must always remember that the true Words of God are embedded between and beneath layers so that we might discover the truth of them as we are able.  Sometimes we don’t want God too close, so perhaps the top layer suffices, but as we grow into a mature faith; we will want to dig deeper and find the simple truth that we are mightily loved by our God.  Come; ponder this truth this week!

Peace and love,

Pastor Kathy

P.S. Our next soup supper pot-luck, Saturday, March 19 is coming up in 3 short weeks–let me know if you can join us!

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Readings: 

• Exodus 3: 1-8, 13-15
• 1 Corinthians 10: 1-6, 10-12
• Luke 13: 1-9

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Upcoming Events:

March 1- April 8–Minnesota Food Share Month–please be generous!

Dear Friends,

This week is our Saturday Mass at 4:30 p.m. followed by a pot-luck soup supper.

We continue our journey to Easter in this second weekend of Lent. We are encouraged, as Sr. Joan Chittister says, “To put on the mind of Christ” and in so doing, “put on the broken heart of the world.”   Our hearts are to become “generous and merciful” she goes on.  And finally;  “We are not here to simply wait for heaven; we are here to bring it” [!]  Our mission is clear from a prophet in our time. May we each be blessed as we strive to be our best selves, bringing heaven to the God we meet in each other.

Peace and love,

Pastor Kathy

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Readings:

• Genesis 15: 5-12, 17-18
• Philippians 3: 17–4:1
• Luke 9: 28-36

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Dear Friends,

With this Sunday; we move into the first full week of the holy season of Lent–a period of six weeks given us each year to reflect and to pray–to consider how we might better live our lives following our brother, Jesus.  As we move through this period in our Church year, it will become clear that the world doesn’t always understand, nor appreciate the radical love that Jesus asks of each of us–his life of love and his horrible death–a direct result of how he lived his life of love and concern for all will be laid out for us to consider.  But it won’t end in death–he will rise to new life on Easter–a wonderful, faith-filled journey that each of us, in our baptisms, are called to follow.  May you be blessed during these 40 days to follow Jesus with faith and with love–Pastor Kathy

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Readings: 

• Deuteronomy 26: 4-10
• Romans 10: 8-13
• Luke 4: 1-13

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Notice: 

Please remember this next week, Wednesday, February 17, 4:45 p.m. The Feast  at Central Lutheran Church–SEE DETAILS UNDER “NEWS ITEM.”

Dear Friends,

On this last Sunday before Lent begins (Wednesday, February 10); we are again challenged to stretch  and grow in our faith–opening our eyes wider to see our brother Jesus, everywhere. He only has hands, eyes and ears in this world if through us–a seemingly wonderful resolution for the days of Lent, to be his body in our world!

Come; celebrate the Word this weekend!

Peace and love,

Pastor Kathy

P.S. On February 2, the Church remembers the feast of St. Blaise, the patron of those afflicted with ailments of the throat. Pastor Kathy will bless throats after communion this Sunday.

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Readings: 

• Isaiah 6: 1-8
• 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11
• Luke 5: 1-11

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Upcoming Dates to Keep in Mind:

1. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 10, 2016.  Due to a conflict with our space, we will not have an Ash Wednesday service on this next Wednesday, but Pastor Kathy will give out ashes on this coming Sunday, February 7 and next Sunday, February 14 for those who wish to receive them. I am sorry for this change in our plans.
2. On Wednesday, February 17, 2016, at 5 p.m.,at Central Lutheran church, Pastors Corrine Denis and Kathy Redig will team up to present a short prayer service on gun violence during the community meal, The Feast. All are welcome to attend (SEE NEWS ITEM FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
3. February 20, Saturday Mass at 4:30 p.m. followed by a soup supper–a special notice will be going out to sign up for the soup supper
4. March 19, Saturday Mass at 4:30 p.m. followed by a soup supper
5. Schedule for Holy Week: 

• Palm Sunday, March 19, Saturday Mass, 4:30 p.m. followed by a soup supper
• Holy Thursday–Mass of the Last Supper, Thursday, March 24, 4:30 p.m.
• Good Friday–March 25, 4:30 p.m.
• Easter Sunday–Mass on Sunday, March 27 at 10 a.m.

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