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Transition Team Update    

April 30, 2025

Last Sunday your transition team gathered to talk through the results of the focus groups and began to lay out your priorities for the call committee and for our leadership as we prepare to welcome a new pastor into our community. Based on these priorities we will put together a report to the congregation, and we will present that report before worship on Sunday, June 15th. After that Sunday, the report will be available to everyone via enews and online. 

This means, for the most part, the work of the Transition Team is complete! Please join me in offering a HUGE amount of thanks to this team: Carla C, Rolf F, Dave I, Jan H, Dick M, Doris P, and chair Andrew T, for their hard work and leadership during this phase of our interim work together. 

A Ministry Site Profile (our congregation’s resume) Writing Team will be convened to put together our paperwork. This team will be made up of a small number of people from both the call committee and the transition team. The Call Committee is in process of being selected and will move into meetings this summer and fall. 

Please continue to hold this process in your prayers, that the Spirit moves in bringing the right person to be your next pastor. 

As always, I’m available for conversation and questions about this process as needed! 

Pr Natalia

A Place for You - Communion Class 

April 23, 2025

On Maundy Thursday we celebrated the mandate of Jesus, that we love one another as God loves us. And then Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, and together they shared a meal. 

Jesus’ command on that night to “do this in remembrance of me” was not to set a new standard for us to live up to or follow, but so that when we feel like God is distant, or hard to see, we can trust that there are certain places and moments where God has promised we will always be able to be with God. 

The communion table is one of those places. It’s one of those places where God has promised to show up, to be with us, and to remind us what love looks like. 

Yes, God is everywhere, but when we are having a hard time seeing God anywhere, we can come back to the table, and know that there is always, always a place for us to meet with God again.

 ECLC communes anyone at any age, stage, belief, or background. We set the table, but God is the host, and God welcomes all without exception. But sometimes we seek a little bit extra: extra space for questions, extra understanding, extra wonder and awe. If that’s you, we’re offering a communion class on May 4th, from 12pm-1pm in the fellowship hall. This is not a class you pass or fail, but a time to talk together about the meal that God hosts weekly and all the whats and whys that go along with it. Together we will learn and wonder and explore this gift from God together. All are welcome!

Pr. Natalia

Journey to the Cross

April 9, 2025

Last year during Holy Week, ECLC debuted a new event that was especially child friendly, and family focused. The goal of this event was for families to experience every aspect of Holy Week knowing that if they didn't return to church again until Easter Sunday, it wouldn't feel like any part of the Holy Week story was left out. With the decision made to retire the family services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, the "Journey to the Cross" event was born!

As we prepare for Holy Week, we'd like to extend an invitation to our second annual "Journey to the Cross" event that takes place on Wednesday, April 16th, from 5:30-7pm at church. This event is especially family friendly, but all ages are encouraged and welcome to attend! 

Together, we'll journey through the days and events of Holy Week leading up to Jesus' death on the cross and eventual resurrection. This year, participants will tell the story of Palm Sunday with play-doh, experience The Last Supper through foot washing and communion, share prayers, visit the empty tomb, and more! 

This is a drop-in / open house style event, so please stop by at any time between 5:30-7pm. We hope you'll join us for this experiential event and can't wait to journey through Holy Week with you! 

ECLC Travelers

April 2, 2025

So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.  Romans 12:5

As people of faith, we believe that, through Christ, we are all family.  This Friday, nine ECLCers are traveling to visit our siblings from Iglesia Luterana Cristo de Paz in El Salvador.
 
For the past 14 years, ECLC and Cristo de Paz (Christ of Peace Lutheran) in Galilea, El Salvador have been committed to building relationship with one another through prayer, visits, scholarship support for Cristo de Paz students, and learning from one another. 
 
Please  pray for Cristo de Paz and ECLC travelers.  

En Paz/In Peace, Deacon Lauren

Welcome Rev. Angela Denker

March 26, 2025

We’re thrilled to welcome Rev Angela Denker as our guest preacher and Community Enrichment teacher this Sunday, March 30, as a part of the launch events for her newest book, Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood, which released March 25, 2025. 

Pastor Angela is an ELCA Lutheran pastor and veteran journalist. Her first book, Red State Christians, was the 2019 Silver Foreword Indies award-winner for political and social sciences. She is a columnist for the Minnesota Star Tribune and has written for many publications, including Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post, and FORTUNE magazine, and has appeared on CNN, BBC, SkyNews, and NPR to share her research on politics and Christian Nationalism in the U.S.

Pastor Angela lives with her husband, Ben, and two sons in Southwest Minneapolis, where she is a sought-after speaker on Christian Nationalism and its theological and cultural roots. She also serves Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church in Minneapolis as Pastor of Visitation and Public Theology. You can read more of her work on Christian Nationalism, American culture, social issues, journalism, and parenting on her Substack, I'm Listening.

Lenten Bread, Soup, Celebration, Mystery, and More!  

March 19, 2025

Sunday Schoolers in grades 2-5 had a great time making communion bread this past Sunday with Community Enrichment during the education hour! Students measured, sifted, stirred, and formed communion bread loaves and then learned about the Last Supper and Holy Communion from Catherine and Dave. It was a messy but memorable morning together and we look forward to sharing the bread at upcoming worship services! 

As we continue to move through the Lenten season, there are a number of especially kid-friendly experiential learning opportunities coming up for all ages to enjoy. 

  • The Palm Sunday Festival will take place on Sunday, April 13th between worship services, and will offer a number of activities and experiences from learning how to usher, preparing a Holy Week countdown, and learning from ECLC's Eco Faith team and more. 
     
  • Journey to the Cross: Just a few days after the Palm Sunday Festival, we hope you'll join us on Wednesday, April 16th as we continue to move through the events of Holy Week. Come get your feet washed and experience the Last Supper, say a prayer or two for Jesus, and even meet Mary at the empty tomb! This is a perfect event for all ages, and we can't wait to see you there! 
     
  • Easter Vigil: On Saturday, April 19 at 7, gather for a service filled with movement to engage all the senses; an outdoor fire, a chanted proclamation by candlelight, telling rich stories illustrated by children and others, remembering our baptisms, and proclaiming CHRIST IS RISEN, INDEED!! 

Until then, we will gather at 6 PM each Wednesday for Soup Supper. For those who want to delve deeper into our theme, “Unbroken” bring your soup down to Creekside to explore key Lutheran teachings that sustain us in faith! We will wrap up in time for worship at 7.

Lent & Easter Community Enrichment Forum Lineup

March 5, 2025

As we journey through Lent and into the joy of Easter, our Community Enrichment Forums continue to offer opportunities for learning, reflection, and connection. Held between services on Sunday mornings, these sessions invite us to deepen our faith, engage with pressing issues, and strengthen our community.

Mark your calendars for these meaningful conversations and activities:

🔹 March 9 – Body/Spirit Connection in Times of Stress and Uncertainty with Ellie Roscher

🔹 March 16 – Intergenerational Communion Bread Making & Teaching on the Last Supper (Grades 2-5) with Katie Hendrickson & Pastor Jeff

🔹 March 23 – Update from the Transition Team with Pastor Natalia

🔹 March 30 – “Disciples of White Jesus; the Radicalization of American Boyhood”, with guest presenter and preacher, Pastor Angela Denker

🔹 April 6 – Centering Prayer with Rev. Susan Weaver

🔹 April 13 – Palm Sunday Festival! 🎉

🔹 April 20 – No Forum – Easter Sunday

🔹 April 27 – Eco-Faith & Earth Day: Threats to Wild Rice Production 

🔹 May 4 – Misinformation & How to Navigate It with Margaret Breen, Librarian with Hennepin County Libraries

🔹 May 11 – RIC (GLBTQ+ Inclusion) Panel Discussion with ECLC’s Reconciling in Christ Team

🔹 May 18 – Mental Health Under Stress with Sara Mize, PhD

🔹 May 25 – No Forum – Memorial Day Weekend

From hands-on learning with our youngest disciples to exploring eco-justice and spiritual practices, there’s something for everyone. We hope you’ll join us as we journey together through this sacred season! Watch for details each week in the E-news. 

Unbroken: A Living Faith

February 26, 2025

When so many people identify themselves as Christian how can we spend some time thinking deeply about what we really believe? What is the what? What are the foundational beliefs and how are they living and moving with us as we change and grow? 

Faith is passed down from generation to generation - it’s an unbroken line of ancestry that connects us all the way back to Jesus. The powers of the world wanted to break Jesus and yet this faith that we rest on is strong enough that they couldn’t do it. We are a part of this great Lutheran tradition that will not and cannot be broken. 

Using the seven teachings from the emerging work of A Living Catechism (a project of The Lutheran Center at St Olaf College) through worship and practice, this Lent in our midweek worship and fellowship we will explore how we are and always have been both/and people who: 

  • Value both Wisdom and Innovation.
  • Are Individuals with gifts and unique abilities and we are a part of a Community that is much larger than any one of us. 
  • Are Rooted and Growing. 
  • Are Grounded in Tradition and always Reforming 

We hope you join us at any or all of the following: 

Lent and Holy Week Schedule:

  • Ash Wednesday, March 5  
    • 12pm Spoken liturgy for brief prayers and Imposition of Ashes
    • 7pm Worship with Holy Communion 
  • Midweek Lent: 
    • March 12, 19, 26, April 2 & 9
    • 6pm Soup Supper and Conversation, 7pm Worship
  • Holy Week 
    • Wednesday, April 16, 5:30pm
      • “Journey to the Cross” - a family-friendly holy week experience 
    • The Great Three Days: 
      • Maundy Thursday, April 17 
        • 11:15am - Spoken liturgy, brief prayers, hand/foot washing
        • 7pm - Worship with Holy Communion
      • Good Friday, April 18 
        • 7pm - Service of Worship and Lament 
      • Holy Saturday, April 19
        • 7pm - Easter Vigil
    • Easter Sunday, April 20 
      • 8am, 9:30am and 11am - Worship with Holy Communion

66 West updates from Beacon Housing liaison Jeanie Thomas:

February 19, 2025

Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative continues to need and value our support for the residents of 66 West. Beacon was the first affordable housing of its kind in Edina in more than 20 years when it opened in 2017.  

For newish members, we’re happy to provide background as you like about the supportive permanent housing for formerly homeless youth and young adults that ECLC helped advocate for and ultimately build with Beacon. 

As we know, physical construction is only the start for youth experiencing homelessness.  Safe and affordable housing is the foundation.  Building on that is the community, goal setting and social skills, life skills and connecting with mental and physical health resources.  

Where we sustain these elements, it works for these youth.

 Beacon shared the following 66 West update for the program year ending in October:

  • 93% of residents reported improved health stability (66 West provides trauma-informed care, therapy, referrals and connections to health providers)
  • 71% of residents leaving 66 West exited to safe, stable housing.
  • 64% of residents were employed or in school during this report period. 
  • The current average resident age is 20.
  • The average entry income for residents is about $3600.

ECLC has shown up for Beacon in 2024 in many ways, including: 

  • We overfilled an ECLC table with supporters at the Light the Way Home luncheon.  I will share a luncheon date for 2025 as soon as I have it.  Hoping we can overfill two tables.
  • The quilters went above and beyond with their holiday fundraising for 66’s West’s Dale’s Closet, where new residents of 66 West “shop” for items they need to set up their 66 West apartment: sheets, pots, pants, toothbrush holder, etc.  Remember all the things you didn’t know you needed for your first apartment?
  • Additionally, the quilters donated over $1100 for move-in baskets for Bimosedaa (Ojibwe word that translates into “Let’s Walk Together)  downtown, culturally appropriate housing in downtown Minneapolis created in partnership with the Red Lake Nation.

 

Counter Hate: Send Some Love! 

February 12, 2025

In a time when public leaders, faith leaders, legislators, and advocates are facing stress, conflict, and even threats simply for standing up for truth, justice, and human dignity, we have an opportunity to respond in a way that is both simple and powerful: with love.

This Valentine season, let’s counter the hate with encouragement. Let’s remind our leaders that they are not alone, that their courage is seen, and that we stand with them. Whether it’s Bishop Mariann Budde, our own Bishops, or legislators who are working to protect democracy and human rights, a kind word can mean the world.

We invite you to write a note, send a card, or even craft a heartfelt email to those on the front lines. A few words of gratitude and support can shine a light in the midst of dark and difficult times.

Who in public leadership inspires you? Who could use a reminder that they are making a difference? This is our chance to flood the world with messages of hope, one Valentine at a time.

Need help finding where to send your note? Here are a few suggestions. 

Episcopal Bishop, The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde: mebudde@edow.org

Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA: Bishop@elca.org

Bishop Jen Nagel: Bishop of the Minneapolis Area Syond,  j.nagel@mpls-synod.org

Aubrey Thonvold, Executive Director of reconciling works: AubreyT@ReconcilingWorks.org

You can find your Minnesota legislator’s names and contact information here:  https://www.gis.lcc.mn.gov/iMaps/districts/

Transition Team Notes and Interim Update from Pr Natalia: 

February 5, 2025

Hi everyone! 

It was such a delight to present an overview of my interim work and an update on the Transition Team on Sunday at the Annual Meeting. For those of you who were unable to be with us, I wanted to make sure you had it here as well!

First, I believe (as Brene Brown taught me), that “Clarity is Kindness.” So if there are things that you have questions about, please don’t hesitate to ask. I think it’s important to be transparent and clear about what my role is, and what it is not, in order to prevent confusion. In that spirit, I’ve laid out a few things below: 

I’ll start with the role of the interim pastor. Not all Interim Pastor calls are the same. Of course they vary by what is needed in each congregation, but many of them fall into three categories: 

  1. Care: when there is grief, trauma, or even misconduct, this type of interim leader is brought in to do particular and specialized care work. They focus on healing within the system, and they often work to rebuild trust. 
  2. Place-holding: when there is no particular healing or no particular communal discernment to do, this interim leader comes in to bridge the gap between one pastoral call and another. 
  3. Discernment: when a congregation is at a crossroads, or wants to figure out what is next, this pastor is brought in to help lead the work of listening and helping a congregation discern who they are being called to be. 

Every interim is a little of all of these of course, as there is always grief when a pastor leaves, and there is always some placeholding and discernment to do in every transition. And yet, there is usually one that is the bulk of the call at each place. 

At this particular time at ECLC, my call is a combination of numbers 2 and 3. I’m doing some placeholding of pastoral roles (leading worship, etc) as needed, but the primary scope of my work is helping you all discern what is next, so that ECLC can call the pastor that will help you grow into who you are being called to be. 

Part of this early work, which was laid out clearly by leadership during the hiring process, was to create clarity in job descriptions, and to help move the CYF ministry out of interim into a settled position. I’ve been working on updated job descriptions for all of our full time and part time staff and rostered leaders. In that process we have updated the job description for the Director of CYF and will be posting it in the coming week. We do this intentional work of moving out of CYF Interim with immense gratitude for our Interim Director Katie Hendrikson, the ways she has faithfully served in this transitional position, and how she has helped the program grow and thrive, even while in her own pastoral call process.

Here is the expected timeline of the rest of my interim work at ECLC: 

The transition team will have our first meeting next week. During March and April we will convene a series of focus groups to listen to and learn from the people of ECLC. Please make it a priority to attend one of these. The team will prepare a report and present it to the congregation in May. I want to thank the members of the Transition Team, who we commissioned at our Annual Meeting on Sunday. I am so grateful for their willingness to participate in this work, and for their enthusiastic yes! 

In May-June, some combination of the call committee and transition team will gather to write the paperwork for the call process, and once that is done, the work moves from the transition team to the call committee. The members of this committee have not been chosen yet, though we do have a large list to choose from! As I am not on the call committee, my particular work during the call process will be working on some of the things we have identified as needs of the congregation, and some structural/system work in order to create the best call possible for your new pastor. The call committee will do their work in the summer and fall, and, barring any complications or setbacks, you will hopefully call a new pastor by the very early part of next year. 

Phew! As I mentioned above, the Transition Team will begin their work next week. Please join me in praying for this team and our work together on behalf of ECLC over the following months. 

Pr Natalia

2025 ECLC Annual Congregational Meeting

January 29, 2025


The Annual Meeting of the congregation will be held Sunday, February 2. Please note the alternative schedule:
  9:00 AM: Sunday School, Youth Forum, and Community Enrichment
10:00 AM: Worship with streaming online.
11:30 AM: Annual Meeting
Members are encouraged to attend as we elect officers, council members, delegates, and adopt a budget. The annual report, meeting agenda, and budget printed copies will be available at ECLC. 

A light brunch will be served following worship and before the annual meeting.

Sunday will be a big day at ECLC. New members will be received. We will dedicate commitments made to our 2025 annual fund. Last but not least, we will hold the annual meeting of the congregation! Come and celebrate, plan, pray, and live into God’s mission! 

RIC Sunday Special Guests

January 22, 2025

This Sunday, in addition to our EcoFaith focus, ECLC joins with over 1140 congregations across the US and Canada to celebrate Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Sunday. 

This is an annual (last Sunday in January) worship celebration created to share in the commitment ReconcilingWorks and partnering faith communities have in the ongoing work of welcome, inclusion, celebration, and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ people in the life of the church. For a fun bonus, this year (2025) marks the 40th Anniversary of ECLC becoming Reconciling in Christ. 

This year the Reconciling Works theme for RIC Sunday is Resilient Community.  (Feels timely and relevant!! Here is what they have to say about it: 

This year’s theme allows us to celebrate how far we all have come in difficult times while also reminding us we need to keep moving toward the goal of true inclusion. It focuses our attention on how community bonds and relationships sustain the individual members of the community, building resilience in institutions and individuals. When we work together for justice, communities are stronger; when we work together, people are stronger.

In honor and recognition of this day, the Rev Emmy Kegler is with us to preach the Gospel and share in the community and celebration what it means to be RIC. 

Emmy Kegler is a queer Christian, mama, wife, author, pastor, and speaker called to ministry at the margins of the church. She has published two books: One Coin Found: How God's Love Stretches to the Margins and All Who Are Weary: Easing the Burden on the Walk with Mental Illness. She currently serves as the interim executive director for Inside Out Faith, which promotes LGBTQ+ inclusion within faith communities, fostering a space where everyone can thrive spiritually and be embraced for their authentic selves.

On Sunday we also welcome Sarina Partridge as our guest musician and Adult Enrichment speaker.  Sarina is a song-leader and educator in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She says that she feels most alive when learning, creating and sharing songs, and enjoys singing with a wide variety of music projects - Eastern European and Yiddish song, old-time music, community song-leading... and everything in between. Sarina has traveled around the world to study with master folk singers.  She has a passion for connecting people with their own creativity and with community uses singing to help people develop a sense of wonder for this wild world around us.  She will lead songs during worship (it’s a Green Sunday and Reconciling in Christ Sunday) and engage us in community-building songs during Adult Enrichment.  

“A new definition of greatness…”

January 15, 2025

On February 4th, 1968, exactly two months before he was killed, the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr preached a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, which he titled: The Drum Major Instinct. It is not his most well-known sermon or speech, but it is, for me, the most powerful. Each time I hear it, read it, or even preach parts of it, I am impacted in a new way. 

When I was in seminary I took an elective on the sermons of Dr Martin Luther King. It wasn’t a popular class back then, only about 6 or 7 of us in it, but we spent the entire course learning about Dr King as a preacher, not just a great orator or justice worker. Yes, those things were also true and also mattered, but Dr King was a preacher first, and some of his most powerful images and ideas and stories came from sermons before they ever made it into his most famous and beloved speeches. 

While I think Letter from a Birmingham Jail is a metaphorical kick in the pants that many of us in the church could regularly use, when Dr King’s birthday rolls around each year, this is the one thing I always, always make sure I leave time to read or listen to. 

In it, Dr King calls us to wonder about our instinct to be first, best, in front - and how that may not always be a good thing. When we think we deserve more than someone else, this is a sign of this instinct in all of us. Instead of shaming his congregation for this instinct, Dr King encourages them to harness it for something else. 

I hope you’ll take a little time between this week and our MLK observed holiday on Monday the 20th, to listen to or read this sermon. 

I’ve included links below. I would love to hear your thoughts when you’ve finished! 

Pr Natalia

Links: 
A PDF of an abridged version and the full version can be found here. 
Audio of the sermon, if you’d like to hear him preach it, can be found here. 

January 8, 2025

“You belong to Christ, in whom you have been baptized.” 

This week in worship, as we commemorate Baptism of our Lord Sunday, we strive to celebrate that God’s promises in baptism are not only present on the day of baptism, but throughout our entire lives.  We, too, also make promises to support and share faith with the baptized throughout their journey.  This promise is reflected by our congregation showing up for one another, Sunday after Sunday, and forming community on the days of both joy and struggle in between.  

One such visible witness is the beautiful quilts prayerfully made by ECLC’s dedicated quilters and presented to the newly baptized.  These baptism quilts go home, specifically with babies and children, so that children may be wrapped in the love of this community even when they are not in ECLC’s space and as a reminder of how God is with us, wherever we are.   

This Sunday, all ECLC children are invited to bring a baptism quilt with them if they have one, or to receive one to use as they arrive to be wrapped in during worship on this Sunday.  Children who were baptized at other faith communities are also invited to bring any memento from their baptism or a baby blanket that has special meaning with them if they choose.  During the children’s sermon, ECLC quilters will be invited forward to connect with the children and the quilts they have lovingly made over the years, a visible witness that the care of ECLC’s community, like God’s love,  goes beyond the baptism day and carries throughout the life of the baptized.  Thank you, quilters!

On this day when we remember Jesus’ baptism, may we also remember the eternal promise that you, too, belong to God, and we are all wrapped with God’s unconditional love like a quilt on a cold day. 

January 1, 2025

New year, new you!

 
That’s how it goes right? 
Whether it’s resolutions or starting new things or trying to start the new year “right” (whatever that means) - the message is everywhere. 
We’re supposed to start the new year with all sorts of good intentions and resolve to eat better and exercise more and get more sleep and drink more water. 
And inevitably, (and statistically within a few weeks) they all fail. 
Now sure, we might create some changes in our lives, that does happen, and a New Year is a good marker for when to begin. 
But at our core, we’re still… us. 
We aren’t more or less loved. 
We aren’t more or less who we are. 
New year. Yes. That one is for sure true. 
New you? Well, maybe. 
The Bible talks about new things a lot actually: 
See? I am doing a new thing! - Isaiah 43:9
Behold, I am making all things new - Revelation 21:5
(Just to name two) 
What I love about these verses are that they remind me that GOD is the one doing new things all around me. Not me.  In fact, every time “new things” are mentioned in scripture it is always always God doing the new-making. 
And our role is made clear with the commands attached to these reminders that God is doing new things: See! Behold! 
As we turn the page on another year, maybe we can begin by simply seeing where God is already at work. Maybe we can see where God is making new-ness, even without our help! 
Phew! What a pressure release that is! What good news it is that God is doing all the new things. and I can look for them, notice them, and join in when it happens. 
Doesn’t that sound like fun? At the very least - a resolution worth making.

Happy New Year Everyone – 
Pr Natalia
 

The Advent season has begun! 

December 4, 2024

As we wait in hope, peace, joy, and love for the arrival of Christ into the world we will gather on Wednesday evenings around the theme of “The Way of the Manger,” an Advent Liturgy written and composed by Meta Herrick Carlson and Carol Meier. Included with this beautiful liturgy, we will also join our voices together with the familiar and beloved songs from Holden Evening Prayer. 

These worship services will help “prepare him room” and give us a space where we can leave the hustle and bustle of this time of year for some sacred space and song each week. 

But wait – there’s more!

Advent Wednesdays are not just for worship but also a chance for our community to gather and be together over food and fellowship beforehand (it IS soup season, after all). At 6pm each Advent Wednesday you may join us in the Fellowship hall for soup and storytelling, a chance to eat together and share tales of traditions and experiences from holidays past.  

We hope you’ll join us for one or all of these evenings together, as we prepare for Christmas at ECLC and in our world. 

A Thanksgiving Reflection from the Indigenous Rights Team

November 27, 2024

By Rita L, member of ECLC’s Indigenous Rights Team 

For many Native Americans, Thanksgiving is a day of mourning and protest since it commemorates the arrival of settlers in North America and the centuries of oppression and genocide that followed. Organized by the United American Indians of New England in 1970, Thanksgiving is recognized as the National Day of Mourning for Native Americans and their allies. It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection as well as a protest of the racism and oppression which Native Americans continue to experience.

But long before settlers arrived, Native tribes were celebrating the autumn harvest and the gift of Mother Earth’s abundance. Native American spirituality emphasizes gratitude for creation, care for the environment, and recognition of the human need for communion with nature and others. Those of us who are Settler-immigrants may reorient our view of the Plymouth feast as an opportunity to express gratitude to all creation and see ourselves as good guests of the Host Peoples of America and rethink our social posture with more humility.

Thanksgiving has the potential for us all to share our mutual humanity. If we can use the Thanksgiving holiday as a narrative for peace and friendship, then let's build upon that part of the myth without ignoring the historical truth of the big picture. The holiday can also be used as a grand myth or metaphor of hospitality to the poor, the disenfranchised, the new immigrant and all those who are considered "the other." 

With sufficient humility and mindfulness, Thanksgiving can become a time of reconciliation and healing.  By thanking the Creator and showing love to one another, we can begin restoring harmony. It can begin with a simple meal.

Wondering how to have conversations in your family about Thanksgiving, the myths around the holiday, and how to celebrate (or how not to)? Here are some resources for reflection:

 

A Season of Abundance: Living Generously Together

November 20, 2024

from Linnea Huinker, Minister of Stewardship

I live in a world of always looking at the other side of a coin, understanding other perspectives, seeking to understand, all while being optimistic for the best outcome. And so, it makes sense that this aphorism that is often shared by one of my favorite authors and podcasters, Gretchen Rubin, has always stuck with me; the opposite of a truth is also true. The days are long, but the years are short; Accept yourself, but expect more from yourself; Keep an empty shelf and keep a junk drawer…

So, try this one I just thought up: The most expensive and consumerism time of the year, is also the most giving and generous time of the year. 

Here we are at the end of November, we find ourselves with Give to the Max Day or Giving Tuesday, alongside Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and holiday shopping. Also, at the end of November, many are planning for 2025!  Budgets, New Years resolutions, updated annual performance goals, and the list goes on. At ECLC, this time of year, we prepare for our annual Stewardship campaign, where we make commitments to the future to assist with planning.

Another example of the aphorism that the opposite of a truth is also true: be present in the moment but also plan for the future! An annual stewardship campaign allows each of us to be present and reflect on the impact of being a part of this vibrant and wonderful ECLC community, which we hold so dearly. For me personally, worship has helped me feel centered during the recent times of change and division in our world, my kids continue to learn about the Good News through Sunday School and JAM Camp, my husband gets to share gifts through periodically playing in the band. In addition to what I benefit from this community and other gifts my household brings, I know specifically, my financial contributions are supporting ECLC’s mission, in which I wholeheartedly believe.

Households will receive their stewardship letters with commitment cards in the mail early next week. Returning your commitment card by December 15, will help us plan for our finances in 2025, to keep us a vibrant community and to fulfill our mission. As you complete the commitment card, I ask you to do the same, reflect on this year and think about your financial commitment to ECLC and our 2025 goals. Can you give a little more? Can you convert to automated giving? No gift is too small, give what you are able, as we just heard in the sermon a couple weeks ago about the widow who gave two small coins. Your generosity is a gift to our community. 

Advent Festival

November 13, 2024

In just a few weeks, churches around the world will celebrate the start of Advent. This church season is four weeks long and is a time of anticipation and preparation for the birth of Christ. Advent is often marked with reflections of hope, peace, joy, and love and lighting candles each week that represent the same themes. 

ECLC has a tradition of marking the season of Advent with an annual Advent Festival. This event typically takes place on the first Sunday of Advent. This year, the Advent Festival will be held on Sunday, December 1st, from 10:10-10:50am. As we mark the start of this sacred church season, there will be no Sunday School, Youth Forum, or Community Enrichment during the festival.

ECLC’s Advent Festival consists of a number of groups and activities for all ages and abilities. This year, the Advent Festival welcomes two of ECLC’s mission and ministry partners: Global Refuge and Meals on Wheels.

Global Refuge (formerly known as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services or LIRS) is a nonprofit organization that supports refugees and migrants entering the United States. Since 1939, Global Refuge has provided welcome and hope to more than three quarters of a million refugees.  At this year’s Advent Festival, Global Refuge invites you to write holiday cards to refugees that are in immigrant detention. 

Meals on Wheels is a program that delivers meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals and helps support seniors to extend their independence and health as they age.  At this year’s Advent Festival, Meals on Wheels invites you to color and write holiday cards to be delivered with meals during the winter holidays.

Other activities at the Advent Festival include a variety of art projects and crafts. This year, participants can create their own holiday decor, ornaments for the Christmas tree, and help create a community art display in ECLC’s fellowship hall. If you are interested in volunteering at the Advent Festival, you can sign up at the sign-up center or email Katie. 

Welcome Pastor Natalia

November 6, 2024

We look forward to welcoming Pastor Natalia Terfa as Interim Co-Pastor this week. Pastor Natalia brings many gifts to ECLC, including experience with children, youth, and families; passion for worship and preaching; and innovation in digital ministry. 

Watch your weekly e-news for updates as we go through a pastoral transition. Once Pastor Natalia has begun her ministry and is settled into her work, the Council of Ministers will form a Transition Team to prepare the congregation for the call process. The process to call a new pastor can take anywhere from 6 to 18 months. Follow this link to the process provided by The Minneapolis Area Synod. 

Voter Engagement Task Force Updates

October 30, 2024 

As we approach Election Day, we reflect on the work of the Voter Engagement Task Force.   Last spring the desire for a voter engagement team was raised.  Over the course of several months a proposal was given to and approved by the Council, an open call was sent out for members, and a Voter Engagement Task Force (VETF) was formed. We focused on the areas of logistics, advocacy, and education. Activities have included weekly themes at the Sunday morning VETF table, education about White Christion Nationalism and Project 2025, information about registration, where to vote, early voting, encouraging others to vote, presidential debate debriefs, engaging our youth with conversations on civic engagement, voting for the kids, sending hundreds of Get Out the Vote postcards and more.

Please join us in the sanctuary for Community Enrichment time this Sunday.  We will welcome a panel of ECLC members who serve as election judges and a poll observer who will share their experiences and insights on our election process at the precinct level. This will be an opportunity to learn from them and to express our gratitude for their service.

Following Election Day, our task force will conclude their work. Our individual and collective work does not end.  Watch for upcoming opportunities for continued learning and participation in advocacy and education about how we are church in the public square.

Thanks to everyone who engaged in this election season in many different ways. Gratitude is especially extended to our task force members.  

DISCIPLESHIP SERIES: Walking with Jesus and Growing in Faith

October 23, 2024

Join Pastor Jeff for a monthly series focused on walking with Jesus and deepening our faith. 
Sessions will be held on the first Monday evening of each month from November 4 to May 5 via Zoom, 
with some sessions also offering an in-person option.

We will use Rowan Williams' book, Being Disciples: Essentials of the Christian Life, as our guide. While reading the book is optional, a few copies will be available for loan from the library. The chapters are brief, totaling fewer than 100 pages.

Together, we will explore common practices that may hold greater meaning when we examine their history and significance. For example, we will discuss:

  • Why do we pass the peace in worship?
  • What does our financial giving mean for our spiritual lives?
  • How does confessing in worship impact our lives?

Participants will be encouraged to engage in intentional Christian practices between sessions, possibly stepping outside their comfort zones. Our goal is to thoughtfully consider what it means to be a Christian in today’s context and to deepen the meaning of our current practices.

House churches will also explore these themes. These first Monday of the month sessions led by Pastor Jeff and possibly Pastor Natalia will enhance those discussions.

You can join at any time, but we encourage you to commit to all seven sessions for a more enriching experience.   

Celebration of Pastor Anna

October 16, 2024

A wonderful celebration of Pastor Anna Helgen’s ministry was held on Sunday, October 13. Bishop Jen Nagel officiated at a liturgy of leave-taking. Following worship the celebration continued with brunch, tributes, singing, the presentation of gifts, and a blessing. We are deeply grateful for Pastor Anna’s nearly five years of faithful ministry at ECLC. She is going to be on leave from call to devote more attention to home and family. 

A full-time interim pastor has been selected to begin ministry at ECLC on Monday, November 4. More about Pastor Natalia Terfa and the transition plans will be coming from Council President, Carrie Henning Smith next week. 

A final note from Pastor Anna…

October 9, 2024

Dear Members of Edina Community Lutheran Church,

As I pack up my office this week, my heart remains full of gratitude for the ministry we’ve shared. I know the news of my departure came as a surprise to many of you. I’m grateful for your care for me and my family during this transition. Your words of affirmation and support—especially from those of you who have wrestled and made similar decisions throughout your lives—have meant so much to me. Several of you have asked me some questions about my departure from ECLC so I wanted to provide answers to some of the more frequently asked questions. 

Will we continue to worship at ECLC? 

The short answer is, no. The long answer is that as of October 13, I will no longer be a called pastor at ECLC. Leading worship, presiding at funerals and weddings and baptisms, walking alongside you in care relationships—those pastoral acts and tasks that I’ve been honored to share here these last five years will remain with the office of the co-pastorate, with Pastor Jeff and soon with Pastor Natalia. In order for the next pastor (both the interim pastor and the settled pastor) to be granted the opportunity to develop the relationships needed for them to serve successfully, it’s important for me (and my family) to find a new congregational home. This facilitates health and well-being for the congregation and its ability to move forward into its next chapter of ministry with new pastoral leadership. 

Is it okay to stay in touch with my family and me?

If you see me out in the world or at other community events, please say hello. I’d love to reconnect about life in those settings. You’re welcome to send Christmas cards or invite me to graduation parties or weddings or other celebrations as you would with others who have been part of your life. If questions arise regarding items at ECLC (perhaps related to finding a document or another question), please direct them to Pastor Jeff or the council president and they will follow up with me. 

What’s next?

After October 13, my status with the ELCA will be “on leave from call.” The ELCA allows pastors to be on leave from call for up to six years for family reasons. I plan to take several months (years?!) to rest and renew and reconnect with my family. I’m not sure what will come after that, but I trust God will reveal it.

I look forward to worship on Sunday and hope to see you at the reception following the 11am service. Thank you, again, for the honor and privilege of serving as one of your pastors!

Pastor Anna

Join Us For Court Watch                                 

October 2, 2024

You may have heard discussion in the media in the past couple months about our mission partner, Minnesota Freedom Fund (MFF). MFF pays cash bails and immigration bonds for those who can’t afford it so that wealth does not decide who is kept in detention and who goes free before trial.  

MFF is our mission partner because ECLC’s mission is to “give witness to love and justice at God's welcome table and in the world.” Also take a look at the ELCA’s Social Statement on Criminal Justice, which references bail eight times.  

The cash bail and immigration detention systems put a price on freedom that only a few can afford, effectively criminalizing poverty and fueling the growth of mass incarceration. Keep in mind:

  • All people detained in jail after arrest but before trial are legally presumed innocent in this country.
  • Only a judge decides how much bail a person must pay to be released to await trial.
  • Accused people who are wealthy enough to pay bail can be set free to await trial.

So far this year, MFF has paid 375 bails totaling $1,442,190 in more than six Minnesota counties, and 78 immigration bonds totaling $778,000 – and counting.

Join us to watch and witness part of the process in person! This fall, ECLC’s Pre-Trial Fairness team encourages any and all ECLC members to join us each month at Hennepin and Ramsey County Courts to observe hearings where detainees’ bails are set. Our goal is to bring the process into the light and help hold it accountable. We don’t hold signs or wear t-shirts or even speak. We take notes for MFF and use our privilege to show that someone is watching. We learn how a process —that is right under our noses, but often out of our sight — functions for our community.

Join a member of the Pretrial Fairness Team for Court Watch on these dates.  An ECLC Pre-Trial Fairness Team member will host each session. Register here with Minnesota Freedom Fund to attend. 

Thank you for your advocacy!

"Back in Action" 

September 25, 2024

The program year is off to a great start for Children, Youth, and Family Ministries! Activities began on Sunday, September 8th with a backpack and briefcase blessing and all were invited to pick out a tag for their bags as a reminder of this blessing. The following Sunday, Sunday School students participated in an open house where they found their classrooms, met their teachers, and received a special treat! All youth and their families were also invited to share their feedback on a number of questions through a voting activity and a suggestion bucket. Fan favorites that will return this year include Kids' Night Out and Friday Fun Nights for middle and high school youth! Finally, this past Sunday, elementary students began Sunday School with their teachers, and youth participated in the first youth forum of the year. 

Sunday School numbers continue to grow, and this year there are approximately 60 kids ages 0-5th grade registered for the year. A number of volunteers have returned for a consecutive year of teaching, and we are thrilled to welcome some new volunteers to the mix, too! Sunday School students will continue working with Cindi and Julie on singing and music - you can catch the kids' work on Sunday, October 6th as they sing with ECLC's adult choir in both worship services. In the classroom, Sunday School kids will engage in a number of activities from games to crafts, and even baking while hearing stories like Jonah and the Whale, The Battle of Jericho, Moses, and more. We are thrilled to be back in the lower-level classrooms engaging ECLC's youngest friends in classic Bible stories! 

The confirmation class has more than doubled in size this year with the incoming 6th graders - we are so excited to have 19 6th, 7th, and 8th graders join us. Curriculum has shifted and will engage students in a number of current event topics and their intersection with faith but will continue to highlight Luther's Small Catechism with things like The Lord's Prayer, the 10 Commandments, and the Apostles' Creed, too. Small group leaders have been added to confirmation this year and will help foster relationships with youth and other trusted adults within the congregation; thank you to Dave, Teresa, and Sarah for their commitment to working with our youth! 

Youth Forum is off and running and had 10 youth attend this past Sunday! Youth Forum meets every Sunday between worship services (10:10-10:50am) and is a time for youth in grades 6-12 to hang out, build community, and enjoy treats while engaging in a variety of activities and topics to enhance their understanding and learning about church and the world. Last year, we enjoyed presentations and activities from various mission and ministry partners, and a number of ECLC members. We are always looking for new topics to share with our youth and would love to welcome you to share your passion with the youth. Contact Katie for more info! 

It's only been a few weeks of the lower level being filled with laughter and excitement and we are looking forward to similar months to come! Volunteers and visitors are always welcome in any of these spaces, and we hope you'll join us soon! 

Introducing This Year’s Mission & Ministry Partner Liaisons 

September 18, 2024

God places a variety of callings on each of our hearts. And, in a congregation as committed to engagement with the world as ECLC…there is something for everyone!  Last Sunday, liaisons were blessed in worship as they commit to serving as champions for each of our 20 Mission & Ministry Partners. Keep this list handy as you look for ways to engage through service, learning, advocacy, prayer, and giving in the year ahead. 

If you didn’t receive a signup sheet during worship on Sunday, email Deacon Lauren which of these partner liaisons you’d like to receive occasional opportunities from—it’s a simple, low-key way to stay in touch with ECLC’s various partners! Thank you to our liaisons, and to all of ECLC, for the ways we live into God’s hope for the world through our Mission & Ministry Partnerships! 

ACT-TC: TBD 
Avenues for Youth: Doris P
Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative: Jeanie T
Bright Stars of Bethlehem: Gary G
Community Emergency Service: Bill L
Cristo de Paz Lutheran Church:  Megan D 
Every Meal: Erika L 
Household and Outside Maintenance for Elders:  Jim O
Interfaith Coalition on Immigration: Maggie P
Loaves & Fishes:  Tom D
Global Refuge:  Maggie P
Lutheran World Relief: Ronna V
Meals on Wheels Edina:  Jen S
Minneapolis Area Synod: Mark V 
Minnesota Freedom Fund:  Rita L
Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light: TBD
National Alliance on Mental Illness MN:  Fern P
ReconcilingWorks: Teresa T
Redeemer Lutheran Church: Lynda T
St. Paul’s/San Pablo Lutheran Church: TBD 

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