FROM THE PASTOR---

 

 

THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON

 

    Anna Quindlen writes on this topic in the year’s last issue of “Newsweek” magazine.  She’s talking about the season of Christmas, which, along with its close neighbor, Epiphany, we will be in for a few more weeks.  She begins by talking about how readily most anyone could find a performance of G.F. Handel’s “Messiah” not too distant from where you live.  Where she lives, in New York City, there were at least a dozen, including the Mormon Choir’s rendition at the Lincoln Center, proclaiming the biblical words, “For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!”

    She goes on to point out how many followers of the Christ whose birth we celebrate in this season want not just their religion but their particular religious views to reign supreme over this fair land.  She writes, “From the trials of witches in Salem to the talking-head evangelists of the present day, we have a rich tradition of faith-based bullying in this country.”  About 75% of Americans lay claim to being Christian, even if the majority of those never darken the door of any place of worship.  That leaves about 70 million people in our nation who follow some other religion – Jewish, Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, or none at all.  In light of that, she says, let us “not insist, in the name of piety, on rubbing the faces of those who don’t believe in Christ’s divinity in the anniversary of his birth.”

    There has been a rise in the number of people who are whining and complaining about the demise of Christmas in our country, culture and world.  She talks about this wave of organized outrage that

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas is being driven out of existence.  People blame the so-called liberals and that rampaging

secular humanism.  In the words of old Ebenezer Scrooge, she says, “Humbug!”

    Then she socks it to us Christian believers, of which she is one:  “No one searches his soul about how we came to this pass.  It has little to do with separation of church and state or liberal politics and everything to do with the way the blunt cudgel of Christianity has been heedlessly used, the tyranny of the majority.”

    Like the prophets of old, she is calling us to look deep within our hearts and our souls and see what is there or needs to be there concerning the gospel teachings of our Lord.  She says, “We must consider the lessons the child in the manger would teach once grown.”  And we must take those lessons of our Lord, both Word and example, to heart and teach them well to our children, and share them through our everyday life and living.  She says that for most of us, “Christmas is being observed exactly where it ought to be, at home, in our hearts, among friends and families.  The modern movement to exhibit it in town squares and mall food courts is precisely what has led to the secularization of one of our most solemn holy days.”

    Quindlen asks, “Are you really worried about keeping Christ in Christmas?  Then take the time and make the effort to exhibit tolerance and charity, kindness and generosity.”  She tells us not to whine about the absence of “O Holy Night” at some public event.  Rather, take the words of that marvelous song to heart:  “Truly he taught us to love one another / His law is love and gospel is peace.”

    Thank you, Anna Quindlen, for giving us some needed admonishments and some hopeful words to live by as we begin a New Year.  And may God bless us, every one!

Pastor John

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOLY COMMUNION

 

January 2 – Christmas II

 

LEAVE A LEGACY FOR MINISTRY

 

    Our ELCA Foundation puts out that word to congregations and members – “Leave a Legacy for Ministry.”  Currently, congregations or groups within congregations have the opportunity to raise money for our ELCA Church wide and Synod Fund for Leaders in Mission.  For every $2 raised, Thrivent Financial will match it with $1.  Trondhjem WELCA is dedicating their Sunday coffee receipts one Sunday per month towards this cause through July 2005.  This Fund for Leaders in Mission has as its goal to have an endowment of several million dollars so that every student at our ELCA Seminaries who is studying for ordained ministry will have their tuition costs covered.  Today, that amounts to more than $12,000 a year.

    This admonition to leave a legacy can also be an encouragement to us all to make sure that we all have taken time to establish a Will, and that we have made some careful decisions about how we wish the remainders of our “estates” to be dispersed.  The larger church, along with church schools and other institutions, along with congregations are urging members to consider various ways of giving to these ongoing ministry needs.

    I think that members of small town and rural congregations need to take such encouragements to heart.  Many such small congregations continue

to remain viable places of ministry only because some faithful members thought it important enough to leave some kind of endowment for continued ministry, whether for program ministry needs or for repair and maintenance kinds of needs.  My experience has been that it is more valuable to designate funds for program ministry needs than for brick and board projects.

    So, we encourage you to have a Will and to please remember your church and its institutions in and through such a Will.  Leave a Legacy for Ministry.

            ----Pastor John

 

MONEY TO GO TOWARDS WORLD HUNGER

 

    The total offering received at our Advent Men’s Breakfasts totaled $130.00.  After expenses of $57.00 for the breakfasts, the remainder of $73.00 will be sent to ELCA World Hunger.

    Thank you to all of the men who attended the breakfasts.

 

TRONDHJEM NEWS

 

JANUARY ASSIGNMENTS

 

Altar Guild

    Elna Severtson         

 

Coffee Servers

    January 2 – Dean & Charlotte Lukes

    January 16 – Annual Mtg. – Officers serve potluck       

                                                           

Communion Assistant

    Kiven Lukes  

 

Lectors

    January 2  - Barb Prantner

    January 9 – Charlotte Lukes

    January 16 – Linda Kraushaar

    January 23 – Jill Krause

    January 30 – Elna Severtson

 

JANUARY ACOLYTE/USHER

ASSIGNMENTS

 

January 2  - Daniel Jax & Cortney Thostenson

January 9 – Jessica Naatz

January 16 – Matt Reese

January 23 – Scott Kraushaar

January 30 – Cameron Kolbe

 

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

 

January 3          Jim Benesh, Sr.

January 12        Barb Prantner

January 13        Garrett Lukes

January 24        Emil Prantner

January 25        Jill Krause

 

MEMORIALS

 

GENERAL FUND

    In memory of Donna Baley by M/M Jim Benesh, Sr.

    In memory of Harold Engebretson by Emily Cech

 

KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED

 

Ralph George in Austin

 

 

THANK YOU  to Richard Kraushaar for making the lectern to be used at Trondhjem Lutheran.

 

 

WELCA PARTICIPATING IN

SEMINARY SCHOLARSHIP FUND

 

    Our Southeast Minnesota Synod WELCA is participating in the “Seminary Scholarship Fund”.  For every $2.00 received, Thrivent will match with $1.00.

    Trondhjem WELCA voted to take part in this very worthy project.  We will take donations from one (1) Sunday coffee every month through July 2005.

    Anyone who wishes to make a separate donation will be greatly appreciated.  Please make checks payable to:

                                Trondhjem WELCA

and designate “Seminary Scholarship Fund”.

   

Thank you for your support.

 

                ---Trondhjem WELCA Board

 

 

THANK YOU  to Linda Kraushaar and all of the Sunday School Kids for their work in preparing and presenting the wonderful Christmas program at Trondhjem and for all those involved in the Christmas Family Dinner on December 4th.

 

 

HAYWARD NEWS

 

 MISSION STATEMENT

    We the people of Hayward Lutheran Church confess the Triune God, and strive to follow the words and deeds of Jesus Christ.

 

VISION STATEMENT

   As a community of faith in Jesus Christ, we will demonstrate care and compassion for one another and also to a world in much need.  God’s Word and the Holy Sacraments are central to our life of faith.  As we grow and are nourished by these, we will bring the good news of God’s forgiveness, life and salvation to those around us.

 

 

   On January 16th, Trondhjem will have their annual meeting, and by tradition, Pastor Malm stays out there after the worship service.  Thus, HLC will have a guest preacher for their worship that day.

   

 

 

HAYWARD LUTHERAN

OUR STEWARDSHIP FOR 2004

 

Month              Where we                    Actuals                         Should be

 

January             $ 8,358                         $  7,291.42

February           $16,716             $16,032.34

March               $25,074             $23.806.34

April                  $33,432             $30,555.34

May                  $41,790             $37,145.34

June                 $50,148             $45,147.00

July                  $58.506             $50,706.00

August              $66,864             $56,491.00

September        $75,222             $67,013.31

October             $83,580             $75,236.31

November          $91,938             $81,900.31       

December         $100,291                       $90,024.42

                                    (As of 12/23/04)

 

HAYWARD COUNCIL MEETING

December 12, 2004

 

    The Hayward Lutheran Church Council met on Sunday, December 12, 2004 at 11:45 a.m.

    Present:  Bob Armon, Sonja Johnson, Pat Frydenlund, Keith Iverson, Vickie Storlie, Sharon Malm & Pastor John.  Absent:  Randy Eggum.

    Sonja Johnson called the meeting to order.

    Secretary’s Report:

Keith Iverson made a motion to accept the Secretary’s report from the November 21st meeting as printed.  Bob Armon seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

    Treasurer’s Report:

The Treasurer’s report was discussed.  Vickie Storlie made a motion to accept the report.  Keith Iverson seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

    Items to consider:

-          The scholarship given to Brett Frydenlund has been sent out.

-          Bob Armon has installed the new windows in the parsonage.

-          The urinal was fixed in the men’s restroom.

-          The Hayward Lutheran Church annual meeting will be on January 30, 2005 at 11:30 a.m.

-          2005 Church Budget.  The proposed budget was discussed.

    Vickie Storlie made a motion to recommend to the congregation that $1,000 of our Church wide Benevolence will go to an ELCA Missionary Sponsorship.  Keith seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

    Keith Iverson made a motion to recommend to the congregation at the annual meeting a budget for 2005 of $102,535.00.  Bob Armon seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

-          There will be a Joint Council meeting December 15, 2004 at Trondhjem at 7:10 p.m.

-          The next Hayward Council meeting will be Sunday, January 9, 2005, at 11:45 a.m.

Keith Iverson made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Sonja Johnson seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Vickie Storlie, Council Secretary

 

HAYWARD-TRONDHJEM LUTHERAN PARISH JOINT COUNCIL MEETING

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

 

    The Hayward-Trondhjem Lutheran Parish Joint Council meeting was held on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 at Trondhjem Lutheran Church at 7:10 p.m.

    Present:  Shirley Kraushaar, Keith Iverson, Randy Eggum, Obert Haldorson, Pat Frydenlund, Kiven Lukes, Sheldon Lukes, Dale Lukes, Steve Kraushaar, Dean Lukes, Pastor John.

    Obert Haldorson called the meeting to order.

    The agenda was discussed.  Dean Lukes made a motion to accept the agenda.  Keith Iverson seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

    Pastor John opened with devotions.

    Secretary’s Report:

Randy Eggum made a motion to accept the Minutes from the June 16th Joint Council meeting as read.  Shirley Kraushaar seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

    Items to consider:

CALENDER:

1.      Annual Meetings:  Trondhjem will be Sunday, January 16, 2005 after worship at 9:45 (Guest pastor at Hayward).  Hayward’s meeting will be Sunday, January 30, 2005, after worship at 11:30 a.m.

2.      Ash Wednesday begins February 9th.  Meal schedule for other Wednesdays.  Wednesday evening meals at 6:00 p.m. with worship at 7:00 p.m.

3.      Blue Earth River Conference Assembly is on Sunday, February 13th in the afternoon.

4.      Good Earth Village Annual Meeting at the camp on Sunday, February 20th in the afternoon.

5.      Midweek Lenten Offerings:  Randy Eggum made a motion to designate the Lenten Offerings to the Albert Lea and Austin Salvation Army’s, Nepal Social Services and World Hunger.  Dean Lukes seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

6.      Easter Sunday, March 27th, worship schedule:

a.      Sunrise service at Hayward at 6:30 a.m.

b.      Breakfast at Hayward at 7:30 a.m.

c.      Worship at Hayward with Holy Communion at 8:45 a.m.

d.      Worship at Trondhjem with Holy Communion at 10:15 a.m.

 

Keith Iverson made a motion to accept the Easter Sunday worship schedule.  Steve Kraushaar seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

7.      Synod Assembly is at the Rochester Civic Center on Friday and Saturday, May 6 & 7, 2005.

8.      Confirmation Day at Hayward will be May 15, 2005, Pentecost.

9.      Hayward Days Parish outdoor worship on Sunday, July 10th at 10:00 a.m.

10.  Tentative – Pastor on vacation July 14th – August 4th.

11.  Summer Schedule:  Starts May 29th and goes through September 4th.  Trondhjem at 8:30 a.m. and Hayward at 10:00 a.m.  The regular schedule will start again on September 11th with Rally Day for Sunday School.  Trondhjem Ice Cream Social from 5-7 p.m.

12.  There will be some milestones in 2006 for the Parish that need to be thought about.

PARSONAGE:

1.      Open House at the Parsonage is Sunday, December 19th, from 2-5 p.m.

2.      Bob Armon installed the 3 new windows in the parsonage.

3.      About $700.00 was left from the insurance money from the water damage at the parsonage.  Steve Kraushaar made a motion to use the remaining $700.00 from the insurance money towards redoing the parsonage driveway in 2005.  Randy Eggum seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

4.      The deck will need to be re-stained.

PARISH BUDGET:

     The 2005 Parish Budget was discussed.

    Steve Kraushaar made a motion to give Sharon a 3% raise as Parish Secretary of $150.00.  Vickie Storlie seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

    Kiven Lukes made a motion to recommend the Proposed 2005 Parish Budget to the respective congregations.  Shirley Kraushaar seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

MOTION FOR TAX-SOCIAL SECURITY PURPOSES:

    Vickie Storlie made a motion that Pastor John R. Malm, for the year 2005, receive compensation of $39,800.  That of this amount, $1,500 shall be designated as a parsonage furnishing allowance and that $1,800 shall be designated as a Flexible Spending program for unreimbursed medical expenses.  Pastor Malm will also have the rent-free use of the house located at 203 West St., Hayward, Minnesota, for the year of 2005, or for as long as he is pastor of the Hayward and Trondhjem Lutheran Churches.  Furthermore, the fair rental value of the parsonage (for Social Security purposes only) is hereby set at $300 per month, or $3,600 per year.  Shirley Kraushaar seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

    Kiven Lukes made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Keith Iverson seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Vickie Storlie, Council Secretary

JANUARY ASSIGNMENTS

 

Altar Guild

 

    Bev Lunde and Gwen Hanson

           

Coffee Servers

 

   January 2       Dick & Gwen Hanson

                         Steve & Karen Sorenson

    January 9      Todd & Cheryl Enderson

                        Brian & Nancy Berhow

    January 16    Steve & Linda Johnson

                        Jill Erickson & Bev Wright

    January 23    Dean & Kelly Anderson

                        Sally Anderson

    January 30    Louie & Stephanie Larson

                        Steve Lundak

                      

Ushers

 

*Doran and Shirley Gray

Clayton Peterson

Larry & Kathie Hanson

Darlene Gilby & Dustin Garduno

Dick Hanson

           

 

Communion and Offering Duty

 

            Randy Eggum & Vickie Storlie

           

Lectors

            January 2          Shirley Gray

            January 9          Dan Johnson

            January 16        Cheryl Freitag

            January 23        Shirley Gray     

            January 30        Sonja Johnson

 

 

 

 

JANUARY ACOLYTE/USHER SCHEDULE

January 2        Louis & Logan Tufte

January 9        Hunter Gilby & Mitch Skaar

January 16      Lacy Wright & Julie Erickson

January 23      Samantha Anderson & Caylee

                                                Tennis

January 30      Louis & Logan Tufte

 

 

 

 

 

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

 

January 2          Janet Iverson

January 3          Milton Kennedy

January 4          Benjamin Storlie

January 6          Keith Iverson

                        David Malm

January 9          Louis Tufte

January 15        Christina Learn

January 16        Sara Westland

January 17        Mary Stanley    

January 18        Dean Anderson

                        Troy Habana

January 19        Bryanna Hanson

January 20        Dan Johnson

                        Andrew Ladlie

                        Tyler Westland

January 21        Carole Eggum

January 22        Katherine Barnick

January 23        Beverly Lunde

                        Joshua VandeKamp      

           

KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED

 

Gene Flusek in Rochester

Jolene Engelby in Rochester

Lorraine Braff in Albert Lea

Audrey Cox in Albert Lea

 

MEMORIALS

 

BUILDING FUND

    In memory of Alan James Lyle by M/M Bill Lyle

 

GENERAL FUND

    In memory of Vic & Olive Westrum by Gladys Westrum

  

 

THANK YOU  to the Hayward WELCA for the $1,500 that they gave to the General Fund and for the $200 that they gave to the Sunday School.

 

 

 

THANK YOU  to the Sarah Circle for the $350 that they gave to the General Fund.

 

 

 

THANK YOU to Bob Armon for installing the new windows at the parsonage.

 

 

 

 

Dear Friends,

    I’d like to thank you all for your thoughts of kindness with visits, phone calls and cards since my health problems started.

    I’m happy to say they are much better.  So, I know there have been a lot of prayers.  Thank you.

    I have missed coming to church and the coffee circle before church.

    I hope I can come again soon and finish filling that front pew.

    Thank you all.

 

With love and prayers,

Merle Anderson

 

 

 

ALTAR GUILD

 

 

WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE FRESH FLOWERS?

 

 Fresh flowers for the altar are a beautiful addition to our worship service.  If you wish to furnish flowers, all you need to do is call the Altar Guild president, Marlene Thompson (373-3895).  The Guild will purchase and display the flowers for you, and if you wish, will put an acknowledgement in the Sunday bulletin.  Cost of the flowers is usually about $15.  Your generosity and support are greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

 

 

 

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

 

 

               

    THANK YOU to all of the Sunday School Teachers and members of the Sunday School Board as well as all of the children in the Sunday School for all of their work preparing and presenting the Christmas musical, “Stranger in the Manger” on December 12th. 

            We are also grateful to the Sunday School Board members for their work in serving the Pot Luck meal following the program.

 

 

THIS ‘N’ THAT

 

TO THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE KIDS IN THE 30’S, 40’S, 50’S AND 60’S

(Anonymous)

 

    First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us in the womb.  They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing and didn’t get tested for diabetes.  Then after THAT trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints.  We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, or special latches on doors or cabinets.  When we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

    As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags, and riding in the back of a pickup on a warm summer’s day was a special treat.  We drank water from the garden hose or the hand-pump on the shallow well and NOT from a bottle.   We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this.  We ate cupcakes, bread, real butter, and drank soda pop with sugar in it and we weren’t overweight because we were always OUTSIDE PLAYING.  We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were home before the streetlights came on.  No one was able to reach us all day and we were O.K.

    We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out that we forgot the brakes.  After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.  We did NOT have Play stations, Nintendo’s, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on the cable or dish, no video or DVD movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no P.C.’s or Ipods, and no internet chat rooms.  WE had FRIENDS and we went outside and FOUND them!

     We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.  We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms and although we were told it would happen, we did NOT put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live in us forever.  We rode bikes or walked to a friend’s house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.  Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team.  Those who didn’t had to learn to deal with disappointment.  Imagine that!!  The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of.  They actually sided WITH the law.

    This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.  The past fifty years have seen an explosion of innovation and new ideas.  We had freedom, failure, success, and responsibility, and we learned how to DEAL with it all, without the lawyers and the government regulating our lives for our own good.  And YOU are one of them!  CONGRATULATIONS!  (Kind of makes you want to run through the house with a scissors, doesn’t it?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PARISH NEWS DEADLINE

The deadline for turning in articles and calendar information for the Parish News is the 20th of each month.  Thank you for your cooperation.

ADDRESS CHANGE?  If you or someone you know has had a change of address or phone number within this past year, please inform the Church Office as soon as possible.  Thank you for your help!