THE PARISH NEWS
HAYWARD-TRONDHJEM LUTHERAN PARISH
Interim Pastor
Dick Spande
373-8479 – Office
377-8214 – Home
Church e-mail – hlctlc@msn.com
Pastor’s e-mail
dbspande@deskmedia.com
Vol. 14, No10
October, 2009
December, 2008 Vol.13, No. 12
GOOD NEWS!!
December is our chance, as the church, to
get the jump on the rest of the world, for this is when we begin our NEW YEAR. As we begin this New Year, we focus on some
new scripture lessons, as we focus on the Gospel of Mark, along with other lessons
from both the Old and New Testaments. Mark
is the condensed version of the story of Jesus; it comes at us quickly, ever
using that word “immediately.” Mark does
not even bother to give us the birth stories of Jesus, leaving that to Matthew
and Luke. He starts his story of Jesus with the ADVENT, the coming, of John the
Baptist, who will announce “the way of the Lord.” In quick fashion, Jesus is suddenly there,
along the Jordan River, being baptized by John and blessed by God the Father,
and then moving on into His public ministry, where He proclaims His preaching
theme: “The time is fulfilled, and the
Kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
For the people of Jesus’ day, this TIME that
has come is the fulfillment of Jewish dreams, the TIME when God will show His
special love for the Jews by breaking the bonds of their servitude and exalting
them among the nations. It is the TIME
that they have been waiting for – waiting so long that they had almost ceased
to believe that it could ever come to pass. Suddenly, God comes near to them, among them, in
the person of Jesus of Nazareth, God’s Son, Savior, and invites His people to
REPENT, to open their hearts and change their minds, and believe that God’s promises
are now being fulfilled right before their eyes. Truly this IS the good news.
Today, we who claim Jesus as the Christ,
our Lord and Savior, as we hear those words of Jesus, we understand that He is speaking
not just to His fellow Jewish people then, but to us now, we who are willing to
listen to this good news here and now. Yet,
it is a surprising and extraordinary thing to say – that the Kingdom of God has
come near you and that you must believe it. As this Advent season moves on to the
Christmas – Epiphany season, this good news continues to be surprising. Suddenly, out of the blue, a young girl in
Nazareth gets the news from one of God’s own messengers that SHE has been
chosen by God to become pregnant and deliver into this world the very Son of
God, the Messiah. Who me? Pregnant? Really?
Mary quickly recovers and humbly agrees to
her new and chosen role as God’s own servant, and goes on to rejoice in it all.
But that shock – that of receiving good,
yet unsettling, news – that shock is also something that WE share with Mary. For this message of Jesus is not just glad
tidings of hope for a weary, war-torn, terrorized world; it also is a calling,
an invitation to turn from all our worldly preoccupations and REPENT, open our
hearts and change our minds. Something
FROM us, then, is required. And the
ADVENT scripture lessons go on to tell us what that is: we need to step it up,
get to work, prepare, watch, wait, turn, open, and change.
The NEW YEAR begins once again with these
words and urgings for our new and continuing journey through the coming months;
that TIME, that ADVENT has come once again. This ADVENT season is a time of joy and expectation.
It is a time of HOPE amid our various
world crises, it is LIGHT come into our self-created darkness, it is a time of EXPECTATION for One who will, once again,
come among us and deliver us, and it is a time of TRUST in the sure and certain
promises of God. God IS among us and God
has NOT abandoned us. Yes, the Kingdom
of God is among us, with us, embracing us. That is GOOD NEWS, and it reminds us that we,
the faithful, have a way at looking at this troubled world in a GOOD NEWS way
that, to the non-believing world, looks rather odd and senseless. These days the world can only say, “Look
around you. Look at this mess we’re in,
the economic mess, the natural disasters mess, the war, violence and terrorist
mess, the global-warming mess. It’s all
a big mess! Where’s the good news in any
of this?”
But into this human, self-centered, greed-induced
mess, comes Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior, and announces to this whole,
messed up world, “The Kingdom of God has come near to you; REPENT, and believe
in this good news.” The angel of the
Lord comes to that young girl, Mary and proclaims “Do not be afraid!” A nervous mother listens to God’s Word and to the
hopes that it engenders in her heart. A
prophet stirs people to action, encouraging their expectation of a coming age
of justice and peace. WAKE UP PEOPLE! The NEWS will be good, even if, like the people
of Jesus’ day, we have almost ceased to believe that it could ever come to
pass. Take heart; be of good courage, for the Lord has come near to us. Dare to believe in this hope of the gospel, and
dare to share it with others. As we have
just heard from our Lord on the Day of Christ the King, continue to bring that
good news of salvation and hope to others by feeding the hungry, giving drink
to the thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the lonely, imprisoned and oppressed,
caring for the sick and lame, and welcoming the stranger.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive its King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room
And heav’n and nature sing.
No more let sin and sorrow grow
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love.
Pastor Malm
A NEW LUTHERAN STUDY BIBLE IS AVAILABLE
Early in 2009, Augsburg Fortress will be
publishing a Lutheran Study Bible. This is
timed to coincide with our ELCA emphasis on Bible Book of Faith. The biblical text will be the New Revised Standard
Version, and will feature introductions, notes and articles on the biblical
books and texts that are written by over sixty Lutheran pastors and teaching
theologians. This can be a valuable
resource for you to experience the Bible and its message through solid background
material, unique Lutheran insights, and opportunities for faith reflection. This is a Bible that is reader-friendly,
inviting, and engaging; a study Bible for both youth and adults who want to
encounter Scripture in a fresh, new way.
During December, we have an opportunity to
order this new Study Bible for a significant discount if we can order ten or
more copies. At the discount, a hard
cover version of this Bible will sell for $22.75 each (10 copies or more). A paperback version will sell for $17.50 (ten
copies or more). If you are interested,
please let Pastor Malm know, or contact the church office (373-8479) on or
before Christmas Day, December 25th.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
HOLY COMMUNION
A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR JOHN
TIME TO TAKE
OFF
It's time to take off. This last month
of September we have been taking our vacation time in order to make the
transition into retirement and do the necessary packing and hauling of stuff to
our home in
Jesus only had about three years
of active ministry with his "congregation," and then he moved on, he
left them behind - he took off and left the work to others to carry on
and seek to further the work of the Kingdom. Although the years of service
might vary from a couple of years to over forty years, this has been the
pattern followed by all pastors. Even the Apostle Paul did not stay longer than
three years in anyone of his parishes. Yet, from that New Testament
perspective, all of us are among those whom Jesus left behind. We are left
behind, but we are not left out.
Collectively, as the church, one
of our favored biblical passages has to be the 23rd Psalm. It reminds us that
with God and Jesus as our Good Shepherd, we may be left behind, but we are not
left alone. Even the lost are pursued and sought after and desired to be found.
We are not left alone and we are not left without our needs being provided. God
sees to our nourishment and care, even in the face of those enemies who would
do us harm or seek to destroy us. He has set before us the promised eternal
banquet table, a heavenly feast, the glimpse of which we get at the Lord's
Table. And there, by God's grace and care, our cup is filled to overflowing.
Indeed, we might say that THREE cups are given to us, overflowing, in the
Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And this amazing and
surprising God keeps sending us gifts. God the Father sent Jesus and the Holy
Spirit. And God has anointed each of us by Water and the Word and has sent US
out to help us fulfill each other's calling. In reflecting on a little over 37
years of ministry, I am amazed to realize how God and Jesus and the Spirit has
sent you - people of the congregation - to help we pastors fulfill our calling and to ever
keep us from thinking that we are, somehow, the last word in ministry. No,
neither you
nor we are the last word in ministry. And that is a
blessed reminder that God is not finished with us with you - yet. There is much work and much
ministry yet to be accomplished, with you and through you personally, and also
with and through your congregation and parish.
Reflecting on his own years of
ministry, a friend and colleague recently wrote the following: "The
Christian Church in the 21st Century is on the edge of something new. Our money
crisis is exposing our idol worship. We spend more energy on giving and
managing money than we do on giving of ourselves. Many of us are seeing the
emptiness and are seeking ways to count eternally for Jesus. The future church
will be carried on by the witness and imagination of those living with our Lord
on faith's frontier."
There's the challenge as you,
both personally and collectively, move forward into the second decade of this
new century. Will you join together with others to faithfully live with the Lord
on that frontier of faith with a Word-centered witness and a joyful
imagination? If so, then you also can be on the edge of something new, and you
will have a future together in this time and place.
Meanwhile, we are taking off to a
new place and to new experiences, and to new ways of carrying on in the
ministry to which we have all been called, even in retirement. For awhile, our
time and energy will be focused on settling into our new home and finishing up
on some construction work there. After that, we will have to see how God wishes
to make use of us for the tasks of his mission, even in retirement. And with
that, we once again share our thanks to you for our time together in this
parish and ministry here. We thank you for your help in getting all our
belongings moved from the parsonage and office to our new home in St. Peter.
More importantly, thank you for your support and prayers, and for our times of
sharing together in conversation and friendship, in moments of celebration, and
in those moments of difficulty and crisis.
We leave you with the familiar
words of the Apostle Paul to the church at
4
Every
time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each
exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for
you with a glad heart. 5 I am so pleased that you have continued on in this
with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you
heard it right up to the present. 6 There has never been the slightest doubt in
my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and
bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. 7 It's
not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and
hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all,
stuck with me all the way................. AII
along you have
experienced with me the most generous help from God. 8 He
knows how much I love you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly
about you as Christ does! 9 So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish
and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You
need to use your head and test your feelings 10 so that your love is
sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect
and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: 11 bountiful in fruits
from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved
in the glory and praise of God. "
Now may the Lord bless you and
keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you be gracious to you, the Lord
look upon you with favor and give you peace, in the Name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pastor John and Sharon
Our new address is 1132 W. Menk Drive, St. Peter,
MN. 56082 Cell Phones: John = 507-383-2798; Sharon = 507-383-2865.
E-Mail:
the.malms@hotmail.com
A MESSAGE FROM
OUR INTERIM PASTOR
Since I will be
your interim pastor, let me introduce myself to you. Most recently I served 17 years
as pastor of Ascension in Albert Lea. When I left in 2005 I considered myself
retired which meant that I was not open to a regular call. Beth enjoyed her
work as RSVP coordinator with Senior Resources and we did not want to move.
Shortly after leaving
Ascension my role as hospice chaplain grew into a part time job. I also became
facilitator for Parents Forever, a series of court ordered classes required of
people who are divorcing and have children under the age of 18. Both jobs grew
out of roles for which I had previously volunteered.
I share this
with you because I will continue in both capacities while I am serving as your
interim. Neither job is so large that it will likely interfere with my work with
you. I can imagine that once in a while I might not be available at a
particular time because I am obligated elsewhere. Because I have these other
jobs, I consider my role as your interim to be part time. My salary is reduced
to reflect this.
About a year
after leaving Ascension Redeemer in Alden needed an interim and I served there
for a year. When that job came to an end, Central Freeborn needed an interim.
And then East Freeborn was added to the Central Freeborn interim. While I had
not planned on being an interim, I must say I have enjoyed these jobs. I think
I have learned what an interim pastor does and doesn't do. I plan to pattern my
work with you after what I have done in these previous positions.
How can I do what
needs to be done when I am working part time? The answer is linked to what it
means to be an interim pastor. An interim pastor is to provide stability until
the new pastor comes. I will not propose major changes unless the change is
something which must be made and it would be better for me to guide the process
than leave it for your new pastor. On the other hand, I will not be a slave to
the way Pastor Malm did things. Another part of my job is to open the door for
a new pastor who may have new ideas.
When the bishop
asked me to consider this interim he said that the Call Committee would be on
the "fast track." I already know this is true. While it is impossible
to predict how fast the process will go, it appears to be the wish of the parish
and the synod that things move quickly. However, another reason for having an
interim is to allow you to feel free to take enough time to do the job well.
I have had the
"transition meeting" with Pastor Malm. I know that a major part of my
work will be visiting shut ins. He did this every
other month. I plan to split the list in half and do half every month. This
will fit better with my other jobs. So, If I don't get
to someone in October, I should be there in November.
You will not find
me settling into the office. Much of my office work will be done from my home
in Albert Lea. There are a number of reasons for this.
First, much of
the office work is done on the computer and I can electronically send it to the
church office. Second, the pastor's office does not have a computer. While that
could be dealt with, it is probably better to wait and find out what the new
pastor would prefer. Third I have an answering machine at my home and do not
mind being called there. And, I am happy to return calls. This, plus email
should mean it is not difficult to contact me. This process has worked well for
my two previous interims. I think we will make it work as well.
We have some challenges
ahead. The fact that the church secretary and organist has chosen to follow
your pastor means that we will have a few rough edges once in a while. I am not
a musician but I have led worship for 40 years. In my last interim I had a
secretary who had just been hired before I came. One of my goals was to help
her learn her job and we succeeded. And we can do the same here. And, perhaps
the most important thing is that I am not young and have finally learned to
roll with the punches. Flexibility is my middle name.
So it is that I
begin my time with you on October 1. I certainly won't make all my articles
this long but I thought it best to start off by telling you what my game plan
is. My home phone is 373-8214.
My email address is dbspande@deskmedia.com. I look forward to meeting you.
And, don't
expect me to remember your names right away. I do well, but I take a few names
at a time.
Pastor Spande
OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOLY COMMUNION
Sunday,
October 4th
Sunday, October 25th
CALL COMMITTEE REPORT
Calling a new pastor is not an easy process. After we have
filled out our Congregational Profiles, they are sent into the synod. Each
profile tells about our specific church. The synod looks them over carefully to
see what kinds of things that we request and need in a new pastor. The synod looks
at the pastor’s that have previously filled in the availability for a call
request. The synod then selects 2 or 3 people that match our
needs and the pastor’s interest. The synod then contacts each pastor
and discusses the Congregational Profiles that we sent
in. If, after this discussion, the pastor is interested, we are given their
names.
When we get names the call committee will meet
and decide what guidelines we will use to interview each pastor. They will be
taken to each church, and through the parsonage before the actual
interview. The interview will last about an hour. We are responsible for their lodging,
meals and mileage for the interview.
This is just an update on where we are and
what we expect to happen. We are working as quickly as we can and appreciate
your patience in this matter.
Call Committee Co-Chair
Linda Kraushaar
Sonja Johnson
MINUTES OF
Present at the meeting were Neil Skaar, Jim Becker,
Todd Enderson, Wayne Kromminga, Sonja Johnson, Pastor
John & Sharon Malm and Faye Learn.
The meeting was called to order by President Neil Skaar.
A motion was made to approve the Agenda,
Secretary’s Report and Treasurer’s Report.
A. CALENDAR:
1. Sept. 26 Sat.
2. Sept. 27 Sun.
a.m.
3. Oct. 1 Thurs. Pastor Spande
begins Interim Ministry – Part-time basis
4. Oct. 4 Sun.
a.m. Worship
with Holy Communion
5. Oct. 18 Sun.,
6. Oct. 20 Tue. Aft. Or eve. Schedule
meeting with synod staff at First Lutheran, A.L.
For Cong. Presidents and pastors. Every cong. In BERC
7. Oct. 25 Sun. a.m. Reformation
Sunday: Holy Communion
It was discussed that Todd Enderson and
Wayne Kromminga will review the monthly budget each
month.
It was discussed to continue with
the Simply Giving (Electronic Funds Transfer) through Thrivent.
They will be
starting to make a twenty charge per transaction at the beginning of the new year (2010). A motion
was made by Wayne Kromminga and seconded by Todd
Enderson to continue with this program.
A motion was made by Wayne Kromminga
and seconded by Sonja Johnson to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Faye Learn
MINUTES
OF PARISH JOINT COUNCIL MEETING
Present at the meeting were Steve & Linda Kraushaar,
Sheldon Lukes, Mark Brekke, Sonja Johnson, Todd Enderson, Jim Becker, Neil
Skaar, Wayne Kromminga, Pastor John & Sharon
Malm, Bobbi Hemenway, and Faye Learn.
Neil Skaar called the meeting to order.
A motion was made to approve the Agenda.
A motion was made to approve the Secretary’s report.
Calendar
1. Sept 26 Sat.
2. Sept 27 Sun
a.m.
3. Oct 1 Thurs. Pastor Spande begins Interim Ministry-Part time basis.
4. Oct 4 Sun
a.m. Worship with Holy Communion.
5. Oct 18 Sun.
6. Oct 20 Tues
aft. Or eve. Schedule
meeting with synod staff at First Lutheran, A.L. For Cong.
Presidents and Pastors.
Every cong. In BERC.
7. Oct. 25 Sun
a.m. Reformation
Sunday; Holy Communion
Parish Matters
1.
Parish Secretary- Bobbi Hemenway
was introduced to the councils, she will be our new secretary and
Bookkeeper. She will
be in the office on Tues & Thurs.
2. Parish Organist- Four
candidates will be interviewed Wed. Sept 23.
Suggestions were made by the councils to
update the Organist’s job description.
Linda Kraushaar will type that up.
2.
Parsonage Committee- Will meet on Sunday, Sept 20th,
Members are: Dale Lukes, Barb Miller, Bob Armon, Gwen
Hanson. The
Committee will make recommendations to the
Joint council.
A motion was made by Wayne Kromminga
and seconded by Steve Kraushaar to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Faye Learn
Booster Club Meeting:
Also, Community Potluck (sponsored by the Booster’s
Club) Sunday
2009-2010
SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE
Sept 13
Sept 27
Oct 11
Oct 25
Nov 8
Nov 22
Nov 29
Dec 6
Dec 13
Jan 10
Jan 24
Feb 14
Feb 28
Mar 14
Mar 28
Apr 11
Apr 25
May 9
May 23
