August 2013

Gathering in grace The first part of our mission statement at Red Oak Grove. One-third of a statement that declares what is important to us as a congregation. What will that look like this month? For you? For the church? Like every month of the year, worship will happen every Sunday morning at ROG. All people are invited to the table to receive the bread and wine that is the love of Christ poured out. All people are welcome, no matter where you are in your faith journey. Grace is Gods gift for all people. I will gather with confirmation families to talk and to plan the upcoming year. We will gather at church and in homes. This year, we will explore grace by talking about it, giving it, and receiving it as we together learn about Luthers Small Catechism. We will gather for coffee and bars. We will sing to birthdays and anniversaries. WELCA will gather for Bible study. Day campers will gather for one last day of camp. And, for the first time, we will host a community picnic. Heres where you really come in. We need you to invite others to gather with us. Call your neighbors. Email your friends. Tell them all about Red Oak Grove and why they should come worship with us on August 18th. Invite them to stay afterwards for the free meal; offer to give them a ride if they need one! Red Oak Grove is a congregation with a rich history; a congregation of faithful people who love God and this church. But heres what I wonder I wonder if there arent neighbors to the church who dont know what were about, who dont know about all of those great things we do that I listed above. If there arent neighbors who have never been here. Neighbors who have never been invited. This worship service and community picnic is an opportunity to gather in grace, to invite and encourage. August 18th. 10am. Bring your friends.

Pastor Lindsay
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RED OAK GROVE COUNCIL MEETING JULY 8, 2013 The meeting was called to order by President Diane Maxwell, Pastor Lindsay led devotions. In attendance: Diane Maxwell, Gary Ulland, Bob Kittelson, Nancy Schwartz, Dean Christianson, Marilyn Ulland, Shad Rudlong, Bill Maxwell, Scott Basness, Pastor Lindsay and Laura Tjomsland. Pastors Report: Pastor Lindsay was on vacation for one week. Day Camp was held with 16 children attending. It was hard to get the Confirmation kids involved. Three students went along with Pastor Lindsay to Feed My Starving Children. Pastor will be attending Continuing Education July 22nd 29th and Pastor Dick Hegal will fill in. Seven visits were completed, one hospital visit, 7 were with communion. Two services were conducted at Prairie Manor. The Secretarys Report was approved as read. The Treasurers Report was presented with a note of interest under Misc. Sewer, this was for the cleaning. Report Approved. No WELCA Report. No Deacons Report. Trustees Report: The AC was checked and a thermostat was replaced and Freon was added. New filters were put in and eve troughs cleaned. Uneven sidewalk has been marked, Bill will check on replacement or repair, Larry Helgeson will check on the cover for the well. Old Business: The Auction is set for Sept. 14th. Scott Basness and Gary Ulland will check on additional auctioneers. Bob Kittelson and Shad Rudlong will help on the 27th. Check with Brett about a storage truck. Tables and chairs and a tent will be located. Invite Brett to Aug. mtg. Discussion on a policy for same-sex marriage was held. A motion was made Gary Ulland, seconded by Laura Tjomsland and passed by a unanimous vote of the Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church Council on Monday, July 8, 2013 to accept the following policy: While loving all our brothers and sisters in Christ, Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church Council accepts the position that no same-sex marriages will be performed by the called Pastor, or any other person registered and licensed by the State of Minnesota at any place within the Church property. Cowboy Service is set for August 18, 2013. Gary will purchase pop from HyVee for the picnic, other items will be purchased for the event. Council members will provide bars. Council will check on any other possible donations for the food. This is not a fund raising project. All are encouraged to invite friends, relatives and neighbors to participate in this casual, outdoor service. New Business: Nominating Committee will consist of the retiring Council members, Nancy Schwartz, Diane Maxwell, Shad Rudlong and those appointed at the Annual Meeting; Nancy Wesley, Tom Harber and Anne Rudlong. This needs to be ready for the Annual Meeting in September. The meeting was adjourned and concluded with the Lords Prayer. Respectfully submitted, Laura Tjomsland, ROG Council Secretary
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The Annual Meeting of Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church will be held on Sunday, September 15, 2013 at 10:30 a.m.

The Nominating Committee of Red Oak Grove is busy looking for people to be on the Church Council. If you would like to be part of the Council, please let Diane Maxwell know. We will be having the outdoor Cowboy Church Service on August 18th beginning at 10 a.m. (Please note worship time change!) A free community meal will be served after the service. Bring a chair! Tell your neighbors and tell your friends. Watch for postcards in church that will be available for you to give away in order to tell others about the day! The 28th Annual Good Earth Village Quilt Auction is at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, August 17th at Our Saviors Lutheran in Spring Valley. Pre-viewing of the quilts is available at the church from 10 a.m. 2 p.m. Saturday. Our church auction will be held on September 14th. We have collected many items already. If you have an item to donate please bring it to the church. Remember, NO electronics. Lunch will be served. Please note that if your item does not sell at the auction, you are responsible for taking it home again.

WELCA will be meeting on August 7th at 6:30 p.m. The speaker for the evening will be Mary Sherman-Ahrens from the Boys and Girls Club. Supper will be provided by the Dorcas Circle and everyone is welcome. Helpers should come at 5 p.m. and Dorcas Circle will be meeting at that time. The Triennial Convention for WELCA will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina on July 24-27, 2014. Our Southeast Synod is providing a motor coach to the convention. 35 travelers will be needed to make the motor coach possible. Payment is due in September 2013 at the Fall Synod Event in Albert Lea. Its time to commit.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please remember to contact the church office when: You move and change addresses. You or someone you know is in the hospital and would like Pastor Lindsay to know. You or someone you know would appreciate a visit from Pastor Lindsay.

At the July Day Camp, the campers painted T-shirts, had a scavenger hunt, talked about faithfulness with a visit with Pastor Lindsays dog, Mabel. Our last Day Camp this summer will be on August 7th starting at 9 a.m. Remember your packed lunch, wear your t-shirts, and bring your swimsuit and towel for the afternoon. Its going to be a wet afternoon of water Olympics after a morning at Prairie Manor delivering the suncatchers we made! [If your child requires a car seat for the ride to/from Prairie Manor, please let Pastor Lindsay know. If you are willing to help transport campers, let us know too!] Sunday School will resume on Sunday, September 8th at 10:15 a.m. Sunday School is for children ages 3 (by September 1st) through 6th grade. We will need teachers. If you can help, please contact a Deacon of the Council or Pastor Lindsay. A schedule will be released soon. If you would like input in the Sunday School schedule/curriculum, please attend our next CYF Team meeting. [See below.] Its that time Confirmation will begin again soon! We will kick off the confirmation year like we did last year an overnight retreat at Good Earth Village! September 6th 7th are the dates to remember mark your calendars! More information will follow. Pastor Lindsay would like to visit with all of the confirmation families one-on-one as we begin this year of classes. Pastor Lindsay will be contacting each family the first week of August to set up a time to meet together, whether at your home or the church.

The CFY Team will meet following worship on Sunday, August 11th. If you care about CYF ministry at ROG, whether you have children at home or not, please join us for this important conversation. We will be making decisions for the upcoming Sunday School year, in addition to evaluating summer ministries and dreaming about the year to come.