November, 2011

Do you have a favorite storybook? Or, as a child, was there one story you asked your mom or dad to tell you over and over? Maybe theres a story you want to be sure you share with your child or grandchild. Or perhaps there are stories that have been passed down through your families? I, for one, LOVE a good story. A story around a campfire, a story about a persons life, or a story in the form of a novel are all wonderful things to me. As a child, I was hooked on the stories of Nancy Drew; the same books and stories my mom read when she was a child. I love the stories my grandfather tells of the times when he traveled to Norway, and the stories of how he and his brothers caused mischief on the farm. Or give me a historical story about the American Revolution and Ill be hooked. We are all people with a story. Our stories are each different and unique. We are storytellers and these stories we tell reveal who we are and what is true about ourselves. While our stories are unique to ourselves, they do intersect in one place - the BIBLE. Its all about story. It contains hundreds of stories of Gods people; stories of exile, plague, worship, healing, and the journeys Gods people have traveled. There are stories about miracles, resurrection, and giant fish; an ark, angels, and new life. Stories about us. Stories are powerful. They both shape us and give us an identity. The Bible is Gods story of love for humanity. Through it we learn about Gods intense desire for a two-way relationship with us. Its also our story because it continues and lives through us today. (The Greatest Story) The Bible gives us new truths of our own stories and teaches us how we live with our own stories in the midst of our common stories. We live in the story of Scripture. Its Gods story and ours. On November 13th, we will share Gods story and the Holy Scriptures with our three year olds and third graders. Each of them will be presented with a Bible and I hereby declare it to be Bible Sunday! BRING YOUR OWN BIBLES WITH YOU ON NOVEMBER 13th for an interactive sermon in which you will actively participate! (Dont worry it will be fun!) See you on Sunday, November 13th with your Bibles! Pastor Lindsay
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Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church Council Meeting September 12, 2011
Members present: President Brent Ingvalson, Bonita Herdina, Nancy Schwartz, Bob Kittelson. Tom Harber, Shad Rudlong, Karen Johnson, Pastor Lindsay, Marilyn Ulland, Don Carlson, Dennis Magnuson, Linda Christianson and Katie Zipse. President Brent Ingvalson called the meeting to order. Pastor Lindsay opened with a devotion from Bread for the Journey. Pastors Report: Brought up the idea of having Cottage Meetings. Which is where groups of 10-12 people meet at various locations and times to discuss the strengths, weakness and where the gaps are we need to work on in the church. Pastor will be meeting with the Deacons and going over Confirmation and ELCA Youth Gathering. Secretarys Report: Approved as read. Financial Report: Approved as read. Beginning Balance 8-1-11 Deposits Expenses Ending Balance $ 3,195.42 17,545.81 15,549.78 5,191.45

WELCA Report: The Prayer Chain is currently being updated. Ardell Swenson is the new contact person. 17 pans of bars will be coming for the upcoming auction. October 5th is Guest Day at church with a music box theme. October 10th quilting begins. The ladies voted to donate $1000 strictly towards the fuel bill. Program was given by Rachels Hope from Austin. They will be having a basket to collect baby items in the back of the church. Linda voiced concerns of not being able to hear in church by some members and what we could do. Parsonage needs some mulch in the front and the mailbox needs painting. Linda will paint it, if someone could replace the rotten post. Deacons Report: 14 children attended Rally Sunday on September 11th. The youth will be raising money to buy mosquito netting. Kids enjoyed the summer Sunday programs. No Sunday School next week with the Annual Meeting and auction. Looking for more people to read scriptures on Sundays. Trustees Report: A new back door has been installed at the parsonage. The new screen door is coming for that as well. Internet service is being worked on. The windows in the church office need looking at. Old Business: The Anniversary Account name has been changed to the Seminary Scholarship Fund. Ardell Swenson and Nancy are authorized to oversee this account and to report to the Church Council. The budget was discussed for the upcoming Annual Meeting. Church services on October 2nd will be at 10 a.m. New Business: The Council was approached to do a fundraiser after church and we chose to do one on November 13th. Next meeting will be October 10th at 7 p.m. Nancy Schwartz is the Eucharist Assistant for October. Following the Lords Prayer, a motion was made and seconded to adjourn. Respectfully submitted, Katie Zipse, Red Oak Grove Council Secretary [2]

Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church Council Meeting October 11, 2011
Members present: President Brent Ingvalson, Bonita Herdina, Nancy Schwartz, Bob Kittelson, Tom Harber, Karen Johnson, Pastor Lindsay, Marilyn Ulland, Don Carlson, Dennis Magnuson, Linda Christianson and Katie Zipse. President Brent Ingvalson called the meeting to order. Pastor Lindsay opened with a story from the children bible Salt and Light. Pastors Report: The pastors monthly housing allowance is $300. Four Red Oak Grove youth will be starting Confirmation, five kids have registered to go to the convention in New Orleans. The third graders will be receiving their bibles soon. There are five Cottage Meetings going to be held. Pastor has found a cheaper and more user friendly website for us to go with. The cost is only $25 a year as compared to the $500 we are currently paying. If anyone has any photos they would like to share on the website please given them to Pastor Lindsay. Secretarys Report: Approved as read. Financial Report: Approved as read. Beginning balance 9-1-11 Deposits Expenses Ending Balance $ 5,191.45 15,782.59 12,280.27 8,693.77

WELCA Report: There was no meeting in October because of Guest Day at the church. Out of 20 churches that were th invited, 17 attended with a total of 111 people. This was the largest turn out gathering to date. November 6 , the WELCA meeting will take place during coffee hour. Quilting started today. Deacons Report: Several Sunday School moms are helping to organize materials and crafts. Marilyn Ulland will be donating a bookshelf. The kids will be singing in church the last Sunday in October. Shared information on a Hooping for Health Program and may try it with the kids during the summer. The youth going to New Orleans have been brainstorming and coming up with fundraising ideas. Some ideas are a holiday bake sale, congregational sponsors, Easter breakfast, Pizza Ranch opportunity and serving coffee every last Sunday of the month. The children are collecting th money for the mosquito netting project. The childrens Christmas Program will be during church on December 18 . Trustees Report: The new screen door on the parsonage still needs to be put in and the doorbell needs repair. Discussion was held on ways to save money with the upcoming winter heating bills and other energy costs. The speaker in the nursery is way too loud and needs to be looked at. Katie is working on the snow removal list. Old Business: Auction recap even with the inclement weather we did fairly well. The food alone raised $1,290 and the youth raised $130 in pop and water sales. We discussed ways to improve our fundraising and possible new ideas for next year. New Business: The Council will be having a Breakfast Fundraiser after church on November 13 . The menu will be French toast, bacon or sausage, oranges, yogurt, juice, milk and coffee. Next meeting will be November 14 at 7 p.m. Karen Johnson is the Eucharist Assistant for November. Following the Lords Prayer, a motion was made and seconded to adjourn. Respectfully submitted,
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Katie Zipse, Red Oak Grove Council Secretary

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Thank you to all who helped make our Guest Day on October 5th a success. We had 111 guests representing 17 churches. Thanks to the ladies in the kitchen for a delicious brunch. To Mark for helping with the sound system and to the ushers for crowd control. Sonja, Angie and Georgia had a very nice program. Linda Christianson Pastor Gene and Carolyn Leiter have a new cell phone number. It is 1-805-907-5620. Their address is 17220 Village 17, Camarillo, CA 93012. The Council of Red Oak Grove will be serving up french toast and other breakfast goodies following worship on November 13th. Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service The Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service will be held on November 20th at 7 p.m. hosted by First Lutheran. Pastor Lindsay will be preaching. An Ecumenical Choir will be singing that evening. If you would like to be a part of the choir, please come for a rehearsal on Wednesday, November 16th at 7 p.m. at First Lutheran and one half-hour before the worship service on Sunday, November 20th. Bible Sunday will be November 13th. Bibles will be presented during the worship service to the 3 year old Sunday School children and to all Third Graders. Parents and children should plan to be in attendance. All congregational members are invited to bring their own Bibles to worship that day for an interactive Sunday worship of using your Bibles! Have you checked out our new website yet? Its at the same address (www.roglutheran.org) but looks a bit different! Its still a work in progress but we hope it to be a place of information, stories, and congregational happenings. Do you have any photos of recent church events that we could share on the website? Email them to pastorlindsaystolen@gmail.com.

PUT US TO WORK! Along with the cooler temperatures and delicious pumpkin treats comes the necessary fall chores to do before winter arrives. Lucky for you, Red Oak Grove has a group of five high school youth who are eager and ready to help you do those jobs of raking, trimming and window washing! The crew of youth who are heading to New Orleans next summer for the ELCA National Youth Gathering are looking to raise money to fund their trip and are willing to work on your to-do list for a donation towards their journey. If you are interested in having this work crew come to you, please call the church with details of what tasks you have in mind and well go from there!

Pastoral Acts: Zander Robert Trostem son of Adam and Jennifer Trostem was baptized on October 16, 2011. Zander was born in Rochester on May 24, 2011. A Committal Service was held on October 29th for Pearl (Thompson) and Horace Counts.
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