april 2018 arc magazine -...

ARC MAGAZINE

A P R I L 2 0 1 8

S AT. 5 : 3 0 P M | S U N . 9 : 0 0 A M & 1 0 : 3 0 A M | A U T U M N R I D G E C H U R C H . O R G

Our purpose is to make disciples of Jesus Christ who love God and serve people.

The Resurrection RunC. John Steer | P4

Being a Praying ChurchHarold Burden | P16

A Greener Autumn RidgeJeff Green | P10

ARC Magazine April 20182 April 2018 ARC Magazine 3

MINISTRY CONTACTSSenior Pastor | C. John Steer

Executive Pastor | Pat Wester

Worship | Jamie Robinson, Alan Shoumaker

Next Generations | Jason Motte

Life Groups & Serving | Paul McDonald

Care & Enrichment | Karen Foster

Missions | Woody Roland

Administration | George Beech

Generosity | Bob Stanhope

For a complete listing of our leadership team, please visit the church website at: AutumnRidgeChurch.org/leadership

You may contact our staff via email at:

[email protected]

ELDER BOARDJay Maier – Chair

Jim Baber

Tracy Bashore

Phil Fischer

John Folkerts

Chris Grenz

Steve Merry

Robert Magambo

Tom Pankratz

Bob Stanhope

Mark Topazian

Dave Verberg

You may contact the Elders via email at:

[email protected]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEATUREDP4 The Resurrection RunP10 A Greener Autumn RidgeP16 Being a Praying Church

ARTICLESP6 The Gables GirlsP7 Have a Bumper Crop MarriageP8 Archways New MembersP8 Memorial ServiceP9 Looking at the World P11 Solar Array Saves Resources at Compassion Evangelical Hospital P11 Recycling at Autumn Ridge P12 Michael W. Smith Returns to Autumn RidgeP14 Next Chapter MinistriesP15 SERVing at Autumn RidgeP18 Hire a Student the SpringP19 Stephen Ministry

OUR MISSION, VISION, AND CENTRAL MINISTRY FOCUS:

Our Mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ who love God and serve people.

We do this through our Vision to equip Autumn Ridgers, in the power of the Spirit, to be disciples where they live, work, and play, and to share our hope

in Jesus. Our Ministry Focus is to equip followers of Jesus to understand their identity in Christ, discover their God-given gifts, and exercise them in love to

build up Christ’s kingdom.

What’s the idea behind the Father-Daughter Ball? We want to provide a forum in which a positive, encouraging, healthy, supportive, and engaging father-daughter relationship can be cultivated and a girl’s sense of value and worth established.

This event teaches young girls what it means to be treated with love and respect. Without this relationship, girls will look for validation elsewhere, usually in the most undesirable individuals and activities. It is our heart and mission for our daughters to understand their value and worth as they know and experience a father’s love.

The father she sees in you is how she understands God’s love.

2018 Polar Plunge

On Saturday, February 10, George Beech, Woody Roland, and Jesse Schearer suffered from a lapse of sanity – but for a good reason.

The three Autumn Ridgers decided to take the plunge in support of the Minnesota Special Olympics.

Rumor has it they still haven’t fully regained the

use of their mental facilities.

NEW SERMON SERIESTHE POWER OF AN INVITATION

An invitation can change our life. In this short

series we will see how Jesus and his followers use the power of invitation.

Date: April 7-8Sermon: Bringing a Brother to JesusScripture: John 1:35-42 Date: April 14-15Sermon: Come and SeeScripture: John 1:43-51 Date: April 21-22Sermon: Jesus’ Grand InvitationScripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Congratulations to Reed Petersen, NORTH DAKOTA STATE 2019, who was elected president of Interfraternity Council at North Dakota State University! Petersen says, “It feels pretty good. I’m pretty excited about the changes that will come in the council.”


The Resurrection RunC. John Steer

Every Easter Saturday for a decade we have held a “Resurrection Run” at Autumn Ridge. It is based on the race to the tomb of Jesus described in John chapter 20. There are more references to running there than the rest of the gospels combined.Let’s meet the three medal winners. They represent responses to the resurrection. They stand before us and ask, “What are you going to do with the resurrection news?”

The bronze medal winner is Peter.

Peter and John hear the startling news from Mary that Jesus is alive, and they dash off to the tomb. Commentators have speculated on the significance of John reaching the tomb first and pipping Peter at the post. Perhaps the most interesting suggestion is that while Peter had a wife, John was unmarried and therefore had more energy. But Peter makes up for his sluggishness by darting past John into the tomb in his typically impulsive way.

Once inside, “Peter saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head.” Peter saw and that’s all. His reaction to Easter morning is he doesn’t know what to make of it. The evidence of resurrection is there. The

folded face cloth makes it clear this is not the work of grave robbers, and yet all we are told is that “Peter saw.” He struggles to grasp this wonder called “resurrection.” He is afraid of what it might mean if it is really true.

The silver medal winner is John.

The text tells us, “The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.” John sees that the grave clothes have not been unwrapped but rather collapsed as if the body within them has vanished. John remembers this moment ever afterwards. It is a bit like falling in love, a bit like a sunrise, a bit like the sound of rain at the end of a long drought. It is a bit like faith. John saw and believed. He believed the new creation had begun. He believed that the world had turned the corner out of the long winter of death into this spring of new life.

Then notice what happens next. “Then the disciples went back to their homes.” Peter and John went home. That’s not a bad place to begin to live out the message of the resurrection. Our homes need the life-giving power of Jesus Christ. We all know how stressful home life can be. Marriages can succumb to deadness. Our relationship with our

children and our parents often needs a resurrection. Jesus can provide that.

The gold medal winner is Mary Magdalene.

All four gospels agree that Mary Magdalene was the first to the tomb. John reports, “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.”

Because Mary is the winner of the Resurrection Run, she becomes the first apostle. She is the apostle to the apostles because Mary is the first to bring the good news that the tomb is empty. As a result, “She came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple.” Mary runs in fear and confusion. She is concerned about what has happened to her Lord. Perhaps Mary is representative of us. We come to church this Easter wondering what has happened to our faith?

Mary’s message to us is: don’t give up. Her sense of grief and loss drives her back to the tomb. This is where we must go if we are seeking some comfort or some explanation that will make life bearable and meaningful again. We start at the empty tomb.

Look at these poignant words. “Mary stood outside the tomb crying.” There is permission for us here to be emotional people. The weeping of Mary reminds us that ours is to be a faith of the heart, as well as the head. This woman loves her Lord. Her whole emotional self centers around Jesus, for he is the one who liberated her and gave her back her life. May we be people who love our Lord Jesus - not just talk about him - but really love him because he has freed us and given us back our life.

In the midst of her grief, Mary hears a man asking, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” That’s the question Jesus asks of us today. What are we looking for? What’s our goal? What’s our purpose?

Then Mary heard something that changed everything. She heard Jesus say her name, “Mary.” It is just one word, but it’s enough, for it remade her world and transformed her life forever.

The Good Shepherd calls his own sheep by name. The Living Christ invites us to a personal relationship with him. Mary responds with ecstatic joy, “Rabboni! My own dear teacher!” May you hear your name today as the risen Christ says to you, “I am alive.”

Christ Appears to Mary Magdalene by Harold Copping


EVENSONG AND HOLY COMMUNION

6pm • Sunday, April 15 • Timothy Chapel

John and Gretchen Steer invite you to join them for a service of hymns, prayers, scripture readings, and liturgy from The Book of Common Prayer. Evensong meets once a month during the school year.

God has given Autumn Ridge a blessing we can’t explain. Residents of The Gables, a treatment facility supporting women in their journey through recovery from chemical dependency/addiction, have been coming to Autumn Ridge for several years. We recognize God’s providence in ministry to these women and see Autumn Ridge as a pathway to a better life in Christ and a halfway house for the soul. We have pledged to walk with residents of The Gables and send them Snap Shuttle twice weekly to bring them to worship with us. It gives us joy to see them sitting near the front of the sanctuary and exuberantly worshiping the Lord.

The Gables GirlsGeorge Beech

I will admit it. I’m not much of a gardener. My approach to our flower garden tends to be, “get it in the ground and go.” Most of what gets planted is as low-maintenance as possible. The result is that it looks okay – especially from a distance – but not even close to being an award winner.

A truly great garden goes way beyond meeting minimum requirements. It doesn’t take a master gardener to know why. Great gardeners spend time planning what’s going into the garden. They buy the best plants and seeds they can find and learn about gardening by reading books and articles on gardening. They fertilize, water and weed regularly and pay attention to the condition of their gardens. If a weed pops up, they’re on it. Their gardens are a priority, and it shows. The flowers are lush and

colorful, and their vegetable gardens produce a bounty.

It doesn’t take much imagination to make a comparison between having a successful garden and a successful marriage. They both take planning, regular maintenance, and care. 2 Corinthians 9:6 says, “Whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will reap generously.”

The Marriage Matters team at Autumn Ridge understands how important it is for couples to invest in their relationships and want to help them “sow generously” into their marriages. One of the ways we want to help couples care for and nurture their marriages is by offering the Staying in Love marriage retreat each month at Elizabeth Lodge.

Couples will learn how to “tend the garden” that is their marriage. Through short videos from Andy Stanley, group discussions, and exercises to work on together, couples can learn to move from novices to master gardeners of their marriages.

Don’t get the idea the weekend is all work and no play. A healthy marriage requires time for couples to spend together. Couples will have plenty of time to unplug from the busyness of life and relax together. The best part is you don’t need to bring anything or lift a finger. Everything is taken care of for you: meals, snacks, cleaning – everything.

To learn more about our marriage retreats, check the church website at AutumnRidgeChurch.org. Click on marriage and then retreats. It’s that easy. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Have a Bumper Crop MarriageRick Foster

We’ve seen dozens of The Gables girls come to Christ, be baptized, and make significant changes in their lives as a result of their trust in Christ.

In February 2018, ARC began partnering with the International House of Prayer in downtown Rochester to hold weekly Bible studies on topics of interest to women in recovery. They pick the topics, and we dive into the Scripture.

Please pray for this important ministry and for all who struggle with chemical dependency.

Katie Tillotson discusses Philippians 4 with Melissa Hernandez at The Gables Bible study.

Shelby Gehrke getting baptized on February 25th, 2018.


In John 17:18 we read, “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” (NIV)

Jesus knew we were not meant to reflect the values and priorities of this world (John17:16,17). However, we are called to the world so we can reflect

His character and His message to those around us.

The most common word for “world” in the New Testament is kosmos. One author said the biblical word “com-municates the idea of an ordered or regimented world that is open to observation and understanding.”

Memorial ServiceAnnie Abbott

Memorial Service May 6, 2018 | 6:00 pm

Many of our church families have suffered the death of a loved one in the past year. Our annual Memorial Service to

honor those losses will be held on Sunday, May 6 at 6:00 pm in the Timothy Chapel.

This is a time to remember our loved ones and to encourage us all as we live our lives to the glory of God. Whether

your loss has been in the past year or in a previous year, we invite you to join us for a time of Scripture, meditation,

music, fellowship, and the honoring of your loved ones. Refreshments will be served following the service. We

welcome the community to join us in this remembrance.

You may register for this service by writing ‘Memorial Service’ on your welcome card or obtaining a registration

form from the church office. We simply want to know your loved one’s name (to be read in the service) and what your

relationship is.

For further information, contact Annie Abbott at 288-8880 or [email protected].

Looking at the WorldWoody Roland

How do you look at the world?

When some people look at the world, they do not see much to draw their attention. Yes, they are aware of their own neighborhood, but they do not give a lot of thought to the bigger world beyond. They think very little about what happened last year and have even less knowledge of what took place in the last century. All they focus on is what is happening in their world this week.

Other people will actually read the newspapers and watch the news. At the very least, they have an idea of what is going on in government and sports. They watch nations rise and nations fall. They see athletes win big games, and then these athletes grow old and die. They see rich people building big towers, and eventually these big towers fall down. Sometimes men will build even bigger towers, and these towers come down too. Beyond this type of activity, they pay little attention to what is happen-ing in the world.

Still, that is exactly where you and I have been called... the world.

I like that. It means you and I can un-derstand culture and speak into it.

I believe with all my heart that Jesus is the answer. However, as we speak about Him in our world, we better know what the contemporary ques-tions are. Understanding these ques-

tions will take time and effort on our part.

Christ’s death brought about the downfall of the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31). Jesus prophesied that the gospel will be preached by His disciples to the whole world (Matt. 24:14; 26:13), and the first-century Christians were said to have “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:7) with their message.

That is how I would like Autumn Ridgers to be known. People who turn the world on its head. People who make a difference in Rochester and around the world. People who care enough about their world to open their eyes and speak into it.

“I believe with all my heart that Jesus is the

answer. However, as we speak about Him in our world, we better know

what the contemporary questions are. ”

God has given the church of Jesus Christ a mission, and you can partner with us at Autumn Ridge Church! If you want to learn more about what this partnership looks like, we offer the ArchWays classes twice a year. These classes are our way of helping you find out about what makes Autumn Ridge unique as a church. It also gives you the opportunity to formalize your partnership with us through church membership if that is your desire. To sign up for ArchWays fill out our membership application on our website at AutumnRidgeChurch.org/membership. If you have questions about the ArchWays classes or becoming a member, e-mail us at [email protected]

ArchWays Path to Partnership Class Spring

Schedule

ArchWays class series is three weeks long:

(attend all three weeks of the classes)April 21/22, April 28/29, May 5/6

Class is offered three times each weekend.Switch class times as needed to fit your schedule.Saturday (7-8 PM) or Sunday (9-10 AM or 10:30-11:30 AM)

Topics will include the following:

• Our history, God’s gift of salvation• Our purpose, personality and beliefs• Our organization and where we’re going• How God made you for His purpose


We occasionally receive comments from our congregation about recycling at Autumn Ridge. It’s true: not many recycling bins are visible. However, rest assured, our diligent facilities staff manually separate trash from recyclables each day, completely filling our commercial recycling container weekly. In fact, we hope that with the addition of more designated containers in our shared facility spaces, we will be even more efficient. We hope to expand to a larger commercial container as we do our part to care for the environment.

Where you see a recycle container – please use it! While we continue to search for additional opportunities for recycling and clean energy alternatives on our campus, we also encourage everyone to consider good stewardship in order to “go green” at home and work. Perhaps individually it doesn’t seem like recycling makes a difference. Collectively, however, we will make a huge difference in our community. 1 Corinthians 4:2 (NASB) tells us that “…it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.” We seek to be trustworthy with all the good and perfect gifts God has given us. George Beech is the pastor of Administration at Autumn Ridge serving primarily behind the scenes in all areas of stewardship.

West of Rochester, on Interstate Highway 90, there are rest areas at Blue Earth, MN. The eastbound rest area features a lovely woodland with hiking trails. There are many large, straight oak trees and other species typical of the deciduous forest in this area. Walking along, one encounters an old wooden sign. It carries a very simple, short phrase from Psalm 24:1:

The earth is the Lord’s, and all

that therein is.

This seems a very good starting point when discussing our proper Christian view of the environment around us. While Genesis gives us the responsibility for managing the created world, God makes it very clear that we do not own the world. Leviticus 25:23 gives us God’s perspective:

The land must not be sold

permanently, because the land is

mine and you reside in my land

as foreigners and strangers.

We are, in reality, tenants on this earth. As Christian tenants, we have a particular responsibility to be good stewards of God’s world.

What might that responsibility look like in our lives? Scripture

gives us guidelines. For example, in Deuteronomy 20:19-20 God instructs the Hebrew people that they must not wantonly destroy the trees if they besiege a city in war:

Are the trees people, that you

should besiege them?

The people are instructed to cut only the trees needed for immediate tasks. Desecration of God’s world is prohibited. This instruction applies to us, as well. We, as tenants, may use the resources of God’s world. We are, however, under obligation to use these resources wisely and efficiently.

With this admonition in mind, several of us at Autumn Ridge have formed a group to explore clean energy alternatives for the congregation. The burning of fossil fuels has a very negative impact on the environment. We can potentially reduce our impact by partially supplying our electricity needs with solar power or other clean energy options.

Ultimately, as Christians we are called to serve and honor our Lord Jesus Christ. Being good caretakers of this world is part of that service. In fact, as Christians, we have the most compelling reason to care for the

environment. We recognize that Jesus is Lord over the creation, and the creation was made by and for him.

In Colossians 1:15-17 Paul writes:

He is the image of the invisible

God, the firstborn of all

creation. For by him all things

were created, both in the

heavens and on earth, visible

and invisible, whether thrones

or dominions or rulers or

authorities—all things have been

created through him and for

him. He is before all things, and

in him all things hold together.

Being good stewards and protectors of the world that was made by and for Jesus Christ is part of our calling as disciples.

A Greener Autumn RidgeJeff Green

Solar Array Saves Resources at Compassion

Evangelical HospitalNeil Willis

Two years ago a group of people from Autumn Ridge Church and Highland Park Baptist (Michigan) installed a solar collector array at Compassion Evangelical Hospital in Guinea, West Africa.

Recently the CEH board discussed the fuel savings as a result of the solar system generating renewable energy for the hospital. It is estimated since the array’s installation two years ago, the solar system generated a cost saving of $30,000. This is what would have been spent on operating the diesel generators. In addition, LED bulbs in the hospital have replaced traditional incandescent bulbs, reducing the power requirements on the solar system and extending its useful lifetime.

Largely because of cost, the diesel generator only ran from 9AM-3PM to provide power for the hospital complex. Today the solar system is able to provide life-saving power 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Recycling at Autumn RidgeGeorge Beech

“Being good stewards and

protectors of the world that was

made by and for Jesus Christ is part

of our calling as disciples.”

April 2018 ARC Magazine 11


Michael W. Smith Returns to Autumn Ridge to kick off his “Surrounded by a Million Lights” World Tour

Jim Maher

Thursday March 8 was an exceptional night for the Autumn Ridge Arts Series, as multi-Grammy and multi-Dove award-winning contemporary Christian music pioneer Michael W. Smith returned to kick off the 12th season of the Autumn Ridge Arts Series, six years after his original pair of sellout shows here. Smith and a full band treated the audience to an evening of material from two brand new albums, along with a string of classic songs. Smith’s Rochester concert was literally their tour’s opening night, the first performance by this team of top Nashville-based artists.

The evening was full of worship for the sold-out venue, with about half of those in attendance being guests who don’t consider Autumn Ridge to be their church home. With two tour buses and a semi trailer packed with gear, concert set-up required more than 16 technicians and volunteers and about four hours to complete, and another 3 hours to pack afterwards. Autumn Ridge supplied dozens of production volunteers, from crew to technical staff to catering, merchandise sales, security, ticket management, hospitality, transportation, and facilities preparation. This successful event was the 27th in the Autumn Ridge Arts Series, with 25,000 guests served to date.

JOIN JOHN AND GRETCHEN STEER ON AN EXPLORATION OF ITALY

OCTOBER 12-23, 2018

Italy has been an important center for Christian faith since the first century. Paul wrote his magisterial letter to the Christians in Rome, which to this day remains the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. Believers were thrown to the lions and fought gladiators in the Colosseum. Great Christians like Francis of Assisi lived in

Italy and, of course, it is one of the great centers of Christian art. On our trip we will visit Venice, Florence, Assisi, and Rome. We will see Pompeii and the Vatican. We will learn about the Christian history of the land and enjoy times of worship together. A detailed brochure is

available in the literature racks around the church.

An information meeting will be held at 7:00pm on Tuesday, April 24, in the Timothy Chapel.

COSTAdults: $910 & under: $6

MISSIONS FIESTA LUNCH & AUCTION

AUTUMN RIDGE CHURCH STUDENT MINISTRIES

Come support students going on summer mission trips!

APRIL 28, 11:45 amThe Center

RSVP ONLINEautumnridgechurch.org/fiestaby April 21, 2018

Thank you for responding to the financial needs of so many students with your “Hire a Student” requests. We have one more opportunity for our students to serve you at our upcoming Missions Fiesta. All proceeds from this event will go to the 2017 student mission trips. It will be a fun way for you to eat lunch, meet our students and support the summer student mission teams!

AprilSenior Saints

BirthdaysLee Buskowiak-Johnson | April 23

8270 Mayowood Road SW #427Rochester, MN 55902

Jeannette Boyer | April 26Bethany Samaritan

24 8th St NW #5-2559Rochester, MN 55901

Carol Johnson | April 30211 2nd St NW #413Rochester, MN 55901


Next Chapter Ministries is holding their second ANNUAL RESTORATION CELEBRATION, Friday, April 13, 2018 at the Rochester Event Center, with a Silent Auction starting at 5:00 pm.

The name Annual Restoration Celebration reflects our mission: to restore those impacted by crime to God, family, and community. 2017 was an exciting year for Next Chapter Ministries. Some of the initiatives

accomplished were:

• expanding residential housing for men to 3 houses• renovating a house on an expansion site – The Refuge –

for our Teen and Children’s program• partnering with TreeHouse, a youth ministry based

in Minneapolis, to launch trauma-informed teen programming

• watching men reunite with their kids• hosting our first Annual Restoration Celebration

In 2018 we are excited and looking forward to:

• building the TreeHouse/Teen program to include 30 teens

• increasing and offering a greater diversity of programs for women immersed in a life impacted by crime

• launching a multigenerational initiative to bring healing, transformation and restoration to families impacted by crime

In order for Next Chapter to expand and increase in 2018, we need to reach our goal of $50,000 dollars. This is doable with caring people such as yourselves coming alongside.Once again this year, we are honored to have KAAL

television anchor Betsy Singer host this special event. There will be a silent auction starting at 5:00 pm, an auction you won’t want to miss. You will hear from people whose lives are being transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ and much more. The event will be held Friday, April 13, 2018. Silent Auction starts at 5:00, with the meal and program starting at 6:00 pm. Tickets are $25/person. Please mark your calendar today to attend.

Sheriff Kevin Torgerson , our featured speaker, has been with the Olmsted County’s Sheriff’s Office for over 30 years, serving as the department’s captain and director of homeland security and emergency management before being elected sheriff in 2014.

Members, staff, and visitors of Autumn Ridge Church have the ability to worship and attend events with a sense of safety and a peace that comes from knowing someone is looking out for them as they do. The Safety and Emergency Response Volunteer (SERV) Team provides just that. We are the guys and gals walking around in the black shirts with SERV on our backs.

The SERV Team is committed to supporting the mission of Autumn Ridge Church by providing a safe and worry-free environment for everyone in the building. As the pastoral staff strives to share the good news of Jesus Christ, the SERV Team strives to maintain this safe environment and protect the religious freedoms of each person who walks through our doors.

This safe environment allows us to welcome people from all walks of life who join us in fulfilling our mission of making disciples (followers) of Jesus Christ who love God and serve people.

Over the past two years, we have provided a secure environment for many different events, including Easter and Christmas Services, Devoted Hearts conference, TEDx, Amy Grant and Tim Hawkins concerts, Comedy Date Nights, the Blessing of the Bikes, and the Great Autumn Ridge Get-Together. We have provided assistance to several parents who have been separated from their children and even a few of our folks who may have just forgotten where they were sitting.

So if you see us standing at the railing of the upstairs looking out over the main lobby, roaming around the backstage area, or hanging out in the Center or main lobbies, please stop us to say hello. We are here to answer your questions, find your lost cell phone, or just show you where a class or program is being held, and we will be there in an emergency situation, too.

SERVing at Autumn Ridge Nick Abbott


Being a Praying ChurchHarold Burden | on behalf of ARC prayer team

I remember as a child growing up in my Southern church, we often sang the song “Jesus is on the main line, tell Him what you want!”

Just think about that ….. God (Almighty Father, King of Kings, God of Wonders, Great Jehovah) is always ready to hear from you. He’s on the “main line,” an old churchy way of saying our God is always just a “phone call” away. And He’s one who always picks up the phone when you call Him.This is a quite profound reality: that at any time we can call up our Father to thank Him and to ask Him

for his help. This is what prayer is … speaking to our Father anytime, anywhere, and about anything. He truly cares and listens!

Autumn Ridge Church believes in the power of prayer. Pastor John Steer has led us through a sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer. And now, starting in April 2018, Autumn Ridge is unveiling an ENHANCED PRAYER

INITIATIVE for the remainder of the year.

This initiative is an effort to encourage all Autumn Ridgers to

pray in a unified manner for our ministries, for our church family, and for our community. Each Monday, communications will be sent highlighting a few ministries and/or special prayer requests we would like all members, Life Groups, and ministry meetings to be praying about for that week. Praying in this unified manner as a full church family is the ultimate expression of faith that our Father will move in mighty ways for us!

The weekly schedule of prayer requests will follow the theme of the

Lord’s Prayer and use each phrase of that prayer to connect us to ministries and special requests to pray for that week. For example, the 1st week of April our theme for Prayer will be “Our Father,” which then leads us as a congregation to be praying for all fathers, mothers, and families at Autumn Ridge, and to also lift up our Mens, Womens, and Childrens ministries to God in prayer. The next week our theme would be “Who Art In Heaven,” and so requests will go out in relation to that phrase. The following week’s theme would be “Hallowed Be Thy Name” … and so forth.

Stay tuned for frequent communications regarding our

ENHANCED PRAYER

INITIATIVE and scheduled weekly prayer requests. Look forward to receiving this through ARC’s social media, lobby monitors, issues of ARC Magazine, and from the pulpit.

Let’s remember that our Father hears us each time we speak to Him. Please take part in this ENHANCED

PRAYER INITIATIVE with us, and let’s enjoy how our Father moves for our church family and community!

1 John 5:14-15“This is the confidence we have

in approaching God: that if we

ask anything according to his

will, he hears us. And if we know

that he hears us—whatever we

ask—we know that we have what

we asked of him.”

Matthew 7:7-8“Ask and it will be given to you;

seek and you will find; knock and

the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives;

the one who seeks finds; and to

the one who knocks, the door

will be opened.”

2 Chronicles 7:14“If my people, who are called

by my name, will humble

themselves and pray and seek my

face and turn from their wicked

ways, then I will hear from

heaven, and I will forgive their

sin and will heal their land.”


Hire a Student this SpringHow exciting that over 150 students will soon be going out on eight mission trips, helping to meet the physical and spiritual needs within our state (Rochester, Minneapolis), our country (Houston, TX), and our world (Dominican Republic, Honduras, and two trips to Ecuador)!

Though the benefits of these trips are great, the cost to go on one is not

cheap. We think it’s important for kids to find opportunities where they can earn money that goes directly towards their mission fund. This is why we created Hire a Student.

Chances are you have odd jobs around your home that you could hire a student to do. It may be baby-sitting, shoveling, lawn care, pet-sitting, etc. It would be such a

blessing if you hired a student to take care of these jobs for you. You can make a donation to their mission fund, and check that odd job off your list. It’s a benefit to both you and the student(s) you hire. Submit a request for a hire a student online or with the cards in the rack in the foyer. Feel free to send an e-mail to Students@

AutumnRidgeChurch.org.

Stephen MinistryKaren Foster

As Pastor of Care, one of my areas of responsibility is Stephen Ministry. We have been a Stephen Ministry congregation since 2016, and on January 28, 2018, we commissioned our second class of Stephen Ministers.

Stephen Ministry is a wonderful organization that was founded in 1975 to train people in church congregations to come along side those who are hurting, offering them care and comfort.

Two of the keys to Stephen Ministry’s success for over forty years are commitment and training. Each Stephen Minister is first, committed to meeting the needs of others who are hurting by offering comfort, care, and encouragement. The second key to success is training. Each Stephen Minister must complete fifty hours

of training. The leaders in Stephen Ministry have received one hundred hours of training. That training includes learning a variety of skills. We learn to minister to others who are hurting by providing one-to-one care to those experiencing a difficult time in life, such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, and other life challenges.

This past year we have ministered to individuals from Autumn Ridge, and we are seeing positive changes and the healing of Jesus Christ in the lives of people who receive care from a Stephen Minister.

When a person is hurting from a painful experience or difficult time, it isn’t always easy to ask for help. We are here to reach out to you and come along side you in your journey toward

healing. You may come across people in your Life Group or other individuals at church who are struggling and may benefit from a Stephen Minister. One of the most helpful things you can do is to encourage them to ask for help and seek out a Stephen Minister. If you have a heart for lonely and hurting people, please pray and ask God if He is calling you to become a Stephen Minister. Our next training class begins September 11, 2018. Contact Care@

AutumnRidgeChurch.org or call the church office 507-288-8880 for more information.

Becoming a Stephen Minister at Autumn Ridge Church is one way you can help fulfill our mission of loving God and serving people.

Your Best Next Step

Everything has a starting point—your life, your relationships, your education, your career.

Sometimes we forget that faith has a starting point as well. For some of us, our faith journeys began in childhood as a set of beliefs handed to us by a parent, teacher, or pastor. Maybe you developed a framework of faith based on personal experience. Or maybe you had no faith at all.

What if you could find a new starting point for faith?

Welcome to Starting Point – an 8-session Life Group that offers a conversational environment where you can explore faith and experience community. It’s an ideal place to ask tough questions and work out the details of what a faith walk might look like for you…it’s Your Best Next Step.

Available at all weekend services starting April 7th and 8th

Curious about God? Coming back to church after some time away?

New to Faith?

april 2018 arc magazine -...

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