From Our Pastor-

Faith News Volume 18, Issue 3 March 2015

Faith Lutheran

Church

PO Box 175

Wolverton, MN 56594

(218) 995-2556

faith@wtc-mail.net

www.faithwolverton.org

Rev. Clay Ellingson,

Pastor

1303 24th Avenue S.

Moorhead, MN 56560

(218) 233-3941

It is the mission of Faith

Lutheran Church:

To gather prayerfully as

the Body of Christ;

To grow in faith, love, and

service;

To go into the world

joyfully as disciples.

Sunday School,

9:00 a.m.

Sunday Worship

10:00 a.m.

Holy Communion on the 1st

& 3rd Sunday of the month.

Coffee Fellowship

March Food Pantry Item:

Peanut

Butter

& Jelly

Continuing Education

Over the years I have attempted to travel to Israel for continuing educa-tion. Two of the trips that I had planned to participate in were cancelled for reasons of security. This year I once again have the opportunity to travel with a group arranged by Seminars International, Inc. Our dates are March 8-22. This is the same company that arranged my study travel to Greece where we spent time in places where the apostle Paul lived, travelled, and wrote about in his letters.

During our travels we will be in Israel/Palestine and Jordan and be visiting Tel Aviv, Galilee, Petra, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Masada, the Dead Sea and surrounding areas. There will be twenty-five of us travel-ling, mainly from a church in Shoreview, MN. Thank you for your support and prayers during this time.

Peace,

Pastor Ellingson

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ;

As part of our Wednesday evening Lenten services we are using a resource pub-

lished by the ELCA called “Claimed, Gathered, Sent” which is helping us engage

in conversation with one another about why being church might matter. Below you

will find some excerpts from the resource for your own personal reflection. Please

come and join in on supper at 6:15-7:00pm and then worship and conversation at

7:15pm.

HERE’S WHAT

Your congregation is indeed unique. Yet the church is universal, and your congre-

gation is one part of the much larger church and connected to other faith communi-

ties. But how is the larger church formed?

Martin Luther teaches us how the church comes to be in his explanation of the

Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed, one of the ELCA’s three historic statements

of our faith. The Holy Spirit “calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole

Christian church on earth.”1 God has created the church as a gift to the world. It is

much more than a human institution. In Christ, we are joined, saved and set free to

serve one another.

How do we recognize the church? In the words of the Nicene Creed, another state-

ment of our faith, Christians confess that the church is “one, holy, catholic and ap-

ostolic.” These terms are called “marks of the church.”

The church is “one” because it is joined together by Jesus Christ, united in its relationship with and witness to

the one God (John 17:20-23).

“Holy” means “set apart.” The church is set apart to carry out God’s purposes in the world, reconciling the

world to God (2 Corinthians 5:19).

When we say the church is “catholic,” we confess that it is “universal.” It reaches across time and space and

is not divided by denomination, nation, race, gender or other human factors (Ephesians 2:19-22).

The “apostolic church” is rooted in the preaching and the witness of Jesus’ apostles. “Apostle” means

“messenger,” reminding us that the church is sent to carry the message of good news of Jesus to all the world

(Mark 16:15).

Reflect on the above comments and then use the following questions to spend some time thinking about how you

might answer someone who knows little or nothing about the church.

What mark seems most meaningful to you?

What does it mean for you?

How would you tell someone who does not go to church what is the church?

SESSION 1: WE ARE CHURCH SO WHAT? Now that you’ve thought about what is the church, explore how it fulfills its purpose.

The church is the assembly of saints in which the gospel is taught purely and the sacraments are administered

rightly.2

Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of

the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And re-

member, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

“The church is ... not an institution, an organization, or a building, but a community of relationships where

people’s selves are with God and with one another, bound by love... In our world, these relationships extend

beyond other human beings and God. We are not only related to other people, but we are in community with

all of creation.”3

“At the center of our life together is worship and at the center of our worship is the crucified and risen Christ.

When we gather for worship we turn our gaze away from ourselves to the source of our life and hope and sal-

vation. When we gather for worship we are encountered by the living God in Scripture, proclamation of the

gospel and the sacraments. God meets us and transforms us.”4

Which do you think best explains why the church exists?

NOW WHAT?

In what way is Jesus the center of your congregation?

How might your understanding of the church as one, holy, catholic and apostolic affect your participation in your

congregation?

Think of one activity or ministry in your congregation that is important to you. How could it better reflect what

uniquely being the church, in the broadest sense, means?

1 Robert Kolb, Timothy J. Wengert, and Charles P. Arand, The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (Minneapolis, Fortress Press, 2000), p. 355.

2 Robert Kolb, Timothy J. Wengert, and Charles P. Arand, The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (Minneapolis, Fortress Press, 2000), p. 43.

3 Diana Butler Bass, Christianity after Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening (New York: Harper One, 2012), 195.

4 Elizabeth A. Eaton, “Getting to what really matters,” The Lutheran, January 2014, http://www.thelutheran.org/article/article.cfm?article_id=11792.

Peace,

Pastor Elllingson

2 Larry Ness

2 Owen Cook

3 Donald M. Nelson

4 Brandon Byars

5 Joshua Olson

6 Joanne Wilner

6 Kerry King

7 Rose Hanson

8 Alisha Freitag

9 Alice Poppel

10 Marion Allen

10 Paul Israelson

10 Todd Getz

11 Debi Byars

12 Stephanie Hanson

13 Wallace Nord

16 Pat Freitag

17 Elias Traut

20 Paul Skoblik

21 Devin Miller

23 Melanie Getz

23 Wayne Slinger

23 Rylee Smith

24 Louie Gruenberg

24 Michael Church

24 Felix Tuel

25 Janelle Krump

28 Kathy Hanneman

28 Jason Maesse

28 Matthew Johnson

28 Megan Cassidy

29 Mike Nelson

30 Dylan Emerfoll

30 Parker Nelson

31 John Allen

31 Mark Johnson

31 Derek Tuel

Anniversary

25 Earl (Barney) and Ethel Edwards

Community News

Fire Arm Safety A Fire Arm Safety Class will begin Monday, March 2 and continue for

the next 5 Mondays from 7-9pm at the Wolverton Fire Hall. Class is

open to anyone 11 years old as of March 2nd.

Easter Cantata The Area Community Choir, under the direction of John Ness, will per-

form an Easter Cantata on March 22 at Faith Lutheran Church at 2:30

p.m. Other performances will be on March 22 at Comstock Lutheran at

10:30 a.m. and Our Savior’s in Barnesville at 2:30 p.m.

Legion Meatball Dinner The Abercrombie American Legion will be serving their annual meatball

dinner on March 8th from 11a.m. — 2 p.m. at the Abercrombie school.

Lent Offering Our Lent Offering will be given to Someplace Safe. Someplace Safe is

staffed by local advocates and volunteers trained to offer assistance to

Cake will be served in celebration of Don Nelson’s 90th Birthday after worship on March 1.

FAITH WOMEN NEWS UPCOMING DATES:

QUILTING:

Sunday, March 8 – Noon – 5pm with lunch

served for quilters

Monday – Wednesday March 9-11 9am to 4pm

MEETING:

Faith Women will meet on March 8 after

worship in the fellowship room. We will be leading a lay service on

Sunday March 22. If you are interested in taking part in a skit, reading

scripture, or music please see Lisa.

Lenten Suppers: Need

two more volunteers

to serve supper

March 18 & 25th.

Marion Allen—Sheyenne Crossing, West Fargo, ND

Jane Buchholz—Sheyenne Crossing West Fargo, ND

Ethel Edwards—at home Moorhead, MN

Louie Gruenberg—River Pointe Moorhead, MN

Marion Israelson—Eventide Senior Living Moorhead

Quentin Israelson—Eventide Moorhead, MN

Elaine Johnson—River Pointe Moorhead, MN

Leona Johnson—Rosewood Fargo, ND

Keith Nelson—Group home in Duluth, MN

Beatrice Nord—Riverview Place Fargo, ND

Myrtle Nord—The Leach Home Wahpeton, ND

Ed Poppel—at home, Wolverton, MN

Please keep these people who are under medical care in your prayers. Let Pas-tor Ellingson know if you would like your name or that of a loved one added to this list.

FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH COUNCIL

Meeting Minutes

February 4th, 2015 NOT APPROVED

Members Present: Mark Miller, Chad Erickson,

RC Stein, Marie Skoblik, Mike Aigner, Linda

Lucke, Bev Israelson, Pat Freitag

Members Absent: Scott Smith

Other present: Pastor Ellingson

Prayer: Pr. Ellingson

Opening Devotion: March 4th - None

Communion Assistant: February 15th - Mark

Miller

Communion Assistant: Ash Wednesday, February

18th - RC Stein

Communion Assistant: March 1st - Pat Freitag

Food Pantry item March: Peanut Butter/ Jelly

Secretary’s Report - motion to approve; RC Stein,

second; Bev Israelson. Motion passed.

Treasurer’s Report - motion to approve; Chad

Erickson, second; Mike Aigner. Motion passed.

Committee Reports:

Finance - Scott Smith - nothing

Property & Maintenance - RC Stein - nothing

Education - Chad Erickson - nothing

Music & Worship - Bev Israelson - planning for

Lent services and when Pastor will be gone in

March.

Youth - Mike Aigner - LYO served 50 people on

February 1st, Souper Bowl Sunday. Raising $366,

which will be given to

the back pack program. Ash Wednesday, Febru-

ary 18th, LYO will serve bars following the ser-

vice. So far 2 LYO youth will participate in the

Sr. High Youth Gathering, being held in Detroit

Lakes, MN in March. Also, LYO will serve

Easter breakfast following the Easter worship ser-

vice.

Faith Women - Linda Lucke - Quilting starts Feb-

ruary 8th

Stewardship - Marie Skoblik - nothing

Endowment - Mark Miller - Checks were sent to the

colleges for the students receiving scholarships

from the Endowment fund.

Decorating - Pat Freitag - nothing

Other Old Business

North Entrance - Bids are being accepted

Vibrant Faith Ministry - Seminar being held Satur-

day, April 18th, from 9-5pm at Cor morant Lu-

theran. Marie Skoblik will plan on attending.

Other Old Business - none

New Business

Other New Business - In March council members

will go over FLC’s constitution, specifically page 15

as it applies to council member duties’

Bell Tower - Brad Nelson and Mike Nelson will be

restoring the Bell Tower to a manual bell.

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FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH PO BOX 175

302 1ST STREET WOLVERTON, MN 56594-0175

Return Service Requested

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 001

Wolverton, MN 56594

Pastor Ellingson on Education Leave March 7—March 24 Worship Schedule

March 8—RC Stein (kids sing) March 15—Pr. Arland Jacobson March 22—Faith Women lead

Palm Sunday Service March 29—kids sing Easter Cantata—March 29 @ 2:30pm

Easter Sunday—April 5 Worship at 8:00

Easter Breakfast at 9:00 (no Sunday School)

Wednesday Lenten Service:

February 25 - March 25

6:15-7:00 Lenten Supper

7:15 Worship