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September 2013 Newsletter Worship Services:

Aurora- Sunday, September 8th -Rally Sunday Aurora- Sunday, September 15th -Installation of S.S. Teachers & Blessing of the Backpacks
Send your info to: auroratrinityoffice@gmail.com or you can call 507-456-0740.

Special Services:

Cradle Roll & Rally Day for Aurora

Our next Cradle Roll & Rally Day is on Sunday, September 8th. Cradle Roll is for all baptized children ages 0 Kindergarten. New Cradle Roll members will be honored during our Rally Day Church Service at 9:00 a.m. All the Cradle Roll Members entering Kindergarten will graduate during the service. All Cradle Roll members are encouraged to attend and stay after for pictures. The following children are entering Kindergarten and will graduate during the service: Brooklyn Boyum, Miley Ripka, Alec Rosecke, and Lauren Thurnau The following children are the newest Cradle Roll members. They will be honored during the September 8th Worship Service: Colin Eckel, Carter Martin, Rutledge Miller, Brady Larson, Quinn Knutson, Aryalinn Gunther, Paxton Lehman, Braylen Wencl , Eli Thurnau, and Noah Gillis During the Worship Service, 3rd graders will be presented with a Sparks Bible, and there will be a presentation of confirmation students and their mentors. Following the worship service, a brunch will be served.

Communion Worship Services:

Sunday, September 1st and 15th

September Time Change

Worship times will be changing in September. Starting on Sunday, September 1st, Aurora will have worship at 9:00 a.m. Trinitys worship service will be at 10:45 a.m.

Food Shelf Sunday

The next food shelf Sunday at Aurora is Sunday, September 1st! Trinity will begin having food shelf Sunday on the second Sunday of the month. Trinity donations will go to the Ellendale Food Shelf. Please give to this worthy cause, as we Feed Bodies with the Love of Jesus! Newsletter Information Deadline
Please have all information for the October newsletter and calendar to Lisa by Thursday, September 19th.

Rally Day marks the beginning of the 20132014 Sunday School Year. All Sunday School students and parents should attend as the students start out a new year in learning. Beginning at 10:00 a.m., all the Sunday School students, teachers, and parents need to attend an informative meeting.

Aurora Council will meet on Wednesday, September 18th at 6:30pm at Aurora.

2013-2014 Sunday School at Trinity

Trinity will be offering Sunday School this 20132014 year. Please contact Rich Paulson at 507390-7001 if you know someone that would be interested in attending.

Sunday, September 15th Installation of Sunday School Teachers and Blessing of the Backpacks
During worship on Sunday, September 15th, at Aurora and Trinity, Sunday School teachers will be installed and there will be a Blessing of the Backpacks. Anyone of any age who is beginning school this fall is welcome to bring their backpack to church for a blessing for a good school year.
Southeastern Minnesota Synodical Women's Organization Convention:
The convention will be held on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013 from 9-4pm at Grace Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, MN. The convention is for ALL Women of the ELCA. Each congregational unit may be represented at the convention by one voting delegate. The theme is "Celebration of Many Generations: Past, Present and Future". The keynote presentation will be given by Kimber Schletty from Mission 21 in Rochester. Pastor Tammy Dahlvang, serving Crossroads Campus Ministry in Mankato will lead the Bible Study. There will be election for all board positions and for delegates to the 2014 Triennial Convention to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as some other business conducted. Please plan to attend this important event.

Confirmation Retreat SAVE THE DATE! Sept. 6-7 There will be a Confirmation Kick-off Retreat at Good Earth Village from Friday, Sept. 6 to Saturday, Sept. 7. This will be an opportunity for our Confirmation students to develop friendships with one another and to begin the year on Lutheranism by learning about the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Gods Work, Our Hands Sunday and Day of Service Sept. 8th On September 8th, alongside Rally Day this year, we will be celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the ELCA. Together we are one church freed in Christ to serve the neighbor. To celebrate this, ELCA congregations across the country are making it a day of service in their communities. For our congregations, there will be opportunities to serve the Boys and Girls Club and Prairie Manor Nursing Home in Blooming Prairie, and perhaps others. More information to follow.

Trinitys Aebelskiver Supper & Bake Sale

Trinitys annual Aebelskiver Supper & Bake Sale will be on Saturday, September 21, 2013, at the Blooming Prairie Servicemens Club. Hours are 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The menu is Aebelskivers, sausages, toppings, cake, milk, and coffee. Pricing is: Adults - $7.00; Children 5-12 years old $5.00; Children 4 and under eat free. Raffle tickets will be available to purchase for a

Trinitys council meetings will be on the second Monday of the month at 6:30pm. The next Trinity council meeting is scheduled for September 9th. Congregational meetings will be quarterly.

Council Meetings:

beautiful quilt. Like every year when we have this event, we will need everyone in the congregation to come prepared to help. We especially appreciate the help we receive from our former members and their families.

healthy eating? If you are interested please contact: Sue Condon at 507-451-8773 or Karen Beadell at 507-451-9298.

If you or a family member is sick and in the hospital and you would like to be included in the prayers on Sunday or you would like a pastoral visit, please dont hesitate to call Pastor Jon. He would be happy to make a visit and offer prayers.

Hospital Visits

Struggling to get out of debt?

Lutheran Social Services wants to help!
Lutheran Social Services (LSS) offers free budget and credit counseling for those who are struggling with debt. This is a safe and reliable resource for anyone seeking help with their financial situation. The LSS counselors will not judge anyones situation and will help them develop a plan to reach/sustain financial stability. If you are interested in this resource, please contact Leah Michaelis at (302)-214-5712 or go to www.conqueryourdebt.org.

A small group from Aurora and Trinity meets every Tuesday at 1:30pm at Olivias Restaurant to socialize and get to know each other better. Very informal, ALL are welcome to join.

Tuesdays at Olivias

Summer Joint Worship What did you think?

We have come to the end of our summer joint worship. Both Aurora and Trinity spent the summer worshipping together in each others sanctuaries, alternating back and forth each week. The leadership of the churches would like your feedback. Was it a positive experience? A negative experience? Would you do it again? Please speak to Rich Paulson, Jeanne Pichner, or Pastor Jon regarding your thoughts. Thank you!

A Study of Islam Understanding the Muslim Faith Since the attacks on September 11, 2001, Islam has been in the news a lot. Communities are also seeing an increase in practicing Muslims in the schools and workplaces and neighborhoods. Perhaps you work with, go to school with, or are friends with someone who is Muslim. Most of us only know what the media has taught us about Islam and much of it seems to be based around fear and being afraid of those who are Muslim. People in our congregations have been asking to better understand the Islamic faith. Beginning in October, Pastor Jon will be offering a four-week class on Islam. Stay tuned to bulletin announcements and the October Newsletter for more information.

Owatonna MOPS wants YOU!

MOPS is a Christian organization that uplifts, inspires, and equipes Mothers Of PreSchoolers (children ages birth kindergarden) to tackle the challenges of daily motherhood and grow in their relationship with Christ. If you are a mom of a young child, MOPS invites YOU to join us the 1st and 3rd Tuesday every

Attention FOOD Lovers

Is there any interest in forming a Christian based group that looks at how we eat and why we eat for the hope of

month beginning Sept. 17th from 9am-11am at Bethel Church, Owatonna. MOPS also is in need of loving, and caring CHILDCARE WORKERS to help work with our children during meetings. We are looking for volunteers and may also have some paid positions. For more information on joining, helping with childcare, or providing financial sponsorship for our 50-70 moms we serve each meeting, please contact Lauren Davis at 507-581-1347 or mopsowatonna@gmail.com.

Letters and Thanks:

I would like to thank everyone who helped in the mornings to make things run smoothly at the diner this year. We had a good crew every day and were swamped up to our elbows in orders. Thanks for the hard work and GREAT help. -Jodi Keck I wanted to take minute to share with all of you my experience thus far at the Mission Committee Meetings. I was unsure of what to expect, as I think we all were, but it was clear to me that God knew why we were meeting and I felt his presence each time we met. We started by looking into our mission statement, goals and what these meant to us individually and the church. We discussed the goals we have reached at this point and goals moving forward. We started by reading "Living Lutheran - Renewing Your Congregation" by Dave Danbert. We read the book individually and are doing the discussion questions together. What an amazing experience this has been for me! I reflect on these past few months and our mission statement and I am amazed at the impact it has had on me. I have a whole new appreciation for these words and feel I am being "Fed" more and more each time we meet. So many times I have felt God telling me to stop and truly listen, to open my eyes, and look around at all he is doing in the world through his people today! I know that each one of us will take a few different pieces with us from the meetings and that together, with God, we will do good things! Thanks, Alicyn Prestegard

Exploring Gods Dream

The time is fulfilled; the kingdom of God has come near. Jesus, Mark 1:15 Throughout the Gospel of Mark, Jesus talks about the kingdom of God coming near. That the kingdom is at hand; the time is now. What does Jesus mean by this? Is he saying that the end of the world is near? Is this something we are supposed to fear? No. Not at all. When Jesus talks about the coming of the kingdom of God, he isnt talking about the end of this world, but the fulfillment of Gods dream for this world. Think about it every week we actually pray for this in the Lords Prayer. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We pray for the kingdom to come here! For Gods dream to come true here on earth, as we trust it already is in heaven. And what is Gods dream for the world? For peace, love, and justice to fill the earth. While we know that many things still happen in this world that are not part of Gods dream, we can catch a glimpse of Gods dream coming true in small, yet powerful ways. When an older member and a younger member of our congregation serve together at the Aurora diner and share their stories, the kingdom of God comes near. When meal tickets to Trinitys Aebleskiver supper are donated to hungry families in Blooming Prairie, the kingdom of God comes near. When one person reaches out to their brother or sister in Christ, who is suffering in some way, the kingdom of God comes near. When moments like these happen, Gods dream is coming true. We are a church that is striving to be centered on Gods mission for us, Gods dream for us in this particular place at this particular time. To help us do this, in the past couple of months, a group of 7 people from our parish has gathered monthly to form the Mission Committee. Together, we have been reading and discussing a book called Living Lutheran: Renewing Your Congregation. This book has confronted us with the hard reality that the world is changing around us and the church has often been caught standing still. A changing world demands a changing church, the author proclaims. What needs to change? We need to have a clear purpose of why we are here. In other words, what is the purpose of our congregations? What is Gods dream for us? These questions led us into meaningful conversations about how God is at work in our congregations and communities. It has led us into reading scripture together, praying together, and asking what we might do to continue to help Gods dream for our communities come true in a world that is changing so quickly. The Spirit of God is at work in this group. Seeds are being planted and something is starting to grow. We arent sure what exactly, but we trust that the hard work of this Mission Committee will be a vehicle to help us fulfill our mission statement Feeding Body, Mind, and Spirit with the Love of Jesus. You will be hearing more about the work of the Mission Committee in the future. This is an open group, so if you would like to join us, please speak with me. We are partners in ministry, and for that, I am grateful. Pastor Jon

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH MONTHLY MEETING Sunday, August 3, 2013 Meeting was brought to order by Pastor Jon. Prayer was given. Sec. Report presented by Shari, approved as read. Copies handed out. Treas. Report handed out by Pastor Jon. Approved as read. Second quarter ended with a $1,650.56 deficit. Revenue for July 2013 was $654.00 with expenses being $1,694.88. Balances include: $11,645.65 in Checking, $12,652.23 in Memorial, and $1,684.02 in Mainstay. OLD BUSINESS: Council Meetings: This was again discussed and finalized. Trinity will have monthly COUNCIL meetings on the second Monday of each month beginning Monday, September 9, 2013 at 6:30pm. Trinity will also have quarterly MEMBER meetings beginning Sunday, October 13, 2013. Food Shelf: Trinity will have food shelf collections on the second Sunday of every month. This will begin on Sunday, September 8, 2013. Cement: Just waiting for Dave Melby to fit this project into his schedule. Same Sex Marriage: ELCA has a study Journeying Together Faithfully. This will be implemented into the monthly council meetings, and then opened up to the entire congregation next summer. This is to help with open and respectful conversation. There will be NO voting, NO force of decision, NO splitting of the church. Praise Banner Websites: There is a link on the auroratrinity website for everyone to look at, and get ideas. Pew Bibles: We can get as many as are needed to fill the church. They come in packages of 24. When half of them are taken, then the church will be responsible for replacing them. There needs to be a formal motion by the church council to get them. The church has to have a specific plan on how the bibles would be used eg. worship service, bible study, etc. We would need to build shelves to put under the pews to hold the bibles. NEW BUSINESS: Prairie Manor: September is Trinitys month to serve coffee on Sundays. Everyone has signed up. You will need 8 dozen treats, and start serving at 2:00pm. Staff are there to help with everything. Gift for the outgoing Bishop: No gifts are wanted, but there is a fund called First Call Debt. Reduction Fund. This is to help new Pastors with their expenses while taking on their first call after the seminary. A motion was made by Gary, and seconded by Caroline to give $100.00 to this fund in honor of the Bishop. ELCA 25th Anniversary: The Mission group came up with the idea of taking treats to, and visiting with Seniors in the area. This would also go along with our Mission Statement of feeding body. Paul and Caroline will inquire with the Senior Center, and Meals on Wheels to get a list of who might benefit from this. Aebleskiver Supper: This is set for Saturday, September 21, 2013 at the Servicemens Club in Blooming Prairie. The tickets will remain the same price of $7 for adults, $5 for children 5-12 years of age, and 4 years old and under are free. Ramona will be taking care of advertisements. Keeping with our Mission statement, we will be donating 10 tickets to the B.P. Police Dept. to hand out to needy people in the area. Donations: We will look into items that the Police, Fire, and Ambulance Depts. can use, such as blankets and stuffed animals. With no further business to discuss, motion to adjourn was made by Gary, and seconded by Lu. Respectfully submitted, Shari Manges, Trinity secretary.