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October 2013 Newsletter Worship Services:

Special Services: Sunday, October 27th Aurora S.S. Sings & Reformation Sunday Wear Red Communion Worship Services:
Sunday, October 6th & 20th Newsletter Information Deadline
Please have all information for the November newsletter and calendar to Lisa by Mon. Oct 21st. Send your info to: auroratrinityoffice@gmail.com or you can call 507-456-0740.

Tuesdays at Olivias

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. Feed My Starving Children Aurora/Trinity Parish is signed up for the Feed My Starving Children Event on Saturday, October 26th at the St. Johns Lutheran Church. There are 40 slots reserved for packing during the 8:30-10:30 am shift. Look for information as well as a sign-up sheet in the narthex. There are some age requirements for this event, as well as a no jewelry policy (which is included on the sign-up sheet). For questions, contact Lisa Korbel at 507-4560740.

WEAR RED on Reformation Sunday October 27th!

Reformation Sunday is the day every year we remember Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation nearly 500 years ago! We believe it was the movement of the Holy Spirit that lead to the Protestant Reformation and the beginning of the Lutheran Church. If you dont know much about the Protestant Reformation or Martin Luther, dont worry. Pastor Jons sermon that day will be teaching about it. But either way, wear the color RED that day. It symbolizes the moving of the Holy Spirit, which continues to happen even now.

Food Shelf Sunday

The next food shelf Sunday at Aurora is Sun., Oct. 6th. Food Shelf at Trinity will be Sun., Oct. 13th. Please give to this worthy cause, as we Feed Bodies with the Love of Jesus!

Hospital Visits
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.

Youth and Families Corner:

summer off. We want to remind everyone that the Young Adults Group meets the second Friday of every month. Its a chance to hang out and have some fun where we can sit back and chat with each other about a lot of different topics. Please feel free to bring an appetizer/snack if you would like & your own beverage. We hope that you can make it!

October Confirmation Schedule: Wednesday, October 2, 9, 23 & 30 at 6:30

p.m.
High School Youth Group Attention High School Students! Pastor Jon is offering a chance for high school students (912 grade) to start a Wednesday night youth group. Lets gather on Wed., October 9th and 23rd from 8:00pm 9:00pm for conversation around faith and life and anything else going on!

Is there any interest in forming a Christian based group that looks at how we eat and why we eat for the hope of healthy eating? If you are interested please contact: Sue Condon at 507-451-8773 or Karen Beadell at 507451-9298

Attention FOOD Lovers

Council Meetings:
Trinity Council: October 14th, 6:30 p.m. Joint Council Meeting: October 16th, 6:30 p.m. Joint Budget Meeting: October 30th, 6:30 p.m.

Family Fun Night

Everyone is welcome to attend the family fun night at Ken Prestegards on Sat., October 12th. The fun starts at 4:00 p.m. There will be wagon rides, a potluck meal, & a bonfire. Bring a dish to pass for the potluck as well as the entire family & friends for a fun night out!

2014 Budget Process

The council members (President, Treasurer & Trustees) will begin the Budget Process on October 30th. At this meeting, we will be reviewing our expenses and making a proposed budget for 2014 to present at the Annual Meeting. This is for Aurora and the Joint budget. To prepare for the meeting, we would like to get information from our committees/individuals on their needs for 2014. We will be distributing expense reports to the appropriate individuals as needed. Please share your thoughts/ideas with them. .Organist/Pianist

Aurora Sunday School Students to Sing

The Aurora Sunday School Students will be singing during the Sunday, October 27th, worship service.

Wartburg Youth Day! November 2

Wartburg College is hosting a youth day on Sat., Nov. 2nd that will focus around issues of hunger. Confirmation students, grades 79 are invited to attend. Wartburg students will be leading the days activities, which include a hunger meal, hunger games, worship in the Chapel, dinner in the Mensa, a campus tour, and more. The cost is $5, which will be donated to a local food bank. If you are interested in attending, please sign-up at church by Wed., Oct. 9th.

Wanted:

Young Adults Group

The Young Adults Group will be meeting on Fri., Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. We will be meeting at Pastor Jon and Laurens house. We are excited to start meeting again after taking the

After many years of playing for Aurora & Trinity, Debbie Gehring has made the decision to step-down as organist so she might be able to spend more time with her family and also sit together with them during worship services. However, she has agreed to stay on until we find a replacement. To begin the search, we are soliciting from within our congregations. If you have any interest or you know of someone, either fulltime or part-time, please contact Pastor Jon or Jeanne Pichner to discuss. We will consider any interests.

Gods Work, Our Hands Sunday was a success!

On Sunday, September, 8th, members from Aurora and Trinity gathered at the Boys and Girls club and Prairie Manor Care Center in Blooming Prairie to do service. It was a great afternoon of celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the ELCA by loving our neighbors. Here are some pictures from day!

A Study of Islam: Understanding the Muslim Faith

Love your neighbor as yourself Jesus (Matthew 22:39) Show kindness to the close and distant neighbor Quran, part 5, vs. 36 Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Ever since the terrorist attack on 9/11, the religion of Islam has been a common topic in our culture. Weve seen on the news horrific violence attributed to Islamic groups and we hear rumors that violence against non-Muslims (Christians in particular) is a sanctioned part of the Islamic faith. Much of this has led to a culture of fear around people who are Muslim. As a result, there has been much backlash against American Muslims. There has been violence against Muslims in our country, mosques (Islamic house of worship) have been vandalized, and one pastor in Florida even threatened to publicly burn the Quran (Islamic Scripture). But lets be honest, how much do we know about the Muslim faith? How many of us are friends with or have had a conversation with someone who is Muslim? I know I dont always agree with the way Christianity is portrayed in the media. Perhaps Muslims dont always like the way the media portrays them. For example, did you know that Muslims pray to Jesus, as one of the great prophets of their faith? Did you know that loving thy neighbor is a central belief in Islam? Communities like Owatonna and Blooming Prairie are seeing an increase in practicing Muslims in the schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. They are our classmates, our coworkers, and our next-door neighbors. Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Perhaps it is time that we strive to learn more about and understand our neighbors faith. Many of you have asked to if we could do a study on Islam. Beginning this month, I am offering a 4-week study. During this study, we will do an overview of Islam, including the history, beliefs, and customs of the religion. There will be two opportunities to participate in this study.
Tuesdays at 1:30pm at Olivias Restaurant Week 1 October 15th Week 2 October 22nd Week 3 October 29th Week 4 November 12th Thursdays at 6:30pm at Aurora Lutheran Week 1 October 17th Week 2 October 24th Week 3 November 7th Week 4 November 14th

All are welcome to attend this study. If you are interested, please let me know or sign-up at church, simply so I know about how many to expect. Peace and love to you all, Pastor Jon

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Monday, September 9, 2013 Meeting was brought to order by Pastor Jon with opening prayer. Pastor Jon lead us in discussion of session one and two of the ELCA study guide, Journeying Together Faithfully. Sec. Report presented by Shari, approved as read. Copies handed out. Treas. Report handed out by Pastor Jon. Income for July/August 2013 totaled $1,890.00, with expenses at $3,395.05. Balances include: $11,748.08 in Checking, $12,652.23 in Memorial, and $1,684.02 in Mainstay. OLD BUSINESS: Food shelf: Second Sunday of the month. Collections are taken during the service, with the offering. Cement: The pad at the entrance of the church is finished. Paul worked on landscaping. The bill has not yet arrived for payment. This will come out of the Memorial account. Banners: Prices start at $150. We need to look at what size, and where they will be hung . NEW BUSINESS: Aebleskiver supper: Saturday, September 21st. Time has been changed. We will serve from 12-5. We are in need of workers. Pastor Jon will ask members of Aurora to help. Pastor Jon made up sample tickets for the B.P. Police to hand out. He will have final copies printed. Hymn Number Board: This has been put up in front of the church. We need numbers to put on it. Pastor Jon will talk to Lisa Administrator, and see if she can get some made. Worship Service Sign: It would be nice to have a sign outside saying when our service is. Pastor Jon had a picture of one. He and Rich will look into this further, and get some prices. Guest Pastor: September 29th Pastor Jon and Lauren will be out of town. Health Benefits for Pastor: The synod is changing the health ins. for Pastors. There will now be 4 choices for the church to decide on. Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Pastor Jon is currently on a plan similar to the Gold plan. To keep him on this plan the cost for Trinity will increase approx. $120.00 per month. If the church decides on a lesser plan, then Pastor Jon can decide if he wants to upgrade to a better plan, paying the difference out of his own pocket. The church has to make a decision by Oct. 14th. Pastor Jon will be talking to Aurora at their next council meeting. There may be the need to call a joint council meeting before then, to make a final decision. Organist: Debbie is starting the process of resigning as organist. We will look into a celebration service for her when it is final. If you have anyone in mind to be organist, let Pastor Jon know. DATES TO REMEMBER: October 13, 2013 Trinity Food Shelf Sunday. October 14, 2013 - Trinity Council meeting at 6:30. October 16, 2013 Joint Council meeting at 6:30, at Aurora.

October 30, 2013 - Joint Budget meeting at 6:30, at Trinity. This is for Pres.,Treas., and Trustees. With no further business to discuss, motion to adjourn was made by Gary, and seconded by Lu. Respectfully submitted, Shari Manges, Trinity secretary Aurora Lutheran Church Council Meeting September 18, 2013 The regular monthly meeting of the Aurora Lutheran Church Council was held on September 18, 2013. The members present were Jeanne Pichner, Mark Prestegard, Jodi Keck, Brett Paape, Paul Korbel, Roberta Jensen, Pastor Jon Davis, Curtis Jensen, Ryan Schrom, Alycin Prestegard, Jared Prestegard, Sara Pichner, and Nathele Beadell. The meeting was called to order by President Jeanne Pichner and Pastor Jon lead us in prayer. Secretarys report: The minutes from the July 17, 2013 meeting were approved as read. Treasures report: The reported financials were approved as follows: August Income: $7,599.66 August Expenses: Year To Date Income:$60,090.73 Year To Date Expenses

$ 4,373.78 $49,150.14

Pastors report: Pastor Jon reported his Portico Medical Benefit plan premium is changing for next year. For the same coverage our part of the premium is being reduced by $4,275 a year. Old Business: The playground equipment has arrived. The education committee is looking for people to coordinate the set up and installation. Donation envelopes will be ordered and placed at the funeral homes in town. Jeanie will check on the status of a water softener system. New Business: We will be looking for an organist as Debbie is resigning. The budget meeting is scheduled for October 30th. The members of the budget team will be asking the committees for input of what expenses they anticipate for the coming year. A special meeting to continue to review the constitution and bylaw will be held on September 23rd at 6:30 p.m. The meeting was adjourned. The next council meeting will be held on October 16th, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. The Joint councils will meet first followed by Aurora meeting. Respectfully submitted, Nathele Beadell