You’re almost there… For all who gave something up or took something on for Lent, you’re down to 9 days, the end of the journey is near. Remember Sundays are “Little Easters” a day of grace, so enjoy your coffee or take the day off from picking up trash around your neighborhood – although you are welcome to continue to do so during Lent Sundays along with all the days that follow…
 
As has been stated in the Lent Messages,
 
“Let us be disciplined in our discipleship as we follow Jesus’ Way.”
 
Our messages have called us to…
 
…Have mercy by caring for the neighbor – Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
…Choose the better thing by listening to Jesus – Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42)
…Be generous by sharing what you have – The Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21)
…Be forgiving by offering second chances – The Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9)
…Be gracious by welcoming the lost – The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
…Make amends by helping others – The Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-18)
…Be compassionate by giving to the poor – The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
…Converse with God by praying authentically – Prayers at the Temple (Luke 18:9-14
…Be accepting by welcoming the unacceptable – Jesus and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)

This Wednesday, April 9 for our final Lent Message, I invite you to decide what the message calls us to do – Luke 19:11-27
 
Palm Sunday is this coming week. The Lenten journey ends at the gates of Jerusalem and Holy Week begins.
 
All that we have been doing is living The Jesus Way. This is the song that inspired the Lent Theme. Read the lyrics or better join in singing the song with Jubilee at our 10 AM Worship. Lent may be ending but may we continue to choose The Jesus’ Way.
 
The Jesus Way, Song by Phil Wickham ‧ 2023
(Condensed Lyrics)
If you curse me, then I will bless you
If you hurt me, I will forgive
And if you hate me, then I will love you
I choose the Jesus way.​

If you're helpless, I will defend you
And if you're burdened, I'll share the weight
And if you're hopeless, then let me show you
There's hope in the Jesus way.

I follow Jesus, I follow Jesus
He wore my sin, I'll gladly wear His name
He is the treasure, He is the answer
Oh, I choose the Jesus way.

If you strike me, I will embrace you
And if you chain me, I'll sing His praise
And if you kill me, my home is heaven
For I choose the Jesus way.
And I choose surrender
I choose to love
Oh, God my Savior, you’ll always be enough
I choose forgiveness
I choose grace
I choose to worship, no matter what I face.
Oh, I choose the Jesus way!
Songwriters: Jonathan Smith / Phil Wickham
The Jesus Way lyrics © Be Essential Songs

​I am serving on the St. Luke’s council as Treasurer. My wife Mary and I have been members of St. Luke’s since 1987 and were married here in 1988. While we were preparing to be married, we knew that we would be settling in Bloomington and began searching for a church home. We visited St. Luke’s and found a welcoming and supportive community of believers. That is still true today and we have been here ever since.

Over the years, my faith journey here has involved participating in more bible studies and adult education events than you can shake a stick at. I have also had the opportunity to be involved in a wide variety of ministry activities. Those include everything from Habitat for Humanity to Confirmation mentoring and even babysitting a cantankerous FM transmitter during our pandemic parking lot worship services. These days you will often find me back in the corner, running the live stream of our worship services. All of those study and ministry activities have played an important role in my own faith formation.

That is also true of serving on the church council. When I was asked by the Executive committee if I would consider coming back as Treasurer, I realized that there was a need that I could meet, and here I am.

The duties of the Treasurer include some routine tasks like reporting the financial status of the church to the council every month and leading the effort to build an annual budget. There are also some ad-hoc projects as many new ministry ideas or service projects have a financial component. That said, I believe that the most important duties of the Treasurer are to help the council be the best stewards we can be of the funds entrusted to us by the members of this congregation, and to report the financial condition of the church as accurately and transparently as possible.

I will do the very best that I can to accomplish both of those duties.

Greetings, my name is Jane Nechville and I’m the Community Life chairperson for 2025.

When I was married and expecting my first child, my husband and I were looking for churches in the area. Many were nice, but nothing compared to St. Luke’s.

We felt like we were immediately at home.
Our girls were baptized here and confirmed at St. Luke’s.
My husband and I taught Sunday school and were worship leaders. We helped put on the Christmas program and the girls were in choir from a young age on.

Our committee’s goal is to provide leadership and to be an advocate for our community ministries. It is the mission of Community Life to support activities that nurture relationships within St. Luke’s congregation by maintaining and expanding small group ministries and fellowship ministries.

I accepted this position because I love meeting people and bringing folks together in community. 

As a member of St. Luke’s, I’ve participated in many of the amazing factions of our community, which I hope many of you decide to participate in also.  It’s a wonderful way to get to know people and be involved in this amazing church!

Some of the people I must recognize are the many folks who host and contribute to our Sunday morning treats.

Our dishwashers who clean up after us every Sunday and every breakfast, lunch, funeral, etc. 

Our Card Ministry writes out special messages to folks suffering an illness, death in the family, hospitalization, etc., using handmade cards made by our own Bev Brosam.

Our Care Team brings home communion to those who cannot come to church weekly. Many of these folks enjoy my dog Kaija, who loves visiting people like Margaret Dahl.

We hope you will join us on the last Friday of the month Game Night. This is for families of all ages.

Just bring a game and snack to share. Beverages are provided.

Please let me know if you’re interested in any of these functions of community life. We would love to have you and we welcome you with open arms. ​

Hello St Luke’s! I’m Leah DeSchepper and I am serving on council as Past President.

Who am I?

I have been attending st Luke’s since I was 6 years old. St Luke’s and its members helped raise me into the person I am today. I have been involved at St Luke’s for most of my life serving in many areas and leadership roles. Being on council has been a wonderful opportunity to give back to a congregation that has given so much to me.

What is my role on council?

The role of past-president here at St Luke’s is the third and final year in a presidential role. The first year is as President-elect, a year of learning, the second year is as President, a year of leading, and the third year is as past-president, a year of supporting and advising. This year I will support our council president Kelsey and all council members with almost anything they need. I will also lead the personnel committee.

How can you support?

Share your joys and concerns about st Luke’s with your council representatives. Council loves to hear from all members. And most importantly, continue to pray for the leadership of st Luke’s and your fellow members. 
​
Thank you!

My name is Diane LaFontaine. I didn’t have any say about coming to St. Luke’s. In 1955 my parents moved to a house a block away.

After several years of continuing to drive to my mother’s home church in south Minneapolis, she realized having a Lutheran church a block away made more sense, so I’ve been here since 1959.

​I was confirmed here, I was married here in 1972 under that skylight when the sanctuary faced the other way. My children were baptized and confirmed here and some of my grandchildren were baptized here. My parents and husband’s funerals were held at St. Luke’s.

None of that is really important. What’s important is all of you. You’re why I stay. Over the years I’ve spent time with so many wonderful people on committees, in classes and bible studies. I’ll echo Becky Olson from last week: if you don’t feel like you know people, get involved! Join a group! There’s bible study on Wednesday night, you can learn to quilt, help out with property, be an audio visual volunteer, be on a committee, help with kids on Sunday mornings or Wednesday nights. As Rob says, there are 100 ways to participate in this congregation. I can guarantee you’ll be glad you did and you’ll make some good friends.

I’m your representative for Stewardship, after much thought and prayer. I’ll admit I never thought I would be on church council for Stewardship! I’m not 100% sure what all I’ll be doing.

There was no talk of money growing up. I got married right out of high school and had kids right away, we spent what we made - child care, mortgage, old cars. I still wasn’t really saving much for a number of years.

I took a class at church that emphasised saving, - I can never remember the name of the class - but it gave real ways to make savings happen. I had always known we should have savings, it just was hard to make it happen.

Now I have $1000’s in savings instead of $100’s, I’ve got CD’s which I never could have had and locked up 1000’s of dollars for any period of time before. I’ve got peace of mind if we have an emergency, and an interesting side effect is that as my savings have gone up, so has my credit score.

Best of all, I’ve been blessed to increase my giving to St. Luke’s in the last few years, and that’s wonderful. I love this church, and I’ve always wanted to be able to give more.

I think we’re so blessed to have this lovely building to worship and meet in, the talented musicians, a pastor who challenges us to grow closer to God and be better people. Most of all, we’re doing things in our community and the world that are making lives better. I hope you read the annual report that lists all the organizations that we support with your giving. It’s not just the visible gifts and collections at Christmas time, but the monthly gifts to places like the Synod that supports many organizations and congregations, Lutheran Social Service, and a host of others. The support that the recipients of those ministries receive doesn’t happen without us, and means we’re fulfilling our mission.
I realized that I did have a place on Stewardship after all. You may too!

It is an honor to I introduce myself as the newly appointed Church Council Secretary. Faith is a central role in my life. I see faith as trust in God and a call to action. When I was approached my immediate thought was no; but said I would think about it. That evening, I pulled out Each New Day by Corrie ten Boom and read several of her messages.   

My prayer that night was asking Jesus to help me make a decision. I knew I wanted to say yes, but it was tempting to say No. Father, you know what is in my heart. Give me strength to accept and follow your call. May every decision I make be pleasing to you. I woke with a yes in my heart.   So here I am to serve our church. 

My husband Andy and I have been members of St. Lukes since 1970. We were married in 1969 at Lake Nokomis Church and our pastor suggested St. Lukes as he was a friend of Paul Werger.  We visited the church and felt very welcome and never left.   

Over the years I have been very active in the church, our children were baptized, attended nursey school with Mrs. Jacobson, confirmed here. I went on children’s choir trips, vacation bible school, and attended women’s circles.  

Currently, I lead Loaves and Fishes (if interested in helping let me know); serve Meals on Wheels and enjoy the Monday morning bible study group (a wonderful place for women to grow in faith).   

I thank you for your trust and confidence in me to serve and ask for your prayers for guidance.   

Many Blessings 
Jan Pankratz ​