February 7, 2017, was my first day as Pastor here at St. Luke’s; honestly, it doesn’t feel that long. That was affirmed by a congregational member during her spouse’s funeral, who introduced me a summer ago (2022) to one of her friends, “I would like you to meet our new pastor.”

Seven years later, I’m still learning and growing, which is the mark of a healthy pastor. However, the demands of the position limit the depth of my study. Also, the schedule of a pastor can be a burden on a family. These are the two primary focuses for me in the upcoming year as I will take a disjointed sabbatical. It will be served in three phases:

1. May 23 – June 22 – I will return for Vacation Bible School and the Week of Camp Wapo.
2. July 13 – July 30 – I will return for the High School Mission trip to New York City, where we will be teaching Vacation Bible School at Advent Lutheran in Manhattan.
3. August 12 – September 14 – I will return for the start of the Fall Programming year.

The idea of a sabbatical has biblical origins. The very root of the word is the same as that of “Sabbath.” Throughout the Old Testament God instructs people to work six days and rest on the seventh. In Leviticus, God instructs people to allow the land to rest every seventh year — meaning no farming, no planting, no harvesting.

Pastors find sabbaticals to be transformative experiences that strengthen and develop the clergy’s ability to serve the congregation.

“We believe both congregations and pastors are strengthened by providing opportunities for pastors to step away briefly from the persistent obligations of daily parish life and to engage in a period of renewal and reflection. Renewal periods are not vacations, but times for intentional exploration and reflection, for regaining the enthusiasm and creativity for ministry, for discovering what will make the pastor’s heart sing.” (Lilly Endowment).

A well-planned sabbatical includes:

• Spiritual Renewal – I will be attending a variety of churches. Currently I only have the opportunity to do so when on vacation.
• Rest – My phone will be off. As a pastor I am always on call. I go to bed each night making sure my ringer is on in case there is an emergency. My wife will appreciate this luxury. A funny story back before cellphones. The phone outlet was on Nancy’s side of the bed; thus, the phone was on her nightstand. Late one night, actually early morning, I woke up to her on the phone. She said to the person who called, “Well he’s awake now, would you like to talk to him?” I waited to take the phone, but then I heard Nancy continue, “Well, when I’m feeling anxious, I find journalling helps…”
• Education – I have some books in my need to read pile. I have enrolled in The Art of Leadership by Pastor Carey Nieuwhof. It is a yearlong study which I started in January. There are weekly Zoom Learning Sessions, however due to my schedule I’ve only had the opportunity to participate in a few of them. During the sabbatical I look forward to attending more of those along with taking Nine Courses: 

1. Burnout and Productivity
2. Church Growth
3. Giving and Generosity
4.   Leading Change
5.   Online Influence
6.   Outreach
7.   Pastoral Succession
8.   Preaching
9.   Team Leadership

 
Arrangements for Ministry during the Sabbatical

There are several people I need to thank who will be stepping up in my absence.
A Pulpit Supply Team will be commissioned this Sunday: Pastor Steve Olson, Seminary Student Tim Krieg, and members Mollee Erickson and Mark Roberts. Steve is already scheduled to preach and preside at communion on 1st and 3rd Sundays.

We have an incredible staff. One of the tasks they agreed to is each will write one of the weekly blogs. I look forward to hearing their thoughts and insights. If there is a staff need, Past-President, Mark Bergherr, Chair of the Personnel Committee, has agreed to offer guidance. He is also the one who will determine if there is a need for me to be contacted if necessary.

Pastoral Care will be multi-faceted. Emily Hendricks, Director of Children and Family Ministry has agreed to serve the role of being on call. She has been doing so when I’m on out-of-town. Her role is to direct the point of care. If it is an immediate emergency either Pastor Steve Olson or Seminary Student Tim Krieg will attend to the person. If it is not immediate, but the person would like follow up, Judy Sandeen will attend to the person. If the member is already connected with one of our many Care Team Members, Judy will invite that team member to follow up. In addition, Tim, as a part of his Clinical Pastoral Education, will manage the pastor’s discretionary fund.

I am grateful to be a part of St. Luke’s, a welcoming and growing community of faith, busy making Christ known to the world which in this case is doing so by caring for its pastor.

Thank you again for this opportunity which I believe will be mutually beneficial.

“To engage in a period of renewal and reflection may well be one of the greatest gifts a pastor can give a congregation.” — Bishop Ann Svennungsen, Minneapolis Synod

​Ongoing prayers and blessings, Rob

Wow! Can you believe it is almost 1 year since we gathered to celebrate St. Luke’s 100th anniversary in ministry.  What a memorable weekend it was praising God in fellowship with current and former mayors, our Bishop, pastors, staff and church members. Participants of all ages were delighted and deeply touched with many asking…” Can we do this again next year”?!?!

And so, a new group was born in February of 2024! The Annual Outreach Event (AOE) team of about 25 individuals answered the call to brainstorm possible events/activities. Many great ideas were offered up and after conferring with staff we have found a way to partner with various ministry teams this year.

Please join the AOE team on Sunday, April 28 at 11:15 am in the Fellowship Hall.
At this gathering we will continue to fine tune our ideas. Your voice is important to us. Please join us for a fast-paced fun hour of planning/dreaming. Beverages and treats will be provided.

​It’s time to start cleaning out your closets!
June 6-8, 2024
Garage Sale, Kids Jumpy Houses and Ice Cream Social
Mark your calendars for the a church wide garage sale coming June 6-8, 2024. We will partner with the Faith Formation Ministry Team who will be offering Jumpy Houses and an Ice Cream Social to the public on Saturday afternoon, June 8th. Information regarding VBS and other child related activities will be handed out to all garage sale visitors. More information will be available in the coming weeks.

​It's never too soon to plan for the holidays.
November 8 & 9, 2024
Holiday Market and Fine Arts Festival
Calling all St. Luke’s artists, crafters, bakers and lovers of unique gifts. Outside vendors and St. Luke’s families will be joining together to present a festive Holiday Market and Fine Arts Festival! More information to follow soon!

To join in the fun, have your questions answered or to receive more information about the Annual Outreach Events team please contact Deb Krieg 612-799-3686 / [email protected] or Barb Roberts 952-412-5453 / [email protected]

April 20th (9:00 AM) and 21st (after both worships)
“Many hands make light work.” – John Heywood

There is some heavy lifting to do at St. Luke’s when it comes to caring for the property – both inside and out. St. Luke’s is blessed with very generous members sharing their time and resources. We are being asked to do so again this coming weekend.

St. Luke’s Spring Clean Up’s primary focus is yard care. Please join us on Saturday, and/or Sunday.
There is dead foliage to clean up around the irises, daylilies, and other plants. The weeds are already growing (do they ever stop?) and the mulch can be stirred. The Rain Garden needs several of the grasses and plants cut back. 

Please bring the tools you are comfortable using as well as gloves. 

Our property will never save a soul, and it will never disciple someone, however – our property has a direct impact on the church’s mission – specifically stating, “St. Luke’s is a Welcoming…”

Someone visiting a church for the first time that is not cared for will be asking, “If they can’t take care of their building, how will they take care of me?”

A first impression is just that, it will determine whether or not there will be a second one where they can be part of a “… and Growing faith Community, busy making Christ known to the World.” 

Beyond Blue Jean Weekend there are a number of other opportunities. What follows is a portion of Former Council Representative for Property, Marc Dunham’s 2023 Annual Report. It has been updated thanks to those who have stepped up to take on one of the many projects that need to be accomplished throughout the year - some are short term or one-time tasks. The greatest commitment is having the Holy Spirit stir within a member of our congregation to be the 2024-25 Council Representative for Property. Know that it is not a position carried out in isolation. There is a good crew of people already helping out. Also, I am grateful for Marc Dunham’s dedication and his willingness to mentor the person who accepts this position.

Please see any one of the Council Members if you want to learn more…

Property Report 2023 – Marc Dunham
The Property Chair position is ideally suited to someone who is newly retired or those who have become empty nesters. There are situations that will come up where people of this vintage will be able to draw on life experiences to help problem solve. You also have the knowledge of past property chairs to solicit for help. They have been a great resource for me. The administrative side of the position is to attend the monthly council meetings and report on activities from the list below that may or not have happened. Arranging for entry into the building for contractors that are performing inspection or service. Soliciting pricing for projects that may arise or confirm/approve pricing for current vendors. There are no major infrastructure projects on the near horizon.  St. Luke’s is in overall good shape. I believe the main focus will be continuing to do some of the maintenance that we use to contract out or did on our own.

This includes:

1. Twice a year, changing air filters in the HVAC equipment and pumping grease into a few bearings on the air handlers and (1) rooftop unit (approximately 4 to 5 hours per time). Ian and Neal have volunteered to help. Thank you!
2. Spring through fall, the condensing coils on the air conditioning equipment need to be checked for blockage due to cottonwood and dandelion seeds (approximately ½ hour). Cleaning the coils is done using a garden hose and spray nozzle on a gentle setting (approximately 3 to 4 hours). Ian and Neal have volunteered to help. Thank you!
3. St. Luke’s has (8) ECOBEE thermostats for all the rooftop units as well as the furnaces in the usher’s closet. They allow us to custom program our heating and cooling requirements in many areas depending on the activities scheduled. I spend about 15 minutes every Monday morning at home adding and removing events per the church calendar while having coffee. On a few occasions the building automation schedules need to alter as well. However, these are easier to do because they can be entered as a 1-time exception. Looking for a volunteer.
4. During the heating months, there are several gauges on the boiler that need to be read and recorded. This needs to be done by someone with a boiler license. Mark Haglin has agreed to do this task. Thank you!
5. Taking care of interior lights. This includes replacing burned out interior lights. Testing emergency lights and replacing batteries as needed. Replacing batteries in touch free water faucets. Purchasing replacement lights and batteries. Andy Hayden has agreed to do this task. Thank you!
6. AED Maintenance. The AED needs to be tested once a month and verify the expiration date on both the battery and contact pads. Janet Lyson has agreed to do this task. Thank you!
7. Snow Shoveling – This is one of the most important volunteer tasks performed at St. Luke’s. It allows for safe passage on the sidewalks, to and from the doors and parking lot. Be it the congregation on Sunday’s, Preschool and Learning Tree or any of the multiple meetings that take place during the week. Thank you to the dedicated members, there is always room for more. This one really fulfills the statement, “Many hands make light work.” Know that St. Luke’s owns a snowblower to assist in removing the snow. Looking for a volunteer.
8. Yard Care Group – This group is instrumental in the care and upkeep of our green spaces, spring through fall. Greg Hornicke, Mark Bergherr, Tammy Fawver, and I (Marc Dunham) will continue being active in this group. However, once the spring cleanup is complete, we will be cutting our time back to once a week. We welcom additional help as it is a large task keeping "Our House" looking nice. 

As you can see, there are a few people that have already volunteered to help fill some of the tasks listed above. If you see anything on the list that you may be thinking “I can do that,” or have questions, please contact the office. 952-881-5801 ext. 103 / [email protected]

Once again Larry Nelson, Julie Klein and others outdid themselves preparing and taking care of their garden areas last summer.

Though it was said property committee worked hard to make St. Luke’s look nice for the 100th Anniversary, that is not entirely true. I think St. Luke’s should look like this all the time. When I was approached to take the Property Chair position, I knew from the beginning that what I wanted to accomplish most, was the improvement of St. Luke’s curb appeal. The timing was simply in God’s hands. The most rewarding time that I’ve spent as Property Chair has been starting and working with the Yard Care Group. The first year Greg Hornicke (75) showed up on many occasions. The second year Mark Bergherr (71) joined the group and Tammy Fawver (66) joined last year. This core group puts in a combined 50-60 hours per month during the growing season. The maintenance on the new rain garden alone is about 50 hours per season.
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Look forward to working alongside other members who love St. Luke’s and are willing and able to get a little dirty to spruce up our grounds – and light work it will be.
 

Congregational Event, Sunday, April 14
Two Sessions: 9 AM and 11 AM
Fellowship Hall

What a joy to be in worship last Sunday, April 7 as 11 people joined St. Luke’s.  
A few of their responses to “Why did you choose St. Luke’s?”

• I love the way the congregation comes together to worships Christ in so many different ways.
• Everyone is so nice and kind. This has become my home church that I have never had before.
• The active nature of this church. Everybody being so welcoming and friendly. The Children’s Program is amazing. You can’t ask much more as a parent when your children are excited to come to church.
• I love that we can worship as a family, the kids get to be part of the bigger worship and then enjoy Children’s Church as we listen to Rob’s message. The church felt like family.

If you are able, I’d encourage you to listen to the recording of the 10 AM Worship, April 7. The introductions are early in worship, following the announcements. Here’s the link.

This coming Sunday April 14 following each Worship members are invited to attend a Faith Practices and Neighboring Practices conversation. This hour long experience will give you a sneak peak at what the St. Luke’s Practices and Neighboring Practices Team has been doing for the past seven months. It will be insightful and participatory. I guarantee you’ll enjoy your time.

This project is supported by the Lilly Foundation’s Thriving Congregations initiative
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St. Luke’s was selected as one of the 15 Minneapolis congregations for the 2023-2025 Cohort. Over these two years six people: Leah DeShepper, currently President St. Luke’s, Adult members, Kelsey Newby, currently President-Elect, and Donna Tabat a Confirmation Adult Leader, Sadie Cinnamon Student Member, and Venessa Nelson a Community Member who serves as President of St. Luke’s Preschool, and me make up the team.

Faith Practices & Neighboring Practices: Renewing Congregational Imagination is a two-year learning community for congregations in the Minneapolis Area Synod. We believe that vital congregations take seriously the small simple practices that build community, cultivate mutual relationships, and expand our awareness of God’s activity in the places where we have been called to live.

Faith Practices & Neighboring Practices guides cohorts of congregations through a learning process focus on collaborative learning, community building, and spiritual practice. Congregations experiment with practices in their own community to build authentic relationships with neighbors, connect across difference, and engage contemplative spirituality.

Practices are grounded in asset-based community development, intentional simplicity, and contemplative spiritual traditions. Each month, cohorts meet to process and support one another’s work, explore new practices, and build meaningful relationships.

The Center for Leadership & Neighborhood Engagement guides each learner through the Intercultural Development Inventory and assists in developing an individual and community plan for growing in intercultural competence. Additionally, the cohorts engage in a parallel learning process with the Riverside Innovation Hub at Augsburg University and other Thriving Congregations Initiatives in the Twin Cities.  

We look forward to sharing this with you on Sunday with more to come in the weeks and months ahead. I believe this was a Spirit calling as St. Luke’s has been seeking a Director of Community Engagement. God answered our prayers with this congregational opportunity, where not one but five people are willing to lead us. It is living out our mission statement:
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St. Luke’s is a welcoming and growing community of faith, busy making Christ known to the world.

Thank you to all who helped make St. Luke’s Easter so wonderful: Altar Guild, Brass, Camera Techs, Children Ministers, Choir, Communion Assistants, Greeters, Jubilee, Lectors, Sound Techs, Staff, Treat Hosts and Providers, Video Techs, Ushers, Welcome Desk Hosts, Worship Assistants, and all the Members who welcomed those who joined us in Worship. It was a grand day! Glory to God!

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

Easter is generally the strongest attendance day of the year. Sadly, one of the lowest attendance days of the year is the Sunday after Easter.

“The Roman Catholic Church has a name for each Sunday of the calendar year. Want to guess what they call the Sunday after Easter? Low Sunday. It was renamed by Pope John Paul II in 2000 to “Divine Mercy Sunday.” That was a good call for JP2. Every pastor in America is praying for Divine mercy on the Sunday after Easter – that people will return. There are at least seven such events every year…call[ed]…the seven deadly Sundays. They are the Sundays after: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Super Bowl Sunday and the two time-change Sundays.” wrote Pastor Phil Spry in his article, “The “Seven Deadly Days of Preaching” Churchplants.com.

He continued, “Let me suggest: First and foremost, keep in mind that God is sovereign in all places and at all times.”

The problem is that Easter, as well as Christmas, has become an event, when really it is to be a way of life. Our first reading on Easter Sunday, the Apostle Paul describes it:

“If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus – Philippians 2:1-5

Over the next four weeks we will be learning more about this way of life in our “Friends in Christ” sermon series. We are obviously doing a pretty good job at this when people attend St. Luke’s, as you will hear this coming Sunday from the dozen new members who are joining. The common theme when asked why they are joining was, “St. Luke’s is just so welcoming.”

Here’s my encouragement, can we be just as good at inviting, which really is all about listening. In the months ahead the Faith Practices and Neighboring Practices team will be offering opportunities for St. Luke’s members to connect with one another and our neighbors.

Between now and then, live the Easter message as the Apostle Paul shared with the Ephesians:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God – not the results of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what God has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. – Ephesians 2:8-10
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Christ is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia!