 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!
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 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  Hello, St. Luke’s family!
I’m honored to introduce myself as your Church Council President. My family and I found our home at St. Luke’s after moving to Bloomington, and from the moment we walked through the doors, we were welcomed with warmth and kindness. This church has been a place of faith, connection, and community for us, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve in this role. My journey with St. Luke’s began with the Faith Practices and Neighboring Practices committee, where I developed a deep appreciation for the ways we live out our faith not just within our congregation but in the greater community. That experience shaped my understanding of how we can strengthen relationships, both inside and outside our church walls, to reflect God’s love in meaningful ways. As I step into this role, I am excited about the opportunities ahead. One of my greatest hopes for this year is to deepen our sense of connection with one another. St. Luke’s has always been a place where relationships matter, and I want to ensure that everyone -newcomers and longtime members alike-feels a sense of belonging here. I also have a heart for our youth and am passionate about making sure they feel supported, encouraged, and engaged in their faith journeys. They are not just the future of the church; they are an essential part of it right now. My hope is that we continue creating opportunities for them to grow in faith, build meaningful relationships, and find their place in our community. I’m grateful for the leadership that has come before me and for each of you who make this church a welcoming place. I look forward to working together as we continue growing in faith, service, and love. Thank you for being part of this journey, and may God bless our work together! Kelsey Newby Church Council President Meet Bev Brosam - St. Luke's Council Representative for Missions and our February Mission Partner2/4/2025  Bio: I first came to St. Luke's with my BFF Joy Rasmussen Dixon when I was about 15 yo. I joined in my 20's, and over the years I have enjoyed singing in the senior choir, serving as secretary on Church Council, supporting our congregation on Card Ministry, being a treat provider and serving on the Missions team. I believe serving others enriches not only the recipient but the giver. When we cannot afford to give financially, we can give of our time and talents. All contributions, great and small, have value to the recipient.
I love working with our Missions team, and I look forward to continue my ministry in a leadership role. I am retired after working 42 years at The Toro Company, I live with two toddler cats (one who is a possible future felon/cat burglar), I enjoy eating out with friends, and I host a Paper Crafters club in my home frequently throughout the year. At St. Luke’s our Missions is to be a welcoming and growing community of faith, busy making Christ known to the world. As you know, we do that in a lot of different ways. Over the Holidays, we supported Oasis for Youth and Kennedy Kids through our Giving Tree and Coat collections. I am pleased to report that we provided Christmas gifts for 39 kids and gift cards totaling $350 to Oasis and $740 to Kennedy Kids. In addition, during our Coat/clothing drive, we collected around 250 items: new and gently used coats, hats, mittens, scarves, and men’s and women’s clothing. I’ve taken 3 car-loads of coats and clothing to Oasis, and I have one small load yet to deliver. Thank you so much! Your generosity will warm heads, hands, hearts and bodies. February Mission Partner: Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage – Haiti Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage (EGO) in Haiti was founded by missionaries Don and Doris Peavey in 1972 when they moved to Haiti with their four children in answer to God’s call to serve. We've been supporting it for 7 years. Today EGO continues the mission that the Peavey family started. Their primary ministry is through orphan care to the approximately 71 children who call EGO home. These infants and children were placed in their care through Haitian Social Services because of deceased family members, parental abuse, neglect, and special medical needs. In 2012, Ken and Marla Drowley took over from the Peavey’s as on-site directors, and they handled the day-to-day operations up until 2021 when, due to the safety issues, they temporarily relocated to the United States. Ken and Marla continue managing the operations from the States. The Ebenezer Glenn team focuses on the long-term needs of the kids to ensure that they have the education and training they need to become independent, responsible, and contributing adults. EGO also serves the community by providing family support through:
Since Ken and Marla returned to the States, they have established a team of four Haitian staff to continue their duties and run the day-to-day operations including management of:
They meet often and make decisions as a team. Ken and Marla are in daily contact with them (when internet access permits), and Marla continues to manage their finances. While the borders have closed, EGO has developed a method to receive the funds needed to run their operation. Due to the gang activity in their area, they have requested that we keep their location and their methods confidential to protect their safety. State of things: EGO had been in the process of transitioning from dormitory lodgings to housing the children in smaller home-like structures with 6-7 kids per house and a staff “parent”. St. Luke’s helped raise money for bricks during the first two years of the project. Just before the gangs took over the country their last semi load of cement blocks was stolen/not delivered, and they had to put the housing project on hold. EGO has a small clinic onsite, but there are currently no doctors in their town, and they have to take sick children to far away hospitals through gang-controlled areas. The good news is that they are mostly self-sufficient. They have both traditional and hydroponic gardens, raise their own animals and crops for food, raise Talapia in a pool, make their own shampoo, soap and sundries (crafts which they teach to the children), and run on solar power, including a solar cook stove. In addition to the 4 on-site managing staff, they have 89 employees that help run and maintain the campus and school. In Haiti, education is not free. All families must pay to have their children educated. In 2018 there were a total of 73 children attending the Ebenezer Glenn school (56 kids from the orphanage and 17 from the surrounding community), in June 2019 there were 372 children enrolled in the school and today they have over 600 kids enrolled – most of whom are children from surrounding communities. Going to school provides kids in the community with an education, a safe harbor and a daily meal. Ebenezer Glenn truly is a blessing to the community. The cost to send a child to school is between $10-$30 per month or $100-$300 for a 10-month school year. This includes a uniform, books for all classes, notebooks, pens, pencils, compass, calculator for 6th grade, back-packs and all the other supplies necessary for students and teachers. I encourage you to go to the Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage website and read through their newsletters from 2018-2024. They publish just 2-3 a year, and they are short but very informative. I’d like you to get to know Ebenezer Glenn and see how the funds you have donated in the past have been used, and how funds are needed to continue with their future. Newsletters - Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage Over the years, many of you have enthusiastically purchased ABC blocks, with the funds going to help Ebenezer Glenn replace their dormitories and build new housing. Craig Brandt made a shelf to display the blocks as funds were donated. Now we have cleared the shelf, and we are once again asking you to purchase blocks with a donation for Ebenezer Glenn. We will be selling the blocks between services during the month of February (suggested donation of $5 per block or anything you can give). We want to fill and refresh the shelf with blocks, once again. A donation can also be made through your offering – just designate the funds for EGO. Proverbs 11:25 says “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Blessings, Bev Brosam Missions We are a welcoming and growing community of Faith, busy making Christ known to the world
Thank you to all who attended. It was a very good day, celebrating the past year and preparing for the year ahead. Much thanks Leah DeSchepper for leading the meeting, her last official responsibility as St. Luke’s 2024 Congregational President. Also thank you to those behind the scenes: Tech Crew: David Johnson, Mark Roberts, and Jon Sasseville. Ballot Counters: Mark Roberts and Michelle Sundet. Please keep all the members who have answered God’s call into leadership for the year ahead and the Spirit to move within other members to accept a nomination for open positions. 2025 St. Luke’s Council Kelsy Newby, President Leah DeSchepper, Past President *President–Elect: Names requested David Johnson, Treasurer Jan Pankratz, Secretary Jane Nechville, Community Life *Faith Formation: Names Requested Greg Hornicke, Member at Large Bev Brosam, Missions *Property: Names Requested Diane LaFontaine, Stewardship Becky Olson, Worship and Music *We will announce the representatives when appointed by the Council. Council Members who completed their terms: Gratitude to Mark Bergherr, Paul Sundet, Rani Hayden, Kerry Kollodge, and Britt Halaas. In the weeks and months ahead the Council Members will introduce themselves during worship and be available after each worship to meet you. 2025 St. Luke’s Foundation Al Buss Jana Cinnamon Paul Kopnick Jodi Murphy Helen Schatzlein Foundation Members who completed their terms: Patick Lair and Diane Gilmore. 2024 Minneapolis Synod Assembly – St. Luke’s will be represented by: Greg Hornicke and Joy Enger Lindgren Alternates: Laurie Blanchard and Britt Halaas Youth Representative: TBD “For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.” Romans 12:4-6a President’s Report: Leah DeSchepper reflected on her year as president. Faith Practices, Neighboring Practices was very successful in several implemented events. A $14,000 deposit was made to a company we have used in the past to complete a sound upgrade with our 100th Anniversary Gifts. Unfortunately, no work was completed so St. Luke's will be taking the company to small claims court to recoup the deposit. Mark Bergherr and Marc Dunham were thanked for all of their work filling in for Property. Pastor’s Report: Pastor Rob Norris-Weber thanked the sound and video team for all of their work this year. Goal for the year ahead is having 8 Camera Techs, 8 Video Techs, and 8 Soundboard Techs which would allow a monthly rotation. Rob also thanked those who helped make the Sabbatical possible thanking the Pulpit Supply Team was thanked: Pastor Steve Olson, Tim Krieg, Mollee Erickson, and Mark Roberts and the Pastoral Care Team: Pastor Steve Olson, Tim Krieg, Judy Sandeen, and Emily Hendricks. Pastor Rob invited Tim forward to speak about his seminary experiences. Tim will be on internship at another congregation in the year ahead. Treasurer’s Report: A. 2024 Financial Statement: Paul Sundet thanked everyone in the congregation for their financial support in 2024. At our Love Fest Breakfast, we had promises of $15,000, which was $28,000 more than a year ago. This brought us to a $23,000 surplus at the end of the year. We are more financially secure than we were a year ago. Motion to approve the 2024 Budget was made pending audit, seconded, and approved. B. 2025 Budget Proposal: The 2025 budget is similar to last year. A 3% raise for salaries for the staff is proposed for the Budget which is only 1% more than 2024. Two budget hearings occurred in the last 2 weeks which were well attended. A lot of clarifying questions were asked. Motion to approve the passing of the 2025 budget was made to accept the budget as written, was seconded, and approved. St. Luke’s Foundation President’s Report: Pat Lair shared the purpose and role of the St. Luke’s Foundation. The Foundation provides grants for items that are not included in the operating budget. Motion to approve the passing of the 2025 budget was made, seconded, and approved. The PHASE Fund provides grants to middle and high school youth. In 2024 the Foundation provided funds for purchasing a new sewing machine, a power cord, a new laptop, travel costs, wireless coverage in the youth wing, and continuing support for Tim Krieg's seminary. The P.H.A.S.E. Fund provided grants for Camp Wapo and the New York Vacation Bible School. When filling out a foundation request form, it does need to go through the council first. St. Luke’s Foundation Treasurer’s Report: Diane Gilmer explained the financial aspects of the Foundation and the P.H.A.S.E. Fund. Over $40,000 is still available to spend on projects. New Business: A motion was made to complete the asbestos and abatement reflooring project funded through Memorial funds. The projected cost is about $41,000. The Ad-hoc committee will be seeking additional bids to be more competitive. The work would start after VBS and before school starts. The asbestos motion passed. During the meeting, it was reported that the vote was unanimous. Later it was realized there were online votes opposing this motion that did not show at the time of tabulating. Ultimately, that discovery did not change the outcome of the vote, but we want to apologize for the appearance that some votes were not counted. We have noted changes to make to the voting process in the future to avoid repeating this issue. Following the Annual Meeting, Pastor Rob gave a presentation on his Sabbatical. This will be shared in a future blog. Along with lifting up all the members in leadership, let us also hold the St. Luke’s Staff in our prayers. St. Luke’s Staff – Along with our elected leadership, please hold the staff in your prayers. Greg Anderson, Director of Jubilee Praise Team Candi Brand, Preschool Teacher Susana Castillo, Custodian Tommy Denesen, Office Staff Tracy Engdahl, Preschool Teaching Assistant Nancee Erickson, Wedding Host Andrea Griner, Interim Director of Children and Family Ministry and Vacation Bible School Angela Hansen, Director of Children and Youth Choir Heather Kambeitz, Minister of Finance Patrick Lair, St. Luke’s Choir Director Lori Murray, Organist and Accompanist Rob Norris-Weber, Pastor Alanna Teragawa, Director of Bells of Praise Cheryl Thiele, Office Staff Barb Watson, Preschool Director So much to celebrate. Let us give thanks and to God be the glory.  DID YOU KNOW St. Luke’s has a Care Team Ministry?
DID YOU KNOW this Ministry has been an active part of St. Luke’s for several decades? DID YOU KNOW we have supported hundreds of members since inception? WELL, WHETHER YOU KNEW IT OR NOT, let me tell you all about it! How did it all start? In 1991, Pastor Mary Dodgson established the Stephen Ministry Program with a couple of St. Luke’s members. This Ministry included the care of homebound members. The name for this Ministry was changed to the Care Team in 2005 by Pastor Linda Willette and our long-time member, Margaret Dahl. The purpose of the Care Team is to provide support to aging, homebound, and chronically ill members, along with others who request our care. How does this work and what do we do as Care Team Ministers? The Team meets every other month or so to address several topics: After an opening devotion, we talk about CARE for the CAREGIVERS, which is our Team. We share with each other our recent ups and downs in life, including our own prayer needs. This is a very personal and intimate time that bonds us together as we prepare to provide support to others. Rob maintains a list of recipients of the Ministry and their respective Caregiver. We make contact with our members and share in conversation and visits, if requested. During visits, there is conversation, prayer, and communion is served if requested by the member, distribution of applicable Care Notes (found in the Narthex), along with other opportunities to help out where needed. We update the Team regarding the wellbeing of each member, how we can assist them, and lift them up in prayer. We also spend time reviewing and praying for everyone on St. Luke’s prayer list and address additional matters as they arise. Why do we do this? BECAUSE WE CARE! The members appreciate the calls and visits for so many reasons: Friendship, support, a listening ear, loneliness, hearing about St. Luke’s, prayer, reflection and forgiveness before receiving communion, and just knowing someone CARES. These visits also fill the hearts of our Care Team Ministers as we establish these special relationships. And, as Rob said in one of his emails to our Team: Thank you for your care and concern for others. You are living examples of the truth, “God cares for people through other people.” If you, or someone you know, would appreciate calls and/or visits, please contact the Office. We will be happy to help. There are several women and men who participate in this Ministry but we are always looking for additional Care Team Ministers. Please contact Rob if you are interested. TAKE CARE! Laurie Blanchard CAMP WAPO VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL HS MISSION HS SAILING
Winter is here, but Summer is coming… 2025 Registration opens on January 15. St. Luke’s is a Member Congregation which includes guarantee registration until February 15. There are opportunities for all ages. St. Luke’s chooses a specific time for Children, Youth, and Grandparents. There are a number of opportunities throughout the year for all ages. Find more at lakewapo.org Camp Wapo is on Lake Wapogasset Lake and Bear Lake in Amery, Wisconsin is a special place to encounter God's word, make friends, create memories, and build faith that will last a lifetime. If you went to camp, share one of your fond memories in a comment below. 2025 Summer Camp Weeks: St. Luke’s Registration Link is: Youth (4th-8th) July 6-11 = $700 https://lwlbci.com/stlukes-blmt Seed Camp (1st-3rd) July 11-13 = $300 Grandparent Camp July 13-15 (up to the 18th) = $225, plus additional participant costs. 2025 St. Luke’s Vacation Bible School - June 23-26 Voted #1 Vacation Bible School by Bloomington Sun Current. Make your plans now to attend. Worship, Story Time, Crafts, Science, and Snack makes for a fun-faithfilled day. More details to come in the months ahead… 2025 High School Mission Trip to Kentucky July 19-27. Located in Eastern Kentucky, an area rich in natural resources, natural beauty, culture and musical talent. It is also an area in which extreme poverty exists along with a high rate of people receiving government assistance. We help the people who are the working poor and are not receiving government assistance. These families have enough to provide for their family on a daily basis, but not enough to repair a home that is falling apart around them. Information Session and Sign Up is on Sunday, February 2 at 11:15 AM in Fellowship Hall. Cost will be the same as camp = $700. High School Sailing Trip for the Classes of 2025 and 2026. Cost = $500. (Dates TBD by those interested.) High School Students will be leaving their harbors and sailing onto the next adventure in their lives. A wonderful time of reflection and preparing for their futures. The trip includes living together on a sailboat, making meals, learning how to sail, having morning devotions and the students lead evening devotions. Each claims a Bible Verse for the year ahead.  Andrea Griner, although born in South Carolina, is a true Minnesotan! She is a Moorhead State graduate and her favorite place to visit is Duluth! Her background is psychology, sociology and human development. She has spent the last 22 years at Mount Calvary Lutheran employed as the Director of Faith Formation and Family Ministry. She has designed multiple ministries, led tons of retreats and wrote more curriculum than she can record. Presently Andrea is teaching Middle School Art at Nativity of Mary in Bloomington, writing a monthly newsletter called Sacred Ordinary and doing retreat work at Lutherpark in Danbury, Wi. Andrea has been a national speaker and teacher and is a Certified Spiritual Director. She considers herself a "free spirit" when it comes to ministry and loves to "play" in the biblical story. She refers to herself as a storyteller, a creator of sacred space, a "wanna be" artist, and a deep listener. She loves reading, "art-ing", pasta, her family and her dog Dudley! She is delighted to be working in a congregation again as she believes there is no better story to tell than that of Jesus'. Andrea has a husband Lyle who used to work at St. Luke's, two bonus "sons", a lovely daughter-in-law, 4 grandchildren, two sisters, a great brother-in-law, 4 nephews and one niece.
Tuesday, January 7th
Consider giving blood as a last 2024 Christmas Gift, “ the gift of Life”: and a 2025 New Year’s Resolution Every day, blood donors help patients of all ages: accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer. In fact, every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Click here to read a few of their stories. In just an hours time, YOU can help save up to three lives with a blood donation during St Luke’s Blood Drive on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm in Fellowship Hall. Click here to sign up (search by 55431 and January 7th). Or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). or alternatively to sign up for an appointment or for further information, contact Larry Nelson 612-599-5240 or [email protected] |
