NEWS & EVENTS

October 21, 2026

Congregational Meeting - Sunday, October 25

The purpose of the October Congregational Meeting is to elect Council members and officers for the new year. The slate of candidates is:

President – Elsa Larsen

Vice President – Luther Stave

Secretary – Holly Lahd Larson

Treasurer – Chris Westermeyer

Parish Life – Dick Hendrickson & Elizabeth Hendrickson-Nalli

Outreach – Angela Smithson & Adam Bueling

Youth & Learning – Terra Swisher

Worship, Music & Arts – Arlin Becker & Caren Cushing

Nominating Committee – Linda Hildebrant, Jackie Anderson, Nancy Nelson, Wayne Griesel

October 25 - Reformation Sunday

Hymn of the Day: "No Longer Carved in Hardened Stone" by Susan Palo Cherwien

In our 3-year lectionary, we normally go through about 600 different scriptures in the span of those 3 years. There are a few Sundays in each year, however that always remain the same. Reformation Sunday is one of those; we always hear John 8:31-36. It’s all about what Jesus says about his word, knowing the truth, that the truth will set you free, and sin will keep you a slave to sin. This brief set of 5 verses from John appears to summarize the main theological issues around which the Reformation took shape. Because of the reforms that Martin Luther led in 1517, we continually look for reform and renewal in the church. Even the Roman Catholic Church initiated some reforms in the mid to late 1500s as what came to be called the “Catholic Counter-Reformation.” The point is that we, the church, reform, revise, and renew in order to better know the truth.

Our Hymn of the Day today is a familiar tune (ES IST DAS HEIL - “Salvation unto Us has Come”). Today the text is a new one not yet published in any hymnal. It’s by the late Susan Palo Cherwien (1953-2021). Susan gets at these same Reformation themes as mentioned above; WORD, TRUTH, FREEDOM, and SIN. Watch for those words.

1. No longer carved in hardened stone God’s teaching shall be written, (God’s teaching = WORD)

But in our hearts God shall be known as we to truth are bidden:

Christ calls us not to guilt and shame, but life abundant in God’s name,

and all our sin forgiven.                                                      

2.   “Be still and know that I am God,” God’s voice invites and calls us;

And we are freed, though rough and flawed, from lures that would enthrall us,

for Christ the Word of God abides within our hearts, our shield and guide,

bestowing peace and solace.

3.   Where we have missed the mark, God waits and, patient, leaves us never;

with open arms and loving grace, God hopes in us forever;

to right relation Christ compels - with God, with neighbor, and with self:

our godly life together.

4.   May we above within God’s word, all fear and doubt releasing,

and live Christ’s life of servanthood, in trust and hope increasing. 

Christ is the life, the truth, the way, and in this truth we are set free,

for life and love unceasing.

Peace!

Deacon Gary Butler

Adult Education Forums

10/25 - Congregational Meeting

11/1 - Timely Thoughts on End of Life Planning

Join us Sunday, November 1 at 10:30am to learn more about options and plans for the future - Karen Peterson from Better Place Forests will share information about planning for the end of your, or a loved one's, life. We'll talk about health care directives, legal considerations, payment options, and final resting places. This informal presentation will have plenty of time for questions!

Our adult education hour will be held in the Fireside Room. The planning team, including Sarah Borgeson, Linda Hildebrant, Rebecca Sauer and Pastor Sarah, is excited to offer engaging conversation throughout the year. As always, if you have ideas for speakers, topics or are interested in presenting, please contact one of us in person or email Rebecca at rjwestermeyer@gmail.com. 

Connecting with Community

A few years back Resurrection applied for and received a grant from the Saint Paul Area Synod to foster ways to connect with our neighbors. We have focused on getting to know more about Emmet D. Williams School across the street from us. We have sponsored events for teachers and staff, most notably our now annual Pancake Breakfast. Through these events we learn more about the needs of students and families in our community and their teachers. Several members have been tutoring, some volunteer in classrooms to help the teacher, and we’ve done a few ”one time projects”.

On Thursday October 22 conferences are held after the school day. We would like to offer dinner to teachers and staff who will be having a long day!

Help is needed for:

• Shopping
• Cooking

Tacos have been suggested - all expenses will be reimbursed from the grant. Set Up from 4:00-4:30 at the school. Clean Up at 7:00. Please contact Nancy Nelson (651-247-7716), text is easiest) if you can help out

Connecting Across the Generations with Church Buddies! 

For the grown-ups: You are invited to sign up as a church buddy to be connected with a child or youth of the congregation. You are encouraged to talk with your buddy when you see them at church, pray for your buddy, send a birthday or baptism anniversary greeting. Gifts and time spent together outside of church activities are not encouraged. This is a simple way for us to make more and deeper connections across the generations and help our children grow in knowing that church is a place where they are cared about. Sign up here to be a church buddy: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4AACAF29ABFBCE9-66082222-church

For the kids and families: Each child and youth of the congregation, under the age of 18, will have a church buddy. This is a grown-up member of the congregation and outside of the child's family who will check in with them when at church activities. They might also send a birthday or baptism anniversary greeting. Church buddies would also pray for each other. This is a simple way for us to make more and deeper connections across the generations and help our children grow in knowing that church is a place where they are cared about.

Welcome Gabriel Edward Sime

Lauren Zantua and Jon Sime welcome baby Gabriel into their family! Gabriel was born on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 5:38 a.m., weighing 9 pounds, 5 ounces, and measured 21.5" long.

Meals on Wheels Need Substitutes

Wayne Griesel, after many years delivering Meals On Wheels, has retired! Deb and Luther Stave moved from the substitutes list to take his route full-time. That means we need another name or two as substitutes. Resurrection delivers every third Thursday; it takes about an hour.

One person can do both drive and deliver the meals but it goes more smoothly if two are available. If you are interested contact Sue Strohschein, MOW coordinator, at 320-282-8963. 

Looking for Toys

Our playroom needs some updating! The Youth and Learning Committee bought a couple of new things but are looking for a few more items. If you have any toys that your family has outgrown that you would like to donate, we’d be glad to add them to our room. The following are a few ideas of things we could use. 

• Wooden building blocks
• Brio train track, train cars, and engines
• Lincoln logs
• Matchbox cars and track

If you have any of those things or anything else that you think we could use and would like to donate them, you can put them on the table or counter in the toy room. If you leave something, and we can’t use it for some reason, we will donate it so some other child can enjoy it. Questions? Check with Sue Hendrickson. 

LCR Book Club News

Our book for this month is Horse by Geraldine Brooks. We will discuss it on Wednesday, November 4 at 1:00 in the Fireside Room. Horse takes place in three different timelines, 1850’s Kentucky, 1954 New York City, and 2019 Washington DC. It is fiction but based on a true story of a racehorse called Lexington. We learn of the horse’s beginnings and racing career and in later times the people who become interested in the story of the horse, his trainers, and his owners. A painting and the horse’s skeleton trigger the action. 

Future books: 

December - Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

January – Whistler by Ann Patchett

Please Come to a Spaghetti Supper!

Home-made spaghetti sauce, spaghetti,

Garlic bread, salad, and dessert!

Gluten free and vegetarian options will be available.

Wednesday, November 4

5:00 – 6:30 in the Fellowship Hall

Free Will Offering, with the proceeds to support our youth activities here at LCR.

Dine in and enjoy the company of our church community, or

take-out orders will be available, so you can have your spaghetti at home.

Let us do the cooking for you!

Window Washing

We are going to wash church windows, outside and inside, on Saturday, Nov. 7 starting at 10:00 am, weather permitting. We will be finished at least by noon. If you have window washing supplies please bring them with you that morning. The more people who help the faster things will go! Please join us on Saturday, Nov. 7. Thanks!

Thanksgiving Pie Sales

Order your Thanksgiving pies now through Sunday, November 15! Resurrection youth are selling Double Crust Apple, Caramel Apple Pecan, and Pumpkin pies again this year in order to raise money for their activities.

Paper order forms on clipboards in the narthex will be available on Sundays, Oct. 25, Nov. 1, 8, and 15, or you can email Kurt at office@lcr-elca.org with your orders. Suggested donation for each pie is $30. Pies will be available for pick up on Sunday, November 22. Thank you for your support!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Help Bake Thanksgiving pies!

Calling all youth and families and any other interested folks! We need your help on Saturday, November 21 (time to be determined), to make the Thanksgiving pies. We have the supplies and the recipes, but just need your help to execute the baking and tagging. Please consider coming to help and email Terra Swisher with any questions: terraswisher@gmail.com

Post-election Community Worship Service

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, and Lutheran Church of the Resurrection are collaborating on a service of Evening Prayer on Friday, November 6, following the mid-term election. We will gather together regardless of those outcomes to unite our voices in prayer and song. The service will include parts of Magnificat by Antonio Vivaldi with members of each congregation in the ensemble. Offering received will benefit Global Refuge, the immigration and refugee services of the ELCA. 

Where: Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 1935 St. Clair Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105, on the northeast corner of St. Clair Ave & Prior Ave

Parking: Street parking is available. A few off-street parking spots available behind the building for those with accessibility needs.

Date: Friday, November 6, 2026 

Time: 7pm 

October Mission of the Month 2026

Northeast Youth and Family Services

Northeast Youth & Family Services (NYFS) is a nonprofit community-based, trauma-informed mental health organization and community service organization founded in 1976 and based at 3490 Lexington Avenue N, Shoreview, MN 55126. We serve children, teens and adults across the northeast Saint Paul suburbs and the wider Twin Cities in person, in partner schools and by telehealth across Minnesota. We provide compassionate culturally responsive care for the concerns people reach out for most including anxiety, depression, ADHD, and stress.

For more information, go to nyfs.org.

Every Meal Schedule

It's a new school year, and volunteers are needed to help with the Every Meal Program. LCR is sharing the duty with members of Roseville Covenant Church, so we will be scheduled every-other week instead of each week. The new schedule is now online at the Constant Contact site. Scan the QR code or click the link below to sign up. Thank you for helping with this project! Contact Nancy Nelson for more information.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050A4FA9AB22ABFC1-filling1#/