"As we move into this last week of Jesus' life... as we move into the ending of Lent... we turn our faces to Jerusalem along with Jesus, as we walk with him to the cross and beyond to the empty tomb. It's good to do this together, as a community of faith -- a living community with a living faith."

Reflection

Pastor Hans Lee

Music

Normandale Chamber Choir

Preaching

Pastor Maria Pederson

Music

Normandale Choir

Scripture

Luke 19:28-40; Isaiah 50:4-9a; Philippians 2:5-11;

Psalm 31:9-16; Luke 22:14-23:56

Grab your families, loved ones, and maybe a few friends, and come enjoy a delicious dinner in the middle of your week!

For anyone 16 and over, these meals will only be $8! For our younger friends ages 3-15, it'll only $5, and 3 and under are free.

TONIGHT'S Community Meal

Tonight's menu for April 9 will feature:

• Roasted salmon
• Roasted potatoes
• Roasted carrots
• Rice pilaf
• Butter sauce
• Fresh fruit
• Fresh salad
• Fresh baked cookies

Community Meal Changes for Lent

It's our final Lenten midweek service tonight, so that means it will be the last week community meals will stop being served at 6:25pm so everyone can have enough time to transition from Fellowship Hall up to the sanctuary for worship.

We will end at our regular time of 6:30pm starting on April 30 for those remaining Community Meals for the season!

We can't wait to see and break bread with you!

Would You Be Willing to Donate Candy?

We are also looking for donations of candy to fill the Easter eggs!! 

We are looking for candy that is small enough to fit inside a plastic Easter egg.

Here are example candies that are the correct size:

• Tootsie Rolls
• Mini Twix Bars
• Mini Hershey’s Bars
• Mini Snickers Bars
• Mini Kit Kat Bars
• Individual M&M packs
• Starburst

• Individual Skittles packs
• Jolly Ranchers
• Individual Jelly Bean packs
• Hershey’s Kisses
• Smarties
• Fruit Snacks

We are hopeful to have all donations in by THIS Sunday, April 13. Contributions can be left at the front desk labeled "CYF Egg Hunt."

Thank you for your help with this fun need to make the Egg Hunt memorable for our families!

At worship on February 23, Pastor Maria introduced "75 Stories," an idea created to commemorate and celebrate our 75th anniversary.

Over the next year, members of our Normandale community will be sharing their stories of faith, hope, laughter, love, and service. Every week or so a new story will be added, building a more profound understanding and appreciation of who we are and have been, our impact on the world, and our dreams for the future.

So, now… listen:

Director of Youth Ministry Jacob Boettcher Belz

As we continue to commemorate our 75th anniversary, you will notice that some of the elements that we celebrate shift in their area of focus. For the first couple of months, we dwelled on our relationship with worship. Now we sit with the celebration of how our faith and community formation has developed over these past 75 years.

Special thanks to our Heritage Committee to their continued commitment to the artifacts of our community's past, as well as to Bert Ledder for her dedicated and thorough approach to presenting these treasures in and outside the new cabinetry in our narthex just outside the main sanctuary doors!

Continue to see how we continue to be both "like always" and "like never before" as we celebrate this milestone throughout the year!

The Normandale Center for Healing & Wholeness is celebrating 25 years of serving seniors and their caregivers in the southwest metro and we invite you to celebrate with us!

​​

This special event will be hosted by KARE11's Emmy award-winning journalist and caregiver advocate Karla Hult, featuring lunch, a keynote presentation by Nick Buettner, VP of Community Engagement at the Blue Zones organization, friends and founders from the past, and more!

Enjoy entertainment and refreshments as you peruse our silent auction, connect with friends, play the wine wall, and more!

To Find out more, go to normandalecenter.org/25thanniversary.

Agenda

11:30 am – Noon | Arrival + Check-In

12:00 Noon | Welcome Remarks, Karla Hult of KARE11

12:10 - 12:30 pm | Lunch

12:30 - 1:30 pm | Introduction + Keynote Speaker,

Nick Buettner of the Blue Zones

1:30 - 2:00 pm | Get Involved!

This Year's Totals

What an extraordinary response from you in this incredible community to help our hunger partners this year!

We accumulated and packed over 2200 lbs. of in-kind items that has already been sent to CES. We also raised over $20,000 dollars that will be dispersed to our assorted friends at CES, VEAP, ELCA World Hunger, Meals on Wheels, and Every Meal.

There are few words to adequately describe your generosity for those who are in need for food this season. Thank you and bless you, Normandale!

Join the National Lutheran Choir for our spring concert: Healing for our Future, an honest yet hopeful exploration of the impact of gun violence on school communities. Presented alongside Cantus, St. Michael-Albertville High School Concert Choir, and Westminster Presbyterian Church Choir, this finale of our season seeks to unite communities in fostering healing, reducing harm, and building a safer future.

The highlight of this concert will be a World Premiere of a new piece by Melissa Dunphy titled “There is a Way,” Adapting text from Proverbs 14, Dunphy's new work emphasizes that "there is a way to wisdom and understanding," and that those who do good will find peace and uplift nations. In addition to Dunphy’s premiere, the program will feature a carefully curated repertoire that speaks to grief, healing, and hope. Selections include Requiem by Joshua Clausen, Samuel Barber’s Agnus Dei, and Mark Miller’s I Choose Love. 

Through music, poetry, and a post-concert talk-back, Healing for Our Future aims to inspire solidarity and hopeful determination for a better future. This event is open to all who wish to be part of this vital conversation.

Join the National Lutheran Choir for this program at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, on Sunday, May 4th at 4pm. 

Adults and Seniors: $35 | Students: Pay what you can | 18 and Under: Free

Discounts for groups of 10+! Call the NLC office at 612-722-2301 for group tickets.

ACT-TC Partners Seek Gently Used Items

Asylum seekers and other refugees desperately need gently used children’s and adult clothing, especially petite sizes. Families also need all types of winter outerwear – coats, hats, boots, scarves, mittens.

There is also a need for a:

• Couch
• Refrigerator
• Laptop with a camera
• Cell phones
• Target gift cards

Can you share items you no longer use?

Any and all donations can be marked "ACT-TC" and left in the freshly painted bin downstairs by the main northwest entrance just outside Fellowship Hall.

Clothing will be distributed directly to families who worship at the Church of the Nazarene in Crystal. ACT-TC is working with three (3) pastors from the Latino community who are ministering to a wide variety families in need. Families from Normandale have generously shared toys with families in the past.

If you have questions please email or text Karen Newcomer.

Serving the Community One Meal at a Time

Receive Meals: Choice, Convenience, Flexibility

Meals on Wheels is here for anyone who can benefit from home-delivered meals with a focus on older adults and people with disabilities. Want help cooking or a break from doing it? Recovering from an illness or injury? Give Meals on Wheels a try today.

Volunteer: Deliver Nutrition and Independence

Looking for volunteer opportunities in the Minneapolis / St. Paul metro area that truly make a difference? Consider volunteering with Meals on Wheels. Deliver meals during the lunch hour and know that you’re helping provide nutritious food and social connection to your neighbors.

Contact Lori Olson via email or phone today to see how you can help!

Check Out What's Coming In the Weeks Ahead...

Interested in learning more about Normandale? Following worship on Sunday, April 27, a gathering will be held from 10:40am - 12:30pm in Fellowship Hall for those interested in learning more about the life and mission of Normandale. Lunch will be served and childcare provided.

If you are new to the community or considering membership, please plan to attend. New members will be received during worship on Sunday, May 4.

You may RSVP by filling out this form or emailing Kati Salmon. If you need childcare, please let us know how many children and what ages when you RSVP so we can plan accordingly. Thanks!

Questions? Feel free to ask one of the pastors.

... And These Happen Every Week!

Join us in our chapel every Tuesday morning for a simple and timely service of piano, prayer, and reflection.

Bring your Bible; topical study guides for $10 per copy. 

Also available via livestream on our Facebook page.

Cherub Choir

MEETS TONIGHT (4/9) from: 5:00 - 5:45pm

Children's Choir

MEETS TONIGHT (4/9) from: 5:45 - 6:30pm

Normandale Choir

MEETS TONIGHT (4/9) from: 7:10 - 8:00pm

Normandale Bells

MEETS TOMORROW (4/10) from: 5:45 - 6:45pm

Sunday School Returns THIS Sunday!

Regular CYF Wednesday Programming

Hop Over to Our Easter Egg Hunt!

Donate Candy by THIS Sunday!

We are also looking for donations of candy to fill the Easter eggs!! 

We are looking for candy that is small enough to fit inside a plastic Easter egg.

Here are example candies that are the correct size:

• Tootsie Rolls
• Mini Twix Bars
• Mini Hershey’s Bars
• Mini Snickers Bars
• Mini Kit Kat Bars
• Individual M&M packs
• Starburst

• Individual Skittles packs
• Jolly Ranchers
• Individual Jelly Bean packs
• Hershey’s Kisses
• Smarties
• Fruit Snacks

We are hopeful to have all donations in by THIS Sunday, April 13. Contributions can be left at the front desk labeled "CYF Egg Hunt."

Thank you for your help with this fun need to make the Egg Hunt memorable for our families!

Line Up Your Putt for Next ABLAZE Night Out 4/27

We had so much fun together bowling, laser tagging, and enjoying pizza recently at our Winter Retreat that we've decided to do it more often!

Once a month for the rest of the year we will travel offsite on a Sunday evening to do something new together! Each event will begin at 7:00pm and cost $35.00 per participant.

Check out the schedule above and register today!

Get Signed Up for Summer!

Come Volunteer with Us at VBS!

Anyone in 5th grade or older is eligible to volunteer for VBS!

This year, we explore God as our compass at TRUE NORTH and we need your help! We are looking for crew leaders, station assistants, snack makers, decorators, and more.

Tell us how you can help when you sign up. Volunteers receive a t-shirt for the week, get a snack each day, can be paired with a buddy, and get to form relationships with fun kids!