Faith lives and moves within us as we change and grow.

This Lent, we’ll rediscover the foundational stories of our faith that are passed down from generation to generation. We’ll explore ways we live out that faith in the world both as a community and as individuals.

Historically, Lent has been a time of instruction in the basics of the faith. There’s no better time to dig into scripture, reflecting deeply on the ways God’s story intertwines with ours.

"'Living Faith, Living Community' is our theme for this Lenten season... this evening, we will have evening prayer at 6:30pm. This coming Sunday, I will be focusing on the Gospel reading from the 13th chapter of Luke, where Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees who warn him that Herod is out to get him."

Reflection

Mark Johns

Music

Normandale Chamber Choir

Scripture

Jonah 1:1-10, 15-17; 2:10; 3:1-2

Preaching

Pastor Hans Lee

Music

Normandale Choir

Scripture

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Psalm 27; Luke 13:31-35

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 Menu

Here's tonight's menu will feature:

• Chicken shawarma gyros
• Roasted vegetables
• Seasoned rice
• Cucumber and tomato salad
• Fresh fruit
• Fresh baked cookies

Community Meal Changes for Lent

It's that time of year!

With Lenten midweek services, now through April 9 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. You can help us by wrapping up any of the board games that may be out by then as well! Friendly reminder: we do not have childcare available during community meals or worship.

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

Minnesotans made an estimated 9 MILLION visits to food shelves in 2024, up 20% from the previous record of 7.3 MILLION set in 2023.*

Annual visits to food shelves are now 150% higher than they were prior to the pandemic.

Partnering with Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches (GMCC) and benefitting local food shelves CES, VEAP, ELCA World Hunger, Meals on Wheels, and Every Meal (through culturally-appropriate food in backpacks for students attending Cornelia Elementary literally across the street), we will help feed our neighbors across the state with in-kind items and cash donations.

Donations will be collected at the church and stored from now until April 6. As you leave worship this Sunday, ushers will have grocery bags with lists of what items we will receive. Fill it up and bring it by the packing our March 26 packing event.

On Wednesday, March 26, we will once again have our hands-on packing event starting at 7:00pm following our Lenten Vespers worship in the Fellowship Hall! All ages are welcome to come sort and box all the donated food, bag rice, repackage laundry pods, make personal notes of encouragement for food recipients, and more! 

$10,000 Challenge Grant Will Double Your Donation!

Feeding America reports that 537,890 Minnesotans are facing hunger. 34% of these individuals are under the age of 18.*

We need you! Bring your in-kind items into the church or make your cash donation at normluth.org/give, select "One-Time Gift" and identify the "Hunger" fund. Thanks to an anonymous donor in our congregation, we have a challenge grant available that matches the first $10,000 we raise dollar-for-dollar!

Did you know that, last year, the Normandale community contributed almost $47,000 to our hunger partners?! This included your gifts, a gift from Normandale Foundation, and a notable grant for innovative food lockers so people who can't come during business hours still have a way to receive their food.

Now... let's see what we can do in 2025!

Registration Deadline for Guatemala Trip: March 31!

You are invited to an extraordinary opportunity for transformational travel to Guatemala through our partners with Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry, featuring our host Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry (LPGM) Executive Director Dan Ruth.

We will travel to Guatemala and the Community Cloud Forest Conservation Center (CCFC). The CCFC focuses on children's education, young women's leadership development, environmentalism, teaching sustainable (and more nutritious) agriculture, as well as health education (employing and half led by local young women). This is not a service trip so much as a learning experience with relationship-building and thoughtful investment in community.

Founded in 1995, LPGM is a leader in providing access to quality education for people at the margins — especially women and girls​. Their mission is focused on local partnerships and built on mutuality, where relationships transform boundaries. Part of their work includes providing international travel opportunities that transform travelers’ self-understanding as world citizens and global neighbors.

• The expected cost for this incredible experience is $1850.
• Airfare is not included in this price.
• Your spot can be secured with a $300 deposit. 
• The overall registration deadline is March 31, 2025.
• Anyone age 7 and up is invited, so families can experience this trip together!

Willing to register for the trip now? Scroll down to the horizontal purple banner that says "Ready to Join?" and click the two (2) buttons there for the registration form and to submit your deposit.

Curious for more information about the trip? Check out this LPGM-produced video that provides some details and images.

Any questions? Email Pastor Rebecca or Kim Sannerud today!

ACT-TC Partners Seek Gently Used Clothing

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.

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.

If you were not able to make the annual meeting on February 23, here is both the copy of our 2024 Annual Report as well as the presentation that was given to those in attendance.

Any questions about anything here or not here? Contact Director of Operations and Finance Brent Malcom.

One of our objectives in celebrating our 75th anniversary is to graciously

acknowledge the gifts from our past and how they have led us to the gifts of our present and future.

During worship, you will see candlesticks on the altar that were among the first to illumine our sanctuary all those years ago, helping those who founded this congregation bear witness as they help us to do so today.

Special thanks to Bert Ledder who tirelessly assembled treasures in our narthex that showcase our beginnings, including a snapshot of our charter members, the vestment that Pastor Carlson wore at his installation, and more -- check them out!

Candlesticks are only out during worship.

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:

If you are not able to attend this service in-person, you may access St. Olaf's livestream of the service.

Memorial contributions can also be made to the:

• John and Ruth Ferguson Endowment at St. Olaf College (listed under “Other”) or to the
• John and Ruth Ferguson Endowment at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Northfield

We also humbly announce the passing of Gloria Danielson, which occurred on March 4. 

A memorial service celebrating Gloria's life is expected to be held; we will share those details once they are determined and available.

Interested in Becoming A Stephen Minister?

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

"What's the point of it all?"

In the postmodern world, the meaning and direction of human existence is increasingly a question mark with few satisfying answers forthcoming. People of faith are not immune to such questions as they struggle to meaningfully connect their faith to their daily lives. In "GPS: Finding Direction on Your Faith and Life Journey," pastor and author John Strommen -- who was on staff here at Normandale Lutheran Church from 1987-1992 -- makes the case that much of this existential struggle is born of an anthropocentric worldview that has banished God to the margins, leaving humans with the futile task of playing God as they attempt to create their own meaning, purpose, and identity.

Drawing on core Christian understandings through a Lutheran lens, the author asserts that life-giving meaning and purpose are gifts given by God alone, who frees people from their self-justifying ways to take an inventory of their many gifts and participate in a new creation where love of neighbor is the social currency. It is the core theme of this book that God is in fact present, deeply invested and at work in the everyday world, calling everyone daily to partner with God to co-create a more trustworthy, loving, and hopeful world.

Pastor John Strommen will lead the discussion on the following Sundays in Fellowship Hall:

March 16, 23, and 30

from 10:45-11:45 am

Books are available for purchase at the front desk for $25. Or you may purchase from wipfandstock.com or Amazon.

Hope to see you there!

Beginners Pilates Session TOMORROW Morning!

In this introductory Pilates class, you'll learn how to engage and strengthen your core muscles through mindful movement. The session focuses on learning what your “core” is and building awareness of your deep stabilization muscles. With a blend of exercises and focused breathwork, you'll improve posture and stability. This class is designed to help you connect with your core for better mobility and durability.

All ages and abilities are welcome!

About your instructor:

Jen Pederson, PT is a licensed physical therapist with over 20 years of experience. She is a certified Pilates instructor and a specialist in spine care. Jen has been a long time member of Normandale and is using her gifts / vocation to serve our community and help live more deeply into our bodies of faith!

... 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 (3/12) from: 5:00 - 5:45pm

Children's Choir

MEETS TONIGHT (3/12) from: 6:00 - 6:30pm

Normandale Choir

MEETS TONIGHT (3/12) from: 7:10 - 8:00pm

Sunday School from 10:40-11:30am

Regular CYF Wednesday Programming

First Communion Faith Marker THIS SUNDAY!

For those who attended last Sunday's class, note this Sunday's time to check-in!

Save the Date:

• Sunday, March 16: First Communion Recognition in worship. Arrive by 9:00am to check-in.

If you weren't able to attend last Sunday, note this is an annual event and you can join us next year, regardless of your child's age. If you have any questions, please contact Lily Askegaard.

We look forward to sharing this wonderful and meaningful experience with you!

Escape to ABLAZE Night Out NEXT Sunday, March 23

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!

Save the Date: Easter Egg Hunt!

Can You Help Us Fill Eggs?

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 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!

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!

Details Around High School Trip to Holden Village

When: Leave 11pm on June 14, return June 23rd (time TBA)

Where will we be? Holden Village is a former mining community turned Lutheran Retreat Center in the Cascade Mountains!

Financial support is available!

What will we do? Play games, bake bread, hike, make crafts, rest, eat good food and enjoy time together!

How much does it cost? $900 is the total cost to participate.

What about...? Check out the FAQ document to see if it answered there! If not, reach out to me!

Holden Village sits at the end of Lake Chelan, a river shaped lake, in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. The only way to reach Holden Village is via boat or by foot. Our group will be taking the Empire Builder Train from St. Paul's Union Station to Wenatchee, WA. This route hosts spectacular views of Glacier National Park and more! Upon our arrival in Wenatchee, we will take a bus then a boat to reach Holden Village.

Have questions or want to learn more? There are options! 

Registration Deadline: March 23

To ensure our spot is held at "the Village," we do need to provide an accurate count by this date.

Open House Info Session Happening TONIGHT

Jacob will be available to connect with you and answer questions TONIGHT, Wednesday, March. 12 -- during community meals from 5:00-6:25pm.

Check out this video to get excited!