This fall we are moving the 6th grade students into the Confirmation Program. These students will be having Confirmation Class on Sunday Mornings from 10:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. in the Youth Room upstairs. Confirmation Orientation is on Wednesday, September 11 at 6:00 p.m. we ask that each student and parent attends. The Confirmation Class will start on September 15. We are looking for Confirmation Guides for these students! If you are interested please contact Raelin Van Meter at [email protected] or at 320-354-2774.

Fall is here and we’re excited to see you all after our summer break. Here are a few quick notes about our schedule (PLEASE NOTE: There are LOTS of schedule changes from past years).

· Confirmation Kickoff will happen on Wednesday, September 11th at 6:00 p.m. That night we will give you all the details and dates for the upcoming year. We will also have an opportunity to sign up for some of our bigger events and activities for the year. Parents and students (all three grades) should attend this event.

· Worship schedule has changed. Starting September 8 there will be only one worship service on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Faith Formation activities (i.e. Sunday School, Adult Forum, and 9th Grade Confirmation) will follow. There will also be a worship service Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. starting Wednesday, September 18th.

· 9th Grade Confirmation will meet Sunday mornings after worship in the theater. All 9th Grade students are also required to attend R.O.C. on Wednesday evenings (7:00, following worship) through the end of October. Confirmation Sunday will be Sunday, November 3rd. This is a change from our usual pattern of celebrating on the last Sunday of October (Reformation Sunday).

· 7th and 8th Grade Confirmation starting September 18 grades 7 & 8 will meet Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. following our new Wednesday Worship Services (at 6:00 p.m.). Confirmation students should plan to attend the Wednesday worship service. There will be numerous volunteer opportunities tied to the Wednesday worship services.

Again, we are so excited to have you all back and to begin a new year with you!

Beer Choir is at Goat Ridge Brewery, where people from all over gather to sing some fun songs and some hymns together. Beer Choir is the second Friday of every month. For the Month of October it is on the 11 at 8:00 p.m. We would love for you all to join us!

Kids’ Club is an after-school ministry on Wednesdays each week for kids Kindergarten -5 ^th grade. We gather, eat a snack, play in the gym, sing, learn a bible story and experience a variety of activities. Kid’s Club also participates in the Christmas Program and Easter Pageant which is given at Sunday Worship services at the holidays. Kids’ Club begins Sept. 18.

The fee for Kids’ Club is $30 per child. Scholarships are available for this program.

If school is cancelled or dismissed early due to weather, Kids’ Club is cancelled also.

For more information or questions, please contact Jane Jansen at (320) 342-2274 or [email protected].

R.O.C. is our Senior High Youth Group at Peace Lutheran. This program is for students 9th-12th grade, on Wednesdays from 6:45 p.m. (following the 6 p.m. Worship service)-8:00 p.m. This starts on September 18, and goes throughout the program year. At R.O.C. we have snacks, play games, we have a message (topics that relate to our students today), and we do small groups. We want to encourage our students to also attend the Worship Service before R.O.C. on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. We hope to see you there!

Beginning in September, we’re “resurrecting” Cana Circle which hasn’t met for some time. You are invited to join us in the Conference Room (across from the kitchen) at 1:00 PM on September 19 (and the third Thursday of each month).  We will be using the Bible study published in the Gather magazine (ELCA women’s magazine) and will work through the study together. There will be a few extra copies of the study available as well as information about subscribing. The magazine includes good articles that support the message of the Bible study. Questions? Call Barb Johnson (796-5699) or Carol Roverud (796-6335). Hope to see you there!

Mark your calendars for the Turkey Dinner & Silent Auction on Saturday, September 28 from 4:30 to 7:00 PM. The event is a fund raiser to pay for the food product for our Food for Kids food packaging event which will take place in November. The dinner will be a great time for Peace members and community friends to gather at the end of summer and to raise money for this important mission.

Along with the dinner, we will have a Silent Auction. We hope Peace members will contribute a variety of auction items. Some suggestions include:

·         Hand crafted items (quilted, knit, cross stitched, embroidered items, wood working projects, etc.)

·         Homemade items (jams, pickles, canned goods)

·         Tickets to an event

·         Gift baskets (ex. movie night, new baby, special dinner, bath products – whatever you can dream up)

·         Services (a dinner party, boat ride, etc.)

Please sign up in the church office if you are able to donate one or more items for the silent auction.

We would also like to serve homemade desserts or pies. If you can make a 9x13 pan of your favorite dessert (not bars) or 2 pies, please sign up in the gathering space. Volunteers are also needed to help serve the meal. Watch for a sign up sheet in the gathering space.

Bell Choir will have our first official rehearsal

on Monday, September 23 ^rd from 5:30 pm. – 6:30 pm. 

We will meet in rooms 111 and 112 down the Sunday school hallway! Please contact Jullian if you are interested in joining this

amazing group! 

 

We are in the process of updating our database. With our new database, we are able to give you access to your own profile to update and change if you need. You will be receiving an email from Church 360 in the near future, THIS IS NOT SPAM.

Jeff Schmitz, Chaplain of United Campus Ministry and a New London-Spicer graduate, is beginning his eighth year working with college students at Ridgewater. Currently, volunteer churches or individuals serve lunch meals twice a week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Jeff reports that almost 200 students come in each week. The needs of this ministry include: prayer for their ministry and the students, financial support, providing meals, and donations of paper plates and bowls and plastic spoons and forks. If you feel called to help with this ministry, contact Jeff at [email protected] or call (320) 905-0345.

The center at Ridgewater does not have a commercial kitchen (and no dishwasher) so paper products are necessary. We will collect paper plates (10” plates) in September and we’ll continue throughout the year. Plates can be put in the collection bin in the gathering space or left in the grocery cart. Thanks for your help!

Thanks for saving your Teals receipts! So far this year, we have received almost $600 from the Teals program. Teals donates 1% of food and gas purchases to non-profit organizations. The money we’ve received has gone to support our Tuesday’s Table meals. Thanks for putting your receipts in the blue box in the gathering space.

 

On Fridays, each participating student will receive two entrees, two breakfast items, two juice boxes and two snacks. The goal of the program is to ensure that all students arrive at school on Mondays fed and ready to learn. Your donations of food items can make this happen! The Link is looking for donations beginning in mid-August. Drop off your items in the grocery cart in the gathering space.

Backpack needs include: single-serve, easy open single servings of pasta, soup, fruit cups, veggie cups, breakfast/cereal bars, canned fruit and vegetables, noodles and sauce, peanut butter, jelly and tuna fish.

This Month the Peace Van Driver is Charlie Lundberg. If you need a ride, or someone you know, please give Charlie a call at 320-354-4689.

Women’s Retreat at Green Lake Bible Camp, Meydato Lodge, November 8 & 9. More information to come! Contact Jane Jansen at [email protected] .