W here Strangers Become Fr iends

I ns id e th i s i s su e :

Children’s Sabbath 1

Note from Pastor 2

Children’s Ministry 2

Christmas Ministries 3

Music Ministry 3

Parents Corner 3

Splash 3

Purpose 4

www.colpres.org

NOVEMBER 2013

Vo lume , I s s ue

Editor: Pastor Paul H. Moore

Administrator: Jennifer Huehns

Kelsie Kuyath, a mother

advocating for the prevention of

Shaken Baby Syndrome, will speak

at Chain of Lakes Church.

We are excited that we can devote

this time to advocate for children

and create a culture where children

are valued in our world. This

service is an opportunity for our

community to demonstrate their

care for children and their families.

Attending this powerful time of healing, restoration, and narrative will be

a way for community members to be a village that cares for its children

and their families. Stations for sharing personal stories will be provided

in a safe and caring manner

The service will be held at DaVinci Academy

located at 13001 Central Avenue in Blaine

Children’s Sabbath Sunday, November 17th

10:30 a.m.

My dad was a military man who took the family where he traveled. So, during the escalation of the Vietnam War, our family lived in the Philippines. It was a beautiful place filled with lush foliage, orchids creeping down vines, and caribou stoically working in the rice fields. Recovering from earlier wars, the people and the land were gentle and the cities clamored with people. As a child, my eyes took in the scenery and my heart fell in love with the islands’ people and its culture. Returning to the Philippines as an adult, my eyes were opened wide to the realities of a country steeped in poverty as well as a desperate need of redistribution of its resources. And yet, my heart sang while being enveloped into faith communities of people who were joyful in the midst of their circumstances—after all, they had been given the gift of children. Upon hearing of the horrific hurricane that shattered the islands of Leyte, Samar, and Cebu, my heart continues to weep for the beautiful children struggling to survive or who were washed away into the sea. I am sure that God’s heart weeps as well. Natural disasters bring us closer to the raw scene of humanity struggling. War provides us instant pictures of parents weeping for their dead children. Researching statics around hunger gives us the unpleasant reality that twenty per cent of the population of the United States “do not know where their next meal will come from” and most of that number are children. Violence to children is so common place all around the world that I often wonder, “Have we become immune to the cries of the children?”

On Sunday, Nov. 24th, our faith community here at Chain of Lakes has the privilege of celebrating, advocating, mourning, and working on behalf of children everywhere. God’s gift to the world—Jesus—came to us in the form of a human and divine baby, toddler, tween, teen, and eventually a man. What would have happened if Mary and Joseph had ignored his hungry cries as an infant? What if Mary and Joseph would have left tween Jesus in the temple, refusing to turn around and get him? What if Mary and Joseph had not taught Jesus to love God and follow God’s commandments in his Jewish traditions? What if Mary and Joseph hadn’t gone to the temple in the first place?! The responsibility of God’s community of faithful people is to love, nurture and care for God’s children. How can we do this better? How can we be challenged to advocate for children in our community, state, country, and the world? How can we love all children—regardless of race, sexual orientation, economic levels, and religion? What do we need to “give up” so that children can live the potential that God sees? God is listening and waiting. On behalf of children’s ministry throughout the world, Sally Narr Children’s Ministry Director

The leaders of Chain of Lakes had the privilege of spending time with Tom Bandy on Sunday, afternoon, October 27. Tom Bandy is a nationally known consultant who has written many books about church development. He has a special place in his heart for new churches and for main-line congregations—and Chain of Lakes is a main-line congregation.

He encouraged us to develop five strategies for 2014. They are • Worship that is targeted towards the person we are

trying to reach • A heartburst ministry that captures the heart of people

in the congregation and makes a significant impact in the community

• Small groups. One third of the people in the small

groups are from outside the congregation • Two or three highly visible community events during

the year • Expanded hospitality that is targeted towards the

person we are trying to reach These strategies are very exciting. I believe they will help our new congregation move deeper into living out our Purpose Statement and Core Values. Living into these strategies will take tremendous focus. If the Steering Committee chooses to follow-up on these strategies we will have to be almost ruthless in asking ourselves whether a new idea fits into one of these strategies. Even if an idea is a good idea it might not be the right time for us at Chain of Lakes to utilize. And living into these strategies will involve change. Change doesn’t bother me, and it’s my experience that it doesn’t bother the folks at Chain of Lakes. In our very short history, we’ve already made many changes. If we understand the reasons behind changes and have a common

vision that will result from the changes, we know that we can do them. It’s an exciting time at Chain of Lakes. I believe we are on the cusp of seeing something very significant happen within our congregation and in our wider community.

P a g e 2 C h a i n o f L a k e s C h u r c h N e w s l e t t e r

V o l u m e , I s s u e N o t e s f r o m P a s t o r P a u l

The Children in Our Midst: Celebrating, advocating, and working for children in the world

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Growing Closer stewardship drive. We are ten percent ahead of where we were last year in the congregation’s Estimate of Giving. If you haven’t turned in an Estimate of Giving card, please do so as soon as possible. They are available on our web site.

At the October Steering Committee meeting the Steering Committee:

• Viewed the Growing Closer video that Dave Nyberg

produced for the Chain of Lakes’ stewardship drive

• Talked about how the recent sermon series on prayer had

touched each of the Steering Committee’s prayer life

• Authorized the Nominating Committee to call a

congregational meeting for the purpose of electing people to the Steering Committee

• Finalized details for the Catch small groups after worship on

November 3

• Received Personnel reports for Jennifer Huehns and Kristel

Peters

• Authorized David Nyberg and John Ivers to be signers on

the church checking account at Wells Fargo bank

• Agreed to have a ministry fair at the Annual Meeting in

2014

• Spent time talking about the plans of the Building Task

Force—a committee of the Church Development Team.

Growing

Closer

Steering Committee Notes

P a g e 3 C h a i n o f L a k e s C h u r c h N e w s l e t t e r

V o l u m e , I s s u e

Chain of Lakes Christmas Choir will

be rehearsing Christmas music at the

church office on the following dates:

♪ Sunday, Nov. 24th, 4:00pm

♪ Wednesdays, Dec. 4th, 11th, and 18th at 7:00pm

Ages middle school on up are welcome! Please contact

Kristel Peters at music@colpres.org or 651-207-9799 if

you plan on joining us. We would love to sing with you!

Join us December 22nd at 10:30 a.m.

when the choir will sing in worship!

Save the date! December 19th we will be spreading

Christmas joy in our community by Caroling together!

M u s i c M i n i s t r y by K r i s te l Pe te r s

Raising thankful children is an important quality of the Christian life. Thanking and praising God is essential to our relationship as children of God and so, as parents, we in turn teach our kids to be thankful!

Little Ones • Teach your baby and/or toddler to say “thank

you”, “please,” and “you’re welcome!” Make it fun by adding sign language signs or by clapping after repetition.

• Parents, be sure that you use the above phrases in

your home life, work world, and in cyberspace. Younger Elementary Kids • It’s fun for kids to learn all types of manners—

including saying “please pass the peas” or “thanks mom for the play date!”

• Children receiving a birthday gift from Grandma

and Grandpa can learn to write thank you notes! Tweens and Teens • Challenge tweens and teens to make their own

thank you notes and then write them. Gift your teen or tween with stationary or supplies plus addresses of grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other close friends.

• Encourage teens and tweens to be respectful and

kind while in cyberspace. Family and Friends • Take time on Thanksgiving to go around the

table and ask each person to share one thing that they are thankful for and wish to share with others. Be prepared for funny pop-ups as well as the heartfelt jewels.

• Write a thank you note to family or friends that

have given you joy or who have gone out of their way to be kind. Kindness counts in God’s world!

Scripture: “Thank the Lord because he is good. His love continues forever.” Psalm 118:1

Parents Corner Telling the Christmas Story!

A Call to all Children of

Chain of Lakes!! It’s time to

organize the Christmas Pageant!!

It’s time to embrace the baby Jesus

as we re-tell the story of his long

awaited birth! On December 15th, the children of Chain

of Lakes will sing songs, dress up in costumes, and share

the way Mary and Joseph embraced their task of

parenting their son, Jesus.

This amazing story needs no introduction—just kids

wanting to share the details of how God’s gift to the

world first started out just like them—as a baby! Kids

will explore the story in Sunday Circle time, practice the

pageant on Dec. 8th, and provide a live rendition of

Luke’s version of the first Christmas night.

Parents are encouraged to help with costumes, props,

snacks, and keeping track of the family music CD! If you

would like to assist, please contact any member of the

Education Team!

We’ve Been Splashed! It is a joy to announce that our congregation has been “Splashed!” Recently, volunteers have responded to our new family ministry by gathering for training to provide families with little ones a newsletter about Christian parenting. Joining the Splash! Ministry Team are: Lois Peterson, Gloria Ivers, and Paulette Zvorak. Excited to support parents, each volunteers brings an open heart full of love for the littlest ones in our congregation. They have launched the first newsletters and will be commissioned during the Children’s Sabbath on November 24th. Yay God!

Tween and Teen Ministries! Advent is a way for tweens and teens to….

Become worship leaders as they help kids tell the Christmas Story

Become worship leaders as they lift their voices and instruments to sing and play music celebrating the joys of Christmas! (Each Wednesday with Kristel!)

Think about new ways to serve God and others (Christmas Service Project!)

Come together for an Advent Celebration—just teens and tweens!

Watch the bulletin and website for more details! We will be having an event to watch the movie “The Nativity” and talk about what it means to face life’s challenges as a teenager!

4175 Lovell Road, Suite 115

Lexington, MN 55014

763-208-8049

info@colpres.org

Where Strangers Become Friends

We’re on the Web!

www.colpres.org

C h a i n o f L a k e s C h u r c h P u r p o s e :

We are called to be an authentic, Christian community where: Strangers become friends Friends become disciples

Disciples impact the world.

NON-PROFIT ORG

U.S. Postage

PAID

Circle Pines, MN

Permit No. 2

Worship at DaVinci Academy in Blaine

for Sunday Worship at 10:30 a.m.

Directions: Located at DaVinci Academy

13001 Central in Blaine,

at the intersection of Highway 65 and 131st Ave

(just north of Cub Foods)