Christus Victor Lutheran Church

“When Simon Peter saw it [the huge catch of fish sinking the boats], he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”…Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’” – Luke 5: 8 & 10b

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

Are you a sinner?  Then God is calling you!  Jesus is calling you to follow him, put your trust in Him, serve him, and catch people with his love.  Do you hear the call?  Do you believe that God is calling you?  Do you trust that Jesus can and will use you to the glory of God?

My youth director used to tell us, “God doesn’t call the qualified; God qualifies the called.”   She’d tell us this every time we hesitated to volunteer, or hang back instead of stepping forward to help or lead, and especially when we started making excuses for why we couldn’t do something.  Hesitating and making excuses for why we do not follow Jesus and serve as his disciples in the world using whatever gifts, skills, and talents God has given us seems to be an epidemic among Christians.

Simon Peter fell at Jesus’ knees giving Jesus his excuse: “Go away from me, Lord!” He added as the core of his excuse the truth about himself, “I am a sinful man!”  Notice that Jesus did not contradict Peter, or accept his excuse.  By his blatantly ignoring Peter’s excuse, Jesus is saying to him, “Yeah, I know you are a sinful man.  But that doesn’t disqualify you from following and serving me. I qualify you by my call!” Notice too, that Jesus also addresses the underlying issue, Simon Peter’s fear.  “Do not be afraid,” Jesus says. “From now on you will be catching people.” Peter discovers, and so will we, that even though we are sinners who make mistakes, who don’t have the right answers or understanding, whose faith is less than stellar, Jesus’ grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness is sufficient for us. 

Jesus is calling you to trust that his love, grace, and mercy is sufficient for you, and for all of us sinful people, to become his disciples and servants in the world.  Listen, Jesus is calling, “Don’t be afraid, from now on you will be catching people.”  Will you get up and follow Jesus?

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Kent Claussen Gubrud

Newsletter February 2010

On behalf of the Social Ministries Committee, I would like to thank the congregation for their generous support of Armful of Love.  This year we helped 10 families enjoy Christmas.  This was the largest number of families we have ever helped.  I want to extend a special thank you to Mariah Glinski, Sarah Gwin, Julie Manning, Megan Hanson, Hannah and Andrea Perendy for their assistance in sorting and packing the gifts.  There were tons of presents to pack up!  I also want to thank the Glinski’s and the Iaria’s for helping deliver the gifts to the warehouse.

Thanks again for supporting this mission.

Merry Christmas,

Jaclyn Brandes

Social Ministries Committee

Feed My Starving Children is making great strides in the fight against world hunger. Thank you to Christus Victor Lutheran Church for your part in what the Lord has done through FMSC in 2009! This year more than 400,000 volunteers will pack more than 91 million meals to feed God’s precious starving children. In recent weeks, FMSC has shipped food to Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras, the Philippines, Moldova, El Salvador, Somalia, Liberia, Tanzania and Guatemala. Feed My Starving Children is blessed by your partnership in our mission of feeding bodies and spirits. He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward him for what he has done. Proverbs 19:17 

May you be especially blessed this holiday season!

When the members of the Social Ministries Committee look back and count our blessings from Thanksgiving, we have much to be thankful for.  Most notably, we are so thankful to the members of Christus Victor and our partner, Thrivent Financial, for helping us make our annual Thanksgiving basket ministry a huge success again this year, despite a challenging economy.  Your overwhelming generosity toward those who could most benefit from caring hearts and outstretched hands made all the difference in enabling us to serve just as many families as last year, with a total of 200 baskets!

The morning we spent together making and distributing our Thanksgiving baskets went by so smoothly and quickly that one might not realize all the different pieces and people that fit together in order to help make this ministry the success it has been.  Thrivent Financial plays a big part every year in giving us a very generous donation to get things rolling.  Your wonderful donations and/or purchases from the garage sale concession stand and to the Adopt-A-Family Thanksgiving basket fund make up the bulk of the rest of the funds needed to purchase all supplies for the baskets.  Once funds were secured, people-power did the rest in making it all come together.  We had volunteers that supplied a delivery truck complete with volunteer drivers.  We had Cub Foods of Apple Valley help get us the best possible prices and make sure we had everything needed.  Last, but far from least, we had tireless volunteers unloading the delivery truck, making boxes, filling baskets, coloring pictures for the baskets, carrying baskets (they’re heavy!), and giving out/delivering baskets to thankful recipients.  

From the beginning fund drive to the last basket given out, we were blessed with volunteers of all kinds.   Kids of all ages, including a Confirmation group, families, adults younger and older, members of Christus Victor, Lily of the Valley, and Casa de Oracion, all came together to serve the Lord, to share each other’s company and to serve others.   Looking down the church hallway at all the baskets lined up, no one could pass without saying, “Wow!”   Wow indeed.  Many heartfelt thanks from the members of Social Ministries for your generous hearts and helping hands in making this ministry such a success this year.  You are all truly awesome!

To our Christus Victor family and friends—

                The family of Marilyn Kujawa would like to thank the many, many friends who supported Marilyn and her family during her illness.  The many prayers and condolences were overwhelming and appreciated.  It is truly amazing how wonderful and special friends are and how so many lives are touched by others.

                Thank you to all who offered their services to provide a wonderful meal in Marilyn’s honor, as well as all the dessert donations that were provided.  We will always cherish all the wonderful comments and stories about Marilyn that were shared. We know our mom was rejoicing with the Lord as she held His hand, and our dad’s hand, during her memorial!  It could not have been a more beautiful and loving celebration of her life!

                Thank you, again, to all for the many years of friendship and fellowship to Marilyn.  You are all a blessing in our lives and we are thankful for all of you.

God Bless You All—

Marilyn Kujawa Family

Adult Small Groups – Book of Faith

What is the Book of Faith?  Small groups meeting once a month for four months for Bible Study, Fellowship, and Renewal – we need new Leaders and Hosts to start new groups in January!

• The Small Group leaders set the day, time, and place (breakfast, lunch, Friday dinner, Monday night dessert, or Sunday afternoon) and determine what kind of group (ie. couples, singles, women, men, young adults, or open to anyone).
• People sign up for a group that fits their interest and schedule.

How can I get involved?  We need new small group leaders and hosts!!! 

We can’t have a group without someone to guide the conversation – that’s the role of the small group leader, to keep the conversation going.  Leaders are not teachers or experts.  And they have partners, the Hosts, who arrange for a place to meet and treats to eat.  This is about learning and building relationships in a fun, faith-filled setting.   

Interested in serving as a Small Group Leader or Host? 

Questions about the Initiative? 

Contact Pastor Kent at 952-454-6927 or pastor.kent@christusvictor.org.