Christus Victor Lutheran Church

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and
you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me
in. Matthew 25: 35.

What are you “giving up” for Lent?

We will once again participate in the Minnesota FoodShare campaign, a statewide food drive. Ash Wednesday, February 22, is the start of the Lenten season this year and the entire month of March is during the Lenten season. Please remember the hungry as part of your Lenten prayer and sacrifice.

Your help is needed now more than ever due to increased needs. Monetary and food donations will be given to the Rosemount Resource Center for distribution in our local community. Envelopes for monetary donations are at the welcome desk and food donation drop off points are in the entries.

While all donations are greatly appreciated, monetary donations are
matched by corporate sponsors and allow the purchase of food and goods from food banks, where the money goes farther.

Watch for a display in the hallway to track our progress!

The following items are suggested donations for the food shelves:
Cash donations
Gift cards to purchase fresh nutritious food
Cereal (hot and cold)
Powdered milk
Pancake mix and syrup
Peanut butter and jelly
Tuna and Tuna Helper
Canned meat
Pasta and sauce
Rice and beans
Whole grain snack crackers
Granola/cereal bars
Canned fruit
Coffee/Tea
Dried rice (16 oz. packages)
Dried beans (16 oz. packages)
Cooking oil
Laundry detergent
Dish soap
Paper products (toilet paper, paper towels)
Personal care products (tooth paste, bar soap, shampoo)
Disposable diapers (all sizes)

Join us for a weekend of building friendships with other brothers in Christ, growing in our faith, playing broomball (or cheering the team on!), worship, good food, and great conversations! Watch for the sign-up sheet and registration forms at the information desk.

WHERE: At WAPO
WHEN: Feb. 17-19!
COST: $110 (+$25 if you play broomball!)

We are exploring some exciting changes for VBS this year! We’ll share details soon, but in the meantime, mark your calendars for July 22-26, 2012! The VBS worship and family picnic will be held on July 29th.

We hope the kids will join us, the grown-ups will help us and everyone prays for us. Invite your friends and family too!!! Contact Stacey Klein (612-384-4110) if you have any questions or just can’t wait to volunteer. Registration will start in May.

Adult Forum: Three Colors of Your Spirituality – What is Your Spiritual Type?

This adult forum will help you discover your spiritual style, which is how you naturally connect with God, and ways to grow closer to God.

Starting on Sunday, January 15 at 9:45am in the Fellowship Hall. Cost: $12.00. Sign-up at the information desk!

SENIOR CONNECTION will have two opportunities to meet in February. On Saturday, February 18 we will attend “Ole and Lena’s 50th Wedding Anniversary,” a play at the Lakeville Performing Arts Center. The curtain goes up at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $16 (including tax).

Please pay for your ticket at the church office by February 12. On February 23 (Thursday) we will attend Apple Valley High School’s “Broadway, 2012.” The musical starts at 3 p.m. There is no charge since it is a senior preview. Sign-up sheets for both events are on the narthex table.

One of the primary foundations of a vibrant life of faith is weekly worship: gathering together with other believers to hear God’s Word, sing praises, pray, and worship the Lord. That’s why CV offers a Wednesday RECHARGE!

RECHARGE is a mid-week praise and worship time for kids and adultsfor kids and adults of all ages!

RECHARGE is a half-hour, high energy worship service on Wednesday nights at 7:22 p.m. that offers kids, youth, and families a time to connect with God in the midst of their busy schedules.

RECHARGE is for EVERYONE! If you’re going to be gone one weekend and miss worship, we invite you to come to RECHARGE.

If you’re having a tough week, we invite you to come to RECHARGE. If you just need a boost to your spirit and faith, we invite you to come to RECHARGE.

Our annual meeting theme came from John 9, when Jesus was
asked who sinned, the blind man or his parents. Jesus replied, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.”

As we listened to all of the committee’s ministry accomplishments
from the past year and looking ahead to their goals for the coming year, the works of God were revealed to us by God’s work through and among us.

There were numerous fellowship events building connections and
Christian friendships; including hosting a choir from Uganda, an
intergenerational picnic, beer and wine tasting, apple orchard trips,
senior connection plays, retreats for men and women, and lock-ins for
middle school and high school youth!

The members of Christus Victor are revealing Christ’s love through
serving our neighbors near and far away; the food drive, Feed My
Starving Children, Thanksgiving Baskets, Toys for Tots, Baskets of Love and secondary students scholarships for Missions to the Dominican Republic and Tanzania, and Armful of Love to name a few.

We are growing in our faith in God and knowledge of God’s Word!
We have 59 kids in Faith Trek & Sunday School, Sunday Adult Forums,
DeKaf for middle school, Connections for senior high, Confirmation,
Thursday Adult Bible Study Group, Small Groups, the Men’s Breakfasts,
and the new Peer Ministry Leadership for Wednesday night senior high.

It was not just the activities and events that revealed God’s work
among us, but the many lives that have been touched and changed through our shared ministries.

As we enter into a new year of faith, life, and ministry together, we will be taking a closer look at God’s work among us and in us through the Church Health Process. I invite you to join us as we pay special attention to where God is calling us to grow and change, that God’s work may continue to be revealed in each of us here at Christus Victor Lutheran Church.

Yours in Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kent Claussen Gubrud