Jan 05 2010
Every member of the church is a servant, gifted by God through the Holy Spirit to build up the whole Church. On Sunday, January 10 and Sunday, January 17 we will be focusing in worship on our gifts, talents, and passions that God has given to us; how and where we can serve; and making a commitment to serve in some ministry in the church.
May 26 2009
Happy Hearts + Helping Hands = Healthy Babies!
Many thanks from Social Ministries for helping make our annual Midwife Kit ministry project such a great success. This was our 9th year putting together these live saving gifts and we feel blessed that this project continues to have such a special place in the hearts of so many of you.
Our cradle was filled each week with your generous donations, which enabled us to assemble 310 kits this year. A sincere and heartfelt thank you to Andrea Robens and her mother, Karen Wilson for their nearly year-round involvement in this ministry as garage sale mega-shoppers, hat makers, and for serging hundreds of onesies into t-shirts for the project. We simply would not be able to assemble as many kits as we do every year without their invaluable involvement. Many thanks also to Dawn Glewwe and Susan Edmans confirmation group who not only made beautiful handmade blankets for the project, but enthusiastically joined us to assemble the kits.
Thanks so much to everyone from Christus Victor and Lily of the Valley that came to celebrate Mothers Day a little early by helping assemble kits. We had a total of 28 volunteers cheerfully buzzing around from table to table collecting the items needed for each kit and then boxing them up. This year at the last minute we found ourselves unexpectedly short of approximately 30 blankets needed for kits that were otherwise ready to go. Members of Lily of the Valley saved the day by running out to purchase the needed blankets- ladies, you are awesome and much
appreciated!
Hard to believe that just a few simple supplies zipped into a plastic bag can have such a powerful impact in saving lives of both mothers and babies half-way around the world. This simplicity and the beauty of helping usher in new life continues to draw us together in ministry and love, and for that, we from Social Ministries are so very grateful!
May 26 2009
The Social Ministries Committee is excited to announce our new upcoming project slated for September – PACK IT UP – sending care packages for service people.
We are in the beginning stages of planning for this project. Do you have any relatives and/or friends currently serving our country overseas? We are compiling names and addresses of those servicemen and servicewomen and plan to send care packages to as many of them as we can. Has anyone been involved in this type of program? If so, the Social Ministries Committee would love to hear your ideas and suggestions. Please send names, addresses, ideas and suggestions to Michele Iaria at miaria@charter.net or 952-891-1303 or speak to anyone on the Social Ministries Committee.
May 18 2009
Thank you to all who participated in Christus Victor’s annual midwife kit project. On Mother’s Day weekend the Social Ministries Committee and other volunteers assembled 310 midwife kits for mothers-to-be in Tanzania, Africa. The kits, assembled using donations from the congregation, are used by midwives to create sterile birth conditions. We hope that over time, these kits will help improve infant mortality rates in Tanzania. Thanks again from the Social Ministries Committee!
Jan 19 2009
The American Red Cross Bloodmobile Bus will be here on
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH 1:30PM–6:30PM
LOOK FOR THE SIGN-UP SHEET AT THE WELCOME DESK
Here are some helpful tips for all of you kind and generous blood donors:
Before your Donation
During Your Donation
After your Donation
If you have any questions, please contact Michele Iaria at 952-891-1303 or miaria@charter.net
Jan 10 2009
The Social Ministries Committee would like say THANK YOU to everyone for helping make our Thanksgiving Basket ministry this year such an incredible success! With your work and donations we were able to provide 200 families in great need not only a Thanksgiving Day meal but the love of God through caring hearts and hands. It was a true gift to hear from recipients how much it meant that someone cared enough to reach out to them.
What an awesome partnership this ministry has become! A big portion of our garage sale concession stand sales goes towards the Thanksgiving baskets, so, if you donated delicious baked goods, pop, food, ice or a fabulous tent and equipment to make it happen, thank you.
If you purchased a tasty snack or beverage from our concession stand, thank you.
We also could not have been so successful without your generous donations this fall. We had more participants in our Adopt-A-Family fundraiser than ever before! We also had two unexpected donations from the kids in Faith Trek and from the Endowment Committee, and our partners at Thrivent Financial once again gave their enthusiastic financial support. It was wonderful to have Thrivent and so many people of all ages participate financially in support of this ministry, thank you.
When the day came to put together and distribute the Thanksgiving baskets, we had many more partners come together to share their gifts, time and fellowship. We had the gift of a truck donated to pick up the food, as well as the gift of a wonderful manager at Apple Valley Cub Foods that worked hard to get us the best prices on the basket ingredients, thank you both!
Once the food arrived at Christus Victor we had approximately 100 people of all ages working together, not only from Christus Victor, but from Casa de Oracion and Lily of the Valley as well. It was an awesome and inspiring sight to see so many people working in harmony to get the job done. We had people assembling boxes, carrying in food from the truck, putting food in baskets, and carrying completed baskets to the Narthex and hallway. Next, we had people greeting the basket recipients, carrying out baskets to their cars for them, and delivering baskets to Lewis House and Dakota Woodlands. What a glorious community of caring hearts and hands, thank you all so much!
How important was this ministry to the people we served? One woman rode her bicycle from miles away in slippery road conditions in order to pick up her basket; it meant that much to her and her family. And you know what? We had generous volunteers make sure she had a safe and less stressful ride back home in their car, THANK YOU! Members of Christus Victor and our friends from Casa de Oracion and Lily of the Valley partnered with Thrivent Financial and Cub Foods to reach out and make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. The gift of a meal, the gift of knowing someone cares, the gift of being able to serve and share fellowship, what blessings all. Social Ministries cannot thank you enough for all the ways you support this ministry near and dear to everyone’s heart. God’s richest blessings to you all!
Jan 01 2009
January is a time to get reconnected with your faith community. Download the January 2009 newsletter and get connected.
Book of Faith Initiative
Members of Christus Victor are taking up the Book of Faith Initiative, a program of the ELCA, by forming several small group bible study groups. Groups are forming in January, and will meet once per month all year. Read more…
Town Hall Forums & Annual Meeting
Town Hall forums are running January 11 & 18 to precede the annual meeting on January 25. Come discuss the goals of our church in the coming year as we deal with a shrinking budget. Learn more on page 2.
Senior Connections 2009
A full calendar of events is planned for our “real” seniors. More details on page 5.
Thank You From Mlowa
Read about the impact your prayers and support are having on our brothers and sisters in the Mlowa parish in Tanzania. More details on page 6.
Youth Fest
School is back in session, and the youth are busy again. The youth pages are brimming with going-ons on page 9 and an invitation for an upcoming TEC weekend is on page 7.
Upcoming Events
Town Hall Forums are January 11 & 18 at 9:45am
Annual Meeting is January 25 at 9:45am
Bloodmobile is on Febuary 24 from 1:30-6:30pm
Men’s Retreat is Feburary 20-22
Adult Forums resume on February 8 at 9:45am
