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February 2010 God Speaking The man whispered, “God, speak to me”, and a meadow lark sang. But the man did not hear. So the man yelled, “God, speak to me”, and the thunder and lightening rolled across the sky. But the man did not listen. The man looked around and said, “God, let me see you”, and a star shined brightly, but the man did not see. And the man shouted, “God, show me a miracle”, and a life was born. But the man did not notice. So, the man cried out in despair, “Touch me God and let me know you are here.” Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on. Just a reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted. Even in our electronic age...so here is another cry from our man. The good news is that you are loved. Don’t miss out on a blessing because it isn’t packaged the way that you expect. Expect the unexpected and have a Happy Day! God Never Sleeps There is an old story about a minister who was tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep because of his many concerns. In the midst of his fretfulness, he heard God say to him, “Matthew, you go ahead and sleep, I’ll handle the worries. I’m going to be up all night anyway.” Pastor's Page Even on the coldest days you can warm up, just look for the Music Ministry Ash Wednesday is Wednesday, February 17. Mid-Week Services begin on Wednesday, February I am in urgent need of a handbell substitute for Welcome to our new Handbell Choir member: I am always looking for those who would like to 6 members of our Adult Choir enjoyed the Choir Welcome to new Adult Choir members: Thank you for your support of the De-Cluttering? Where do I start? According to Cynthia Ewer, editor of OrganizedHome.com, and author, the first step is to schedule time to de-clutter just like you would any other appointment. Ewer suggests even 15 minutes a day is a good start. For those of us whose loved one might nap during the day or attend day services, she gives this advice. “schedule larger blocks of time, say 2-4 hours once or twice a week for maximum de-clutter efficiency.” Ewer states that by ‘committing time to de-cluttering, you strengthen motivation and embrace that goal of a clutter-free home.” For those of us with family members still at home, the best way for others to start good organizational habits is for us to master our own clutter challenges first. Here are a few additional habits to start” Donate to family first. Donate to different charities. Clean up immediately. Pick a spot for keys, glasses, and mail. Acknowledge you don’t have the time. Be consistent. De-cluttering will also help with safety in your home where most falls and injuries can take place. Keep your walkways clear and place non-skid mats under your throw rugs or better yet, throw out those throw rugs. Light up areas at night such as bathrooms, halls and bedrooms. Be safe! Printed with permission from Marjorie Spagl January Events Pictured are a few of the members of St. Matthew's Choir who attended the annual Choir Tune Up on Saturday, January 23. Sigrid Johnson, choral director from St. Olaf College was the guest conductor for this all-morning session at St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Bloomington. In this participatory workshop, Sigrid Johnson shared her knowledge in choral techniques while rehearsing the massed group in three works of music appropriate for church choirs. There were approximately 300 church choir members from the metro area.
Pictured from left to right: VIBE Hello VIBE Leaders, families and Friends, AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!: FYI: We are discontinuing VIBE MOVIE NIGHTS due to lack of interest! Fat Friday Extravaganza VIBE Confirmation: REAL Coffee house at a NEW LOCATION (TBA), February 24th form 7:30-9:00pm IMPORTANT CAMP DATES FOR THIS SUMMER! Spirit of Truth The Spirit of Truth launch team is beginning to grow, with all of us having lots of one to one conversations about faith and justice, and inviting new people to join us. We are also beginning to envision what our launch or “come and be” event might look like. We have also begun to act together for justice. Right now, the building cleaners that work at the downtown office high-rises are working to negotiate a new contract for wages and benefits with their employers. The employers have been working hard to push the janitors further into poverty, using quite a bit of racial discrimination in the process. Some of us have been involved in supporting the janitors already, and we are continuing to support them as a community as they take a strike vote this weekend. As I have said before, if you or anyone you know would like to talk with any of us on the launch team about Spirit of Truth, we’d be happy to. Please let me know!
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