All Ages
Older Adults
Women's Ministries
Social Justice
Click here for the January calendar.
Also note:
January 7 and 21: Mom's Morning Out, 10:00 am
January 8: Education Committee Meeting, 7:00 pm
January 15: WELCA Board Meeting, 7:00 pm
January 20: 2009 Church Council Meeting, 7:00 pm
January 22: Social Justice Meeting, 6:30 pm
January 29: Community Emergency Service Board Meeting, 7:00 pm
Crossroad Ministries:
January 13: Crossroad Board Meeting, 7:00 pm
January 18: Community Meal, 5:30 pm followed by Music & Arts, ALIVEN Free Concert, 7:00 pm
January 27: Crossroad Board Meeting, 7:00 pm
Thank God It's Friday
Book discussion: Monday evenings 7:00 p.m. at Augustana Care Center coffee shop, 1007 E. 14th St. Currently discussing the book by Pastor William Berg, "Show Me the Way to Go Home."
Augustana's commitment to celebrating the diversity of the city we live in is also part of our music and the arts concert series. From punk to opera, dance to poetry, we affirm and celebrate the gifts of local artists. This year we are teaming with Gethsemane Church at 905 4th Avenue South to expand our commitment to a diversity of music. If you are an artist and would like to share your gifts with our community, please contact the music and the arts committee at Augustana Lutheran Church.
The JOY Group, Just Older Youth, celebrates the joy of Jesus as we meet 7 times a year in the Skyroom of the 1425 Building of the Augustana Apartments. The meetings are the third Wednesday of February, March, April, May, September, October, and November at 1:30 in the afternoon.
The program features a brief devotional service and message by a guest speaker, followed by Palms Bakery bread, cookies, and coffee. These gatherings explore and learn about the joy we have in Jesus Christ, the "divine dimension of joy." The concept of joy is expressed so well by two passages. John 15:11 says, "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." Nehemiah 8:10 says, "…the joy of the Lord is my strength."
At Augustana we are at various stages of life: infants, children in school, awaiting retirement, nearing death, waiting on growth of their children. We have one thing in common, we believe in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Also, we are all in the middle of some form of transition in life will bring. And in the midst of this faith and these transitions, each of us does ministry.
Augustana is fortunate to have the wisdom of all ages in its ministry. Our lifelong learners and ministers bring a special vitality to our ministry. Augustana believes that we continue to be lifelong learners and are all lifelong ministers. Our Senior Ministry lifts up this belief.
A Senior Ministry Team, composed of those who would like to contribute to our vision of ministry, meets monthly to lift up ideas and form plans for our ministry. We are aware of how important connection with our youth is for their formation, and to enliven our “older adults.”
Some of the activities that the Senior Team has spearheaded include:
Remodeling and upgrading of our library to a Library and Resource Center (LARC) which contains state of the art computers, books, videos, and DVD.
Designing and selling book bags to promote our LARC.
Creating a Meditation Room for reading, meditation, Spiritual Direction, etc.
Sending materials called SPLASH to parents of children up to 36 months of age. These materials are sent monthly and provide resources for helping to nurture their child’s faith.
Designing and selling Augustana baseball caps to wear in the neighborhood.
Volunteering to be prayer partners with Sunday School children.
Providing names and addresses of our young adults in college, in the service or just beginning working so congregation members can send birthday cards and notes that say “I’m thinking about you and praying for you.”
Participated in a synod-wide team that envisioned, planned, and presented The Gift Of Years conference for senior adults in April 2005 and will help plan the event for 2007.
The Lifelong Learners is a group on the go! We also have a number of people who are residents of Care Centers and are not as able to get out and about. These men and women still remain a part of Augustana’s ministry team by their very presence in their environments and in the prayers they give for others around them. Truly this is a rich ministry!
Meets twice each month from September to May. This is a time for women to gather for mutual education, support, and inspiration as well as fellowship and Bible study to assist with guiding their families. Call 612-332-8595 for specific dates, times and location.
WELCA (Women of the ELCA)
So reads the purpose statement of the organization:
As a community of women
Created in the image of God,
Called to discipleship in Jesus Christ,
And empowered by the Holy Spirit,
We commit ourselves to
Grow in faith,
Affirm our gifts,
Support one another in our callings,
Engage in ministry and action, and
Promote healing and wholeness
In the church, the society, and the world.
Our symbol—with the cross, water, and water lily—identifies the women of the ELCA as children of God, baptized, forgiven, adopted into God’s family. It is a reminder of the growth, beauty, and vitality that rises out of that life-giving baptismal water. It is also a reminder of the mission of the church to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
This community of women are committed to growing spiritually, to praying, to studying the Bible, and to maturing in faith. This community has three expressions: the unit (usually within congregations), the synodical women’s organization, and the churchwide organization.
All women who are members of Augustana Lutheran Church of Minneapolis are also members of our Women of the ELCA unit. Men and guests also participate. General meetings are held in September, November, February, and April. At these times, we invite speakers to inspire us in our faith, or help us to learn about missions locally or globally which we have opportunity to support. A short business meeting is included with announcements to guide us in carrying out our mission.
A half-day retreat is held in October. An Advent “tea” has been held the last several years early in December; and an evening catered dinner with program is held in the spring. These are opportune times to invite family and friends to join in our fellowship.
Women are encouraged to participate in smaller groups called “circles.” Circle is an appropriate name, as women join together face to face to study, pray, plan, affirm, and support one another each month from September to June. Service assignments are accomplished by our four circles. These are such tasks as serving Sunday morning coffee, serving at the Augustana Health Care Center coffee shop, serving at funerals or memorial services, and planning for and serving at the general meetings and special events.
Our Augustana unit supports the community organizations of Metro Hope, and Lutheran Social Services, and the local missions of Augustana Crossroad, Community Emergency Service, and the Augustana Health Care Center Auxiliary. Internationally we support the Friberg mission in Tanzania, Africa; the Sack mission in Japan; and support a child in the Asian Child Project. A small group of women gather each week on Thursdays to make quilts or assemble health kits to contribute to Lutheran World Federation. Additional hands are always welcome.
Our congregational unit participates in the Synodical organization by sending a delegate to the yearly Gathering, (convention) and by sending a monetary offering and contributing tangible gifts for a designated project. Individuals may be nominated to serve with others on the Executive Board.
We support the Churchwide Organization with our Thankoffering gifts and/or with other monetary gifts. In turn, resource materials are made available for our use; and a magazine, Lutheran Woman Today, and a Newsletter are published for subscription. Our circles use the Bible study in Lutheran Woman Today as their guide for study.
This year the study is titled, “Act Boldly in the Fruit of the Spirit.” Each lesson focuses on acting on a different fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. The magazine also contains many good articles written by or about women of the U.S or of other countries to inform and inspire us in our Christian walk.
There is also a new electronic magazine called Café. Five issues are produced and are free to anyone who wishes to subscribe. Visit www.womenoftheelca.org/café/ to learn more.
Augustana is committed to engaging in issues that affect our church, our community and our world. Our Social Justice team lifts up these issues as they are brought up. Other church members and staff also participate in and initiate discussion around issues of justice. Augustana has made the commitment to be a Cherish Our Children church. This means we are concerned about the welfare of our youth and the problem of sexual exploitation of youth at risk.
For further information, click to read more about the Cherish Our Children initiative.
