Lutherans work to shed stuffy image and kick-start change

From Minnesota-

Redeemer Lutheran Church is not your typical Lutheran outpost. Summer means the bike store and coffee shop are humming, kids camp and Zumba classes are in gear, and the young adults renting its apartments are mentoring children in this north Minneapolis neighborhood.

It represents a new model for the Lutheran Church, which is transforming itself to attract younger and diverse members, be more relevant to neighbors below its steeples and shake its image as a Scandinavian bastion best known for hot dish, Jell-O and Ole and Lena.

Minnesota, with the largest number of Lutherans in the nation, will be instrumental in shaping the future of the faith. Time is of the essence: 37 percent of the churches in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America — the largest denomination in Minnesota and the U.S. — now have fewer than 50 Sunday worshipers.

More here-

http://www.startribune.com/lutherans-work-to-shed-stuffy-image-and-kick-start-change/432012663/#1

For many overbooked Christian families, Wednesday is the new Sunday

From Minneapolis-

Each Wednesday, the Latzke family heads to their Bloomington church for an evening of religious education and a worship service. Sunday is too packed to squeeze in church, so now Wednesday is their day — as it is for thousands of busy Minnesotans.

“Wednesday is the new Sunday,” is what some clergy call this trend reflecting the scheduling quirks of modern families.

“This works really nice for us because we’re so busy on weekends,” said Robyn Latzke shortly before the service at Transfiguration Lutheran Church. “She dances, and she plays volleyball,” Latzke said, pointing to her daughters.

“And I farm on weekends with my brother,” added her husband, Jeff Latzke.

As churches across Minnesota try new ways to accommodate the hectic lives of the faithful, Wednesday night services have emerged as a popular option.

For churches that already offered religious education on Wednesdays, adding a worship service was a logical fit. For others, a Wednesday service helps folks who travel on weekends, hold down jobs, or schlep children to hockey, soccer and other events.

More here-

http://www.startribune.com/for-many-overbooked-christian-families-wednesday-is-the-new-sunday/420431213/

How a bishop moved Lincoln, and saved 265 Dakota Indians

From The LA Times-

The Founding Fathers had good reasons for explicitly barring government from inserting itself into matters of religion. But nothing in the Constitution forbids a president from consulting with clerics, and meetings between presidents and religious figures have, on occasion, helped shape history.

One such time came when an Episcopal Church bishop traveled to Washington from Minnesota to try to persuade Abraham Lincoln to make wholesale changes in the corrupt and brutal ways the federal government treated Native Americans. The entreaty may well have saved hundreds of Dakota Indians from execution — and the nation from a huge injustice.

Whipple ... gave Lincoln a lens through which to evaluate the Dakota War.

Bishop Henry B. Whipple, a native of upstate New York, was an unlikely advocate for Native Americans. A missionary priest in Chicago until he was elected Minnesota's first Episcopal bishop in 1859, he didn't even know a Native American until he was 37 years old.


More here-


http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-niebuhr-abraham-lincoln-religion-indians-20140718-story.html

Minnesota Archbishop John Nienstedt Claims Satan Behind Gay Marriage, Condoms And Porn (VIDEO)

From Minnesota-

Fornicators beware: sodomy, condoms and pornography are the work of the devil.

That's the message of a speech posted online last week by the Catholic Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, John C. Niendstedt. A controversial religious leader with a stridently anti-gay stance, Niendstedt originally made the comments while speaking to the conservative Napa Institute Conference on August 2. The speech detailed the importance of family, as well as the devil's multiple attempts to weaken the institution of heterosexual marriage.

"Today, many evil forces have set their sights on the dissolution of marriage and the debasing of family life," Niendstedt said. "Sodomy, abortion, contraception, pornography, the redefinition of marriage, and the denial of objective truth are just some of the forces threatening the stability of our civilization. The source of these machinations is none other than the Father of Lies. Satan knows all too well the value that the family contributes to the fabric of a good solid society, as well as the future of God’s work on earth."

More Here-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/15/minneapolis-archbishop-gay-marriage-satan-john-nienstedt_n_3927615.html

Ninth Mission Trip to Nigeria for Woodbury Family from Christ Episcopal

From Minnesota-

Christ Episcopal Church members from Woodbury go to Nigeria every year for medical mission work in the communities where they grew up.

Queen Obasi is working overtime before she goes to Nigeria to do mission work—but not the kind you might think.
She’s not just working hard to prepare schedules and plans for her trip to eastern Nigeria, her ninth annual trip to bring medical care to the communities where she grew up.

She’s literally working overtime at Allina Hospitals to raise thousands of dollars to pay for shipping and customs for medicines, walkers, wheelchairs and a donated ambulance.

“We are stepping out on faith that we will raise the money we need,” she said.

The ambulance and medicines are already in transit, being taken across the Atlantic right now. It will cost $7,000 for shipping and customs charges, as well as transporting all supplies to eastern Nigeria.

The ambulance was donated by Allina Health, and will be used to transport critical patients to the hospital.

More here-

http://woodbury.patch.com/groups/local-connections/p/ninth-mission-trip-to-nigeria-for-woodbury-family-from-christ-episcopal

Hymns a unique part of a renewed Ojibwe culture

From Minnesota-

When 30 people gathered recently for an evening service at St. Columba Episcopal Church, they recited liturgy like thousands of other church congregations.

But when they began singing, it quickly became clear that theirs was not a typical Minnesota prayer service.

A visitor would have recognized the melody to "What a friend I have in Jesus," but the parishioners sang in Ojibwe, thanks to the translations early missionaries made to help convert Indians to Christianity.

Music is a time honored part of worship in most religions. For many Ojibwe people in northern Minnesota, hymns are much more than an expression of religious devotion. They represent a unique piece of Ojibwe culture tribal that members are trying to preserve.

White Earth Tribal Chair Erma Vizenor, one of the singers at the service, said it's critical to keep the Ojibwe language alive.

More here-

 http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/253892/group/homepage/

Trendy Episcopalians and the Dakota War: Romanticizing a grisly time and some ugly atrocities.

From The American Spectator-

Recently a blog for liberal Episcopalians commemorated the 150th anniversary of the 38 Dakota Indians hanged on December 26, 1862, on the orders of President Abraham Lincoln. Titled: “Remembering the martyrs of Mankato,” the blogger rued how these Indians were executed in Mankato, Minnesota, for their role in the Dakota War of 1862. Originally 303 were scheduled to hang. But Lincoln personally reviewed their cases and reduced the number by nearly 90 percent. On December 26, 2012, several hundred gathered in Mankato to dedicate a memorial to the 38 who were executed.

The liberal Episcopal blogger pondered the irony of Lincoln the Emancipator ordering these executions. Of course, the blogger did not acknowledge the horrific atrocities that prompted the hangings. Instead, he described the reverent crowd for the new monument. And he quoted an Episcopal priest and artist of tribal background named Robert Two Bulls who blogged in 2011 about his painting of Minnesota’s first Episcopal bishop, who had intervened for the condemned Dakota warriors with President Lincoln. The painting was part of a Minneapolis exhibit about the Indian response to the 150th anniversary of Minnesota’s statehood several years ago.

More here-

http://spectator.org/archives/2013/01/11/trendy-episcopalians-and-the-d

140 years for the Episcopal Church in DL

From Minnesota-

It’s been 140 years since the Right Rev. Henry H. Whipple, Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, established St. Luke’s Church in Detroit Lakes — and the congregation is getting ready to celebrate.

This Thursday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m., the church will host a special evening prayer service, followed by a reception where the 140th anniversary cake and refreshments will be served. The service is being held in conjunction with the Feast Day of St. Luke, the church’s namesake.

But Thursday’s celebration is just the culmination of months of preparation. New windows were created for the sanctuary and stairwell, courtesy of designer Stacy Asp from Michael Orchard Studios in Fargo.

A new Celtic Cross was also installed on the lawn of the church, recreated by Lund Signs from the original designs composed by members of the St. Luke’s church youth group back in 1996.

The dedication of the new cross and church windows took place in August.

According to Rev. Dana Emery, a member of the church’s Total Ministry Team, “there is an intimate connection between liturgical art and theology,” and the symbolism contained in the designs of the new windows and cross are no exception.

More here-

http://www.dl-online.com/event/article/id/70509/

The line between Religion and Politics

From Minnesota-

Religion plays an important part in the lives of many Americans, but how do those views transfer over when it comes to their political beliefs?
A few things people are told never to talk about in social settings: money, religion, and politics, but St. John's Episcopal Church Pastor Wendy Abrahamson does not necessarily agree.

While she doesn't preach about politics, she does think people should talk about it.

"Jesus was really political, so you can't separate them. I don't think a church should endorse a politician,” Abrahamson said.

Pastor Abrahamson says her church is full of people with all sorts of political viewpoints, and that's a good thing because like the gospel, those different positions make up the complete picture.

"You can't be a Christian and not bring that with you to the ballot box. In our denomination your independent in how you interpret that is how you would make a vote but absolutely you bring your faith and you should,”

Some churches believe that politics should not be brought into places of worship. Crossroads in Albert Lea, Minnesota, an Evangilical Church, has a political safezone.

More here-

http://www.kimt.com/content/localnews/story/The-line-between-Religion-and-Politics/bGXs9wdo3kqBay_jt4bP7A.cspx

Lost chalice found 112 years later

From Minnesota-

The little red church on New Richmond's north side is full of history and mystery.

Kirby Symes can tell you all about how the St. Thomas and St. John Episcopal Church came to be. The retired history teacher can tell you how a tornado ripped through the city more than one hundred years ago and destroyed the first church.

But there's a bit of history that gets a little fuzzy even for Symes. Several weeks ago, Symes found an old chalice in a cabinet in the basement. It had been there for years.

"It just kept appearing and flopping out and getting in the way," he said.

Turns out that chalice that kept getting in the way is the only church artifact that survived the deadly 1899 tornado. Just how it survived and how it got back to the church is a mystery.

"Who found this thing lying in the rubble? I have no idea, none. I have no idea who might have found it and how it gravitated back to the church," he said.

More here-

http://www.kare11.com/news/article/965663/391/Lost-chalice-found-112-years-later

Woman makes stand at altar by leading local Mass

From Minnesota-

Mary Frances Smith realizes what she is doing is shocking to some or blasphemous to others.

Smith risks being excommunicated by the Catholic Church for celebrating Mass on Sunday at St. John’s Episcopal Church in St. Cloud.

“We’re always encountering people who are surprised by what we’re doing,” said Smith, a deacon and a priest who is part of the Midwest Region of the Roman Catholic Womenpriests movement.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis issued a statement that “women who claim to have been ordained Catholic priests in fact have no relationship to the Catholic Church because their ordination is not valid.”

“To have women being denied their calling to do that, and for them to have the bravery to do this ... that’s very inspirational,” said Kelly Doss, a Catholic from St. Cloud.

More here-

http://www.sctimes.com/article/20120109/NEWS01/101090023/Woman-makes-stand-altar-by-leading-local-Mass

Next bishop of Washington Episcopal Diocese hopes to strengthen church’s voice

From The Washington Post-

Mariann Budde, who on Saturday will become the first woman installed as Washington’s top bishop, spoke with The Washington Post’s Michelle Boorstein this week:

Q: What’s the framework for an outsider understanding your election and what it says about the Episcopal Church in 2011?

A: I’d start by talking about the renewing and rebuilding of the core structures of mainline religion. . . . These are potential channels for people in this country to connect to transcendence and the spiritual basis of life we call God . . . in a way that our forebears, and certainly the generations just before us, took for granted and assumed would always be there . . .

I was elected because I’ve spent most of my time in one context: a church that needed to be rebuilt . . . What do you keep? What do you throw away? Those are really challenging questions.

More here-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/next-bishop-of-washington-episcopal-diocese-hopes-to-strengthen-churchs-voice/2011/11/10/gIQAGlg7CN_story.html

Also here-

http://wamu.org/news/morning_edition/11/11/11/first_female_episcopal_bishop_installed_in_dc

Episcopal Church in Minn. passes resolution opposing marriage amendment

From Minnesota

Members of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, which held its annual convention over the weekend in Minneapolis, passed a resolution opposing the marriage amendment to the state constitution banning same-sex marriage.

The church is joining other denominations and non-profit organizations in signing the “Resolution against the Constitutional Amendment to Ban Marriage for Same-Sex Couples” as prepared and presented by Minnesotans United for All Families.
That group is trying to defeat the amendment set for a vote on the November 2012 ballot, which would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

“The Episcopal Church in Minnesota has always stood with the marginalized,” said Bishop Brian N. Prior, IX Bishop of Minnesota, said in a released statement. “Regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender orientation or immigrant status, Episcopalians in Minnesota have always embraced both the Gospel mandate of love of neighbor and the Baptismal Covenant imperative to respect the dignity of every human being.”

Episcopalians (which number about 22,000 members in Minnesota) join other faith-based groups already gearing up for the heated political battle ahead this year.

More here-

http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/132930783.html

Maitland church makes its mark

From Florida (some interesting history here)

Maitland’s Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd on Lake Avenue has been a silent observer of Florida’s history for more than 120 years. Like an elderly Southern lady, the church does not shy from showing its age, as if confident in the grace and bearing that age may bestow.

The white and gray wooden sidings and pyramidal roof appear like a scene from a Norman Rockwell photograph and are in contrast to the bright red double doors that beckon in visitors, just as they must have for the first settlers and native Seminole tribes in their day.

Now the Church of the Good Shepherd has solidified its place in the history books. Last month, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

More here-

http://www.wpmobserver.com/news/2011/jul/06/maitland-church-makes-its-mark/

Accused Edina Church Vandal Appears in Court

From Minnesota-

Edina Police say they've got their man finally after a rash of vandalism acts against local churches last summer.

36-year-old Malcom Johns appeared in court this morning on felony charges of First Degree Damage to Property--police say there was thousands of dollars of damage to seven churches.

According to court documents, police say the churches, all west of Highway 100, were vandalized with brown spray paint between June 2nd and June 8th.

They had similar graffiti markings, including the number "81" enclosed within a circle, and the letters "SMS" and the number "42" enclosed with a heart-shaped pattern.

Police say they found some spray cans in the ruddy brown color at two of the damaged churches--Good Samaritan Methodist Church and Crossview Lutheran Church. Crime lab technicians say they found fingerprints on the spray cans matching Johns.

More here-

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s2159492.shtml

Stillwater breakfast program aims to serve home-cooked food of local origins and connect the community

From Minnesota-

Lee Lennartson took his first bite of scrambled eggs with spinach topped with homemade salsa on Tuesday morning and smiled.

"Pretty good," he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "I'll be back."

Lennartson, 72, of Stillwater, was one of 50 people who stopped by Ascension Episcopal Church in downtown Stillwater for a healthy, home-cooked breakfast prepared by volunteers.

The breakfast program, dubbed Our Community Kitchen, is part of Washington County's Living Healthy initiative. Breakfasts made with locally grown ingredients will be offered at the church from 7 to 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer.

"Our goal is to have a place to gather together and really see what it's like to cook and eat healthy food together," said Kristin Klemetsrud, who prepared much of the meal Tuesday.

Klemetsrud and her husband, Jeff, own Savories Bistro in downtown Stillwater. So many people came to the first breakfast that organizers had to run to the River Market Co-op to buy more spinach and fruit, she said.

"We're trying to expand people's horizons," she said. "I've had so many people try these steel-cut oats (cooked in fruit juice) who have never had them before, and now they're coming back for seconds. Really, in just that short amount of time, we're exposing them to whole grains and a way to cook it that's a little bit more interesting than just a pot of water - the little things that make healthy food taste good."

More here-

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_18274667?nclick_check=1

Bishop Robert M. Anderson dies at 77

From ENS-

The Rt. Rev. Robert Marshall Anderson, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota from 1978 to 1993 and a former assisting bishop in the Diocese of Los Angeles, died May 3 in Minneapolis of pancreatic cancer. He was 77.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, May 9, at 11 a.m. at St. Mark's Cathedral, 519 Oak Grove Street, Minneapolis. The family has asked that clergy attend but not vest. A reception will follow at the Woman's Club, 410 Oak Grove Street, Minneapolis.

Interment will be at the columbarium at the Cathedral Center of St. Paul in Los Angeles at a later date. Plans for a memorial service in the Diocese of Los Angeles are pending.

Many of his fellow bishops and others paid tribute to Anderson as word of his death spread.

"The Episcopal Church has lost a great soul. Bishop Anderson prodded and led this church in the midst of many highly significant concerns. He was a leader in developing effective responses to sexual misconduct," said Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. "He was a tireless advocate for Native Americans throughout his ministry. I have powerful memories of his account of a labor action in Southern California, when marchers left bitter herbs in front of hotels who weren't treating their workers with dignity and justice. He told the story filled with both outrage at the injustice and glee at the creative response. That combination of passion and joy characterized his ministry. We will miss his prophetic voice and presence, but I am sure his ministry will continue to resound among us -- and probably in the heavenly courts. May he rest in peace and rise in glory, and may all those who mourn find comfort. He has joined the communion of saints."

More here-

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80263_128230_ENG_HTM.htm

A rush to save Porky's from demolition

This has been all over the news lately and I finally gave in-

Historic preservationists and hot-rod enthusiasts are scrambling to save Porky's from "a rash decision" to have the red-and-white checkered building reduced to rubble.

The iconic 1950s drive-in restaurant will close permanently Sunday, then be sold to the neighboring Episcopal Homes senior facility.

The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, best-known for its annual "Endangered Places" list, said Friday that it is trying to determine whether the restaurant can be preserved at its location on University Avenue in St. Paul or moved to the State Fairgrounds or elsewhere.

Adding to the sense of urgency is the Minnesota Historical Society saying it has learned that Porky's is seeking a demolition permit from the city.

More here

http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/119073724.html

Episcopalians take up malaria fight

From Minnesota-

Austin Ihiekwe knows firsthand just how deadly malaria can be. He grew up in Nigeria and watched as his baby brother died from the mosquito-borne disease even though his parents could afford medicine and were diligent in treating their children.

"In the rainy season, all kids had malaria, every month or every other month," said Ihiekwe, 67, of Cottage Grove. "But the availability of medicine is not universal. Some could afford it, some could not." And the medicines didn't always prevent the disease.

From Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday, Ihiekwe and members of Christ Episcopal Church in Woodbury are raising money to buy 364 insecticide-treated mosquito nets to be sent to Africa. The 364 nets represent one for each member of the congregation. The effort is part of a larger mission project during Lent involving Episcopal churches statewide and their nearly 20,000 members, said Brian Prior, bishop of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota.

More here-

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/117910349.html

Learning from Cuba: Observations and reflections of my pilgrimage, part 3

From Minnesota-

Author's note: From November 27-December 4, 2010 I traveled (legally!) to Cuba as part of a 18-member delegation from St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis. We went to celebrate the installation of Griselda Delgado as the new Episcopalian Bishop of Cuba. As one of two non-Episcopalians on the trip, I felt thoroughly included and welcomed by both my fellow travelers and those we met in Cuba.

The Private-Public Conundrum

Our Cuban guide took us to a "private" family-owned restaurant for our supper on Monday evening. Located on the second floor of a building which was ostensibly their residence, I noticed the fancy woodwork design as we climbed the stairs. Named "La Gardenita" or Little Farmer, the décor of this restaurant and ambiance were noticeably different and the wait staff extremely welcoming and friendly in their cowboy hats and plunging necklines. The menu was impressive and the food presentation and quality was excellent.

Unlike the government-owned and run restaurants, this "palador" was an outgrowth of some limited private enterprise now allowed by the government since the Soviet largess dried up after the collapse of many communist economies and governments in 1989. I am a strong supporter of government programs for education, healthcare, social security, and a safety net for the poor -- all of which Cuba seems to do better than the US -- but it appears to me that there seems to allow little incentive in their economy for this kind of initiative. It was refreshing but it also caused me to wonder how far to let it progress lest it fester into the incredible gaps between the rich and the poor so evident in the US today. Tonight was a powerful argument in favor of a mixed economy that also allows room for private initiative and resourcefulness.

More here-

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog/steve-clemens/learning-cuba-observations-and-reflections-my-pilgrimage-part-3