Sympathy

Sympathy to the family & friends of Kinsley Thompson. Kinsley passed away on Saturday, October 16. Funeral is on Friday, October 22 at 11am at St. Paul’s. Visitation is Thursday, October 21 at Peterson Chapel in St. Michael and one hour before the service at St. Paul’s.

Minnesota Prayer

In conjunction with the Minnesota Prayer Breakfast, St. Paul's will be hosting a Prayer Breakfast in Fellowship Hall on Thursday, October 28 from 7-8am. The theme of the 2021 Minnesota Prayer Breakfast is "Wherever Two or Three Come Together." Instead of the usual large gathering in Minneapolis, this year groups are encouraged to gather in all 87 counties in Minnesota, cities and towns everywhere to pray together. A very special program will be live streamed that morning and a continental breakfast will be served. Mark your calendars! For more information, you may check the website: minnesotaprayer.org.

Trunk or Treat

Trunk or Treat 2021 will be Saturday, October 30 from 10am-noon in St. Paul’s back parking lot. Join the fun by helping fill the back parking lot with cars/trucks/mini vans decorated with a theme. Bring your kids to “trunk or treat” and enjoy the bouncy house! If you are willing to decorate a trunk or tailgate, please let Tracey know! Come and enjoy the fun!

Chili Cook Off

Enter the Chili Cook off on Sunday, October 31. Bring a full crock pot of chili to the church kitchen by 10:30am the morning of the cook off. Desserts and cornbread are also needed to complete the meal. Sign up to be a contestant or to donate a dessert or corn bread by calling the church office. Prizes will be awarded for the best chili. Don’t want to be a contestant, just come and be a judge.

True Hope Ukraine

Max from True Hope Ukraine will be in worship on Sunday, October 31. Max will share an update during worship and be available for questions in between services. Each month True Hope Ukraine’s newsletter will be posted on the bulletin board in the narthex.

New Member Orientation

If you are thinking of making St. Paul’s your church home, join us for New Member Orientation on Sunday, November 7 at 11:45am in Fellowship Hall. The orientation will consist of information about St. Paul’s and being a member, a time to get to know each other and of course lunch will be served. Childcare will be provided. Register by:

following the link: New Member Orientation Registration

texting MEMBER to 763-220-8488

emailing Dawn at d.bestick@stpaulsinhanover.org

calling the church office at 763-498-8311

Appreciation Luncheon

Our annual Appreciation Luncheon will be Sunday, November 14 after the 10:30am service. The lunch is a free catered meal and is our way of saying ‘Thank You’ to the members of St. Paul’s for all you do! Register by:

calling the church office at 763-498-8311

texting APPRECIATION to 763-220-8488

following the link: Member Appreciation Lunch

emailing Dawn at d.bestick@stpaulsinhanover.org

Advent Fellowship Event

Once again this year we will be gathering for an Advent Fellowship Event with a tree lighting and carol sing in the outdoor chapel.

The fellowship event will begin at 3pm with a chance to gather for food and fun in the Fellowship Hall. At 4:30pm, near sunset, we will head to the outdoor chapel for singing and lighting of the tree.

More details to come, but mark your calendar for Sunday, November 28, the first Sunday in Advent, from 3–5pm.

Last Week’s (October 17) Worship Attendance:

8am—55 9:30am—122 11am—75

Total Attendance—252

Last Week’s Offering:

Offering: $5,687

Online Giving: $4,855

Haiti: $1,190

Building Preservation: $70

Total Weekly Giving: $11,802

Have a great week!

In my first job out of college, I quickly learned there was a tradition on Friday at lunch time. Each week, we would gather the group and make the short trek to Khan’s Mongolian Barbecue, located on Snelling and County Rd. C in Roseville. I just checked and it is still there, serving up heaping bowls of goodness that will have you sweating garlic for a week. Of course, with the tradition came a challenge. The lunch special was for one bowl, or one trip through the prep bar, and so the challenge was to see who could fit the most in the bowl. Thinly cut frozen meats, fresh vegetables, multiple noodle choices, and about 10 sauces made up a 20 foot table and nearly endless combinations. Then you take your heaping bowl to the chefs at the huge round griddle where they cook everything to perfection. And now I’m really hungry… The challenge was twofold, really. Fit the most, and finish your meal.

I feel like we mirror that sentiment in the lives we live. Fit the most and make sure you finish it all. But I’m not sure it is healthy. Life has become one big buffet and we are dishing up more than we can ever possibly finish. We had a unique glimpse into what an empty plate looked like during the stay at home order last year. For my house, that was no sports, no going out, school from home, work from home, you know the drill. But that also meant family dinners, family game nights, family movie nights, family walks, and time spent together that we hadn’t had since the kids were young, and likely won’t ever have again. It was a gift. And we appreciated the opportunities for time spent together.

Now, the buffet has reopened and we are headed back with a clean plate to see what we want to load up on… Has it looked different for you? Are there things that you have left off your plate? New things you have added? Did you remember to include quality time with the family? Did you remember to include time with God? Let’s be honest, if we have a busy schedule and we don’t plan it or put it on the calendar, do we expect it to really happen? You might find yourself just trying to keep up, going from thing to thing, and every once in a while wondering, “Why am I doing all this?” We all need some time to answer the “why” questions, and that is where we need to put God in our daily schedule. We need worship and quiet time and prayer time to bring meaning to our lives so God can remind us why we are here and what we are called to do… Make sure you make time for God.

Something to think about this fall as we head back into a program year at church, kids and grandkids and neighbor kids are back at school and we are deciding what is important in our lives. That’s the question of the season, I guess. When you are reloading your calendar, when you are replenishing your plate, what are you dishing up?

God’s blessings,

Pastor Luke