“LIGHT FROM THE HEIGHTS”

Arlington Hills Lutheran Church

1115 Greenbrier St.

St. Paul, MN 55106

651-771-5501

www. ahlc-stp.org & Facebook Volume 71 Issue 1

January

What a year!

No, I am not thinking about the political campaigning, the refugee crisis, or the stormy effects of global warming. I am thinking back on an amazing year of God’s activity with us. We continued to have fun together raising funds for our ministries (fundraisers and fun-raisers.) Alley Shoppe again served as our “flagship” ministry in the neighborhood; most recently the volunteers from many congre-gations came together for the annual Christmas giving event and served 370 families involving 1390 children. Wow! Having said that, I need to tell you that I truly miss the strong support, positive energy, and friendship of Pam Wiehe while she recovers from an auto accident and concussion. Some things just did not happen last year which would have happened with her normal participation over the last half of the year. Let’s all continue to pray for a full recovery for Pam and her family.

While we did not have a full “Light the Night” program this year, our leadership agreed that we wanted to light the Christmas tree in Sue’s park and help lift the spirit of our community. It shines bright into the New Year. For our own morale boost, we came together around the vision of a few families to renovate our recep-tion room. What an asset that will be as we enjoy one another’s fellowship, welcome visitors, and engage potential mission partners. Thank you to Barb Schmidt for doing the “heavy lifting” to get this project envi-sioned, approved, and completed.

I thoroughly enjoyed sharing Thanksgiving Eve (day) with “our” Open Door Learning Center adult students. Over the past couple of years we have gathered around a variety of ethnic and traditional American food. We also heard some of the heartfelt and harrowing stories of how these new neighbors came to be with us. [Every bit as dramatic as crossing the North Atlantic Ocean on a small ship in 1620!] While we have few youngsters in the membership of the congregation, we continue to support youngsters in the ODLC. Indeed, this past year we used the generous growth of the Ogren Endowment Fund to allow that program to con-tinue. I feel deep joy when I see these young students safe and engaged in our lovely nursery. We will seek to use this fund to underwrite congregational development in the New Year.

Your Strategic Planning Group continues to bring me joy and hope… even at 7:00 a.m. on Friday mornings! We share an amazing esprit de corps as we work together to lay a firm foundation for the congregation’s fu-ture. This group focuses on the fiscal and human resource opportunities for the congregation while working with the Building Task Force to identify community partners. I have also enjoyed working with a group of East Side Lutheran congregations as we organized to explore ways to reduce redundancy and increase effectiveness of our ministries. Currently, I am working with the confirmation program at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. Some of you enjoyed the moving Good Friday ser-vice at Gustavus Adolphus L. C. and participated in the “Meals from the Heart” food packaging mission and/or the summer visitation program. Working with other Lutheran congregations will continue to be a part of our strategy.

I have been incredibly fortunate to work with dedicated, creative, and industrious staff and volunteers over the past year, and wonder what new discoveries and connections we will make in the year to come. Thank you, one and all

Pr. Roger

Are there answers in the Bible?

Please read Exodus 20:1 - 17, Matthew 20: 1 - 10, and 1 Thessalonians 5 12 - 22

God provided the Ten Commandments for our guidance and benefit in living peaceful and

productive lives. Does the passage from 1 Thessalonians apply to situations that occur at the

present time in the lives of individuals and groups as they cope with present day problems?

Does the Bible contain advice about every problem or situation that could be encountered in the

twentieth first century? As this is being written there are demonstrations in many cities,

including Minneapolis, advocating raising the minimum wage. Raising the minimum wage

helps

people whose income increases, but unfortunately harms those whose jobs are eliminated.

Does the Bible give advice about raising the minimum wage? Does Martin Luther's

explanation of the Seventh Commandment (found in the red hymnal on page 1161) helpful?

James Garlow is the author of WELL VERSED, a book in which he describes his study of the

Bible to find passages that can be interpreted as solutions to problems that did not occur in the

first century AD. He has found, as he states on page 11, "the necessary moral framework

and general principles to apply to every situation." His comments about minimum wages

(pages 151 - 160) are based primarily on the passage from Matthew 20: 1 - 10. That passage

does not state that the landowner was desperate for the completion of specific tasks.

Could his purpose have been to give employment to people who needed an income? Although

the last to be employed were possibly the least qualified they needed income to provide

for their families. The author suggests that employers should be concerned about providing

employment so that their workers would have money to spend. That would benefit other

businesses and society as a whole. An article by Edward Lotterman (published in the

St Paul PIONEER PRESS on page 1D of Sunday, December 4, 2016 issue) includes ideas about

this controversy.

The author comments about 29 other twenty first century problems, including social security,

hate crimes, immigration and climate change about which he has found Biblical passages from

which solutions can be inferred.

The author challenges the reader to speak up for the benefit of society. Chapter 2 of WELL

VERSED, "Why should anyone listen to me?" and chapter 3," What is needed now" contain

advice about what to say, who to say it to, how to say it.

Pages 3 through 9 of WELL VERSED are devoted to the reality, and the myth of the separation

of church and state.

Besides being an author James Garlow is a pastor and a lecturer. He states that his comments

are based on his understanding of scripture at the time the book was written. As he continues

to study and meditate he may revise his views and advice. Edward Lotterman is an economist

and author of a weekly article in the St Paul PIONEER PRESS.

The book WELL VERSED and the newspaper article are on the book cart in AHLC's first floor

hallway. When you have finished studying them please return them. Others will be waiting for

these materials. Thanks. CLAIR

Thank you to our church family and the community volunteers that helped

with the “Community Christmas Celebration”. There were over 370 fami-

lies with 1390 children were served Dec. 13th. Alley Shoppe and Sally’s

Alley could not ‘do it without your generous support and time throughout

the year. Thank you to all the Christmas Elves that helped!

Church Council Members & Board Chairs

Council President Mike Wiehe

Council VP Tom Brockway

Council Treasurer Silvester Vicic

Council Secretary Kirk Solmonson

Council Member Amy Adams-Westin

Council Member David Lauver

Council Member Bobbi Monette

Council Member Linda McInerney

Council Member Casey Monette

Council Member Anna Clark

Council Member Ryan Henk

Council Member Tom Hanson

Sound Booth Tape Ministry Lector

1 David Lauver 1 Sharon Hanson 1 Barbara Rossow

8 Mike Brown 8 Clair Haberman 8 Dennis Rasmusson

15 David Lauver 15 Clair Haberman 15 Deb Perry

22 Mike Brown 22 Eugene Karls 22 Mary Kowtiz

29 David Brown 29 Sharon Hanson 29 Christine Anderson

Communion

1 Carol Hansen

8 Jim Persoon

15 Charles Rohrbach

22 Jim Persoon

29 Jon Helgason

Office Volunteer

1 JoAnn Metling

8 Priscilla Reeve

15 Jeanne Soban

22 Carol Hansen

29 TBA

Pastoral Acts

Deaths—November

Dolores Souba

Margaret Pavel

Greeters

1 Kathy and Tom Brackey

8 Jeanne Beneke and Wayne Blossey

15 Cindie Peterson and Flora Larson

22 Linda and Gerry McInerney

29 Virginia Iverson

Annual meeting will be February 5, 2017 immediately following the

worship service. More details to follow.

Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson

A story of justice and redemption

Book club meets in the Reception

Room on the third Monday of the

month at 10:30 a.m.

Devotional Yoga

will resume on January 11 through May 24

at 3:00 p.m. In the Fellowship Hall.

Come and give it a try. Reasonable rates.

Coordinators

Alley Shoppe—Pam Wiehe

Sally’s Alley—Russ Richards

Funeral Coordinator— Vicki O’Connor

Lay Minister Coordinator— Carol Hansen

Communion— Florence Rasmusson

Greeters— Florence Rasmusson

Lectors— Priscilla Reeve

Ushers—Clair Haberman

Sound Booth— David Lauver

Reception Room Project Nears Completion! You’ve probably noticed that

our reception room is in the process of being “refreshed” and becoming a more

warm, welcoming space for our congregation and our community. This past

week has been a busy one with carpeting, lighting and new furniture arriving.

Please keep in mind that we still are waiting on some items and there are sev-

eral finishing details which will be completed in the next few weeks. Thank you

for your patience as we complete this project. A special thank you goes to the

three families whose memorial gifts inspired this project and those additional

members who also caught the spirit and made generous donations to support

it. If you feel called to support this project, there is still time to do so. Your do-

nation will be greatly appreciated. Please contact Pastor Roger or Cheryl and

they will give you the information you need.

Greetings in the Name of Christ Jesus! The official season of Thanksgiving has passed, but its spirit of

gratefulness lives on in our hearts. On behalf of the nearly 400 scholarship recipients here at Luther

Seminary, I offer you my thanks for Your most kind and generous donation.

With your help, we students are able to train for the work we are called to do– participating in God’s

ministry to the world. As you know, higher education is expensive and without your support, many of us

would not be able to attend seminary. Because of donations like yours, Luther Seminary is able to

distribute over $2 million in scholarships each year. What’s more the, 43% of our students will graduate

without debt. Your support helps relieve the financial burden of higher education, empowering and

comforting us as we participate in Gods work in the world.

Now as we study for final exams, plan Christmas ministry programs and prepare for upcoming courses,

we pause to light the candles on our Advent wreaths and say thank you so much. May Christ’s blessings

be with you and your family this Christmas season and always.

James Vitale, Master of Divinity

Church Staff Ext.#

Senior Pastor: Pastor Roger Allmendinger 17

Administrative Assistants:

Diane Allmendinger* 11

Cheryl Hollman 16

Local Mission Program Coordinator

Pam Wiehe* 12

Chief Custodian: Jim Jaszczak 23

Asst. Custodian: Indira Perez*

Organist/Director of Special Music: Sharon Vicic*

Chapel Organist & Choir Director: Barbara Rossow*

Handbell Director: Chuck Linderkamp*

Wedding Coordinator: Sharon Hanson*

Companion Congregation - Idegenda, Tanzania

OUR MISSION: “To Spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to all

in word and deed.”

OUR VISION: “Arlington Hills Lutheran Church

Community, a Beacon for the Kingdom of

Jesus Christ”

Office Hours:

Monday-Thursday

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. &

Friday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Phone: 651-771-5501

Fax: 651-771-2898

E-Mail: info@ahlc-stp.org

Visit us at: www.ahlc-stp.org

Facebook

Worship Services with

Holy Communion at

9:30 a.m.

Arlington Hills Lutheran Church

1115 Greenbrier Street

St. Paul, MN 55106

VOL. 71 Issue 1

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