October Happenings St. Paul’s / Zion Lutheran Church Sunday School: 9:30 AM Worship: 8:30 AM Worship: 10:30 AM Sunday School 9:30 AM Pastor Patti Meyer; Phone: 623-910-7859 e-mail: stpaulzionpastor@yahoo.com Website: stpaulandzionlutheran.com

October Zion/St. Paul’s Luther League events:

Sunday, October 2nd - Luther League will be serving soup after worship at St. Paul’s All are invited to come and enjoy the soup and fellowship, freewill offering is taken for Luther League for a mission trip they are planning for 2017

Wed., October 26th - Boo for Food - watch for more details

Sat., October 29th - Leaguers will help pack meals at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Owatonna for Feed My Starving Children event – 11 AM – 1 PM. Please let Marsha know how many spots you would like to reserve – great family and/or mentor/mentee activity! Hope Women of Mission Hunger Campaign donations will be given to Waseca and Steele County Food Shelves, donation basket available in narthex: September “item of the month”– Lunch box items, non-perishable items: snack crackers, small fruit, pudding or jell-o cups. following are the, 28 LBS collected in June 41 lbs collected in July; 47 lbs collected in August October will be Food Shelf Month; November is “turkey dinner” donations

Quilting sessions for October: Mon., Oct. 3 & Wed., Oct. 5: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm Mon., Oct. 17 & Wed., Oct. 19: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm

Fall Charity Bazaar will be held Sat., Nov. 5 8:30 AM – 1 PM at Community Center in Owatonna. We will be looking for donations of craft or baked goods to be sold at bazaar. Proceeds are used for Thanksgiving Turkey dinner project & donation to a local charity to be determined. Volunteer and donation sign-up sheet on table in narthex.. Also Looking for a volunteer to be the contact person from St. Paul’s for the annual Charity Bazaar, (held the first Sat. in Nov.) Nov. 5th in 2016; contacts from churches involved get together to go over duties at the bazaar and to help at set up time. If you are interested please contact Diane Kath-Schoenfeld, 444-9978 or e-mail currer@charter.net.

- Pastor Patti will be taking some time off for Continuing Education and vacation time beginning Oct. 2 and will return Oct. 18th. If you have questions or pastoral concerns contact Diane, 444-9978 who will route to the pastor on call.

Pastor’s PonderingsWhat does it mean that you are a Lutheran?

Last month I left you with a question to ponder on…… what does it mean that you are a Lutheran? Did anyone take some time to think on that?Well, since then, I have been taking an online class that’s called Lutheran Vocation: Discerning God’s call in the real world. Interesting that this class has us reading a book focusing on Luther’s Catechism, and talking about our Lutheran roots and what it might mean to be without the teachings of Luther in the small catechism. Would we know who we are without studying the reformation and Luther’s teachings?Would we be who we are without knowing what it means to be baptized? Or what significance there is to being at the table together to share in the feast of goodness? Would we care?

Is it important for you to know what you believe? This week our confirmation class is going to learn about the small catechism. Why is it important? Because it contains the basics of our beliefs.

The Ten Commandments help us understand who God is and what God wants. They highlight why we need a Savior. Luther’s first words in his explanation after each commandment is: “We are to fear and love God, so that we……”

The Apostle’s Creed tells us who God is and what God has done and is doing to save us. This is a basic confession of the Christian faith.

The Lord’s Prayer provides us with a model of our lives as Christians as we call on and depend on God. It’s a lifetime of personal prayer.

And the Sacraments – this is where Luther explains what Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are and what they do for us.

Luther has given us a wealth of information to talk about who we are and what we believe. Most of you have gone through some type of Catechism training (you might not remember things word for word) but that is why Luther’s small catechism is still with us and designed to be a tool for us to use with our children and ourselves to help us understand not only what Luther believes, but what Luther finds God wants from us and for us all.

Happy Pondering Pastor Patti Meyer Official Acts Funeral: SP: Verna Minges Born: September 1, 1920; Died: September 5, 2016; Burial: September 9, 2016 Wedding: September 10: Cassi Balvistich & Dan Buck Zion member – wedding at St. Paul’s

Answer to Bible quiz: A (see Proverbs 20:4, ESV; Jeremiah 5:24; Jude 1:12.)

The following missions will be supported for 2016. October Mission offering will be taken on Sunday, October 2nd for Crisis Resource Center: They offer information and referrals for victims of abuse and find safe placement to allow victims to manage the crisis. Also short-term housing is provided to people in crisis. Help victims and survivors who are affected by domestic abuse and/or sexual violence. They work toward reducing abuse among all ages.

Following is the list of missions and amounts given for 2016: January: Salvation Army - Offering $ 904; February: Medical Missionary Team, – Offering $1,536 March: Food Shelves Offering $3714; plus $48 from Coins for Christ donations; April: SE MN Synod - $1,048; May: Campus Ministry - $741; June: Habitat for Humanity - $818 (+ $10 made out to Habitat for Humanity); July: Lutheran Social Services - $538; August: Lutheran Volunteer Corp.; - $482 September: Transitional Housing; $410 October: Crisis Resource Center; November: Missionary;

December: Hospitality House, Owatonna & Mosquito nets for an African village

St. Paul’s Church Council Meeting Minutes, Monday, September 12, 6:30 PM

- Parking Lot has been resealed, (funds had been raised previously designated for this project.)

- a variance for the deck on the west side of the parsonage has to be applied for and approved before the deck can be built. Application was filled out and turned in.

- Discussed upcoming Sunday School Welcome Rally Day

Church attendance – General Offering Mission Offering August 28 – 71 $ 1,619.00 Sept. 4 – Joint at Zion (40) 15 SP members $ 207.00 $ 25.00 (SP mission) Sept. 11 - 82 $ 2,518.00 $ 385.00 Sept. 18 - 74 $ 1,693.00 Sept. 25 - 101 $ 2.002.00

October 9: Ileen Rieck October 9: Harold Schoenfeld October 9: Hilda Schmidt October 11: Reed Kath We want you on our birthday list! Please let Diane know if we can include your name on the birthday list, only need month and day - year does not have to be included.

Confirmation students Leadership roles at St. Paul’s Below is the list of roles and student assigned Date Acolyte SS helper read lessons read prayers usherOct. 2 Bailey Keck Kullen/Reed Ava AvaOct. 9 Kaden Neleson Lex LexOct. 16 Sydney Schmidt Ava Ava Oct. 23 Mariah Schroht Mariah/Tea ReedOct. 30 Grace Wolfe Kaden Kaden Dakota

Important Upcoming dates:

Sun., Oct. 2 - Worship/Holy Communion, 10:30 AM Mission Offering for Crisis Resource Center Luther League soup at St. Paul’s after 10:30 worship

Mon., Oct. 3: St. Paul’s Quilting, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Tues., Oct. 4: St. Paul’s Hope Women of Mission meeting, 6:30 PM; Bible Study: Elizabeth Bratsch Serving: Marge Schwartz

Wed., Oct. 5: St. Paul’s Quilting, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Z&SP: confirmation: Students meet with mentors & complete evaluation sheet #1

Sun., Oct. 9: Worship: Zion: 8:30 AM - St. Paul’s: 10:30 AM Zion & St. Paul’s Joint church council meeting, 6 PM

Wed., Oct. 12: Confirmation students service project – visit a care facility

Sat., Oct. 15: Frank/Duncan wedding at St. Paul’s

Sun., Oct. 16: Worship: Zion: 8:30 AM - St. Paul’s: 10:30 AM

Mon., Oct. 17: St. Paul’s Quilting, 8:30 AM – 1230 PM

Wed., Oct. 19: St. Paul’s Quilting, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM Confirmation class at Zion, 6:15 pm – report on service projects

Sun ., Oct. 23 : Worship: Zion: 8:30 AM - St. Paul’s: 10:30 AM

Mon., Oct. 24- St Paul’s 150th Anniversary committee meeting, 6:30 PM

Wed., Oct. 26: Confirmation class, Boo for Food Event, 6:00 pm

Sat., Oct. 29: Luther League will participate in Feed My Starving Children pack at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Owatonna

Sun., Oct. 30: Worship: Zion: 8:30 AM - St. Paul’s: 10:30 AM

Thank you’s: - Dear St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, We cannot thank you enough for your generous donation to Alex’s House. We truly appreciate you thinking of us and hope to use your gift for our home in the near future. Sincerely, the residents of Alex’s House. (Alex’s House in Waseca was where half of our Father’s Day offering was given.)

- Thank you so much for your donations to Lutheran Social Services. There are many children in need and your generous support will help many of these children have a positive school experience. Your gifts will be well used. Thank you again.

- Thank you –St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Thank you for gifting me with the scholarship to help me continue my schooling! The support is wonderful! I am currently a senior in the nursing program at Winona State University and will be graduating in May of 2017! Thanks again for all the support and the scholarship! Thanks, Taylor

- Thank you – Dear St. Paul’s, We cannot thank you enough for your generous donation to Alex’s House. We truly appreciate you thinking of us and hope to use your gift for our home in the near future. Sincerely, Residents of Alex’s House (Half of our Father’s day offering was given to Alex’s House)

October Worship Services October 2 – Sunday School, 9:30 – 10:15 AM; Worship/Holy Communion 10:30 AM Ushers: Kay Cassen & Carol Raetz Acolyte: Bailey Keck Communion: Brandt “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

October 9: Sunday School, 9:30 – 10:15 AM; Worship, 10:30 AM Ushers: Linda Kath & Jon Wilker Acolyte: Kaden Nelson Like the nine cleansed lepers (Luke 17:11-19), Lord, too often I take your gifts for granted. Remind me to praise you for all I have.

October 16 – Sunday School, 9:30 – 10:15 AM; Worship/Communion, 10:30 AM Ushers: Joel & Betty Weber Acolyte: Sydney Schmidt Communion – Michelle

Fall is such a mix of warmth and chill, brilliant colors and drab days. In all of life’s ups and downs, Jesus, may we feel you as close as a warm sweater. Amen

October 23: – Sunday School, 9:30 – 10:15 AM; Worship Ushers –Kent & Kristen Acolyte: Mariah Schroht We gather to pray and praise you, Lord, and to hear your Word to us. May we be active participants – not mere spectators – in worship today.

October 30: – Sunday School, 9:30 – 10:15 AM; Worship 10:30 AM Ushers: Jerry & Linda Kath Acolyte: Grace Wolfe

As you reformed Zacchaeus’ life and have reformed the church again and again, reform me too, Lord Jesus.

St. Paul’s Prayer Chain - There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex for anyone who would like to be a member of the Prayer Chain. Contact person Jon Wilker will contact members of the Prayer Chain when request for prayer is received. Prayer requests can be made without names or details. * If you wish to have prayer for yourself or someone else please contact Jon Wilker, 451-3737 or e-mail to: jdwilker123@hotmail.com. You also can contact Pastor Patti for prayer and/or to request a visit.

Bits and Pieces Remember, visitors are guests sent by the Lord. Please make them feel welcome by introducing yourself and greeting them warmly. Invite them to come back again and to please sign our guest book.

For a reservation of the church and/or fellowship Hall at St. Paul’s either for personal use or your organization outside of regular meetings, please contact Diane Kath-Schoenfeld, call 444-9978; or e-mail currer@charter.net so it can be written on calendar to avoid schedule conflicts. Cost is $50 to rent the fellowship hall for personal use.

For newsletter and Sunday bulletin items, please contact Diane Kath-Schoenfeld at 444-9978 or e-mail, currer@charter.net November Newsletter items due October 23 rd

Quotes Daily Tasks “When life gives you more than you can stand … kneel.” When I awoke this morning, I asked, “How -- Unknown shall I live this day?” The answers were all around me: “Autumn … the year’s last, loveliest smile.” The fan said, “Keep your cool.” – William Cullen Bryant The ceiling said, “aim high.” The window said. “Look outside yourself.” The clock said, “Every minute is precious.” “Have patience with all things but chiefly have patience The calendar said, “Stay up to date/” with yourself.” The door said, “Take advantage of opportunity.” -- St. Francis de Sales The floor said, “Kneel down and pray.” -- Unknown

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church 2781 SW 92nd Ave MERIDEN, MINNESOTA 56093 website: www.stpaulandzionlutheran.com

2016 October Newsletter

Volunteers needed to help plan St. Paul’s 150 th Anniversary – there is a sign up sheet in the narthex for help on this committee. An Anniversary Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 24 th 6:30 PM. The date for the anniversary celebration will be July 30, 2017.

- Donations of warm sweaters, sweatshirts and blankets will be taken during October for Marie Sandvick home. Boxes are available in the narthex for your donations. Please be sure items are in useable and/or wearable condition. Also we are continuing the donation of socks of all sizes. October 30 th will be the final date for donations of all items to be accepted as they must be delivered in early November.

Sunday School News: NO Sunday School will be held on Sunday, Oct. 23 rd Bibles were presented at St. Paul’s, Sunday, September 25th to the following Students: 3 year olds: Blake Anderson; Violet Jewison; Kalon Lindguist; Kason Linguist; Tate Michaels; Austin Wiest 3 rd graders: Odin Bergland; Maleah Englstad; Gavin Lewison; Isabella Nelson, Kaylynn Wiest.