One of our strategic initiatives in the next several years is to strengthen our worship and music ministry so that our worship services even more transformative than they are now. One way we are implementing this initiative is by lowering the age of First Communion. This Fall we will be instructing and communing all of our second through fourth graders, and then in the Spring we [...]
Grace and Peace to you, This past week we sent 6 high school boys on a high-adventure trip out to Northwestern Montana. We attended a camp called Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp, located right on the beautiful Flathead Lake. We spent the week kayaking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and hiking in Glacier National park. In my opinion, this is some of God’s most beautiful creation. I also [...]
Howdy everybody! This past week, we were able to send 9 senior high girls out to Outlaw Ranch in Custer State Park for a week of service. Last year’s Mission Trip brought the Light of Christ youth down to Atlanta, Georgia to serve in an urban area. However, this year we decided to serve a different type of community. Outlaw Ranch is a Lutheran camp out in western South Dakota that is [...]
On behalf of the Church Council and the Worship and Music Director Search Committee, we are delighted to be able to tell you that Katie Kohler has accepted our offer to become our new Worship and Music Director. Katie is a native of East Bethel, MN and currently lives in New Hope. She has a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Flute Performance from the University of Minnesota. She currently serves as [...]
July is a busy month for our youth here at Light of Christ! Amidst weekly bonfires and other fellowship events, we are heading off on our Mission Trip and our High-Adventure Wilderness Trip! These trips are designed to bring our youth closer to God through service and experiences in creation, and for many, they prove to be the highlight of their summers! A group of nine 9th-12th [...]
Two of the four major initiatives to come out of our New Day Campaign are to strengthen our worship and music ministry and our children, youth, and family ministry. One of the ways in which we are strengthening these ministries is by growing our staff. We have made the commitment to move to a full-time Worship and Music Director and to move toward two full-time Children, Youth, and Family [...]
As the school year comes to a close, so too does our year of Confirmation lessons. This past year, from September through May, our 7th - 9th grade students gathered every Wednesday night to learn more about prayer, the Bible, relationships, and how to live more like Jesus. However, during the Lenten season, the students took a break from regular scheduled lessons to partake in individual service [...]
It’s a new day for God’s beloved here at Light of Christ. We’re beginning to live into that new day. We are taking a big step into this new day as we launch our major capital campaign in February. The first priority in our New Day capital campaign is to retire our indebtedness. We currently owe about $435,000 on our building from our last building project. Retiring [...]
Dear Sisters and Brothers of Light of Christ, It’s a new day at Light of Christ. We’ve added new staff, launched a new confirmation ministry, welcomed dozens of new members, and introduced new worship services, songs, and celebrations. And this is just the beginning. It’s a new day for us because the world around us is changing. I was ordained in 1984, the same year that Light of [...]
Light of Christ Discoveries. In this time of discovery and discernment, a number of things have risen to catch our attention. The MAP--Missional Assessment Profile--revealed that collectively, our number one congregational priority is "To explore new and innovative ways of being the church in today's culture." Two of the other five priorities have to do with growth--that of increasing [...]
I am delighted to introduce to you two new members of our staff here at Light of Christ: Kirsten Kelly and David Schneck. Kirsten is our new Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry and David is our new Associate Director of Children, Youth, and Family. Let me tell you a little bit about both of them and what they'll be doing. Kirsten comes to Light of Christ from Zion Lutheran Church [...]
Summer is typically a slower time here at the church but that hasn’t been the case this summer. We have not been idle. Here is some of what has been, and is, happening. The first is the Missional Assessment Profile Summit on Tuesday, August 14th at 7:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall. The Missional Assessment Profile (or MAP) is the survey that many of you took in July. The intention of the survey was to hear [...]
