April

Jesus Christ is Risen today. Alleluia.

We are Easter people. This is true on Easter morning. It remains to be seen whether or not the Alleluias heard ringing on Easter morning will continue to ring throughout the many Sundays of Easter. Easter people are responsible in our voicing those Alleluias in our words and our deeds.

As I write these words our nation’s capital has seen thousands of high school youth carrying banners. Speakers have taken to podiums to get the word out that a tipping point of discontent has been reached. There is an expectation that our national and state legislators can implement positive changes that decrease the prevalence of violence in our neighborhoods and schools. It remains to be seen whether or not these voices for positive change will continue to ring true during 2018 and beyond.

Closer to home in the life and mission of Kerkhoven Lutheran Church it remains to be seen how the stirring of the Holy Spirit is unfolding before us. As the call committee’s work continues to bear fruit we trust that an upcoming congregational meeting will eventually be called to extend a letter of call to a pastor. Our hope is that this call will receive a yes from the pastor who receives it. But with one yes, a whole bunch of other yes’s will follow.

Yes, our family will worship here regularly. Yes, our family will prayerfully and financially contribute to the mission of the church during 2018 and beyond. Yes, our family plans to contribute to the vision of a building expansion that envisions refreshed restrooms and community space for the fellowship hall. Yes, our family envisions investing in our children’s spiritual growth by allowing them opportunities to attend Bible Camp and Youth gatherings. Yes is more than a word. It is a way of life that includes our discipleship and service. As the Season of Easter arrives, hear the wisdom of Joseph Sittler:

A live Gospel demands alive persons to speak up for it… people who are capable of tragic involvement in their generation’s torment… eager, curious, more than a little angry with what man has made of man in general and with what American life has made of its promise and hope in particular.

The Sundays of Easter are upon us. Let the Alleluia’s ring with God’s transforming love.

Interim Pastor Gary Mikkelson

KERKHOVEN LUTHERAN CHURCH COUNCIL MINUTES

March 7, 2018

The Kerkhoven Lutheran Church Council met on Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at 8:30 p.m. President Kelly Hauge called the meeting to order.

Call Committee Report – Naomi Bakera. Committee will be interviewing three candidates in the next few weeks

Devotions given by Ross Carlson. April Devotions – Tiffany Collins

KLC Mission Statement, All Council

The February 2018 Secretary’s Report was accepted as printed. M.Hauge/A.Hanson

The February 2018 Treasurer’s Report was accepted as printed. T.Collins/M.Hauge

Worship & Witness Board: Chairperson – Marlene Hauge

Board Report by Marlene Hauge:a. Calendar full through April

Outreach & Evangelism Board: Chairperson – Ann Hanson

Board Report by Ann Hanson: a. Ann Hanson will be the chairpersonb. Outreach Project – served City Councilc. Meals served at Ridgewaterd. Need volunteers to pick up Meals-on-Wheels from Benson

Christian Education Board: Chairperson - Tiffany Collins

Board Report by Tiffany Collins:a. Need volunteers for Sunday School Teachers for April and Mayb. Last day of Sunday School will be May 13, 2018c. Graduation and teacher gifts

Stewardship and Finance Board: Chairperson – Kayla Kelm & Kris Wagner co-chairs

Board Report by Tom Baker: a. Kayla Kelm and Kris Wagner will be co-chairs

Property and Grounds Board: Chairperson - Barb Norton

Board Report by Barb Norton:a. Snow removalb. Parking in the back – problem at this time of yearc. Accepting lawn moving bidsd. Tile on southside of church of Church is pluggede. On/Off Switch in parsonage fixedf. Fuel oil filledg. Spring project – paint parsonage

WELCA Board: President: Carmen Maus

No report

Pastor’s Report:a. Home visitsb. Preaching/Worship Leadership & Servicesc. New Council installedd. Baptisme. President’s Day off – vacation day?f. Confirmationg. Quarterly review completed 2/25/18 by the Executive Committeeh. Pastor will be gone on April 21, 2018 for a prior commitmenti. Vacation May 19-26, 2018

Old Business:1. Proposal for $1,000 prize money won from Synod Assembly2. Balcony railing ordered3. WiFi update by Ross Carlson4. Equipping Congregation Report – Kelly Hauge5. Bible School Report – Barb Norton6. Direct Deposit in process7. Board of Stewardship & Finance to pick up offerings after services

Motion to accept the proposal for $1,000 prize money and submit to Synod for approval. R.Carlson/T.Collins

Motion to upgrade the WiFi. B.Norton/T.Collins

New Business:1. Ryan and Carmen Maus and Pastor Gary will be going to Synod Assembly2. Library reorganization3. Volunteers to help 5th grade with making bread

Motion to Adjourn. M.Hauge/T.Collins

Closed with the Lord’s Prayer

Bonnie Carlson, Secretary

Present: Pastor Gary, Kelly Hauge, Ted Almen, Tom Baker, Ann Hanson, Tiffany Collins, Barb Norton, Marlene Hauge, Ross Carlson, Bonnie Carlson

Next Church Council Meeting:April 4, 2018

Church Boards meets at 7:00 p.m., unless board has designated an

alternative date/time:Church Council meets at 7:30 p.m.

Robyn Sand Anderson Art

May God bless your Holy Week –Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and

Celebration of the Resurrection.

Fear.There has been a lot of that lately.In the face of serious challenges, we freeze, we flee, and we fight.

Fear. There has been a lot of that lately in our country, communities, and congregations.

Fear. There has been a lot of that lately in my heart. I could tell you about my fears about my family, your synod, our church body, our institutions, our society, our country, and our world.

Fear kills my ability to think, makes me think first about my needs, and makes me step on my neighbors to get to what I perceive safety to be.Fear can drive us to behave in ways we cannot later believe because it is so unlike us. God knows all our fears and will not leave us there.

The longer I live in the Story of the betrayal, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the more I appreciate the Gospel of Mark’s telling of the Good News. I find myself in the people who are excited to welcome Jesus until he does not behave the way they hope for. I see myself as the betrayer, if I am honest with myself. I see myself as the denier at times. I see myself in the Story wondering what God is up to as my Lord is crucified. My longing for a God who works in glorious ways dies along with my understanding of God that is always too small. I see myself in the whole Story even as one who shouts, “Crucify him!” when I want to be God, when I don’t want anyone to tell me what to do. And then I cannot quite believe the good news of God’s resurrecting grace and love much like the early disciples, too.

As we run in our fear, “full of terror and amazement,” we are not so different from the early disciples. But eventually God turns us around from our fears and calls us to share the Good News. We can and we will.

Alleluia, he is Risen. He is risen, Alleluia. We stop freezing. We stop fleeing. We stop fighting and our living resurrected Lord calls us to follow into God’s deep longings for our future and God’s reign.

Mark 16:1-81 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought

spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the

sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 They had been saying to one another, "Who will roll away the

stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which

was very large, had already been rolled back. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man,

dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here.

Look, there is the place they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you

to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you." 8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

+Bishop Jon V. AndersonSouthwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA

Evangelism and Outreach Board News

As we are moving into spring and the summer months this board continues our service to our neighbors but we do not have much new items to report.

At last year’s Synod Assembly KLC was chosen in a drawing to receive a $1,000 gift to be used in outreach to our neighbors, either local or global. We received confirmation from the Synod that our proposal for use of the funds along with the pictures that we sent was accepted and we will be receiving our check in the mail soon.

We will have an inspection of our backpack storage room by Second Harvest Heartland on Tuesday, April 10. We will also be discussing expanding our partnership with this organization to allow us to purchase additional food items that can be used to serve the meals to Ridgewater College and also the senior citizens meals that are being served once a month by different community groups and churches at the Civic Center. This change will require that one member of KLC take an 8 hour course at Ridgewater College to gain a Kitchen Manager Certification since these are congregate dinning meals and have some different guidelines. Once this piece is in place we can order and purchase frozen meat and fresh produce items that can be used in these service opportunities, thereby allowing us to be better stewards of the funds that are available to provide these meals.

We again plan to offer backpack opportunities this summer for children that are attending the Summer Reading Camp at KMS. We have one more community group, the Rescue Squad, to “appreciate”. We have one more meal to serve for this school year at The Campus Ministry Center, this will be served on April 24. We thank the people who

brought food and helped serve the meal on March 27: Ev Williams, Mona Doering, Ellamae Henry, Phyllis Meyer, Pam Johnson, Marcia and Donnie Lottman, Barb Wenisch and Ann Hanson.

Volunteers Needed Meals on Wheels Delivery

KLC has a group of volunteers that each day drive to Benson and pick up the meals for DeGraff, Murdock and Kerkhoven residents and transport them to Kerkhoven, delivering any meals for residents in DeGraff and Murdock along the way. The same people have been doing this since we agreed to take over this responsibility when it appeared that without someone stepping up to do this the service would no longer be offered in either of the three communities. We are very appreciative for the members of KLC that has been doing this for the past several years. They are Ruth Ann Ashburn, Jerry and Viva Lundberg, Eldon and Marlene Hauge and Lee and Phyllis Meyer and Jane Quale has been a back-up person. As you can see this means that some people are making more than one trip a week. We are in need of additional volunteers to help with this ministry. If this is a possibility for you to serve these residents in our communities please contact Lee Meyer as he has the information on what is necessary to

get started helping. Thank you!

Local Delivery of Meals on WheelsMeals on Wheels: The month of April puts KLC into the role of being the

local congregation to do the home delivery of the meals on wheels. Please check the calendar on the bulletin board between the church office. We have volunteers for the first 3 weeks of the month. Please sign up if you can help deliver on the final week of the month and also the following Monday, April 30. Thank you

LUTHER LEAGUE EVENTSTHANK YOU!!!

Lenten Suppers: Thank you to the Luther League and their families who made hot dishes for the Lenten Suppers. Thank you to the church members and others for coming to the Lenten Suppers and for your donation to Luther League. Thanks again!

Luther League Sunday Morning Coffee Schedule

--The individual with the * in front of their name is responsible for contacting the people they serve with. If you are unable to serve on the day you are scheduled, please find your own replacement. Plan for around 130 people. Be at church around 9 a.m., as church may get out early. --Bring juice or lemonade. --Jean Lilly usually has already started the coffee.

April 1st EASTER!* No Coffee- L.L. Breakfast Everyone Serves

April 22nd * Noah Tullis-Klaphake, Easton Wenisch & Katie KlaphakeDevon Swanson

April 8 th * Jaiden HenjumEthan Hauge

April 29 th * Caleb & Grace Collins

April 15 th * Regan CarlsonCarter NovakHunter & Hayden Larson

Saturday, March 31 – 9:30 a.m. – Luther League Easter Practice/Set-up *REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR INSTRUMENTS AND MUSIC STANDS

Sunday, April 1 - Easter - 6:30 a.m. – Luther League Sunrise Service 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. - Easter Breakfast

No Sunday School (People with instruments will also play in the beginning of the 9:30 a.m. service.)

Easter Breakfast Everyone is invited to the annual Luther League Easter Breakfast on Sunday, April

1 from 7:30-9:00 a.m. immediately following the 6:30 a.m. Sunrise Service.

Menu: pancakes, scrambled eggs, ham, muffins, orange juice, milk, and coffee. Free will donation.

VBSEach church pays for the youth going to VBS. Parents, please volunteer to be Vacation Bible School (VBS) will be held June 4-8 at Kerkhoven Evangelical Free Church in Kerkhoven from 6:00-8:10 p.m. (with a meal served from 5:15-6:00 p.m.). The theme is Shipwrecked. A form will be sent home with each child 4 years old to 6th grade. The registration form needs to be returned to Barb Norton by Sunday, April 8 th . Please contact Barb Norton at 264-1613 (h) or

320-894-2128 (c) with any questions you may have.

a group leader or helper and/or donate food for the VBS meal or snacks. Signup sheets for donating food for the VBS meal and snacks will be by the church office in the near future.

Also, we need other congregation members to volunteer to be group leaders, helpers, kitchen workers, decoration/set up, and clean up and donate food for the VBS meal or snacks. Please contact Barb if you are interested.

Background checks - Each volunteer age 18 + must have had a background check within the past 3 years. Please contact Barb Norton if you are willing to help but need a background check.

April Acolyte ScheduleApril 1, 2018 6:30 am Luther League Service

9:30 am Logan Rudningen and Abby Holtkamp

April 8, 2018 8:30 am Ella Molenaar and Savannah Petersen 10:45 am Aidan Klaphake and Emily Wagner

April 15, 2018 8:30 am Isabel Wirth and Kaden Toutges10:45 am Emily Zurn and lily Winter

April 22, 2018 8:30 am Kelsey Cortez and Elyse VandenEinde10:45 am Axel Nelson and Quinn Lottman

April 25, 2018 8:30 am10:45 am

April WELCA NewsSpring is upon us, or at least we hope so. Remember the Lakeland Conference WELCA Spring Gathering at Calvary in Willmar on April 21. Registration information is posted on the WELCA bulletin board.

The project for March and April: New Born KitGlobal Health Mission Project

1 reg. size bath towel (48”- 52”))1 wash cloth 1 bath size bar ivory soap (in original packaging)1 newborn cotton t-shirt (size 0-3, or newborn)1 newborn stocking cap (small size, a newborn’s head is about 14”)1 receiving blanket (approx.. 30” X 30”) cotton, acrylic, or light flannel 2 cloth diapers2 diaper pins(Lay items on the towel and fold towel to enclose everything inside. Place the wrapped items in a large (2gallon or larger) Zip-loc plastic bag. Include note: “Newborn Kit”. The note should be visible through the bag. Squeeze the air out of the bag before sealing.

April dates to remember: Violets circle serves for AprilApril 3, 2018 1:30 pm Bible Study

April 4, 2018 6:30 pm WELCA General Board MeetingApril 21, 2018 Spring Gathering at Calvary Lutheran, Willmar

APRIL DECON, LECTOR AND USHER SCHEDULE

Deacon Lector Ushers

April 1: 6:30 am Luther League Sunrise Service9:30 am Viva Lundberg Mona Doering Dennis & Georgia Doering

April 8: 8:30 am Brenda Carlson Brenda Carlson Kelly Hauge Family10:45 am Eric Rudningen Christy Forsell Andy Forsell Family

April 15: 8:30 am Viva Lundberg Jerry and Viva Lundberg 10:45 am Mary Lou Carlson Dennis & Georgia Doering

April 22: 8:30 am Phyllis Meyer Barney and Jean Lilly & Chris Voss 10:45 am Arlene Carls Arlene Carls

April 29: 8:30 am Carmen Maus Ryan and Carmen Maus Family10:45 am Theresa Smith Theresa Smith/Brendemuehl Family

APRIL AND MAY ALTAR GUILDBarb Norton and Ruth Henry

Thank you to Juanita Halverson for the new Easter decorations by the entrance doors near the parish hall. Thank you for sharing your decorating gift with us at the change of each season.

APRIL CONFIRMATION SCHEDULE

April 11: 6:00 pm 7th Grade 7:00 pm 8th & 9th Grade 8:00 pm 10th Grade

April18: 6:00 pm 7th Grade 7:00 pm 8th & 9th Grade 8:00 pm 10th Grade

April 25: 6:00 pm 7th Grade 7:00 pm 8th & 9th Grade 6-8:00 pm 10th Grade

RECOGNITION OF BAPTISMSWe will be recognizing all of our Sunday School youth who have baptisms in April at the worship service on April 15. All of these children will be invited up to the front and presented with shell in memory of their baptism. We celebrate their baptisms because that is the day that they became a part of God’s family and started on their journey of faith in God.

Caleb Collins – 2nd Carter Novak – 24th Avery Miller – 26th

Brett Brendemuehl – 6th Stella Doering – 25th Kevin Hauge Jr. – 27thPayton Ruka – 6th Novalee Miller – 26th Boyd Doering – 29th

Bailey Petersen – 17th Keagen Miller – 26th

BAPTISMS IN APRILMany people remember people’s birthdays, but we also need to remember the day of our spiritual birth, our baptismal day. If your baptism is not listed below, and you know you were baptized in November please give the office a call and we will update our church records. Also please take note of who was

baptized during this month and wish them a happy baptismal day.

Mary Miller – 1st Donald Johnson – 12th Stella Doering – 25th

Becky Mulder – 1st Jerry Lundberg – 13th Barb Wensich – 25th

Adrian Gordon – 2nd Mike Swanson – 14th Marlene Krattenmaker – 25th

Caleb Collins – 2nd Moni Welch – 14th Sandra Rothers – 26th

Steve Ruka – 5th Shayla Syverson – 14th Kelley Hauge – 26th

Brett Brendemuehl – 6th Jared Kelm – 14th Novalee Miller – 26th

Payton Ruka – 6th Dan Henry – 16th Keagen Miller – 26th

Dave Amundson – 8th Matthew Falk – 16th Avery Miller – 26th

Carol Hjelle – 9th Bailey Petersen – 17th Pat Molenaar – 27th

Stacy Anderson – 9th Alvin Hagen – 21st Jean Rustad – 27th

Annelle Guillemard – 12th Sarah Carlson – 21st Kevin Hauge, Jr. – 27th

Lori Thompson – 12th Carter Novak – 24th Boyd Doering – 29th

Shawn Syverson – 12th Caroline Chan – 24th

THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE HAVE BIRTHDAYS IN APRIL

Theresa Smith – 1st Landon Henry – 13th Phyllis Loven – 19th

Lorna Carlson – 2nd Beverly Johnson – 13th Leif Carlson – 20th

Cody Ruka – 3rd Lynn Skogstad – 14th Susan Peterson – 20th

Sara Sundin – 4th Alvin Hagen – 14th Susan Thorson – 20th

Chloe Muller – 4th Ava Muller – 15th Ryan Depew – 22nd

Cameron Hjelle – 7th Ashley Forsman – 15th Josh Wagner – 22nd

Mark Peterson – 7th Brenda Carlson – 16th Jean Carlson – 23rd

Cora Doering – 7th Barbara Wenisch – 17th Faith Barrett – 24th

Steve Syverson – 8th Mallory Rudningen – 17th Deanna Rhoda – 25th

Bill Brendemuehl – 9th Karen Hanson – 17th Douglas Lindgren – 26th

Audrey Wenisch – 10th Donna Swanson – 17th Hailie Nichols – 29th

Allison Wenisch – 10th Taylor Kelley – 18th Mary Lou Carlson – 30th

Dale Erickson – 12th Sandra Rothers – 18th

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL! If we missed your birthday, please let Ann Hanson know.

Sympathy is extended to the family of Carol Glembin. Carol passed away at Bethesda Club Suites on Friday, March 9. Her Celebration of life service was held on Wednesday, March 21, at KLC with Pastor

Gary Mikkelson officiating.

Sympathy is also extended to the family of Marge Friedlein. Marge passed away at Rice Hospital on on March 17. Her Funeral Service was held on Saturday, March 24, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Benson with Pastors Art Wiese and Pastor Bill Miller officiating.

There are some of you receiving the Messenger who have been given the gift of prayer and others of you have loved ones and friends in need of prayer. Please continue to remember the following person during the month.

Mary Kay Austvold Elaine Bengston Kaehlen FernholzPhyllis Loven Gladys Powers Harsey ScottBev Johnson Cami Fernholz Carl Just

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

http://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=fuP10DLB&id=287EED4DEFBFA0656EC10D3BF492E04BE42C09E8&thid=OIP.fuP10DLBgVHoOnJ-FfTSKQEsDY&q=Missionary+support+Clip+Art&simid=608054679255647909&selectedIndex=49

MISSIONARY FOR A DAYFebruary 15, 2018 In Memory of Rosalie Johnson by Mary Kay AustvoldMarch 4, 2018 In Memory of Rosalie Johnson by Mary Kay AustvoldMarch 4, 2018 In Honor of Norris Austvold’s Birthday by Mary Kay AustvoldMarch 11, 2018 In Memory of Rosalie Johnson by Eldon and Marlene HaugeMarch 11, 2018 In Memory of Barb Erickson’s mother, Rosalie Johnson, by Jerry & Viva

LundbergMarch 11, 2018 In Memory of Carol Glembin by Don and Juanita HalversonMarch 18, 2018 In Memory of Carol Glembin by Mary Kay AustvoldMarch 18, 2018 In Memory of Carol Glembin by Doris BakkenMarch 21, 2018 In Memory of Carol Glembin by Ev WilliamMarch 21, 2018 In Memory of Carol Glembin by Lowell & Barb TournquistMarch 21, 2018 In Memory of Carol Glembin by Ruth HenryMarch 25, 2018 In Memory of Carol Glembin by Clarine BeckMarch 25, 2018 In Memory of Carol Glembin by Jerry and Viva LundbergMarch 25, 2018 In Memory of Marge Friedlein by Jerry & Viva LundbergMarch 25, 2018 In Memory of Carol Glembin by Dale and Barb EricksonMarch 25, 2018 In Memory of Carol Glembin by Kent and Judy BakerMarch 25, 2018 In Memory of Marge Friedlein by Mary Kay Austvold

---------------------------------CLIP AND PLACE IN OFFERING PLATE----------------------------

I would like to support Missionary for a Day on the date of __________________________________________________________________________

Circle one: In honor of/In Memory of/In Thanks to God for __________________________________________________________________________

Signed: ______________________________________________________________________________