Upcoming Worship Schedule:
January 5th Traditional w/communion
Kathy Tunseth at both services
January 12th Traditional
Chancel Choir at both services
January 19th Band Led w/communion
Worship Team at both services
January 26th Traditional
Bells of Peace at both services
February 2nd Traditional w/communion
8:30 Chancel Choir, 10:45 Lightshine and Sunday School Choir
February 9th Traditional
Minnesota Boychoir at both services
February 16th Traditional w/communion
Bells of Peace at both services
February 23rd Band Led
8:30 Worship Team, 10:45 Chancel Choir
February 26th – Ash Wednesday
- 12pm with imposition of ashes
- 7:00 with imposition of ashes and Chancel Choir
March 1st Traditional w/communion
8:30 Chancel Choir, 10:45 Lightshine and Sunday School Choir
Note: Wed. March 4th begins our 7:00 Lenten Evening Services featuring the Holden Village service
Milt Warkentien, Music Ministry Coordinator
Musings from Milt…
As we enter the year 2020 it seems we should have a perfect vision for solving all the world’s problems. (Sorry for the pun, but it was too hard to resist). Though; wouldn’t it be nice to have a perfect vision for solving the world’s problems?
How many of you make New Year’s Resolutions? How many of you follow thru on those resolutions? I don’t usually make a New Year’s Resolution, except to keep breathing, which I’m happy to say I’ve kept for many years J, but many things like exercise, reading the bible all the way thru, in one of those bibles designed for that, eating better, etc…. I don’t follow thru on. Why is so hard to try doing what we know we should do? What excuses do we make up? What “other things” get in the way?
What world problems are you most focused on? What are you doing to solve that problem? Is there a lot of opposition to the view you have? Is the bible used for evidence on both sides of the problem?
Why can God’s word be used to support so many different views? I don’t think this a problem that is new to our lifetime, as there are 2 different creeds used in our ELW hymnal, the Nicene and the Apostle’s. (Funny that I can’t find the Athanasian Creed in the ELW) My understanding of the different creeds is they were stating what was true and what wasn’t. Why would there be at least three creeds if God’s word was clearly understood in the early days of the church?
So we begin a new year with many of the same questions that have been around for years: Racial and gender equality issues. Differing opinions on whether global warming is a reality. Environmental issues of pollution, deforestation and BWCA. Differing views on the increasing numbers of people who are homeless and living in poverty. These few questions are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how people use the bible to support both sides of many issues. I have many good friends that are on opposite sides of tough questions. How does one keep a friendship going when someone has an opposing view to something that is important to you? How do you have friends over, that have differing opinions, without having the fear that the get together may be a total flop because the opinions will get in the way of the friendships?
As you can see I’m struggling to make my way thru the coming of the new year. We’ve just celebrated the birth of Jesus and have heard the call to serve, but I feel almost hopeless to the problems I see. “Prepare to be Amazed” was our theme for Advent and I feel that each of us, in 2020, should have the theme “Prepare to AMAZE”. What can we do to bring amazing things to 2020? How will God use us, and our gifts, to make Prince of Peace, our community, our State, our nation and our world a better place? I know I get overwhelmed by looking at too big of things. I need to start small and work my way up, so what little things can we do for Prince of Peace, our community, our state, our nation and our world. As I reflect on Prince of Peace I see many ways we are contributing to Prince of Peace, our community etc. At Prince of Peace there are many ways to serve, which allows someone to be involved in what they feel comfortable with. It also should allow someone to venture out of their comfort zone and try something new in a safe environment. Prince of Peace helps with food programs at 2 different local schools. We support local groups such as Plymouth Youth Center. Prince of Peace gives to our ELCA Synod, which enables the Synod to help locally and across the state. We give to the greater ELCA Church which allows the ELCA to help nationally and globally.
I feel Prince of Peace does a pretty good job of serving, but “What can we do better?” is a question we can never stop asking, especially in an ever changing world. By serving Prince of Peace we are individually doing something small that affects many. What else is there we can do? Mother Teresa said “That if you want to change the world start by going home and loving your family”. That seems like it should be a simple task, but is it? What things get in our way of loving our family? If the church is part of our family, then what gets in the way of loving those at church? Why is it so hard to love? Jesus talks many times of how important love is, but that doesn’t make it easy to do. Sharing a smile seems like it shouldn’t be too hard, but how many times do we share a smile if we’re having a hard day, or something bad has happened? These two examples are little things that seem easy, but in reality aren’t. If we can’t do the little things, then how are we supposed to deal with the greater issues at hand? How can each of us prepare to AMAZE? What are the little things we’re going to work on, so that we can start working on larger issues? What is God calling each of us to do in 2020? Is it more of the same, or are you being called to step out of the box, a bit?
Questions and more questions, without many answers, but I don’t think that’s always bad. If we stop questioning I think we have a bigger problem, so my hope for all of us, as we enter into 2020, is that we all look at ourselves in the mirror and ask, “What is it that God needs me to do this year?” Just think of the AMAZING things we might be able to accomplish. I leave you with this hymn:
Christ, Be Our Light, ELW 715
1) Longing for light, we wait in darkness. Longing for truth, we turn to you. Make us your own, your holy people, light for the world to see.
(Refrain) Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness. Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.
2) Longing for peace, our world is troubled. Longing for hope, many despair. Your word alone has pow’r to save us. Make us your living voice. (Refrain)
3) Longing for food, many are hungry. Longing for water, many still thirst. Make us your bread, broken for others, shared until all are fed. (Refrain)
4) Longing for shelter, many are homeless. Longing for warmth, many are cold. Make us your building, sheltering others, walls made of living stone. (Refrain)
5) Many the gifts, many the people, many the hearts that yearn to belong. Let us be servants to one another, signs of your kingdom come. (Refrain)
May we all prepare to AMAZE in 2020.
-Milt