Newsletter — March 21, 2023

Join us Sunday mornings for worship at 10:00 am, with the option of in-person or on-line worship. All are welcome!

You may also join us online:

Find worship live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/spiritoflifeav
Join us live on Zoom by clicking https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83600960782
You can stream the service later either on Facebook or on YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC-G31isag0NKhIT0cat91qA

If you are joining us online for Dinner and Devotions on Wednesdays through Lent, join us using the zoom link below:
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82724423215?pwd=STdCUnBvMjg1RWVsMlNxSVBnN2YyUT09 Meeting ID: 827 2442 3215
Passcode: 075249
*Please note: The passcode helps us remove the waiting room that requires letting people in.

The Christian Education Committee is sponsoring an Easter Egg Hunt for our children on Palm Sunday, April 2. We would appreciate donations of plastic eggs and/or treats that will fit inside. Please leave donations in the basket under the table in the entryway by March 26. Thanks for your help in providing this fun activity for our kids!

From Community Service: Happy Spring!! March is MN FoodShare month, and it’s winding down — we will end our effort on Palm Sunday, April 2. All of our food collection and cash donations will go directly to the Rosemount Family Resource Center. There are two ways you can support this effort:

– FIRST: You can bring in non-perishable food items through Palm Sunday. There will be empty grocery bags strategically placed on chairs throughout the sanctuary and you can put your donations in those bags. The empty bags represent the 1 in 6 of our neighbors who experience food insecurity. On the round table at the back of the sanctuary you can pick up a list of the most needed items at the 360 Communities food shelves; generally, shelf-stable proteins, baking needs, canned or dried fruits and vegetables, and personal care items. The food shelves of 360 Communities also accept donations for pets’ needs.

– SECOND: you can make a financial contribution. Food shelves have the ability to stretch your dollar contributions to access more food than we, as individuals, can by going to the grocery store. This year, we have a MN FoodShare Ambassador to help remind us of this option. And, our SNOW AMBASSADOR is approaching the end of its life expectancy with the onset of “spring”! We just need three more donations of $25 dollars each to fill in the smile on our Ambassador! We have raised $495 so far. Make checks out to Spirit of Life, with MN FoodShare in the memo line, or donate online at our website https://www.spiritoflifeav.org (the “donate today” button), with a note that it’s for MN FoodShare. Thanks in advance for your generous participation in this important ministry. Contact Denise Lewis if you have questions.

Children’s Sunday School generally meets from 9:30-10:15, upstairs in the Sunday School room. Kids can Zoom in for Sunday School if they can’t attend in person. We could use a helper for each week. If you’re available, please reach out to Karen Johnson. April 2nd is the Easter Egg Hunt during Sunday school. April 9th Easter there will be no Sunday school.

Meet in the Middle will not meet at 4:30 on March 29th (due to spring break) but will join everyone at 6pm for the devotions and meal. The following week, there will be no activities on Wednesday, April 5th. The children and youth will join the adults on Maundy Thursday, April 6th, at 6pm, for the potluck meal and worship (no separate Meet in the Middle). NOTE: if any children still wish to have their guitar lesson on the 29th, or the 5th, contact Denise Lewis.

Confirmation Class will be for 7th and 8th graders, on the 2nd Sunday of the month after church. Next class is April 9th. Parents, please mark your calendars: Confirmation retreat at SOLPC will be Saturday, April 15th, and Recognition Sunday will be May 21st.

Have you considered becoming a member of the church? We are offering a 4-week class April 16, 23, 30 and May 7th, immediately following worship. Let us know if you would like to learn more about Spirit of Life. Send a quick email to the office at [email protected] or see Pastor Rob after worship and let him know!

Prayer Shawl Ministry
We invite you to join us in making prayer shawls for members of our community who are in need of comfort. All are welcome regardless of knitting, crocheting, or sewing abilities. Join us in community and we will find a job for you. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, April 11th. At Rose McMurray’s home. We will be meeting the 2nd Tuesday every 3 months.
If you are unable to join us in person or if the date doesn’t work for you but you would still like to be a part of this ministry please let Rose know. If you are interested in joining us, please contact Rose McMurray.

You are invited to be a part of Spirit of Life’s Meal Ministry. We have a small group of volunteers who work with the Deacons to offer meals to those who are in need, are recovering from surgery or illness, have experienced a death in the family, or for whatever reason a meal is needed. We are looking for more volunteers to make meals–please consider joining us! Signing up does not commit you to always making a meal when one is needed. Rose will send out an email with dates that the meals are needed, and you can reply if one of the days works for you. Please contact us also if you or someone you know may benefit from this loving ministry. You can contact Rose McMurray.

As many are aware Nicole, (our music director Martha’s daughter), has had a couple of unfortunate setbacks recently. The Deacons are supporting a meal train to assist Nicole and her children, and we are looking for more volunteers! Can you help? If you can’t make a meal, you can still support Nicole by ordering meal delivery gift cards through Door Dash. The link to the meal train sign-up is: mealtrain.com/o9q1v1. If you have any questions, please call or text Rose McMurray.

The community service team would like to designate the first Sunday of every month as Little Free Pantry Sunday. As we remember the sacred Last Supper, let us also think of our neighbors in need of food support. This month, we continue to request items that are cold weather safe so please, NO CANS OR GLASS CONTAINERS. These items have been especially popular and have been taken quickly: pasta products, spaghetti sauce (plastic), white rice, jelly (plastic bottles only) peanut butter (plastic jars only), any items in boxes or pouches. Thanks so much for helping us feed our neighbors!

COFFEE and CONVERSATION Plan to join Pastor Rob and others for Coffee and Conversation on Mondays, at 9:30 am. Come as you are. This is a gathering online and in person. It is open for you to pop in and out any time so feel free to drop in and say hello. *Note, same time and same login, recurring meeting each week. Join Zoom Meeting at https://zoom.us/j/286584190. One tap mobile +13126266799, 286584190# +19292056099, 286584190#.

If you have a prayer request you wish to share with our Spirit Care Prayer Team, please email our deacon, Chris Sachs. Word it as you wish it to be submitted, and we will post it for our prayer team.

2023 Per Capita is $37.50