Newsletter — March 22, 2022

Join us Sunday mornings for worship at 10:00 am, with the option of in-person or on-line worship; all are welcome! We are singing in person together again, so come and sing boldly!
The Session made the decision to keep masking for worship, and masks optional for all other activities in the church building.

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

News from Christian Education Committee:
Children’s Sunday School classes meet 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. There will be a PreK – 2nd grade class and a 3rd-5th grade class. We will bring the children back to the sanctuary for the Children’s sermon at 10:15 and then the children can sit with their parents during the rest of the service.

New Adult Education Class: “Embracing Emergence Christianity” following worship.
In her book “The Great Emergence,” Phyllis Tickle argues that Christianity is currently undergoing a massive upheaval as part of a regular pattern that occurs every 500 years. She calls it a “rummage sale,” in which old ideas are rejected, new ones emerge, and Christianity is revitalized. Starting March 20, Steve Braden will lead a 6-session study based on videos of Tickle explaining this process. You can participate in person or via Zoom.

M&M meets Wednesdays (Suspended this week due to spring break)
•4:30 to 6 pm for K-5th grade
•6:00 to 7:15 pm for 6th through high school
•Meal for all ages at 6 pm
Join us through Zoom at Meet in the Middle Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6124529465

GriefShare Program meets Thursdays, 6:30 pm at Spirit of Life Church. This program features biblical, Christ-centered teaching that focuses on grief topics associated with the death of a loved one. The DVD seminar features nationally respected grief experts and real-life stories of people, followed by a small group discussion about what was viewed. Past participants have related how helpful the information and follow-up discussions were to them. Many grieving people find they are only beginning the work of healing when friends or family have returned to their daily life routines. Too often people, including Christians, tend to bury their grief instead of allowing it to do the God-given work for which it is intended. Don’t allow fear of what others may think to keep you from what could help you. Confidentiality is very much a part of this program. Please contact Bob Shepard or Jacqui Hicks for more information or to sign up.

Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign!
We will again be participating in the MN FoodShare March Campaign, collecting non-perishable food items and monetary donations each Sunday in March. All donations will go to the Rosemount Family Resource Center. Monetary donations are also encouraged; make your check out to Spirit of Life, with MN FoodShare on the memo line. Donations accepted at Sunday worship, and Wednesdays during M in M. The theme is “Building and Nourishing Community”, so here’s our “building” schedule:
March 6: Foundation (proteins): canned meats and fish, canned or bagged beans, peanut butter, nuts, canned chili or stew, etc
March 13: Framing it in (carbohydrates): bagged or boxed rice, pastas, boxed potato sides, pasta or rice-based side dishes, mac and cheese, biscuit mix, pancake mix, etc
March 20: Walls (fruits and vegetables): canned fruits and vegetables, and side dish items, jams and jellies; paper products, cleaning supplies
March 27: Finishing Touches: cake mixes, flour, sugar, healthy snacks, condiments, spices; personal care items, etc

Come join the Community Service team in 2022!!!
Community Service team is looking for new members. We meet every other month on the first Monday at 4:30 pm (currently as a Zoom call). We plan activities for the church to participate in such as stocking the Little Free Pantry, donating to Soup-er Bowl Sunday, March Food Share Month donations, working in the Community Garden, working in the Church Flower beds, donating to the school supply drive, helping with Crop Hunger walk, and donating to the Giving Tree in November and December. Please consider joining us. Our next meeting will be May 2nd. Our next activities will be working in the garden and flower beds this summer. Please contact Karen Johnson for more information.

The Christian Ed Committee will be sponsoring an Easter egg hunt for our kids on Palm Sunday, April 10. We would appreciate donations of plastic eggs and/or treats that will fit inside. Please leave your donations in the basket under the table in the front entryway by April 3. Thanks for being part of this fun activity!!

Membership Class: Pastor Rob is leading the New Member class that meets at 11:15am on Sundays, May 1 and 8, here at the church. We’ll be receiving the new members in worship on Sunday, May 15.

(9th graders and above) Confirmation Class to be offered. If you were part of the confirmation class that was halted due to the pandemic, Pastor Rob is offering a make-up session for you. We will have a 4-session confirmation class following worship (at 11am) on March 27, April 3, April 10 and April 24. This will be offered in person (also available via zoom for those unable to attend in person). Confirmands will be received in worship on Sunday, May 15. Please RSVP to the office at [email protected] so Pastor Rob may be prepared for everyone attending.
NOTE: Confirmation will be offered again this fall for all students who never started confirmation. This will be offered in the regular format of 8 weeks over the school year.

From Community Service: During the winter months, the donations to the Little Free Food Pantry (located at the entrance of the driveway) need to be modified to tolerate the extreme cold temperatures we can see here. Please review the attached list of items for what to consider donating; ideal items are dried and in bags, like dried beans, rice, oatmeal, cereal, etc. And remember the motto of the Little Free Food Pantry movement: Take what you need, leave what you can.

Spirit of Life is working to be sustainable through recycling. By introducing more recycling collocated at the location of most trash cans, we can significantly reduce the amount of waste being sent to the landfill while showcasing that reducing waste can be easy. Help us to celebrate sustainability while enjoying the event. Clean plastics, tin/metal and paper should go into the recycling bins and everything else should go into the trash. Thank you! Please see Pastor Rob, any Elder or member of the staff with questions.

Pastor Rob and his family will be spending time together over Spring break next week (Monday, March 21 – Thursday, March 24). He will be available for emergencies by phone call.

Meet with Pastor Rob for Coffee and Conversation Mondays, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. Come as you are. This is a gathering online but it is open for you to pop in and out any time during the two hour time frame 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 the office at [email protected] AND Pastor Rob at [email protected]. Word it as you wish it to be submitted, and we will post it for our prayer team.

Volunteers Needed:
…We need one person each Sunday to serve as a Greeter and one person each Sunday to serve as an Usher for Sunday worship. We need two volunteers for each week. Please let Becky Brandt know what dates you are available to help and she will build a calendar. Thank you!

2022 Per Capita is $36.50