Newsletter — September 27, 2022

Join us Sunday mornings for worship at 10:00 am, with the option of in-person or on-line worship. Masks optional for all activities in the church building, including 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

(Monday) COFFEE and CONVERSATION Join Pastor Rob and others on Mondays, 9:20-11:00am. CC is available in person at the church and via zoom. 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#

Children’s Sunday School goes through December 18th from 9:30-10:15, upstairs in the SS room. Kids can Zoom in for SS if they can’t attend in person. Class is suspended on Oct. 23 (MEA weekend), Nov. 27 (Thanksgiving weekend), Dec 25. (Christmas weekend) and Jan. 1 (New Year’s weekend).

Adult Class: Class suspended this Sunday, Oct 2nd, due to CROP Hunger Walk! Steve Braden leads a class based on the PBS Frontline series God in America. Today is week 2 of the six-week class. Class meets following worship and will be available online via Zoom, by clicking the link at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84136883066; or, you are welcome to gather in the conference room. The videos (YouTube) and a study guide (PBS) are available for free online. See Steve with questions.

Meet in the Middle begins Wednesday, October 5th, and runs 7 weeks. Curriculum will be Holy Moly. Time together will begin at 4:30 and include snacks, group guitar lessons for older kids /playing for younger kids, singing, Holy Moly video and lesson, and conclude with dinner for kids, youth and adults 6:00- 6:30 dinner. Monetary donations for dinner appreciated. Please sign up on the sheet in the back of the sanctuary to provide a snack and/or dessert for Meet in the Middle. If you have questions, please see Loretta Hunt.

Confirmation Class will be for 7th and 8th graders, on the 2nd Sunday of the month after church beginning October 9th. Note: we will also plan for a retreat in March or April. Due to the breakfast immediately following worship Oct 9, confirmation will begin a little late and go until 12:15pm. It will be held every 2 years. PLEASE RSVP to get your 7th & 8th graders enrolled so we may prepare enough materials and have the proper space ready. Thanks!

10th Annual South of the River CROP Hunger Walk is THIS SUNDAY, October 2! Hosted by St. James Lutheran Church, 3650 Williams Drive, Burnsville. Festivities begin at 1:00 pm, with the Walk stepping off at 2:00 pm.

How can YOU get involved?

– Consider joining the team! By joining the team, you are agreeing to either fund-raise, walk, or both. Here is the link that will take you to the Spirit of Life team page: https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2022/team/spirit-of-life-presbyterian-church By clicking on this link, you can join the team, or donate to the team. To donate, you can also make out a check to Spirit of Life, with “CROP Walk” in the memo line. More details can be found at the CROP Walk display at the back of the sanctuary. If you bought a t-shirt, plan to wear your shirt this Sunday! There are a few extra short-sleeve shirts available for sale, at $20.

– Participate in the food drive, by bringing in non-perishable food items by October 2.

– Support the multi-church bake sale on the day of the Walk, at St. James Lutheran Church, from 1:00 to 1:45 pm. BAKERS! You can support this part of the walk by providing some of your favorite baked goods to sell! EATERS! You can support this part of the walk by coming to check out the bake sale on October 2 and purchasing what looks good to you; cash only, or checks made out to CWS/CROP; items will be priced in increments of $5. There are 4 churches and one neighborhood group selling their baked goods, all in support of the CROP Walk. You don’t have to walk to support the South of the River CROP Walk.

– What about the frozen, bake-at-home Swedish apple pies that have been a feature of our CROP Walk? Well, the church that has made them in the past is NOT doing it this year. There will be a limited number of them available at the CROP Walk bake sale on October 2. However, the Spirit of Life apple harvest is robust this year, and there are a limited number of these pies in our freezers at church for Spirit of Life members, from our apples! All proceeds will go to the CROP Walk; they are $10/pie. They are made with the regular recipe, which includes flour and nuts. Contact Denise directly if you want a pie.

Second Harvest Heartland will receive 25% of our total fundraising effort. If you have any questions, talk to Denise Lewis.

Why do we walk? Here is an update from CWS: “We Walk with people here and around the world to provide life-saving resources and training through Church World Service. We Walk to be neighbors to Julie and her family. Julie, her mother and her two children recently left Ukraine for the safety of Moldova. Julie and her family are currently residing in the Refugee Accommodation Center in Soroca, Moldova and are safe. Julie and her family are now participating in cooking the meals. Julie is most excited to be able to cook pancakes for one son and an omelet for the other. These simple joys are what many refugees use to fuel the strength that allows them to continue moving forward. This family is happy in this difficult situation because of you. Thank you!”

What we do makes a difference, so please participate in the South of the River CROP Hunger Walk in the way that works best for you!

It’s time to think about Christmas! Greens, Poinsettias, and plant cards will be sold to raise funds for our community garden. The ONLINE ONLY sale ends October 20. Becky will be available after services 10/9 and 10/16 to help with how to order. To access the site and place an order for your fundraiser group:
1. Go to www.gertensfundraising.com
2. Enter the Store ID code provided into the text field and click ‘Enter ID to Continue’.

Store ID code for Spirit of Life Presbyterian Church: 149 (remember to note on your order if it is for the sanctuary or home). Please contact Becky via email if you have any questions.

Trunk or Treat!
When: Date- 10/30/2022
Time- Immediately after worship (approximately 11am)
Where: Spirit of Life Presbyterian Church, 14401 Pilot Knob Road, Apple Valley
Who: Anyone of any age!
How (what do you need): If you want treats come with a Halloween bucket and a costume, if you want to distribute candy come with your car, some candy and some decorations.
-Prizes will be awarded to best trunks and to best trick-or-treat kids costumes!

From Community Service: we have surpassed 1,000 pounds delivered for the year; garden production is rapidly slowing down, so a final update will be given when we have made our last delivery for the year in October.

Our Little Free Pantry continues to be of great service to our hungry neighbors. We would appreciate donations to keep our cupboard full. Preferred items at this time include jars of spaghetti sauce, any pasta, bags of plain white rice, any canned vegetables or fruits, peanut butter, jelly, canned tuna, Spam, dry milk. These items and any other non-perishables can be placed in the driveway pantry or left in the cabinet inside the front door to the church. Members of the Community Service committee will refill items when needed and thank you very much for your support and donations. We can make a difference in preventing hunger in our neighborhood!

The Justice Works borrowing bookshelf is up and running, so check it out.

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.

2022 Per Capita is $36.50