Sunday, February 26 10:30a.m. Fellowship Hall - Richfield Lutheran Church

FEBRUARY 2023

 Sunday, February 26
 8W 60th Street
 10:30a.m. Minneapolis, MN 55419

 Fellowship Hall CHURCH OFFICE:
 (612) 861-2265
 Your attendance is important.
 ---------------------------------------- WEBSITE:
 www.richfield-lutheran.org

 VIDEO WORSHIP on YOUTUBE:
 By Pastor Brian Mundt Richfield Lutheran Church
 bmundt@richfield-lutheran.org
 AUDIO WORSHIP:
 (612) 474-4974
 Ruminations from the Pastoral Pasture
Lent. Lent is a time when we as the church immerse ourselves in the cross of Jesus’ ONLINE SERMONS:
passion and crucifixion. As the apostle Paul noted, we find wisdom in the weakness
 Go to Resources on our website
of the cross. In our baptism, we find our identity and calling in this countercultural
 RLC FACEBOOK:
way of seeing, living, and serving. All our Lenten and Holy Week services this year are
 Richfield Lutheran Church
at 1:00 p.m. We begin with Ash Wednesday, on February 22 at 1:00—with pie
fellowship following! Our midweek Lenten services run Wednesdays, March 1-29, CELC FACEBOOK:
with this year’s theme of “Jesus, teach me to pray.” Creative Early Learning Center
Congregation Constitution. Our constitution was last updated in 2017. Since then, @RLC
there have been mandatory changes in 2019 and 2022. So, we took advantage of this
to review our constitution and by-laws, to update them to reflect current practice.
With much communication with the Synod Constitution Review Team and the
Synod’s consulting attorney, we have our proposal for adoption at our annual
meeting on February 26. Copies are available in the office, as of January 26.
“New Normal”? As we approach the third anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic,
have things settled down, such that we now have a “new normal”? Just when we
think it’s under control, some new variant makes transmission rates jump! As we
think of church, in particular, Richfield Lutheran, here are some observations:
 All congregations were hit hard. On average, every congregation has lost one
 third of its active membership. Some were hit harder-and have closed or will.
 Arguably they were challenged before the pandemic, and the pandemic
 accelerated it.

The finances of too many congregations are unsustainable. The picture is quite
 different here. Stewardship pledges are up 11% for 2023 over 2022, and are up
 28% over what we pledged going into the pandemic! And we have an “ace up our
 sleeve” many congregations don’t have: the childcare center—one of our
 outreach ministries—generates income.
 We are a smaller congregation than we were before the pandemic. As we said
Upcoming Services and
 earlier, that is true of all congregations. But it feels small here. Yet, one-third of
 Events: ELCA congregations are our size or smaller. While we have several super-size
 Worship congregations around here, they reflect 5% of ELCA congregations. Truth be told,
 Sun, Jan 29, 9:30 Worship our size is more normal than you’d think. I doubt we’ll return to the “glory days”
 Sun, Feb 5, 9:30
 of the 1960s-80s, but we are here for good.
 Worship/communion
 The bottom-line is the church is not dying, but she is changing. God makes all
 Sat, Feb 11: Synod Toolkit
 Workshops things new! “Behold, the former things have come to pass and new things I
 Sun, Feb 12, 9:30 Worship declare.” (Isaiah 42:9). So, we go out with good courage, knowing that God’s hand
 Sun, Feb 19, 9:30 is leading us, and his love is supporting us.
 Worship/communion Jesus loves you, and so do I,
 Wed, Feb 22 Ash — Pastor Brian
 Wednesday, 1:00 Worship
 with pie fellowship after Stewards of Creation. In creation, God gave Adam and Eve dominion
 Sun Feb 26, 9:30 Worship over the earth and all that is in it. God is the owner; we are stewards.
 followed by RLC Annual Creation is our first stewardship. How might we steward and care for
 Meeting the earth so as to sustain it for future generations?
 Read Genesis 1, Psalm 24:1, and Psalm 8.

 Online with Pastor Brian, Wednesdays @ 1:00 p.m.
 To join, go to Zoom Mtg: https://us02web.zoom.us/j
 /88368868971? wd=aU9FYXlvWUJzeVlXeGVoazUvTVU2Zz09
 or email: bmundt@richfield- lutheran.org for the link.

 From the Council President
 By Susan Anderson
 LENTEN SERVICES
MIDWEEK LENTEN - 1:00PM
 MARCH 1ST - MARCH 29TH Organizational changes at RLC
 PALM SUNDAY - 9:30AM
 APRIL 2 As you may know, last fall Meggy Wagner was offered and accepted a position at St.
 MAUNDY THURS -1:00PM
 Andrew Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie. She decided to split her time between St.
 APRIL 6
 Andrew and RLC for the remainder of 2022. Since January 1, 2023, she is a full-time
 GOOD FRIDAY - 1:00PM
 APRIL 7 employee of St. Andrew but graciously offered to stay on as a volunteer for the
EASTER WORSHIP - 9:30AM transition of finance/administration responsibilities, as well as the Renovation
 APRIL 9 Project until completion (or until the Renovation project can be handed off to RLC
 staff or volunteers). The Council gratefully accepted her offer.
 Financial responsibilities are transitioning into the capable hands of Church
 Treasurer, Cathy Salin. Cathy will have help from accounting consultants from
 Carpenter Evert, as well as Office Manager Bonnie Nichols to manage day-to-day
 finance-related activities. Cathy is well versed in church business administration
 thanks to her employment at Pilgrim Lutheran Church. Furthermore, she previously
 filled the Treasurer role at RLC while serving several terms on prior councils. I
 particularly value her attention to detail, financial intelligence, her passion for RLC,
 and her wisdom in making decisions. We are grateful to Cathy for what she is doing
 now and has done over the years.
 Again, thank you Meggy for all you have done and are volunteering to do and thank
 you Cathy for stepping up to the plate.
 Richfield Lutheran
 Susan Anderson
Newsletter February
 2023

We extend
 our Can you help?
 This month we began putting together the annual report which details where we
 Christian
 have been in 2022 and what might be ahead in 2023. We have quite a few simple
 Synpathy to
 ideas for being the hands and feet of Jesus in our community in 2023 but need
 the family some help. For example, would you be willing to help hand out donuts to CELC
 and friends families when they drop off their kids, just to make a personal connection. Would
 of: you be willing to call and connect with shut-ins? How about singing in the choir or
Lois Pearson - Passed away on helping to serve coffee after a Sunday service?
January 8th, 2022. We are also sorely lacking in committee members for council, we need a chair for
 the Property Committee (so Cathy Salin doesn’t have to be Property Chair and
Monica Melbourne - Passed Treasurer), and would like another person on the Personnel Committee. An
away on January 9th. Services additional person on any of these committees would help spread out the load that
for Monica were held on January is now resting on only a few.
21st. Whatever you think you might be able to do, please let Pastor or Bonnie or me
 know if you feel you can offer more of your time and talents.
 Blessed be their memory Thank you.
 Susan Anderson

 You are invited:
 Recognition and thank
 you celebration for
 Meggy Wagner on Sunday,
 February 19th during worship.
 February Birthdays Reception following in the
 2/2 Pauline Ronneberg
 2/3 Bonnie Nichols
 Fellowship Hall.
 2/8 Frances King
 2/12 Carol Mannetter
 2/13 Harriet Berg
 2/14 Linda Falkman
 2/16 Ann Johnson
 2/17 Joyce Malaske
 2/19 Ralph Swenby February may be a shorter month but it is full of events! We have Groundhog
 2/20 Scott Cumberland Day, Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day, plus it is also Black History Month.
 2/21 Bruce Bachman
 2/22 Sherie Swanson We are excited for all the activities we have planned for this month. We will
 2/26 Cathy Salin have all the kids showing love by introducing fun Valentine’s Day arts and
 crafts and our annual Valentines Day party with lots of treats and dancing.
 We are celebrating Black History Month by
 reflecting on the impact of significant Black figures
 throughout our history. Enjoy the month of
 February by spreading and showing lots of love!
 Pictures are coming 

 Richfield Lutheran
 Newsletter February
 2023

Trust Inc invites you to ‘Share Your Heart’.

 We (Trust) need 250 valentine cards to
 share with our senior neighbors. Imagine
 WELCA the joy you will bring to a neighborhood
 The February WELCA senior as they receive a personalized valentine
 meeting will be held on card. Please address envelopes ‘to a special
 Tuesday, February 21th at friend’. You can bring cards to the TRUST Inc Offices by
 2:00pm in the Mary Martha February 07, 2023 at 9 West , Rustic Lodge in Minneapolis.
 Room. Discussion on (or drop off your valentines to the RLC Office)
 .

 donations for 2023.

 Happy Valentine's Day -
 February 14, 2023
N

 Daily Bible Readings for thJanuary:
 Sunday, February 1 Wednesday, February 15
 Luke 6:17-26 Proverbs 2:1-15
 Monday, February 2 Thursday, February 16
 Luke 2:22-40 Exodus 24:12-18
 Tuesday, February 3 Friday, February 17
 Isaiah 58:1-12 Psalm 2
 Wednesday, February 4 Saturday February 18
 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 2 Peter 1:16-21
 Thursday, February 5 Sunday, February 19
 Matthew 5:13-20 Matthew 17:1-9
 Friday, February 6 Monday, February 20
 2 Kings 22:3-20 Exodus 33:7-23
 The Mitten Tree is still Saturday, February 7 Tuesday, February 21
 seeking donations. Hats Psalm 119:105-112 1 Kings 19:9-18
 Sunday, February 8 Wednesday, February 22
 and especially mittens are
 John 8:12-30 Matthew 17:1-9
 needed for a few more
 Monday, February 9 Thursday, February 23
 months. Let's keep 'the Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7
 littles' warm! Tuesday, February 10 Friday, February 24
 Psalm 119:1-9 Psalm 32
 Wednesday, February 11 Saturday, February 25
 1 Corinthians 3:1-09 Romans 5:12-19
 Thursday, February 12 Sunday, February 26
 Matthew 5:21-37 Matthew 4:1-11
 Friday, February 13 Monday, February 27
 Exodus 33:7-23 Hebrews 2:10-18
 Saturday, February 14 Tuesday, February 28
 Psalm 119:9-16 Genesis 4:1-16
 Richfield Lutheran
 Newsletter February
 2023