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Faith Formation for All Ages


Diane Ott-Hager
Director of Faith Formation
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Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church offers classes and faith formative learning opportunities for all ages. If you have questions about any of the following programs or want to sign up, please contact our Director of Faith Formation, Diane Ott-Hager at 612-789-7256, ext 12. or dianeh@gachurchmpls.org

On this page you will find information about
Sunday School--Confirmation Class--Other faith formation opportunities

Faith Formation at GA-Church is
an invitation to grow
in
relationship with God.
Listen! God is calling!

The design and intention of most of the Faith Formation offerings is that, even the first-time visitor could jump into the faith conversation. Check the weekly bulletin, monthly Gazette, or the church web site (www.gachurchmpls.org)
for dates, times, updates, and other information. Listen! God is calling! Come! Join us for the following:

Regular Sunday Schedule

Sunday at 9:15 A.M. - PRAYER (Upstairs in the NEW PRAYER ROOM)

Please note our new Prayer Room location — Upstairs in the Education Wing in the Classroom farthest East— ask for directions from an Usher.

The PRAYER time in the Faith Room provides the opportunity to pray with others, to pray for specific concerns submitted to GA-Church, and to spend intentional time listening to God. Anyone is welcome to drop in anytime to pray.

Sunday at 10:00 A.M. - WORSHIP (Upstairs in the SANCTUARY)

The WORSHIP includes a variety of musical expressions, a Children’s Sermon and Holy Communion. A Nursery is available on most Sundays. The Nursery is intended for children under age-three. Infants, Toddlers, and Pre-Schoolers are invited and desired to be in WORSHIP.

A time of FELLOWSHIP follows WORSHIP
(Downstairs in the FELLOWSHIP HALL)
Chimes will indicate the transition between Fellowship and Faith Formation time.

Sunday at 11:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M. – FAITH FORMATION for ALL
(Upstairs and Downstairs in various locations of the building)

  • Sunday School-
    Downstairs for students in Pre-School & Kindergarten
    Upstairs for Students in First – Fifth Grade Classes
Aveda Cap Recycling Program
The Sunday School children are participating in the Aveda Cap Recycling Program. You may join the children in being good stewards of God’s creation. Simply bring your clean, rigid polypropylene plastic bottle caps to church and deposit them in the boxes on the bookshelf upstairs by the office. Caps that meet the guidelines include shampoo, water, pop, milk and other beverage bottles, flip top caps on tubes and food product bottles (such as ketchup and mayonnaise), laundry detergent and peanut butter jar lids.

SPECIAL NOTES: Only rigid plastic caps that screw-on are acceptable. So, no yogurt lids or margarine or cottage cheese covers, please. And no caps from medicines are accepted.

When we have a sufficient supply, we will ship them to Aveda. The children appreciate your support of this project.

If you have any questions, please contact Tracey.

  • Middle School, High School and Adult Opportunities
    + Music Ministry – Phil Holzman, Minister of Worship and Music, regularly rehearses with instrumentalists and vocalists on Sunday

+ Media and Ministry – Scripture and faith topics arediscussed through various media

+ Sunday School Aide – Support this ministry by serving as an aide

+ Fellowship/Kitchen Assistant – Support this ministry by serving as an aide

SUNDAYs

PRAYER (9:15-10:00 a.m.) — come for a quiet time of listening to God before Worship. The last/east classroom in the upper level of the Education Wing is reserved for Prayer on Sunday mornings.

Then, after Worship and Fellowship (11:30 a.m.)

Are you ready for your Lutheran check-up? Beginning June 6th, and continuing throughout our Summer Sundays, we’ll explore Luther’s Small Catechism. Small in name only, this may be just the introduction or review you’ve been hoping would move you to better understand our Lutheran roots — This is most certainly true!

MONDAYs

July 12, 19, and 26, at 7:00 p.m.
Traveling Mercies— Book Discussion — see the “Monthly Reader” article at the bottom of this page.

TUESDAYs

June 1st at 7:00 p.m. — BIBLE & BREW — Catechism Cataclysm at Joan &Rob Mitchell’s (1510 27th Avenue NE) As a complement to the Summer Sundays, we’ll look at components of the catechism — while enjoying coffee, tea, or other brewed beverages known to Lutherans.

People of Purpose at 10:00 a.m.
This study and discussion of scripture and Rick Warren’s best-selling books, The Purpose Driven Life: (“PDL”) What on Earth Am I Here For? and The Purpose Driven Church (“PDC”): Growth Without Compromising Your Message and Mission will provide a framework for learning. The first session was May 18th. There’s still time to join the discussion. If you wish to have Director of Faith Formation, Diane Ott-Hager secure a copy of PDL or PDC for you, contact her at 612-789-7256, ext. 12 … or … dianeh@gachurchmpls.org.

TUESDAYs

Beginning JUNE 29th — Dead Sea Scrolls topics at GA Church

The year: 1947. A Bedouin shepherd tracks one of his stray goats into a cave mouth above the shore of the Dead Sea at a desolate place named Qumran. Inside, he discovers a pair of tall, thin clay pots. And what he finds when he opens those pots will be nothing less than the greatest archaeological discovery of the 20th century: the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Joan Mitchell will facilitate discussion about the Scrolls. Joan has a series of DVD presentations, books, and a variety of resources to augment our learning about this great archeological find of the 20th century.

This class will be augmented by a group tour of the exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

WEDNESDAYs

A Study of ROMANS — 11:00 a.m.—12:30 p.m.
As of the printing of the June Gazette, our reading, study and discussion is very near the end of ROMANS.

The next Wednesday mid-day Bible study topic has not been set. Suggestions include continuing the ROMANS focus with The Hilarity of Community: Romans 12 and How to Be the Church by Marva Dawn; we’re also considering the biblical books of Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, and/or Jude. Do you have an interest in exploring a particular book of Christian scripture? Offer your suggestion to Diane.

Discipleship — 7:00-8:30 p.m.— Ongoing study/discussion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s classic work, The Cost of Discipleship.

THURSDAYs

June 10th, 7:00-8:30 P.M.--"The Dead Sea Scrolls"
Science Museum of Minnesota

During Sunday Community Time and in the weekly bulletin announcements, you’ve been hearing and reading about the Thursday Evening Lecture Series — Dead Sea Scrolls: Words That Changed the World at the Science Museum of Minnesota in Saint Paul.

This lecture series will continue to bring in experts from around the world to discuss the history, science, and cultural impact of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Including question and answer, the lectures are approximately 90-minutes long. Each lecture costs $20.00 for non-members of the Science Museum (for others, various membership, age, and group discounts may apply).

Upcoming topics and speakers include:

Thursday, June 10th, 7:00-8:30 P.M.
Jewish and Christian Origins as Revealed by the Dead Sea Scrolls — Dr. Risa Levitt Kohn - Director,
Jewish Studies Program, and Professor, Religious Studies Department, San Diego State University.

Thursday, July 15th, 7:00-8:30 P.M.
Prophets, Prophecy and the Dead Sea Scrolls
Dr. Alex Jassen - McKnight Land-Grant Assistant Professor of Early Judaism, Department of
Classical and Near Eastern Studies, University
of Minnesota.

Thursday, August 12th, 7:00-8:30 P.M.
The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls
Dr. Jodi Magness - Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in Early Judaism, Senior Endowed Chair in the Department of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Contact Director of Faith Formation —
Diane Ott-Hager at 612-789-7256, ext. 12 … or … dianeh@gachurchmpls.org for more information about these Thursday lectures and/or tour groups.

Also on Thursdays -- As of the printing of the June Gazette, plans are being finalized for a multi-generational, hands-on Faith Formation experience, involving Scripture, saints, and paint. Intrigued? Watch for more info!

FRIDAYs

Grown-Up Movie Nights at 6:30 p.m.
Beginning June 11th (pending on interest)
Krzysztof Kieslowski’s THE DECALOGUE

As a compliment to the Summer Sunday focus on The Ten Commandments, these made-for-Polish-TV morality plays (approximately 60-minutes each) will challenge your sensibilities about the human condition and God’s Law. The plan is to view two installments [Commandments] each Friday, for five consecutive Fridays (June 11th, 18th, 25th, July 2nd, & 9th).

Because discussion will be an important part of these viewings, it will be necessary for at least three people to sign-up (in the Narthex or contact Diane) to attend the Friday offerings. If there is not enough interest, this Friday series will be cancelled.

CPR (Cleaning, Painting, Repair)
A friend’s congregation has regular “CPR” sessions — that is, Cleaning, Painting, and Repair.

If you can use a broom or a rake, we can use you!

If you’re not afraid of a little hard work, dirt, and sweat, we can use you!

In preparation for some of the hands-on summer Faith Formation opportunities … and with both the Property Committee and Council approval … we’d like to get some CPR accomplished at various times; the work can be accomplished on the same kind of schedule as our lawn-care volunteers — when you have the time! A sign-up sheet will be in the Narthex or contact Diane.

We’ll try one group session on Tuesday, June 15th beginning at 6:00 p.m. Wear work clothes!

THE MONTHLY READER

MONDAY at 7:00 p.m.,
July 12, 19, and 26, 2010

Discussion of Anne Lamott's book:
Traveling Mercies: Some thoughts on Faith

Discussion facilitated by Spiritual Director, Writer, and GA-Staff Member, Julie Bonde.

“My coming to faith did not start with a leap but rather a series of staggers from what seemed like one safe place to another…. Yet each step brought me closer to the verdant pad of faith on which I somehow stay afloat today." excerpt from Traveling Mercies

With an exuberant mix of passion, insight, and humor, bestselling author Anne Lamott takes us on a journey through her often troubled past to illuminate her devout but quirky walk of faith. In a narrative spiced with stories and scripture, with diatribes, laughter, and tears, Lamott tells how, against all odds, she came to believe in God and then, even more miraculously, in herself. She shows us the myriad ways in which this sustains and guides her, shining the light of faith on the darkest part of ordinary life and exposing surprising pockets of meaning
and hope.

Anne Lamott (b. 1954 in San Francisco) is the author of several novels and works of non-fiction, and a progressive political activist. She is also an acclaimed public speaker and teacher of writing. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, her non-fiction works are largely autobiographical, with strong doses of self-deprecating humor. Marked by their transparency, Lamott's writings covered such subjects as alcoholism, single motherhood and Christianity.

Come and discover some insight into this journey we call faith.

Other Summer GA Book Selections:

August & September—The Brothers Karamazov
by Fyodor Dostoevsky
(round robin facilitation)

Confirmation 2010-2011

Confirmation at GA Lutheran Church is for students in grades 6, 7, & 8th grade. GA Lutheran Church and Mount Carmel Lutheran Church are partners in this ministry. For more information or to sign up for classes, contact, Director of Faith Formation, Diane Ott-Hager. Contact info is listed at the top of this page.


Reconciling in Christ

On May 3, 2009 in a Special Congregational Meeting Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church passed a motion to become a Reconciling in Christ congregation. To get some general information about RIC, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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