the vinebranch a monthly publication of Abiding Savior Lutheran Church February 2019 in this issue Stewardship Corner 2 Special Events 3 Youth Faith Formation 5 Lenten Soup Suppers 6 Adult Faith Formation 7 Mission Endowment Fund 10 February Calendar 11 Abiding Savior Continues to Ask: What’s Next? In September of 2012 I began to challenge our congregation to ponder the question of “What’s Next?” What else is God calling us to do as a congregation and as individuals? I could sense that God had big plans for Abiding Savior, plans we could not yet even imagine. We had just finished our Togeth- er in God’s Love Capital Campaign and had balanced the budget two years in a row. Things were looking good when I wrote in 2012: As we look toward the future, we are really in an exciting place. We have spent the last three years looking inward and getting our so called “ducks in a row.” Now we are ready to start focusing more on the work of God done outside the walls of our congregation. God is at work in our community and we are called to be helpers in that work. As we look forward, we should be asking ourselves how we can make a real difference in God’s name right here in Mounds View and the surrounding community? At that time, our work with Shobi’s Table was only beginning, Quincy House was not in existence, our Snack Pack program with Pinewood Elementary School had not yet begun, the Community Support Center was non-existent, we did not partner with other congregations in our community, and the Butikima Family was living as refugees in Burundi. Because we asked God, “What’s next?”, and listened to God’s reply, we have been able to do so much together in God’s name. Today we continue our partnering with Community Partners with Youth, Quincy House, the Irondale Pantry, International Students at Luther Seminary, the Community Support Center, the Center for Changing Lives, Sharing and Caring Hands, Feed My Starving Children, Ralph Reeder Food Shelf, Pinewood Elementary School and more. We work closely with other churches in our community including Atonement and Cross of Glory Lutheran Churches and Kingdom Builders Worship Center. We have come so far in listening to God and following that calling. But God is not done with us yet. As we continue to discern, we also continue to ask God, “What’s next?” Where is God leading our congregation? What ministry opportunities are out there for us to explore? Where can we feed the hun- gry, provide shelter, share resources, offering loving care, or change lives all in the name of God? May God bless us all as we listen, discern, and act upon the call of God in our lives and in our congregation. God’s blessings! Pastor Ryan Living in God’s love, Abiding Savior Lutheran Church is a welcoming and caring family that nurtures spiritual growth, shares our Christian faith, and serves all creation. Help us grow our 11:00 contemporary service We love our contemporary worship service, but we need your help to make it grow! If you are a regular attendee and are willing to offer feedback regarding this worship service or possibly serve on a short-term task- force to increase attendance and increase our volunteer involvement, please see Pastor Ryan, Pastor Lisa or leave your information with the office staff. Thank you!
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the vinebranch a monthly publication of Abiding Savior Lutheran Church February 2019
in this issue
Stewardship Corner 2
Special Events 3
Youth Faith Formation 5
Lenten Soup Suppers 6
Adult Faith Formation 7
Mission Endowment Fund 10
February Calendar 11
Abiding Savior Continues to Ask: What’s Next?
In September of 2012 I began to challenge our congregation
to ponder the question of “What’s Next?” What else is God
calling us to do as a congregation and as individuals? I could
sense that God had big plans for Abiding Savior, plans we
could not yet even imagine. We had just finished our Togeth-
er in God’s Love Capital Campaign and had balanced the
budget two years in a row. Things were looking good when I
wrote in 2012:
As we look toward the future, we are really in an exciting place. We have
spent the last three years looking inward and getting our so called “ducks in
a row.” Now we are ready to start focusing more on the work of God done
outside the walls of our congregation. God is at work in our community and
we are called to be helpers in that work. As we look forward, we should be
asking ourselves how we can make a real difference in God’s name right
here in Mounds View and the surrounding community?
At that time, our work with Shobi’s Table was only beginning, Quincy House
was not in existence, our Snack Pack program with Pinewood Elementary
School had not yet begun, the Community Support Center was non-existent,
we did not partner with other congregations in our community, and the
Butikima Family was living as refugees in Burundi.
Because we asked God, “What’s next?”, and listened to God’s reply, we have
been able to do so much together in God’s name. Today we continue our
partnering with Community Partners with Youth, Quincy House, the Irondale
Pantry, International Students at Luther Seminary, the Community Support
Center, the Center for Changing Lives, Sharing and Caring Hands, Feed My
Starving Children, Ralph Reeder Food Shelf, Pinewood Elementary School
and more. We work closely with other churches in our community including
Atonement and Cross of Glory Lutheran Churches and Kingdom Builders
Worship Center.
We have come so far in listening to God and following that calling. But God
is not done with us yet. As we continue to discern, we also continue to ask
God, “What’s next?” Where is God leading our congregation? What ministry
opportunities are out there for us to explore? Where can we feed the hun-
gry, provide shelter, share resources, offering loving care, or change lives
all in the name of God?
May God bless us all as we listen, discern, and act upon
the call of God in our lives and in our congregation.
God’s blessings!
Pastor Ryan
Living in God’s love, Abiding Savior Lutheran Church
is a welcoming and caring family
that nurtures spiritual growth, shares our Christian faith,
and serves all creation.
Help us grow our 11:00
contemporary service
We love our contemporary
worship service, but we need
your help to make it grow!
If you are a regular attendee
and are willing to offer
feedback regarding this
worship service or possibly
serve on a short-term task-
force to increase attendance
and increase our volunteer
involvement, please see
Pastor Ryan, Pastor Lisa or
leave your information with
the office staff.
Thank you!
page 2 / healthy congregations / endowment fund grants
Mission
Living in God’s love, Abiding Savior Lutheran Church is a welcoming and caring family
that nurtures spiritual growth, shares our Christian faith, and serves all creation.
A Generous Congregation is a Healthy Congregation*
In their book, “A Field Guide for the Missional Congregation,” Craig Van Gelder and Rick Rouse write:
Healthy, Spirit-led leaders are able to help congregations understand the importance of practic-
ing stewardship and facing their fiscal challenges. …We’ve discovered that this is the key that is
often missing as congregational leaders look to move a congregation forward on its missional
journey. Practicing stewardship toward building financial viability is an issue that, if not taken
seriously, can become a huge obstacle to a congregation seeking to implement a missional plan.
Financial generosity is essential for keeping a congregation going. Finances are essential for paying light bills
and salaries and for capital improvements and even Sunday School materials. Finances are also needed to
fund outreach ministries into the community to carry out the mission of God beyond the walls of the congre-
gation. In short, financial resources are a necessity if the church is to maintain a building, nurture faith in
adults and children, care for the sick, feed the hungry, provide quality worship services, and retain trained
and professional clergy and staff.
Congregations that have poor financial stewardship practices often have trouble taking care of the ongoing
day-to-day expenses of ministry. They regularly spend a lot of time and energy worrying about money, and
frequently create an environment of scarcity instead of participating actively in God’s mission.
When congregations are not constantly scrambling for money, they are better able to instead look for ways to
grow God’s Kingdom. They are able to say “yes” to God as they are called into new ministries and partner-
ships trusting that God will provide and has provided. Through sharing in congregations, lives are changed
with the love of God and congregations are better able to look beyond their walls to participate in God’s work
done in their neighborhoods, homes, workplaces, and out into God’s world. Whether a church is worshipping
thousands or only a few, better stewardship practices will lead to more life changing ministries done in the
name of God.
Pastors often the key to creating an atmosphere of generosity in their congregations. Unfortunately, many
pastors are not feeling equipped to lead in the area of stewardship. In all areas of ministry, pastors should
seek new knowledge from classes, mentors, and practice. By equipping pastors to be leaders of generosity,
congregations will have the funding needed to carry out their mission in the world. When a congregation’s
finances are in order and generosity is practiced, the potential to touch even more lives with the love and
grace of God exists. Encourage your pastor to continue growing their knowledge of how to teach and preach
generosity as they live out their calling as leaders of stewardship.
*This article first appeared on the St. Paul Area Synod Blog: https://www.spas-elca.org/a-generous-
congregation-is-a-healthy-congregation/
Apply NOW for Endowment Fund Grants
The Endowment Committee is thrilled to be awarding over $5,000 in grants for 2019!
Any organization can apply for a grant from the Endowment Fund including commit-
tees, staff, Council members, ministries of Abiding Savior, individual church members, and community non-
profit organizations. Grant Applications are available in the church office. The application process is simple
but hurry, applications are due ASAP! Criteria for grant funding is explained further on the application.
As the Mission Endowment Fund grows, the Endowment will be able award more and more grants to be used
in sharing God’s love in the world. If you haven’t done so already, please prayerfully consider including the
Abiding Savior Endowment in your estate planning. This can be done in a variety of ways including life insur-
ance and IRA beneficiary designations, a variety of annuities, and simple language added to your will. All
gifts, big or small, are appreciated and will be used to further the work of God done in the world. For more