“Connecting to God, each other, and the world”

Highlights

Of Items

In This Issue:

Annual Meeting 16

Baptism Class 10

Birthdays 14

Calendar 15

Called to Serve 12-13

Children, Youth and Family 6-7

Chili Cook Off Winners 9

Contemplative Prayer Group 4

Cub Scout Pancake Breakfast 7

Faith Community Nurse 10

Gathering Opportunities 11

Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast 5

Rooted in the Word Breakfast 4

Sunday Adult Forums 5

Thank you from Pastor Cassie 4

WAPO 8

Worship Survey 3, Insert

“Hardwiring Happiness:

The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm and Confidence”

Saturday Evenings 5:00 pm The Bridge—Contemporary Worship

Sunday Mornings 9:30 am Worship with One Sacrament 12:00 pm Pueblo de Fe—Worship in Spanish

St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 2

If you need assistance

outside of these hours

please call ahead to be

sure someone will be

available to assist you.

Thank you.

St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 3

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SSLC2016

t is more blessed to give then to receive.

St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 4

Rooted in the Word VI: Luke & Revelations

“The Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation”

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St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 6

Sitraka Rakotoarivelo

Children, Youth and Family Ministry

NEW YEAR

I cannot be thankful enough for the awesome people who help keep this Ministry going. Investing in our youth and kids is such an important part of being the church. We’ve all heard the saying before, “youth aren’t the future or the church, they’re already the church.”

We have new families that have joined us for our Wednesday evening Faith Formation classes and we want to remind everyone that Wednesday evenings aren’t just for the younger families, but for the ENTIRE congregation. So come, check out what we do on Wednesdays and make new friends!

Our Wednesday schedule can be found below:

5:30 PM - 6:00 PM: Meal 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Wednesday Faith Formation Classes.

See you there! And invite friends and family! For more information, contact Sitraka at sitraka@ststephenswsp.org.

WEDNESDAY FAITH FORMATION

If you are interested in joining our Wednesday Christian Education classes, you can register at www.ststephenswsp.org or contact the church office. Our Wednesday Faith Formation covers PreK - 8th Grade. The PreK - 1st graders are involved in a curriculum called “Godly Play”. Through Godly Play, “Children have an innate sense of the presence of God. The Godly Play approach helps them to explore their faith through story, to gain religious language and to enhance their spiritual ex-perience though wonder and play. Based on Montessori principles and developed using a spiral cur-riculum, the Godly Play method serves children through early, middle and late childhood and be-yond.”

Spark: Activate Faith, is a curriculum focused on learning the amazing stories of the Bible from the Old and New Testament. As the year goes on, they will get an understanding and grasp of what makes their faith so unique. Colaborate is our Confirmation curriculum. Through Colaborate, students go through a hands-on investigative learning that leads to deep engagement with the Bible, faith, and what it means to be a Christian.

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Colossians 3:28, NIV

St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 7

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 4 Family Worship Night @ 6:00 PM Every first Wednesday of the month is dedicated to a family worship night at St. Stephen’s. Everyone is welcome and come experience worship different from our usual Sunday morning setting.

WEDNESDAY FAMILY WORSHIP HIGHLIGHT

During our December 7 Family Night, we had an AWESOME time with Agape* (aka David Scherer) and Joe Davis. They brought so much energy and passion here and every had such a great time wor-ship God through Hip-Hop Worship. To find out more about Agape* you can go to www.hiphopoutreach.com and to know more about Joe Davis you can go to www.joedavispoetry.com.

January 28 Open Gym from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM The gym will be open for kids to come and have a good time. This time is for kids 7

th Grade –

older. For more information contact Sitraka at sitraka@ststephenswsp.org. We do need parents to help chaperone these events. There needs to be at least 1 adult for every 5 kids. If these aren’t met the event will be cancelled.

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Colossians 3:28, NIV

Support Cub Scout Pack 37

PANCAKE BREAKFAST Sat, Jan 7

th, 2017 8 - 10am

Location: St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church Purchase tickets at the door or in advance from a Pack 37 family

Your $6 ticket gets you Pancakes and Sausage, along with your choice of Coffee, Juice or Milk

The Food Shelf Needs YOUR Help!

Summer Camp Registration Dates:

Wapo Youth (4-9th Grade) – June 18 – 23 Cost: $420* $100 non-refundable/non-transferable deposit is due with registration. Registration balance is due two weeks prior to arrival.

TIM Team (9 – 12th Grade) – June 18 – 23 Cost: $430*

$100 non-refundable/non-transferable deposit is due with registration. Registration balance is due two weeks prior to arrival.

Seeds (2nd – 3rd Grade) – June 23 – 25 Cost: $160* $50 non-refundable/non-transferable deposit is due with registration.

Registration balance is due two weeks prior to arrival.

As you can see, SEEDS has changed. Wapo is not offering SEEDS every weekend anymore. They will be offering 4 weekends throughout the summer (June 23-25, July 14-16, July 28-30 and August 4-6), so the above date reflects the closest weekend to last year’s weeklong youth dates.

Registration will be similar to last year, which is done online. You will use your same account to register your kids. Be sure to choose St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, West Saint Paul as the church.

January 15th is when registration will open. We will send an e-mail out to you with the direct link to registra-tion a week or so before January 15th.

March 15th is the priority deadline for families to register under our congregation. After March 15, registra-tion becomes first come first serve process.

*Full and partial scholarships are available. If you need scholarships contact Sitraka at sitraka@ststephenswsp.org for a scholarship application.

St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 8

St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 9

St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 10

Class -

St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 11

Kids are welcome. Contact Christine:

(http://www.babanis.com/)

MOMS CLUB® of West St Paul

St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 12

St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 13

For I Know the Plans I Have For You ...

dpirkl@comcast.net

St. Stephen’s Update Newsletter ▪ January, 2017 Page 14

Happy January Birthdays!

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NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE

PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 1594

Address Service Requested

2017

ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2017 at 10:45am